The Wolverine

The literal man of steel

                                                     "Man of adamantium, actually"

DIRECTOR: James Mangold

CAST: A singing French ponce, a red-haired alien, Poison Ivy, and Famke Janssen's cleavage...

PLOT: After being in the midst of the United States' nuclear bombing of Japan towards the end of World War II, 'The Wolverine' (Hugh Jackman) saves a Japanese soldier from inevitable annihilation. Over 60 years later, said Japanese soldier is dying, and requests to say goodbye to 'Logan' in person. Sounds like an uplifting, tear-jerking drama, doesn't it?

Oh yeah, and there's something to do with some rich girl getting kidnapped, the Yakuza, double-crossing, etc, etc. 

Soon after watching The Wolverine, I came up with a theory about certain superheroes. Superheroes that were victimised were both the indestructible Wolverine, and the equally indestructible Superman, who made his first successful (but in my opinion, underwhelming) big screen outing in quite some time this year. And here is that theory, whether you asked for it or not...

Due to the fact that these two immensely popular superheroes are essentially immortal, the writers of their respectable(?) films build overly convoluted plots that ultimately prove to be both incoherent and very fucking annoying. Rather than simply pitch our heroes against their foes in a more straightforward fashion that we would be accustomed to in Spider-Man, Batman and Iron Man films, the writers seem to feel the need to up the ante, in a narrative sense, to trick us all into believing that our hugely powerful superheroes are in danger. 

But they're not in danger. They're in no more danger than if you were to put them up in a straight-up fight with their enemy. Previous X-Men films have gotten past this issue because Valjean had to fight other mutants such as Magneto, a being capable of controlling the metallic Logan, and thus proving to be exciting and dangerous. Even the dismal Origins managed to set Logan some tough tests, such as his near-enough equal half-brother, Victor. But when The Wolverine has to deal with mere mortal human beings, the only danger that he is in is if his head were to explode.

Unfortunately, to reiterate, in the process the plots become convoluted, incoherent and very fucking annoying; and we would all really appreciate it if Logan turned Wolverine and began to hack and slash his mortal enemy. If the narrative is this stupid and the acting this poor (with the exception of the lovely Hugh Jackman), the only sensible route would be to turn the action up to eleven and delve into pure popcorn fodder fun. The Wolverine does not take this route; instead it's all po-faced and a lack of, what superheroes should be all about - fun.

                                                               "Deshi! Deshi! Basara!"

The film opens with Logan as a POW near Nagasaki during WWII. The atomic bomb falls and the sequence turns out to be hugely impressive. Soon after, he breaks a vow to never hurt anyone again... within about three minutes. And then, building on from the trailer that didn't exactly scream enthusiasm during the marketing campaign, our angry neighbourhood mutant puts the fun back into funeral. Yep - it looked as if we were going to get a great film.

However, before long, the film began to dive into its complicated messy story, as noted. And the supporting acting prowess wasn't as strong as what we are used to in Jackman's long career as The Wolverine, missing talent such as Ian McKellen, Patrick Stewart, or even Liev Schreiber. The supporters are brilliant when it comes to the action scenes, a fantastic one coming on top of a bullet train, but when they mumble through a plot that is equally indiscernible you'll be fighting the urge to replay First Class in your head again in an attempt to stay entertained.

The change of scenery is a breath of fresh air but it isn't a trick that is taken advantage of to its full potential. The oriental world of Japan goes with Wolverine as much as whips goes with chains. It's nice to see cool fights in traditional Japanese houses with thundery backdrops and establishing the location through showing the neon jungle that is Tokyo for all of five seconds, but the culture isn't fully immersed into, barely cracking its shell. It's a crime that the absurd climax didn't instead take place in a location that rings of Japan, instead regrettably indulging in formulaic bullshit.

Despite all of the double-crossing and the forced twists and turns, which are predictable, if not nonsensical, it's hard to care much about what is happening on screen when people aren't being killed. Making The Wolverine a lot more vulnerable than we are previously used to is inspired, it even went a fair distance to saving this from being a complete waste of time, but with strange insects and a Poison Ivy rip-off, you'll ask 'at what cost?' Surely it could have been done in a much better way. We were promised The Wolverine movie that we deserved. But the sad truth is at the end of the day is if Origins didn't exist, this would be seen as a total failure.

P.S. Stick around for a post-credits scene that will get you more excited than the entire film that you've just watched.

