What: Unstoppable
Where: Coventry Showcase
Who: Me, Alex and Mark
When: Friday November 26th 2010, 7:15pm
Unstoppable is the fifth film that brings together Denzil Washington with Direcotr Tony Scott and the fifth time that there collaboration has produced a more than adequate film.
There are a few stars in Hollywood that you can usually rely on. If they are going to take on a role it’s pretty much a banker that a more than decent film will come out of it. Denzil Washington is one of these stars and with this film he doesn’t disappoint.
Unstoppable tells the true story of a runaway freight train running rampage through the south Pennsylvania railroad. It is an action film but it is also a heavily focused character piece following the burgeoning relationship between Denzil’s wizened old-school trainyard veteran Frank and Chris Pines fresh faced college graduate Will as they are forced together and eventually forced to make some tough decisions about life and death.
Everything about this film says that it shouldn’t work, how much life can you get out of an unmanned train running through the picturesque Pennsylvania countryside but the fact is this is constantly exciting and very gripping. You really feel for the characters when every effort they make to stop the train fails and by the time the inevitable ending comes around you feel like you have gone through every emotion with the characters.
Denzil is of course outstanding in this as he always is. I can’t really pick a standout performance from the rest of the cast because everyone does there job and they are all very talented individuals.
Overall this film is a more than adequate action film that is entertaining and very fast paced and it is also a great showcase of talented actors telling a good well written story.
8/10
Tuesday, 14 December 2010
Wednesday, 10 November 2010
SAW 3D
What: Saw 3D
Where: Nuneaton Odeon
Who: Me, Mark, Becky, Nick and Wayne
When: Thursday 28/10/10 9:15pm
A tradition that started 7 years ago this very weekend ended tonight as the Saw Septology came to a more than satisfying conclusion. I may have just made up the word septology but it sounds right so I’m sticking with it. Me and Wayne have made the trip to see every single saw film on opening night and very rarely are we disappointed. Tonight was to be no different.
Firstly I should point out that I am a massive fan of the saw films. I even had the doll on my desk at work for a while until the management decided that personal items on desk were suddenly going to be frowned upon and so now 2 saw dolls (billy) adorn my chest of drawers in my bedroom. Both of them brought for me as gifts from 2 of the very people who accompanied me to see this film. So I can hear you shouting how was the film? Ok Ok Chill out I’m about to tell you.
Saw 3d is the seventh saw film to be released in 7 consecutive years. In recent years they have become more and more about blood guts and gore and there is nothing wrong with that and this film does not disappoint on that level. I don’t think it’s gorier than Saw 6 but it comes pretty close.
However the underlying story that has played through all seven films is still as strong as ever and all loose ends are tied up perfectly in this final part as you would expect
As more and more time passes Saw will be remembered as the horror movie that came along and changed the world and Jigsaw will be remembered as the ultimate movie bad guy. However this memory will be wrong and I want to set a few wrongs right here. Jigsaw is a sick twisted weirdo but his games are played to enrich the lives of the players. Whilst his methods are obviously wrong his reasoning behind them is not. However the true bad guy of the Saw films is Hoffman. Played expertly by Costas Mandylor. Hoffman is the quintessential movie psychopath. His games are on the whole unbeatable and his huge stature and creepy eyes are enough to send a shiver down the spine of even the toughest of all tough guys. And all this from a man who was once voted in the top 50 most beautiful people in the world. (seriously)
I should probably mention at this point the 3dness of the film. Long time readers will know that I am dead against 3d films because when they are done badly they add nothing to the experience. Constantly take you out of the moment and are too expensive (see clash of the titans for proof of this). However the 3d in this isn’t done badly and actually adds to the experience. There is nothing better than avoiding a disembodied flying tit on a Thursday evening or getting splattered with bits of blood and skin from a member of Linkin Park and you really do feel all of the 3d moments in this film. The reason for this is that it was filmed in 3d rather than it being added as an afterthought.
So in conclusion, if you are fan of the saw films you can’t not see this, If you’re not a fan of them or you have never seen them. Start at the start and you will soon be hooked. I was asked to rate my saw films in order so here it is
1,4,3,7,6,2,5
8/10
Where: Nuneaton Odeon
Who: Me, Mark, Becky, Nick and Wayne
When: Thursday 28/10/10 9:15pm
A tradition that started 7 years ago this very weekend ended tonight as the Saw Septology came to a more than satisfying conclusion. I may have just made up the word septology but it sounds right so I’m sticking with it. Me and Wayne have made the trip to see every single saw film on opening night and very rarely are we disappointed. Tonight was to be no different.
Firstly I should point out that I am a massive fan of the saw films. I even had the doll on my desk at work for a while until the management decided that personal items on desk were suddenly going to be frowned upon and so now 2 saw dolls (billy) adorn my chest of drawers in my bedroom. Both of them brought for me as gifts from 2 of the very people who accompanied me to see this film. So I can hear you shouting how was the film? Ok Ok Chill out I’m about to tell you.
Saw 3d is the seventh saw film to be released in 7 consecutive years. In recent years they have become more and more about blood guts and gore and there is nothing wrong with that and this film does not disappoint on that level. I don’t think it’s gorier than Saw 6 but it comes pretty close.
However the underlying story that has played through all seven films is still as strong as ever and all loose ends are tied up perfectly in this final part as you would expect
As more and more time passes Saw will be remembered as the horror movie that came along and changed the world and Jigsaw will be remembered as the ultimate movie bad guy. However this memory will be wrong and I want to set a few wrongs right here. Jigsaw is a sick twisted weirdo but his games are played to enrich the lives of the players. Whilst his methods are obviously wrong his reasoning behind them is not. However the true bad guy of the Saw films is Hoffman. Played expertly by Costas Mandylor. Hoffman is the quintessential movie psychopath. His games are on the whole unbeatable and his huge stature and creepy eyes are enough to send a shiver down the spine of even the toughest of all tough guys. And all this from a man who was once voted in the top 50 most beautiful people in the world. (seriously)
I should probably mention at this point the 3dness of the film. Long time readers will know that I am dead against 3d films because when they are done badly they add nothing to the experience. Constantly take you out of the moment and are too expensive (see clash of the titans for proof of this). However the 3d in this isn’t done badly and actually adds to the experience. There is nothing better than avoiding a disembodied flying tit on a Thursday evening or getting splattered with bits of blood and skin from a member of Linkin Park and you really do feel all of the 3d moments in this film. The reason for this is that it was filmed in 3d rather than it being added as an afterthought.
So in conclusion, if you are fan of the saw films you can’t not see this, If you’re not a fan of them or you have never seen them. Start at the start and you will soon be hooked. I was asked to rate my saw films in order so here it is
1,4,3,7,6,2,5
8/10
Tuesday, 12 October 2010
Buried
What: Buried
Where: Nuneaton Odeon
Who: Me, Mark, Alex, Stu, Marv & Sam
When: Tuesday October 05th 2010 at 9:30pm
Before watching this film I was worried that a very late start for a film set mostly in the dark would struggle to keep me entertained for its 90 minutes running time but I did manage to keep my self awake and I was rewarded with a fairly decent far from perfect little indie film.
Lets get something straight right from the off. Whilst this film is enjoyable in its own way it is not the masterpiece that it the critics are saying it is. Far from it. The casting is bizarre and ultimately wrong, the writing is shaky at best and at one point collapses in on itself before managing to pull itself back towards the end. The directing however saves it. It’s very well lit and the sense of confinement does come through in a big way. Claustrophobics will not enjoy this film.
This film is essentially one man trapped in a box for its entire duration. Don’t go in expecting to see flashbacks of how he got there, or scenes of his captures/rescuers because you don’t get them. What you do get is 90 minutes of Ryan Reynolds in a box. And that is the first mistake made in this film, because no matter what happens and how perilous the situation becomes you can’t get past the fact that what you are watching is Ryan Reynolds in a box. What this film needed to be a success is an unknown actor who you could actually believe is a lorry driver working in the hardest of hard circumstances in order to provide for his family. However no director in his right mind would cast an unknown in a 1 man film and that is why this premise whilst a very good idea can never work to its full potential.
