Film Friday Review: Rush and The Fifth Estate

Rush 

Based on a true story, Rush follows the rivalry between Formula 1 drivers James Hunt and Niki Lauda.

Although Formula 1 and sports-related movies aren’t really my thing, this has been getting fairly good reviews. The trailer looked sufficiently dramatic, and there wasn’t really much else showing of interest. And, y’know, Chris Hemsworth….

The film features mainly on the tension between the two main characters and the differences in their lives and the way they approach racing. Although there was some track action for those who like that, I wouldn’t say it was the main focus of the film. Although at one point I did have to watch through my fingers! 

I have to give the makers of Rush credit for making me want to see something sports related. Although its not something I would watch again, I did enjoy it and it was a lot more dramatic than many sports-related movies! 7/10 stars.

The Fifth Estate

 

The Fifth Estate is also based on a true story; of the scandal behind Wikileaks. 

There were two main reasons I wanted to see this film. 1) I didn’t know much about Wikileaks and thought it was a good opportunity to become a bit more knowledgeable and 2) Benedict Cumberbatch.

 

I felt like the film was good and I definitely came away feeling more informed. Unfortunately, I also felt a little bored. There was next to no action in this film, and no suspense at all.

However, I did come away wanting to find out more about Wikileaks and it did make me think about censorship, and whether revealing secrets (especially those of national security) is a good thing or not. I’m all for free speech, but when it potentially endangers others, especially those undercover, the line becomes very blurry between right and wrong. 7/10 stars.

 

Film Friday Review: About Time

About Time

Time travel and romance? I am SOLD. Regardless of the fact that this has Bill from HP in it ( know, right?!), I was guaranteed to enjoy this romcom. 

When Tim turns 21, his father (Bill Nighy) tells him that he can travel in time. There are rules (aren’t there always?!): he can only travel to somewhere in his lifetime, and can’t go into the future. All he has to do is go into a dark space (generally a cupboard), close his eyes, clench his fists, and imagine the exact time and place he wants to go to. 

Simple right? And, of course, everybodys dream! Tim, bless him, is kind of awkward in a cute sort of a way. I found myself laughing quite a lot through the film when he gets himself into embarrassing situations but (luckily) can save them by escaping into a wardrobe. 

There were also some really sad parts in the film, which I wasn’t really expecting. The whole film dealt with the issue of fate, and what happens if you change one thing but another thing gets worse. Sometimes things happen for a reason, but its how you deal with it afterwards that can help to change the future, not the event itself. 

I think this film made me think more about appreciating the small things, such as saying thank you and smiling to people. While they won’t make a massive difference like ending poverty, it can make a day infinitely better. I think there are many days that I would like to relive in order to change things, but at the end of the day I have no way of knowing whether they will change for the better. For that reason, I think it is just better to try and make each day as good as it can possibly be. 

This film made me giggle and smile, and left me appreciating life that little bit more. For that reason, it gets put in the awesome uplifting film category. 8 stars! 

If you could go back in time, what event would you do differently? 

Film Friday #5

Welcome to my new feature, Film Friday. Here I will recap the films I have watched this week, and ones that I have either discovered or talked about.

Watched:

Erin Brokovich

Made in 2000, this film stars Julia Roberts as an unemployed single mother of three. After hiring herself as a legal assistant, she creates a case against an American power company for polluting a city’s water supply.

I think one of the great things about this movie is that you know it is based on a true story. So every action has more meaning, because its not just some storyline concocted for the movies. When it was over, it left me thinking how similar things happen in society; companies covering things up. One example my friend came up with was the BP oil spill. But share with me if you know of any other films based on a true story (the only other I could think of is Pursuit of Happyness). I think it adds a certain edge to the film.

7/10 stars

The Internship

I have seen the trailer for this a gazillion times so I knew I had to see it. Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson star as two middle aged men who lose their jobs and decide to apply for internships at Google. Once there, they are bundled in a team with other misfits, and have to try and succeed in order to secure a job at Google. 

Now, the plotline is pretty simple and predictable. One of those against-all-the-odds movies, they aren’t really any twists to make it interesting. Basically the reason to see this film is if you like Vince and Owen’s comedy (which seems to be pretty much the same no matter what film) or if you are intrigued what working at Google is really like. 

