QUICK REVIEW: The Jungle Book (2016)

Howdy people, FINALLY after being stuck at work for the last week I’m back to my blog to write some stuff, yay! 😛 Anyway everyone has gone on about how great The Jungle Book is, but I haven’t, mainly because I hadn’t seen it…  Until yesterday. Now that I’ve seen it I can gush about how great it is too because the film is awesome and I’ll tell you why in this review. 🙂

Straight to the point, Disney’s live-action The Jungle Book, much like last year’s Cinderella is an updated version of the classic animated film. So if you’re familiar with the story of the original then this is almost beat-for-beat exactly the same as you remember, however, there have been a good few alterations/modifications to compensate for the transition into live-action but also for the changes in the story. What I really appreciated was how the writers took the foundation of the original film, but modified it so that the story got a little darker, layered and had a greater sense of scale, realism and threat which not only encompassed Mowgli but everyone else in the jungle as well. There was a lovely sense of cohesion and community, and I several of the updates to the story really improve the overall experience much more than the original.

I really liked the cast as well starting with Neel Sethi who was great as Mowgli, for a child actor who essentially had to ask like he was surrounded by talking animals he did a bloody good job. I actually LOVED Mowgli in this film. In the original he was such a whiny little brat who had one or two moments of being likeable, but overall wasn’t one of Disney’s better protagonists, but here he’s young, brash and a little hard-headed, but he’s also resourceful, charming and applies logic to a lot of his situations. As for the voice cast they were awesome across the board. Bill Murray was delightful as Baloo, you can tell that Murray was just having a good time with this material and much of his dialogue felt very much like him more so than Baloo, but for me that was a good thing. Ben Kingsley was spot on as Bagheera, Kingsley was able to be strict, relaxed and hilarious without trying too hard was impressive. Lupita Nyong’o as Raksha had a fierce yet calm and caring demeanour, while Scarlett Johansson was creepy, mysterious and a seductive as Kaa, Giancarlo Esposito brought the right levels of confidence and sincerity to Akela and Christopher Walken as King Louie was simply delightful with Walken really adding something special to all of the scenes he was in whether he was lighthearted or aggressive. But as much as I loved the other voice actors it is Idris Elba who stole the show as Shere Khan. Elba just has one of the best voices ever especially for villainous roles and he commits 100% so when he makes threats or shouts you fear him and I loved it!

Oh and let’s talk about that presentation. Do I even have to say it? It was amazing. Visually the film was fantastic, from the time the film opens with the Disney logo you are treated to a visual treat for the eyes with some of the most impression CGI to date. The fact that like 90% maybe 95% of the film was made up of visual effects in mental when you consider all of the landscapes, animals, weather effects and so on that had to be done, but was incredibly realistic, sharp and the attention to detail was insane. I also loved the realism applied to the animals, even though they talked, the facial movements were relatable and had great subtle movements with ears or blinking eyes. Though if I can fault the visual effects in any way I found say that there are sequences at night where things got a little too dark, but that’s about it. And I also really liked the film score by John Debney who captured the spirit of the original music with the pieces he included, but also added a sense of drama and tension not found in the original too.

In conclusion The Jungle Book was just awesome. There was just the right balance of nostalgia and freshness to justify this film’s existence and with it being executed so well I can’t help but be excited for where Disney and their talented filmmakers go next with their live-action material. 🙂

Rating: 8.5/10 (It was almost a 9!)

So have you seen The Jungle Book and if so what did you think of it? And if you’ve seen the original as well which do you prefer? Please leave your comments below and I’ll see ya on the next review, laters! 😀

 

Stand Up Guys Review

Howdy ladies and gents, time to review Stand Up Guys, a film I virtually knew next to nothing about besides seeing one TV spot for it prior to seeing the film. My mate just convinced me to watch it randomly on a random occasion, so out of curiosity I went along with it, and I’m glad I did because I really liked this film and I’m gonna tell you why in this review. By the way I actually watched this film around 3 weeks okay and was meant to review it on that weekend but I just let it get pushed back several times, so yeah I’m gonna finally talk about this film today!

