REVIEW: PASSENGERS

3/5

Hunger Games Of The Galaxy.

116 Minutes. Starring: Chris Pratt, Jennifer Lawrence, Michael Sheen, Laurence Fishburne & Andy Garcia. Director: Morten Tyldum.

Quick question! If you were marooned on a desert island who would be the one person you would choose to be cast away with...after Wilson of course? Okay let's be more specific. Which Hollywood heartthrob or starlet would you most like to be lost in space with all on your own? Man or woman two of the sexiest and successful actors on the planet right now, Chris Pratt and Jennifer Lawrence would probably be pretty high on your list. The faces that turned the 'Guardians Of The Galaxy' comics (not to mention the 'X-Men' ones...we have another superhero crossover here) and 'Hunger Games' books into formidable franchises. All whilst winning Oscars for the likes of 'Silver Lining Play Books' and nominations for sheer self in 'Joy' and rebooting 50 year old, Hollywoodland classic pictures like 'The Magnificent Seven', not to mention modern day classics of the 'Jurassic' era. But if you were stranded on a Star-Lord type of spaceship all by your lonesome would you wake one of them up out of a 'Captain America' like cryogenic sleep for company?! But WAIT you freak, this is after they've been frozen for 30 years and have around another Steve Rogers 90 left before they arrive on their new planetary home with their new, current status dormant friends who have chosen to take the century long, family and friends coffin abandoning 'Interstellar' trip away from the blue planet earth. Some would call that a major stalker alert. Others...murder. That's just some of the complex, conflicted questions raised by inspired director of 'Dr. Strange's' Benedict Cumberbatch's 'The Imitiation Game' Morten Tyldum with his movie 'Passengers'. Not to be confused with the Anne Hathaway and Patrick Wilson airplane horror...I'm assuming it's that...that's not a review. This is. So time to play Iggy Pop passenger and ride through the solar system tonight.

Tyldum gives us a tidal wave of questionable character and extra baggage on this trip through moral murk and the stars of galaxies far, far away in a sci-fi that won't be lost in the trek of all the other space science fictions out there in this rogue 'Star Wars' reboot awakening era. We have yet to see the 'Life' of Ryan Reynolds and Jake Gyllenhaal (not to be confused with the James Dean one of Dane DeHaan that only came out last year), DeHaan's 'Fifth Element' like 'Valerian' adaptation with model and real 'Suicide Squad' villain Cara Delevingne and of course the latest 'Alien: Covenant' horror in 2017. And this year we have already visited '10 Cloverfield Lane' again and had a 'Resurgence' of the 90's classic 'Independence Day' that was unfortunatly more like a regurgitation, but this pre-'Arrival' stands out from the rest not starring Amy Adams...and not just because of Jennifer Lawrence. And it's because of it's original...albeit obnoxious ides which not only leaves you leaving the cinema asking what you would do (I mean would you even take this friend and family killing universe flight away from your life), but questions what we're all made of and just what is the matter with us. And as this 'Deep Space Nine' on it's side like sinking ship faces it's own 'Titanic' like fate with the seas of spaces meteors acting like icebergs this love story is anything but Jack and Rosey (we're pretty sure Jen wouldn't give Chris any room on that plank of wood either and we're not talking about her characters morals...we're talking about his). At least the graphics and C.G. view of the ships quarters and all the space between blooms. One scene that truly makes waves sees Jennifer Lawrence literally swim through zero gravity. Sure there is a repelling nature to the themes of this tale. But you can't deny the magnetism of the on-screen power couple that forces you to your seat like gravity boots.

And 'Passengers' does ride close to the floor, staying grounded in principle and the conflicts and cruelty of manipulating relationships after a shotgun like blast of shock and awful behaviour. Marvel at how someone as charismatic as Chris Pratt's lead really acts more like his last name as you are left repeating it more than his Twitter handle, but creep through the subtext and you might see 'Headhunter' literally employee firing line, Norwegian director Tyldum would be offering us up a cautionary tale that acts as a moral modern metaphor to how we treat love and life these days from the cherry pick and dump choose nature of dating to the swipe left act of social media relationship replacement, if only we'd take our face out our phones for a stalk breaking minute. Science fiction has been using future fables to hold up a moral mirror of metaphor and ask us deeper questions than our place amongst the stars since the dawn of its time. From the by the book forefather, Phillip K. Dick beginnings that has inspired every modern sci-fi idea and literal script by book movie from 'Total Recall' to 'Blade Runner'. To this now new age of '2049' where Denis Villeneuve's decades in the making sequel goes to blaster war with another Ridley Scott produced, classic, timeless, originator epic as the 'Alien' will now burst out the chest and mind of Neil Blomkamp. A modern K. Dick chap with his 'Elysium' and 'District 9' real modern world, and new look on space and time today. You only have to read the book 'Arrival' is based on and Ted Chiang's 'Story Of Your Life' shorts to look and read more into these existential questions based on much more than our universes place. And with Pratt bringing some sympathy and accountability to his characters devils and Jennifer Lawrence offering up some of the best, aggravated acting of her career (aside from when she wakes up...it's hard to mask faking being 'Dazed and Confused' unless your names McConaughey "alright, alright, alright"?) on this one-man ship of truly akward to horrifying engineering stakes, these two still have chemistry despite the combustible nature of their pairing. They offer up another big picture to their already milky way expanding role calls in something that even if ignorant in it's Hollywood polish over decency psoriasis ending that nixes real redemption is still a long way away from the isolated nature of George Clooney's 'Solaris'. And there's even more big names in this superstar matrix in legendary form. As before reuniting with the Neo chosen one of Keanu Reeves in 'John Wick: Chapter 2', Laurence Fishburne returns to space after his 'Event Horizon', with a 'Preadators' like mid-film appearance looking like he needs to take more than a red pill. And if you want to talk about legendary cameos. The great Andy Garcia literally has a walk on. His really is a case of seen it all in the trailers. Although he does bring us his best beard yet. But with all the big names and famous faces here it's the whiskey glass spit and polish of Michael Sheen's android tending bar that really steals the show and pays the tab. Although we still can't unsee this character actor of our time as Tony Blair (or even David Frost) the versatile figure that channeled the late, great David Bowie's Ziggy Stardust for his club owner in 'Tron: Legacy' knows how to raise his own bar once again. Despite being all Lieutenant Dan beneath the waist, showing us all what we thought newsreaders looked like below the desk when we never saw their legs. Even if you'd rather prop up his bar than ride 'Passenger' with our lead that takes Star-Lord's womanising to a whole new jerk the breaks level, you can't deny the star power of Pratt and J-Law's co-pilots. But this galaxy may need a guardian. TIM DAVID HARVEY.

