CHEF

Jon Favreau tries his hand as a triple threat writer-actor-director in the food-orientated comedy-drama Chef (15).

When Chef Carl Casper (Favreau) gets a bad review from notorious online critic Ramsey Michel, he finds himself being creatively stunted by the restaurant's owner. Unwilling to compromise his talent any longer, Carl quits his job and is eventually coaxed into opening his own food truck, where he rediscovers his love of cooking and zest for life.

My biggest issue with Chef is that in Carl Casper Favreau has created perhaps the most unlikable protagonist in this genre's recent history. There are clear attempts throughout the film that are supposed to make him seem likable - he is the typical 'funny fat guy', he is the underdog, he is the film's hero. However, it is hard to warm to a character that would be close contender for the top spot of 'Worst Dad of the Year Award'. 

Separated from his son Percy (Emjay Anthony)'s mum, Carl sees his son every other weekend and even then most of the time he drops him home early so that he can get back to the kitchen despite Percy's clear desperation to spend time with his father, so much so that he practically begs to be taken into work with him. When Carl gets the food truck the two characters begin to bond, however it leaves a bitter taste in your mouth when the only way a father will bond with his young son is when the son forces himself into his father's life and desperately tries to share his father's passion. The only conversations that Carl has with his son are about food, cooking and being a chef. The only time Carl spends with his son is when his son is cleaning his truck and serving the customers. It is actually quite disconcerting to see such a forced father-son relationship where there is no doubt left in your mind that if the son wasn't sharing his father's passions, his father would want nothing to do with him - not once did we see Carl ask Percy about his personal life, his schoolwork or his own passions. To put it frankly, Carl is a selfish man-child; the entire film is all of the other characters flocking around him and he taking them for granted and as much as I wanted all of his acquaintances to succeed, it seemed as though Carl needed to fail in order to be brought down a peg or two and learn what the real value of life is.

The story arc was clearly supposed to see Carl better himself as the film progressed, however, despite the fact that Carl is in a happier place work and family wise he still isn't a better person. The big 'wow' moment that is supposed to come when he finally enjoys spending time with Percy is discredited due to the fact the only time he enjoys spending with him is when Percy is working for him. Yes, Percy shares his dad's passion for food, probably because he realised at a young age this is the only way his dad will pay him any attention, but the fact is Carl should have wanted to spend time with his son even if his son's passion was different to his own. 

Alongside the unlikability of Chef Carl Casper, the film was much too long. The demise of Carl's reputation following the bad review at the beginning of the film was far too dragged out and did not have to be spread to the same length as the second half of the film where he starts to find his feet again. To be honest, it felt as

Leguizamo and Anthony steal the show

though there were a lot of scenes that should have ended up on the cutting room floor and it can only be Favreau's misguided passion for the film that made him reluctant to cut any of the gratuitous scenes, which is ironically to the film's detriment.

The film has three saving graces:

1. The food porn (I defy anybody to leave the cinema without a growling stomach!)
2. Emjay Anthony's brilliant performance as the adorable Percy.
3. John Leguizamo's heartfelt performance as Carl's best friend and su-chef Martin.

Leguizamo in particular needs to be receiving more of the credit for the film, he counter-balances Carl's unintentional unlikability by being constantly full of life and holding a genuine warmth to his character with his reappearance halfway through the film is the only thing to stop it turning completely stale.

Emjay Anthony gives Percy everything that he has got and his ability exceeds many other actors of his age, making him certain to be one to watch in the future.

Unfortuantely, these two characters were just not enough to forgive Carl for his wrong doings, and the fact that Favreau wrote Carl to be the film's hero, not Martin or Percy, proves that this was totally unintentional and Carl is merely the product of bad writing. 

All in all, there should be more to a character than his love of food, more dimensions to a character than his vocation and more elements to a father-son relationship than the son desperately trying to claw some affection out of his selfish and horribly neglectful dad. Instead of a 'warm fuzzy feeling' as promised, Chef leaves you feeling slightly uncomfortable and also tempted to create a Bechdel-Test-esque theory for father-son relationships that don't revolve around the father. 

