The Three Musketeers (2011)

France in the 17^th century: after the assassination of the King his son, Louis the XIII has taken the throne. But the young and inexperienced King and his wife seem not to have a friend in the world and the wicked Cardinal Richelieu, who plans to spark a war between France and England, secretly challenges their rulership. There are only a handful of people who will serve their King and their country: the Musketeers. Athos, Porthos and Aramis are the last remaining Musketeers, but when the hot-headed young D’Artagnan joins their ranks, they are back in action after a mission gone wrong, and ready to deal out a good arse-kicking for their country. 

With the decadence and grandeur of Pirates of the Caribbean and the silliness and downright stupidness of A Knight’s Tale, The Three Musketeers is really a pointless and silly film, but one that cannot help but gain some pleasurable response from its audience. It really was like A Knight’s Tale as it was a fantastically stupid and an all-over-the-shop film, but one that was hugely entertaining. I really liked this movie for the simple reason that is a just a good, old-fashioned, decadent action romp. 

France in the 17^th century: after the assassination of the King his son, Louis the XIII, has taken the throne. But the young and inexperienced King and his wife seem not to have a friend in the world, at home or abroad, and the wicked Cardinal Richelieu, who plans to spark a war between France and England, secretly challenges their rulership and threatens to seize control of France. There are only a handful of people who will serve their King and their country: the Musketeers. Athos, Porthos, and Aramis are the last remaining Musketeers, but when young, hot-headed D’Artagnan joins their ranks, they are back in action, after a mission gone wrong, and ready to deal out a good arse-kicking for their country. 

Ultimately this film is nothing more than a 3D novelty: a real action-packed romp and a bit of good old-fashioned brain candy. I must admit that the costumes and special effects were exceptionally dazzling, really decadent and elegant but dangerous and not afraid to get their hands dirty at the same time. Well done to everyone involved in the special effects and costume design of this film! Fantastic work! 

Having said the praises of this film, it is now time to address the faults. The script was a bit all-over-the-place, very similar to A Knight’s Tale, the romantic story was loosely and haphazardly weaved into the film, and I found it highly amusing that everyone in the cast failed to put on a French accent given that the majority of the film is set in France. Although I have to admit that watching Orlando Bloom as one of the “villains” was hugely enjoyable. I have a real thing for Orlando Bloom; he was my first ever celebrity crush and no one ever forgets their first celebrity crush. I still find him hugely attractive. 

Starring Matthew MacFayden, Milla Jovovich, Luke Evans, Til Schweiger, Orlando Bloom, Logan Lerman, Mads Mikkelsen, Freddie Fox, Juno Temple, Gabrielle Wilde, James Corden and Christoph Waltz, The Three Musketeers is a fun romp that’s packed with action, decadent costumes, great special effects, brilliant sword fights, romance, comedy, political conspiracy, and more action. Not to mention a rather epic climactic battle sequence that takes place in an airship! We’ve had car chases, duels, and battles at sea, but an airship! Whoo, it’s pretty cool. 

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button [M]

As a daughter, Caroline, sits with her dying mother in a hospital, her mother has her read the remarkable and curious tale of a man that she loved: Benjamin Button. Born a shrivelled and old babe, Benjamin is abandoned by his father and taken in by the loving housekeeper of a nursing home. Surrounded by age, life, and death, Benjamin leads a curious life as everyone he loves grows older and he grows younger. 

Winner of 3 Academy Awards including Best Art Direction, Best Visual Effects, and Best Makeup, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is a painfully beautiful film about love, loss, time, and life. Based on the short story by F. Scott Fitzgerald, it’s a stunning and deeply stirring film that simply must not be missed. 

As a daughter, Caroline, sits with her dying mother in a hospital, her mother has her read the remarkable and curious tale of a man that she loved: Benjamin Button. Born a shrivelled and old babe, Benjamin is abandon by his father and taken in by the loving housekeeper of a nursing home. Surrounded by age, life, and death, Benjamin leads a curious life as everyone he loves grows older and he grows younger. 

To begin honestly, I have never read The Curious Case of Benjamin Button by F. Scott Fitzgerald, so I cannot write much in the ways of personal opinion. But I do know that it was hailed as one of literature’s great “unfilmable” tales and director David Fincher who brought us such great works as Fight Club and Se7en, has proven that statement to be horrendously wrong. 

The tale is originally a simple and odd short story about a man who begins life old and grows younger. Screenwriters Eric Roth and Robin Swicord have done a remarkable job in using that odd and curious little story and turning it into a beautiful romantic drama that keeps audiences completely captivated for two and a half hours. Not since The Time Traveller’s Wife have I known such a powerful and moving love story. 

The real news about this film is the wondrous achievement in visual effects and makeup. Through subtle, yet defined, prosthetics and makeup, Brad Pitt begins life looking 80 and then subtly changes until his course skin is smooth and glowing with youth; the cheats of computers are neither desired nor required for this tale. The same is done for Cate Blanchett being the character that keeps up anchored in reality. And it must be said that both romantic leads delivered stunning and very stirring performances. 

Starring Tilda Swinton, Jason Flemying, Taraji P. Henson, Julia Ormand, Mahershalalhashbaz Ali, and Jared Harris, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is a stunning film filled with drama, romance, oddity, life, death, and time. One of the most moving and undeniably deeply stirring films to grace our screens, it is a film that simply CANNOT be missed! 

WALL-E [G]

Hundreds of years ago humankind polluted Earth to such an extent that they were forced to leave and live in Space until the planet could be made habitable again. Left all alone to clean up the mess is a little robot named WALL-E who has spent years and years cleaning up and making curious memories with his only friend: a cockroach. But WALL-E’s humdrum life is turned upside down when a sleek search robot named EVE is sent to find signs of plant life on Earth. WALL-E falls hopelessly in love with her and follows her all over the planet and then later into space, embarking on a big adventure to save humankind in the process. 

Without a doubt, Pixar’s most visually stunning and simply all-around most amazing cinematic achievement is WALL-E; a futuristic love story that sends out strong messages of environmental protection and a fantastic criticism of consumerism and the threats it poses. WALL-E is Pixar’s most memorable and stunning feature film that harbours something for absolutely everyone. IT’S ABSOLUTEY BREATHTAKING! 

Hundreds of years ago humankind polluted Earth to such an extent that they were forced to leave and live in Space until the planet could be made habitable again. Left behind to clean up the mess were a series of robots, or WALL-E units. After several hundred years there is one solitary WALL-E left, cleaning up the mess and making curious memories with his only friend: a cockroach. But WALL-E’s humdrum life is turned upside down when a sleek search robot named EVE is sent to find signs of plant life on Earth. WALL-E falls hopelessly in love with her and follows her all over planet and then later into space, embarking upon a great big adventure to save humankind in the process. 

There are so many wonderful aspects of WALL-E to draw attention to; I have no idea where to start. Let’s begin with the breathtaking, absolutely breathtaking animation and sound effects. With minimal dialogue used, Ben Burtt’s sound design for WALL-E is truly something to be marvelled at. Over 2,500 sounds were recorded for the film and it was simply amazing to hear these robots communicate with one another in a dialect completely their own, but with very human intonations. 

