Die Hard: With a Vengeance - 3rd September 2013

Tuesday Night is Film Night gets tough tonight. However, that's tough with a bit of cheese, a bit of swearing, a lot of bullets and a yippee-ki-yay thrown in for good measure! It can only be the return of John McClane, in his third outing;

Die Hard: With a Vengeance

I feel it hardly necessary to run through a full plot synopsis for a Die Hard film, they are clearly very popular and the basic premise is the same, but I'll give it a go anyway!

Bruce Willis rolls up yet again as the maverick cop John McClane in this, the third of what was then, a trilogy of films. This time he is working for the NYPD, albeit on suspension, when an explosion rocks the city centre. The perpetrator of this dastardly deed is soon on the 'phone to the New York Police Department demanding the attention of John McClane and insisting he carries out a task, otherwise another explosion will go off.

McClane is picked up, very hungover and in need of some aspirin, what he actually gets is a quick trip to Harlem wearing a rather disturbing sandwich board over his shoulders! Here he meets up with Zeus....

"Yeah, Zeus! As in, father of Apollo? Mount Olympus? Don't f**k with me or I'll shove a lightning bolt up your ass? Zeus! You got a problem with that?"

.....played by Samuel L Jackson. Zeus turns out to be McClane's Good Smaritan and unwittingly they end up as a double act running around New York at the beck and call of "Simon". Simon being the guy on the other end of the 'phone, passing on instructions to McLane and Zeus on what they need to do to prevent more bombs exploding. All these tests and bombs are merely a distraction for the main coup de grâce in Simon's plan, which is to remove the billions of dollars in gold from the Federal Reserve.

Simon turns out to be the brother of Hans Gruber, from the original Die Hard, who died spectacularly as McClane launched him from the Nakatomi Plaza building. So this is a double headed plot; get revenge on McClane whilst helping yourself to vast quantities of gold! Simple.

Simon is played superbly by Jeremy Irons, he is very much like the Alan Rickman (Hans Gruber) character in the first Die Hard, cool, calm, collected and virtually merciless in his intent to rid New York of McClane and the gold.

As with the all the Die Hard movies, this is a flight of fancy grounded in a modicum of reality, McClane manages to survive two hours of the film whilst being shot at, bombed, chased in cars, in trains and on boats. Punched, kicked, dropped from a great height, overturned in a car and many, many other feats of mini human destruction and he does this with probably the "worst headache ever", apparently. But that is what makes these films so good, you get totally engrossed in the constant mayhem, you are firmly gripped with the action with intertwining plots. Plus this time there is the added bonus of riddles and puzzles from Simon, that prompts a great deal of audience participation, trying to work out how to get exactly four gallons of water out of 3 and 5 gallon jugs!

Samuel L Jackson is fantastic as the impromptu sidekick and a great foil to Willis' McClane. They seem like an unlikely pairing, but they get the job done and done with style.

You know what you are getting with a Die Hard film, it is totally over the top action with the virtually indestructible McClane, but it is just brilliant. Bring on Die Hard 4! Fantastic stuff.

As for the TNiFN scores, it is a 8.6 out of 10. It would be more, but one of the female contingent marked it down!

(500) Days of Summer - 27th August 2013

Tuesday Night is Film Night welcomes back with open arms, the genre that is rom-com. However, will our film be a classic love story, or a seasonal disaster, as we check out;

(500) Days of Summer

How should one start with (500) Days of Summer? It is not your run of the mill romantic comedy, it has an almost unique twist, where things don't really work out as they should, it doesn't end with the fairytale romance that tends to round off these movies. In fact, we see at the start that the liaison is doomed to failure. How do we know this? Well, (500) Days of Summer doesn't follow a linear path from start to finish, it jumps up and down the 500 day time line that film is defined by. And as for Summer, well Summer is not the season, she is Summer Finn the female lead character.

Summer Finn is played by the absolutely lovely Zooey Deschanel, who has appeared in such diverse films as Elf and The Happening. Summer is a strange girl, cute, attractive, but not one who believes in love and romance. Her relationships are purely just good friends affairs. However, Tom Hansen (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) is more of the romantic type and was certain on that first day (of 500) , when he met Summer, that she was the one for him.