★★★☆☆

Chef is in UK cinemas from June 25th!

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Love,

BELLE

Belle (12A) is the heartwarming true story of Dido Elizabeth Belle (Gugu Mbatha-Raw), the illegitimate mixed race daughter of a Royal Navy Admiral who was raised by her aristocratic great-uncle, Lord Mansfield (Tom Wilkinson) and his wife (Emily Watson).

At a time when slavery was rife, Belle's aristocratic father enabled her to have a privileged upbringing, however, the colour of her skin prevented her from ever fitting in fully and she was not even permitted to dine with her family when they had guests over and still found herself victim of racial abuse despite her high social standing.

When Belle discovers that Lord Mansfield, a top judge at the time, is involved in a court case to do with human cargo and the awful treatment of black slaves, she enlists the help of an idealistic law student John Davinier (Sam Reid) and does everything that she can to ensure that her uncle makes the right decision.

Mbatha-Raw is beautiful as Belle, but that is not enough

The truth behind Belle's story is fascinating and it is only a wonder why it hasn't been adapted for the big screen sooner. The concept of a mixed race child being raised among aristocracy during a time where slavery was so normalized is incredible poignant and the differences between Belle and her white cousin of the same age, Elizabeth (Sarah Gadon), are striking from the start. The girls immediate friendship and love for one another paves the way for a touching subplot, with their relationship being one of the most heartfelt aspects of the film, if slightly under-used.

The real let-down of this film is Mbatha-Raw's performance. Despite looking absolutely beautiful she is incredibly two-dimensional throughout and Belle's character seems to be lacking in depth; turning her from a strong-willed and determined young woman to a stunning yet vacant china doll. Dependent mostly on one-look, Mbatha-Raw's doe-eyed melancholy is initially endearing but becomes increasingly frustrating as time goes on and she remains unable to deliver anything new or refreshing. 

The lack of depth to Belle's character makes the entire film feel slow, boring and almost like it misses the point. Director Amma Asante is entrusted with taking this great, hidden story to the forefront of the public's attention and instead of creating a show-stopping period piece that does the story justice, she created a bland, disappointing and emotionless drama that doesn't even scratch the surface of Belle's true character, least of all do her justice.

The supporting cast are strong, bar a conventional and over-the-top villainous performance from Harry Potter's  Tom Felton, but none of them are enough to detract attention away from the lifeless protagonist and her inability to give anything more or less than pure apathy. 

Painting  of the real life Belle and Elizabeth

Whilst the core story is interesting, its cinematic execution is not and although Mbatha-Raw is visually stunning to watch, her beauty is not enough to excuse the lack of depth to her portrayal of Dido Elizabeth Belle. The most exciting part of the entire film was the inclusion of a painting of the real-life Belle and Elizabeth that appeared just before the credits rolled, and given that this painting is accesible via a quick google search, that is not enough to make the film worth seeing. 

★★☆☆☆

Belle is in UK cinemas from Friday 13th June!

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Love,

MALEFICENT

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I have been looking forward to Maleficent (PG) since the concept of the film was announced and if you follow my blog you will know that it was one of my most-anticipated films of 2014. Well, the day to watch it finally came; Was it magical? Yes. Was it beautiful? Yes. Did it exceed my expectations? ABSOLUTELY.

We all know the traditional tale of Sleeping Beauty, but Maleficent reminds us that there are two sides to every story. Angelina Jolie stars as the title character, a magical fairy who turns evil after being tricked and mistreated by humans. In a jealous rage Maleficent curses the new baby princess Aurora (Elle Fanning), but she soon comes to realise that the child may be the only one who can restore peace between humans and the magical creatures.

First and foremost, Maleficent is one of the most visually beautiful films that you will ever see and the use of 3D really makes the magical kingdom come alive. From the fluttering fairies, woodland creatures, and even Maleficent's magical powers, absolutely every aspect of the film is truly pleasurable to watch and will transport you into that world and make you feel like a child again.

