Doctor Who: The Day Of The Doctor (Nick Hurran, 2013) Review

I'm back! Yeah! And what a way to kick off my return with a review of...something that is technically not a film but on the other hand it could perfectly qualify as one (well, it defines the dictionary definition of both 'film' and 'movie'). The main reason being that, if you are a big Doctor Who fan like me, you could see it in the cinema...and I did. The 50th anniversary episode of Doctor Who was shown in cinemas so it certainlly qualifies. So what about my 'Top 10 Films of 2013' list...well it would have to be qualify before we even argue about it.

The 11th Doctor (Matt Smith) and his companion Clara (Jenna Coleman) are summoned to UNIT's base in London in order to investigate a painting of the destruction of Galifrey, the Doctor's homeworld. Time portals open to reveal the 10th Doctor (David Tennant) hunting down Zygons in 18th century England and the Doctor during the Time War, known as the War Doctor (John Hurt), having to make a horrific decision. The three Doctors band together to not only stop the Zygons from taking over present day London but to also make sure that the War Doctor makes the correct decision.

I think the first thing that came to mind when watching this is that it reminded me how great David Tennant was in the role and it's excellent to see him return. Matt Smith certainly proves his worth this time around especially if you weren't that convinced by him before hand. Lastly, John Hurt just seems like an actor who will never lose his touch. The three work off each other very well and it's good to see the film make use of side characters such as Clara too. The writing has definitely improved from the series, especially considering that this is a Steven Moffat script which are usually convoluted and a bit too much. The 'film' benefits from a feature-length run time and definitely feels like an actual Doctor Who movie.

I do have a few complaints however. While the primary story about the War Doctor is great, the Zygon sub-story starts off fine but is dropped completely towards the end. We never see an outcome or any kind of resolution to it. I can also see some people getting annoyed by the portrayal of Elizabeth I but it didn't really bug me that much as she did come in handy in the second half. This is a personal point but I do think that we needed more characters for the 50th Anniversary. You could argue that the episode Journey's End was grander but the second half of Day of the Doctor makes up for this with a spectacular finale for one of my favourite cinematic moments this year. I was also a bit miffed at how small of an appearance Billie Piper makes

The Day of the Doctor is a pretty damn good way to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Doctor Who. The three leads compliment each other very well and work off each other, leading to some great moments (both spectacular and hilarious). The writing is much stronger than the actual show and, while it does have some flaws, was worth watching in the cinema. If I saw this on TV, it would probably be a 7/10 but the grand spectacle of it on the big screen earns it an extra 0.5 as well as one of the best cameos this year next to Thor: The Dark World (not Stan Lee) and a great ending.

Verdict:
7.5/10
A cinematic treat. There are some flaws regarding sub-plots but the surprisingly good writing and great acting makes for a memorable movie event.

Parenthood (Ron Howard, 1989) Review

I know I've been failing on the quantity of reviews recently but there are plenty of reasons why...or just one but, hey, let's just get this show on the road. Considering that there are plenty of films out in the cinema that look great...it's time to talk about a film that came out more than 20 years ago...yeeeah, I'm sure I'll get to the cinema eventually...Gravity looks pretty good...

Gil Buckman (Steve Martin) is a father of three with his wife Karen (Mary Steenburgen) who has to deal with his problem childern, his 'black-sheep' brother Larry (Tom Hulce) and being a likable father and providing for his kids. He's not the only one having parent trouble as his realative Helen (Diane Wiest) has to raise her two kids after her husband abandons them. Her daughter is bringing home what seems like a sleeze and her son is very distant. Lastly is Nathan Huffer (Rick Moranis) who has to deal with his estranged wife while making sure his daughter is a straight-A student.

I admire what the film is doing. I enjoy it when films have multiple characters and stories to develop them. It's refreshing to see multiple narratives that run parallel to each other yet are still connected and cross-over every now and then. This means that we get some genuinely engaging with likable characters who the actors do justice. The heart-warming story is assisted by good humour and good character development (the ending to Larry's story is...heart-breaking yet sadly realistic). It's runs on realism and making the situation relatable.

The film is well-written and uses humour well yet still manages to make a heart-warming story. Diane Wiest is probably the stand-out actor in this film along side a surprisingly deep role from Keanu Reeves. Steve Martin brings his usual routine that he has perfected and it's good to see Rick Moranis play against type by NOT being a pathetic dweeb. The ending is bitter-sweet to say the least but it ends the story with most of the loose ends tied up.

