My Favorite Movies

Sex on a Stick! (well reel..)

Fantastically offbeat. Note to self - watch more Wes Anderson Movies. The setting adds a lot of charm to the movie, and the actors do a fantastic job, particularly Brody and Scwartzman. Great soundtrack too. Perhaps a little draggy at the end, would have liked to have seen the first half go on a little further.

Long have I been waiting for the next film to make me grin ear to ear with sheer delight. The levels of "coolness" on offer in this film are on crack. Unfortunately the screenplay has its weaknesses, but none enough to counter the coolness factor! McAvoy goes through a great transformation, even if he does get a little irritating during his training :p Meanwhile Jolie's screen presence is like nothing i've ever seen, this commanding role was seemingly built for her. All in all not without fault, would have like to have seen it a little "grittier" but nonetheless a damn good effort!

First things first - the movie is definately not a patch on the book. This being said I can't quite understand my obsession with all things Twilight, the film being no exception. As each day passes since watching my appreciation for the film grows and grows - so much that I would gladly see it again and again. What makes it so great? Without doubt its the chemistry that the two leads bring to their roles. The scenes in the mid section where they are growing inseparable are beautifully shot and acted with intense passion that you cant help but feel. Furthermore Hardwicke's indie roots shine through on the cinematography and photography. The sets are delicious and the camera lingers in all the right places with a pale tint which only adds to the charm and characterisations. But now for the criticisms and their are many. Stewart at first seemed a little to abraisive to be Bella, but the excellent performance makes you forget this in minutes. As for Pattinson he struggles at first to get to grips with Edwards complexity but after 15mins he fits the role like a perfect glove, so much so that it would be impossible to pciture anyone else playing him. However to knit pick he doesnt quite manage to escalate the angry outbursts to a high enough level (as i imagined from the book). The times when the film irritated me the most was when it veered off track from the book. This may be because the book was so fresh in my mind, but for the most part I failed to see the gains from the changes, meerly seeing instead how the changes made the film story easier to tell. Similarly the whole thing at times seemed a bit rushed with the characters chucking in lines from the book left right and center to get them out there.

Scenes working particularly well included the ball game, the initial car crash and of course the meadow and bedroom scenes (excluding the pathetic attempt at shimmering skin!). On the flipside the introduction of the Cullen family at Edward's house was poorly handled and overtly camp. In fact the casting of the female Cullen's was particularly odd and uninspiring.

So whats the bottom line? I think the best way is to copy what many other critics have said. This film will not do much for those who havent read the book, coming off as distinctly average. The leads are great and what keep it watchable, but the film making and some support cast just aren't competent enough for a film of such high demands. For readers of the book, allow the film to get under your skin, relish in the beauty of Forks and the cast, and find delight in the all to brief references to the book.

I almost wish it had been split into two films or an even longer epic -- allowing the story to breathe more and impregnate viewers' minds.

As for New Moon lets hope the new director can avoid the mistakes he made with The Golden Compass and not let the tight deadline overwhelm him.

I have no idea what film noir is... but this certainly intrigues me to the genre. Takes a while, but this film gets you, and gets you good. Gordo-Levitt is definately an actor to watch for the future, Oscar's should be a calling in a few years time.

Fantastic thriller! Its been a long while since a movie made me feel this tense... well i guess Grindhouse wasn't that long ago :p Couldn't ask for a better teen movie.

This is probably the film i have looked forward to most this year, and it didn't dissapoint. Sure its not perfect and can at times lag like a bitch, but the highs are so great it makes up for it. I read someone describe it as a bunch of clips stuffed together, which is I think how it comes off. There is a lot of fun to be had here, and most of all the film really sticks with you, not necessarily to make you think about what it means, but you can't stop thinking about what you have seen. Complaints about the acting are unjustified, it is spot on for the intention. Two last things; amazing soundtrack!; and Sarah Michelle Gellar never hotter ;p

Seriously fucked up shit! Takes Desperate Housewives and suburbia to a whole new level! Started off interestingly, kinda sagged in the middle, and went to purely horryfying heights towards the end. A must see, Jamie Bell is superb.

Viggo Rules! as does Cronenberg. This could have been an ace movie had enough attention been payed to the supporting characters. As it stands Viggo's protagonist is an intriguing powerful man. A mob movie that sheds new light on the internals of the Russian Mafia.

Something about films based on Africa really gets under my skin. I loved every second of this heart wrenching, if not overly contrived thriller. It really gets the heart racing, and the two leads pull off fantastic performances.

An epic movie totally worthy of the extended wait I had to go through and the many begs i had to extend to my friends to come with me (WHY?) Bale and Ledger (the whole cast really) shine, creating complex and most importantly interesting characters. The Joker is both disturbing, yey human - a triumph for Nolan and Ledger. However the movie is not without fault - slightly too long for its intent (although this is in some way also a strength) and the shaky Batman into is unclear and frankly dull. Speaking of which some of the technical, explanatory dialogue and plot leeps ask alot, but go with it and you will be satisfied. The major revelation for me is Gyllenhaal who rescues the character of Rachel and actually makes her 3 dimensional and likeable -- shame really...

Perhaps the most satisfying thing about Slumdog Millionaire is the fact that it is deserved of its hype and consequently is every bit as good or even better than your expectations. Danny Boyle has proved to be a great, versatile director, injecting his trademark tension, and exceptional soundtracks into every genre going. The camera relishes in the novelty of Mumbai, making use of every opportunity going. The cast do their job well, but in honesty they are not at the center of the films sucesses, its all to do with Boyle'e achievements as a director. The marketing of the film as a movie about a poor kid who wins Who Wants To Be A Millionaire is deceptive - the movie itself surprises you in being more about life in Mumbai than the gameshow -- and in that lies its sucess - a moving, heartfelt success story masked as a social commentary. The contrived nature of the plot does not detract from the truly joyous ending, a warm feeling that will stay with you long after you leave the multiplex.