I Love You Phillip Morris [MA]

Steven Russell is a man who never really knew who he was. In between learning that he was adopted, to becoming a cop in order to find his true mother, to becoming a conman, there is only one thing that Steve knows for certain: he’s gay. Whilst serving his first stint in prison, Steve meets the shy and charming Phillip Morris, and true love blooms between them. Soon, Steve repeatedly finds himself in trouble with the law and brilliantly escaping from prison, all in the name of love. 

“A story so incredible, it could only be true”. 

What can you say about I Love You Phillip Morris? It’s a really unexpected gem. Admittedly it’ll appeal to those who have somewhat more eclectic and stranger tastes, but I can honestly say that I thought that this movie was worth watching. I’ll admit there were parts of it that did not really sit well with me, but overall I thought it was a really nice little film. An incredible story, definitely. 

Steven Russell is a man who never really knew who he was. In between learning that he was adopted, to becoming a cop in order to find his true mother, to becoming a conman, there is only thing of which he is certain: he’s gay. Whilst serving his first stint in prison, Steve meets the shy and charming Phillip Morris, and true love blooms between them. Soon, Steve repeatedly finds himself in trouble with the law and brilliantly escaping from prison on four separate occasions: all in the name of love. 

From the beginning, it was the story that was this movie’s legs. An incredible story about love and determination, all the necessary ingredients for a romantic comedy were there. From there, it was a matter of casting. 

Jim Carrey stars as Steven Russell. Now, I LOVE Jim Carrey. He’s a wonderful actor that refuses to stick to one genre and fall prey to the evil beast known as “type casting”. However, in this film, I was in two minds about whether I loved him or not. With this being a “gay” movie, it would naturally be expected that Jim would camp up the character and be a stereotypical homosexual. He didn’t. And I admire him for doing so, but I have to honestly say that I’m not sure whether he was the best choice for the lead (Jim, if you’re reading, I say all this with the utmost respect and admiration). An uncertainty hung around Jim in this movie, even during parts where the character was certain of his sexual status. For the majority of the film, that uncertainty would have been fine, but for those more intimate and romantic scenes, not so much so. Having said all this I still love him though. 

Ewan McGregor stars as Phillip Morris. EWAN IS JUST TOO GORGEOUS! Whilst Jim was the central character, Ewan was the one that made every heart in the audience melt. He was certain, comfortable, romantic, and wonderfully natural. His performance was one of gold from start to finish. 

Starring Leslie Mann, Antoni Corone, and Rodrigo Santoro, I Love You Phillip Morris was a lovely film based on a incredibly true story that’s filled with romance, comedy and admirable determination. It’s an acquired taste, I will admit, but I will say that I enjoyed it thoroughly. 

The Three Amigos [PG]

When a tiny Mexican village is terrorised by an infamous outlaw, a desperate senorita calls for the help of the only heroes she knows: the legendary Three Amigos. Unfortunately, the Three Amigos are really just Hollywood actors who arrive in the small village thinking they’re there to give a performance. However, when the first outlaws attack, the screen heroes are shocked to learn that true heroism is expected of them. Now it’s up to them to save the village or hang up their spurs in shame. 

Alright, I am going to admit that I have had a couple of drinks and this may have contributed to my response to this film in certain areas, but overall, I found The Three Amigos to be a hugely silly and highly entertaining movie that was filled with everything appealing. It was complete chaos and I loved it. 

When a tiny Mexican village is terrorised by an infamous outlaw, a desperate senorita calls for the help of the only heroes she knows: the legendary Three Amigos. Unfortunately, the Three Amigos are really just Hollywood actors who arrive in the small village thinking they’re there to give a performance. However, when the first outlaws attack the village, the screen heroes are shocked to learn that true heroism is expected of them. Now it’s up to them to save the village or hang up their spurs in shame. 

This, right here, is classic comedy: playing to peoples’ primal funny bone. Absolutely everything in this movie was out-of-place. The central characters of the Three Amigos: Hollywood actors forced to do it for real (not dissimilar to Galaxy Quest), a few supporting characters (the Germans giving guns to the Mexicans), and then just the whole Mexican themed Western thing they had going on seemed somewhat amiss as well. The entire film just had absolutely no point being in existence, but that’s what made it so funny. I mean come on; there is a singing bush! A SINGING BUSH! I mean, how out-of-place can you get? Absolutely nothing in this movie made sense, but that’s why you loved it. From that first musical number in which the heroes hold an incredibly long high note, you’re hooked right through to the end! 

Starring Steve Martin, Chevy Chase, Martin Short, Alfonso Arau, Tony Plana, Patrice Martinez, Joe Mantegna, and Jon Lovitz, The Three Amigos is a fantastically stupid movie that will is perfect for all audiences. Filled with action, romance, gunplay, piñatas, and the occasional musical number, it’s a classic, classic comedy that’s a must-see if ever there was one! 

Finding Neverland [PG]

James Barrie is a writer who seems unable to identify with his audience. But when he becomes close friends with Sylvia Llewelyn-Davies and her four boys George, Jack, Peter, and Michael, he soon discovers that it’s the audience that cannot identify with him. Whilst spending an unforgettable summer with the family, James writes an immortal play that will teach grownups to believe again. 

So here I am, tear-streaked, sniffling, and feverishly dabbing my eyes. This is such as beautiful movie! It’s just perfect. Inspired by true events, Finding Neverland is a visual masterpiece that tells the story behind the story of Peter Pan. 

James Barrie is a writer who seems unable to indentify with his audience. But when he becomes close friends with Sylvia Llewelyn-Davies and her four boys, George, Jack, Peter, and Michael, he soon discovers that it’s the audience that cannot indentify with him. Whilst spending an unforgettable summer with family, James writes an immortal play that will teach grownup to believe again. 

Everyone knows that legendary tale of the boy who never grew up, but what inspired the tale of Peter Pan? Finding Neverland is a visually stunning look at Barrie’s journey that led to the creation of a timeless classic… from his first inspiration to the play’s first premiere. Everything about this was film was perfect. There was drama, romance, fantasy, and comedy, all in healthy doses. The visual effects that show the fantasies and inspirations of James Barrie are simply superb, so much so that you dare not blink. 

Johnny Depp stars as James Barrie and he was just beautiful. His performance was so perfect that you could almost hear to the boy inside him crying for release. He really was a boy in a man’s clothes and he delivered a performance that was warm, charming, comedic, heartfelt, and wonderfully innocent. He was just beautiful. 

Although Johnny Depp was the real star of the film, the talents of the boys that played the Llewelyn-Davies brothers threatened his limelight. Each of them gave a stunning performance, but without a doubt it was Freddie Highmore, who plays Peter, who stole the show. Playing a boy who is trying to force himself to grow up is a terribly difficult challenge and Freddie delivered a performance of the likes of which I have never seen before or since. All tears shed in this film were caused by Freddie’s incredibly powerful performance. 

