tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-88739028842556735942024-03-13T03:24:58.438+00:00Re-view FilmWe tear film apart and then glue it together again.Re-view Filmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10253466777727055669noreply@blogger.comBlogger51125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8873902884255673594.post-88526316391154233812014-03-22T14:39:00.001+00:002014-03-22T14:42:07.988+00:00Quote of the Week Review: The Damned United (2009)<h3>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">By Thomas Broome-Jones</span></h3>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">"I wouldn't say I was the best manager in the country. But I'm in the top one." </span></h2>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">It must be said, football isn't for everyone, that's just a fact. As much as <span class="reveal">fans
of the beautiful game like to think that everyone loves it, there are
those who don't. Personally, I'm a big fan of football but I'm sure
those who have watched this film will agree with me that you don't have
to enjoy football to enjoy this film. It's much more than a sports
drama, this is a human drama with themes of redemption, obsession and
man's lust for competition.<br />
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<i>The Damned United</i> retells a semi-fictional version of events
surrounding and leading up to the late Brian Clough's ill-fated spell as
the manager for Leeds United. His tenure lasted only 44 days after he
drove one of the most dominant clubs in English football into the
ground, blinded by his own ego and determination to carve out a legacy
to make his name synonymous with the club. Clough is played scarily well
by one of my favourite British actors, Michael Sheen. The Welshman
almost effortlessly recreates Clough's Middlesborough twang and carries
the character with just the right balance of swagger, charm and cynicism
to create a highly compelling performance.<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8hBF5la2-8jItb6NCenRAPVWeNuYyjtXELy0mVAQ5XYmqkbR0sZ-mb8YOHSBhZFPUwMQ4LS6YaeuDRqca3FpwnfsYPrHM69a0MF2IOGqvANbxN6GLw5ygp7hI-NOCFbWPXr69EJFr-ng/s1600/ms.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8hBF5la2-8jItb6NCenRAPVWeNuYyjtXELy0mVAQ5XYmqkbR0sZ-mb8YOHSBhZFPUwMQ4LS6YaeuDRqca3FpwnfsYPrHM69a0MF2IOGqvANbxN6GLw5ygp7hI-NOCFbWPXr69EJFr-ng/s1600/ms.jpg" height="173" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tony Blair's post Prime Ministerial career got him more in touch with "common folk". </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Backing Sheen up is the ever-welcome acting chops of Timothy Spall, the
veteran actor plays Peter Taylor, Clough's assistant manager, talent
scout and personal friend. As Clough's world seemingly falls down around
him, Spall's portrayal of Taylor accurately reflects the frustration of
an unsung hero. His ability to spot exceptional players to improve the
squad goes unnoticed as Clough is showered with praise. Such frustration
is only natural and it is visibly evident in Taylor's apathy towards
Brian as the film progresses.<br />
<br />
The rest of the cast is fleshed out with some wonderful talent, notably
Jim Broadbent, who, despite having won an Oscar not too long ago still
appears in smaller British productions, bringing his irresistible charm
and likability to every role he plays. The cast make a very solid script
come to life as the rise and fall of Clough plays out over the course
of the narrative, in which flashbacks providing essential character back
stories aid the viewer in engaging with the plot. The on-screen
chemistry of the cast is outstanding, all of their interactions with one
another are natural and organic, making their arcs feel developed and
wholesome, even for some of the smaller roles.<br />
<br />
Director Tom Hooper, who would go on to win the Academy Award for Best
Director two years later for <i>The King's Speech</i>, crafted a very simple
story here but told it so brilliantly that the simplicity doesn't
matter. At times it may be a task for the viewer to engage with the
psychological pathos of Clough and his actions, but it all comes full
circle in a lovely ending, the whole thing feels distinctly British.<br />
<br />
My only criticism is of Clough himself, as strong as Sheen was it was
hard to like or bond with the character. By the time the film ends he
has truly found redemption, but at times I did start to wonder why I was
supposed to care for him at all. But this is only a minor problem as it
is more than resolved in the underplayed finale which really proves
that less is more.<br />
<br />
Overall, a great watch and a really strong platform for a truly talented
man in Michael Sheen to showcase his abilities. Biopics are always
about the acting and Sheen hit it out of the park with this one in a
performance that I do truly believe should have received an Academy
Award nomination for Best Actor. Looking at the nominees from that
year's ceremony there are definitely a couple that could have been
swapped out for this one. I think this film can appeal to both fans of
football and non-fans alike, it has universally accessible themes,
blistering performances and a warm center. <i>The Damned United</i> is damn
good</span>. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Thomas Broome-Jones is on Twitter, you can follow him <a href="https://twitter.com/TBroomey" target="_blank">@TBroomey</a>. </span></b></span></div>
Re-view Filmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10253466777727055669noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8873902884255673594.post-3675914737659978782014-03-15T22:10:00.001+00:002014-03-15T22:14:51.967+00:00Quote of the Week Review: Evil Dead II (1987)<h3>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">By Sean McDonnell</span></h3>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">"Groovy."</span></h2>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span data-measureme="1"><span class="null">In the sort of sequel to <i>The Evil Dead</i>, Sam Raimi creates a more interesting cult horror than the
previous incarnation which is super violent, fun and most of all, silly!
Raimi originally intended for his previous effort <i>The Evil Dead</i> to also be a horror
comedy and as much as I find the hyperbolic gore and dialogue in the
first film to be kind of hilarious, it is nowhere near as good as this
beautiful masterpiece of horror! The film sort of picks up where the
first film left off (I will warn there’s lots of continuity errors in
this beautiful franchise) following the hero of the trilogy, Ash (the
man, the myth, the legend - Bruce Campbell) who discovers the "Necronomicon Ex-Mortis" (The Book of the Dead) and accidentally
releases an evil demonic force. Now Ash must use his courage to battle
against evil, with very funny results!</span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There's a time and a place for this face, when I think of one I'll let you know.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span data-measureme="1"><span class="null">The brilliance in this film is the pacing. The first film took a good -
but understandable - while in developing the discovery of the book. This
film however, only takes a few minutes. The iconic POV sped up shot of
the evil kicks in, removing a plot build up but still keeping the
suspense and excitement in what Ash will face. It’s just so simple,
removing a little bits of horror development for the love of cheesy
dialogue, alright acting (sorry Bruce, you’re an awesome dude because of
your acting don’t worry!) and of course...GORE! The violence is what
you’d expect if you’ve seen the first film, but it’s all the more funny
because of clumsy Ash as he faces flying limbs, blood fountains and even
his sanity! The special effects such as the stop motion are also top notch
and definitely beat all the over the top CGI you’d see from a current
spoon feeding “horror”. Raimi's use of makeup once again is also amazing,
the detail on the demons' faces for a modern audience looks old but it
really works a lot better than nowadays, such as CGI being used for
Freddy Krueger for the remake of <i>A Nightmare on Elm Street</i>.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span data-measureme="1"><span class="null">It’s understandable why this film is a cult classic, it’s Sam Raimi and
Bruce "Chin" Campbell at their finest hour (how were they involved in <i>Spider-Man</i>?). It’s a perfect film for any horror fan who wants a scare
and a righteous laugh out loud. <i>Evil Dead II</i> is a low budget B movie
classic that captures so much entertainment in 90 minutes that it
deserves to be the best out of all the trilogy with its comical acting,
amazing effects, camp script and all round sense of entertainment. It’s
quite simply...*intense Ash voice* groovy.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="null"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span class="null">Sean McDonnell is <span style="font-family: inherit;">on Twitter, you can follow him <a href="https://twitter.com/seanmcdonnell_" target="_blank">@seanmcdonnell_</a>.</span> </span></b></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="null" style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span class="null">Sean also has his own blog, which you can find <a href="http://seanreviewsfilms.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">here</a>.</span></b></span></span> </span>Re-view Filmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10253466777727055669noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8873902884255673594.post-18046835395759114072014-03-08T17:55:00.002+00:002014-03-15T22:10:22.115+00:00Quote of the Week Review: We Need to Talk About Kevin (2011)<h3>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">By Thomas Broome-Jones</span></h3>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">"Why would I not understand the context? I am the context."</span></h2>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Stylish, slick, but overall a relatively underwhelming experience. I
wasn't particularly impressed with <i>We Need to Talk About Kevin</i>. The
premise is highly promising, I haven't read the book on which it is
based but from what I gather it is vastly different in style, with the
book being a series of letters that tie together the plot. The film
follows Eva, played by Tilda Swinton, an ex-travel writer who must cope
with the consequences of a high school massacre committed by her son,
Kevin, played by Ezra Miller. The story is told through use of
flashbacks, with the psychological aspect of Eva's personality being
explored in the present day scenes.<br />
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The main reason I didn't enjoy this film was what I perceived to be a
lack of dramatic strength, the film felt empty and bereft of
likeability. My dislike of the film isn't as simple as me thinking it
was "bad", but I just couldn't find an access point. I didn't find any
of the characters to be particularly likeable or interesting, despite
Swinton turning in an outstanding performance. A lot of the scenes felt