I don’t hate Ryan Reynolds. I just don’t like his body of work. He is Rom-coms and gross out comedies and yes he is stereotyped in those roles. I can understand him wanting to break away from them but low budget horror (Amityville horror) and experimental thrillers are not the way to change an audiences perception. It remains to be seen what he can do with the Green Lantern (due for release 17/06/11) that could just be the film that he needs. Buried isn’t.
However this film isn’t all bad. As it reaches it’s conclusion the sense of terror really does keep you on the edge of your seat and the idea of being buried alive is terrifying anyway and watching someone struggle with the realities of it does make you find yourself getting behind him and hoping beyond all hope that he will survive what has to be everybody’s worst nightmare.
In conclusion, for what it is, Buried is a decent film made on a shoe string budget. You shouldn’t go in expecting a big action feature and ignore the one random wildlife scene which is so out of place it should never have been written let alone kept in, Buried at it’s heart is a showcase for Ryan Reynolds acting. It must have been an incredibly tough shoot and so you have to respect him for that. I did enjoy this film but I wouldn’t watch it again and I’d be very selective with who I recommend it too.
6/10
Where: Nuneaton Odeon
Who: Me, Mark, Alex, Stu, Marv & Sam
When: Tuesday October 05th 2010 at 9:30pm
Before watching this film I was worried that a very late start for a film set mostly in the dark would struggle to keep me entertained for its 90 minutes running time but I did manage to keep my self awake and I was rewarded with a fairly decent far from perfect little indie film.
Lets get something straight right from the off. Whilst this film is enjoyable in its own way it is not the masterpiece that it the critics are saying it is. Far from it. The casting is bizarre and ultimately wrong, the writing is shaky at best and at one point collapses in on itself before managing to pull itself back towards the end. The directing however saves it. It’s very well lit and the sense of confinement does come through in a big way. Claustrophobics will not enjoy this film.
This film is essentially one man trapped in a box for its entire duration. Don’t go in expecting to see flashbacks of how he got there, or scenes of his captures/rescuers because you don’t get them. What you do get is 90 minutes of Ryan Reynolds in a box. And that is the first mistake made in this film, because no matter what happens and how perilous the situation becomes you can’t get past the fact that what you are watching is Ryan Reynolds in a box. What this film needed to be a success is an unknown actor who you could actually believe is a lorry driver working in the hardest of hard circumstances in order to provide for his family. However no director in his right mind would cast an unknown in a 1 man film and that is why this premise whilst a very good idea can never work to its full potential.
I don’t hate Ryan Reynolds. I just don’t like his body of work. He is Rom-coms and gross out comedies and yes he is stereotyped in those roles. I can understand him wanting to break away from them but low budget horror (Amityville horror) and experimental thrillers are not the way to change an audiences perception. It remains to be seen what he can do with the Green Lantern (due for release 17/06/11) that could just be the film that he needs. Buried isn’t.
However this film isn’t all bad. As it reaches it’s conclusion the sense of terror really does keep you on the edge of your seat and the idea of being buried alive is terrifying anyway and watching someone struggle with the realities of it does make you find yourself getting behind him and hoping beyond all hope that he will survive what has to be everybody’s worst nightmare.
In conclusion, for what it is, Buried is a decent film made on a shoe string budget. You shouldn’t go in expecting a big action feature and ignore the one random wildlife scene which is so out of place it should never have been written let alone kept in, Buried at it’s heart is a showcase for Ryan Reynolds acting. It must have been an incredibly tough shoot and so you have to respect him for that. I did enjoy this film but I wouldn’t watch it again and I’d be very selective with who I recommend it too.
6/10
Tuesday, 28 September 2010
Devil
What: Devil
Where: Nuneaton Odeon
Who: Me, Becky , Wayne and Lisa
When: Tuesday September 29th 2010 at 7pm
A staggering 58 days since my previous cinema trip saw me and the big man take our respective women-folk to see Devil the first of the Night chronicles a series of films thought up by M Night Shyamalan which are designed to show the supernatural in a modern day environment. Now I learnt my lesson about Shyamalans work a long long time ago. That lesson is avoid them at all costs however the premise behind this stuck in a lift with the devil thriller intrigued me and as he hadn’t written or directed it I thought I would probably be safe.
WRONG.
Whilst this film is nowhere near as bad as previous shyamalan stinkers the village, lady in the water and the happening it still has his stink all over it and even ends with the customary unnecessary twist.
However Devil is in its essence a decent film. The idea behind the story is very good if a little bit cliché. 5 people are struck in a lift one of them turns out to be the devil but which one is it? My main issue with this film is much like the nightmare on Elm street remake earlier this year it is just not scary enough. If they had pushed it back to an 18 and made a proper thriller it could have been very good, however as they went for a 15 rating the horror and the gore is all implied and it just doesn’t work. It should have felt very tense and very claustrophobic, the opening scene that plays under the credits is a mind-fuck, it is a simple way to show that something is not right with the world. It does mess with your head a bit and that is a promising start but those themes don’t continue throughout the film and it suffers for that.
Nobody should go into a horror film and look for a good solid acting performance because you will 99% of the time come out disappointed and Devil is no different. Nobody is particularly bad but then nobody is stand out good either. This is however a cast of virtual unknowns and give them there due they are not as distractingly bad as I’ve seen numerous times before in previous horror/thriller films.
In conclusion I don’t hate this film as much as I hate M Night Shyalaman who epitomises all that is wrong with the American film industry at the minute. His films are consistently poor and he makes no effort to change his style or even defend them he is a money hungry film maker who makes paint by numbers thriller films with a stupid unnecessary twist at the end. His last film “the last Airbender” flopped in a big way and that is hopefully a sign that the cinema going public are not prepared to accept his shoddiness any more. In summary Devil was a film with great potential but it just doesn’t quite live up too it.
6/10
Where: Nuneaton Odeon
Who: Me, Becky , Wayne and Lisa
When: Tuesday September 29th 2010 at 7pm
A staggering 58 days since my previous cinema trip saw me and the big man take our respective women-folk to see Devil the first of the Night chronicles a series of films thought up by M Night Shyamalan which are designed to show the supernatural in a modern day environment. Now I learnt my lesson about Shyamalans work a long long time ago. That lesson is avoid them at all costs however the premise behind this stuck in a lift with the devil thriller intrigued me and as he hadn’t written or directed it I thought I would probably be safe.
WRONG.
Whilst this film is nowhere near as bad as previous shyamalan stinkers the village, lady in the water and the happening it still has his stink all over it and even ends with the customary unnecessary twist.
However Devil is in its essence a decent film. The idea behind the story is very good if a little bit cliché. 5 people are struck in a lift one of them turns out to be the devil but which one is it? My main issue with this film is much like the nightmare on Elm street remake earlier this year it is just not scary enough. If they had pushed it back to an 18 and made a proper thriller it could have been very good, however as they went for a 15 rating the horror and the gore is all implied and it just doesn’t work. It should have felt very tense and very claustrophobic, the opening scene that plays under the credits is a mind-fuck, it is a simple way to show that something is not right with the world. It does mess with your head a bit and that is a promising start but those themes don’t continue throughout the film and it suffers for that.
Nobody should go into a horror film and look for a good solid acting performance because you will 99% of the time come out disappointed and Devil is no different. Nobody is particularly bad but then nobody is stand out good either. This is however a cast of virtual unknowns and give them there due they are not as distractingly bad as I’ve seen numerous times before in previous horror/thriller films.
In conclusion I don’t hate this film as much as I hate M Night Shyalaman who epitomises all that is wrong with the American film industry at the minute. His films are consistently poor and he makes no effort to change his style or even defend them he is a money hungry film maker who makes paint by numbers thriller films with a stupid unnecessary twist at the end. His last film “the last Airbender” flopped in a big way and that is hopefully a sign that the cinema going public are not prepared to accept his shoddiness any more. In summary Devil was a film with great potential but it just doesn’t quite live up too it.
