Pathos so hard it hurts, laughter so long you cry. 3 dimensional characters in a 2 dimensional world. If this has not yet won an award why not? animation doesn't get any better.
I personally think that this is one of the best movies that I have seen in terms of drama and emotions where an alcoholic that is on the verge of sucide and has a very hard exterior is drawn to a girl that he trys hard not to and then when he does vertually looks at her as a father to her and probably better than her own father and uses all his skills to strike vengegence on those who tried to hurt her.
Now that the first half of series 6 is over, I think it's safe to say that Doctor Who is just as good as ever. The series looks better than ever, there was only one bit of CGI that wasn't quite up to scratch (from episode 5, 'The Rebel Flesh') and the episodes look like small films because of the fantastic directing and CGI etc.
Starting at the beginning, episodes 1 and 2 ('The Impossible Astronaut/Day Of The Moon') are the highlights of the set for me. The storyline is clever but not confusing, the aliens are genuinely creepy, the acting is superb and many hints are given about the rest of the series. The aliens are the silence, who were mentioned throughout last year's series, and I assume they're going to reappear in the second half of the series because there are still questions that need answering. The only thing left to say about the story is that it ends on a HUGE cliffhanger that will probably be looked into in the second half of the series. Overall, the first 2 episodes are some of Doctor Who's best, 10/10.
The next episode ('The Curse Of The Black Spot') is a more light-hearted romp but still very good. The regulars are just as good as usual and Hugh Bonneville is brilliant as Captain Avery. It ends on an emotional scene which may seem familiar but still packs a punch. Just like the opening story, this one looks filmic, particularly the Siren and the establishing shots of the ship. Overall, not as good as the opener but, apart from one major plot hole, still very good. 9/10.
The high quality continues in 'The Doctor's Wife'. Without a doubt this is Matt Smith's best performance as the Doctor so far. He goes for all of it, anger, sadness, happiness and, at one point, pure badass. His reaction at the end of the story is just heartbreaking to watch. House is another memorable villain as he plays with Amy and Rory running through the TARDIS corridors. Neil Gaiman delivers another script that earns a perfect 10/10.
Next comes the only weak episode in the series but fortunately it's a 2-parter and the second episode more than makes up for the first. There's not much to say about the story apart from the supporting actors are weak and episode 6 ('The Almost People') is definitely superior to episode 5 ('The Rebel Flesh'). Oh, and we get another cliffhanger ending but this time it leads straight into the final episode in this collection. 7.5/10
Finally, we have the big one. The one that finally reveals River Song's identity and ends on the "game-changing" cliffhanger. Unsurprisingly, the two are linked. There's not much I can say about the episode that doesn't count as a spoiler but it's safe to say that there's something for everyone. 'A Good Man Goes To War' ends the half-series with excitement and a strong hunger for more. Unfortunately, I was disappointed by something that I expected to appear in more than the pre-credits but episode 7 still earns an impressive 9/10.
The Silence of the Lambs is one of those movies that always has replay value, even though it is now 20 years old it hasnt dated a bit, and even the two sequels Hannibal (00) or Red Dragon (02) hasnt been able to recreate the 'enchantment' that Clarice (Jodie Foster) and Hannibal (Anthony Hopkins) provide on screen, its not a surprise then that this movie ended up winning 5 major Academy Awards including Best Film.
For those that havent seen the film it is a must watch whether its for Foster's stunning performance or Hopkins chilling portrayal of a character that has gone down as one of the best villains in film history.
this film series would be on my top ten favorite films of all time; having all of them in one place a pretty decent price is one the best things i i have seen.
the films all come with high quality sound and a great picture for a dated film. However the highlight for me are the extras they have all the blooper reels and a documentary about the making of each film post production with interviews with all the big player in production of each film
In 2003 Aron Ralston is a skilled mountaineer, canyoneer and extreme sports enthusiast was solo-hiking in Blue John Canyon in eastern Wayne County, Utah, just south of the Horseshoe Canyon Unit of Canyonlands National Park). To give you an idea of the sort of person Ralston was and still is I can tell you that he was the first person to climb all 53 of Colorado's mountains over 14,000 feet in elevation, solo, in winter. It was project that he started in 1997 and completed in 2005, two years after he lost arm.
However, back to 2003 and the story of his time in Blue John Canyon. While canyoneering Ralston fell and was trapped by a boulder, weighing 800 pounds that pinned his arm to the canyon wall. Trapped in the canyon crevasse, unable to move the boulder or chip away enough of it to free his arm, he was forced to spend five days thinking other ways to extricate himself whilst hoping to be rescued. He suffered from hunger, dehydration and hallucinations, before intentionally breaking his own arm in two places and then using a blunt knife to amputate his arm to free himself.
British writer/director Danny Boyle took on the challenge of adapting and directing Ralston's personal memoir entitled Between a Rock and a Hard Place to produce a the film 127 Hours. It's a truly amazing story about survival and how Ralston managed to overcome all of the obstacles that he came up against and ended up loosing his right arm but personally, mentally and spiritually, I think, gaining so much more. So extremely strong was Ralston's will to live that he simply didn't give up, even against the heavy odds. Lack of water, fatigue, dehydration, nothing stopped him from trying to survive and escape.
