Hannah Belle's Couch

Crazy, Stupid, Love. [M]

2012-01-31T02:52:00.000-08:00

It begins with a single sentence: “I want a divorce”. Cal Weaver thought his marriage was perfect; he had a beautiful wife, lovely children, and a fine house. But then his perfect world comes crashing down when his wife tells him that she has cheated on him and wants a divorce. Cal takes to moping in bars, until he is picked up by smooth and irresistible player, Jacob, who takes him under his wing and makes him over into a completely different person. But the one thing that cannot be made over is Cal’s heart, which seems to keep leading him right back to where he started.

Another romantic comedy that proved that those who persevere are rewarded, Crazy, Stupid, Love. was a very touching and heart-warmingly funny little comedy that had me sighing, cringing, occasionally exclaiming in disgust, and laughing. It’s a really nice film that I think I could easily come back to.

It begins with a single sentence: “I want a divorce”. Cal Weaver thought his marriage was perfect; he had a beautiful wife, lovely children, and a fine house. But then his perfect world comes crashing down when his wife reveals that she has cheated on him and wants a divorce. Cal takes to moping in bars, until he is picked up by smooth player, Jacob, who takes him under his wing and makes him over into a whole new man. But the one thing that cannot be made over is Cal’s heart, which seems to keep leading him right back to where he began.

It has to be said that quite a few of these romantic comedies with loads of central characters are always trying to be original by interlinking the different love stories. Love Actually was the first film that accomplished this and remains, forever, the favourite. We then have He’s Just Not That Into You, which interlinked the stories in a different way that reflected the script, which I found very engaging. After that comes the runt of the litter, which was Valentine's Day, which really was just fluff stories that were haphazardly linked together five seconds before the credits rolled. I still loved it though. And now we have this film, which really only has two major romantic stories and one or two minor ones that all congregate and interlink in a very memorable punch-up three quarters of the way through. At last, a romantic comedy that interlinked its stories originally and cleverly. Loved it.

I also loved the many layers that made up this movie. On the surface it’s a story of man rediscovering himself, but underneath there are very strong, bubbling sentiments and messages of hope, romantic rights, and even one or two hints of the somewhat charming misogynistic.

The other factor that made this film so engaging was the strange combination of the cast. The line-up features memorable performances from Steve Carell, Julianne Moore, Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone, and Kevin Bacon, that’s a pretty quirky cast mixture right there if I might say so. Everyone gave great performances, though I have to say that those of Emma Stone, Analeigh Tipton, and Jonah Bobo really took the cake.

Filled with romance, awkwardness, cheesy pick-up lines, smooth plays, make-ups, break-ups, shake-ups, and a love-induced punch-up that rivals that of Colin Firth and Hugh Grant’s, Crazy, Stupid, Love. is a wonderful little romantic comedy that I’m sure will probably end up in the collection by tomorrow afternoon.

A Beautiful Mind [M]

2012-01-30T02:09:00.000-08:00

John Nash is an eager and astonishingly brilliant mathematician, on the brink of international acclaim. But suddenly, he becomes entangled in a mysterious and dangerous conspiracy involving secret militant operations that threaten not only his life, but those of his family as well. With fear and doubt haunting John at every turn, it now falls to his devoted wife, Alicia, to help pull him through this dark tunnel and make him see that beneath the cloud of fear there is a beautiful mind that can triumph.

The winner of four Academy Awards in 2001 including that of Best Picture, A Beautiful Mind is a magnificent film that tells a gripping and breathtaking story of courage, talent, and strength of mind. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, it will change your life and broaden your mind.

John Nash is an eager and astonishingly brilliant mathematician, on the brink of international acclaim. But suddenly, he becomes entangled in a mysterious and dangerous conspiracy involving secret militant operations that not only threaten his life, but those of his family as well. With fear and doubt haunting him at every turn, it now falls to his devoted wife, Alicia, to help pull him through this dark tunnel and make him see that beneath that cloud of fear and uncertainty, there is a truly beautiful mind that can and will triumph.

I will admit that this film is a little slow to begin with. It’s not until you’re an hour into it that you really become involved and engrossed in what is happening and where the story could possibly be heading. What keeps you engaged for all that time is the dazzling performances from the film’s cast, in particular, that of Russell Crowe.

Now, I have no shame in admitting that Russell Crowe is another actor who’s bandwagon I have never jumped on. I do not, by any means, deny that he is a versatile and very talented actor, but there is just something about him that repels me. I honestly don’t know what the deal is; it’s probably just a weird personality thing. BUT, watching him as the protagonist in this film… oh my goodness… SO moving! SO memorable. SO stunning! Although for a fair portion of the time, he didn’t open his mouth wide enough for coherent dialogue to escape it, but what is mere dialogue when actions and features can speak just as forcibly? Russell delivered an amazing performance that was fearful, uncertain, vulnerable, but aggressive when he needed to be. I found him incredibly moving and breathtakingly heartfelt.

Jennifer Connelly stars as Alicia, Nash’s wife, and her performance was just dazzling. She provided the film with its drama and conflict, which played wonderfully against Crowe’s wit, intellect, and “reality” (the “bunny-rabbit ears” are to give you a hint as to what sort of conflicts this film involves, without giving too much away). Jennifer’s performance was movingly frustrated, devoted, romantic, and tragically conflicted; a mesmerising performance.

Starring Ed Harris, Christopher Plummer, Josh Lucas, Anthony Rapp, and Paul Bettany, A Beautiful Mind was a mesmerising film that was filled with problems, answers, drama, wit, heart, romance, and courage.

Oh, and I should give the people in makeup a special mention and congrats because the makeup at the end of the film was amazing! Seriously, it took me a while to recognise Jennifer; I practically did not recognise her at all. Well done everything involved in that!

Winner of four Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best Actress in a Supporting Role, Best Director, and Best Screenplay, it’s a truly beautiful film that really should not be missed.

Interview With the Vampire [M]

2012-01-29T02:39:00.000-08:00

San Francisco, 1994: reporter Daniel Molloy interviews Louis de Pointe du Lac, a man who is also a vampire. Louis tells Molloy the story of his past: his transformation from death-obsessed mortal to ravenous immortal, his dealings with his mentor, the stylish and irresistible Lestat, and his endless suffering as a creature that is damned.

Based on the novel by Anne Rice (who also wrote the screenplay), Interview With the Vampire is a good, decadent, and old-fashioned type of vampire movie, not one of these modern ones that loses all the eroticism and magnetic pull of vampires like the Twilight saga does. This, right here, is real vampirism! Like Coppola’s Dracula, Interview With the Vampire was decadent, erotic, indulgent, and theatrically dramatic, balanced with a healthy hint of dark comedy that kept you enthralled from the first frame.

San Francisco, 1994: reporter Daniel Molloy interviews Louis de Pointe du Lac, a man who appears normal but is in fact a vampire. Louis tells Molloy the story of his past: his transformation from haunted and death-obsessed mortal to ravenous and evil immortal, his dealings with his mentor and creator, the stylish and irresistible Lestat, and his endless suffering and regret as a creature that is damned forever.

It must be said, although I have most probably mentioned it already, that I am not really that much of a horror fan. I tend to get scared quite easily, and so try to avoid films that might overstimulate the horrific portion of my brain. Although, watching “horrors” such as Dracula and now Interview With the Vampire, it must be said that there are fine lines that must be tread when making a horror movie. For me, horrors are about scaring your audience, making them jump in their seats and squeal and scream out loud and such. It occurred to me, whilst watching this movie, that the whole genre game has gained a few too many rules, most of which tread the fine lines between what makes a horror and what makes a thriller. And you know what? Anything with a supernatural or unhuman element makes a horror movie when stories and characters that are legitimately scary turn up in thriller films. In short, thrillers are the films to go with if you want to get scared… mostly.

Interview With the Vampire was not so much scary as undeniably sexy. The title sums up the entire plot of the film: a vampire’s trials and tribulations, but it was the characters and the performances that kept you enthralled.

Although Brad Pitt, who did very well in the role of Louis de Pointe de Lac, is the star of the show, the applause must go to (and I cannot believe the words are coming out of my mouth) Tom Cruise. I have never been a Tom Cruise fan, mainly because everyone else in the world loves him. I know this is fairly petty because he is actually a fine actor, but there it is. As the vampire Lestat, oh, he could suck my blood any day. That may sound a bit sick, but there it is. I never thought that I would say that Tom Cruise was sexy, but here we have history in the making. TOM CRUISE IS SEXY. His performance was wonderfully decadent in absolutely everything, the verbal delivery, the merciless facial expressions, the graceful gestures, and the lingering mouth just millimetres from the throat; well it’s just almost orgasmic. I cannot believe I just said that.

Starring Brad Pitt, Antonio Banderas, Stephen Rea, Kirsten Dunst (who was brilliant, she’s a real talent, even as a little girl), and Christian Slater, Interview With the Vampire was a great film that was filled with murder, betrayal, immortality, torment, drama, comedy, and plenty of blood. A good, old-fashioned, decadent vampire movie, it’s a film that I really enjoyed and found both beautiful and melancholy. It’s great.

Adam Hills - Live in the Suburbs [M]

2012-01-28T23:17:00.000-08:00

When he isn’t hosting ABC’s Spicks & Specks, comedian and all around nice guy Adam Hills is travelling the world, bringing classic comedy and laughs to a myriad of audiences. This is his debut stand-up show, filmed in the outer Melbourne suburb of Pakenham, and shows Adam regaling a great audience with tales of personal philosophies, anecdotes, and general observations about everything from language to the real problems with women’s magazines.

My family and I absolutely adore Adam Hills for a number of reasons: 1) he is not only very clever, but he’s very observant and does not rely on swearing, screaming, or sexual innuendo to get the laughs. 2) He’s genuinely a really nice guy. Now it’s an awful thing to say that someone is nice; it’s not a word that I prefer to use very often, but when I attribute it to Adam Hills, I mean that he is wonderfully caring, down to earth, and someone that seems really approachable. He makes one feel completely at ease. And finally, 3) he’s very big on audience participation and I really love that. What I love most about his audience participation is that it doesn’t necessarily assist in the success of the show, he just has a genuine interest in what people make up his audiences, so he asks them; what they do, are they there with someone, and other little questions that might pop into his head. He’s just lovely and a joy to watch any and every time.

When he isn’t hosting ABC’s Spicks & Specks, comedian and all around nice guy, Adam Hills is travelling the world, bringing classic comedy and laughs to a myriad of audiences. Live In the Suburbs is his debut stand-up show, filmed in the Melbourne outer suburb of Pakenham, and shows Adam regaling the audience with personal philosophies, anecdotes, opinions, and general observations about everything from language to why women’s magazines are so truly evil.

Being his first show, it’s sort of weird coming back to it after having seen him doing other and some would say better or more evolved shows. But that’s what’s really lovely about Adam; you can come back to his earlier stuff and still be charmed and in fits of laughter. Live in the Suburbs first sees Adam break the ice with a memorable bit of audience participation and I particularly loved that because it grabbed your attention straight away, but also opened the doorway for original and spontaneous ad-libbing. There is something really great about watching comedians ad-lib because it really shows you how clever they are… or some of them are. Adam would have to be the cleverest of the comedians I love, mainly because much of his material is based on personal observations and experiences and points out things about ourselves that even we aren’t aware of. Seriously, watching this show, you spend most of it in hysterics and then the other portion going “oh yeah we do!”. I think that Adam and this show can be summed up in two words: genuine and charming.

Filled with rants and exclamations about language, Australian geography, Steve Irwin, male strippers, women’s magazines, James Brown, real jobs, and anecdotes containing prosthetic limbs, Live in the Suburbs is a wonderfully original and entertaining show that I can always come back to and enjoy again and again. I LOVE HIM!

Adventureland [M]

2012-01-27T13:57:00.000-08:00

Uptight and over-educated college graduate, James Brennan, cannot wait to go to Europe and get a taste of “real-adult life”. But his plans are dramatically upended when his family suffers from a financial downturn. So instead of the artistic and cultural lures of Paris or Vienna, next stop for James is Adventureland, where he becomes saddled with a crappy, minimum-wage summer job. But whilst the work sucks, James gains a few insights into life, love, and friendship and has a few experiences just as good as any abroad.

Yeah, so I saw this film a while ago when it first came out on DVD and thought it was rather nice, but mediocre. Watching it a second time, although it holds more sway because of my newly developed “thing” for Jesse Eisenberg, I still maintain that it is a nice movie, worth watching at any rate, but to be sure, it’s nothing overly magic.

Uptight and over-educated college graduate, James Brennan, cannot wait to go to Europe and get a taste of “real-adult life”. But his plans are dramatically upended when his family suffers from a financial downturn. So instead of the artistic and cultural lures of Paris or Vienna, next stop for James is Adventureland where he becomes saddled with a crappy, minimum-wage summer job. But whilst the work sucks, James gets a few important insights into love, life, and friendship and has a few experiences of a different kind, but equally as good as any abroad.

I think the best way to describe this movie is fine, nice, those sorts of plain words with long “I” vowel sounds. The story is fairly sturdy with a few dramatic twists and turns and it was just a generally good portrayal of that uncertain teen stage between school and the real world. The gaining experiences, the saving money, planning the next move and such was shown very well, which gives the film a good sense of realism with everything seeming really natural; performances, script, everything.

The romantic leads of Jesse Eisenberg and Kristen Stewart were great as each represented a character that I’m sure everyone knows in their lives. Jesse, the charming, vulnerable, sweet, and well-intentioned guy that gets exposed to the rougher side of life, and Kristen the genuinely cool and don’t-give-a-shit girl who just seems to saunter neutrally through, although underneath, she has a rougher side. Like Eagle Vs. Shark, the romance was sort of played-down and sometimes awkward, only not as funny and awkward as the aforementioned film.

Starring Jesse Eisenberg, Kristen Stewart, Jack Gilpin, Wendie Malick, Matt Bush, Kristen Wiig, Bill Hader, Martin Starr, Margareta Levieva, and Ryan Reynolds, Adventureland is a nice little film that’s filled with a crappy job, memorable characters, romance, comedy, and a great soundtrack featuring Crowded House, David Bowie, INXS, the Cure, and Lou Reed. It’s nothing overly special, but it’s worth watching as a bit of simple and relaxing brain candy.

The Dark Knight [M]

2012-01-24T00:57:00.000-08:00

As Batman and the new District Attorney, Harvey Dent, beat and hammer Gotham’s mobs to the point of desperation, they slowly realise that there will be repercussions to their acts of nobility and protection. With a new villain, the theatrical and psychotic Joker gaining the help of the mobs, prowling the streets of Gotham and turning everything into chaos, Batman is faced with the challenge of accepting that he may not be the hero that Gotham needs.

The darkest, mind-expanding, and delightfully twisted of all the Batman films, The Dark Knight is a film that simply cannot be missed, earning the late Heath Ledger, God rest his soul, his posthumous Oscar for the most outstanding portrayal of the Joker ever to be seen and felt on screen.

As Batman and the new District Attorney, Harvey Dent, beat and hammer Gotham’s mobs to the point of desperation, they slowly realise that there will be repercussions to their acts of nobility, righteousness, and protection. With a new villain, the theatrical and psychotic Joker gaining the help of the mobs, prowling the streets and turning everything into chaos, Batman is faced with the challenge of accepting that maybe he is not the hero that Gotham needs.

There can be no question that Heath Ledger was the pivotal centre of this film, but before we delve into the sick, twisted, and just genuinely outstanding performance that he gave, let us first talk about the script. I found this with Batman Begins also, though more evident in this film, that the scripts are very crucial ingredients because they clue the audience into the mindset of the characters. When plans are exposed to the audience, hero’s and villain’s alike, new ideas and perceptions of societal morals, social standing, and general human behaviour are introduced into our minds and we come away from this movie completely aware and much more enlightened than before. It really makes you sit and marvel at the power of the written or spoken word. It’s pretty damned cool yes?

Now, to get to the real meat of the film: the totally and inexplicably outstanding and memorable performance from our very own Heath Ledger. Starring as the Joker, Heath delivered a wonderfully psychotic and dark and twisted performance that chilled, repelled, and held you in complete captivation. What was particularly great about Heath’s Joker, and I do believe that this makes him the greatest villain of all time, was that you had no idea where he was coming from, what his angle was, what he wanted. It’s explained simply and clearly in the script, but Heath’s macabre portrayal of a twisted mind was really enthralling and totally compelling and empowering. People are a lot scarier when you don’t know what their motive is and when Heath delivers that great line of “I’m a dog chasing cars, I wouldn’t know what to do with one if I caught it”, that sums up the character of his Joker, but at the same time it doesn’t answer anything and even though people don’t like being in the dark when it comes to movies, The Dark Knight, and Heath’s Joker in particular, just proves that the most sinister and effective characters are the ones that have no back story. Seriously, it is blatantly impossible to write how amazing and deeply moving Heath’s performance was. I mean you could feel it in your very core. IT WAS ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!

Starring Christian Bale, Gary Oldman, Michael Caine, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Morgan Freemn, and Aaron Eckhart, who delivered another wonderful performance, both as a hero and villain, The Dark Knight is an incredible movie that simply cannot be missed. It’s packed with drama, action, explosions, romance, merciless slaughter, violence, a great script, and delightfully dark comedy. IT’S ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT AND I WILL HUNT YOU DOWN, KILL YOU, AND CARVE YOUR FACE IF YOU DO NOT SIT DOWN AND WATCH IT!

Let’s put a smile on that face!

Johnny English [PG]

2012-01-23T12:55:00.000-08:00

The crown jewels have been stolen. All Britain’s secret agents have been eliminated…except one. Johnny English, a bumbling and foolish agent now has the chance to make his dreams of being a spy, getting the girl, and saving England come true. The one downside is that, although his heart is in the right place, his actions just tend to make things worse, and with the villainous Pascal Sauvage out to steal the throne of England, time is against him and there is no room for mistakes.

A very funny and clever spy spoof, Johnny English is a very entertaining film that’s packed with action, adventure, comedy, romance, and memorable performances.

The crown jewels have been stolen. All Britain’s secret agents have been eliminated… except one. Johnny English, a bumbling and foolish agent now has the chance to make his dreams of being a spy, getting the girl, and saving England come true. The one downside is that, although his heart is in the right place, his actions just tend to make everything worse and with the villainous Pascal Sauvage out to steal the throne of England, time is against Johnny and there is no room for mistakes.

What I like particularly about this film is that it’s British so the humour is all very clever and intellectual, but at the same time it’s more of a physical movie. When I say that, I mean that much of the comedy comes in the form of English’s physical blunders. Essentially the central comedy is schadenfreude, and a great example of it at that. You can piece together what sort of blunders the hero is going to make, which means that you’re laughing before the punch line. It’s just great.

Rowan Atkinson stars as Johnny English and I don’t think anyone else could have done it. Rowan’s facial expressions added to his wonderful way of verbally digging a hole for himself, his sense of arrogance, and his heart-warming genuine attempts to save the world, make him the sort of character that, even though he’s a fool and sometimes a bit of a prick, you’re rooting for him to succeed. It’s just great.

Starring Natalie Imbruglia, Ben Miller, Kevin McNally, Tim Pigott-Smith, and John Malkovich, Johnny English is a great movie that’s fun for everyone. Packed with action, blunders, adventure, gadgets, arrogance, romance, and comedy, it’s a great little film that’s both light and engaging.

Batman Begins [M]

2012-01-22T01:47:00.000-08:00

Left disillusioned, fearful, and angered by the brutal murder of his parents, billionaire heir Bruce Wayne travels the world seeking the means to fight injustice and turn fear against those who prey on the fearful. After being trained by a mysterious force called the League of Shadows, Bruce returns to his home city of Gotham, dismayed to find it a cesspool of corruption, crime, greed, and desperation. With the help of his butler Alfred and his ally Lucius Fox, Bruce unleashes his newly-found alter ego Batman: a caped crusader who uses his strength, intellect, and array of highly sophisticated weapons to fight the crime and injustice that threatens Gotham.

Batman, like Indiana Jones or even the Muppets, is a phenomenon that knows no boundaries and has no expiration date. After the Tim Burton productions of the caped crusader in the 80s, director Christopher Nolan reintroduces possibly the most famous and celebrated hero to a new generation in this great film that is packed with plenty of action, a great plot, romance, and memorable moments of light-hearted comedy.

Left disillusioned, fearful, and angered by the brutal murder of his parents, billionaire heir Bruce Wayne travels the world seeking the means to fight injustice and turn fear against those who prey on the fearful. After being trained by a mysterious force called the League of Shadows, Bruce returns to his home city of Gotham, dismayed to discover that is has become a cesspool of corruption, greed, fear, crime, and desperation. With the help of his faithful butler Alfred and his newly found ally Lucius Fox, Bruce unleashes his newly-discovered alter ego, Batman: a caped crusader who uses his strength, intellect, and sophisticated weapons to fight the crime and injustice that threatens Gotham.

I firmly believe that modern adaptations of classic stories and characters have lost that great characterisation and acting talent and place too much emphasis on special effects, explosions and the like. And, even though I love this movie and find is as rollicking and awesome as any Inception or League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, there is something wanting.

The basic plot is fantastic, one of the few in which the climax is explained to the audience before the first half is over (and then, in the midst of all the action and numerous bad guys that we have to keep track of, we forget it, thus getting surprised and reminded at the end), but (and this is my real only beef with this movie) they could have worked a little more on the performances and script, and less on the explosions and action. Don’t, get me wrong though; they were pretty effing awesome! And Michael Caine and Morgan Freeman did turn in memorable performance with many of the best lines of the film.

Starring Christian Bale, Liam Neeson, Michael Caine, Katie Holmes, Cillian Murphy (who was born to be a bad guy), Tom Wilkinson, Rutger Hauer, Ken Watanabe, and Gary Oldman, Batman Begins is a fantastically action-packed and rollicking movie filled with romance, fighting, ninjas, cool gadgets, humour, and plenty of action. It’s not the best representation of Batman to be sure, but it’s damned entertaining and rather mind-blowing to boot. I am happy to own it, I must say.

The Muppets [G]

2012-01-21T20:19:00.000-08:00

It’s been years since the Muppets have done a show together, but although they’ve been off the stage for a while, they have not been forgotten. When Walter and his brother Gary, both massive Muppet fans, take a tour of the abandoned and condemned Muppet studios, Walter overhears an evil oil philanthropist’s plans to tear down the studio and dig for oil, that is unless the Muppets can raise the $10 000,000 they need to keep the theatre. So it’s time to raise the curtain, it’s time to light the lights, it’s time to bring the Muppets back together for the Muppet Show tonight!

Well, as we all know, I AM A MASSIVE MUPPET FAN! So it would have been so completely and utterly blasphemous of me if I did not go to see the new Muppet movie! The Muppets are back man! Back with a vengeance! And life could not be better! Seriously, growing up with the Muppets was possibly the best thing about growing up and I am so glad that a new generation of younglings can have the same wondrous experience that I did. So without further ado…

It’s time to play the music. It’s time to light the lights. It’s time to meet the Muppets on the Muppet Show tonight. It’s time to put on makeup. It’s time to dress up right. It’s time to get things started. Why don’t you get things started? It’s time to get things started on the most sensational, inspirational, celebrational, Muppetational; this is what we call the Muppet Show!

It’s been years since the Muppets have done a show together, but although they’ve been off the stage for a while, they have not been forgotten. When Walter and his brother Gary, both massive Muppet fans, take a tour of the abandoned and condemned Muppet Studios, Walter overhears an evil oil philanthropist’s plan to tear down the theatre to dig for oil unless the Muppets can come up with the $10 000,000 they need to keep the theatre. So Walter and Gary go to find Kermit and beg him to get everyone back together to do one show that could save the theatre. And so it’s time to play the music, it’s time the light the lights, it’s time to bring the gang back together for the Muppet Show tonight!

Admittedly the story is a bit cheesy and the movie began as camp and as any musical in history, but who cares? IT’S THE MUPPETS! The entire thing is a trip down memory lane for most people and theatres across the world are probably thick with nostalgia when Fozzie’s bad jokes, Animal’s drumming, Gonzo’s stunts, and Kermit’s hosting is on the screen.

All our favourite characters are back, as well as a few new ones, and there are new songs to be sung and new acts to be seen.

Not to mention the amount of cameos that this film has. Even if they did not get a line, celebrities were popping up left, right, and centre just to be in this movie and it was this, for me, that was the real clincher, because it just goes to show that the Muppets have been a major influence and had such an effect on so many lives. They are so loved! SO LOVED!

The script is very heart-warming as well as balanced with drama and comedy, featuring quite a few in-jokes from previous films and, of course, the Muppet Show itself. The entire thing was just wonderful.

Starring Amy Adams, Jason Segal, Rashida Jones, and Chris Cooper, and featuring cameos from Jack Black, Whoopee Goldberg, Selena Gomez, Alan Arkin, Mickey Rooney, Bill Cobbs, Zach Galifianakis, Ken Jeong, Sarah Silverman, Emily Blunt, James Carville, Leslie Feist, David Grohl, Neil Patrick Harris, Judd Hirsch, and John Krasinski, The Muppets is a wonderful trip down memory lane for adults and a new experience of wonder for kids. Filled with songs, comedy, drama, romance, and a heart-warming story of believing, I just loved it and will be buying a copy as soon as it comes out on DVD.

