those hoping to tone their derriere can rest assured that with some time and commitment there will be a positive change certainly tighter and firmer but not lifechangingly so. I do like the workout though!
Do you like scary movies??? We really enjoyed this film. Some have said that it is not as good as the others, but I disagree. It is up to date, is still very ironic and I jumped loads! Also it is not too gory, which is rare these days. It is also up to date with the characters using mobiles/texts and Facebook. It really keeps you guessing until the end!
What a great film, with a gripping portrayal of the futility and desperation of life in a near-future dystopian society in which manking has become sterile and no new children are being born. This is thrown into contrast by the main character, (played by Clive Owen in a career best performance) who becomes involved in a plot to enable the first pregnant woman in years to escape the clutches of the government and the "powers that be". Although this future world portrayed can be grim (see Michael Caine's moving cameo appearance) the films main story has within it the possibility of a ray of hope even in the most bleak of times,
Children of Men is gripping, exciting, and thought provoking. Don't be biased by the fact you may not have even heard of this movie, it IS a masterpiece.
A grim near future Britain where the human race faces extinction, is rocked by an incredible ray of hope in this exciting adventure story.
The perfect film to get you in the mood for Halloween and a must for any horror film fan. The film takes images and legends associated with 31st October and celebrates the lore and legends and a unique and fun way. This is no Saw or Paranormal Activity, this is an old school, sitting around an open fire, scary story without the need of gore of shock. It approaches the story in a non linear way and links several individual stories into one overall pattern bringing together the threads into one big picture. I feel this boosts the film to a higher level as it wouldn't have worked quite the same way if they had just been individual chapters, like in a collection of short stories. The film looks amazing and the cast really work well, especially as a group of mostly unknowns. The twists will keep you guessing and it will truly get you in the mood for the trick or treat season. Happy Halloween!
What more can be said about Quentin Tarantino's now classic Pulp Fiction that hasn't been said a million times already? The effortlessly cool and iconic dialogue, the distinctive characters, the astonishingly diverse soundtrack - all this (and much, much more) adds up to a bona fide modern classic.
The weird thing is how little the film has aged after 17 years (yes it really has been that long). That's perhaps down to the fact that it's a hodgepodge of references to times and films past, with music from a vast array of eras allowing the film to stay firmly in its own time period and thus making it timeless for the audience.
Chances are if you're a fan of the film you will own it already (possibly in multiple formats). However, a Blu-ray release has been a long time coming and now it's finally here. And I am very thankful to say that it's worth the wait, delivering the top quality picture and sound you hope for from a Blu-ray alongside a great new selection of special features.
As the back cover proudly says, we have here a stunning new 1080P transfer of the movie "approved by Quentin Tarantino," and that description is well earned. The picture is crisp and clear with no noticeable dark patches or loss of colour, and the sound is fabulous (it sports new "5.1 Lossless DTS-HD Master Audio"), bringing a whole new life to those classic scenes of Mia and Vincent to "You Never Can Tell" at Jack Rabbit Slim's or Jules bellowing "Ezekiel 25:17" in the apartment, to use just two examples. There are none of the issues you disappointingly find a lot with Blu-ray releases which have been rushed out for the sake of it. This has clearly been lovingly and painstakingly transferred to provide the best experience possible.
When it comes to special features the Blu-ray is well worth buying. This isn't just a case of the studio double dipping as we have a more than an hour of new material. This consists of two fascinating featurettes: the first is 45 minutes of brand new interviews with cast members including John Travolta, Samuel L. Jackson, Rosanna Arquette, Eric Stoltz and Tim Roth. They talk about everything from how they initially got involved with the film to what it means in their overall careers. The only disappointment there is the lack of the likes of Uma Thurman, Bruce Willis and Ving Rhames but those that do appear provide for interesting and entertaining insights. The second featurette is roughly 20 minutes long and features a group of film critics -ranging from those who consider it an all-time favourite to those who find it overrated - talking about its place in film history. It's a fascinating watch because it allows us to see the critical perspective over a decade and a half on.
The rest of the special features are the same as the previous 2-disc DVD edition including behind the scenes, a production design featurette, the original Siskel & Ebert review of the movie when it came out and the footage of when the film won the Palm d'Or. Overall an absolutely fantastic must-have Blu-ray release of what may very well be THE film of the 90s.
