Now You See Me 2 Review

The Plot

Magical heroes the horseman find themselves drawn into a complicated game of deception when a reclusive criminal tech genius forces them out of hiding and into planning their most impossible heist yet.

The Good

After the surprisingly lucrative box office success of the first film a Now You See Me sequel was an absolute inevitability.  But at least fans of the first film’s finely talented ensemble cast will be delighted to see a nearly full collection of returning stars. The mere combined presence of stars like Mark Ruffalo, Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg and Morgan Freeman virtually ensures the film’s highly watchable quality.

Newcomer Lizzy Caplan makes a satisfying replacement for Isla Fisher, after the flame haired Australian actress was forced to miss out on returning for the sequel due to her real life pregnancy.  Caplan injects her own personality into a character that legitimately adds to the ensemble cast’s chemistry, rather than just feeling like an obligatory female presence. Caplan’s Lula provides frequent one liners and even the occasional spark of sexual tension, particularly with Dave Franco’s card slinging Jack Wilder.

Another new face clearly relishing a rare villainous role is Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe. In truth having the world most famous fictional wizard as the nemesis for a team of magicians is a particularly nice touch. It simultaneously feels like an obvious and ironically implausible casting choice. Sporting a beard and an accompaniment of thuggish henchman Radcliffe is actually an effectively obnoxious threat for our team of ‘magical’ heroes.

Combined with a few news faces the returning cast works its way effortlessly through a quick moving array of magical set pieces,  propelled though cat and mouse games of deception by Brian Tyler’s memorable score and competent direction from Jon M. Chu.

The Bad

Now You See Me 2 pulls essentially the same tricks as the first film, leading audiences through a series of increasingly implausible CGI enhanced illusion, whilst delivering heavy handed plot twists that are often far  easier for audiences to predict that the film seems to assume. Those left uninspired by the magic of the first film will find little new to change their minds a second time around.

As with many real life magicians, there is an underlying smug quality to all the main characters that inevitably permeates the tone of the film as a whole. The problem is that while in real life acts of skilful slight of hand and ingenuous trickery have the power to truly astound, on screen in a world knowingly built with special effects it’s actually far less impressive.

While the first film climaxed with its biggest magical reveal and a game changing plot twist, this second act struggles at times to make sense of the aftermath. In particular those excited by the possibilities of ‘The Eye’, the secret global society of master magicians using their powers for good introduced in the first film, may feel a little underwhelmed by some of the surprises in store behind that curtain. In fact many of the film’s key plot points seem largely driven by a determined desire to retain the entire cast of the first film. Clearly the filmmakers were reluctant to abandon any familiar faces, just in case that proved to have been the illusive secret of the first films expectation defying success.

In particular it’s hard to imagine a better example of a sequel seeking to give audiences ‘more of the same’, than this film having Woody Harrelson play dual roles as his own identical twin. Needlessly slapping a wig and silly voice on Harrelson to shamelessly double his screen time feels like a pointless distraction, particularly when the film never actual exploits this plot point in any of the obvious ways it could.

Overall the film stretches out the franchises core concept that elaborate stage magic is somehow an essential tool for combating global financial and technological evils, further straining credibility and testing just how much audiences actually like card tricks.

The Ugly Truth

Fans of the first film will welcome a second act the combines the established characters with a bigger budget and more elaborately choreographed set pieces. With another sequel already happening, those less dazzled by the franchise’s slick stage magic will be hoping the franchise finds something a bit better hiding up its sleeve next time.

Review by Russell Nelson

 

David Brent Lady Gypsy Music Video

Ricky Gervais has released  a gloriously cringe full music video for Lady Gypsy. The track sees his Office alter-ego and pop star wannabe David Brent  crooning in the woods about a romantic encounter with a ‘Lady Gypsy’. Guitar in hand and obnoxious goatee in place it’s definitely a sign of embarrassments to come in the feature length David Brent movie.

FrightFest 2016 Programme Announced

From grindhouse to art-house, feel-good to squeal-good, blockbuster to ghostbuster FrightFest returns in all its gory glory, now housed at the 12-screen Vue Cinema at Shepherd’s Bush, West London, from Aug 25 – Aug 29.

