30 Minutes or Less (2011) Review

Chet and Nick and Chet (Aziz Ansari and Jesse Eisenberg) are not just best buddies, they are also roommates. Despite being so close, their lives are on completely different paths. Nick has got a major crush on Chet's sister, Chet has a very promising career but also a very big mouth, as he revealed a secret that ended the marriage of Nick's parents. But hey that's all in past as they have to put their differences aside as Nick has a bomb attached to his chest.

 

The fiends who felt the need to rig up Nick to a pile of explosives are Travis and Dwayne, (Nick Swarsdon and Danny McBride).  Dwayne has a hate-hate relationship with pop, who won the lottery, became a millionaire, and has spent every waking moment since telling his son that he is brainless and has no ambition. When pops goes too far one day Dwayne decides to hire a hitman, bump off pop and inherit his millions, simple.

 

The only thing spoiling Dwayne's master plan, is his lack of readies to pay he aforementioned hitman, and that's where Nick enters the plot. Travis and Dwayne pose as two guys who want nothing more than a pizza in front of the TV, and when Nick turns up with their snack they grab him, strap the bomb to him, and tell him he has two choices; either rob a bank for them or they'll blow him to bits.

 

As crazy as this storyline sounds, 30 Minutes or Less actually works very well as it stays within the parameters of the premise it sets at the beginning and doesn't try to veer into other, unnecessary areas to pad out the movie. The jokes are good enough to make you laugh, there's just about the right amount of action and just enough sentiment to make it endearing without reaching for the sick bag.

 

It also greatly benefits from the early character development, we are introduced to Nick by seeing him at work and when he gets home Chet is there. This may seem brief, but then you see it you will appreciate that it is perfectly adequate, plus, Ansari and Eisenberg use their great comic timing and on screen chemistry to bring these simple boys to life in a highly entertaining way.

 

Travis and Dwayne, on the other hand, are far from simple and there are many layers to their personalities, but only one actually develops fully, leaving the other trailing in his wake. Travis is the dude who follows the emotional arc, as in he starts the movie as one guy, goes through the whole gamut of emotions, and ends the movie as a completely transformed character.

 

The main fall down of this movie is Dwayne, a total moron that you very quickly couldn't give a damn about. He gains a smidge of sympathy at the start for the way his dad treats him, but when he hatches his mad plan you understand why his pop is so ashamed of his bumbling idiot if a son, and that he is also one mean SOB.

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30 Minutes or Less has more than enough content to keep you entertained for the running time. There are a few flaws obviously, but overall a good effort from all concerned.

 

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Beginners (2011)

Right from the outset, the captivating visuality and clever screenplay make Beginners compulsive viewing. Mike Mills, a filmmaker, artist and graphic designer takes us a highly personal journey in to the mysteries of love. This movie tells the tale of a man who, after his mother dies, discovers his Father is gay. These events mirror Mills' own life, and the father lives a late and aggressively gay life until succumbing to cancer.

As the man tries to make sense of the lives his parents lived, he struggles with his own reaction to growing up in a house full of secrets and lies. We are taken on a poignant and bittersweet journey as he tries to untangle the jumble of emotions that is love.  His fathers late in life acceptance of who he really was has a profound effect on the son, who this tale is all about. This is not a gay love story, but the risks one will take for love.

He wasn't shocked by his father coming out and living a gay lifestyle, as much as the risks he was taking in the name of love. Ewen McGregor, who oozes the sadness, bewilderment and confusion that this character is feeling beautifully portrays the man, Oliver. He knows his parents weren't in a loveless marriage, it was more of a settled complacency where love took second place.

Oliver also has to come to terms with the fact that the relationship he has always aspired to wasn't what it seemed at all. His makes him reconsider his whole life, and wonder what he would do for love. His father, played by Christopher Plummer, suddenly presents him with a new role model, not as a homosexual, but as a man determined to get as much out of life as he can in the short time he has left.

Oliver finds himself alone with all his confusion and his dad's dog for company, when he meets Anna, a French actress who is only staying in Los Angeles for a short time. She shakes him out of his melancholy but he falls in love with her, but which role model will be follow, the repressed but not unhappy man he grew up with, or the wild grab it while you can older version?

There is no fixed time that this movie takes place, the scenes from the past have been ordered in the way that Mills best thinks suits his life's journey. Like the filmmaker himself, Oliver is a graphic artist and the doodles, sketches and graffiti represent his increasing self-awareness. He has in depth conversations with the dog, whose responses are delivered via sub titles.

Beginners is an extraordinary piece of filmmaking in that it embraces all manner of movies. From the silent era when Oliver and Anna are conversing with pen and paper as she has lost her voice, to the slide shows and sketches that Oliver arranges to help illustrate the process as he mentally works out the meanings of life and love.

 

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Kung Fu Panda 2 Review

In light of other mediocre and lacklustre sequels that are around at the minute, it can be hard to get out of the mindset that all sequels will be as bad. Step forward Kung Fu Panda 2, that extraordinary commodity that has you hoping and praying for a third instalment. The only downside of this incredible film is that in only lasts a scant 90 minutes.

From the outset the animated landscape is outstanding and could possibly produce a few eye-gasms in the audience. Something to bear in mind here is that this is not a hysterical, laugh out loud film, it is a charming story well told with excellent voiceovers. You would think that an obese panda called Po that is voiced by Jack Black and does kung fu would be a recipe for hilarity, this isn't the case but it doesn't detract from the film one iota.

A new animation within in the umbrella of 3D CGI has been used for this film, and it shows. A back story unfolds regarding Lord Shen, an evil peacock voiced by Gary Oldman. Shen has been banished by his parents from the Great Kingdom due to the atrocities he committed against pandas. His crimes were because of a prophecy which foretold that his demise would be at the hand of a Black & White warrior.

After he's been kicked out, he gathered together his army of Wolves and has vowed to return to China as its ruler. The bird kept his promise, and has created a weapon that will beat any style of Kung Fu. He soon unleashes this new firepower across ancient China, destroying the cities as he goes so there can be no threats to the reign of terror he enjoys.

Obviously Po and the ‘furious 5' aren't just going to lie down and let Shen get away with this. So Po, Monkey (Jackie Chan), Tigress (Angeline Jolie), Viper (Lucy Liu), Mantis (Seth Rogen) and Crane (David Cross) leave the valley of peace and have exciting battles against Shen across towns, rivers and even a giant fortress. During one battle Po discovers that is actually Shen who hold the key to him discovering his origins.

The thrilling battles will make for an excellent videogame that will fly off the shelves. Now, there are times when the story seems very obvious and fundamental, and it is at these times you need to remember the target audience for this film is kids. The environments and execution make this a wonderful tale that anyone of any age can really enjoy.

There are serious moments in the film, but thankfully they never bog you down and are quickly lightened by some sparkling dialogue. The star of the show in undoubtedly Shen, with another outstanding but understated performance by the great Gary Oldman. His evil sarcasm slips effortlessly between comedy and cruelty, and the casting for this bitter and arrogant peacock was inspired.

Don't buy a ticket to see Kung Fu Panda 2 expecting 90 minutes of belly laughs, go and see this film to be amused, entranced and thoroughly entertained.

 

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