The story in this film involves Val, a man released from prison after serving twenty-eight years for refusing to give up one of his close criminal associates. His best friend Doc is there to pick him up, and the two soon re-team with another old pal, Hirsch. Their bond is as strong as ever, and the three reflect on freedom lost and gained, loyalties ebbed and flowed, and days of glory gone by. And despite their age, their capacity for mayhem is still very much alive and well – bullets fly as they make a hilariously valiant effort to compensate for the decades of crime, drugs and sex they’ve missed. But one of the friends is keeping a dangerous secret- he’s been put in an impossible quandary by a former mob boss, and his time to find an acceptable alternative is running out. As the sun rises on the guys’ legendary reunion, their position becomes more and more desperate and they finally confront their past once and for all.

I thought the story in this film was pretty cool. It was interesting to watch Val and Doc get reacquainted after so many years and see Val get back into the world, however I have to say for at least 1/3 to 1/2 of this film was really slow and it felt like the film was dragging its feet with no proper focus. Eventually once Hirsch comes into the mix that’s when the film picks up the pace, gets funny and finds its feet. I loved the focus and connection between these three characters and their interacts with the rest of the supporting cast is particularly great. Outside of all the homour there is a fair amount of emotional weight behind this film and it is beautiful to watch. And at one point, the film does something really surprising that comes totally out of nowhere! I won’t tell you what it is or where in the film it appears, but believe me when you see it you’ll be surprised.

When it comes to the cast they’re all pretty good and fun, but it’s all really about Pacino, Walken and Arkin as they’re the main characters. Firstly Al Pacino as Valentine “Val” was fairly nice, his character had clearly gone through a lot and had a lot of adjusting to do, but also due to his situation involving his friend he’s got a lot of stuff he’s gotta get done before he kicks the bucket. Al Pacino is a very strange, funny and funky person, getting into various situations that no normal person would do but it is cool, I just wish his character wasn’t so sluggish and low in the voice. Christopher Walken as Doc was my favourite, Walken is an actor I like because of his mannerisms and strange/interesting choice of roles in films and that holds true to this film too. Doc has an interesting lifestyle and a touching backstory that eventually unfolds over the course of the film and I just thought he was great, sensible man with questionable skills.

And then we have Alan Arkin as Richard Hirsch he was amazing, his character was jokes. Hirsch was the oldest-seeming one in the group, but he’s capable of some great things and Arkin really gets a good few moments in the spotlight to be the center of many moments of humour. Together Pacino, Walken and Arkin have great on-screen chemistry and you really do buy their friendship especially during their little adventures. Also Julianna Margulies as Nina Hirsch was nice as Richard’s daughter, her role in the film while not that big is pretty good and I liked Margulies in her role. And the rest of the cast do well in their roles though I have to give a shout out to Addison Timlin who is very innocent and lovely as Alex and there’s Vanessa Ferlito as Sylvia, she was good, I liked her personality and I’m also a fan of her beauty too.

In conclusion Stand Up Guys was a surprisingly good film and I was so glad that I saw it. I was very happy with the story once it found its feet and the performances from Walken, Pacino and Arkin were fabulously done. If you haven’t seen this film already then I recommend that you do, you should be pleasantly surprised. 🙂

Rating: 8/10 (Some surprisingly good stuff)

So have you seen Stand Up Guys and if so what are your thoughts on the film? Whatever they are, drop them in the comment section below and give me your thoughts yo. Anyways until the next time people, later on. 😀

 

Month of Superhero Film Reviews: Batman Returns

Howdy ladies and gentlemen and welcome to Day #23 of my Month of Superhero Film Reviews! During this month I’ll be reviewing of some of the best and worst comic book adapted films. So we’ve covered the first Batman film, now let’s talk about the slightly controversial sequel in the form of Batman Returns.

So now we return to a film that I remember liking a lot after seeing it the first time. Many Batman fans and critics hate on this film because of its darker, twisted and more Tim Burton-esque style, but honestly I thought that was what made the film so much better than the first film. And that was my frame of mind for the last 2 years, so now that I’ve seen it again with a fresh pair of eyes has my opinion changed at all? Well  read on and find out in this review yo!

Now let’s talk about the plot. In Batman Returns egoistical businessman Max Shreck sets a plot against Gotham City in motion. He is joined by Penguin, a deformed and rather deranged man abandoned at birth by respectable parents. Penguin, backed by hoodlums and real penguins, runs for mayor. The plot is further complicated by Selena, a wronged secretary who transforms into Catwoman, a villain with mixed motives.

