4/5 Stars
125 mins
Ben Affleck stars, writes and directs in this hard-hitting crime thriller, adapted from Chuck Hogan’s novel ‘Prince of Thieves’. The film was a No.1 smash in the States, and is based around the Boston neighbourhood of Charlestown, where we are told ‘over 300 bank robberies take place each year’.
As he plans his next job, Doug MacRay (Ben Affleck) falls for a bank manager (Rebecca Hall) who he took hostage in a previous heist, as well as trying to keep one step ahead of the FBI agents aiming to bring him and his team down.
The film contains many powerhouse performances, including a surprising turn from Gossip Girl’s Blake Lively, who plays ‘Krista Coughlin’ a hooker with a 19-month old daughter. Pete Postlethwaite also appears as ruthless crime lord Fergie, who will not accept Doug’s refusals to carry out more robberies when he tries to move away from his life of crime.
The film moves at a great pace, and its gritty feel is a triumph. The Boston setting is used to great effect with several beautiful shots of the skyline. The lack of special effects gives a very realistic feel to the film, and the car chases and bank heists (of which there are several) are both exciting and superbly executed. All the characters are extremely credible, but some could have perhaps been expanded further. The twists and turns are not wholly unpredictable either, but still give the film a tense and edgy aspect.
Bottom Line- Ben Affleck proves himself as a director to be reckoned with in this riveting thriller. Intriguing characters populate ‘The Town’, but it lacks a knock-out dramatic punch and resolution which would have made it 5*.
See this if you liked:
The Departed (2006)
Gone Baby Gone (2007)
Simon Howard
13 October 2010
The Girl who Played with Fire (2009)
Rating: 3/5.
Subsequent to the events that transpired in the previous instalment, computer hacker Lisbeth Salander is accused of three murders, whilst magazine journalist Mikael Blomkvist attempts to uncover a human trafficking ring with his colleagues, whilst frantically trying to prove Lisbeth’s innocence.
The Girl who Played with Fire is the second chapter of the Millennium trilogy, adapted from the literary phenomenon from Swedish author, Stieg Larsson. Both Noomi Rapace and Michael Nyqvist return as the two protagonists, Lisbeth and Mikael, but this time round Daniel Alfredson takes on the role of director, in place of Niels Arden Oplev, who helmed previous instalment, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.
Unfortunately the film does not resonate the brilliance it predecessor did, being less believable, and not as foreboding, albeit the ever-present violence, sex, and rape.
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo was one of the best films of 2009, and gave a fresh if not visceral renovation to the modern thriller. This is where the Girl who Played with Fire differs, in that it lapses into an inconsistent and unbelievable follow up. The trademark shock makes a triumphant return, but is used incorrectly, and in some cases unnecessarily. On top of this, the new additions to the cast are ever so slightly ridiculous, such as a hulking hit man, who must have got lost on the way to the latest James Bond film auditions.
Coupled with an inconsistent narrative, and an ending which disappoints, The Girl who Played with Fire is a far less superior part to the trilogy. The film has a tendency to drag as well, and magazine journalist Mikael doesn’t meet our bike riding, bisexual, computer hacker Lisbeth until the end of the film, their stories feeling awkwardly separate. On the other hand, it was interesting to delve further into Lisbeth’s back-story, and the film does have entertaining moments to it, as well as a handful of decent thrills.
In terms of how the film is shot, there are no complaints really, which is by far the best thing it has going. The shots are nicely mixed, occasionally throwing us into the fray, and sometimes making us watch from a distance, cleverly manipulating how we perceive the film.
Overall The Girl Who Played with Fire is hit and miss. It feels rushed, and thus suffers the consequences, as opposed to living up to the expectations of its predecessor. It’s not all bad though, and certainly packs a punch when it wants to, but unfortunately, not as much as it should.
Review by James Turnbull.
Subsequent to the events that transpired in the previous instalment, computer hacker Lisbeth Salander is accused of three murders, whilst magazine journalist Mikael Blomkvist attempts to uncover a human trafficking ring with his colleagues, whilst frantically trying to prove Lisbeth’s innocence.
The Girl who Played with Fire is the second chapter of the Millennium trilogy, adapted from the literary phenomenon from Swedish author, Stieg Larsson. Both Noomi Rapace and Michael Nyqvist return as the two protagonists, Lisbeth and Mikael, but this time round Daniel Alfredson takes on the role of director, in place of Niels Arden Oplev, who helmed previous instalment, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.
Unfortunately the film does not resonate the brilliance it predecessor did, being less believable, and not as foreboding, albeit the ever-present violence, sex, and rape.
