My Favorite Movies

"Revenge is never a straight line. It's a forest, And like a forest it's easy to lose your way... To get lost... To forget where you came in."

Kill Bill: Vol. 1 is the first film of Quentin Tarantino's two part revenge epic Kill Bill, which revolves around the character of The Bride (who is not named in Vol. 1), and her craving for vengeance. This showcases Tarantino's brilliant style, and it is by far his most action-packed movie. Kill Bill: Vol. 1 also feels like a tribute, to all of the cult classics Tarantino feels so very passionate about. This is definitely a love letter to cinema.

SUMMARY:

The Deadly Viper Assassination Squad consists of five most deadly killers, led by Bill (David Carradine). There is O'Ren Ishii (Lucy Liu) as Cottonmouth, Elle Driver (Daryl Hannah) as California Mountain Snake, Vernita Green (Vivica A. Fox) as Copperhead, and Budd (Michael Madsen) as Sidewinder. And there is The Bride (Uma Thurman), who wanted to quit because she was pregnant. On the day the Bride wanted to marry the love of her life, her former colleagues showed up and killed everyone there. Bill ended The Bride by shooting her in the head. However, The Bride survives, barely, and is left in a coma. Her colleagues know this but won't kill her in her sleep. After four years, The Bride awakens. For her, not a second has consciously passed, and after she realizes all the things that have happened, The Bride decides to take revenge. On each single one of those who betrayed her. First on her death list is Cottonmouth, who has become the most powerful yakuza boss of Tokyo, Japan. Second in line is Copperhead, who chose a more decent life as well.

REVIEW:

Tarantino has always been quite original with his writing, though he is a thief - and he's proud of it. Kill Bill Vol. 1 has been influenced by many films and characters, and is, in a way, a homage to Hong Kong martial arts movies, Japanese samurai films, and many more. Tarantino's love for cinema can be realised after viewing this film. Tarantino's script is so bizzare - and I mean that as a compliment. This is so out-there that you can't treat it as a flaw at all. Also, the plot is enjoyably ridiculous, and the characters are fantastic. The Bride is such a memorable hottie, and all her dialogue is great. In fact, Tarantino's dialogue is stuffed with loads of deliberately lame wise-cracks, and these lines work so well. The members of Deadly Viper Assasination Squad are all terrific as well. Each has an attribute that makes them amazingly unqiue. O-Ren Ishii is the one who gets the most of a look of the bad guys, and she really is interesting. Her henchmen are also a highlight. The film feels like a comic-book adaptation, as many of the henchmen seen in the film are so odd. O-Ren's bodyguard is a 17 yr old Japanese girl called GoGo, who is insanely sadistic. As well as that, she also has an army of gangsters known as the Crazy 88. While the story is quite brilliant, it is also soul-less. It's not a huge problem, but there's not a sense of love or compassion here. Also, there's right reason why you want The Bride to have her revenge - honestly, you don't really care.

Uma Thurman is one of the reasons why The Bride is such a memorable character. She's terrific, and delivers her dialogue amazingly. Lucy Liu plays her a villain with skill, and brings a real scary attitude to her character in one of the film's most shocking scenes. Though they have brief appearances in Vol. 1, the actors of the Deadly Vipers are all great, particularly Daryl Hannah as Elle Driver. Sonny Chiba makes a terrific cameo, and does what he does best in this role. Chiaki Kuriyama, who was in Battle Royale (Tarantino's favourite movie), is absolutely brilliant as GoGo.

Never has a Tarantino movie been this action-packed, and violent for that matter. With Kill Bill Vol. 1, Tarantino shows us his style of violence. The violence is so over-the top that even grumpy parents wouldn't care if they saw their kids watching it. The highly stylised fight sequences were choreographed by the very excellent Yuen Woo Ping. The spectacular showdown with O-Ren and her henchmen is definitely the highlight of the movie, and the fight scene against Go Go is one of the best I've seen. The costume design is epic, with The Bride's yellow outfit, which was obviously based on Bruce Lee's costume in Game of Death, being most memorable. The RZA provided the score, which is both stylish and amusing. The props are detailed, the sets look amazing, and Sally Menke's editing is top-notch. A highlight of the film is the anime sequence, which explains O-Ren's past. The whole scene is animated in a classic Japanese anime style, but with a major touch of Tarantino's direction - it's shockingly violent for an anime. The violence here is, like I said, stylised. It's so unrealistic. There's blood spraying out of people from any part of their body that has been cut. Cinematographer Robert Richardson shoots the film beautifully, and it feels quite much like a Japanese movie thanks to his photography. There's some classy use of black and white, and a scene which appears entirely in silhouette.

This is definitely the most enjoyable movie Tarantino has made. Fans of video games like No More Heroes will have a very good time with Kill Bill: Vol. 1. Like many Tarantino films, this already has a cult following. The violence is amazing, in a good way, and the film is so bizarre that it works. Fans of martial arts movies are going to dig the hell out of this. Tarantino knows Kill Bill is odd, and he's proud of it. It's bravely different, it's out-there, and it has a sense of humour - for these qualities, I'm definitely awarding this 5 stars.

"Looked dead, didn't I? But I wasn't. But it wasn't from lack of trying, I can tell you that. Actually, Bill's last bullet put me in a coma. A coma I was to lie in for four years. When I woke up, I went on what the movie advertisements refer to as a 'roaring rampage of revenge.' I roared. And I rampaged. And I got bloody satisfaction. I've killed a hell of a lot of people to get to this point, but I have only one more. The last one. The one I'm driving to right now. The only one left. And when I arrive at my destination, I am gonna kill Bill."

Kill Bill was originally supposed to be one big revenge epic, but since the running time would've been over 4 hours, it was split into two parts - Kill Bill: Vol. 1 and Kill Bill: Vol. 2. Written and directed by Quentin Tarantino, the Kill Bill films have become cult classics. Vol. 1 was amazingly enjoyable, with a good sense of humour and terrific action. Vol. 2 is highly different. Not only is it longer (that's what she said), it goes into the story of The Bride, and how she came to be. You don't know half the story until you've seen Vol. 2.

SUMMARY:

It all began when the nefarious Deadly Viper Assassination Squad moved in and assassinated the Plympton wedding party at the Two Pines Wedding Chapel in El Paso, Texas. Well, all but one: The Bride (Uma Thurman), their real target. All they managed to do to her was put her in a coma. And four years later, she woke up and swore revenge on the lot of them. It began with the disposing of O-Ren Ishii and Vernita Green (This happened in Vol. 1). Now, The Bride has only three left on her Death List: Budd (Michael Madsen); Elle Driver (Daryl Hannah); and, of course, Bill (David Carradine), her boss, teacher, and lover. However, Bill does possess one thing that keeps the ball in his court: the daughter the Bride thought she had lost in her coma.

REVIEW:

I've always admired Tarantino as a writer. He may be a thief, but hell, the way he does it makes his movies work so well. For example, Kill Bill: Vol. 2 explores the past of The Bride, particularly about who trained her. Her master was Pai Mei (Gordon Liu), who is in fact an actual character of old school martial arts movies. Though this character wasn't originally created by Tarantino, he's truly a strong element of the film, and although he may be seen as cliché, there's no doubt he's very memorable. In fact, all the characters are memorable. Bill, who is actually my favourite villain of Kill Bill, has the most genius dialogue ever. Budd is hilarious, as well as being a bad guy who we feel quite sympathetic for. Then we have Elle Driver. She's brilliant. Truly brilliant. She's a cold hearted bitch, but that doesn't mean that she isn't a badass. She is a total badass. She's one hell of a villain. The Bride returns just as fantastic as she was in Vol. 1, and we find out her real name as well. Tarantino goes into a lot of detail to explain how this story came to be, with wedding and The Bride's pregnancy. If you loved Vol. 1, then experiencing the backstory of it is just as enjoyable. There are one liners that are truly sensational, and above all else, you have a kick-ass heroine.

Uma Thurman... is The Bride. After playing her in Vol. 1, Thurman is just perfect now as The Bride. She returns to Vol. 2 just as badass and likeable, and she's definitely put a lot of work into the preparation for this role (languages, fitness, etc.), but to me, whenever I hear someone say "Uma Thurman", I'll just think of The Bride. David Carradine is an absolute scene stealer as Bill, delivering his epic dialogue with style. Michael Madsen is a cool and funny red neck as Budd, and Daryl Hannah is one sexy lady, bringing brilliance to the role of Elle Driver. Gordon Liu returns to Vol. 2, having played Johnny Mo in Vol. 1. Here he plays Pai Mei, and he does it wonderfully. Another actor who returns for a much different role is Michael Parks. Parks had a cameo in Vol. 1 as a detective investigating El Paso massacre. In Vol. 2, he plays Bill's father figure, adopting a truly sensational Spanish accent.

Vol. 1 was highly influenced by the East, with genres like Hong Kong martial arts and Japanese chanbara films. Even the music itself had a Japanese touch. Vol. 2 borrows from the West, particularly Spaghetti westerns. Tarantino's pal Robert Rodriguez composed the score with the RZA, with a very stong western influence. In terms of action, Vol. 2 doesn't contain as much of that as Vol. 1, but when there are fights and guns, the film is spectacular, with the fight between The Bride and Elle Driver being one of the highlights of the film. Slickly photographed by cinematographer Robert Richardson, everything looks gorgeous, and Sally Menke's editing is terrific. Both of these elements are influenced hugely influenced by the west, and all the locations are superb. However, there was classy use of camerawork that was actually in the style of old school martial arts movies. Constant zooming in on the face is very nostalgic and brings me back to the old days with the Shaw brothers. Gory make-up and effects give the film that classic Tarantino edge, and the credits sequence will bring back memories.

Kill Bill should be treated as one film - both Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 should be considered one whole thing. There is no doubt that Kill Bill is my favourite movie ever made. I fell in love with the characters, especially The Bride, and the climax is just superb. The two films are different, but they both have their own ways of entertainment. Vol. 1 will make you laugh, and provides thrills with the action set-pieces. Vol. 2 keeps the enjoyment level at 10 with the exploration of the story you haven't been told. Tarantino has always made competent movies, but Kill Bill is right at the top of the list as his best. It's a tribute to cinema, and shows just how much of a film buff Tarantino really is.

"Dreams feel real while we're in them. It's only when we wake up that we realize something was actually strange."

The thing that makes Christopher Nolan unique is his imaginative yet complex writing. Nolan always manages to give us a mind-boggling time at the movies, and with Inception, he does it to the limit. This is a detailed work of art, with a terrific screenplay, brilliant performances, thrilling action sequences, and beautiful cinematography.

SUMMARY:

Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio) is, by his own claim, the world's most skilled extractor. This means he is able to steal ideas and secrets from the minds of his targets by entering their dreams. He gets paid large sums of money for this, though he's increasingly haunted by the memory of his dead wife (Marion Cotillard), who literally infiltrates the dream scapes. Cobb is hired by wealthy Japanese businessman Saito (Ken Watanabe). Saito wants Cobb to plant an idea in the brain of Robert Fischer Jr. (Cillian Murphy), the heir to a rival business empire; for this 'inception', Cobb assembles a team that includes his regular assistant Arthur (Joseph Gordon-Levitt); Eames, a British shape-shifter (Tom Hardy); scientist Yusuf (Dileep Rao); and a brilliant young woman recommended by his father-in-law (Michael Caine) - she's Ariadne (Ellen Page).

REVIEW:

Nolan has got a robustness to his screenwriting. Inception has a story that could get many lost - it feels as if you're in a labyrinth. The plot isn't hard to follow, but what makes this film complex is the layers of detail. Nolan spent 10 years writing the screenplay and it shows. He must have re-written at times because the amount of detail and complexity within the story is quite difficult to get write. I'm hoping I can read the script soon because I'd really like to see this in the form of a screenplay. The film would've been tiring to script, and there are signs of a lot of research. Some of the stuff here about dreams are actual facts, not bullshit in any way. The Sci-Fi genre of the film comes from the 'entering' into a dream. The way they do this is they use a special compund - that's where Yusuf comes in, and they can go into someones dream. But the nwe have more layers of detail - Who is hosting the dream? Who is designing the world? Who is projecting their subconscious? All this is explained in the film, but it is a lot to take in. The characters are delightful. Nolan always gets his characters right. I was quite moved by some of this story - the relationship between Cobb and his dead wife is extremely touching. Eames is a hilarious character, with some wonderfully witty lines - "You mustn't be afraid to dream a little bigger, darling." Another amusing character is Arthur, who is also a total badass (you'll see why if you see the film). Inception takes on similar themes that we see a lot of in The Matrix. What is reality? Are we living in a dream? How can we tell if we're in the real world? The ending is something to watch out for. It's something you'll have to leave to interpretation. The film will finish with the question - Is this the dream world, or the real world? This is a question you'll have to think about yourself.

The performances were all top-notch. Leonardo DiCaprio gives us one of his best performances. This was a brilliant role for him to choose. His character is interesting, and he handles his role with confidence throughout the film. Marion Cotillard is beautiful and enchanting as Mal, Cobb's wife, and she is able to work wonderfully with DiCaprio. A well-cast Joseph Gordon-Levitt brings attitude to Arthur and totally hits the nail on the head with his performance. Ellen Page is cast in a more different film, after a lot of teen movies like Whip It and Juno, and she manages to bring out a nice performance as Ariadne. Tom Hardy is terrific, and he seems to be having a lot of fun with his role. Though I had trouble trying to understand what Ken Watanabe was saying, I liked him in his businessman role, and Cillian Murphy plays a neglected son well. It was also a nice treat to see Michael Caine once again.

Inception may be a complex exploration of the mind, but that doesn't stop Nolan from adding in a number of action seqeunces. In terms of action - Inception succeeds. The action seqeunces are highly imaginative due to the fact that most of them are set in a dream. A train running in the middle of a busy city street and a hotel with zero gravity - that's inspiring. The editing is top-notch during these scenes, but how could I not mention Wally Pfister's superb cinematography? His photography is so beautiful, and the film is truly one of the most visual impressive movies ever made. The special effects of the film are amazing, and they're used for the visual excitement of the film, which allows us to feel like we're in an actual fantastical dream. The scene where the streets of Paris rise up and fold in on themselves is a nicely created scene, as is the world of Limbo. Another credit must go to Hans Zimmer's powerful score, which gives us suspense and enchantment. The sets of the film are also a plus. The spinning hotel corridor with no gravity is an inventive design. Though the film is long, it is paced well. The last hour is pretty much the climax, in which several dreams, and story-lines, are intercut to dazzling effect. It is particularly memorable.

Christopher Nolan will always be seen as a genious in my eyes, and probably any other film-lovers. Inception is a film that everyone will be talking about days after its release - even years. It explores the most intricate themes and ideas, and I'm sure this will end up being a classic, exactly like The Matrix. This is a movie I would love to see again, and again - you'll need to watch this more than once to fully grasp the details and twists of the storyline. After you've finished watching this, it won't leave you. You will be filled with questions about reality, dreams, and the film itself. Inception is a work of art, made by a genious who leaves us puzzled - in a good way!

"Why SO serious?"

The ending of Batman Begins prepared us for a sequel, and this is it. This is unlike any Batman film that we've ever seen before. We get a great story, fantastic action and a peformance of The Joker that is even better than Jack Nicholsan's performance. The Dark Knight is something to watch out for.

SUMMARY:

Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) is considering retiring as the avenger of Gotham City as District Attorney Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart) seems to be getting on top of the city's underworld. Motivating Wayne even more is the fact that Harvey seems to have established a significant relationship with Assistant DA, Rachel Dawes (Maggie Gyllenhaal), the love of Bruce's life.
Entering into this already volatile mix is a wildcard, the Joker (Heath Ledger). And wild he is. This scarred creature, inside and out, prefers chaos to profit. He likes playing games, violent ones.

REVIEW:

The story was created by director Christopher Nolan and David S. Goyer, and they've done a bang-on job. The film has such a great stroyline, and it's far better than most of stories we get from other comic book adaptations. The screenplay was written by Nolan, and his brother Jonathan, and it screams out amazing. The characters we get from the film are all superb. Batman may not be fully developed as he was in Batman Begins, but he's pushed to the limit when the Joker plays a dangerous game with him - The Joker orders him ot take off his mask and reveal his true identity, and if he doesn't, people will die. The Joker is one of the most effective villains in cinematic history. His dialogue is the best of the film. Every line he says is original and intriguing. He is btoh funny and scary at the same time. This is the character to look out for. Harvey Dent is a likebale character, with his strong sense of justice, and what's fantastic is the way he develops. Harvey Dent actually turns t othe dark side in the last act of the film, he is Two-Face. The transformation Dent makes to Two-Face is amazing. There is a lot of detail in it. But the film is a bit long. It runs for 2 and a half hours, and that last 30 minutes - I was really exhausted and I was aksing what else could throw at me. What they through at me was a terrific climatic ending. It doesn't evoke thoughts of a sequel, but it's an ending that shows Batman is powerful hero. But, the film has so many tones with its story. There are moments that can make you cry, especially with Rachel, and you can laugh as you witness the witty jokes of Wayne's butler, Alfred (Michael Caine), and the film can even scare you with the fantastic bad guys.

Christian Bale again plays Batman well, but I like him a lot better as Bruce Wayne. Playing a rich boy with a hidden agenda is great for Bale. Heath Ledger was the stand out performer. Ledger has always been an amazing actor to me, and the whole entire world, with his charismatic style of acting. His performance as The Joker is even better than his performance in Brokeback Mountain. But shortly after this film was finished, Heath Ledger died, and it strikes us straight in the heart. His performance did come through to win an Oscar - well deserved. R.I.P Heath Ledger. Aaron Eckhart was great as Harvery Dent/Two Face - he was great in his good guy side of Harvey Dent, and but Eckhart brought spark and fire when he played Two-Face. Katie Holmes played Rachel Dawes in Batman Begins, but she was unable to reprise her role in The Dark Knight. Replacing her is the beautiful Maggie Gyllenhaal, and you know what? She's actually an improvement. I like Katie Holmes, but Maggie brought a mature side to Rachel. I loved her perfomance in this. gary Oldman reprises his role as Gordon, and again, he is terrific. In the first film he had some humour to his character, while in this film he doesn't, so I'm slightly disapointed with that. However, he is an excellent actor and pulls off Gordon extremely well. Morgan Freeman again plays CEO of Wayne Enterprises - Lucius Fox, bringing his classy and epic voice to a wise and witty character. Last, but definitely not least is Michael Caine as Alfred. He's always a delight to have in a film. He brings out the humour of his character so well.

There isn't as much action as there was in Batman Begins, so that may disapoint many people. However, when there is action, it's explosive.The action sequences here are done so well, and the Bank Robbery sequence at the very start of the film is handled with flair and excitement. Cinematographer Wally Pfister is able to shoot the action well i nthis, and he gives the film a nice gothic look. The shots of the city are so expansive that you feel like you're there. The Batmobile is once again a badass addition to the film, but what's even more badass is the new Bat-Pod, a motorcycle that forms from parts of the Batmobile. Yes, the props are superb, but I liked the costumes as well. The production design is top-notch, and James Newton Howard and Han Zimmer's score creates a suitable atmosphere throughout the film. The Joker's theme song is simple, yet it stays with you forever. It captures the suspenseful feel of the character well, and through the action sequences, the exciting and engaging music keeps you on the edge of your seat.

This is a drama, a well made action film, the character study of a psychopath, and much more. This is a lot of things, the list keeps growing. Nolan has given us the Best Sequel Ever Made. It tops Terminator 2 and Aliens, and any other great sequel you can think of. Watch it for Ledger's outstanding performance as The Joker, but also for the action, the improvements from Batman Begins, and the fantastic dialogue. There are so many positives for this film, and trust me, the hype about it is true. This is epic filmmaking, and there's no fat to trim. This is easily the best comic book film you'll ever see. The Dark Knight certainly delivers.

"I just want to be perfect."

Darren Aronofsky's Black Swan is loosely based on the famous ballet Swan Lake. However, this is more than just a movie about ballet. This is a drama, and above all else, a very effective psychological horror. Yes, Black Swan freaked me out more than once. I must say this is one of the most confronting films I've ever seen. At the center of this very brilliant film is the excellent Natalie Portman, who plays a dancer who is driven crazy by the desire to be perfect.

SUMMARY:

Nina (Natalie Portman) is a ballet dancer who strives to be perfect. She is cast by her demanding director Thomas Leroy (Vincent Cassel) in a New York Ballet production of Swan Lake, when a veteran dancer (Winona Ryder) drops out of the part. Bullied by her very controlling mother (Barbara Hershey), Nina is stressed out during the rehearsal period not helped by the knowledge that her rival and understudy, Lily (Mila Kunis) is literally waiting in the wings.

REVIEW:

Written by Mark Heyman, Andres Heinz and John McLaughlin, the screenplay iis amazing, considering the subject matter of the film. The three screenwriters had to obviously take elements of the story in Swan Lake and apply it into this melodrama. In the end, the result is great. Nina symbolizes the White Swan of the tale, as she is controlled and never embraces the dark side of her. As she is cast to be the Swan Queen (she plays both the White and Black swan) of the ballet, she has to get both roles right. Her depiction of the White Swan is perfect, but she can't seem to potray the Black. Lily is obviously a symbol of the Black Swan as she is a lot more rebellious - she smokes, takes drugs, and has sex all the time. The colours that these women wear also add to this idea of the two swans - Nina wears a lot of white coloured clothers, while Lily is usually dressed in black. If you're not familiar with the ballet, don't worry. Neither was I. What's great is the story of Swan Lake is explained during a scene. Black Swan is the title - then why isn't Lily the central character? Throughout the film, we witness the transformation of Nina - she is the White Swan turning to the Black Swan. That's one of the greatest elements of the storyline here - the development of Nina's character is very disturbing. In fact, the film is just plain disturbing, and I mean that in a good way. Beth MacIntyre, the retiring dancer, is a very scary character, along with Nina's mother. When the film reaches its climax, you're already pulled into the chaos, and the events that take place during the last scenes of the movie are shocking. The character of Nina is someone we can relate to - I think we've all had a moment where we want to perfect and find ourselves facing a rival.

Natalie Portman. Never have I seen her in a role like this. I haven't always been blown away by her acting, but her performance in Black Swan is flawless - an Oscar worthy performance. She steals every scene she is in. Portman creates a very innocent and child-like character with Nina. She also had to learn how to dance, and does a great job with it. Dancers train for years, and Portman obviously hasn't had that much experience, but she manages to pull off the ballet perfectly. Mila Kunis is fantastic as Lily, and Babara Henley captures her role brilliantly. Vincent Cassel blew me away with his potrayal as Thomas Leory. Winona Ryder doesn't have as much appearances in scenes as the rest of the cast, but hell - her performance is chilling, and creepy as ever.

Darren Aronofsky is one of the reasons why this is perfect. His direction is terrfic. Her directs his actors with care, and there's a lot of attention to detail. Every expression on the faces of the actors has been considered with care, particularly that of Portman, who always looks anxious and scared. Also, he create a very scary atmosphere with the film that is truly disturbing. The film works with our imagination - after a while, we begin to believe all these thing that Nina sees are real. The make up and effects are also superb with the atmosphere. The subtle hints of blood and scars give the film a real horrofying edge. And we can't forget the actual appearance of the Black Swan during the final dance - the Black Swan actually looks scary. There are some very disturbing scenes that will have you covering your eyes - for example, a scene where Nina discovers black feathers growing out of her flesh. Aronofsky really wants to bring out this 'Black Swan transformation' to us, and there are numbers of scenes where Nina seems to literally transform into a swan. Shot by Matthew Libatique, the film looks gorgeous, particularly the dance sequences. The art direction also helps with the terrific visual look of the film, and Clint Mansell's score is truly dynamic. Black Swan also features songs from Swan Lake. The choreography is amazing, and it really makes you want to watch the actual ballet for Swan Lake. Edited wonderfully by Andrew Weisblum, the film moves along nicely, and it never feels slow.

