FIVE FILMS - CAPTAIN AMERICA:THE WINTER SOLDIER, PROXY, OCULUS, THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 2, THE RAILWAY MAN

CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER

One of the better comic book movies of the recent glut of such of the last several years.  Despite Bucky not being such an important character in the first film as opposed to basically Captain America’s Robin in the comic book, the movie is able to fashion a credible plot about Bucky’s return as the Winter Soldier.  Also like the pointed criticism of the surveillance state.  This film is the opposite of the fascistic Iron Man films.  Plus the action scenes are a lot fun and it’s cool to see Robert Redford as a villain killing people and hailing Hydra.

PROXY

I liked the different things this film was trying to say – The neediness of people who must have attention, the revenge as sick obsession.  I also liked the performances very much and the four main characters were superbly written.  There is a huge twist halfway through and perhaps the film drags slightly in the second half but not much.  Deep, intelligent, and disturbing.

OCULUS

Mike Flanagan’s first film ABSENTIA is one of the better horror films of the last decade – A genuinely original and creepy masterpiece.  OCULUS, with a larger budget and more well known actors, treads carefully between the dark fatalistic horror of ABSENTIA and more commercial sequel generating fare.  I liked this film specially the grim ending but it did have an air of predictability about some scenes.  I agree that mirrors are creepy.

THE AMAZING SPIDER MAN 2

I give the makers of this film props for dealing with Gwen Stacy in a way not too dissimilar from her fate in the comic book but I found all the side plots about Peter Parker’s father and Oscorp confusing and dull.  The main villain, Electro, isn’t that interesting and reminded me of Jim Carrey as The Riddler in BATMAN FOREVER.  The Harry Osborn Green Goblin was also a bit of a letdown. There are fun action scenes in places but ultimately it’s all forgettable.

THE RAILWAY MAN

The true life story of Eric Lomax, a British POW tortured by the Japanese during World War II, who confronts his torturer years later in the early 1980’s, is interesting and powerful.  However, this movie is not.  The set-up scenes at the beginning are poorly directed and dull notable only for Nicole Kidman who looks like her face is made out of silly putty (bad plastic surgery to say the least).  By the time Colin Firth playing Lomax gets to Thailand it’s all anti-climatic.  It is worth noting that the main torture Lomax received was waterboarding.  Yes waterboarding is torture.  This film is a boring disappointment, a form of torture itself- too bad!