tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-58558421239965106982024-03-05T05:59:07.412-08:00Film Reviews 2011LadyKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15187021497582049529noreply@blogger.comBlogger92125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5855842123996510698.post-29394241647812639942012-01-03T15:02:00.000-08:002012-01-08T09:20:15.965-08:00New Year's Eve<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhae44X9TTDJSLNJJ6asOkF84bqNxBh-6Pvve4qwmO66R86ArUR5GUKQMLWfPODtLJmsAH0PGmKjBi0y7Jn8yfHuUgExC6NMZZbL3IaRmXt8GuqOcZ9LsaIjR5XleacoqOnk-SgVug-tiY/s1600/new-years-eve-movie-poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhae44X9TTDJSLNJJ6asOkF84bqNxBh-6Pvve4qwmO66R86ArUR5GUKQMLWfPODtLJmsAH0PGmKjBi0y7Jn8yfHuUgExC6NMZZbL3IaRmXt8GuqOcZ9LsaIjR5XleacoqOnk-SgVug-tiY/s320/new-years-eve-movie-poster.jpg" width="216" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://newyearsevemovie.warnerbros.com/index.html">http://newyearsevemovie.warnerbros.com/index.html</a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">How's this for a strange twist of fate? My last movie review of 2011 (I know it's now 2012 but this is my last review of a film I saw in 2011) is New Year's Eve, and I saw it on the last day of 2011, New Year's Eve.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I knew from the moment I saw the trailer that despite the film looking like it might be terrible, I would end up seeing this with one of my best girl friends. And I did, during my Christmas break up to the north west of England.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The film, as you might have guessed, is set on New Year's Eve in one of the most spectacular locations for a New Year's Eve movie to be set, New York City. As Stan Harris says at one point in the trailer, "nothing beats New York on New Year's Eve". We have the ball dropping at Times Square, two pregnant women dropping at a nearby hospital, midnight kisses, chance encounters, rock stars, a dying man's last wish and one night to make all your new year's resolutions come true. The star studded cast take you on a whirlwind journey of New York on New Year's Eve.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I must admit that after my cinema buddy saw it and told me how terrible it was I was not holding out any high expectations for New Year's Eve. And I did think that it would pass by without me getting to see it. But a well timed showing fit with our plans and et voila, New Year's Eve on New Year's Eve actually happened. And you know what? It wasn't all that bad. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Sure the cast is ridiculous. You thought there were a lot of famous people in Valentines Day or New York I Love You? Well that's nothing compared to this. I don't think I've seen a cast list this long since Harry Potter. And to be honest, it's unnecessary. Some of these roles could have been given to unknown actors or lesser known character actors and it wouldn't have made the slightest difference to the film, other than you wouldn't be playing 'spot the celebrity' every time the scene changed. I'm not saying anyone is particularly bad, it's just overkill on the famous actor front.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The thing that is most obvious, with all these famous types running around and with so many story changes, is that very few of the actors have chemistry. Not really through any fault of their own but they have so little time to become acquainted with one-another that it's hard to build rapport and in turn, chemistry. I also find it unbelievable that Ashton Kutcher would be best friends with Zac Efron or that Zac Efron would even contemplate snogging Michelle Pfeiffer (especially as the latter looks so haggard in this film). </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But you are right in thinking I said that this film wasn't all that bad. And it really wasn't. It was a light, fluffy, not too demanding film that kept me entertained for the 2 hours it was on. 6 out of 10.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZNG7TFUzOxU?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Viewing Date - 31st December 2011</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">UK Release Date - 8th December 2011</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Cast Overview:</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Halle Berry ~ Nurse Aimee</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Jessica Biel ~ Tess Byrne</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Jon Bon Jovi ~ Jensen</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Abigail Breslin ~ Hailey</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Chris "Ludacris" Bridges ~ Brendan</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Robert De Niro ~ Stan Harris</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Josh Duhamel ~ Sam</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Zac Efron ~ Paul</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Hector Elizondo ~ Kominsky</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Cary Elwes ~ Stan's Doctor</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Katherine Heigl ~ Laura</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ashton Kutcher ~ Randy</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Seth Meyers ~ Griffin Byrne</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Alyssa Milano ~ Nurse Mindy</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Lea Michele ~ Elise</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Sarah Jessica Parker ~ Kim</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Michelle Pfeiffer ~ Ingrid</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Hilary Swank ~ Claire Morgan</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Director ~ Garry Marshall</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Writer ~ Katherine Fugate</span></div></div>LadyKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15187021497582049529noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5855842123996510698.post-20803616176283232172011-12-22T15:28:00.000-08:002011-12-22T15:29:37.351-08:00Sherlock Holmes: A Game Of Shadows<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTuyJT6IjQHnO7by-1ouHauFWohKxTLM0E1E5JteQPUAqWr9H8J-SLndP8-YkbEGE7cQCSQZeDNxWS3W65TCpplUc2leddKyRehmP3xE_d3sBJ5U__jtaCBD7xO9IKzsEIucxrVFky0Wc/s1600/Sherlock-Holmes-UK-Poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTuyJT6IjQHnO7by-1ouHauFWohKxTLM0E1E5JteQPUAqWr9H8J-SLndP8-YkbEGE7cQCSQZeDNxWS3W65TCpplUc2leddKyRehmP3xE_d3sBJ5U__jtaCBD7xO9IKzsEIucxrVFky0Wc/s320/Sherlock-Holmes-UK-Poster.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://sherlockholmes2.warnerbros.com/">http://sherlockholmes2.warnerbros.com/</a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I should probably open by telling you that I was not fond of the first Sherlock Holmes movie and had no intention of watching this one. Until I started to hear those magic five words 'better than the first one'. Better you say? Oh well I might as well see it then, after all, December has been rather cine lite owing to my two week absence. Plus I probably won't see anything while I'm up north for Christmas. Lets give it a go!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">From what I remember of Sherlock 1 (that's not a lot), Sherlock 2 carries on pretty seamlessly. Irene (Rachel McAdams) is still wheeling and dealing and getting Sherlock (Robert Downey Jnr) into trouble. Meanwhile Sherlock's long suffering colleague Dr Watson (Jude Law) is planning his wedding. All Sherlock has to do is take Watson on his 'stag do' and get him to the church on time, but of course nothing goes to plan when Sherlock is trying to get one over on Professor Moriarty (Jared Harris). One thing leads to another and the pair find themselves in Paris with a gypsy (Noomi Rapace) who is connected to Moriarty by way of her lost brother.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Simply put, whoever it was that said this was better than the first was either stupid or lying. It's over long, it's boring, it's complicated and it's contrived. I have never been a fan of Guy Ritchie but his direction of this film has to be some of the worst direction I have seen all year. He uses way too much slow motion, has these silly scenes of imagined fights before the real fight takes place, meaning you see every fight twice. And he's put in these ridiculous over stylised shots of running through forests. Just when you think it can't go on any longer or get any worse it does. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The one good thing that can be said about the film is the casting, but even that can't save the film. The two females in the cast Rachel McAdams, who reprises her role of Irene Adler from the first film, and Noomi Rapace, last seen with a Dragon Tattoo, have nothing to do. McAdams is written out within the opening 15 minutes and Rapace appears here and there throughout the film but you're never really sure how she (as an actress or the character) got involved in the first place. The final nail in Ritchie's coffin surely has to be the f</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">act that he can take an actor like Robert Downey Jnr, one of the most charismatic, charming and funny actors around, and make a film so utterly boring that even Downey Jnr can't save it. Surely that speaks volumes about how bad a director he really is?</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The cinema was obviously experiencing 'technical problems' with their heating as it was stiffling in the cinema but even so I haven't been as close to falling asleep in a film since I saw The Last Airbender. There's a bit in the film where Holmes and Watson are talking about going home, and the whole while I was thinking, "yes, please go home, because then this will finish and I will be able to go home" but then they decide to go to Switzerland instead, and so it drags on for another hour.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">There is a lot of acting talent here but unfortunately for those involved, not a lot else. Please don't let there be a Sherlock 3. 5 out of 10.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/CiAwU8Om6ig?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Viewing Date - 19th December 2011</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">UK Release Date - 16th December 2011</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Cast Overview:</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Robert Downey Jnr ~ Sherlock Holmes</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Jude Law ~ Dr John Watson</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Noomi Rapace ~ Madam Simza Heron</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Rachel McAdams ~ Irene Adler</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Jared Harris ~ Professor James Moriarty</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Stephen Fry ~ Mycroft Holmes</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Director ~ Guy Ritchie</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Writer(s) ~ Michele and Kieran Mulroney based on characters created by </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Sir Arthur Conan Doyle</span></div>LadyKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15187021497582049529noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5855842123996510698.post-83333773227821102362011-12-20T13:42:00.000-08:002011-12-20T13:43:02.175-08:00Hugo<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbvrsEpS_3gVrzVOjKKJPbwC9xFbs1PeBfvzADpuLe6jcLd0QsH1dhKGqhK57qLIabUxsp7amRjf7XrTycS5YKYFKYoZL9AJPYxSPWZdSdtYUL3m6j2q_tXpE2Z4mRZunAjyt_QwZylxY/s1600/hugo-movie-poster-02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbvrsEpS_3gVrzVOjKKJPbwC9xFbs1PeBfvzADpuLe6jcLd0QsH1dhKGqhK57qLIabUxsp7amRjf7XrTycS5YKYFKYoZL9AJPYxSPWZdSdtYUL3m6j2q_tXpE2Z4mRZunAjyt_QwZylxY/s320/hugo-movie-poster-02.jpg" width="216" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.hugomovie.com/">http://www.hugomovie.com/</a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Hugo is another film that I knew nothing about until my cinema buddy told me to check out the trailer. Even then, while I wanted to see it, I wasn't overly drawn in. Then as bad luck would have it, I was struck down with a horrible cough almost as soon as Hugo was released. And as I heard more and more good things about it I wanted to see it more and more. In the end I was so concerned that I would miss it that my cough be damned, I went to the cinema to watch it.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Hugo </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Asa Butterfield) </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">is the boy of the film's title. Following the untimely death of his father (Jude Law), his uncle (Ray Winstone) takes him to work - and live - in a train station in Paris in the 1930s. After his uncle leaves him there, Hugo decides to stay and carry on winding the clocks, figuring if the clocks are still running, the people at the station will just assume it's his uncle doing the work, and he'll be allowed to stay there, as he has no other home to go to. In his spare time, Hugo is trying to repair an automaton that his father brought home to fix before he died. One day, the toy shop owner Hugo had been stealing parts from, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Georges </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Méliès</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> (</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ben Kingsley), decides to steal something from Hugo to make them even. He takes Hugo's notebook, which once belonged to his father, and so begins Hugo's quest to get the book back. Hugo gets a lot more than he bargained for however when Georges past comes to light.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Hugo is such a charming film, an absolute pleasure from start to finish. The fact that it was directed by Martin Scorsese makes it all the more incredible. Now I'm not saying old Marty is not a good director. I'm sure we all agree that he has made some magnificent films, but these are films like Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, more recently Gangs of New York and Shutter Island. He's not exactly known for charming kids films. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The other impressive thing about the film being </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">directed by Martin Scorsese is that this is the first time he's shot a film in 3D. And I think this might be the most impressive use of 3D I have ever seen. Everything pops, like a feast for your eyes, from the dust in the train station to the people on screen, it's a visual treat. Mr Scorsese hasn't gone down the classic route of having things come out of the screen, instead he's just made everything three dimensional. It's honestly amazing use of 3D. If you see Hugo, and I highly recommend you do, you should see it in 3D.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">3D gushing aside, everything about Hugo is a joy. The setting is perfect, the train station is smoggy and dusty and full of fascinating characters. The little passageways that Hugo has to squeeze through in his daily routine of winding the clocks have a maze-like quality to them. The cast is a delight, the previously unknown Asa Butterfield has an innocence about him but also seems like an old head on young shoulders. I don't think Ben Kingsley has been better for many years, finally putting aside his hammier acting and tackling something seriously really pays off. Sacha Baron Cohen is brilliant casting as the Station Inspector, simultaniously making you loathe him for being Hugo's nemesis but also wanting him to get the girl. I can't fault anyone. And it's lovely to see Christopher Lee in the smaller, supporting role of Monsieur Labisse, a likeable character for him for once.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This is the type of film which my mum would say gives you 'the feel good factor', you come away from it feeling somewhat enriched by it. It's also the type of film you could take your kids to and your grandma and each of them would get something out of it. Before it leaves the cinema I urge all of my readers to go and see Hugo (in 3D) and marvel in it's storytelling greatness. 9 out of 10.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/ocSlru1Amtc?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></span></div></span><br />