Like Nina, Black Swan strives to be perfect - you can tell a lot of work has gone into this. Aronofsky, you've done it - this is PERFECT! A flawless movie, that is definitley an instant classic. It's horrofying, and I warn you, there are a lot of scares here - audience members were literally jumping in their seats. Natalie Portman is terrific, the atmosphere is confronting, and the look of the film is to die for. This is one of the best movies I've seen in a long time.

"If we get jammed up, we're holding court on the street."

The Town is Ben Affleck's second film, after Gone Baby Gone, and it fits the same tense urban thriller genre that Affleck seems so impressive at doing. Also co-writting the screenplay, and playing the lead role, Affleck brings us one of the best films of 2010, with well-staged action sequences and performances to die for. Affleck has done it again.

SUMMARY:

The working-class Boston suburb of Charlestown, only one square mile in size, has produced more bank and armoured-car robbers than any other part of the U.S. Doug MacRay (Ben Affleck) is one of them; he leads a gang of four that includes his unstable mate, Jem (Jeremy Renner). During their latest bank robbery, they kidnap the young woman manager, Claire Keesey (Rebecca Hall), though they release her without harming her. Jem thinks they should keep an eye on her in case she goes to the FBI, and Doug, while observing her, gets to meet her. Meanwhile, an FBI team led by Frawley (Jon Hamm), is on the track of Doug's gang.

REVIEW:

Many have complained that the film has a rather conventional story. I disagree with this. It's not predictable at all. The script is top-notch, thanks to skillful writing of Affleck, Peter Craig, and Aaron Stockard. Based on Chuck Hogan's novel Prince of Thieves, the screenplay boasts a number of brilliant plot developments. Affleck knows story structure, which is why the plot here feels so unique. The characters are all interesting, and throughout the film, many of them do develop. The relationships are superb - the relationship Doug shares with Krista (Blake Lively), Jem's sister, is well done. The added touches to the past of Doug make him a central character we can all care about, and Claire is a likeable 'damsel in distress'. The ending may be hard for some to accept, but by the time the film had finished, I was happy with it. The dialogue here is so impressive - it fits the Boston setting of the film really well. Much of the swearing and cursing also adds to the gritty effect at work here. However, the setting, Charlestown, does make me wonder if it is the Bank Robbery capital of America.

For once, Ben Affleck actually brings out a fine performance. He's perfect as Doug, and there wasn't a single moment in the film where he screwed up somehow. He hit the nail on the head. The beautiful Rebecca Hall brings class to Claire, and performs all her dramatic scenes with skill. She expresses the stress of her character convincingly. Hall and Affleck work well together, and they make the central relationship between their characters convincing. After his success in Mad Men, Jon Hamm arrives in The Town and creates a character with attitude in Frawley. The supporting performances are all spectacular. Jeremy Renner is sublime as Jem - he plays reckless brilliantly. However, one of the best performances comes Blake Lively. No, we haven't seen her in anything like this, and this role as a whore may actually land her some lead roles in the future. Lively plays Krista superbly - it's an Oscar worthy performance. With her character's drug addiction, dirty behaviour, and role as a mother, Lively has a difficult character to act out, but she did it right. Even though she's not in the film for a lot, she has a lot to do in her scenes - in fact, she pretty much steals them. Thanks to Lively's acting, Krista appears as a very innocent and neglected young girl, and we all literally feel sympathetic for her. Pete Postlethwaite is slimy and cunning as Fergie, the man who actually plans the robberies. Chris Cooper is also excellent in the small role of Doug's imprisoned father.

Gone Baby Gone wasn't exactly an action film. It seems Affleck wants to finally see if he can direct action - and you know what. He does it really well. The number of action sequences here are limited - there's really only two of them, where Doug and his team perform very risky bank robberies. Affleck stages them perfectly, and they are shot in the shaky-cam style, which is basically well suited to the material. The final shootout of the film is tense, and the car chase scene is edge-of-your-seat quality. Not a lot of CGI has been used with action, which is just as brilliant - it all feels so realistic. Another element of The Town that I really love is the look of it. The way the film is shot by cinematographer Robert Elswit makes the film have that classic crime-thriller look. It all looks so beautiful. There's also some style involved here - in many of the bank heist scenes, Doug and his crew are always dressed up in costumes, most memorable are the nuns. It's all very slick and stylish. Affleck's direction is something we should also take note of. In the past, he hasn't had his fair run of acting. But as a director, he is phenominal. Behind the camera, he knows how to make a good film. This is a thriller, and he certainly sets up the tension amazingly. He knows how to get good performances from his actors, and he knows how to make an above average film.

Overall, The Town is a highly enjoyable thriller that won't disapoint. It will prove to be one of the best films of 2010. Gone Baby Gone was amazing, and a hard film to fault, but The Town is just as good. It's a gritty and dark sort of film, so don't take your kids with you. I think this is going to be a classic in the heist genre, and there's literally no fat to trim here. It's flawless.

''Life is a game. So fight for survival and see if you're worth it.''

Kinji Fukasaku's Battle Royale was controversial in Japan, due to the amount of violence shown in the film. Yes, this is amazingly gory, bloody, and over-the-top. Quentin Tarantino even stated that Battle Royale was his favourite film that has been released since 1992 (the year he became a director). While the film manages to dazzle with some truly violent action sequences, it's also a confronting and amusing experience - it's scary at times, but there's no denying that this is a lot of fun.

SUMMARY:

At the dawn of the new millennium, Japan is in a a state of near-collapse. Unemployment is at an all-time high, and violence among the nation's youth is spiraling out of control. With schoolchildren boycotting their classes and physically abusing their teachers, a beleaguered and near-defeated government decides to introduce a radical new measure: the Battle Royale Act. A group of delinquent students from a Japanese high school have been forced to compete in a game known as Battle Royale. The students are each given a bag with a randomly selected weapon and a few rations of food and water and sent off to kill each other in a no-holds-barred (with a few minor rules) game to the death, which means that the students have three days to kill each other until one survives--or they all die. Some decide to play the game, such as the psychotic Kiriyama (Masanobu Ando) or the sexual Mistuko (Kou Shibasaki), while others try to find a way out of the game. Shuya (Tatsuya Fujiwara) and Norikio (Aki Maeda) are trying to escape from the Island without violence, and helping them is Kawada (Taro Yamamoto), who survived the previous game.

REVIEW:

Battle Royale is based on the book of the same name by Koushun Takami. The screenplay was written by Kenta Fukasaku, who is actually the son of the director. Having never read the book, I found the premise of Battle Royale to be amazingly original, and quite frankly, quite bizzare as well. The characters are all unique, and while not all of them are particularly likeable, you still think they're plain awesome. There are sadistic teenagers roaming around the island killing without mercy, most notably Kiriyama, who proves to be the most memorable and scary of the characters. There's also a nice touch of satire, where Fukasaka mocks the current trend of Japanese teen culture, such as over-dramatic soap romances. There is something quite disturbing about Battle Royale - as a teenager myself, I found it absolutely confronting seeing kids my age killing each other. The themes this film delves into are actually quite serious, as it explores the limits people will go to in order to survive. Fukasaka also explores the conflict between adults and young people, particularly that of teachers and students. While we can say that this film has taken a lot of the concepts of Lord of the Flies, the treatment is original, with a good dose of twisted horror here. Kids are being killed by their own teacher - this is a truly horrific moment in the movie. Friends are turning against each other, and some choose to take their own lives - there are just so many layers of detail. It may be simple at first, but there definitely is something very intriguing about Battle Royale.

The two lead stars of the film, Tatsuya Fujiwara and Aki Maeda, are quite unconvincing in their roles. Honestly, I can't say I was too blown away by the performances seen in the film. Some are way too over-the-top, which is something we see too much of in Japanese cinema. However, there are a few actors that are brilliant. Takeshi Kitano is superb as the supervisor of the game - the students' 7th grade teacher. He's wonderful in the role, while also sending shivers down your spine. Masanobu Ando as Kiriyama is also great, showing off a very scary yet epic style of acting. Chiaki Kuriyama, who played Gogo Yubari in Kill Bill Vol. 1 after Battle Royale, is also a scene stealer.

My taste of violence is over-the-top and not realistic looking. I've had enough of Saw. In asian cinema, you'll notice how over-the-top the violence is - it's so unrealistic that you won't throw up at the sight of it. Blood spraying dynamically out of someone's neck is something I love to see in action movies - Battle Royale contains a lot of this. The violence is brilliant. There are a number of action set pieces that are short, but amazing to watch. Helping these sequences is the epic score by Masamichi Amano, who creates intense instrumental pieces that blend so well into this film. There's also some perfectly licensed music, for example, Dies Irae as the opening song. Edited well by Hirohide Abe, and incredibly shot by cinematographer Katsumi Yanagishima, the action looks terrific. The location is gorgeous, and the use of props is creative. Moving at a terrific pace the film is never boring. Added to the fun factor of the film is Kenji Fukasaka's magnificent direction, where he creates atmospheric scares throughout the film - there is a touch of psychological horror.

Overall, Battle Royale is my kind of movie, and there's no way I can't give this 5 stars. At first, I didn't find it as brilliant, but as I kept watching it, it really started to blow me away. There's something fantastically memorable about the way this film is handled. The violence is spectacular, the story is compelling, and the horror is well done. For gore hounds, this is the film that will not disappoint on the body count.

"It's a crazy fucking world."

I'm an Aussie myself, and nothing pleases me more than to see a brilliant Australian film. No, I'm not a huge fan of Baz Luhrmann - I almost gave up on the Australian film industry after seeing Australia back in 2008. Along comes David Michôd, who has crafted a very suspenseful and intense crime drama with Animal Kingdom, the winner of the World Cinema Jury prize at the Sundance Film Festival in early 2010.

SUMMARY:

When the mother of Joshua "J" Cody (James Frecheville) dies of an overdose, the teenager has nowhere to go but to the home of the grandmother he hardly knows. Janine, known as "Smurf" (Jacki Weaver), welcomes her grandson, and he soon meets members of this criminal group - Barry "Baz" Brown (Joel Edgerton), who is thinking of giving up a life of crime; and J's uncles - Pope (Ben Mendelsohn), who has just been released from prison and is lying low; Darren (Luke Ford), who is quiet and withdrawn; and Craig (Sullivan Stapleton), an unstable drug dealer and user. When one of the clan is killed by a pair of cops and Pope and his brothers take revenge, Josh is drawn into the family web of crime. Meanwhile a police officer, Leckie (Guy Pearce) is putting the screws on the Cody clan.

REVIEW:

Michôd wrote the screenplay to his feature debut, after the award-winning short film, Crossbow. This is very unlike the hardcore gangster movies of Scorcese - in fact, the crime gang of Animal Kingdom aren't as powerful as you think. The first thing you should know is this isn't a thriller. There are a lot of crime thrillers being released nowadays, but this is a crime drama. While the gang deals with armed robberies, you never see them robbing a store or a bank. However, there are still some very thrilling moments here, for example, the Cody's revenge on the police. It's brilliant to see A LOT of character study here. The characters of Animal Kingdom are explored, and they are very interesting characters, each with a different role in this kingdom. Why is the film called Animal Kingdom? This is a very intriguing question, as there are just so many possible answers. There are so many themes explored here, with the characteristics of animals, and the role we fit into in our society. The film itself is intriguing. There's a lot of detail in the script, and the dialogue isn't filled with cliche' lines. The characters all play a big part here - they're one of the reasons why this crime drama works so well. They're all very complex. J is quiet a lot of the time; Baz is a good man in a bad world; Pope is calm most of the time, but when he feels challenged ,he is one scary man; Smurf is a mother who will do anything - anything at all - to protect her sons. The ending is shocking, and very effective as well.

Newcomer James Frecheville may be seen as a bad actor, due to the fact that he never seems to show any emotion throughout the film. However, that's how his character is supposed to be, and as the film develops, his performance is a lot more open, and he does start to show some real emotion. He's a brilliant actor, and I'm sure this will land him into more roles. Jacki Weaver is also really good as Smurf, playing her over-protective mother role with so much skill. She's been nominated for a Golden Globe, and she definitely deserves it. Rumour has it, she's also been nominated for an Oscar! The best actor for me was Ben Mendelsohn, whom I found really scary as Pope. His performance was chilling and very dark. Sullivan Stapleton and Luke Ford also provided some really nice performances. Joel Edgerton is excellent as Baz, and Guy Pearce is also good value as a good cop who actually wants justice. There are also some really good supporting actors here, including Daniel Wyllie as the family's lawyer and Anna Lisa Phillips as J's barrister.

Michôd's direction is amazing. There's nothing over-the-top in Animal Kingdom - it's a very subtle experience. Michôd directs his actors well, and that's why their performances are top-notch. The cinematography, by Adam Arkapaw, is incredible, and it contrasts wonderfully with the brilliant score by Antony Partos. The effect of the two production elements is just sublime. Edited finely by Luke Doolan, the film always feels tense. Many of the conversations between characters have a tense and engaging tone, and the streets of Melbourne (I live there by the way) are used effectively.

Overall, Animal Kingdom is the best Australian film I have ever seen. This is cinema at its best, and I couldn't think of a better crime drama. David Michôd is a talented filmmaker, and I can't wait to see what he makes next. With performances to die for, and some really beautiful cinematography, Animal Kingdom is a must-see, and one of the best films of 2010.

''If we catch John Doe and he turns out to be the devil, I mean if he's Satan himself, that might live up to our expectations, but he's not the devil. He's just a man.''

Se7en, directed by David Fincher, is possibly the best psychological thriller you'll ever see. Fincher is a genius with dark material, and with Se7en, you can tell he knows what he's doing. The genre of psychological thriller is difficult to master, but Fincher has made a classic in that genre with Se7en. It's insanely twisted.

SUMMARY:

Se7en portrays the exploits of a deranged serial-killer. His twisted agenda involves choosing seven victims who represent egregious examples of transgressions of each of the Seven Deadly Sins. He then views himself as akin to the Sword of God, handing out horrific punishment to these sinners. Detective Sommerset (Morgan Freeman), an experienced veteran of the streets who is about to retire, and Detective Mills (Brad Pitt), an ambitious young homicide detective hired to replace him, team up to capture the perpetrator of these gruesome killings. However, soon the two of them become much too involved in the killer's twisted plans.

REVIEW:

I'll describe the script in two words - Fucked Up. And that is a compliment. For a thriller like this to work amazingly, you've got to have really twisted storyline, and with Se7en, it's about as fucked up as you can get. The mystery side of the film is tense and engaging - it keeps you watching, this isn't a boring film. Written by Andrew Kevin Walker, the script is a brilliant piece of work, mainly due to the memorable dialogue, and original storyline. The title - Se7en - links to so many of the plot parts. The film explores the seven deadly sins: Gluttony. Greed. Sloth. Pride. Lust. Envy. Wrath. In the killer's mind, he'll kill each of his decided victims based on these sins - seven ways to die. The context of the number 7 also links to the character of Sommerset, as when we first meet him in the film, he only has seven days left before he retires. The characters here are terrific, with Sommerset being a very interesting character. But we can't forget the character of the killer - John Doe (Kevin Spacey). Films like Saw (which is terrible) have probably taken inspiration from the character, as he is one twisted and disturbing fellow. But his views on society play a huge part of the film. Se7en also deals with themes about the issues of today's society. The exploration of how the seven deadly sins are around us everyday is beautifully handled by Kevin Walker's script, and Fincher's direction. The twists throughout the film are horrifying, and the ending is terribly clever, if a bit disapointing for some viewers.

Morgan Freeman is absolutely epic in Se7en. When he's in roles like this, he definitely shines. I wasn't too impressed with Brad Pitt, but his performance was soild and convincing. Gwyneth Paltrow, who plays Mills' wife Tracy, is truly stunning. But the best performance here comes from Kevin Spacey. He's terrific. Spacey was exactly the right choice for the role. He brings that fucked up personality of Doe, and creeps us all out with his mind-blowing performance.

Fincher is a master with atmosphere. With Se7en, it's all about that. Creating a creepy atmosphere is difficult, and many filmmakers can't handle it - however, Fincher knows how to do it, and does it perfectly in this film. The opening titles sequence is a montage of shots where we see Doe writing in his journal. Shot with a rather disturbing style, edited well, and contrasting with chilling music, this sequence sets up all the atmosphere brillaint from the start of the film. The score, by Howard Shore, is fantastic and very much helps to set up a creepy tone, and it contrasts well with Darius Khondji's cinematography. Khondji shoots the film so well - throughout the film, the lighting is very dark, and the visuals are also very scary-looking, giving the film a tremendous effect of tension. The editing is top notch, and I have to comment on the production design by Arthur Max. It's excellent, along with the superb Art Direction of Gary Wissner, who knows how to create really horrifying mood with the sets. Praise must also given to Clay A. Griffith as Set Decorator. Each set has so many small details and props that add to the effect of the film, and A. Griffith decorates each set with these sort of assets really well.

Overall, Se7en is a classic, and still remains as Fincher's best film, even after the 5 star films he made after this (Fight Club, The Social Network). The look of it is brilliant, and the script is to die for. I could go on for days about Se7en, but alas, I can't be screwed writing that much. Still, it's a film that won't disapoint. It's creepy, and even scary at times. It proves to be one of the best films ever made. This is Fincher's masterpiece.

"The Grid. A digital frontier. I tried to picture clusters of information as they traveled through the computer. Ships, motorcycles. With the circuits like freeways. I kept dreaming of a world I thought I'd never see. And then, one day... I got in."

Throughout my Flixster career, I have given flawed films a rating of 5 stars. These include Avatar and District 9, and now, the long awaited TRON: Legacy joins the list. Yes, this film has flaws, but it does things with 3D technology that I've never seen before. This is one of the best films I've seen in 3D.

SUMMARY:

Sam Flynn (Garrett Hedlund), a rebellious 27-year-old, is haunted by the mysterious disappearance of his father Kevin Flynn (Jeff Bridges), a man once known as the world's leading video-game developer. When Sam investigates a strange signal sent from the old Flynn's Arcade - a signal that could only come from his father - he finds himself pulled into the digital world known as The Grid, where Kevin has been trapped for 20 years. With the help of the fearless warrior Quorra (Olivia Wilde), father and son embark on a life-or-death journey across a cyber universe - a universe created by Kevin himself that has become far more advanced with vehicles, weapons, landscapes and a ruthless villain who will stop at nothing to prevent their escape.

REVIEW:

First off, I should reveal that I have never seen the original TRON, which was released back in 1982. In my opinion, seeing TRON before seeing TRON: Legacy isn't compulsory. Honestly, there's really no need to. You can still watch TRON: Legacy and understand what is going on. The film does have a brilliant concept, and for gamers, this film will rock. The screenplay was written by Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz, and the main problem with it is the dialogue - it is really clunky at times in the film. There are really lame one-liners, and some of the jokes aren't that funny, though I did find Quorra amusing - she has a charm that is really cute. She's quite a memorable character. She's curious, and has a 'Fish out of Water' personality in some scenes. Sam Flynn is also a surprisingly effective hero - after seeing the trailer, I expected him to be like Sam Witwicky from the Transformers movies, but he's actually heroic, and even badass. The story is quite complicated though, so you really need to pay attention - there's a lot of explaining, and looking into the past - we find out why Kevin Flynn disapeared, and about the creation of the villain of the film, Clu, who is also played by Jeff Bridges.

Garrett Hedlund is really good as Sam, and doesn't fall into the stereotype of the hero who is actually quite an idiot. Jeff Bridges is always good value, and in TRON: Legacy, he's in top form. He even plays opposite himself for some of the running time. Playing two different characters, with one being a good guy, and the other being the evil guy, he definitely had a challenge with this performance, but he pulls it off wonderfully. The very gorgeous Olivia Wilde is absolutely charming as Quorra, and captures that cute attitude, as well as appearing very badass. Michael Sheen has heaps of fun as Zuse, a program of The Grid whom Sam tracks down to help him escape. Beau Garrett is terrific as Jem, a sexy program known as a Siren.

TRON: Legacy defines the phrase 'Eye-Popping'. The use of 3D technology here is amazing! Like I said, this is eye-popping. While some of the movie is shown in 2D, a majority of TRON: Legacy is 3D - obviously when it's set in The Grid. Director Joseph Kosinski knows how to use 3D well, and this film is the proof. It's not over-the-top, and it's not boring - the film was shot in 3D, so the effects don't feel tacked on. The action sequences are spectacularly fun, and the 3D effects work really well during these scenes. These sequences include battles with futuristic weapons, bikes, and even flying ships that look amazing. You can tell a lot of work has gone into this, and not only with the CGI, but with the costumes, sets, and even the design of all the props and vehicles. A personal favourite of mine would be the costumes - we have great looking models here wearing skin-tight outfits. They look sexy as ever - Olivia Wilde and Beau Garrett totally raped my eyeballs. Using special effects, a younger version of Jeff Bridges was created (Clu), and I must say, it looked very convincing. Daft Punk is responsible for the very enjoyable soundtrack - some of the techno is actually quite brilliant, and there are a number of really epic songs. The duo also make an appearance in the film. With some really funky and hip beats played through the action sequences, the film feels so retro. Visually, the film is gorgeous, and thanks to the stylish cinematography by Claudio Miranda, it's brilliant to look at. Visual effects are top-notch, and even have a video-game style to them. Sound effects are also something to watch out for - they're really dynamic. The cinema I was in was literally shaking due to the sound.

You MUST see this at the cinema, and it must be watched in 3D. The sound works so well at the movies, and to see the spectacular 3D effects of the big screen is so enjoyable. I don't think this is a perfect film, but I have to give it 5 stars. I can't think of a better 3D movie. There's plenty to get hooked on here, and it doesn't matter if you haven't seen the original TRON. TRON: Legacy is one of the best films of the year, and with stunning visual effects and flashy action sequences, this will be an unforgettable experience.

"Hello. I am Princess Moanna, and I am not afraid of you."

Guillermo Del Toro's Pan's Labyrinth truly is a magical experience. After reading many positive reviews, I decided to rent this. Watching it was a treat - it's absolutely brilliant. I'm a sucker for fantasy, and this film just has a whole new take on that genre - it's unlike anything you've ever seen before! This is what you call a masterpiece.

SUMMARY:

Set in Spain during the aftermath of the Civil War, it's about an imaginative little girl, Ofelia (Ivana Baquero), whose wicked stepfather (Sergi Lopez) is a brutal officer in Franco's army. Her mother is awfully ill, and is also pregnant. Ofelia rarely has anyone to play with, though she befriends one of her stepfather's maids, Mercedes (Maribel Verdu). The child seeks refuge in a dark world of fantasy, where she encounters all kinds of strange creatures, including a Faun.

REVIEW:

Also writing the screenplay, Del Toro lets his imagination run wild. He has a very creative mind. This story is sensational, and very imaginative. It blends Ofelia's fantasy world with the political issues of the time it's set in. Del Toro doesn't hold back on showing us the cruelty of the villain, Captain Vidal, who is quite well written. He's the type of villain that anyone can hate. You hate the character greatly. The fantasy aspect of the film is genious. Highly original. There are creatures we've heard of before, such as the fairies and the faun, but one I've never seen before is the Pale Man, a strange monster that Ofelia encounters. Ofelia is a character we all grow to love, we end up caring about the little girl. She has a sweet and innocent personality, which is also a major theme to the film. She's quick and clever, and a terrific heroine. The fantasy 'quest' of the film is spectacular. Ofelia is said to be a great princess - Princess Moanna, according to the Faun, and to take her throne, she must complete a series of tasks. The story still manages to give us a nice fantastical adventure. With so many fantasy films nowadays being based on novels, Pan's Labyrinth is a breath of fres hair as it's a story never been told before. There are traces of Alice in Wonderland, but Del Toro doesn't take the tone of that story - he creates this beautiful story with his own style, which is why it is so original.