* * 

The World's End

Is the third cornet full of flavour?

                                       The Marauder's Map for alcoholics wasn't as popular

DIRECTOR: Edgar Wright

CAST: Thomson and Thomson, "ANDY!!!!", Bilbo Baggins, Inspector Lestrade, Miranda Frost, and a whole lot of other British cameos that I won't give away!

PLOT: The third and final edition to the Cornetto trilogy, and this time Wright, Pegg, Frost and co. are trying to complete an epic 12-pint pub crawl in the shitty 'little England' town of Newton Haven. Oh yeah, and they also get attacked by alien controlled robots posing as townsfolk...

There's just something brilliant about this trilogy of films. Both Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz have the tendency to glue a stupid grin to your face throughout their entirety, as you witness a zombie getting hit with pool cues to the music of Queen, pensioners unloading shotguns in protest to human statues, and Simon Pegg struggling to hop fences. And despite The World's End not being quite as funny as its predecessors, it still manages to stick a big stupid grin on your face that will last long after the closing credits have finished rolling. It may be the least shiniest piece of gold, the least flavoursome ice cream, but it's still golden ice cream nonetheless.

Even though that this film doesn't quite hit the deluded comedic delights of zombies and murderous villagers, that's not to say that it isn't funny (it's easily the best comedy of the year so far). The sight gags aren't as frequent as what we have previously been used to, but this will be quoted by fans everywhere, with some fantastic lines cocnerning the likes of Legoland and Alexandre Dumas. 

But what is probably the most striking thing about the quintessentially British end of the world is the action sequences that Edgar Wright manages to impeccably craft. It shouldn't come as a surprise that Wright can shoot action, especially after Scott Pilgrim, but it will always be a surprise when some of the best action that you have seen in the cinema all year comes from a film that is advertised as a comedy. The fights often take place in a very few amount of shots (often in just the one), zigzagging about the pubs as Pegg tries to down a pint whilst being splattered with blue ink from the menacing robots. Who knew that Nick Frost beating the shit out of people with bar stools could be exciting enough to increase the heart rate and move your arse to the edge of your seat? 

                     Pretty much my face when I heard Batman will be appearing in a film with Superman

One of the ways that this series of films has proven to be so popular is how they all share a lot of themes and styles, such as growing up, having regrets, tolerating imperfections, etc. but still manage to feel fresh and new. The World's End is equipped with an awesome soundtrack, chock-a-block with pop culture references, lovably flawed characters and crazy action sequences. 

However, one of the most noticeable differences is the change of character types. We are used to seeing Nick Frost as the man-child liability and Simon Pegg as the reliable man-with-a-plan. These two roles are given a straight switch, and both actors show off their skills by proving that they can do either almost as well as the other. This time most of the laughs come from Pegg's Gary King, a man who is stuck in the past and failed to grow up, but who is also given his fair chunk of surprisingly uncomfortable backstory that elevates the drama - something that we know Pegg can do just as well as make you laugh. Pegg grabs the opportunity to let loose with both hands and gives it all that he's got, making a character who would be unlikable in lesser hands lovable, with impeccable comic timing and unwavering enthusiasm.

The supporting cast also pulls their weight, which is exactly what is to be expected considering the strength that they possess. Martin Freeman's property dealing tool is a specific joy; but away from the main supporters, the film is also crowded with an abundance of British faces that you will be able to recognise and even remember their filmography's, but most probably not be able to remember their names. 

Apart from perhaps the final showdown towards the climax of the film, which is a slightly convoluted and long-winded explanation as to why all of the strange occurrences have happened, making you wish for an ironic take on evil plans which would be akin to the villains intentions in Hot Fuzz, there are few faults to find here. Everyone involved have clearly had an insane amount of fun making this and it will transfer straight to the viewer. Here's hoping we will see the prodigal sons - Edgar Wright, Simon Pegg and Nick Frost - assault genre cinema at least one more time.

* * * * ½

Monsters University

Where dropping LSD is a commonplace...

                                                              ...I told you

DIRECTOR: Dan Scanlon

CAST: Harry Burns, Walter Sobchak, Mr. Pink and some crazy old woman going skits at some drummers outside a theatre...

PLOT: Mike Wazowski and James P. Sullivan are back, but this time they are younger versions of themselves attempting to work their way towards graduating from the famous Monsters University!