6/10
Tuesday, 27 July 2010
Toy Story 3
What: Toy Story 3
Where: Nuneaton Odeon
Who: Me, Becky & Mark
When: Sunday July 25th 2010 at 8pm
An impromptu trip to the cinema for the second time in a week saw me rack up nearly 2500 points on my premier card. Meaning that so far this year I have spent almost £250 in the cinema not surprising when you consider that this film alone cost me an extortionate £10.35. Yes you heard that correctly as once again I got sucked into the hype surrounding the third dimension and again I was left disappointed with the effect as once again it is not needed not worth it and not very good.
That is the only time I will be using the phrase “not very good” in this review because Toy Story 3 is very good and is equal in quality to its 2 predecessors. In 1995 the original Toy Story came along and provided a bench mark for all computer generated animation that would follow and there has been a lot. Have any of them matched up to Toy Story? It’s a debateable point but in my humble opinion no. Toy Story was the first full length computer animated feature and to this day is still the best. A few years after Toy story the all star cast reunited and in 1999 Toy story 2 was released to critical acclaim and to this day still sits in IMDBs top 250 films of all time. Not bad for a sequel. And then it just stopped. The Toy Story franchise was buried and inferior quality product started cropping up all over the place. So can you imagine the excitement that surrounded Pixar when they announced that Toy Story was alive and well and more importantly was back.
To get a cast as good as the Toy Story line-up back together is quite an achievement and apart from the late great Jim Varney (slinky dog) every single one of them returned to provide voices for Toy Story 3. Even the now 26 year old John Morris (Andy) who hasn’t worked on any move since Toy Story 2.
So is this film any good? The simple answer to that is, yes it is. It is easily equal to the 2 originals and in years to come will not feel out of place in the trilogy. It is not better and it is in no way worse it just feels like it fits in and it brings the whole Toy Story franchise full circle and now the story feels complete. This film will make you laugh (a lot) it will scare you, If that monkey and that creepy as hell big baby doesn’t scare the pants of you you’re not human. And it will probably make you cry. If you are prone to crying at films then make sure you take a box of tissues with you because when this film is leading up too its inevitable conclusion you are going to need them.
Again I can’t really give a stand out performance in this film but I can tell you who to watch out for and the show stealer in this film is Ken (Michael Keaton). Barbies long time love interest is a camp show off who is easily led due to his hang ups about being a girls toy, it is a perfectly written brilliantly well done character and along with the usual favourites fits perfectly well in to the Toy Story world.
In summary this film is a great conclusion to the Toy Story story and like I said earlier it doesn’t feel hooked on or out of place which is probably the highest praise I can give this film. Don’t watch it in 3d, to be perfectly honest I’m getting very close to just telling you to boycott 3d all together, but do watch it! You owe to all the toys in your life that you don’t own any more.
8.5/10
Where: Nuneaton Odeon
Who: Me, Becky & Mark
When: Sunday July 25th 2010 at 8pm
An impromptu trip to the cinema for the second time in a week saw me rack up nearly 2500 points on my premier card. Meaning that so far this year I have spent almost £250 in the cinema not surprising when you consider that this film alone cost me an extortionate £10.35. Yes you heard that correctly as once again I got sucked into the hype surrounding the third dimension and again I was left disappointed with the effect as once again it is not needed not worth it and not very good.
That is the only time I will be using the phrase “not very good” in this review because Toy Story 3 is very good and is equal in quality to its 2 predecessors. In 1995 the original Toy Story came along and provided a bench mark for all computer generated animation that would follow and there has been a lot. Have any of them matched up to Toy Story? It’s a debateable point but in my humble opinion no. Toy Story was the first full length computer animated feature and to this day is still the best. A few years after Toy story the all star cast reunited and in 1999 Toy story 2 was released to critical acclaim and to this day still sits in IMDBs top 250 films of all time. Not bad for a sequel. And then it just stopped. The Toy Story franchise was buried and inferior quality product started cropping up all over the place. So can you imagine the excitement that surrounded Pixar when they announced that Toy Story was alive and well and more importantly was back.
To get a cast as good as the Toy Story line-up back together is quite an achievement and apart from the late great Jim Varney (slinky dog) every single one of them returned to provide voices for Toy Story 3. Even the now 26 year old John Morris (Andy) who hasn’t worked on any move since Toy Story 2.
So is this film any good? The simple answer to that is, yes it is. It is easily equal to the 2 originals and in years to come will not feel out of place in the trilogy. It is not better and it is in no way worse it just feels like it fits in and it brings the whole Toy Story franchise full circle and now the story feels complete. This film will make you laugh (a lot) it will scare you, If that monkey and that creepy as hell big baby doesn’t scare the pants of you you’re not human. And it will probably make you cry. If you are prone to crying at films then make sure you take a box of tissues with you because when this film is leading up too its inevitable conclusion you are going to need them.
Again I can’t really give a stand out performance in this film but I can tell you who to watch out for and the show stealer in this film is Ken (Michael Keaton). Barbies long time love interest is a camp show off who is easily led due to his hang ups about being a girls toy, it is a perfectly written brilliantly well done character and along with the usual favourites fits perfectly well in to the Toy Story world.
In summary this film is a great conclusion to the Toy Story story and like I said earlier it doesn’t feel hooked on or out of place which is probably the highest praise I can give this film. Don’t watch it in 3d, to be perfectly honest I’m getting very close to just telling you to boycott 3d all together, but do watch it! You owe to all the toys in your life that you don’t own any more.
8.5/10
Wednesday, 21 July 2010
Inception
What: Inception
Where: Nuneaton Odeon
Who: Me, Becky, Mark, Nick and Emma
When: Tuesday July 20th 2010 at 9pm
Where on earth do you start writing a review of a film like Inception? 3 months ago nobody knew anything about this film it literally came from nowhere and like Christopher Nolan has done before it changes the world.
Inception will quite rightly draw inevitable comparisons with 1999’s The Matrix. But the fact of the matter is and this is going to be highly controversial. Inception is better!
In 1999 The matrix came along, nobody knew it was coming and after a slow start everyone sat up and listened and the effect that that film has had on cinema in the last 10 years is phenomenal. Inception didn’t have a slow start it opened with an opening weekend box office of $60million and make no mistake about it this film is as inspirational as the Matrix if not more so.
It scares me how good Inception is. It is directed by an academy award nominated director and it stars no less than 6 academy award nominees (Tom Beringer, Leonardo DiCaprio, Pete Postlethwaite, Lukas Hass, Ken Watanabe and Ellen Page) and 2 winners (Michael Caine and Marion Cotillard) How DiCaprio doesn’t have a little gold man in his trophy cabinet yet is staggering. DiCaprio over the last 10 years or so has cemented himself as the most consistent and, I am going out on a limb again here, the best working actor in Hollywood at the minute. Christopher Nolan is a director that is on top of the world and can not put a step wrong. So what do you get when you cross the best director in the world with the best actor? Well you get Inception.
Inception has a handful of British stars. It is no secret that I am not a fan of British cinema and when you see this and find out what some of our stars are capable of it makes you wonder how British cinema fails so badly. (Don’t you dare scream Slumdog millionaire at me, that was 2 years ago. get over it.)
Everybody in this film is an incredible talent and Nolan gets the best out of every single one of them. If I had to pick a stand out performance which I do,(not including Di-Caprio I’ve already praised him) I would have gone for former sitcom star Joseph Gordon Levitt but then Tom Hardy turned up and threatened to steal the whole show with his campy performance as Eames. This guy is a talent to watch out for and to think I thought he could only play British east end gangster types. Stay in Hollywood Tom leave this island behind it wont do you any favours.
At this point in my review I would normally pick out the parts that I didn’t like or areas that let the film down. Please find these bullet pointed below.
•
•
•
Honestly and this is something that I very rarely say about anything in life. This film has nothing wrong with it. It couldn’t be better. IT IS PERFECT.