The acting is beautiful, especially Ivana Baquero. She is fabulous. For such a young actress, it's almost amazing how convincing her performance is. Playing out all the emotions of this character very well, Baquero creates the innocence of Ofelia beautifully. Sergi Lopez is very effective as the stepfather, he makes you hate him. He's able to play out a cruel nature with skill. Doug Jones is brilliant. Having worked with Del Toro many times, Jones still brings the powerful and odd style to the way he plays the strange creatures he becomes in movies. Here, he plays both the Faun and The Pale Man. He brings a creepy and chilling attitude to both the characters. Maribel Verdu is splendid as Mercedes, bringing out a kind-hearted character to the screen.

My favourite element of the film was of course the visuals. I loved the visuals. Beautiful cinematography by Guillermo Navarro. The film has a stunning look, with the vivid colours, and superb lighting. The other beautiful aspect would be the creature effects and sets. The sets look amazing, and they're been made with skill. The creature effects are superb, and I'm glad that not everything was entirely CGI. For example, the Faun. It looks amazing, as well as scary - and it wasn't created using visual effects. The Pale Man is horrofying - he is insanely creepy. The score by Javier Navarrete is outstanding, with the theme song being very memorable. But be warned as well, because the film is not for kids. Pan's Labyrinth is R-rated, though the subject does seem like that for kids. The political aspect of the film is the reason for this - there's a lot of violence here. There's a few torture scenes here that are quite horrific, as well as the sequence with the Pale Man.

Pan's Labyrinth is a masterpiece. A beautiful work of art. It can't be topped. This is the film made by a genious, and one of the best fantasy films I've ever seen. This is Del Toro's best work. The creatures are wonderful, and the film provides the scares and the magic. Having seen a few Flixster users giving this film a rating of one star (you know who you are) because they think it is too 'wierd', I can say tha tthese people are just a bunch of, pardon my language, Fucking wimps. This is a film that should be witnessed by everyone.

"Get off my lawn!"

Clint Eastwood is one of my favourite directors, and out of all the films I've seen by him, I can say that this is one of the best. Eastwood never disapoints us with his films - they're always extraordinary. Gran Torino is a breath of fresh air - though there are gangsters and guns, this film is not an action movie.

SUMMARY:

Korean war vet, retired auto worker and recent widower Walt Kowalski (Clint Eastwood) is proud American racist who has a poor relationship with his two sons. When his Hmong neighbour, teenager Thao Vang Lor (Bee Vang) is pressured by his peers into stealing his prized Gran Torino, Kowalski administers his own brand of punishment in an attempt to help him to see the error of his ways.

REVIEW:

The screenplay was by Nick Schenk. The story is absolutely fantastic. It belnds so many types of tones together. Humour, drama, and many more. At first, Walt may seem to be a very unlikeable character, but we soon end up caring about the guy, as we see the wonderful relationship that develops between him and Thao. But his character also develops. He soon spends more time with his new neighbours, and he gets to know their ways. He becomes less of a racist, and even begins to find himself quite fond of the culture. But he's also a funny character. I found myslef laughing at the way he throws racist insults at black or asian gangbangers. Another strong aspect of the character would be his patriotism and his old-fashioned personality. He doesn't like youngsters - the way they're so disrespectful and idiotic. He's a proud american, and we can see that with his house - his house is the only one with the American flag. In a scene, he sees that his son is driving a Toyota (which is Japanese), and says "Would it kill you to buy American?". But if there's one thing that works the most in the screenplay, it would be the friendship between Thao and Walt. It seems similar to the relationship between Carl and Russel in the PIXAR film Up. Towards the end of the film, their friendship is pushed to the limit, and it really is just so moving. The ending is bitter, and sweet, at the very same time, and it's quite clever and well written. Many have been complaining about the amount of swearing in the film, but it doesn't fucking matter. The lines here are very memorable - it feels like Dirty Harry.

This is Eastwood at his best. His performance in this is brilliant. He plays Walt with skill, and I can't imagine anyone else playing him. Clint Eastwood fits the role of a grumpy old man incredibly well. He hit the nail on the head with is performance, and every nuance of the character is captured perfectly. However, Bee Vang and some of the actors who played the Hmongs, were quite unconvincing. To a certain point, their terrible acting got annoying. Christopher Carley is wonderful as the priest who tries to help Walt.

The score, by Kyle Eastwood and Michael Stevens, is amazing in everyway. It's got that old-fashioned style, that we have most of the time in an Eastwood film. A highlight of the music would be the song Gran Torino, which is sung by Jamie Cullum and Clint Eastwood himself! His singing is quite amusing. I think the shooting location works, because it suits the screenplay, and the look of it allows us to know the characters more. We can tell by looking at the neighbourhood Walt lives in is terribly dangerous, with gangsters roaming around, and it's isolated. The cinematography, by Tom Stern, who usually always serves as Eastwood's Director of Photography, is beautiful, and gives the film the same great look we got from Million Dollar Baby. The Ford Gran Torino itself is a major player of the film, it has a lot to do with the ending and that characters - you'll see why the film is called Gran Torino.

Overall, Gran Torino is one of Eastwood's best films. It's a beautiful, and moving story that shows us the beauty of friendship. The performance from Eastwood himself is totally ground-breaking. Gran Torino is proof that Eastwood still hasn't lost his touch as a filmmaker, and an actor, despite his age. Gran Torino is a terrific work of art. Though the budget here isn't as impressive as most Hollywood productions, this film is still a classic - it should be witnessed by everyone.

"Will you keep out all the sadness?"

Spike Jonze is probably one of the most imaginative filmmakers working in America these days. He is able to express his creativity through film so beautifully, and with Where the Wild Things Are, his imagination goes wild.

SUMMARY:

A single mother (Catherine Keener) deals with her teen daughter Clair (Pepita Emmerichs) and a rambunctious 9 year old Max (Max Records) as best she can. But when Max goes over the top and bites her after he sees her with a new boyfriend (Mark Ruffalo), he runs away in his wolf suit, over the sea to where the wild things are. Max befriends all these strange creatures when he becomes their king - bickering married couple Judith (Catherine O'Hara) and Ira (Forest Whitaker), Alexander (Paul Dano), Douglas (Chris Cooper) but it's with Carol (James Gandolfini), who is a bit of a tearaway, and with KW (Lauren Ambrose), whom Carol fancies, that Max forms a special bond.

REVIEW:

The film is an adaptation of Maurice Sendak's best selling book Where the Wild Things Are. I'm not familiar with the book, but I've been told it's very short. It's about a boy Max, having a wild rebellion in his bedroom for being sent to bed without any supper. The screenplay for the film was written by the director Spike Jonze and Dave Eggers have done well in turning the book into a story with A LOT of depth. I think they've written this really well. Considering how short the book is, this is a top notch script. What I loved most was characters and the relationships between them. The relationship that Max has with his sister and mother were fantastic. Max's mother is always there for Max and he is always there for her when she needs cheering up. His relationship with his sister is a bit different. In one beautifully handled scene, we see Clair's friends smashing Max's igloo - with him still inside it. She doesn't do a thing about it, and after this happens, Max goes into her room and messes it up. While unleashing havoc upon the room, he tears up a love heart he made for her, but soon after, he realises what he has done, and tries to fix the heart. I was quite moved by this scene. It shows us the loving relationship between these two siblings. These relationships have been done really well, and they've also maintained that with the wild things. The relationship that develops between Max and Carol is wonderfully done. The characters are so likeable, especially the wild things. They've made them appear very human with their personalities. Carol, KW, Alexander - they all feel so human, and they've all got different personalities. The creatures are real characters, and we grow to love them. Another clever thing they've done is relating the wild things to Max's life back home. Ira and Judith are always arguing and aren't very close - just like Max's seperated parents. Nobody ever listens to Alexander - Max doesn't have much of a say back at home. Carol makes a beautiful little world in his cave, but so easily destroys it out of sheer anger and frustration - just like how Max messed up his sister's room. They've done all these elments really well, and there's even a dark tone to the film, which I've heard was also in the book. There were so many moments that made me cry here - this is a very touching tale. Towards the end, I cried buckets.

Max Record is superb, and all the acting at the start when he was at home was good. Max Records, Pepita Emmerichs and Catherine Keener all played their roles well and made the character relationships feel very real. I loved some of the voice acting. Paul Dano was great as Alexando - I loved the voice he put on. James Gandolfini was exactly the right choice for Carol. Lauren Ambrose brings exellence to KW, and I really enjoyed Chris Cooper's potrayal of Douglas. I haven't seen him do many roles like this. The winner is Max Records though. He was really good, he's a promising young actor.

The creature design is a highlight of the film. It's fantastic that they didn't decide to do everything in CGI. The wild things are really men in costumes - big costumes - but the faces are animated, to give the creatures some real emotion in their faces. The animation here does work well though. Some of the locations were breathtaking. Filming took place in Victoria, Australia, and all the wonderful forests and beaches gave the film a remarkable look. The cinematography is great, and using natural lighting and colours gives the film a nice organic look. Another great asset was the production design and art direction. Gosh, all the sets here look amazing. The score, by Carter Burwell and Karen Orzolek is remarkable, and fits the tone of the film well, and the soundtrack is oh so delightful.

This is a very imaginative film, and it has encouraged me to see Jonze's other films. It's visually stunning, and Max Records is such a good actor in this. It's been very well written, and the wild things are such wonderful characters. Many may disagree with me about this being a good film, and believe me, I've mat a lot of people who've hated this film, but I adored this. I wouldn't call this a kids film, because it does have a very dark and scary tone, but there's plenty of charm here that kids will surely dig into. I cried several times in the film, and I wouldn't be surprised if you did too. This is a fantastical masterpiece! Where the Wild Things Are - One of the Best Films of 2009!

"This is a story of boy meets girl, but you should know upfront, this is not a love story."

Romantic Comedy. This is a genre that many girls love, but many boys hate. That's why most of them are labled "Chick Flicks". It's a hard type of genre to nail, but somehow, Marc Webb dazzled us all when he released his debut feature film, (500) Days of Summer. It's more than a rom-com. It's a film that explores love, fate, and relationships.

SUMMARY:

Tom (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) is an aspiring architect who currently earns his living as a greeting card writer. Upon encountering his boss' beautiful new secretary, Summer (Zooey Deschanel), Tom discovers that the pair have plenty in common despite the fact that she's seemingly out of his league; for starters, they both love the Smiths, and they're both fans of surrealist artist Magritte. Before long Tom is smitten. All he can think about is Summer. Tom believes deeply in the concept of soul mates, and he's finally found his. Unfortunately for Tom, Summer sees true love as the stuff of fairy tales, and isn't looking for romance. Undaunted and undeterred by his breezy lover's casual stance on relationships, Tom summons all of his might and courage to pursue Summer and convince her that their love is real.

REVIEW:

(500) Days of Summer was written by Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber. Unlike many other rom-coms, this film has a storyline that isn't cliche'. It's an insult to call this film cliche', because a statement like that is bullshit. The film is told through a non-linear style of story-telling. This is shown by a number on screen indicating the position of the scene portrayed out of the retrospective 500 days. We go through moments of Tom and Summer's relationship, seeing the good and the bad of their time together. At first, their relationship was delightful. They were happy together. But, as time went on, their love went downhill. It's really an on and off relationship they're going through. The non-linear story-telling makes the audience wonder "What went wrong?", as we flash between a happy scene to a sad scene, and vise versa. The characters of Summer and Tom are terrific. The best thing is that you care about these characters, and you want them to end up being together. That's why the film is even more moving and heart breaking when we see the two lovers having a fight. Summer is a well-written character. She's the type of girl that any boy would fall in love with, and I did. She was such a beautiful character. She was a fun person, she was charming, and beautiful. Tom is an interesting character, with his belief of love and fate. In terms of humour, (500) Days of Summer does well. There are a number of witty jokes and lines, though I think, for the most of the film, the romantic side of the film takes over most of the comedy. Also, watch out for the ending - it's very clever.

There are only two performances that matter in (500) Days of Summer - those of Zooey Deschanel and Joseph Gordon-Levitt. These two actors are sublime. Gordon-Levitt is well-cast as Tom. He's funny in his role, as well as moving. With a terrific character like Tom, he has a lot to work with. Deschanel is by far the best actor of the film, she's delightful as Summer. Like I said before, Summer is supposed to be the character we're all supposed to fall in love with, and Deschanel makes this so. She's such a beautiful woman, and her charming edge to her performance is wonderful. Her charisma and beauty truly make her the perfect Summer. The supporting actors are also enjoyable, with Chloe Moretz playing Rachel, Tom's younger sister, and Geoffrey Arend as Tom's co-worker.

The film is beautifully shot by cinematographer Eric Steelberg. There are a number of dazzling shots that look fantastic. Also, director Marc Webb uses different types of mediums with style. These include split screen, animation, musical and dance sequences, and frequent breaking of the fourth wall. It's all used with class, and the great thing is that it's all a lot of fun. Despite a lot of syle used here, the film never feels unrealistic. The soundtrack is really spectacular, with a lot of romantic songs that well-suited to the material, to songs used for enjoyment. An example of this would be the dance number with the song You Make My Dreams Come True playing. It's a fun and hilarious sequence of the film. (500) Days of Summer also earns points for its editing. The transitions are so sharp. An example of this would be the scenes in which we see Tom and Summer having fun at IKEA. First, we them together when they're not happy. But then we switch back to how they were when they first started dating. We see them playing like happy children at IKEA. It's all so clever.

Overall, (500) Days of Summer is the BEST rom-com I've ever seen. Not only does it fit in that genre - it's also a drama, a coming of age story, a story about love. It has references to all sorts of things like music, and movies, and books. There's exploration of how love works with fate. We explore the troubles of relationships and life itself. There are some truly moving moments, and unlike many rom-coms, which aren't very touching, it can truly make you cry. (500) days of Summer - a beautiful masterpiece.

"This is the nature of war. By protecting others, you save yourselves."

Seven Samurai was my very first Kurosawa experience. After hearing so much about this legendary filmmaker, I decided to see this film. I wasn't disapointed. To me, this is such a great epic. In fact, you could say that it's one of the best epics ever made. There are elements here that make Seven Samurai an even better film than most epics produced nowadays. It truly is a timeless classic.

SUMMARY:

A village is constantly attacked by well armed bandits. One day after an attack they seek the wisdom of an elder who tells them they cannot afford weapons, but they can find men with weapons, samurai, who will fight for them, if they find samurai who are in down on their luck and wondering where their next meal will come from. They find a very experienced samurai (Takashi Shimura) with a good heart who agrees to recruit their party for them. He selects five genuine samurai and one who is suspect but the seven return to the village to protect it from the forty bandits.

REVIEW:

It's a totally unique story, for its time. Also writing the screenplay, Kurosawa directs Seven Samurai with skill, and it feels so modern. To me, the great thing about the story is the theme of heroism. All of these samurai are kind and heroic, with a good heart. The farmers can't exactly offer them are great reward, yet they still agree to help them. A great message it is - helping those who are unfortunate. The samurai are all different, each having their own unique personality. The leader is Kambei, who is the first samurai recruited by the farmers. The second samurai is Kambei's disciple, young Katsushiro (Isao Kimura), who is considered a 'child' by his fellow samurai. The third is Gorobei (Yoshio Inaba), a skilled archer. Fourth - Shichiroji (Daisuke Kato), who was once Kambei's deputy. Fifth - Heihachi (Minoru Chiaku), a cheerful and witty character. Sixth - Kyozo (Seiji Miyaguchi), a serious individual, who is only interested in improving his skills. Seventh - Kikuchiyo (Toshiro Mifune), an amusing character, whom isn't considered a samurai. Each of these characters has a quality that everyone will take a liking to, with Kikuchiyo's funny attitude, and Kyozo's calm and cool characteristics. The samuria do develop in terms of their character, as well as the farmers. And what epic wouldn't have a love story? The love story here is quite touching, well written, and it involves Katsushiro and the daughter of an 'asshole' farmer (Kamatari Fujiwara). Many will agree with me that this is an incredibly epic story, with the idea of seven warriors fighting an army of bandits. There are morals about peace to be seen within the script, so Seven Samurai can also be classified as an Art House movie.

I don't know any of the actors featured in this, but I enjoyed the performances. I loved the actors who played the samurai. The winner for me was Toshiro Mifune as Kikuchiyo - he was hilarious and impressive. I also liked Takashi Shimura as Kambei, and Isao Kimura does a great job as well. My main problem with the actors, and I'm not being sexist here, was the women actors. All of them were horrible, and all they do is cry. When they cry, they make the most god-awful sound ever!

Akira Kurosawa impresses me the most with the way he stages his battle sequences. He doesn't edit that much - he shoots scenes a lot in one shot. I love that, and his direction is great. The battle scenes are engaging, and offer visual excitement. What's great is that the last epic battle at the end is staged with rain pouring - which has been used so much now in action films, with Matrix Revolutions and many more. I loved the score - the theme song is unforgettable. Cinematography - beautiful. Nothing beats the visuals here, this is one of the most visually stunning black and white films I've ever seen. Some shots give you an epic tone, with wind blowing and the characters, and other shots are just breathtaking. The set was used well, and I think Kurosawa chose the right location to shoot his film at. The mountains, rivers, flowers, fields - beautiful, and a great location to stage battle scenes in.

Seven Samurai may be old, but filmmakers have taken inspiration from it, and that's no surprise at all. It's one of the very first epic action films ever, and can be called one of the best films ever made. With the heroic image Kurosawa creates in his characters, to the tragic love story at the heart of it, Seven Samurai has something for everyone. It will always be considered a masterpiece.

"The Sky People have sent us a message... that they can take whatever they want. That no one can stop them. Well, we will send them a message. You ride out as fast as the wind can carry you. You tell the other clans to come. Tell them Toruk Makto calls to them! You fly now, with me! My brothers! Sisters! And we will show the Sky People... that they can not take whatever they want! And that this... THIS IS OUR LAND!"

10 years is worth the wait! James Cameron is one of best directors working in America these days, and one of the most creative. He wrote this, and directed it - and it's the starting point of 3D done well. Nowadays, you'll notice that many films are shot and screened in 3D, and this all started from Avatar. The film also displayed groundbreaking motion capture and visual effects. Never have I seen such impressive animation. Though I don't find this to be a perfect film, I can't stress how amazing the look of Avatar is.

SUMMARY:

When his brother is killed in a robbery, paraplegic Marine Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) decides to take his place in a mission on the distant world of Pandora. There he learns of greedy corporate figurehead Parker Selfridge's (Giovanni Ribisi) intentions of driving off the native humanoid Na'vi in order to mine for the precious material scattered throughout their rich woodland. In exchange for the spinal surgery that will fix his legs, Jake gathers intel for the cooperating military unit spearheaded by Colonel Quaritch (Stephen Lang), while simultaneously attempting to infiltrate the Na'vi people with the use of an "Avatar" identity. While Jake begins to bond with the native tribe and quickly falls in love with the beautiful Na'vi Neytiri (Zoe Saldana), the restless Colonel moves forward with his ruthless extermination tactics, forcing the soldier to take a stand - and fight back in an epic battle for the fate of Pandora.

REVIEW:

The plot holds no surprises, it's very predictable, and that's one of the film's main flaws. But it isn't a bad plot, and what makes it special is the content. I love the way James Cameron has written this. The moon Pandora, the Na'vi, the creatures, the machines - they're all so imaginative and creative. I loved these characters. Jake Sully is a very interesting character, and features a very wounded persona. Neytiri has a fragile personality that the audience will fall in love with. The bond that grows between her and Jake is excellent. Grace Augustine (Sigourney Weaver) is the head of the Avatar program, and she is a very likeable with her love for the Na'vi and the land of Pandora. Trudy Chacon (Michelle Rodriguez) was a very fun character, with her fantastic lines and badass attitude. Quaritch and Parker were great villains - you love to hate them. The dialogue is clunky at times - some of Quaritch's dialogue was really poorly written - which makes a few scenes throughout the movie really laughable. The ending is good, and the love story of the film is told very well - no surprise, Mr Cameron's the master of love. He does tell the story well, and though it's predictable, there is a lot to enjoy here.

Sam Worthington was excellent as the hero. It's not an Oscar-winning performance, but it's engaging. Zoe Saldana's performance as Neytiri was outstanding. She's beautiful as an alien, and nails the role with an emotional edge. It was a shame that she wasn't nominated for an Oscar, because she definitely deserved one. Sigourney Weaver still looks pretty hot for her age or maybe it's the CG. Her performance was terrific, creating a complex and beautiful character with Grace. Michelle Rodriguez was badass as always. Stephen Lang was awesome as the villain, if only his dialogue wasn't so terrible. The on-screen chemistry of Worthington and Saldana was absolutely delightful. It made the romance of the film really convincing. The other supporting actors were excellent, with CCH Pounder and Laz Alonso, who both play Na'vi characters.

We can't forget the effects. Cameron has decided to use the best motion capture animation technology, and it works wonders here because these are the best effects I've seen all year. Everything looks so convincing, and it really is astonishing how good technology is these days. The design of the content of the film is amazing. The setting of Pandora looks so realistic considering it's all CG, and the creatures of Pandora look amazing. The Na'vi themselves look quite wonderful, and the scenery, though it was created by animation, is gorgeous, most notable the floating mountains of Pandora. Cameron had been developing 3D cameras since the 90's, and he truly embraces it in Avatar. Many scenes were shot in 3D, while others were converted in post-production. James Cameron is a terrific action director, but there's not a lot of action in this unlike some of his other films. However, he has taken action to a whole new level. The war scene at the end is extremely energetic and fun. There's a great finale battle, which uses the CGI to the extreme - and it looks terrific. The cinematography is used to improve on the quality of the visuals. Some of the places of Pandora look so wonderful, and they reflect on the mood of the characters. It's best to see this in 3D, because it looks absolutely beautiful. It's used to create depth and height - not to throw stuff into your face. The 3D effects work best during the flying scenes - these scenes actually make you feel like you're soaring through the air.

What can I say about this? It's simply amazing. You'll have a great time with the very attractive Neytiri, the explosive action and the groundbreaking effects. Cameron has said that he is making a sequel to Avatar, and I'm sure it'll be just as good. It is the highest grossing film ever, knocking out Cameron's last film Titanic from the honour. This isn't Cameron's best film, with a rather outdated plot and laughable dialogue, but at the end of the day, it's something you must see.

"Brokeback got us good, don't it?"

We never get epics about gay men. It's hardly ever been done before. This is absolutely original. Everything about this movie is great. The story, the performances and the cinematography.

SUMMARY:

The films is about a ranch-hand named Ennis Del-Mar (Heath Ledger) and a rodeo cowboy called Jack Twist (Jake Gyllenhaal). They are sent up to Brokeback Mountain to herd sheep in 1963. They meet and they didn't seem to be great pals at first, but the force of love took over. A powerful bond grows between them. After they leave Brokeback Mountain, Ennis gets married with a woman named Alma (Michelle Williams) while Jack meets a cowgirl (Anne Hathaway). After a few years, they haven't made contact until Jack sends a postcard to Ennis. They meet once again, and they're love is tested as drama revolves around the two.

REVIEW:

This is a fantastic love story. It's quite similar to the story of Titanic - two lovers who wish to be together forever, but are restricted by society. One fo the best in fact. It's got such a terrific start - when the two were on Brokeback Mountain, every moment was significant. After they leave the mountain, all the drama and love is so well written and the ending isn't predictable - it will shock you. Written by Larry McMurtry's and Diana Ossana, the screenplay is absolutely amazing, being adapted from a short story by E. Annie Proulx. Winning an Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay, the screenwriters have done an excellent job in expanding the short story into an epic. What's most amazing about this story is the fact that the relationship between the two cowboys. We see how they're relationship develops over time, and the bond they share with each other is something the audience can feel too.

