13Hrs (2010)

A British Werewolf film starring Isabella Calthorpe, Gemma Atkinson and Tom Felton, it starts in a lonely farmhouse when Isabella Calthorpe playing Sarah Tyler returns home and links up with her two brothers and her best friend played by Gemma Atkinson who is now going out with her brother. They head from the party in the barn where they are drinking and smoking and head back to the house, when the power goes out and as they are trying to see what has happened they discover that there is a wild animal in the house and it then starts picking them off one by one.

The further away from the film I am the better I think it was this, is a good thing as my initial reaction was one of not very good. As I am thinking about it I really have a better opinion of it. You follow a fairly interesting cast as you have Tom Felton, famous from all of the Harry Potter films and it is good to see him in a totally different role and you can see some of his skills coming through. Gemma Atkinson, of men’s magazine fame and Hollyoaks is actually playing not to bad a character. Yes overall there are weaknesses, the acting is not great and the story is a bit clunky but overall the ending if you are paying attention is quite clever and you have a bit of an epiphany at the end that shows they were thinking about the whole thing.


Overall not a great film but then the low budget shows and really it has some interesting ideas that show hope for the future from the actors and the writes and directors, overall 6 out of 10, up from an original 4 out of 10.

Shutter Island (2010)

Starring Leonardo DiCaprio in the fourth film he has worked with Director Martin Scorsese, this film has Leo depicting a US Marshall as he and his partner played by Mark Ruffalo go to Shutter Island which houses a prison for the criminally insane. They have been sent to investigate the disappearance of one of the female inmates but is there more going on there than meets the eye? You follow Leo as he tries to figure out what has happened at the prison and what might be hidden there.

The first time I saw this film the impact of the twist was awesome, I was a bit distracted as it appeared that it was going to be a random reason for a disappearance and while I could see something was going on from what I could see I did not expect or see what was coming and it blew my mind. I have heard that some people guessed what was happening but for me it was out of the blue other than the knowledge that something had to be happening. Overall if you can see this knowing there is a twist but not what it is I think that you will appreciate the acting with Leo and Mark Ruffalo you have Sir Ben Kingsly, Max Von Sydow, Jackie Earle Haley and Emily Mortimer all playing excellent characters.

This is a film that I recommend, especially if you enjoy mysteries and thrillers, you will appreciate this and if you can spot the twist let me know, I would love to hear how you came to the right conclusion without it being a guess. Based on the early nods you are supposed to guess that something is up and even on second watch I still appreciated this film and would recommend you see it, this is a strong 9 out of 10 for me.

Rare Exports:A Christmas Tale (2010)

Film of 2012 #55

This film is from Finland it is based upon a folk tale they have around Santa Claus, which is a very different story to what the Western representation of Santa Claus. This film is subtitled and is very much a cultural film and therefore it will not appeal to everybody. I think that it is supposed to be a comedy and there are certainly elements that make you smile but you have to be aware before going in that there is an element of comedy. You follow a young boy called Pietari Kontio played by Onni Tommila whose real life father Jorma Tommila plays his father in the film. Upon research this film is the 3rd film in a trilogy with the first two parts being short films that this story was adapted from.

This is quite a dark film and there are some adult scenes with some male genitalia on show at the later part of the film and there are some scenes of blood and gore. I think that if you can see the comedy in this film and appreciate it as a whimsical comedy then you will really enjoy it. The acting is strong enough and the effects while not brilliant are not terrible, there are some issues around being comfortable where the story goes and why they do what they suggest at the end but overall this is a fun film.

There are not enough foreign films that I really enjoy but if you liked things like Let the Right One In then while this is not in the same league as that film there is a certain level of enjoyment within this Christmas film, 3 star recommend if you do subtitles.

Piranha (2010)

Film of 2012 #42

The 3D spectacular from Alexandre Aja that sees a remake of the 1978 fish horror film that I previously reviewed here. They take the basic idea of the Piranha in the water and use it as a natural monster spectacular. This film is basically your fun horror movie dark comedy with bloody gore and boobies used to comedic effect and it could be considered a bit campy but it really is enjoyable fayre. While the original film worked on the principle that the fish were genetic creations and were released in to the water, this idea works as the prehistoric fish have been living below a lake and a natural earthquake releases these fish into the water.

Your main cast is Elizabeth Shue as the sheriff, she is looking might fine in this film, you have her son played by Steven R McQueen who is on a different story line with Jerry O'Connell, Kelly Brook and porn star Riley Steele. You have a seismologist played by Adam Scott and Christopher Lloyd playing the expert, the characters are a means to an end and are not that well developed. There is no back story for any of them and really you do not need a back story you are simply watching this for the gore effects and the cool kills. You also have Richard Dreyfuss and Ving Rhames making appearances and you have several Jaws references which were really fun to spot.