10/10 films don’t come along very often in fact in my whole life I reckon I have only seen about 10. Make that 11
10/10
Where: Nuneaton Odeon
Who: Me, Becky, Mark, Nick and Emma
When: Tuesday July 20th 2010 at 9pm
Where on earth do you start writing a review of a film like Inception? 3 months ago nobody knew anything about this film it literally came from nowhere and like Christopher Nolan has done before it changes the world.
Inception will quite rightly draw inevitable comparisons with 1999’s The Matrix. But the fact of the matter is and this is going to be highly controversial. Inception is better!
In 1999 The matrix came along, nobody knew it was coming and after a slow start everyone sat up and listened and the effect that that film has had on cinema in the last 10 years is phenomenal. Inception didn’t have a slow start it opened with an opening weekend box office of $60million and make no mistake about it this film is as inspirational as the Matrix if not more so.
It scares me how good Inception is. It is directed by an academy award nominated director and it stars no less than 6 academy award nominees (Tom Beringer, Leonardo DiCaprio, Pete Postlethwaite, Lukas Hass, Ken Watanabe and Ellen Page) and 2 winners (Michael Caine and Marion Cotillard) How DiCaprio doesn’t have a little gold man in his trophy cabinet yet is staggering. DiCaprio over the last 10 years or so has cemented himself as the most consistent and, I am going out on a limb again here, the best working actor in Hollywood at the minute. Christopher Nolan is a director that is on top of the world and can not put a step wrong. So what do you get when you cross the best director in the world with the best actor? Well you get Inception.
Inception has a handful of British stars. It is no secret that I am not a fan of British cinema and when you see this and find out what some of our stars are capable of it makes you wonder how British cinema fails so badly. (Don’t you dare scream Slumdog millionaire at me, that was 2 years ago. get over it.)
Everybody in this film is an incredible talent and Nolan gets the best out of every single one of them. If I had to pick a stand out performance which I do,(not including Di-Caprio I’ve already praised him) I would have gone for former sitcom star Joseph Gordon Levitt but then Tom Hardy turned up and threatened to steal the whole show with his campy performance as Eames. This guy is a talent to watch out for and to think I thought he could only play British east end gangster types. Stay in Hollywood Tom leave this island behind it wont do you any favours.
At this point in my review I would normally pick out the parts that I didn’t like or areas that let the film down. Please find these bullet pointed below.
•
•
•
Honestly and this is something that I very rarely say about anything in life. This film has nothing wrong with it. It couldn’t be better. IT IS PERFECT.
10/10 films don’t come along very often in fact in my whole life I reckon I have only seen about 10. Make that 11
10/10
Friday, 2 July 2010
Get Him to the Greek
What: Get Him to the Greek
Where: Nuneaton Odeon
Who: ME, Becky, Tom, Wayne and Lisa
When: Friday 25th June 2010 9:15
Just back off Holiday and straight to the cinema the next day. I actually got the invite whilst sitting on a runway waiting for take off but didn’t answer until the next day. Now those of you that know me will know that I don’t usually go for comedy films but the one man who I make the exception for is Russell Brand. This man in my eyes is amazing and can do no wrong. I’ve seen him in live stand up twice and was an avid listener to his weekly radio show which was cut short because of the ridiculous over-reaction of the British media. However He is fresh funny and unique and his performance as Aldus Snow in Forgetting Sarah Marshall stole the whole show. So could a starring role as the same character in a film that is not a sequel but more of a spin-off produce the goods. Sadly the answer is no.
Don’t get me wrong this is not a bad film and in parts is very funny but it doesn’t compare to its predecessor and unfortunately to succeed it really had too. FSM was brilliantly written by the very funny Jason Segal who is missing from the credits on GHTTG except for a token “based on characters created by”
At it’s heart Get Him To the Greek is a traditional buddy comedy starring Russell Brand and Jonah Hill as drug addled rock star and producer however to do a buddy comedy well you need a funny guy and a straight guy however Johan ruins this film by constantly trying to out funny his obviously more talented counter part. However Brand is not perfect either, the character is a riddled cliché and nothing about the writing of Aldus Snow is original.
Normally at this point I’d give you a lesser character that is played well and stands out however this time I have to give you a lesser character who is so distractingly bad it almost ruins the whole film and that is Jonah’s girlfriend played by Elisabeth Moss. She is 100% awful in this film and I am not in the business of slagging people off I respect anyone who can make it onto my cinema screen and I am sure she is a very competent actress but she really is terrible in this. If I had to pick a stand out performance from someone I would say Sean “P Diddy” Coombs who is incredibly funny as Jonahs boss Sergio.
In conclusion I realise I’ve been very negative in this review but I can’t deny that there was some very funny moments in this film, “Rub the furry wall”
6/10
Thursday, 20 May 2010
A Nightmare on Elm Street
What: Nightmare on Elm Street
Where: Nuneaton Odeon
Who: ME and Alex
When: Tuesday 18th May 2010 7pm
I’m sure at some point in the future both of us will regret it but recently me and Alex made a pact that if one of us wanted to see a film the other one would have to go and see it. This could lead to some horrific situations in the future and I think Alex was expecting this to be the first of those times. Not being a fan of horror films he was understandably reluctant to go and watch this but I think he was pleasantly surprised as was I.
I have brought myself up on horror films and slasher flicks and ever since I managed to scare the living daylights of myself watching the shining in secret in my room one night as a child I have enjoyed this genre above all others. There is always room in my life for a teen slasher flick and good or bad they are always worth checking out. In my opinion the best of these is undoubtedly the original Nightmare on Elm Street. Made by Wes Craven in 1984 Robert Englund took on the part of maniacal dream intruder Freddie Kruger and made it is own and went on to play the part on no less than 7 further occasions.
So for somebody else to take on the role must have been a real challenge and although he will always be compared to Englund and in fairness he will never match it Jackie Earle Haley took on the role and did something completely different with it which I guess he had to do. The last thing this film needed was an Englund impression and I was quite happy to see that this wasn’t the case.
Teen slasher flicks are notorious for never having a teenager in sight. 17 years olds being portrayed by adults in there mid to late twenties as become the norm and this film is no different.. The youngest in this film is 23 year old former heroes star Thomas Dekker. The original Nightmare on Elm street granted Johnny Depp is first ever role this might explain why this particular slasher flick as actually attracted a cast of “teen” stars that do actually have some acting talent which again is a rarity in slasher flicks. Apart from Haley, Dekker is the standout from this film and if he handles himself well I reckon this talented young actor could have a decent future. Maybe not quite to the levels Depp has achieved but who knows the sky is the limit.
My main criticism of this is that it just isn’t scary enough. There is not enough gore and what few jump scenes there are in this are too predictable. Normally The slightest thing makes me jump but I don’t think I jumped once in this which is probably good coz by the end I had never needed to wee so much in my life. Sorry too much information??
As recent remakes go this is up there with the last house on the left which I actually thought was better than the original and is much better than Friday the 13th.
If you enjoy watching American teens getting ripped up this is a good enjoyable little film. I will not compare it to the original because if you do it will take your enjoyment away. I thoroughly believe that every piece of work should be viewed on it’s own merits and it is unfair to compare it to it’s predecessor. In the same way a film should never be compared to the book it is based on enjoy this for what it is and then go and watch the original and enjoy that too.
7/10
Monday, 10 May 2010
Iron Man 2
What: Iron Man 2
Where: Nuneaton Odeon
Who: Me, Mark, Becki, Alex, Sarah, Stu & Marv
When: Monday May 3rd, 8pm
A nice big group of people to go and see what is set to be the blockbuster hit of the year and it’s not even May yet. This trip took 2 cars full of people and on a night where I expected queues out of the door with it being bank holiday and everything we walked straight in although it did fill up by the time the film started.
So the original Iron man film a few years ago took the world by surprise when it came from nowhere and broke all sorts of box office records and made some unbelievable money. And it was actually pretty good although I’ve always thought it was slightly flawed by the first 30 minutes or so being slightly dull and so I was looking for slightly more from this one and boy does it deliver.
