Star Trek : Into Darkness- Abrams sees the light

I had forgotten just how much I missed going to European cinemas. After returning home to England after what has been far too long of a separation, I knew that before I left London, I would have to see a film in one of the famed Leicester square cinemas, which have been the venues for many UK and European premieres over the years. And so it was that I grabbed a friend and sat excitedly to watch the latest installment of the Star Trek reboot at the beautiful Empire Cinema.

The Empire Cinema : My Mecca

Let me start this review by saying that my Star Trek knowledge is limited to watching ten minutes of Star Trek: The Next Generation with Patrick Stewart, because I couldn't find the remote once, and thus this review unfortunately, is not coming from a trekkie of any kind. But it didn't take long for me to realise that my lack of trekkie love might render me more qualified than I had previously thought, as from the very beginning it is clear that the film is shot please everyone- newcomers and oldies alike.


Abrams chose to reintroduce the franchise in his first installment (Star Trek), by setting his story around how our favourite intergalactic explorers come together in the first place, and while this was interesting, it always seemed to me that there lacked a certain sort of chemistry between the cast as a whole. This second installment however, catches up with the crew of the Enterprise slightly later on, and follows the trials of Captain Kirk, Spock and the gang as they try to hunt down the delightfully ruthless Khan.  the real-life time elapsed between films seems to have given the cast a better idea of how to work together and create meaningful synergy, as well as be comfortable in their own roles.

Abrams too, seems more at home directing this second installment, and it doesn't take a genius to figure out that when you have great directing, great acting and a great story line  you're watching a fantastic movie. From beginning to end, Star Trek is action packed, thrilling, compelling, and amusing, all at the same time. Chris Pine as Captain Kirk is no William Shatner, but builds on the reckless nature of Kirk to create a character that is deliriously cocky, conflicted ,irresponsible and yet extremely likable. Pine's Kirk is the perfect foil to the oh-so-robotic Spock (played by Zach Quinto), and the film's best moments come when their ultimate bromance is examined. But the plaudits cannot stop there, with Simon Pegg deserving an honourable mention as Scotty, even if his Scottish accent is a bit weird.

The real show stealer though is Khan, who Benedict Cumberland (SHERLOCK!) seems more or less born to play. Cumberland's cold, unfeeling, and yet somehow passionate delivery was extremely well done- each word coming from The Empire's out-of-this-world sound system shaking my right down to the pits of my stomach.

I'm pretty sure you've realised I could talk about this film for days, and I think that is its greatest credit. At the end of the day, Star Trek: Into Darkness is a true adventure and Abrams capitalises, filling us with awe and excitement, and wrapping up his achievement with that classic star trek theme song, wondrously re-wrought by Michael Giacchino. By the time I was on my way home, gleefully whistling that classic theme, I found myself looking up at the stars, praying that maybe someday we'll once again boldly go where no man has gone before.

Mud: Why were my summer childhood adventures so boring?

I walked out of my final college exam to realise that summer had indeed started, but it definitely didn't feel like it. Gone are the summer days where I had nothing I needed to do and I could do anything I wanted. I sometimes look back at those days and wish I could have done more with them. But the reality is that you can never go back to those days, albeit watching those summer coming-of-age tales are normally a pretty good way to harness some nostalgia, and so it was that I sought out the latest Matthew McConaughey vehicle, Mud.


Set in the Mississippi river area of Arkansas, Mud follows the story of a boy named Ellis and his friend Neckbone as they try to help a fugitive named Mud.  From the first time I heard this premise I was skeptical, I mean it sounds really like an interpretation of Huckleberry Finn, but the beauty in Arkansas native Jeff Nichols directing is that the film seems to fully acknowledge this and build upon it, going places that Huckleberry Finn never thought to go. Mud is not a slave running away from the sort of bondage that befouled this country two hundred years ago, although both characters run from the law. Instead, Mud seems to be running away from certain truths about his own life, and it is here that the movie is such a compelling coming of age tale.

We watch as Ellis finds his perspectives on love, marriage, and even his family's way of life as river-dwelling fishermen challenged time and time again, and actor Tyle Sheridan , who plays Ellis, manages to produce an incredibly stirring performance. In fact, I'd have to look really hard to find a major role in this film that wasn't played to perfection as Reese Witherspoon and Michael Shannon put in equally solid performances.

Matthew McConaughey is fantastic as Mud, a character with just enough spunk and weirdness as to bring out that slightly crazy, edgy, and comedic acting that makes McConaughey so effective. There's a sort of grit that emanates from the man that is perfectly replicated in all other aspects of the movie, including its setting. It seems that Nichols has made the river-dwelling way of life as much a character in this film as anyone else. It is on, by, and through the river that so much of the film's plot moves forward.

