tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-77042255575088777762023-11-16T09:54:11.051-08:00I Hate How Fake Hollywood Is...benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08786284805140048284noreply@blogger.comBlogger61125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704225557508877776.post-76983459333880582742011-07-14T10:26:00.000-07:002011-07-14T10:28:58.948-07:00Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.screen-one.com/files/Image/Movie%20Section/hp7_2_quad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://www.screen-one.com/files/Image/Movie%20Section/hp7_2_quad.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Fourteen years ago, JK Rowling released the first book in the saga of boy wizard Harry Potter. Six more novels, three spin-off books, fifteen billion dollars-plus of merchandise, a successful film franchise and a theme park later, the final milestone in the chronicles of Harry Potter is here. As the marketing campaign for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 will be quick to remind you: It All Ends.<br />
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Has a film ever had such a weight of anticipation laid upon its shoulders? Much like those laid upon Harry himself in this final chapter, the expectations on this concluding segment are almost insurmountable. As the culmination of years and years of build-up, backstory and character development it’s fair to say – this is one of the biggest cinema blockbuster events in history.<br />
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Watching the final Harry Potter film, it seems the producers have assessed the magnitude of this closing chapter and understood the importance of getting it right, before setting it all aside and simply making the most spectacular finale they possibly can. Just as each new film in the series has brought a different genre to the fore (from mystery, to thriller, to political drama and road movie) Deathly Hallows Part 2 is an all-out fantasy war film, with all that entails – notably many casualties.<br />
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As the second half of the adaptation of the final book, Deathly Hallows Part 2 picks up directly where Part 1 left off. Harry, Ron and Hermione have ditched Hogwarts, now under the tyrannous rule of Professor Snape, and have gone in search of the seven Horcruxes – fragments of the evil Lord Voldemort’s soul hidden in various objects. All must be destroyed if He Who Shall Not Be Named is to be defeated. However, what these particular objects are and where they’re hidden is unknown. Meanwhile Voldemort’s army is amassing, ready to seize Hogwarts in a full-on battle that will inevitably lead to the final showdown between the Dark Lord and the Boy Who Lived. If that wasn’t enough, Harry’s also keeping his eyes peeled for the three mythical Deathly Hallows, said to render the owner ‘Master of Death’. Are the Hallows real? And if so, how can Harry possibly find them?<br />
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If the majority of that previous paragraph left you feeling like a Muggle lost in the middle of Diagon Alley, then you’d better brush up on your Potter-lore before apparating your way into the cinema. By this point, it’s assumed that you’re either in or you’re out – even for those who might have forgotten a few of the finer details of Deathly Hallows Part 1, a catch-up DVD session is recommended. Part 2 wastes none of its running time in re-acquainting the audience with the wizarding world before heading straight from a muted few minutes of reflection at Shell Cottage to a magnificent break-in at Gringotts bank.<br />
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In terms of spectacle, Deathly Hallows Part 2 delivers all of the action beats that audiences have been waiting for. Since Order of the Phoenix, the promise of no-holds-barred wizard duelling has been teased, and when the Battle of Hogwarts comes around it is genuinely stunning. The special effects are absolutely magnificent. As spells are cast back and forth, the universe feels real, inclusive and natural, whilst still being visually striking. The battle is on an absolutely epic scale with Giants, Acromantula and Dementors also entering the fray. Also brilliant is the sequence in Bellatrix Lestrange’s Gringotts vault, where every valuable object touched immediately explodes into multiple identical copies of itself.<br />
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However, all of the flashy style would mean nothing if the characters weren’t ones you root for desperately – this is, after all, no Transformers 3. Over the course of the series, the relationship built between the audience and these now iconic characters is such that the sense of finality in Death Hallows Part 2 brings an emotional load to Harry Potter like no other instalment before it. You’ll marvel as you finally see Mrs McGonagall finally display her considerable magical talents, cheer as Mrs Weasley gets her Ripley-in-Aliens moment, and no doubt you’ll shed a tear as a few well-loved faces meet an unfortunate end. The sequence which at last clarifies Snape’s allegiances, one of the stand-out moments of the books, is beautiful here and without doubt the most tear-jerking few minutes of the entire saga. Alan Rickman’s performance is superlative as ever, and this swansong of his character is simply magnificent. When the climactic showdown between Harry and Voldemort comes around, it doesn’t disappoint, and that’s due as much to the emotional build-up as the waving of wands.<br />
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Inevitably, moments from the book are missed out, and in order to find a through line in Rowling’s lengthy tome the narrative predominantly follows Harry. You wouldn’t say this about many other Potter films, but at times there’s a feeling that Deathly Hallows Part 2 could have been a little longer, and the battle might have benefitted slightly from taking more time to show the duelling between other wizards in Hogwarts rather than mainly following the titular character. The plot also at times suffers from having too many MacGuffins, and ironically the Hallows themselves are sidelined in the wider scheme of searching for, and destroying, the Horcruxes.<br />
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Like the book it’s adapted from, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 isn’t perfect. However, it is a rousing, thrilling and emotional farewell to a generational icon and without a doubt one of the very best films in the series. Over the past four films, director David Yates has successfully concluded a magnificent fantasy epic that lives up to, without surpassing, JK Rowling’s novels. The final scene, an opinion-splitter which actually works much better on film, provides closure on this integral part of the childhoods of many; for those who grew up with the series, the tale of Harry Potter is over and is ready to be passed onto a new generation. Throughout the eight films, the Harry Potter series will crucially be remembered as one which never forgot about thing in particular: the sheer joyous, childlike wonder and spectacle of magic.<br />
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Entertainment Value: 4/5<br />
Genre Value: 4.5/5<br />
Style: 4/5<br />
Overall Rating: 4/5benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08786284805140048284noreply@blogger.com136tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704225557508877776.post-66105315811533472572011-05-10T03:28:00.000-07:002011-05-10T03:28:46.012-07:00Thor Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3qVj-KqWaNnrXyLVnRe9YzP7-pcQKe1eJLT6FFsRqEuCQTmJFa9oV0kcqEHXnOyLr0BKrQnsBHQmvH3IwD5Qwu9Hrjib4tR_qvTsolDxpgK9FHpz8yqytHZNUbPr4TeT1LGyPfyawLn0/s1600/thor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="165" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3qVj-KqWaNnrXyLVnRe9YzP7-pcQKe1eJLT6FFsRqEuCQTmJFa9oV0kcqEHXnOyLr0BKrQnsBHQmvH3IwD5Qwu9Hrjib4tR_qvTsolDxpgK9FHpz8yqytHZNUbPr4TeT1LGyPfyawLn0/s400/thor.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span id="goog_1650547722"></span><span id="goog_1650547723"></span><br />
<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">With audiences already well acquainted with Iron Man and The Incredible Hulk, Marvel Studios bring two more characters from their roster of iconic heroes to the big screen this Summer, all whilst counting down the time until the release of their gargantuan super-powered team-up epic The Avengers next year. Whilst the release of Captain America: The First Avenger is still a few weeks away, the potentially difficult Thor marks the first true blockbuster of the Summer.</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Of all the projects under Marvel Studios so far, Thor could easily have gone very wrong. Audiences are now completely desensitised to the standard ‘scientific-experiment-gone-wrong’ origin story of the majority of superheroes, and science-fiction in comic book films is commonplace. Thus, asking viewers to accept a decidedly geekier hero (Iron Man has a weaponised robotic suit, whereas Thor has a magical hammer called Mjolnir), with a setting rooted in Norse mythology alongside the aforementioned previously established heroes is a very different matter indeed. Luckily, Thor is a surging jolt of entertainment that may well rank as the Studio’s best effort yet.</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">In the realm of Asgard, King Odin (Anthony Hopkins) readies his first-born son Thor (Chris Hemsworth) to ascend to the throne, ahead of jealous younger brother Loki. When a security breach from ancient adversaries the Frost Giants halts the ceremony midway through, a rash and impulsive Thor retaliates, leading to his banishment from Asgard to present day Earth, where he finds an ally in scientist Jane Foster (Natalie Portman).</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">A particularly brave and inspired decision from Marvel was the choice of Kenneth Branagh to direct – the story, taking in sibling rivalry, betrayal and throne-envy, is aptly Shakespearean, and Branagh devotes enough time on character development to ensure that when the numerous action scenes arrive, which they most certainly do, you’ll genuinely care about the outcome. Luckily, he also knows how to direct a battle sequence or two – they are incredibly exciting, with an interesting variation on the same old superpowers we’re used to seeing. A particular highlight comes early on in a pulse-pounding fight between Thor and several Frost Giants.</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Most impressively though, Branagh maintains a perfect tone throughout. Thor takes itself seriously when it needs to - you’ll invest in the characters, marvel at the breathtaking action sequences and be drawn into some of the weightier plot points. Yet its tongue is firmly in cheek when it wants to be, and the whole thing is tremendous fun. With several moments of well-judged laugh-out-loud humour, often courtesy of Sif and the Warriors Three, Thor is a film aware of its own potential silliness, and so never lets the grandiose scale of Asgard become laughably portentous.</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">In terms of scale, Thor feels huge - in the Marvel universe, it doesn’t get much more epic than Asgard and the Nine Realms, and the gorgeous art direction provides a truly otherworldly feel to proceedings.</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">In the lead role, newcomer Chris Hemsworth is extremely impressive, displaying not only gigantic biceps but decent acting chops, excellent comic timing and considerable charm that should see his Hollywood profile skyrocket. Portman takes it easy after her intense, jaw-dropping role in Black Swan, while Kat Dennings still proves to be an extremely watchable screen presence. Hopkins brings gravitas to the paternal Odin, whilst Idris Elba proves internet forum naysayers wrong as “Guardian of Worlds” Heimdall.</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Those looking for tidbits and nods to Captain America and The Avengers will be glad to note the presence of SHIELD and brief appearance of Hawkeye, and, as ever with comic book films, be sure to catch the post-credits sequence.</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">In almost every way (except the poor 3D conversion, don’t bother), Thor is a triumph. It’s a loving adaptation of the comics, surprisingly accessible to mainstream audiences whilst also catering to the geek crowd. It looks fantastic, the action is exhilarating, and it has a funny and charming lead performance from Hemsworth. Yes, some may argue that Thor is merely a stepping stone to a much larger forthcoming cinematic event, but even if that is the case, it’s so damn entertaining that you won’t care while you’re watching it.</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Entertainment Value: 4.5/5</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Genre Value: 4/5</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Style: 3.5/5</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Overall Rating: 4/5</div>benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08786284805140048284noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704225557508877776.post-18317868143818758692011-03-28T07:31:00.000-07:002011-03-28T07:31:42.280-07:00Multi-Perplexed<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxgxHjnqgIDdRIknmssIleXQjqlUljPYH2T6Pe1ybFV020Re_FVqw1tRW1d3gXLJjVoognbhEidaC3L5lh5EJ1Mzhsn0rLJZlPPWknxhlCeDT-7xErovrl6X_sly3B67bKHOlTB6kwXOw/s1600/cinema.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxgxHjnqgIDdRIknmssIleXQjqlUljPYH2T6Pe1ybFV020Re_FVqw1tRW1d3gXLJjVoognbhEidaC3L5lh5EJ1Mzhsn0rLJZlPPWknxhlCeDT-7xErovrl6X_sly3B67bKHOlTB6kwXOw/s400/cinema.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
For many cinemagoers, they’re the bane of seeing a film on the big screen. Noisy popcorn bags, twitchy-fingered teens texting and tweeting, screaming kids, over-priced food, and, particularly in recent months, THOSE <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LNMWgmvdLws">terrible Orange ads</a>.<br />
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Yes, visiting your local multiplex can be an experience that’s often more traumatic than cinematic. Whether it’s a case of a disruptive audience, unhelpful staff, or projection errors, the majority of my recent visits to the local multiplex have been riddled with unfortunate incidents.<br />
