The Adventures of Tintin:The Secret of the Unicorn (2011)

An animated film from Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson with the voice talents of Daniel Craig, Andy Serkis, Jaimie Bell, Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Cary Elwes and Toby Jones and the writing skills of Edgar Wright, Steven Moffatt and Joe Cornish. This has to be the greatest film ever submitted with these people involved and it is based upon a much loved book series from Herge. Why does it not work? Well part of the problem is that there are 3 screen writers involved all brilliant in their own way their previous works are their as proof and it is based on a book. What were they all there for? Really I am unsure it sticks to the book quite closely but there is something lacking from it. The voice talents are lost in the visuals it is in 3D for no reason other than the added value at the box office.

I do not know why this film fails but I think most of it is to do with too many people involved. All this really is and should be is a big screen visual representation of the characters we all know and love. It should perhaps have changed things slightly to make it work better on the big screen. I have to say there were some little nods to fans of the series, the crabs, the cigars and a good gag at the start about how the characters look but that is it.

Overall perhaps my expectations were to high from a film that should have promised so much but to be honest I did not know as many people were involved until afterwards and really I came out feeling it just missed the mark. I am going to be harsh and say 2 stars wait for it on DVD if at all. I will say that perhaps on a re-watch I may enjoy it some more but looking at IMDb I am surprised the next 2 are already in pre-production as they have just presumed this will work.

Anonymous (2011)

Was Shakespeare a fraud? A question asked many times and there are several proposed conspiracies and let us be honest it happened more than 400 years ago so we will never know the exact truth. But this film is a suggestion of what may have happened and irrespective of the story and whether you believe the film you have to love it, Roland Emmerich not a fan of his stories but you have to love what he can bring to the screen with his epic visuals and stunning photography. He brings to this story set during teh reign of Queen Elizabeth the 1st a sense of the time, the filth and how people lived in these times.

The central performaces were brilliant from Rhys Ifans as Edward, was that good in this role that I did not recoignise him and have a new found respect for his acting which has been flawless. Vanessa Redgrave as an aging Queen and David Thewlis as Lord Cecil which he played brilliantly. Over all the only flaws in this film is the story which is a major part but also it is not that important if you let yourself go and believe what the film is saying you will appreciate what Emmerich has brought to the screen.

This film seems to have missed a large audience as it has barely lasted 2 weeks in cinemas and this is a shame, believe it as fiction if the concept bothers you but watch the film and appreciate what they are doing. In these days of remakes and sequels it is refreshing to see a new story brought to the big screen, a solid 4 star recommend from me.