I haven't gone away!

Hi, all! It's been a while. If you've been kind enough to keep up with this blog, you'll have noticed that it's been several months since I last posted some film ramblings. And for that, I apologise. Also, I'd like to reassure you that I haven't stopped with writing completely, I've just been struggling to find the time to post quite so regularly, given that I'm now already nearly halfway through my first year at university. Scary, yes. But awesome? Absolutely. I'd forgotten how much I'd missed studying Film. Obviously, it's quite different to how I'd studied it previously at school, but that prior knowledge I already had when I started here has really helped and has made me feel better prepared when it comes to assignments etc. It's not easy by any means, but to sit and have interesting in depth conversations with other people who share your love of Film, and to discover new films and share opinions and recommendations really makes it feel not like work at all sometimes. So to anyone considering a film degree, or even maybe just any degree, I'd say go for it. There's still this unfortunate idea circling the subject of Film that questions how academic it is, and what career it could possibly lead to. As a Film student obviously I'd argue wholeheartedly that Film is an academic subject - which I don't wish to get into now - but it has lead me to believe that, whatever degree you choose, you should just quite simply do what you love. After all, if I'm going to be involved with it for the next four years and investing a pretty large sum of money into it, why shouldn't I be studying a subject I adore rather than something that I hate but will get me a great job at the end? I'd rather worry about that later.

So, on a final note; I'm not disappearing from the blog at all, but I've explained as to why it's not been easy for me to post as much as I would've liked. But, being busy studying Film (and French!) is a pretty good excuse, I reckon...

Georgie

Films to be excited about...

Hi there, it's been a while! I've seen quite a few awesome films in the last several months, but so much has been going on that I've been unable to post much. Anyway, before I head on over to my local Odeon and catch some of this Summer's best films, I thought I'd chat a little about what I'm hoping to see...

The Inbetweeners 2 (dir. Iain Morris/Damon Beesley)

Okay, I am seriously beyond excited to see this film. I loved the original E4 television series and enjoyed the 1st film just as much, so I'm expecting big things from the sequel. Written and directed by the show's co-creators Morris and Beesley, this time we join the boys Down Under as Neil, Will and Simon go to stay with Jay on his gap year. But, if the boys' last adventure in Malia is anything to go by, obviously many cringey yet hilarious antics will occur. More often than not, sequels can be a bitter disappointment, but one watch of the film's trailer reassured me that this will not be the case for The Inbetweeners 2 - I can't wait to see it. Out August 6th.

Hector and the Search for Happiness (dir. Peter Chelsom)

Next on my list is a film that looks just as cute and feel good as the title. Plus, anything starring the legendary actor that is Simon Pegg gets my vote. Pegg is quirky psychiatrist Hector who, after feeling guilty that his clients do not appear to be getting any happier, heads off on a self-discovery type adventure in order to find out how to be happy. With this beautiful sounding storyline, alongside a stellar cast that also includes Rosamund Pike, Toni Collette and Christopher Plummer, I'm looking forward to getting all happy watching this. Out August 20th. 

What If (dir. Michael Dowse)

My third and final movie that I'm pumped about seeing is romantic comedy What If. And although I know that Daniel Radcliffe will always be Harry Potter to me, he looks promising in this film, playing medical school dropout Wallace who, after deciding to let his love life take a back seat, meets and ends up forming a close friendship with a girl named Chantry. I think this film will prove popular, given the theme of falling for your best friend has no doubt touched the hearts of numerous people. And I've often found a film a lot more enjoyable if you can relate to the characters' stories - not that I haven't seen some stunning work where this isn't the case. But the trailer got me giggling no end, so I'm sure that, along with Hector and the Search for Happiness, it'll be a great film to end the summer with. Out August 20th. 

Georgie

The Railway Man (2013, Jonathan Teplitzky)

Evening, everybody. Tonight’s post focuses on Prisoner of War drama, The Railway Man. It based on the memoirs of the late former British Army officer, Eric Lomax, and the torture he received from the Japanese after the fall of Singapore. Such a sensitive subject required a lot of careful thought on exactly what to say about this film, and I must admit I was struggling with exactly what to write. Anyway, this is what I managed to come up with...

An important message to note from this film, is that war leaves a mark. It is this significant quote that almost summarises what Lomax (Colin Firth) has to endure for the rest of his life. He gets incredibly distressed, frequently needs to be alone, and cannot forget the horrific suffering he endured whilst being forced to work on the Thai-Burma Railway – all for simply building a radio. Firth is, in my opinion, one of the greatest acting talents that Britain has to offer, and his performance in this film certainly lived up to my expectations. I have never seen him play a role poorly or been miscast, and I’m wondering if this could ever happen. Aside from his playing Lomax at his worst state with such sensitivity, the first meeting between Lomax and his wife Patti (Nicole Kidman), is adorably awkward yet sweet, and certainly made me smile.

