tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40793684538642255962024-02-07T17:48:47.576-08:00Russell ReviewsAll the latest film news, trailers and reviews.Russell Reviewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03063742300240073558noreply@blogger.comBlogger148125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079368453864225596.post-7486475217479438872015-03-21T12:53:00.000-07:002015-03-21T12:53:34.777-07:00Scraping the bottom of the barrel- You're back in the Room<div class="MsoNormal">
The red telephone box, the black taxi, Buckingham palace,
Phillip Schofield, sometimes you just feel proud to be British. Where normally
the hugely popular ‘X-Factor’ or ‘Britain’s Got Talent’ graces our screens, at
that magic Saturday evening 8 o’clock spot, this week the men, woman and
children of this great country were introduced to ‘You’re Back in the Room’.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj26XYzu4EVrrOnN4BryCbViej5h_rcOfrcBQw-bU9xM98XGnTpnyLnz7vOaC6x3KIX6DZijq0o382ZeMEbqCRXKusEyS087KG_2IJo-m4sqTM3S65lAvrs4D7puulrNF1NY3_t9dJJU5E/s1600/image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj26XYzu4EVrrOnN4BryCbViej5h_rcOfrcBQw-bU9xM98XGnTpnyLnz7vOaC6x3KIX6DZijq0o382ZeMEbqCRXKusEyS087KG_2IJo-m4sqTM3S65lAvrs4D7puulrNF1NY3_t9dJJU5E/s1600/image.jpg" height="225" width="320" /></a>Led by our great leader Mr Schofield, the gameshow revolves
around five contestants completing challenges for money all whilst (here comes
that familiar ITV twist) being under hypnosis, forced into doing silly things
for the misery of the general public. All this mess-making, play-acting and
vomit-inducing shenanigans results in possibly the worst piece of TV to ever
grace our screens since Dale Winton forced dying celebrities to wear Lycra for
his own twisted entertainment in BBC’s ‘Hole in the Wall’.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Only the bravest of gameshows begins with a title sequence
which feels like a sickening nightmare before showing Phillip Schofield
adjacent to a ticking clock, reminding you of your impending death as you waste
an hour of your precious life glaring into the abyss that is the charismatic
star of ‘This Morning’.<o:p></o:p></div>
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‘We are going to override their brains’ Schofield says as he
paces across the stage, a line made popular from our deepest sexual fantasies,
at this moment a flurry of moral concerns arise. Quite how this gameshow came
to inhabit our screens, we will probably never know, but it seems as though ITV
are a little desperate for material. What with great shows like ‘Heartbeat’, ‘Tipping
Point’ and ‘Take Me Out’, one would wonder why…<o:p></o:p></div>
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The fact that this show quite explicably exploits innocent
members of the public is outrageous in itself, and that’s before they’ve even
done any of the puerile challenges Schofield and his primary school posse have
come up with. Criticism has surrounded the show about whether they’re normal
people at all, or actors, but this is beside the point.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Making crude models out of clay, immaturely falling in love
with the presenter and made to think there’s a horrific, life threatening storm
inside the studio, this juvenile nonsense is reserved for only the worst
non-commissioned TV, but even they would turn it down for being too low-brow. <o:p></o:p></div>
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It was after the horrific pottery-making challenge that we
were treated to an advert break, desperately finding refuge in the patriotic
pleasures of British Gas whilst your mind digests what you just saw. The TV had
just sprayed out 20 minutes worth of excrement and now the audience sat there
in their own squalor, unable to move, just accepting the fact that they will
never experience anything quite as embarrassing as what they just saw. <o:p></o:p></div>
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The flashing lights of primary colours, the goofy music, the
helium inhaling, it’s all too much, feeling a lot of the time like a kids TV
show, respecting the intelligence of the audience just as much as one . ITV may
as well have draped a bib over your belly and forced fed you baby food, by all
means give us family-friendly fun, however a family includes adults and also
children over the age of 2 months , none of whom would find this atrocity
funny. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Feeling a lot like a satire of contemporary day-time
gameshows, ‘You’re Back in the Room’ made the general public wish they really
weren’t. With lines like ‘meet the man who will be hacking their brains’, you’d
find it hard to prove this programme really has the intelligence and respect of
the general public in mind. All this from a TV broadcaster who will very soon
be hosting a live electoral debate…wow.<o:p></o:p></div>
Russell Reviewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03063742300240073558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079368453864225596.post-18104372981679148322015-01-14T09:00:00.000-08:002015-01-14T09:08:13.710-08:00Top 20 Films of 2014I remember at the start of the year thinking 2014 was an annoying stepping stone to 2015, where I was awaiting these huge blockbusters, reading to come out, and in all honesty I wasn't particularly looking forward to the 2014 cinematic year. Ironic now that, in 2015, I'm really not that excited for the upcoming huge releases after possibly one of the best years in cinema for a very long time.<br />
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We got big blockbuster releases in a relatively small dose with Guardians of the Galaxy being a nice little surprise as well as the Hunger Games being surprisingly OK considering the stupid choice to split the final book into 2 parts. But I feel as though, this year, more than any other we've seen smaller and better movies share the limelight with the big franchises, proven in the awards race which includes some absolute corkers, though I am saying this before any of the Nominees are announced, so for all I know, they could all be atrocious.<br />
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To show the absolute quality of this years releases I'm not doing any honourable mentions, cus there were 10 of them...so I thought a top 20. 20 very solid films in one year and some films of the awards season haven't come out here yet (e.g. Whiplash, Birdman, Foxcatcher). It's been a pretty staple year, here it is...<br />
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<u><span style="color: orange;"><b>20. The Guest</b></span></u><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVVFV7O6C4cn-195IinpuckVGwzOQ8Z45J7s0y9r5cp_qIoNoO8nThQLlt0cOwD6Zo5Ir7vmqKhZ_7F-MnHKxV51SrY3nGI9sPl2r6GmLBAxdP8m1i36JHr_ScreCO7Q0SW85Y1faouR8/s1600/the-guest-002_GUEST_538_rgb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVVFV7O6C4cn-195IinpuckVGwzOQ8Z45J7s0y9r5cp_qIoNoO8nThQLlt0cOwD6Zo5Ir7vmqKhZ_7F-MnHKxV51SrY3nGI9sPl2r6GmLBAxdP8m1i36JHr_ScreCO7Q0SW85Y1faouR8/s1600/the-guest-002_GUEST_538_rgb.jpg" height="214" width="320" /></a>From Adam Wingard, director of 2011's brilliant 'You're Next', comes his second and more superior film, 'The Guest', which although falted is held up by some truly outstanding aspects.<br />
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The film follows 'David', who as a promise to his deceased friend, visits their family home to comfort them. Mysterious goings on start to happen and for the first 45 minutes or so the tension is palpable, supported by the terrifying performance of Dan Stevens as the protagonist. The Mystery is set up for a big conclusion however, which never really comes to a satisfying peak, almost just withering away. That said, the rest of the film is so creepy and so gripping that it's ultimately well worth your time, if not for the breathtaking cinematography and a soundtrack which gets my vote for best of the year.<br />
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<u><span style="color: orange;"><b>19. Next Goal Wins </b></span></u><br />
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This neat little documentary surrounds the trials, tribulations and general life of the statistically worst national football team in the world, American Samoa. The film follows the team from their notorious 31-0 loss to Australia, to the present day as they struggle to climb the international rankings.<br />
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Up there with some of the best sports films I've ever seen, Next Goal Wins takes you into the genuine and thoughtful minds of these 11+ footballers, all of whom are pinned down by a multitude of other jobs, as well as one vibrant player being a male transvestite. The simplicity of the documentary works heavily in its favour, veering away from fancy edits and camera work to set itself apart from any other film of its type. It's a motivational and genuinely thought provoking documentary on the limits of the human spirit, reminding viewers of the true beauty of the game.<br />
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<u><b><span style="color: orange;">18. The Babadook</span></b></u><br />
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If you'd asked me pre-October what my favourite film of the year would be I would've probably guessed that it would be the (then upcoming) Babadook. However as a result of my overhyped excitement that this would be the scariest film ever ultimately made me enjoy it less than I should've.<br />
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Now don't get me wrong this is a fantastic Horror film, from a country which continues to gain mad respect as real cinematic shakers. But if you go into this film expecting to absolutely scare yourself shitless ( like I did) you just won't love it as whilst it is certainly creepy throughout building a considerable amount of tension, it doesn't have a lot of 'scares' in the traditional sense, with the real Horror being a metaphorical message (which I won't spoil). This message is ultimately an extremely disturbing and haunting one which will remain with you, sunken in your brain, for many days after seeing it. The figure of the Babadook is masterfully designed, opting for practical makeup, and as a result supplies for some of the biggest frights you'll see in modern day horror cinema. All of this is supported by the terrific performance of Essie Davis who makes this fictional character wholly believable in the real world.<br />
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<u><span style="color: orange;"><b>17. Blue Ruin</b></span></u><br />
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I saw this one way back at the start of the year, yet the story has remained to resonate with me ever since. Blue Ruin concerns a man fixated upon taking revenge on a recently released criminal who killed a member of his family.<br />
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Though it sounds like a stereotypical revenge thriller, it's really anything but with a fantastic stand out performance from Macon Blair as the deranged but inarguably relatable killer himself. Brutal and unapologetic Blue Ruin pulls some hefty punches and reflects the protagonists heartless Ideology, in the best way possible. The films conclusion truly ties the film together after it wonders slightly throughout the middle, in a telling and thoughtful.<br />
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<u><b><span style="color: orange;">16. Stretch </span></b></u><br />
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I feel as though this is a really personal top 20, but I guess it is my top 20, so that should make some sense. Stretch is directed by Joe Carnahan, director of one of my favourite and most criminally underrated films of the last few years, 2011's 'The Grey'. So as a result I already had a stupid smile on my face before It had even started but none the less. Carnahan fan or not, you'll be hard pressed to find anyone who doesn't find this entertaining.<br />
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Masterpiece it is not. If someone asked me whether it should be hung up in the Louvre I would vomit in their face. No, Stretch is quite simply the most fast-paced and thoroughly entertaining films you've likely ever seen. Oddly enough though the best thing about the film isn't the fast paced action and fight scenes or whatever, its the truly unexpected character arc of Patrick Wilson's character, who through mimicking famous movie idols comes out of his nervous skin in a desperate attempt to pay back a drug dealer a large sum of money by the end of the night. Wilsons insanity carries the film and makes it an unbelievable amount of fun as you tag-along for the ride- in yet another crazy good performance within a great year for acting displays. Some crazy twists and turns and frequent hilarious moments makes this film my biggest surprise of the year. With far too much to cover when talking about this film, if I tell you one thing its don't watch any of the trailers for the love of fuck, you will regret, go in blind and you'll have no idea what's going to happen next and it's 10x more thrilling for that.<br />
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<u><span style="color: orange;"><b>15. The Lego Movie</b></span></u><br />
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From one unbelievably fast movie to another, actually in many ways, thinking about it The Lego Movie and Stretch are in terms of genre very similar, fast-paced, action-packed, ingenious and full of wit. But really, no one thought this film was going to be any good, if I'm honest I kind of have no idea why as it's directed by Phil Lord and Chris Miller, who also directed and penned the scripts for both 21 Jump Street and Cloudy with a chance of Meatballs, two creative and hilarious releases.<br />
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In terms of witty banter I think The Lego Movie has beaten 'Dave' to the top spot with jokes littered throughout the film, some blatantly obvious and some hidden in the very blocks in which the film is constructed, but all are utterly ingenious. I don't think any other director (or directors) could have achieved a similar result for a film about Lego's, Lord and Miller have the perfect balance of childishness and creativity, which neatly and bizarrely balance out into intelligent comedy. I also believe they successfully veered away from making the film a straight out advert for the product, which it quite easily could've been with the final act certainly promoting creativity but not necessarily the product. A long-awaited childrens film to match the originality, charm and brilliance of the original Toy Story.<br />
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<u><b><span style="color: orange;">14. Frank </span></b></u><br />
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Eyup, the first British film on the list is an absolute belter. Based on the real life comedian/musician Frank Sidebottom who performed with a huge papier mache mask over his face. Here Michael Fassbender does the same, wearing the mask for practically the whole film, in yet another brilliant performance from possibly one of the best actors currently working.<br />
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Consistently charming and thoroughly entertaining the film follows Frank and his alternative rock band who are quite happy recording an album in the secluded countryside, that is until national interest prompts them to travel to America to perform. Despite it being hard to avert your eyes from the terrific Fassbender, It is Domhnall Gleeson's character Jon who we mostly follow, who being rather irritating at some points, is a hugely relatable character for anyone who is trying to have a breakthrough in an artistic field. Where it seems as though the film is loosing track towards the end, it always knows it's course, ending on an absolutely perfect, if a little bleak note.<br />
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<u><b><span style="color: orange;">13. 22 Jump Street</span></b></u><br />
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I'm calling it, Lord and Miller are going to become absolute comedy leviathans with two hilarious and inventive films out this year which crave your attention. 22 Jump Street is even funnier than its sleeper hit predecessor, with Channing Tatum and Jonah hill once again displaying a fantastic on screen chemistry, unchallenged by anyone of this year or any other recently for that matter. Despite the fact that little was changed in the film from the first, they made this a consistent running gag, constantly referencing the similarities both films share, and somehow, I don't know how, this makes the film feel fresh.<br />
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Perhaps it's the fact that no other Hollywood movie is prepared to ridicule it's own production and the movie business in general, but this honesty was not only refreshing but also pain-inducingly hilarious; providing for perhaps the best post-credits scene of all time.<br />
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<u><span style="color: orange;"><b>12. Nymphomaniac </b></span></u><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaDAwo9AaN4f5z7xmdR20b4FdW9F5zjoa3qYPX1fyxLFEnHhvbAmWOZgDmUm2BSxIcuOdk4Cv7IKF9NgthBwSXQ411Ki5gLvSHzQJQzY5PAIzn97n9VKrGBgeZC7wUrT9dhjTCXedK3Fc/s1600/seligman.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaDAwo9AaN4f5z7xmdR20b4FdW9F5zjoa3qYPX1fyxLFEnHhvbAmWOZgDmUm2BSxIcuOdk4Cv7IKF9NgthBwSXQ411Ki5gLvSHzQJQzY5PAIzn97n9VKrGBgeZC7wUrT9dhjTCXedK3Fc/s1600/seligman.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a>You'd be surprised to know how long it took me to find an appropriate picture to accompany this summary... So this is Lars Von Trier, doing what Lars does best, shock. However where Lars in the past has perhaps gone a little overboard with 75% shock and 25% actual meaningful story, oddly enough I think here he gets the balance pretty spot on.<br />
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That doesn't mean you can go into this film and expect not to see either a minute montage of different varieties of penis or pretty hardcore scenes of sex which borderline on pornography, because both these things are present in the film. But, it is all backed up by the actually quite thought-provoking tale of a woman's issue from childhood to adolescence as attitudes towards sex and life in general change. Does it have to be 4 hours long? No it doesn't and this is perhaps the films biggest fault and a lot of that time <i>is </i>filled with gratuitous 'shock' scenes, but not so much that it becomes boring or unnecessary<br />
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Don't mistake this film for being seedy and too 'arthouse' it's a truly brilliant drama with some absolutely fantastic performances across the board (Uma Thurman's short appearance especially) and a shocking 'slap-in-the-face' ending.<br />
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This would be the most awkward film ever to watch with parents, so don't even consider it.<br />
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<u><span style="color: orange;"><b>11. Calvary </b></span></u><br />
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Just missing out from the top 10 is Calvary, <span class="itemprop" itemprop="name" style="font-size: inherit;">John Michael McDonagh stellar Drama about a priest who is threatened with murder in an anonymous confession booth. The film follows his travels around the small parish to try and figure out the potential murderer, visiting each member individually to reveal a bleak truth about the town. </span><br />
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<span class="itemprop" itemprop="name" style="font-size: inherit;">Brendan Gleeson gets better and better with each performance and thus proves himself as one of the best actors currently working in the business, but whom no one gives recognition. His performance here is certainly award worthy, portraying a broken character, wary of his trust.</span><br />
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<span class="itemprop" itemprop="name" style="font-size: inherit;">Not to be overlooked however is Aidan Gillen's performance as one of the mysterious townsmen, who in one scene in particular portrays so much fear and bitterness that it's truly terrifying. A technically beautiful film with brilliant performances and an unquestionably bleak final message. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 27px;"><br /></span></span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 27px;"><br /></span></span></span><span style="color: orange;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 27px;"><b><u>10.Locke</u></b></span></span><br />
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How do you make one man in a car for 90 minutes interesting? Stick Tom Hardy in the from seat.<br />
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This pretty much sums up the whole of Locke, being very much an acting showcase, where Tom Hardy can just chomp through the script. Although this is true, Locke is, more than any other film this year wrapped in an uncomfortable air of truth and honesty that this person feels so unbelievably real. Although this is partly due to Hardy's fantastic performance, it is also down to the incredible writing, who literally make a 90 minute car journey gripping from start to finish. Furthermore the cinematography, you would assume to be restricted is anything but, confined to the limits of a car interior, it does very well to keep you engaged.<br />
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I'm a huge fan of the film, but in all honesty it's general simplicity and realism makes it hard to discuss without spoiling it, so just go out to your home video dvd rental warehouse and grab a copy.<br />
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<u><span style="color: orange;"><b>9. The Raid 2</b></span></u><br />
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Despite coming out early in the year, it wasn't until December when I finally watched the Raid 2 on DVD and after a whole year of hearing it was good, but not as good as the first, I really didn't have the highest of hopes.<br />
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...If you're a fan of action movies, kung-fu movies, heck thrillers in general you <i>must </i>watch this film, even if it's for the stunning choreography alone. This is a weird one though, as I don't think I would've enjoyed it as much if it wasn't for the abundance of Hollywood action releases which use copious amounts of CGI and badly constructed fight sequences, two things which the Raid 2 puts a fat foot in the face to.<br />
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But seriously, these actors are real with real fighting experience, in a real fight sequence, and as a result the film feels so intense with every punch to the chest blowing wind out of you.<br />
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The film tries to build on its predecessors story with an interesting follow up which involves the main character going undercover in a criminal business which whilst for the most part works incredibly well, is ultimately too complicated. Not so much that the film becomes incomprehensible, but so much so that a press of the pause button would not go protested.<br />
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<u><span style="color: orange;"><b>8. Starred Up </b></span></u><br />
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I'd actually be pretty annoyed if Jack O'Connell gets any recognition for Unbroken, just for the fact that this film is a) better and b) his performance is better. There is no doubt in my mind that this man will one day be an acting great. Despite the small personality of his character, in comparison to the other inmates, O'Connell commands the screen as a younger, less mental version of Tom Hardy's Bronson. <br />
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But truly, this film defines British grittiness, every shot looks dirty and depressing in the best possible way as we follow Eric Love, O'Connell's mentally confused character. As much as the film presents itself as a loud and brutal prison drama, it's actually a lot more, being a gripping story on the mindset of the criminal as well as the actual function of such an institute.<br />
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A strong, thought provoking film, just don't go in with a huge bag of popcorn...it ain't very pleasant.<br />
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<u><span style="color: orange;"><b>7. The Borderlands </b></span></u><br />
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There seems to be a theme this year of just criminally underrated movies, this is a very significant one, being not only the best horror film of the year but the best for a couple of years. This small british release, which got a miniature release early in 2014 is the definition of a hidden gem.<br />
