Jack the Giant Slayer

• Released Internationally on 27/02/13
• Released in Malta by KRS on 27/03/13

Preview (first published 01/03/13 in VIDA Magazine)

Yup, another fairy tale. Fee fi fo fum, etc., but of course this is the supercharged version for the big screen. I have higher hopes for this one though, compared to all the other fairy tale films of recent years. Mostly because it’s directed by Bryan Singer (The Usual Suspects, X-Men), but also because he roped in Christopher McQuarrie (also of The Usual Suspects fame) to polish up the script. The film stars Nicholas Hoult (A Single Man) as Jack, who finds his way in the world of giants, and of course has a princess to rescue. Ewan McGregor (Moulin Rouge!), Stanley Tucci (The Lovely Bones), Ian McShane (Sexy Beast) and the inimitable Bill Nighy (Love Actually) also star.

 

Review (27/03/13)

So far, this has been one of the most pleasant surprises of the year. The trailers and promotional material for this film didn’t help raise my expectations, but I ended up enjoying myself from start to finish. If accepted for what it is – a light-hearted re-working of a famous fairytale – this film manages to deliver on all levels.

It starts off, as all proper fairytales should, with a bedtime story, setting up the parallel situations of our hero Jack and his counterpoint princess, as they both sit in their (respective) beds, listening wide-eyed as their parents recount the lore of the giants. Fast forward a bit and Jack is of course a poor farmer’s boy, while the princess is, well, a princess. Before long the infamous beans make an entrance, and the grand adventure can begin. Before the beanstalk even starts to sprout, however, I was already fond of the main characters – both Jack and the princess (newcomer Eleanor Tomlinson) are likeable, and with good chemistry between them. The smaller roles don’t disappoint either, with Ewan McGregor having great fun in ‘Tally-Ho!’ mode as the head of the king’s guard, and Stanley Tucci in delightfully crafty mode as the scheming advisor.

We then head, as expected, to the place ‘half-way between heaven and earth’, where giants roam free. The giants, who come in various shapes and sizes (none of which are pleasing to the eye), don’t burst onto the scene, but director Singer manages to build up enough expectation and grant them a tense, silent, ‘reveal’ – a sort of lesser cousin of T-Rex’s appearance in Jurassic Park (with similar sound effects). Their land is depicted as an oddly familiar paradise – resembling some parts of earth, but feeling very different – again, akin to Isla Nublar in Jurassic Park, or Skull Island in King Kong. Some of the set pieces also delight – such as a wonderful kitchen scene reminiscent of ‘Les Poisson’ in The Little Mermaid.

Back on the ground, the obvious false ending quickly makes way for a riotous third act, including a castle assault that manages to be coherent and entertaining. The single-mindedness of the giants makes them formidable foes, with not a single big friendly giant in sight. Throughout proceedings, the film manages to keep on just the right side of silly – something I felt last week’s Oz failed to do. The ending was another wonderful surprise – I loved it! This is no thought-provoker or event film, but it’s not pretentious, and it’s fun throughout, managing to bring a classic fairytale back to life with gusto.

 

 

Trailers:

http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/wb/jackthegiantslayer/

The End of a Fanboy Era

 

 

This article was first published on 01/09/11 in VIDA magazine.

 

 

This summer, as I walked out of the cinema with the Harry Potter credits music still running through my head, I couldn’t help but feel that a large chunk of my youth, which started back in 1999 during a midnight screening of The Phantom Menace, had come to a close.

For those of us who had their late teens or their twenties during the past decade or so, the development of movie franchise ‘fandom’ has been very interesting to watch and, if so inclined, take part in. Over the course of twelve years and fourteen films, the Star Wars, Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter franchises have managed to make their new releases into events which make otherwise-sane people queue up at midnight and discuss intricate plot details on online forums, while the filmmakers count their millions. Against the backdrop of the internet explosion, it has been a rapidly evolving marketing machine, but one that I was more than happy to be a consumer of.

Back in the late 90s, before YouTube, facebook or ‘sharing’, the fevered anticipation for the Star Wars prequels still managed to spread like wildfire online. Apple’s much-loved iTunes film trailers were still a mundane Quicktime website, which was congested like never before when the first teaser and then trailer were released online, to unprecedented views and response. Online film trailers are now everywhere, but back then Phantom Menace managed to set the ball rolling in spectacular fashion, and I for one gladly waited an entire night for my moribund dial-up connection to download the highest-resolution version. As it turned out, the trailers would be possibly better than the actual film, but those are just details when the hype is so huge.

