2012

Do you like the title? Eh, eh? It's still a film title, aren't I clever? Anyway, this blog shall be about the films I am most looking forward to in 2012 - I also have an appropriately matching poll on my blog at the moment, but that won't be there forever, whereas this post will!

Anyway, the line-up for 2012's blockbusters is insane! It's like Hollywood tapped inside my brain, fished out all my favourite things - Superheroes? check!, specifically Spider-Man and Batman? check! Christopher Nolan? check! The Lord of the Rings? sort of check! Chris Hemsworth? check, check! - and threw them left right and center at different production companies and directors until the following glorious ensemble of movies was created!

1. Avengers Assemble

   It's already out, but boy haven't we been waiting long for this one? It's only May but I can already say with relative confidence that this will be in 2012's top 10, as will the following films on this list I hope.
   I went to see this for a second time in 3D on Friday and I do actually believe that in some places it is an improvement.The vortex opened by the Tesseract is pretty cool in 3D, as is much of the final battle scene on the streets of New York. I also had the pleasure of seeing adverts for not one but two more films from this list: "Snow White and the Huntsman" and "Prometheus", as well as the trailer for "Dark Shadows", which also has strong potential to be a brilliant blockbuster!

2. The Amazing Spider-Man

    I loved Sam Raimi's original Spider-Man franchise with Toby Maguire and I believe the shots and special effects showing the web-slinger swing his way through Manhattan are still some of the coolest and most thrilling scenes in ay super-hero movie. That said, I have been pulled in by the allure of Marc Webb's (appropriate name right?) revamp, starring the incredibly talented and charismatic Andrew Garfield and the beautiful and hilarious Emma Stone. I love the dark twist, though that may be very unoriginal of me, but I'm hoping that this Spider-Man will be to Raimi's what Nolan's Batman was to Burton's: dare I say it? Gritty and dark!

3. The Dark Knight Rises

   Anyone out there who didn't love "The Dark Knight" is probably not the sort of person who's going to read my thoughts on films and any super-hero fan worth their salt is by now getting rather desperate to see this latest installment in Nolan's Batman series. 
  However, the build up to this film began so long ago and expectations have been so high that it's getting to the point where people are asking if it can really ever live up to all the hype. I say, if anyone can achieve such a film, it's Christopher Nolan.
   Batman is one of my favourite super-heroes (second to Spider-Man funnily enough). He faces perhaps the best villains of any hero franchises and holds one of the best back-stories (up there with Spider-Man again). There is a rich abundance of Batman history and characters that should mean that Nolan can't have run out of steam and won't be reproducing a Batman film we've seen before. He's brought us multiple new characters and faces: Bane, who is a completely different breed of villain to characters such as Ra's Al Ghul ("Batman Begins") or the Joker or Two-Face ("The Dark Knight"). Added to this we have Hathaway's Catwoman (or Selina Kyle), who should mix things up a bit with her ambivalent alliances and other additions such as Gordon-Levitt's policeman John Blake and Cotillard's Miranda Tate, of whom little is still known. This could be the best film of the year (bar "the Hobbit" perhaps) if Nolan achieves its potential.

4. The Hobbit

   Since I was 11, "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy has remained on the top of my film list. Until I die, no matter what technological advancements the movie industry sees, even if they manage to resurrect Heath Ledger and he and Chris Hemsworth do a buddy cop movie, LOTR will always be a perfect film in my eyes.
   It has what is probably the best story ever told at its center, some of the best set pieces of any film ever and an ensemble cast that cannot be beaten, even by "Avengers Assemble".
   Now, almost 10 years after "The Return of the King" left our screens, we are being presented with an additional not one but TWO movies to savour and love. And what makes this that bit more perfect is that "the Hobbit" ended up being directed by the man who brought us the originals. Is there any way this film could be anything but awesome? I'd be amazed if Peter Jackson managed that.