Even for a cynic like me, this is entertaining stuff. Dwell upon the title 'illusionist' all you want but the material created and performed by Dynamo in this DVD is impressive. You just want to be him. Or know someone like him at least.
Previously broadcast on television, this DVD version adds some viewing time and the freedom to rewind and replay all of Dynamo's tricks to try to see how he does them. From randoms in the street to household names of the celebrity world, Dynamo tricks them all, by seemingly pushing a mobile phone through glass, walking through a plate glass window and much more in between.
Due to the certificate, it can't be recommended as family viewing but this kind of entertainment is wholesome and suitable for anyone with an open mind and a will to be entertained. Of course, every single trick and illusion is not more unbelievable than the last but there's a good set of jawdroppers included to whet your whistle for whatever Dynamo plans to do next.
Magical and enchanting. These are two words that spring to mind when thinking of 'Amelie'. I guarantee that you will think of hundreds more when you watch it, as its power to provoke thought and imagination is unrivalled in world cinema.
Jeunet's films all have this kind of surreal warmth around them but 'Amelie' stands out from the crowd even more so than the others. This is likely much to do with the beautiful Audrey Tautou's performance throughout, which fuses the quirky yet oddly believable storyline into something that will make you grin, frown, laugh, raise an eyebrow and even cry.
There is much truth to be found in this film, whether personally for you or just plausibly for someone, but either way, if you're a fan of artistic cinema, have a sense of humour and an interest in human observation, and don't mind subtitles, this will easily find its way into your top ten films of all time. However, it will suck you in so far that you'll likely forget you're even reading the subtitles!
A fun, family friendly comedy that everyone will enjoy. I would reccommend!
A wonderfully simple and elegant animation that draws you in to the story with only a minimal amount of dialogue, using instead one of the most beautiful soundtracks I have ever heard. At the end of this film I wanted to open my own variety theatre and live with the characters.
Much like Adam Elliot's earlier film Harvie Krumpet (also on the DVD as a bonus feature) Mary and Max left me speechless and haunted me for days. This is a fantastic example of stop motion animation and shows that animated films can carry just as much emotional weight and importance as any live action film. No DVD collection should be without it.
ET gets a call back
Considering that Super 8 is produced by Steven Spielberg, and is written and directed by J.J. Abrams the film could have been better marketed, but Super 8 has appeared in cinemas almost without warning.
I'm going to give you the same information that I knew about Super 8 before watching it, as the outline for the story: Some kids are shooting a film and they accidentally film a train crash which may or may not have involved aliens (but probably has, as its Spielberg). Truly, that's all you really need to know about this film to enjoy it.
Let me try and be a little more blunt. Super 8 is incredible, everyone should see it without exception, it film merges several films and genres to create a perfect storm of enjoyment for any cinema audience. I know the question you are asking yourself? What's all the fuss about?
Super 8 has a surreal calmness about it, unlike the frantic Cloverfield or the boring Battle L.A. Super 8 knows that it can take it's time with the story and development, this gives J.J. Abrams time to increase the depth of each character while keeping the story moving, try to imagine Super 8 as ET meets Cloverfield with some Stand By Me and The Killer Tomatoes, if you put it all in a hand basket and sent it to hell this is what would be sent back, and it's all the better for it.
Of course the film does stink to high heaven of Spielberg, but then if you are going to have his name on the poster you better give recognition to him, one of the few drawbacks to Super 8 is that it references Spielberg at every possible moment, from the girl walking in a red coat in one of the long shots to the noise that the "creature" makes sounding all to much like a Veloceraptor from Jurassic Park.
In fact the whole film is kind of just a remake of every other great film before it, but here's the thing. It works. Super 8 is never forceful with it nods to other movies, however it instead silently rings of everything, a good example of this is that one of the characters names in Charles film is "Detective Romero", the film is complied full of tiny references like that.
I suppose now I think about it, what I like most about Super 8 is that it's so very, very, very, clever. Super 8 at no point feels like it's playing for time or like it's rushed, it paces itself perfectly and is shot beautifully. I tip my hat to J.J. Abrams, however it comes clean off my head to Larry Fong the Cinematographer who makes Super 8 is totally faultless.
