American Sniper: A Movie Review

Genre: Action/Drama
Running: 132 mins
Directed: Clint Eastwood
Starring: Bradley Cooper, Elise Robertson & Goat-Winston

American Sniper is the story of Chris Kyle; a prolific killing machine with 160 kills on record. Renowned as "The Legend" on the grounds of war, Bradley Cooper portrays Chris as someone with much emotion, mental torture and aftermath being an interesting (and surprising) direction in Clint Eastwood's film, despite Kyle's autobiography being "slightly" different in his hunt for American glory. However was this film worthy of its recent Oscar nod?

Spread out over four tours to and back from the war in Iraq, the movie begins by capturing the pinpoint accuracy of Chris Kyle with an intimate scene involving a deer-hunt and a lesson of life's values and harsh realities with his father. With ambitions of being a cowboy looking less likely, the attack on September 11 motivates Chris to play a part in the war against Saddam Hussein's divided Iraq. There we see the build of one man's innocence to the guilty pleasure of killing his proposed enemy. Despite his deadly occupation Chris struggles to balance both his marriage and his desire to stay on the grounds of war.

Director Clint Eastwood captures action and storytelling in a wonderful way but one has to question the source material which is either false or misused for sheer entertainment; so much so that American Sniper may have accidentally wound up in blockbuster territory. This is a cliched story of one mans ego born out of legendary stories both on (and off) the grounds of war with a gruesome battle of who snipes best as Chris sets his scope on "The Butcher" and his troupe. The Butcher is the enemy introduced to add a novel twist to this trail blazer. The Butcher is a horrid man who drills out the eyes of his victims. This is a surprising story that, despite all of what is happening in the Iraq war, a hero versus enemy backdrop is not so backdrop and overshadows the initial story of the navy SEALS and war. Chris Kyle's battle with another sniper through-out this movie proves shamefully entertaining and one can only imagine this to be fantasy in regards to the official story. Other scenes are wonderfully made up too. One such is made for the propaganda enthusiast; Chris Kyle watches on as the second plane hit the twin towers in a scene fictionally crafted to give off a heroic impression of Kyle. We know this event was so tragic it sent shock-waves through-out the globe, but justice looks destined to be served by an emotional Chris Kyle however the movie cuts to him fighting in Americas's war against Iraq? Wasn't  9/11 orchestrated by Osama Bin Laden and not Saddam Hussein? The movie fails to tell us our leading protagonist has wound up in the wrong place.

Based on the book "American Sniper: The Autobiography of the Most Lethal Sniper in U.S. Military History" by Chris Kyle himself, this movie adaption is a a slight reflection of Kyle's pro-war diary, E.G. the citizens of Iraq are branded "savages" in the movie also. So because this is "Chris Kyle's story" the movie struggles to find a balance, while Clint Eastwood's pro-American perspective is evident throughout (9/11 being one unnecessary ruling in the movies plot).

From a neutral standpoint audiences will applaud the cinematography which is mashed up of beautifully shot landscapes of war, the nitty-gritty tight-squeezed housing of Iraq which gives off a claustrophobic feel of being in battle with Chris Kyle as he picks his enemy off one by one, and the explosive final showdown which is breathtaking all the same. Bradley Cooper on the other hand gives a memorable performance but far from his best; a sense of reality is lacking in Cooper's portrayal and is often saved by his wife Debbie who is played by Elise Robertson. Elise brings this story of consequence and death to a more humane state of mind with a wonderful performance and really grabs this movie by the scruff of the neck whenever she appears on screen.

This is an entertaining movie that is fictionally suited to create a hero in Cooper's Chris Kyle which is true to some extent. Critics claimed a lot of what Kyle has admitted to be pure false, therefore it is difficult to ignore that when watching American Sniper so best see the movie before you read the book. American Sniper sat next to movies such as "The Theory of Everything", "Selma", "Boyhood" and "The Grand Budapest Hotel" at this years Oscars.  Because this movie is running on "fact" based on one mans story it never stood a chance really. However American Sniper is indeed a fine action flick at best with a story so extraordinary on paper that Mr Eastwood ran with the superhero blockbuster effect, transforming Kyle's pattern of kills and emotions into an onscreen plot that should be taken with a pinch of salt.

