The Last King Of Scotland

Based on true events surrounding the regime of Ugandan dictator Idi Amin, "The Last King of Scotland" is a gripping thriller, which has you hooked from the very start.

The main character is actually the physician, Nicholas Garrigan, played by James McAvoy. He travels to Uganda to get away from the UK, but ends up trapped as personal doctor to the Ugandan dictator.

I really enjoyed this film. I thought the acting was superb all round. James McAvoy is just a brilliant actor and it's good to see him in a role that actually has him using his own accent.

But it's Forrest Whitaker who really stands out in this film. He is totally believable as Amin, filled with a passion for his country, and is also terrifyingly brutal. Absolutely deserved his Oscar for Best Actor for this role. He even manages to bring a touch of humour to the role, which I wasn't expecting at all.

Was quite surprising to see Gillian Anderson in a minor role. I had no idea she was in it, and it took me a wee while to realise it was her. :P

I'd recommend this film if you enjoy compelling drama thrillers. It's probably worth watching for the excellent acting alone.

8/10

AVPR: Aliens vs Predator - Requiem

Now, I am no huge fan of Sci Fi monster movies (with the exception of perhaps Cloverfield), so unsurprisingly I wasn't that impressed with this film.

Perhaps it was because I'm not really a fan of either Alien or Predator movies, or just because of the awful plot, but I found this to be quite a boring film.

The special effects were the best thing about it, but perhaps they spent so much time on them that they forgot to insert an interesting story. A bunch of people (none of whom are particularly likeable) faffing around, trying to escape a city where Alien and Predator are battling it out.... meh. They could have came up with something a bit more exciting than that.

The acting is bland, I was fed up by the end and was quite pleased when the credits arrived. If you're desperate to see this, then fair enough, but otherwise, give it a miss.

3/10

American Psycho

I'd been wanting to see American Psycho for a while. It was a film that really intruiged me, despite the fact that I didn't really know what it was about. Perhaps it was the bizarre image of Christian Bale wearing an eye mask on the posters/dvd covers etc.

I was surprised at how amusing I actually found it. I had always been under the impression that American Psycho wasn't supposed to be funny, but what I found was a terrific black comedy mixed with psycho-like murders and such.

Christian Bale is superb in the lead role. He totally makes the film. His portayal of scary, narcissistic Patrick Bateman is both hilarious and terrifying. You end up feeling sorry for him in parts. I liked the ending, confusing as it was. I like to think you get to make up your own mind about how it ends.

Great film overall, excellent acting, and a super 80's soundtrack!! Definitely worth a watch, I'd say.

9/10

The Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King

The last of the LOTR trilogy, "The Return Of The King" is definitely the best and most emotional of the three films.

I love the story. I love all the scenes that are set in Minas Tirith and Osgiliath. Denethor, the father of Faramir and Boromir is one of the only new characters in this film. (He does make a very short appearance in the extended version of The Two Towers though). John Noble, who plays Denethor, is brilliant at bringing out the cold heartedness of the character, yet you do eventually start to feel a bit sorry for him. I just adore the scene between him and Pippin.

It's brilliant to see the hobbits really come into their own in this film. For the first time, Merry and Pippin are seperated. Pippin is taken by Gandalf to Gondor, and Merry stays behind in Rohan and grows close to Eowyn. When they are reunited after the battle of the Pelennor Fields, it truly is a lovely moment.

There are plenty of moving moments in the film. A few that stand out for me are when Eowyn sits next to the dying Theoden, Sam and Frodo talking about Hobbiton whilst sitting on the edge of Mount Doom, and Aragorn's "You bow to no one". All amazing scenes that never fail to get me all teary.

It's a beautiful film, with excellent acting and a superb soundtrack. Probably one of the best films I have ever seen (and will ever see). A must see.

10/10

Wolf Creek

I enjoy horror films as much as the next person, and I was genuinely intruiged by this film. It's apparently based on true events (although I found out that none of the characters are real nor are any of the things that happened to them) and is set in Australia.

