Skyfall

REVIEW BY NATALIE WARWICK

Celebrating 50 years of the James Bond franchise, skyfall, the 23rd film and Daniel Craig's 3rd outing as the 00 himself, finally hit cinemas last November. I went with one question on my mind: Will it be as good as Casino Royale?

As soon as Craig's Bond didn't give a damn whether his martini was shaken or stirred we all knew that the new bond movies weren't going to follow the same mould as the rest. And Skyfall, in particular, doesn't follow the same course as any other Bond movie. Sure it keeps some vital bond ingredients, but then it goes off on its own and throws the blueprint in the bin.

This Bond movie is much more sentimental than the rest. Despite having lots of references to the bond franchise as a whole and being tongue in cheek with it, Skyfall, at its heart, is a much bleaker insight: Showing the MI6 and its agents being hunted down by an old adversary leading them into Bond's past.

At times Skyfall is more Home Alone than James Bond but an enjoyable experience all the same. It made me laugh, cry and route for their triumph. Dame Judy Dench's performance, like always, was excellent and Daniel Craig's Bond has always been great. Although, in my estimation, it wasn't as enjoyable a ride as Casino Royale, it is a good film in its own right. I can't wait for the next one!!

Year: 2012
Classification: 12A
Duration: 143 minutes
More info at IMDB

 

End of Watch

REVIEW BY NATALIE WARWICK
Wow it has been a while! Life took over and Tom and I took a back seat from film blogging, but for the time being we are back! I might have made a honey-boo-boo and I might have deleted most of our images, so watch this space for such time when we trawl through the archives and reinstate the images.

I wanted to review End of Watch because I want to raise its profile. Honestly it isn't a blockbuster and it hasn't been thrust in our faces via posters and trailer campaigns so knowledge about this film is low. In truth it was on, we had a space in our cinema schedule and we went for it, not knowing completely what we were letting ourselves in for. I don't imagine it will be in the cinemas long and as such I urge you go and watch this film soon.

End of Watch is a gritty, hypo-realistic (new word made up there I suspect) documentary style film which is raw and savage; which throughout has an atmosphere of tragedy and despair looming over it. It follows two downtown LA cops, Brian Taylor (Jake Gyllenhaal) and Mike Zavala (Michael Peña) as they fight crime amongst gangsters, turf wars, drive bys, drug deals and GBH and murder. If your adverse to on screen violence or disturbing scenes in general, don't watch this film. Also, in detriment to the film you could say, the pacing of this film is slow and sometimes painfully so. The storyline is not your typical movie storyline whereby there's a bell curve type linearage (I.e it gradually builds to a crescendo and then levels out again) It is more a slice of life which stops at an important part in Taylors and Zavala's lives and careers. Like real life whilst watching you don't know where it is going.

The storyline is filled with highly violent and nasty scenes which, in my humble opinion, are superbly acted out. The acting, off the bat, is second to none. Your completely sucked into this dangerous world; humbled still by the realisation that this is based very much on real life events and that people like that, presented in this film, really exist. It's awful, but thought provoking and through that you get a much more important filming experience from this. Sure it lacks the pizazz of a blockbuster movie but the overriding lesson, if you like, makes the movie great.

I want to reiterate again, if you like your films action packed or with a half decent pace don't watch this. At its heart End of Watch appears to be propaganda almost and hero-ing the work of the police force; which is an admiral feat and one which is done well. Loud and clear I hear you! All I know is I went on their journey with them; I hoped the best for the them, worried  for them, laughed and cried with them. It's a memorable film which will stay with me for a long time.

Year: 2012
Classification: 15
Duration: 109 mins
More info to be found on IMDb

The Amazing Spider-Man

REVIEW BY NATALIE WARWICK

The Amazing Spider-Man is exactly that - Amazing!!! 136 minutes flew by in a haze of high action, stunning cinematography and awesome special affects. The scenes where Spider Man scales the city are spectacular. We saw this in 3D and you felt it. I was ducking and diving all over the place as parts of buildings etc. fell from the sky. It really was an absorbing experience. I strongly feel its well worth spending the extra dollar for 3D and I am slightly gutted that time constraints meant we couldn't experience this on the IMAX screen, because wow!! These high action, fast pased movies are what the cinema is all about and if possible I would reccomend you don't wait for blu-ray -see this on the big screen.

