PODCAST: Film Focus Episode 48 – Black Panther Review

Howdy ladies and gents of the internet, as some of you may have seen, last year I started a film podcast entitled Film Focus and on this podcast, I talk about various topics in film and reviews as well on a biweekly basis. And the latest episode is a review of the latest Marvel film, Black Panther.

Anyway here’s the episode 48:

I’ve done already done my written review for Black Panther, however, though like most of my written reviews I forgot certain things or wanted to elaborate on certain aspects of the film and that’s where the podcast comes into play. This was one of my favourite reviews to record in recent times due to the fact that I found myself getting more excited about talking about the film as the episode went on and you can really tell how much I liked Black Panther in this review… Even if I do sound a little crazy haha. 😛 So if you don’t like reading, prefer the sound of audio-based reviews then check out my review. 🙂

As I mentioned before I’ll cover a different topic or review in each episode and since I don’t have much in the way of listeners or promotion, I’m here to spread the word about my podcast. 🙂

You can find my main site on Soundcloud here: https://soundcloud.com/film_focus

Or if you’re on iTunes subscribe and rate me on there: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/film-focus/id1114233892?mt=2

So if you have some spare time on your hands and would like to listen to the ramblings of a passionate/strange man then please check it out, and share it with your friends if they are fans of film discussion. Also, you have any feedback or if you’d be interested in joining in future episodes be sure to let me know, until next time, laters! 😀

 

PODCAST: Film Focus Episode 47 – Coco Review

Howdy ladies and gents of the internet, as some of you may have seen, last year I started a film podcast entitled Film Focus and on this podcast, I talk about various topics in film and reviews as well on a biweekly basis. And the latest episode is a review for the latest Pixar film, Coco.

Anyway here’s the episode 47:

I’ve done already done my written review for Coco, however, there were a few more aspects of the film that I didn’t get into in my initial review and as usual being able to talk about anything through your voice allows your passion to shine through far better than text in my opinion. So if you don’t like reading, prefer the sound of audio-based reviews and have some time to spare then check out my review. 🙂

As I mentioned before I’ll cover a different topic or review in each episode and since I don’t have much in the way of listeners or promotion, I’m here to spread the word about my podcast. 🙂

You can find my main site on Soundcloud here: https://soundcloud.com/film_focus

Or if you’re on iTunes subscribe and rate me on there: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/film-focus/id1114233892?mt=2

So if you have some spare time on your hands and would like to listen to the ramblings of a passionate/strange man then please check it out, and share it with your friends if they are fans of film discussion. Also, you have any feedback or if you’d be interested in joining in future episodes be sure to let me know, until next time, laters! 😀

 

QUICK REVIEW: Coco

Howdy ladies and gents, and welcome to another quick review and today I get to talk about a film I’ve been waiting to see for AGES! The latest film from Pixar; Coco. Now when I heard about the film before there was any visual marketing I thought it sounded alright, but I wasn’t too interested. It wasn’t until I heard some of the music during a  Michael Giacchino live concert and saw early positive reviews online. Luckily there was an early preview at my cinema over the weekend, I saw it yesterday and I’m ready to pass judgement! 😀

The plot can be summed up as the following: “Aspiring musician Miguel, confronted with his family’s ancestral ban on music, enters the Land of the Dead to find his great-great-grandfather, a legendary singer.“

The story in this film was wonderful, the film is full of charm, humour, drama and emotion, excitement and adventure, life lessons and all that good stuff that you’ve come to expect from a Pixar film, but how it goes about presenting these elements is quite unique and captivating. I love how this film presents Mexican culture and while I can’t speak to how authentic it is, it felt real and insightful. Also, the way this film handles themes related to the important family, death and remembering those who have passed on, that was handled so well. But I think what made the film for me was dramatic/emotional moments, there were some really dark and surprising reveals that caught me off guard, but I was glad it was put into the story. But there were also some sweet, heartwarming and sad moments that almost made me tear up too. The only negative I put against the film is that if you’ve seen a Pixar film or animated film in general then you’ll recognise the story beats straight away and be able to predict how the narrative flows and progresses.

