December Hit, Miss or Maybe

1. Frozen - Maybe

Disney is now following the trend of using a traditional fairytale and changing it then calling it something that doesn't hint at the story. First there was 'Tangled', an amazing film that added in excellent characters and changed the story slightly, but the classic tale was still obvious to all. Then  came 'Frozen'. I love the Snow Queen story, she would have been an amazing villain, but alas Disney made a 3D film (not needed) and completely changed the classic fairytale. This should really just stand alone and new story rather than a reworking of a classic. Frozen is tale of two sisters, neither are evil, both are really amazing characters with even their own storyline struggles. The talking snowman Olaf is amazing and really should just have a series of shorts just for him. Love interest Kristoff and adorable reindeer companion Sven are great additions too but the story seriously lacks a villain. Don't worry there is one, but they are not revealed until two thirds of the way through. Its actually rather annoying. The song are also questionable, they did not feel very 'Disney' it felt more like a broadway musical score which isn't surprising seeing as a lot of the cast were in fact broadway stars. I think I only like two songs, Olaf's and the very catchy 'Let it go' sung by Elsa, the 'snow queen' or rather, the charcater who becomes queen and has been hiding her snow making curse. Over all I did enjoy it, just wish more of the songs were better and there was a villain.

2. The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug - HIT

I had tried to hold back my excitement for this film, only to litterally scream during the credits on the day it came out, I was that excited and I am not ashamed. My co-workers were making fun of my fierce devotion to Middle-Earth, but I stood my ground (and won in my opinion). The story continues with the dwarves making their way through Mirkwood and the film takes a Lord of the Rings turn, the company splits up when they arrive at Lake Town, not in the book, Tolkien fans. Gandalf has his own storyline, also not in the book, but that doesn't matter, its amazing, not as interesting but bridges the gap between epics. As for the dwarves they have the best scenes, one of my favourite from the story is the barrel scene. The dwarves fight the elves and orcs while travelling at fast speed down the river, the co-ordination is perfect and even funny at some points. The additional character, Tauriel, seemed pointless at first but she's actually quite cool, that is until she is forced into the a stupid 'love triangle' with Legolas (yes he's back, he is a Prince of Mirkwood you know) and none other than Fili the dwarf. DOES NOT MAKE SENSE! After my anger had died down, they had got back to the story. I loved the introductions for both Bard the Bowman and Thranduil, King of the Mirkwood elves. Both were amazing and will definitely, if the final film follows the story, have bigger roles in the next film. I also love the actors too, so to me, excellent casting. Now for my final mention, Smaug. The mightiest of dragon foes, his scenes at the end were amazing. Someone said they found it dull, they are wrong, having read the book and loved the chapter where Bilbo meets Smaug, it was a childhood memory come to life, plus I do love dragons, evil or good. I know everyone mentions that its Sherlock and Watson, but you will forget this fact as soon as Smaug wakes up. The ending was sudden but effective, and excellent cliffhanger so I won't spoil it for you. Better than the first film and so many beautiful scenes!!!

3. Anchorman 2 : The Legend Continues - HIT

There is too much to say about this film. It is the film that didn't need to be made but I so glad they did. I was laughing out loud from start to finish. Not as quotable as the first but I'm sure once people watch a few dozen times quotes will be flying all over the internet, particularly some quotes about nursing a baby shark. The story is part historical part Ron Burgundy trying to get back on top, part him realising how important friends are and that he loves his family, that is the gist, without giving anything away. I barely knew the story going in and that is the best way to enjoy this continued tale of the famous anchorman. The cameos are pitch perfect too, especially in the epic battle at the end. We all expected it and they went that extra hilarious mile. Second times a charm.

4. We're The Millers - Miss

Missed this first time around at the cinema, people raved about it and I liked the trailer and the idea because its just so true. Dress like a typical boring family and you can get away with anything, including smuggling in a truck load of drugs from Mexico. As I said I loved the trailer but the poster annoyed me. All the characters are stereotypes but they make seem original and fresh. I also felt the ending was predictable but it didn't matter because the film was just plain funny.

5. The Incredible Burt Wonderstone -Miss

The cast was a big part of me choosing to see this. It has Steve Buscemi in it, enough said. But and its a big but, its about magicians and its actually not very good. Very predictable. Two young boys become friends over magic, grow doing a magic act become famous, end up hating each other. One is more of an arsehole than the other and has to go through a life lesson and the true meaning of magic and wonder while trying to beat the new outrageous competition. Apart from Steve Buscemi, who is always a delight, the cast are far better than the material they were given. But its not a miss, not just because of Buscemi, I did laugh at a few parts and that deserves something for the effort.

The Afternoon Movie: The Amazing Mr Blunden

 
I don't remember the first time I saw The Amazing Mr Blunden but it must have been when I was very young because I remember the film being absolutely amazing, just like the title suggests.

Not so long ago, I saw it for rent on itunes for 99p and thought about watching it again. Then, the other day I actually did, but on youtube instead. Sorry itunes.

The Amazing Mr Blunden was one of those films from the 60s and 70s that time literally forgot. A children's film about a ghosts, old houses, mysteries and strange old men with bald heads. Made in 1972, (you really can tell) and set in 1918. This strange story and stranger film, I was actually relieved to find out it is based on a book, The Ghosts by Antonia Barber. The title of the book makes much more sense than the films'. The poster doesn't really explain much by the way either.

Set in 1918, Mrs Allen, now widowed by war, lives in a small house in London with her two teenage children, Lucy and James and baby Benjamin. The 'amazing' Mr Blunden visits them and asks them to visit a firm of solicitors who are in need of a housekeeper to look after an old house, Langley Park. When the family move into the lodge by the house, they hear rumours that the house is haunted by ghosts of the children who died in a fire 100 years ago.

After a few stops and starts, Lucy and James meet the ghosts, Sarah and Georgie Latimer who are able to travel through time by making a magic potion. Stop me if think this is already getting a bit silly. After their parents died, their uncle took over and married into an obscene family, the Wickens. The Wickens try to kill the Latimer children as they stand to inherit everything. But the Latimer children need Lucy and James to help them.

So where is Mr Blunden? If he is so amazing why isn't in this synopsis? He does come into the story briefly, only to disappear again and to hint there are three of him or something. No twist there.

Without giving it all away, it all ends a rather amusing montage of all the characters/actors saying goodbye over the credits. What joy!

Sadly this classic isn't quite a gem, however I strongly recommend you watch it, just for the period costume mystery ghost house feel about it. But I do guarantee that you will shout out 'but why is Mr Blunden amazing?' The answer, you'll never know, we'll never know.

This film boasts a famous cast too, with none other than Diana Dors the 'British sex symbol' as the wicked crone like housekeeper, Mrs Wickens.

The actresses that played Lucy Allen and Sarah Latimer went on to make other films, mostly low budget horror and TV. Mr Blunden himself, Laurence Naismith is quite a legend by the looks of his resume too.

I'm sure you can find this film somewhere, maybe in the conflicting genre department or maybe just have a look on itunes, its absolutely worth 99p to rent.

Feeling Festive

   
Feeling very festive this past week. I've already started watching all the usual Christmas films.

