'Ted 2' review by Captain Raptor

'Ted 2 review by Jake Boyle

I thoroughly enjoyed the first Ted movie when it came out, but it's highly likely that a large contributing factor was that I was 15 at its time of release. Now that I'm a little older and supposedly a little wiser, I was wary that being bombarded with jokes about weed and genitalia might not hold the same appeal it once did, especially given Seth MacFarlane's rather lacklustre form lately. However, the trailer suckered me in with something I could never refuse, a joke about Samuel L Jackson, and it'd been so long since I'd been to see anything that it still sounded like a good option. 

I guess I'm still actually 15 because I had a pretty good time with Ted 2. It's not that I'd misjudged it, entirely - the film's two funniest scenes (by a considerable margin) both revolve around semen - but there is evidence of craftsmanship to MacFarlane's method. There's a lot of puerility (although, to be fair, not as much as there easily could have been) but the scenes containing them are all precisely timed and built around the reveal of the grossness to provide a greater reaction from punchline moments. Not the most intellectual of techniques, perhaps, but certainly an effective one. Ted 2 doesn't provide as many moments of brilliance as its predecessor, partially from the law of diminishing returns, but the joke rate is high with most of them sticking to varying degrees. The whole affair is classic MacFarlane - race jokes (much less shocking than he's shown himself to be capable of, for better and for worse), pop culture references galore and a plot that more closely resembles a series of skits and asides than a focused story. These aren't always the best ingredients but MacFarlane knows his tools well, and while it does feel like he's playing it safe, the result is a film with a real sense of confidence that gleefully rhymes off joke after joke with very little flab. 

The myriad of references and in-jokes (Patrick Warburton redonning his Tick costume just to beat up nerds at Comic-Con is a particular treat) show the effort that's been put into this film, but sometimes it feels like overcomplication and a distraction; there are far too many earnest moments for a film that delights in cynicism and mocking. Amanda Seyfried's heartfelt plea for Ted's right to personhood is, to a point, a genuinely touching moment, but Morgan Freeman doing the exact same thing (with far less effort) 30 minutes later is totally void of any real substance. The sense of humour is very on point but in the moments where it's dropped it quickly becomes evident that there's nothing else to this film. The strength of MacFarlane and his cowriters' comic material is heightened by a cast that (barring Freeman's aforementioned pointlessness) gels well together and deliver every line with reassurance - Mark Wahlberg continues his impressively game performance in the series, and Seyfried helps form a strong trio dynamic with the Thunder Buddies. The weighty themes of identity and humanity make the non-comic scenes mismatchingly pensive, but they provide ample framework for humour to be built around, and the early scenes about Ted and Tami-Lynn trying to become parents are inventive and hilarious in equal measure. 

The verdict on Ted 2 comes down to a glass half-full or half-empty approach. You could view it as a retread of familiar. simplistic jokes with nothing new to offer or as a return to form by someone with a genuine passion for something so unashamedly dumb. I'd skew towards the latter, but whichever way you cut it, Ted 2 is a consistently funny movie with enough energy and panache to survive most criticisms. It's obviously not suited to all tastes, and if jokes about Jay Leno having "gay bathroom sex" don't sound appealing, then you'd be wise to steer clear of this. It's not as wild or inventive as one might have hoped for, but it's still far from disappointing and a reliably good source of laughs. 

'Inside Out' review by Captain Raptor

'Inside Out' review by Jake Boyle

There are very few things that are unquestionable. Conventional wisdom is often wrong; as the great Agent K so wonderfully put it "1,500 years ago everybody knew that the Earth was the centre of the universe. 500 years ago, everybody knew that the Earth was flat. And 15 minutes ago, you knew that humans were alone on this planet". There are, however, a few universal truths. Pixar films are awesome. They just are. Anybody who disagrees has never been a child and is some strange pod person who should not be trusted. 

Making a film about anthropomorphised emotions is a pretty crafty move, because the constant discussions of feelings and inner conflict means that a highly emotional tone automatically runs through the film, and the elements being discussed are pretty much the core of the human experience, so it's difficult not to feel sympathy. Obviously the film isn't some form of psychological drama; as heartfelt and touching as some moments are, it's still primarily goofy and sugary, the two blended together so as not to become irritating. The concept is nicely executed, and the visualisations of the human mind as a machine is genuinely interesting, as well as providing a lot of good jokes. The animation is of as high a quality as we've come to expect, but there's nothing exceptional about it. The character design, however, is fantastic, especially for Anger, and it's nice to see some new inventions coming out of Pixar's stable. Most of the film's best humour comes from the explorations of its concept, bizarre enough when actually experienced that there's no shortage of material, but the jokes that come from simpler dialogue and interactions are still passable enough.