Someday we’ll find it, the rainbow connection. The lovers, the dreamers, and me.

Super 8 [M]

2012-01-20T16:18:00.000-08:00

In the summer of 1979 in a small town in Ohio, five friends witness a catastrophic train crash whilst making a super 8 movie. Despite what authorities and the news say, the kids are convinced that the crash was no accident; a theory which becomes more confirmed as strange disappearances begin happening all over the town. As more inexplicable events take place, the local Deputy begins an investigation to find the truth behind these mysterious happenings, unaware that the results are going to be something more terrifying than anyone could have imagined.

Wow, this movie is hells cool! It’s a good, old-fashioned sci-fi romp that’s packed with action, romance, comedy, and kids as the heroes. It’s classic Spielberg; a little Goonies and a little E.T, and altogether absolutely brilliant! Perfect for a night in. I absolutely LOVED it!

I think what I really loved about this was that it was a good, old-fashioned sci-fi romp. It’s got a simple story that’s easy to follow, and then it’s balanced with the right amount of action, special effects, drama, romance, and comedy. I find that, with a lot of modern science fiction movies, you really have to concentrate and it all becomes a little bit overwhelming, resulting in the fact that you lose half the enjoyment of the film, but Super 8 was just perfect and it even sparks feelings of nostalgia as it is very reminiscent of those earlier classics that we’ve grown up with: E.T, The Goonies, and Stand By Me.

All the kids delivered memorable performances particularly Elle Fanning, Joel Courtney, and Riley Griffiths. I’ve always had a soft spot for these films that have kids as the heroes because they do showcase some great talent.

Starring Kyle Chandler, Gabriel Basso, Noah Emmerich, Ron Eldard, Ryan Lee, Amanda Michalka, Jessica Tuck, Joel McKinnon Miller, and Zach Mills, Super 8 is an awesome movie that is perfectly blended and one that I think is definitely a “keeper”. Filled with action, romance, explosions, drama, suspense, aliens, and comedy, it’s absolutely great because it’s both rollicking and easy. It was absolutely perfect! A great film!

Cowboys & Aliens [M]

2012-01-20T01:58:00.000-08:00

1873. Arizona Territory. A stranger with no memory of his past or even his own name stumbles into the hard town of Absolution. The only hint he has to what happened to him is a nasty wound and a mysterious shackle around his wrist. First, he discovers that Absolution does not take kindly to strangers without the word of the iron-fisted Colonel Dolarhyde. Second, a race of beings not of this world has been attacking towns and obliterating human life all over the west in a search for gold.

From the beginning, the title Cowboys and Aliens is one that will either intrigue or repel you. Either the combination of the two genres Western and Sci-Fi will not mesh or they make great entertainment together. With this film, it’s the latter. The two genres were blended together very nicely and without getting too out of place or weird, which was the case in Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. Like Back to the Future Part III or Star Wars, Cowboys and Aliens was a rollicking film that had me captivated from start to finish.

1872. Arizona Territory. A stranger with no memory of his past or even his own name stumbles into the hard town of Absolution. The only hint he has as to what happened to him is a nasty wound and a mysterious shackle around his wrist. First, he discovers that the town of Absolution does not take kindly to strangers without the word of the iron-fisted Colonel Dolarhyde. It’s a town that lives in fear. Second, a race of beings not of this world has been attacking towns and obliterating human life all over the west in a search for gold.

This is a very interesting film: by no means an overly amazing achievement in cinematic history, but definitely a film that both entertains and opens the eye. Essentially the story is just this lone cowboy wanting to regain his memories and, in the process, he ends up leading a revolt against the aliens that are terrorising the desert towns.

As I mentioned before, the blend of the two contrasting genres really worked nicely. I think the main reason for this is the fact that not an overly excess amount of special effects and general sci-fi-ness was used. You had the spacecrafts and the aliens themselves, sure, but the science fiction part of the story did not outweigh or outshine the gritty and hard Western part of the story. I think that this was a good thing because sci-fi films in general are more mind-blowing in terms of special effects and everything whereas actions and Westerns in particular are real rollicking movies that have the audience on the edge of their seats, biting their nails, and yeehaw-ing along with the characters. You experience a very different feeling watching a Western than you do watching a sci-fi and they kept that raw, rollicking feeling in this movie perfectly.

With great performances from Daniel Craig, Harrison Ford, Olivia Wilde, Paul Dano, Adam Beach, and Sam Rockwell, Cowboys and Aliens was a highly fascinating movie that was packed with shootouts, gunplay, romance, mystery, action, and…. aliens. I didn’t think it was absolutely brilliant, but I am glad that I have seen it and I would recommend it because it’s a very clever look at what happens when you meld two completely opposite genres together.

Kaboom [MA]

2012-01-19T13:35:00.000-08:00

Smith is just your average college student whose days are spent hanging out with his arty, sarcastic best friend Stella, hooking up with a free spirit named London, and lusting after his gorgeous roommate Thor. But all this is dramatically turned upside after one terrifying night where, after tripping on some hallucinogenic cookies, Smith is convinced that he has witnessed the brutal murder of a redheaded girl who haunts his dreams. As he tries to find truth to this vision, he is led deeper and deeper into a sinister mystery that will forever change, not only his fate, but the world’s too.

WHAT A TRIP! THIS MOVIE IS BRILLIANT! COMPLETELY FUCKED UP, AND BRILLIANT! With a darkness like Donnie Darko and a vibrancy like Velvet Goldmine, Kaboom is a real cult classic that will have you intrigued, repelled, and will set your mind ablaze with questions and thoughts. IT IS RAW AWESOMENESS!

Smith is just your average college student whose days are spent hanging out with his arty, sarcastic best friend Stella, hooking up with a beautiful free spirit named London, and lusting after his gorgeous roommate Thor. But all this is dramatically turned upside down after one terrifying night where, tripping on some hallucinogenic cookies, Smith is convinced that he has witnessed the brutal murder of a redheaded girl who has been haunting his dreams. Determined to prove to himself and everyone that he is not losing his mind, Smith tries to find the truth to this vivid vision, but as he delves further into his investigation, he is led deeper and deeper into a sinister mystery that will not only forever change his fate, but the world’s too.

I think the best and simplest way to describe this film is “an erotic explosion for both the physical and the mental”… and that wonderful phrase came from my brain.

Kaboom puts forth a lot of modern themes of conflict both internal and external. We have sexual conflicts, bisexuality, homophobia, closet cases, the tolls taken on those from broken families, relationships, obsessive basket cases, nuclear war, the severity of underground cults, and a brutal and true look at the experiences gained through college life. The whole thing is white hot with sins of the mind and the flesh and harbours absolutely everything from sexual confusion to underground societies to supernatural powers.

And what I particularly loved about it all was that it was wonderfully weird, but then at the same time everything was explained to you, so you actually never found yourself questioning what the hell was going on.

The deliberate lack of closure was another stroke of brilliance because it left you on a complete physical and mental buzz from the climax and then slowly brought you down just that little bit so you could just stare fixedly amazed at the credits rolling on the screen and go “whoa, that was awesome!”

With great performances from Thomas Dekker, Haley Bennett, Juno Temple, Chris Zylka, Roxanne Mesquida, James Duval, and Kelly Lynch, Kaboom was an extraordinary movie that was packed with sex, murder, conspiracy, drama, comedy, suspense, drugs, and the supernatural. It’s a freaking awesome movie that will really stay with you.

A Knight's Tale [M]

2012-01-19T04:19:00.000-08:00

Born the poor son of a Thatcher, William has always sought greater and higher things: love, nobility, fame, and honour. And when his master dies before he is due at a jousting tournament, William takes his chance to “change his stars” by riding in his stead. Soon William becomes determined to prove that nobility is not always born into, but something that can be earned, and so he enters numerous tournaments under a false name with false papers. But how long can his charade last before he is punished for trying to be something that he’s not?

It has to be said, before we go into any great depth, that this movie was made simply for the sole purpose of being enjoyed. You cannot look at it with a critical eye because there is so much to comment on, both positively and negatively, but at the end of the day this movie is really just a bit of fun and not meant to be taken all that seriously. Sure there are some very strong and important messages about nobility, social standing, and overcoming adversity and such, but really it’s just a fun night in. I mean, it’s a medieval film set to a rocking soundtrack! What more could be desired?

Born the poor son of a Thatcher, William has always had his sights on greater and higher things: love, nobility, fame, and honour. And when his master dies before he is due at a jousting tournament, William takes his change to “change his stars” by riding in his stead. Soon William becomes determined to prove that nobility is not something that one is born into, but can earn, and so he enters numerous tournaments under a false name with false papers. But how long can his charade last before he is punished for trying to be something he’s not?

At the end of the day, all this movie is really about is overcoming the adversity of social standing, a theme that crops up in many, many, many films. It’s a story that we’ve all seen before, but one that can never tarnish or become watered down.

I have to say that what made the film most memorable, for me at least, was the totally awesome soundtrack that so brilliantly matched, yet contrasted with the medieval setting and story. Classic tracks like David Bowie’s Golden Years, Taking Care of Business, and Queen’s ever powerful rock anthem We Will Rock You are played to great effect and it makes the movie all the more intriguing as you would never expect such songs to appear in a film set well before the genius of Bowie and Queen.

Admittedly, the script wasn’t that crash hot, not quite dissimilar to that of Robin Hood Prince of Thieves where curses were used that I don’t think were even around then. But really, at the end of the day, who cares? This film is just fascinating and highly enjoyable, mainly due to the fact that you don’t have to take it so seriously.

Starring Heath Ledger, Rufus Sewell. Shannyn Sossamon, Mark Addy, Alan Tudyk, and Paul Bettany, A Knight’s Tale is a fun film packed with action, nobility, romance, dancing, rock music, and amazing sets. Even if the leading lady’s hair-dos and outfits are a little too ahead of the times, you still cannot help but become entirely enthralled in this film. Especially during the times of Paul Bettany’s passionate speeches; watch out for those!

Captain America: The First Avenger [M]

2012-01-17T00:36:00.000-08:00

All young Steve Rogers wants to do is join the army and give his services to his country. But because of his small and slender build, he is seen as unfit. But that all changes when he agrees to participate in an experimental program that turns him into the super soldier, Captain America. Armed with his new strength, speed, rapid recovery, and shield, Steve joins forces with his friends in the army to wage war on the evil HYDRA organisation, led by the power-hungry and villainous Red Skull.

Before I completely run off the rails and rant about how monumentally pointless and dull I found this movie to be, I will admit that there may be one or two variables to consider before you take my advice on this film.

Firstly, I have never been a comic book fan, never have and probably never will be. So whatever truth or power or emotion there was to this film could easily have been completely missed by me due to my lack of intelligence regarding the story of Captain America. When it comes to these Marvel adaptations, it really does help to know the stories.

Secondly, and this sort of ties in with the first variable as well as outlines my complete obliviousness to everything comic book-esque, whilst at the same time answering the question “why did they even bother making this film?”, it has recently become vaguely known to me that all these comic book films are being made because there is The Avengers movie up and coming where all these heroes feature, a bit like The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. Iron Man, Hawkeye, Black Widow, Thor, Captain America, all these characters are appearing in this up and coming movie, with all the original actors playing them such as Robert Downey Jr. Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, and Scarlett Johansson. So, yeah, that answers that question. It still doesn’t make the film seem any better though.

All young Steve Rogers wants to do is join the army and give his services to his country. But because of his small and slender build, he is seen as unfit. But that changes when he volunteers to participate in an experimental program that transforms him from the puny little man into the super soldier, Captain America. Armed with his new strength, speed, rapid recovery, and shield, he joins forces with his friends in the army to wage war against the evil HYDRA organisation, led by the power hungry and villainous Red Skull.

Essentially, all that I took away from this film was that this “superhero” was a guy simply on steroids who found his fame through wartime propaganda. Uncle Sam on steroids would have been Captain America. There was no engaging plot line of any description, merely a load of wartime fighting, action, explosions, and an almost neglected by-line of a love story.

To add insult to injury, by the time we get to the “climax” of the movie, it is the most dispiriting and ridiculous thing to ever come on my screen. And nothing was explained! For a fair portion of the film I had absolutely no idea as to what was going on or who any of the characters were. Not to mention that the ending in general just leaves you staring at your screen yelling “what the fuck!?”

To give it its dues, the movie did harbour some big names, which really would be the only reason why anyone would be enticed to watch it, and there were some pretty hectic action sequences, but ultimately I found this film to be absolutely pointless and without merit.

Starring Chris Evans, Hayley Atwell, Sebastian Stan, Tommy Lee Jones, Dominic Cooper, Tony Jones, Hugo Weaving, Stanley Tucci, and Samuel L. Jackson, Captain America: The First Avenger was a rather dispiriting and, for lack of a better word, shite movie that I would no sooner touch again than I would kiss a crocodile. Filled with what seems to be nothing but action, action, a tiny bit of romance, and action, at the end of the day, I can at least say that I have seen it.

The Smurfs [G]

2012-01-16T04:28:00.000-08:00

When the evil wizard Gargamel chases the smurfs out of their village, they end up right in the middle of Central Park. Desperate to get home, Papa, Smurfette, Brainy, Grouchy, Gutsy, and Clumsy inadvertently enlist the help of a married couple, Grace and Patrick, to get them back home before the wicked Gargamel catches them.

I was never really a fan of the Smurfs. I did watch a few episodes when I was little, but I never really got into the whole Smurf phenomenon. I guess, tonight, I was just up for some mindless childish drivel that I could derive a bit of a laugh from. I was actually rather surprised that this film turned out to be rather entertaining. It’s silly, very silly to be sure, but it does harbour some moments of cleverness and heart. It’s by no means a “keeper” but I didn’t mind it at all.

When the evil wizard Gargamel chases the smurfs out of their village, they end up right in the middle of Central Park. Desperate to get home, Papa, Smurfette, Brainy, Grouchy, Gutsy, and Clumsy inadvertently enlist the help of a married couple. Grace and Patrick, to get them back home before the wicked Gargamel catches them.

All right, so the story is very childish and mediocre and really goes in for that airy-fairy, tra-la-la- everything-is-daisies-and-sunshine gush. It’s very much like that Leslie Gore song:

Sunshine, lollipops and rainbows everything that’s wonderful is what I feel when we’re together.

It just makes you cringe violently doesn’t it?

But aside from the lame story, sentimental mush, and way too many repetitions and variations of the word “smurf”, The Smurfs actually wasn’t all that bad. I managed to derive a surprising number of laughs from some of the more clever gags and jokes that this film offered its more mature audience e.g. Katy Perry who provides the voice of Smurfette says “I kissed a smurf and I liked it”, a clever sample of her hit song I Kissed a Girl. Then we have a very clever sequence with a load of flies and their instinctive pull towards glass. But without a doubt, my favourite would have to be the Lord of the Rings sample. Hehe, watch out for that!

Not to mention that you would not expect a film where much of the music is “tra la la” to suddenly bust out some Aerosmith and AC/DC, but Walk This Way and Back In Black are both featured on the soundtrack to good, if somewhat contrasting effect.

Starring Hank Azaria, who was very funny as Gargamel, Neil Patrick Harris, Jayma Mays, Sofia Vergara, Tim Gunn, and featuring the voice talents of Jonathan Winters, Alan Cumming, Katy Perry, Fred Armisen, Anton Yelchin, and George Lopez, The Smurfs was a silly, but fun little family film that harbours some delights for both junior and mature audiences. Filled with action, adventure, great animation, jokes, magic, and way too much of the colour blue, it was actually not a bad movie.

Jane Eyre [M]

2012-01-16T02:19:00.000-08:00

Dying from starvation and cold, a lonely wandering woman falls at the door of a man and his two sisters. As they nurse her back to health and seek employment for her in their humble village, she reminisces about her bleak and tragic childhood, her strict and savage schooling, and a love; a love to which her heart still strongly clings.

I have been hankering to see this film ever since it came out on DVD a month ago, but, as shameful as it is to say it, I had never read the book and therefore was not familiar with the tragically melancholy and defiantly passionate tale of Jane Eyre. Having just finished the book yesterday, it has been my most exalted and unbridled pleasure to sit down and completely immerse myself in this dazzling film that is both a bold and true restoration of a timeless classic that has been done time and time again.

Dying from starvation and cold, a lonely wandering woman falls deathly ill at the door of a man and his two sisters. As they nurse her back to health and seek employment for her in their humble village, she reminisces about her bleak and tragic childhood, her strict and savage schooling, and a love; a love to which her heart still strongly clings.

Director Cary Fukunaga has indeed taken a much-loved classic and reworked it to enthral a whole new generation of readers and admirers.
At this time, it simply must be expressed that sometimes watching the film gives one a much better view of the story and what all the words on the page conclude in. Reading a story and seeing a story are two completely different things and, though it does make a world of difference to watch a film being armed with the knowledge of the story, sometimes our knowledge and our interpretation of the text is not that of someone else’s or even correct. This is why both books and films are such grand mediums. Through the cross-examinations they spark, they open one’s eyes as well as one’s mind.
The book is rather lengthy with great spaces of literature that depict almost nothing but scenery, which can so easily be conveyed by aerial camera shots these days, so it was always going to be anticipated that the film would be a condensed version of the events. I think that the filmmakers have reworked the story wonderfully by having it begin three quarters of the way through and then backtracking by way of reminiscing, finally working steadily towards where it started so that it might conclude at the end.
What I particularly found most engaging about this movie was that it was passionate without being overly so. It’s hard to articulate but, aside from the occasional outbursts of love or anger or desperation, the performances, the music, the script; everything seemed plain on the surface, but you could really feel the unbridled passion that keeps the entire thing afloat. Watching this film was like swimming in a sea that has been warmed by the sun and then, on occasion, discovering there are still cold pockets to be found. It was a real experience, one that drew forth a wonderful balance of emotions; I shuddered, I wept, I laughed, I sighed, and I marvelled. It focuses on the love story of Jane and Edward, which I think was the best way to go about it because there are a load of other connotations and stories in the book that simply could not have worked on the screen. So what we end with is a wondrous tale of unbridled passion and romance that proves that love conquers all: age, distance, legality, and social stature.
Now, everyone, I do declare that we must all raise our glasses and tip our hats to Australia’s own Mia Wasikowska who starred as one of the world’s most celebrated heroines. Mia is Jane Eyre! She delivered a most remarkable performance that was inspired, passionate, defiant, silently suffering, innocent, and in love. She was absolutely captivating from start to finish and I do say that if her performance could have been more dazzlingly perfect than it would have unendurable; we would all go blind and our very hearts would simply wither and crumble. She was that brilliant!
Starring Jamie Bell, Holliday Grainger, Tamzin Merchant, Amelia Clarkson, Sally Hawkins, Michael Fassbender, and Judi Dench, Jane Eyre was an amazing film that was filled with romance, passion, drama, suspense, a mesmerising script and stunning performances. I absolutely loved it and will be adding it to the collection!

Rise of the Planet of the Apes [M]

2012-01-13T02:02:00.000-08:00

Will Rodman has spent five years working on a new drug that causes the brain to repair itself, thereby increasing intelligence and curing Alzheimer’s. When the drug proves successful on apes, Will pushes for human trials but, after an incident with a pregnant mother, his whole project is closed and the apes put down. All Will is left with is a super intelligent baby chimp, which he names Caesar and raises in his own home. But, after attacking a neighbour out of defence, Caesar is sent to a rescue shelter where, after being abused and mistreated by his handlers, he leads his fellow primates in a revolution against those who mistreat him and his kind.

After The Green Lantern, I was really eager for a good film and thank the maker I hired Rise of the Planet of the Apes or else I might have been screwed. THIS MOVIE IS AWESOME! IT’S BRILLIANT!

Just to let anyone who will listen know I personally believe that this story is possible. Humans are so effing assured of their own brilliance and everything and it’s because of that, that we are going to be the cause of the end of the earth. Seriously, we’re going to try and do something like defy gravity, or cheat death, or some other selfish and unnatural impossible task and we will completely and one hundred percent fuck it up, bringing about the end of our own kind and every other species on the planet! I think that’s why I have a somewhat sick love for films and stories like this, because I believe that there are other people out there, like me, that can just tell that we are going to ruin everything, and you know what?... it’ll serve us right! We’re warning you people! BE WARNED!

Will Rodman has spent five years developing a drug that causes the brain to repair itself, thereby increasing intelligence and curing such brain diseases as Alzheimer’s. When the drug proves successful on apes, Will pushes for human trials but after an incident with a pregnant mother, his whole project is closed and the apes are put down. All Will is left with is a super intelligent baby chimp, which he names Caesar and raises in his home. But, after attacking a neighbour in defence, Caesar is sent to an animal rescue shelter where, after being abused and mistreated by the handlers, he leads his fellow primates in a rebellion against those who mistreat him and his kind.

Well the story speaks for itself. I’ve already said what makes the story so great, but it’s not the story or the great performances that deserve the applause for this film. It’s the special effects!

Andy Serkis, who provided us not only with the voice, but also the entire physical character of Gollum in The Lord of the Rings, retreads the plains of motion capture to bring us the character of Caesar. From the beginning, you know that Caesar is going to be something amazing because he is such a seminal character and needs to be just as strong if not stronger than any of the human actors. Andy delivers another memorable and mind-blowing performance, bringing both defiance and compassion to this computer-generated character. At times I even had tears in my eyes. I applaud you Master Serkis! My hat goes off to you.

But yes, the special effects were absolutely mind-blowing. There’s not one real ape in this film, it’s all CG and is fucking amazing! It may be inevitable that we blow ourselves up in the end, but seriously, when it comes to technology in the entertainment industry, we can pull off some pretty cool feats.

Starring James Franco, Andy Serkis, John Lithgow, Freida Pinto, Tom Felton, David Oyelowo, Tyler Labine, and Brian Cox, Rise of the Planet of the Apes is a visually stunning film that completely blew me away. Packed with action, rebellion, relationships, great performances, and amazing special effects, it’s brilliant! IT’S BLOODY BRILLIANT!

The Green Lantern [M]

2012-01-12T22:52:00.000-08:00

In a universe that is as vast as it is mysterious, exists an elite force of protectors for peace and justice: they are the Green Lantern Corps and they have been protecting the universe by using the power of will against the power of fear for centuries. But now, a new enemy called Parallax threatens to destroy the universe and it falls to the Green Lantern’s newest recruit, the first human ever selected, to prove his species’ worth and save the day.

In a word, this film was meh. “Meh”, I find a nice and short word that clearly describes a film that is neither good not bad, but just there. The Green Lantern was one such film.

In a universe that is as vast as it is mysterious, exists an elite force of protectors for peace and justice: they are the Green Lantern Corps and they have been protecting the universe using the power of will against the power of fear for centuries. But now, a new enemy called Parallax threatens to destroy the universe and all worlds in its way, and it falls upon the Green Lantern’s newest recruit, the first human ever selected, to prove his species’ worth and save the day.

I think the one thing that sort of blemished this film for me was the fact that everything happened really quickly with little or no explanation as to what the hell was going on, or who any of the characters were, or what ties they had with other characters. Everything was thrown at you and just happened really randomly and fast: one minute Hal, the film’s protagonist, is training to be a Green Lantern, the next, he’s all alone saving the Earth from being engulfed by the crusty space-cloud-thing that was Parallax. It was all very jagged with hardly any room for the audience to breathe and take everything in; like being on a road full of speed bumps in a car with a driver going over the limit.

Having said that, though, the people who did the special effects should be getting free drinks. The special effects of the materialisation of the Green Lantern weapons, Parallax, and all the fight and hero sequences were pretty damn cool and the only thing that could keep your eyes glued to the screen, thereby making the time go a lot faster.

Starring Ryan Reynolds, Blake Lively, Peter Sarsgaard, Mark Strong, Tim Robbins, and Geoffrey Rush, The Green Lantern was an alright movie that did have its odd moments. I have to admit that I struggled to keep up with the story, but I did like the idea of the whole will-versus-fear thing. There were some strong and good messages there.

Filled with action, aliens, great special effects, pretty cool fight sequences, romance, and the occasional bit of comedy, it’s really just a film that was there and nothing more.

Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows

2012-01-12T21:44:00.000-08:00

Europe is on rocky relations; in particular France and Germany are at each other’s throats. A series of explosions and assassinations are taking place, each one schemed by Professor James Moriarty, a cunning man who as aspirations to begin world war and supply both sides with everything from arms to bandages. Renowned detective Sherlock Holmes is immediately on the case, dragging his newly wedded partner Watson along for the ride. But this time, their final case together, Holmes may have finally met his match.