The film flits between Lomax’s time as a Prisoner of War and the present day, and his younger self is played by Jeremy Irvine (War Horse). I felt that this was a good choice; he almost mirrors Firth in his portrayal of Lomax, which was altogether more realistic. What was also pretty realistic, were the torture scenes. Beware of these; if you don’t have a strong stomach, you may find them a little too much. Personally, scenes of this nature don’t faze me anymore; having seen a range of slightly stomach-churning films in the last few years (Amores Perros, City of God, Taxi Driver, This is England, to name but a few), graphic violence in films doesn’t bother me. Don’t get me wrong, these are utterly compelling works, but perhaps not for the faint-hearted. And the same goes for this film, so take a cushion if you’re not keen on that sort of thing.

Overall, I found this film to be engaging, deep, plus the outcome of the film (which I won’t give away, of course) really restores your faith in humanity. For a film with a subject that wouldn’t normally interest me a huge amount, I certainly enjoyed it – this film should be destined for good things at upcoming awards ceremonies.

Rating: 4 stars – even if war films are not usually your sort of thing, give this film a chance. You may be pleasantly surprised.

 

Georgie

 

 

American Hustle (2013, David O. Russell)

Hello there, film folk! This time of year can only mean one thing in the film world – yes, awards season is upon us once again. Exciting times, right? So, considering that American Hustle is up for several gongs this year (and already snapped up the top prize at the SAG Awards the other weekend), it seemed a pretty good idea to wander down to the cinema and give this film a go. Yes, I’m well aware that other films are also nominated for various awards (12 Years a Slave, for example), but as I discovered the film’s director David O. Russell last year with Silver Linings Playbook (read my review of the film here), I thought it might be fun to compare his previous work. And I certainly wasn’t disappointed.

Based on a true story from the late 1970s, the film follows two top con artists, Irv Rosenfeld (Christian Bale) and Sydney Prosser (Amy Adams), who are forced into working for the government by overly curly haired FBI agent Richie DiMaso (Bradley Cooper) in order to entrap a supposedly corrupt politician. But, as you would expect from Russell, this does not run quite as smoothly as Rosenfeld’s horrific comb over. Irv has a wife, Rosalyn (the ever amazing Jennifer Lawrence, who very deservedly won the Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress for this role), who I felt almost singlehandedly got all the laughs from the audience. She’s very jealous of Sydney – who Irv is hopelessly in love with – and suspicious of his work, which at one point leads him into danger. The other problem is that, really, it’s not just the con artists working to fool everyone; each character appears to be plotting against someone else, whether they love them or hate them, and usually for their own benefit.

What essentially gripped me about this film was the style. The music, the era, and the gravelly-voiced narration from Christian Bale seriously reminded me of Martin Scorsese’s brilliant Taxi Driver; in fact, much of the film had a touch of Scorsese about it. Even his frequent partner in crime Robert De Niro makes an appearance. Perhaps Russell is already following in Scorsese’s footsteps in reuniting with a similar cast (De Niro, Cooper and Lawrence all starred in Silver Linings). Well, if they’re fantastic actors, why change? However, what didn’t win me over so much was the length of this film – yep, it’s long. But in saying that, you have to concentrate pretty hard on the plot to understand it, so I think if many scenes were cut then I would have wound up very confused. That was the only snag, though.

To summarise; I hugely enjoyed this film. It’s fresh, sharp, with a star-studded cast, and definitely what the film world needed to shake things up this awards season.

Rating: 4 stars – if you find yourself with an afternoon to spare, head out to see it!

Georgie

Gravity (2013, Alfonso Cuaron)

Evening, film lovers! This post sees me talking about new space thriller, Gravity. Some may have seen director Alfonso Cuaron's name and thought Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. Others may know him as one of the 'Three Amigos' of cinema, along with other Mexican directors Alejandro González Iñárritu (Amores Perros, 21 Grams) and Guillermo del Toro (Pan's Labyrinth). Whatever you might associate him with, I would never have put Cuaron and anything space related together. However, watching this film has proved them to be a pretty good match. But, after seven years in the making, was it worth the wait? Read on if you're interested...

Gravity ultimately focuses on Dr Ryan Stone (the excellent Sandra Bullock) and Matt Kowalski (George Clooney) and their fight to survive after disaster strikes in space. Up until that happens though, I must admit this film really does capture the complete tranquillity of being in space. I mean, before things get dangerous, it looks so peaceful - and the view of the earth is stunning. Although, Dr Stone's comment about how lack of gravity makes her feel like "a chihuahua being tumble-dried" makes the experience sound slightly less inviting. Also, I was a little sceptical about the film when I discovered that, despite hearing the voices of others, it really does only star Sandra Bullock and George Clooney - a lot like a two man show in the theatre. On the other hand, I've never seen a film quite like it, and I guess that having only two characters not only emphasizes the sheer hugeness of space, but also how dependant you are on one another when things turn disastrous.

 

Another clever element that really brought the film to life, apart from being in 3D, was that several sequences are shot from Bullock's point of view - most notably when she is in danger. This definitely helped to capture the dangerous situation that her character is in and certainly had me as an audience member feeling scared. What's more, Bullock's constant updates concerning her diminishing oxygen levels also had me desperate to find out whether her character was going to make it, and left me eager to discover how the film would end - and if you think that, then you know that you've seen a great film.