The film also boasts a strong cast. The performances are stunning. All the acting is convincing. It makes you feel like you're in America when everyone talks in that cowboy accent. The two stand out actors were Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal. They were such good sports to play gay men, and actually kiss each other. The two are so brave and talented! It felt so realistic. Anne Hathaway was absolutely stunning, considering how young she was. She's so beautiful, and she definitely brings class to her role, as well as a sad tone, as her relationship with Jack isn't very strong after they get married. Another supporting actor was Michelle Williams, who was wonderful. Williams played her character so well, with all those very dramatic scenes being acted beautifully by her.

The cinematography is done by Rodrigo Prieto - and he makes the whole film look beautiful. The locations and scenery are sublime. When filming shots of the mountain, they don't rely a lot on lighting, but a lot on the angles. Don't get me wrong though, lighting is used a lot as well, and it still has a beautiful effect. Gustavo Santaolalla as composer - very impressive! He won an Oscar for Best Original Score, and that's no surprise, because the music was fantastic. It was so suitable and the effect that it creates with the cinematography is outstanding. The theme is so romantic, as well as many other songs.

The themes that director Ang Lee takes on are bold. These are very subtle themes, but he expresses them so well. These include the hatred for gays back then, shown in the film when Ennis tells Jack a story about a gay man who was killed for that reason. I can't stress how compelling these themes are.

A lot of people hate this film because it's about gay people. Well I say "Fuck them" coz they're just assholes. This movie isn't just about two gay cowboys having sex - it's about the drama and complications that they're love creates and how they endure it. Ang Lee is a splendid director, and he directs this with such subtlety. It's made with such grace and dignity and it truly is a sublime film. It's a masterpiece. One of the best films I've ever seen!

''You probably heard we ain't in the prisoner-takin' business; we in the killin' Nazi business. And cousin, Business is a-boomin'.''

Tarantino's version of World War II. Once you know he's making his own version of the incident, you know it's going to be good. Inglourious Basterds isn't a sophisticated film, but it's whole lot of fun.

SUMMARY:

Once upon a time...in Nazi occupied France in 1941, Colonel Hans Landa (Christoph Waltz), known as 'the Jew hunter', arrives at a farmhouse looking for a Jewish family. Meanwhile, Lt. Aldo Raine (Brad Pitt), leads the Inglourious Basterds, a squad of Jewish soldiers, whose mission is to kill Nazis. In Paris, cinema owner Shosanna (Melanie Laurent), sole survivor of a Jewish family killed on Landa's orders, prepares for the premiere of a Nazi propaganda film starring Frederick Zoller (Daniel Bruhl), who fancies her. And the British plan to use double agent actress Bridget von Hammersmark, (Diane Kruger) in a plot to assassinate Hitler.

REVIEW:

Written by Tarantino, the screenplay is always charming. The dialogue is probably the strongest element of the film. Tarantino has always been good with his lines, and all the lines here are fantastic. Split into chapters, it's a classic Tarantino story. The characters are interesting, most notably Shosanna, but the main problem with the film is its pacing. It's obvious that Tarantino wants to impress us with his dialogue, but he throws in a lot of scenes with talking and it soon starts to get tedious and slow. This then builds a problem with the characters, as some of the characters aren't aloud to shine much, such as Bridget von Hammersmark. We never really see her as an interesting character, and another problem similar to this is that the Basterds are hardly ever in it, and they're the funniest characters. However, Tarantino's screenplay is still amazing. It's an extraordinary piece of work. It truly is one of my favourite screenplays ever, and it's shocking that this didn't win the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay.

I can't complain about the acting. Brad Pitt was absolutely awesome in this. He was so funny, with his excellent accent. I loved the scenes where he tries to speak Italian. Absolutley hilarious! Christoph Waltz is outstanding, one of the best actors of the film. He's been nominated for an Oscar, and I hope he wins. He speaks so many different languages in this film. Diane Kruger is a fine ass woman, and she is fantastic. Eli Roth is very funny indeed, playing the legendary 'Bear Jew'. The winner would probably be Melanie Laurent, she was so charismatic as Shosanna. Til Schweiger is impressive as Hugo Stiglitz, a famous member of the Basterds.

This feels like such a tribute to cinema. The way it's written, and also the references. There are so many film reference, about classic films, to the history of the cinema itself. The music is excellent, I loved the soundtrack. A lot of these songs aren't exactly well-suited to the material, for example, the Western music. But, Tarantino is able to make this work, and he makes us love the music he's playing. David Bowie's Puting Out Fire is used here to express the badass attitude of Shosanna, and it works wonders. It even has a comical touch to it. The soundtrack just adds to the style of the film. Visually, this is amazing. The cinematography, by Robert Richardson, is absolutely sublime. This whole film just looks like a beautiful painting. The lighting contrasts well with some of the loactions and sets, and even the action sequences are visually impressive. Now that I mention action sequences, I should tell you that the action scenes here are so bloody and gory, as well as explosive. That should please all you fans.

I wasn't that crazy about Pulp Fiction. I did like the Kill Bill films, but I consider this Tarantino's best film. I had so much fun with it, and it's brought to us with style. Even though I had problems with the pacing, I can't help but give this a rating of 5/5, because it's easily one of the most stylish films I've ever seen. It's his tribute to cinema, and the film is just a reminder of why I, and probably a million other movie-goers, love film so much. It's sheer filmmaking at it's best.

"Frankie likes to say that boxing is an unnatural act, that everything in boxing is backwards: sometimes the best way to deliver a punch is to step back... But step back too far and you ain't fighting at all."

Clint Eastwood is definitely one of my favourite directors. I think his films are very unique, such as this one. Films based around boxing such as Rocky usually have the same concept, but Million Dollar Baby is so much more different, and it's deep.

SUMMARY:

Frankie Dunn (Clint Eastwood), a veteran boxing trainer and owner of a gym, loses his current fighter to another trainer because he never let him go for the title. At the same time, Maggie Fitzgerald (Hilary Swank) comes into Frankie's gym, hoping that he would be her trainer. Frankie refuses to train the girl - stating that he doesn't train girls and that she is too old. However, former fighter Eddie Dupris (Morgan Freeman), who manages the gym, supports Maggie. As time goes on, she steadily transforms into a successful fighter.

REVIEW:

The screenplay was written by Paul Haggis, based on short stories by F.X. Toole. It's an amazing story, which is handled so delicately. The characters - you care about them. They've each got tragedy in their life, and you feel sympathetic for them. Frankie's daughter doesn't talk to him, though he tries to send letters to her, which are sent back. Maggie struggles with her money, and her family is full of nasty people. Scrap lost one of his eyes in a fight, and can only see with one nowadays. So, basically these characters aren't all sinshine and happy, and Eastwood has told their stories so wonderfully. The dialogue is impressive, and the tragic moments of the film are very unexpected. This was nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay. It didn't win, but I really think it should've. Haggis' screenplay is excellent.

All of the performances are excellent. Clint Eastwood doesn't disapoint at all, and though he was also the director, his performance was outstanding. Hilary Swank was wonderful, and she won an Academy Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role. Morgan Freeman also won an Academy Award. His was for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role. Freeman's acting was amazing. He was fantastic. Other actors were great, such as Brian F. O'Byrne playing the priest.

There's a lot of subtlety with this film. Most of it is with Frankie and Maggie. Frankie begins to really care for Maggie as he trains her. It's very subtel in the way they've shown this relationship - Frankie never really had a strong bond with his daughter, and he starts to feel as if he is Maggie's father.

The cinematography was beautiful. The lighting is used in extraordinary ways. In the gym, the lighting contrasts really well with the dark, and it gives the film a beautiful look.

Unlike other boxing films, this demonstrates the realtionship between the trainer and the fighter. They've done this in Rocky, but it wasn't as powerful as this film has done it. If you think that this has a lot of fights, then you won't be disapointed, but Eastwood doesn't focus on the fights, it's more on the drama. This is such a moving drama, I weeped so many times in it. It's so sad, and it's just so beautifully done.

The music is done by Clint Eastwood, and he gives it a classic tone. This is really old fashioned music, it doesn't feel modern, it feels a bit western, but it's absolutely fitting. It's beautiful to listen to, I loved the music.

Eastwood has given us a masterpiece! This is basically one of the best films ever made. Everything about it screams "AWESOME", the performances, the direction, the cinematography, the score, and the script. If you love Eastwood's films, or fantastic dramas, then Million Dollar Baby is a must see.

"A sword by itself rules nothing. It only comes alive in skilled hands."

Director Ang Lee is definitely one of the best. His films are incredibly subtle, and his visuals are quite impressive. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is a traditional Chinese martial arts film, but the best thing about it is it's ability to control the brutality of it's action.

SUMMARY:

Li Mu Bai (Chow Yu Fat) asks his good friend Yu Shu Lien (Michelle Yeoh) to take his Green Destiny Sword to Beijing and give it to their friend Sir Te as a gift. Li and Yu have feelings for each other, but have never been able to express them to each other. Yu goes to Beijing and delivers the sword, she also meets Jen (Zhang Ziyi) who is destined for an arranged marriage. When the Green Destiny Sword is stolen that night, suspision is among the people of Beijing, and the Jade Fox, who is the killer of Li's master, is suspected of being involved with the theft.

REVIEW:

Based on the book by Wang Du Lu, this story is absolutely amazing. It's a romance, a mystery, a legend even! The characters are clever, with well written relationships. Jen is one of the best characters of the film, for she plays a very good role in the story. She is kind of a rebel, not following the ways she is supposed to. Her love Lo, was also an interesting character, being so deeply in love with Jen. The mystery of the film is actually not that hard to answer, but there is a mysterious tone to the story, which actually keeps you guessing til the end. The ending is very moving.

The film had a really good cast, with Chow Yun Fat, Michelle Yeoh, Zhang Ziyi, and Chang Chen. Michelle Yeoh was excellent, and her on-screen chemistry with Chow Yun Fat was sublime. The very beautiful Zhang Ziyi is a very talented actress and she's good at what she does, playing her role with a sense of innocence. Chang Chen played the role of Lo well.

Cinematographer Peter Pau is a genius. The film looks gorgeous. The colouring works well with the lighting, and they use the locations beautifully. Credit must also go to the production designer, the sets look amazing. Costumes were fantastic, and I loved the proprs - especially the Green Destiny Sword, it looked BADASS! The score, by Tan Dun, was incredible. Each of the songs were relevant to the scene they are put in, with all the suspense in the fight scenes, and the soft, romantic music during the moving moments. I loved the soundtrack.

Martial Arts has never been this gentle. This isn't hardcore fighting, it's much more softer, and that's why it's so awesome. The fight scenes are very unique, which is no surprise since this is choreographed by Yuen Woo Ping. The exciting fight scenes are very entertaining, so it's very easy to have fun with this.

Never has storytelling been done this well. Ang Lee tells the story in such a wonderful way, capturing every emotion. The romance between Lo and Jen is beautifully shown to the audience, and Li and Yu's affections for each other are told in such subtle ways.

This is basically a masterpiece. You can't call the flying fake, because this is tradition. It's what you see in these types of chinese movies. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is a beautiful work of art, and it's easily one of the best martial arts films you'll ever see.

"I know now why you cry. But it's something I can never do."

Terminator 2: Judgment Day is a masterful action film. Every single element of the film is excellent. This is definitely one of the best sequels ever made.

SUMMARY:

Skynet, the 21st century computer waging a losing war on humans sends a second terminator back in time to destroy the leader of the human resistance , John Connor (Edward Furlong),while he is still a boy. His mother, Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton) is the only one who knows of the existence of the Terminators, human-like robots that exist only to kill and are nearly indestructible, and is currently in a state mental hospital because of her 'delusions'. A second protector is sent back to the past by the Human resistance to protect John Connor, their future leader, at all costs. This protector is a Terminator (Arnold Schwarzenegger), and he is up against an even more advanced machine (Robert Patrick).

REVIEW:

Written and directed by James Cameron, the film is anything but ordinary. This is a new spin on any typical action film. The story is amazing and much more powerful than the previous film. The character of the Terminator is so likeable and interesting - the way he develops is outstanding. Sarah Connor's back again, this time a bit more badass than she was in the first film. We're introduced to John Connor, who is basically a punk. Some other characters from the first film make special appearances, including Dr. Silberman (Earl Boen), and Kyle Reese (Michael Biehn) - who only appears in the special edition. There's another part of the story though. 'Judgment Day' is the day of the nuclear blast that kills nearly all humans. A man named Miles Dyson (Joe Morton) is responsible, and Sarah Connor wants to kill him. The T-1000 is an effective villain, and is a very imaginative creation. One of my favourite elements of the story would definitely be the bond between John and the Terminator. The audience can feel it, and it works. The way John Connor is teaching the Terminaotr to not kill people is so well written, and the attention to detail just shows how much of a great director Cameron is. The ending is quite moving, and it's very easy to cry a little. The dialogue has many memorable quotes, including "Hasta la vista, baby.", and of course, who could forget the most famous line of the first film - "I'll be back."

Arnold Schwarzenegger is ten times better this time than he was in the previous film. I mean, Arnie brings style to the Terminator. I loved Linda Hamilton in this, she puts on a really tough act here, very different from her performance in the first movie. Robert Patrick was fantastic as the T-1000, he brought that cold-hearted attitude to the character. Edward Furlong wasn't very impressive as John Connor, I was a little disapointed with his performance.

Cameron's action directing is so impressive. He knows exactly which angle to shoot from. There are so many top-notch shots here, and they look amazing. The editing is good, and visually, the action is impressive. Each action sequence is staged superbly, in fantastic sets and locations, and the Terminator effects are effective. There's plenty of explosions, brawls, bullets flying everywhere, and two amazing shotgun reloads, performed by Arnie and Linda Hamilton.

The cinematography still has that James Cameron feel to it. I've noticed that Cameron uses so much blue in his lighting, which is cool. He's always lighting his films in blue, such as Aliens and The Abyss. The colour of blue suits this film well, and the camera angles contrast well.

Overll, Terminator 2 is a masterpiece. It's amazing. You won't find a better action film. It's so well made, and it's definitely one of James Cameron's best films. The way he has improved from the first film to this is mind blowing, and never has a gutsy action film been this soft.

"At the end of this day, one shall stand, one shall fall!"

As a kid, I was a big fan of Transformers, and when I found out that they were making a live-action movie, I got really excited. This was during a time when I hadn't seen many movies. I didn't know Michael Bay made big, dumb blockbusters, and I hadn't seen anything artistically brilliant. So, I was pretty much the target audience for this film. I loved when I first saw it, and I still do. Nothing has changed from my initial reaction - this is what the fans have been waiting for. It's a perfect example of a fun summer movie.

SUMMARY:

When the father of the teenager Sam Witwicky (Shia LaBeouf) gives an old Camaro to him, he has a chance to give a ride to his schoolmate Mikaela Banes (Megan Fox) and participate of an ancient war of robots on planet Earth. His car is secretly an alien robot Bumblebee, and is one of the Autobots, led by Optimus Prime (Peter Cullen). The Autobots are at war against the evil Deceptions, led by Megatron (Hugo Weaving). Both races are seeking the cube Allspark with opposite intentions: the Autobots intend to protect the human beings, while the Deceptions want to destroy them.

REVIEW:

The idea of a live-action Transformers movie came from Steven Spielberg, who asked Michael Bay to direct the film (Spielberg served as the executive producer). Bay knew nothing about this series at the start, but with the help of his screenwriters, he was able to convey a certain amount of knowledge through the movie. The writers, Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci, aimed for a blend between suburban life and the battlefield. The characters are likeable - Sam is a witty hero who at the same time is a dork, the kind of character that fans can relate to. There are many coming-of-age elements to it, but at the same time, blending the serious tones with suburban life proves to be a huge asset to Bay. It allows him to add a good amount of humour which I was not expecting. For those who say that the story is bad, they need to wake up - this is a fucking movie about giant robots! For what they had, the story is actually quite clever. They take references to Hoover Dam and all kinds of historical events to help develop a story of these robots. Linking the Transformers to government conspiracies works well, and it does give an interesting edge to a story that you'd expect to be silly.

Shia LaBeouf is excellent as always. He's one of my favourite actors, and there's no doubt that he will have a great career after Transformers. He's got wit, but also a dorky side to him that everyone can take a liking to. Megan Fox is amazingly sexy, and this is her first lead role in a while. In the past, Fox was cast as the stereotypical bitch in many kids movies, including Holiday in the Sun and Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen, and the role of Mikaela allows her to go into new territory. Considering the fact that she's not a professional actor, Fox wasn't as bad as everyone says she was. Josh Duhamel and Tyrese Gibson have fun as soldiers fighting in Qatar. Jon Voight is a scene stealer as the Secretary of Defense, and John Turturro is just as good as Agent Simmons, a member part of the secret government group Sector 7. Many fans of the original cartoon should be excited that Peter Cullen is voicing Optimus Prime.

If there's one person who knows how to make CG look amazing, it is Michael Bay. Everyone hates him, which is understandable - he doesn't care much about story. He's more interested in entertaining his audience, and I'm part of that group. All I want from Michael Bay is entertainment and amazing visuals, and that's what I got from Transformers. The robots look stunning! The artists who designed them deserve so much praise for their work - without them, the robots wouldn't have been so amazing. Every single time a robot transformed, I loved it. The action itself is mind-blowing, and above all else, just pure fun. Explosions, fast camera movement, and quick editing - that's how Bay likes to handle his action sequences. Everything is shot like it's a car commercial, and it's a convincing one - there's babes, engines, and shiny new cars. This is such a boy's movie, but I'm totally cool with that. Though the film is over 2 hours, every minute is enjoyable, and the film never feels slow.

If you hate Michael Bay, then don't watch Transformers. If you can't enjoy this movie, then you shouldn't be watching it. Movie-goers who know how to have fun will definitely have a good time with this, and it definitely won't disappoint the fans. I certainly wasn't let down. I can't say it's a flawless film, but I have a habit of giving flawed movies a rating of 5 stars. So, overall, if you like giant robots blowing shit up, then Transformers was made for you.

Christine Collins: "Walter, honey. Time to wake up."
Walter Collins: "Just ten more minutes..."
Christine Collins: "Sorry, sport. You can sleep in tomorrow, that's what Saturdays are for."

I love Clint Eastwood's films, I think they're very good films, and I think that he has told this story so beautifully. Based on a true story, this film is powerfully moving.

SUMMARY:

The film is set during 1928 Los Angeles. Christine Collins (Angelina Jolie) is a single mother living with her son Walter (Gattlin Griffith). One day, she returns home from work and discovers that her son is missing. She calls the LAPD, who of course help with the search, but are unable to find Walter. Several months later, LAPD Captain Jones (Jeffrey Donovan) informs Christine that her son has been found. The police escort her to the train station where she will be reunited with Walter, but when she meets up with him, she discovers that this "Walter" they have found (Devon Conti) is not her son. Christine tells the police that this boy isn't Walter and that he is still missing, but the police disagree with her statements. She begins to start a case which will expose the corruption of the LAPD, and this catches the attention of Reverend Gustav Briegleb (John Malkovich) who begins to help her.

REVIEW:

This story felt so believable, and it is based on true events. There's a darker side to this story, it's quite a scary tale. There's a lot to do with murders and that really is quite horrifying - and the way they've done it here is so intriguing. These characters feel so real, and you care about these characters. I cared most about Christine Collins - I wanted her to have a happy ending, she was such a loveable and interesting character. The relationship between her and Walter was so sweet. Reverend Gustav Briegleb was also a very interesting character with his hatred for the corruption of the LAPD. The screenplay was by J. Michael Straczynski, and he has written a great story, but we can't forget the other elements such as the dialogue. It's exquisite - wonderful, moving lines which are so detailed.

I like Angelina Jolie, I think she's a very capable actress. She hasn't had any outstanding performances, mainly because she doesn't really get a great role. Well, in this film, she does. She was the right choice for the role, and she plays a mother SO well. I love actors that can do this, who can play the role of a mother beautifully, such as Jennifer Connelly. Jolie's performance made her character so loveable, and it moved me to tears. John Malkovich was impressive as Gustav Briegleb. Jeffrey Donovan was excellent playing the role of Captain Jones. Clint Eastwood was really lucky to have such a great cast, but then again, he's always got a great cast to work with.

Wonderful visuals. The cinematography was beautiful! Some of the scenes in this were beautifully photographed, with the lighting making the whole shot visually stunning. The director of photography was Tom Stern, and he has captured each beautiful aspect of this so well.

Clint Eastwood composes the scores for a lot of his films. I loved the music from Million Dollar Baby, and I loved his score even more in this. Fantastic music - most of it is sad and tragic songs, which is excellent considering the type of film this is. Sets the mood really well.

There are so many dark and subtle themes here that are conveyed very well. Disempowerment of women is one of them - the way the LAPD treats women is foul, and we see this when Christine is throne into psychopathic ward after she continues to challenge Captain Jones. She meets many women who were thrown into this place for wrong reasons - mostly having something to do with a cop. Corruption in political hierarchies had a lot to do with the mayor and LAPD. The police don't want any bad publicity, which is the reason why they threw her into a mental hospital. Last, but most scary is the theme of Children and violence. I won't say too much about this because it could ruin a lot for you, but this has a lot to do with Walter disapearing.

Clint Eastwood never ceases to amaze me. I love these types of movies - the relationship between the parent and the child, they're so moving. I cried buckets in this, it's so sad. It's one of Clint Eastwood's best films, and I loved every minute of it. It's a mystery, a story about corruption and injustice, and even a horror. All these work so well together, and in the end we get an intriguing, moving, and sweet film about a mother's love for her son.

"Anakin, you're breaking my heart! You're going down a path I cannot follow!"

George Lucas has finally brought us the final film of the prequels. He uses much more CGI than ever before, and he tells the story of Anakin Skywalker's turn to the dark side with skill.

SUMMARY:

Due to the clone wars, the republic is on the verge of collapse. Jedi Knights are spread across the galaxy to lead the clones to battle against the droids of the Trade Federation. Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen) and his master Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor) have just rescued Supreme Chancellor Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid) from the commander of the droid army General Grievous. Palpatine becomes very close with Anakin. As the story goes on, we find out about how Anakin turned to the dark side, how all the Jedi were killed, and many more answers revealed.

REVIEW:

Lucas wrote the whole saga for Star Wars. This is probably the most climatic episode yet. The dialogue is only average, and at times - it was even cheesy, but what I loved most was the creativity. This is seriously imagination it at it's best. It's really original, and there's plenty of character development. Lucas has actually made us care about some of these characters by using the previous films. So many of the characters we've come to love are involved in so many climaxes. When I first saw this, Mace Windu was my favourite character - and he's involved in a dark climax with Anakin. The ending basically links staright to the 4th episode. The villains in this episode were actually really cool, most notably General Grievous. The love story between Anakin and his wife Padmé is pushed to the limits, and their relationship changes in big ways.

Hayden Christensen is kinda bad, not tragic, but he usually went over the top. Some scenes, especially the big climax at the end with Padmé, he handled quite well though. Ewan McGregor is easily the best actor here, playing Obi-Wan with coolness. Natalie Portman was ok, but I found her better in the previous films. Samuel L.Jackson was very impressive as Mace Windu, and I liked Ian McDiarmid playing the sinister Palpatine.

John Williams' score is the epitome of epic. Each piece in here has it's ways of capturing every emotion in the scene it is played in. Every lightsaber duel will have an energetic or epic piece, while when we have the emotional parts, Williams gives us somber pieces.

The action sequences really are a notch above. The action in this is probably the most impressive out of the whole series. The special effects are ten times better than before, and the technical expertise that made them possible is mind-blowing. The duels are more epic, and this does feature THE BEST lightsaber duel ever out of all the Star Wars films - the climatic duel at the end between Obi-Wan and Anakin!

Revenge of the Sith is the darkest Star Warsfilm that has come out. Even though there are flaws - I can't help but say that this is the best of the series. Lucas has brought us a masterpiece, and I feel that this should be seen by everyone.

"What is your malfunction, you fat barrel of monkey spunk?"

This is a movie set in a prison and it's unlike any movie you've ever seen. We've seen a lot of this stuff, but this is different from most prison films. a lot of prison films have a lot to do with escaping. This is highly different, and it may touch on prison breaks, but most of the time you're focused on the fantastic storyline and characters.

