Film Reviews: Action & Comedy Genres

In 2014, so far, I've watched these films:

• About Time
• Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa
• Iron Man Three
• Man Of Steel
• Red 2
• The Hangover Part III
• The Internship
• The World's End
• We're The Millers

About Time is based in London and Cornwall. It's the story of nice middle class family, headed up by Bill Nighy's character who passes on a secret to his son. This is where the film declares itself to be charmingly silly rather than sinister... the men in the family can travel back in time for a do-over, by hiding in a dark cupboard, clenching fists and concentrating on the time and place to be visited, which has to be within their own timeline.
Summary: a little bit of sadness and a lot of laughs. Excellent casting by a 'Withnail' and 'Uncle Monty' fan? Nighy was brilliant.

Alpha Papa is as good as the Alan Partridge TV series so if you are a fan, you will like it. I thought it was quite good.

Iron Man Three had a few moments of over-doing the destruction of Tony Stark's house otherwise the film was first-rate, with the usual brand of humour and Stan Lee cameo. Overly long credits worth sitting through for the post-credit scene with... well, you'll find out if you stick with it.

The story, casting and Superman's costume in Man Of Steel are great. Enjoyable until the battle between Kal-El and General Zod gets out of hand and destroys every building within three miles then has to step up so half the Earth gets destroyed (I'm not sure really because after what seemed like hours of samey fighting and simulated destruction, my mind had wandered). It ended well, though. Does Superman look a bit like Andy Murray?

Red 2 seemed very similar to the original but never mind because it was played for laughs all the way. Special mention to Helen Mirren's performance - she surely had some of the best lines in the film and delivered them brilliantly.

The Hangover Part III was missing a hangover!!! A more mature approach from most of the cast and a funny film that seemed to underline the message 'no more hangover sequels'.

I only saw half of The Internship but I was really getting into it and will have to watch it again, to the end. It's about two experienced out-of-work sales guys who fluke their way onto an Internship challenge at Google. Formulaic but fun.

The World's End was quite good. I will need to watch it again but on DVD so that I can pause to fully recognise parts of Letchworth and Welwyn Garden City. Weird ending.

We're The Millers was a bit of fun. A grittier start for Jennifer Aniston who plays a stripper who then, as the film progresses, turns back into the typical sweet caring Jennifer Aniston character we're used to. A 'real life Ned Flanders' and his family adds to the comedy. Entertaining - definitely on the winding-down watch-list.

BP2

Book Reviews 2013

I downloaded a number of books this summer, including some classics. The ones I have read most recently are still in my memory and will be briefly reviewed here:

• Treasure Island - Robert Louis Stevenson
• Rushed - Brian Harmon
• Officer Jones - Derek Ciccone
• The Travel Auction - Mark Green

I had the Treasure Island book as a child but couldn't get into it. As an adult, I enjoyed reading it. Possibly some of the hero's feats are dubious but a good story and a happy ending puts this on my recommended book list. (UK)

The humorous telephone banter in Rushed kept me company during my journey with the main character, who was on a mystery quest that came to him in a recurring dream. The story itself was mostly interesting, as were most of the other characters who were introduced in the story-telling. Personally, I thought that the mystery should have been left as such at the end of the book because I felt that the explanation was a let-down. However, the 'hero' is worth getting to know and I would recommend this book as a worthy read - you may even like the ending. (USA)

A well-written novel about a TV news journalist who travels to the world's trouble spots and decides to cover one more job... after which he returns to his home town and the story focuses on Officer Jones, an exemplary cop with a perfect military and police background, apparently. It's a good investigative journalist story with a bit of a love interest. Formulaic, perhaps, but don't let that put you off, it's a good read and the characters in the book are so well described that they become people you feel you know. I wouldn't be surprised to see this as a TV mini-series. (USA)

The Travel Auction by Mark Green is a breath of fresh air. It's boy meets girl with a difference. I felt like a privileged friend to both as they shared their travel experiences and thoughts throughout the book. Amazingly, no - brilliantly - there was no gratuitous sex throughout the book, which some authors feel compelled to use in lieu of confident story-telling (I'm not saying that there's no sex). It has humour, drama and plot set in a travellers' guide to South America. I loved this book and thoroughly recommend it. According to the author's website, the paperback version may be available now/soon - a great stocking filler! (UK)

Reading Sir ACD's Sherlock Holmes

Thanks to a free download from Amazon book store to my kindle, I've been reading through the full Sherlock Holmes stories for a while now and I'll be sorry when I'm finished (which I nearly have, so I've slowed down) because I'll miss the companionship of Holmes and Watson. Sounds odd, I know.

Another odd thing I noticed while reading was that, in my head, Sherlock Holmes' dialogue was delivered in the style and voice of Jonny Lee Miller (from the SkyTV series "Elementary") yet my head-based Watson was played by Martin Freeman.

Of note: Moriarty barely featured in the books, same with Irene Adler, both hyped up from the original stories. I also recognised a few expressions that had been 'borrowed' from the stories, too. Not so many as from Shakespeare's works, of course, but interesting (I never could get to grips with Will's style of writing). Thumbs up for ACD!

Here's a link to the free downloadable version: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/1661

Film Review: The Watch

Not to be confused with The Watch in the Discworld novels. 

Starring: Ben Stiller, Vince Vaughn, Richard Ayoade and Jonah Hill.
Synopsis: four men form a Neighbourhood Watch group, the local police are rude, there are aliens.

Two of us watched this film and had contrasting opinions. It began with the CostCo night-watchman irresponsibly getting drunk then murdered, the police didn't take it seriously. His manager and friend, played by Stiller, appeals for help to find the killer and the other 3 co-stars turn up to half-heartedly form the Watch, the police didn't take them seriously. The Watch members get drunk but not killed, although someone else does, which is when the Watch discover an alien.

At some point, there's an orgy and a separate episode involving a teenage daughter and her gross boyfriend. The film ends where it began - at CostCo. I won't describe how it ends as the last half an hour was the most engaging of the whole film and, should you watch it, I don't want to spoil it for you.

Summary:
Him: "after the first half hour, it was quite good".
Me: "75% was total rubbish, the end bit was OK".