The voice acting for Inside Out is simply superlative. Casting Amy Poehler as the physical embodiment of joy was an incredibly smart decision, her cheer and energy here putting Leslie Knope to shame. Phyllis Smith and Lewis Black both do perfect jobs of bringing their characters to life, each nailing their assigned emotion's tonality. Once you look past the setting, the actual story being told is predictable but it is told with conviction, and the message at the heart of the film is something that quite a few adults could benefit from having reiterated, not just children. None of the scenes have any of the gut-punching sadness of that moment from Toy Story 3, but the frequency of deep emotion in this film and the maturity with which they are handled still puts Inside Out in contention for Pixar's most affecting film. Occasionally some of the sentiment doesn't entirely work (there's a few intendedly cute moments between the family that just seem slightly awkward) but the feelings that are successfully conveyed are potent enough that anybody who remains stoic is another of the aforementioned pod people.

Inside Out is a very sweet film, gently funny and on occasion uproarious, but the primary strength is undeniably the unabashed and occasionally tearful emotional exploration. The concept at the core of the film is a strong one that is carried out competently, assisted in no small part by wonderful visuals and brilliant voice acting. The characters, plot and dialogue aren't so strong that Inside Out can stand side-by-side with other Pixar classics, but the experience is an enjoyable and genuinely uplifting one that should delight anybody with a heart, regardless of age. 

'Jurassic World' review by Captain Raptor

'Jurassic World' review by Jake Boyle

Okay, so, full disclosure. I've never seen any of the Jurassic Park movies. My interest in this film is based solely on seeing Chris Pratt ride a motorbike whilst leading a pack of velociraptors, because that is the single greatest idea any filmmaker has ever had. The thing I found most enjoyable about Jurassic World was just the execution of its concept, so it's worth bearing in mind that the thing that most impressed me about this film is something the rest of the world got acquainted with in 1993, and you should deflate any enthusiasm accordingly for adjustment.

Old Uncle Steven might only be on executive producing duties, but there's an undeniably Spielbergian quality to this film - precocious children and healthy sprinklings of suspense abound. Newcomer to Hollywood Colin Trevorrow understands that spectacle quickly becomes meaningless unless you have to wait for it, so no dinosaurs are properly seen until the 20th minute or so, and no real action with them for about twice as long. The time building up to that, while not exhilarating, passes along well enough - the characters are one-dimensional but there's enough of them that they never become weary, and the beautiful locales and sets provide plenty of visual stimulation by themselves. Jurassic World is a good-looking film in all aspects, with the CGI dinos being the obvious star feature. The fancy new dinosaur isn't any more impressive or scary in appearance than a common or garden T-Rex, but the slow reveal of its destructive abilities and behaviours make it suitably intriguing and a very believable threat. There are moments when proceedings do feel a little too stretched or ridiculous (which is saying something given that the central plot is about a dinosaur theme park), such as two young boys outrunning a genetically enhanced killing machine, or the cunning plan of Vincent D'Onofrio (on decent form as a snarling, smarmy security officer) to use raptors for military purposes. The dialogue on the reoccurring theme of family and togetherness is initially a little nauseating, but it grows on you as the film goes on.

The action is passable but nothing special, although the best was definitely saved until last with a Royal Rumble of prehistoric animals, while the humans gratifyingly don't get involved much. It's the human element that lets the film down a little - the film is packed with talented performers like Pratt, Lauren Lapkus and Omar Sy, but the characters are of fleeting interest at most, only held up by the coolness of what they do rather than the value of who they are. Jake Johnson does manage to rustle up a few laughs, but the sarcastic tech guy is a time-honoured role and it's been done far better before. They're never so dull as to inhibit an otherwise enjoyable moment (well, not frequently) but a little more personality and charm in the writing (or maybe an interesting alternative route with real pathos and emotion) could have made for a film that was both funnier and more engrossing. The film doesn't really excel at much, but neither are there any major weaknesses, and that's the beauty of having Chris Pratt hang out with dinosaurs - it's awesome no matter what you frame it with.