The vocal performances from everyone involved were great. Anthony Gonzalez was really good as Miguel Rivera, as the main character you can understand his aspirations and mindset especially if you’ve been in a similar situation with your family where you want to be yourself and not be restricted. His journey from start to finish is fun, sad and engaging. Gael García Bernal was lovely as Héctor Rivera, he is a charming and tricky kind of guy who you eventually realise has some hidden layers to him and seeing him and Miguel build their bond over the course of the film is so special. Benjamin Bratt was really good as Ernesto de la Cruz, he’s one of the most memorable characters I’ve seen in a Pixar film for a while because of his story, personality and how he ties into Miguel’s story. Alanna Ubach was incredible as Mamá Imelda Rivera, she was such a fiery and passionate person and I really liked her backstory too. Renée Victor was great as Abuelita Elena Rivera, she’s Miguel’s grandmother who can be kind and caring one minute and extremely aggressive and sassy the next. Ana Ofelia Murguía was also good as Mamá Socorro “Coco” Rivera and Edward James Olmos did a nice job as Chicharrón too.

From a presentation standpoint, the film is great. Visually the film is great, there’s a vivid colour palette with striking lighting and creative designs when it comes to the skeleton characters and the Land of the Dead. There is a nice balance between realism and the more cartoonish aspects, with the animation everything is fluid and the characters are super charismatic and elastic, while the art direction is so good with characters having a great deal of variety in the shape, size and clothing and the look of buildings, creatures and several other things look great as well. Also, the film score from my man Michael Giacchino was lovely, it had a large and notable presence throughout, it was playful, fun, and delightful, but also intense, creepy and melancholy, and the songs written by Germaine Franco, Adrian Molina, Robert Lopez, and Kristen Anderson-Lopez were lovely especially “Remember Me“. In conclusion, Coco was everything I wanted and then some, it had heart, humour, adventure, surprises and really good themes in the story too. While it didn’t rock my world, it left a good feeling in my soul and you should give it a watch. 😀

So have you seen Coco and if so what did you think of it? And how do you compare it to Pixar’s previous films? Leave your thoughts in the comments below and I’ll see ya in the next review, laters! 😀

 

SIMPLE REVIEW: Big Hero 6

Alrighty then ladies and gents, time for another simple review where I tell you in under 1000 words whether a film is worth watching or not and today I’m talking about Big Hero 6. I have waited AGES to see since it was released in November in the US and add on top of that the limited early release the film got in the UK around 2-3 weeks ago. But that aside, I saw the film on Friday and I’m ready to pass judgement.

The premise for the film can be described as the following:

“The special bond that develops between plus-sized inflatable robot Baymax, and prodigy Hiro Hamada, who team up with a group of friends to form a band of high-tech heroes.“

To put it simply, I really liked this film. What I appreciated about this film is its sense of fun. While watching the film I had a huge grin on my face and huge amount of satisfaction in my heart. The plot is a familiar one, but it has enough unique bells and whistles to stand on its own. This film deals with themes of revenge, family, the pain of loss and knowing when to do the right thing. Make no mistake, this is a superhero film with many nods and references to comic book codes and conventions and I really admired how self-aware the film was, it knew what it was and didn’t hide it. There is something for everyone with humour, heartfelt scenes and jokes that work for not only kids but adults as well.

The cast was also very good adding all the right levels of charisma and humour to their roles. Ryan Potter is very likeable as Hiro Hamada and the rest of his team consisting of Jamie Chung as GoGo Tomago, Damon Wayans, Jr. as Wasabi, Génesis Rodríguez as Honey Lemon ,and T. J. Miller as Fred provide ample amounts of fun and entertainment. I would say that Fred is my favourite though, he has some of the best moments in the film. But the real star of this film is Scott Adsit as Baymax (my man from 30 Rock). This inflatable healthcare robot is just the best, he is odd, cute, impracticable and even though he can’t emote, he has some of the most humourous and emotional scenes. Also James Cromwell was very good as Professor Robert Callaghan, Maya Rudolph adds her usual amount of charm as Aunt Cass and I really liked Daniel Henney as Tadashi Hamada and Alan Tudyk as Alistair Krei.

And when it comes to the presentation MY GOD is it good. Visually all Disney films tend to be pretty, however this film, this film is on another level. The art design, lighting, colours and animation are all of the highest quality and it is just a beautiful to watch. The animation is slick, swift and really well done especially in the action sequences with all the wide shots, dynamic camera angles and tracking shots. Also can I just add that the world of San Fansokyo is just gorgeous and might be one of the most gorgeous-looking places that Disney have brought to life through animation, I would love just to see more of that world continued in a another film or possibly a TV series. The soundtrack by Henry Jackman is excellent, I’ve always liked his film scores and in this film he brings the appropriate amount of style, epicness, and drama needed to elevate the scenes where music is required.

