This is a typical Michael Bay film- lots of chases, fight scenes, explosions and some sexy females- but it still very enjoyable. I can't quite decide whether it is better than the first as this is equally brilliant but it definitely funnier. No-one could believe me when I said Transformers was hilarious, but it really was. Everyone cracks out jokes- listen out for the new Autobots and especially Sam's mum who is just so funny in this movie.
This sequel is set two years after the first and sees Sam leaving Mikaela to head off to college. However, after he touches a sliver left over from the Cube, he begins to see symbols and go slightly crazy as the energy and knoweldge from it is absorbed into him. The Deceptions are onto Sam because they want this power for themselves so they can take over the world. Which of course, Sam, Mikaela, the Autobots and a few additional characters have to stop.
It's a major race against time and you are really behind them despite knowing how it will end because it is so predictable. The effects are amazing as expected but sometimes it all happens so fast, it just becomes a blur and I get confused as to what has just happened. Other than that, my only other complaint is that Megan Fox is clearly only being used for her looks. Granted, she is attractive, but is necessary to have her straddling a motorbike in the shortest skirt ever just to ring Sam?! I don't think so. Even the guy I went with said it was slightly pointless!
Overall, this is an awesome film which manages to make you laugh, feel sad and get excited by the action. The effects are spectacular, it's hilarious and just an all-round feel-good film. If you liked the first, then you definitely need to see this. 8/10
Tuesday 30 June 2009
The Hangover (15)
The Hangover is brilliant. 100% brilliant. I don't know what I can say negatively about it. The casting is perfect, the plot may be very simple but it works and I can safely say it's the funniest film I have seen this year.
The film stars four ordinary guys- Phil, Stu, Alan and Doug- who go to Las Vegas for Doug's bachelor weekend. They wake up the next morning with no clue to what happened, why there is a baby in the closet, a tiger in the bathroom or why Doug is missing. You wonder how the film can run on such an easy concept but it never drags and laughs come every minute. I thought how funny you found it would depend on your sense of humour, but my mum found it hilarious and her definition of funny is much different to me. This film appears to the majority, for sure.
The cast are mostly unknowns or people you recognise-but-can't-place-the-film and this adds to the comic effect. I don't want to give any jokes away but the best character by far is Mr Chow, who is so so funny. I actually cried with laughter.
I don't think I can big it up more than that. If you don't find it funny, you need your head checked out. A sequel is already being planned. 10/10
The film stars four ordinary guys- Phil, Stu, Alan and Doug- who go to Las Vegas for Doug's bachelor weekend. They wake up the next morning with no clue to what happened, why there is a baby in the closet, a tiger in the bathroom or why Doug is missing. You wonder how the film can run on such an easy concept but it never drags and laughs come every minute. I thought how funny you found it would depend on your sense of humour, but my mum found it hilarious and her definition of funny is much different to me. This film appears to the majority, for sure.
The cast are mostly unknowns or people you recognise-but-can't-place-the-film and this adds to the comic effect. I don't want to give any jokes away but the best character by far is Mr Chow, who is so so funny. I actually cried with laughter.
I don't think I can big it up more than that. If you don't find it funny, you need your head checked out. A sequel is already being planned. 10/10
Wednesday 10 June 2009
MTV Movie Awards 2009
I have watched these awards religiously because they are so much more fun than BAFTAs and Oscars and recognise films that are brilliant in other ways, not Oscar-types. However, I just found this evening's festivities really not that funny. For a start, not many people in the UK know who the host, Adam Sanberg, is. Usually, the hosts are people like Sarah Silverman (I'm not a fan of hers much either), Mike Myers (Austin Powers) and Justin Timberlake to name but a few. But who is Adam Sanberg?! At the time of watching, I knew I recognised him but I couldn't think from where. The host is supposed to be someone you instantly know, but I guess being the mastermind behind "Dick In a Box" and "I'm On a Boat" Youtube videos means you're good enough for the job. Those videos may be funny, but his hosting job is not, despite being a recurring presenter on "Saturday Night Live". He's trying too hard and falling flat in my opinion.
They have categories for Best Kiss and Best Fight, which I think are hilarious, especially when the actors kiss on stage when collected the award. Remember Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams when collecting for "The Notebook"? That was FANTASTIC, and I hadn't even seen the film at the time. So naturally, I was gutted when Robert Pattinson didn't actually kiss Kristen Stewart that evening.