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Take, for instance, the time I saw Tarantino’s exceptional Inglourious Basterds at my local Showcase – during the first five minutes of the terrifically tense opening scene the projector was set to the wrong aspect ratio. Not only did every character look as stick-thin as Victoria Beckham, but the subtitles were cropped off at the bottom. When the staff finally realised, no apology was made and the film was not restarted. Since then, subsequent trips to that particular establishment have included dodgy sound and rattling air conditioning which rendered the screening an almost unbearable arctic fortress.<br />
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In trying to cut down costs, there often seems to be a bare minimum amount of staff on the premises, with no proper projectionists and no-one keeping an eye on screenings to make sure everything’s running smoothly. That said, in the current economic climate, it’s understandable to try and keep outgoing costs low, but is it really worth it at the expense of your customer’s satisfaction?<br />
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Worrying also is the increasing price of cinema ticket, which has risen to a standard cost of about £7 outside London. It’s all very well when you can get a £5 student ticket, but once that luxury’s gone, it’s going to be ridiculously expensive to go and see the latest releases, particularly if they’re only released in money-grabbing 3D.<br />
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Unsatisfactory multiplex experiences are not always the cinema’s fault however. More often than not, the worst part of visiting your big local chain is the rest of the audience. Sometimes it can be moderately amusing - case in point, my trip to see 127 Hours. As a large group of chavs settled on the row behind me, I immediately thought: these guys are going to be problematic. It was a few minutes before one of them turned to the others and asked “What is this film again?”<br />
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This, ladies and gentlemen, boggled my mind. Has the cinema really become just a place to hang out that happens to have moving colours and shapes projected onto a screen in the background? It increasingly feels that way. As the conversation continued, during which one of the group claimed that their dad’s best mate “literally has the word ‘dick’ tattooed on his forehead!”, another explained that they’d come to see “127 Hours! It’s about this dude who has to cut his arm off!” A bare-bones description, perhaps, but a somewhat humorously accurate one all the same.<br />
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Luckily, this encounter was during the fifteen minutes-plus of adverts that seems to precede every big release nowadays. What I <i>really</i> can’t stand is talking while the film is actually on. That, and getting your phone out, are the real big no-nos of cinema etiquette. Maybe if we all followed <a href="http://cubicgarden.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/550w_movies_general_wittertainments_code_of_conduct.jpg">Mark Kermode’s Wittertainment Moviegoers Code of Conduct</a> , the local multiplex would be a better place to be for us all.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.thehollywoodnews.com/wp-content/uploads/kermode.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="169" src="http://www.thehollywoodnews.com/wp-content/uploads/kermode.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
For all that’s bad about multiplexes however, they’re a necessary evil. Don’t blame the local Empire for showing Big Momma’s House 3 instead of something actually, y’know, <i>good</i> – blame your peers for paying to see Big Momma’s House 1 and 2 in the first place. I’m sure many cinema chains wish they could show interesting, thought-provoking films as opposed to the same old recycled tat. And whilst independent and arthouse cinemas such as Newcastle’s wonderful Tynside Cinema offer generally a much better quality of service, where else are you going to be able to see The First Avenger: Captain America, or Cowboys and Aliens or the latest guilty-pleasure Jason Statham vehicle when the time comes than at your multiplex? They may not offer the most preferable cinema experience, but, let’s face it: the audience and the industry would be pretty stuffed without them.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="283" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/_A-KV_xkrnc" title="YouTube video player" width="450"></iframe>benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08786284805140048284noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704225557508877776.post-9351357682278906032011-03-27T10:48:00.000-07:002011-03-27T13:13:12.922-07:00Drive Angry 3D Review<div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2ItMD-6cRfN5fZIqkc_culnL-ugmmDnMYlUfyocMmDV780hNlW3dnnd-H9_g5U5CO_2G9y02kuQDtrK8FWAVdHtMyBetuycLgwYlnqKi-nXrg6uQdT0fgvoHRTX5VKhQLFPy9FYeO_Ro/s1600/Drive_Angry_3D_poster_3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2ItMD-6cRfN5fZIqkc_culnL-ugmmDnMYlUfyocMmDV780hNlW3dnnd-H9_g5U5CO_2G9y02kuQDtrK8FWAVdHtMyBetuycLgwYlnqKi-nXrg6uQdT0fgvoHRTX5VKhQLFPy9FYeO_Ro/s400/Drive_Angry_3D_poster_3.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">The chance to watch Nicolas Cage donning yet another bizarrely terrible wig is one that cinemagoers shouldn’t pass up lightly. When you see that he’ll be co-starring with yet another toupee in a film called Drive Angry, presented in 3D? Well, to say no would be foolish.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">First things first – Drive Angry 3D was obviously never going to be, and never aimed to be, an Oscar winner. But if there’s one thing in particular you can take from the film, it’s that it takes a trashy, silly, frankly ridiculous idea and takes it to every trashy, silly and frankly ridiculous conclusion you could wish for. The key to its moderate success is in this self-consciousness which acts as an ultimatum to the audience: go along for the ride, or stay well away.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Cage plays John Milton (yes, really), a dead man who has inexplicably escaped from Hell in order to avenge the death of his daughter and save the life of his baby granddaughter, who has been kidnapped for sacrificial purposes by a Satanist cult. In 3D. Along the way, Milton picks up a walking pair of gratuitously tiny hotpants (Amber Heard), and is pursued by the mysterious Accountant, a scene-stealing William Fichtner.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">For what it is, Drive Angry is surprisingly good. Directed by Patrick Lussier, also behind fun horror My Bloody Valentine 3D, the film is a welcome blast of tongue-in-cheek excess after Oscar season. There’s everything you’d expect from a grindhouse project – little-to-no character development, copious nudity, gore and violence, as well as frequent knowing nods to the audience. Fichtner devours the scenery, while Heard is feisty and always watchable.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Cage’s performance is downright bizarre, which perhaps may just be the perfect thing for a film this mad. Whether he’s standing round mechanically, staring blankly at fires, drinking beer from a skull, or spewing out dialogue in monotone, it’s another chance to see how weird Cage can be at times. It’s also kind of entrancing – you literally have no idea what he’s going to do next.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">If you enjoyed the likes of Machete and Planet Terror, there’s a decent chance that there’s at least something you’ll enjoy in Drive Angry 3D, with the eye-gouging nature of the 3D effects being particularly appropriate for the exploitative nature of the genre. If this is your sort of thing, it’ll be one of the most fun cinema experiences you’ve had in ages, otherwise avoid.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Verdict:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Drive Angry 3D is as crazy, unnatural and improbable as Cage’s wig, but it’s also loads of fun. There’s a scene featuring Cage having sex with a woman during a gunfight – cigar in mouth, gun in one hand, bottle of JD in the other. If that sounds like insane genius to you, see it.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Entertainment Value: 3.5/5</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Genre Value: 4/5</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Style: 2/5</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Overall Rating: 3.5/5</span></div>benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08786284805140048284noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704225557508877776.post-30245384517845201192011-02-20T07:18:00.000-08:002011-02-20T07:18:43.246-08:00The Fighter Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.thehollywoodnews.com/wp-content/uploads/fighter-quad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="http://www.thehollywoodnews.com/wp-content/uploads/fighter-quad.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
As the Oscar season gets well under way, the nominations are overdue a sports movie. Triumph over adversity, crowd-pleasing finales and the chance for an actor to physically transform themselves are often lapped up by voters, and there's a strong chance The Fighter could perform well come the end of February.<br />
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In the sports genre, the main problem can be that clichés are pretty much unavoidable. Most of the available narrative paths, even the moderately unconventional ones, have been trodden many times. With The Fighter, chances are you'll know where it's headed.<br />
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Yet that doesn't mean it isn't an enjoyable journey getting there. The film centres around the true story of boxer Micky Ward who tries to boost his career just as his crack-smoking brother Dicky, also a boxer, falls further into addiction and further away from his former glory days. With an expansive and controlling family, Micky may be forced to abandon his dependant brother to succeed.<br />
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The Fighter is dominated by a series of brilliant performances. Much has been made of Christian Bale's depiction of Dicky, and he is genuinely astonishing. Having lost considerable weight from his bulked-up Batman physique, Bale is simultaneously gaunt yet wide-eyed, funny and goofy, but also deeply saddening. As he slides evermore into his destructive addiction, the waste of Dicky's potential is deeply felt. It's an extremely physical role, and a complete departure from Bale's previous roles.<br />
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Amy Adams plays it tough and feisty as Micky's barmaid girlfriend, who opposes his hilariously defensive and devoted sisters, whilst Melissa Leo is excellent as Micky's mother and manager, convinced that being completely dedicated to family is a professional managerial style.<br />
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However, Mark Wahlberg is also fantastic as the calm, focused and weary eye of the surrounding tumultuous storm, completely grounding the film when it's in danger of focusing on too many larger-than-life characters. His Micky grants viewers a relatable pathway into the unfolding drama.<br />
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The boxing sequences, mostly in the film's second half, are gritty and realistic, well-choreographed and genuinely exciting. Wahlberg excels physically in these scenes, and adds emotion and humanity to the spectacle.<br />
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While The Fighter is full of excellent performances and is well made and interesting, it's difficult to become particularly involved in it. You'll sympathise with the characters, you'll marvel at Bale's exceptional performance, and enjoy the visceral fights, but it's not as heart-wrenching or moving as you might expect it to be, never making the leap from being simply a great film to a modern classic.<br />
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The Fighter doesn't offer much particularly new, but it is a great example of the boxing sub-genre. The final fight comes off as slightly underwhelming, but it's a solid and enjoyable way to spend a couple of hours, with excellent acting and a fun soundtrack.<br />
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Entertainment Value: 4/5<br />
Genre Value: 4/5<br />
Style: 4.5/5<br />
Overall Rating: 4/5benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08786284805140048284noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704225557508877776.post-72745530590675828522011-02-20T07:15:00.000-08:002011-02-20T07:15:34.587-08:00Brighton Rock Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flicksandbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/brighton-rock-quad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://www.flicksandbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/brighton-rock-quad.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
After an acclaimed turn in the Ian Curtis biopic Control, Sam Riley leads an all-star British cast in a remake of the classic Brit-noir Brighton Rock as the iconic Pinkie, a violent young man struggling to make a name for himself in Brighton's criminal underworld.<br />
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When complications arise in a murder Pinkie carries out, he is forced to gain the sympathy of innocent bystander Rose, who holds circumstantial evidence of the crime.<br />
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Based upon Graham Greene's classic novel, Rowan Joffe's new adaptation shifts the drama from the 1930s to the context of the 60s mods and rockers conflict. While this accounts for an exciting central set piece, the decision seems somewhat superficial, not particularly adding much in terms of plot or themes.<br />
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The mods' and rockers' rivalry deserves better treatment, which would seem out of place within Brighton Rock's narrative.<br />
