Choosing a Family Film for the Weekend

There has been a flurry of much anticipated Family Film DVD releases recently. Steven Spielberg’s The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn, Martin Scorsese’s Hugo and Shrek’s friend Puss in Boots have all come to your local Blockbusters or are available to stream. All three are packed full of adventure but which one too chose for Sunday afternoon viewing? Although Shrek’s appeal is universal this companion film, with Puss in Boots going up against Humpty Dumpty, is perhaps aimed at the younger family viewing with children under ten. Whereas Hugo, telling the story of the young clock winder, weaves the history of film into the plot and needs more patience. Tintin ticks both age group boxes.

If you prefer a swashbuckling adventure Puss in Boots provides and then throws in bits of fairy tales on top, never intending on telling the original story. Antonio Banderas as Puss and Slama Hayek as Soft Paw are both excellent. International exploits, set in a world of astounding computer graphics, brings a loyal adaption of Tintin alive and we are thrown from one continent to another while pitched against the evil Red Rakum played by a stern Daniel Craig. Andy Serkis is brilliant as the often drunk Captain Haddock. In Hugo we are taken around a magic mechanical world that delves into the tragic past of the lead, played by the starlet Asa Butterfield, and through misfortune discover a wonderful secret past, ideal if you like mystery.

If you’re inclined towards Puss in Boots because of its Shrek roots then you’ll be disappointed, because it does not come up to the green ogre’s standards and if you opt for Hugo then expect a to be confronted with some grim story lines. But Tintin shows the master at work, Spielberg revealing in his ability to take you on one big frolic, the adventure of a life time. Yet arguably it’s more for boys as there is little feminine influence in the film and no female characters.

Puss in Boots deals with fairytales and feline capers, Hugo is about cogs, loss and rediscovery, Tintin presents a quest made up of puzzles and fun characters. All three are visually amazing and story rich.

Fright Night (15)

This remake brings a 1980’s horror film up-to-date with the tweaking of some of the characters and the sheen of modern day glam. The successfully intimidating Colin Farrell, sporting a convincing American accent, plays the monster, and another actor known for his Russian accent playing the lead is Anton Yelchin (Star Trek, 2009). Yelchin’s character soon becomes aware that a Vampire has moved in next door and that he and his family are the next course on the menu. Through his geek friend he becomes aware of an extravagant actor, played by David Tennant of Doctor Who fame, who’s performance is wiry and Time Traveller like. The up and coming English actress Imogen Poots as girlfriend and Australian Toni Collette as mother, put in good performances but there is a distinct lack of character development other than that of the lead.Fright Night also wrestles with the humour factor. At times it is too serious especially seeing as the violence seems extreme for a 15 rated film and could have been dumbed down by some swift cutting or use of humour. At times the film is more fast-paced than suspenseful and would have benefited from being so. The cast is the strength of this film and they do a good job with what they have.

63/100

Fright Night Actor Scores

Anton Yelchin 71/100
Colin Farrell 68/100
Toni Collette 65/100
David Tennant 45/100
Imogen Poots 75/100

Christopher Mintz-Plasse 39/100

Dave Franco 42/100

(See Review Below)

Puss in Boots (U)

In this fairy tale based story we follow Puss in Boots, a character lifted from Shrek 2, on an unexpected story of fun and adventure through a South American desert wilderness. Antonio Banderas (interesting also from The Legend of Zorro)  is excellent as the successful Shrek incarnation of swash buckling Puss in Boots, his voice silky and alluring and his opposite cat Kitty Soft Paws, played by Salma Hayek, is also accomplished within the feline skin. They are a perfect match for the setting and as a pair, both oozing charisma. But this film suffers from an identity crisis because it is not the true Puss in Boots story, which is what you might have expected, and is instead a rickety piecing together of three or four fairy tales with the characters crossing between. They may have veered from the original due to the fact that the Delacave Film Puss N Boots was produced in 2008 and is very similar and also follows the original story. So instead the Writers and Director Chris Miller, experienced voice actor and inexperienced director, roll out Humpty Dumpty, who has little history and does by no means act as a foil to the charm of the sword wielding pussy cats. There are few underling adult humorous references, to give it another level and the story breaks down into a nonsensical mishap. Saying that it is fun and the cats amuse throughout.

49/100

Jane Eyre (PG)

This timeless Bronte classic demands a strong female lead. Mia Wasikowska has some of what is needed but so often leaves the viewer with an unrealistic feeling. There is an imbalance. At times Jane appears convincingly true to the story but then her direction changes and we are left wanting. It is all too evident the relatively inexperienced Director, Cary Fukunaga, struggles to 'make good' the emotional ties of Jane Eyre with the artistic interpretation of Mia Wasikowska, especially when she is so pivotal to the drama. The visually impressive moors are underused, the snap shots of the landscape more oil painting than submersible environment and the people do not feel part of that world. That is apart from Mr Rochester himself, played by the excellent Michael Fassbender, who wants to embody the role with a boyish slant on a brooding man but wrestles with an awkward opposite number. Even the indomitable Dame Judi Dench brings little stability to a rocking ship that crashes head long into the rocks as the film sinks in a motif-less ending.

36/100

The Awakening (15)

Set in the aftermath of World War 1 this period Horror, BBC film, follows the story of Florence Cathcart played by the competent Rebecca Hall. She is a scientist and nonbeliever who, driven by personal tragedy, strives to expose supernatural hoaxes. Hardy Dominic West, of The Wire, appears and offers up a job she cannot resist and we are taken on a journey of awakening, revealing a wholly unexpected storyline that catapults around a large mansion of a boarding school. The popular Imelda Staunton, of Harry Potter fame, appears as a rigid House Keeper, her role becoming creepier as the plot unravels. But perhaps the most convincing presence is child actor Isaac Hempstead Wright who is fast building a career having landed a major character in the massive TV series Game of Thrones. The Awakening tries very hard to be a clever horror, resisting the slasher and leaning towards the thriller, and at times it is almost sophisticated but at points is stagnant and its interesting scientific edge is blown out of the water in a gripping final third. This is a promising directorial debut from TV Director Nick Murphy.

69/100

Immortals (15)

Head lining an interesting cast that includes legendary John Hurt and the extravagant Mickey Rourke this film at first glance pulls no punches. The action is singular and impressive as we see Theseus take on King Hyperion with the help of those disobedient gods. Director Tarsem Singh unfortunately opts for style over substance though, the actors struggling to draw out their lines as the minimal, yet dark, sets dominated. Lead actor Henry Cavill doesn't convince. He is known for his support role in the TV series The Tudors and he seems too passive at times, which diminishes his screen presence. Frieda Pinto, notably from Rise of the Planet of the Apes, plays Phaedra and Theseus's love interest, but again has to make do with a staggered script. John Hurt is Zeus's disguise on the mortal plan and turns into the gold shrouded Luke Evans when duty calls, from wise old man to irrational deity. That's part of the problem with The Immortals; the gods seem to be more fallible than ordinary man. This aside the film is dramatically engaging and its strengths outweigh its weaknesses.

62/100