The first 45 minutes of the movie are a total bore. I couldn't believe how incredibly fed up I was with it. 45 minutes of partying, chatting between the backpackers, filling up the car with petrol, driving along saying nothing.... I desperately wanted something to happen. Oh, and when they were all sitting round the fire having a farting contest, I just wanted to fling the bloody disk out the window.

I have to say, the gore (when it finally did arrive) was not too bad at all. Definitely made me squirm in parts and did capture my interest... if only slightly.

The wide shots of the landscape were probably the best thing about this film. Wide, sweeping shots of Australia were dotted throughout the film, all looked stunning.

This was quite a forgettable film. I doubt if I'll ever have the desire to watch it again.

4/10

The Lord Of The Rings: The Two Towers

The second film in the Lord of the Rings trilogy is "The Two Towers". It leaves on from where the first movie ended and follows the Fellowship as they embark on their seperate journeys: Frodo and Sam are travelling to Mordor, Merry and Pippin stumble into Fangorn Forest and meet an Ent, and Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli (with the help of the reincarnated Gandalf) travel to Edoras to meet with King Theoden.

I think the seperate storylines really make this film work. Personally, I love the Aragorn/Gandalf/Theoden one best, as they take part in the battle of Helm's Deep... probably one of the best battle scenes ever seen on film. That's not to say that I don't enjoy the others. Merry and Pippin provide the comedy value (although their plot is probably the weakest as I'm not a huge fan of Treebeard.. he just seems to be a bit of a pointless character in my opinion), and Frodo and Sam's storyline introduces Gollum.

Andy Serkis is just superb as Gollum. It's quite amazing how they have created the character. The facial expressions and movements just fit perfectly with Serkis' voice. Wonderful.

Overall, I think The Two Towers is probably the weakest of the trilogy, but that's not to say it's a bad film, because it's anything but. It truly is a wonderful piece of filmmaking. Definitely up there as one of the greatest ever made. If one tree is all I have to complain about with this film, then I'd say that's pretty good going.

10/10

The Sword In The Stone

I adore Disney movies. The Sword In The Stone is probably one of my favourites. It very much reminds me of my childhood (like most Disney movies do). Such a nostalgic film.

I wouldn't say it's neccessarily the BEST Disney film, but it's certainly one of the most entertaining. Merlin has to be one of the best Disney characters ever. The part where he gets his beard caught in the door of his cottage is very amusing indeed.

One of the best scenes is the one where Merlin turns himself and Arthur into squirrels. As a squirrel lover, I just found this scene both adorable and hilarious. Arthur gets pursued by this cute little girl squirrel, while Merlin has his hands full with a funny little fat squirrel. Almost impossible to watch this scene without giggling.

Oh, and every scene with Sir Pelinore is giggleworthy too :)

I would say that The Sword In The Stone is quite an underrated Disney film. It's a simple plot, very easy for kids to follow. The animation is good and it provides plenty of laughs.

9/10

Road To Perdition

As I think I've said before, I wouldn't say I'm neccessarily a huge fan of crime dramas. I like Tom Hanks though, so thought I would give it a go.

It's the story of hit man Michael Sullivan (Hanks) and his son. When the latter witnesses his father killing a man, they both find themselves on the run, fearing for their lives.

First off, when I was watching the names of the actors who were in it, I had absolutely no idea Daniel Craig was in it. I wish he had had a higher billing in this film, as I think his role is much much bigger and more important than Jude Law's role, who is probably only in the film for a maximum of 30 minutes.

The cinematography is wonderful. It's such a gorgeous looking film. The lighting, colours, wide shots are all excellent and really add to the atmosphere.

Thomas Newman composed the soundtrack to the film and I could tell straight away. It's an excellent soundtrack.

The acting is good, the plot is good (and not too hard to follow). I'd recommend this film.

7/10

Thank You For Smoking

"Thank You For Smoking" takes a satirical look at the tobacco industry and follows spokesman Nick Naylor (Aaron Eckhart) as he does his best to convince the public that smoking is cool and acceptable whilst trying to remain a positive role model to his son.

