Spy (2015) Review

"I look like someone's homophobic Aunt!"

Oh the delightfully delirious world of comedy spy films. Taking the unassuming and often grossly incompetent spy and putting them straight in the line of enemy fire is a formula that has been re-used time and again, so it comes as no surprise that notable funny woman Melissa McCarthy should be headlining a film of this nature.

Aptly entitled Spy, McCarthy assumes her form as Susan Cooper, a socially awkward desk-bound CIA agent who spends her time dreaming of bigger things, and about her suave team-mate Agent Bradley Fine (Jude Law). Cooper’s chance eventually arrives when the trail of a suitcase nuclear bomb goes cold and the names of company agents are leaked. With no one left to go into the field to track down the bomb and spy on De Luca (Nargis Fakhri), Susan steps up to the plate.  Granted, this sounds like a painstakingly awful and repetitive premise for a movie and you’d be forgiven for thinking this would be destined to wind up in a bargain bin in the not-too-near future. But you’d be pleasantly surprised and undoubtedly wrong. Spy subverts traditional conventions and expectations, with McCarthy’s Cooper more than capable of handling herself in extreme situations (possibly a little too well), providing audiences with laugh after laugh through her impeccable comedic timing and delivery. It’s a definite step up from Tammy and shows audiences what she can really do when she’s in her element; a true testament to her talent.

Spy sees McCarthy find herself several unlikely comedy partners, in the form of Rose Byrne, Miranda Hart and Jason Statham. Byrne portrays rich villainess Rayna Boyanov, and the two have unlikely on-screen chemistry, dishing out hilarity at an alarming rate considering the diversity in their characters. Hart and McCarthy as Susan and Nancy are the ingenious odd-couple who ooze comedy and it’s a wonder no one has thought of pairing the two up before. Similarly, Statham is the perfect embodiment of a spy spoof, it’s safe to say you’ll never look at Statham in an action film the same way after you hear his ridiculous one-liners and arrogant speeches that bend the laws of physics and logic.

Director Paul Feig proves that he is on top of his game in this unashamedly bold and entertaining take on classic espionage films, which utilizes its ensemble cast to full effect. Despite starting off slow at the beginning and taking a few good minutes to fully get going, Spy delivers a competent story that is so intertwined with riotous action and side-splitting humour you may forget to stop laughing well after the credits have rolled. 

This review has also been published online on Concrete, go give it some love! 
http://www.concrete-online.co.uk/review-spy/ 

Years & Years - Shine [+ Review]

It's Paranormal Activity 5 Years & Years' new music video (scroll down to watch) for 'Shine'! The English trio have produced another catchy tune (seriously, this album is shaping up to be a real hit when it is released on the 10th July) with a killer melody that figuratively shines. From the glittering electronic beats to Alexander's smooth vocal delivery, 'Shine' is a real gem. Considering previous Years & Years tracks have had more of an instant command of audiences, this new song grows on you over time, as you appreciate the different lyrical verses and the clever construction. 

Undeniably suitable for summer, it's not hard to imagine the connection to summertime sunshine that will be made considering the lyrical content, but it is much more than just an easy-to-listen-to track, with notable lyrics that have multiple meanings: 'It's shaking the sky/ and I'm following the lightning/ I'll recover if you keep me alive/ don't leave me behind'. As always, Years & Years are on hand to pair up their new track with an equally bizarre (but intriguing) music video, and they seem to have taken inspiration from a few paranormal films, where the trio are plagued by mysterious forces and seemingly recover with the help of a mysterious light source (of course!). 

Visually, it's very indie but the production is very slick and the use of coloured light in the video adds to the strong visual effects; it's chaotic, but aesthetically pleasing at the same time. 'Shine' is a solid follow-up to smash-hit 'King' and will provide much buzz for the trio's upcoming album release, whilst satisfying their fans' desire for new material. 

