Into The Abyss: Review of Annihilation

Annihilation

Director: Alex Garland

By Alex Watson

Ex-Machina showed that Alex Garland had the visual flair to make a promising director. Annihilation boosts his credentials further and this picture is a visually jarring affair. Throughout this picture, there is a haunting and malevolent ambience surrounding the events. Garland's story is one that has a continually ticking brain and forces us to consider what could happen with any possible encounters with un-human species?

Lena (Natalie Portman) is a biologist who is still reeling from the disappearance of her soldier husband Kane (Oscar Isaac). When he unexpectedly returns home, he begins acting begins acting distant and strange then suddenly collapses. Taken to a secret location, Lena is told by the mysterious Dr Ventress (Jennifer Jason Leigh) that Kane's prior mission took him inside 'The Shimmer', an area which is always widening and has claimed the lives all of who enter. Driven by curiosity and desperate to save her husband. Lena agrees to enter 'The Shimmer'.

Aided by an unsettling atmospheric score by Ben Salisbury and Geoff Barrow, Annihilation continually finds ways to make our hairs stand on end. There is a sinister presence from the moment Kane first enters Lena's home. At first, she is overjoyed to see the man she loves, but his aloof demeanour soon spoils the party. Garland spends minimal time with backstory and everything we need or want to know about our characters is given to us. Refreshingly, the characters aren't a bunch of 'get some' soldiers looking to off the baddies. Instead, we are given a group of intelligent females who are all from different walks of life. Lena is a biologist, Ventress a psychologist, Josie (Tessa Thompson) is a physicist, tough-talking Anya (Gina Rodriguez) was a paramedic and the quieter Cass (Tuva Novotny) is a geologist. All of these women have afflictions in various ways, but serious question marks point to Ventress' involvement. A soft-spoken yet sly leader, she may not be in this for 'gathering data'

This picture takes a well-trodden story of military people entering the woods and being picked off and turns it on its head. There are some real shocks in store for the audience and some truly horrifying visuals. One particularly graphic scene sees a soldier's intestines turns into a living creature. There is also the pressure question of what precisely is 'The Shimmer'? Inside it seems like perfectly normal and overgrown rainforest, but lurking in the distance is a mysterious presence. Material wise, this movie takes some big diversions away from the novel by Jeff VanderMeer. However, Garland keeps the narrative intrigue with some frequent and shocking turns. There is no interest in jump scares or any cheap trickery, so he makes full use of his bold and smart script.

There is an intelligence to this story that still remains intact despite being in horror territory. Garland forces his audience to consider the possibility of what could happen should another species arrive. Only when do we learn the true meaning of movies title does our blood run slightly cold. Our band of heroines must contend with the likelihood that this is a one-way journey. Lena in particular struggles to keep her marriage a secret so as not to unsettle the others. The final act of Annihilation is the one which will be imprinted on audiences minds. Giving us no end of tension, we are given some hard and shocking truths about earlier events. Salisbury and Barrow's score is particularly effective during this stretch and adds to the increasingly horrific feel.

Natalie Portman gives a central turn which is both tough and immensely compelling. As a woman determined to complete the mission and save her lover, she gives the movie's its heart. On the surface a collected and assured person, Portman gives her a vulnerability that makes her relatable. She's also supported by the excellent Jennifer Jason Leigh. As Ventress, she is a blank slate and her motives are always impossible to determine. Speaking barely above a whisper, she succeeds in giving an air of mystery that never once dissolves. Tessa Thompson also provides excellent support and is fast becoming one of Hollywood's most dependable talents. Likewise with Jane the Virgin actress Gina Rodriguez, who is a lifetime away from the sweet-natured character we are so familiar with.

Annihilation is a clever and unbearably edgy thriller, Alex Garland is now officially a talent to be reckoned with.

A Disturbance in the Force: Review of Star Wars: The Last Jedi

Star Wars: The Last Jedi

Director: Rian Johnson

By Alex Watson

Life in the galaxy rolls on and in the hands of Rian Johnson it still feels thrilling. Keeping the twists and turns coming thick and fast, there is also a heavy emotional core to Star Wars: The Last Jedi. Characters are forced to look inside and make some tough internal choices. Some Star Wars fans might gripe over its feel along with its more humorous and heavy-hearted approach. But you can't deny there is potential here and finally, this new batch of characters are beginning to come into their own.