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</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Viewing Date - 18th December 2011</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">UK Release Date - 2nd December 2011</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Cast Overview:</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Asa Butterfield ~ Hugo Cabret</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ben Kingsley ~ Georges </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Méliès</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Chlo</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">ë</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Grace Moretz ~ Isabelle</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Sacha Baron Cohen ~ Station Inspector</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Helen McCrory ~ Mama Jeanne</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ray Winstone ~ Uncle Claude</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Emily Mortimer ~ Lisette</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Christopher Lee ~ Monsieur Labisse</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Michael Stuhlbarg ~ Rene Tabard </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Frances de la Tour ~ Madame Emilie</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Richard Griffiths ~ Monsieur Frick</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Jude Law ~ Hugo's Father</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Kevin Eldon ~ Policeman</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Director ~ Martin Scorsese</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Writer(s) ~ John Logan (Screenplay) and Brian Selznick (Book)</span></div>LadyKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15187021497582049529noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5855842123996510698.post-973087874117195742011-12-18T14:44:00.000-08:002011-12-18T14:45:46.673-08:00Puss In Boots<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2g9Mrjcb3f2f-I5Q2SFnvYu08TqSApeg_9I9oybVRbK6kCeKb2lT0wPGM8UgMVUBk1XGX6pbnrc9X8pq6O2EY34hzwaU5trG5MebHQInQMnSM9T-z1TVhpp81CPOPhAZJDFuOy2Bhyphenhyphenc4/s1600/MPW-58835.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2g9Mrjcb3f2f-I5Q2SFnvYu08TqSApeg_9I9oybVRbK6kCeKb2lT0wPGM8UgMVUBk1XGX6pbnrc9X8pq6O2EY34hzwaU5trG5MebHQInQMnSM9T-z1TVhpp81CPOPhAZJDFuOy2Bhyphenhyphenc4/s320/MPW-58835.jpeg" width="215" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.pussinbootsthemovie.com/">http://www.pussinbootsthemovie.com/</a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ever since I saw Shrek 2 I have loved the sword fighting, boot and hat wearing Puss. He reminds me of Inigo Montoya, if Inigo were a cat. So I was excited as a kid at Christmas when I heard there was going to be a Puss In Boots movie. Especially since the last two Shrek movies have been less than impressive.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So after my two week long hiatus (I've been poorly sick) I decided that the best way to get back to the cinema, and back to my reviews, was to have a double bill. So as well as seeing Puss today I also saw Hugo. But we'll get to Hugo later.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Puss In Boots tells the story of the early life of everyones favourite sword fighting cat, his time as an orphaned kitten and how he came to own those fetching boots of his. It all started back when he was best friends with Humpty Dumpty when they were both orphaned youngsters. He meets Humpty again years later and the two of them, along with Kitty Softpaws, go on a quest to obtain magic beans from simple crooks Jack and Jill.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As Puss inevitably became the best thing about watching the Shrek movies, it's kinda nice that he has a whole movie to himself without being sidelined. That said I was slightly disappointed that there were no cameos from Shrek, Fiona or Donkey in this movie as I was expecting there to be some mention of the previous adventures Puss has had.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">That's not to say that the introduction of Kitty and Humpty doesn't make up for the loss of Shrek and co, just that it's nice to see a familiar face. *Stop reading if you don't want to know who the voices are* The voice actors are all very well suited to their roles and of course Banderas clearly relishes playing Puss for the fourth time. His voice is so well matched to that character that when Puss's voice becomes more high pitched at one point, it just sounds wrong.*Feel free to resume until you get to cast overview under the trailer*</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The film isn't overly taxing for young 'uns to keep up with, but they may get bored as it is a little on the long side at nearly 2 hours (including ads/trailers). I think overall it will be an enjoyable, easy watch for adults and kids alike.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Finally I will say that while I have not been that impressed with Dreamworks animation until they made the amazing How To Train Your Dragon, I was sufficiently impressed with the animation on show here and am happy that they seem to be continually improving. They just need to better their stories a little to be on a par with Pixar.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">One of the better animations of this rather dismal year for kids films. 6.5 out of 10.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Viewing Date - 18th December 2011</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">UK Release Date - 9th December 2011</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Cast Overview:</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Antonio Banderas ~ Puss in Boots</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Salma Hayek ~ Kitty Softpaws</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Zach Galifianakis ~ Humpty Dumpty</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Billy Bob Thornton ~ Jack</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Amy Sedaris ~ Jill</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Constance Marie ~ Imelda</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Director ~ Chris Miller</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Writer(s) ~ </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">David H Steinberg and Jon Zack with additional writing credit for </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Charles Perrault (Character), Will Davis (Story), Brian Lynch (Story) and Tom Wheeler (Screenplay).</span></div>LadyKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15187021497582049529noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5855842123996510698.post-62212756136485239212011-12-09T10:50:00.000-08:002011-12-10T11:50:00.056-08:00Stand By Me<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZWUGvf0X2sk5t1DsUtkeIL9cg7tZXi3xtH03jgA84uLvEnNQOILFyuSqgDe6QNTDhSnD1YM1eiNiyeT3S0-FSo7XsTfEK8LtdJJCWSIHShUihPKIRaEFb9dM8_epr8VXALYG8g0esJVg/s1600/220px-Stand_by_me_poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZWUGvf0X2sk5t1DsUtkeIL9cg7tZXi3xtH03jgA84uLvEnNQOILFyuSqgDe6QNTDhSnD1YM1eiNiyeT3S0-FSo7XsTfEK8LtdJJCWSIHShUihPKIRaEFb9dM8_epr8VXALYG8g0esJVg/s320/220px-Stand_by_me_poster.jpg" width="215" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0092005/">http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0092005/</a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Much like my review for The Thing, I feel I should prompt my readers to cast their eyes over one of my personal blogs, <a href="http://willow23s-firsteverblog.blogspot.com/2011/06/wherever-whatever-have-nice-day.html" target="_blank">Wherever, Whatever, Have A Nice Day</a>, before you read the below review as I feel it's important that you know where I'm coming from.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Most of the classic films I have reviewed this year have been seen at my favourite independent cinema, The Prince Charles Cinema in London. Stand By Me was no exception. I can't thank them enough for letting me tick another film off my cinematic bucket list. I just wish a certain little lady had been here to watch it with me.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">For those who've never seen Stand By Me, it's a story of 4 boys who live in a small town in Oregon called Castle Rock. One of the boys, Vern (Jerry O'Connell) overhears his brother talking to a friend about how they witnessed the accidental death of a boy who had since been reported missing. They'd stolen a car and driven out to a lake and saw the boy get hit by a train. They don't want to tell the cops because they'll get in trouble for stealing a car. Vern immediately runs and tells his friends, Gordie (Wil Wheaton), Chris (River Phoenix) and Teddy (Corey Feldman). They realise that if they 'found' the body themselves, while on a camping trip, they'd be hailed as heroes. So they set out on a 30 mile trek to find the body of a dead kid. But they end up discovering more than they bargained for along the way.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So you've read the blog post right? Then you know that Stand By Me is the film that made me discover River Phoenix. The actor who's life (and death) has had the biggest impact on my life, the decisions I make, the people I mix with, ultimately, he shaped my integrity and the things I believe in. So that makes Stand By Me a film that had a HUGE impact on my life. It kinda made me the person I am today. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So what do I think of it? Well excuse me for saying d'uh! I love it of course! Parts make me laugh, parts make me cry and when Gordie shouts "TRAIN!!!" I still get nervous even though I know they make it across the bridge! As my brother just pointed out to me (though it wasn't really necessary), Wil Wheaton and River Phoenix give career defining performances. Performances which show vulnerability, courage and ultimately, strength. They portray complex emotions that their youth could surely not have prepared them for. And along with Feldman and O'Connell they show us a friendship that has lasted long after the camera's stopped filming.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Rob Reiner does a beautiful job of directing his young cast, never making the audience feel like they are inappropriately watching a bunch of young boys in the woods. He instead makes you feel like you are one of the gang and on their side no matter what they are doing, talking silly around a camp fire, trudging through a leech infested swamp or standing up to the bullies. I couldn't imagine any other director handling the material as well as he did.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Which brings me to the novella. Which, don't be too shocked, I have actually read. And love. With the exception of a few extra scenes that are in the story but not in the film, it's virtually exactly the same. Which as I know from reading IT by Stephen King, and watching the adaptation, is not an easy thing to do. I take my hat off again to the screenwriters and Reiner for sticking so close to the source material.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The only niggle I have is that the PCC's copy of the film hadn't aged very well and it meant that the film skipped dialogue during some of my favourite scenes. For this I deduct half a point as it did somewhat spoil the overall experience. If I was watching a perfect copy, it would have been a perfect 10. As it stands, Stand By Me gets 9.5 out of 10.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Review dedicated to my best friend, Miranda Abigail Tennant, who died 3 years ago today. "I never had any friends later on like the ones I had when I was twelve. Jesus, does anyone?"</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><object class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="http://1.gvt0.com/vi/lnY_j85MidU/0.jpg" height="266" width="320"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/lnY_j85MidU&fs=1&source=uds" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><embed width="320" height="266" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/lnY_j85MidU&fs=1&source=uds" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"></embed></object></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Viewing Date - 4th December 2011</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Original UK Release Date - 13th March 1987</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Cast Overview:</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Wil Wheaton ~ Gordie Lachance</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">River Phoenix ~ Chris Chambers</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Corey Feldman ~ Teddy Duchamp</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Jerry O'Connell ~ Vern Tessio</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Kiefer Sutherland ~ Ace Merrill</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Casey Siemaszko ~ Billy Tessio</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Gary Riley ~ Charlie Hogan</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Bradley Gregg ~ Eyeball Chambers</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Jason Oliver ~ Vince Desjardins</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Marshall Bell ~ Mr Lachance</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Frances Lee McCain ~ Mrs Lachance</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">John Cusack ~ Denny Lachance</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Director ~ Rob Reiner</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Writer(s) ~ Raynold Gideon (Screenplay), Bruce A Evans (Screenplay) and </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Stephen King (based on his novella The Body)</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">. </span></div>LadyKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15187021497582049529noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5855842123996510698.post-19719457566324862062011-12-03T16:55:00.000-08:002011-12-03T17:04:51.826-08:00The Thing<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh57mqdEE4PFQpwpP7-cmzYPUoR0wX1NIhYoet4Ud03PInnnVEtRoIO9w1Q-QaSp7lPIjj_JInPBRoBUqpvYuQGjkSPpfC8IW63NaTDd7iN_yEnZI2pezMOVJsFAw7ypVnlkQR1SfiPGQ/s1600/The-Thing-2011-poster-280x414.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh57mqdEE4PFQpwpP7-cmzYPUoR0wX1NIhYoet4Ud03PInnnVEtRoIO9w1Q-QaSp7lPIjj_JInPBRoBUqpvYuQGjkSPpfC8IW63NaTDd7iN_yEnZI2pezMOVJsFAw7ypVnlkQR1SfiPGQ/s320/The-Thing-2011-poster-280x414.jpg" width="216" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.thethingmovie.net/">http://www.thethingmovie.net/</a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">For background on what I think of the original 'The Thing' go <a href="http://willow23s-firsteverblog.blogspot.com/2011/12/thing.html" target="_blank">here</a>. I should point out that this review is for the prequel which is on general release at the moment and which is also called 'The Thing'. Note I said prequel and not remake. This is not a re-telling of the 1982 film but a film about what happened before that film. Gottit? Good. Let's move on.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">For anyone who's not seen the 1982 film The Thing starring Kurt Russell, it's about a bunch of American researchers stationed in the Antarctic who witness a dog being shot at by Norwegians in a helicopter, who have come from their nearby base. The helicopter crash lands, killing both Norwegians on board, which leaves the Americans with no idea why they were trying to shoot an innocent animal. The Americans decide to head over to the Norwegian base to find out what's going on. Once there they discover what the Norwegians found under the ice, an alien ship and a creature that they estimate had been there for more than 100,000 years. This film, as I pointed out, is not a remake of that, but a prequel, showing what happened to the Norwegians who found the ship and the creature and what happened when it thawed out.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I don't feel the need to go any further into the synopsis as in spite of this not being a remake it does follow the very familiar pattern of the first 'Thing'. That's not to say that this is a bad move on behalf of the film makers. It would after all be kind of hard for them to change the pattern as what happens to the Norwegians in this film is almost identical to what happens to the Americans in the first film - the alien takes over the base, one person at a time.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">There are differences however, a lot more time is spent on the alien ship for one. Fans of the original will be happy to see a scene involving a test to see who is 'Thing' and who is human has been given a new lease of life, but is still as nerve wracking to watch as the original scene was. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">There are a lot of jumps in this movie but not really anything new in terms of plot. Plus I kinda think that one of the things which makes the original so scary is not knowing what the creature looked like originally. You only ever saw it in it's copied state or mid-transformation. While you don't get to see it clearly in this film, you do get more of an idea of what it looked like before it changed. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I also wasn't keen on the use of CGI as I'd heard they were going to make this the old fashioned way to mirror the first film. But in the end they went down the CGI route, I'm guessing because this is quicker and less costly than model making. But I did love the effects in the original, even if they seem laughable to audiences now. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I did come away liking The Thing 2011 though and felt it did wrap things up nicely, providing you stay and watch the extra bits that appear throughout the end credits. It's not as good as it's predecessor but it's enjoyable none-the-less. 7.5 out of 10.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/YfgPHgqqwEE?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Viewing Date - 2nd December 2011</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">UK Release Date - </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">2nd December 2011</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Cast Overview:</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Mary Elizabeth Winstead ~ Kate Lloyd</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><div style="text-align: center;">Joel Edgerton ~ Carter</div><div style="text-align: center;">Ulrich Thomsen ~ Dr Sander Halvorson</div><div style="text-align: center;">Eric Christian Olsen ~ Adam Finch</div><div style="text-align: center;">Kim Bubbs ~ Juliette</div><div style="text-align: center;">Jørgan Langhelle ~ Lars</div><div style="text-align: center;">Jan Gunnar Røise ~ Olav</div><div style="text-align: center;">Stig Henrik Hoff ~ Peder</div></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Director ~ Matthijs Van Heijningen Jr</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Writer(s) ~ Eric Heisserer (Screenplay) and John W Campbell Jr (Short Story 'Who Goes There')</span></div>LadyKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15187021497582049529noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5855842123996510698.post-71590321609907235292011-12-02T16:33:00.000-08:002011-12-02T16:36:19.152-08:00My Week With Marilyn<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk2Sl5i80Y4ppCpPgMuGmhe5cVCcxLNyCuaRZSPfwj3Rbrl0Ijo5YkgorEY9N_B_ci0SDUeqI5eB5wUYDSDKwd79ztwTH5XEhkOuS_Su4lUWS7cZjj0st2-Oc7kXd9KvTF0zMLI7bpFTg/s1600/Michelle-Williams-Is-Sultry-Pensive-in-My-Week-with-Marilyn-Poster-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk2Sl5i80Y4ppCpPgMuGmhe5cVCcxLNyCuaRZSPfwj3Rbrl0Ijo5YkgorEY9N_B_ci0SDUeqI5eB5wUYDSDKwd79ztwTH5XEhkOuS_Su4lUWS7cZjj0st2-Oc7kXd9KvTF0zMLI7bpFTg/s320/Michelle-Williams-Is-Sultry-Pensive-in-My-Week-with-Marilyn-Poster-2.jpg" width="216" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://myweekwithmarilynmovie.com/">http://myweekwithmarilynmovie.com/</a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'm sure what I'm about to say will be a shock to a lot of my regular readers and to a lot of my friends too. I have never seen a Marilyn Monroe film. I don't consider myself a fan of hers and in truth I've never been that intrigued or beguiled by her as most people are. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I am however, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">intrigued by</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> the way she died. As a lot of people are. I think there's a lot more to it than meets the eye.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I also think she was beautiful, a shining star of her era, and I think her death was a tragedy because she never got to reach her full potential. That's why, despite my lack of enthusiasm towards Marilyn herself, I wanted to see this adaptation of a supposedly true story. A window into the life of one of the most iconic women in the world.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The film is set during the time that Ms Monroe (Michelle Williams) spent in England filming 'The Prince and the Showgirl' with Sir Laurence Olivier (Kenneth Branagh). The third assistant director on '</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Prince and the Showgirl' was Colin Clark (</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Eddie Redmayne), who had been hired as a favour to a relative who worked for the studio making the film. During his time on set Colin gets to know Marilyn and becomes one of the few people she trusts and she relies on him as a confidante. They become ever closer when Marilyn's husband, playwright Arthur Miller (</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Dougray Scott), leaves the UK to go back to his children in the US, leaving Marilyn in a strange country and feeling alienated from the cast and crew who she's convinced all hate her.