James Franco manages to effortlessly convey Ralston's genuine, warm, charm and also his reckless and carefree nature. Franco manages to imbue his portrayal of Ralston with likeability, resilience, resourcefulness and even humour. Franco's performance is exceptional as he manages to carry the entire film on his own. Often the supporting player, here, Franco is given the chance to be the lead. He has impressed audiences the world over. I am sure that 127 Hours will have had increased audience interest thanks to Boyle's most recent film Slumbog Millionaire having done so well, attracting not only large audiences but also attention at the Oscars of which it won several. Franco's performance is indeed Oscar worthy.
Ralston was trapped for five full days so there is a lot of time for Franco to fill. The film of course is only around 90 minutes long but Ralston is trapped for about 70 minutes so some of the time is taken up by flashbacks to his family life and to friends and his ex-girlfriend, hallucinations of Scooby Doo and fantasies of cold drinks. These moments are full of Boyle's cinematic skill and directorial flair.
The film is well paced (and viewers will be able to appreciate that deleted scenes, although interesting and shedding more light on Ralston as a person were best left on the cutting room floor to aid the speed and flow of the film) and the direction is as you would expect from Boyle both inventive and powerful.
As for special features on the DVD, the deleted scenes, as mentioned, are good but correctly deleted to aid flow of the film. There is a red carpet featurette that includes interviews with director and star. The presenter is irritating but the information conveyed by Franco and Boyle is interesting. I'd have liked more special features. I'd be interested to find out if the blu-ray had any more over that on the DVD. There was also a small amount of footage with the real Aron Ralston, I'd have liked to have seen some more of this. Overall the special features are disappointing but that doesn't detract from the film.
127 Hours is a difficult film to watch. It's enjoyable and inspiring and I'd certainly watch again. Not straight away after seeing it though. Actually after seeing it I thought immediately that I wouldn't want or maybe even be able to watch it again so much of an endurance trial the film itself was. Honestly I felt as though I needed a rest after an hour and a half watching this film. It almost felt like 127 Hours, emotionally at least. But after reflecting on the film for a short while I knew that I'd want to see it again. In fact the same evening I re-visited a few key scenes so taken was I by Franco's performance and Ralston's predicament.
The pain that Ralston feels throughout the film is palpable. Viewers will feel the pain of the amputation of his arm in their gut. Deep down pain. It's not for the squeamish but viewers should try to put aside fears of blood and gore and watch this film anyway. The blood and gore is actually minimal, it's more psychologically affecting.
Franco plays the role of Ralston perfectly. The direction and music are exceptional. 127 Hours is a complete success.
When Kate's (Meg Ryan) fiancé (Timothy Hutton) falls in love with another woman whilst on a trip to Paris, she follows him there (despite her abject fear of flying) in a bid to win him back. On her way, she meets a Frenchman (Kevin Kline) with a mysterious past, setting off a story that will take you in, out and across love, the law, France and maybe even a glass or two of wine!
As rom-coms go, this is a classic. Sweet, funny and immensely feel-good, it ticks all the boxes. Only, it does more than just that. It also has a wonderful soundtrack (including a song sung by one of the stars!), beautiful shots of the French countryside that will have you seriously considering relocation, and excellent acting from the stars right down to even the smallest roles (though with the cast list this has - including Jean Reno - that's not surprising!).
This is a film you won't want to watch once. it will be a movie that you come back to again and again. And trust me (or ask pretty much anyone else who's seen it), this is one that really stands up to repeat viewing. If you've been looking for a rom-com that truly delivers, you can stop now - vous l'avez trouvé!
I remember watching this show as a fairly young child, probably from the age of around five or six, with my Dad. It would have been when they were re-run on UK TV in the early 1980s. I loved Star Trek. The reason that I loved Star Trek then and why I still love it now in all of its wonderful incarnations - whether it's starring Bill Shatner, Patrick Stewart or Scott Bakula - is because it is quite simply some of the finest TV ever made. There is no wonder that it spawned several spin-off shows in the form of Star Trek: The Next Generation (consistently strong in terms of acting, direction and writing), Star Trek: Voyager (started out slowly but gathered momentum as the seasons went on and finished with several very strong seasons), Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (again started out quite slowly but improved as the seasons went by and characters such as Worf were introduced) and Star Trek: Enterprise (too short-lived and in many ways one of the best of the spin-offs, which boasted strong characterisation and some inspired writing). Each of the spin-offs had their own strengths and weaknesses and no doubt slightly different fan-bases but they were without doubt some of the best sci-fi on TV at the time of airing and are certainly well worth collecting on DVD, or Blu-ray where available.
But let's get back to where it all started with Star Trek: The Original Series as it's now called, or as I'll refer to it from now on: Star Trek: TOS. It's strange in many respects to go back and watch all of the 79 original episodes. I'd certainly not seen them all as a child or since. I don't think that they have really had much airtime in the UK since the mid 1980s which is a shame.
Star Trek: TOS was apparently plagued by difficulties due to a lack of faith from the network that created the shows such as a miniscule budget.. that Bill Shatner suggests would "barely pay the catering bill on a TV show these days". But I don't believe it shows. The costumes and sets are far better than similar shows of around the same time such as Dr Who and Space 1999 as are the special effects - even before they were so painstakingly upgraded.