The Resistance led by General Leia Organa (Carrie Fisher) is being forced to fall back against the might of the First Order. Low on numbers and morale, the only hope they hold is for Rey (Daisy Ridley) to convince reclusive Jedi Luke Skywalker (Mark Hammill) to return. Meanwhile, Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) is also fighting his own personal battle against his own conscience. 

Johnson wastes no time thrusting Star Wars: The Last Jedi into light speed. Starting with a thrilling dogfight which sees hotheaded but heroic Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac) take on the First Order fleet and permanent sneer of General Hux (Domnhall Gleeson). This side of the story provides the unpredictable thrills of the story. Dameron along with former First Order trooper Finn (John Boyega)  and newcomer Rose (Kelly Marie Tran) are on a mission to disable an enemy tracking device. Dameron in this story emerges as the new Han Solo in the making- charismatic yet immature and brave yet ballsy. Always drawing the wrath of new commander Vice Admiral Holdo (Laura Dern), Dameron is both indispensable and a wild card all in one. The Kylo Ren/Ben Solo side story also holds its own as the conflicted Jedi is pushed and pulled by Supreme Leader Snook (Andy Serkis once again rocking motion capture) to embrace his evil side. Rey can still feel the human side of him but is he past the point of redemption?

The real heart of this picture comes from the unlikely alliance of Rey and Luke Skywalker. At first glance, this would seem like the movies Achilles heal. Not only does it succeed but it is by far the movies most glorious aspect. After the lightsaber hand over at the end of Force Awakens- Johnson makes this scene an unlikely moment of hilarity. Skywalker wears the ghost's of the past in this flick- scarred by his failure of his nephew Ben he at first stubbornly refuses to help Rey. However, the new protege never backs down and a caring and strong bond forms. As talented as she is with a lightsabre, Luke also greatly fears the influence of the dark side. Also during this time, a mysterious connection arises between Rey and Ren which could potentially alter the course of either life. Johnson during this sequence brings a tender touch which could bring big things in later movies. Of course, who won't enjoy the nostalgia of watching Luke board the Falcon after so many years?

While the Star Wars: The Last Jedi has plenty of ideas that hit, there also some that just fall flat. During an overly long sequence to rich planet Canto Bight, Johnson's movie comes a little unstuck. This whole plot device just feels added to draw out the mileage and becomes little more than a wild goose chase. Was the introduction of Benicio Del Toro's codebreaker DJ really necessary? This trickster comes and goes while making little impact or weight to the story. This is easily the strongest Star Wars effort since Empire Strikes Back, but Johnson is all about the changing of the guard. Seeing Carrie Fisher on screen for the last time will bring a tear to some eyes. Luke Skywalker along with many others are present but by no means are the focal point of the story. Some fans may not like the more jokey side or the almost video game like approach during the battle scenes. But you cannot deny that this franchise is at once with the force again.

Firstly it feels amazing to see Mark Hammill once again holding a lightsabre as Luke Skywalker. Turning in a career-high performance, Hammill reminds us why this character is so special. Playing a more jaded and afraid version of Skywalker, he shows a man unable to let go of the past. Oscar Isaac emerges as the new king of cool for this franchise. Poe Dameron is a man who plays by his own rules but is also the leader the Resistance desperately needs. John Boyega once again is superb as Finn and matches Isaac for strength of character. Daisy Ridley, however, is the real ace in the deck in Johnson's movie. Effortlessly looking cool with a lightsabre, Ridley is the picture's backbone. Able to handle the difficult of upstaging Skywalker, Rey is very much the franchises future Jedi master.

Star Wars: The Last Jedi brings new hope to the galaxy- just a shame Johnson won't be returning for episode 9.

Reign Over Me: Review of X-Men Apocalypse

X-Men: Apocalypse

Director: Bryan Singer

By Alex Watson

Sadly X-Men: Apocalypse marks a low point for Bryan Singers tenure in this Marvel Franchise. Everything we know and love is there is this feature, but too many adjustments and new character injections are what drags this piece down. It is also not helped by its confusing script and flat storytelling. Changing the character arcs and timelines has been in place since First Class rolled onto screens, but here it is just unbearable.

Rising from his tomb underneath the pyramids after many millenniums, Egyptian God En Sabur Nur/Apocalypse (Oscar Isaac) plots to drag humanity down to its depths and rebuild a better world. In 1983 society, Charles Xavier (James McAvoy) is attempting to establish a school and has come across a talented by trouble protege Jean Grey (Sophie Turner). Meanwhile, Magneto (Michael Fassbender) has tried to live a normal life until tragedy strikes. When Apocalypse threats to ruin earth, each X-Men has his own conflict.