I imagine that I wasn't the only person who had doubts when they heard the announcement from Pixar stating that they were going to make a prequel to 'Monsters Inc.', incidentally my favourite film from Pixar, telling the story of how the little one-eyed green dude met his big, blue, furry friend (submit your dirty euphemisms in the comment box at the end of this review). It's a prequel that I'm sure very few people were asking for and the amount of sequels and spin-offs coming out of Pixar at the moment is a worrying sign that they may be struggling to come up with new and original ideas. Perhaps it's time that they began to accept scripts from writers that don't already work for the famous animation studios?

However, any scepticism is quickly forgotten about in a mere amount of minutes into the opening of 'Monsters University'. The beautiful animation, bright and attractive colours, and the sheer inventiveness of this parallel universe to our own, full of weird, wonderful and wacky monsters is so immersive I just couldn't help but transform back into the excitable little shit that I was when 'Monsters Inc.' was released in 2001. 

When you think about it, if any Pixar film (except for maybe the 'Toy Story' franchise) is to spawn more adventures, this universe is the sensible and best choice. You have 'Sulley's' and 'Mike's' world, and then you also have our own boring world that supplies the screams - two destinations to find adventure. Also, the characters can look like any mental creation that the animators dream up. There's no rules and anything goes. This makes every shot rich and immensely interesting, as your eyes scour the frame trying to take in all of the slimy and hairy beings. And despite the fact that these characters are often covered in slime or hair, you still manage to see yourself in a few of them despite the fact they are monsters, as you notice the extras rushing to their exams, one with multiple eyes reading multiple books held by its multiple limbs, another with multiple limbs drinking multiple cups of coffee. Chances are if you have taken any exams in your educational life (and assuming you cared about them) you will be able to associate yourself with one or the other, maybe even both.

Which is a good job, because there are plenty of interesting characters to fill the shoes (if monsters even wear shoes) of your old favourites from the previous outing as they don't all feature again. And even then you'll still have fun spotting the cameos of a few familiar faces. New main characters including those of the fraternity are all lovable in their oddball way, a stand-out perhaps being the one who is, adults will spot, an obvious stoner; which continues to prove that Pixar caters to old'uns as well as children. And Helen Mirren puts in a great performance as the horrifying Dean of the university - a monster even the monsters are afraid of.

But it's still the brilliant voices of Billy Crystal and John Goodman that steal the show, which is not to be seen as a surprise. Their characters' relationship and chemistry is flipped over from 'Monsters Inc.' as they both rival each other, but the light entertainment is never lost and it adds a welcomed new dimension to the friendship that you thought you already knew.

                                   Shed the skin of an Oxbridge student and this is what you get      

Faults are few and far between, and they're quickly forgiven due to the fantastic quality of the film as a whole. The plot is a simplistic one which treads down familiar paths, but then again it is easy to forget that this is a film for kids. Plus, it's often hilarious, thanks to clever sight gags and glorious characters - full of heavy metal loving mother monsters (try and say that quickly), goth monsters and a nerdy Steve Buscemi monster - so who the hell cares?        

Plus, without the presence of 'Boo', we aren't really given a bridge between our own world and this fictional one. But in saying that, their world is a whole lot more interesting - so who the hell cares? 

After having a bad day, I soon forgot all about my troubles and once the credits began to roll I couldn't wipe the big stupid grin off my face. This is escapism at its very best and 'Monsters University' will be welcomed to sit alongside the marginally superior 'Monsters Inc.' We might still be hoping that Pixar returns to giving us more stand-alone titles in the future, but nobody can claim that this isn't pure Pixar. A wonderfully imaginative story with endearing and hilarious characters has always been the name of the game for them. This is monsters incredible.

* * * * ½

Man of Steel (IMAX 3D)

Man of Copper...

                                   Constantly turning around doesn't constitute as a performance

DIRECTOR: Christopher Nol- erm, no- I mean Zack Snyder

CAST: ME!, Micky Ward's girlfriend, that guy Eminem punched, The Postman, Russell Crowe fighting around the world, Paulette Goddard and the Silver Surfer...

PLOT: A reboot of one of the most universally famous superheroes, we go through the origins of Superman being Nolan-afied. 

I've never liked 'Superman'. It's difficult to begin as to why I don't. Firstly, how the fuck do we kill him? Not by shooting him in the eye, we know that much already. He's too... super. He hasn't got enough weaknesses, and thus we can't see ourselves in him. Bruce Wayne's parents are dead, Tony Stark's an alcoholic and prone to anxiety attacks and Peter Parker is a massive nerd. And all of them subsequently make far more interesting superheroes.

