Cosmopolis
Riding across Manhattan in a stretch limo in order to get a haircut, a 28-year-old billionaire asset manager (Robert Pattinson) has his day devolve into an odyssey with a cast of characters that start to tear his world apart.
Cosmopolis was originally a novel by Don DeLillo. I was expecting big things from this David Cronenberg film, and it delivered in terms of his direction and retro styling. I did find the conversations a little high brow, and that for me detracted from enjoying it as much as I was hoping.
There are a number of surprising twists and revelations, with some realistic sex scenes, but the ending is ultimately a let down, as it leaves things hanging, rather than clearing them up, like the book.
Score: 2/5 -For me, a disappointing Cronenberg movie
Total Recall (2012)
A factory worker, Douglas Quaid (Colin Farrell), begins to suspect that he is a spy after visiting Rekall - a company that provides its clients with implanted fake memories of a life they would like to have led - goes wrong and he finds himself on the run.
A remake of the 1990 original of the same name, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, that was also originally a short story called "We Can Remember It for You Wholesale" by sci-fi writer Philip K. Dick.
In this reboot, the action doesn't head for Mars but stays on earth with two colonies in a dystopian future connected by a massive tunnel that our protagonist uses for his daily commute. When the action kicks in, there's plenty of chase sequences featuring robots rather than soldiers in an attempt to bring the age restriction down to appeal to a younger audience. There's a lot of CGI to achieve this and bring the future to life. Some good camera work by director Len Wiseman too.
And yes, the three breasted woman and face changing mask both makes returns.
3/5 - It's different enough from the original to see seen as a completely separate movie
Ted
As the result of John Bennett's (Mark Wahlberg) childhood wish, a teddy bear, Ted, came to life and has been by John's side ever since - a friendship that's tested when Lori (Mila Kunis), John's girlfriend of four years, wants more from their relationship.
It's funny but ultimately the funniest bits of the movie are all in the numerous trailers that came out before hand. I'm either getting old or Todd MacFarlane's humour is getting old. John is is essentially a selfish stoner who hangs out with his crude stuffed toy.
Ted features multiple references to 80's themes of which the film Flash Gordon features heavily. In fact they both meet Sam J Jones who played Flash in the 1980 original. Which for me was the coolest part.
There's the obligatory sad scene at the end of the movie, but everything works in the end.
3/5 - A clever premise that, for me, fell flat
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