Up River Demo Review

I reviewed Up River's demo here at hevypetal.com

Sky Harbour - Togetheralone EP review.

My first review over at hevypetal.com can be found here. 

A few thoughts on Paul & Hall Pass.

As promised, here is a blog post in the slightly less time consuming & less formal format of 'a few thoughts'. I actually went to see Paul two weeks ago now, but have only got round to writing this -insert coursework related excuse here- . I have to admit at the time review writing was the last thing on my mind at the time ( I was on a double date, get me ;D) , but having had conversations subsequently with people asking what I thought of it, I thought it was worth posting a few comments on it here. 

PAUL.

picture from here.


Whilst Paul was a perfectly enjoyable film, I felt that in many ways it could easily be improved, and all throughout I felt an uncomfortable sense that something wasn't quite right. Simon Pegg & Nick Frost played their typical on screen relationship perfectly well, but I can't help but feel as if 'they have sold out'. I'm not trying to be snobby or anything, but for a start it didn't feel right without Edgar Wright directing, and it seemed like their vision for the film had probably ruined by Hollywood trying to make it fit the mould. What was so good about Hot Fuzz & Shaun Of The Dead was their endearing sense of kooky British comedy filmmaking, and in Paul there was no sign of this at all, not even with Frost & Pegg as both the main roles and writers of the film. The inclusion of actors Bill Hader, Seth Rogen and  Joe Lo Truglio (all 3 were in both Superbad & Pineapple Express) seemed slightly odd too. I appreciate all of those actors & their work, but it didn't work as well as I had expected putting them in a film alongside Pegg & Frost - it seemed like both groups in the film were prevented from quite reaching the full potential of their comedic abilities. However, despite a painfully predictable ending, Paul was still good fun, the opening 5 minutes at Comic con made my inner-geek squeal, and there were enough laughs to make it an entertaining watch, it just wasn't as impressive as I had hope it would be. 
Rating - 3 out of 5.  


HALL PASS. 

picture from here 


Hall pass, however, was nowhere near as funny as I had hoped. I went with my boyfriend & his friend, after being persuaded it would be funny 'because Stephen Merchant is in it'. Thankfully, they were right in at least that Stephen Merchant was in it, and Stephen Merchant was funny. However he was only on screen for about ten minutes in total, despite being easily the funniest character. Unsurprisingly, Hall Pass was one of those films where the majority of the good jokes are in the trailer, which served to ruin it further. The first half an hour/ fourty five minutes was mildly entertaining (it's worth noting that this is the part of the film Stephen Merchant is in, he mysteriously disappears a few days into the week the film is set in?) - especially a genuinely funny scene where they eat too many hash brownies on a golf course, and Stephen Merchant ends up wading in a lake - it was cliched, but it worked. Unfortunately, the film then drags on for an hour or so to reach it's end, in an annoyingly cliched and predictable fashion, concluding with the typical Hollywood ending, where pretty much everything is perfect again. It's almost as if the film heard my thoughts (and probably the thoughts of others too) though, as shortly after the credits began to roll, and I was just about to launch into a cynical rant (much like this one), the audience were treated to a short clip of Stephen Merchant fantasizing about the prospect of getting a 'Hall pass' himself. This was sadly the best part of the film, and left us questioning why the film hadn't revolved around him. 
Rating - 2 out of 5. 


Apologies for the abundance of bitterness/cynicism/moaning in this post. (: I'm hoping I can balance out my blog again soon, as I'm planning to go & see Submarine next week (ridiculously excited!), and time permitting I'll write up a full review of that. I'm assuming it will be a positive one, possibly my first five stars, after reading glowing reviews on Ultra Culture  & Den Of Geek. In other news, my review of Easy A was published in TES magazine - exciting much?! I hadn't actually realised until my Dad told me that it was the sort of magazine they sold in WHSmiths and what not (I thought it was just a subscription thing) - so that served to boost my ego even more ;) Needless to say, I spent my weekend running around waving a my photocopy of it at everyone I know - next stop is superstardom, right? 