The path of true love was not a straight one, Summer and Tom developed their friendship over the days as they passed, but as I said previously, we jump forward and back in the timeline, which although sounds confusing, it provides an opportunity to compare and contrast their lives as they change, comparing events early on in the relationship, with similar events later on.

Although it is a romantic comedy, there is an element of drama to the piece, especially as we witness the disintegration of the relationship. Gordon-Levitt is really superb as Tom adding a degree of pathos to the role and a believable seriousness and this is key, as you have to believe the emotions if you are to empathise with the situation. Deschanel is also fantastic, although surprisingly her character is the bad guy so to speak, she plays the character with a wide eyed innocence that you really cannot be too hard on her.

I touched upon the singularity or uniqueness of the film earlier and this is true, as it employs several different traits to supplement the story. For example, there is a continuing third person narration that crops up over the film, this ties up the threads of the plot into a cohesive package, making the diversity of the storyline come together. Also, they occasionally do a talking heads piece, where various characters break the fourth wall and talk direct to the camera. These really enhance the story telling. What also helps this film, is a brilliant soundtrack. Music is really important in films especially to set the mood or underpin the emotion and (500) Days of Summer does this very well, leaning heavily on a British musical influence, which is always nice.

The story is good, unique in many ways, but it is let down by some very weak background characters and the associated back stories. If they could have bolstered the background players with a bit more enthusiasm or at least made them more real, rather than the synthetic stance they took, then the film would have been better, but then I guess some of the comedic scenes may have been lost.

The film is good, the story is better, the main characters are wonderful, bringing emotion, comedy and realism to their story. It is certainly a film that is recommended viewing.

As for the TNiFN scores, there seemed to be mixed reviews from the audience, but the average score comes out at a respectable 7 out of 10.

Top Gun - 20th August 2013

Tuesday Night is Film Night revisits the 80's tonight, but will the feature film be a highway to the danger zone and take our breath away? Or will it be shot down in flames, as we take to the skies with;

Top Gun

So, it's back to 1986 for tonight's film, but have the years been kind to this 80's classic?

Top Gun centres on the US Navy's elite fighter weapons school, where daring young flyers learn how to the best of the best. Tom Cruise plays Pete Mitchell AKA Maverick, a top notch if somewhat dangerous pilot, a maverick if you will. Along with his RIO (Radar Intercept Officer) sat behind him in his F-14, Nick "Goose" Bradshaw, played by Anthony Edwards. Maverick graduates to the Top Gun academy where they meet up with their cohorts for training.

Just to spin around the rest of the class, we have Val Kilmer playing the cool if somewhat annoying Iceman. Whip Hubley as Hollywood, Rick Russovich as Slider and a whole host of other ridiculous character names played by other actors. IMDB them, if you're really interested!

Cutting to the chase and trying to pull some enthusiasm out of the weak storyline; Maverick meets up with Charlie in a bar, Charlie is played by Kelly McGillis, Charlie happens to be a Top Gun instructor, so although the love interest is there, it's complicated, as Charlie cannot be seen to jeopardise her position by dating a student, although that clearly doesn't stop her and you have to put up with the romantic scenes whilst Berlin are constantly looping through "Take My Breath Away" for the umpteenth time!

As stories go, this one was very thin, relying heavily on the very well crafted dog-fight scenes and in-flight action to bulk out the plot. Cruise's character is egotistical to distraction to start off with. Goose, his partner, is the formulaic dumb character and the only student with a wife and child, so you know from the take off (get it?) that he is going to be the one to cop in an accident along the way. Which he does, sorry about the spoiler.

Unfortunately in a training mission, Maverick and Goose get into a lateral spin, caused by one of the engines stalling. They cannot pull out of the spin and have to eject. As a result Goose cops it.

