Baby Driver Review, Nobody puts Baby in a passenger seat

 After reflection on my experience with Baby Driver, I am in two frames of mind. The first says this is an action-packed thrill ride with some of the best choreography in any film I’ve seen. The car chases, gun fights and overall pace of the film is blended with the perfect soundtrack which really left me awestruck. The other part of me feels that this film was more style over substance however. Edgar Wright has written and directed two of the greatest British comedies of all time, those being rom-zom-com Shaun of the Dead and a film which I can almost quote word for word (trust me ask anyone of my family members) Hot Fuzz, so I was expecting a hilariously witty script and clever story. I was a little disappointed when the film was not as funny as I know Edgar Wright can be. In Scott Pilgrim Versus The World, Wright combined the art style of the comics with his own creative design and witty dialogue to make a very funny movie. I have come to realise over time that Baby Driver is its own thing and that by being so different to Wright’s other films, it must be commended.

Baby (Ansel Elgort) is a driver, a little on the nose I know, but he’s the best driver the mob boss Doc (Kevin Spacey) has ever seen and so consistently uses him as his getaway driver in heists he plans with other criminals such as Buddy, Darling and Bats to name a few. (Jon Hamm, Eliza González and Jamie Foxx) What makes Baby so unique as a driver is not just how fast he goes, it’s the fact he has Tinnitus and so uses the music to drown out the ringing in his ears but also uses it to orchestrate his own way of life. This all changes when Baby meets Debora (Lily James), a young waitress who shares the same dream as Baby, to drive away knowing not where they will end up to an amazing playlist. Baby must then try to leave the world of crime behind him, but getting out of the game is never as easy as it seems…

By starting off with a gorgeously worked action set piece right at the beginning of the film, you know exactly what you’re in for not even ten minutes into the film. You’re here for a no-nonsense action film that quite rightly could, and should, give the Fast and Furious films a literal run for their money. Everything in this film is done to music as we, the audience, are told the story from the perspective of Baby. The music is a necessary part of both his professional and private life. He plans getaways to music, he walks to music, he fights to music. The fact there is a constant ringing in the background of the film makes it clear to the audience that this is made around the perspective of Baby. In proper Edgar Wright fashion, there are Easter eggs plastered throughout the movie, much like in Scott Pilgrim, but these little changes in set design really outline the psyche of our protagonist as he lives his life through the music he uses to drown out the ringing in his ears. Wright has created a truly loveable character through the means of outline how he turns his weakness into his strength and passion.

Following on from this being Baby’s story, it would be incomplete without the supporting cast. Be it Buddy’s viciousness, Bats’ madness, Debora’s singing or Flea’s … wait why was Flea in this film? That’s unfair, as it’s his short time in the films proves to be the funniest segment. (He can just add it to the Red Hot Chilli Peppers’ hall of movie cameos) What I’m getting at is that this film writes all its characters well and all the actors are at their best on screen. There are no weak performances in this film.

To conclude, this is a different sort of film for Wright. After leaving Ant-Man back in 2015, he has been able to give a full, undiluted demonstration of how creative he is as a film maker. I have come to appreciate this film for what it is, a turn your mind off action film that still wants you to pay some attention to how clever it is. Baby Driver keeps offering fresh perspectives when you watch it, which is why I would certainly recommend snapping it up straight away on Blu-Ray or DVD. Where I will still use the phrase ‘style over substance’ to describe this film, it is no means meant as a disrespect.

8/10

The beginning of the Summer season of film

It's been a while hasn't it? In my defence, there have been a lot of releases in the movie world, but then again procrastination gets the better of us every now and then so here I am! Rather than doing individual posts for each film, I'll be writing about them on the same post to resemble the late April, May and Early June period. There is quite a spectrum here, there are films that remind me how good cinema is but again realising how far the industry still needs to go in terms of development; unnecessary cash grab sequels as well as gender equality in film making.

I'll be ordering my lists from worst to best, and I think I'll start with the films...