It's a very amusing film, sarcastic, clever and interesting to watch. It covers the tricky subject of smoking very well. I loved the part where Naylor gets kidnapped by an anti-smoking group... technically shouldn't be funny, but it is.

I think the script is excellent, and there were some brilliant one liners. The cast is impressive. Aaron Eckhart was an actor that I wasn't really familiar with, but he is so good in this role. He comes across as so charming and intelligent. Team this up with excellent supporting roles from Rob Lowe and William H Macy, and you have a brilliantly cast movie.

Definitely worth a watch.

9/10

Pretty Woman

Good old romantic comedies.

They never fail to make you feel good. Pretty Woman is no exception. The film follows prostitute Julia Roberts who is hired by the very successful Richard Gere for a week as an escort for a few business events.

I liked the storyline for this film. It was very much like a lot of other romantic movies, yet it felt so different. Julia Roberts is really great in this film. She is totally likeable. You really warm to her character and feel sorry for her. Roberts and Gere are extremely good together on film.

The soundtrack is unbelievably 80's (technically though, this is a 90's film as it was released in 1990). I loved it :P Regardless of the cheesy soundtrack, it's a timeless film. Quite easily one of the best romantic comedies of the past 20 years.

9/10

Blade Runner

Now, I am NOT the biggest fan of science fiction movies, so I was a bit wary when I was asked to watch this film. I had, of course, heard of Blade Runner, but I didn't really have any clue as to what the plot was.. apart from that it was really sci fi-ish, and just generally not a film I would choose to watch.

"Deckard, a blade runner, has to track down and terminate 4 replicants who hijacked a ship in space and have returned to earth seeking their maker"... says IMDB of the plot. Sounds okay... but I actually found myself really really enjoying this film.

Harrison Ford and Rutger Hauer are both really great in the movie. I loved the scenes at the end when Hauer's character is chasing after Deckard.

The plot seems relatively simple, but it can get quite confusing at times. At the end of the film, I felt a bit baffled and had to have it explained to me :P Apparently, it all makes much more sense if you watch it again.

It's a fantastic looking film, very dark with almost constant rain, which really adds to the atmosphere. The soundtrack is also really good. I would give this film another go, definitely.

8/10

The Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring

The Lord of the Rings surely has to go down as one of the best movie trilogies of all time. I've seen all three numerous times and they never fail to impress me.

The first film in the trilogy is The Fellowship of the Ring. This is such a wonderfully made film. The story is superb, the acting is brilliant, the scenery is spectacular... I personally find it hard to find anything major to complain about with this film.

I adore the first half an hour or so of the film. It's so lovely to watch the hobbits just being hobbits.. eating, drinking, having a good time. I love the scenes at Bilbo's birthday party.

The four hobbits in the film (Elijah Wood, Sean Astin, Billy Boyd and Dominic Monaghan) have excellent chemistry together and the scenes that they share together are a joy to watch.

There are plenty of really funny parts in the film.. mostly thanks to hobbits Merry and Pippin and a few from Gimli the dwarf ("Not the beard!!"). Plenty of touching moments too.. one in particular which always gets to me is Boromir's death scene at the end of the movie. Very moving indeed, with excellent acting from Viggo Mortensen and Sean Bean.

This is definitely a film that everyone has to have seen at least once. Truly magnificent.

10/10

The 40 Year Old Virgin

I always thought of The 40 Year Old Virgin as just one of those really daft comedies that aren't particularly worth watching, so I was quite surprised at how much I enjoyed this film.

I decided to watch it after seeing Knocked Up (which I love) and finding out they were both written and directed by Judd Apatow.

The plot is fairly obvious. Steve Carell plays Andy, who is.. yep, you've guessed it.. a 40 year old virgin. The film follows Andy as he tries to lose his virginity and falls for a single mother.

I found it hilarious. In almost every scene there is something to laugh or giggle at. Steve Carell is just brilliant.. he brings a real awkwardness to the character of Andy, yet he's very endearing. Look out for the excellent scene where Andy gets his chest waxed.. Carell chose to actually get his own chest waxed so that the reactions were genuine. Just super. :)

What I like most about this film, is that it isn't just sex gag after sex gag and it's actually a really nice story. Touching in parts and the ending is just brilliant.

