Couples Retreat

Just the trailer for Couples Retreat will have many people running for cover. The last time Vince Vaughan and Jon Favreau were in a film together was the below average Four Christmases, and the mirth free trailer for Couples Retreat won’t have any non believers converting and rushing for tickets. The film itself centres around four couples who fly to a tropical island resort for a holiday, which instead turns out to be a couples therapy holiday as opposed to Jet Ski’s and cocktails. Do hilarious consequences ensue? Not really, but with Vaughan and Favreau as co-writers there are a few laughs smattered around the place. The biggest problem is that none of the characters, or their relationships, is believable in the slightest. Therefore we need gags to plug these emotional holes, and these gags are few and far between. One other problem is that the producers must have spent quite a bit on securing a relatively decent Hollywood cast as they appear to have no money left for location shots or decent studio sets. Some of the wonky sets make Roger Moore’s The Saint look like cutting edge CGI. Throw in the hackneyed finale and you're left with a film that doesn’t look funny on paper and isn’t much better on celluloid.

The OC Film Sting Final Verdict
To be fair this could have been a lot worse, but this still feels like a 20 minute episode of a sitcom stretched to two, mostly unfunny, hours. Rating: 3/10.

9

First of all, the little sack dolls of Shane Acker’s 9 were designed well before Little Big Planet’s Sackboy. In fact they first appeared in 2005, in the directors short film of the same name from which 9 has been expanded. The story begins with doll number 9 waking up to discover a world bereft of humans, but full of nasty looking machines. He then embarks on an adventure that involves meeting various other numbered sack dolls and their battle to avoid being attacked by the robotic beasts. A post apocalyptical world in which computers have destroyed mankind is hardly an original background, but Acker’s film makes up for this with some superb animation, including an outstanding sequence where a number of the dolls are attacked by a pterodactyl like creature. Speaking of this scene it’s no surprise this film has picked up a 12A certificate in the UK as there are a number of scenes that would give children nightmares for weeks (hardly surprisingly when you consider that Tim Burton and Timur Bekmambetov are the producers). In addition, despite being made of burlap, Acker does succeed in making us engage emotionally with the protagonists. This is crucial, especially towards the end of the film where the storyline becomes seriously stretched and somewhat confusing. Overall, this is much like one of its sack dolls. Good to look at, but a little frayed around the edges.

The OC Film Sting Final Verdict
Not much originality, but some stunning animated scenes, coupled with a bit of heart, make for a breezy and enjoyable 80 minutes. Rating: 7/10.

Saw VI

This’ll be a quick and simple review. If you’re not a fan of the series then you certainly wouldn’t have made it through to this, the sixth instalment. If you are a fan of the series, then you are not going to want any spoilers. The first Saw still stands alone as an ingenious thriller with a bit of gore, which, in hindsight, due to the carnage of the rest of the franchise, seems almost tame now. Saw II was passable for a sequel with a decent twist at the end. Saw VI, continues on in very much the same vain as the previous three films. More traps (you'll need a strong stomach for the opening scene), more outrageous plot lines (holes!) and a smart twist at the end. It really does feel like we’re seen it all before now though, and the twist for Saw VI, though you don’t see it coming, is the weakest of the series so far. One of the taglines for the film was “The game comes full circle”. With Saw’s VII and VIII having already been given the green light, you might suggest the producers have put said circle in their beloved reverse Venus Fly/Head trap.

The OC Film Sting Final Verdict
It’s been trying its best, but “the game” really does seem to be up now. Rating: 4/10

An Education

Lone Schefrig’s An Education won the best cinematography award at Sundance and you can see why. The film is gorgeously shot, helped by a keen eye for 1960’s period detail. It also contains strong performances from all involved. Based on a memoir by British journalist Lynn Barber, and co-written by Nick Hornby, the story is billed as a coming of age tale concerning 16 year old school girl Jenny (Carey Mulligan) and her relationship with David (Peter Sarsgaard), an older man. The film begins with the uniformed Jenny waiting in the rain for a bus outside her school. David pulls up in his car and sweet talks her into giving her a lift home. Who is this David? Is it her brother? A friend? Her father, even? Nope, he’s an older man picking up a schoolgirl in a car. From this uneasy beginning things don’t improve, with the fact that the characters in the story seem to think this is totally normal behaviour and there are only a few quips made about Jenny’s “older man”. Whether this may have been socially acceptable in the 1960’s is a moot point, as for the modern viewer this type of behaviour raises an eyebrow and leaves you squirming in your seat somewhat. David is eventually shown to be the slime ball that he is, but the tone of the film never feels right. One scene in particular, where Jenny partially undresses for David, is very uncomfortable indeed. As mentioned above, the acting across the board is excellent, with Carey Mulligan giving a great turn as the ever more confused Jenny. However, this isn’t enough for you to dismiss the white elephant on the screen that never seems to be fully addressed.