What I was also gutted about was that Twilight won EVERYTHING it was nominated for that night, including Best Fight, Best Breakthrough Actor, Best Female Performance and Best Film. Don't get me wrong, I loved the film, I went to see it at the cinema twice, but in some of the categories, other films were just better. And it's all because Twilight has a cult following. Did you hear the screams everytime it's name was mentioned?! No other films have cult status and it clearly showed. For a start, I don't think Robert Pattinson should have won Best Male Breakthrough Performance- that should have definitely gone to Dev Patel for his lead role in Slumdog Millionaire.
Another thing which made me laugh, the Sacha Baron Cohen stunt?! What the hell was that about?! It turns out that Eminem was 100% in on the stunt. in which Cohen's latest alter-ego, Bruno, flys over the crowd barely dressed and falls on Eminem, putting his bum right in his face. Eminem looks really annoyed and walks out the auditorium, but this all for the cameras. However, this stunt turns out to be a introduction to Best Male Performance awards, but because of the everyone fussing over the stunt, when Cohen shouts out "Zac Efron!", nobody has a clue what the hell is going on. Even, Zac Efron. His face is a picture of confusion. It was the worst presentation of an award ever. Nobody knew that's what was happening and the nominees weren't even read out.
Ben Stiller won the Lifetime Achievement, which I was really happy about. I love that man and his films and he does deserve it. But again, how he got presented with that was ridiculous. Zac Efron, some puppet dog called Triumph [I hope Americans thought this was funny] and Keifer Sutherland. Zac Efron did a good job, saying all his achievements, Triumph kept saying he looked like a monkey and Kiefer just started "crying", blatently upstaging Stiller. If I was Ben Stiller, I would have been more than disappointed.
All I can say is, if MTV keep putting on such a ridiculous awards show, then I will no longer watch it religiously. It wasn't funny despite how hard it tried and the winners didn't get the credit they deserved. I will say I enjoyed the previews and trailers from Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, New Moon and Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince and the fact that Kristen Stewart broke her award by dropping it on the floor the second she got it. Brilliant.
They have categories for Best Kiss and Best Fight, which I think are hilarious, especially when the actors kiss on stage when collected the award. Remember Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams when collecting for "The Notebook"? That was FANTASTIC, and I hadn't even seen the film at the time. So naturally, I was gutted when Robert Pattinson didn't actually kiss Kristen Stewart that evening.
What I was also gutted about was that Twilight won EVERYTHING it was nominated for that night, including Best Fight, Best Breakthrough Actor, Best Female Performance and Best Film. Don't get me wrong, I loved the film, I went to see it at the cinema twice, but in some of the categories, other films were just better. And it's all because Twilight has a cult following. Did you hear the screams everytime it's name was mentioned?! No other films have cult status and it clearly showed. For a start, I don't think Robert Pattinson should have won Best Male Breakthrough Performance- that should have definitely gone to Dev Patel for his lead role in Slumdog Millionaire.
Another thing which made me laugh, the Sacha Baron Cohen stunt?! What the hell was that about?! It turns out that Eminem was 100% in on the stunt. in which Cohen's latest alter-ego, Bruno, flys over the crowd barely dressed and falls on Eminem, putting his bum right in his face. Eminem looks really annoyed and walks out the auditorium, but this all for the cameras. However, this stunt turns out to be a introduction to Best Male Performance awards, but because of the everyone fussing over the stunt, when Cohen shouts out "Zac Efron!", nobody has a clue what the hell is going on. Even, Zac Efron. His face is a picture of confusion. It was the worst presentation of an award ever. Nobody knew that's what was happening and the nominees weren't even read out.
Ben Stiller won the Lifetime Achievement, which I was really happy about. I love that man and his films and he does deserve it. But again, how he got presented with that was ridiculous. Zac Efron, some puppet dog called Triumph [I hope Americans thought this was funny] and Keifer Sutherland. Zac Efron did a good job, saying all his achievements, Triumph kept saying he looked like a monkey and Kiefer just started "crying", blatently upstaging Stiller. If I was Ben Stiller, I would have been more than disappointed.
