'Solomon Kane' (2009)

Title: Solomon Kane

Rating: 15

Released: 2009

Director: Michael J. Bassett

Starring: James Purefoy, Rachel Hurd-Wood, Pete Postlethwaite, Mackenzie Crook, Max von Sydow

Our Verdict: ** 2.5 Stars

In a line: Complex spiritual-fantasy story of redemption and overcoming darkness

Background: 'Solomon Kane' is director Michael J. Bassett's third directorial outing, and third time acting as writer. The film is centred around the eponymous character, created by the pulp fiction writer Robert E. Howard (note: Howard was a writer during the pulp fiction era (1896-1950s) from which the 1994 Quentin Tarantino film took its name). Howard's first story to feature the adventurer character, Solomon Kane, was 'Red Shadows' which was first printed in the 'Weird Tales' pulp magazine in August of 1928. In total, there are 13 original stories featuring Kane, with 4 of these being completed by authors other than Howard, and the character is also featured in 3 poems. Kane is a 16th century Puritan who (in the film) has turned from a life of violence to one of peace, until he is called upon to defeat the evil forces sent by the Devil. The film's production was announced at the 2006 San Diego Comic Convention. Filming took place in 2008, although the production company (Wandering Star) acquired the publishing rights for the film from the Robert E. Howard Estate in 1997. The film is set to be the first part of a trilogy, with two further films in the pipeline.

Synopsis: Writing a synopsis for this film is particularly hard as it has a relatively complex plotline. The film opens in North Africa in 1600 with footage of the English fleet attacking a coastal town. From the flames of a burning building comes the dark figure that we eventually learn is the protagonist, Solomon Kane. He appears to be after some sort of treasure. When he enters the room containing the booty, he comes face-to-face with the Devil's Reaper who tells Solomon that after a life of violence and bloodshed, his soul is damned. The action jumps forward to a year later, and relocates to England. Solomon is now living with an order of priests, living a life of solitude and peace having renounced his power and worldly goods. He comments that he is still haunted by his dreams, but knows that he must live a life free from violence, and if he strays from his virtuous path that the Devil will take his damned soul. Having been expelled from the haven he lived in with the priests, Solomon wanders across the snowy English landscape until he is attacked by robbers. He awakes to find himself in the care of the kindly Crowthorn family who are heading for a ship to take them to the New World. They invite Solomon to join them. Before they manage to leave England, the Crowthorn's are attacked by the followers of the evil sorcerer, Malachi, led by his lieutenant, the Masked Rider. Most of the Crowthorn's are killed, and their daughter Meredith is kidnapped. As he dies, William Crowthorn tells Solomon that if he saves Meredith, his soul will be redeemed. Solomon begins his journey after the assailants. Solomon is again attacked by the band of robbers - though they are now part of Malachi's army - but this time fights back. He is told by them that Meredith is dead. Solomon drowns his sorrows and is asked to join a resistance army against Malachi's followers. The Inn he is in is attacked by Malachi's followers and those found inside are crucified, including Solomon. Whilst on the cross, Solomon realises that Meredith is not dead and literally pulls himself off the cross. Solomon is told that Malachi has his base at Solomon's ancestral home. Solomon leads a small band of men to the location, where he finds his father who tells him that the Masked Rider is none other than Solomon's brother, who he thought he had killed in childhood. Solomon faces a final showdown with his brother and then his master, Malachi, in order to save Meredith and redeem his soul.

Review: The opening to the film is very promising. I immediately scribbled in my notes 'adult version of 'Pirates of the Caribbean' as the English fleet attacked the North African coastline. The senses are immediately bombarded with rousing music and the beautiful shots of the coastline at night, lit up by a number of raging fires. From the flames steps our hero, or more suitably, our anti-hero. Like the eponymous protagonist of 'Solomon Kane', I feel conflicted. The film was impressive, particularly in a visual sense, with some stunning shots of Solomon wandering through the desolate and snow-covered English countryside.