like they were simply hammering the same point home, Kevin has something
wrong with him. After I gathered this it just became a chore to sit
through more scenes depicting his acts of cruelty leading up to the
massacre, which made for a boring watch for me.<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTpwBCZ8r5K06emBYcuTtHkJhApx7Bo9MmmTXc1XIBnfIvwKlnvMnuXOBqDOsDx8D_6Fk8F4i0UpDruWIZk9cDoJSr4_kThjAMUaDdaUkx_QVJk1VLv4gRA1SzeZeLsYsApuXUyTwvtdA/s1600/wnttak.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTpwBCZ8r5K06emBYcuTtHkJhApx7Bo9MmmTXc1XIBnfIvwKlnvMnuXOBqDOsDx8D_6Fk8F4i0UpDruWIZk9cDoJSr4_kThjAMUaDdaUkx_QVJk1VLv4gRA1SzeZeLsYsApuXUyTwvtdA/s1600/wnttak.jpg" height="212" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I must say, making a dark sequel to <i>Caddyshack</i> was a bold move.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
There is some merit in the technical level of the film's execution,
although I found the cinematography to be uninspired and clumsy, the
sound was remarkably employed, adding real tension to a film that lacks a
lot of dramatic pay off until the very end. Speaking of which, the
ending is the strongest part of the whole thing for me, I won't spoil
anything but it does give a real dramatic punch to your gut that I'm
sure will stick with me for a long time to come.<br />
<br />
The acting wasn't anything special outside of Swinton, John C. Reilly is
an actor that I have a lot of time for but he served his purpose and
nothing more, his character was bland for the most part. Ezra Miller I
feel was miscast as Kevin, I didn't find him all that intimidating or
disturbing, I mainly just saw him as a bratty kid who partook in
aggressive and erratic behavior to torment his mother. I didn't think
there was any real power behind his performance, I've seen psychopathic
kid acting done much better, Damien in <i>The Omen</i> springs to mind.<br />
<br />
Overall, a film I'm glad I watched so I can say I watched it, but it
seems to be without thematic direction. Is it about motherhood? Is it
about psychosis? Is Kevin the subject or is Eva? Nothing is explored in
great detail and it leaves me feeling unaltered by the viewing
experience, it could have been worse but given the premise it could have
also been a lot better. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Thomas Broome-Jones is on Twitter, you can follow him <a href="https://twitter.com/TBroomey" target="_blank">@TBroomey</a>. </span></b> </span>Re-view Filmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10253466777727055669noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8873902884255673594.post-42541981053573722862014-03-02T00:46:00.002+00:002014-03-02T00:49:03.766+00:00The Room Review<h3>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">By Sean McDonnell</span></h3>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span>Where shall I begin with <i>The Room</i>? Maybe the
fact it’s dubbed “the <i>Citizen Kane</i> of bad movies” by Entertainment
Weekly? Maybe the fact that 10 years on it still sells out theatres
across the globe? Maybe the fact it is one of the worst films I have
ever seen in my life? No kidding, considering the poor acting, TERRIBLE editing, meme generating script and such. But wait, <i>The Room</i> is also
one of my all-time favourite films, I’d go as far as to put it in my top 50
films list! The film department’s probably in tears hearing this, but
they have to understand that <i>The Room</i> is just something else: Once you
enter <i>The Room,</i> you can’t quit <i>The Room</i>! Tommy Wiseau as the
director, star, writer and producer predicted over 10 years ago that
this film would conquer the world and look at how right this mystery man
is. Basically, this film is bad.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">SKOTCHKA! SKOTCHKA! SKOTCHKA!</td></tr>
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Wiseau stars as Johnny, a
successful banker in San Francisco whose life begins to crumble as his
friends betray him one by one. A very simple plot, but the main
narrative isn’t the major problem with this film, I won’t go into
massive detail but I’ll ever so slightly hint. Firstly, the editing
doesn’t make sense as a whole and the acting is beyond poor, Wiseau’s
performance as an example is just so odd for various reasons. He has a
very unusual accent which is so humorous and hard to understand at times
but you really can’t help but love his ever so dramatic (sarcasm
intended) portrayal of a sweet guy. Because of his mysterious persona,
he refuses to reveal where he’s from. Many believe France, some Eastern
Europe and some even go as far to state he is in fact...an alien!
Because of the poor acting, a lot of the dialogue had to be dubbed but it
is so out of sync with the film itself due to editing. That's it! I will
say no more, just watch <i>The Room</i> and forget everything you know about
film!<br />
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In December 2013, I did my usual routine of searching
through what the Prince Charles Cinema in Leicester Square was screening
and discovered that TOMMY WISEAU AND co-star Greg Sestero would be
there in person for a Q&A screening in February 2014. I immediately
booked my ticket and learned that they sold over 1000 across one single
weekend. So there I was, first in line queuing an hour and half early
before the Q&A begins, when suddenly, half an hour before...there
they were, Greg in all his glory bearing a <i>Drive</i> Scorpion jacket who
walks straight into the cinema after giving me a quick smile. Tommy runs
along the line of the queue wearing nighttime glasses and two belts whilst
people cheer his name. He then comes up to me with a simple “Hi. How you
doin’?” offering his hand which I gladly accept. The PCC lay down the
ground rules: No metal spoons, no American footballs, no booze. Simple. I
entered, dropped my coat off at the front and ran to get a signed DVD
and a pic. I was to a certain degree starstruck, just at the fact these
guys are involved in a cult phenomenon...and of the fact Tommy is one of
the weirdest people I’ve ever met. Greg passes the DVD to Tommy who
insists on shaking my hand again two more times. Then after the picture
(see below) I walk away offering my thanks when suddenly Tommy grabs
onto my shoulder and once again, insists on shaking my hand for the
forth time!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sean (centre) had the "honour" of meeting Greg Sestero (left) and the man, the myth, the legend, Tommy Wiseau (right).</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The Q&A experience was fantastic and downright
hilarious! Questions ranged from “Favourite film?” to which Tommy would
answer what everyone expected: “Citizen KAAAANE!!!!”. Tommy also offered
blessings and dog-tags on stage to whoever bought Tommy Wiseau brand
pants, and of course the blessing was beautiful “*name* In the name of
the Father, the Son and the Goly Dhost hope you have a happy 2014 MOVE
ON!!”. The film was screened and without a doubt it was one of the best
cinema experiences of my life. The crowd was so enthusiastic about the
whole thing, just constant cheers and screams of the film's flaws along
with devout participation; such as the repetitive tracking shots of San
Francisco, to which the audience is meant to scream: “MEANWHILE IN SAN
FRANCISCO!”. There was also the throwing of plastic spoons, but I’ll let
you as the reader find out the purpose of it. The whole thing was an
hour and a half of me just laughing away at a screen which I’ll never
forget. Seriously though, please watch <i>The Room</i>.<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="null"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span class="null">Sean McDonnell is <span style="font-family: inherit;">on Twitter, you can follow him <a href="https://twitter.com/seanmcdonnell_" target="_blank">@seanmcdonnell_</a>.</span> </span></b></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="null"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span class="null">Sean also has his own blog, which you can find <a href="http://seanreviewsfilms.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">here</a>.</span></b></span></span></span> Re-view Filmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10253466777727055669noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8873902884255673594.post-90891685480894082942014-02-26T18:21:00.000+00:002014-02-26T18:25:05.835+00:00Quote of the Week Review: Capote (2005)<h3>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>By Thomas Broome-Jones</b></span></h3>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;">"I have 94 per cent recall of all conversation. I tested it myself."</span> </span></h2>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A master at work: Hoffman steals the show convincingly.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"> The untimely passing of Philip Seymour Hoffman was one that shocked the
world over, the hearts of so many were beautifully opened in tribute to
someone who may just be the finest screen actor of his generation. I was
devastated to discover that one of my favourite actors was no longer
with us, especially as I thought his best was still yet to come. Hoffman
was transitioning into directing and his acclaim throughout all fields
had him shaping up to become somewhat of a modern-day Orson Welles. But
the body of work he has left us with is rich in towering performances,
among some of my favourites are his collaborations with Paul Thomas
Anderson, a true genius and maestro of modern cinema, I have a
particular adoration of <i>Boogie Nights</i> and <i>Punch-Drunk Love</i>.</span>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
<i>Capote</i> is statistically Hoffman's finest hour, it's the role that won
him his sole Academy Award and it was thoroughly deserved. Simply put,
Hoffman carries the entire film on his shoulders with one of the
greatest biographical performances I've ever seen. After watching the
film I took it upon myself to watch clips of the real Truman Capote,
Hoffman's portrayal is more than just uncanny, he IS Truman Capote. The
voice, the mannerisms, the facial expressions, I don't know how Hoffman
did it but as an actor myself I can't help but adore the fact that he
did.</span>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
The film's story concerns the process of Truman Capote penning what
stands as his most acclaimed work, 'In Cold Blood', a unique non-fiction
book that is widely regarded as having started the true crime genre of
literature, or at the very least popularizing it. The idea of this genre
is a book that uses fiction techniques to craft a narrative around
actual criminal acts that have happened, using real names and interviews
but arranging the facts in such a way that they tell a story. You may
be familiar with the use of such methods in Asif Kapadia's acclaimed
2009 documentary <i>Senna</i>, which portrayed the life and death of Formula
One legend Ayrton Senna using entirely archive footage, but still
crafting a narrative.</span>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
When I say Hoffman carries this film though, I really mean it.