Angelina Jolie is striking as the lead role in both appearance and performance. The film is solely focused on telling the traditional fairy tale from the villain's point of view and Maleficent's character development is beautifully told; from her childlike innocence and kindness to the despair and sorrow that she feels when she realises that humans have betrayed her trust. This sorrow quickly turns into bitter vengeance and when she curses the innocent baby Aurora the audience feel Maleficent's pain and are completely on her side. Jolie's portrayal of the character is brilliant in ensuring that Maleficent doesn't just become a fantastical and unrelatable source of evil - despite possessing magical powers she is very human throughout the film and captures the audience's heart and empathy.

Once Aurora goes to live with three fairies in a bid to protect her from the evil curse, Maleficent begins to follow her life more carefully and with the help of her servant Diaval (Sam Riley), a rescued raven who she can transform into man at the mere flick of her wrist, she watches over the princess and finds her hardened heart thawing with Aurora's sweet and loving innocence.

One of the key aspects in Jolie's performance is that no matter how evil she appears to be, Maleficent is

never truly a villain. Whilst she acts maliciously and is full of hatred and anger her softer side is never too hidden away and you appreciate the entire time that she is not a bad person deep down, simply forced into making bad and harmful decisions due to the terrible way she's been treated. On top of that, the character has wit and attitude, yet avoids becoming a cringe-inducing Disney cliche and instead becomes a source of inspiration and the true embodiment of a strong, female character.

Although Jolie is the star of the show, Elle Fanning brings charm and grace to Aurora, a character who is normally considered quite plain and two-dimensional. Although your eyes will never wander off the evil queen for long, when they reach the princess it is just as beautiful to watch. Riley also shines as Diaval, a welcome character that provides an insight into Maleficent's mind who also supports and comforts our heroine as the humans put her under siege.

All in all, I am so happy to say that Disney has exceeded itself in this enchanting tale that will delight both the grown ups and children in the audience in equal measures. Visually stunning to watch, Maleficent transports you into a fairytale realm and Jolie's heartfelt and alluring performance will captivate you from start to finish.

★★★★★

Maleficent is in cinemas now!

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Love,

BLENDED

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Following 2004 comedy 50 First Dates, Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore unite onscreen yet again in family rom-com Blended (12A).

The concept of the story has all the makings of a great family drama; Jim (Sandler) is a widow and has three daughters who he’s trying to play both mum and dad to and Lauren (Barrymore) is freshly divorced with the father of her two sons refusing to take an interest in their lives. After a terrible blind date between Jim and Lauren they hold nothing but resentment for one another, but when they find themselves thrust together at a family resort in Africa they realise the positive impact the other has on their children and discover that maybe they aren’t so mismatched after all.

Sandler has the stronger story here, he plays his usual manchild character that the audience have come to expect from him but there is more heart and emotion at Jim’s core than usual. We discover that Jim’s wife died of cancer and it’s clear that neither he nor his daughters have fully come to terms with her death, which makes for some heartrending scenes that show the funny man’s sensitive side and will bring a lump to the throat of even the hardest viewers.

On the other hand, Barrymore’s character is neurotic to the extent of parody with her older son harbouring a creepy obsession with his babysitter and her youngest having extensive anger issues over the fact that he isn’t very good at baseball. These ‘quirks’ in both the children are clearly designed to be funny and an attempt to balance the emotional heartache that comes from Jim’s background. However having the majority of the attempts at comedy come via Lauren and her family ends up being to the film’s detriment.

Blended would have been much better off as a family drama rather than a comedy, as that genre seems to have forced the film into throwing around slapstick and childish gags in a desperate attempt to make the audience laugh, seemingly without realising that subtle comedic undertones among the drama would have made for more pleasurable viewing all round.

Sandler is yet again consistent and reliable for the genre and it is his character’s one-liners and dry wit that give some genuine funny moments to the film, whilst Barrymore and the supporting cast are left with the bigger gags that cheapen the film and take the focus off the heart and warmth at the story’s core. These jokes feel like they’re taken from a bad Carry-On film with children swearing, food being spluttered all over somebody’s face and sexual innuendos galore.