Definitely worth seeing if you enjoy pissing yourself laughing. :P

10/10

Analyze This

I've never been a huge fan of films concerning mafia/gangsters/etc. but this was a pleasant surprise. I knew it was a comedy, of course, but it just seemed to be one of those films that just sort of passed me by. I'd never really thought about watching it until my boyfriend recommended it.

Billy Crystal plays a psychiatrist that gets roped into the dealings of one his patients, mafia boss Robert De Niro. The two have really fantastic on screen chemistry. The scenes they share together are just brilliant.. so funny. :)

It's a very funny film with a great script. Plenty of laugh out loud moments.

It would have been nice to see a bit more of Lisa Kudrow, as I really like her as an actress, especially when she does comedy. Still.. a very good comedy that is definitely worth a watch. Guaranteed to at least make you smile!! :)

8/10

Ring

I very much enjoy horror movies, but after getting scared shitless at the US version of The Grudge, I've always been a bit wary of watching Japanese horrors... purely because I knew they would scare the crap out of me a million times more than an American remake would.

I didn't know much about Ring, expect that anyone who watches this videotape will die within a week.

I got a bit annoyed with the subtitles in this film. They were in white, which was a bit stupid especially when the screen went white.. you couldn't read them. Meh. Didn't get that.

Anyway, it was definitely a creepy film. I liked the plot.. it was a cleverly written story but with distinctively average acting... which I suppose doesn't really matter in a film which is just meant to scare the bejesus out of you. The wee Japanese kid was creepy.. as always :P

Also, it may be the creepiest DVD cover I've ever seen. That eye is terrifying.

7/10

The Simpsons Movie

I am an absotutely HUGE fan of the Simpsons, so I have to admit, I was a bit wary about seeing a movie version of the show. I wasn't sure if it would work, if it would ruin the magic of the series, etc etc.

It didn't. I loved every second of the movie. It looked incredible. So crisp and clear, and the colours were just magnificent.

I liked the plot too... simple, easy to follow, yet it didn't feel dumbed down. There were plenty of jokes that both kids and adults could enjoy on different levels. Although the part where Bart skateboards naked to Krusty Burger did have me a bit shocked... but not too shocked because I giggled at it too :P

It wasn't too long, so it didn't feel drawn out. The dialogue was great, the voice actors were (as they always are) just superb. I absolutely loved the part where Homer watches the video that Marge has filmed for him. Julie Kavner (the voice of Marge) was excellent at that part. You could really feel the disappointment in Marge's voice.. it was quite touching.

If you're a fan of The Simpsons, then you must see this movie... although, even non-fans can probably still really enjoy it.

10/10

Shrek The Third

Geez... I am SO bad. I haven't updated my blog in aaaaaages, yet I have watched plenty of films!

So... the first in my backlog of films is Shrek The Third, the most recent in the Shrek series.

It's definitely not "The Best Shrek Yet" but it was still really enjoyable. The plot revolves around Shrek as he sets out to find the new king of Far Far Away.

Justin Timberlake is actually really good as Artie. I wasn't sure what to think when I heard he would be providing a voice in Shrek, but he really pulls it off. Artie comes across as quite an endearing character. My favourite "new" character though, has to be Merlin, voiced by Eric Idle. Just super. The funniest moments in the whole film revolve around him.

There are plenty of funny moments, but overall, it's just not as good as the first two in the series. I know there's another Shrek film in the works, but I just can't see what else they can do... every fairytale seems to have been covered already. Ah well... I'll just have to wait and see.

Worth a watch though. :)

6/10

Shrek 2

After watching Shrek the other day, I decided to carry on and watch the sequel.

It carries on with Shrek and Fiona as they prepare to meet the King and Queen of Far, Far Away (Fiona's parents) and take part in a royal ball.

I think I prefer the plotline of Shrek 2 to the original, probably because this film introduces so many new characters, notably Fairy Godmother, Prince Charming, and Puss In Boots.