The Amazing Spider-Man is a rebranding of the 2002-07 trilogy Spider-Man featuring Tobey Maguire as Peter Parker and Kirsten Dunst as Mary Jane. This time around Andrew Garfield takes the lead and Emma Stone plays Gwen Stacey, as the love interest instead. I must say they are very good in these roles and their chemistry was great. I hear they're an item in real life so it stands to reason. Garfield's Peter Parker presents as much cooler, though, and, infact, the film over all is much cooler, but is also much darker. This one is also classified as a thriller and the dark moments definitely elevates the experience further.

If your familiar with the spiderman storyline you already know the drill and are aware of the tragedy that occurs. I did and so it was heart wrenching watching them unfold on screen, knowing he should do things differently but was powerless to stop it. This film really takes you on a rollercoaster of emotions, I was near to tears, laughing, in awe, willing him to succeed. Most the time I found myself with goose pimples all over my arms as I was absorbed further and further into the movie.

Please see this if you love superhero movies...or like films and the cinema experience period. Let's hope we're seeing our next avenger take flight.. I can't wait for a sequel.

Year: 2012
Classification: 12A
Running time: 136 mins
check out IMDb

Sucker Punch

REVIEW BY NATALIE WARWICK

I've read quite a bit of controversy on this film. Some people have right out said it is crap, others say it is Zack Snyders (writer slash director) worst work etc etc... but I feel like these people are taking it too literal or too seriously. Sure the premise is rather bleak but the overall filming experience is... cool. I love the soundtrack a lot and the Kill Bill come Burlesque come One fly’s over the cuckoos nest action is great. The girls are hot in their Anime style get up and the fight scenes "kick ass"" - what's not to love? It is a story of will overcoming adversity as 5 girls try and escape their tormentors.

People have been angered by the three realms of reality, which feature in this film. Oh contre this is its winning angle and is essentially what the film is. So without such it would cease to be... so deal with it. The film begins in reality one, filmed in dark gritty realistic shots. Cue lots of rain, thunder, grey outfits and gloom. The action is shot in a montage style until we are bought into realm 2. The lights are now harsh and superficial… the girls once in grey rags prance around as burlesque dancers and prostitutes and congregate in a glitzy changing room. Although the location has changed into a speakeasy slash "whore house" you still get the sense that the glitter and the frills are only masking the reality of a dingy and unforgiving asylum and that they are one and the same. Then we are treated to the 3rd realm as and when it is needed in an episodic fashion. It is not gauze of reality this time but shows the girls fighting in battle giving a literal sucker punch to the powers that suppress them. It is a dramatic tool used to override the otherwise anti climatic scenes of young girls dancing and stealing knives and lighters.

Definitely one to watch if your in Blockbuster or the like and are after a simple action, because despite the 3 realms brain shaker Sucker Punch is a very simple story. It is quite a unique concept and I, at least, haven't seen any other films which are even remotely similar. It is a mixed bag of genres and dramatic tools thrown at you in the name of story telling. At its heart it is bitterly sad but the layers and layers of glam and kick ass action battle scenes ease the blow.

Year:2011
Running Time: 110 mins
Classification: 12A
For more info check out the IMDb

The Cabin in the Woods

REVIEW BY NATALIE WARWICK

*SPOILERS*
An Aside: I hope my review doesn't become biased by my actual disdain for horrors and slasher type movies.. I watched this movie under the pretence that it was a spoof - that wasn't quite true now was it Tom? Quick review - Scary stuff happens. You know, the generic kids go into the woods for a weekend of partying only to be hunted alive by some evil force. Cue screams, short of breath, eerie music and ghouls and ghosts appearing out of no where, accompanied by the loud thud of music aimed to scare the s*** out of you by the means of surprise...

Although Cabin in the Woods renders the same as a cult horror movie on one level, It quickly becomes clear that this "horror" story is much more than meets the eye. The scenes being played out are being orchestrated by others with the help of hidden cameras and aides such as "pheromone gas". This perked my interest. It's an interesting spin on the tired Horror movie and gives it a new depth. However this removal from the horror scenes cause them to loose their supernatural horrifying edge. First because being removed from the action cuts the suspense, thus loosing momentum in the story; and second because seeing behind the mask, so to speak, looses the novelty of the unknown which make these movies hopefully work. You know where the "ghouls and ghosts" are coming from and through that they just don't scare you any more...

The thing with Horror movies, as well, is that there is a fine line between the scary and the absurd. Like if it is done right a head being thrown at the main girl can be terrifying or can be humorous. It depends fully on how the action is performed and the build up to it. By breaking the illusion of the cabin and the unknown the film falls into the absurd far too often. I ended up not being scared but rather intrigued on seeing where the orchestrators would go next.