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The film follows a pair of paranormal investigators working for the church, who travel to a secluded village to see if their churches claim of a miracle was in fact genuine. I know, I know you're probably hurling your own shit at the screen at the sight of 'paranormal investigators' but seriously give it a chance and that shit will not be on the screen...<br />
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The films real success is taking its time to formulate two highly believable, relatable and intriguing characters. By throwing in glimpses of comedy we start to grow an instant connection to the protagonists as they enter into a village which instantly rejects them. Although it follows the story of the paranormal, it does so in a religious context, something we haven't really seen, at least not to the effect that this film pulls off.<br />
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As the paranormal starts to get even more aggressive the protagonists thoughts on God and everything surrounding it are questioned to terrifying effect come the brutal finale which will have you shaken to the core. What an ending.<br />
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Don't. watch. the. trailer<br />
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<u><span style="color: orange;"><b>6. Two Days, One Night</b></span></u><br />
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After I had reservations for 2011's critically loved 'The Kid with a bike' I was a little skeptical about going into this one, The premise is certainly a whole lot more interesting however following Sandra who upon discovering her work colleagues voted for a bonus in exchange for her dismissal, asks for a revote and spends the weekend trying to convince them all otherwise.<br />
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This idea is so ingenious and so clever, that it makes you go ' why has no one made it before' it's so simple, asking a multitude of questions about individual morals and selfishness. Although it's a cliche, I feel as though the phrase ' you'll see people differently after watching this film' applies in great depth to Two days, one night, wondering what they would vote for when given the option between greed and humanity. That said however we are put in a very selfish position behind Sandra, seeing the situation through her eyes, finding it hard to accept the decisions of those who need the money despite their reasons being wholly legitimate. Two Days, one night is morally fascinating as is a source for endless debate and thought, great performances all round in this great achievement from the Dardenne brothers. <br />
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<u><b><span style="color: orange;">5. The Grand Budapest Hotel </span></b></u><br />
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Say the name Wes Anderson and heads will immediately turn, he's without doubt one of the best filmmakers of our time, yet to put a foot wrong, and his newest film is certainly no exception, being up there with his very best. The Grand Budapest hotel is just as interesting and unique as any of Anderson's other films following Gustave H, and his trusty lobby boy, Zero, who embark on a great adventure when Gustave discovers he's heir to a grand painting.<br />
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Despite being pretty much completely different to anything Ralph Fiennes has ever done, this is possibly his most enjoyable performance ever, being allowed almost total thespian freedom to depict the eccentric concierge. As always Andersons eyes for fantastic cinematography continues with a fantastic looking film, vibrant and interesting in every frame.<br />
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The Grand Budapest hotel is a crime-caper like no other, complete with copious cameos, a prison breakout and traditional ski-chase.<br />
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<u><span style="color: orange;"><b>4. Miss Violence </b></span></u><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfJGeNZQYGKGQagxRnGMHxh5jm0r3IMQfp_JFDc_lNiCzqfItmB_rME4qtlutD31QfvWN9ZXsIlgwNBsKkIoBAFxkse9CghVxBmEK0wcoH_c2ErSzpan_sTScuu02R1POzj2-xHxk8558/s1600/miss_violence_foto_04-620x350.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfJGeNZQYGKGQagxRnGMHxh5jm0r3IMQfp_JFDc_lNiCzqfItmB_rME4qtlutD31QfvWN9ZXsIlgwNBsKkIoBAFxkse9CghVxBmEK0wcoH_c2ErSzpan_sTScuu02R1POzj2-xHxk8558/s1600/miss_violence_foto_04-620x350.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a>From here, any of these films could be number one to be honest, there all so unique that to compare them is almost impossible, but anyway.<br />
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This film is without doubt one of the most disturbing films I think I've ever seen. From the unbelievably outstanding opening scene where an 11 year old girl, on her birthday goes to the balcony smiles to the camera and commits suicide, this film wakes you up and grips you tight, right until the final credits.<br />
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The film pretty much follows, why she kills herself and in the process exposes a family evidently hiding some mysterious secret. No doubt, much of this film is extremely hard to take, (don't even consider watching it with the whole family) but it's also so gripping that I guarantee you won't be able to peel your eyes, fixated on what on earth is going on with the family. As the grim truth becomes clear, the film only ramps up the gears, totally unapologetic at what it's showing until the final act which will leave you open mouthed in shock.<br />
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The whole film is however held together by the fantastic acting performances who make the story as sinister as it is, leading it away from being a gratuitous horror, into instead a psychological, drama which totally messes with your head. I know for a fact he won't but Themis Panou should seriously be considered for a best actor nomination.<br />
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Watch this film.<br />
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<u><span style="color: orange;"><b>3. Palo Alto</b></span></u><br />
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Continuing the theme of criminally ununderratedovies, Palo Alto has seemingly been left in the shadows as Boyhood takes home the prize for best coming of age film of the year (undeservingly), as Palo Alto is probably the most accurate depiction of young people ever put to screen.<br />
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This sub-genre of coming-of-age is one of my favourites and one of my pet hates is unrealistic characters (something which Boyhood is full of...), so many films get this wrong, and Palo Alto got it so right. The story is based on a collection of short stories written by James Franco which all surround the complications of love for all ages, with the film focusing on that of April who is torn between falling for her good friend, Teddy or her football coach, Mr B.<br />
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This idea of a girl falling in love with her teacher is one which in real life would be highly frowned upon, but here, we not only understand the actions of both people in the relationship but we also almost encourage it. Without even a lot of characterisation for Mr B we already understand his position as he's portrayed as such a <i>real </i>person. However due to the well developed and again accurately portrayed character of Teddy we are conflicted into who we want to protagonist to be with, reflecting the thoughts of April, therefore showing just how well this film works.<br />
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I can't sing this films praises enough, everything about it works, even the short story aspect which is certainly a risk, covering multiple stories over a 90 minute period, but each one is given sufficient time, and where some are shoe-horned in a little it does oddly give a sense of universality, where we feel as though every character has some sort of relationship conflict.<br />
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This films writing is impeccable.<br />
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<u><span style="color: orange;"><b>2. Under The Skin</b></span></u><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdEtGs7D8ntmFIq49vAi9By2crrVKLKI73J4gA0yws9RIBMAEgYa9ccHgCx6tOz5mNqFin8bTRNkQe0H_c3JUA1d4KCTU9rt225QDkrThS4d7dD7ekFKuZRbj9MJCwSK5PVlTG6I7r9jE/s1600/under_the_skin_3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdEtGs7D8ntmFIq49vAi9By2crrVKLKI73J4gA0yws9RIBMAEgYa9ccHgCx6tOz5mNqFin8bTRNkQe0H_c3JUA1d4KCTU9rt225QDkrThS4d7dD7ekFKuZRbj9MJCwSK5PVlTG6I7r9jE/s1600/under_the_skin_3.jpg" height="145" width="320" /></a>Jonathan Glazer, remember the name. Director of the brilliant 'Sexy Beast' comes his fantastic and terrifying new film Under the Skin.<br />
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The film follows a nameless woman, played terrifically be Scarlett Johansson, who seduces men in the early hours of the morning, taking them back to her lair, whereupon she...well who knows. No film has ever had me open mouthed for such a long time, the scene depicted by the image above in particularly showcases one of the most disturbing scenes of the film and the past few years as a man disintegrates in goo to an amazing score by Mica Levi.<br />
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Questioning the ethics and psychological workings of the human mind, Under the Skin will truly get to you, even if you don't know why, it will. This is certainly partially down to the cinematography which throughout depicts the world we think we know, as some sort of horrific wasteland, questioning the morals of contemporary society.<br />
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It will leave you speechless, terrified and unable to see Johansson in the same light.<br />
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<u><span style="color: orange;"><b>1. Nightcrawler </b></span></u><br />
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I pretty much knew, the moment I'd finished watching this film, that It would be my favourite of the whole year. </div>
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This film defines the genre thriller, seriously it will rock your seat, rattle your brain and make you cower in terror, it has everything. More than any other film on this list (except maybe Locke) this film relies on its acting from Jake Gyllenhaal as Louis Bloom, and ffuucckk does he deliver. This is for me the best performance of the year and by far the best performance of Gyllenhaal's career, being so unbelievably intimidating, I'm going to throw out another overused cliche but I truly never saw Gyllenhaal, I always saw Louis Bloom. I've said that for a lot of performances but I was probably just overreacting, this is the first time I can honestly say that. He pretty much grabs you by your face and screams at you for 90 minutes that he deserves to win best actor, every scene he's in he's doing something fascinating and memorable.</div>
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Not to be overlooked is the performance of his sideman Rick, played by British actor, Riz Ahmed, who stakes a claim for a new awards category- best fake accent- convincing me for pretty much the whole film that he was American until I was forced to google it once the film ended. </div>
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The writing is genius, showing the character arc of a madman obsessed with power and the American dream, every line Gyllenhaal delivers feels in character and totally insane. </div>
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Nightcrawler works on every level, both technically and narratively. Best film of 2014.</div>
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But yeah to be honest this year has been so good for film that every one on this list is the best in it's own right, I mean how can I compare Nymphomaniac and The Lego Movie, it's just not going to happen. All 20 of these films are brilliant, and are all worth watching, without the trailers by the way! Don't watch any of these 20 films' trailers as every single film has a bunch of surprises, and if you awaiting something to happen, well then it aint a surprise, is it dummy. Annoyingly I doubt any of these films will get praised at the Oscars, bar one or two, so I mean this list is pretty much pointless... </div>
Russell Reviewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03063742300240073558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079368453864225596.post-61644523655311506652014-11-08T06:12:00.003-08:002014-11-08T06:12:57.732-08:00Toy Story...4Pixar stands tall next to Studio Ghibli as the best two animation studios their have ever been, with the former producing countless greats from <i>Bugs life</i> to <i>Wall-E </i>to <i>Ratatouille</i> etc. etc. etc. Yes they've had their downfalls with <i>Cars</i> and <i>Cars 2</i>, their blatant cash grabs, but overall they've been loyal to their morals- producing thoughtful and imaginative animations for the whole family. Despite both of their films coming out next year being totally original they do have a slate of upcoming films which include a few sequels, <i>Incredibles 2</i> and <i>'Finding Dory</i>' included, both of which, though arguably unnecessary, do hold purpose as necessary sequels to a world we will willingly be transcended back into. But yesterday Pixar did something nobody was hoping for, something I never thought they would have to the heart to do, yesterday Pixar effectively put a middle finger up to their morals and were hypnotised by the green legal tender, announcing to the world, 'Toy Story 4'.<br />
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Here's why this is the biggest disappointment since <i>Indiana Jones 4</i>.<br />
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<u>The Perfect trilogy</u></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwcUiVOFB7x-vemREMHy_Za4qzRg4gDJ7DLTp0FlwUHPFfKT5FUThXwWgzeUKNFY_rKjSC27OUch2NQe_erZcPHmhf2k-iJJyniiU2Y8KtOiwNoHdTB2E3jRg-0u4MtjaFnKSlpyuvF4g/s1600/toy-story-4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwcUiVOFB7x-vemREMHy_Za4qzRg4gDJ7DLTp0FlwUHPFfKT5FUThXwWgzeUKNFY_rKjSC27OUch2NQe_erZcPHmhf2k-iJJyniiU2Y8KtOiwNoHdTB2E3jRg-0u4MtjaFnKSlpyuvF4g/s1600/toy-story-4.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a>One fact of cinema I believe you can say without debate is that Toy Story is one of the best, if not <i>the</i> best trilogy of all time. Not only does it follow the imaginative and fun adventures of a young lads toys when he's out the house, but it overplays this narrative with a back-story of growing-up that is so brutally real that it puts most coming of age films to shame.<br />
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To go into more detail about this, the Toy Story trilogy follows three crucial stages of growing up, from the early stages of development seen in the first film to the departure to university seen in the 3rd, and this story is neatly wrapped within the trilogy through these bookends. It's been strongly rumoured that the story will have nothing to do with Andy, and therefore I really don't care about the story. This announcement of the 4th film feels like throwing a boulder into a ball pit, it doesn't fit, it doesn't mesh, ultimately it doesn't work on any level. Why the heck would I want to see a story about Woody, Buzz etc. without the strong story of Andy backing it up, if they want to do a whole new Toy Story film, give me a whole new roster of Toys and I'll be happy. </div>
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I mean the end of Toy Story 3 literally has most viewers in tears! In tears you hear! The legacy and power that those three films hold is immense and every viewer sees something unique in it, be it the story of acceptance seen in <i>Jesse's</i> tale in the 2nd film, the story of a battling friendship in the 1st or simply the whole notion of change and 'moving on' seen throughout the trilogy. </div>
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We know, <i>Woody, Buzz</i> and the rest of the gang, in the fictional world of the film, have moved on and have accepted change (something which as previously mentioned is integral to the whole theme of the trilogy) we don't need to see them carrying on their lives. In fact its nicer to make it up ourselves, just like you do when you're young playing with toys, you make up crazy stories in which your characters act out.<br />
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The fact is, I couldn't care less about Toy Story 4, even if it's is amazing, a fourth film tarnishes the rest of the trilogy and will make us see them differently whether we like it or not.<br />
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<u>Cash-Grab 101</u><br />
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It's wildly obvious that the Toy Story trilogy was and is Pixars biggest achievement both critically and commercially. The fact that they are continuing on past the 'perfect trilogy' despite it ending so well is a blatant cash-grab in my eyes and also a shame as it truly shows Pixar abandoning their artistic intentions for the temptation of extra cash.<br />
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We know Pixar have loads of original ideas flouting about, all you have to do is look at their next two coming movies as well as their extensive and highly regarded writing team. BUT, of course original films don't make as much money as sequels so instead of trying to create art, Pixar has now made the leap to create cash instead.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW7eDE4oYG3nX6sfjReL2GhSPlHEFacVKlikyw21GgiIdUO95S4g4rgCrvgTBLDFXhNwTB8MybXdfbIf_GpM6kZMoDGh0E0PqlOos3Ab19SAueO4hftNYYCUSs4nY3VbbpeTy4JRVRRHA/s1600/tumblr_llmxo6jJEs1qzqmwc.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW7eDE4oYG3nX6sfjReL2GhSPlHEFacVKlikyw21GgiIdUO95S4g4rgCrvgTBLDFXhNwTB8MybXdfbIf_GpM6kZMoDGh0E0PqlOos3Ab19SAueO4hftNYYCUSs4nY3VbbpeTy4JRVRRHA/s1600/tumblr_llmxo6jJEs1qzqmwc.png" height="160" width="320" /></a>Speaking of the writing team, perhaps the worst news is yet to come. In the past three <i>Toy Story</i> films Pixar has been very good in using their in house talent as well as quality external writers in cohesive harmony to create fantastic screenplays. The first film used Andrew Stanton and Joss Wheadon, the second used Andrew Stanton and Rita Hsiao, the writer of the original (and great) <i>Mulan</i>, and the final film after setting the grounds of a fantastic story hired Michael Arndt to work on the screenplay alone after writing the amazing, <i>Little Miss Sunshine</i>.<br />
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So what exciting new talent has Pixar hired this time!... Rashida Jones of course!!!<br />
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This might be a personal problem, and perhaps fans of the TV comedy Parks and Recreation will disagree, but personally this choice is woeful and just another example of Pixar trying to milk the cash cow.<br />
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This name is by far the most well known external talent that they have ever hired for any of their Toy Story releases, she's pretty much a well-known celebrity, which subsequently means even more publicity, which means even more cash!!! For us however this will most likely mean a worse movie overall. The only film she's ever written was the wildly average Celeste and Jesse Forever, which shares little narrative relevance to the films of Toy Story in terms of imagination, fun and heart. At least both previous external writers had great and relevant films under their belt, with<i> Little miss sunshine</i> being an amazingly fun and sweet film and <i>Mulan</i> being one of Disney's many master-classes in animation.<br />
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Ultimately I feel let down and hugely disappointed in Pixars recent decision to release a fourth Toy Story film, in my eyes this decision is just as bad as their past announcement of Cars 2, which is inadvertently their worst film to date. This fourth film is evidence to the world that Pixar just doesn't care about the art any more, and if their not careful this fourth addition to their beloved trilogy could destroy their reputation forever.<br />
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Russell Reviewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03063742300240073558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079368453864225596.post-28530353233326884032014-11-06T08:18:00.001-08:002014-11-06T08:19:30.520-08:00Nightcrawler Blimey, I haven't been to the cinema for a while, the last film I saw was blooming Guardians of the Galaxy back in August, which is pretty shameful. That said I went to see Nightcrawler on Friday night in wild anticipation after watching the crazy good trailer back in whenever it came out. That was pretty much all that was making me go and see the film, I mean I'd heard the reviews were good but if you IMDB the writer/director (Dan Gilroy) you'll see his last two films were The Bourne Legacy and Real Steel...just bare in mind whilst I tell you how bloody amazing this film is.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpJpFtRER3o8DbMU6a0R4weYQQv2MLcZ_m2w3YYKJny0QhCFKv-qwpr_iCmXFc5jHjt4oMrs-yVQt_DH0hMBC9EwzwdioG_C9tJx7j1AZJwzUjZg2Kvct6MtQyqg43w96gnbGu71xbO4Y/s1600/maxresdefault+(3).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpJpFtRER3o8DbMU6a0R4weYQQv2MLcZ_m2w3YYKJny0QhCFKv-qwpr_iCmXFc5jHjt4oMrs-yVQt_DH0hMBC9EwzwdioG_C9tJx7j1AZJwzUjZg2Kvct6MtQyqg43w96gnbGu71xbO4Y/s1600/maxresdefault+(3).jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a>The story concerns Lou Bloom (Jake Gyllenhaal) an unemployed man who feels empowered to get involved in the world of crime journalism after seeing a roadside crash, from here he becomes obsessed with getting to the top. I know this is the talking point of the whole film, and I know this isn't all the films about but when I think about Nightcrawler it's very hard not to immediately scream the praises of Gyllenhaal's performance. The best thing I can say about him is that throughout the film I never saw the character as Gyllenhaal, I saw him as Lou Bloom, an man driven to insanity through his own broken psychology. I mean seriously, more than any horror film I've seen all year (so far) Gyllenhaals performance is truly terrifying, as his overwhelming screen presence grabs you by the neck and heaves you into the film.<br />
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As said previously his performance is of course not the only positive of the film, by no means, the fantastic screenplay makes the events of the film both constantly gripping but also hugely detestable. The plot itself, once certain facts are uncovered and the film comes to a conclusion, is truly disturbing, discussing the ethics of showing such acts on TV news, and the subsequent state of a modern society who would watch such footage. Perhaps the screenplays most impressive achievement however it's relationship with the protagonist, working to manipulate the audiences feelings in order to make us like such a disgusting man, something that we feel empowered to do, despite the fact that we knowingly hate him. This only disperses further talking points in how our good relationship with the bad protagonist affects our sanity as viewers who perhaps 'only want to see the gory stuff'. The screenplays only downfall is a minor one, as after such a big climactic crescendo, it doens't know hwo to calm down and conclude on a good note, as a result it flatlines a little before ending sufficiently<br />
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Working in conjunction with the screenplay is the cinematography, making the streets of LA look dark and uninviting but also glamorous and beautiful, so much effort has gone into the framing of shots and it seriously pays off. The ultimate product is a film which honestly makes you see TV news in a new light, now seeming tasteless and untrustworthy after the harrowing and dramatically gripping events of Nightcrawler, which proves hard to shake from your mind.<br />
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9.5/10- Gyllenhaal's best performance from the director who brought you Hugh Jackman as a boxing robot's coach (I still can't believe it)Russell Reviewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03063742300240073558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079368453864225596.post-60710670584342093942014-11-06T08:16:00.000-08:002014-11-06T08:16:19.321-08:00Shocktober Days 26, 27, 28, 29, 30 & 31<u>#26- Event horizon (1997)</u><br />
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I never
even really saw this as a horror film when I saw it on Netflix, but the many
recommendations from various forums showed me otherwise, with many claiming it
to be truly terrifying. Whilst it may be more of a thriller than anything else
it certainly has some creepy horror elements. <o:p></o:p></div>
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The film surrounds a group of astronauts who are sent to
investigate the mysterious event horizon- a spaceship in which all of its
passengers mysteriously disappear. Event Horizons problem is, being a thriller,
it doesn’t really know where to start and finish with its horror elements.
