Kick-Ass 2

2013, 15, Directed by Jeff Wadlow
Starring: Aaron Johnson, Chloë Grace Moretz, Christopher Mintz Plasse, Jim Carrey

Kick-Ass 2, our return to Mark Millar's universe - initially brought to cinemagoers via Matthew Vaughn's unsuspecting 2010 cult hit - starts with force and refuses to loosen its clutch until... well, until after the credits have rolled. Plot-wise, this time around Dave Lizewski (Aaron Johnson) undergoes training from Mindy Macready (Chloë Grace Moretz) so they can become a feared super-heroic crime-fighting duo around the city. But Hit Girl, now 15 and under the care of detective Marcus (Morris Chestnut) following the death of Big Daddy (Nicolas Cage, his memory looming large with assistance from a keeper of a portrait) is forced to stay in line and embrace her inner Mindy. This leads Kick-Ass into the arms of an underground super-group led by Jim Carrey's Colonel Stars and Stripes, leading masked civilians intent on making a stand to avenge the murder of loved ones. Across town, Christopher Mintz-Plasse's rich kid Chris D'Amico, who shows he can do McLovin' psycho-style, is hell bent on wiping the city of Kick-Ass.

 There’s plenty here to get lost in; whether you’re a fan of the first or completely oblivious to its controversial habits, director Jeff Wadlow manages to make something potentially obscene into an immersive viewing experience. You could call this expansive; a flurry of new characters to work into the mixer, with new costumes and names to fathom (Insect Man, Night Bitch, to name a few) - and that’s not including Plasse’s super-villain group, featuring the 7 foot monolith, Mother Russia. Many filmmakers of mainstream standard would use this as an excuse to bog down their tentpole, whilst Wadlow somehow gives each the screen time they deserve. Everybody lends their worth also, even if not quite matching Moretz’ character-of-a-lifetime Hit Girl or Carrey’s unnervingly off-kilter ‘born again Christian’ Captain.

 The action, bloody as hell and choreographed down to a tee, is shot with fervent confidence breaking down fears this film couldn’t stand on its own two feet, even if it fails to outsmart its predecessor where it believes itself to be outdoing it altogether. So we haven't got a perfect film on our hands; much of the high school hi-jinks are threatened by obscurity (save for an extended number of scenes where Mindy does her best to integrate into a clique with results best seen with your own eyes; hilarious!) And the less said about the downright bizarre Union J cameo...

 But at the end of it all, Kick-Ass 2 - for the sum of its parts - teeters on heightened violent parody that disturbingly skims realism, but contains some of the most fun moments witnessed in a cinema all summer. Much has been spoken of Jim Carrey's refusal to promote his appearance due to the film's violence in the wake of the Sandy Hook killings, but in all honesty there is nothing more extreme or played for shock than there is in the original. If anything, Kick-Ass 2 is a tad more restrained. The debate will rage on endlessly, but to be frank perhaps many should simply sit back and take the sequel as they took the original.

Kick-Ass 3 is a welcome prospect; in the words of Hit Girl, ‘game on, c**ksuckers’

3.5/5

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Kill List

2011, 18, Directed by Ben Wheatley
Starring: Neil Maskell, Harry Simpson, MyAnna Buring, Emma Fryer

If there’s one thing that you should know about Kill List, it’s that knowing as little as possible is key. What can be said is that on the surface we follow two soldiers-turned-hitmen (Neil Maskell and Harry Simpson: both fantastic) who are handed a ‘kill list’, and so embark on one last job before turning clean. On the surface. For what this inventive British shocker actually is dissolves into an extreme workshop in genre-weaving. What you think you know, you basically don’t. Here, Ben Wheatley - director of the equally manipulative Down Terrace - issues a master-class in how to trick the watchful eyes of the audience, and ultimately how to gut-punch. It goes without saying that gruesome violence abounds (you’ll never view a hammer in the same way), but for all the viewers who can’t stand the sight of gore, through paying attention to the cleverly deployed narrative, it will be hard not to be impressed. The rational manner that Wheatley depicts life for Jay and Sam, not ignoring the equally as important wife of Jay (MyAnna Buring) and random girlfriend of Sean (Emma Fryer), ensures that later events prove that bit more disturbing and uneasy to view, not to mention captivating and inspiring - much like the films this homages (to even whisper these films would give the game away). Avoid Google and watch with immediacy; Kill List should earn a placement on your must-see list.