Parenthood was a good surprise and one of the stronger films that fall within Steve Martin's usual routine. It does what it sets out to do by delivering a heart-warming story with good acting (with an brilliant performance from Diane Wiest). I could see how this film is relatable and creates a realistic family setting. Next time, I'm sure I'll get round to reviewing a modern film...or a film that rocked my mind...I really don't know what happened for that last 2 hours...

Verdict:
7/10
A well-written, heart-warming story that uses humour and realism to make a relatable and enjoyable flick.

Thor: The Dark World (Alan Taylor, 2013) Review

I think it's safe to say that it hasn't been the best of years for films (we were spoilt last year with greatness) and my evidence for this being that the last film I saw in the cinema was Pacific Rim...that was back in July. Now it's November and I finally got around to watching a new film in the cinema and the next in line in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Thor: The Dark World.

After the events of Avengers Assemble, Loki (Tom Hiddleston) is brought before Odin (Anthony Hopkins) and is sent to the Asgard dungeon for the rest of his days. Asgard can't rest easy though, as a threat from Asgard's part, Malekith the Accursed (Christopher Eccleston), for as returned to find a powerful energy known as the Aether. Back on Earth, Jane Foster (Natatlie Portman) learns about portals found in London which lead to a realm known as The Dark World where the Ether is kept. Thor (Chris Hemsworth) takes Jane with the Ether back to Asgard to find a way to harness it and stop Malekith from reeking havoc.

One of the biggest complaints about the first Thor was that people just wanted all out action rather than a fish-out-of-water story with Thor getting his powers back. This is the Thor film those people wanted as it is just all out action (with a very unique fight scene which I've heard being described as Portal meets Mortal Kombat...Portal Kombat). This, however, means that it takes a while to REALLY get started as it just seems dull to begin with. The second half is excellent though and the settings are nicer (London is much nicer than New Mexico...did I just say that out loud?) and it's very nice to see more of Asgard (although I was expecting to see more of Thor's friends but there is somehow LESS of them than the first film).

When Avengers Assemble came out, the character that exploded in popularity was Loki so it was expected that he would return as a main character but I didn't expect him to be the best thing about the film. Tom Hiddleston proves that he can still keep up a great role and gets better every time and leads to some of the films funniest moments (one of which features one of the best movie cameos I have ever seen). Malekith was mixed for me. He has a great design (and considering how impossibly stupid he looks in the comics, is saying a lot) and his powers offer a great fight scene but in terms of personality and voice, he isn't very unique (which is disappointing considering that he sounded better in the trailer).

Thor: The Dark World is not as good as the first film but damn is it close. The only thing that really makes it inferior is the dull first act but it makes up for it with a spectacular second half. The action is great (mostly thanks to a very unique fight sequence), it looks very impressive for the most part, the characters are still as we remember them and is a worthy addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Verdict:
7.5/10
While not as good as the first, it captures what Thor does best and makes for some unique moments and great action.

Also stick around for the credits...it's a Marvel film, I shouldn't have to tell you that now.

The Road to El Dorado (Eric Bergeron and Will Fin, 2000) Review

Have you noticed that people like to use the word "under-rated" even when a film statistically isn't under-rated? The misusing of the word is what I'm getting at. I will admit I have some films I like that are under-rated (based on imdb and Rotten Tomatoes). This also marks my first traditional animated Dreamworks film review which means that there may be some good films on the horizon like The Prince of Egypt but let's take a look at the only Dreamworks film to never make a profit...The Road to El Dorado.

In 1519 Spain, two swindlers called Miguel (Kenneth Branagh) and Tulio (Kevin Kline) cheat their way through a game of dice and end up wining a map leading to the fabled city of gold, El Dorado. After being found out, the two find themselves on the ship of Cortez (Jim Cummings) who decides to make them slaves on their voyage to Cuba. Miguel and Tulio break out and find themselves on an desert island where they find El Dorado itself. Upon arriving, they are thought to be gods by the citizens and keep up the facade to steal their gold and pull off the biggest scam in history.

