Just another quick word on a few films I have seen recently and am yet to comment on...
Slick, sassy and oh so stylish. Guy Ritchie's big brash and bold style of 21st century revamps of period classics (his Sherlock Holmes films are definitely worth a go) does deliver again.
I never really saw any of the original series that dominated the 60s and has gone on to become a cult classic. Yet I do know that this film version takes the ultimate, and essentially very clichéd but oh so good stereotypes of 60s spy glam, and pumps them up to eleven.
Like Sherlock Holmes, Ritchie instantly gives us a genre and world that is accessible, and it is one you can simply follow from start to finish. Beautifully shot, stylishly executed, and with a great cast that launches you head first into an ultra cool and incredibly crisp period action romp.
Of course the two stars of the show are Henry Cavill and Armie Hammer, who play polar opposites of the Cold War who are thrust together in a comical, yet lovable way. Cavill the suave smug American, and Hammer as the cold, rough and tough Soviet. A basic plot lifted straight out of the 1960s, but as I say it is presented in a way that just works.
The cast to me isn't perfect I admit; Alicia Vikander is cast as the female lead, and whilst her character fits in simply enough, her portrayal and performance for me (as has been the case when I've seen her in other films) is one that is just a tad too grandiose and attention-seeking. In contrast rising star Elizabeth Debicki is highly stylised but perfectly pitched as the villainess of the piece. Whilst the likes of Jared Harris and remarkably Hugh Grant add a surprise but welcome touch of old-school class, despite their roles being not much more than extended cameos.
All in all, it is a great piece of Guy Ritchie escapism. Though the film's ending sets up for a potential sequel, I am uncertain if one may occur. Regardless, if you are willing to overlook the clichéd and at times tad overreaching flaws and simply get caught up in the pulsing pace and sheer entertainment, then The Man From U.N.C.L.E is well worth a watch.
I recently got to finally watch one of the most heralded and celebrated films of recent years. And broadly speaking, I get what everyone was on about. In short, it is very close to perfect.
The story itself is amazingly awe-inspiring - one of the greatest and in many ways one of the most important stories in human history. That of the Bletchley Park based team of code-breakers who helped break and decipher German codes, amongst them those surrounding the Enigma machine, during WWII. In this case most notably, renowned and now iconic mathematician Alan Turing, played to a tee by the also iconic Benedict Cumberbatch.
There is no denying it, Cumberbatch as Turing is the all out star of this show, and rightly so. He is perfect as Alan Turing. From his first scene to his last, every essence and element of every characterisation, quirk and quality that Cumberbatch portrays and offers the audience is simply sublime. He holds and enraptures anyone who watches this film completely and totally, and to my mind deserves every ounce of praise he received for this film, and probably a very great deal more besides indeed. He is also surrounded by an equally diverse and largely effective and enjoyable cast. Keira Knightley isn't her usual stylised and slightly obtuse self as Joan Clark, and whilst her performance occasionally drifts into the dry and the predictable, mostly she can match Cumberbatch on screen and deliver a believable and loaded chemistry. Other casting highlights for me include Charles Dance and Rory Kinnear, as well as relatively new talents like Tuppence Middleton and Allen Leech.
But really, Benedict Cumberbatch makes this film. Benedict Cumberbatch is this film. Oh the direction, execution, great script, superb soundtrack and his fellow cast are certainly interesting and enjoyable elements, and they of course often facilitate his Alan Turing glory. But you only need one real reason to watch this film, and in case you haven't quite twigged yet I will end by reiterating: to my mind the one reason to watch is Benedict Cumberbatch as Alan Turing. The end.
Eddie the Eagle, in case you are confused by the picture; the film released earlier this year chronicling the journey of Eddie 'the Eagle' Edwards, from humble beginnings to ski-jump fame and history in the 1980s.
Essentially this struck me as a simple, light-hearted film based on the not too distant past. What then makes it wonderfully endearing is its huge sentimentality and unabashed determination to make you smile, plus a stellar cast who plug in just enough acting ability and also the ability not to take it too seriously - and the result is quite a winning formula, if you are willing to go with it.
Taron Egerton seemed an unusual choice to me to play the titular character, but overall I think he nails it. Yes occasionally his Eddie mannerisms and reactions get a tad repetitive, but there is absolutely no denying his determination and conviction in making Eddie someone you want to follow and see his story play out. Equally unusual was the addition of Hugh Jackman to my mind but once again I feel it was a brilliant move. This is a great film for showing not only Hugh Jackman's raw acting ability, but also his kick-ass lust for life and laughter - all of which he seems to throw no-holds- barred into this film, and the resulting bromance between him and Egerton cannot help but put a smile on your face.
Other very surprising but equally very welcome casting additions include the living legends that are Jim Broadbent and Christopher Walken as well as British acting institutions Tim McInnerny, Mark Benton and Keith Allen - all of whom are brilliant to watch and simply add layer upon layer of quality to this film.
Really, even if you have the remotest inkling for laughter, crowd-pleasers and films that just make you smile - this one is well worth a watch.