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However, Joffe's version begins promisingly – an ominous soundtrack, gloomy lighting and gorgeous cinematography set a menacing mood and the convoluted series of events that results in Pinkie and Rose's unlikely pairing is well orchestrated.<br />
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The problems arise in a flabby mid-section. Posters for the film boast of performances from Helen Mirren and John Hurt, yet Mirren's work as Ida, Rose's boss who is determined to get to the bottom of Pinkie's crime, feels disappointingly lazy and bland. Hurt has little to do except sit around and look concerned at the state of Brighton's crumbling society.<br />
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The biggest trouble with Brighton Rock is in the central relationship between Pinkie and Rose. The performances are excellent – Riley is brooding, with an undercurrent of fear and sadness, and Andrea Riseborough is absolutely brilliant as Rose, the troubled, beating heart of a film in desperate need of one.<br />
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However the script never gives the audience a reason to believe in the budding almost-romance between the pair. Pinkie is, frankly, a thoroughly unlikeable character, and it becomes difficult not to question quite why Rose remains so devoted to him.<br />
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The best antiheroes give you a reason to root for them even though you know you shouldn't really, but Joffe's screenplay never allows for this.<br />
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That said, Brighton Rock is worth a viewing. The film recovers slightly in its final act, with a dark and involving conclusion. It also looks beautiful – even though the 60s setting doesn't really work, the costumes and sets are fantastically realised, and the sweeping cinematography is striking. But there is always an annoying sense that Brighton Rock should be better than it actually is, and it's a feeling that's even harder to shake once you've left the cinema.<br />
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Entertainment Value: 2.5/5<br />
Genre Value: 3/5<br />
Style: 3.5/5<br />
Overall Rating: 3/5benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08786284805140048284noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704225557508877776.post-61221786313388062372011-01-22T11:06:00.001-08:002011-01-22T11:11:04.576-08:00Black Swan Review<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr5bEuNKZ2lms1Ps90i7KnITde5eg8VpS13VbVWJglWXKrKBH3ZLP-vVMjiMmnhgWBp5SwAjIQmdQX2va3TVX46NF_NDjUOsA9Uzd5r2IMZ5hw7nlOjrbjLmWvjmJ1qCx8onXSzUyKo4o/s1600/black-swan-poster.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 218px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5565089367397885234" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr5bEuNKZ2lms1Ps90i7KnITde5eg8VpS13VbVWJglWXKrKBH3ZLP-vVMjiMmnhgWBp5SwAjIQmdQX2va3TVX46NF_NDjUOsA9Uzd5r2IMZ5hw7nlOjrbjLmWvjmJ1qCx8onXSzUyKo4o/s320/black-swan-poster.jpg" /></a><br /><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">After the absolute knock-out that was The Wrestler, director Darren Aronofsky returns, having eschewed the violent but achingly sad story of Randy "The Ram" for the high pressure and dramatic intensity of ballet with Black Swan.<br /><br />Natalie Portman is Nina, a ballerina who dreams of one day dancing the Swan Queen in Swan Lake. She certainly has the skill and precision to play the White Swan, but lacks the roughness and tenacity to portray the character's evil side, the Black Swan. When she is cast in the part, Nina is forced to discover her own inner "Black Swan", driven to, and possibly beyond, the brink of her sanity.<br /><br />The first hour of Black Swan is excellent – highly atmospheric from the off, with a majestic, heart-pounding opening scene that immediately pulls the audience into the film's dark core. Portman is very impressive, completely believable throughout Nina's personal disintegration, with her initial composure and timidity heightening the character's dramatic fall, piling on the tension. The score is terrifically atmospheric, full of sorrow, foreboding and malice.<br /><br />While the first two-thirds are certainly extremely well made and performed, it's during the closing 30 minutes that Black Swan ignites with a surge of blazing intensity, becoming an absolute tour-de-force of emotion, eye-popping visuals and sweaty-palmed panic as the genre shifts from drama-thriller to full-blown psychological horror.<br /><br />Black Swan is completely relentless, with strong elements of Cronenbergian body-horror – it sometimes seems like The Fly with ballet dancers.<br /><br />However, like the ballet itself, there is an assured epic sweep, a high sense of grandeur – Black Swan is a completely sensory experience, melodramatic and overblown. That's a compliment.<br /><br />Visually, Black Swan is absolutely jaw-dropping, from the costumes and sets of Swan Lake to the choppy editing in a pulse-pounding club scene, which, while totally jarring at first, incidentally becomes one of the standout moments. Aronofsky's trademark use of handheld cameras gives a visceral intimacy to the ballet sequences.<br /><br />Despite looking at a completely different form of physical performance, strong thematic parallels can be seen between Black Swan and The Wrestler, particularly the fear of becoming obsolete and the bodily risks undertaken by performers. At times the dual imagery of the White and Black Swans is laid on a tad too thickly – mirrors are ever-present, becoming increasingly fragmented as Nina's psyche does, while images of swans, Rorschach blotches and doppelgangers abound, at times a little too obviously.<br /><br />However, this is a sole and slight criticism of a genuinely astonishing film. Vincent Cassel and Mila Kunis turn in strong performances, but this is Portman's show. The roaring power of Black Swan's denouement will leave audiences breathless, terrified and ultimately speechless, with a spine-chilling, heart-stopping conclusion that lingers long in the memory. Black Swan is a highly deserving awards contender that needs to be seen in the cinema, and offers as much to the horror crowd as it does to ballet fans.</span></div><div><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span></div><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Entertainment Value: 5/5<br />Genre Value: 5/5<br />Style: 4.5/5<br />Overall Rating: 5/5 </span>benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08786284805140048284noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704225557508877776.post-36634328752692673332010-09-07T16:33:00.001-07:002010-09-07T16:38:09.660-07:00Tamara Drewe Review<a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY9KUO55V9hPMG-2hB65NWlo4GL67c4RfXIlE6l9wIBD8bnMlyUtVd4DCdCbkY7BlG-Iy7WlGn4YyhFKzYGy6QN8KXVZRK0dBa3-n1x1TT40PdvC3SSQjXnfmfuuQiuwkOK4zK3bs4Mng/s1600/drewe.jpg"><img style="margin: 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</style> <![endif]--><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Look at the posters for Stephen Frears’ latest release Tamara Drewe, and you’d be forgiven for thinking that it looked like an air-headed Bridget Jones-esque British comedy, perhaps funny but shallow and cheesy.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Hopefully this won’t put people off what is actually a much darker, satisfying and well-rounded film than first appears.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Frears has an excellent track record in his genre-hopping, consistently high quality career, winning over audiences and critics with the likes of High Fidelity and The Queen. Here, he takes on Posy Simmonds’ graphic novel of the same name, based loosely upon Hardy’s Far From the Madding Crowd, telling the story of the titular journalist who returns to her childhood home in the picturesque Dorset countryside, and becomes the epicentre of an increasingly twisting series of affairs and betrayals.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Tamara Drewe is a darker-than-expected treat, with a wonderfully mischievous tone. The characters are bewildered pawns manipulated over the plot, and the generally satirical comedy mocks pretentious authors and vacuous rock stars. It’s all extremely British.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">It’s extremely satisfying to sit back and watch as the characters become evermore entangled as the plot moves further and further into farce. Overhanging all proceedings creeps a slightly uncomfortable feeling that soon everything will go horribly wrong.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Frears treads the line between comedy and drama finely, and whilst at times Tamara Drewe is very funny (mixing big laughs and a few smirks and giggles), it is also very affecting due to some fantastic performances. Tamsin Greig is absolutely brilliant as the put-upon housewife who creates her own idyllic countryside writer’s retreat but is constantly battered down by her husband’s (Roger Allam) infidelity and smarmy ego. Allam is excellent as the supremely vile Nick, while Bill Camp brings considerable heart in his well-judged, understated role as an American scholar with self esteem issues.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Also highly notable are Jessica Barden and Charlotte Christie as the two roguish schoolgirls who, through the sheer boredom of living in the dull, sleepy village Ewedown end up scheming and causing trouble that begins innocently enough, but snowballs to a dangerous level. Barden is truly hilarious – audiences may recognise her as a former cast member of Corrie, and her counterpart Christie, a complete newcomer, is also extremely funny.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">All these supporting characters mean that, strangely enough, it is Arterton’s lead role that occasionally feels underdeveloped. Tamara’s motivations are difficult to uncover, and that’s partly the point – as a woman she has reinvented herself, but she suffers an identity crisis as a result. However, there is rarely any alone time with the character for the audience to get into her head, though Arterton does a great job with what she’s given in a much more interesting role than those she played in Price of Persia and Clash of the Titans.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Tamara Drewe is a smart, sophisiticated and genuinely funny British film that deserves your seven quid, and even holds up on repeat viewings. Don’t expect it to be overly frothy - embrace its moments of darkness and enjoy.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Entertainment Value: 4/5</span><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Genre Value: 4/5</span><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Style: 4/5</span><br />Overall Rating: 4/5benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08786284805140048284noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704225557508877776.post-64518622829596321932010-08-04T11:01:00.000-07:002010-08-04T11:08:30.315-07:00Knight and Day Review<span style=";font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" ><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0SwF-KC8Rb6bmWttsK4iiQnmwohtKBLs0H6EdWqsWH9KwSLDln4PSdJrsORCarJV6uJhh32-XHUZW-o49KJsOwBu5kIP7JR_NHdCR35sqFyy5NGtyTll4nUSyAWZzj_o-7mEAZhjWorM/s1600/kad.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 230px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0SwF-KC8Rb6bmWttsK4iiQnmwohtKBLs0H6EdWqsWH9KwSLDln4PSdJrsORCarJV6uJhh32-XHUZW-o49KJsOwBu5kIP7JR_NHdCR35sqFyy5NGtyTll4nUSyAWZzj_o-7mEAZhjWorM/s320/kad.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5501617598762352146" border="0" /></a></span><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" >Summer blockbuster action-comedy Knight and Day brings with it the opportunity to reassure yourself that megastar Tom Cruise hasn’t yet gone completely off the rails. Sure, he looks a tad wild-eyed here or there, but his manic energy mainly serves in favour of his character, the mysterious Roy Miller.</span> <p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-family:trebuchet ms;" class="x_MsoNormal" ><span style="font-size:100%;">The script sees Miller on the run from an imposing government agency, unwittingly involving Cameron Diaz’s June Havens in a convoluted plot of espionage, nerds and lots of ‘Stuff Blowing Up’.</span></p> <p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-family:trebuchet ms;" class="x_MsoNormal" ><span style="font-size:100%;">The audience’s indecision over whether Roy is totally crazy or just a misunderstood good guy is a curious case of life imitating art. Or vice versa. It’s hard to tell which.</span></p> <p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-family:trebuchet ms;" class="x_MsoNormal" ><span style="font-size:100%;">Either way, it’s great to see Cruise having fun again after the disappointing Nazi-thriller Valkyrie and his downright bizarre and somewhat cringeworthy cameo in Tropic Thunder.</span></p> <p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-family:trebuchet ms;" class="x_MsoNormal" ><span style="font-size:100%;">His roguish, knowing smile complements the screenplay’s sharp one-liners and excessive nature of the increasingly over-the-top destruction. The performance goes some way to save Cruise’s downward spiral and reminds everyone why he’s such a star in the first place.</span></p> <p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-family:trebuchet ms;" class="x_MsoNormal" ><span style="font-size:100%;">Diaz does her standard ‘kooky’ act as a bright, yet ditzy girl-next-door type, with a superior knowledge about cars and engines thanks to her father. Whilst it’s a clunky aspect of the character, it’s nice that she’s not a totally clueless blonde, and she gets to do her fair share of the action set-pieces.</span></p> <p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-family:trebuchet ms;" class="x_MsoNormal" ><span style="font-size:100%;">Whilst Diaz has done this sort of thing many times before, she’s very likeable and easy to watch in an act that she’s become well adjusted to over the years.