Roundup- Films I've seen in the last few weeks

I've been busy with school work, but I've managed to see a good amount of films recently. Here's the reviews.

SERAPHINE
While the tory of French Artist Seraphine being discovered by a German art collecter is very engaging and holds your attention throughout, the film rests solely on lead actress Yolande Moreau, and sadly, she isn't up to scratch. Small quirks aside, she is a plain heroine, and her bonkers transition by the end of the film feels forced and completely rushed. This is a big problem too; despite the lenghthy running time of 134 minutes, the film is never fleshed out enough to give the viewer a real insight into what made this woman who she is, as the trailer so strongly suggested. A disappoointment then, but engaging nonetheless.
OVERALL GRADE: 5/10

SEX & DRUGS & ROCK & ROLL
As a massive Ian Dury and Andy Serkis fan, I was expecking SDRR to be a great film. A whilst it is very well directed by Mat Whitecross and sports one of Serkis' greatest performance, the shift in tone is incredibly uneven, skipping from certain events without ever giving any reason for its importance, and without a reason as to why it's there. The end is also dramatically different to the rest of the film, and feels out of place. And Dury is not presented in a good light at all, and doesn't make for the greatest anti-hero is this biopic of his rise to fame with his band, The Blockheads. Fine turns, excellent music, an insightful script and strong pacing keep the film afloat, but some more depth was needed to make this feel real.
OVERALL GRADE: 6/10

YOUTH IN REVOLT
Michael Cera once again continues to allow himself to be typecast in Youth in Revolt; for the most part. In this humourous account of 16 year old virgin Nick Twisp, Cera gets to play Nick's bad alter ego, Francois Dillinger, who forces him to go to great depths to make sure that Nick stays together with his one true love, trailer park queen Sheeni (a star turn from Portia Doubleday.) Overall, the film slots into the same category as Adventureland; not laugh out loud funny, but with more humanity and a greater grip on what makes a film memorable; it resonates with its target audience. Nick's antics and the saucy goings on will make this the dream film for all adolescent males out there, and the girls will be entertained as well. Yet despite his fine turn (aided mainly by a super script) this really should be the final time Cera portrays the geeky but loveable teen; for someone so talented, it would be a shame if he fell into the horrific man- child group that ruined Paul Rust, and doesn't find a fresher role.
OVERALL GRADE: 7/10

PRECIOUS: BASED ON THE NOVEL 'PUSH' BY SAPPHIRE
To put it mildly, Precious is a very tough watch. Bolstered by powerful turns from a talented cast, and handled well (if a little too gleefully) by Lee Daniels, this story of Clarieece 'Precious' Jones (Gabourey Sidibe), an illiterate, dangerously obese black girl living in 1987 Harlem with her monsterous mother tells of how she finds salvation in the alternative school she attends, and a light blinks at the end of the tunnel, as Precious may have found her way out of this horrendous life. Daniels whirling camera captures every moment of the anguish Precious faces, and particularly shocking scenes (you won't forget the baby scene any time soon) are what he has perfected most. Yet the sinister close up rape scenes are little too much, and Daniels pushes it a little too far with his message. And of course, the film is no ray of sunshine, which makes any humour better in the film. The cast are the ones to be applauded most for Precious' success. Paula Patton and Mariah Carey are strong in slightly thin roles, whilst Sidibe and Mo'Nique (as Precious' mother) shine brightly, most notably in a terrific end. Don't go in thinking Precious is original though; there have been many stories like this before, but not nearly as well handled. A triumph.
OVERALL GRADE: 7/10