All I can say is, if MTV keep putting on such a ridiculous awards show, then I will no longer watch it religiously. It wasn't funny despite how hard it tried and the winners didn't get the credit they deserved. I will say I enjoyed the previews and trailers from Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, New Moon and Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince and the fact that Kristen Stewart broke her award by dropping it on the floor the second she got it. Brilliant.
Wolverine (12A)
This film is great if you love unbelieveable stunts and special effects. You know, just like your average, jumping into a helicopter from a car really. Of course, everyone can do that.
Obviously, Wolverine isn't just anyone. In this movie, you get to see how he becomes so strong. He begins as James Logan, a mutant who joins a team of other gifted beings. His decision to leave the group is not taken lightly. Six years later, the leader of the gang, Stryker, comes to tell Logan that someone is killing members of the team. Then his wife is killed by his mutant brother, Victor, and Logan seeks revenge. Sryker puts Loganthrough the Weapon X program, turning him into an unstoppable machine. His skeleton is transformed into a virtually indestructable metal. He is now Wolverine. However, all is not what is seems and Wolverine decides to track down the island where Stryker is experimenting on mutants and stop them. Let the action begin.
This is action film and it doesn't disappoint. If you are after lots of fighting, special effects and explosions, then you've picked the right film. It is enjoyable and the plot isn't that hard to follow either. There are a few plot holes that are noticeable and some parts are unbelievable. Such as, when a falling wall is coming down on Wolverine, another mutant, Gambit, just happens to be there at that exact moment. You just have to go with it rather than be realistic. Overall, I liked this film so I'll give it a 8/10
Obviously, Wolverine isn't just anyone. In this movie, you get to see how he becomes so strong. He begins as James Logan, a mutant who joins a team of other gifted beings. His decision to leave the group is not taken lightly. Six years later, the leader of the gang, Stryker, comes to tell Logan that someone is killing members of the team. Then his wife is killed by his mutant brother, Victor, and Logan seeks revenge. Sryker puts Loganthrough the Weapon X program, turning him into an unstoppable machine. His skeleton is transformed into a virtually indestructable metal. He is now Wolverine. However, all is not what is seems and Wolverine decides to track down the island where Stryker is experimenting on mutants and stop them. Let the action begin.
This is action film and it doesn't disappoint. If you are after lots of fighting, special effects and explosions, then you've picked the right film. It is enjoyable and the plot isn't that hard to follow either. There are a few plot holes that are noticeable and some parts are unbelievable. Such as, when a falling wall is coming down on Wolverine, another mutant, Gambit, just happens to be there at that exact moment. You just have to go with it rather than be realistic. Overall, I liked this film so I'll give it a 8/10
Saturday 6 June 2009
Night at the Museum 2 (PG)
With the first film, people either loved it or hated it and I suppose it will be the same in this one. I loved the first and I LOVED the second. It may be considered simple and stupid but I don't care. It doesn't mean it's not enjoyable and I was laughing all the time.
I didn't read up on the plot before I went so I had no idea what more that could done with the premise of the last one. I went in thinking they would just produce more of the same, and I was right. Basically, it is the same concept but the characters have moved to another museum, the Smithsonian, in Washington DC.
We return to the story and Ben Stiller is now a businessman but he misses working as the nightguard so much that he regularly visits to hang out with the exhibits that come to life due to a magical tablet. One night he gets a phone call from one of the exhibits saying they are in trouble at their new museum. Stiller goes to help them and bring them back to where they belong. When he gets there, he discovers his "friends" are going to be killed by Kahmunrah (Hank Azaria), an Egyptian pharoah, who wants the tablet to unleash his minions from the underworld.
The action is similar to the previous plot- Stiller gets chased by things, blah blah blah. It may be a simple formula but it works as it's just so funny! Stiller is joined this time by Amelia Earheart (Amy Adams), who was the first female pilot. Adams is adorable and brings such enthusiasm to the mission. Every character brings humour to the film- especially Owen Wilson (Jedidiah) and Steve Coogan (Octavius) who are miniture figures with a large attitude.
The special effects are just as good this time, with paintings being jumped into, moving statues and sculptures- keep an eye out for 'The Thinking Man'- he is hilarious!
