Side Effects

And so it seems that Steven Soderbergh is disillusioned with Hollywood and the film making process and is taking a sabbatical/retirement. Let's hope it's a sabbatical and he gets his mojo back, after all he gave us amongst others 'Erin Brokovich', The 'Ocean's' franchise, 'Sex Lies and Videotape', 'Traffic', 'Magic Mike' and the underestimated and ridiculously sexy 'Out of Sight'. If it's a retirement, we're losing a really wonderful and inspired director and for that we who love movies should all feel a great loss. For his grande finale, he has chosen to direct a little gem of a thriller, Side Effects. Jude Law plays Dr Jon Banks a psychiatrist who treats a suicidally depressed woman named Emily Taylor (Rooney Mara) whose husband Martin (Channing Tatum) has just been released from prison after four years for insider trading. Dr Banks is up to his sea green/aqua blue eyeballs in work and takes on a paid role to trial a new anti-depressant ablixa which Emily eventually ends up taking after the incompatibility of other anti-depressants. After a shocking turn of events, Jon finds himself under the magnifying glass and turns to Emily's former psychiatrist Dr Victoria Siebert (a frail looking Catherine Zeta-Jones) for some answers. Emily ends up in court and Jon's ethics are questioned when an incident involving a former female patient is uncovered. Nothing however is quite as it seems and as he digs deeper, Dr Banks uncovers a dark world which threatens to ruin his career and his marriage. Jude Law is very convincing in his portrayal of an initially relaxed professional at the top of his game who slowly unravels as events take over. He is a somewhat overlooked actor, dismissed as a 'pretty boy' but he's very accomplished and without vanity, not a hint of botox or indeed weave in sight, which makes him all the more attractive and I haven't seen a man look as good in a cardi since Daniel Craig in 'Girl with the Dragon Tattoo', something about English men and woollens evidently...Rooney Mara is also good as the isolated and confused Emily, she's not a million miles away from her role as Lisbeth in the aforementioned movie, but she shows promise, though appears much younger than her character's age of 28. It's refreshing to see the likeable Tatum as something more than beefcake, again, he has a promising career ahead if he sticks to these meatier (pun intended) roles that he seems to be able to cope with. Whilst we're on the subject of Channing, is it just me or does he have a face that is most unusual? It's also a delight to see Catherine Zeta-Jones back on form as the spiky secretive Dr Seiber, though her make up artist would do well to steer clear of the darker lipsticks and Malificent-like eyebrows, we're not in the nineties now and it's quite distracting. It was a thrilling surprise to be transported to a rip roaring thriller, which I thoroughly enjoyed. This wouldn't be a review without a few little gripes though would it? I felt that all of the guilt was unrealistically shifted on Dr Banks, I really don't think, in fact I know that in real life this wouldn't have happened. The series of events wasn't his fault, and his partners turned on him quicker than you can say psychoanalysis. Also, in some nicely played scenes, his marriage is depicted as happy, he's a thoughtful and kind husband and stepfather, a little too hard working and distracted but better that than a jobless loser. I do think Jude Law has, for want of a better analogy mellowed like a fine wine, a very fine wine so I may be biased. Call me old fashioned but when you are lucky, oh so lucky enough to marry a handsome, kind, funny and smart man that fancies the pants off you and loves your son, don't you own him the benefit of the doubt rather than pissing off at the first sign of trouble? If I'd been him, I would have thought twice about whether I would want a faithless wife back after that, maybe pick myself a nice single nurse who shares the same curious phenomenon as he of a right pointed ear to dote on or something..... The message of the film, if there is one seems to be the compulsion that the modern world has on fixing things, the relentless pursuit of happiness which leads to so many anti-depressants being plied onto the masses. Also that if a colleague/partner/loved one messes up or is in trouble, finger point, leave them to flounder and look after yourself without a backward glance, which a jaded cynic may say seems to sum up the twenty first century. Anyway apart from these small issues, it's a great film, exciting and fun with some Hitchcockian twists and turns. It seems that they do make them like they used to, or they did before Mr Soderbergh retired/sabatted. SIDE EFFECTS: The Law of Attraction 7/10

