Thursday 25 February 2010

Valentine's Day

This is a lovely film- funny, sentimental and full of A-listers. A great film to see with the girls or your boyfriend. Obviously Valentine’s Day has been and gone but that doesn’t mean the film is out of date. It will be good to watch all year round.

The film looks at relationships and the complications of love in several different scenarios throughout Los Angeles. All the stories link up in some way or another and it is clever how it all ties together. There are many different plot lines within the film but it isn’t difficult to keep up.

The most prominent characters are Reed (Ashton Kutcher) and Julia (Jennifer Garner), who are best friends. Reed has just asked Morley (Jessica Alba) to marry him but she is unsure. Julia thinks she has found the perfect man in Harrison (Patrick Dempsey) until Reed uncovers who he truly is. Julia’s friend, publicist Kara (Jessica Biel) hates Valentine’s Day because she is single but all this changes when she meets sports reporter Kelvin (Jamie Foxx).

That is the most prominent inter-linked plot but there are a few separate plots which are just as worthy of screen time. For example, Holden (Bradley Cooper) strikes up a friendship with Army Captain Kate (Julia Roberts) on a flight into LA. Not much comes of this part but it provides a break from the other plots. I really like it though because it shows how friendly strangers can still be and not everyone has an agenda. Kate’s ending is really sentimental and I wouldn’t be surprised if people shed a few tears.

None of the scenarios would be really good if they took up the whole film, but combining together with other stories makes them great. I personally found the singer Taylor Swift’s character incredibly annoying. She was trying too hard to be funny and she can’t really act. I was laughing at her rather than with her. Besides that, I love every plot and my favourite character was Edison (Bryce Robinson), an elementary school boy who is in love with his teacher. He is adorable and takes matters into his own hands when Reed loses his flowers.

The main draw of the film is the cast because there are just so many people involved- you recognise someone in every scene I am sure (unless you aren’t into films!). You may also spot Anne Hathaway, Topher Grace, Queen Latifah, Taylor Lautner among others. Besides that, the script is funny and feel-good. It will make you smile at the very least but I personally think at times you will be laughing out loud. There are couple of times when it gets a bit too sweet and soppy but it isn’t too full-on and the comedy usually picks up the mood again pretty swiftly. All in all, I think every girl should see this film if they haven’t already.

Tuesday 2 February 2010

Daybreakers (15)

This is not your standard vampire film. If you expect it to be glossy, jumpy and a human-kill-vampire or human-fancies-vampire affair, then you will be very much mistaken. This is dark, different and quite disgusting in places.

In Daybreakers, vampires are the superior race and humans are merely used as a food resource. They have taken over the universe and despite their military’s hunting efforts; their food supply is running low. This is where vampire Edward (Ethan Hawke) comes in. He is a haematologist for a giant corporation and has been experimenting on vampires to try and find a substitute for blood. The vampires are turning on each other in a fight for food, which also causes mutations. Unlike the majority, Edward hates being a vampire and never drinks human blood and with the help of humans, he manages to find a cure- a way to turn back human. However, the corporation to do not want a cure because they want to remain the dominant, strong race. And so Edward chooses to team up with humans to fit against the vampires, to bring down the corporation and prevent innocent humans being hunted.

This film is very bleak because it makes you imagine a world where monsters rule. The mood is mainly grey, the main character is rather sombre but luckily, the film gets a breath of fresh air when we meet the humans, Audrey and Elvis, who still have an optimistic take on life. It is not a film you go to enjoy but it is very interesting to watch because it is more original than most vampire films. One minor detail I had an issue with was the fact this vampire was called Edward, which kept reminding me of Edward Cullen from Twilight. They should have picked a different name but I suppose they didn’t think Twilighters would be watching this.

I wouldn’t exactly call this a horror- it is more of a supernatural drama with some gory scenes in places. It is not very jumpy and it does not have the atmosphere of a horror because the majority of the vampires act like human beings living their daily lives so they don’t seem scary. The vampires kill the humans like it is a chore because it is necessary for them to survive. The gory parts are rather disgusting, so be warned. The gore is a bit over the top especially for a film where you wouldn’t expect it to be that bad. You see limbs getting pulled off, vampires chewing their own flesh and the list goes on. Some of these scenes are not very realistic either.