Easy A review

picture from here

In a world dominated by mindless teen movies such as Twilight and High School Musical, it feels almost special to find a rare gem such as Easy A, which stands out from the crowd. Directed by Will Gluck, the film loosely follows the plot of the book 'The Scarlet Letter', adapting it to fit the modern day context of an American high school. A format often followed in teen movies, and it works successfully in many cases, such as in Ten Things I Hate About You or Cruel Intentions. The film features a fairly expected cast for a teen movie too, starring Gossip Girl's Penn Badgley, Twilight's Cam Gigandet, and Amanda Bynes, most known for the teen movie hits She's The Man and Hairspray. However, the first indication that the film might have something different to offer is the inclusion of Emma Stone, who plays the film's main character Olive. A rising star, who has appeared in comedy films such as Zombieland and Superbad, she makes it difficult to expect that the film will in any way be typical of it's genre.

The film tells the story of Olive Penderghast, a high school student who lies to her best friend about losing her virginity. Unsurprisingly, this is soon public knowledge in her school, yet Olive embraces it, using the school rumour mill to advance her social status. Her reputation continues to build, as she offers the school geeks the chance to claim they've slept with her, in return for store gift cards. She begins dressing more provocatively, with a red 'A' embroidered onto all her clothes (the film's most obvious connection to the book The Scarlet Letter), although she also faces mounting opposition from her peers at school, a 'mob' led by Amanda Bynes' character Marianne. Despite a fairly predictable and conventional plot, the film is delivered with some fantastic moments of comedy, most notably from Emma Stone herself, who carries the lead role respectably well, alongside her eccentric parents - played by Stanley Tucci and Patricia Clarkson, and the school's guidance counsellor, played by Lisa Kudrow, well known for her comedic acting in the sitcom Friends. The film also attempts to differentiate itself from the current low standards of teen films by making multiple references to 80s teen films, (mostly those made by John Hughes) such as Ferris Bueller's Day Off, The Breakfast Club, and Say Anything. On the other hand, whilst it is clearly aiming to show an appreciation of films made in the 80s – the era in which teen movies were at their best, it also shows an awareness of it's modern day audience, forming the story around a number of scenes where Olive talks directly to the camera, in the form of a webcast.

Overall, Easy A offers a comedic and more thoughtful alternative to the majority of teen films which have been released of late. The comedic talents of many of the cast bring it to life, and it gains itself some respectability from it's literary references to writers such as Nathaniel Hawthorne and Sylvia Plath. However, the predictable nature of the plot leads it into being nothing more than mindless entertainment at times, preventing it from perhaps being as brilliant as other popular teen comedies such as Mean Girls or Juno. Its ending almost painfully draws inspiration from a mash up of Say Anything and The Breakfast Club, demonstrating that clearly it is not quite as brilliant as the 80s teen films which it strives to be, but at least it's getting there. 


My rating for this film is 3.5 out of 5 

picture from here 

I got a bit paranoid over this review as it's hopefully getting published (exciting?!) but I'm hoping it's okay? I found it quite a difficult movie to review, I had to watch it twice as its one of those films that is mostly mindless entertainment. Not that that's a bad thing - I got to keep my copy of the DVD & I can see it becoming a bit of a guilty pleasure. <3 

A quick update.

It's been quite awhile since I wrote anything here, although partly thats probably due to lack of motivation as not many (if any) people read this, I've also been really busy. The last month or so has been filled with coursework (for film I'm making a short music documentary :D that's the exciting part, it's just long essays for my other subjects) and various other commitments like uni visit days & volunteering at Secret Cinema (I also have managed to acquire both a job and a boyfriend, goodness knows how...). I should also admit that whilst I've watched plenty of films, alot of the time it was to relax and I didn't really have reviewing on my mind. In light of this I've decided that whilst I will continue to try and write about every new film I watch but unfortunately I will probably have to write less. For most new/cinema films and films I either really love or really hate I will continue to write full length reviews. However, I'm thinking for other films I will probably just write 'a few thoughts' - a more informal post summarising the film & what I thought of it. I'm hoping this is a more realistic commitment to make & hopefully I can get back to posting regularly on here & fingers crossed gaining some sort of following! (: I'd be interested if anyone can think of other things I could include on this blog to make it more interesting to read? Maybe lists of my favourite films of a certain genre or something? Maybe I'm bitter but it seems like it's only ever fashion blogs that get noticed and followed, but I'd like to think there must be someone out there interested in a film blog? (provided that person actually blogs often haha). I recently wrote a review of the film Easy A for a teacher/ student feature in a magazine (totally forgotten what it's called), so I'll post that in a moment, and hopefully I'll actually get round to posting some reviews soon too - I'm hoping to finally see Black Swan on Wednesday (:

The King's Speech review.