Hugo

Well, The Academy and I agree on something. Hugo is a phenomenal film. Lovingly directed by Sir Martin of Scorsese, it's the story of Clockmaker Hugo (Asa Butterfield), an orphan who lives in the train station in the city of light, Paris. Before his father (Jude Law) dies, he finds an automaton in the museum he works in and brings it home for he andHugo to repair. After his father's death, Hugo focuses on repairing his precious gift as its the last link to his dad. In the station lives a crusty old toy maker, George (Sir Ben Kingsley) who is tormented by Hugo as he tries to prevent him from pinching various toy parts. George is Godfather to Isabelle (Chloe Grace Moretz, with an IMPECCABLE British accent), and she befriends Hugo. When Hugo discovers that Isabelle is wearing the heart shaped key that he's been looking for to make his automaton work, it sets a chain of events off that will change everyone in the station's life....forever. The images of Paris are so magical and haunting, it's as If they've been sprinkled with dairy dust. Forget Disney, it turns out Scorsese is in fact Tinkerbell as well as Taxidriver. The acting is superb. Asa Butterfield does a terrific job, his huge blue eyes and dark mop of hair are enchanting. There are lots of familiar faces and they all do a wonderful job of bringing love to the screen. Sascha Baron Cohen is the Station Master and for once, I do not detest his screen persona, which is a pleasant first for me. For,this is a true love story, to the craft of filmmaking and a gentler time that is lost forever. If I was to have one little criticism, it is tht whilst the child actors are great, at times, as there is so much dialogue between them, it is a little stilted at times. As if they're waiting for the next one to speak. That is a little nitpick in this sweeping fable of love, loss and finding the truth about yourself and the people in your life. HUGO: The love in this film writes itself, and is the key to the heart of this great movie. 8/10.

Sherlock Holmes A Game of Shadows

Newman and Redford, Astaire and Rogers, Laurel and Hardy and now Downey Jr and Law to add to the list. These guys have such a brilliant on screen chemistry, it is a joy to watch. The plot of A Game of Shadows is pretty complicated, Watson (Jude Law) is getting married, Moriarty (Jared Harris) has reared his ugly head and done away with Holmes' only love Irene Adler (Rachel McAdam) and a gypsy named Sim (Noomi Rapace) is looking for her brother. It is up to Holmes (Robert Downey Jr) and his genius mind to crack the case with the help of his not that reluctant partner Dr Watson and an array of Victorian ne'er do wells. Guy Richie has hit the jackpot with this franchise. I love the Sherlock Holmes books, but he injects a life and vitality that is in the books, but not most of the screen portrayals. The effects and cinematography are sublime. The costumes, superb and the sets give a real feel of what it might have been like in those grimy times. Downey Jr's eccentric Holmes, mumbling, jealous, insightful and highly intelligent is a sexually charged tour de force. In one fantastic scene we see Holmes against the clock with Don Giovanni playing simultaneously, Mozart and Downey Jr, have I died and gone gone to heaven? Jude Law's Watson is smart, witty, kind and charming a perfect compliment to Holmes and so much better than the bumbling side kick so often portrayed. The support is good, although Noomi Rapace on paper seems perfectly cast as the willful gypsy Sim, the girl with the dragon tattoo seems to have lost her fire disappointingly. The fight scenes are brilliantly executed as before and there aren't too many of them. This film doesn't take itself too seriously at all and there are loads of laughs. Sherlock Holmes should be taken for what I think it is meant to be, rip roaring, sexy, smart and dynamic, now who could ask more from their blockbuster? Sherlock Holmes A Game of Shadows: The appeal is elementary 8/10.