However, there was just something about the film that didn't please me and try as I might, I couldn't put my finger on it. As I left the cinema, a guy in front of me really hit the nail on the head when he turned to his cinema-going companion and said "it was a good film, but there was something missing that would have made it really great". Like me, the gentleman didn't know just what the film lacked, but it clearly lacked something that would give it that magical vibe of a truly great film.

I also think that the film fell short when portraying action scenes. They just felt a bit flat, probably because any action was dominated by the unstoppable force that was Solomon Kane. The storyline was complex, but not overly so, and had just enough twists and turns to keep the audience entertained. The characters felt a bit 2D and underdeveloped, but any time spent developing characters further would have eaten into time necessary to move along the plotline. It's a sacrifice that must be made. The whole idea of damnation versus salvation does make for an enjoyable viewing experience.

I really must praise the score of the film. It was beautifully done by the master of cinematic music; Klaus Badelt. Equally praise-worthy is the cinematography.

The ending, with its relatively corny voice-over by Solomon, is clearly left open for further films. Maybe the missing component was a conclusive ending?

Either way, the point is that this film just has a vital something missing that would elevate it from a good film, to a really great one. I left the cinema with a feeling that can only be described as "Woo...meh". It remains to be seen if the further 'Solomon Kane' films will have that special something. Maybe I need to invest in the DVD for this film, and give it a second go. I recommend the film, and I'd love for someone to give me their opinion on what, if anything, is missing.

British Academy Film Awards (BAFTAs) 2010

Last night (Sunday 21st February 2010) London was descended upon by anyone who is anyone in the film industry in order to celebrate the 'greatest cinematic achievements' of the past year. For the third time, the award show was held at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, which has been home to a working theatre since 1732.

Presented by Jonathan Ross for the fourth year in a row, the gala opened with a video montage showing clips from films released over the past year (2009-2010). Films featured included; 'The Hangover', 'Public Enemies', 'Harry Potter & the Half-Blood Prince', 'Invictus' 'Twilight: New Moon', 'Where the Wild Things Are', 'Julie & Julia', 'An Education', 'Coco Avant Chanel', 'Sherlock Holmes', 'Inglorious Basterds', '2012', 'Avatar', 'Nine', 'Watchmen', 'It's Complicated', 'Up', 'Precious' and more, which was met with rapturous applause from the audience.

Ross' opening speech, laced with second-rate gags met with a considerably less favourable reaction from the audience; Dustin Hoffman and James Pattinson both looked none-too happy when they were singled out, and some one-liners were met with audible groans. The inevitable Tiger Woods joke was met with a particularly stony silence, and rightly so! The BAFTAs ceremony is a classy event, quite above joking about the misfortunes of the sporting A-Lister.

On to the first award, and it's for the 'Outstanding Début by a British Writer, Director or Producer'. This was a no-brainer. Duncan Jones (director of 'Moon') was the obvious choice for this award. 'Moon' has received critical acclaim and won the BIFA (British Independent Film Awards) for Best British Independent Film in 2009. Jones was also awarded the BIFA Douglas Hickox Award at the ceremony, an award given to the best British director for their début film. The Sci-Fi psychological thriller deserves to be introduced to a wider audience and hopefully the BAFTA win will do this.

Next up was the BAFTA for 'Special Visual Effects'. I'll give you three guesses as to the film that won this, but you'll only need one. Yep, James Cameron's 'Avatar' took this one, but honestly, this award was never going to go to anything but 'Avatar' this year. The film is the highest grossing blockbuster of all time (taking the crown from Cameron's very own 'Titanic', 1997) and is a favourite with fans and critics alike, particularly for its ground-breaking visual effects. Hats off to Cameron, but a very predictable winner.