I think Jennifer Saunders does a wonderful job of voicing the Fair Godmother. She makes her seem sweet yet evil at the same time. Excellent.

Puss is my favourite character in this film, along with Donkey of course. He's just so darn adorable. I absolutely love it when he uses his eyes to win people over. So cute!!! Makes me want to get a cat.

As with the first Shrek film, the soundtrack is brilliant. It uses a very balanced mix of original score and actual songs, which I think works really well.

Generally, I find sequels to be a bit disappointing, but Shrek 2 really is just as good as the original. A great family film.

8/10

Shrek

I think Shrek is one of those movies that everyone has to have seen at least once. To be perfectly honest, I didn't watch it until a few years after it was released on DVD, as I didn't think I would enjoy it. Goodness knows why! It's a great film!

It takes the mickey out of every fairytale there is, from Sleeping Beauty to Robin Hood. Because of the piss-take, adults are able to enjoy this film just as much as children.

All the actors are perfect for their characters. I could not imagine anyone except Mike Myers doing the voice for Shrek. He brings a really warm and friendly tone to the ogre.

But I think this film belongs to Eddie Murphy's character, Donkey. He is the perfect sidekick. Almost every single funny line in the film belongs to Donkey. He's adorable, hilarious and annoys the crap out of Shrek.

It's a really entertaining and enjoyable film for all the family, plus it has a super soundtrack. Highly recommended.

8/10

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street

I was going to go and see Sweeney Todd at the cinema, but I forgot. So I bought it when it was released last week. From the very first trailer, I knew it was a film I had to see. I really like Johnny Depp as an actor and this film looked like a cross between two of his other films: From Hell and Sleepy Hollow.

I'm not too familiar with the Stephen Sondheim musical, but I very much enjoyed the story. I think Tim Burton and Depp are a perfect filmmaking team.

First off, this film is very aesthetically pleasing. The cinematography is excellent. It's dark, spooky and almost looks black and white in parts. Because of this, when you do see blood, it's bright red which I think is really effective and makes you squirm.

It's both horrid and funny at the same time, with lots of amusing scenes between Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham-Carter. The singing was good, the costumes and make up are brilliant and the story is deliciously gruesome. Excellent entertainment, but probably not for the faint-hearted or squeamish.

Oh, and was it wrong of me to have urges for meat pies all the way through it?

9/10

Sex and the City Movie

I'd been looking forward to this film for quite a while now. I only recently finished watching the series and I loved it. The film didn't disappoint.

It is set four years after the series ended and focuses on the girls lives and how they have to deal with wedding problems, monogamy, infidelity and so on.

As with the TV series, the four main actresses are wonderful un their roles. I especially liked Charlotte in the movie, as she has plenty of really amusing moments. And her and Harry's daughter, Lily, is just so adorable and cute in the movie.

The fashion is just as important as the plot and acting. The scenes in which Carrie does a photoshoot in different wedding dresses is just stunning.

There are many touching scenes too, one in particular which got to me was between Steve and Miranda. It gave me a lump in my throat. I really liked the ending, but I won't say any more. :P

I wasn't disappointed. It's a film that shows that you shouldn't give up on love, no matter how hard things get. I think that's a good thing to promote. :)

10/10

The Wrong Trousers

"The Wrong Trousers" is the second Wallace and Gromit adventure from animator Nick Park.

The plot sees Wallace, voiced by Peter Sallis, being used by an evil penguin to steal a diamond from a museum using mechanical trousers. Yes, that's right. It sounds totally ridiculous, but it's probably one of the best examples of animation and claymation ever.

It's a mark of the animators skill that the whole story can basically by told through the looks on the characters faces. Wallace is the only character that talks, and even he doesn't say loads. Gromit the dog is adorable throughout, always looking out for his master. The part where he hides in the cardboard box and has to cut out eyeholes is genius.

But the best part of the 30 minute film is probably the train chase at the end. How they managed to make that, I'll never know. It's so funny aswell.

It's entertaining, something that all ages can enjoy and laugh at. I defy anyone to watch it and not enjoy it.