</span></p> <p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-family:trebuchet ms;" class="x_MsoNormal" ><span style="font-size:100%;">The action sequences are well orchestrated and great fun to watch, though are sometimes marred by poor CGI, particularly in a sequence involving a herd of bulls. However, many of the practical effects could put a grin on even the stoniest of faces such as Roy leaping and clinging onto the bonnet of a car June is driving. A desert island scene is as thrilling as it is loud, with lots of ‘Stuff Blowing Up’. Each set piece is grounded by Diaz’s likability and Cruise’s star power.</span></p> <p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-family:trebuchet ms;" class="x_MsoNormal" ><span style="font-size:100%;">Whilst the action is enjoyable and exciting, the plot suffers considerably. It’s fairly all over the place, with an under-whelming McGuffin and little sense of danger. Whilst this isn’t the most important aspect of film, with the action and stars being top billing, some intelligence and coherence wouldn’t have gone amiss. The film title also makes absolutely no sense, and is never alluded to in the script.</span></p> <p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-family:trebuchet ms;" class="x_MsoNormal" ><span style="font-size:100%;">There’s also the problem of a plot device in which characters are drugged, and we see clips through their eyes as they wake up momentarily during intense action sequences. The first time used, it’s quite funny, but the more frequently it occurs, you begin to feel like you’re missing out on some of the more exciting scenes of mayhem.</span></p> <p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-family:trebuchet ms;" class="x_MsoNormal" ><span style="font-size:100%;">In all, it doesn’t matter that Knight and Day’s idea of being a spy is to cause as much wreckage as possible. It’s loud, noisy fun, and whilst nothing special, it does ‘Stuff Blowing Up’ very well in stunning locations, and it’s refreshing to have a blockbuster during the Summer that isn’t a sequel, remake or comic book adaptation.</span></p> <span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" >Entertainment Value: 3/5<br />Genre Value: 3.5/5<br />Style: 2.5/5<br />Overall Rating: 3/5 </span>benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08786284805140048284noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704225557508877776.post-39100594715054436172010-07-22T09:57:00.000-07:002010-07-22T10:08:55.059-07:00The A-Team Review<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDV5rS-_73Vowfjvg9yHUC5czO-1sLlfOAzxl79oCR5TOYs5lfUud4oM49ORptrChAYjlrr5jBqROjSLbS77D4cyG22y-Y7wO69-SZycMerSb48DUsqSaC_MLT3jWCRv4_y1-x6KjhKqE/s1600/ateam.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 233px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDV5rS-_73Vowfjvg9yHUC5czO-1sLlfOAzxl79oCR5TOYs5lfUud4oM49ORptrChAYjlrr5jBqROjSLbS77D4cyG22y-Y7wO69-SZycMerSb48DUsqSaC_MLT3jWCRv4_y1-x6KjhKqE/s320/ateam.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5496777949745974034" border="0" /></a><br /><div dir="ltr" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:100%;" >During one of the central action set-pieces in the movie update of 80’s action TV show The A-Team, there is a scenario in which, through an increasingly ridiculous chain of events, a tank complete with parachutes crashes through the sky towards Earth, machine guns rattling and rocket launcher booming as they fire against an enemy plane.<br />“Are they trying to shoot down the other drone?”, asks one character.<br />“No, they’re trying to fly that tank”, comes the reply.<br /><br />If you think that sounds intensely silly, then you would most probably be right. If you think that sounds rubbish, then you’re probably better off leaving The A-Team unwatched and going and seeing Inception again.<br /><br />While the characters, the theme tune and the catch-phrases from the A-Team are all undoubtedly iconic, I must confess that I am too young to remember the original show myself, and so for this review I am forced to focus mainly upon the film itself.<br /><br />From the offset, the tone and aim of the A-Team is made very clear. It is here to entertain you, make you grin, laugh, and wonder if it will get any more outlandish. As Bradley Cooper’s Faceman says to his leader,<br />“This is beyond nuts, boss!”<br />“It gets better”, responds Liam Neeson’s Hannibal.<br /><br />The camaraderie and snappy back-and-forth remarks between the characters is both fun and witty, each personality played well and knowingly by the cast.<br /><br />When it comes to the action though, which is suitably over the top, there is much less of a tongue-in-cheek vibe. This is a legitimate action film, and is often genuinely exciting, just set in a world where nothing is seen as being ‘too ridiculous’.<br /><br />The script retains the character identities of the original team, such as B.A’s fear of flying, Face’s womanising ways and Hannibal’s pride of his men.<br /><br />Sharlto Copley in particular, who was fantastic in last summer’s brilliant sci-fi District 9, is great fun as Howlin’ Mad Murdock. Quinton Jackson’s B.A retains his catchphrases and character traits, but sadly isn’t given much to do or much time to develop, but Bradley Cooper is obviously having a ball and Neeson admirably enters into the spirit of the whole thing.<br /><br />While it’s all thoroughly enjoyable and ridiculous, the movie isn’t without its problems. For such a simple film, the plot is needlessly convoluted, and it can be hard to keep up with who is betraying who. These betrayals are never big twists, begging the question as to why they’re there at all. The A-Team is at its most enjoyable in its opening hour, when it’s at its most straight-forward, particularly in a great pre-credits sequence.<br /><br />Another problem is the CGI. Special effects are ever-improving, with most of Avatar being almost photo-realistic, but lots of its usage in the A-Team is obvious and sometimes takes you out of the moment when you should be just sitting and enjoying the carnage. It also means that at times there’s little tension. If the audience doesn’t believe that actions onscreen are actually happening, its easy to find yourself thinking that the characters are never really in any danger.<br /><br />However, this shouldn’t stop people from going to see it. The A-Team is ridiculous, over the top, but surprisingly enjoyable, and it makes absolutely no apologies for that. At its most fun, it’s hard to argue as Hannibal claims that “overkill is under-rated”. With a disengaged brain, its very entertaining. But anyone going expecting substance? I pity the fool.<br /><br />Entertainment Value: 3.5/5<br />Genre Value: 3.5/5<br />Style: 2.5/5<br />Overall: 3/5<br /></span></div>benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08786284805140048284noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704225557508877776.post-4355381253786175602010-07-13T11:10:00.000-07:002010-07-13T11:20:31.016-07:00The Rebound Review<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8MkZ6kHDllxQZW5FwZUfwCoG0nSW62X9Ruc1Q936E2ZdmZzTl7jCKaE9jOkyI4t7rqcx5ruZJyXGzizyiFdzSvp5quydRQyVL8WyOBp_-FsGrSP2yme23AJkTVggMiFxZbTctvl058YQ/s1600/rb.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 221px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8MkZ6kHDllxQZW5FwZUfwCoG0nSW62X9Ruc1Q936E2ZdmZzTl7jCKaE9jOkyI4t7rqcx5ruZJyXGzizyiFdzSvp5quydRQyVL8WyOBp_-FsGrSP2yme23AJkTVggMiFxZbTctvl058YQ/s320/rb.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493457108383578162" border="0" /></a><br /><div dir="ltr" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:100%;" ><br />Last year, a film called (500) Days of Summer found its way onto cinema screens. It was a refreshing, honest, stylistic take on the romantic comedy genre, both innovative and modern.<br /><br />Now comes The Rebound, a new rom-com starring Catherine Zeta Jones. The Rebound likes to think it is refreshing and honest. It sees itself as modern, as being something different in the rom-com market. But it isn’t. It’s a confused, lazy and unfunny mess.<br /><br />It’s telling of the so-called ‘comedy’ that the funniest thing about the film is the irony of Catherine Zeta Jones dating somebody who is actually 20 years younger than her.<br /><br />Sandy is a 40-something stay-at-home mother living in the suburbs of New York. When she realises her husband is cheating on her, she promptly ups and leaves, taking the children with her. Setting herself up in the Big City, she quickly gets a decent job at a sports news station and an apartment (what, no recession?), complete with a cute guy in his 20s who works in the coffee shop below. Said cute guy, Aram, ends up babysitting for Sandy’s kids, and then...<br />Well, you can guess what happens from there.<br /><br />Catherine Zeta Jones is serviceable enough in her role, though she is fairly bland throughout. However, Justin Bartha, playing Aram, is dreadfully one-note, with all his lines delivered in the same monotonous drawl. His part could have been played to similar effect by a robot, or Spock. No emotion necessary.<br /><br />Then there’s the problem of the jokes. Simply put, The Rebound just isn’t very funny. There are a couple of smiles and the odd chuckle, but nothing close enough to constitute a laugh.<br /><br />The film veers wildly in tone, with several moments of averagely-done serious drama, punctuated by odd gross-out gags. Most of the jokes are completely random, deriving neither from plot or character, and seemingly tacked on. Those that are character driven aren’t funny, including a cringe-worthy scene in a Women’s Center. A woman beating up a man dressed as a sumo-wrestler? Not particularly amusing. The worst part is that, in context, this could have been a genuinely dramatic and emotional moment.<br /><br />Halfway through, the jokes run out, and the film becomes more of a straight middle-of-the-road drama. And whilst that means it’s a slight improvement on what’s come before, it’s too little too late.<br /><br />The ending of the film also presents a problem, with the very last seconds contradicting the 15 minutes which precede it. With events moving back to a more realistic area in this section, though providing none of the emotional heft that it thinks it does, the final shots return to the fantastical romantic ideal that it seemed to have left behind, which just left me thinking: what was the point?<br /><br />To watch a truly modern and innovative romance, do yourself a favour and spend your £7 on a copy of (500) Days of Summer or Once instead of this mess.</span></div> <div dir="ltr" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:100%;" ><br />Entertainment Value: 2/5<br />Genre Value: 2/5<br />Style: 1.5/5<br />Overall Rating: 2/5<br /></span></div>benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08786284805140048284noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704225557508877776.post-3758146088130227392010-07-12T10:45:00.000-07:002010-07-12T10:55:59.928-07:00The Karate Kid (2010) Review<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjuB5E_TYl5PnWglHN_2UBbp9UGtJ4HU6CWIfIh9Ajo4FU1jgtiSoksm34JBc44SBJSRjle4dPBBQefz2W_wCUx-BOpkmhP9L0OryeygSuBYl3hzXHRqYtjScNtvihvuukA9yIB7oMCME/s1600/kk.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 250px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjuB5E_TYl5PnWglHN_2UBbp9UGtJ4HU6CWIfIh9Ajo4FU1jgtiSoksm34JBc44SBJSRjle4dPBBQefz2W_wCUx-BOpkmhP9L0OryeygSuBYl3hzXHRqYtjScNtvihvuukA9yIB7oMCME/s320/kk.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493079985913314818" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><div class="x_Section1" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><p class="x_MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:10pt;">The latest film to get the Hollywood re-make treatment is 80s classic The Karate Kid. Here the story remains the same; bullied kid finds a mentor in a strange old Asian man, learns karate and faces his tormenters in a martial arts tournament. But now, Ralph Macchio’s Daniel-San is Jaden (son of Will) Smith’s Shao-Dre, Pat Morita’s Mr. Miyagi is Jackie Chan’s Mr. Han, and California has been substituted for Beijing. Oh, and it’s not Karate anymore. It’s Kung Fu.</span></span></p> <p class="x_MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:10pt;">As the opening credits roll, with hip-hop beats blaring from the speakers, it’s clear that this is most definitely an update for a modern audience. I doubted whether a remake of the original would work two decades later - after all, it is very much a film of its time, with its fun, but cheesy and over-the-top appeal. Add to that the hair, the fashion and the music, and it’s difficult to imagine the film being set at any other time than 80s America.</span></span></p> <p class="x_MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:10pt;">However, the new version triumphs in truly retaining the spirit and charm of its predecessor. The relocation to China works surprisingly well, and serves to distinguish the film, giving it a different identity to the original. The city of Beijing, though being a typically tourists-eye view (characters visit the Great Wall of China, the Forbidden City), is represented as being culturally diverse, and the scenery is often absolutely stunning.</span></span></p> <p class="x_MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:10pt;">Jaden Smith makes for an excellent Dre, clearly inheriting the acting skills and charm of his father. He retains believability as the kid forced to move from his home, friends and comfortable surroundings to a new life in China. His physicality is also extremely impressive - he has clearly worked hard for the role, performing many of his own stunts. When you see him balancing on poles whilst doing the splits, or high-kicking, or sweeping legs, that’s really him. Jacket on, jacket off, indeed.</span></span></p> <p class="x_MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:10pt;">Surprisingly excellent also is Jackie Chan as Dre’s unlikely mentor, Mr. Han. After a few years of taking roles in children’s comedies, its nice to see Chan back doing some martial arts work in one particularly thrilling sequence, protecting Dre from the group of youths intent on making his life a misery. Yet it is in his acting that Chan really impresses, portraying the sadness of Mr. Han’s past whilst still making him a fun and motivational character.</span></span></p> <p class="x_MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:10pt;">Parents should be advised that the darkness of this back-story may be distressing for younger children, as could some of the fights, which are surprisingly fierce at times.