Limitless – I Heart The Talkies

Stuff To Look At

Apes! Turtles! Sheep! And, erm, Godzilla! Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, Godzilla, Lucy and more besides feature this week…

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

Here is the latest TV spot for Dawn of the Planet of the Apes. No wonder the apes took over the Earth, given their superlative horse-riding skills. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes hits UK screens on 17th July 2014.

Godzilla

Here is Godzilla director Gareth Edwards discussing his career and working on the upcoming blockbuster. You can view the Godzilla trailer here. I was sort of hoping that it would feature Puff Daddy’s ‘Come With Me’ for old times sake. Nevertheless, I can’t wait to see Godzilla smash up and eat everything. Godzilla is released in UK cinemas on 15th May 2014.

Lucy

Lucy is the new sci-fi thriller from Luc Besson. The trailer suggests the film transcends from horror to Limitless-style thriller to something like a superhero movie. Starring Scarlett Johansson and Morgan Freeman, Lucy is set for release on 22nd August 2014.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

In this incarnation of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the protagonists were created to be heroes for New York apparently. Like many, my knowledge of the franchise springs from the popular television cartoon of the late 1980s. So I am really hoping Krang features. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles will be released in UK cinemas on 17th October 2014.

Shaun the Sheep the Movie

Here is the teaser trailer for Shaun the Sheep the Movie, which features the Aardman character in his big screen debut. The teaser reveals little about the plot, but the humour seems to be in the style that Wallace and Gromit fans will have been accustomed to. Shaun the Sheep the Movie is scheduled for release in Spring 2015.

Into The Storm

Into The Storm looks pretty nightmarish from this teaser trailer. Why are planes flying during a catastrophic storm? That doesn’t seem like a sound idea. Into The Storm hits UK screens on 22nd August 2014.

The Other Woman

Here is a new clip from the upcoming comedy The Other Woman. The clip perfectly illustrates the reason Kate Upton is starring in the film. Featuring Cameron Diaz and Leslie Mann, The Other Woman is out in UK cinemas on 23rd April 2014.

DVD Review: Limitless

Limitless features a pill that can open up the brain’s full capacity. Rather than offer enlightenment, the film instead offers pure entertainment. This is by no means a bad thing.

Eddie Morra is a struggling writer who lacks motivation. When a face from the past offers him a mysterious pill which will allow him to become the best version of himself, Eddie takes it. Eddie sees an immediate improvement to his capabilities, but things aren’t so rosy when he realises he is being followed…

Read the rest of the I Heart The Talkies review of Limitless here…

DVD Features:

Alternative Ending – The alternative ending sequence is actually around 6 minutes long, lengthier than some others that are supplied as bonus features. However, the first few minutes are the same as the finished film. What is interesting about it is that it offers a very different outlook to the original ending.

A Man Without Limits – This short featurette focuses upon the character of Eddie Morra and the casting of Bradley Cooper. Cooper’s passion for the project is made clear; the featurette is short but sufficient.

Taking It To The Limit: The Making of Limitless – Slightly longer feaurette that concentrates on the story and the production of the movie. The documentary features a number of the film’s cast and crew, talking to the producer about the original story, and detailing the location shooting. Although it is quite interesting, not enough is said about visual effects, which are plentiful in the film.

Director’s Commentary – Neil Burger provides a commentary soundtrack for the movie. The director provides the rationale behind some of the choices made, as well as insight into the production process. Nevertheless, it would have been more absorbing if Burger had offered more anecdotes about the making of the film.

The Limitless DVD also features a trailer of the film. Overall, the features are pretty much what you would expect from a standard DVD release. It is a shame that the commentary was not more engaging, but the features provide a suitable package for fans of the film.

Limitless is out on DVD and Blu-Ray on 1st August 2011.

Film Review: Limitless

Limitless features a pill that can open up the brain’s full capacity. Rather than offer enlightenment, the film instead offers pure entertainment. This is by no means a bad thing.

Limitless is an enjoyable action thriller that combines the right amount of action, suspense and drama. The film moves at a good pace; it never really drags or goes off on a tangent. It is not obvious how Limitless will conclude. The film retains enough mystery to make the ending unpredictable. Twists in the film are subtle rather than defining, and as a result are more effective than many films that use the shock twist device.

The idea of a pill that could expeditiously improve cognition to an uncharted degree is a very interesting concept. Although the film can certainly be classified as science fiction, it does not really explain how the pill was formulated. This lack of rationale is not a problem as the story is really about Eddie, and what he does with his newfound power. The choices the protagonist makes are personal rather than what could be seen as more universal decisions. It is this that makes the character interesting; he does not necessarily plump for the sensible or considered option.

The cinematography and editing in Limitless are superb. The film has a very individual look to it; the stretching through the landscapes and locations is quite unusual. Director Neil Burger appears keen on using the visual to convey the mindset. The multiple Eddies indicate the speed at which his mind is working, just as the zooming through locations suggests how muddled the character has become. Effects throughout the film are good.

Bradley Cooper is a fantastic lead in Limitless. More often found in comedies, Cooper is just as adept in this action thriller. Hopefully his performance here will lead to more challenging roles for the actor. Robert De Niro is capable as ever in a small role, while Anna Friel looks very unlike herself as Eddie’s former wife Melissa.

Limitless is a highly entertaining film that should satisfy a wide demographic. It is certainly one of the better recent action thrillers.