All good film trailers come in two’s! Not to be outdone by yesterday’s epic 1 minute TV spot of The Avengers, good ol’ Spidey has popped up with some new footage of his own in a brand new trailer. This take is clearly different from Sam Raimi’s earlier trilogy, but it doesn’t look any less impressive. The checkboxes for web-slinging, wall-crawling, and wisecracking are all ticked, and the darker tone may yet prove to be beneficial. With Spider-Man joining The Avengers and The Dark Knight Rises in theaters later this year, this summer is shaping up to be particularly epic for comic book fans. Check out the trailer and synopsis after the jump.

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“The Amazing Spider-Man” is the story of Peter Parker (Garfield), an outcast high schooler who was abandoned by his parents as a boy, leaving him to be raised by his Uncle Ben (Sheen) and Aunt May (Field). Like most teenagers, Peter is trying to figure out who he is and how he got to be the person he is today. Peter is also finding his way with his first high school crush, Gwen Stacy (Stone), and together, they struggle with love, commitment, and secrets. As Peter discovers a mysterious briefcase that belonged to his father, he begins a quest to understand his parents’ disappearance – leading him directly to Oscorp and the lab of Dr. Curt Connors (Ifans), his father’s former partner. As Spider-Man is set on a collision course with Connors’ alter-ego, The Lizard, Peter will make life-altering choices to use his powers and shape his destiny to become a hero.

Starring | Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Rhys Ifans, Martin Sheen and Sally Field.

Director | Marc Webb                  Release Date | July 3, 2012

Back in October 2011, we got our first look at The Avengers with an impressive debut trailer. As it nears its release date of May 4 (mark it in your calendars folks), more snippets of footage are making their way to the web. This action packed TV spot which aired during the Super Bowl last night is guaranteed to have anticipation at a fever pitch. Hit the jump to watch a whole minute of pure awesomeness.

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My favourite parts…

• Iron Man takes on the aliens pretty much single-handed. I wonder, any chance of a War Machine cameo?

• AVENGERS ASSEMBLE! Great group shot of the entire team ready for battle. Give Scarlett something better than a tiny pistol though, she looks out of place. At least Cap has a fancy shield.

• The entire conversation between Loki and Stark. Loki: “I have an army”. Stark: “We have a HULK”. AKA We’re about to mess you up!

• Hulk accentuates Stark’s point with his signature move: a leap and a smash. And a roar.

What did you think of The Avengers Super Bowl TV Spot? Excited for May 4? Sound off in the comments below or let us know on Twitter.

‘Marvel Studios presents in association with Paramount Pictures “Marvel’s The Avengers”–the Super Hero team up of a lifetime, featuring iconic Marvel Super Heroes Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Thor, Captain America, Hawkeye and Black Widow. When an unexpected enemy emerges that threatens global safety and security, Nick Fury, Director of the international peacekeeping agency known as S.H.I.E.L.D., finds himself in need of a team to pull the world back from the brink of disaster. Spanning the globe, a daring recruitment effort begins’.

Starring | Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Samuel L. Jackson, Mark Ruffalo and Scarlett Johansson.

Director | Joss Whedon

Being the start of a new year and all, one phrase which I heard a lot of last month was ‘start as you mean to go on’. If that is to be an allegory for films in 2012 then it will be a very satisfying year as the standard of films in January was fantastic. This month, we have our first of four helpings of super-heroism, the return of beloved characters guaranteed to cause nostalgia for some, and much more. Read on for previews on all of February’s big releases.

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Chronicle (Out Feb 1)

You may remember watching a TV show called Heroes back in 2006. For those who aren’t familiar with the phrase ‘save the cheerleader, save the world’, the show was about people all over the world discovering they have powers and how that discovery affects their lives. It’s no surprise then that the trailer for Chronicle triggers memories of that once great show, as it too features teenagers who have mysteriously come into powers with funny – and calamitous – results. It’s Heroes on a bigger scale, and with impressive looking visuals and a trailer full of intrigue, odds are good that Chronicle will start off February strongly.

Starring | Michael B. Jordan, Michael Kelly, Dane DeHaan, Ashley Hinshaw, Alex Russell and Anna Wood.

Director | Josh Trank                      Certificate | 12A                              Run Time | 1 hour 23 minutes

Carnage (Out Feb 3)

Legendary filmmaker Roman Polanski’s latest endeavour is Carnage, a comedic drama which sees two sets of parents having a pleasant meeting with each other after their kids get involved in a playground scuffle. At least, it starts out pleasant; it isn’t long before the parents are acting like school kids themselves, and carnage ensues. Tara from the Yin & Yang team has already seen this one, and you can check out her thoughts here. 

