It was very good. Better than expected. Very strange choice of opening shots, unnecessary even. A random shot of dead bodies emerging to the surface of a lake, then suddenly cuts to a home video of a young girl on the beach.
Also cliche ending, ghosts walking into the light. But excellent story. A bit confusing at times but really gripping.
Tuesday, 18 January 2011
Valentine's Day (dir. Garry Marshall)
Throughout, I was imagining how the script was written. Which was slightly annoying but it is interesting knowing I have an idea about that sort of thing now.
The cast was impressive but I wouldn't say they all played their best roles. With two simultaneous twists, which I thought worked really well. It involved two characters getting to know each other throughout the film and getting closer towards the end, then suddenly they spin off in two separate directions into scenarios which were built up in different storylines alongside their one.- Very unexpected but I did work it out beforehand (go me). Much like Love Actually and He's Just Not That Into You - in regards to the romance and the multiple storylines with various minor links and interactions. The entire film represented the one day, an interesting structure.
I thought Ashton Kutcher was very good in it and the children were ridiculously cute. Apart from that and the older couple, the acting was fairly mediocre.
It wasn't necessarily a great film but it was ok.
The cast was impressive but I wouldn't say they all played their best roles. With two simultaneous twists, which I thought worked really well. It involved two characters getting to know each other throughout the film and getting closer towards the end, then suddenly they spin off in two separate directions into scenarios which were built up in different storylines alongside their one.- Very unexpected but I did work it out beforehand (go me). Much like Love Actually and He's Just Not That Into You - in regards to the romance and the multiple storylines with various minor links and interactions. The entire film represented the one day, an interesting structure.
I thought Ashton Kutcher was very good in it and the children were ridiculously cute. Apart from that and the older couple, the acting was fairly mediocre.
It wasn't necessarily a great film but it was ok.
Alice In Wonderland (Dir. Tim Burton)
The best thing about it was Johnny Depp and the March Hare. Without their characters and the way they were performed/created, it wouldn't have been especially worth watching. The beginning was nonsense. The introduction of Alice in a severe English society was boring and rigid and Mia Wasikowska's (Alice) performance seemed rubbish in the beginning but improved as the film progressed.
As Alice entered wonderland, familiar characters were poorly and rapidly introduced and then inexplicably snatched away. It was a strange and uninteresting part of the story, it set up a bad start to the film. The CGI effects were equally as poor. Very rigid and unrealistic. It seemed like they had paid more attention to certain characters and quickly knocked out background characters and setting. (Flowers with faces- a familiar character, appears once with poor animation). Unlike other Tim Burton films, there didn't seem to be much depth to the world. We saw Alice walking through the wilderness of Wonderland with wildlife sound effects but no wildlife! There was only a suggestion of the creatures that resided here when she first arrived and saw a 'horse'fly and a 'dragon'fly. Apart from that, there was no wildlife. The world seemed exclusively inhabited by the main characters and those they interacted with. Some of the animated characters were brilliant but when CGI was used on the actors, the effect just didn't sit right.
I have never been a fan of 3d films. I find that any movement is blurred considerably more when in 3d. When I saw Avatar, it was so perfect that I became unaware that I was watching a 3d film. Alice in Wonderland was nothing like that in 3d. At one point I found myself going cross-eyed when I tried to focus on what they had plunged into the audience. Probably best seen in 2d, my attention might have then been better drawn to the artistic elements of the film rather than having to concentrate on focusing my eyes on what was happening.
This could have been amazing. While Avatar pulled us into an entirely new world, Alice in Wonderland was a page in a book- flat. Definitely not the best of Tim Burton. His adaptation of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was much more accomplished and I think Alice in Wonderland was let down.
As Alice entered wonderland, familiar characters were poorly and rapidly introduced and then inexplicably snatched away. It was a strange and uninteresting part of the story, it set up a bad start to the film. The CGI effects were equally as poor. Very rigid and unrealistic. It seemed like they had paid more attention to certain characters and quickly knocked out background characters and setting. (Flowers with faces- a familiar character, appears once with poor animation). Unlike other Tim Burton films, there didn't seem to be much depth to the world. We saw Alice walking through the wilderness of Wonderland with wildlife sound effects but no wildlife! There was only a suggestion of the creatures that resided here when she first arrived and saw a 'horse'fly and a 'dragon'fly. Apart from that, there was no wildlife. The world seemed exclusively inhabited by the main characters and those they interacted with. Some of the animated characters were brilliant but when CGI was used on the actors, the effect just didn't sit right.