Some of the production problems that plagued Star Trek: TOS now seem totally crazy. The first season of the show was produced by a TV company called Desilu and the final two seasons were produced by Paramount, but neither company really put any weight or money behind the show, they simply didn't believe that the show would do well. Of course a small, but fanatical following - that grew as the years went on and meant that the motion pictures were well received - even after the decline of the original series proved that Star Trek would continue to live on to this day and no doubt for many more years to come. The show aired on the CBS network. The ratings for the first season were not good. However, airing the show at the later time of 8:30-9:30 at night, even on a Friday, was not a good time for younger viewers - who at the time made up a fairly large proportion of the show's audience. The third and final season was aired on the NBC network and the show was moved to 10:00-11:00 at night, once again on a Friday - a slot that was known at the 'death slot' which obviously harmed ratings still further. The most unbelievable factor in this decision to give Star Trek the 'death slot' was the fact that this move was taken in order to make sure that it didn't conflict with a, then highly successful show, by the name of Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In. The point being that have you ever even heard of that show? Did that show stand the test of time? But Star Trek suffered because of silly decisions like that.
Further nails in the Star Trek TV show's coffin were NBC reducing Star Trek's already small budget, which sadly affected the quality of many episodes for third season. These budget cuts would later be described by members of the cast as "intentional efforts to kill off Star Trek". The third season production budget was ten percent lower than it had been for the first season and thus Star Trek's demise became a self-fulfilling prophecy. It was a sad end for the show. Of course several years later there was an animated version of Star Trek: TOS, featuring the voices of the cast and of course, as we know, by the early 1980s the show found new life in re-runs and a number of motion pictures, so all was not lost for Kirk and his crew.
The restoration work that has been done on the transfer to bring it up to as close to the very best HD possible is nothing less than exceptional. It's clear that the prints have been looked at in a meticulous manner and worked on tirelessly to clean them up and remove imperfections. But I'm not surprised as Star Trek: TOS is owned by the CBS Network - the network that did the fantastic restoration job on The Twilight Zone series.
The work done on Star Trek: TOS to bring the show to Blu-ray is very impressive. It's been entirely digitally re-mastered with the original camera negatives that were originally shot being used. The transfers for each and every episode were scanned into a computer and turned from print to digital and then cleaned of dirt, tears, scratches, stains and other imperfections. The contrast and colour were then also greatly enhanced and the end result looks brilliant.
What is perhaps even more impressive is the beautifully rendered and perfectly conceived new exterior special effects shots. What am I talking about? Well if you take a show such as Star Trek: TOS and clean it up and bring it up to HD standard then you are likely to find that (even if they too are cleaned up) that the original special effects shots from the late 1960s (whilst ground-breaking at the time of production) are now unfortunately, but inevitably, going to look a bit shoddy by comparison. So what do you do? You re-imagine all of the exterior shots of the Enterprise, be it warping through space or orbiting a planet, they all have to be re-drawn. Of course with new computer generated images it would have been simple for the team to have made the space sequences looks top-notch - as good as anything you might see in a film today. But therein lies another problem the latest CGI shots would conversely look too good. But it was a problem that the graphic designers at Paramount had the perfect answer for. An inspired decision was made by the Visual Effects team Denise and Michael Okuda, Dave Rossi and Neil Wray - to upgrade the exterior shots.
It's clear that the team spent a great deal of time deciding what to do. They were careful to respect the original material and to consider what the artists back in the 1960s would have done if they could have done it. So they improved the effects shots to a level that they perceived that the makers of the show would have wanted, or envisaged, back in the late 1960s if they had at the time and the technology to create it.
The end result is simply perfect. The shots look fantastic and most importantly they are not incongruous with the rest of the show. Planets that were once merely a swirl of red, blue, or white now have the added detail of landmasses, oceans and even mountains, icecaps and weather systems. The Enterprise herself is unchanged in shape and design but is rendered in exquisite HD detail. There are also some exciting little changes and additions to look out for: the blink of the Gorn's eyes in 'Arena' the extra detail of the outpost in the opening of 'The Naked Time', the Enterprise deploying satellites, from hitherto unknown bomb-bay doors, in 'Operation - Annihilate!' or the increased levels of dimension and detail of the glowing coloured space buoy cube, or the Fesarius spaceship, in The Corbomite Maneuver. And if you're looking to be simply blown away by the new special effects shots - be sure to check out 'The Doomsday Machine' - it's jaw-droppingly good.
Anyone wanting to watch the show as it was originally filmed needn't worry as every episode is available in its original format as well as with the upgraded effects - both are in HD and you can even switch seamlessly between options mid-episode to compare and contrast, at the touch of a button.
Also upgraded is the entire sound mix, now in DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 surround sound, you'll be able to hear the hum of the Enterprise engines in the rear speakers, the sound of phaser-fire pinging around the front speakers and crystal clear dialogue coming from the central speaker, as explosions rumble through the subwoofer. It's a full on Star Trek experience and it sounds amazing.
Naturally the team updating the show also saw this as a chance to update the theme music as well as naturally musical recording techniques have improved considerably over the years. The Star Trek theme tune was originally composed by Alexander Courage and here it is beautifully upgraded. The theme music has been entirely re-recorded, using the same instruments, voicings and arrangements and of course a soprano, by contemporary conductor Greg Smith instructing an orchestra of 29 players. Many of the players have played on contemporary Star Trek spin-offs so it was believed they had a vested interest in Star Trek's success and they've done a great job.
Star Trek: The Original Series stands the test of time and it now looks better than ever, and indeed how many people involved with the show believe it should always have looked - technology permitting. It's a truly special show that will live on for many years in the hearts and minds of its legions of fans across the world. Star Trek had some excellent science-fiction writers such as Robert Bloch (who wrote Psycho), Harlan Ellison, and Theodore Sturgeon. In the 1960s and 1970s perhaps space travel on a starship such as the Enterprise seemed fairly likely, not so much science-fiction but science-almost-fact. I believe for viewers in the late 1960s it must have seemed within reaching distance by the end of the 20th century. Of course here we are in 2011 and not much further in terms of distance covered of exploring space, so the stories are still science fiction, which is perhaps why the stories have so far been timeless. Having said that I do believe that Star Trek will live on throughout the 21st century as but a mere moment captured in time when one man - Gene Roddenberry - captured the imagination of so many and created Star Trek.