SUMMARY:

This is genuinely an epic story. It's about Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins), a banker who is sent to Shawshank Prison for killing his wife and a golf pro she was having sex with. At first, life was hard there. He would be attacked by Bull Queers led by the violent Bogs (Mark Rolston) and he didn't have many friends. However, he soon befriends Red (Morgan Freeman), a man that could get things for you. He also becomes a favourite to guards and the Warden (Bob Gunton) of the prison, as he helps them with financial matters.

REVIEW:

I loved this film because as the film goes on, we see Andy's whole time in prison. The characters are all interesting. I loved the ending. I usually only cry in sad and tragic films, but I cried at the ending of this not because it was sad, but because it was so fucking beautiful! It's definitely one of the best endings I have ever seen. It's got that friendship-ish feeling about it, and it makes you feel all warm and fuzzy. I loved the dialogue - it was very smart. There are some really clever lines here that are so original.

The acting was terrific. We have a great cast here. Tim Robbins, Morgan Freeman and Bob Gunton - they're all fantastic! If I had to pick the best actor here, it would be Tim Robbins or Morgan Freeman. I can't choose which one is better. They're both so good. They work really well together. Some of the supporting actors were great as well. James Whitmore played Brookes, the librarian, and he was fantastic. William Sadler played Heywood with a wonderful edge. I thought they were cast really well for their characters.

The themes here are great. Hope is one of them, and it has a lot to do with the second half of the film. The other themes about prison were terrific as well. There's a lot about these themes that make the film more epic.

I liked the sets they used. The prison itself was very confronting and the way they did that was with the cinematography, mostly the camera angles. There's also a beautiful shot of the ocean and a wonderful scenery at a Hayfield where Red ventures to near the end.

This film is in my top 5 of most epic movies ever made. It's sweet, funny, EPIC and sinister. We get some great acting, a spectacular story and a beautiful ending that will make you cry. This is easily one of the best films ever made! It's basically flawless.

"Squirrel!"

PIXAR makes the best family films, and this is definitley one of them. I've never seen a bad PIXAR film - they're all good. This movie is very different from any other animated feature I've ever seen. It's got a kiddy concept but it conveys some really mature themes.

SUMMARY:

It's about Carl Fredicksen (Ed Asner), and at the start of the film we see him as a kid. One of the things he loves to do is explore and he meets a girl named Ellie. The two of them become friends and get married years later. When they are both very old, Ellie dies and Carl is struck with grief. He realises that his wife's dream was never fulfilled. Her dream was to build a house next to Paradise Falls in South America. He attaches thousands of Hellium Balloons to his house and it starts to float. He heads for South America, but he then finds a young Cub Scout named Russell (Jordan Nagai) who had been on the front porch of the house ever since it started floating. Once they arrive in South America, the house gets stuck and they must walk it all the way to Paradise Falls. They are thrown into many adventures, and they encounter many characters including an exotic bird named Kevin who takes a liking to Russell, and a talking dog named Dug.

REVIEW:

This a great plot for kids, but it's also very good for the older viewers. It's very touching. There are themes that are conveyed so well. These themes are very mature and they include - not being able to have a child, growing old, death of a loved one and of course, fulfilling your dreams. The characters are so likeable. Carl may appear to be a grumpy old man, but once you see him in the film, you really care for him as he has gone through a lot. Russell is funny and he should be a great character for kids. Kevin wasn't a character that I liked that much, but a lot of people should like him. Dug is great. He was probably my favourite character. He was so funny, and he's the main dog character out of this whole other bunch of talking dogs - any everything with the dogs is hilarious. They've got these collars that allows them to talk - that's pretty cool. I loved the dialogue here. The snappy lines should please a lot of adults and the funny jokes are sensational.

The animation is pretty good. It looks fantastic. It's best to see this in 3D because the 3D effect makes the film visually stunning. It's used to create height and depth. The character design is great. Carl looked so cute as a little boy.

The voice acting was really good. Ed Asner was definitely the right role for Carl. He does old and grumpy really well. Jordan Nagai was okay as Russell, but like most young voice ators - they all sound the same. John Ratzenberger appears in almost every PIXAR film, and he never gets boring.

I dare say that this is the most mature PIXAR film ever. All those themes make it really touching. It's got a really good plot and some great characters. This is my favourite PIXAR film to date. It's fun, amusing and sad. It's the type of family film where everyone will walk out of that cinema amazed at how fun yet touching it was. Highly Reccomended!

I love history. I think it's a terrific subject. This film has a lot to do with history - it has a lot to do with the origin of Christ and Mary Magdellen. I think this film is under-rated. A lot of people have told me that they think the film is boring. I'm fine with that because some people wouldn't find this entertaining - there's a lot of talking. But I found everything about the film fascinating.

This is based on a book by Dan Brown. To tell you the truth, the book was kinda boring. It's about Robert Langdon (Tom Hanks), a famous symbologist, who is sent to the Lourve one night. He meets a detective named Fache (Jean Reno) who informs him that the Curator (Jean-Pierre Marielle) had been murdered. Fache and his cop buddies secretly believe that he is the murderer, and try to force a confession out of him. However, with the help of the Curator's granddaughter Sophie (Audrey Tautou), he is able to escape. Sophie believes that her grandfather wanted her to find the killer. She teams up with Langdon and together they uncover clues and mysteries - but this quest of finding the killer will lead them into ancient secrets that date back to the days of Christ. This is a very interesting story. I think they adapted it well from the novel. It's very fascinating. Soem of the stuff in it was actually true. The characters were fantastic. However, the film does run for a bit long. It's 2 and a half hours! That last 30 minutes - you just feel exhausted and you ask yourself what more they could throw at you. Well, when I was watching it, they threw a big ball of climax at me. They're are so many twists at the end, and they are so unexpected. This was a really fascinating plot.

The acting was great. Tom Hanks was terrific as Robert Langdon. Ian McKellen as Leigh, a friend of Langdon, was hilarious at times and very dramatic as well. Audrey Tautou wasn't so bad either. Paul Bettany was probably the winning actor here as Silas. The cast was really good.

The locations were fantastic. We got to see all these ruins and churches and they looked beautiful. I think they used these locations the best they could, and the effect from these places with the cinematography was good. I liked the score of the film as well. The theme song was so good! They had a lot of good material to work with.

I think this is under-rated, but it's just me. A lot of people will find this boring, and if you're christian - don't watch this! The themes can be very offensive. But I liked it, and it's one of favourite movies. It's very fascinating. If you hate puzzle-solving and history, don't see this. You'll get really bored because this is 2 and a half hours of the stuff you don't like.

"A real driver knows exactly what's in his car."

The Fast and the Furious series is just plain fun. Yes, many critics hate these films, but I like to think that these critics don't know how to have fun. This is the 4th installment, and it doesn't hold back. Fast & Furious may be a weak title, but it's true - the film is fast and furious. It is the true sequel to the very first movie, and it brings back all the brilliant elements of that film - the cars, hot girls, and gangsters.

SUMMARY:

Dom Toretto (Vin Diesel) now works the backblocks in the Dominican Republic highjacking petrol tankers for their fuel, then selling them.
But the cops are on his trail and he has to move on. Back in Los Angeles he learns that his girlfriend Letty (Michelle Rodriguez) has been murdered and tracks down the perpetrators to a Mexican based drug gang. He's bent on revenge. Meanwhile FBI agent Brian O'Connor (Paul Walker) is zoning in on the same gang. Little does he know that he's going to find himself up against his old rival Dom and once again meet up with Dom's sister Mia (Jordana Brewster), with whom he was once in love.

REVIEW:

I actually think that this film has the best screenplay out of the whole series. Mainly, because, this is an actual sequel. It follows the characters that we first saw in the first film. The dialogue is decent to bad, but that doesn't matter, because we finally have a genuine sequel. The characters that we've come to love from the first film are back, and they still refer back to it. It goes quite heavy on nostalgia. There's lines about "Ten Second Cars", and Dom even calls Brian a "Buster". I found the plot really good - it wasn't terrible like most of the films in the series. I liked the vengeance storyline of Dom, and the love between Brian and Mia is still intense, if a bit repetitive. Fans won't like the fact that Letty dies - she's only in the movie for a brief amount, which is a shame. She is a character we enjoy. On the plus side of it, it brings some substance to the relationship between her and Dom. Also, the film is a prequel, as it takes place before the events of the previous film, Tokyo Drift.

All the actors from the first film are back. Paul Walker doesn't bring anything special, but he's not bad - he has improved from the first two films of the series. Vin Diesel is actually really good this time. It's probably his best performance I've seen. Michelle Rodriguez doesn't get much screen time, but she still brings what she brought with Letty in the first film. Jordana Brewster is amazingly sexy, and does manage to bring a bit of personality to the screen. She even shares a bit of chemistry with Walker, though not a great amount. Laz Alonso was really amusing as the villain, and even quite intimidating, which was necessary. Sun Kang makes a cameo as Han, explaining how Dom knew him. The very attractive Gal Gadot plays Gisele, a somewhat, new, love interest of Dom. She's quite impressive considering she's not an actor.

This is a film for gearheads, so it's got to have nice cars. The cars here look absolutely fantastic. Along with the cars, there are the models The models are everywhere! Whenever there's a scene with a lot of street racers, there's bound to be a lot of sexy models. So, Fast & Furious has a lot of stuff that teenaged boys will love. The driving is astonishing. I mean, there's stuff here that I've never seen before in a gearhead movie. A lot of critics have complained that there's overuse of CGI here, and that it looks really fake. Yes, at the climatic car scene at the end in the tunnels, there is a lot of CGI (doesn't look fake at all), but for the most part, the stunts here are real. The races are great. They are well shot and well staged. With the action, director Justin Lin fuels it with power. The soundtrack works well, and each setting is perfect for different races. The streets of L.A were great for an open street race.

Overall, this is my favourite of the series. I had a lot of fun with it. WE finally have the old characters back, and that's one of the best parts. If you loved the first film, or any of the other ones, then Fast & Furious must be witnessed by you! Fuck the critics. If you want to have a fun with a movie, then this is the film.

Bartender: "Would you like that shaken or stirred?"
Bond: "Does it look like I give a damn."

Casino Royale marks the start of a new Bond - Daniel Craig. Directed by Martin Campbell, the film boasts an impressive new Bond, a well written script, and some amazingly good action sequences. At the heart of it, there's totally new dark tone that we've never seen before in a Bond movie.

SUMMARY:

James Bond (Daniel Craig) earns his 00 status at the beginning of the film in stark monochrone. But he has a new villain to take care of. It seems that the banker to so-called freedom fighters, aka terrorists, is one Le Chiffre (Mads Mikkelsen), who has invested his clients' funds riskily. Needing to recoup $150 million, this mathematics genius decides to gamble all on a high stakes poker game at the Casino Royale in Montenegro against Bond of course. Bond is funded by the British Treasury to the tune of 15 million pounds. The delivery person and holder of the purse strings is Vesper Lynd(Eva Green). She's not your classic bikini clad Bond woman but she's a babe.

REVIEW:

This is an adaptation of Ian Flemming's novel of the same name, and the great thing about it is the poker. Huge fans of the card game should have a blast with all the poker games through the film, since we don't get a lot of movies based around poker very often. Bond in this film is so different from most of the James Bonds we usually see - he's got a dark side to him. Some of the other characters aren't your typical Bond types - Vesper Lynd is hot, but isn't the Bond girl who walks around in a bikini holding a gun. Also, Le Chiffre is more of a psychological baddie - he doesn't know how to fight like many Bond villains we see these days, but the stuff he does shows that he is an effective villain. The dialogue here is enjoyable. There isn't as much humour, but there are a few witty lines which still give Bond that classic smartass attitude. In terms of the plot, there are a number of very subtle twists that you'll never see coming, and it links back to the contention of the film towards Bond - Trust No One. Lastly, Bond does fall in love here. In many other Bond films, particually Brosnan's Bond, the character's 'love' isn't convincing - all he is doing is being a total man whore. With Casino Royale, the love Bond finds feels real to the audience.

Daniel Craig plays Bond with style. I'm sure girls will enjoy his six-pack, while males will surely find his performance badass. He knows how to take on the dark side of the agent, and he delivers his dialogue with confidence. He is absolutely the best Bond since Connery. Eva Green is stunningly gorgeous as Vesper Lynd, playing a very unique Bond girl. She captures the feisty side of Lynd well, and also manages to show us the soft side of her character. She and Craig have chemistry - and that's why the love between Bond and Lynd is so darn convincing. Mads Mikkelsen is very effective as Le Chiffre, and I also liked Giancarlo Giannini as Mathis, an informant of Bond. Again, Judi Dench returns as M. She does work well with Craig. There are some moments in the film with Bond and M that are truly entertaining.

Bond films of the past have been crap due to the fact of how silly they were, for example Die Another Day. That film featured invisible cars with machine guns attached to them. Well, in Casino Royale, there isn't a touch of sci-fi. Everything is believable. The chase scene at the start of the movie is spectacular - Campbell stages these sequences with skill. All the action scenes of the film are mind-blowing ,and highly exciting. The score is terrific, and the cinematography is very classy. Then there's the locations. One of the highlights of the film is the locations. Shot in many different countries, Casino Royale has a large range of shooting locations, and they all look great. Also, keep an eye out for one of the most brutal torture scene's I've ever seen.

Overall, Casino Royale is the best Bond film ever, and one of the most enjoyable. There are thrills even during the poker scenes. Daniel Craig makes an impressive debut as the new Bond, and all the action set pieces should keep you on the edge of your seat. Ditch Prosnan, you're better off with Craig.

The first Spiderman movie was a huge success, and they've done it again with this one. This my favourite out of the whole series. What I loved so much here were the special effects and action.
The special effects look great and they make the action sequences more fun, with the web shooting and incredible swing. I loved the villain in this one. Doc Ock was an intersting character and he looks pretty cool with those mechanical arms. There was a lot of cool stuff with Doc Ock. Most of the best scenes had him in it.
There were ups and downs with the acting. Tobey Maguire was good in this. He plays Peter Parker really well - he's got a talent for playing this dorky character. Kirsten Dunst is epic fail. She's so bad here. She's not hot and she's a bad actor. She was definitely the wrong choice for the role as MJ. JK Simmons is hilarious as Peter Parker's boss. Alfred Molina was pretty cool as Doc Ock, he played his character very well. James Franco was decent but nothing special.
I loved the plot of this one. Spiderman's storyline is handled so well, with all the stress he goes through and how he starts to lose his powers. Overall, the plot is very strong and has a lot of depth and substance.
Sam Raimi has done a great job with this movie, by adding in all this fun action and great characters. I really had a good time with this and i wouldn't be surprised if you did too. It's the best of the Spiderman movies, and it's probably up there with my favourite action movies.

"We ride together, we die together. Bad boys for life.

This is probably one of the best sequels ever made, up there with films such as Terminator 2 and Aliens. It's more impressive than the first film, and it features one of the best car chase scenes ever made!

SUMMARY:

The film takes place 8 years after the events of the first film. Detective Mike Lowrey (Will Smith) and Detective Marcus Burnett (Martin Lawrence) are investigating the flow of ecstasy into Miami. As they continue to investigate, they suspect that Johnny Tapia (Jordi Molla) is behind the ecstacy. Marcus' sister Syd (Gabrielle Union) is an undercover agent with the DEA, who becomes Tapia's accountant. Syd is also in a secret relationship with Mike.

REVIEW:

Director Michael Bay believes in excess, and everything about his sequel to Bad Boys is writ large. The storylines are much more intense than they were in the first film, and the humour is gut-bustingly hilarious. What I loved most about the script is the way they've developed the relationship between Mike and Marcus. I think the villain in this, Johnny Tapia, is slightly less scary than the villain we had in Bad Boys. There were some really funny characters including Captain C. Howard (Joe Pantoliano). The dialogue was actually very good, with both epic and funny lines.

Will Smith and Martin Lawrence still have that great chemistry they had in the first film, and works wonders in this. Jordi Molla was an ok bad guy. Gabrielle Union was very hot indeed. Joe Pantoliano as the captain was very funny. Micheal Bay even makes a cameo in this, playing a driver of a crappy car. We also have the sexy Megan Fox, for a few seconds, as a hot club girl.

Bad Boys II is a fun popcorn movie, which is Bay's best side. Unlike in the first film, this has much more special effects. There are a lot of gun fights and explosions, and like I said earlier, it has one of the best car chase scenes ever. The vehicles are very cool, and the finale is actually awesome.

This is pure entertainment at it's very best. It's one of Michael Bay's best. It's totally fun, and the action is mind-blowing. I can assure you that you'll laugh a lot. You will have a good time with this. Highly Recommended.

Michael Bay never really has a good story with his movies, so I wasn't expecting a story with a lot of depth. But once I started watching it, I found the plot really engaging. It's got a terrific concept, and we've seen a lot of clone movies, just not done like this. At times, the action was a bit shabby due to the shaky camera work, but when they shot it right - It was dead on! The special effects look awesome and all the action sequences are so energetic and they keep you entertained. The acting from the cast is great, and everyone was cast perfectly. Ewan McGregor was my favourite - he did a fantastic job. Scarlett Johansson was good as well. The pacing is good even though this is a really long film. Another thing I liked was the "fish out of water" theme being used with the two main characters. It was done really well, and it added in a lot of humour and at times, I even found it kind of cute.Overall, this is a fun action flick that has a great start and ending. Scarlett Johansson is one of best parts of this movie - she's so fucking sexy!

I was watching this in the dark with a high volume, and it was so disturbing. The images in the film are very, very disturbing! This concept is one of my favourites because it makes you feel like you're there. It has been used with such films like "Cloverfield" and "The Blaire Witch Project". The concept worked wonders with this movie.

The story is about a TV crew who are doing a story about the way firemen work. They follow two firemen to an apartment building where there had been complaints from the people there about loud screaming from the top floor. From there we witness disturbing events that unfold in that building, and the catch is that the building is being quarantined - so no one can get out. This is a terrific plot, and it's very engaging. When they reveal the answer to why the people become zombies, you'll get very freaked out. They written the twists very well, very scary!

The acting from the whole cast is excellent. That's why it felt so realistic, becasue the acting was so damn good! The way they engaged with the plot was fantastic. So, the acting was top notch!

The horror is AWESOME! This stuff scared the shit out of me. The zombies freak you out everytime they attack, and the way they moan is so scary. There's are zombie at the very end that is probably one of the scariest things I have ever seen. The shock horror is done very well, and there's plenty of blood and gaw for those who want it.

There is a lot of shaky camerawork, which should disapoint some audiences. I don't mind bad camerawork in these types of films, I only hate it in action movies. The problem with the camerawork here is that you won't always be able to see the freaky zombies well.

This is one of my favourite horror films. It's a film that has an original concept and some of the scariest zombies around. A great film to see when you're alone in the dark with the volume to full.

"Always remember Frodo, the Ring is trying to get back to its master. It wants to be found. "

This was the first Peter Jackson film I ever saw. My friends have told me that his previous films were terrible, but that's so hard to believe because this was so beautiful. This is probably one of the best fantasy film you'll ever see. Harry Potter has been dethroned by this magical masterpiece.

SUMMARY:

Frodo Baggins (Elijah Wood) is a hobbit who lives in The Shire with his elderly cousin Bilbo (Ian Holm). On the day of Bilbo's birthday, a wizard named Gandalf (Ian Mckellen) comes to The Shire to visit Bilbo. The old hobbit's birthday party is held at night, and when Bilbo gives his birthday speech, he suddenly vanishes. Gandalf suspects him finds out that Bilbo had The Ring of Power which was a tool that the dark lord Sauron was using to rule Middle Earth before he was killed on the battlefield. Bilbo leaves The Shire, and Frodo inherits the ring. But Sauron's spirit is very much still alive, and he wants the ring in his grasp again. The Ring also wants to return to it's master. Frodo is in great peril as the dark lord has sent his Black Riders to retrieve the Ring. In order to destroy the ring and rid the world of Sauron, Frodo creates the Fellowship of the Ring - a group of adventurers who will journey to Mount Doom to destroy the Ring.

REVIEW:

This is based on a novel. It's a fantastic fantasy story with an amazing adventure. The dialogue is fabulous, and all these characters are so likeable - mostly because of their cool characteristics.

They've done a really good job with the battles in this. All of the battles in this movie look fantastic. The CGI is magnificent, the special effects are very impressive. The creature design of some of the monsters in this is very artistic and very creatively made. The actors have done a really good job here because a lot of them learnt how to fight with weapons - the fighting was incredible.

The locations were breathtaking. All these places looked beautiful. The way they created The Shire was magical, it looked amazing and it felt so peaceful. Other locations of the film were also very good. This film was shot in New Zealand, so it wasn't unexpected to see some wonderful locations. Peter Jackson has also done a really good job with the visuals. The cinematography is very stunning and the camera angles add in on the the effect.

The score of the film is fantastic. There are so many songs here that are just so epic, and some of them were really catchy and would stay in your head for a long time. The y use the music at the right times, usually to convey emotions such as sadness or joy.

One of the best book adaptations to date. Everything about it is good. The special effects are awesome, and the fight scenes are very fun to watch. Overall, this is a masterpiece. Cinematic genius!

"Beth lives in Midtown. Midtown is that way. You know what else is that way? Some horrific shit!"

I love this concept of film! To see the movie from a hand held video camera is so effective and I love watching a movie with this concept. This film is like The Blair Witch Project mixed with Godzilla or some other giant monster. We haven't seen this type of film done with a monster - it's usually a ghost. However, it's still a great film with some fantastic suspense.

SUMMARY:

Rob Hawkins (Michael Stahl-David) is leaving New York and moving to Tokyo for work. His brother Jason (Mike Vogel) organises a going-away party with his girlfriend Lily (Jessica Lucas). Jason is asked by Lily to document the party with Rob's video camera, but he can't be bothered and decides to give the job to Rob's best friend Hud (T.J Miller). Rob arrives at the party, and enjoys himself. But when his close friend Beth (Odette Yustman) comes with her new boyfriend, he becomes jealous due to the fact that he was actually in love with her and the two had sex a few months before. The two have a fight outside the party, and Beth leaves afterwards. Soon after, there is a sudden earthquake and everyone heads to the roof to see what has happened. There is an explosion and fireballs fly across New York. Horrific events occur as they see the head of the Statue of Liberty thrown right in front of their eyes. Rob then gets a call from Beth telling him that she is stuck in her apartment. Rob decides to go rescue her, though there is a monster on the loose.

REVIEW:

This is a decent plot. I like it. What impresses me most is how effective the storytelling of the movie is. They tell the story really well considering the type of movie this is. The dialogue may be decent to bad, but it doesn't matter because you'll be so focused on these characters. You can relate so much to these characters, and Rob is such a wonderful character. He's just a guy who's trying to save the girl he loves. So sweet!

I think these actors did a really good job. They're all young, and they've thrown themselves into the roles of their characters with gusto. Michael Stahl-David is terrific as Rob. T.J Miller is very amusing playing Hud. Jessica Lucas is a pretty girl with talent as her performance was very good. Odette Yustman - HOT! She was perfect for the role of Beth. Would you go and rescue Odette Yustman when there's are monster running around the place? I would! She's so hot! A pretty good actor as well.

These special effects are really good. There are scenes where you get to see the monster really close up, and it looks pretty cool. I guess people will have problems with the shaky camerawork, but I don't care about that stuff in these films.

Very well done. It's got Odette Yustman - so you know it will be enjoyable. The suspense is really good and the script is decent. I liked the pacing and the characters. This is a pretty damn good movie. Highly Recommended.

Steven Spielberg is a great director, and I've never seen him do a comedy film. But anything he makes is good, so this is no exception. I think he's done a fantastic job with this. He's been able to make it funny, sad and sweet.

