Olympus Has Fallen

Action films are typically THE easiest film genre to predict. Hot guy with dark history + deep conflict that risks the existence of the world + lots of fighting and guns = solid gold.

When you throw in the White House and the United States president though, you're playing in a whole new ballpark. OLYMPUS HAS FALLEN has taken the standard action genre format and fine-tuned it to perfection. Audiences are riveted from the first 5 minutes and are entrenched for the remainder of the film with each minute serving up one amazing scene after another after another.

Olympus Has Fallen tells the story of former Secret Service agent Mike Banning who lost the career of his life after a serious accident involving the death of his boss' wife - the President of the United States. Move on 18 months and Banning now works for the Treasury Department within excruciating proximity to his former work place, The White House. At the same time, heat is rising between North and South Korea (aptly timed for the current political climate). A visit from the South Korean Prime Minister initiates the epic action that fulfills the remainder of the film which, as promised by the title, involves the invasion of the most secure building in the world.

The seamlessness of this film lies in Antoine Fuqua's direction and Creighton Rothenberger and Katrin Benedikt's writing talents. A story set in a previously inaccessible location that audience imaginations could only describe the inner workings of, coupled with a careful consideration of the various subplots in the film, are truly effective. I can honestly say I have never been more attentive in a film before. Credit must also be given to Gerard Butler who carries this film like a champ with him appearing in almost every scene. I am also giving him credit for mastering his American accent (finally!). 

Olympus Has Fallen is out in all good cinemas and at MA15+, won't be one for the kiddies but I seriously recommend it for any of you who want to go to the movies for an experience, rather than just something to do in your spare time whilst you hang out on Twitter. 

Trance

Not since Inception has a single film managed to confuse the crap out of me until the very last frame. Now, Trance can claim that throne by throwing up one of the one most complicated storylines I have experienced in the cinema of late (except for Beverly Hills Chihuahua 2 - that's still a mystery to me).

Trance tells the story of a young, troubled art auctioneer with a penchant for gambling who becomes involved with a £25million art theft that was planned to perfection until Simon suffers a knock on the head that misplaces his memory about where the valuable piece has been stashed. Slightly inconceivably, the crew involved with the heist decide to send Simon to a "random" hypnotherapist so that she might retrieve the memory that conceals the location of the painting. It's when Elizabeth, the hypnotherapist, involves herself within the gang's plans to sell the painting and split the profits that shit starts to get real. Before long, Elizabeth become more than just a Sherlock Holmes for Simon's thoughts. Soon, she sleeping with not one, but two of the cast involved in the discovery, Simon and Franck (the ringleader of the gang). The film continues with Elizabeth submitting both Simon and the gang to a number of exercises in order to release the memory from Simon's brain. It is not till towards the end however, that we discover the true story that is taking place with it being revealed that Elizabeth and Simon once knew eachother before Simon's accident. It is from here that the film takes a wrong turn down memory lane.

There are so many layers within this film to analyse. The biggest of which was the question, "if you could keep some memories over others, would you?" Boyle actualizes this concept through Simon's gambling addiction, arguably the catalyst for the whole film and the consequences that follow. By Simon involving himself in the gambling world, he takes a chance on his happiness everyday, the same gamble Elizabeth makes by deciding to erase Simon's memory - a decision she thinks will make her life better. The conclusion of the film sends out the message that there is a reason we should not mess with our memories for each one makes us who we are in the end and without them, we become empty vessels.

Production value on this film is impeccable and typically unique of Boyle's direction. Many of you will enjoy the pace and tone of this film which will keep you on the edge right to the very end and have you thinking beyond your exiting of the cinema.