Selma Review

One of the hardest things to portray in a film based on actual events by both the director and the writer I think would be chronicling the the life of a person who would later come to be an icon for the abolition of some sort of adversity or restitution for a group of peoples or a lifestyle whilst still showing that the person who would become this impenetrable and forever sturdy symbol was still only a person with their own shortcomings and doubts who simply had total belief in what they were expressing. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you 'Selma'.

Story
The story of Selma picks up in Martin Luther King Jr.'s (David Oyelowo) campaign shortly after his iconic "I have a dream" speech as he continues to fight the oppression of black people in America through non violent protests. After hearing reports of hate crimes as well as black citizens being denied the right to vote in the town of Selma, Alabama and becoming outraged by the ignorance of the American government, Dr. King decides to take matters into by teeing up what was arguably the biggest action he took in his campaign, a march from Selma, Alabama to Washington D.C. If the government wasn't going to give the votes to the people he was going to bring the people to the government.

Writing/Directing
So far as writing goes this one is a bit of a mixed bag. There are some points in the script that are truly riveting and had me wanting to stand up and cheer but there were also some points where I almost felt like it had been written for a TV movie. Firstly the good, many of Dr. King's monologues in the film have so much passion and energy written into them which really comes out when they are read by the equally energetic David Oyelowo. On top of this many of his scenes in which people are confronted or disputes break out the writing is so innovative yet sharp that you are honestly harnessed by every syllable the characters utter. In these sorts of scenes Selma is a real treat and the fact that it got nominated for best picture is very evident. However, on the flip side of this there are some characters that get introduced in the movie, never main characters but at times more relevant than you'd first think from how passively they are written, who are written into the story quite nicely and their actions have great effect on the film and are very memorable, but sadly the same amount of work wasn't invested into the writing of these characters which leave you, the viewer, with a very vague and confused feeling towards them as you were never really invested in their character but the story asks you to be impacted by their actions which then makes you ask "Why?"
As for the directing in this film there is nothing really to complain about. It is a very competently directed movie with at times some very compelling imagery. My favourite scene in the movie is the scene shown in the poster wherein many black mean and women kneel down in a position of surrender whilst Dr. King stands up in front of them, symbolizing that he stands up for the people who cannot stand up for themselves. It is an effective image on the poster and it is equally effective in the film. The only gripe I had with the directing was that they occasionally used slow motion in order to really drive an image home and let it really sink in, which is effective. However they tended to linger on these shots for just a little too long so instead of thinking "Oh my stars, this is really intense." you lean more towards thinking "Okay. Whens the next shot going to come on...?"
All-in-all however the directing was for the most part very effective in showing what it needed too.

Music
The music in this movie is very impacting and it fits the tone immaculately. The song 'Glory' by Common and John Legend alone is incredible and totally deserves its Oscar for best original song.

Acting
As I stated earlier, this sort of a story is very hard to tackle as Martin Luther King Jr. has since become an icon for the abolition of almost all racial oppression in America but the film has to show him for what he was, just a man and not a superhero. This is achieved superbly through David Oyelowo's depiction of Dr. King as a strong willed, very self-assured, brave and assertive man in the public eye who is equally scared and troubled behind closed doors fearful of the constant scrutiny his campaign gets and all the pain that comes upon fellow African-Americans who follow his leadership. Oyelowo fully inhabits the character right down to his slightest mannerisms.
The rest of the cast functionally inhabits their characters well enough to not detract from the story, although some characters feel very two dimensional at times which is more of a flaw to the writing than the actors however. At times some characters, particularly people who are victims of hate crimes, seem a bit too good to be true in how they talk and act. They were likely written like this to have a greater effect on the audience when they are eventually victimized but it instead came off as lazy writing and cookie cutter characters.

The Verdict
This review probably comes off as a little bit more cynical than my other reviews, but because I can appreciate how hard adapting the life of a person to the screen can be, especially a person as important to American history as Martin Luther King Jr. I am going to give it the benefit of the doubt a little bit on the basis that from a critical standpoint it does fall short here and there but as an overall story and when you consider what that march has done for history it is a truly remarkable film and definitely worth the price of admission.
8.4/10

Nightcrawler Review

I got 40 minutes into this movie before coming to the sad realization that there would be no teleportation being done by our title character. Fortunately the film is all the better for it. 

Story
Nightcrawler follows the workings of Louis Bloom (Jake Gyllenhaal)- a socially awkward nobody who has plans of achieving the American dream by any means necessary- as he works his way up the social ladder doing work as a stringer/Nightcrawler, filming accidents and crime scenes at night and selling the footage to news station so as it can make the morning news. 
During his work as a stringer he comes across the scoop of a lifetime that could really put him on the map in the news media business. He sticks to this story as he knows it is his ticket to living his dreams, but as he gets closer and closer to his goal he begins to feel less and less human as his sociopathic tendencies start to take over.

Writing/Directing

The film is written and directed by Dan Gilroy who is known for writing other films such as 'Real Steel' and 'The Bourne Legacy'. His writing style is very smooth with a sometimes dark and satirical edge. I couldn't help but be reminded of 'American Psycho' whilst watching the movie and particularly Gyllenhaal as he plays this very professional and slick business sort of person but who just simply doesn't quite grasp fully human interaction leading to some rather uncomfortable, detached (in a good way) and sometimes quite hilarious scenes of dialogue between him and the other characters in the film.
This is actually Gilroy's directorial debut, which you wouldn't pick up on from watching it. He takes you on a beautifully stylized and very memorable tour of the Los Angeles landscape as you race through red lights and charge through the suburban backstreets with Lou and his assistant Rick (Riz Ahmed) looking for stories to cover. You rarely see a movie directed with this level of understanding and deliberation of where the plot is, where it needs to get to and the exact way in which it will get to that point, even from many veteran directors this level of control is rarely a sensation you get to experience. You feel as though you are in good hands, and that is the best way to feel in any movie.

