FILM: Texas Chainsaw 3D (dir: John Lussenhop, 2013)

"Wish I had a swing like that in my backyard."

The best thing about this Chainsaw redux is the spin it takes on the original film and in particular the immediate aftermath of the events of Tobe Hooper's movie, which then spill into modern times with the 'if it's too good be true, it probably isn't' premise of: what if your unknown grandmother left you her house in her will, with your cousin Leatherface living in the basement?  Starting with nicely 3D-converted footage from the original film, this 2013 take is mostly well-shot in 3D and managed one hugely-effective shot (at the carnival) that had the audience ducking.  However, the actual story is thin and offers little that surprises, in spite of some pleasing nods to the past, and the mostly young-adult cast appear to have been picked for looks rather than ability.  The final act is nevertheless quite lively, and confusingly the film manages to both reinstate Leatherface as a ruthless killer and make him sympathetic.  Whilst better than some recent horror outings, Texas Chainsaw 3D will seem singularly flat (sorry) on DVD.

FILM: Les Miserables IMAX (dir: Tom Hooper, 2012)

"Farewell, Courgette -"
"-No.  Cosette!"


The overblown 80s stage musical becomes, well, an overblown 2010s film musical.  The film is carried along by the sheer weight of strong performances: Hugh Jackman as Valjean and Anne Hathaway as the doomed Fantine are stellar and possibly role-defining, and even most subsidiary characters are given real strength by well-chosen players, such as Samantha Barks as a worthy Eponine and Eddie Redmayne with a first-rate performance as Marius.  Russell Crowe occasionally lacks the backbone in his vocal delivery for the character but is otherwise fine, and Amanda Seyfried does her best with the irritating older Cosette.  The decision to present the big solos as largely one-take works well, but Paris for the most part does feel (and look) surprisingly stage-bound, with Hopper's direction at times making Phyllida Lloyd's Mamma Mia! movie look accomplished.  The score remains schmaltzy, repetitive and unadventurous, but here all the highlights are delivered with aplomb.  You will have to like musicals to enjoy this film, but this movie certainly does justice to one of theatre's most popular modern hits, and the rousing (if 'miserable'!) finale brought a round of applause from the cinema audience.

FILM: The Impossible (dir: Juan Antonio Bayona, 2012)

"I'm scared too."

The Impossible is a harrowing film to watch, and indeed crying could be heard in the audience.  Based on one Spanish family's remarkable 'true story' experience of the 2004 Thai tsunami, the actual recreation of the event is staggering in its physical brutality and power, and the emotional aftermath is raw and frequently distressing and mostly shown in unflinching and inescapable close-ups.  Naomi Watts gives a truly extraordinary performance that is both brave and heartbreaking, Ewan McGregor times the progression of his character's emotional arc to perfection, and Tom Holland as the eldest son is fantastic in a hugely demanding role for any actor, let alone for a sixteen-year-old.  The Anglicising of the family is acceptable, but Hollywoodisms do creep in with narrative coincidences and pure emotional manipulation from the outset, which nevertheless do not detract from this powerful story and remarkable movie.

DVD: Grabbers (dir: Jon Wright, 2012)

"It's the quiet places where all the mad s**t happens."

Basically Tremors meets The Guard, Grabbers is one of those delightful low-budget productions that is made with love (as the DVD extras clearly demonstrate), far exceeds it reach and is great fun to watch.  The low-end CG are exemplary, the script takes itself seriously and thus provides some wonderful laugh-out-loud incongruous moments, and in terms of direction Jon Wright gives the film an interesting look and cohesion that is a step forward from Tormented.  The remote Irish setting is used to beautiful effect, and the locals always feel one step away from Father Ted territory but never stray over that line of daftness.  Richard Coyle and Ruth Bradley are both terrific as the mis-matched Garda officers, and Russell Tovey clearly has a ball in the scientist role.  It is little more than a standard monster-on-the-loose movie, and it bears its genre nods openly, but Grabbers is extremely entertaining.