Speaking of faultless, the cast, while mostly fresh faces all give stellar performances,
Joel Courtney withdrawn and difficult mindset, to Riley Griffiths bullying tactics, to Ryan Lee's hyperactivity, to Elle Fanning nervousness, in this film the kids are defiantly all right. Supporting the teens is a good selection of talent with Kyle Chandler and Ron Eldard giving stand out performances.
Super 8 is a throwback to films that we have all too quickly forgotten, films that had courage, heart and brains. Super 8 is this generations ET.
not a proggramme for young children more of a adults programme. i love to watch it myself my favourite character is george i recomend it to any one who likes werewolfs or vampires and ghosts
about a vampire and a ghost and 2 werewolfs
The grubby, grungy horrible surroundings of The Penalty King firmly set this film in the realms of gritty drama. And if that wasn't enough the supporting characters are all fairly repulsive too. There's the irritating jobsworth boss (Clare Grogan) who turns into a promiscuous karaoke-singing tart when she's drunk, the brainless secretary (Tara Keatly) and the creepy old man (Frank Jarvis).
Early on in the film writer/director Chris Cook puts his characters through several unpleasant situations, scenes that contain excessive amounts of crude language and some that are frankly unwatchable - but this apparently is all semi-autobiographical events so perhaps we should have some sympathy for him.
Apparently he puts his characters through these situations so that come the denouement we might feel that they've triumphed over some great adversities, other than the guy playing football actually being blind. But the pay-off is so slow coming and so uninspired when it finally does arrive that basically you'll simply have lost interest.
The Penalty King will quickly be forgotten because the direction is languid and the film is unbearably uninteresting and slow.
They call football the beautiful game but I didn't enjoy watching this film. Give The Penalty King the red card and watch re-runs of your favourite games instead.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 is the latest and final part in the Harry Potter saga created by J.K Rowling. But the question is, is it fantastic? You bet it is.
This franchise never disappoints. In fact, Harry is on top form this time round. The final battle for the wizarding world is closing in and Harry, Ron and Hermione are still on the hunt to destroy Voldemort's evil Horcruxes. (fragments of his soul, which need to be destroyed in order to kill Voldemort once and for all) Can Lord Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes, In Bruges) finally be destroyed or will the wizarding world fall into his evil clutches? All is revealed in the final chapter.
There is so much to love about this movie. The pacing is fantastic: it never drags on or cuts corners. Alexandre Desplat's music score is chilling and really makes the battle for Hogwarts realistic and awesome. The final showdown between Harry and Lord Voldemort is one to
go down in history easily besting Sauron's defeat in the Lord of the Rings.
The acting was superb as well. The highlight was Alan Rickman as Professor Snape: definitely his best portrayal in this franchise as this menacing character. His scenes were touching and also evil when needed. The highlight being the scene in which his true allegiance was revealed, one of the tear jerkers of the movie. The three lead characters (Daniel Radcliffe as Harry Potter, Rupert Grint as Ron Weasley and Emma Watson as Hermione Granger) also matured. We have laughed with them, we have cried with them and now it is time to say goodbye to them. The series finale has finished with a bang and Harry Potter will always be a remembered icon for years to come. You have to see it to believe it!
Russell Brand is Arthur Bach: an alcoholic wealthy charmer. He is a generous spirit but he has no focus apart from womanizing, amusing himself with replica cars from films, his giant hovering magnetic bed (and the prostitutes in it), drinking, fine dining and extremely elaborate dates. But his poor public image of drunken behaviour and getting pulled over by the police in silly cars threatens his family's empire: Bach Worldwide. His mother tells him that he must settle down and marry Susan Johnson (Jennifer Garner) or forfeit his billion-dollar inheritance.