Unfortunately I didn't feel like it was anything special outside of his
performance, the supporting cast were fine but I'm somewhat confused as
to why Catherine Keener received an Oscar nomination for her portrayal
of 'To Kill a Mockingbird' author Harper Lee. The real thing that holds
the film back though is the painfully uneven pacing, on the one hand,
the scenes don't develop enough, we are rapidly whisked from location to
location without being given any time to immerse ourselves in the
narrative. But the isolated scenes aren't the only problem, the film as a
whole feels far too long and whilst it does have an ending that packs
an emotional punch, we're too exhausted from unnecessary over plotting
to care all that much. "Speed up, slow down" pacing is almost always a
deathtrap for a film.</span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
There isn't really much else to say about the film, it doesn't deal with
anything too complex, it's less about narrative and themes as it is
about Truman Capote and his methodology. I recommend this to anyone
who's a fan of Hoffman's work though, it demonstrates his versatility
just as well as any other film. Not the best in his library, but
certainly one of his strongest performances and one that will only make
you appreciate the man's talent even more, <i>Capote</i> is definitely
something you should devote your time to, who knows? You may even fall
in love with it. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Thomas Broome-Jones is on Twitter, you can follow him <a href="https://twitter.com/TBroomey" target="_blank">@TBroomey</a>. </span></b></span> Re-view Filmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10253466777727055669noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8873902884255673594.post-11082253981883580332014-02-08T18:41:00.000+00:002014-02-08T18:42:15.436+00:00Quote of the Week Review: Moonrise Kingdom (2012)<h3>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">By Thomas Broome-Jones</span></h3>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">"These are my books. I like stories with magic powers in them. Either in
kingdoms on Earth or on foreign planets. Usually I prefer a girl hero,
but not always." </span></h2>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGAxYdYUZG79jWyZjdB71fPh-G6lx7iHTj9E63tpbdKOgXc9CogW4lNqggtjLXepBrxvLODEvXiIuPL5zaEx31pqo2xoZQxH9bC-2ygO0f1JlSvMww4-N7txPR2swDdiaH4ZtqUrWLQac/s1600/Moonrise-Kingdom-007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGAxYdYUZG79jWyZjdB71fPh-G6lx7iHTj9E63tpbdKOgXc9CogW4lNqggtjLXepBrxvLODEvXiIuPL5zaEx31pqo2xoZQxH9bC-2ygO0f1JlSvMww4-N7txPR2swDdiaH4ZtqUrWLQac/s1600/Moonrise-Kingdom-007.jpg" height="192" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There's no wedding like a Wes Anderson wedding.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Masterful, loving, warm and heartfelt. Some choice words for Wes
Anderson's incredible achievement known as <i>Moonrise Kingdom</i>. If you
were to compile a list of true all-time great films from the 2000s it
would be a short one, but this belongs on every single list on such a
subject.<br />
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Anderson is renowned for his quirky and offbeat approach to filmmaking,
his distinct style has earned his well-deserved acclaim from the public
as well as critics. So, teaming up with Roman Coppola, the son of the
legendary Francis Ford Coppola, Anderson has crafted something special
and almost transcendent of every other film released within the last 10
years or so.<br />
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From the scorching opening sequence enriching the frame with vivid
colours and whip pan camera movement to keep the pace up, a unique story
is set in place. This is a story about love, but the film is so much
more than that. Don't go into this thinking you'll be given a simple
romance, the word "simple" is most definitely not an adjective
applicable to the work of Wes Anderson. Childlike innocence, the absence
of authority and guidance, the importance of human connection, this
film is about humanity.<br />
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The plot concerns a runaway scout who desires to be with a girl he has
fallen in love with, his scout leader, who is portrayed magnificently by
Edward Norton, goes on a mission to track him down. The location of an
isolated island seemingly inhabited by talented actors builds an almost
dream-like world for the audience to lose itself in. This is a real
strength that Anderson possesses, his films almost feel unreal and yet
the problems within them are so easy to relate to, it's like the
impossible meeting the possible, negativity in what should be a perfect
world.<br />
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The comedy is spot on, which is to be expected with the talent involved
both behind the camera and in front of it. I'm talking of course about
Bill Murray, a man who is widely regarded as the finest comic actor of
his generation, and rightly so. Murray is piercingly funny and
despicable at the same time here, something at which he is somewhat of a
veteran at. Whether he's throwing his shoe at Edward Norton or getting
drunk and chopping down trees whilst his apathetic children dutifully
ignore him, he's stealing the scene whenever he's in frame. A real
return to form from the man who was in not one but two 'Garfield' films,
oh, the pain.<br />
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The focus on children feuding with one another is reminiscent of <i>Lord
of the Flies</i>, but at the same time feels like an original plot element.
The children are remarkably able to hold their own with a cast that
consists of two Oscar winners and two Oscar nominees as they shatter the
preconception that child actors aren't up to par with adult performers.
Their characters are believable as well as empathetic, their darker
sides are balanced with morals and other human qualities.<br />
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Not many films I have seen feel as genuine as 'Moonrise Kingdom', which
is somewhat ironic as it toys with reality at numerous intervals. It's
something beautiful that I have fallen in love with, Wes Anderson has
stolen my heart as a film lover and has sold me on his upcoming feature <i>The Grand Budapest Hotel, </i>which sports a few cast members from this
particular picture. The genius in the craft work of <i>Moonrise Kingdom</i>
caresses the soul and hits you with Cupid's bow, a romantic film in both
the philosophical and figurative sense that can be enjoyed on more than
one level, you have to see this.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Thomas Broome-Jones is on Twitter, you can follow him <a href="https://twitter.com/TBroomey" target="_blank">@TBroomey</a>. </span></b></span> Re-view Filmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10253466777727055669noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8873902884255673594.post-6930537354194982672014-02-08T15:07:00.001+00:002014-02-08T15:30:23.028+00:00Quote of the Week Review: Shrek (2001)<h3>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">By Ben Hanna</span></h3>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">"I like that boulder. That is a nice boulder."</span></h2>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>Shrek</i>, a wonderful fairy tale about an ogre that spends his days fending off the village people and living out the normal life of an ogre. This hilarious animated tale is about an ogre, Shrek (Mike Myers) <span style="font-family: Arial;">who</span> goes out on a quest to get his swamp to the way it was before it was overrun by fairytale creatures sent by the evil Lord Farquaad (John Lithgow). On his travels, he encounters a donkey played by Eddie Murphy who accompanies him on his journey which takes an unexpected turn.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhClvA5pJHgaaN82V5Is19pGociP7Tlo-VeBUNJtRXTvm9f0HOUe0GaGJLhtaakyZqk5q1gTrEB0caKtKGDfizTegarm5DCzAHb4a7_RfiXfz2LrtT5To6u-cU1ExyK6DAKOY8rWzl0Sh8/s1600/Shrek-Princess-Fiona.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhClvA5pJHgaaN82V5Is19pGociP7Tlo-VeBUNJtRXTvm9f0HOUe0GaGJLhtaakyZqk5q1gTrEB0caKtKGDfizTegarm5DCzAHb4a7_RfiXfz2LrtT5To6u-cU1ExyK6DAKOY8rWzl0Sh8/s1600/Shrek-Princess-Fiona.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">No, this isn't a photo from Lindsay Lohan's wedding, we've checked.</td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>Shrek</i> is one of those films that I can personally remember from my childhood as being, well, just brilliant. One of those family films that you will always be able to go back and watch, one that never gets old. An aspect of the film that I always have found to be great is the humour that’s used. <i>Shrek</i> can appeal to a younger audience with the silly characters with a fairy tale picture but it’s also enjoyable for older audiences. Subtle jokes and one-liners that are very amusing indeed. That’s what makes Shrek so versatile and enjoyable and definitely on of the reasons why it’s so well regarded. I personally don’t know anyone that doesn't enjoy a bit of <i>Shrek</i>.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The casting for the film is perfect, Mike Myers portrays Shrek as a loveable character that’s witty and funny. What’s interesting is the idea that Shrek, as an ogre is the main protagonist rather than a knight in shining armour. It really puts a spin on the traditional fairy tales but works so well. Eddie Murphy again is an excellent choice to play the excitable Donkey. Shrek’s faithful companion accompanies him through his adventures and definitely portrays that idea of true friendship.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Although <i>Shrek</i> has branched out into three more films, I still believe that this <i>Shrek</i>, the first one, is definitely the best. The story is richer and is more like a fairy tale which makes the film so interesting. The other three films all have elements of a fairy tale but it just doesn't feel the same. Never the less they are all great films and <i>Shrek</i> is definitely here to stay.</span><br />
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Re-view Filmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10253466777727055669noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8873902884255673594.post-47371252254347846892014-01-25T20:49:00.003+00:002014-01-25T20:51:48.298+00:00Quote of the Week Review: A Scanner Darkly (2006)<h3>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">By Sean McDonnell</span></h3>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span data-measureme="1"><span class="null"> <span style="font-size: large;">"What does a scanner see? Into the head? Into the heart? Does it see into me? Clearly? Or darkly?"</span></span></span> </span></h2>
<span data-measureme="1"><span class="null">Richard Linklater, director
of the classic <i>School of Rock</i>, takes us on a very unusual journey of
identity, paranoia and surveillance amidst the backdrop of a dystopian
L.A. where the war on drugs has failed. <i>A Scanner Darkly</i> follows Bob
Arctor (Keanu Reeves), an undercover detective who tries to find out
more about the rise of ‘Substance D’ via his drug addicted friends James
(Robert Downey, Jr.), Ernie (Woody Harrelson) and Donna (Winona Ryder).
