John Carter

When you settle yourself down to watch John Carter, don't make yourself too comfortable as you're about to be catapulted into another world which may leave you catching your breath as you come to grips with the unfolding story of John Carter. In the opening scenes, we find ourselves not on Earth but where the story will take place, Mars, or known in the movie as Barsoom, where the Red Martian war between the cities of Helium and Zodanga rages.

From here we're thrown back to the 19^th century to Earth where we find our star, former military Captain John Carter (Taylor Kitsch), who has become disillusioned with everything in life with no other purpose but to seek out the rumoured gold hidden in the mountains. His search though brings him something other than riches as he finds himself transported to Barsoom and it's not long before John finds himself the center of attention to the planet's inhabitants and captures the hope of Princess Dejah Thoris (Lynn Collins) as Helium's savior as well as her own.

John Carter, which is based on Edgar Rice Burrough's Barsoom book series, is comparable to Star Wars in the sense of its creative uniqueness but it fails to match the same high standards on screen. You feel you are playing catch up from the start as names are being thrown around while the action is intense which makes it hard to get your bearings for awhile. Taylor Kitsch plays John Carter well but there are occasions where you feel he comes across a little wooden when delivering his lines. His co-star, Lynn Collins, never strikes as a princess in peril and it feels like there is a lack of chemistry between the two stars and there is little opportunity for the audience to become emotionally connected with the characters.

Word is coming out that Walt Disney's big production is looking at a $200 million loss but despite it being on the verge as being labelled a very expensive flop, John Carter is what it is. It is visually spectacular and  has a highly imaginative story which is absorbing in its own right and has enjoyable moments and plenty of action scenes. The problem is that it won't leave a lasting impression and in several months it will be one of the forgotten movies of the year which it is already becoming and that is without The Dark Knight Rises and The Avengers yet hitting the big screens.

The Vow

What makes us love? It's not our heart but our memories is the conclusion 'The Vow' delivers with this love story which was inspired by true events. It is a tale which, while not as memorable and as powerful as the Notebook', still has the ability to pull at the heartstrings, trigger the tears and captivate you its romantic spell.

Set in Chicago, Paige (Rachel McAdams) and Leo (Channing Tatum) are a young married couple very much in love. Paige is an aspiring artist and Leo has put his passion for music into owning his own record company. They are a pair that seem to have everything they could ever need and want.

Their relationship is built on a foundation of happiness and trust but within a single moment, all of that is stripped away from the couple when they're involved in an accident which causes Paige to lose all her memories over the last several years, including everything to do with Leo. Suddenly Leo has a wife who doesn't know anything about her husband and finds everything about their life together strange and unfamiliar to what she used to remember.

Barely knowing herself, Paige slowly finds the urge to slip away from her life with the stranger that proclaims to be her husband and settle back into a life built on familiar memories with old friends and her family harder and harder to resist. Leo is left with no choice but to fight to keep his wife and try to make her fall in love with him all over again.

Rachel McAdams is great as Paige who struggles to come to terms with her memory loss but that shouldn't be a surprise; at a glance, she is the stronger name on the cast list and is a solid actress who consistently delivers an engaging performance in which every role she slips seamlessly into. However, her character in 'The Vow', despite the differences, still carries all the fundamental characteristics which she has portrayed before in 'The Notebook' and 'The Time Travellers Wife' so while you are engrossed by her efforts and forget that it's Rachel McAdams you are watching, you can't help but feel you've seen this woman suffer through a tragic love story before.

It's surprisingly Channing Tatum who should deservedly take the plaudits for his starring role in 'The Vow'. His portrayal as a man who once had everything he ever wanted but is now fighting to keep hold of his marriage while it continues to slip from his grasp no matter what he does is excellent. You find yourself feeling his heartache, wondering what he could do to win his wife over and praying that at some point his efforts will eventually trigger her memory and restore their love. More than just a pretty face, Channing has taken himself to a new level beyond what he reached in 'Dear John'.

All in all, 'The Vow' is a very good movie which is well-told and doesn't leave the audience feeling overwhelmed or underwhelmed and hits all the right notes.

War Horse

Friendships come in all forms and none are stronger than the relationship which develops between a man and his horse in this heart-warming and tear jerking story brought to us by Steven Spielberg in his latest Oscar candidate.

Albert Narraccot, (Jeremy Irvine), is a simple boy from Devon who strikes up a bond with a young horse who he names Joey. It is a relationship that blossoms as a delightful understanding forms between the two but the looming World War I between England and Germany descends, breaking up the pair as Joey is sold to the cavalry for war while Albert has to stay behind due to being too young. But Albert gives Joey a parting promise that they will be together once again and he will find him.

We are taken through Joey’s path in war; a story which reaches out to you as you watch him create new friendships which he is willing to put his own life on the line for, risk the cruelty of men while finding care in others and fighting to survive in conditions only a miraculous horse could do. All while Albert tries to keep the promise he made.

It is a tale wonderfully told by Steven Spielberg which engrosses you from the opening scene. Jeremy Irvine and the rest of the cast which includes Emily Watson deliver a solid, believable performance but it is all in a supporting role to the real star. It is a shame horses can’t be considered for Oscars because if they could, Brad Pitt and George Clooney would be facing stiff competition from a certain horse named Joey.

The Descendants

George Clooney delivers his best performance yet in this compelling story of a man whose world is collapsing around him.

When his wife is involved in a boating accident placing her in a coma, Matt King (Clooney) has to take on the role as ever present parent in his two dysfunctional daughters’ lives, Alexandra and Scottie, a role which he has not been used to due to being always so busy at work. Along with his domestic crises, he also has the pressure of his family’s heritage resting on his shoulders as he has to make a decision on whether they need to sell the land or not.

The audience in drawn in further to Matt’s growing turmoil when things take a turn for the worse with his wife and he is informed that she’s not going to live. He has to deliver the news to his family and friends but what he doesn’t expect is to receive news in return that his soon to be dead wife was having an affair on him.

The movie is nominated for four Oscars, including a Best Actor nod for George Clooney, and rightly so. George Clooney draws us in and lets us share in his emotional turmoil yet keeps us on the edge of sinking into a depressive state by delivering a sense of humour which is threaded throughout the telling of the story brilliantly done by director Alexander Payne who is also nominated for an Oscar for Best Director.

The Descendants is one of the best movies of 2011 and deserving of its Oscar nomination.