SUMMARY:

Viktor Navorski (Tom Hanks) is going to New York. But when he arrives at JFK airport in New York, he finds out that his country Krakozhia is at war. Immigration Officer Dixon (Stanley Tucci) is in charge of helping people with these issues, and he informs Viktor that he can not go back to Krakozhia or go into New York. He can only stay in the airport. He becomes stranded in the terminal, and his english is poor. Soon, he starts getting used to the airport and he sleeps, works and meets new friends. Among them are Enrique Cruz (Diego Luna) who is giving food to Viktor in exchange for information on Officer Dolores Torres (Zoe Saldana) whom Enrique is in love with. One day, Viktor meets flight attendant called Amelia Warren (Catherine Zeta-Jones), and they soon become friends, and Viktor begins to fall in love with her. But Dixon is concerned that Viktor may jeopardize his reputation, and he tries to get him out of the airport.

REVIEW:

This is based on a true story whick happened in France. I think it's a very fine plot, and the characters are what make it so good. Enrique Cruz and Dolores Torres add in on the sweet tone and they are both very interesting characters. Dixon is one of my favourite villains ever, because he's so funny and cruel. Amelia Warren is also very interesting and the relationship between her and Viktor is amazing. Viktor is so likeable. He is such an interesting character and his personalities make him a likeable main character. The dialogue is snappy and the hilarious lines and in on the humour.

The acting is superb. Tom Hanks was brilliant. His performance was very convincing and the way he played his character was very funny. Stanley Tucci was excellent as Dixon. Zoe Saldana played Dolores with a wonderful edge. Catherine Zeta-Jones had her moments, but at times her acting was way too over the top.

I loved the cinematography. It gave the film a wonderful visual effect. The set was fantastic. The airport was a great location for the shoot, and they used it really well.

A great comedy, and one of Spielberg's best. He's got a great cast, and a wonderful location to film at. I think he's directed it really well, and he works well with his actors. A clever comedy with a fantastic plot. This is one of the best films I've ever seen.

"I am gonna give you the best blow J ever... with my mouth."

This isn't a typical teen comedy. I wasn't expecting much, but I really enjoyed this. It's incredibly origianl, though it may seem a bit cliche', but what's original about this film is the jokes.

SUMMARY:

Best friends Seth (Jonah Hill) and Evan (Michael Cera) aren't exactly part of the "cool" group in High School. They are about to graduate and head off to college - but the problem is that the two will going to different colleges. Seth has a crush on Jules (Emma Stone) while Evan is attracted to Becca (Martha MacIssac). When Jules invites Seth to a party she is having, he asks Evan to tag along. Becca is also going, which encourages Evan to come. Their friend Fogell (Christopher Mintz-Plasse) has managed to get a fake ID, which means they can get alcahol. Seth offers to buy booze for Jules' party, of course using Fogell's fake ID. The three friends head off to the liquor store, but after a series of disasters occur, Seth and Evan head off to a different party to steal alcahol from there, while Fogell joins two cops Slater (Bill Hader) and Michaels (Seth Rogen).

REVIEW:

This seems very typical at first, but it's very clever - mainly because a lot of teens can relate to these characters. I can, I can really relate to Evan. The script is almost like a journey, which we don't get much of in a teen flick. Mainly it's because the main characters face many obstacles, and they're trying to get a party. All these so called "obstacles" are very funny, well written. Seth Rogan and friend Evan Goldberg wrote this while they were still in high school together, and I think they've really done a good job with it. The dialogue was hilarious, even though it was very crude. The most engaging element is probably the characters, because you love to hang out with them. They're hilarious, Fogell especially, or should I say 'McLovin' (that's Fogell's fake name on his fake ID). He's one unforgettable character.

The performances are fantastic - very funny. Jonah Hill was a great comical performer, he was so funny. Michael Cera played Evan with charm. Christopher Mintz-Plasse made me laugh so much with his dorky edge as Fogell. He was definitely the best performer. Seth Rogen and Bill Hader were also very funny as the two cops Fogell meets. This is a teen flick, and of course, there must be some eye candy. Emma Stone and Martha MacIssac were fine. Personally, I thought Miss Stone was hotter and a better actor, but MacIssac wasn't bad.

The film did have a soft side. That surprised me a lot. Mostly because of the relationships of the characters. Seth and Evan's relationship moved me with the issue of them going seperate ways. The growing bond of Fogell and the two cops was both funny and sweet. The relationship that buds between Seth and Jules was very charming, and what I loved most was that they were so different.

Like Transformers, this gives a teen boy everything he wants oin a film like this. This is different from Transformers, there's no special effects here- but there's hot girls and plenty of humour. The humour is great mostly because of the actors. The jokes were pretty hilarious - mostly about sex which is still very funny for teens.

The film is crude, sweet and very funny. It's nothing like your typical teen comedy, this is something more. I enjoyed this so much, and I laughed so much. I liked the ending, and even the start was pretty awesome with all it's hardcore swearing. Comedy like this doesn't get any better. Highly Recommended!

Oskar: "Are you really twelve?"
Eli: "Yes. It's just I've been twelve for a very long time."

Vampire romances are very popular nowadays, with Twilight being such a big hit. This Swedish vampire film has its classic vampires, but a love story unlike any other.

SUMMARY:

Oskar (Kåre Hedebrant) is a 12 year old who is bullied at school. He dreams of revenge. Recently, someone has moved into the apartment room next to his. He finds out that the girl that lives there is Eli (Lina Leandersson), who only comes out at night. Oskar continues to see her outside the building, and a friendship begins. While they're in their apartment rooms, they talk to each other in morse code, and very soon they fall in love. Oskar doesn't know it, but Eli is a vampire. As mysterious deaths occur around town (Eli is connected to these deaths), Eli must leave to continue living, or stay and die.

REVIEW:

Based on the novel of the same name by John Ajvide Lindqvist, who also wrote the screenplay for the film, this is a remarkable vampire story. There's a sweet side to it, but also a scary side - it's quite a dark tale. At times it may seem like a horror, but the romance of the film contrasts really well with everything. The two main characters are lovely. You can really care about them, feel sympathetic for them. The love that forms between them is very cute, and much sweeter than the shit from Twilight. I liked the ending, it was very clever, and they've shown us the relationship between Eli and Oskar beautifully - the way Oskar and Eli help each other during tough situations is an example. And there's also one more thing that makes this so unique - the children. We've never seen a vampire story involving such young love, and it's really special. It's different from the romance of Twilight, because Edward and Bella are teens, but Eli and Oskar are still little kids, so it makes it really adorable to see these two kids fall so deeply in love. There's mystery involved, and the wondrous detail of the romance is the fact that you want Oskar and Eli to be together. The themes the story explores are not all fantasy - we have bullying at school, the innocence of children, and parenting skills from divorced parents - there is realism in this.

Kåre Hedebrant is wonderful, and is able to act out some scenes perfectly that I would have thought impossible for such a young actor. He is very talented, and so is Lina Leandersson. The talented girl is just excellent, she's able to capture the innocence of her character, as well as the dark side of her. Leandersson and Hedebrant have an on-screen chemistry, and it just works wonders in this. They work well together, making this love story so convincing. The supporting cast members were fine, though we mostly see Leandersson and Hedebrant in the film.

Yes, this is a love story, but I warn you, it does have bits and pieces of gore. I never thought of this as a horror, though some scenes made me jolt. But, there's so much bloody and gory moments here. Eli killing off people and sucking their blood, and "there's plenty more where that came from". I must mention the cinematography - praise goes to Hoyte van Hoytema, who has given the film a beautiful look. The blend of pale and dark colours works well, and allows the film a creepy atmosphere, as well as a sweet one. Hoyte van Hoytema shoots this with skill, and basically the film is a feast for the eyes. The score is romantic, as well as sinister and light. The music conveys all the emotions beautifully, and it suits the story really well.

Matt Reeves is actually making an American remake of this called Let Me In. For some reason, I'm not looking forward to this. I do like Matt Reeves' films - Cloverfield was awesome, but I feel that it will not be as subtle as the original film. I swear, it's just going to lose all the beautiful elements of the original film, and they're gonna stick to full-on gore - typical Hollywood.

Let the Right One in is easily one of the best vampire films I've ever seen. If you had a choice between Twilight and this, you'd better choose this, because it offers much more - more romance, more visuals, and more subtlety. It's definitely worth checking out.

"Everything's illegal in Massachusetts."

Mel Gibson is back at last. This is his first acting role since Signs in 2002. Teaming up with the great action director Martin Campbell (Casino Royale), Gibson brings his character to life. This vengeance film is definitely one of the best.

SUMMARY:

Thomas Craven (Mel Gibson) is a veteran homicide detective for the Boston Police Department and a single father. When his only child, twenty-four year-old Emma (Bojana Novakovic), is murdered on the steps of his home, everyone assumes that he was the target. But he soon suspects otherwise, and embarks on a mission to find out about his daughter's secret life and her killing. His investigation leads him into a dangerous, looking glass world of corporate cover-ups, government collusion and murder - and to shadowy government operative Darius Jedburgh (Ray Winstone), who has been sent in to clean up the evidence. Craven's solitary search for answers about his daughter's death transforms into an odyssey of emotional discovery and redemption.

REVIEW:

Edge of Darkness is the remake of Campbells very own classic miniseries of the same name. Written by William Monahan, the writer of The Departed, this story has so much to offer. Not only is this a vengeance film, it's also a mystery. Very similar to Eastwood's Changeling, it focuses a lot on corruption, as well as a father's love for his child. That's why I loved this so much as a vengeance film. You care about these characters. You do care about Thomas, you want him to have his vengeance, you feel sad for him. The characters are also interesting. The mystery of the film works because it's not predictable. I liked the dialogue, though it is a bit difficult to follow, and the ending is very powerful. I even cried during some scenes - it's a really moving story. My main complaint comes from the 'hard to follow' conspiracy here. I really didn't get all the elements of the story, and thus, it was really difficult to follow.

Mel Gibson kicks ass as Thomas. He was one of the best elements of the film. Bojana Novakovic played Emma Craven beautifully, and established a very convincing father-daughter relationship with Gibson in performance. I had a huge problem with Ray Winstone. He was taling in the most "hard-to-understand" accent ever! He was very close to ruining the film for me. Danny Huston was solid as the major bad guy, but I think he was miscast. Caterina Scorsone makes an appearance as a friend of Emma, and she's wonderful.

I can't call this an action-packed movie, because there actually isn't that much action. It's a more of a drama than a thriller. There are action sequences that are pretty exciting. Martin Campbell is outstanding with action because he shoots it well. There's no shaky-camerawork at all. The editing is top-notch. The fact that they combine action with shock horror is amazing because it gives you thrills - a better time. I actually got scared by some of the sudden loud crashing or explosion noises. The stunts are great, and I thought some sequences were staged well. And for those who love their blood, this has it - it's really graphic. There's plenty of violence for those who want it. The cinematography works really well in this. The film opens with a beautiful shot of a lake, with the reflection of a full moon, and dead bodies start to float up from the water. It looked sinister, but had a nice, visual edge to it. The production design and sets were also very impressive.

This is a story of a father's love for his daughter, as well as a mystery and a thriller. It may get confusing, but this is "edge of seat" stuff. I had a good time with it, and there's no fat to trim. Everything works, and I love the tagline - Few escape Jutsice. None escape Vengeance. That's total badass! This is one of Campbell's best film, and one of the best vengeance films I've ever seen. It's tense to the bone, and it may be slow - but it's very entertaining.

Kim: "Hold me."
Edward: "I can't."

Edward Scissorhands is a story I will never forget. I haven't seen the play, but for me, the film is just perfect in everyway. Johnny Depp's performance is stunning, and Tim Burtons direction is amazing.

SUMMARY:

When Pegg Bogs (Dianne Wiest), the local Avon lady, attempts one last stop to sell her products, she wanders off to the mansion on top of the large hill in the suburb. Finding a unique and alone man named Edward (Johnny Depp) with scissors for hands, Peg decides to bring Edward back with her into society. Edward makes a good impression and even falls in love with Peg's high school daughter Kim (Winona Ryder).

REVIEW:

The story of Edward Scissorhands is heart-warming, tragic, romantic, and even a bit scary, though at times, it feels as if there are plot holes. But it doesn't matter, because this is one of the most beautiful stories ever told. Edward is definitely one of the best characters ever. All his characteristics make him such a cute character, and one you can end up caring about. The love between him and Kim is very sweet, and has a lot of charm to it. The way he becomes a member of Bogs family is another one of my favourite elements of the story. Another positive would be flashbaks of Edward's old life, where we see the inventor who made him, but never had the chance to replace his scissorhands with real hands. Beautifully written, the screenplay has many delightful lines. I've no idea if the play is similar to this, but overall, the screen adaption is excellent in terms of its story.

Johnny Depp is Edward. He brings this character to life. His performance in this is probably one of his best. The strength of his acting comes from his expressions and actions, because he never speaks. His character has very little dialogue, but he can still put on a fantastic act as Edward. Winona Ryder is beautiful as Kim, and her chemistry with Depp is outstanding. The supporting actors were excellent, with Dianne West, Alan Arkin, and Robert Oliveri playing the Bogs, and Kathy Baker playing a very dirty housewife.

The film is beautifully shot. The cinematography is unbelievable, and I loved the colours. The sets are masterful, and one thing I can't forget is the amazing score by Danny Elfman. I loved every song in this, especially the terrific theme song.

Edward Scissorhands is Burton's best film. This is a masterful work of art, that has been brought to us by a genius. I was incredibly moved by it, and I wouldn't be surprised if you were too. A masterpiece!

"Come back. Come back to me."

Joe Wright's adaptation of Ian McEwan?s Atonement is pure art. It's an exquisite film, full of moving moments and beautiful shots. It's a love story, and what I loved most was that it felt old fashioned.

SUMMARY:

The story begins on a hot summer's day in 1935 in a country house where 13-year-old Briony, (Saoirse Ronan), witnesses confusing encounters between her older sister Cecilia, (Keira Knightley) and Robbie, (James McAvoy). He is wrongfully accused of commiting a horrible crime, and is sent to jail. 5 years later, World War II has hit, and Robbie ends up in the war, fighting in Dunkirk. Meanwhile, Cecilia has left her home and become a nurse, still in love with Robbie. Briony has also become a nurse, who feels guilty for the mistake she made 5 years ago.

REVIEW:

Christopher Hampton clever screenplay is one of the best things about Atonement. The dialogue is fantastic, absolutely relevant to the time period. The romantic lines made this even more lovely. Watching the film made me want to the read the book, because it's actually a very unique love story. The two characters caught in the love are characters you can immediately take a liking to. Briony is a very well written character, though she is annoying. The setting of the story is fantastic - World War II is a great choice for a love story. The story does have it's sad moments, which made me weep so much. The ending is very well written, and it gives the audience what they want.

All the performances were convincing. They make the film feel really "classic", like it was made in 1930's. Keira Knightley is very beautiful, and her performance was excellent. James McAvoy's performance in this is probably his best ever. Saoirise Ronan playing Briony as a youth was wonderful, but Romola Garai as the 18 year old Briony didn't impress me much. Vanessa Redgrave plays Briony as an elderly woman, and she was pretty wonderful.

The film looks great - it really does look like a work of art. The stunning cinematography by Seamus McGarvey is just magnificent. The lighting of the film is used in impressive ways, and the colours work well.

Negatives? Well, the main problem here is the blood and gore. There is so much unnecessary violence in this. The blood and gore is actually enough to be called "sick". I don't have a problem with this type of stuff. It's just that there's no need for it to be in this.

Overall, this is a moving love story. The look is probably the reason why I loved it so much. It looks beautiful. The story itself is magic, and we can't forget the terrific performances. This really is a wonderful work of art. Highly Recommended!

"I am Shiva the destroyer, your harbinger of doom this evening."

This was my first Jonathan Demme film. I haven't had the pleasure of watching Silence of the Lambs yet, but I can see why people consider him such a great filmmaker from this. This is such a remarkable film, and Anne Hathaway is definitely a highlight.

SUMMARY:

It's about a prodigal daughter Kym (Anne Hathaway), returning home from rehab to attend the marriage of her sister Rachel (Rosemarie DeWitt). Kym is a recovering addict, she's still a loose cannon. Paul (Bill Irwin) almost trips over himself trying to be the loving father, but it's the confrontation with divorced mother Abby (Debra Winger) that raises the hair on the back of your necks.

REVIEW:

I must give credit to screenwriter Jenny Lumet. This couldn't have been an easy screenplay to write. Considering the style of the film, it must have been a challenge, and yet, it's perfect. There's so much conflict within it that it really becomes engaging. It just takes you in. The story is unique. We've seen movies where the good daughter has a wedding, and then the bad daughter comes and ruins everything, but in Rachel Getting Married, the 'bad' sister, otherwise known as Kym, isn't looked upon as a villain. In fact, they want you to care for this character, and you do. I won't ruin anything about her past, but it's been tough on her, and her family. All she wants is for her family to love her, and she believes that she does deserve this. I did care about this character. Her story broke my heart, it was so moving. She's been battling with addiction, as well as her problem with her own family. It's a case that leaves you in tears. There is humour here, and it works. They usually bring the family together for the big 'funny' moments, so it seems quite merry, and it works well. In terms of the dramatic turns for the film, it's dramatically good. This really is drama at its best, with Kym's return bringing pain to her and the family. The screenplay does have an intense tone. At times, the film feels very tense and really leaves you on the edge of your seat. What's great is you don't what Kym's going to do, or her sister. You don't what anyones going to do. It's so unpredictable.

Anne Hathaway: One of the best actresses ever! She was an Oscar nominee for Best Actress. Kate Winslet won though, for her role in The Reader. I haven't seen that, but I can say that Hathway's performance is worthy of winning that Oscar. She was terrific. We've never seen her play this role. She's usually the nice girl who never smokes or says "Fuck.". In this, her character smokes, swears a lot, and isn't one you would call a nice girl. But she handles this role well. Rosemarie DeWitt is impressive as Rachel, and the dramatic scenes between her and Hathway are so well handled. Bill Irwin is also good, and Debra Winger is delightful as Kym's mother. The argument scene involving Hathaway and her is so brilliant, and the actors are perfect in everyway.

I've never heard of Dogma. That's the style of the film - Dogma, which is a Danish film movement. Director Jonathan Demme is a fan of this, and to me, the 'Dogma' is well suited to the material. It works charms here. It makes the film feel so realistic. It feels just like a home movie. It's as if you're with this family, you're following along with Kym. Beautifully shot though, even if there is a bit of Shaky Cam, which actually adds to it. Some of the shots are quite clever. They don't look beautiful, but they are used to capture emotions. Zooming in and out is a major trademark of the film, and towards a lot of the dramatic scenes, this zooming technique gives you a raw anxiety, that is so cleverly done by Demme. I can't really say much about the score, because there isn't that much music in this. I've heard criticism about the editing - that it's poorly done, but the editing here makes the film feel more realistic. It's kind of sloppy for a reason. It works in this.

Overall, Rachel Getting Married is one of the best Drama films you'll ever see. Hathway's performance is so strong, as well as the screenplay and Demme's direction. The film takes you in, and you won't want to leave. This is top-notch filmmaking. Highly Recommended!

"With no power comes no responsibility."

Kick-Ass is the latest Comic Book movie to hit the cinemas, and it's doing wonders in terms of the money and the critics. The film basically offers viewers a bloody good time, and I'm not kidding about the 'bloody'.This is actually a very violent film.

SUMMARY:

Dave Lizewski (Aaron Johnson) is a New York schoolboy who lives with his widowed dad and whose main interests are comic books and beautiful classmate Katie (Lyndsey Fonseca), who doesn't know he exists. To impress her, Dave orders on-line a wet suit and becomes Kick-Ass, a superhero without powers. Meanwhile crime boss Frank D'Amico (Mark Strong), whose son, Chris (Christopher Mintz-Plasse), is a student at Dave's school, is being threatened by a real superhero, Big Daddy (Nicolas Cage), who is training his 11-year-old daughter, Mindy (Chloe Grace Moretz), to be Hit Girl. Chris, meanwhile, becomes the superhero Red Mist.

REVIEW:

The film is more interested in its characters than the special effects. We do have a likeable hero here. Kick-Ass is a great hero, and his character is developed in a quite 'heroic' way. The other superheor characters all offer something fun with their personalities, with Big Daddy's cool attitude, Hit Girl's badass quotes, and Red Mist's pathetic ways. They're all wonderful characters, and each one of them has superb dialogue, especially Hit Girl. All her lines are funny, and a lot of 'old' people are complaining about this character. Hit Girl is an 11 year-old who swears and kills people with knives, swords, and guns. To me, that's really cool, and I'm sure many other teenagers will agree with me. I don't really care about these complaints about the character of Hit Girl, and her violence. Some may find it disturbing, but I think it adds tro the character. The villain here is a bit of stereotype - he's just a drug lord, but he wasn't that bad of a bad guy. He did have some really nice lines. The screenplay explores the meaning of heroics, and it has fresh feel to it, with the characters and dialogue. The ending prepares us for a sequel, so we haven't seen the last of Kick-Ass on screen.

Aaron Johnson really is superb as Dave, he is terrific. Christopher Mintz-Plasse is ever so charming as Red Mist. Nicolas Cage is hilarious as Big Daddy, and I've never seen him in a role like this, but he handles it so well. Chloe Grace Moretz is fantastic. Being such a young girl, she's able to deliver her foul-mouthed dialogue charmingly, and gives a wonderful performance. She's a young actress to look out for, and I've heard that she will be in the American remake of Let the Right One in. Horrible that they're remaking it, I know it's going to be a bad movie, but I'm sure Moretz will be an asset. Mark Strong is excellent as the main bad guy of the film, and still has that nice evil edge that we got from him as Blackwood in Guy Ritchie's Sherlock Holmes.

I did say that this was violent, and it is violent. The film is full of bad guys getting killed by Hit Girl and Big Daddy, and they all die violently. The intelligent action sequences are staged well, and are quite unique. In one action sequence involving Hit Girl, the film is shot in a 'first-person shooter' style, like a video game. Never have I seen something like that, and director Matthew Vaughn handles this with confidence. The film also boasts great effects and awesome stunts, which Vaughn uses creatively. The music is fitting, and some of the deaths the bad guys suffer are quite imaginative. Praise must also go to the costumes, production design, and the 'Mist Mobile', Red Mist's very own car.

Kick-Ass is silly, and uses this to its full advantage. The film is so over the top that you don't really don't care. It's just a load of fun, and the humour is to die for. Don't listen to all the adults and their complaints about the character of Hit Girl. I'm sure you'll adore her. So, overall, Kick-Ass is a fresh and solid film that won't disapoint in terms of the enjoyment. Highly Recommended!

"Winning that ticket, Rose, was the best thing that ever happened to me... it brought me to you. And I'm thankful for that, Rose. I'm thankful. You must do me this honor, Rose. Promise me you'll survive. That you won't give up, no matter what happens, no matter how hopeless. Promise me now, Rose, and never let go of that promise."

James Cameron's Titanic was the highest grossing film ever, before Cameron's 2009 blockbuster Avatar recently knocked it out of that position. But Titanic is a masterpiece, and it's no wonder why it was such a great hit back then in 1997. With state of the art CGI, and a truly amazingly created replica of the ship Titanic itself, this isn't a cheap film.

SUMMARY:

After winning a trip on the RMS Titanic during a dockside card game, American Jack Dawson (Leonardo DiCaprio) spots the society girl Rose DeWitt Bukater (Kate Winslet) who is on her way to Philadelphia to marry her rich snob fiancé Cal Hockley (Billy Zane). Rose feels helplessly trapped by her situation and makes her way to the aft deck and thinks of suicide until she is rescued by Jack. Cal is therefore obliged to invite Jack to dine at their first-class table where he suffers through the slights of his snobbish hosts. In return, he spirits Rose off to third class for an evening of dancing, giving her the time of her life. Deciding to forsake her intended future all together, Rose asks Jack, who has made his living making sketches on the streets of Paris, to draw her in the nude wearing the invaluable blue diamond Cal has given her. Cal finds out and has Jack locked away. Soon after wards, the ship hits an iceberg and Rose must find Jack while both must run from Cal even as the ship sinks deeper into the freezing water.