Starring Kate Winslet, Julie Christie, Radha Mitchell, Joe Prospero, Nick Roud, Luke Spill. Ina Hart, Kelly Macdonald, Mackenzie Crook, Eileen Essell, Toby Jones, Angus Barnett, and Dustin Hoffman, Finding Neverland is a truly beautiful film that’s filled with drama, romance, fantasy, and comedy. It’s a truly stunning piece of work! 

Starsky & Hutch [M]

David Starsky and Ken Hutchinson are two undercover cops who are as different as they come. After a series of misdemeanours, they find themselves forced to become partners. When a dead body washes up on shore, Starsky is eager to take the case, but soon the simple case of murder snowballs into something much bigger, with Starsky and Hutch smack bang in the middle of it. 

Based on the old TV show, Starsky & Hutch shows Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson give their best performances since Zoolander. Filled with brilliant 70s outfits, memorable characters, fast cars, and plenty of cleverly written references, in our house, it’s made it as a default setting: “we can’t agree on anything to watch… whack on Starsky & Hutch”. 

David Starsky and Ken Hutchinson are two undercover cops who are as different as they come. After a series of misdemeanours, they find themselves forced to become partners with their first case being one of murder, when a body washes up on shore. All too soon, what started out as a simple murder case quickly snowballs into something much bigger with Starsky and Hutch smack band in the middle of it. 

Now I have never seen an episode of the original show, but from what I can gather from my parents’ commentary and other comments from the odd customer, this movie was really clever and very true to the characters, settings, and everything. 

I think what I like about this movie is that it’s not film companies trying to revive the classics and remaking them to appeal to modern audiences like Get Smart or The A Team. No this movie was set in the 70s, a glorious time for fashion I must say, and any interest that young people might have in it is solely sparked by the fact that it stars Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson, both of whom delivered memorable performances, that stand out from other films that they have done. The only other film in which they played really different characters was in Zoolander, which is without a doubt the best of all of them. 

Starring Vince Vaughn, Will Ferrell, Snoop Dogg, Carmen Electra, Amy Smart, Jason Bateman, and featuring a classic surprise cameo at the end, Starsky & Hutch is a classic film that’s filled with action, car chases, drug dealing, investigations, memorable characters, and fabulous outfits (particularly Huggy Bear’s, watch out for those). It’s the perfect film for a good night in; perfectly balance, not too heavy and not too light, with something for everyone. 

American Graffiti [M]

It’s the last night of the summer holidays for four teenagers before they set off into the big wide world. As the night wares on, each one will have a series of misdemeanours and adventures that will change and determine the course of their futures. It’ll be a night to remember. 

Produced by Francis Ford Coppola and directed by his protégé and former assistant, George Lucas, who also wrote the story, American Graffiti, is a wonderful coming-of-age classic that’s dripping with early 60s nostalgia. Packed with great style and the best rock and roll soundtrack, it’s earned its place in The Book. 

It’s the last night of the summer holidays for four teenagers before they set off into the big wide world. As the night wares on, each one will have a series of adventures and misdemeanours that will change and shape the course of their futures. As one is drag racing and babysitting, the other is drinking and desperately trying to impress the girl. Whilst another is grappling with “should I go or not?”, the fourth is breaking and fixing his relationship. When all is said and done, it’ll still be a night that none of them will forget. 

This type of film has been imitated time and time again: the late 50s, early 60s setting with diners, rollerblades, tight shirts, the slicked hair, drag racing, and cigarettes tuck up the sleeves. It’s all delightfully resemblant to Rebel Without a Cause and those sorts of classics, of course, minus the drama. What’s particularly nice about American Graffiti is that everything happens within the space of one night and it’s all these different little stories that are happening to each of the central characters. It’s funny, subtle, and very cleverly constructed. A really nice and quaint little film that earned itself Academy Award nominations for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Editing, and Candy Clark was nominated for Best Supporting Actress. So there you go, instant credit. 

Starring Richard Dreyfuss, Ron Howard, Paul Le Mat, Charles Martin Smith, Candy Clark, Cindy Williams, Mackenzie Phillips, Wolfman Jack, Bo Hoskins, Manuel Padilla Jr., Beau Gentry, Jim Bohan, Jana Bellan, Deby Celiz, Johnny Weissmuller Jr., Suzanne Somers, and Harrison Ford, American Graffiti is a great little movie filled with action, comedy, romance, drag racing, punks, squares, and rock and roll. A really nice little film, definitely worth watching. 

Clerks [R]

It’s a bad day for Dante Hicks, a 22 year-old clerk working in a convenience store. Before the day is out, he’ll be fined for selling cigarettes to a minor, suffer from horrible revelations about his girlfriend, discover that his ex is getting married, and have a customer die on him. But worst of all, he wasn’t even meant to be at work today. 

From writer/director/actor, Kevin Smith, comes this wickedly funny and devilishly clever grunge comedy that’s a really clever look at over-the-counter culture. 

It’s a bad day for Dante Hicks, a 22 year-old clerk working in a convenience store. Before the day is out, he’ll be fined for selling cigarettes to a minor, suffer from horrible revelations about his girlfriend, become prey to various oddballs and difficult customers, learn that his ex is getting married, get into even more customer trouble thanks to his rough and opinionated friend Randall who works next door, and have a customer die on him. But worst of all, he wasn’t even mean to be at work today. 

There are two things that make this movie a work of satirical brilliance. Firstly, the story: it’s a classic story of having one day where everything that can go wrong will go wrong. The story is also great because it’s something that everyone can relate to. Everyone has done a bit of customer service at some point in their lives and, although they probably have never had the day that poor Dante had, they can relate to the annoyance of being called in on their day off, and dealing with troublesome customers. 

The second thing that made this film so brilliant is the sheer simplicity of it. The entire film was made in 21 days at the actual convenience store where Kevin Smith used to work, with Smith editing it night by night. It’s all in black and white and cut up into little segments, a little bit like Pulp Fiction or Salo. It was a nice and simple low-budget movie that was built on a great and relatable story and featured brilliant comedic and satirical performances from its actors. 

Starring Brian O’Halloran, Jeff Anderson, Marilyn Ghigliotti, Lisa Spoonhauer, Jason Mewes, and Kevin Smith himself, Clerks was a really clever piece of satire that was filled with everyday experiences, troublesome customers, death, deep and meaningful conversations, romance, and frustration. It’s a really clever film, Smith’s first I believe, and has rightly earned its place in The Book. 

I’M NOT EVEN SUPPOSED TO BE HERE TODAY! 

Quills [MA]

Imprisoned and shut away from the world in an asylum, the Marquis de Sade writes his erotic tales of perversion and lust and has them secretly published with the help of a beautiful and innocent chambermaid named Madeleine. But when the Emperor bans the books from publication and sends an infamous doctor to the asylum to keep the Marquis in check, a vicious and provocative confrontation begins between one man’s freedom of expression and the state’s need for control. 

THIS IS A BRILLIANT FILM! It’s powerful, passionate, provocative, and at times, delightfully and wickedly irksome. From within the deepest reaches of your stomach, you shall feel something rise up and threaten to either make you scream with pleasure or lose your last meal. 

