Hi,
Last night's film was Guy Ritchie's film on one of the most famous Detectives we know. Robert Downey Jr. is Holmes, Jude Law is Watson, Mark Strong plays the villain Lord Blackwood, with Rachel MacAdams(State of play) and Kelly Reilly(Eden Lake) adding the female touch.
First off, I need to say that London looked remarkable, the visual effects and the cinematography were outstanding, the locations used may not have been London but they felt like London. Tower Bridge under construction looked amazing and the scenes on the Thames looked so real. A superb job from the production team for bringing Holme's London to life.
The cast were superb, especially Law who I really liked as Watson, he really nailed it. Downey as Holmes is superb, but Law just edged it for me. I like Strong when he plays the villainous roles, he does it so well. MacAdams and Reilly were also very good as well. They were helped by a decent script and a pretty good story in all, with some clues to a possible 2nd film, but you need to see the film for these.
The only thing I wasn't overly sure about was the action hero Holmes was portrayed as, it added something different to the character, but it's the only detail I'm struggling with at the moment. Law is perfect as Watson. The action throughout the film is very good, but Holmes only will gets to use is powers of deduction a couple of times which was a wasted opportunity. But these are minor quibbles and the film was near perfect for me.
Overall (9/10), cast, script, London are all brilliant, story's good and action man Holmes is a little hard to get used too.
Tuesday 29 December 2009
Thursday 24 December 2009
Carriers
Hi,
Monday was my last film and was the film Carriers, starring Chris Pine. This film has been held back to run on the hopeful success of Star Trek. Well not sure how much that paid off, but the film wasn't too bad. More a survival film than a zombie-esq film, the four characters hoping to get to a certain beach resort. Maybe in the hope to see the one place which had so many good memories before the disease finally took it's toil.
Really I quite liked the fact it did try another view point of a overly used plot, and in some parts it came across fine. Pine was ok, along with Piper Perabo (a better role than Beverley Hills Chihuahua) and Emily VanCamp were good. The script wasn't great, and not much tension through out, and it played out how you would expect.
Overall not bad, but not great (6/10)
Monday was my last film and was the film Carriers, starring Chris Pine. This film has been held back to run on the hopeful success of Star Trek. Well not sure how much that paid off, but the film wasn't too bad. More a survival film than a zombie-esq film, the four characters hoping to get to a certain beach resort. Maybe in the hope to see the one place which had so many good memories before the disease finally took it's toil.
Really I quite liked the fact it did try another view point of a overly used plot, and in some parts it came across fine. Pine was ok, along with Piper Perabo (a better role than Beverley Hills Chihuahua) and Emily VanCamp were good. The script wasn't great, and not much tension through out, and it played out how you would expect.
Overall not bad, but not great (6/10)
Monday 21 December 2009
Where the wild things are
Hi,
This may contain some mild spoilers!
I took my eldest daughter to see Where the wild things are, yesterday. I have never read the book, well I don't think I have. But this film will stay with me for a long time to come. I thought it was a wonderful film, full of emotion and wonder. The wild things are brilliantly realised and Spike Jonze has done sterling work, from a book with very few words.
Has he read the subtext of the story perfectly? That I don't know, but I will be finding out, I am interested to see what Jonze saw on those pages.
Max Records plays Max and is wonderful, I thought he looked so natural, so at ease with acting he made the film, the fact he is in it, nearly all of the time is a testament to both Max and Jonze for getting such a wonderful performance from an unknown actor. The rest of the cast have brief moments, but Catherine Keener is great playing the Mum with the weight of the world on her shoulders.
The film is very touching in a number of ways, it took me back to my childhood, when you wanted to show your castle to your Mum and be proud of what you've built. The frustration when she's to busy to come and look, and the anger when you tore it down!
The sadness when people come and go, when people don't listen, when they have something better to do than to comfort you. I do know some of these feelings from my childhood, and my Kids may feel the same sometimes, but we try to be there for them all the time. It's hard and Max's Mum finds it hard, but Max doesn't understand he wants to be accepted by his piers and he wants to be loved. I'm not saying Max's Mum doesn't love him, she does, but when she wants attention herself from a male friend Max is the one who feels left out. Which leads to confrontation and anger and finally violence (not extreme) which leads to Max running away.
And it's while he's in hiding we meet the wild things, now I could easily see Max huddled in a tree stump trying to work everything out and creating this fantasy to try and rationalise it all. And while he is with the wild things he does learn the value of his mother, his sister and why things change and how to accept these changes.
Overall I thought this film was amazing, wonderful to look at, touching - Outstanding (10/10)
I would also like to add some other notes, mostly concerning people's reaction to this film.
Max isn't a horrid little child, he's not a problem child, the opening scene with him chasing the dog is a bored kid finding something to do. Hell I chased the dog all over the house and fought with him, in the name of fun. I even did it when I was 12.
He's lonely, so playing in the snow on his own isn't much fun, or talking to a fence, so when he see's an opportunity for a snow ball fight with his sisters friends he takes it he's not being naughty he just wants to have fun. At the end of the scene who's the naughty kid? The one who jumps on his Igloo and buries Max. And while his sister doesn't console him just drives away with her friends, he becomes angry at her and trashes her room. But he is remorseful in the end because he shows his Mum his actions and helps to tidy the room.
Both are signs he's not out of control he's lonely and just wants some attention.
Later while he's on the Wild things Island, he finds being King isn't easy, making decisions and keeping everybody happy isn't easy.
Again how people see Max's war as a naughty thing is beyond me. Every group of boys has played war, thrown dirt clods at each other, and of course someone always gets hurt, it was all part and parcel of being a kid! Max had someone to play with at last, his imagination heightened the experience so it looks more extreme!
But also the end when he returns home, Mother stands for comfort, of course she welcomes him home and feeds him, but Max also realizes where he is safe and his mother will be there for him!
WONDERFUL FILM!!!!!
This may contain some mild spoilers!
I took my eldest daughter to see Where the wild things are, yesterday. I have never read the book, well I don't think I have. But this film will stay with me for a long time to come. I thought it was a wonderful film, full of emotion and wonder. The wild things are brilliantly realised and Spike Jonze has done sterling work, from a book with very few words.
Has he read the subtext of the story perfectly? That I don't know, but I will be finding out, I am interested to see what Jonze saw on those pages.
Max Records plays Max and is wonderful, I thought he looked so natural, so at ease with acting he made the film, the fact he is in it, nearly all of the time is a testament to both Max and Jonze for getting such a wonderful performance from an unknown actor. The rest of the cast have brief moments, but Catherine Keener is great playing the Mum with the weight of the world on her shoulders.
The film is very touching in a number of ways, it took me back to my childhood, when you wanted to show your castle to your Mum and be proud of what you've built. The frustration when she's to busy to come and look, and the anger when you tore it down!
The sadness when people come and go, when people don't listen, when they have something better to do than to comfort you. I do know some of these feelings from my childhood, and my Kids may feel the same sometimes, but we try to be there for them all the time. It's hard and Max's Mum finds it hard, but Max doesn't understand he wants to be accepted by his piers and he wants to be loved. I'm not saying Max's Mum doesn't love him, she does, but when she wants attention herself from a male friend Max is the one who feels left out. Which leads to confrontation and anger and finally violence (not extreme) which leads to Max running away.
And it's while he's in hiding we meet the wild things, now I could easily see Max huddled in a tree stump trying to work everything out and creating this fantasy to try and rationalise it all. And while he is with the wild things he does learn the value of his mother, his sister and why things change and how to accept these changes.
Overall I thought this film was amazing, wonderful to look at, touching - Outstanding (10/10)
I would also like to add some other notes, mostly concerning people's reaction to this film.
Max isn't a horrid little child, he's not a problem child, the opening scene with him chasing the dog is a bored kid finding something to do. Hell I chased the dog all over the house and fought with him, in the name of fun. I even did it when I was 12.
He's lonely, so playing in the snow on his own isn't much fun, or talking to a fence, so when he see's an opportunity for a snow ball fight with his sisters friends he takes it he's not being naughty he just wants to have fun. At the end of the scene who's the naughty kid? The one who jumps on his Igloo and buries Max. And while his sister doesn't console him just drives away with her friends, he becomes angry at her and trashes her room. But he is remorseful in the end because he shows his Mum his actions and helps to tidy the room.
Both are signs he's not out of control he's lonely and just wants some attention.
Later while he's on the Wild things Island, he finds being King isn't easy, making decisions and keeping everybody happy isn't easy.
Again how people see Max's war as a naughty thing is beyond me. Every group of boys has played war, thrown dirt clods at each other, and of course someone always gets hurt, it was all part and parcel of being a kid! Max had someone to play with at last, his imagination heightened the experience so it looks more extreme!
But also the end when he returns home, Mother stands for comfort, of course she welcomes him home and feeds him, but Max also realizes where he is safe and his mother will be there for him!
WONDERFUL FILM!!!!!
Avatar
Hi,
Well, Avatar, it was Thursday last week when I saw the 3D version and I didn’t want to jump into my review straight away. So I thought about it, let the images sink in, see if they stayed with me over the weekend and they did well until I saw Where the Wild Things Are, but that will come next.
So did it live up to the hype? Yes it did.
Did it blow me away? Yes it did.
Is it a giant leap forward for Cinema? Not too sure, it’s beyond anything I’ve seen so far, how far I’m not really sure; I mean Star Trek’s SFX looked remarkable as well. However the human element of the film was totally seamless due to the motion capture technique that Cameron used. Now this was stunning and beyond anything I have seen or even expected in this film.
James Cameron (Titanic) directs his first major film in 12 years and it is something remarkable, if unoriginal in it’s story, he unleashes such a visually stunning film that I was actually glad I didn’t have to pay too much attention to the plot. It was laid out like a road map, start here, finish there and along the way you will see this happen. Yep, A, B, C storytelling, but for some reason it didn’t hurt this film at all. I didn’t walk out saying the plot is garbage, the script was rubbish, it just didn’t matter for that viewing. But will it start to matter after I’ve seen it a few more times, when I’m passed the visually awe will the story be enough – that I’m afraid may not be the case. It may just remain a visual treat, but that alone will never get it to my number 1 film!
The cast were good, I do like Sam Worthington, he’s not been asked to really perform as yet, but in the roles I’ve seen him in, I’ve seen enough evidence to prove he can carry a film. Zoe Saldana was amazing as Neytiri this was the performance of the film. Stephen Lang was menacing enough as the war hungry Colonel and Sigourney Weaver, Giovanni Ribisi were also very good.
I’m not harping on about the story; it’s Pocahontas in space, simple with a pretty average script, nothing to really get excited about. But the action is great, the pacing is great, 2 hours 40 minutes flew by as fast as a banshee!
But what was really exciting was Pandora, the planet Cameron has imagined for this film, now this new world made the film for me. The plant life, the animals, and of course the Na’vi are all amazingly brought to life, and it all worked for me. It was a mind-blowing, visually stunning trip to another world. And it’s this which is dragging me back for more, because I believe I didn’t see half off what Cameron wanted me to see in those deep dark jungles of Pandora.
I will visit Pandora again, this time at the IMAX and maybe even one more time at a normal screen, because I really do want to go back!
Overall simple story and average script overshadowed by mind-blowing visuals - Outstanding (10/10)
Well, Avatar, it was Thursday last week when I saw the 3D version and I didn’t want to jump into my review straight away. So I thought about it, let the images sink in, see if they stayed with me over the weekend and they did well until I saw Where the Wild Things Are, but that will come next.
So did it live up to the hype? Yes it did.
Did it blow me away? Yes it did.
Is it a giant leap forward for Cinema? Not too sure, it’s beyond anything I’ve seen so far, how far I’m not really sure; I mean Star Trek’s SFX looked remarkable as well. However the human element of the film was totally seamless due to the motion capture technique that Cameron used. Now this was stunning and beyond anything I have seen or even expected in this film.
James Cameron (Titanic) directs his first major film in 12 years and it is something remarkable, if unoriginal in it’s story, he unleashes such a visually stunning film that I was actually glad I didn’t have to pay too much attention to the plot. It was laid out like a road map, start here, finish there and along the way you will see this happen. Yep, A, B, C storytelling, but for some reason it didn’t hurt this film at all. I didn’t walk out saying the plot is garbage, the script was rubbish, it just didn’t matter for that viewing. But will it start to matter after I’ve seen it a few more times, when I’m passed the visually awe will the story be enough – that I’m afraid may not be the case. It may just remain a visual treat, but that alone will never get it to my number 1 film!
The cast were good, I do like Sam Worthington, he’s not been asked to really perform as yet, but in the roles I’ve seen him in, I’ve seen enough evidence to prove he can carry a film. Zoe Saldana was amazing as Neytiri this was the performance of the film. Stephen Lang was menacing enough as the war hungry Colonel and Sigourney Weaver, Giovanni Ribisi were also very good.
I’m not harping on about the story; it’s Pocahontas in space, simple with a pretty average script, nothing to really get excited about. But the action is great, the pacing is great, 2 hours 40 minutes flew by as fast as a banshee!
But what was really exciting was Pandora, the planet Cameron has imagined for this film, now this new world made the film for me. The plant life, the animals, and of course the Na’vi are all amazingly brought to life, and it all worked for me. It was a mind-blowing, visually stunning trip to another world. And it’s this which is dragging me back for more, because I believe I didn’t see half off what Cameron wanted me to see in those deep dark jungles of Pandora.
I will visit Pandora again, this time at the IMAX and maybe even one more time at a normal screen, because I really do want to go back!
Overall simple story and average script overshadowed by mind-blowing visuals - Outstanding (10/10)
Tuesday 15 December 2009
Blu Rays
Over the last few night's I've watched a couple of Blu Rays.
Thursday stuck Star Trek on again!!!!!
Saturday was the turn of X:Men Origins - Wolverine. I did see this at the pictures while not the best it wasn't too bad. Some poor CGI didn't help! However on BD some of the bad CGI didn't look as bad, but the really poor stuff still looked really poor! Emily enjoyed it, and I must admit I enjoyed it as well. Not in the league of X 1 and 2 but it's ok.
One thing I did like was the IMDB look up function, that was pretty cool, can't remember what film he or she was in great pop up the menu and select the character and up comes the filmography - Nice!
And last night was my Christmas shopping bargain, Kill Bill Volume 1 and 2 for £5 each, I think they are used but I can live with that!
The transfer is amazing, really stunning. Can't tell with the sound, as my system can't handle PCM so I ended up with the standard 5.1. Even so - it was still pretty good.
I forgotten how good this film is, I really enjoyed it, not just because of the transfer but the whole thing was outstanding. The script is funny, the fight scenes are great. The music is brilliant! Looking forward to seeing the 2nd one soon.
Thursday stuck Star Trek on again!!!!!
Saturday was the turn of X:Men Origins - Wolverine. I did see this at the pictures while not the best it wasn't too bad. Some poor CGI didn't help! However on BD some of the bad CGI didn't look as bad, but the really poor stuff still looked really poor! Emily enjoyed it, and I must admit I enjoyed it as well. Not in the league of X 1 and 2 but it's ok.
One thing I did like was the IMDB look up function, that was pretty cool, can't remember what film he or she was in great pop up the menu and select the character and up comes the filmography - Nice!
And last night was my Christmas shopping bargain, Kill Bill Volume 1 and 2 for £5 each, I think they are used but I can live with that!
The transfer is amazing, really stunning. Can't tell with the sound, as my system can't handle PCM so I ended up with the standard 5.1. Even so - it was still pretty good.
I forgotten how good this film is, I really enjoyed it, not just because of the transfer but the whole thing was outstanding. The script is funny, the fight scenes are great. The music is brilliant! Looking forward to seeing the 2nd one soon.
Wednesday 9 December 2009
Thoughts on Avatar
Hi,
The 17th of December approaches fast bringing with it James Cameron's first movie project for 10 years, the much anticipated film of this year - AVATAR!
Hit or Miss?
I hope it will be a hit, from the the trailer I really like the look of it. People say it looks like Halo, it's a computer game on film. I don't know, I think it looks so much better than any computer game I've seen. But then again I don't own a PS3 or XBOX so my gaming knowledge is weak, but I still think it looks so much better.
I can see visually this will be something very special, it's the rest of the film I'm worried about. Story, script and acting! Cameron isn't the strongest with his words, and from the rumours the script and story are very weak, and if this is true, it could bring down the acting and the film.
I remember another film with similiar traits this summer, should have been a blockbuster smash, well it was but it should have been so much better than it was, terrible script and silly plot dragged the acting down and left the film a mess. Transformers 2!
Now I hope it doesn't end up like this, but it could and that's my concern!
The 17th of December approaches fast bringing with it James Cameron's first movie project for 10 years, the much anticipated film of this year - AVATAR!
Hit or Miss?
I hope it will be a hit, from the the trailer I really like the look of it. People say it looks like Halo, it's a computer game on film. I don't know, I think it looks so much better than any computer game I've seen. But then again I don't own a PS3 or XBOX so my gaming knowledge is weak, but I still think it looks so much better.
