Category: Movies

Steven Spielberg is one of my favourite directors and I have most of his films on DVD but Munich was a film I had been a tad nervous about. Critics had lamented the fact that the film could be too sentimental and give a pro-Israeli side without examining the reasons behind the attack itself. The film follows a team of Israeli agents who are assigned to kill the organisers of the attacks with various specialists in bomb making, cleanup etc. It uses themes of home and family to explain the motivations of both the terrorists and the team pursueing the organisers. Eric Bana turns in an excellent performance as the team leader committed to following orders but also of doing the best by his wife and baby.

One of my mates John made a point about how the pace of the film drops slightly in the last hour. I think however that it may have been deliberate considering the fact that the team start to lose their way and question the motives of their boss. I don’t way to say too much about the actual plot as a lot of the events are interconnected. Spielberg has shown he can do violence with Schindler’s List and does compromise on showing just how bloody and messy the team’s job is. Overall it’s a highly accomplished film and one that doesn’t judge but explains human motivation and notions of justice. Definitely worth a watch.

Tony’s Verdict: 9/10

What a fantastic film this is. I wasn’t too sure of the plotline going into the film, aside from hearing that it involved gay cowboys but essentially it’s a love story. The two central performances make the film and although I would have been hesitant about Heath Ledger’s acting skills, this is the performance of his career. It keeps your attention throughout by illustrating the relationships between the two principal characters and how their feelings for each other are complicated by circumstance and timing. One thing I was suprised about was the amount of people leaving during the film. I’ve seen this before but there were maybe 10-15 people and that’s a lot when you’re trying to concentrate on a film. I wonder was it through being uncomfortable with the subject matter or that they thought the film was slow. Either way, they missed out on an impressive piece of cinema.

Wow. Just wow. Unless you’ve been hiding in a cave for the past six months then you can’t have failed to see the humdrum and buzz generated towards Peter Jackson’s latest epic. I personally, loved the Lord of Rings movies and was looking forward to it. To do a film like this after coming out of the Rings saga is a testament to how ballsy a filmmaker he is. The following will not contain any major spoilers so feel free to read on if you want my take on the movie (I’ve seen it twice :)).

I’ve been looking forward to this one for a while cos I’m a big fan of Cameron Crowe’s films. Both Jerry Maguire and Almost Famous are among my favourite films and I tend to expect quite a lot of this director. I won’t mention the fiasco that was Vanilla Sky. 🙂 This film follows Drew Baylor, a twenty-something shoe designer from Oregan who’s father passes away suddenly and he is pulled into the world his father once inhabited back in his home state of Kentucky. While on the way to Elizabethtown he meets Claire Colburn who is a quirky individual set on getting to know him and his story.

Crowe’s films have always had a keen eye for character and that’s especially true here. He takes the time to explain character motivations and brings in a wide variety of actors who all provide strong performances. Orlando Bloom is very good as Drew and I bought into the idea that his head was wrecked between his job, family and trying to come to terms with his father’s extended family. Kirsten Dunst is also solid as Clare and is definitely the quirkiest role I’ve ever seen her perform. Overall though there were certain things about the film which didn’t sit with me 100%. It’s very hard to describe. 😕 Anyhow, it’s a very good film and one I’d recommend. I’m also thinking it’ll be better suited to DVD. 🙂

Tony’s Verdict: 7/10

Since Wallace and Gromit’s first short, “Grand Day Out”, I’ve always enjoyed watching these characters. Is it childish? Probably but what’s not to like about them? Their first big screen outing is backed by Dreamworks but the film still has a homegrown feel about it and benefits as a result. The titular pair own a pest control business and in the run up to the yearly giant vegetable contest, are kept particularly busy. That is until the were-rabbit appears and starts to mess with the townfolk and generally causes a ruckus.

The characters have always been a strong point in pieces by Aardman and this film is no different. Both Wallace and Gromit have some excellent scenes together and the interplay and timing of scenes is spot on. One thing which also struck me was the cinematography. For an animated title, it’s beautifully shot and the detail on the models is astounding. The script also has space for a cast of characters voiced by Ralph Fiennes, Helena Bonham-Carter and Peter Kay all of which complement the story excellently. If you’re looking for a funny film at the moment then you’d be a fool to overlook this.

Tony’s Verdict: 9/10