Film Review: Vice

Writer-director Adam McKay’s mission is clear with Vice. The film works for the most part, thanks in large part to its cast and the filmmaker’s palpable conviction.

Spurred on by his wife Lynne, Dick Cheney rises through the ranks in Washington. From assistant in the Nixon administration to Vice-President under George W. Bush, Cheney changes the US and the world…

Following 2015’s The Big Short, writer and director Adam McKay returns with another target in his sights. Vice is a biopic, but one with a heavy slant. McKay’s message is clear; he is going to lay out exactly why Dick Cheney is responsible for so many of the terrible things in recent US politics. Nevertheless, the film is more nuanced than a hit piece. 

From early on in proceedings, Cheney is depicted as a villain. In some ways, Vice could be seen as a super-villian origins story; the film does show the rise of character who goes on to do substantial damage. Yet the portrayal is more nuanced than this, depicting a family man as well as a political player.

Vice flits between comedy and drama for a good portion of the run time. The tone is sometimes uneven; the abruptness of which the film jumps from the humorous to the deadly serious is striking. However this seems to be McKay’s point, indicating the farcical nature of the various administrations, and the very serious consequences. Pacing in the film can seem languid at times.

Christian Bale delivers a most excellent performance as Cheney, proving once again that he is one of the very best actors in Hollywood today. Amy Adams delivers fantastic support as Lynne, and Sam Rockwell is wonderful as George W. Bush.

Vice is an imperfect picture. Nevertheless, Adam McKay wins viewers over with his clear passion and the great performances from his cast.

Film Review: The Big Short

Adam McKay’s The Big Short focuses on a very interesting subject matter. Although this may have functioned better as a documentary rather than a fiction film, The Big Short is still entertaining and informative.

Michael Burry, an eccentric hedge fund manager, is first to spot that the US housing market is built on a bubble that will explode. Others, such as jaded Mark Baum are told about the investment opportunity. With the big banks believing that the housing market will never fail,  it is the outsiders who are seen as the naysayers…

Directed and co-written by Adam McKay, The Big Short tells the story of the men who predicted the housing bubble crash and subsequent economic meltdown of 2008. The different narrative strands of the film sometimes entwine, but always head towards the same goal.

The roster of players that feature in the film include the insightful vanguard Michael Burry, the shrewd Jared Vennett, and the paranoid Ben Rickert. The film is an ensemble piece, slotting different elements of the history together. Some of the more prominent characters are given some backstory, but the focus remains on the affairs rather than the personnel.

Adam McKay makes something of a comedy out of what could have been rather dry source material. The tone of the film shifts from amusing to educational at varying points in the film. Although there are plenty of jokes, The Big Short attempts to stick to the condemnation of banking practices. In breaking the fourth wall, various narrators tell the audience that the depictions may not be accurate. Moreover, there are some amusing breaks in which well-known faces explain some of the financial jargon. This adds to the feel of the film lending itself to the documentary style. Christian Bale offers an excellent performance as Burry. Steve Carell is also on good form, and Charlie Geller and Finn Wittrock add enthusiasm in smaller roles. Ryan Gosling does a decent job as the unscrupulous narrator.

The Big Short is a film that will most likely be applauded for making the complicated comprehensible. The fact that it entertains as well is also worthy of praise.

Previews: Captain America: Civil War Trailer, Krampus and More!

Plenty to see this week, with the Captain America: Civil War trailer, a Krampus featurette, the latest Pride and Prejudice and Zombies poster and more…

Captain America: Civil War Trailer

Yesterday the Captain America: Civil War trailer dropped. From the looks of it, the film will continue with the tone of the excellent Captain America: The Winter Soldier. With a host of Avengers making an appearance in the new film, it looks continue on from events introduced in Avengers: Age of Ultron. No sign of Spider-Man yet, so roll on 29th April 2015.

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies Poster

Here is the latest poster for Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. Based on the 2009 parody novel, the film stars Lily James, Sam Riley and Jack Huston. Featuring the characters from Jane Austen’s celebrated novel, the film is a period zombie flick. Pride and Prejudice and Zombie is out in UK cinemas on 12th February 2016.

Krampus Featurette

Krampus looks a bit insane, but a lot of fun. The above featurette explores the legend of Krampus, giving viewers a background to the creature featured in the upcoming film. Starring Adam Scott and Toni Collette, Krampus hits UK screens on 4th December 2015.

The Secret Life of Pets Teaser

Here is a little Christmas teaser for next year’s animated feature The Secret Life of Pets. The film concentrates on the lives of pets when their humans are away. With the voices of Louis C.K. and Kevin Hart, The Secret Life of Pets is set for release on 14th June 2016.

The Big Short Poster

Ooh, look at this cast. The Big Short is based on a true story about four outsiders in the finance who predicted the credit and housing bubble collapse of the late 2000s. Starring Christian Bale, Brad Pitt, Ryan Gosling and Steve Carell, The Big Short is out in cinemas on 22nd January 2016.

The Other Side of the Door Trailer

Well this looks alarming. The Other Side of the Door is about a family who are able to use an ancient ritual to contact their young son who was killed in a tragic accident. The mother’s failure to adhere to the rules has horrifying consequences, as the above trailer demonstrates. The Other Side of the Door hits UK screens on 18th March 2016.

Central Intelligence Trailer

Central Intelligence is a new action comedy about a CIA agent who enlists the help of his high school best friend on a mission. The film certainly plays to the strengths of Dwayne Johnson in a larger-than-life role. Partnered by Kevin Hart, Central Intelligence is scheduled to open in UK cinemas on 1st July 2016.