Overall Big Hero 6 is a very enjoyable film, the plot was good, the characters were great and the presentation was amazing. It is a film I highly recommend as it another great film from Disney and I would argue that it is their best work of recent times.

Rating: 8.5/10

So have you seen Big Hero 6 and if so what do you think of it? Please be sure to leave your thoughts in the comment section below. Until the next time, laters! 😀

 

Tomorrowland Trailer #1 Review

Good day to you ladies and gents, time for my first trailer review in a while and this one is on a film I’ve been interested in for a while. I am of course talking about the new Brad Bird film, Tomorrowland. Now I’ve heard a lot about this film for a good year or so, but never knew much about it, but because Brad Bird was attached to it, I knew I had to watch it.

Anyways, check out the trailer below:

So my immediate thoughts after seeing this teaser trailer? Interesting, very interesting. I want more.

Now this is a good teaser trailer, gives you something, not a lot, but just enough to peak your interest. Interstellar and this film are the only two films to have teaser trailers that really don’t give out any information about the film, but give you just enough to make you intrigued about what comes next, you know like proper teasers should. The difference is that unlike Interstellar, this film’s teaser is more interesting and gives us more than vague and is getting her stuff back from the security man. However, she gets something back, which she didn’t expect, a badge that when she touches it and gets teleported to a field with a big castle in the background. Oh, and for some reason George Clooney is in some sort of control room with loads of monitors, like here’s a television VT operator. And then there’s that little clip at the end with the girl looking over the bridge and a man with a jetpack flies up and over. So one can assume that this place must take place in the future right?

The main reason I’ve always been remotely in this film is because of the director involved, Brad Bird. To me, he is a man who is a very talented man who has helmed two of my all-time favourite films, The Incredibles and Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol which are on the teaser poster (pictured below). The man knows his stuff and has helmed some very good material and deserves way more attention than he has gotten so far. If this film is another success for him, which I hope that it is, then hopefully it will open more doors for more directorial stuff in the future.

In conclusion Tomorrowland looks pretty interesting, I don’t really have a clue as to what the film is about, but from what I’ve seen so far, it looks very mysterious and futuristic and I’m down with that. This film wasn’t really on my radar before, but now it definitely has my attention as another film to look out for in 2015. Bring on the next trailer! 😀

So what did you think of the teaser trailer for Tomorrowland? Whatever your thoughts are be sure to comment below and I’ll see ya on the next review, laters! 😀

 

Big Hero 6 Trailer #1 Review

Howdy ladies and gents, its trailer review time once again yo! Check it out, the upcoming animated film from Disney entitled Big Hero 6 has been hidden in secrecy for a very long time, at some point I think either last year or the year before there was an animated clip released online. It was extremely short, but it was pretty. However it gave viewers no idea of what the film would be about. So around 2 months ago we finally got a teaser trailer that gave ya people an idea of what the characters would look like and the type of tone the film was going for (which felt like your standard, fun kind of Disney material).

And now we have the first full-length trailer and it looks, alright. Honestly I have been excited for this film mainly because of the origins of source material with it being a Marvel and Disney crossover comic book. And the teaser trailer pretty much had me, I thought that was funny, cute and totally Disney. But while this new trailer gives us more information on the story and the nature of the two main characters, I’m not overly excited by this trailer.

Have a look at the trailer below:

 

So what does this trailer entail? Well it seems like this main dude (Hiro) and his white rubber robot (Baymax) have had a run in with a dangerous enemy in a mask who uses mini robots and attacks them. Hiro goes to the police and tries to explain what happened but the man doesn’t understand believe the kid at all. And then we get a montage of scenes with Hiro and Baymax flying around doing action-oriented stuff and a few other things. I like the way humour plays a big part in this trailer and it is pretty funny to see Baymax filling up his air holes with collotype.

But beyond seeing the new enemy, seeing a few action scenes and hearing the voices for Hiro and Baymax, little is known about what the story is for this film. I think that’s one of the things that bugged me; the fact that there was little more to learn about the film beyond the last trailer… That and the fact that this trailer uses that Fall Out Boy song. Listen I don’t hate that band, but that song seemed very ill-placed for this trailer and totally ruined the vibe.

In the end I’m still hyped for Big Hero 6, not doubt about it, but I’m gonna need a more fleshed out trailer with an understanding of the story and all of the characters for me to fully understand what this film is gonna be. Since Disney have been on the up and up since 2012 with Wreck-It Ralph and Frozen, I have faith that they will make a good animated film, but as of right now this trailer does not elevate my hype that much.

