Saturday, 1 February 2014
Review 13: Disco Pigs
Being an avid
Cillian Murphy fan, I happened upon Disco Pigs whilst scrolling through his IMDb profile. I
read the vague description: 'A twisted
rite of passage.' Naturally, I was
interested, and placed it on my Watchlist. There it stayed for I don't know how
many months, until I finally decided to watch it today. And oh my. This film
is disastrous, insane and pure pure brilliance.
Monday, 5 August 2013
Review 12: THX 1138
I have to apologise, as I've had all my notes from watching this film for about a month, and I'm only just posting them. I decided to watch THX 1138 because who doesn't love a seventies futuristic film about conforming with society? I've said too much already.
Now, don't watch this film unless you have a serious interest in film. Although the storyline was good, the odd setting and general feel was very difficult to get used to. Compared to modern day films, the entire presentation was just plain strange. Aside from that, this film did actually have some very good qualities.
The basic storyline is that we're in a world that's controlled by a group of people. Everyone is healthy and isn't allowed to have sex or do anything of that nature. This aspect kind of reminded me of Spielberg's The Island, which will be one of my next reviews. The way society worked was backed up by the way that all the police robots were taller than the humans, producing a sense of hierarchy. The way these humans are treated is all in all very dehumanising, which actually helps you to connect with the main characters, THX and LUH. Robert Duvall (THX) does a nice job with the character, portraying the anger and eagerness to be free. My favourite part was when he was running from the policebots and he was just so desperate to escape. I think that's when his emotion really shone through, that and the raunchy but delicate love making scene with Maggie McOmie (LUH) , who also did a good job. I think the actors did the best they could with such an 'out-there' film.
Halfway through the film I kept noticing weird, Star Wars-like qualities to it. The setting was strangely similar, and the robo-cops reminded me a bit too much of C3PO.. which is why it was no surprise to me that it was directed by George Lucas. It's actually very difficult to review a film like this as it's very different, but there was just something about it that makes you want to keep watching. It's one of those films you really have to concentrate on the emotion and just allow it to take over.
Halfway through the film I kept noticing weird, Star Wars-like qualities to it. The setting was strangely similar, and the robo-cops reminded me a bit too much of C3PO.. which is why it was no surprise to me that it was directed by George Lucas. It's actually very difficult to review a film like this as it's very different, but there was just something about it that makes you want to keep watching. It's one of those films you really have to concentrate on the emotion and just allow it to take over.
All in all this film is very strange, but it just has a little bit of 'je ne sais quoi'. I gave this film 6 stars out of 10 on IMDb, and I recommend it to any filmies who enjoy cult classics.
PS I have notes from two more films ready and waiting to be typed up. Watch this space!
Friday, 21 June 2013
Review 11: Minority Report
So I've had this DVD for a long time, yet I've never watched it due to the excitement of new films coming out. But upon reading the back, Minority Report actually looked like it could be quite good. Especially since it's directed by Stephen Spielberg!
Spielberg was able to show how real life and the life inside the police headquarters differed with ease, and when called to play out the 'vision' the, let's call them 'water people' saw, he did a magnificent job. What I really think works with this film is the sense of time, and how it's used to create tension. As we already know that a murder could occur, the constant countdown that John Anderton (Cruise) faces really gets your heart pumping, as although you know they're going to catch the murderer, there's always the chance. It was played out so well that I truly was transfixed on the screen. One key element they used in this film was advertisement and news reports, which allowed us to see what everyday people of that city would have seen, letting us become part of the journey. It also opens up possibilities, and imagining that every advertisement you see on the street knows your name and is tailored to your every need? Scary.
John's back story also played a large part in making this story brilliant. The loss of his child leaves us yearning for him to still be alive and for him to turn up in the film, which unfortunately doesn't happen (spoilers). It also helps us to understand the decisions he makes in his life and why he does what he does. He doesn't want what has happened to him, to happen to anyone else. Seeing the old family videos in his apartment really made me feel sorry for him, because we know that it's not his fault. We also learn more about him as we go through the film, which I think is important because it's like getting to know a real person. Colin Farrell gave a solid performance as usual, with his good looks and quick wits making him into a challenge for John Anderton. Another actor that cannot go unmentioned is Samantha Morton, who played Agatha (a water person). Her portrayal is just unreal, and Agatha is one of those characters who you will remember forever, and her distant stare allowed us to be scared yet fascinated with what she had to say.