I've written almost all my cards, finally wrapped up all but one of the presents, still waiting for the last one to arrive AND I've made the Christmas tags! I've gone for the snowman theme.

Tried to make all the snowmen different but all very jolly. They are my tags for the presents this year and they may appear on some of my Christmas cards.

Slightly inspired by the adorable snowman, Olaf, from Disney's new film Frozen, which I saw the other day. I used snowmen as my theme a few years back too when I made cupcakes, cards, tags and I think masks one year. I used to be in charge of the Christmas masks, we had different ones each year as well as name places. Ah, those were the Christmases.

November Hit, Miss or Maybe

Once again, a small list this month, due to starting a new job and practically no time to indulge in my favourite activity. Going to the Cinema!!


1. Thor: The Dark World

They destroyed that small town in New Mexico, they destroyed New York and now they have destroyed Greenwich! Those Asgardians and affliates have done it again. After Iron Man 3, which was the biggest grossing film of the year apparently, this is the second film in the Marvel Universe set in the aftermath of Avengers. It is brilliant. There is equal action in Asgard and in London, which I enjoyed. It was fun to see my home city on screen that didn't involve gangsters,  cheesy disaster sequences or royalty. This action takes place some time after the events in New York. Loki is in prison and will only be civil to Frigga. My name sake Hogun, one of the warriors three, only features in the beginning. Thor gets updates about Jane from Heimdall. Meanwhile on Earth, Jane is trying to forget about Thor and is failing. The plot is difficult to explain but the drama begins when the Dark Elves, thought of as myths now, return and try to destroy the Nine Realms. This results in Jane becoming infected on Earth after opening a portal to another realm. The Dark Elves are too powerful and Thor looks to Loki for help. The scenes between the brothers are perfect, especially in the third act. Loki is such a brilliant character and all the loyal fans aside, it would be a shame if we never saw him again. There are some epic sequences in Greenwich which is the place that all things connect, obviously. The characters from the first Thor film are brought back in full force, apart from Hogun, and make a marvellous supporting cast, wouldn't be right without them. The film also included a very intriguing after credit scene with The Collector played by Benicio Del Toro, who is set to be in the upcoming Guardians of the Galaxy film. I was very excited about this, as its always exciting when new characters are introduced. To sum up, loved the film, a great Thor sequel and excellent instalment in the Marvel film plan! HIT


2. Catching Fire

Here is a special post about the awesome film. HIT


3. Blackfish

The fact that documentaries are being treated like mainstream blockbuster films, is a great sign of the times, especially when the films are of Blackfish's quality. This is a very emotional and, yes I am saying this, a powerful drama. Back in 2010, experienced trainer, Dawn Brancheau was killed by Tilikum, the orca whale who performs at SeaWorld Orlando, Florida. The films looks back at Tilikum's background from his capture, his life in captivity and the three deaths that surround him. The film also looks at the dangers of keeping orcas in captivity. Several former trainers from SeaWorld are interviewed about how the mammals where treated and the incident with Brancheau. A interview near the start of the film with a man who's job was to capture whales is truly upsetting, the man even becomes emotional explaining that it was like kidnapping a child from its family.

This film has influenced John Lasseter and Andrew Stanton, the makers of the upcoming Pixar sequel, Finding Dory, to alter the ending of the film. After seeing Blackfish, the depiction of a marine park has been changed.

I thought this film was brilliant and tragic. I think I have a soft spot for marine life (especially seals) and this got to me. HIT

Remember Who the Enemy Is

Over a year of waiting, even the DVD release of The Hunger Games wasn't enough to hold off the excitement of the release of Catching Fire or for cinema release its known as The Hunger Games: Catching Fire.

The Hunger Games' escalation in popularity reached new heights from the moment The Hunger Games was released on DVD. It smashed the Box Office on cinema release but with the gradual announcements of casting for the new characters, it built up the anticipation, plus the DVD release gain more fans. Including myself, fans of the film read the books, eagerly awaiting the result.

I booked my Catching Fire tickets at the BFI IMAX the minute they were available. And I am so glad I did. The experience was amazing. The opportunity to see the first film at the IMAX was not available. Another reason the experience was so amazing was that it was NOT in 3D. 3D is pointless and I was so glad to hear the successful franchise had not gone down that gimmick road.

But before I start delving into the film, first we must marvel at the media campaign. The Capitol portraits were released very slowly, one or two at a time. These works of beauty came after the initial Victory Tour posters. When they first appeared, I was screaming at my laptop with excitement. I surprise myself at how much I love this franchise.

Any fans of the book knows what to expect. The films picks up a few months after the 74th Hunger Games ended. Katniss is back in District 12 and living in the Victor's Village, right opposite Peeta, whom she hasn't really spent time with at all. She and Peeta are about to go on their Victory Tour, where they visit each district and end up in the Capitol. President Snow makes a surprise visit, warning Katniss that the incident with the berries in the games, caused a stir in the districts, hints of rebellion. He threatens Katniss to make the districts believe she defied the Capitol for love alone, other wise, he insinuates that Gale, her family, her district would suffer. In so many words. This sets up the film. For those who don't read the book, I won't say anymore apart from the obvious, seen in the trailers.

Katniss and Peeta indeed go back into the arena for the 75th Hunger Games, the 3rd Quarter Quell, These games are special. The games are given a twist, for instance in previous games, the Districts were forced to vote in the tributes and for the previous Quarter Quell, twice as many tributes were sent into the games. Haymitch is actually the victor from the 50th Hunger Games. These facts aren't mentioned in the film, but they paint the background to how special these games are. This time, the tributes are reaped from the pool of existing victors. District 12 only has 3 victors, 2 male, 1 female. New characters are introduced, including the fan favourite, Finnick Odair, the tribute from District 4 and Johanna Mason, tribute from District 7.

Catching Fire is my favourite book out of the trilogy,  I am thrilled the film did it justice. My reasons are:

• the fantastic new characters, all the tributes carry a story, it might not be focused on much in the film, but you can feel it. 
• The twist in the reaping is exciting and not, as some have moaned, a recycle of the first film.
• Its realistic in the story narrative, characters are killed, it is the Hunger Games.
• The scene where Peeta and Katniss give speeches about Thresh and Rue in District 11 are very moving.
• The arena is a work of genius 'tick tock tick tock'
• An obvious reason, the private moments shared between Peeta and Katniss. Gale is lame. I do not like Gale.

Again for those non readers, you are in for an amazing treat at the end of the film, truly. I'll say no more.

Back to the IMAX experience. If you can see it on an IMAX screen, do it, ust for the amazing moment when the screen opens out, completely filling the screen as Katniss elevates up into the arena.

I managed to see the World Premiere of the film in London from the comfort of my home. I was working that day, otherwise I would have attempted going in person. You have hopefully still watch it here.

This is a link to Empire magazine's review,  here. I believe they were just so recommend a read of it.

I have to admit I saw the film twice a few days apart. That's how good it was.

One last thing, remember who the enemy is.

Passing The Test

How many films in the last few months that you've seen feature more than one woman having a conversation, that isn't about men? In fact, how many films have you seen where two women actually talk to each other? Still going further, have the films featured more than one woman?