Following on from the 'Special Visual Effects' award was the BAFTA for 'Best Supporting Actor'. In my opinion, this was nearly as much of a no-brainer as the first two awards. Austrian-born Christoph Waltz walked away with the prize, and deservedly so, for his portrayal of SS Colonel Hans Landa in Quentin Tarantino's World War II epic 'Inglorious Basterds'. Waltz is the linchpin of the film and Tarantino has even gone so far as to say "It's true that if I couldn't have found someone as good as Christoph I might not have made 'Inglorious Basterds'". In the film, Waltz plays the somewhat eccentric SS Colonel in a role that demanded him to speak four languages (English, German, French and Italian, of which he is only not fluent in Italian). I think for that feat alone he deserves the BAFTA accolade, but his excellent performance is simply superb for many more reasons. If you haven't seen 'Inglorious Basterds' yet, I really would recommend it, if for no other reason that to see Waltz's amazing performance.

The BAFTAs for 'Costume Design' and 'Make-up & Hair' both went to the team behind 'The Young Victoria', beating the visually stunning 'Coco Avant Chanel' and 'An Education' for the honour. I was practically surprised with 'Coco Avant Chanel' not receiving the 'Costume Design' award, but then again, this is BAFTA and one gets the sneaking suspicion that British films are favoured above their international counterparts.

The 'Supporting Actress' BAFTA went to the American talk-show host and comedienne Mo'Nique for her performance as the mother-from-hell in the gritty drama 'Precious'. It was a good night for the gritty drama, with the 'Outstanding British Film' award going to 'Fish Tank', an (incredibly) gritty drama filmed on location and set in Essex. The film has also won the Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival. Again, I hope the BAFTAs is a springboard for raising the profile of a British film that deserves to be better known.

'Avatar' was also awarded the 'Production Design' BAFTA, another award that was clearly destined for the fantasy epic. The two screenplay awards ('Original Screenplay' and 'Adapted Screenplay') went to 'The Hurt Locker' and 'Up in the Air' respectively. For me, the surprise loser was Nick Hornby, with his beautiful adaptation of 'An Education', from Lynn Barber's autobiography of the same name (published in 2009). Both the book and the film are well worth a look.

The Orange 'Rising Star' award is the only BAFTA to be voted for by the British public. Four very deserving nominees (Nicholas Hoult, Tahar Rahim, Jesse Eisenberg, and Carey Mulligan) lost out to Kristen Stewart; best known for her role as 'Bella Swan' in the 'Twilight' series of films. It's not much of a surprise that Stewart took home the award, especially knowing how obsessive the 'Twilight' fans are. They're the type to vote until their fingers bleed. Stewart acknowledged their dedication in her acceptance speech. Whilst her performance in 'Twilight' is so-so, Stewart's upcoming release (the biopic 'The Runaways') promises to show us the versatility of the young actress. Early reviews hint of good things to come from her role as punk-rocker Joan Jett. I, for one, will wait until the film gets its UK release (the film gets its American release on the 19th of March 2010) to pass comment on whether she is a deserving winner of the prestigious 'Rising Star' award.

The BAFTA for 'Animated Film' went to Disney Pixar's 'Up', whilst the 'Film Not in the English Language' award crossed the Channel thanks to 'Un Prophete' ('A Prophet'), a French crime-drama following an Arabic man as he enters the French prison system.

The award for 'Leading Actor' was a fiercely fought-out contest between Jeff Bridges ('Crazy Heart'), Jeremy Renner ('The Hurt Locker'), Colin Firth ('A Single Man'), George Clooney ('Up in the Air') and Andy Serkis ('Sex & Drugs & Rock n' Roll'). The BAFTA went to Colin Firth. With nominations for the SAG (Screen Actors Guild) Award for 'Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role' and the Academy Award for 'Best Actor', it's not too surprising that he left with the award. Whilst fellow nominee, George Clooney, has also been nominated extensively for this award season, I think it comes back to BAFTA favouring the Brits when it comes to top honours.