Firstly you can’t write about Iron man 2 without discussing the cast, Get this list:
• Robert Downey Jr
• Mickey Rourke
• Don Cheadle
• Samual L Jackson
• Sam Rockwell
• Gwyneth Paltrow
• Scarltt Johanson
That list is incredible and every single one of them is on top of there game in this. Stand outs go to RDJ who was born to play Tony Stark I don’t think anyone can deny that. Although Mickey Rourke is brilliant in this film I have to give my other stand out performance to a man who is potentially the most underrated man in Hollywood and that man is Sam Rockwell. Justin Hammer is very unlikeable and a bit goofy perfect from Rockwell and he relishes in the role.
The film unlike it’s predecessor is engaging and very fun from start to end and I would quite happily have watched another 30 minutes or so of it and I can’t say that very often.
In summary if you like superhero movies (and lets face it there has been a lot of superhero guff over the last few years) then you will love this, if you like action films you will love this and if you like top quality acting from 7 of Hollywoods finest you will love this film.
8/10
Where: Nuneaton Odeon
Who: Me, Mark, Becki, Alex, Sarah, Stu & Marv
When: Monday May 3rd, 8pm
A nice big group of people to go and see what is set to be the blockbuster hit of the year and it’s not even May yet. This trip took 2 cars full of people and on a night where I expected queues out of the door with it being bank holiday and everything we walked straight in although it did fill up by the time the film started.
So the original Iron man film a few years ago took the world by surprise when it came from nowhere and broke all sorts of box office records and made some unbelievable money. And it was actually pretty good although I’ve always thought it was slightly flawed by the first 30 minutes or so being slightly dull and so I was looking for slightly more from this one and boy does it deliver.
Firstly you can’t write about Iron man 2 without discussing the cast, Get this list:
• Robert Downey Jr
• Mickey Rourke
• Don Cheadle
• Samual L Jackson
• Sam Rockwell
• Gwyneth Paltrow
• Scarltt Johanson
That list is incredible and every single one of them is on top of there game in this. Stand outs go to RDJ who was born to play Tony Stark I don’t think anyone can deny that. Although Mickey Rourke is brilliant in this film I have to give my other stand out performance to a man who is potentially the most underrated man in Hollywood and that man is Sam Rockwell. Justin Hammer is very unlikeable and a bit goofy perfect from Rockwell and he relishes in the role.
The film unlike it’s predecessor is engaging and very fun from start to end and I would quite happily have watched another 30 minutes or so of it and I can’t say that very often.
In summary if you like superhero movies (and lets face it there has been a lot of superhero guff over the last few years) then you will love this, if you like action films you will love this and if you like top quality acting from 7 of Hollywoods finest you will love this film.
8/10
Tuesday, 13 April 2010
Clash of the Titans 3D
What: Clash of the titans 3D
Where: Nuneaton Odeon
Who: Me, Alex, Stu and Ash
When: Thursday, April 08th 2010 9pm
First cinema trip of April and the film choice went to Alex. It has been almost a week now since this trip and it has taken me this long to decide what I actually thought of it. And here it is:
The story in itself is ok, the acting is poor and the 3D is absolutely atrocious.
Seriously the 3d conversion in this film is a disgrace and the people responsible should be ashamed of themselves. A 3d film at Nuneaton costs over £2 more than standard and it is for that reason that I will no longer choose to see films in 3D. I will state again that the current trend for everything to come out in 3d is a fad and will pass. 3D film definitely has a future but the money hungry studios are in with a real chance of saturating the market and destroying what when its done well is the greatest innovation in cinema since colour.
So what about the film. Well if you close your eyes to the glaring inaccuracies in the story (mainly that the Kraken is a Norse myth and definitely not Greek) the action is pretty good. The CGI at times is fantastic but at other times is very poor. Why they choose not to cast an actress as Madussa head is beyond me. The whole Madusa segment is laughable in its poor quality.
The acting is hit and miss as well. Liam Neeson and Ralph Fienes stand out where as Sam Worthington is poor and not a patch on what we know he is capable of.
I don’t really have a lot more to say about this film other than if you are going to see if DO NOT watch it in 3d and don’t expect it to change your life because it definitely wont.
4/10
Where: Nuneaton Odeon
Who: Me, Alex, Stu and Ash
When: Thursday, April 08th 2010 9pm
First cinema trip of April and the film choice went to Alex. It has been almost a week now since this trip and it has taken me this long to decide what I actually thought of it. And here it is:
The story in itself is ok, the acting is poor and the 3D is absolutely atrocious.
Seriously the 3d conversion in this film is a disgrace and the people responsible should be ashamed of themselves. A 3d film at Nuneaton costs over £2 more than standard and it is for that reason that I will no longer choose to see films in 3D. I will state again that the current trend for everything to come out in 3d is a fad and will pass. 3D film definitely has a future but the money hungry studios are in with a real chance of saturating the market and destroying what when its done well is the greatest innovation in cinema since colour.
So what about the film. Well if you close your eyes to the glaring inaccuracies in the story (mainly that the Kraken is a Norse myth and definitely not Greek) the action is pretty good. The CGI at times is fantastic but at other times is very poor. Why they choose not to cast an actress as Madussa head is beyond me. The whole Madusa segment is laughable in its poor quality.
The acting is hit and miss as well. Liam Neeson and Ralph Fienes stand out where as Sam Worthington is poor and not a patch on what we know he is capable of.
I don’t really have a lot more to say about this film other than if you are going to see if DO NOT watch it in 3d and don’t expect it to change your life because it definitely wont.
4/10
Saturday, 13 March 2010
Alice In Wonderland
What: Alice in Wonderland 3D
Where: Nuneaton Odeon
Who: Me, Arran, Beck, Mum and Dad
When: Monday, March 8th 2010 at 8o’clock
A family outing to the cinema is something I’m pretty sure hasn’t happened for about 8 years. (Scorpion King in case you were wondering). So to say I was a little surprised when the parents decided that the latest Tim Burton masterpiece was something they were interested in, the family outing was on. Dad drove and I brought the tickets and got 460 pints on my Odeon card for my troubles
At this point I should let you all in on the fact that in my eyes the magical combination of Tim Burton Johnny Depp and HBC can do no wrong. I knew before I even saw a trailer for this film that I was going to love it. Alice in Wonderland is a disjointed dark fairy tale and so who better to make it than the master of the dark fairy tale Tim Burton.
The 3d is not a necessity in this film as much as it is in Avatar and the film could be seen without it, at the end of the day the current trend of 3d film making is a gimmick and unless a film is specifically made with 3d in mind like avatar and the forthcoming remake of Tron there is little point in it. Although it does still look good.
However the acting performances in this film are what stands out. Every single person in this is incredibly strong. From Johnny and Helena who is possibly better than she has ever been to Alan Rickman, Stephen Fry, Matt Lucas and Barbara Windsor who make the film what it is with there supporting roles.
I think it was Jonathon Ross who said that this is Johnny’s strongest performance I don’t think I would go that far, it would take an awful lot to match his performance as Edward Scissorhands and Captain Jack but it’s not far off. He really conveys the insanity of the character he is playing to perfection.
But as I briefly alluded to earlier, this show is well and truly stolen by a stand out masterclass from Helena Bonham Carter. Married to the director she is often accused of riding on his coat tails only being cast because of who she is. Nothing could be further from the truth HBC is one of the most underrated stars of our generation. She is cast in every Tim Burton film because she personifies his mad cap universe and nobody could play the parts he gives her better than she does. I found myself watching this waiting for her to come back on to the screen.
Admitidly the CGI effects in this film may not withstand the test of time and will probably look dated very soon but who cares they work in the world that Tim has created. It’s not a perfect film far from it but it is a great story retold through the mind of one of the greatest visionaries around starring the greatest character actor alive today alongside the only character actress working today.