Why must we live in a world where awful films like Shark Tale made a profit and yet this film didn't. Why do I say this. Because I think that this is one hell of a film. The film lends itself to traditional animation in order to capture the cartooney yet realistic style that fits the film so well. The idea behind the film was to make an animated film that didn't focus on a hero and instead put sidekick-esque characters in the leading role and it makes for two very likable and memorable protagonists. Kenneth Branagh and Kevin Kline share such a strong chemistry like that of John Goodman and Billy Crystal in Monsters Inc. and make Miguel and Tulio that much better characters. Even the villain, Tzekel-Kan, manages to escape being generic and with Armand Assante hamming up the performance. 

Arguably the film's strongest aspect is the music. This was to be expected considering that it's provided by the same team behind The Lion King's legendary soundtrack. Is it on the same level? If it isn't, it's pretty damn close. The main theme starts the film off with a magnificent and triumphant bang with other songs doing what songs in films SHOULD do, convey the emotions of the characters like 'Friends Never Say Goodbye' does. While it is a little bit odd that the characters sing one song themselves and leave the rest up to Elton John's non-diegetic songs but 'It's Tough To Be God' is so damn catchy that it's easy to forgive. Even the background music is magnificent with the talented duo of Hans Zimmer and John Powell.

It really saddens me that The Road to El Dorado was a flop because I would've loved to see more from Miguel and Tulio (well, as long as Kenneth Branagh and Kevin Kline stayed on board). It puzzles me as to why is was a flop or why it's currently under 50% on Rotten Tomatoes (THAT really perplexes me). With very memorable and likable character accompanied by top notch voice acting, an absolutely amazing soundtrack (both vocal and background) and beautiful animation (with maybe one or two moments of CGI that sticks out). The Road to El Dorado is one of the many reasons why I miss traditionally animated films but it's sure as hell better than most animated films in recent history.

Verdict:
9/10
Such a magnificent film and easily one of Dreamworks best. Why it flopped...I have absolutely no idea.

Coraline (Henry Selick, 2009) Review

I think it's an interesting point that I've not only already done a spot frame animated film but this is also the second one to be directed by Henry Selick...maybe he should stop being a freaky weirdo (sorry, sir). Now, A Nightmare Before Christmas is obviously a Halloween related film...and Christmas but more so Halloween. What does Coraline have to do with that or, failing that, is it the least bit scary...oh, you have no idea.

The Jones family recently moved into an old shared house old in the middle of nowhere. The daughter, Coraline (Dakota Fanning) feels ignored by her parents (Terri Hatcher and John Hodgman) and gets bored so she decides to explore their new home. Doing so, she finds a hidden passage that, obviously, she goes through. Coraline finds herself in a parallel world where everyone's eyes are replaced by buttons. She finds that in this world, her parents are much more attentive and treat her well. While this world seems all well and good, slowly the truth behind the other world is revealed and Coraline has to escape from her Other Mother.

Going in, I had no idea what to think think. Literally, no idea. Coming out...I can conclude that this is a pretty damn scary film. It worries me that this was targeted at kids considering some of the frightening imagery in this. Now, scary kids in films is fine in small doses like the pink elephants in Dumbo but, when it's a whole film of freaking imagery, I have to wonder if this is really a kids film. It proves to me that films like this are definitely scarier than any, so called, 'horror' film like Paranormal Activity can be (i.e. not scary in the slightest no matter how hard it tries). It doesn't rely on jump scares and simply uses imaginative characters and scenarios for raw horror.

Something I learnt about Coraline is that it was it was originally supposed to be a musical much like A Nightmare Before Christmas. Initially I didn't mind the change but considering that They Might Be Giants would be behind the soundtrack, I think we missed our chance for an excellent soundtrack (one short song is left in and it's great...and works in context). Since I can't think of a better segway, let's talk about the actors. Teri Hatcher does a great job as both mothers. She plays the real one as bored and uninterested however the Other Mother is played bi-polar with the calm and attentive side before switching to the cruel and terrifying performance. It's also good to see Dakota Fanning...put effort into a role. This and My Neighbour Totoro are the only films that I can think of where she does a good job. She just seems bored in other films but I guess I'll save that for other films.

Coraline is a well animated, good looking and genuinely scary film from stop fame mastermind Henry Selick. The voice actors do great jobs, especially Dakota Fanning and Teri Hatcher, and offers some imaginative scenarios and supporting characters. While I personally prefer A Nightmare Before Christmas mostly because I prefer the characters and designs, but I wouldn't argue with anyone that said Coraline is the stronger film...because it could possibly be. 

Verdict:
8/10
It looks good and is well animated, has great voice acting and is genuinely scary.