The 'Leading Actress' catagory was also a fierce competition with some truly outstanding performances honoured with nominations this year. Eventual winner Carey Mulligan ('An Education') was up against Audrey Tautou ('Coco Avant Chanel'), Saoirse Ronan ('The Lovely Bones'), Meryl Streep ('Julie & Julia') and Gabourey Sidibe ('Precious') for the BAFTA. Whilst Mulligan was honoured at the BAFTA ceremony, it's unlikely she'll triumph at the Academy Awards, as Sandra Bullock ('The Blind Side') and Meryl Streep are both the hot favourites, especially as Bullock has already taken the People's Choice Award for 'Favourite Movie Actress' and also the Critic's Choice Award, which was jointly awarded to Streep.

The big winner of the night was 'The Hurt Locker', which took away the David Lean Award for 'Best Director' and (the ultimate prize) the BAFTA for 'Best Film', along with the previously mentioned 'Original Screenplay' award. Director Kathryn Bigelow was clearly moved when she accepted her award, and talked with an emotion-choked voice about the importance of supporting our troops in the Middle East. The film is now a firm favourite to win big at the Academy Awards which will be held on March 7th, 2010.

You can see the BBC coverage of the BAFTAs on the BBC iPlayer at;

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00r39rw/The_British_Academy_Film_Awards_2010_21_02_2010/

A red-carpet feature is also available on the iPlayer.

For all-things red-carpet, you'd be hard pushed to beat the E! 'Live from the Red Carpet' programme, which is being re-run everyday for the next week on Sky channel 151 and Virgin Media channel 156.

The official BAFTA website has a plethora of videos from the evening, including some exclusive interviews. These can be found at;

http://www.bafta.org/

Finally, all nominees and winners that are available on DVD (and Blu Ray, if that's your thing) are available with up to 70% off and with free postage from play.com;

http://www.play.com/HOME/HOME/6-/Campaign.html?campaign=8541&cid=3931750&dpr=0

'The Princess and the Frog' (2009)

Title: The Princess and the Frog

Rating: U

Released: 2009

Director: Ron Clements, John Musker

Starring: Anika Noni Rose, Bruno Campos, Keith David, Michael-Leon Wooley, Jim Cummings, Jenifer Lewis, John Goodman, Oprah Winfrey, Jennifer Cody, Peter Bartlett, Terrence Howard.

Our Verdict: *** 3 Stars

In a line: Disney go back to 2D animation in this toe-tapping fairytale that's as much for adults as children.

Background: 'The Princess and the Frog' is the 49th animated feature film from the Walt Disney Animation studios; the first being 'Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs' which was released way back in 1937. It's the first Disney film to be animated in the traditional 2D 'hand-drawn' style since their 2004 release, 'Home on the Range'. There are two further Disney 2D animated features due for release in the next two years. 'The Princess and the Frog' is described as loosely based on the E.D Barker novel 'The Frog Princess' (2002), which in turn is inspired by the traditional Grimm Brother's 'The Frog Prince'. The film features songs and a score composed by Disney-favourite, Randy Newman, and has been nominated for three Academy Awards including two for best original song and a third for best animated feature. Aside from the Academy Award nominations, the film has also received a Golden Globe nomination, 4 Critics Choice Awards nominations and 5 Annie Awards nominations. The film is notable for featuring the first Disney African-American princess.

Synopsis: The film has been described as a 'Broadway-style' musical and is set in New Orleans during the 1910s (the beginning of the film shows a man reading a newspaper with the headline 'Wilson comes to power', placing the film in 1913). The Prince of Maldonia visits New Orleans' French Quarter to sample the jazz-based lifestyle, but misguided dealings with the voodoo magician Dr. Facilier leads him to being turned into a frog. The Prince (as a frog) persuades a New Orleans native, Tiana, to kiss him in order to break the spell, but things go awry when the spell is not broken and Tiana is turned into a frog herself. Together they journey through the Bayou in search of Mama Odie (a practitioner of good voodoo) to find a way of breaking the spell and returning to human form, meeting along the way a trumpet-playing alligator and an eccentric but romantic Cajun firefly.

