The Courier
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Monday 9 November 2015
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‘Waste of a good scotch.’ - Skyfall (2012)
Spectre (12A)
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ond (James Bond) shoots, shags and suaves his way back onto our screens with Spectre. Is it a sickening shot of nostalgia, or is it another Skyfall-shaped surprise? Two of your overlord editors went to find out... Simon’s verdict: A classic case of a film trying to have both cakes and eat them. Sam Mendes returns to Bond after the gritty (yet glossy) triumph that was Skyfall and tries to align it with the assaultive camp of the original films, with ultimately middling success. Spectre is, like the other films in Craig’s franchise, most successful when it stands alone. Tying up all the strings to spin them off into something new is Mendes and co.’s main duty here, yet there’s little to no room for creative flair. Everything is serviceable to move things along from one (admittedly very efficient) set-piece to the next while setting up bridges for further sequels and past references alike. The opening is a fantastic display of just what modern stunts can do, and manages to propel itself forward for a strong opening hour. But things soon run out of steam, letting the finale fall flat as it frantically tries to find a real threat and a way to open things up for more sequels. Christoph Waltz shines through a stilted villain, being very much kept to the shadows like Javier Bardem before him, and Daniel Craig hasn’t been this good since Casino Royale. But the rest of the cumbersome cast struggle to steal any scenes, with the much-discussed Monica Belluci role being nothing more than a plot device. It seems Skyfall’s
Beasts of No Nation (15)
few flaws have worsened and the positives deteriorated; the running time bloated, the score recycled, the cinematography disappointingly flat. If Craig does indeed choose to bow out of Bond here, it’ll be with a whimpering bang. 6/10 Emma’s verdict: I was all full of somewhat naïve enthusiasm for Spectre despite the mixed reviews it had gained. I have always been a fan of the Bond movies, even those cheesy old ones that really were a product of their discriminatory times. However, I was not looking for anything of the old in Spectre, apart from the espionage. As soon as the opening titles appeared I knew Sam Mendes had got this wrong. Women were stroking Daniel Craig’s chest, and they were shadowed out. When the film got started, it did not redeem itself as women were presented in dubious ways, much like in the older films. In a film released in 2015, this leaves a very sour taste, es-
pecially after the brilliant Skyfall seems to have progressed from the misogyny of previous films. For some reason, Mendes seems far too occupied with harking back to the old days when, in reality, those ideals do not fit with today’s standards. Christoph Waltz is one of best things about this film playing the vengeful villain with a fierce vendetta against Bond. His Machiavellian character creates palpable tension in the film’s quieter moments. Also, Ben Whishaw brings some comic relief to an otherwise dark film as Q. The film itself is not bad per se, but it is no Skyfall, and the presentation of women is wholly diabolical. Come on, Mendes; you can do better than that. 6/10
Hotel Transylvania 2 (PG)
Mississippi Grind (15)
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retty much any of Connery’s efforts are fitting here, but I’ve gone for the quintessential Bond flick – Goldfinger. Although this is the third film in the series, you could argue it’s the first one that properly nailed the typical Bond template. From Shirley Bassey’s unforgettable theme tune to Gert Frobe’s eponymous villain, it doesn’t put a foot wrong. It’s a truly iconic film - the woman covered in gold paint, Oddjob and his unusual choice of headwear, Bond struggling against a laser, etc. Marvellous stuff.
More like this: Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation (2015) Simon Ramshaw & Emma Allsopp
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he opening shot of Netflix war drama Beasts of No Nation is framed by a hollowed television. Its prompt removal signals that what you’re about to watch is raw and real; a detailed and unfiltered depiction of Africa in the vein of Danny Boyle’s stripped back India in Slumdog Millionaire. Cary Joji Fukunaga’s third feature is a harrowing, uneasy and uneven portrait of war-torn Africa and its human casualties. The story follows young Agu (Abraham Attah), whose life spirals downward when civil war rips apart his family and leads him to join a small faction of child soldiers led by the sinister Commandant (Idris Elba). Agu is born again in fire; forced to abandon his previous life and all sense of right and wrong by the manipulative Commandant. Following his descent is draining but seemingly crucial. Beasts of No Nation virtually throws you straight into the action. The early scenes establish what life for Agu is like before the viral affliction of war reaches his town, but no time is wasted in the dismantling of this reality. This actually works against the film, as the long stretches focusing mainly on Agu can be tiresome and a little slow. That isn’t to say that Abraham Attah doesn’t do an excellent job as our protagonist, on the contrary, his performance exceeds that of Elba’s as the Commandant. Despite suffering from an overly long runtime, the film has some compelling themes, not least the role of religion in this culture of violence. The contradiction between Agu’s faith, his prayers to God, and the utter disregard for human life in war-ridden Africa is powerful in highlighting the regressive state in which the continent currently resides. Beasts of No Nation may leave you short of patience at times, but it will certainly not leave you short of words.
