In light of the abysmal critical reception that has met The Upside, you’d be forgiven for thinking that it was a scarlet woman returning to a party after being caught fellating the hostess’ husband in the bathroom. Countless reviews have lambasted this remake of 2011 French buddy comedy-drama The Intouchables. Also inspired by the life of Phillipe Pozzo di Borgo, Neil Burger’s The Upside traces the developing relationship between Phillip Lacasse (Bryan Cranston), a quadriplegic billionaire, and Dell Scott (Kevin Hart), his young, recently paroled African-American carer. Critics opine that this flat offering is just as flawed as its predecessor, coming off as even more mawkish and basic, while simultaneously failing to exhibit any of its abundant charm.
Disney’s ongoing mission to bring an end to originality in all corners of this universe – not to mention those far far away – continued on form yesterday with the announcement that the studio are remaking 1996 animation The Hunchback of Notre-Dame.
Every year, between the months of January and March, the world stops to reflect on the previous twelve months at the cinema, It is in this time that we all forget our preferences and allow a conglomerate of faceless industry figures to decide for us what motion pictures we should consider the best. But who are these critical deities and how do they decide who should win the most coveted awards in film?
The Film Blog 