The Age of Adaline (2015)

Pleasantly surprised by its IMDb rating of 7.3, I can’t say I felt the same for the film’s plot. The story played out pretty much exactly as I’d expected but then again I don’t think it really pretends to be the movie that Inceptions you or pulls a Shawshank Redemption at the very end.

I personally love movies that remind us of the preciousness of time – The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Click, About Time (one of my all-time favourite time travel movies). What I liked in particular about this one was the way in which they brought that message home – reminding us of our inevitable doom by showing us the complete opposite – Adaline Bowman, the girl who lived (and lived, and lived..)

Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) *spoilers*

“If I’m gonna die, I’m gonna die historic on a fury road!”

Kudos to George Miller for some of the most creative action sequences in recent years (how many times have you seen the term “car chase” and “original” in the same sentence). Although Miller makes a real attempt to balance the gritty violence and harsh landscape with emotional ‘softness’ from the characters, the audience is given so little context that it takes half the film just to figure out what is going on let alone form connections with the characters, while the strange ending seemed to leave more questions than answers.

‘Interstellar’: Finally a Nolan film worth the hype. *Spoilers*

This film really blew my mind. It was so much better than the ‘Dark Knight’ films and much better executed than ‘Inception’ (2010). There were definitely elements of ‘Inception’ scattered throughout the film but with Interstellar, Nolan seemed to have redefined those elements from being a cinematic novelty few have seen before to an interesting concept that fits seamlessly into the story line yet still stands out as a defining feature.

‘John Wick’: All the things wrong with modern-day action flicks in 101 minutes

I did not have high expectations going in to see one of the least-anticipated movies of the year. Nevertheless I told myself I would be content with the slightest ounce of originality or believability (asking for both is a bit much). Needless to say, it fell short of even my lowest of low expectations and hence the result in the list below to summarize the issues that constantly pop up in these kinds of movies in recent times and why John Wick was no different and really did not even try to be.

‘The One I Love’: A must-see of 2014

If you haven’t watched ‘The One I Love’ then do it. This is one movie that you really do have to see for yourself.

Highly imaginative and quirky, the film seems to be a weird mixing pot of genres from Drama to Comedy, to Romance with a hint of Mystery. And because it doesn’t appear to belong to any clear-cut genre you really have no clue what Director, Charlie McDowell, is going to throw at you next.

It’s no ordinary feat these days for a film to completely capture the audience’s attention, and perhaps more impressive is that this film maintains that level of intrigue right up until the rolling of the film credits. … But how?

Enemy (2014) – explaining the ending *spoilers*

“Chaos is order yet undeciphered.”

Without a doubt one of the most shocking movie endings you will never see coming. This is one of the few films that left me completely clueless and feeling as though I were a 6-year-old whose parents had unknowingly taken to see a horror movie at the cinema.

History professor Adam Bell (Gyllenhaal) stumbles across his doppleganger, actor Anthony Clair (also Gyllenhaal) whilst watching a movie and becomes obsessed with finding him. Interesting concept, but believe me when I say this is just the beginning of the mind-boogling ride that is Enemy.

If you’re looking for an easy breezy feel-good movie, then Enemy is probably not the movie for you.

The Zero Theorem (2013)

Are you here alone?

We are generally everywhere alone. 

Quite an intriguing film that has just managed to slip under the radar despite having such a high profile cast of Christoph Waltz, Matt Damon, Tilda Swinton and David Thewlis (Lupin from the Harry Potter series).

Boyhood (2014) – Bold in spirit but somewhat lacking in heart

When you first hear that Boyhood was 12 years in the making, it seems only natural that people (critics included) would be raving about this movie. Jen and I both came into this with quite high expectations and while it had its moments, I found it a little lacking in the emotional department.

Boyhood is a true coming-of-age story that follows Mason (Ellar Coltrane) from the age of 5 to 18. Through him we also come to meet his sister Samantha (Lorelei Linklater), his divorced parents (Patricia Arquette and Ethan Hawke) and various other family and friends.

Snowpiercer *spoilers* – One of the most underrated films of 2013?

Set in the not-too-distant dystopian future where humanity’s efforts to ‘solve’ global warming resulted in a second ice age of sorts. This resulted in all of earth’s inhabitants being frozen in popsicles with the sole survivors on board a train with a self-sustaining engine and no destination. The train is divided into distinct classes which are physically separated by their respective carriages. The lowest class (the ‘tail end’) live in squalid poverty and a diet of ‘protein’ bars that resemble blocks of blood jelly while the first class enjoy a life of luxury and excess with a night club, sauna and sushi bar.

Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)

*Disclaimer: I know very little about the original comic so please don’t expect any references to or comparisons with the comic or you will be bitterly disappointed. You have been warned.*

This movie was not a highly-anticipated movie of mine because simply-put I didn’t see how a film with a group of misfits including a talking Raccoon and a Vin Diesel-voiced tree thing could have any appeal to anyone but children and comic geeks (and I say that with the utmost affection as I have many friends in both categories).

I know this kind of alluded to a but-boy-was-I-wrong opening for the next paragraph but it would only half tick that box. Most of the movie was as expected including a very simple plot and a few warm fuzzy moments of camaraderie and belonging. I did enjoy the back stories to each of the characters although only Quill’s (Chris Pratt) was really fleshed out which was a shame but also understandable due to the risk of deviation from the main plot. Also, the relationship between Quill and Gamora (Zoe Saldana) was very shallowly developed and there wasn’t enough basis in my opinion why Quill would risk his life to save hers after sharing only very brief moments with her.

How to Train Your Dragon 2 *Spoilers*

One of those rare sequels that dared to reinvent itself and stray from the original while still staying true to the heart of the story.

More often than not movie sequels these days are born purely because the original smashed it at the Box Office. Film makers then attempt to piggyback off the formula of the first movie, with only a few minor adjustments (adding a new villain or creating a new love interest). Or you know, make like “The Hangover” and simply switch the setting of the movie to Thailand and voila – a sequel is born.

I came into the cinema half expecting the same for HTTYD2 but boy was I wrong.

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014) *Spoilers*

I have never been a fan of the Planet of the Apes franchise and didn’t have high expectations for this film. The movie turned out to be rather predictable; not saying that it wasn’t still enjoyable.

Firstly I felt that the film placed focus on the right areas. There was potential for the film to get lost in the whole disease back story and individual human back stories of the genetically-immune survivors of the disease. Usually I despise films that just run with it with no explanation (In Time 2011), however since the film was not about the disease and the human sob-stories, the movie allowed minimal time to be spent on it.

*TBT* A Walk to Remember (2002) and The Notebook (2004)

In light of the recent news that Ryan Gosling and Eva Mendes are expecting their first child I thought I’d write about these two Nicholas Sparks favourites of my teenage years.

A Walk to Remember appears to be a typical teenage angst movie about a boy and a girl from two very different backgrounds falling in love against the odds. In fact it is quite predictable for the most part (in fact I re-watched this with someone lately and he guessed exactly like EXACTLY what would happen from the opening scene where Landon Carter (Shane West) gets in trouble from a dare gone wrong and ends up in community service with “bible-hugging”, goody-too-shoes, Jamie Sullivan (Mandy Moore)).
What sets this movie apart is that it doesn’t try too hard to set itself apart. It does what it is meant to do really well and has real heart. It explores belonging, change and love; themes common to films of this genre and even goes deeper into religion and death but does so in a digestible way, unlike the recent The Fault in Our Stars where death analogies are shoved down our throats at every opportunity.

 

10 Things I Learnt from Maleficent (2014) *spoilers*

#10 General Life Advice (Part I)

What do you do when your baby girl is cursed to fall into a coma on her sixteenth birthday? Send her off to a cottage that’s so far in the middle of nowhere that you’ll never spend a day with her until the very day she’s supposed to fall into a lifeless coma.

#9 Breathtaking visuals

The Director, Robert Stromberg previously specialised in Visual Effects with quite an impressive C.V. including Avatar, The Hunger Games, Life of Pi, Alice in Wonderland, Pan’s Labyrinth and even a few episodes of Game of Thrones. With a couple of Oscars under his belt for Art Direction, Stromberg is certainly no stranger to the art of creating a magical alternate universe in which  the viewer can fully immerse their senses, which in this case is a world full of mud-slinging trolls, talking and walking trees, fairies and other winged creatures.