I really liked the plot in this film. What is apparent from the outset is how much more of a Tim Burton film this is, from the atmosphere, tone, music, everything screams Tim Burton! It’s tale of misguided characters, deceit, revenge moral and ethical choices. As with any good Batman story there’s a lot more going behind the scenes. I liked how this film connected and referenced things from the previous film and presented situations and stakes that were higher and more complex for the characters involved especially when it comes to Bruce Wayne and his time as Batman. I think one of my favourite aspects of this film was the connection between Bruce and Selina, both are people with issues that different but at the same time are complex. They are like kindred spirits both as normal personas and as their alter egos, its interesting to see how they attract and to see we they differ on morals and ethics. The character’s story that wasn’t as interesting was Penguin, I wasn’t too interested in his back story and his whole time in the public eye, it was only after his life went to shit and he decided to mess up Gotham that he became worthy of my time.

Now let’s talk about the cast. Firstly let’s take about Michael Keaton as Bruce Wayne/Batman. Keaton is still very good as Bruce Wayne offering us a character who is still alone, complicated and dedicated to his life as the dark knight. I like how his character was still getting over Vicki Vale and how he found interest in Selina Kyle. And as Batman he’s still cool, intimidating, if a bit careless at times. Then there’s Danny DeVito as Oswald Cobblepot/The Penguin. DeVito honestly looks the part and in a lot of ways I couldn’t imagine anyone else in this role and for the most part he was good, psychotic and freaky. But I found his character’s back story and motives to be a bit generic, lame and not nearly as captivating as the Joker, though anyone trying to follow-up the Joker has massive shoes to fill.

And then there’s Michelle Pfeiffer as Selina Kyle/Catwoman. Selina Kyle at first is this timid little secretary who wants to say a lot but doesn’t have the cuts to do it, and she’s also a bit dull and boring. But after her little accident she adopts a much more fiery persona both as herself and as Catwoman. And Holy Christ was she hotness! Catwoman in this film is fierce, seductive and all sorts of crazy, but that’s what I like about her. Sure she was a bit looney and hard to take seriously, but at the same you could see that she was just a little messed up and wanted to get revenge for the people that wronged her beforehand. Christopher Walken as Max Shreck was pretty good, he played this right asshole who was a good guy in the public eye, but behind closes doors he was definitely a bad man with a massive ego and had some funny moments, but I expect nothing less from Christopher Walken. And lastly Michael Gough as Alfred Pennyworth, he was just around to suggest certain things to Bruce or provide other moments of humour through some good dialogue. Gough just makes for a good and effective Alfred even though his screen time isn’t that big.

Now let’s talk about the presentation. Visually the film is still cool, Gotham City looks distinctive, dark and creepy and I love the art direction and set design, it really does the comics justice. You can also see that there’s a lot more CGI in this film but luckily it’s used in a very minimal and effect manner. There’s a lot more action in this film with Batman fighting Catwoman and Penguin’s thugs, Catwoman’s athletic scenes and all of the explosions that go down in Gotham, in all makes for some great viewing material. As for the soundtrack by Danny Elfman, it retains the main theme from the last film while incorporating new material into the film. Honestly this soundtrack sounds more in line with Tim Burton’s other films, I was especially getting A Nightmare Before Christmas vibe from this score so I think of it as the precursor to that film.

And lastly how does it compare to the comics? As I said before my knowledge mainly comes from the Batman cartoons and research online. Even though this film was very Tim Burton, there were some aspects taken from the comics and translated into this film pretty well. Batman’s costume still looks awesome as does his vehicles. And feel like Catwoman’s costume was decently crafted with a sleek and leather design. I guess the Penguin looked okay, but I’m used to his black suit and monocle. Character wise I’d say there were a few iffy bits and bobs about Selina Kyle/Catwoman and Penguin, but it’s not stuff I’ll lose sleep over.

So to conclude Batman Returns is a film I don’t love as much as I did when I first saw it, but is still a film I greatly appreciate in the superhero genre. Sure it is a lot darker, creepier and silly than the previous film and it a bit misguided in the choices it made for the story and its characters. But there are a lot of things to love about the main cast, action and Tim Burton style of direction. Most people dismiss this film as a failure when compared to 1989’s Batman, but I believe Batman Returns is a good piece of work and it deserves some respect.

Rating: 8/10 (A great sequel that’s on par with its predecessor)

So there’s my review people, only 7 more to go. So have you seen Batman Returns and if so what are your thoughts on it? Drop me a comment and let me know your thoughts yo! Come back tomorrow and I’ll have a new film review online, until then peace out!