Jurassic World is of no higher quality than the average blockbuster, but it's distinct enough that it still feels exciting. For fans of the original, this might be a little disheartening, but for newcomers and the apathetic, it's a perfectly enjoyable, well-made movie that has a strong suit in minor suspense and incredible visuals. It's wonderful to see Pratt firmly cemented as a mainstream leading man and Treverrow makes a confident entrance into big-budget fare - but ultimately, despite being thoroughly fun and satisfying. that's probably the only lasting cultural impact this film will have, something that I am sure will keep the studio execs up at night, crying on their beds of money.

'Spy' review by Captain Raptor

'Spy' review by Jake Boyle

While they might not exactly be Scorsese and De Niro, Paul Feig and Melissa McCarthy are cementing themselves as a formidable partnership. Or so I'm told. I've never seen either of their previous two movies and my experience with McCarthy comes only from This Is 40 and The Hangover III, both resolutely miserable attempts at comedy. Spy is the first film in years I've wanted to see purely through the strength of its trailer, even when combined with the bland name and seemingly tiresome premise.

The first half of the movie is a little sketchy, and the repeated jokes about how unglamorous McCarthy looks are only really made tolerable by her likeability as a leading lady. Midway through, the character suddenly gets much more violent and foul-mouthed, and then the real fun begins. Watching McCarthy lacerate henchmen with her fists and her acidic tongue (Metaphorically. Not like in X-Men) is a real treat to behold, especially because she dives into the more explicit elements with committed energy and aplomb. The other great joy of this film is a gloriously self-parodic turn from Jason Statham, exaggerating and belittling his entire image with a deadpan excellence unmatched by most comedians. However, it's McCarthy and Jude Law who acquit themselves as actual action stars here, and the film's fight scenes are well-choreographed and on a couple of occasions even pleasingly visceral. Law's performance is perfectly adequate but never anything to get excited about, and there are too many predictable twists surrounding his character to view him as anything that's really interesting. Spy as a whole never really attempts to escape a standard formula beyond its elements of ironic pastiche, and even some of those feel quite familiar. Sometimes it's not even parody, such as the distinctly Bond-esque, straight-faced opening credits, and brownie points are to be awarded for having the confidence to hold itself in a more serious, unironic contention for the odd moment or two.

It is still an unabashed comedy though, and every small moment of sentiment is really just a set-up for the ensuing punchline, the majority of which stick well enough. Allison Janney's delivery is just as superlative as has come to be expected of her by now, and Miranda Hart manages to hold her own in a room full of A-Listers. Peter Serafinowicz pulls a minor miracle by making his turn as a smarmy Don Juan-abe into something even vaguely bearable, let alone funny once or twice, and 50 Cent's appearance as himself provides a few strong moments of humour, but quite easily could have been much more amusing that it turned out being. A few of the jokes are pretty dumb but the puerility is outweighed by the dialogue and the parodying of quintessential spy movie tropes. Spare a thought, however, for Morena Baccarin, talented and on the rise yet relegated here to about seven lines and a pretty much pointless character. The occasional joke doesn't land and leads to some awkward instances, because there's not much to this film beyond the comedy to keep you interested, but some of the routines work so damn well (especially Statham's scenes) that they compensate plentifully for the weaker moments.

Spy gets its laughs confidently and frequently, and not only is Statham good in his comic turn but it's perhaps the greatest role of his entire career. McCarthy and Feig carry the proceedings though, and they do a solid job of it, crafting a movie that's funny, knowing when to be straight-faced and when to be provocative. It's a tad formulaic but not as much as the average action-comedy, and slightly dumb some of the time, but infrequently enough (and with enough good taste) that you never feel that creeping sense of shame for enjoying it. It's maybe not worth going out of your way to watch but Spy remains nonetheless a satisfactory and enjoyable experience.

'Pitch Perfect 2' review by Captain Raptor

'Pitch Perfect 2' review by Jake Boyle

Forget creating one of the few female-centric franchises in existence, inspiring a whole wave of viral videos and making a capella interesting again after the unbearable schmaltz of Glee; Pitch Perfect's principal achievement is the number of words it added to my lexicon in an hour and a half. Toner, aca-scuse me, queerballs and treble-boned all belong in the dictionary, and even aside from the strength of its dialogue, the original film was a joy to behold.