Review: It only takes two minutes of the film for you to know 100% that you're sitting down to watch a new Disney classic; references to making a wish and magic are literally in the opening sentences. The whimsical feeling of magic and wonder is established immediately and maintained throughout. For me, the film conjured a strong sense of nostalgia, it was just like being 7-years-old again and watching the original Disney animated feature films.

But in truth, this film is very far removed from the previous Disney productions. It is by far the most visually complex 2D film from their studios, with the most incredibly lavish use of colours to capture the vibrance of the buzzing French Quarter of New Orleans. The animation benefits from decades of previous experience at the studios and it really is perfectly slick and faultless. Scenes have more movement than previous 2D Disney productions, which could be described as relatively static. The film is somewhat of a visual chocolate box; full of goodies and some pleasant surprises.

Whilst in recent years we have come to see other animation studios producing family/children's films that are aimed at adults too, with jokes that would go over the heads of children, Disney classics have always been aimed more at the younger generation. 'The Princess and the Frog' is an exception to this, with many witty one-liners and jokes aimed purely at the adult contingency of the audience. Owing to the sniggers and grunts of laughter coming from the rows behind me, I can safely say the adults present were suitably amused with the film.

The film has a strong sense of spirituality, with a segment of the plot revolving around voodoo superstitions and practices. This coupled with the use of sinister shadows (or 'friends from the Other Side') gave the film a dark edge that I felt was surprising given the U rating.

The obligatory Disney-awww-factor was ever present, particularly thanks to the Cajun firefly. Naturally, the protagonist (Tiana) sees her dreams come true and bags her handsome prince, but the ending - although predictable - is one that brings a smile to your face. That's really what the whole film does. Yes, it's a Disney and therefore that means a feature that's more sickly sweet than a bag of candy floss but that doesn't detract from how enjoyable the film is. I found it impossible to sit there without a huge smile on my face.

Although it isn't as adult-aimed as some recent animations (namely 'Shrek' and 'Cars') and may appeal to children slightly more, it's still a very good way of spending 97 minutes. The vibrant, lavish and colourful scenes were a delight to watch, and the plotline was excellent. The score and original songs were a perfect fit; Newman has really excelled himself this time. For a cheese-fest with romantic undertones and some cracking one-liners, you can't beat a good bit of Disney, and this is certainly a good bit of Disney; probably the best (2D) animated feature to come out their studios in two decades or more.

'Invictus' (2009)

Title: Invictus

Rating: 12A

Released: 2009

Director: Clint Eastwood

Starring: Morgan Freeman, Matt Damon

Our Verdict: *** 3 Stars

In a line: Heartwarming and inspirational tale of the underdog overcoming adversity for all

Background:

'Invictus' is based on the 2008 book 'Playing the Enemy: Nelson Mandela and the Game That Changed a Nation' by the English journalist and author, John Carlin. The film's title is a reference to the poem 'Invictus' by William Ernest Henley, which was a favourite of Nelson Mandela during his time incarcerated on Robben Island. The film rights were sold by author Carlin to Morgan Freeman, who went on to portray South African President Nelson Mandela in the film. Both Freeman and co-star Matt Damon (who played South African rugby captain, François Pienaar) have been nominated for an Academy Award for their performance. In addition to the two Oscar nods, the film has been honoured with nominations at a variety of award ceremonies.

The film follows the real-life events surrounding the 1995 Rugby World Cup, particularly focusing on Mandela and Pienaar.

