Review: The Amazing Spider-Man 2

Okay, so I’m probably the worst film fan ever. I don’t really find out about new films coming out until a week before, and the trailers that I sit and watch on YouTube end up being for films that are already out on DVD. Saying that though, I do try and keep up to date with whats on at the cinema. However, in this case (and the case of The Fault in Our Stars…..20th of June people!) I knew about Spider-Man. This is partly because I love the first film, but also partly because I am in love with Emma Stone and Andrew Garfield. So, for the first time in my life, I actually saw a film the day it came out!

I have a sort of love/hate relationships with Super Hero films, and I’m a bit picky about the ones that I watch, but I do love me some Spider-Man (the new ones though, not the Toby McGuire ones, but that’s for another day…) I love Andrew Garfield’s portrayal of the superhero, and I love the mix of teenage high school boyish comedy mixed with the seriousness and responsibility of Spider-Man. So my expectations were high, but I feel that the film absolutely delivered.

It’s directed again by Marc Webb, who also directed one of my favourite films, (500) Days of Summer, which I think helps with the relationship between Peter and Gwen as well as the comedic elements throughout the film. I also felt like this time there was more character development between the two of them. The film both starts as they are graduating from high school, and by the end, particularly Peter’s character has come on more of a journey I think than the last one.

The film also briefly touches upon the ‘super-hero debate’ that occurs so regularly in these films, which did grate on me a little bit. It wasn’t really something that was explored massively in the film, so fell a bit short, but there wasn’t really any need for it to become a huge plot line. There is a round of news reports that focus on the idea that Spider-Man is just a menace, not really helping New York, needs to butt out of everyones business, you know the kind of the story right? I just found it a bit irritating, but it is kind of necessary to give the film more of a political grounding maybe?

One of the things that I love most about Webb’s Spider-Man films is the cinematography, its absolutely stunning, and the second film is no exception. The film utilises the use of slow-mo perfectly to convey Spider-Man’s ‘spidey sense’ which makes for some absolutely incredible scenes, particularly one in time square (you’ll know what I mean when you see it if you haven’t already). I also enjoy watching Spider-Man fly through New York, and the shots from his point of view are just amazing. I literally can’t fault them, and enjoying waiting to see where the next ones are coming from.

Another thing that I enjoyed about the film was the villains. I find sometimes some villains can be a bit far fetched, like Loki in the Avengers. But Electro in this film is absolutely terrifying. The villains motives are very human, and their evil comes from pure human emotion, that everyone sort of has inside of them, or has the capability to feel. It’s scary! Of course, like the other villains, Electro is a bit of an accident, but I won’t tell you why, you’ll have to go watch it! But the evil that forms from this accident is just unreal. Once Jamie Foxx is unchained, he makes for a very convincing and scary  villain.

The film also nicely ties up some stuff about Peter’s family which is also good. It might be worth watching the first one a few days or so before you go to see the second, I wish I had, just because the film pretty much picks up right from where the other left, so it would have been good to be in the same mind set. It might also be worth taking some tissues with you, because not only is this film visually stunning, but the acting is incredible, and I found myself crying about three or four times throughout the film. I don’t think you really expect overly moving performances in a super-hero film, so it was a bit of a shock to me and my tear ducts!

Overall, I would say this film is a must see, particularly if you are a fan of the first Spider-Man film. It’s definitely getting pre-ordered by me when it comes out on DVD, and I’m very tempted to go see it again at the cinema.

What did you think of The Amazing Spider-Man 2? Let me know!

Review: Saving Mr Banks

Saving Mr Banks is one of those films that when it came out at the cinema, I was desperate to see it, but never had the chance. Now that I’ve watched it on DVD, I really wish I’d made more of an effort to experience it in the cinema. It’s directed by John Lee Hancock, who directed The Blind Side, another amazing film. It’s a film about how Walt Disney obtained the rights of Mary Poppins from author, P.L Travers. It’s heartwarming, emotional, and really very funny. 