We all want to love X-Men: Apocalypse, but its moral compass just seems to be skewed. Magneto once again is toying with the idea of being both good and evil. Living in Poland he has settled down with a wife and child before (SHOCK HORROR!) tragedy strikes. Xavier still believes there is good in the man, despite he has routinely betrayed him and committed numerous murders. Mystique (Jennifer Lawrence) is also beginning to sink and in this one, she made out to be too much of a do-gooder. Her rousing speeches don't feel genuine and the moral ambiguousness that worked so well has vanished. The new recruits Cyclops (Tye Sheridan) and Nightcrawler (Kodi Smit-McPhee) makes the strongest impression and give us a key reminder of why we loved these characters before. The pain of youth and curse of their powers go give this picture a much needed emotional relevance.

Things start so well when we see Nightcrawler forced to fight the underwhelming Angel (Ben Hardy) in a rage in the cage match. This is as many thrills as the first hour will provide as Singer then insists of bouncing his audience from story to story to set us up for later. Sadly from this point the story becomes muddled and many of the ideas Singer probably wished to include get stranded. Quicksilver (Evan Peters) who was so effective in Days of Future Past is unable to replicate his form here and also due a questionable plot change it leaves us scratching our head. Jean Turner comes across a promising reboot, but here rather frosty character is hard to warm too. Though her inability to control what is a vastly powerful mind does earn a few extra points

The biggest sin of X-Men Apocalypse comes from its flat and unthreatening villain. All of us growing watching or reading the X-Men cartoons loved Apocalypse as the big bad of the franchise. In this universe is a boring and forgettable presence. Showing his backstory provides us with precious little as we see him transported into the body of a young man. After his transformation, he looks more like a replication of Ivan Ooze from Power Rangers than a God with unlimited powers. The whole picture seems to him going around and absorbing other people's powers. His intentions and his hatred for the modern day are never made explicitly clear but we know he wishes to punish them. How he convinces lonely and unbalanced mutants to join his cause doesn't raise any thrills and despite Oscar Isaac's best efforts, this just feels like a huge letdown.

Even the X-Men performances don't grip us like they should do, Michael Fassbender is beginning to struggle with the eternal good and evil conflict of Magneto. Singer should just choose the direction and let Fassbender do this thing because when he does, he is magnificent at it. James McAvoy, as usual, is great (if underused) as the professor but Jennifer Lawrence's complete redirection as Mystique doesn't feel right. She is settling more into physical aspects of this role, but making her a hero is step back. Kodi Smit-McPhee and Tye Sheridan are marked out well as the new blood of the franchise. SMP in particular is able to project the confusion and vulnerability that makes Nightcrawler so great. Also, he rocks his Michael Jackson Thriller jacket!

On the whole X-Men: Apocalypse is just another big budget blockbuster gone south in what has been a bad year for superhero films. Back to the drawing board boys because the old ideas are becoming stale.

The Force Will Be With You Always: Review of Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Director: JJ Abrams

By Alex Watson

You cannot express in words just how great it feels for Star Wars to be back on the big screen. JJ Abrams has brought the Lucas universe to life again in Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Sporting the lightsaber battles and the powerful war between the force and the dark side, we have a reason to believe again. Giving us a good selection of our old and loved favourites mixed in with an interesting new batch of players, Abrams ensures there is a new lifeblood to carry things forward.

30 years after the collapse of the Empire, Luke Skywalker (Mark Hammill) has gone missing and has become like a myth spread among the planets. Finn (John Boyega) is a Stormtrooper in the newly assembled First Order who is having a conflict within himself. Rey (Daisy Ridley) is a scavenger on the desert planet Jaaku while Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac) is the top pilot in the Resistance army led by General Leia Organa (Carrie Fisher). Together each of these characters will come face to face with Han Solo (Harrison Ford) and be witness to the uprising of the powerful First Order Jedi Kylo Ren (Adam Driver).