#8 All faults with the script may be forgiven as long as you have Angelina Jolie to carry the film along

Edge of Tomorrow *Spoilers* (and explaining the ending)

Some really funny moments but the story just wasn’t substantial enough to carry it through to the end.

The first half of the movie was actually extremely entertaining as the director plays around with the notion of a time loop which resets to the exact same moment, every time Cage (Tom Cruise) dies.

*TBT* Beasts of the Southern Wild (2012)

Ok so this isn’t a huge throwback but I thought I’d it’d be a fitting post with the Sydney Film Festival happening at the moment since I saw it during the festival 2 years ago and fell in love with the main character,

“Once there was a Hushpuppy and she lived with her daddy in the Bathtub”

The Fault in Our Stars *Spoiler Alert*

So we’ve all heard the synopsis and have become well aware of  The Fault in Our Stars’ tear-jerking potential and some of us may even be aware of it’s 8.6 rating on IMDb so it’s pretty clear that The Fault in Our Stars is a deep and meaningful film liked by a wide range of demographics, right? Wrong. *Warning* Stop here if you really liked the movie and/or book.

*TBT* The Imposter (2012)

One of the most intriguing documentaries I’ve seen to date. The film follows quite an unusual form for a doco as it takes you on a roller coaster of twists and turns as you would expect from a thriller but the best and most chilling part is that it’s all true – not based on a true story where they hire Brad Pitt to play someone who looks nothing like Brad Pitt – but an actual snapshot of an extraordinary event in these people’s lives.

Nicholas Barclay, a 13 year old from San Antonio in Texas had been pronounced missing for three years when an anonymous phone call alerts the authorities that he has been found in Spain with claims that he had been kidnapped and tortured. While we as the audience are aware of Frenchman Frederic Bourdin’s deception, the film digs deeper as more and more questions are raised about the incredibly bizarre situation.

June reels: Upcoming movies in cinemas this week

Edge of Tomorrow 

When: 5th June

Who: Doug Liman (Director), Tom Cruise, Emily Blunt

What: Set in the future during an alien invasion of Earth, Tom Cruise finds himself stuck in a time loop where he must relive Invasion Day over and over again by dying over and over again.

Why: Watching Tom Cruise relive Invasion Day over and over again by dying over and over again.. But seriously I have actually heard some pretty good things said about the clever storyline and refreshing characters.

Rated 95% on Rotten Tomatoes (surprising but impressive…) and 8.1/10 on IMDb.

The Fault in Our Stars

When: 5th June

Who: Josh Boone (Director), Shailene Woodley, Ansel Elgort

What: Based on the novel by John Greene, The Fault in Our Stars explores the love story between Hazel and Gus that began in a cancer support group.

Why: What I enjoyed most about the book was how refreshingly honest it was – it wasn’t just a really sad story about a brave dying person but it was a story of something devastating that happened to normal people with their own imperfections. The novel did such a great job at drawing the reader into their world but at the same time reminding us that this world is not so different from our own. BYO bucket.

Rated 8.6/10 on IMDb.

*TBT* Mr. Nobody (2009)

As Projectreel’s first Throw-back Thursday, I’m writing about one of my all-time favourite films, Mr. Nobody, which was released in 2009 starring Jared Leto and Diane Kruger.

This is the only film to date that I refuse to impose my meaning onto and a film that should be left to simmer in our individual minds and appreciated for what it is no matter what level you are viewing it from. On the surface, you are presented with a very old man who is recounting to a reporter in the year 2092 about his life. However, his story seems somewhat convoluted as he recounts various separate journeys with contradicting choices that confuses and even frustrates the reporter. On a philosophical level, Mr. Nobody challenges us to feel emotions we never thought we had and lets us easily understand seemingly complex characters and relationships. And of course, on another level it is just a masterpiece of understated minimalist music and the most beautiful cinematography you will ever see.

There are many moments of the film that are unforgettable. There’s the scene that always brings a tear to my eye – I’m talking about the scene where Nemo runs after the train when his parents get divorced. It is literally one of my favourite movie scenes ever due to it’s originality, emotional fragility and just the empathetic quality of a child faced with the impossible task of choosing between two loving parents. Watch it and see for yourself.

It’s really impossible to fault Mr. Nobody so I’m not going to. Below is a pictorial summary of some of my other favourite moments. What do they mean?? You’ll have to watch it to find out.