So what did you think of this trailer for Big Hero 6? Are you excited or still waiting for more footage to get a better understanding of what the film is about? Whatever your thoughts are be sure to leave them in the comments below yo. 😀

 

Star Wars: Episode VII Set 30 Years After Return of the Jedi, Will Feature Heroic Trio!

Good day to you ladies and gentlemen of the internet, today I return to discuss some recent film news relating to the upcoming Star Wars: Episode VII. The following information comes from superherohype:

“Walt Disney Pictures and Lucasfilm today revealed that, as has long been expected, their Star Wars: Episode VII will begin production at London’s historic Pinewood Studios in May. What’s more, they’ve confirmed that the action in the sequel will be set 30 years after the events of Return of the Jedi and that the storyline follows “a trio of new young leads along with some very familiar faces.”

The film’s cast is expected to be announced shortly with “Girls” and Inside Llewyn Davis star Adam Driver heavily rumored to play the film’s Darth Vader-like antagonist. Among the other actors rumored to be in contention are 12 Years a Slave‘s Lupita Nyong’o and quite a few young male stars.

Directed by J.J. Abrams and written by Abrams and Lawrence Kasdan, Star Wars: Episode VII is rumored to include appearances by Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher and Harrison Ford in older incarnations of their beloved characters from the original Star Wars trilogy. The film will hit theaters on December 18, 2015.”

Alrighty then so we have a time period which is good and to be fair it is set a great deal of time after the last film in the series so that will definitely explain a few things and same time for any continuity problems that would occur if set any earlier than that. Also the fact that they are going to be new lead characters taking over this series of films was a given, I’m just curious to know who they are. But the main thing that has fans all over the internet getting all giddy is the mention of very familiar faces and I think we all know who they are right? Han, Luke and Leia anyone? Come on now if they’re not talking about the return of the tree most beloved members of the orignal Star Wars Trilogy then who else could it be? Boba Fett would be a stretch, R2-D2 would be a given or maybe even Chewbacca, but none of those characters are nearly as interesting as the original trio. They are the be all and end all of this franchise and it would be absurd to make this film without them. So I can only assume that behind closed doors than Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher are totally in. Anyways, this sounds good to me and I can’t wait for production to start in May.

 

My Thoughts on The First Guardians of the Galaxy Image

Howdy ladies and gents, finally time for my first news story of 2014 and it is of course comic book-related of course! Now on New Years Eve a new image was dropped online for the upcoming Marvel film, Guardians of the Galaxy, I saw it on my night out, but I couldn’t blog on it at the time obviously, so I’m gonna talk about it now.

Check it out below:

In addition to the to this image here’s a little information from superherohype too:

“According to Guardians of the Galaxy director James Gunn, who had no idea Disney was releasing it, the image above is from a very early stage and the visual effects have since been improved. “Okay, so I suppose Disney released this still from Guardians of the Galaxy,” he commented. “It was featured in the San Diego Comicon trailer, and is an early (truthfully, quite unfinished – we’ve come a long way from here) look at Rocket and Groot, Star-Lord, Gamora, and Drax.” Bold move, Disney. An official Guardians of the Galaxy synopsis was also released.”

From Marvel, the studio that brought you the global blockbuster franchises of Iron Man, Thor, Captain America and The Avengers, comes a new team–the Guardians of the Galaxy. An action-packed, epic space adventure, Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy expands the Marvel Cinematic Universe into the cosmos, where brash adventurer Peter Quill finds himself the object of an unrelenting bounty hunt after stealing a mysterious orb coveted by Ronan, a powerful villain with ambitions that threaten the entire universe. To evade the ever-persistent Ronan, Quill is forced into an uneasy truce with a quartet of disparate misfits–Rocket, a gun-toting raccoon, Groot, a tree-like humanoid, the deadly and enigmatic Gamora and the revenge-driven Drax the Destroyer. But when Peter discovers the true power of the orb and the menace it poses to the cosmos, he must do his best to rally his ragtag rivals for a last, desperate stand – with the galaxy’s fate in the balance. Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy is presented by Marvel Studios and stars Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Bradley Cooper as the voice of Rocket, Vin Diesel as the voice of Groot, Lee Pace, Michael Rooker, Karen Gilian, Djimon Hounsou with John C. Reilly, Glenn Close as Commander Rael and Benicio del Toro as The Collector. The film releases August 1, 2014, and is distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures.