Frustratingly, the basic storyline and character development of both Jim and Lauren and all of their children is at times gripping to watch and it is particularly endearing to see Jim’s relationships with his daughters grow as the film progresses. The attempts at comedy take away from what would have been a really brilliant drama and although there are aspects of Blended that are thoroughly enjoyable, the next bad gag is never too far away which ruins the overall tone of the film.

All in all, Blended has the makings of a strong family drama and it is unfortunate that the attempts at comedy take away from this. Adam Sandler was without a doubt given the stronger role in Jim, and his family provide the audience with genuine laughs, heartache, tears, and a warm fuzzy feeling whilst Barrymore and her children are left to struggle on with bad jokes and gimmicks. Sandler proves yet again that he’s more than able to give a serious and heartbreaking performance; it’s just a shame that Blended wasn’t brave enough to avoid his comedy safety net.

★★☆☆☆

Blended is in cinemas now!

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Love,

MAGIC MAGIC

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Starring Juno Temple and Michael Cera, Magic Magic is an indie horror film, inspired by an urban legend of what happened to a girl whilst vacationing in a Brazilian hostel.

Alicia (Temple) is an American girl who has travelled to Chile to visit her cousin Sarah (Emily Browning). Whilst staying with her cousin's friends, insomniac Alicia starts to lose a grip on what is real and what she is imagining, leaving the audience to wonder who the real bad guy is...

Marketed as an intense psychological horror, Magic Magic has all of the ingredients to make a fantastic film - the strong cast, great background story and the novel addition of the story being told through an unreliable narrator (Alicia) should have been enough to create edge-of-your-seat and spine-tingling chills. However, it doesn't exactly work out like that.

Once Alicia arrives in Chile, her cousin Sarah is called away almost immediately, leaving Alicia to spend two nights alone with Sarah's friends, Brink (Michael Cera), Agustin (Agustin Silva) and Barbara (Catalina Sandino Moreno). The friends seem cold from the offset, with Cera nailing a particularly disconcerting performance as Brink, who manages to appear creepy and unnerving without even saying anything particularly offensive. However, despite Cera's discomforting presence and the group's tendency to speak to eachother in Spanish, meaning that Alicia can not understand, as the film progresses it becomes a struggle to see what the group are doing that makes Alicia scream down the phone to Sarah that they are 'all sadists'. 

For example, while the fact the boys shoot a bird when they go hunting would upset many people, myself included, it isn’t far-fetched to think that an American teenage boy with a shotgun would shoot an animal. The film also tries to use the fact the boys tease Alicia and laugh at her misfortune as evidence of their cruelty, but again this isn’t exactly unusual behaviour for teen boys. Alicia's paranoia makes these overreactions a little easier to swallow, but more could have been done to make these characters appear as the sinister threats that they are supposed to be at this point in the film.

Over time, it becomes evident that there is something seriously wrong with Alicia; her cousin joins them but Alicia is struggling to sleep and her behaviour becomes increasingly bizarre. This is when the film finally starts to pick up. Despite the lack of genuine jumps or scares, the intrigue of the story and where the film is going is just enough to keep you tense and maintain your interest as you desperately start to wonder what is wrong with Alicia... and that is what makes the film's conclusion all the more disappointing.

The final scenes gradually become more and more ridiculous, eventually becoming reminiscent of a certain goat scene in Drag Me To Hell. However, alongside being totally far-fetched and implausible, the conclusion is also incredibly out of place in Magic Magic. The conclusion is rushed and makes no sense in relation to the rest of the story and it completely bypasses the tone of the majority of the film. Although certainly not without its faults, Magic Magic at least maintained an element of realism up until this point and had they decided to opt for a realistic ending, rather than prioritizing their bid to shock the audience, it would probably have made the film a much more compelling watch. 

