Half Year Review/Preview

So here we are, the mid-way point of 2014. It's been a pretty good year for film releases so far with many big names still to come. Here is my take on the films I have seen at the cinema during the first six months of this year.

JANUARY:

Frozen – This was actually released in December but I was a bit late to the party on this one and didn't take my daughter until the new year. For the first cinema trip of 2014, it was a great little movie. It reminded me a lot of the classic Disney films; the look and especially the songs. I love Idina Menzel and her voice is so well suited to the character of Elsa; her voice conveys so much power and emotion.

The one small thing I was disappointed with was the love story part of the plot. Yes, we know Anna is a lonely princess but does her companion have to be a man? Maybe I'm thinking about this way too much (which could be a first) but I was more interested in the sibling relationship and felt that the suitor part of it just got in the way. But then again, I don't suppose the film was aimed at 33 year old women with a heavy case of pessimism.

Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit – Another reboot of the Jack Ryan franchise. This time Chris Pine takes the role originally made famous by Harrison Ford. The film also stars Kenneth Branagh (pulling double duty as the main villain as well as being the director), Keira Knightley and Kevin Costner.

Much better than the previous attempt at a prequel, 'The Sum of All Fears', it's a good film without being anything special. The characters are all likeable enough, except Branagh who is suitably despicable as a Russian businessman/terrorist. It is worth a watch on Blu-ray/DVD but you might want to rent it first.

FEBRUARY:

The Book Thief – The story of a young girl living in Nazi Germany, coping with life through learning to read, is beautiful and sad in equal measure. The film is based on a book written by Markus Zusak which I still haven't gotten around to reading. Having never read the story meant I could appreciate what was happening on the screen without worrying about any changes between text and film.

This book mostly concentrates on the children which makes some of the events truly heartbreaking. The young lady who plays the main character of Liesel is superb but the best casting has to be of her best friend Rudy, played by Nico Liersch. His performance is second to none; I can't imagine any other child who could have been so convincing in the role.

MARCH:

Captain America: The Winter Soldier – The first Marvel film of the year and what a film it was. Of all the Avenger heroes, there could be an argument that Steve Rogers is by far the least exciting. However, this film proved that Captain America doesn't have to be exciting to be important. 'The Winter Soldier' was a game changer which I won't spoil in case people still haven't seen it (honestly, what have you been doing?) It has far reaching repercussions, not just for Avengers: Age of Ultron (out 2015), but the Marvel film universe as a whole. Plus the mid-credit sequence was 'squeeeeeeeee-tastic'.

APRIL:

The Amazing Spider-Man 2 – I'm not a massive fan of remakes or reboots but I love the new Spider-Man films. It's the new cast that do it for me. Andrew Garfield has the right balance of geek and cool (isn't the new word adorkable?) to carry off both Peter Parker and Spider-Man. Then there is Gwen Stacy, played by the gorgeous Emma Stone, who is much more charismatic love interest than the boring Mary Jane Watson. I look forward to the third film as well as the Sinister Six spin off.

The Raid 2 – The Raid was an awesome Indonesian film released back in 2011. The sequel took the original and stretched it out to cover the action, drama and gangster genres. The first was Die Hard on steroids; the second is The Departed with more blood and action. I highly recommend both films and hold on to the hope that the trilogy will be completed soon (rumours are that Tony Jaa will be in number 3, I hope that comes true!)

MAY:

Godzilla – I love Godzilla films; love, love, love them. It all stems back to my teenage years, when Channel 4 dedicated a whole weekend to the great lizard. I stayed up until the early hours of the morning transfixed by the King of Monsters and the band of Kaiju he faced over the years. I have already reviewed the film and expressed my disappointment over several elements of the new film but it hasn't dampened my enthusiasm for the franchise. I'm still excited for the sequel and I'm confident that there will be way more monster smack-downs in Gareth Edwards' second bite at the cherry.

X-Men: Days of Future Past – I had become disillusioned with the X-Men series after The Last Stand destroyed my enjoyment of the films. X-Men: First Class restored my faith in the mutants so I was intrigued by the thought of both old and new casts uniting for a new film. I was impressed and am actually looking forward to the new film due for release in 2016 (clue, watch X-Men: DoFP for a look at the next big bad).

Edge of Tomorrow – I don't understand the hate for Tom Cruise. He is entertaining in nearly every single film he stars in. This Sci-fi picture is 113 minutes of action and fun with Tom Cruise as a charming lead, ably assisted by Emily Blunt's 'Full Metal Bitch'. It won't win any Oscars but it is definitely worth checking out at home.

JUNE:

Chef – My most recent cinema trip was a delight. There are no explosions, no CGI overload. This film is all about the characters and the script both of which are more than satisfying. Using social media as a tool to create drama and as a salvation, this film is very much of the now. There are no massive stars; Favreau is better known for his directing than his starring roles while Sofia Vergara is recognizable for her work on TV's 'Modern Family'. But 'Chef' doesn't need big stars, it has a great story and it left me feeling all warm and fuzzy as the end credits rolled.

So, apart from a trip to see 'Mrs Brown's Boys D'Movie on Monday (to be reviewed for my local newspaper), that is the first half of 2014 done. However, that is not the end of my cinema trips. There are plenty of good movies still to come.

This list is not exhaustive and is in no particular order (not even release date):

Transformers: Age of Extinction - I don't care what people are saying about this film; have you seen the shots of Grimlock?

Guardians of the Galaxy - Been looking forward to this film since the first trailer. Plus I've had the other half rabbiting on in my ear about this for ages.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - I remember the cartoon and oh-so-cheesy original film. It looks like a lot of fun.

The Hobbit: The Battle of Five Armies - OK, so I wasn't entirely convinced by the name change but I am looking forward to see the last part of the book on the big screen. I will be sad to see the end; I have enjoyed this much more than the Lord of the Rings trilogy.

Hercules - Dwayne Johnson in full on beast mode. Kellan Lutz should be ashamed for even trying to compete.

Expendables 3 - Always entertaining with the added bonus that legitimate hard bitch Ronda Rousey co-stars as Luna... I hope there's an arm bar in the film somewhere.

Lucy - The trailer was intriguing and I do love films with Luc Besson's involvement.

Sin City: A Dame to Kill For - In Rodriguez I trust. The first was a clever noir with more stars than the galaxy. More stars, more storylines and more sex appeal than the original.

The Equalizer - Denzel Washington + Antoine Fuqua = Win!

Gone Girl - Based on the best selling novel of the same name. Ben Affleck has proved he is a good actor in films such as 'Argo'. Fans might be happy just knowing he isn't playing Batman in this one.

Fury - The trailer shows a much more dramatic film than first imagined. The cast looks good. No major stars apart from Brad Pitt but plenty of recognizable faces.

Nativity 3: Dude, Where's my Donkey - I love Christmas films and I'm not afraid to admit it.

Foxcatcher - My interest in this film probably comes more from Mark Ruffalo than Channing Tatum. Also the fact that it is a true story plus there is a slight connection with the world of MMA/UFC.

Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb - The first two films were entertaining and didn't make me want to stab Ben Stiller in the eye. I'm hoping to see more of Robin William's Roosevelt and maybe the three security guards, including the late Mickey Rooney.