Overall this film is not for everyone, there are scenes that are quite disgusting and are very gory, there is one sex scene that is in there simply for the sex scene. However that aside if you enjoy the campier, comedic side of gory horror then this films, this will be right up your street, it does not need to be seen in 3D however if you have the opportunity to see it in 3D then they use the gimmick of the 3D to good effect. A B movie worth seeing and a 4 star recommend for me, this is actually one of my films of 2011.

The Next Three Days (2010)

Film of 2012 #24
Some Spoilers

This Russell Crowe film is a remake of a French film (Anything for her) that I have not seen and centres around the idea that a Woman is jailed for murder and her husband has 3 days to break her out. It explores the concept of a normal man doing extraordinary things in the face of love. I actually really enjoyed this film, while I do not know if a normal and could do what is required of Russell Crowe it is an interesting exploration of the idea, you see him watching YouTube videos on how to make Bump Keys and open car doors and I have no idea if these things would work but it is an interesting angle and also the fact that what he tries back fires and does not work actually, it works really well for the film with the idea that he is not perfect and things do not always work out the way you expect, 

My biggest issue with the film is the title it implies that three days are ultimately important to the film and overall you do not really get an understanding of how much time is passing or passed and it is not really clear how long anything takes for him to do or feel the time pressure. Other than near the end but then it is being measured in minutes not days. I like some of the intelligent touches that the Russel Crowe character throws in there with the bag of rubbish and going to the train station which is very clever.

I do not normally like Russell Crowe as I do not like him in real life but he was actually very good in this and I actually think he is an excellent actor. When someone that you do not like can convince you they are likeable and intelligent and nervous and scared they must have some good acting skills. I recommend this film it is a strong 3 stars, there are flaws and some of his knowledge seems to come from nowhere but overall a very enjoyable film that I would probably watch again.

Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole (2010)

Film of 2012 #18
Some Spoilers

Finally got a chance to see the Owl film as it was called because who can pronounce the name of where the owls stay. So going into this film I thought that it was literally a journey movie about the main characters heading off to find the legendary owls of Ga'hoole, but this is not all it is about. There is a good vs evil story line, a betrayal that is really obvious and in fighting between family members which was really dark from where the film started. Overall for a kids film this was very dark you do not see anything through the animation but it is quite clear that there are several deaths and while it is life you do see the Owls eating what they normally eat, Mice. So not necessarily one for the very little kids, if you have small children I would watch it first before letting them see it. 

Now the animation was magnificent and I am sure that some of the scenes would have been exceptional in 3D but overall I did not think that I missed very much considering it was a 2D version that I saw. I think that this was a film from New Zeland or Australia as I did not recognise any of the actors voices and there was certainly a few with the Antipodean twang. It was good not to have any famous people involved as their voices did not pull you from the piece. Overall though I did not really buy into the set up, which sounds strange as it is a film about owls but in comparison I believed the world that Cars created with inanimate items coming to life. 

Overall I am glad I saw this film but would not recommend it unless you have a want to see it, 3 stars from me and I will not be rushing out to see it again. If you have seen it and disagree with what I have said then please let me know as I am really unsure what the population at large thought of this with or without seeing it. 

Black Swan (2010)

I saw this film without really thinking that it was for me and was not thinking that I would get anything from it. However Natalie Portman was so worth her Oscar, her performance blew me away and she shows a range across all of her films that is staggering and I want to see all the films she does in the future as I know she will be worth watching.

This film carries scares and darkness that is surprising and there are a couple of scenes that really make you jump, in the realms of the Ballet it is intense, the music and dancing is beautiful and you really fear for Portman as you see her becoming more and more embroiled in the characters and the role that she is playing and you can see it taking over her life.

This is a 5 star story and a must see, even if you do not think it is for you. If you have seen Natalie Portman in any of her roles especially the Star Wars prequels then watching her in this will show you how good an actress she is.

127 Hours (2010)

Now this film falls in to the category of real life story so I was not very sure about it, also it is about a man stuck by himself for 5 days how entertaining could that be. I have to say I was really impressed, they did enough development of the character to begin with that you were there with him James Franco engaging you enough that you wanted the best for him.

The visuals of this film, the bits in the film where Aron is going a bit stir crazy are fantastically surreal with a real sense of loss and at one point when he is talking into the camera it was totally moving and stunning.

Even if you know the story then you have to see this film, the scene that you know is coming is not that graphic but really does give sense of what he went through and what it would have been like to be in that situation, this is a solid 4 stars for me and a you should see it recommendation, it will not appeal to everybody but I think that everybody will appreciate the story and how it was filmed.

