Virtual Reality: Review of Ready Player One

Ready Player One

Director: Steven Spielberg

By Alex Watson

Adapting the beloved novel Ready Player One by Ernest Cline was no easy job. Few directors were better equipped for the task than Steven Spielberg. In stunning detail, the legendary director captures the virtual paradise that is 'The Oasis' and he stays true to the novel's pop culture references (including several cheeky nods to his own work). While it nails the look and feel of the novel, the characters in this universe feel underdeveloped on screen. The script by Zak Penn and Ernest Cline is well paced but the splicing and dicing of the original story will alienate hardcore fans.

Wade Watts (Tye Sheridan) is a teenager living in a decrepit 2045 Columbus, Ohio. With the world in ruins and society having fallen, most people opt to send their entire days inside the virtual reality world 'The Oasis'. This world was the product of innovator James Halliday (Mark Rylance) and Ogden Morrow (Simon Pegg). After Halliday's death, he left an Easter Egg within the game and whoever passes the three challenges required will inherit his entire company. Wade (playing as avatar Parzival) sets out to claim, but his quest will bring into contact notorious gamer Art3mis (Olivia Cooke).

Any fans who have ever wondered how on earth this imaginary world could even be plausible on screen- you will not be disappointed. Seeing this production in 3D is truly awe-inspiring and you will find yourself transfixed. Spielberg gives all kinds of hard to spot popular culture fun like a car race interrupted by T-Rex from Jurassic Park and King Kong and a battle scene featuring the likes of Jason Voorhees and Freddy Kruger. Literally, Spielberg populates his movie with some many little finds (Zemeckis cube anyone), you will find your eyes in a state of cat-like readiness. With it's 80's cheese soundtrack of Van Halen, Hall & Oates and Joan Jett, this world feels like stepping back in time while surrounded by the beautiful future. We never really learn how the world has declined into a people living in stacks, but in this movie, such details are considered irrelevant.

We learn early on that Wade is a 'Gunter' (a person who hunts the easter egg), this quest brings him to Art3mis' path and both emerge as two purists who are well ahead of the game. Their ability to clue into the smallest details while looking back through Halliday's old journals is mind-bending. Of course, sparks fly but his buddy Aech (Lena Waithe) remains sceptical on the subject of digital love. It also set up a hilarious sequence when along with the other gunters they are forced to search through 'The Shining's' Overlook Hotel. The scary old lady in the bathtub takes on a whole new meaning here.  A rival company IOI are looking to claim the egg for themselves. Nolan Sorrento (Ben Mendelsohn) is the corporate jerk out to ruin everyone's fun and he has amassed an army of people called 'Sixers' whom he owns through debt. He even sets up 'Loyalty Camps' to ensure anyone and everyone aids him. Sorrento is not a man who wishes to have the keys to the kingdom not because he is skilled at playing the game, but because he just wants to get even richer.

Despite this capturing the feel of Cline's novel, the story itself is left second to the visuals. The backstory of the falling out of Morrow and Halliday feels more like a tidbit here. Also, the actual quest Parzival undertakes is completely changed for the movie. Those who have read the book will be unaffected, but fans will fume. In the novel, Morrow plays a vital role in the potential success of our heroes, here this character barely registers. Although Wade and Art3mis make for a cute couple and they firmly stabilize the story both in and out of the game- the same can't be said for the rest of the supporting cast. Other Gunter's Sho (Philip Zhao) and Toshiro (Win Morisaki) are barely given a look in. The decision to bump up antagonist i-R0k (voiced by T.J Miller) is strange because he barely features in the novel. Spielberg does give us a realistic and utterly believable version of Halliday who in this universe was a shy and conflicted Steve Jobs type. Overall, it hard to complain too much about Spielberg's adaptation and it hard to imagine a better person to bring this world to life.

Tye Sheridan has recently been a young actor with promise through his turn's in Nic Cage's movie 'Joe' and the comedy 'A Scout's Guide to the Apocalypse'. Spielberg has always had a good idea for future and Sheridan is excellent throughout. Channelling the die-hard gamer who wants to save The Oasis from corruption, he has the movie's heart on display. Olivia Cooke who was so excellent in the dark comedy Thoroughbred's adds another impressive performance to her resume. Together these two are a charming pair of romantic leads. Mark Rylance, although very briefly on screen is scene-stealingly brilliant as the terminally awkward Halliday. Ben Mendelsohn however, is once again shortchanged in a big film. His Nolan Sorrento has the potential to be a cunning nemesis. In this universe, he just comes across an egotistical dick with little substance.