NB: This movie has one of the best car chase sequences I've ever seen. Cardiac arrest sort of excitement.

Characters/Acting
The Characters in 'Nightcrawler' epitomize the dark LA nightlife that the writing and directing set up, showing just how desperate, dark, and disturbing people can really get to whilst still keeping a smile on their face and a twinkle in their eye.
Gyllenhaal leads this Cavalry (in the best performance of his career) with his chilling yet lovable portrayal of Lou, a character you just can't help but root for no matter how questionable his actions are.
He is contrasted in the film with his assistant Rick, Played by Riz Ahmed, who you tend to see as a disloyal employee who isn't 'in it to win it' simply because he isn't able to be as detached emotionally whilst working as Lou and therefore his emotions and morals get in his way. Which should be a good thing but you feel like it isn't in the movie. I'm telling you, it messes with your brain... in the best way.
Similarly, the character of Nina played by Rene Russo is intent on getting the best rating for her news channel and she knows the most effective way of doing this is using scare tactics. It is only when her chief editor Frank, played by Kevin Rahm, intervenes and gives perspective on what she is doing that you realize it is morally wrong. But who needs morals when you've got money?
The whole cast does a stellar job on-screen, being lead by Gyllenhaal and Russo. The overall performances become even more impressive once you realize also that the rest of the characters are less likeable for a reason, in order to glorify our leads even more.

The Verdict
Nightcrawler is a truly remarkable film, not only because of the amazing performances supported by an equally impressive screenplay, but also because of it is the directorial debut of Dan Gilroy and it is in fact one of the best directed films of 2014 with some of the best live action choreography in years. This is a must see.

Rating: 9.5/10  

Big Hero 6 Review

'Big Hero 6' is a new Disney movie that encapsulates the invigorating colours and sharp visual pallet of its comic book as well as the anime genre that it has taken inspiration from whilst still coveting the Disney charm that we all know and love.

Story

'Big Hero 6' follows the adventures of young boy genius as he tries to find his place in society as a 14 year old high school graduate. He begins to realise what he wants with the help of his loved ones and the loveable marshmallow-like robot, Baymax. The story goes along swimmingly until a spanner falls into the works and Hiro's life is taken for a spin. Action, Adventure and Animisney* ensue. The film does eventually reveal that it has a strict 'good guy v bad guy' agenda, but it is to be noted that this is likely the first film in a franchise so the directors may have felt that emphasis on the main character and his relationships with others would prove to be more important for this movie so they substituted plot originality for stronger and more heartfelt main characters. 

*The mix of Anime and Disney animation to make this little gem.

Visual components (eye candy)

As I pointed out earlier, 'Big Hero 6' has one of the most distinguishing looks in an animated film this decade and certainly the most daring visual aesthetic from Disney since 'A nightmare before Christmas'. Things as arbitrary as the architecture and background aesthetic of the city they live in, 'San Fransokyo' (see what they did there) are handled with such precision that its impossible not to be swept up into the city at times.  Every frame in this film in this film is a new epiphany for the viewer in how it mixes elements of anime, with action, with Disney. though it should be noted that this new look can be quite jarring at first if you're not particularly used to the anime style. All-in-all though, 'Big Hero 6' is a beautiful film.

Characters

Well, A perfect movie is a phenomenon that happens close to never (Jurassic Park being the obvious exception), so like all movies there is always aspect in which a film falls short, that area for 'Big Hero 6' is its characters. Whilst the films main and supporting cast are functional, there is no real character that stands out. although you feel like you have really gotten to know Hiro throughout the film and you feel like you really understand him emotionally, this is only the case because the movie makes it so and it directs you through Hiro's emotional journey partly through his character just explaining how he feels on screen. it is an effective trick whilst watching the movie but really it resulted in his journey not really sticking with me after the film.
As for the supporting cast, Wasabi, Honey Lemon, GoGo and Fred... Well, I actually had to look them up because I'd forgotten their names pretty well as soon as I started writing out this review. If that doesn't tell something I don't know what will.
However, one type of character that Disney is almost always flawless at pulling off is the sidekick. We've seen great sidekicks in Disney movies like the Genie in 'Aladdin', Timon and Pumba in 'The Lion King' and just last year we saw the loveable Olaf in 'Frozen' (even though I know everyone is well and truly over 'Frozen', there is no denying that Olaf is awesome), now Disney introduces us to (Drumroll please) BAYMAX! The adorable, cuddly teddy bear who can Kick. Some. Ass. His character is likeable, hilarious and just an all around good guy and he will leave you wanting more as soon as the credits roll.
All up, the movie has a functional cast that keep you invested throughout the movie but who are unfortunately quite forgettable. Hopefully these other characters can be fleshed out a bit more in future instalments. but the movies redeeming grace in the bracket is one of the coolest sidekicks in a movie in years. 

The Verdict

'Big Hero 6' is a fun, beautiful Animisney movie that can be watched by kids of all ages. Although it is flawed in some areas, it is exciting to see that Disney is finally breaking their moulds and broadening their horizons.
Rating: 7.8/10