See This If You Liked: 'Lost In Space', 'Solaris', 'Guardians Of The Galaxy'.

REVIEW: ROGUE ONE-A STAR WARS STORY

4/5

X-Wing-Days Of Future Past: Rogue Cut.

133 Minutes. Starring: Felicity Jones, Diego Luna, Ben Mendelsohn, Donnie Yen, Mads Mikkelsen, Riz Ahmed, Alan Tudyk, Jiang Wen, Forest Whitaker & James Earl Jones. Director: Gareth Edwards.

Marvel at just how much Disney has milked the 'Star Wars Story' for all it's worth commercially. But people with a disturbing lack of faith beware because as Lucasfilm goes 'Rogue' in this one they don't even look or smell like going sour anytime soon. Or as they call it "going all 'Police Academy'" with these sequel like they fear all the red capes coming will. After the original Han, Luke and Leia, Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher 'Star Wars' series became 'The Godfather' of science-fiction trilogies that all 'Lord Of The Rings' and 'Dark Knights' are measured by, everyone couldn't wait for George Lucas' Empire to strike back. But when the return of the Jedi's new 'Phantom Menace' milleniuum trilogy gave us the attack of the binks we all needed a new hope. And that's when energized 'Star Trek' reboot director J.J. Abrams switched sides and solar systems like a Siths revenge and took this formidable force of a franchise out of darkness and into the light speed of the Winter warmed fall that used to belong to filthy Hobbitses, that now shows the superhero Summer where the real blockbuster heat lies. Ever since Walt's kids strapped some Mickey Mouse ears on Darth Vader this has been a reawoken force. And the most iconic movie villain of all-time (cue the heavy breathing) that needs no introduction like he does cough drops is back too, with all his Stormtrooper men, some black, scarily sleek Deathtrooper upgrades and those "tall, walky things" from "that snow planet" as your friendly, neighbourly Spider-Man puts it for a war that is anything but Civil as they enter through the trees with 'Jurassic Park' goliath measures of equal intimidation and inspiration. As the rebel hearts armed with more X Wings than Oscar Isaac's hero poetic Poe-who began this new generation so boldly-look to cross out the blueprint plans of the Death Star before it shows us the real Dark Side of the Moon in the best cult, blockbuster heist movie since 'Ant-Man' grew to the big-screen. This is Mission Impossible for this Rogue Nation but boy do you want to light the fuse.

'Godzilla' director Gareth Edwards has given us a monster roaring onto our screens like a tie-fighter. You want a big movie done? This young directors going to spit one out like a blue, light flame, igniting and cutting through the competition like a saber. Illuminating IMAX with an aerial assault of vivid visuals and puncuated planets in a whole new cinematic universe. This goes beyond setting your phasers to stun. Never mind how good the latest trekkie installment was this year, concluding their long lived and prospered trilogy. Long, long ago in a galaxy far, far away those iconic ascending credits may be gone but this 'Rogue One' still rolls with the classics...like Skywalker. Remember from all the 'Clone Wars' animations to Stan Lee comics. The books you read, the games you play, the cards you trade and even the sneakers you lace it's all tied together in one complex but cohesive story. It's not just merchandise...it's a movement. And our solo hero here is not Rey, but Mrs. Jones. As Felicity, who looked to have her big break as Felicia's Blackcat in a 'Sinister Six' like sequel idea (that came before all of D.C.'s 'Suicide Squad' and 'Gotham Sirens' villian movie callings) to the now Electro plug-pulled Andrew Garfield 'Amazing Spider-Man', come Tom Holland Marvel family 'Homecoming' got hers in her award worthy turn as Eddie Redmayne's Professor Stephen Hawkings' wife. Now in going head-to-head with her former on-screen love and his 'Fantastic Beasts...And Where To Find Them', 'Harry Potter' saga, Tom Hanks' 'Da Vinci Code' sequel co-star Felicity Jones is inferno hot, taking us through the theory of Star Wars history for this stellar, spin-off prequel that stands all on its own in more ways than one. If your looking for a sequel, you will have to find new hope. But never fear, there are solo Vader and Han movies that look as promisingly good as Donald Glover as Lando. That sounds as legendary legacy making as Childish Gambino's latest classic album 'Awake, My Love'. Jones' Jin character is just as legendary a heroine as Daisy Ridley's, albeit very different in her dynamics. This is beyond a stereotype as she shows there is more than just the force with this multi-cultural, band or rebels cast with more soul than usual Hollywood typecast stigma. There is more than the usual movie magic here that comes with the future vision of these fables. There's a spirit of us grouping together with a team against all the odds. Knowing that even if this Suicide Squad of anti-heroes for hire look like they are marching to their imperial death, we're more than willing to walk with these new stars.