 

To finish, Gravity is not normally the sort of film that I'd go for - where space is concerned, Star Wars is usually about as far as I go - but I think it's so important in the world of cinema to get out of your comfort zone and go and see something completely different. You really will surprise yourself at what films you might enjoy. After seeing this, I'd certainly be open to trying more films of this genre!

 

Rating: 4 stars - visually stunning and keeps you on tenterhooks throughout - but perhaps not one for the claustrophobic, though.

 

Georgie

Five Fabulous Films...starring Paris

Hello there, movie lovers. Instead of bringing you a new review in the usual format, I thought it was time to shake things up a bit. So, I decided to give a theme to this latest post (I know, adventurous right? Ha.) Anyway, I happen to be a bit of a Parisienne wannabe - I'd love to live there and it's also one of the most beautiful places I've ever been, and obviously the most stylish - so, today I bring you my ramblings on five fabulous films all set in Paris. They're all quite different, but all deserve a mention. Alors...

 

1) Amelie (2001, Jean-Pierre Jeunet)

Amelie Poulain, a waitress at a Parisian café, discovers through a chain of extraordinary events, that her true vocation in life is to help others find love and happiness. But she soon realizes that this is not as easy as it seems...

A wonderfully quirky film, the most successful French movie of all time and arguably the film that single-handedly catapulted actress Audrey Tautou into stardom. Features various well known places in Paris (such as the Sacre-Coeur, the steps at Montmartre). A good film to shriek "I've been there!" at the screen (anyone else do that?) But yes, it's sweet and innocent and a little bit weird, but that's great, as it would be a bit boring otherwise! Be sure to check it out.

 

And now for something completely different...

 

2) Ratatouille (2007, Brad Bird)

In one of Paris' finest restaurants, Remy, a determined young rat, dreams of becoming a world renowned French chef. But with the help of a young garbage boy with similar ambitions, Linguini, Remy gets closer to achieving his dream through a chain of hilarious events.

Please. Watch. This. Don't let it bother you that this is a kids movie, you really have to see it. Some of my friends can't see the appeal in this film and feel rather beyond Disney, but I absolutely love it. It's sweet, funny, set in Paris - what more can I say? Generally a good all-rounder - go watch!

3) Breathless (Un bout de souffle) (1960, Jean-Luc Godard)
Michel Poiccard, a young criminal who models himself on the film persona of Humphrey Bogart, is on the run in Paris. With nowhere to hide, he calls on his American girlfriend Patricia, a student and aspiring journalist, to help him out. But is Patricia as willing to protect him as she seems?

Now this really is an amazing film. Hailed as the epitome of cinematic cool, it's one of the most influential films of the French New Wave - known as one of the most stylish and important movements in cinema - and thus, helped transform the world of filmmaking. I'm not sure what it is, but there's just something so chic and fresh about this film, despite it being over 50 years old. Definitely one for film geeks, or perhaps if you're keen to learn more about the Nouvelle Vague, then this is certainly a good starting point.

4) Midnight in Paris (2011, Woody Allen)
Gil is a successful Hollywood screenwriter struggling with his first novel whilst on holiday in Paris with his fiancée, Inez. As he starts to fall in love with the city, he also discovers that after midnight, Paris becomes truly magical and could just be the ultimate source of inspiration for his novel.

An interesting romantic comedy which focuses on Paris in the twenties. It also gets my vote for having one of the loveliest openings ever, if you're a big fan of Paris (or a tourist, I suppose). Plus, it stars one of my favourite French actors, Gad Elmaleh, in a role that may be small but still got a giggle out of me. Alongside that, the film features a great cast (Owen Wilson, Rachel McAdams, Marion Cotillard, and Michael Sheen, to name but a few), and Woody Allen's script is a delight.

5) Populaire (2012, Regis Roinsard)
In 1958, Rose Pamphyle, who lives with her widowed father, is destined to marry a son of the local mechanic. However, Rose has other ideas and applies for a job as a secretary to Louis Echard, who runs an insurance agency. Louis discovers that Rose has a talent for typewriting - she can type at an extraordinary speed - and he begins training her to become the fastest typist in the world.

Okay, so technically this isn't actually set entirely in Paris - only part of the film is - but hey, it's a great French film that still needs mentioning. If you're into fashion, the costumes are a real treat and truly capture the trends of the fifties. It's funny too, and the casting choice of the two leads, Deborah Francois and Romain Duris, was certainly a good one. Definitely one worth watching!

Georgie

 

The Way Way Back (2013, Jim Rash & Nat Faxon)

S’up film fans? I don’t actually think I’m cool enough to get away with saying “s’up” – far from it in fact – but The Way Way Back turned out to be such an awesome film I just thought I’d try and join in with the whole cool theme. Anyway, I immediately wanted to see this sunny little movie as soon as I saw the words in the trailer ‘from the studio that brought you Little Miss Sunshine and Juno’. Why? Because, having seen these two films, I knew I could expect it to be brilliantly scripted, quirky, and most likely a favourite among the film fests and probably critics. And, as it just so happens, I was right (and that doesn’t happen very often). So, if you’re after a fresh film that lets you cling to that summery feeling for just a little longer, read on...