I have never been a fan of 3d films. I find that any movement is blurred considerably more when in 3d. When I saw Avatar, it was so perfect that I became unaware that I was watching a 3d film. Alice in Wonderland was nothing like that in 3d. At one point I found myself going cross-eyed when I tried to focus on what they had plunged into the audience. Probably best seen in 2d, my attention might have then been better drawn to the artistic elements of the film rather than having to concentrate on focusing my eyes on what was happening.
This could have been amazing. While Avatar pulled us into an entirely new world, Alice in Wonderland was a page in a book- flat. Definitely not the best of Tim Burton. His adaptation of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was much more accomplished and I think Alice in Wonderland was let down.
Shutter Island (Dir. Martin Scorsese)
If you intend to go and see this film and don't want to know anything about it then don't read on! Spoiler alert, as they say..
Shutter Island was a complex plot of double meanings. We follow a pair of US Marshals supposedly investigating the disappearance of the patient "Rachel Saldano". As the plot thickens, Dicaprio's character reveals ulterior motives for his being on Shutter Island. Throughout the film DiCaprio is haunted by images of his traumatic Nazi killing past, and the death of his wife. Through strange occurrences and meetings, we are unknowingly fed clues towards the climax near the end of the film.
During the first scene it seemed this wouldn't be a great film. The dialogue was poor and basic, there was very inappropriate and edgy music, and Leonardo DiCaprio's tie was being wind swept in the opposite direction of the expected wind from a moving boat. The strange and annoying music continued for about 10 minutes until they stepped through the gates of the mental asylum on Shutter Island, accompanied by very wary and heavily armed guards. It's hard to believe Scorsese would have made the opening sequence that bad and the twist revealed at the end sheds light onto the reason behind it.
Most of the characters were very interesting and well perceived. There was a strange encounter between DiCaprio and a German psychiatrist which was a bit confusing, it felt like they were sharing an inside joke which we weren't filled in on. DiCaprio portrayed his character very well and very believably. Every one of the actors apart from DiCaprio were hiding something from us and the protagonist which came across very well. We are successfully lead into DiCaprio's world and his perception of all the deceptive people around him even though everything that is real to him, is complete fantasy. This false narration is much like in Memento and creates a very interesting twist at the end. The film was particularly like Memento in the fact that the whole film was a fantasy created by the protagonist to deal with an issue or trauma.
Jackie Earle Haley played his character George Noyce fantastically, I am a huge fan of his acting though and think he is brilliant.
The camera work was interesting but seemingly showed poor continuity, however I think that watching it back would reveal that the continuity issues were purposeful. There was one shot where the camera craned from a mid shot of an orderly along the floor to DiCaprio, which was very strange and disorientating. I am not sure that it was either good nor bad.. just strange.
It's hard to comment on the film after seeing the end because the twist changes every perception of what you have already seen. For instance the first sequence, the dialogue was so strained and unnatural, but when it is put into the context of the protagonist's fantasy it seems right. Also the heavily armed guards and awkward, lying patients and doctors in the asylum all make sense. I am sure that upon watching it again many clues would reveal themselves and many things will make much more sense. I look forward to watching it again and picking it apart!
Shutter Island was a complex plot of double meanings. We follow a pair of US Marshals supposedly investigating the disappearance of the patient "Rachel Saldano". As the plot thickens, Dicaprio's character reveals ulterior motives for his being on Shutter Island. Throughout the film DiCaprio is haunted by images of his traumatic Nazi killing past, and the death of his wife. Through strange occurrences and meetings, we are unknowingly fed clues towards the climax near the end of the film.
During the first scene it seemed this wouldn't be a great film. The dialogue was poor and basic, there was very inappropriate and edgy music, and Leonardo DiCaprio's tie was being wind swept in the opposite direction of the expected wind from a moving boat. The strange and annoying music continued for about 10 minutes until they stepped through the gates of the mental asylum on Shutter Island, accompanied by very wary and heavily armed guards. It's hard to believe Scorsese would have made the opening sequence that bad and the twist revealed at the end sheds light onto the reason behind it.