David S. Goyer also reminds us that he stands as a patriotic symbol to the US, especially with the ill-advised line "I grew up in Kansas, General. I'm about as American as it gets." So the US won't rest at westernising the Middle East? They can also westernise aliens as well; and end up using them as propaganda tools.

Oh, and I've always hated the disguise of a pair of glasses.

But due to impressive trailers, and Zack Snyder and Christopher Nolan being on board, of course I had to sit up and notice. It gave me high hopes that the good sides of 'Superman' could be embodied in the film. Such as the positive message that can be given to people - that we can all be a superman and act bravely, no matter how small said act may be. 

However, with having the directors of 'Watchmen' and 'TDK' trilogy as the creative force of the film, it's obvious that 'Man of Steel' was going to be a lot more serious and darker than what we're used to. And this ends up being one of the film's biggest failings. The whole ridiculous premise of 'Superman' could be half-forgiven with the Christopher Reeve movies because they were camp and light-hearted. They knew that it was ridiculous. 'Batman' could get away with being more realistic (at least in a comic book sense). Superman cannot. 

Thus, what we are given is a joyless, po-faced origins story that drags on for at least half an hour and takes itself way too seriously. It's not helped by a hammy Michael Shannon performance as 'General Zod', who seems to spend most of his time turning around into a close-up, looking menacing and snarling direlogue such as "either you die! Or I die!" The amount of exposition and explaining of his evil plans doesn't make him anymore villainous either. Instead he just seems a bit pathetic and moany; an age-old bad guy who tells everyone what he's going to do, which of course means that we already know the outcome.

On the plus side, at least Henry Cavill was a convincing enough 'Superman'. His chiselled jaw, perfect hair cut and herculean body will probably make sure that he is blue tacked to a lot of teenaged girls bedroom walls. Other than that, he's not given an awful lot to do as 'Clark Kent', and is instead spending the majority of his performance pulling determined faces as talented VFX teams make him fight in bloated video game-like action sequences that last for far too long.

                                  He'd had a bit too much to drink at the work-do's fancy dress party

Considering that this is supposed to be an origins story, we don't really receive any new information or any different angles to what we already know. The origin is skipped past, and we only get glimpses of his childhood that look like they have been shot using Instagram; all of which that we have already witnessed in the trailers. 

In fact, the whole film is like a two-and-a-half-hour trailer. It never takes a rest to settle down on a scene and give any of the characters a quiet moment to develop. And because of this you find yourself not giving a shit about anyone involved. Even the unlucky ones of 'Metropolis' (basically New York) who are blown up for about 40 minutes of the film - something 'The Avengers' did better.

The moments that are supposed to feel epic thanks to Hans Zimmer's ear-assaulting score subsequently fails to resonate on an emotional or thrilling level. When so much is fitted into one text, it's hard to care and you'll begin to think about what you're going to have to eat when you get home.

One thing that definitely is missing - a bit of slow motion. The action is so quick that it's often difficult to know what is happening. And the hectic, hand-held style doesn't compliment the third dimension either (if you're desperate to give it a go, see it in good old 2D!) You'd be forgiven for not knowing that 'Man of Steel' was in fact directed by Zack Snyder, even though it is visually brilliant, but not groundbreaking. If you want a superhero film for 2013, you're best off giving Robert Downey Jr. your attention. 'Man of Steel' unfortunately feels as if Nolan has tried to turn 'Superman' into 'Batman'. It wants to be 'Batman Begins'. But after trying so hard, 'Batman' is still conclusively the superman of the DC Universe. 

* *  ½

Star Trek: Into Darkness (IMAX 3D)

"So, shall we begin?"

            That's right, put the evil super genius in a glass prison, nothing bad is ever going to happen then...

DIRECTOR: J. J. Abrams

CAST: Jack Ryan, pointy eared hipster, that shit negotiator from 'Four Lions', William Burke, Judge Dredd, Neytiri, Harold, the Russian Kyle Reese and Mickey Smith...

PLOT: The crew of the USS Enterprise are back and seemingly a little bit more experienced. This outing sees an English villain (how original!) named 'John Harrison' (Benedict Cucumber-batch) who is out to settle a mysterious vendetta against Starfleet.


