Chronicle (2012)

If you had super powers, super powers power that let you move things with your mind, fly as high as the sky and pick things up twice your weight, what would you do with it?

New comer to the film industry, director Josh Trank raises this question in his first film, Chronicle, an action, sci-fi, packed drama. Three teenagers at high school gain these powers after making a mysterious discovery that changes the path of their lives momentarily. School favourite Steve, played by Michael B. Jordan (Hit US TV show, Friday Night Lights) friends with looser Andrew, Dane DeHaan and his more popular cousin Matt, Alex Russell and causes havoc amongst the city with practical jokes, but it isn’t long until their friendship is tested when power gets to their head and a darker side from one of the friends is embraced.

The jaw dropping film is filmed entirely from Andrew’s camera point of view. He films his life and the antics he and his friends get up to, for example playing practical jokes in the grocery store and so the camera shots we see revolve around what he and his friends are filming when they use their powers, So some of the shots we see are first person, much like the ones shown in Cloverfield.  But this is not like Cloverfield in the sense that mot all of the film is shot in first person, but it takes that perspective as once the camera can be controlled by the characters minds, they are able to keep the camera in the air, and this is when filming in the traditional way with panning and tilting camera shots filmed as normal, for example when the three of them are flying in the sky. Filming in this way gives the film a slow start but in the context it is filmed and along with the films humour and seriousness, it adds to the plot and builds the storyline, without this kind of filming, it wouldn’t work as it has become part of the story.

With amazing special effects, you will be left convinced that this is believable. The use of chroma key technology by using green screen is shown remarkably well throughout, during scenes where access is not possible to location sites, like that of Tibet to flying through the air. Alongside this are the kick ass physical effects such as explosions that give you the action that you are paying to see.  

Story wise, without the way it is captured on camera, it would have been shockingly bad and wouldn’t be the same. Viewers would just be left with a sense of de je vu, as some of the themes shown towards the end such as darkness and betrayal are identical to that of Star Wars. In fact if you have seen Star Wars you will instantly be reminded of the relationship between Anakin Skywalker and Obi One. This being said, you mustn’t be put down in watching the film. The storyline of the film is fantastic. It has humour shown in the characters rebel personality portrayed by their practical jokes, and in contrast seriousness is made known with themes such as domestic abuse and rage.

If you want something different to the regular sci-fi action dramas, then Chronicle is definitely worth adding to the list of films to watch. The special effects and camera work is perfectly executed throughout and with contrasting themes shown next to it throughout the story, I give this film a high topping, 9/10.

MEME sum up

Film Trailer:

A Monster In Paris

There are not many animated films out this New Year so far. In fact the only one out at the moment is a French film, redubbed for the UK, ‘A Monster in Paris’. So how does the only animated film so far look and set the target in the cinemas?

Director Bibo Beregon (Shark Tale, Flushed Away, The Bee Movie) sets his latest film in Paris, 1910, during the ‘Great Flood, where Emile, voiced by Jay Harington plays a shy movie projectionist alongside Raoul, Adam Goldberg, a vivid inventor who finds themselves on the hunt for a mysterious creature terrorizing the city. But with the city’s ruthless striving police chief Préfet Maynott Danny Huston on the hunt for glory,  their opinions are changed when they join forces with Lucile, the big star of the City Vanessa Paradis, and a well mannered monkey in an attempt to save the monster, their latest friend.

There are certain aspects of this film that make it a stand out to Beregon’s past films. In The Bee Movie, a theme shown is on the present and how it is essential that we look after our environment, but his latest film focuses on the past during a historical event and to keep hopes high and not judging the character of someone. Throughout the film, the city is seen as desolate, using bleak shades of colour such as black and grey that would definitely impress the likes of Tim Burton. The dull colours certainly represents how run down the city was during the disaster. In contrast, the choice of colour shown in the characters are represented with many bright colours, for example Emile in bright green and police chief Maynott in yellow. As well as this the viewer gets to see that the citizens are keeping morale high by viewing regular films and shows as seen in the film.  This being said, the message and themes is the only aspect that represent the film positively.

Because the film isn’t originally English, it drags on with jokes that aren’t funny. The audience didn’t show much of a good reaction and for this to happen in an animation where most of the viewers are children, this isn’t a good thing.  The poor humour slows the pace down and the film doesn’t pick up until the very end where the action is shown. Furthermore for a film which shows the historic event of a flood, there isn’t much water shown, as there is only a few seconds of it represented when they are stranded in the flood. This could be because water is the hardest thing to animate, but that being said Beregon managed to do this fine in Flushed Away.

Compared to one of Beregon’s previous films, A Sharks Tale, which features big names such as Angelina Jolie, Will Smith, Jack Black, Rene Zellweger, Scorsese, and De Niro the cast isn’t great either. The lack of cast and big talent that isn’t shown in this animation compared with Shark Tales, brings this film down, as well as the songs that aren’t as catchy compared to the hit ‘See you at the car wash’.

This animated film shows little effort in trying to be successful through its bad script letting it down. A child in primary school could do much better. For this reason I give it a small 4 out of 10.  The failed film doesn’t set much of a target for other animations this year to follow, but with the likes of Madagascar 3 to come out later this year, at least then animated films can hopefully be redeemed.

MEME sum up

Film Trailer: