ANIMAL KINGDOM movie review

Animal Kingdom

Starring: James Frecheville, Guy Pearce, Joel Edgerton, Jacki Weaver.

Running time: 113 minutes

Year: 2010

Directed By: David Michod

Written By: David Michod

Animal Kingdom trailer

I had been told about this film several months ago, and had been told by this anonymous person that it was their favourite film of its year. With Inception and The Social Network being released the same year I was rather dubious as to this person's suggestion. I have to say however after giving this film a watch I can completely understand where they are coming from because this film is absolutely brilliant, and I am annoyed at myself that it has taken me this long to see it.

Set in Australia revolving around a crime family, Animal Kingdom follows the story of J (Frecheville), who is taken in by his Grandmother after the death of his Mother. Whilst in the company of his Grandmother and Uncles he realises that they are involved in some of the hefty crimes that have been taking place in the community. One of his Uncles; Pope, (Ben Mendelsohn who is absolutely fantastic) is currently in hiding and the police are after him over a recent bank robbery. However instead of finding him via looking the police decide to kill his partner in order to entice him out. The only problem with this though is Pope then decides to retaliate and he and his brothers kill two policemen in an act of vengeance. After being broadcast all over the news, the police bring in Detective Senior Sergeant Leckie (Guy Pearce) to bring the Cody family in, and their first port of call is J. Once J has been interviewed though his own family turn against him in the belief that he has turned them in. J then finds himself on the run from the evil Pope and the cops, and is unsure of which one to trust.

The film is not like anything we haven't seen before but it is the way it is told that stands this film above the rest. For starters the setting being Australia really adds to the tension, especially with it being set during the time when cops were killing criminals and finding excuses afterwards. It is also interesting to side with the 'bad' guys, but also showing how the police can also be just as bad in their own way. We are actually pulled in to care for this family despite how evil they are. J especially is someone we side with despite the fact that his character has no real qualities that we can cling to. We just go with his situation and you ask yourself what you would do in his position. The film also delivers us a chilling ending, which is certainly crucial to the outcome, and a highly powerful scene in the middle that had me frightened for a good ten minutes. The dark, moody tone of the cinematography really adds to this.

The acting in the film is very good. Mendelsohn is on top, top form and it is good to see him being rewarded with roles in films such as The Dark Knight Rises as he is a top class actor. Jacki Weaver is also really freaky as the Mother of these evil brothers. She plays the part full of tension and even hints at a sign of incestual nature between her and her children. It is the performance and the way she kisses them that highlights this. She also comes out of her shell later on in the film and she grows even more into the role. These two are the stand outs of the cast but Edgerton, Pearce, and Sullivan Stapleton are also good. Frecheville has come into a lot of criticism of his performance by other reviews; however I feel they are slightly harsh. For a newcomer his performance is good and I believe it is his character that lacks personality as opposed to the actor.

Another top area of the film is the music. Even the music on the DVD menu had me gripped by what I was about to watch. Every time a piece of music kicked in I was instantly drawn into the scene. Even an image of three lions on a picture, with the central one standing proud, is racked full of tension due to the brilliant score.

There isn't much I can point out as wrong with this film. Maybe it is a shame that a top actor disappears quite early on, but this also adds more to it. I have to say this film has affected me. I can't get the creepy music out my head, or some of the powerful scenes that go with it. I haven't seen any other Australian films that have moved me quite like this, but from now on I will not be put off by them. David Michod has managed to produce a script full of believability and character building, and has also directed and drawn some excellently creepy performances by some actors who are possibly unheard of on the Hollywood circuit. Thanks to Animal Kingdom however, I think Michod has highlighted his own name, and his casts names, on the Hollywood 'to get' list.

4.5 / 5

Next film to review: DRIVE

In Cinemas This Weekend: Hardy and LeBeouf are brothers who become outlaws.

This week there are 4 mainstream films released for all our viewing pleasures. We have yet another remake, although remake is probably the wrong word more like a reboot considering the first version was a Stallone abomination. We also have a film which was given high acclaim at some of the top film festivals, and we have yet another Adam Sandler film. Take a look at them below.


1. Tom Hardy is in yet another box office film in LAWLESS, where he and Shia LeBeouf are brothers during prohibition in Franklin County Virginia. Whilst here they are part of a bootlegging gang who supply locals and criminals with liquor, until a corrupt sleazy city detective in Guy Pearce attempts to shut them down. Expect blood and gore. Also starring: Jason Clarke. Who is really the bad guy?