Mrs Travers is an impossible women, and holds on to her beloved Mary Poppins with a tight grip. As the story unfolds we learn more about Mrs Travers and why she is the way she is. The story takes place during 1961, and then flashbacks to Travers’ past in 1901. It’s interesting to watch her childhood and make the connections with how Mary Poppins was formed as a story and a character from her point of view.  

As an avid Disney fan I knew I was going to like it, and I loved Tom Hanks’ portrayal of Walt Disney. It was pretty much perfect, from what I’ve seen in documentaries and learnt from Uni. The film completely dedicated itself to its era (the 1960s and 1900’s) in both America, Australia and England. The sets were flawless and Disneyland in the 60s looked amazing! Emma Thompson’s portrayal of P.L Travers was also highly entertaining, her englishness leaps off the screen and her attention to correct grammar and English language made for some very funny scenes. 

Tom Hanks as Walt Disney and Emma Thompson and P.L Travers

Another character I couldn’t help but fall in love with was Ralph, Mrs Travers’ driver. His ‘americanisisms’ bounce off the ‘Englishness’ of Travers and he is a genuinely heartwarming character that I grew to love every time he came on screen. The friendship that grows between the two characters is a strange, but lovely one.  

It was also interesting to see how they incorporated the pre-production element of Mary Poppins into the film, with the script writers developing ideas and writing the musical pieces. It was fun to recognize the songs that I knew so well from my childhood be written for the ‘first time’, the demonstration of ‘Let’s Go Fly a Kite’ was particularly enjoyable.

It definitely made me want to dig Mary Poppins out of my video collection again! The film also went further than that, and combined elements from Mary Poppins, to the life of Travers which at times was very moving. It linked everything together perfectly and made for a highly satisfying conclusion. 

It’s one of those films that if you either love anything Disney or Mary Poppins related, you’ll love it. Or, if you love Emma Thompson and Tom Hanks, then you’ll love it too, because their performances are flawless. It made me laugh, cry and remember my childhood fondly. What more could you want in a film? 

Review: The Grand Budapest Hotel

Okay, so it’s been a while. But I’ve been a bit busy with Uni work and working, and haven’t actually had any time to watch any films other than the ones that are a part of my degree. But after handing in a ton of work recently, me and my housemate decided it was time to take a trip to the cinema, and watch a film we didn’t have to think about too much, so we picked The Grand Budapest Hotel. 

First off, I went into this film knowing pretty much nothing about it. I knew that it had an ‘all star cast’ and that it was a comedy, but other than that, not a clue. It’s directed by Wes Anderson, and this was the first time I’d seen one of his films (and it won’t be the last!). 

Having gone into the screening not knowing anything, I was pretty surprised. The film made me properly belly laugh/almost-spluttered-my-water-into-the-head-of-the-guy-infront. It was surprisingly hilarious, but the kind of funny you don’t expect. I love comedies that don’t rely on slapstick and instead focus on clever writing and flawless delivery, The Grand Budapest Hotel did just that. 

Ralph Fiennes steals the show with an absolutely amazing performance of M. Gustave, the slightly eccentric but legendary concierge at the hotel. The story is a little bit silly, but doesn’t seem so when you’re watching the film. It’s only after talking about it that you realise how random it really is, but that shouldn’t put you off.  

As a film student though, I have to mention the cinematography. Oh, my wow. It’s stunning. It’s such a stylistically pleasing film, most of the shots are framed centrally, with the characters sitting in the middle, and a lot of ‘to camera’ acting is done here, which I found to be really effective as an audience member. It made it really engaging, and was a bit different to anything I’ve watched recently. The other shots of the hotel itself in it’s ‘hay day’ are just amazing. I desperately wish it was real because I want to go there! The colours are so vibrant and vivid, its stunning. 

So, overall, I would say go to see this film if you’re looking for something a bit different, and maybe a little bit quirky. Its a film to be appreciated, particularly the cinematography. But the acting is incredible, and it is a genuinely hilarious film, so if your just looking for a few hours of escapism, then this is your film!