The Watchers' Feelgood Films (Part 2)

Good afternoon! We hope this finds you well - as (in the UK, at least) the lockdown has been extended by "at least" another three weeks, we thought you might like some suggestions for something feelgood to watch over the weekend. So here are two more recommendations from The Watchers for films that'll give you the warm fuzzies.

Mrs. Doubtfire (1993)

Dir: Chris Columbus
Starring: Robin Williams, Sally Field, Pierce Brosnan, Harvey Fierstein, Lisa Jakub, Matthew Lawrence, and Mara Wilson

As a child, Disney’s Aladdin introduced me to Williams’s mighty vocal talents – and had me counting down the minutes until the Genie was next on screen – but Mrs. Doubtfire put a face to that voice, and I’ve been a Robin Williams fan ever since.

Just like Aladdin, this is Williams’s show. Whether it’s a one liner from Randi Mayem Singer and Leslie Dixon’s script (“Winston liked a drink; it was the drink that killed him… He got hit by a Guinness truck.”) or a moment of off-the-cuff improvisation (Williams reeling off impressions at the job centre), Williams is Mrs Doubtfire’s multi-million-dollar CGI special effects.

Williams is mostly remembered as a masterful comic actor, but anyone who has seen Dead Poets Society, Good Morning Vietnam, or Patch Adams knows the man had heavyweight acting chops. Mrs. Doubtfire will have you grinning from ear-to-ear, but it isn’t two hours of sickly-sweet optimism. Daniel Hillard’s love for his family never changes, but he comes to realise that their situation has changed, and there is nothing he can do to stop it, despite his best efforts in some Oscar-winning make-up. Williams makes the drama, the tears, both heartfelt and believable. Williams won the Best Supporting Actor award for Good Will Hunting at 1998’s Academy Awards, but he absolutely deserved a win back in 1993 with Mrs Doubtfire, if not earlier.

The supporting cast are all excellent: Sally Field is brilliant as a mother who first appears cold and detached, but is really trying to spare her children from the hurt of a family break up; Pierce Brosnan oozes oily charm as the new boyfriend on the scene; Polly Holliday is on typically fine form as the Ernie Wise to Williams’s Eric Morecambe; and none of the child actors (Lisa Jakub, Matthew Lawrence, and Mara Wilson) come across as annoying or petulant, a trap that many family films fall into.

Special mention to the soundtrack: B.B. King, Frank Sinatra, James Brown, Frankie Valli, and the song that got me into Aerosmith, 'Dude (Looks Like A Lady)', just some of the artists on an impressive list.

Mrs. Doubtfire is faultless; it is the perfect starting point for anyone who has never seen a Robin Williams film.

Matt

* * *

Galaxy Quest (1999)

Dir: Dean Parisot
Starring: Tim Allen, Sigourney Weaver, Alan Rickman, Tony Shalhoub, Sam Rockwell, Justin Long, and Robin Sachs

Galaxy Quest is an exceptionally affectionate tribute/parody/spoof of 1960s Star Trek, and rabid sci-fi fandoms in general.

In the eighteen years since Galaxy Quest last aired on TV, the cast have been reduced to doing electronic store openings, and travelling to conventions to meet fans and do signings. When the egomaniacal lead Jason Nesmith agrees to do a solo gig, it causes outrage amongst the rest of the cast. However, due to a mix-up, instead of doing a fan video, Nesmith and- eventually- the rest of the cast find themselves on board a real alien ship and helping a polite race of aliens known as Thermians in their ongoing battle against the evil alien warlord General Sarris. But can the crew put their personal issues aside and survive to help the Thermians? 

The script, by David Howard and Robert Gordon, is full of great one-liners and quips and gives the actors some meaty stuff to deal with. Tim Allen is fantastic as the Shatner-esque Nesmith (a.k.a. Commander Peter Quincy Taggart), slicing the ham thick as he relives his glory days. He's not just a one-note character and you can't help but be on his side as the absurdities start to mount. Sigourney Weaver adds a great level of sass as Gwen DeMarco (a.k.a. Lieutenant Tawny Madison, whose job was just to repeat what the computer said in slightly different words) whilst Alan Rickman gives one of the best and most fun performances of his career as Alexander Dane (a.k.a. Dr. Lazarus), a Shakespearean actor reduced to playing an alien on television, despite getting five curtain calls for Richard III... 

Tony Shalhoub is great as Fred Kwan (a.k.a. Tech Sergeant Chen) who has become a bit of a space cadet in the intervening years, whilst Sam Rockwell gives an absolutely hilarious performance as Guy Fleegman, an actor who appeared in one episode of Galaxy Quest and died before the first ad break. He gets involved in the escapade and is in mortal fear that (as a literal red-shirt) he'll be the first to die. His hysteria mounts throughout, giving shades of Bill Paxton's amazing "game over, man" rant from Aliens. 

