Retro Review: The Blues Brothers

Beloved SNL characters “Joliet” Jake and Elwood Blues. Picture: Universal Pictures

At times, John Landis’ classic film featuring beloved Saturday Night Live characters “Joliet” Jake (John Belushi) and Elwood Blues (Dan Aykroyd) feels more like an action movie than a comedic musical. When it was made, The Blues Brothers held the record for most cars ever destroyed during the filming of a movie, setting the record at a massive 103 vehicles.

The Blues Brothers, in case you’re not already aware, is the tale of the Blues brothers Jake and Elwood, who, upon Jake’s release from prison, find that the Catholic orphanage they grew up in is to be shut down. The Blues brothers don’t take kindly to this idea, and set off in their seemingly supernatural ex-police car on a “mission from God” – a mission in which they reassemble their old band and hold a fund raising concert to save their childhood home.

Belushi and Aykroyd give stellar performances as the eternally cool Blues brothers, who remain cool, calm and collected no matter what manner of shenanigans they find themselves in. Their comedic chemistry is excellent. Better yet, the Blues brothers lost no magic in their transition from the small to the silver screen, as regularly happens when short sketches are adapted into longer movies. The movie is eternally funny, and acts as an excellent introduction to the characters Jake and Elwood.

Some argue that The Blues Brothers isn’t really a musical, it’s simply a movie with a lot of music, but that undermines the performances of not only Belushi and Aykroyd (who are actually pretty good singers), but the myriad stars of soul who appear in the film. Some of the most memorable scenes in the movie feature blues legends like Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin and Cab Calloway, who add a sense of credibility to a movie about two white boys singing traditionally black music.

As is standard with Landis, the movie’s setting, his childhood home of Chicago becomes almost a character in her own right in the movie, featuring prominently in many of the scenes and acting as an ever-present third Blues brother. Landis’ love for the city shines through in every scene, so much so that the state of Illinois should be using it as part of their “Visit Chicago” campaign.

The film does feel slightly long, like it should have finished just before the fourth act, but even now, 34 years after its original release, you can see why it’s still such a popular and well-loved classic. It’s funny, fun, silly and completely over the top, but what were you expecting a movie about two blues singing blood brothers in a magical ex-cop car on a mission from God?

Review: The Raid 2

The Raid 2: a style extravaganza. Picture: Sony Pictures

Is there anything more fun than total carnage?

The Raid 2 is a direct continuation of the first movie – rookie policeman Rama, played by Iko Uwais, is sent to infiltrate Jakarta crime family the Baguns, with the intention of uncovering corruption in the force he works for, but this comes at the price of compromising both his and his family’s safety if he is discovered.

Some may feel that the levels of violence in The Raid 2 are excessive, but the movie takes the violence and transforms it into something almost supernatural, which at points make it seem somewhat silly – this is most apparent in a later scene where Baseball Man and Hammer Girl (guess what their weapons of choice are) fight Rama in a small corridor and Baseball Man’s bat is used to particularly deadly effect; the scene is set apart from the rest of the gratuitous violence as it seems cartoonish in its nature.

As cartoonish as it occasionally feels, the violence is one of the movie’s primary draws, and as with its prequel, The Raid 2 features some of the most stylish and beautifully choreographed fight scenes in recent memory. There is a real beauty in the way Rama moves, and his skills as a martial artist are put to excellent use. Where the defining scene of The Raid was the claustrophobic and frantic hallway fight, the sequel brings this back in two forms, one early on for Rama and a particularly frantic and graceful fight in a subway car, both harking back to the famous scene, which are just as fun and impressive as the original.

At points, it does feel apparent that the somewhat weak plot merely exists to link the scenes of violence together, but if you’re watching The Raid 2 expecting a deep and complex plot, you’re expecting far too much from it. The Raid 2 is a fun, frantic action movie that is just as fantastic a watch as its predecessor.

The Raid 2 opens nationwide on April 11th.

Katie Campbell

Review: Calvary

From it opening scene to its close, Calvary is a dark, bitter, funny and extremely poignant film, delivering a thoughtful and, at times, self-deprecating examination the disillusionment felt by many Irish people towards the Irish Catholic church.

Brendan Gleeson shines in his role as Father James Lavelle, a witty, clever and kind priest, who is told at at confession that he will be killed to atone for the mistakes of the Catholic church in Ireland, and is given one week to put his affairs in order.

Calvary follows Father Lavelle over the course of the week, as he is reunited with his daughter – played by Kelley Reilly, and attempts to help various parishioners, not all of whom are grateful for his advice.

Following Gleeson and writer/director John Michael McDonagh’s last cinematic foray, The Guard, a movie which explored similar themes, Calvary stars a host of well-known Irish talent, including notable comic actors Chris O’Dowd and Dylan Moran, both of whom give an excellent performances.

A pitch-black comedy with some extremely funny lines (case and point – the movie’s shocking opening dialogue) and fantastic performances, Calvary is a clever, powerful film, that will leave you feeling emotionally drained by the time the credits roll.

Calvary opens across the UK on April 11th.

This week’s releases

300: Rise of an Empire (7/3/14)
Bullet (7/3/14)
Escape from Planet Earth (7/3/14)
Grand Budapest Hotel (7/3/14)
Paranoia (7/3/14)

Katie Campbell

Review: The Lego Movie

It would be wrong to think of The Lego Movie as anything more than a 100 minute long advert for everyone’s favourite childhood toy.

Unlike other movies of the same ilk, however (see The Wizard and its not so subtle push for you to buy the Power Glove in spite of it being “so bad”), there is not one single point where The Lego Movie actually feels like an advert for anything. Quite the opposite; it seems more like a love letter to the toy than anything else.

Featuring a brilliant ensemble cast – Morgan Freeman, Will Ferrell, Elizabeth Day and Will Arnett to name but a few – and fresh, fantastic CGI made to look almost like stop motion, The Lego Movie tells the story of Emmet, a seemingly ordinary builder who is thought to be the Master Builder, a figure of legend who must save the world from the evil Lord Business and his plans to freeze the world perfectly in place with the mystical weapon, Kragle.

The Lego Movie is a brilliant, clever and funny film that is just as much fun for children and big kids alike. It’s filled to the brim with pop culture references that never feel out of place and blink-and-you’ll-miss-it background gags that make a second watch a requirement. Adults – don’t feel embarrassed about taking yourself to see this. It’s probably the most fun you’ll have at the movies all year.

Movies out this week:

Nymphomaniac Volumes 1 & 2 (22/2/14)
The Book Thief (26/2/14)
Ride Along (28/2/14)
Non-Stop (28/2/14)

Katie Campbell