Bob never really gets up to much, considering all his friends really do
(especially James) is have long paranoiac conversations, so, when at
the police station he wears a ‘scramble suit’ which constantly changes
his appearance and is code named ‘Fred’. However, Bob becomes heavily
addicted to Substance D which makes him unaware of who he really is as
he is told to investigate into himself more…</span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span data-measureme="1"><span class="null">Looks like Neo should've taken the blue pill instead.</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span data-measureme="1"><span class="null">The film is visually outstanding. Linklater has previously used the
Rotoscope technique in his heavily philosophical art-house film <i>Waking
Life</i>. In <i>A Scanner Darkly</i>, he takes it to a whole new level in a very
artistic world. For those who don’t know, the Rotoscope technique is
when live action footage is traced over and animated, giving a very
unusual and interesting effect. Shane F. Kelly as the cinematographer
does a very good job presenting the constant fear that addicts of
Substance D go through such as a close up of Bob hallucinating that
James and Ernie are giant bugs. All the cast offer very good
performances, Keanu for once puts a fair amount of effort in his acting
in contrast to some of his poorer performances (hint hint, Francis
Ford Coppola's <i>Dracula</i>). I personally think this is one of Robert Downey, Jr.’s
best roles because he perfectly suited the eccentric style of James and
reminded me in a way of his portrayal of Sherlock Holmes due to the
selfishness and drug addictions in both characters.</span></span><br />
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<span data-measureme="1"><span class="null">However as much as I liked the film as a very good adaptation of Philip
Kindred’s novel, I felt disappointed in that the plot was very confusing
at times and in a way I felt a lot more could have developed. <i>A
Scanner Darkly</i> as a film portrays beautifully the experiences of
addicts very much like what Philip intends in the novel since it’s based
on his experiences as an addict of amphetamines and dedicates it to
“some people who were punished entirely too much for what they did”, in
this case, his friends who suffered from various physical and
psychological effects. Philip even goes as far to include himself in the
list, “Phil” – a victim of permanent pancreatic damage.</span></span><br />
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<span data-measureme="1"><span class="null">On the whole, a good adaptation of a classic sci-fi story. However,
prepare to be lost in a very radical and colourful world of deception as
the story moves quite quickly and in a very puzzling way, so be sure to pay
attention to Bob and the gang talking a lot of meaningful nonsense! An
interesting film with a strong message, <i>A Scanner Darkly</i> is one of
more stimulating Philip Kindred adaptations I've seen in a while but
it's ever so slightly disappointing due to a confusing plot. All in
all, I still recommend watching this film because of the good
performances and of course the fantastic visuals. It doesn't beat <i>School of Rock</i> but it’s still a trippy adventure into the future
that’s worth tuning into!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="null"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span class="null">Sean McDonnell is <span style="font-family: inherit;">on Twitter, you can follow him <a href="https://twitter.com/seanmcdonnell_" target="_blank">@seanmcdonnell_</a>.</span> </span></b></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="null"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span class="null">Sean also has his own blog, which you can find <a href="http://seanreviewsfilms.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">here</a>.</span></b></span> </span></span>Re-view Filmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10253466777727055669noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8873902884255673594.post-51630384634525945152014-01-15T20:09:00.002+00:002014-02-26T02:01:59.204+00:00Quote of the Week Review: Barton Fink (1991)<h3>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">By Thomas Broome-Jones</span></h3>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: large;">"You think I made your life hell? Take a look around this dump. You're just a tourist with a typewriter, Barton, I live here" </span></span></h2>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">For my money, this is the finest film that the Coen Brothers have ever
produced. Their catalogue is a rich library of lovingly-crafted
masterpieces, each one different from the last. Most people are familiar
with films such as <i>The Big Lebowski</i>, <i>Fargo</i> or <i>No Country for Old
Men</i>, but <i>Barton Fink</i> is especially intriguing as it's one big puzzle
box.</span></span>
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<i>Barton Fink</i> isn't quite "surrealist", per se, but it is impossible to
place in any genre, there are elements of comedy, drama, farce, satire,
thriller and romance. The Coens have agreed with critics that
classifying it is hard, it simply is what it is. </span></span>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br />
The plot concerns the eponymous Barton Fink, an acclaimed New York
playwright who has been hired to pen a wrestling screenplay. Upon
arriving at his ominous L.A. hotel, Barton suffers from writer's block
and encounters his burly neighbour, Charles, played by the infallibly
lovable John Goodman, a frequent collaborator of the Coens.</span></span>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEAhT8ThoN7aBMAs3-qO0JoUWCe85jP_7-IG_JX53u14O3IvI4ChPg5AR1AJ_qCJ-vyph48nrjPRMBFLZTKESoN51H-AmqXyX0V1_XhFlYAQji6Aa020X0Oqs42R32C-kXs6YpPZoJpPg/s1600/BartonFink08.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEAhT8ThoN7aBMAs3-qO0JoUWCe85jP_7-IG_JX53u14O3IvI4ChPg5AR1AJ_qCJ-vyph48nrjPRMBFLZTKESoN51H-AmqXyX0V1_XhFlYAQji6Aa020X0Oqs42R32C-kXs6YpPZoJpPg/s1600/BartonFink08.jpg" height="169" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nobody f**ks with The Jesus.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br />
The chain of circumstance that follows takes you on a wicked
mind-bending trip through the corruption and greed that encumbers The
City of Angels, as Barton begins to learn that he's surrounded by liars,
cheats and phonies. John Turturro is simply astounding as Barton, a
truly underrated actor who was snubbed by the Academy not only for his
performance in this, but <i>Do the Right Thing</i> and <i>The Big Lebowski</i> also.
His performance is subtly comprised of various ticks and delusions of
grandeur that create a man who thinks highly of himself but wants to
help others, leading to an internal conflict that he must confront and
overcome.</span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br />
The enigmatic visual motifs throughout the film add varying layers to
the plot and themes, creating a complex and thought-provoking piece of
cinema that challenges as well as entertains. The ultimate theme of the
film is illustrated best in the heated finale, the yin and yang of
creation and destruction meeting in a mutual respect for one another. I
won't say anymore as I don't want to spoil the ending.</span></span>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br />
The minimalist approach as well as deliberate lack of real character
development is signature Coens. The plot's interest comes from how the
characters interact with their situation, for some filmmakers this would
be a huge risk as it requires pitch-perfect casting, but the Coen
Brothers always make sure every actor is perfectly suited for their
role.</span></span>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br />
Roger Deakins, one of the greatest cinematographers of all-time and the
Coens' regular DOP, uses the camera to make everywhere Barton is feel
like a maze. The hotel is especially reminiscent of Stanley Kubrick's
horror monolith <i>The Shining</i>, something that Joel and Ethan Coen have
openly recognized as an influence. The way the camera wraps around every
wall, as if it knows to be cautious when the characters do not, creates
an uneasy feeling among the audience as the characters remain calm in
clearly dangerous situations.</span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br />
A fascinating portrait of humanity and a scathing critique of
Hollywood's desolate landscape of broken dreams, as well as the extremes
between wealth and poverty. This is a crowning achievement in the
library of the Coen Brothers, backed up with a blissful supporting cast,
consisting of talents such as Micheal Lerner, John Mahoney and Steve
Buscemi, this is one that all of their fans must see. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Thomas Broome-Jones is on Twitter, you can follow him <a href="https://twitter.com/TBroomey" target="_blank">@TBroomey</a>. </span></b> </span>Re-view Filmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10253466777727055669noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8873902884255673594.post-68204480422809185842014-01-11T16:02:00.002+00:002014-01-11T16:03:19.215+00:00Quote of the Week Review: Ted (2012)<h3>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">By Ben Hanna</span></h3>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"> <span style="font-size: large;">"F*** you, thunder! / You can suck my d***! / You can't get me thunder / 'Cause you're just God's farts!" </span></span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Seth MacFarlane is best known for directing, creating and writing the popular animated television series, <i>Family Guy</i>. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>Ted</i> is MacFarlane’s first feature length film and so was highly anticipated by fans of his acclaimed television series. The film begins in Boston where we are told the story of a young boy without friends who for Christmas day, opens up a present containing Ted, his new life-long best friend. After making a wish that Ted would come to life and be his best friend for ever, which is exactly what happens.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8GcNUljYTwD2JgRg_EuHpEjdhp6uBmu1McsCZOj0217TAGNqd9Q0OZ5-OlIIEJ6qEg0ol4vhH62a_d-1QLJjc3CmnI3GvYWfY2Z4Vo6G7jYD8beYG9ciYERj_0jZVB57rM8g00phEPqg/s1600/ted-image04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8GcNUljYTwD2JgRg_EuHpEjdhp6uBmu1McsCZOj0217TAGNqd9Q0OZ5-OlIIEJ6qEg0ol4vhH62a_d-1QLJjc3CmnI3GvYWfY2Z4Vo6G7jYD8beYG9ciYERj_0jZVB57rM8g00phEPqg/s1600/ted-image04.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I've met stranger shop assistants if I'm honest.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We’re moved 27 years into the future, John (Mark Wahlberg) is 35 with a girlfriend called Lori (Mila Kunis) a dead-end job as a car salesman and his best friend Ted (Seth MacFarlane). The actors picked for these roles were selected well, Mark Wahlberg and Mila Kunis did a great job at making their characters believable and relatable. However, when it comes to the bear I felt kind of lost. Ted never had a clear idea of what he was doing and just seemed to follow John around like a lost puppy.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The story is set in motion but unfortunately lacks a really strong narrative and eventually becomes a bit silly, John finds it very difficult to stop playing with his teddy bear and grow up but this could however add to the comedic value of the film. I found myself in hysterics from beginning to end because Seth really understands how to make a joke, given his previous work with <i>Family Guy</i> and <i>American Dad</i>. A lot of the one liners used in the film really make the entire thing funny. So if you are a fan of Seth and his work, this is a definite must-see.</span></div>