The unexpected parts of this film were great, especially the end. You really don't expect the outcome which makes it all the more better, and I definitely remember jumping at one point in the middle at something unexpected. Major heart attack moment! Somehow this film manages to incorporate pretty much everything, sci-fi, thrills, car chases, romance(?), and emotion. The reason for the question mark next to romance is that it's more of an old forgotten romance between John and his ex-wife, because although they've separated, she still does everything she can for him.
Overall, Minority Report was visually engaging, thrilling, tense, and all around fabulous. I gave this film 9 stars out of 10 on iMDB, because I think it's immensely underrated and definitely a must-watch. No wonder it won 16 awards! So what are you waiting for? Get out there and buy it!
The first few sequences had a good feel to them, giving us a good introduction, welcoming us to the year of 2054. As you would expect from any futuristic film, there's unexplained technology which can do extraordinary things. This film consists of people in water seeing future murders which somehow transfers onto random balls, but I went with it as I wanted to see where it would take us.
Spielberg was able to show how real life and the life inside the police headquarters differed with ease, and when called to play out the 'vision' the, let's call them 'water people' saw, he did a magnificent job. What I really think works with this film is the sense of time, and how it's used to create tension. As we already know that a murder could occur, the constant countdown that John Anderton (Cruise) faces really gets your heart pumping, as although you know they're going to catch the murderer, there's always the chance. It was played out so well that I truly was transfixed on the screen. One key element they used in this film was advertisement and news reports, which allowed us to see what everyday people of that city would have seen, letting us become part of the journey. It also opens up possibilities, and imagining that every advertisement you see on the street knows your name and is tailored to your every need? Scary.
John's back story also played a large part in making this story brilliant. The loss of his child leaves us yearning for him to still be alive and for him to turn up in the film, which unfortunately doesn't happen (spoilers). It also helps us to understand the decisions he makes in his life and why he does what he does. He doesn't want what has happened to him, to happen to anyone else. Seeing the old family videos in his apartment really made me feel sorry for him, because we know that it's not his fault. We also learn more about him as we go through the film, which I think is important because it's like getting to know a real person. Colin Farrell gave a solid performance as usual, with his good looks and quick wits making him into a challenge for John Anderton. Another actor that cannot go unmentioned is Samantha Morton, who played Agatha (a water person). Her portrayal is just unreal, and Agatha is one of those characters who you will remember forever, and her distant stare allowed us to be scared yet fascinated with what she had to say.
The unexpected parts of this film were great, especially the end. You really don't expect the outcome which makes it all the more better, and I definitely remember jumping at one point in the middle at something unexpected. Major heart attack moment! Somehow this film manages to incorporate pretty much everything, sci-fi, thrills, car chases, romance(?), and emotion. The reason for the question mark next to romance is that it's more of an old forgotten romance between John and his ex-wife, because although they've separated, she still does everything she can for him.
Overall, Minority Report was visually engaging, thrilling, tense, and all around fabulous. I gave this film 9 stars out of 10 on iMDB, because I think it's immensely underrated and definitely a must-watch. No wonder it won 16 awards! So what are you waiting for? Get out there and buy it!
Thursday, 30 May 2013
Review 10: The Cell
I was recommended The Cell by one of my friends, and she firmly promised me that Jennifer Lopez's acting ability didn't ruin it one bit. So, I decided to give it a go..
The opening scenes of someone riding through a desert was perhaps the oddest way to start a film about murderers. It certainly wasn't what I had prepared myself for, and the only redeeming feature it seems was the flute music in the background - brilliantly played and composed yet didn't seem to match the visual. Jennifer Lopez is then introduced, wearing some sort of wedding dress which only seemed to add to my confusion about the plot of this film. But, trying to be open minded, I carried on watching and just went with it. This scene ended and we switched to the facility they were using to do this weird 'mind transfer' thing, and at about 8 minutes in, I realised I still had no idea what was going on. Nothing had been explained properly - was this set in the future? How did this machine work? I didn't feel connected with the characters or storyline at all at this point, leaving a slight taste of bewilderment.