Grand, mysterious theories on how the passengers disappeared are deeply
unsettling on their own- the mystery surrounding them only making it all the
more freaky. But when the film should’ve stopped there, it instead continued to
show us nearly exactly what happened to them- whereby little was left to the
imagination. That said the films raw horror element in the form of a machine
which creates black holes letting anything through from another dimension comes
into its own in the films finale to truly terrifying effects.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The performances are pretty standard but some are just
outright unenthusiastic- most notably that of the films mysterious passenger Mr
Weir, played by Sam Neil. His performance is however good enough to see the
film through. A film which ultimately proves to be a lot of fun, even if it
isn’t all horror centred. <o:p></o:p></div>
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6.5/10- A fun fun space adventure, both bleak and unsettling.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<u>#27- Zombie flesh eaters (1979)</u><o:p></o:p></div>
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So this is one of those video nasty movies of the *date*
including some lovely gruesome scene of zombies being ripped apart etc. That is
however pretty much all the movie has to offer.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The stories pretty generic following the daughter of a
mysteriously murdered father and an intrigued scientist as they travel to a faraway
island to investigate the recent discovery of zombies. The film takes a long
while to get going, with horror elements included in this, not truly becoming
anything scary until around the halfway mark. There are however some classic
scenes in the film in which the video nasty genre is truly encapsulated. The
most notable of which shows a woman’s eye being shoved through a wooden splint,
shown through goofy practical effects of the time, despite looking quite unrealistic
however this scene showed to encapsulate all which is fun and gruesome about
the genre.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Zombie flesh eaters is unfortunately not as exciting as it
sounds with bland performances and a plot which takes a while to truly begin.<o:p></o:p></div>
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6/10- Standard fun zombie affair once the film finally
begins to start.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<u>#28- The Bay (2012)</u></div>
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Made on a shoestring budget, the bay is a small film set in
Maryland concerning the invasion of bug-like parasites hiding in the water<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh5FgWanPY1YkNi_IQkL_vFtfVpXpb7C0NAM-D65vlsbAse1fxhw9V90G_rtyMajVtPMuKjOpslXzBUMnMzB0jJmFo8W_7eTOghkCHncsGbOZ0KNlp69OkvUx_i_psiAvOZT5TJOrSP_A/s1600/the-bay.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh5FgWanPY1YkNi_IQkL_vFtfVpXpb7C0NAM-D65vlsbAse1fxhw9V90G_rtyMajVtPMuKjOpslXzBUMnMzB0jJmFo8W_7eTOghkCHncsGbOZ0KNlp69OkvUx_i_psiAvOZT5TJOrSP_A/s1600/the-bay.jpg" height="238" width="320" /></a>Unlike Zombie flesh eaters the bay is actually a lot more
interesting than it sounds, and certainly a lot more unsettling. Filmed in a
found footage/documentary type style the film chronicles the invasion from the
outbreak to the conclusion, focusing in on no real constant protagonist.
Instead the films main character is the town itself and humanity in general,
giving a very realistic overview of what such an event would cause. The
creatures themselves are truly unsettling, small round and generally revolting,
especially when considering that they enter a person’s body through an open orifice.
This, as one can imagine, creates for some utterly disgusting body horror
moments as the parasites invade the human body.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The Bay is a neat little horror which works on primal fears
of humanity, and thus has a similar effect to jaws, don’t think about the bay
when you’re anywhere near the sea.<o:p></o:p></div>
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8/10- A creepy horror which slides under your skin<o:p></o:p></div>
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<u>#29- Carrie (2013)</u><br />
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The original Carrie’s is a classic for multiple reasons, the
characterisation of the terrifying daughter /mother relationship, the fantastic
performances of both, the list goes on. The remake of Carrie is exactly the
same in nearly every way and thus is utterly pointless.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Certain plot points in the film are arguably dated so a
remake isn’t necessarily a terrible idea but it is when you don’t intend to
change anything. Chloe Grace Moretz is a great actor in the right role, here as
a result of the story she is horribly miscast, supposed to be playing a timid
and lonely girl but her looks are just too strong to think in such a way. Julianne
Moore is much the same, she’s better in the role but looks pitiful in
comparison to the original performance of Piper Laurie.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I think some of the only things they changed from the
original is the use of cell phones in the opening shower scene and the larger
use of special effects, the former of which a pitiful attempt at making the
story ‘contemporary’ the latter totally irrelevant when considering the larger
story of the character of Carrie at the films heart. <o:p></o:p></div>
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4/10- Just watch the original <o:p></o:p></div>
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<u>#30- Children of the corn (1984)</u><o:p></o:p></div>
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There are certain film titles that for whatever reason carry
a certain amount of prestige, and for some reason I thought children of the
corn was supposed to be good. It isn’t. It’s good awful. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf9XvK3IpRDd4lh0Waz8ojkL3mShVZW6m93sBSBrIxjiJvz4JZfEiYMLkqbX9cFGLVXzR_dql0bSvNlQdEsv-f4h2nhmAs9ZS4oQlXjXfpCIvBYTDfJUnc2MQmNSlbwFwzgqCx2Lx8UaQ/s1600/Children-of-the-Corn-1984-Isaac-John-Franklin.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf9XvK3IpRDd4lh0Waz8ojkL3mShVZW6m93sBSBrIxjiJvz4JZfEiYMLkqbX9cFGLVXzR_dql0bSvNlQdEsv-f4h2nhmAs9ZS4oQlXjXfpCIvBYTDfJUnc2MQmNSlbwFwzgqCx2Lx8UaQ/s1600/Children-of-the-Corn-1984-Isaac-John-Franklin.png" height="180" width="320" /></a>So a city couple looking for a retreat fall upon a strange
town where the kids have become possessed and rule the town. Here, an obvious
arises, this plot subsequently means that a large majority of the cast must be
children, and are children good actors…no…no there all shit. One standout
performance comes from child antagonist Isaac played by John Franklin,
providing perhaps the best worst performance of all time as the little shit who
for some reason all these kids obey. <o:p></o:p></div>
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There are one or two moments which are pretty neat and eerie
but the scene really isn’t worth the 90 minutes of hurt. But above all, apart
from the fact that the film isn’t scary, is poorly acted and is paced
unbelievably poorly, not once does it explain why the adults don’t just
overpower the little shits and charge them down. One kick to issac’s fat head
would flatten him.<o:p></o:p></div>
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3/10- Truly terrible, character of Isaac makes it watchable
due to how laughably bad he is<o:p></o:p></div>
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<u>#31- Annabelle (2014)</u><o:p></o:p></div>
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Alright, so I was supposed to finish this Shocktober thing
with a grand cinema trip to see the latest (good) horror, all signs were
pointing to me watching the Babadook and to put a long story short I didn’t. I
watched Anabelle instead…sigh.<o:p></o:p></div>
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So Annabelle is a spin-off from last year’s successful horror
the Conjuring, following the creepy doll which made people squirm in their
seats. Now they’ve drawn out a huge unnecessary story for the porcelain
character and her many victims, a story which is as boring as it is totally not
scary. The story is pretty simple following a man and wife, who receive a gift
of an old doll, and instead of stamping on it and burning it like many others
would do, instead they keep it on display in their kids bedroom…wha?!<o:p></o:p></div>
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I feel as though Amnabelle is just a prime example of the
state of modern horror films, less interested in the story but far more
interested in giving the audience a momentary fright in the form of a plethora
of jump scares, each one as ineffective as the last. These scares aren’t even
well integrated any more, you can tell them from a mile off, any moment when
the sound is turned right down and the camera lingers on a certain spot you can
be certain a jump scare is on their way therefore it doesn’t make you jump,
therefore the most simple of scares becomes useless. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Annabelle’s only good features come as references to its
better older brother, ‘the Conjuring’ in which the creepy music box tune is
cleverly placed in the film, as well as one or two appreciated nods. There are
also some unique intelligent scares thrown in occasionally such as when the
protagonist follows a trail of mysterious drawings falling in order from the
top if the staircase, this wasn’t terrifying, but it was a refreshing break
from the constant jump scares that bog the film down so much.<o:p></o:p></div>
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4/10- Defines modern horrors- just fecking stupid.<br />
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Russell Reviewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03063742300240073558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079368453864225596.post-5887798864541361722014-10-26T13:47:00.001-07:002014-10-26T13:47:19.662-07:00Shocktober Days 23, 24 & 25<u>#23- Evil Dead 2- (1987)</u><br />
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Quite famously the movie Sam Raimi really wanted to make after being tied down to studio pressures in the first film, Evil Dead 2 is a crazy often horrifying and constantly entertaining.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7aX7fBgRPTVDZcAuSurPppsokeLOZXms5QnNr8gMPnlF7nJDa4j5wSMyrATwLlx6hW6ijNMmaHANRbtWNNPKAyahRNpUgZ-xJcYt-UgOS6thjvei_paC8fv1SQE0bsWX4qmtmV3V0FhY/s1600/evildead1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7aX7fBgRPTVDZcAuSurPppsokeLOZXms5QnNr8gMPnlF7nJDa4j5wSMyrATwLlx6hW6ijNMmaHANRbtWNNPKAyahRNpUgZ-xJcYt-UgOS6thjvei_paC8fv1SQE0bsWX4qmtmV3V0FhY/s1600/evildead1.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a>Vastly different from its predecessor Evil Dead 2 is unique in every way and truly unplaceable in amongst a genre of constantly recycled ideas. Seriously, in what other film will you see a man turning stir-crazy whilst the ornaments and furniture of the room begin cackling at him. As a result these constant scenes of juxtaposition between horror and bizarre humour, Evil Dead 2 actually produces some truly unnerving scenes, as seemingly innocent things turn creepy.<br />
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The script is clearly purposely daft with dialogue now famous in the genre, the majority of these lines are given to Bruce Campbell's comedic character who ignites the film with energy and fun, largely down to the enthusiastic performance by Campbell. <br />
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Evil Dead 2 is far different to what I was expecting but in hindsight, all signs were pointing to a more comedic than horrifying film, but with gruesome practical effects and terrifically delivered deadpan humour, the film shows to be great fun.<br />
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8.5/10- Groovy gory fun<br />
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<u>#24- Inside- (2007)</u><br />
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So this pregnant woman whose husband has recently died has started to become tormented by a sadistic woman who is obsessed with claiming the woman's unborn child for her own...yooo that's actually messed up.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgT2LUPFzHvaF9DREFR7fcImK_Dt7g_6IZJQC4HrQIXtxAeHjFjzK3BqraGNy3XR4cMp9ffMxSPIso_TWnAg0G3W6y9RG_-eZni1cqBqYVNDHK1r2ftNsJZT_r0EAgeSxXGenBvXegH70/s1600/Inside.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgT2LUPFzHvaF9DREFR7fcImK_Dt7g_6IZJQC4HrQIXtxAeHjFjzK3BqraGNy3XR4cMp9ffMxSPIso_TWnAg0G3W6y9RG_-eZni1cqBqYVNDHK1r2ftNsJZT_r0EAgeSxXGenBvXegH70/s1600/Inside.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a>Agh man, some of the shit you see in this film I swear like, arguably shouldn't be on the shelves of Blockbusters' worldwide. Like the film isn't even that bad, with a neat little twist at the end, I think it's just the relentless violence and gore which drowns everything out. It's weird saying this but although gratuitous violence is what it's going for, the film straight up has so much that it just kills everything else it was going for. Saying that, it's nice to see some fantastic practical effects instead of crappy CGI, even when it is replicating such bodily organs which should never see sunlight.<br />
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The performances were pretty good, but unfortunately I couldn't grab a copy which didn't have dubbed dialogue which really sucks, often making scenes unintentionally funny as it is clear the words are out of synch with the mouth movements. That said, the acting is good enough to make the scenes of violence seem so horrifying and real that really it ends up being quite effective and oddly entertaining for gore fans.<br />
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7/10- Truly disgusting but if that rocks your boat then dig in<br />
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<u>#25- Laddaland- (2011)</u><br />
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Aside from having one of the worst names of any film I've ever seen, taking a strong second place next to 'Superbabies: Baby Geniuses 2', Laddaland is a pretty conventional, nothing to see here, move along, this is pretty bad affair.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizHr_nR42zs22wKyvX3cqfGC-wotKOEDdChZGOmoSof6TaIzyPfTvEYRGMmnVa6bkpXU1iXg0-mX0GdZ5zou8xygZ2j3xSgP_xOPVJv91p04StV8C-EoWty6L5xPm8GZZZmsNrCLTiycw/s1600/laddaland5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizHr_nR42zs22wKyvX3cqfGC-wotKOEDdChZGOmoSof6TaIzyPfTvEYRGMmnVa6bkpXU1iXg0-mX0GdZ5zou8xygZ2j3xSgP_xOPVJv91p04StV8C-EoWty6L5xPm8GZZZmsNrCLTiycw/s1600/laddaland5.jpg" height="214" width="320" /></a>The plot is oh so forgettable, and despite seeing it fairly recently I have little idea of what it was actually about, really- when you got down to the heart of it I mean. So, you've got a small family who move to a new housing development, and who would've guessed it, the neighbourhood isn't as conventional as they thought and soon people begin to mysteriously die in a neighbouring house. As previously said, Laddaland is pretty forgettable so I'll keep it brief, as horror films go, Laddaland goes slap bang in the middle, it isn't that bad with some scary moments, but in the end it's just a rehash of old ideas.<br />
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The ghost itself in the film, despite being recreated poorly in CGI, is one of those cases where it looks so bad and unrealistic that it actually becomes oddly scary and alien-like. Therefore in a shocking turn of events, Laddaland has some kinda scary moments due to making their main monster look unintentionally shit. The child acting is quite predictably, pretty bad, their reactions to proceedings are hardly convincing an therefore the viewer aint to scared.<br />
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Despite the ending picking the quality of the film up a little with a neat, bleak event, Laddaland is nothing we haven't seen before.<br />
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5.5/10- Laddaland is an unbelievably bad name for a film.<br />
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Russell Reviewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03063742300240073558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079368453864225596.post-74008332270932923232014-10-22T11:21:00.003-07:002014-10-22T11:21:41.013-07:00Shocktober Days 18, 19, 20, 21 & 22<u>#18- Demon seed (1977)</u><br />
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Back In the olden days of the 20th century, the fear of technology was a significant one if one which is now in hindsight laughable. The fears of what the 21st century might bring, and whether the computers would even take the new four digit number at all. Anyhow, these fears of the technological future ran through the media, case in point Demon Seed, a film which concerns a computer system impregnating a young woman...yum.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7uw5uhiMenikxn6Iod7UXJoh48UbneFgYJqFJmpLqeOPzONy2elvzrB-mvWlhfZIP04BTsDx34LRkC-br3wBEzyKkdwfhvIG2-oiRU55N3kcYUn-4dkd_UoEgivsMhmcFXU2ExAsdSVE/s1600/demonseed1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7uw5uhiMenikxn6Iod7UXJoh48UbneFgYJqFJmpLqeOPzONy2elvzrB-mvWlhfZIP04BTsDx34LRkC-br3wBEzyKkdwfhvIG2-oiRU55N3kcYUn-4dkd_UoEgivsMhmcFXU2ExAsdSVE/s1600/demonseed1.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a> Despite technophobia being more a past fear, that said, in very recent years where technology has taken giant leaps forward this film is actually highly relevant to today's society, suggesting a certain cinematic longevity. It's good then that Demon Seed is actually a great film aswell then, I mean it takes its time here and there, but eventually it comes round and slaps you round the head.<br />
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Reminiscent of 2001 a space odysseys infamous HAL computer system, Demon Seed's computer system, Proteus , soon goes out of the creators control, taking charge of the whole house and perhaps a little stupidly an electrical wheelchair with added metal arms and hands. Whilst it may not reach the insidiousness of HAL, Proteus certainly gives it a good shot, projecting a similarly formal tone and dark intentions.<br />
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As the film draws to a close it brings up some very telling points about the relationship between man and machine and perhaps how we could easily go too far. Demon seeds good fun and is a refreshing example of an old horror still being relevant and scary in today's society.<br />
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8/10- Sci-fi tech meets disturbing body horror.<br />
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<u>#19- In Fear (2013)</u><br />
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In Fear is a small British horror released last year which sadly few people saw, cus yu know it ain't too bad, especially in comparison to the blockbuster horror which emerges from Hollywood.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMgW_Uk_gRgHCvFp-6PhpMZa0eVUeFidfUinNzyDnSlelvDAvRSUEDY5DaRAzGH247yNKhGa1UteCsVGNXLr83VpiXTyLiLRvO7z3DIwLuYT5CnVTDiqVxTGNHwi4bV6ZV8-uk05_qBrE/s1600/in-fear-10899-p-1383249190-470-75.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMgW_Uk_gRgHCvFp-6PhpMZa0eVUeFidfUinNzyDnSlelvDAvRSUEDY5DaRAzGH247yNKhGa1UteCsVGNXLr83VpiXTyLiLRvO7z3DIwLuYT5CnVTDiqVxTGNHwi4bV6ZV8-uk05_qBrE/s1600/in-fear-10899-p-1383249190-470-75.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a>Going for the more minimalist approach to horror, In Fear tries to tap in to the universal fear of being lost, in the dark, in a place which is almost supernaturally deceiving your own mind. The story is very simple revolving around a young couple on their way to a hotel in the country which they ultimately find very hard to find. They get lost, day turns to night and horror ensues when it appears someone is following them.<br />
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The issue with minimalistic horror is simply that something has to be happening constantly to keep the audience on the edge of their seats whilst they await the next tease of information, you want to show them little, but you've got to show them something, it's all about the careful building of tension. In Fear for the most part does this quite well as the viewer feels like the 3rd passenger, trying to decipher the route themselves as we watch a situation plenty of people can relate to and would dread to be in.<br />
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As said the tension builds nicely and the acting is just good enough to hold you in your seat, withholding your disbelief. The only real issues come from the films conclusion in which it felt like the film-maker really didn't know what to do, so instead put some vague, mediocre ending in which doesn't really quench the thirst of viewers, nor horror fans.<br />
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An ending can be deciphered from the rubble, it's just a shame that the story didn't culminate into something far more eerie.<br />
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6.5/10- Don't drive<br />
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<u>#20- VHS 2 (2013)</u><br />
