Comic book fans have eagerly awaited a cinematic outing for superhero troupe The Avengers ever since Kevin Feige, President of Marvel Studios, announced in 2005 that Marvel would effectively take ownership of their universe and begin producing its own films. Five films later; two instalments of Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Captain America: The First Avenger and Thor and the time has finally come for our heroic misfits to join forces and fight a common enemy in Joss Whedon’s Avengers Assemble.
Haters will decry Peter Berg’s Battleship as a Michael Bay-esque monstrosity that panders unapologetically to the lowest common denominator, much like Bay’s heinous destruction of the good name Transformer. That would do a disservice to Berg’s picture, which whilst undeniably stupid and utterly over the top is by no means as bad as Bay’s pantheon of crap. In fact the biggest crime that can be levelled at Battleship is that it lacks one single original idea in its bloated 131 minute running time.
“No man is an island entire of itself; every man
is a piece of the continent, a part of the main;” (John Donne)
Donne’s 17th century poem explored the concept of human connection, yet his infamous opening line could be interpreted in a completely different light. On one level, we are all interconnected, yet for some, connectedness with the land and indeed nature is of paramount importance. For Jake, the subject of artist and director Ben Rivers’ feature Two Years at Sea, being “a piece of the continent, a part of the main” defines his very being.
On paper, “This Must be the Place” is an intriguing proposition: This Italian-French-Irish co-production marks the English-language debut of Neapolitan director Paolo Sorrentino, utilizes eclectic filming locations — including Dublin, New York and New Mexico — and stars two of the finest actors working today — Sean Penn and Frances McDormand. It’s a crushing shame therefore that this cosmopolitan picture is such a muddled disappointment.
Stieg Larsson’s phenomenally successful Millennium trilogy bought gritty Scandinavian thrillers to the world’s attention, which has undoubtedly benefited Norwegian novelist Jo Nesbø. Famed for his pitch-black Harry Hole crime-thriller series, Nesbø is particularly skilled in crafting the flawed good-guy character (Hole, a brilliant detective, is also a heavy smoker and an alcoholic), an art that is clearly evident in Morten Tyldum’s adaptation of Nesbø’s 2008 stand-alone novel “Headhunters.”
Going up against James Cameron’s seemingly indestructible Titanic (in 3D no less) at the box office this Easter weekend is an eclectic selection of foreign fare. Jo Nesbo’s deliciously dark thriller Headhunters leads the way, ably supported by French classic and the first foreign language film to be nominated for Best Picture La Grande Illusion and fellow gallic offering Le Havre. If three dimensions or reading subtitles sounds like too much of a stretch, then fairy tale fluff Mirror Mirror offers respite (and ridiculous eyebrows).
Documentaries are now the most powerful form of investigative journalism according to Robert Redford. Musing on the decline in moral standards of the newspaper industry, Redford maintained that the documentary had come to the fore and taken the lead in delivering hard-hitting, agenda setting change. Fortuitously perhaps, Redford’s comments came in the same week as three very different documentaries received their bows at the UK box office. Iran’s This is Not a Film, Werner Herzog’s death row opus Into the Abyss and Jon Shenk’s The Island President are an eclectic credit to the genre and a timely reminder that the documentary has never been more important. Away from real life we’re treated to a claymation piratic Hugh Grant, a 3D dance off and titans wrathing it to the max.
With “Looking for Eric,” Ken Loach, purveyor of the socialist struggles of the working class, unexpectedly delivers an uplifting, exceptionally funny film. Yes, there are the expected Loachisms running throughout – the broken marriages and the errant kids – but Loach and screenwriter Paul Laverty manage to suffuse this tale of middle-aged postman Eric Bishop (Steve Evets) dealing with a mid-life crisis with some heart.
Icelandic superstar Baltasar Kormakur takes up the directorial reins on Contraband, a Hollywood remake of 2008’s Reykjavik-Rotterdam in which Kormakur played the lead role. Transporting the action to New Orleans and Panama, Kormakur’s retelling centres on smuggler gone straight Chris Farraday (Mark Wahlberg), who must take on one last job after his brother-in-law upsets some rather unpleasant characters. On the face of it, we’re in perfunctory thriller territory, but Kormakur’s raw directorial style, a wry screenplay and a plethora of unseemly characters ensure that Contraband duly delivers.
With The Hunger Games set to devour all comers at the box office this weekend, alternatives are few and far between. However, the post awards season malaise seems to have subsided and fare is of a markedly higher quality, albeit thin on the ground. If the child murder premise of said hunger games isn’t your bag, then Dexter Fletcher’s directorial debut Wild Bill, US Navy Seal propaganda pic Act of Valour and intimate Belgian fable The Kid with a Bike round out an eclectic line up.
crash/burn 