The Fly

The Fly is a movie about eccentric scientist Seth Brundle, played by Jeff Goldblum, and his attempts at teleporting various objects from one telepod to another.

He lets a reporter, played by Geena Davis, monitor his every move by filming and writing about him. He successfully manages to teleport inanimate objects but encounters problems when he tries to teleport living things. He thinks he's ironed out all the creases, but when he manages to teleport himself, he starts to become a very different man...

I won't say more, but I would definitely recommend this movie. It's very creepy, sinister, dramatic, and in places, quite moving. I was gripped from start to end, and I felt like I couldn't take my eyes off the screen in case I missed something.

The acting was good, and I actually cared about the characters. If you haven't already seen it, then definitely give it a go!

9/10

Bright Star

Bright Star tells the story of the romance between poet John Keats and Fanny Brawne and the ups and downs they go through. It's quite a simple film and story, but wonderfully told. The costumes are lovely, acting is good and the settings are beautiful.

I've never really been into poetry, I may be dense, but I don't really get a lot of it, and I won't deny that the only reason I wanted to see this film was because of Ben Whishaw, who plays Keats. I think he's lovely. But I did enjoy hearing the poetry that was recited throughout the film. I doubt it will make me become a huge poetry fan, but it was nice nonetheless.

Be warned though, you should have tissues at the ready when watching this film. If you're a romantic at heart, it will cost you some tears. It's quite sad in parts, but very enjoyable overall.

8/10

I Capture the Castle

I Capture the Castle is based on Dodie Smith's book of the same name. It follows the life of the eccentric Mortmain family, with teenager Cassandra being the main character. The Mortmain family are very poor, and live in a crumbling old castle. Cassandra's elder sister, Rose, desperately wants to marry for money, so when two American heirs to their castle arrive, it seems like all their problems will be over.

I loved the book, and was curious to see what the film would be like, and I thought it was adapted very well to screen. The character of Cassandra was very likeable, as were most of the characters but, like with the book, I tried hard to like Rose, but just couldn't. She came across as very irritating and self-obsessed.

The scenery was lovely, acting was good, but I wouldn't say it's the most exciting and riveting film ever. I'd describe it as fluffy, romantic fun.

7/10

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows part 1 is the 7th film in the Potter franchise, with the very last one due to be released in July. It follows Harry, Ron and Hermione as they try and track down and destroy Lord Voldemort's horcruxes. If you don't know what any of that means, then shame on you. I can't possibly explain it all here.

It's a wonderfully dark film, and is very different to the previous films in the series. No Hogwarts for instance and there is a large chunk of the movie which just follows the trio as they move from one secluded place to another and not much else happens. I think this really helps the viewer to understand the isolation, uneasiness and loneliness that the characters feel.

There are some great comedic moments too, my favourite being in the Ministry of Magic when the trio have to pretend to be ministry staff. Look out for a brilliant animated sequence too.

The soundtrack is wonderful, the acting is great and it's just a wonderful film that everyone can enjoy. Yes, even you people that haven't read the books. Just make sure you've watched the previous Potter movies though, as you won't have a bloody clue what's going on.

10/10

The Dark Knight

I originally planned to see The Dark Knight when it was released at the cinema last year, but for some reason I just never got round to it.

So when I finally saw it on Blu Ray, I was quite looking forward to it. I tried to forget about all the hype when I was watching it, and I wasn't disappointed.

I've never really been a huge fan of "superhero" movies, so I wasn't really sure what to expect from The Dark Knight. The cast is very impressive, and I was really interested to see how the late Heath Ledger was as the Joker.

Let's just say that this was definitely one of the best films I've seen in years. It didn't really feel like I was watching a Batman movie. The story was great, acting was good and the action sequences were brilliant. Heath Ledger was both funny and terrifying as the Joker. I was very impressed with him and was very pleased when he won the Oscar for the role :)

Super super film, with a terrific soundtrack. Even if you're not a big fan of action and superhero movies (like me generally), I'd definitely say that you should still give this film a go.

Extremely enjoyable.

10/10

Cloverfield

Seen as a cross between Godzilla and The Blair Witch Project, Cloverfield is a film about an unknown monster that stampedes through New York City. The story is told as though it is actual camera footage and follows a small group of New Yorkers as they try and escape the city.

I like the idea that the whole film is uncovered film footage, as it makes it seem a bit more realistic. The actors are all virtually unknowns, which I think was a good idea. It just wouldn't have had the same effect if all the stars were A list actors.

It's a very exciting film, and you genuinely do get caught up in the chaos and thrills as the camera sweeps around, following the people as they run for their lives. It's not really a film for people who get motion sickness easily. The handheld camera view does move around very quickly and it's quite easy to see why some people were throwing up in the cinema aisles! :P

It's a very exciting, gripping, tense, genuinely scary film that is definitely worth a watch.

10/10

The Others

This was probably one of the very first DVDs I ever got. If I remember correctly, I got it for my birthday along with a brand spanking new DVD player and Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone... but I may be wrong.. anyway, it was definitely one of my first DVDs. And a great film.

It follows Grace, played by Nicole Kidman and her two children, who are convinced that their large old house is haunted.

It's a very spooky film. As Grace's two children are light sensitive, all the curtains in the house have to be closed at all times, making the film very dark and eerie. The only lights are from lamps and candles.

I'm not generally a big fan of Nicole Kidman, but I do think she is great in The Others. It's a great role for her to play.

It's a very quiet film, with simple scenes, almost all of which take place in the mansion. The plot is simple and I just loved the ending. Definitely worth a watch.

8/10

Oops...

I haven't made a post since last November.

I do have a list of films that I plan on reviewing... I've just been such a procrastinator.

I blame Christmas... and being ill :(

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