Robin Hood (PG-12A) 2010 – 140 minutes
The Legend Endures
What is it about this mythical archer that stole from the rich to give to the poor? From Errol Flynn (1938) to Kevin Costner (1991) via Disney (1973), - not to mention a BBC TV series – producers and directors inexorably return to make “just one more film”.
The latest version of Robin Hood, directed by Ridley Scott (Alien, Thelma and Louise and Gladiator) and starring Russell Crowe and Cate Blanchett attempts to explain the man behind the legend and intriguingly, ends where previous versions begin; a prequel with sequels sure to follow.
Returning home from France, Robin finds his England under siege; from King John (Oscar Issac), weak and insecure, resentful of his dead brother’s popularity; from France, ever- treacherous and seeking to exploit John’s weakness; and from the Church, greedy and un-Christian. He makes his way to Nottingham, duty bound to return a dead Knight’s sword to its rightful owner, Sir Walter of Loxley (Max von Sydow). Here, he finds his place of birth, he finds himself and he finds his love, Marion of Loxley, (Cate Blanchett).
Blanchett and Crowe are well matched, their romance delicate and charming. Blanchett is intriguing, sometime stunning, sometimes plain, but always in command, moving seamlessly from loyal wife to fearless warrior. Her sense of ease and grace of movement contrast with Crowe’s aggression and masculinity. But, Crowe surprises; now a natural leader, now a touching husband; thoughtful and reflective in his search for whom he is.
The merry men apart - who, save for Friar Tuck (Mark Addy) lack impact and dialogue- the cast is strong; Issac, full of spite and resentful of his brother, Richard; his henchman, Godfey (Mark Strong), treacherous and disloyal; William Marshall (William Hurt) the scheming politician.
Scott’s direction (supported by Crowe) is first class; the attention to detail immaculate from mediaeval castle, to rural, daily life; the camerawork outstanding whether in the woods or on the beach; the battle scenes astonish – Scott’s sense of scale knows no bounds.
Verdict
At 140 minutes the film is (15 minutes) too long and the dialogue (written by Brian Helgeland) and accents leave room from improvement. But, minor gripes apart, the new Robin Hood is a rare breed - a remake not to be missed. 8/10.
Dick Morgan
May 2010
Friday, 28 May 2010
Streetdance 3D (PG) 2010 – 90 minutes
Half term entertainment for all the family!
At last; a British dance movie with an all British cast. Streetdance 3D may well be Britain's answer to Hollywood's, High School Musical. Starring Flawless of Britain’s Got Talent fame as a street dance crew, the “Surge”, it also has cameos from both Diversity, and George Sansom, both former winners of the ITV talent show.
Streetdance tells the tale of an unlikely alliance. Two dance groups, a street dance crew and a ballet troupe, are forced to work together - the former in search of rehearsal space, the latter in search of new inspiration - in order to enter the UK Street Dancing Finals. Although charming at times, the story itself is fairly predictable and unremarkable. Initially reluctant, the two groups gradually come together of their own accord, each recognising the skill and grace of the other's chosen discipline and in the process put together some truly stunning sequences.
Character development is, perhaps not surprisingly, deeply subordinated to these highly polished, well drilled and very precise choreography routines. Charlotte Rampling better known to French audiences (and her marriage to Jean Michel Jarre) is imaginatively cast as the ballet troupe’s visionary dance instructor. She is committed to unusual training methods and more controversially, to giving full artistic reign to the streetdance crew's young and inexperienced choreographer, Carly, nicely played by newcomer, Nichola Burley. But apart from Rampling and a short, but well executed cameo from Sansom, of whom on this evidence, more could and indeed should have been made (particularly in the dance sequences), the characters remain one dimensional, distant and therefore, disappointingly unengaging.
The dancing itself is, however, for the most part, outstanding, and more than makes up for any deficiencies in characterisation or plot. Any question marks over the potential choreographical limitations of street dancing are firmly dismissed by some imaginative and innovative routines - the dance "war" in the nightclub between Surge and Diversity, particularly impressive. Slick and clean, like an army at drill, their commitment to practice and dedication to perfection is plain to see.
Co-Directors Max Giwa and Dania Pasquini marshal their forces with no little skill, the minor issue of the necessity for and impact of 3D technology notwithstanding; a soundtrack written and performed by urban acts including N-Dubz, Lightbulb Thieves and our own Cheryl Cole; clever camera work and a delicate balance between dialogue and dance.
Verdict
Enjoyable and entertaining within the relative confines of its subject matter. Take the kids at half term. 7/10
Dick Morgan
May 2010
Half term entertainment for all the family!
At last; a British dance movie with an all British cast. Streetdance 3D may well be Britain's answer to Hollywood's, High School Musical. Starring Flawless of Britain’s Got Talent fame as a street dance crew, the “Surge”, it also has cameos from both Diversity, and George Sansom, both former winners of the ITV talent show.
Streetdance tells the tale of an unlikely alliance. Two dance groups, a street dance crew and a ballet troupe, are forced to work together - the former in search of rehearsal space, the latter in search of new inspiration - in order to enter the UK Street Dancing Finals. Although charming at times, the story itself is fairly predictable and unremarkable. Initially reluctant, the two groups gradually come together of their own accord, each recognising the skill and grace of the other's chosen discipline and in the process put together some truly stunning sequences.
Character development is, perhaps not surprisingly, deeply subordinated to these highly polished, well drilled and very precise choreography routines. Charlotte Rampling better known to French audiences (and her marriage to Jean Michel Jarre) is imaginatively cast as the ballet troupe’s visionary dance instructor. She is committed to unusual training methods and more controversially, to giving full artistic reign to the streetdance crew's young and inexperienced choreographer, Carly, nicely played by newcomer, Nichola Burley. But apart from Rampling and a short, but well executed cameo from Sansom, of whom on this evidence, more could and indeed should have been made (particularly in the dance sequences), the characters remain one dimensional, distant and therefore, disappointingly unengaging.