Just quickly, on a trivial note, I just realised that this villain is the exact some one in The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: same name, same plan, just different actor and different opponent. How funny. Only on the rare occasion does the sequel outdo the original… this is not one of those occasions. Don’t get me wrong, I still loved the movie and found it intriguing, rollicking, and humorous, but, as is the case with most sequels, it tried to outdo the first one and therefore, ended up overdoing everything and losing quite a bit of that impact that its predecessor had. The same thing happened with Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest and The Hangover Part II.

Europe is on rocky relations; in particular France and Germany are at each other’s throats. A series of explosions and assassinations are taking place, each one schemed by Professor James Moriarty, a cunning man who has aspirations to begin world war and making profit: supplying each side with everything from arms to bandages. Notorious detective Sherlock Holmes is on the case, dragging his newly wedded partner Watson along for the ride. But this time, their final case together, Holmes may have finally met his match.

Not dissimilar to the second Pirates of the Caribbean, this movie attempted to outdo its predecessor by having more frequent and fervent scenes of action and violence. The slow-motion effect is used again to great effect, only much more frequently, which takes away a little of the initial impact and wonder that entranced audiences in the first film.

What disappointed me a bit with this film was that there was no more light-hearted and domestic banter between Holmes and Watson, which was the best part of the first film; I heartily enjoyed their little tiffs about who left the stove on and such, but in this one (obviously their circumstances have changed so it was harder to have domestic troubles), there was not as strong a sense of companionship like there was in the first one and I found that a little dispiriting because it did remove a fair amount of the humour and balance that the first one proudly boasted.

Aside from these two tiny negativities, this film was definitely as engaging as the first one with its complex tricks and deceptions of the plot and its memorable performances from all its actors.

Starring Robert Downey Jr. Jude Law, Noomi Rapace, Stephen Fry, Jared Harris, Paul Anderson, Kelly Reilly, Geraldine Jones, and Rachel McAdams, Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows was a great film packed with explosions, violence, action, cross-dressing, and the odd splash of refreshing comedy. It’s a great game of cat and mouse and I did greatly enjoy it.

Spicks and Specks - The Finale [M]

2012-01-12T13:12:00.000-08:00

After 7 years, one Logie, and 276 episodes, Australia’s favourite music quiz show is closing the velvet curtain for the last time. But Adam, Alan, and Myf are not going out with a fizzle, but a bang; with the aid of an hour-long episode with more rounds, more music, more anecdotes, and more guests than ever before.

Oh it’s so sad! Spicks & Specks is a major part of my life; I’ve been watching it all through high school, it was the only TV show that we would all sit down and watch as a family, and I have derived some great musical knowledge out of it, not to mention been introduced to some amazing artists that I would never had heard of otherwise. It breaks my heart to think that it’s never coming back, but that is the bitter truth.

After 7 years, one Logie, and 276 memorable episodes, Australia’s favourite music quiz is closing the velvet curtains for the last time. But Adam, Alan, and Myf aren’t going out with a fizzle, but a bang; with the help of an hour-long episode, more games, more music, more anecdotes, and more guests than has ever before been on the show.

Spicks & Specks is an amazing and very special show for a number of reasons:

- The guest list was always made up of both musicians and comedians, which was great because it introduced a younger audience to some really great people.

– It came up with some great games that are now being adopted for fun by many families around the country.

– The show also brought on some more obscure and unheard-of bands and artists like the Kransky Sisters, Squawkestra, that brilliant ukulele band, and many more, and gave them the chance to be on prime-time TV and really gain some awareness and ground swell. It wasn’t just all great stories and fun games, Spicks & Specks gave something to everyone whether it be knowledge or experience.

The finale is an hour-long episode that features more rounds and a rotating guest list, filled with all our favourites who have appeared on the show over the years. We hear more anecdotes, more jokes, and more banter, not to mention the rebirth of 80s band The Uncanny X-men, which brings the show to a rocking finish.

Starring Adam Hills, Alan Brough, Myf Warhurst, Ella Hooper, Scott Edgar, Geoffrey Rush, Dave O’Neil, Rhonda Burchmore, Adam Richard, Darren Hayes, Felicity Ward, Brian Cadd, Amanda Keller, Brian Mannix, Jimeoin, Antoinette Hallooran, Tommy Dean, Richard Gill, Shane Bourne, Megan Washington, Peter Helliar, Dan Sultan, and Denise Scott, Spicks & Specks: The Finale is a wonderful show that’s packed with games, laughs, memories, anecdotes, music, and the return of the one and only Barry Morgan. It’s been a huge part of my life and I am so glad that I can have a few DVDs to remember t by. Not to mention that the bonus feature on this disc is an extended version of the Best Of, which will have your sides and jaw completely aching and tears of laughter streaming down your face. It’s absolutely delightful and a wonderful close to a wonderful and memorable series.

What a Girl Wants [G]

2012-01-11T21:53:00.000-08:00

For Daphne’s entire life, it has always been her and Libby, her mother. But when Daphne turns 17, she makes a decision to fly to England and meet her aristocratic father, Lord Henry Dashwood. Soon Daphne realises that she’s a long way from home and in a world where her vibrant personality has no place. So now, she faces a tough challenge: changing to fit into her dad’s world or remaining true to herself and going down with a fight.

Another little feel-good family movie within the same ballpark as Freaky Friday and The Princess Diaries, What a Girl Wants is a fun little film with memorable performances, a nice story, and a good script. Admittedly not in the repertoire for guys, but for a quiet girls’ afternoon in, it’s pretty damn good.

For Daphne’s entire life, it has always been her and Libby, her mother. But when Daphne turns 17, she makes a decision to fly to England and meet her aristocratic father, Lord Henry Dashwood. Soon Daphne realises that she’s a long way from home and in a world where her vibrant and uniquely free personality has no place. So now, she faces a tough challenge: changing herself to fit into her dad’s world or remaining true to herself and going down with a fight.

Admittedly, the story is really a tweeny sort of tale, harbouring strong and somewhat clichéd messages about natural change, and being true to oneself. But underneath that, there are some more natural themes that strike the heartstrings of the audience: the main one being the natural bond between father and daughter and how special and really beautiful it is.

As I mentioned before, the film has a good script, which is what I think you need in these sorts of films because the story and actors alone aren’t really enough to pull it through. The script for this film was both witty and heartfelt, treating us to memorable lines such as “why are you trying so hard to fit in when you’re born to stand out?” and “forgive me if I don’t give a flying fart in space what you think!”. See? It’s balanced well between the funny and the emotional. It’s good.

Then we have the memorable performances from both Amanda Bynes and Colin Firth. Amanda is very charismatic and completely free-spirited. She’s the girl you want to be. She just exudes a vibe of genuine coolness (the positive sense of the word, obviously). Then we have Colin being all type-casted and Mr. Darcy-esque for the first part of the film, but then going through a great change… with the help of some leather pants and some awesome air-guitar rocking out. Seriously, watch out for that! Best part of the film!

Starring Kelly Preston, Eileen Atkins, Anna Chancellor, Oliver James, Sylvia Sims, Christina Cole, and Jonathan Pryce, What A Girl Wants is a nice and heart-warming little film filled with romance, different societies, glamour, change, realisation, and comedy. It’s a very nice little film to come back to once in a while.

Horrible Bosses [MA]

2012-01-11T02:59:00.000-08:00

Nick, Dale, and Kurt have fine jobs with only one tiny unendurable drawback… their bosses. With Nick’s boss being is a psycho, Dale’s being a man-eater, and Kurt’s being just an overall tool, the three get to drunkenly discussing, one night, how great life would be without them and, with the advice of an ex-con, they devise a plan to rid themselves of their horrible bosses permanently. But soon, the boys discover that even the best-laid plans are only as foolproof as the brains behind them…

Finally, after a two-day delay, our delivery consisting of Horrible Bosses came in! I missed this film at the cinemas and have been hankering to watch it for a while and, tonight, my longing to watch this film was finally assuaged; and it was just as fulfilling and enjoyable as I had hoped and imagined. Horrible Bosses is crude, blundering, funny, and delightfully chaotic; equally as funny as Bridesmaids or The Hangover.

Nick, Dale, and Kurt have fine jobs with only one tiny unendurable drawback… their bosses. With Nick’s being a psycho, Dale’s being a man-eater, and Kurt’s being an overall tool, the three get to, one night, drunkenly discussing how great their lives would be without them and, with the advice of an ex-con, they devise a plan to rid themselves of their horrible bosses permanently. But soon, the boys discover that even the best-laid plans are only as foolproof as the brains behind them…

I think there were two factors that made this film enjoyable: one was the script and the other was the cast. Like Bridesmaids, the script for this film contained much of the rudeness and crudity that can be gotten away with in an MA film. The verbal side of this film brings violence, blunt and confronting sexual references and humour... not to mention a few awesome tragic moments of film nerdishness, with a classic reference to Strangers on a Train.

The odd mixture of the cast can really be what makes, shakes, or breaks a film and, like Pirates of the Caribbean, the cast of Horrible Bosses consisted of people you would never have thought would appear in the same movie, yet here they all are, delivering wonderfully funny and memorable performances, particularly that of Kevin Spacey, he just has such a piercing presence and can really pull off the part of a psycho… just watch Seven if you want proof.

Starring Jason Bateman, Charlie Day, Jason Sudeikis, Colin Farrell, Jennifer Aniston, Kevin Spacey, Ioan Gruffudd, and Jamie Foxx, Horrible Bosses is a really funny little film that’s packed with action, crime, memorable characters, incriminating circumstances, and a great comb-over. It was a very entertaining movie and I would certainly say that it’s worth having a look at.

Cool World [M]

2012-01-07T02:54:00.000-08:00

Running parallel to our real world is Cool World: an animated world filled with cartoons. In Cool World there is only one rule: Noids (humans) do not have sex with Doodles (cartoons). But the law is broken when a voluptuous vixen named Holli Would pulls ex-cartoonist Jack Deebs into Cool World with a scheme to seduce him and bring herself to life. Flesh proves weaker than ink as Holli’s plan succeeds and she takes human form in Las Vegas and threatens the destruction of both worlds.

In short, this film is stupid, stupid, STUPID! What a waste of time, effort, and money. I could not help but feel that this was a piss weak attempt to create another Who Framed Roger Rabbit and that thought alone made me rather angry, a feeling which intensified with every passing moment of this film. Seriously, DO NOT BOTHER!

Running parallel to our real world is Cool World: an animated world filled with cartoons. In Cool World there is only one rule: Noids (humans) do not have sex with doodles (cartoons). But the law is broken when a voluptuous vixen named Holli Would pulls ex-cartoonist Jack Deebs into Cool World with a scheme to seduce him and bring herself to life. Flesh proves weaker than ink as Holli’s plan succeeds and she takes human form in Las Vegas and threatens the destruction of both worlds and it falls to Jack and Frank, a hard-boiled detective, to stop her.

A not-so-seamless combination of animation and life-action sequences, Cool World affords little to no laughs for everyone. All the cartoon characters were either overly horny or violent, which is just tasteless in my book, and there really wasn’t much story to speak of.

To be honest the only mildly interesting features of the film were the performance of Brad Pitt and the cartoon character of Holli Would. I mean, she’s no Jessica Rabbit, but she was still a sexy cartoon and really should have stayed that way, not taken human form at all.

Starring Brad Pitt, Gabriel Byrne, Kim Basinger, and featuring the voice talents of Maurice LeMarche, Joey Camen, Michael David Lally, and Jenine Jennings, Cool World was a pointless and pathetic excuse for a film that affords no laughs, kicks, or enjoyment of any kind for any audience.

Filled with animated characters, sex, drama, action, romance, and comedy, you can seriously lead a happy and fulfilled life without having seen this movie. Please do take my advice on this one: DON’T BLOODY BOTHER!

The Special Relationship [M]

2012-01-03T19:32:00.000-08:00

Prime Minister Tony Blair, for much of his career in office, has been waiting in the wings of the world arena. But now it is his turn to stand confidently in the spotlight as he develops a “special relationship” with American President Bill Clinton. But, although Blair has supported Clinton during a great sex scandal, their relationship is put under pressure when “unspeakable horrors” strike in Kosovo, and it falls upon Tony to fight strength with strength.

The third part in the Tony Blair trilogy following The Deal and The Queen, The Special Relationship is a wonderful film that makes everything bigger and all the more dramatic, prompting far more emotional, empowering, and passionate performances from all those involved. Completely captivating from start to finish, this is a wonderful way to end a trilogy.

Prime Minister Tony Blair, for much of his career in office, has been waiting in the wings of the world arena. But now it is his turn to stand confidently in the spotlight as he develops a “special relationship” with American President Bill Clinton. But, although Blair has supported Clinton during a great sex scandal, their relationship is put under pressure as “unspeakable horrors” strike in Kosovo and it falls upon Tony to fight strength with strength.

The by-line on the front cover for this film is “the only thing more personal than friendship… is politics” and that really gives you a good insight into how things will turn out in this film.

Just as in The Deal and The Queen, authentic footage and news stories and interviews are used, but I think what made this movie the most memorable of the three was the performances from its leads and its general atmosphere.

Michael Sheen is back again as Blair, but this time he really came into his own and we see him go through this amazing transformation; beginning the film as being enamoured with Clinton and very eager to please and impress him, and then slowly shifting into a headstrong and very passionate hero of the hour. His performance was equal to that of David Morrissey in The Deal, and was delivered with a great amount of passion, power, frustration, and heart. I was completely blown away by Michael’s performance.

Dennis Quaid stars as Bill Clinton and man he did the part incredibly well. From the first time you meet him, you can instantly see how easy it is to like him and want to impress him. But what I liked particularly was that he didn’t give anything away. For much of the beginning of the film, you have Tony Blair openly professing his respect and regard for Bill, but Clinton proves much harder to read. He smiles and flatters and compliments, but that’s not to say that he reveres Tony in the same respect. I have to say the chemistry between the two of them was absolutely brilliant and completely mesmerising.

Starring Adam Godley, Demetri Goritsas, Marc Rioufol, Helen McCrory, and Hope Davis, The Special Relationship was a brilliant end to a trilogy and was filled with drama, support, friendship, morality, and unwaveringly passionate performances. I loved it, just loved it!

The Deal [M]

2012-01-03T17:03:00.000-08:00

Gordon Brown and Tony Blair: two men, two politicians, two friends who began their ascents to power together, but became detached and pitted against one another in a rivalry that made headlines. Now, both men vying for the “big job”, becoming leader of the Labour Party, their friendship suffers a strain as the two strike up a deal for the sake of the nation.

The prequel to The Queen, The Deal tells the true story of Prime Ministers Tony Blair and Gordon Brown and is guaranteed to heat the blood of those with a flare for politics. I am going to say, right from the off, that I am rather in the dark when it comes to politics (I shouldn’t be because it is a driving force in every country and effects everyone), but I am. Therefore, because of my own political knowledge failings, I did not enjoy this film as much as I possibly could have, namely because the subject matter was completely foreign to me. (So please, reader, keep in mind that) this really is a great film and it is only through my own faults that I cannot see just how great.

These types of films are in a league entirely their own; The Queen, The Deal, Frost/Nixon all use actual footage and interviews regarding the events of the time, bringing forth the reality of the whole thing as well as seamlessly integrating fact and fiction, making these films just as real as any documentary or news story. I really like that because it really does put more power into the film because a) it hammers home the point that all the events are true and not invention, and b) it makes us see things from an entirely different perspective. Being true events, there are undoubtedly people out there who witnessed them, read the headlines, and had their own formulated opinions about the whole thing. But then watching this film, it brings them closer to the inner drama and possibly causes them to rethink whatever harsh thoughts or nice thoughts they had about the behaviour of these characters at the time. You see where I’m going with this? I mean it sincerely and I think it’s fantastic! These filmmakers are geniuses and should be applauded.

Michael Sheen delivers a wonderful performance as Tony Blair, but the real star of the show was David Morrissey who starred as Gordon Brown. His was a performance that was cleanly coated in passion, ambition, and a subtle hint of betrayal, which I found completely captivating.

Starring Matt Blair, Dexter Fletcher, Frank Kelly, Stuart McQuarrie, and Paul Rhys, The Deal is a captivating little film that’s filled with real footage, politics, ambition, friendship, paparazzi, and power. Even if, like me, the subject matter is completely incomprehensible, you’re still going to get something out of this film.

Eddie Izzard - Sexie [M]

2012-01-03T14:09:00.000-08:00

Dolled up a treat, actor and comedian Eddie Izzard delivers another memorable stand-up show that both delights and intrigues his audience.

It needs to be said that Dress to Kill is my absolute favourite of all Eddie’s shows, but before I saw this one, there were some doubts. His comedic style has been at its apex during Circle and Dress to Kill and I was so convinced that Sexie was going to be just as, if not more so, glamorous and hysterical. I mean the disc depicts darling Eddie with fantastic makeup on a motorbike with the most amazing high-heeled boots you’ve ever seen. A girl could have orgasms just looking at it. But the actual show… not so good. And it does pain me to say this because I really do love Eddie with a passion, but Sexie was just like his bit about mongrel dogs in Dress to Kill:

“You get the uncle and the grandmother and… so the dogs look pretty good but they just go “woof””.

Dolled up a treat, actor and Hannah Belle’s favourite comedian Eddie Izzard delivers another memorable stand-up show that both delights and intrigues his audience.

And the end of the day, Sexie looked really good, but just did not harbour as many of the clever and hysteric delights that some of his previous shows have held. I found the content to be a little more flaky and not really that interesting and his movement through different topics was a little more flimsy than some of his other shows. The poor dear did seem to struggle a little with this one.

Having gotten all the negativity out of the way, he did look absolutely gorgeous! This is the first show that I’ve seen in which he really dolls up and he wears corsets, skirts, stockings, and the hottest boots ever! He looks a real treat and I think that that was the real appeal of the show!

Filled with more observations, anecdotes, and general takes on things, Eddie Izzard – Sexie is by no means a bad show, but not Eddie’s finest. Although he does look to die for, he has done some much cleverer shows in the past. I still love him though!

The Living Wake [PG]

2012-01-03T00:01:00.000-08:00

Self-proclaimed artist and genius, K. Roth Binew is dying of a nameless disease. This was his final day of life.

I have said before that some of the best films are the ones that just sneak in under the radar. I had never heard of this film, nor had anyone else from what I can gather, but it came into work and has been on the shelf for some time. It must now be said that my attraction for Jesse Eisenberg is rather solidly rooted, so I decided to finally pull this out and give it a go. It is such an interesting and quirky little film… and an absolute delight to be sure.

Self-proclaimed artist and genius, K. Roth Binew is dying of a nameless disease. On his final day of life, he and his best friend Mills scour the town, inviting its inhabitants to come and see K. Roth leave something for everyone to remember him by: his own living wake.

The story itself does not really sound all the interesting to be brutally honest, but The Living Wake is really a delightful little dark comedy that opens your eyes and your mind.

On the surface, our hero is inviting people to his own death ceremony (which gets a chuckle in itself) and righting a few wrongs, tying up some loose ends. But on a deeper level, through his misdemeanours of the day he develops into the literary artist and performance genius that he has proclaimed, yet failed, himself to be. That is where the dark and sad humour creeps into the mix. Not dissimilar to the drama of A Single Man; the hero only finds happiness when it’s too late to revel in it, although the way it was done in this film gives it a more laughable and lightened atmosphere.

Mike O’Connell stars as K. Roth Binew, our hero, and his performance was both admirable and memorable. He gave us a show that was grandiose, but carefully treads that fine line between poetic and violently screaming. It’s hard to put into words, but his performance was cultured and poetic with a grandiose edge to it, but he knew just how far to push it. He didn’t go over the edge, but held firm on the brink and gave a performance that was literary, poetic, funny, grandiose, unashamed, defiant, and just intriguing. Applause to Mike O’Connell everyone, applause to Mike O’Connell.

Starring Jesse Eisenberg, Jim Gaffigan, Eddie Pepitone, Ben Duhl, Aaron J. Patton, and Rebecca Comerford, The Living Wake is a delightful little surprise of a film filled with comedy, drama, confrontations, comforts, friendship, and a bit of a plot deception towards the end. It’s a really strange, but memorable little film that I would recommend if you’re in the mood for something light but with a bit of power.

In Her Shoes [M]

2012-01-02T03:46:00.000-08:00

Sexy, flirtatious, party girl Maggie and plain, dependable lawyer Rose are sisters with only two things in common: DNA and their shoe size. Having always had a love-hate relationship for one another, their bond takes a sharp turn toward the hate side of the spectrum after the two have a bitter fight, which nearly severs their ties completely. Soon the girls realise that they both share a long-lost grandmother who helps them make peace with each other and themselves.

One of the most heart warming and tear-inducing adaptations of a novel that I have had the pleasure of seeing, In Her Shoes is a really beautiful film that harbours memorable performances, excellent casting, a lovely script, drama, comedy, and romance. It’s absolutely beautiful and one that I am very pleased to have in my collection.

Sexy, flirtatious party girl Maggie and plain, dependable lawyer Rose are sisters, friends, and rivals with only two things in common: DNA and their shoe size. Having always had a love-hate relationship for one another, their bond suddenly takes a sharp turn towards the hate end of the spectrum after the two have a bitter fight that nearly severs their ties completely. Soon, and completely by accident, the girls discover that they also share a long-lost grandmother who helps them make peace with one another and with themselves.

After watching the film, I shall have to read the book, because it is just a beautiful story with many, many layers that are each as intriguing as the one that came before. Not only is it a dramatic story about two sisters and their relationship falling on the rocks, but it is also a beautiful story of the healing power of time and self discovery and transformation. With such a strong story like that, the film was in no need of special effects or grandiose sets, but everything would hinge on the casting… and I have to say that the casting was perfect.

Toni Collette is Rose and she is just beautiful! A hard-working and loyal woman, close to a martyr and someone after my own heart, Toni delivered a moving and memorable performance and it was really beautiful to see the transformation that her character went through. She was just stunning; frustrated, abused, exhausted, trying, and just looking for some hard-earned happiness. She was absolutely beautiful.

Cameron Diaz stars as Maggie and I would have to say that I think this is the best thing that she has done (that I’ve seen of course). Normally, I’m not a very big Diaz fan, but I have to say that Cameron really rose to the challenge of playing Maggie; a tramp on the surface, but someone who suffers from strong inner battles. The chemistry between her and Toni was lovely and it must be said that although she played the egocentric and overly confident tramp role very well, she played the softer and more emotional role even better and it really was like seeing someone’s mask fall to the floor in slow motion.

Starring Shirley MacLaine, Richard Burgi, Candice Azzara, Brooke Smith, Mark Feuerstein, Ken Howard, Jerry Adler, and Francine Beers, In Her Shoes is a beautiful film that’s filled with comedy, romance, drama, self-loathing, friendship, and love. I love it, it really is a gorgeous film!

Cinema Paradiso [PG] - Italian

2012-01-01T01:45:00.000-08:00

Salvatore is a great filmmaker who has not been home to his small Sicilian town for 30 years. That is until he is contacted by his mother and told the news that “Alfredo is dead”. Immediately, Salvatore begins to remember his childhood in the 1950s when, as a boy, he spent most of his time in the Cinema Paradiso, being enchanted by the magic of the films and becoming lifelong friends with projectionist, Alfredo.

Earning its place in The Book, this is a truly wonderful and moving piece of cinema that is a memorable taste of both nostalgia and the true magic of cinema. Winner of the 1998 Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, Cinema Paradiso is an amazing piece of work that harbours something for everyone.

Salvatore is a great filmmaker who has not been home to his small Sicilian town for 30 years. That is until he is contacted by his mother and told the news that “Alfredo is dead.” Immediately, Salvatore begins to remember his childhood in the 1950s when, as a boy, he spent most of his time in the Cinema Paradiso, being enchanted by the magic of the films and becoming lifelong friends with the projectionist, Alfredo.

At its base, Cinema Paradiso is a lovely film about the friendship that develops between a boy and a man who both share a common love: films. But overlapping that base are layers and layers of different kinds of love and milestones that make the film more and more autobiographical and easy to relate to. Director Guiseppe Tornatore has created a truly memorable and nostalgic film that reminds all who see it of their first trips to the movies and what the films and the cinema meant for them.

We also see the evolution of cinema, from the projection technology to pictures in colour, which really opens your eyes as to what we have achieved and just, generally, how things have changed. It just has to be said that this film has brought many memories of many people onto screen and shown them to thousands of people who missed out on these major changes so that they may be marvelled at and admired. It’s an amazing look at the past and present and special applause has to be given to Phillipe Noiret who played Alfredo, one of the most moving and memorable performances I have seen.

Starring Antonella Attili, Marco Leonardi, Pupella Maggio, Agnese Nano, Leopoldo Trieste, Salvatore Cascio, and Jacques Perrin, Cinema Paradiso is a remarkable film that is filled with love, heart, romance, comedy, sex, friendship, drama, and memories. It’s an amazing cinematic achievement that will invoke an emotional response from anyone and everyone who makes up its audience.

Ratatouille [PG]

2011-12-31T14:46:00.000-08:00

In Paris, the City of Lights, lives an ambitious rat named Remy who dreams of becoming a great chef. He has a great talent for culinary creation, but unfortunately his size and general species prevents him from achieving his dream. But then he meets a young man named Linguini who has been mistaken as being a great chef and the two decide to join forces and set in motion a chain of events that will change the fine food of Paris forever.