 

Meet me at midnight

The screenings were the next trend. Previously reserved for B-movies and late night entertainment, the witching hour suddenly became the best way to launch an event movie in style. The reasoning was simple - if the film studio has set a strict release date, why not watch it at 00:01 in the morning, to save you a few more hours of waiting? Thankfully, Malta caught on very quickly. Although Star Wars Episode I was released in most of Europe nearly 3 months later than the US (something that would be unthinkable today), the eager local fans still got a midnight screening on Malta’s largest screen, complete with Darth Maul and Darth Vader duelling on stage before the show began. I was initially slightly embarrassed to attend, and had to walk home afterwards (driving lessons were still in progress), but it was worth every minute. The packed cinema included everything from packs of unsightly males in matching t-shirts, to two of my lecturers and even the occasional attractive lass, and the excitement was palpable. So palpable, in fact, that we were more than willing to forgive the film’s huge faults, and return in similar style for the sequels three and six years later. I’ll never forget the magical hush as the words ‘A Long Time Ago, in a Galaxy Far, Far Away’ were projected onto the screen and my entire field of vision. It was well worth the walk.

Besides the other Star Wars prequels, midnight screenings and cinema marathons soon became de rigueur for the Lord of the Rings films, Harry Potter (both book and film launches), and any other event movie that the distributors thought was viable enough. Part of the fun was obviously knowing that you’re surrounded by fellow fans, but the rush to be the first to see it also played a major role.

 

 

 

Snobbery

Like most things in life, preferences varied. Personal favouritism tussled with objective criticism of the films to make some fans take sides. I had no problem at all mustering an army for the Return of the King midnight screening, but most of my friends abandoned me two years later for the last of the Star Wars films. And Harry Potter seems to have been the preferred domain of the younger crowd, and I for one was perfectly happy to read the books months and years after their release, and then see the films at my own pace. But all three franchises had a comparably impressive hold on generations X and Y. Looking back, it seems indubitable that LOTR far surpassed the other two in terms of film quality, with the three films being both amazing adaptations of the treasured books, and films accessible to a very wide audience. Which is why, like many of my friends, I suggested it to my parents, but would never dream of sitting them down in front of Attack of the Clones.

 

Harry Potter has also proved to be a sharp adaptation job, also benefiting from one of the most impressive casts ever assembled, and the collaboration of the author. I suspect that if I were a decade younger I would have devoured them with greater zeal. But still, I enjoyed every one of them, and for an entire decade they were something to look forward to. Star Wars reigns supreme because of the indelible legacy left by the original trilogy, although despite George Lucas’ flaccid direction the three new films did manage to steadily improve, and were still a feast for the senses.

 

Another level

Of course, just like participation was optional, so was the level of involvement. Not everyone likes to remain spoiler-free until D-day, and then discuss and dissect films at length online. Not everyone needs to wear a wizard costume to the midnight screening. And thankfully not everyone chooses to name their son Anakin. I chanced upon the world premiere of the final Harry Potter film recently, in Trafalgar and Leicester Squares. I rather enjoyed it, although for me and many others it simply involved walking around the perimeter fence, trying to catch a glimpse of a star or two, and taking a couple of photos. Others had chosen to camp in the rain from two days earlier to get a good spot, and I saw mothers leaving the enclosure consoling teenage girls as they bawled their eyes out and stared at smudged signatures on their hand. To each his own, I guess. Midnight screenings might seem like insanity to many, and tattoos of the Millennium Falcon might seem like insanity to me. But that’s one of the beauties of fandom - you pick your level of involvement, depending on how interested you are (and how much time you have on your hands).

 

 

 

So now what?

Despite the glittering conclusions of the above three sagas, there are obviously many other ways for us to spend our time (and money). The fantasy genre, breathed back into life by Frodo and friends, is alive and very well, with numerous films following in Return of the King’s wake. None have been as good, so far, although the ongoing Game of Thrones TV series should keep appetites sated for quite a while, considering the great source material. Attempts at kindling new franchises, such as the Narnia series and the Inheritance cycle (Eragon), fell rather short of the mark. Twilight is raking in millions, despite scathing reviews of all the films, but their target audience is very narrow (and I am obviously not part of it). Science-fiction is of course constant, but again, not even a brilliant reboot of the Star Trek franchise possessed the necessary magic and sense of history to equal the scale of the Force. Plus, what’s the fun without lightsabers?

 

Other genres and franchises have fan bases of their own, and I for one look forward eagerly to the final chapter in Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy, which has been quite unprecedented in terms of critical acclaim and fan appreciation. But I doubt that any superhero film, or any other film of huge proportions such as Avatar, could ever compete with something like middle-earth, because of the huge amount of detail that creators such as Tolkien and Lucas have put into creating their universe. Which is why you can find Master degrees in Tolkien literature, and countless novels set in the Star Wars expanded universe.

 

Don’t get me wrong. I’m not tolling any death bells yet. As Hollywood obviously knows very well, where there’s money to be made and pocket-money to exploit, film franchises will find a way to re-invent themselves. Until then, we also have many tangential projects to keep us occupied. Lucas has clearly stated that he won’t make any more prequels or sequels, which is probably a good thing. But the rebels and the empire live on in video games, an animated TV series, and a possible live-action TV series that has been hinted at. J. K. Rowling has an intriguing online Potter project in the pipeline, although she has clearly stated that no more stories will be written about the bespectacled boy. Peter Jackson is filming The Hobbit at this very moment, which is great news for LOTR fans, although I can’t seem to get too excited about it yet. Of course, that will all change once I see the first teaser trailer.