We then moved on to the main part of the film - the murderer. We saw a process of how the women were tortured and we saw a body being recovered, and pretty much almost instantly, I forgot about Jennifer Lopez. The film seems to have taken a CSI-type feel to it, and switched genre completely. Although from reading reviews and watching the trailer I kind of knew the story, I was still completely confused about what was going on, as we went from airy, wedding-dress-wearing, desert woman to four cops sitting around a table talking about a murder. It really made absolutely no sense.
The best part of this film was Vince Vaughn, and he was definitely the only person I could really connect to. He had a consistent character and we found out about his background thus enabling us to establish him as a person rather than just another actor in the film. Next to J-Lo, his acting ability shone through, overall a good performance from him. When the two random genres collided and we entered into the mind of the killer, you expect it to get good. But rather than why he committed the murders, the writers obviously just wanted to go for the gruesome factor more than anything else. Yes, we see memories from his past and why he is so messed up, but no we don't see a reason or how he targets his victims. The only way they are able to enter his mind is because he, conveniently, has a poorly explained mental problem which means he can't wake up again. It's no wonder this film only won awards to do with costume, make up, and stunts, which were actually quite good. The one scene where J-Lo is in the murderers mind and falls about 55 feet (a stunt double by the name of Jill, well done Jill!) really stood out as something spectacular.
Although this film has been shoddily put together and seems to just be sci-fi forced together with thriller, Vince Vaughn and the music made this film bearable. I gave it 6 stars out of 10 on iMDB, and there is no way that I'll be watching the sequel. I wouldn't really recommend this but give it a go if you want!
The opening scenes of someone riding through a desert was perhaps the oddest way to start a film about murderers. It certainly wasn't what I had prepared myself for, and the only redeeming feature it seems was the flute music in the background - brilliantly played and composed yet didn't seem to match the visual. Jennifer Lopez is then introduced, wearing some sort of wedding dress which only seemed to add to my confusion about the plot of this film. But, trying to be open minded, I carried on watching and just went with it. This scene ended and we switched to the facility they were using to do this weird 'mind transfer' thing, and at about 8 minutes in, I realised I still had no idea what was going on. Nothing had been explained properly - was this set in the future? How did this machine work? I didn't feel connected with the characters or storyline at all at this point, leaving a slight taste of bewilderment.
We then moved on to the main part of the film - the murderer. We saw a process of how the women were tortured and we saw a body being recovered, and pretty much almost instantly, I forgot about Jennifer Lopez. The film seems to have taken a CSI-type feel to it, and switched genre completely. Although from reading reviews and watching the trailer I kind of knew the story, I was still completely confused about what was going on, as we went from airy, wedding-dress-wearing, desert woman to four cops sitting around a table talking about a murder. It really made absolutely no sense.
The best part of this film was Vince Vaughn, and he was definitely the only person I could really connect to. He had a consistent character and we found out about his background thus enabling us to establish him as a person rather than just another actor in the film. Next to J-Lo, his acting ability shone through, overall a good performance from him. When the two random genres collided and we entered into the mind of the killer, you expect it to get good. But rather than why he committed the murders, the writers obviously just wanted to go for the gruesome factor more than anything else. Yes, we see memories from his past and why he is so messed up, but no we don't see a reason or how he targets his victims. The only way they are able to enter his mind is because he, conveniently, has a poorly explained mental problem which means he can't wake up again. It's no wonder this film only won awards to do with costume, make up, and stunts, which were actually quite good. The one scene where J-Lo is in the murderers mind and falls about 55 feet (a stunt double by the name of Jill, well done Jill!) really stood out as something spectacular.
Although this film has been shoddily put together and seems to just be sci-fi forced together with thriller, Vince Vaughn and the music made this film bearable. I gave it 6 stars out of 10 on iMDB, and there is no way that I'll be watching the sequel. I wouldn't really recommend this but give it a go if you want!