The film is simple, easy-going and obvious. It's not going to win any awards soon but that's not the point. It's supposed to entertain and entertain it certainly does. The ending is a bit cheesy but it is satisfying and leaves you with a smile on your face. 9/10
I didn't read up on the plot before I went so I had no idea what more that could done with the premise of the last one. I went in thinking they would just produce more of the same, and I was right. Basically, it is the same concept but the characters have moved to another museum, the Smithsonian, in Washington DC.
We return to the story and Ben Stiller is now a businessman but he misses working as the nightguard so much that he regularly visits to hang out with the exhibits that come to life due to a magical tablet. One night he gets a phone call from one of the exhibits saying they are in trouble at their new museum. Stiller goes to help them and bring them back to where they belong. When he gets there, he discovers his "friends" are going to be killed by Kahmunrah (Hank Azaria), an Egyptian pharoah, who wants the tablet to unleash his minions from the underworld.
The action is similar to the previous plot- Stiller gets chased by things, blah blah blah. It may be a simple formula but it works as it's just so funny! Stiller is joined this time by Amelia Earheart (Amy Adams), who was the first female pilot. Adams is adorable and brings such enthusiasm to the mission. Every character brings humour to the film- especially Owen Wilson (Jedidiah) and Steve Coogan (Octavius) who are miniture figures with a large attitude.
The special effects are just as good this time, with paintings being jumped into, moving statues and sculptures- keep an eye out for 'The Thinking Man'- he is hilarious!
The film is simple, easy-going and obvious. It's not going to win any awards soon but that's not the point. It's supposed to entertain and entertain it certainly does. The ending is a bit cheesy but it is satisfying and leaves you with a smile on your face. 9/10
Star Trek (12A)
You don't have to be a Trekkie to like this. I have never seen anything previous to this but I enjoyed the film although a few aspects confused me. But that could just be me and my easy-to-confuse brain.
Chris Pine (from "Just My Luck") stars as Kirk, who is may be the main character but is not stereotypical in the fact that he always get beaten up, without that moment where most "heroes" fight back and kick ass. He is reckless, a rookie and doesn't take life too seriously. He's so cool- he isn't perfect but can manage the Starsip Enterprise like a pro. He's a more relatable than most lead male characters in action films these days.
Zachary Quinto steps away from his most notable role as Sylar in "Heroes" to play Spock, who is half Vulcan, which means he is very clever and so he is assigned captain. My favourite characters are Scotty (Simon Pegg), who is hilarious and Chekov (Anton Yelchin) because he is so enthusiastic about the mission and beaming people up which makes him totally adorable.
The special effects are amazing and that can also be said for the stunts, costumes and make-up (mostly the Spock ears!) The plot follows a mission on the Starship Enterprise, which sounds simple but as soon as time travel gets involved, I lost it. The producer is JJ. Abrahams, the man behind Lost, so I should have expected it really. Kudos to him for simplifying the franchise to make new film watchers understand the concept.
This film is action-packed, funny and very enjoyable. It's better for boys and I base this on my friends that I went to see it with. I was much less enthusiastic about it than they were. Give it a watch, you will be surprised how much you like it. 7/10
Chris Pine (from "Just My Luck") stars as Kirk, who is may be the main character but is not stereotypical in the fact that he always get beaten up, without that moment where most "heroes" fight back and kick ass. He is reckless, a rookie and doesn't take life too seriously. He's so cool- he isn't perfect but can manage the Starsip Enterprise like a pro. He's a more relatable than most lead male characters in action films these days.
Zachary Quinto steps away from his most notable role as Sylar in "Heroes" to play Spock, who is half Vulcan, which means he is very clever and so he is assigned captain. My favourite characters are Scotty (Simon Pegg), who is hilarious and Chekov (Anton Yelchin) because he is so enthusiastic about the mission and beaming people up which makes him totally adorable.
The special effects are amazing and that can also be said for the stunts, costumes and make-up (mostly the Spock ears!) The plot follows a mission on the Starship Enterprise, which sounds simple but as soon as time travel gets involved, I lost it. The producer is JJ. Abrahams, the man behind Lost, so I should have expected it really. Kudos to him for simplifying the franchise to make new film watchers understand the concept.
This film is action-packed, funny and very enjoyable. It's better for boys and I base this on my friends that I went to see it with. I was much less enthusiastic about it than they were. Give it a watch, you will be surprised how much you like it. 7/10
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