Most of the characters were very interesting and well perceived. There was a strange encounter between DiCaprio and a German psychiatrist which was a bit confusing, it felt like they were sharing an inside joke which we weren't filled in on. DiCaprio portrayed his character very well and very believably. Every one of the actors apart from DiCaprio were hiding something from us and the protagonist which came across very well. We are successfully lead into DiCaprio's world and his perception of all the deceptive people around him even though everything that is real to him, is complete fantasy. This false narration is much like in Memento and creates a very interesting twist at the end. The film was particularly like Memento in the fact that the whole film was a fantasy created by the protagonist to deal with an issue or trauma.
Jackie Earle Haley played his character George Noyce fantastically, I am a huge fan of his acting though and think he is brilliant.
The camera work was interesting but seemingly showed poor continuity, however I think that watching it back would reveal that the continuity issues were purposeful. There was one shot where the camera craned from a mid shot of an orderly along the floor to DiCaprio, which was very strange and disorientating. I am not sure that it was either good nor bad.. just strange.
It's hard to comment on the film after seeing the end because the twist changes every perception of what you have already seen. For instance the first sequence, the dialogue was so strained and unnatural, but when it is put into the context of the protagonist's fantasy it seems right. Also the heavily armed guards and awkward, lying patients and doctors in the asylum all make sense. I am sure that upon watching it again many clues would reveal themselves and many things will make much more sense. I look forward to watching it again and picking it apart!
The Hurt Locker (Dir. Kathryn Bigalow)
Obviously I had to watch it as it won 6 Oscars AND 6 Bafta's.
Best Achievement in Directing
Best Achievement in Editing
Best Achievement in Sound
Best Achievement in Sound Editing
Best Motion Picture of the Year
Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen
I knew it was meant to be good but come on! So I watched it. And yeah it's good. Something I don't get with these awards though is the sound judged. I do understand how difficult and time consuming sound is but I don't understand how it is judged.
Definitely want to watch it again, I don't feel like I was paying enough attention to it. But it was very good. I really respect Kathryn Bigalow for pushing and pushing the fact that she made this film to represent the people that these films aren't always made about. It really shows how dangerous their jobs are and how difficult and detached the men are from their homes. The end shot was very powerful, Renner walking off in his suit to disarm a bomb while the audience is told he has a year in Iraq before he sees his wife and child again.
I felt that the film covered almost every aspect of these bombings, car bombs, suicide bombs, remote bombs, body bombs and more bang boom bombing. It also showed us the trust and security the men have in each other and how bonded they are from their experiences. I just don't understand what distinguishes a film from the rest. Because I know that Up in the Air, Blindside, Avatar, District 9 and Up were also very good, also all nominated as best picture at the Oscars. The only obvious thing I can think of is the kind of groundbreaking subject matter. The issues that were touched upon and the way they were tackled. It was certainly something I had never seen before and I am really interested in the unknown of war because I don't trust the papers.
Really wish I had caught it at the cinema. I will be sure to catch Green Zone before that disappears off the big screen. I think Hurt Locker is just one of those films that is truly given justice at the cinema.
LOVE the theme tune... It was played over and over and over again at the Oscars. The Way I am. Brilliant.
Best Achievement in Directing
Best Achievement in Editing
Best Achievement in Sound
Best Achievement in Sound Editing
Best Motion Picture of the Year
Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen
I knew it was meant to be good but come on! So I watched it. And yeah it's good. Something I don't get with these awards though is the sound judged. I do understand how difficult and time consuming sound is but I don't understand how it is judged.
Definitely want to watch it again, I don't feel like I was paying enough attention to it. But it was very good. I really respect Kathryn Bigalow for pushing and pushing the fact that she made this film to represent the people that these films aren't always made about. It really shows how dangerous their jobs are and how difficult and detached the men are from their homes. The end shot was very powerful, Renner walking off in his suit to disarm a bomb while the audience is told he has a year in Iraq before he sees his wife and child again.
