Man of Steel.

According to the Internet to ‘reboot’ means to discard all continuity in an established series in order to recreate its character, timeline and backstory from the beginning. The term is used with respect to various different forms of fictional media such as comic books, television series, video games and of course movies. Amongst others we have had the Batman and Spider Man franchises and I would argue that with the addition of Daniel Craig we could include the James Bond movies?

 

The Hero.

The first Superman feature film was Superman and the Mole Men in 1951 and starred George Reeves; this was followed by a further 5 feature films between 1978 and 2006, 4 of which starred Christopher Reeve, with Brandon Routh playing the super hero in Superman Returns (2006). Now Zack Snyder, best known for action and science fiction movies, has been brought in for a Superman reboot, and there is already a sequel planned for 2016 entitled Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice with a similar cast list to Man of Steel (2013) including Henry Cavill as Kal-El alias Clark Kent/Superman.

 

The Villain.

This latest incarnation takes you back to the very beginning and explains how he came to earth and set up a life here. We are introduced to his Kryptonite parents in the form of Russell Crowe and Ayelet Zurer and his earth parents Kevin Costner and Diane Lane. The villain of the piece is General Dru-Zod (Michael Shannon) who has the same superpowers as our hero and has followed Kal-El to earth to ‘reclaim the genetic codex of the entire Kryptonian race’  (don’t ask!)  We also get to know Lois Lane (Amy Adams) reporter for the Daily Planet newspaper who will eventually become Clark Kent’s love interest.

 

The Daily Planet Reporter (Ms Lois Lane)

My biggest problem with Snyder’s film is that it is very predictable if like me you have followed the adventures of Superman from a wee boy via the DC comics. But its abundance of special effects will please the many aficionados of this type of action movie, as will the excitement - which is pretty relentless during its more than two hour running time. I envy any one coming fresh to this franchise because I’m sure they will love it.

American Hustle.

This weeks Robert Burns Centre Film Theatre Film Club screening has been rightly described as a watchable black comedy.[1] American Hustle (2013), shot using locations in an around Boston, Massachusetts, had been nominated for ten Academy Awards at the 2014 Oscar ceremony but it won none! Considering it had already won two BAFTA awards in February, one for Jennifer Lawrence[2] for Best Actress in a Supporting Role and another for Best Screenplay and three awards at this years Golden Globe’s including Best Picture, Best Actress for Amy Adams[3] and Jennifer Lawrence for Best Actress in a Supporting Role, this came as quite a surprise, considering the quality of acting from the two female leads.

 

A fantastic performance from both Jennifer Lawrence and ....

Before the screening began there was a short introduction about what are the ingredients of a good film? I have always said it’s down to a good story that’s well told, but that’s probable an over simplification, and to be honest there’s a lot more to it. Hollywood mainstream movies tend to have guaranteed star-pulling power and American Hustle is no exception, therefore it would not have been a problem raising the budget to make it, unlike lets say British independent movies which always have problems raising even a small budget and at times have to go abroad to raise the cash. This weeks movie is said to have cost between $40 and $50 million dollars to make, but up to the 6^th February 2014 box office receipts were said to be in the region of $187 million dollars and that was before the BAFTA’s and of course would of greatly increased if it had won some prominent awards at the Oscars.

 

....and Amy Adams....

But even if you have got the stars and the money you still need a good story. The narrative is loosely based an a FBI sting operation that took place in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s and began its life as a screenplay entitled American Bullshit (I’m not surprised they changed the name!) written by Eric Warren Singer, and rewritten by David O Russell who replaced the characters with caricatures of their respective real-life figures, Christian Bale[4] revealed in an interview that the majority of his character interactions were improvised in multiple takes in which he questioned David O. Russell about the plot. Russell responded that what he had wanted was to focus on the characters, rather than the plot.

 

....whose characters can't quite bond....

Next we need a director of some standing to turn lots of money and a screenplay into something that people will pay to watch. For this production we have the aforementioned David O Russell who, based on his last two feature films is the right man for the job. In 2010 Russell made the award winning biographical sports drama The Fighter, the story of welterweight boxer Mickey Ward and starred Mark Wahlberg, Christian Bale, Melissa Leo and Amy Adams. He followed this with another award winning film Silver Linings Playbook, which won Jennifer Lawrence a Best Actress Award. It’s a film with which Russell manages to walk a thin line between romance, comedy and a dark psychological drama. As well as Lawrence it stared Bradley Cooper, Robert De Niro and the wonderful Jackie Weaver.

 

....mainly due to an FBI officer and a con man!

You will have noticed that the star power I mentioned involves some of the actresses and actors I have spoken about in connection with Russell’s previous work. They include Christian Bale[5], Bradley Cooper[6], Amy Adams, Jennifer Lawrence with the addition of Jeremy Renner[7], and in an uncredited part Robert De Niro. That just leaves us to acknowledge the technicians and crew without whom this, or any other film could have not been made.

 

A Hollywood movie with style.