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo was one of the best films of 2009, and gave a fresh if not visceral renovation to the modern thriller. This is where the Girl who Played with Fire differs, in that it lapses into an inconsistent and unbelievable follow up. The trademark shock makes a triumphant return, but is used incorrectly, and in some cases unnecessarily. On top of this, the new additions to the cast are ever so slightly ridiculous, such as a hulking hit man, who must have got lost on the way to the latest James Bond film auditions.
Coupled with an inconsistent narrative, and an ending which disappoints, The Girl who Played with Fire is a far less superior part to the trilogy. The film has a tendency to drag as well, and magazine journalist Mikael doesn’t meet our bike riding, bisexual, computer hacker Lisbeth until the end of the film, their stories feeling awkwardly separate. On the other hand, it was interesting to delve further into Lisbeth’s back-story, and the film does have entertaining moments to it, as well as a handful of decent thrills.
In terms of how the film is shot, there are no complaints really, which is by far the best thing it has going. The shots are nicely mixed, occasionally throwing us into the fray, and sometimes making us watch from a distance, cleverly manipulating how we perceive the film.
Overall The Girl Who Played with Fire is hit and miss. It feels rushed, and thus suffers the consequences, as opposed to living up to the expectations of its predecessor. It’s not all bad though, and certainly packs a punch when it wants to, but unfortunately, not as much as it should.
Review by James Turnbull.
Made in Dagenham by Rosie Libell
Rating – 4.5
‘Made in Dagenham’ is a tribute to the women who changed British society in the late 60s and 70s by fighting for equal pay. The film shows the incredible journey of the small group of machinists from the Ford factory in Dagenham that brought a major change for all women in the years to come.
The film boasts a great cast, including Sally Hawkins playing the main character Rita, and Bob Hoskins playing much-loved Albert, who helps in the women’s fight. The film was directed by Nigel Cole, who also directed ‘Calendar Girls’.
The film was inspiring, not just because it’s an issue close to every female’s heart, but also because it shows the sheer determination of the women to fight for what they believed in, which achieved major changes in not only British society, but across the world. The knock-on effect on their personal lives is shown, like the struggle of juggling married life and children with their commitment to the strike. We also see how the timid Rita, an ordinary seamstress, could build the confidence to lead the strike.
Because it is based on a true story, we get a real sense of the politics behind the issue of equal pay. It portrayed the hesitant Harold Wilson, who was the Labour Prime Minister at the time and Minister of Employment, Barbara Castle, who was an integral part of creating legislation for equal pay. The film also explores other issues like the problems with the Trade Unions, as well as showing that equal pay was an issue that every woman believed in, regardless of their class.
Despite the serious references, the film is kept light-hearted with its humour, particularly when the women are protesting in London with a banner that hasn’t been put up properly and reads “We want sex”, and hiding the final word ‘equality’!
It’s a brilliant film and I would recommend it to anyone!
Rosie Libell
‘Made in Dagenham’ is a tribute to the women who changed British society in the late 60s and 70s by fighting for equal pay. The film shows the incredible journey of the small group of machinists from the Ford factory in Dagenham that brought a major change for all women in the years to come.
The film boasts a great cast, including Sally Hawkins playing the main character Rita, and Bob Hoskins playing much-loved Albert, who helps in the women’s fight. The film was directed by Nigel Cole, who also directed ‘Calendar Girls’.
The film was inspiring, not just because it’s an issue close to every female’s heart, but also because it shows the sheer determination of the women to fight for what they believed in, which achieved major changes in not only British society, but across the world. The knock-on effect on their personal lives is shown, like the struggle of juggling married life and children with their commitment to the strike. We also see how the timid Rita, an ordinary seamstress, could build the confidence to lead the strike.
Because it is based on a true story, we get a real sense of the politics behind the issue of equal pay. It portrayed the hesitant Harold Wilson, who was the Labour Prime Minister at the time and Minister of Employment, Barbara Castle, who was an integral part of creating legislation for equal pay. The film also explores other issues like the problems with the Trade Unions, as well as showing that equal pay was an issue that every woman believed in, regardless of their class.
Despite the serious references, the film is kept light-hearted with its humour, particularly when the women are protesting in London with a banner that hasn’t been put up properly and reads “We want sex”, and hiding the final word ‘equality’!
It’s a brilliant film and I would recommend it to anyone!
Rosie Libell
01 December 2009
Tyneside Cinema welcomes its 200,000th Customer!
Newcastle’s Tyneside Cinema celebrated a historic landmark as it welcomed its 200,000th customer in just 18 months of reopening.