Firstly, I know I witter on about openings quite a lot, but this one really helps you to determine a lot about the characters, most notably the adolescent lead, 14 year old Duncan (Liam James). For a while, we just get a black screen, then the stern and rather harsh tones of Duncan’s mother’s boyfriend, Trent (Steve Carell – excellent in this role). At first, Duncan ignores him but, once he responds, you can clearly sense his obvious boredom and intense dislike for Trent (and I don’t think the audience would blame him – he’s a pretty nasty character). Plus, with Duncan’s back to everyone else in the car – everyone else being his mother Pam (Toni Collette) and Trent’s bitchy daughter Steph - this evidently establishes him as an outsider. And a kind of awkward one at that. So anyway, they head off on their summer vacation at Trent’s beach house, or “Spring Break for adults” as it is suggested in the film. But it’s not until Duncan takes a job under the watchful eye of oddball manager Owen (Sam Rockwell) at the local water park that he finally begins to feel at home and, combined with a growing closeness to new neighbour Susanna (AnnaSophia Robb), he slowly develops in confidence.

Some good parts of the film? Look out for Lewis, one of the workers at Water Whizz, as he has some great funny lines. The scene involving cardboard and some interesting dance moves also got a lot of laughs from the audience (me included). But, despite the humour, this film touched upon some darker issues that the family has to deal with which, given the studio’s track record, was expected. Finally, there are a few moments of teenage awkwardness for Duncan but, rather than being just full on cringe-worthy, it was actually a little heart-breaking to see (unless I’m just being overly sympathetic or something - I’m not sure). Oh, and one more thing; throughout the duration of the movie, I genuinely found myself wondering how it would end (I won’t say how it does actually end though, as not everyone likes spoilers!) But to sum up, a great indie film with some truly loveable characters, that provides a fresh concept about coming of age.

Rating: 4.5 stars – not a major Hollywood blockbuster, but still hugely entertaining and unlike anything I’ve seen before. Go see it!

Georgie

 

Monstres Academy (2013, Dan Scanlon)

Hello everyone! Brace yourselves Mike and Sully fans, as this post reviews Pixar’s latest release that’s got everyone buzzing. Yep, you guessed it; I’m talking about Monsters University. There’s just one snag – I watched the French version, Monstres Academy. Now, if you’re sat there thinking ‘but surely she understood what was going on? It’ll have had subtitles, right?’ Wrong! “Non, pas de soutitres”, the lady at the ticket counter said - it was entirely in French. Well, considering I’ve just done an A Level in that very subject, I decided to give it a go nonetheless – and I’m glad I did, and not just because French cinema seats are really comfy. Read on if you’re still interested...

Now the thing I love about Pixar, is the short film that we’re always treated to beforehand. I don’t know if the English screenings featured the same short film - if not, be sure to head to YouTube and watch Le Parapluie bleu, as it’s actually adorable. Anyway, back to the film I’m supposed to be wittering on about; we meet a very young and super cute Mike Wazowski (but le Francais call him ‘Bob Razowski’) who, after a school trip to Monsters Inc, becomes determined to get to Monsters University (or Monstres Academy). Once there, we see some familiar faces, such as Randall – who is Mike/Bob’s roommate – but most notably Sully, or ‘Jacques Sullivent’. But rather than become besties as seen in Monsters Inc, the two quickly become rivals. However, a series of events cause them to form a team, along with some other monsters, and take part in the University Scare Games. And that’s as much of the plot that I’m going to give away.

Despite the slight language barrier, I genuinely enjoyed this film. Of course, if my French was better I would’ve understood everything and thus laughed at all the jokes, but hey, I got what was going on most of the time, so don’t be put off by a film just because it’s in a language that you’re not an expert in. Oh, and watch out for Roz at the end of the film – she’s just as bad tempered, and funny, as ever. I’ve no doubt that I would’ve laughed more at the English version – but for all you French speakers out there, definitely give this one a go!

Rating: 4 stars – plenty of giggles to be had, and lets you relive the fun of Monsters Inc all over again. Go see it!

Georgie

Now You See Me (2013, Louis Leterrier)

Hello everyone – I feel so organised getting posting again so soon. Let’s hope I can make it last! Anyway, if you fancy hearing my views on Leterrier’s thriller Now You See Me, then keep reading...

“The closer you look, the less you see”. I found that this little fact is not only the best way to approach magic, but probably the best way to approach this film itself. Why? It’s a little complicated and a little confusing, but certainly more entertaining if you just enjoy it and try not to question everything too much. After all, a good magician never reveals his tricks.

So, we meet four of the world’s greatest illusionists, who come together to form The Four Horsemen, and perform magic shows where they steal from corrupt yet rich businessmen and share the money with the audience, without keeping a cent for themselves. However, the FBI believes them to be purely criminals and, with the help of an ex-magician (Morgan Freeman), they attempt to capture and expose the illusionists. The whole Robin Hood concept – described as “bullshit Robin Hood razzle dazzle” by the FBI – was an interesting idea to combine with magic that really worked. Plus, it shows that the illusionists have a conscience – so are they complete criminals? But then again, I did say that you must try not to question everything in this movie – sometimes, it’s better to just think that it’s a cool film and not wonder how they pull off all the tricks. Finally, have a look at when we’re first introduced to Henley (Isla Fisher). That piranha tank trick? She performed it all herself – no stunt double involved – so kudos to her for that.  Oh, and watch out for a surprise twist at the end of the film that I wasn’t expecting!