I can see visually this will be something very special, it's the rest of the film I'm worried about. Story, script and acting! Cameron isn't the strongest with his words, and from the rumours the script and story are very weak, and if this is true, it could bring down the acting and the film.
I remember another film with similiar traits this summer, should have been a blockbuster smash, well it was but it should have been so much better than it was, terrible script and silly plot dragged the acting down and left the film a mess. Transformers 2!
Now I hope it doesn't end up like this, but it could and that's my concern!
Tuesday 8 December 2009
The Box
Hi,
Last night's films was Richard Kelly's The Box, starring Cameron Diaz, James Marsden and Frank Langella. Now this is an interesting film, giving me the vide of a Hitchcock film along with an episode of the Twilight Zone. Which I've found out today does exist for the short story "button, button" which they are both based on.
I did like the premise of the story. It is a little confusing at times, and it's never made clear who is in control of the box or why. Maybe it's a film which will need a couple of viewings to fully understand and appreciate Kelly's vision of the story, but I did take a lot from it in the end and it was a good piece of film making on the whole. It won't be every bodies type of film that's for sure.
A tad slow in places but it did have an eerie feel to it and quite a bit of suspense throughout. The library scene was superb.
The script was good, the acting was fine from all parties, I do like Marsden and Langella, Diaz's accent wavered at times but that was only a little niggle.
Overall, I did like this, not sure I fully got it, but I will watch it again on DVD, and that must be a good sign. (7/10)
Last night's films was Richard Kelly's The Box, starring Cameron Diaz, James Marsden and Frank Langella. Now this is an interesting film, giving me the vide of a Hitchcock film along with an episode of the Twilight Zone. Which I've found out today does exist for the short story "button, button" which they are both based on.
I did like the premise of the story. It is a little confusing at times, and it's never made clear who is in control of the box or why. Maybe it's a film which will need a couple of viewings to fully understand and appreciate Kelly's vision of the story, but I did take a lot from it in the end and it was a good piece of film making on the whole. It won't be every bodies type of film that's for sure.
A tad slow in places but it did have an eerie feel to it and quite a bit of suspense throughout. The library scene was superb.
The script was good, the acting was fine from all parties, I do like Marsden and Langella, Diaz's accent wavered at times but that was only a little niggle.
Overall, I did like this, not sure I fully got it, but I will watch it again on DVD, and that must be a good sign. (7/10)
Sunday 6 December 2009
Law Abiding Citizen
Hi,
My last visit to the cinema was to see the thriller Law Abiding Citizen, directed by F. Gary Gary, who did a good job in my opinion. The action was never OTT and he got some decent tension throughout the film, between the leading stars.
Gerard Butler (300) and Jamie Foxx (Miami Vice) were the main stars and both did a good job.
The script wasn't bad, and the pace of the film was ok. The ending a little weak, but then again I'm not sure who's side I was on by that point, the slimy lawyer or the grief stricken father out for revenge.
Either way Butler and Foxx had some good standoff moments, some of the death's were brutal and surprising, but they helped keep my interest in the film.
Overall, a good thriller, with good performances,script and action, but nothing to get too excited about (7/10).
My last visit to the cinema was to see the thriller Law Abiding Citizen, directed by F. Gary Gary, who did a good job in my opinion. The action was never OTT and he got some decent tension throughout the film, between the leading stars.
Gerard Butler (300) and Jamie Foxx (Miami Vice) were the main stars and both did a good job.
The script wasn't bad, and the pace of the film was ok. The ending a little weak, but then again I'm not sure who's side I was on by that point, the slimy lawyer or the grief stricken father out for revenge.
Either way Butler and Foxx had some good standoff moments, some of the death's were brutal and surprising, but they helped keep my interest in the film.
Overall, a good thriller, with good performances,script and action, but nothing to get too excited about (7/10).
Wednesday 2 December 2009
Paranormal Activity
Hi,
Caught Paranormal Activity on Monday night, saw an early showing to maximise the crowd, these films always play better with a fuller cinema, rather than the 6 to 10 people usually in the late showings. And the crowd effect did help!
Now I didn't really like the Blair witch, didn't find it scary in any way, Rec and Cloverfield I did like but with these hand-held films I do tend to feel motion sickness, but I wanted to see what the hype was about, so I fought the nausea and got through it!
And I'm glad I did, it was a well crafted film, for such a low budget it really did pull it off. The acting wasn't bad, and the script was realistic. The tension was built up slowly through out the film, with some very nice nervous moments for the cast and for the audience. I admit my hairs on the back of my neck did stand up once, so it did get to me a little.
Now if I hadn't seen the trailer, I may have jumped a couple of times as well, which I never really do, but I'd seen all the best moments and that was a shame, otherwise this may have been one of the best horror movies I'd seen for a while.
Overall, well produced little frightener with some nice moments. (7/10)
Caught Paranormal Activity on Monday night, saw an early showing to maximise the crowd, these films always play better with a fuller cinema, rather than the 6 to 10 people usually in the late showings. And the crowd effect did help!
Now I didn't really like the Blair witch, didn't find it scary in any way, Rec and Cloverfield I did like but with these hand-held films I do tend to feel motion sickness, but I wanted to see what the hype was about, so I fought the nausea and got through it!
And I'm glad I did, it was a well crafted film, for such a low budget it really did pull it off. The acting wasn't bad, and the script was realistic. The tension was built up slowly through out the film, with some very nice nervous moments for the cast and for the audience. I admit my hairs on the back of my neck did stand up once, so it did get to me a little.
Now if I hadn't seen the trailer, I may have jumped a couple of times as well, which I never really do, but I'd seen all the best moments and that was a shame, otherwise this may have been one of the best horror movies I'd seen for a while.
Overall, well produced little frightener with some nice moments. (7/10)
Wednesday 25 November 2009
Star Trek (BD)
Hi,
Started to watch this with the kids last night, they all watched the first hour before the twins went off to bed. Then my eldest and I continued with the rest of it. Plus the Gag reel, which was pretty funny.
This is the 7th time I've seen it now, and at no point in the film did I lose concentration, it never drags and it never bores me.
Is it perfect?
To me yes it is, at least in it's genre it is. I can't think of much I would watch again and again, maybe Star Wars, but I haven't seen them in years, and never watched the first 3 more than once. Alien? started it a few months back but never finished it, Serenity?, I want this on Blu Ray, but I've not seen this since the cinema.
I'm looking forward to watching the 2nd hour again tonight with the twins. Pity I haven't got time to watch it all again, but United are on!
Star Trek is now my number 1 film.
Started to watch this with the kids last night, they all watched the first hour before the twins went off to bed. Then my eldest and I continued with the rest of it. Plus the Gag reel, which was pretty funny.
This is the 7th time I've seen it now, and at no point in the film did I lose concentration, it never drags and it never bores me.
Is it perfect?
To me yes it is, at least in it's genre it is. I can't think of much I would watch again and again, maybe Star Wars, but I haven't seen them in years, and never watched the first 3 more than once. Alien? started it a few months back but never finished it, Serenity?, I want this on Blu Ray, but I've not seen this since the cinema.
I'm looking forward to watching the 2nd hour again tonight with the twins. Pity I haven't got time to watch it all again, but United are on!
Star Trek is now my number 1 film.
Tuesday 24 November 2009
Harry Brown
Hi,
Last night's film was the Michael Caine, urban drama Harry Brown. Directed by Daniel Barber and with Emily Mortimer (Dear Frankie), Iain Glen (Tombraider), Ben Drew (Adulthood) and Liam Cunningham (The Escapist). The cast was very good, and the writing pretty strong, with a very good performance from Caine.
It was a bleak look at today's society and I would suspect that we all know areas like the one portrayed in the film. Barber caught the sense of loneliness the guilty found themselves in living under the constant threat of gang violence. But who would fight back and make a stand, Harry Brown ex-marine stepped up.
The violence and the script were both pretty hard hitting but they were kept in the realms of reality and served the film well. The other good thing was that they didn't turn Caine's character into some super ex-marine going round beating everyone down with his fists, he knew how to use a gun and how to kill!
Overall, good all round British drama (7/10)
Last night's film was the Michael Caine, urban drama Harry Brown. Directed by Daniel Barber and with Emily Mortimer (Dear Frankie), Iain Glen (Tombraider), Ben Drew (Adulthood) and Liam Cunningham (The Escapist). The cast was very good, and the writing pretty strong, with a very good performance from Caine.
It was a bleak look at today's society and I would suspect that we all know areas like the one portrayed in the film. Barber caught the sense of loneliness the guilty found themselves in living under the constant threat of gang violence. But who would fight back and make a stand, Harry Brown ex-marine stepped up.
The violence and the script were both pretty hard hitting but they were kept in the realms of reality and served the film well. The other good thing was that they didn't turn Caine's character into some super ex-marine going round beating everyone down with his fists, he knew how to use a gun and how to kill!
Overall, good all round British drama (7/10)
Wednesday 18 November 2009
2012
Last night's film was the disaster movie 2012, which in turn become a little bit of a disaster in itself.
Roland Emmerich (The day after tomorrow,ID4) again brings the earth to it's knees in another end of the world film. This time the destruction of our planet is on such a massive scale compared to the day after film, this was true end of the world stuff and it was amazing to watch (in a strange way). Land crumbling away into the molten core of the earth, cities gone, yellowstone erupting into a gigantic volcano. These scenes were something else, even if the escape from LA in the limo and plane skated on the wrong side of believable, it was still 20 minutes of pure cinema entertainment. These scenes were fantastic, the CGI was astounding, but even as great as this was the rest of the film, and I mean the narrative wasn't fantastic.
John Cusack, Amanda Peet, Chitwetel Ejiofor and Oliver Platt headed the cast, and it's a great cast, let down by sloppy writing and cliched situations. Not only do we have lots of incidental characters which turn up to say their good-byes to loved ones or try to reoncile their differences that it all becomes unemotional, I didn't really care for these characters, who were they and why are they hanging around this film, I didn't care! As for the main man and I'm not taking about Cusack, what was the point of returning to his plight when he had agreeded to stay behind, he's made his decision we can all assume the outcome, but Emmerich wants us to see him go in the most spectacular way he can make happen. And the film is littered with these pointless excuses to show us disaster moments from around the world, when all I wanted to see was Cusack's story!
Cusack's story did have some good potential, his trip to Yellowstone, the return to LA, the cracks in the road, the comments by the kids all adding up and pushing him to save his family and get to the "ships".I think this would have made a great story, losing around 1 hour of the film would have helped as well. But in the end it became bogged down in morality and a Goverment cover-up! You never had this problem on the Poseidon!
Both 2012 and The Day after Tomorrow use the except same story forumla but I prefered the Day after tomorrow, mainly because I had characters I could care for and I wanted to see survive. Cusack's family would have been the same if we had spent more time with them.
Overall (5/10) and thats for the special effects! The rest was not very good at all!
Roland Emmerich (The day after tomorrow,ID4) again brings the earth to it's knees in another end of the world film. This time the destruction of our planet is on such a massive scale compared to the day after film, this was true end of the world stuff and it was amazing to watch (in a strange way). Land crumbling away into the molten core of the earth, cities gone, yellowstone erupting into a gigantic volcano. These scenes were something else, even if the escape from LA in the limo and plane skated on the wrong side of believable, it was still 20 minutes of pure cinema entertainment. These scenes were fantastic, the CGI was astounding, but even as great as this was the rest of the film, and I mean the narrative wasn't fantastic.
John Cusack, Amanda Peet, Chitwetel Ejiofor and Oliver Platt headed the cast, and it's a great cast, let down by sloppy writing and cliched situations. Not only do we have lots of incidental characters which turn up to say their good-byes to loved ones or try to reoncile their differences that it all becomes unemotional, I didn't really care for these characters, who were they and why are they hanging around this film, I didn't care! As for the main man and I'm not taking about Cusack, what was the point of returning to his plight when he had agreeded to stay behind, he's made his decision we can all assume the outcome, but Emmerich wants us to see him go in the most spectacular way he can make happen. And the film is littered with these pointless excuses to show us disaster moments from around the world, when all I wanted to see was Cusack's story!
Cusack's story did have some good potential, his trip to Yellowstone, the return to LA, the cracks in the road, the comments by the kids all adding up and pushing him to save his family and get to the "ships".I think this would have made a great story, losing around 1 hour of the film would have helped as well. But in the end it became bogged down in morality and a Goverment cover-up! You never had this problem on the Poseidon!
Both 2012 and The Day after Tomorrow use the except same story forumla but I prefered the Day after tomorrow, mainly because I had characters I could care for and I wanted to see survive. Cusack's family would have been the same if we had spent more time with them.
Overall (5/10) and thats for the special effects! The rest was not very good at all!
Monday 16 November 2009
Star Trek (BD)
Hi,
Last night watched Star Trek (2009) on Blu-Ray, stunning, just stunning, the transfer looked superb, the sound was awesome. This was the 6th time I've seen this film, 4 at the cinema, 1 at the Imax and now on BD. And looking forward to seeing it again soon with my eldest.
Is this my number 1 film? Hmmm, it is the Dark Knight at the moment. Not sure but it's very close.
Last night watched Star Trek (2009) on Blu-Ray, stunning, just stunning, the transfer looked superb, the sound was awesome. This was the 6th time I've seen this film, 4 at the cinema, 1 at the Imax and now on BD. And looking forward to seeing it again soon with my eldest.
Is this my number 1 film? Hmmm, it is the Dark Knight at the moment. Not sure but it's very close.
The fourth kind
Hi,
The fourth Kind was the latest film I saw at the cinema at the end of last week. Hmm, not an easy one to review, it’s not a bad film, but you really have to buy in to it all.
The film is set in an isolated town in Alaska where numerous people have gone missing or have the same strange experiences. Dr. Abigail Tyler (Jovovich) is leading the study to unlock these secrets until she encounters them herself and her life is thrown into turmoil.
Directed by Olatunde Osunsanmi, starring Milla Jovovich, Will Patton and Elias Koteas, the film uses so called “real” footage cut into the actual film, sometimes both playing the same scene to authenticate the “real” one.
The story was interesting and I suppose it may have happened, 4th kind alien contact that is. How real it is in this film is open to debate, if you believe aliens exist then you may buy into this film 100%. If you are a little sceptical then you may just enjoy the film as a film, like I did.
It wasn’t bad; the acting was ok, the script ok, a couple of nice intense scenes, but nothing really scary.
Overall 6/10 – Will you believe.
The fourth Kind was the latest film I saw at the cinema at the end of last week. Hmm, not an easy one to review, it’s not a bad film, but you really have to buy in to it all.
The film is set in an isolated town in Alaska where numerous people have gone missing or have the same strange experiences. Dr. Abigail Tyler (Jovovich) is leading the study to unlock these secrets until she encounters them herself and her life is thrown into turmoil.
Directed by Olatunde Osunsanmi, starring Milla Jovovich, Will Patton and Elias Koteas, the film uses so called “real” footage cut into the actual film, sometimes both playing the same scene to authenticate the “real” one.
The story was interesting and I suppose it may have happened, 4th kind alien contact that is. How real it is in this film is open to debate, if you believe aliens exist then you may buy into this film 100%. If you are a little sceptical then you may just enjoy the film as a film, like I did.
It wasn’t bad; the acting was ok, the script ok, a couple of nice intense scenes, but nothing really scary.
Overall 6/10 – Will you believe.
Tuesday 10 November 2009
The men who stare at goats
Hi,
Last night's film was The men who stare at goats, and what a good movie it turned out to be.
Directed by Grant Heslov, with George Clooney, Ewan McGregor, Jeff Bridges and Kevin Spacey. The 4 main actors are superb, all of them aided by a really good script. Funny, never over the top silly and very clever.
However the film did run out of steam in the last 20 minutes, and to be honest become a little dull after such a great opening hour or so. Which is a shame really, but overall the sum of the parts still made it a worthwhile watch.
Oh yes, what's it about? Well McGregor's character is a small town reporter, who's wife leaves him and he sets out to prove he's bigger man than she thinks. He stumbles into a story about the US defence training men for pyshic war fare! Meeting the main man in the training programmer (Clooney) in Iraq. McGregor then follows Clooney's character on his next mission to cover the story and get his big break!
Overall, Funny and clever, good performances all round, but the film just lagged towards the end (8/10)
Last night's film was The men who stare at goats, and what a good movie it turned out to be.
Directed by Grant Heslov, with George Clooney, Ewan McGregor, Jeff Bridges and Kevin Spacey. The 4 main actors are superb, all of them aided by a really good script. Funny, never over the top silly and very clever.
However the film did run out of steam in the last 20 minutes, and to be honest become a little dull after such a great opening hour or so. Which is a shame really, but overall the sum of the parts still made it a worthwhile watch.