75 year old Lawrence Burn, from North Shields was on his way to see costume drama Bright Star with his wife when staff told him that he’d bought the cinema’s 200,000th ticket since May 2008.
Avid cinemagoer Lawrence gets a free six month pass to the Tyneside Cinema, and the chance to programme a film of his own choosing at the popular Newcastle City Centre cinema.
Lawrence said:
“I was absolutely amazed when I found out, I’ve never won anything before in my life. I love coming to the Tyneside and this free pass will mean I can come a lot more often.”
The Tyneside has experienced a record-breaking time since re-opening in May 2008, and reaching this milestone marks a great achievement in the cinema’s history.
Jonny Tull, the Tyneside Cinema’s Cinema Programme Manager said:
“The Tyneside has proven extremely popular since it reopened and that we’ve sold so many tickets in such a short space of time is brilliant. We’re really thankful to our audiences for ensuring that the restoration and extension of the Cinema has proven such a huge success.
December highlights include the return of the ever-popular Christmas classic It’s A Wonderful Life, which the Tyneside screens to sellout audiences year-on-year.
There’s also live satellite broadcasts of Opera from the Metropolitan Opera House in New York as well as old favourites such as The Wizard of Oz, La Dolce Vita and, for those of you looking for a bit of an alternative for the festive season a screening of 80’s action classic Die Hard.
There’s also some new titles on their way to the cinema, including; Spike Jonze’s adaptation of the beloved children’s tale Where The Wild Things Are, Nowhere Boy a chronicle of the early years of John Lennon and the star studded musical Nine.
To find out more about What’s On at the Tyneside Cinema you can pick up a free programme from the Box Office, visit their website at www.tynesidecinema.co.uk or contact them on 0845 217 9909.
Tyneside Cinema
Pilgrim Street, Newcastle upon Tyne
Box Office: 0845 217 9909
www.tynesidecinema.co.uk
17 November 2009
Men Who Stare At Goats
Tyneside Cinema
Review by Christian Allan.
It’s not often that I’m genuinely disappointed with a movie but Grant Heslov’s ‘The Men Who Stare at Goats’ managed just that. Based on British Journalist Jon Ronson’s book on the U.S Military’s hilarious attempts to exploit paranormal abilities, the source material offered endless possibilities for the film adaptation. But although billed as an offbeat, story of these military anomalies instead we are treated to a film which revolves more around self discovery.
The main problem is that the activities of the eccentric group of U.S Military ‘Jedi’s’ are not the focus of the movie. Instead it concentrates on reporter Bob Wilton (played by Ewan McGregor) much like Ronson’s position, and unnecessarily Americanized.
Life’s going all fine and dandy until his wife leaves him for a man with a prosthetic arm (should have acted as a warning) triggering him to do “what all men do when they have a broken heart” go to war, apparently. He meets Lyn Cassady (Clooney) who spends the evening telling stories of his time training as a psychic super-soldier, the most entertaining part of the film. The journey itself, a quest to find Cassady’s former mentor Bill Django (Jeff Bridges) in the Iraqi wilderness, just isn’t particularly interesting. A couple of entertaining moments are forgotten amongst the pedestrian plot and the extensive amount of voice over from McGregor, not helped by the fact his character is a little bland. There isn’t enough character development and what we’re left with is a series of unentertaining slapstick moments and an amusing incite into the U.S Military, already provided by the book.
2/5
Tyneside Cinema
Review by Christian Allan.
It’s not often that I’m genuinely disappointed with a movie but Grant Heslov’s ‘The Men Who Stare at Goats’ managed just that. Based on British Journalist Jon Ronson’s book on the U.S Military’s hilarious attempts to exploit paranormal abilities, the source material offered endless possibilities for the film adaptation. But although billed as an offbeat, story of these military anomalies instead we are treated to a film which revolves more around self discovery.
The main problem is that the activities of the eccentric group of U.S Military ‘Jedi’s’ are not the focus of the movie. Instead it concentrates on reporter Bob Wilton (played by Ewan McGregor) much like Ronson’s position, and unnecessarily Americanized.
Life’s going all fine and dandy until his wife leaves him for a man with a prosthetic arm (should have acted as a warning) triggering him to do “what all men do when they have a broken heart” go to war, apparently. He meets Lyn Cassady (Clooney) who spends the evening telling stories of his time training as a psychic super-soldier, the most entertaining part of the film. The journey itself, a quest to find Cassady’s former mentor Bill Django (Jeff Bridges) in the Iraqi wilderness, just isn’t particularly interesting. A couple of entertaining moments are forgotten amongst the pedestrian plot and the extensive amount of voice over from McGregor, not helped by the fact his character is a little bland. There isn’t enough character development and what we’re left with is a series of unentertaining slapstick moments and an amusing incite into the U.S Military, already provided by the book.
