Thor 2, Catching Fire, Gone

A couple of newer releases for a change~

#1 - THOR 2: THE DARK WORLD

Stars - Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Tom Hiddleston, Anthony Hopkins, Christopher Ecclestone

Director - Alan Taylor

Memorable Quote - "There is nothing more reassuring than knowing that the world is crazier than you are."

Review - I watched the first Thor movie just a day before this one, so it was nice and fresh in my head and I knew everything that was going on (although, confusingly, I watched Avengers Assemble months before, so it was all the wrong way round). This was an entertaining one and used the 3D quite well, mostly with subtle touches and only a few all out action sequences where they threw things at us. A few little things about the plot (particularly where Loki is concerned) were groaningly predictable, but then that's what you come to expect from a comic book movie. A fair movie and good entertainment.  3.5/5

#2 - CATCHING FIRE

Stars - Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson, 

Director - Francis Lawrence

Memorable Quote - "Stay with me?" "Always."

Review - Ahhhh it is so hard for me to be eloquent about this movie. I seriously squeed/gasped/cried my way through the whole thing. I'm a huge fan of the books and the series in general, and with Jennifer Lawrence being one of my favourite people ever there is no way I was going to not love this to pieces. It was incredibly faithful to the book despite having to chop a few sequences, but most of it was just the way I pictured it in my head, incredibly well done. Normally book adaptations annoy me but this just dazzled. Harrelson is still a scream, Lawrence is still perfect as Katniss, Hutcherson is becoming more and more adorable, and my heart leapt in my throat when Gale was being punished. I can't say any more than this without it all just coming out at once in a fan girl squeal! 5/5

#3 - GONE

Stars - Amanda Seyfried, Wes Bentley

Director - Heitor Dahlia

Memorable Quote - "He never existed. It was all in my head."

Review - Gone is a bit of a strange one. Amanda Seyfried is wide eyed as ever yet strong throughout, and she convinces well: you can see both the victim who is determined to rise above her experiences as well as the crazy, obsessed girl that the others think she is. It is all very creepy and tense as she tracks down the guy that she is after, but then... there’s no twist. It just ends. I was convinced through most of it that it was Seneca Crane from the Hunger Games who kidnapped her sister, but all those suspicious hints about him not being where he was supposed to be turned out to be red herrings. I have literally no idea what was going on there, or why he was used in that way. 3/5

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Fracture, Entrapment, The Bone Collector

Crime special!

#1 -FRACTURE

Stars -Ryan Gosling, Anthony Hopkins, Rosamund Pike

Director -Gregory Hoblit

Memorable Quote -"Even a broken clock is right twice a day."

Review - This is quite the interesting legal drama, in which Hannibal Lector (what? It is the same character, isn’t it?) faces off against Ryan Gosling, in a plot which is somewhat reminiscent of Primal Fear in the way that it has the legal man defeated by a criminal that he at first underestimated before realising how far he had got things wrong. Unlike in that film however, here a final act twists brings a conclusion to the case, which gives it a whole different flavour and certainly makes it very satisfying indeed. 3/5

#2 - ENTRAPMENT

Stars - Sean Connery, Catherine Zeta Jones, Ving Rhames

Director -John Amiel

Memorable Quote -"In order for there to be complete trust between thieves, there can be nothing personal."

Review - I’m not sure who it was that, long ago, decided that Sean Connery was attractive, but he is not. Particularly in his white haired and very much hairy guise here, he is not attractive at all. The image of him snuggling up to poor Catherine Zeta Jones is one that will haunt my mind forever, and they did not even have a bed to lie on but a dirty, dusty floor. Poor girl. I could not even focus on how ridiculous the rest of the film is from that point on once I had passed that scene, as it dominated my every thought and indeed my nightmares for several weeks. It does not bear thinking about. 2/5

#3 -THE BONE COLLECTOR

Stars - Denzel Washington, Angelina Jolie, Queen Latifah

Director - Phillip Noyce

Memorable Quote - "Destiny is what we make it"

Review -This is an interesting take on the old detective genre, featuring of course the famously shred veteran policeman who knows all of the tricks and will solve the crime quickly, along with his rookie partner who is struggling to learn the ropes and who will be tested to their utmost. The formula is challenged here however with the introduction of the idea of Denzel Washington as the paralysed cop who cannot take action himself, and who must therefore use Jolie’s character as not only his eyes and ears on the street but also his hands and feet as she follows his directions to try and stop the killer before it is too late. 3/5

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The Notebook, Eat Pray Love, Dear John

#1 -THE NOTEBOOK

Stars -Ryan Gosling, Rachel McAdams, Gena Rowlands, James Garner

Director -Nick Cassavetes

Memorable Quote -"If you're a bird, I'm a bird!"

