A Wrinkle In Time

I’m a big Ava DuVernay fan; as well as being a very talented director, she also comes across as an awesome human being, one that is always giving back to her fans. So when I heard that Disney had given her the reigns to one of their big blockbuster projects – making her the first black female director to helm a $100 million film - I knew I would be there to watch it. I urge everyone to support this film even if my own opinion on it, like the film, is a little muddled.

A Wrinkle in Time follows Meg; after the disappearance of her scientist father, three peculiar beings send her, her brother and her friend through space to find him. The film boasts a cast made up of Storm Reid, Oprah Winfrey, Reese Witherspoon, Mindy Kaling, Chris Pine, Zach Galifinakis, Levi Miller and Deric McCabe. Disney have allowed DuVernay to create something very different here - it comes across as quite a surrealist, experimental kids film, one that I am very intrigued by how the intended audience are reacting to. There are splashes of Nolan in this, it even reminded me of Annihilation, the mind bending sci-fi released on Netflix a week prior from Alex Garland. However, DuVernay has put her own stamp on this, creating something unlike any other kids film I have seen before.

You are dropped straight into this world and given very little explanation for anything going on. I am usually fine with films not having to hold your hand but I really could have used a bit more explanation in some scenes because at times it felt like someone had spiked my Pick & Mix. That being said, the film is very open about the fact that it’s more interested in emotion rather than plot. It’s emotion that pushes things forward: there is a literal battle of emotion to conclude it and every aspect of the film is made to reflect this.

The visuals and the audio work hand in hand with each other, DuVernay has a very clear vision as to what she wanted this film to look and feel like. The imagery we see on screen is some of the most interesting I’ve seen from a big budget film, especially one that very heavily leans on visual effects. I have seen some critics criticise the use of CGI but I personally had no problem with it and enjoyed watching the glossy effects play out on screen. Music wise the score is great and I even loved the use of pop songs being used in some of the montages, this is something I usually hate in films made for younger audiences but because this whole film had the vibe of music video it worked. It was very dreamlike in the way it was edited and everything flowed into each other very nicely. It was easy to be swept over by this film even if I did have to fill in the gaps at times.

Overall the film didn’t work fully for me, I however am not the intended audience. I love how out there it was. It was super weird with some great visuals and a unique sense of style, I just wish I had been able to make more sense of it. It was clearly a very ambitious effort from Ava DuVernay and one that should be praised, even if overall the film felt a little too loose at times. I far from hated it, but I didn’t love it either. I’m rating A Wrinkle in Time a 3/5. It’s definitely worth a watch still, just to see a surrealist kids film come to life in front of you.

What did you think of the film? Masterpiece or messy? Let me know in the comments below.

Thanks for reading!        

Wonder Woman

It’s here, it’s finally here, Wonder Woman’s first live action feature debut. You may be worried that the latest entry into the DC Extended Universe would follow the trend of their less than great previous films, but worry no more, Wonder Woman is the superhero film the studio needs right now, but more importantly it’s film the world needs right now! Read on and find out why.

This film tells us the origins of Wonder Woman, a long time before the events of Batman V Superman, during WW1, when a pilot crashes on the mysterious island, Themiscyra, he tells the young warrior who saves him, Diana, of the war to end all wars and without hesitating she joins him to help bring an end to the fighting.

In the wide range of superhero films on offer today, Wonder Woman is kind of generic, it’s a good mix of Thor and Captain America but is able to stand on its own two feet. Its main strength lies in the films message, this is what makes it stand above the rest, delivering a solid superhero origin story that commentates and criticises our world, views and values. When Diana first ventures from her island, it’s her first interaction with ‘man’s’ world. She’s naïve and obviously there is comedy to go with that but there is also a fresh look on the way we do things, which in her eyes isn’t all that good and throughout the film she begins to learn that men aren’t all bad but they’re also not all good. Diana’s arc throughout this period of realisation is one that insights hope and joy within the viewer and that’s what brings this film home, elevating the formulaic superhero film into something more special.  

Playing the icon is Gal Gadot and boy does she bring her A game. She truly carries this film and breathes life into Diana, making the character her own and diminishing any doubts audiences may have had about her taking on the role. She owns Wonder Woman. Everybody in this film does a great job, even with the little amount that some characters get. Up there with Gadot though is Chris Pine as Steve Trevor, the two have amazing chemistry and together they steal the film, creating real emotional connections between the two characters in the space of a couple of hours, you care about these characters and what happens to them.