Well firstly I noticed that this image looked similar to the footage from the Comic-Con teaser trailer back in July and now James Gunn has confirmed it. Also I’m surprised that Disney have gone ahead with this without the director knowing about it. And then there’s another point that Gunn brings up about the footage being very early on and that they’ve come a long way since this footage was first shown.

With those factors in mind let’s discuss! Firstly the image looks pretty damn cool and when I saw the leaked teaser online from Comic-Con I was so damn hyped and this mug-shot line-up scene looked really nice considering that the film had only been in production for a little while. The look of the group have come a bloody long way from the concept art that was first dropped at Comic-Con 2012. I mean here’s an image comparison:

Damn that is a big difference, you can really tell the difference between the first picture and the next two because the cast have embodied the characters.

Now looking at the latest image and knowing that is a lot older now, I wonder how far the character designs have come, whether there is any additional make-up or special effects to be done any of the individuals. With Gamora I think she sort of looks like a green Rihanna with red hair haha (hate to say it but its hard not to see), Chris Pratt looks fine, Rocket looks pretty cute/badass, Drax looks interesting and Groot is definitely a human-looking tree.

In terms of stuff I’d change well here’s my thoughts:

1. Gamora and Drax need to look a bit more alien, since they’re not technically human I’d like them have a bit more facial make-up to make them look less like humans.
2. Maybe make Groot a little taller and add more branches to his tree-like figure.
3. Overall just try and make the cast look a bit more like the first concept art image because it makes the team look very odd, different and stand out from the each other.

Well there’s my thoughts on the Guardians of the Galaxy imagery, what are your thoughts on the first official (technically old) image? Leave your thoughts below, laters! 😀

 

Frozen Review

Okay, today I FINALLY get to review Frozen. I know I’m late to the party when it comes to giving my thoughts on this film, but you wouldn’t believe the amount of crap I’ve had to do, there’s just not been any free time with uni, work and my other extra curricular activities. But yeah I’m finally getting around to checking out the big new Disney film which is apparently like: THE BEST DISNEY FILM IN FOREVER. So does it meet the hype? Read on and find out.

Frozen film poster

So the film tells the story of a fearless princess who sets off on an epic journey alongside a rugged, thrill-seeking mountain man, his loyal pet reindeer, and a hapless snowman to find her estranged sister, whose icy powers have trapped the kingdom in eternal winter.

I really liked the story in this film, it was very impressive and reminded me of some of the best stuff that Pixar have done in the past and some of the more classic 2D tradition Disney animations. The story is smart and is self-aware of films in this genre and makes fun of these classic elements and I like how there was a few twists and turns that kept the film from being completely predictable. There is a great deal of emotional weight in the film that makes the story and characters dramatic, sympathetic, hilarious and cool. What I love about the film is Elsa, the fractured relationship between Anna and Elsa as sisters and the adventure that Anna goes on with her companions to get her sister back. It is all very emotional and classic Disney, it works to great effect, feels very much like a good Pixar film and has a better balance of seriousness and humour than most films in this genre. The story isn’t perfect and has a few problems where a few story elements are as strong but otherwise it is a strong story throughout.

In addition to the wonderful story, the characters are the real stars of the film. Kristen Bell as Anna, was really nice. Anna is very outgoing, firm, fun and caring and I love how sassy and un-princess-like she is. She is a strong if somewhat naive lady and I enjoyed her character. Then there’s Idina Menzel as Elsa, I adored this character. I always have a soft spot for the misunderstood kinds of characters and Menzel brought so much heart to the voice of the Snow Queen. Elsa is a beautiful and tragic character who has powers that she couldn’t control and tried to keep herself away from people to prevent anyone from getting hurt. Because of her fear of her powers it makes her have to separate from Anna and makes them as siblings feel very far apart and that’s what made her story so heartbreaking. I was connected to Elsa from the very start of the film.

Jonathan Groff as Kristoff was pretty decent, he was a funny, very realistic kind of guy who has a few strange habits while hanging around with his reindeer but he was courageous and fun. Also Santino Fontana as Hans was delightful and very different as this prince who was a very interesting kind of guy and a delightful change from other princes in Disney films. And is pretty good as Alan Tudyk as the Duke of Weselton too. But the best character by far is Josh Gad as Olaf. This little snowman is the cutest, most funny dude ever, he’s so strange, yet self-aware and understanding. He just brings the humour in the psychical and verbal manner which is so good and leads to some of my favourite moments in the film.

