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Over the weekend, I managed to see the movie, Up in the Air. I remember this getting some really positive comments at the BFI Film Festival last year, and thought some of it would be quite appropriate, doing a lot of travelling as a consultant. It stars George Clooney, and Vera Farmiga, who looked stunningly different from her role in the thriller movie, Orphan and a very talented Anna Kendrick.

The movie focuses in the travelling lifestyle of Ryan Bingham (Clooney) who works for a firm that is brought in specifically to fire people. It reminds me of a scene out of Officespace or some movie like that. However his preferred lifestyle of not being attached to anything comes under threat when firm newbie, Natalie Keener (Kendrick) comes up with the idea of replacing this face-to-face lifestyle with video conferencing software.

There’s many great parts to the movie, including where Bingham teaches Keener some of the finer arts to travelling light. I can definitely relate to this, thinking of the many hours I spent last summer travelling to and from Copenhagen. Perhaps more typically represented is the life of the US-based travelling consultant where it’s all about racking up miles, status points and credit points. Overall the movie started off really well but then it started to drag its feet, pursuing too many different story lines to properly address in a single movie. This left the conclusion rushed and it felt like arriving at a banquet only to be told the kitchen was closed when dessert arrived. I’m puzzled as to why it’s had big screen success, as I think it’s place is definitely in a bit more of a niche crowd.

TheKua.com Rating: 6.5 out of 10

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Before heading away for holidays, I managed to get a booking to see Avatar 3D at the BFI’s Imax. The last 3D movie I saw required the “special” 3D glasses during only certain parts of the movie unlike this one which required it for the entire duration. It’s definitely a strange experience, but just like most things, you seem to adjust to it after a while.

Being such a visually rich film, this was definitely worthwhile seeing at the Imax although you want to get some good seats. We were particularly lucky getting seats pretty much smack bang in the middle, enjoying all three stories of movie screen in all dimensions. It’s apparently sold out at the Imax until March and I’m happy to report it’s worthwhile paying for the experience.

You can read countless other reviews of the actual movie but I will say that although the story is a little bit predicatable, it’s still worth going to see on the big screen. I’m not so sure a TV set will do it as much justice, and watching it in 3D definitely adds a dimension worth seeing.

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As part of the Anime Season showing at the Curzon cinema, I went along to see the screening of Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence a couple of weeks ago. The first Ghost in the Shell is a classic cul movie and although I don’t really remember what its story line was about, I do vaguely remember some of the characters.

As part of the festival, a lady told us a few points to focus on throughout the movie, and described some of the events and thinking that lead to the 2004 release of Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence. Sure enough, many of the points she listed hit true to their mark. The movie is superbly visual, almost to the a point where it is cloying with its oversaturated colours and the soundtrack is unnervingly haunting, adding to the overall atmosphere of the movie.

The storyline follows the same robotic investigator from the first movie, although this time he is partnered with a new human investigator after the apparent demise of his first partner. Their investigations follow a set of related murder cases involving a specific type of robot model doing the murdering and then committing suicide afterwards, both apparently violating well known rules of robot law. I won’t go into any other detail because I think the movie does a much better job of uncovering the details behind the murders and their origin.

I’m glad to have seen this movie on the big screen. I can hardly imagine the sounds and rich pictures having as much impact on a much smaller TV, or in a home environment. I’m not sure the movie will be for everyone, particularly those not interested in watching anime movies but I still think it made a pretty good movie.

TheKua.com Rating: 7 out of 10

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On Sunday I ended up at Shepherd’s Bush Empire to participate in one of the Secret Cinema events, a themed evening out where the movie is secret right to the very end and the location disclosed just a few days earlier. When I signed up for the ticket, all I knew was that there were going to be “Rock Gods” and “Shady Promoters”. Later I find out the theme of the evening is 80s rock, so I end up buying a vintage leather jacket on the weekend to accommodate. I found a decent bargain at Rokit in Covent Garden too, so pretty stoked about that.

To be honest, I don’t remember that much about the 80s other than lots of curly hair and bright coloured slacks. After all, I hadn’t even hit my teens at the end of it. I had a much better understanding of 80s rock when I saw everyone else. Ripped shirts, brightly coloured, tight fitting trousers and tights, and lots and lots of messy hair apparently was the idea. The extras hired by (or from) Secret Cinema also came in complete theme and entertained us as we lined up in all of our different lines. We had bikes come through, rock papparazi, a skirmish between two rocked out blokes that made the line up in Fabric on a Friday night look super tame.

When we entered the empire we took to our second floor seats, complete with a bottle of Vitamin Water and a packet of crisps. Other attendents stood around in the aisles, handing out small buckets of popcorn as everyone else eventually made it to their seats. Complete with band kit, it wasn’t long before we witnessed a rock weding, watched a small film about a Heavy Metal Drummer in the middle east and began the session with Toronto based band, Cauldron.