Picture from here 


With awards season now underway, Colin Firth is receiving awards and nominations left, right, and centre, most recently the Golden Globe for Best Actor In A Drama Performance yesterday evening. Part of my enthusiasm to see this film was derived from all the attention and praise both the film, and Colin Firth were receiving, and I can thankfully say that as far as I am concerned, it is all completely justified.


Colin Firth is stunningly convincing in the part of the timid and speech impaired King George VI, known affectionately to friends and family as Bertie. Like with all the best actors, within a few moments of the film the audience completely forgets that it is Colin Firth they are watching and they become engrossed in the regal world of the shy, stuttering Duke Of York (not without the help of setting, props, costume ect.). The film has a particularly slow start, appearing to be mostly a study of Colin Firth's character, and whilst this allows his  beautifully developed acting skills to resonate with the audience, it is rather worrying to contemplate how dreary and boring the 'Duke Of York' section of the film could be had Colin Firth not been playing the role.


However, I also feel that not enough attention has been paid to the roles of both Helena Bonham Carter and Geoffrey Rush, who by no means outshine Colin Firth, but they support his role fantastically. As the King's wife, you would expect to perhaps see Helena Bonham Carter on screen more often than she is. When she is on screen, her humorous remarks help to save the film from becoming too dim and depressing, and in the slower moments also help to keep the audience engaged. Geoffrey Rush plays the part of the King's unorthodox speech therapist, and the only character whose life outside a relationship with the King that the audience are shown. Also a brilliant character in terms of providing comic relief, the film is very much centered around the relationship between him and King George, therefore the film is all the better for his marvelous and compelling performance as a supporting actor. 


It is the relationship between the King and his speech therapist Lionel that I feel is the film's saving grace. Not only is brilliantly acted, but I think that it is safe to assume (at least in the UK) that the majority of the film's audience has a vague idea of historical events at the time, therefore the relationship saves the film from being bland and predictable, like far too many period dramas are. The plot too, is kept moving through their friendship, and the various obstacles which it faces throughout the film.


That said, I do think that it would have done the film no harm to further establish some of the other characters. I have already mentioned that I would have liked to see Helena Bonham Carter on screen more, but this also applies to Michael Gambon, who plays King George V, and to Guy Pearce, who plays the elder brother of Colin Firth, King Edward VIII. At the beginning of the film, the audience are thrown straight into the action when Colin Firth (at this point the Duke Of York) struggles through a public speech he has to give. However from this point up until the death of his father, King George V, the film drags somewhat. Whilst the slow beginning serves to make the King's death more sudden, I did not personally feel as upset as I expected to. This I feel was a result of the plot's sole focus on the Duke Of York, not allowing the audience to become sufficiently emotionally attached to the King, and causing Colin Firth and Guy Pearce's displays of grief to be much less effective than they could be. Further focus on Guy Pearce's character King Edward may also have helped to make the film more engaging, although he is a fairly rebellious and immoral character, so I suspect his lack of time on screen was due to an attempt to retain a 'prim and proper' tone to the film. 


Overall I think that the King's Speech is an example of British filmmaking doing what it does best. It is a sometimes slow, subtle film, examining a very fascinating character, played almost flawlessly by Colin Firth. I think it will appeal to anyone who appreciates good cinema, not just those are fans of period dramas (or those who have weird 'older-man crushes' on Guy Pearce and Colin Firth - myself and friends who will remain nameless!). What surprised me the most was the films power to make the most cynical and un-patriotic of people (once again, myself), feel a sense of patriotic pride in their country's history, and I think that can be put down to incredibly accomplished filmmaking.  


My rating for this film is 4 out of 5. 

picture from here  (although I would urge you not to click the link as it is a review far better than my own, haha) 




