The Great Review Revue!

Any eager readers may have noticed that there hasn't been an awful lot of activity here on Beyond Infinity Film for quite a while (over a month!) and for that I sincerely apologise - University work and adventures to New York, New York may have kept me occupied of late; but fear not, for as the great and powerful Schwarzenegger would say: "I'm back!"

Since my last article, a lot has happened within the world of film, most notably of course being the Academy Awards, in which Ben Affleck's Argo of course took the Oscar for Best Picture (rightly or wrongly, who am I to say... but it's wrongly!), and with it came the last wave of awards season film releases trying to win the hearts of awards season voters. I was fortunate enough to be able to see most of the best picture nominees in the lead up to the big night (sorry Beast of the Southern Wild, I did miss ye!), as you are about to see. If you are still wondering what this article is all about, this essentially a catch-up of the films I caught, and the reviews I missed, hence the title - The Great Review Revue! It's like that old joke about buses, when you wait for one to show up and two show up at the same time, except this time six have shown up, very, very late... (sorry, better late than never!)

Lincoln (Certificate 12A)
I don't think that anyone was surprised when Daniel Day Lewis picked up his record breaking third leading actor Oscar for his remarkable performance as former US President Abraham Lincoln in Steven Spielberg's magnificent biopic; quite frankly it's just a shame that the film didn't pick up many more awards than that! One of my favourites of this years big contenders (alongside Ang Lee's Life of Pi), the film focuses in great depth on the final defining years of Lincoln's presidency, with great drama, emotion and authenticity. Spielberg's direction and talent for large scale drama (especially in war time America), paired with a solid cast of performances (none more impressive than that of the lead) made Lincoln a well and truly authentic feeling piece of cinema, bringing the people and era to life like never before. A masterful, triumphant and unmissable piece of filmmaking by the world's most iconic director.
Verdict: ★★★★★

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Zero Dark Thirty (Certificate 15)
Katherine Bigelow's follow-up to Oscar winning The Hurt Locker saw the director returning to modern warfare with the controversial film about the search and capture mission of Osama bin Laden. Zero Dark Thirty is very bold move for the director, but one that more than paid off. ZDT is a very edgy, tense thriller that gives its spectators a lot to consider. What is particularly excellent about the film is that it creates the basis for further discussion on the many (and there are many) controversial real life events that occurred in the hunt for bin Laden, in particular the scenes of torture that sparked big reactions in the media, some of which look like they've been lifted straight out of a Saw film! Brave is certainly the appropriate word to sum up Bigelow's latest film, especially so soon after the events themselves actually happened, but regardless of the arguments in the media Zero Dark Thirty provides an interesting commentary of recent years, and is not to be missed.
Verdict: ★★★★★

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Django Unchained (Certificate 18)
The release of Django Unchained alongside the aforementioned Lincoln created an unusual brief trend of slave films in cinemas, but Tarantino's latest couldn't be more different if it tried (provoking an interesting point of comparison for a 6 hour double bill). The usual Tarantino shtick can often be a little hit 'n' miss for me, but perhaps the thing that I admire most about Django is it's reinvention of the old Western genre that reinvigorated it for a modern contemporary audience with huge success. Personally I could have done with a little less of the extreme violence in the film (cue the usual "but it's a Tarantino film!" response) as it wasn't necessarily unnecessary, just not what I want to see - slightly tip-toeing past the line of taste and decency a couple of times. Aside from that, and a few songs that felt too modern and out of place, Django Unchained was an enjoyable - if not a little long - film, with a strong award winning screenplay written by its often fascinating and always quirky director.
Verdict: ★★★★☆

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Amour (Certificate 12A)
Michael Haneke is not famously known for being a nice and cutesy film director (his film Funny Games - either the original or the US remake, they're both essentially the same - is perhaps one of the few films that has shaken me up the most), therefore a film about the loving relationship of an elderly couple, the female half of which is slowly deteriorating as her time runs out (played in an extraordinary performance by Emmanuelle Riva), doesn't really sound like his kind of thing. So it is slightly ironic that this could well and truly be Haneke's masterpiece. From the film's description it certainly sounds like it would be quite a tear jerker, but rather surprisingly I actually sat through the film dry eyed, which is no bad thing, in fact I applaud the film for it. The filming style, the fantastic performances and perhaps most importantly of all the complete absence of non-diegetic music through the film make the film feel  very, very real as opposed to a fictional piece (it is only the edits through greater periods of time that reminded me that it was a film). Had Hankeke wanted me to sob like a baby he could have, but instead of abiding to mainstream conventions of layering schmaltzy music over the film to tell the audience what to feel, he does the opposite, and what comes as a result is a highly engaging and remarkable piece of filmmaking.
Verdict: ★★★★★

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Cloud Atlas (Certificate 15)
It's a bit of an enigma this one, but as with everything you take as much from it as you put in - so invest, because it's worth your time if you do. Based on the book by David Mitchell (no, not that one), Cloud Atlas is a multi-narrative story that tells the tales of many different groups of people from many different periods of time (played by the same actors, yet avoiding becoming a game of 'Where's Tom Hanks?'), presented cleverly through some superb editing to allow the viewer to see the links that join everyone together. For most of the film it may be hard to tell where everything is actually going (after a quick toilet break I asked my dad who I went with if I had missed anything important, to which he replied "no... or maybe you've missed the whole thing - I don't know!"), but for a film that is short of 3 hours long, it never got uninteresting, inaccessible or boring. It's a film that you could study to no-end, but at the end of it all I got a great sense of humanity, and what makes us as a human race all unified as one, and it takes a very impressive film to pull that off! All things considering, it is a shame that not many people actually went to see Cloud Atlas, it could have really benefited from a few deserved Oscar nominations to drive up the ticket sales...
Verdict: ★★★★★