War ready your new favourite sidekick in our heroes corner like Rocky to Creed in this next gen is Diego Luna. Matt Damon's best friend in the Phillip K. Dick of sci-fi movies that aren't based on the amazing authors books Neil Blomkamp's 'Elysium' is soldarity soldiering great here as he was heartbreakingly good in his breakout blockbuster movie. But this is his mainstream breakthrough thank you. Time to give him his own movie...or at least Netflix show. 'Ip Man' Donnie Yen also comes to American audiences from Asian ones with a flurry as quick as one of his kung fu parries, as the martial arts legend who iconically played the legend that trained Bruce Lee steals the show like he did in the 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon' Netflix 'Sword Of Destiny' sequel on a sheet of ice. This guy takes out more Storm Troopers than door frames...yet he's the one whose blind. These two are the standouts but they head an all-star, all-academy cast that may be the underrated, best yet that 'Star Wars' have assembled. Not to mention who on the third rock from the sun is under those storm trooper helmets like FN-007. Featuring another Chinese legend in Jiang Wen, 'Nightcrawling' breakout and 'The Night Of' star Riz Ahmed and 'Dodgeball' pirate, 'Serenity' star and forthcoming 'Frozen' and 'Wreck It Ralph' sequel voice Alan Tudyk furthering his studio work as prolific as Gollum, ape and of course Snoke Andy Serkis' motion-capture one as this years BB-8 favourite droid K-2SO that looks like the love child of C-3P0 and the Iron Giant with an 'Interstellar' TARS humor setting. What more would you expect from the man who voiced Sonny in 'I, Robot'? He really is one! The droid we've all been looking for. There's even legends here in the form of performance perspiring Mads Mikkelsen who just got 'Strange' with Marvel's new doctor and 'Ghost Dog' and 'Last King Of Scotland' star Forest Whitaker who has been on a resurgence ever since he was of service for Lee Daniels' 'Butler'. Hitting 'Southpaw' with Jake Gyllenhaal last year, before being part of Amy Adams and Jeremy Renner's alien 'Arrival' only last month, for what was the blockbuster of the year until he swapped military fatigues for a rebels unifom. Mentoring our hero Jim with Yoda or Lupita wisdom. But all these heroes for hire need a villain bigger than the Death Star. And 'Bloodline', 'Black Sea', 'Slow West', 'The Place Beyond The Pines' and 'Killing Them Softly' scene stealer (yes we had to mention them all...believe us we're leaving stuff out) Ben Mendelsohn destroys them all loudly, finally starred up as the big bad he and his villain classic voice has always deserved to be. With his cape dragging in the waters of a Bahama beach, sand in your eyes fight set-piece thats like 'Pirates of The Carribean' meets your greatest artillery of war movies like he doesn't care you would think no one could outshine or outshadow him. But this is the first film were the lord Anakin Skywalker became returns since the time he was just a hologram stood next to the late, great Sir Alec Gunniess' Obi Wan (yes...we're leaving the "NOOOOO" out), amongst a whole host of cameos here brought back to young, new life by the good people of C.G.I. No character, actor or villain is as legendary as Vader or the returning iconic voice of James Earl Jones who is no longer just Simba in the clouds. Spaces lion, the king of bad guys is the only thing that could stop a rebel. And in this 'Star Wars Story' that is a strong one and will choke you up with its force hold that's how you truly go 'Rogue'. May the lord be with you...yet always against you. TIM DAVID HARVEY.

REVIEW: ALLIED

4/5

Inglorious Fury.

124 Minutes. Starring: Brad Pitt, Marion Cotillard, Jared Harris, Simon McBurney & Lizzy Caplan. Director: Robert Zemeckis.

Scalping Nazis seems to be Brad Pitt's job these days. He rocked a maverick moustache like Sweeny Todd's barber chair and got what he wanted as he performed haircuts on the Third Reich with Quentin Tarantino as an 'Inglorious Basterd'. Then he gave himself a short back and sides with his tanked up suicide squad of Shia LaBeouf, Jon Bernthal, Michael Pena and Logan Lerman for David Ayer's 'Fury'. But what happens in the mist of a world war when even the woman you love is not all she seems too? No we're not talking about the huge Hollywood stars press puncuated personal life powered by rumors of the on-screen alliance here, which we will keep what it should have always remained...private. But the French leading lady Marion Cotillard of 'Macbeth' acting standards' character. But is she an actor? Is she even French? A German spy surely not? Or is she really 'Allied'? That's what you'll be left asking all the way through this refreshingly unpredicatble movie, before Tom Hanks' best 'Forrest Gump' and 'Cast Away' director Robert Zemeckis answers as he takes flight on a third act even more terrifically taught and tense than the time he put Joseph Gordon-Levitt's French trapeze artist on a wire hung between the two towers of the World Trade Center and let him walk. This thrilling red line is even thinner. Pitt's soldiers love life is facing an apocalypse right now.