Starring | Jodie Foster, Kate Winslet, Christoph Waltz, John C. Reilly, Eliot Berger and Elvis Polanski.

Director | Roman Polanski           Certificate | 15                                 Run Time | 1 hour 20 minutes

Man on a Ledge (Out Feb 3)

Sam Worthington has got a busy couple of months ahead of him. In March, he reprises his role as Perseus in Wrath of the Titans. Before that though he is the Man on a Ledge, aka Nick Cassidy – a former NYC cop turned con determined to prove his innocence. Unbeknownst to the police and the captivated crowd, the stunt is just a ploy to pull off a diamond heist with his brother (Jamie Bell). It’s an interesting twist on the typical heist movie, and with a strong supporting cast in Ed Harris and Elizabeth Banks, this could prove to be a fun watch.

Starring | Elizabeth Banks, Sam Worthington, Jamie Bell, Ed Harris, Kyra Sedgwick, and Edward Burns.

Director | Asger Leth                     Certificate | 12A                              Run Time | 1 hour 42 minutes

Young Adult (Out Feb 3)

Charlize Theron is back with a vengeance this year with three films coming out in 2012. Young Adult, her first film since 2009’s The Road, sees her star as Mavis – a novel writer who returns to her hometown after a divorce to rekindle a romance with high school boyfriend Buddy (Patrick Wilson). There’s just one problem; Buddy is now happily married with a kid. It’s not easy to make such an unlikable character compelling to watch, but Theron looks to have done just that. Her performance garnered a lot of Oscar buzz, and although ultimately Young Adult was snubbed by the Academy – as were many excellent films – I am looking forward to seeing her in action.

Starring | Charlize Theron, Patrick Wilson, Elizabeth Reaser, Patton Oswalt, Emily Meade, and Collette Wolfe.

Director | Jason Reitman              Certificate | 15                                 Run Time | 1 hour 34 minutes

The Woman in Black (Out Feb 10)

The first film after the Harry Potter saga was always going to be tricky for Daniel Radcliffe. Interestingly, he’s gone with horror flick The Woman In Black, previously a book and still a London play. Radcliffe stars as Arthur Kipps, a young lawyer who travels to a remote village to organize the affairs of a recently deceased client. Instead, he encounters the ghost of a scorned woman set on revenge. As with all adaptations, the challenge for filmmakers is to stay loyal to the source material whilst making the film their own, and with a suitably creepy trailer, there’s a good chance that The Woman in Black will be a hit with fans of the book as well as new audiences. 

Starring | Daniel Radcliffe, Janet McTeer, Ciarán Hinds, Alisa Khazanova, Mary Stockley, and Lucy May Barker.

Director | James Watkins             Certificate | 12A                              Run Time | 1 hour 35 minutes

A Dangerous Method (Out Feb 10) 

It’s not hard to see why Michael Fassbender is an actor in demand right now with excellent performances in last year’s X-Men: First Class, and last month’s Shame and Haywire. He is joined by heavy hitters Viggo Mortensen and Keira Knightley for A Dangerous Method, a film about the early days of psychoanalysis. The film examines the relationship between Sigmund Freud (Mortensen) and his prodigy Carl Jung (Fassbender), as Jung experiments on Russian patient Sabrina Spielrin (Knightley) using Freud’s controversial new methods. Knightley is particularly adept when acting out a different century – see Atonement, The Duchess and Pride & Prejudice for details – and with the addition of the also excellent Vincent Cassel, this promises to be an interesting watch.

Starring | Viggo Mortensen, Keira Knightley, Michael Fassbender, Vincent Cassel, Sarah Gadon and André Hennicke.

Director | David Cronenberg      Certificate | 15                                 Run Time | 1 hour 40 minutes

The Muppets (Out Feb 10)

The Muppets are back this month with their 9th feature film. This time, Kermit and the gang must reunite to stop despicable oilman Tex Richman (Chris Cooper) from destroying the Muppet theater. This will no doubt prove nostalgic for those who grew up watching the legendary puppet characters, whilst the younger kids are also guaranteed to enjoy it. The trailer already showcases some trademark Muppet humour, and with a whole host of celebrity cameos (some of which are listed below), this looks to be a great film for all ages.

Starring | Jason Segel, Chris Cooper, Amy Adams, Emily Blunt, Danny Trejo, Jack Black, Selena Gomez, Zach Galifianakis, and Whoopi Goldberg.