Ever since J. J. Abrams, the new Hollywood golden boy, took over the colossal 'Star Trek' franchise in 2009 with a reboot that was fantastic, doing everything that a reboot should do - it kept the huge and diverse fictional universe, it kept the politics as an important subject, it promoted diversity and tolerance and most importantly, it kept the characters that so many already know and love; and the strengths often come from the interaction between the wonderful 'Enterprise' crew, and all that come into contact with it. But it also added an abundance of action, fast-paced narratives, amazing special effects, an attractive, but no less talented, cast, and tonnes of popcorn for the disposal of your general cinema-goer. It was obvious that this wasn't going to be like any past renditions of 'Star Trek' that we were used to as we watched Chris Hemsworth get blown up in the opening scene. All of a sudden, 'Star Trek' was cool.

There has been many previous Trekkies grumbling on the internet or at the closest person who cares about how "it isn't Star Trek anymore". Yes, I'll be the first to admit that it is a lot more mainstream now, that much is obvious when the screening was more busy than 'Iron Man 3', and it's not a material that is only aimed at science-fiction nerds anymore, which in my opinion is the main thing that gets so many people's knickers in a twist, as it's now aimed at a much larger and wider audience. At the end of the day, if you're going to spend almost $200 million on a film, then common sense suggests that you cannot be aiming for a niche market.

Grumblers and keyboard warriors will constantly react in the same way, just as they always do for remakes, reboots and adaptations. Just as they do when their favourite novel is adapted into a film, or if an old film is remade. Just as they did for the prequel trilogy of 'Star Wars' (the only difference is, the 'Star Trek' reboot is actually good). What these people tend to forget is that the original sources still exist. J. J. Abrams' new take on the much-loved universe isn't going to wipe the former takes out of history. Your old DVDs will not cease to work. If you prefer the wonderful original series, then go watch it. Or if you just generally enjoy a mix of great things and face the fact that everything evolves, get down to the cinema now.

So, shall we actually begin this time?

As previously mentioned, the predecessor for 'Into Darkness' was a bloody good film - it was fresh, entertaining and exciting. 'Into Darkness' may not come as close to a pleasant surprise, but that's simply because we now know what to expect. It's nice to get away from the origins story of 'Kirk' and 'Spock', which was done very well, but it just means that we can sit back and watch them all interact with one another, as that is often where much of the joy comes from. The characters have always been brilliant, ever since the sixties, and still are over 40 years on. It just shows how the original series was way before it's time, such was the talent to craft characters who are still fascinating today. The cast is so varied, entertaining and interesting - every single actor gives it their all, and every single character gets their moment to shine. When a cast is this big, it's no wonder that 'Into Darkness' has to be a fast-paced film to ensure that everyone gets their moment.    

Karl Urban's 'Bones' and Simon Pegg's 'Scotty' are the two characters who are arguably given the biggest increase of screen time, much to the joy of many. All of the characters are written superbly, keeping in the same vein that makes all of them so lovable, 'Bones'' metaphors and voice of caution and 'Scotty''s wit and quick thinking especially.

Much of the best writing still comes from the relationship between Chris Pine's 'Kirk' and Zachary Quinto's 'Spock', though. Their relationship will always be an alluring one - the heart vs brain, instinct vs logic, wild passion vs caged intellect. These are the themes that are universal to all and most of us can see ourselves in both of them, preferring to be a mix of the two.

                                 The phrase 'bigger than Jesus' had gotten to Spock's head a bit

The biggest fault of 2009's 'Star Trek' was Eric Bana's 'Nero'. It wasn't a great performance and he never seemed as much of a threat or as interesting as Benedict Cum-in-my-snatch's 'John Harrison', almost the perfect being, the only person who gets under 'Kirk's' skin with alarming ease. What's most interesting is his anonymity, his moral ambiguity. Experienced Trekkies will most probably guess the big reveals and see some of the inciting incidents coming, but it still doesn't deter from the epic impact that the film brings us time and time again. His character is still drenched in mystery and Cupboard-latch plays on this, absolutely nailing the right notes and often making 'Harrison' terrifying. It's nothing new having an English villain - the accent does wonders, adding sinisterness and an air of intellect - but it's rarely done as well as this.

Away from the fantastic character studies that the film offers, it's impressive in every other aspect as well. Action scenes are at an epic scale, with large production values, frenetic pacing and expertly shot fight scenes on ground and in space. There will be many a time that you find yourself wanting to scream at the action on screen, cheering on your favourite crew member. Hairs on the back of necks will raise, edges of seats will be perched upon. A stand-out being 'Harrison' engaging in a battle against a certain alien race who will no doubt be heavily featured in the inevitable sequel.