These questions are the basis of the three rules for passing The Bechdel Test.

The Bechdel Test was first introduced in 1985 in Alison Bechdel's comic strip Dykes to Watch Out For (see above). The comic strip entitled 'The Rule' featured an unnamed female character saying she would only watch a film if it satisfies 3 requirements. Those are:

1. The film has to have at least two women in it

2. The women have to talk to each other

3. The conversation they have has to be about something besides a man or men

Variants for the test have been mentioned, such as, the women characters have to be named and their conversations have to be longer than 60 seconds.

In 2013, Swedish cinemas and the Scandinavian Tv channel, Viasat Film incorporated the Bechdel test into some of their ratings. This move was supported by the Swedish Film Institute. A new rating system has even been invented and films have been given a pass or not according to whether the film passes the Bechdel Test in some way. The reaction has been, so far, positive. 

Film School Rejects recently posted about The Bechdel Test and a list of some of the most critically acclaimed films that failed the rest. You can read it here.

Looking over my 10 favourite films, I think only one passes the test, but only just. 

As Film School Rejects points out, it is a sad fact that there aren't enough roles for women and the role that are out there, are limited. Look for for those films that celebrate female roles that aren't just the same old thing. And ignore anything with Angelina Jolie in it, she's just awful. Personal preference, but its still important I say it. 

When watching a film, keep The Bechdel Test in mind. 

October Hit, Miss or Maybe

1. Blue Jasmine - HIT

I haven't seen many Woody Allen films but I was particularly interested in this one for two main reasons. One, the protagonist was a woman, Cate Blanchett, who doesn't normally play this type and she was channelling an inner 'Woody Allen' either, like some other previous male actors have done. Two, there was a heavy influence from Tennessee Williams' 'A Streetcar Named Desire' in the film. Upon further reading about the film, I found out that Allen had used 'Streetcar' in his previous films so it was interesting to see how the film played out as I do love that play. As with most melodramas, it was brilliant, pitch perfect but also very depressing. Jasmine, as she calls herself, was the wife of a wealthy businessman who stole money from his clients and so ended up in jail and killed himself. Left with nothing, Jasmine goes to stay with her flighty sister, Ginger (Sally Hawkins, also brilliant, playing against type). The sisters are close but continuous point out each others painfully obvious flaws. The plot line, sometimes veers towards being too 'Streetcar' but before it can get too serious, Allen, reigns the characters back in. It's a brilliant film and it is true what all the critics and people say. But it is quite depressing and amusing at the same time.

2. The Double - HIT

Click here to read about The Double.

3. Inside Llewyn Davis - HIT

Click here to read about Inside Llewyn Davis.

4. May in the Summer - HIT

Click here to read about May in the Summer. The film actually doesn't have an official poster yet, at least not one I can find.

5. Hide Your Smiling Faces - Maybe

This is Daniel Patrick Carbone debut feature film and I actually saw this, courtesy of my friend who had a spare ticket at the BFI Film Festival. Partially crowd funded by friends, family and supporters, the story is about two brothers growing up in a rural town in America. The film follows what happens to the brothers in the wake of a tragic death of one of their friends'. Focusing on the young actors instead of the investigation in to the mysterious death made the film feel disbanded. The brothers are supposed to be a part of that story but instead they choose to rebel, in a quiet, sometimes vengeful way. The scenes where is it just the two brothers are captivating, but when others are included, the magic seems to disappear. Carbone mentioned in the Q&A that when he wrote the film, he included his own experiences from childhood, or at least included elements. This is very much 'a personal film'. Upon reflection, it felt that there had been something missing from the film, which was a shame as the two young actors who played the brothers (Ryan Jones and Nathan Varnson) were so believable as close siblings.

6. The Zero Theorem - Maybe

Click here to read about The Zero Theorem.

7. Hello Carter - HIT

No poster unfortunately but apart from that I really enjoyed this film. Originally a short film with a slightly different cast, director/writer Anthony Wilcox made the feature film. I also saw this at the BFI Film Festival and just before the screening I got some very good news so I was definitely read y for this comedy drama about Carter (Charlie Cox). Wilcox, before the film, described it as a love note to London and that is definitely the message that got through. London, I think should be celebrated more on film and this film delivers that and an amusing story. Carter is down on his luck. He is still pinning for his ex who broke up with him a year ago, he's sleeping on his brother's sofa and he doesn't have a job. But after a chance encounter with his ex's brother on the tube, the next 24 hours certainly change him. I laughed out loud several times and not just because the man sitting next to me projected his laugh into my ear, the characters felt genuine. The scene at the recruitment office was particularly funny as I have experienced exactly that meeting many a time. I think I saw this film at the perfect time as I myself have been job hunting for a few months so knew how poor Carter felt. There was also a great action/chase scene, involving some expert driving/reversing around a London car park. Wilcox commented after the film that that scene was originally meant to be an epic car chase across town but for budget reasons it became the perfect scene in the film. Brilliant cast, especially Charlie Cox as Carter who appears in, I'm sure, every single scene. A great British low key comedy drama.  #BFI  #HelloCarter

8. The Fifth Estate - HIT

I am loving the fact that there was another Daniel Bruhl film out so soon after 'Rush'. I felt spoilt when I saw the poster and the trailer, Cumberbatch AND Bruhl in the same film. Hit the jack pot! At least, that is what I thought. Don't misunderstand me, the film brilliant, it sucked me in, I couldn't think about anything else for ages after. But, Cumberbatch literally became Julian Assange and that man repulses me. Even more so after this film. I can see why Assange had asked Cumberbatch not to do the film. For someone who didn't really know about the WikiLeaks fiasco a few years ago, I found this film fascinating and it also made me feel incredibly stupid for missing it first time round. Described by someone as 'the anti-social network' was spot on. The story begins with Assange and Daniel Domscheit-Berg (Bruhl) meeting in 2007. From there they begin to work together to bring WikiLeaks to the forefront of news. Receiving anonymous leaks from around the globe. By 2010, the site has leaked information such as the membership list for the British National Party, Scientology secrets and Sarah Palin's personal information. Tensions between Assange and Domscheit-Berg come to a head when Bradley Manning leaks thousands of documents to WikiLeaks. Assange insists on leaking the documents immediately to stop interference from the US government. But the other WikiLeaks volunteers insist on redacting names to protect identities. It is a very intense film. Both leads are brilliant, they envelop themselves into the characters, which you don't always see when films are made about real people, especially those who are still recent and alive. A truly brilliant engaging film, right to the end. I also got a little thrill from the scenes shot in Berlin. Having visited the city two years ago, I got to say 'I've been there' especially in the scenes shot in The Kunsthaus Tacheles building.

Mostly Martha vs No Reservations

This time the films are Mostly Martha, 2001 (German) vs No Reservations, 2007 (US). The last post about The Vanishing films, I didn't really pick a winner of sorts, I just laid out my opinions about each film as it was an example. This time and from now on, I will pick a film at the end of the post. After all I did put 'vs' in the title.