I couldn’t even complain about the pace of this film – it was fast and action packed, if a little long. Yes, it’s definitely complex, but if you can overlook that, then it’s a pretty good film. I’m not normally one for crime thrillers, but after seeing this I’m certainly open to watching more films of this genre.

Rating: 3.5 stars – yes, I think you should go and see this film. It’s probably not for everyone, but I’d definitely give it a try!

Georgie

The World's End (2013, Edgar Wright)

Hello film fanatics! Firstly, I’d like to apologize for not posting for such a long time. But, with a long summer ahead of me and a whole new array of film releases to see, what better time than to get back to the blog? So, being the Pegg & Frost fan that I am (I loved Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz), I went along yesterday to watch the last of this loose trilogy, The World’s End. As I’d enjoyed the two previous films, I had high hopes for this movie. That, and the fact that it was produced by Working Title – I remember several years ago, someone told me that Working Title films should always be good - and I stick by that as I haven’t found one that I’ve disliked yet. Anyway, here’s a quick guide to the plot if you want a rough idea of what’s going on...

40 year old Gary King (Pegg), a washed up alcoholic but still a teenager at heart, sets about persuading each of his childhood friends to join him in completing The Golden Mile: the ultimate pub crawl, involving twelve pubs in their hometown, Newton Haven. They must start at The First Post, and carry on till the final pub, The World’s End. However, the name of this last destination can be taken literally, as along their way, Gary and his friends notice that Newton Haven seems a little different than they remember, but not in a good way. And, as you would probably expect, chaos later ensues.

I certainly loved the total British-ness of this film. Firstly, the gang is composed of Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Martin Freeman, Eddie Marsan and Paddy Considine, who are all just some examples of the exceptional talent that we have in the British film industry. And Rosamund Pike’s frequent “oh, crumbs!” also added to this British feel in a humorous way, whilst almost bringing the gang back to reality despite the bloody weird situation that they get themselves into.  

Good things to look out for? The Cornetto and Fence gags (used in the trilogy’s previous films, and are almost like a trademark I guess). Oh, and later on into the film, Eddie Marsan’s character Peter has gotten pretty drunk and very giggly, and for some reason this made me and my friends laugh no end. But if there was one thing I really didn’t like – and I know I’ve said it with previous films – but again, it was the pace. It’s not until the big discovery-and—messy-bust-up-in-the-gents that things start to get really interesting. But that is all.

Basically, The World’s End is the same kind of film again, but this time there’s robots, which I found much weirder, oh and there’s blue liquid spurting everywhere instead of red. I didn’t find it quite as funny in comparison to Hot Fuzz and Shaun of the Dead, but it’s still definitely worth a watch.

Rating: 3 stars – I’d recommend it, but the world won’t end (sorry, that’s a bad joke) if you miss it.

Georgie

Hitchcock (2013, Sacha Gervasi)

Hello film fans,

This time I’ve decided to bring you my views on British film Hitchcock. Well actually, I didn’t decide it; I didn’t have a lot of choice. I was supposed to bring you a review of Ang Lee’s Life of Pi, but despite the sign at the cinema saying the seats for that particular screening were limited, when I got to the counter I found out that this actually means no seats at all (please sort that out Odeon). Anyway, set in 1959, Hitchcock looks at the making of one of cinema’s biggest films, Psycho. Aside from that, it also draws attention to the woman behind the great director; Hitchcock’s wife, Alma (a strong performance from Helen Mirren). It’s been suggested on numerous occasions that Hitchcock had an eye for his leading ladies, so I thought the film would be interesting for showing Alma’s side of the story, whilst also concentrating on the problems Hitchcock (Anthony Hopkins) encountered during the making of Psycho - both as a person and as a director.

Some elements of the film that I enjoyed? Firstly, I thought that Hopkins made quite a good Hitchcock. He has this kind of domineering presence on screen that really suited the part. Oh, and when the Hitchcock dogs, Jeffrey and Stanley, are referred to as “sirs” made me chuckle. But what did I notice critically? In particular, when Hitch (that’s what everyone refers to him as) is demonstrating how Janet Leigh’s character (Scarlett Johansson) should be stabbed in the famous Psycho shower scene. Here, it gets a little eerie – because the shots are intertwined with him stabbing other people, most notably Alma. This is obviously shown to imply his frustration and anger at Alma’s growing friendship with screenwriter Whitfield, and I felt it was a clever way of presenting this.

Anything to improve on? Yes. Hitch is shown to have a distant, almost cold relationship with Vera Miles (Jessica Biel), and although the audience gains some knowledge on why this is, it could have been built upon – a flashback of some kind perhaps, might’ve helped. But the question is: was it any good? Yes, I did enjoy this film – sure, some parts could have been better, but it was interesting to focus more on Hitch’s wife Alma and, to an extent, give her the credit that she deserved. And I did like the costumes.