There are funny parts, bits that made me smile and laugh, but it isn’t really a lifechanger. The main bit that interested me was the challenges that they had to complete as part of the internship, and just the general environment. It made me wonder whether I’d really like to work somewhere like that, with free lunches and nap pods…. And it probably shows why Google is consistently rated the best place to work. An article here discusses life as an intern with Google employee Mark Hariz, and another one here discusses how accurate the film is. Certainly interesting, but not one I’d ever watch again. 

6/10 stars

Heard/Talked about:

Geography Club

A trailer has been released for this film, based on the bestseller by Brent Hartinger. Its on my summer to read pile and I hope to get to it soon. According to IMDB, the release date is set as April 2013 but I don’t know if it has been released or has a UK release date. If anyone knows more I’d be grateful to know! 

Check out the trailer here

That’s my film wrap up for this week. What are your opinions/thoughts? What other Julia Roberts films do I need to watch? Have any recommendations for me this week? 

Film Friday #4

Welcome to my new feature, Film Friday. Here I will recap the films I have watched this week, and ones that I have either discovered or talked about. 

Watched: 

Hairspray

One of my lovely musical-obsessed friends coerced me into watching this, and I was surprised by how good it actually was. Okay, it’s probably not going to change lives or anything. But it does everything it says on the tin; it’s colourful, fun and quirky, and above all else, a musical. Also, John Travolta is actually an excellent woman. Aside from the fact that when he/she dances, her bosom doesn’t move at all. MADE OF STEEL. 3 sofas

Side Effects

Starring Jude Law, Channing Tatum and Catherine Zeta Jones, this psychological thriller sounded really intriguing. The premise is basically a girl who starts taking a new drug and turns a bit psycho (my impression from the trailer). I did not prepare myself for the mindgame that this film is! It does start off a bit slow, but after 15-20 minutes, I was hooked. There are a few twists that I didn’t expect, and Rooney Mara (the girl who takes the drug) is an amazing actress, and played the part brilliantly, if a bit too creepy! I also thought Jude Law was really good. I haven’t seen him in anything in a while, so I was impressed. I did think Zeta Jones’ performance was a bit linear, and Channing Tatum a little redundant, but you can’t win them all. Overall I was really impressed. While probably not the type of film I will watch again, I would recommend it! 4 sofas

Great minds must think alike, because Faye of A Daydreamer’s Thoughts also went to see it this week, and you can check out her review here.

Heard/Talked about:

Daughter of Smoke and Bone (link to Empire news article)

Yet another teen book to film adaptation, Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor, has been given a writer this week in the form of Stuart Beattie, who has previously worked on Pirates. I’m not sure how I feel in the explosion of these adaptations. If it gets more people to read it, then sure it is a good thing. But they have to do it right. I was disappointed with the Hunger Games, and it is frustrating when my idea of this world is ruined.

Marvel Universe Live (link to Empire news article)

While not strictly a movie, the news that the Avengers are turning into a stage show needs to be shared. Supposedly with a $10 million budget. Marvel owners Disney have signed an agreement for a tour of their best superheroes. Rumoured to include not just the Avengers but also Spiderman and the X-Men, this could be a wonderment to behold. 

That’s my film wrap up for this week. What are your opinions/thoughts? Do you think its a great idea that so many YA books are being adapted to film? Have any recommendations for me this week? 

Film Friday #3

Welcome to my new feature, Film Friday. Here I will recap the films I have watched this week, and ones that I have either discovered or talked about. 

Watched: 

So unfortunately I haven’t had much time for films this week. My sister has been visiting from Newcastle and she (shockingly) doesn’t enjoy films, so I haven’t had much chance to watch anything! Business should resume as normal next week though. But what should I go see? Lets have a look at my choices:

Safe Haven

I went to a book signing by Nicholas Sparks last week, and the two main stars of the film joined him. I’m a sucker for a good girly film, so I will definately be seeing this at some point. And I loved Josh Duhamel in Life As We Know It.

Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters

I want to see this (not just for Jeremy Renner) but because it looked like a good fairy tale reboot. After the double Snow White film bonanza last year, we have this and Jack and the Beanstalk to look forward to. However, I’ve heard a couple of bad reviews so I’m not sure anymore.