The visual animation is crisp and simply astounding; a true cinematic achievement and one that proved that animated films don’t need to be preachy or overtly moral, and that the genre of science fiction doesn’t have to always be predictable, silly, violent, or scary. It’s just beautiful. 

There are so many wondrous layers that make up the story of WALL-E, each one as critical and memorable as the next. On the surface, it is a love story between two robots: man-made creations that are so unique they have individually acquired a sense of human. The character of WALL-E is absolutely adorable and completely loveable, rivalling that of Number 5 in Short Circuit. With his acute sense of curiosity, adventure, innocence, and love, you need only spend two minutes with him and your heart will melt. 

But underneath the non-mushy love story, there is a more alarming and (what is more, concerning) plausible look at what humankind will evolve into: pampered and morbidly obese couch potatoes who have lost practically all skills: social, political, emotional, and physical. It is a bleak look at the future to be sure, but one that could very well happen. From this central drama, stems the flow of powerful messages about the protection of the environment, the threats posed by consumerism, and the general level of apathy and ignorance that modern societies currently hold. 

For a child, this is a film of funny and loveable characters with a bit of a love story and an adventure thrown in. But for an adult, WALL-E is a film that raises awareness and opens people’s eyes to the dangers that we, as a society and as a species, are creating. It’s all food for thought set against a romantic love story filled with loveable and memorable characters. 

Featuring the voice talents of Ben Burtt, Elissa Knight, Jeff Garlin, Fred Willard, John Ratzenberger, Kathy Najimy, and Sigourney Weaver, the winner of the 2008 Academy Award for Best Animated Feature Film, and nominated for several Academy Awards including Best Screenplay, Best Sound Design, Best Sound Editing, Best Music Score, and Best Original Song, WALL-E is an absolutely enchanting movie that’s filled with adventure, romance, comedy, drama, home truths, strong messages, and memorable characters. Earning its place in The Book, IT’S AN ABSOLUTELY STUNNING FILM! I just adore it! 

The Mummy Returns [M]

Centuries ago, the power-hungry Scorpion King was on the verge of death when he offered his soul to the dark God Anubis to spare his life and give him his undead army so that he could conquer his enemies. Now, years and years after his demise, the Scorpion King has been awakened and threatens to rule the world. What is more, the corpse of Imhotep has been found and the priest resurrected, so that he might defeat the Scorpion King and fulfil his quest for immortality and life-long rule. It falls to Rick and Evelyn O’Connell and their son Alex to once again, save the world before it gets plunged into a ruinous nightmare. 

You know I only just realised that, not since these Mummy films, have there been a film about mummies. At the moment the film industry has vampires and zombies running out of its ears, but not since 2001 (because the third instalment in The Mummy trilogy was complete tripe) have we had a good, old-fashioned, rollicking mummy movie. That alone makes these films special and playing a game of their own. Just as rollicking, if not more so, that its predecessor, The Mummy Returns is a great action-packed, Indiana Jones-esque romp that keeps me contentedly glued to the screen every time. 

Centuries ago, the power-hungry Scorpion King was on the verge of death when he offered his soul to the dark god Anubis to spare his life and give him his undead army so that he might conquer his enemies. Now, years and years after his demise, the Scorpion King is reawakened and threatens to rule the world. What is more, the corpse of Imhotep has been recovered and the priest resurrected so that he might slay the Scorpion King and fulfil his quest for immortality, eternal love, and life-long rule. It falls to Rick and Evelyn O’Connell and their son Alex to, once again, save the world before it gets plunged into a ruinous nightmare of darkness and death. 

All our favourite characters, as well as a few new ones, are back for another dose of mummified madness and action. Even though man has done much cleverer things as far as special effects are concerned, this movie still boasts the same adrenaline and adventurous vibe that makes it so rollicking and entertaining. 

My one, slight, beef with this film is that there seem to be a few holes in the story and then there were one too many stories going on at any one time. We have the story of the Scorpion King; fine, I got the gist of that no problem. Then we have the resurrection of Imhotep, the mummy from the first film; all right, I get that story fine. But then on top of that we have this story of Rick and Evelyn’s past lives and them embracing some ancient destiny, which I understood, but found a bit tacked on. The foundation for that story was just a bit too shaky for my liking, with most of it casually being dropped into the film with meaningless dialogue. It just didn’t flow as smoothly as the other stories featured in the film’s plot and I found that to be a bit of a downer. 

Aside from that, the script and screenplay still harbours a healthy balance of drama and comedy, and there is plenty of action and romance to satisfy both genders in the audience. 

Starring Brendan Fraser, Rachel Weisz, John Hannah, Arnold Vosloo, Oded Fehr, Freddie Boath, Patricia Velasquez, and Dwayne Johnson, The Mummy Returns is a great rollicking movie that’s packed with action, adventure, romance, gore, violence, the undead, and comedy. At the end of the day, these are just fun action movies with a good story and likeable characters. You don’t have to watch them over and over, and they make for a good night in like Pirates of the Caribbean, Star Wars, or Indiana Jones.  

Hook [PG]

It was once said that all children grow up…except one. But the fairytale ended when Peter Pan left Neverland, grew up, got married, and became a lawyer and a father. Now, Peter has lost his way, and what’s worse, he cannot find time to play with his own children. But that changes when Peter and his family visit Grandmother Wendy, and none other than Captain Hook, out for revenge, kidnaps the children, Maggie and Jack. With the help of Tinkerbell and the Lost Boys, Peter makes his way back to Neverland and rises to the challenge of remembering his own story in order to save his children. 

Usually, I’m not one for being entertained by these “return-to” films. To me, that whole revisiting a story and place that harboured so much joy and magic should not be attempted; after all, lightning never strikes in the same place twice. But Tim Burton managed to do it with Alice In Wonderland and before him, Steven Spielberg achieved it with Hook: a fun-filled family adventure that features all our favourite characters as well as loads of new ones. The fractured, modern take on the classic fairytale of the boy who never grew up worked nicely in this movie, bringing a whole new meaning and warmth to the tale that was never there before. 

It was once said that all children grow up… except one. But the fairytale ended when Peter Pan left Neverland, grew up, got married, and became and lawyer and a father. Now, Peter has lost his way and, what’s worse, he cannot find time to play with his own children. But that changes when Peter and his family visit Grandmother Wendy and none other than Captain Hook, out for revenge, kidnaps the children, Jack and Maggie. Now, with the help of Tinkerbell and the Lost Boys, Peter Pan finds his way back to Neverland and rises to the challenge of remembering his own story, learning to fly, fight, and crow in order to save his children. 

I suppose the real appeal in these sorts of “revisiting” movies is the references to the original tale. In Hook, most of these come in the form of the characters, obviously, and the script. The story is very clever how it subtly integrates the fairytale of Peter Pan into the reality part of the movie and I particularly loved the subtle ironies that came into play: my favourite being grown-up Peter Pan’s fear of heights and flying. The film has delightful little treats like that scattered all throughout and it’s those little treats, combined with the memorable action sequences and performances that keep the audience, both junior and senior alike, captivated. 

Admittedly, some of the lines could get a little cheesy and a few of the special effects were a bit haphazard and outdated, but ultimately, I found Hook to be a heart warming and enjoyable film about finding one’s inner child. It really is rather lovely. 