Lawless trailer



2. The reboot of a famous comic book hero is next in DREDD; only this time instead of Stallone we have Karl Urban donning the famous helmet. In a futuristic city Dredd and his new apprentice must fight their way into a tower block to prevent a criminal supplying the city with a drug which allows people to view the world in slow motion. Also starring: Olivia Thirlby, Lena Headey, & Jason Cope. Who is the law?

Dredd trailer


3. Keira Knightley reunites with director Joe Wright for ANNA KARENINA. In the late 19th century, Anna is married to an upper class Jude Law, only to become infatuated by a young Count, Aaron Johnson. Despite being frowned upon Anna must choose between her boring husband who is the father of her child, or the man who reignites her flames. Also starring: Matthew Macfayden. Who will she choose?

Anna Karenina trailer



4. Finally we are given the pleasure to witness yet another Adam Sandler film. This next one is called THAT'S MY BOY and sees Adam play a young Father who turns up in his son's life just before his wedding. Having a child as a teenager doesn't seem like a good idea now. Also starring: Adam Samberg, Susan Sarandon, & Vanilla Ice.

That's My Boy trailer




There is your list for this week and I would have to say at least three of them are probably worth seeing. I won't mention which one is the one at the bottom of my list but I'm sure it is definitely obvious. Oh how I used to like Adam Sandler films. Anyway come back tomorrow for my review of this weekend's film.

NEWS - Kick Ass 2 director Jeff Wadlow hints that Jim Carrey is on board.

The top segment of news for this week comes to you in two loads. For starters the main news that was circling the movie world (other than the unfortunate, very sad death of Michael Clarke Duncan) was that Kick Ass 2 director Jeff Wadlow had hinted on his Twitter account that Jim Carrey had been cast in the new movie. The tweet read something along the lines of; '6 days till we start shooting.....have our Colonel. Alrighty f*in then.' Now we all know Jim Carrey's famous catchphrase is that of his famous character Ace Ventura, so of course many put two and two together and came to this suggestion.

Only a couple of days after this news it was then revealed that in fact Jim Carrey will be playing Colonel Stars in Kick Ass 2, so Wadlow's code really wasn't hard to crack. Stars is the leader of a superhero team that puts together wannabee heroes who wish to save the day. However he once had connections to the DiMarco family meaning he may not be as rosy as it seems.

I have to admit I am a big fan of Carrey and despite his few poor films he generally is a good actor. He seems just as good in a serious role as he is a comedy one and I have to say not many actors can move their face the way he does. Kick Ass 2 opens next year and it is already one of the most anticipated. Next year seems to be promising a few crackers.

REAL STEEL movie review

Real Steel

Starring: Hugh Jackman, Evangeline Lilly, Dakota Goyo, Anthony Mackie

Running time: 127 minutes

Year: 2011

Directed By: Shawn Levy

Written By: John Gatins

Real Steel trailer

Rocky with robots would have been the pitch for this robot enthusiastic movie, and that is certainly what it is. The film is set in 2020 where boxing has been replaced with robots beating hell out of each which are controlled by humans. Hugh Jackman plays Charlie, who is a former boxer now attempting to find a way to making money in this new robotic sport. Unfortunately for Charlie though he is constantly failing in his goal and his robots are being smashed up by either other robots or rodeo bulls. His other trouble is his arrogance in that he keeps gambling his make believe money on fights he believes he will win but ends up losing, meaning he owes lots of people lots of money.

After hearing the news of a former partner's death he learns that he has a son who he must now care for. A son that he instantly sells to a former relative for money towards his next robot, the only catch is he has to look after the boy for the summer as his new parents are off across the World. Charlie continues on with his life despite the interference of his new son, and once again continues to lose his robots, up until his son becomes his lucky charm and finds a robot buried in a scrap yard. This robot was generally used as a training machine but the now Father and Son team begin to train the robot and slowly begin to rise through the ranks to the major leagues of the robot boxing world.

As you can tell this is definitely Rocky with robots. The underdog will rise through the ranks, he will get his title shot, he will be the people's champ, and he will connect a bond between other people in his life. This could simply be what Real Steel is and from watching the trailer alone it is showing us a generic story made completely original. This really put me off in the trailer and I was never fussed about watching it but to be honest I am so glad I did.