Director | James Bobin                  Certificate | U                                   Run Time | 1 hour 50 minutes

Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance (Out Feb 17)

Let’s rewind the clock back to 2007; Ghost Rider had disappointed fans and critics alike, but had somehow still brought in $228 million worldwide. Now Nicolas Cage reprises his role as the cursed anti-hero, with a story that takes place eight years on from the previous effort. New directors Brian Taylor and Mark Neveldine have decided that darker is better and the changes they’ve made are already evident, chief among them a far more charred Ghost Rider. With Idris Elba joining the cast and explosive action guaranteed, Spirit of Vengeance will hopefully be more deserving of the money it will undoubtedly rake in. 

Starring | Nicolas Cage, Ciáran Hinds, Violante Placido, Johnny Whitworth, Christopher Lambert, and Idris Elba.

Directors | Brian Taylor and Mark Neveldine       Certificate | 12A              Run Time | 1 hour 35 minutes

Safe House (Out Feb 24) *ONE TO WATCH*

It is difficult to remember a film where Denzel Washington wasn’t good. After a filmless 2011, he’s teamed up with Ryan Reynolds for Safe House. The plot sees Reynolds’ bored rookie cop Matt Weston tasked with keeping watch over fugitive Tobin Frost (Washington). When the safe house is attacked by mercenaries, Weston is forced to go on the run with Frost. Brendan Gleeson and Vera Farmiga make for a strong supporting cast, and if the trailer is anything to go by, Washington and Reynolds play off each other well. Add all this to solid looking action sequences, and it’s not hard to see why Safe House is my one to watch this month. 

Starring | Denzel Washington, Ryan Reynolds, Brendan Gleeson, Vera Farmiga, Robert Patrick, Liam Cunningham, Nora Arnezeder, and Rubén Blades.

Director | Daniel Espinosa            Certificate | 15                                        Run Time | 1 hour 55 minutes

Rampart (Out Feb 24)

Set in LA in the late 1990′s, Woody Harrelson stars as Dave Brown, the last of the dirty cops. When Brown is caught on tape ‘doing the people’s dirty work’ by exerting his own brand of justice, he becomes embroiled in a vicious scandal that sends his life spiralling downward. Penned by James Ellroy, the writer of L.A. Confidential, you’d be hard pressed to find a darker film this month.

Starring | Woody Harrelson, Sigourney Weaver, Robin Wright, Ben Foster, Brie Larson, Anne Heche, Ice Cube and Cynthia Nixon.

Director | Oren Moverman         Certificate | 15                                    Run Time | 1 hour 48 minutes

When Liam Neeson’s Taken arrived in 2008, nobody could have predicted that it would go on to earn over $226 million worldwide. The film reinvented Neeson as an action movie star, and 2010’s The A-Team only gave further credence to that fact. It’s no wonder that many are looking forward to Taken 2 later this year, but in the meantime Neeson has reunited with The A-Team director Joe Carnahan for The Grey, a genre transcendent film which benefits much from the realistic environment it plunges its characters into. Read on for my spoiler-free review.

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The film’s main protagonist is Neeson’s Ottway, a sharpshooter whose job it is to protect men from wild animals while they’re at work on an oil refinery. On their way back home, the crew’s plane crash lands in the Alaskan wilderness. Stranded in harsh conditions, Ottway must lead the group of unruly survivors to safety. In addition to the elements, the survivors must also contend with a pack of ravenous, territorial wolves intent on hunting them down one by one. As survival films go, they don’t get much more perilous than this.

One of The Grey’s many strengths is that it can seamlessly switch from genre to genre without missing a beat. What starts out as a simple survival thriller can at once morph into a character drama – and then back again. The gambit of having Ottway dream about his wife, only to be brought back into reality is an effective one. Even so, it would have been nice to get a little bit more back-story in these intervals, rather than repeatedly returning to the same moment. The genre hopping doesn’t stop there – the impressive looking wolves provide ample moments of horror when you least expect it.

Neeson is predictably brilliant as Ottway; much in the same way that the wolves listen to the Alpha, so Ottway must establish himself as leader of the men, and it’s entertaining to watch him do so. The poem that Ottway recites also carries much weight, and the questions posed about life and death are profound. It’s not just Ottway either; almost all the characters have intriguing arcs, and the cast of relative unknowns do well to leave a lasting impression. As a result, even though you may know what’s going to happen, it doesn’t make scenes any less moving.