Forewarning: pretty much everything that can be said about Quills can be twisted into some sort of erotic allusion, so “dear reader”, make what you will of my words. After all, the movie is about freedom… no holes barred, so to speak. 

Imprisoned and shut away from the world in an asylum, the Marquis de Sade writes his erotic tales of perversion and lust and has them secretly published with the help of a beautiful and innocent chambermaid named Madeleine. But when the Emperor bans the books from further publication and sends an infamous doctor to the asylum to keep the Marquis in check, a vicious and provocative confrontation begins between one man’s freedom of expression and the state’s need for control. 

As a writer (of sorts), a reader, and a lover of the raw power of words, the script for Quills instantly strikes me as deserving an accolade. Each and every word that is used is dripping with an erotic decadence that is enough to spark a fire within any cool veneer. Listening to the words, especially those spoken by Geoffrey Rush just cause you to melt and lose all feeling of right, wrong, and gravity. You just feel as though you’re floating in warm water, without any thought or care as to how or why. 

Geoffrey Rush stars as the Marquis de Sade and his performance exuded sheer brilliance. His way with words was poetic and silky, but at the same time menacing and defiant, and his delivery was passionate and grandiose, that of a true artist. His sheer verbalisation of the script had you hanging on every word and, even though the film does not tell you what wars are waging, you understand that there is more going on then just a man being told he cannot write. Rush’s performance radiated defiance, repression, frustration, passion, desire, and eventually, freedom though not in the way expected. I have to quote him at this point, one of the best lines of the film: “an entire religion built on an oxymoron”. You see, from that little sentence, sparks a battle between those of Faith and those not. It’s bloody brilliant. 

Starring Kate Winslet, Joaquin Phoenix, who was absolutely brilliant, and Michael Caine, who had wickedness running out of his ears, Quills is a devilishly delightful film that’s filled with drama, passion, repression, defiance, sexual fantasies, and violence. It follows a path that everyone should tread at least once. In the words of Lou Reed: “take a walk on the wild side.” 

Queen: Magic Years Volume 1[M]

“Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls. … Queen. 

From humble beginning to house-rocking heroes, Queen’s journey to stardom is the stuff of legend. 

Alright, it has to be said that Queen is my all-time favourite band and my DVD collection would not be complete without something of them in it. Actually, this three-part documentary has never made it onto DVD, the copies I have were a brilliantly surprising birthday gift from my mum and dad. We have the documentary on VHS (because we are so hardcore) and then, for my 21^st, they got the tapes transferred onto DVD for me to have in my own collection. That, right there, is an example of no greater love! 

Because, by nature, I’m a little antisocial, the documentaries that are being made about what’s really going out there in the world do not generally interest me. They should, but they don’t. To show my true film tragicness and quote Robert Downey Jr. in Sherlock Holmes: “there is absolutely nothing of interest to me, out there, on earth, at all”. But the story of Queen is something to be intrigued in. 

From humble beginnings to house-rocking heroes, Queen’s rise to stardom is a brilliant story, the stuff of legend. Volume 1 of The Magic Years talks about Queen’s beginning, it’s slow rise to fame, their music videos, and their escapades in the recording studio. 

As well as general facts such as the boys meeting at college and being cheated by their first manager and everything, the doco also regales audiences with all these brilliant, trivial anecdotes not just from the band members themselves, but from all these other people; musicians, producers, managers, roadies, alike. It’s bloody fantastic, and some of the stories are just classic. 

The doco is made up of both past and present interviews from musicians, producers, crewmen, and everything. There is even some brilliant black and white footage that really shows how much times has passed and, for Mercury fans like me, hammers home the emotional truth that the world is no longer as bright. 

Featuring Freddie Mercury, Roger Taylor, Brian May, John Deacon, Peter Ustinov, Bob Geldof, David Lee Roth, John Taylor, Divine, Mike Peters, Steve Harley, Steven Berkoff, John Entwhistle, Jeff Beck, Richard Branson, R. Parfitt, Francis Rossi, Jackie Stewart, Gary Langham, Elton John, Billy Squire, Mel Smith, Paul McCartney, Status Quo, John Reid, Samantha Fox, Dave Stewart, and Christopher Lambert, Queen: Magic Years Volume 1 is a fantastic documentary filled with brilliant interviews and footage that tells tales of hardship, abuse, dreams, music, and genius. I love Queen and I love this doco. 

Batman & Robin [M]

A new villain is terrorising Gotham City; a cool-suited menace who calls himself Mr. Freeze. As if Batman and Robin don’t have enough on their plates; arguing between themselves; yet another villain rises; an evilly beautiful woman named Poison Ivy, who teams up with Mr. Freeze and sets out to turn Gotham into an ice land overrun with carnivorous plants. Can Batman and Robin put aside their squabbling and save Gotham? 

Oh man, this movie is terrible. It’s so bad, but it’s so funny! It’s got camp, comic book clichés, spewing forth left, right, and centre! Throughout the entire film you’re just yelling at the TV “OH COME ON!” It’s bloody hilarious! 

A new villain is terrorising Gotham City; a cool suited menace who calls himself Mr. Freeze. As if Batman and Robin don’t have enough on their plates; arguing between themselves, yet another villain rises; an evilly beautiful woman who calls herself Poison Ivy and joins up with Freeze, setting out to turn Gotham into an ice land overrun with carnivorous plants. Can Batman and Robin set aside their squabbling to save Gotham from its frosty fate? 

Really, the only positive thing to say about this movie is that it is so bad that it’s actually rather funny. Oh, and I will admit that Poison Ivy’s costumes and makeup were pretty wicked too. Seriously, it was as though a child on a sugar-rush wrote this screenplay and script. There is no explanation to anything, and if there is, it is said in one sentence that can be easily missed amidst the overdone gadgets, and psychedelic lighting. Case in point; Barbara, Alfred’s niece, finds the Bat Cave and, in the space of no time at all, Alfred as already made her a bat suit, she has her own motorcycle and all her own gadgets. I mean what the hell? Where is the story? This movie was all throw-everything-cliched-at-the-audience-and-then-let-them-know-what’s-going-on-in-a-sentence. It is so bad! AND THE ENDING LINE! OH MY GOD! It’s terrible! I’m literally in hysterics writing about all this! 

Starring George Clooney, Chris O’Donnell. Arnold Schwarzenegger, Uma Thurman, Michael Gough, Alicia Silverstone, and Elle McPherson, Batman & Robin is two steps below Batman Forever, at least that movie had some storytelling merit and more complex characters. Filled with action, gadgets, sexy outfits, drama, and cheesy, but memorable quotes, it’s a movie that I admit is really bad, but I’ll watch it because it just makes me laugh. You cannot help but laugh at how clichéd this movie is. Priceless!

Take two of these and call me in the morning.

Truly Madly Deeply [PG]

Nina is a charming, beautiful, and warm-hearted woman who is dealing with the sudden death of her husband, Jamie. Just when the pain becomes too much to bear, Jamie appears in her living room, back from the dead. At first, Nina is overjoyed to have Jamie back, but then she meets Mark and soon she must make a very hard choice: hold onto the past or move on? 