When it comes to the presentation it is very good on both fronts. Visually the film is great, but that is to be expected of a Disney film these days. The lighting and use of colour is fabulous and the way the animators and artists have manipulated the snow and ice in the film is a sight to behold. As for the soundtrack it was surprisingly better than I expected. The Christophe Beck is grand and covers all emotional bases, but the songs are the real treat, for the most part all of the musical numbers are good and feel like a theatre production. There are a few songs that are a little too modern for my liking and don’t feel like they should be in a Disney film, but the rest of it is very pretty and catchy.

In conclusion Frozen is a bloody good animated film and really good Disney film, it looks beautiful, has a great story with funny and emotional characters you can connect to and a very addictive soundtrack. While it’s not nearly as great as many critics made it out to be and it still has many of Disney’s problematic story devices, it is still the best animated film I’ve seen in a while and I highly recommend it.

Rating: 8/10 (A really pretty film that looks and sounds good and has heart where it matters)

So what did you think of Frozen? Was it the most epic Disney film ever, was it alright or below average for you? Whatever your opinion is drop it in the comments below and I’ll see ya on the next review yo! 😀

 

Saving Mr Banks Review

Howdy people of the internet and welcome to the first of 3 film reviews today. Now I know that I am a fair bit late with this film review, but honestly my uni schedule has kept me away from the cinema so that’s why this Saving Mr. Banks review is SO late. However I knew that this was a film I’d have to review for this blog no matter what, so read on to find out my thoughts,

The story in the film depicts author P. L. Travers and her fortnight-long briefing in Los Angeles as she is persuaded by filmmaker Walt Disney, in his attempts to obtain the screen rights to her novel. And while in LA Travers has flashbacks into her troubled past as a child which haunts her.

I thought the story was fairly interesting, dramatic, funny and unexpected. I knew the film would be about the process in which Disney wanted to make Mary Poppins into musical and how he had to get approval from Travers, but I never knew it would turn out like this. I thought the film would be a typical drama “based on a true story”, however I did not expect the film to have as much emotional depth to it. I got a bit teary-eyed to be honest. 😛 The story is very much centered on  P. L. Travers, but there is also some room for Walt Disney and some other major character plot lines that you do not expect to see due to trailers leaving it out.

As for the cast they al do a tremendous job at bringing their characters to life and making us, the audience care about them. But the stand-out performance by far is Emma Thompson as Pamela “P. L.” Travers. Thompson was absolutely mesmerizing as the author of Mary Poppins, she was extremely intimidating, pre-judgemental, overbearing, persistent, and quite a rude woman in general. But it was those qualities that made her such a joy to watch as her snarky remarks and actions lead to some very moments throughout the film. Thompson is just such a versatile actress and her believability and emotional range is so heartfelt and beautiful, and for some reason I felt incredibly attracted to her (I don’t know why though, maybe I like older women? :S). Oh and Annie Rose Buckley was great as the young P.L. Travers too!

Tom Hanks is good as always as Walt Disney, Hanks plays the iconic filmmaker and you can see that he is very jolly, charismatic and full of life, but also strong-willed, stubborn and likes to get his own way. And while this is not Hanks at his best, that is by no means a negative on his part as he turns in a good performance that is worth mentioning. The other major person in this film is Colin Farrell as Travers Robert Goff, Farrell has a fairly big role in this film that many won’t be aware of until they watch the film and he does a great job in the film. His character is a very loving father, but behind his usually good-willed exterior, on the inside he had problems. This is definitely one of my favourite Farrell performances, it is strong, emotional and his accent is so good for a dude that’s naturally Irish.

And my other favourite performance would be from Paul Giamatti as Ralph, Pamela’s chauffeur. Giamatti is very well-known and versatile actor and while this was one of his more light-hearted roles, he was just adorable as this happy-go-lucky kind of guy who drove around Travers and tried to make conversation with her, even with her negative attitude. He and Travers have some great screen time together and I loved their interaction together. Other notable performances include Bradley Whitford as Don DaGradi, Melanie Paxson as Dolly and B. J. Novak and Jason Schwartzman as Robert B. and Richard M. Sherman.

In conclusion Saving Mr. Banks was a very good film with a lot of heart and amazing performances from the cast, but it is truly Emma Thompson who steals the show with incredible acting talent. While the film wasn’t nearly as impressive as I thought it would be because of the hype prior to it, it is something I will probably watch again at some point because of the performances alone.

Rating: 8.5 /10 (A beautiful story with a great central performance from Emma Thompson)

So what did you think of Saving Mr. Banks? Did you like it or hate it? Whatever your thoughts are, leave them in the comment section below and I’ll see ya on the next film review yo! 😀