ovies about vampires truly can’t get any more adorable than this, as Hotel Transylvania’s sequel proves that it was worth making after the first one’s success, which made a tidy third of a billion dollars. The storyline follows the same characters - hotel manager Dracula and his daughter Mavis who is now married to a human Jonathan and expecting a baby. However, when little Dennis is born, all the monsters are worried that the little one is not showing any signs of being a vampire and might actually turn out to be a human. Warnings at the beginning - “mild scary scenes, slapstick violence, and rude humor� – are genuine, but Hotel Transylvania 2 is not only that. The movie is full of wit and amusing scenes, and your heart will definitely be warmed by the monsters babyproofing hotel for Dennis, or his grandpa Dracula learning to use an iPhone and social media. Moreover, the movie comes across as much more spirited and sophisticated than it was probably intended to be. Full of life-lessons about tolerance, acceptance and love, through the exploration of the relationship between Dennis’ human grandparents and the monsters, it very accurately and progressively hints at much more difficult problems that are faced by minorities and certain marginalised groups in our society. However, for a Sony Pictures Animation’s movie, the special effects are a bit lacking and the 3D seem quite tokenistic. The movie is definitely just as enjoyable and amusing when viewed in your regular 2D dimension, although if you’re bringing a bunch of little viewers, they will quite enjoy monsters appearing close to their nose. All in all, Hotel Transylvania 2 doesn’t seem to be too ambitious and maybe that is why it’s so very enjoyable and funny. Definitely go and see it, because we all deserve some positivity and hearty laughs in our lives.
More like this: Sin Nombre (2009)
More like this: Rise of the Guardians (2012) William Leng
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ississippi Grind follows the unlikely duo of divorced and indebted estate agent Gerry (Ben Mendelsohn), and gambling for the fun-of-it traveller Curtis (Ryan Reynolds). They bond over a rainbow (of all things), and cement their friendship over seemingly endless amounts of Woodford Reserve bourbon. This culminates in a road trip down the Mississippi, from Iowa to New Orleans, passing through an array of deep-south casinos, both darker and sleazier than their Las Vegas counterparts. The duo face the question of love, a seemingly never-ending theme in film. Curtis is torn over whether to profess his love to Simone (Sienna Miller) in St Louis, though we never really get a backstory to this. Gerry, however, really wants to see his daughter, so diverts their road trip to Little Rock to visit ex-wife Dorothy (Robin Weigert). In a suspect move, he attempts to rob the money in her sock drawer. ‘They were the same socks as when we were married’, he sadly remarks. Mendelsohn has played comedy and tragedy very well before, and this is no exception. Reynolds’ natural charm is ubiquitous, while Mendelsohn plays the depressed gambling addict with aplomb; increasing his depth and sincerity as the film progresses. The strong leads, combined with a suitably Southern soundtrack and sober shots of barren towns, make this a truly interesting film. Outstanding acting performances by Reynolds and Mendelsohn counterbalance a series of plot holes, and it is perhaps right that the film does have a clichĂŠd ending. This is a tale of two unlikely friends; a classic and hugely likeable, gofor-broke underdog story with charm and heart to spare.
More like this: Hard Eight (1996) Francis Williams
always liked Pierce Brosnan as Bond. I thought his charm and looks made him a perfect fit for the role of 007. Sadly he was victim to a string of terrible films, culminating in Die Another Day. This movie just feels like an unoriginal, cheap copy. It’s as if the creators ran out of ideas and decided to nick ideas from every other Bond film before it. The villain is boring, the gadgets are ridiculous, even Halle Berry is rubbish! And the less said about Madonna’s theme tune and cameo, the better...
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uring the 80s, it seems that James Bond films weren’t bothered about making sense, they just wanted to be as spectacular as possible. However, 1985’s A View To A Kill is simply too ridiculous. I think it is fair to say that Roger Moore was getting on a bit when this movie was made. The actor was 57 (57!) when he made this, his last Bond film. Watching Moore fight baddies and hop into bed with girls half his age is pretty painful. Not even a classic Christopher Walken performance or a cracking Duran Duran tune could save this one. Harry Musson
Next week on The Good, The Bad and the Ugly: TOM CRUISE