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I saw this movie with my best friend who is a lifelong Marilyn fan. And what a difference this made, it gave me an insight into the 'true story' this film is based on that I wouldn't have otherwise had. I was reliably informed that a lot of 'borrowing' went on in this film, something which has been backed up by articles I've read since seeing it. Things we know happened have been interwoven into the screenplay to make everything else all the more convincing.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Colin Clark's memoirs after all can't really be contested, as the one person who could confirm or deny their contents wasn't here when the books were published. And although the film doesn't quite confirm an affair between the two it is certainly implied that they were very close. And no matter how lonely Marilyn felt, I find it hard to believe she would have been so open and 'friendly' with a guy like Colin.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I digress however as this is a review of the film and not my opinion on a book I've never read. Though it's hard to review one without mentioning the other. One of the main reasons I wanted to see this (as I'm not a Marilyn fan) was Michelle Williams. As mentioned in my Blue Valentine review, I have been a fan of Miss Williams for a number of years now. And while she is good in the title role, she's not at her best. I would definitely say "don't believe the hype" in this case, that way you might be pleasantly surprised rather than mildly disappointed with her performance. You can tell that she's put a lot of research into her character, and it pays off to some extent, but she just doesn't quite pull off Marilyn. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But then I defy you to find someone who could. This is the problem with making films about film stars of old. They had old school Hollywood glamour on their side, they were icons of the silver screen. How does one imitate that? Clearly the answer is that they don't as Michelle, try as she might, just can't capture that star quality that Marilyn seemed to ooze from every inch of her. I mentioned above that I've never seen a Marilyn Monroe film. This is true. I have however seen bits of</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Marilyn Monroe films. And seen enough images and interviews etc to believe I know what I'm talking about when I say she oozed star quality. There's a reason she's the icon she is, no-one has come close to matching her je ne sais quoi. Whatever it was that she had that made her so appealing, no other movie star has ever captured it. And I don't think they ever will. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">That said, Michelle Williams does a good job of an impossible task and you don't come away annoyed or angered by her performance. And I think that's the most you can hope for. Branagh and Dench on the other hand are both fabulous in their respective roles of Sir Olivier and Dame Thorndike. Dench doesn't have an awful lot to do but you relish every time she's on screen and she fills her character with such likability that I can only hope Sybil was as nice in real life. And from the little I've seen of Laurence Olivier in The Prince and the Showgirl I think Branagh's portrayal of him is spot on. Unfortunately for Branagh I imagine he'll be largely overlooked as all the talk will be about Williams. Finally, Redmayne, although still a little too weird looking for my tastes, is fittingly bland in his role of Colin. That's not to say he's not good, it's just that his is the least showy of all the lead roles and he plays this to perfection. Support is ably supplied by Dominic Cooper, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Emma Watson and </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Zoe Wanamaker amongst others.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Overall, an interesting, if a little indulgent film but one which I imagine is more fiction than fact. 7 out of 10.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/NeHDZODFKNw?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></span></div><br />
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</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Viewing Date - 28th November 2011</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">UK Release Date - 25th November 2011</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Cast Overview:</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Michelle Williams ~ Marilyn Monroe</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Eddie Redmayne ~ Colin Clark</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Kenneth Branagh ~ Sir Laurence Olivier</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Judi Dench ~ Dame Sybil Thorndike</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Emma Watson ~ Lucy</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Julia Ormond ~ Vivien Leigh</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Dominic Cooper ~ Milton Greene</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Dougray Scott ~ Arthur Miller</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Zoe Wanamaker ~ Paula Strasberg</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Derek Jacobi ~ Sir Owen Morshead</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Geraldine Somerville ~ Lady Jane Clark</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Michael Kitchen ~ Hugh Perceval</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Toby Jones ~ Arthur Jacobs</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Jim Carter ~ Barry</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Director ~ Simon Curtis</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Writer(s) ~ Adrian Hodges (Screenplay) and Colin Clark (based on his books 'My Week With Marilyn' and 'The Prince, the Showgirl and Me')</span></div>LadyKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15187021497582049529noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5855842123996510698.post-79823315404748029982011-11-21T15:06:00.000-08:002011-11-21T15:10:59.965-08:00The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvJQGuecBzHA8obWZYLhdJ-Rz0EGlqeGdQyw5Gkpy1W8FNLLFGRCpn9wfnmQFB-yzAVMS602Chv2NmsSL4ygNP5GLnXXn5CWrPd76Z64m9GXPTnLJOZ2ByQknNKAABLInRiMcIH8hyphenhyphenyn0/s1600/MV5BODgxNDE0OTAzOF5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwNzcwODE2Ng%2540%2540._V1._SY317_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvJQGuecBzHA8obWZYLhdJ-Rz0EGlqeGdQyw5Gkpy1W8FNLLFGRCpn9wfnmQFB-yzAVMS602Chv2NmsSL4ygNP5GLnXXn5CWrPd76Z64m9GXPTnLJOZ2ByQknNKAABLInRiMcIH8hyphenhyphenyn0/s1600/MV5BODgxNDE0OTAzOF5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwNzcwODE2Ng%2540%2540._V1._SY317_.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.breakingdawn-themovie.com/">http://www.breakingdawn-themovie.com/</a></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I can't even put into words how much I was looking forward to Breaking Dawn. As a huge fan of the Twilight books and films, I had been excited to see this in the flesh (so to speak) from the moment I started reading the book. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Writing the review however, is something I was not looking forward to. I feel much like I did when I was faced with writing the review for Source Code, my first review of a Jake Gyllenhaal film. Being a huge fan of his, and knowing that most of my readers were aware of that fact, left me feeling like I was going to be subject to more scrutiny for that review than for most others. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And in many ways I was, but I also think I managed to surprise most with how impartial and objective I was to that film and I hope to do the same here. Yes, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I am a Twilight fan, but this will not automatically make me biased and a bad reviewer!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My job is also harder here than say, when I was writing the review for the last Harry Potter film, as I have not reviewed any of the previous Twilight films. Therefore I ask you to bear with me while I sum up. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">For those who have been living under a rock for the last six years, Twilight is the first in a series of four books and so far, four movies. Twilight tells the story of Bella Swan, a normal teenage girl who lives with her mother in Phoenix but decides to move back to her father's home town of Forks when her mother remarries. On her first day at her new </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">school she meets Edward, who just happens to be a vampire. Edward is immediately drawn to Bella's scent and thirsts for her blood over all others, which makes it particularly trying for him when she starts to fall in love with him, and him with her. The situation is exacerbated when a group of nomad vampires come to town who are hell bent on ending Bella's life. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In the second book/film, New Moon, Edward decides to leave Bella in the hope that she will have a much more normal and safe life without him in it. What he doesn't know is that her best friend Jacob is about to have a life altering experience of his own which will again put Bella's life in danger, when he realises he is a werewolf. Meanwhile, Edward's sister Alice who sees visions of the future, informs Edward that she has seen Bella's death, only for the 'vision' to be revealed as one of Bella cliff diving, rather than committing suicide. But it's too late, Edward has already approached vampire royalty and all round law enforcers, The Volturi, to end his life as he cannot live without Bella. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Book and film number three, Eclipse, sees The Volturi take more of an interest in Bella as one of the 'laws' of their world is for no human to be aware of their existence. As she does, they give Edward an ultimatum, that Bella be killed or be turned. The latter being a prospect Bella would be quite happy with, but which Edward does not want to happen. He believes that humans have a soul and that transforming Bella would take hers away. But with the wolfpack growing in numbers, the return of one of the nomads, and a visit from </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Volturi fast approaching, Edward may have no choice but to turn Bella or risk losing her forever.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Which brings us to book number four, Breaking Dawn which is being split (a la the final Harry Potter book) into two films, Breaking Dawn Part 1 and Part 2. Now the cynical person in me says this is a money spinner for Summit, the production company behind the Twilight films, as Eclipse was easily as big a book as Breaking Dawn and they only felt the need to make one of those! But the fan in me is quite happy that they have split the final book as there is a LOT in it and it would have meant a lot of cutting or downsizing of important scenes. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">*The only spoilers in this review are already contained in the trailer so if you've seen that, fear not!* </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In Breaking Dawn Part 1 we open on preperations for Bella and Edward's wedding. Which as weddings go, goes pretty much without a hitch. The honeymoon however is a slightly trickier situation as Edward is much stronger than Bella. This matched with his blood lust is a combination that screams trouble. But as any normal girl would, Bella wants her honeymoon to be normal, and that means sex. What neither of them was expecting was for Bella to be expecting soon after. And so begins a race against time to save Bella before the thing inside her kills her from the inside out.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It's funny how when I reviewed Harry Potter, I had only read the first few books, and so for the later films I couldn't compare the two. Yet for Twilight, having read them all (several times over), I feel like I have to compare them to the books. And I have to say that this one remained pretty darn faithful. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">*Spoiler Alert* The one scene I was worried about was the birth scene as I wasn't sure if the film was going to end before/during that scene and even if it was intact I wasn't sure how it could be done as in the book it's very gory. It was probably the only scene in the film that I didn't feel they'd done right. That's not to say I didn't like it, it just wasn't how I'd imagined it would be. Everyone goes on about the sex in Breaking Dawn, but there really isn't any in the book, it's all just implied, whereas the birth scene is described very clearly, and it wasn't how I thought it would be. Having said that, I re-read the birth scene when I got home and was surprised at how close they kept the movie to the book. Other than one change it was pretty much word for word as it is in the book. *End Spoiler Alert* </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The wedding was beautiful and actually better than I'd imagined. The honeymoon was almost exactly as I'd pictured in my head. The one aspect that shocked me was how good the special effects/make up was in the latter stages of Bella's pregnancy. The look they went for was much more horrific than I'd imagined, and so well done. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Some of the green screen surrounding the house looks a bit naff and the wolf telepathy scene is a bit of a bore but I don't think they could have done it another way. Overall I think Bill Condon did a great job. He's come in on the last two films, the ones which the fans are probably most protective of and most anticipated of all the Twilight films, with a cast who are already so close they're like a family, and he's had to make sure he's lived up to their expectations as well as ours. I think he's done well and I have high hopes for part 2.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The cast, well I know this will be the most scrutinised part, "Kristen can't act/Rob's wooden/Taylor just takes his shirt off and calls it acting", I've heard it all a million times. I know how much stick I'll get for this but I do actually think Kristen Stewart is a good actress, maybe she's not showcased it so much in these films, but there's no denying that she can act. And she definitely gets to do more in this film than just lust after the sparkly one. Speaking of which, Robert Pattinson also has more to do in this film than just shine, he (literally) gets his teeth into this part finally and does some fine work in the birth scene. Taylor has a few good scenes in this film and although I still don't like Jacob, I do like his portrayal of him more than I liked the character in the books.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I think fans of the books and previous films will love it. Those who think Twilight is for girls should probably avoid. It's not perfect but it's very faithful to the source material. 8 out of 10.</span><br />
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</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Viewing </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Date - 18th November 2011</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">UK Release Date - 18th November 2011</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Cast Overview:</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Kristen Stewart ~ Bella Swan</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Robert Pattinson ~ Edward Cullen</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Taylor Lautner ~ Jacob Black</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Gil Birmingham ~ Billy Black</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Billy Burke ~ Charlie Swan</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Sarah Clarke ~ Renee</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ashley Greene ~ Alice Cullen</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Jackson Rathbone ~ Jasper Hale</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Peter Facinelli ~ Dr Carlisle Cullen</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Elizabeth Reaser ~ Esme Cullen</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Kellan Lutz ~ Emmett Cullen</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Nikki Reed ~ Rosalie Hale</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Anna Kendrick ~ Jessica</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Christian Serratos ~ Angela</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Justin Chon ~ Eric</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Michael Welch ~ Mike</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Michael Sheen ~ Aro</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Christopher Heyerdahl ~ Marcus</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Jamie Campbell Bower ~ Caius</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Charlie Bewley ~ Demetri</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Daniel Cudmore ~ Felix</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Mia Maestro ~ Carmen</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Maggie Grace ~ Irina</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">MyAnna Buring ~ Tanya</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Booboo Stewart ~ Seth </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Clearwater</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Julia Jones ~ Leah </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Clearwater</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Alex Rice ~ Sue Clearwater</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Kiowa Gordon ~ Embry</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Tyson Houseman ~ Quil</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Chaske Spencer ~ Sam Uley</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Bronson Pelletier ~ Jared</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Alex Meraz ~ Paul</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Tinsel Korey ~ Emily</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Director ~ Bill Condon</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Writer(s) ~ Melissa Rosenberg (Screenplay) and Stephenie Meyer (Novel)</span></div>LadyKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15187021497582049529noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5855842123996510698.post-44493589359142025042011-11-19T16:56:00.000-08:002011-11-19T16:56:39.657-08:00The Ides Of March<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEIlhAxn9KgRdLw388GQSqjAgFmtsgwCQtV7wivtfj50-PCIOcNWP-zM4iGTH2bM3QyWfqjkODQV1ZPQaP-ar_lc2Dc-lIib8w-aYo90xeeM95QFUPq9w6kRRxFlTfF00kiUdZH27UQoA/s1600/ides-of-march-quad-poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEIlhAxn9KgRdLw388GQSqjAgFmtsgwCQtV7wivtfj50-PCIOcNWP-zM4iGTH2bM3QyWfqjkODQV1ZPQaP-ar_lc2Dc-lIib8w-aYo90xeeM95QFUPq9w6kRRxFlTfF00kiUdZH27UQoA/s320/ides-of-march-quad-poster.