 Mud's destiny in particular , seems to be tied to the river's ebb and flow with the plot, and we can't help but hope that he succeeds, making one final escape from all life's problems and those of the river, out to sea.

Iron Man 3: Cool your jets and enjoy

Well it's almost summer, and the for at least the second year in a row we've been presented with another entry from Marvel in the third installment of the Iron Man films, which most would argue have been the flagship attractions of the Avengers franchise. Before I begin this review, I would like to offer sincere apologies in advance to any of my comic-reading friends- I am no expert in the Marvel universe and thus my humble opinion is simply that of a layman and you can take it as you will.

Iron Man 3 catches up with Tony Stark not too long after his adventures with his Avenger buddies and apparently the experience has been too much for him, leaving him to a life of bad dreams and panic attacks. Apart from that though, life probably couldn't be better for our hero, especially since his girlfriend Pepper (Gwyneth Paltrow) runs Stark Industries and he gets to stay at home and tinker with his suits all day. Of course, all this comes to a screeching halt in the face of a terrorist named The Mandarin, who "teaches" the U.S. lessons by blowing up innocent people around the world.

In order to talk about Iron Man 3, I think we first have to honest with ourselves about the nature of the Avengers series. Let's face it, none of these movies have particularly amazing storylines, because truth be told, unless you are Christopher Nolan it's pretty hard to surprise anyone in this genre anymore. Fortunately for us, moviemakers realised a while ago that there are only so many ways to save the world that won't bore us to death, and so movies like Ironman and Avengers are ripe with action but also with a much more important element in humour. The Ironman series is and has always has been completely tied to Robert Downey Jr's ability to be like that one slightly jerkish friend you have and keep around because he delivers hilarious insights every once in awhile. Iron Man 3 is no different, and the Robert Downey Jr. show continues, aiding in any lacking moments with much needed injections of sarcasm and wit that only he can deliver. At this point in the series, Robert Downey Jr seems so natural in this role, perhaps because the Tony Starks' story of resurrection and redemption mirrors his own. In any case, as much as I've gotten used to Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man in the past few years, I'm not quite sure if I still find myself as much as a believer in the whole Avengers deal.


Throughout Iron Man 3, Tony Stark finds himself outnumbered, outgunned and hopeless, mostly as a result of his own former transgressions. The attempted character development and Tony's panic attacks are cute enough, but it's rather hard to explain to the comic book ignoramus in me why he doesn't just call up his avenger buddies to come help him when he's in serious trouble. But like I said previously, all this griping is just further proof that story really doesn't matter that much when it comes to these movies.

When I got my ticket for Iron Man 3, I expected laughs, some action, and some Gwyneth Paltrow, and that's exactly what I received. Sure, I still can't take Don Cheadle seriously in an action role,  and there has yet to be an Iron Man movie where the villain doesn't at some point use Stark's technology for bad (you'd think it wouldn't be so easy for others to use it) , but Iron Man 3 is still better than Iron Man 2 and for that I'll count my blessings.


Note on the traditional post-credit sneak peak: Really not so much of a sneak peak as an extra forty second scene that is pretty forgettable. It really is ok to leave and not stay the extra ten minutes-  hell you might even beat the traffic out.

It's a Disaster: Funny till the very end of it all.

Sometimes I honestly wonder if I look forward to watching adverts more than the actual movie sometimes when I go to the cinema. There are those adverts that make you bristle with anticipation (I think I almost cried during the latest Man of Steel teaser),  but there are others that generate a great deal less of a good response. I have already wrongly dismissed one movie in the past year  on the basis of its commercial in Django Unchained, and it seems I have done so yet again with the new black comedy It's a Disaster.

It's a Disaster is all set around a traditional couples brunch in the middle of what appears to be a very lazy saturday afternoon. Glenn, played by the delightfully awkward David Cross (Tobias from Arrested Development) , and Tracy (Julia Stiles) have recently begun dating and Tracy has decided to introduce her new beau to her friends. Unfortunately, it appears there could not have been a worse occasion to do this, with tension and an imminent breakup threatening to derail the dinner party long before an apocalyptic scenario unfolds.

From the very beginning , the movie is set for some laughs- the opening shot being an old black and white photo of a seemingly wonderful beach, only for the camera to zoom out and reveal a bomb exploding in the ocean.


The film itself follows more or less the same approach, teasing you with normal scenarios and then turning them around on you spectacularly, meaning for some really funny moments. Truth be told, I've always been someone who can appreciate dark comedies, but I think even the most blithe of us all can appreciate the film's well thought out formula. This sort of comedy only works, I think, when everyone in the cast is capable of being funny, and director Todd Berger ensures this happens by giving everyone in the movie a role based on different stereotypical response to crises. Hence an hour and a half of laughing at a conspiracy theorist, a take-charge man, an in-denial woman and your expected "screw it all let's get high" crew, all try and coexist with the knowledge that they may only have a few hours to live. It all works really well, and the great thing is that movie doesn't even need to try that hard to be funny because the scenarios already are. In fact, the only thing that could really ruin a movie like this would be bad dialogue, but the writing is witty and sharp all the way through, resulting in one of the best endings to a film I've seen in awhile.