10/10

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

After watching Goblet of Fire the other day, I decided to watch the next Harry Potter film in the series (and the most recent), "Order of the Phoenix".

OOTP is Harry Potter's fifth year at Hogwarts. However, things are set to change as the Ministry of Magic, unwilling to believe that the evil Lord Voldemort has returned, stations Dolores Umbridge as a new teacher at the school. Umbridge is a nasty piece of work, tries to take over the school and is brilliantly played by Imelda Staunton.

I think this is the best Potter film to date, despite the book being my least favourite. I think all the right things were included in the film. The scenes in the Room of Requirement are some of my favourites. Having all the students together in one place is really good to see, especially when you get to see them conjuring their Patronuses (charms that takes the form of an animal and will protect against dark creatures).

My favourite scene in the entire film is the battle scene at the end between Voldemort and Dumbledore. It's wonderful. The special effects are amazing and the fact that there's no background music in it makes it quite chilling.

It's a really good adaptation, very entertaining and it keeps you gripped from beginning to end.

Now I can't wait for Half-Blood Prince to be released this November!!

9/10

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

Goblet of Fire is the fourth of the Harry Potter films. It follows Harry as he returns to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry for a fourth year and takes part as an underage competitor in "The Triwizard Tournament"; a competition between three wizarding schools, involving a series of deadly and dangerous tasks.

I really love the GoF novel, and I think the majority of it translates well to screen. It's a really well made film. The scenery, special effects and costumes are great.

The acting is okay. Well, the adults are good, the younger cast members... well... average really. But if you compare them to how they acted in the first film, then they deserve Oscars for this one.

Rupert Grint as Ron Weasley is, as always, probably the best thing about the film. He IS Ron Weasley in my eyes. He plays him perfectly. It's his facial expressions. One of my favourite scenes in the film is where Ron is getting ready for the Yule Ball, fretting over his extremely ugly (and frilly) dress robes that his mother sent for him. Excellent!

Overall, I think it's a fairly good adaptation of a wonderful book, with lots of entertaining moments.

7/10

Pride & Prejudice

I've never read the novel or seen the 1995 TV adapation with Colin Firth, but this 2005 version of Pride & Prejudice is wonderful.

First off, it's a beautiful film. The scenery is gorgeous.. it was all filmed on location around the UK, some of the places I've actually visited. I especially like the wide shots of Lizzie walking. They last quite a while and are just gorgeous. And the scene of Lizzie in Pemberley looking at the sculptures is really lovely. The cinematography is excellent. It's just such a wonderful film to watch.

The acting is very good too. I especially like Brenda Blethyn as the very excitable Mrs Bennet. There's some good comedic moments with her. Same with Mr Collins. Amusing to watch.

The soundtrack, by Dario Marianelli, is superb. It fits the film perfectly. One of the most enjoyable soundtracks I've heard. Add this to the excellent acting, scenery and overall story, and you've got a wonderful film that you can watch over and over.

And if only people still dressed like that.

10/10

Scary Movie

I've always enjoyed watching spoofs. They're usually quite funny and not meant to be taken seriously.

I enjoy horror movies and if you sit down and think about it, they're full of cliches. The girl running for her life while the killer casually walks behind them, still able to catch them up... Girls always fall whilst running... Victims always run UP the stairs... you get the picture.

Scary Movie is basically taking the piss out of teen horror movies and uses gazillions of movie cliches. And I think it works. One of my favourite parts in the movie is right at the beginning when "Drew" has to choose a weapon from a grenade, gun, knife or banana. Of course, she picks the banana. Stupid, I know, but quite funny.

The acting's... okay I guess, but I don't think it really matters in a film like this. It's not meant to be brilliant.

If you've never seen Scream or I Know What You Did Last Summer then you may not get it, as the plotline basically revolves around these two movies, but if you have then you'll probably think it's funny.

7/10

Sex And The City

I've gradually been working my way through my sister's DVD boxsets of Sex And The City and have just finished watching the whole series today.

SATC follows the lives of four New York women: Carrie, Miranda, Samantha and Charlotte. Carrie is the main character and the title of the show is the name of the column that she writes for a newspaper. She narrates all the episodes.