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I din't think much of the first VHS film but for some reason the rest of the horror world did, and as small groups of superfans began emerging, a sequel became inevitable. Weirdly enough though the positives and negatives i found with the first film almost identically match the positives and negatives of the sequel.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTED89Ji5FbLUXVy84ZJAqFp8ziSV8Ws4B-il5ORn85D4tUUzpkiiCvKy5oHn_9Zle7VCdPu6vE23MFiI_E2pKgm6cb0K-ApWWW55iZNPU5oOu7KSeQO_4vY1Lg4aZ5iX74vL01o_O2QU/s1600/VHS-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTED89Ji5FbLUXVy84ZJAqFp8ziSV8Ws4B-il5ORn85D4tUUzpkiiCvKy5oHn_9Zle7VCdPu6vE23MFiI_E2pKgm6cb0K-ApWWW55iZNPU5oOu7KSeQO_4vY1Lg4aZ5iX74vL01o_O2QU/s1600/VHS-2.jpg" height="179" width="320" /></a>The concept is original, perhaps explaining its minor popularity, with both films concerning the uncovering of an abandoned house with a room filled with cassette tapes, in which if 4 (or so) are played in order, some kookie shit will happen. Thus we get an anthology of short horror films, which is quite a nice idea. That said however there is one really obvious issue with this in relation to the quality of the final film, with 1 or 2 of the short films being really good and the other 2, rubbish, leaving you clueless. This was exactly the issue with the first film, and as I previously mentioned those issues are present in the 2nd film too, that said the quality of the films has definitely increased.<br />
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The best film concerns a group of film-makers who go and investigate a cult, only to find out their fucking nutters, with peculiar supernatural beliefs. Directed by Gareth Edwards, the mind behind the Raid films, this film is superior in every way to its competitors, boasting realistic yet gruesome practical effects within a short story so mysteriously disturbing it creeps under your skin.<br />
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The bad films aren't even worth talking about, so I won't really talk about them. Ones about a guy who gets a new eye, its pretty boring, cliché and tame. Ugh there just so similar to stuff we've seen before.<br />
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VHS 2, grated it better than the original but that's no mean feat, the challenge the series needs to face is to find a quality group of short films and clump em together, not just to accept rubbish and put it next to tasty goods.<br />
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6.5/10- Better than the first but that ain't hard.<br />
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<u>#21- Wolf Creek (2005) </u><br />
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So if you google this film, it'll come up with a handful of stinking reviews, but there's someone out there, or more accurately a group of people who seem to think this films gold-dust. It isn't. It's shit.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPlWZ0JzmXCAYkxgDl71oJA_SeNmpb7XEm0ZkS5__RSYhzVaF89vTkDfAknURu1O0FC-IkaSIbcyCmL9UWenexLf2M-aWYIK9rGUopwsLNb90N0jz6XrQpsVmNj6X05pFe0u-LefIDq04/s1600/scaled-wolf_creek.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPlWZ0JzmXCAYkxgDl71oJA_SeNmpb7XEm0ZkS5__RSYhzVaF89vTkDfAknURu1O0FC-IkaSIbcyCmL9UWenexLf2M-aWYIK9rGUopwsLNb90N0jz6XrQpsVmNj6X05pFe0u-LefIDq04/s1600/scaled-wolf_creek.jpg" height="191" width="320" /></a>The film follows a group of teens (which is refreshing and original) backpacking in the Australian outback, but as they become stranded a shifty looking man offers them a ride back to his (you'd be rude not to accept) and they have a trip down shitcreek. Wolf Creek is like a huge culmination of loads of clichés, from gory torture porn to stupid teenagers doing stupid things, to weird fat men doing weird fat man things. It's just far too bland really, there's no meat to chew on, nothing to get you hooked to your seat, just a stereotypical story of horror.<br />
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That said, the film is fine, it's not awful, it's just in few ways original. One or two scenes are relatively effective but ultimately you can only see so many stupid characters doing stupid things until you just give up.<br />
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The worst thing about the film is that damn subtitle 'based on a true story' a phrase so vague, I'm sure you could slap it on any film. Oh and the second one's just come out on DVD...<br />
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5/10- Lacks seasoning.<br />
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<u>#22- Braindead (1992)</u><br />
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So this is Peter Jackson before he went mainstream, so arguably Peter Jackson in his purest form, tied down to no one but his own creative limitations. And Peter Jackson without any creative limitations is clearly one messed up son of a gun.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGSkR7Mtoxo0l9GOvN6pF4EH7DTOFWxHsogg_aRMJCjvNEvYnDQ3DYaIrNHDLCr1z-kjpfqABWzzYblaiVijABQ3jaBBagfYyC12Thja2wMCAXMqMRH0nSv-ZP8VUmpkaGBtiGzG1bT6Q/s1600/download.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGSkR7Mtoxo0l9GOvN6pF4EH7DTOFWxHsogg_aRMJCjvNEvYnDQ3DYaIrNHDLCr1z-kjpfqABWzzYblaiVijABQ3jaBBagfYyC12Thja2wMCAXMqMRH0nSv-ZP8VUmpkaGBtiGzG1bT6Q/s1600/download.jpg" /></a></div>
Braindead's weird. It's a really weird film. The definition of black comedy, Braindead follows the story of lets say a 'mummy's boy'living with his mother in a large mansion, but when her fate crosses with a monkey with a deadly virus the house gets messy. She quickly descends into sickness, and visually disgusting sickness as her skin peels, her ears fall off, etc. etc. you can see where I'm going with this.<br />
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Braindead is truly disgusting, with pussy blood flying in all directions once shit gets out of hand, nothing is too much for Peter Jackson. A kickarse priest is brought onto the scene as well as a zombie baby whom the protagonist takes on a walk in the park to hilarious is bizarre results. With this disgusting action Braindead is subsequently a whole load of fun mixing deadpan humour with vile practical effects and constant violence.<br />
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Why Peter Jackson is most well known for his contributions to mainstream cinema, I will never know, with only his Lord Of The Rings series being any good. The lovely bones for example, is not lovely. Braindead (and his previous film Bad Taste) feel special, they feel cared about and that's what Jackson is missing today, he lacks the heart and passion which he clearly possessed in this film. Braindead is limitless fun filled with limitless guts, gore and laughs.<br />
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8/10- Jackson at his best.<br />
<br />Russell Reviewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03063742300240073558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079368453864225596.post-32345375025917659182014-10-19T12:01:00.002-07:002014-10-19T12:01:19.425-07:00Shocktober Days 13,14,15, 16 &17<u>#13- Hellraiser (1987)</u><br />
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There's two types of horror films (well I mean there are loads but for the sake of this sentence there are two) the relatively quiet and soft ghost story and the bleak and violent dirty horror. The sort of horror which genuinely makes you want to have a shower once you've watched it. Hellraiser is a dirty horror.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiuSr13jWfZ0aQLf7FkSafW9DEa9T3DFlOLl3gMBCpuyMyoUsKFLxDYppxAKCykU1DV8pQD1oEOiog9NXiRj4T9QFbyC09jDmFruGaeLX4HN0qWa1v2BVSAlGMrwf18b4R-L7OYay-xiY/s1600/hellraiser.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiuSr13jWfZ0aQLf7FkSafW9DEa9T3DFlOLl3gMBCpuyMyoUsKFLxDYppxAKCykU1DV8pQD1oEOiog9NXiRj4T9QFbyC09jDmFruGaeLX4HN0qWa1v2BVSAlGMrwf18b4R-L7OYay-xiY/s1600/hellraiser.jpg" height="179" width="320" /></a>That's not to say that the film's bad however, perhaps it's a little overhyped with a strong cult status, yet Hellraiser does have a weird, peculiar charming factor. Despite being utterly filthy with dark and dingy 80's basements, with gruesome practical effects which look so unrealistic it weirdly makes the visuals more disgusting, Hellraiser actually has a quiet and childlike charm to it. The monsters of hell, one of which being the now renowned horror villain 'Pinhead', are fantastically crafted from wild imagination, similar almost to that of the monsters in Beetlejuice, which were as scary as they were odd fun to be around.<br />
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I dunno, perhaps thats an oppositional reading, but I found the film to be more just gory fun than specifically scary, that said there are certainly some frightening scenes which usually come from the films excellent practical effects. Such a film is a perfect example of why practical effects should be used more widely in horrors today which sadly usually opt for CGI which looks considerably worse.<br />
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Hellraiser is a whole load of 80's fun, daft and kitsch throughout but with a constant dark and dingy streak which will keep horror fans satisfied.<br />
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7/10- Thrilling dirty horror fun.<br />
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<u>#14- Lake Mungo (2008)</u><br />
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I don't mind the old mockumentary, there ok, some work some are just plain wrong, the key is to make it all seem authentic from the story to the actors who are playing 'real people'. Whilst Lake Mungo for the most part is pretty terrifying, the film goes ahead and ruins itself through one plot point, but then fixes itself again! Agh, basically Lake Mungo is really annoying, at one point it creeps under your skin the next it undoes all it's progress with a wimpy 'boo'.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGm8XkaMKIA6m2JI8ywjL30cC50Ndnj0R3nLzZtRJEQ1Sd0r4DmZNI0VawuQ0p0oO7qSJ2gYLI5wrnS3Lg_3bc90d6AVXB62trLaMj6PWLfCc4qH3dnwneOeEQ-SXPqAuheF-wvFPjSOM/s1600/lakemungofamily.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGm8XkaMKIA6m2JI8ywjL30cC50Ndnj0R3nLzZtRJEQ1Sd0r4DmZNI0VawuQ0p0oO7qSJ2gYLI5wrnS3Lg_3bc90d6AVXB62trLaMj6PWLfCc4qH3dnwneOeEQ-SXPqAuheF-wvFPjSOM/s1600/lakemungofamily.PNG" height="180" width="320" /></a>The film follows the mysterious dissapearing of a teenage girl and her brothers persistent search to find out what happened to her, far more substantial than the pretentious IMDB plot suggests- 'a supernatural drama about grief. As the story commences creepy photographs and video footage emerge, which unlike much of the 'paranormal activity' footage is actually very effective in crawling under your skin. As a result you become entwined within the story as you hold your disbelief, this is all before the actors start 'acting'.<br />
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As previously mentioned, in such a genre, the performances must be pretty impressive for the spectator to believe the story and whilst a few of the performances are acceptable, some are just plain shit, So this leaves Lake Mungo in a really weird space, very effective in it's scares, one especially at the end allows the film to live up to its horror name, but pretty bad in its story and performances. Ugh.<br />
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6.5/10- Really annoying, showing signs of greatness as well as puddles of rubbish.<br />
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<u>#15- Troll 2- (1990)</u><br />
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So we're around the middle of October, and I thought I'd treat myself to a light hearted horror...or so I thought. I'd heard of Troll 2 as a pathetic attempt at horror and boy are the critics wrong. This is one of the scariest films i've seen since birth...golly.<br />
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Naahh, but really, Troll 2 claims to be a horror film, and frankly i was getting pretty tired of blood, guts and gore so thought I'd try something new. This film is a classic case of 'so bad it's good', a title only few films can hold (the room being a notable other) from the awful practical effects the the stinted dialogue, Troll 2 is a beautiful disaster.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZg5wlT8XrOuMKRyOm16KrUYXi3-GbgQGlOoAR0tSe_TPVs15C_UigUFe2x34MDFuxspYdRlJWzOc-bkURLAJFO4uwSf7Qxa8ZPtBCVJTPLJoS7GA7maz4HQbTl1ibsuc9P1Abk4-v1KQ/s1600/Troll+2_116.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZg5wlT8XrOuMKRyOm16KrUYXi3-GbgQGlOoAR0tSe_TPVs15C_UigUFe2x34MDFuxspYdRlJWzOc-bkURLAJFO4uwSf7Qxa8ZPtBCVJTPLJoS7GA7maz4HQbTl1ibsuc9P1Abk4-v1KQ/s1600/Troll+2_116.png" height="156" width="320" /></a><br />
Despite all this however, the sheer effort and clear large budget seen in the film gives it a real sense of joy, with a kitsch theatrical aesthetic Troll 2 is loads of fun. I think however that whilst the film is hugely entertaining alone, with the 2009 documentary about the films legacy , <i>Best Worst Movie, </i>does give it a whole new peculiar depth, showing us just how much effort went into the film and how it has positively affected the lives of the actors, who are now almost unknown. After watching Troll 2 again after the documentary I found it even more entertaining as inside jokes behind some lines of the film were revealed and the eccentric nature of the director becomes more visible.<br />
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As good as Troll 2 is alone, with Best Worst Movie the film becomes something more than a terrible film, it becomes something which connects to the audience as a film which tries its best to but fails to a catastrophic degree. By seeing the human side to everyone involved in the film it becomes easily charming.<br />
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5/10- So bad, it's good (but see it with the documentary too)<br />
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<u>#16- Fright Night (1985)</u><br />
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Not to be confused with the classic boxing game 'Fight Night' of a very similar premise, Fright Night is a 'next-door neighbour' horror in which 'Charley' a teenage boy is living next to a vampire however no one will believe him. The whole film is about him tryna convince everyone they're real as well as stopping them in their dastardly tracks.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8wwT9P3MrUvWu1NJ1CGS_lXMESo7x_cWLKNfjChucts3TSQqXAyeJqqJ164hrpwi2GrOgDJI6JX-tV6fHXyes42ghMMW7yQnctEGn2gUSuqjSuHb-zilWPAhV6usgijRdZWIKACmfSV8/s1600/Fight-Night-Round-3-PC.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8wwT9P3MrUvWu1NJ1CGS_lXMESo7x_cWLKNfjChucts3TSQqXAyeJqqJ164hrpwi2GrOgDJI6JX-tV6fHXyes42ghMMW7yQnctEGn2gUSuqjSuHb-zilWPAhV6usgijRdZWIKACmfSV8/s1600/Fight-Night-Round-3-PC.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a>Fright Night is probably the best conventional vampire film I've ever seen, or at least the most entertaining, nailing the infamous abilities of the mythical monsters. A large part of the film really isn't that horrible and is more about the boys paranoia which is built up very well, fortifying the vampires bad ways as they deceive everyone around them, as well as showing the developing arc of Charleys character as he dips into insanity, He seeks help in T.V vampire hunter Peter Vincent, played excellently by Roddy McDowall, as a brilliantly fleshed out and often comical character, whom eventually is convinced to help him, whereby bloody and entertaining horror ensues.<br />
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Alike Hellraiser which I watched a few days ago, this film thankfully opts for fantastic looking practical effects which truly made me feel quite icky, as appose to the pants CGI which is used in abundance today. Thus this makes the climactic battle and general shenanigans throughout feel all the more authentic and fun.<br />
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In terms of the classic monster, this is by far one of its best outings behind such classics as<i> Dracula</i> and<i> Let the right one in, </i>there's no emphasis on dark reality nor a significant young love story, Fright Night is just a classic vampire movie with awesome special effects. A real fun time.<br />
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8/10- Graphics were really bad, sucks you can't play as Mike Tyson.<br />
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<u>#17- Planet Terror (2007)</u><br />
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Part of that Grindhouse double feature , which I don't really understand to be brutally honest, which saw the film being released with Tarantinos <i>Deathproof , </i>as part of a tribute to classic b-movie cinema.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5wz-Ormh_WGlrq1uEOf1Ufm_JbnTEpS6YIJHp8oxS1bI7ppmAHLV3aSFCKk8DMDI5tYo4tz5u7-Qytp7fvAr-Uxe5mpnGeXKrp_jhmlJxkYtFxa46m6fuLCg18KfTFYi-mWLWB0cTJNg/s1600/Cherry_kills_Sickos.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5wz-Ormh_WGlrq1uEOf1Ufm_JbnTEpS6YIJHp8oxS1bI7ppmAHLV3aSFCKk8DMDI5tYo4tz5u7-Qytp7fvAr-Uxe5mpnGeXKrp_jhmlJxkYtFxa46m6fuLCg18KfTFYi-mWLWB0cTJNg/s1600/Cherry_kills_Sickos.jpg" height="179" width="320" /></a>The aesthetic of this film is bang on the money, with it's fake trailers before the film and the unexplained burning of film halfway through the movie. Also however, the director Robert Rodriguez decided to fill the film with a constant grainy quality which should work but instead, when mixed with the conventional contemporary cameras used to shoot the film it just looks out of place and is a little irritating to be honest. If you want to make a film look like its from a certain period of time, simply look at Ti Wests <i>House of the Devil </i>which emulates 1980's horror movies so well I genuinely had to ask Jeeves when the film was made .That said however overall the Aesthetic is very impressive and aids the film considerably when it comes to its completely over the top violence and dialogue, making it seem 'all part of the act'.<br />
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Violent the film certainly is spurting blood from all angles from all forms of weaponry, and it's great fun to say the least. There's a thin line between being too gratuitously violent and being simply good fun, the key is for the film to know exactly what it is, thankfully Planet Terror knows exactly what it is and frankly doesn't give a shit about a good story, it just wants to have fun, with a lot of plot points being totally unexplained, both to the films weakness and credit.<br />
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8/10- Super gr8 fun wif ur fwends<br />
<br />Russell Reviewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03063742300240073558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079368453864225596.post-5872945291962084262014-10-15T13:54:00.003-07:002014-10-15T13:54:48.173-07:00Shocktober Days 9, 10, 11 & 12<u>#9- Last House on the Left (1972)</u><br />
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Like a lot of films which were once controversial, Last House on the Left is a bit of a damp squib in today's film context, which very little detail which would be considered 'shocking'. That said Last House on the Left is certainly a unique film which sets itself apart from the broad Horror crowd.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOl454y8iBgGRizXBUixBXbnBIcr8VpHtESzHY8vZuwq18bNeOGHjeU6Stlof4xHkDtvd_V6jBChWJHNWQ4ZLy0FeqlAvqLBpzeP_2p-4nWLeKBXeAY6fRT4vrSdfCBYhqwisIu_pxYJo/s1600/too-sick-for-cinema-last-house-on-the-left-590x350.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOl454y8iBgGRizXBUixBXbnBIcr8VpHtESzHY8vZuwq18bNeOGHjeU6Stlof4xHkDtvd_V6jBChWJHNWQ4ZLy0FeqlAvqLBpzeP_2p-4nWLeKBXeAY6fRT4vrSdfCBYhqwisIu_pxYJo/s1600/too-sick-for-cinema-last-house-on-the-left-590x350.jpg" height="189" width="320" /></a></div>
You see you think you've seen it all before once the film gets into the half-way point, the plot points seem fairly predictable, the helpless girls the overpowering, insane criminals, it all points to a grim conclusion. However, as previously mentioned the film does a great job in setting itself apart, going off in all and every direction till a satisfying twist and a surprising final message.<br />
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If gores what you're looking for you've kinda come to the right place, kinda, I mean there ain't much but when it comes it chooses the more artistic route than the straight up in your face shit. One truly memorable scene, for all the wrong reasons, involving a woman biting off a man's genitalia will be forever imprinted in my brain.This choice of a more artistic method of scares however, now and then, does create for some actual scary moments.<br />
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Despite the performances being suitably hammy of the 70's era, Last House on the Left still holds up today as a solid and thoroughly entertaining horror. It may not be as shocking as it was, but this doesn't mean its not still a little disturbing.<br />
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7/10- Surprisingly good fun, with a solid final act which weirdly makes you think.<br />
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<u>#10- Society (1989)</u><br />