There's often a problem with satires or parodies/spoofs if their treatment of their source material is cruel or mean-spirited. Luckily, the parody in Galaxy Quest never feels like its just being done for a cheap laugh or to take the mick for the sake of doing so. It highlights some of the more ridiculous tropes of the sci-fi genre- such as inexplicably dangerous machinery placed randomly in a hallway (serving no logical purpose except to cause peril)- but also makes some sly points about the sexism female sci-fi stars get to face; Gwen's comment that her TV Guide interview spent six paragraphs talking about her breasts and little about her talent is still prescient even now (see Scarlett Johansson's frustration at constantly being asked about her underwear when playing Black Widow). 

So, what makes it feelgood? First of all, Rickman's performance. He's on top form as the bumptious luvvie who feels this is beneath him, yet there's an undeniable punch-the-air moment when he slips back into being Dr. Lazarus. The parody is funny but affectionate and never punches low. It's an ideal film for comedy and sci-fi fans and is considered something of a cult classic, twenty years from its original release. 

Perhaps the thing that makes it feelgood the most? Its philosophy. Never give up. Never surrender. 

Tez

Review: The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (UK Cert 12A)

 SPOILER WARNING! This review discusses and/or mentions a few important plot points. If you would prefer not to have these spoiled, please stop reading now and come back once you've seen the film.  

Are you sitting comfortably? Good, because you'll need to be. There is so much going on in The Amazing Spider-Man 2 that, even at a bum-numbing 142 minutes, a few things are left hanging. The knowledge that a third and fourth instalment, plus two spin-off films, are in the works gives screenwriters Alex Kurtzman, Roberto Orci and Jeff Pinkner the luxury of not having to tie everything up. Thank heavens, because if they'd had to, the final edit could have easily given The Lord Of The Rings a run for its money.

The story starts with Peter Parker (Andrew Garfield) loving life and loving being Spider-Man and keeping New York safe. After a dust-up with Russian mobster Aleksei Sytsevich (Paul Giamatti, earning his 'with' credit with a total of about five minutes' screen-time) on the morning of his graduation, Peter and girlfriend Gwen Stacy (Emma Stone) are looking forward to life after college. However, besides the usual relationship issues, there's still the mystery over what actually happened to Peter's parents, the return of Peter's old friend Harry Osborn (Dane DeHaan) and a brand new threat to deal with: the formidable Electro (Jamie Foxx). Loyalties will be tested, alliances formed and hearts broken as the webslinger faces his toughest times.

Despite the fact that one of the marketing campaigns for The Amazing Spider-Man 2 is 'enemies unite'- and you do get three of Spidey's best-known villains- the film manages to quite cannily sidestep the Spider-Man 3 trap of throwing too many villains at the screen and not giving them enough to do or not enough screentime.

There's so many different elements to the story that it does take a long time to get all the pieces in position. Throughout it all, Garfield is an engaging and powerful central presence. He can sell the quippy, wisecracking Spidey as much as he can sell the heartbroken and headstrong Peter and- even when the script is uneven- you believe in his performance. This is certainly helped by the fact that the chemistry between Garfield and on-(and off-)screen girlfriend Emma Stone is undeniable and absolutely palpable at some places. You believe in them as a couple and that really pulls at the heartstrings throughout when the relationship is thrown into choppy waters. The promise Peter made Gwen's late father still weighs heavily and it makes for a few sombre moments.

Stone is excellent again- Gwen's no shrinking wallflower, she's a gutsy young woman who can make her own decisions. She doesn't need rescuing and is an equal to Peter and to Spider-Man. Prior to editing, there were scenes filmed which would introduce Divergent star Shailene Woodley as Mary Jane Watson, even one where Gwen and Mary Jane meet. I think it was a good move to remove these scenes (not least because of the already crammed storyline) but because the main love story here needs to be that of Peter and Gwen and everything that entails. Comic-book fans will know how that storyline pans out and the film remains true to it, even managing a stylish homage to one of the iconic comic book panels at the end. Even if you know what's going to happen, it's still an absolutely gutwrenching and emotional moment when it does come (again sold by Garfield's devastated performance). 