8/10
Friday, 5 March 2010
The Crazies
What: The Crazies
Where: Coventry Showcase
Who: Me, Rob, Becky & Wayne
When: Wednesday 3rd March 2010 at 19:15
A film visit suggested by Rob is a new one on me but it was good to get to the cinema with people who you are not used to going with sometimes, the journey was a bit of a pain getting stuck in traffic on the way there risking life and limb edging past a police car onto the M6/M69 roundabout before driving through some of the biggest pot holes ever recorded and later grounding your car on a speed bump and that’s all before you have to get into a Wednesday cinema queue. Note to self always avoid cinemas on a Wednesday unless you are on Orange, although credit must go to the lovely girl signing people up to the showcase insider club.
So what did I think to the Crazies.
Over the years I have sat through a number of zombie films. I can’t say I’ve enjoyed them all there is a lot of undead junk out there if you go looking for it but there is a lot of quality too and a good zombie story can be really effective if done correctly. So when I heard of the Crazies which in essence is a zombie film with no zombies in it. I was pretty intrigued. Unfortunately zombies that have never been dead are a lot less scary than a zombie that has been dead at some point.
When an enormous plane manned by a lone pilot crashes into the middle of a small redneck township and nobody notices (except, in the first of this films many clichés, the town drunk) a lethal toxin is introduced into the towns water supply. This In an unexplained way then starts to turn whoever drinks it into crazies intent on causing pain and suffering on the uninfected. Sounds good? No, really you do surprise me.
This film starts out dull but gets better in the middle, the scene in the carwash is very intense and is one of the few times in the film where you actually feel for the characters in the film. Whilst we are on the subject of this films characters let me just say that this bunch are pretty dull. Nobody really cares who becomes infected and who doesn’t. And if Judy Dutton is pregnant at the beginning of this film as is claimed then she certainly isn’t by the end of it although by the look of her she can be no more than a couple of days gone at the most. I dunno maybe the costume department forgot the bump suit. Anyway I’m rambling.
Now where shall I start with the ending. I’m not going to give anything away but it caused me to smile and just shake my head slowly. Appalling doesn’t even begin to describe the ending of this film and then the sequel tease at the very end causes more fear than the rest of the film put together purely that this film will potentially get a sequal is enough to strike fear in the hearts of any man. Then the credits roll and one of the first names you see is, George A Romero and that is just plain scary.
4/10
Where: Coventry Showcase
Who: Me, Rob, Becky & Wayne
When: Wednesday 3rd March 2010 at 19:15
A film visit suggested by Rob is a new one on me but it was good to get to the cinema with people who you are not used to going with sometimes, the journey was a bit of a pain getting stuck in traffic on the way there risking life and limb edging past a police car onto the M6/M69 roundabout before driving through some of the biggest pot holes ever recorded and later grounding your car on a speed bump and that’s all before you have to get into a Wednesday cinema queue. Note to self always avoid cinemas on a Wednesday unless you are on Orange, although credit must go to the lovely girl signing people up to the showcase insider club.
So what did I think to the Crazies.
Over the years I have sat through a number of zombie films. I can’t say I’ve enjoyed them all there is a lot of undead junk out there if you go looking for it but there is a lot of quality too and a good zombie story can be really effective if done correctly. So when I heard of the Crazies which in essence is a zombie film with no zombies in it. I was pretty intrigued. Unfortunately zombies that have never been dead are a lot less scary than a zombie that has been dead at some point.
When an enormous plane manned by a lone pilot crashes into the middle of a small redneck township and nobody notices (except, in the first of this films many clichés, the town drunk) a lethal toxin is introduced into the towns water supply. This In an unexplained way then starts to turn whoever drinks it into crazies intent on causing pain and suffering on the uninfected. Sounds good? No, really you do surprise me.
This film starts out dull but gets better in the middle, the scene in the carwash is very intense and is one of the few times in the film where you actually feel for the characters in the film. Whilst we are on the subject of this films characters let me just say that this bunch are pretty dull. Nobody really cares who becomes infected and who doesn’t. And if Judy Dutton is pregnant at the beginning of this film as is claimed then she certainly isn’t by the end of it although by the look of her she can be no more than a couple of days gone at the most. I dunno maybe the costume department forgot the bump suit. Anyway I’m rambling.
Now where shall I start with the ending. I’m not going to give anything away but it caused me to smile and just shake my head slowly. Appalling doesn’t even begin to describe the ending of this film and then the sequel tease at the very end causes more fear than the rest of the film put together purely that this film will potentially get a sequal is enough to strike fear in the hearts of any man. Then the credits roll and one of the first names you see is, George A Romero and that is just plain scary.
4/10
Thursday, 11 February 2010
How LOST changed my life
There are many things in this life that I don’t understand and I’m sure I will go to my death bed not knowing the answer to many of lifes questions but the biggest unanswered question in my life so far is:
How can people not enjoy Lost?
Since the show first aired on the day that Oceanic 815 either did or didn’t crash I have been absolutely in love with a tv show more than I would have ever thought possible. The excitement I felt in the build up to last Fridays season 6 opener was pretty intense and boy was it worth the wait. This however is not a review of that particular episode. I would never be able to be impartial enough to review Lost and so am not even going to attempt it. Anyone who knows me knows of my obsession and will understand that. So what is this post going to be about. To be honest I’m not 100% sure myself yet I just have to get something down to record how I am feeling following the shows return because I know that very soon Lost will be over forever and believe me when I tell you that the thought of that is truly terrifying.
I can honestly say with no doubt in my mind that Lost has changed my life. Since its inception back in 2004 I have become an avid follower of all things American. America at the minute without a shadow of a doubt is producing some of the best drama ever, you just have to look at shows like Dexter and House and even the rejuvenated 24 for proof of that. I don’t know if Lost started that and I’m not going to sit here and say that Lost changed the world but it certainly caused me to sit up and listen.
It’s not all rosy though there are some stinkers out there and you don’t have to look very far to get to them. You just have to look at the astonishing fall from grace that Heroes has achieved and the massive flop that Flash forward is and always will be. Flash forward was launched as an alternative to Lost but that is almost an insult. No scratch that. To compare this nothing of a show filled with bad writing bad acting boring characters and no direction to Lost is a damn insult and yes I am taking it personally. There is no way on earth that Flash forward can be saved and if it gets renewed for a second season I will be the most surprised man on earth. It is also time for NBC to cut its losses with heroes (Talk about flogging a dead horse), but my hatred for heroes is a whole article in itself. Who knows maybe I will write it one day. But this article is about Lost a show that no matter what happens will end after this current season concludes.
Lost fans are sometimes considered arrogant, obsessive and over the top in there praise for the show that they love but that is the point. We will defend it to the hilt we will be arrogant about it because there is nothing even remotely close to the quality that this shows oozes from every pore. If you don’t watch it, I’m not trying to persuade you to buy the box sets and start because in all honesty. You’re too late. Half the fun of lost is the gap between episodes and seasons. Because this is where the theorising and the guessing and the being completely wrong about everything comes into play and that is what sets lost apart from everything else. Nobody who watches lost in the future will ever get that experience from it and that is a shame. However I’m not telling you not to watch it because even if you think you might be remotely interested you should go out there and you should make the effort to watch it. You will be rewarded I promise you.
The depth of the writing is truly flabbergasting and anyone who thinks they make it up as they go along should be admitted to Santa Rosa themselves. It is not luck that everything in this show ties up it is quality attention to detail.
The one thing I get asked about lost the most especially as it begins to come towards its conclusion is “what if you don’t like the ending?” I honestly think this is impossible. I have complete faith that the writers know what they are doing and they have never let me down before. There is no way that they can mess up the ending because I trust that no matter what they come up with will be perfectly executed and will fit into this mysterious world that they have spent the best part of 6 years creating.
It is fact that since season 2 started lost has actually halved it’s audience that equates to roughly 12 million Americans alone that have given up on lost. These are the people I pity the most. I don’t want to insult anyone. Oh who am I kidding of course I do. These people clearly lack something and are more interested in paint by numbers crap tv that you don’t have to think about. These people obviously prefer to just sit and get baby fed a show step by step. They are probably the very same people that are still watching heroes. Open up your minds for gods sake.