Captain America: The Winter Soldier

Genre: Action/Adventure

Directed: Anthony Russo and Joe Russo

Starring: Chris Evans, Anthony Mackie, Scarlett Johansson, Samuel Jackson & Robert Redford

Running: 136 minutes

Man vs Movie has reported on the Marvel allegiance takeover in dull fashion over the years. Frankly, I am sick to death of it. The success of Iron Man (2008) and Avengers: Assemble in (2012) is well deserved. However Disney have all but forced us to eat a particular dinner that looked delicious in the oven but turned out to be too cold, mushy and tasteless i.e. the boring tale of Thor and The Dark World (2013), Ironman 2 (2010) followed by the divided opinion of Ironman 3 last year. Man vs. Movie can officially confirm that Ironman 3 was pure garbage! We could ramble on about Spiderman but that's for another day. The latest from Marvel studio is yet another sequel that tries to prove to superhero fans that the spawn of the Avengers success was not a once off enjoyment. As you may have already guessed, I did not like Captain America: The First Avenger (2011). I questioned myself but I would be lying if I told you there were sleepless nights. I came to the conclusion that maybe I just don't like Captain Steve Rogers as a whole? Well, since the release of winter soldier, Marvel fans (and me) have united to celebrate what is one of the most surprising movies of 2014 (so far) and the best marvel movie since the Avengers? (Yes that is a question).

Captain Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) is now celebrated as the hero and ageless World War II veteran Captain America who is fitted to a new suit and assigned to American duty; protect, serve and like the fantastic opening scene on heavy waters, infiltrate. Captain America and SHIELD’s recruitment set the ass-kicking tone from the off as Captain America takes out armed guards on a SHIELD vessel occupied by an Algerian mercenary. The fight choreography is rough and tense as we watch what looks like an upgraded Captain flinging his deadly shield beyond all corners of the vessel.  SHIELD companion Natasha aka Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) is on her own mission of intelligence, one that leaves the Captain questioning the initial orders of Nick Fury (Samuel Jackson). It is only after the mission that the Captain is briefed by Fury as the patched dictator reveals Project Insight; three hellicarriers designed to park in the sky limit in order to eliminate any potential threat to the United States. Seeing this as a way of spreading an epidemic of fear rather than protection, Captain America's once proud perspective of the United States government is no longer. Steve Rogers struggles to adapt to modern society outside the suit. However Captain America is forced to put his politics to one side when Nick Fury is attacked by unknown assailants with the name “Winter Soldier “being linked to a potential destruction of SHIELD. 

Captain American and Black Widow seek to retain intelligence data that could reveal far more loose ends than they could have ever imagined. Creative villain Winter Soldier is the poison to Captain America's chalice making this sequel far more interesting in terms of depth; a story of relevance yet a backdrop of history and some much needed character development. The fantastic action scenes are just one reason this sequel pulls you in. Each character has their moment.  That "about time" moment happens for Nick Fury who gave us nothing but jibe talking jibber jabber in Marvel's “phase one” chapter.  However this time around Nick Fury advertises the very reason he is leading a bunch of kickass heroes into battle because he too can bolster some action. The lustful Black Widow is entertainingly witty and dangerous in her brutality once again, while new companion Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) aka Falcon is a humorous character of much likeness and excitement regarding the expansion of his story.

If a movie is going to be over two hours long the director would want to make sure it is well balanced. In this case, the action does outweigh the drama, and so it should; we want action, and we want it now. But, those looking for an all-out deconstruction of a country will want to stick to Man of Steel or Transformers because the portion of drama and dialog are added in what becomes a necessary environment of morals and human decisions based on terrorist acts, intelligence and the very existence of war. I think that is where winter soldier is receiving the majority of praise. It does carry relevance and depth followed by some well-choreographed scenes of brutality; an elevator brawl, a highway chase and a memorable showdown full of twists and turns. Reflecting back to my above sentence, this Marvel tale has everything involved to keep you interested.

Directors Joe and Anthony Russo go into much detail regarding the story's backdrop. The inheritance of the old “factual history” trick has worked really well on this occasion and fortunately suits the origins of Captain America and the villainous antagonist. Previous director Joe Johnston did something similar in its Nazi-mystic element featuring the red skull but it was two hours too long. The action became boring and the story was careless, while we never truly rooted for Steve Rogers and his transformation. The Winter Soldier does well in building on an already existing chapter and overdeveloping the story of “what was” in its brief flashbacks of the first movie. So in a way this sequel has the first movie to thank in regards to the diagnoses of each character, developing Chris Evans into a Captain America we engage with and ultimately root for – something that proved hard to do in its predecessor. It brings satisfaction in relation to the extent of where Captain America, as a comic-book superhero is going and will inevitably become.