</span></span></p> <p class="x_MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:10pt;">As in the original, the film climaxes in a genuinely exciting Kung Fu tournament, with some well-choreographed action and a dramatically satisfying conclusion.</span></span></p> <p class="x_MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:10pt;">Running at almost two and a half hours, The Karate Kid needs to lose twenty minutes. Though the film never drags, a touch more editing would have resulted in a tighter and more sprightly finishing product. Some of the character introductions are fairly clunky, and the story is generally pretty predictable.</span></span></p> <p class="x_MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:10pt;">Despite this, the new Karate Kid succeeds because it knows what it is - a drama, with some comedic moments and cool fights. It’s a well known story, simply told, and is different enough to the original to retain a sense of identity but without doing it a disservice. It doesn’t condescend, nor does it think too highly of itself, but, crucially, it does entertain.</span></span></p><p class="x_MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:10pt;">Entertainment Value: 4/5</span><br />Genre Value: 4/5</span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br />Style: 3/5<br />Overall Rating: 3.5/5<br /></span></p> </div>benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08786284805140048284noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704225557508877776.post-5837868885414206002008-07-12T15:56:00.000-07:002008-07-14T10:04:09.377-07:00Journey To The Center Of The Earth 3D Review<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkCpyOAj-V_5uZQlvs7Qk6SD8ATpNRmbA-tLBCkD458Ok6d6TTMiGeJbUyJnjrDXghegku2bkKToF2BmXww-Ssa9t3vCtaUWT1-C8RIO4w2BJr-w3tR2kshbfHc_RApAIqFL02m4inL0o/s1600-h/journey.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkCpyOAj-V_5uZQlvs7Qk6SD8ATpNRmbA-tLBCkD458Ok6d6TTMiGeJbUyJnjrDXghegku2bkKToF2BmXww-Ssa9t3vCtaUWT1-C8RIO4w2BJr-w3tR2kshbfHc_RApAIqFL02m4inL0o/s400/journey.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5222266091670756418" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Following in the footsteps of "Beowulf 3D" comes "Journey...", a family caper presented in Digital Real D, the first live action movie to be presented in the format. Starring Brendan Fraser as almost exactly the same character he played in The Mummy films (shabby, likable loser, quick to quip, made to mug) the film follows a relatively simple plot - cousin and uncle go on adventure, following clues and ideas from their long lost father/brother's ideas about Jules Verne's 1864 novel "A Journey to the Center of the Earth". It soon becomes apparent that perhaps Verne's book may be rooted in fact. With it's ideas about family values and balancing of humour, action and fantasy, it's a standard family adventure which is likely to enthrall those under 12, and nicely entertain those older teens and adults who will inevitably be dragged along.<br /><br />First off, let's make something clear - there's no point in seeing this in 2D. That would be like watching Transformers on a tiny, tiny screen, or listening to metal with the sound turn way down - this film was MADE to be 3D. Also, there isn't really anything special at all about the film except for the 3D effects, and I feel that in 2D it would be, not exactly boring, but <span style="font-style: italic;">flat. </span>In short, the 3D was incredible. Whilst regular films are a picture of what's going on, in 3D it's more like a window into the film, giving everything depth - however, thing's can also come <span style="font-style: italic;">out</span> of that window. From the start, the audience is poked in the eye with the antennae of a bug, has toothpaste spat into their faces, and a yo-yo thrust into their faces. It's all brilliantly entertaining, leading to many instances when I found myself grinning from ear to ear in the most mundane of situations. It's these shots which would definitely feel out of place in the normal showings, and simultaneously make the 3D special. Also, whilst these "made for 3D" shots were great, they were not the moments that impressed me most. I found instead that the special format worked best for landscapes - a simple aerial shot of a mountain range was truly breathtaking, the crystal clarity of the special Real D glasses elevating the view from something relatively ordinary into something worthy of a genuine gasp. Similarly many of the views in the caves are great, the occasional stalagmite to the face receiving "oohs" from the audience.<br /><br />The film itself is nothing special at all, really. Played out like King Kong for kids (erm... without the giant gorilla...), the magical land at the center of the Earth resembles a less threatening version of Skull Island, with razor-toothed fish, deadly plants and the odd T-Rex ambling about. And it's not just the setting that the film steals from other (better) films - a mine cart rollercoaster sequence? Temple of Doom. T-Rex running around? Jurassic Park. The estranged relationship between family members? War of the Worlds. Oh - and all of those happen to be Spielberg films. And this film is very much Spielberg-lite; perfect for those who aren't too fussy about what adventure they want to see, and are just bothered about being entertained. So, whilst the scenes aren't as good as they are in their "original" forms, they are still highly entertaining, especially in 3D. There are also a few moments of comedy (though a couple towards the end were unintentional), some visual jokes working brilliantly, contributing well to the film's family adventure feel.<br /><br />Whilst there's nothing particularly wrong with the film, there always feels like there's something missing, scenes that should be totally thrilling merely making me sit back and enjoy. This could be due to the fact that I felt that I <span style="font-style: italic;">had</span> seen it all before, though I'm sure that anyone under the age of 12 would think it's the best film ever. In conclusion, it's a diverting film merged to some amazing 3D effects, that will enthrall younger viewers and entertain any older teens and adults. If you've never seen anything in 3D before, it's definitely worth going - and don't expect any rubbishy green and red glasses. Here in the 21st century, 3D is almost a perfected art...<br /><br />Entertainment Value: 3.5/5<br />Genre Value: 3/5<br />Style: 4/5<br />Overall Rating: 3.5/5<br /></span>benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08786284805140048284noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704225557508877776.post-52212350892976002482008-07-01T10:05:00.000-07:002008-07-12T16:17:23.431-07:00The Spiderwick Chronicles Review<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR6JQ5C3IM3O40tE-7hG7q8c-Evwd24YuKV8B4Jqh5pZknHqQKKv2uWKEp5xCKbJNCsoRwgWmUMsDnDBS-WtE2UoJlWKVs3fBH_ZWGhFOT4FF4wuvIxeyL0-MmBoA08fPSI86WMj9b7kA/s1600-h/spiderwick.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR6JQ5C3IM3O40tE-7hG7q8c-Evwd24YuKV8B4Jqh5pZknHqQKKv2uWKEp5xCKbJNCsoRwgWmUMsDnDBS-WtE2UoJlWKVs3fBH_ZWGhFOT4FF4wuvIxeyL0-MmBoA08fPSI86WMj9b7kA/s400/spiderwick.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5218869613561370290" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">A new entry in the "DVD" category is kid's fantasy/action/horror "The Spiderwick Chronicles". When a single-parent family moves into a dead relative's house in the woods, the children find a book with a big warning on it saying "DO NOT OPEN". Before you can say abracadabra, goblins, trolls and other beasties are fighting their way into the house to capture the book, due to the many secrets and information contained within it...<br /><br />This is a surprisingly good addition to the genre, which is quickly becoming tired with lacklustre efforts such as Eragon and the like. Better than Narnia without reaching the magic of the Potters, it's perfect for those over-eight's looking for a new fantasy series based on children's books. More enjoyable than Narnia, its homely feel (the kids rarely leave the house) is more intimate than the isolating scale of other genre entries, and whilst the CGI is not terrible, the occasionally dodgy creatures have a ropey charm.<br /><br />Comparable to Jumanji, the story offers more scares than Potter and Narnia, the story turning into a home-invasion horror for kids. Intense scenes may prove too much for younger kids to handle, and the big baddie is pretty scary. Most of the acting is pretty good too, especially Freddie Highmore in a dual role as identical twins Jared and Simon. Seth Rogen competently voices his character, who offers most of the film's</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> comic relief as the children's snouted, goblin-y sidekick Hogsqueal.<br /><br />So, for those with slightly older kids and an hour and a half to spare (a decent running time - the film feels no need to have a bloated length), this is a good way to entertain all of the family. Whilst it may not have the sparkle and magic of Potter, it has an exciting narrative that'll be sure to entertain those of all ages.<br /><br />Entertainment Value: 3.5/5<br />Genre Value: 4/5<br />Style: 2/5<br />Overall Rating: 3/5<br /></span>benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08786284805140048284noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704225557508877776.post-20377238601243828512008-06-30T14:29:00.000-07:002008-06-30T14:34:18.747-07:00The Mist Review<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimwbNSm3d8ebEREOblUQApPc9ESs7UeZUMqWBop5wR-jURJWLlswHoKXW7MthpOAU8ML9f7NGtMYgLknHxIGsrBvzk-cKFVxfH2zXKG7aa9FCmPS_Q1sNcuJM9htJu3_LVmMjvtXthUNk/s1600-h/mist.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5217790338787356562" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimwbNSm3d8ebEREOblUQApPc9ESs7UeZUMqWBop5wR-jURJWLlswHoKXW7MthpOAU8ML9f7NGtMYgLknHxIGsrBvzk-cKFVxfH2zXKG7aa9FCmPS_Q1sNcuJM9htJu3_LVmMjvtXthUNk/s400/mist.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQOqXX1EzrwjX77kV8yS5NWbTT0jiPjoVe52ggxiz619sSQY0fJXXVxak2pq9NmU8EsBO5cqxB9etSaXBrwy6oUttFPwqwtSvAPcmJps1gGzVVInzqqAukRVUKbFn_vHIIiejsfaHnshA/s1600-h/the+mist.jpg"></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">There has been a rather good trend recently of horror films actually turning out to be pretty good - [.REC], The Orphanage, The Descent (OK, that one's a little older). Could it be that producing companies/distributors have realised that everyone hates those 15-rated 80's horror remakes? Let's hope so, because if films like The Mist keep coming out, I may well have to turn my attention back to the genre...</span></div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">To keep it simple, The Mist is one of the best horror films I've ever seen. Whilst it may not reach the intensity of, say, "The Descent", or the filmic brilliance of "Alien", when it comes to serving up some insane scares with a great storyline and believable characters, The Mist knocks 'em dead. The story is easy to follow - bad storm, natural/supernatural mist closes in, people trapped in convenience store fight for their lives - and it's nice to see a film that manages to balance characterisation with lots of scary action really well. Of course, with Frank Darabont directing, this was never going to be yet another recycled horror debacle.<br /><br />The monsters, all CGI (which is limited due to the budget - though you'll hardly care), are truly horrific. Following very closely, according to Alex, the descriptions of the creatures in Stephen King's novella, they provide many of the non-human scares, and amiably so. From giant spiders who shoot acidic webs (in an excellent, terrifically tense scene in a chemist's) to toothed tentacles belonging to an unseen 'thing' which rip off flesh disturbingly easily, we are shown enough to be scared, whilst giving the feeling that what we see is not even the worst of what is out there. The film follows a style similar to that of War of the Worlds, as we follow only one father's story of trying to protect his son, meaning that we never are shown everything, in keeping with the novella's occasional ambiguity. Also, it's nice to have something truly monstrous in a horror film - none of those silly malformed psycho-killers a la Jigsaw or Leatherface.<br /><br />Not all of the horror is built up through the creatures, with tension being amped up in the film's true message. The development of the characters trapped in the shop is fantastic, slowly building up tension as attemps to escape the mist inevitably end tragically. It is also here that we encounter the film's greatest asset - Marcia Gay Harden (teehee!) - a religious nutjob, whose theories and speculations of imminent apocalypse at first seems crazy, but soons develops a following. She is truly creepy, her monologues always sending a shiver down the spine.<br /><br />As with many King adaptations, whilst there are many conclusions, we are left to interpret alot for ourselves, making the viewing of the film more personal to whoever watches it. We are all able to read into it how much or how litte we want - those looking for intelligence, chills and meaning in a horror film will get it, and those who want to see a scary monster film about unnatural (?) fog will get exactly that. The whole thing leads up to a gut-wrenching final scene that may be too downbeat and shocking for some, but I personally loved - finally a Hollywood horror movie grows some serious balls. What happens is, in every way, the true meaning of horror. I implore you to see The Mist. It is brilliant.<br /><br />Genre Value: 4/5<br />Entertainment Value: 4/5<br />Style: 4/5<br />Overall Rating: 4/5</span></div><div><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span> </div><div><strong><em><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">The Mist is released nationwide in cinemas on Friday July 4th</span></em></strong></div>benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08786284805140048284noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704225557508877776.post-42938272002931792652008-06-09T13:41:00.000-07:002008-06-10T11:01:09.636-07:00Diary of the Dead Review<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghIH0NaoD63XyWy98aDSv8YiqcC6CwDoNJ6OSL7-1PC8Ms_3ooOxJW1v6OVoR01Ha7ZNJJ-r6i-F2GOEO4Y9PQQIutSsK8OFq0zPTioGRZUgyp0SDfhce6sSHG9G4dGp0lCCSUfzNK1UM/s1600-h/dotd.