4/5Thormula 1.
Red Light.
Gentelmen start your engines...because this one fires on all physical and emotional cylinders. It's 'Rush' hour and sorry Paul Rudd and the rest of the 'I Love You Man' rock fans we aren't talking about the eighties band. Let's take it back another decade to 1976. Let's put Richie Cunningham in the directors driver seat and take a ride with a film that shows the best blockbusters of this brilliant and Sci-Fi/superhero creative year haven't run out of road. With a rush of gasoline to the engines, this high octane motored film is even too fast and too furious for that seven lane strong franchise. Thanks to the incredible path of direction laid out by 'Apollo 13' and 'A Beautiful Mind's' Ron Howard it's all happy days for Formula One fans and petrol heads. Howard's finished line product gives us the best Formula One flick since the moving documentary of late legend Aryton Senna. This biographical film and it's spot on portrayal of McLaren and Ferrari rivals James Hunt and Niki Lauda is the closest and realest thing you could possibly get to being in the same lane as 'Senna'.
Red Light.
In pole position is Chris Hemsworth who could own the fall season of movies with a hammer and an engine. Next month will see him assemble his Avenger hammer for his third outing of the God of thunder 'Thor' in 'The Dark World' which sets to light up the magnificent Marvel universe once again. Still, this month Hemsworth switches his game of realms for a game of roads, taking his throne as one of the best new young actors who vibrates as many returned calls from casting agents as he does hearts. Jenson Button may just have a Formula One pin-up rival in the form of Hemsworth's perfect portrayal of womaniser, drinking, live fast and drive hard late legend James Hunt. Swaggering with the cocksure confidence of his 'Star Trek' son Chris Pine in the first fronteir film, this guy goes from the comic-book darkness to the light in 60 seconds. From the accented jokes to the puncuated charisma, James would be proud of Chris for the chemistry shared between character and the real thing. With every confident smile and anxious lighter flip, the Huntsmen has it down as Hunt. Still the potential leading man of the year has more to deal with than the scheming Loki.
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That would be in the form of Niki Lauda who is given a chameleon like covering by Daniel Brühl. After giving 'Bourne' an 'Ultimatum' and showing he really was an 'Inglorious Bastered' the bold Brühl is seriously funny and sincerely dedicated as Lauda, the ying to Hunt's yang. The ice to the fire of his competitor, the essence of this true story between the two rivals with a respect deeper than everyone-including themselves-first saw is captured the right and earnest way by the director and his two subjects. From the peaks of the podium to the tragic lows of life risking crashes, Brühl gives Lauda's legend and legacy the due respect and diligence it deserves. Holding nothing back this actor could battle his co-star for an Oscar to the Academy Award finish line like the films two characters did for real on the track. Forcing each other to step up their game, Hemsworth and Brühl show more than just picture perfect and mannerism mastered parallels to their roles. What else from a director that mastered the 'Frost/Nixon' divide?
Green Light.
If you don't know the inspired and influential story about one of the greatest rivalries in motor sports and the life threatening time of Formula One and it's bomb on wheels cars and graveyard named tracks then it's time for a history lesson played out perfectly on film. We won't tell you anything because this classic film needs to be experienced as much as the real life accounts need to be learned. Formula One fan or not, you don't have to be a gear head to get around this one. Sure the race scenes are incredible, but anyone who is a fan of amazing action set pieces will feel the sight ravaged, rain soaked tension of this one. Behind all the burning rubber and screeching tyres, as well as the perfect seventies capturing from the clothes to the logos is a real human side to the story which shows just how much honest, emotional heart and soul goes into the competitive fire and will of those behind the wheel of a race car. With great support from Olivia Wilde and Natalie Dormer through the chicanes of love and loss this film is the Pit. Still it's time to shake and spray the champagne for the three men who take the podium and this car film to a whole other circuit. Caps off to Howard, Hemsworth and Brühl it's a trophy year for these winners. Still not up to speed?
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TIM DAVID HARVEY.
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