Oh yes, what's it about? Well McGregor's character is a small town reporter, who's wife leaves him and he sets out to prove he's bigger man than she thinks. He stumbles into a story about the US defence training men for pyshic war fare! Meeting the main man in the training programmer (Clooney) in Iraq. McGregor then follows Clooney's character on his next mission to cover the story and get his big break!
Overall, Funny and clever, good performances all round, but the film just lagged towards the end (8/10)
Monday 9 November 2009
Jennifer's Body
Hi,
Last night’s movie was Jennifer’s Body, directed by Karyn Kusama (Aeon Flux), written by Diablo Coby (Juno). Starring Megan Fox (Transformers), Amanda Seyfried (Mamma Mia) and Adam Brody (The O.C).
Two high school girls, best friends since childhood, have their world turned upside down when one becomes a man eating demon!
I was looking forward to this, not just for the concept of the film, demon man-eating female, but for the writing and also seeing if Megan Fox could act. Well talk about disappointed on most counts.
If this was a horror – comedy if failed in both genres, I didn’t find it remotely funny, not even darkly funny, and as a horror film it had no scares, no tension and not much gore! This is a man eating demon there should have been plenty of gore.
As you might have guessed the writing wasn’t that funny, if people are comparing this to Heathers or Mean Girls for the bitchy script it’s not a patch on either of them.
The acting, I will give Fox the benefit of the doubt here, I think she was let down by a poor script and not the best direction so I’ll reserve judgement for now. She wasn’t bad though!
Overall, not really impressed by much at all from this film, the soundtrack was possible the best thing in it. (3/10)
Last night’s movie was Jennifer’s Body, directed by Karyn Kusama (Aeon Flux), written by Diablo Coby (Juno). Starring Megan Fox (Transformers), Amanda Seyfried (Mamma Mia) and Adam Brody (The O.C).
Two high school girls, best friends since childhood, have their world turned upside down when one becomes a man eating demon!
I was looking forward to this, not just for the concept of the film, demon man-eating female, but for the writing and also seeing if Megan Fox could act. Well talk about disappointed on most counts.
If this was a horror – comedy if failed in both genres, I didn’t find it remotely funny, not even darkly funny, and as a horror film it had no scares, no tension and not much gore! This is a man eating demon there should have been plenty of gore.
As you might have guessed the writing wasn’t that funny, if people are comparing this to Heathers or Mean Girls for the bitchy script it’s not a patch on either of them.
The acting, I will give Fox the benefit of the doubt here, I think she was let down by a poor script and not the best direction so I’ll reserve judgement for now. She wasn’t bad though!
Overall, not really impressed by much at all from this film, the soundtrack was possible the best thing in it. (3/10)
Thursday 5 November 2009
Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant
Hello,
Saw Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant, the other day, and what a surprise it was, I was hoping it was going to be ok, but i really liked it. It wasn't brilliant but it had it's heart in the right place.
Directed by Paul Weitz (About a boy) and starring, John C Reilly (Criminal), Josh Hutcherson (Journey to the center of the earth), Chris Massoglia and Salma Hayek.
Adapted from the Darren Shan novels, (Darren Shan been the name of the main character) how close to the book the film is, I couldn't tell you, but it did make me want to read the books.
As for the film, I really enjoyed it, the cast was great, Reilly was really good, the two younger cast members did well also. The story was engaging if a little predicatable, but it was entertaining due to the performances and the script. My eldest also really liked it as well.
I just hope they continue with the next one.
Overall good script, good performances and an enjoyable concept (8/10)
Saw Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant, the other day, and what a surprise it was, I was hoping it was going to be ok, but i really liked it. It wasn't brilliant but it had it's heart in the right place.
Directed by Paul Weitz (About a boy) and starring, John C Reilly (Criminal), Josh Hutcherson (Journey to the center of the earth), Chris Massoglia and Salma Hayek.
Adapted from the Darren Shan novels, (Darren Shan been the name of the main character) how close to the book the film is, I couldn't tell you, but it did make me want to read the books.
As for the film, I really enjoyed it, the cast was great, Reilly was really good, the two younger cast members did well also. The story was engaging if a little predicatable, but it was entertaining due to the performances and the script. My eldest also really liked it as well.
I just hope they continue with the next one.
Overall good script, good performances and an enjoyable concept (8/10)
Tuesday 3 November 2009
Trick r Treat (BD)
Hi,
On Halloween I sat down and watched the BD copy of Trick R Treat. One of my favourite films from this years Frightfest, I had had been looking forward to seeing this again, and the DVD was to be released just before Halloween, Perfect!
Except no sign of the Blu-Ray version, the US were getting one, why not the UK? After a little more digging I found that the disc would be region free, and would play over here! Brilliant, I ordered it from America.
It arrived 2 days before the 31st! Checked it would work – it did – Great!
Halloween, kids in bed and on with the film, my wife started to watch it then went to do something else – horror just isn’t her thing!
Anyway the film, I met Michael Dougherty at Frightfest for a brief moment, while he signed my book, he was thrilled it went down so well! Even John Landis liked it a lot!
And so he should be – I think it’s one of the best “true” Halloween films every made, most just take the name, but this film is about Halloween, about the history, about the things that come out to play on this one night. It’s not a scary film, I just found it very clever and a little twisted, but what I really liked was Sam Pumpkin, the spirit of Halloween. Dougherty has created a great little monster here and he uses it brilliantly throughout the film. He’s not chucky turning up every 15 minutes to kill some one, he get’s his own segment sure but he’s there to watch, to make sure the traditions are upheld, lanterns stay lit, kids get their candy and if you don’t like Halloween then he will make you pay.
The cast was very good, Cox (who was at frightfest even with a heavy cold) was great, Paquin (True Blood) is great as well, her story has a great twist. Dylan Baker (Spiderman) is superb as a killer; I really liked his story too!
The blu ray is great too look at the colours are superb throughout the film. The sound is excellent as well.
Overall – Film (9/10) – Picture (9/10) – Sound (9/10)
On Halloween I sat down and watched the BD copy of Trick R Treat. One of my favourite films from this years Frightfest, I had had been looking forward to seeing this again, and the DVD was to be released just before Halloween, Perfect!
Except no sign of the Blu-Ray version, the US were getting one, why not the UK? After a little more digging I found that the disc would be region free, and would play over here! Brilliant, I ordered it from America.
It arrived 2 days before the 31st! Checked it would work – it did – Great!
Halloween, kids in bed and on with the film, my wife started to watch it then went to do something else – horror just isn’t her thing!
Anyway the film, I met Michael Dougherty at Frightfest for a brief moment, while he signed my book, he was thrilled it went down so well! Even John Landis liked it a lot!
And so he should be – I think it’s one of the best “true” Halloween films every made, most just take the name, but this film is about Halloween, about the history, about the things that come out to play on this one night. It’s not a scary film, I just found it very clever and a little twisted, but what I really liked was Sam Pumpkin, the spirit of Halloween. Dougherty has created a great little monster here and he uses it brilliantly throughout the film. He’s not chucky turning up every 15 minutes to kill some one, he get’s his own segment sure but he’s there to watch, to make sure the traditions are upheld, lanterns stay lit, kids get their candy and if you don’t like Halloween then he will make you pay.
The cast was very good, Cox (who was at frightfest even with a heavy cold) was great, Paquin (True Blood) is great as well, her story has a great twist. Dylan Baker (Spiderman) is superb as a killer; I really liked his story too!
The blu ray is great too look at the colours are superb throughout the film. The sound is excellent as well.
Overall – Film (9/10) – Picture (9/10) – Sound (9/10)
The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus
Hi,
Last Thursday’s film was The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus and a strange film it was too. Not in the case of Ledger passing away and the 3 stand in actors used to fill his role, but more in the mind of Gilliam himself.
Directed and written by Gilliam, starring the late Heath Ledger, with Depp, Law and Collin Farrell filling in when required. All bringing something different but at the same time wanting to mimic Ledger’s version of Tony. All did well but nothing outstanding.
The rest of the cast were superb though, Plummer as Parnassus was brilliant, and the young girl Lily Cole as Valentina was really good and Tom Waits as Mr Nick, good too.
But for me the story let the film down, maybe it’s a film I need to see again to see beyond the visually stunning ideas Gilliam put on the screen or maybe there’s not much beyond the visuals. I didn’t see it first time round and so walked away a little disappointed in the end.
I really think I need to watch it again.
Overall – (6/10), visually stunning, but poor storytelling left it lifeless.
Last Thursday’s film was The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus and a strange film it was too. Not in the case of Ledger passing away and the 3 stand in actors used to fill his role, but more in the mind of Gilliam himself.
Directed and written by Gilliam, starring the late Heath Ledger, with Depp, Law and Collin Farrell filling in when required. All bringing something different but at the same time wanting to mimic Ledger’s version of Tony. All did well but nothing outstanding.
The rest of the cast were superb though, Plummer as Parnassus was brilliant, and the young girl Lily Cole as Valentina was really good and Tom Waits as Mr Nick, good too.
But for me the story let the film down, maybe it’s a film I need to see again to see beyond the visually stunning ideas Gilliam put on the screen or maybe there’s not much beyond the visuals. I didn’t see it first time round and so walked away a little disappointed in the end.
I really think I need to watch it again.
Overall – (6/10), visually stunning, but poor storytelling left it lifeless.
Friday 30 October 2009
Saw VI
Hi,
Monday’s film, I know it’s a little late but I’ve been busy sorting out my DVD collection.
Anyway the film was Saw VI, I started off not really liking these films, well the first one the rest have grown on me. Not to the point I own them, but I have enjoyed the films more as the series has continued.
For me 6 was one of the best ones, directed by Kevin Greulet and starring Tobin Bell as Jigsaw/John. Betsy Russell, Costas Mandylor and Shawnee Smith.
Jigsaw continues to seek his revenge on anyone who he feels needs to be taught a lesson.
The opening game is quick and very well staged, this is nothing to the main game in this picture. One which I really enjoyed watching, the victim with a device strapped to each arm and leg must solve four games to get the key for then and be able to remove them. Each game is really well set up, especially the wheel of fortune, this was great just because of the depths people will go to stay alive! The gore levels were pretty tame compared to earlier films, and I think this helped this one a lot.
The acting is pretty average, except from Peter Outerbridge (The main victim) who I thought was really good. Tobin Bell has also done well as well, it’s the rest of them that seem a little hammy!
6 films in and multiple plot lines it’s sometimes hard to join all the dots from the other 5 films but they did include a barrage of flashbacks to help out!
Overall, not as gory, but the games were great (7/10)
Monday’s film, I know it’s a little late but I’ve been busy sorting out my DVD collection.
Anyway the film was Saw VI, I started off not really liking these films, well the first one the rest have grown on me. Not to the point I own them, but I have enjoyed the films more as the series has continued.
For me 6 was one of the best ones, directed by Kevin Greulet and starring Tobin Bell as Jigsaw/John. Betsy Russell, Costas Mandylor and Shawnee Smith.
Jigsaw continues to seek his revenge on anyone who he feels needs to be taught a lesson.
The opening game is quick and very well staged, this is nothing to the main game in this picture. One which I really enjoyed watching, the victim with a device strapped to each arm and leg must solve four games to get the key for then and be able to remove them. Each game is really well set up, especially the wheel of fortune, this was great just because of the depths people will go to stay alive! The gore levels were pretty tame compared to earlier films, and I think this helped this one a lot.
The acting is pretty average, except from Peter Outerbridge (The main victim) who I thought was really good. Tobin Bell has also done well as well, it’s the rest of them that seem a little hammy!
6 films in and multiple plot lines it’s sometimes hard to join all the dots from the other 5 films but they did include a barrage of flashbacks to help out!
Overall, not as gory, but the games were great (7/10)
Friday 23 October 2009
Halloween 2
Hi,
Rob Zombie’s Halloween 2 was last night’s film. Starring Scout Taylor-Compton (Halloween), Danielle Harris (Halloween), Brad Dourif (Halloween) and Tyler Mane (Halloween) as Michael Myers.
1 Year one and Laurie (Scout Taylor-Compton) is still having nightmares, which involve her real mother and a young Michael. Are her nightmares about to come true, is Michael still alive and ready to finish what he started?
I really didn’t like this movie at all, the characters for starters were terrible, and I didn’t really care if any of them survived. Maybe Zombie wanted me to side with Michael but it seemed Michael just killed anybody in his way regardless if they meant anything to him or not.
The kills were extremely brutal most of the time, usually with his favoured butcher’s knife, but nothing inventive just brute force.
The script was poor and the dream sequences just confused things, in the end I wasn’t sure if Michael was more of a supernatural entity than human. But then again I didn’t really care either way.
Overall not a good film at all. (3/10 – Rubbish)
Rob Zombie’s Halloween 2 was last night’s film. Starring Scout Taylor-Compton (Halloween), Danielle Harris (Halloween), Brad Dourif (Halloween) and Tyler Mane (Halloween) as Michael Myers.
1 Year one and Laurie (Scout Taylor-Compton) is still having nightmares, which involve her real mother and a young Michael. Are her nightmares about to come true, is Michael still alive and ready to finish what he started?
I really didn’t like this movie at all, the characters for starters were terrible, and I didn’t really care if any of them survived. Maybe Zombie wanted me to side with Michael but it seemed Michael just killed anybody in his way regardless if they meant anything to him or not.
The kills were extremely brutal most of the time, usually with his favoured butcher’s knife, but nothing inventive just brute force.
The script was poor and the dream sequences just confused things, in the end I wasn’t sure if Michael was more of a supernatural entity than human. But then again I didn’t really care either way.
Overall not a good film at all. (3/10 – Rubbish)
Thursday 22 October 2009
Highlander (BD)
Hi,
Watched Highlander, the BD version last night. What a difference it makes. Aside the dodgy SFX the film holds up pretty well. And considering the age of the film, the transfer is superb for the majority. The Highland scenes are amazing, while some of the darker city scenes show up the grain a little more, but none the less the transfer has still made a massive improvement.
The only dissapointment was I felt the soundtrack (DTS) was a little subdued, I was waiting for the opening Queen song in all it's rocking glory and was shocked at how flat it sounded!!!
But overall I was impressed and will be getting this when I can find it cheap.
(Film 8/10, Picture 8/10, Sound 7/10)
Watched Highlander, the BD version last night. What a difference it makes. Aside the dodgy SFX the film holds up pretty well. And considering the age of the film, the transfer is superb for the majority. The Highland scenes are amazing, while some of the darker city scenes show up the grain a little more, but none the less the transfer has still made a massive improvement.
The only dissapointment was I felt the soundtrack (DTS) was a little subdued, I was waiting for the opening Queen song in all it's rocking glory and was shocked at how flat it sounded!!!
But overall I was impressed and will be getting this when I can find it cheap.
(Film 8/10, Picture 8/10, Sound 7/10)
Wednesday 21 October 2009
Pandurom
Hi,
Last night's film was Pandurom, directed by Christian Alvart (Case 39), with Dennis Quaid (Vantage Point), Ben Foster (3:10 to Yuma), Cam Gigandet (Twilight) and Antje Traue.
A sci-fi horror set aboard a space ship sent from our dying Earth to colonize another planet to keep the human race alive. But things seem to be going wrong as crew members start to wake up from hypersleep and find the ship overrun by flesh eating monsters.
I really quite liked this film, it had good atmosphere and tension throughout, the monsters were ok and I liked the concept behind how they were on the ship. The script was good and well acted from a small cast, Foster was very good.
The film moved along at a good pace and had some good twists leading to a decent conclusion.
(8/10) Extremely Good
Last night's film was Pandurom, directed by Christian Alvart (Case 39), with Dennis Quaid (Vantage Point), Ben Foster (3:10 to Yuma), Cam Gigandet (Twilight) and Antje Traue.
A sci-fi horror set aboard a space ship sent from our dying Earth to colonize another planet to keep the human race alive. But things seem to be going wrong as crew members start to wake up from hypersleep and find the ship overrun by flesh eating monsters.
I really quite liked this film, it had good atmosphere and tension throughout, the monsters were ok and I liked the concept behind how they were on the ship. The script was good and well acted from a small cast, Foster was very good.
The film moved along at a good pace and had some good twists leading to a decent conclusion.
(8/10) Extremely Good
Tuesday 20 October 2009
Zombieland
Hi,
Zombieland was last night’s movie, starring Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg (Adventureland), Emma Stone (Superbad) and Abigail Breslin (Nim’s Island) and a super Cameo but I’ll leave you to find that one out. Directed by Ruben Fleischer.
Zombieland is America’s Shaun of the dead, visually funny, brilliantly scripted and very well acted. But what surprised me more was how it didn’t rely on the Zombie’s or over the top zombie deaths to keep the film moving along. The middle act of the film we see very little zombie action at all while the film explores the 4 characters and build’s the relationships between them. Giving them depth and the film a sense of meaning has it heads to the final act and the big zombie fight sequence in the fairground.
It’s these moments along with a brilliant cameo which really makes this film so good. I liked the characters and I actually wanted them to stay alive to the end credits, not something I say for most horror films. The humour was great throughout and the visual’s of the rules was brilliantly executed.