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Top Gun 3D (Certificate 12A)
Consider this a little bonus review; firstly because it's a 27 year old film, secondly because it's a 3D/IMAX re-release, and thirdly because it hasn't actually got a UK release date (not yet at least!). Nevertheless, during my trip to New York I had a free night and decided to give the American cinema experience a go (25 screen AMC multiplex at Times Square), and as I decided that nothing else was really worth watching (25 screens and nothing on...) I was saved by one of the final performances of the limited 3D re-release of Top Gun. I'm not a 3D fan, but truth be told it was done pretty well for Top Gun, especially impressive considering its age. Of course it was the aerial training/fighting shots that worked the best (I don't need to see Tom Cruise's changing room/sex scenes in 3D), but truthfully the best bit was just the experience of seeing the blockbuster classic on the big screen. The 80s-tastic, action-packed, banter-filled and genuinely heartfelt, unashamed popcorn blockbuster flick (not to mention its kick-ass soundtrack) is and will remain the great reminder of the late Tony Scott's cinematic legacy, and long may it last.
Verdict: ★★★★☆

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Most of these films may have come and gone from the cinemas (and in the case of Top Gun 3D may never even arrive!), but if you get a chance to catch any, or pick up the inevitable DVD release that will soon be here then I certainly recommend that you do. We're only a few months in, and 2013 has already shown a promising start for what is already shaping up to be another great year of cinema...

12 of '12! Part 2.

Welcome back to my list of the top 12 films that I saw in 2012! So far I've counted down from 12 to 6, which leaves us with just five more to go - my favourite films of 2012. So let's not waste any more time, cue the Top of the Pops jingle because here are my top five films of 2012...

Pioneers of cinema itself, and previous Best Picture winner at the BAFTAs and Oscars last year (for my favourite film of 2011, The Artist), the French are at it again, with touching comedy Untouchable (original title: Intouchables). The film, which after becoming the second highest grossing film in the French box office experienced a warm reception overseas too, tells the story of a wealthy paraplegic who decides to hire a less well-off young man to be his carer, as he is the only person to show him the one thing he desires: no sympathy. There isn't an awful lot to not like about Untouchable; it is effortlessly the funniest comedy of the year, has a touching and thoughtful story at its centre, the beautiful setting of France, and a close buddy movie relationship at its heart that makes the film a real feel-good treat. It may be predictable from the outset to see how each of the characters will learn from one another as their relationship blooms, but any flaws become significantly less problematic as the film is such a joy to watch. When placed next to a mainstream comedy such as Ted which is equally predictable, the laughs in Untouchable feel honest and genuine when compared to a film that in comparison seems to try too hard to make its audience laugh. Once again the French prove that they really are the fathers of film!

Michael Fassbender proves that he has the balls (literally) to take on a very challenging film in Steve McQueen's hauntingly beautiful film Shame. This harrowing art film about sex addiction tackles a very difficult subject matter and makes it accessible to all through the undeniably human them of addiction as a whole. With its flawless cinematography, stunning performances from Fassbender and Mulligan, and superb direction, Shame allows you to step inside the mind of a man battling his inner demons, in a mesmerising and powerful way. Heavily snubbed at last year's awards ceremonies, this is a tour de force piece of filmmaking that blew me away. Click here to read the full review.

Easily the most inventive and unique films of the year, Berberian Sound Studio was also one of my personal favourites! Toby Jones proves how he is one of the best and perhaps overlooked British acting talents, in a film about the creation of horror sound effects in film itself. Whilst the first half of the film gives us an insight into the construction of film (rest in pieces melons and cabbages), the second half turns art house as the film then goes on to deconstruct itself, as the lines between ours, Gilderoy's and the horror film's diegeses begin to blur as reality and film merge. A remarkable piece of filmmaking that will leave you thinking, but more importantly entertained as what starts out as a normal drama soon turns into a very unique horror.

Sam Mendes Took a stab at the tried and tested 50 year old Bond formulae and well and truly proved that nobody does it better! Reinvented for a newer generation of cinema goers, Skyfall took the classic conventions of every Bond film, all of the elements that made them so enjoyable, and updated them to create an instant Bond classic... and then some! With a narrative that storms along at a pace like nothing else, some of the most extraordinary action set pieces in recent film history, stunning settings, skilful cinematography, a classic Bond song, and a modern and engaging character driven narrative, Skyfall was much more than just a good Bond film, it was a fantastic film full stop, and one that dared to offer more to those looking for it. Immensely fun, enjoyable and tirelessly exciting, Skyfall was one of the most satisfying films that I saw this year, and more than ticked all of the boxes. Click here to read the full review.