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghIH0NaoD63XyWy98aDSv8YiqcC6CwDoNJ6OSL7-1PC8Ms_3ooOxJW1v6OVoR01Ha7ZNJJ-r6i-F2GOEO4Y9PQQIutSsK8OFq0zPTioGRZUgyp0SDfhce6sSHG9G4dGp0lCCSUfzNK1UM/s400/dotd.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5209985489448555634" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">This is the first of a new category on "I Hate How Fake Hollywood Is..." of films that have recently come out or are soon to be released onto DVD.<br /><br />Diary of the Dead is George A Romero's attempt at a cam-corder zombie movie. Being the daddy of zombie film directors, it seems that, whilst an innovative concept (despite it being pipped to the post by Cloverfield and [.REC]), Romero appears to be trying to get up with the times <span style="font-style: italic;">and</span> get down with the kids. Before I go ahead and semi-rip into this film, it must be said that I used to LOVE zombie films before I got bored of the horror genre, and still have a like of them now.<br /><br />Because I used to think zombies were the best thing ever in the entire world, I decided to watch Diary of the Dead, hoping it would live up to the recent [.REC], a frenetic exercise in pant-wetting film making. It had mixed reviews, but the documentary style intrigued me, as I was inevitably caught in the Cloverfield/camcorder movie pre-release hype. Some of Romero's fans have said that the style doesn't work, or that it was annoying, but the truth is that the style, which, like in Cloverfield and [.REC] brings a sense of immediacy to the film, is not actually the problem.<br /><br />Romero's films have always been satirical of the various issues he felt needed to be addressed in society. In "Dawn...", there was his criticism of our materialistic nature, and in "Land..." he addressed Bush's America. Here in "Diary..." is Romero's view that the media is lying to us all, and it never gives the full picture, and that we're actually zombies to the media, and that we rely on it too much, and that blah-de-blah-de-blah. This would've worked well if it was a subtext that you could read into if you were interested, but the way it is tackled is downright preachy, to the effect that the audience feel's like its in a lecture instead of watching a zombie film. And it's not like anyone would argue if they were told that the media is biased. In feeling the need to tell us this, the script is riddled with terrible lines, which aren't delivered well by the sub-par cast, for instance Debra handing a camera to Jason in disgust, saying "Take this - it's too easy to use", or, in a ridiculous voiceover "The media were lying to us... trying to make it seem like everything was gonna be alright". It completely detracted from my enjoyment of the film, and always made me feel taken out of the story (which gets boring in it's linear "drive/stop off/kill zombies - rinse, repeat" style).<br /><br />This isn't the only thing wrong with the film either. The characters are decidedly weak, and I never really cared about any of them. A couple seriously grated after a while, and the cameraman is decidedly annoying. When his friends ask why the hell he's filming everyone dying instead of actually helping, the audience can't help but readily agree with them, leading to many scenes where you wish you could slap him across the face and tell him that <span style="font-style: italic;">he's</span> the one that needs to wake up - not us. Similarly, the group's stereotypical British teacher is infuriating. Talking drunkenly in one of the worst accents I've ever heard, I wanted this guy to die from the start. Not a great thing in a horror movie, really. Everything that furthers his stereotype, for example, when given a choice of weapons, he takes an archaic bow and arrow, cos, y'know he's an old stuffy <span style="font-style: italic;">Briddish</span> guy, just made me hate him more and more. The only one I actually liked was the Amish guy, providing some well needed comedy to the film. He occasionally made me laugh out loud (the bit where he introduces himself is hilarious), and he provides one of the best zombie moments. Most of the other characters are so bland that they don't really bear writing about here.<br /><br />All of this is a shame, because when it comes down to the zombie stuff, Romero is still the king. Whilst [.REC] gave us a fair few panic attacks when it came to running away from the 'infected', "Diary..." has some inspired ideas. I don't want to ruin much, but a hospital scene with a defibrillator and a zombie + acid = WOW moment show that he reigns supreme when it comes to thinking up awesome stuff to throw at the undead.<br /><br />So basically, if you're a zombie fan, watch it for the variety of great moments. If you don't want to be lectured to at great length about the media, then you're best to avoid this one. But if you persevere, watch out for the zombie clown...<br /><br />Genre Value: 2.5/5<br />Entertainment Value: 2/5<br />Style: 2/5<br />Overall Rating: 2/5<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Diary of the Dead will be released on 1 and 2-Disc DVD on June 30th</span></span><br /></span>benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08786284805140048284noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704225557508877776.post-2064435273245671522008-05-12T11:59:00.000-07:002008-05-19T12:40:55.527-07:00Iron Man Review<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5ZvWEyziLH151ZTAPc_Hqar5nnjbB9IYP-NnheVUa58uqne19bxrqAz1UIWtZB6-hIaPc-17Q3_qfnXtmxPSD4hVc0CAHU5QV37YdE4ymHpSYS8NOp0DQLwn8PM0Oa17PJwMLZGzE0Jk/s1600-h/ironman.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5ZvWEyziLH151ZTAPc_Hqar5nnjbB9IYP-NnheVUa58uqne19bxrqAz1UIWtZB6-hIaPc-17Q3_qfnXtmxPSD4hVc0CAHU5QV37YdE4ymHpSYS8NOp0DQLwn8PM0Oa17PJwMLZGzE0Jk/s400/ironman.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5199569746854673058" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">And so we come to summer blockbuster season, an extravaganza of CGI-fuelled cinematic entertainment, a time to reflect on not how painstaking, but simply how AWESOME all these movies are that are coming out. Occasionally it's nice to get something like Batman Begins which will be filmically excellent as well as AWESOME, but let's face it - that doesn't really matter if you're being truly entertained. With last year being good but not living up to expectations, Iron Man is an AWESOME way to let any problems go and just be entertained for a couple of hours.<br /><br />I can't remember a comic book movie ever being so much of a joy to watch. Sure, the Spidey films are ace, but there are always all of those serious bits where Peter chooses to mope over MJ, or things start to go wrong. X3 was bogged down in unnecessary death, and Fantastic Four is just generally much less than fantastic. Which is why I was delighted when I saw Iron Man - from start to finish, it's an absolute blast. The opening sequence is funny, exciting, and within 5 minutes had already made me jump. We're introduced to Tony Stark, billionaire playboy from the start, and from then on it doesn't let up.<br /><br />Often the problem with comic franchise starters is that they suffer from "back story" syndrome. I'm happy to say that Iron Man does not suffer from this - partly because it at least offers a little bit of variety. It grows evermore wearisome when, as an audience, we are subjected to every possible scientific-experiment-gone-wrong scenario, and with Tony Stark not actually having super powers, it's nice to see a bit more variation upon the birth of a hero. Whilst not being overly political (oh, come on! It's a Marvel comic movie!), it's also nice to see a little bit of a modern "terrorism" twist. It's never explored on a deep level, but if you were expecting it to, you've gone to the wrong film, and should thus go home and rent Syriana or The Kingdom on DVD. Either way terrorism is always going to provide more of a threat than an evil black alien symbiote from outer-space.<br /><br />One of the main reasons why the film does succeed so well is that Downey Jr. is so perfectly cast as Tony Stark. At the start, he's smarmy enough for you to like and admire him (and for you to feel a little bad about it), meaning that his escape from the terrorist cave is bound to put a big grin on any face. His personal reform is believable enough, whilst never getting too boring with serious monologues and overly talky bits. As soon as the bad boy's back, he's straight into his lab to start creating a super-AWESOME robotic suit which he can wear to fight crime, and destroy all the weapons that his captors have obtained, and plan to use. The idea of Stark's weapons being used against him is another nice touch in a narrative which is slightly smarter in comparison to, for example, the obviousness of X3 and Spider-Man 3, and the flat-out-we'll-tell-you-from-the-start awfulness in Fantastic Four. But i did only say slightly. He's also very funny - his comic timing is perfection, and the conversations with his animatronic helpers raises even more than a simple smile, leading into full laugh out loud territory. Whenever the action stops, there's always a joke or comment which makes you laugh or smile, meaning that the entertainment levels never hint at dropping.<br /><br />It's obvious from the start that Jeff Bridges as Obadiah Stane is the big bad guy. His distressingly bald head (seriously - I can't believe that this is the same guy as The Dude...) might as well have EVIL tattooed on it in bold capitals. However, he turns in a fun performance, with enough sneer to boo at as a villain, and also a pretty good motive. Doctor Doom could learn some serious lessons from Stane in what's actually worth fighting for. Gwyneth Paltrow is decent enough, but, through no fault of her own, she doesn't actually have that much to do at all. Her small-scale romance with Stark is sweet enough, but isn't going to get any mums teary, and it doesn't really offer the same idea of vulnerability to the hero that MJ did to Peter Parker.<br /><br />The action in the movie absolutely rules - it's AWESOME. The escape from the cave? AWESOME! The first flight in the Suit Mk II? Super-AWESOME! The military jet pursuit? AWESOME! Taking on the bad guys? AWESOME! In case I give anything away I'll stop there - but trust me, all the action scenes are incredibly enjoyable. It's entertainment in it's purest form - it makes you grin from ear to ear, before you realise this and try to hide it from those rather respectable members of society sitting either side of you (but who are probably too busy grinning themselves to realise).<br /><br />In being so AWESOME, it's a shame that, filmically, it isn't as well made as some other comic adaptations. Batman Begins really set the bar at an incredible height, which Iron Man can't reach. The cinematography is pretty uninspired, with very few interesting shot types or techniques. However, as blockbuster cinema, this succeeds in so many ways. The CGI is basically perfect - the best I've seen since Transformers; a million miles away from the fairly terrible dark seekers in I Am Legend. I can't stress how entertaining this film is. Dismiss it as a bog-standard franchise starter at your peril...<br /><br />...it's AWESOME.<br /><br />Genre Value: 4.5/5<br />Entertainment Value: 4.5/5<br />Style: 2.5/5<br />Overall Rating: 4/5<br /></span>benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08786284805140048284noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704225557508877776.post-14084246344061833372008-04-09T08:32:00.000-07:002008-04-09T13:53:51.097-07:00[.REC] Review<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIwNn4K8dXuAfxvTfwIOAC0ajr23f3dT1_XE6JaeZbUSksCuU8v4Bzt61-bcY8Zt25goPyUUNSBkhhsVbKbb8EiM4Dsc3mi2D9MZq-AUhFP5v8F9kKPGUKmXvnQ19-iA6Lg36xZkmB4yg/s1600-h/%5Brec%5D+logo.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIwNn4K8dXuAfxvTfwIOAC0ajr23f3dT1_XE6JaeZbUSksCuU8v4Bzt61-bcY8Zt25goPyUUNSBkhhsVbKbb8EiM4Dsc3mi2D9MZq-AUhFP5v8F9kKPGUKmXvnQ19-iA6Lg36xZkmB4yg/s400/%5Brec%5D+logo.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5187270063666079810" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Yup, it's time for another "found footage"-style movie. Well, it's already been about 3 weeks since the last one... Cloverfield was truly awesome - one of the best cinema experiences in recent years, and properly lived up to the hype. I never saw Diary of the Dead, which was unluckily pipped at the post by said monster movie to be the first "FF" movie of the year.<br /><br />And now [.REC] comes along. Unfortunately, over here and in America it's always going to be seen as "that other handi-cam movie" - yet this was out in Spain last year. It has a brilliantly simple premise; late night TV presenter Angela and her camera-man Pedro are doing an article upon firefighters, they meet some firemen, and get called out to a building where there seems to have been a spot of bother... soon, they're trapped under quarantine, with talks of a virus outbreak.<br /><br />I've seen a fair few zombie movies, from fun-but-trashy Resident Evil to the impressive 28 Days Later, but none have quite instilled terror into me the way that [.REC] did - simply put, it's terrifying. The format works well, and it's a nice touch to see characters telling Pedro to stop filming, giving an authenticity to the style. There's a decent build up throughout, with tension being amped and amped until... about 45 minutes in, everything explodes into action - running, screaming, shouting, blood, zombies, the whole shebang. By the way, that's all before the lights in the building stop working... At only 72 minutes long, it's an incredibly undiluted experience. There's no chance for filler, no time for a breather once it gets going, and this works heavily in it's favour. All action is decidedly frenzied and realistic, the camera getting shakier the more scared Pedro gets. It's all very authentic.The final 15 minutes or so of the film are real edge-of-your-seat, fist-in-mouth, hide-behind-the-cushion, ending with a horrific final shot that will linger in the memory for days to come.<br /><br />There are a couple of weaknesses - the middle section of getting to know the people in the flat occasionally gets tiresome, and because the audience already knows that it's a zombie movie, the shouting of "what's going on?!" also begins to grate slightly.