Ready Player One is a game that you'll want to play by the movie's end. Keep your eyes peeled though, you will busy spotting different characters.

The Beach: Review of Dunkirk

Dunkirk

Director: Christopher Nolan

By Alex Watson

Few war movies have captured the horrors and struggle of WW2 quite like Christopher Nolan's Dunkirk. From the opening frame, this movie has its audience holding their breath in a worried silence. Celebrating a real miracle of wartime, Nolan shows us that heroism is found in the most unlikely places. Shining brightly during its numerous combat sequences, Nolan's movie is equally powerful during its quiet moments.

In May 1940, 400,000 British soldiers have been stranded on the beaches of Dunkirk for some time. Rescue efforts have proven futile due to a large number of German's surrounding them. Facing a horrifying ordeal and a potential invasion of their homeland, military personnel such as Commander Bolton (Kenneth Branagh), RAF pilot Farrier (Tom Hardy), army private Tommy (Finn Whitehead) and civilian sailor Mr Dawson (Mark Rylance) must all do their part to make a miracle happen.

Diving straight into the action, Dunkirk rarely gives its audience a chance to stop and think. Low on dialogue, Nolan uses the pictures to tell the story rather than dragging it down with a lengthy and wordy backstory. British soldiers are facing a hellish scenario and overhead the Germans frequently bombard them with air attacks. The wailing sounds of the fighter planes hurtling are like hearing death from above! Home is so close yet so far (39 nautical miles to be precise) and Nolan makes the sense of hopelessness feel so apparent. In one powerful scene on a windswept beach, one British soldier wades into the sea in despair. The movie is cut into three different sections 1. The Mole which deals with the situation on the beach, 2. The Air: which focuses on the RAF dog fights to protect soldiers on land and finally 3. The Sea which is where Mr Dawson roams into view.

The imagery of this movie is what truly sticks in the mind. Nolan has mesmerised our eyes before in Inception and Interstellar, but in this picture, he refuses to fall back on computer visuals. The powerful image of watching thousands of soldiers duck for cover during an air attack is far more jarring than CGI. The horrors of this war are frequently brought to our attention- in total four ships are sunk and rescue attempts have to continually restart. Watching young Tommy trying to drown out the sounds of gunfire while underwater painfully emphasises the torture that will follow. The concept of everyone doing what they can gives the movie an inner strength. Mr Dawson is a man willingly heading into a world of trouble and when he rescues Cillian Murphy's shellshocked 'Shivering Soldier' he sees how much he will have to endure. However, never once does his desire to save soldiers wane. Nolan doesn't seek to glorify this conflict and there is no overbearing sense of patriotism. In simple terms, it's about showing just how much ordinary people can be put through when things are on the line.

Although the timelines of Dunkirk's three stories often go back and forth in time- they are skillfully put together. Aided by Hans Zimmer's pulsating and ticking score- we know every second counts. Tommy and another young soldier Alex (Harry Styles) show the end of the innocence during the war. Pushed to breaking point they resort to increasingly desperate measures to get home. Farrier patrols the air with a calm authority and despite his fuel situation being unclear he still knows that each plane he lets slip away is one more than the British need. The air sequences provide Nolan's movie with an injection of thrills. A throwback to old air classics, Nolan films real Spitfire's flying against the vast number of German fighters. Goosebumps are guaranteed to appear whenever they fly by and for once a lack of CGI is a real blessing. Cinematographer Hoyte Van Hoytema's glorious photography is what makes this journey such a harrowing yet inspiring experience.

Despite established names like Branagh and Hardy being billed, their impact on this movie is minimal. Newcomer Finn Whitehead has an arduous task of being the very face of the ordinary soldier- but he carries it off effortlessly. Showing a conflicted soul, Tommy's exposure to the shock of combat shows a boy who is becoming a man way too soon. Harry Styles might have divided opinion with his casting, but as young Alex, he truly excels. Showing a depth of emotion and talent which will surprise many, Styles proves he has some fine acting chops. Mark Rylance once again proves he is now Hollywood's go-to man for supporting roles. His Mr Dawson is as selfless as they come and Rylance gives him a bravery that is iron-clad.