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://idesofmarch-movie.com/">http://idesofmarch-movie.com/</a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My loyal readers will be well aware by now of my well documented crush on Ryan Gosling. Therefore it was a given that I'd see The Ides Of March, even if it did look a bit dull and like it might hurt my brain with all the political speak. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Seeing it however, proved to be more of a problem than I'd anticipated as it finished at my local Cineworld after only a week on release, and when I planned a trip to the next town (which has a bigger cinema) the week after, they stopped showing it too. Just when I'd given up completely and resigned myself to waiting for the DVD, my cinema buddy told me the Odeon had picked it up for one week only. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Ides Of March is essentially about a governor - Mike Morris (George Clooney - who also co-wrote and directed) who is running for presidency. One of his aides, Stephen (Ryan Gosling), is asked to meet with fellow aide who works for the opposition. Once he does, although nothing comes of the meeting, he feels compelled to tell the governor and is subsequently fired. But he soon learns something about the governor which makes him question the morals of the man who would be president. Something big enough that could stand Stephen in good stead if he chooses to use it. But as that would be as morally wrong as what the governor did, will he be able to make that choice?</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Ides Of March was pretty much what I expected it to be, a well acted and intriguing film. But I found myself pleasantly surprised by it too. It wasn't as dull as the trailer implied and wasn't so heavy on the political speak that it alienated me from the story. The performances are all excellent as you would expect from a cast including Ryan Gosling, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">George Clooney, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Philip Seymour Hoffman, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Paul Giamatti and </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Marisa Tomei and the direction is slick and well paced. I also think that when George Clooney directs himself it makes him a better actor!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The story flips between politics and the people behind the speeches and decisions and this is what stops it from being boring and keeps it interesting. A taut and intelligent film, not to be missed. 8.5 out of 10.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><object width="320" height="266" class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="http://2.gvt0.com/vi/Njf-trS_aMo/0.jpg"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Njf-trS_aMo&fs=1&source=uds" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><embed width="320" height="266" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Njf-trS_aMo&fs=1&source=uds" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"></embed></object></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Viewing Date - 16th November 2011</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">UK Release Date - 28th October 2011 </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Cast Overview:</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ryan Gosling ~ Stephen Meyers</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">George Clooney ~ Governor Mike Morris</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Philip Seymour Hoffman ~ Paul Zara</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Paul Giamatti ~ Tom Duffy</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Evan Rachel Wood ~ Molly Stearns</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Marisa Tomei ~ Ida Horowicz</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Director ~ George Clooney</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Writer(s) ~ </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">George Clooney (Screenplay), Grant Heslov (Screenplay) and Beau Willimon (Screenplay - based on his play Farragut North</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">)</span></div>LadyKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15187021497582049529noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5855842123996510698.post-69248174238883230422011-11-16T16:14:00.000-08:002011-11-16T16:14:45.844-08:00Ghostbusters<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMsNPkTC5TZP_JdDA70WaAt9vLQJX6xAIoCEpRpzU9abwNZFrEldL4WzncAOvcM6WNt_PAM0-HIb6NnY-cT844CAADrFGtqV-9TpP3ZF0mSZp9XlZ5qzUuLl5-9XJRej9gaqDrUK19Eew/s1600/4820_poster_iphone.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMsNPkTC5TZP_JdDA70WaAt9vLQJX6xAIoCEpRpzU9abwNZFrEldL4WzncAOvcM6WNt_PAM0-HIb6NnY-cT844CAADrFGtqV-9TpP3ZF0mSZp9XlZ5qzUuLl5-9XJRej9gaqDrUK19Eew/s320/4820_poster_iphone.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.ghostbusters.com/">http://www.ghostbusters.com/</a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It's classic film time once again folks! But this time I didn't need to travel up to London, or visit my local independent theatre to watch an oldie but goodie, as Ghostbusters came to Cineworld for one night only. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As I was only 3 when Ghostbusters came out I can't quite remember the first time I saw it. But I do remember that I loved it and still love it to this day. It's an undisputed classic with so many memorable lines it's almost criminal.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">For the uninitiated, Ghostbusters is a film about three scientists who decide to become spook catchers in New York City. Their first client Dana Barrett (Sigourney Weaver) experiences a supernatural event in her kitchen and goes to the Ghostbusters, Dr Venkman (Bill Murray), Dr Stantz (Dan Aykroyd) and Dr Spengler (Harold Ramis) for help. They soon discover a coming apocalypse and Dana's apartment block seems to be the gateway. Will they be able to stop it in time? Or will the Environmental Protection Agency shut them down before they have a chance?</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If you haven't seen Ghostbusters I suggest you get on it as Ghostbusters 3 (yes that's 3, there is also a Ghostbusters 2 that came out in 1989) is rumored to be coming out next year. The original is (so far) the best though and until now I had not seen it in the cinema. I saw Ghostbusters 2 a few years ago at a special one off screening, not dissimilar to this one, but seeing the original on the big screen was a special experience. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I don't know what it is about 80s movies but they seemed to get away with so much more than films these days. Or maybe my mum was more accomodating and just allowed us to watch films we were too young for? It just seems to me that films like this and Back to the Future were a staple of my childhood and when I look at them now I see a lot of adult humour that I wouldn't have understood, strong-ish language and some quite scary visuals.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And yet, like another classic 80s film from my childhood, The Princess Bride, I still love Ghostbusters, but I find I love it now for the things I wouldn't have understood as a child. And yet not understanding those things back then certainly didn't make me love it less. I guess it just works on many levels.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Some of the effects haven't aged so well but a great story, written by the stars of the film </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis (and according to IMDb, co-written by Rick Moranis, although uncredited? How they know this I have no idea!) and fantastic comedic performances from Bill Murray, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Aykroyd and Ramis, and what can only be described as great chemistry between all of the leads, Ghostbusters still thrills today.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If it's on at a cinema near you I recommend you go and see it, if not then you must buy, rent or borrow this off someone today and remember why it's considered a classic. 9.5 out of 10.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/cyRqR56aCKc?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Viewing Date - 15th November 2011</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Original UK Release Date - 7th December 1984</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Cast Overview:</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Bill Murray ~ Dr Peter Venkman</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Dan Aykroyd ~ Dr Ray Stantz</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Sigourney Weaver ~ Dana Barrett</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Harold Ramis ~ Dr Egon Spengler</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Rick Moranis ~ Louis Tully</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Annie Potts ~ Janine Melnitz</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">William Atherton ~ Walter Peck</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ernie Hudson ~ Winston Zeddmore</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Director ~ Ivan Reitman</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Writer(s) ~ Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis</span></div>LadyKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15187021497582049529noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5855842123996510698.post-73911573661427151572011-11-15T16:39:00.000-08:002011-11-16T13:25:50.681-08:00The Rum Diary<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6dq5-RYLpEqXs0V60vNAQwi2HzGoKyj_WdpTa3t8B4ABd84d5N5-clJJcJPZ_0MiCrYErBueV_mikq1rA59kre8lHSQbS1Cj-cJ5vR2hGqVBdp2gUR1dNLQzbVsMe2sEJC_EE_TAFbyY/s1600/the-rum-diary-poster-1_09%252C11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6dq5-RYLpEqXs0V60vNAQwi2HzGoKyj_WdpTa3t8B4ABd84d5N5-clJJcJPZ_0MiCrYErBueV_mikq1rA59kre8lHSQbS1Cj-cJ5vR2hGqVBdp2gUR1dNLQzbVsMe2sEJC_EE_TAFbyY/s320/the-rum-diary-poster-1_09%252C11.jpg" width="212" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.rumdiarythemovie.com/">http://www.rumdiarythemovie.com/</a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Despite Johnny Depp's recent film choices being less than reliable, I still wanted to see The Rum Diary, mostly because the trailer did actually make me laugh out loud. Something I rarely do at most comedies, let alone the trailers for those comedies.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What I wasn't aware of when I made the decision to go and see The Rum Diary was that this was the prequel to Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. One of the few Johnny Depp films I haven't seen and don't own.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Rum Diary tells the story of American writer Paul Kemp (Johnny Depp), who is hired by a newspaper in Puerto Rico to help it's failing readership. Whilst out in a country where he doesn't speak the language (even though his CV says he does), Paul becomes embroiled in a dodgy deal involving building hotels on a private island, dabbles in drink and drugs and steals the wrong guy's girl. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But that's about all he does. And while that might sound like a lot, The Rum Diary suffers a similar fate to In Time in that it feels like a very directionless film which has only been given the greenlight because Johnny Depp was involved. It is a slightly more interesting film than In Time however, and with infinitely better performances. Notably from Depp but no surprises there. He isn't the only good performer with fine support from </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Aaron Eckhart, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Michael Rispoli, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Amber Heard, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Richard Jenkins and </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Giovani Ribisi.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But fine performances from a solid cast do not a good film make, as Yoda might say. As I mentioned above the film seems to lack direction other than to say that the story continues with Fear and Loathing, and I personally have no greater interest to watch that movie now than I did before I saw The Rum Diary.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">There are funny moments but these have all been seen before in the trailer. Sadly this leads me to say that this is yet another lacklustre film from Mr Depp. His next film will need to be something spectacular if he's to lure me back to the cinema. 6 out of 10.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/-m0yqS3jodU?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Viewing Date - </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">13th November 2011</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">UK Release Date - 11th November 2011</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Cast Overview:</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Johnny Depp ~ Paul Kemp</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Aaron Eckhart ~ Sanderson</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Michael Rispoli ~ Sala</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Amber Heard ~ Chenault</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Richard Jenkins ~ Lotterman</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Giovani Ribisi ~ Moburg</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Director ~ Bruce Robinson</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Writer(s) ~ Bruce Robinson (Screenplay) and Hunter S Thompson (Novel)</span></div>LadyKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15187021497582049529noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5855842123996510698.post-46658577940414732382011-11-14T14:13:00.000-08:002011-11-14T14:13:22.926-08:00The Awakening<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLJ1oKxQhQ_YK9IYHE5Daus3VTxDpRrJoG2HqsXqGCdb8Wsqtr4VBybdLRAUzcRMPjM3MHLgChLbca0z_ff8ugt2mB_f3oDXqQyEOhnmZgl9h4YIPAsm4uUOObiZCl4gtACJqkFD0k_dY/s1600/New_Poster_For_The_Awakening_Feels_Otherworldly_1318878148.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLJ1oKxQhQ_YK9IYHE5Daus3VTxDpRrJoG2HqsXqGCdb8Wsqtr4VBybdLRAUzcRMPjM3MHLgChLbca0z_ff8ugt2mB_f3oDXqQyEOhnmZgl9h4YIPAsm4uUOObiZCl4gtACJqkFD0k_dY/s320/New_Poster_For_The_Awakening_Feels_Otherworldly_1318878148.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcfilms/film/the_awakening">http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcfilms/film/the_awakening</a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It was only last week that I saw the trailer for The Awakening. I understand the lengthy process of film making but this seems to have come out of nowhere to me. I hadn't read anything about it in the run up to its release and only had the trailer to whet my appetite before deciding to go and see the movie.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But the trailer was enough and I did go and see the film this weekend. The tale is one of a boys boarding school in the 1920s which is being plagued by a ghost. One of the teachers at the school, Mr Mallory (Dominic West), is prompted by the matron (Imelda Staunton) to visit novelist Florence Cathcart (Rebecca Hall) who is famed for disproving ghost sightings and seances. Florence visits the school and sets booby traps for boys she believes are wandering around the school at night frightening other pupils. It's only when she has a horrifying encounter of her own that she starts to wonder if her hoax theories are true after all.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'm very glad that I saw the trailer for The Awakening or I might have missed this small British film entirely. And while I think it would work as well on DVD as it does in the cinema, there is something quite frightening about a pitch black room and a screen so big they make the terror that much bigger and therefore all the more scary.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Eerily shot at Manderston House on the Scottish border, with very little in the way of effects, it's all about the set up and the environment. At its core this is a haunted house movie. But unlike the Paranormal Activities of this era, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Awakening evokes </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">reminiscences of films like The Others, which although I didn't love, I could appreciate it had originality and was genuinely eerie to watch.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Awakening is very similar in that respect, more of an</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> old school ghost movie. So many scary films these days it's all about murderers or CGI so it's nice to see a good old fashioned haunting. And it really is the simple touches, the use of darkness, an unfamiliar and large house where you don't know what's hiding behind each corner, a sound in another room, the camera passing by someone that your main character hasn't noticed, all of these things are much scarier than the big shocks which are designed to get a scream from the audience. I guess because the things you imagine are often much worse than the reality.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">There are enough scares and jumps here to keep modern horror fans entertained, and good enough acting in between the scares and jumps for everyone else. Like The Others, The Awakening also has a twist in the end. And I am happy to say that although we had our guesses, neither me or my companion guessed the twist. And I even came up with a further question at the end. I won't spoil it for anyone wanting to go and see but I'll ask you to comment if you've seen it and have your own theories. And if you haven't seen it, don't scroll down to the comments! </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Worth a watch but you might need to hide under your coat when she's looking through the spy hole. 8.5 out of 10.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/O5inmkkAOy0?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Viewing Date - 12th November 2011</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">UK Release Date - 11th </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">November 2011</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Cast Overview:</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Rebecca Hall ~ Florence Cathcart</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Dominic West ~ Robert Mallory</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Imelda Staunton ~ Maud Hill</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Isaac Hempstead Wright ~ Tom</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Joseph Mawle ~ Edward Judd</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Director ~ Nick Murphy</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Writer(s) ~ Stephen Volk and Nick Murphy</span></div>LadyKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15187021497582049529noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5855842123996510698.post-13664637149796677172011-11-13T14:47:00.000-08:002011-11-13T14:49:35.218-08:00In Time<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbTrUm_aXMH4CGoekrxeOjj4_mw_zvEjfY4wuv4lG0UCIn8gwT3mOMjMJImGPkbFGcQgkHr5Ysq5Xgh44rYdbEj4xuVq8KLenWqhRL3i3__t4SSuTJLRQfxaZckmpT9dVFXczdfzYq3go/s1600/in-time-565x423.