Thankfully, the new one is too. For the most part, everything that was good about the first film is just as good a second time around - Lilly's freaky non-sequiturs are still comically startling, Anna Kendrick and Rebel Wilson are still endlessly charismatic, and the song and dance routines are as excellent as ever. What has occurred is a process of doubling down on the previous film's strengths. One of the things that made the comedy so likeable was the heartfelt warm core at the centre, surrounded by sharper and more crass humours. As such, the sequel contains many moments of sincerity and emotional bonding, usually led by Brittany Snow's impressive performance - but to prevent things from ever getting Dixie Chicks serious, Elizabeth Banks and John Michael Higgins' commentators are back on hand with some truly jaw-dropping quips of insensitivity. The occasional reliance on stereotypes is disheartening and lazy, but a couple of them are made easier to swallow when delivered by Flula Borg, who aside from possessing great comic timing, has also been making the exact same jokes about himself for years. Fat Amy, widely and correctly recognised as the funniest element of the first film, has unfortunately been overused, and at times her dialogue can feel either forced or just far less funny that it's supposed to be - luckily, Wilson's irrepressible flair mostly salvages this.

The new elements, while not abundant, are pleasant treats. Hailee Steinfeld's dorky freshman and Keegan-Michael Key's short-tempered producer are both welcome editions to an already strong ensemble, and the funniest scene in the film (a brand new Riff Off!) is primarily helmed by David Cross. There's also a greater sense of pop culture savviness, with more jokes about modern music and some fantastic as-themselves appearances by Snoop Dogg and various members of the Green Bay Packers. Banks, now in the director's chair as well as on screen, incorporates some nice touches of playfulness, filming a couple of shots on GoPros, inserting newsreel clips of Obama and splicing a montage into various sub-screens. It's a relatively compact film, but all events are given enough breathing room to be fully enjoyed, and it's always good having left the cinema wanting more. Still, it would have been preferable to see Anna Camp in a few more scenes, and she never really gets to flourish in the brief moments she does appear. The all-important final a capella performance has a slight lack of dynamism, but makes a bit of a risky and successful move in making it a more sentimental affair, and if there is to be no Pitch Perfect 3, then this a strong ending.

Pitch Perfect 2 should definitely please all returning fans, keeping things similar but staving away repetition by alternately increasing either the scale or the emotional impact. The cast and dialogue are still perfectly matched, and the high standard for musical performance is maintained. By building on what came before through callbacks and deepening the characters, Pitch Perfect 2 is an equally good film to its predecessor but elevates the franchise as a whole. Toe-tapping and side-splitting from beginning to end, and even tugging on the heartstrings a little, this film marks a strong directorial debut by Banks and provides a great opportunity to see the ever-charming Barden Bellas & co in all their sustained glory.

'Mad Max: Fury Road' review by Captain Raptor

'Mad Max: Fury Road' review by Jake Boyle

The Mad Max franchise has got increasingly bizarre with each new iteration, but even the high-octane anarchy of Fury Road pales in comparison to the insanity of Aaron Clarey's already notorious review. Taking issue with the fact that in this film "women are equal to men in all things" and that Charlize Theron's character "talked a lot", the gratifying backfire of his outrage is that it's brought the film's positive portrayal of women into sharp focus and attracted a more enlightened crowd to see the film just to piss off one guy.

When it's not espousing the radical bigotry that women can also drive, and that sex slavery is immoral, Mad Max: Fury Road is just generally having a bloody good time. It's the biggest and barmiest of all George Miller's films to date, and his penchant for vehicular violence undeniably benefits from the budget increase and improved computer graphics. The action is pleasingly over-the-top and frenetic, but it's also coherently pieced together, if lacking a certain finesse. The visuals are fantastic, from costume to props, and this helps to create one of the most credible and immersive post-apocalypses in an increasingly saturated market for them. Fury Road brings strong levels of creative detail to its own inventions, such as the culture and beliefs of the 'Warboys', who should seem completely alien but you quickly reach a solid understanding of. There is an issue with the pacing of the weirdness - the audience is just thrown into this madcap, chaotic world, which certainly makes for an exhilarating start, but it also means that the level of danger or insanity never really feels like it's building from where we began, and the final fight sequences just don't feel climactic enough. Because there's no great sense of progression or escalation, the few moments where the momentum does drop (to let the characters show a little depth and give the audience time to catch their breath) do feel a little longer and duller than they otherwise might.