The one positive part of the entire film comes from the strong performances; as well as creepy Cera, Juno Temple gives the part her all and truly embodies Alicia's paranoia, which becomes more and more apparent as her mental state deteriorates. Emily Browning also does her best to add some realism to the madness and gives an equally strong performance, despite being underused. However, strong performances are just not enough to cancel out the film's fatal flaws, with its fascinating concept being ruined by a ridiculous narrative which results in an underwhelming watch... In fact, resulting in the worst film that I have watched this year.

★☆☆☆☆

Magic Magic is available to watch from 18th April! 

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Love,

THE QUIET ONES

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On Tuesday 1st April I was lucky enough to attend the World premiere of Hammer Film's newest chiller

Me on the red carpet at The Quiet Ones premiere

The Quiet Ones.

Starring Finnick Odair, sorry I mean Sam Claflin, and inspired by true events, The Quiet Ones tells the story of a professor (Jared Harris) who performs a series of experiments on a young patient (Olivia Cooke) in order to test his theory that you can create a poltergeist from negative energy.

The most original aspect of the film is the storyline itself as it offers an interesting take on the notion of poltergeists and evil spirits. Harris effortlessly slips into the role of Joseph Coupland, a professor at Oxford University who believes that everything has a rational explanation, including the appearance of demonic possession. Coupland takes on four of his students; confident and sassy Krissi (Erin Richards), her joker boyfriend Harry (Rory Fleck-Byrne), and shy, unassuming Brian (Claflin), alongside a mentally disturbed girl, Jane (Cooke), to test his theory. The experiment involves driving Jane to the brink of insanity in order to summon the negative brain energy out of her and into an inanimate object, curing her of her apparent demonic possession.

However, as time passes Jane’s state only appears to worsen and with demonic etchings suddenly being burned into her skin and Krissi’s life coming under threat, the students begin to think there’s something supernatural going on after all. Coupland stubbornly refuses to accept the possibility of his hypothesis being wrong, leading to friction forming among the group and putting all of their lives in danger.

With its setting in the 70s, The Quiet Ones is immediately eye-catching with its retro feel that will appeal to

Claflin, Cooke, and Fleck-Byrne introducing the film

fans of horror classics such as The Exorcist and The Omen. Claflin’s character, Brian, also serves as the cameraman for the experiment and the film flits between regular filming and Brian’s shaky, grainy, handheld camerawork. As a viewer this technique thrusts you right into the middle of the experiment as you experience the same terrifying perspective as the students.

Most of the horror comes from the tension of not knowing what is going to happen next which makes for creepy, edge-of-your-seat viewing rather than scream-inducing terror. Cooke gives a stand-out performance as the disturbed Jane, confusing the audience into whether they should be scared of her or pity her and often achieving both. The rest of the characters are also well-rounded and integral to the plot with their presence adding elements of reassurance and normality to the film, with scary scenes neatly embedded among everyday conversations between the group. In a way, you start to look forward to the scenes where all the characters are together as you feel a sense of unity with the students who are just as confused, scared and freaked out as you are.

The Quiet Ones is strong from the offset and only gets stronger as the film progresses, however parts of the conclusion feel a little rushed with one particular revelation about Jane’s character being delivered quite suddenly and then being quickly glossed over to make way for the film’s grand finale. Although the finale is still effective, it probably would have a stronger impact if the audience weren’t still trying to process and get their head around the previous scene's twist. 

All in all, The Quiet Ones is an innovative and intriguing new horror film that will have you on the edge-of-your-seat throughout. Even if you’re made of stronger stuff and the scares don’t impact you, you’ll still be able to enjoy the story and the characters as, unlike many recent horror films, The Quiet Ones doesn’t depend on the horror to make the film.

★★★★☆

The Quiet Ones is in cinemas now!

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Love,

NOAH

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Darren Aronofsky brings Noah and his ark to the big screen in his long-awaited biblical epic that is ased on the famous story of Noah (Russell Crowe), a man who God entrusts with the task of building an ark in order to save two of each animal before an apocalyptic flood destroys the world.

Let’s be honest, everybody knows the story of Noah’s ark, though not necessary in great detail. And while Aronofsky’s retelling of the story has faced criticism from religious leaders for straying from the original tale, the basic premise appears to be the same with added drama for entertainment purposes.