Not everyone likes Russell Brand, but let's get this straight: I think he's wonderful. I met him once and talked to him for a while and he was one of the softest spoken, politest people that I've ever had the privilege to meet. He was an absolute delight. So he may have been addicted to drugs, well in actual fact he most certain was addicted to drugs, and sex as well, but I'll tell you what I think: he's overcome those demons and he's forged himself a very respectable career in films, plus radio presenting and no doubt anything else that he's put his mind to. It's clear that there have been times in his life when Brand has not put in total 100% effort - his autobiographies are littered with examples of this, when he couldn't be arsed to get out of bed, or to make a trip to land a job but it's clear that all that has now changed. Since he met Adam Sandler and signed with Adam Venit (Sandler's powerhouse agent) Brand's career has been getting better and better. Brand is a charmer, he speaks unlike anyone else, his vocabulary is astonishing and his acting and singing abilities are impressive. Here with this re-make of Arthur he has his first big chance to really take on a film as the main character. And although Get Him To The Greek was also a leading role for him, I think that he will be judged more on the basis of his performance in Arthur because here he has to do credit to the late, great Dudley Moore.
So does he do it? Well I think that his performance was very good indeed. He toyed with the idea of mimicking Dudley Moore's voice and intonation for the first scene (very funny Arthur dresses up as Batman with his driver Bitterman (Luis Guzmán) dressed up as Robin before driving a replica Batmobile through the streets to get to a party. Brand actually does a good job of impersonating Dudley Moore but I'm glad that it was just an opening credits homage rather than him continuing the voice throughout the film. As an homage to Moore it works well, but this had to be Brand's film and he does stamp his own mark on the film. It's similar but different, and almost (but not quite) as affecting and as poignant as the original.
Helen Mirren is likable as Arthur's nanny Hobson (a sex change from the original film when Hobson was a butler played by the fantastic John Gielgud) and although she doesn't quite match up to Gielgud who was truly outstanding in the role, she does come close. Jennifer Garner is underused but her role doesn't call for her to do much besides look pretty, while Greta Gerwig takes on the role previously inhabited by Liza Minnelli.
Jason Winer directs and he does a very good job, allowing the film to flow nicely so much so that I didn't really notice the direction at all, maybe it's his background from directing the real-to-life TV show Modern Family, which is also well worth your time - it's an excellent show.
The part where I think it lacks the lovability of the original film is the sense of fun that actors Dudley Moore and Liza Minnelli brought. When Moore played the part of Arthur I really believed that he was drunk. But I also really believed that he was having fun, he laughed and giggled, fell over things and generally enjoyed himself. Liza Minelli as Linda also laughed and enjoyed life to the full. I don't feel that Brand and Gerwig were able to replicate this sense of fun and childlike enjoyment of life. Perhaps this is because the alcoholism was toned down (perhaps in a sense to lessen the sense of promoting a drunken and fun life - like I said Dudley Moore's Arthur makes being a drunk look a heck of a lot of fun and perhaps the producers and director wanted to tone this down (it is a 12A rating), perhaps Russell Brand also felt that this should be toned down due to his own former addictions. But regardless Brand and Gerwig are unable to bring the sense of pure pleasure to the film that Moore and Minelli simply exuded. Not that it would be too noticeable if you hadn't seen the original film, but being a re-make it's impossible for me not to compare and contrast the two films, especially when you take into consideration the fact that the original was - and still is - a true classic and a genuine high point for Dudley Moore's career.
That said, there are plenty of laughs and the film works well. I very much enjoyed this new updated version of Arthur - a film for 2010 rather than a film for 1981. There are notable differences and notable similarities, yet ultimately it is the same film. It amuses and tugs at the heart-strings in equal measure and is well worth your time. Naturally if you haven't seen the version starring Moore, Minelli and Gielgud I urge you to see it straight away (before, or after) watching this film.
I saw THE DEAD at the Duke of Yorks Cinema in Brighton. The Director Howard J. Ford was there to introduce the film along with the lead actor Rob Freeman, which was amusing (they were almost killed on several occasions filming this, held at gun point, mugged, held for ransom etc. etc.)
Some other crew members and the directors family and friends were all there too which was nice.
It really was a fantastic zombie film,it was soooo good. One of my all time favourites and definitely the best and most original zombie film of the last 10-20 years. The cinematography was gorgeous where it was all shot on completely unfilmed terrain in Africa. Nice and gorey too and had a surprising amount of jumpy scare moments which made my girlfriend fly out of her seat on a few occasions (to the sniggers of the people behind).
Without a doubt I'll picking this one up on Blu-ray the day of release, if you're a zombie fan I suggest you do the same, you won't regret it.