Dunkirk is a movie that will be rivalled by few this year. Some might see Christopher Nolan as a director who believes he is smarter than his audience, but this picture shows that he can also deep when given a straight story to tell. Highly recommended.

Standing On The Shoulders Of Giants: Review of The BFG

The BFG

Director: Steven Spielberg

By Alex Watson

Despite Steven Spielberg wielding some neat and magical visual touches, his adaptation of Roald Dahl's The BFG cannot escape feeling slightly underwhelming. The casting of Mark Rylance and Ruby Barnhill is inspired and the pair together are the main source of fuel for Spielberg's picture. The principle problem is that although this adaptation is wonderful is some areas, it also drags in others. Although the great man tries his hardest, this just doesn't feel like vintage Spielberg.

Sophie (Ruby Barnhill) is an orphan living in London who one night is snatched up by giant The BFG (Mark Rylance). Taking her back to his home, The Giant World the pair begin to bond when he shares his hobby of collection and giving dreams to people. In this land, he is one friendly giant as all others are bloodthirsty children eaters led by the Fleshlumpeater (Jermaine Clement). Together the pair hatches a plan to put a stop of their evil deeds for good.

Despite a very promising and tense opening where we see The BFG snatch Sophie from her bed during 'the witching hour' Spielberg cannot keep this momentum going. Seeing his giant hand reaching for the curtains is as thrilling on a big screen as it was on paper. The early scenes of her introduction to this 24-foot gentle giant are very touching with some well-timed comic moments. His constant particular speech and mispronouncing of words get plenty of laughs, as he refers to humans as 'Beans'. But none get more giggles than when he shows what when you do a 'Whiz-Pop' by drinking Frobscottle. Although these scenes do bring a charm, the film is too reliant on dialogue and as a result, scenes feel overly long.

London has never looked more wonderous on screen and the scenes set during the black velvet night look like something right out of a fairytale as BFG and Sophie deliver a pleasant dream to young boy where he gets a call from the US President. Entering Giant country, at first, we are transfixed by its beauty, most notably during a gorgeous sequence where we see the giant collecting dream. The FX in this scene sparkles like a beautiful dream and is a rare moment of wonder. The child-eating giants while visually impressive, lack any kind of development and they feel tame compared to the horrifying creatures in the 1989 animated version. BFG is bullied for being a runt and is too meek to fight back. Yes, he has our support as the underdog, but after a point, we wish these guys would just go away.

The final act promises great things as Sophie and BFG approach the Queen (Penelope Wilton for help. Giving her one of the worst dreams imaginable, what follows is possible the strongest scene in the picture as she along with her maid Mary (a lovely Rebecca Hall) find Sophie outside her window. Can the Queen possibly believe this unlikely dream about the Giants she just had? Also, there is the added bonus of watching her butler Mr. Tibbs (Rafe Spall) trying to get the Queens guard out without giving himself away. Comedy galore comes rolling forward when BFG is giving breakfast, requiring servants to give large quantities of eggs, toast, and many other things while he is perched up high. Spielberg is known for being funny, but here is carries off well. Sadly for all our hopes, the finale is a rather bland one and only adds to the gigantic disappointment that has been looming throughout.

Mark Rylance proves to be a fine choice to portray the BFG and he is able to both charm and amuse us in equal measure. Sporting a West Country accent, this big guy is a slightly bumbling and confusing character at first. Once the kinks have been ironed out, a big-hearted and lovable giant is born and Rylance brings to life the joy that Dahl gave this character. Ruby Barnhill is an equally wise choice and her down to earth portrayal of Sophie is one of the movie's plus points. The two leads bounce off each other well and are primarily responsible for keeping at a respectable level. Jermaine Clement might have convinced as Boris The Animal in MIB 3, but he is given little work with here. In this age of CG, the Fleshlumpeater should have been a horrifying sight. Instead, he is reduced to comic foil.