I really enjoyed it from start to finish, (9/10) – Brilliant.
Zombieland was last night’s movie, starring Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg (Adventureland), Emma Stone (Superbad) and Abigail Breslin (Nim’s Island) and a super Cameo but I’ll leave you to find that one out. Directed by Ruben Fleischer.
Zombieland is America’s Shaun of the dead, visually funny, brilliantly scripted and very well acted. But what surprised me more was how it didn’t rely on the Zombie’s or over the top zombie deaths to keep the film moving along. The middle act of the film we see very little zombie action at all while the film explores the 4 characters and build’s the relationships between them. Giving them depth and the film a sense of meaning has it heads to the final act and the big zombie fight sequence in the fairground.
It’s these moments along with a brilliant cameo which really makes this film so good. I liked the characters and I actually wanted them to stay alive to the end credits, not something I say for most horror films. The humour was great throughout and the visual’s of the rules was brilliantly executed.
I really enjoyed it from start to finish, (9/10) – Brilliant.
Sunday 18 October 2009
UP
Hi,
Took the family to see Pixar's UP this morning. Being a massive fan of everything Pixar do I have been looking forward for this film for most of the year. I wasn't disappointed at all.
Beautifully animated as you would expect, the 3D used for depth and detail more than things jumping out of the screen at you. In fact I thought the animation was superb, the attention to detail is simply stunning,and Pixar have continued to raise their own bar with each film they make.
The story was simple, fun and always entertaining. The characters were all superb, the little boy wasn't annoying, the old man not too grumpy, and the dog was brilliant.
The voice cast were great, Edward Asner as Carl (Old Man), Christopher Plummer as Charles Muntz (Villan), Jordan Nagai as Russell (the kid) and Bob Peterson as Dug (the dog). All helped with a very good script. Nothing really to fault in this area, infact nothing to fault in any area really with this film. Simply outstanding.
Pixar took me on a emotional roller coaster throughout the whole of the film, from laughter and joy to sadness, to laughter back to sadness to finish with happiness. I thought I was ready for the opening scenes, I wasn't ready at all, a brilliant montage of a life passing by with the ups and downs that every single day brings us to the bitter end.
The films message "the boring things we remember the most", and I suppose to a large degree it's true. Many strive to escape it, countless holidays, eating and drinking to excess, always wanting something more than they have. When really accepting that you are happy with your life and the choices you have made by design or accident are the correct ones, is much more rewarding than the dreams that may never become reality. Well that's what I got from the film!
Overall, a thoughtful, beautifully animated family film, packed with emotion and fun. (10/10 - Outstanding)
Took the family to see Pixar's UP this morning. Being a massive fan of everything Pixar do I have been looking forward for this film for most of the year. I wasn't disappointed at all.
Beautifully animated as you would expect, the 3D used for depth and detail more than things jumping out of the screen at you. In fact I thought the animation was superb, the attention to detail is simply stunning,and Pixar have continued to raise their own bar with each film they make.
The story was simple, fun and always entertaining. The characters were all superb, the little boy wasn't annoying, the old man not too grumpy, and the dog was brilliant.
The voice cast were great, Edward Asner as Carl (Old Man), Christopher Plummer as Charles Muntz (Villan), Jordan Nagai as Russell (the kid) and Bob Peterson as Dug (the dog). All helped with a very good script. Nothing really to fault in this area, infact nothing to fault in any area really with this film. Simply outstanding.
Pixar took me on a emotional roller coaster throughout the whole of the film, from laughter and joy to sadness, to laughter back to sadness to finish with happiness. I thought I was ready for the opening scenes, I wasn't ready at all, a brilliant montage of a life passing by with the ups and downs that every single day brings us to the bitter end.
The films message "the boring things we remember the most", and I suppose to a large degree it's true. Many strive to escape it, countless holidays, eating and drinking to excess, always wanting something more than they have. When really accepting that you are happy with your life and the choices you have made by design or accident are the correct ones, is much more rewarding than the dreams that may never become reality. Well that's what I got from the film!
Overall, a thoughtful, beautifully animated family film, packed with emotion and fun. (10/10 - Outstanding)
Thursday 15 October 2009
Sounded out!
Hi,
A friend came round to look at the Blu-ray in action last night. So I put on James Bond and loaded scene 2, turned the Av Amp to 5.5 (where it was on Saturday when I watched the film), sat back to enjoy the scene.
BLOODY HELL! It was loud! Really Loud! So turned it down to 4, then Bond crashed the bulldozer through my living room!!!!!
A "you've got to be kidding" look from my wife and it ended down to 2.3!
I had changed a bitrate setting on the BLU ray player, seems to have made all the difference! Now I have amazing sound with my amazing picture.
Going to check out the Matrix scenes tonight!
3 more BD's came to day, purchased in the buy 1 get 1 free offers at play.
King Kong, Hellboy 2 and Wall-E. Can't wait to see Kong fight the T-rex and Wall-E tidy up, and EVE fly!
Just Bolt to come now!
A friend came round to look at the Blu-ray in action last night. So I put on James Bond and loaded scene 2, turned the Av Amp to 5.5 (where it was on Saturday when I watched the film), sat back to enjoy the scene.
BLOODY HELL! It was loud! Really Loud! So turned it down to 4, then Bond crashed the bulldozer through my living room!!!!!
A "you've got to be kidding" look from my wife and it ended down to 2.3!
I had changed a bitrate setting on the BLU ray player, seems to have made all the difference! Now I have amazing sound with my amazing picture.
Going to check out the Matrix scenes tonight!
3 more BD's came to day, purchased in the buy 1 get 1 free offers at play.
King Kong, Hellboy 2 and Wall-E. Can't wait to see Kong fight the T-rex and Wall-E tidy up, and EVE fly!
Just Bolt to come now!
Wednesday 14 October 2009
DVD to Blu Ray
I spent some time going through mt DVD collection and came up with 41 films which I think are worth a purchase on Blu Ray. 41 from 1115 isn't too bad and I bet I can pick up some of them cheap. Some haven't even made the new format yet, like LOTR and Moulin Rouge but they are coming.
Here is my upgrade list.
300
Blade 1
Chronicles of Narnia 2, The - Prince Caspian
Chronicles of Narnia, The - The Lion,the witch and the wardrobe
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
Fifth element,The
Fight Club
Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children
Ghost in the shell
Ghost in the shell 2 : Innocence
Hero
Highlander
Host,The
Howl's moving castle
Iron Man
Jurassic Park 1
Kill Bill Volume 1
Kill Bill Volume 2
Kung Fu Panda
Last of the Mohicans,The
Lord of the rings 1, The : The Fellowship of the Ring
Lord of the rings 2, The : The Two Towers
Lord of the rings 3, The : The return of the king.
Lost Boys,The
Man on fire
Mist,The
Moulin Rouge
My neighbour Totoro
Orphanage,The
Pan's Labyrinth
Peter Pan (Live)
Pirates of the Caribbean 1 : The Curse of the Black Pearl
Pirates of the Caribbean 2: Dead Man's Chest
Pirates of the Caribbean 3
Sin City
Slumdog Millionaire
Spirited Away
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
Transformers
Wanted
War of the worlds,The
Here is my upgrade list.
300
Blade 1
Chronicles of Narnia 2, The - Prince Caspian
Chronicles of Narnia, The - The Lion,the witch and the wardrobe
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
Fifth element,The
Fight Club
Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children
Ghost in the shell
Ghost in the shell 2 : Innocence
Hero
Highlander
Host,The
Howl's moving castle
Iron Man
Jurassic Park 1
Kill Bill Volume 1
Kill Bill Volume 2
Kung Fu Panda
Last of the Mohicans,The
Lord of the rings 1, The : The Fellowship of the Ring
Lord of the rings 2, The : The Two Towers
Lord of the rings 3, The : The return of the king.
Lost Boys,The
Man on fire
Mist,The
Moulin Rouge
My neighbour Totoro
Orphanage,The
Pan's Labyrinth
Peter Pan (Live)
Pirates of the Caribbean 1 : The Curse of the Black Pearl
Pirates of the Caribbean 2: Dead Man's Chest
Pirates of the Caribbean 3
Sin City
Slumdog Millionaire
Spirited Away
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
Transformers
Wanted
War of the worlds,The
A change of pace
Hi,
Left the Blu-Ray alone last night, even though a friend lent me Highlander yesterday. The temptation was there, but my backlog of TV shows is mounting up, House, Flashforward and others. So watched a couple of episodes of House from my V+ box. Well I'm impressed even with that the detail and colours superb again. Brilliant!
I've just been handed Stargate on Blu-Ray, may watch this at weekend with my eldest.
Left the Blu-Ray alone last night, even though a friend lent me Highlander yesterday. The temptation was there, but my backlog of TV shows is mounting up, House, Flashforward and others. So watched a couple of episodes of House from my V+ box. Well I'm impressed even with that the detail and colours superb again. Brilliant!
I've just been handed Stargate on Blu-Ray, may watch this at weekend with my eldest.
Tuesday 13 October 2009
The Dark Knight (BD)
Last night's Blu Ray treat was the Dark Knight, my number 1 film at the moment. Good god, I thought I would just sit back and enjoy the film, having got over the initial WOW factor of HDTV, but I didn't.
My jaw was back on the floor in awe at the visual beauty of this film. The detail and colours are just amazing, the red of the shotgun cartridges as they fired from the gun. The clown masks, the purple gloves the joker wears, I never knew they were purple! The detail in the city scape's is just astounding as well. I also loved the imax scenes being full screen sheer brilliance!
This was the first film out of the 3 where the sound was amazing, so much so I ended up from 4.5 down to 2.3 on the amp. AWESOME!
I can't wait for Star Trek now!
My jaw was back on the floor in awe at the visual beauty of this film. The detail and colours are just amazing, the red of the shotgun cartridges as they fired from the gun. The clown masks, the purple gloves the joker wears, I never knew they were purple! The detail in the city scape's is just astounding as well. I also loved the imax scenes being full screen sheer brilliance!
This was the first film out of the 3 where the sound was amazing, so much so I ended up from 4.5 down to 2.3 on the amp. AWESOME!
I can't wait for Star Trek now!
Monday 12 October 2009
The Matrix (BD)
Sunday night and it was the turn of the Matrix on Blu-Ray. Oh My God! Another of my favourite films, another amazing showcase of the new technology. The lobby scene was stunning, the whole thing was stunning.
I suppose after a few films it will become the norm and I won't be gushing about the quality of the picture and sound. But it's new it's blowing me away, so why not shout about the superb visuals for now!
I suppose after a few films it will become the norm and I won't be gushing about the quality of the picture and sound. But it's new it's blowing me away, so why not shout about the superb visuals for now!
Casino Royale (BD)
Hi,
The first film I watched on my new TV in Blu-Ray was my favourite Bond film, Casino Royale. And I was blown away, I had seen digital prints at the cinema and the difference over standard prints is amazing. But I didn't think Blu-Ray was this good, outstanding doesn't do it justice. The depth in picture, the colours, and the black, I mean black is black on this thing. I am amazed by it.
Amazing!
The first film I watched on my new TV in Blu-Ray was my favourite Bond film, Casino Royale. And I was blown away, I had seen digital prints at the cinema and the difference over standard prints is amazing. But I didn't think Blu-Ray was this good, outstanding doesn't do it justice. The depth in picture, the colours, and the black, I mean black is black on this thing. I am amazed by it.
Amazing!
The Future is Blu - Part 2
The Blu-Ray and the HD TV sat in their boxes from Tuesday until Saturday, while I worked on the living room. Painting, building the TV cabinet, re-wiring the speakers, aerial and data connections, and collecting all the other cables I need to make this all work.
And when I finally plugged it all in, it didn’t all work! Well one unit the Samsung HD recorder I got no sound through the HDMI link. Then no picture through the Scart, 1 hour later we finally got it working through scart!
And with that the HDMI DVD was also added to the collection for the kids to use and my USA and Eastern DVD’s.
But the 4 days of hard work were all worth it – the TV picture is astounding but the Blu-Ray is just something else.
As I said before I liked my old setup, but good grief I like this setup even more!
And when I finally plugged it all in, it didn’t all work! Well one unit the Samsung HD recorder I got no sound through the HDMI link. Then no picture through the Scart, 1 hour later we finally got it working through scart!
And with that the HDMI DVD was also added to the collection for the kids to use and my USA and Eastern DVD’s.
But the 4 days of hard work were all worth it – the TV picture is astounding but the Blu-Ray is just something else.
As I said before I liked my old setup, but good grief I like this setup even more!
Fame
Last Friday I saw Fame, a little late with the review but I spent all Saturday putting together my new TV and Blu-Ray, then watching it the rest of the weekend!
Directed by Kevin Tancharoen, starring Kay Panabaker, Naturi Naughton, Keringhton Payne and Walter Perez.
It wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t good. The acting was fine, the script was a little weak, but the main problem I never really got to know any characters. I didn’t care if they dropped out, failed or succeeded making the whole experience empty and void of emotion.
The jam in the cafeteria being the standout scene, the two songs performed by Naughton, a solo and a hip hop group song were very good, she has a superb voice. The cast wasn’t a problem and they all performed their talents with ease and the film showcased them all very well.
But in the end it was a wasted opportunity with the odd flash of story and a showcase of some future talents in the young cast, but that alone wasn’t enough to make an engaging movie.
(5/10 – Average)
Directed by Kevin Tancharoen, starring Kay Panabaker, Naturi Naughton, Keringhton Payne and Walter Perez.
It wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t good. The acting was fine, the script was a little weak, but the main problem I never really got to know any characters. I didn’t care if they dropped out, failed or succeeded making the whole experience empty and void of emotion.
The jam in the cafeteria being the standout scene, the two songs performed by Naughton, a solo and a hip hop group song were very good, she has a superb voice. The cast wasn’t a problem and they all performed their talents with ease and the film showcased them all very well.
But in the end it was a wasted opportunity with the odd flash of story and a showcase of some future talents in the young cast, but that alone wasn’t enough to make an engaging movie.
(5/10 – Average)
Monday 5 October 2009
The future is BLU
HDTV and Blu-Ray are here, well they will be by the end of this week, and I must admit now its coming I’m pretty excited about getting it.
Upgrading from my existing CRT and DVD player had crossed my mind a few times, but the thoughts were easily dismissed with cost and the fact I was happy with what I had. Really I am happy with my Sanyo CRT, it’s a superb picture, my mid-range DVD player is great and region free. My Samsung HD recorder is an even better DVD but I struggled to get it region free, but the picture is outstanding on it. My Creative Labs Surround Sound system has done me proud, in fact I never really get it more than 6 on DS5.1 and 4 on DTS, so again no point in forking out loads of cash on a mega sound system which isn’t going to blast the room apart!
And I built my own TV stand which houses everything and even hides the sub woofer, and has done its job for 5 years now. So no point in going HD!
But how quickly things change, a trip to IKEA to look at kitchens and bedroom furniture sparked a living room shakeup. A TV cabinet was on offer big enough to hide everything, I mean the lot, well nearly all of it, the sub woofer would be a problem. And so the saga of getting the cabinet began, reduced by £100 and an end of line unit, at our local IKEA, they had none left except 2 display models. So I tried to buy one of those, and they would sell me one for another £50 off the current price, down to £99 and now a real bargain. So I got Tony down to help me disassemble it. That didn’t go according to plan; first it was a struggle to get a screwdriver from them. Then we struggled getting it from the wall fixing’s. And finally after finding the top section had been glued down we gave up and left with nothing. Well Warrington had 2 and Leeds had 2 but marked at £259, so we waited in the hope they would come down in price.
On the Thursday after Frightfest and a week after first trying to get the cabinet, we tried again. Leeds sold out, Warrington sold out!!!! Wednesbury in Birmingham had 6 priced at £259! Looks like we would have to pay full price, but we really wanted it. So the next day I was off work anyway and after dropping my parents of at Manchester Airport at 10.30 I was off to Birmingham. 4 Hours later I was back home with a new TV cabinet, one bonus though it was only £149!
The 2nd reason we were getting this was my 40th birthday was coming up quick and so we decided that I would get a LCD as my present from everyone, perfect for the cabinet and perfect for me at least I was starting my venture into HD TV.
And here comes saga number 2! I had measured the width of the unit, 1 metre wide, ample space for a 37” LCD.
So my search for a LCD began, and I found one pretty quick a Panasonic Full HD 37”, great it had good reviews and was around £600 which was what I wanting to pay. Brilliant how easy was that! My DVD HDMI, my DVD recorder HDMI and Virgin V+ HDMI, no need to replace anything else. Only needed to find an audio switch for optical leads – found at Maplins, job sorted. Happy Happy Happy!