The splendid special effects add to the visual beauty as the whole universe is realised, especially the planet in the opening sequence, which is almost a film-stealer. The 3D, despite being converted, does the film justice, and it also stopped Abrams from going overboard on the lens flares again, welcomed by all, as it would surely be assaulting to the eyes with an extra dimension. If you're close to a cinema that offers IMAX, get yourself there now, as the grand scale of it all is further highlighted.

Importantly, 'Into Darkness' took everything that made its predecessor good, and then just inflated those positives. There's more exhilarating action, more impressive effects, more character development, more comedy and more emotion to the point that I was almost moved to tears. The sequel does follow the Hollywood trend of going darker, even to the point that it's in the title, but that doesn't mean that there isn't any fun to be had here. There's an excellent balance between light-heartedness and engaging and serious darkness. Abrams is now the go-to guy for reinventing big franchises, but he still manages to keep the previously existing plus points and adds his own charms. I am now convinced that the future episodes of 'Star Wars' are in safe hands, to have Abrams at the helm to propel 'Star Wars' back to its former glory is only logical. But I would be lying if I said that I wasn't more excited for the sequel to 'Into Darkness.

It's very rare that I come out of a cinema speechless, struggling to put a film into words that justifies its entertainment. If I was to nit pick, I'd only complain that a bit more 'Uhura' would have been welcomed, and to show Alice Eve in her underwear was unnecessary - yes, we know the cast are all sexy and it's obvious beforehand that there's a mutual attraction between 'Dr. Marcus' and 'Kirk'. But those are two minor negatives in a movie of gigantic positives. All of the many remaining big-budget summer blockbusters definitely have a huge task to live up to this. Does a material that would have usually been exclusively aimed at a bunch of science-fiction nerds really have what it takes to become the biggest film of the summer? The answer is a resounding yes.

* * * * * 

Iron Man 3 (IMAX 3D)

And in the blue corner, hailing from Oz, theeeeee Tin Maaaaaaan!

                                             You came to the wrong neighbourhood, friend

DIRECTOR: Shane Black

CAST: Robert Downey, Jr. as himself, a woman who generally named her daughter 'Apple', Peter Weyland, Gandhi, Terrance Howard... wait what?, Happy Gilmore and Liverpool FC...

PLOT: The genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist is back for a 4th Marvel outing on the back of 'The Avengers', and now he's quite pissed off with terrorists (Ben Kingsley, et al.) attacking the country while he tries to get over his own demons due to his near-death experience via aliens and a wormhole. However, judging by the trailer (nice house, by the way), 'The Mandarin' might be an even bigger pain in the arse than 'Loki' was.

The third instalment in the 'Iron Man' series, now arguably the most popular superhero in cinema thanks to the ever-charismatic Mr Perfect known as Robert Downey, Jr., has an awful lot of hype to live up to. The first was brilliant, the second not quite as bad as people like to make out, it simply fares worse due to the fact that the first one was such a delightful surprise, and 'The Avengers' went on to become the highest grossing superhero movie ever made. But now Marvel's golden boy (not literally) is back on his own as the others go on holiday or do whatever demi-God's and super soldiers do in their down-time, and leave our dear 'Tony' to deal with his own problems. Just try and block out the fact that had one of 'The Avengers' had 'Stark's' back, let alone all of them, then the villains in this would have probably been vanquished so quickly that your shawarma would still be warm. By the way, I'd love it if someone could tell me how that tastes.

The writing, probably the weakest aspect of the second 'Iron Man', is returned to the top drawer, perhaps receiving a surge of inspiration from Joss Whedon's brilliant script for 'The Avengers'. Downey, Jr. does what he does best more than ever - throwing out zingers and cocky lines that would be agitating if recited by anyone else. Not many actors could get away with calling an eight-year-old boy a "pussy", but this is the same man who punched a child in the face in 'Due Date', so Downey, Jr.'s continued hatred for children shouldn't come as a surprise. It's rather become a quirky feature. It's reasons like these that often make 'Iron Man', in general, more fun in the 'talkie' scenes than when he's blowing shit up

The new narrative strand exploring anxiety in 'Stark' had myself worried that the makers would suffocate him of all of his light-hearted and effortless wit, and do what every sequel these days seems to do - make it unnecessarily darker. The decision actually works to the film's advantage though, and adds even more depth to 'Stark', reminding us all that underneath the suit lies a human being, albeit a very impressive one. 