Pirates of the Caribbean: Salazar's Revenge, [Insert sinking ship pun here]

2003 saw the release of 'Curse of the Black Pearl', the first film of what was then to be one of the biggest movie franchises in world. Johnny Depp even earned his first Oscar nom. for best male lead as Captain Jack Sparrow! But if we fast forward 14 years later, it is rather tragic to see how the quality of these films have sunken, sharing a reputation with the Titanic. The plot of Salazar's Revenge is mostly non-existent but centres around Henry Turner's (Brenton Thwaites) desire to rid his father of the curse that binds him to the Flying Dutchman (yes that's right Will Turner from the original played by Orlando Bloom! but don't get excited as he is in the film for around 2 minutes) and therefore needs to find the Trident of Poseidon which will allow him to free his father. Cue Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) and his crazy crew who end up running into the young Turner as well as scientist Carina Smyth (Kaya Scodelario) whom is also looking for the Trident, for her own reasons which I can't remember. Something about a book? Anywho you're probably wonder where Salazar (Javier Bardem) fits into all this? The truth is, he doesn't. not only can you not understand or hear what Bardem is trying to utter, other than the words "Sparrow' in a quiet yet vengeful fashion.

The original title of the film was 'Dead Men Tell No Tales' which is rather cryptic, but still has a sense of meaning behind it in comparison to 'Salazar's Revenge'. Naming the film Salazar's Revenge is thus, a mistake. Jack never feels the wrath of Salazar's revenge neither does the film dwell on why he does want to kill him. Yes, there is a segment of the film dedicated to Jack luring Salazar and his crew into a cave but by this point I had fallen asleep. It's just your typical 'he killed me and unknowingly cursed me to an eternal undead life of suffering so I must have revenge story'. Combine this with very poorly edited action sequences, terrible acting and boring special affects you have an extremely dull film. Geoffrey Rush's performance of Barbossa does stand out however as I don't think I will ever get tired of hearing his fantastic voice. Alas, it is not enough to save this shipwreck.

4/10

Next off we have...

Alien Covenant, still lightyears away from recapturing the magic

FOR THE LOVE OF GOD WHY DO SCIENTISTS KEEP POKING ALIEN OBJECTS WHICH END UP KILLING EVERYONE?! I'm sorry, but not really sorry, but that had to be said. After Ridley Scott's Prometheus, audiences all over the world went into excepting answers to the origins of the Xenomorph and how they came to be. Scott had other ideas and thought his fans were tired of the Aliens and decided to focus on these massive white being called the Engineers who supposedly created both humans as well as the Aliens. This was met with negative reactions and so he began looking for a way to bring back the horror he and H.R Giger created back in 1979 with the original Alien. Covenant falls short however as it creates more questions for audiences to account for, but on the other hand does give us some answers on the creation of the Aliens as well as foreshadowing the demise of the Weyland-Yutani Corporation as they try to colonise planets to ensure the survival of the human race.

The crew of the Covenant are colonists tasked with colonising a planet suitable for housing humans but are rudely awoken out of cryo sleep to only discover a transmission from another planet that has suitable conditions for humans to live on and therefore colonise. The most glaring flaw in this movie's plot is that Katherine Waterston's Daniels is the only character to question the stupidity of landing on a planet without extensively researching it first, which is what the crew had done to the planet they initially intended to colonise! Being the only character who asks, "We don't know what the F***'s out there" makes her the smartest character in the whole franchise. Regardless of her logic and going on record with her feeling, the scientist’s touchdown on the planet and begin their experiments whilst the pilots wait for their return. Then we have the obligatory poking of Alien looking objects which thus leads to the death and destruction of their crew and mission. (I'd say spoilers but come on you know what you're getting into with this film...)

