... LINE: Kudos to the filmmakers for believably milking the original premise in this sequel without replicating it, but the build up of tension achieved so well the first time is absent here, and despite some good scares in the last third, the film is very dull. THE GOOD: One of the best things about this sequel to the hit horror film "Paranormal Activity" is that the filmmakers have wisely chosen to use the same found footage format, but have cleverly utilised the idea of security camera footage interspersed with home video footage to tell the story. By doing this, they have many ... the story. By doing this, they have many more angles to play with rather than the single static one from the first film, which allows for more variety in shots and scares. Also, the filmmakers play with night-vision options to create some great scares in the last third of the film. Story-wise, the film wraps around the first film in that the majority of it takes place before the first film, with the climax taking place after the events of the first film, and provides a richer explanation as to why this demon is terrorising sisters Katie and Kristi. In doing this, the filmmakers ...
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... trying many treatments unsuccessfully, he gives up. His wife Elizabeth (Carter) however, discovers an Australian speech therapist named Lionel Logue (Rush) who uses unconventional treatments to help him overcome his stammer, from his duties as Prince, all the way through the rest of his life as King George VI. A film like this relies on the quality of its performances, and it is held together quite strongly by Colin Firth's excellent portrayal of the stuttering King, and Geoffrey Rush is note perfect as the speech therapist. The entire ... with wider events causing him enormous anxiety, from the beginning of the Second World War to his brother Edward (Pearce) abdicating the throne in order to marry a divorcee. Helena Bonham Carter is excellent as Elizabeth, portraying a very proper, but insightful duchess and later Queen. The visuals of this film are quite stunning when you consider the film had a very small budget, yet it looks as if it cost much more than that with its excellent period piece production design and elegant pictures. What is perhaps best of all about this ...
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... no expense. The concept of creating a digital world as a forum to assist humanity in science and technology is intriguing, and the visual world created by director Joseph Kosinski is nothing short of stunning, and unlike anything you have seen before (outside of the first film of course). The visual style alone make this film worth watching on the big screen, but it is also other nice touches, including a fully realised younger version of Jeff Bridges playing the villain, featuring some fantastic CG work. This character, 'Clu', is a totalitarian leader in this digital world, and numerous images are homages ... on the big screen, but it is also other nice touches, including a fully realised younger version of Jeff Bridges playing the villain, featuring some fantastic CG work. This character, 'Clu', is a totalitarian leader in this digital world, and numerous images are homages to history. On these levels, the film can be appreciated, and the one stand out sequence in particular is the bike game after Sam (Hedlund) arrives in the digital world; nothing short of visually stunning. 'Tron Legacy' is worth watching at the cinema if only for its visuals. THE BAD: For such a high concept idea, the ...
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... up, but was assisted in this regard by Jason's spirit. Marie's storyline is quite interesting in that huge portions of it are in French, which is unusual in a Hollywood film and somewhat refreshing, giving the film a more European-style. The rendering of the tsunami is decent, and terrifying to watch. There are many aspects to this film that could have made it quite fascinating. THE BAD: This film is so poorly executed that you would be hard pressed to believe it came from the same director as films like "Changeling", "Gran Torino" and "Million Dollar Baby". Right from the outset ... Jason in London have a hard life with an alcoholic mother, and in a tragic accident, Jason is killed, leaving Marcus alone. The stories and characters eventually intertwine with each other in strange ways, all with their connections to the after-life. The 2005 London bombings are used in the film to the extent that Marcus misses the train that blew up, but was assisted in this regard by Jason's spirit. Marie's storyline is quite interesting in that huge portions of it are in French, which is unusual in a Hollywood ...
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... BOTTOM LINE: Riveting and baffling all at the same time, as only David Lynch can be, "Mulholland Drive" is a surreal thrill ride that will grip you from start to finish, and leave you with more questions than answers. THE GOOD: A simple synopsis of this film would be pointless. It starts as a film about wannabe starlet Betty (Watts) who comes to Los Angeles looking to be an actress, and maybe a star. A mystery ensues when a mysterious woman named Rita (Harring) shows up in her Aunt's house who has been in a car accident. That is a starting ... elegantly shot and edited, with a disturbing musical score and haunting performances. Sequences vary from thrilling, to scary, to disturbing, to horrific, and some times even comedic, and not in any particular order. Naomi Watts is excellent as the central character in the film and is the rock upon which the narrative is based. Laura Elena Harring delivers a haunting and elegant performance as car accident victim Rita. And then there are other characters that pop in and out of the narrative, seemingly at random but somehow tie in to the plot at some ...
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... stay away from Elise. However, problems occur when David keeps having chance encounters with Elise, which prompts him to go against the plan so he can be with her, leading to a surprising climax where destiny and free will seem intertwined, despite their seemingly opposed characteristics. The strength of this film lies in its concept, and the compelling performances of Matt Damon and Emily Blunt. Damon in particular really makes you believe in his character's plight to find love and happiness with Elise. The machinations of the 'Adjustment Bureau' are equally fascinating, particularly when Thompson (Terence Stamp) shows up to ... is a story about destiny, free will and God, but without a religious emphasis, which makes it all the more interesting to watch in that it feels more like a science fiction film, even though it is not. THE BAD: The film is not particularly exciting. In a way, it is a chase film, but somehow, the way the extended dialogue sequences are handled, and the lack of any real dramatic stakes, make this film flat and unengaging in parts. If it was not for Matt Damon and Emily Blunt with their compelling performances, and the strong concepts at play in the story, this ...