The film starts with a brief biblical history of the earth’s creation and how the descendants of Adam and Eve were Cain, who was evil, and Seth, who was good and father to Noah. This good/evil divide is integral to the story and leads to Noah being chosen to save the animals as God cleanses the world of the evil of mankind in order to start anew.

Although the basic story of Noah is his epic task, the heart of the film is Noah’s family and the brutal impact his task has on them. Douglas Booth, who stars as his son Shem, and Emma Watson, who plays Shem’s wife Ila, add complexity to the story. The film delves beneath the surface of Noah’s mission and brings home the tragic consequences of wiping out all of mankind, leaving him to wonder if humans are supposed to survive the new world, or if God thinks the world would be better off without them due to their brutality and evil. This aspect of the film is a thought-provoking new take on the story and adds to the tension and high-drama throughout.

However, While the added elements of Noah’s family are widely welcomed, at times their presence changes the tone from epic blockbuster to soap opera. Aronofsky tries to cram too many subplots into the film, making it around 30 minutes too long. As Noah progresses, the family’s issues become more melodramatic with Jennifer Connelly, as Noah’s wife, and Watson delivering lines in a way that feels too contemporary given the film’s biblical setting.

Despite this slight narrative hiccup, Noah is aesthetically beautiful with mesmerizing CGI and cinematography that gives the film an almost fantastical feel throughout, with some scenes that wouldn’t look out of place in Middle-earth. The look of the film also complements the narrative; as with the original story, you must be willing to suspend your disbelief in order for it to make sense. God communicating to Noah through a dream, Noah’s grandfather having magical healing powers, even the way all the world’s animals travel to the ark in pairs would look out of place and impossible to wrap your head around if it weren’t for the rest of the film having a fantasy element to it. The film’s overall look is arguably the strongest part of Noah, as even when the plot begins to falter it is still enjoyable to watch.

All in all, Noah is a fascinating take on the original story, and tackles many questions you may not have considered prior to seeing the film. Although it’s a story most of us think we already know, Aronofsky’s retelling adds complexity and depth as the film delves beneath the surface and brings home the tragic consequences of Noah’s epic task. The focus on Noah’s family is a particular strength of the film and, along with the its visuals, makes for an original and thought-provoking take on a classic story.

★★★✯ ☆

Noah is in cinemas nationwide from the 4th of April!

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Love,

STARRED UP

Jack O'Connell (aka Cook from Skins) stars as Eric, a violent and troubled young offender who gets transferred to an adult prison where he meets his match - his father.

Starred Up is a gritty, raw and brutally honest prison drama that manages to achieve levels of integrity that some of the glitzier blockbusters could only ever dream of. Although relatively sparse when it comes to dialogue, the story of Eric and his fellow inmates comes across perfectly in scenes that feel so real it is almost as though you are watching a documentary.

We first meet Eric as he arrives at the prison; he has been moved from the young offenders institute due to violent, aggressive behaviour and poses a high risk to society. His dad is already an established and influential inmate at the prison and the animosity between the two men is clear from the offset. However, after Eric lashes out and wreaks havoc on his wing the corrupt prison guards call in his dad to get Eric under control and for him to attend therapeutic anger management sessions with some other violent prisoners.

It is in these group sessions that we gradually get a chance to see the true Eric; O'Connell does a fantastic job at giving his character the layers and complexity required for the audience to understand that he is deeply troubled and the supporting cast in the therapy sessions have a great rapport making the scenes appear authentic and believable with natural character development.

Starred Up is unpredictable yet realistic throughout; shying away from Hollywood cliches and whitewashing, the film gives a ruthless and human depiction of prison life and refuses to succumb to cinematic ideals as it concludes with a far-from-happy ending that only aids the documentary-esque feel that it has throughout.

With such little dialogue, the film is heavily dependent on performance talent and Jack O'Connell shines as he carries the film with ease. Despite being such a brutal character, it is impossible not to warm to Eric as the film goes on thanks to O'Connell's understated and emotional performance, making him an anti-hero in the truest sense of the word.