We will see a third movie but not before a much anticipated Avengers sequel. Then we will see a return of the hammer wielding Thor and maybe a Mark Ruffalo Hulk revamp. By the time a third movie comes out fans would have made up their mind on where the hell Marvel is going to take all of this. Nevertheless, The Winter Soldier has done what Thor and Ironman failed to do – create an exciting level of anticipation regarding a trilogy. 

Under the Skin

Genre: Horror/Thriller
Directed: Jonathan Glazer 
Starring: Scarlett Johansson 
Running: 108 minutes

As silly as it may sound, Jonathan Glazer's take on modern alien-ism is so realistic it is truly frightening. A horror movie it is not, a sci-fi is questionable also; let's just say Under the Skin is a bag of everything, including drama and sentiment from a female alien seeking humanity in oneself. Giving very little away in its advertisement, judging by its James Cameron style poster, the opening scene is one of true remembrance, even if there is very little to show. Jonathan Glazer makes an alien assumption and what we are about to follow through-out this 100 minute slideshow of fascinating images.

A machine is seen slowly making its way toward what we eventually make out to be a human like eyeball, constructing our female protagonist to be (Scarlett Johansson). From there we witness a compelling concept of the hunter and the hunted through an aliens-eye-view. Prowling the wet streets of Scotland with a motive that is never fully explained, Laura is on the look out for vulnerable men with no direction other than the dark depths of what appears to be a concept of alien abduction. The murky human world is what captivates this movie to its full realism as hidden cameras are used to show the mundane streets featuring pedestrians at their typical. A transit van supplied by a mysterious biker is used to distract Laura from her manifestation; unrecognisable beneath her 80s retro hairstyle, Laura routinely distracts men at their most isolated, inviting them back to her abandoned house where they will meet their demise, revealing the most fascinating image and the "horror" of the movie. However Under the Skin feels purposely divided into a movie of two very different chapters, one that reveals sentiment in Laura with a dramatic outlook on what happens when the tables are turned on our leading star. It goes on to focus on a clever concept, one of much relevance in today's society. For me, Jonathan Glazer kills the darkish mood of its first 45 minutes to give us a sense of humanity and sympathy but again going back to what the movie offered at the beginning, making for a fantastic intro, a strange and not too comfortable middle and a brilliant ending.

Scarlett Johansson does very little here, yet it is the performance of her career no doubt. As strange as that may sound, that is exactly it; her cold and calculated expressions, her movement and her overall commitment to a film revealing more nudity than we would have expected, she is dedicated to her robust character from the get-go. Scarlett showcases a method side to her acting that the blockbusters of the past have not aloud her to do. Her robotic persona is scary and seductive making Under the skin spine tingling at times, yet heartfelt for both herself and her victims - she leads the line in fantastic fashion in this very rare one-women-show.

The chilling soundtrack helps set the atmospheric tone this movie thrives off from the beginning. Scarlett's on screen presence creates something so unnerving, you could cut the cinematic atmosphere with a blunt knife. The oblivious folks appearing in the backdrop of midnight Scotland gives this movie a sense of realism, with its stalker concept being of much relevance. Jonathan Glazer sheds some light on just how the average male can be vulnerable in the dead of the night; one scene shows just how far Laura will go to lure a victim to a misty grave.

Those looking to enjoy a movie of dialog will be very disappointed. Under the skin is an artistic outlook of hunter seeking its prey using a plethora of images; featuring deserted highways, wet and windy pavements and grizzly houses, while the sci-fi also comes into play in Laura's lair. Unfortunately the same concept is used toward the middle of the movie and the end, substituting gritty streets for the country woods and more. I for one found the images fascinating and self-explanatory.

Very little can be said in regards to how the movie plays out, and some people may be disappointed in that sense. It is probably the most realistic take on alien-ism I have seen in modern film so far. However so realistic that it may prove boring for some, and virtually unexplained. I for one tend to keep an open mind, therefore enjoying this visionary bag of mixed treats from Jonathan Glazer.