The OC Film Sting Final Verdict
Superbly acted, but the whole thing feels far too sordid to really be an enjoyable watch. Rating: 4/10.

Fantastic Mr Fox

For his latest, Fantastic Mr Fox, Wes Anderson turns in a stop motion tale loosely based on the Roald Dahl novel. Anderson's’ films certainly divide opinion, and this will be no different. The first problem arises from the fact that whilst Dahl’s novels could be enjoyed by young and old minds alike, Anderson’s film, despite appearances, will certainly not appeal to children. They may enjoy a few cute characters, but the humour is too dry and the film too talky for nippers to sit through for 90 minutes. So, can the adults indulge? If you like Anderson's’ previous work you’ll certainly enjoy the dialogue and quirkiness. In addition, despite some excellent recent CGI animations, the stop motion technique feels fresh and deserves praise. On the downside, the majority of characters are voiced by major Hollywood players, including many of Anderson’s usual stable. This is too distracting for a movie of this kind (though a cameo by Jarvis Cocker does provide the movies best gag). In addition, despite a few nifty scenes, the film becomes too dialogue heavy at times and the pace starts to drag. Overall, like a lot of Anderson's work, there are a number of great moments, but they are too few and far between to enthral the majority.

The OC Film Sting Final Verdict
This will be too odd for some tastes, but it does have its charms. Add an extra mark to the rating if you’re an Anderson fan. Rating: 5/10.

Up

At first glance this looks like a hard sell. The story of a 78 year old man who attaches thousands of balloons to his house and flies it to South America. Now replace the word “the” from the previous sentence with the word “Pixar’s” and things suddenly seem more promising. In fact, Pixar’s golden touch on nearly everything they do could even help out some of Alan Partridge’s crazy pitches. Pixar’s Monkey Tennis, anyone? Having said that, at times Up is so out there you wouldn’t be surprised to actually see some monkeys playing said game. Up was the first animated film to be chosen to open Cannes and it delivers in every aspect. Pixar’s MO has always been to match storyline with sightline, and the visual treats on display here are complimented by a touching and poignant screenplay. You really invest with the characters whether it’s a cantankerous elderly gent, an 8 year old boy, a talking dog or a giant flightless bird. Along with the tugging of the heart strings, this is also hilariously funny. One liners and visual gags come think and fast (the mannerisms of the giant bird (christened Kevin) alone could carry the film in itself). Pixar has also made the wise decision of not plucking the voice cast from the Hollywood A-list. This certainly helps you relate to the protagonists more. It all leads to the usual breathless Pixar finale, this time an edge of the seat battle thousands of feet up in the sky. Pixar’s greatest film? That’s an argument for another time. One thing you can be sure of though, this is greatness.

The OC Film Sting Final Verdict
Pixar triumph again with this perfect balance of drama and humour for adults and kids alike. Rating: 9/10.

The Invention Of Lying

After a reasonable attempt at being a leading man in Ghost Town, Ricky Gervais returns in a further dramedy, this one concerning the tale of Mark Bellison (Gervais), a man who lives in a world where people only tell the truth, only for Bellison to invent lying. This sounds a lot better than it is. The start of the film is very slow, with Bellison being abused via “truthful” comments regarding his looks, job, etc. This type of humour is Gervais’s calling card and in his other shows it’s been successful. Here, however, it falls very flat indeed and the film never really recovers. After Bellison “invents” lying the film gets very messy and confused, with the focus more on drama and a God like analogy. What the message of the film is is anyone’s guess. Throw in some badly misplaced cameos by Gervais’s friends, and some of the worst product placement seen since Casino Royale, you have a film which can be described using any number of negative adjectives, and which ever one you use to describe this film, you certainly wouldn’t be lying.

The OC Film Sting Final Verdict
Gervais’s touch deserts him here in quite a spectacular way. Roll on Cemetery Junction. Rating: 2/10.