THOR (2011 - Cert 12A)

I can’t decide whether I’m excited about this whole Marvel Avengers thing. Yes I know it’s going to be epic, and the accumulation of lots of hard work and other films introducing us to all the heroes building up to this moment. Granted Marvel seem to have got their house in order with Iron Man 1 and 2 after the low point of Hulk (not to mention things like Daredevil). In fact, even Marvel and the producers involved have disregarded the existence of Edward Norton’s Hulk by casting Mark Ruffallo as the not so jolly Green Giant in the big ensemble piece. Despite all of this, I can’t help but feel that it’s all a little too late. Superhero films have been around a long time, there have been good ones, bad ones but in recent years they have become more and more fashionable, therefore the gang of Avengers are entering a very saturated market. Also, the genre has evolved and grown into one that is interested in being seen as smart and clever and wants to explore intelligent issues. The phenomenal success of The Dark Knight and it’s predecessor Batman Begins has really changed the game. Even Bryan Singer’s Superman Returns with it’s lukewarm box office impact wanted to get inside what it meant to be a hero and whether we need one, Sam Raimi’s Spiderman trilogy was fascinated with the pressure of being seen as a savior and how it affects someone, Watchmen last year was an attempt, all be it not terribly well-executed, to translate the most grown up and heralded superhero story of them all. This trend is all set to continue with the imminent arrival of X-Men: First Class where we see the early relationship develop between Magneto and Xavier set against the back drop of the Cuban Missile Crisis.  The two Iron Man films were fun and entertaining but they weren’t exactly thematic or interested in being anything much more than Friday night popcorn fodder. How is this approach going to fare in conjunction with this supposed demand for ‘thinking man’ superheroes?

And so we reach Thor, the next introduction piece in the Avengers universe. As you might expect from a film about a God with a massive hammer it’s not exactly grounded in realism. From the moment the film starts up it’s clear that this isn’t a Nolan-esque origins story, but if you invest into the spirit of it all it easily ranks alongside the first (and better) Iron Man, and arguably even exceeds it.

Asgard, the realm where Thor is from, is beautifully realized, if a little overly CGI’d. Towering and architecturally stunning structures loom over an idealistic plain that reminded me of Naboo from The Phantom Menace but benefiting from the advancement in technology that ten years gives. The rainbow bridge that leads to the gateway to the other realms is visually impressive, standing out and becoming an instantly memorable image to add to the fantastical cinema archives. The inhabitants of Asgard are all big beards and stupid haircuts, dressed up to the nines in colourful armour and massive boots.  In fact, if I were writing a Time Out guide for Asgard, the best way to sum it up would be to explain that as I lay in bed after watching Thor, I couldn’t shake thoughts of Flash Gordon. Camp, colourful, over the top, tongue firmly in cheek and all in all a bit daft. It does all work rather well though, the contrast between the arid desert plains of Earth and the lavishly coloured fantasy other-world from where out hero hails gives the film an extra edge. 

This isn’t an advert for a long and dirty weekend in a Godly realm though, it’s a story of how Thor became the hero that would soon get the call-up for The Avengers. Thor, played by Chris Hemsworth (formerly of Home and Away I am told), seemingly genitcally built to play a massive Scandinavian hulk of muscle with a beard, is about to become King of his realm, the crown being passed to him by his father Odin (Anthony Hopkins having the time of his life hamming it up like you wouldn’t believe and looking like Arnie in armour that must be padded with the muscle of several horses). Only just as he’s about to become king, he gets a bit cocky and arrogant and reignites an age old war with the Ice Giants (yes, you really must enter in to the spirit of it all). Odin, understandably is a bit irritated by this threat to peace and outcasts his son down to Earth to live as a mortal until he learns his lesson.

We then follow Thor the mortal, as he gets picked up in the desert by Natalie Portman’s scientist Jane Foster, and her pals Stellan Skarsgard and Kat Dennings. His new friends help him as he tries to get his powers back and save Earth from destruction, as the hands of his brother Loki (Tom Hiddleston adding to the Flash Gordon vibe with a sprinkling of Zod from Superman 2). Standard superhero fare. Although with a nice touch of humour. The main laughs from the film come from Thor’s usually acceptable godly arrogance not quite fitting with rural American custom. The ‘California Man’ approach. Hemsworth does it all well enough and through this managed to quickly win me over, as Thor’s arrogance at the outset is far from endearing. Although this could be jealousy because he looks very impressive without his top on. 

Portman though looks a little lost, or perhaps just wasted (I don’t mean drunk of course). Her role is pretty irritating, but saved from the fact that we know it’s Portman

That said, that really is my only gripe with the film. It’s great fun, the action is superbly done although you don't ever really think Thor isn't going to be victorious (I suppose it's the problem with a superhero film where you have a God involved, which is likely to continue when you look at how nigh-on invincible the other Avengers are - how does one get around that?), the comedy fits nicely, it’s all handled very well by Kenneth Branagh, who I wouldn’t have thought was the most obvious choice for this project, but hats off to the man. It’s tone is pitch perfect, standing comfortably alongside the Iron Man films making this build up to The Avengers feel like a proper series. I don’t want to tempt fate but it does appear that they are doing a very decent job at building nicely towards that 2012 release.  Going back to how I kicked off this review, it has increased my excitement levels for the big one, not to boiling point but it’s simmering nicely. It’s not done anything to address concerns with the light-hearted tone of this run of films though…..