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</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Overall, </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ted </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">contains some hilarious scenes that will have you in stitches and is definitely worth the watch if you’re staying home for a night in. Just make sure your sense of humour stayed home with you, this one isn't for the faint of heart.</span></span><br />
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<br />Re-view Filmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10253466777727055669noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8873902884255673594.post-5302956673571010082013-12-25T00:04:00.000+00:002014-03-08T00:22:12.819+00:00The 12 Films of Christmas: Jingle All the Way (1996)<h3>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">By Thomas Broome-Jones</span></h3>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Yes, I'm actually recommending this. <i>Jingle All the Way</i> stars dear old Arnie as a father who must scour Minnesota to find a sold-out "Turbo Man" toy for his son, who is played by Jake Lloyd, otherwise known as Anakin Skywalker in <i>Star Wars</i> <i>Episode I</i>: <i>The Phantom Menace</i>, what a great start we're off to.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFW6rFGsqqhGysRyO_H5PJREVW0GAU42q1dw-XGPuHzd0e_rAS6RzHHipVHwOuj71M43ky0fw6G3Terg5zYNGhsA1Z2m8BxCeg0SHlliWIn1e2Y_qjMi4VPsC5uCCxyUu8sd3trTCQ-To/s1600/713363-968full_jingle_all_the_way_screenshot.jpg.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFW6rFGsqqhGysRyO_H5PJREVW0GAU42q1dw-XGPuHzd0e_rAS6RzHHipVHwOuj71M43ky0fw6G3Terg5zYNGhsA1Z2m8BxCeg0SHlliWIn1e2Y_qjMi4VPsC5uCCxyUu8sd3trTCQ-To/s320/713363-968full_jingle_all_the_way_screenshot.jpg.png" height="170" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Hands up if you just do it for the money nowadays."</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">I'd place this film in the "so bad it's good" category. It's a really poor film, hammy acting, stiff dialog, cliches, unfunny jokes, it doesn't really have much going for it. However the pure level of how stupid this film is makes it enjoyable, much like a personal favourite of mine, <i>The Room</i>, you'll laugh at how truly awful it is.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">I don't want to spoil it for you because you just need to see the progression of how bad it really does get, but the highlight for me is Arnie knocking out a reindeer. You read that correctly, Arnie punches a reindeer in the face, if that doesn't sell the film to you then I don't know what will.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">A poor film that has acquired a cult following from its unintentional hilarity, this will remind you how lucky we really are to have brilliant Christmas films to fall back on, and will undoubtedly find a place in your heart, maybe just not the right place. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Thomas Broome-Jones is on Twitter, you can follow him <a href="https://twitter.com/TBroomey" target="_blank">@TBroomey</a>. </span></b> </span>Re-view Filmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10253466777727055669noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8873902884255673594.post-52325569031100735232013-12-23T23:46:00.000+00:002013-12-23T23:46:38.832+00:00The 12 Films of Christmas: The Snowman (1982)<h3>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">By Thomas Broome-Jones</span></h3>
<span style="font-size: small;">I don't think you can claim to love Christmas unless it has been accompanied at least once with <i>The Snowman</i></span> in your household.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8WpgYTLo9PPdLqSscpfc2k_n45evyvy4eBVZSqt2m9HHqe7AJxlOYOZ5eS5bY2KYEor8EJ9NL5DGM7IWzH26xPsJlKRatTHaFx_DLXzp7EtQB3uzwyDeIIBnLHyauPngeXPbWWmc8WL8/s1600/the-snowman-cartoon-by-raymond-briggs-993406246-187604.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8WpgYTLo9PPdLqSscpfc2k_n45evyvy4eBVZSqt2m9HHqe7AJxlOYOZ5eS5bY2KYEor8EJ9NL5DGM7IWzH26xPsJlKRatTHaFx_DLXzp7EtQB3uzwyDeIIBnLHyauPngeXPbWWmc8WL8/s320/the-snowman-cartoon-by-raymond-briggs-993406246-187604.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Superman's stand-in when Clark is on his Christmas break.</td></tr>
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A film that can reduce me to tears if I'm suffering from a combination of loneliness and Pepsi withdrawal, this short animated film is a classic and a staple of British culture. There is no dialogue, only music and gorgeous hand-drawn animation, almost as if the pages from the book have been put in motion on screen, which is of course the real benefit of such animation.<br />
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It goes without saying that this is a recommendation, it's less than half an hour long so it won't disrupt your day terribly. Anyway, it's Christmas, why are you worried about getting stuff done? It's the one day of the year when you have an excuse to spend your evening doing whatever you want.<br />
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I recommend watching this with your family, crack out some chocolate and whatever you choose to quench your thirst with and be lost in the wonder and amazement of the simple story of a snowman that comes to life. Simply put, this film IS Christmas. I love it so much that instead of a trailer, here, here's the whole gosh darn thing, enjoy!<br />
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<b>Thomas Broome-Jones is on Twitter, you can follow him <a href="https://twitter.com/TBroomey" target="_blank">@TBroomey</a>.</b>Re-view Filmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10253466777727055669noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8873902884255673594.post-24720748903358426972013-12-23T01:32:00.000+00:002013-12-23T01:32:45.314+00:00The 12 Films of Christmas: Trading Places (1983)<h3>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">By Thomas Broome-Jones</span></h3>
<span style="font-size: small;">Good ol' John Landis is one of the greatest comedy directors of all-time and he has two real classics under his belt, <i>Animal House </i>and <i>Trading Places</i>, the latter of which is a Christmas film, so I'm happy to recommend it.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib5HHKXm_cJd7cbw-kObSXmrnh2JksgNUdtdHjXNnJygwLRZt0Mqn9mb7t0cAm4KeJTvAkTlAd9Ae1_RoP-JNvTpi07WQKkEq7mMxIMPpPKN5QJmSKAOSLib3hW-IaVG5bBEnJ1DgEYHk/s1600/Trading-Places.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib5HHKXm_cJd7cbw-kObSXmrnh2JksgNUdtdHjXNnJygwLRZt0Mqn9mb7t0cAm4KeJTvAkTlAd9Ae1_RoP-JNvTpi07WQKkEq7mMxIMPpPKN5QJmSKAOSLib3hW-IaVG5bBEnJ1DgEYHk/s320/Trading-Places.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This short sequence is better than the entire film of <i>Bad Santa</i>.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: small;">One of the best comedy films ever made, it tells the story of two men on opposite ends of the social scale, who, thanks to a wager made by two socialites, unwittingly trade places, swapping every aspect of their lives. Dan Aykroyd </span>is a wealthy elitist and Eddie Murphy a down-and-out tramp.<br />
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The real comedy gold in this film lies in Murphy and Aykroyd's chemistry, they're electric and the film really kicks in when they become aware of the wager and team up. But it's all just as funny when they're not the best of friends. There is a particularly brilliant and famous one-liner which involves Aykroyd dropping the N-bomb without realizing Murphy's presence, making for one of the most awkward moments in cinematic history.<br />
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If you haven't watched this film yet then you should, it's side-splittingly funny with charm and heart. Murphy and Aykroyd turn in career-best performances here as this was when they were both very much in their primes. <i>The Blues Brothers</i> had established Aykroyd as a force to be reckoned with and 1983 served as the real break-out year for Murphy, with his stand-up video <i>Delirious</i> coming out within months of <i>Trading Places</i>, this is an example of two comic actors at the top of their game doing what they do best, making you laugh.<br />
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<b>Thomas Broome-Jones is on Twitter, you can follow him <a href="https://twitter.com/TBroomey" target="_blank">@TBroomey</a>.</b>Re-view Filmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10253466777727055669noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8873902884255673594.post-68086707932134625592013-12-21T18:41:00.001+00:002013-12-21T18:41:34.567+00:00The 12 Films of Christmas: Scrooged (1988)<h3>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">By Thomas Broome-Jones</span></h3>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">This </span></span>Christmas film is actually pretty scary but is ultimately hilarious and heart-warming. It's essentially a modern-retelling of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, something that's been done a thousand times I know, but this is one of the best adaptations in my mind.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYonKjKxGYO5RwSonwfX1jYtPzxVAtEHMCsAF9VhMQ621r1cdZmEjS8_xRAiydJACwoReZLPagQcyRk-lKfEwSn2yvAAr64Nk9QElD0zRravW_QB9tdO76lgZCYYuAk4hucpNiMszKk5s/s1600/10030738_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYonKjKxGYO5RwSonwfX1jYtPzxVAtEHMCsAF9VhMQ621r1cdZmEjS8_xRAiydJACwoReZLPagQcyRk-lKfEwSn2yvAAr64Nk9QElD0zRravW_QB9tdO76lgZCYYuAk4hucpNiMszKk5s/s320/10030738_2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Who you gonna call? Yourself, actually.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<i>Scrooged </i>follows TV executive Frank Cross, played by the legendary Bill Murray. He's Scrooge in ecery way, grumpy, miserable, cruel, despised, stingy and hates Christmas. You all know the rest of the story, 3 spirits, life lessons, bad guy turns himself around, yada, yada, yada.<br />
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Bill Murray is one of my favourite actors of all-time, I'd have to rank him as the greatest comic actor ever, even above giants such as Robin Williams and Jerry Lewis. He carries this film and his comic timing is perfect as ever. He creates a memorable character in a film which is basically <i>Groundhog Day</i> if it were written by Charles Dickens.<br />
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A funny heart warmer that's pretty lewd in places but is on the whole a real riot, especially when Murray meets Death, but you'll have to watch it to find out. <i>Scrooged</i> is worth a slot in your Christmas films list.<br />
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<b><br />Thomas Broome-Jones is on Twitter, you can follow him <a href="https://twitter.com/TBroomey" target="_blank">@TBroomey</a>.</b>Re-view Filmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10253466777727055669noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8873902884255673594.post-7990338114545642172013-12-20T23:30:00.000+00:002013-12-20T23:33:53.185+00:00The 12 Films of Christmas: Batman Returns (1992)<h3>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">By Thomas Broome-Jones</span></h3>