Synopsis: The film opens on one of the most important days in South African history; February 11th 1990, the day Nelson Mandela (portrayed by Morgan Freeman) was released from prison on Robben Island. Racial conflict is shown from the first minute of the film and as a viewer, one feels uneasy seeing the affluent, white rugby players as they train across the street from the black footballers, playing on the edge of one of Cape Town's slums (established following the Apartheid). The action moves forward to 1994, when Mandela is elected as President of South Africa. At this point he realises that whilst white South Africans cheer for the national rugby team (the Springboks), those in the black minority who follow the sport (note: most black South Africans favoured football over rugby) cheer for anyone who is pitted against them. Mandela himself seriously opposed the Springboks during his time in prison. He realises that through sport he may be able to unite the divided country he has been given the task of presiding over. Through collaboration with the Springbok's captain, François Pienaar (played by Matt Damon), Mandela is able to reinvigorate the public support for the rugby team in time for the 1995 Rugby World Cup. We see the Springbok's journey from an underprepared and failing team, to the winners of the World Cup.

Review: Most people I've discussed this film with have had the same preconception; you must need to be a rugby fan to appreciate it. Surprisingly, that really isn't the case. The film is a fantastic tale of the triumph of the underdog (as South Africa defeated the 2:1 favourites, New Zealand to win the Rugby World Cup), and any film about Mandela is bound to be inspirational; which 'Invictus' certainly is. It's also a good account of the recent history of South Africa, and the start of the process to unite the country following years of racial segregation. I was disappointed to be the only woman in the screening, whilst it may not be a chick-flick, there really isn't anything in the film that should put women off.

The film oozes the feel-good-factor, particularly when Matt Damon and his rugby player cohorts take part in a PR campaign that involves teaching rugby to underprivileged black children. Another noteworthy scene has to be the meeting between Mandela and Pienaar (over afternoon tea) in which Mandela infers that he wants the Springboks to win the 1995 Rugby World Cup, despite an ongoing period of under-performance.

My main gripe with the film (oddly enough) is the distinct lack of rugby in it. Female friends refused to see the film with me because it's being marketed as a film about sport, but the number of scenes actually showing footage of rugby games is very minimal. There isn't even a great deal of talk about sport. It's closer to being a Mandela biopic than a film about the South African rugby team. The rugby is merely a device used by Mandela to bring unification. As such, women or those less fond of sport shouldn't be put off seeing this film. Those interested in history, politics and current affairs are likely to find something in the film that they enjoy, and there's even a sprinkling of amusing one-liners to keep everyone entertained.

Unfortunately, the weakest point of the film was any action shots featured. Scenes depicting rugby matches were unsteady, as if attempting to capture the frantic nature of a match, but failing miserably and instead giving a confused and slightly motion-sick feeling. Eastwood knows how to set up an emotional and dramatically tense scene, but falls short when it comes to anything fast-paced.

Kudos has to go to director Clint Eastwood's son Kyle, who provided the music for the film. The score featured a rousing collection of songs with both English and African influences and vocal work that complimented the piece perfectly.

Morgan's performance as Mandela is nothing short of amazing. I even did a double-take when old news footage used at the beginning of the film was mixed with footage of Morgan; he really did look that much like the South African leader. But his portrayal is excellent for more than just a physical resemblance. His mannerisms are spot on, and everything down to the most intricate detail is really perfect. I sincerely hope that Morgan receives the 'Best Actor' Academy Award. Damon is also very impressive in his role as the South African rugby team captain. It is, however, difficult to escape the fact that Damon stands at 5'10", very much below the height of not only Pienaar but the entire Springbok team. Aside from this, his performance is excellent and his scenes with Freeman are particularly joyful to watch.

Overall, the film was an entertaining and thought-provoking piece, with a potentially dry plotline carried along by excellent acting. Fans of biopics will be especially enamoured with the film, whilst sport fans may be left wanting more. I think it deserves it's 3 star rating on the strength of the performances given by Freeman and Damon, but I would like to have seen more rugby scenes, and certainly better executed than those featured. Worth watching but not the rugby-lovers dream I was led to believe.

'It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.'

'Invictus' - William Ernest Henley