Whereas director David Mackenzie's Starred Up came to life with a claustrophobic tension and screenwriter Taylor Sheridan's Sicario tiptoed from room to room in body-armour, their new collaboration Hell Or High Water sort of saunters across the screen with a swagger that might be a cocky laziness, but is more likely to be concealing the revolver it has tucked away under its plaid shirt…
Shortly after their mother's death, brothers Toby and Tanner Howard (Chris Pine and Ben Foster) plot to rob a chain of banks across Texas, launder the money in Native American casinos and use it to pay off their debts to that same bank, in order to save the family ranch from repossession. Things are going as well as can be expected until Ranger Marcus Hamilton (Jeff Bridges) picks up their scent, just days away from his retirement.
Although the film almost loses a point for All Of The Mumbling™, Hell Or High Water is bloody good fun, in its own bleak way. And while Pine and Foster barely pass for brothers (despite the script seeming to think the opposite), they work far better together than I'd expected. Bridges errs just on the edge of good; it's not that he's doing anything new with the grizzled-old-dog character, more that his performance fits perfectly with the aesthetic of the film. New Mexico serves as the dusty, sun-bleached stand-in for small town Texas and you can almost feel the grit in your teeth.
Not a film to shy away from violence when it's needed, the screen-deaths (which are fewer than you'd imagine, given the plot) are unceremonious, often grimly anti-climactic. And despite what several characters (from all sides, apparently) have to say about the banking industry, the audience is in no doubt that Toby and Tanner are not the heroes here. You find yourself willing them to succeed nonetheless, but only to make the best of a bad situation. This is an unassuming, if thoroughly un-quiet, film which deserves a larger audience than it'll probably get.
The luxuriant moustaches, wheel-spun dustclouds, morose Country soundtrack and sheer volume of beers cracked open make Hell Or High Water feel like the evil twin of My Name Is Earl.
Probably not, but only because of the quality of the back-catalogue.
Probably not.
There isn't.
No boot-shot, either.
What the hell, guys?
Level 2: This movie stars Dale Dickey, who put in a brief appearance in Iron Man 3, as did Jon 'Pre Vizsla' Favreau.
DISCLAIMERS:
• ^^^ That's dry, British humour, and most likely sarcasm or facetiousness.
• Yen's blog contains harsh language and even harsher notions of propriety. Reader discretion is advised.
• This is a personal blog. The views and opinions expressed here represent my own thoughts (at the time of writing) and not those of the people, institutions or organisations that I may or may not be related with unless stated explicitly.
Minions (3D)
Cert: U / 91 mins / Dir. Pierre Coffin & Kyle Balda / Trailer
I'll admit I was initially skeptical at the thought of the Minions Movie. As entertaining as I found Despicable Me 2, it just didn't have the heart of its predecessor, and a further spinoff smelled a little too much like cashing-in to me. There's only so many times you can return to the well, even in family-entertainment (especially in family-entertainment).
But I'm very pleased to say I underestimated Universal thoroughly, and while Minions still doesn't pack the emotional punch of the first movie, it more than bridges that gap with its comedy. 91 minutes of glorious silliness had the auditorium tittering, giggling and guffawing constantly (and we went to the latest available showing, so it was 95% adults). Rather than go the route of slapstick for the kids and edgier asides for their parents, Minions just goes full-tilt on making everyone laugh at the same sight-gags and goofiness throughout. The BBFC's U-rating description of Suitable For All has never been more appropriate.
The animation, sound and score are all as outstanding as you've come to expect with tent-pole releases such as this (because it's animation, the 3D is worth a gander as well), and for the most part, the voice-work is equally seamless. The only thing which pulled me out slightly was Sandra Bullock as super-villainess Scarlet Overkill; partly because as much energy as she brings to the role, I don't think she's quite right for it, and partly because her character feels unfinished anyway. But the main attraction here is co-director Pierre Coffin as the voice of Kevin, Stuart and Bob (King Bob), the minions themselves, bringing the lion's share of the laughs as they blunder from one scene to the next.
And because we're in prequel-territory, the film wouldn't be complete without a sizeable nod to the super-villain we're familiar with; I shall say no more. Oh, and yes, stay until the very end of the credits.
Sure, it's a kids' film. But if even a misanthrope like me can enjoy sitting in a packed cinema with everyone laughing around him, there's something in there for everyone.
You owe it to yourself to go and see Minions.
It is.
If you have younglings, this will be a buy-er anyway, but there's so much detail in there you're going to end up re-watching it yourself just to pick up all the Easter-eggs.
In terms of the animation team; it's up there with their finest. In terms of the voice-cast? It's good, but probably not quite their best.
Absolutely; more than.
I just might.
Inexplicably, no. Well I didn't catch it, anyway. Then again, I spent most of the film chortling, so…
Minions features the voice of Michael Keaton, who of course played the eponymous role in Tim Burton's 1989 Batman outing; a film which starred William Hootkins (Jek Porkins from A New Hope), Mac McDonald (an uncredited Rebel pilot in The Empire Strikes Back, and Billy Dee Williams himself (Lando Calrissian from Empire and Return of the Jedi).
BANG.
DISCLAIMERS:
• ^^^ That's dry, British humour, and most likely sarcasm or facetiousness.
• Yen's blog contains harsh language and even harsher notions of propriety. Reader discretion is advised.
• This is a personal blog. The views and opinions expressed here represent my own thoughts (at the time of writing) and not those of the people, institutions or organisations that I may or may not be related with unless stated explicitly.