From the first frame, Star Wars: The Force Awakens simmers into life and the ride from there on is the most fun we have had in ages. Beginning with the First Order forces arriving on Jaaku, we are given a potent introduction to the dark side's new favourite, Kylo Ren. A forceful and lurking threat, Ren is very much a disciple to Vader who has not only been seduced by the Dark Side but absolutely loves it. As a villain though he is possibly one of the most impressive ones that the franchise has produced. Sporting a cold-blooded malice without equal, we get the sense that this one conflicted kid has firmly buried his old past. The new recruits are not given as much depth as we may have liked, but there is room to work with. During Finn's first battle, his horror behind the mask is felt immediately as he reluctantly commits atrocities. Finn is the best-developed lead of the lot and having being groomed as FN-1287 by the Order since birth, he is keen to break free.

Rey comes off less well in this piece and despite being a tough and capable female (along with skillfully piloting the Falcon), there isn't enough depth for this installment. Dameron with limited screen time comes across with an effortless swagger that remind us of a young Han Solo with an X-Wing. The taste may feel undercooked, but give it another installment these three may just transpire into something special. Having Han and Chewie back together again is something very special indeed, "Chewie, we're home!" smiles Han as he reboards his beloved ship. In this episode, the old smuggler is a shadow of his old self and still clings to his old reputation. His wisdom, however, is unbeatable and he becomes almost a surrogate father to abandoned child Rey. Luke is more like a ghost figure than man in Force Awakens and there are Alec Guinness-like echoes all around. Leia thankfully has formed into the leader we always wanted. She is scarred from her constant warring both at home and the past (spoilers to be withheld).

Despite blips in storytelling, Star Wars: The Force Awakens is still a fine piece of work. Abrams never fully explains the intentions of the First Order. They are big and evil and appear to mean business but just what does Grand Master Snoke (Andy Serkis) want? We are given an interesting duel for power between Ren and the sneertastic General Hux (Domnhall Gleason). Both men are wanting different kinds of power which leads to a mini civil war. Their ruthless streak, though, makes them the perfect heir to the Empire. Seeing them destroy several planets in 'one swift stroke' is a chilling prospect. There are some finer things lead that need to be ironed out, such as nailing a great lightsaber finale but there is a new hope surrounding this franchise. Best of all, there is no Jar Jar in sight fans.

John Boyega, Daisy Ridley and Oscar Isaac all prove they belong in this universe with a trio of decent performances. Boyega in particular in able to summon the courage and charm that Attack The Block promised us. Harrison Ford is the real tour de force in this piece and you forget just how well Han Solo fits him. Sweeping in without missing a beat, it feels like the old pirate never left us. Top honours, however, go to Adam Driver. Firmly filling the void that Vader left us, Kylo Ren is the most intriguing the Jedi have had to deal with in some time. A gangly menace desperate to escape his one loving past, Ren is very much a product of the Dark Side. Driver is able to give us a bad guy who doesn't just frighten us, but makes the film sag whenever he is off screen. The groundwork has been laid, now the cast needs to do the rest.

Finally, we get the 21st century Star Wars we have always wanted. Star Wars: The Force Awakens is not only a throwback to the original trilogy, but it is the start of something special. Disney might be taking the reigns now, but the force still lives on.

The Iron Lady: Review of Ex-Machina

Ex Machina

Director: Alex Garland

By Alex Watson

Although he is untested in the director's chair, Alex Garland's debut, Ex Machina is a revelatory piece of sci-fi cinema that tests the boundary of the human/AI relationship. But more than that, it asks makes us think hard about what it really means to be human? This movie not only combines some the great ideals that Garland has gathered in his previous work, but also is a unique and at times borderline creepy experience.

IT coder Caleb (Domnhall Gleason) unexpectedly wins a work place lottery and gets to spend a week with his reclusive boss Nathan (Oscar Isaac). But while at his large estate, Nathan quickly reveals a big secret behind his visit. He has constructed a living AI named Ava (Alicia Vikander) and is depending on Caleb to assess her through a series of communication session. But through these moments behind a glass wall, Caleb begins to wonder if this cyber woman can feel like other humans?

From the very get go there is a dark and tense feel surrounding Garland's picture and through this, Ex Machina has an uncomfortable sense of enclosure. The moment that Caleb is greeted by his genius boss beating a punchbag to rid himself of a hang over, we realize this a man like no other. Moments later he has one hell of a non-diclosure agreement thrust in front of him and is led to bedroom with no windows! Nathan succeeds at making our nerves jangle and as time passes him becomes more like the insane king of his own private land.