There's a great irony to the fact that I am posting this article on the day that the 2013 Oscar nominations were announced, as my film of the year rather shockingly garnered a total of 0 nominations (and just 1 for the BAFTAs yesterday), despite vast critical acclaim, approval from waves of cinema goers and fans alike, and for concluding one of the greatest film trilogies of all time. I am of course talking about Christopher Nolan's epic Bat-Finale, The Dark Knight Rises. This sudden backlash of accolade for the film comes as a shock to me, as I am in nothing short of complete admiration for Nolan's work in this remarkable film. Where to begin? It's a comic book action film, that's intelligent and engaging, relevant and poignant, entertaining and moving - a Hollywood blockbuster of art house quality. It has a tremendous cast playing deep characters in a film which is in essence a character piece that focusses not on Batman, but on the broken shadow of a man behind the mask. It contains some of the best moments of cinema of all time within a film that I discover more and more within every time I see it. It is traditionally shot on film (which holds a certain special quality to me compared to digital), and more impressively on IMAX, which in my eyes remains the most impressive technical advancement in film - and seeing the entire IMAX print on the grand canvas of an IMAX screen made for one of, if not the single greatest cinema experiences that I have ever seen. Heavy use of CGI is put aside (and see if you can notice when it's used anyway!) in favour for real visual effects, creating a more impressive aesthetic experience for us cinema goers. All of which Nolan implements in most of his films, and to which I admire greatly, but what makes The Dark Knight Rises stand out is the epic scale that it encompasses within all of these areas, really pushing the limits in what can be done in film - they dropped an actual plane out of the sky in the film's opening scene for Pete's sake! I adored Nolan's work on this incredible finale of a film and the entire Dark Knight Trilogy as a whole, and whilst the Oscars may refuse to acknowledge it, I give it the title of my film of 2012. Click here to read the full review.

Of course it wouldn't be a best of list without a few honourable mentions, and 2012 gave us so many good films that I just couldn't fit them all into my top 12 list. In fact I could probably even do an honourable mentions list for my honourable mentions with so many enjoyable releases! So are just a few of the films that narrowly missed out on places in my 12 of '12:

• The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey: A fun outing that made for a much welcome return to the realms of Middle Earth, yet without the rose tinted glasses the over long running time (and we're only a third of the way through!) meant that the film was Baggins at times, resulting in it being more ummin' and aahin' than Balin and Dwalin; less Thorin and more borin' and snorin'! Yet as soon as Gollum steps onto the scene, everything suddenly comes alive, and the film well and truly begun. (Full Review)
• Lawless: a great modern gangster film that I enjoyed immensely. Shia LaBeouf was actually good in the role, and Tom Hardy (along with his role as Bane in The Dark Knight Rises) proved that he can convey the raw animalistic intensity of a character with just his eyes and a grunt! A fun film that I struggled to keep out of my list.
• Brave: Pixar's latest offering was a visual treat that had a touching mother/daughter story at the centre of it. Whilst it wasn't the studio's best piece due to the strict confines of the fairytale genre, it was certainly a lot of fun, with a refreshing female lead, and the clans and the triplets bringing a great comic relief to the animated proceedings. (Full Review)
• Prometheus: fair to say that this was a film that divided people; I actually very much enjoyed Sir Ridley's return to the Alien universe, and even almost gave it a spot in my top 12! Perhaps it did ask more questions than it did answer, but is that really such a bad thing? Whilst I admire the stylistic qualities of the old fashioned sci-fi immensely, each time I watch it I find more and more thing to think about within the narrative, which leaves me enjoying it all the more. (Full Review)
• Frankenweenie: Tim Burton returned to classic stop-motion animation in great style with his pastiche of the monster movie genre. Not only was it crammed with references and a lot of fun, it was also the only film that I have seen that seemed to purposefully use its 3D effect to add to its narrative. Yes that's right folks; it made me fleetingly believe in 3D! What more can I say!? (Full Review)
• The Descendants: A big contender for awards season last year, the George Clooney starring film was mostly just an alright film, which elevated itself to a very emotional and poignant piece at times. There is nothing more heartbreaking than a shot of a young girl being told that she will never get to see her dying mother again - I haven't teared up this much since Toy Story 3!

Well there you have it folks, my cinematic highlights of 2012 (out of the films that I actually managed to see); I hope that you enjoyed this read, and now it's your turn to get involved too! I'd love to hear what your top films of the year were too, so be sure to let me know in the comments section below. Or perhaps you want to give me a telling off for forgetting one of your favourite films of the year; maybe you just cannot stand my taste in film!? Whatever it maybe I always love to hear from you guys too, so make sure to leave a message below.

Here's to 2013 being just as good a year for film!

12 of '12! Part 1.

2012 was an incredible year in cinema, making it one of the most successful years on record! Of course that'll come as no surprise in a year when Avengers assembled, skies fell, Dark Knights rose, games were hungry, Pixar were Brave, journeys were unexpected and the folks at Disney were a bunch of Muppets! The other day I looked back over the year in my list of the worst 10 films that I (rather unfortunately) saw, but now it's time to be a bit more positive at the past year in film, as I begin my look back over my top 12 films of 2012 (that I managed to see!)...

Not necessarily a film that was lapped up by the masses, The Cabin in the Wood was certainly one that film and horror lovers enjoyed immensely. A unique horror comedy that combined the two genres expertly to create a film for cinephiles the world over, The Cabin in the Woods was simply a lot of fun from start to finish, with its Scream-like post-modern concept that attempted to explain why the clichés of the horror genre exist through its somewhat self-aware narrative. A lot of the best films recently have been films about cinema and film itself (take a look back to The Artist and Hugo just last awards season), and this hilariously fun film continues that trend and compliments them perfectly. Click here to read the full review.