Saturday, 18 May 2013
Review 9: The Great Gatsby
Being an avid F. Scott Fitzgerald fan, I was desperate to see the film version of The Great Gatsby, starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Carey Mulligan. And so of course, I went on the second night of opening, but was I disappointed?
Having already heard about the change of beginning, I already had low hopes for this film. The start is sloppy, having Nick as an alcoholic in an institution is a lazy idea since, and i quote, he has 'only ever been drunk twice in his life'. He even says that in the movie, and yet he's an alcoholic? The whole book is told in retrospective narrative, which I think they conveyed well in the movie, although they missed out most of Jordan's focaliser. The real surprise was Tobey Maguire. They way he was so detached from the other characters was completely perfect for the role of Nick, and he was exactly how I imagined him in the book. I enjoyed the setting, West Egg and East Egg were perfectly done, and the houses fitted exactly. Gatsby's parties weren't really how I pictured them, but the director had obviously decided to have them as key features and so put most of the money into them. Overall they did show the flamboyance of Gatsby, and the introduction of him was done well. Leonardo DiCaprio did a fantastic job, although his accent was a bit odd. They must have added a lot of 'old sport's to the script, as he definitely didn't say it that much in the book.
One thing that annoyed me was how they missed out so many brilliant lines. My favourite: 'I was privy to the secret griefs of wild, unknown men' was missed, as was the line about breakfast to Gatsby at the end, which signified Nick's final goodbye to him. There were a few things that could have been corrected so easily, as in the book, Wilson uses a shotgun, not a revolver.
As characters go, Nick and Gastby were great. Tom Buchanan (Joel Edgerton) was absolutely perfect, really grasping Tom's essence. Wolfsheim was fabulous, George was good although he was supposed to be really skinny. Now Carey Mulligan. Although she did the sad parts well, Daisy was always supposed to be a bit more.. manipulative. She had Gatsby and Tom in the palm of her hands in the book, and the line 'her voice is full of money' (also missed out, might I add) represented how she just wanted people because of their riches. Myrtle, Isla Fisher, was also a bit of a disappointment, as she was supposed to 'carry her flesh sensuously, like no other woman can', a line again missed out. She was a good housewife, but she wasn't a Myrtle. Elizabeth Debicki was overall a good Jordan, but pretty much most of her cleverly sarcastic lines had been missed out so I felt she wasn't able to show us what she could do. She also needed to be slightly more tom-boyish, being a golf player.
They missed out a scene in New York and another scene with Klipspringer, and the entire funeral scene at the end, which I quite missed as we got to know Gatsby's father. Owl Eyes, a key character in the book, used to tell the truth about society, also only featured once, not really creating an impact at all. This made me sad, because he was supposed to crash a car earlier in the book, but it to not be his fault which foreshadows the later car incident. His line 'the books, they're all real' was also missed.
As you can probably tell, I know Gatsby inside out, and because of this, it completely clouded my judgement on the film. If I hadn't read and studied the book, I probably would have enjoyed it a whole lot more. Overall I'd give this film 7 stars out of 10 on iMDB, as I know they tried their best, but it's impossible to measure up to the greatness that is F. Scott Fitzgerald.
Having already heard about the change of beginning, I already had low hopes for this film. The start is sloppy, having Nick as an alcoholic in an institution is a lazy idea since, and i quote, he has 'only ever been drunk twice in his life'. He even says that in the movie, and yet he's an alcoholic? The whole book is told in retrospective narrative, which I think they conveyed well in the movie, although they missed out most of Jordan's focaliser. The real surprise was Tobey Maguire. They way he was so detached from the other characters was completely perfect for the role of Nick, and he was exactly how I imagined him in the book. I enjoyed the setting, West Egg and East Egg were perfectly done, and the houses fitted exactly. Gatsby's parties weren't really how I pictured them, but the director had obviously decided to have them as key features and so put most of the money into them. Overall they did show the flamboyance of Gatsby, and the introduction of him was done well. Leonardo DiCaprio did a fantastic job, although his accent was a bit odd. They must have added a lot of 'old sport's to the script, as he definitely didn't say it that much in the book.