This is where the film turns around and it becomes personal now for Maverick and he has to decide his fate. So yes, we do have a tried and tested formula for the thinly veiled plot. Bunch of characters are presented to us at the start, the good guys, the baddies, the lovable ones. We get the love interest. Followed by the tragedy. Tragedy proceeds the doubt, failure and Maverick giving up. The love interest returns, convinces Maverick to continue and he returns to graduate. Hooray! But it's not over, oh no, there's more.

After graduation, Maverick, Iceman and Hollywood are posted straight into a combat situation (with an unknown nationality) and end up flying straight into a dog-fight with a bunch of MiG's. Obviously after a long battle the outcome is a hero's return for Maverick. And lot's of back slapping etc. etc.

I just do not recall there being so much cheese around when I first watched the film in the eighties. On this viewing it was laughable and really ruined the end of the film. It was so cheesey, I thought I would need a grater! Very cheesey, very American and very eighties.

After this finale, Maverick is asked what he is going to do next? He suggests that he becomes a trainer at Top Gun! After one successful mission? Not very plausible really.

In summation, a good start, a fair middle and a diabolical end, sprinkled with copious amounts of cheese and you have a very popular film from 1986. Unfortunately that popularity has waned somewhat. The only saving grace was that Kelly McGillis looks really cute in a baseball hat. And there was a small part for the pretty Meg Ryan as Goose's wife.

As for the all important TNiFN scores, Top Gun fails to take our breath away, with a mediocre 5 out of 10.

If you feel like reliving a part of the eighties, pop on Top Gun and enjoy. Otherwise, pick another film.

Keeping Mum - 13th August 2013

Tuesday Night is Film Night is here again, but tonight we are keeping the title of the film a secret, in fact we're;

Keeping Mum

From 2005, our film this week is a real favourite. Yes, we have seen it before, but it has never graced the hallowed portal that is Tuesday Night is Film Night.

Keeping Mum, follows the Goodfellow family, a family from an idyllic English village, but their family life is far from idyllic. Walter Goodfellow is the village vicar, slightly forgetful, thinks too much about his parish than he does his wife and is seeking the inspiration to write a keynote speech at an upcoming convention. His wife; Gloria is fed up with the parochial life, and is more interested in her golf tutor and his training techniques. And their children; Holly and Petey have their own issues. Holly has a new boyfriend every week and Petey is being bullied at school.

All this changes, when the new Housekeeper; Grace Hawkins arrives. Grace has a murky past, a past that is alluded to in the opening flashback scene of the film. As you will see, Grace was once called Rosie Jones and Rosie Jones killed her husband and his mistress! Roll forward 40 years and Rosie (Grace) is released from her incarceration and is back at large, this time as the Goodfellow's Housekeeper.

Don't panic! It is a comedy. And a great, subtle, ensemble comedy at that.

To put some names to faces, let us spin around the cast. Walter Goodfelow, hapless vicar in the village of Little Wallop is portrayed superbly by Rowan Atkinson. Atkinson has played vicars previously, but in Keeping Mum it's not out and out comedy, it's more subtle laughs, as we see Walter come out of his shell somewhat, with the help of Grace.

Walter's wife; Gloria is played by the beautiful Kristen Scott Thomas. Gloria is a sort of key character in the piece, as she really is the centre of the family. She is a wife, a mother and soon to find out a daughter. to a woman who disappeared 40 years ago. (Are you with us yet?)

The absolutely sublime Maggie Smith plays Grace Hawkins, bringing with her a real understated, but beautifully timed comedy performance. A real asset to the film and truly perfect casting.

Also making up this ensemble of characters, is a wonderful Patrick Swayze, playing the very cheesy golf coach; Lance, whose amorous advances to Gloria are on the verge of splitting up the Goodfellow's family.

All this makes for a beautiful story, a great film and some really funny moments.

Essentially, Grace Hawkins starts to make things better for everyone concerned, but does so in her own inimitable way. Unfortunately this does involve a spade and an iron as murder weapons and the use of the Goodfellow's pond as a suitable hiding place for the bodies!