Until I walked into Currys one Friday afternoon, and the Panasonic was behind a Samsung, and the Samsung just looked so much better, so I went home to check it out. By the end of the night I was buying a 37” Samsung, but it measured 658mm in height with the stand. This could be a problem. Nowhere on the Internet told me the actual height of the area for the TV in the cabinet. A big problem! So next morning I was back at IKEA to measure that. Out the window went the 37” and I was down to 32”, not a problem though. Everything sorted now it was just waiting to see how much I got for my birthday!
Well with what I got and what I can get the TV for, I could afford a Blu-Ray player as well. No point in not going the full hog, so the Sony Blu-Ray is ordered, the TV will be ordered tomorrow and my first 3 films are in the post!
Upgrade complete, all I have to do now is decorate the living room.
Then comes the dilemma of what to swap for Blu-Ray and what to buy in the future. Star Trek a must and is on order. Dark Night, Lost Boys, Casino Royale must haves. But what about Sin City, The Matrix, Watchmen, Final Fantasy, Ghost in the Shell, Hero, House of flying daggers. Ouch the list is a little bigger than I thought it would be. In the end I have ordered Bond, House of flying daggers and Australia, the last 2 as they were in a 2 for 1 offer. But they are on the way. The rest can wait, I'm sure the blu-ray film offers will come thick and fast in the future.
The aim to sit down and watch Bond on Saturday night – well that’s the plan.
Upgrading from my existing CRT and DVD player had crossed my mind a few times, but the thoughts were easily dismissed with cost and the fact I was happy with what I had. Really I am happy with my Sanyo CRT, it’s a superb picture, my mid-range DVD player is great and region free. My Samsung HD recorder is an even better DVD but I struggled to get it region free, but the picture is outstanding on it. My Creative Labs Surround Sound system has done me proud, in fact I never really get it more than 6 on DS5.1 and 4 on DTS, so again no point in forking out loads of cash on a mega sound system which isn’t going to blast the room apart!
And I built my own TV stand which houses everything and even hides the sub woofer, and has done its job for 5 years now. So no point in going HD!
But how quickly things change, a trip to IKEA to look at kitchens and bedroom furniture sparked a living room shakeup. A TV cabinet was on offer big enough to hide everything, I mean the lot, well nearly all of it, the sub woofer would be a problem. And so the saga of getting the cabinet began, reduced by £100 and an end of line unit, at our local IKEA, they had none left except 2 display models. So I tried to buy one of those, and they would sell me one for another £50 off the current price, down to £99 and now a real bargain. So I got Tony down to help me disassemble it. That didn’t go according to plan; first it was a struggle to get a screwdriver from them. Then we struggled getting it from the wall fixing’s. And finally after finding the top section had been glued down we gave up and left with nothing. Well Warrington had 2 and Leeds had 2 but marked at £259, so we waited in the hope they would come down in price.
On the Thursday after Frightfest and a week after first trying to get the cabinet, we tried again. Leeds sold out, Warrington sold out!!!! Wednesbury in Birmingham had 6 priced at £259! Looks like we would have to pay full price, but we really wanted it. So the next day I was off work anyway and after dropping my parents of at Manchester Airport at 10.30 I was off to Birmingham. 4 Hours later I was back home with a new TV cabinet, one bonus though it was only £149!
The 2nd reason we were getting this was my 40th birthday was coming up quick and so we decided that I would get a LCD as my present from everyone, perfect for the cabinet and perfect for me at least I was starting my venture into HD TV.
And here comes saga number 2! I had measured the width of the unit, 1 metre wide, ample space for a 37” LCD.
So my search for a LCD began, and I found one pretty quick a Panasonic Full HD 37”, great it had good reviews and was around £600 which was what I wanting to pay. Brilliant how easy was that! My DVD HDMI, my DVD recorder HDMI and Virgin V+ HDMI, no need to replace anything else. Only needed to find an audio switch for optical leads – found at Maplins, job sorted. Happy Happy Happy!
Until I walked into Currys one Friday afternoon, and the Panasonic was behind a Samsung, and the Samsung just looked so much better, so I went home to check it out. By the end of the night I was buying a 37” Samsung, but it measured 658mm in height with the stand. This could be a problem. Nowhere on the Internet told me the actual height of the area for the TV in the cabinet. A big problem! So next morning I was back at IKEA to measure that. Out the window went the 37” and I was down to 32”, not a problem though. Everything sorted now it was just waiting to see how much I got for my birthday!
Well with what I got and what I can get the TV for, I could afford a Blu-Ray player as well. No point in not going the full hog, so the Sony Blu-Ray is ordered, the TV will be ordered tomorrow and my first 3 films are in the post!
Upgrade complete, all I have to do now is decorate the living room.
Then comes the dilemma of what to swap for Blu-Ray and what to buy in the future. Star Trek a must and is on order. Dark Night, Lost Boys, Casino Royale must haves. But what about Sin City, The Matrix, Watchmen, Final Fantasy, Ghost in the Shell, Hero, House of flying daggers. Ouch the list is a little bigger than I thought it would be. In the end I have ordered Bond, House of flying daggers and Australia, the last 2 as they were in a 2 for 1 offer. But they are on the way. The rest can wait, I'm sure the blu-ray film offers will come thick and fast in the future.
The aim to sit down and watch Bond on Saturday night – well that’s the plan.
Wednesday 30 September 2009
Surrogates
Hi,
Last nights film was the sci-fi thriller Surrogates, starring Bruce Willis, Radha Mitchell, Rosamund Pike and James Cromwell. Directed by Jonathan Mostow (T3).
In a nutshell, the human race has taken to using surrogate robots to live their lives from the safety of their own homes. No crime, no murder, no fear and no pain, the perfect life, or is it. An FBI agent (Willis) gets involved in solving a murder, which leads to a cover up, and the so called perfect life could be torn apart.
I haven't the heart to come up with a decent sounding synopsis of this film, it just doesn't warrant any effort.
It really disappoints me when I see something that has the potential to be really good, well at least good and it turns out rubbish. I wouldn't class this film as rubbish, but maybe average at best.
What did I say in my preview post, as long as the story doesn't become silly and the outcome sign posted from the start. Well maybe not the start, but it was the wrong side of the middle before I knew where we were going, who was behind it and why!
OK so I know, at least take me on a thrilling 2nd half of the film with loads of action and I may walk away happy. I didn't even get that, 2 action sequences in the whole film and neither of them that exciting, in fact the whole film was pretty dull. The script wasn't great, the acting poor even for a robot's standard.
I can't even rant about the main failings of this film because I will end up giving it all away and spoil it for you. But then again you may just like it!
Overall, dull, action-less sci-fi romp with a very obvious end.
(4/10 - Watchable)
Last nights film was the sci-fi thriller Surrogates, starring Bruce Willis, Radha Mitchell, Rosamund Pike and James Cromwell. Directed by Jonathan Mostow (T3).
In a nutshell, the human race has taken to using surrogate robots to live their lives from the safety of their own homes. No crime, no murder, no fear and no pain, the perfect life, or is it. An FBI agent (Willis) gets involved in solving a murder, which leads to a cover up, and the so called perfect life could be torn apart.
I haven't the heart to come up with a decent sounding synopsis of this film, it just doesn't warrant any effort.
It really disappoints me when I see something that has the potential to be really good, well at least good and it turns out rubbish. I wouldn't class this film as rubbish, but maybe average at best.
What did I say in my preview post, as long as the story doesn't become silly and the outcome sign posted from the start. Well maybe not the start, but it was the wrong side of the middle before I knew where we were going, who was behind it and why!
OK so I know, at least take me on a thrilling 2nd half of the film with loads of action and I may walk away happy. I didn't even get that, 2 action sequences in the whole film and neither of them that exciting, in fact the whole film was pretty dull. The script wasn't great, the acting poor even for a robot's standard.
I can't even rant about the main failings of this film because I will end up giving it all away and spoil it for you. But then again you may just like it!
Overall, dull, action-less sci-fi romp with a very obvious end.
(4/10 - Watchable)
Friday 25 September 2009
Coming soon
Hi,
There are quite a few films I’m looking forward to seeing over the next few months.
Starting this week; is the Bruce Willis sci-fi action film called Surrogates. I like the premise of this, but my main concern is how silly the story may get by the end. Willis is a fine actor and he does add some solid weight to this film, along with a pretty good cast. The SFX shown in the trailer look reasonable good, but it’s where the story will end up that does worry me. Hopefully it won’t become a mediocre ending sign posted from the start.
Fame, remake of course also opens this weekend. Not one to get widely excited about, it may be ok. My daughter likes the look of it though and may get more out of it than me.
Some other films coming in the next few weeks.
Pandorum (October), and we are back to sci-fi, and a film which seems a cross between Alien, Aliens and Event Horizon. Ben Foster and Dennis Quaid head the cast list and direction is by Christian Alvart. This I really like the look of, Foster is a smart actor and I think Alvart could be a pretty strong Director in time. Got high hopes for this.
Zombieland (October) – Tony pointed this out, and it looks superb. The trailer is great and really makes me want to see this film. Along with some super reviews I can’t wait for this. Jesse Eisenberg (Adventureland) and Woody Harrelson are the main stars and the film is directed by Ruben Fleischer.
Jennifer’s Body (November) – A horror/comedy written by Diablo Cody, directed by Karyn Kusama and starring Megan Fox and Amanda Seyfried (Mama Mia). I want this to be good and it looked ok from the trailer. But then the reviews are coming out they are not that positive, some are ok but the main problem they say is the horror isn’t there! But we shall see.
Staying on the horror theme and with Halloween approaching we have the next chapter in the Saw franchise. Halloween 2 which I’ve not heard anything good about. The Stepfather remake and Cirque du Freak: A vampire’s assistant, one I must admit I’m looking forward to seeing.
And the teenage girls’ event of the year – New Moon (Twilight 2) also opens in November.
And even further in the future and ones I’ll talk about another time. Daybreakers, Law abiding Citizen, The fourth kind, The Box, 2012, The Road, Ninja Assassin, Sherlock Holmes and Avatar.
There are quite a few films I’m looking forward to seeing over the next few months.
Starting this week; is the Bruce Willis sci-fi action film called Surrogates. I like the premise of this, but my main concern is how silly the story may get by the end. Willis is a fine actor and he does add some solid weight to this film, along with a pretty good cast. The SFX shown in the trailer look reasonable good, but it’s where the story will end up that does worry me. Hopefully it won’t become a mediocre ending sign posted from the start.
Fame, remake of course also opens this weekend. Not one to get widely excited about, it may be ok. My daughter likes the look of it though and may get more out of it than me.
Some other films coming in the next few weeks.
Pandorum (October), and we are back to sci-fi, and a film which seems a cross between Alien, Aliens and Event Horizon. Ben Foster and Dennis Quaid head the cast list and direction is by Christian Alvart. This I really like the look of, Foster is a smart actor and I think Alvart could be a pretty strong Director in time. Got high hopes for this.
Zombieland (October) – Tony pointed this out, and it looks superb. The trailer is great and really makes me want to see this film. Along with some super reviews I can’t wait for this. Jesse Eisenberg (Adventureland) and Woody Harrelson are the main stars and the film is directed by Ruben Fleischer.
Jennifer’s Body (November) – A horror/comedy written by Diablo Cody, directed by Karyn Kusama and starring Megan Fox and Amanda Seyfried (Mama Mia). I want this to be good and it looked ok from the trailer. But then the reviews are coming out they are not that positive, some are ok but the main problem they say is the horror isn’t there! But we shall see.
Staying on the horror theme and with Halloween approaching we have the next chapter in the Saw franchise. Halloween 2 which I’ve not heard anything good about. The Stepfather remake and Cirque du Freak: A vampire’s assistant, one I must admit I’m looking forward to seeing.
And the teenage girls’ event of the year – New Moon (Twilight 2) also opens in November.
And even further in the future and ones I’ll talk about another time. Daybreakers, Law abiding Citizen, The fourth kind, The Box, 2012, The Road, Ninja Assassin, Sherlock Holmes and Avatar.
Thursday 24 September 2009
The Final Destination
Hi,
The Final Destination 3D was last night’s film. It was directed by David R. Ellis, (Final Destination 2) and starred Bobby Campo, Shantel VanSanten (One Tree Hill),
Nick Zano, Haley Webb and Mykelti Williamson (Con Air).
The 4th in the series and it feels like it too, the film as usually starts with a major disaster seen moments before it actually happens by Nick (Campo), who manages to usher his friends and a few bystanders to safety before the fatal accident. As always Death isn’t going to let these survivors have a 2nd chance and so each in turn meets his or her end, usually in a pretty gory way.
Now I do like these films, they are not great, but they are mildly entertaining, but the 4th instalment was just too much of the same. Fine - follow the formula, escape death, then realise people are dying in the order they should die, try to prevent it.
But at least come up with a few more exciting death sequences, and here lies the main problem for me. Aside from the wooden acting, the poor script and lack of tension, the film just limped from average death scene to average death scene. We all know the outcome, at least let us enjoy the trip, ramp up the gore, and maybe give us something unexpected.
The only good thing about the film was the 3D, never used over the top, it added a little more too each death but wasn’t enough to save the film in the end.
Overall it was ok, the 3D just about giving it a little more edge, but not enough to get past the poor script, average acting and some pretty poor death sequences.
It would have been 4 but the 3d gives it one more.
(5/10 – Average)
The Final Destination 3D was last night’s film. It was directed by David R. Ellis, (Final Destination 2) and starred Bobby Campo, Shantel VanSanten (One Tree Hill),
Nick Zano, Haley Webb and Mykelti Williamson (Con Air).
The 4th in the series and it feels like it too, the film as usually starts with a major disaster seen moments before it actually happens by Nick (Campo), who manages to usher his friends and a few bystanders to safety before the fatal accident. As always Death isn’t going to let these survivors have a 2nd chance and so each in turn meets his or her end, usually in a pretty gory way.
Now I do like these films, they are not great, but they are mildly entertaining, but the 4th instalment was just too much of the same. Fine - follow the formula, escape death, then realise people are dying in the order they should die, try to prevent it.
But at least come up with a few more exciting death sequences, and here lies the main problem for me. Aside from the wooden acting, the poor script and lack of tension, the film just limped from average death scene to average death scene. We all know the outcome, at least let us enjoy the trip, ramp up the gore, and maybe give us something unexpected.
The only good thing about the film was the 3D, never used over the top, it added a little more too each death but wasn’t enough to save the film in the end.
Overall it was ok, the 3D just about giving it a little more edge, but not enough to get past the poor script, average acting and some pretty poor death sequences.
It would have been 4 but the 3d gives it one more.
(5/10 – Average)
Wednesday 23 September 2009
Memories of movie songs.
I was watching an 80’s music show on VH1 Classic, the other night, when the theme song from St Elmo’s Fire came on, “St Elmo’s Fire (Man in Motion) sung by John Parr.
I started to recall movie’s which had popular songs in them which made the charts, Ghostbusters, Dirty Dancing, Pretty In Pink and Footloose to name but a few.
Come to think of it during the 80’s and early 90’s the charts had a fair amount of movie songs in them, and quite a few made the Number 1 spot. We all remember Bryan Adams and Whitney Houston hogging the top spot for weeks upon weeks with their film songs!
So where’s the music gone, nowadays we get the odd one or 2, a year, nothing in the quantity or even quality of what we had back then, and I miss it. Some of my most listened to CD’s are film soundtracks, The Lost Boys, Dream a Little Dream, Top Gun and Blaze of Glory.
Even trying to think of good closing or opening credit songs over the past 5 years and I’m drawing a blank. I have to go back further than that. One’s which I do remember are “Lose Yourself” from 8 Mile, “Take a look around” from Mission Impossible 2. Elevation from Tombraider and the James Bond themes but even they are getting sub-standard. Casino Royale’s has grown on me though over time. “Hero” from Spiderman 2, now I’m starting to struggle, I know there must be more, but I can’t remember any of them they must have been instantly forgettable, or I never hung around after a film long enough to listen to the credit song. But then again I can’t recall that many in the charts either.
And to remind you of what we had back then, here are some I remember from the charts!
“Don’t forget about me” – Simple Minds (The Breakfast Club) 1985
“Eye of the tiger” – Survivor (Rocky 3) 1982
“I will always love you” – Whitney Houston (The Body Guard) 1992
“Take my breath away” – Berlin (Top Gun) 1986
“The time of my life” – Jennifer Warnes and Bill Medley (Dirty Dancing) 1987
“Everything I do I do for you” – Bryan Adams (Robin Hood) 1991
“What a wonderful World” – Louis Armstrong (Good Morning Vietnam) 1987
“Footloose” – Kenny Loggins (Footloose) 1984
“9 to 5” – Dolly Parton (9 to 5) 1980
“Power of Love” Huey Lewis (Back to the Future) 1985
“Into the Groove” – Madonna (Desperately seeking Susan) 1985
“It must’ve been love” – Roxette (Pretty Woman) 1990
“We don’t need another hero” – Tina Turner (Mad Max 3) – 1985
“Up where we belong” – Joe Cocker and Jennifer Warnes (Officer and a Gentleman) 1982
Am I not paying attention, are they slipping by unnoticed, or have the film companies given up on them, I’m not sure which, but what I do know is I miss a good movie song!