Review - I put off watching this for so long because I had heard that it was a total sobfest, but eventually one day when I was feeling as though I needed a little more Gosling in my life I went out and bought it on a whim. I have to say I am glad I did: as far as love stories go, this has to be the Titanic of  the2000s, a romance of which any woman would be jealous and any man would dream of as it sweeps Ally and Noah off their feet and along before it like a whirlwind. I could gush about the script, the filming style, the rain scene, the dialogue, the script – but I will just let it all rest with a simple instruction that any female readers who have not seen this should absolutely go and see it now, and then accept the reality that no man is ever going to measure up in real life to the way that Noah is in this film and everything is ruined for you forever. 5/5

#2 -EAT PRAY LOVE

Stars - Julia Roberts, Javier Bardem, Billy Crudup, James Franco

Director -Ryan Murphy

Memorable Quote -"Sometimes to lose balance for love is part of living a balanced life."

Review - The film is neatly divided into three parts – the eating, praying, and loving which the title suggests – and really one could almost imagining that they were watching Julia Roberts trying to remake her acting career and try something different rather than watching the storyline as it really is. One reason that you should watch this film is the advice given in one scene, in which Roberts’ character asks another if any man has ever complained once they saw her body, and which many, many girls out there could benefit from thinking about in order to stop them from worrying quite so much about diets and exercise and getting those perfect thigh gaps or flat stomachs. On the other hand, not much really happens in most of the film, so this is more the light Sunday viewing type of movie than something to really watch again and again and put deep concentration into. 3/5

 

#3 -DEAR JOHN

Stars - Channing Tatum, Amanda Seyfried, Richard Jenkins

Director -Lasse Hallström

Memorable Quote -"The saddest people I've ever met in life are the ones who don't care deeply about anything at all."

Review - Honestly, if you hate yourself and/or have just gone through a really horrible break up then I absolutely recommend watching The Notebook, PS I Love You, and then this film all in a row. You will cry so hard that you may never cry again. What strikes me more than anything about this film is how it could all have been avoided, and exactly how much time the main characters needlessly waste when they had the chance to be happy together. Ultimately it is a film about sacrifice – whether it means literal sacrifice in the name of your country, or the sacrifice of love in order to allow someone else to be happy. It is a tear jerker, but ultimately frustrating as you just want to bang their heads together through most of it. 3.5/5

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Dogville, Ice Age 3. Les Sept Jours du Talion

Finally getting around to uploading some old blogs! Enjoy.

#1 -DOGVILLE

Stars -Nicole Kidman, Paul Bettany, Lauren Bacall, Stellan Skarsgard, John Hurt

Director -Lars Von Trier

Memorable Quote -"Oh, I think you have plenty to offer Dogville."

Review - Dogville may seem like a long film when you start off, but it is worth it. The setting is fantastic: at first it seems as though the chalk outlines and meagre props are weird, but the further you get the more fitting it is, and it allows you to see the whole cast going about their business at once – which is especially poignant during the first rape scene. Later it all makes sense, when you realise that Grace is almost acting in a play of her own rather than allowing the events to become real to her. The moment when she gets into the car and begins the argument about being stubborn triggers a certain surreal realisation akin to that which strikes you in Fight Club. I hate to use the word perfect, but I cannot think of any other way to describe the way that twist hits you in the face! For once I forget the Kidman is Kidman, something that is not normally possible, and Bettany is absolutely fantastic here as ever. The rest of the cast paint detailed pictures of the closeted townspeople, and all in all thus has redeemed my earlier (negative) view of Von Trier massively. 5/5

#2 - ICE AGE: DAWN OF THE DINOSAURS

Stars - John Leguiziamo, Queen Latifah, Dennis Leary, Simon Pegg

Director - Carlos Saldanha, Mike Thurmeier

Memorable Quote -

Review - Ice Age 3 is a great little cartoon in the tradition of the first two films of the franchise, and though generally speaking these kid friendly series try to go on for too long this one has not yet outstayed its welcome. More than this one will stretch the patience of parents, no doubt, but the kids will continue to love them as the formula is a solid one. There is nothing wrong with this bit of harmless entertainment, thought I did spend half the movie rereading the cast list in astonishment and wondering if that really was Simon Pegg’s voice. 3/5

