The Danish Girl Review
The Plot
Eddie Redmayne stars alongside Alicia Vikander in this biopic of the first transgendered woman to undergo gender reassignment surgery.
The Good
Exactly twelve months after his Oscar winning performance in The Theory of Everything, Eddie Redmayne returns with another award worthy film to add to his collection. Tom Hooper (The King’s Speech) directs Lucinda Coxon’s script with care as the story focuses not only on Redmayne’s stunning almost double performance as both Einar Wegener and soon enough Lili Elbe, but also gives plenty of time for Alicia Vikander’s supporting wife Gerda as she comes to terms with Einar’s newly discovered personality.
With the transgender movement growing ever more in today’s more open society, The Danish Girl feels important throughout without slipping into any particular bias. While Einar searches desperately to find an answer to the questions that come with his true self, Lili grows more and more independent from the two as the film progresses despite the social pressures to hide away from the world. Coxon’s script brings some beautiful imagery to this intimate struggle with one particular scene in a dark cramped peep show standing out as a highlight.
Two equally important aspects of how the film manages to bring emotion and depth to this story that can’t go unmentioned are Danny Cohen’s visually stunning cinematography with an expertly blended mix of colours and tints brought to the screen, and Alexandre Desplat’s always moving score.
As wel as Redmayne and Vikander’s performances are that of Ben Wishaw and Matthias Schoenaerts as the respective third parties in the two love triangles that seep into the trials and tribulations of Einar’s and Gerda’s marriage. Each actor has their own half of the story to become the focus, with Wishaw’s opening half holding slightly more romance than Schoenaerts’ concluding half in which he comes across more of a friend than Wishaw’s wedge between the two.
The Bad
At two hours long however, The Danish Girl soon slips into feeling a much longer. It ever so slightly feels that Hooper is being a tad self indulgent with his camerawork, occasionally staying with scenes just a few moments longer than absolutely necessary.
The Ugly Truth
Redmayne brings another Oscar worthy performance as Einar/Lili that could well see him securing his second in a row. Fortunately this is not just a Redmayne vehicle with Alicia Vikander bringing a much needed supporting performance that at times overtakes Redmaynes. The Danish Girl looks, feels and sounds important as it rightly is. Though it could have done with some trimming to avoid feeling too self indulging, it’s not too long to diminish it entirely.
Review by Johnny Ellis
Daddy’s Home Review
The Plot:
Mild-mannered family man Brad Whitaker (Ferrell) is forced compete for the affection of his wife and step-kids after their macho biological dad Dusty (Wahlberg) rides back into their lives and clearly determined to win his family back.
The Good:
Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg successfully established a comfortable comedy dynamic in The Other Guys, playing the typical odd couple routine for frequent laughs in the crowd pleasing cop comedy. Reunited in Daddy’s Home the pair resume amusing hostilities as Ferrell’s meek suburban dad clashes painfully with Wahlberg’s bike riding macho badass. Playing easily to type the duo both clearly relish the opportunity to spar with each other again.
Freaks & Geeks star Linda Cardellini is always a welcome addition to any cast. Most recently seen in Avengers Age of Ultron as Hawkeye’s secret wife, this time she has a little more involvement in the action, playing the sensible women caught up in the increasingly ridiculous male rivalries.
Thanks to a few effective running gags, a supporting cast of familiar faces and unashamedly silly set pieces the film manages to keep its simple plot moving without losing its audience to apathy or irritation. The film never makes the mistake of taking itself too seriously at least.
The Bad:
Daddy’s Home is packed with painful embarrassments. While many people will enjoy watching an abundant supply of cringe worthy awkwardness, others might find it simply excruciating. Ferrell’s sensible family man is quickly reduced to a screaming buffoon and Wahlberg’s cliché macho swagger soon gives way to silly insecurities. Both stars play comfortably to type, moving a simple story towards a pretty predictable conclusion.
The Ugly Truth:
Fans of Ferrell and Wahlberg’s past efforts will welcome another trademark dose of embarrassing shenanigans as Daddy’s Home delivers plenty of slapstick silliness. It’s easy viewing for anyone who can tolerate watching grown men act like overly competitive children, though lacking the memorable moments and catchphrases that make the pairs best work truly stand out.
Review by Russell Nelson
Star Wars: The Force Awakens Review
The Plot
Thirty years after the events of Episode VI, a new threat is upon the galaxy. With Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) at its helm, it’s up to a new generation of heroes to bring balance to the Force.
The Good
When director JJ Abrams accepted the daunting task of bringing back one of the worlds most recognisable franchises from the ashes of the prequel trilogy, he along with a worldwide fan base knew that it had to be done right. Fortunately, Abrams has proven that, like Star Trek before it, he’s the right man for the job. The Force Awakens breathes much needed new life into the Star Wars franchise with the help of a stellar cast scattered amongst it including the return of familiar faces (Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher and Peter Mayhew to name but three) and the introduction of a trio of heroes to lead a new saga.
This trio consists of John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, and Daisy Ridley who from the very beginning of their journey prove beyond a doubt that with their winning personalities and most importantly, their effortless chemistry with each other, fans old and new are in safe hands.