I watched both films in the most difficult way. Mostly Martha was viewed in instalments on Youtube. This was disruptive and the video was extremely bad quality. I later saw that it was on Netflix when I signed up again. No Reservations was viewed on a very good website that had many 'old' movies uploaded to it, I say old because it was over 5 years ago, old in movie terms. The quality wasn't bad but the fact my internet kept cutting out meant that the annoying timer sign popped up frequently.

Mostly Martha was the first film I saw. I had been told by a friend's mother that No Reservations was a remake and since 2007 I had wanted to the see the original. Martha Klein (Martina Gedeck) is a gourmet chef in Germany, a perfectionist who lives only for her work. But when her sister dies in a car crash, she is left as the only guardian of her 8 year old niece, Lina. She takes time off to settle Lina into her new life but is appalled to find another chef in her kitchen when she returns to work. Mario (Sergio Castellitto) is hired as a sous-chef and works very different to Martha. But of course sparks fly when Mario bonds with Lina who eats his food but hasn't touched any of Martha's. First off, I loved it. It is a film that is about loss, death, family and of course cooking but it disguises itself as a romantic drama with some comedic moments.

No Reservations, on the surface looks like the run of the mill rom-com, but of course it isn't. The film was marketed as a romantic comedy set in the kitchen where the main character, Kate (Catherine Zeta-Jones), a head chef becomes the guardian of her niece, Zoe (Abigail Breslin). That is seen as a side dish, when it is the main course, her possible romance with the new chef, Nick (Aaron Eckhart), is the actual side story. I judged this film by its terrible poster and predictable looking trailer and I am glad to say I was proved wrong. Apart from name changes and the film being set in New York, the film more or less has a similar if not the same narrative. It was the marketing that let this film down but get over that and you'll see it is a good portrayal of family. And the food made me hungry, in both films.


Verdict: I preferred Mostly Martha. My ultimate reason, both family story and potential love story were given equal time which made sense to me.

BFI London Film Festival - The Zero Theorem

I have to be honest, I'm still not even sure what this film was really about. But I took that as 'that's what you get from a Terry Gilliam'.

I saw the film at 12:30 in the morning and I was very tired, so I was dazed when I had the crazy that is 'The Zero Theorem' thrown at me. I was intrigued by the new Terry Gilliam film, especially as this was the was the newest things since The Disappoint of Doctor Parnassus. The cast too intrigued me, Christoph Waltz with a bald head and no eyebrows as well as David Thewlis dressed in a tiger costume, not to mention the many amazing actors that paraded through the film.

The story centres around Qohen Leth (Christoph Waltz), a reclusive corporate worker who lives in a futuristic corporate world. He dislikes the atmosphere at work and wants to be alone at home and is obsessed with receiving a mysterious phone call which he believes will give him purpose in life. Under the instruction of the 'Managemnet' Qohen is assigned to solve the 'Zero Theorem'. It is a mathematical formula which determines whether life has any meaning.

Apart from the questionable story, the world in which Qohen exists is incredible. Described by someone as a 'gritty' cityscape, I see this is as an element that contributes to the mixed up dystopian-esque buildings and modern technology, the design of the world as well as the clothes, gadgets and even food creates a world that does scream out for an actual meaning. Visually, the film is a feast for the eyes and actually helps explain some of Qohen's character anxiety issues.

An interesting film, even if I wasn't quite sure what happened.

#BFI #LFF #TheZeroTheorem

BFI London Film Festival - May in the Summer

I bought a last minute ticket for this screening as I was intrigued by the story of course but also, the setting, Jordan. I have a friend who comes from Jordan and she told me about the places there and how people were.

May in the Summer is written, directed and stars Cherien Dabis, a Palastinian American directer and screenwriter. She grew up in Ohio, USA and Jordan. Her first feature film, Amreeka, premiered at Sundance Film Festival in 2009 and won some awards on the festival circuit.  I'm always in favour of supporting female directors and screenwriters so I was excited to see May in the Summer.

May Brennan (Dabis) returns to her childhood home of Amman, Jordan for her wedding. After reuniting with her sisters, Yasmine and Dahlia (Nadine Malouf & Alia Shawkat) and her long since divorced parents, May starts to question her reasons for getting married. Along the way to making the decision of whether to continue with the wedding, home truths and secrets are discovered.

Although I was annoyed by the limp ending, the film was brilliant. I was captivated by the sisters and the time they spent together with the lead up to the wedding. The relationships between the sisters' father and mother were interesting, apart from the mother's obsession with religion. I wished that there had been more scenes with May and her new found friend Karim who organises adventure holidays for tourists. The culture clash elements of the story played a small part, being mentioned in passing conversation which I liked. It made room for the characters to have their moments.

Another element to the story was definitely the location. Beautiful shots of the landscape and the city created the perfect background for this family tale.

Cherien Dabis described the film perfectly as a 'reverse migration (Arab Americans returning to the old country) divorce drama comedy disguised as a wedding film.'

A great choice that was my middle screening of the festival. Have a look at the Facebook page for the film here.

#BFI #LFF #MayintheSummer

BFI London Film Festival - Inside Llewyn Davis

After months of waiting I got to see the Coen brothers and Inside Llewyn Davis.

The second film of the BFI London Film Festival, for me, was a ticket, a golden ticket to the gala event, the premiere of sort of Inside Llewyn Davis, the Coens' new film.

Without realising it, I arrived early in Leicester Square. The film was being shown at the 'big' Odeon cinema. Fences had been set up, a large crowd had esembled around it. The press were all crammed together and the security were waiting to check my ticket. The woman lied to me after I asked if the Coens had arrived, she said yes so I thought I'd better dash inside. I excitedly walked on the red carpet, second time I've done this, and was so excited I forgot to remove my winter wear, particularly my strange looking hat. When I was in the cinema I looked at my watch, I was 30 minutes early and was in dire need of coffee, but I was denied this. Security didn't like it when people left. Darn.

Fast forward to the film. The director of the festival introduced the film and, I held my breath because I could see them, Joel and Ethan Coen took the stage. I was so excited, grinning like a crazed fan. I had an amazing seat too, second row. Oscar Issacs, Cary Muligan and John Goodman were there too.

The film itself was brilliant. Set in 1961 focusing on the Greenwich Village folk music scene, talented artist, Llewyn Davis is struggling to make money with his music. He doesn't have a home, he moves from place to place, sleeping on 'friends' couches. The film at first feels like a day in the life of Llewyn Davis as he visits people, his useless agent, the cafe where he regularly plays, the friends' wife he got pregnant, his sister and various other characters he meets. I say characters because the weird and wonderful and some down right awful characters are what make the Coens brilliant. No matter how small the character, they play a purpose and have an impact. There is one character in particular, a driver who barely says a word but he makes an impact. Each person is created and they feel like they are real and have a backstory.

Oscar Issacs deserves great credit, he appears in every scene. He can act and yes, he has an amazing voice. I have seen him sing in 'Sucker Punch' but as we all know that song was a world away from folk music in the 60s. The character of Llewyn isn't as complex as some would say. He's hit hard times, especially after a personal tragedy as well as having to deal with all his other mistakes. Joel Coen described him as a talented guy getting nowhere.