Oh dear, so here I am teary-eyed and viciously wiping my face, suffering the aftermath of one of the most beautiful, heartfelt, and deeply moving movies ever! 

Nina is a charming, beautiful, and warm-heart woman who is dealing with the sudden death of her husband Jamie. Just when the pain becomes too much to bear, Jamie appears in her living room, back from the dead. At first, Nina is overjoyed to have Jamie back, but then she meets Mark and soon finds herself facing a very hard choice: hold onto her past or move on? 

What made this movie so beautiful and gained such an emotional response from its audience, tears and everything, was the fact that it played the card of less is more. Everything about this movie was subtle: the hauntingly beautiful soundtrack, the script, the idea, the editing and everything. It’s a beautiful and original story that was moved forwards, solely by the performances from its actors. It’s one of those films. 

Juliet Stevenson was the star of the show, as Nina. She was absolutely beautiful. Everything, absolutely everything, about her performance felt really genuine from her conversations with her doctor to her outbursts of uncontrollable crying and rage. Her performance was really stirring. It was emotional, comical, lovely, charming, and real. I don’t think any actor can receive a greater compliment than that, being told that their performance was real. That it did not feel like a performance. Juliet, well done you! 

Alan Rickman stars as Jamie. I LOVE, really LOVE Alan Rickman. In this movie, he delivered a performance that was loving, charming, witty, and just beautiful. I have to say that I was really jealous whenever he held Juliet in his arms. It just looks so heartfelt and genuine. Oh, I wanted to be her during those scenes… so bad! He’s just beautiful! 

Starring Jenny Howe, Bill Paterson, Christopher Rozycki, David Ryall, Deborah Findlay, and Michael Maloney, Truly Madly Deeply is a really, really, lovely film that’s filled with romance, drama, fantasy, emotional struggle, and acceptance. PEOPLE, WATCH THIS MOVIE, IT’S ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL!

Batman Forever [PG]

Whilst Harvey Two-Face remains at large, terrorising Gotham City and baying for Batman’s blood, Bruce Wayne is facing problems of his own as a mysterious death happens in his company and a series of riddles are sent to him. Soon, another criminal, known as The Riddler, is causing twice the mayhem as he joins forces with Two-Face. It soon becomes apparent that Batman is outnumbered, but he may have found a partner in a newly orphaned acrobat, nicknamed Robin. 

This movie is so different in comparison to its predecessors: Tim Burton’s Batman and Batman Returns. Batman Forever became really camp and comic book-like cheesy, though not as bad as the Batman movie from the sixties: “quick Robin, hand me my bat-shark repellent”. But, it’s because this movie became so camp that makes it so fun to watch. You simply cannot look away.

Whilst Harvey Two-Face remains at large, terrorising Gotham City and baying for Batman’s blood, Bruce Wayne is facing problems of his own as a mysterious death happens at his company and a series of riddles are sent to him. Soon, another criminal, known as The Riddler, is causing twice the mayhem as he joins forces with Two-Face. It soon becomes apparent that Batman is outnumbered, but he may have found a partner in a newly orphaned acrobat, nicknamed Robin.

I think what’s staggering about this movie is that it was really so clichéd and hilariously cheesy, and yet there are so many dazzling names in it. The central cast is made up of Val Kilmer, Tommy Lee Jones, Jim Carrey, Nicole Kidman, Michael Gough, and Nicole Kidman. What a line up!
Everything in this movie was overdone: the lighting, the sets, the costumes, makeup, and even the story. Even when the film tried to be serious and even scary, it just ended up making you laugh. I have to say that if it wasn’t for Tommy Lee Jones and Jim Carrey, who both seemed to be fighting against each other to be the centre of attention, I wouldn’t have bothered to buy this movie at all. In comparison to the first two Batman movies, this one was just so uproariously hysterical and, although it does try, it cannot be taken seriously. I love it. Aside from the Batman movie from the sixties, this movie is the perfect film to watch if you want a laugh, especially when you’re slightly drunk.
Starring Val Kilmer, Tommy Lee Jones, Jim Carrey, Nicole Kidman, Michael Gough, Drew Barrymore, Chris O’Donnell, Pat Hingle, and Debi Mazar, Batman Forever is a bad, but hugely entertaining film filled with action, psychedelic lighting and costumes, violence, overdone prosthetic makeup, and memorable comedic performances. Not to be taken seriously, this movie will take you out of any bad mood!

Kiki's Delivery Service [G]

It is tradition for young witches to live away from their families for one year so that they can learn their craft. As soon as she turns thirteen, Kiki and her chatty black cat Jiji, fly off to find the perfect spot in a faraway city. Once settled, Kiki soon befriends a baker who helps her start her own business: a high-flying delivery service. 

I love the films of Hayao Miyazaki, with Howl’s Moving Castle being my all-time favourite, so when I came across this one at work, I simply had to sit down and watch it. It’s another fun family triumph from Miyazaki, filled with lovely characters, magic, and friendship. Very cute and very nice. 

It is tradition for young witches to live away from home for one year so that they can learn their craft. As soon as she turns thirteen, Kiki and her chatty black cat Jiji, fly off to find the perfect spot in a faraway city. Once settled, Kiki soon befriends a baker who helps her start her own business: a high-flying delivery service 

Admittedly, Kiki’s Delivery Service is not as visually dazzling as Howl’s Moving Castle, Spirited Away, or Ponyo, the animation is a little primitive, closer to that used in The Castle of Cagliostro. Nevertheless, the movie has a fresh and original story that makes it a very nice family movie. Younger children will probably enjoy it more, but it’s still worth watching with it’s lovely animation, heart warming characters, and beautiful soundtrack. 

Featuring the voice talents of Kirsten Dunst, Phil Hartman, Tress MacNeille, Janeane Garofalo, and Matthew Lawrence, Kiki’s Delivery Service is a nice little film, really more for a younger audience, that’s filled with magic, friendship, adventure, and heart-warming characters. It’s a lovely little film. 

Arthur [PG]

Meet Arthur, an adorable, albeit incredibly irresponsible and idiotic billionaire who relies on two things in life to get him by: his limitless fortune and his lifelong nanny, Hobson, who keeps him out of trouble. But now Arthur faces his most expensive challenge: to choose between an arranged marriage that will guarantee his lavish lifestyle or the one thing that money can’t buy… Naomi, his true love. 

A remake of the Oscar-winning romantic comedy starring Dudley Moore and Liza Minnelli, Arthur was a really lovely and charming little film that was filled with wit, sci-fi tragicness, and the odd tear-jerking bit of drama. It was really quite lovely. 

Meet Arthur, an adorable, albeit incredibly irresponsible and idiotic billionaire who relies on two things in life to get him by: his limitless fortune and his lifelong nanny, Hobson, who keeps him out of trouble. But now, Arthur faces his most expensive challenge: to choose between an arranged marriage that will guarantee his lavish lifestyle or the one thing that money can’t buy… Naomi, his true love. 