IMDb: 7.9

Rotten Tomatoes: 69%

My rating (As I said, in my eyes, the film is faultless):

May reels: Upcoming movies in cinemas this week

A Million Ways to Die in the West 

When: 29/05/14

Who: Seth MacFarlane (Director), Charlize Theron, Liam Neeson, Neil Patrick Harris, Amanda Seyfried, Giovanni Ribisi, Sarah Silverman

What: A satire of The Good, The Bad and the Ugly with a lot more expletives and blood.

Sheep farmer falls in love with new mystery woman in town and must overcome his fears, ALL of his fears (“The American West is a terrible place and time. Everything that’s not you wants to kill you. Angry drunk people. Hungry animals. Outlaws. Diseases. The fucking doctor.”) to duel Clinch Leatherwood, the deadliest outlaw in the West, to earn her love and affection.

Why: Written, directed by and starring the highest paid television writer in history, and the creator of Ted, Family Guy, American Dad and The Cleveland Show.

Maleficent (pronounced ma-leh-fi-sent)

When: 29/05/14

Who: Robert Stromberg (Director), Angelina Jolie, Elle Fanning, Juno Temple, Vivienne Jolie-Pitt

What: Sleeping beauty retold from the perspective of the villain.

Why: To see Angelina Jolie’s cheekbones as the sharpest objects on screens since the Miracle Blade III. But more seriously to find out that Aurora actually had interests and hobbies outside of sleeping and being beautiful.

X-Men: Days of Future Past

This was the first comic adaptation film I was actually excited to see and overall I was pretty happy with it.

I loved the beginning and the whole setting up of why they had to go back and change the future. The logic behind it was decent, in fact, for the most part, the storyline was logical (what didn’t make sense comes later).

Transcendence – just fell short *spoilers*

Coming into this I pretty much had 3 expectations of transcendence:

1. It’s based on a creative concept – dying Artificial Intelligence (AI) scientist, Will Caster (Depp) has his mind uploaded to a super computer so his subconscious can live on in digital form.2. From what I’d read and heard, the film fell short in its execution. One thing I’ve found with recent sci-fi flicks is that most begin with a really clever idea but so much time and focus is placed special effects and creating apocalyptic scenes of a massive scale that the storyline is often just lying raggedly in a corner, all forgotten and filled with holes.3. Bonus points for any movie with Johnny Depp, however creepy he may look with all those rods and wires coming out of his skull.

Now the reality.

 

To be honest my expectations were pretty spot on with this movie.

The idea of being able to copy the electromagnetic patterns that are unique to every human brain really is pretty cool.

The film poses the question of what it is that makes us human – are we simply a series of electrical impulses that dictate our emotions, thoughts and desires?

There are questions throughout of Will’s humanity. Is it human nature to seek to grow and expand? What I found interesting was the subtle turn towards the end that suggests it was him all along. As easy as it is to blame the evil machines that want to take over the world, the film reminds us that just like Adam was created as an image of God, AI was modelled on humanity itself. Perhaps it isn’t robots that we should be fearing but the people who build them and allow them to exist in the first place.

Now onto my issues with the film.

My biggest problem with it was the lack of character development. The beginning scenes felt a little too rushed and although we are introduced to Will and Evelyn Caster (Rebecca Hall), I struggled to connect with them and to feel like I cared about their fates at all. While the special effects certainly help to convince the audience that this future may not be too far away, the movie just didn’t pull me in via the vehicle of the characters. The completely unnecessary love triangle that was hinted at throughout the story felt like a weak attempt to inject some much needed emotional empathy.

I did feel that the film took the concept of a supercomputer with limitless applications and ran a whole marathon with it. While I get that the supercomputer may be smart enough to revolutionise nano technology which has great implications for medicine, isn’t the whole point of nano technology that it’s umm kind of small? And ok, I also get that it might be slightly challenging to visually represent this amazing development, but black balls – really?! And not only were they being injected out of mechanical arms but the ground just happened to be filled with them, conveniently allowing them to rise up into the air as strings of black beads.

Finally, of all the roles they could’ve offered Morgan freeman, they chose the role of the old man who refused cake?!

Like a nervous date who spills coffee on your shirt, the film had good intentions but it’s hard to remember what those intentions were when all you can see is the coffee stain.