It's the film the put the 'AAARGH' into Aardman - and if you thought that was a pun too far, you must have missed this film! The humour of The Pirates is a rich as the detailed stop-motion animated models and sets are themselves. Half of the fun in fact comes from looking at the signs in the background, for stores such as 'Man Ke Laundry' and 'D.K.Ying Dentistry,' one shop even claimed to have their 'Biggest Ever Sail!' As with all of the Bristol based Aardman studio pieces, the film epitomises that unique British sense of humour that may not have gone down as well overseas, but leaves all the more for us to enjoy. Enormously witty and filled with charm, The Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists is a film for all, and another clay gem in Aardman's chest of cinematic treasures. It has to be said that meeting some of The Pirates themselves was a pretty awesome experience too - those clay puppets are amazing!

Heavily tipped for awards season glory, I initially didn't quite get what all of the hype surrounding Paul Thomas Anderson's The Master was all about. The performances were fantastic, the characters fascinating, each shot beautifully presented like a 1950s postcard, and the story was an interesting one, but I wasn't blown away by it by any means. Yet the film slowly began to sink in after leaving the theatre, and after a while I found myself wanting more over time, in a similar way to how I felt the first time I saw Scorsese's Taxi Driver - and let's face it if I'm comparing the film to that then it's hardly a bad thing! It's the extraordinary characters played by Joaquin Phoenix, Amy Adams and Philip Seymour Hoffman that truly make the film what it is: addictive. As one character accuses Hoffman's Master of hypnotising his followers, I too feel almost entranced by the film itself, as if I too have been inducted into its cult. A mesmerising and fascinating piece of modern cinema.

Putting this film ahead of The Master might be a controversial decision, but it's my list so I can do what I like with it! They really are two very different ends of the spectrum, but Marvel's Avengers Assemble does deserve some recognition for its achievements. Not only was it the years highest grossing film (which doesn't say anything in terms of quality), but it marked the first of what I like to call the mega-franchise. For the first time, four individual established film franchises came together to make one Goliath blockbuster, and a lot of fun. The likes of Hulk and Loki well and truly stole the show in a big budget blockbuster that took the time to focus on its characters. The film had its fair share of problems, and is by no means perfect, but some ambitious and exciting action set-pieces and a load of well-scripted humour made Avengers Assemble a film for all to enjoy, and I for one just wanted to go back in and watch it again! Click here to read the full review.

There's always the risk with Wes Anderson that his overly stylistic sensibility and 'unique' sense of humor can come across as self-indulgent and rather too smart-ass (and we'll soon see if a certain Mr. Tarantino does the same with Django Unchained...), but Moonrise Kingdom was a simple delight. Anderson's stripped down innocent tale about two young misfits finding one another and their place in a world that doesn't fully understand them is full of heart, charm and wit, with his sense of humour and narrative both engaging and entertaining. The unique Anderson sense of style is here used to add to the narrative setting, making this fantasy-like world feel like a painting perhaps created by a character within the film itself. The cast is solid, and the second Edward Norton steps into the film it fully kicks into the high gear. Moonrise Kingdom proves that in a world of grand cinematic events that are as epic as their overblown budgets, it's the simpler things that affect us the most.

Yup, at number 7 it's 'that film with the tiger in a boat' - Life of Pi. Whilst I'm certain some people will not be overly fussed about this film (the same kind of people that weren't all that bothered about The Artist last year), I can't help but admire what Ang Lee has created with this wonderful piece of filmmaking. It's a grand, ambitious, expensive CGI fuelled epic film, depicting a very simple story. At its heart is the tale of a confused young man trying to discover the meaning to life and the answers to his confused way of looking at the many differing and contradicting religions. At the same time the film tells a story about storytelling itself and asks how much one can and should believe; perhaps you can see the link developing between the two already? Many of the heavily computer generated shots look like works of art that I could just admire for hours, and really work together to create a grand, mystical and inspiring world that is much more rewarding than your average big budget blockbuster. Click here to read the full review.

Disney threw open the year with the return of everyone's favourite puppets, those oh so loveable misfits The Muppets. Anyone who knows me will know that I love the Muppets, and what was not to love about their big return to the big screen. More in line with the original Henson era Muppet films and The Muppet Show itself, this reboot for a new generation saw the Muppets return to their roots whilst reinventing themselves for a new generation, making one of the best films of the year in the process. The humour was right up my street, the cameos were fresh, the characters were as good as us older fans could remember, and the music was absolutely genius! It was a film event that everyone of every gender and age could sit and laugh along with, all together at the same time - and not every family film can actually achieve that. Yes folks, watching a family film never felt so good. Click here to read the full review.

- TO BE CONTINUED! -

Oh I'm just too cruel aren't I, ending my list here like that? Well if Peter Jackson can have three films for The Hobbit, then I can have two articles for my top 12! Besides you're all probably tired from reading through the first seven entries anyway. So keep your eyes peeled on Beyond Infinity Film over the next few days for the concluding article in this two part extravaganza of 2012's finest - who will come top? You'll just have to wait to find out...