The cast surrounding Oscar Issacs were excellent, especially a Coen regular, John Goodman as Roland Turner, who's scenes take place on a car journey to Chicago. During the Q&A after the film Goodman was asked to explain how he became involved in the film his answer was (bottom Tweet), of course there was a lot of laughs, as it was partly true. The top tweet was Ethan Coen answering a question about whether anything was different in the edit and if there was an alternative end.

The film has been talked about in reference to O Brother Where Art Thou as the connection is music but unlike O Brother, Inside Llewyn Davis features about 8 complete songs. There is a particular scene where Llewyn has reached Chicago in order to perform for a producer and he decides to sing a very sorrowful song that he knows isn't commercial but he sings so well. It's really beautiful scene, especially as it is performed in an empty music hall.

In the trailer for the film, it seems that Llewyn's troubles begin when he accidentally lets the cat out of his friend's apartment when he leaves so has to carry the cat around with him, most of the time. Now, this cat, I thought wasn't a major part of the film, but since seeing the film I had decided that the cat is in fact a living metaphor for Llewyn himself. Without giving too much away, there are in fact two cats in the film, both have significance.

I was desperate to ask a question and it was going to be about the cat, but alas someone got there before me.

A truly amazing film and I would dare to say not a typical Coen experience. The dialogue and the characters are all there, including some mild violence but overall, a new kind of Coen experience.

#BFI #LFF #InsideLlewynDavis

BFI London Film Festival - The Double

The day has come! The festival is here! Film Forever!

The BFI London Film Festival kicked off Wednesday just gone and is on until 20th October. Two weeks of films from around the world, premieres and events. Each year I get very excited and book tickets for varied screenings. Last year was my record number of screenings I attended, so much fun.

This year I managed to get (afford) a select few screenings. I was hoping for a Coen Brothers event of some sort as their new film is premiering in London on Tuesday. Alas no event, but I did get a near front row seat to the film, but more on that later.

Today was the comfortable Sunday morning film, The Double, the second feature from Richard Ayoade. Submarine was the director's 2010 debut feature film and anyone who is a fan of Submarine will notice some familiar faces in The Double. Both Ayoade and lead actor(s) Jesse Eisenberg came along to introduce the film in an amusing fashion. They talked mostly about the fact that the film was 85 mins long but felt longer. I can assure you that you do not notice the time when watching this film.

The Double is based on the novella of the same name by Fyodor Dostoyevsky and tells the story of a man who's doppelganger appears and slowly ruins his life.

Set in a unknown city that seems reminiscent of the landscapes or buildings found in Brazil. The dank, dark buildings, the yellowing office walls, the plain colourless clothes and there is barely, if any sunshine seen throughout the whole film. Described by one reviewer as a 'warped, alternative version of post-war America' although most of the supporting cast is British. That doesn't matter in the grand scheme of the slightly dystopian feel to the old damaged exteriors and interiors. 

Simon James (Eisenberg) is an ordinary guy who works for an organisation that doesn't really specify in any industry, all we as the audience know is that the Colonel (James Fox) is the face and all knowing leader. Simon is a person that most forget, talk over, push around and generally are rude to him, no matter where he is. Things start to change when James Simon, the exact double of Simon James appears. He is charismatic and at first exciting but things go wrong when he makes Simon's life a misery. He gets him in to trouble at work, he steals Hannah, (Mia Wasikowska) the girl that Simon is in love with and takes over his home. Drastic times call for drastic measures.

Apart from the fact this is a brilliant story with an excellent cast, right down to Paddy Considine's amusing cameo, I was enthralled by the photography and the unusual but mesmerising design of the film.  I definitely fell in love with the design. The 50s and 60s style clothing blended with the 80s style technology mixed with a kitsch decorator, especially for the restaurant and ball scenes. Everything was fine tuned down to the creases in Simon/James obviously-too-big-for-him suit.

A fantastic film that, in my opinion, didn't need to spend time explaining the strange occurrences that happened in the film, the mystery of the double makes it stand out from other mystery stories or any film, involving a double.

Original Vs Remake

I had the idea to do a few reoccurring posts about original films in their original language vs the American/British remakes.

(spoilers)
I remembered once in college, studying Film Studies, our teacher made us watch, The Vanishing. First the Dutch original the  the US remake. We were challenged by the teacher, asking us which was better and which we liked. The majority voted that the original was by far the better film but actually liked the remake.

I can't speak for the rest of my class back then but the reason why I was guilty of preferring the US remake was simply it had a redeeming ending. The fact the original was in Dutch and had subtitles did not faze me. Whether a film has subtitles or not bares no conclusion on whether it is a good film or not.

I couldn't bare to watch either film again, for different reasons. The original was better acted, structured and held more suspense and intrigue. It may have had the edge because we saw it first but the remake started off serious then turned into a ridiculous farce. It even ended with the cheesiest lines of all time. There isn't any point repeating it as it will bare no context here. But trust me, it was bad.

The original, 'The Vanishing' made in 1988, directed by George Sluizer was about a Dutch couple, Rex and Saskia on holiday in France. They stop at a petrol station and Saskia goes to buy drinks but never returns. Three years go past and Rex is still searching for her. His new girlfriend, Lieneke, leaves him as she is can't stand his obsession with finding Saskia. Raymond, a respectable family man is the one who kidnapped Saskia from the petrol station. He had been experimenting with chloroform and planning to abduct a woman. After three years of watching Rex search for Saskia, Raymond makes contact and tells him he is the one who took Saskia but there is no evidence to connect him to the crime. He offers Rex the chance to find out what happened to Saskia by experiencing exactly what happened to her.After drinking some spiked coffee, given to him by Raymond, Rex wakes up and finds that he has been buried. Above ground, Raymond relaxes and reads a newspaper with a story about the mysterious disappearances of first Saskia, now Rex.

As I said, not a pleasant and quite unsatisfying ending, but still a good film. The reminded me of 'Funny Games' in a small way. Funny Games made me and everything, mostly because everything in that film happened for no reason and all the characters were helpless, it was terrifying. The character of Raymond in The Vanishing is similar. He abducts a woman and kills her, slowly, for no real reason except that it is an experiment. It is vicious and there is no punishment for me. I felt uneasy while watch the credits. I will never watch this film again. Once was enough.

In the 1993 remake 'The Vanishing' was also directed by George Sluzier. The practice of remaking films with the same director has been done before, such as Funny Games was remade by director Michael Hanke. I think this is so they have control of the story.

The remake is slightly different. It begins the same way with a couple, Jeff and Diane on holiday, they stop for gas and she is abducted. But the abductee, Barney, goes directly to Jeff and straight out offers to show him what happened but Jeff experiencing what Diane went through. Then the film is told in flashbacks. Back in the present, Jeff's new girlfriend, Rita tracks the two men down and saves Jeff who was already buried. Jeff kills Barney then Rita and Barney are happily selling the story to publishing company at the end of the film. Quite different.

The remake, to be fair, had a ridiculous ending, plus Barney the abductee isn't given the same sort of situation as Raymond. He had issues so therefore it was understandable that he was a murderer, but Raymond had a proper family, work and was known in the community, why was he a killer, we, the audience isn't given a real explanation. But the killer is punished and I felt better, the I heard the last cheesy line in the remake and felt just as bad as the original.