On the dark side of this trio are Adam Driver as the lead villain, a new with lord with dire need of anger management, who is joined by Domhnall Gleeson and Andy Serkis. While Driver gives a wonderfully dark performance and joins the ranks of Dooku and Darth Maul (there’s still time to catch up with Vader…) it’s Gleeson who is most impressive. Perhaps due to the fact that he has no mask to cover his performance, or his power hungry speeches and constant need to one up his ally. Gleeson’s General Hux ultimately comes out on top in this powerful trio while Serkis’ Supreme Leader Snoke is given enough screen time to keep him a mystery for future instalments to figure out.
The Bad
Fans looking for more story to join the already rich canon in the franchises nearly forty year existence may feel slightly short changed with the plot that Abrams has concocted along with co writers Lawrence Kasdan and Michael Arndt. Without giving away any details, the approach for this new trilogy opening seems very much to be one of ‘don’t mess with the old routine’ as plot threads that have been seen before rear their heads.
The Ugly Truth
Boyega, Isaac and Ridley bring a new hope (pun intended) to a franchise that was last seen stranded in CGI. While Abrams plays it easy in terms of story, he brings back the physical effects and along with it a new lease of life into a once dead saga.
Review by Johnny Ellis
Brooklyn Review
The Plot
In 1950s Ireland and New York, young Eilis Lacey (Saoirse Ronan) has to choose between two men and two countries.
The Good
Saoirse Ronan gives an incredible and likely award winning performance in this beautiful adaptation of Colm Tóibín’s 2009 novel of the same name. The story of Brooklyn is not particularly unique, with Ronan’s Eilis transporting herself from the familiar territory of 1950s Ireland to an entirely new world altogether in Brooklyn New York, struggling with the pain of homesickness as well as the guilt of happiness in her new found life across the pond.
The emotional themes of a homesick immigrant dominates the film and certainly succeeds in leaving audiences in tears as Ronan brings an utterly compelling role to life. Her strength and the maturity that she brings to the role just proves even further that she is without a doubt one of the finest actresses of her generation.
Ronan is aided by a strong supporting cast including Julie Walters, who appears in some of the films lighter moments as Eilis’ sharp tongued boardinghouse owner Mrs. Kehoe, producing instantly memorable dinner scenes. Jim Broadbent, meanwhile brings a heartwarming sense of calm during some of the more heartbreaking scenes as Eilis’ benefactor, Father Flood.
At its center Brooklyn is a love story, particularly held together by both Ronan and Emory Cohen as the Brooklyn side of a trans-Atlantic love triangle . Cohen brings a touch of class and romance to the story which, along with his seamless chemistry with Ronan, makes their story instantly believable.
The Bad
Unfortunately the other side of this love triangle played by Domhnall Gleeson feels more like a third wheel. Gleeson plays Jim Farrell, a romantic complication who appears in the films latter half after a tragedy brings Eilis back home. Feeling very shoehorned in as one of the ways in which Eilis’ life is so easily set up to continue back in Ireland along with a job and her old home. Gleeson’s performance is just too quiet to feel like a true equal to the love Eilis finds in America. While the rest of the temptation of familiarity with her old life is easy to understand, Jim’s addition feels underdeveloped and too quickly added in. Perhaps if he’d had some focus in the films opening, it may have worked better.
The Ugly Truth
Brooklyn is a beautifully shot and wonderfully told tale of what it is to be homesick and the temptation to slip back into familiarity at the risk of losing a more exciting life. Saoirse Ronan brings an incredible performance along with a strong supporting cast. However when the setting returns to Ireland, the final act feels less convincingly emotionally conflicted than it clearly intends to be.
Review by Johnny Ellis
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2 Review
The Plot
With Panem at the tipping point of a revolution, Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence) and her army make their final push into the Capitol to deal with President Snow (Donald Sutherland) once and for all.
The Good
Picking up from right where Part 1 left off, with Katniss sporting a badly bruised neck thanks to Peeta (Josh Hutcherson) and his drastically changed views of the girl on fire, Mockingjay Part 2 switches the dialogue heavy scenes from its predecessor and replaces it with action heavy set sequences. As Katniss and co make their way into the Capitol to take down President Snow, director Francis Lawrence takes us through a battle torn landscape overground and underground.
It’s the underground sequence that works best however, as the characters manoeuvre through a labyrinth-like sewer system while being stalked and attacked by creatures not too dissimilar to zombies. The entire sequence plays out with a suspense filled with deafening silences before breaking out into frenzied crescendos.
However, the action sequences are not the only thing Mockingjay Part 2 has going for it. Being the much anticipated conclusion to the series, the political and social subtext that held the series together comes much more into the forefront thanks to incredible performances by not only Sutherland who returns with the enticingly quiet demeanour of the ruthless President Snow, but also Julianne Moore who plays the yin to Snow’s yang in President Coin. Though Moore is no match for Sutherland having only had one prior film to establish her character as apposed to the three that Sutherland got, her development towards the third act of this final instalment has just as much effect.
The Bad
Though the action sequences are big and boisterous, most feel empty, while the set pieces look like they’ve been taken from maps in Call of Duty. An emptiness is also felt in the lack of emotion to certain characters fates in the story and Lawrences reaction to them.
Yet again Liam Hemsworth is left with little to do when the story focuses on the love triangle between himself, Lawrence and Hutcherson but, this late into the franchise it doesn’t feel like too much of a loss.
The Ugly Truth
Ending with a whimper after a couple of hours of bangs is perhaps not the best way to finish off this hit series for fans, however Mockingjay Part 2 stays relatively true to its source and brings some noteworthy performances particularly from Moore and Sutherland while failing to bring as much emotion as it had succeeded in previously.
Review by Johnny Ellis