The dancing itself is, however, for the most part, outstanding, and more than makes up for any deficiencies in characterisation or plot. Any question marks over the potential choreographical limitations of street dancing are firmly dismissed by some imaginative and innovative routines - the dance "war" in the nightclub between Surge and Diversity, particularly impressive. Slick and clean, like an army at drill, their commitment to practice and dedication to perfection is plain to see.
Co-Directors Max Giwa and Dania Pasquini marshal their forces with no little skill, the minor issue of the necessity for and impact of 3D technology notwithstanding; a soundtrack written and performed by urban acts including N-Dubz, Lightbulb Thieves and our own Cheryl Cole; clever camera work and a delicate balance between dialogue and dance.
Verdict
Enjoyable and entertaining within the relative confines of its subject matter. Take the kids at half term. 7/10
Dick Morgan
May 2010
Wednesday, 5 May 2010
It’s a Wonderful Afterlife (12A), 2010
“Korma Blimey!”
Try to imagine five gruesome murders by a charming, middle aged Indian lady; add five outrageous, ghostly characters as her constant companions; throw in a white ghost-like dog wearing eyeliner and you have the essence of “It’s a Wonderful Afterlife (“IaWA”), a light-hearted comedy-horror from Gurinder Chadha and the makers of Bend it Like Beckham.
Set in the London suburb of Southall, the story centres on the increasingly desperate lengths to which an Indian mother, Mrs Sethi (delicately played by Shabana Azmi ) will go to ensure the happiness of her only daughter, Roopi, ( Goldi Notay).Using her considerable culinary skills as weapons of mass destruction – I particularly liked death by tandoori kebab and suffocation by naan bread - Mrs Sethi wreaks a diabolical revenge on anyone daring either to upset or jeopardise the happiness of her forever-eating first born.
Her victims, awaiting reincarnation, follow Mrs Sethi around, initially resentful and angry but eventually, recognising the purity of a mother’s motives, become understanding and even helpful. The police, led by Mark Addy as D. I. Smythe, bumble around in a constant state of confusion and are reduced to introducing a plant into the household, Detective Sergeant Murthy (Sendhil Ramamurthy), who, rather too conveniently, just happens to have been a childhood sweetheart of Roopi. Zoe Wannamaker as kindly next door neighbour, Mrs Goldstein (also murdered but this time unintentionally) and Sally Hawkins (Geetali) combining nicely as Roopi’s best friend and local psychic - both add to the general chaos.
The characters do their best with what is, frankly, rather limited material. Azmi infuses her role as over-anxious mother with dignity and grace gradually building an impressive screen presence. Notay’s role as an overweight, plain and independent-minded spinster is perhaps less than enviable but she too plays her part well. The rest of the cast simply make up the numbers appearing only to be fed the occasional one liner joke and then disappearing again into the background.
Refusing to explore or even touch on the cultural, social or sexual themes that helped enhance the comedy and humour of “Bend it Like Beckham”, IaWA is left to its humour alone and unfortunately, comes up wanting.
Verdict
IaWA might have worked well on the small screen as a 30 minute sit-com but on the big screen, it falls flat. Occasionally amusing. 4/10
Dick Morgan,
May 2010
“Korma Blimey!”
Try to imagine five gruesome murders by a charming, middle aged Indian lady; add five outrageous, ghostly characters as her constant companions; throw in a white ghost-like dog wearing eyeliner and you have the essence of “It’s a Wonderful Afterlife (“IaWA”), a light-hearted comedy-horror from Gurinder Chadha and the makers of Bend it Like Beckham.
Set in the London suburb of Southall, the story centres on the increasingly desperate lengths to which an Indian mother, Mrs Sethi (delicately played by Shabana Azmi ) will go to ensure the happiness of her only daughter, Roopi, ( Goldi Notay).Using her considerable culinary skills as weapons of mass destruction – I particularly liked death by tandoori kebab and suffocation by naan bread - Mrs Sethi wreaks a diabolical revenge on anyone daring either to upset or jeopardise the happiness of her forever-eating first born.
Her victims, awaiting reincarnation, follow Mrs Sethi around, initially resentful and angry but eventually, recognising the purity of a mother’s motives, become understanding and even helpful. The police, led by Mark Addy as D. I. Smythe, bumble around in a constant state of confusion and are reduced to introducing a plant into the household, Detective Sergeant Murthy (Sendhil Ramamurthy), who, rather too conveniently, just happens to have been a childhood sweetheart of Roopi. Zoe Wannamaker as kindly next door neighbour, Mrs Goldstein (also murdered but this time unintentionally) and Sally Hawkins (Geetali) combining nicely as Roopi’s best friend and local psychic - both add to the general chaos.
The characters do their best with what is, frankly, rather limited material. Azmi infuses her role as over-anxious mother with dignity and grace gradually building an impressive screen presence. Notay’s role as an overweight, plain and independent-minded spinster is perhaps less than enviable but she too plays her part well. The rest of the cast simply make up the numbers appearing only to be fed the occasional one liner joke and then disappearing again into the background.
Refusing to explore or even touch on the cultural, social or sexual themes that helped enhance the comedy and humour of “Bend it Like Beckham”, IaWA is left to its humour alone and unfortunately, comes up wanting.
Verdict
IaWA might have worked well on the small screen as a 30 minute sit-com but on the big screen, it falls flat. Occasionally amusing. 4/10
Dick Morgan,
May 2010
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