The Dark Continent becomes a Dead Zone in the first zombie road movie set against the spectacular vistas of Africa. A stunningly shot horror announcing the arrival of the Ford Brothers on the global genre scene, THE DEAD is as much an emotional journey through terror terrain as it is a physically demanding and beautiful-looking one.
Shot in life-threatening, never-before-seen locations in Burkina Faso, French-speaking West Africa, and Ghana, including the Sahara Desert, on 35mm film by the Ford Brothers, THE DEAD is the ultimate Zombie movie.
American Air Force engineer Lieutenant Brian Murphy (ROB FREEMAN) survives a plane crash and runs the gauntlet across Africa, battling with the living dead. Joining forces with local military man Sergeant Daniel Dembele (PRINCE DAVID OSEI) who is searching for his missing son amongst the chaos, they must fight together if they are to survive the flesh-eating horrors of the bush.
Ed Norton rides the crest of a wave in a double role which sees him play brothers Bill and Brady Kincaid; one a shy and retiring classics professor, the other a cannabis growing, Southern stoner in over his head with an Israeli crime boss. Written, directed and co-starring Tim Blake Nelson, 'Leaves of Grass' was one of my favorite films of 2010 and I imagine it'll go onto be regarded as somewhat of a cult classic in the months and years ahead.
Norton avoids the temptation to go over the top with either role and injects a measured level of humor and subtle, shared character traits that work to convince the viewer of the Kincaid's shared DNA. With great supporting turns by Susan Sarandon, Kerri Russell and Richard Dreyfus as crime lord Pug Rothbaum (listen out for Dreyfus's hilarious nod to 'The Merchant of Venice') 'Leaves of Grass' is a strangely beautiful film with offbeat humor and pathos, like 'Adaptation' but better. And only an actor of Ed Norton's caliber could've handled a role that encompasses the poetry of Walt Whitman, the finer points of cultivating Marijuana and murder by Menorah! Nelson's film is probably the first highbrow stoner screwball comedy / drama of its kind; not for everyone, but certainly one of the more original American movies in recent years. Give it a go.
A man at war. with himself.
Martin Scorsese's illustrious filmography has almost exclusively been concerned with the nature of man. Men of violence, crime, passion, religion, love and ambition, to name but a few. Believe it or not, Shutter Island is Scorsese's long awaited war film.
US Marshal Teddy Daniels is a man not only haunted by the memory of his wife, Dolores, who died in tragic circumstances but also by the horrors he witnessed as an American soldier present at the liberation of the Dachau concentration camp. A troubled character, who suffers from debilitating migraines and alcohol addiction, Daniels and his new partner have been sent to the island's mental facility to deal with a dangerous missing patient.
Where most directors have focussed, whether intentionally or not, on the mechanics of war and the beautification/glorification of battles, 'Marty' takes a unique approach and gives us war as a state of mind. How war affects men and continues to affect men even after the battles are over. He provides the audience with imagery associated with the battle after the war, a battle waged in the mind of returning combatants.
The film evokes the mood and tone of Dennis Lehane's source material diligently and adds a gothic feel. As expected Shutter Island's crew of Scorsese regulars deliver a technical showcase, each member adds depth and authenticity to a multi-layered piece. The actors are superb, in particular Leonardo DiCaprio who excels as the bruised ex-soldier/detective. Michelle Williams and Ben Kingsley are also standouts in a terrific ensemble.
Shutter Island is a film that will leave you breathless and exhausted; it is a film of intense feeling, a rollercoaster ride through the mind and emotions of Teddy. Whilst watching the film I am reminded that a masterpiece is not built around a story but storytelling. This is a film that will continue to reward on repeat viewings because it has been told by arguably one of the world's greatest storytellers.
In summary: 10/10 - The criminally insane, dream sequences, crashing waves, dangerous murderer on the loose.. unsettling, chilling, gothic masterpiece.
P.S: The end credits includes a beautiful arrangement of Max Richter's composition 'On the Nature of Daylight' and Dinah Washington's vocal 'This Bitter Earth'.
Absolutely brilliant. Emma stone is intelligent and funny and doesn't try to hard to seem believable. Good plot. Perfect for a girls night in for girls who don't want soppy crap!