It wasn’t long before the real movie was announced, apparently the premiere of Anvil! The Story of Anvil, though my sister had recently been to yet another “premiere” of it earlier in the week. It’s a great movie though be warned it’s a documentary and probably not for everyone. I’d seen it advertised and I can’t say it was one that I’d go to the cinemas for. It follows the tragic tale of a Canadian band who had a profound influence on the heavy metal music scene, yet never found the fame that they deserved. Throughtout it, we see them and their, almost, unwavering belief and passion for their music. What was surprising at the end of the movie was that Anvil the movie was suddently displaced by Anvil the band in real life. They played three songs before calling it a night, and what a night it was!

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It’s been a while since I’d been out to the movies, and this time I went to Islington to see Frost/Nixon. Someone told me it was based on a stage play, and even though I was a bit sceptical about watching it, thought I’d give it a go. Focusing around the even that propelled David Frost into being taken seriously as an interviewer, and the trial that Nixon never had, the movie kept me on the edge of my seat for quite some time. It helps that it also starred, easy on the eyes, Rebecca Hall, and had moments of laughter, seriousness and tension without many potentially boring bits. The ending is a little bit sad, and didn’t finish quite the same way they started, but it’s a great movie worth watching.

TheKua.com Rating 7 out of 10

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With the Matrix creators, the Wachowski Brothers at the helm of an anime remake, you know that you’re going to be in for a good show. It took me a while to see Speed Racer, yet missing the Imax and watching it home probably doesn’t really do it justice.

Story-wise, I’m not sure how it really followed the anime original. I’m assumed it didn’t deviate too strongly and as a newcomer, it seemed fairly straightforward to me. Just a simple story of the capitalistic attitudes changing the nature of racing against the passion of a single racer out to do the only thing he really knows how to do. Fortunately this racing isn’t like any that you’ve seen before, including a combination between classic formula-car like racing, bumper cars and Wacky Wheels or Mario Kart.

I’m surprised that such a uniquely styled movie, Speed Racer had the number of Hollywood stars that it did, including the likes of Emile Hirsch (from Into the Wild), Oscar winning Susan Sarandon, Christinna Ricci (long gone from the days of the Addams Family) and Golden Globe winner, John Goodman. Although I doubt any of their performances will will any awards, they fit into their characters perfectly, and continue to make the anime film come to life.

The highlight for me is simply the intoxicating, super rich visuals – fast moving backgrounds, flash camera pans between drivers as they talk to each other in their cars, and the overly saturated colours that make this comic book almost too real. Combine this with the futuristic cars and the totally scripted, yet perfectly timed comic book twists and poky fight scenes, this movie easily delights the senses.

I sense that this movie will be less the hollywood classic, than a cult figure amongst a certain set of people. After all, I don’t think the hollywood vision is what the Wachoski brothers set out to do. When you look at it as an attempt to convert the over the top antics of Japanese animated movie, into a fusion of the possible and impossible, and still make it look and feel natural, I reckon they did a very good job.

TheKua.com Rating: 8.5 out of 10

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Last night I saw The Dark Knight and what did I think? Two words. Very impressive. There are many elements that make it really worth watching, particularly on the big screen. I was quite impressed by the (novel) lack of excessive CGI effects, or over the top explosions, instead replaced by classic elements of a movie that make it so different, such as the progressive development of many of its characters and a plot that left you questioning and asking for more.

I have to applaud Ledger’s performance and although I’m not sure if it’s Oscar worthy, I’d definitely agree with many of the reviews that it was spectacular, even spookier than Nicholson’s rendition back in the day. I think the most impressive aspect to Ledger’s Joker is that it’s clear that he is a madman, and not just a slightly zany villain with a sense of humour. Everything from his posture, this agitated mannerisms, and the random actions all point towards his questionable mental stability and lack of moral boundaries.

Spoiler alert… (more…)

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I don’t normally go out to cinemas to see mainstream movies, and when someone asked me along to see, Heavy Metal In Baghdad as part of the Sled Island Festival, it sounded pretty interesting.

The synopsis is pretty simple: What’s it like as a heavy metal band trying to get by in Baghdad?

This movie follows this band over a series of years, and combines two worlds we don’t normally associate being together – that of teenagers wanting some outlet to have fun, and the war time stories we typically hear on the news. Bringing them together provides some real insight and a very moving portrayal of a world we rarely think about. Everything seems very surreal, from the young guys talk about how lucky they are to be alive in their mid to late twenties, to the efforts of their families to get them out and keep them out of the country, and the sounds of shooting and bombings in the air at night.

TheKua.com Rating: 8 out of 10

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