Key to all of this is The Grey’s realism, which lends itself to the film so well. At no point do you doubt that these men are fighting an uphill battle against nature itself, and it’s all portrayed convincingly. And yet, there is a slight missed opportunity here, as the film’s adherence to realism means that the climatic sequences that the film so richly deserves are absent. This is particularly the case in the final act which, although satisfying, leaves an inescapable feeling of disappointment in one’s mind.

‘Any Last Words?’ An excellent, on the edge of your seat thriller with yet another fantastic performance from Neeson. To put it in black and white: go and watch The Grey. ASAP.

 
EXCELLENT

The Grey was screened at The Fox courtesy of Open Road Films in partnership with Entertainment Film PR.

The Grey is in cinemas NOW.

One definition of power is ‘a measurement of an entity’s ability to control its environment’. Power manifests itself in many forms; for J. Edgar Hoover, secrets were power, and he amassed much of it during his 48-year career. It’s a concept that is at the heart of Clint Eastwood’s latest, a biopic on the infamous founder of the FBI. Eastwood is no stranger to depicting well-known figures on screen, with 2009’s Nelson Mandela biopic Invictus an impressive credit in a bulging filmography. Is J. Edgar another notable notch for Eastwood? Read on for more.

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The narrative takes place largely in flashback format, as DiCaprio’s J. Edgar recounts his rise in stature to young FBI agents for his memoirs. Along the way, we get looks at Hoover’s relationships with his Mother (well cast Judi Dench), loyal secretary Helen Gandy (Naomi Watts), and most predominantly Clyde Tolson (The Social Network’s Armie Hammer). Crucially, the present day is just as intriguing as the past; Hoover’s propensity to improve the standard of law enforcement is apparent from the off as the film flits back and forth between the Palmer Raids, the famous Linderbergh-baby kidnapping case and more. In the difficult task of condensing so much history into two hours – in J. Edgar’s case, it’s seven decades – Eastwood & screenwriter Dustin Lance Black manage to succeed.

However, many of these events take a back seat to the driving force of the film that is the relationship between Hoover and his Deputy, Tolson. To explain, it was long speculated that Hoover had feelings for men – if that’s the case, then he never acted on them – and the film plays on this rumour considerably, at times venturing into the bizarre. In a standout sequence, Hoover laments to his Mother that he feels no sexual attraction to women, to which the curt response is the story of a sensitive boy nicknamed ‘Daffodil’, who killed himself after admitting his homosexuality. ‘I’d rather have a dead son than a daffodil’, remarks his Mother.

Key to this effectiveness of J. Edgar is the two male leads’ performances. DiCaprio is excellent as J. Edgar, portraying both the egotistical and emotionally erratic sides of Hoover admirably. He is aided by the makeup department, who ought to be commended for the amendments made to Hoover’s appearance in his later years. Tolson fares far less well in this matter however, so much so that it distracts from what is an equally fantastic performance by Armie Hammer. It is also unfortunate that other well acted characters are not given as much attention as they should have been. It is unclear why Hoover’s secretary Helen Gandy sticks around for as long as she does, as lord knows she had plenty of reasons to leave. It’s a secret that, much like J. Edgar himself, the film will take to its grave.

‘Any Last Words’?  Bolstered by great performances from DiCaprio and Hammer, J. Edgar is an enjoyable and fair depiction of one of America’s most controversial figures.

 - VERY GOOD

J. Edgar was screened at the Empire Leicester Square courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures in partnership with Feref PR.

J. Edgar is in cinemas NOW.

As some of you may or may not know, the Australian Open began last week. I’ve been keeping up to date with the tournament on twitter, and have to say that the #AusOpen is without question the most fan orientated slam. Wimbledon take note.

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In Adidas Tennis’ second “The Game Is The Game” challenge, Caroline Wozniacki, Jo Tsonga, Ana Ivanovic and Gilles Simon showed their skills in a Stické Tennis match ahead of the 2012 Australian Open. This British sport, invented in the late 19th century, is played in an enclosed court. This allows the ball to bounce on walls as well as the ground. However the location, one of Melbourne’s coolest graffiti laneways, did not look 19th century at all. Watch the video after the jump.

‘Random Acts‘ is Channel 4‘s way of showcasing short films created by young people in the capital. Launched in October last year, you’ll find a range of artistic films spanning: spoken word, dance, animation, video art and music. Again I across a short film shot, directed and edited by ‘Daniels‘. It’s called Pockets, featuring a young poor guy unable to provide a meal for his girlfriend so he decides to go rob someone…and then some random sh*t happens! Again these guys produce a film that has no actual meaning, but rather a display of their skills as creatives and their dark sense of humour which i enjoy. Watch the film after the break.