Broken City

I’ve got to confess I don’t actually know much about this plot. But a crime thriller with Mark Wahlberg? Surely it must be good…

Cloud Atlas

This is the film I am looking forward to the most. I haven’t read the book, but the idea sounded really intriguing. However, after only a week of being out, by cinema has gone to only showing it once a day, so I don’t know if this will be a wait to dvd now.

I would love your opinions please! Have you seen any of the above? Which do you think sounds best? Let me know below!

I Am Sam

Yes I know this was on last week’s list. But I just finished it yesterday! So it still counts. What an emotional film! There was a scene where Dakota Fanning wouldn’t let go of Sean Penn that just had me in tears. I found the ending a tad anticlimatic, but maybe that was because the film lasted two weeks for me!

Heard/Talked about:

The Fault in Our Stars

The Fault in Our Stars has a director! This means it is definately going to happen, right?! I’m excited to see what they do with it, compared with other teen cancer movies (Now Is Good, My Sister’s Keeper, among others).

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes / Robocop

What? I hear your confusion. I only talked about this movie last week, surely I can’t still be talking about it! But such massive news was released this week, I can’t not share it with you! So. Confirmed cast star. None other than: Gary Oldman! I know, right?! Oh Sirius. After checking out his IMDB profile, I discovered he is also starring in RoboCop (the remake)! This man just keeps getting cooler and cooler. He would be such an amazing uncle.

 

 

That’s my film wrap up for this week. What are your opinions/thoughts? What should I see this week? What do you think of Gary Oldman? Have any recommendations for me this week? 

Film Friday #2

Welcome to my new feature, Film Friday. Here I will recap the films I have watched this week, and ones that I have either discovered or talked about. 

Watched: 

Warm Bodies

Okay, I have a confession. I watched the movie before reading the book. I know. I am a bad person. I have sooo many books to read, I just haven’t got round to it, and I didn’t want to miss out on the film because of it.

Which is a good thing, because this film was really good! I was expecting a Shaun of the Dead-esque zombie film, but it was actually much better than I thought. What I didn’t realise is that R (played by Nicholas Hault) isn’t actually a zombie, the ‘bonies’ are the zombies. Although he does eat brains. But when he eats the brain of Julie’s boyfriend, he falls in love with her. And hence the movie is about their love against the odds, and whether love can truly conquer all. 

The best bit about this movie is Nicholas’ voiceover, where we can hear his thoughts. They are very funny, as are the scenes with Rob Corddry. 4 sofas from me! And I must go read the book.

I am Sam

Confession number 2: I haven’t actually finished this yet so don’t spoil the ending! I have been watching it for 3 days though so I think it qualifies for this week’s post. This film was made in 2001 (look how young Dakota Fanning is!), and I got it in a library dvd sale for something like 50p. 

It is heartwarmingly sad when Sam’s daughter gets taken away from him by Child Services because he is mentally retarded. He enlists the help of Michelle Pfeiffer as his lawyer to help get her back. Had I watched this back then, I think it would be very poignant. Now, what with gay marriage in the UK and all, it is less so. But yet still current; there is a much greater stigma surrounding mental illness than any other minority group. 

I think this is a great feel good fim (depending how it ends up!) and Sean Penn is just brilliant.    

Heard/Talked about:

Toy Story 4

A rumour was started this week that Toy Story 4 was in production. However, both Disney and Pixar have yet to confirm this. I’m unsure how I feel about this. I thought the third one was better than expected for a 3rd film, but would a 4th ruin it? I just don’t know.

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

A film that is definitely being made is the sequel to one of my favourite films of 2011 (Rise of the Planet of the Apes). Due for release in Summer 2014, Jason Clarke (recently starred in Lawless) has been said to have joined the cast. I have yet to see the original Ape films, but I CANNOT WAIT for this one. The Rise of the Planet of the Apes just blew my mind with the detail and animation. 

That’s my film wrap up for this week. What are your opinions/thoughts? Has anyone seen I am Sam? What do you think of the mental illness in films issue? Have any recommendations for me this week? 