Brad's third World War II film is just as brilliant as it is different than the first individual two. Showing that it doesn't matter how this unbelievably middle-age pin-up looks (scraggled facial-hair like he's just spent 'Seven Years In Tibet' or the dapper dan 'Captain America' look of this forties classic that socks it to Hitler) he still has the Academy substance over the gorgeous Gentelmans Quarterly style alongside a Chanel advert model just as beautiful and talented. Because critics or maybe 'Team Angelina's' have been calling this like they saw Jolie's 'Tourist' escapade with Johnny Depp back in Rome. All Tom Ford, but no 'Nocturnal Animals'. But just like that was a criminally underrated throwback crime caper classic to the Cary Grant era this is an old boys Hollywoodland tour de force that Clark Gable would be proud of or the future hall of filmography fame of Pitt's will be when it's all said and looked back on. This is as monumental as friends George Clooney and Matt Damon's 'Ocean Eleven' like 'Monuments Men' team-up that Brad missed the boat for and the actual true soulful story in the name of art that inspired it. And critics called old father time on that one too...and Bill Murray, John Goodman and Cate Blanchett were in it to boot. Brad Pitt shows here with duty and diligance to both country and family that he is a classic leading man for any ages and just like his vast but still crazily so underrated filmography for a superstar of his magnitude (take 'Legends Of The Fall', 'A River Runs Through It', 'Twelve Monkeys', '12 Years A Slave', 'The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button', 'The Assassination Of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford', 'Moneyball' and most recently 'The Big Short' for your next DVD night starters), timeless. World War 2 or 'World War Z'.

Pitted against it all-even his own squadron-Brad brings back that furiously forceful 'Fury' action acting as he single-handlely takes out a tank of German soldiers armed with a pin and a good right arm (he even dispatches a soldier with a biscotti before his coffee loses its crema), before exploding into that epic emotional 'Se7en' like acting that is anything but a sin, but draws on all of them. 'La Vie En Rose' star Marion Cotillard is anything but rusty here either being the bones of this picture by bringing forth all her previous body of work. The French actress really is a classic, throwback Hollywood starlet like 'The Artist' in this grey area tale that is more than shades of black and white. Perfectly paired alongside Pitt but against our theories or doubts she plays the 'whose that girl' role to a tee. Remember Fassbenders forthcoming 'Assassins Creed' co-star was the master manipulator as his lady in 'Macbeth'. No wonder revolutionary director Christopher Nolan tapped up her side switching enigmatic talents twice for 'Inception' and 'The Dark Knight Rises'. Here in a classic cast she is the only one who can get close to Pitt. Including an underused but still utilized Lizzy Caplan as his on-screen sister, coming off the 'Masters Of Sex' and some nice trick treats for the 'Now You See Me' sequel. Allied almost against him in command are two actors with that range of a performance. Stealing the one scene he's in like he owns the movie, Simon McBurney puts the fear of God by death into Brad Pitt like he did Denzel Washington's 'Manchurian Candidate' as a demon doctor with devastating side effects and repurcussions. But it's Sherlock Holmes' Moriarty that really takes us over the edge. But the just great Jared Harris had never been better, even if the last time he was next to one of Brad Pitt's curious character he was looking completely different at sea too. With changing tides coming to our shores, director Zemeckis looks to navigate a picture that will sail as good as 'Forest Gump', no cast away flight. Offering to light the ladies cigarette first he scratches the surface of this book of matches before building up this slow burners ratchet tension. Like the plummeting plane gliding down the most amazing aerial assualt of siren piercing realism ever seen on screen slowly but sinisterly. All the way until everything comes crashing down around us and we get the answer to why we're shedding tears, whether they be in relief of joy or perplexed pain. This is just what makes this traditional tone and texture movie from the classic cinematic start setting in Casablanca of all places so darn good for the duration. As you wonder which side everyone is on in this love and war were all is not fair. No matter your ally. TIM DAVID HARVEY.

REVIEW: BLEED FOR THIS

4/5

Creed For This.

117 Minutes. Starring: Miles Teller, Aaron Eckhart, Kathy Segal, Ciaran Hinds & Ted Levine. Director: Ben Younger.

CRASH! BANG! 'Whiplash'! Miles Teller actually claims that and then some as he enters the ring to 'Bleed For This' and portray divine Providence boxer Vinny 'The Pazmanian Devil' Pazienza, who took the wrong turn on a highway one day and ended up in a spin cycle that rinsed him and put this red corner devil in a halo . Quite the canvas for his career as his spine was one hit or getting up out the car akwardly bump away from paralysis. But then again this is quite the real life comeback story boxing movies like 'Creed' and the 'Rocky' legacy wish they could script. Because this 'Cocky Balboa' takes a 'Southpaw' hit (and we aren't talking about the underrated 'Fantastic Four' reboot mister!) and comes back swinging with an extended arm like Gyllenhaal, taking its place on the steps between 'Ali' and 'Raging Bull' as one of the best boxing movies. Teller has his foot on the gas and never has to let up or put the breaks on, unlike people who park on San Francisco roads. Forget a cliche. This seconds out genre still dancing at 2016 looks like a million dollar baby of a franchise, no matter how breakneck the pace. As brilliant 'Boiler Room' director Ben Younger coming of age fuses this all together and really screws in the sense of pain. Forget a cringe or tingle down your spine this will wreck your every nerve if you have it. Blood, screw and muscle tears.

Miles ahead our leading man Miles Teller is racking up the hits and big numbers like a bank teller. Kind of like one of the real life 'War Dogs' he portrayed alongside Jonah Hill, which goes toe-to-toe with this as one of the best underrated films of the year. But now this dogs war zone is the punishing ring and his weapons for sale are strapped under two gloves, left and right. Drumroll please! He may not get the Oscar...but he's got the belt. At least give this kid a nomination...he's graduated from the Academy. Whipping and lashing with his Tommy Hearns and Jack Johnson, stretching the canvas with his fantastic left and right. But his doom here? His symbol headshot teacher? His Jonah looking to make bucks out of him before he's over the hill? Two shady promoters that make Don King and all his Mr. T bling look like a princess and blaow. No less than Jake, Teller tenses and muscles up to fighting weight to give us fight scenes and ringside set-pieces that are all rage no bull#### (Scorsese scores points as executive producer). It takes dedication to train to hit at this level. But to show the arrogant charismatic, bruised soul of a down and out, cornered New England prospect coming out of the blue collar stool with bloody knuckles like Boston 'Fighter' Mark Wahlberg takes real heart kid...and that's why this fighter and actor is a real prize. Forget a knockout cliche, Miles has the brass knuckles that could at least scuff Oscars gold.