In its 17^th year, the world renowned genre film festival will present 62 new feature films, embracing sixteen countries and bringing together established filmmakers, British first-timers and emerging international visionaries from six continents.

The opening night attraction is the European Premiere of MY FATHER DIE, Sean Brosnan’s brutal and beautiful feature debut – an ultra-stylish, uber violent revenge thriller that’s a calling card for Brosnan’s brilliant talents.  And our closing night film is another breakneck paced masterpiece – the UK Premiere of TRAIN TO BUSAN, so join ‘The Commuting Dead’ as director Sang-ho Yeon takes you on a first class horror action thrill-ride, mixing slaughter, suspense and splatter with incredible visual élan.

In between these two banner titles are the scream of the crop from all over the globe, strongly represented in our line-up of World Premieres by the incredible Italian supercar tension-ratcheting MONOLITH, the gory Dutch treat THE WINDMILL MASSACRE, the stunning South African nightmare FROM A HOUSE ON WILLOW STREET, Tricia Lee’s creepy Canadian chiller BLOOD HUNTERS and three American shock absorbers KNUCKLEBONES, ENCLOSURE and the Eurotrashy radical BLOOD FEAST remake.

Reflecting a productive year for British horror, there are twelve UK World Premieres, including Shaun Robert Smith’s intensely powerful BROKEN, Jon Ford’s visceral revenge thriller OFFENSIVE, Wyndham Price’s dark fantasy CROW, Kate Shenton’s auto-satire EGOMANIAC, Ben Parker’s claustrophobic THE CHAMBER, Marty Stalker’s shock-doc HOSTAGE TO THE DEVIL and Andy Edward’s sun, sea and sex gore-fest IBIZA UNDEAD.

Five of the UK World Premieres make up the ‘First Blood’ strand, in which home-based directors are given a chance to shine with their debut efforts. These are: Phillip Escott’s harrowing CRUEL SUMMER, Brad Watson’s urban gang shocker  HALLOW’S EVE, James Crow’s deadly HOUSE OF SALEM, Stewart Spark’s 666 Short Cuts To Hell entry THE CREATURE BELOW and Lawrie Brewster’s PTSD-inspired THE UNKINDNESS OF RAVENS.

Other festival highlights in the Main Screen strand include the European Premiere of Adam Wingard’s intense chiller of the moment, THE WOODS. destined to be one of the key horrors of 2016. We also have this year’s most ferocious possession movie in Cody Calahan’s LET HER OUT, as well as Todd William’s superb Stephen King adaptation CELL, starring John Cusack and Samuel L. Jackson. Then there is the top box office Italian sensation THEY CALL ME JEEG ROBOT, Adam Rifkin’s tour-de-force DIRECTOR’S CUT, starring Penn Jillette, Rob Zombie’s ultra-violent grindhouse slasher 31, ‘Saw’ man Darren Lynn Bousman’s graphic novel inspired ABBATOIR, Simon Rumley’s latest visionary masterpiece JOHNNY FRANK GARRETT’S LAST WORD, Jackson Stewart’s supernatural switcherooBEYOND THE GATES, the zombie theme park hell ride THE REZORT, the full-blooded cracker RED CHRISTMAS, the cryogenic chiller REALIVE, the home invasion twister MERCY, the darkly unpredictable PET, starring Dominic Monaghan and the beguilling THE MASTER CLEANSE, with The Big Bang Theory’s Jonny Galecki and Anna Friel.

South America is rapidly becoming a major genre player and FrightFest is proud to be presenting seven specialities from Argentina, Chile, Brazil and Mexico. Daniel de la Vega’s WHITE COFFIN is co-written by FrightFest favourite Adrian Garcia Bogliano, Laura Casbe’s BENAVIDEZ’S CASE stretches surrealist boundaries, Patricio Valladares’ DOWNHILL mines H. P. Lovecraft for inspiration, THROUGH THE SHADOW puts Henry James’ classic tale of terror ‘The Turn of the Screw’ through a south of the border filter, THE SIMILARS is pure ‘Twilight Zone’ inspiration, FRANCESCA a thrilling Buenos Aires take on giallo and WE ARE THE FLESH comes with serious artistic endorsements from fellow Mexican filmmakers Alfonso Cuaron and Alejandro G. Iñárritu.