In all honesty, when I realised that this was a remake, I thought it was going to be a rather cheesy and epic flop, but it actually was really, very lovely. Now, I have never seen the original Arthur with Dudley Moore, but my dad has, and it’s his commentary throughout the film that we literally just finished, that I am basing this review on. 

Although Russell Brand has the title role, from the moment she appeared on the screen, it was obvious that Helen Mirren who played Hobson (the Oscar-winning role originally played by John Gielgud) was going to be the star of the show. Thanks to the very clever and sharp-witted script, Helen had all the best lines, which left poor Russell to ad-lib and improvise, not dissimilar to the style of Robin Williams, gaining laughs in the process. 

Let’s get the negative notes out of the way first shall we? I have to say that this movie’s soundtrack (particularly the end track) murdered the original Arthur’s Theme, so beautifully done by Christopher Cross. Negativity aside, let’s move on. 

Russell Brand was really lovely as Arthur. Judging by my dad’s commentary of the film, Russell obviously watched the original Arthur and then based his performance, somewhat on Dudley Moore. I, personally, thought Russell did very well in this. His voice may have been higher and he may have been childish and trashy to blend in with a modern audience, but his performance was not all Batmobiles, magnetic beds, and working Darth Vader helmets. He had heart, and he had love, and when here teared up in the movie, I teared up in the movie. I have always loved Russell Brand and I have to say that he was really lovely in this. 

Starring Helen Mirren, Greta Gerwig, Luis Guzman, Geraldine James, Jennifer Garner, and Nick Nolte, Arthur was a really lovely movie that was filled with childish comedy, love, drama, romance, chases, and heart. As cheesy as this sounds… this movie was really rather heart warming. I really liked it. 

Hot Fuzz [MA]

Nick Angel is the London Police Service’s top officer. His arrest rates are through the roof, and he does a fantastic job of outshining the other officers. So when he gets transferred to the seemingly-crime-free village of Sandford, he struggles with filling out paperwork for minor infringements and constant awed question from his oafish partner Danny. But when a series of grizzly murders begin to take place, Danny’s dreams of action, explosions, and car chases becomes a reality and it’s time for these small-town cops to dish out some big-city justice. 

THIS MOVIE IS FREAKING AWESOME! It’s official, anything Simon Pegg and Nick Frost write is complete gold and after revisiting Shaun of the Dead and Paul, which has just come out on DVD for those who have not yet seen it, Hot Fuzz was the next imperative step. It’s a fantastic combination of action, mystery, and comedy that will just have you in hysterics! AWESOME! 

Nick Angel is the London Police Service’s top officer. His arrest rates are through the roof, and he does a fantastic job of outshining the other officers. So when he is transferred to the seemingly-crime-free village of Sandford, he struggles with filling out paperwork for minor infringements and constant awed questions from his oafish partner Danny. But when a series of grizzly murders rock the village, Danny’s dreams of explosions, action, and car chases becomes real, and it’s time for these small-town cops to dish out some big-city justice. THE FUZZ ARE HERE TO BUST YOUR ARSE! 

Unlike Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz was a real spoof. Although Shaun of the Dead did, to some extent, take the piss out of zombie movies (I honestly would not know how much as I have never actually seen a real zombie movie, so that sentence is a bit biased), Hot Fuzz was a real, proper spoof, an homage to all action-packed cop movies, the two most prominently sampled being Point Break and Bad Boys II. 

The central story is really clever and simple to follow and is just filled with wonderful dark, and ironic, British humour that plays perfectly with the memorable action sequences of the film: the high speed car chases, the explosions, the classic punch-ups, the mind-blowing gunplay, and the classic Western shot (watch the film for that one). 

Simon Pegg is brilliant as Sergeant Nick Angel. His characters in Paul and Shaun of the Dead were a little subdued (aside from in times of panic and crisis), but in Hot Fuzz he delivered a brilliant performance that was very serious, intense, hardcore, and married to the job. 

Nick Frost was great as Danny, a loveable oaf whose dreams are too big for even him. Nick delivered a performance that was eager, awed, and had a real, almost star-struck, childish innocence that made his character really lovable and very memorable. 

The only negative thing that needs to be said about this movie is the editing. Now, I do like the way this movie is edited, with everything moving really fast and quick snappy patterns and zooming of the camera and scenes, but, because the film begins this way, it’s actually rather hard to follow the story, because your mind is still reeling excitedly from the adrenaline-fuelled camera motions. Thankfully, this pace does slow down as the real story comes into prominence and there are periods where the characters verbally let the audience know what has elapsed and what’s going to happen. This is a good technique because, without it, we’d all be completely lost. 

Starring Jim Broadbent, Martin Freeman, Bill Nighy, Bill Bailey, Steve Coogan, Lucy Punch, and David Bradley, Hot Fuzz is a hysterical cop spoof filled with action, gore, violence, suspense, murder, drama, friendship, and brilliant dark and ironic comedy. It has to be said, this movie is fucking awesome!

2001: A Space Odyssey [G]

At the dawn of Man, a mysterious monolith is the catalyst for primitive scavenging apes to become tool-wielding hunters. Centuries later, another monolith is discovered by man buried beneath the surface of the moon and sparks a radio signal towards Jupiter, which is then followed by a carefully mapped expedition to investigate. The ship’s computer HAL sabotages the expedition, but a surviving astronaut comes into contact with another monolith and is hurtled through a gateway of space and time. 

WHAT AN AMAZING FILM! No matter what frame of mind you’re in, 2001 will open your eyes and really set your mind racing. This film is the real and literal meaning of the world “surreal.” After watching it, your sense of reality has been altered and you see everything differently to how you did before. It’s an absolute mind-trip and bloody brilliant! 

At the dawn of Man, a mysterious monolith is the catalyst for primitive scavenging apes to become tool-wielding hunters. Centuries later, another monolith is found by man buried beneath the surface of the moon and sparks a radio signal to Jupiter, which is then followed by a carefully mapped expedition to investigate. The ship’s computer, HAL, sabotages the expedition, but a surviving astronaut comes into contact with another monolith in Jupiter’s orbit and is hurtled through a gateway of space and time. 

Without a doubt, this is the most impressive Kubrick film that I have seen to date. This movie was not just groundbreaking, but ground-shattering as it used techniques and did things that no other film had done before or since. 

The central power of 2001 comes in the marriage between motion and music. Kubrick used music to great effect in The Shining, but his use of it in 2001 was something else entirely. The music not only creates the atmosphere of the scenes, but it actually tells the story. Because the movie uses minimal dialogue, the music is really the driving force that pushes the story forward whilst simultaneously creating the thrilling and awe-inspiring atmosphere that this movie exudes. In particular, the use of Richard Strauss’ Thus Spoke Zarathustra and Johann Strauss’ the Blue Danube Waltz, were simply dazzling. 