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Silence is golden, but it certainly is not a quality that many of us are used to when we think about 21st century cinema. It is often the famous film quotes, memorable dialogue and one liners from actors that we celebrate. Perhaps this is the reason why many Hollywood producers and critics were initially cynical about the success of Michael Hazabavicius’s latest black and white silent film ’The Artist’. But the film has proved them wrong. With 3 Golden globes, a Producers Guild award, 12 Bafta nominations and inevitable Oscar nominations to its name, ‘The Artist’ is enjoying huge success. I went to watch the film last week not really knowing what to expect but I certainly enjoyed what I felt was an ‘experience’ and came out feeling nostalgic about all that embodies 1920s cinema. Short review after the jump.

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I only want to do a brief preview because I really think it is worth just going to watch the movie. So I won’t give too much away. I will say though that the story line follows the triumph of silent actor George Valentin played energetically by Frenchman Jean Dujardin. Valentin’s career takes a bad turn after Hollywood executives decide to invest in talking cinema but he aids the rising career of talking actress and dancer Peppy Miller played by Berenice Bejo. 

The Artist encourages audience interpretation of the facial expressions and loud thoughts of the actors to follow the story. Accompanied with the epic dance routines and lighthearted comedic wit, Michael Hazabavicius’s has gifted us with a memorable modern day celebration of silent film and black and white cinema.

Check out the trailer:

AMEN! I don’t really want to add any words to this post. I just want you ALL to watch and digest – this is dope quote (speech) for the week. With everything that’s going on around us – the corruption, hate, poor economic climate, wars and so on. That list could continue forever, depressing right? Charlie Chaplin was renowned for his B&W silent movie roles but he steps up and delivers one of the most poignant speeches I’ve ever heard in The Great Dictator. This film came out in 1940, scary that this is probably more relevant to current times. More on the reverse.

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UNITY. Let’s break free from all this greed, hate and fear. It’s all about love.

After showing Yang this video, he linked me to the following. Just wow.

12 million views and sadly nothing has changed :(

Addiction has been dealt with in a myriad of styles by many different directors; alcohol, drugs and smoking obsessions have all been depicted numerous times on the big screen. It is noticeable then, that when comparing sex addiction to these obsessions, it has not been shown nearly as much in film. This is arguably a reflection of our modern society, as there is almost a taboo-like trait surrounding sex addiction. And yet, it’s the subject matter of choice that ambitious director Steve McQueen has decided to unabashedly tackle. It’s also McQueen’s second feature, a follow-up to 2008’s Hunger (also starring Michael Fassbender), and it is one which is sure to be unavoidably divisive, particularly in its many graphic scenes. Does Shame penetrate the mind as well as the body? Read on for my review.

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Fassbender stars as Brandon, a New York executive who is addicted to all things sex, whether he be finding solace with hookers or porn. Brandon is well accustomed to his life, and the first act does a great job of introducing us to his world. It’s a world that’s about to get turned upside down thanks to the unexpected arrival of his younger sister, aptly named Sissy (Carey Mulligan). As Brandon craves sex, so too does Sissy long for attention. Crucially, their relationship is not based on lust, and this takes Brandon out of his routine.

The methods which McQueen utilises to capture the acting only augments the movie. Wordless scenes leave much to the imagination, at once bringing out the best in actors and actresses as they only have their facial expressions to draw on. In one absorbing scene, Brandon smiles at a woman on a train, who smiles back. But as the scene goes on, Brandon’s mask slips and his lust is there for all to see. Another standout sequence takes place in a classy bar, with Sissy singing ‘New York, New York’. Long shots of Brandon and Sissy occupy the screen, and it is sublimely acted by both Fassbender and Mulligan. These scenes are often backed up with a powerful orchestral score. It’s a technique that works well, although when the score is blended with club music the effect gets drowned and becomes irritating.

Fassbender delivers a tour de force as Brandon, a man longing to escape a cage of his own making but unsure of how to do so. One can only hope that his performance garners the Oscar glory it deserves. Mulligan is also excellent as the needy younger sister desperately trying to cling on to the brother-sister bond. These two characters are the focus of the film, but Nicole Beharie also makes a telling contribution as Marianne, Brandon’s secretary. The manner in which their relationship develops is thought-provoking; McQueen and co-writer Abi Morgan deserve credit for dealing with these issues so effectively.  

‘Any Last Words?’ Bold and brilliant, Shame is the best film of 2012 thus far.

– SUPERB

Shame was screened at the Curzor Mayfair courtesy of Momentum Pictures in partnership with Premier PR.

Shame is in cinemas NOW.