And it's not like he doesn't have his opponents outside the ring like the tried and tested one of this Pasmanian devils own inner demon. Cue a string of Jersey bound Barbie girl dates that are made up to the maximum factor and the instantly vocally (if here not visually) recognisable Ted Levine (of 'Silence Of The Lambs', 'Heat' and 'Shutter Island' infamy) as a former trainer more backing him into a corner as he wants to squeeze every cent of penny, not ounce of sweat out of the kid. With a sneering sinister undercurrent performance that on the surface once looked like loyalty shows Ted's talents beyond how he talks and the actor we always thought the criminally underused of late Levine was always destined to be. And hats and old 80's shady frames off for 'Road To Perdition' and 'Miami Vice' character actor Ciaran Hands playing brilliantly against typecast as the Rhode Island father of Miles' fighter with the two clawing paws. With her son living in anarchy, 'Married...With Children' star and instantly brain scanning recognisable 'Futurama' voice Kathy Segal's mothering character too looks, but is nothing like Melissa Leo as her son shrine and candlelight vigile keeps her woories warm with the army of sisters on the tube in the frontroom as she can't watch the hits like Brad Pitt in 'Moneyball'. But with all this support it's fellow man of the moment (albeit a little out the lead) Aaron Eckhart who shows what it really means to be behind somebody. If 'The Dark Knight's' Harvey Dent gets a nomination for your supporting actor he'll only be going up against himself. As after being in Tom Hanks cockpit corner as the co-pilot of 'Sully' this month he's back on wingman duty once again. Though the classically leading man looking handsome Eckhart's chiseled features could not look any different. The trim traded for paunch and those blonde on blonde locks have receeded further than the waters in 'Deep Impact', so much so you can't tell if he's balding or about to join the monastery. And with that Boston beans accent if it wasn't for the chin you wouldn't be able to tell it's him like Jon Voight in 'Ali' as Howard Cosell. The district attorny of Gotham really does have two faces. But this is just one half of Aaron's acclaimed performance as in playing the hungover trainer that brought the pitbull out of Mike Tyson with sobering sincerity, Eckhart etches his name along with 'Sully' on best actor considerations regardless of the season. And just wait until he gets down...because this guy dances better than Oscar Isaac in 'Ex Machina', worthy of a trophy in itself. All in all, for this a maturing Younger, Miles' soul and the heart of Eckhart do more than just bleed...they live for this. And they got the scars to prove it. Can't outbox that. TIM DAVID HARVEY.

REVIEW: SULLY

4/5

Hudson Hanks.

96 Mins. Starring: Tom Hanks, Aaron Eckhart, Holt McCallany, Michael Rapaport & Laura Linney. Director: Clint Eastwood. 

BRACE! BRACE! BRACE! HEADS DOWN! STAY DOWN! We'll get right into it like this film does so attention awakening. Only this writer would watch 'Sully' on a damn IMAX screen two days before taking a flight to New York. But when your Captain Sully speaking is 'Captain Phillips' Tom Hanks, taking flight like his 'Philadelphia' co-star Denzel Washington you know you are in good hands. Even when nobody prepared for this. Even when "this is dual engine failure at 28 hundred feet, followed by an immediate water landing with 155 souls on board". Thank God acting great Hanks has finally alinged with acting legend and directing one Clint Eastwood in the co-pilots seat like Leonardo DiCaprio ('J.Edgar'), Matt Damon ('Invictus' and 'Hereafter') and Bradley Cooper (in Eastwood's previous picture 'American Sniper') to give us one of Clint's greatest movies alongside 'Million Dollar Baby', 'Changeling' and 'Gran Torino' (notice the electric Times Square Easter Egg? This isn't a shameful plug this is as accurate a 2009 commercial billboard as the proof of time magazines on the airports classic Hudson News racks). And as Hanks responds to the 'Highest Duty' (and book you'll probably, somewhat strangely find in those same newsagents) of real life Captain Chesley 'Super Sully' Sullenberger, with Eastwood he recreates the miracle that happened on the Hudson only some seven years ago. As birds scarier than Hitchcock took out both engines shortly after Sully's flight left the terminal, forcing him to turn back and land ON the Hudson as there was no chance of returning to any of New York's major airports from JFK to LaGuardia. A crash landing in the city only devestated by its biggest aerial attack and cruel tragedy by the hand of terrorists only some eight years prior. All this in mere minutes after tray table stowed take off. All this yet the brave and brilliant Sully and his co-pilot Jeffrey Skiles saved all 155 people on board without a scratch on them. Still Sully faced technical and legal drama questioning whether he could have made it back however as he was asked a myriad of personal questions like 'when was his last drink', 'does he have any problems at home', as his 40 years in the air was judged on 208 seconds. Now in playing Sully if you're going to judge Tom Hanks 40 years on screen between 'Saving Private Ryan', 'Apollo 13' and 'Cast Away' and 'Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close' and 'Bridge Of Spies' on 96 minutes than this just may very well be his best. Brace for impact!