Rita Ora - Poison (Official Video) [+ Review]

It's been over a year since her last solo single, but Rita Ora is back with new track 'Poison' and an artistic music video (scroll down to watch) to go with it. The song is the lead single from her next upcoming studio album (which has yet to be named) and was written by Julia Michaels and Kate Nash. 'Poison' focuses around a toxic relationship, displayed in the music video, where Ora is seen to change her appearance to fit in with a particular photographer's ideal. Straying from her original roots and the man she was with (who appears to be her friend/lover) she adopts a new path as a quirky model for a (incredibly creepy) blonde-haired photographer. 

By the end of the video, however, it seems that neither man was right for Rita as she burns down several of her photographs and runs away, adopting a new style and path that is more fitting for herself. The music video can be taken as highly metaphoric in many ways for the toxic nature of the music industry, as well as actual relationships, and it's reassuring to see the singer try a different style of music video that has a bit more meaning behind it. 

Having not been particularly amazed by Ora's previous works (she seems to be a singer known for guest starring on other popular singer's tracks as opposed to having an actual notable songs of her own), 'Poison' could be the break the singer has been looking for to establish herself as a credible solo artist. While the singer does suffer from unfortunately looking like other singers (a cross between Rihanna and Gaga in this particular one) it is obvious she is trying to carve out her own niche and style, and is getting there. It is a shame in some ways that Ora has a rather good song but is not recognisable enough as a solo artist for it to make enough of a big impact on the industry, although we hope this is not the case. 

'Poison' has all the components you could want in a good pop song: steady beat, resounding chorus and killer hook ("I pick my poison and it's you/ nothing could kill me like you do/ you're going straight to my head/ and I'm heading straight for the edge"). With a catchy and memorable song, and an interesting music video to draw in viewers, this is a strong addition from the British singer. 

Pitch Perfect 2 (2015) Review

"You are one of us, you paid the registration fee."

Sequels have often had a bad rep for being poor imitations of the originals, with 22 Jump Street truly capitalizing on this common perception by being ridiculously self-mocking, so it is no surprise that some are quick to condemn the struggling sequel. You either have the incredibly drawn-out and pointless additions that add nothing to the series (looking at you The Hangover) or the rare gem that is the well-constructed sequel; particularly hard to find in today’s movie climate. When you combine musicals and sequels you have another thing entirely. Enter stage left: Pitch Perfect 2.

Aca-arriving in full force, the new feature directed, produced and starring Elizabeth Banks sees the Bellas suffer an unfortunate embarrassment at President Obama’s birthday, where Patricia, more commonly known as ‘Fat Amy’ (Rebel Wilson) exposes herself to the crowd while performing an aerial routine. Left humiliated, the team are forced into signing up for the World Championships in order to regain their former glory, led by the eager Chloe (Brittany Snow). Beca (Anna Kendrick) also begins interning at a local recording studio. There are a number of new faces along for the adventure, such as the leaders of ‘Das Sound Machine’, Pieter Kramer (Flula Borg) and Kommissar (Birgitte Sorensen), a rival German group also competing for the title. Miss True Grit herself, Hailee Steinfeld also makes an appearance as Emily Junk, an aspiring songwriter and Bella Legacy.

Character development seems to have been a major focus in this film, with Beca’s career aspirations being fully explored with the world of record producing, Chloe’s unwillingness to graduate is questioned and ‘Fat Amy’ has an intriguing new romance. Kendrick and Wilson have some tender friendship moments, with both ladies bringing the humour for this female-solidarity film. Showing off her vocal range is Steinfeld in her role as Emily, a relatively goofy but positive new recruit whose keen to plug her new song ‘Flashlight’ to the world.  Guatemalan new-comer Florencia (Chrissie Fit) is particularly impressive with her on-screen presence, delivering some commendable lines rooted in harsh reality.

The most impressive performances come from Wilson, Kendrick and new-comers Sorensen and Borg, who are electrifying as the strong-faced and strangely intriguing German Acapella group. The latter two produce some rather visually and vocally fierce covers of Muse and Imagine Dragons material that add a more feisty edge to the clean-cut acapella, and the dialogue between the two and Kendrick is thoroughly entertaining. Of course, funny commentators Gail and John are back (portrayed by Elizabeth Banks and John Michael Higgins, respectively) and their jokes are particularly on point, with Gail’s side-eyed humour combatting John’s blatant sexism.