As for the other labyrinthine strands the story takes us in, some are more successful than others. For instance, Dane DeHaan brings more charisma, menace and emotion to his role of Harry Osborn in this one film than James Franco managed in three. Home to see his dying father Norman (a reptilian and uncredited Chris Cooper) and finding himself in charge of Oscorp, Harry becomes obsessed with finding a cure for the illness that killed his father and is killing him. It's a real shame that certain advertising campaigns chose to plant a massive spoiler signposting DeHaan's character progression because Harry's transition from ally to adversary would have carried more weight had it been kept under wraps.

Getting to see what ACTUALLY happened to Peter's parents and finding out more of their story is one of the more successful parts. Campbell Scott builds on his stoic and strong performance from the first film as his ethical dilemmas and the danger he faces start to build. There's the usual second-act misdirection as a few painful truths have to come out from Aunt May (Sally Field, superb as always) but the final resolution of that particular storyline (assuming it has now been put to bed) is emotionally satisfying.

The one bum note in all of this is the Electro storyline. Meek and mild Oscorp grunt Max Dillon, an invisible and unregarded man, gets involved in a terrible accident that leaves him with his superpowers. That's fine. All well and good. The first showdown between Electro and Spidey in Times Square is one of the film's set pieces and is a high-octane balls-to-the-wall everything-and-the-kitchen-sink battle which looks fantastic. My problem is Foxx's performance. It just didn't seem right. He didn't convince as the mousy Max (not helped by a slightly ridiculous cartoonesque soundtrack just before his hideous accident) and the hero-worship of Spidey which turns into an unhinged obsession wasn't handled right either. He's better when he is Electro but is disposed of pretty quickly in the final fight (another admittedly visually stunning set-piece). A stronger actor could have sold the pathos or the loneliness better but Foxx just didn't do it for me.

There are so many hints thrown in for later films. Two more of Spider-Man's most iconic villains are teased with background shots of mechanical equipment and the name of Felicity Jones' character may raise a few eyebrows. In places, this feels more like the start of a franchise than just another sequel but doesn't feel too blatant or cynical. The post-rendering to 3D was largely successful, giving some of the bigger setpieces a real depth. 

The Amazing Spider-Man 2 engaged me, engrossed me and I enjoyed it thoroughly. By the way, as has become standard with comic-book movies, I'd advise you stay for the mid-credits scene (there is only one). It's a jawdropping little teaser that opens up a few questions of its own.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Tez

Comic Book Movie Round-Up #3: The Amazing Spider-Man 2

So, the third of our comic book movie round-ups is for the sequel to the highest-grossing movie reboot of all time (to date). It is...

The Amazing Spider-Man 2

Director: Marc Webb
Writer: Screenplay by Alex Kurtzman & Roberto Orci and Jeff Pinkner from a story by James Vanderbilt
Provisional Release Date: April 18 2014 (UK); May 2 2014 (USA)

What We Know:

It was announced on July 5 2012 that The Amazing Spider-Man was the first in a new movie trilogy which would explore how Peter Parker's journey was 'shaped by the disappearance of his parents'.

The official synopsis for The Amazing Spider-Man 2 was released on February 6 2013:

"In The Amazing Spider-Man 2, for Peter Parker (Andrew Garfield), life is busy - between taking out the bad guys as Spider-Man and spending time with the person he loves, Gwen (Emma Stone), high school graduation can't come quickly enough. Peter hasn't forgotten about the promise he made to Gwen's father to protect her by staying away - but that's a promise he just can't keep. Things will change for Peter when a new villain, Electro (Jamie Foxx), emerges, an old friend, Harry Osborn (Dane DeHaan), returns, and Peter uncovers new clues about his past."

Who's In?:

Andrew Garfield (Peter Parker/Spiderman), Emma Stone (Gwen Stacey) and Sally Field (Aunt May) will all reprise their original roles from The Amazing Spider-Man, along with Martin Sheen (Uncle Ben) who confirmed his return in December 2012.

New cast members for this instalment include- as stated above- Oscar-winning actor Jamie Foxx who is playing Electro and Dane DeHaan (Lawless, The Place Beyond The Fines) as Harry Osborn.

The Descendants actress Shailene Woodley will appear in the film as Mary Jane Watson.

Another Oscar-winning actor, Chris Cooper, has been cast as Norman Osborn. Whether he will make the transition to the Green Goblin is unclear.

Paul Giamatti (Sideways, Cinderella Man) will also appear as The Rhino, another of Spider-Man's comic-book adversaries

The Office actor BJ Novak will appear as an Oscorp employee whilst Colm Feore (Thor, Chicago) and Felicity Jones (The Tempest, Like Crazy) are also rumoured to appear in as-yet unspecified roles.

Marton Csokas (The Lord Of The Rings) has been cast. IMDb has him listed as Dr. Kafka which, in the comic-books, is a female character and founder of the Ravencroft Institute for the Criminally Insane. It has not been officially confirmed who Csokas is playing.