I felt that the film covered almost every aspect of these bombings, car bombs, suicide bombs, remote bombs, body bombs and more bang boom bombing. It also showed us the trust and security the men have in each other and how bonded they are from their experiences. I just don't understand what distinguishes a film from the rest. Because I know that Up in the Air, Blindside, Avatar, District 9 and Up were also very good, also all nominated as best picture at the Oscars. The only obvious thing I can think of is the kind of groundbreaking subject matter. The issues that were touched upon and the way they were tackled. It was certainly something I had never seen before and I am really interested in the unknown of war because I don't trust the papers.
Really wish I had caught it at the cinema. I will be sure to catch Green Zone before that disappears off the big screen. I think Hurt Locker is just one of those films that is truly given justice at the cinema.
LOVE the theme tune... It was played over and over and over again at the Oscars. The Way I am. Brilliant.
Green Zone (Dir. Paul Greengrass)
Green Zone was a very different kind of war film to Hurt Locker. Hurt Locker had much more attention to character and we weren't so much thrown into the action of war but into the suspense and unsuspected dangers. Green Zone still brought about great characters, particularly with the Iraqi characters, but was more focused on the action and the potential corruption of war.
It was an excellent film with a lot of suspense. The atmosphere of this country and the turmoil of war was intensely recreated with camera work. Rather than the smoothly polished voyeuristic feel of Hurt Locker, Green Zone was gritty, shaky and you could almost choke on the dust. I felt that both films were excellent and were delivered in the ways that they needed to be considering the subject matter. Green Zone required the haste and terror of gun battle and so threw us into it with sharply cut editing and gritty filming. Hurt Locker required a more subtle touch. We were put on the edge of the action, on the edge of our seats with smooth editing and crisp detail which enabled us to feel the suspense of everyone in the bomb disposal unit.
Both films were great responses to the current war. I don't think they can be judged in comparison to films about previous wars however. Though I don't feel like I have seen enough of them to be a great judge in that respect.
It was an excellent film with a lot of suspense. The atmosphere of this country and the turmoil of war was intensely recreated with camera work. Rather than the smoothly polished voyeuristic feel of Hurt Locker, Green Zone was gritty, shaky and you could almost choke on the dust. I felt that both films were excellent and were delivered in the ways that they needed to be considering the subject matter. Green Zone required the haste and terror of gun battle and so threw us into it with sharply cut editing and gritty filming. Hurt Locker required a more subtle touch. We were put on the edge of the action, on the edge of our seats with smooth editing and crisp detail which enabled us to feel the suspense of everyone in the bomb disposal unit.
Both films were great responses to the current war. I don't think they can be judged in comparison to films about previous wars however. Though I don't feel like I have seen enough of them to be a great judge in that respect.
What's Eating Gilbert Grape (dir. Lasse Hallstroem)
What a film! It's so sad and touching and heartwarming. 20 year old DiCaprio was excellent. Some great characters. Great humour.
You should watch it.
You should watch it.
Surrogates (Dir. Jonathan Mostow)
I found the subject matter of surrogates really intriguing. Living your life through a robotic body. A creepy thought. And the film brought up the issue of people pretending be people that they aren't, similar to the virtual life world in Gamer, except this was entire film just about that.
It really summed up how materialistic the world has become. An invention intended to help disabled or paralysed people ended up the subject of world wide addiction. Extremely intriguing.
The trailer successfully muddled the film enough to not give much away about the true story and consequences. I also found the film to be better than I thought it would be. Always a nice surprise.
On a rainy day, you just can't beat a good Bruce Willis film!
It really summed up how materialistic the world has become. An invention intended to help disabled or paralysed people ended up the subject of world wide addiction. Extremely intriguing.
The trailer successfully muddled the film enough to not give much away about the true story and consequences. I also found the film to be better than I thought it would be. Always a nice surprise.
On a rainy day, you just can't beat a good Bruce Willis film!
How To Train Your Dragon (dir. Dean Deblois/ Chris Sanders)
Dreamworks have done it! Their best film yet!
I was on the edge of my seat for most of the film and truly gripped to the story. Also- DRAGONS! Awesome.
There are some really lovely shots, one in particular when the dragon flies so high, it switches from daylight to night time. Beautiful.
I saw it in 2D so as not the ruin the experience. So good. A must-see 5 star production from Dreamworks.
The story is touching and makes you love every character. I have since seen this a number of times and it is in my top five favourite animated films. Up there with Horton Hears a Who.