Starring Dustin Hoffman, Robin Williams, Julia Roberts, Bob Hoskins, Caroline Goodall, Charlie Korsmo, Amber Scott, Laurel Cronin, Arthur Malet, and Maggie Smith, Hook is a great family film packed with action, adventure, fantasy, kidnapping, pirates, mermaids, fairies, fun, and love. It really is a lovely little film, not one that I could watch over and over, but one that I am happy to come back to once in a while and am proud to have in my collection. 

The Castle [M]

The Kerrigans are a simple and happy family living right next to an airport at 3 Highview Crescent, Cooloroo; living in complete obscurity and being contented to be so. But that all changes when the airport decides to expand and the family is compulsively required to move. But to Darryl, number 3 was never a house, it is a home and, after all, a man’s home is his castle. So the tow-truck driving, greyhound racing father of the Kerrigan household stands up and becomes something he was never meant to be: a hero. 

Like Muriel’s Wedding and Priscilla Queen of the Desert, The Castle is an iconic Australian film that just brings brutal truth to that old saying “less is more”. It’s a classic story and a character’s movie by nature, and it’s absolutely wonderful: funny, relatable, heart-warming, and memorable. You can’t go wrong with The Castle. 

The Kerrigans are a simple and happy family living right next to an airport at 3 Highview Crescent, Cooloroo; living in complete obscurity and being very contented to be so. But that all changes when the airport decides to expand and the family is compulsively required to move. Although they are offered compensation, Darryl Kerrigan refuses to move because, to him, it’s not a house, it’s a home and a man’s home is his castle. So, the tow-truck driving, greyhound racing father of the Kerrigan household stands up and becomes something that he was never meant to be: a hero. 

The magic of this film comes in the forms of its simplicity. The story is one that’s a classic example of good vs. evil, moral principals vs. constitutional law: as simple as black and white. The story of the everyman standing up and blatantly saying “no” is something that everyone can relate to, which makes this film one that’s very down-to-earth and hits close to home. 

What seals the film’s appeal, for me, is the fact that it is a character’s movie. The Castle is about an average Aussie family living in the further reaches of civilisation, and it’s wonderful to see these simple and natural characters that lead blissful lives of hard-earned comfort and find peace and joy in the simplicities of life: things like saying certain words, staring at man’s creations, and most importantly, having an effect of every person that they meet in their lives. The Kerrigan family is just a beautiful one that feels very natural and genuinely like a unit, and it’s bloody beautiful; “a little ripper” as Darryl would say. 

Starring Michal Caton, Anne Tenney, Stephen Curry, Anthony Simcoe, Sophie Lee, Wayne Hope, Tiriel Mora, Tony Martin, Costas Kilias, Charles Tingwell, and Eric Bana, The Castle is a wonderful Aussie comedy that just proves that the simplest things in life are the most joyous. Filled with drama, the law, memorable characters, comedy, romance, defiance, and a heart-warming story, it’s a film that I absolutely adore and can easily come back to time and time again. 

Big Fish [PG]

Will Bloom has not spoken to his father for three years. For years he has felt that he and his father have nothing to talk about, no common ground, and he sees nothing of himself in him. But now his father is dying and Will journeys home with his wife Josephine to be there in his father’s final moments. Whilst at home, Will attempts to separate the facts from the fiction surrounding his father’s life and in the process he discovers that, sometimes, fantasies are not that far from truth.

So here I am, smiling blissfully with my face massively tear-streaked, marvelling at one of the most beautiful films of all time! It greatly saddens me that this film does not make it into The Book, because I believe that it is Tim Burton’s finest work and critics have hailed it to be so a well; his best work since Edward Scissorhands. Big Fish, one of my top ten favourite films of all time, is a perfectly balanced film that harbours absolutely something for everyone. IT’S AN ABSOLUTE DREAM AND I LOVE IT WITH ALL MY HEART!

Will Bloom has not spoken to his father for three years. For years, he has felt that he and his father have nothing to talk about, no common ground, and he sees nothing of himself in him. But now his father is dying and Will journeys home with his wife Josephine to be there in his father’s final moments. Whilst at home, Will attempts to separate the facts from the fiction surrounding his father’s life and his discovers that, sometimes, fantasies are not all that far from truth.

What is particularly striking about this film, for me, is that it’s a film by Tim Burton, but it is very un-Tim-Burton. It has to be said that Tim Burton’s style of film has becomes something of a stereotype; whenever you say “it’s a Tim Burton film”, gothic images of twisted trees and pale people pop into your mind. But Big Fish is very light, has a few typical Burton-esque quirks about it, but is ultimately a very light and beautiful film.
The use of light and colour is something to be commented on because it is such a step away from the dark and grim settings that Burton tends to favour. The use of light and colour gives the film the feel of an age-old, feel-good fable that enchants and enlightens its audience.
The other thing that I really love about this movie is the story. Not dissimilar to Pan’s Labyrinth, in Big Fish we are given two stories; one boring reality and the other, a vibrant and enchanting fantasy, each one subtly coinciding and harbouring more truths than meets the eye. It’s wonderful to have a story like that because it just lets you float along with it, making you laugh and cry along the way.
To be honest, this movie is a very feeling and reflective one; watching it does make you feel as though you’re a fish calm and afloat in a great lake; no cares, no worries, just cool contentedness. It’s impossible to describe the magic of this film, WATCH IT! FOR THE LOVE OF EVERYTHING SACRED, WATCH IT! 
Not to mention, the real clincher is the all-star cast that this film boasts. Starring Ewan McGregor, Albert Finney, Billy Crudup, Jessica Lange, Marion Cotillard, Helena Bonham Carter, Alison Lohman, Robert Guillaume, Matthew McGrory, Missi Pyle, Steve Buscemi, Deep Roy, Danny DeVito, Big Fish is a visually stunning and mesmerising film that’s filled with fantasy, stories, drama, romance, and comedy, IT’S ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL AND I WOULD HIGHLY RECOMMEND YOU WATCH IT!

Clerks II [MA]

When Dante turns up to work one morning to find the Quick Stop in flames, it triggers a deep-buried inspiration to really get his life on track; after all, he is well into his 30s. A year later, he and his smart-arse best friend Randal are working in a greasy burger joint, still pissing off their customers and dealing with all the characters they despise, the idealistic, the ambitious, the needy, the nerdy, and one hot babe. But everything is about to change as Dante is engaged and soon to move to Florida with his fiancé. Today is his last day of being a clerk and it’s going to be the most memorable day of his life. 

Years later, Kevin Smith invites us to catch up with our crude and rude old friends for some good old-fashioned nonsensical banter and misdemeanours that make Clerks II pretty damned close to living up to its predecessor’s high standing. I wouldn’t say it’s as brilliant as the first one, but it definitely comes close and it’s just entertaining to see that some things never change and some dreams never mature. 

When Dante turns up to work one morning to find the Quick Stop in flames, it triggers a deep-buried inspiration to really get his life on track; after all, he is well into his 30s now. A year later, he and his smart-arse best friend Randall have not moved on as much as they’d like; working as clerks in a greasy burger joint, still pissing off their customers and dealing with all the characters that they despise: the idealistic, the ambitious, the needy, the nerdy, and one hot babe. But both their lives are about to change as Dante is engaged and getting ready to move to Florida with his fiancé, leaving Randal without a friend. Today is Dante’s last day of being a clerk and, with the help of Randal and holders Jay and Silent Bob, it’s going to prove to be the most memorable day of his life. 