Hmm, it seems that in the time between Monsters Inc., Wall-E, and Toy Story 3, Pixar had lost something. Watching Cars and now Ratatouille, I just felt that there was not as much life in some of these later Pixar films, hence why, even though I love anything Disney, I have not added these films to the collection.

In Paris, the City of Lights, lives an ambitious rat named Remy who dream of becoming a great chef. He has a great talent for culinary creation, but unfortunately his size, family, and general species prevents him from achieving his dream. But then he meets a young man named Linguini, a garbage boy who has been mistaken for a great chef, and the two decide to join forces and set in motion a chain of events that will change the fine food of Paris forever.

Having said that there was something wanting in this film when compared to some of Pixar’s more memorable achievements: Toy Story, The Incredibles, Monsters Inc. and Wall-E, it cannot be said that Ratatouille was in fact a bad film.

Its base is a very fine story about dreams, determination, and friendship, but I think the most intriguing thing about this movie was the great way in which it portrayed the power of food. It is said that taste and smell are the two senses that have the strongest connections with memory and I really liked the way that that fact was shown in this film during its climax at the end. I also particularly like the way in which different tastes were visually represented, not quite dissimilar to the beginning of Fantasia.

The bright lights and animation make it a good children’s film, but the food aspect, in particular some of the culinary tricks and general ambiance will appeal to the adults, particularly those who have a real fondness for food and cooking. It’s actually quite cultured in that way, not to mention that the Paris scenery is just breathtaking, even in animated form.

Featuring the voice talents of Patton Oswalt, Ian Holm, Brian Dennehy, Lou Romano, Brad Garrett, Will Arnett, Janeane Garofalo, John Ratzenberger, and Peter O’Toole, Ratatouille is a nice little film that’s filled with food, friendship, romance, comedy, and dreams. It is one of Pixar’s milder offerings on the menu, but it’s still worth having a taste.

Life is Beautiful (La Vita e Bella) [M] - Italian

2011-12-30T18:35:00.000-08:00

Life is a fairytale for Guido; riding around the Italian countryside with his close friend, he meets the love of his life and, through a series of awkward and somewhat embarrassing misdemeanours, makes her his wife. Soon they are blessed with a son, Joshua, but the fairytale gets rocky when both Guido and Joshua are captured and sent to the Jewish prison camps. Throughout the hardships of the camps, Guido remains ever loving and imaginative for his son, and through his conduct, he proves that in even the darkest moments, a glimmer of hope can still shine through.

This is a really lovely film that keeps its audience one hundred per cent engaged by its wonderful story, its lovely direction, and its stunning performances. Nominated for 7 Academy Awards and winner of 3: Best Actor awarded to Benigni, Best Foreign Film, and Best Dramatic Music Score, Life Is Beautiful is a real classic that is equally as moving and dramatic as it is fresh and funny. It’s a perfectly balanced film that harbours something for everyone.

Life is a fairytale of Guido; riding around the Italian countryside with his close friend, he meets the love of his life and, through a series of awkward, romantic, and somewhat embarrassing misdemeanours, makers her his wife. Soon they are blessed with a son, Joshua, but the fairytale becomes rocky when both Guido and Joshua are captured and sent to the Jewish prison camps. Throughout the hardships of the camps, Guido remains ever loving, enthusiastic, and imaginative for his son, and his conduct proves that even in the darkest moments, a glimmer of hope can still shine through.

Set against the backdrop of 1930s Italy, what I felt was particularly nice about this movie was the fact that it didn’t give anything away as to what direction it was headed in. It begins as a lovely romance story and for that entire courtship, I could not have seen that it was headed towards a grim and dramatic tale of separation, hardship, and sacrifice… with a happy ending of course. You are completely captivated from start to finish and the film’s balance of drama, romance, and comedy, really holds your focus and touches both the heart and the funny bone. It’s just lovely.

Without a doubt, special applause must be given to Roberto Benigni who starred as Guido. What a performance! He was charming, enthusiastic, funny, and you completely fell in love with from the first exclamation of “Good morning Princess!” I loved him.

Starring Nicoletta Braschi, Giorgio Cantarini, Giustino Durano, Sergio Bini Bustric, Marisa Paredes, and Horst Buchholz, Life Is Beautiful really is beautiful and is filled with romance, comedy, drama, memorable performances, and a great story of hope and imagination. I thought it was really, really lovely, and I would recommend it.

The Queen [M]

2011-12-30T02:39:00.000-08:00

When the news of the death of Princess Diana, the “People’s Princess”, is broken to a shocked and disbelieving British public, Her Royal Highness Queen Elizabeth II retreats behind the walls of Balmoral Castle with her family to deal with the shock and grief with privacy and dignity, unable to imagine the public response to the tragedy. For newly elected and popular Prime Minister, Tony Blair, the nation’s need for reassurance and support from its leaders is palpable, and he faces a great challenge: reconnecting the Queen with her public.

There is something incredibly engaging about these dramas that depict and then delve deeper into real events in the life and times of famous leaders. The King’s Speech, Frost/Nixon, and now The Queen make it into my list of Most Memorable Films.

What, I think, is so great about these particular types of dramas is the fact that, not only that they are based on or inspired by true events, but the fact that they are so intriguing without the need for any special effects or the like. All these films run on are good scripts and strong performances; elements that, I believe, require a lot of stamina and talent, and ones that are completely natural and pure and not flashing lights and colourful diversions. But, seriously, fair play to all those involved in the more visual and technical side of filmmaking. I only dish it because it involves a lot of smarts and brainpower that I simply do not possess. Rock on!

Headline for this film: Helen Mirren is a Dame! A complete and utter dame! Her performance was so strong and so moving and so memorable. I mean she did everything with a stern and dignified sense of duty, which only made it all the more powerful and tear-inducing when she had more emotional scenes such as the scene with the stag and the scene with the flowers outside Buckingham Palace; I didn’t bawl, but there were silent tears rolling down my face during that scene! Wow! That’s all I can say: WOW!

Starring Helen Mirren, Michael Sheen, Alex Jennings, James Cromwell, Roger Allam, Helen McCrory, and Syvlia Sysm, The Queen is a breathtaking film filled with duty, dignity, publicity, real footage, and stunning performances. It’s incredibly engaging and, quite rightly, earned Helen Mirren the Acadmey Award for Best Actress in 2007. It really is a stunning film and I would highly recommend it.

Hanna [M]

2011-12-29T00:13:00.000-08:00

In the frozen woods of Germany lives a teenage girl named Hanna and her father Erik. Being raised by her father, an ex CIA agent, Hanna has the strength and stamina of a soldier, and her upbringing and training has been to make her into the perfect assassin. The turning point in her adolescence is a sharp one, as her father sends her out into the world on a special mission. Stealthily, she makes her way across Europe, at the same time eluding agents dispatched to capture her by a ruthless Intelligence agent with secrets of her own. As Hanna gets closer to her target, she faces startling revelations and unexpected questions about her existence.

I’ve had customers give this film a real bad wrap and apparently, in some newspaper, it made it onto the Worst Films list. WHAT? WHY? I will admit that there were some things that were a bit um and hmm, but ultimately, I really liked this movie. I found it intriguing, rollicking, dramatic, and heartfelt, all at the same time.

In the frozen woods of Germany lives a teenage girl named Hanna and her father Erik. Being raised by her father, an ex CIA agent, Hanna has the strength and stamina of a soldier, and her upbringing and training has been to make her into the perfect assassin. The turning point in her adolescence is a sharp one, as her father sends her out into the world on a special mission. Stealthily, she makes her way across Europe, at the same time eluding agents dispatched to capture her by a ruthless Intelligence agent with secrets of her own. As Hanna gets closer to her ultimate target, she faces startling revelations and unexpected questions about her father and her own existence.

I think, that there is much more to this film than initially meets peoples eye. On the surface, it’s an action film: agents chasing other agents and assassins and the like. But there is so much more to it than just that! There is the deeper story of Hanna growing up and, during her time abroad, discovering things that she has been denied for many years. The film touches on some very mature and relative themes such as isolation, sociality, and that awkward stage of adolescence, and I think it’s important to remember in this film that Hanna is not an adult, she is only a teenager, halfway through that dramatic gear-change, and for her entire life, she has lived in frozen solitude and isolation with only her father for company. She has strong wants and desires and needs, and it’s important to remember this before you slag off the film for whatever reason (I will say that I have not read the reviews as to why this film was so bad, so I am willing to accept that there may be some groundless arguments made here).

I found this film incredibly interesting because it harbours no real climax. All its action and drama was at a consistent level the entire way through. The other thing that I found interesting, and that I liked, was the fact that it ends on a climactic note, but not closure, almost similar to the style of A Clockwork Orange.

Not to mention that the film's soundtrack, done by The Chemical Brothers was equally as engaging.

Special applause has to be given to Saoirse Ronin! She’s a great actress and I was completely transfixed by her from the very first frame.

Starring Eric Bana, Tom Hollander, Paris Arrowsmith, Jessica Barden, Olivia Williams, Jason Flemying, and Cate Blanchett, Hanna was a great film packed with action, drama, murder, suspense, and underneath all that, heart. I thought it was really good and I would recommend it.

I just missed your heart

Cars 2 [PG]

2011-12-28T03:18:00.000-08:00

Racing champ Lightning McQueen is back with all his friends in Razor Springs for a bit of R and R, until he gets roped into competing in the World Grand Prix race. To add insult to injury, McQueen also gets roped into brining his best friend Mater along, but their friendship becomes rocky as, through a series of incidents, Mater gets mixed up in an adventure of his own: industrial espionage.

All the memorable characters from Cars are back, as well as a few new ones and, without a doubt, this is one of the rare occasions where the sequel is better than its predecessor.

Racing champ Lightning McQueen is back in Razor Springs with all his friends for a bit of R and R, until he gets roped into competing in the World Grand Prix race, which starts in Japan, goes through Italy, and finishes in England. To add insult to injury, McQueen also gets roped into bringing his best friend Mater along, but their companionship becomes rocky as, through a series of incidents, Mater gets mixed up in an adventure of his own: industrial espionage.

Admittedly not as warm and heartfelt as the first one, Cars 2 did still harbour some strong messages about friendship and acceptance. Which was nice.

But I think what makes this film a little more memorable was the fact that everything about it was just bigger.

For a start, we travel through three different countries and get to see other famous figures represented as cars, including the Pope and Her Majesty the Queen.

Secondly, the story of Mater’s adventure with a couple of secret agents was pretty damn cool: engaging and visually cool to watch; the gadgets that some of these cars had were pretty trippy and impressive, and it gave the film that feeling of watching a Bond film… only animated and about cars. I don’t know, in general it just amused me more than the first one did, and it didn’t try and recreate too many of its predecessor’s jokes, which I thought was a good thing.

Featuring the voice talents of Owen Wilson, Larry the Cable Guy, Bonnie Hunt, Emily Mortimer, John Turturro, Eddie Izzard, and Michael Caine, Cars 2 was a fun family film that was packed with action, adventure, comedy, friendship, drama, gadgets, and suspense. I still don’t think that the whole Cars thing was Pixar’s finest cinematic achievement, but they’re fun films to watch nonetheless.

Red Dog [PG]

2011-12-27T02:24:00.000-08:00

Red Dog is a charismatic kelpie who became an Australian legend as he united a disparate mining community in Dampier in the 1970s and 80s while roaming the Australian outback in search of his true, lost master.

So here I am, tearing up something dreadful and sodden, after finding out why everyone is raving about Red Dog. IT’S SUCH A BEAUTIFUL FILM; heart-warming, heartbreaking, tear-jerking, uplifting, giggle-inducing, and altogether wonderful.

Based on an amazing and just altogether breathtaking and incredible true story, Red Dog is a beautiful family film that has restored my waning sense of patriotism. I have to admit that, before Red Dog, it seemed that all the Aussies were coming out with in regards to cinematic input were gritty, confronting, and really close-to-the-bone dramas that both engage and repel audiences. But this film proved that there is a beating heart beneath the hardened and sunburnt exterior of this unique country.

It must first be said that Koko, the star of the show, was really the star of the show. There are animals and there are actors and Koko was as strong an actor as any of his supporting human cast, if not more so. A beautiful animal who, I believe, had only done modelling previously and no acting, his performance was just amazing to behold; not just his barking at appropriate moments or growling or pining or whatnot, but his movements, his facial expressions… Koko is now, probably, the most sought-after dog-actor on the planet!

The film is a series of reminiscences… and that is all I am willing to say on the topic lest I ruin it for everyone who has not seen the film. I am telling you now, that it is a must-see movie that harbours absolutely everything: fit for the perfect family afternoon. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, it’ll change your life.

With great performances from Josh Lucas, Rachael Taylor, Noah Taylor, Luke Ford, Rohan Nichol, John Batchelor, Arthur Angel, and a classic cameo from Bill Hunter (no Aussie film would be complete without him), Red Dog is a really beautiful film that’s filled with road trips, live animals, romance, friendship, action, sadness, and unification. It’s really, really beautiful and I urge everyone to go down to their local Blockbuster and grab a copy. It’s just gorgeous and not to be missed!

Grease [PG]

2011-12-25T20:04:00.000-08:00

A summer romance finds sugary sweet Sandy Olsson and hip heartthrob Danny Zuko in each other’s arms at the beach and proclaiming their love for one another. But then summer ends and Danny goes back to being the cool leader of a gang of greasers whilst Sandy goes back to Australia. But then, as fate would have it, a change of plans brings Sandy to Rydell High School and Danny faces a multitude of challenges as he is forced to choose between his image and his heart.

Grease is the word, is the word that you heard. It’s got groove, it’s got meaning. Grease is the time, is the place, is the motion. Grease is the way we are feeling.

The clichéd and classic musical that everyone has to come know and most have come to love, Grease has to be the best high school movie ever made as it still continues to entertain and appeal to audiences of all ages, decades after its premiere. The story, the characters, the costumes, and most of all, the music makes Grease a wonder that has earned its place in The Book and secured its place in musical cinematic history.

A summer romance finds sugary sweet Sandy Olsson and hip heartthrob Danny Zuko in each other’s arms at the beach and proclaiming their love for one another. But then the summer ends and Danny goes back to being the hip leather-clad leader of a gang of greasers whilst Sandy goes back to Australia. But then, as fate would have it, a change of plans brings Sandy to Rydell High School and Danny faces a multitude of challenges as he is forced to choose between his image and his heart.

Set against the backdrop of high school in the 50s, which really is the best era for high school movies, Grease is a classic example of what happens when you take a little bit of everything, chuck it altogether and then let it completely raise in the oven. It’s a delightful quiche of drama, comedy, romance, and style.

The basic story is as old as the hills, but it’s still a story that touches every girl’s romantic fancy: boy meets girl and although they are from completely different worlds, they overcome adversity and prove that love conquers all. Since Grease, we have seen that romance tale time and time again in Aladdin, Cinderella, Pretty In Pink, and even the Twilight saga.

But it’s not the story that makes Grease the phenomenal film that it is. Patrick Swayze can dirty dance his way out of the spotlight because every girl’s dream guy is brought to life through John Travolta’s memorable performance as the bad-boy-on-the-outside-but-heart-of-gold-within…although Johnny Depp in Cry Baby could give him a bit of a run for his money. With his leather jacket, his tight jeans, and his lustrous locks, any woman who does not swoon when she sees John on the screen should be shot. As if a greaser John is not enough, we see him dish out some phenomenal musical numbers as well as dance sequences. Seriously, Greased Lightnin’ has everyone in front of their TV doing the moves along with the actors. Even the people who say they hate the film. Don’t deny it!

The other actor who deserves a special mention is Stockard Channing who plays renowned school tart, Rizzo. Stockard is a very strong actress and though hers was a supporting role, she really made her presence known and her character not only brought much of the maturity and drama to the movie, but she also gave us that memorable and tear-jerking performance when she sang one of my all-time favourite songs: There Are Worse Things I Could Do.

Without a doubt, the music was the defining feature of this film as it goes through a range of genres from the boppy pop sound of Summer Lovin’ to the hard rock ‘n’ roll of Greased Lightnin’ to the sentimental and romantic Beauty School Drop-Out. You cannot help but sing along with every single song that comes up in this film, whether it be the heartfelt Hopelessly Devoted to You or the sarcastic Look At Me, I’m Sandra Dee.

And on top of the romantic story and the high school dramas, there is a layer of comedy, which manifests itself in many forms, but none so memorable as the clichéd beginning and the terrible cheesy ending. No more needs to be said, but if you’ve been living under and floorboard and have not seen either, you’d better run down to your local Blockbuster and get a copy.

Starring Olivia Newton-John, Jeff Conaway, Barry Pearl, Michael Tucci, Kelly Ward, Didi Conn, Jamie Donnelly, Dinah Manoff, Eve Arden, Joan Blondell, Edd Byrnes, Sid Caesar, Sha-Na-Na, and Frankie Avalon, Grease is a wonderful and completely classic film that is filled with leather, cars, action, romance, comedy, drama, dancing, and good old-fashioned everything. It’s just a load of fun and I absolutely love it to bits.

Eddie Izzard - Stripped [M]

2011-12-25T17:06:00.000-08:00

Darling and dapper comedian Eddie Izzard regales his audience with observations and jokes about everything from Noah and the flaws with the Ark to dinosaurs and how raptors can drive cars. It’s all clever laughs and sophisticated ramblings from Hannah Belle’s all-time favourite comedian.

I am monumentally proud to say that I actually went and saw this show when darling Eddie came to Sydney and performed at the State Theatre. And a memorable Tuesday night that was! I came home that night having fulfilled a lifelong dream of seeing my favourite comedian and owning a “Cake or Death?” t-shirt. Seriously, my life is now complete and I can die happy.

Darling and dapper comedian Eddie Izzard regales the audience with observations and jokes about practically everything from the natural flaws with Noah and his Ark to dinosaurs and how raptors can drive cars. And throughout it all, he keeps his audience both in fits of laughter, but at the same time, causes them to ponder and think.

I first need to say that it was really interesting watching this show, which I’ve seen live, on DVD, because it’s practically a whole other show. Most of the content is the same, but there were some real differences and it really opens your eyes and sends your mind contentedly whirring to think that whenever he performs this show, it’s subtly different and one hundred per cent natural and genuine. All the delightful bouts of spontaneity and nonsensical rambling are different and lead to different outcomes and jokes, but that’s what makes the entire experience so funny and so memorable.

Now, as much as I absolutely LOVE AND ADORE AND WORSHIP Eddie, I do have to be a little harsh and say that this is not my favourite show of his. After watching a great number of his shows on DVD, you do see that he tends to talk about and use similar content in each show. Religion, Nazis, dinosaurs, and squirrels have made appearances in his stand-up tours more than once, but at the end of the day, it’s really only the tragics like me who have no life who realise this. So I suppose he gets away with it.

I do have to say too that there was a bit of an “aw” when we discovered that this show would not feature darling Eddie really made up and glamorous like Dress to Kill or Circle. Not that he doesn’t look fabulous here; he wears a tailcoat! A TAILCOAT! That just screams sophistication and I so want to own one now! But, you know, at the end of the day these little disclaimers are nothing but petty and trivial bitchings when compared with the awesome, clever, stylish, and subtly Monty Python-esque shows that darling Eddie has brought to our screens.

Filled with jokes and ramblings about Nazis, religion, Noah, squirrels, jazz chickens, bok choy, dinosaurs, cows, and practically everything else in between, Eddie Izzard – Stripped is another classic stand-up show that keeps audiences enthralled from start to finish. I LOVE EDDIE!

Cars [G]

2011-12-25T15:28:00.000-08:00

Lightning McQueen is the rookie racing sensation, famous for boasting that he is a one-man show and needs nobody at his side. But his self-centred attitude completely changes when, on the road to a tiebreaker race, he gets lost and stranded in a tiny run-down town in the middle of nowhere. Whilst fixing the damage he’s inflicted on the town, Lightning begins to make friends with the locals and he discovers that there is more to racing and life than just winning and doing it all for yourself.

Another heart-warming and funny little animated film from Pixar, but not their greatest achievement, it has to be said. I mean, I liked the film muchly, it’s cute has great characters, has heart-warming messages about friendship and whatnot, but ultimately I feel that Pixar have done some much cleverer things in the past.

Lightning McQueen is the rookie racing sensation, famous for boasting that he’s a one-man show and needs nobody at his side. But his self-centred attitude completely changes when, on the road to a tiebreaker race, he get stranded and lost in a tiny, run-down town in the middle of nowhere. Whilst fixing the damage he’s inflicted on the town, Lightning begins to make friends with the locals, and he discovers that there is much more to racing and life than just winning and doing it for yourself.

Under all the layers of crisp animation, recognisable voice talent, and subtle and clever humour, Cars does have a really nice story about change, friendship, and trust. Those sorts of stories are great in family films such as Pixar’s because the junior audience can take more away with them then just laughs and bright colours.

On a more trivial and film-tragic note, what I liked about this film was that Pixar took a short trip down the Dreamworks road. You know how in most Dreamworks’ films they give the animated character some defining feature that reflects the actor providing the voice talent? Well, there was a moment in Cars where Pixar did that too and I have to say that it was actually kind of funny seeing how Jay Leno and Arnold Schwarzenegger would look like if they were cars.

The animation is just as classic as that of Toy Story or Monsters Inc and there is a lot of humour that will appeal to the adults, which makes this another classic family film. Oh, and be sure you watch the little bits at the end while the credits roll; clever note on Pixar’s casting preferences.

Featuring the voice talents of Owen Wilson, Paul Newman, Bonnie Hunt, Larry the Cable Guy, Cheech Martin, Tony Shaloub, George Carlin, John Ratzenberger, and Michael Keaton, Cars is a cute and funny little family that’s filled with races, bright colours, humour, friendship, action, and romance. It’s not Pixar’s finest cinematic achievement, but it’s worth watching nonetheless.

Julian Clary: Lord of the Mince [MA]

2011-12-24T23:51:00.000-08:00

50 and fabulous, comedian Julian Clary keeps the audience enthralled with tales of sexual escapades, lifestyle changes, therapies, clairvoyance, and just a dash of audience member humiliation.

Well, MERRY CHRISTMAS I suppose is the phrase that is most appropriate for this time of year, this day in particular. I’m sure everyone out there had a much more constructive and exciting day than ours: we watched a new addition to the collection, played a new board game and a game of canasta with some pretty awesome cards that my dad received from his dear son (which really means darling daughter saving the son’s arse) and, finally we went to the beach to wash off all the excitement and hysteria that the had caused our nerves. It was nice nonetheless.

So yes, Julian Clary: Lord of the Mince was a DVD that my mum received from “Santa” and she was dead excited about it, Julian being someone she absolutely LOVED back in the day. I have to say that she and I are on a similar wavelength; a nice addition to the collection.

50 and fabulous, comedian Julian Clary keeps the audience enthralled with tales of sexual escapades, lifestyle changes, therapies, clairvoyance, anecdotes, and just a dash of audience member humiliation.

So, literally straight after present unwrapping, mum whacked on the delightful Julian Clary to tickle everyone’s fancy. From the moment he glides on in roller-skates, with very lovely and artist-fully applied makeup, you know that this is going to be a show that you won’t be able to pull your eyes away from, most of you anyway. The back cover says that the show is 2 hours, but I tell it did not feel like that. Before we knew it, the show was over and the day half gone. WHAT?!

I do have to say that Julian is an absolute darling, though I could not get over how much I was reminded of Eddie Izzard, with the obvious major difference being that Eddie’s shows are filled with more subjects, are not personal, and just exude class and sophistication. So, Julian Clary. Good comedian. Stylish, not screaming, and the jokes he does are clever.

Although what he says and how he says it is funny, I do feel that he leans more towards the cruder humour and though he pulls if off exceptionally well, there is only so much of it you can take. Thankfully, Julian knows just how far to push the whole crude tank, and he treads that line between funny and just gross really well. Snaps must go to him for that alone.

I also like the fact that he includes the audience; gets a few members up on stage and everything. I like it when comedians do that.

Filled with sexual escapades, anecdotes, psychic experiments, roller-skates, and live animals, Julian Clary: Lord of the Mince is a very funny show that had me, my mum, and my brother enthralled. I would love to see Julian back in the hey-day, but for now, this show’s a good one to watch.

Scrooged [M]

2011-12-23T02:21:00.000-08:00

Greedy, driven, and all around grumpy bastard, Frank Cross, is the big man of a television agency screening a live version of Scrooge for Christmas Eve. At the end of a particularly nasty day, Frank is visited by the ghost of his old boss and warned that, if he does not change his ways, a rather grim afterlife waits for him. So, to save his soul, Frank is visited by three spirits: a maniacal cab driver, a sugary sweet fairy with a mean punch, and a headless spectre from the future, and it proves to be a night that will push even the sturdiest person over the edge.