<br /><br />But these are minor niggles in one of the best horror's I've seen, and certainly one of the scariest. Make sure you catch it this week (it's only on limited release) before the Americans go and balls it all up with the remake "Quarantine" due out later this year...<br /><br />Genre Value: 4.5/5<br />Entertainment Value: 3.5/5<br />Style: 4/5<br />Overall Rating: 4/5<br /></span>benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08786284805140048284noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704225557508877776.post-82404159644942908902008-01-29T10:18:00.000-08:002008-05-11T12:43:35.105-07:00I Am Legend Review<a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9UG1rxi9UFezhJP0a8rux7Liq-YRAZ2DgD6pzkguh6EmofiuJVwuDQa_d3Bm8D0ovHRcMYZTT-rq55ZM8L7jeUBmKBIflgiz_8V1w4ZR3lle4V6n8rEdJgQG3CSgQkU1PSqUGao_A6BY/s1600-h/legend.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 477px; height: 52px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9UG1rxi9UFezhJP0a8rux7Liq-YRAZ2DgD6pzkguh6EmofiuJVwuDQa_d3Bm8D0ovHRcMYZTT-rq55ZM8L7jeUBmKBIflgiz_8V1w4ZR3lle4V6n8rEdJgQG3CSgQkU1PSqUGao_A6BY/s400/legend.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5160964994220691826" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:courier new;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">So, I've been quite late with this one. It's been out since boxing day, yet I only got around to finally seeing it last Saturday. The trailer was scary, intriguing, and ultimately promised a </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-family: trebuchet ms;">lot</span><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">. All those shots of a deserted New York, the survival aspect in Smith's daily routine in contrast to the horrific howls and intense bursts of actions in the trailer's latter section...</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">...so it's fair to say that I had really high hopes. It's definitely fair to say that I very much liked it, without being knocked out by it. But one of this film's qualities is that it gets the balance right. It takes itself quite seriously, but, hell, the end of the world is a pretty serious subject matter. It has a little bit of depth to it, but not so much as to distract itself from the fact that, at it's heart, it's a Will Smith thriller/action/horror mainstream blockbuster. Luckily it knows this, meaning that, tonally, the film hit the nail on the head.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">The film opens strongly, a decent hunting sequence setting the scene and introducing us to Dr Robert Neville. The deserted streets provide intrigue [what happened? why?], with intermittant flashbacks giving snippets of information at opportune moments. We see Neville on his daily routine - "buying" DVDs, gathering corn, driving through the streets - and are given a true sense of how lonely this man must feel. The fact that the audience can feel for him after seeing him alone for about 2 days [with the wiping out of humanity happening three years ago] just goes to show how effective I Am Legend is at setting up its premise.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">It must be said that Will Smith gives an extremely good performance, pretty much carrying the whole film single handedly. His sane-enough-to-feel-sorry-for, but mad-enough-to-be-a-little-bit-scared-of Doctor is one of the reasons why the film overall works well. His sense of longing and desperation to connect with someone other than his dog is utterly believable, and is a nice chance from his usual fast-talkin' black dude [as seen in 'I, Robot', 'Independance Day' and 'Men in Black' to name but a few]. And that's not to say there isn't humour - a Shrek-quoting scene brought a smile to my face [and a feeling of shame, as I felt myself quoting along with it in my head], and just the fact that he </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-family: trebuchet ms;">is</span><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"> Will Smith means that there are a couple of lighthearted moments. Given how many sci-fi films Smith has been in, this could have simply been a re-tread of his old performances.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">The cinematography is also brilliant, especially for such a mainstream movie. Aerial shots of New York increase the feeling of isolation, and it's nice to see that these sort of movies can also be made quite stylistically.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Which is why it's such a shame about the CGI. Whilst far from being terrible, it wouldn't have hurt to use actors for the night crawlers, and it seems like it was done for the hell of it. Just because CG is available, sometimes it works best when used sparingly. The crawlers themselves are reasonably scary, fleeting glimpses in the first half giving us something to fear and look forward to in the latter stages. Some have criticised the science for the fact that a virus can turn humans into super-human vampire-esque creatures - but, hey, this is in a world where we've cured cancer; and was it ever going to be the most realistic movie ever made? A couple of other niggles that didn't really work were the Bob Marley references [a nice idea, but seemed a bit tagged-on], and the ending feels slightly rushed, and squanders some of the tension built up in the first half by over-using the crawlers.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">However, this is still a very entertaining film. It's jumpy, dramatic and exciting. It successfully combines blockbuster movie-making with clever cinematography, and isn't afraid to ask questions, the most prominent of which is: if Smith is the last person truly alive, and is capturing and killing the crawlers in the day, who is the real monster?</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Genre Value: 3.5/5</span><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Entertainment Value: 4/5</span><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Style: 4/5</span><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Overall Rating: 3.5/5</span><br /></span>benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08786284805140048284noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704225557508877776.post-58757389383847532502008-01-23T11:11:00.000-08:002008-05-12T11:58:24.752-07:00No Country For Old Men Review<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1e4p3BYFcu-wHriaRrJwIejqSNMr8jwzwHCh6IJDFF16Cyof1LDuUN_QUGRyRudcATTa-MGK5xWpuBSv4CAZjaBTydCEuIUnTg3gtMYQJ1_1VBp2LuIktV-ZtETgikid5LmDxmqwRhJ0/s1600-h/javier.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1e4p3BYFcu-wHriaRrJwIejqSNMr8jwzwHCh6IJDFF16Cyof1LDuUN_QUGRyRudcATTa-MGK5xWpuBSv4CAZjaBTydCEuIUnTg3gtMYQJ1_1VBp2LuIktV-ZtETgikid5LmDxmqwRhJ0/s400/javier.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5158752600731947362" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:courier new;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">I have something that I must confess. I have never, or at least </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-family: trebuchet ms;">had</span><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"> never seen a Coen Brothers film before</span>. <span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">I blame this partly due to the fact that I cannot buy 18 DVDs or get into 18-rated films, and have thus been unable to purchase such desirables as Fargo and The Big Lebowski, though they are currently high on my list.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">On Saturday, I took the plunge, and, parents in tow, we went to see No Country For Old Men, all those 5-Star reviews buzzing around my head. How could a this film be? There are so many things I have to say about this film that I'm going to make it obvious, rather than skilfully blend everything together in various paragraphs.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Firstly, the cinematography is outstanding. The direction is absolutely brilliant, shots that could have been dull and uninspiring are made all the more direct by placing the audience on the bonnet of cars, or using long shots to give an unsettling sense of the deserted wilderness that surrounds our 'hero'. The lack of music throughout further gives the view of isolation, and is highly effective in many of the more tense scenes: the audience can hear every creak and groan in every floor board, every whistle in the wind, every *ptung!* from Chigurgh's deranged silenced shotgun.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Secondly, the story is utterly compelling. We follow Llewelyn, as he hunts in the desert and stumbles across the bloody aftermath of a drug deal. Finding a case with $2 000 000 cash, but is subsequently followed by the psychopathic "clean-up" guy, who will stop at nothing to Llewelyn and get that cash. Following the horrific events portrayed is old sheriff Bell, played brilliantly by Tommy Lee Jones, unable to catch up with this "new" form of evil. As a thriller, it is brilliantly executed, and reportedly very close to the source novel by Cormack McCarthy, with many scenes causing the audience to gasp and hold their breath, waiting for the terrifying inevitability. One such scene is that in the motel, suffocating tension soaking the audience.</span><br /><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:courier new;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">All of the performances are brilliant:</span><br /></span><ul style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><li>Josh Brolin is arrogant, vulnerable, and has questionable morals</li><li>Javier Bardem looks unbreakable and unpredictable</li><li>Tommy Lee Jones looks suitably tired and baffled</li></ul><span style="font-family:courier new;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I found myself genuinely sorry for Llewelyn's wife, an innocent bystander caught in an awful mess through no fault of her own. Everyone does what their character is supposed to do, but far surpassing the urge to simply cruise.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">No Country is also one of those films where for days after, you simply can't stop thinking about it. The final monologue has so much meaning and depth that I was staggered by the effect of it - an effect which I can't go into here, without giving away massive spoilers. I also loved the way that the audience is deceived; though he may not seem to be, Sheriff Bell is the main, most important chacrater here, the titular "old man". If you haven't already seen it, it's worthwhile to concentrate on his scenes to obtain the true meaning of the film, making it all the more special.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">There are many questions asked by this film: Is this a new form of evil? Or has evil simply stayed the same, with Bell just becoming older and more tired? Is Anton [Javier Bardem] responsible for those deaths, or should he blame fate? There's just so much to think about. Much has been said about the "unsatisfying" ending, but those who concentrated found it an integral part of the story, and whilst those who prefer more conventional thrillers might see it as a cop-out, it has deeper meanings. And besides, this movie isn't conventional. It's so much more special than that. There's more I'd like to say about No Country, but I rather not ruin it for you. Needless to say, it is brilliant. Go and see it now, and be prepared to be blown away harder than any of Chigurgh's victims.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Entertainment Value: 4/5</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Genre Value: 4/5</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Style: 5/5</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Overall rating: 4.5/5</span><br /></span><span style="font-family:courier new;"></span>benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08786284805140048284noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704225557508877776.post-10356380740427788942008-01-23T10:22:00.000-08:002008-05-11T12:44:41.589-07:00We're Back<span style="font-family:courier new;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Whether you demanded it or not, we're back after a notable absence [due mainly to Christmas plans, exams, and pure laziness]. We've freshened the look, and will be posting new reviews and bits and pieces soon. We hope you like what we've done.</span><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Ben</span><br /></span>benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08786284805140048284noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704225557508877776.post-54655064961847953992007-12-10T14:12:00.000-08:002007-12-10T14:17:01.966-08:00Aimhigher '07: Chase Me BotThis is the result from our media course in October! :D<br />Took a day to write, two to film and another to edit; enjoy ;)<br />Oh, and one to piss around with bells! :D<br /><br /><object height="355" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/hTj3VF1L3bA&rel=1"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/hTj3VF1L3bA&rel=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" height="355" width="425"></embed></object>UnionJacksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14085306737987074325noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704225557508877776.post-84287395038557579282007-11-24T16:13:00.000-08:002007-11-25T04:23:03.272-08:00Planet Terror Review<span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">And, finally, it arrives. The second half of the Grindhouse extravaganza has finally arrived in the UK, with low marketing amd little hype. No wonder it did badly in the 'States. The fact that it did is a real shame, as the film is a real blast. When combined with Tarantino's Death Proof, it could be a fun, indulgent, glorious event to be treasured. Let's just hope for a full Grindhouse DVD.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">One of the disappointments in the split was the question of the fake trailers - which film would they accompany? And would they all make it? Sadly, the answer is no. Whilst "Machete" makes it unscathed, the others will be probably be forever lost to UK audiences unless they find their way onto one of the DVDs. And when the trailers are as good as this, it's a shame that they don't feature. Whilst maintaining the tone of Grindhouse, it manages to complete the aims in 2 and a half minutes. With the incredible line "<em>They just f*cked with the wrong Mexican!"