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The body horror strand of the genre used to be a side which I really disliked. The oozing pus, the weird bleeding close-ups and general bizarre nature which usually followed the sub-genre. Society, on the surface, did not look like one of these films and it wasn't until the last half hour of the film until I realised it was actually a horror. Oooo but when it does become a horror ooooo, it became a quick favourite.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWFNWvcu5qIMobDdLDqARlY1ApHGGvpj4PnlZi4HIFr0PBu1O0uvrTGudZJOaHsKdfaOcOa7OcgEny9O_TyZtm5_xtlZ_kJpCRE4qn0aHABXt4T1FNZjLwyLED_o5RXijzUyDPUj3RIfc/s1600/Society.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWFNWvcu5qIMobDdLDqARlY1ApHGGvpj4PnlZi4HIFr0PBu1O0uvrTGudZJOaHsKdfaOcOa7OcgEny9O_TyZtm5_xtlZ_kJpCRE4qn0aHABXt4T1FNZjLwyLED_o5RXijzUyDPUj3RIfc/s1600/Society.jpg" height="179" width="320" /></a>From the films surface to its sturdy backbone, this film is fucked from head to toe, it's just so unnerving, it'll trap you from head to toe in the weirdest trance going. As I said however it does take its good time in getting going, cus it isn't until the films final act until the shit really starts hitting the fan. I mean weird stuff happens before that, but its all tease, and nothing in comparison to this films truly fucked up final sequence which I couldn't peel my eyes away from. Nothing can prepare you for what you will see and you will not be able too remove the image from your head the hardest you try, as the hellish soundtrack embedded into the picture pierces into your mind. At the same time however Society is a pretty effective comedy, perhaps overbalanced a little with too much comedy and not enough horror yet the comedy works well enough with the early horror teases to keep you stimulated till the films end.<br />
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Give me that on a dish and I'll be thrilled, but nah, the film ain't done there, on top of this the film carries a poignant, fitting and completely unexpected message about 'society' which gives the film a little credibility contextual background. In general making it more fun.<br />
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9/10- Society is one of the funnest horror films i've ever seen, with solid lead performances and a truly unforgeable final sequence<br />
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<u>#11- Peeping Tom (1960)</u><br />
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Whilst Peeping Tom may not be the scariest film of all time, in terms of cinematic form it is almost a faultless example of what Horror can and should be.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF7b7TgFTB89CWJkm9o5a6UZv02hiQC6fnQXQWN-m_ChB0pLkilQvJi0E4sUjIAbZK_scNggO4CnQkxQXdwnHSVybtW8WDugBpIXuXeeYKDTABs6CzyLiuJEA5XzsEsLf5vLrEejxPZUQ/s1600/peeping5.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF7b7TgFTB89CWJkm9o5a6UZv02hiQC6fnQXQWN-m_ChB0pLkilQvJi0E4sUjIAbZK_scNggO4CnQkxQXdwnHSVybtW8WDugBpIXuXeeYKDTABs6CzyLiuJEA5XzsEsLf5vLrEejxPZUQ/s1600/peeping5.png" height="194" width="320" /></a>The film is used today as a primary example of lovely cinematography, forcing the viewer to be the voyeuristic spectator of a scene as a serial killer films the last fearful moments of his victims life before he kills them. As the killer is the films protagonist we follow his every move and end up analysing his persona eventually sympathising with someone we previously thought to be a sadistic killer. Such a feat in any film is admirable however Peeping Tom manages to achieve this almost instantly as the protagonist is the voyeuristic spectator and as voyeuristic spectators ourselves we relate to his personality and thus understand his actions.<br />
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One of the films main successes is that of Karlheinz Bohm's fantastic central performance as a broken serial killer, unable to access the normalities of human life. His performance as the 'voyeuristic spectator' gives meaning to scenes which would otherwise be a little pretentious, such as one where he watches a woman dance around the TV studio as he watches from a distance, a scene which ultimately becomes the films centrepiece<br />
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Peeping Tom is hardly a horror film in the typical sense however, when analysed a little, the way it represents the cinematic spectator is certainly unnerving, giving a message which will stick with you long term.<br />
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8/10- Thrilling and consistently unnerving.<br />
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<u>#12- The Man who Laughs- (1928)</u><br />
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You just have to be in the mood to watch some films, so just like you might watch an old silent movie when you're in the mood for analysis, you wouldn't when you'd just woken up on a Sunday morning. Thus I didn't enjoy The Man who Laughs that much.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB0KTs3yJvIdbbxrzG4oLFUjeGwBfB6uwAS0QIXFqf81AwMTfjiDL3iWmH50HH0syURMMqFAJOreE-5RI7h2e3ZYOEDhahcytubfnENGB2gzY_58wIudO3unlwQrpcP-OPw2eesyM4xaI/s1600/the-man-who-laughs.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB0KTs3yJvIdbbxrzG4oLFUjeGwBfB6uwAS0QIXFqf81AwMTfjiDL3iWmH50HH0syURMMqFAJOreE-5RI7h2e3ZYOEDhahcytubfnENGB2gzY_58wIudO3unlwQrpcP-OPw2eesyM4xaI/s1600/the-man-who-laughs.png" height="180" width="320" /></a></div>
The film had its moments, I'll give it that, some moments made me chill with fear, yet for a film which claims to be horror it just ain't that scary. I know it's old and there resources were limited and scares were more simple, I get it, but that doesn't excuse the fact that the film simply doesn't hold up in today's culture. It's quite massively dated, from the narrative which plods along from one meaningless scene to the next to often contrived plot points.<br />
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That said however one thing which does hold up is the make-up on the films protagonist, who is unable to remove a sinister smile from his face. This face and this face alone provided for the majority of the horror in the film, his mere facial expressions sparking uncertainty. However as the films protagonist we soon connect to him and therefore fail to find him that scary towards the end.<br />
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As much as I can see how the film would've worked in a 1920's context, it just doesn't work today.<br />
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5/10- Just a little bland and boring. Russell Reviewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03063742300240073558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079368453864225596.post-39260333582397801702014-10-11T09:44:00.002-07:002014-10-11T10:05:52.820-07:00Shocktober Days 7 & 8<span style="font-family: sans-serif;"><u>#7- The Brood (1979)</u></span><br />
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King of the bizarre, David Cronenberg is an absolute legend of the horror game, with such works as the eccentric videodrome and the visually disturbing, the fly.</div>
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The broods pretty much unknown in comparison to those films and almost for good reason, holding no real unique features ignoring the sheer disturbing images seen throughout the film.</div>
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So, in this small town, kids start going batshit mental, killing people left and right, so basically it's a weird murder mystery, with the town trying to solve <br />
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For the majority the brood is a pretty enjoyable if relatively straight forward horror film with little to offer in terms of both true horror scares or unique features. The mystery does however hold you in place just long enough till the final act whereby shit kicks off and Cronenberg is unleashed. </div>
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The final 10 minutes is what the viewer really comes for, as for the majority of the film it struggles to maintain the tension. That said the brood is good fun. Weird and peculiar tasting good fun</div>
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7/10- Wacky Cronenberg madness will have you squirming<br />
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<u>#8 Straw dogs (1971)</u></div>
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I need to like look at the Imdb genres for each of these films from now on, not that straw dogs was some sappy rom-com, just more of a thriller than a horror, yet a good thriller at that.</div>
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Dustin Hoffman, every man's best friend, plays a tentative American, newly introduced to a British village, full of natives who are rather hostile to outsiders. </div>
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This is just straight up a solid film, which refreshingly maintains significant tension throughout as the film holds the audience in its grasp through the compelling evolution of dustins character.</div>
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The audience grows to realise the hostility in the village as dustin does and this aids considerably in the films consistent disturbing nature.</div>
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As most horrors do, straw dogs also ends in a 10 minute or so scene of havoc and bloodshed however with the character development of dustins character providing a driving force for this violence this gives meaning to the final scene, something which a large majority of horrors omit .</div>
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Although straw dogs starts a little slow, the tension grows from within, exploding in the final sequence to powerful effect.</div>
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8/10- a very solid thriller, touching on the universal fear of public discrimination<br />
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Russell Reviewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03063742300240073558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079368453864225596.post-67255858508774247392014-10-07T15:04:00.001-07:002014-10-07T15:04:44.544-07:00Shocktober Days 5 & 6<u>#5- The Vanishing (1988)</u><br />
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I need to start checking the genre of these films before I pick em, cus although the Vanishing is a blooming amazing crime drama it ain't really that scary, excusing the heavily disturbing final sequence.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnl36RxLK_fcFUaPRiBT-jnerarb1RoJdwXI6XKqOwSP_fLrf3T0-hJ-_dnz4ebV3iuV-BkeYEOdzctBN-uyLJozNli3bwdr8oHBHDDF-nbnfjrh_pXhPc-To0MPT3JsuxfW_CS7mlsEs/s1600/ff562f_3baa2d3e3486cc7c9c54d837ce04f63e.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnl36RxLK_fcFUaPRiBT-jnerarb1RoJdwXI6XKqOwSP_fLrf3T0-hJ-_dnz4ebV3iuV-BkeYEOdzctBN-uyLJozNli3bwdr8oHBHDDF-nbnfjrh_pXhPc-To0MPT3JsuxfW_CS7mlsEs/s1600/ff562f_3baa2d3e3486cc7c9c54d837ce04f63e.jpg" height="191" width="320" /></a></div>
The story itself is really quite simple, a man's wife is kidnapped, and we follow him up 10 or so years later where he refuses to forget the mystery of her disappearance. Thing's get more interesting once the husband is given just as much screen time and character development as the murderer himself. When all that shit happens the film really picks up, touching on some deeper themes such as the desperation of the human condition but who gives a toss about that when there's a proper solid murder mystery going on.<br />
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Apart from a laggy middle section where little happens and scenes get noticeably slower, The Vanishing is a sound film which especially towards the conclusion holds bags of tension. A wild crime time, fun for all the family...apart from young children and toddlers, they can watch Dolphin tale 2 instead (but strictly not the first film).<br />
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8/10- A pretty gripping crime drama, which I mistook for a Horror, saying that- it is a wild time.<br />
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<u>#6- Audition (1999)</u><br />
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Yooooo, I know these Japanese horror films are all proper dark but geeezus, audition is some next level shit right here.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmhU_t64vcmDy8UJDsvYIVY-ZU3NAIdRnrVAGPJrJl9FtQSf21OTVoYUyRu97EPUTWPIhdpWLJGF4RqNy4tbwyz1wTxhsJUvLpEpLlJLmYhaervmO817zmmcojfhhJJ8cxCgitHeV7_lI/s1600/fullscreen-capture-7132012-121413-pm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmhU_t64vcmDy8UJDsvYIVY-ZU3NAIdRnrVAGPJrJl9FtQSf21OTVoYUyRu97EPUTWPIhdpWLJGF4RqNy4tbwyz1wTxhsJUvLpEpLlJLmYhaervmO817zmmcojfhhJJ8cxCgitHeV7_lI/s1600/fullscreen-capture-7132012-121413-pm.jpg" height="177" width="320" /></a></div>
For the most part Audition isn't really that horrible, quite a nice little jaunt through the park actually, with the story concerning a man looking for a new wife after the past death of his old one. Once he settles with a lovely woman with super interests, the shit hits the fan and audition gets messy. The conclusion to this film is without doubt one of the most disturbing ever put to film, and anyone whose seen the film will know exactly what I mean. Just thinking about me makes me want to retrieve my tuna pasta bake from my stomach...with the wire...and the ugghh. Saying that whilst the images of the finale are certainly imprinted in my brain, never to leave, it is none the less a little meaningless in my opinion.<br />
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I mean the film has got rave reviews across the board from critics and fans alike, but whilst i enjoyed the film and some of its mysterious elements towards the end especially, in retrospect the whole film just felt a bit lifeless. Set-up is of, course without saying, vital to inducing meaning into any film, but here the set-up is long and ultimately uneventful , leading for the final act of the film feeling quite contrived and certainly out of place.<br />
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Saying that, any horror film which sufficiently disturbs you with a scene or image which you will literally never forget is worth at least a little credit. So whilst audition may not fulfil your narrative desires, it will certainly not leave your brain for a long while after viewing.<br />
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7/10- The sort of film which, after the final act and horrifying soundtrack of the credits, you'll want to immediately remove the disk and have a shower.Russell Reviewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03063742300240073558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079368453864225596.post-78481198795458161192014-10-05T15:08:00.001-07:002014-10-05T15:08:53.629-07:00Shocktober Day 3 & 4<u>#3- Oculus (2014)</u><br />
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I must have been in a bad mood when I saw this on Friday, I'm writing this late, but from what I can remember from the truly forgettable Oculus, was that it was absolute rubbish.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLJcvSA_GSV2updifgedGyBhHNaz9z4Vv0eGJ0NMl9J6luicH_eiIImnpbpaP9TO9EOq2KqAXXrvznckBNL7E-b8wZ_Tk1NEF_LKnZa0HaoAlCHmvrGbot1k4UH-GoF64c04Lbdsv8grI/s1600/oculus.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLJcvSA_GSV2updifgedGyBhHNaz9z4Vv0eGJ0NMl9J6luicH_eiIImnpbpaP9TO9EOq2KqAXXrvznckBNL7E-b8wZ_Tk1NEF_LKnZa0HaoAlCHmvrGbot1k4UH-GoF64c04Lbdsv8grI/s1600/oculus.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a>Mirrors are great tools to use cinematically in any genre, perhaps they're overused a little in Horrors, but golly when they're used right they can really scare the beejezzus out of you. Basing a film about a mirror however is just straight up stupid, why didn't they learn from that Kiefer Suterland film, Mirrors, which no one likes or ever talks about. It's hard to talk about a film like Oculus because when it comes down to it, what do i talk about?! The film is so lifeless and devoid of any meaning, or actual horror for that matter.<br />
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Oculus isn't a terrible idea for a film and I guess the story is pretty unique, so kudos for that, but in terms of being a <i>horror</i> film it sucked, quite simply because it wasn't scary. It's more of a really bad psychological thriller in the sense that often the film doesn't even try and scare you it just throws a guy on the screen wearing a cheap halloween mask and expects you to shit yourself. Towards the end the film starts getting more and more ridiculous and actually it turns into a really effective comedy! This may be due in part to Karen Gillan's questionable acting or maybe it was just the way her character was written, either way her character came across as a whiny, arrogant bastard who wouldn't shut the fuck up.<br />
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The more I talk about Oculus the more bored I become, so to do it justice I should really finish with as few words as possible.<br />
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4/10- It's shit<br />
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<br />
<u>#4- 28 Days Later (2002)</u><br />
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This is a weird one because I only just realised that I'd put this film on the best Horrors list on day #1, thinking I'd seen it before (which I kinda have) but turns out I haven't really so yeah...thought I'd give it a view.<br />
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Turns out I'd got my days and weeks mixed up, cus I'd seen the start of days and mixed it with the end of months...nightmare. Anyway, after finally seeing the whole of 28 days later I shan't be taking it off the best horrors list, this film is bloody amazing. From the very opening scene which is now famous in the genre, showing a man walking alone through the deserted London streets, to the more bloodthirsty finale, 28 days later carries jugs full of tension, literally never letting the audience go, despite the fact that a lot of the film is isolated conversations or quiet walks.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUnsv6BLt-tljcDSbrrYSCC-Nqv5R0XFfyzcSaUG7ZNWb3Y1q6Uv-rMMoBM3-Z1FKN9bfvO7KggF56Exx4u9eBzNFma4HoXXQpRK6rEjUfyrFR_buo90oumSdA582f7Ua_T3xgjUJxCI0/s1600/28-Days-Later.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUnsv6BLt-tljcDSbrrYSCC-Nqv5R0XFfyzcSaUG7ZNWb3Y1q6Uv-rMMoBM3-Z1FKN9bfvO7KggF56Exx4u9eBzNFma4HoXXQpRK6rEjUfyrFR_buo90oumSdA582f7Ua_T3xgjUJxCI0/s1600/28-Days-Later.png" height="166" width="320" /></a>It's not until the end that you realise that really the film didn't have that many zombies in it, yet you are still drenched in sweat, fists clenched, hiding behind your cardigan. The film is so intelligent it knows it doesn't have to show blood and guts to get a reaction, the sheer isolation of this film taps into <i>everyone's</i> universal fear of solidarity especially in a time of fear. It's this mixed with the terrifyingly realistic narrative which cooks up the films terrific story and horror elements. Everything from the subtleties of a paper bag blowing through the streets to the literal collapse of the government is clenched with such realism, the whole transformed universe is just accepted by the characters, because what else can they do. There's no grandiose acting performances, no cliched hero, this is a story about people just as much as it is a horror film about zombies.<br />
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28 days later is one of the best zombie films of all time, sitting up with the classics of George Romero, not just this but it is also one of the scariest films of all time, at least for me it is.<br />
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9.5/10- Relentlessly terrifying in the quietest manner.<br />
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<br />
<br />Russell Reviewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03063742300240073558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079368453864225596.post-48719922967644944802014-10-03T10:53:00.002-07:002014-10-03T10:53:57.509-07:00Shocktober- Day 1 & 2Finally it's the holiday which no one waits for, Halloween is on the 31st of this terrible month and I'm 3 days late to it. You know what this means- Horror films. Films which thrill, spill, dill (the herb) and jill you to the core (jill is a word), we all love them but no one really knows why. We all know the majority of them are bad, they're dirt cheap to make and as a result there's a whole back catalogue of thousands of whiffy releases, most of which are waiting for your viewing right at the bottom of Netflix's horror section where no one dares to visit. Case in point, take the 'Deadly Bees' (1967) which is situated right at the bottom of the stink pile (I literally just looked), which to be fair could be quite good- I've never seen it. Saying that I'm reading the synopsis as we speak and its pushing all my buttons- terrific.<br />
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There are however those hidden gems, ones which keep you squirming for a good 7 hours (no more and strictly no less), a small list which (personally) include:<br />
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- Rosemary's baby (1968) - The Borderlands (2013) - Let the right one in (2008)<br />
- The Shining (1980) - Carrie (1976) - Psycho (1960)<br />
- The Thing (1982) - Eden lake (2008) - 28 days later (2002)<br />
- The Descent (2005) - Alien (1979) - Slither (2006)<br />
- Kill List (2011) - Night of the living dead (1968) - The Wicker man (<strike>1973 </strike> 2006)<br />