5. Prometheus

   The "Alien" saga is  a classic, we all know this, and there could be an argument for it holding some of the greatest horror films and thrillers of all time.The alien itself I would class as being the best, most original and most stylistically perfect movie monster ever. There are so many levels to it: The monster itself, the eggs, the face-huggers, the different forms the alien can take, the acid blood, etc. It's so well thought through. And many argue that Ridley Scott's entry, the first film in the saga, remains the most frightening. It creates suspense and oozes horror better than any other film I've seen.
   This new installment is still a bit mysterious to us as it would appear that Earth's heroes face a different foe, but one that we all presume must hold some link to the eponymous alien creature. And I believe that is this film's greatest asset at the moment. It is perhaps the film that has gauged my curiosity more than any other this year. Even after the new trailer, with lengthier clips and more dialogue, we still have no idea really what's going on and I really, really want to know!
P.s. What a cast ay? Michael Fassbender, Noomi Rapace, Idris Elba and Rafe frikkin' Spall!

6. Snow White and the Huntsman

   I guess this year everyone's noticed the oddity that is two Snow White films turning up at once. There have of course been other adaptations since the classic Disney version in 1937, like "Snow White: A Tale of Terror" in 1997 or that random TV version with Lana from "Smallville". But these few and scattered attempts have spanned over seventy years and now we have two such films coming out within a few months of each other!
   "Snow White and the Huntsman" has seemed to me destined to be the greater film (as opposed to "Mirror Mirror") from the word go. Once again, the director has chosen the dark, sinister path that has made some of this decades most popular franchises. There is a far greater focus here on battles and good versus evil, on the sadistic nature of the queen and the struggle of Snow White to become an empowered young woman than on the traditional fairy tale romance of "boy saves weak girl in need". There is a prince but from what I can tell he forms a very small part of the story. The seven dwarfs, sorry, make that eight here, also seem to play a relatively small role. In fact, one could argue that this film barely represents the traditional children's story we're all so familiar with. Then again, that's not necessarily a bad thing.
   We all enjoy a fresh new take on a well-known tale. Christopher Nolan's Batman did so well because it was an incredibly modernised interpretation of a character who has seen many portrayals in film, TV and literature. If this Snow White is to really capture our attention and stick in our memories, it has to be something new. Also, I'm very happy with the focus on the Huntsman as he is played by Thor (OK, Chris Hemsworth, but here he's clearly just being a dark-haired Thor) and carries far more appeal than Sam Claflin's (bleh) Prince. I'm also hoping that there will be less focus on this "fairer than them all" business, as I don't think that I could sit through two hours of people telling me that not only is Kristen Stewart hotter than Charlize Theron (mmhmmm....), but that she is fairer than them all!

In summary, 2012 is gonna be off the hook!!!

Great Expectations

I was greatly conflicted about my expectations for Marvel/Joss Whedon's "Avengers Assemble", released last Thursday after four years of build-up since "Iron Man"1. Part of me thought it could never live up to the hype, which was inevitably huge, or harness well all six of the team (especially the key four: Thor, Iron Man, Cap America and the Hulk). It could have fallen into the great pit created by "Spider-Man 3", with its multitude of heroes and villains destroying any cohesion in the film. On the other hand, part of me was so excited I kept squealing intermittently on the train journey to Cineworld. Well ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls,.... It totally lived up to the hype! "Avengers Assemble" demonstrates the pure, unbridled cinematic talent of Joss Whedon, seen in his first  movie venture "Serenity" and indeed in the very recent "Cabin in the Woods", but which also must be noted in his TV masterpieces with there fantastic ensembles and brilliant combo of humour, horror, emotion and entertainment! See "Buffy" and "Angel" for probably Whedon's finest moments.

What was so great about "Avengers Assemble"? Where to begin?! Ok, lets start with the cast and the Avengers themselves. I, as you all know, am a MASSIVE Thor fan. Loved the film, love Chris Hemsworth (I need a good nickname for that boy...), love the humour and the characters. I definitely was expecting to love his character the most, though with Iron Man as a close second. I was definitely not expecting much from ScarJo and Jeremy Renner, whose characters seem redundant when fighting next to a demi-God, a hulk, a super soldier and a man in a metal suit which flies and is covered in guns! I worried that the film wouldn't acknowledge or be able to work with the clear lack of equilibrium between powers. And with such a big cast of leads, one always fears some will get too much attention and some too little. My worries were unfounded. 