Godzilla (2014) *SPOILERS*

I love end-of-the -world movies to no end (excuse the pun) but they usually let me down by trading off the destruction of the entire world for moments with a few (apparently important) individuals linked somehow to greater knowledge of what is really going on.

Godzilla was no different. I had particularly high hopes in the beginning, and the opening credits were really cool
(watch it and you’ll see what I mean). I could not complain about the nuclear disaster with the young Brody family being caught in the middle and Joe Brody (Bryan Cranston) having to courageously put the fate of the world before saving his wife. It was all quite fine.

Bad Neighbours

I think I really have to stop IMDb-ing everything before I go see a movie because only then would I be pleasantly surprised instead of being disappointed at it not blowing my mind.

Bad neighbours was pretty much the trailer. The trailer stuck true to the film and there wasn’t much else (except stuff that would be way too graphic to show in a trailer). You have your typical Seth Rogen film of over-the-top WTF-ness, awkward moments that linger on for just a touch longer, and just a whole lot of sexual references that make you very glad your younger sister next to you was not just a little more curious as to why half the cinema is laughing.

The Lego Movie: Everything is (kind of) Awesome

By now you’ve probably heard kids and adults alike all raving about the Lego movie. You might be wondering if it’s really worth the hype or is it just a way for the big kids’ to relive their Lego-obsessed childhoods?

For me it was a bit more of the latter. While I may have set the bar just a little too high for The Lego Movie, many of these expectations were simply nowhere to be found – scattered like the contents of my neighbour’s red and white striped cardboard box. Before you Lego enthusiasts start throwing lego sticks at me, I’ll happily admit that for a kids film, this was fantastic. And as much as I act like one sometimes, I cannot review the movie totally from a child’s perspective so cover your eyes children, ’cause this review might sound a little harsh. 

The Amazing Spider-Man 2 *Mega Spoiler Warning*

I know this has been out for a while now but heck “The Lego Movie” wasn’t showing at that time of the night. Needless to say my expectations were very low, especially after having seen the first one, so much so that if I didn’t fall asleep before 11pm I’d be giving this at least 3 stars.

The film was alllrrriigghhhhhtttt. Anybody who knows me knows that that’s the way I say “alright”  to you when I mean it was actually bad but I don’t want to insult your taste since you obviously enjoyed it so here’s something that will mask my distaste.

The Other Woman (2014)

The Other Woman (2014) was a highly anticipated movie of mine. The trailer made me laugh and I thought it would be one of those chick flicks with a message that stuck.

It’s hard to say whether it lived up to my expectations because it definitely had its flaws but also its moments so let’s start with the good.

Although it’s not something to credit the movie with, I quite liked the idea of the film. In today’s day and age where the media love to feed on the scandals of prominent celebrities and promote a sense of competition between women (note team Jen and Ange), it’s heart-warming to be reminded of the common ties of the female condition – I am all for the idea of blaming the real scumbag instead of turning on each other. Unless of course there’s a real bitch on the other end who doesn’t share the same sentiment and in which case I feel it’s best to use the site: shesahomewrecker.com. Just Kidding.

5 Stars for ‘The Grand Budapest Hotel’

From the first few minutes of the film, Wes Anderson keeps us guessing.

Just as we begin to wrap our heads around one scene, this layer is immediately peeled back to reveal another equally perplexing one. The story in a nutshell centres around M. Gustave, a renowned concierge who prides himself on his impeccable service, and his unlikely friendship with Zero Moustafa, a bell boy at the establishment, as they try to reclaim what was rightfully theirs with the help of a mish mash of random characters and Agatha and her sweet delicious cakes from Mendl’s.

Divergent – just another Hunger Games?

For those who haven’t read the Divergent series by Veronica Roth, you might be wondering about all the similarities between this film and The Hunger Games – both set in a dystopian future with a very powerful ‘state’ controlling every aspect of life, society divided up into a number of classes and a fearless lead female who’s willing to fight and take on the State. Well, you would have wondered right. But having said that, The Hunger Games turned into a massive box office success for a reason and if it ain’t broke don’t fix it right?