Smith’s classic characters and look at over-the-counter culture takes on a new and revitalised edge in this movie. The first thing to comment on is the story, which is great because it’s one that’s genuine and I’m sure everyone out there knows people who are just like Dante and Randal. We see both the boys in whole new light because, we have to remember, that they are no longer the young guys working in a dead-end job. Beneath the wisecracks and hilarious customer service antics, Clerks II has a much stronger and touching story about friendship, the discomfort of change, rites of passage, and making the best lives for ourselves. Although the humour takes a turn for the crude and the strange, you can look beyond that and see a really nice story that you can relate to, and it was this, coupled with the fact that the movie is in colour and not black and white like its predecessor, that made it different and, therefore, not a letdown as a sequel. It’s really good.                                                                                             At this point too, I do need to point out the clever use of colour. The first Clerks was done in black and white: simple, security-camera-style, and clever. Clerks II begins on that track, only depicting coloured flames against the black and white Quick Stop. The movie then does a Wizard of Oz and converts to complete colour before snapping back to black and white at the end (no more being said on that because it would ruin the ending).                                       Starring Brian O’Halloran, Jeff Anderson, Jason Mewes, Kevin Smith, Rosario Dawson, Jennfer Schwalback Smith, Ben Affleck, Trevor Fehrman, and Jason Lee, Clerks II was a very funny and memorable movie that wasn’t as good as the first one, but came pretty close (this one didn’t make it into The Book). Filled with film nerdishness, comedy, romance, obscure sexual preferences, home truths, and a touching story buried underneath the coating of crude humour, it’s a film that I really enjoyed and, if you were a fan of the first movie, it’s one that won’t disappoint. 

The Help [M]

Skeeter is an aspiring journalist living in Mississippi during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. Upon discovering that the maid who raised her has left working for her parents, she decides to interview maids and write a book detailing the African-American Help’s point of view on the white families they work for, the white children they raise, and the hardships that they suffer on a daily basis. The project is fraught with danger and highly risky to be sure, but even in the face of danger, two maids deign to be interviewed and the three strike up an unlikely friendship. 

Based on the bestseller by Kathryn Stockett, The Help is a wonderfully moving and balanced drama that I thoroughly enjoyed. I laughed, I cried, I exclaimed profanities where necessary, and I marvelled at how much time has elapsed since the Civil Rights Movement and still we see segregation and racism in many societies. 

Skeeter is an aspiring journalist living in Mississippi during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. Upon discovering that the maid who raised her has left working for her parents, she decides to interview maids and white a book detailing the African-American Help’s point of view on the white families they work for, the white children they raise, and the hardships that they suffer on a daily basis. The project is fraught with danger and highly risky to be sure, but even in the face of danger two maids deign to tell their stories and the three strike up an unlikely friendship. 

On the surface, this is a story about segregation, racism, and a look at the heated Civil Rights movement of the 60s. So, set against history and true events, this tale already has its audience onside. But, underneath the inequality and racism, there is a beautiful and strong story about courage and the power of a voice. This, right here, is a wonderfully truthful and genuinely adequate look at humans and society and how people just want to be part of a group, therefore they will not stand up for what they believe, unless someone else does first (or are finally forced to). Every character in this movie begins oppressed or without a voice, and through the journeys and stories of these three women, they learn to find their voices and speak, overcome oppression and put truths out there. It’s really, really beautiful. 

Starring Emma Stone, who was brilliant and it was great to see her doing a serious role in a drama, Viola Davis, Bryce Dallas Howard, Octavia Spencer, Jessica Chastain, Cicely Tyson, Chris Lowell, and Allison Janney, The Help was a beautiful drama that was both emotionally powerful and dramatic, but still harboured lovely moments of light-hearted banter and comedy. 

Filled with drama, segregation, racism, love, comedy, and friendship, it’s a beautiful, beautiful film and I really would recommend it; it’ll make you laugh, it’ll make you cry, and it may even open your eyes. 

The Devil Wears Prada [PG]

Wide-eyed, smiling, and smart Andy Sachs has had the good fortune to grab a job that “millions of girls would die for”: the personal assistant of the editor of America’s most celebrated fashion magazine. But her heaven-sent dream job may end up being the death of her as her boss, the notorious Miranda Priestly, is one that expects her staff to be at her beck and call 25 hours a day, performing impossible tasks, forsaking their lives, and maybe even selling their souls. 

Based on the novel by Lauren Weisberger, this movie is an absolute classic that’s bursting with laughs, warmth, fabulous displays of determination, and just a dash of drama. I have to admit that it is one that can get neglected in my personal collection; I often forget that I even own it, but then watching it again this morning, I just felt so lightened and fresh and bubbly. It’s a film that really rubs off on you and is wonderfully funny, warm, vibrant, and fresh. I LOVE IT COMPLETELY! 

Wide-eyed, smiling, and smart Andy Sachs has had the good fortune to grab a job that “millions of girls would die for”: the personal assistant of the editor of America’s most celebrated fashion magazine. But her heaven-sent dream job might just be the death of her as her boss, the notorious Miranda Priestly, is one that expects her staff to be at her beck and call 25 hours a day, performing impossible tasks, forsaking their personal lives, and maybe even selling their souls. 

This movie is based on a best-selling novel, so we already know that the story is going to be one that can be enjoyed. What makes the movie so fresh and fabulous is the fantastic cast and the performances that they all gave. 

The delightful Anne Hathaway stars as Andy. I have always believed that Anne is one of the most beautiful women working on the screen and, in this film it is just proven. She delivers a fabulous performance that is frustrated, trying, opinionated, and very genuine. It’s wonderful too, to see the physical transformation that she goes though (a very glamorous one to be sure), and then suffer the painful realisation that this lifestyle that everyone lusts after is actually the most evil and wicked thing that can ever be coveted. I just love Anne Hathaway and she was absolutely lovely in this movie. 

Then on the opposite end of the table we have Meryl Streep who stars as Miranda Priestly. A woman so glamorous and so intimidating and vicious, she was absolutely mesmerising to watch. Meryl is a diva, a real Dame of the screen and it felt was though this part was written especially for her! She gave a performance that was glamorous, passively ferocious, subtle, elegant, and just downright magnificent! Equally as glamorous and psycho as Glenn Close’s Cruella De Vil, just nowhere near as loud, Meryl was stunning! 

Starring Emily Blunt, Simon Baker, Adrian Grenier, Tracie Thoms, Rich Sommer, and Stanley Tucci, The Devil Wears Prada is a beautiful film that’s filled with fashion, glamour, drama, diets, romance, Paris, dreams, determination, and comedy. It’s a wonderfully uplifting movie that can just put you in a good mood and keep you on a high note. I absolutely love it! 

Still Crazy [M]

Twenty years ago, 70s phenomenon, Strange Fruit, were at the height of rock and roll. But they managed to bollocks it all up and broke up with much bitterness. Now, they’re two decades older and ready to rock, so they decide to get the back together, go on tour, and finish with a sold-out festival concert. But the ghosts of their past are never far behind them and whilst on tour, old angers and feuds are unearthed again, threatening to bollocks it all up a second time. 