<span style="font-size: small;">I love the fact that Batman has a Christmas film, primarily because I get to recommend it. This is definitely the darkest entry in the live-action Batman film franchise and is actually a pretty depressing film.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-5kvzyHJv21Zi7l-QPUiXFyhSq1XSgwnEY9w77PMla0ORFpAHUHhORA11GokGpazOH4ga2H9Ja0jvtaXgMlgpGZ0PRfZCUcZ0FjJSbrJFcJMLmLUM-69Wh85ILPGpCgkzlJWCGBz0K7M/s1600/236809-batmanreturns_bluray__7_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-5kvzyHJv21Zi7l-QPUiXFyhSq1XSgwnEY9w77PMla0ORFpAHUHhORA11GokGpazOH4ga2H9Ja0jvtaXgMlgpGZ0PRfZCUcZ0FjJSbrJFcJMLmLUM-69Wh85ILPGpCgkzlJWCGBz0K7M/s320/236809-batmanreturns_bluray__7_.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Neither of them are happy<b> </b>at the casting of Ben Affleck, it seems.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: small;">So why recommend it? Well, BECAUSE IT'S BATMAN! I'm a tad biased when it comes to The Caped Crusader and this is one of the better Batman films for me. Bruce Wayne locks up with The Penguin, played by Danny De Vito who is perfectly cast and was seriously overlooked in the awards department, it's hard to tell it even is dear old Danny as he's underneath so many prosthetics and</span> so much make-up. Michelle Pfeiffer also portrays Selina Kyle, or Catwoman as she's better known and totally makes the role her own, it's a real shame the planned spin-off featuring her character never came to fruition.<br />
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This is a dark and sometimes pretty disturbing Batman film but still, it's Batman and it's set at Christmas, so watch it, enjoy it and admire what is one of my favourite Tim Burton and Batman films.<br />
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<b>Thomas Broome-Jones is on Twitter, you can follow him <a href="https://twitter.com/TBroomey" target="_blank">@TBroomey</a>.</b>Re-view Filmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10253466777727055669noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8873902884255673594.post-42929889632383702462013-12-20T00:42:00.003+00:002013-12-20T00:43:41.847+00:00The 12 Films of Christmas: Lethal Weapon (1987)<h3>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">By Thomas Broome-Jones</span></h3>
<span style="font-size: small;">In case you haven't quite worked it out yet, I'm a fan of unconventional Christmas films. <i>Lethal Weapon</i> is an all-time action classic and one that I think holds up very well.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">The set-up is simple and effective, and old cop (Danny Glover) is paired with a new young hotshot (Mel Gibson) and they have to beat </span>the bad guy together, it's easy to understand and is executed perfectly.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWIJstuscNjU5EfJAVqexuutHZ6C8mfwwkBaoV9kdgcLLkMm6uSGDzl6Th_QhztOAV7jX_uDJ-hrcNH5kqcMNbqyYk36eB-kp6Ryi7zaj0eZXvjj9bRFSSQwZ0D41DRSYAOEuO7B0oDOo/s1600/tumblr_kp3m88Wrhf1qzhpp2o1_400.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWIJstuscNjU5EfJAVqexuutHZ6C8mfwwkBaoV9kdgcLLkMm6uSGDzl6Th_QhztOAV7jX_uDJ-hrcNH5kqcMNbqyYk36eB-kp6Ryi7zaj0eZXvjj9bRFSSQwZ0D41DRSYAOEuO7B0oDOo/s320/tumblr_kp3m88Wrhf1qzhpp2o1_400.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I think Glover only just realized that Gibson's a racist.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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I'm a big fan of Danny Glover, I think he's a good actor with real charm and charisma, I mean he pretty much carried <i>Predator 2</i> and has demonstrated both comic and straight acting abilities. He can be funny when he wants to and he can be serious when he wants to, an invaluable talent for any actor.<br />
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This film was also made before Mel Gibson went absolutely bonkers and is one of his best performances, him and Glover have wicked chemistry and both portray likable characters that can more than handle themselves.<br />
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The action is just the right kind of testosterone-fueled action junkie gun porn fare for all to enjoy. Although this most definitely isn't fun for all the family, that is unless your family enjoys electric shock torture.<br />
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If you're looking for an unconventional Christmas film to watch this year and have just done <i>Die Hard</i> far too many times, then this is the one for you.<br />
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<b>Thomas Broome-Jones is on Twitter, you can follow him <a href="https://twitter.com/TBroomey" target="_blank">@TBroomey</a>.</b>Re-view Filmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10253466777727055669noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8873902884255673594.post-78347814661220151272013-12-18T21:45:00.001+00:002013-12-18T21:45:35.119+00:00The 12 Films of Christmas: Elf (2003)<h3>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">By Chloe Burrell</span></h3>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span data-measureme="1"><span class="null">This is a feel-good film
that brings unheeded Christmas cheer no matter what mood you find
yourself in at the beginning. Completely silly and truly heartwarming, I
don’t think I’d be able to go a year without watching this cracker.
From the extremely genius actor/director/producer, Jon Favreau, this is a
film about a misfit human/elf who is sent to New York to re-discover
his 'inner human’, stumbling upon a few hiccups (or should I say burps)
along his merry way. </span></span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibJqr16K2SsMVI6gcZ3FY_inECWNN90jeSdnqnd5xNsogg1mIqS5YiUxwYMHvG1wx592zwZvQHlDA5Ws1NHOOEohziJ_GIeKoYqMQAvG1BhdoIfA7YoN27DZJOA5W8fbNFnzoc9dzNqxA/s1600/2003_elf_002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibJqr16K2SsMVI6gcZ3FY_inECWNN90jeSdnqnd5xNsogg1mIqS5YiUxwYMHvG1wx592zwZvQHlDA5Ws1NHOOEohziJ_GIeKoYqMQAvG1BhdoIfA7YoN27DZJOA5W8fbNFnzoc9dzNqxA/s320/2003_elf_002.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This probably isn't too far removed from what school was actually like for Will Ferrell.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span data-measureme="1"><span class="null">Buddy is a character that everyone, even Scrooge and the Grinch no
doubt, could find a soft spot for in their heart. Excitable, loving and
completely sociably inept, you’ll spend the whole film in fits of
laughter and totally cringing, but never ever falling out of love with
this elf-ified BFG. It’s no surprise either, with the god of American
comedy, Will Ferrell, bringing the character
to life, and the adorable Zooey Deschanel making an appearance beside him
too. It’s a wholly charming, sat-in-a-blanket-with-the-family Christmas
must-see film that won’t be coming off my festive film list for many
years to come. I think it’s fair to say, good things do
occasionally come in big packages.</span></span></span><br />
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Re-view Filmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10253466777727055669noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8873902884255673594.post-15661039707134085152013-12-17T21:56:00.004+00:002013-12-17T21:57:01.941+00:00The 12 Films of Christmas: National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (1989)<h3>
<span data-measureme="1"><span class="null"><span style="font-size: x-small;">By Sean McDonnell </span></span></span></h3>
<span data-measureme="1"><span class="null">Now here is a Christmas film
which I watch every year and will never EVER get bored of. Written by
the great John Hughes, <i>National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation</i> follows the
adventures of Clark Griswold (Chevy Chase) and his family in Chicago as
they prepare for a “good old fashioned family Christmas” with various
relatives who visit, like gossiping grandparents and homeless cousins.
However, Clark must encounter several slight errors in preparation in
the funniest ways which includes a Christmas tree, thousands upon
thousands of fairy lights, a sled and my personal favourite...a
squirrel!<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_K9AluDIXnkHzwgOuLztHxwkS3UtxCxdLd_EhtpoEjxD_6kGoRCzASt5LGQhVexdSc1ucQjObCu7wngg9_i1wyyZmNAFSH3GFjTKKS0a5-o39lSSPcLqeQqGiwt0xI_3aPpubmSoxUfE/s1600/204_3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_K9AluDIXnkHzwgOuLztHxwkS3UtxCxdLd_EhtpoEjxD_6kGoRCzASt5LGQhVexdSc1ucQjObCu7wngg9_i1wyyZmNAFSH3GFjTKKS0a5-o39lSSPcLqeQqGiwt0xI_3aPpubmSoxUfE/s320/204_3.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span data-measureme="1"><span class="null">So it turns out Clark is the original Jason Voorhees. Not really Christmassy, is it?</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span data-measureme="1"><span class="null">This is a film which I’ve always thought to be very special for the
National Lampoon film franchise. It is beyond funny and is a perfect
film for all the family in the lead up to Christmas Day. It is a very
interesting take on a festive season and the ‘perfect’ suburban family
because the dialogue is just so brilliant like Clark having quite a
cheeky yet very delightful personality who really is desperate to remain
positive and grandparents from both sides of the Griswold family
bickering over each other on a daily basis on who has contributed more
to the family. All whilst the wife, the son and the daughter try and
figure out what the heck is going on! </span></span><br />
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<span data-measureme="1"><span class="null"><i>National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation</i> is a film which will always remain
one of my favourite films with the hilarious Clark getting beaten down
by so many dangerous things and thankfully, always getting back up,
having a smile on his face and proudly hates whoever gets in his way. A
joy to watch again and again!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="null"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span class="null">Sean McDonnell is <span style="font-family: inherit;">on Twitter, you can follow him <a href="https://twitter.com/seanmcdonnell_" target="_blank">@seanmcdonnell_</a>.</span> </span></b></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="null"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span class="null">Sean also has his own blog, which you can find <a href="http://seanreviewsfilms.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">here</a>.</span></b></span> </span></span> </span></span></span></span></span>Re-view Filmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10253466777727055669noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8873902884255673594.post-34548065674642521442013-12-16T21:09:00.000+00:002013-12-16T21:09:15.509+00:00The 12 Films of Christmas: Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992)<h3>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">By Ben Hanna</span></h3>
<span data-measureme="1"><span class="null"><i>Home Alone 2 </i>is the sequel to a film that I’m sure we can all agree is wonderful Christmas film,
<i>Home Alone</i>, but this time on a much larger scale. Kevin McCallister is
going away with his family to France where they will spend Christmas, but instead finds himself on a flight to New York once again left behind
to fend for his own in the big bad city.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgij9tDiWIrEOVeIns9Rrz5XFj0WxzRSwgo_4F-SkCtHOaYxUcehtlRJTVNjGsps2m_Frii3VkPPBYyYS7tt9a3yDOJuNR5iMVjzsp8woydmIgZwiQZreaVbd2N5hux4Bq4HTiSn7Hjj1Y/s1600/image.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgij9tDiWIrEOVeIns9Rrz5XFj0WxzRSwgo_4F-SkCtHOaYxUcehtlRJTVNjGsps2m_Frii3VkPPBYyYS7tt9a3yDOJuNR5iMVjzsp8woydmIgZwiQZreaVbd2N5hux4Bq4HTiSn7Hjj1Y/s320/image.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Do you think he's seen a picture of what he looks like now?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span data-measureme="1"><span class="null">Although Kevin initially begins to enjoy himself, using his father's
credit card to check into a very large and fancy hotel, making his way
through an extremely large children's store and having the freedom to do
as he wishes, it all comes to an end as we discover the bad guys from
the first film are here in New York as well. This is one of the