The Avengers + S.H.I.E.L.D agents + Joss W

One of the best things about this film is the abundance of fight scenes and conflict. Before our heroes even get to fighting Loki they have to become a cohesive unity and that - with such diverse personalities at play - naturally leads to some initial conflict. Thor vs Captain America and Iron Man? Genius. And the pièce de résistance of such inner-clashes is that it allows Whedon to acknowledge their differing abilities and varying power: there's no way Black Widow stands a chance one-on-one with the Hulk for example and this is clear in the film. Nevertheless, ScarJo does not seem redundant as I feared. In a battle against Loki there's no question, she - and Renner's Hawkeye - would lose, but in a war their powers do come in handy. Furthermore, all the characters get decent coverage, though you can't help but think Stark (or Robert Downey Jr) will always steal the show somewhat. I loved all the characters, even the infamously boring Bruce Bannar, played by Mark Ruffalo who I am definitely learning to appreciate. No character is without a good script, a decent back story, depth of personality and some funny one-liners. I can't say who was my favourite really... Captain America certainly nabbed a place in my heart with his endearing and in no way annoying dedication to what is right and to a higher purpose. With such large, unruly and eratic characters such as the Hulk, Thor and Iron Man, the Cap is a necessity! No actor let his character down. The casting - which when I first noted it made me go "Who ARE half these people??" - is pure genius.

Creepy right?

As for non-Avengers casting, Samuel L Jackson was of course BORN to play Nick Fury. That man has, like his wallet, "Bad-ass" written all over him. And, like his co-stars, in this film he is allowed to bring more depth and character to his role. He genuinely moved me in multiple scenes. Oh Nick, I have so much love for you and your eye patch. Tom Hiddleston also has the villainous Loki down. I would not trust that boy with a barge pole. He's cruel, he's deranged, but he's a genius, and despite the other heroes' superior physical powers, he has them wrapped around his finger for a  large portion of the film. Hiddleston brings emotion but also pure sinister-ness to this former Ice Giant. Ice being the operative word. I must also mention Agent Coulson, who since the post-credits scene in "Iron Man" has been bringing out heroes together, preparing them for a time when the Earth will need them and need them to work together. He also gets fleshed out in this film with some new and very lovable character traits: His dedication to the Avengers initiative and his fan-boy-crush on Captain America.

Thor and the Captain mid-battle

The battles and the adventure aspects are what we're all really going to see at the end of the day - and hot men in tight suits naturally - and this film brings it and brings it hard! As I said, there are battles against Loki but also some instances of Avenger#1 vs Avenger#2. Each hero has a completely different power and so no fight scene is the same. You have your hammer-wielding God who packs an ENORMOUS punch; your faster-than-a-human-should-ever-be-able-to-run Captain America who was trained as a more traditional soldier; your shiny metal suit which has unlimited gadgets and, of course, flies; and you have your in-no-way-subtle giant green angry dude. The main battle is of course the final battle in which Loki attempts to unleash hell on earth. Though it may be argued that the villains which accompany him are of no real character or particular originality, the amazing force which the Avengers unleash on them certainly is. It's exciting, its of a good length - unlike the fights which end "Iron Man" 1 and 2 and "Captain America" -, and its diverse. Those Avengers sure do know a lot of ways to kill. This film is as colourful in plot, characters and action as a true Marvel film should be. The final fight VERY much resembles the end of "Transformers 3", but you know, if T3 was frikkin' awesome!

I say to everyone, see this film. No exceptions. It will grab you and not let you go til the end. It had me laughing out loud consistently, it had me on the edge of my seat and it had me in tears at a couple of points which I will leave you to discover for yourself. There is no genre or atmosphere Whedon can't master - as "CITW" also demonstrated very well. As I said, this film is a super hero movie, but as Marvel have been learning to do quite well since beginning this adventure with "Iron Man", it encompasses character, strong plot, humour, darkness, and pure, unhinged adventure. Oh, to watch it again straight away! Trust me, it will happen this week. The Avengers assembled and they assembled well!

P.s. I very much enjoyed Empire's online review of this film, I agree with pretty much all of its points. Check it out if you desire better-written, well-articulated praise of AA, though, I will say that I would add another star to its four-star judgement.