Gravity

              Gravity Review 

3D. It's a tricky one.

For an age old technology that I first encountered in the form of childhood ruining travesty Jaws 3-D, you can understand my scepticism when James Cameron confidently declared "All entertainment will soon be in 3D". 

He was of course marketing his 3D epic Avatar at the time, a film that convinced many that Cameron might be right. 

Then followed a plethora of films trying to cash in the new fad. The Amazing Spider-Man, Underworld: Awakening, Saw 3D and my personal craptastic fave Piranha 3D are a few of the films made worse by the technology. Much worse. 

We're talking fuzzy objects flying out at you, blurry action sequences and cinematography ruined by awful depth of field issues, leaving everything looking out of focus just so an axe or gun looks a little bit closer to us. 

Here's Sir Dimention the 3rd himself James Cameron explaining why: 

"It's to make money. Pushing 3D conversions on directors who are not comfortable with it. It's one thing to shoot in 3D and another to convert it". 

In summary, talented directors like Cameron can use it properly as an effective cinematic technique, where as most 3D films are merely converted in post production to make the distributors more money. 

Ground control to Alfonso Cuarón (couldn't resist). 

Gravity's director clearly knows how to use a camera, as his films are absolutely stunning, primarily due to his partnership with cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki. 

From the fantastical subterranean scenery in Pans Labyrinth to dystopian London in Children of Men, Cuarón and Lubezki have dropped many a jaw, and Gravity is no exception.  

This film is absolutely beautiful, and all the better for being in 3D. 

It gets straight into the action with the breathtaking destruction of a space shuttle caused by rogue satellite debris (dam those pesky spying Russians!). What follows is a dazzling display of computer generated action sequences. 

Not since Jurassic Park have I been so awestruck by a films use of CGI. From the glowing terra-forma backdrop to the realistic weightless floating, Cuarón has done an oscar worthy job on the 80% of the film that was created in post production. There's not a blurry 3D gimmick I sight as fire, water and even tears float towards the audience and settle perfectly on the fourth wall. 

Gravity doesn't just look great. Cuarón has created the most memorable Sci-Fi soundscape since Ridley Scott's Alien. 

Heartbeats, heavy breathing, space muffled sound effects, all set against a minimalistic soundtrack make for an incredibly powerful audible experience amplifying the tension tenfold. 

Uniquely, from start to finish, Gravity's story is told in real time. We get 90 minutes of pure action, which doesn't leave much time for character development. Clooney's Matt is the arrogant but wise veteran to Sandra Bullock's nervous rookie Ryan, the lead role. 

Both performances are competent considering many won't be paying too much attention, distracted by the feast for the senses on show. 

Owen Lewis 

Captain Phillips

Captain Phillips

Hanks as Richard Phillips in Captain Phillips

"Arrogant"    

"Bragged he wasn't afraid pirates"    

"Had a death wish"

"Showed a complete disregard for the safety of his crew" 

"Nothing like the "hero" shown in the film"

So say the crew members of The Maersk Alabama, the container ship hijacked by Somalian Pirates in March 2009, the subject of Captain Phillips.

Somebody should remind them that this is Hollywood. Home of the exaggerated, romanticised and sometimes completely fabricated plot line.

However this terrific tale of tension and suspense is not your normal Hollywood blockbuster.

Irrespective of the real Richard Phillip's actions, this is a performance made for Tom Hanks, Hollywood's go to man for likeable Everyman in distress, and unsurprisingly Hanks turns in a stellar central performance.

As the plot begins to develop, you would be forgiven in thinking you have seen this all before.

Captain Phillips could have easily been directed by Ron Howard or Robert Zemeckis. The Howard-Zemmeckis-Hanks triumvirate would have made for an easy and lucrative triumph-over-adversity watch (see Castaway, Forest Gump and Apollo 13).

But Bang! Bourne trilogy's Paul Greengrass swoops in, famed for his frantic editing and MEGA close up actions sequences. There's plenty of that here, but we also get Greengrass's more interesting penchant for political messages, mainly through the films presentation of the captors.

They first appear as your stereotypical shouting, crazy, Khat-chewing Somalian pirates that the media wants us to fear.

But so strong are the performances of the native Somalian actors (Especially Barkhad Abdi's lead captor Muse), and so brave the directing that during key sequences we are reminded that these are not the mindless terrorists that normally make up the Hollywood's bad guys.

These are desperately poor citizens of a country where half it's 6 million population are starving, where food distribution is controlled by armed gangs, where boys as young as 10 are forced into piracy. They are just trying to make money to feed their family and this is the only way they can.

There is no "Hollywood" ending either. As Phillips is left a shuddering, whimpering mess unable to come to terms with the ordeal he has just experienced. But he will be fine. He goes back to America to get on with his life.

The final frame before the credits reminds us that the lead captor will spend the rest of his life in a US prison, and it is HE the audience will feel lingering anguish for, not the American "hero".

Owen Lewis

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

Peter Jackson proves he is still the master of epic story telling in the first installment of his trilogy of Lord of the Rings prequels. 

Buried amongst the middle-earth shattering action sequences, extravagant aerial shots and astounding CGI we find the story of homesick hobbit Bilbo (Martin Freemen). 

Bilbo reluctantly joins Gandalf (Ian McKellen) and a troupe of Dwarves lead by Thorin (Richard Armitage) on a quest to reclaim their ancient Kingdom from gold-hoarding dragon Smaug. 

This quest seems almost as impossible as making a trilogy of three hour films from a 330 page book. However, complete with characters and back stories loosely imported from Tolkien's vast appendices, Jackson manages to immerse us once again into his beautiful, believable world. 

The story moves at a brisk pace as the gang encounter trolls, goblins, stone giants and a few familiar faces, all whilst being hunted by Azog the brutish Orc with an ancient score to settle. 

Jackson again plumps for a Brit-heavy ensemble cast, and they don't disappoint. It's easy to see why he delayed filming for Freeman. His casting is a master-stroke, mirroring his on-screen persona by seeming endearingly out of place as the action swirls around him. 

You feel so comfortable in the company of Bilbo and co that you overlook the flabby attempts to link to LOTR and hammy over-acting from Armitage. And so what if the Orc villain was fabricated for padding? Who cares! Look over there! Its a helicopter shot of them running and doesn't it look fantastic! 

New Zealand will always be photogenic so the plaudits must go to Jackson's Wellington effects house Weta Digital who have executed the visuals to eye popping perfection. 

As forerunners in creating otherworldly creatures with cinematic gravitas equal to their fleshy co-stars, Weta didn't falter when it came to realising the books most memorable chapter. 

Everyone's favourite Tolkein creation returns when Bilbo falls through a crevice into Gollum's lonesome dwelling. Andy Serkis reprises his role as the vocal and physical essence while Weta do the rest. The enthralling riddle exchange between the two is comfortably the best scene of the film. 

Bilbo may have stolen his ring, but the beloved schizophrenic scamp steals the film.  

Bring on part two! 

Owen Lewis