So that was my first review of a film watched at the cinema, a slightly daunting prospect as I couldn't pause the DVD when ever I wished to write down something in my little notebook. I jotted down some notes when I got home from the cinema, I would have liked to write the review whilst the film was fresh in my mind, but perhaps the time to reflect helped. Plus it was late, and my brain ceases to function past about 9 o clock (: . I would have liked to have had this review up quicker however (I saw the film last wednesday), as I am hoping to review around 6-8 films a month and so far I have only done two. I think 6-8 is a decent amount of reviews to aim for, considering I have A levels and whatnot?  I'm also hoping that the more films I manage to post reviews of, the more likely I am to gain some semblance of a following (not that I mind rambling away to myself, it saves embarrassment.) Talking of following, I appear to have my first two followers. Thankyou! (: (one's is my cousin, and the other is my friend/stalker but I'm still very grateful ^.^) Hopefully when I'm a rich and famous director/editor/critic/most cynical person alive (my cynicism is totally not evidenced in this review, need to work on that, but it was too pleasant for me to be in any way mean about) , you can say you were there from the beginning :D  In terms of what's coming next, I still need to review Fish Story, and my latest offering from Lovefilm is Nowhere Boy (which I will try to review without making reference to Sam Taylor Wood being a cradle snatcher...). In terms of cinema films, I may go and see the Social Network on Wednesday, as I still haven't seen it (shocking I know!), although if I don't I can deal with waiting until it's DVD release, which I assume will be fairly soon. I am also hoping to go and see Black Swan soon, I wasn't sure that I wanted to see it, but after reading this months issue of Little White Lies I've been persuaded. Anyway, enough of my rambling, I'm off to avoid coursework further by making some cakes <3

Cashback Review.

pictures from here 

I was a little apprehensive when my friend handed me the DVD of Cashback. With the front cover featuring a scantily clad woman, the critical acclaim on the back from Nuts magazine, and my friend being a 19 year old boy, I started to worry that perhaps I wasn't exactly this film's intended target audience. However, the film did come highly recommended from my friend, and in the spirit of New Year's Resolution - hoping to expand the variety of films I watch beyond indie/cult teen movies - I decided it was worth a watch.

 A British film, directed by Sean Ellis, it is the story of art student Ben Willis, who develops insomnia after breaking up with his girlfriend. In order to occupy himself during the 8 extra hours he has acquired, he starts to work the nightshift in a supermarket. Whilst working there, as a method of coping with the boredom, he imagines that he can freeze time, and take women's clothes off - all in the name of art of course - so that he can appreciate their beauty and sketch them. 

Thankfully, the film delivered the pleasant surprise that I was half expecting, it wasn't entirely about naked women. There is enough nudity in a scene fairly near to the beginning of the film, and then later on in a strip club scene (which seems a lot less necessary), to keep teenage boys interested, but the film is more an exploration of time and it's importance, and an interesting insight into a mind affected by insomnia, falling in and out of love.  

Or at least, that's what the film wants to be. On a few occasions it is serious and thought provoking, but on far more it seemed as if it was taking itself too seriously. The films use of operatic and classical music in the soundtrack, and the main character's artsy, intellectual voiceover was almost treading the line between a serious film and a parody - although maybe that's what the director was trying to achieve. I do think the frozen time idea was a very interesting concept, but the films 'serious' moments felt somewhat incongruous amongst the nudity it uses to draw the audience in. I think that in order for the film's message to be taken seriously, there should have been much less focus on the moments of nudity. The two ideas do not sit well together, and I feel it prevented the film from being able to express the serious, intelligent ideas that it wanted to - the film could still work if the women kept their clothes on. I also feel that visually the film was very well made, and it's editing and cinematography could be appreciated even further in a more serious context. 

My rating of this film is 3 out of 5. 

ps. I'm aware that this isn't a review of Whip It or The Darjeeling Limited like I said it would be. Darjeeling Limited was sent back to Lovefilm by my Mum, who was convinced I'd already got round to watching it, so it might be awhile until I get to watch and review that :/  Whip It wasn't half as compelling as I hoped it would be (I originally watched it on a 13hr flight but forgot most of what happened besides that Ellen Page is awesome) , so you can expect my review of that once I have nothing better to do but sit and watch the second half... I probably shouldn't fall into the trap of saying what I will review next again, but Fish Story came in the post today, and I'm hoping to go and see The King's Speech sometime very soon, so it's likely (not certain!) that those will be my next reviews. 


As a first review I think this went okay and I hope anyone that ever bothers to read this agrees (concrit anyone!?) ... length wise I think it's adequate, I'll probably manage longer reviews for films I'm really passionate about, & I feel like it's a practice makes perfect thing, I'll probably read this back in a years time and think its terrible! 

my favourite films of 2010

I figured my list of the best films in 2010  was a good way to start out this blog (:


I've currently got the Whip It & The Darjeeling Limited waiting to be watched, so you can expect reviews of those soon-ish. Might write something about the Scott Pilgrim DVD at some point too, seeing I'm pretty sure it was the best 12 quid I spent all year.