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbTrUm_aXMH4CGoekrxeOjj4_mw_zvEjfY4wuv4lG0UCIn8gwT3mOMjMJImGPkbFGcQgkHr5Ysq5Xgh44rYdbEj4xuVq8KLenWqhRL3i3__t4SSuTJLRQfxaZckmpT9dVFXczdfzYq3go/s320/in-time-565x423.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.intimemovie.com/">http://www.intimemovie.com/</a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">When I saw the poster for In Time, my immediate reaction was that I didn't particularly want to see it. If you read my review for Red Riding Hood then you know my thoughts on Amanda Seyfried (and if you haven't, you should coz it's quite funny, even if I do say so myself). And if you've </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">read my review for Friends With Benefits you'll know that that was the first time Justin Timberlake had made any kind of impression on me. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But then I saw the trailer and I thought it looked interesting so I decided to give it a go.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In Time tells the story of Will (</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Justin Timberlake), your average 28 year old from a poor, working class family. The difference here is that this is the future and here, the currency is time, not money. Therefore you stop ageing at 25 and have one year to earn more time. If you run out of time, you die. Will has a chance encounter with a man who has too much time on his hands, literally, he's been alive for more than a century and now just wants to die. He gives Will his time, effectively taking his own life. Just when things are starting to look up for Will, his mother (Olivia Wilde), runs out of time. It's in this moment that Will decides to take matters into his own hands and find a way to give some extra time to those who need it most, the poor.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In Time, to put it simply, is a bit of a waste of time. I'm not sure I've ever seen a film with less of a purpose. There doesn't seem to have been any ultimate goal to this story. It just sort of meanders along aimlessly. We have the back story which I'm guessing is designed to make you feel something for the characters, a way of identifying with them despite the futuristic setting. The characters steal time from the rich and give it to the poor. A sort of modern day Robin Hood. But to what end? </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The purpose of the film is even more obscured by the fact that the film doesn't really know what it wants to be. A love story? Sci-Fi? A tale of one man's struggle? It doesn't really know and so it never really achieves any of these fully. And because the film doesn't know what it wants to be, neither does the audience. This undermines the ground work of trying to get us to identify with the characters in the first place. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It's a pity as despite the less than impressive leads (side note to Justin Timberlake - you are terrible at conveying emotion. You need to learn how to cry if you want to be an actor), In Time does have some strong actors in smaller roles. Olivia Wilde, Cillian Murphy and Johnny Galecki (The Big Bang Theory) to name but a few. But there lies a problem here too. See, if everyone is supposed to be 25, why hire an actor like </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Cillian Murphy who, no offence, looks his 35 years. Or Johnny </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Galecki, who might not look 36 but he certainly looks older than 25. They should have hired actors who were all 25 or at least under 30, across the board. Instead, we have a mix of actors ranging from 21 to 36, making the older actors look even older compared to the ones who are actually younger than the 25 years they're portraying.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Regrettably, even the film's better actors can't save what starts as an innovative idea that turns into a boring mess of a film. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">One of my friends pointed out that there's a lot of running in this film. But where are they running to? Do we care. No is the unfortunate answer. 5 out of 10.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><object class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="http://0.gvt0.com/vi/fdadZ_KrZVw/0.jpg" height="266" width="320"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/fdadZ_KrZVw&fs=1&source=uds" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><embed width="320" height="266" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/fdadZ_KrZVw&fs=1&source=uds" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"></embed></object></span></div></span><br />
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</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Viewing Date - 6th November 2011</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">UK Release Date - 1st </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">November 2011</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Cast Overview:</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Amanda Seyfried ~ Sylvia Weis</span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Justin Timberlake ~ Will Salas</span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Olivia Wilde ~ Rachel Salas</span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Cillian Murphy ~ Raymond Leon</span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Vincent Kartheiser ~ Philippe Weis</span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Johnny Galecki ~ Borei</span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Matt Bomer ~ Henry Hamilton</span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Alex Pettyfer ~ Fortis</span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Director and </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Writer ~ Andrew Niccol</span></div>LadyKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15187021497582049529noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5855842123996510698.post-37923066445904330652011-11-11T13:27:00.000-08:002011-11-11T13:30:10.113-08:00The Help<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6MLtAB3zjv9_xTx5ZEg1m6E8O-TGX_CTkbiy07Fh2EEkyHM3IwhV04i7Odw7MyXy3oloZ09SLDGtpm2LQOILnTbIqjiU_W32ueP6qJleYLo69fOI4kP6_Penxi-gMWTp3SxmkCrrsBfQ/s1600/the_help_poster-small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6MLtAB3zjv9_xTx5ZEg1m6E8O-TGX_CTkbiy07Fh2EEkyHM3IwhV04i7Odw7MyXy3oloZ09SLDGtpm2LQOILnTbIqjiU_W32ueP6qJleYLo69fOI4kP6_Penxi-gMWTp3SxmkCrrsBfQ/s320/the_help_poster-small.jpg" width="215" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://thehelpmovie.com/us/">http://thehelpmovie.com/us/</a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As previously mentioned in my Crazy, Stupid, Love review, I am a bit of a fan of Emma Stone. In fact, a bit is a bit of an understatement. Ever since I saw her in Easy A I have had a bit of a girl crush on her. And I also think she's one of the most promising actresses to come out of Hollywood in a long time. She's the only reason I'm even considering going to see the Spiderman re-boot. So when I heard about The Help it was a bit of a no-brainer that I would go and see it.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Help is based on the best selling novel of the same name by Kathryn Stockett and tells the very different story of two women in Jackson, Mississippi during the early 1960s</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Writer Skeeter (Emma Stone) has dreams much bigger than the small town in which she lives. The problem that she has is convincing the even smaller minds of the town's community, from the editor of the paper she works for, to her best friend and even her own mother, of the problems going on under their noses. Skeeter decides she wants to write a book from the perspective of 'the help', the </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">African American maids who work for white families. Skeeter wants the world to know how they're treated, what they witness on a daily basis and how they're made to feel. The bigger problem is getting 'the help' to talk to her.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The more I looked into The Help, the more I read, the more interviews I watched, the more praise that was heaped on the book and in turn the film, the higher my hopes got. When I eventually saw the film however, it smashed all of that to pieces. It actually left me feeling that I'd just watched a really great film. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The characters are f</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">antastic, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">even the ones you hate, you can't help but admire the actors potrayal. And the actors, or rather actresses as this is a predominantly female cast, were faultless. Every single one. I know I already mentioned my girl crush on Emma Stone but she is wonderful. But then so are </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Viola Davis, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Bryce Dallas Howard, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Octavia Spencer and </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Jessica Chastain. And the supporting cast is a dream, from the likes of </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Allison Janney (who can do no wrong in my eyes, I've loved her for years!) to </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Sissy Spacek and </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Mary Steenburgen. Fabulous one and all.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This is an eye opening story told with such emotion, had me laughing and crying in equal measure, which was so well executed by all involved. It seemed a story which was very dear to the hearts of everyone who had a hand in it, from the actors to the writers and director. It was a story told with such attention to detail and a lot of love.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I can't recommend this film highly enough. Harrowing in places, unafraid to show the bad with the good, but a film which ultimately proves that humanity can be gracious and kind. But without the schmaltz. As near perfect as a new film has gotten for me this year. 9.5 out of 10.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/1GYmhc8Xk8g?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Viewing Date - 4th November 2011</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">UK Release Date - 26th October 2011</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: auto;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><div style="text-align: center;">Cast Overview:</div></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: auto;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Emma Stone ~ Eugenia "Skeeter" Phelan</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Viola Davis ~ Aibileen Clark</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Bryce Dallas Howard ~ Hilly Holbrook</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><div style="text-align: center;">Octavia Spencer ~ Minny Jackson</div><div style="text-align: center;">Jessica Chastain ~ Celia Foote</div><div style="text-align: center;">Ahna O'Reilly ~ Elizabeth Leefolt</div><div style="text-align: center;">Allison Janney ~ Charlotte Phelan</div><div style="text-align: center;">Chris Lowell ~ Stuart Whitworth</div><div style="text-align: center;">Cicely Tyson ~ Constantine Bates</div><div style="text-align: center;">Mike Vogel ~ Johnny Foote</div><div style="text-align: center;">Sissy Spacek ~ Mrs. Walters</div><div style="text-align: center;">Mary Steenburgen ~ Elain Stein</div></span><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div></span> </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Director ~ Tate Taylor</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Writer(s) ~ Tate Taylor (Screenplay) and Kathryn Stockett (Novel)</span></div>LadyKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15187021497582049529noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5855842123996510698.post-23547019034337311762011-11-01T16:53:00.000-07:002011-11-01T16:53:59.193-07:00We Need To Talk About Kevin<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYfqzDXkjHqDPfm4XlVNTP7gO_g1mfI4fqoQwCeIbB4Zswv8Tl-RD5cQMZVlcinKIcCPK9j9odKE5ZclzjXvcNASEpZAeXA2UjgzRLoA9ZfRaBWo8PoSUvR1iIvLPPwGhG1wXBAyeqlbE/s1600/53803.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYfqzDXkjHqDPfm4XlVNTP7gO_g1mfI4fqoQwCeIbB4Zswv8Tl-RD5cQMZVlcinKIcCPK9j9odKE5ZclzjXvcNASEpZAeXA2UjgzRLoA9ZfRaBWo8PoSUvR1iIvLPPwGhG1wXBAyeqlbE/s320/53803.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.weneedtotalkaboutkevin.co.uk/">http://www.weneedtotalkaboutkevin.co.uk/</a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We Need To Talk About Kevin is a film I knew nothing about until the word of mouth started to filter through. This has surprised me as I had also not heard of the </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">novel</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> that the film is based on, which it turns out is rather well known and won </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">the author,</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Lionel Shriver, the </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">2005 </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Orange Prize </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">for female authors of any nationality writing in English.</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The film - and the novel from which it is based - is about a writer and mother, Eva (Tilda Swinton), coming to grips with a heinous crime committed by her teenage son, Kevin (Ezra Miller). The film also details Kevin's upbringing and what Eva had to endure from her son on a day to day basis, from being a baby, through his toddler years and up to the present day.</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;">We Need To Talk About Kevin is one of the toughest films I've yet had to review. And one which I discussed at length with the people I saw it with. The sign of a good film is how much it stays with you long after the credits have rolled. And this film definitely achieved that. </span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><br />
</span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;">We were all in agreement that the performances - especially by the three child actors who played Kevin at varying stages - were exemplary. And it has to be said that the casting of the </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">three actors who played Kevin was flawless. You never felt like you were watching </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">three different actors, you just felt like you were watching Kevin grow up. And the perfomances, from all </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">three Kevins (</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ezra Miller, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Jasper Newell and </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Rock Duer) were chilling. To think these perfomances came from such young actors just astounds me.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The other thing we were in agreement on was how the film evoked all manor of emotions from us throughout the viewing. Anger, sadness, fear, sympathy, hate, compassion, you name it and we went through it just as the characters did.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The film also stands out because of the angle it takes. I imagine this is thanks to the novel (although I haven't read it myself), as most films with a subject matter of a high school massacre tend to show the story from the point of view of the killer or the victim. This is the first film of this kind that I have heard of which is shown from the mother's point of view. It's a fresh take on what could have been a film seen before and made for interesting viewing.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The reason a film like this is difficult to review is that the end result is not enjoyable, or fun. It's a hard movie to sit through and one which I'm not sure I would want to see again (not in a hurry anyway), but that's not to say that it isn't good or that I'm not glad I saw it, because it is good and I am glad I saw it.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It won't be everyone's cup of tea but I would recommend seeing it if you would like to see something more challenging than the below average fare that's littering the cinema these days. And something which will start a debate between you and your friends. 8 out of 10.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZLRgAe2jLaw?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Viewing Date - 29th October 2011</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">UK Release Date - 21st October 2011</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><br />
