Man Up (July 2015)

Official Australian release date: 23/7/15. Viewed: 29/7/15.

Director: Ben Palmer

Actors: Lake Bell, Simon Pegg, Rory Williams, Ophelia Lovibond

Genre: Comedy

Rating: M       

‘Man Up’ is a really well made & executed romantic-comedy. It’s a simple story – the old blind-date mix-up, where Jake (Pegg) meets Nancy (Bell), both disillusioned with relationships, but they happen to find each other and have a great night out, before it’s revealed that she’s not his intended blind date.

Very fast-paced (only 85min long), with no time for dull moments, and plenty of laughs throughout to keep everyone happy. Williams is great as the creepy/stalker-ish ‘friend’ and Lovibond plays the starry-eyed, optimistic intended blind-dater. The soundtrack is great and there’s some fun/memorable scenes, including the teens running through the streets, the race to the bar and the fire extinguisher.

What really makes the film work is Pegg’s unflappable charm and his chemistry with Bell, who’s the real star – endearing and unassuming, she’s cute, but also witty and just enjoyable to watch. It’s also refreshing to see Pegg doing something simple. In this film’s case, easy doesn’t = poor.

Overall: The Brits still know how to make great comedies.

Gav's Rating: 3.5 stars.   

Ant-Man (July 2015)

Official Australian release date: 16/7/15. Viewed: 15/7/15.

Director: Peyton Reed

Actors: Paul Rudd, Michael Douglas, Evangeline Lilly, Corey Stoll

Genre: Action / Sci-Fi

Rating: PG       

Another month, another Marvel film! (Well, it’s actually been two months since ‘Avengers: Age of Ultron’). And although it may make me sound like a fanboy, I’m still not sick of them – especially when they’re still as fun as ‘Ant-Man’! Definitely not one of the bigger superheroes (no pun intended), but Ant-Man and Wasp were original Avengers in the 1960’s comics and have always been integral to the Marvel universe. The film does well by including the original Ant-Man, Hank Pym (Douglas, holding up well for a 70-year-old) and tying him in with S.H.I.E.L.D. and Howard Stark, as well as showing some of the Wasp. The film also sets up Ant-Man’s involvement in future ‘Avengers’/’Captain America’ films by having the Falcon (Mackie) involved too.

Brought to you by the director of ‘Bring It On’ & ‘The Break-Up’, it’s surprising it’s not a weak rom-com! Reed does an OK job, but it’s hard not to imagine what Edgar Wright, the original director (he still gets a writing credit) – famous for ‘Shaun of the Dead’ & ‘Scott Pilgrim vs the World’ – would have done with it. That’s not to say it lacks imagination or humour – as shown by the tank and the Thomas the Tank Engine scenes – but just that it at times feels a little pedestrian. I guess the PG (and not M) rating also contributes to this.

The story is pretty simple, as is fitting a non-super-powered/non-Mutant hero – Scott Lang (Rudd) is a burglar (not a “robber”!) who is trying to do right so he can be in his daughters’ life again. Luckily, Pym and his daughter, Hope (Lilly) come along and give him the opportunity to wear the Ant-Man suit, which has the ability to shrink, thanks to the “Pym Particle”. The film is fast and fun, with Rudd a great choice for the lead role, with his charm and humour (helped by one of the writers being Adam McKay, best known for ‘Step Brothers’ & ‘Anchorman’). There’s some ‘seriousness’ with Cross (Stoll) as the villain, but it is all very fast-paced and the stakes never seem too high. This won’t be anyone’s favourite Marvel movie, but it’s certainly not a bad one either.

Overall: Light and easy fun and action.

Gav's Rating: 3.5 stars.