Captain Hanks who right now on Amy Adams double feature form is also igniting the 'Inferno' of Dan Brown's latest 'Da Vinci Code' book adaptation has courage under fire here. The fall favourite of November reign, playing a real life legend like 'Saving Mr. Banks' is a measure of outward, cool calm with aggravated anxiety below, under 'Captain Phillips' pressure under threat. With 'Saving Private Ryan' dedication to duty and a 'Cast Away' soul that will let no in-flight worst nightmare hell or high water break him. His mild-mannered 'Bridge Of Spies' heart under make or break circumstances on an out of this world, 'Apollo 13', life or death stake is raised to a miraculous high. All on an 'Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close' IMAX immersed scale (that sounds like your right under the plane like a pair of ear mufflers and ping pong paddles) that doesn't just take you in to the cockpit, but X-ray inside the central nervous system and every strained strand of Hanks' Sully personification. And as Tom from air to sea makes it back to dry land that's when the real acting takes wing. As the Academy Award winning actor takes off towards his next Oscar, no 'Captain Phillips' or even 'Bridge Of Spies' snub (we can only hope). Ingraining the isolated loneliness of a man in the public and procedural not so private eye, locked in his hotel room with his dreams and wrongly perceived demons, a million miles and a phone call away from the woman he loves that he needs to hang on and not hang up. A celebrated man almost haunted by this and not the hundreds of lives he saved and families he brought back together, but the ones he felt he could have endangered if his miracle nose-dived into a tragedy. Hanks captures the conflict of this heroes heart perfectly with diligence and due respect and restraint all on Clint Eastwood's deubuted IMAX directing cameras (taking off early against an 'Arrival' of 'Loving', 'Fences', 'Birth Of A Nation' Oscar favourites like 'Manchester By The Sea') that tell a more poignant story than the thousand of news reports that brought remote control click-bait, harrowed drama without a shred of consideration to the families watching of this averted disaster.

And a disaster movie this is not, as Eastwood moves beyond the blockbuster lights to give us the human touch of this story of great humanity in the face of unfathomable responsibility. As the accounted for passengers and crew and the emergency services of New York came together like they did on their darkest day more than a decade ago to throw themselves in the line of duty in saving and preserving lives. It's an inspiring not overly dramatised look at Americans coming together as one in a time they sorely need it. And aside from some midtown madness plane crash nightmare scenarios made IMAX scale deep real, that still all seem too soon after 9/11 Clint, ever the master of personal and dramatic subtely doesn't over do it. Instead going for just the facts, one being that this century in the making film icon may well be a better director than he is an actor...and that's really saying something. And the rest of the cast and crew from three stewardesses that look and are in sync like sisters (character or actor...amazingly they're not) to a recognisable list of passengers all play their part in this miracle. From the always responding to the official call of duty Holt McCallany (who recently starred with another 90's golden era Tom in Cruise's 'Jack Reacher' sequel 'Never Go Back') and everyones favourite New Yorker and now barman Michael Rapaport. Leading lady Laura Linney also responds to the call with a stand by her husband, show of great acting support on the cordless that is anything but phoned in. But it's the great Harvey Dent, Aaron Eckhart on the 'Dark Knight' form of his life that is the closest to an award like the two faces of legends Hanks and Eastwood. The man who is also balding in Miles Teller's corner for the knockout 'Bleed For This' is only going up against himself in the supporting actor stakes as here he is the perfect wingman with a maverick, magnum moustache, no Goose tragedy. But for what it's worth with all these top guns, for what they have directed and acted here, Clint Eastwood and Tom Hanks deserve the Oscar. But for what they actually did then, Captain Chesley Sullenberger, Jeffrey Skiles and the rest of New York's finest involved in the 'Miracle On The Hudson' deserve a medal. TIM DAVID HARVEY.

REVIEW: NOCTURNAL ANIMALS

3/5

Not So Fantastic Beasts (And How To Dress Them).

116 Minutes. Starring: Amy Adams, Jake Gyllenhaal, Michael Shannon, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Isla Fisher, Armie Hammer, Jena Malone, Laura Linney & Michael Sheen. Director: Tom Ford.

Stay awake and alert for this animalistic intention fashioned by Tom Ford if you can. Because the style icons grand cinematic design doesn't know if its treading shallow water or diving deeper. And we're not quite sure if these stylish 'Nocturnal Animals' are saying something of substance or are really just quite pretentious. But boy do they button up and look good. The suited and booted all-star A-list cast affair on the red carpet here didn't even look this good surrounded by the 'let them have cake' Hollywood crowd at the films premiere. That's what you get when the man behind the camera is the focus of so many celebrites in front of it that even Jay-Z named a song off his last album after him, because that's just how he rocks. Tom Ford, brought the lonely best out of a Caine bespectacled 'Kingsman' Colin Firth's 'A Single Man'. Now Tom affords more with these night owls based on Austin Wright's 'Tom and Susan' bestseller in this Tom and Jerry, cat and mouse narrative with glitz and glamour mammals and big-names like Adams, Gyllenhaal, Shannon, Taylor-Johnson, Hammer, Fisher, Malone, Linney and Sheen buying into this book. With a screenplay on a story based on a novel idea (that's a story inside a story people...confused yet?) wrote by a womans jilted ex-husband brimmed with cruel and abhorent violence to women and drowning depression and despair to one man in particular. A read called 'Nocturnal Animals' dedicated to her and named after what she was once called for better or worse. Showing seemingly in this trending time that revenge is a dish best served passive aggressively in writing. But should we read more into this?