The film starts to lag once the orchestrators celebrate and we're led to believe it is over.. It should have been over. At least that way the audience is left with intrigue as to why they were making a horror "reality TV show" and gives room for a sequel... but alas no we are led to enjoy another 30 minutes of horrific fun... Also by this time the audience is desensitised by the ample amount of blood and gore and it becomes less and less thrilling until we finally get to the very end. To be honest I was left baffled and frankly annoyed by the ending...

I think if you like Horror movies definitely give this, re-imagining of the classic horror, a go, if not for anything else other than you have seen it. If not, why put yourself through the pain.

Year: 2012
Running Time: 95 minutes
Classification: 15
see more info at the IMDB website

The Hunger Games

REVIEW BY NATALIE WARWICK

Ah the Hunger Games. The eagerly awaited movie adaptation of Suzanne Collins first novel, in her wildly popular and successful trilogy. It is too easy to get into comparison mode. It was better in the book, it wasn't like that in the book.. etc. etc. So as we are a film review site i'm going to try and review the film as a separate and unique entity.

However one must nod towards the original material and no self respecting reviewer can't not answer the question - does it do the book justice? Quick answer: yes. It covers all the key bits in the book and anything which has been omitted or slightly altered doesn't affect the story. The only thing to say, though, is that the film gives a persepctive beyond the main character and shows things which you don't actually learn about until the 2nd or 3rd book. Also characters are developed and scenes are played out which are not in any book full stop. In this respect the film is an extension of the book and gives you more of an insight into the world and of the story that Collins created.

The Hunger Games centres around 16 year old Katnis Everdeen (played by the strikingly beautiful Jennifer Lawrence. Who was, FYI, also in X-Men First Class and played Mystique), who lives in a very underprivileged district in a post apocalyptic America called Panem. She lives in a world where her people are forced to enter one girl and one boy (from 12 to 18 years old) from each of their districts into a 'fight to the death' reality show. In a bid for the ruling state 'the Capitol' to keep control over them and prevent rebellion. Katnis is the unlucky girl this year and with the unlucky boy, Peeta (played by Josh Hutcherson), she embarks upon the Capitol to murder her fellow contestants for the amusement of the Capitol residents... I'm going to leave the plot there because I think saying anymore will be saying too much so if you like what you read and want more then go and watch it...

I was surprised that the running time is a lengthy 2 hours and 12 minutes long because I felt that the story flew past. there was never a moment which I thought it lagged or was wishing for it to be over. For me it was a real thrilling ride of two people fighting against adversity. the film touches upon violent themes and there's a lot of fighting on screen but they are really played down. I was expecting much worse so if your squeamish or do not like violence then you can still watch this film comfortably. I watched this mainly in shock and dismay at the horrific way of life which are played out on screen, but the awful circumstances only propel you to route for the protagonists even more.

Its fast paced and full of action but at its core very sad and very thought provoking. The themes touched upon definitely parallel our own world such as: the realities of war combined with our fascination with reality TV and celebrity. Definitely one to watch.

Year: 2012

Running time: 142 minutes

Classification: 12A

for more info check out the IMDB website

X-Men: First Class

REVIEW BY NATALIE WARWICK
X-Men: First Class was my favourite film of 2011. My quick advice is: IT IS AWESOME, please watch it immediately.

I'm a fan of the X-Men franchise anyway and superhero movies are always high action and colourful so they are easy films to get absorbed into. X-Men: first class excels on these points but the film goes so much further than that...

X-Men: First Class is a prequel to the original trilogy and tells the story of the beginnings of Charles Xavier (Professor X, played by James McAvoy) and Erik Lensherr (Magneto, played by Michael Fassbender) and of the first X-Men Mission. We get to understand perhaps the later motives of the characters via great acting performances, a well written script and awesome special effects. These special affects are so awesome I was left with jaw ache as I hung my mouth open in astonishment and awe as Magneto wraps a huge anchor chain around a yacht...

The film has a very human element to it as well and shows young people trying to come to terms with their assumed misgivings and shows their struggle to create identities for themselves and try and take the side =which is true to them.

In conclusion: I cannot rave about this film enough. If your not really a film person, and have stumbled upon this site by mistake, please see this one I guarantee you will not be disappointed.

Year: 2011

Running Time: 132 minutes

Classification: 12A

For more info check out the IMDB website