My favourite element of this film is the action. The action is so badass, it’s so cool, it looks beautiful with great cinematography and sounds awesome with an excellent score. The theme we heard first in BvS is truly earned in this film and when it arrives, it really does deliver. Wonder Woman in full costume, in all her glory, taking out bad guys is a moment to be experienced on the big screen, it gave me goosebumps and I have read barely any Wonder Woman comics.

No matter how much I’ve raved about this film, it’s not perfect. It’s a tad too long for a start and the CGI does not always hold up, which is shame considering previous DC films have been pretty good with this element to date. And as I’ve stated before, it’s a bit generic, it doesn’t take many risks or feel much different from previous superhero films, but also as I’ve mentioned, because it works the tropes so well and has a message worth spreading, it is still able to stand above many that have come before it. Talking of other DC films, if you liked the grim tone and serious nature of this films predecessors then you may not like where they take this one, this one has jokes, is uplifting and is a film where the hero is heroic.  

Patty Jenkins, the director, should be applauded for bringing Wonder Woman to the big screen in such glorious fashion, a job I’m sure brought a lot of pressure on getting it right. Finally, we have a female led superhero film that is great and will hopefully usher in a new era of equality within the genre. This truly is a film and a hero the world needs right now, not flawless but still great, a solid 4/5. Go see Wonder Woman now!

I'm actually a little excited for Justice League now, even if it is just to see Wonder Woman again!

What did you think of Wonder Woman? Have the DCEU taken a step forward or backwards, let me know in the comments below.

Thanks for reading!

Star Trek Into Darkness

So before I start this review I would like to say that I am one of those people who never really got into Star Trek until J.J Abrams's 2009 film. The 2009 reboot blew me away and I really loved it and therefore was looking forward to the sequel Star Trek Into Darkness very much. So was J.J Abrams second Star Trek film a film worth waiting for? As with all my reviews this one is spoiler free.

Following origins of Captain Kirk and Spock and the rest of the Enterprise crew in the first film, this one can dive straight into the action. This time round we join the Enterprise crew as they go after a starfleet member turned terrorist, John Harrison. The film is action packed and fast paced from start to finish, you are in for a great ride. Obviously there is a lot more to the plot, and as with a lot of films these days there are a lot of big twists and turns along the way. I was disappointed by some of the smaller subplots at the start, which were wrapped up so quickly it left you feeling whether they were even needed in the first place. The twists are great, however when some are revealed it isn't too hard to predict where the plot might go next.

J.J Abrams's first Star Trek film lacked a developed villain and this was the first thing they changed for Into Darkness. Believe the hype, Benedict Cumberbatch is incredible and indeed steals the show. He plays John Harrison who is a very well written character and one of the best sympathetic villains i've seen in cinema in a long time. However he does not overshadow the rest of the cast, especially with the Kirk/Spock bromance which also stands out and makes the film. The bromance brings the most funny, heartfelt and powerful moments to the film. If it wasn't for the great chemistry between Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto this film would fall short and I don't think even Cumberbatch could save it.

More of the supporting characters get more screen time this time round, most noticeably Simon Pegg's Scotty who has his own character arc in the film. Unfortunately some of the bigger characters of the first film seem to get less, such as Uhura who seems to be forgotten for the middle part of the film, and not to mention her relationship arc which gets touched on at the start but then forgotten again.

The cinematography is stunning and the lens flares seem less in your face than the previous film, I personally do not mind the lens flares that much and quite enjoy that Abrams brings his own style to his films. For a film that is effects heavy it is lucky that they look so good; not once was I taken out of the moment by some dodgy looking CGI. Even the practical effects were great, you get to see a few revamped Klingons which look great and if a threequel goes ahead we could be seeing a lot more of them.

J.J Abrams has made the perfect sequel, he has gone bigger, bolder and better! What I loved most about this film was that I was emotionally involved in these characters lives even though I have never been a massive Star Trek fan. Some of the scenes are very powerful and well written, the film doesn't come without a few flaws but for me it was one of the best sci-fi films I have seen. That is why I am rating it a strong 4.5/5.

I think it's fair to say that Star Wars Episode 7 is in good hands, especially since the latest Star Trek films have felt quite familiar...

What did you think of Star Trek Into Darkness? Please comment below.

Thanks for reading and live long and prosper!