Another thing that the second 'Iron Man' arguably lacked was a credible villain in 'Ivan Vanko' due to poor scriptwriting and character development, which is a crying shame even more so as Mickey Rourke's talent is heavily wasted. Also to follow on from Tom Hiddleston's exceptional 'Loki', it meant that there was a huge amount of pressure on Ben Kingsley, the legendary actor tasked with playing one of Marvel's most loved supervillains. We already knew that they were taking a slightly different route from the character in the comic books, for a start Kingsley neither looked nor sounded like he had been born in China - a decision made perhaps to prevent any critics claiming racism, as is sometimes the case with the character in the comic books. Also in the comics, 'The Mandarin' is built like a brick shit-house, something that Kingsley quickly proves that he doesn't need.

A lack of screen-time in the first half means that 'The Mandarin' never really feels like a threat to 'Iron Man'. He doesn't do anything as brash as slicing up his racing car with big energy whip things. We merely see him on dodgy camera recordings with over the top sets as he purrs threats against the US with a wonderful and idiosyncratic voice - the face of terrorism. He serves as a fantastic tool to offer this superhero film more than just an exploration of good vs evil, but also an exploration of the media's representation of terrorism that has made life difficult for a countless number of people living in the western world. Good and evil isn't simply a case of right and wrong, it's not coloured black and white. It's a welcome critique, maybe making 'Iron Man 3' the most political superhero movie ever made, and this is where Kingsley's character is given depth and becomes both interesting and important to the story. A brave choice by the writers, and one that may disengage some viewers partway through the film, who perhaps don't understand the message; but those people are probably simply content with being in Downey, Jr.'s company for over two hours, even if he was only reading them a story from a book.

Downey, Jr. is also given great assistance by his strong supporting cast. Series regular Gwyneth Paltrow is as lovable as ever and given even more to do in this instalment, at times given her time to shine in the spectacular action scenes. Don Cheadle is fun as the 'Iron Patriot', sharing some quality best-buddy chemistry with 'Stark'; a fun part with the two is when they share mockery towards the excessive patriotism of the suit formerly known as 'War Machine'. Ty Simpkins features as a bullied child who 'Stark' befriends, and is actually very likable and confident, one of the few child actors who you won't want to kick off a bridge. And Guy Pearce is a welcome addition to the franchise, taking over untrustworthy sleaze-ball duties from Sam Rockwell's 'Justin Hammer' - he's a good pick, with his doubtless acting ability and a face that is both handsome and a bit funny looking at the same time. Oh, and Stan Lee is given yet another fun cameo - hooray!

                                        "This furniture goes dashingly with my costume!"

The biggest criticism when it comes to character comes in the shape of the difficult-to-kill supersoldiers who are utilised by the film's villain. Like many thugs and cronies in cinema, their motivations for their actions are a bit shady, never fully realised. It's a small fault in the character set-up, and because of the extensive cast which is largely impressive, a small and excusable slip-up is to be expected, one that I'm more than happy to brush underneath the carpet.

Overall, 'Iron Man 3' is a true superhero spectacle, once again proving that 'Stark' doesn't need his team around him to carry a good film after the pot-hole of the second. His wit and charm takes front and centre, and the visual effects and action sequences that compliment the terrific script are magnificent as always. It's surprisingly not only intelligent in the immense script, raising media and political based questions on its treatment of the ideology of terrorism, but never prevents the film from being downright fun, despite combining with the new touchy character trait of post-traumatic stress disorder bestowed upon 'Tony'. In that respect there's something for everyone. This is a fine introduction to the summer blockbusters of the year, and if the rest follow in suit, then we're all in for some entertaining treats. Disney should be doing all they can to keep hold of Downey, Jr. for more Marvel movies, as he continues to show why he is a man marketing mountain. 

P.S. Wait until after the credits for a fun, 'Avengers'-esque post-credit scene.

* * * *

The Place Beyond the Pines

Apparently it's just as depressing as the place before the pines...

                                                 Apparently the wings tasted like shit

DIRECTOR: Derek Cianfrance

CAST: That actor who mumbles all of the time, 'Face', nipples, Henry Hill, the Australian guy who needs to wash his hands, 'Harry Osborn' and a 23-year-old teenager...