REVIEW:

The first thing you should know about the story is that it's told by an older Rose, who is played by Gloria Stuart. She is telling her experience of Titanic to treasure hunter Brock Lovett (Bill Paxton), and his crew. This takes on much more other tones than just the story about the sinking of Titanic. It is a love story at the heart of it, but the themes involved are quite well handled. One of the major themes of the story is the social framework of the time era. All the 'higher' class people are depitcted here as rich and snobby people, while the more 'lower' class is shown being less serious. It's quite interesting the way Cameron actually writes this, it's very convincing with the social status among these people. When the ship starts to sink, the people of the higher class are aloud to leave the Titanic first, on one of the small boats. The lower class is left on the bottom levels of the ship, unable to leave and escape from the freezing water that would kill them. But there's also a theme of women - how they weren't respected as much back then. As Rose' mother quotes in one scene "Of course it's unfair. We're women. Our choices are never easy." - the only reason Rose is marrying Cal is so that her family can be free of debt, they're pretty much broke. Now, the epic love story. Never has a love story been this epic. It's so romantic. The characters that are involved - Jack and Rose - are two characters so different that it appeals to you. They're in different social classes, and Rose is already engaged to a very wealthy man. What's excellent is that you want the two lovers to be together, that's how all love stories should be like. However, I think it's fair to say that the dialogue is quite ordinary. Cameron's dialogue has never impressed me that much, though he does come up with a few good liners in his films, this included of course. But, I'm sure that the climax towards the end will break you heart - this is famous for being a very moving film.

Leonardo DiCaprio is ever so impressive as Jack. His baby face should appeal to many women. Kate Winslet is probably one of the most beautiful women ever, and she's gorgeous in this. Her performance moves us tears, and her looks are so delightful. Billy Zane is impressive as the villainous Cal, and I absolutely loved Kathy Bates, who plays Molly Brown, a friendly woman in the higher class.

Cameron's visual style is so beautiful. The production design of the film is fantastic, and the cinematography is beautiful. There's a sequence that many pervets may enjoy - the scene where Winslet goes nude. However, it's beautiful, and I'm not being a pervet here. The way the shots are lighted is beautiful - it has a very warm and vivid look, complimenting on Winslet's beautiful body. And who can forget the outstanding score. Celine Dion's My Heart Will Go On is so beautiful - one of the greatest songs ever. The effects are top-notch, and they do have a nice look. Top marks also go to the exquisite costume design - all the clothes look brilliant!

It is a 3 hour long film, but who's complaining. It does happen to move along at a craking pace. This is epic, romantic, stylish in ways, and you could even say it's sexy. Beautiful story, outstanding performances, and a wonderful score - these all contrast together, with the visuals, to create an intense and tear jerking experience. It breaks your heart, and seriously keeps you imersed throughout the film. I loved Kate Winslet - she's so hot! I cried so much at the ending, and I wouldn't be surprised if you did too. Overall, Titanic is one of the most romantic and memorable films I've ever seen.

''My name is Maximus Decimus Meridius, commander of the Armies of the North, General of the Felix Legions, loyal servant to the true emperor, Marcus Aurelius. Father to a murdered son, husband to a murdered wife. And I will have my vengeance, in this life or the next.''

Gladiator may not be entirely true, but its absolutely epic. It's easily one of the most epic films you'll ever see. I've never been a huge fan of Ridley Scott, because I didn't like Alien very much, but this is his masterpiece.

SUMMARY:

Victorious general Maximus Decimus Meridias (Russell Crowe) has been named keeper of Rome and its empire by dying emperor Marcus Aurelius (Richard Harris), so that rule might pass from the Caesars back to the people and Senate. Marcus' neglected and power-hungry son, Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix), has other ideas, however. Escaping an ordered execution, Maximus hurries back to his home in Spain, too late to save his wife and son from the same order. Taken into slavery and trained as a gladiator by Proximo (Oliver Reed), Maximus lives only that he might someday take his revenge and fulfill the dying wish of his emperor. The time soon comes when Proximo's troupe is called to Rome to participate in a marathon of gladiator games held at the behest of the new emperor, Commodus. Once in Rome, Maximus wastes no time in making his presence known, and is soon involved in a plot to overthrow the emperor with his former-love Lucilla (Connie Nielsen), Commodus' sister, and the democratic-minded senator, Gracchus(Derek Jacobi).

REVIEW:

The screenplay is ever so mighty. Written by David Frazoni, John Logan, and William Nicholson, the screenplay is absolutely perfect. The story itself has depth, substance, and epicness. Probably the strongest element of the script is the dialogue. There are so many epic lines here, that are so memorable. All the characters are superb. Maximus is a powerful hero we can all take a liking to. Commodus is the opposite. We're supposed to hate him. He's a general asshole - he's attracted to his own sister, he killed his own father - he's evil. The potrayal of Ancient Rome is quite fantastic - it gives the story real tension. In the film, the Gladiators MUST win the attention of the people of Rome. Their name from the people will become more powerful than the emperor himself, and that's what Maximus tries to do. The climax is terrific, and the way the film ends - so epic!

Russell Crowe throws himself into the role of Maximus with gusto. Joaquin Phoenix is hissable as the rotten Commodus. I must say, Connie Nielsen was rather disapointing as Lucilla. Her performance wasn't that convincing. Oliver Reed brings a fantastic attitude to Proximo, and Richard Harris is also very good as the former Caesar. Djimon Hounsou has a special appearance in this, playing a Gladiator friend of Maximus - he's actually very good.

One of my favourite elements of the film was Han Zimmer's score. Now We Are Free - such a beautiful and epic song. The rest of the songs fit the material well, with the most intense pieces for spectacular battle sequences, which brings us too the next topic - the action. Scott stages the battle scenes so well, and they're shot with skill, and the editing is good. The battles in the Colesium are more than enough to keep you on the edge of your seat. The climatic fight scene at the end is a wonderful creation. Visually, the film is very impressive. The production design is fantastic, and the cinematography by John Mathieson is absolutely beautiful and amazing. The film is paced quite well.

No other film is more epic. This is a prime example of why I love film, and why I watch film - it has all the components I want from a masterpiece. Ridley Scott has done a superb job with this - it's no wonder it won an Oscar for Best Picture.

"There are a lot of secrets in District 9."

Sometimes, there are films that aren't flawless, but still deserve a rating of 5 stars. District 9 is an example of this. It isn't a perfect film, there's no doubt about that, but I can't help but give it 5 stars. Why would I do that? Let me tell you.

SUMMARY:

The film is a fiction documentary about a spaceship with a million aliens which for twenty years has hovered over Johannesburg. The aliens inside were helpless and herded into DISTRICT 9 which became over the years like any slum district. But now the government wants to move them. It contracts the job out to a company, Multi-National United - MNU, under the leadership of nerdlike Wikus van der Merwe (Sharlto Copley). The aliens are reluctant to move, they fight back and in the process something unfortunate happens to Wikus. Humans are incapable of activating the powerful weapons of the aliens. But Wikus now has alien DNA, he has power. And everyone wants a bit of him. There's only one place to hide - DISTRICT 9.

REVIEW:

The evolution of District 9 by Canadian based South African filmmaker Neill Blomkamp came from his short film Alive In Joburg, which you can see freely on the net. Peter Jackson thought he was talented and not only supported Blomkamp's translation of this short film into a feature, he became the producer. Blomkamp wrote the screenplay, and there is imagination within. This is a very creative script. The original storyline is absolutely brilliant, and Blomkamp's ideas are amazing. His concept with this is inspirational, and there are many explorations of certain messages, particularly anti-racism - the aliens are called "Prawns" by the humans, and in a way, are a bit of a parallel to African Americans, who were called Niggas. One of the problems I had at times with the script was the character of Wikus. For the most of it, he is a respectable character, but at times, he was very unlikeable. That is a minor flaw, and the great thing is - his character develops, and I loved that. The ending is quite sweet, and the dialogue is actually quite convincing in a way.

Most of the actors of District 9 aren't as well-known, yet they're all terrific. All the performances are convincing. The most wonderful of the actors would have to be Sharlto Copley, who brings an amazing performance as Wikus. Every single personality of Wikus is potrayed brilliantly by Copley, especially his nerdy side, and I must say, that accent of his is just so convincing. He particularly shines once he is infected with the alien DNA - Copley plays out the pressure and stress of his character so well in this of the film.

The visual effects are brilliant, and with a budget that isn't as high as most Hollywood productions, these effects are amazing. I loved the creation of the prawns. These creatures feel like real characters, which was needed, as Wikus teams up with a prawn udring the course of the film. The action sequences are handled well, particularly as this is a first-time feature director. Another highlight of the film is the very detailed sets and props. All the sets are wonderfully created, and the props, especially the alien weapons, are very cool. The film is edited really well, but there was a problem with the consistency of it. The style of the film is documentary, but there's always a switch between documentary and normal styles. I would've liked if they stayed true to one particular style - but you know what, it actually works well, even though it is flawed. For fans of sci fi and action video games, you'll love the gore - it has a very computer game style with it. There's heaps of exploding bodies, and there's plenty of blood splattering around the place.

I have to give this 5 stars, because I can't think of a more enjoyable film than this. Okay, that's a bit of an exaggeration, but I had a really good time with this, and I'm sure you will too. This is so original, and very fresh indeed. fans of alien movies will get a kick out of this, and with al lthe amazing visual effect and in-your-face action, they'll have the time of their life.

"If you guys were the inventors of Facebook, you'd have invented Facebook."

The origins of Facebook. Not something you'd expect David Fincher to direct, but you know what? He does a more than decent job with the material. For the millions of people who are now on Facebook, The Social Network will be of enormous interest. To find out how one of the most popular websites was created is amazingly fascinating.

SUMMARY:

The film starts off at Harvard University in 2003 when social nerd Mark Zuckerberg (Jesse Eisenberg), aiming at revenge for being dumped by his girlfriend, created an internet rating of girls in the Harvard colleges called Facemash that landed him in a lot of trouble. But that led to him being approached by sporting heroes, the rich and privileged Winkelvoss twins, Cameron and Tyler (both played by Armie Hammer), to create a network of Harvard undergraduates. Zuckerberg agreed but then snowed them while he developed his own Harvard network called The Facebook. His best friend at that time was Eduardo Saverin (Andrew Garfield) who provided the start-up money for the scheme. The film is intercut with Zuckerberg's later law suits with both Saverin and with the Winkelvoss'.

REVIEW:

Adapted from the novel The Accidental Billionaires by Ben Mezrich, the screenplay is full of wit and charm. Written by Aaron Sorkin, the script tells the story of the rising of facebook clearly. Before seeing this, I asked myself "How are they going to make the invention of Facebook entertaining?". Well, with the help of Sorkin's scripting, and Fincher's direction, the film is very enjoyable. The dialogue is absolutely witty, with clever one-liners, and terrific banter between characters. Another thing I must praise about the script is the way it tells story of the development of Facebook. Sorkin cleverly scripts each event well - for example, the way Zuckerberg comes up with the idea of a 'Relationship Status' for his social network is so well-written. At times I wonder if the events in the film happened in real life. Was Zuckerberg really an asshole? In The Social Network, he's really an anti-hero. You want to like him, but the stuff he does defines him as being quite a flawed person. In a way, the film is a bit of character study of Zuckerberg, and even a study of human nature. The themes of envy, friendship, loyalty, and competitiveness are explored amazingly through the characters, particularly between the characters of Saverin, and Sean Parker (Justin Timberlake), the creator of Napster, who saw a good thing happening and rode with it. As the film progresses, there is tons of character development, as well as relationship development, especially between Zuckerberg and Saverin.

Jesse Eisenberg was born to play Mark Zuckerberg. He creates the character with charisma, and though I don't know what the real Zuckerberg is like, and I can say that Eisenberg is perfect at playing him. Andrew Garfield, who will play Peter Parker in the new Spider Man franchise, is sensational as Eduardo, while Justin Timberlake proves that he can act with his brilliant potrayal of Sean Parker. There are also some outstanding supporting performances. Armie Hammer does a fine job playing two different characters. Brenda Song is hilarious as Eduardo's fun girlfriend, and Rashido Jones brings class to the character of Marilyn Delpy, a woman Zuckerberg meets at his lawsuit. There's also Rooney Mara as Erica Albright, Zuckerberg's girlfriend - she brings an ice cold attitude to the character which is totally fantastic.

A movie about Facebook is the last thing you'd expect Fincher to make. He's well-known for his dark style of filmmaking. The story of The Social Network may not be as dark as films like Se7en and Fight Club, but it has the visual style that Fincher is so famous for. Shot by Jeff Cronenweth, who served as Fincher's cinematographer for Fight Club, the film looks absolutley beautiful. At times, the film adopts a very modern and 'hip' look, particually during scenes with a lot of 'clubbing'. The Social Network is well put together by editor Kirk Baxter, keeping all the events of the film nicely paced and interesting. The production design is brilliant, making sets look accurate as ever. The film's score was by Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails and his collaborator Atticus Ross, and it's absolute magic, fitting so well withthe material.

Overall, The Social Network may very well be one of the best films of the year, if not THE BEST! I've no doubt that this film will be a Best Picture nominee. Since almost everyone is on Facebook at the moment, it wouldn't hurt to pay to see how that website was created. It certainly kept me fascinated. In fact, The Social Network is probably the most fascinating film I've seen in ages. Fincher has crafted a masterpiece here. It's only a matter of time before someone makes a movie about Flixster. Flixster: The Movie - now that sounds epic!

"I could get used to a view like this... Yep, I'm used to it. Guys I want a castle."

Tangled... is GORGEOUS. After a few 'meh' films, Disney returns to its classic style of storytelling - only thing is, this is animated by CG. Tangled has everything a good Disney animation should have - the hero, the princess, the animal sidekicks, the songs, and an evil villain. However, though it touches on old-fashioned styles of filmmaking, there's still something very modern about the film - and it's not the 3D animation.

SUMMARY:

A baby princess named Rapunzel is stolen from her loving parents by a selfish old crone called Gothel (Donna Murphy) who only wants the baby for her golden tresses which can generate eternal youth. Rapunzel is locked away in a tower, believing Gothel is her mother. She's warned about the dangers of the outside world. But Rapunzel longs to be free to experience that world herself. Now a teenager (voiced by Mandy Moore), Rapunzel encounters a young and handsome thief, Flynn Rider (Zachary Levi), when he takes refuge in the tower the day before her 18th birthday. Flynn had stolen a precious crown, and Rapunzel had hidden it. She makes a deal with him - if Flynn takes her to the outside word, she'll return the crown to him. After struggling quite a bit, Flynn agrees, and takes Rapunzel away from her tower.

REVIEW:

Rapunzel is a classic fairytale that everyone knows. There have been many versions and adaptations of the tale, each with changes to certain characters and events of the film. But the character of Rapunzel will always be a stolen princess - that's what the original tale was about. Tangled is so different from most of the Rapunzel movies I've seen. There's a lot of charm in the writing, and screenwriter Dan Fogelman does a great job of making big changes to the original story, but also keep it like a classic Disney animation. Dramatic changes have been made to the character of Rapunzel, who acts like a teen from Beverley Hills High School - that's one of the elements that make this tale feel so modern. Making the princess a teen works brilliantly, and there's something truly adorable about Rapunzel. She's innocent and the 'fish-out-of-water' characterists of her add to that child-like personality she has. While the love interest of rapunzel was a prince in the fairytale, Fogelman has changed him to a thief. Flynn Rider is a superb character, and the fact that he's not a prince actually adds quite a bit of charm to the relationship he develops with Rapunzel. It's so sweet. Gothel truly is a memorable villain, though I still prefer Maleficent of Sleeping Beauty. The animal sidekicks are great, as they don't talk at all. I am tired of talking animals after seeing so many in animations, so it was a nice change. There's a very cute chameleon with a mind of its own, and a horse named Maximus, who acts like a blood hound. The story develops wonderfully, and the romance between Rapunzel and Flynn is beautiful.

When I watch an animated film, I want to completely lose myself with the characters and not know who is providing the voicework. Mandy Moore and Zachary Levi are both so splendid as their characters. Moore brings that teen spirit to Rapunzel well, and Levi does a really good job of creating the cocky and very amusing nature of Flynn. The same goes with Donna Murphy, who creates a very cold mood with her voicework.

The film's executive producer was John Lassiter of Pixar, so he obviously had a bit of an influence on the animation. This is the first Disney princess film which was animated by CG, and while it doesn't have that classic hand-drawn style of the older Disney animations, it still feels like one of them. This is because of the charm the film has, with the help from directors Nathan Greno and Byron Howard. The characters come first to them, and also the songs. Alan Menken, who was the composer of many Disney films, provided the score for Tangled, and all the songs are so catchy. Moore, as a singer, was a good choice for Rapunzel as she could sing the songs herself, and she really is a brilliant singer. In terms of the look of the movie, it just looks fabulous. The animation is just gorgeous and is just as good looking as some of the Pixar films. Everything looks lush and colourful, and there is a lot of detail - Rapunzel's hair for example. Seeing the film in 3D would be a smart move because the animation does use the 3D effect well, particularly a scene in which Rapunzel and Flynn watch as hundreds of lanterns float into the night sky. It looks even more spectacular in 3D!

It's wrong to call Tangled a 'girls'movie (that's right, Malcolm), as it just doesn't revolve around a beautiful princess and love. It's adorable, it's gorgeous, and it's heart-warming as ever. I think this will end up being a classic of the Disney films. See it with your family, take a kid along to see it, or watch it by yourself - it's that good!

"Never get behind old people. Their bodies are littered with hidden metal and they never seem to appreciate how little time they have left. Bingo, Asians. They pack light, travel efficiently, and they have a thing for slip on shoes. Gotta love 'em."

From Jason Reitman, the director of Thank You for Smoking and Juno, comes Up in the Air. It's an ultra-topical comedy which tackles themes that wonderfully reflect on life nowadays, with the current economy crisis. Based on the novel of the same name, Up in the Air featutes elements that are amazingly top-notch, and the quality is brilliant. Simply brilliant.

SUMMARY:

Ryan Bingham (George Clooney) works for a company that hires itself out to other companies who want to fire members of their staff but don't want to do the dirty work themselves. Bingham spends 322 days a year travelling, flying with the same airline - first class of course - renting the same car, staying in the same hotel chain. He lives out of a suitcase, and he likes it that way - it allows him to meet women like Alex (Vera Farmiga), who lives a similar lifestyle. But then Bingham's boss (Jason Bateman) hires Natalie (Anna Kendrick), a super-keen 23-year-old, with ideas about how to streamline the firing process - and Bingham's life undergoes a major change.

REVIEW:

Written by Reitman and Sheldon Turner, the screenplay is wonderfully witty. There are clever lines here and there, and though the subject matter is a bit depressing, Reitman and Turner turn it into quite a funny tale. The characters are lovely, and the relationship that Bingham develops with the two new ladies in his life is handled well. Bingham and Alex form a very loving relationship here, and there similar ways of life gives the romance a comedic edge as they are constantly exchanging schedules and texting to each other. There is a bit of a twist near the end of the film, so I won't say anything else. Natalie is an adorable and innocent character whom is quite an interesting character. She's new to Bingham's line of work - firing people does get a bit tough for her as she obviously doesn't like seeing them upset. The contrast between her more caring personality and Bingham's superficial way of working is great, along with poignancy of the way the 'firing scenes' are handled. The awfu experience of these employees being told they're not wanted anymore collides with Bingham's superficial life, and it gives the film a really nice edge. It creates a very brilliant poignancy to this comedy. The dialogue is fantastic, and as I said earlier, the jokes are tremendously clever. There are some very good sub-plots as well, particularly that of Bingham's younger sister's wedding - it explores the relationship he shares with his sisters (played by Melanie Lynskey and Amy Morton), and the effect his lifestyle has on them. The themes are quite subtle, dealing with the nature of the modern world. Reitman sees the modern world as being boring - it doesn't matter which city you're in, the airports and the hotel rooms all look the same.

George Clooney is at his best as Bingham, and potrays the him with a real snobby attitude. Vera Farmiga will always be one of the greatest actresses to me - she's just fabulous in this. I must say, I was blown away by Anna Kendrick. After seeing her in the Twilight movies, I was ready to dismiss her as an actor who can't act, but hell, I was wrong. I guess when she works wit ha good director, she truly can bring out a nice performance. I found her cute, charming, sweet, and oh so funny. Both Farmiga and Kendrick were nominated for an Oscar in the catergory of Best Supporting Actress, and it's a terrible shame that neither of them won - they really deserved it. Clooney shares a great amount of chemistry with Farmiga and Kendrick, which allows for their relationships to be something you can care about. Jason Bateman's appearances are brief, but he does his thing, and does it well. Melanie Lynskey plays Julie, Bingham's sister who is getting married, and she's excellent, as well is Danny McBride, who plays her fiancé. There are some special appearances from comedians - J.K. Simmons and Zach Galifianakis both play employees who are being fired. However, most of those playing fired employees are actually people who have been fired - they're recreating this sad experience, and it adds a lot of depth to the film.

To me, editing was one element that impressed me a lot. It's really fast in some scenes, particularly during the scenes where Bingham is packing his bag - it's choppy and very enjoyabe to watch. Cinematography is slick, and the bird's-eye view shots of each of the different cities of America give more depth to the theme of modern society - each of the cities Bingham and Natalie visit look the same. There's also a lot of style here, with all the characters looking sharp with their swank suits, and the soundtrack has a very comical stlye to it. I'm fairly surprised that some have stated this is boring, because it's far from that - the film moves along swiftly, and I found it very entertaining.

Overall, Up in the Air is an amazing comedy, with some of the best performances I've seen in a long time. The ideas are superb, and while you'd think that most comedies nowadays are immature and targeted at teens, Jason Reitman comes along and proves that some still know how to make witty and mature comedies. The film doesn't rely on sex jokes or lines with a lot of swearing - and it's not just a comedy. There's a love story, and there are elements of drama here. Up in the Air was nominated for six Academy Awards - sadly, it didn't win anything. Still, this is an outstanding film. Highly Recommended.

''It's Hebrew, it's from the Talmud. It says,-Whoever saves one life, saves the world entire-''

We'll always remember the Holocaust. The slaughter of millions of Jews, conducted by the Nazis of Hitler. Films based on the events of World War II are very popular - we have Tarantino's Inglourious Basterds, Edward Zwick's Defiance, but none have the moving element that Schindler's List has. Directed by the legendary filmmaker Steven Spielberg, this is an absolute masterpiece.

SUMMARY:

Oskar Schindler (Liam Neeson) is a vain, glorious and greedy German businessman. He has his own factory, and decides to hire Jews to work at his factory. Among these Jews is an accountant named Itzhak Stern (Ben Kingsley), with whom Oskar develops a friendship. But when SS Captain Amon Goeth (Ralph Fiennes) orders his men to take Jews out of their homes and place them in his new concentration camp, panic arises. Jews are forced to work at Goeth's concentration camp, and those who appear slow or lazy will be killed. Oskar decides to act, and makes it his objective to save as many of the Jews as possible.