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So as Halloween approaches, I'm gunna do this thing some people (I don't know who) call Shocktober which involves watching a horror film every day of October. I'm gunna be watching films which I've never seen before, otherwise... yuknow. Some films will be super old, some super new, like for example the newly released Dolphin Tale 2 which frankly looks fucked up. So hopefully I can add some new horror films to my favourites.<br />
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<u>#1- Silence of the Lambs- (1991)</u><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1JgO_sdgMD0DLJm0YhKFvLfv_ua_QOBdsu5pJj9OTfGoYWl8qWTVTm4W7JM1fc0mHqrYpuJa8OdtjAq5A_OCKqi1qXdCcO8HkWTuVWEyY0gbNL0IWDlIPN-hoKdkOVZZ58YDL-E_5tYA/s1600/the_silence_of_the_lambs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1JgO_sdgMD0DLJm0YhKFvLfv_ua_QOBdsu5pJj9OTfGoYWl8qWTVTm4W7JM1fc0mHqrYpuJa8OdtjAq5A_OCKqi1qXdCcO8HkWTuVWEyY0gbNL0IWDlIPN-hoKdkOVZZ58YDL-E_5tYA/s1600/the_silence_of_the_lambs.jpg" height="171" width="320" /></a>I've been told to watch this for a fair while and so took this month as an opportunity to watch it and yeah it's about as good as everyone says it is!<br />
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This film is just as much about the thrilling story as it is about the construction of the two protagonists. I mean Hannibal Lecter is an infamous horror villain, so I knew he would be pretty gruesome in the film but man... Anthony Hopkins' performance as the fictional murderer is just dirty and genuinely gets under your skin- as he pierces into the mind of Jodie Fosters character you feel as though he's doing the exact same thing to you. One could question just why Mrs Starling, Jodie Fosters character, is quite as dumb as she is despite her being a 'top student', however the film does do a pretty good job in explaining this... I say <i>pretty </i>good because she is just straight up stupid at some points.<br />
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The mystery surrounding Lecter is great and contributes to the job of getting under your skin, depending on how you view him as a character however some of his actions are quite astounding, performing feats in the space of 5 minutes which would take bloody Kevin Mcloud a couple of weeks. Saying that however if you analyse this considered 'classic', such actions would fit in perfectly to the mysterious and devilish character of Lecter.<br />
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The Silence of the lambs is truly gripping, reeling the audience into its world of horrific crime and mystery. Putting the narrative puzzle together is both as tantalizing as it is unnerving, truly scared as to what Lecter could be holding up his sleeve.<br />
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8.5/10- Perhaps not a terrifying horror but certainly a gripping crime drama.<br />
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#2- The Purge: Anarchy- (2014)<br />
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Judging by this films predecessor, the purge 2 (Or anarchy if you're a dick) in theory should be a steaming pile of shit, but heads up sister- shit, it aint.<br />
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You see the Purge 2 does something really weird and frankly bizarre which Hollywood very rarely does, this film actually listened to the fans of the first film and gave us exactly what we wanted. The idea of the purge is a great one, for those who don't know- yahoo it or ask jeeves (if you rekon he'll know), although you could certainly argue that the concept is a little silly and unrealistic, it is none the less undoubtedly original and interesting, providing an interesting concept which attempts to act as a social commentary. The problem with the first film was that, with a concept which includes the whole of the USA, they trap themselves within the confines of one home and the story becomes redundant as it simply turns into a slasher flick. As I said, the purge 2 does exactly what the fans asked for, it branches out and shows us how the people of the US react to this controversial day. Quite understandably there is backlash from underground organisations who are trying to make this day obsolete, however at the same time, there are of course some crack heads who go out trying to do some illegal shite.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl-3hFK4YnHvZXj2UuY9II_n_z5JR66S_XE-w2eCRpY0Kv9AD5t1zwAFs1yNnBtJSD4S7CL8_ec78fayjsXW6NbCyrBejGQDY4jaOZjFlsFbu66mzGaCOXj09cilByKbCp5Tj7770vvRs/s1600/the-purge-anarchy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl-3hFK4YnHvZXj2UuY9II_n_z5JR66S_XE-w2eCRpY0Kv9AD5t1zwAFs1yNnBtJSD4S7CL8_ec78fayjsXW6NbCyrBejGQDY4jaOZjFlsFbu66mzGaCOXj09cilByKbCp5Tj7770vvRs/s1600/the-purge-anarchy.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></div>
This alone makes the Purge 2 a whole lot better than its predecessor, branching out to show us a more complex and intellectual storyline. The story follows 3 sets of people who find themselves on the streets on purge night for different reasons, some purposefully, some accidentally and whilst not all these characters are hugely compelling, the protagonist played by the most recognisable actor in the film, Frank Grillo, is surprisingly very well fleshed out, so much so that this characters arc alone is enough to call the whole film a success.<br />
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As they travel through the streets to find safety we see these characters evade some truly well organised criminals with interesting philosophical views, my favourite of which came from a man who waved to 2 of the protagonists whilst wearing a mask reading 'God', a simple and pointless attempt at philosophical meaning which ultimately means nothing. As all these people are humans it would have been nice to see a more human side to each of the criminals we see on the streets.<br />
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The Purge 2 is a great surprise, boasting a very well constructed protagonist within a far more expanded world of quiet intelligence and fairly subtle social messages. If this, now franchise, treads lightly it could make to be a very interesting horror franchise.<br />
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6.5/10- An ambitious and vast improvement on the pants preprocessor<br />
.Russell Reviewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03063742300240073558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079368453864225596.post-69352970435689700142014-08-08T10:50:00.001-07:002014-08-08T10:50:34.101-07:00Guardians of the GalaxyAt this point in time in the MARVEL cinematic universe, anyone who considers new cosmic release Guardians of the Galaxy 'a risk' is frankly deluded. Seriously, stick the Marvel logo on any property and both bags of cash and budding fans clutching figurines will be charging their way, the superhero renaissance is truly in the palm of their hands. The Guardians of the galaxy is simply another step (granted a more significant one) in their ever growing franchise, heading presumably for a climactic Avengers 3 and most definitely more. Although Guardians of the Galaxy is an inexcusable stepping stone, it is one however which can be hugely enjoyed on its own, something the other solo movies lack, with its brash humour and general entertainment value making it unique.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisfJwTU0xtA-u_MPz3WTIR-of4NMXc404shS3XyGgNcr6BLQEiMNwjWxnOwXDxq73LWxsomDqU3edoL1wCdsmIRBciUWFTVnVnevavhEi4-JqBV_1IhCbT-P34HvsMvh6reHkxjl1UhbA/s1600/meet-the-guardians-of-the-galaxy-1-exclusive-guardians-of-the-galaxy-s-dave-bautista-talks-vin-diesel-and-heavy-makeup.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisfJwTU0xtA-u_MPz3WTIR-of4NMXc404shS3XyGgNcr6BLQEiMNwjWxnOwXDxq73LWxsomDqU3edoL1wCdsmIRBciUWFTVnVnevavhEi4-JqBV_1IhCbT-P34HvsMvh6reHkxjl1UhbA/s1600/meet-the-guardians-of-the-galaxy-1-exclusive-guardians-of-the-galaxy-s-dave-bautista-talks-vin-diesel-and-heavy-makeup.jpeg" height="206" width="400" /></a>Abducted from earth as a child Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) grows to become 'Starlord' a cosmic smuggler of all things shiny and expensive, one of which, a mysterious silver orb, is much wanted as he finds many will kill for it. Eventually he crafts a team of outlaws, including a walking/talking tree, Groot (voiced by Vin Diesel), a raccoon, Rocket (voiced by Bradley Cooper) an assassin Gamora (Zoe Saldana) and a warrior, Drax (Dave Bautista), to defend the orb and take it to safety whilst being pursued by the sinister Ronan the Accuser (Lee Pace). Having met none of these characters before in any form of popular media, the film does a very good job in introducing each of them, doing so progressively, almost like a set of solo movies, gradually introducing them into the story once the last character has received sufficient development. Some characters did work better than others however, actually more specifically the only one which really didn't work was Gamora who is supposedly a master assassin but who often found herself in inescapable situations; her personality wasn't really fleshed out and didn't go further than 'brooding'. Each of the other characters work very well with Chris Pratt as Starlord leading the pack well with sufficient charisma giving evident heart to his character, whilst the remaining three are provide the majority of the simple entertainment and comedic moments. The film however doesn't have to try very hard to make us revel in its fun as this is simply an effortless task, as within a franchise of such saturation, forced to love the same characters over and over again, any change from the typical order is lovingly embraced, especially when that change is seen drastically in the form of a talking tree and raccoon. This mini team-up of tree and animal does quite the opposite of what one would expect, being seemingly there for childish merchandise purposes when in reality they actually provide much of the films grit and dark nature. As cute and fun as Groot is, many of his attacks are harsh and sinister, and when entwined with Rockets rather stern Chicago based persona the couple become less cute and cuddly and more disturbing yet entertaining.<br />
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Branching out from the typical story of the MARVEL universe which we know (and are beginning to rapidly get tired of), Guardians of the galaxy is certainly a breath of fresh air into the franchise being a change to the often light, cotton woolled story inserting a dose of gritty sci-fi action. This release dares to be different and feels far more like an expansion of the growing story, branching out into the cosmos onto planets which we will surely begin to know more about as the franchise continues. It is impossible to ignorable however the continued narrative formula seen in nearly all MARVEL films whereby each film follows an easily recognisable and safe route, to the point where we begin to not care about the characters as we know they will survive. The same happens at the end of this film, wasting time with meaningless sympathy for characters which we know will be fine, in this sense the Guardians of the galaxy does just feel like 'another stepping stone' as whilst it may be a new property, the story and familiar clichés remain. One of the only linking factors to the other films in the series is that of the main series villain, Thanos, barely played by Josh Brolin in his lacklustre appearance in the film. Thanos' appearance in the film is rather lacklustre, looking more like a ball of purple playdough pathetically created by a toddler than 'the universes greatest threat'. Quite the opposite was Ronan the Accuser who instead could be taken seriously with a strikingly sinister appearance, black liquid seeping from his eyes and mouth, his huge cloak and staff commanding the shot. Shame then that his character was largely boring and directionless, his actions usually unexplained or simply uninteresting.<br />
<br />
Helped by its unique properties of characters and soundtrack, Guardians of the galaxy is MARVELS most refreshing release to date and perhaps even its best. Seeing the team interact with the Avengers is something nearly every fan is eager to see as it is clear that MARVEL has aided in reinvigorating the franchise with memorable protagonists, a unique style and established humour.<br />
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8/10- The best film of phase 2, and perhaps phase 1 too, Guardians of the Galaxy is a huge amount of fun and just what the franchise needed.<br />
<br />
Calum Russell<br />
<br />Russell Reviewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03063742300240073558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079368453864225596.post-33946848932481777782014-08-08T09:17:00.000-07:002014-08-08T09:17:02.037-07:00The Inbetweeners 2 <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
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With only a few exceptions the transition from TV series to
feature film hasn’t fared to well for the British in recent years. The most
notable cases in point being the god awful ‘Keith Lemon film’, ‘Ms Browns Boys
D’Movie’ as well as the ‘Pudsey the dog movie’ which one only has to see the
trailer for to see that it looks absolutely pathetic. Perhaps one of the best
TV- movie transitions of the past few years was the Inbetweeners Movie back in
2011 which ended the much loved series with sufficient humour and a hopeful
romantic conclusion. However despite the very fitting end, money talks, and the
Inbetweeners got a quite unnecessary sequel which invites us back to experience
plenty more laughs unfortunately entwined within a hugely inconsistent
narrative.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9ZVYNVhQYhvA2E9_OeicxOtTO1FAJm0WeLiflDDptV_rOQj5OCahMQL6WuNWv3mWWInVKzQ71sSfbCjUwji0YTJMtghOg-o1dgka6jtjHJo_Cx6MTFY56AuvmZW3mEitmRh_OKpA_slE/s1600/The_Inbetweeners_are_in_the__sex_capital_of_the_world__in_first_full_trailer_for_movie_sequel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9ZVYNVhQYhvA2E9_OeicxOtTO1FAJm0WeLiflDDptV_rOQj5OCahMQL6WuNWv3mWWInVKzQ71sSfbCjUwji0YTJMtghOg-o1dgka6jtjHJo_Cx6MTFY56AuvmZW3mEitmRh_OKpA_slE/s1600/The_Inbetweeners_are_in_the__sex_capital_of_the_world__in_first_full_trailer_for_movie_sequel.jpg" height="241" width="400" /></a>Sticking on the past storyline of a lads holiday the group
of four head to Australia where Jay (James Buckly), working there in a hotel,
promises them the time of their lives with girls and booze galore. With Will
(Simon Bird) hardly enjoying university and Simon (Joe Thomas) and Neil (Blake
Harrison) seemingly doing very little at all they decide to join Jay in
Australia whereby comedy ensues. The story may as well be identical to its predecessor
and in some ways it plays out much like it, however with nearly all plot lines
tied up by the end of the last film, the film struggles to get off the ground
for a good 15 minutes procrastinating with what the characters are doing and
making excuses to why they are available to go on a gap year. This quickly gets
tiresome as nervous laughs waft around the cinema in hopeful expectation of
things to come, and thankfully the laughs come in their handfuls once the
holiday begins.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It’s not until the side characters are introduced that the
film finally gets into gear, pitch perfectly mocking the, now infamous, image
of the arrogant, preppy gap year student. This, in contrast with the crass and puerile
humour of the four boys makes for some truly hysterical scenes, with the ‘spiritual,
true traveller’ character of Ben, played excellently by Freddie Stroma,
clashing perfectly with the group. Moments of hilarity often spark from this
character as he brings the relatable tropes of camping and budget travelling to
the table where they are questioned and ridiculed. This subsequently builds
into big comedy set pieces whereby their tension finally peaks to largely
hysterical results. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
You can’t help but reminisce however at the modest, low
budget TV series where jokes formulated from ingeniously crafted comedic
moments entwined with the sheer wit of the four hugely likeable characters.
Here it simply feels as if they’re trying too hard, the set pieces (as funny as
most of them are) are simply too grandiose and as a result the film loses some of
its simplistic charm. At times the film often forgets what made the show so
funny in the first place, where the characters and situations are so relatable
that it’s a joy to follow them round and join in their relatable moments of
hilarity, and when the film remembers this it is truly at its funniest. However
it often forgets, dabbling in plot lines which neither fit in with the story at
all nor the audience can relate to or be interested in. This results in a
frustratingly inconsistent final film which has strong essence of Inbetweeners
comedic flair but also a pungent whiff of huge narrative flaws which can be
perfectly encapsulated in the films final beat, wrapping up so quickly it felt
almost disloyal to audience members who felt so attached to the characters. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The Inbetweeners 2 lacks the narrative fluidity of the first
film but matches if not exceeds it in comedic moments, with one or two especially
surely going down as some of their very best moments. This in some ways simply isn’t
enough however and you can’t help but feel a little disappointed as the film
jolts by, laughter dotted over infrequent pages and the story being almost
ignored.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
6.5/10- A largely funny Inbetweeners outing with a disappointing
focus on story.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Calum Russell <o:p></o:p></div>
Russell Reviewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03063742300240073558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079368453864225596.post-46103430156223360412014-08-05T05:41:00.002-07:002014-08-05T05:41:33.279-07:00BoyhoodIt's recent previous releases such as 'Bernie' and the 'Before' trilogy which have made director Richard Linklater one of the most unique and interesting auteurs of the modern era. Such innovation is continued in 'Boyhood' Linklaters 12 year project chronicling the fictional story of a boy growing up from the age of 5 to 18. Filmed over the course of 12 years Boyhood's ambition is evident with no prior knowledge of how the actors would develop and change, however this gamble ultimately doesn't pay off.<br />
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The story is as simple as it sounds and unfortunately refuses to impress cinematically by choosing a more realistic route of storytelling whereby very little happens at all. As the story begins we are introduced to Mason (Ellar Coltrane), sister (Lorelei Linklater) and mother (Patricia Arquette) a fictional family which for the most part of the opening hour are fun and exciting to be around, as the story seemingly builds its foundations. Entwined within scenes of realistic childhood memories such as simple sibling rivalries as well as first days at school, a more complex and interesting plot brews in the background, one surrounding the consequences of divorce on a family's children. This sufficiently developed and otherwise interesting plot point should've provided a backbone for the rest of the film but is however abandoned without explanation, being replaced by a more disinteresting and far more overdone story of simple adolescence whereby none of the past trials and tribulations seem to have any affect on our bland protagonist.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy_l6rkdBNflp7rK8TCh9jVZlQOzo2VB8LDqTillZ-K73xZjHzqnHt0c4ItP8KmEdM3cktJbo4UFCtgm2d5QTkcBdyv5huyJOosU1KclLG8O8Q8WhE-l9d-mVNefrU0grmHTrOk92OCLc/s1600/image2resize.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy_l6rkdBNflp7rK8TCh9jVZlQOzo2VB8LDqTillZ-K73xZjHzqnHt0c4ItP8KmEdM3cktJbo4UFCtgm2d5QTkcBdyv5huyJOosU1KclLG8O8Q8WhE-l9d-mVNefrU0grmHTrOk92OCLc/s1600/image2resize.jpg" height="235" width="400" /></a> Granted, finding a quality child actor is very hard to come by, especially when choosing one 12 years in advance in order to play a complex 18 year old at the projects end. Unfortunately this doesn't excuse the level of acting seen by young Ellar Coltrane, which considering the films context is by no means awful, but is certainly not good either. This is where the main issue with the film sparks. In a film called Boyhood, being specifically centred around the development of a single character, the fictional boy, as well as the actor, are both so lifeless and devoid of personality that it is impossible to relate to the character. This therefore prevents the film from conveying its messages of the trials of growing up as they are all poorly conveyed through the films protagonist. In retrospect the character of Mason really does very little at all, being carried through the film by the more interesting plot points of those around him such as that of his birth father and struggling mother. Ethan Hawke who plays the loyal birth father does so very well and is by far the saving grace of the film, projecting a realistic character damaged by the consequences of divorce, nostalgic of the lost time with his children. A film focused on him, his ex-wife and their two kids would've made for a highly interesting view on how a bad childhood damages the person as a whole. Instead the film is bogged down with a plethora of unnecessary characters and scenes which go literally nowhere. Most notably, an early scene where the protagonist is moderately bullied is neither seen nor ever mentioned of again in the film, an example of the narrative almost teasing the audience with the opportunity to branch out, instead opportunities to do so are constantly squandered . Thus the film goes nowhere, giving it a total lack of direction and no climactic target to strive towards, leaving the audience with no sense of progression resulting in boredom; especially when considering the films 3 hour running time.<br />