PLOT: Tattooed, blonde-haired thug (not Eminem, Ryan Gosling) is a motorcycle stuntman who travels with a fair, but when he finds out that an old fling (Eva Mendes) resulted in a child (Dane DeHaan later on) he decides to rob banks for a living instead, in an attempt to provide for his not-so-loving family... 

Well, that's the first 50 minutes or so, and then Bradley Cooper gets caught up in some police crooked police work, but more on that to come... 

If ever there was a film that moved me and infuriated me at the same time, it would be Derek Cianfrance's second feature-length Ryan Gosling starring film, 'The Place Beyond the Pines'. This is because the film is excruciatingly a film of two halves, with the first half being much stronger than the second. The narrative more or less changes completely, only keeping to the same themes of family, the relationships that father's hold with their son's and the skeletons in the closets of those attempting to live the American Dream. The pace is changed, and we see a transition from seething family drama with a pinch of crime to a seething crime drama with a pinch of family. 

The second half, which is brought about by a huge inciting incident, is by no means bad as a film or a story, and Bradley Cooper continues to win plaudits since his Academy Award nominated outing in 'Silver Linings Playbook', but when it's compared to the astonishing first half which has Ryan Gosling front and centre, who continues to display why he is one of the most sought out actors in the world right now, you just find your arse beginning to ache as the long running time begins to stretch and you wish you were reliving the beautiful opening hour.

Right from the get-go you instantly get the feeling that you are in for a special ride as a wonderful long-lasting tracking shot follows Gosling's 'Luke Glanton' playing with a butterfly knife in his trailer at the fair - the kind of fair that we all envision when we think of the forgotten US, away from all of the mansions and swimming pools - until he is called to perform and we then watch him walk through the fair from behind, only seeing his tattoos and the smoke of his one of many cigarettes being puffed out like a train until he reaches his motorcycle being cheered on by lots and lots of rednecks. It's an impressive shot and we're all reminded as to why Cianfrance is one of the most exciting directorial prospects in the US after his praised 2010 effort 'Blue Valentine'.

                                         A wonderful shot of Gosling struggling to count

But it's the acting that much of the film relies on as it is essentially a character study above all the exploration of society and crime, with a hugely popular and talented ensemble of attractive people showing their ugly sides in bare and brave performances. Cooper continues to show everyone that he can do more serious roles than films such as 'The Hangover' and its un-respective sequels, Eva Mendes shows that she's not just a pretty face, Dane DeHaan follows up on fantastic performances in both 'Chronicle' and 'Lawless', Ben Mendelsohn is brilliant as always as a sleazy but an apparently well-meaning partner in crime and Ray Liotta out-sleazes everyone. The only member of the cast who is questionable is Emory Cohen as Bradley Cooper's irritating son and pigmentation confused thug whose voice will make you want to get hit my a hammer to the temple. He doesn't come across as a poor actor, it's just a rare example of poor casting, as he's supposed to be playing a 17-year-old when in reality he's built like a brick shit house and looks as if he's pushing 30; plus he looks nothing like Cooper.

However, it's Ryan Gosling who will rightfully win over the majority of the critics, who is surely pushing for a well-deserved Academy Award nomination and only makes me more excited for his upcoming drama/thriller, 'Only God Forgives'. Surely the best at conveying emotions from a performance without the extensive use of dialogue, only adding to the seething tension and drama. His high-pitched shouting during robberies is expertly utilised to highlight the fish-out-of-water, the man who is desperate to be rich in a nightmarish America rather than a dreamy one, screeching orders to bank employees with fear and worry. A small touch, but an inspired one that digs deep down into the cracks of the cool and calm persona that has been attached to Gosling since 'Drive'. 

The performances and wonderful cinematography give 'The Place Beyond the Pines' its depth and grace, and lack of grace many a time. The themes are deep and welcomingly explored and the story is a realistic strum of the heart strings. It's just a shame that the best came first and the film rather fizzled out as it continued to plod along. If the film improved as it went along this review would be a lot different, perhaps even pushing five stars. It's never bad, it just feels forced at times, as Cianfrance tries to say too much and confusing the pacing with too many characters and inciting incidents. A story like this might have been better told in a TV drama series, but then we would suppose the ensemble cast, the main strength of the film, would have been near-impossible to obtain for a television programme. 

* * * ½