Despite the stunning performances the film does have quite a slow pace to it. The tension throughout is high

and there is always an element of intrigue as you can not predict what will happen next, however, the lack of script could be alienating for some viewers. It is by no means the same as other British dramas such as This is England or Kidulthood; Starred Up has its own thing going on and although it does take a little while longer than usual to get into the film and connect with the characters, the slow pace works incredibly well and captures the true essence and overall point of the film.

All in all, Starred Up is a raw and honest grit flick filled to the brim with top notch performances from some of Britain's finest actors, with Jack O'Connell giving the performance of his career to date.

★★★★☆

Starred Up is in cinemas nationwide from the 21st of March!

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Love,

LABOR DAY

Labor Day tells the story of Adele (Kate Winslet) a depressed single mum who is riddled with anxiety following her divorce from son, Henry's (Gattlin Griffith), father. On the Friday of Labor Day weekend (an international US holiday for all us non-American folk), escaped convict Frank (Josh Brolin) leaves Adele with no option but to let him hide from the police in her home. However, over the weekend both Adele and Henry realise that there is more to Frank than meets the eye.

The film is beautifully shot and, as you would expect from Kate Winslet, wonderfully acted. Winslet plays troubled Adele with empathy and raw emotion, meaning that even though her anxiety has left her a woman of few words, you still feel like you have got a deep understanding of the character. Gattlin Griffith also gives a strong performance as 13-year-old Henry, and being set in 1987 ensured that the film had a pretty, nostalgic vibe throughout.

However, despite the performances and technicalities of the film being faultless, the narrative is simply not

Such a dreamboat.

strong enough to make a fully enjoyable story, and in comparison to Winslet's well-rounded portrayal of Adele, Brolin's 'lovable rouge' character, Frank, felt lazy and saturated with cliches. Frank has escaped from prison where he was serving time for murder, as the film progresses we come to see that there was more to the crime than police would have you believe and the constant flashes of the press reinforcing that a dangerous man is on the run serves as a reinforcement of the contrast between the real Frank and prison inmate Frank.

To be quite frank about Frank, this is a story that has been done a thousand times before, and Labor Day adds nothing original or refreshing to the 'misunderstood tough guy' character, in fact, it is all so stereotypical that Frank becomes somewhat of a caricature. This fugitive that near enough forced his way into Adele and Henry's home is all of a sudden the most perfect man to exist; despite the news stories and other characters in the film harping on about how awful and dangerous he is, we see him teaching Henry how to play baseball, he helps Adele out by doing the manly chores around the house, he plays guitar and throws BBQs and has a way with children - and did I mention that he cooks? Not only does he cook meals for the household, when faced with surplus peaches he even has the wacky idea of turning them into a pie, teaching Adele and Henry how to make pastry in the process (which, by the way, is really not that hard and the way that the film focused on this pastry-making scene you would think that he was teaching them the cure for cancer). Yep, in just one weekend this superhero Frank swoops into the house and shapes their lives forever; because he isn't a cold-hearted murderer, okay? He is a troubled, lovable rouge.

Wow Frank, you can make pastry? Such a genius.

Give me a break. In fact, as the film progresses the constant reinforcement of how brilliant Frank is becomes somewhat nauseating and painful to watch. A pain that only becomes stronger as, oh yes, he and Adele fall hopelessly in love. Did I mention this entire film takes place over one weekend??

The story is littered with implausible moments, for which you will have to seriously suspend your disbelief in order to accept. The film moves painfully slowly through a series of cliches only for the climax to be lazily thought out and underwhelming - suspicions begin to be roused for absolutely no reason, other than for the story to come to some kind of an ending, and the epilogue is just a ridiculous reinforcement of how great, brilliant, and life-defining Frank is.