The best things about this film are the visuals and Michael Fassbenders characterisation of David/Walter. The special effects of space travel look phenomenal and Scott has taken another step closer to creating the horror audiences once felt when witnessing the Xenomorph for the first time. However, a new form of the Alien is presented to us in the form of the Neomorph and the Protomorph. They produce some scares, but as I mentioned before, their creation only adds to the list of questions. Are there different variations of the black goo that creates them? Are different aliens created from different lifeforms? Moving on, Fassbenders acting is incredible. He retains the villainous personality of David as well as the obedient nature of Walter. Introducing Walter as David's upgrade, there are noticeable differences in his characteristics, most notably his ability for free thought and imagination which was what made David so dangerous. David's lack of a moral compass and lack of comprehension surrounding his creation fuels his desire to create and therefore, have meaning. When misquoting Shelley for Byron in stating "My name Ozymandias, King of Kings; Look on my works, ye mighty, and despair!" shows his delusion as a being obsessed with creation, but is not a creator of life, only death and destruction. 

With some great moments, Alien: Covenant is worth a watch despite some continuity errors which include how the aliens grow, the differences between David and Walter with the whole film almost mirroring the events of the original. With a sequel already in the works however, I am interested to see where the Alien universe is taken. 

6.8/10

It should then come as no surprise then that my favourite film from this list is...

Wonder Woman, #girlpower

The DCEU has had a pretty terrible run of films recently. Man of Steel was received with mixed reception, but provided fans with a ray of hope that Clark Kent/Superman could be a character worthy of the big screen one again. Batman vs Superman was then released which then only divided fans and critics even further and the next layer of this seemingly disgusting cake was Suicide Squad. Both films had so much potential but did not deliver on anything the trailers or executives promised. It is with absolute pleasure that I can say that Wonder Woman is a great film. It suffers from a very CGI heavy, Man of Steel like fighty bashy final act which partially damages the end of the film but this does not spoil the events and set pieces earlier on in the film. 

To kick things off, Gal Gadot is perfect for Dianna Prince/Wonder Woman. She is both naive and witty but is as brutal as she is compassionate. We were given a very small glimpse at what she could do in BvS but in this she truly stands out as character whom can hold her own in both combat scenarios and emotional situations. The best thing about this film is that it could be a stand-alone film with no attachments to the Justice League whatsoever. This is possible in the way the story is told. With Dianna working as a museum curator, Bruce Wayne uncovers the original photo of her squad mates from the First World War. The rest of the movie is then a flashback of her life as a child training to become a warrior on the Amazon home of Themyscira. One day, Steve Trevor (Chris Pine) crash lands in the islands waters after fleeing a German post with vital information that will aid in the halting of the experimentation with inhumane weapons that could then win them the war. She then makes it her mission to travel with Steve and end this war once and for all, which then marks her transition from a young amazon girl into Wonder Woman.

Where lines and comparisons can be drawn between this and Captain America: The First Avenger, Wonder Woman is both its very own film with its very own heroine. This is a real coming of age story revolving around all beings and not just those with outstanding power, the Amazons for example. The old friends and allies of Trevor all have their demons as well as their strengths which integrates Dianna into the man in excellent fashion. It is then an absolute shame that the film results in a generic protagonist vs villain punch up which depends so heavily on CGI and special effects. Comparing the No Man's Land sequence to the final battle really hurts and if Warner Bros want to drive DC in the right direction then new approaches need to be taken.

To conclude, I liked this film and if Zack Snyder continues to mishandle these characters he'll be butchering what could be, arguably, the strongest and most influential female superhero. Where it doesn't shine brighter than say many films in the MCU, it really works as a standalone film and as a female led superhero flick. We can only hope Gal Gadot carries the great performance made into November's Justice League as well as hoping Patty Jenkins returns to direct the sequel, but in the meantime, let's remember DCEU has actually has a good film under its belt.

7.9/10

Review: Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Daddy issues on a galactic scale

Following on from his 2014's surprise smash hit, James Gunn has knocked it out of the park once again with Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. If the first Guardians film was based around introducing the social outcasts who would band together to save the galaxy, the sequel is all about how each one lives with their social differences to then save the galaxy once more despite clashing egos from time to time. (see what I did there?)