I remember watching this as child and really loving it. I remember it being really funny. But now, a good thirteen or so years later, I just didn’t enjoy it as much as I remember. I would even go as far to say that, nup, this film just doesn’t do it. Sorry. Wrong number. My night’s ruined. I’m disappointed and a bit peeved.

Greedy, driven, and all around grumpy bastard, Frank Cross, is the big man of a television agency screening a live version of Scrooge for Christmas Eve. At the end of a particularly nasty day, Frank is visited by the ghost of his old boss and warned that, if he does not change his ways, a rather grim afterlife waits for him. So, to save his soul, Frank is visited by three spirits: a maniacal cab driver, a sugary sweet fairy with the mean punch, and a headless spectre from the future, and it proves to be a night that will push even the sturdiest person over the edge.

Essentially, just a macabre and modern version of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, Scrooged I found a little tasteless and tacky to be brutally honest. All Bill Murray did was scream or say a load of sadistic and sarcastic lines that harboured nothing to throw me into frenzies of comedy delight. This modern-day version was a mutated cross between Heart and Souls and Beetlejuice, if you can imagine such a thing, and I really don’t think I can say much more on the subject.

Fair play to the people who were responsible for the makeup and special effects, some kudos is due there. Well done everyone involved in that. And, um, yeah, no further comment.

Starring Billy Murray, Karen Allen, John Forsythe, John Glover, Bobcat Goldthwait, David Johansen, Carol Kane, and Robert Mitchum, Scrooged was a bizarre and tasteless Christmas comedy that very nearly murdered a masterpiece. Filled with ghosts, booze, screaming, the homeless, and weird, weird supernatural characters and sets, I think that I’ve seen it more than enough for one lifetime thank you very much.

Zombieland [MA]

2011-12-22T02:55:00.000-08:00

Nerdy and scared-of-everything college student Columbus has survived the plague that has transformed mankind into flesh-eating zombies. But the fall of humanity has left him alone and unfulfilled. So he goes on the road to his hometown to try and find his family. Along the way he meets the gun-toting, twinkie-loving, and scared-of-absolutely-nothing Tallahassee and two sisters, Wichita and Little Rock, who have also survived, and together they face their most horrifying challenge yet: surviving each other’s company.

What a bizarre film this is. The entire thing is really just a cross-country trip with the added drama of being chased by zombies and having a showdown in an abandoned amusement park. To be truthful, it wasn’t a bad or un-entertaining movie, but I wouldn’t say that it’s “the funniest comedy since The Hangover” which the back of the cover claims it to be. Look, at the end of the day, I would say that this film is not bad and it’s worth having a look at, especially if you have a hard-on for mindless violence and bloodshed, but it’s really not all that.

Nerdy and scared-of-everything college student Columbus has survived the plague that has transformed mankind into flesh-eating zombies. But the fall of humanity has left him alone and unfulfilled. So he goes on the road to his hometown to try and find his family. Along the way he meets the gun-toting, twinkie-loving, and scared-of-absolutely-nothing Tallahassee as well as two sisters, Wichita and Little Rock who have also survived the plague, and together they face their most horrifying challenge: surviving each other’s company.

Yeah, ultimately, this movie was nothing more than a cross-country trip embarked upon by completely different characters who have zombies chasing after them.

By no means being a great cinematic phenomenon, the film does harbour some intriguing and slightly intellectual and funny moments, mainly manifesting themselves in the form of Jesse Eisenberg and Woody Harrelson’s performances. The complete character clash really works in this film, and I do also like the fact that a more meaningful and family oriented story comes in play against the violence and gore.

It has to also be said here that it was interesting to see zombies actually have some life in them: seriously, these creatures were unlike the slow-moving and mindless masses that we saw in Shaun of the Dead, but desperately starving and ravenous, fast-moving, dead people with blood all over their faces and flesh in their teeth. It was actually rather intriguing and added some more fear to the whole thing as these creatures could actually keep up and outrun their prey. I liked it.

Starring Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Emma Stone, Abigail Breslin, and Bill Murray, Zombieland was a weird, but not entirely unfunny movie filled with violence, horror, zombies, guns, romance, and family. If you like the actors and don’t mind the occasional bit of weird and “what-the-fuck”, then this movie might be one to consider having a look at.

Nut up or shut up

30 Minutes Or Less [MA]

2011-12-21T01:14:00.000-08:00

Nick is a man who is still becoming a man. Whilst his best friend is a substitute teacher, Nick is still driving around delivering pizzas for a living. But his humdrum and mundane world is almost literally blown to bits when he delivers pizzas to a guy who plans to murder his own father. Nick wakes up to find that he has a bomb strapped to his body and only a limited amount of time to rob a bank, steal a grand, and get it to the psychos before he becomes stains on the pavement. Dragging his best friend Chet along for the ride, this is going to be the longest day of Nick’s life.

As much as I hate to make a really stupid and clichéd pun here, it must be said that this movie is the bomb! It’s simple and a smooth-sailing story, but at the same time is loaded to breaking point with all types of action and verbal attacks that are hard on the ears. Not to mention the fantastic freak-outs that came out of Jesse Eisenberg! This movie fucking rocks! I LOVED IT!

Nick is a man who is still becoming a man. Whilst his best friend is a substitute teacher, Nick is still driving around delivering pizzas for a living. But his humdrum and mundane world is almost literally blown apart when he delivers pizzas to a guy who plans to murder his own father. Nick wakes up to find that he has a bomb strapped to his body and only a limited amount of time to rob a bank, steal a grand, and get it to the psychos before he becomes a stain on the pavement. Dragging his best friend, Chet, along for the ride, this is going to be the longest day of Nick’s life.

This is just a really good action/comedy! All there is is the slight Coen-esque action that stems from misunderstandings and people acting like idiots in time of desperation or control. And let it be said here that I use the phrase “Coen-esque”, but that does not mean that this is a Coen brother’s movie. A bit of a disclaimer, I know, but there it is.

The marriage of the action and the comedy was perfectly balanced and what makes this film so gripping is the fact that all types of comedy and action are used. Action-wise, we have car chases, hold-ups, shoot-outs, flame-throwers, bombs, and everything in between. And then comedy-wise we have freak-outs, desperation, violence, language, and general verbal and violent abuse and amateurship. It’s just hilarious.

And then, to play against the comedy and action, the film has a subtler and really lovely story about friendship that runs along parallel with the general story. That was really nice.

Without a doubt, the show belonged to Jesse Eisenberg who starred as Nick. I have a real soft spot for Jesse, I have to admit; I absolutely love him and here, he delivered a wonderful and memorable performance that was desperate, aggressive, frustrated, and just wonderfully funny. HE WAS BRILLIANT, JUST BRILLIANT!

Starring Danny McBride, Aziz Ansari, Nick Swardson, Dilshad Vadsaria, Michael Pena, Fred Ward, and Bianca Kajilich 30 Minutes Or Less is a wonderfully funny, violent and rollicking film that’s packed with action, romance, self-discovery, friendship, blunders, and all manner of violence and fuck-ups. It really is a great film and I thoroughly enjoyed it!

Mr. Popper's Penguins [G]

2011-12-20T02:56:00.000-08:00

Mr. Tom Popper is a man who has hit a wall in life. He lives for his work, he’s divorced, and he can no longer properly relate to his kids. But that changes when his explorer father passes away and sends him one final souvenir: a real penguin. Unable and unwilling to take care of this new pet, Popper tries to send the bird back, but due to a miscommunication, ends up with six penguins in his apartment. They’re loud, they bite, and are absolute trouble, but they might just be what Popper needs to get his life back on track.

Based on a children’s book, which I have never read nor indeed heard of, Mr. Popper’s Penguins was a cute, but silly little film, almost like a cross between Night at the Museum and Bedtime Stories.

Mr. Tom Popper is a man who has hit a wall in his life. He lives for his work, he’s divorced but still in love with his ex-wife, and he can no longer properly relate to his kids. But that all changes when his explorer father passes away and sends him one final souvenir: a real penguin. Unable and unwilling to take care of this new pet, Popper tries to send the bird back, but due to a miscommunication, ends up with six penguins in his apartment. They’re loud, they bite, they give him no privacy, and are just general trouble, but they might just be what Popper needs to rediscover love and get his life back on track.

When I say that this film is a sort of cross between Night at the Museum and Bedtime Stories, I mean that it is set against the backdrop of a more adult situation: the whole divorced parent who only sees his kids on certain weekends, similar to Night at the Museum and it’s a silly and childish catalyst that causes the hero to change and go on a journey of self-discovery, like Bedtime Stories.

I think my only major beef with this film was the fact that everything moved a bit too quickly, but at the same time, too subtly and smoothly. There was no real shock or jolt into the meat of the story and journey of self-discovery, indeed even the arrival of the first penguin did not really seem all that engaging. So, yes, I think that we could say there was a lack of real initial engagement. It was all sort of “huh” and that was it.

Having said that, the animated penguins were rather cute and the script did harbour some very clever and funny treats, the major one being Popper’s assistant with her most amazing alliteration. Watch out for that!

Starring Jim Carrey, who just seemed to breeze through the whole thing and not try very hard at all, Carla Gugino, Ophelia Lovibond, Madeline Carroll, Clark Gregg, Jeffrey Tambor, David Krumholtz, Maxwell Perry Cotton, and Angela Lansbury, Mr. Popper’s Penguins was a cute, but admittedly silly little film filled with penguins, ice, noise, comedy, and love. It’s cute and all, but I don’t think it’s a film that I would watch again any time soon.

Da Kath & Kim Code [PG]

2011-12-19T23:09:00.000-08:00

It’s Christmas time in Fountain Lakes and things are really buzzing in the Kath Day and Kel Knight household. As a hooded albino is sinisterly pursuing Kath and Kel, Kim and Brett are facing marriage troubles… real ones this time. To bring further stress to the scene, Sharon is getting married to a guy she met online. And through it all, only one question remains in the front of everyone’s minds… will there be enough breadsticks for everyone at Chrissie lunch?

The first and only feature-length telemovie from the glamorous gals in Fountain Lakes, Da Kath & Kim Code is a great little movie that holds just as much entertainment and joy years later as when it first appeared on TV. Although I know what’s going to happen and how everything will pan out, it’s still a little flick that I can always come back to and enjoy. I mean come on, it’s Kath and Kim! It’s noice, it’s different, it’s unewesual!

It’s Christmas time in Fountain Lakes and things are really buzzing in the Kath Day and Kel Knight household. As a hooded figure is sinisterly pursuing Kath and Kel, Kim and Brett are having marriage issues… real ones this time! To bring further stress to the scene, Sharon is getting married to a guy she met online, and through it all there is one question that remains in the front of everyone’s minds… will there be enough breadsticks for everyone at Chrissie lunch?

All right, so this is really a telemovie so there really is not much more to be said than that the whole thing is really just a longer episode of Kath & Kim set against a Christmas backdrop.

What I like particularly about this is that it’s the first Kath & Kim episode where some real drama comes into play. We have the sinister albino stalking Kath and Kel, which was just a take on The Da Vinci Code, which was the hottest thing around at that time. We also see Kim and Brett go through a real marriage lurch, but the real drama occurs when Kath and Kel go through one too! Not to mention the nasty circumstances that the lovely Prue and Trude find themselves in. So the hint of drama is one thing that I really like.

The other thing is the abundance of familiar faces and guest appearances that this telemovie holds. We not only get to enjoy the company of Jane Turner, Gina Riley, Magda Szubanski, Glenn Robbins, and Peter Rowsthorn, but a mass of other guests join us for Christmas including The Wiggles, Rhonda Burchmore, Rove McManus, Bob Downe, Michael Buble, and Barry Humphries. Filled with presents, drama, attempted murder, affairs, punch-ups, and frozen turkey, Da Kath & Kim Code is a great little telemovie that I can always come back to and enjoy just as heartily. I just love Kath & Kim, they can never grow old.

The Blues Brothers [M]

2011-12-06T01:17:00.000-08:00

Jake Blues is newly released from prison and, after his release, he and his brother Elwood go to visit the nun who raised them when they lived in an orphanage. To their dismay, they discover that the orphanage and the only home and family they’ve ever known is greatly in debt and in danger of closing down. After having an epiphany, they decide to get their band back together so that they can raise the money for the orphanage. But the road to regain success isn’t quite as smooth as they had hoped and soon, the brothers find themselves being chased all over the place by the police, the army, an angry country band, the Illinois branch of Nazis, and a murderous ex-girlfriend.

I’ve seen this film a couple of times, but I keep forgetting just how clever the whole thing is and the familiar faces that make up the cast. The Blues Brothers is a real comedy classic as it samples and subtly takes the piss out of practically every mainstream genre, and all the while the main characters are completely nonchalant as to the dramas and dangerous situations that surround them. I LOVE THIS MOVIE!

Jake Blues is newly released from prison and, after his release, he and his brother Elwood go to visit the nun who raised them when they lived in an orphanage. To their dismay, they discover that the orphanage and the only home and family that have known is greatly in debt and in danger of closing down. After having an epiphany, they decide to get their band back together to play some gigs and raise the money for the orphanage. But the road to regain success isn’t quite as smooth as they had hoped and soon, the brothers find themselves being chased all over the place by the police, the army, an angry country band, the Illinois branch of Nazis, and a murderous ex-girlfriend.

There are so many things contained in this film that appeal and mean something to everyone, which makes it a great film for a variety of audiences.

For a start, the film is technically a musical, as there are a few moments when the characters randomly burst into song, but at the same time, it is taking the piss out of musicals in an ironic way, as most of the musical numbers are done in a situation, which almost calls for it.

Musicals are not the only genre that’s mocked in this film. There is a lot of action packed into it, but again the piss is taken out of the genre is an ironic and subtle way: the car chases practically never end! Seriously, they last for close to 10 minutes! And then there is the character of the murderous ex who just randomly turns up and begins bearing her wrath upon the brothers with the help of bombs, rifles, and flame-throwers. And, even in the face of all this, the lead characters, Jake and Eldwood, are completely nonchalant and un-phased by it. It’s effing hilarious! Like Chaplin tumbling down the stairs and just getting up, having a little shake, and moving on!

And then we have a most amazing cast, which is packed with the familiar faces of both actors and musicians alike. Starring John Belushi, Dan Akroyd, James, Brown, Cab Calloway, Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, Steve Cropper, Donald “Duck” Dunn, Murphy Dunne, Willie Hall, Tom Malone, Lou Marini, Matt Murphy, Alan Rubin, Carrie Fisher, Henry Gibson, John Candy, John Lee Hooker, Kathleen Freeman, Steve Lawrence, Frank Oz, Twiggy, Jeff Moris, Charles Napier, Steven Williams, and Armand Cerami, The Blues Brothers is, without a doubt, a classic filled with action, comedy, drama, music, a great soundtrack, and practically everything in between. I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THIS FILM! It’s bloody brilliant!

Breaking Dawn Part 1 [M]

2011-12-03T21:46:00.000-08:00

It’s really happening. Edward and Bella are tying the knot and soon, Bella will become a vampire, able to love and cherish her Edward forever. But whilst on their honeymoon, something happens that threatens, not only Bella’s life, but also the lives of the entire Cullen family, as Bella discovers that she is pregnant. Still a human, the baby is too strong to grow inside Bella’s frail body, but the bigger problem is that the wolves see it as an abomination and will not allow it to be born, sparking a war against Bella, the Cullens, and anyone who stands in between.

What can I say that has not already been said about the whole bloody Twilight phenomenon? This film is pretty much just like the others only more violent, brutal, and packed with more screaming from Kristen Stewart, who really has a talent for it, I have to say. To give her credit, she did really well at gaining that glow when she lets the shock of being pregnant settle into a calm and maternal state.

It’s really happening. Edward and Bella are tying the knot and soon, Bell will become a vampire, able to love and cherish her Edward forever. But whilst on their honeymoon, something happens that threatens not only Bella’s life, but also the lives of the entire Cullen family, as Bella discovers that she is pregnant. Still a human, Bella is too fragile to carry the baby through a regular pregnancy, but the bigger problem is that the wolves see the thing as an abomination that will threaten all the humans they protect, and they will not allow it to be born. So begins a battle waged by Sam and his pack against Bella, the Cullens, and anyone who stands in between.

The final book in the series, Breaking Dawn has been divided into two films, rightly so as there is a lot of stuff that needs to be covered. I have to say that I thought that they did Part 1 very well, ending it at just the right place in the story, and covering the wedding, the child, and the change. From the start, it was very true to the book and more or less exactly how I imagined the wedding and the honeymoon was going to be like.

I was surprised, however, at how violent and brutal they made the pregnancy though. I have read the book and understood the danger and severity of the whole thing on Bella in particular, but I suppose I just thought that they would sort of put a glaze over it in the film. I was grossly mistaken, which in actually fact works out a lot better for the story as, even though it’s hard to watch, it really conveys the danger of the whole thing, not the mention the unusualness of it. Yes, there was lots of screaming, lots of bloodshed, and lots of bones cracking and breaking. Ugh it makes you just shudder.

Starring Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner, Billy Burke, Sarah Clark, Ashley Greene, Jackson Rathbone, Nikki Reed, Kellan Lutz, Peter Facinelli, and Elizabeth Reaser, Breaking Dawn Part 1 was just another chapter in the Twilight saga. I don’t know what to say that I haven’t already said before. There is nothing inherently amazing about these books or films, yet there is something about them that just pulls the masses, girls in particular, into the cinema or onto the couch…

Driving Miss Daisy [G]

2011-12-03T15:34:00.000-08:00

When rich, elderly Daisy Werthan drives her car into her neighbour’s garden, her son Boolie decides that her driving days are over. So Boolie hires Hoke to be Daisy’s chauffer, which starts out as a bit of a fiasco but, as the two spend more time together, whether they like it or not, they develop a warm and special relationship and, as time goes on, they discover that they have become each other’s best friend.

Based on the Pulitzer Prize winning play of the same name and winner of four Academy Awards including Best Picture, best Actress, and Best Adapted Screenplay, Driving Miss Daisy is a lovely little film that’s filled with warmth, conflict, and heart. It’s a really lovely little tale about a bond developing between the two most unlikely of souls.

When rich, elderly Daisy Werthan drives her car into her neighbour’s garden, her son Boolie decides that her driving days are over. So Boolie hires Hoke to be Daisy’s chauffer, which begins as a bit of a fiasco as Daisy forcefully and stubbornly resists this intrusion into her life. But as the two spend more time together, whether they like it or not, they develop this special and warm bond, and, as time goes on, they realise that, over the course of their 25-year relationship, they have become each other’s best friend.

Everything about this film was subtle, but at the same time, poignant. Admittedly, the passage of time is one that can almost be completely missed, I would not have realised that their friendship went on so long without reading the blurb on the back of the cover.

The story is a lovely natural one that just blooms over the course of the film and the performances from the two leads were just beautiful.

Jessica Tandy as Daisy was wonderful, beginning the film as stubborn, frank, and rather powerfully passive aggressive. Then she begins to smile and speak warmly towards Hoke and it’s really lovely to see the change, like watching sun break through on an overcast day.

Morgan Freeman as Hoke was just gorgeous. I have a bit of a thing for Morgan Freeman, I have to admit; I find him wonderfully charming with this amazing ability to demand the audience’s attention, even when he’s paying meeker characters like Hoke or Azeem in Robin Hood Prince of Thieves. In this film he’s wonderfully amiable, gentle, and at the same time just as determined and stubborn as Jessica Tandy and the clash of the two heads brings the film its drama and its heart. Lovely.

Starring Dan Akroyd, Patti LuPone, and Esther Rollie, Driving Miss Daisy is a lovely little film that’s filled with drama, conflicts, friendship, and heart. I thought it was really nice and genuinely moving.

An Education [M]

2011-12-02T23:20:00.000-08:00

Jenny is an attractive and bright girl, just on the verge of becoming a woman. Struggling with a dull life of adolescent routine that is enforced by her conservative parents, Jenny cannot wait for her adult life to start. Then, one rainy day, she crosses the path of 30-ish David who is rich, fun, has taste, and soon becomes her suitor, having amazingly charmed her parents as well as Jenny. Soon David shows Jenny a whole new of classical concerts, art, jazz, and glittering restaurants and she becomes dangerously tempted to veer off the Oxford path that her parents would have her take, and walk down one of excitement and fun with David by her side. But all that glitters is not gold, and soon Jenny begins to wonder if David will be her making or her undoing.

This is a wonderful, WONDERFUL film! Armed with its simple, but gripping story, it’s a wonderful look at an array of things and poses quite a lot of questions about life, education, and relationships. It’s a film that really glows and everything about it seems radiant and poignant. IT’S ABSOLUTELY LOVELY! A real gem!

Jenny is an attractive and bright girl, just on the verge of becoming a woman. Struggling with a dull life of adolescent routine that is enforced by her conservative parents, Jenny cannot wait for her adult life to start. Then, one rainy day, she crosses the path of 30-ish David who is rich, fun, has taste, and soon becomes her suitor, having amazingly charmed her parents as well as Jenny. Soon, David shows Jenny a completely different world filled with classical concerts, art, jazz, and glittering restaurants, and she becomes dangerously tempted to veer off the Oxford path that her parents would have her take, and walk down one of excitement and fun with David at her side. But all that glitters is not gold and soon Jenny begins to wonder whether David will be her making or her undoing.

Set in the early 60s, An Education is a remarkable film that makes some very interesting points about everything from education and its benefits to relationships and conservatism. The whole thing of a 16 year-old dating a 30 year-old already grabs the audience and holds their focus, but funnily enough, the relationship between Jenny and David is actually rather wonderful as it seems completely natural and is probably the least shocking thing in the film. Their questionable relationship opens doors both for the progress of the story and the character of Jenny, and I find it really intriguing that it is insignificant, but at the same time a really lovely catalyst. Not to mention that the chemistry between the two romantic leads seemed really genuine and radiant. It has to be one of the most radiant and charming romances that I have seen on screen.

Special applause must go to Carey Mulligan who starred as Jenny. I ABSOLUTELY LOVED HER! She gave an amazing performance that was wide-eyed, innocent, cultured, and at the same time harboured some real fire, opinion, and aggressiveness. She just had presence and was radiant, really radiant. I was completely captivated by her from start to finish.

Starring Peter Sarsgaard, Alfred Molina, Rosamund Pike, Dominic Cooper, Olivia Williams, Sally Hawkins, and Emma Thompson, An Education is a really beautiful film that I am seriously considering adding the collection. It’s tasteful, captivating, elegant, and is filled with lessons, romance, experiences, culture, drama, comedy, and glamour. I LOVED IT, ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT!

The Tale of Despereaux [G]

2011-12-01T15:31:00.000-08:00

Once upon a time there lived a mouse named Despereaux, who dreamt of being a brave knight. Banished from his home for being more of a man than a mouse, he one day, meets a distraught princess and vows to embark on a noble quest to free her from her prison and bring her what she longs for.

This was an interesting little family film in that it goes back to a time of chivalry and honour and there was real sense to it: like a sense of duty, a sense honour, moral sense, and the characters sensing how others are feeling and what can be done to bring happiness. It was more of a feeling movie rather than a grand adventure of damsels in distress, brave knights, and the like.

Once upon a time, in the faraway land of Dor, there lived a small mouse named Despereaux who dreamt of being a brave knight. Banished from his home for being more of a man than a mouse, he one day meets a distraught princess and vows to embark on a noble quest to free her from her prison and bring her what she longs for.

I don’t think I’ve ever seen a film quite like this before. There really isn’t much of a story to speak of, more of a collection of personal anecdotes and vendettas of the characters set against that fairytale-esque backdrop of chivalry and honour. It’s a very naturally evolving tale in a way, as the small series of adventures and misdemeanours lead to different feelings, which then lead to actions, some nasty and some nice, rather as it happens in reality. It’s sort of funny to say, as this is really a film where mice and rats are the heroes, but this is actually a very human movie as it depicts human feelings as being the real villains: grief, longing, insult, and injury.

The animation is amazing with the perfect voice talents to match.

Featuring the voice talents of Matthew Broderick, Dustin Hoffman, Emma Watson, Tracy Ullman, Kevin Kline, Stanley Tucci, Sigourney Weaver, William H. Macy, Robbie Coltrane, Christopher Lloyd, and Frank Langella, The Tale of Despereaux is a nice little film with both courage and heart. Filled with adventure, soup, bravery, and forgiveness, it’s not the greatest fairytale in the world, but it’s worth having a look at nonetheless.

Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs [G]

2011-11-27T23:12:00.000-08:00

In the tiny town of Swallow Falls, the inhabitants live on nothing but sardines, which is less than satisfying. But when local inventor and branded “weirdo” Flint Lockwood invents a machine that turns water into food, the town’s prayers for nourishment are answered. At first, Flint thinks his inventing career is over when his machine explodes and is sent up into the stratosphere, but then it starts raining delicious hamburgers and Flint’s true genius is finally recognised. But how long can the good stuff last before it becomes more than Flint can chew?

