THE WOLF OF WALL STREET - FILM REVIEW

Release Date: 17th January 2014 (UK)
Age Certificate: 18
Running Time: 180 mins
Director: Martin Scorsese
Writers: Terence Winter and Jordan Belfort
Stars: Leonardo DiCaprio, Jonah Hill and Margot Robbie

Based on the true story of Jordan Belfort, from his rise to a wealthy stockbroker living the high life to his fall involving crime, corruption and the federal government.

Let’s start off with the negatives for a change. First, the character Jordan Belfort is totally unlikeable and a huge dick. I know this is the point of the film, you’re not supposed to know what happens to the unfortunate souls that buy nothing from him, and see his uncontrollable success. But the fact remains it doesn’t usually make a good film if you fail to back the main protagonist. The second failure of The Wolf is the over indulgent party scenes, there are too many to be frank. I am struggling to comprehend what Scorsese was pondering what to take out when ordered to do so. To give the benefit of the doubt, the party scenes do produce enough laughs to pull you through the film. However, the main point remains, you don’t care whether this guy dies, lives, is arrested or lives happily ever after.

The strengths are obvious; it looks marvelous, as it would, coming from Scorsese.  It’s also fast paced which is always nice in a film. The three hour time limit has been criticised, which I partly agree with, however, it doesn’t necessarily feel three hours. Finally, the acting is top notch. Saying that, I still think Leonardo DiCaprio still won’t win the Oscar, which is indeed disappointing, but one day he will achieve. He’s too much of a great talent to be forgotten in the Oscar timeline. Jonah Hill, for me, will always be remembered as the loser from Superbad, and that’s a shame. 

Good for some laughs and a spectacle for great acting. The Wolf of Wall Street is an adult film for teenagers.

7/10

THE ACT OF KILLING (DIRECTOR'S CUT) - FILM REVIEW

Release Date: 28^th June 2013

Age Certificate: 18

Running Time: 159 mins

Director: Joshua Oppenheimer

Writers: ----------------

Stars: Haji Anif, Syamsul Arifin, Sakhyan Asmara

Last night I went to watch The Act of Killing (Director’s Cut) at the ICA Cinema. I sat down in the room that only sat 45 people and let the weird, disturbing documentary unfold. This film isn’t for everyone and I don’t think it was for me unfortunately. 

A documentary that challenges former Indonesian death squad leaders to re-enact their real-life mass-killings in whichever cinematic genres they wish, including classic Hollywood crime scenarios and lavish musical numbers. 

The Act of Killing surprisingly revolves around killing and the consequences of killing. There’s not really anything else I can say about this film, it’s just troubling. There is something about it where you don’t know whether you should burst out laughing or be worried about how weird these killers are. 

The big downside to this film is that you don’t care whether these ‘gangsters’ are psychopathic or actually feel sorry for what they have done. Either way you look at it they have killed about 1000 people each. EACH! It’s just sick. And to add to it they are making a film about murdering. They can’t let go, their life is killing. 

Like I said I saw the director’s cut and things needed to be cut out and I’m glad they were for the theatrical release, there were shots in there that had no meaning and seemed to drag on for way too long. Another thing which is annoying me is the reviews this film is getting, look, don’t get me wrong I don’t mind sitting down watching a nearly three hour very slow foreign film, it’s just it didn’t make me feel anything like a documentary should. 

7.3/10

SAVAGES FILM REVIEW

 Release Date: 21st September 2012

Age Certificate: 15

Running Time: 130 mins

Directors: Oliver Stone

Writers: Shane Salerno Don Winslow and Oliver Stone.
Stars: Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Taylor Kitsch and Blake Lively

Another Sky Movies film, and this time I’m reviewing ‘Savages’, Oliver Stone’s 2012 film. You always enjoy the anticipation to sit down and watch an Oliver Stone film because his forte is making controversial films. ‘Savages’ brings us drugs, guns, explosions, sex and some more violence. A nice family film. 

Weed growers Ben and Chon face off against the Mexican drug cartel who kidnap their shared girlfriend.

The film brings some good acting to the table, especially by Aaron Taylor-Johnson, his character is the one that the audience is supposed to care for. This is because he doesn’t kill anyone and has a conscience; he is more of the brains behind this drug interface. 

Chon, played by Taylor Kitsch, is the muscle behind the operation. Their relationship is obviously tight as they both share the same girl. And that girl is Blake Lively, she played her role well in The Town, and she played this one okay to. However, in The Town she did play a ‘women who gets around’ and in ‘Savages’ she lets two guys share her. So yes, she probably has been type casted. 

Benicio Del Toro also does a very good job of being the ‘bad guy’, very creepy and very unpredictable which is what you need to make a good villain. Also...John Travolta is in this film! And he actually isn’t that bad. That’s as much as I can say about him though. 

The story is intriguing I’ll give it that but I’m just saying if you were a leader of a drug operation you would keep your daughter in your sight all of the time and protected. But that isn’t the thing that ruins this film, the ending does. They play out about ten minutes of the scene and then rewind, it’s like they said, ‘you know what I didn’t like that, let’s shoot it again’. It was stupid. 