So in summery if you watch lost you will understand the majority of this piece of rambling. If you don’t watch lost you are too late to get the full experience but the whole history of this show is still out there and it’s well worth a watch and if you used to watch lost and gave up on it then get out. you’re not worth my time.
How can people not enjoy Lost?
Since the show first aired on the day that Oceanic 815 either did or didn’t crash I have been absolutely in love with a tv show more than I would have ever thought possible. The excitement I felt in the build up to last Fridays season 6 opener was pretty intense and boy was it worth the wait. This however is not a review of that particular episode. I would never be able to be impartial enough to review Lost and so am not even going to attempt it. Anyone who knows me knows of my obsession and will understand that. So what is this post going to be about. To be honest I’m not 100% sure myself yet I just have to get something down to record how I am feeling following the shows return because I know that very soon Lost will be over forever and believe me when I tell you that the thought of that is truly terrifying.
I can honestly say with no doubt in my mind that Lost has changed my life. Since its inception back in 2004 I have become an avid follower of all things American. America at the minute without a shadow of a doubt is producing some of the best drama ever, you just have to look at shows like Dexter and House and even the rejuvenated 24 for proof of that. I don’t know if Lost started that and I’m not going to sit here and say that Lost changed the world but it certainly caused me to sit up and listen.
It’s not all rosy though there are some stinkers out there and you don’t have to look very far to get to them. You just have to look at the astonishing fall from grace that Heroes has achieved and the massive flop that Flash forward is and always will be. Flash forward was launched as an alternative to Lost but that is almost an insult. No scratch that. To compare this nothing of a show filled with bad writing bad acting boring characters and no direction to Lost is a damn insult and yes I am taking it personally. There is no way on earth that Flash forward can be saved and if it gets renewed for a second season I will be the most surprised man on earth. It is also time for NBC to cut its losses with heroes (Talk about flogging a dead horse), but my hatred for heroes is a whole article in itself. Who knows maybe I will write it one day. But this article is about Lost a show that no matter what happens will end after this current season concludes.
Lost fans are sometimes considered arrogant, obsessive and over the top in there praise for the show that they love but that is the point. We will defend it to the hilt we will be arrogant about it because there is nothing even remotely close to the quality that this shows oozes from every pore. If you don’t watch it, I’m not trying to persuade you to buy the box sets and start because in all honesty. You’re too late. Half the fun of lost is the gap between episodes and seasons. Because this is where the theorising and the guessing and the being completely wrong about everything comes into play and that is what sets lost apart from everything else. Nobody who watches lost in the future will ever get that experience from it and that is a shame. However I’m not telling you not to watch it because even if you think you might be remotely interested you should go out there and you should make the effort to watch it. You will be rewarded I promise you.
The depth of the writing is truly flabbergasting and anyone who thinks they make it up as they go along should be admitted to Santa Rosa themselves. It is not luck that everything in this show ties up it is quality attention to detail.
The one thing I get asked about lost the most especially as it begins to come towards its conclusion is “what if you don’t like the ending?” I honestly think this is impossible. I have complete faith that the writers know what they are doing and they have never let me down before. There is no way that they can mess up the ending because I trust that no matter what they come up with will be perfectly executed and will fit into this mysterious world that they have spent the best part of 6 years creating.
It is fact that since season 2 started lost has actually halved it’s audience that equates to roughly 12 million Americans alone that have given up on lost. These are the people I pity the most. I don’t want to insult anyone. Oh who am I kidding of course I do. These people clearly lack something and are more interested in paint by numbers crap tv that you don’t have to think about. These people obviously prefer to just sit and get baby fed a show step by step. They are probably the very same people that are still watching heroes. Open up your minds for gods sake.
So in summery if you watch lost you will understand the majority of this piece of rambling. If you don’t watch lost you are too late to get the full experience but the whole history of this show is still out there and it’s well worth a watch and if you used to watch lost and gave up on it then get out. you’re not worth my time.
Wednesday, 27 January 2010
The Road
WHAT: The Road
WHERE: Coventry Showcase
WHO: Me and Becky
WHEN: Tuesday 26/01/2010
After an attempt to see this film last Friday was aborted in favour of a drinking session, Me and Becky decided that we would go alone to see the film that was appealing to me from the current crop of films that are out there. The original plan was to get something to eat and then catch the film however this film was not being shown at my cinema of choice (Nuneaton Odeon) and was only being shown at 7:15 or 10pm in Coventry showcase, so as it was a school night we decided to forego the food and just catch the film at the earlier showing. I don’t know how many of you have been to Coventry Showcase but it is an experience. Not only is it more expensive than the Nuneaton Odeon but it is like stepping into a time warp. Although the seats are so old they are actually quite comfortable. Just a shame that the place is so expensive
So I can hear you all screaming what did you think of the film? Well I’m going to tell you.
If you are looking for a bleak depressing dark dismal film about a man and a child struggling to survive in a world that has been dead for longer than one of them as been alive then you should look no further than John Hillcoats “The Road” Written by the man who wrote one of the worst films I’ve ever seen and starring an actor who is in another one of the worst films I’ve ever seen (No country for old men and a history of violence respectively) This film should have been very far off my radar and it had no right to appeal to me as much as it did but I got drawn in by one of my favourite story angles. How do you survive after the world has ended? Never has a dead world been put onto screen as well as it is in this. The only thing living In this world are the weakened and gaunt humans that have somehow managed to survive a global catastrophe that is never explained and only implied by the sounds of loud explosions, fire and in various flashbacks screaming people heard in the distance. Every tree, bush, hedge, blade of grass that we see in this film is dead and the trees constantly giving up there grip in the dead earth and crashing to the floor is just one of the many perils that the unnamed man and boy face.
At its heart this film is a story of how far a parents love will go for a child and the scene of man teaching boy how to use a revolver to end his own life just in case the situation should ever arise is especially poignant. This is an acting master class provided by a man who I have never rated as an actor but in this Viggo Mortenson proves that he has got what it takes to play with the bog boys. The show here though is stolen by his 13 year old counterpart newcomer Kodi Smit-Mcphee who, whilst not only having one of the coolest names I have ever heard, is astonishing when you consider that this is his first major role of any kind. I defy even the manliest man to not choke back a tear at any point that Kodi demands it from you.
This film however is not perfect, far from it, It will be and has been criticised by a lot of people who don’t like it’s snail like pace and if you go in looking for a convoluted story with twists and turns you wont find it here. This film is literally just people trying there very best to survive in the most difficult of circumstances. There is no great adventure or big set pieces, it will not make you feel good, in fact it will do quite the opposite, it is not pretty and at times it is an incredibly difficult watch. I don’t want to say I enjoyed this film because that doesn’t feel right but the best bit of praise I can give it is to say that I will watch it again and I would even recommend it to certain people. But this is not for the casual film fan this film is for fans of quality acting and if you can honestly say that that is what you want from a film then this is for you.
6.5/10
WHERE: Coventry Showcase
WHO: Me and Becky
WHEN: Tuesday 26/01/2010
After an attempt to see this film last Friday was aborted in favour of a drinking session, Me and Becky decided that we would go alone to see the film that was appealing to me from the current crop of films that are out there. The original plan was to get something to eat and then catch the film however this film was not being shown at my cinema of choice (Nuneaton Odeon) and was only being shown at 7:15 or 10pm in Coventry showcase, so as it was a school night we decided to forego the food and just catch the film at the earlier showing. I don’t know how many of you have been to Coventry Showcase but it is an experience. Not only is it more expensive than the Nuneaton Odeon but it is like stepping into a time warp. Although the seats are so old they are actually quite comfortable. Just a shame that the place is so expensive
So I can hear you all screaming what did you think of the film? Well I’m going to tell you.