Films to look forward to in 2013

There are so many films (mainly sequels) that I am looking forward to next year, I thought I would share some of them with you. 

Firstly, the continuation of the comic book bandwagon. Iron Man 3 and Thor: the Dark World are both expected next year. Man of Steel is the new Superman rehash, and is expected around June. Furthermore, Captain America 2, Amazing Spiderman 2 and Guardians of the Galaxy are all scheduled for 2014, so I know I’m set up for the next 2 years! 

Girly films come in the form of I Give It A Year, a movie about newlyweds after the honeymoon period. Also released around valentines is This is 40, the sort of sequel to Knocked Up. I love Paul Rudd so this will be on my to-watch list! 

Another sequel due next year is A Good Day to Die Hard. When you are getting to no 5 in the series, you know perhaps it is overworked. It’s also due in February, and I’m gonna try and watch no 4 before this comes out. 

Cloud Atlas, starring Tom Hanks and Halle Berry, is set to be a sci-fi drama from the makers of the Matrix. I’m not a big fan of either stars, but the synopsis sounds good, so we’ll have to see. 

Yay for a new Denzel Washington film! Flight surrounds a pilot who becomes a hero when he prevents a plane from crashing, but he is harbouring a dark side. I don’t really care about the plot, I will see it for Denzel! 

Likewise a film that instantly makes it to my to-watch list is Fast & Furious 6. Yes the series is overdone. Yes every film practically follows the same storyline. But I’m sorry, Vin Diesel and nice cars? Yes I am that shallow. 

More action in the form of GI Joe: Retaliation, once again starring Channing Tatum and Broken City starring Mark Wahlberg, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Russell Crowe. Both films featuring big name stars, but will they live up to the expectation?  Elysium is a sci-fi drama starring Matt Damon. ‘Nuff said. 

Funny films that look good next year are Identity Thief; starring the fat one from Bridesmaids, this film follows Jason Bateman as a businessman chasing the imposter that stole his identity. Hangover 3 is also due next year. I haven’t yet seen the second one, but this is on my radar. 

I’m not a big watcher of animations, but I will try and see Monsters University, the sequel to Monsters Inc (a classic, imo!). I’ve also heard they are making a film of Postman Pat, though that must be one massive postal storyline to fill min 1 hr 30 mins?! 

Book to film adaptations I’m looking forward to are The Host, a sci-fi drama based on the novel by Stephenie Meyer. James Patterson’s Maximum Ride is also getting a film, but I’m unsure whether this is next year or 2014. The next part of the Hobbit, Desolation of Smaug is also due next year. I wasn’t a massive fan of the first one, but I will probably see the next one because I love Martin Freeman. Catching Fire is my favourite book out of the trilogy by Suzanne Collins, so I really hope they do it justice (more than the first one!).

One that I am very excited for is The Maze Runner, based on the trilogy by James Dashner. This is quite spooky as I just discovered the 3rd book in my tbr pile yesterday, and today I found out that the film of the first book is due next year! 

So these are the ones that have made it onto my radar! I’m sure there are some glaringly obvious ones I have missed. If so, please leave me a comment and remind me! Or any new ones that you think are worth a watch, share below! 

Film Review: Breaking Dawn Part TWO

This film has been muchly anticipated by me, and indeed the whole world! Obviously I’ve read the books and I did enjoy them. I have seen the other films; I think Twilight or Eclipse is my favourite. I wasn’t a huge fan of Breaking Dawn Part One. I know it is a big-ish book and by splitting it into two parts, we should get more detail. But I just don’t feel there was enough action in either part to captivate the audience. 

Firstly, I will just say that I did enjoy the film. I have seen it twice now, and will probably get the dvd when it comes out. However, there were just a couple of things that irritated me, thus preventing it from being amazing, in my opinion. 

Firstly, the intro scene is soooooooooo long. Like, seriously. I thought ‘Skyfall’ was bad; at least we had some action before. This one jumps straight into the credits, most of whom I haven’t heard of; ‘Boo boo Stewart?!’ Five minutes later when the film starts, I’m already asleep. 