Taking place only a few months after defeating Ronin and saving the galaxy from certain destruction, Starlord/Peter Quill (Chris Pratt), Gamora (Zoe Saldana), Drax (Dave Baustista), Rocket (Bradley Cooper) and Groot (Vin Diesel) find themselves aiding a group of self proclaimed superior beings called the Sovereign before, in classic anti-hero fashion, stealing from behind their backs and thus being forced to flee. After recapturing Gamora's grudge holding sister Nebula (Karen Gillan), our Guardians come into contact with a being known only as Ego (Kurt Russell) who claims to be Peter's long lost father! Before long our heroes uncover a plot to destroy the entire galaxy and they must team up with each other, putting aside their differences to do what they do best, insult one another to the point where they realise that they are in fact all freakish outsiders who deserve each other. Oh and prevent a psychotic being from destroying the galaxy.

From the get go, we are presented with a hilarious sketch of Baby Groot having a groove to Mr. Blue sky whilst his fellow Guardians battle a seemingly invincible creature. His moments in the film take on the leading comedic role as his comic innocence as well as his infant like mind outshine each of the other characters. 'Cute' is the first word that comes to mind when you see his little face react to every single character interaction. This is why Vol. 2 is so much funnier than its predecessor as new characters we had no idea who could be so hilarious introduced in the first film are given more screen time. We learn about Nebula's reasoning behind her hatred for both Gamora and Thanos, leading to further anticipation to what will transpire in Avengers: Infinity War. Yondu (Micheal Rooker) is also roped into guarding the galaxy which, again, gives fresh perspective on a character once thought to be quite calculating in the original. He is a witty, caring and at times, brutal addition to the team who has by far one of the most emotional scenes in any movie in the MCU.

The soundtrack, Awesome Mix vol.2, does not bang as much as the first unfortunately. Where it is still a fun mix of classic songs from the 60s and 70s, there is just something about the first awesome mix that made it special blend of anthems that defined a generation. It is still in keeping with the love Peter has for the memory of his mother which is a consistent theme throughout the film. Ego's connection with Peter's mother does however add another layer of love to the soundtrack as he shares his love with Peter by reciting certain songs with him.

Where some take issues in this film with either its use of humour, pacing, or the run of the mill storyline of a dad who abandoned his unborn child is then reunited to show how much he loves his son, I find few faults in this film. Not only is this a hilarious action filled thrill ride with the best Stan Lee cameo appearance ever, it is an emotional film which expresses how different the Guardians are to the likes of the Avengers, or any heroes for that matter. They are clearly flawed in their separate personalities but that is what makes them the guardians they are. Together they are a force to be reckoned with against the best villain in the MCU since Ultron. Oh and if you haven't seen it yet, do stick around for the 5 after credit scenes as they are something really freakin' special. Except they don't use the word freakin'...

9/10

Review: Fast & Furious 8, If it ain't broke, add more cars and explosions regardless

One day, we'll look back and ask why, 'Why is the Fast and Furious franchise as successful as it is?' I'll tell you why. Because it doesn't pretend to be anything else other than a mad adrenaline fuelled thrill ride with more testosterone than even Dwayne Johnson can shake a stick at. That being said, Fast and Furious 8 is just that and I couldn't have been more satisfied. With the tragic loss of Paul Walker, the films have lost a part of the spirit of what it was built on, but that means there is now room for a new direction which is what this film does quite well.

We open on Dom (Vin Diesel) and Letty (Michelle Rodriguez) living a happy life in Cuba, but still driving fast cars in the most furious way possible. After a crazy race involving Dom effectively turning his car into bomb and driving it whilst on fire, he is met by a mysterious lady only known by as Cipher (Charlize Theron) and is persuaded to betray his code. This code being protecting family at all cost. This leads to a chase all over the world involving the crew: Tej (Ludacris), Roman (Tyrese Gibbs), Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson) and Ramsey (Nathalie Emmanuel) with the aid of Mr Nobody's (Kurt Russell) organisation to discover Cipher's true intentions as well as bring Dom back to the family. Moving from massive action set piece to the next, the crew fight to stop Cipher's plans to ignite a nuclear war by driving their cars really fast, blowing up other cars that are driving really fast and have fist fights with the most massive men Eastern Europe has to offer.