I would say this film is unexpectedly pretty good. From the beginning, you think it will be quite depressing, bleak and dreary because it takes a while for it to get going, but if you stick it out until the end, I’m sure you will be satisfied with it. You probably won’t enjoy it, but it will be something to think about.

Sunday 3 January 2010

Where the Wild Things Are

This film is based on the children’s book but I would not say that it is aimed at children- more for grown-up people who read the book when they were younger. It can be quiet dark at points and the wild things are not the sweet, cute characters you expect from a typical childrens’ film- they are mean, negative and a bit strange.

The main character, Max is a rebellious, lonely child with very bad mood swings. His sister, Claire does not like him and his mother (Catherine Keener) is always busy with her new boyfriend so Max is reduced to making imaginary friends and playing games alone. One evening Max has a terrible mood swing and keeps arguing with his mum. Things get heated and she hits him on impulse. Horrified, Max runs away from home, sails across to an island where he finds some wild creatures. The wild things do not like him at first but after convincing them that he is a king and has special powers, they let him stay because they think he will bring happiness to their community. Max becomes friends with them, learning their different personalities and helping them make a new home. After a few days, things start going wrong and they point the finger at Max. He learns that his home is not as bad as he thought and every family has their problems.

Each wild thing reflects an element of Max. It is really clever because you don’t think about it straight away. Carol (James Gandolfini) has the worst mood swings and when he gets angry, he yells and ends up destroying things, just like Max. Alexander (Paul Dano) feels alone and that nobody ever listens to him. KW can be very caring person and is fed up of people fighting. All these personalities make Max realise how he can be and you feel positive that he is going to change and be a nicer person at the end. Although this film is focussed on the wild things, it is actually more about Max’s self-discovery which they help him do.

The effects and voices for the wild things are amazing. You actually feel like they are real creatures, not just animated beings. There are times when they are sad and I actually felt sorry for them. I got more emotional over the creatures emotions rather than Maxs. I found Max a bit annoying at times because he yelled a lot and I couldn’t always understand what he was saying. I guess that is part of his crazy, destructive character and at least you can understand why his mother finds him a handful.

Nothing really happens in this film; it is basically just about the developing relationship between the wild things and Max. The film follows his time on their island and learning about the personalities and how a certain mood can affect a group. If you think this is an uplifting childrens’ film, you are wrong. The ending is sad, the message is deep and the mood is dark. This is not a must-see but it is a sweet little film all the same.

Thursday 10 December 2009

Me and Orson Welles (PG)

I will admit from the very beginning that I went to see this purely because I love Zac Efron. I will also admit that I thought this film was going to be some rubbish biography of some dude that I had heard of but didn’t really know much about. When I walked into the cinema auditorium, the only other people there were elderly people and I immediately thought I would find it boring. But, I was wrong.

I will safely say that Efron was cast so the film would appeal to a younger audience and also Claire Danes, most famous from Romeo + Juliet and Stardust. Efron plays Richard, a student who aspires to be an actor. One day, he stumbles across the opening of The Mercury Theatre and while everyone is outside he meets Orson Welles, who offers him a part in his production of ‘Caesar’ by Shakespeare. Naturally, Richard says yes and dives into the adult world of theatre acting. Along the way, we find out that Orson is having an affair despite the fact his wife is pregnant; he likes to always be in control and will ruin a person’s reputation for disagreeing with him. Basically, what Orson says goes. After his romance with Sonja (Danes) goes awry, Efron realises that theatre was not all it’s cracked up to be and that he does not admire Welles after all.

The plot does seem quite thin but that really all there is to do it. But, that isn’t a bad thing. The idea of the film is to focus on a period in Orson’s life -The Mercury Theatre. In fact, the actor who plays Orson, Christian McKay, is absolutely brilliant. I did not know much about the man himself before watching the film and even after research, I am still unsure if Orson Welles is the arrogant, selfish man that he is portrayed to be in the film. At least I know that the facts are correct. Most of the actors in the production of Caesar are truthful to the real ones in Welles’ time. The name of his wife and lover remain the same, as does the outcome of the show. I would say that the film sticks pretty close to the facts with maybe a bit of embellishment concerning his personality.