I didn’t bother to go and see this at the movies because, honestly, it looked like the most fantastically stupid film ever. But, curiosity got the better of me, and I hired it out to see just how silly it was. All I can say is that I was pleasantly surprised and that we should all indulge in our curiosities once in a while.

In the tiny town of Swallow Falls, the inhabitants live on nothing but sardines, which is less than satisfying. But when local inventor and branded “weirdo”, Flint Lockwood, invents a machine that turns water into food, the town’s prayers for proper nourishment are answered. At first, Flint thinks his inventing career is over when his machine explodes and is sent up into the stratosphere, but then it starts raining delicious hamburgers and Flint’s true genius is finally recognised. But how long will the good stuff last before it becomes too much for Flint to chew?

Despite the silly basic story about water being turned into food, which really just seems like a kid’s dream as the closest anyone ever got to it was Jesus, Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs harboured some surprising moments of warmth, heart, and clever comedy.

For a start, the script is very funny, sometimes a bit literal, but very funny. That, added to the voice talents of the stars gave the film both its comedy and its heart. A classic example of the type of humour the film uses is in this line, said by the local cop, voiced by Mr. T: “This contact lens represents you. And my eye represents my eye. I got my eye on you!” It’s actually rather funny and the animation is good too.

Featuring the voice talents of Bill Hader, Anna Faris, James Caan, Andy Samberg, Bruce Campbell, Benjamin Bratt, and Mr. T, Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs is a funny little film that’s filled with food, comedy, great animation, imagination, heart, and romance. It may seem like a silly story, but it’s actually a good little film that the family can enjoy.

Madeline [G]

2011-11-27T02:24:00.000-08:00

In an old house in Paris that was covered in vines, lived twelve little girls in two straight lines.

Based on the book and the animated series of the same name, Madeline is a sugary sweet little film that really is for the junior audience. I remember loving this movie as a child but, like A Simple Wish, it just didn’t stand up when I revisited it as an adult.

In an old house in Paris that was covered in vines, lived twelve little girls in two straight lines. In two straight lines they broke their bread, and brushed their teeth, and went to bed. They smiled at the good and frowned at the bad. And sometimes they were very sad. They left the house at half past nine, in two straight lines in rain or shine. The smallest one was Madeline.

Little Madeline, orphaned at a young age, has found a family with Miss Clavel and the twelve little girls who go to school with her. But her family is threatened when Lord Covington, the owner of the school, decides to sell it. Now, Madeline is at war with the adults, trying to make her voice heard, and she will even go so far to ask the nasty little boy next door, Pepito, for help.

Obviously the basic idea of kids against adults is something that brings the junior audience in to see this film. I remember thinking that this movie was fun, action-packed, and funny, but watching it as an adult, I am grateful that my taste and general observation skills have matured.

The film is basically a montage of episodes of the cartoon series, including the introduction of Pepito, how the girls came by Genevieve, and when Madeline has her appendix taken out. And then there is the added dramatic element of Lord Covington trying to sell the school and the kidnapping plot next door. Ultimately, this movie is really just a sugary sweet kids’ film and nothing more. It holds no joy for adults, except possibly to admire what cute and innocent actors all the children are.

Hatty Jones, who plays Madeline, was very cute and she had that vivacious, outspoken, and irrepressible spirit that the heroine of the book always had. Also, scarily enough, she reminds me a bit of one of my cousins…it’s actually rather scary.

Starring Frances McDormand, Nigel Hawthorne, Ben Daniels, Stephanie Audran, Chantal Neuwirth, Clare Thomas, and Kristian De La Osa, Madeline is a cute little film, but it’s really one for the kids. Filled with slapstick comedy, drama, innocent wars, and two straight lines, I’m glad to have revisited it, but unfortunately I do think I’ve grown up a bit too much to enjoy it.

Sleeping Beauty [MA]

2011-11-25T13:15:00.000-08:00

Quietly reckless and death-haunted university student, Lucy, takes a job as a Sleeping Beauty. In the Sleeping Beauty Chamber, old men seek erotic thrills that require Lucy’s submission. This unsettling task soon begins to bleed into Lucy’s life and she develops an increasing need to know what happens to her in those hours when she’s asleep.

I have a bit of an admiration for Emily Browning, probably because a) she’s just beautiful, and b) she’s an Aussie. So I hired this smaller, more artistic and provocative title for no other reason than that she was in it. I have to say that I don’t think I entirely understood what the film was about. In its entirety, it’s very subtle and suggestive, with a haze of characters and vague erotic fancies. I’m in two minds about whether I liked it or not.

Quietly reckless and death-haunted university student, Lucy, takes a job as a Sleeping Beauty. In the Sleeping Beauty Chamber, old men seek erotic thrills that require Lucy’s complete submission. This unsettling task soon begins to bleed into Lucy’s life when she’s awake and she develops an increasing need to know that happens to her in those hours when she’s asleep.

Everything about this film was downplayed and incredibly subtle. In a way, the film is rather evasive as scenes are brought to a dignified close with a simple, yet somewhat unnerving fadeout.

The script, though it does use some brazen and harder dialogue, is rather subdued with each character avoiding stating the simple and answering the ultimate question: “what’s going on?” Looking at it in this way, the film was rather like a game of ring-around-the-rosy, with the story and the characters dancing in a vague circle around a few central themes and questions that the movie puts forward.

The film does pose a few questions about life, death, and enjoyment, but these are just as hazy and hard to grasp as the characters and the general direction of the film.

Emily Browning was captivating as Lucy, delivering a subtle performance, aside from the penultimate climax before the credits roll. I think she was perfect for the role because she has a real sense of beauty and purity about her, almost like Snow White, even though her character is anything but pure. She did well.

Starring Rachel Blake, Chris Haywood, Peter Carroll, and Ewan Leslie, Sleeping Beauty was a subtle yet interesting film that was filled with sex, drugs, sleep, eroticism, and a real sense of foreboding melancholy. I may need to see it a second time to get a bit more out of it because, despite its vague and evasive atmosphere, I feel that it does harbour a lot of something beneath the surface.

The Banger Sisters [M]

2011-11-25T02:55:00.000-08:00

Back in the day, Lavinia and Suzette were the Banger Sisters: famous groupies who slept with only the best. Now, years later, Suzette still retains her brazenness and free spirit, but Lavinia has moved on to become a prim and upstanding rich wife of a lawyer. When she loses her job, Suzette makes for Phoenix to ask Lavinia for money. Along the way she picks up a complicated man named Harry, who is travelling to Phoenix for sinister reasons of his own. And once back in Lavinia’s life, Suzette awakens a defiance and life in, not just her old best friend, but Lavinia’s entire family as well.

This is a wonderfully funny and light film that’s filled with wit, charm, warmth, laughs, and memorable characters. It holds something for audiences of adolescent and adult variety and is generally a really nice film all around.

Back in the day, Lavinia and Suzette were the Banger Sisters: famous groupies who slept with only the best. Now, years later, Suzette still retains her brazenness and free spirit, but Lavinia has moved on to become a prim and upstanding wife and mother. When she loses her job, Suzette makes for Phoenix to ask Lavinia for money. Along the way, she picks up a complicated man named Harry who is travelling to Phoenix for his own sinister reasons. And once back in Lavinia’s life, Suzette awakens a defiance and life in, not only her old friend, but also Lavinia’s entire family.

The story was nice, fresh, and original but, without a doubt, what made The Banger Sisters a good film was the bizarre mixture of the cast.
We have Goldie Hawn, with the world’s most excellent smile, playing a brazen and somewhat trampy home wrecker with harmless, but selfish, intentions. Goldie was gorgeous as a has-been, and she provided the film with wit, heart, and the right amount of sass. I loved her.

Susan Sarandon stars as Lavinia, the former “blast” now turned upstanding and respectable wife. Initially, you watch this and think that Susan plays the perfect mum, but then she cuts her hair and dons the tight pants and we see a woman who has completely forgotten who she is. Susan did a great job of playing the character that had lost its way, and she did it with wit, charisma, and a tad of insanity.

And finally, we have Geoffrey Rush as the character of Harry. Providing the film with a real sense of drama and general paranoia, Geoffrey delivered yet another brilliant performance that was confused, fearful, complicated, and, despite initial turn-offs, wonderfully charming. I do have a great admiration for Geoffrey Rush I have to admit.

Also starring Erika Christensen, Robin Thomas, and Eva Amurri, The Banger Sisters is a great little film that’s light, fun, fresh, and filled with charm, wit, comedy, penises, sex, and self-improvement. I enjoyed it very much.

Slumdog Millionaire [MA]

2011-11-23T23:02:00.000-08:00

Jamal Malik is one question away from winning 20 million rupees. How did he do it?

A: He cheated

B: He’s lucky

C: He’s a genius

D: It is written

Based on the novel Q and A by Vikas Swarup and brought magnificently to the screen by Danny Boyle and Loveleen Tandan, Slumdog Millionaire is a stunning film that grips its audience from the first shot and holds them in constant frenzies of delight, suspense, hope, and disgust. Earning its place in The Book, this is a magnificent film that everyone needs to see.

Two brothers born in the slums of Mumbai defy and battle through the worst of odds to emerge as grown men and survivors. Jamal becomes a contestant on India’s version of Who Wants To Be a Millionaire?, while his brother Salim attains upstanding status as a criminal. Now, just one question away from winning a fortune, Jamal is arrested for suspicion of cheating.

The first thing that, I think, deserves an accolade is the breathtakingly beautiful soundtrack composed by A. R. Rahman. It’s a wonderful fusion of traditional Indian sounds as well as modern ones, and the songs seamlessly change from Hindi to English, making it both atmospheric and powerful all in one go. Killing two birds with one stone so to speak.

The film stunningly conveys many universals that set humans on their destined or chosen paths: poverty, racial war, love, success, peace, money, and truth. Add the ingredient of the incredibly romantic love story to play against the shocking and sometimes violent conflicts, and you have a film that is both incredibly enticing and repelling.

The film starts on the night of the penultimate question, with Jamal being tortured so that he might confess to cheating. The film is set into motion when he does not, and from there it is a series of past and present memories, all which have some key detail as to how Jamal knows the answers on the show.

The fusion of Bollywood and Hollywood was stunning and the film earned itself 8 Academy Awards including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Cinematography, Best Editing, Best Soundtrack, Best Original Song, Best Achievement in Sound, and Best Adapted Screenplay.

Featuring amazing performances from Dev Patel, Frieda Pinto, Anil Kapoor, Irrfan Khan, Ayush Mahesh Khedekar, Tanay Chheda, Saurabh Shukla, and Mahesh Manjrekar, Slumdog Millionaire is a stunning film that’s filled with action, poverty, violence, success, defiance, hope, and love. It’s an amazing piece of cinema and I highly recommend it!

Some Kind of Wonderful [M]

2011-11-23T20:19:00.000-08:00

Keith is a high school misfit with a domineering father, a best friend who’s a tomboy, and a love that cannot be repressed. After falling for the senior class siren, Amanda, Keith asks her out and is quietly ecstatic when she accepts. But Amanda has other motives in going out with Keith, namely to make her recent ex jealous. Whilst the whole school sees the joke on poor Keith, one person is right by his side, his best friend Watts who is madly in love with him. And it’s only through humiliation, repression, and unwavering defiance that Keith realises that the love he wanted was always right next to him.

Another wonderful look at the dramas of adolescence from writer/producer John Hughes, Some Kind of Wonderful is another classic from the 80s filled with romance, defiance, comedy, drama, and poignant messages about social structure. With the conflicts of Pretty In Pink and the grit and warmth of The Breakfast Club, it will have to be added to the collection.

Keith is a high school misfit with a domineering father, a best friend who’s a tomboy, and a love that cannot be repressed. After falling for the senior class siren, Amanda, Keith asks her out and is quietly ecstatic when she accepts. But Amanda has ulterior motives for going out with Keith, namely to make her recent ex jealous. Whilst the whole school sees the joke on poor Keith, there is one person who is constantly at his side offering support: his best friend Watts who is also madly in love with him. And it’s only through humiliation, deceit, repression, and unwavering defiance that Keith realises that the love he wanted was always right next to him.

Why are there no modern filmmakers coming up with original and down-to-earth romantic dramas like this? No one can relate to a bizarre love triangle between mythic monsters! This, right here, is the perfect look at adolescent drama and romance and, because practically everyone has gone through something like this, all audiences can relate to it and that’s where its poignant power comes from! A simple story of two worlds joined: the rich and the poor, the intelligent and the creative, the future and the here-and-now.

With wonderful performances from Eric Stoltz, , Mary Stuart Masterson, Lea Thompson, Craig Sheffer, John Ashton, Molly Hagan, Maddie Corman, and Elias Koteas, Some Kind of Wonderful is a classic film that’s filled with drama, romance, comedy, defiance, neglect, and heart. I absolutely loved it!

Scoop [PG]

2011-11-23T18:07:00.000-08:00

American journalism student Sondra Pransky, whilst visiting friends in London, gets “volunteered” during a stage performance by touring magician Sid Waterman and is contacted from beyond the grave by famous UK journalist, Joe Strombel. Strombel tells Sondra that he knows the identity of the famous Tarot Card Killer, a serial killer who has been stalking London prostitutes. Enlisting the reluctant help of Sid, Sondra starts chasing the story, and it leads to the very charming and handsome aristocrat, Peter Lyman. Falling head over heels for Peter, Sondra soon learns that the perfect romance could be the scoop she’s after.

From memory, this movie was advertised for quite some time, but then it didn’t do too well in the cinemas, lasting for something like a fortnight. It was quick to come out on DVD and I have seen it twice prior to tonight, but for the life of me, I could not remember anything about it. Watching it a third time, I not only actually figured out the story, but even enjoyed the film, although it does need to be said that it’s not really anything to rave about.

American journalism student Sondra Pransky, whilst visiting friends in London, gets” volunteered” during a stage performance by touring magician Sid Waterman and is contacted from beyond the grave by deceased UK journalist, Joe Strombel. Strombel tells Sondra that he knows the identity of the Tarot Card Killer, a serial killer who is stalking London prostitutes. Enlisting the reluctant help of Sid, Sondra eagerly chases the story, finding that it leads to the charming and handsome aristocrat, Peter Lyman. Falling head over heels in love with Peter, Sondra soon discovers that the perfect romance could also be the scoop she’s after.

I think there were two things that made this film stumble and trip.
1) Although it’s actually a very clever and quirky little story, everything happened really quickly and there was little or no explanation as to what was happening. Admittedly, you can easily piece it together, but that’s not the point.
2) With murder being the central drama, you would imagine that there might be a nice hint of suspense and sinisterness to the whole thing, but there wasn’t. I feel that the film was addressing the idea of serial murders too lightly (possibly just to keep the film PG), and for some reason it didn’t really work for me.
Starring Scarlett Johansson; who was delightful even though she adapted a few of Woody Allen’s mannerisms, Hugh Jackman; who was irresistibly charming, Woody Allen, and Ian McShane, Scoop is a quirky and light little film that’s by no means a bad film, but it’s not brilliant either. Filled with murder, charm, wit, romance, and comedy, I don’t think I’d add it to the collection, but I still didn’t mind it third time around.

Benny & Joon [PG]

2011-11-20T02:46:00.000-08:00

Benny is a car repairman who, aside from working, spends his life taking care of his younger, mentally ill sister, Joon. One night, after Joon scares another housekeeper away with her uncontrollable behaviour, Benny takes her along to a poker game with his mates. During a game where the stakes are unusual, Joon loses the game, but ends up winning Sam, the eccentric cousin of one of Benny’s friends. With Sam now under the same roof, life for Benny and Joon becomes a little more crowded, but somehow a lot less complicated as he opens their eyes and charms his way into the hearts.

A bit like Don Juan De Marco, Benny & Joon is sweet and very heart-warming little film that I don’t think many people have heard of. I first sat down and watched this on the recommendation from a friend from high school who was a devout Johnny fan (I had only just fallen in love with him after Pirates of the Caribbean, which I know is practically blasphemous, but that’s how it was). I was completely captivated by the story, the characters, the performances, and the familiar faces that make up this wonderful film.

Benny is a car repairman who, aside from working, spends his life taking care of his younger, mentally ill sister, Joon. One night, after Joon scares another housekeeper away with her uncontrollable behaviour, Benny takes her along to a poker game with his friends. During a game where the stakes are not only high but also unusual, Joon loses and ends up winning Sam, the eccentric and whimsical misfit cousin of one of Benny’s mates. With Sam under the same roof, life for Benny and Joon becomes a little more crowded, but somehow a lot less complicated as he opens their eyes and charms his way into their hearts.

The story is particularly lovely because it is one that quite a few people, I’m sure, can relate to. The film clearly portrays the struggles that both the characters of Benny and Joon go through, many of which centre around concern, frustration, repression, and thinking of what is best. Admittedly, these are a collection of rather sombre and serious themes, but add then the character of Sam and the film acquires a really nice bounce and comedy that really is like a breath of fresh air after being in a stuffy room for some time.

Mary Stuart Masterson was lovely as Joon and could go from sugar to spice in a second. Her reserved and cute shyness that is apparent at the beginning of the film is completely shed and gives way to open happiness and even love, which is really lovely to behold.

Without a doubt though, the real star of the show was Johnny Depp as Sam. Similar to Joon, the character of Sam does have a shyness and modesty about him which, when done by Johnny, is just irresistible and makes your heart melt. But it was the way in which Sam provided the film with comic relief that was the most engaging; Johnny regales audiences with iconic comedy sequences from Buster Keaton, the most famous of which being the bread roll scene, which Charlie Chaplin also did in The Gold Rush. Johnny’s performance was absolutely brilliant and, watching him in this film, you find yourself really admiring how versatile an actor he is and his body of work. I LOVE JOHNNY DEPP!

Starring Aidan Quinn, Julianne Moore, Oliver Platt, CCH Pounder, Dan Hedaya, Joe Grifasi, and William H. Macy, Benny & Joon is a wonderfully heart-warming film that’s filled with romance, struggles, drama, comedy, and intriguing characters and eccentricities. It’s light, balanced, and I would highly recommend it.

Some cultures are defined by their relationship to cheese.

A Love Song For Bobby Long [M]

2011-11-18T20:05:00.000-08:00

Estranged from her mother, Pursy returns to her family home in New Orleans after receiving a delayed message of her mother’s passing. She arrives to discover that she has missed the funeral, which turns out to be the least of her problems. Pursy discovers that there are two other occupants in her mother’s house; Bobby Long, a washed up literary professor with a terrible drinking habit, and his pupil Lawson Pines, who is writing a book about Bobby. Bobby tells Pursy that her mother left the house to the three of them, which doesn’t sit too well at first, but as Pursy begins to adapt and settle into the southern community, whilst developing a warmness towards her booze-soaked roommates, she discovers some startling truths about her mother and the family she left behind.

So here I am, dabbing my eyes and still amazed that I had never heard of this film before. I came across it cleaning the drama section at work and was instantly intrigued. A slow, but wonderfully powerful and heart-stopping film, A Love Song For Bobby Long is beautifully balanced between comedy and drama and is really wonderful.

Estranged from her mother, Pursy returns to her family home in New Orleans after receiving a delayed message of her other’s passing. She arrives to discover that she has missed the funeral, which turns out to be the least of her problems. Pursy discovers that there are two other occupants in her mother’s house; Bobby Long, a washed up literary professor with a terrible drinking habit, and his pupil Lawson Pine, also an alcoholic, who is writing a book about Bobby. Bobby tells Pursy that her mother left the house to the three of them, which doesn’t sit too well at first, but as Pursy begins to adapt and settle into the southern community, whilst developing a warmness towards her booze-soaked roommates, she discovers some startling truths about her singer mother and the family she left behind.

A slow story that develops into a wonderfully climactic build-up of emotional conquests, this film is a classic example of how, left to their own devices, stories and characters can change and develop and grow naturally into something really beautiful.

Scarlett Johansson stars as Pursy and she delivered another breathtaking performance, beginning the film with mounds of harsh attitude and frustration and ending it completely at peace. I believe that she is one of the most beautiful actresses on the screen today and it’s absolutely impossible not to fall in love with her in this film.

John Travolta stars as Bobby Long and his was a performance that moved me to tears. For much of the film he is bitter and inebriated, but there is always a strong sense of melancholy about him that just melts you heart and creates great waves of infectious sorrow. John’s was a completely mesmerising performance that could weather the hardest of stones. Really powerful.

Starring Gabriel Macht, Deborah Kara Unger, Dane Rhoades, David Jensen, and Clayne Crawford, A Love Song For Bobby Long was an incredibly emotive and powerful film that’s filled with drama, dysfunction, clashes, and family. It was absolutely beautiful!

Junior [PG]

2011-11-18T13:38:00.000-08:00

Dr. Alex Hesse and his partner Dr. Larry Arbogast are on the verge of a medical breakthrough, having created a drug that will help struggling woman conceive a baby. But then their project is terminated due to fund cuts and, unwilling to give up on the project so close to success, the two decide to carry out a human experimentation without proper authority or approval. Unable to find a female to test on, Larry steals a cryogenically frozen egg and the two decide to attempt the inconceivable: getting a man pregnant!

These early 90s films from the team-up of DeVito, Schwarzenegger, and Reitman, are real classic comedies that every film buff should have in their repertoire. Junior is a wonderful film that has the power to delight its audience into frenzies of giggles, suspenseful outbursts, and tears. It’s not a work of cinematic genius, but it’s nice and light as well as heart-warming and good to come back to once in a while.

Dr. Alex Hesse and his partner Dr. Larry Arbogast are on the verge of a medical breakthrough, having created a drug that will help struggling woman conceive a baby. But then their project is terminated due to fund cuts and, unwilling to give up on the project so close to successful completion, the two decide to carry out a human experimentation without the proper authority or approval. Unable to find a female to test on, Larry steals a cryogenically frozen egg and the two decide to attempt the inconceivable: getting a man pregnant!

The idea of a man getting pregnant already gets a laugh, so the film had that to begin with.

Then you have the wonderful performance that Arnold Schwarzenegger gave as Alex, the soon-to-be-mum. Beginning the film as quite uptight and driven by facts and stable routine, to see him explore a more emotional territory during his pregnancy was lovely. He did a great job capturing that radiance and glow that women get when they’re about to become mothers and then the climactic emotional scene at the end had me smiling warmly with tears welling up. You’ve got to love good ol’ Arnie.

Starring Danny DeVito, Emma Thompson, who was absolutely delightful and very funny, Pamela Reed, and Frank Langella, Junior is a classic comedy that’s filled with science, romance, food, mood swings, and a bit of cross-dressing. It also completely throws that age-long question of nature vs. nurture entirely out the window. Classic.

Bruce Almighty [M]

2011-11-18T02:10:00.000-08:00

Despite his popularity and the great love and support from his girlfriend, Grace, local TV reporter, Bruce Nolan, does not think that the world is treating him fairly. After his worst day ever, Bruce angrily rants at God, accusing him of ruining his life, punishing him, and generally mismanaging the universe. And, in a bizarre turn of events, God actually responds! For one week, God endows all his divine powers to Bruce to see if he can do a better job. What begins as a means for righting the wrongs in Bruce’s own life soon escalates into a great wave of misery and dependence, and poor Bruce realises that it’s actually not that easy being the Guy Upstairs.

Really, this is nothing more than a fun, slightly funny, and uplifting film that is good if you want to watch something that will neither stimulate you emotionally or intellectually. Bruce Almighty isn’t a bad film really, but neither is it a work of amazing cinematic brilliance. It’s really just there to be enjoyed. There for a laugh.

Despite his popularity and the great love and support from his girlfriend, Grave, local TV reporter, Bruce Nolan, does not think that the world is treating him fairly. After his worst day ever, Bruce angrily rants at God, accusing him of ruining his life, punishing him for no crime, and generally mismanaging the universe. And, in a bizarre turn of events, God actually responds! For one week, God endows all his divine powers to Bruce to see if he can do a better job. What begins as a means for righting the wrongs in Bruce’s personal life soon escalates into a great wave of misery and dependence, and poor Bruce realises that it’s actually not that easy being the Guy Upstairs.

Essentially this film is just one big learning curve for the hero who begins the film as arrogant, vain, and egocentric, and then, through the hardship of having to think of others before oneself, learns to be a better man. The story has legs, and makes for a nice, fun, feel-good-and-laugh-out-loud film, but ultimately this is nothing more than that.

Jim Carrey stars as Bruce and he delivered another classic performance that does not quite rival that of Liar Liar, but is definitely in the same ballpark. He was loud, grandiose, demanding, but there was also a sort of unhappiness and melancholy with him, that is only realised when it comes to the power of free will.

Starring Jennifer Aniston, Steve Carell, Lisa Ann Walter, and Morgan Freeman, Bruce Almighty is a fun little film that’s filled with magic, lessons, prayers, romance, and comedy. It harbours a fair few classic comedy moments and few lines that will easily catch on and slip into everyday conversation, but ultimately it’s a mediocre feel-good film and nothing more.