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Aside from the many unnecessary scenes, the writing on the whole is pretty solid, especially at the films opening which treats us to a whole load of compelling and emotionally involving scenes. These scenes went from the simple and elegant sight of seeing the protagonist paint over the height marks of the door at his old home to the grand and nostalgic scene of Mason and his Father sharing a camping trip, something that most if not all male audience members can relate to. It seems as though however that whilst Linklater has an excellent grasp on young life, his view on modern day teenagers is warped and at times embarrassing. Mason and his peers seem to speak in philosophical metaphors through the mouth of Linklater, their every line visibly crafted to forcibly induce feeling into the audience, but instead these moments simply came of as arrogant and almost unbearable. The paths of both the mother and father are far more developed, towards the end at least ,as we see the effect of growing up directly impacting them both, perhaps something Linklater has more relation to than the growing up of a modern day boy.<br />
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Linklater has a nostalgic and warm view on early childhood, as most of us do, however as the protagonist reaches adolescence he no longer writes the characters through the eyes of a growing boy but instead though that of an adult. Masons change seems unnatural and sudden, going from a loveable, naive yet developing boy into an irritating and arrogant teenager whose bland personality and monotonous tones were no fun to be around. Boyhood is perhaps one of those films which differs between cultures, the view on relationships for example here seems unrealistic and foreign here in the UK but may well be the norm in the US. Starting very well, using its 12 year production context intelligently to chart the subtle changes of a boy, Boyhood deteriorates into directionless drivel disguised as philosophy.<br />
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6/10- It's ambition is admirable but the final result frustratingly disappointing.<br />
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Calum RussellRussell Reviewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03063742300240073558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079368453864225596.post-16333338210836900402014-06-09T14:19:00.001-07:002014-06-09T14:19:52.506-07:00Edge of Tomorrow<div class="MsoNormal">
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After aliens named ‘mimics’ invade central Europe, it is up
to a conglomeration of the world’s armies to stop them fighting onwards,
creating a front on the French coast. William Cage (Tom Cruise) is one of these
soldiers sent to fight in portable ‘mecha’ suits, however after being killed by
the mimics he awakens a day before the attack, caught in an endless loop whereby
him and superior solider Rita (Emily Blunt), must find a way to stop them in
their tracks. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHXGUt73b2xCKcBfLjZDjpKpmqqCkTpxgNiNGxFwlbbkC95ifKtYPdnxbuXZqnMPLxKje1qGph4t6NCJ_3c3CDYbN_u7YHtBgRleAbQnT9x8y3Z6Dy9hX5o8bnqRqwlbSBVBexaaPn7JY/s1600/edge1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHXGUt73b2xCKcBfLjZDjpKpmqqCkTpxgNiNGxFwlbbkC95ifKtYPdnxbuXZqnMPLxKje1qGph4t6NCJ_3c3CDYbN_u7YHtBgRleAbQnT9x8y3Z6Dy9hX5o8bnqRqwlbSBVBexaaPn7JY/s1600/edge1.jpg" height="160" width="400" /></a>Despite a pretty generic ad campaign, making the film look
like ‘another product’ of the blockbuster machine, Edge of Tomorrow proves to
be a surprisingly fun time. The fight on the French coast which takes up a
large proportion of the film, repeated many times as the protagonist begins the
loop over and over, is as brutally violent as it is terrific fun. The sight of
seeing the soldiers launched across the beach from the claws of the ‘mimics’ isn’t
exactly a friendly sight, being quite sinister in fact, but this is perfectly
counterbalanced by the films ‘comic-book’ approach to violence as for every
dark act there is another action slide and quirky comment ready to balance the
tone. This leads the film to depend on some clichés however, infrequently
throughout, as the script reminds the audience of its blockbuster background with
such generic lines such as ‘you’re a good solider Cage’ etc. etc. etc.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The looping narrative, used in countless films of the past,
is kept contemporary here, preventing boredom through the use of intelligent
cinematography, with time-lapses preventing the repetition of familiar scenes. The
act of repetition itself is explained very efficiently leaving no continuity
issues as we’re shown the repetition of even the smallest acts, such as
discussing tactics, showing to be
surprisingly entertaining again through the screenplay and cinematography,
which intelligently shows us the painstaking repeated efforts of the
protagonists. This is made all the more realistic through the fantastic performance
of the two leads, Emily Blunt and Tom Cruise. Blunt, playing the rarely
portrayed strong female character, does so tremendously, outperforming all her
male counterparts to break the mould of female side-characters, with a complex
persona and developed backstory. Cruise is as good as ever, perhaps better than
average here however as his enjoyment in the role becomes transparent in his performance,
taking on the role as a scared and desperate soldier with gusto and enthusiasm within
a film well informed of its own identity. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Edge of Tomorrow should be embraced by audiences, not
primarily because of its narrative quality and intelligence (though that is of
course a winning factor), but because of its originality and charm. Not often
does a standalone action blockbuster hit our screens with no announcement of a
sequel before its release, and as a result, with few fans and conglomerate
companies to answer to, Edge of Tomorrow shows to be a solidly entertaining
film from start to finish. <o:p></o:p></div>
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7/10- A neat and tidy action packed blockbuster. What more could
you want.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Calum Russell<o:p></o:p></div>
Russell Reviewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03063742300240073558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079368453864225596.post-39592770840657898552014-05-29T15:30:00.002-07:002014-06-01T06:14:29.107-07:00X-Men: Days of Future Past Of the three current superhero franchises, the X-men is one which often takes a back-seat, letting the quality powerhouse of MARVELS cinematic universe and Spider-man's box office abilities take the mantle whilst it cleans up their scraps. Recently however, despite the increase of interest in superhero films, their quality has certainly lowered, leaving a gap in the market for the X-Men to seize. Unfortunately however X-Men Days of future past is simply another mark in the ever growing superhero genre, doing nothing to differentiate itself from the crowd.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOYDIWXDLYE2blgdiM5LZw7Xv-yL_3YWm8X34xPH-5fPyZCZh1TGD2w6zqP5AhrGgHeDHfb_Q2Hx70vJ9kDqJfoOxjaDBwaImROQRFCp-sMf0vd2-FfqFDYOpfT1Yer-HkoaDfc6UqmVY/s1600/X-Men-Days-Of-Future-Past2-300x200.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOYDIWXDLYE2blgdiM5LZw7Xv-yL_3YWm8X34xPH-5fPyZCZh1TGD2w6zqP5AhrGgHeDHfb_Q2Hx70vJ9kDqJfoOxjaDBwaImROQRFCp-sMf0vd2-FfqFDYOpfT1Yer-HkoaDfc6UqmVY/s1600/X-Men-Days-Of-Future-Past2-300x200.jpg" /></a></div>
In the mind-bending plot for this instalment we join Wolverine (Hugh Jackman), Charles Xavier (Patrick Stewart), Magneto (Ian Mckellan) and Storm (Halle Berry) (but who really cares about her), amongst other mutants, fighting for their survival in an apocalyptic world in which their lives are threatened by deadly 'Sentinals'. To stop this world from ever existing Wolverine is sent back in time to alter the course of history, whereupon drama ensues. Discarding the immediate submersion of the audience into the plot, with near to no context whatsoever (leaving us confused more than anything), the opening quarter of this film is really quite impressive, unique and gripping. Usually we join our favourite heroes at a high point in their lives, loved by all, with the riches to match, here however they're in immediate peril, putting the audience on the back foot, intrigued and surprised by the unfolding plot. This hits a notable change following one of the most well realised and cinematically impressive scenes in superhero film history, whereupon cock-sure, rebel Quicksilver (Evan Peters), breaks Magneto out of a high security prison. Without the prior knowledge of his character, within the performance of Evan Peters the scene is carried and his character is thrown in the faces of the audience, bursting with enthusiasm and charm. Quicksilver is by far the best thing about X-Men and before you know it he's gone... gone where...gone home...why, no one knows. This is quite simply lazy writing, taking the time and effort to build such a great character before discarding him, realising he was only needed for momentary plot conveniences before we are once again reunited with the cardboard cut-out heroes. This isn't however the only character to be frustratingly underused, no, there's a whole host of 10- odd heroes which we don't even get to hear speak or even know the names of. Introduced in a visually stunning opening scene we immediately relate to these new character who we presume will be built upon, but who are instead pushed to the background once the familiar heroes return thus making us care very little for and about them when their character arches grow.The poor writing however isn't just restricted to narrative conveniences and poor characterisation, the dialogue is also , at points, cringe-worthy as we listen to Xavier deliver a whimsical speech about 'life' and 'identity' for what seems to be the majority of the film. This immediately takes you out the film as you take a minute out to sigh at the previous line of unrealistic nonsense.<br />
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On the whole, the plot is handled rather well, with the central idea of time travel, often murdered in Hollywood releases, being used quite intelligently and interestingly here, with relatively few continuity bugs. Furthermore for the most part it seems as though the X-men franchise has finally abandoned its reliance on star Wolverine, whom as interesting as he is, has been done, done and double done by the franchise, consistently leaving others in the dark. Here he seems more vulnerable and more human and thus more relatable, as the heroes are faced with the 'Sentinals', unstoppable beings who promise to finally cure the MARVEL virus of their films being so risk averse...oh wait here comes the ending. Too many times in superhero films has a grand and game changing event been repaired by a films ending and of course X-Men follows suit with perhaps the most obvious backhanded slap to the audience which Hollywood has ever given. Ultimately the films ending makes the whole films narrative lifeless, leaving you with no real feelings towards the film when you leave, feeling as though it was just...well.... pointless.<br />
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X-men Days of Future Past is certainly a disappointment boasting a stellar cast, with great performances throughout, but with no substance to back it up. The script is boggy, heavy and hugely misunderstood as we build bonds with new exciting characters, only for them to be instantly sidelined, despite our remaining craving. X-men is empty of emotion, story, character and direction.<br />
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5/10- Like a quickly deflating balloon, once fun and interesting, but ultimately dead and lifeless.<br />
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Calum RussellRussell Reviewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03063742300240073558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079368453864225596.post-86845571799686375472014-04-28T14:58:00.000-07:002014-05-02T02:08:48.873-07:00Under the SkinKnown usually for her Hollywood stardom and role in the MARVEL universe, actress Scarlett Johansson's new film, Under the Skin removes her from this familiar niche and places her in quite literally a completely different world of terrifying visuals and a hugely immersive narrative.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_dPweR9KqN_v6apvKvs658HOmjkHH3umTvWTyu7OkS-3ethAMiFnsUA0LvtG_9-K8nIhtr5da9aNu6mrDngv8SUBffNfGig6JvRiv4e6hNt_IVaPKHUBozhxLt4sGW5wj_vRVLz9FF8Y/s1600/movies-under-the-skin-still-02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_dPweR9KqN_v6apvKvs658HOmjkHH3umTvWTyu7OkS-3ethAMiFnsUA0LvtG_9-K8nIhtr5da9aNu6mrDngv8SUBffNfGig6JvRiv4e6hNt_IVaPKHUBozhxLt4sGW5wj_vRVLz9FF8Y/s1600/movies-under-the-skin-still-02.jpg" height="190" width="320" /></a>At the helm of a white van, Johansson plays the role of an alien, dolled up with jet black hair, a glamorous fur coat and promiscuous make-up, left to prowl the streets of Scotland searching for potential prey. Despite appearing to seem as though the narrative would lack longevity, Under the Skin is mostly engaging throughout due to its hugely impressive visuals and outstanding soundtrack. Immediately throwing us into the deep end, the film refuses to give us any context of the aliens arrival and continues to leave the audience in the dark throughout, allowing us to decipher a message for ourselves. Daring to be different, this is obvious in the cinematography, opting for hugely long takes, allowing the audience to experience the world though Johanssons eyes, analysing every detail to try and conjure up an understanding of the place around her. Such is made all the more interesting by the actual content of each frame with each shot capable of being still pieces of art , crafted with such care and attention. This coincides with the unbelievably impressive score which keeps you consistently agitated at what the next scene holds. No matter the on-screen action, the soundtrack alone holds the capabilities of making you feel uneasy even when the protagonist is simply walking down the road in the middle of the day. Both of these come to a head in a poignant early scene whereby two of the aliens' victims interact with each other, the dark sound is categorically unplaceable and the visuals nightmarish, ultimately resulting in perhaps the most chilling single scene in any film of recent memory.</div>
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This creepy atmosphere is successfully sustained throughout, largely due to the terrifyingly realistic tone of the whole film. With a lot of the actors used on the streets of Glasgow being normal passers-by, their inclusion in the film works incredibly well, giving a documentary feel to the opening half of the film especially, as Johanssons character seduces them into her lair. This realism is what truly makes Under the Skin such a triumph, affecting the viewer long-term, altering their perception of reality, as for 90 minutes we believe that we have literally just seen the world through the eyes of an alien, and when the audience finally leaves, what they see around them is confused with the films vision of the world. It has genuine profound effects on the viewer, leaving a blanket of messages on the spectator which eventually seeps under the skin preventing the discard of the film and its values. Such is helped also by the fantastic performance of Scarlett Johansson, forced to carry the film as the only professional actor, done so with incredible power and character, allowing the audience to believe and understand her every decision.</div>
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Despite being incredibly hard to decipher, Under the Skin encourages analysis and multiple viewings and such is desired after one has watched the film, eager to once again inhabit the eerie mind of a foreign being. The film is hugely ambitious, inviting a specific demographic of viewer to revel in the unconventional style and hugely minimalist tone and plot, however this certainly pays off, delivering a film rich in hearty messages that is a hugely engrossing and interesting watch.</div>
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9/10- A visceral film experience like no other.</div>
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Calum Russell</div>
Russell Reviewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03063742300240073558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079368453864225596.post-87761777506720957952014-04-17T07:07:00.001-07:002014-04-17T07:07:07.097-07:00The Amazing Spider-Man 2<div class="MsoNormal">
Whilst the MARVEL’S the Avengers and Fox’s X-Men have both
already found their feet with a grounded storyline and a fully realised
cinematic future, the newly rebooted spider-man franchise is yet to fully establish
itself as a series worthy of inclusion in the superhero renaissance. Deemed as
quite simply ‘OK’ by critics and audiences alike the first film had no real
driving force with a poorly crafted protagonist and a similarly awful villain.
However, although The Amazing Spider-Man 2 looks to replicate the poor
reception of Spider-man 3 (2007) with a large roster of enemies, the film is
actually quite the opposite, with relatively solid villains, within a fun and
flashy narrative. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Following off from the events of the first film, Peter
Parker (Andrew Garfield) is attempting to juggle his responsibilities, tied
between the care and protection of girlfriend Gwen Stacy (Emma Stone), or the
safeguard of New York City from newly emerged villain Electro (Jamie Foxx). <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_M5JWbZ4S9BtehoU1pDQA9L55X5XdOPr2w1LUuaPynzpGBcEMObNy3c9JGbqFh2JNSM_OlM8eCqTDrurTlF1ZXYI5vy5xsC0BGBxwbvrN87ehaAsZS9UiSvUg3YjK_4vhStz5re56v1Q/s1600/amazing-spider-man-2-electro-fight.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_M5JWbZ4S9BtehoU1pDQA9L55X5XdOPr2w1LUuaPynzpGBcEMObNy3c9JGbqFh2JNSM_OlM8eCqTDrurTlF1ZXYI5vy5xsC0BGBxwbvrN87ehaAsZS9UiSvUg3YjK_4vhStz5re56v1Q/s1600/amazing-spider-man-2-electro-fight.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a>A lot can be said about a film from its opening sequence,
and whilst the original trilogy preferred to begin each film with needless exposition
whilst we see Spider-man swing through the city, in Spidey’s newest outing we
begin with a genuinely exhilarating and pivotal action sequence; whereby we’re
introduced to Parkers birth parents. This immediately sparked intrigue, displaying
a more plot-driven film by choosing to put this instead of the web-slinging
action scene which follows it. The action itself is both hugely fun, with the
inclusion of some wacky humour and one-liners, as well as genuinely impactful
with each kick, punch and web to the face feeling as though it would leave a
hefty injury, if not an irritating mark. This aids in giving the film a significant
sense of peril, an attribute which the MARVEL cinematic universe doesn’t
possess, making the audience wary of each and every character as their
weaknesses become transparent. Whilst in previous spider-man films his one
liners felt overly cheesy and unnecessary, here in the action scenes they are
embraced as part of Peter Parkers much realised character, being a cheeky, charismatic
teenager. In addition when they’re used win the presence of an engrossing
action scene, even the more whimsical ones are ignored. Even the 3-D here seems
to work, gloating its effectiveness quite evidently in the truly spectacular
swinging sequences, with some POV shots which genuinely feel exhilarating. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Although the action, the villains and Spider-man’s visually
awesome web slinger are perceived to be the main selling points of the film, it
is in fact the deeper, more intellectual plot of Parkers relationship with
Stacey which truly stimulates the audience. Such care for these characters
makes us become more involved within the general story as well as the otherwise
meaningless action scenes, giving us something to root for, encouraging the
protagonist onwards. Such chemistry between the two leads is partly due to the
fantastic acting performances of both Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone whose
off-screen relationship surely translates in front of the camera. <o:p></o:p></div>
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It is with this initial thrill of The Amazing Spider-man 2
which makes the remainder of the film a little disappointing, introducing villains
with little to no development. Despite having three villains, the film
delegates their screen time very well with Rhino (Paul Giamatti), the fun yet
psychotic convict introduced in the thrilling opening sequence setting up the
film nicely for Electro and Harry Osbourne (Dane DeHaan) to take centre stage.
It is however when Electro emerges, despite his jazzy transformation sequence,
that the film takes a wrong turn, favouring overly flashy action set-pieces and
corny dialogue over the central, more interesting story of Parkers personal struggles.
