Centurion (out 16 August 10, Cert. 15) Monkey Score: 81% AD 117. The Roman Empire stretches from Egypt to Spain, and East as far as the Black Sea. But in northern Britain, the relentless onslaught of conquest has ground to a halt in face of the guerrilla tactics of an elusive enemy: the savage and terrifying Picts. Quintus Dias (Fassbender), sole survivor of a Pictish raid on a Roman frontier fort, marches north with General Virilus' (West) legendary Ninth Legion, under orders to wipe the Picts from the face of the earth and destroy their leader Gorlacon. But when the legion is ambushed on unfamiliar ground, and Virilus taken captive, Quintus faces a desperate struggle to keep his small platoon alive behind enemy lines. Enduring the harsh terrain and evading their remorseless Pict pursuers led by revenge-hungry Pict Warrior Etain (Kurylenko), the band of soldiers race to rescue their General and to reach the safety of the Roman frontier. When Neil Marshall directs you can rest assured no punches or buckets of fake blood will be held back. This is however the only element that is predictable in this superb story. Shot entirely on location, one can only imagine the misery and sheer physical challenge the on-screen and off-screen talent were put through. The historic accuracy is mostly educated guess work, as very little survived from the Picts, but it all seems quite plausible. Unlike his Picts, however, Neil Marshall takes no prisoner. Centurion is pure grit, gloriously shot in what looks like a very miserable winter, and without concessions to Hollywood. There is only one teeny tiny bit of fluff at the end, but it flows so naturally from the story that it concludes the film in a very satisfying way. Michael Fassbender, hot on the heels of superb Brit-flick Fish Tank and Tarentino's Inglorious Basterds, manages to give depth to a very physical role. Drawing a parallel between Centurion and Braveheart may be tempting, but it would be like comparing Beethoven to Cujo. The only thing they share is a north of the border setting and a bit of blue face paint.
The Joneses (out 16 August 10, Cert. 12) David Duchovny, Demi Moore, Amber Heard, Ben Hollingworth, directed by Derrick Borte, 2009, cert. 12 Monkey Score: 62%
Derrick Borte's film about the ultimate marketing scam to part well-to-do wannabes with their money is one of those films hard to classify. Not quite all-out funny, though it has its moments, It is neither a rose-tinted romance nor a journalistic exposé about ignominious business practices. Unfortunately, this adds up to a rather unsatisfying picture, despite pleasant enough performances from Duchovny and Moore. There are some clever bits, and quite frankly we thought the subject matter was absolutely fascinating: it's just that by wanting to be too many things at once The Joneses doesn't really hit any of the marks it seems to aim for. It's not that it's bad, it's even sweet, funny and clever at times, but it as the end credits roll The Jones just feels like empty calories. |
Whip It (out 16 August 10, Cert. 12)
Ellen Page, Marcia Gay Harden, Kristen Wiig, Drew Barrymore, Juliette Lewis, Andrew Wilson, Landon Pigg, directed by Drew Barrymore, 2009, cert. 12
  One cannot help but feel that Ellen Page in the role of smart but rebellious teenager Bliss is being typecast after her wonderful performance in Juno. This takes nothing away from her acting, though, and she is most definitely a talent to watch, reminding us of a young Janeane Garofalo. Support comes from a suitably aggressive Juliette Lewis as Iron Maven, Bliss' roller derby arch-rival, singer-songwriter Landon Pigg as the love(rat) interest and Alia Shawkat as the obligatory best friend. The small part of coach Razor is handled to perfection by the lesser known of the Wilson brothers, Andrew. Whip It is a sweet feel-good movie: enjoyable and cheerful, but ultimately predictable.
It's A Wonderful Afterlife (out 16 August 10, Cert. 12) Zoe Wanamaker, Shabana Azmi, Mark Addy, Sally Hawkins, directed by Gurinder Chada, 2010, cert. 12 Monkey Score: TBC%
A comedy centered on an Indian mother who takes her obsession with marriage into the world of serial murder. REVIEW COMING SOON |
Sparkle (out 16 August 10, Cert. 15) Shaun Evans, Stockard Channing, Bob Hoskins, Anthony Head, Amanda Ryan, Lesley Manville, directed by Neil Hunter and Tom Hunsinger, 2007, cert. 15
Sam (Shaun Evans) is a charming, young chancer who has ambitions in the glamorous world of public relations when he moves to London. However, his best laid plans suffer a setback when true love turns his world upside down in the most unexpected of circumstances. Sparkle could easily have fallen into the trappings of a caricature, some kind of romantic comedy of errors. Writers/directors Neil Hunter and Tom Hunsinger, however, have brought their script to life and delivered a lovely, touching and eminently well put together film. In other hands the story would have been banal, but with Hunter and Hunsinger at the helm, something magic and rare happens on screen. The two filmmakers have anchored Sparkle around the most perfectly formed characters - from lonely bachelor Vince to ambitious Sam and the women in their lives. The great care paid to the script coupled with an exceptional cast is a resounding success. Stockard Channing brings her immense talent to the role of single mom, middle aged and power wielding PR boss Sheila - miles from her stint as America's First Lady in The West Wing, yet somehow just as commanding. Bob Hoskins excels as East Ender Vince, too, bringing emotion and kindness that balance Sam's cockiness perfectly. Sparkle is a very human and satisfying film. A great way to show that while big money may help get movies made, it plays second fiddle to quality screenwriting and a great cast. Pure cinematic joy.
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Sons Of Anarchy - Season 2 (out 16 August 10, Cert. 15) With Charlie Hunman, Ron Perlman, Katey Sagal, Adam Arkin, Henry Rollins, Maggie Siff, Kim Coates, Created by Kurt Sutter, originally broadcast in the US between September and December 09, cert. 15 Episodes: Albification, Small Tears, Fix, Eureka, Smite, Falx Cerebri, Gilead, Potlatch, Fa Guan, Balm, Service, The Culling, Na Triobloidi Monkey Score: TBC% This season Jax and the club deal with the fallout from Donna’s death, bringing internal tensions to an all-time high while a new enemy takes root in Charming. LAN, or League of American Nationalists, is a white separatist organization headed by Ethan Zobelle (Adam Arkin) with help from his lieutenant, A.J. Weston (Henry Rollins). Zobelle opens a cigar shop on Main Street intent on ingratiating himself with the community and forcing SAMCRO out.
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