- Read Part 2 Right Here, Right Now! -

Oh, and as always I love to hear your thoughts and opinions, so be sure to leave a message in the comments section below. What have been your favourite films of 2012? Perhaps some of your least favourites have made my list so far? Whatever it may be, leave it below.

2012's Cinema Nightmares!

2012 has come and gone, and as we welcome in 2013 and build up to my imminent Top 12 of '12 list, as well as the First Annual Beyond Infinity Film Awards later in the month, here's something a little bit different. There's no denying the 2012 was a great year for film, but there were a number of releases that were a little less satisfying; in short, that sucked! So here it is, my 10 least favourite films of 2012 out of the all of the films that I had the displeasure of watching - brace yourself folks, here we go...

Daniel Radcliffe's first big screen project since the end of the gargantuan Harry Potter franchise set the actor his biggest challenge yet; shaking off the weight of the franchise that made his name and to break away from it before becoming stereotyped into the part. So did he do it? No, of course not. I know this may sound like I'm just bullying Radcliffe by badmouthing his career, yet it is this performance that drags down what could have been a special horror film that opted for a more traditional style instead of the tiring Paranormal Activity and Saw films that have plagued the cinema in recent years. Not only did I never believe that the young actor was a widowed father and a successful lawyer, the big problem was that I never saw a character at all, just a performance - or rather an attempt at one. Failing to get behind the lead character meant that the film failed to get an emotional response from me, making The Woman in Black lose all sense of peril and credibility as a result. Click here to read the full review.

I've actually been a strong defender of John Carter, making it known that I believe that the film is no-where near as bad as all of the negative press surrounding it made it out to be - there are far worse films out there that deserve such bad publicity a lot more. In fact John Carter was actually a rather interesting film in context, just as long as you consider the fact that it is adapted from a book published in 1917, then you can see how it was such a strong source of inspiration for most science fiction pieces since, including the likes of Star Wars and Avatar. Yet the film certainly isn't perfect - the performances and storytelling aren't groundbreaking, and I often find the heavy use of CGI somewhat off-putting - but it certainly isn't the worst film released this year... Click here to read the full review.

Despite Meryl Streep's much deserved award winning performance, The Iron Lady was a film that didn't quite get it all right. Whilst the scenes set in the past were engaging and well done, the constant jumps back to the present day Thatcher became a nuisance to me, destroying the flow and the entertainment of the whole film in order to attempt an emotional punch, which I hardly felt as a result. Had the film opted for a simpler narrative looking at Thatcher's incredible historic story - rather than focussing so much on the rather controversial and uncomfortable themes of the dementia of a woman who is still alive and suffering today - the film would have been a much better product as a result. Click here to read the full review.

This one might turn a few heads as Seth MacFarlane's Ted was one of the most popular films of the Summer for a lot of people, but I really didn't think it was all that it is cracked up to be. A new film by the creator of hit TV show Family Guy promised a fresh new inventive comedy, but failed to deliver - there was nothing new or interesting about the film at all. That's not the problem though, the problem is that bar a few moments of great humour, the film wasn't even that funny, which was not helped either by the completely predictable and unengaging plot, and the two-dimensional characters that I just didn't care about at all. The gag is that the teddy bear is alive, and is grown up so swears, does drugs and drinks, etc; the problem is that the joke lasts for 105 minutes longer than it needs to (and yes, the running time was 106 minutes long).  In all honesty Ted bored me more than it entertained me, which is a real shame because someone like MacFarlane has got the talent to create something a lot better than this. Click here to read the full review.

What could have been a wonderful family film adaptation of a book from the genius of Dr. Suess in fact turned out to miss the demographic by a long shot, featuring a ton of entertainment for anyone under five, and very little for anyone else. It is commendable for trying to push its environmental message to the young audience; I just wish that it did it a little more subtly rather than clubbing me around the head with it for the duration of the running time. The songs were pretty fun though. Click here to read the full review.

Just as many people loved Ted, a lot of critics seemed to go wild for the Charlize Theron starring film Young Adult. Yet there is a lot that is fundamentally wrong with the film. Theron's character, an adult still acting as if she's in her teens, is entirely unlikable and although it is arguable that she is not meant to be, the point still stands that I just cannot sympathise with her; especially when the film goes no-where by the end of it! There is no character development, nor any conclusion to her story, by the film's climax she simply fails in her warped plan, sleeps with someone for pity and then uses those who she continues to look down upon for an ego-boost, before going back to what she was doing at the start. Completely anti-climatic and not nearly as funny or clever as it thinks it is, Young Adult is not as good as some critics make it out to be.

While the original was fun, The Expendable 2 is mostly anything but. Tedious, loud, and void of any plot or characters, the explosive sequel goes bigger, but by no means better. Whilst it is redeemed slightly by the big finale which manages to hit the nail on the head and provide the tongue in cheek action fun promised by the packed cast, it is not worth watching the previous hour and a half of the film that takes itself far too seriously to get there. Click here to read the full review.