This is definitely one of those films that will be many people's guilty pleasure. It is such fun to watch and really has an emotional core to it that I didn't expect it to have. Everyone loves watching robots beating hell out of each other but what is good about this is it stops that before it has the opportunity of becoming boring and propels us to the other story which is the building bond between Father and son. These are not the only two story threads however as there are others that connect Charlie with a love interest, former relatives, and former enemies without even mentioning their main nemesis in the robot boxing world. For a story that seemed so unoriginal in the trailer it really does have many story threads to keep you gripped. That certainly was a shock for the system.

Hugh Jackman is known mainly for playing Wolverine but here he plays something completely different. Granted he won't win any major awards for this performance but at times I forgot who he was and believed he was Charlie. Other than a couple moments of over acting and a few cheesy lines, he pretty much nails this performance. Dakota Goyo is also a strong performer as his son Max, my only quibble about him being that he seems awfully knowledgeable and confident for an eleven year old kid. Everyone else in the film does the job they set out to do.

The script is also surprisingly good. It does have many cheesy moments especially in the final act but the dialogue throughout is realistic and there is some obvious and subtle humour put in there. At times there are some great lines, delivered really well, that are so subtle you need to really listen to hear them, and they are great. The direction is also really good, especially the fight scenes which will have you on edge. The CGI for the robots also looks fantastic, and despite the fast cutting to avoid continuity, look very realistic for the world they are in. The robots also look like they are standing alongside humans and not actual effects.

The film is definitely a pleasant surprise. It does have a few cheesy moments and the second act does have a slight lull but there is enough in there for everyone to enjoy. It is a film I have seen twice now and I enjoyed it as much the second time as I did the first. This isn't just Rocky with robots, it certainly has something more.

3 / 5

Next film to review: ANIMAL KINGDOM

QUESTION: What is Arnold Schwarzenegger's cheesiest movie role?

Mr Schwarzenegger has taken on many cheesy film roles in his time. Whether it is coincidence that he got these roles or they were written in for him later is another thing but either way he is known for having some of the cheesiest lines in film memory. Due to him recently having been in The Expendables 2 and one of his older films being remade in Total Recall, I want to know what people think his cheesiest role has been. I have listed five below but please add more if you think there is one even cheesier!!


1. THE RUNNING MAN -Here he plays a convict who is put through the televised game show called The Running Man where he must avoid being killed by the games murderers all for the entertainment of the public. Cheesy line: (Once killed a murderer called Sub Zero) 'Killian, here's your sub-zero, now plain zero.'







2. TOTAL RECALL - Arnie plays Douglas Quaid who finds out he isn't the person he thinks he is and must go on the run from the people hunting him down for being someone he doesn't believe he is. Cheesy line: (After killing his double agent wife) 'Consider this a divorce.'






3. KINDERGARTEN COP - Now playing an undercover cop who poses as a kindergarten teacher in order to solve a big case. Cheesiest line: (After being asked what he does on a date) 'Well I'm not going to take her to dinner.'








4. JINGLE ALL THE WAY - As a Father he fights any other Father in order to get his hands on one of the last hottest toys that his son wants for Christmas. Cheesiest line: 'I'm not a pervert! I'm looking for my turbo man doll!'





5. BATMAN AND ROBIN - Arnie becomes the bat villain Mr Freeze and is given some of the cheesiest lines ever to hit theatres. If anything there are far too many to write here but one of them is when Batman turns up, 'Ice to see you.' Chilling!!





There are 5 roles to pick from for the cheesiest one Arnie has done, but believe me there are more out there. Write your vote below or the one that isn't there that you believe should be.

New on DVD this week: The Hunger Games

A few films are out to buy and rent on Blu-Ray and DVD this week with one of them being sat firmly in my top 3 of the year so far. It was sat on the perch of my 'best films of the year' list up until the recent release of a little film called The Dark Knight Rises. Despite that though it has been up towards the top of the pile for a good portion of the year and I'm looking forward to seeing it again. The rest of the films I have actually not seen so my choice is a not-seen or a must-see this week. If you are in the same dilemma have a look at the films below and see what looks the best.




Recommended
THE HUNGER GAMES - The beginning of what could be a fantastic franchise. Jennifer Lawrence stars in one of my favourite films of the year so far, as Katniss Everdeen, a teenage girl who volunteers to participate in the annual Hunger Games at the expense of her sister. However this means she will have to fight to the death against other children in a televised arena in front of a capitalistic government.

The Hunger Games trailer







PIRANHA 3DD - Sequel to the surprise hit Piranha 3D. The piranha's have continued to evolve and now are able to swim through pipes that gain them entry to a water park that is experiencing some hefty custom due to the sunny weather.

