Blunt Reviews Presents: Source Code (2011)

I was pleasantly surprised to find that this film wasn’t a disappointment. That’s not to say it was ground breaking, but it had the potential to be a lot worse than it was. Thankfully it was a film that I could best be described as “solid.” It’s nothing outstanding, but it does hold itself together without crumbling apart like a biscuit in a hot drink. Most elements are perfectly acceptable and the clichés are kept to a minimum, meaning that when the end credits hit I wasn’t filled with the usual post-blockbuster rage.

Blunt Reviews Presents: Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)

I think we can all agree for once and say that this film was a bit rubbish, right? Everyone was excited, it looked like it could be a genuinely good blockbuster that introduced us to one of the long awaited additions to the Marvel cinematic universe, and then it hit cinemas like a fart in a elevator. It was nice to see the character of Red Skull finally making it to big screen, and I understand the comic book style they were aiming for, but fucking hell this film was cheesy. Let’s all just be thankful the sequel was awesome.

Blunt Reviews Presents: Insidious (2011)

I’m not sure I can actually rant about Insidious, because it would be like trying to have a rant about a fucking cardboard box. It is that boring and void of any distinctive characteristic that it’s actually difficult to get annoyed about it. To be honest I’d probably be more annoyed if I could actually remember more about the film, but the thing is that because the film is so tedious and pointless I don’t actually care that it exists. I don’t feel robbed of time, I just watched the film, ate a Twix and moved on with my life.

Blunt Reviews Presents: Tyrannosaur (2011)

Paddy Considine quite rightly winning the BAFTA here for his debut as writer and director. A gritty homegrown British drama that stands as one of the best films of our time. It’s fantastically written, with a gripping story and characters that are fully three dimensional, making it a film that consumes you and takes your emotions on a journey they’ve never had before. Exploring topics such as love, friendship, faith and redemption there is a lot of substance packed in but it is delivered masterfully by the director and cast, most notably Olivia Colman who is breathtaking. An undisputed masterpiece.

Blunt Reviews Presents: Thor (2011)

I admire Kenneth Branagh as a director and my inner geek openly welcomes new comic book films, but this didn’t really amount to anything. It fell into a category I have come to call “obligatory films” meaning that certain solo films are needed in order to introduce newer characters in The Avengers. They need a project that isn’t of any significance just to introduce a character before moving on to better things, hence the first Thor and Captain America films are average but their sequels after The Avengers are substantially better. Not completely without merit, but ultimately a guilty pleasure.

Blunt Reviews Presents: Limitless (2011)

There’s nothing I love more than a film presenting an intriguing concept, then draining it completely of any interest, before leaving the hollow carcass in front of me like a pet cat bringing a dead mouse to the backdoor. Or the writers could just think like intelligent beings. I didn’t mind the first half of the film, but after that it wanders off into stupidity and becomes boring and repetitive. I found it was one of the only times I was hoping for an addictive drug to kill the lead character so I could see the end credits arrive sooner.

Blunt Reviews Presents: Midnight in Paris (2011)

Woody Allen delivers his modern masterpiece with this surreal yet melancholic comedy that focuses on time travel and nostalgia. The entire cast is superb, with stand out performances from Rachel McAdams in her bitchiest role since Mean Girls, and Corey Stoll as Ernest Hemingway. The writing for the film is really what makes it a special experience, with the main character questioning his relationship and his place in the modern day. It’s a fantastically creative piece that will please those who are fans of literature and romance films. It is groundbreaking in a delicate but dignified manner.

Blunt Reviews Presents: Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011)

 

 

Quite a mixed bag for this installment in the long running science fiction franchise. It manages to bring the concept in to the modern age without being as stupid as Tim Burton was. It is clunky and there are many characters that amount to nothing but it at least holds itself together. It is big enough to make a mark but leaves good room for future projects. Not too ambitious and not too stupid it’s heart is in the right place to an extent. Andy Serkis is the highlight; his total immersion to the character really makes the film.