The slower moments are still well-sustained, however, with Tom Hardy and Charlize Theron demonstrating an ability to convey a lot of emotional information whilst only slightly straying from the stony-faced stoic aura they project. Nicholas Hoult does a good job of doing exactly the opposite, hooting and screaming in such a convincingly manic manner that he's barely recognisable. Humour isn't as common as one might expect from a film that's so unabashedly gleeful in everything from crunching metallic behemoths together to displaying horrific mutations, but when comedy does occur it's effective and well-delivered. The earnest commitment to pure mayhem is both impressive and endlessly fun, but it helps my giving the plot and characters a grounding that is simple without being vague or stupid. There are sentimental moments sparsely scattered through proceedings, some of which work more than others, but garnering any real emotion from this experience is just icing on the cake rather than an expectation, A little exploration into Max's psyche might not be the most affecting of incidents, but it does finally suggest, four films into the franchise, that Max might be at least a little bit mad, and Hardy's panic-laden eyes prove a great counterpoint to his grizzled, unmoving bottom lip.

Aside from some neat feminist undertones and a slightly unexpected sense of occasional tenderness, what you see is what you get with Fury Road. If two hours of lunatic trying to run each other down in absurdly high-octane death machines sounds good to you (and I can't fathom why it wouldn't), then this film will not disappoint. The effort and sheer enthusiasm embedded into this fourth instalment by Miller is infectious, and there's few people who could make a desert full of death and decay feel so vivid and exciting. Mad Max: Fury Road is a worthy addition to one of action's most revered franchises and deserves a heap of bonus points for its distinct vision and brass balls - and now brass ovaries too. 

'Congo' review by Captain Raptor

'Congo' review by Jake Boyle

Nobody makes good old-fashioned, mildly stupid movies anymore. Action fare often either has to be po-faced and taken entirely seriously (Taken! Get it?), or as self-awarely ludicrous as Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter or Machete. Harkening back to the older days when films were genuinely dumb rather than 'ironically' dumb, I watched 1995's (practically prehistoric) Congo, a film about deadly apes from Frank Marshall, the man who brought the world Arachnophobia and produced absolutely every film of the last 30 years. 

It was immediately clear from the beginning that Congo was going to be the good variety of preposterous when one of the first faces on the screen is Bruce Campbell. Ash is on hand to help set up the 'killer ape' premise, which never actually shows up until the final fifteen minutes. That might sound like a recipe for boredom, but there's enough ludicrous filler material to keep momentum going - homing missiles, hippo attacks and civil war all interrupt the journey. It has to be said that even within Hollywood, this is an exceptionally stereotypical depiction of central Africa. The audience isn't shown a single African character who isn't either a rebel militant or a jungle-dwelling tribesman, and patience is tested further by Tim Curry's cod-accented Romanian, who despite being only mildly morally dubious is played with moustache-twirling camp evilness. Dylan Walsh and Laura Linney make decent leads, but it's the cool charm of Ernie Hudson that makes up for the more troubling elements of the film. His charisma is especially necessary given the briefness of Bruce Campbell's appearance.

The shooting locations and sets are very atmospheric and give the film a real sense of adventure, but the special effects are an embarrassment. The rubber monkey suits are bad enough, but the digitized lava looks like it was rendered on a ZX Spectrum, and this is all made especially disheartening as it's coming from the legendary Stan Winston. A good sense of humour and a commitment to its own ridiculousness helps to keep the film afloat - it's not quite self-aware but it is, at the very least, arch enough to know that anything vaguely serious went AWOL two seconds after the title card was shown. The characters, while familiar stereotypes, all have their own motivations and agendas, and at least of half of them are pleasingly amoral, which is one nice differentiation from the norm. The execution of the action is occasionally sloppy (often poorly shot in order to hide as much of the subpar special effects as possible) but passable enough to be enjoyable, and it's impressive that such a ridiculous premise can register any sort of palpable threat level at all.

Congo, really, is exactly what it says on the tin. It's pretty asinine and in some respects lazily made, but it's amusing and pleasingly silly and vaguely exciting, so in terms of quality it overall ekes out a positive experience. The only serious mark against the movie is its treatment of Congo itself and African characters, which while not mocking or overtly bigoted, could quite easily turn a frivolous experience nasty. It marrs an otherwise pleasant film that serves its purpose well enough as daft, cheesy entertainment.