Electro is visually very impressive, with bolts of electricity being seen
worming through his body as he stands, however his exterior seems to be the
films single concern with his inner drive being very poorly developed, despite being
nicely introduced in the film’s opening. Electros intentions are hugely unclear
and we, as the audience, therefore find it very difficult to connect with him,
especially as his blue physique makes him look more like an alien than a human
being. His characters simply a little bland, aided certainly by the sporadically
poor script, handing talented actor Jamie Foxx clichéd lines that makes his character
seem more like a video-game ‘boss’, rather than a grounded villain. This must
have a similar effect on other villain Harry Osbourne, who despite holding a
nice backstory, with a childhood connection with Parker, is instead wasted with
badly constructed motivations which make little sense. In fact his presence in
general felt largely rushed, turning form good fiend into evil genius within a
matter of days, making him (like Electro) feel more like a cliché.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The Amazing Spider-Man 2 gets a whole lot right and finally
puts both Sony and the superhero on the cinematic map after years of ‘ups and
downs’. The key to the success of the film is the concentration on character
and the pitch-perfect representation of most lead protagonists. It’s just a
little bizarre that the same chemistry cannot be said for the films villains
who feel like feeble ‘bad-guy templates’ in comparison. That said, this film is
a poignant mark for the franchise, and perhaps the most well-rounded Spider-Man
film of the whole characters cinematic representation.<o:p></o:p></div>
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7.5/10- Fun, thrilling and fittingly dark, a surprising return
to form. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Calum Russell<o:p></o:p></div>
Russell Reviewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03063742300240073558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079368453864225596.post-32819661334817057582014-04-07T06:24:00.002-07:002014-04-07T06:26:19.719-07:00The DoubleOf the talent that has recently emerged from the British film industry, it is that of Richard Ayoade and his debut picture Submarine (2010) which have both been the most poignant successes. His second film, The Double, is quite the test, to see if Ayoade can handle dense narrative's, with a far darker tone, contrasting with his comedic background. Despite holding a very gloomy premise however, Ayoade manages to insert his unique style of comedy as well as an intelligent kick to ultimately make this film an engrossing watch.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDejJurPQ7GgDbGS8dv1m3ZEPui8jqPmWJ1_x5oHB0k6JXEu3aT6RGHOqjGkf3PiY8zYTWXP3PQw_qVtB4QaqqevgbW0HXiGNtKaAFPLFKxKTqE-J3dS6Kbh4gv4ztEMlz-QaIAhyphenhyphenK6bw/s1600/maxresdefault.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDejJurPQ7GgDbGS8dv1m3ZEPui8jqPmWJ1_x5oHB0k6JXEu3aT6RGHOqjGkf3PiY8zYTWXP3PQw_qVtB4QaqqevgbW0HXiGNtKaAFPLFKxKTqE-J3dS6Kbh4gv4ztEMlz-QaIAhyphenhyphenK6bw/s1600/maxresdefault.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a> Based on Dyskoyofskys novel of the same name, The Double concerns James (Jesse Eisenberg), an average, if overly timid young man, living in a dystopian world of gloomy surroundings where he seeks the love of Hannah (Mia Wasikowska) restrained by his lack of confidence. This is until his duplicate, Simon (also played by Jesse Eisenberg) arrives, both helping and hindering his efforts.<br />
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Knowing already that Ayoade could tell an accurate portrayal of love, seen in his previous film, this was an unsurprising yet openly embraced feature in The Double, somehow displaying a grounded story within a setting of such absurdity.This is no overreaction, with its world being just as wacky as Wes Andersons and just as eccentric as Terry Gilliam's, with evident inspiration coming from both these directors. Yet, as bizarre as the setting is, unlike Gilliams works which are sometimes a little too detached from reality, The Doubles design is hilariously reminiscent to real life from its foreign and clunky technology to its dark representation of the workspace and the society which surrounds us. This atmosphere is lifted by the inclusion of some undoubtedly dark humour, which, depending on individual taste, will most likely make you leave the film feeling light-hearted, as appose to suicidal; coincidently a prominent theme of the film. Much of this humour comes from the performance of Paddy Considine who is only ever viewed through a television screen on a budget sci-fi programme, but whose corny wit coincides perfectly with the similarly toned programme, acting as light relief which contrasts hilariously with heavy narrative. The narrative itself holds up well throughout, maintaining audience attention mainly through the ways in which it's presented, with the films mesmerising cinematography and hugely inventive choice of sound keeping you stimulated and constantly guessing till the final note.This is aided by the fantastic performance of Jesse Eisenberg who is forced to uphold the whole film, often talking to his doppelgänger eliciting opposite emotions at the same time as maintaining a realistic conversation to a convincing and comedic degree.<br />
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The Double is one of those films which you will not only need to watch twice, but also one which you'll want to watch twice with plentiful detail which makes every viewing unique. It looses its way a little in the closing act, rushing through the previously well told narrative, making the conclusion a little puzzling however not so much so that it makes the film a disappointment. No, The Double is quite the opposite, taking on a heavy and ambitious plot with enough creativity and light heartedness to make a film which should be fairly depressing into one which is surprisingly uplifting.<br />
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8.5/10- Hugely inventive and comedically sinister, The Double will keep you thinking for days.<br />
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Calum RussellRussell Reviewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03063742300240073558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079368453864225596.post-45655267296613386872014-04-05T14:19:00.002-07:002014-04-05T14:19:49.217-07:00Captain America: The Winter Soldier- SpoilersCaptain America 2 has just been released pretty much worldwide with to both audience and critical acclaim even being compared to the success of 2012's Avengers. Cap 2 isn't that bad at all, in fact as a standalone film its pretty good, but in a franchise in which we've come to expect so much, this film was a disappointment.<br />
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These issues are made more evident through the the overwhelmingly positive reviews the film is receiving.<br />
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<ul>
<li>Where was Hawkeye?</li>
</ul>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBPc6MUwSUaHxm7tRX2iJiyd33ysIOA1UWYiwLCgDWlR5EKvLtJ0Q5LiZzRgAB-oL-KZoE43C6mqxj64Ku81sbV7n-48ikqtMQURPXAqrxV0rj-m_jsopdWBTVcITOMh6rk6bmNq3kToQ/s1600/images.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBPc6MUwSUaHxm7tRX2iJiyd33ysIOA1UWYiwLCgDWlR5EKvLtJ0Q5LiZzRgAB-oL-KZoE43C6mqxj64Ku81sbV7n-48ikqtMQURPXAqrxV0rj-m_jsopdWBTVcITOMh6rk6bmNq3kToQ/s1600/images.jpg" height="186" width="320" /></a><br />
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Don't lie to yourself, no one really likes hawkeye. Perhaps in the comics yes, with his slick purple attire, but not in the films. His bland and underdeveloped character are both hindrances to a hero already bogged down by an unimpressive power, in comparison to the other Avengers.<br />
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Some of his only known background in the films is that he works for SHIELD, so...where is he? His appearance in the film would have been extremely fitting and would've worked in neat collaboration with the whole main cast. Think about it, Nick Fury, Falcon, Black Widow and even Captain America to an extent, don't really have any magnificent powers, Hawkeye would've fitted in with all the characters being seen as an equal in the process. That said, however the appearance of Hawkeye as well as the main three heroes would've been a little too messy, however a decrease in the screen time of the bland Black Widow would've allowed Hawkeye time to at the very least make a cameo. Besides in the film Black Widow wears a pendant of an arrow, harking to Hawkeye's character, and considering the subtle relationship they both have, it's bizarre that he doesn't appear... but don't worry you can catch him in the original Thor... doing literally nothing.<br />
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<ul>
<li>Stop Tricking us into thinking someone's died </li>
</ul>
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This is a fairly new trend which has plagued Phase 2 of MARVEL in-particular, appearing in all three of the films so far. An issue with all superhero movies is that we pretty much know for certain that the main character isn't going to die. Whether that's because their film is part of a franchise and we KNOW we're going to see them again (for example in the Avengers 2) or simply that the bad guy is so bad that, for the sake of it being a children's film, they cannot win. This therefore makes it very tricky to create a sense of peril in MARVEL movies as we know that nearly every time the hero is going to come out completely unscathed. MARVEL think they've found a way around this by killing off a main character, before bringing them back minutes later.<br />
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This can be seen in Cap 2 when Nick Fury is 'killed'. As he is so pivotal to the story however, the audience knows he isn't dead, therefore there is no point in killing him in the first place, it's simply a waste of time.<br />
Through killing people and bringing them back to life MARVEL is damaging itself creating an atmosphere in their films whereby nothing can go wrong and where there is no sense of peril. This forces us care less for the characters and makes the dramatic scenes far less dramatic, thus making their films on the whole less engaging and entertaining. Imagine if characters actually died in MARVEL movies, especially someone so big like Nick Fury, the Avengers team would go mental, showing their true selves, making the fight scenes in The Avengers 2 not only entertaining but also emotionally involving.<br />
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<ul>
<li>The Winter what?</li>
</ul>
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With the hindsight on watching Captain America:The Winter Soldier it is quite obvious who the 'bad guy' is. It isn't this 'Russian Assassin' that MARVEL has been shouting to us about in trailers and various other media platforms, the main villain is actually SHIELD. This was a great twist, which in a way, inverts the functioning of the MARVEL universe, and what ultimately makes the film an important, if monotonous, addition to the franchise.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTgRphMP4DTve1SwICBxsLNoiF-sCvNEJ4p6xfmvPSpVK2sIJiJ2NXyoobRPhuk0LCI_XWdr4phJB6Zm1rL4OEBtN_XCrjYpAeuUUDCRNh0kV9UwWZzeYwDDCI71oOm1n9U_ar6NHRG6I/s1600/Captain-America-The-Winter-Soldier-The-Winter-Soldier-Hi-Res.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTgRphMP4DTve1SwICBxsLNoiF-sCvNEJ4p6xfmvPSpVK2sIJiJ2NXyoobRPhuk0LCI_XWdr4phJB6Zm1rL4OEBtN_XCrjYpAeuUUDCRNh0kV9UwWZzeYwDDCI71oOm1n9U_ar6NHRG6I/s1600/Captain-America-The-Winter-Soldier-The-Winter-Soldier-Hi-Res.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a> Some of the best scenes in the film involved the bemusement of the SHIELD workers as they looked around puzzled at who to trust, reflecting a sincere crisis which is grounded in real life. The infiltration of SHIELD is led by the fantastic Robert Redford, who is gifted perhaps the best scene in the MARVEL franchise so far, seen when he murders his housekeeper after she overhears a top secret conversation, showing the man's hatred and sadistic drive all through one action. With such a fantastic villain underlying the film, it is ultimately a shame that he's not seen more often, replaced by the dumb military antics of the bland Winter Solider.<br />
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This film would be exactly the same, if not better, without the winter soldier in it, heck he even has a cooler, more characterised counterpart in Hydra solider 'crossbones', who could've quite easily replaced him in his role. His only function in the film is to fire his gun and replicate a, walking, talking cliché, with his final movements being unbelievably foreseeable. His character follows the typical story of a man loosing his memory, as he turns on his best mate, before Captain America reminds him of his previous self through an 'emotional speech', until eventually The Winter Soldier joins Captain Americas side.<br />
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This is furthermore yet another example of a character, dying and coming back to life.<br />
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<br />
<ul>
<li> Inconsistency</li>
</ul>
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Superhero movies, or more accurately MARVEL movies, follow quite a straightforward formula. Everything's fine, till a villain shows up and demonstrates their power, the superhero is then in disarray, and then eventually overcomes the evil.<br />
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This was starting to get boring, which was why I was so excited to watch Cap 2, showing a premise of action packed espionage entwined with sinister politics that looked different and more appropriate to Captain America's character. This movie is far from this intelligent exterior which it presents.<br />
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It starts so well, peaking at the 'death' of Nick Fury whereby the audience is completely stunned at the story that's taking place, immediately turning the MARVEL universe on its head. After this however, the film forgets that its political storyline ever existed and resorts to violence to tell its story. Redford attempts to uphold any sense of intelligence in the final few scenes however his plans are thwarted by the heroes who look incredibly childish in comparison to the clever plot. This contrast between the classy first half of the movie and the dumb second half, only highlights this issue further, like three sugar pumped kids hijacked the script, smearing the final pages with their sticky hands and lack of patience, creating a mess.<br />
This made the movie, not bad, but incredibly frustrating as the potential was evident, however the final performance lacked any kind of impact.<br />
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<br />
- This movie's not that bad, heck if it was the first of the Phase 2 movies I would have probably quite liked it. But it's not, it's the third in the ongoing MARVEL franchise and the first film where cracks in the MARVEL franchise have started to show, taking few risks, with plot structures which are identical to the last movie. This movie is part of a <i>franchise, </i>meaning these films aren't going to stop being released any time soon. Since this is the case, why not mix things up a bit and leave the heroes on a bad note, where for example, Captain America has been imprisoned , leading to an exciting opening sequence at the start of The Avengers 2 which would establish a great tone for the start of the film and allow for further character development as we see the heroes in a more desperate situation.<br />
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Captain America: The Winter Soldier was a good film, but it wasn't great. It's the potential within the film which makes me so annoyed, promising so much but delivering so little. It felt like a mid-point in Phase 2, nothing special, not the worst, not the best just...meh.Russell Reviewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03063742300240073558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079368453864225596.post-32300344028718321782014-03-29T07:28:00.002-07:002014-03-29T07:28:25.202-07:00Captain America: The Winter Soldier In recent years MARVEL has been dominating the film industry, delighting fans and coming out on top of the worldwide box office for both 2012 and 2013. Such success is most probably down to the cock-sure Iron Man and perhaps not the substantially less exciting Captain America, whose standard powers and unestablished personality contrast significantly with the other heroes. Although we want to like Captain America, almost as the good natured underdog, there is simply nothing to root for, he's a 'clipart' image of a standard superhero cack-handedly flung onto a cinema screen, who together with his attempted espionage story-lines leave us with a familiar sense of deja-vu. <div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCp7VBIwTeGoBBTIxoMJqtujGdavlj7graDOB3lb_kAX2sHFpQRTm6-vUYn9wwFgPUONGBZ3zbp9_WFG6RtXQvtkOKAudbGddmhIUzjADLkN0AaX2MdCEf7nAdEQV4-E_f1VmD5pVIYv0/s1600/Captain_America__Th_554917a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCp7VBIwTeGoBBTIxoMJqtujGdavlj7graDOB3lb_kAX2sHFpQRTm6-vUYn9wwFgPUONGBZ3zbp9_WFG6RtXQvtkOKAudbGddmhIUzjADLkN0AaX2MdCEf7nAdEQV4-E_f1VmD5pVIYv0/s1600/Captain_America__Th_554917a.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a>Following the events of The Avengers, Captain America (Chris Evans) is working for Shield, cracking cases, finding files and generally carrying out superhero duties, this is until The Winter Soldier turns up, a seemingly unstoppable Soviet Agent, who turns the life that Captain America knew upside down. The initial plot is perfect,a change from the formulaic structure of: crisis, injury, big battle, victory, which also fits in with the past of Captain America, carrying out field duties as per usual. This is shown from the very beginning which perfectly sums up what the film should've been. It was fast, exciting, intriguing but most of all it did something that neither the first Captain America nor the Avengers did, it established his character, demonstrating his physical power with quick, painful action scenes as well as his inner personality, showing his charisma and decisiveness as the plot began to unfold. </div>
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The fantastic tone that this opening set was almost immediately abandoned with both Captain America and his equally as boring female partner Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) returning to their bland roles as monotone vehicles for the story. In fact the supporting roles of both the consistently interesting Nick Fury (Sameul L. Jackson) as well as new hero Falcon (Anthony Mackie) easily outdo that of the two protagonists, with Falcons character being fairly well established given the lack of screen time he's allotted; resulting in his character being far more interesting than that of the leading man. The villians, alike the typical workings of the franchise, remain problematic, with Robert Redfords performance of a sinister politician initially showing massive potential, only to be let down by a story which soon runs out of steam. The Winter Soldier is oddly similar to Captain America being wildly bland and easily foreseeable, ultimately holding little value in the film as a whole...why his name is in the title we will never know .As mentioned the story shows to be equally as tired after clinging on to all the sincerity it had for as long as possible until it was replaced by mind-numbing action, the selling point of the film. The action however,despite the quality of story, upholds its quality from previous MARVEL instalments being fun, realistic and at some points oddly gritty, a nice change from the usually soft fight sequences of the character. </div>
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On the whole however the film is a hugely frustrating watch. The first half or so is fantastic and for perhaps the first time in MARVEL movie history, the audience is put into a position where the outcome is totally unpredictable. Then the plot is completely inverted. Suddenly we're reminded that this is 'just another' MARVEL movie, in comes the grandiose final sequence, bringing the unbelieveably foreseeable end, quickly turning the film boring. The classy first half of slick action entwined with intelligent political espionage becomes infested with cheap cliches and horrible one-liners which are about as eloquent as a doner kebab. Attempts to inject the childish second half with any kind of intelligence go laughably wrong, thinking the more politicians they add the more brain cells the film will have, when in reality this simply makes the story so much more of a mess. One sequence especially which showed the Captain walking through a museum showcasing his old life, was notably awful, lasting for far too long, serving only the purpose to provide needless exposision, furthermore as if the audience were blind a voiceover mimics the on screen action, delving deep into the Captains past with such detail that no voice-over man, no matter how talented, would know.</div>
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<div>
This is a film of two halves. The first highlighting the very best of MARVEL with a sophisticated narrative, blended with exciting action and the second highlighting the very worst, abandoning the narrative and taking the action to utilise until it was all out of juice. Captain America:The Winter Soldier is the first film to show cracks in the MARVEL universe playing it far too safe, fixing no previous faults of the ongoing franchise. The Guardians of the galaxy, and in fact the three upcoming films in the franchise, couldn't come sooner to add a bit of flavour to the now bland tasting MARVEL universe.</div>
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6/10- With initial potential to be MARVELS best, it soon fatigues and resorts to familiar cheap tricks.</div>
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<div>
Calum Russell</div>
Russell Reviewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03063742300240073558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079368453864225596.post-3923022455788873732014-03-22T11:44:00.002-07:002014-03-22T11:44:51.743-07:00The Grand Budapest Hotel<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="text-align: left;">Often overlooked yet consistently impressive, director Wes
Anderson is yet to make a bad film with each of his releases bettering his
previous work. The Grand Budapest hotel very much follows in this desirable
track-record, maintaining Anderson’s distinct quirky style whilst surprising
audiences by being the funniest film of his to date.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjttFV_yqATdYTA5We8JlhEsIn0GTBgASdh-m4DwRKeJHOet-K22dH_f8pXottd0DEX9bluZMC0K-md__GHr0ytTmyDYcXvs3gzybX9apyv6GfDgcQGoWY0l-JFr6qimJkKwlhzlKXhrZ4/s1600/RalphFiennesLadiesGrandBudapestHotel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjttFV_yqATdYTA5We8JlhEsIn0GTBgASdh-m4DwRKeJHOet-K22dH_f8pXottd0DEX9bluZMC0K-md__GHr0ytTmyDYcXvs3gzybX9apyv6GfDgcQGoWY0l-JFr6qimJkKwlhzlKXhrZ4/s1600/RalphFiennesLadiesGrandBudapestHotel.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a>Gustave H (Ralph Fiennes), a legendary concierge at a famous
European hotel and his trusty lobby boy Zero Moustafa (Tony Revolori) are
struck with bad news that a veteran guest of theirs has been murdered, prompting
widespread investigation and an exciting crime-caper. Despite holding the
similar qualities of Anderson’s style that we’ve grown to know and love from
his compelling colour palette to his fast flowing narratives, The Grand
Budapest hotel shows to be far darker than some of his other releases,
complementing this with comedy aplenty. From severed heads to amputated body
parts this unexpected darker theme correlates with the setting of wartime
Hungary, this is wholly new ground for Anderson but he tackles it with enough
wit to make it upbeat and enough sincerity to make it believable. Jopling, a violent
henchman (Willem Dafoe) is usually the cause of this comedy with his dark
humour consistently contrasting to hilarious degrees with the innocent nature
of the two protagonists. This comedy peaks during a skiing sequence which
positively goes down as one of Anderson’s best moments to date, with the snappy
remarks of the characters mixing with the slap-stick ridiculousness of the cinematography
for truly hilarious effects. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Such coagulation of humour and realism is encapsulated
perfectly through the performance of Ralph Fiennes, producing perhaps his very
best performance as the hugely loveable, mad eccentric Gustave H. Alike all of
Wes Andersons releases the acting across the board is phenomenal pulling in countless
famous faces to depict even the kookiest and most meaningless characters.
Whilst these cameos did (and always do) add to the overall enjoyment of the
film, one too many takes the audiences concentration away from the story and
back into the celebrity world of Hollywood, with such actors as Owen Wilson
(who is no doubt very good in his role) ultimately serving no purpose as appose
to being the cause of soft murmurs whispering ‘Look it’s the guy from Marley
and me’. That said, certain cameos that played bigger roles were far more
comedically and dramatically impactful, with Edward Norton’s portrayal of ‘Henckels’,
a hectic police chief, showing to be just this. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Thoroughly enjoyable from start to finish, The Grand
Budapest hotel is a worthy edition to Wes Anderson’s hugely impressive
collection, being amongst his very best works. Despite being not as narratively
broad as his other films Andersons eye for comedy and unique story telling
makes this film truly special being consistently hilarious and overwhelming
fun. <o:p></o:p></div>
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9/10- A war film like no other, a whopping great ride<o:p></o:p></div>
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Calum Russell <o:p></o:p></div>
Russell Reviewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03063742300240073558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079368453864225596.post-49808654623333444732014-02-18T04:14:00.001-08:002014-02-18T04:14:33.305-08:00Her<div class="MsoNormal">
Perhaps the most understated film included in this year’s
Oscar nominations, Spike Jonze’s ‘her’ is a slow and tentative rom-com-sci-fi
which explores the existence of a relationship with a man and his operating
system.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCIuDi4K6EuXTk-FQpkwalLaY_gQ_7gIIrLpDjOn7Hub9taJAmOSqB0km6wlocd1nQ5HWjxqBUqwz6gXJulGOVK3_fCq_lG8ZMXxhn-ne4wftHDGMlBIf2tlep8vDR2n2gPfblk8GVaio/s1600/joaquin-phoenix-theodore-her-film1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCIuDi4K6EuXTk-FQpkwalLaY_gQ_7gIIrLpDjOn7Hub9taJAmOSqB0km6wlocd1nQ5HWjxqBUqwz6gXJulGOVK3_fCq_lG8ZMXxhn-ne4wftHDGMlBIf2tlep8vDR2n2gPfblk8GVaio/s1600/joaquin-phoenix-theodore-her-film1.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a>Theodore Twombly (Joaquin Phoenix), a socially awkward
romantic, finds love in the caring voice of his computers operating system
(voiced by Scarlett Johansson) whilst in the process of divorce from his
ex-wife (Rooney Mara). Despite sounding like a seedy future fantasy, Her is a
gentle approach to the formulation and workings of a relationship unearthing a relevant
truth about the intrusions of technology in the process. Possessing a truly realised
vision of a technologically advanced near-future, Her is extremely self-aware
of its context, often showing the unnecessary technological gimmicks other than
the large overwrought discoveries. So true to real life social interactions and
relationships such a story is easily fathomable in the future. This comes with
aid from the excellent characterisation of the protagonist who is grounded heavily
in the context, reflecting relatable personal qualities that make us connect
with him more closely, sharing in his emotions. Adopting this character,
Joaquin Phoenix does a fantastic job, as per usual, as he displays the everyday
man with charm and enthusiasm, fully establishing his character into the real
world. <o:p></o:p></div>
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With a soft yet melancholy vision of the future, Spike Jonze
integrates his recognisable style which often reflects the feelings and
emotions of characters through the films aesthetics, working in cognition with
the central story. With beautiful cinematography, Her often touches on the
smaller, more unmentioned aspects of everyday interaction, doing so in a way
which is consistently interesting, allowing the audience to become easily
transported into the world. Furthermore the original soundtrack also aids in
reflecting the melancholy emotions of the protagonist, changing as the film
continues to adapt to his changing attitude, rarely changing tempo or style Her,
as a result, never feels rushed; being a slow and enjoyable view into the life
of a couple.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Calm, gentle and hugely engrossing, Her’s real triumph lies
in its established context, in a world where technology dictates our every decision
as we rely on it to live, it’s this real life setting that makes these
characters and their relationship so true. Spike Jonze’s vision of the future
is a somber yet oddly uplifting one which tugs at the heartstrings and pounds
at the brain cells.<o:p></o:p></div>
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8.5/10- A smart, seductive and comforting alternative to the
unrealistic rom-coms of Hollywood.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Calum Russell<o:p></o:p></div>
Russell Reviewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03063742300240073558noreply@blogger.com0