It's a Disaster is a funny, smirking sort of Dark Comedy, that would probably make you laugh even  in the midst of a real-life apocalyptic scenario. Perhaps its greatest strength is its ability to constantly quash its own predictability and offer up sumptuous surprises, which is no easy feat for any film and makes this money well spent.

The Place Beyond the Pines: An emotional powerhouse of unstable ambition

The relationship between a boy and his father is a peculiar notion that frequently asks the age-old question, does the apple fall from the tree? Rebutting the perturbing idiom, director Derek Cianfrance’s film “The Place Beyond the Pines” tracks the journey of four men, stunt motorcyclist Luke Glanton (Ryan Gosling), police officer Avery (Bradley Cooper), and their respective sons, Jason (Dane DeHaan) and AJ (Emory Cohen).

Narratively executed in three isolated, yet inter-connected tales, the film’s front-running story, Gosling’s, packs an emotional punch that sets the bar too high to follow. Luke, a stunt motorcyclist for a traveling carnival, learns that he knocked up former fling Romina (Eva Mendes) on his previous tour. Growing up without a father, Luke attempts to raise the boy and reconnect with Romina, a difficult task made worse by her current boyfriend. Desperate for money, and coaxed on by fellow motorcycle fanatic Robin (Ben Mendelsohn), Luke begins robbing banks to support his family.

The emotional depth of Gosling’s story let alone his and everyone else’s performance, creates an emotional momentum that is almost unsuccessfully carried on by the film’s trailing acts. Picking up now with Cooper, a police officer struggling with corruption in his profession, the overall film takes an odd misdirection that seems to come way out of left field. While the events of the second act feature a terrific villainous performance by Ray Liotta, and an outstanding enactment by Cooper, proving an incredible range of versatility, the relationships between characters begin to fell more contrived and superficial. Even more so, when fifteen years later we meet Cooper’s son AJ, the typical substance-abusing "daddy doesn’t spend time with me" kid.

While the character of AJ, co-pilot of our third and final story, seems artificial, Jason, Luke’s son and our other protagonist, redelivers the emotional stride that his father established in the beginning of the film. In a haunting manner, the rippling effects of the father’s sins come alive in this act, delivering an emotional finale summed up in one single shot of the film.

Despite hindrance by the over ambitious attempt at telling three tales in one, “The Place Beyond the Pines” is a tragic film worthy of much praise. A testament to Cianfrance’s ability to shock his audience, the film is an absolute must see for those curious about moral ambiguity, placing cops and robbers on a similar grounding, and psychologically unpacking the tantalizing expression, “like father like son.”

Ryan McCabe is a student majoring in Film and T.V. at NYU.  As a student finding his way in the film business at one of the nation's best film institutions, Ryan brings a unique perspective to this blog and recently voiced the roles of Peter Godwin and Theron Campion In Ellen Kushner and Neal Gaeman's  audio book The Fall of Kings. 

Netflix Review: Safety not guaranteed

Probably one of the best games I like to play with my friends is that of hypotheticals.  I really can’t explain just how enjoyable it is to watch each other struggle as we ask ridiculous questions such as “who delivers the eulogy at your funeral?”, or the inevitable last person on earth questions.  It is thus no surprise that I greatly enjoyed Safety Not Guaranteed, a film whose premise could probably fit well within our game.

Wanted: a partner to travel with me back in time, ready for danger and knowing that safety is not guaranteed. The above is the gist of the personal ad placed in a regional newspaper that engages a journalist (Jake Johnson) and his interns.  It turns out that this ad is not a joke, and that loner Kenneth (Mark Duplass- pete from The League) really does believe that he will be time-traveling. Of course nobody believes this guy, and the piece is intended to be a nice bit of comedic fluff for the newspaper.  Chief journalist Jake , has clearly used the situation to try and meet up with a former flame and so his wonderfully sarcastic, cynical intern is sent to investigate this weird so-called time-traveler, by posing as someone interested in his ad.  Naturally, the dude is an absolute nut, but it’s ok mostly because Mark Duplass is just that right amount of crazy to be humourous while gently reminding you of the singing homeless people you sometimes run into on the street; the pain and loneliness of their existence having long ago pushed them over some unseen line.