If John Carter and The Expendables 2 had a baby, it might look like Wrath of the Titans. Soulless and even more two dimensional than the film's 3D effects, watching Wrath of the Titans is about as much fun as smashing your own face in with a large rock. A lot of the expensive CGI-heavy budget is put towards creating not a lot of action at all, as nothing really actually happens in the film. Even the great Liam Neeson spends his time in the film standing there and doing nothing, literally! To think that the film features two of the leading actors from Schindler's List and completely wastes them says an awful lot about this awful film. Whilst Clash of the Titans infamously featured no Titans clashing, this sequel does feature a Titan, but nothing in the way of any wrath, nor enjoyment, excitement or entertainment. Click here to read the full review.

Tom Hardy is a very talented actor, and has starred in two fantastic films this year in two fantastic, menacing, brilliant roles. These films are The Dark Knight Rises and Lawless, because unfortunately even someone as great as Hardy couldn't save the abysmal This Means War. I don't even know where to begin, the film is just stupid. Two spies using their tech and skill to spy on a girl that they are both seeing, and to sabotage each other's dates with her, whilst at the same time the evil villain that they are meant to be stopping is completely forgotten about just like that - ya know, 'cause this is way more important! It's a film that tells people that it's alright to cheat on others and go behind their backs. Formulaic, unfunny, bland, tedious, irritating and terribly cynical, the feeling that you get when watching this film is not unlike the vile after-taste of vomit at the back of your throat. Tom Hardy can do better films than this, and judging by the expression void of any enthusiasm that he shows throughout the film, he knows it too.

I love film. I think that's pretty clear to everyone who knows me or reads this blog. I can't get enough of film, so much so that I'm currently dedicating my life to it. But on a very rare occasion I do have wonder why, especially if I see a film so repugnant and horrible as The Watch. I can't remember ever walking out of a film that was genuinely so bad that it actually gave me a headache! It's ridiculous, stupid, vulgar and not even slightly funny or enjoyable at all. I sat in a screening full of teenagers (who the film is targeting) and I don't remember the film getting a single laugh from anyone. The cast are irritating beyond belief; Ben Stiller is void of humour as the straight man, Vince Vaughn is one of the most unbearable screen presences in film, the recently Oscar nominated Jonah Hill plays an imitation of Zach Galifianakis in The Hangover (and seemingly every other one of his films), and the talents of Richard Ayoade are completely wasted as he gets pushed to the back. This film is a soulless, money grabbing machine designed only to take the money out of your pocket rather than to entertain even slightly - I guarantee that no-one making The Watch thought that it was a good idea, and no-one involved will be proud of it. A film so horrifyingly bad that, The Watch made me so angry that I almost lost faith in film - avoid it like the plague, even if you have to catch the plague to avoid it! Click here to read the full review. 

So there it is, my 10 least favourite films of the 2012, but what were yours? Perhaps some of your favourites are even in my list? Leave your thoughts and lists in the comments section below, as always I'd love to hear what you think. Oh, and Happy New Year everyone - let's hope that 2013 doesn't have many films as bad as these!

VOTE NOW! For the 2013 Beyond Infinities...

As the end of 2012 quickly approaches, and the film world is gearing up for the impending awards season, a new awards ceremony is about to arrive. Forget the Oscars, I'm of course talking about The First Annual Beyond Infinity Film Awards - otherwise know as The 2013 Beyond Infinities!* The Beyond Infinities will take place sometime early next January, and will commemorate the achievements in films released in the UK between January 1st and December 31st 2012 (or rather, the ones that I actually managed to see). But until then, I need your help...

I have decided to give you - the beautiful, smart and talented Beyond Infinity Film readers - a chance to get your voice heard for one of the categories. Ooh, how exciting!? The category in question is for Most Anticipated Film of 2013, and there are 10 nominees for you to choose from. Simply scroll down to the poll below, make your choice, and submit it - it couldn't be simpler! You have until Monday 31st December to cast your votes, and then the winner shall be announced on the day of the awards itself (date to be confirmed).

So what are you waiting for? It's time to get voting, and may the best film win...

*Poll Closed. Thank you for voting.*

(*The BIFAs acronym was already taken by the British Independent Film Awards - oops!)

Keep your eyes peeled for the for the First Annual Beyond Infinity Film Awards early next January, where all the award winners will be announced...

...And the Oscar goes to... - Predicting the 2013 Oscar Nominees

So the summer blockbuster season is coming to a close now, and soon we'll be seeing the wave of 'Oscar-bait' films being released as we enter awards season. Now we may be a long way away from the actual Oscars ceremony yet - with nominations due to be announced on January 15th, and the ceremony itself to be held on February 24th - and it may be too soon to accurately predict what will be nominated and what will win; but that doesn't mean I can't give it a try right!? So here's my little experiment; I've drawn up a list of nominees for next year's 85th Academy Awards that I believe are likely to be chosen based on what has been released so far this year and what is due for release in the awards season, as well as looking at the trends and controversies of past Oscar results. Of course this could all be likely to change, as some relatively unknown film could come out of no-where at the last minute and take all the big awards (and if the last two years' big winners The Artist and The King's Speech are anything to go by, this could very well happen); however if I'm even relatively close to getting this right, then that will say a hell of a lot more about the predictability and politics of the Academy and could provide an interesting debate next February...