Piranha 3DD trailer









SALMON FISHING IN THE YEMEN - Ewan McGregor plays a business consultant sent to Yemen to assess whether the desert country is an appropriate location for the Sheikh's new hobby; fishing.

Salmon Fishing In The Yemen trailer









ALBERT NOBBS - A woman fights against the government's issue towards independent women in 19th century Ireland. She poses as a man and begins work in a hotel where she meets an artist who she falls for, meaning she must choose between her lie or her life.

 Albert Nobbs trailer

TOTAL RECALL - I hope this is just a bad implanted memory.

I've tried to come up with some clever pun to start this review but the problem is there is nothing clever or new to take from the film because it shows us nothing new or clever. This was certainly a film I felt had no reason at all to be remade and after watching it I'm even more adamant that it needed remaking as it is such a poor attempt at remaking a film which is already pretty darn good. I actually left the film feeling frustrated and slightly exhausted as all I got from the film was mind numbing action and a deep complex story being glossed over. It really wasn't the film I was expecting, and not even a great cast could change that.

Part of the reason for that is because the cast really aren't that good. Farrell never really breaks from confused but hardened facial expressions, and his performance actually made me miss Arnold Schwarzenegger. If you look through this blog you will find a review I done for the original Total Recall a few months back, and I highlight that one of the only issues I have with the film is that Arnie can't act and the script gives him too many cheese-ball lines. Ironically enough these were the parts this version really missed. It took itself far too seriously and the times Farrell was given lines like the original he failed to deliver them like Arnie once did. I know the story is quite deep but the original managed to go deep into the philosophy of who the lead character really is at the same time as having humorous relief from a complex plot. This version seems to forget the depths it could go to within this story and instead gives us two hours of action that has very little to do with the actual plot. It actually becomes rather boring and repetitive after a while. The action scenes look smart don't get me wrong, and the CGI for the city is very well done, unfortunately however there is more thought put into this then there is the actual plot of the film.

I've swayed off from my original point, which was all about the actors, but other than a few moments from Beckinsale they really are nothing to talk about. They are a problem with the film but the bigger problem is the lame attempt Len Wiseman has had at making a film which should be philosophical and has actually turned out as pointless as Wiseman's Die Hard 4. I'm going to mention some problems compared to the original so if you haven't seen it you may want to stop reading. The original plays with your mind as well as Arnie's. You never know if he really is the super-agent he is being told he is, and it is constantly hinted at that he could still be sitting in the chair at Rekall. In this version we are told in the opening twenty minutes that he is a secret agent and that is that. What follows is chase sequences and we are basically given nothing to question into 'What Is Real? What Is Recall?' It has just taken away all the great elements of the original that have placed it into philosophical books to show examples of certain theorists.

I shouldn't really compare it in every aspect so I will try and look at it as a standalone film for a minute. Some of the action is well directed, and Wiseman's vision with these aspects is very good. However at times it does become slightly over the top and a little bit too much. A couple of the chase sequences are edge of your seat stuff, such as one in the midst of a 3D elevator system, and also the way gravity disappears when people take a commuter train through the centre of the Earth. These few bits are alright but they are over used and eventually the action becomes the same and what we seem to end up with is many ideas stolen from the likes of Bourne, Inception, Blade Runner, and Minority Report which does cloud over the few bits that could have been good.

The film is unfortunately laced with unintentional problems. At times people were laughing at moments that shouldn't have been funny, such as when Australia is classed as 'The Colony' (In this version Britain and Australia act as Earth and Mars) or when Barack Obama's head is seen on some money. There are also too many odd moments like when Farrell's character decides to play the piano and ironically enough that is where to find the clue. It all seemed to easily put together and lacklustre in order to lace the script with action sequences. If you are planning on seeing this film then I suggest the original, but if you are determined to see this one you might as well just watch the trailer as it tells you every plot twist the film holds in. If you still must see this film be prepared for corny dialogue, average acting, and cliched action sequences within a plot which has the ability to go to some fascinating depths.

Pros: A few action sequences, and perhaps Beckinsale.

Cons: Doesn't even scratch the surface on a much more superior original.

5 / 10

Top 10 of 2012 so far:


1. The Dark Knight Rises     10 / 10
2. The Hunger Games     8 / 10
3. Snow White And The Huntsman     8 / 10
4. Avengers Assemble     7.5 / 10
5. Ted     7.5 / 10
6. 21 Jump Street     7.5 / 10
7. The Expendables 2     7 / 10
8. Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol     7 / 10
9. The Grey     7 / 10
10. Prometheus     6.5 / 10