Tron Legacy (2010)

I enjoy the original Tron, I think that it was probably due to nostalgia as I re-watched it before going to see Tron Legacy. I realised there is an awful large suspension of disbelief required to actually enjoy it. I am sure when it came out originally it was visually stunning and what was known of computers what it portrayed was possible if a bit far fetched. Then they decide that nearly 30 years later a sequel is needed, I was anticipating much from this film, the graphic and effects have moved on so much I wondered what they could do with it. 

They failed to achieve anything, I saw this in 2D so I think a lot of the effects were lost on me, a film should not have to rely on 3D to be spectacular but the story itself lacked any real drive or engagement. It was predictable and the only highlight was Michael Sheen in a Cameo role. Jeff Bridges seemed to have decided to come back to get paid, the story had him as some sort of God who could manipulate the world but they never went anywhere with it. And how the whole thing ended was fairly predictable. 

The Visual effects were pretty good but I think that they focused to heavily on the 3D so I am going to give this 2 stars, I would say wait for it on TV, not worth spending any cash on.

Meet the Parents 3: Little Fockers (2010)

I was never a huge fan of this series but the GF was and so when the third instalment came out we were always going to go and see it at the cinema. I had watched 1 and 2 and smiled at a few of the jokes but always thought that all of the characters were to far out there. This can work but i always felt that they tried to keep it in the realm of reality and to often for me it really clashed and jarred. If they had gone as far out there as they did and there was a level unreality in their life it could have worked a bit better for me. 

It just never worked for me on any level, the Robert De Niro comedy doesn't really work for me, not sure if I don't think he can pull it off or if i am just so used to seeing him be serious and Ben Stiller has always been hit or miss for me, to be honest more miss and i prefer when he is not the central character, like in Dodge ball. 

Overall I did not enjoy this film and will have to give it 1 star, I would say that if you really enjoyed the first 2 then see it. 

Love and Other Drugs (2010)

I saw this film in the cinema and it was not my choice but I have to say that this has been one of my favourite films of the year. Apart from the fact that you get some Anne Hathaway nudity and some loving from a naked Jake Gylenhaal this film is funny and heart warming and a real gem.

It explores the story of a drug salesman that is in the job at the start of the Viagra release and his love Story with Anne Hathaway who has (disease). I loved this story it perhaps comes from the totally low expectations I had going into the film.

I would give the film 5 stars a beautiful love story in the back drop of the American drug industry.

Salt (2010)

To be honest before this film Angelina Jolie did nothing for me, I have never really thought much about her in either looks of acting. However in this film which I have seen a couple of times now, I have to admit that I think that she is awesome and she has really made me consider viewing her other films as I did enjoy her performance.

I enjoyed this film from a story point of view as well, you have a basic premise of a Russian spies in America and the historical cold war theme. It is possible that this was a script written for back during the cold war and has been re-written for a modern age and if so I have to say that it works so well. There are a few plot holes and things go far to well to plan for some of those people involved but the story is engaging.

I enjoy this film and can forgive some of the more far fetched ideas and will watch it again in the years to come, so a solid 4 stars from me.

Let Me In (2010)

This film is the US remake of Let the Right One in, I loved the original and was apprehensive about seeing this. Even though all of the hype I heard was that it was good, as well as not liking based on true stories I also am not a big fan of remakes. However I have to say that this film was a pleasant surprise, it is not a direct shot for shot remake but is basically the same story as the original.

I have to say that I am a massive fan of Chloe Moretz and I look forward to seeing what she does in the future and when I see her name attached to anything I will go and see it. Kodi Smit-McPhee is also very good, he really captured what the character needed and again I look forward to his future career. I think it was massively important that they secured the child actors as the original was so good because of that and they got it so right.

I give this film 4 stars, the only reduction is due to the fact that it is a remake of an awesome film and was not really needed but is still worth seeing.

Paul (2010)

I was looking forward to seeing this film as I am a big fan of Simon Pegg and Nick Frost's previous ventures in to film in Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz. I was not disappointed by this film at all, the sci-fi references alone made the whole thing worth watching and I cannot wait to see it again and see the references I most likely missed.

This is a must see for all Science fiction film fans, I have to say that the Seth Rogan factor did not interfere with my enjoyment as he is only in it as a voice. The geek in me rejoices at the twists and turns and the references within some of the scenes actually made me laugh out loud and curl up with enjoyment.

This is a 5 star masterpiece to science fiction and comedy and a must see for all fans of the genre the references alone if not the story will blow you away.