I still agree with what I said back in college doing my A levels. But I thought about other films with remakes and how different they were, so I have compiled a short list of films to watch. I can tell you now, Funny Games is NOT on the list. I was so disturbed by that film, I practically threw it out of the window to get away from it.

Next Original vs Remake:

Mostly Martha, 2001 (German) vs No Reservations, 2007 (US)

September: Hit, Miss or Maybe

First off, I should point out that this has been my shortest list ever! It is pitiful. But I can explain. Basically I haven't been to the cinema this month. And although I have rented a few films on itunes, number 2 on my list is the only film I hadn't seen before, hence the very short list. It makes matters worse as I actually saw The Way Way back on 30th August. Tough month man.


1. The Way Way Back - HIT

From watching the trailer this definitely had the 'from the makers of Little Miss Sunshine' all over it. And its a good thing, this film was great! Although the poster may be the generic, teen in big glasses that includes title but behind that is a really great character with a fantastic supporting cast. The film really belongs to Liam James who plays Duncan the poor teen who is forced to spend the summer at his mum's boyfriend's beach house along with his brattish daughter. Duncan is shy and really doesn't want to be there so he goes exploring and eventually gets a job at the local water park, Water Whizz, where he makes friends, has fun and is actually part of something. Pam (Duncan's mum) is also an outsider at first but soon makes friends, but Trent (her boyfriend) doesn't make things easy for Duncan always putting him down and treating him in a mean way, this is because he is so obviously jealous of the boy. The film begins with Trent calling Duncan a '3' which Duncan holds onto for the entire film. You wait through the entire film for him to get back at Trent in some way but instead its a more quiet moral revenge. Sam Rockwell, who works at Water Whizz and befriends Duncan was a definite selling point of the film. He brings light humour and makes sure the film doesn't get too serious.

2. My Man Godfrey - HIT

I have been dying to see this films for years! I had read, like you do, about it being one of the better screwball comedies and oh it was. William Powell is Godfrey, a down on his luck man who lives in the city dump. Not quite a rubbish heap but a place for the other 'forgotten men' to carve a living out of. He is picked by flighty Carole Lombard's socialite, Irene, who is in need of a 'forgotten man' for a scavenger hunt and is desperate to beat her sister. He helps her win the hunt and in return she hires him as her family's butler. She becomes infatuated with him and he just tries to do his job, It was hilarious. I was laughing the whole time. The family, particularly the women of the house are always in an up roar. The elder sister a moody bitch, the mother, who is always in hysterics about something and Irene is always harassing poor Godfrey in an affectionate and amusing way. There is one particular scene where she prevents to faint so Godfrey puts her in the shower. This is a film to show just how bad modern day rom-coms are. There have been a trend for romantic comedies with a twist but they are still bad compared to the genius of this film. I can only compare it to the brilliant Hudsucker Proxy.

3. Rush - HIT

I think they made a mistake when marketing this. A big deal was made about Chris Hemsworth who plays James Hunt when in fact it is Niki Lauda's film and then it is in fact all about Daniel Bruhl. I should make this clear though, I have been a Daniel Bruhl fan since 'Goodbye Lenin' so I may be slightly bias. Not knowing much, if anything about about Formula One driving I found this film fascinating and really thrilling, especially during the race sequences. The fact I didn't know the history about the races, apart Niki Lauda's infamous car crash, it was exciting to see who won and lost. The film follows the rivalry between the British driver James Hunt and the Austrian driver Niki Lauda during the 1976 Formula One season. I have read everywhere that this will be Daniel Bruhl's breakout performance, in US anyway, but both the leads gave great performances. I agree both were good but Daniel Bruhl really does steal the scene every time he is on screen. You can see that he is, ultimately the better man and the better driver, especially as James Hunt retired from driving a few years after 1976. The end sequence, which mixes in real footage from the two drivers' races and actual footage of the real Hunt and Lauda, felt like a personal note to the drivers themselves. Although the voiceovers fro both the actors was annoying and I didn't think was needed as much, the final voiceover felt like a moment of praise and respect to Hunt from Lauda. A happy ending of sorts. This is one of the very few sports films I really enjoyed.

You Better Get Me To School On Time

This year marks the 10 year anniversary of School of Rock!

Everyone must remember that amazing film where a washed up musician and rock music obsessed Jack Black, who takes a job as a supply teacher, or as the American readers would say, a substitute teacher, under his room mate's name. There he uses his new found teacher powers to create a rock band made up of the talented students, to win a battle of the bands contest. It was amazing then and it is amazing now!

School of Rock was my first ever DVD. It was a birthday present and I remembered it cost £12. I know that because it was from my Nan but I bought it and she wrapped it up for me. I even bought the soundtrack. This film made me want to join a band or be in a band and play an instrument but seeing as it was 2003, I was way past my guitar days. Sad really. But this film did give me something else, along with all those other films I suppose, it gave me the motivation to want to pursue a career in film! Less of an fanfare saying but it really it did make me want to do that. Owning your first DVD was and is a big deal, at least for film lovers. My family's first DVD was Donnie Darko but it was technically my sister's first DVD, but that is a whole other story.

Back to those young rockers now nearly all graduated rockers/working musicians/actors/. The cast recently had a reunion and of course put on a show, here is the performance captured for the fans on youtube.

There is a great article about the cast 'then & now' pictures included.

School of Rock should be shown to the kids, it may encourage them to play an instrument or at least want to leave school in the middle of the day to attend a battle of the bands gig.

August Hit, Miss or Maybe

Lots of hits this month. Most of the films have been freebies, seen at the preview event or I was given a free ticket.

1. Percy Jackson & The Sea of Monsters - MAYBE

This is only a 'maybe' because I know people aren't a fan of the demi-gods and their camp. I love this series, I was so happy when a sequel appeared out of nowhere! I suppose its a guilty pleasure. The story sort of picks up from the last adventure with the lightening thief. Percy is at camp with the others but he's not the best warrior unlike Clarice, daughter of Ares. When the camp is attacked and the protective barrier around the camp is broken, Clarice, not Percy is sent out on a mission to find the Golden Fleece that will protect them or something. But of course this Percy Jackson, he goes on his own quest with his friends and he new half cyclops brother. There are a few things wrong with the film such as the actual sea of monsters only has one monster, the Kraken. But otherwise its FUN! And I like silly fun and greek mythology.

2. The Lone Ranger - HIT

Why this didn't do well in US? Well, it is very long for a Disney film and was more about Tonto than the actual Lone Ranger. Johnny Depp who plays Tonto, the native american indian who was originally the sidekick, said he made Tonto more of a warrior. In other words, he wanted the main part but not the conventional one. That aside, the film was great. The 'origin' of the Lone Ranger and fantastic epic adventure action packed train riding, horse jumping, gun shooting, spirit walking tale set in the Wild West. Great fun.