</em>, it's no wonder it's been rumoured as maybe being made for a Grindhouse 2 - though obviously no plans have been finalised [and quite probably won't be, due to the fact that Grindhouse was, technically, a flop]. Basically, it's lovingly made and well executed, a perfect way to ease the audience into the full-on feel of Planet Terror.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">Back to the movie - </span><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">Planet Terror [a.k.a Grindhouse Part 2] is gross. It splats, it gurgles, it pops and oozes and drips. The first ten minutes include bio-chemical zombies, ball cutting and Bruce Willis, and it doesn't let up. Tension is, to be honest, fairly low, but luckily it isn't the desired effect from Rodriguez. The cheesy music and grainy look of the film is much more "grindhouse" than Death Proof [missing reels, corny soundtrack] and the tongue-in-cheek tone of the film is more leaning towards gross-out comedy shlock than downright terror. This keeps proceedings funny, sharp and always enjoyable, and means the film is more like the olden days, when posters promised more than the movies could provide.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">Whilst this may sound like a criticism, it really isn't. Planet Terror never tries to be more than it knows it is and wants to be. It gives sly reference to the war on terror, without focusing on it, and knows that its concept is laughable. The icky bits are suitably slimy, the weird bits suitably weird, leaving us satisfied, if not blown away, by the outcome. I mean, how many films do you get to see where Tarantino's balls drip [yes, <em>drip</em>] off? And Sayid from Lost holding a big jar of balls?</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">This movie likes balls, and it's sure got some. It moves at a rollocking pace, Rodriguez amping up the action and laughs as the time whizzes by. The action is always fun, especially the final shoot-out [yes, with a gun-leg from Rose McGowan], and the characters hit exactly the right tone. Whilst the performances aren't always mind-blowing, they more than serve their purpose, especially Freddie Rodriguez as the insanely cool El Wray, who seems to be able to do things because <em>he is El Wray</em>. There are many parts like this, but Planet Terror feels no need to explain and justify its reasons.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">One of the movie's main attraction is its balls-out attitude, summed up when Rose McGowan emerges with a gun attached to the stub of her leg. She looks incredible, simply cool in the way that a hot chick with sunglasses and a gun-leg <em>is</em>. The fact that it's willing to base the whole movie leading up to the this scene shows its daring and inventive feel. The finale does not disappoint, with a very satisfying ending, yet keeping with the tone of the previous hour and a half.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">The direction isn't really anything special, Rodriguez focusing more on the feel and look of the movie than using interesting shot types. To say that it wouldn't fit the genre would be true, but Rodriguez need not worry - most people going to see this aren't going to nit-pick about the good-but-nothing-special direction rather than focus on what this movie's really about.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">And what is this movie about? Is it a subtle comment on our fears of nuclear bio-weapons? Is it an intimate view of small-town america? Or is it just a dumb excuse for slime, monsters and stupidity? Well, it's none of these. Planet Terror is all about having a good time, with comedy, splatter and action combining to a very entertaining, if not earth-shattering, movie, that can be accurately summed up [in tone and subject] by the line "I'm gonna eat your brains and gain your knowledge"...</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">So, who's up for a full DVD with both movies and trailers?</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">Genre Value: 4/5</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">Entertainment Value: 4/5</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">Style: 3.5/5</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">Overall Rating: 4/5</span>benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08786284805140048284noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704225557508877776.post-17599584244902272912007-11-01T11:02:00.000-07:002007-11-01T14:57:44.353-07:001-18-Oh, Wait... Is That It? - Recent News and Personal Views<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">The <em>SUPER-SECRET-MEGA-EXCITING</em> title for JJ Abrams "Untitled" 1-18-08 has possibly been announced. The team behind the movie announced that a new trailer for the movie was to appear at the beginning of <em>Beowulf</em>, released in America on Nov 16th, and would reveal the movie's title and give some glimpses of the creature(s) that everyone was running away from in the first extremely effective trailer [for me, one of the best teasers for years]. The viral marketing for the film has been phenomenal - excellent trailer, everything kept under wraps, brilliant posters and many title rumours have cranked up the hype-factor, and now somebody's said they've seen it.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">*CONTAINS SPOILERS FROM NOW ON*</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">Devin Faraci from movie-site chud.com has seen a trailer for the movie labelled "Trailer #1, V.17" - and therefore it may not be exactly what Beowulf viewers see. Devin describes "Army guys running up a street, firing into the air. Tanks come up behind them, firing. Rockets launch up.We see the big monster briefly passing between two buildings. I couldn't make it out at all, but it appeared to be HUGE." Supposedly there will be little monsters and a big monster, lots of choppy editing and hand held cameras, though the trailer mainly shows more panicky Americans yelling for help. For the full description, visit <a href="http://www.chud.com/index.php?type=news&id=12367">THIS SITE</a>.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">At the end of the trailer, the title for the movie is revealed. There is a chance that this is a marker to be changed for the actual screenings but the movie title is...</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">...<span style="color:#ffffff;">CLOVERFIELD</span></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;color:#000000;">[Highlight text to read]</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">Yup, that's it. It's what we suspected all along - OK title, too much build up. Slightly disappointed. I was hoping for something really awesome, and totally out of the blue. Hell, at least it's not <em>Monstrous </em>though...</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">*SPOILERS END HERE*</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">In more news, there's more viral marketing from the Dark Knight guys. A new website, rorysdeathkiss.com, has brought forth another Halloween-based task, and is whetting appetites all over the web for the movie. Let's hope the end result is worth the wait and endless clues.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">New releases this week - I'm most excited about <em>30 Days Of Night</em>, which has been hailed as one of the best vampire movies in ages, and as a big fan of Night Watch with its more original take on the genre, I'm looking forward to seeing how this compares.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">In even more movie news, a new picture has caused a divide in fans of two sets of movies. Of course I'm talking about <em>Alien vs. Predator: Requim</em>'s "Predalien" hybrid. Personally, I'm impressed - there's not much more you can do with a Predator/Xenomorph hybrid except stick some dreadlocks on it and make it look like a Xenomorph but more badass - and this is exactly what they've done.</span><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5kMgUifFT-l6gU7oBn1YHQUj-6IyllcYxR0Pbdlj-yLbsKt3w1Rfl_QAWaiwZH9cADVyukYAreBfDY9-YC2x1pNyHa-jFTzXxdeB70nEOENYUwEqF20RGUhlRfsL4Kh7aeOUPUmZfi1U/s1600-h/predalien.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5127992826632391234" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5kMgUifFT-l6gU7oBn1YHQUj-6IyllcYxR0Pbdlj-yLbsKt3w1Rfl_QAWaiwZH9cADVyukYAreBfDY9-YC2x1pNyHa-jFTzXxdeB70nEOENYUwEqF20RGUhlRfsL4Kh7aeOUPUmZfi1U/s320/predalien.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">So, no complaints from me, and, as a mystery even to myself, I am really looking forward to this movie, despite the pretty bad first film. From interviews etc, it sounds like these guys really know what they're doing</span><span style="font-family:Georgia;">.</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> They're using suits instead of CGI, and have talked about the tone of the film being very different to Paul WS Anderson's movie.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">So, I think that's it. There are so many movies to look forward to over the next 6 months. And with marketing strategies pushed into overdrive, let's hope they don't disappoint...</span>benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08786284805140048284noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704225557508877776.post-85006556057210157502007-10-19T08:23:00.000-07:002007-10-19T10:12:21.302-07:00Why I Love Jurassic Park<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">One of my favourite films of all time is Jurassic Park. It's there on my list, at number four. There are many reasons <em>why</em> I love Jurassic Park, but first we need to set the scene.<br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">The first time I ever saw JP, I was about 6 or 7 years old. I was <em>terrified</em>. Absolutely terrified. Well, when you think about it, this a film where creatures we can't begin to imagine go on the rampage, running riot and chomping on the occasional human [be they on the toilet or not] on a beautiful island where everything that can go wrong, does go wrong. Hell, the opening scene is a velociraptor in a box killing an innocent man! How could I <em>not</em> be terrified? However, it stuck with me. It's such a magical film, that whenever it's on TV, I always, without fail, sit down to watch it, and every time it's still as tense, exhilirating and incredible as it was that first day, many years ago as I sat on the sofa, cushion clamped to my chest.<br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Jurassic Park is incredibly iconic. It was the first real 100% success with CGI, beating even modern films in its realism. It's also got so many memorable scenes. Theres the bit when they're talking about the raptors in the desert, the bit where they fly over the island [to one of the best soundtracks ever written], the bit when they see the egg hatch, the bit where they look at the Triceratops poo, the bit where the T-Rex comes, the bit where the T-Rex is by the window, the bit where the T-Rex eats the man on the loo, the bit where the car is in the trees, the bit where there's the stampede, the bit in the kitchen with the raptors, the bit where the raptors face off against the T-Rex... Chances are if you've seen this film, even only once, you'll remember one of those parts. And those are only the ones that immediately spring to mind.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">One reason why Spielberg got it <em>so</em> right is that <em>dinosaurs are cool</em>. Inexplicably, awesomely cool. As a kid, I'd never seen anything like it. The creatures on the screen are so powerful, it's impossible not to be in awe of them. I'll always remember the scene when Jeff Goldblum and his wife see the Brachiosaur, their first dino experience, in a large herd. The grass is green, the sun is shining - it's a magical moment for cinema, one that'll stay with me for the rest of my life. The T-Rex is incredible, a thundering, towering beast, hungry for anything crossing it's path. The Velociraptors are incredibly smart, providing possibly the most tense scene in the film as they sneak around the kitchen looking for two cowering children...</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">The score is incredible, an absolute joy. The soaring strings playing as the team fly to the island is breathtaking, fully encompassing the majesty and horror of the secrets lying within the trees... It's my favourite musical score of all time, and unless you haven't heard it, you'll probably know why.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Whilst partly being a comment upon society today, talking about chaos theory, and man's battle with science causing more harm than good, it's also an unashamed blockbuster. There's mountains of excitement - all the T-Rex scenes, the stampede and the raptors in the kitchen currently spring to mind. The film's exhilirating in a way that running amongst a tide of great CGI lizards would be in real life would be. The scientific reasoning behind the dinosaurs is not so far-fetched, thus maing the plot a lot more believable than it could've been. Even the slightly declining standards of the [actually reasonably good] sequels can't dampen the spirit or legacy of this mammoth movie.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">The characters in the movie are brilliant - the development is such that, straight away, you have an idea of their role in the film, but not in a way that makes it too predictable. You know that Richard Attenbrough's going to be lovable, despite his flaws. You know that Jeff Goldblum and Sam Neil will stick around 'til the end. You know Wayne Knight will meet a sticky end... But this only makes it more satisfying when it does eventually happen.</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">So, to conclude, this is an amazing film. Not only a technological marvel, but incredible entertainment on a massive scale that will capture the imagination of many generations to come. Those who haven't seen it will start watching their glasses of water for tremors, while those who have will be able to escape in the best way - via a huge adrenaline rush and MASSIVE DINOSAURS. </span>benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08786284805140048284noreply@blogger.com6