 

 

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Films released this month:

 

CONAN THE BARBARIAN - the film that made Schwarzenegger a star gets remade, with just as much muscles and probably more gore.

FRIENDS WITH BENEFITS - Justin Timberlake and Mila Kunis star as a couple of attractive friends who fool around but agree never to get romantically involved. Yeah right.

TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY - classy cast, classy spy novel, classy period setting - this looks great.

JANE EYRE - classics are called such for a reason, which might explain why this one is made into a film every ten minutes or so.

THE CHANGE-UP - Two male friends. One’s house is littered with nappies, the other with thongs. They swap bodies for some adult comedy.

KILLER ELITE - Jason Statham, Clive Owen and Robert DeNiro, plus guns, action and intrigue.

COLOMBIANA - Zoe Saldana starts as a sexy assassin with vengeance on her mind. Nikita meets Kill Bill.

 

Release dates are subject to change. All films released locally by KRS Film Distirbutors Ltd.

Angels & Demons

 

• Released Internationally on 13/05/09
• Released in Malta by KRS on 20/05/09

 

In a nutshell

Despite all the interest in the wonderful novel The Da Vinci Code back in 2003-2006, many readers, including yours truly, felt that the author’s previous book, Angels and Demons, was more of a satisfying read. The two shared a lot in common besides their main character – they were both heavy on symbolism and both combined the thrill of a chase or mystery with a detailed look into the history and workings of the Catholic Church. But Demons stands out as an impressively exciting story, and is quite ‘unputdownable’ as a book. So it comes as no surprise that after the huge success of the big screen version of Code, we now have its sister story to enjoy.

Cardinals & countdowns

The film opens with the ceremonies surrounding the death of the pope, which are all the more striking since we witnessed similar footage on countless TV channels only a few years ago. His trusted advisor and right-hand man, the Camerlengo, takes temporary charge until the conclave elects a new pope. But an ancient foe of the Catholic Church, the Illuminati society, appears to have resurfaced, kidnapping the four main contenders to the papacy and hiding an explosive device somewhere within the Vatican. Professor Robert Langdon, the symbology expert, is brought in to help find the cardinals and save the Catholic Church from near annihilation in one fell swoop.

Checkpoints & chases

Within a few scenes of starting, it is made clear that unless the kidnappers are foiled, most of the Vatican, including its foremost leaders, will be flattened at the stroke of midnight. As with Da Vinci Code, the events of the film are set within a single day, or in this case mostly within a single evening. This guarantees a breakneck pace for the entire film, and makes it easy for director Ron Howard to deliver a non-stop adrenaline ride. He skilfully managed to make even an interview exciting in last year’s Frost/Nixon, but this time author Dan Brown has done most of the work for him. If anything, some parts may be too rushed, with Langdon conveniently deciphering all the clues within seconds of reaching each step of the puzzle. The ending, which might have been a bit too over-the-top in the novel, actually works better on screen, as do most of the other minor changes made from novel to script.

Violins & vistas

Adding to the urgency of the plot is the wonderful score by A-list composer Hans Zimmer, who further develops the beautiful themes developed in the Da Vinci Code score but also adds frantic action music that is not too distant from his score for last summer’s Dark Knight. The few moments of respite in the film are gorgeously scored with variations of heavenly choir, piano or most notably violin solos by the acclaimed Joshua Bell. They provide perfect accompaniment to the sweeping shots of Rome, the Vatican, and the works of art therein. It’s a huge credit to the digital effects wizards that many scenes of the Vatican are practically indistinguishable from real footage, despite the filmmakers not being allowed to film within the tiny state’s walls.

Atheists & clergy

Ewan McGregor (Moulin Rouge, Star Wars, Trainspotting) is brilliantly cast as the mourning, devout camerlengo, and Tom Hanks naturally returns as Langdon. Stellan Skarsgård (Mamma Mia, Pirates of the Caribbean) is the sceptical and dubious head of the Swiss Guard, Commander Richter, and Armin Mueller-Stahl is chilling and unmoveable as Cardinal Strauss, the head of the college of cardinals, in a role that is often uncomfortably reminiscent of his recent role in Eastern Promises. Israeli actress Ayelet Zurer (Munich) is Vittoria Vetra, the CERN scientist who partners Langdon on his pursuit and is the expert on the explosive matter threatening the Vatican walls.

Science & religion

As expected, the eternal debate about science and religion features prominently in both the dialogue and the action. The Camerlengo and Langdon represent the two extreme sides of the debate, and their discussion early on is balanced and well-scripted. Despite all the religious sentiment surrounding the release of these two films, this story is ultimately quite balanced, with Cardinal Strauss providing a thoughtful coda to the proceedings. But in the end, it’s primarily a great suspense and mystery story, which is very well-told.

 

 

Trailers:

http://www.apple.com/trailers/sony_pictures/angelsdemons/ (High-res QuickTime)

 

(below – a montage of scenes from the film set to sublime new music by Hans Zimmer)