2/5
08 June 2009
Terminator: Salvation
"The future is not set."-A quote from the very first Terminator, and a point Terminator: Salvation makes in more way than one.
I probably consider the original Terminator to be one of my favourite films of all time, so I approached Terminator: Salvation with a combination of anticipation and apprehension. After all, T3 was bloody awful. However, Terminator 4 was everything it should have been: awesome.
Terminator: Salvation, directed by McG, stars Dark Knight star Christian Bale as an adult John Connor, locked in the midst of his future war with killer robots. However, Connor's knowledge of this future world is shaken by the arrival of Marcus Wright (Sam Worthington), a man shrouded in mystery. Terminator: Salvation finally shows audiences more than a glimpse of the future war between the deadly Terminators and the human resistance, and the result is nothing short of spectacular. The film is a two hour adrenaline rush, just like its predecessors, blending pounding action scenes with competent characterisation (especially with regard to the character of Kyle Reese, ably portrayed by Anton Yelchin).
It could be argued that without a working knowledge of the preceeding films, especially the original Terminator, it would be possible for an audience to get a bit lost amongst all the talk of time travel and the transient nature of the future (although for these people, my only advice is that you watch the first two films!), but for fans of the series, Terminator: Salvation is more than sufficient. The film is also full of sly nods to Cameron's films, although not to the extent whereby it is intrusive (for an example of such intrusive references, ironically, try watching T3). They are there for fans of the series (like myself) to enjoy, but for those who are less familiar (like the person I went to see it with), they do not prevent enjoyment.
The only real criticism I have against Terminator: Salvation is that it didn't really feel like a Terminator film. Whilst Cameron's films focused on the stories of desperate struggles for survival, McG's future war seems much less one sided. However, this departure in tone from earlier films in the series does nothing to dampen Terminator: Salvation's appeal to fans and newcomers alike. Also, I feel that the romantic subplot that seemed to be developing between Wright and Moon Bloodgood's resistance fighter could have been developed further. However, on the whole Terminator: Salvation was everything fans could hope for.
Which brings me back to my initial point. The series' motto was always that "the future is not set," and Terminator: Salvation can be seen as a prime example of this. After the abomination that was T3 (suffice it to say I was not a fan), many believed that the franchise was dead, and any further films would provide nothing more than an insult to Cameron's vision. However, the doctrine of the Terminator films seems to extend to Salvation. Against all the odds, McG has revived what was once dead. Salvation indeed.
(Now let's see if he can fix the Alien franchise.)
Reviewed by Chris Render
I probably consider the original Terminator to be one of my favourite films of all time, so I approached Terminator: Salvation with a combination of anticipation and apprehension. After all, T3 was bloody awful. However, Terminator 4 was everything it should have been: awesome.
Terminator: Salvation, directed by McG, stars Dark Knight star Christian Bale as an adult John Connor, locked in the midst of his future war with killer robots. However, Connor's knowledge of this future world is shaken by the arrival of Marcus Wright (Sam Worthington), a man shrouded in mystery. Terminator: Salvation finally shows audiences more than a glimpse of the future war between the deadly Terminators and the human resistance, and the result is nothing short of spectacular. The film is a two hour adrenaline rush, just like its predecessors, blending pounding action scenes with competent characterisation (especially with regard to the character of Kyle Reese, ably portrayed by Anton Yelchin).
It could be argued that without a working knowledge of the preceeding films, especially the original Terminator, it would be possible for an audience to get a bit lost amongst all the talk of time travel and the transient nature of the future (although for these people, my only advice is that you watch the first two films!), but for fans of the series, Terminator: Salvation is more than sufficient. The film is also full of sly nods to Cameron's films, although not to the extent whereby it is intrusive (for an example of such intrusive references, ironically, try watching T3). They are there for fans of the series (like myself) to enjoy, but for those who are less familiar (like the person I went to see it with), they do not prevent enjoyment.
The only real criticism I have against Terminator: Salvation is that it didn't really feel like a Terminator film. Whilst Cameron's films focused on the stories of desperate struggles for survival, McG's future war seems much less one sided. However, this departure in tone from earlier films in the series does nothing to dampen Terminator: Salvation's appeal to fans and newcomers alike. Also, I feel that the romantic subplot that seemed to be developing between Wright and Moon Bloodgood's resistance fighter could have been developed further. However, on the whole Terminator: Salvation was everything fans could hope for.