I have a lot of affection for this show. I genuinely believe that this re-mastered release of Star Trek: TOS in HD on Blu-ray is a real gem and that it is well worth your time and money. I love it and I hope that I've been able to express my love of this series in this review and convey to you just how good I think it is in terms of writing, direction, acting and now image and sound quality as well.
Space: The final frontier. These are the voyages of the Starship, Enterprise, its five year mission to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations, to boldly go where no man has gone before.
This awesome boxset contains all of the 79 episodes of Star Trek: The Original Series - the classic science fiction series created by Gene Roddenberry. Each episode plus selected special features is presented in high-definition for the first time ever.
This was such a boring movie it was so pointless and it actually put me to sleep DON'T WASTE YOUR MONEY!!!!!!
The Walking Dead is, for once, everything you could hope for from a horror television series. There have been attempts at bringing horror to TV in weekly installments over recent years with both Masters Of Horror and Fear Itself, but neither set the world alight. They only exist in DVD form now, which shows how unsuccessful they really were. So it was always going to be a risk adapting the best-selling comic book series from Robert Kirkman, one that had a mixture of violent zombie action and risque comedic moments, but somehow it has worked.
The tragically short first season - only 6 episodes - was a hit right from the start, resulting in the network (AMC) renewing it for a second season of 13 episodes. So you can jump into this series knowing there WILL be more, unlike some other shows where you're just left hanging without answers. There's certainly a lot of source material to base the show on, but Frank Darabont and his team of writers are coming up with their own storylines too. So yes, for fans of the comics there are a lot of the same scenes, but with a television twist added on. You don't have to read the original material to follow the show.
Andrew Lincoln (an English actor, familiar from Teachers and This Life) is perfectly cast as the former sheriff's deputy from Georgia, Rick Grimes, leading a group of survivors through various situations. His main motivation is his wife (Sarah Wayne Callies - Prison Break) and son, not knowing where they are and searching to see if they are still alive. This motivation gives Grimes a far more human and down-to-earth feeling than many TV characters that are unbelievable. You really root for him, sympathise with him, and almost step into his shoes and wonder how you'd deal with the situation at hand. After all, The Walking Dead isn't a 90 minute movie where everything is wrapped up quickly. This is a series where we live the moments the characters live. It drags at times, and other times you wish time would slow down. There's a huge realism to the show that makes it a cut above the rest.
The supporting cast is made up of many familiar faces - from Jon Bernthal (The Pacific) as Grimes' best friend Shane, to Laurie Holden (X-Files, Silent Hill and The Mist again with Frank Darabont) as one of the main group of survivors. The casting is exceptional all over, from close families to loners, every one as believable as the next. Even random characters like Merle Dixon (played by Michael Rooker in a memorable role) stand out even if they are only in the show for a short time. But the key is not only the casting, but keeping it quite small. Beyond a couple of groups of survivors, we don't get a huge grasp on how widespread the zombie problem is. Yes, we understand the seriousness, but there's a somewhat claustrophobic nature to the show because of the smaller focus on individuals. They take a global problem and make it more personal, and for me that is the key to the show's success.
Darabont has a fantastic grip on realism - from the zombies themselves, which are not only scary but strangely humane too, to the relationships between both family and strangers. They develop quickly because they have to. Survival depends on it, and it's soon established that anyone will do anything to survive. And that's why The Walking Dead works so well - it's not just a horror series, but one that has the opportunity to develop character, which is something many horrors simply do not do. You don't care who dies because there's no connection, but in this series we feel for them. The characters are different enough to keep the episodes interesting too - some are still selfish, funny, worried, and the whole range of emotions you would expect to feel in a crisis. It's almost about trying to live as normal a life as they can in the middle of such madness.
As I mentioned before, the visuals are top notch with the zombie makeup being amongst the best I've ever seen. And they use a whole range of looks considering how many zombies they have in the show. The locations range from tight closet spaces to more spacious grounds to try and establish the small-town feeling alongside the wider problem. On Blu-ray, this show looks as sharp as anything on TV in 2011, and ranks amongst the best. And you can't underestimate the power of the score, created by Battlestar Galactica veteran Bear McCreary, who gives the show a truly sinister undertone. I can't wait to see what the writers, cast and crew come up with in the second season. This is one of the best shows in the last 10 years, and a must see for any genre fan.
A comic adaptation with a TV twist.
When you hear the name of this movie you may think it something rude but do not let that deter you from this great movie. The name actually comes from the phrase "What's The Story, Morning Glory". This movie has some great actor's and actresses in it from Rachel McAdams, who has been in some great comedies, one of which is Mean Girls which is just as clever and witty as this film. Other stars in the film such as Diane Keaton and Harrison Ford put on a floorless performance which really helps boost the film. The story line itself is good and the little pockets of laugh out loud comedy only add to the film in a great way. This film also helps you when you watch it because if like the main character Becky you are a workaholic it can show you that this is not the only way.
From the time he first burst onto our screen's Matt Smith WAS the Doctor. And, oh my, how wonderful he did it! Assisted by the glorious Amy and her equally fantastic partner Rory this series weaved humour, excitement and complex Moffat-esque story lines! Each week I was questioning what's happening? What does THAT mean?!