4/5

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Oscar Nominee #5: The King's Speech

This film has been a hit in all sense of the word; at festivals, at award ceremonies, in the box office – The King’s Speech really took a small idea and moulded it into a fantastically captured story that caught the hearts of the world entire. I am 100 percent sure that Colin Firth will be this year’s Best Actor, but as for the film scooping Best Picture, it is likely - but does has worthy competition. Tom Hooper has been recognised in the Director category (for making something small so cinematic), which obviously enhances its chances. I have noticed the film receiving something of a backlash recently, especially off the back of its massive win at the BAFTAs, and this is completely unwarranted. Too little, too late? We’ll see. If you ask me though, this euphoric film and one other has the biggest chance. This year's race is a two-horse one, and this has its foot-firmly in the mixer. Not bad for a little film.

Would it have been nominated before the 10 nomination-rule?

No point wasting time here, yes it would have been. Out of all the nominees this year, this is the film with the greatest track record; and lets face it, this is now apparently the biggest favourite Oscar has ever seen. So yeah, a nomination was a dead cert.

Rating out of 5: ●●●●●

Chances out of 5: ●●●●●

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Oscar Nominee #4: The Kids Are All Right

This Sundance smash was always guaranteed Oscar recognition, what with its superb central performances from Julianne Moore, Annette Bening and Mark Ruffalo. But more that this, its audacious depiction of a lesbian couple wasn't so much brave, but necessary to make the film what it was. Again, just like The Fighter, it could be claimed that this more an Actor's film than most (especially considering Lisa Cholodenko did not receive a nomination in the Best Director category), but this could have been one hell of a dark horse had Winter's Bone not been included. As it remains, if The Kids Are All Right's inclusion simply raises awareness of this enjoyable, character-driven film, then so be it.

Would it have been nominated before the 10 nomination-rule?

This is difficult – but I would say no. This does fit into the genre of comedy more than any of the other films, and very rarely does a comedy get nominated let alone win Best Picture. However, this does have its fair share of drama, which cancels some of the comic moments out. The only winning film that springs into mind when thinking about The Kid's Are All Right is Terms of Endearment, and on retrospect that wasn't that great a win. It is an incredibly strong race this year and this film is more likely to get noticed in the acting department

Rating out of 5: ●●●●●

Chances out of 5: ●●●●●

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The King's Speech

2010, 12A, Directed by Tom Hooper

Starring: Colin Firth, Geoffrey Rush, Helena Bonham Carter, Guy Pearce

Colin Firth in 'The King's Speech'

On the surface, one may suspect Tom Hooper’s The King’s Speech to be another in a long line of royal dramas, in which we learn about yet another slice of history we maybe did not need to know. I urge you, however to look deep beneath the surface, for although our characters here are royalty, I doubt they have ever been so hugely humanised before. This is largely in part due to the plot, in which Bertie– the Duke of York and son of King George V - struggles with the pressure of being next in line after his anarchic brother Edward (a sneering Guy Pearce) due to a hindering stammer that prevents him from even being able to read his daughters a bedtime story. A nation wracked with fear of an oncoming war need a King to look to, and one with a voice. The eventual King George VI is played to utter perfection by Colin Firth who really has never been better and is residing at the top of his game. We feel every stutter, every hesitance and every frustration Bertie emanates that by the film’s climactic Speech of the title, we are invested. It is to as much credit that that can be thrown Firth’s way that the lines – when agonisingly delivered – perfectly pinpoint the targeted emotion; you will frown, bawl and howl. The support is just as magnificent: ever-reliable Helena Bonham Carter as Bertie’s reassuring wife (and future Queen Mother) provides a comforting presence, but it is Geoffrey Rush as speech therapist Lionel Logue that will become the film’s unsung hero. From the moment we first see him emerge from the loo to meet an unlikely customer, to the closing shot, we have no reason to ever doubt him. Logue is a good man, an honest man – a bloody hilarious man(he wants his shilling!). Then there’s the direction; you will be shocked how cinematic Hooper has managed to make this. Inspired shots fill the screen (a montage sequence of Logue’s workshop with Bertie, in which he uses a wall cleverly to replace cuts), and the King’s actual Speech is about as tense as Rocky’s final boxing match - if not, more. It is these real characters brought to life by glowing performances that will evolve The King’s Speech into a film for the ages.

As for Firth, he is most certainly next in line for the Academy Awards acting throne.

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