Whilst the music creates the atmosphere and tells parts of the story that the dialogue cannot, the use of motion sets the film’s pace. The majority of the film, well over two hours of it, is devoted to the slow-moving waltzes of the space shuttles, ship’s, and extraterrestrial matter. Although you would think that this would become tedious and boring, the pace is actually so slow that it creates a feeling of great tension and suspense and you find that you are completely transfixed by it. It’s very clever filmmaking. 

The special effects, although primitive by today’s standards, are nonetheless stunning. The bright colours, the kaleidoscope patterns, the zooming blur of sparkle and shine is something truly dazzling and you’ll find for the entire ten or so minutes that it goes on, you will not be able to look away. Not even blink. It’s amazing! 

Starring Keir Dullea, Gary Lockwood, William Sylvester, Daniel Richter, Leonard Rossiter, Margaret Tyzack, Robert Beatty, Sean Sullivan, Douglas Rain, Frank Miller, Bill Weston, Ed Bishop, Glenn Beck, Alan Gifford, and Ann Gillis, 2001: A Space Odyssey is a really surreal and truly remarkable movie that’s filled with drama, space, beauty, wonder, technology, and the infinite beyond. Earning its place in The Book, it’s a wholly awesome movie that everyone has to see!

The Brothers Grimm [M]

Once upon a time there lived two brothers named Jacob and Will Grimm, who made their name by vanquishing demons and monsters that they themselves had created. But one day, they are forced to vanquish the real thing. As young girls are stolen from a superstitious European village, the brothers soon find themselves roped into finding the girls and ridding the village of fear caused by an enchanted forest. With no tricks and cheats to control the situation, the brothers are forced to resort to fables and folk tales in order to save the village. 

From mad and eccentric director Terry Gilliam, the genius who brought us Brazil, The Fisher King, and The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, comes this macabre fractured fairytale that is something else entirely. 

Once upon a time there lived two brothers named Jacob and Will Grimm, who made their name by vanquishing demons and monsters that they themselves had created. Actors and frauds by nature, one day the two are forced to confront the real thing. As young girls are being stolen from a superstitious European village, the brothers soon find themselves unwillingly roped into an endeavour to find the girls and rid the village of fear caused by an enchanted forest. With no tricks and cheats to control the situation, the brothers are forced to resort to fables and folk tales in order to save the village. 

This is a good film. This is a very enjoyable film. After watching it three times though, I still have to say that I have no desires to add it to the collection. The one thing that slightly annoys me with this film is that it tends to jump around a lot between memories, dreams, and whatnot, without any real method of differentiating between all these different states of mind. That’s my only major beef with the film. Well, that and the story tends to suddenly and abruptly surge forwards. 

Everything else was great, aside from maybe the special effects, which did seem rather obvious and didn’t blend in with the rest of the film. I rather enjoyed the subtle references to the classic Grimm fairytales, Cinderella, Red Riding Hood, and all of those, and the light comedy script was rather nice as it took some of the focus away from some of the nasty and somewhat macabre things that happen to the children. It was all balanced rather nicely, is what I mean to say. 

Starring Matt Damon, Heath Ledger, Roger Ashton-Griffiths, Mackenzie Crook, Peter Stormare, Lena Heady, and Jonathan Pryce, The Brothers Grimm is an interesting and fun movie that’s filled with action, adventure, fantasy, romance, magic, and a touch of the macabre. It’s a film that’s definitely worth watching at any rate and, in true Gilliam style, there’s a subtle part at the end that keeps you hanging on. 

Shrek [PG]

Once upon a time, in a swamp far, far away lived an ogre named Shrek. Content with his solitary life, Shrek’s peaceful world is turned upside down when a multitude of fairytale creatures are forced to flee their homes and hide in his swamp from the evil Lord Farquad who wants a perfect world. Eager to get his swamp back, Shrek, accompanied by an annoying talking donkey named Donkey, goes to see Farquad, and the two come to a mutual agreement: if Shrek can rescue the fair Princess Fiona and bring her to Duloc to marry Farqaud, he can have his swamp back. 

This is the film where Dreamworks struck gold. Shrek was the first wonderfully funny and classic fractured fairytale that had both children and adults in fits of hysterics and delight. 

Once upon a time, a swamp far, far away, lived an ogre named Shrek. Content with his solitary life, Shrek’s peaceful world is turned upside down when a multitude of fairytale creatures are forced to flee their homes and hide in his swamp from the evil Lord Farquad who wants a perfect world. Eager to get his swamp back, Shrek, accompanied by an annoying talking donkey named Donkey, goes to see Lord Farquad, and the two reach a mutual agreement: if Shrek can rescue the Princess Fiona and bring her to Duloc to marry Farqard, then he can have his swamp back. 

THIS IS THE ULTIMATE FRACTURED FAIRYTALE. What makes Shrek so brilliant is the fact that it’s one hundred per cent original. It takes all the classic fairytale plotlines of romance, chivalry, brave knights, and true love’s kiss, and completely turns them on their ears, rewriting all the fables for a modern audience and creating a league of its own in the process. 

The humour of the film is very, very clever as it takes certain parts of the classic fables and reworks them so that they are both physically and verbally hilarious for both children and adults. Case in point, the scene where Princess Fiona is singing enchantingly in the woods and a bird is singing along with her. Fiona, obviously channelling Snow White, hits an excruciating high note and the bird attempts to match it and explodes. It’s silly and a bit of schadenfreude, but it’s very, very funny. 

In Shrek, audiences will recognise characters, situations, and lines from all manner of fairytales and fables including Snow White, Cinderella, The Three Little Pigs, Pinocchio, Peter Pan, Goldilocks, The Three Blind Mice, The Pied Piper, Robin Hood, and Little Red Riding Hood. Classic. 

The animation is just lovely and the casting was completely spot-on, everyone’s voice matched their character perfectly. 

Featuring the voice talents of Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz, John Lithgow, Jim Cummings, and Vincent Cassel, Shrek is a fantastic family movie that’s filled with absolutely everything: action, adventure, magic, romance, drama, fairytale creatures, memorable characters, the odd musical number, and plenty of comedy. It’s a real classic that can be enjoyed by any and every audience. 

Limitless [M]

Eddy is an unpublished writer with an IQ of 4. But his life changes when he bumps into his ex-brother-in-law and is a given a new top-secret smart pill that allows him to use 100% of his brain. After just one dose, Eddy’s life is miraculously transformed, but soon his reliance on the pills reaches a dangerous level and his enhanced abilities attract shadowy forces that threaten his life. 

I think I’d have to watch this movie more than once to really understand the ingenuity of it. It’s a brilliant story about addiction and how it can enhance primal human instincts such as desperation and flight or fight, but I couldn’t quite grasp the conspiratorial thriller part that was obviously vital to the story. Nevertheless, after watching this movie just once, it has left me with a satisfied feeling and a good deal to think and write about.  

Eddy is an unpublished writer with an IQ of 4. But his life changes when he bumps into his ex-brother-in-law and is given a new top-secret smart pill that will allow him to use 100% of his brain. With just one dose, eddy’s life is miraculously transformed to perfection, but soon his reliance on the pill reaches a dangerous level and his enhanced abilities attract the attention of shadowy and sinister forces that threaten his life. 