"The Eleventh Hour" was an introductory romp and put to rest all my worries about the new series. Fun fast and furious - and you got to se all the previous Doctors!
"The Beast Below" was a very good story with some heart-achingly sad bits and some strong anger-acting from Matt Smith! This IS the same Doctor we've all known and loved! Much creepiness in this episode meant, I'm sure, that many kids (and adults!) headed for behind the sofa!
"Victory of the Daleks" wasn't the best Dalek story ever and the Dalek redesign did leave a lot of people divided - lots loved it - lots HATED it! However, ignoring that it was a Dalek story, the actual story overall was fun and there was a fine Winston Churchill performance within. Amy once more came into her own near the end of the episode. What a great actor Karen Gillan is!
The two-parter "The Time of Angels" & "Flesh and Stone" was a good story but nowhere near the same class as the previous "Blink". That partiuclar story would be very hard for any story to reach! However it worked really well, the angels were still as creepy as ever - more so when the unexpected angels were revealed! It was also nice to have River Song back - I won't reveal "spoliers" here though!
"The Vampires of Venice" didn't stand out for me - I think It was enjoyable at the time but not one I can really recall now!
"Amy's Choice" however was a much better story - a possible death for a character and just who IS the Doctor's nemesis "The Dream Lord". A great, well acted and fully-realised character. He seemed really spiteful towards the Doctor! And which is the real world!? A really creepy, well executed story and a real moment to show what Rory really means to Amy.
The two-parter "The Hungry Earth" & "Cold Blood" was okay but didn't really grab me. I think it was too muddling to know if these were the same under the earth creatures the Doctor had met before or not. The costumes were really good and the "Silurians" themselves were well played. The end was really sad though and, not to give too much away, I really thought it was the end of a major character.
"Vincent and the Doctor" was a genius story - Richard Curtis did us proud with the writing on this one. The man who played Van Gogh was superb. He brought such torment and pathos to the character, it was tragic and, though we knew they couldn't change Vincent's outcome, the end with him finding out what his paintings meant to the world was beautifully done.
"The Lodger" - Comedy genius! After the previous, quite sad tale, this was a much more fun story! James Corden was brilliant as the put-upon guy sharing a flat with the Doctor - a popular, fun man (with a previously unknown skill in Football!). I hear he's coming back into the new series which will be great as James made a great addition to the cast! The rest of the story had it's darker moments - the upstairs was quite creepy and it was sad what happened to the James' character's potential future gal.
Finally the finale! "The Pandorica Opens"/"The Big Bang" - Mr. Moffatt Sir! You are off your mind!!! This was absolutely bonkers. So much happened in these two episodes that I can't even try to review them - you need to watch them yourselves, go "What"?! and then watch them again!!! A lot gets tied up nicely and in a spectacular way (you even get a stone Dalek!) but there are still questions to be answered.....! So, roll on Series 7 and keep up the mind boggling work Mr. Moffat!!
M.J. Fouldes
This box set contains the first 3 in the Spy Kids series of family action adventure films featuring two children, Carmen (Alexa Vega) and Juni (Daryl Sabara), whose parents Gregorio and Ingrid Cortez (Antonio Banderas and Carla Gugino) and other family members are spies.
Spy Kids - The parents are kidnapped by Fegan Floop (the host of a children's show) but the kids' inherited, intuitive talent for espionage automatically kicks in and they heroically come to their parents rescue.
Spy Kids 2 - Now firmly established as genuine spies at the top of the OSS kids division, the kids take on Gary and Gerti, another brother and sister spy partnership, as they battle to save the world against a mad scientist and his bizarre range of genetically modified creatures on the Island of Lost Dreams. Their job is made even more difficult as none of their gadgets are able to work on the island.
Spy Kids 3 - a wicked toymaker (Sylvester Stallone) captures Carmen in a virtual reality 3D videogame designed to control the minds of anyone who plays it. Juni transports himself inside the game and, along with his Grandfather and other OSS agents, has to solve puzzles, face dangerous challenges and overcome vicious monsters in order to ascend through the levels of the game so he can disable it, rescue his sister and ultimately save the world.
The Spy Kids films were directed by Robert Rodriguez.
Verdict
The highest compliment that I can give to Black Swan is that it's unforgettable. No movie in quite some time has stuck with me like Darren Aronofsky's tortured tale of dance and death. Like his earlier movie Requiem For A Dream, or even going back further to Stanley Kubrick's A Clockwork Orange, Black Swan managed to pierce the heart of the viewer and steal your thoughts for many a sleepless night afterwards.
On the surface a simple tale, Black Swan presents Nina, a ballerina looking to triumph in the ever-popular Swan Lake production, a quintessential highlight of the dance season. But delve deeper as Aronofsky does, and the tale becomes less about the dance itself, and more about the human psyche. Ambition becomes torment, and dedication becomes danger, with Nina spiralling out of control unable to cope with the pressures of home and work. The audience gets lost in a maze of confusion, not knowing what to see as truth or fiction, much like the central character herself. We see glimpses of the unthinkable, yet maybe they're real. The director does a fantastic job of blending all realities, whether it's our own or Nina's, so we go along for the ride completely oblivious to the truth. Maybe that's why it has stuck with me for so long - I still find myself questioning what really happened and what didn't, and that's a testament to the writers and the director.