Luckily the film starts just as the last one left off. Eyes open, and boom! She’s a vampire. Now this is my first irritation; this is the first scene with vamp-Bells, and therefore it is very important. So I don’t see why the film guys thought it necessary to alter the entire setup. Just not how I pictured it at all! And the bit in the book where Bella jumps out the window, and rips her dress and stuff. All gone. 

There just seemed to be bits missing from the book to really piece the story together. Obviously the Jacob/Reneesmee thing is gonna be a bit weird anyways, given that she’s a baby. This is kinda glossed over (as is the bit where he gets naked in front of Bella’s dad (!)) , and is fine, up until the bit where he asks Edward if he should call him dad. Funny, but a bit too paedophilia-like, in my opinion. 

Also the fact that Jacob tells Charlie as a way to get Bella and co to stay. Why doesn’t Jacob just go with them? And surely they have to leave soon anyways due to the non-aging thing? Why is this never discussed? Nor how they are going to explain Renesmee to anyone, given that she will hit puberty/adulthood in 7 years! 

I thought the fight scene was done very cleverly, without giving too much away, and it added a much needed suspense to the film. I think I have to give it 4 sofas, as I love the series, and I’m glad this wraps it up nicely, but it’s probably more of a 3.5 for standalone quality. 

Do you agree/disagree? Have you seen it? Can you explain the gaping holes in the storyline? Let me know in the comments! 

Film Review: Seeking a Friend for the End of the World

‘Seeking a Friend for the End of the World‘ takes place 21 days before the end of the world, due to an asteroid about to hit the earth. This really intrigued me, as I’ve always wondered what I would do if I knew the world was going to end. Steve Carell plays Dodge, a man with a depressing life. His girlfriend breaks up with him, and he continues to go to work.

Until Keira Knightley shows up crying outside his window that is. I have to say I have never been the biggest fan of Keira’s work, but she was such a wimp in this film! She is crying because she missed the last plane ever, so cannot make it back to England to see her family. Dodge invites her in, and she seemingly then takes over his entire life.

It conspires that they live in the same building, and Penny (Keira) has been hoarding Dodge’s mail if it got delivered incorrectly. She reunites it with him, and he discovers a letter from his high school sweetheart. In her guilt, Penny then takes them on a roadtrip to  find this girlfriend before the world ends.

When this film was released in the cinema I thought it looked quite quirky, and I presumed Steve Carell would be funny. Although there was nothing really awful about the film, I just kinda felt like I could have survived without it. There is a really bad moment where they appear to fall in love; this is creepy as he is plenty old enough to be her father, and Keira is very immature in the film. She appears to have a studenty, indie persona, but it just turns a bit annoying, if I’m honest.

There wasn’t a moment in the film that really made me laugh or cry, it just kind of happened. I’ve given it 5 stars, but it was a pretty drab film. Not one to waste your last moments on, that’s for sure!

Have you seen ‘Seeking a Friend for the End of the World?’ Do you agree/disagree with my verdict? Is there a Keira Knightley film out there that is not cringeworthy? 

Film Review: Skyfall (007)

I must confess that I haven’t seen any other Bond films (I don’t know how I’ve missed them all!) but I’ve spoken to people that have, and their view was that ‘Skyfall‘ lived up to the franchise, and was much better than the last film in the series.

As an outsider’s point of view, I thought it was very easy to pick up as a standalone film. The movie starts as Bond (Daniel Craig) is trying to retrieve a hard drive containing information about undercover agents from the enemy. The fight ends with James getting shot, and falling into a river.

I thought the action sequences throughout the film were good; I especially liked the beginning where Bond landed on the back of a train, and when he runs after the tube train and leaps after it.

The only thing that irritated me about the film was the girl, Severine. She seemed to appear out of nowhere, lead Bond to the villain and then seemingly disappear? She wasn’t involved or mentioned in the explosive closing scenes, but maybe I missed something!

I think overall I enjoyed the film; it made me want to watch previous Bond adventures (though perhaps not Quantum of Solace, as everyone tells me that was awful!). I think the action sequences were stunning, and I liked how they had many different settings (London, Shanghai and Scotland). I’ll admit the film did seem a bit long (at 143 minutes!) but it kept my attention long enough. The baddie (played by Javier Bardem) was very convincing, and gave a stunning psycho performance.

8 stars from me! What did you think?