Although Zac Efron is usually the star, McKay definitely steals the show as the boisterous, outlandish Welles. You would probably say that Zac is only there because he can sing, dance and is good-looking. Whether that is true or not, I’m glad he was cast in this because it shows he can act in a drama rather than his standard musicals aimed at the younger audience.

Me and Orson Welles is an interesting piece. It is set in 1930’s New York and the street scenes and state of the theatre look authentic. You can learn a lot about Orson just by watching this and discover what sort of man he was. It actually inspired me to research more about him after feeling bad because I didn’t know who he was. I would say this is not a fun film or something you would see on a date but it is lovely all the same. It is nice to have a film which does not use special effects or elaborate settings and just focus on the story or subject. It is not a bad film whatsoever, I just think you have to be interested in Orson Welles or Zac Efron in order to want to watch it because it does not have a broad appeal.

Friday 4 December 2009

2012

This is a film only CGI lovers will want to see because that is all the film really offers. In that department, it is fantastic. Think of the effects in ‘The Day After Tomorrow’ and multiply it, because it is so much better. 2012 follows in the same vein as it is also a disaster, apocalyptic type film. No wonder, considering they are both directed by Roland Emmerich, who is also famous for Godzilla and Independence Day.

According to the Mayan calendar, the world will end in 2012 but nobody ever listened. However, scientists discover that fatal changes are occurring within the Earth’s make-up and they inform the Government. These changes will cause sea levels to rise, land to crack and volcanoes to erupt, called earth crust displacement causing the end of the world. The Governments plan is to build ‘Arks’ in China so that people and animals can go onboard to start a new life when the crust has stopped moving. To do this, they do not inform civilians about what is happening and just let the wealthiest people pay their way onto the ships. They are ultimately letting innocent people die and this is where the film has a good message. Scientist, Adrian Helmsley (Chiwetel Ejiofor) is trying to convince the politicians that everyone should have a chance to be let onboard or at least be warned of the forthcoming apocalypse.

While this is occurring, Jackson Curtis (John Cusack) is trying to save his children, his ex-wife (Amanda Peet) and her husband after their home in California falls through the cracks in the earth. They race against time to get to China so they have a chance to get on the Arks too, despite not having any financial bargaining power. Their storyline is the same old sentimental fare that you see in most films like this- a family puts aside its differences in order to save each other. The children realise their dad isn’t the bad father they thought he was, that type of thing.

The science behind the plot makes it sound believable. The Mayan mythology part is actually true, but obviously the science bit is fictional (we hope!) and most of it went straight over my head so I just assume it all makes sense. The script is not the best I’ve ever heard but this film is about special effects and it really delivers with those. The destruction of highways, buildings and landmarks are impeccable and I cannot fault them. Look out for the destruction of St Pauls Cathedral in the Vatican, Rome, it is amazing.

It is an enjoyable film but I found that it went on for far too long, coming in at 158 minutes. There are some funny moments, especially with Woody Harrelson who plays some lunatic who has all the inside gossip on what’s going on. There are also some thrilling moments but these are combined with some scenes where I feel the talking has gone on for too long and it’s unnecessary. The ending situation for the Curtis bunch is predictable and pretty soppy but it still makes you smile. It does have a happy ending which is a relief after over two hours of doom and gloom. Go see, even if just for the special effects.

Tuesday 1 December 2009

Paranormal Activity (15)

This is a film which people will either love or hate. Those who love clean, polished Hollywood horrors will not like this because it is rough, low-budget and with no extravagant special effects.

This is another “found footage” film, like Quarantine (2007) and The Blair Witch Project (1999). It was allegedly shot on a budget of $15, 000 and since it finally got an international release; it has so far made around $107 million, making it the most profitable independent in history. The actors are unknowns, it was filmed in the director’s house in a week and was shot by the character Micah in a documentary style.