</span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;">Cast Overview:</span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;">Ezra Miller ~ Teenage Kevin</span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;">Jasper Newell ~ Childhood Kevin</span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;">Rock Duer ~ Toddler Kevin</span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">T</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">ilda Swinton</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">~ Eva</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">John C Reilly ~ Franklin</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ashley Gerasimovich ~ Celia</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Director ~ Lynne Ramsay</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Writer(s) ~ </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Lynne Ramsay (Screenplay) and Rory Kinnear (Screenplay). Based on the novel by Lionel Shriver</span></div>LadyKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15187021497582049529noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5855842123996510698.post-37817360805232095662011-10-28T14:00:00.000-07:002011-10-28T14:00:47.930-07:00Real Steel<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeoo9_-y4FIaYuiIxJ6AvSOErN1vIsvGET8t3sSERMj47HBbZXK-tPSE6hDA2J2_WJVpilmNeWjafc-K1U66avlrYVyO2A6CKzoxuc7wIPb7r140UsEBLQ5xrx2NqTFbwfVi7GDKnjmbY/s1600/Real-Steel-UK-movie-quad-poster-300x225.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeoo9_-y4FIaYuiIxJ6AvSOErN1vIsvGET8t3sSERMj47HBbZXK-tPSE6hDA2J2_WJVpilmNeWjafc-K1U66avlrYVyO2A6CKzoxuc7wIPb7r140UsEBLQ5xrx2NqTFbwfVi7GDKnjmbY/s1600/Real-Steel-UK-movie-quad-poster-300x225.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.steelgetsreal.co.uk/">http://www.steelgetsreal.co.uk/</a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I wasn't especially grabbed by the idea of Real Steel, nor did any of the trailers particularly impress me, but Hugh Jackman is more than watchable and it looked at least like it would be a slightly different take on the boxing genre.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You see Real Steel is set in the near future when boxing is strictly carried out by robots. A former 'real' boxer, Charlie (Hugh Jackman), has fallen on hard times as yet another of his boxers gets KO'd, meaning he has to fork out for a new robot. Luck comes his way in the form of his estranged 11 year old son Max (</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Dakota Goyo). Charlie figures he can get money from Max's rich aunt and uncle who want to formally adopt Max, if he takes care of the kid over the summer. What he didn't figure was that the kid would discover a robot unlike any other and that together, they could take on the heavyweights of the boxing world, and have a shot at winning.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I really wanted to like Real Steel, and partially I did. It's an innovative way of looking at the boxing world, robot boxers, but that's also kinda where it fails. The biggest problem I had (and I don't think I'm alone here) with films like Iron Man and Transformers were the metal on metal fights. It just gets boring after a while. And unfortunately, this is where Real Steal takes a turn for the Zzzzzzzzzz's.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But I can't be too harsh on it because despite the fights being a little on the boring side, and the human story having been told a million times before, I did find it overall to be endearing and the characters likable enough to root for.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The central story is not that original but it's well played. The two worlds, which you wouldn't think would gel all that well together - one of Charlie trying to take care of his kid for the first time, stepping up to the plate so to speak, and one of robot boxing - do actually work as one story. The fights just got a little dull for me by the end of the film.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If you're a fan of boxing movies or not-too-heavy family dramas you might enjoy Real Steel. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">7 out of 10.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/T75j9CoBVzE?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Viewing Date - 23rd October 2011</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">UK Release Date - 14th October 2011</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Cast Overview:</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Hugh Jackman ~ Charlie Kenton</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Dakota Goyo ~ Max Kenton</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Evangeline Lilly ~ Bailey Tallet</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Anthony Mackie ~ Finn</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Kevin Durand ~ Ricky</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Hope Davis ~ Aunt Debra</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">James Rebhorn ~ Marvin</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Director ~ Shawn Levy</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Writer(s) ~ John Gatins (Screenplay), Dan Gilroy (Story) and Jeremy Leven (Story)</span></div>LadyKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15187021497582049529noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5855842123996510698.post-55370474000176054422011-10-24T14:14:00.000-07:002011-10-24T14:17:19.662-07:00Contagion<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYu72zDK90PkMRQnaLSO9qece5refqe0_9y_if55eKmtIsMvN_0-F9q12R-nTPJtsj34Rel7SSowC9s77RRFORWFEJfymUhYG-CPvwGPASGR9y16YChAipcC5uuy42UQUCEDeOCePn-7w/s1600/CONTAGION%25252520POSTER.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYu72zDK90PkMRQnaLSO9qece5refqe0_9y_if55eKmtIsMvN_0-F9q12R-nTPJtsj34Rel7SSowC9s77RRFORWFEJfymUhYG-CPvwGPASGR9y16YChAipcC5uuy42UQUCEDeOCePn-7w/s320/CONTAGION%25252520POSTER.jpg" width="232" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://contagionmovie.warnerbros.com/index.html">http://contagionmovie.warnerbros.com/index.html</a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As with last weeks </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Three Musketeers </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I wasn't all that bothered about seeing Contagion but as it had a semi impressive cast and potential to not suck I figured I'd end up seeing it anyway. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And see it I did. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">the title suggests, Contagion is a movie about a virus and how quickly it, as well as fear of it, spreads through towns and cities all over the world. We follow several groups of people as they deal with the virus, a family in Minnisota who lose two members to the unknown and deadly disease, several doctors trying to find a cure, the Center for Disease Control who are having to deal with press as well as trying to learn about the virus and where it came from and a reporter who is trying to stop drug manufacturers from cashing in on the crisis, among others.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Contagion was actually a much better film than the trailer implies. It won't win any awards but the ensemble cast do a fine job of their respective roles and ultimately make the jumble of characters on offer into a bunch people that you care about. Not easy when you have so many big names all vying for a piece of the action.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And speaking of action, I also don't think the film was as horrific as I was expecting from the trailer. The film is only a 12A, which I don't think I realised when I saw the trailer initially, imagining a bit of a gorefest as suggested by some of the scenes shown. Instead it was a film that moved at a steady pace and kept me engaged in watching it and interested to know what was going to happen. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It had me intrigued from the opening minute as to why the film started on 'day 2' of the outbreak. I won't spoil it but I thought the way they wrapped things up at the end was a clever way to do it and finished things off in a very neat way.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Probably not the best film out this week, but certainly not the worst by a long stretch. 7 out of 10.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/pcLoC98OGIY?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Viewing Date - 23rd October 2011</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">UK Release Date - 21st October 2011</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Cast Overview:</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Marion Cotillard ~ Dr Leonora Orantes</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Matt Damon ~ Mitch Emhoff</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><div style="text-align: center;">Laurence Fishburne ~ Dr Ellis Cheever</div><div style="text-align: center;">Jude Law ~ Alan Krumwiede</div><div style="text-align: center;">Gwyneth Paltrow ~ Beth Emhoff</div><div style="text-align: center;">Kate Winslet ~ Dr Erin Mears</div><div style="text-align: center;">Jennifer Ehle ~ Dr Ally Hextall</div><div style="text-align: center;">Elliott Gould ~ Dr Ian Sussman</div><div style="text-align: center;">Chin Han ~ Sun Feng</div><div style="text-align: center;">John Hawkes ~ Roger</div><div style="text-align: center;">Daria Strokous ~ Irina<br />
Anna Jacoby-Heron ~ Jory Emhoff<br />
Brian J O'Donnell ~ Andrew<br />
<br />
Director ~ Steven Soderbergh</div></span><br />
<div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Writer ~ Scott Z Burns</span></div></div></div>LadyKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15187021497582049529noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5855842123996510698.post-37016577753493903482011-10-21T13:41:00.000-07:002011-10-21T13:41:00.869-07:00The Three Musketeers<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4-cV_GLg3hJhcQZ8ohwHWjvh5egkVflhI22zL3T6kOJ2gA5a71D_BCpePeSo-gLuqKErT1dTny7nZ2gytFiwIX67sr_P4Miscz1KwI6eqwvTafwzY4gVTpZbfUONMLVVwTb-Mos_g3t8/s1600/the-three-musketeers-uk-poster_08%252C11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4-cV_GLg3hJhcQZ8ohwHWjvh5egkVflhI22zL3T6kOJ2gA5a71D_BCpePeSo-gLuqKErT1dTny7nZ2gytFiwIX67sr_P4Miscz1KwI6eqwvTafwzY4gVTpZbfUONMLVVwTb-Mos_g3t8/s320/the-three-musketeers-uk-poster_08%252C11.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.threemusketeers-movie.com/">http://www.threemusketeers-movie.com/</a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I want to stress before I start that I really wasn't fussed about seeing The Three Musketeers but I did so for two reasons. 1) It was pretty much the only thing out I didn't mind going to see, everything else I'd either seen or didn't want to see at all. 2) Orlando Bloom.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">With that said I think it's best we move swiftly on. The plot is... well rather convoluted if you ask me, but you haven't yet so I'll just tell you the synopsis. *Here is where I google the synopsis because the movie made so little sense and was so boring that I completely forgot in less than a week what the hell it was about* The Three Musketeers, Athos (Matthew Macfadyen), Aramis (Luke Evans) and Porthos (Ray Stevenson) are down on their luck after being sold out and betrayed by Athos' lover Milady (Milla Jovovich) to the dastardly Duke of Buckingham (Orlando Bloom). They get their mojo back when young upstart D'Artagnan (Logan Lerman) joins their worthy cause and they go on a mission to help the Queen of France get back some stolen jewels.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Sound boring? That's because it was. So much so that one of my friends fell asleep! Had I not been so bored myself I might have noticed this, and laughed at her. Maybe placed her hand in a drink or taken funny pictures of her asleep in 3D glasses. Any of that would have been infinitely more entertaining than this film.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My cinema buddy saw the film without me and told me that it felt like a badly made TV production. I should have listened to him as he wasn't far off the mark. Where do I start? Athos, supposedly the stud of the group is played by Matthew Macfadyen. No offense to Mr Macfadyen but I will never understand why he keeps getting these types of roles, Darcy, Athos, even The Sheriff of Nottingham, he's not attractive. And he doesn't even have that 'not attractive but still sexy' quality about him. His constant sulky expression could turn milk sour. Luke Evans was more likeable/watchable/sexy in his portrayal of Aramis and </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ray Stevenson's Porthos was as jolly and fun as you'd expect. D'Artagnan on the other hand was just annoying and </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Logan Lerman </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">seemed entirely mis-cast in this role.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Christoph Waltz was his usual self, making good of an average at best/crappy at worst film. Orlando Bloom hammed up proceedings brilliantly and showed why Pirates lacked without him. Final note on the cast, what was with </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Milla Jovovich's teeth? Were they fake? Coz she looked a bit like a horse and seemed like she was having trouble speaking with them in?</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPnOwDrSBCh9_eK3SU5yv_Dj-uoVVfYJHUl1zIYrhEitsLaPA3TsKEhyphenhyphenzY_AD2n_KU4W9PGgcv0VIuQdgnAFQ8CWwdB138k9-93lMqkfdUMYKIKgk7z385sJpV9JgqMLLm7IHZUaup564/s1600/Milla%252BJovovich%252Bspotted%252Blady%252BDe%252BWinter%252Bcostume%252BF7_EXisCPVUl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPnOwDrSBCh9_eK3SU5yv_Dj-uoVVfYJHUl1zIYrhEitsLaPA3TsKEhyphenhyphenzY_AD2n_KU4W9PGgcv0VIuQdgnAFQ8CWwdB138k9-93lMqkfdUMYKIKgk7z385sJpV9JgqMLLm7IHZUaup564/s320/Milla%252BJovovich%252Bspotted%252Blady%252BDe%252BWinter%252Bcostume%252BF7_EXisCPVUl.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I mean seriously? Look at the photo of her having her make-up touched up on set. She can't even close her mouth! Ridiculous!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Talking of r</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">idiculous, don't get me started on the plot, and the holes that lie within. The main thing about a musketeers movie is surely the sword fights right? Apparently it's all about the airships?? Wha-? The sword fights incidently are quite instantly forgettable. Just like the rest of the film. Oh, if you've not seen the trailer I should tell you that the film was 'shot exclusively in 3D'. It really didn't need to be.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Avoid. And if my review came too late and you already saw the film, I can only apologise. 5* out of 10. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">*It's really a 4 but it gets an extra point for Orlando and his amazing hair! :0)</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/mQd3MwT2fAM?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Viewing Date - 16th October 2011</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">UK Release Date - 12th October 2011</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Cast Overview:</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Matthew Macfadyen ~ Athos</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Luke Evans ~ Aramis</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ray Stevenson ~ Porthos</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Logan Lerman ~ D'Artagnan</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Orlando Bloom ~ Duke of Buckingham</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Milla Jovovich ~ Milady de Winter</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Christoph Waltz ~ Cardinel Richelieu</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Mads Mikkelsen ~ Rochefort</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Freddie Fox ~ King Louis XIII of France</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Juno Temple ~ Queen of France</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">James Corden ~ Planchet</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Gabriella Wilde ~ Constance</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Director ~ Paul W S Anderson</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Writer(s) ~ Alex Litvak (Screenplay), Andrew Davies (Screenplay) and Alexandre Dumas (Novel "Les Trois Mousquetaires")</span></div>LadyKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15187021497582049529noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5855842123996510698.post-25837214856389108902011-10-16T12:34:00.000-07:002011-10-16T12:34:55.965-07:00Like Crazy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheOhnIaidEJVO22GOeQYHmHRQEDr2qIXvZ2uay4G0iJf_DR7P2ZklLohVhfwiWUtyuTB4DtK4t6SA_XXY4mGBPqb8tU0rccGlK-9Bh3XNVkT2Exyw5K_1JwZUgqXfeGfXv0DTL46Sl7wY/s1600/like-crazy-movie-poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheOhnIaidEJVO22GOeQYHmHRQEDr2qIXvZ2uay4G0iJf_DR7P2ZklLohVhfwiWUtyuTB4DtK4t6SA_XXY4mGBPqb8tU0rccGlK-9Bh3XNVkT2Exyw5K_1JwZUgqXfeGfXv0DTL46Sl7wY/s320/like-crazy-movie-poster.jpg" width="215" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.likecrazy.com/">http://www.likecrazy.com/</a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It seems unreal to me that I'm writing this review. I first found the trailer for Like Crazy last month and instantly wanted to watch the film. I went to IMDb for more information and it said it had already been released in the UK in February this year. Counting the months off on my fingers I decided it therefore must be available on DVD but scouring Amazon, Play.com and Ebay and finding nothing soon made me very confused. I tried to find information anywhere I could. Pretty much all I could see was that it had won the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival. Great. Further proof that this film was amazing but where could I see it??</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Eventually I checked back with IMDb and it had changed its story. It was now saying the film was coming out on 3rd Feb 2012 over here. Maybe I mis-read it the first time but I was sure it had said it'd already come out. Anyway, a couple of weeks later a booklet was dropped on my desk at work advertising the BFI London Film Festival and low and behold, they were showing Like Crazy. One frantic visit to the website later revealed that both showings were sold out. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I rang them a week later and managed to get one solitary ticket. But I wanted to go with my best friend and explained this to the nice man. He told me they almost always have tickets on the day so we went to London on the off chance that we would be able to get her a ticket. And we did! Hurrah! </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The film starts off as your typical girl meets boy, the girl is british student Anna (Felicity Jones), who is studying at a college in Los Angeles. The boy is fellow student Jacob (Anton Yelchin). The pair fall so in love that Anna decides to stay in LA after student visa has expired. She returns to the UK a few months later but when she tries to re-enter the states she is denied entry because she violated her previous visa. And so follows a story of two people trying to make it work under the pressure of great distance. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Having never been in a long distance relationship myself I can't comment on whether this is an accurate portrayal of one. But I can say that it seems more realistic than most I've seen. The performances from the two leads are mature (for such young actors) and thoughtful. I know from articles that I read (when I was trying to find out more information) that most of the dialogue was improvised which just speaks volumes about how</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> they seem to have really taken the time to create these characters, rather than just taking their cue from the writer/director. I also thought Jennifer Lawrence's performance, although a much smaller role, was heartbreaking.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The only thing I would change is the very abrupt ending which left one person sitting near me to ask 'do you think there'll be a sequel?' The answer is no, I don't think there will. The message at the end was very clear to me. But that doesn't mean it had to end there. I could have happily watched for another 15-30 minutes as you get so wrapped up in these characters lives that you want nothing but things between them to work out. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This is a film which will no doubt get a lot of critical praise but which probably won't get a nationwide release in order to get the audience numbers that will make it a hit. If it comes to an independent cinema near you I urge you to seek it out and go see it. 9 out of 10.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/29FGY2WKayk?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Viewing Date - 15th October 2011</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">UK Release Date - 3rd February 2012 (subject to change!)</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Cast Overview:</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Anton Yelchin ~ Jacob</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Felicity Jones ~ Anna</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Jennifer Lawrence ~ Sam</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Charlie Bewley ~ Simon</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Alex Kingston ~ Jackie</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Oliver Muirhead ~ Bernard</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Director ~ Drake Doremus</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Writer(s) ~ </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Drake Doremus and Ben York Jones</span></div>LadyKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15187021497582049529noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5855842123996510698.post-85943422222365910232011-10-09T15:22:00.000-07:002011-10-09T15:22:09.068-07:00The Lion King<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc-yxzgn79KEOgfGcwkz7UZDEJM28gL47TkGe5KZtaZsjmHTahNdNUxBNgPphwhiCbkwhYVZdckkS1Swno0_1mHDuQ6JpmKmIti8jQxR5Pd6zPNG4cifbGXWV7WguvXZU1XC5QLTABNcw/s1600/The-Lion-King-3D-Movie-Poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc-yxzgn79KEOgfGcwkz7UZDEJM28gL47TkGe5KZtaZsjmHTahNdNUxBNgPphwhiCbkwhYVZdckkS1Swno0_1mHDuQ6JpmKmIti8jQxR5Pd6zPNG4cifbGXWV7WguvXZU1XC5QLTABNcw/s320/The-Lion-King-3D-Movie-Poster.jpg" width="216" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.disney.co.uk/lionking/index.jsp">http://www.disney.co.uk/lionking/index.jsp</a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I have long been a fan of Disney, from classic Disney when I saw Bambi at the cinema as a child, all the way through to their recent collaborations with Pixar. But one of the Disney films I had never seen was The Lion King. This has shocked a lot of people I know as The Lion King is not only regarded as one of the best Disney films, it's also all about lions. Which I love.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So when I heard that The Lion King was being re-released at the cinema in 3D I knew I had to take the opportunity to finally see it.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">*synopsis contains spoilers*</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The story, for those unfamiliar, is of Simba, a lion cub born to the lion king Mufasa on Pride Rock in Africa. He is a mischievous cub, always getting into scrapes, until one day his father is killed trying to save him from a wildebeest stampeed. Convinced by his uncle Scar that he should leave Pride Rock to avoid the shame of his actions, Simba runs away vowing never to return. He soon collapses from the heat in the wastelands and is rescued by a meerkat named Timon and a warthog named Pumbaa who teach him their philosophy of 'hakuna matata' which means no worries. All is well with the three of them until one day when a lioness called Nala tries to kill Pumbaa. Simba soon realises this is the lioness he grew up with and she convinces him to return to his homeland and face up to his uncle who has run the kingdom into the ground.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I have to say that I wasn't all that impressed with The Lion King. I wanted to see it for so many years and I really wanted to love it. I thought the animation was excellent but the story left something to be desired. And considering my love of lions I feel that says quite a lot. I thought the middle section with Timon and Pumbaa was the most aimed at children and as such, the least enjoyable for me. I couldn't help but feel if I'd seen it when I was younger I might've liked it more.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I also found the voice actors very distracting. Whereas Disney/Pixar tend to go for unknown or character actors now, it seems back then they went for the most recognisable voices possible. *I</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">f you don't know who the voice actors are and don't want to know, don't read the rest of this.* The most recognisable of all the voices is James Earl Jones as Mufasa, the whole time I was waiting for him to say "Luke, I am your father". I mean who casts Darth Vader as a voice in a Disney film? The next was Rowan Atkinson as Mufasa's advisor Zazu, a very odd choice for a mostly American cast. And of course, the villain of the piece had to be English didn't he? Jeremy Irons seemed to relish his role as Scar, and did a wonderful job, but again, he has a very recognisable voice. *Okay, now you're safe to read on.*</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Aside from playing spot the voice actor I just found the film to be a little on the boring side. Knowing that Elton John wrote the songs for the film I was also a bit </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">disappointed that t</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">here weren't that many songs in it. I'd expected there to be lots more. And finally, I don't think the 3D really added anything. Even my friends who were fans of the film said the same. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Having said all that, I think if you're already a fan, it will be nice to see on the big screen again. If you haven't seen it, try to keep your expectations low. And if you don't like it, well then why are you reading this? 6 out of 10.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><object width="320" height="266" class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="http://3.gvt0.com/vi/y326sL4_ev8/0.jpg"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/y326sL4_ev8&fs=1&source=uds" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><embed width="320" height="266" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/y326sL4_ev8&fs=1&source=uds" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"></embed></object></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Viewing Date - 8th October 2011</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">UK Release Date - 7th October 2011</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Cast Overview:</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(If you don't want to know, don't scroll down!)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Young Simba ~ Jonathan Taylor Thomas</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Adult Simba ~ Matthew Broderick</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Young Nala ~ Niketa Calame</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Adult Nala ~ Moira Kelly</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Mufasa ~ James Earl Jones</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Timon ~ Nathan Lane</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Pumbaa ~ Ernie Sabella</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Scar ~ Jeremy Irons</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Zazu ~ </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Rowan Atkinson</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Shenzi ~ Whoopi Goldberg</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Director(s) ~ Roger Allers and Rob Minkoff</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Writer(s) ~ Irene Mecchi, Jonathan Roberts and Linda Woolverton (Screenplay),</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Brenda Chapman (Story Supervisor),</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Burny Mattison, Barry Johnson, Lorna Cook, Thom Enriquez, Andy Gaskill, Gary Trousdale, Jim Capobianco, Kevin Harkey, Jorgen Klubien, Chris Sanders, Tom Sito, Larry Leker, Joe Ranft, Rick Maki, Ed Gombert, Francis Glebas and Mark Kausler (Story),</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">J.T. Allen, George Scribner, Miguel Tejada-Flores, Jenny Tripp, Bob Tzudiker, Christopher Vogler, Kirk Wise and Noni White (Additional Story Material).</span></div>LadyKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15187021497582049529noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5855842123996510698.post-90326522007473357952011-10-09T10:12:00.000-07:002011-10-24T14:23:59.954-07:00Drive<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjyrh0ZaCggcykArbu6sP-BM_SebcYEu3-smvR923rQScxAZi6Z59cE7oYL7TRZiRUz-tl-J7a2Zg0vGK6P1wXFaztWPY-B_M347c5cbryacg9Ea33g-em1Z0rodZ1YOV5NRcytB9KmrE/s1600/drive-poster1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjyrh0ZaCggcykArbu6sP-BM_SebcYEu3-smvR923rQScxAZi6Z59cE7oYL7TRZiRUz-tl-J7a2Zg0vGK6P1wXFaztWPY-B_M347c5cbryacg9Ea33g-em1Z0rodZ1YOV5NRcytB9KmrE/s320/drive-poster1.jpg" width="214" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://drive.mgfilm.hr/">http://drive.mgfilm.hr/</a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">After the poor response I had to the supposedly excellent Crazy, Stupid, Love, my expectations on Drive went down somewhat. I still wanted to see it but I decided to try and reel in my excitement surrounding the film's potential until I'd seen it.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So along I went with the founding member of my Ryan Gosling appreciation society to see Drive. The story centers on a man (Ryan Gosling - you never find out his characters name) who does stunt driving for films. He also works as a mechanic and does some getaway driving on the side. He meets a girl, Irene (Carey Mulligan), who has a young son and a husband who's in prison. When the husband, Standard (</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Oscar Isaac), </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">is released it puts paid to the driver and Irene's budding romance </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">but the husband soon finds himself in trouble with local gangsters who he owes a debt to from his time in prison. The driver, having feelings for Standard's wife, wants to help him out of his tight spot and agrees to help him pull off one last job, robbing a pawn shop, to ensure his family's safety. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I was hooked on Drive from the super stylish opening sequence where the driver does a getaway job for two local robbers. It was a tense opener with very little dialogue but it was executed to perfection and set the tone for the rest of the film.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Despite being the main character, the driver not only has no name, he also has very few lines in the film, with most of his feelings being played out through looks in the rear view mirror. Having said that the performances of Gosling and all of the other actors involved are faultless. T</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">he film is so grounded by the characters that when it does turn violent it's all the more shocking. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The direction is slick and stylish but the film has a retro feel about it that stems from the music and the neon style font used in the opening and closing credits. Somehow these elements work really well together and I'm sure I'm not the only one who will come away from the film with the songs still in my head. The classical music used in the elevator scene (as seen in the trailer) is also very haunting and fits the scene perfectly.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Probably one which a lot of people won't see, but definitely one they should. 9 out of 10. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/KUN6aLn9xqM?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Viewing Date - 6th October 2011</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">UK Release Date - 23rd September 2011</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Cast Overview:</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ryan Gosling ~ Driver</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Carey Mulligan ~ Irene</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Bryan Cranston ~ Shannon</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Albert Brooks ~ Bernie Rose</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Oscar Isaac ~ Standard</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Christina Hendricks ~ Blanche</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ron Perlman ~ Nino</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Director ~ Nicholas Winding Refn</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Writer(s) ~ Hossein Amini (Screenplay) and James Sallis (Book)</span></div>LadyKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15187021497582049529noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5855842123996510698.post-71573854053813673212011-10-09T09:34:00.000-07:002011-10-09T09:34:09.772-07:00What's Your Number<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiD11cztbjKELPUnqWq_uXNp2TKjCV7pnkaBBW7BWlwLrM10_e57U4zV_vdURHpnvHJ7L6a7Hm86I3PZAMN2o2XU1TzRw1P3oTqCoxoZKCHuN1h4nDap_C7EMp32181L7N6S7IpHNb35w/s1600/Whats+your+number+new+poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiD11cztbjKELPUnqWq_uXNp2TKjCV7pnkaBBW7BWlwLrM10_e57U4zV_vdURHpnvHJ7L6a7Hm86I3PZAMN2o2XU1TzRw1P3oTqCoxoZKCHuN1h4nDap_C7EMp32181L7N6S7IpHNb35w/s320/Whats+your+number+new+poster.jpg" width="216" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.whatsyournumbermovie.com/main.php">http://www.whatsyournumbermovie.com/main.php</a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Last month seemed to be the month of average comedies. Loads were released, Friends With Benefits, The Change-Up, 30 Minutes Or Less, I Don't Know How She Does It and Crazy, Stupid, Love, to name but a few. And while I saw What's Your Number this month, it's release date was last month. Not a good sign.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Along I went anyway with my cinema buddy to see the story of Ally (Anna Faris), a woman who reads an article in Marie Claire that states that any woman who has slept with 20 or more men will struggle to find a husband. As Ally's just dumped her number 19 she's reluctant to date anyone new until she's sure he's the one. After a chance encounter with one of her ex's who definitely got better with age, Ally ropes her ridiculously hot neighbour from across the hall, Colin (Chris Evans), into tracking down her ex's in the vain hope that one of them will be the one she should've stuck with. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">One very unbelievable cheesy line at the end aside, I actually really enjoyed What's Your Number. It was a lot funnier than </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Change-Up, I Don't Know How She Does It and Crazy, Stupid, Love put together, thanks largely to an animated penis. I will say no more but look out for it if you see the film. It still has me laughing now when I think about it. It's also a very sweet natured film and quite a true reflection of how young women pin a lot of faith on magazine articles.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Anna Faris and Chris Evans not only had good chemistry but their friendship was well played and believable. I just wish they'd left out the cheesy line at the end which had me rolling my eyes. The ex's were also a delight to behold with particularly funny turns from </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Chris Pratt, the always watchable </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Zachary Quinto, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Martin Freeman and </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Andy Samberg.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This was above-average of the average comedies from last month and is well worth a watch. 8 out of 10.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/Wgc110AcUaM?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Viewing Date - 5th October 2011</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">UK Release Date - 30th September 2011</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Cast Overview:</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Anna Faris ~ Ally Darling</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Chris Evans ~ Colin Shea</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ari Graynor ~ Daisy Darling</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Blythe Danner ~ </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ava Darling</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ed Begley Jnr ~ Mr </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Darling</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Chris Pratt ~ Disgusting Donald</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Zachary Quinto ~ Rick</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Martin Freeman ~ Simon</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Andy Samberg ~ Gerry Perry</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Dave Annable ~ Jake Adams</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Director ~ Mark Mylod</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Writer(s) ~ Gabrielle Allan (Screenplay), Jennifer Crittenden (Screenplay) and Karyn Bosnak (Novel "20 Times A Lady")</span></div>LadyKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15187021497582049529noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5855842123996510698.post-38057835783465230222011-10-03T15:22:00.000-07:002011-10-09T15:44:21.796-07:00The Phantom Of The Opera 25th Anniversary<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyFa_d8z3vT70tJmEwkm3rd9bL_aYC8aCzuafTBhsDCj62kM3x-2v3A21enGPM4OlcshNjQkdfygg7tEcRB5aOc9xRK6_UhbQtI2Uoltpo2XZzmIqlhNXnVP2hYHc9LoIT3V3hMXUPsaM/s1600/3536_2753.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyFa_d8z3vT70tJmEwkm3rd9bL_aYC8aCzuafTBhsDCj62kM3x-2v3A21enGPM4OlcshNjQkdfygg7tEcRB5aOc9xRK6_UhbQtI2Uoltpo2XZzmIqlhNXnVP2hYHc9LoIT3V3hMXUPsaM/s320/3536_2753.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.phantom25th.com/">http://www.phantom25th.com/</a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Where to begin with this one? I'm counting it as a film and therefore reviewing it as I did see it in the cinema. And as I hadn't seen this particular production/cast before I figure it counts as a new film.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It must be around 7 years since I first saw Phantom. And it blew me away. I was not (technically still am not) a fan of musicals and had to have my arm twisted to be persuaded to give Phantom a go. I still remember my best friend of the south whispering to the box office girl to see if our 'cheap seats' would allow me to view the famous chandelier. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Since then I have seen the movie version several times, own the DVD and soundtrack and saw the sequel Love Never Dies for my Birthday last year. I am officially a Phantom fan and was so excited to see this 25th anniversary show, live from the Royal Albert Hall, which was being screened at my local cinema.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">For the uninitiated, the story is thus. New owners, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Monsieurs Firmin and </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">André (</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Barry James and </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Gareth Snook)</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">, take over the Opera Populaire and are soon informed that it has a resident 'ghost'. The </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">'opera ghost'</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> makes his presence felt and has some demands of the new owners. This most recent appearance by the 'opera ghost' sends the leading lady, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Carlotta (</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Kiera Duffy),</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> into a diva hissy fit and she walks out. This leaves the new owners with the choice of refunding a full house or putting faith in chorus girl Christine Daae (</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Sierra Boggess) to take over the lead in their current production, until they can win back Carlotta's affections. Meanwhile, the owners patron </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Raoul, Vicomte de Chagny (Hadley Fraser), reveals he knows Christine as they were childhood friends. Raoul's interest in the </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Opera Populaire's new <span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;">protégée </span>sparks jealously in the </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">'opera ghost' - The Phantom (</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ramin Karimloo) - as he had been secretly teaching Christine to sing in the hopes she would become a star.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As I mentioned above, I managed to see the sequel to Phantom, Love Never Dies, for my birthday last year. The cast included</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Ramin Karimloo as </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Phantom and </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Sierra Boggess as </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Christine. They were both so wonderful in that production and definitely made me fall in love with The Phantom/</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Christine</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> story all over again. It therefore pleased me no end to discover that both Ramin and Sierra were playing these roles in the 25th Anniversary production of Phantom that I saw last night. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I must stress that the whole cast were marvelous, but Ramin and Sierra have such wonderful chemistry together and fill their roles with such emotion that they can't help but stand out. Sierra's voice just gets better and better for me and I can definitely say that I will be making a purchase of the new soundtrack when it is released. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The end of the show was when the true fans were treated however, as the curtain call featured the original london cast of Phantom, as well as an appearance by Michael Crawford and Sarah Brightman - the original Christine and Phantom. The moment when Ramin bowed to Michael, one Phantom to another, was a teary one for me and I know I wasn't the only one in the room with a hankie on hand. We were also treated to a performance of Phantom Of The Opera by Sarah Brightman and several past Phantoms including Anthony Warlow, Colm Wilkinson, John Owen-Jones and Peter Joback. Though I must confess that I prefer Sierra's voice over Sarah's these days as it's not as strong as it once was.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-L5IHREgB-t8OmMKfHXxxs2v2XnsXPE-aO-Ah5CFO9Cr-_DDnY_RKPMciELek67ccOMQDIb98K5sna7tqZIZRoi_AXur8c4HzCSCi0vcfiWArCAf7eXuu95V3FJrdyR-ZBHm7kTVSBUI/s1600/article-2044664-0E32272200000578-238_634x463.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="233" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-L5IHREgB-t8OmMKfHXxxs2v2XnsXPE-aO-Ah5CFO9Cr-_DDnY_RKPMciELek67ccOMQDIb98K5sna7tqZIZRoi_AXur8c4HzCSCi0vcfiWArCAf7eXuu95V3FJrdyR-ZBHm7kTVSBUI/s320/article-2044664-0E32272200000578-238_634x463.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Overall, a phantastic evening had by all and thoroughly recommended to Phantom phans! 9 out of 10.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/0livERHJ9F8?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
Viewing Date - 2nd October 2011<br />
UK Release Date - 2nd October 2011<br />
<br />
Cast Overview:<br />
The Phantom ~ Ramin Karimloo<br />
Christine Daae ~ Sierra Boggess<br />
Raoul, Vicomte de Chagny ~ Hadley Fraser<br />
Carlotta Guidicelli ~ Kiera Duffy<br />
Ubaldo Piangi ~ Wynne Evans<br />
Monsieur Firmin ~ Barry James<br />
Monsieur André ~ Gareth Snook<br />
Madame Giry ~ Liz Robertson<br />
Meg Giry ~ Daisy Maywood<br />
<br />
Director ~ Cameron Mackintosh<br />
Writer ~ Andrew Lloyd Webber</div></span><br />
<div></div>LadyKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15187021497582049529noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5855842123996510698.post-84771236953393857712011-09-30T15:58:00.002-07:002011-10-02T05:52:56.170-07:00Aliens<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEXINao59-C-fIdb4kJGSQ95L9QhxjVDClC4cNhgoxqCoZyZ4jbfW4IzdYRqSTCIETItv-1MLrta66ZWzf4oPHGYsPDaFsRz17fDVwVHRO0dz9070V-5CmoGkojRaWpM-a9wAyZRHMm9Q/s1600/aliens_ver1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEXINao59-C-fIdb4kJGSQ95L9QhxjVDClC4cNhgoxqCoZyZ4jbfW4IzdYRqSTCIETItv-1MLrta66ZWzf4oPHGYsPDaFsRz17fDVwVHRO0dz9070V-5CmoGkojRaWpM-a9wAyZRHMm9Q/s320/aliens_ver1.jpg" width="211" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0090605/">http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0090605/</a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I was recently told that I focus too much on my 'experience' in my reviews and not enough on the film. I personally don't agree with this as this is first and foremost a blog, and as such I feel a certain amount of personal experience is necessary. But I always welcome your views on the subject and point out that my comments box is always open.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Having said that, I will now advise the person who felt my ramblings were too much, to look away now, as this one is going to be very personal indeed! I have been very lucky to see Aliens this week, at the same cinema I saw The Terminator at last week, The Duke Of York's Picturehouse in Brighton. Aliens puts my total number of visits to this cinema at four. A paltry amount when you consider what a champion I am of the independent cinema in London, The Prince Charles Cinema. You will probably have noticed that my Terminator review didn't exactly go into detail about the cinema itself, the way I do when I visit The PCC. This is because I don't particularly rate </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Duke Of York's. Each time I have been I have had a less than perfect cinematic experience. Rude and unhelpful staff on the first two visits and then a poor quality film and lack of attention to detail for The Terminator. Aliens is the first film I have REALLY enjoyed there. And it may be enough for me to start championing them too.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">For those unfamiliar with James Cameron's 1986 follow up to Ridley Scott's Alien, allow me to enlighten you. In Alien, the crew of the mining ship The Nostromo, land on unchartered planet LV-426 after receiving what they presume is an SOS. One crewman is attacked on the planet's surface and brought back aboard with an organism attached to his face. We later learn this was implanting him with an alien life that later bursts out of him, killing him instantly. The alien created soon grows into a creature that wipes out the crew within 24 hours, leaving Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) as the only survivor. She sets The Nostromo to self destruct and escapes on the ships shuttle. In Aliens, Ripley's shuttle is picked up by a passing salvage team. She wakes from hypersleep to discover she had been floating in space for 57 years. She is brought before the company board who need answers as to what happened to The Nostromo and it's crew. Despite Ripley's detailed reports, they do not believe what happened on LV-426 and inform Ripley that the planet has since been colonised by terraformers. The company soon eats their words however, when they lose contact with the colony. Ripley is asked to go back to LV-426 to aid an investigation into what happened to the colonists. At first reluctant to go, Ripley's frequent nightmares about the alien encourage her to face her demons. She agrees to accompany the group of marines sent down to the planet to find the colonists. There they discover an army of aliens that have been bred using more than 100 colonists as human hosts. And one little girl who has managed to survive to tell the tale. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The showing of Aliens was sold out and the atmosphere was electric. Fans cheered at the start of the grainy original reel of the film. Favourite lines (mostly by Hudson "No way man!") were met with an auditorium of laughter and those less familiar with the film jumped at all the scary moments. I could not have asked for a better way to experience one of my all time favourite horrors.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The film shown was the theatrical cut, and although the reel was not in perfect condition (understandably, due to age), the grainy picture quality and intermittent sound just added to the tension already imbued in the film. Cameron's Aliens is a very different beast to the first Alien film, with hundreds more alien creatures and a higher human body count than before. But it also has more heart. The relationship between Newt and Ripley adding another dimension to the out and out horror of the first film. It's also a lot faster paced and funnier.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I recently watched the first Alien at home and was again forced to admit that although it has it's merits, I just don't love it. But while watching Aliens all I could think was that there is literally nothing I would change about it. This leaves me with the conclusion that Aliens has to receive my third perfect 10 of the year. 10 out of 10.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Interesting fact: </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Each marine's first name is the same as the actor who played them. The only exception is Cpl. Dwayne Hicks. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 15px;">We see "Frost R." who was played by Ricco Ross, so the character's full name is Pvt. Ricco Frost. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 15px;">The other characters are: Pvt. William Hudson, Pvt. Jenette Vasquez, Lt. William Gorman, Sgt. Al Apone, Pvt. Mark Drake, Cpl. Collette Ferro, Pvt. Daniel Spunkmeyer, Cpl. Cynthia Dietrich, Pvt. Tip/Tim Crowe, and Pvt. Trevor Wierzbowski.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Viewing Date - 29th September 2011</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Original UK Release Date - 29th August 1986</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Cast Overview:</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Sigourney Weaver ~ Ellen Ripley</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Michael Biehn ~ Cpl Dwayne Hicks</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Carrie Henn ~ Rebecca 'Newt' Jorden</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Paul Reiser ~ Carter Burke</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Lance Henriksen ~ Bishop</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Bill Paxton ~ Pvt Hudson</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Jenette Goldstein ~ Pvt Vasquez</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">William Hope ~ Lt Gorman</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Al Matthews ~ Sgt Apone</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Mark Rolston ~ Pvt Drake</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Director ~ James Cameron</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Writer(s) ~ James Cameron (Screenplay and Story), David Giler (Story), Walter Hill (Story), Dan O'Bannon (Characters) and Ronald Shusett (Characters).</span></div>LadyKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15187021497582049529noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5855842123996510698.post-62785876963252215092011-09-30T15:58:00.000-07:002011-09-30T16:04:15.594-07:00Crazy, Stupid, Love<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_NZjg2yEf0S62FVJDN5ogKO8hqiL_R0qcXwswSNZgdj9qyLeQNIyCEMiZB3Xwzz5RreLLmR4ePc_GBMNva1Ah8j4oXyqq6sB97Xg3WRT2XCdvFoXJDgOmAraWdR5i3rtBjSWCSkWgrXs/s1600/crazy-stupid-love-poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_NZjg2yEf0S62FVJDN5ogKO8hqiL_R0qcXwswSNZgdj9qyLeQNIyCEMiZB3Xwzz5RreLLmR4ePc_GBMNva1Ah8j4oXyqq6sB97Xg3WRT2XCdvFoXJDgOmAraWdR5i3rtBjSWCSkWgrXs/s320/crazy-stupid-love-poster.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://crazystupidlove.warnerbros.com/index.html">http://crazystupidlove.warnerbros.com/index.html</a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'm going to shock you all now by revealing yet another of my crushes, Ryan Gosling. I have no doubt that any girls reading this will not be surprised by this admission. And any guys reading will probably mumble something about 'pretty boy' or 'six pack'. Truth is Ryan is very pretty and boy does he have a fine six pack. But that's not what this review is about. The other truth is that while I openly admit to having a crush on Mr Gosling, rather than this being a recent thing owing to his prettiness or good abs, this is a crush that stems back to The Notebook and a certain scene in the rain that I someday hope to re-enact.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Admission made, it will be a further lack of surprise that I wanted to see this movie, along with Mr Gosling's other new film, Drive (which I will hopefully be seeing/reviewing over the weekend). What was surprising - to me at least - was the amount of recommendations I had about this film before I'd had chance to see it.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The movie opens on a not-so-romantic dinner for married couple Cal (Steve Carell) and Emily (Julianne Moore). He wants desert and she wants a divorce. Soon after Emily admits to having an affair with her co-worker and Cal moves out of the family home. Cal's life is on a downward spiral until he meets Jacob (Ryan Gosling), a self confessed ladies man who decides to mentor Cal and turn his life around. Cal has soon learnt all of the tricks Jacob has to show and is a huge hit with the ladies. Meanwhile Jacob finds the one thing he wasn't looking for, a girl who could be 'the one'.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Okay, so no surprises so far right? You ready for one? I didn't love Crazy, Stupid, Love half as much as I thought I would. I partially think the endless recommendations ruined any chance I had of loving this film as they raised the bar too high. I don't deny that it's a film that somewhat pushes the boundaries of the romantic comedy genre, and I don't deny that the performances are all great. I just felt like too much time was spent on the Cal/Emily story and not enough on Jacob and Hannah (Emma Stone).</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I am a huge fan of Emma Stone (see, it's not all about Ryan!) and she was almost as underused in this as she was in Friends With Benefits, but at least in that movie there was an excuse for her underuse as her role was only a cameo. Her comic timing is impeccable (as witnessed in Easy A, seriously, if you haven't seen it please go and rent/buy it now!) and she should have been featured a LOT more than she was. Kevin Bacon is also woefully underused.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The other thing I felt went against this film was the trailer. As you will see below, the trailer clearly puts the emphasis on the relationship between the younger couple and this simply isn't the case with the film. Don't get me wrong, the </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Cal/Emily story is well told and acted as I said above, it's just not what I was there for. It was the more depressing of the two storylines and for me, could have been better balanced by having more of the Jacob/Hannah story.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I don't want to put people off as</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> it is a good film</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">. Just don't expect it to be hilarious because it's not, though it has got funny moments. And don't expect it to tug at your heart strings because it's not all that touching, though it has moments of clarity. Do expect to see a slightly more realistic take on marriage and a slightly less realistic take on guys who sleep around. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It's one of the better films in a month of distinctly average rom-coms. 8* out of 10.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">*It's more of a 7.8 but as I've only ever given whole or .5 scores I'm rounding up. It only just gets an 8!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/dv7OKoxjLQM?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Viewing Date - 28th September 2011</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">UK Release Date - 23rd September 2011</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Cast Overview:</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Steve Carell ~ Cal Weaver</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ryan Gosling ~ Jacob Palmer</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Julianne Moore ~ Emily Weaver</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Emma Stone ~ Hannah</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Analeigh Tipton ~ Jessica</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Jonah Bobo ~ Robbie Weaver</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Marisa Tomei ~ Kate</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">John Carroll Lynch ~ Bernie Riley</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Kevin Bacon ~ David Lindhagen</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Liza Lapira ~ Liz</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Director(s) ~ Glenn Ficarra and John Requa</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Writer ~ Dan Fogelman</span></div>LadyKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15187021497582049529noreply@blogger.com2