things I love about this film, it covers everything a child would want,
getting away from his mean old parents and doing things his way! A film
that I think every child can relate to and yet still manages to make
adults laugh with its funny jokes, witty actors and hilariously awful
robbers.</span></span><br />
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<span data-measureme="1"><span class="null"><i>Home Alone 2</i> is perfect for a cold night in with the family, some hot
chocolate and marshmallows. If this film doesn’t warm your heart, then
I’m sure the hot chocolate will.</span></span><br />
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Re-view Filmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10253466777727055669noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8873902884255673594.post-41010750118830337132013-12-16T20:24:00.000+00:002013-12-16T20:25:09.594+00:00The 12 Films of Christmas: The Muppets Christmas Carol (1992)<h3>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"> By Sean McDonnell</span></h3>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"></span><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span data-measureme="1"><span class="null">Moving on from the great
<i>Gremlins</i> is a film which I obsessed over on VHS as a child. Oh of course
I would...it’s the merry Muppets in the joyous and hilarious re-telling
of Charles Dickens' classic tale, A Christmas Carol.</span></span></span><br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx3Q6pGylBfB_QsnBrmp60ZN98TnGMytqIpYqztdq87qnum2dhCHB2xiSAWvpE06Bmd9-esJZWcfqyzaff0iuMt7hqCPeLEK6aAdITDDS8GgE0XnRxngCao11hiulX2aMc6WlxoGffNyc/s1600/muppets_christmas_carol_11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx3Q6pGylBfB_QsnBrmp60ZN98TnGMytqIpYqztdq87qnum2dhCHB2xiSAWvpE06Bmd9-esJZWcfqyzaff0iuMt7hqCPeLEK6aAdITDDS8GgE0XnRxngCao11hiulX2aMc6WlxoGffNyc/s320/muppets_christmas_carol_11.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span data-measureme="1"><span class="null"> Wait...What's Hagrid doing in The Muppets?!</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span data-measureme="1"><span class="null">Directed by Brian Henson, son of the late Muppet creator Jim Henson, the
Muppets take you on a journey into 19th century London with Charles
Dickens himself (otherwise known as Gonzo the Great!) telling the tale
of Ebenezer “Humbug” Scrooge (Michael Caine) as he encounters
ghosts...and lots and lots and LOTS of charming, humorous and smart
Muppets! The film is without a shadow of a doubt, hilarious and I
guarantee will make anyone laugh out loud!</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span data-measureme="1"><span class="null">I saw this film yesterday for the first time in 10 years at the Prince
Charles Cinema in Leicester Square (highly recommend a visit!) who
offered a sing-a-long to film (they were even so kind to provide
subtitles, presents to audience members AND even screened the moving
song “When Love Is Gone” via VHS since it was sadly cut from the
theatrical version). How did I feel after it? I must admit, very
euphoric! This was always a favourite film of mine as a child and really
took me back to the festive season over 10 years ago! This is a film
which I will recommend to anyone which is touching, very funny and will
make you realize the importance of Christmas for everyone!</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="null"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span class="null">Sean McDonnell is <span style="font-family: inherit;">on Twitter, you can follow him <a href="https://twitter.com/seanmcdonnell_" target="_blank">@seanmcdonnell_</a>.</span> </span></b></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="null"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span class="null">Sean also has his own blog, which you can find <a href="http://seanreviewsfilms.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">here</a>.</span></b></span> </span></span> </span></span></span>Re-view Filmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10253466777727055669noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8873902884255673594.post-85779126031731139412013-12-14T17:27:00.001+00:002013-12-14T17:27:29.662+00:00The 12 Films of Christmas: Gremlins (1984)<h3>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">By Thomas Broome-Jones</span></h3>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span>Next on our Christmas agenda is a film that I enjoy watching with my family on a regular Holiday basis, <i>Gremlins</i>.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dobby fell on hard times after being given his freedom.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Directed by Joe Dante and written by Chris Columbus of <i>Harry Potter </i>fame, as well as executive producer Steven Spielberg of...well, Steven Spielberg fame, comes this pretty dark horror comedy film that sees adorable fuzzy creatures known as mogwais turn into pure evil gremlins if they are fed after midnight.<br />
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I'm sure you all know the premise, this is one of my favourite Christmas films because of how fun it is. The Gremlins may kill people and commit all manner of horrendous disturbances of the peace, but they go about it in such a comic manner that can't help but laugh. The charm of the set pieces and snappy screenwriting make this enjoyable for the whole family.<br />
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Despite being a pretty sinister picture and a legit horror film, I watched this when I was a kid and loved it. It's definitely something kids will enjoy and I can't recommend it enough. Essential Christmas viewing that will get you in the festive spirit, guaranteed!<br />
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<b>Thomas Broome-Jones is on Twitter, you can follow him <a href="https://twitter.com/TBroomey" target="_blank">@TBroomey</a>.</b>Re-view Filmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10253466777727055669noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8873902884255673594.post-40012253014661648812013-12-13T22:40:00.000+00:002013-12-14T17:31:46.640+00:00The 12 Films of Christmas: Die Hard (1988)<h3>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">By Thomas Broome-Jones</span></h3>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">This is the first of our "12 Films</span></span> </span>of Christmas" feature to help get you all into the Christmas Spirit! Every day from now up until Christmas Day, there will be a recommendation of a personal favourite Christmas film of the team.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik7SmMdMIJuRpbo9IL1angyRLOcTmKxGllhLrO7Sno7fxC-5JGhWclnahfM7EeRaEy3kQgBGWWFvGutrlYkYVT9YvOcPIELpfBcl6L-WBFOx0oZVe7aTov8E-9CRhXmwOdxzaHNWcEITU/s1600/die-hard-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik7SmMdMIJuRpbo9IL1angyRLOcTmKxGllhLrO7Sno7fxC-5JGhWclnahfM7EeRaEy3kQgBGWWFvGutrlYkYVT9YvOcPIELpfBcl6L-WBFOx0oZVe7aTov8E-9CRhXmwOdxzaHNWcEITU/s1600/die-hard-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Don't be fooled by Lenny Henry, Bruce, NEVER book with Premier Inn.</td></tr>
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I've chosen one of the best action films ever made, <i>Die Hard</i>, and before anyone tells me otherwise, this <i>is </i>a Christmas film. It's set at Christmas and is all about a man being inconvenienced when he just wants to spend time with his family for Christmas, sure that inconvenience is the building he's in being taken over by terrorists but that's hardly the point, is it?<br />
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Bruce Willis is at his absolute best here, dirty vest and all, as he butts heads with absolute nutter Hans Gruber, played by the immortal Alan Rickman. When these two aren't owning the screen with their wit, they're owning it by being pure badasses in every sense of the word.<br />
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Awesome action, awesome stunts and top-notch performances of charisma, this is one of the my favourite Christmas films and I urge you to watch it before the 25th arrives!<br />
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<b>Thomas Broome-Jones is on Twitter, you can follow him <a href="https://twitter.com/TBroomey" target="_blank">@TBroomey</a>.</b>Re-view Filmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10253466777727055669noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8873902884255673594.post-90636204337054568182013-12-12T21:49:00.000+00:002013-12-12T21:50:21.611+00:00From the Vault Reviews: The Third Man (1949)<h3>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">By Sean McDonnell</span></span></h3>
<div class="_38 direction_ltr">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="null">Orson Welles moved
on from his magnum opus (hint: “Rosebud”) to something completely
different from any other film noir I’ve ever seen. <i>The Third Man</i> is a
stunning collaboration between the great Welles, director Carol Reed
(known for the Oscar winning <i>Oliver!</i>), novelist Graham Greene as
the screenwriter and finally...who can forget Anton Karas as the
writer and performer of the score? His weapon of choice being the very
Austrian zither. This is a film which was way ahead of its time just
like the German expressionists of the 20s, Fritz Lang is an obvious
auteur with his experimental use of sound in <i>M</i>.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyu-PrBdGAyoktYSGgGSvhPLvzXdoL1WT_Ci9I2rDZkFVEi0xxNtSzHpdzFYNbwvNAYyAnOdgR2-hQaDGRHJQI5Bw-z9e2jGS9ewuDyI7oWk1fzui91dLixsxqH2KkY7isrRa0KnGEjdE/s1600/rsz_screenshot-lrg-25.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyu-PrBdGAyoktYSGgGSvhPLvzXdoL1WT_Ci9I2rDZkFVEi0xxNtSzHpdzFYNbwvNAYyAnOdgR2-hQaDGRHJQI5Bw-z9e2jGS9ewuDyI7oWk1fzui91dLixsxqH2KkY7isrRa0KnGEjdE/s320/rsz_screenshot-lrg-25.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="null">Shadows certainly love to blend with Austrian architecture!</span></span></td></tr>
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<i>The Third Man</i>
concerns an American pulp novelist named Holly Martins (Joseph Cotten)
who arrives in Allied-occupied Vienna seeking his old friend Harry Lime
(Orson Welles) who has offered him a job, only to discover that Lime was
killed by a car whilst crossing the street a few days before. The
question is...how did Lime really die? This is the question which
prompts Martins to investigate into Lime’s business all while the Brits
tell him to clear off back to the States and Harry’s girlfriend Anna
(Alida Valli) remains suspicious of Martins' actions. Martins soon
discovers dark secrets about Lime’s line of work and his death.<br />
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Where
do I start to emphasize how beautiful this film is? Well, firstly the
cinematography by Robert Krasker is possibly one of the best examples of
camerawork I’ve ever seen! Krasker frequently uses the Dutch tilt angle
technique, whereby the camera is tilted off to one side, offering to the
audience Martins' alienation in a foreign environment. The use of this
expressionist technique really reminded of the great German horror <i>The
Cabinet of Dr. Caligari</i> and the unease that it created as much as <i>The
Third Man</i>. The performances are also outstanding and should be greatly
admired, Cotten and Valli portray two foreigners struggling to survive,
one with a desire to discover whilst one has a desire to remain silent. Welles
doesn’t enter the film until roughly an hour in, but when he does, it’s
probably one of the greatest entrances in all of cinema. I won’t go
into detail (my apologies in advance!) but you just have to see it for
yourself, there is perfect use of cinematography, mise-en-scene and
lighting! It all works so well within that scene, I was simply amazed at
how the crew captured the sense of surprise within Cotten’s fantastic