Together the two men are polar opposites, Nathan is the fun loving yet conspicuous boss who loves throwing out obscure references to oral sex scenes in Ghostbusters before spontaneously bursting onto his own private dance floor. Caleb is naive yet mistrustful of his surroundings, behind each wall lies some potential secret which Nathan wants to stay hidden at all costs. His initial admiration for his boss is skillful chipped away by Garland and his rightfully realized insecurities and fears are pushed in front of us gently.

The sessions with Ava are by far the movie's firing pin as through these, her responses and actions are unlike any we have seen. Her ability and slicing between any lie or truth  But amidst the budding attraction between and man and machine, there remain some firm and troubling questions? Can Ava truly be alive in her mechanical body? Are her feelings that are cognitive and genuine? Or this merely some ploy by Nathan or Ava for a more devious purpose?

Performance wise, Ex Machina belongs to the graceful yet heartfelt turn of Alicia Vikander as Ava! Precisely nailing each delicate movement, expression and dialogue, Vikander brings this lady to life and we instantly wonder whether there is living organism underneath the circuits? A rising star, Vikander shows that she is a talent to be reckoned with and alongside top support from both Gleason and Oscar Isaac this triumvirate makes the movie comes alive.

Alex Garland has hit the nail on the head with this effort and the screenwriter/novelist has finally brought together his ideas together. With Ex Machina he has given us a brain ticking effort that will give us serious thought about the future of AI! Feel secure now, Sonny from I-Robot?

A History of Violence: Review of A Most Violent Year

A Most Violent Year

Director: J C Chandor

By Alex Watson

Set against the often violent and corrupt world of the oil business, J C Chandor's A Most Violent Year is an excellently paced movie. Set against the record violence of 1981 New York, the tension is forever building as what appears to be a bold move turns into something that could derail a dream completely. From here morals become more clouded and events take a turn down a darker and more vicious avenue to show that to achieve the American Dream, sometimes to take more than being honest!

Businessman Adel Morales (Oscar Isaac) is an ambitious man who owns an oil company. Along with loyal wife Anna (Jessica Chastain) they seemingly completely a risky but vital deal to secure a riverside refinery and it appears set that he is due for big things. But his competitors are less than thrilled about business being taken away and seem determined to derail this transaction and set about to oust him by any means necessary. 

Although Adel is determined to stay legitimate, from the very beginning of Chandor's picture it is made apparent he may have to fight underhanded to keep his head above water. What starts as a perfect opportunity of buying a refinery which will give him more access to cheap oil prices and more direct routes for oil imports quickly becomes a living nightmare. Soon his business is targeted from all sides. Suspicious thugs converge on their house along with the Feds, led by assistant DA Anderson (David Oyelowo). Even his long standing bank connections withdrawn on him. Truck drivers are violently robbed at gun point and Anna demands he stop standing aside and begin fighting back.

Corruption swirls in the air, not matter where you look. Adel is desperate not to resort to the gangster style lengths of Anna's 'Cheap Brooklyn Gangster' father. But there is a notion that he cannot build his own empire without a little bloodshed. A morally complex character throughout, he is a hard work who has built his world up by hard work and honest living- something he prides himself on. Essentially he is the ordinary man forced into a desperate place and is now having to fight back against his better judgement.

His relationship with Anna is the main firing point of A Most Violent Year as she is very much the immaculately styled Lady Macbeth figure of Chandor's picture. The daughter of a Gangster, Anna is not afraid to sink to lower than she needs to. One key scene sees her coldy shoot a stricken deer they have hit with their car, because it is easier that way! She is the steely presence and the real backbone to Adel's business and will go to great lengths to protect it. "You not gonna like what happens once I get involved" she breathlessly tells her husband, and we absolutely believe it!

The key firing point of this movie though comes from the excellent chemistry of Isaac and Chastain. As the everyman forced into a corner, Oscar Isaac excels as the conflicted Adel. In what is perhaps his strongest performance of his career, his character is given a resolve that sees him through even the worse situations. His guilt doesnt burden him but instead makes him more resourceful. As Anna, Jessica Chastain lights up the screen as the icy yet supportive and husky wife. Her motives and actions may be questionable, but she is the kind of wife you would kill for as she will help you stay ahead, no matter what!

J C Chandor is quickly establishing himself as one of Hollywood's most promising new directors and A Most Violent Year is a film that holds our attention firmly. The oil business is not one for the faint of heart, but this on screen couple are a pair with hearts of stone and the result is just electric! Shame Oscar missed out these two performances.