American Dreamz [M]

2011-11-16T22:02:00.000-08:00

The most popular show on television, American Dreamz, is about to have its most exciting season yet as it has new contestants, a guest judge, and a nasty plan to assassinate the President. Amongst the contestants is Southern belle Sally, who is sugar and spice on in front of the camera, but not so nice in reality, and Omar, a reluctant Middle Eastern contestant with a penchant for show tunes. The two will battle it out and gain celebrity status, but at the end of the day the show can only end one way… or can it?

This is a strange little film that really only runs on two things: it’s story, which admittedly is a little mediocre and a bit camp, and the bizarre blend of the cast, all of which played their roles perfectly, gaining both laughs and cringes from the audience.

The most popular show on television, American Dreamz, is about to have its most exciting season yet as it has new contestants, a guest judge, and a nasty plan to assassinate the President. Amongst the contestants are Southern belle Sally, who is sugar and spice on screen and then not so nice in reality, and Omar, a reluctant Middle Eastern contestant with a penchant for show tunes. Over the course of the season, the dreamers battle it out and gain celebrity status, but at the end of the day the show can only end one way… or can it?

The story was strong and solid and did lend itself to great comedic interpretation, mainly satire and cleverly taking the piss out of popular reality shows, obviously American Idol.

But what made American Dreamz so clever and funny was the bizarre blend of the cast and their performances.

Hugh Grant is classic as the sleazy and unlovable host of the show, Martin Tweed.

Mandy Moore sparkles in a clichéd way as the “poor white trash” talented belle in front of the camera and then she is so good at playing the manipulative bitch that you just want to slap her. Funnily enough, it was her character that was the cleverest in the film as she is a walking stereotype and provides the film with much of its satirical humour.

Sam Golzari was just gorgeous as Omar, all singing and dancing, glittery shirts, and yet humble at the same time. Very funny.

And Dennis Quaid as the President was brilliant, just brilliant!

Also starring Willem Dafoe, Jennifer Coolidge, Chris Klein, Marcia Gay Harden, Seth Meyers, John Cho, Judy Greer, and Tony Yalda (who was brilliant and hysterical), American Dreamz was a strange, but very funny little film that’s filled with music, memorable characters, piercing insults, manipulations, and satire. It’s not a film that you can watch over and over, but it’s a great one to come back to once in a while because it will always make you laugh… or cringe.

Burn After Reading [MA]

2011-11-16T02:09:00.000-08:00

Osborne Cox is an analyst who is fired from the CIA for his drinking problem and is now drinking at home and writing his memoirs. His wife is having an affair with a man who is a compulsive dater and is being followed by divorce lawyers hired by his wife. In deciding to divorce Osborne, his wife downloads all his financial files, which are then put onto a disc to be taken to her lawyer. But the disc manages to be left behind on a gym changing room floor and discovered by two dim-witted employees in need of cash who mistake the files for documents of national security. They decide to blackmail Osborne, Osborne thinks they’ve stolen his memoirs, and soon the whole thing spirals into complete, bloody, chaos that no one can control.

THIS HAS TO BE THE ONE OF THE FUNNIEST AND CLEVEREST FILMS THAT I HAVE SEEN! This movie is awesome! Absolutely awesome! It’s sharp, brutal, aggressive, witty, and hands-down the most hysterical comedy the Coen brothers have done!

Osborne Cox is an analyst who is fired from the CIA for his drinking problem and is now drinking at home and writing his memoirs. His wife is having an affair with a man in the treasury who is being followed by divorce lawyers hired by his wife. In deciding to divorce Osborne, his wife downloads all his financial files, which are then put onto a disc to be taken to her lawyer. But the disc somehow manages to wind up on the floor of a gym changing room and is discovered by two dim-witted employees who are in need of cash and mistake the contents of the disc for documents of national security. They decide to blackmail Osborne, Osborne thinks that they have stolen his memoirs, and the whole thing soon spirals into complete and bloody chaos that no one can control or make sense of.

Another classic example of mistakes and the Ripple Effect, Burn After Reading was really made hilarious by the performances of its actors. I mean, the story was there and brilliant to begin with, but the cast that made up this film was a wonderfully bizarre blend and each gave a performance that was hugely hysterical and highly memorable.

First kudos must be given to Brad Pitt who gave an explosive performance as a gym junkie with most of his brain in his biceps. Between his singing with headphones in and then playing the Men In Black part according to how it’s done on screen, you could not help but laugh whenever he was on the screen.

Next, we must draw our focus onto George Clooney who played the pursued lover of Osborne’s wife. Practically everything that comes out of his mouth is unfathomable, but then to watch him grow spectacularly paranoid and have these amazing, panicky outbursts is just hilarious!

John Malkovich delivers a wonderfully brutal and aggressive performance as Osborne. Practically every work out of his mouth is “fuck” and you’re just watching the screen going “thank God I’m not there right now”. You wouldn’t want to be on Osborn’s wrong side, I can tell you that.

And finally, Frances McDormand as a middle aged woman who is desperate to raise cash for cosmetic surgery is just hysterical! She was driven, intense, funny, and treads that fine line between overly eager and completely psycho. I loved her.

Also starring Tilda Swinton, Richard Jenkins, David Rasche, Kevin Sussman, Olek Krupa, and J. K. Simmons, Burn After Reading is a real laugh-out-loud comedy that’s filled with violence, deceptions, epic mistakes, murder, and plenty of monumental fuck-ups. IT’S ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT PEOPLE! WATCH IT!

Raising Arizona [MA]

2011-11-15T02:04:00.000-08:00

Hi is a convenience store robber, forever in and out of jail and having constant run-ins with the law. He falls in love and weds a prison officer named Edwina, though everyone calls her Ed, and the two begin their married life in bliss in an Arizona trailer park. But soon, Ed wants to really begin a family and is devastated to learn that she is infertile. Being constantly turned down by adoption agencies, the happy couple decide to steal one of the quintuplets of a local furniture tycoon. But all too soon, the responsibilities of parenthood, added to the magnitude of their situation, begins to prove a bit much for Hi to handle.

Another work from Ethan and Joel Coen, Raising Arizona is unlike the Coen brothers’ later comedies like The Big Lebowski that established them as clever and unique filmmakers with their own specific brand of comedy. A screwball comedy of both classic and clever technique, Raising Arizona is a great film that has earned its place in The Book.

Hi is a convenience store robber, forever in and out of jail and having constant run-ins with the law. He falls in love and weds a prison officer named Edwina, though everyone calls her Ed, and the two begin their married life in bliss in an Arizona trailer park. But soon, Edwina wants to begin a family and is devastated to learn that she is infertile. Being constantly turned down by adoption agencies, the happy couple decide to kidnap one of the quintuplets of a local furniture tycoon. But all too soon, the responsibilities of parenthood, added to the strange situation he finds himself in, begins to prove a bit much for Hi to handle.

Unlike The Big Lebowski, Burn After Reading, and Fargo, where the crucial comedic ingredient was the Ripple Effect, Raising Arizona is just a classic screwball comedy that naturally lends itself to strange and humorous interpretation.

The idea of a somewhat trashy, trailer park couple stealing a baby and raising it as their own, already gets a laugh. Bring into the mix two escaped convicts, some weird “sophisticated people”, and a grossly unhygienic nomad hired to find the baby, and the whole thing just writes itself.

Nicholas Cage stars as Hi and he delivered a very memorable and funny performance playing a man on a rough track who, despite his voiced-over monologues that use sophisticated language and longs stretches of dialogue, has not got a clue. Essentially, a stereotypical brain-dead hick, Cage played the part very well and deserves applause.

Starring Holly Hunter, John Goodman, Trey Wilson, William Forsythe, Sam McMurray, Randall “Tex” Cobb, and Frances McDormand, Raising Arizona was a very funny movie that was filled with crime, romance, explosions, car chases, shootings, hold-ups, and child rearing. It was a very clever and funny film that I think holds some joy for everyone.

The Cable Guy [M]

2011-11-14T02:24:00.000-08:00

Recently dumped by his girlfriend, Steven moves into his own place and thinks that he’ll spend all his time watching TV. But that was before he met Chip Douglas, the cable guy who comes to fix his set. Chip is a guy with a few loose wires in his head and a couple of obsessive qualities befitting of a stalker. Worse still, Chip is lonely and wants a friend, and once he lets him into his house, Steve is going to have a hard time getting Chip out of his life.

I sincerely worry about the people in the world today that find this movie funny and recommend it to other people. The Cable Guy has to be the biggest blight on Jim Carrey’s career and, quite frankly, I don’t see how anyone can find this film remotely funny.

Recently dumped by his girlfriend, Steven moves into his own place and thinks that he’ll just spend all his time watching TV. But what was before he met Chip, the cable guy who comes to fix his set. Chip is a guy with a few loose wires in his head and a couple of obsessive qualities that are befitting of a stalker. Worse still, Chip is lonely and wants a friend, and once he lets him into his house, Steve is going to have a hard time getting Chip out of his life.

I think the major problem with this film, aside from the really bad script, was the fact that it just didn’t know where it was going or even what it wanted to be. It starts off as a seemingly funny film about intentions of friendship going from bad to worse, but then it suddenly veered off the path and turned into some weird psychopath film. I have to say, at this point, that I have sat down and endured this movie, voluntarily, four times and each time, I just get more and more enraged and confounded by it. I HONESTLY CANNOT UNDERSTAND WHY THIS FILM IS IN EXISTANCE! It felt as if the filmmakers thought it would work and then the characters, Chip’s in particular, began to evolve, and it was too late in the shoot for the makers to halt everything and change the direction in which it was going. The entire thing is just one, big, confusing, mess of blackmail, psychos, stalkers, and bad dialogue.

I have a great deal of respect and awe for Jim Carrey, so I will not say what I thought of his performance in this film, but I will say “Why Jim? WHY?!”

Starring Matthew Broderick, Jack Black, Leslie Mann, Owen Wilson, Ben Stiller, and George Segal, The Cable Guy was a terrible psychopathic comedy that just did not know what is was trying to be. Filled with TV, romance, “comedy”, and film and TV quotes, I would not recommend this movie to anyone… let’s be honest.

DON’T BLOODY BOTHER! YOU WILL LEAD A FULL AND HAPPY LIFE WITHOUT WATCHING THIS FILM!

Bend It Like Beckham [PG]

2011-11-12T12:53:00.000-08:00

Jess is 18, smart, pretty, and can play football better than any of the guys she knows. But her mum and dad disapprove of her playing and want her to settle down and learn to cook like a good Indian wife. But then Jess meets Jules and joins the Hounslow Harriers, an all-girls team, and as her talent gets better and better it becomes harder and harder to keep if from her parents. To make matters worse, her sister Pinky is getting married and soon, Jess finds herself having to choose between her doing her family proud or doing what she loves.

A fun film that’s inspiring, uplifting, charming, and funny, Bend It Like Beckham is a wonderful film that greatly shows what happens when cultures clash. It’s got such great heart, a great cast, and it’s a film that I can always come back to.

Jess is 18, smart, pretty, and can play football better than any of the guys she knows. But her mum and dad disapprove of her playing and want her to settle down and learn to cook like a good Indian wife. But then Jess meets Jules and joins the Hounslow Harriers, an all-girls team, and as her talent gets better and better it becomes harder and harder to keep if from her parents. To make matters worse, her sister Pinky is getting married and soon, Jess finds herself forced to choose between doing her family proud or doing what she loves.

What I particularly love about this film, aside from both the dramatic and comedic things that result from culture clash, is the fact that this film is an excellent story of belonging and acceptance. And this is evident in all the characters, not just between Jess and her family, but between Jules and her mother, played so perfectly by Juliet Stevenson. Without wanting to give too much away, there are some really wonderful misread signals and situations that make for great entertainment as well as convey poignant messages about acceptance and love.

Armed with its great story of power, defiance, and following your heart, not to mention its funky and uplifting soundtrack, which features a great blend of Indian music as well as hits from Texas and Blondie, Bend It Like Beckham is the perfect film for a quiet night in. It’s short, fun, light, and just great.

Starring Parminder Nagra, Keira Knightley, Jonathan Rhys-Meyers, Anupam Kher, Archie Panjabi, Shaheen Khan, Ameet Chana, Juliet Stevenson, and Frank Harper, Bend It Like Beckham is a great film filled with sport, romance, drama, friendship, comedy, and great Indian food and outfits. No matter how many times I watch this film, I never get tired of it.

Fargo [MA]

2011-11-12T12:19:00.000-08:00

Jerry Lundergaard is a car salesman who is grossly in debt. But he has a plan: hire a couple of thugs to kidnap his wife so that he can receive a hefty ransom from his rich and bullying father-in-law. Nothing could possibly go wrong, but then all goes deadly awry when the two thugs begin killing people. Enter Police Chief Marge, heavily pregnant and glowing, to investigate the triple homicide caused by the thugs, and her small-town investigative skills soon give the crooks a run for their ransom.

WHAT A GREAT FILM! The Coen Brothers are extremely clever filmmakers and Fargo has to be one of their finest works. It’s dark, macabre, dramatic, and at the same time, devilishly funny. Earning its place in The Book, this movie is brilliant, just BRILLIANT!

Jerry Lundergaard is a car salesman who is grossly in debt. But he has a plan: hire a couple of thugs to kidnap his wife so that he can receive a hefty ransom from his rich and bullying father-in-law. Nothing could possibly go wrong, but then everything goes deadly awry when the silent pancake-loving psycho of the two thugs begins killing people. Enter Police Chief Marge, heavily pregnant and glowing, to investigate the triple homicide caused by the thugs and her small-town investigative skills soon give the crooks a run for their ransom.

Like The Big Lebowski or Burn After Reading, this film is classic Coen comedy as it shows all these terrible and macabre things happening, all because of a simple misunderstanding or failure to do something. It’s devilishly clever as it causes the audience to gasp, cringe, and laugh. The first cause for a giggle is the authentic accent and dialect that the small-town folk use in Minnesota, a relic of the region’s Scandinavian immigrant pioneers. You cannot help but be captivated by the sounds that come out of the characters’ mouths.

The second devilish treat in this film in its opening:

THIS IS A TRUE STORY. The events depicted in this film took place in Minnesota in 1987. At the request of the survivors, the names have been changed. Out of respect for the dead, the rest has been told exactly as it occurred.

This entire statement is covered in shades of grey because, although the film is completely fictional, the Coens do claim that many of the events actually did take place and made up other cases and stories, all of which have been thrown together to make one story. Joel Coen, director, noted:

“We weren’t interested in that kind of fidelity. The basic events are the same as the real case, but the characterizations are fully imagined… If an audience believes that something’s based on a real event, it gives you permission to do things they might otherwise not accept”

Cheeky, but very clever and used to make a great film.

The final and possibly most notable breath of fresh air in this film was the basic character of Police Chief Marge and the performance so beautifully given by Frances McDormand. Her character scales the lofty heights of The Dude in The Big Lebowski. It was just so funny to see this happy, glowing, and heavily pregnant woman investigating triple homicide without batting an eyelid. I mean the entire thing was just such a weird and wonderful way to play against the grim and dark happenings of the film and brought a bit of light-hearted and even warm comedy to play against the dark and the macabre. Frances was brilliant; funny, charming, and she had a real glow about her. I loved her.

Winner of two Academy Awards including Best Screenplay and Best Supporting Actress for Frances, and filled with murder, deceit, blunders, misunderstandings, debt, kidnapping, and comedy, Fargo is a brilliant film that is easily one that I would come back to and watch again. I absolutely LOVED IT!

And I guess that was accomplice in the wood chipper?

Educating Rita [PG]

2011-11-11T21:56:00.000-08:00

Frank is a burnt-out literary professor and booze hound who has given up on life and the few delights it can afford. But his eyes are opened when Rita walks through his door; a free-spirited woman who is determined to change her life into the one that she has wanted for ages, by becoming an educated woman. Through trials and tribulations the two develop an uncanny relationship, each one giving the other insight, perspective, and choice, whether they want it or not.

As a person whose romantic lead in life is her library, Educating Rita appealed to me in so, so, so many ways. Its moving soundtrack, its wonderful story of change and belonging, and two most moving performances from Michael Caine and Julie Walters, makes it completely blasphemous that I do not possess my own copy. I shall have to rectify this gross inaccuracy as soon as possible.

Frank is a burnt-out literary professor and booze hound who has given up on life and the few delights it can afford. But his eyes are opened with Rita walks through his door; a free-spirited woman who is determined to change her life into one that she has always wanted, by becoming an educated woman. Through trials and tribulations, the two develop an uncanny relationship, each one giving the other perspective, insight, and choice, whether they want it or not.

From the point of view of a Standard English student, this film is a dream. There are so many beautiful and poignant underlying messages about tragedy, belonging, change, journeys, inner conflicts, and what it really means to be “educated”.

Nominated for three Academy Awards, what I think makes this film so very special a gem is the fact that each and every member of the audience will watch it and see something different or interpret it differently. And any way you slice it, every person’s opinion and interpretation is right. The film’s simplicity plays a most seminal role in conveying the raw power and irresistible charm of the basic story, which was written by Willy Russell, based on his own play. The only outstanding features of the film are the amazingly literary and passionate script and the performances from the two leads... and truly outstanding these are!

Michael Caine stars as Frank and delivered a memorable performance as a man who cannot see beyond the door of his office. For the better part of the film, he provided the sternly passive and somewhat gritty edge, aside from when he was drunk, which was enough to make you sigh. He was brilliant.

Julie Walters stars as Rita and she was absolutely radiant. Providing the film with its moments of comedy that keeps us all from drowning in tears, she gave a performance that was eager, free, and uniquely insightful. I loved her, just LOVED HER!

Starring Michael Williams, Maureen Lipman, Jeananne Crowley, and Malcolm Douglas, Educating Rita was a beautiful film that was filled with literature, witty comedy, insight, change, choices, determination, and great, great heart. It’s absolutely beautiful and a work of literary genius in its own rite.

Notting Hill [M]

2011-11-10T13:13:00.000-08:00

William Thacker is the owner of a bookshop in Notting Hill in the heart of London. Anna Scott is one of the world’s most famous actresses. One day, by a miraculous one-in-a-million chance, Anna comes into William’s shop and William watches in amazement as she buys a book, leaves, and he thinks he’ll never see her again. But as fate would have it, the two bump into each other again on Portobello Road, and so begins a romance that takes both romantic leads on a surreal but nice journey.

I love the work of Richard Curtis, from Four Weddings and a Funeral to Love Actually to The Boat That Rocked, and Notting Hill is one of those oft-mentioned romantic comedies that never seems to tire. Having now finally sat down and watched it, I have to admit that although it’s not without its warmth and charm, it really was nothing all that rave.

William Thacker is the owner of a bookshop in Notting Hill in the heart of London. Anna Scott is one of the world’s most famous actresses. One day, by a miraculous one-in-a-million chance, Anna comes into William’s shop and William watches in amazement as she buys a book, leaves, and then he thinks he’ll never see her again. But as fate would have it, the two bump into each other again on Portobello Road, and so begins a romance that takes both romantic leads on a surreal but nice journey of the heart.

I cannot deny that the story was lovely. It was charming, and nice, and a fine little tale of love, but ultimately I felt that it could only be pushed so far. The film does belong to the dialogue, rather like Four Weddings and a Funeral, but unlike the aforementioned film, there is no real sense of passion or love. Not even a sweeping romantic gesture or kiss at the end. At least Four Weddings has that wonderful kiss in the rain. That was hugely romantic. But this film, nothing but camera flashes that give you a headache.

Hugh Grant is back playing the reserved and awkward role of a man who has had bad experiences with love and does not really know how to go about the entire thing, and fair play, he does the part well.

Julia Roberts is Anna and I will say that she was rather radiant. I would imagine that it could actually be rather tricky playing a character that could so easily be related to. So, fair play Julia.

Also starring Rhys Ifans (who was hysterical), Dylan Moran, Emma Chambers, James Dreyfus, John Shrapnel, Tim McInnerny, Gina McKee, Hugh Bonneville, and a young Mischa Barton, Notting Hill was a charming little film that was filled with comedy, romance, and the occasional bit of drama. I will say that it is definitely worth watching as it does afford some laughs and some moments of contented sighing, but ultimately I believe that Curtis has done some much cleverer things.

Notorious [M]

2011-11-09T23:44:00.000-08:00

Towards the end of the war, suave secret agent Devlin recruits loose-living Alicia Huberman, the estranged daughter of a convicted Nazi traitor, to infiltrate a group of Nazi exiles and find German scientists hiding in Brazil. Soon after arriving in Rio, Alicia falls in love with Devlin, the man who has saved her from a life of drinking, tramping, and uselessness, and is agonised when she feels that Devlin is just pimping her for the assignment. Driven to take her mission to extremes, Alicia marries Alexander Sebastian, the former conspirator of her father, but she must still report her findings to Devlin and, under the watchful eye of her new husband, their romance will not go unnoticed for long.

I did not love it as much as Spellbound, which still comes in as my absolute favourite Hitchcock film, but Notorious was not without its irresistible charms. Earning its place in The Book, this film is the perfect blend of romance, drama, and suspense. I did love it.

Towards the end of the war, suave secret agent Devlin recruits loose-living Alicia Huberman, the estranged daughter of a convicted Nazi traitor, to infiltrate a group of Nazi exiles and find German scientists hiding in Brazil. Soon after arriving in Rio, Alicia falls in love with Devlin, the man who has saved her from a life of drinking, tramping, and uselessness, and is agonised when she feels that Devlin is merely pimping her up for the assignment. Driven to take her mission to extremes, Alicia marries Alexander Sebastian, the former conspirator of her father, but she must still report her findings to Devlin and, under the jealous and watchful eye of her new husband, their romance will not go unnoticed for long.

Set against the dramatic backdrop of World Ward II, Notorious elicits some very memorable, powerful, and iconic Hitchcock traits e.g. a long sweeping close up that begins on the second story of a manor and closes on a key hidden in Alicia’s hand. Come to think of it, I cannot recall another film where the camera is used in this way; it’s a simple trick, but at the same time it really stands out and is quite iconic in its own right. Awesome!

I think what was particularly special about Notorious was the dramatic triangle of the three leads. Some action or other causes you to constantly be changing your respect and feelings towards them; on more than one occasion, you’re questioning Devlin, and even Alexander, the token villain and “other man”, shows some heroism towards the end.

Ingrid Bergman, who earlier starred alongside Gregory Peck in Spellbound, delivers a dazzling performance as Alicia; she’s alluring, she’s passionate, and she just has such presence. You’re completely captivated from the first moment. I adore Ingrid Bergman!

Starring Cary Grant, Claude Rains, Louis Calhern, and Leopoldine Konstantin, Notorious is a wonderful film filled with romance, passion, drama, biting dialogue, and suspense. It really is a fabulous film that holds something for everyone.

Peter Pan [PG]

2011-11-06T23:56:00.000-08:00

All children grow up... except one.

When Wendy’s father tells her that it is time for her to grow up, she and her brothers run away from home with Peter Pan, the boy who never grew up, and go to Neverland where they have many adventures. But soon, for Wendy, the novelty of fighting pirates, flying, fairies, and mermaids disappears and she begins to wonder if growing up is altogether unavoidable.

J. M. Barrie’s timeless tale of adventure and fantasy is given new life in this visually stunning version. Filled with absolutely everything from action to romance, it’s a wonderful film that the entire family can enjoy time and time again.

Wendy Darling is getting older and one night her father finally tells her that it’s time for her to grow up. Upset and angry, Wendy and her brothers, John and Michael, run away from home with Peter Pan, the boy who never grew up, and they go to Neverland, a wonderful place that is the stuff of their dreams, where they have many grand adventures. But soon, for Wendy, the novelty of fighting pirates, flying, dancing with Indians, fairies, and mermaids disappears, and she begins to wonder of growing is in fact unavoidable.

This is just a great film all round. The special effects for the fantasy elements of the story were absolutely dazzling and special attention needs to be paid to the art department and set designers because every set in this film was absolutely brilliant from the Black Castle to the Jolly Roger to Peter’s home in the forest. An amazing, really amazing display of talent and craft that actually can put a fair bit of pressure on the actors, as they have to really fight to keep the limelight on them.

I also need to draw some attention to the most beautiful instrumental soundtrack, composed by James Newton Howard. It’s just gorgeous and I am seriously going to get myself a copy to listen to as I go to sleep at night. And then the perfect balance of action, comedy, and romance is just the icing on the cake. Between Hook and Peter’s great swordfights to Wendy’s lovesick and mature performance, everything, literally everything was right in this film; the swordfights, fantasy creatures, and flying appeal to the junior audience and then the slightly grandiose and mature script keeps the adults just as enthralled. It’s brilliant. JUST BRILLIANT!

Starring Jeremy Sumpter, Rachel Hurd-Wood, Geoffrey Palmer, Olivia Williams, Jason Isaacs (who plays a duel role and has to be the best Captain Hook ever!), Richard Briers, Harry Newell, Freddie Popplewell, Ludivine Sagnier, and Lynn Redgrave, Peter Pan is a wonderful family film that’s packed with action, adventure, romance, comedy, fantasy, and magic. It’s a really visually stunning treat that every family can enjoy.