The Discovery Screen strand is as bold as ever and includes a restored version of Shelden Renan’s controversial documentary THE KILLING OF AMERICA, Anna Biller’s gloriously art-directed THE LOVE WITCH, the cursed silent movie FURY OF THE DEMON, the Berlin Film Festival break-out, SHELLEY, the visionary sci-fi fantasy LOST SOLACE and the darkly hilarious ghost-busting ANOTHER EVIL. Then there’s Julian T. Pinder’s chilling murder investigation POPULATION ZERO, Martin Owen’s High-tec underground thriller terror LET’S BE EVIL, Tim Reis’ slimy creature feature BAD BLOOD: THE MOVIE and Michael Boroweic’s acute study of alien paranoia, MAN UNDERGROUND.

Plus, you can witness the stag party from hell in THE UNRAVELLING, the bad taste shenanigans of NIGHT OF SOMETHING STRANGE, , the viral thrills of THE EVIL IN US, the vehicular chills of PARANORMAL DRIVE, the die-hard dystopia of HERE ALONE, the eye-popping shocks of FOUND FOOTAGE 3D, and the ‘goriously’ insane  ATTACK OF THE LEDERHOSEN ZOMBIES.

Ahead of its FrightFest Presents DVD release, there is an encore airing for ROAD GAMES, this time with a live interactive commentary with director Abner Pastoll and a London premiere for one of the most popular movies shown earlier this year at FrightFest Glasgow, Sean Byrne’s THE DEVIL’S CANDY.

The Duke Mitchell Film Club is back with the UK premiere of Kim Sang-Chan’s outrageously infectious KARAOKE CRAZIES and a first showing of all three episodes of the mesmerising French TV mini-series BEYOND THE WALLS.

Alan Jones, co-director of FrightFest, said today:

“For seventeen years now FrightFest has led the way through landmark changes in the genre, altered perceptions of fandom and embraced the revolutions in platforms and distribution models. It continues to do so this year with a breathtaking selection of genre attractions with the widest appeal and breadth of focus.  We stand out because we stand for something special – a one-stop roadmap through everything you need to see to be totally up to speed with what the next year in horror fantasy will be all about”.

This year’s special events, retrospective programme, the guest list and the Short Film Showcase entries will be announced in the coming weeks.

Festival and day pass sales will go on sale Sat 2 July at noon and will only be available to buy online:  http://www.frightfest.co.uk/tickets.html

Single tickets will go on sale on Sat 23 July.

For full programme details amd timetables go to: www.frightfest.co.uk

Tom Hiddleston & Emma Watson Join Academy

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts have today announced the newest collection of Hollywood names to become members. After this year’s controversy surrounding the last Oscars ceremony in which no actors of colour were nominated for any major awards, the academy have made steps towards fixing it’s problem with 46% of the 683 new members women, and 41% people of colour.

Among the list of newcomers to the academy are Star Wars actors, John Boyega, and Oscar Isaac, Thor star Tom Hiddleston, Emma Watson, Idris Elba and director Nicolas Winding Refn.

The new additions have bumped up the Academy’s overall female membership from 25% to 27% and 8% to 11% for people of colour, should all the invited members accept. It’s not much but it seems that the Academy took note of February’s ceremony which many stars such as Will Smith and boycotted in protest over it’s lack of diversity. You can find the full list of invitees here: https://www.oscars.org/news/academy-invites-683-membership

Preacher Renewed for Second Season

AMC have announced that Preacher has been renewed for a second season. The show, which just this week passed the halfway mark on it’s 10 episode first season will return next year with an extended run of 13 episodes. AMC president Charlie Collier said ‘Preacher is a special television programme and we’re eager to share with fans the rest of this wild season and, now, an expanded second season… We look forward to more time with these unforgettable characters be it in Heaven, Hell, Texas or beyond.’

You can check out the first season so far on Amazon prime here in the UK, with new episodes released every Monday. While the first season hasn’t finished yet, we expect to see the return of stars Dominic Cooper, Joe Gilgun, and Ruth Negga in the second season next year.