Anything Else?

Sam Claflin (Snow White And The Huntsman), Eddie Redmayne (Les Miserables) and Douglas Booth (Christopher And His Kind) all screentested for the role of Harry Osborn before Dane DeHaan was confimed in the role in December 2012.

Writers Kurtzman and Orci have defended the use of multiple villains in the film, claiming that all are 'essential' to the film's plot. One of the main problems of Raimi's Spider-Man 3 was too many villains, not enough time. So long as they can be balanced and well-served by the script, I don't see a problem. However if they're just there 'just because' it's not going to work. We'll have to see what happens.

This will be the first Spider-Man film to be filmed entirely in New York State.

Filming started on February 4, 2013 (shooting on film rather than on digital) and several shots have been released, including those below:

Dane DeHaan as Harry Osborn

Spider-Man in action

Gwen Stacy (Emma Stone) meets Mary Jane Watson (Shailene Woodley)

Paul Giamatti as The Rhino

Jamie Foxx as Electro

Spider-Man's new suit

Several set photos that have emerged point to a major spoiler for the film's plot. Please click here to be redirected if you want to find out what it is.

Sony have recently denied rumours that they would sell the rights to the Spider-Man movie franchise to Marvel Studios; Sony co-chair Amy Pascal was quoted as saying it would 'never ever ever' happen. Spider-Man is the only Marvel creation whose movie rights are owned by Sony, so I can't see them wanting to relinquish them any time soon.

Footage from The Amazing Spider-Man 2 will be shown at this year's San Diego Comic-Con International in July.

Review: Lincoln (UK Cert 12A)

A biopic of the Sixteenth President of the United States could cover a multitude of subjects, but Steven Spielberg's Lincoln focuses specifically on the President's efforts to get the Thirteenth Amendment to the US Constitution (which outlawed slavery) passed by the House of Representatives. Please note, there is no vampire hunting here.

There is an absolutely towering performance by Daniel Day-Lewis as Abraham Lincoln. Exuding great charisma and a quiet stoic dignity, Lincoln is a softly-spoken man absolutely determined to get the Thirteenth Amendment through. A scene towards the start of the film explains his position clearly: were the Civil War to end before the amendment was passed, any slaves freed by the Emancipation Proclamation may be re-enslaved. Every word is considered, thoughtful, intelligently spoken; it appears Lincoln was a formidable orator and a good storyteller and Day-Lewis rises to these challenges with aplomb. 

The star-studded supporting cast all rise to the challenge set by Day-Lewis and all deliver sterling performances. Whilst the performances of Sally Field as Mary Todd Lincoln (steely, damaged, devoted) and Tommy Lee Jones as Thaddeus Stevens (wry, determined, forthright) have also been rightly acclaimed during awards season, there are several equally as brilliant performances throughout. David Strathairn is great as Lincoln's Secretary of State William Seward who counsels Lincoln against pushing for the Thirteenth Amendment against the conclusion of the Civil War; similarly Hal Holbrook gives a nice turn as Republican politician Francis Preston Blair who tries to arrange an agreement between the Union and the Confederacy. There are nicely turned performances by James Spader and John Hawkes as two operatives used by Seward (and Lincoln) to procure the necessary votes to get the Amendment through. 

There isn't a great deal of physical action in this film- the opening scene of the battlefield is short and the rest of the action takes place in darkened smoke-filled rooms as the verbal pyrotechnics begin. Screenwriter Tony Kushner crafts a strong, dense web of words for the actors to negotiate. This is a very talky piece, make no mistake, and- at two-and-a-half hours long- your attention span may well get tested. It could almost be a stage-play. But despite that (or maybe because of it), this is an intelligent piece of film-making. Spielberg's direction is, as always, assured and passionate; cinematographer Janusz Kaminski does some of his best work here and (as you would expect) John Williams' score is just sublime.

Despite the fact that you know the ending before you go in (spoiler alert: the Amendment is passed), the final vote of the House is a masterclass of filming as each name is called and asked to vote. It's beautifully done as Mary keeps tally for the votes left needed to win and the Union soldiers on the field receive the scores by telegraph. Meanwhile, the stoic Lincoln sits and waits in the White House.

This is my type of film. Well-written, expertly directed and wonderfully acted, it touches on an important moment of history and doesn't dumb it down. I have a slight niggle with the ending (as I didn't see it necessary for it to end on his assassination) but it's a purely personal matter and doesn't detract from the preceding two and a quarter hours of pure cinematic brilliance.

Rating: 4.75 out of 5

Tez