Depending on which film you see this week will determine how much you like Amy Adams. The 'Big Eyes' Oscar nominated actress is looking for her Academy Award next February with two films this week. Coming off her second big 'Man Of Steel' report, scooping the 'Batman V Superman' fight of the century in 'Dawn Of Justice', Adams is really here, right now. Just wait until her 'Arrival' to see how front and centre she is with a perfect performance in an amazing alien movie that has a close encounter with the greatest science-fiction odyssey's ever made and maybe even the best pictures of this year, from director Denis Villeneuve who gave us last years best film, the sinisterly stellar 'Sicario'. But with this 'Nocturnal Animal' Adams makes herself up even more as an artist trying to canvas a life of frivolous fakes in a seemingly neon perfect Los Angeles, City Of Angels were everyone has decided that their halo doesn't quite go with there outfit. More than dressing to impress this amazing Amy is a Blunt train track away from being a gone girl in a vapid world of social media bottomless pit timeline emptiness and its lack of graces. Were the only one trying to reach out, albeit the wrong way is her ex, played by a Leo Oscar chasing Jake Gyllenhaal. A man about to bring new 'Life' to his career with his own big budget, 'Alien' like sci-fi alongside 'Deadpool' Ryan Reynolds. An actor whose also had the best brought out of him by Villeneuve in his locked in 'Prisoners' performance and 'Enemy' dual-opposite double act. A leading man coming out swinging after some misfires recently. No matter how good they were, 'Demolition' didn't quite hit like he expected and 'Southpaw' was out-duked by Rocky's 'Creed' protegee. And although we still need so see Jake no less than on Nightcrawling form, he's something else here. Even if we rarely see his real authors character and instead the semi-autobiographical broken hearted character from his books story, wrote and chapter dedicated with an anxiously agitated, mourning maraudering performed characterization. As Adams and Gyllenhaal can look and play young star struck lovers full of early twenties hope and invincibility and real world-30 year olds stunted and strung out, medicated on disappointment and never be the same again doubt, drowned on disenchanted social sorrows. What a difference a beard and make-up makes.

Fashion fit into the rest of the films themes, the stylistic supporting cast is corset tight. Quicksilver Beatle Aaron Taylor-Johnson is so savagely good at being bad you just can't watch. A skin-crawling tense and every nerve drawn out roadside fender bender, driven off the highway set-up, set-piece is as throat lump scary and eternity like long as it safety shreddingly should be. You want to do more than kick his ass as he disgustingly wipes his own bare one on an outside toilet with not a care in the world or one for what he's done or the people he's done it too. You just hate him...and that's the sign of an actor to love. Just as bad, albeit in a more betraying way is the douche armed Armie Hammer, not hamming it up as the all round nice guys plays a man who is as much a prick as the needle and thread left in his suit...probably a Tom Ford. There's even more runway acting talent with Isla Fisher's muse playing. An almost unrecognisable, Dolce dolled up Laura Linney of 'Sully' going against type and showing just how great an actress she is. An even smaller and stylish polished cameo from maverick Michael Sheen than his Ziggy Bowie like one in the stardust of 'Tron: Legacy'. And 'Batman v Superman's' cutting room floor fodder Jena Malone, whose satirical fashionist shows just how little meaning we place on life and what or who we love over the latest app and new phone models in one of the best moments in this movie, until it turns into some 'Drag Me To Hell' inspired horror shock and awful. Yet in this 'Midnight Special' it's Michael Shannon's stereotypical Southern sheriff that is the most refreshing thing about this picture...even if he does jack the owl line from Michael Mann's crime syndicate 'Heat'. Who? Al Pacino! What do you mean who? Shannon steals the show even as his skinny character (who looks nothing like his body double cameo General Zod in this years oft-mentioned here 'Man Of Steel' sequel) is dying of the cigarettes he may as well still smoke like a cop. On his way to 'Loving' more Oscar work the one of a kind character Shannon is having quite the career couple of years. Keeping this design up like a silver buckled belt and holster he and our two leads head a headshot worthy cast that give a greater look to this picture that's in need of a better portrait. Without them this style piece would have no substance in this iPhone swiping social age sense of ego-inviting entitlement and Ford's latest which tries to bar all of that may be in need for a factory reset itself. Between a feast of the flesh opening that is all human form type celebratory, but overkilled unecessary in the artist character and directors intentions (whatever they may be) and a lot of criminally inappropriate suggested and screamingly blurred sexual violence in a world so wrong today there is such a term as "rape culture", a lot of this is critically misguided. Epsecially in a world were you don't always have to prove your words by action, but merely the directorial power of suggestion. Sure this writer could be a prude or even a bit too preachy ('Blue Velvet' and 'A Clockwork Orange' are missing off my 'to watch' list), but in artistic integrity there's more beauty and genuine intention in what you don't see. And like someone dressing themselves as something they're not just to please the masses, there's a real, personal message here to heed. It's just hidden behind all that make-up. TIM DAVID HARVEY.

REVIEW: ARRIVAL

4/5

Signs.

116 Minutes. Starring: Amy Adams, Jeremy Renner, Michael Stuhlbarg, Tzi Ma & Forest Whitaker. Director: Denis Villeneuve.

