The Losers****

I think we've had a lot of films recently based on comics; Kick Ass, Iron Man 2, Watchmen (2009) and The Dark Knight (2008) based on the DC Comics character Batman, and I'll admit I'm starting to really like this phase. I enjoyed Kick Ass and Iron Man 2, so I hoped that I would like The Losers as another graphic novel based film.

It's been a while since Sylvain White directed a film but after three years, I think he did The Losers justice. Who could resist with five well built men? And not forgetting to mention Zoe Saldana (Avatar) wearing little to nothing half the time but definitely knowing how to shoot a gun. She knew how to keep the guys in their place with her feisty yet threatening personality and her appearance allowed her to blend in with the men, as she sported tattoos and piercings. I almost believe she could be the new Halle Berry as she seems to have proved herself as an action chick.

What I admired about The Losers was its incorporation of the comic style, for example when the characters were introduced they were in their graphic form with their names and traits, which was helpful for anyone who wasn't really aware of who they were. It also suggested the way they worked as a team, individually they all contributed to produce a number of skills. I thought the way the labels merged with the landscape to inform us of the rapidly changing location was clever, the font was technical looking as though you were in a video game and kept up this idea of a 'mission'.

There was a fair amount of slow motion in the film, but it was nothing like the slow mo in Prince of Persia. In The Losers the whole frame slowed right down, it was like the scene in the Lion King where Simba fights Scar as an adult, it made everything incredibly dramatic. One scene that stupefied me was where Saldana and Jeffrey Dean Morgan are fighting in a hotel room whilst fire slowly creeps up the walls as though they are completely oblivious to it. The editing kept up a fast pace so you could barely take in the gun fights at points but this kept the audience engaged. There were plenty of explosions and stunts you'd find in an action packed film; bikes driving into aeroplanes, cars exploding in the middle of the city and Roque (Idris Elba) putting on a show with his knife skills. There were plenty of chat-up lines from Jensen (Chris Evans) and quick wit and licking of the lips from Cougar (Oscar Jaenada).

The soundtrack conveyed just how fearsome and masculine these ex soldiers were, and undoubtedly you cannot beat a bit of Journey - Don't Stop Believin' to lighten the tense mood. With an unexpected twist, this film is a specific must see this year - The Losers turned out to be quite the opposite.

My Favourite Film of '09

The Hangover*****

The Hangover focuses on three best friends, Phil (Bradley Cooper), Alan (Zach Galifianakis), and Stu (Ed Helms) who are taking their groom-to-be friend Doug (Justin Bartha) to Las Vegas for a night of drinking, gambling, and damn right outrageousness. However, no night in Vegas could be enjoyed without any hiccups along the way...

I have watched this films at least fifteen times and would happily watch it everyday for the rest of my life, it was that good. Not only did it have some really outstanding actors, it actually had some original comedy which was genuinely funny because it could happen. It won the Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy, and I definitely think it deserved that.

Director Todd Phillips has made several fantastically funny films, such as Old School (2003) and Road Trip (2000) both supplying us with the likes of Vince Vaughn, Seann William Scott and Will Ferrell. Phillips cameoed in The Hangover as the guy in the lift wearing a moustache and sunglasses, and that's what I love about The Hangover. I notice something I didn't see before every time I watch it. There's always a facial expression or background noise you didn't quite catch, which just makes your mouth twitch a little bit more. When I first watched it I was disappointed that we didn't get to actually watch their night out in Vegas, but the narrative is something I've grown to appreciate, as we watch these four best friends put the puzzle pieces of their night back together in incredibly unpredictable ways. On the other hand, I think the photos at the end accompanying the credits leave us to our own judgements of what happened, and it gets you wondering what measures they had to go to for some of those photos!

Within the first half an hour of the film we can already tell what the personalities of the characters are going to be like, and all four actors play up to this throughout (except Doug, who doesn't get to do much when he's stuck on the roof! Oops, spoiler.) Nevertheless, at the end I think we see a dramatic difference in each man, as they have conquered the characteristic (or controlling cow in Stu's case) that brought them down, increasing what was just an average friendship. The soundtrack was one to be proud of, ranging from "Who Let the Dogs Out" to Kanye and Rihanna, to Phil Collins and Ed Helms himself. It suited the situation of four guys bigging up Vegas and I felt myself singing along on my first viewing. Alan's little song "Three Best Friends" reflected his character well, showing he was insecure of not really being close to anyone and that he relied on other people a lot. The CGI and green screen usage was amazing, if I had not watched the special features on the DVD I would never have guessed the view from their room wasn't real. Call me silly, but it was a jaw dropping view.