Natalie Portman, in an Oscar-winning performance, delivers an exceptionally polished act to the point where you truly believe she's a professional ballerina. Portman brings a believability to the role in every area - dedication, passion, innocence and a tragic mental breakdown that drives the story to a memorable end. She steals every scene she is in, managing to draw sympathy from the audience as she pushes herself too far to obtain her dream. That sympathy is mixed with fear, as we recognise what is happening to her, and almost wish we could stop it. There's a tragic happiness to her achievements, seeing her on the dual path to fulfilment and self-destruction. Pushed by her director Thomas Leroy (played to a confusingly creepy degree by Vincent Cassel), Nina wants to play both the Black Swan AND the White Swan, a mixture of darkness and light.
A new dancer, Lily (Mila Kunis), joins the company and optimizes the Black Swan and represents the biggest threat to Nina's dream of both roles. Their mixture of friendship and rivalry is as complicated as Nina's clear psychological issues. She struggles with not only the pressure from the director and her rival, but the supportive yet dominating mother (Barbara Hershey) she has at home. The realism of a parent who wants you to do well is all too close to home, especially the feeling of never wanting to disappoint them. Nina cracks under this pressure, and Aronofsky captures this perfectly.
Without giving away the ending, it's both perfect and tragic in equal measures. The reflection of Swan Lake echoed in Black Swan's story is so accomplished and exact that it could almost convince any audience member to go and see ballet. Amongst all the creepyness and disgust, there's a clear professionalism and dedication that is completely admirable. Aronofsky has stated this is somewhat of a companion piece to his earlier movie The Wrestler, and I certainly believe that also has the same qualities of showing a talent many may never have seen before. Black Swan made me feel many emotions, as any good movie should do, but in the end it was memorable - just like any ballerina wants to be.
The transfer to Blu-ray disc is flawless, capturing the visual flair and creative costumes to a stunning degree. Clint Mansell's soundtrack, as with many of his works, fits perfectly with every moment. He delivers sombre when he needs to envoke sadness, and captures a frenzy as Nina spirals out of control. Mixed with Tchaikovsky's familiar pieces from Swan Lake, the score only emphasises every emotion we're made to feel. Watch the movie in a dark room by yourself and you'll soon be on the edge of your seat. A psychological thriller at heart, Black Swan packs a punch and follows up with numerous other hits when you least expect them. Portman puts in the performance of a lifetime, and Aronofsky proves once again why he's one of the most-wanted directors in the industry today. The movie earned a well deserved nomination for Best Picture at the Academy Awards, but as we learn in the story itself, it's not always winning that is the most important thing. Sometimes you can go too far.
A dark and disturbing tale of following your dreams.
Tangled is Walt Disney's 50th 'animated classic,' putting it alongside movies such as Snow White and Sleeping Beauty, through The Lion King and Aladdin, and right up to date with The Princess and the Frog. As with many of Disney's most successful animated features, Tangled is loosely based on a fairy tale - this time it's Rapunzel by the Brothers Grimm. First published in 1812, Rapunzel has stood the test of time, and is still read to children to this day.
For me, Tangled is another step towards a return to form for Disney. They had some difficult times in the early 2000s with very forgettable movies like Treasure Planet, Brother Bear and Home on the Range. These movies not only failed to set the world alight, but never cemented their place in Disney history either. No characters were strong enough to stand side by side with Mickey and the gang at any of the various Disney resorts, and children simply reverted to earlier Disney classics and ignored the modern attempts. It has been a tough few years for Disney, often fading into Pixar's shadow as the technology moves beyond hand-drawn animation and into CGI. However, Pixar always understood that the storyline was what mattered, and that's the Disney influence.
It's no surprise that Disney have been able to deliver two strong movies on the go. There is no better studio out there once they hit their stride. Tangled features all the hallmarks of a traditional high-profile Disney release - a likeable hero and heroine, crazy animals, a humorous yet threatening villain, and a soundtrack that sticks in your head for weeks afterwards. After all, "I See the Light" was nominated at the 83rd Academy Awards! The voice cast is a who's who of modern stars (Mandy Moore, Zachary Levi) mixed with familiar stalwarts of film and TV (Brad Garrett, Ron Perlman, and even Jaws from James Bond himself, Richard Kiel!). It's definitely one of those movies that will drive you crazy with 'I recognise that voice!' moments, and they all do a fantastic job as you would expect with any Disney movie.
The storyline is as you would expect - Rapunzel (Moore) is living in a tower, she often wants to go and see the outside world but isn't allowed, and of course her famous magical golden hair is the catalyst for a calamity-filled adventure of self discovery. There are some of the funniest, sweetest, and most heartbreaking moments of any movie in recent years. When Disney hit the nail on the head, they really do it well. I feel they have really got the mix right this time between technology and storyline, as Tangled looks superb but also stands up script-wise. These are characters that mean something, that pull you in and make you forget that they are animated. Much like the depth of the recent Toy Story 3, Tangled shows that animation isn't a medium that lacks in emotion. Rather, no matter what you see before you, if the acting is good then it works. I can only imagine it's even tougher to deliver just through voice, but the cast are fantastic.
Having seen this on Blu-ray I can highly recommend this over the DVD version. I don't believe the movie needs 3D, although there is a separate release if that's your thing. But definitely purchase the Blu-ray because Tangled will never look better. Disney are by far the best studio for delivering on Blu-ray releases in terms of visual quality. I've been amazed by restoration on the older classics, and they don't let their newer releases pass them by either. Any Disney fan can proudly let Tangled sit as part of their 'animated classics' collection next to the older releases. It is deserving of its place, far more than other modern releases.