Which brings me back to my initial point. The series' motto was always that "the future is not set," and Terminator: Salvation can be seen as a prime example of this. After the abomination that was T3 (suffice it to say I was not a fan), many believed that the franchise was dead, and any further films would provide nothing more than an insult to Cameron's vision. However, the doctrine of the Terminator films seems to extend to Salvation. Against all the odds, McG has revived what was once dead. Salvation indeed.
(Now let's see if he can fix the Alien franchise.)
Reviewed by Chris Render
08 February 2009
The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button
Starring: Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett
Director: David Fincher
David Fincher is a director who has always been attracted to exploring the darker elements of the human psyche. With films like Seven and The Game it would seem that the man is purely focused on exploiting themes such as paranoia and male insecurity. However for his most recent film he has completely changed his style to produce a fable and an epic one at that.
The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button charts the life of an individual who is born with a bizarre medical condition that causes him to physically age backwards, and specifically his relationship with his life long love interest. The narrative is made up of several subplots and storylines similar to the structure of Forrest Gump. However as Benjamin’s life essential starts in a retirement home his journey is far more peculiar and unique, with the story taking place all over the globe.
Brad Pitt teams up again with Fincher for the part of Benjamin and Cate Blanchett takes the role of his soul mate Daisy. The two are fantastic together as lovers who are perfect for each other but ultimately are destined not to be together because of the Benjamin’s physical condition. Pitt has the ambitious task of acting the opposite of his physical appearance. At times this is pulled off with humorous effect, in one scene Benjamin is taken to a brothel and even though he looks like an old man he has the hormones and drive of a adolescent teenager.
The film is remarkably visual and the effects are simply sublime. The ageing process that Benjamin undergoes is a new technological benchmark for movies. At times Brad Pitt is hideously old and wrinkled whereas towards the end of the piece he appears younger than he was in Thelma and Louise. The cinematography and style make the film abundant with energy and spectacle that will likely be imprinted on your memory.
While the essence of the film is a love story the more dominant and consistent force of the picture is death. As a catalogue of characters come and go throughout, each one contributing too Benjamin’s life in some minor yet effecting way. Even so the film is a celebration life, not death and is likely to leave you feeling joyful rather than depressed.
With the awards season nearly upon us this film is likely to dominant on many levels. While several members of the cast and the crew rightfully deserve Oscar recognition the true praise belongs to Fincher. Many mainstream directors, including Spielberg, have tried to bring the story to the screen and have failed one by one but Fincher succeeds in adapting this unusual tale. The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button may be a lengthy effort but is a masterclass of film making that is likely to define the careers the careers of all those involved.
5 Star
Review by James Fairfield
Director: David Fincher
David Fincher is a director who has always been attracted to exploring the darker elements of the human psyche. With films like Seven and The Game it would seem that the man is purely focused on exploiting themes such as paranoia and male insecurity. However for his most recent film he has completely changed his style to produce a fable and an epic one at that.
The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button charts the life of an individual who is born with a bizarre medical condition that causes him to physically age backwards, and specifically his relationship with his life long love interest. The narrative is made up of several subplots and storylines similar to the structure of Forrest Gump. However as Benjamin’s life essential starts in a retirement home his journey is far more peculiar and unique, with the story taking place all over the globe.
Brad Pitt teams up again with Fincher for the part of Benjamin and Cate Blanchett takes the role of his soul mate Daisy. The two are fantastic together as lovers who are perfect for each other but ultimately are destined not to be together because of the Benjamin’s physical condition. Pitt has the ambitious task of acting the opposite of his physical appearance. At times this is pulled off with humorous effect, in one scene Benjamin is taken to a brothel and even though he looks like an old man he has the hormones and drive of a adolescent teenager.
The film is remarkably visual and the effects are simply sublime. The ageing process that Benjamin undergoes is a new technological benchmark for movies. At times Brad Pitt is hideously old and wrinkled whereas towards the end of the piece he appears younger than he was in Thelma and Louise. The cinematography and style make the film abundant with energy and spectacle that will likely be imprinted on your memory.
While the essence of the film is a love story the more dominant and consistent force of the picture is death. As a catalogue of characters come and go throughout, each one contributing too Benjamin’s life in some minor yet effecting way. Even so the film is a celebration life, not death and is likely to leave you feeling joyful rather than depressed.
With the awards season nearly upon us this film is likely to dominant on many levels. While several members of the cast and the crew rightfully deserve Oscar recognition the true praise belongs to Fincher. Many mainstream directors, including Spielberg, have tried to bring the story to the screen and have failed one by one but Fincher succeeds in adapting this unusual tale. The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button may be a lengthy effort but is a masterclass of film making that is likely to define the careers the careers of all those involved.
5 Star
Review by James Fairfield
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