What I’ve Been Watching (August 2011)

Catching up with the reviews now, kicking off with August and soon to be followed by everything from September. This month includes several cinema visits as the blockbuster season gets up and running!

SPOILERS AHEAD

Captain America – The First Avenger (2011)

Captain America - The First Avenger is the last of the Marvel Studios movies that will set the scene for next year's superhero team-up extravaganza, The Avengers. Chris Evans stars as the title character in the summer blockbuster set in 1942, where weedy yet determined soldier Steve Rogers is selected to take part in a 'Super Soldier' program where he is experimented on with a body-enhancing serum, giving him increased speed, agility and strength. Hugo Weaving stars opposite Cap as the head of Nazi division HYDRA, a murderous and twisted individual named the Red Skull (for good reason). It's a good summer romp, a fun movie that is camp is places but it certainly knows its identity, so it doesn't feel ridiculous. Evans is solid as Cap, representing the courage and honesty of one of Marvel's most clean-cut and respectable heroes. There are times when the action sequences feel a little bit like heavily altered montages instead of choreographed and well-thought out scenes, but apart from that I had little problem with the whole affair. It proves, along with the likes of Thor which was released earlier this year, that Marvel Studios aren't just bashing out these movies in order to rush to the pay packet which The Avengers will undoubtedly bring. The short teaser for that mentioned movie at the end of The First Avenger really got me excited and I'll be sure maintain that excitement until the release date. Cap gets a 7.5 / 10.

Arthur (2011)

I am big fan of Russell Brand, but his first Hollywood vehicle in the shape of Arthur, a remake of the 1981 movie of the same name starring Dudley Moore, is disappointing and lacklustre. It doesn't channel everything that makes Russell Brand witty and hilarious, perhaps on purpose to some extent, and ultimately it's the movie's downfall. Brand's performance is odd and at times, a bit clunky, perhaps because he has calmed down his usual over the top self. I won't go into the plot, which is the tale of a rich and spoiled man come good, but I will highlight the performance of Helen Mirren as a saving grace for Arthur. Other than that, that's not much else to love. And unfortunately, because much of everything else I have seen this month has been better than this, it gets the SHIT MOVIE OF THE MONTH award with 4.5 / 10.
 

Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011)

The summer blockbuster season carried on being one to remember (after a superb turn from Captain America) with Rise of the Planet of the Apes, a prequel of sorts to the original Apes movies charting the changes in society and turn of events that eventually lead to apes gaining increased intelligence and ultimately replacing humans as the dominant species. Much of the movie focuses on Caesar, a curious and smart ape, who is raised from birth by Dr Will Rodman (played by James Franco), a man who has dedicated much of his life to finding a cure for Alzheimer's disease. Experiments for this cause have lead to Caesar's increased brain power, and the movie begins a slow burn from the ape's young life to his tentative older years, as he begins to see the world for what it is and plans a better life for not just himself, but for other apes. It's a great movie, a thrill ride of sorts, with top performances (especially Andy Serkis, who delivers another motion-captured performance for Caesar) and fantastic special effects. 7.5 / 10.
 

Hanna (2011)

Hanna is the story of a 16-year-old girl (Saoirse Ronan) who was raised by her father (Eric Banna) in the wilderness to be the perfect assassin, and once her training is complete she is dispatched on a mission across Europe, but is tracked by a ruthless intelligence agent and her operatives. It's a coming of age story, charting Hanna's first experiences with people of her own age and her first forays into love and lust. The kick-ass style of ultra-violence and increased tension is just a back drop for the absorbing and often heart-wrenching tale, which is both brilliantly acted and beautifully shot, with some wonderful cinematography and an engaging soundtrack from The Chemical Brothers. It exudes cool and is definitely worth a watch, especially for fans of an edgy and visceral directorial style. 7 / 10.
 

Despicable Me (2010)

I have recently started a weekly movie night with my 4 year old sister, which gives me a good chance to see recently released and popular animated films and helps with the review process when I can assess her reaction to how good the movies are affective as entertainment for both kids and adults. We started off with Despicable Me, the Steve Carrell fronted tale of a criminal mastermind who uses a trio of orphan girls as pawns for a grand scheme, but soon finds out that their love is profoundly changing him for the better. It all sounds very similar to the recent Will Ferrell voiced Megamind, but it manages to stand apart from that due to its heart-warming core storyline and incredibly slapstick humour. Visually, it's colourful and explosive, which is a joy to watch. It didn't keep me as gripped as some Pixar animated pictures do, but it was fun none-the-less. 6 / 10.

The Inbetweeners Movie (2011)

The Inbetweeners has been on our screens for several years and three series, and due to its unrivalled popularity in the mainstream comedy world, warranted a movie release and unlike many shows on TV currently, had the legs to make it to the big screen. The Inbetweeners movie carries on where the TV show left off, with the 4 hapless and socially troubled teenage boys leaving school and going on a lads holiday to the Greek island of Malia. The crude and rude humour remains, but for me it didn't seem much more than a longer TV episode. I expected something bigger and bolder, with perhaps some money shots that made it appear more of a blockbuster than just a standard episode on a larger screen. But don't get me wrong, I found it hilarious and was sometimes in tears of laughter due to the situations the boys find themselves in, which all in all makes this movie a success, because all I really wanted it to do was make me laugh. Maybe I just kept expected it to kick into a higher gear and it never really did. Still, worth a watch for fans of the TV show and British comedy in general. 6.5 / 10.

Super 8 (2011)

The mysterious Super 8 has been creating buzz on the internet since the wonderful teaser trailer hit, and seeing it on the big screen was both a nostalgic and exciting experience. It was a throwback to the classic 80s movies of Steven Spielberg (who produces on this movie while J.J Abrams directs) and captured the magical and innocent feel those pictures created. After a group of kids making a movie witness a train crash, bizarre happenings begin to occur and the armed forces make their way into their hometown, leading the youngsters to begin to investigate the phenomenon themselves to find answers. It's very suspenseful and thrilling, despite not being very original in much of what it does. The performances are decent, especially from the kids, whose chemistry on screen is believable and amusing. I won't spoil anything here, because that will ruin much of what makes this movie great. But there is a big reveal, and from what I've heard from friends and online reviews, it isn't as amazing as expected, but for me, it was just right. You see just enough of what you want to see for the right amount of time. I, for one, was much more happy with this reveal than that of Cloverfield, which felt way too hyped. I really liked Super 8, possibly because it made me feel 10 years old again, but also because it proved that J.J Abrams is one of the best modern blockbuster directors out there. It’s a MOVIE OF THE MONTH winning 8 / 10.
 

Friends With Benefits (2011)

I have no idea what drew me in to watching Friends With Benefits, but I think it may have just been the inclusion of Mila Kunis as the leading lady. She stars alongside Justin Timberlake (whose acting credentials have gone up after a decent turn in The Social Network) as two recently dumped friends who decide to get involved with each other just for the sex, which ultimately leads to complications and the standard route a romantic comedy these days decides to follow. It kept shouting that it wanted to avoid those rom-com clichés, but in the end it felt a little bit like it was trying too hard to be something it evidently always would be. It had a few laughs in places, but it wasn't anything special, although it does include a wonderful turn from Woody Harrelson which was good fun. 6 / 10.