Oliver Stone has added another controversial film to his list. It went down a treat in some parts, kept you wanting to watch until the end. However, when the end did come I felt like crawling up into a ball and crying.    

7.0/10

ONLY GOD FORGIVES FILM REVIEW

Release Date: 2nd August 2013 (UK)

Age Certificate: 18

Running Time: 88 mins

Director: Nicolas Winding Refn

Writers: Nicolas Winding Refn

Stars: Ryan Gosling, Kristin Scott Thomas and Vithaya Pansringram

There are only few films where it splits the film community in half. This year that film is Only God Forgives. Some say it’s a masterpiece where as others say it is the worst film they have ever seen. I couldn’t wait to have a look and make my own decision. 

Julian, played by Ryan Gosling, is a drug-smuggler thriving in Bangkok's criminal underworld. However, he sees his life get even more complicated when his mother, Crystal, played by Kristen Scott Thomas, compels him to find and kill whoever is responsible for his brother, Billy’s recent death. 

I’m going to say it; I loved Drive! I know almost everyone says that but it was just one of those films that bought a feeling you hadn’t felt before. The romance, the tension and the direction all bought something to the table. I sat down to watch Only God Forgives wanting to leave with that same feeling.  But when I had completed the film I didn’t know what feeling I had, perhaps it was one of confusion. I wasn’t confused about the concept of the film but it was the confusion of did I like it or not. 

Right from the bat this film looks amazing, I knew it would, the cinematographer is Larry Smith; I actually think he’s a genius. Only a few flicks in the history of film look as good as this. It’s that beautiful! Directing is also outstanding apart from his twisted visions. The soundtrack is mesmerising, just like Drive, Cliff Martinez collaborates with Winding Refn again.

The downside of Only God Forgives is that it is gratuitously violent; I mean there is an eye ball stabbing in this film! You don’t need that, it doesn’t bring anything to it. Some other scenes are a bit too graphic but as Nicolas Winding Refn said violence is his fetish. I mean his favourite film is The Texas Chainsaw Massacre ever since he was 14 for God’s sake! 

The audience feels nothing for any of the characters; they are all heartless, cold and all murderers, apart from Crystal, Julian’s mother. She’s just a bitch.  Julian is a troubled child; it is possible there was forced incest between him and his mother. It’s not the typical motherly love. There is also another hidden truth that he has; all I’m going to say is that hands have a big role to play in the film. He urns for forgiveness.

Only God Forgives has hidden meanings and metaphors, mostly and probably all to do with God. I’m not going to say which character is supposed to represent God, but I’m sure you can work it out. It’s the man that is basically invincible and draws a sword from seemingly nowhere. 

I would be able to dive into this film describing meanings scene by scene but I don’t want to spoil too much. Even if one doesn’t enjoy the concept and story just go to admire the sheer beauty of the film. 

I will have to give Only God Forgives a massive complement; it’s a film that I have not seen the likes before. There should be more films that are more ’out there’ and shouldn’t worry what people expect of you. 

7.5/10 

Score could change (it’s one of those films)

DREDD FILM REVIEW

Release Date: 21st September 2012

Age Certificate: 18

Running Time: 95 mins

Director: Pete Travis

Writers: John Wagner and Carlos Ezquerra

Stars: Karl Urban, Rachel Wood and Olivia Thirlby

Dredd hits Sky Movies this week, there never ever seems to be anything good on Sky Movies unfortunately. However, I wanted to see Dredd in cinemas last year for a laugh but couldn’t as it was an 18. 

Dredd is set in a violent, futuristic city where the police have the authority to act as judge, jury and executioner, a cop teams with a trainee to take down a gang that deals the reality-altering drug, SLO-MO.

At the beginning of the film Judge Dredd becomes enclosed in a block of flats run by a gang as they want him dead and buried. This is partly because he has just captured a gang member who has murdered. His mission is to survive and get to the top where the gang is based along with a rookie he has to assess. Yes, if you’re wondering why it sounds like The Raid, it’s because it does. It’s always a good road to go down if you want an all firing Judge Dredd film. 

SLO-MO does exactly what it says on the tin, it slows things down dramatically. This drug which is incorporated within the film allows the director, Pete Travis, to get some good slow motion shots without him being questioned too much. SLO-MO didn’t really need to be in the film but it just was because it looked cool. 

You’re not supposed to care for any of the characters really and the audience is supposed to sit there and think, 'Hey, that Dredd guy is pretty badass.’ And I’m not going to beat around the bush, you do think that. Karl Urban, does a pretty good job of putting in a good performance even though his mouth and stubble is only showing. 

Dredd is also not too long; at just 95 minutes it doesn’t try and overdo it with the action such as the likes of Man of Steel. Let’s be honest this Dredd couldn’t have done worse than the 1995 Judge Dredd, with Stallone. 

Good watch if you want to see some certificate 18 violence in close vicinity! 

7.0/10