REVIEW:

Based on the novel Schindler's Ark, the script is beautifully written by Steven Zaillian. This is such an emotional story, but a very accurate one as well. If you've studied a lot about World war II, then you'll know a lot of the depictions in this story are quite true. Everything about the characters are accurate, especially with Amon Goeth. He is such an effective villain though. The way he kills off the Jews is just so heart-wrenching, and his cruel attitude towards his maid Helen (Embeth Davidtz) evokes rage in the audience. Schindler is also very effective. He is the opposite of Goeth. At first, we see him as Hollywood type - someone who is only interested in making money. He doesn't care a thing about the Jews at the start, but his character develops. He soon befriends all these Jews, and treats them with kindness, unlike Goeth. There are so many tear jerking moments in the film. The potrayal of the events makes you weep at the cruelty the Jews experienced with the Germans. But the character of Oskar shows us that not all the Germans - Nazis to be more precise - were evil. He was a Nazi, but he saved 1000 Jews, something a Nazi would never do. It's an honourable act. Itzhak Stern was a nice character, really symbolizing the gratitude of the Jews towards Oskar in the final moments of the film. The dialogue has a nice, convincing, flair to it - it's believable. There aren't any stupid wannabe lines. Even though the dialogue is extremely realistic, there are lines here that do show us that this film is an epic. Amon Goeth's famous speech is actually very epic - "Today is History." The one thing that made me burst into tears was the undeniable beautiful ending. This is an amazing story. It is based on a true story - the stroy of a noble, good man with a heart that was so pure.

Liam Neeson is the bomb in this. He makes Oskar a beautiful character. I swear to god, his performance pretty much moved me to tears. This is absolutely one of his best performances. Ben Kingsley also gives us a moving performance as Stern. Ralph Fiennes is great as a villain. With his bad guy roles in Red Dragon,Harry Potter, and Clash of the Titans, you wonder where all that began. It began with Schindler's List. His evil performance is so mind-blowing. He plays his role with confidence, charisma, and a terrific villainous edge. The supporting actors are fine, with Caroline Goodall and Embeth Davidtz.

The cinematography is so beautiful, yet symbolic. The film is shot in black and white, and it all looks so stylish and crisp. The symbolic element of the balck and white concept is with the theme of good and evil. This is a theme explored in the story. The good is Oskar, and the evil is Goeth. These colours allow the film to have a tragic tone. But the black and white cinematography is beautiful. There are so many shots here that look stunning. And, who can forget the famous 'Girl with the red coat' scene. That scene is famous. However, that whole scene haunted me. It sent shivers down my spine. In that scene, we see a little girl wearing a red coat - everything else is in black and white, so the girl immediately grabs your attention - and happening around her is Jews getting killed by Nazis. Now, there is music playing - children singing in Jewish. Watching this scene makes you think of all the children who were killed, while the red mainly represents all the deaths of the Jews. John Williams' score is outstanding, and the use of music is done well. Everytime a Jew dies - they don't play that cliche'd sad music, or else it would've been really melodramatic. The only time sad music is played is when something significant happens - something that will definitely make you cry. Look, the film is a bit long. It's over 3 hours, so you're gonna be sitting down for a while. But the pay off is so sweet when you finish watching it for three hours because you'll realise what a beautiful experience you just had with the film. It's a terrific cinematic experience.

Spielberg is and always will be a genious. Schindler's List has no flaws. It makes you cry, and it'll stay with you forever. The visuals are fantastic, great performances, and the true story of a man who was full of heart. This is Spielberg's masterpiece. It's his greatest film ever.

"An attack on one is an attack on all of us."

This visually epic adaptation of the graphic novels Watchmen features some excellent features, including top-notch special effects and a witty script. There's a charming style to this comic book movie, that others just like it haven't got.

SUMMARY:

This dark, nihilistic film about retired superheroes is narrated by one of them, Rorschach, (Jackie Earle Haley), who has his suspicions when one of their number, The Comedian (Jeffrey Dean Morgan), is murdered. The superheroes - the only one with superhuman powers, Dr. Manhattan (Billy Crudup), Alexander the Great admirer Ozymandius (Matthew Goode), Silk Spectre II (Malin Akerman), and Night Owl II (Patrick Wilson), have been in forced retirement. But the death of the Comedian, tensions between Russia and the US, Rorschach's imprisonment and problems with the relationship between Silk Spectre II and Dr. Manhattan galvanise everyone into action again.

REVIEW:

I haven't read the graphic novels, so I have no idea about how the film should be. All I can say is I found the story here fantastic. The thing about Watchmen is that it has a very childish tone. These characters look like the type of heroes you'd see on a cartoon for kids. However, this has enough violence to scare the fuck out of 10 year olds. But our heroes are likeable - Rorschach is a total badass. The screenplay was written by David Hayter and Alex Tse, and the great thing about it is the humour. Watchmen isn't that serious of a film. This has a lot of jokes in it, with absolutely witty dialogue. I liked the use of Rorschach's narration, referencing a lot to his journal. I did have a bit of a problem with the ending - I would've liked an evil villain to be featured in this. Despite this, Watchmen has an enjoyable screenplay, and a storyline that's not too serious.

Malin Akerman - is she any good in this. Well, she's better than she is in most films, but her performance wasn't that special. However, she looks sexy in her latex costume. Billy Crudup is terrific as Dr Manhattan, and I really liked Matthew Goode as Ozymandias. I found Patrick Wilson to be quite ordinary as Night Owl. But, the best actor here is Jackie Earle Haley. Everything he does as Rorschach is impressive, with that husky voice - which is helped with some really nice dialogue - and crazy facial impressions when we finally see him with his mask off.

Watchmen was directed by Zack Snyder, who also made 300. Hearing that, you must be thinking about visuals, as 300 had such a nice look. I can tell you now that Watchmen looks beautiful. The cinematography is terrific, with beautiful contrasting colours that work well to convey the dark side of this film. The photography during some of the action sequences was top-notch, as I could always tell what was going on. Snyder does tend to use a lot of slow motion during his action scenes, and I'm fine with that. He's able to use slo-mo in an inventive style, especially during the memorable opening fight sequence, when we see The Comedian being killed. The special effects are another highlight of the film. Watchmen has impressive visual effects, with a setting on Mars and a whole heap of explosions. The creation of Dr Manhattan is spectacular, and it just shows us how much technology has improved. Praise must also go to the costume designer, who has designed some really good-looking outfits, with the most memorable being Silk Spectre's sexy costume.

Overall, Watchmen is a stylish and fun comic book movie. It truly is unique, and a lot more witty than most super hero movies like it. There's silliness to be found here, as well as a totally hot Malin Akerman. Gosh, she looks amazing in this.

"Are you gonna bark all day, little doggy, or are you gonna bite?"

Quentin Tarantino is currently one of the most famous and brilliant of filmmakers - he's definitely one of my favourite directors. Reservoir Dogs was his first feature, and it features all the elements you'd expect to find in a Tarantino picture. Non-linear storytelling, a lot of violence, and sensational dialogue. The concept is very simple, yet Tarantino has crafted it into something quite complex. Without a doubt, this is one of the most influential films ever made.

SUMMARY:

They were six strangers, assembled to pull off the perfect crime: Mr. White (Harvey Keitel), a professional criminal; Mr. Orange (Tim Roth), a young newcomer; Mr. Blonde (Michael Madsen), a trigger-happy killer; Mr. Pink (Steve Buscemi), a paranoid neurotic; Mr. Brown (Quentin Tarantino); and Mr. Blue (Edward Bunker). Hired by mob boss Joe Cabot (Lawrence Tierney) and given fake names so no one could identify the others, they thought there was no way their heist could have failed. But after a police ambush, killing Mr. Brown and seriously injuring Mr. Orange, the criminals return to their rendezvous point (a warehouse), and realize that one of them had to have been a police informant.

REVIEW:

Tarantino is an amazing screenwriter. Most of his films involve long conversations, but the great thing is they get boring. His dialogue flows so well, with sharp and snappy lines that are very memorable. The story of Reservoir Dogs is told with a lot of dialogue, mainly with conversations between the criminals as they discuss what had happened. The characters are great, with each one having a distinct, and very memorable, personality. Mr. White is a kind-hearted criminal, and Mr. Orange shares a special bond with him. Mr. Blonde is possibly the most memorable character of the film due to his sadistic nature. The non-linear structure of the narrative works well in shrouding a lot of the characters in mystery - from the get-go, we don't know much about these characters and the heist. The panic and stress in the characters leads us to be engaged within this narrative, and to wonder how everything came to be. Some characters are given more of a look into than others, particularly Mr. Orange. Tarantino has literally stuffed his screenplay with film references, mostly during the dialogue. The truly brilliant climax, in which the criminals discover who is the traitor, is definitely the highlight of the film.

Every single one of the performances in Reservoir Dogs is amazing. Tarantino really shows that he's good with actors, considering this was his first feature. Harvey Keitel is wonderful as Mr. White, and TIm Roth delivers one of his best performances ever as Mr. Orange. Michael Madsen is absolutely delicious as Mr. Blonde, handling himself well in the token torture scene that everyone knows about. Lawrence Tierney plays his mob boss role as if he were actually a gangster, and Tarantino himself appears as Mr. Brown - he's quite excellent as an actor. Joe's son, Eddie, is played by Chris Penn who manages to bring quite a humourous presence to his role.

Style, style, style, style. Tarantino is a master with this. The opening credits sequence, showing the criminals walking in slow-motion with their suits and sunglasses is absolutely brilliant, inspired by John Woo films. All the criminals wear swank suits, giving the film a sophisticated edge as well. Editing by Sally Menke is grand, switching from different sequences throughout the running time to ensure the non-linear style. Tarantino works well with his cinematographer to create one take sequences. An example of this would be the infamous torture sequence, in which Mr. Blonde cuts the ear off a cop while playing the song Stuck in the Middle with You. It's amazingly violent, but what would you expect from Quentin Tarantino. Speaking of violence, all the gruesome effects and make up are superb, and the use of costume to contrast with the bloody effects - white shirts truly make the blood stand out. The soundtrack is perfect, and the climax, like I said earlier, is a highlight.

Overall, Reservoir Dogs is a classic. It's Tarantino's first film, and the film that shot him into stardom. This is an independent film, and maybe one of the best. It screened at Cannes and Sundance, gaining a lot of popularity at both these film festivals. This isn't Tarantino's best film to me, but it shows just how great of a director he is. He's got an eye for style, I'll tell you that. The script is amazing, and the performances are terrific. This is a masterpiece made by a lover of film.

"We are the shadow, the smoke in your eyes, the ghosts that hide in the night."

The Expendables was directed by Sylvester Stallone, who also stars as the lead the role. The premise of the film may not be entirely original, but the treatment is. Above all else, The Expendables is a terrific action movie. It provides some big, blokey action sequences, and has a cast of badass action heroes, from Stallone himself to Terry Crews. It's one for the guys.

SUMMARY:

Barney Ross (Sylvester Stallone) is the fearless leader of a band of mercenaries that includes Lee (Jason Statham), a cool ex-S.A.S operative; Yin Yang (Jet Li), a martial arts expert; Hale (Terry Crews), a weapons specialist; Toll Road (Randy Couture), the demolitions guy; and Gunner (Dolph Lundgren), an expert sniper and rather conflicted character. As Ross says, they'll do anything for the money, so when a rival tough guy refuses, Ross accepts an assignment from the mysterious Church (Bruce Willis) to overthrow the dictator of an island off the coast of South America. The team's contact there is Sandra (Giselle Itie). The mercenaries soon discover that their real enemy is an ex-CIA officer, Monroe (Eric Roberts).

REVIEW:

The story of The Expendables came from David Callaham, but to be honest, there isn't much of a story at all. It's as if someone decided to put all the old action heroes into one big movie and come up with a suitable story. The story is lacking in substance, but this is an action film, so you can forgive the filmmakers for missing the mark on the narrative. Callaham and Stallone wrote the screenplay together, and it features a lot of humourous dialogue. The banter between Barney and Lee is priceless. The great thing about these characters is that there is some backstory to each of them. These aren't generic characters who aren't very human. While some may be cliché, it doesn't hurt that each of them have their own distinct personality and role in the group. Munroe's cruel and inhumane actions make him an effective villain, and Tool (Mickey Rourke), a tattoo artist and friend of the mercenaries, is touching character. The screenplay features a moral side, with Barney having feelings for Sandra, and Lee's relationship with his girlfriend. The story is fairly predictable, but who cares? This is an adrenaline in-fueled action movie!

Sylvester Stallone has gathered a truly memorable cast, featuring many of the action badasses that we've come to enjoy. Stallone knows how to bring a touch guy performance - he's excellent as Barney. Jason Statham is one of my all time favourite action heroes, and as always, he brings a terrifically badass performance in The Expendables. Every guy in the world wishes they were like Statham - I certainly do. Jet Li is impressive as Yin Yang, providing the film a lot of humour and kung fu. Mickey Rourke is impeccable as Tool, and Terry Crew and Randy Couture both bring to a nice presence to the screen. Dolph Lundgren delivers a dirty and feral performance as Gunner, and Steve Austin is effective as one of Munroe's henchman. Eric Roberts is a perfect villain - you love to hate him. The women of the film could've been a lot better - Giselle Itie is very underwhelming as the lead female - but then again, this is guy's film. We can't forget the cameos as well - two of the greatest action heroes make an appearance in the film. Bruce Willis and... Arnold Schwarzenegger. While their appearances are quite brief, it's absolutely wonderful to see them in this, especially Schwarzenegger.

The Expendables is literally packed with explosives. Never have I seen a film with so many explosions - even more than a Michael Bay film. The action is truly excellent. There's not a great of CGI used, which is a nice breath of fresh air from the current trend of computer generated effects in Hollywood. CGI has been used for blood and explosions, but not a great amount. The hand to hand combat could've been done a lot better - the fists fights are shot to closely, and the editing is too fast. However, it's not terrible to the point of being unbearable. The car chases, shootouts, and knife fights are all staged really well by Stallone. Use of shaky camerawork helps to get the adrenaline going, and the explosive climax is so much fun. Production design is top-notch, and all the locations are used superbly, though most get blown up in the end. The score by Brian Tyler is insanely intense, and possibly one of the best ever composed for an action movie. All the props are absolutely manly, with the choppers and motorcycles the crew own, and the body count is...well, countless. The violence will have men screaming in joy, and as I said, there are a lot of explosions.

Overall, The Expendables was a lot better than I thought it would be. I was expecting a dumb action movie, and to an extent it is, but I wasn't expecting the action sequences to be so good. Everything is shot perfectly, and as action movie fan, I must say I found this to be a gutsy and manly change from the current trend of action movies. This is definitely a film for the blokes, with explosive and spectacular action that will keep the audience excited. It has been announced that a sequel will be made, so we haven't seen the last of The Expendables. Highly recommended.

"This just went from Mission: Impossible to Mission: In-freaking-sanity."

Fast Five is the fifth installment in The Fast and the Furious franchise, directed by Justin Lin, who was responsible for the previous two films in the series (The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift and Fast & Furious). I myself am I huge fan of this saga. Cars, hot girls, gangsters, and cops - I love all this. Fast Five proves to be the best of the franchise, and may very well be one of the best films of 2011. This is unlike any gear-head film I've ever seen, featuring some of truly spectacular heist sequences - and all these are performed with vehicles!

SUMMARY:

Since Brian O'Connor (Paul Walker) and Mia Toretto (Jordana Brewster) broke Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel) out of custody, they've blown across many borders to elude authorities. Now backed into a corner in Rio de Janeiro, they must pull one last job in order to gain their freedom. As they assemble their elite team of top racers, the unlikely allies know their only shot of getting out for good means confronting the corrupt businessman (Joaquim de Almeida) who wants them dead. But he's not the only one on their tail. Hard-nosed federal agent Luke Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson) never misses his target. When he is assigned to track down Dom and Brian, he and his strike team launch an all-out assault to capture them. But as his men tear through Brazil, Hobbs learns he can't separate the good guys from the bad.

REVIEW:

As most will know, The Fast and the Furious films usually lack a sophisticated plot, and to an extent, they all follow a similar kind of storyline. It's fair to say Fast Five isn't any different from the other movies in the franchise, but the film does develop its characters. Written by Chris Morgan, the screenplay isn't as bad as you'd expect. The dialogue is serviceable and not embarrassingly awful. The big strength of the story lies with the characters. In the previous films, there wasn't a great deal of development with the characters and their relationships. While there probably could've been more, Fast Five does boast a certain amount of character development - Brian and Mia's relationship reaches an extreme level when it is revealed that Mia is pregnant. Some of the memorable characters of the franchise return in the film as well - Vince (Matt Schulze) from The Fast and the Furious; Roman Pearce (Tyrese Gibson) and Tej (Ludacris) from 2 Fast 2 Furious; Han (Sung Kang) from Tokyo Drift; and Gisele (Gal Gadot) from Fast & Furious. All these characters return to be a part of Dom's team, and a romance even develops between Han and Gisele. Hobbs is a cracking character - his personality and dialogue is so well-suited to this kind of testosterone fulled movie. Dom himself develops a special bond with a police officer Elena (Elsa Pataky). There's definitely a lot going on the fifth film, and while that may be a problem for some viewers, I found it to be a plus. These are characters I've seen through the series and care about. Bringing them all back for a big, badass film is definitely what I wanted.

All the cast members are terrific. Dominic Toretto is always good as Dom, and Paul Walker does better as Brian than he has in the previous movies. Jordana Brewster is fine as hell, but doesn't have much to do in this installment. Dwayne Johnson is definitely a highlight - he's totally badass. Putting Diesel and Johnson together in the same movie was a stroke of genius, and a particular favourite moment of the movie is the brawl between the two. For the returning cast members, they have little to do, but they provide some fun performances. Tyrese Gibson is hilarious as the big-mouthed Roman, Ludacris is enjoyable as Tej, Sung Kang is cool and calm as Han, and last but not least, Gal Gadot is amazingly sexy, and she shares a good amount of chemistry with Kang. Else Pataky brings a sweet and innocent presence to the role of Elena, and Eva Mendes makes a very brief cameo appearance at the end of the film.

The Fast and the Furious films have always been more focused on action - which is what I like. Fast Five is not for "pussies". The film is so brutally explosive that you might get an adrenaline rush during the course of the film. Lin and cinematographer Stephen F. Windon work well together to create some terrific shots during the action seqeunces, while also capturing some gorgeous scenery of Rio de Janeiro. The driving and stuntwork are astonishing with all the tricks that are performed. The opening heist sequence is really well-staged by Lin, and like I said earlier - it's performed by cars. Speaking of cars, all the vehicles of the film are beautiful. If you're a lover of cars, you will instantly be won over. Like Fast & Furious, the film is very much sticking close to The Fast and the Furious tradition, with hot girls and clubs. It all feels like it's meant to. The streets of Rio are used well and contribute a great amount to the action sequences. The climatic chase sequence is possibly one of the best car chase sequences ever filmed, where Brian and Dom flee the cops of Rio with a vault attached to their cars. Brian Tyler's score is intense, the costumes are hip and stylish, and special effects are superb. Edited well, Fast Five really is a masterpiece on the technical side of things. While it may be the longest film in the series, it moves at a brisk pace.

In the post-credits scene of Fast Five, a sequel is hinted - it has been confirmed that sixth film is going to be made. For a moment, I actually thought that this would be the last film of the series. Luckily for me, it ain't. Fast Five is an epic gear-head movie, with mind-blowing stunts, brilliant heist sequences, fabulous cars, and sexy women - this is what The Fast and the Furious is about. If you go into this film with an up-nosed attitude, expecting a sophisticated and artistic film, then you shouldn't even be watching the movie. While the plot and acting aren't even as bad as most will say they are, the action is what you go into this movie wanting, and by all means, you get it! This is definitely one of the best films of 2011.

"You want society to accept you, but you can't even accept yourself."

I'll start this review by saying that I've never been a great fan of the X-Men films. While I find them enjoyable, I never take them seriously. Simply putting it, I find them very lame. Bryan Singer directed the first two films, which were definitely fun, but a bit too corny for me. Then came a rather bland conclusion, X-Men: The Last Stand, and the prequel I have yet to see, X-Men Origins: Wolverine. Now comes another prequel, which feels more like a reboot to the whole series, titled X-Men: First Class, directed by Matthew Vaughn (Kick-Ass). The trailer looked promising, and sure enough, First Class delivered the goods. This is one of the best summer movies of 2011.

SUMMARY:

The film begins in 1944, to when Magneto, then known as Erik Lehnsherr, witnesses the death of his mother at the hands of Nazi scientist Klaus Schmidt who is aware of Erik's power over metallic objects. At the same time in Westchester County, New York, Charles Xavier gets a visit in the middle of the night from Raven Darkholm and recognises her as a fellow mutant. Eighteen years later Charles (now played by James McAvoy) meets up with Erik (now played by Michael Fassbender), who is on a mission to kill Schmidt who has turned into an ageless Sebastian Shaw (Kevin Bacon), with paranormal powers of his own. The key plot element and I'm not giving much away here is that Shaw wants to provoke a nuclear war between the United States and the USSR so that mutants can rule the world. Erik joins forces with Charles and Raven (now played by Jennifer Lawrence), and other mutants that Charles finds around the world, to stop him.

REVIEW:

Vaughn co-wrote the screenplay with Ashley Edward Miller, Zack Stentz, and Jane Goldman. Bryan Singer served as producer and came up with the story. First Class does feel like a reboot, despite several references to the original films, including a scene with Wolverine. Many of the characters are new excluding Charles, Erik, Mystique, and Beast. The new mutants include Havok (Lucas Till) and Banshee (Caleb Landry Jones), and to be honest, I prefer them more than Storm and Cyclops. Making a prequel with a new line of characters was a nice decision, and the relationships between some of the characters are incredible. The friendship between Charles and Erik is wonderfully handled, and its development is actually quite detailed. The development of Erik himself is also a driving force of the film, as he turns from good to bad. Mystique's forms a relationship with many of the characters and can even be called the most interesting character of the film. She and Beast are ashamed of their appearances, and one of the themes of this relationship is to be proud of who you are. I can't say I found Sebastian Shaw the most effective of villains, but he's serviceable. The loving relationship between Charles and CIA agent Moira MacTaggert (Rose Byrne) was a bit undercooked for me. However, all the small components that lead this to bind the original films with this prequel all work well together - there's a nice contrast, from the development of Magneto's character, to the creation of the X-Men.

James McAvoy is terrific as Charles Xavier, and brings a fresh new attitude to the character. He drinks, and flirts - this is a Professor X you've never seen before. However, Michael Fassbender is the winner of the cast - he is EXCELLENT as Magneto. To me, he is the reason why this film is so good. He plays Magneto like such a badass. It was as if he was playing Bond. His range of languages also helped with different scenes in the film set in foreign countries. Jennifer Lawrence is fabulous as Mystique and creates a truly complex character. She was nominated for an Oscar in her previous film Winter's Bone, and her range in acting shines in First Class. Lawrence definitely has a successful career ahead of her. Kevin Bacon is a tad bit laughable as Shaw, but he has fun with the role, while the beautiful Rose Byrne is good value as Moira MacTaggert. January Jones is easy on the eyes (she's really hot) as Emma Frost, but her performance is totally one-dimensional. The actors playing some of the other mutants are also fantastic, particularly Nicholas Hoult (About a Boy) as Beast, and Jason Flemyng (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button) as Azazel, a member of the Hellfire club.

Thank goodness First Class wasn't shown in 3D. I'm one of the many movie-goers who are getting tired of 3D, since everything seems to be screened in 3D these days. Vaughn knows how to direct action sequences, after Kick-Ass, and the action in First Class is top-notch. Though they're very dependent of visual effects, there's no doubt that they're exhilarating and overall good fun to watch. The special effects themselves are stunning, and a scene that really showcases them is when Magneto uses his powers to lift a submarine from the depths of the sea. The score by Henry Jackman contrasts well with the subject matter, and the sets are also quite fabulous. Costumes are stylish, particular those Fassbender and Jones. Fassbender dons a very Bond-style turtle neck, while Jones is dressed like a sexy Bond girl. Edited in very different styles, Vaughn makes use of montages and split-screen, and they all work well together. The make-up is terrific, particular that of Mystique, where Lawrence had to wait almost 6 hours for her transformation to be complete.

There are moments where I did find the film cheesy, particularly the ending, but all in all, this is the best X-Men film to date, and one of the best MARVEL adaptations. The cast really pulls this film along, and I enjoyed every minute of it. First Class feels fresh, as they're added in a whole new set of characters, and this decision was a terrific one. There's no doubt a sequel will be made, and I look forward to it.