Next up Captain America. What have you got for us skipper?

NICK AND NORAH'S INFINITE PLAYLIST (2008 - Cert 12A)

After my girlfriend and I finished watching this film I turned to her and said 'I really, really enjoyed that'. To which she taunted me with 'Ha ha, you like a Rom-com'.

I refuted her allegation immediately, denying that it was actually a rom-com. 'Of course it is', she responded. 'It was about two people falling for each other and it made you laugh'. She had me there. Of course it was a rom-com. If you break that title down, Rom = romantic and Com = comedy, it couldn't be anything else. The question I asked myself was, why did I protest so much? Rom-Com has become a term that is immediately sneered at, to some people it isn't even a genre, it's simply a derogatory way to describe a film. I admit I'm not the biggest fan of the field but all Rom-coms, even the one's starring Jennifer Aniston (ie all of them), do contain romance and do attempt to make audiences laugh, but why do so many fail on both counts, while Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist charmed the pants off me?



When I read the blurb I was convinced it was going to irritate me. It was about two youngsters, their friends and one night out in the Indie-world of New York as they try to track down the venue of a secret gig that their favourite band is playing. Basically all the things that annoy me about the cool part of East London (please note that this is all jealousy, I wish I was cool. But I am not. Simple as that). However the film didn't try to play up to that knowing, self-indulgent Indie vibe that is taking so many cities by storm. It recognises it, at times embraces it but at others takes the mick out of it. Not in a spoof way, not a broad way, not even in a nasty way, just like shy friendly banter.

The other thing that caused bad preconceptions was the casting of Michael Cera as Nick. I liked him in Juno, I liked him in Superbad, but by the time Scott Pilgrim came around, I was convinced that he had started to irritate me and he was on the way down. How could he keep getting away with being the same person in all his films? After this film though, I was back in Camp Cera. He doesn't do anything differently, he is still the shy, geeky, self-deprecating teen muttering funny musings quietly, but it goes back to being endearing, not annoying. My brief stint of dissatisfaction with Cera should now probably be attributed to one of the many failings of Scott Pilgrim rather than anything else.

What good is Cera if the other half of the romance is rubbish though? e Kat Dennings, who you may recognise as the teenage daughter from The 40 Year Old Virgin, is on love interest duty here. Like Cera, I really liked her performance. She had the difficult job of having to be likeable enough to make Nick (and us) fancy her a bit but also down to earth and plain enough to make her attainable. The ultimate girl next door. She manages it though, she's never irritating and makes a fully-dimensional character that keeps proceedings more than interesting.

So, the first thing you need to make a rom-com exactly that, a comedy with romance, is a central couple that the viewer likes and empathises with. The second thing that is important is the supporting cast. Its hard to have an entire film hinging completely on two people, so those supplementing the action are important. In this film we have his friends, her friends and their respective ex's. His friends are his gay mates who make up his band (The Jerk Offs) played by Aaron Yoo and Rafi Gavron. Both are funny, and have a bit of fun with being gay but don't ram any stereotypes down your throat. Her friend is played by Ari Gaynor and is a drunk who gets lost midway through the night. Her scenes contain the broadest comedy, ie puking, but the film just about gets away with it, by making the puking quite charming (honestly, it does). The ex's Alexis Dziena and Jay Baruchel are nasty and annoying enough respectively to mean we all root for their downfall.

So, a couple at the centre of it who we like, a host of supporting players to make sure everything ticks along and stays interesting. Its not enough though to guarantee that the romance and the comedy stay afloat. We need to leave the cinema or remove the DVD with a warm and fuzzy feeling, our emotions need to echo those of the leads.

Nick and Norah really pulls it off though. I think the key ingredient is the innocence that the film has. The characters are all young, but they don't seem to be too desperate to grow up and get stuck into proper relationships. The love on show here is unspoilt and naive. The closing scene in a recording studio sums the film up perfectly, essentially a sex scene, but without the sex and without seeing anything whatsoever. It's done beautifully and stays consistent to the theme of music (the film has a smashing soundtrack) that runs throughout. It's a scene that finishes with the same socially awkward shyness that is always there with both Nick and Norah and one that resulted in me choking back tears.

So the romance is there but is the comedy? Yes it is, and resoundingly so. The writing and dialogue is funny and sharp, the scrapes they all get into are funny but don't feel too forced, there is enough 'gross out' and physical humour to keep our inner kids happy. It's all there and done in a sufficiently touching way to be consistent with the tone of the film.

We've all watched rom-coms over the years, so I challenge you to think back, really rack your brains and try to think of one that contains all the elements. Two leads who you immediately like, who you empathise with, a relationship that you believe in, smaller parts that don't grate and annoy, plot twists that don't feel contrived and there for the sake of it, but most of all a heart.

Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist is a film that perfectly sums up the teenage crush. It might not always go according to plan, but despite that it seems like the most important thing in the world and you're convinced that nothing will ever damage it. And for that moment it is both pure and perfect.

A snapshot of youth.