Although the story provides excellent development for some characters, others are left in a stay of disarray, with the quirky Lilly (Hana Mae Lee) not having nearly as many laugh-out-loud moments, and after a while the joke (being that she says bizarre things quietly) wears a little thin. Similarly Stacie Conrad seems to have taken up a position at the side-lines instead of centre stage, as we see very little of Alexis Knapp’s formidable character.

Arguably, the story is more likeable and cohesive, expanding the universe of competitive Acapella into international waters, whilst featuring performances from popular singing groups Pentatonix and Penn Masala. This offers the opportunity for more intense and diverse sounds from different countries, and the film delivers some memorable numbers including its own original song ‘Flashlight’. Musical films often tread a fine line between repetitive singing and actual dialogue, but Pitch Perfect 2 manages to create a suitable balance between the two (this one’s no Les Miserables!). However, there are certain plot points that are not fully developed and could have definitely been improved, leaving the film feeling a little half-finished.

Not one to end on a sour note, the movie brings the aca-edge and though it suffers from a few missed high-notes it is a perfectly pleasant watch, that doesn’t quite possess the X-Factor but still makes for reasonably satisfying viewing. Despite it not being aca-mazing (we’ll stop now), Pitch Perfect 2 does defy the convention that sequels are never as good as the originals…just. 

Tomorrowland (2015) Review

"Everyday is the opportunity for a better tomorrow"

Theme park rides and movies were always going to be an odd combination; how can something that lasts a mere few minutes ever be translated into a big screen epic that last two hours? Disney has had some success with Pirates of the Caribbean (you know, the one where Johnny Depp plays an eccentric hobo pirate), and failures with The Haunted Mansion (whose only redeemable feature was Inspector Lynley). So amidst much trepidation, Disney’s latest futuristic feature, Tomorrowland, flies into view, but does it sky rocket to success or fall to mediocrity?

 

Casey (Britt Robertson) and Athena (Raffey Cassidy). WB

Starring George Clooney and Britt Robertson, the film centres on a former boy genius, Frank Walker (Clooney), who teams up with a bubbly Casey (Robertson), and an animatronic robot girl, Athena (Raffey Cassidy), travelling to a futuristic dimension (“Tomorrowland”) where actions have severe consequences. Hugh Laurie also stars as the leader of this strange world, David Nix. Cassidy and Robertson make an energetic impact on the movie, with the former’s dead-pan delivery being one of the most memorable moments. Robertson’s goofy but likeable persona highlights her as one to watch, combining the rebelliousness and optimism of the character perfectly.

 

David Nix (Hugh Laurie) and Frank Walker (George Clooney). WB

It seems evident that Tomorrowland is Brad Bird’s baby, a product of passion and creativity with a sense of wistful optimism that can only come from something so innocent. The message of the film is an ode to ‘dreamers’, environmentalists and simply those who refuse to be pessimistic (careful folks, it can kill you apparently!) and this certainly isn’t a bad mantra to be projecting, giving audiences an opportunity to be invigorated.

Casey (Britt Robertson) in Tomorrowland. WB

Whilst Tomorrowland is admirable and ambitious in many aspects, it is weighed down by a certain unevenness in segments where you know something is going to happen, but it simply takes too long to do so. The 2 hours 10 minutes running time is vastly overstretched and the film could be greatly condensed which would garner a stronger impact, one where the narrative doesn’t lose its way amongst the first act only to be regained moving into the second.

 

Tommorowland. WB

Despite the few missteps, the film is still strikingly thought-provoking and innovatively designed, with a beautiful sense of imagination echoed through the vast landscapes and mesmerizing architecture. Set designs seemingly straight off a Disney theme park, that are surprisingly not overly cheesy or ‘fake’, Tomorrowland sticks to its original roots and shows that adaptations can be spectacular.