Through the pain of watching Stu lose his tooth and Alan accidentally hitting a baby's face with a car door, this film is going to be a hard to beat comedy in my eyes. And what with The Hangover 2 being set for 2011, I am once again looking forward to laughing unreasonably loud in the cinema and Alan playing up to his usual dumb antics. All four boys have signed up for the sequel :)

Stu's Song - definitely worth a watch!
http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi2105934361/

Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time***

I felt like this film was just another cliché; your typical action adventure Walt Disney Picture with no surprises and acclaimed happy ending. Nevertheless, considering it was from the producer of Pirates of the Caribbean, Jerry Bruckheimer, I decided to give it a chance. Let's just say it didn't really pay off.

The narrative felt like Stardust, just located in a desert as opposed to hills. Everyone sought after the magical dagger and the sexual tension between Jake Gyllenhaal (The Day After Tomorrow, Brokeback Mountain) and Gemma Arterton (Quantum of Solace, Clash of the Titans) was almost cringe worthy, although genuinely comical in some places. Sure, they were appealing to watch as the lead roles, I think the picture above can persuade you of that, but something about Gyllenhaal's accent convinced me that the role could have been performed by a better man. The CGI was so evident and in your face, I couldn't help but think "Hang on, are we playing the video game or watching the film?". This was disappointing with what appeared to be such a beautiful landscape, crumbling city walls and vast amounts of deserted land. I had not read the film's description as I usually do, so in some respects it was a little unpredictable at times and I have to praise it for its non-stop action and little chit chat.

On the other hand, when they did talk the dialogue unfortunately felt like they were trying to explain everything to a five year old, Arterton played a similar role in this film as she did in Clash of the Titans, where all she seemed to do was storytelling. The quote "The only way to stop this Armageddon is for us to take the Dagger to the secret guardian temple" just gives everything away, leaving no mystery or complications for the audience to decipher. Maybe I'm just getting a little frustrated with the traditional narrative being constantly replayed, but it feels that's the only way some directors follow, unless they're involved in art films, and then we have a completely different set of conventions.

With it's quick pans and possibly over used amount of slow motion, the camera technique did do wonders. The stunts were very striking, it felt like I was watching a professional version of parkour, and the slow motion meant the audience could appreciate Gyllenhaal's movements in confined areas surrounded by authority. The costumes were amazing and I thought Gemma Arterton definitely looked the part, even if her performance was not always believable.

Overall, I thought it was worth a watch and some of the cast were well placed, others not. Ben Kingsley took on the role of antagonist Nazim; he seemed to be a familiar face and also played Otto Frank in Ann Frank: The Whole Story, reflecting his ability to take on a dramatic role, although I have heard many people agree he could have been a better villain in Prince of Persia. Alfred Molina, good old Dr. Octavius in Spiderman 2 definitely made me giggle with his quick wit and complaints about taxes. I would say go and see this if you enjoyed The Mummy, just don't expect it to live up to your expectations.

Iron Man 2****

"We are hindered with the technologies of our time, so it is up to you to make this vision a reality. What is my greatest creation and always will be, is you."

With his boosted ego, fame, money and two fantastic female associates, Robert Downey Jr. has accomplished another grand job of pulling off the smooth superhero. Taking back the role of Tony Stark, the public now know what his real identity is. At times I have to admit I found the whole pretentious attitude a bit annoying, but I guess that is what kept him witty and a crowd pleaser. The irony of this film was that at the beginning it felt like everything was too perfect, but of course there had to be a blip somewhere and this was the fact that the palladium in the Arc Reactor that keeps his heart beating is actually killing him due to his raised blood toxicity levels.

Like most of the other superhero films it was full of complex technology and advanced weaponry, which surprisingly I am easily fascinated with. Ranging from the suitcase suit to a coffee table which let him access a wide range of personal records I felt placed very far in the future. I fell in love with the race track scene, I was so impressed with the CGI and the camera work gave the audience point of view shots to really convey just how much of a pickle Tony was in. The sound kept me tense, every time Ivan (Mickey Rourke) used his electric whips I honestly felt a little intimidated, those long nails gave me the creeps too.

I thought Gwyneth Paltrow (Pepper Potts) was just as adorable as she was in the first one, and when contrasted with Scarlett Johansson (Natalie Rushman) with her unpredictable personality and strength this gave a good balance of the vulnerable woman but also the loyal sidekick. I did think Johansson would have played a bigger part in it but her fighting sequences were sexy, impressive, and I think I even heard a couple of 'ooh's from the boys sitting behind me. I also enjoyed that director Jon Favreau himself starred in the film as Happy Hogan, he gave comedic value at all the serious moments.

Lastly, you were a fool if you didn't stay til after the credits. In this very short scene the S.H.I.E.L.D agent Phil Coulson drove to an impact crater in the New Mexico desert, where he informs Nick Fury (Samuel L Jackson) that they've "found it" as the camera settles on Thor's hammer. Thor is another Marvel superhero and is part of a team called the Avengers who include both Thor, Iron Man and the Hulk, amongst others. I think we will be seeing a film on this in 2011/12 in which Robert Downey Jr. will still play Iron Man.


Overall, I'd say this was the type of film that you mainly want to see because you've seen the first one and can tell it won't beat the first, but are just as curious all the same.