I started to recall movie’s which had popular songs in them which made the charts, Ghostbusters, Dirty Dancing, Pretty In Pink and Footloose to name but a few.
Come to think of it during the 80’s and early 90’s the charts had a fair amount of movie songs in them, and quite a few made the Number 1 spot. We all remember Bryan Adams and Whitney Houston hogging the top spot for weeks upon weeks with their film songs!
So where’s the music gone, nowadays we get the odd one or 2, a year, nothing in the quantity or even quality of what we had back then, and I miss it. Some of my most listened to CD’s are film soundtracks, The Lost Boys, Dream a Little Dream, Top Gun and Blaze of Glory.
Even trying to think of good closing or opening credit songs over the past 5 years and I’m drawing a blank. I have to go back further than that. One’s which I do remember are “Lose Yourself” from 8 Mile, “Take a look around” from Mission Impossible 2. Elevation from Tombraider and the James Bond themes but even they are getting sub-standard. Casino Royale’s has grown on me though over time. “Hero” from Spiderman 2, now I’m starting to struggle, I know there must be more, but I can’t remember any of them they must have been instantly forgettable, or I never hung around after a film long enough to listen to the credit song. But then again I can’t recall that many in the charts either.
And to remind you of what we had back then, here are some I remember from the charts!
“Don’t forget about me” – Simple Minds (The Breakfast Club) 1985
“Eye of the tiger” – Survivor (Rocky 3) 1982
“I will always love you” – Whitney Houston (The Body Guard) 1992
“Take my breath away” – Berlin (Top Gun) 1986
“The time of my life” – Jennifer Warnes and Bill Medley (Dirty Dancing) 1987
“Everything I do I do for you” – Bryan Adams (Robin Hood) 1991
“What a wonderful World” – Louis Armstrong (Good Morning Vietnam) 1987
“Footloose” – Kenny Loggins (Footloose) 1984
“9 to 5” – Dolly Parton (9 to 5) 1980
“Power of Love” Huey Lewis (Back to the Future) 1985
“Into the Groove” – Madonna (Desperately seeking Susan) 1985
“It must’ve been love” – Roxette (Pretty Woman) 1990
“We don’t need another hero” – Tina Turner (Mad Max 3) – 1985
“Up where we belong” – Joe Cocker and Jennifer Warnes (Officer and a Gentleman) 1982
Am I not paying attention, are they slipping by unnoticed, or have the film companies given up on them, I’m not sure which, but what I do know is I miss a good movie song!
Monday 21 September 2009
Frightfest.
Hi,
Now I must confess one of my favourite types of movie is horror. In my youth that was mainly what I watched, Prom night, April Fools Day, Halloween, Friday the 13th, an endless list of blood and gore. Brilliant!
And I continued to invest in the horror genre with my DVD collection, nearly 1/3 of my films are horror. And then I came across J-Horror, brought on by watching the brilliant Ring. These were some creepy films, Ring, Ju-On and a Tale of two sisters my favourites at the moment.
So that in mind 3 years ago I came across a film festival in London called Frightfest, a collection of horror and fantasy films shown over the bank holiday weekend in August.
OH YES!
I talked to my friend (Tony) about this and he was up for it as well. The line up announced in July, the tickets bought the day after and we were going to our first film festival! Pretty cool stuff!
2 months later and we were on the train to London. Our hotel was 5 minutes from the station and about 25 minutes walk from Leicester square, I remember the walk well, because it was raining, the only time in 3 years it’s rained on us. We arrived around 3 hours before the first film, not sure of what to expect and what to do we weren’t taking any chances. The Odeon at the bottom of Leicester Square was the venue, and there were quite a few festival goers already milling around the front of the cinema and in the foyer. We collected our tickets and found a bar, had a few drinks (something we both regretted by the middle of the 2nd film) and something to eat. 18.00 soon came around, we found our seats and our festival experience began with the Australian Horror-Comedy Black Sheep.
Now the film was ok, but this was a different type of audience, with this type of audience the film worked better than it should have done. They laughed and cheered at a gory death, even applauded at times. They wanted blood and gore and when it came they bayed for more! This was how to see horror films. And so the experience was a good one from the start and it only got better!
The Films
Over 25 horror, fantasy and sci-fi films are shown in 5 days. Many are UK premiers, some are World premiers, some will never see a cinema screen outside this festival. Like the brilliant Trick R Treat we got to see this year, out on DVD in October.
You get the lot from Zombie movies (which I’m not keen on), ghost stories, slasher movies and evil kids. Grim films, really grim films (The Girl next door), fun films, very funny films and of course some utter rubbish too, well you can’t expect it all to be good can you!
Thinking about this more, I think each year deserves it’s own post, I mean there are over 25 films for me to talk about each year so this could become one massive post. The good thing is my reviews are never that big, so catch the rundown from each year and my thoughts in some future Fright fest blogs – coming soon!
The Organisers
Alan Jones, a renowned journalist and writer of horror, sci-fi and fantasy genres in all media fields. Paul McEvoy, co-owner of the Cinema shop (London and Nottingham) and long time horror fan. Greg Day who has worked in TV and Film PR for Channel 4 and Channel Five and finally Ian Rattray who is a film distributor and film booker, working in the industry for over 20 years.
Four men with a passion for films, I would guess mostly Horror and Fantasy, but I’ve never actually posed the question to any of them what other genre’s they do like. Something I may ask next year (Yes we are going back for Year 4!).
They manage the weekend brilliantly and even though it looks extremely hard work and they look somewhat stressed at times they are always willing to engage you in conversation, about the films you’ve seen, the stars, the way the weekends going, or just anything to do with films. If you ask and they know they are likely to tell you.
We were late for the Monday morning zombie movie, while getting our wake up coffee, Alan Jones came over to see us, shortly after all we were joined by the other 3 and we had a good chat about Frightfest and each of their backgrounds. As it was 10 years old what better way to remember it but get them all to sign our programmes, which they gladly did.
The Directors and Cast
A fare few Directors come along to promote their films and I suppose they enjoy seeing it played in front of a genre-friendly audience, because these are the people who are going to get it more than anyone. Various cast members also turn up, some stay for a few days, some stay all weekend. They are all told by the organisers that the public will engage them and there’s nowhere to hide!
So unless they leg it out the door at the end of the film, they tend to get asked for autographs, about the film, what they are doing next and so on. Most are willing to talk to you, if only for a brief moment. Most are just happy to be told you enjoyed the film, the direction or their part, I guess it makes them feel they have achieved something worth while.
Then we have some Directors which just keep coming back, Joe Lynch, Adam Green and Neil Marshall. Neil’s wife Axelle Carolyn is almost always with him. I always wondered if Axelle came to keep Neil company, as she’s been there the last three years, but I think it may be Neil keeping Axelle company as it would appear she is the horror expert. I picked up a book at the festival called It Lives Again! This is a history of horror films from 2000 to 2009, a very good read I must say. Then I found a picture of the author with Neil, (who had written the preface), and a caption stating the relationship between the two. I was more than a little surprised, they were married.
So the book will be returning with me next year in the hope I can get it signed.
"Me, Joe Lynch and Tony"
Joe Lynch, the director of Wrong turn 2 which played at the Festival in my first year has also been here the last 3 years, even without bringing a film to the 2 of them.
"Me and Adam Green"
Adam Green, another who had come for the last 4 years but who has a couple more films to his credit, Hatchet, which I really liked, Spiral which showed in my first year, not bad a sort of thinking man’s horror, and this year we got to see the trailer for his new film Frozen, which looks great!
But these two have gone one step further than most, in our 2nd year the 2 of them created a series of “on the road to Frightfest” shorts, taking the opening sequence from the Twilight Zone: Movie, and coming up with 5 very funny shorts. They can be found on You Tube.
With this years showing of American Werewolf in London, they did their own version, again brilliant, even Alan Jones ended up in one of them.
In my 2nd year and the year of The Dark Knight, I spent 20 minutes talking to Joe Lynch about the Batman film. He urged me to see it on an Imax screen, we were back in Manchester on the Tuesday and in our Imax on the Wednesday. All I can say he was right, awesome! Joe Lynch reminds me of Quentino Tarantino, his enthusiasm for film and this genre is infectious and he and Adam are great to chat with.
It’s moments like these that makes the film festival so damn good, ok the films – yes, but the conversations with actors and directors now that really makes it worth while.
The Audience
You may think this would be a whole load of horror frenzied geeks, well not quite, or not as many as you would think really. They are horror fans pure and simple, they love the genre, looking at the countless horror t-shirts which drift pass me in the foyer they really love this genre. And you need too, 25 horror films tests the biggest geek!
I’ve tended to talk to the people sat around me in the theatre, but not really got into many conversations with anybody else. Something I should do, because these people would be just as interesting to discuss horror with as the directors or cast. I think this should be my aim next year, talk to more geeks like myself!
So the 3rd year has been and gone, I’ve seen 84 films, missed only 3 and enjoyed nearly all of them to some degree. Only a couple I’ve really hated!
They have been 3 brilliant weekends and I’m looking forward to a few more!
ROLL ON YEAR 4.
Now I must confess one of my favourite types of movie is horror. In my youth that was mainly what I watched, Prom night, April Fools Day, Halloween, Friday the 13th, an endless list of blood and gore. Brilliant!
And I continued to invest in the horror genre with my DVD collection, nearly 1/3 of my films are horror. And then I came across J-Horror, brought on by watching the brilliant Ring. These were some creepy films, Ring, Ju-On and a Tale of two sisters my favourites at the moment.
So that in mind 3 years ago I came across a film festival in London called Frightfest, a collection of horror and fantasy films shown over the bank holiday weekend in August.
OH YES!
I talked to my friend (Tony) about this and he was up for it as well. The line up announced in July, the tickets bought the day after and we were going to our first film festival! Pretty cool stuff!
2 months later and we were on the train to London. Our hotel was 5 minutes from the station and about 25 minutes walk from Leicester square, I remember the walk well, because it was raining, the only time in 3 years it’s rained on us. We arrived around 3 hours before the first film, not sure of what to expect and what to do we weren’t taking any chances. The Odeon at the bottom of Leicester Square was the venue, and there were quite a few festival goers already milling around the front of the cinema and in the foyer. We collected our tickets and found a bar, had a few drinks (something we both regretted by the middle of the 2nd film) and something to eat. 18.00 soon came around, we found our seats and our festival experience began with the Australian Horror-Comedy Black Sheep.
Now the film was ok, but this was a different type of audience, with this type of audience the film worked better than it should have done. They laughed and cheered at a gory death, even applauded at times. They wanted blood and gore and when it came they bayed for more! This was how to see horror films. And so the experience was a good one from the start and it only got better!
The Films
Over 25 horror, fantasy and sci-fi films are shown in 5 days. Many are UK premiers, some are World premiers, some will never see a cinema screen outside this festival. Like the brilliant Trick R Treat we got to see this year, out on DVD in October.
You get the lot from Zombie movies (which I’m not keen on), ghost stories, slasher movies and evil kids. Grim films, really grim films (The Girl next door), fun films, very funny films and of course some utter rubbish too, well you can’t expect it all to be good can you!
Thinking about this more, I think each year deserves it’s own post, I mean there are over 25 films for me to talk about each year so this could become one massive post. The good thing is my reviews are never that big, so catch the rundown from each year and my thoughts in some future Fright fest blogs – coming soon!
The Organisers
Alan Jones, a renowned journalist and writer of horror, sci-fi and fantasy genres in all media fields. Paul McEvoy, co-owner of the Cinema shop (London and Nottingham) and long time horror fan. Greg Day who has worked in TV and Film PR for Channel 4 and Channel Five and finally Ian Rattray who is a film distributor and film booker, working in the industry for over 20 years.
Four men with a passion for films, I would guess mostly Horror and Fantasy, but I’ve never actually posed the question to any of them what other genre’s they do like. Something I may ask next year (Yes we are going back for Year 4!).
They manage the weekend brilliantly and even though it looks extremely hard work and they look somewhat stressed at times they are always willing to engage you in conversation, about the films you’ve seen, the stars, the way the weekends going, or just anything to do with films. If you ask and they know they are likely to tell you.
We were late for the Monday morning zombie movie, while getting our wake up coffee, Alan Jones came over to see us, shortly after all we were joined by the other 3 and we had a good chat about Frightfest and each of their backgrounds. As it was 10 years old what better way to remember it but get them all to sign our programmes, which they gladly did.
The Directors and Cast
A fare few Directors come along to promote their films and I suppose they enjoy seeing it played in front of a genre-friendly audience, because these are the people who are going to get it more than anyone. Various cast members also turn up, some stay for a few days, some stay all weekend. They are all told by the organisers that the public will engage them and there’s nowhere to hide!
So unless they leg it out the door at the end of the film, they tend to get asked for autographs, about the film, what they are doing next and so on. Most are willing to talk to you, if only for a brief moment. Most are just happy to be told you enjoyed the film, the direction or their part, I guess it makes them feel they have achieved something worth while.
Then we have some Directors which just keep coming back, Joe Lynch, Adam Green and Neil Marshall. Neil’s wife Axelle Carolyn is almost always with him. I always wondered if Axelle came to keep Neil company, as she’s been there the last three years, but I think it may be Neil keeping Axelle company as it would appear she is the horror expert. I picked up a book at the festival called It Lives Again! This is a history of horror films from 2000 to 2009, a very good read I must say. Then I found a picture of the author with Neil, (who had written the preface), and a caption stating the relationship between the two. I was more than a little surprised, they were married.
So the book will be returning with me next year in the hope I can get it signed.
"Me, Joe Lynch and Tony"Joe Lynch, the director of Wrong turn 2 which played at the Festival in my first year has also been here the last 3 years, even without bringing a film to the 2 of them.
"Me and Adam Green"
Adam Green, another who had come for the last 4 years but who has a couple more films to his credit, Hatchet, which I really liked, Spiral which showed in my first year, not bad a sort of thinking man’s horror, and this year we got to see the trailer for his new film Frozen, which looks great!
But these two have gone one step further than most, in our 2nd year the 2 of them created a series of “on the road to Frightfest” shorts, taking the opening sequence from the Twilight Zone: Movie, and coming up with 5 very funny shorts. They can be found on You Tube.
With this years showing of American Werewolf in London, they did their own version, again brilliant, even Alan Jones ended up in one of them.
In my 2nd year and the year of The Dark Knight, I spent 20 minutes talking to Joe Lynch about the Batman film. He urged me to see it on an Imax screen, we were back in Manchester on the Tuesday and in our Imax on the Wednesday. All I can say he was right, awesome! Joe Lynch reminds me of Quentino Tarantino, his enthusiasm for film and this genre is infectious and he and Adam are great to chat with.
It’s moments like these that makes the film festival so damn good, ok the films – yes, but the conversations with actors and directors now that really makes it worth while.
The Audience
You may think this would be a whole load of horror frenzied geeks, well not quite, or not as many as you would think really. They are horror fans pure and simple, they love the genre, looking at the countless horror t-shirts which drift pass me in the foyer they really love this genre. And you need too, 25 horror films tests the biggest geek!
I’ve tended to talk to the people sat around me in the theatre, but not really got into many conversations with anybody else. Something I should do, because these people would be just as interesting to discuss horror with as the directors or cast. I think this should be my aim next year, talk to more geeks like myself!
So the 3rd year has been and gone, I’ve seen 84 films, missed only 3 and enjoyed nearly all of them to some degree. Only a couple I’ve really hated!
They have been 3 brilliant weekends and I’m looking forward to a few more!
ROLL ON YEAR 4.
Adventureland
Hi,
Here’s what I saw last night-
Adventureland, Directed by Greg Mottola (Superbad) and starring Jessie Eisenberg (Cursed), Kristen Stewart (Twilight Saga), Bill Hader (Superbad) and Ryan Reynolds (X-Men Origins: Wolverine).
Like Funny People this film is more a drama with some comedy elements thrown in, and like Apatow, Mottola has reigned in the comedy to tell a heart warming coming of age story.
Set in 1987, the film follows James (Eisenberg), leaving college and finding his summer European holiday and New York Ivy League school plans crushed by his parent’s career problems. He sets out to find a job to pay for New York, and that job is working on games in Adventureland. It may be boring, but he meets and befriends a number of people including Em (Stewart) who James falls in love with.
The more the film went on the more I felt I was watching a John Hughes movie, not as good as that, but not far off. The acting was fine from all concerned, with Eisenberg turning in a superb performance. Reynolds was solid, Hader much more controlled than some of his previous roles and Stewart so much better than her turn in Twilight. The characters were all very believable and likable, and the situations they found themselves in all felt very real.
Direction was sound with some very good cinematography, the soundtrack was brilliant and used very well throughout the film.
Overall I really enjoyed this film, with its likable characters, sombre moments, funny moments which were all acted and directed really well.