Basically, the programme is about the relationships between men and women, how sometimes they work, sometimes they don't. Some people might say the characters are a bit unrealistic in how they live (eg: Carrie being able to afford hundreds of pairs of shoes and being able to rent a cool apartment just from writing a newspaper column), but the problems that they encounter with relationships are something that a lot of women might be able to relate to.

It's a really fantastic programme that has a good balance of funny and serious moments, that women (and men!) can really enjoy.

10/10

"The White Hare" by Seth Lakeman

Seth Lakeman is one of my favourite singer/songwriters at the moment. I've liked him for a few years now. I first heard of him when there was a report on the news about the Mercury Music Prize, in which they were profiling the nominees. Seth was one of them, for his album "Kitty Jay". I really loved the title song that they played, so I went out and bought his album.

I think the thing I like most about Seth Lakeman's songs is that the majority of them are based on myths and stories from near Dartmoor, Devon, which is where he lives. A few of his songs (mainly those from the album "Freedom Fields") are about battles and the First English Civil War. I think this makes Seth Lakeman a wonderful artist and gives you something that little bit different to listen to.

Here's one of my favourite songs of his, "The White Hare". The album version doesn't have as many drums in it.

Black Book

This was the second time I'd watched Black Book and I enjoyed it as much as the first time.

The film follows Ellis de Vries (played by Carice van Houten), a Jew who spies on the Nazi's for the Dutch Resistance. The film is in Dutch and German, with a tiny bit of English towards the end.

Carice van Houten is really good in this film. Her character is tough, strong and is not afraid to do anything for the Resistance. There is a scene in which Ellis wears the most beautiful long red dress and has a red flower in her hair. She looks stunning. I've always been a sucker for 1940's fashion.

Sebastian Koch plays Hauptsturmfuhrer Muntze, who for a high ranking SS officer, is unbelievably likeable. He's sensitive and collect stamps for crying out loud! The chemistry between Koch and van Houten is excellent and really makes the film a success.

A really good war movie with great acting, wonderful costumes and a gripping plotline. Definitely worth a watch.

9/10

The Grudge 2

I watched "The Grudge" (Hollywood remake) last year and thought it was quite good.

This, the sequel, was a bit of a shambles really. It started off okay, with a few scary moments that made me jump. About half way through though, it seemed to lose the plot a bit and just became funny.

A girl peeing because she was so frightened... Someone drinking milk, vomiting it back into the carton and drinking it again.... An old man on a bus playing peek-a-boo with no one.... A demented headteacher.... All absolutely hilarious (unintentionally of course), but these moments took away a lot of the tension.

The ending was a mess. Jumping from scene to scene so quickly it was hard to understand what the hell was going on. The acting was average.

I like horror films, and this was one I'm not sure if I would want to see again... unless I wanted a laugh, that is.

4/10

"Wires" by Athlete

Another one of my favourite songs/music videos.



"Wires" by Athlete was released in January 2005, just before my sister and I went to see them live. The first time I heard the song, I had tears in my eyes. The song was written by the lead singer, Joel Pott, about his daughter who was born prematurely and had a lot of health problems. Once you know what the song is about, the lyrics just fall into place and make complete sense. Thankfully, his daughter is now healthy. :)

The video is simple, which I think is good as it doesn't take anything away from the song.

Video - 7/10
Song - 10/10

Eastern Promises

I've never been a huge fan of crime action dramas, but there was something about the advertising for this film that made me want to see it. Perhaps it was the intruiging story, perhaps it was the fact that Viggo Mortensen was in it. It just looked like a good film.

And it is. It follows Anna, a midwife, who sets out to find the relatives of a young girl who died in childbirth. The girl had a Russian diary and Anna is looking for someone to translate. She stumbles across the Russian mafia and soon discovers secrets that the family had tried to keep hidden.

Viggo Mortensen as Nikolai, the family's driver and "undertaker" is the best thing about this film. I've always liked him as an actor, as he takes his roles very seriously. For this film, he spent a few months in Russia, learning the language. All of the acting in this film is very good, but Viggo Mortensen just stands out. He really deserved his Best Actor Oscar nomination for this film.

