Oz the Great and Powerful

"Nothing's impossible."

Oscar (James Franco) is a carnival magician, a self-proclaimed conman, who finds himself caught in a tornado and swept to a bright and enchanting world named Oz.  But Oz is haunted by a dark and dangerous witch, and the faux wizard is drawn into an elaborate act of deception.

Opening with beautiful titles and a monochrome sequence, Oz the Great and Powerful is a delicious fusion of classic and contemporary with lovely nostalgic touches to the 1939 classic The Wizard of Oz.  Sam Raimi's new vision of Oz is Wonderland-esque, with bright flowers, top hats and tea cups.  Set to an enchanting Danny Elfman score, the film also features a selection of beautiful costumes: a blend of late-victorian, fairy tale and contemporary style.

The film's prominent theme is illusion and the power to deceive, whether antagonistically or heroically.   This is personified by the 'wizard', whose existence thrives on his charm and deception.  However, the cast's performances balance precariously in a curious stasis between juvenile and maturity.  They contest with adult themes of seduction, yet prominently deliver childlike reactions to situations; as though ever so slightly uncertain as to who their audience exactly is.

With lovely allusions to the original film, Oz the Great and Powerful is a good prequel to The Wizard of Oz; but does not entirely capture the timeless enchantment of the original classic.

Iron Man III

"Heroes? There is no such thing."

The past creeps up on Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.), a la Iron Man, as he returns to reality following  the Avengers Assemble and is confronted by a dangerous terrorist intent on tormenting the United States.

Robert Downey Jr. thrives as Tony Stark.  He perfectly captures the trauma that Tony is haunted with following the extravagent events of the Avengers, who are suddenly and curiously absent throughout this third chapter.  The film subsequently places greater emphasis on the man opposed to the hero, with Tony spending considerable more time out of his suit than in his preceding films; exposing a previously unseen vulnerability to the hero.  This allows the plot to channel an exploration of the relationship between man and technology in the twenty-first century.

The plot is further strewn with contemporary themes of terrorism, with Ben Kingsley delivering a great performance as the threatening and allusive terrorist known as 'The Mandarin'.  There is also a brilliantly hilarious twist to the plot, moments of absolutely stunning cinematography and a great repartee between Tony and Harley, a boy that he indadvertedly befriends.  However, the resolution and final sequences of the film fell short and were frustrating; lacking emotional resonance or plausibility.

Robert Downey Jr.'s natural affinity with Stark and the moments of divine cinematography carry the film smoothly, but the too easy conclusion to the final action sequences felt disappointing.

The Great Gatsby

"So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past."

New York in the glitzy 1920s is intoxicated by decadence and glamour.  The mysterious and allusive Gatsby (Leonardo DiCaprio) throws the most amazing parties, but his heart is desperately ensured by the beautiful woman across the water whom he once lost.

F. Scott Fitzgerald's classic novel of desire and deception is bought to life in a cascade of pearls and sequins.  The production design and costumes are absolutely gorgeous, as the filmmakers draw upon the exquisitely fine details of the novel.  Leonardo DiCaprio steals the film in a flawless performance as Jay Gatsby, perfectly capturing the depths underlying his character.  He presents an intriguing and engaging character who is driven by hope and absolute idealisation.

The artistic direction and editing of the film though felt at times somewhat flawed.  Sequences felt hasty as Baz Luhrmann's shots cavort.  However, while this worked to a stylish effect in Moulin Rouge, it felt slightly ill-suited to a story as classic and sophisticated as The Great Gatsby.  The deliberate use of 3D, particularly during the title sequence, felt unnecessary and at times undesirable; tarnishing the otherwise divine aesthetic film.

An iconic story, intoxicating setting and enticing characters come together to create a gorgeous film, albeit under slightly flawed direction.

The Place Beyond the Pines

"If you ride like lightning, you're going to crash like thunder."

A fairground stunt rider, Luke (Ryan Gosling), returns to a town to find that an old flame is now the mother of a child that he didn't know he had.  Desperate to have an impact on his son's life, he turns his biking talents to crime, with far-reaching repercussions...

The drama unfolds across three narratives and two generations, striking engaging parallels between father and son as it delves into the consequences of passion and the desire for revenge.  The first third of the film is undeniably the most thrilling, as it sets up the following for a deeper debate into conflicting morals.  Ryan Gosling and Bradley Cooper deliver convincing performances as profoundly contrasting characters; delivering two flawed yet identifiable protagonists.  The film subsequently delves into conflicting perspectives of authority, questioning the boundaries between corruption and justice.

Even with peroxide blonde hair and thousands of tattooes Ryan is dashing, but unfortunately the narrative becomes undesirably long and increasingly drawn-out.

Belated reviews from the spring coming soon!

Lincoln

"No one has ever lived who knows better than you the proper placement of footfalls on treacherous paths."

America, in 1865, was divided by prejudice and torn apart by war.  Lincoln delves into the political and personal implications of the President's attempt to pass the 13th Amendment, the abolishment of slavery, amidst a landscape of death and division.

The cast deliver exceptionally strong performances.  The Academy Award bestowed on Daniel Day-Lewis for this role is undoubtedly greatly deserved, as he flawlessly portrays Abraham Lincoln as both a politician and a man.  The film's production, furthermore, is perfection.  The brooding cinematography captures the dark context, while the incredible production design authentically brings to life a country in the throes of civil war.

Although it is a story that many will know the obvious end to; the narrative managed at times to maintain a sense of uncertainty and suspense that was engaging.  Unfortunately, however, this was ultimately defeated by the slow pacing and great length of the film.  The plot is dulled by the repetitive and monotonous political discussions: pierced only by the lovely, unexpected appearances of Lee Pace and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, whose choices cast conflict onto the protagonists.

While the production and performances were absolutely outstanding, the plot became long, winding and ultimately tedious; as the film eventually drew to its inevitable and thus predictable conclusion.