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