3. Only God Forgives - HIT

Violence can be cinematic and amazing as well as down right grim as proved by the slow and steady #OnlyGodForgives . I am very glad I read about this film before. Knowing it was mostly dreams that the main character is seeing made a lot more sense. I really like Nicholas Winding Refn's work, especially Drive and this film, although a hell of a lot different to Only God Forgives, the styles are similar. There are definitely some screensaver shots in the film. The story is about revenge and in a way, justice. The 'angel of vengence' a policeman who exacts justice but cutting off limbs seems harsh but the character is so in control he doesn't even flinch. There is one scene I had to look away from, a torture scene. Very grim. Apart from that I was glued to the screen. It is an abstract art film so if you just want to Ryan Gosling for no reason then rent The Notebook but if you like his acting, watch this film.

4. Pain & Gain - HIT

Everyone was laughing at this film, just because it looked ridiculous and it was a Michael Bay film. I can confirm it is ridiculous but it is just so brilliant, it had to be a 'hit'. I could not stop laughing. I wasn't sure if I was meant to or not but myself and the rest of the audience were laughing. Based on a true story about 3 bodybuilders who kidnap an awful rich guy in Miami, 1995 and steal his money. The film is crazy, half the things that happen you wouldn't believe but just in case that happens, there are moments when titles come up to tell you 'this actually happened'.

5. Planes - MISS

Terrible film. OK, that was harsh. It is better than Cars/Cars 2 but its still terrible. I never like the 'cars universe' to me the concept just doesn't work. I know these films were made 'for the boys' but surely there are better things to make than this unoriginal film? There is thinly veiled dig at other countries and how they are 'of course inferior to American'. India is a liar, Mexico is stupid, Canada is a man-eater and UK is stuck up and weak. Some of the plains are so stereotypical I wanted to vomit. The story is basic, small crop duster wants to race in a famous race around the world. The 3D hurt my eyes too. Not great but slightly better than cars. Expect Pixar o bring out BOATS in 2015. 

6. Up On Poppy Hill - HIT

I think this is a winning combination. Hayao Miyazaki scripted the film and his son, Goro Miyazaki directed, his second feature. It is such a delightful story about a girl who raises signal flags each day in memory of her father. She meets a boy who run the school newspaper, they share a bond and together try to save the school's clubhouse from being demolished. Set in the 60s, it makes a great period piece and as always, the artwork is amazing.

7. Ain't Them Bodies Saints - HIT



It's a beautiful film. The pace is slow but it worth the wait. Written and directed by David Lowery, the story is about a passionate young couple, Ruth and Bob, who went on a crime spree. In a shoot out with the local officers, Ruth shoots an officer but Bob takes the fall and goes to prison. A few years later, Ruth has raised their young daughter and lives quietly. Bob breaks out of prison to be with his family. It is a very sombre film, despite the description it isn't a loud action packed affair, it is slow and quiet and there are too many beautiful shots to count in this film. 

Abstract + Story + (Character x Improvisation) = Splinter

End of last year I was lucky to be part of a small cast & crew for the short abstract film 'Splinter'.

A short film about Loretta, Max and David. After the death of Loretta's father, her cousin, David, moves in with her. By David moving in, he changes both Loretta and Max's lives. 

The film was made by Chris Young, Callum Turner & Bruno Collins.

Improvised and performed by Craig Daniel Adams (David), Jonathan Holby (Max) and Louise Dylan (Loretta).

The film has been completed  and it is here in its entirety on Vimeo for your viewing pleasure! http://vimeo.com/72322427

July Hit, Miss or Maybe

1. Now You See Me - HIT

I really enjoyed this. I've never been to keen on magic shows but magic and magicians as a film subject is another thing, especially when its mixed with mystery and a police chase. I loved the entire cast, literally I didn't not like anyone of them. This is rare indeed. To be honest you can rarely go wrong with Woody Harrelson. The film is centred around 4 street/amateur magicians who are introduced through what their specialties are. They all receive a tarot card with a place and time to meet. They all think they have been chosen to be inducted to 'The Eye' a mystical ancient order of magicians, or so I gathered. A year later they are pulling in huge crowds in Las Vegas which is where they rob a bank, in Paris. They promise to pull off more daring stunts in their next few shows, all in different locations. The main focus isn't actually the '4 Horsemen' it is more about the cop (Mark Ruffalo) and the woman from interpol (Melaine Laurent) trying to solve how they robbed a bank in Paris. It is a fun and thrilling film, thrilling because the 'tricks' are so awesome.

2. On the Road - MAYBE

This would have been a miss if I hadn't loved the actors (except Kristen Stewart, sorry Twilight fans). The story is all over the place but I liked that. I wasn't about just one journey, it stops and starts. There was a sense that the personal journey that Sal is more important than the physical ones made with, mostly, Dean Moriary (damn cool name for a actual horrible person). But all the lovely men in the film has deep husky voices so I missed a lot of the dialogue, forever having to rewind and listen again.

3. The Art of Getting By - MISS

(SPOILER ALERT) Is it me or is Freddie Highmore just dull now he's made it through puberty. He was great as Charlie Bucket in that chocolate factory but in this, he was dull. His character was dull. In fact most people in this film were either dull or predictable. The only people I liked were the crazy old guy art teacher and Alicia Silverstone as the english teacher. Both small roles but both were far better than everyone else in this film. I know that is harsh but this film wasn't great. I liked it at the start but then it lost its way. It became stereotypical cliched teenaged love sick boredom. I liked the title though. the story is simple, loner outsider artist George doesn't do any work because he is lazy. He meets pretty run of the mill, has issues, Sally. They bond, he likes her, she likes him but don't say it. George befriends artist who used to go their school. They become friends, until Sally goes out with the older artist. Boring. George tries to win back Sally even though they weren't together. He has to complete all the homework he missed during the year including a painting which oh what a surprise is of Sally. They get together ultimately over a painting. Predictable.

4. Spork - HIT

Loved the trailer when I first saw it. The music was catchy. It isn't perfect but its just adorable yet depressing, but it is ultimately a feel good film, in a way. Spork is a 14 year old intersex (hermaphrodite)  teen who identifies as being a girl. She lives with her brother is trailer park. Her only friend and neighbour is Tootsie Roll, who all tries to include Spork in things. She plans on entering a dance off and using the money to visit her Dad in prison, but hurts her leg days before. Spork enters instead. The setting for this film is all over the place. The bitchy girls dress in 80s clothes and like 80s music but also worship Britney Spears. Spork and Tootsie dress in 90s clothes and listen to early 90s hip hop. This just makes the film better. The message is clear too, just be who you want to be and ignore those who try to mess things up for you. Not as eloquent as it sound sound. The end dance sequence is a Napoleon Dynamite worthy surprise.

5. Monster University - HIT

Pixar's first prequel and despite the one line error from Monsters Inc, this film was very good. Almost all the characters from the first one make cameos or supporting roles. We see how friendships were made, how enemies were made, how if someone believes in you, your talent can be discovered. The new characters were amazing especially the brothers of Oozma Kappa. Some were stereotypes but because this is the monster universe they are hilarious. Someone commented saying that the film was full of 'in jokes' for those who went to university, not true. If you went to school at any point in your life you can relate. The person who made the comment was promptly dealt with, no need to worry there Pixar fans. It's fun and games and about believing in your friends and of course yourself. Could not love it more.