What makes this movie work is that it’s charming and is light and funny in every regard. It’s not a serious dramatic movie, but yet is capable of moments of supreme clarity, all the while not pretending to be anything that it’s not. The film is pretty predictable in some regards  and yet feels a bit too simple- as though it could be replicated as some sort of made-for-tv-hallmark-special.  Luckily for us, the writing and jokes are extremely well written and very well-delivered. Duplass’ craziness is so well emoted- so well controlled, that I almost forgot that he is the same guy I watch in The League. His chosen time-traveling companion is also a delight- her deadpan humour fitting well in the dynamic of the film, with its jaunty but real approach fitting her on-screen persona rather well.

Safety Not Guaranteed is a great Sunday afternoon movie, a little independent movie that has no grand assumptions about it identity, but holds true to its promise, delivering powerful messages without making you feel burdened. In fact, it got me thinking about what I would do if I traveled back in time, and what I would fix. I’m not quite sure what that would be yet, but I know I have no regrets for having watched a truly wonderful film. 

42: "Good" can't be good enough for a great man

I love baseball movies and yet I hate watching baseball. Don't get me wrong, going to games and relaxing, eating peanuts with your friends and family and occasionally paying attention to any juicy bits of action is really nice,  but we're only a couple weeks in and I'm already sick of seeing a million identical diving catches on SportsCenter's top plays. But somehow, I have never quite had that problem with films about baseball, and so I was excited about the latest entry into the baseball film category- a biopic about the great Jackie Robinson.

For those of you who don't know (i.e. you were cryogenically frozen for the past sixty years) , Jackie Robinson was the first black man to ever play in baseball's major league. One of the best to ever play the game, Robinson became the catalyst for the diversification of America's pastime, serving as a hero to a whole new generation of black sport stars who would change the landscape of sports to what we know today. Robinson's struggle to be seen as an equal in a league that didn't want him , seemed to me to be fodder for a guaranteed home run (yes the baseball puns will be abound in this one), and I came into the theatre not questioning whether it would be good, but great.

Right off the bat, something about the presentation of the movie seemed a little off. Biopics tend to be all over the place in terms of how they introduce their subjects, and at what part in their lives we find them. Unfortunately, the way the beginning of 42 is handled, it felt more like I was watching a Ken Burns PBS Special on the Jackie Robinson Era. While the background on the era was appreciated, it seemed to take away the majesty that one often finds so often in baseball movies. In the following scene we we're taken to the pivotal moment where Dodgers owner Branch Rickley decides he wants to sign a black baseball player. Not only are the acted reactions to this announcement worthy of a middle school christmas program, but surely the screenwriter could have included a lot of the background information from the beginning in the dialogue. I wasn't there, but I'm pretty sure Rickley's staff had more to say than a muffled "you can't do that". I mean at least try something like "you can't do that, there's never been a negro in the major league... that's why we have the negro league". Boom. In thirty seconds worth of effort, the writing could have been that much better, and an out of place opening sequence need not have been shot at all.

Thankfully, the storytelling seems to go a lot better. The fact that much of 42 takes place when Jackie is signed to the Dodgers' feeder team and works his way up turns out to be a brilliant move, as it gives us time to get to know the central characters before some of Jackie's biggest trials are met. Harrison Ford is expectedly good as Rickley, although I don't think he is ever given enough material to really satisfy his justification for wanting to sign a black player in the first place. The acting by Chadwick Boseman as Robinson is sturdy, but by no means anything to contact the annals of history about. He is certainly no Jamie Foxx in Ray, or Sean Penn in Milk, but that's ok, because that's not the sort of movie 42 is.

42 is not daring or particularly life-changing, but it's not mediocre or irreverent either. In fact, I think it's only real problem as a movie is that it is perhaps a bit too focused on being accurate without using some of the historical tools at its disposal. Directors have long used the sanctity of America's pastime to produce philosophical forays into the American experience and there is perhaps no better launch pad to talk about the evolution of race-relations in the States than the story of Jackie Robinson. 42 never shies away from this, and does a fair job of showing some of what Robinson had to deal with, but it fails to drape its hero in the godlike fashion that we expect from great baseball movies and that he deserves. In fictional characters like Benny "The Jet" Rodriguez (The Sandlot) to Roy Hobbs (The Natural), we're given a myriad of figures who are rather human and commit godlike deeds as we watch in awe. Somehow, 42 has managed to take an extraordinary man who commands respect like a deity in his sport,  and made his accomplishments seem somehow less awe-inspiring, even though both your natural knowledge of the subject and the context of the film repeatedly tell you otherwise.

Baseball, in a classic sense, is all about the mythology, the superstition, the fear of being struck out and gunning for a homer all the same. But 42 seems to miss these elements, and in the end a promising hit turns out to be just another pop-fly, caught and quickly forgotten; everything that Jackie Robinson and his legacy are not.