Chef

Jon Favreau's latest is a feel good film about food and family. Favreau directed and wrote the film, and also stars as the lead, Carl Casper. The film opens as Carl and his fellow chefs, Martin (John Leguizamo) and Tony (Bobby Cannavale) are preparing for a visit from the city's most famous food critic, Ramsey Michel (Oliver Platt). We soon learn that things at home aren't great for Casper, he is divorced from wife Inez (Sofía Vergara), and is struggling to have a good relationship with his son Percy (Emjay Anthony). 

Although the film focuses on Casper's ability as a chef, with beautiful close up shots of some very delicious looking food, it's main focus is family. Whether it's close, or extended, Casper learns that in order to find true happiness, he must let go of all the things he once thought to be the key to his happiness. The cinematography is warm and welcoming.  While the film isn't perfect, nor will it be the blockbuster of the summer, this film just makes you feel good. It makes you happy and pretty hungry too. The cast did a great job and there are cameos from another Favreau film, Iron Man, with Scarlett Johansson and Robert Downey Jr.

I enjoyed Chef, it isn't my favourite film of the year, but it made me happy, and I think that's what it's all about.

Captain America: The Winter Soldier

Marvel's latest offering, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, is the second instalment in the Captain America series. The story follows Steve Rogers aka Captain America (Chris Evans) in modern day America, as the now-thawed super soldier continues to get to grips with the modern world, as well as working for S.H.I.E.L.D alongside Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) and Natasha Romanoff aka Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson).

Fans of the previous Marvel films certainly won't be disappointed by this film. It is a little more serious than the likes of the Iron Man or Thor franchises, and it does lack the sass and quick dry wit of characters like Tony Stark or Loki, however it won't leave you feeling bored for a second. There are some laugh out loud moments, and a pretty decent twist as well, which I shan't spoil for anyone although I'm sure it's already all over the internet!

It's a fast-paced action adventure, the sort of film that gets you out of your head for a couple of hours and doesn't leave you with any questions at the end. Sometimes, that's just what you need!

Under The Skin

Jonathan Glazer's latest film, Under The Skin, is a sci-fi film unlike any I've ever seen. Dark and disturbing, the film follows Scarlett Johansson, who plays an alien in human form, as she drives the streets of Glasgow and the Scottish highlands in a white transit van in pursuit of men.

The film is certainly mysterious, and I imagine I could explain everything that happened and I feel you would still know nothing. Truly it is a visual masterpiece though, that can't be denied. There are beautiful landscape shots, actuality footage on the streets of Glasgow, and shots of the black, strange, eerie place that Johannson lures her unknowing victims. Some of the scenes are incredibly distressing to say the least (note the scene on the beach, which is just some of the most uncomfortable viewing I may have ever witnessed). The unearthly score by Mica Levi certainly adds to this overall creepiness, and sometimes it is definitely more of a horror than a sci-fi.

I think what's interesting is to see how Johansson's character develops, she isn't human, but the more time she spends around them the more human she seems, to see how the emotionless creature at the beginning of the film, who has no qualms stealing the clothes from a dead girl for herself, to the very much human creature at the end who feels true fear.  Maybe this is one of the messages in the film, in some way, about the qualities required to truly be human? I am only taking a stab in the dark though because really, I am none the wiser about what Under The Skin is trying to say.
            Now, I've thought about it for a while and I still am unsure of the films deeper meanings, I've read other reviews to try clarify it for me, but the only conclusion I can come to is that I think it's not a film that can be fully understood after one viewing. Maybe it can never really be understood. I wouldn't let that put you off though, if you like to be challenged with cinema, if you like films that truly do get under your skin, then this is a must.

Review - Her

Spike Jonze's latest offering, in it's very simplest form, is a story of love and loss, but if there's one thing Her certainly isn't, it's simple.

The film is set in the not too distant future, Joaquin Phoenix plays Theodore Twombly, a writer for BeautifulHandwrittenLetters.com. Theodore's world, as is everyone's in this age, is entirely technology dominated. Although Theodore spends much of the beginning of the film fanaticising about his ex-wife Catherine (Rooney Mara) he is alone most of the time. Even his friend Amy (Amy Adams) doesn't see him very often, and his other human interaction is limited. It is around this time we meet the most up to date operating systems OS1. OS1 is a Siri-esque operating system that learns, adapts, has intuition and grows emotionally. Theodore's selected OS is Samantha (Scarlett Johansson) and from here on out, Theodore's feelings find him blurring the lines between what's really real and what isn't.

At first Samantha is simply helpful, but as she grows and becomes more aware, so does her relationship with Theodore and once romantic acts begin to be played out, everything feels very unnerving. Even as you see Theodore with other humans, he's never as at ease with them as he is with his OS. There are so many layers to the film, so many things it could be saying, possibly a commentary on people's relationships with technology, or people's relationships with each other. Essays could easily be written about the messages in Her.

Purely on face value though, it is a beautiful film. Soft lighting, gorgeous colours, great camera angles, but it's not a film to really be taken on face value alone. It is certainly thought provoking, a film that will cause differences of opinion and that is by no means a bad thing. I think personally, what was so unsettling, is that out if every A.I film I've seen, Her is certainly the most realistic, and that idea of what society could potentially become is quite scary! 

It is definitely not a film for everyone but it's definitely a great film to go and see, I do highly recommend it.