There were a lot of different stories running parallel with one another that made up this movie. Obviously, the central focus of the story is the miracle of this new smart drug and its effect on unlocking human potential, Eddy’s potential in particular. Then we have the smaller story of Eddy’s addiction to his own potential, which soon escalates into a huge charade that he cannot afford to shatter. Running parallel with the story of Eddy and his addiction is the conspiracy and corruption story that sees everyone who uses the drug becoming either critically sick or killed. And then, on top of everything else, you have a story of wits and competition, which I didn’t really follow, between Eddy and his new boss. 

There were a lot of elements that made this movie memorable, the mind-tripping camera zooming and multiple Eddys in particular. The use of colour and lighting was something that was really amazing too, which is good because in most films, you never really acknowledge the poor people who do the lighting and, really, we’d all be in dark without them. 

Starring Bradley Cooper, Abbie Cornish, Anna Friel, Andrew Howard, and Robert De Niro Limitless is a brilliantly trippy movie filled with action, violence, corruption, addiction, paranoia, desperation, and drama. You need to watch it more than once to really understand the ingenuity of it, but it’s definitely a film that you must see. 

Monsters vs Aliens [PG]

Susan’s life was lovely and normal. That was until she was hit by a giant meteor containing quantonium. Now she is gigantic, super strong, and forced to live in a secret facility away from the outside world. When aliens threaten to obliterate life on Earth, it falls to Susan and her new monster friends Doc Cockroach, the Missing Link, Insectosaurus, and Bob, to save the world and prove which is stronger: monsters or aliens. 

As everyone might have gathered by now, I am a lover of kids’ films, particularly these animated Dreamworks ones. I generally find them clever, colourful, and greatly entertaining. It now must be said that Monsters vs. Aliens was a fun family movie, but Dreamworks have done cleverer things. 

Susan’s life was lovely and normal. That was until she was hit by a giant meteor containing quantonium. Now she is gigantic, super strong, and forced to live in a secret monster-housing facility away from the outside world. When aliens threaten to obliterate life on Earth, it’s up to the monsters to save the day and Susan and her new monster friends Doc Cockroach, the Missing Link, Insectosaurus, and Bob, rally together and answer that universal question: which is stronger: aliens or monsters? 

This movie is one of those shades-of-grey type films. On a positive note, the story had potential, the animation was great, the voice casting was completely spot-on, and the characters were memorable. Action, romance, drama and comedy are all incorporated to make this a good family film. Even adults who have no other choice but to sit down and watch this with their youngsters will have the occasional chuckle at the recognisable voices and a few of the more subtle jokes such as the samples from Dr. Strangelove and Rambo. 

On a negative note, the story moved way too fast for my liking. There were no real periods where the audience got the chance to absorb the facts and actually register what was going on because as soon as something critical to understanding the story is said, a loud and exuberant bout of comedy quickly follows and there is no breathing space. That’s the only bad thing about the film. 

Featuring the voice talents of Reese Witherspoon, Seth Rogan, Hugh Laurie, Will Arnett, Kiefer Sutherland, Rainn Wilson, Paul Rudd, Renee Zellweger, Ed Helms, Amy Poehler, Jeffrey Tambor and Stephen Colbert, Monsters vs. Aliens was a fun family movie filled with action, comedy, romance, and memorable characters. It’s not the greatest animated movie to come out of Dreamworks, but it’s worth watching at any rate.   

Red Riding Hood [M]

Valerie is a beautiful young woman torn between two men. Arranged to marry one, and desperately in love with the other, Valerie is spared the difficult task of choosing between the two when the werewolf that plagues her village takes the life of her sister. Eager for revenge, the villagers call in the help of famed werewolf hunter, Father Solomon. But the arrival of the Father brings only doubt and fear as he warns them that the wolf, which takes human form by day, could be any one of them. 

For a so-called “horror” film, Red Riding Hood did not pack much of a punch. There was nothing inherently suspenseful, gory, startling, or indeed horrific about this film at all. A more adult take on the grim fairy tale, Red Riding Hood was a rather predictable and pointless film that I, personally feel, was below the talents of Amanda Seyfried and Gary Oldman, who were undoubtedly the only good things about it. They were the whole reason I hired the movie in the first place. 

Valerie is a beautiful young woman torn between two men. Arranged to marry one and desperately in love with the other, Valerie is spared the difficult task of deciding between the two when the werewolf that plagues her village takes the life of her sister. Eager for revenge, the villagers call in the help of famed werewolf hunter, Father Solomon. But the Father’s arrival brings only doubt and fear as he warns them all that the wolf, which takes human form whilst the sun is up, could be any one of them. 

The arrival of the good Father, played wonderfully by Gary Oldman, may have brought fear, doubt, unprecedented suspicion, and uncertainty to the villagers, but none whatsoever to the audience. I’ll admit that there were occasional moments when your mind accused each character in turn of being the wolf, but ultimately it was the over exaggerated camera movements, and psychical flashbacks that just ruined the entire thing and made it rather predictable. 

It’s obvious that Catherine Hardwicke has some sort of romantic attachment to the camera. Just like in Twilight, a great portion of this movie is devoted to fast-moving and spiralling areal shots of the snow-capped mountains and thick forests with the remainder of the movie seeing the camera literally following the actors as though sneaking up on them. That style of camera work does play an important role in most horror films, but in the case of Red Riding Hood, the technique was used excessively and therefore, caused the film to lose any potential for suspense that it had in the first place. Unlike The Shining and Nightmare of Elm Street, the camera following the actors did not send shivers down the spine, but merely gained blank looks and sidelong glances at the player to see how much more of the movie is left to endure. 

AND I’M NOT GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE ENDING! You’ll have to watch the movie if you’re at all curious to see how fantastically stupid it was. 

Starring Amanda Seyfried, Gary Oldman, Billy Burke, Shiloh Fernandez, Max Irons, Lukas Haas, Virginia Madsen, and Julie Christie, Red Riding Hood was a predictable and pointless horror film. Filled with half-hearted gore, romantic conflictions, murder, and the supernatural, I can say that I’ve seen it and that’s the end of it.  

Sucker Punch [M]

Life is cruel. After the death of her mother, Baby Doll is plunged into a spiral of dark depression and, in such a state of mind, accidentally kills her sister. She is soon institutionalised by her abusive stepfather and, retreating into an alternate reality filled with action and fantasy as a coping strategy, envisions a plan to fight and escape. 

THIS MOVIE IS AWESOME! Not clever-and –dark-like-Black Swan-awesome, but more like bizarre-yet-hugely-entertaining-like-Scott Pilgrim vs the World-meets-Brazil-type-awesome. Step aside Drew Barrymore, Cameron Diaz, and Lucy Liu, because Emily Browning, Vanessa Hudgens, Abbie Cornish, Jena Malone, and Jamie Chung are gonna give you a run for your money!