This has to be one of the greatest rock and roll comedies ever made. It’s simple, packed with great original songs, has memorable characters, and harbours a great balance of comedy, drama, and romance. Whenever I watch this movie, I find myself laughing and tearing up at the same time. 

Twenty years ago, 70s phenomenon, Strange Fruit, were at the height of rock and roll. But they managed to bollocks it all up and broke up with much bitterness. Now, they’re two decades older and ready to rock, so they decide to get the band back together, go on tour, and finish with a sold-out festival concert. But the ghosts of their past are never far behind them and whilst on tour, old angers and feuds are unearthed again, threatening to bollocks it all up a second time. 

The story of a band reforming is one that has been done time and time again, but I don’t think we’ve ever seen a rock music film quite like this one. 

The real meat of the story is not in getting the band back together or the shows that they do, it’s in the personal histories and stories of the central characters. On the surface, they are quite the stereotypical rock band: you’ve got the glamorous lead singer lapping up the attention, then there’s the quiet, dark, and brooding bass player, we’ve got the keyboard player who tries to make peace with everyone, and then a new charismatic and flamboyant guitarist. But underneath these stereotypical surfaces, the ghosts of the band’s past torment each character. All this is really great because it gives you an insight into the dramas that go on behind closed doors in the world of rock and roll. The band of Strange Fruit is not a mockery of any band 70s band in particular, but really a montage of that music scene and I think it’s really great for audiences to see that, even though bands seem to get along onstage and in interviews, behind closed doors, they could really have some major beefs with one another. Shattering an illusion is what it is; that does sound harsh but it’s something that needs to be done. 

Featuring memorable performances from Bill Nighy (who your heart bleeds for in this movie), Stephen Rea, Jimmy Nail, Timothy Spall, Juliet Aubrey, Helena Bergstrom, Bruce Gibson, and Billy Connolly (who provided most of the comic relief along with Spall), Still Crazy is a wonderful film that’s perfect for a night in. Filled with comedy, romance, rock and roll, drama, and classic original tracks such as All Over the World and The Flame Still Burns, it really is a beautiful film, one that I absolutely adore!

The last tour I did was ten years ago with Aerosmith, but they've cleaned up their act. It's all wheatgrass juice and fucking pumpkins seeds! 

Spy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams [PG]

When Carmen and Juni Cortez, the two most highly respected spy kids in the OSS, experience a fall from grace, which was not their fault, they decide to take matters into their own hands and assign themselves a coveted mission to recover a device that threatens to shut off all power on earth. To save the world and clear their names, the two face challenges they’ve never seen before, including a powerful cloaking device and a load of crossbred mutant creatures. 

Not as good as the first Spy Kids, this movie still has it merits. There are more great, signature, messages about family harmony and such, not to mention even cooler gadgets, but ultimately I did feel that this movie just tried very hard to outdo the first one, which did not work as it melded the genres of spy and real fantasy together. The first one was James Bond meets The Goonies, but this one is more James Bond meets Indiana Jones (in particular, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull), which sort of adds insult to injury. 

When Carmen and Juni Cortex, the two most celebrated and respected spy kids in the OSS, experience a fall from grace, which was not their fault, they decide to take matters into their own hands and assign themselves a coveted mission to recover a device that threatens to shut of all the power on earth. To save the world and clear their names, the two face challenges the likes of which they have never seen before including a strange and powerful cloaking device and a hoard of crossbred, mutant creatures. 

It is the truth universally known that when a film does well at the box office, if the cash can be found, there will be a sequel. As a result sequels always try to outshine their predecessors with overdone aspects of what was great about the first film, mixed with new genres and stranger stories. Spy Kids 2 sees the James Bond spy genre of film blended with science-meets-imagination and a touch of the supernatural. Although it was still highly entertaining, you did get the feeling that the story was being made up as everyone went along… not to mention that the whole deal with the strange device that shuts off all power still has gaping holes in its explanation. 

On the plus side, the movie does make some wonderful points about modern youth’s dependence on technology. Not since Chaplin’s Modern Times have I see such clever points on man’s technological dependence shown. Keep an eye out for those! 

All our favourite actors are reprising their roles for a second time and we have the joy of being introduced to new characters, which is always fun. Starring Alexa Vega, Daryl Sabara, Antonio Banderas, Carla Gugino, Steve Buscemi, Mike Judge, Danny Trejo, Cheech Marin, Matt O’Leary, Emily Osment, Alan Cumming, Tony Shalhoub, Taylor Momsen (who I hadn’t seen in a film since The Grinch), Christopher McDonald, Ricardo Montalban, and Holland Taylor, Spy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams is a good family movie, but not as great as its predecessor. 

Filled with action, fantasy, interesting creatures, cool gadgets, rivalry, false accusations, action, and strong messages about familial harmony, it’s still a film that I’ll come back to every once in a while. Plus it features some great jokes after the credits begin to roll where we are introduced to Britney Lopez and Angus Van Santana. See? See? Maybe you should watch it just for that… 

Spy Kids [PG]

Like most children, 12 year-old Carmen Cortez and her younger brother Juni, think that their parents are the most boring people in the world… that is until they discover that their parents are actually super cool spies. Ingrid and Gregorio Cortez are assigned a special mission to rescue captured OSS agents and stop the wicked techno-wizard Floop from taking over the world with an army of robot children. But, having been almost 10 years out of the spy-game, the two are a bit rusty and end up captured themselves. Now, it’s up to Carmen and Juni to put aside their sibling rivalry and work together to become spies, rescue their parents, and save the world. 

Ah how I love a walk down Memory Lane; THIS MOVIE ROCKS! It has to be one of the greatest family movies ever made! It’s got absolutely everything in it from funky gadgets, to Bond music, to romance, fantasy, demented masterminds, sinisterness, heroes, touching messages about family, and plenty of comedy. With the action and vibe of a James Bond movie blended with the child-hero antics of something from Spielberg, Spy Kids has to be one of my all time favourite family films. 

Like most children, 12 year-old Carmen Cortez and her younger brother Juni, think that their parents are the most boring people in the world… that is until they discover that their mum and dad are actually a pair of super cool spies. Ingrid and Gregorio Cortez are assigned a special mission to rescue captured OSS agents and stop the wicked techno-wizard, Floop, from taking over the world with an army of robot children. But, having been out of the spy-game for almost 10 years, the two are a bit rusty and end up being captured themselves. Now, it’s up to Carmen and Juni to put aside their sibling rivalry and work together to become spies, rescue their parents, and save the world. 

Like Harry Potter or The Goonies, this movie is a real old-fashioned family film. For me, a family movie is one that is suitable for all ages, but there are scenes that are more mature or scary and need to be watched with an adult; hence, why most family films are rated PG. The kids as the heroes, saving adults, battling grownups, and saving the world, that holds all the appeal for the younger audience; that and the physical elements of slapstick comedy and minor action. But then we have a truly demented, although misunderstood, villain in Floop, which harbours a more sinister and darkly funny treat for the more mature members of the audience. I mean, the character of Floop, played beautifully by Alan Cumming, is one that is a bit Burton-esque. Almost like Johnny Depp’s Willy Wonka, but with more of a grip. And then we have Carla Gugino and Antonio Banderas who are so hot together. It’s like they were meant for each other. 