Between Brexit and Trump and the deaths of Prince and Ali...not to mention the great Ziggy Stardust, David Bowie, you'd be forgiven for wanting to leave this world on a rocket ship for a life on Mars like Matt Damon farming his own poop potatoes. But here's another big blockbuster movie about aliens inhabiting planet earth in between all your Summer and fall 'Star Trek's' and 'Star Wars' coming right back at you. But it's going to take a mild-mannered French Canadian from a place everyone in the now not so United States wants to leap the wall for to show this is not just another Hollywood 'Independence Day-Resurgence' sequel regurgitation popping like corn for salty mouths in need of something a little sweeter. Something that could possibly vividly outsmart the out of the war of this world, latter year, modern day future greats of 'Gravity' and 'The Martian' on an 'Interstellar' level. Not to mention the other sci-fi's in this endless game of future fables, like Ryan Reynolds and Jake Gyllenhaal's 'Life' (not to be confused with Robert Pattinson and Dane DeHaan's (look for his elemental vivid 'Valerian' trailer with 'Suicide Squad's model actress Cara Delevigne today) James Dean picture. Or Eddie Murphy and Martin Lawrence's classic, buddy cell block comedy). And it's going to take something from last years best picture 'Sicario' director Denis Villeneuve who also gave us the Gyllenhaal arresting 'Prisoners' and doppleganger friend or foe 'Enemy' double act. Something that would make the 'Elysium' of modern day science fiction and real world reflective fact director Neil Blomkamp about to reboot 'Aliens' proud, before Villeneuve races forward with Harrison Ford, Ryan Gosling and Jared Leto's android for the 'Blade Runner 2045' sequel himself. Not to mention the authoring forefather of all science-fiction storytelling and prophercies from the aformentioned 'Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep' and all the 'Total Recall's' after Phillip K. Dick. Remember this one, before it goes wholesale.

Arriving on screens just in time before the 'Star Wars' story hype goes rogue, this awkening force from Villeneuve is more than his 'Blade Runner' audition turned warm up. Hotter than anything else out there right now, from all Affleck accounts to Dr. Cumberbatch's strange tales. Odder things can be found here. Call it, 2016: A Space Oddity. This spaceship not in all realms so tall tale based on Ted Chiang's sensational short 'Story Of Your Life' circles around ideas of life, love and the eternal flat-circle of time going interstellar with what's really out there in a galaxy far, far away. With cerebal matters, heart beats and searches of the soul looking at the circumference of our own lives and the mistakes we make over and again on a 'Looper' real. This also has real world implications for our divided nations. Especially now, how if we don't come together for our own peace we are pulling the trigger, or pushing the big red button on our own destruction. Nuclear or insular. And if we don't see the signs and hidden meanings here. We're all f#####...excuse me..."Trumped"! But this is more than political, it's personal too. Because everything starts from what we have within. And if we want to be the heroes of our own or other stories than we have to stop being our own worst enemies. And Villeneuve reaching back to his enigmatic, envoking 'Enemy' mirror image with Gyllenhaal and some of its creeping and crawling spider themes gives us another vivid picture and character portrayal that will leave us with as as many questions as it answers and leaves open come credits curtain. More than just open to your own and others interpretations (such is the nature and order of our tree of life), you'll be talking, thinking and tweaking this essential rewatchable one in your own mind for months, finding new meaning upon hidden one. One thing that won't be up for debate is just how good this is. This belongs in the same solar system as the greats from the first time you saw 'Contact' to Sam Rockwell on the 'Moon'. Today, the day the science-fiction world stood still.

No stranger to Jake, starring alongside Gyllenhaal in fashions Tom Ford's grand directorial design 'Nocturnal Animals' the next screen across, Amy Adams is having quite the week. Not to mention the year for Lois Lane, scooping all the big pictures and headlines if you forget what critics said about 'Batman v Superman' and just see how great the 'Dawn Of Justice' really is. The 'Big Eyes' Academy nominated actress may just be looking at her next Oscar award. The enchanting star on her 'American Hustle' really is a fighter...just ask Batman (no not Affleck, but Christian Bale), about Supermans lover. Alongside a Chastain or Blanchett, her mastered craft really is art. As she communicates non-verbally with some Octopus looking creatures squirting silent inkwells up for interpretation like pychologists asking you to tell them what you see, her mind brutually blotted by mourning no mother should wake up with, Adams translates so much more without words. There's more to life than what you say and they told you this amazing Amy had big eyes. In her lingustic corner with the science concentration bit is Hawkeye himself Jeremy Renner, shooting straight on a film that isn't his lead, but his stellar support. Just like the Avenging franchise background face of 'Mission Impossible' and 'Bourne' does best, he plays the corners, but very much outside the box. That's why he and his army of 'Hurt Locker' talents made it from a warzone to the Oscars. Just like Academy accredited, always brilliant Forest Whitaker playing a colonel with military precision of conviction, before we see him rebel in the next months 'Star Wars-Rogue One' alliance. His scraggily hair and beard there dome shaved here as he heads a cohesive cast featuring Michael Stuhlbarg who has been on Joaquin Phoenix's periphery for awhile and Chinese legend Tzi Ma who seems to have been around forever...and we really hope he always will be. All in all the next (if not right now) directing great Villeneuve gives us a picture just as great as his fellow one word big-three of 'Prisoners', 'Sicario' and the oft-overlooked 'Enemy'. And it's a classic from the first vivid window frame look of the never ending ocean to the finger and lip trembling instrumental of Dinah Washington's 'This Bitter Earth', that still haunts your tears like a thousand violins from the time Leonardo DiCaprio wept to it on his brutually best 'Shutter Island'. All the atmospheric way to the first iconic look of the vertical half-sphere shells of these space craft bringing a spine-tingling new look to the gravity of this genre. For once not Hollywood hovering over all the worlds most famous landmarks, like they'd know...what's wrong with Deleware? Played in by the sinister 'Sicario' Oscar nominated score keeper, Johann Johannson, reuniting with Villeneuve here to give us a harrowingly scary, sonar introduction to these extra terrestrials that really are so much more. The behind the smoke screen prison glass first viewfinder tunnel vision of these other-worldly beings, as anxiety inducing as the twisting plastic of the hazmat suits will lift you off your feet like a whole new type of zero G's. From 'Metropolis' to '2001: A Space Odyssey' when it comes to the greatest science-fiction movies of all-time, this 'Arrival' is here to stay. Now that's what I call a close encounter! TIM DAVID HARVEY.