A MOST VIOLENT YEAR
Winter of 1981, when crime was at its highest in New York City’s history, immigrant Abel Morales (Oscar Isaac) and his family attempt to capitalize on the American Dream, while the rampant violence, decay, and corruption of the day drag them in and threaten to destroy all they have built.
This is nowhere near an original story and has an air of the 80’s gangster film feel about it, The Godfather for one sprang to mind, Isaac’s performance while being compelling and one of his best to date has an enormous similarity to Al Pacino’s Michael Corleone. A fascinating and engrossing film but just lacks any kind of pace.
See if you liked: The Godfather, Once Upon A Time in America
EX_MACHINA
When Caleb (Domhnall Gleeson), a 24 year old coder at the world’s largest internet company, wins a competition to spend a week at a retreat belonging to the company’s reclusive CEO, Nathan (Oscar Isaac) he never imagined how much his life would change. But when Caleb arrives he finds Nathan lives in the middle of nowhere and he wants him to participate in a fascinating experiment with the world’s first true artificial intelligence, housed in the body of a beautiful robot woman, Ava (Alicia Vikander). With no access to the outside world, Truths, emotions and motives are blurred as the relationship between Caleb, Ava and Nathan intensifies.
Ex-Machina is a disturbing, intelligent and gripping film which will have you glued to the screen throughout and you just can’t understand why.
For the full review click here www.flavourmag.co.uk/ex-machina/
See if you liked: Transcendence, A.I. Artificial Intelligence.
THE GAMBLER
Literature professor Jim Bennett (Mark Wahlberg) leads a secret life as a high-stakes gambler. Always a risk-taker, Bennett bets it all when he borrows from a gangster and offers his own life as collateral. Staying one step ahead, he pits his creditor against the operator of an illicit gambling ring while garnering the attention of Frank (John Goodman), a paternalistic loan shark. As his relationship with a student (Brie Larson) deepens, Bennett must risk everything for a second chance.
A remake that really doesn’t say much, for a thriller there is no real thrill’s and a lack of action this film just doesn’t really go anywhere. Wahlberg may have found one of his most interesting roles to date but with a script that is wholly overwritten, even his ability to make a film somewhat interesting just doesn’t work.
See if you liked: Two for the Money, The Hustler
MORTDECAI
Charismatic British aristocrat and part-time shady art dealer Charlie Mortdecai (Johnny Depp) suffers from a constant lack of funds to support his lush lifestyle, so when Alistair Maitland (Ewan McGregor), a college friend and officer in MI5, asks him to find a stolen Goya painting, he accepts. But Charlie’s not the only one with designs on the painting; an American heiress and a revolutionary want it too, for the artwork is rumoured to contain the code to a bank account filled with Nazi gold.
As with many of Depp’s films Mortdeci looks set to be a quirky and full of silly humour, but that along with his love of playing a British character is why we all love a bit of the Depp. Full star names such as Gwyneth Paltrow, Ewan McGregor, Jeff Goldblum, Paul Bettany and even the yummy Tom Hardy it’s worth a watch for the actors alone.
See if you liked: The Grand Budapest Hotel, The Brothers Bloom.
PICK OF THE WEEK: EX_MACHINA