Starring Alexa Vega, Daryl Sabara, Carla Gugino, Antonio Banderas, Tony Shalhoub, Teri Hatcher, Cheech Marin, Robert Patrick, Danny Trejo, and featuring a surprise cameo from George Clooney, Spy Kids is a fantastic family film that’s packed with action, romance, cool gadgets, fantasy, sinisterness, touching messages, and plenty of comedy. I freaking love it, one of my all-time favourite family movies to come back to!

Sometimes, in order to think BIG, you have to think small

The Beaver [M]

Walter Black was once a successful toy executive, husband, and family man who now suffers from severe depression. No matter what he tries, he cannot seem to get himself back to himself… that is until a beaver hand puppet enters his life. He finds the puppet in a dumpster and soon uses it to speak through and pick himself up. For a while it seems to work, setting his rapport with his wife and youngest child back on track as well as his career, but soon the beaver becomes a more dominant part of Walter’s mind and threatens to wipe clean the slate of Walters past; something that Walter will not allow. 

This is really just a beautiful film about picking oneself up and redirecting one’s life. Directed by Jodi Foster, The Beaver was a very lovely, but dark psychological drama that I found completely captivating. 

Walter Black was once a successful toy executive, husband, and family man who now suffers from severe depression. No matter what he tries, he cannot seem to get himself back to himself… that is until a beaver hand puppet enters his life. He finds the puppet in a dumpster and uses it to speak through and pick himself up. For a while it seems to work, setting his rapport with his wife and youngest child back on track as well as his career, but soon the beaver becomes the more dominant part of Walter’s personality and threatens to wipe the slate of Walter’s past completely clean; something that Walter will not allow. 

What I liked most about this movie was that it began as a bland drama, then travelled down a more comedic path, before becoming very dark, and then finally leaving us with a feeling of hope that everything was going to turn out all right. 

Mel Gibson gave a great performance as Walter, a confused, numb man who for the beginning was uncertain of how to respond to anything. Then when he’s got the beaver on, he suddenly becomes charming, aggressive, funny, and full of life again… before he really goes insane. He was just great. 

Starring Jodi Foster, Cherry Jones, Anton Yelchin, Riley Thomas Stuart, and Zachary Booth, The Beaver is a great psychological drama that’s filled with comedy, frustration, depression, drama, and hope. I enjoyed it very much. 

The Pacifier [PG]

Lieutenant Shane Wolfe is a militant, tough-as-nails Navy SEAL who has an outstanding record of completed missions and brilliantly controlled combat assignments all over the globe. But now he faces his toughest and most dangerous assignment yet: babysitting. He is assigned to protect a house full of five out-of-control kids, whilst simultaneously searching for a top-secret code-scrambling program known only as Ghost. Faced with military weapons and martial artists, Shane has no problem; but changing a diaper is going to be a much tougher challenge. 

These sorts of family movies are always fun because they harbour something for everyone; kids, teens, and adults alike. The Pacifier is a wonderful movie that is balanced excellently between dramatic action, laugh-out-loud comedy, and heart-warming messages about acceptance and being oneself. It’s a great little film that I like to come back to once in a while. 

Lieutenant Shane Wolfe is a militant, tough-as-nails Navy SEAL who has an outstanding record of completed missions and brilliantly controlled combat assignments all over the globe. But now he faces his toughest and most dangerous assignment yet: babysitting. He is assigned to protect a house full of five out-of-control kids, whilst simultaneously searching for a top-secret code-scrambling program known only as Ghost. Faced with military weapons and martial artists, Shane has no problem; but changing a diaper is going to be a much tougher challenge. 

What’s great about these sorts of films is that the comedy comes in the form of the casting. The movie could have the lamest script and pointless story ever, but the audience will tend to hang around just to see a big action star doing a family comedy. Dwayne Johnson did it in The Game Plan, Arnold Schwarzenegger has us laughing in Kindergarten Cop, and even Jackie Chan had some comedic moments in The Spy Next Door. There is just something so appealing about watching these built, masculine, aggressive, men taking on roles of mother, hugging children, and cooing to infants. From the start, that’s where the comedy is. 

Then, in The Pacifier, we had wonderful side stories about bravery, standing up for yourself, and being content with you. Watching Vin Diesel having these really heartfelt talks with emotional teenagers was, not only funny, but really nice and touching. Makes you feel warm all over. 

Starring Vin Diesel, Lauren Graham, Faith Ford, Brittany Snow, Max Thieriot, Chris Potter, Morgan York, Brad Garrett, and Carol Kane, The Pacifier is a fun movie that has something for everyone. Packed with action, heart-warming friendships, and plenty of comedy, it’s a movie that’s nice and light and easy to come back to. 

And they say war is hell

The Change-Up [MA]

Growing up, Mitch and Dave were inseparable best friends. But as the years have passed, they have slowly drifted apart. That is until one fateful night when the two catch up for a few drinks. To Dave, Mitch’s life of being semi-employed, attractive, and single is a dream come true. To Mitch, Dave has it all: a beautiful wife, a fantastic house, and loads of money that comes from his high-paying job of being a lawyer. Whilst drunk and taking a piss in a fountain, the two simultaneously wish for each other’s life and then wake up to discover that their wish has come true. 

There are times when the changing-bodies trick works and then there are times when it doesn’t. For The Change-Up the body-changing thing not only didn’t work, it completely malfunctioned. At the end of an hour and a half, the film only slightly redeemed itself with the warm speech by Mitch in the last two seconds. And that was the only highlight of the film. 

Growing up, Mitch and Dave were inseparable best friends. But as the years have passed, they have slowly drifted apart. That is until one fateful night when the two catch up for a few drinks. To Dave, Mitch’s life of being semi-employed, single, and attractive is a dream come true. To Mitch, Dave has it all: a gorgeous wife, a fantastic house, and loads of money that comes from his high-paying job of being a lawyer. Whilst drunk and taking a piss in a fountain, the two simultaneously wish that they had each other’s life and then they wake up the following morning to discover that their wish has come true. 

For me, all this film was was really gross and crude sexual humour blended with physical gross-out sequences, most of which involved projectile excrement. The story has legs, and the few moments of heartfelt self-discovery that managed to crawl forth from the cesspool of crude humour did provide the audience with a quick breath of fresher air, but ultimately I found that this film just did not work… at all. 

The humour of a body-change story has really only worked when it’s between an adult and a teen, or a girl and a boy. In order for the humour of the body-change story to really work in this film, there would have needed to have been a lot more time establishing the characters of Dave and Mitch. We were only briefly introduced to them and so when Jason and Ryan are pretending to be one another, it really can’t be believed. 

Starring Jason Bateman, Ryan Reynolds, Leslie Mann, Mircea Monroe, and Alan Arkin, The Change-Up was a gross, crude, and stupid movie that I have no desires to watch again any time soon. Filled with crying, babies, screaming, sex, crude humour, and one or two heart-warming bits, you could really spend the time doing something more productive. 