If you are looking for a bleak depressing dark dismal film about a man and a child struggling to survive in a world that has been dead for longer than one of them as been alive then you should look no further than John Hillcoats “The Road” Written by the man who wrote one of the worst films I’ve ever seen and starring an actor who is in another one of the worst films I’ve ever seen (No country for old men and a history of violence respectively) This film should have been very far off my radar and it had no right to appeal to me as much as it did but I got drawn in by one of my favourite story angles. How do you survive after the world has ended? Never has a dead world been put onto screen as well as it is in this. The only thing living In this world are the weakened and gaunt humans that have somehow managed to survive a global catastrophe that is never explained and only implied by the sounds of loud explosions, fire and in various flashbacks screaming people heard in the distance. Every tree, bush, hedge, blade of grass that we see in this film is dead and the trees constantly giving up there grip in the dead earth and crashing to the floor is just one of the many perils that the unnamed man and boy face.
At its heart this film is a story of how far a parents love will go for a child and the scene of man teaching boy how to use a revolver to end his own life just in case the situation should ever arise is especially poignant. This is an acting master class provided by a man who I have never rated as an actor but in this Viggo Mortenson proves that he has got what it takes to play with the bog boys. The show here though is stolen by his 13 year old counterpart newcomer Kodi Smit-Mcphee who, whilst not only having one of the coolest names I have ever heard, is astonishing when you consider that this is his first major role of any kind. I defy even the manliest man to not choke back a tear at any point that Kodi demands it from you.
This film however is not perfect, far from it, It will be and has been criticised by a lot of people who don’t like it’s snail like pace and if you go in looking for a convoluted story with twists and turns you wont find it here. This film is literally just people trying there very best to survive in the most difficult of circumstances. There is no great adventure or big set pieces, it will not make you feel good, in fact it will do quite the opposite, it is not pretty and at times it is an incredibly difficult watch. I don’t want to say I enjoyed this film because that doesn’t feel right but the best bit of praise I can give it is to say that I will watch it again and I would even recommend it to certain people. But this is not for the casual film fan this film is for fans of quality acting and if you can honestly say that that is what you want from a film then this is for you.
6.5/10
Avatar
WHAT: Avatar
WHERE: Birmingham Imax
WHO: Me, Nick, Wayne, Becky, James and Alex
WHEN: Sunday 24/01/2010
My first cinema trip of 2010 was meant to mark the opening entry into this blog and so it had to start with something big and they don’t come much bigger than James Cameron’s runaway $280m hit Avatar.
The usual logistical hassles of getting my cinema going friends to all agree a date to get over to the Imax seemed insurmountable indeed this is only the second time in history a trip has been pulled off but after a late substitution was pulled off in record time the date was set and the convoy was on. Wayne driving with Nick and Becky and a sat-nav in one car and me driving Alex and James with a slightly less accurate sat-nav in the other, but apart from forgetting to check my petrol levels and having to fill up on the M6 the journey went without a hassle and we made it with about 90 minutes to spare. So after duelling hotdogs and copious amounts of pop corn were purchased we were in, the screens ridiculous size as always seems bigger every time you see one but you always know you’re in for a treat at an Imax show and boy were we not disappointed with this one. It always amazes me at an Imax that people who walk in with about 30 seconds before the show starts go all miserable when they can’t get the best seats in the house and end up at the very front. Two words spring to mind COME EARLIER.
So anyway the film. About a second after being instructed to don your oversized 3d glasses you are plunged instantly into a 3d universe that will have you gripped for the next 2 hours and 40 minutes. This was, believe it or not, my first ever experience with 3d in a proper full length feature. We’ve all seen the short films at Alton towers or Drayton manor but this really is nothing like that. The shear depth of the landscapes and the colours will blow your mind especially in the night scenes. Pandora by night is one of the most beautiful sights you will see in any film, Every plant and tree even the floor glows in amazing fluorescent blues pinks and greens, there was an audible gasp throughout the cinema the first time this was revealed to us as people realised that they were not just watching a film any more they were living this whole new world. About 2 hours in you do start to get used to the 3d universe but by that time you will have completely lost track of your own reality and be completely immersed in the experience. At one point somebody a few rows ahead of me stood up and it actually made me jump before I realised that there were other people in the room with me. As I’m sure any of the people I regularly go to the cinema with will attest too I am very fidgety and never stop changing my position to try and find some semblance of comfort in the seat but I honestly don’t think I moved until at least half way through this and Imax seats are notoriously uncomfortable.
So what about the story? I have not seen Avatar in 2d (and now don’t think I could) and I’m sure that the people who have only seen it in this medium don’t understand the hype surrounding the film that today became the highest grossing film of all time and that is because the actual story of the film itself is not groundbreaking and the acting at times is a bit shaky, however this in its most basic form is not a bad film in fact it is actually quite good. I enjoyed the story as it developed and the relationship that builds between Sam Worthingtons Avatar and the N’Avi people is actually very engaging. When the death and destruction eventually arrives you actually back the human race to lose and the final showdown is up there with the best battle scenes in recent memory.
But it is the overall experience that makes this film what it is and that is why this film is getting the rating that I have given it. It remains to be seen if this movie is the game changer that many including myself are predicting but one thing is for certain ‘We’re not in Kansas anymore’
9.5/10
WHERE: Birmingham Imax
WHO: Me, Nick, Wayne, Becky, James and Alex
WHEN: Sunday 24/01/2010
My first cinema trip of 2010 was meant to mark the opening entry into this blog and so it had to start with something big and they don’t come much bigger than James Cameron’s runaway $280m hit Avatar.
The usual logistical hassles of getting my cinema going friends to all agree a date to get over to the Imax seemed insurmountable indeed this is only the second time in history a trip has been pulled off but after a late substitution was pulled off in record time the date was set and the convoy was on. Wayne driving with Nick and Becky and a sat-nav in one car and me driving Alex and James with a slightly less accurate sat-nav in the other, but apart from forgetting to check my petrol levels and having to fill up on the M6 the journey went without a hassle and we made it with about 90 minutes to spare. So after duelling hotdogs and copious amounts of pop corn were purchased we were in, the screens ridiculous size as always seems bigger every time you see one but you always know you’re in for a treat at an Imax show and boy were we not disappointed with this one. It always amazes me at an Imax that people who walk in with about 30 seconds before the show starts go all miserable when they can’t get the best seats in the house and end up at the very front. Two words spring to mind COME EARLIER.
So anyway the film. About a second after being instructed to don your oversized 3d glasses you are plunged instantly into a 3d universe that will have you gripped for the next 2 hours and 40 minutes. This was, believe it or not, my first ever experience with 3d in a proper full length feature. We’ve all seen the short films at Alton towers or Drayton manor but this really is nothing like that. The shear depth of the landscapes and the colours will blow your mind especially in the night scenes. Pandora by night is one of the most beautiful sights you will see in any film, Every plant and tree even the floor glows in amazing fluorescent blues pinks and greens, there was an audible gasp throughout the cinema the first time this was revealed to us as people realised that they were not just watching a film any more they were living this whole new world. About 2 hours in you do start to get used to the 3d universe but by that time you will have completely lost track of your own reality and be completely immersed in the experience. At one point somebody a few rows ahead of me stood up and it actually made me jump before I realised that there were other people in the room with me. As I’m sure any of the people I regularly go to the cinema with will attest too I am very fidgety and never stop changing my position to try and find some semblance of comfort in the seat but I honestly don’t think I moved until at least half way through this and Imax seats are notoriously uncomfortable.
So what about the story? I have not seen Avatar in 2d (and now don’t think I could) and I’m sure that the people who have only seen it in this medium don’t understand the hype surrounding the film that today became the highest grossing film of all time and that is because the actual story of the film itself is not groundbreaking and the acting at times is a bit shaky, however this in its most basic form is not a bad film in fact it is actually quite good. I enjoyed the story as it developed and the relationship that builds between Sam Worthingtons Avatar and the N’Avi people is actually very engaging. When the death and destruction eventually arrives you actually back the human race to lose and the final showdown is up there with the best battle scenes in recent memory.
But it is the overall experience that makes this film what it is and that is why this film is getting the rating that I have given it. It remains to be seen if this movie is the game changer that many including myself are predicting but one thing is for certain ‘We’re not in Kansas anymore’
9.5/10
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