Bonus features are enjoyable but not too heavy - the Classics Countdown is worth watching just to be reminded of how wonderful Disney's output has been over the years, and the Deleted Scenes are entertaining yet are clear as to why they were not included in the final movie. We also get a Making Of, Extended Songs, and more so there is a good variety for all the family. And in the end, that's what this movie provides - strong family entertainment. It's an emotional rollercoaster that will leave you laughing and crying in the same moment. Tangled is not only one of the best Disney movies but one of the best from any studio in recent years. Any movie fan should enjoy this on many levels, and it really stands up to multiple viewings.
A movie worthy of the Disney legacy.
Let's wind back to 1996, because this story only works at that particular time as it is a story about a young salesman that sells the new sex-drug Viagra.
Jamie (Jake Gyllenhaal) works at an electronics store. He has sex with the manager's girlfriend and gets sacked. Rightly so - it was at work! But the job was well beneath him, he's a super salesman and it's a good set up to the film. Jamie's brother Josh (Josh Gad) is able to set him up with a new job as a sales representative with pharmaceutical giant Pfizer.
His new boss is Bruce (Oliver Platt). Fortunately for the audience Jake doesn't try to have sex with Bruce, or Bruce's girlfriend, but only because he probably doesn't have a girlfriend, I forget. His job is to sell Zoloft and Zithromax to doctors as an alternative to Prozac. One day when he is trying to sell Zoloft to a particularly difficult Doctor Jamie meets one of patients, a girl by the name of Maggie Murdock (Anne Hathaway). Of course Maggie is very attractive so Jake takes the opportunity to hit on her and maybe find a way to get to the doctor that he is trying to sell drug to via her.
Maggie has a fairly rare case of early onset Parkinson's disease. Jamie and Maggie start to have lots of sex. It's not quite as exciting or titillating as it sounds but it passes the time. Jake discovers Viagra and begins to sex that to doctors instead and is much more successful. Jamie and Maggie begin to have a proper relationship but of course this is hampered by her illness and her decision not to fall in love.
Gyllenhaal, taking a side-step away from action flicks like Prince of Persia produces a strong performance here. I'd much rather see him in more cerebral films such as this one than action films. I believe that Gyllenhaal is far better suited to thoughtful films where he has to actually act and performance genuine dialogue than blockbuster junk where he has to shout, run and fight a lot. Not to say that Prince of Persia was awful but it wasn't exactly Oscar-worthy in terms of script and acting. Of course if we are talking about Oscar-worthy performances we need to look no further than the lovely Miss Hathaway. She's beautiful and she can really act, it's a great combination and whilst I thought that Rachel Getting Married was complete junk her performance in that film was exceptional. not that I'd ever watch it again. just how boring was that film? Anyway here she produces another Oscar-worthy performance. She is excellent.
The direction too is very good. It's clear that director Edward Zwick has directed his lead actors here with a fine touch allowing them the flexibility to riff on his own screenplay as well as spark off one another in a very real and genuine way. It really helps to produce a believable and likeable film that has moments of both levity and sadness which also allows Gyllenhaal and Hathaway to really stretch their acting skills and show us what they have to offer as performers.
I saw Love and Other Drugs at the cinema on the week of its release. The attraction of seeing of Gyllenhaal and Hathaway perform together was enough for me to buy a ticket. That said for whatever reason I do not think that Love and Other Drugs will end up being known as a great film, or one that is universally loved. I think it should be held up as an example of excellent film making and acting but I'm not sure enough people saw it and connecting with what it had to say. I understand that it did well at the cinema turning over three times its own budget in revenue and I'm sure it'll do very well on Blu-ray and DVD but it's just not been a film that I've heard or read much about. I don't think that it developed much buzz within the industry or with the cinema-going public. This is a great shame as it's a film that anyone could enjoy and which is worthy of your time. Those that do find it will find a gem of a film with exceptional performances. I whole-heartedly recommend it.
Superb in every way, shape, and form!
This new edition of the Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy released on Blu-Ray has a visually stunning picture, enhanced for the upgraded format to make it look impressively beautiful.
Never have the three films looked so good in your own home! It's like being at the cinema.
Each film is just brilliant. They are all so very well written, and have such a wide appeal to audiences of all ages; they're appropriate for children, but just as good fun to watch for the adults in the family too. And because it's a trilogy, it means that the fun doesn't stop when the first film's over!
With the fourth film having just come out in the cinema, it's the perfect time to pick yourself up a copy of this trilogy, refresh your memory of the first three films, and then go and watch the latest, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, and fall in love with that one as well!
Captain Jack Sparrow is such an excellent character, and Johnny Depp plays him magnificently; Depp's sheer brilliance in his performances across all three films is maintained at the highest level, typical of Depp's incredibly impressive talents as an actor. There isn't a single moment in all three films that isn't excellent, and that I don't love. They're just fantastic!
If there is a theme running through David Fincher's films, it is characters that put a lot of effort into incredibly inventive ways of being lazy and actively avoiding responsibility, supported by a sensational event that lets them off the hook. While no-one could judge Brad Pitt's dreadful dilemma in Se7en, you could accuse the script of a naïve contrivance in trying to be profound. But I still loved it, and it's one of my favourite films. Fight Club isn't a favourite though, featuring a guy who is basically a depressed terrorist who wishes he had a terminal illness, just so people would feel sorry for him. And don't get me started on the shameless and deplorable Benjamin Button! It seems all that film could tell us was that growing backwards is the best excuse for sleeping around and abandoning your family!