Fans of the X-Men have had it good over the last 10 years or so. After the well-received animated TV series in the '90s, Marvel felt the comic book ensemble series had a lot of legs as a movie franchise. Technology had advanced enough to be able to produce a decent and believable adaptation of the comic, heavy on mutants and various special effects. This was due to be the basis for rolling out various other superhero movies over time - Spider-Man, Fantastic Four, Daredevil etc, and so a lot of care and attention went into the movie. The idea had actually been floating around since the beginning of the '90s, jumping around such famous industry names as James Cameron and Joss Whedon. Eventually the success of the original X-Men movie led to not only two direct sequels, but a spin-off in X-Men Origins: Wolverine as well.
Around the time of the third film, the idea of a First Class story was thrown around as another spin-off idea. Published as a limited series in 2006, First Class covered the original team of X-Men which meant a loss of some familiar faces such as Wolverine, instead relying on Xavier and Cyclops alongside lesser known characters such as Angel. Using the simple idea as a basis, but playing around with the lineup, X-Men First Class was developed into a film, including elements of another spin off idea - X-Men Origins: Magneto. This results in the script being quite Xavier/Magneto heavy, which isn't a bad thing at all.
X-Men First Class is set in the 1960s mostly, with the Cuban Missle Crisis at the forefront. James McAvoy takes the leader role as Dr. Charles Xavier, eventually working alongside Michael Fassbender as Erik Lensherr aka Magneto. We learn how Xavier meets his first fellow mutant in Raven (Jennifer Lawrence), and puts together a team to work with the CIA due to wanting to contain other mutants who are abusing their powers. The enemy team is led by Sebastian Shaw (Kevin Bacon) and contains familiar characters such as Emma Frost (January Jones).
The key to the movie however is the relationship between Xavier and Magneto. Even though we do see Charles' role as a leader to his team - Beast (Nicholas Hoult), Banshee (Caleb Landry Jones) and Havok (Lucas Till) - it's his desire to lead Erik down the right path that drives the storyline. From the beginning, we see Erik's terrible treatment at the hands of Shaw back in a German concentration camp in 1944, and from then his uncontrollable anger and desire for revenge spirals out of control. This develops over time not only against Shaw, but towards humans in general, as we see his inevitable transformation into Magneto. We know where the story ends up (Xavier in a wheelchair, Magneto as the bad guy etc) and yet it's absolutely fascinating to watch it unfold and see how we get to that point.
I have to say that I had my doubts at first, especially after the excellent trilogy of original X-Men movies (Wolverine was not as good), however both McAvoy and Fassbender are completely convincing, believable and engaging in their roles. Honestly, by the end of the film, you will have completely forgotten that anyone else ever played these roles. The setting could easily be put straight into the James Bond series, and it gives First Class a completely different feel to any other comic book movie. The unique setting along with the performances is what makes this stand out from the crowd.
There are other mutants involved, a few welcome cameos, and twists and turns that you don't see coming. It's a story that keeps you on your toes, waiting for the next move and it leaves you wanting so much more by the end. Rose Byrne (Damages, Insidious) gives a great performance as Moira MacTaggert, a CIA agent, and has great chemistry with McAvoy. It's very important to keep the storyline grounded in reality, and helps to draw the audience in. The humans are just as needed as the mutants. We also see a few links to previous movies, but overall this is one that could stand alone if needed.
This is definitely in my Top 5 MUST BUY Blu-rays of 2011. The story is one that will have you keep coming back for more. There's a great mix of action, comedy and tragedy, some first class acting, and it's a movie that almost manages to reinvent the comic book genre. After you watch this, you'll be hoping it's the start of a long-running franchise because returning to the original movies feels like a step down now. It deserves to be seen on Blu-ray as the picture quality is exceptional, from the setting to the costumes and the special effects for the mutant powers. Everything will leave you in awe. Most importantly, it's not a film that uses effects for the sake of it. It doesn't rely on set pieces simply because the story or dialogue is weak. X-Men First Class is a movie that delivers on every level - sound, visual, dialogue, acting, special effects, and so much more.
Between this and Thor, we've really been spoilt this year!
A first class movie.
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