6. The World's End - HIT

It's been a while but Wright/Pegg/Frost fans, the wait is over, the third film in the unofficial Cornetto trilogy has arrived and its all we ever wanted plus its grown up. We've had zombie romances, buddy cop adventures and now its alien robot things. Gary King gathers together his group of mates who he has touch with, mostly because he's a selfish idiot. He convinces them to go back to their home town and finish 'The Golden Mile' pub crawl that they failed to complete when they were teens. But all is not what it seems, no one remembers then and are acting strange. Fantastic cast assembled with the token hilarious addition you wouldn't expect (Pierce Brosnan this time) as well as the familiar faces. Everything about this film screams tradition and old comforts back for one last hurrah. In a way its sad because it feels like there won't be another collaboration like this again, although the trio have said they will work together again. I really though this film great, genuinely funny, so much that I was still laughing about one joke half way through the film. I love how all these films have things in common, mostly small towns, pubs, drinking and surviving something but above all that, these films are very British and that is a fantastic thing. Shut up all you British (film) haters, this was a great British film.

7. The Wolverine - MISS

I almost forgot I saw this. In truth I only sat through this so I could see The Lone Ranger. This was one of the films I couldn't talk about until it's release. I was so disappointed by the first Wolverine Origins film that I had not planned on seeing this at all. But seeing I saw this at the event, what harm could it be to see it. This was better than the first but still not great. Set mainly in Japan and following on from events in the equally awful X-Men 3, Wolverine is taken back to Japan to meet the man he saved back during World War 11 when Nagasaki was bombed. The man he saved is now very wealthy buy dying and he wants Wolverine's ability to heal. All chaos ensues when Wolverine does indeed mysteriously loose his power to heal and the mafia get involved. There are only two mutants in the entire film. Disappointing. Half the reason for seeing a film like this is to see the mutants. There is one amazing fight scene on top of a bullet train which was good but otherwise, meh.

8. The Frozen Ground - MAYBE

What is John Cusack doing? What is lovable Cusack doing? Seriously. You play one crazy sick murderer and then you get typcast. I really think Nicholas Cage should have swapped roles with Cusack. Just saying. Based on a true story of 1980s Alaskan hunt for serial killer Robert Hansen. He stalked and murdered around 20 young women, kidnapping them then taking them out to the Alaskan wilderness where he let them lose, hunted them down and then buried them. It's a grim tale but a good story to put on film. The cast is good, even Vanessa Hudgens as the victim that got away and helps bring the murderer to justice. I saw this film at 22:30 at the Media and Trade preview event. I saw it straight after another true story, also about murder and kidnap, it was alot to take in last thing at night just before I travelled back home on the last train, but it was good film, worth seeing. Maybe save for the DVD release.


9. The Heat - MAYBE

I loved Bridesmaids, I liked this. I am not that keen on Sandra Bullock but like a few other actress's, she has got better, or I have warmed up to her in her older age. Both the lead ladies are hilarious. But I wish that Melissa McCarthy would get given other roles rather than 'large tough foul mouth woman'. She is better than that, she was Sooki from Gilmore Girls for gad sake! Basic cop conspiracy story. Up tight FBI agent (Bullock) is sent to work on a case in Boston, the case leads her to end up working with a crazy, loud mouthed cop (McCarthy). They work together to find who is the major drug dealer is but going through the seller, suppliers and distributors, most if not all scenes are funny. Great twist in the old odd couple buddy cop movies, which all feature men in the main roles, this was a nice change, and I hope this isn't the last.

Watching 9 til 5 (actually 11pm)

Could not believe my luck.

I finally won something or got through to something on IdeasTap and it is thanks to this blog actually. The event was advertised as a ' #film  blogging workshop' where people who have had a blog, relating to film, for over a year can improve their skills and blog posts. Unfortunately due to the short notice I couldn't make all the days. This meant I actually missed the workshop part of the event. The event, Media & Trade Preview Event, #UKCINEMASHOWCASE ran from Sunday to Wednesday.

I'm really annoyed I missed the first two days of the event, absolutely gutted but I'm hoping I'll get a second chance at another event.

Another unfortunate thing is that because it was a preview event, I can't talk about all the films I saw, I can't even mention some of them by name. I had to sign a few embargoes. So I apologise now if the rest of this post is frustrating.

Tuesday was a very long day. 9 am start and straight in with a Friday release, #TheWorldsEnd. I was grinning from ear to ear when I saw the schedule, in fact the entire schedule. I'll review The World's End after this Friday when I plan to see it again. I didn't get out of the cinema until near midnight, the last film ran long, but over all it was damn worth it.

Wednesday was also an early start but a shorter day, which I didn't mind as I was really tired, and the film I saw before lunch was just too long, I actually drifted off for a bit.

Between each film I wrote a few notes down which I will save for the film's releases so as I don't break any rules. But I can list a few films I did see, no opinion attached, for now.

Films included; #TheWorldsEnd, Hawking, The Lone Ranger, Pain & Gain, The Frozen Ground, Ain't Them Bodies Saints

Watch this space for reviews and things!

Thank you #IdeasTap !

The Art of VHS

This weekend, although it was face meltingly hot, I ventured out on public transport, the worst place to be in a heatwave.

My sister and I ventured out to Old Street to see the exhibition, Not For Rental at 71A. The home of Little White Lies and Huck magazines. It is a marvelous place. Office on the ground floor, complete with a small shop front, then a gallery/screening area in the basement.

The room was set up like a video rental store. With all the video cases displayed (some empty). All the artwork was on the covers. There was also a game to guess the film from the artwork, most cases had the answer on the back. We, unfortunately had missed the public viewing and had arrived on the day the artwork was being sold. So there were a few gaps and as we looked around, videos were flying off the shelves. The exhibition was for a good cause, charity. The money was going to the Macmillan cancer support charity. At the back of the gallery there was a projection set up, playing an odd looking film on the back wall. After being distracted by it we realised it was Conan the Barbarian, with Schwarsenegger.

Looking at those videos made me think of the old video store that used to be up our high street. It was crammed full of videos, with little room between the shelves (floor to ceiling), it was great! But then a chain took over, Apollo, then they went bust and one night all the stores in the area were cleared out, left abandoned. Blockbuster did the same, except slowly, at least the one near me did that.

After the exhibition, it was onto The Book Club for brunch! I had never been there but my sister has and she recommended it. We had amazing ice coffee and I couldn't resist the pancakes, a small stack packed with berries and maple syrup. So good! Thinking of it now makes my mouth water.

After those pancakes we wondered over to one of my favourite places, Drink Shop Do. We indulged in more ice coffee and shared an amazing piece of victoria sponge. It was such a hot day more ice coffee and water was needed. On the way to the refreshments we stopped at a bookshop that had a trolly outside saying 'Books £1 each) so we had a rummage through. There were some ancient film journals and some even older copies of BFI Sight and Sound magazine from the 70s! Of course I picked up a copy, for £1, it was bargain to come across this history!

Anyhoo, to round up the day here are some of my favourite video cover artworks. See if you can guess the films.