Again, not wishing to over-egg the pudding with too many spoilers, I cannot say more than that, but it is a fantastic film to watch. We have seen it on many occasions and it is still funny on what is probably the fifth time of asking! It certainly has a longevity about it. It is written extremely well, by Richard Russo, who had the original idea, which was then reworked by Niall Johnson, who also directed the film.

So to the verdict. I'm guessing if tonight's viewing had been the first viewing of this film, then the TNiFN score could have reached a fantastic 10, however, and this is not to discredit or undermine the film at all, we scored it a hearty 9 out of 10. Well worth a watch.

Red - 6th August 2013

After a week off, due to other commitments, Tuesday Night is Film Night is back with a bang! This week we check out the thrilling, action, comedy adventure that is;

Red

A supreme stellar cast, set the screen alight in this action comedy. Based on a DC Comics graphic novel, Red follows a band of ex CIA operatives, who get back together after one of them becomes a target of an undercover government plot to cover up some nefarious activities by the now Vice-President of the USA.

Bruce Willis heads up the cast as Frank Moses, the target of the high tech assassins, due his involvement in an operation several years ago in Guatemala, basically he knows too much and needs, along with the others involved, to be silenced. Permanently.

Frank Moses, up unto this point was classified as Retired, but Extremely Dangerous, hence the title; RED, see? In fact the only excitement in his life up until this point, was contacting the pensions department to complain about his pension or lack of it.

His case worker for his pension woes is; Sarah Ross, played by the delightful Mary-Louise Parker. Frank and Sarah hit it off on the phone, but after his first assassination attempt, Frank ends up, uninvited at Sarah's apartment. She thinks this is all a bit weird and doesn't trust Frank to begin with and as the people out to kill Frank, will now be after Sarah too, Frank (who has a penchant for duct tape) kidnaps her! Trust me, it will make sense.

As the threats become greater, the action starts to spread across the States, as the hunted are tracked by the hunters. On their travels, avoiding the killers, Frank and Sarah start to pick up Frank's old cohorts from the CIA, namely; Marvin Boggs played beautifully and manically by John Malkovich. Joe Matheson an old black op's pro who has ended up in a nursing home! Played by the quintessentially cool dude; Morgan Freeman. The fourth side to this retired quadrumvirate brings some English glamour into the action, as the always gorgeous Helen Mirren plays out the role of Victoria.

Whilst on the subject of the cast, one should make note that the current CIA agent who is leading the assault on Frank and his team is William Cooper. Cooper is played magnificently by Karl Urban. There are roles as well for Brian Cox, Ernest Borgnine and Richard Dreyfuss, so a very accomplished cast hit the screen for our entertainment.

As to the film itself, it is a totally over-the-top, bullets flying, big bangs, wheel-squealing, car chasing, gun-toting, action packed adventure.

And we loved it!

Much in the same vein as Die Hard and films of that ilk, where the good guys are seemingly indestructible, Red follows the formulaic approach, but injects a load more comedy, throws in a bit of a love story, you end up rooting for the good guys and are intrigued to find out how they will get out of the next predicament that they find themselves in. Look out for some plot twists too.

Red is a superb action movie, yes it is OTT, but it's a laugh as well. And with Red 2 at the cinema's now, we have a guaranteed TNiFN follow up as soon as it is available on DVD.

So, to the all important and much mocked TNiFN scores. After a quick add up and a little division the score comes to a nowhere near Retiring, but an Extremely and Dangerously good;

8.7 out of 10.

Really must start rounding the numbers up or down!

Anyway, Red is a winner. Enjoy!

The Ghost - 23rd July 2013

Tuesday Night is Film Night takes to the political stage tonight, as we sample the mystery thriller that is;

The Ghost

Based on the novel by Robert Harris and directed by Roman Polanski, The Ghost (or The Ghost Writer) stars Ewan Mcgregor as a ghost writer bought in to continue writing the memoirs of ex British prime minister Adam Lang, played superbly by Pierce Brosnan. I say continue, as the previous ghost writer died in slightly mysterious circumstances.