Liar Liar [M]

2011-11-06T01:56:00.000-07:00

Fletcher Reede is a great lawyer and a divorced, habitual liar who has broken his son’s heart on countless occasions. So, on his fifth birthday, Max wishes that, for one day, his dad could not tell a lie. And his wish comes true. Now Fletcher has to struggle through 24 hours and the biggest court trial of his career… without telling a single lie.

One of the most stereotypical, but most memorable performances from Jim Carrey, Liar Liar is simple and cheesy and overacted, but you can’t help but smile and laugh. It’s classic.

Fletcher Reede is a great lawyer and a divorced, habitual liar who has broken his son’s heart on more than one occasion. So, on his fifth birthday, Max wishes that, for one day, his dad could not tell a lie… And his wish comes true! Now, Fletcher has 24 excruciating hours to struggle through as well as the biggest court trial of his career… without telling a single lie!

Admittedly this film was just a simple story that only was made into a film because it lent itself to so many great comedic moments. A bit like Yes Man, which I do realise was made years afterwards, Liar Liar is a silly story that was driven forwards solely by the film’s hero: Jim Carrey.

When people think of Jim Carrey, images of eccentric screaming, noises, facial expressions, and amazing moments of slapstick and other physical gestures of comedic brilliance spring to mind. It’s sad to say that that is the type of performance and, in particular, genre, that defines Jim, but he does do it so incredibly well. There is no other actor alive that has the effect on an audience that Jim Carrey does. It has to be said. But his performance in Liar Liar was more than just shouting, screeching, and gestures that seemed to be channelling Peter Sellars in Dr. Strangelove at one point. Jim’s chemistry with his on-screen son, Max, played so lovely by Justin Cooper, is one that will melt the heart. It does seem cheesy and a bit clichéd, but it still is a heart-warming story that can outshine the comedy when it wants to. That cannot be denied.

Starring Maura Tierney, Anne Haney, Jennifer Tilly, Jason Bernard, Swoosie Kurtz, Mitch Ryan, and Carey Elwes, Liar Liar is a classic comedy that’s packed with all types of comedy, relationships, suspense, and the truth. It may be silly and somewhat overdone, but it definitely won’t be denied. I do love this flick.

AND THE TRUTH…SHALL SET YOU FREE!!!

Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde [PG]

2011-11-06T00:46:00.000-07:00

Elle is getting married and she wants everyone that’s important to her to be at her wedding, which undoubtedly includes the mother of her best friend and constant companion: her Chihuahua, Bruiser. But when she discovers that Bruiser’s mum is a subject in a cosmetics animal-testing lab, she bends and snaps into action, going to Washington to make animal testing for cosmetic companies illegal. But can Elle change the law and plan the wedding of the century at the same time?

Nup. Sorry. Nowhere near as vibrant or inspiring or just generally good as the first one. I’ll admit that it does harbour some moments of cuteness and comedy, but ultimately this sequel is a bit of disappointing overkill. You know, trying to top the first one and just flopping epically. The only reason I have it in my collection is because it came in a double pack with the first movie, which is the one I really wanted. It’s a matter of value; I was potentially paying no more for two films than for one.

As is the case with countless sequels, this film tried to outdo its predecessor… and failed. Everything just became way too ditzy and overdone for my liking and it seemed more like a tween film than one where the heroines are all adults out to change things that affect the entire country. You just can’t take it all that seriously. And the dramas and complications, which were basically just the same as in the first film, were roughly slotted in and solved really quickly. Everything happened too fast, too soon and, therefore, caused the audience to just forgo paying attention and just watch mindlessly. That’s not really what you try to do in a film.

All of the original cast are back as well as a few new faces. Starring Reese Witherspoon, Luke Wilson, Jennifer Coolidge, Dana Ivey, Jessica Cauffiel, Alanna Ubach, Regina King, Bruce McGill, Mary Lynn Rajskub, J Barton, and Sally Field, Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde was a trying sequel that just did not scale the lofty heights of the first Legally Blonde. Filled with warmth, fuzziness, comedy, romance, pink, and four legged critters, it’s all right, but it’s not great.

Clueless [M]

2011-11-05T22:43:00.000-07:00

Cher “actually has a way normal life for a teenager”. Brought up by her rich father in a vast Beverly Hills manor, Cher spends most of time shopping, parading around in fashionable outfits with her best friend Dionne, and matchmaking two unhappy teachers. When a new girl named Tai arrives at her school, Cher immediately “adopts” her and makes her over in her own image, but soon some unexpected dramas occur as Tai becomes a Cher clone and basic control seems to slip out of Cher’s grasp.

Loosely a modern adaptation of Jane Austen’s Emma, Clueless is a wonderful film that you can’t watch all the time, but once in a while, and each time you revisit it, you’re never disappointed. It’s filled with outrageous outfits, misread signals, biting comedy, and memorable performances. Earning its place in The Book, it’s a classic that should be in any film buff’s collection… well any girl buff’s collection at least.

Cher “actually has a way normal life for a teenager”. Brought up by her rich father in a Beverly Hills manor, Cher spends most of her time shopping, parading around in fashionable outfits with her best friend Dionne, and matchmaking two unhappy teachers. When a new girl named Tai arrives at school, Cher immediately “adopts” her and makes her over in her own image, bringing her instant popularity. But soon some unexpected dramas occur, as Tai becomes a Cher clone and basic control seems to slip out of Cher’s grasp.

As I mentioned before, Clueless is loosely based on Jane Austen’s tale of a vain heroine who finds great joy in planning and setting up romances between other people. But the film is also a very clever portrayal of a number of things. As the story harbours much of the romance, the comedy of the film is presented in the clever and biting satiric portrayal of the modern teenagers and makes some very funny jibes at fashion, education, language, and most importantly of all, egocentrism. The film is all about the teenagers, in particular rich and spoilt teenagers, and their complete lack of understanding of anything that doesn’t directly relate to or affect them. The entire world that this movie shows is just a bubble and it’s only through the character of Josh, Cher’s stepbrother that we are brought back to reality.

Alicia Silverstone stars as Cher, the film’s heroine and seriously, no one could have done it better. She played the whiny, vain, and delightfully ditzy teenager role perfectly and even in her voiced-over monologues, no matter how many poetic phrases and big words she used, you just could not help but smile and giggle. She was absolutely brilliant and really made a name for herself in this film.

Starring Stacey Dash, Brittany Murphy, Paul Rudd, Donald Faison, Breckin Meyer, Twink Caplan, Justin Walker, Wallace Shawn, and Dan Hedaya, Clueless is a fantastic film that’s filled with outrageous outfits, great satire, matchmaking, romance, and epiphanies. It really is a classic and a great one to come back to from time to time.

Lilo & Stitch [G]

2011-11-05T17:43:00.000-07:00

Lilo is a lonely little girl living with her sister on the lush Hawaiian Islands. Eager for a friend, Lila adopts what she thinks is an innocent puppy, naming him Stitch, completely unaware that he is in fact a dangerous genetic experiment that has escaped from an alien planet. Stitch’s only interest in Lilo is to use her as a shield to evade the alien bounty hunters that are after him, but whilst living with her little broken family, Lilo’s unwavering faith in ohana and good, touches his heart and gives him the one thing he was designed never to have – the ability to care for someone else.

Disney has done some beautiful and memorable films in the past from the undying romance of Beauty and the Beast to the heartbreaking and inspiring sense of pride and duty in The Lion King. But without a doubt, Lilo & Stitch is the most heart-warming film of the lot. It’s dramatic, funny, and wonderfully powerful. I love this movie!

Lilo is a lonely little girl living with her sister on the lush Hawaiian Islands. Eager for a friend, Lila adopts what she thinks is an innocent puppy, naming him Stitch, completely unaware that he is in fact a dangerous genetic experiment that has escaped from an alien planet. Stitch’s only real interest in Lilo is to use her as a shield to evade the alien bounty hunters that are after him, but whilst living with her little broken family, Lilo’s unwavering faith in ohana and good, touches Stitch’s heart and gives him something that he was never designed to have – the ability to care for someone else.

On the surface, Lilo & Stitch is a fun family adventure filled with aliens and comedy, but the story is actually quite dramatic and heartbreaking. Lilo and her sister, Nani, are a broken family, having lost both their parents and Nani having to assume the role of breadwinner and guardian for Lilo. But their sister relationship naturally leads to difficulties and soon Nani is faced with the horrible truth that Lilo may be better off without her. The drama and the desperate circumstances that surround Lilo and Nani give the movie its poignancy and makes it all the more powerful as we see the girls struggle through and Stitch actually learn good from their efforts. It’s really beautiful, really powerful, and plays perfectly against the comedy that keeps the film a Disney family film.

Backed by its great animation and beautiful uplifting Hawaiian soundtrack, which also features classic hits from Elvis, and featuring the voice talents of Daveigh Chase, Chris Sanders, Tia Carrere, David Ogden Stiers, Kevin McDonald, Ving Rhames, Zoe Caldwell, Jason Scott Lee, and Kevin Michael Richardson, Lilo & Stitch is a wonderful family film that’s packed with action, adventure, memorable characters, family, and comedy. I for one could never get tired of it and it makes you want to live in Hawaii so bad!

Four Weddings and a Funeral [M]

2011-11-04T15:01:00.000-07:00

Charles is chronically late, charmingly bumbling, and waiting for true love to strike him light lightening. But when he actually gets his wish at a friend’s wedding, he doesn’t quite know what to do with it. Meeting Carrie turns Charles’ world completely around, but wooing her turns out to be incredibly tricky and awkward, particularly amidst the wedding nightmares that surround Charles and his friends.

Earning its place in The Book, Four Weddings and a Funeral is possibly one of the most memorable and important romantic comedies in cinematic history. It’s wonderfully charming, reserved, funny, and surprisingly romantic. I loved it, absolutely LOVED it!

Charles is chronically late, charmingly bumbling, and waiting for true love to strike him like lightening. But when he actually gets his wish at a friend’s wedding, he doesn’t quite know what to do with it. Meeting Carrie turns Charles’ world completely around, but wooing her and realising his true feelings turn out to be incredibly tricky and awkward, particularly amidst the romantic, marital, and wedding day nightmares that surround Charles and his closest friends.

A round of applause for Richard Curtis please! This man is such a wonderful writer and that, teamed with the direction of Mike Newell is a marriage that should be acknowledged, possibly as part of the title. What makes this film stand out, for me, as a timeless romantic comedy is the fact that is very much a complete cock-up of what we all envisage screen romances to be like. There are no exuberant gestures of love, no clever and original displays of affection, and certainly no romantic clichés to speak of, and THAT is what makes this film so clever, so funny, and so perfect. It’s filled with the awkwardness, struggles, falls, and fuck-ups that accompany relationships, particularly that stage of actually initiating a relationship. And everything is done so nice and subtly. Simple and brilliant!

Whilst the weddings provide the film with its moments of comedy and romance, the funeral brings poignancy and heart to the film and serves as a bit of a catalyst for the heroes; making them realise that you cannot wait for true love and happiness to come to you.

And the performances were particularly memorable as each character has his or her own story to tell, each one filled with struggles, tragedy, confusion, comedy, and frustrated romance. Starring Hugh Grant, Andie MacDowell, James Fleet, Simon Callow, John Hannah, Kristen Scott Thomas, David Bower, Charlotte Coleman, Anna Chancellor, and Rowan Atkinson, Four Weddings and a Funeral was a brilliantly refreshing and clever romantic comedy that was filled with awkwardness, cock-ups, drama, romance, horrible wedding dresses, lightening, and comedy. I loved it, I REALLY LOVED IT!

Made In Dagenham [M]

2011-11-03T23:40:00.000-07:00

When the ladies at Ford in Dagenham decide to go on strike, it’s merely to gain some recognition for the skills that are needed to work on the factory floor and to receive some respect and fairness. But then the horrible truth hits home that the girls will never receive the same pay or privileges as the men, simply because they are women. What began as a simple work stoppage to gain recognition soon escalates into a nationwide strike that will continue until the women get equal pay or the economy crashes.

From the director of the equally uplifting Calendar Girls and based on a amazing true story, Made in Dagenham was a very moving and inspirational film that will hold your attention right from the off, particularly if you’re female. Watching these women stand up and fight is enough to make any female viewer’s blood heat up and send adrenaline coursing through the body. It’s absolutely fabulous.

When the ladies at Ford in Dagenham decide to go on strike, it’s merely to gain some recognition for the skills that are needed to work on the factory floor and to receive some respect and fairness. But then the horrible truth hits home that the girls will never receive the same pay or privileges as men simply for the fact that they are women. What begins as a simple 24-hour work stoppage to gain recognition soon escalates into a nationwide strike that will continue until the women get equal pay or the economy crashes.

I think it’s a really wonderful and important thing that films like this, based on true stories and events, are being made because there are many people in the world, myself included, that live their life in their own little bubble and are oblivious to some of the hardships, political, legal, historical etc, that were and still are abundant in the world today. I mean sex equality and fairness in wages is something that the basic economy and society of a country is founded on. It’s movies like this one; that cause the more oblivious people in the audience to open their eyes and go “hang on a minute”. See, films are not just for entertainment, they are also on our screens to inspire and enlighten us.

Kudos in this film must go to Sally Hawkins, who delivered a stunning performance as Rita, the ladies’ leader. When she made these empowering speeches, you could hear her voice wavering and you could really feel a power in her that was evident, but somewhat buried deep within. She was absolutely mesmerising to watch. You rock Sally!

Starring Andrea Riseborough, Jaime Winstone, Geraldine James, Bob Hoskins, Daniel Mays, Roger Lloyd-Pack, Rosamund Pike, Kenneth Graham, Rupert Graves, and Miranda Richardson, Made In Dagenham was a wonderful film that was filled with drama, ideals, brilliant 60s outfits, comedy, and strength. I thought it was just wonderful.

Calendar Girls [PG]

2011-11-02T03:35:00.000-07:00

When the husband of her oldest friend passes away from leukaemia, Chris decides to raise some money to aid the general hospital by bringing some needed spice to the Women’s Institute annual calendar. Not wanting to divorce themselves from the traditional pictures, twelve lovely ladies from the Women’s Institute pose behind baked goods, flower arrangements, books, and musical instruments… completely nude. The women’s calendar is an instant success, but it soon escalates into much more than the girls expected, bringing a few handfuls of trouble.

WHAT A LOVELY FILM! It’s charming, vibrant, witty, heartfelt, and “practically perfect in every way”. I have always said that British comedies are by far the more brilliant and this is another classic example of why.

The Brits can really do right, can’t they? I mean, seriously, the perfect use of tragedy as a catalyst for something miraculous and amazing is something that they do so well and should really be applauded for. Like Blow Dry, Calendar Girls used the drama and tragedy of a character’s passing to bring about something that was wonderfully genuine, noble, and funny. This is an amazing, amazing story people, and you’re really missing out if you don’t run down to your local Blockbuster right now and grab yourself a copy. It’s warm, noble, heartfelt, and just lovely.

Special rounds of applauds need to go to Helen Mirren and Julie Walters who headed the dazzling team of mature delights. Their performances were absolutely admirable. Warm, funny, quick-witted, and delightfully down to earth. I admire you ladies, I really do.

Starring Linda Bassett, Annette Crosbie, John Alderton, Philip Glenister, Celia Imrie, Geraldine James, Penelope Wilton, George Costigan, Ciaran Hinds, Georgie Glen, Angela Curran, Rosalind March, Lesley Staples, Jay Leno, and Angus Barnett, Calendar Girls was a beautiful comedy that was filled with ambition, faux nudity, drama, and plenty of sharp-witted comedy. It really was a lovely, LOVELY film!

Bridesmaids [MA]

2011-11-01T04:17:00.000-07:00

Annie is already battling through a rough patch in her life, but when her best friend Lillian gets engaged and appoints her as her maid of honour, everything gets that little bit worse. Before she knows it, lovelorn and broke Annie is trying to organise fun and bizarre rituals for an odd group of bridesmaids, whilst at the same time trying to outshine the perfect and rich Helen, who seems to be stealing Annie’s best friend away from her.

I just missed this at the cinemas and I was so peeved about it because it received rave reviews from pretty much every customer of mine who went and saw it. I have to admit that I was really surprised by the movie. I was kind of expecting it to be a bit like a female Hangover type thing, which these girls getting up to all sorts of crude and ludicrous shenanigans; in short, I was expecting it to be rather visually crude and confronting. And I was intrigued that the movie’s crudeness and the squeamishness that it ensued was actually the result of a very cleverly constructed script that had me, and the rest of my family, in fits of complete hysterics.

Annie is already battling through a rough patch in her life, but when her best friend Lillian gets engaged and appoints her as her maid of honour, everything gets just that little bit worse. Before she knows it, Annie is trying to organise fun and bizarre rituals in the lead-up to the wedding for a group of odd bridesmaids, whilst at the same time trying to outshine the perfect and rich Helen, who seems to be stealing Annie’s best friend away from her.

The power of this movie is in the script and there is no more to it. It’s rather a verbal film in that it keeps the audience hanging on every word of the dialogue, which, believe it or not, not audiences do for an entire film. Come on, everyone does tune out, if only for a short time. But in Bridesmaids there is no time for tuning out because, if you do, you are bound to miss out on some brilliant moment of verbal comedy. Seriously, the script was everything; it was crude, rude, gross, heart-warming, and literally everything else in between. FAN-BLOODY-TASTIC!

Kristen Wiig is really making a name for herself, and rightly so because she is a bloody good actress. As far as comedies go, she’s taking the cake for sure. She delivered a performance in this film that was selfish, pitying, lovely, aggressive, frustrated, and really trying. She was absolutely brilliant!

Starring Rose Byrne, Maya Rudolph, Terry Crews, Wendi McLendon-Covery, Michael Hitchcock, Chris O’Dowd, Ellie Camper, Melissa McCarthy, Rebel Wilson, and Matt Lucas, Bridesmaids was a hilarious movie that was filled with sex, food poisoning, glamour, romance, catfights, awkwardness, and comedy. I loved it, just loved it!

Bride Wars [PG]

2011-10-29T15:39:00.000-07:00

Emma and Liv have been best friends since childhood and have been there for each other through good times and bad. Both girls share a dream: to have June weddings at the Plaza. Within hours of each other, the two get engaged and the girls plan their perfect weddings together. But then, a critical error occurs in setting the dates with their perfect days being double booked, and this pits the girls against each other in a scrap that soon turns into a all-out war to ruin the other one’s special day.

This movie came out after the success of 27 Dresses, when it seemed that marriage-themed comedies would become all the rage. I have to say though that this really is a sad and trying film that harbours little or no moments of comedy gold and the only thing that really kept it afloat was the performances and chemistry between the two leading ladies. Otherwise, Bride Wars was a mild and almost pointless film that I am fine to have seen once and once alone.

Emma and Liv have been best friends since childhood and have been there for each other through good times and bad. Both girls share a dream: to have June weddings at the Plaza, the ultimate bridal venue. Within hours of each other, the two get engaged and the girls plan their perfect weddings together. But then, a critical error occurs in the date-setting, with their perfect days being double booked, and this pits the friends against each other in a scrap that soon escalates into an all-out war to ruin the other one’s special day.

As I mentioned before, there is little to rave about in this film. The story is pretty mundane and predictable, the conflicts were neither funny nor dramatic, and the ending, although somewhat nice and warming, was really just fluff. It is possible to have too much sugar in your tea you know. The only thing that kept this movie afloat was the performances from the film’s heroines.

Kate Hudson was really good at playing the aggressive, bitchy, and vane Liv, and watching her continuously nibbling on various eccentric treats was actually kind of funny.

Anne Hathaway who played Emma was a little more reserved and, I think, struggled a little bit. I love Anne Hathaway, she has a natural flare that cannot be ignored and in this film she had to be more of a plain Jane, which is just not her. She played the part well enough and I still love her, but the character just wasn’t the best one for her.

Starring Bryan Greenberg, Chris Pratt, Steve Howey, Kristen Johnston, Michael Arden, and Candice Bergen, Bride Wars was a trying film that was filled with catfights, nasty pranks, romance, sweets, and friendship. I’ll say that it’s worth watching, if you want an afternoon of mindless fluff, but it’s not a film that I would recommend or add to the collection.

Strangers On a Train [M]

2011-10-29T03:58:00.000-07:00

Guy Haines, famous tennis player, meets an innocuous stranger named Bruno Anthony, on a train ride to his hometown. Both men have a person in their lives that they would rather be without: Guy, his trampy wife, and Bruno, his domineering father. As the two idly chat, Bruno puts forward the idea to commit the perfect murder, by simply swapping victims. Guy brushes off this crazy idea, but soon after, his wife is murdered and Bruno begins blackmailing him into fulfilling his side of the bargain.

Another classic from possibly the cleverest filmmaker in cinematic history: Alfred Hitchcock. Strangers On a Train is a wonderfully chilling film that’s packed with suspense, murder, blackmail, and all things that make you shiver. It’s bloody brilliant.

Guy Haines, a famous tennis player, meets an innocuous stranger named Bruno Anthony, on a train ride to his hometown. Both men have a person in their lives that they would rather be without: Guy, his trampy, conniving wife, and Bruno, his domineering father. As the two idly chat, Bruno puts forward the idea of committing the perfect murder: by simply swapping victims. Guy brushes this notion off as a crazy idea, but soon after that, his wife is murdered and Bruno begins blackmailing him into fulfilling his part of the bargain.

What makes Hitchcock such a great filmmaker? He uses things very simply and leaves the audience to their own devices. Case in point, one of the most spine-tinglingly spooky scenes in this film is one in which Guy is on the sidelines of a tennis game and Bruno catches his eye. The camera just focuses on that section of the crowd, all moving their heads in unison to follow the game; all except Bruno who remains stock still, staring at Guy. One of the simplest scenes in the entire film and yet it’s the most powerful.

There are three key elements that Hitchcock seems to favour in many of his films: a good, solid story filled with intrigue and some comedy, a group of good, solid, but subtly colourful actors, and finally, a haunting and dramatic soundtrack that accurately creates the feeling of certain tension and suspense. Strangers On a Train had them all.

It has to be said at this point that the show did belong to Robert Walker, who played Bruno. He was just such a good baddy. On the surface, he was charming and there was a subtle magnetism about him, but then, as you talk to him more and more, you begin to see this dark and deranged side of him. It really was like a snake hiding in the rose bush. Absolutely brilliant.

Starring Farley Granger, Ruth Roman, Leo G. Carroll, Patricia Hitchcock, Kasey Rogers, Marion Lorne, Jonathan Hale, Howard St. John, John Brown, Norma Varden, and Robert Gist, Strangers On a Train was another classic Hitchcock film that has earned its place in The Book. Filled with action, suspense, romance, dark comedy, and one of the most intriguingly elegant murder scenes in cinematic history, it’s a real killer.

The Time Machine [M]

2011-10-28T14:19:00.000-07:00

Teacher and scientist, Alexander Hartdegen is easily distracted when it comes to new gadgets and mechanical treats. But then he meets Emma, and decides to propose. However, on the night of his proposal, a tragic accident occurs and poor Alexander finds himself asking that timeless, plaguing question: what if? So he builds a time machine to go back and change the past, but in doing so he discovers a few things that will both shock and enlighten him in his quest for an answer.

Based on the novel by H. G. Wells, The Time Machine is one of the more noble and inspiring time travel stories to grace our screens. Filled with action, adventure, romance, and a few truths, it’s both a rollicking and thought-provoking look at what happens when we try to control the uncontrollable.

Teacher and scientist, Alexander Hartdegen is easily distracted when it comes to new gadgets and mechanical treats. But then he meets Emma, falls in love, and decides to propose. However, on the night of his proposal, a tragic accident occurs and poor Alexander finds himself asking that timeless and plaguing question: what it? So he builds a time machine to travel back and change the past, but in doing so he discovers a few things that will both shock and enlighten him on his quest to find an answer.

Unlike Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban and Back to the Future, which both use time travel to create great sequences of comedy as well as demonstrate the gravitas and danger of taking control of our own destinies, The Time Machine was a much more noble, dramatic, and more thought-provoking insight into what potentially can happen when heroes meddle with time. What begins as a simple goal to change one event in the past, quickly escalates into a desperate attempt to save what can be saved of the future.

The dazzling special effects that are used to bring to life a technically advanced stage of human evolution and then a more primitive one, greatly depict the central message of how mankind will eventually become too drunk on our own sense of intelligence and power, and end up destroying ourselves. It’s been said time and time again for years and years and it’s only with cool special effects, created by our own genius, that can set our minds whirring to start processing the message. Go figure.

Starring Guy Pearce, who was irresistible in that dapper period of history, Samantha Mumba, Mark Addy, Sienna Guillory, Phyllida Law, Omero Mumba, Orlando Jones, and Jeremy Irons, The Time Machine was a both a rollicking and a thought-provoking sci-fi flick that’s packed with action, adventure, gadgets, amazing special effects, romance, and truth. It’s definitely a film that’s worth watching, even just once, because it visually pleases you as well as causes your mind to really think.