All in all, it is a shame that Winslet's brilliant acting and the beautiful, autumnal cinematography went to waste on such a stupid storyline. It is by no means a 'bad film' in the conventional sense; thanks to the strong cast it is definitely watchable despite the fact you will constantly be rolling your eyes and scoffing at the cliches, but I simply expected more. It is a slow burner, and the steady stream of 'WTF' moments means that you will not be able to become fully engrossed in the film as common sense will prevail and keep pulling you back into reality. However, the hapless love story and nostalgic setting might make it a film that your grandma will enjoy.

★★☆☆☆

Labor Day is in cinemas nationwide from the 21st of March!

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NON-STOP

Read more: http://flicksandthecity.com/non-stop-review/#ixzz2ul2nkqPa 
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Non-Stop sees real-life action man, Liam Neeson, back on the big screen for yet another edge-of-your-seat action thriller. Neeson takes on the role of Bill, a US air marshal who recieves a series of threatening texts during a transatlantic flight. The anonymous terrorist vows to kill somebody on board the plane every 20 minutes unless the airline transfers $150 million into his account. However, as Bill attempts to find the culprit he realises that others believe that he is in fact the terrorist. 

From the film's opening scenes every single passenger as painted as a potential suspect. As much as you would like to think you can scoff that you would be able to figure it out, you really can't - and that puts you on edge from the get-go because you don't know who to trust.

The majority of the film is set on the airplane, and this makes for claustrophobic viewing, which only adds to the tension. By the time the film ends you feel like you were on that plane journey yourself and it is a relief to be walking out of the cinema all in one piece! The audience receive information and clues at the same time as Bill, and you're constantly trying to guess who the culprit is, but red herrings are often thrown into the mix to put you off the scent in very clever directorial decisions. 

Liam Neeson plays the troubled air marshal with ease and although his character is the typical tough guy you come to expect from this genre, he isn't without his depth and layers that make him a much more likable watch. Bill's dedication to saving his fellow passengers is nothing short of admirable and even when the pilots, ground control and passengers turn against him, he doesn't give up. 

Julianne Moore is also strong as Jen, a fellow passenger in the seat next to Bill, who you quickly discover is one of he few people on the plane that you can trust. When everybody turns against Bill, Jen and air hostess Nancy (Michelle Dockery) stand by him, which makes it much less of a frustrating watch. It is impossible to not get angry when Bill's plans to save the plane are hindered due to almost everyone's complete lack of faith in him and the fact that there are two solid characters throughout who aren't pointing the finger and throwing around accusations makes it much less stressful viewing than if absolutely everybody was against our leading man.

The best thing about Non-Stop is that you get so involved in trying to work out who the suspect is that the viewing time flies by. I am a serial clock-watcher, even if I am really enjoying the film I am prone to occasionally glancing down at my watch throughout a film but with this I was literally on the edge of my seat throughout. The mystery alone makes it compelling, but the clever cinematography of text messages coming up on the screen, the array of different characters that add layers of realism to the otherwise unrelatable situation, and Neeson's strong and emotive performance makes the film an enjoyable roller-coaster from start to finish.

The downside of Non-Stop is the incredibly underwhelming revelation of who is behind the terrorism. Although not entirely implausible it simply doesn't match the high standards set by the rest of the film. It just doesn't feel as shocking as i should be and there were other options that could have been explored for maximum impact. The reasons given for the hijack aren't particularly strong and there are many questions that are left unanswered as the story quickly shifts from a mystery thriller to full-blown action as gun shots and explosions lead to an epic slow-motion battle that we have come to expect from Neeson's films.

Despite this slight hiccup in the narrative, the real crux of the film is the mystery and although the reveal doesn't quite hit the mark it doesn't take away from the 90 minutes of expertly-played intrigue and tension. Although not without its flaws, the climax of the film is so dramatic and intense that you step out of the cinema with a pounding heart, bated breath, and a minor fear of flying. The revelation of who was behind the murders soon becomes irrelevant and that's what makes it one of the biggest must-see action films of the year!

★★★★☆

Non-Stop is in cinemas now!

Liam Neeson's Top 5 Movie Roles

Stay tuned for more reviews and follow me on twitter if you fancy it :)

Love,