performance. Welles of course offers a very sinister yet stunning
performance as Lime who reveals much more than one can really handle to
the true purpose of his work, if you can call it that! The music by Karas
is without question one of the best examples of film scoring because
it’s just so simple and fits in with the setting of post-WWII Vienna,
offering a jangled sense of desperation which is repeated throughout the
film as the theme of Lime. A very pleasing film, <i>The Third Man</i>
remains thrilling today as it was 64 years ago and is certainly one of
the prime examples of film noir!<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="null"><br />
<b><i><span style="font-size: small;">The Third Man</span></i><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="null"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="null"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="null"> is available in the College Library in a 1 disc edition format, it has a PG certificate.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></b></span></span> <br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="null"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span class="null">Sean McDonnell is <span style="font-family: inherit;">on Twitter, you can follow him <a href="https://twitter.com/seanmcdonnell_" target="_blank">@seanmcdonnell_</a>.</span> </span></b></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="null"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span class="null">Sean also has his own blog, which you can find <a href="http://seanreviewsfilms.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">here</a>.</span></b></span> </span></span><br />
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Re-view Filmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10253466777727055669noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8873902884255673594.post-88510142390843924062013-12-11T22:06:00.003+00:002013-12-12T11:50:32.122+00:00Quote of the Week Review: Infernal Affairs (2002)<h3>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">By Thomas Broome-Jones</span></span></h3>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: large;">"I can't finish the novel, I don't know whether he's good or bad" </span></span></span></h2>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The film that was remade into Martin Scorsese's Academy Award-winning
2006 crime thriller <i>The Departed</i>, <i>Infernal Affairs</i> is a
tightly-edited, strongly-written masterpiece of kinetic storytelling.</span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
The story concerns a cop who is sent undercover in the Triads and a
Triad who is sent undercover in the cops, both organizations find out
they have moles and each mole is tasked with the job of finding the
other. Their paths will cross at key points in the film and add an extra
layer of tension in situations where the audience will know the truth
but the characters will not.</span></span>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis3Do17TIsmoguFzLwn4gN8kuComZGi8PoOtRYQePsLKFyjVHuHfQKo16maoImOHafbfWQHGs4eYS_86b5kWi4ujej-psJlJe4hiMW-5E3-aW71KZFYGZNa5TKhtRAx8QFHaUJKlk0Vqc/s1600/infernal-affairs-image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis3Do17TIsmoguFzLwn4gN8kuComZGi8PoOtRYQePsLKFyjVHuHfQKo16maoImOHafbfWQHGs4eYS_86b5kWi4ujej-psJlJe4hiMW-5E3-aW71KZFYGZNa5TKhtRAx8QFHaUJKlk0Vqc/s320/infernal-affairs-image.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Where loyalties lie: Which one of these is the bad guy?</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
The editing in this film is incredible, it leaves a trail-blaze of
energy as the film bursts through the narrative, hitting you with blow
after blow and twist after twist. This contains all of the high
production standards that you would expect from an American thriller,
but the fresh insight into another nation's police force and criminal
underworld is welcoming. Gone are the old tropes of watching New York's
finest trying to take down the mob, no, this is Hong Kong police vs
Triads, two groups whose methods differ hugely from their American
counterparts.</span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
Human morality plays a key part in this film as both main characters
will have their loyalty put to the ultimate test and you will sometimes
forget they're moles and will unwillingly root for the bad guy. I
preferred the acting in this film when compared to <i>The Departed</i>,
whilst I did love Leonardo DiCaprio I never really bought into Matt
Damon as an Irish mobster, probably because he had a pretty unconvincing
accent. All of the key scenes from <i>The Departed</i> are present but in a
different order and the pacing is much quicker, likely due to the film's
shorter run-time.</span></span>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
There was a distinct lack of character development in this film and <i>The
Departed</i> very much handled the character relationships more
effectively. But 'The Departed' did have a longer run-time to work with,
in fact it was a full 50 minutes longer. This lack of development did
bother me towards the end but in retrospect the strength of the script
and the tension that is created more than made up for it.</span></span>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
Even though I knew what the plot twist was having <i>The Departed</i>,
it was handled much better in 'Infernal Affairs' and felt like a more
important moment. The supporting character equivalents were pretty much
all the same, aside from the fact that Jack Nicholson's mob boss in 'The
Departed' got more development. Although I must say I did prefer Mark
Wahlberg's character, Staff Sergeant Dignam, in <i>The Departed</i>, the key
part his character plays in the ending was added in by Scorsese. In
fact, the films both have two completely different endings, although I
do prefer '<i>Infernal Affairs</i>'s ending personally.</span></span>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
Overall, an exhilarating watch fueled with great writing, interesting
humanistic themes and tension you could cut with a knife. I recommend
this to both fans of <i>The Departed</i> and people who haven't seen either, a
brilliant film. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="reveal" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; line-height: 21px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"><b>Thomas Broome-Jones is on Twitter, you can follow him <a href="https://twitter.com/TBroomey" target="_blank">@TBroomey</a>.</b></span></span></span> </span></span>Re-view Filmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10253466777727055669noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8873902884255673594.post-50052600537474123272013-12-09T21:25:00.002+00:002013-12-10T22:53:04.278+00:00Will The Death Of Nelson Mandela Bring High Profile To New Biopic And Its Star?<h3>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">By Thomas Broome-Jones</span></span></h3>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Last week, I was lying on my bed just casually surfing the
net when I heard that Nelson Mandela, one of the single most influential
figures of all-time, had passed away at age 95. Because I'm an utter
film nerd, it wasn't long before I started to consider the effect his
passing would have on the new biopic, <i>Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom</i>,
based on Mandela's autobiography of the same name. The film has already
premiered and has actually received a somewhat mixed response from critics, but then so did <i>The Iron Lady</i> and that still won Meryl Streep almost every award under the Sun, including the Oscar.</span><br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaHW4fSYBSqXZA41-HYLxPBdRm7OgyioeH_yL3gKX5jzxTRzF7_T0tEU7c2A7Mclv_BtlOKkIntkHgZNyP1nuMdxTzdILTE1LufhyphenhyphenYHf09b8nZBWkC5OM9KG9pdopPU2oGyd3wJ7cr67s/s1600/o-MANDELA-LONG-WALK-TO-FREEDOM-TRAILER-facebook.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaHW4fSYBSqXZA41-HYLxPBdRm7OgyioeH_yL3gKX5jzxTRzF7_T0tEU7c2A7Mclv_BtlOKkIntkHgZNyP1nuMdxTzdILTE1LufhyphenhyphenYHf09b8nZBWkC5OM9KG9pdopPU2oGyd3wJ7cr67s/s320/o-MANDELA-LONG-WALK-TO-FREEDOM-TRAILER-facebook.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Elba's performance has received universal critical praise.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">We do indeed seem to be in a generation of biopic acclaim, in fact, since 2000, 20 actors, male and female, have won an Oscar across all acting categories for portraying real people out of a possible 52.
That's a pretty large figure in my mind, and whilst Morgan Freeman
didn't manage to net the prized golden statue for his portrayal of
Mandela in the 2009 sports film, <i>Invictus</i>, I believe Idris Elba has a
much better chance of taking home Oscar gold due to the circumstances.
We need only look to the significant amount of hype generated from
Christopher Nolan's 2008 superhero epic, <i>The Dark Knight</i>. <i>Batman Begins</i>,
the first installment in Nolan's acclaimed Batman trilogy, managed to
net just under $375,000,000 at the global box office and received just one Academy Award nomination (for Best Cinematography).
Fast-forward to the build towards its sequel 3 years later and there is
a shock sent throughout the world as the new Joker, Heath Ledger, tragically dies under mysterious drug-related circumstances. <i>The Dark Knight </i>would go on to make over a billion dollars at the box office, becoming the first ever superhero film to do so and was, at the time, the highest-grossing superhero film in history. It also received a whopping eight Academy Award nominations and Ledger completed a posthumous near clean-sweep of the industry's acting awards that year.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Many people,
myself included, believe that a significant amount of <i>The Dark Knight</i>'s
success can be attributed to the highly-publicized death of Heath
Ledger. Now, I know that Idris Elba hasn't died but how many people will
flock to the theatres now to see the film based on the incredible life
of Mandela in his memory? I'm willing to wager a lot. I'm fully aware
that much of <i>The Dark Knight</i>'s Oscar attention came from the fact that it was one of the most highly acclaimed films that year
but as <i>The Iron Lady</i> proves, a tremendous performance will generally
receive attention regardless of the film's critical notoriety. Elba has consistently been touted as the strongest thing about the film
and it isn't surprising, his performances in <i>The Wire</i> and <i>Luther</i>
quickly established him as an incredibly charismatic and gifted actor, the latter winning him a Golden Globe Award.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Immediately
after Mandela's passing was announced, I saw many tweets and Facebook
statuses from people saying how they were going to watch <i>Invictus</i> in
tribute to the man. How fitting then, that a film about his life story
is out. I can see <i>Long Walk to Freedom</i> becoming a runaway box office
success, I wouldn't be at all surprised if it was re-packaged and
marketed as a film dedicated to Mandela's memory. Coupling this
potential high profile with what has been called "a towering performance" and "commanding"
by critics, I think that the balance will tip in Mr. Elba's favour and
that his chance to win The Academy Award for Best Actor just shot up
dramatically.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom </i>is in cinemas now, it has a 12A certificate.</b></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 16px;"><b><span style="background-color: white;">Thomas Broome-Jones is on Twitter, you can follow him <a href="https://twitter.com/TBroomey" target="_blank">@TBroomey</a>.</span></b></span></span></span>Re-view Filmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10253466777727055669noreply@blogger.com0