It may seem like a basic premise that shouldn't be that exciting but it does have to be seen to be believed. It goes without saying that this is a ridiculous film with the most unrealistic scenes put to screen in this series which outshines previous mad scenes such as the runway the length of Europe in Fast and Furious 6 and dragging a giant safe full of cash with only two cars whilst also destroying downtown Rio in Fast 5. Most notably, witnessing Cipher's hacking ability in the New York act of the film is rather jaw dropping as she turns almost every car into her puppets, recreating the look of the zombie hoards in World War Z but with cars. Oh, and let's not forget how The Rock is one more movie away in this franchise from becoming a terminator. I won't say much, but a live torpedo is manhandled by him, whilst holding onto a moving car and skidding on ice, into an enemy vehicle. With two more films confirmed for the series, I can only imagine for faster and more furious they can get than this...

Keeping this a spoiler free review, I won't say what turns Dom against his family but it is presented very well by being very believable in why a man would seem to turn away from what he held most dear. We get to see a side of Dom rarely displayed in the films as he is a man who shows little signs of emotion but is not mistaken for having no emotions. For Dom this is not about a job, this is about his family, making all of what he does in this film personal.

There isn't much else to say about this film as you go in to see some explosions, fast cars racing one another, adrenaline fuelled fist fights and crazy stunts with our heroes surviving the impossible. Therefore, I can recommend the new entry in the Fast and Furious franchise as it continues to further the successful formula of the series and I will wait with anticipation to see what they bring to the big screen next. Whenever I need to escape from this reality of ours, I know I can find salvation in this film.

7.4/10

Review: Iron Fist Season 1, An average show with a very average hero

Marvel were on a good streak. Daredevil, Jessica Jones and Luke Cage were all great shows with brilliant stories, equally brilliant characters with the dynamic setting of New York City connecting our heroes within the MCU. Iron Fist was the last standalone show before we receive Defenders, with all our heroes teaming up to fight the mysterious group known as The Hand. I was therefore greatly disappointed to find that this show felt like a rushed mess with underdeveloped characters and a boring story but what hurt the most was that there was no reason to have set this in New York! 

Iron Fist follows Danny Rand (Finn Jones) who, after surviving a plane crash that killed his parents as a child, has returned to New York so he can claim his place as the rightful owner as the chief shareholder in his father's Company, Rand Corp. But in the time between the plane crash and Danny's return to civilisation, he was taken in by the monks of K'un-Lun and became the Iron Fist, the man who will defend K'un-Lun from their sworn enemies, The Hand. In returning to his old home, Danny finds that the company is not what it should be, as Joy and Ward Meachum (Jessica Stoup and Tom Pelphrey) are in charge and try to oust him from the company, doubting who he claims to be. This is where Danny befriends Colleen Wing (Jessica Henwick) and slowly starts to reintegrate himself back into society before he discovers The Hand's operations in New York and commits himself to driving them out. 

I must emphasis the work "slowly". The first half of the show contains very little martial arts or any demonstration of how the Iron Fist works. It is much more performs much more like a soap opera or drama with Danny trying to discover himself, due to having never sense of selfhood whilst in K'un-Lun. Where the fact he never really recovered, this Iron Fist do not give any episodes demonstrating how Danny's time with these monks was punishing, how the training was vigorous, how he formed a friendship with Davos (Sacha Dwahan) or how he even became the Iron Fist! But, he isn't even really the Iron Fist? (if that makes sense...) Danny barely ever uses his power and when he does it is only ever for the shorter part of any action sequence, and is not even presented to the audience till the very end of the second episode! From this point, the show has sparks that of emphasised on, for example how Danny runs Rand Corp. or his fighting the criminal underworld of New York, but the story jumps from location to location thus not making the city of New York its own character and therefore lacking the spirit that made all the other Marvel shows special. 