(8/10 – Extremely Good)
2 (a young couple) left the screening!
Here’s what I saw last night-
Adventureland, Directed by Greg Mottola (Superbad) and starring Jessie Eisenberg (Cursed), Kristen Stewart (Twilight Saga), Bill Hader (Superbad) and Ryan Reynolds (X-Men Origins: Wolverine).
Like Funny People this film is more a drama with some comedy elements thrown in, and like Apatow, Mottola has reigned in the comedy to tell a heart warming coming of age story.
Set in 1987, the film follows James (Eisenberg), leaving college and finding his summer European holiday and New York Ivy League school plans crushed by his parent’s career problems. He sets out to find a job to pay for New York, and that job is working on games in Adventureland. It may be boring, but he meets and befriends a number of people including Em (Stewart) who James falls in love with.
The more the film went on the more I felt I was watching a John Hughes movie, not as good as that, but not far off. The acting was fine from all concerned, with Eisenberg turning in a superb performance. Reynolds was solid, Hader much more controlled than some of his previous roles and Stewart so much better than her turn in Twilight. The characters were all very believable and likable, and the situations they found themselves in all felt very real.
Direction was sound with some very good cinematography, the soundtrack was brilliant and used very well throughout the film.
Overall I really enjoyed this film, with its likable characters, sombre moments, funny moments which were all acted and directed really well.
(8/10 – Extremely Good)
2 (a young couple) left the screening!
Thursday 17 September 2009
Gamer
Hi,
Saw Gamer last night, starring Gerard Butler, Amber Valletta (Transporter 2), Michael C Hall (Dexter) and Kyra Sedgwick (Singles). Directed and written by Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor the pair responsible for the Crank films.
Now if you thought the Crank films were load of rubbish, I can’t see how this is going to appeal to you at all. I thought the Crank films were a lot of fun, but I do like Statham so they had some appeal to me anyway.
My initial thoughts were this wasn’t a bad movie but the more I thought about it the more I realised that Gamer is a mess of a movie. It has some good ideas which never amounted to anything in the end.
So it was a bit of a let down really, as I was looking forward to this, a lot!
As a piece of trashy entertainment it does have its moments; the battle scenes were done fairly well. Michael C Hall’s dance number was great, the idea regarding controlling humans in either a first person shooter or a SIMS style game I liked.
However the more I watched Gamer the more I thought of Death Race, and for me Death Race is a class above this film, and Gamer never managed to get out of its shadow at any point.
One thing that I really missed was any humour, ok visually Neveldine and Taylor were bashing all kinds of hell out of the gaming community. We had 17 year old boys hooked on violent FPS games. Slobs hooked on a perverse “real life” SIMS game, getting their characters to perform lured acts and getting off on it. But the script was so serious it just sucked the fun right out of the film. Surely these gaming geeks have some sense of humour? Obviously not!
Butler, handled the action with ease, Hall wasn’t bad as the villain. The rest of the cast did what they could with an average script. Direction was fast and furious especially when we were emerged in the game world, not just the battle scenes, but the SIMS world as well, and that was a little frustrating.
Overall it entertained in flashes, but good ideas never developed into much and it lacked any funny lines, unless I missed them!
(5/10 – Average)
Saw Gamer last night, starring Gerard Butler, Amber Valletta (Transporter 2), Michael C Hall (Dexter) and Kyra Sedgwick (Singles). Directed and written by Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor the pair responsible for the Crank films.
Now if you thought the Crank films were load of rubbish, I can’t see how this is going to appeal to you at all. I thought the Crank films were a lot of fun, but I do like Statham so they had some appeal to me anyway.
My initial thoughts were this wasn’t a bad movie but the more I thought about it the more I realised that Gamer is a mess of a movie. It has some good ideas which never amounted to anything in the end.
So it was a bit of a let down really, as I was looking forward to this, a lot!
As a piece of trashy entertainment it does have its moments; the battle scenes were done fairly well. Michael C Hall’s dance number was great, the idea regarding controlling humans in either a first person shooter or a SIMS style game I liked.
However the more I watched Gamer the more I thought of Death Race, and for me Death Race is a class above this film, and Gamer never managed to get out of its shadow at any point.
One thing that I really missed was any humour, ok visually Neveldine and Taylor were bashing all kinds of hell out of the gaming community. We had 17 year old boys hooked on violent FPS games. Slobs hooked on a perverse “real life” SIMS game, getting their characters to perform lured acts and getting off on it. But the script was so serious it just sucked the fun right out of the film. Surely these gaming geeks have some sense of humour? Obviously not!
Butler, handled the action with ease, Hall wasn’t bad as the villain. The rest of the cast did what they could with an average script. Direction was fast and furious especially when we were emerged in the game world, not just the battle scenes, but the SIMS world as well, and that was a little frustrating.
Overall it entertained in flashes, but good ideas never developed into much and it lacked any funny lines, unless I missed them!
(5/10 – Average)
Tuesday 15 September 2009
Do they know what they are watching?
Hi,
As an avid film watcher at the cinema, it amazes me how many people leave a film, or turn up and start discussing which film they should watch while stood in the queue.
So why do people leave? Ok it’s their right to walk out if they are not enjoying the film, but they are not getting any money back, so why leave? Even the worst films I’ve seen I’ve always managed to sit it out, maybe something good while happen at some point. Then again maybe it won’t but I’ve paid for it I’m watching it.
But I really get the impression that these people don’t know what they are sitting down to watch. Maybe these are the same people who have turned up on spec and picked a film while stood in the queue, I don’t know.
Sometimes you can spot the “walkers” coming into the film, and we do comment on how many may leave a showing, depending on the film.
Sometimes though people do surprise me, watching Devil’s Rejects a few years back, and when we walked in there were 2 old women, I’m talking well into their 70’s sat waiting for the film to start. Hold on, surely they are in the wrong film! Then again maybe they were gore hounds who knows, what I was expecting was for them to leave. Guess what they stayed the course, through torture, rape and killings they stayed. We had to laugh, prime candidates for a walk out and they watched the credits roll – brilliant!
There have been a few films were people have left, Sunshine, Tormented, Planet Terror, but I’m going to look at just 3, 1 is obvious, 1 I could believe and 1 I was surprised at.
Funny people is maybe the one where I didn’t really expect people to leave. However 4 left (2 couples) they were fairly young though, maybe expecting another 40 year old virgin or Knocked up, come on it’s by the same director and has a lot of the same cast members, it’s going to be as funny or even funnier than them films, the audience will be rolling in the aisles. Well we weren’t and they weren’t going to stick around and see if it got any better.
Everything I had read or heard about this film, even the trailer implied a more subtle, “grown up” kind of humour than Apatow’s previous outings, so I’m sitting there and got what I expected, well actually it was better than I expected.
The obvious one is Anti-Christ; just the title alone would draw in young people hoping for an Omen style horror film, with lots of scary moments and major blood letting. Don’t think they got what they bargained for. A horror film yes, but grounded in reality and based on a persons descent into guilt/grief stricken madness. This film was hard to watch, grim, strange, but somehow gripping. As a film it was very good as a piece of entertainment it was terrible.
Well back to my point, 8 people left from an audience of 16, these 8 were young adults, who were just not going to get this film. Again every indication this was not a genuine horror film, from reviews, I mean it’s content was discussed all over the place surely anybody with half a brain is going to know this is not a typical horror film, and if that’s what they want they should wait for likes of Final Destination 3D or Sorority Girls!
My final film for walk outs is one where I was waiting for someone to go! Part 1 of the Grindhouse double bill – Death Proof. Qt’s films are love or hate them type’s, I usually like them, I did like Death Proof. But some didn’t and they left, can’t remember how many went, but it was a few. And again mostly young adults or teenagers, who again are never going to get what QT was doing with this film.
Again read the previews, read the hype, see the trailers this is not Pulp Fiction, this is not Kill Bill this is Grindhouse. I even think the editing put off many, I thought it added a certain feel to the whole thing. But that’s me!
So I get myself ready for a film, watch the trailers read the hype, read some reviews. Some I have high expectations for, some I don’t. But with all of them I know what I’m going to see and the ones I don’t like the look of, Year One, Miss March, Doubt and so on I miss and find something else to watch.
It’s all part of the plan!
As an avid film watcher at the cinema, it amazes me how many people leave a film, or turn up and start discussing which film they should watch while stood in the queue.
So why do people leave? Ok it’s their right to walk out if they are not enjoying the film, but they are not getting any money back, so why leave? Even the worst films I’ve seen I’ve always managed to sit it out, maybe something good while happen at some point. Then again maybe it won’t but I’ve paid for it I’m watching it.
But I really get the impression that these people don’t know what they are sitting down to watch. Maybe these are the same people who have turned up on spec and picked a film while stood in the queue, I don’t know.
Sometimes you can spot the “walkers” coming into the film, and we do comment on how many may leave a showing, depending on the film.
Sometimes though people do surprise me, watching Devil’s Rejects a few years back, and when we walked in there were 2 old women, I’m talking well into their 70’s sat waiting for the film to start. Hold on, surely they are in the wrong film! Then again maybe they were gore hounds who knows, what I was expecting was for them to leave. Guess what they stayed the course, through torture, rape and killings they stayed. We had to laugh, prime candidates for a walk out and they watched the credits roll – brilliant!
There have been a few films were people have left, Sunshine, Tormented, Planet Terror, but I’m going to look at just 3, 1 is obvious, 1 I could believe and 1 I was surprised at.
Funny people is maybe the one where I didn’t really expect people to leave. However 4 left (2 couples) they were fairly young though, maybe expecting another 40 year old virgin or Knocked up, come on it’s by the same director and has a lot of the same cast members, it’s going to be as funny or even funnier than them films, the audience will be rolling in the aisles. Well we weren’t and they weren’t going to stick around and see if it got any better.
Everything I had read or heard about this film, even the trailer implied a more subtle, “grown up” kind of humour than Apatow’s previous outings, so I’m sitting there and got what I expected, well actually it was better than I expected.
The obvious one is Anti-Christ; just the title alone would draw in young people hoping for an Omen style horror film, with lots of scary moments and major blood letting. Don’t think they got what they bargained for. A horror film yes, but grounded in reality and based on a persons descent into guilt/grief stricken madness. This film was hard to watch, grim, strange, but somehow gripping. As a film it was very good as a piece of entertainment it was terrible.
Well back to my point, 8 people left from an audience of 16, these 8 were young adults, who were just not going to get this film. Again every indication this was not a genuine horror film, from reviews, I mean it’s content was discussed all over the place surely anybody with half a brain is going to know this is not a typical horror film, and if that’s what they want they should wait for likes of Final Destination 3D or Sorority Girls!
My final film for walk outs is one where I was waiting for someone to go! Part 1 of the Grindhouse double bill – Death Proof. Qt’s films are love or hate them type’s, I usually like them, I did like Death Proof. But some didn’t and they left, can’t remember how many went, but it was a few. And again mostly young adults or teenagers, who again are never going to get what QT was doing with this film.
Again read the previews, read the hype, see the trailers this is not Pulp Fiction, this is not Kill Bill this is Grindhouse. I even think the editing put off many, I thought it added a certain feel to the whole thing. But that’s me!
So I get myself ready for a film, watch the trailers read the hype, read some reviews. Some I have high expectations for, some I don’t. But with all of them I know what I’m going to see and the ones I don’t like the look of, Year One, Miss March, Doubt and so on I miss and find something else to watch.
It’s all part of the plan!
Funny People
Hi,
Last night I saw Funny People, starring Adam Sandler (Switch), Jonah Hill (Superbad), Seth Rogan (Zack and Miri make a Porno), Leslie Mann (40-Year old Virgin) and Eric Bana (Star Trek). Judd Apatow wrote and directed the film.
I really liked this film; Sandler was superb, supported brilliantly by Rogan, Hill, Mann and Bana. The script was brilliant most of the time, sometimes it did lag, but trying to maintain a 146 minute drama/comedy with great writing was going to be a hard thing to pull off. This isn’t a flat out comedy like Apatow’s 40-year old virgin but more of a moment in time piece about Sandler’s ailing character, and his coming to terms with a life which has passed him by. The film has no real resolution.
The film starts with quite a sombre tone, the comedy subtle and warm in places, while loud and in your face in others worked well throughout the film. Mind you this isn’t a roll on the floor laugh a minute, there were long spells between these funny moments, sometimes they lagged, but on the whole I was never bored by the proceedings.
Cameos’ came and went, and there were a lot of them, from Eminem to Sarah Silverman, Paul Reiser and James Taylor, but all worked in the film really well. Rogan, Hill and Schwartzman as the housemates were great with Hill having some great lines.
The direction was sound throughout, and I think Apatow got a lot from Sandler.
Overall it was long, but well worth sitting through, the acting great with the writing superb most of the time.
(8/10 – Extremely Good)
Monday 14 September 2009
Dorian Grey
Hi,
Saw Dorian Grey last night. The films stars Ben Barnes as Dorian Grey (Narnia 2), Colin Firth, Ben Chaplin, Rachel Hurd Wood (Peter Pan) and Rebecca Hall (Frost/Nixon). Directed by Oliver Parker (St Trinians 1 & 2).
A missed opportunity in my opinion. Overall it had some good ideas, which never evolved into a good film. It's not a bad film, the script is ok, the direction ok, the acting was good, Chaplin and Firth being the best, the supporting cast of women were ok as well. Barnes I wasn't sure, he was the right actor for the role with his looks and youth, but seemed a little wooden, maybe he nailed the innocent young man and his growth into a heartless monster but he didn't convince me.
The film wanted to push decedant issues but never really crossed the line, the quick editing took away most of the shock value in these scenes and left them a little weak. Also the confrontation at the end of the film felt a little flat.
Maybe this film needed to be an 18 and really gone for it.
Maybe an unrated DVD version might make a better watch.
(6/10 - Not bad)
Saw Dorian Grey last night. The films stars Ben Barnes as Dorian Grey (Narnia 2), Colin Firth, Ben Chaplin, Rachel Hurd Wood (Peter Pan) and Rebecca Hall (Frost/Nixon). Directed by Oliver Parker (St Trinians 1 & 2).
A missed opportunity in my opinion. Overall it had some good ideas, which never evolved into a good film. It's not a bad film, the script is ok, the direction ok, the acting was good, Chaplin and Firth being the best, the supporting cast of women were ok as well. Barnes I wasn't sure, he was the right actor for the role with his looks and youth, but seemed a little wooden, maybe he nailed the innocent young man and his growth into a heartless monster but he didn't convince me.
The film wanted to push decedant issues but never really crossed the line, the quick editing took away most of the shock value in these scenes and left them a little weak. Also the confrontation at the end of the film felt a little flat.
Maybe this film needed to be an 18 and really gone for it.
Maybe an unrated DVD version might make a better watch.
(6/10 - Not bad)
Sunday 13 September 2009
Twilight (DVD)
Hi,
Vampire films are one of my favourite sub genres, so got round to watching Twilight last night and I was not that impressed really.
I haven't read the books, so I can't comment on Book Vs Film, and after watching this I doubt I will bother reading them anyway.
The main problem I had with it was it that I couldn't figure out what it wanted to be. A horror film, a romance, a teen-drama or all of them. It felt so empty in the end and it never really went anywhere or did anything. As a film, the script was poor, the acting reflected the script, the action wasn't great. Scene's where the vampires used there powers reminded me of the Bionic Man, I was just waiting for the "boing boing sound effect" to start.
Vampire lore was torn to shreds, ok certain aspects like garlic, holy water, crucifixes have been played about with in other films, but they really turned it on its head this time. Sunlight's always been the biggest natural threat to a vampire. Here vampire + sunlight = diamond skin effect! What is that all about!
Anyway even the scary vampires weren't that scary, and to keep the rating down and not scare all the teenage girls the vampire killings were kept to description only, again taking away the horror! So really what was the point!
Fair enough I am not in the main age group or gender that this film is aimed at but it's a vampire story, made well this should have had some appeal to a wider audience. And to prove the point my daughter liked it - the film hit it's mark. Wait till she's older then I'll show here some decent vampire movies, like Near Dark, Interview with a vampire, Blade, and The Lost boys.
I'm sure I'll have to take her to see the 2nd one, maybe it will improve. I hope so!
Vampire films are one of my favourite sub genres, so got round to watching Twilight last night and I was not that impressed really.
I haven't read the books, so I can't comment on Book Vs Film, and after watching this I doubt I will bother reading them anyway.
The main problem I had with it was it that I couldn't figure out what it wanted to be. A horror film, a romance, a teen-drama or all of them. It felt so empty in the end and it never really went anywhere or did anything. As a film, the script was poor, the acting reflected the script, the action wasn't great. Scene's where the vampires used there powers reminded me of the Bionic Man, I was just waiting for the "boing boing sound effect" to start.
Vampire lore was torn to shreds, ok certain aspects like garlic, holy water, crucifixes have been played about with in other films, but they really turned it on its head this time. Sunlight's always been the biggest natural threat to a vampire. Here vampire + sunlight = diamond skin effect! What is that all about!