Abduction [M]

For as long as he can remember, Nathan Harper has felt like he has been living a life that’s not his own. And when he stumbles upon a picture of himself as a child on a missing persons website, his dark doubts are confirmed: his parents are not really his parents and his life has been a lie. But it goes further than Nathan could ever have imagined as, whilst piecing together his identity, he becomes the target of trained killers. Unable to trust anyone but his neighbour Karen, Nathan is forced to go on the run, without a clue as to what he’s run from or for. 

This is a classic example of the pull of names. The reason I hired this movie was because it had both Alfred Molina and Jason Isaacs in it (and a little because I wanted to see Taylor Lautner play a role that wasn’t a werewolf). For the entire duration, I was just staring numbly at the screen. I got everything that was going on; the ins and outs of the plot and so on, but the film just had this feeling of “it’s all been done before”. Everyone was just going through the motions and it made this movie just another action film. 

For as long as he can remember, Nick Harper has felt like he has been living someone else’s life. And when he stumbles upon a picture of himself as a child on a missing persons website, his darkest doubts are confirmed: his parents are not really his parents and his life has been a lie. But it goes further than Nathan could ever have imagined as, whilst trying to piece together his identity, he becomes targeted by a team of trained killers. Unable to trust anyone but his neighbour Karen, Nathan is forced to go on the run, with no clue as to what he’s running from or for. 

To give it its dues, this movie did have a few things going for it. It wasn’t like it was all bad. The story was potentially engaging and original, an interesting story of teenage self-uncertainty set against the background of government and global conspiracy. A little bit like Hanna, just nowhere near as good. 

Taylor Lautner stars as Nathan and he did very well. He actually was the only person to real put an effort into his performance. He broke out aggression, confusion, emotional frustration, smooth romance, and plenty of hard-talking action; he laughed, cried, screamed, fought, and kicked arse. Good on you Taylor. 

What brought the film down I think was the general feeling that it gave up not a quarter into the thing. There is no action that we haven’t seen before, all the characters are recognisable, and all the actors really just went through the motions, making it feel like they really weren’t trying. You have all these great actors, and Taylor was the only one who genuinely put in an effort. My respect for him rises. 

Not to mention that the ending was just downright stupid, but we won’t dwell on that. 

Starring Taylor Lautner, Lilly Collins, Maria Bello, Jason Isaacs, Alfred Molina, Michael Nyqvist, and Sigourney Weaver, Abduction was just another action movie. Filled with chases, shootings, conspiracy, romance, and plenty of under-the-radar sneaking, I thought it was a film that had potential, but for some reason just gave up halfway through.  

Dead Poets Society [PG]

When charismatic English professor, John Keating, arrives at a strict boys school, his unconventional and untraditional teaching methods breathe new life into the into the curriculum that is steeped in tradition. With his wit, wisdom, and passion for poetry, he inspires the boys to pursue individual passions, each that no boy would dare have dreamed to pursue before, and make their lives important and extraordinary. 

One of the most emotionally moving and inspirational films ever, Dead Poets Society is a cinematic triumph for Peter Weir. Although is does not earn a place in The Book, it truly is a film that no person should go their lives without seeing as it harbours such beautiful stories, wonderful performances, memorable characters, and iconic moments. I LOVE THIS MOVIE! 

When charismatic English professor, John Keating, arrives to take a teaching post a strict boys school, his unconventional and untraditional teaching methods breathe new life into a curriculum that is steeped in tradition. With his wit, wisdom, and passion for poetry, he inspires the boys to pursue individual passions, some that they would never have dared to before, and make their lives important, extraordinary, and all their own. 

I think the major reason why I love this film is that it’s absolute gold from an English student’s point of view. There are so many wondrous and dramatic themes and metaphors that can be interpreted and explored, which gives the film its inflection of being a poem in itself. As we see the boys interpreting meanings in Keating’s poems, we as an audience are doing the same, but instead of the poem, we are interpreting the characters’ actions and statements. The most powerful and iconic example of this is the climactic final scene which sees a number of the boys stand up on their desks, ignoring their schoolmaster’s repeated orders to sit down. By merely looking at the gesture of standing on the table, you can see that the boys are showing defiance and exercising their own personal power; they are standing up against tradition, against order, for what they believe in, and for themselves. The film is riddled with emotive and delicious metaphoric scenes such as this and it’s a delight to watch them and go “ah I see what they’re doing.” IT’S FANTASTIC! 

The film is perfectly balanced too, which is something that I look for in a good movie. The audience is exposed to dramatic stories, a bit of romance, adversity, inspiration, defiance, sadness, and comedy, and all this keeps you completely captivated and makes the time fly, seriously it did not feel as though this film went for two hours. 

Starring Robin Williams, Ethan Hawke, Robert Sean Leonard, Josh Charles, Gale Hansen, Dylan Kussman, Allelon Ruggiero, James Waterston, Kurtwood Smith, and Norman Lloyd, Dead Poets Society is a wonderful film that is filled with power, emotion, poetry, defiance, romance, dreams, passion, friendship, and comedy. It’s absolutely beautiful and if I were to write my own version of The Book, it would definitely be in there! 

Captain my captain!

Billy Elliot [M]

Young Billy Elliot is 11 years old and the son of a coal miner on strike. One day, during his weekly boxing lesson, Billy stumbles into Mrs. Wilkinson’s ballet lesson and before long he becomes immersed in ballet, showing a raw talent for dance that he never knew he had. Soon, Billy is reaching for the stars, overcoming adversity from his father, brother, and every other person in town who thinks that ballet is for poofs. 

Aw, I love this movie. Admittedly I haven’t watched it for quite some time, since adding it to the collection for the sole purpose of study for the HSC and, of course, by then I had seen it so many times it had lost all meaning. But now, years later, I can watch it again and feel all the emotional swells and throws that it affords. It’s really a lovely little film, with the heart of Blow Dry and the wit and drama of Educating Rita. 

Young Billy Elliot is 11 years old and the son of a coal miner on strike in Northern England in the 80s. One day, during his weekly boxing lesson, Billy stumbles into Mrs. Wilkinson’s ballet lesson and before long he becomes immersed in ballet, showing a raw talent for dance that he never knew he had. Soon, Billy is reaching for a dream of dance, overcoming adversity from his father, brother, and every other person in town who thinks that ballet is for poofs. 

This is really just a wonderful story of defiance and overcoming adversity, in all forms. We don’t just see battle with the social stereotype of what makes a man macho or gay, but we also see social struggles, sexual struggles, class conflicts, and economic struggles. All forms of drama and conflict are covered here and it’s wonderful to see this single character with a dream of being himself bring all these barriers crashing down and opening people’s minds. People who are well above his maturity level too,… which just adds that emotional clout. Oh, it’s just lovely. 

Jaime Bell stars as young Billy and he was absolutely brilliant. Delivering a performance that was vibrant, frustrated, aggressive, uncertain, and wonderfully emotive, Jaime just grabs the audience around the waist and waltzes with them throughout the film, not letting them go until the credits begin to roll. 

Starring Julie Walters, Gary Lewis, Jean Heywood, Jamie Draven, Stuart Wells, and Nicola Blackwell, Billy Elliot is a wonderful film that’s filled with heart, ambition, conflict, dreams, and defiance. Not to mention the fact that it’s backed by a rocking soundtrack featuring songs by T-Rex, The Jam, and The Clash. It’s really a gorgeous film that’s completely captivating from start to finish. 