The trailers are nearing false advertisement as they're so action packed, giving the intention that there is a focus on the Kung Fu Danny has learned at K'un-Lun and will use his skills as a martial artist to take down his enemies. However, this is not the case in the final product. There are no extended set pieces of action, bar episode 6 which might be the most action packed one but is drowned out by clunky dialogue. 

Another disappointing flaw in this the lack of an apparent villain. Yes, Danny's sworn enemy is The Hand, but there is no individual that Danny goes face to face with. Madame Gao (Wai Ching Ho) isn't really the head of the snake, and neither is Bakuto (Ramon Rodriguez) as supposed leaders of The Hand. This leaves the Meachums. Joy isn't a villain; Ward is bad person who is constantly having internal conflicts with himself as a person but still lacks a sense of evil in his acts and so we are presented with Harold (David Wenham) as our supposed 'villain'. With implied ties to The Hand and their drug trade, he is ultimately boring and predictable. Each show is only as good as the villain, as was The Kingpin/Wilson Fisk with Nobu and his division of The Hand in Daredevil, Killgrave in Jessica Jones and Cottonmouth/Cornel Stokes in Luke Cage. 

This show just felt rushed. With its release being in the same year as Defenders, I feel that Marvel wanted to tell Danny Rand's story as fast as they could in preparation for what we, as the audience, have been waiting for with real anticipation. It is a shame we have are left with this very mediocre Netflix show, but this will all be a bad memory once New York's heroes band together to save their city. Therefore, I would advise just watch Daredevil season 2 again rather than watching this OK show. 

4.9/10

Review: Logan, Don't f**k with The Wolverine

Logan is a film deserving of praise from not just fans of the X-Men franchise, but all movie lovers. Whilst still being a film centred around super heroes, this is a story grounded in a realistic world with emotional dialogue, fantastic characters and great performances that create a truly exciting film.

To quote the Wolverine himself, "the world is not what is once was." This is the most accurate way to describe the world in Logan as mutants are mostly dead or in hiding. Logan/Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) is living a quiet life by caring for a mentally deteriorating Charles Xavier/Professor X (Patrick Stewart) along with Caliban (Stephen Merchant). Charles isn't the only one who is finding his powers are failing him, as Logan's healing powers are far slower than they once were as well as having constant coughing fits to show that he really is getting old. But soon enough, things get spun into gory overdrive with the introduction of Laura/X23 (Dafne Keen) and we're taken on a thrilling chase as our heroes go on the run from a mysterious corporation, pushing our more elderly characters to the absolute limit.

From the start, this film would not work without its R rating. Following on from Deadpool's success, we are given a Wolverine who drops as many F-bombs as he can whilst dismembering anyone in his way. Without the violence and the language, this would have been another run of the mill X-Men film everyone has seen before. This new approach does not only give a more realistic and detailed view into the powers of Wolverine, but with each kill and each bullet taken, Logan has the sympathy of the audience like never before.

What's more, this is an emotional film. The performances from all of our heroes not only pull at our heart strings, but make us laugh as there are some laughs to be had in this world, however the film does love to remind us that this is a dystopian world for mutants by showing us the dark side of living in hiding, almost everyone you come into contact with ends up dead. Unfortunately, the villains fall a little short on the threat scale, but they double down on their cruelty with Pierce's (Boyd Holbrook) unrelenting motive to capture Laura, even if it means killing plenty of innocents in the process.

This isn't the best X-Men film, nor is it the best ever superhero film ever made, but it is the most unique. Logan is a film that humanises the mutants and presents them in a light where humans are the threat rather than an evil mutant out to destroy the world. I am happy that Jackman has decided to make this his final X-Men film, as the character has been well and truly exhausted but in a way that won't make fans want him back. I imagine FOX will cast a new younger Wolverine, but for many including myself, Jackman is the only Logan for me. To finish, Logan is a unique superhero film that focuses more on the humanity of the mutants more than their powers, but balances it with brilliant action sequences and a great story.

8/10