It (Tommy Lee Wallace, 1990) Review

Now it appears that I have been a bit too generous this month and haven't exactly review any bad films. Well I think it's time to change that and tackle a film that really SHOULD be scary but ends up being god damn hilarious. Sure, I'm freaked out by scary clowns and I haven't really seen a film that exploits peoples fear of clowns except this one so...let's take a look at It...great name for a film, by the way. (Yes, I know it is TECHNICALLY a mini-series but it can be viewed as one boringly long film).

In 1960, a group of high school outcasts realise that the town they live in is terrorised by a sadistic evil clown known as Pennywise (Tim Curry) who has been killing children with the brother of one of the kids being the most notable. They band together to take the clown down. 20 years later after the defeat of Pennywise, he is back and is now out for revenge against the now grown up group. It's now up to them to defeat the clown once and for all.

You may have noticed that the only character whose name and actor I mentioned is Pennywise. The reason for this is because everyone else in this film is unbelievably dull. The only kid character I remember well is Richie and that is only because he's played by Seth Green. This therefore means that, when someone dies, there is no sorrow to be had because I just don't care for them. However, where the main characters fall down, this only enhances Pennywise. Tim Curry is freaking hilarious. I'm not sure whether or not he is SUPPOSED to be funny but he really is. I'm sure fans of the Nostalgia Critic know which scene is one my mind at the moment ("Do you have Prince Albert in a can?") and props to the make-up guys because it is truly hard to tell that that is Tim Curry.

Tim Curry holds his film all together and would be god awful if it wasn't for him. The special effects are dreadful, the script is dire and the story is not very good. There is no explanation for where Pennywise came from or why he does what he does. Don't watch this film if you want explanations...you're not getting any (seems to be a theme with Stephen King's works).

It is only worth a watch to watch Tim Curry mess around as an evil clown. That statement should be on the DVD cover considering that it's the only selling point. Everything is pretty dull. Not necessarily terrible (well, some things are terrible), just dull. Dull is the word that best describes this film/mini-series/whatever the hell it is. Not really worth a watch unless you want to see a hilarious role from Tim Curry

Verdict;
3.5/10
There is only one reason to watch this, Tim Curry.

A Nightmare on Elm Street (Wes Craven, 1984) Review

Continuing on with the nightmares (first there was a nightmare before Christmas, now there's a nightmare on Elm Street!) is our first proper HORROR film with blood and all the good stuff. Now I am aware that this film did spawn a big franchise consisting of many films but we're just dealing with the first one for now. I may review them at a later date but I've got to watch them first. Let's just take a look at A Nightmare on Elm Street.

On Elm Street, a group of teenagers are being tormented in their dreams by a clawed assailant known as Fred Krueger (Robert Englund). When Krueger kills one of them in their dream, they die in real life meaning that one teen, Nancy Thompson  (Heather Langenkamp), is left to battle Kruger in the dreamworld and bring him to the real world. There is also a mystery surrounding Krueger's origins and what Nancy's mother (Ronee Blakley) knows about him. 

I couldn't really continue without pointing out that, yes, this is Johnny Depp's first ever acting role. With that out of the way, one thing that I love about this film, and considering that it's a horror film it definitely benefits from this, is that I had absolutely no idea what direction this film was going. There are a lot of fake outs and hope spots that work in the films favour but, that being said, maybe it relies a bit too heavily on that. There isn't as much suspense as their could be and I feel that showing Freddy more would've worked. I know the best horror films keep the monster off screen or a majority of the film like Alien or Jaws but that's because their silent killers. Freddy relies on black comedy which isn't shown off as often as it could be.

While on the topic of Freddy Krueger, Robert Englund basically IS Freddy. 'Nuff said. I also enjoyed Heather Lagenkamp's performance as she managed to convey Nancy's character arc and development that came with surprisingly complex story. Even more so, the ending is............interesting. It is definitely up to interpretation and it's interesting to learn that the director himself hated it...and I can see why. It definitely kills the mood and left me with an awkward feeling.

All in all, A Nightmare on Elm Street does it's job of making a good horror film. While I feel that Freddy should've been explored more and that he needed more attention, the acting is good for the most part and the effects are effective (I guess that's why their called effects...) and I had no idea where the film was going. That's always a plus with horror films. I guess the biggest flaw is that it is very very 80s...VERY 80s....

Verdict:
7/10
It has many flaws however it makes up for these flaws with good acting and genuinely good horror.