I found the concept quite fascinating – society is divided into 5 different factions based on their personality traits. But, as expected with teenage fiction, it was a little too oversimplified for my liking. Another issue I had with the faction system was the overlap between Abnegation and Amity, as they both value kindness, peacefulness and forgiveness as their core life principles. So isn’t Amity just a less extreme version of Abnegation, disguised as a bunch of barefoot hippies?

12 Years a Slave: Oscar-worthy or Overrated?

With all the Oscar buzz surrounding this film you just know ’12 Years a Slave’ cannot possibly disappoint. And most of it doesn’t. Even though the issues explored are confronting as hell, they are explored in such a raw and yet strangely beautiful way by director Steve McQueen. One such example of this was his use of off centre close-ups with the camera lingering just long enough for us to process and reflect on what had just happened in the scene.

Just me and “Her”… Finally!

I’ve been so excited to see this film ever since Nina told me about it. I wanted to see it by myself because it seemed like one of those movies with a little awkwardness and a little melancholy that you would want to experience by yourself.

The film started off very  intriguing and had some original little ideas that kept me interested. In particular, Theodore’s (Joaquin Phoenix) job as a surrogate letter writer just seemed so beautifully wrong you couldn’t help cringe a little thinking about the contrast between the receiver’s warm-hearted feelings towards the sender and the reality of the sender who obviously did not even have the slightest consideration to write it themselves. It was devastating to see but at the same time was a constant asker of the questions: Is ignorance really bliss after all? How “real” are feelings of supposed love after all?

American Hustle: Worth all the Hype?

Upon beginning this review I asked myself, “How do I write an honest review of this widely acclaimed movie without sounding like an unnecessary insurgent swimming against the overwhelming tirade of success that the American Hustle franchise has gained especially throughout the awards season?”

I suppose the answer is that while I do appreciate the originality of screenplay, the acting by the brilliant cast (we all know who they are), I thought the movie lacked memorable impact and believability.

Here’s what I mean.

What kind of bird are YOU? – Moonrise Kingdom

If you have yet to see Moonrise Kingdom by Wes Anderson, you definitely should.

A (basic) summary of the plot:

Boy meets girl.
They fall in love.
Pack up their possessions.
Empty their savings.
And Run away together.

(Oh, and did I mention they’re 12 years old?)

Argo Fuck Yourself

Don’t be fooled by the title of this post if you haven’t seen this film. Argo was amazing. So good in fact I don’t really want to cheat anyone by revealing even the most vague idea of what it is about. Just Watch It.

I definitely did not expect to like a thriller this much. Ben Affleck is an amazing director. The film had just about flawless execution.

In the Loop(er)

“This time travel crap, just fries your brain like an egg…”

The Good:

• Joseph Gordon-Levitt. That is all.
• No but seriously Looper had such an interesting concept and way too often you see a scifi movie start off with an idea with so much potential, only to turn out to be a massive disappointment (I’m looking at you, In Time – that was 109 minutes of my time that I’ll never get back..)
• Watching Old Joe (Bruce Willis) chuck a tantrum after Young Joe asks him to explain this apparently ‘sensitive’ topic was quite hilarious. “I don’t want to talk about time travel because if we start talking about it then we’re going to be here all day talking about it, making diagrams with straws.” (Straws?? Really, Bruce Willis?? Really?)
• For me the real standout of the movie was the story involving Emily blunt and her son, Cid. This relationship between a mother and her somewhat difficult child added more depth to all the chasing and shooting. It placed the viewer in the shoes of a mother who is faced with such an impossible choice and echoed the experiences of families that raise children with psychopathic tendencies. The same tough question was also asked of society – is it wrong to remove or ‘weed out’ potentially dangerous individuals and if they are identified and if so, what do we do with them?
• Who needs technology when this solves all your problems? (See below).

The Master

Since recently relocating from Sydney to Austin, TX, it was imperative to visit the Alamo Drafthouse cinema of the famous 6th St. There was really no choice in movies so “The Master” was it!

So I hadn’t heard a single thing about it but I love that about watching films, not knowing what to expect although I did see it won a bunch of awards on the poster.

The film was one of those films that you just can’t relate to. I’m sure it was a fantastic film if you really delve into the psychology of it and all and it seemed like a film that could easily take weeks to study to fully appreciate its significance.

There should be no dispute that the two main leads (Phillip Seymour Hoffman and Joaquin Phoenix) gave the performance of their lives. They were so incredibly believable especially in the most bold and powerful scenes.