So who will be 2013's big winner then!? Well if my predictions are accurate next year's awards ceremony will be a two horse race (similar to this year's with Scorsese's Hugo and Hazanavicius' The Artist) between Christopher Nolan's epic BatFinale The Dark Knight Rises and the Wachowski brothers' (The Matrix) upcoming film Cloud Atlas. Now some of you may be thinking "hang on, those are two big budget Hollywood films - doesn't the Academy only like small budget art-house stuff?" Well no actually, the Academy has been known to nominate and praise a lot of big budget Hollywood films (mega-budget Avatar was nominated for best picture in 2010), and in fact a lot of them have actually won the Best Picture award (including Titanic and The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King). Besides that, what both of these films have in common is that they both to some extent actually bridge this divide by being big budget Hollywood art house films - both sporting an Oscar worthy cast of actors who have won in the past. Just from watching its trailer you can see how that logic applies to Cloud Atlas, which with its large and ambitious scale focuses on a story of humanity and life - and judging by some early reviews that have surfaced this morning after last night's première, it looks like it's got the potential to be a big hit (although one that will potentially divide a lot of audiences), and it certainly will be when the Academy give it their seal of approval.

As for The Dark Knight Rises, not only is this a brilliant piece of filmmaking that well and truly deserves the recognition, I also think that there is more to it than that - enter the Oscar politics! For this case I'm going to bring in two examples; The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King, and The Departed. Both of these films won the best picture for two very different reasons, and in each case arguably for not being the best film of the year! It is widely believed that Return of the King did so well at the Oscars as recognition for the entire Lord of the Rings trilogy - and I don't think that I need to point out how this is a similar scenario to Christopher Nolan's brilliant Dark Knight Trilogy do I!? As for The Departed, most people will agree that the Oscar was awarded to this as recognition for Martin Scorsese's entire career after not having won any Oscars for any of his previous films - which the majority of people will agree are better and more original than English language re-make The Departed. Now there was a small bit of controversy back in 2011 when Christopher Nolan was not nominated for the Directing category for his brilliant film Inception - and that there is a strong chance that the Academy will see this as 'Nolan's turn'. If you take all of these factors into account, I think that The Dark Knight Rises does stand a pretty good chance of doing very well at the Oscars next February and possibly taking the big prize.

As for the other big contenders, I think the main ones in the running for a lot of categories but mainly Best Picture will be the following: Tarantino's Django Unchained, Paul Thomas Anderson's The Master (the dark horse that could be this years The King's Speech/The Artist if Harvey Weinstein has his way as he so often does), Tom Hooper's Les Misérables (which almost certainly won't win Best Picture or Direction after Director Tom Hooper won just two years ago for The King's Speech), Spielberg's Lincoln (not to be confused with the one about his fighting vampires...), and possibly Ang Lee's Life of Pi, Ben Affleck's Argo, and the Coen Bros. Gambit - and it is likely that other films will join this list over the next few months. Some of these are very likely to scoop some awards in a couple of categories, and some of them are very likely to win nothing at all - I do still feel that the night will belong to Cloud Atlas or The Dark Knight Rises or both though - of course, only time will tell...

So without further ado - exclusively on Beyond Infinity Film a whole 4 months and 6 days before the academy will announce it themselves - the nominee's for the 85th Academy Awards:

(Nominees in bold represent who I predict will stand a good chance of winning.) 

Best Picture:
The Dark Knight Rises; Cloud Atlas; Django Unchained; The Master; Les Misérables; Lincoln; Life of Pi; Argo, Gambit. (Possibly more...)


Actor In a Leading Role:
Tom Hanks - Cloud Atlas; Joaquin Phoenix - The Master; Daniel Day Lewis - Lincoln; Hugh Jackman - Les Misérables; Jamie Foxx - Django Unchained. (Possible nominee: Christian Bale - The Dark Knight Rises).

Actress In a Leading Role:
Halle Berry - Cloud Atlas; Anne Hathaway - Les Misérables; Keira Knightley - Anna Karenina; other two nominees to be confirmed.

Actor In a Supporting Role:
Michael Caine - The Dark Knight Rises (a small role that brought an extraordinary emotional weight to the film); Philip Seymour Hoffman - The Master; Christoph Waltz - Django Unchained; either Tom Hardy and Gary Oldman - The Dark Knight Rises or two actors from Cloud Atlas (or one from each). 

Actress In a Supporting Role:
Anne Hathaway - The Dark Knight Rises (if not nominated for Leading Actress - either category the nomination would be for both roles); Amy Adams - The Master; other three nominees to be confirmed.

Animated Feature Film:
Brave; The Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists (titled in America: The Pirates! Band of Misfits); Wreck-It Ralph; Frankenweenie; other nominee to be confirmed.

Cinematography:
Wally Pfister - The Dark Knight Rises; Cloud Atlas; Django Unchained; Les Misérables; Lincoln. 

Art Direction:
The Dark Knight Rises; Cloud Atlas; Django Unchained; Les Misérables; Life of Pi. 

Costume Design:
Cloud Atlas; Lincoln; Les Misérables; Django Unchained; The Dark Knight Rises.

Directing:
Christopher Nolan - The Dark Knight Rises; Paul Thomas Anderson - The Master; Tom Tykwer, Andy Wachowski and Lana Wachowski - Cloud Atlas; Tom Hooper - Les Misérables; Quentin Tarantino - Django Unchained; Steven Spielberg - Lincoln. Note: only five directors will be nominated in this category - I can't decide which one of these won't though!

Documentary Feature:
Into the Abyss: a Tale of Death, a Tale of Life; The Imposter; other three nominees to be confirmed. 