Anyway even the scary vampires weren't that scary, and to keep the rating down and not scare all the teenage girls the vampire killings were kept to description only, again taking away the horror! So really what was the point!
Fair enough I am not in the main age group or gender that this film is aimed at but it's a vampire story, made well this should have had some appeal to a wider audience. And to prove the point my daughter liked it - the film hit it's mark. Wait till she's older then I'll show here some decent vampire movies, like Near Dark, Interview with a vampire, Blade, and The Lost boys.
I'm sure I'll have to take her to see the 2nd one, maybe it will improve. I hope so!
Friday 11 September 2009
Bladerunner - The Final Cut (DVD)
Hi,
It's a long long time since I saw Bladerunner, so sat down last night to watch it. Apart from the obvious missing voice over, I'm not too sure what the difference was with the Theatrical cut of the film and this cut. I do seem to remember Deckard and Rachel in a car in the sun at the end, but not 100% on that.
What a film, Scott's vision is remarkable, the look and feel of the whole thing is amazing. The cast is superb, the cinematography stunning and the music outstanding. A near perfect film!
(10/10 - Outstanding)
The picture even on my standard CRT looking great but the sound rumbled through my sub woofer with the constant hum of the city and it sounded amazing.
There are 4 more versions in the set, I doubt I will watch them, maybe the Theatrical cut to see the difference but that could be it, I will also make some time to watch the making off as well.
Tonight I'm watching Twilight with my daughter - see what all the fuss is about.
It's a long long time since I saw Bladerunner, so sat down last night to watch it. Apart from the obvious missing voice over, I'm not too sure what the difference was with the Theatrical cut of the film and this cut. I do seem to remember Deckard and Rachel in a car in the sun at the end, but not 100% on that.
What a film, Scott's vision is remarkable, the look and feel of the whole thing is amazing. The cast is superb, the cinematography stunning and the music outstanding. A near perfect film!
(10/10 - Outstanding)
The picture even on my standard CRT looking great but the sound rumbled through my sub woofer with the constant hum of the city and it sounded amazing.
There are 4 more versions in the set, I doubt I will watch them, maybe the Theatrical cut to see the difference but that could be it, I will also make some time to watch the making off as well.
Tonight I'm watching Twilight with my daughter - see what all the fuss is about.
Wednesday 9 September 2009
Sorrority Row
Hi,
Just got back from the pictures.
Not bad at all, maybe I'm a little surprised at what I saw tonight. The death's were never over the top and the gore never excessive. The acting was competent from all which came from a pretty good script. The stronger performances came from Briana Evigan (Step up 2), Leah Pipes and Jamie Chung. Rumour Willis wasn't bad either. But all very easy on the eye as well.
Overall the direction was ok, the party scenes were very well done accompanied with a loud rock/pop soundtrack.
The only let down really was it lacked any real tension or menace when the killer arrived on screen. But there were a couple of nice jumpy moments here and there, and for the girl 2 seats up from us it was all a little scary for her as she had her hands over her eyes most of the time!
Sometimes I wish someone would just throw the horror rules out and create something really scary and original, it all seems like "horror by numbers" at the moment and that's just not scary!
(7/10 - G00d)
Nothing now till Sunday when I think it will be Funny People.
Just got back from the pictures.
Not bad at all, maybe I'm a little surprised at what I saw tonight. The death's were never over the top and the gore never excessive. The acting was competent from all which came from a pretty good script. The stronger performances came from Briana Evigan (Step up 2), Leah Pipes and Jamie Chung. Rumour Willis wasn't bad either. But all very easy on the eye as well.
Overall the direction was ok, the party scenes were very well done accompanied with a loud rock/pop soundtrack.
The only let down really was it lacked any real tension or menace when the killer arrived on screen. But there were a couple of nice jumpy moments here and there, and for the girl 2 seats up from us it was all a little scary for her as she had her hands over her eyes most of the time!
Sometimes I wish someone would just throw the horror rules out and create something really scary and original, it all seems like "horror by numbers" at the moment and that's just not scary!
(7/10 - G00d)
Nothing now till Sunday when I think it will be Funny People.
A choice
Hi,
Well it's still up in the air which film we see tonight, but I think we will be going for Sorority Row. Funny people will be Sunday now and then Dorian Gray maybe Thursday, with Final Destinantion on Tuesday or Monday.
A couple of these should slip into the week after so I doubt we will miss any.
Right, off to the cinema!
Well it's still up in the air which film we see tonight, but I think we will be going for Sorority Row. Funny people will be Sunday now and then Dorian Gray maybe Thursday, with Final Destinantion on Tuesday or Monday.
A couple of these should slip into the week after so I doubt we will miss any.
Right, off to the cinema!
District 9
Hi,
So this is my first review-blog, I don't tend to go through the events of the film, so most of my reviews should be spoiler free. I just like to talk about the things I liked or dis-liked in the movie.
"And... here… we... go! "
Last night saw District 9, a film I had been looking forward to seeing for a while. I have to say I was not disappointed at all, in fact it was better than I expected.
I must admit the shaky-cam films do make me feel ill, Cloverfield and Rec just did me in, I still liked the films but I felt rough after them! District 9 didn't make me ill! Thank God.
The documentary style of the film worked quite well and I liked the overall look of the film, slipping from the documentary into the more conventional style of filming with ease.
But what I was impressed with the most were the aliens and the special effects. We all know that CGI in films can look amazing nowadays, but sometimes it doesn't and poor CGI can really drag a film down for me. Well this film had it spot on, the alien craft suspended above Johannesburg looked amazing. But the aliens impressed even more, they really did seem very real and the interaction between the actors and them looked seamless.
Then there are the alien weapons, oh my god, devastating. The gore level was pretty high when these guns hit there targets. Brilliant. The action in this film is very good.
I'm not getting into the social commentary in this film, but sometimes it was pretty hard hitting and you really did feel for the aliens at times. Judge for yourself.
The main actor, Sharlto Copley was really good. The director Neill Blomkamp did a fine job of keeping it all very real. The cinematography was good and the music from what I can recall was also pretty good.
(9/10 - Brilliant)
This is the 3rd sci-fi film this summer, Star Trek (10/10) - now this is one great movie, now District 9 (9/10) and Transformers 2 (5/10).
So this is my first review-blog, I don't tend to go through the events of the film, so most of my reviews should be spoiler free. I just like to talk about the things I liked or dis-liked in the movie.
"And... here… we... go! "
Last night saw District 9, a film I had been looking forward to seeing for a while. I have to say I was not disappointed at all, in fact it was better than I expected.
I must admit the shaky-cam films do make me feel ill, Cloverfield and Rec just did me in, I still liked the films but I felt rough after them! District 9 didn't make me ill! Thank God.
The documentary style of the film worked quite well and I liked the overall look of the film, slipping from the documentary into the more conventional style of filming with ease.
But what I was impressed with the most were the aliens and the special effects. We all know that CGI in films can look amazing nowadays, but sometimes it doesn't and poor CGI can really drag a film down for me. Well this film had it spot on, the alien craft suspended above Johannesburg looked amazing. But the aliens impressed even more, they really did seem very real and the interaction between the actors and them looked seamless.
Then there are the alien weapons, oh my god, devastating. The gore level was pretty high when these guns hit there targets. Brilliant. The action in this film is very good.
I'm not getting into the social commentary in this film, but sometimes it was pretty hard hitting and you really did feel for the aliens at times. Judge for yourself.
The main actor, Sharlto Copley was really good. The director Neill Blomkamp did a fine job of keeping it all very real. The cinematography was good and the music from what I can recall was also pretty good.
(9/10 - Brilliant)
This is the 3rd sci-fi film this summer, Star Trek (10/10) - now this is one great movie, now District 9 (9/10) and Transformers 2 (5/10).
Tuesday 8 September 2009
Changes already
Hi,
See told you it would change. My wife is out Thursday, plus I missed off Final Destination as well. So tomorrow night is now on, but I need late films and it's orange Wednesday (Don't get me started on that!) so it's going to be Sorority Row or Final Destination. I'll re-schedule the rest tomorrow.
See told you it would change. My wife is out Thursday, plus I missed off Final Destination as well. So tomorrow night is now on, but I need late films and it's orange Wednesday (Don't get me started on that!) so it's going to be Sorority Row or Final Destination. I'll re-schedule the rest tomorrow.
What to see this week.
Hi,
Tuesday is the day Cineworld release their current weeks schedule. Well it would seem a busy week.
Tonight I have District 9 - I have been looking forward to seeing this for some time now. And will be my first review-blog. Which I'm looking forward to posting hopefully tomorrow.
Funny People on Thursday. I really liked The 40 year old virgin. The waxing scene had me laughing so hard it hurt! Knocked up I haven't seen yet. So I have high hopes for Funny People.
Sunday I hope to see Dorian Grey. I really liked the look of this, but really bad reviews have slightly dented my expectations. However the extended scene we saw at Frightfest did look very good.
The Sorority Row on Tuesday, not sure but the trailer makes it look like any other prank gone wrong film.
Whiteout on Thursday, this looks really good, kept away from the reviews for this.
Adventureland is also released but I think that can wait till the week after.
So that's the plan, no doubt it will change, it sometimes does but overall we don't miss that many films really.
Tuesday is the day Cineworld release their current weeks schedule. Well it would seem a busy week.
Tonight I have District 9 - I have been looking forward to seeing this for some time now. And will be my first review-blog. Which I'm looking forward to posting hopefully tomorrow.
Funny People on Thursday. I really liked The 40 year old virgin. The waxing scene had me laughing so hard it hurt! Knocked up I haven't seen yet. So I have high hopes for Funny People.
Sunday I hope to see Dorian Grey. I really liked the look of this, but really bad reviews have slightly dented my expectations. However the extended scene we saw at Frightfest did look very good.
The Sorority Row on Tuesday, not sure but the trailer makes it look like any other prank gone wrong film.
Whiteout on Thursday, this looks really good, kept away from the reviews for this.
Adventureland is also released but I think that can wait till the week after.
So that's the plan, no doubt it will change, it sometimes does but overall we don't miss that many films really.
Monday 7 September 2009
Let them entertain me!
Hi.
What makes a movie good? What makes one outstanding (a 10/10 in my book)? What makes one dreadful (1/10)?
Subjective to every body's taste I can assume. Each to their own and something I will look into through this post - that is people's taste or maybe lack off! Usually lack off!
A good film to me on a basic level is if it entertained me. In my younger days that was all I wanted from a film. As I've matured (Ok got older!), and spent a good few hours in the cinema I've come to appreciate movies a lot more. It still has to entertain but now I want more, I want so much more, the cinematography to astound me, the music to sweep me away. I want the director to sell me his vision, the actors to breath life into the script. I want to feel tension, excitement, fear and joy. I Want it All! And if I get most of that I'm happy, not many films do deliver the works, but I would say most I see are 7 and above.
Then we have the ones which are not so good, some are even dreadful, the script is terrible, the acting poor, the direction off, the music doesn't fit, but that's my opinion and again is rare that a film has all them elements of failure. One does spring to mind though - "Doomsday". Some people think it's great and I don't have an issue with them liking this film, its their opinion. They may not like Crank 1 and 2 but I think they are great fun!
Everyone's a critic
So as I pass through the pages of IMDB, Aintitcool and comingsoon.net to name but a few to see what's good or not, the comments, reviews and talk about movies differs from the intellectual to the down right silly. Some comments make me want to buy or see the film, others make me think have I just wasted my money or should I see something else tonight?
Wait! Should I listen to these people, take on board what they say. Maybe, at least these are the comments of the common man or woman, not some over-paid critic who never seem's to give an impartial view of a film, and so now I mostly ignore what they say.
Most comments I read, I pay some attention to, especially if it's got some intelligence in what it says. And then we have the ones who rant on how bad a film is "I've just wasted 2 hours of my life watching this rubbish", or the one comment I really don't like "Don't bother watching this film it's rubbish!". Hold on, I don't mind a review explaining why he/she didn't like it, but to expect me to not see a film on this person's say so, nope not having that. Makes me want to see the film all the more. And they may be right and quite a few times they are, it is utter rubbish but at least I've made up my own mind.
So hopefully in my review-blogs I can be subjective and convay some reasons as to why I think this movie is great, average or awful. And if it's awful I won't be the one telling you not to waste your time or money in seeing this film, thats for you to decide!
What makes a movie good? What makes one outstanding (a 10/10 in my book)? What makes one dreadful (1/10)?
Subjective to every body's taste I can assume. Each to their own and something I will look into through this post - that is people's taste or maybe lack off! Usually lack off!
A good film to me on a basic level is if it entertained me. In my younger days that was all I wanted from a film. As I've matured (Ok got older!), and spent a good few hours in the cinema I've come to appreciate movies a lot more. It still has to entertain but now I want more, I want so much more, the cinematography to astound me, the music to sweep me away. I want the director to sell me his vision, the actors to breath life into the script. I want to feel tension, excitement, fear and joy. I Want it All! And if I get most of that I'm happy, not many films do deliver the works, but I would say most I see are 7 and above.
Then we have the ones which are not so good, some are even dreadful, the script is terrible, the acting poor, the direction off, the music doesn't fit, but that's my opinion and again is rare that a film has all them elements of failure. One does spring to mind though - "Doomsday". Some people think it's great and I don't have an issue with them liking this film, its their opinion. They may not like Crank 1 and 2 but I think they are great fun!
Everyone's a critic
So as I pass through the pages of IMDB, Aintitcool and comingsoon.net to name but a few to see what's good or not, the comments, reviews and talk about movies differs from the intellectual to the down right silly. Some comments make me want to buy or see the film, others make me think have I just wasted my money or should I see something else tonight?
Wait! Should I listen to these people, take on board what they say. Maybe, at least these are the comments of the common man or woman, not some over-paid critic who never seem's to give an impartial view of a film, and so now I mostly ignore what they say.
Most comments I read, I pay some attention to, especially if it's got some intelligence in what it says. And then we have the ones who rant on how bad a film is "I've just wasted 2 hours of my life watching this rubbish", or the one comment I really don't like "Don't bother watching this film it's rubbish!". Hold on, I don't mind a review explaining why he/she didn't like it, but to expect me to not see a film on this person's say so, nope not having that. Makes me want to see the film all the more. And they may be right and quite a few times they are, it is utter rubbish but at least I've made up my own mind.
So hopefully in my review-blogs I can be subjective and convay some reasons as to why I think this movie is great, average or awful. And if it's awful I won't be the one telling you not to waste your time or money in seeing this film, thats for you to decide!
Sunday 6 September 2009
Introduction to my world.
Hi, and welcome to my world of movies. It's not an obsessive world well I hope it’s not. But it’s something which I think I'd like to share, though I must admit I have been pushed into this a little, so let me tell you about it.
Years ago when I was a lot, lot younger and at college, I rented quite a few films a week to fill in the afternoon's when I didn't have lectures or anything to do. I wouldn’t say I paid much attention to what I was watching but if the film entertained me then it must have been ok. Soon I had run out of things to watch, and being young I didn’t really turn to older films. So my film watching slowed down to the odd visit to the cinema and a few videos every now and then.
Some years later 7 or 8 I think, I met my friend’s sister, who later became my wife. After the engagement we spent quite a few night’s staying in, you know how it is saving for a house etc, and so we rented a fare few videos in that year. The odd trip to the cinema as well and I was getting my interest back in film. Then the house came and the video’s died off again along with the cinema.
Roll on a few more years and DVD comes around, now not one for collecting movies, I think I had 4 in total, Lost Boys, Die Hard 1 and 2 and Purple Rain. I got a DVD drive for my computer and so my collection began. But this is for another post soon.
A few years later I was starting to get back to the cinema, and watch some DVD’s! But it was the cinema I liked the most the whole experience was great, but good God was it expensive. We limited it to the “I really want to see that at the cinema” movies. I think we saw 1 or 2 a month.
However our local cinema is a Cineworld and they do an Unlimited card for £12 a month (or it was then), with which you can see as many films as you like. Now this sounded like a good deal, in fact this was perfect. My friend and I signed up and the first film we saw was the Dawn of the Dead remake on the 02/04/2004. By the end of this month we had seen 7 films. Brilliant! Last night I saw my 508th film at the cinema.
Seeing all these films we decided to note then down and give them a score, everybody rates a film so we do as well, with our own rating list from 1 to 10, we kept track of what we saw and we would discuss the film in a brief email usually the day after. Now it’s these emails, or some my wife read which prompted her into saying I should write a blog, create a web page anything to show my interest in movies. For a few weeks I dismissed the idea, but recently and especially after this years Frightfest (oh another blog for this I think) I came to think maybe it wasn’t such a bad idea.
Well I have a plan, well to start off with anyway, so over the next few blogs I want to explain what make’s a movie entertain me. Then I must write about Frightfest a horror film festival in
In general I just want to blog about movies!
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