#3 - LES SEPT JOURS DU TALION

Stars -  Claude Legault, Rémy Girard

Director - Daniel Grou

Memorable Quote -n/a

Review - This is a really interesting one. Going in to it you almost expect a torture porn, Martyrs-style film, but what you get feels more like an Eastern European arthouse take on the genre. The start is gentle and soaked with tristesse, more reminiscent of ‘4 Months, 3 Weeks, 2 Days’ than Martyrs, as large swathes of the film contain no music or dialogue but simply quiet sounds and images which are for the most part still: footsteps, the sound of a leather jacket creaking as the wearer slowly rocks backwards and forwards, the wind blowing. The effect is eerie and mournful, as the grey and blue palette mutes this world yet further and pans introduce the only real movement in many scenes. Snippets tell a story, and the shots are all tasteful; the first moment of true nudity, as the killer is shown in a full body shot, marks the film’s transition into the seven days for which it is named and the second act of the plot. Everything is done in a subtle and understated manner – the metaphor of the deer is presented, but not laboured upon overly, as it might have been in the hands of another director. Unexpectedly, this film that should from the plot have been tacky and bloody is instead a rare gem of beauty. 5/5

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Groundhog Day, Big Daddy, Me, Myself, & Irene

A bit of classic humour in this one - by which I mean comedy films which are kinda old now.


#1 - GROUNDHOG DAY

Stars -Bill Murray, Andy MacDowell, Chris Elliott

Director -Harold Ramis

Memorable Quote -"That's right, woodchuck-chuckers - it's...Groundhog Day!"

Review - For many people, this is regarded as quite the classic. What it really is is a great bit of fun, and you just have to enjoy watching it for the concept itself. Of course you will want to try and imagine what you would do with all of that time yourself, and despite the real world implications of what would really happen afterwards, the ending is really feel good and leaves you with a smile on your face. A good performance all round, although Bill Murray has always struck me as an odd choice for a romantic male lead – though this does help the impression of him struggling to be that perfect man. 3.5/5

#2 - BIG DADDY

Stars - Adam Sandler, Joey Lauren Adams, Jon Stewart, Cole & Dylan Sprouse, Rob Schneider, Steve Buscemi

Director -Dennis Dugan

Memorable Quote -"Having a kid is great... as long as his eyes are closed and he's not moving or speaking."

Review - This one is something of a sickly sweet comedy, with a very unrealistic view on things and of course a denouement in which everyone acts like everything will be fine when really there is no possible way that it can be. Interestingly enough I had actually seen this before, and managed to get a good hour into watching it again before I realised that I remembered seeing it; that speaks volumes for how much of an impact it actual made the first time. This is the kind of film that you might put on while you are sitting and chatting with friends or to have on in the background while you are working on something, but really it is nothing special that requires your full attention. Some of the scenes also suffer from the classic Sandler curse of his comedian friends being allowed to do whatever they want, even though it just is not funny. 2.5/5

#3 -ME, MYSELF, & IRENE

Stars - Jim Carrey, Renee Zellweger, Chris Cooper, Richard Jenkins

Director - Bobby and Peter Farrelly

Memorable Quote - "Man how the hell can they call Pluto a planet?"

Review - Say what you like about Jim Carrey  - and many people do – this one is actually alright. There is some unnecessary mugging of the kind that he is very much prone to at the start, but thankfully it only takes up a small amount of screen time and much of the film is given over to madcap adventures and the exploits of the main character’s three “sons” as well as his attempts to woo Zellweger. Certainly not all of the film is funny, but some parts of it very much are and that redeems it enough to make it enjoyable. If you can make it through without cringing too much, you will have a good experience overall. 3.5/5

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The Dark Knight Rises, Skyfall, Chronicle

I've used up all my gold stars for this one...

#1 - THE DARK KNIGHT RISES

Stars - Christian Bale, Tom Hardy, Marion Cotillard, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Michael Caine

Director - Christopher Nolan

Memorable Quote - "Death! By exile."

Review - As the final instalment of Nolan’s Batman trilogy, the expectations piled on this film were remarkably high – perhaps higher than they have ever been for a movie starring Bats – and it has certainly suffered for that in the way that many people have given it disappointed reviews. I loved it, however – silly plot holes aside and all of the rest of it, it was a fitting conclusion to the story arc and one that really brought out the best of both Bale’s character and the supporting characters. Hardy shone as Bane, and Cotillard of course always captures the attention, but Gordon-Levitt has to be the stand out character here – if only for that little twist at the end that revealed his identity, and who he might become. The fact that he appeared briefly in The Dark Knight is a testament to the vision and forethought put into place by Nolan, and above all it just makes you wish that he would come back and do some more. 5/5

#2 - SKYFALL

Stars - Daniel Craig, Javier Bardem, Judi Dench, Ben Whishaw, Naomie Harris

Director - Sam Mendes

Memorable Quote - "What did you expect, an exploding pen?"