I was on the edge of my seat for most of the film and truly gripped to the story. Also- DRAGONS! Awesome.
There are some really lovely shots, one in particular when the dragon flies so high, it switches from daylight to night time. Beautiful.
I saw it in 2D so as not the ruin the experience. So good. A must-see 5 star production from Dreamworks.
The story is touching and makes you love every character. I have since seen this a number of times and it is in my top five favourite animated films. Up there with Horton Hears a Who.
The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo (Dir. Niels Arden Oplev)
Upon sadly finishing the Millenium trilogy (despite trying to drag out the last chapter as much as possible) I had to have more, so I sought out the swedish film of the first book. It was much like the book but with massive gaps. The thing about these books, is the main character has to be casted correctly. Listbeth Salander is the core of the book. There is leeway on the other characters but she has to be right. The actress cast in the swedish film fitted facially but her body was that of a butch man. And she is meant to look like a 12 year old and be very small. So on that note I wasn't happy. Stylistically, I quite liked the film but it disregarded very important parts of the books. I think my judgment is slightly clouded by the love of the books, I was just happy to prolong exposure to the world of Listbeth Salandar.
I watched the dubbed version and then watched bits back in swedish. What a fantastic language. I knew it was weird but it's just amazing. I could listen to it all day!
I watched the dubbed version and then watched bits back in swedish. What a fantastic language. I knew it was weird but it's just amazing. I could listen to it all day!
Get Him To The Greek (Dir. Nicholas Stoller)
This film lived up to expectations. It was hilarious. Sometimes the humour was disgusting but it still made me laugh. Incredibly random but Jonah Hill was brilliant. I would like to see it again. I would say the humour was... young, so it's hard to say whether it would appeal to a vast audience. I have heard that people have complained about explicit-ness. But what do you expect in a film starring Russell Brand?
Since I wrote the above I have seen this film again.
It really is so funny. The actors comedic timing is just brilliant. P Diddy is hilarious. Russell Brand lovable and annoying. Jonah Hill is also lovable and annoying but the opposite of Russell Brand. Together their characters are perfect and the comedy is really brilliant.
This film is as random as the Might Boosh but funnier.
Since I wrote the above I have seen this film again.
It really is so funny. The actors comedic timing is just brilliant. P Diddy is hilarious. Russell Brand lovable and annoying. Jonah Hill is also lovable and annoying but the opposite of Russell Brand. Together their characters are perfect and the comedy is really brilliant.
This film is as random as the Might Boosh but funnier.
Good Will Hunting (Dir. Gus Van Sant)
Hell of a lot of Extreme Close-ups. I swear, every other shot. It was quite interesting. I have always been told it's good and I did really enjoy but I really noticed how it was shot as it seemed quite different to what I usually see.
Inception (Dir. Christopher Nolan)
Inception was pure blockbuster. It was 2 hours of suspense. The layered story lines were fantastic and not at all confusing and the end just made the film. I found the beginning a bit overwhelmingly "blockbuster" at first but it came together. I think that the end at the beginning wasn't entirely necessary there but wow. Other than that my breath was caught in suspence for 90% of the film and as I looked about the cinema people were on the edge of their seats.
Dramatically epic, punctured with sharp humour and a fantastic score which will inevitably stick with people after seeing the film.
I am currently listening to the soundtrack by Hans Zimmer, waiting for the theme BARRRR BARRRR BARRRR.
Would love to read the script for Inception, and am curious as to whether that was the first write for the end or a final decision.
Inception did not disappoint and it's been a while since such a film has been released.
Dramatically epic, punctured with sharp humour and a fantastic score which will inevitably stick with people after seeing the film.
I am currently listening to the soundtrack by Hans Zimmer, waiting for the theme BARRRR BARRRR BARRRR.
Would love to read the script for Inception, and am curious as to whether that was the first write for the end or a final decision.
Inception did not disappoint and it's been a while since such a film has been released.