One thing that annoyed me was how they missed out so many brilliant lines. My favourite: 'I was privy to the secret griefs of wild, unknown men' was missed, as was the line about breakfast to Gatsby at the end, which signified Nick's final goodbye to him. There were a few things that could have been corrected so easily, as in the book, Wilson uses a shotgun, not a revolver.
As characters go, Nick and Gastby were great. Tom Buchanan (Joel Edgerton) was absolutely perfect, really grasping Tom's essence. Wolfsheim was fabulous, George was good although he was supposed to be really skinny. Now Carey Mulligan. Although she did the sad parts well, Daisy was always supposed to be a bit more.. manipulative. She had Gatsby and Tom in the palm of her hands in the book, and the line 'her voice is full of money' (also missed out, might I add) represented how she just wanted people because of their riches. Myrtle, Isla Fisher, was also a bit of a disappointment, as she was supposed to 'carry her flesh sensuously, like no other woman can', a line again missed out. She was a good housewife, but she wasn't a Myrtle. Elizabeth Debicki was overall a good Jordan, but pretty much most of her cleverly sarcastic lines had been missed out so I felt she wasn't able to show us what she could do. She also needed to be slightly more tom-boyish, being a golf player.
They missed out a scene in New York and another scene with Klipspringer, and the entire funeral scene at the end, which I quite missed as we got to know Gatsby's father. Owl Eyes, a key character in the book, used to tell the truth about society, also only featured once, not really creating an impact at all. This made me sad, because he was supposed to crash a car earlier in the book, but it to not be his fault which foreshadows the later car incident. His line 'the books, they're all real' was also missed.
As you can probably tell, I know Gatsby inside out, and because of this, it completely clouded my judgement on the film. If I hadn't read and studied the book, I probably would have enjoyed it a whole lot more. Overall I'd give this film 7 stars out of 10 on iMDB, as I know they tried their best, but it's impossible to measure up to the greatness that is F. Scott Fitzgerald.
Sunday, 28 April 2013
Review 8: In Time
Right so I was originally sceptical about the acting quality of Justin Timberlake, yet something about the trailer told me he would be good in In Time.
The beginning is good, swiftly getting us into the story. The day to day routine that Will Salas goes through is used to show how different your life would be if time was a currency. The use of the time on their hands is quite a good way to induce tension because your heart stops when you think someone's time is going to run out, literally. It also gets you thinking about what you'd do with time if you had to spend and save it. Justin Timberlake is brilliant as Will, as he is able to show his poor background through his later richer character, and uses it to help others as well as himself.
Cillian Murphy does a fantastic job with his character, and the costume set for him really produces an impact. He has changed his voice to be calmer and more steady, which seems to really create an impact. Amanda Seyfried also does a good job, and doesn't take over the storyline by being whiny like many female lead roles. Her view on life in this film really allows us to like and connect with her.
The settings really are fantastic, and ye 'time zones' really show a contrast between the rich and poor living. The futuristic look really works with the storyline There are significant messages in this film which highlight how selfish some people are in the real world, and really shows the power of money and time.
The use of two 'villains' is really effective because it makes the story a lot more hectic, and although we know it's not real, it really does make it slightly more realistic. Alex Pettyfer does a good job of playing the suave Fortis, and he's great at reacting to the other characters.
This film is short, meaning it doesn't go on too long, making it an overall enjoyable viewing experience. I gave this film 8 stars out of 10 on iMDB, and I would recommend it to any people who just want a not too intense, good storyline. Definitely not a sci-fi though.
The beginning is good, swiftly getting us into the story. The day to day routine that Will Salas goes through is used to show how different your life would be if time was a currency. The use of the time on their hands is quite a good way to induce tension because your heart stops when you think someone's time is going to run out, literally. It also gets you thinking about what you'd do with time if you had to spend and save it. Justin Timberlake is brilliant as Will, as he is able to show his poor background through his later richer character, and uses it to help others as well as himself.