However, all of this supports the fact that Mark Zuckerberg was born to be the perfect Fincher lead character, with the ultimate justification that his story is true. Well. a bit. It's the fascinating tale of how Facebook came into being and yes, I did just use the word "fascinating" for a film featuring a social networking site. Maybe you love Facebook (sorry, 'Like' it), or hate it. Perhaps you're just bemused by the whole strange affair. This film is for everyone, because it isn't actually about Facebook; it's about how our unique time and generation could allow Facebook to exist and, in the process, make kids into billionaires. It's a scary world out there for business men who tend to think you have to build your fortune up over, you know, a decade or two of hard work. Not a half-baked idea during a drunken stupor while at college. Just what was Mark and his (few) friends actually studying there anyway?
Like any college movie about students' extra-curricular activities, we never actually find out what their aspirations were outside of college. And let's be clear now, Mark went to posh college (Harvard) so he came from money and there must have been a plan for his future. But Mark is a David Fincher character, so not actually having to be responsible enough to complete the course is ideal. The fact he destroys his only friendship in a bitter court battle over the creative rights of Facebook is perfect. And that he is actually anti-social (ironic), bitter, fragile and most likely an exploited victim (also ironic) is the final sublime touch The Social Network needed to be one of the best films of the decade.
David Fincher has crafted a superlative film. The sense of time and place, something I felt was missing from Zodiac, is absolutely tangible here. Fincher's regular cinematographer Jeff Cronenweth uses a beautiful Autumnal palette, especially in the Harvard scenes, that gives the film a real identity. Trent Raznor's audacious and brilliant score completes a sombre, but lively mood that never wavers throughout a running time that flies by. It's very entertaining, even though you might assume it to be a dry subject.
It won't surprise fans of Aaron Sorkin's West Wing that his adapted screenplay crackles with great dialogue and he has deserved all the plaudits. What really impressed me though is the structure. While it flows smoothly, it confidently frames the story within the legal hearings. So often, historical films seem to free-wheel without an obvious end-point, but here, the narrative can be felt ticking away in the background. The other notable element is that Mark Zuckerberg is a lead character with no arc, without a sense of his own destiny or purpose, even. It's a story built around the people nearest to him and how they react to his invention (this particular films staple sensational event). I say "his invention", but it's a bit more complicated than that! Whatever you think of the situation, the final shot could not be more perfect and ends the film on a memorable and lasting note that speaks directly to everyone that ever logged onto Facebook.
Jesse Eisenberg is excellent as Mark, making an unlikeable man oddly likeable. His relentless performance anchors the film, but its heart is his aggrieved friend, Eduardo Saverin, played by Andrew Garfield. He is a superb actor and it's his integrity and underlying humour that you will identify with. It's their awkward friendship, invaded by Justin Timberlake's enigmatic Napster has-been Sean Parker, which is the real meat of the story. Armie Hammer, with help from body double Josh Pence, is brilliant in the demanding role of both Winklevoss twins. He does particularly well, because the twins don't have the personal connection to Mark that Eduardo does, so it's almost another film, folded seamlessly within the plot.
The whip-smart production filters through to the stunning Blu-Ray, which even has a menu that feels like an extension of the film. Sound and video quality are as good as anything I've seen on the format. You wouldn't think a film such as this was demo quality, but it really is as it has a very rich environment of audio, while the video loses none of its depth. It feels like a very natural film, which is all the more astonishing when you see the thorough documentary showing Fincher using dozens of takes to meticulously build each scene. His characters might be irresponsible layabouts, but their director is a committed craftsman with a relentless attention to detail. Many reviews claimed this to actually be Aaron Sorkin's film. His involvement was constant, but it is absolutely a David Fincher production and he should have been recognised by the Academy for it.
How much of this story is actually true is not important. Some of the facts speak for themselves, but otherwise, it's a document of and for our time. It could be David Fincher's best film; it is certainly his most important and should be embraced. You can put that on your 'Wall'!
Probably the best Disney has done to date. There's so much for everyone in the family. The funniest characters are Maximus the horse and pascal the chameleon. The kids haven't stopped watching it even though they saw it at the cinema. Brilliant!
Tangled - Disney's version of Rapunzel
Despicable Me is quite possibly the best children's film to come out in a long time.
I took my kids to see it in the cinema when it came out last year, and they both loved it. One is seven, the other is sixteen, and that it appealed to both of them, and to me as an adult, I think is really quite impressive. A lot of films these days made for children tend not to have much appeal to parents, which I think is a real shame. Despicable Me, on the other hand, is an excellent film that seems to have a really broad audience age range, and is one of those few brilliant films able to transcend all ages.
The actors in the film were absolutely perfectly cast for the voices of the characters they play. Steve Carell takes the lead role of Gru, a not-so-evil genius whose grand scheming to become a feared villain never quite comes to fruition. He then finds that in order to succeed, he must adopt three of the most adorable children to have ever existed in animation, particularly the youngest, Agnes.
Despicable Me is just a lot of fun for all the family - parents and kids alike. It's got a lot of laughs in it, but a lot of heart as well, and I think that the combination of the two helps it appeal to everyone. And it of course doesn't hurt that Gru has a team of little minions that, like the adopted children, are incredibly lovable. If you've got kids that haven't yet seen this film, I think there's an almost certain chance that they'd love to see it and would enjoy it right the way through. I know that mine did, and I know that I did.
This site uses cookies.
More details in our privacy policy