It's very violent at times, quite gruesome. Good film overall, and definitely worth a watch.

8/10

The Lives Of Others

"The Lives Of Others" (or to use it's German title - "Das Leben Der Anderen") was a film I've had sitting on my DVD shelf for a few months that I never got round to watching.

Until now! This film is fantastic. Set in East Germany in the 1980's, the film follows a playwright who is under surveillance by the Stasi (State Security), in particular one man, played by Ulrich Muhe.

The plotline is brilliant, and I was gripped from beginning to end. There's no action in the film, but instead most of the scenes are tense and quiet, which I'm sure keep the viewer enthralled throughout.

The acting is super. Especially from Ulrich Muhe, who plays Stasi Captain Wiesler. Such a shame he passed away in 2007, he is an extremely good actor.

I also have to mention Sebastian Koch as playwright Dreyman. I've seen one of his films before (Black Book) and was very impressed with him. He's super in this. And I have what my sister would call "an old guy crush" on him.

If you don't mind subtitles, then you MUST see this film. The best film I have seen for a long time.

10/10

"Coffee & TV" by Blur

This is one of my favourite songs at the moment. I really love the majority of Blur's songs, but this one really stands out for me. It's simple, and it never fails to get my feet tapping.

But I especially love the video. It's regularly in lists of Top Music Videos of All Time, and I can see why. Anything with walking milk cartons is excellent. It's such a simple concept for a music video and it really works well with the music.

Song - 9/10
Video - 10/10

The Princess Diaries

I've not really been a fan of Disney's recent live action movies (I much prefer the old animated classics), but I was pleasantly surprised by "The Princess Diaries".

I thought it would be just another cheesy teenage movie, but I think people of all ages can really enjoy it. The plot is simple - 15 year old Mia doens't fit in at school and desperately wants to be invisible. Her grandmother visits her to tell her that her father (who recently died) was the Prince of Genovia and that she is the only heir. So begins Mia's transformation from geeky high school kid into a prim and proper princess.

Anne Hathaway, as Mia, is really fantastic in this film. She has great likeability and you really root for the character. Julie Andrews is also brilliant as the Queen, and the two of them have really good on screen chemistry as grandmother and granddaughter.

Very enjoyable.

8/10

What Women Want

Wouldn't every man love to know exactly what women are really thinking?

That's what happens to Mel Gibson in "What Women Want", a funny, entertaining and interesting romantic comedy. At the start of the film, Gibson's character is quite chauvinistic, but that soons changes as he basically finds out what it's like to be a woman. Sounds weird, but it really works well on screen.

There are plenty amusing scenes, especially the one with Mel Gibson using leg wax, putting on tights etc in the bathroom. The acting was really good and the majority of the characters were likeable enough. The only character that I didn't really warm to was Nick's daughter, Alex, who was a typical teenager complaining about her father constantly throughout the film.

Good film overall.

7/10

Bedazzled

I wasn't sure what to expect from this film, to be honest. My sister used to have it on video years and years ago, but I never watched it. I guess I just saw it as one of those silly remakes that didn't really need to be remade!

I haven't seen the original with Peter Cook and Dudley Moore, so I can't compare the two.

It's not a bad film. The acting is okay. Brendan Fraser is actually quite good in it, but how Elizabeth Hurley keeps getting acting roles, I'll never know. Yes, she is pretty, but that's about it. Her acting is wooden, and seeing as how she is playing the Devil, I thought her character would be a bit more... well, evil really. Telling schoolkids that they don't have to do any homework and to play loads of video games isn't my idea of "evil".

There are some amusing parts too, especially the parts where Fraser's character gets his wishes from the Devil, but with consequences. I enjoyed the scene in which Eliott is TOO sensitive.

Overall, it's a reasonably enjoyable film, which should get a few laughs out of you.

6/10

Intro To Me

My first ever post on Blogspot! I thought I would set up this blog to review films, music and tv that I watch/listen to. :)

Just getting my head around using the site at the moment. :D