Men in Black 3

This was a film that I watched for the sake of watching a film but I came out thinking “Not bad…”

Quite impressed at how they made the whole time travel situation clever yet uncomplicated so people could just follow the action.

There were moments that actually made me laugh so loud my Mum had to shush me.

The characters were uncomplicated as well and extremely likeable although action buffs might complain that there was a bigger emphasis placed on character-building than the typical fight sequences. But I suppose it is more of a light-hearted sci-fi comedy so it can be forgiven for the lack of stunts. I certainly forgave it.

The Dark Knight Rises (but manages to just fall short)

Firstly, for anyone who has yet to see the movie – THEY ALL DIE. Just kidding, but seriously I would recommend you go see it because overall it was an enjoyable movie and Christopher Nolan is probably one of the few directors who can keep people in their seats for the entire running time of 164 minutes. However having said that, I’d have to disagree with imdb’s rating of 9.0 which I predict will gradually drop as the initial hype wears off (Update: it has dropped to 8.9 but still quite high for a recent film).

There’s no denying that the movie was clearly very evocative in the way that it was directed. My favourite scene of the film was when the young boy sings the national anthem followed by the series of highly orchestrated bomb explosions on the football field with cuts to Bane’s underground lair in between.

I also particularly liked Nolan’s exploration of humanity, constantly going back and forth in the movie between the good and bad in people at a time when everything around them has fallen apart and gone to shit.

How to survive a troll attack and 7 other useful lessons from ‘Snow White and the Huntsman’

1 – It just wouldn’t be a Kristen Stewart movie without a love triangle of some sort. And when you add extremely pale skin to the mix, it just wouldn’t feel right if the girl wasn’t torn between team muscles and team cheekbones.

2 – When you accidentally anger a camouflaged gigantic troll in the middle of a forest and come face to face with the raging beast, do not attempt to hack at it with an axe. Instead, scream at it and challenge it to a staring competition until it backs away, defeated. *

3 – When in doubt of who the bad guys are, look for the ones in anything black – black stones, black feathers, crawling out of black tar … you get the gist.

Ten Things watching Prometheus has reinforced

1. A Director who has made his point very clear in his most celebrated film need not make the point again in a second not-so-celebrated film.

2. Films that don’t follow the typical sequence of action can work quite well as long as they keep us on the edge of our seats (or cowering into the back of them).

3. The scaredy-cats, or people with tattoos always die first.

4. If you’re old, wrinkly and look like you belong in a coffin then don’t spend a trillion dollars trying to not to die, you’ll probably just die quicker.

Life, Love and other Delicacies (Delicacy film review)

First of all the actors.

Having captured our hearts more than 10 years ago with her quirky character in ‘Amelie’, Audrey Tautou is charming and perhaps more down to earth in this French film as Nathalie, a young widow learning to deal with her grief after the death of her husband.

However, Francois Damiens easily steals the show with his portrayal of Markus, Nathalie’s Swedish co-worker who is balding and physically appears to be a complete contrast to the dainty Tautou. It’s just impossible not to love this awkward character. Everything about him is loveable – from his uncomfortable looking stance to his poor efforts at protecting himself from falling for Nathalie by literally choosing not looking at her.

Top 10 Most Unexpectedly Heartbreaking Scenes in Films

Every so often you walk into the cinema not knowing what to expect or expecting to entertained, horrified, disgusted or moved, but never to the point of tears. Then a particular scene smacks you right where it hurts (wow that sounded better in my head) and you find yourself with a lump in your throat and a screwed up expression on your face and thanking god that the cinema is dark enough for people not to see.

These are my top ten picks for most poignant scenes of our time.

10. Pan’s Labyrinth

The scene where Ofelia talks to her unborn brother

This was so moving because Ofelia is characterised so well as someone who is so tortured by the world yet through it all remains so innocent. But not innocent in the way that she becomes a character that lives in the shadows of her mother from the violence splattered throughout the film. You can see it here where she talks to her brother with such honesty that she upholds a strong spirit and optimism for not only her own sake but that of her mother and her unborn brother. Her love for her real family shines through and makes us sympathise so deeply with her.

Couldn’t find this one in youtube, please post if you do! =)