Life is cruel. After the death of mother, Baby Doll is plunged into a dark spiral of depression and, in such a state of mind, accidentally kills her sister. Her abusive stepfather soon institutionalises her and, retreating into an alternate reality filled with action and fantasy as a coping strategy, she envisions a plan to fight and escape. 

WHAT A TRIP! It’s not a clever psychoanalytical movie perse, but really a fantasy/action movie where the fantasy runs parallel and even intertwines with reality… a bit like Pan’s Labyrinth. 

This movie has pretty much everything incorporated into it. There is action, adventure, drama, the psychoanalytical thrill, skimpy costumes, death, murder, abuse, and sick and twisted sexual thrills. Without a doubt, Sucker Punch is a really bizarre, yet amazingly entertaining and mind-tripping movie. 

In terms of performance, this movie prefers to skip the cake, but in terms of costumes, action, and mind-blowing twists, and, to a lesser extent, story, hell, it scoffs the cake! It’s one of the greatest girls-on-top movies I’ve ever seen. Seriously. Charlie’s Angels has nothing on this! 

What I love particularly (and I have literally just halfway through writing, realised this) is that this movie is really in a league of its own, because it has the appearance of being a fetish and action-packed type movie, but then it has this psychoanalytical twist that keeps you guessing till after the credits begin to roll. It’s a bit like Brazil in that way, as, for a certain portion of the film, you cannot differentiate between what’s real and what’s fantasy. IT’S BLOODY AWESOME! 

Starring Emily Browning, Vanessa Hudgens, Abbie Cornish, Jena Malone, Jamie Chung, Oscar Isaac, Scott Glenn, and Carla Gugino, Sucker Punch is a bizarre, but brilliant movie filled with action, abuse, murder, promiscuity, bloodshed, death, guns, dragons, Germans, war, fishnets, and heels, not to mention a killer soundtrack, it’s a movie that I am SO adding to the collection! 

If you don’t stand for something, you’ll fall for anything.

The Simpsons Movie [PG]

Homer Simpson has always been reckless and impulsive, but this is his most epic blunder yet. After Lisa has finally convinced the citizens of Springfield to rid their lake of pollution, Homer and his new pet Spider Pig decide to head in the opposite direction. After polluting the lake beyond repair, he causes all of Springfield to be sealed in a glass dome by the Government. With the entire town baying for their blood, the Simpsons manage to escape, but life on the run soon turns bumpy and it’s up to Homer to tidy up the mess he’s created. 

Who is not a fan of The Simpsons? Having grown up and been hugely entertained by the hugely popular show, the excitement that ensued when I heard they were making a movie was palpable. The Simpsons Movie is a wonderful film filled with comedy, memorable characters, drama, and romance. Right from the off, there is no way that this film could be a flop. 

Homer Simpson has always been reckless and impulsive, but this is his most epic blunder yet. After Lisa has fought tooth and nail to convince Springfield to clean up their lake Homer in his infinite wisdom, decides to go in the opposite direction. After polluting the lake beyond repair, he causes all of Springfield to be sealed in a glass dome by the Government. With the entire town baying for their blood, the Simpsons manage to escape, but life on the run soon turns bumpy and it’s up to Homer to tidy up the monumental mess that he’s created. 

After years and years of writing quirky and moral stories for TV, the writers of The Simpsons have been saving the most epic and zaniest adventure for the family’s very first feature film. The story is weird right from the off, beginning with a tragic, yet funny, death of a certain rock band. From there, the events of the film snowball into a riotous 83 minutes of misdemeanours and laughs. 

What I love about the movie, aside from the fact that it’s The Simpsons Movie is that it has a healthy dose of everything in it. There’s plenty of “do’h”s and comedy, but there is also drama, tension, and a fair bit of romance, particularly between Lisa and a too-good-to-be-true Irish lad. Aww it’s so adorable! 

I have to say, at this point, that there is something incredibly romantic about some of the kisses that Homer and Marge share. I don’t know if it’s the music or the animation, but every time you see it, you just melt. It’s lovely. 

Featuring the voice talents of Dan Castellaneta, Julie Kavner, Nancy Cartwright, Yeardley Smith, Hank Azaria, Harry Shearer, Pamela Hayden, Tress MacNeille, and A. Brookes, The Simpsons Movie is a fantastic family film that’s filled with action, comedy, romance, drama, tension, and all our favourite characters, plus a few new ones. I mean come on, it’s a Simpsons movie! How can you not love it!? 

Spider Pig. Spider Pig. Does whatever Spider Pig does. Can he swing from a web? Now he can’t, he’s a pig. Look out, he is the Spider Pig. 

Monsters, Inc. [G]

In the world of Monstropolis, there is a power shortage, and the only way the monsters can get power is by collecting the screams from human children and turning it into energy. Monsters Inc.’s top scarer Sully and his enthusiastic assistant Mike are doing their part to bring power to Monstropolis. With their sights set on the top, they are sure to break the All-Time Scare Record, but their chances diminish when a little girl named Boo wanders into their world and causes complete panic, as all monsters believe children are toxic. Now it’s up to Sully and Mike to get Boo home, but this is going to prove easier said than done. 

WHAT A FANTASTIC IDEA! Monsters, Inc. is a wonderfully original and fresh story that makes for a great family film that both kids and adults will enjoy equally. 

In the world of Monstropolis, there is a power shortage and the only way the monsters can get power is by collecting the screams from human children and turning it into energy. Monsters Inc.’s top scarer Sully and his enthusiastic assistant Mike are doing their part to bring power to Monstropolis. With their sights set on the top, they are sure to break the All-Time Scare Record, but their chances diminish when a little girl named Boo wanders into their world and causes complete panic, as all monsters believe children to be toxic and dangerous. Now it’s up to Sully and Mike to get Boo home, but this is going to prove easier said than done. 

Like Toy Story, Monsters, Inc. is a wonderful tale about friendship. I think the movie’s major appeal is the basic story. Monsters, Inc. takes that idea of first impressions and turns it on its ear with delightful and heart-warming irony. 

The film’s major hook is the idea that these fierce monsters, who do scare us, are actually just as scared of us as we are of them. That central message and irony is most evident in the character of Sully who, after being terrified of this little girl, grows to really love and care for her, like a father. It’s always heart-warming and lovely to look at characters like Sully, who are big, masculine, and sometimes quite terrifying, and see that they are really just big ol’ softies. It’s absolutely adorable! 

The amazing Pixar animation and bright colour will appeal to the young kids in the audience, the adults however, will respond to the fast-paced and witty script as well as the chemistry than can be heard rather then seen between the actors. This was a classic example of voices matching their animated characters, something that Hop (although made quite some time later) failed to do. 

Featuring the voice talents of John Goodman, Billy Crystal, Jennifer Tilly, Steve Buscemi, James Coburn, Bonnie Hunt, and Frank Oz, Monsters, Inc. is a fantastic family movie filled with amazing creatures, original ideas, friendship, action, and comedy. It’s one of my all-time favourites from Pixar!