Documentary Short:
To be confirmed.

Film Editing:
The Dark Knight Rises; Cloud Atlas; Django Unchained; Les Misérables; Lincoln.

Foreign Language Film:
To be confirmed.

Makeup:
Lincoln; Les Misérables; Cloud Atlas. 

Music (Original Score):
The Dark Knight Rises; Les Misérables; Cloud Atlas; Lincoln; Django Unchained. Note: I'm not entirely sure if The Dark Knight Rises or Les Misérables are allowed to be nominated here if their score are not entirely original (based on music from the previous films and the stage show respectively).

Music (Original Song):
Les Misérables (one song has been written for the film); other four nominees to be confirmed (the Academy has announced that this will be the first year that five songs will be nominated for the award, after last year only two being nominated).

Short Film (Animated):
To be confirmed.

Short Film (Live Action):
To be confirmed.

Sound Editing:
The Dark Knight Rises; Cloud Atlas; Les Misérables; Avengers Assemble (titled in America: The Avengers); Berberian Sound Studio.

Sound Mixing:
The Dark Knight Rises; Cloud Atlas; Les Misérables; Avengers Assemble (titled in America: The Avengers); Berberian Sound Studio. 

Visual Effects: 
The Dark Knight Rises; Cloud Atlas; Skyfall; Avengers Assemble (titled in America: The Avengers); Berberian Sound Studio. 

Writing (Adapted Screenplay):
The Dark Knight Rises; Cloud Atlas; Django Unchained; Les Misérables; Life of Pi. 

Writing (Original Screenplay):
Lincoln; The Master; other three nominees to be confirmed. 

So there you have it folks! Of course it's still very early days, and all of this could change completely within the space of a week or so, but let's just wait and see how this little experiment pans out. Of course it says a lot about how predictable the Academy is if these predictions are even remotely accurate, especially considering that most of these films haven't even been released yet! It'll certainly be interesting when the nominees are announced on January 15th - and it'll be even more interesting when the BAFTA nominees are released too as forerunner Cloud Atlas isn't released in the UK until March, making it inapplicable for any nominations...

So what do you think of my prediction? Wrong or Right? Who do you think will win on the night? Have I missed anything off, or is it just too soon to make a prediction like this? Leave your thoughts and opinions in the comments section below.

Beyond Infinity Film Celebrates: The Artist!

I may have already reviewed the film back at the start of January (my first ever review no less!), but after its overwhelming and much deserved successes all award ceremonies including the big two; The BAFTAs and The Oscars, I feel it's only right to give some more attention to what is a truly remarkable film - The Artist.

Back at the start of January when I first saw and reviewed The Artist, very few people had heard about the film, and it's staggered release meant that many of those who had couldn't see it anyway. Now however is a very different picture. Riding off the back of its many award successes, The Artist is now playing in many cinemas up and down the country, and last week my local independent cinema (the fantastic Gulbenkian cinema in Canterbury) showed it all week, with sell out showings on a nightly basis! I decided this week to go and see the film again, and it has to be said that for me, this second viewing was a very special moment; in fact I'd probably go as far as to say the best cinema experience that I've ever had! Whilst the first time I saw it, there were only 5 to 7 people in the entire cinema, here the screening was sold-out. The handful of people in the cheap chain multiplex cinema who sat munching loud crisps in my ear throughout the film had been replaced by a large audience of cinema goers who all were enthralled by the magic of the film. And there I was - right in the audience scenes from the film itself! I spoke fondly of these moments in my review saying how I wish that cinema was a special today as it was back then, as seen in a number of the films scenes, and in a rare moment in modern cinema I was there. This for me was a truly amazing moment, with the entire audience laughing along and enjoying the film together; it was a true experience elevating the film up to something special. Back in 2009 with the release of Avatar, millions of people around the world flooded to cinemas to see what was an event film; The Artist is like this too, except the event for this is far superior than Avatar's gimmicky CGI/3D effects - it is the heart and soul of the film that by taking us back to its roots reminds us why we love cinema and why it is so special to us all.

 The cast and crew of The Artist celebrate their triumph at The Oscars

The Artist truly is a cinematic triumph on so many levels, and I am so proud to see it receive all of the attention and awards that it so rightfully deserves. I'd like to personally congratulate every single person involved in creating this film, especially the incredible works of director and screenwriter Michel Hazanavicius, and the wonderful lead performances of Jean Dujardin and Bérénice Bejo who drive forward the story and bring it to life - it's so rare to see a film as special as this, and so exciting to also see what is technically an almost silent French film in the 4:3 format and black and white achieving such success today!

Now let's celebrate The Artist with number of special videos! Firstly in case you missed it, here is the moment that The Artist became the first silent film to win the Oscar for best picture in 83 years!:

 

This next and very insightful video goes behind the scenes of the film and talks to the people behind it:

And now for a bit more fun - a very entertaining blooper reel from the film:

After winning the BAFTA and the Oscar for Best Leading Actor, Funny or Die asks what will Jean Dujardin do next in this hilarious sketch:

And finally, for many people the real star of the show was a very talented little dog named Uggie, and here he is on American chat show Ellen showing off some of his acting talents:

The Artist is still showing in cinemas across the UK - so catch it whilst you still can!

Have you seen The Artist? What did you think? Leave your comments below!