The story is based around a couple, Micah and Katie who buy a camera to find out what ghostly phenomena is haunting their house. Katie has been experiencing paranormal activity from an entity periodically since she was young and it has followed her from home to home. The hauntings have begun again, for the first time since she has moved into a house with Micah. A psychic tells them it is a demon in her house and it wants something from Katie. She wants to put an end to it and Micah believes the camera will help because it can capture the goings on. What we see is the “unedited” footage that was found some time after the three weeks the hauntings took place.

The hauntings are slow-burning and full of suspense. There is not a load of blood and gore or major sound and visual effects but it is still very effective. They generally happen at night and the atmosphere becomes very tense when they go to bed. It begins with small things, like the door moving or a thump on the stairs and proceeds to get scarier around Night 17/ 18. Each night, the suspense is built up and when it hits its peak, it is very very scary. I did not see the ending coming and it is very shocking and it really freaked me out. There is no better way to describe it. I’m still reeling from it now.

The fact that it was made by handheld camera makes it so much more real and makes you think if it could actually happen. It captures moments that you feel like you shouldn’t see, like Katie brushing her teeth or crying and you really do believe that these actors are a couple and that these hauntings are actually happening to them. You see what their daily life is like, what their hobbies are, how they interact and the dynamics of their relationship. You feel so much more involved in this film because it isn’t polished and because the actors aren’t sticking to a script. It builds up the tension so well, you know that soon the hauntings are going to get worse and soon as the film turned to nightfall, I started getting scared. It plays on peoples’ fears that you don’t know what happens when you are sleeping and that you think you are safe in your home and your bed, but you’re not. I think this is what makes the film more effective than Blair Witch- it is closer to home, literally. It is a definite must-see, but prepare to be scared.

Thursday 26 November 2009

The Twilight Saga: New Moon (12A)

Considering the hype surrounding the first film, Twilight, it was given that this film was going to be a success. This sequel had a lot to live up to and I think it delivered. Being quite the Twilight fan myself, I was just as excited as most other teenage girls and I didn’t leave disappointed

The film begins pretty much where the first one left off. It’s Bella’s birthday, which means she’s considered older than Edward (Robert Pattinson) by other humans and it makes her aware of how she is going to age whereas he won’t. During the unwrapping of her presents at the Cullen house, Bella (Kristen Stewart) gets a paper cut and starts bleeding, which inevitably causes chaos. This incident makes Edward realise how much danger he is putting Bella in by having her around vampires all the time, particularly as Victoria is still hell bent on revenge after he killed her soul-mate, James.

Edward decides the best course of action is to leave Bella in Forks for her own safety and leaves her alone distraught. Months pass and Bella becomes more and more depressed, causing her father to suggest going back to live with her mother in Jacksonville, Florida. This makes her try to become more interactive with her friends, especially Jacob Black (Taylor Lautner), who has a secret of his own and both develop deep feelings for each other. She discovers that doing dangerous and reckless activities make Edward reappear to give her warnings, so she proceeds to go motorcycling and cliff diving, for example. During the latter, Edward believes that Bella is dead because his sister, Alice, saw it in a vision and didn’t see her get rescued. Alice tells Bella that Edward is going to the Volturi, the vampire council, and asking to be killed because he doesn’t want to be in a world where Bella doesn’t exist. So it is a race against time to get to Edward before he sacrifices himself.

I like this film because it sticks really closely to the book, which I’m a massive fan of. The special effects, which I thought let the first film down, are so much better this time around particularly for the many fight scenes. The old director, Catherine Hardwicke has been replaced by Chris Weitz and he certainly does the second book justice.

The film may be seen as a filler between Twilight and Eclipse, but it still has a decent story in its own right. The film ends on a cliff-hanger which I found annoying, but that is what happens in the book so I can’t complain too much. Edward isn’t really the main male focus of the film and I’m sure if you have seen the trailer, you can understand why Jacob is the new heartthrob. When he first takes his top off, the audience and myself actually gasped and then laughed for being so pervy- it was brilliant. The film is better than the first so don’t let that put you off and if you think it won’t be as good as the book then you are mistaken. It was as good as my high expectations, maybe not as much as the hype, but you should go see it, even if it’s just for Jacob’s abs. I am definitely Team Jacob.