The BFG has brief moments that will bring a smile, but Spielberg is not able to make this one of this summer's strongest hits. Hopefully, his adaptation of Ready Player One will be up to scratch.

Pawn Sacrifice: Review of Bridge of Spies

Bridge of Spies

Director: Steven Spielberg

By Alex Watson

Marking the fourth collaboration between Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks, this one might just be their strongest effort yet. Bridge of Spies is a finely made thriller that almost effortlessly bring forward the tension and frailty that the Cold War provided. This ride to justice is a long one, but the journey never once feels strained. Thanks to an Oscar worthy Tom Hanks and a cracking Coen Brothers script we see how much one man was willing to put on the line to save others. 

When Rudolf Abel (Mark Rylance) is arrested by the US Government for being a Soviet spy, insurance lawyer James B Donovan (Tom Hanks) is given the unlikely task of defending him. Despite the guilty verdict, he still presses for the mans innocence much to the displeasure of his fellow partner Tom Watters (Alan Alda). But when a US pilot is shot down while on a mission over Soviet territory, Abel and Donovan find themselves involved in a potential swap deal. 

Spielberg smartly does not rush the telling of his story in Bridge of Spies as he knows that the sheer power of it drives the movie along. The build up to the possible exchange gets to almost unbearable levels of anxiety as Donovan enters East Berlin. Here a fair outcome is not promised and there is a sense that both the CIA and the Soviet agents aren't thoroughly concerned with being by the book. Abel is an almost meek and gentle presence who when arrested by the US agents greets them in his underpants asking them to hand him his false teeth. Donovan is a straight shooting character who believes that any man has a right to defense under the US Constitution. At first defending Abel is simply as a publicity stunt which frightens his wife Mary (Amy Ryan). Dirty looks are cast his way and the people soon turn against him, but never once does he fold. From early on he realizes the value Abel could bring to the US and this trust pays off big time. 

The chemistry between Abel and Donovan gives Spielberg's thriller an almost comic edge. Frequently we see his attorney ask the man "Aren't you worries?" only for him to reply "Would it help?" Early on a big pawn enters into the game when US pilot Francis Gary Powers (Austin Stowell) and idealistic and love-sick student Frederic Pryor are both captured and imprisoned. Entering the other side of the Iron Curtain, Donovan has to meet some ruthless and temperamental persona's such as shady and volatile GDR agent Vogel (Sebastien Koch). Securing a swap for both men is seemingly impossible and even his own government seems more concerned with Powers than Pryor. In East Berlin, Donovan is desperately out of his depth and there are moments that shock us. One moment sees two people brutally gunned down while attempting to cross from East to West! 

Featuring a script by the Coen Brothers, at point there is a typically zany feel by these two in Bridge of Spies. Watching Donovan meeting Abel fake and delusional East German family is one moment that is throw back to the screwball humor that are able to bring. There are also sequences that are wonderfully underplayed but offer electricity nonetheless. The calm and docile opening chase sequence on the Brooklyn subway is eye-catching throughout. The real point of suspense late on is as the switch becomes nearer. Will this go smoothly? Or will one over zealous agent throw a spanner into the works? Donovan in this sequence steps up his game and emerges as a real hero, particularly in the docile and almost charming way he blackmails a youthful office assistant. In this moment, he has found perhaps the one man in Berlin will listen hard! The uncertainty of what Abel's people will do with him is one question that haunts the picture. 

Tom Hanks shows what a presence he can still be when tasked with holding things together. As James Donovan he is the voice and face of reason and even when the odds are stack he goes down swinging. Hanks plays to the characters strengths and is an engrossing presence who willfully steps into the crooked ground. Mark Rylance however, steals the film from underneath Hanks with a buttoned down turn as the quiet Abel. Whenever Rylance appears he is a likable and almost tranquil presence. Steadfast in his beliefs, Abel makes no apologies for his past or present actions, he simply just wants to paint. Cast as the BFG in Spielberg's new adaptation of Roald Dahl's beloved novel, Rylance gives a big sign of what could be next. In this he is very much the little friendly giant who has become the US' most valuable asset. 

Bridge of Spies is one film that will no doubt be an awards favourite this year, if only for the acting work on display. Spielberg and Coen brothers have proven a fine mix and hopefully this is one collaboration we will see again.