Cillian Murphy does a fantastic job with his character, and the costume set for him really produces an impact. He has changed his voice to be calmer and more steady, which seems to really create an impact. Amanda Seyfried also does a good job, and doesn't take over the storyline by being whiny like many female lead roles. Her view on life in this film really allows us to like and connect with her.
The settings really are fantastic, and ye 'time zones' really show a contrast between the rich and poor living. The futuristic look really works with the storyline There are significant messages in this film which highlight how selfish some people are in the real world, and really shows the power of money and time.
The use of two 'villains' is really effective because it makes the story a lot more hectic, and although we know it's not real, it really does make it slightly more realistic. Alex Pettyfer does a good job of playing the suave Fortis, and he's great at reacting to the other characters.
This film is short, meaning it doesn't go on too long, making it an overall enjoyable viewing experience. I gave this film 8 stars out of 10 on iMDB, and I would recommend it to any people who just want a not too intense, good storyline. Definitely not a sci-fi though.
Monday, 8 April 2013
Review 7: Oz the Great and Powerful
Right! Oz the Great and Poweful is a film that I've been dying to see ever since I heard about it, being a fan of Wicked and The Wizard of Oz. Oh, and James Franco of course!
I must say, although the storyline was simple and easy to understand, for a Disney film, it was actually quite enthralling. Although it was set in 1905, the attitudes of Oz and his assistant (Zach Braff) were surprisingly modern. The way they spoke and presented themselves added a seemingly new age essence to the characters, and I couldn't tell if it was done on purpose or not. The setting really captured the audience at first sight, and the clever use of relating the audience members of Oz's show to later characters was quite effective.
James Franco did a spectacular job, conveying his character of the arrogant yet good hearted 'wizard' with the right intensity and flair. And the costume, oh my, the costume. I commend whoever was costume director, because by golly they were good. Everything fitted the characters perfectly and captured the heart of what the story was about, and yet again added a modern twist. I particularly liked Mila Kunis' burgundy hat and jacket, as it was feminine yet cool and collected at the same time. Kunis did a great job as Theodora and I definitely preferred her as being the good witch over the bad witch. Talking of good witches, I also have to mention Michelle Williams as Glinda, as I think she did an absolutely brilliant job. She was spot on with the kindness and was exactly how Glinda should be.
The only thing I have to say I got confused about was the name of the china world. On the sign it said 'Chinatown' and automatically you think of Chinese people, and only later did I get that it was referring to actual china as in the crockery. I think it would have been slightly better if it was named something else, but that was probably to do with the book rather than the writers.
Although there are many continuity errors according the book, this story was directed brilliantly and will capture the hearts of many children in the world. I gave it 8 stars out of 10 on iMDB and it was a great cinema experience.
I must say, although the storyline was simple and easy to understand, for a Disney film, it was actually quite enthralling. Although it was set in 1905, the attitudes of Oz and his assistant (Zach Braff) were surprisingly modern. The way they spoke and presented themselves added a seemingly new age essence to the characters, and I couldn't tell if it was done on purpose or not. The setting really captured the audience at first sight, and the clever use of relating the audience members of Oz's show to later characters was quite effective.
James Franco did a spectacular job, conveying his character of the arrogant yet good hearted 'wizard' with the right intensity and flair. And the costume, oh my, the costume. I commend whoever was costume director, because by golly they were good. Everything fitted the characters perfectly and captured the heart of what the story was about, and yet again added a modern twist. I particularly liked Mila Kunis' burgundy hat and jacket, as it was feminine yet cool and collected at the same time. Kunis did a great job as Theodora and I definitely preferred her as being the good witch over the bad witch. Talking of good witches, I also have to mention Michelle Williams as Glinda, as I think she did an absolutely brilliant job. She was spot on with the kindness and was exactly how Glinda should be.
The only thing I have to say I got confused about was the name of the china world. On the sign it said 'Chinatown' and automatically you think of Chinese people, and only later did I get that it was referring to actual china as in the crockery. I think it would have been slightly better if it was named something else, but that was probably to do with the book rather than the writers.
Although there are many continuity errors according the book, this story was directed brilliantly and will capture the hearts of many children in the world. I gave it 8 stars out of 10 on iMDB and it was a great cinema experience.
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