Rating: 3 stars – yes, it should be watched!

 

Georgie

Silver Linings Playbook (2012, David O. Russell)

Happy New Year film fanatics!

Gosh, it’s been a while – I know one of my New Year’s resolutions will be to post on here much more often. Anyway, a couple of weeks ago I ventured out to the cinema in the cold to see Silver Linings Playbook. It was actually my friend’s choice to see this – I was kind of pining for Great Expectations ­– but I went along in the hope of seeing something different, having never heard of the director, yet heard plenty about its stars, Bradley Cooper (The Hangover) and Jennifer Lawrence (The Hunger Games). So, this is what I thought…

The first thing I noted about this film was the opening sequence (I know I talk about openings a lot, but if a film doesn’t have a good opening sequence, it kinda puts a downer on the rest of it). We are in a Mental Health Hospital in Philadelphia, and are introduced to who we presume is a patient, but we don’t see his face – the camera is behind him for a little while beforehand. This is Cooper’s character, Pat Solitano – after 8 months in the hospital, he is finally heading home. We later learn that he is an undiagnosed bipolar, and went to the hospital after discovering his wife Nikki’s affair with a work colleague (he walked in on them in the shower – awkward).

We then meet Tiffany Maxwell (Lawrence), who is also mentally unstable due to becoming a widow, and dealt with her husband’s death by sleeping with everyone in her office (and, unsurprisingly, lost her job soon after). They meet at Pat’s friend Ronnie’s house for dinner (Tiffany is Ronnie’s sister-in-law), and don’t exactly get off to a good start – at one point, Pat describes her as a “married-to-a-dead-guy-slut”. They then end up meeting each other on several occasions when both are out jogging – during one of these meetings, Tiffany asks Pat if he’ll be her partner in a dance competition that she’s desperate to enter. Pat at first refuses, but later accepts on the condition that Tiffany will deliver a letter from him to his ex-wife, who Pat has had no contact with due to Nikki filing a restraining order against him. And so, rehearsals begin.

That’s enough of the plot for now I think, as too many more details will ruin it a little for those still intending to see this film. But some of the best parts? When Pat jogs to the school he used to work at and sees a former colleague, his excitement at seeing her contrasts with her terrified behaviour, and it’s funny to watch as he appears a little over-enthusiastic. Aside from this humorous moment, one of the more meaningful scenes is when Pat flips. The distorted camera jumps from one character to another, Pat is screaming with rage, his parents, Pat Sr. and Dolores (Robert De Niro and Jacki Weaver) are trying to calm him, and Pat hits Dolores. It was hard to watch, given that Pat had been doing well in feeling better up until this point, but then again it was a powerful scene to show the audience the difficulties faced when coping with mental illness. And some bad points? I felt that the film dragged on a little – it took a long time to actually get to the dance competition, which is close to the end of the film – so the pace could have been a bit quicker, but that was the only snag.

Overall, Silver Linings Playbook is different to your average rom-com. There are serious and sensitive issues, there’s violence, and there’s drama. But, there’s also humour, complicated relationships and a believable plot, all of which make this film very fresh and very realistic. It was unlike anything I’d ever seen before, and certainly beats your average soppy romantic comedy.

Rating: 4 stars – yep, if you get the chance then go and watch it!

(Plus, Jennifer Lawrence won an Oscar for Best Actress for this movie after I posted this review - another reason to watch this!)

Georgie

Pride and Prejudice (2005, Joe Wright)

Happy birthday Joe Wright! To celebrate the occasion, I decided to review one of my favourite films, Mr Wright’s version of Pride and Prejudice. I also happen to be reading the book at the moment, so thought it would be fun to compare the film to the classic work of Jane Austen. Okay, so the film may have been released 7 years ago, but it’s truly fabulous and if you haven’t seen it then I suggest you get up and go see...but not before you’ve read this!

The story of Pride and Prejudice revolves around the heroine Elizabeth Bennet (Keira Knightley) and how she has to overcome her prejudices of the handsome – and conveniently rich – Fitzwilliam Darcy (Matthew Macfadyen). But as well as this, he must cast his snooty pride aside and bring himself to accept Elizabeth and her family, despite their poorer background and “indifferences”. Aside from Lizzie and Mr Darcy, the story focuses on the theme of marriage and the events encountered on the quest to finding a husband. So anyway, here’s what I had to say...

I love the opening of this film. The piano, the sunrise, the countryside setting – it’s lovely to watch and puts you in a good mood for the rest of the film. For all you filmmakers, look out for the variety of camera angles used – there’s a lot to say here about cinematography, so well done to Wright for that. Also, after the camera ‘explores’ the house (where we are introduced to all the Bennet family), no time is wasted – similar to the book, the news of Mr Charles Bingley arriving at Netherfield Park is immediately spoken of, sending the girls into a giggling frenzy. The final establishing shot of Longbourn completes the opening sequence, and not long after, we are thrown straight into a bustling ballroom, in which Mr Darcy, Mr Bingley and his sister Caroline are introduced.