Eyes Wide Shut [R]

One winter night, Dr. William Harford, a fine and happily married New Yorker is plunged into an erotic foray that threatens his marriage and may even ensnare him into a strange and lurid murder mystery, after his wife Alice admits to him of her sexual longings and, in jealous uncertainty, he winds up at a strange place that he should never have gone to in the first place. 

Thanks Kubrick, I’m going to be haunted by people in masks and black cloaks for the next week! The Shining was great because it freaked me out as a horror, fair play and job done. Lolita moved slowly but its stars’ performances kept me captivated. 2001 I found amazing but at the same time just downright strange. And now we have Eyes Wide Shut, a film that has made me realise that, although he really is a master filmmaker, I just cannot process or handle Kubrick. At the end of two and a half hours, this movie left me confused, frightened, and a little sick in my stomach. I do not deny that it was another Kubrick classic: haunting and violently startling, but it just made me feel numb and bit repulsed. This may even be the first review where I say that it’s not the film… it’s me. 

One fateful winter night, Dr. William Harford, a fine married New Yorker is plunged into an erotic foray that threatens his marriage and may even ensnare him into a strange murder mystery, after his wife Alice admits to him of her sexual longings and, in jealous uncertainty, he winds up in a strange place that he should never had been near in the first place. 

Watching this movie, it occurred to me that Kubrick is a filmmaker a little like Hitchcock, although Kubrick does tend to cross the line between what thrills and what sickens. Like Hitchcock’s Rear Window, in Eyes Wide Shut we are given a scenario; we know what we’ve seen and heard, and then we spend the rest of the movie forming our own thrilling and terrible conclusions, scaring ourselves massively in the process. 

The film’s lack of characters and its recurring piano piece, which really does make everything the scarier and will probably haunt me for a fortnight, makes Kubrick’s final film a real haunting and unforgettable one. 

Starring Tom Cruise, Nicole Kidman, Sydney Pollack, Todd Field, Julienne Davis, Marie Richardson, Vinessa Shaw, Rade Serbedzija, and Alan Cumming, Eyes Wide Shut was a spine-tingling and captivatingly twisted film that was filled with sex, charades, dreams, longing, frustration, uncertainty, and uh sex. A powerful film that strikes a violent blow to its audience members, it’s a movie that I can see the brilliance of, but simply could not handle.

The History Boys [M]

In a grey and grim northern Grammar School in Yorkshire, a select group of incredibly bright boys are desperately studying to pass their entrance exams for Oxford and Cambridge. Although each boy knows all the answers, their papers and essays lack “flare” and so a new teacher is brought in not only to teach them history, but to teach them to answer questions in a way that no one else will… an interesting way. 

On the surface, this is a mere film about a group of boys learning the ways of literature and the world, with a hint of the Dead Poets Society about it. But underneath, there are some beautifully conveyed themes of sexual curiosity, religion, homosexuality, and even defiant acceptance in the face of change and order. It’s a wonderful little film that is both dramatic and witty at the same time. I really liked it. 

In a grey and grim northern Grammar School in Yorkshire, a select group of incredibly bright boys are desperately studying to pass their entrance exams for Oxford and Cambridge. Although each boy is incredibly cultured and knows all the answers, their papers and essays lack “flare” and so a new teacher is brought in to not only teach them history, but to teach them to write about in a way that no one else will… and interesting way. 

I must first begin by expressing my intrigue for one particular actor in this film: Dominic Cooper. People will most probably know him for his role in Mamma Mia! alongside Amanda Seyfried, but he was also in Starter For 10, The Duchess and An Education and, quite seriously, in every single film that I have seen him in, he just radiates coolness; even when he’s dressed up all dapper or even period, there is just something about him that is immensely hip. In History Boys, for the most part, he rocks a school uniform of tie, white shirt, and black pants and jacket, mediocre and formal, but he just makes it look so damned cool! It’s like watching the slow-motion walk of the most popular and handsome boy in teen movies… and it would impress me to no end if Dominic goes around in everyday life with that slow-motion swagger. I just find him so intriguing. 

Anyway, back to the film. What I particularly loved about History Boys was its wonderfully wordy and bitingly witty script. A most powerful congregation of words and ideas and opinions if ever there was one and, watching the characters verbalise it on screen, it feels like floating in a cool, calm body of water with your face directly under the sun; a balanced feeling of complete calm and enlightenment. 

With brilliant performances from Dominic Cooper, Samuel Anderson, James Corden, Stephen Campbell Moore, Richard Griffiths, Frances de la Tour, Andrew Knott, Russell Tovey, Jamie Parker, Samuel Barnett, and Sacha Dhawan, History Boys is a wonderful film that’s light and enlightening and filled with history, comedy, science, drama, and plenty of witty comedy. I really liked it it’s a great film. 

Starter For 10 [M]

For as long as he can remember, Brian Jackson has wanted to be clever. Now it’s 1985, Thatcher’s in power, Marty McFly’s trying to get back to the future, and Brian is a wide-eyed university student whose incredible wealth of knowledge leaves him wanting in terms of sociality and women. On his way to achieving his dream of appearing on University Challenge, Brian falls in love with fellow teammate, Alice, and has his conscience, as well as other things, pricked by rights activist Rebecca; all whilst trying to avoid turning into the wanker that his hometown friends think he will. 

Total Film said that this was “a cross between About a Boy and The Breakfast Club, which I do not agree with (there was nothing Breakfast Club about it), but Starter For 10 is a very lovely light little comedy that can appeal to a wide audience, there can be no doubt. Armed with its great modern story of social awkwardness and then its brilliant soundtrack, this is a film that gains laughs, cringes, squeals, and warm sighs, all within the space of an hour and half. 

For as long as we can remember, Brian Jackson has wanted to be clever. Now it’s 1985, Thatcher’s in power, Marty McFly’s trying to get back to the future, and Brian is a fresh-faced and wide-eyed university student whose incredible wealth of knowledge leaves him wanting in terms of sociality and women. On his way to achieving his dream of being on University Challenge, Brian falls in love with fellow teammate, Alice, and gets his conscience, as well as other things, pricked by bubbly rights activist, Rebecca; all whilst trying to avoid turning into the gay student wanker that his hometown friends think he’ll turn into. 

A subtle story and portrayal of adolescent awkwardness, Starter For 10 really is a lovely and quite sophisticated little film. It’s not a teen movie per say, more a mature-student-who-missed-that-promiscuous-part-of-high-school movie. A story after my own heart as it were. 

The central comedy comes in the form of Brian’s feeble and amateurish attempts to woo Alice, which not only end up being subtly hilarious, but also create conflict and, by extension, path for the film to progress on. 

James McAvoy stars as Brian Jackson and he was great. He played the role of a fresh-faced student to a tee, and gave a performance that was funny, heartfelt, clever, trying, and, on occasion, a tad dramatic. He was great. 

Starring Catherine Tate, Mark Gatsis, Guy Henry, James Corden, Dominic Cooper, Rebecca Hall, Benedict Cumberbatch, Elaine Tan, and Alice Eve, Starter For 10 is a lovely little film that’s filled with romance, blunders, questions, answers, punch-ups, and self-discovery. It was a really nice, light little film that holds something for everyone, I think.