Basically a full house at the RBC went home entertained by a film that after it got into its stride was very funny and impeccably cast especially as I said previously, the two female leads. With the best scene in the film featuring Jennifer Lawrence in yellow marigolds singing Live and Let Die (see link below). It’s a film with oodles of style and looks so good up on the big screen made even better by the choice of soundtrack (any film that starts with America singing A Horse with No Name is never going to disappoint). And yes the director was right to concentrate on the characters. Film critic Mark Kermode asked the question “Is this film anything more than a brilliantly window dressed period piece with a ring-a-ding performances from an all star cast remains to be seen” my answer to this would be yes, it’s a film that’s great fun and one I can’t wait to see again.

http://youtu.be/20sc40RDRP4

---

[1] Peter Bradshaw The Guardian 20/12/2013

[2] Lawrence's lead role in Debra Granik's Winter's Bone, which won best picture at the Sundance Film Festival in 2010, is often cited as a breakout performance for her. She portrays Ree Dolly, a seventeen-year-old in the Ozark Mountains who cares for her mentally ill mother and her younger brother and sister.

[3] Junebug (2005), Charlie Wilsons War (2007) Doubt (2008) The Muppets (2011) The Master (2012) On the Road (2012)

[4] To prepare for the role, Christian Bale gained 50 pounds.

[5] Bale, famous for his radical physical transformations on screen, received great commercial recognition for his role as Bruce Wayne/Batman in the three Bateman films (2005,2008 and 2012).

[6] The Place Beyond the Pines (2013)

[7] Best known for his roles in The Hurt Locker (2008) for which he received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor,

The Master.

The rather interesting poster.

Paul Thomas Anderson’s previous body of work includes There Will Be Blood (2007) and Magnolia (1999), which I believe is still his best film to date. His latest offering is The Master (2012) which has received a great deal of praise from the critic’s and has gained a much-lorded position in many of the ‘Best Of’ lists for 2012. The only reason I can see for such acclaim is the quality of the performances from its highly rated cast and its period detail that allows a really classy glimpse at 1950’s America and its middle class. But I’m afraid Anderson’s script is just not good enough for such a complex story, it did not draw you in and hold your attention which made the 137 minute running time seem even longer than it actually was.

Joaquin Phoenix as Freddie Quall.

The film’s central character is an ex Word War 11 veteran Freddie Quell (Joaquin Phoenix) who is struggling to adjust to post war society. When Lancaster Dodd (Philip Seymour Hoffman), the leader of a philosophical movement known as ‘The Cause’ comes across the alcoholic Quell he see’s something in this strange gait figure. The film basically deals with the relationship between two very different men. 

Philip Seymour Hoffman as Lancaster Dodds.

After the catastrophe that was I'm Still Here (2010), one of the very rare films which I have left before the end, I could not imagine that Joaquin Phoenix would ever redeem him self in my eyes. But his performance as Quell is totally believable gaining him a very well deserved nomination for Best Actor in January’s Golden Globes, which in it’s self is a good pointer for Februarys Academy Awards.  Hoffman should also get nominated for Best Male Support at the Oscars for a role that’s said to be based on L. Ron Hubbard who founded the Church of Scientology in the 1950’s. Also well worth a mention is Amy Adams, who plays Peggy Dodd, Lancaster’s supportive wife, who is rapidly becoming one of America’s best actresses. The rather pleasing soundtrack has been composed by Radiohead’s Jonny Greenwood who has previously composed music for another of Andersons films Let There Be Blood as well as the intriguing Norwegian Wood (2010) and Lynne Ramsay’s Oscar neglected We Need To Talk About Kevin (2010). Personally I would swop some of the beautifully looking camera work by Romanian cinematographer Mihai Malaimare Jr. for a story line that engaged my undivided attention: disappointing. 

The superb Amy Adams as Peggy Dodd.

The Muppets.

We got'a get the band back together!

In the best cinematic comedy of all time Jake and Elmore have to get their old band back together to raise $5000 to pay the tax assessor to save from foreclosure the Catholic orphanage in which they grew up. How inflation affects things, thirty years later its $10 million dollars that has to be raised to save the Muppet Film Studio that was due to become a Muppet museum, Texas oil tycoon Tex Richman wants to tear it down and drill for oil! When the worlds biggest Muppet fan, Walter, overhears the evil oil mans proposal he contacts Kermit the Frog. Kermit decides the only way to raise the money and save the planned museum is to stage the Greatest Muppet Telethon Ever. To this end Kermit has to get the old group back together again.  Along with Walter, Waters brother Gary (Jason Segel) and Mary, Gary’s fiancé of 10 years they set out to reunite the original Muppets who have all gone there own way. Miss Piggy is an editor at Vogue magazine in Paris, Fozzie the Bear in in a tribute band called The Moopets, Animal is in a clinic for anger management and Gonzo runs a very successful plumbing company!

Walter, the worlds biggest Muppet fan.

Directed by British filmmaker James Bobin, best known for his work with Ali G, Borat and Bruno, and written by its lead star Jason Segel, The Muppets (2011) stars all the usual Muppet characters along with Amy Adams as Mary, Chris Cooper as Tex Richman and a host of well known faces in cameo roles, the best of which has got to be Jack Black as the unwilling compare of the Telethon.

The gorgeous Miss Piggy.

The love of Miss Piggy's life Kermit the Frog.

Judged solely on it’s entertainment value it’s got to be film of the year and is certainly one of the few films this year that deserved its Academy Award. The jokes are good and the musical numbers are corny what more do you want from the first Muppet movie for twelve years? When your laughing at The Muppets your laughing at life says one of the tag lines, it even brought a smile to the face of an old cynic!!!!!

Breaking News.....Two of the film club seen at the RBC for the showing of the Muppet movie!!!!!!!