Mr Bingley is one of my favourite characters in the story. With bouncy ginger hair, a tendency to start babbling and many a goofy grin, he is such a loveable character, and the complete opposite of his snobby sister. However, in the book Mr Bingley has another sister, Mrs Hurst, yet she doesn’t exist in the film – I think it may have been more interesting if she was there to see if she acted similarly to Caroline. Another character worth mentioning is the amusing but irritating Mr Collins (played brilliantly by Tom Hollander), the cousin of the Bennet sisters who is to inherit Longbourn when their father dies – this is why it is essential that the girls find husbands, as they must keep a roof over their heads. The Bennet family’s first dinner with Mr Collins when he arrives gives a clear image as to what they think of him – Mrs Bennet (Brenda Blethyn) looks bored out of her life and the girls are moments away from bursting into fits of giggles. Aside from them, his comments sent me into fits of laughter; “what excellent boiled potatoes...many years since I had such an exemplary vegetable.” He is annoying, but a great character to watch on screen.

One of the best parts of the film? There’s a few to choose from, but the scene with Darcy and Elizabeth in the rain, when he declares his love for her, certainly deserves a mention; “I love you! Most ardently.” I think I actually cheered at this moment – it’s a major turning point in the film for several reasons, but I won’t tell you why or the rest of the plot, as that’s for you lot to find out for yourselves. All that’s left for me to say is, go and give Pride and Prejudice a go – it is Joe Wright’s birthday today, after all! It’s a fantastic film and I think Jane Austen herself would be thoroughly pleased with how her novel had been transformed. Oh, and Mr Bennet (Donald Sutherland) has a slightly odd English accent, given that he is actually Canadian, but we’ll forgive him due to his great acting.

Rating: 4 stars – yes, buy the DVD, or challenge yourself even further and read the book!

Georgie

Magic Mike (2012, Steven Soderbergh)

Hey film lovers,
it's the turn of Magic Mike this week, which is currently in cinemas. It's still going strong since being released 11th July, yet it hasn't received entirely positive reviews. Nevertheless, I decided to give it a try and go see it anyway. What I found though, was that the negative reviews had been written for a reason. Harsh as it sounds, this movie wasn't really worth my time.

Magic Mike (played by a hunkalicious Channing Tatum) is a 30 year old builder at a construction site by day, with dreams of becoming a successful furniture maker. By night, he becomes a shaved, buffed and bronzed male stripper, dancing, shaking and winning more screaming women than a sold out Michael Buble concert. The first time we saw him on screen sent the whole cinema into one big squealing frenzy - you can imagine! It is Tatum's body, and some impressive dance moves, that make this movie. Sadly, not much else does.

Anyway, the story really begins when Mike meets young new worker Adam at the construction site (Alex Pettyfer - now this guy really has grown up. The blonde flowing curly locks have gone!) They run into each other that evening outside the strip club, and Adam convinces Mike to let him go in with him. This catapults Adam into the world of strippers, and he's desperate for a slice of it. Following an agreement between Mike and leading man Dallas (Matthew McConaughey, who reminds Adam that his role as a stripper is to be "the husband those women never had"), Adam - now introduced as 'The Kid' due to him being only 19 - is pushed out onto the stage to show Dallas what he's got. Despite a cringey attire at one point of baggy boxers and grey woolly socks, he joins the team, and away they go.

I won't tell you the rest of the story, not because I'll spoil it, but because it has unneccesary complications and some pointless parts. Either that or I'm just being a bit silly. I liked the stubborn character of Brooke, Adam's sister (Cody Horn), who Mike clearly has a thing for but she is reluctant to have anything to do with him at first. But throw in a chance to take the show to Miami, something about receiving 7.5% instead of 10% (didn't know what was going on) and a bust up at a house party involving drugs - one of the darker parts of the plot - oh, and a pig called Herman, and you have a slightly mismatched film with a bad plot.

Even the lead characters flexing their muscles gets old; we are treated to several montages of the gang performing various routines, but these are dotted around as though to fill some time, and they got boring. In fact, it was during one of these scenes that a woman on the front row - who must've been drunk, otherwise she should be very embarrassed - stood up and began to join in with her own cringey dance routine. As if it couldn't get any worse - it was hilarious though - she then decided to dive head first into the row behind her, causing Channing Tatum to be partly hidden from view due to this lady's legs waving around in the air whilst she struggled to get up. For me, this was the most entertaining part of the night - and she wasn't even in the movie!

So if you like Channing Tatum and other men taking their clothes off, then I recommend this movie to you. If however, you like Channing Tatum, but also a good film with a decent plot, then I suggest you don't bother with this one. You'll be disappointed.

Rating: 2.5 stars (not worth paying £8.30 for, I'm afraid)

Georgie

Submarine (2011, Richard Ayoade)

Hey film fans!
This week I've chosen to dazzle you with my views on the critically acclaimed film Submarine. It isn't incredibly recent, but it's one of my favourites and as director Richard Ayoade celebrated his birthday last month, I thought it a great occasion to let you all know my thoughts on it! Never heard of it? Hopefully you'll be desperate to watch it after reading this!