And so we have a nameless ghost writer (McGregor) who starts to discover that his predecessor was uncovering slightly more than the political and private history of the former prime minister. In fact, as the surface is scratched even more, further evidence is brought to light that shows that former PM Lang had a darker history than was first imagined.

The problem with trying to review a story such as this, is the fact that there is a lot of information in the film, which is far too complex to place into words on this page. If I were to put too much information here, it would spoil the film, too little and you may not be enthralled enough to watch, but I would implore you to do so, as although the plot lines are far too complex to simplify here, it is a worthy 128 minutes of viewing.

What I can say though is that The Ghost is an intriguing, engaging, extremely watchable piece of political drama. There is a depth of information that is bought superbly from the page of the original Robert Harris novel, to the screen through some brilliant Polanski direction and some realistic, believable and dramatic acting from the talented cast.

McGregor is perfectly pitched as the unremarkable ghost writer, bought in to translate this remarkable story into book-form for Lang (Brosnan). Olivia Williams is spot on as the Wife to Lang, a somewhat disparaged character, bored of the political life style and a tad jealous of the mistress-like media-handler, come spin doctor; Amelia Bly, played perfectly by Kim Cattrall.

There are minor roles also for Tom Wilkinson (The Full Monty and The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel), who plays Paul Emmett, a name for Lang's past, that comes back to haunt him. Also, Robert Pugh, who plays Richard Rycart, another name from the past and present, out to confound Adam Lang. Pugh has probably been in every TV drama going and always puts in a sterling performance. 

The Ghost is not everyone's cup of tea, as it is a complex, but extremely believable and understandable (if you watch closely) piece of drama. It is engaging and intriguing, you are pulled along by the unfolding story, as complex layer upon layer is pulled back to reveal the dark secrets of the main characters.

The only moot point maybe the ending, I like a neat well balanced understandable ending, with loose ends tied up and plotlines rounded off, I felt The Ghost let me down in the last two minutes, but only slightly. Don't let this put you off, if you watch it, enjoy it and understand it, let me know and we can compare notes.

As for the TNiFN scores, The Ghost scores a well rounded and politically correct 6.3 out of 10. 

I wish we could be more consistent on scoring! And avoid the fractions! Of course, I could always say that the score was 19 out of 30!

Enjoy.

Wuthering Heights - 16th July 2013

Tuesday Night is Film Night takes on a classic story tonight, as we sample the 2011 adaptation of;

Wuthering Heights

Andrea Arnold wrote the screenplay, and directed this controversial 2011 adaptation of Emily Brontë's classic love story. This classic tale of obsessive love of Cathy, by Heathcliffe, takes a sombre turn, as Arnold defines a very bleak and moody dynamic with her screenplay.

Just to bring those who haven't read this Brontë classic up to date, it follows the life of a poor orphan boy; Heathcliffe, who is rescued from poverty and taken in by the Earnshaw family where he develops an intense relationship with his young foster sister, Cathy.

This movie is almost as dreary, bleak and desolate as the windswept Yorkshire moors, where it is set. Andrea Arnold opted to film with a lot of hand held cameras and jump-cut editing, with very dark, dismal and minimal lighting. As a result, the film is difficult to follow, the dialogue is very sparse in the first part of the film and doesn't really build any momentum at all.

I'm sure those of you with an eye for an artistic film, may jump to it's defence, but even with some stunning scenery, I'm afraid art or no art, this film is destined for the bargain bucket.

I cannot really add any further to this, I am sure there are better versions of the story out there, maybe one that may do justice to the Brontë original. This one however seemed to be art for art's sake. Even the use of strong language seemed to lend itself more to the arty-farty brigade, rather than adding some gritty gravitas to the story. Just because you introduce modern day swearing into a classic piece of literature, doesn't make it more of a classic, in fact it presents itself as being pretentious and self indulgent on the part of the director.

The only thing that could have saved this movie, would have been the appearance of Kate Bush, running over the windy moors, belting out her greatest hit!

In short; terrible.

In long; arty, pretentious and terrible.

As for the TNiFN scores; 3 out of 10.

Next!!