Review - Skyfall is intense Bond at its modern best. As the film itself acknowledges, this is stripped back to basics: no gadgets, no exploding pens, just Bond and his superhuman ability to carry on fighting past the point of pain. With beautiful scenes such as the end sequence, featuring silhouettes against glowing orange mist, and a soundtrack that is bold and Bond during action but quiet and subtle otherwise, this is a masterclass in film making. The car is a fantastic and appropriate nod to the heritage of the series; the humour is as British as ever; and the switchover to a new era is handled with great style and grace. Overall, it is a hit worthy of the franchise. 5/5

#3 - CHRONICLE

Stars - Dane DeHaan, Alex Russell, Michael B. Jordan

Director - Josh Trank

Memorable Quote - "There's something wrong with Andrew."

Review - When I sat down to watch this film, I was expecting it to be the normal dull fare of the genre – but it completely blew me away. A filming style that is at once natural and yet also different to most films out there sets it apart right from the start, and rather than found footage movies like Cloverfield where the camera is clumsily dragged along so that someone might be documenting it this has a good reason for the camera to be there – which makes it all the more enjoyable, as you can really get into the film. The cast are all stellar, to the point that you actually mourn the loss of each of them when they are no longer part of the plot, and the storyline is fantastic as it both introduces drama and tragedy in a great way whilst also making you wish that things had turned out differently. This is the kind of film that you will find yourself watching again so that you can try to catch hints of the ending at the start. 5/5

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Perfect Sense, Melancholia, Seeking A Friend For The End Of The World

It's Apocalypse time!

#1 - PERFECT SENSE

Stars - Ewan McGregor, Eva Green, Denis Lawson, Ewen Bremnar

Director - David McKenzie

Memorable Quote - "Because that is how life goes on. Like that."

Review - This film is about everyone in the world's sense disappearing one by one, and the way that it deals with the subject is very interesting. We too are stripped of our every sense as the film goes on: from the moment that the sense of hearing is lost there is no sound other than the calm sounding narration which describes throughout the film what is happening and what impact it had on them. It is an interesting concept and it is executed well; however, I found it to be quite drab and grey throughout, which almost made it seem as though the end could not come quickly enough! A little more colour early on would have been appreciated to create a nicer tone in the first place. Still, the love story is heart wrenching and must be saluted.  3/5

#2 - MELANCHOLIA

Stars - Kirsten Dunst, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Keifer Sutherland, Alexander Skarsgard, John Hurt, Stellan Skarsgard

Director - Lars Von Trier

Memorable Quote - "This could have been a lot different."

Review - I'm not sure I was as impressed with Melancholia as I wanted to be. I genuinely wanted to enjoy it. From what I had heard I was expecting it to be fantastic. And yet, it just... wasn't. All of the interesting parts of the story were passed by without exploration, while altogether too much time was spent on naval gazing and recreating artistic scenes. The depression was portrayed well, particularly in the bath scene, but the other naked scenes were completely unnecessary and rather detracted from what was going on because it just made you think about how Dunst was getting naked. The beginning and the premonition was just too slow and dreary - a briefer shot for each part would have been better - and it got me off to a bad start in terms fo first impressions. I felt bored, and that is not what I look for in a film. 2/5

#3 - SEEKING A FRIEND FOR THE END OF THE WORLD

Stars - Steve Carrell, Keira Knightley

Director - Lorene Scarafia

Memorable Quote - "I'm not sure that the month between my wife leaving me and the end of the world sounds like good timing. Do you?"

Review - This is interesting because it deals with the same kind of subject as Melancholia, but annoyed me a hell of a lot less. I still find Knightley to be irritating as all get out because the girl really cannot act as well as Hollywood thinks she can, and that stands out in this piece besides the always reliable Carrell. We are used to him being the derided loser as well as the comedic turn, but this is something different and we can believe that he really did get the girl not once, but three times. The end is dealt with better than in Melancholia because at least we have a satisfying conclusion, which I will not ruin, and there is even the possibility that others may have survived with the tactics described throughout the scene. Apart from all of this, the dog was the best part of the film as it was absolutely adorable, I could not stop looking at it in every single scene! 4/5

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