This week's film releases

Film Review by: Vincent Camilleri

SUPER HERO JAMBOREE

“MARVEL AVENGERS ASSEMBLE” (3D)
(Opening Thursday 26th April)

Cast:

Robert Downey Jnr                           Tony Stark/Iron Man

Chris Evans                                       Steve Rogers/Captain America

Mark Ruffalo                                       Bruce Banner/The Hulk

Chris Hemsworth                             Thor

Scarlett Johansson                           Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow

Jeremy Renner                                  Clint Barton/Hawkeye

Tom Hiddleston                                 Loki

Samuel L. Jackson                           Nick Fury

Written and directed by Joss Whedon

Running time 142 minutes

There are action movies that use CGI with abandon that can be written off as  cheap video games transferred to the big screen in 3D, others that  hover above mediocrity but are somewhat bearable and watchable and just a few perfectly produced that do credit to the film industry. Avengers Assemble falls in the third category and I do not hesitate to add that this film has set new standards that will be very hard to match or to copy.

It takes great talent, and of course a big budget, to achieve this and director Josh Whedon pulled  it through with a 142  minute film  packed with non stop, never seen before action, fantastic animation and above  all,  a well written story that brings together the best loved heroes from Marvel Comics. A treat that gives fans the amazing feats of six super heroes for the price of one.

Iron Man/Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jnr), Captain America/Steve Rogers (Chris Evans), The Hulk/Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo),  Thor (Chris Helsmworth)  The Black Widow/Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson) and Hawkeye/ Clint Barton (Jeremy Remner) come together at a call by Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) director of  peace keeping organization S.H.I.E.L.D.  Life on Earth is seriously threatened by Loki (Tom Hiddleston), Thor’s adoptive brother, who was sent on earth by an alien power to steal Tesseract, civilization’s latest discovery as the ultimate source of infinite sustainable energy. With Tesseract in his possession Loki can execute his masters’ plans to destroy life on earth.

The action literally kicks off somewhere in Russia where Natasha Romanof/The Black Widow – sultry Scarlett Johansson in black tight fitting gear - is being beaten and interrogated. that. Strapped to a chair, the girl looses it and with a couple of flips and jumps she knocks her tormentors out cold and is on her way to join Nick’s team. What follows is a steady flow of action sequences that give each of the characters equal time to demonstrate their super hero powers.  Robert Downey Jnr mocks everyone, including himself when he describes his Tony Stark persona divested of his Iron Man suit as a “genius, playboy millionaire and a philanthropist” and does his very best  to save mankind.  Steve Rogers/Captain America, the quintessential hero soldier, played again by Chris Evans is recruited by Nick as he goes through a number of punch bags during a gym training session. Chris Hemsworth’s muscled Thor works wonders with his magic mace and Jeremy Brenner as Hawkeye gives a great show of marksmanship with his bow and lethal tipped arrows. The worst damage and harm to the invaders however is inflicted when the mild mannered scientist Bruce Banner, played by Mark Ruffalo, morphs into a very angry Hulk.

The ensemble cast interacts perfectly with each other. They work  from a lively script full of tongue in cheek one liners in a story that follows closely  the comic book rules about action, humour and thrills.  The special effects, surreal sets and computer generated invading aliens and their war machines under Joss Whedon’s direction and Seamus McGarvey’s cinematography are simply breathtaking. The director puts Nick Fury running  the operations from a gigantic aircraft carrier with twin landing strips that lifts up from the water to become an airborne head quarters. Equally fantastic are his climax scenes of invading alien fish like flying machines unleashing terror and mayhem over Manhattan’s panic stricken population and the mother of all battles waged by the six super- heroes to stop them.

Just one word of advice; do not rush out of the theatre at the end of this exhilarating film. A surprise message is delivered at the end of the credit roll.

Watch trailer: http://www.imdb.com/rg/s/4/title/tt0848228/#lb-vi3899040025

THE WOMAN IN BLACK

Cast:

Daniel Radcliffe                   Arthur Kipps

Janet McTeer                        Mrs Daily

Cairan Hinds                         Mr Daily

Directed by James Watkins
Running time 94 minutes

Arthur Kipps (Daniel Radcliffe), a widowed lawyer whose grief has put his career in jeopardy, is sent to a remote village to sort out the affairs of a recently deceased eccentric. But upon his arrival, it soon becomes clear that everyone in the town is keeping a deadly secret. Although the townspeople try to keep Kipps from learning their tragic history, he soon discovers that the house belonging to his client is haunted by the ghost of a woman who is determined to find someone and something she lost… and no one, not even the children, are safe from her vengeance.
(Production Notes CBS/Hammer Films)

Watch trailer http://www.imdb.com/rg/s/4/title/tt1596365/#lb-vi385981977

“WANDERLUST”

Cast:
Paul Rudd              George

Jennifer Anniston    Linda

Directed by David Wain

Running time 98 minutes
Paul Rudd and Jennifer Aniston star in Wanderlust, a comedy from director David Wain  and producer Judd Apatow  about a couple who leaves the pressures of the big city and joins a freewheeling community where the only rule is to be yourself.

George (Rudd) and Linda (Aniston) are an overextended, stressed out Manhattan couple. After George is downsized out of his job, they find themselves with only one option: to move in with George's awful brother in Atlanta.

On the way there, George and Linda stumble upon Elysium, an idyllic community populated by colorful characters who embrace a different way of looking at things. Money? It can't buy happiness. Careers? Who needs them? Clothes?  Only if you want them. Is Elysium the fresh start George and Linda need? Or will the change of perspective cause more problems than it solves.
(Production notes Universal Pictures)

Top Ten Films in Malta
18 - 22 April 2012

1. TITANIC (3D)
2. THE HUNGER GAMES
3. WRATH OF THE TITANS
4. THE COLD LIGHT OF DAY
5. MIRROR MIRROR
6. 21 JUMP STREET
7. THE BEST MARIGOLD HOTEL
8. PUSS IN BOOTS
9.BEL AMI
10. ONE FOR THE MONEY

With acknowledgements to KRS Film Distributors Ltd