So, here's what's going on...
It's somewhere in Wales in the 1980s, and 15 year old Oliver Tate has two aims: to lose his virginity - hopefully to classmate Jordana - and to somehow keep his parents together, thanks to a weirdy Mystic arriving on the scene. Oliver is played by Craig Roberts ("who?" you may ask?) He's starred in The Story of Tracy Beaker, Being Human, and Young Dracula, to name a few. Ringing any bells yet? Yes? No? Maybe? Either way, his performance in this is utterly brilliant. But anyway, this is what I had to say about the film...

Many teen comedies portray a rather unlikely, spots-and-problem-free teenager’s life, often revolving around reputation, looks and sometimes school dances. However, Submarine is a near perfect example of typical self-consciousness and frustration that so many of us have experienced, told through the eyes of Oliver Tate. With his duffel coat, yearning for his love interest, pyromaniac Jordana (Yasmin Paige), and constant thoughts and questions, he gives off a rather awkward image which other teenagers can relate to. I also liked how the film is set in 1980’s Wales, and therefore the setting is more simplistic and allows the audience to focus more on the characters. However, despite the dark and bleak weather used being a good example of pathetic fallacy, I felt the colours could have brightened a little in some parts, although Ayoade made a clever choice to allow Oliver to comment on this mood and weather match; “I stare at the sea, and stay until the sky catches up with my mood”.

Despite the movie’s comic moments, it also explores darker issues; the breakdown of Jordana’s father over the early Christmas dinner breaks up the humour a little, plus this is possibly the most moving part of the film. Also, Oliver’s observations of his father’s depression also contribute to the film’s more serious side (Noah Taylor does a fabulous job playing this part). Along with the great performances of the actors, the mellow dulcet tones of Alex Turner - best known as the front man of Arctic Monkeys, oh and dating Alexa Chung for a while - compliment the movie and makes for an amazing soundtrack. Overall, this is a brilliant debut piece of work from a lesser-known director and definitely earns a 5 star rating from yours truly.

Rating: 5 stars - yes, buy the DVD!

Georgie

Hugo (2011, Martin Scorsese)

As I have reached the stage in my life in which I need to start making choices for university, deciding what my future is going to look like and just generally getting stressed about everything, it was a welcome break to immerse myself in a children's movie. But what surprised me, is that I was utterly mesmerised. Well, it is the work of the great Martin Scorsese after all. Having understood that he is not known for making child friendly films - I studied Taxi Driver for AS Film Studies - I wondered how he would go about creating a successful children's movie. What also surprised me, was that I was in for a treat.

The story begins with a shot of post-war Paris - yet it is seen as one enormous clockwork machine, giving a hint to the audience about what's to come before we've even met the characters. We are shortly introduced to young Hugo Cabret (Asa Butterfield - who I would gladly adopt) and how he searches out, or rather steals, pieces of clockwork in order to fix a mechanical man, left unfinished by his deceased watchmaker father (Jude Law, shown in flashback). This eventually leads him on a magical adventure into the history of cinema and, along with new friend Isabelle (Chloe Grace Moretz), he discovers the secret of her grandfather's mysterious past. How? Because Isabelle's grandfather is none other than the film-maker Georges Méliès (Ben Kingsley), who runs the toy shop at the Paris railway station that Hugo steals clock parts from. This beautiful setting alone is astounding, giving no doubt as to why the film won a Bafta for Production Design and an Academy Award for Art Direction, among others.

Aside from the near perfect backdrop of 1930s Paris, the characters themselves are wonderfully portrayed, although Isabelle's persistant and overexcited "Bravo!" and other similar outbursts get a little tedious. However, the awkward but sweet relationship between the newspaper man and the lady with the cafe is another humorous aspect of the film that adds charm. Also, Sacha Baron Cohen as the stern but loveable station inspector is another fun element, far away from the horrors of Borat and other similar characters he has dreamt up over the years. He appears frightening due to the metal clasp around his leg where he was injured in World War One, but his frequent shyness and failed attempts to make conversation with the station's flower seller demonstrates his vulnerability, and also how he's just as human as the rest of us.

On a final note, don't be put off by the fact that Hugo is a children's movie. Yes, the story has a happy ending and revolves around a 10 year old boy, but the death of Hugo's father and the element of mystery keeps it from becoming too young. Also, the performances are fantastic and the film almost acts like a tribute to early cinema - see, it's practically educational! In fact, after watching I was left feeling considerably happy, if a tad nostalgic.

Rating: 4 stars - a must see! Yes, buy the DVD!

Georgie

Welcome folks!

Hey film fans! Welcome to my first post of Georgie Talks Film. I love watching and discussing movies with my friends, so I thought that I should maybe start writing about it. On here I will talk about the latest films that I love, maybe some that I didn't find so good, and just general gubbins about some favourites, however old or well known they are. Hopefully I can get people to try some different films and watch something new - who knows, you might end up loving a whole new load of films (I'm still not liking horrors though). So get reading future posts and grab that popcorn!


Georgie