The Lovely Bones (Dir. Peter Jackson)
The Lovely bones is a beautiful film. The shots and scenes and dynamics are just so artistic and captivating. The film was very good too but annoyingly slow in places, which had me going "come one! Get on with it". However, I was truly captivated by the beauty of the whole thing. The gloomy and heartbreaking atmosphere of the 70's homes of the victim and the murderer were captured in a dynamic way, the lighting really pulled some shots together and made them really fantastic. Then there was the "inbetween" where the dead victim found herself. I haven't read the book so I can't say if it's close to that but it was so stunning and the way in which the living world was integrated into the Inbetween world was really imaginative and interesting.
Over all a great film to watch and I would definately watch it again (though fast-forward through the slow bits).
Over all a great film to watch and I would definately watch it again (though fast-forward through the slow bits).
I Heart Huckabees (Dir. David O. Russell)
"You can't deal with my infinite nature"
"That is so not true. Wait, what does that even mean?"
I Heart Huckabees.
Is: Bizarre, absolutely bizarre, hilarious, quirky, unique, interesting, thought provoking, weird, confusing.
I watched this film in two parts. I chucked it on before going out for half an hour and sat there like this:
I paused it and left it thinking, whaaaaat. But a few days later, today, I went back to it and oh. my. god. This film. I HIGHly recommend it. It's written and directed by David O. Russell who is also rumoured to be directing "Pride, Prejudice and Zombies".
Seriously one to watch.
Anyways, what I heart Huckabees. =]
Heres a trailer: http://www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi4186964249/
"That is so not true. Wait, what does that even mean?"
I Heart Huckabees.
Is: Bizarre, absolutely bizarre, hilarious, quirky, unique, interesting, thought provoking, weird, confusing.
I watched this film in two parts. I chucked it on before going out for half an hour and sat there like this:
I paused it and left it thinking, whaaaaat. But a few days later, today, I went back to it and oh. my. god. This film. I HIGHly recommend it. It's written and directed by David O. Russell who is also rumoured to be directing "Pride, Prejudice and Zombies".
Seriously one to watch.
Anyways, what I heart Huckabees. =]
Heres a trailer: http://www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi4186964249/
Monsters (Dir. Gareth Edwards)
Monsters is a really great film. The trailer enticed me but I could never have expected it to be like it was. The film was so subtle and the aliens were brilliant yet not in your face and it wasn't about the aliens. It was character driven and beautiful.
I highly recommend this film. I wanted to watch it again as soon as it ended.
Ciao!
I highly recommend this film. I wanted to watch it again as soon as it ended.
Ciao!
Scott Pilgrim Vs The World (Dir. Edgar Wright)
Wow.
I thought that the comic book style of the film would really annoy me but I was in awe. It's brilliant and something that I have never seen before. The story was funny and fantastically random with quirky characters. Michael Cera was very funny and so was his room-mate "Wallace".
I can not describe the brilliance of the shots and sequences. They were paced just like a comic book with dramatic extreme close ups, quick jumps from shot to shot, sharp crops and cuts. It wasn't just amazing in the way it was shot but also the way it was edited.
I think the majority of it's success is down to the editing. The graphics were so good and really made the film what it is. It's just completely unique and defintately worth seeing. Can't wait to see it again and read the graphic novels!
I thought that the comic book style of the film would really annoy me but I was in awe. It's brilliant and something that I have never seen before. The story was funny and fantastically random with quirky characters. Michael Cera was very funny and so was his room-mate "Wallace".
I can not describe the brilliance of the shots and sequences. They were paced just like a comic book with dramatic extreme close ups, quick jumps from shot to shot, sharp crops and cuts. It wasn't just amazing in the way it was shot but also the way it was edited.
I think the majority of it's success is down to the editing. The graphics were so good and really made the film what it is. It's just completely unique and defintately worth seeing. Can't wait to see it again and read the graphic novels!
The Runaways (dir. Floria Sigismondi)
I have been waiting for this film. Starring Kristen Stewart as Joan Jett and Dakota Fanning as Cherie Currie I was intrigued to see them both in unusual roles. I thought Kristen made an excellent Joan Jett. She has attitude. Dakota shined in some aspects but she looks the same has she always has so it's hard not to see her as a child. Their roles were so a-typical of them as actresses so it really made interesting viewing and it was good to see how flexible their acting skills are.
The film itself was enjoyable. A fairly basic telling of the story but enjoyable to watch.
The film itself was enjoyable. A fairly basic telling of the story but enjoyable to watch.
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