Kick-Ass (2010) (2nd Review)

This was a second watch for me after I saw this film in the cinema, this was the first film in the cinema that I had laughed out loud for a very long time, and because I saw it opening weekend it was a mutual experience as the packed cinema all laughed.

So watching it on DVD I was unsure if I would enjoy it as much as I had in the cinema, I had no worries after starting to watch it, while alone I was not inclined to laugh out loud but I had a smile on my face at all of the jokes and comical scenes.

When Kick-Ass 2 comes out I will be at the cinema to see that opening weekend as this film was fantastic, it get 5 stars as it is a film that I will watch again and again. Which is a step up from my original review which you can see here.

Date Night (2010)

I first saw this film in the cinema when it came out and i really enjoyed it, my fiancee however loved it and when it came out on DVD she was really keen to get it so we picked it up. I was interested to watch it again and see if the comedy from this film would hold up. Now in the first instance I do not know Tina Fey other than the comedienne that played Sarah Palin and I not a fan of Steve Carrell. However this film makes me love them a lot.

I laughed so much I had tears running down my face while re-watching this, the comedy timing is impeccable, the jokes are funny, the situations that arise in the film are hard to believe however the reactions from the eads are very funny as they are realistic.

This is a pure comedy 5 star film, the performances are epic and the laughs are many, I think that if you have not yet seen this film then make it a priority.

Despicable Me (2010)

DVD - 10th April 2011

I got this DVD for my birthday after going to see the film in the cinema when it came out. Since I saw the first trailer for this film I knew I would love it, it is really pitched at my level which says a lot about my mental age. I enjoyed this film on DVD just as much as I did in the cinema.

Steve Carell and Russell Brand star in this film as the voices of Gru and Dr Nefario and i am not a fan of either of them, don't dislike them just do not look forward to their films. However in this they are bot fantastic, Dr Nefario is so different to Russell Brand you do not know it is him, so do not let the stars put you off seeing this film.

The laughs keep coming and the bad guy turned good story has been fairly well used recently but the minions and Steve Carell's portrayal of Gru with the girls bringing their own charm this is a must see film in my opinion.

This gets my 5 star seal of awesome it is great film for all the family and should be enjoyed on a regular basis.

Conviction (2010)

In-Flight Movie on Demand, 19th March 2011.

When I got settled on the plane and had a quick look at what was available I jumped at the chance to watch this film, I had wanted to see it when it was in the cinema but had not seen it, I was not disappointed.

Sam Rockwell has yet to disappoint me in his performances I have only seen Moon and Iron man 2 that I know he was in, both times and in this he was awesome. Now again it runs a foul of the based on a true story issue I have, so I mark it down for that. However the performances of Hilary Swank and Sam Rockwell are awesome and the film is worth seeing simply for that.

I am going to give it 4 stars as it is well acted and the story is interesting and worth seeing.

Tangled (2010)

In-Flight Movie on Demand 19th March 2011.

The newest Disney film for me to watch was highly anticipated as I have to say that I do like a good animated film and Disney know what they are doing in that regard. Now you could say that this is a kids film and you would be correct, however at heart i am big kid.

I always enjoy what can be done with animated films and have to say that the retelling of "Rapunzel" was excellent. The story nfolds with the usual slap stick comedy for kids and a cool running gag through-out the film. The poster and trailer mis-lead slightly on where all the characters sit but this is a small gripe.

Going to give the film 4 stars as it is a really enjoyable film with lots for the kids and parents, but it is not an instant classic and will not be re-watched countless times as other disney classics are.

The Fighter (2010)

TV Texas, 20th March 2011.

Now this recommendation came to me from a very strange place, my father, now I am a movie fan and go to the cinema about once a week and watch as many films as I can, my Dad goes once a year and is usually really unimpressed with whatever he sees. He went to see the Fighter and actually took the time to recommend it to me, so I had to try and see it.

I got the opportunity while in Texas with @Timbo_T we bought it on box office and sat down to watch it with beers in hand, I have to say that I loved it, the only thing other than my Dad's recommendation was an answer Micky Ward gave in an interview that Christian Bale played his brother to perfection "It was like looking at Dicky." To paraphrase his answer, so I was piqued with the recommend from my Dad was keen to see it and I loved it.

Mark Whalberg not always the best actor actually gives Micky some character and you feel for and learn to like him and understand the decisions he makes. The based on a true story always gets to me but this story as one I was vaguely aware of (they had made a movie about it) was compelling and enjoyable. The people are real and the struggles and decisions they make are real and you actually want them all to win, the Oscar nods were well worth it.

I give this 4 out of 5 stars, again I only drop the 1 star due to based on a true story which always means that there might be lies and also the imagination of what could have been is lost to me, go and see this film as soon as you can.