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... a surprise. As with all of M. Night Shyamalan's concepts, they are quite good, and in some ways, it is good that he handed this off to another director to see what they could do with it. The film also has a 'Twilight-Zone' feel to it. In certain instances, the film is quite effective because of these factors. THE BAD: The film looks very cheap, along the lines of a made-for-TV movie. There is no excuse for this given that there have been numerous films of late with even lower budgets than this that have been executed better. The ... GOOD: Devil effectively works as a morality tale couched in the horror/thriller genre. Doing away with extensive location hopping and focusing instead exclusively on the main characters, coupled with the fact that most of the film is set in a claustrophobic elevator, makes this film interesting in terms of its concept. The story is simple enough: five strangers get trapped in an elevator, and with horrified police and security guards looking on through the security camera videos, each person gets killed one by one. One of the people in the lift is responsible, or maybe ...
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... to successful combine these elements, offering the best facets of each in every image. Disney's animated films are notable for their music, but the songs this time are not as in-your-face as in previous efforts, allowing the film to keep its more modern feel, an aspect which works very much in its favour. One of the reasons for this adjustment in tone may be that John Lasseter from Pixar was involved as a producer and may have imbued some of his sentiments in to the final product. "Tangled" ... (Donny Murphy), is not so afraid of the world and goes on an incredible adventure outside her tower when dashing Flynn Ryder (Zachary Levi) shows up in her life. Although the film is computer generated, the filmmakers in this instance modelled their work on traditional oil paintings which gives the film a unique look; a somewhat quasi-hybrid of CGI and old-style animation. The results are spectacular, and the film manages to successful combine these elements, offering the best facets of each in every image. Disney's animated films are notable for their music, but the songs this time are not as ...
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... whole thing work. Amy Adams is great as the ditzy actress who reveals something more hidden underneath. She plays the hysterics and dramatics to perfection, causing a riot throughout every scene she is in. The remainder of the cast is spot on with their old world charm and sophistication. The film, of course, gravitates to a happy ending where all the characters end up with what they deserve, with the final sequence being low key and satisfying thanks largely to the performances of the actors in this scene, which could have so easily been pathetic and contrived. "Miss Pettigrew Lives For ... , unexpectedly finds herself as the social secretary for the flamboyant American singer/actress Delysia Lafosse (Amy Adams). What ensues is a trip through high society and Pettigrew's attempts to keep Lafosse out of trouble, to hilarious, and sometimes touching results. Aside from the excellent production design and visuals, the film is held together by the genuine performances on display by the whole cast. They clearly look as if they are all having a good time, but also find those moments of drama and seriousness to make the whole exercise compelling. Frances McDormand is the gravitating centre of this ...
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... motivations to continue the experiment, particularly Elsa, are never fleshed out as believable, particularly when the danger becomes more prevalent. Clive's sex scene with Dren is incredibly disturbing, and also unbelievable given Clive is against this experiment and never really identifies with Dren until a certain point in the film when the narrative has him arbitrarily change his tack. Given his objections to Dren throughout, it seems inconceivable that he would want to have sex with her, no matter the lame excuse given of how Elsa's DNA is in Dren and Clive recognises this. One big sequence that does ... a reluctant Clive to do an unofficial experiment to see if it can be done. They give birth to 'Dren', a weird hybrid, quasi-human. Clive wants to terminate Dren immediately, but Elsa is much more forceful in keeping the experiment going. It is in this first half of the film as the experiment develops and the full implications of what Elsa and Clive are doing really drive home a strong dramatic and ethical point that just because they can do this, does not mean they should play God. This point becomes all the more prevalent when their original experiment with ...
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... (Strathairn) and his new relationship with Rachel (Elizabeth Banks), who was her mother's live-in nurse when she was sick. Events start to spiral out of control after the sisters discover that Rachel is not who she says she is and starts becoming much more nasty and violent. The film offers some good atmospheric moments, particularly with Anna's visions, and the cast are very good, particularly Elizabeth Banks who effectively portrays a menacing and manipulative character. Emily Browning does well in the lead role, effectively blending a youthful innocence with something that develops in to something more sinister. The ... on many clichés and stereotypes inherent to the genre, it seems to be leading you to a more supernatural conclusion, particularly in the opening scares, but then clumsily moves to something else entirely as the narrative progressives. As a result, the film never really satisfies, and it is only in watching the ending that everything starts to make sense; but even this feels more like its been tacked on as an afterthought. There is no build or suspension of disbelief in the story that will inevitably lead to this conclusion. The explanation ...
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... as a serious writer, preferably without the help of his dad (Kevin Kline) who is successful in his own right and wants to help his son, but keeps antagonising Adam with his own immature behaviour. "No Strings Attached" is yet another good idea for a film. THE BAD: Unfortunately, much of this film is woeful, silly and stupid. Natalie Portman's character is a doctor, but somehow, the hospital they work in is filled with doctors and nurses who act more like college students out to run amok and get laid than being professionals. The entire scenario is completely unbelievable, making Portman ... lead characters as Emma and Adam where both make a deal to sleep with each other for convenience and fun. Of course, not all goes according to plan, with Adam slowly pushing to do more with Emma, despite her constant attempts to push him away. The first half of the film is where the only real action takes place, and both Portman and Kutcher do a reasonable job of going through the motions. Kutcher in particular is not performing his usual annoying, immature man-boy character, with his character Adam actually trying to get ahead in the ...
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... is an attempt to make the rail bosses look callous and irresponsible during scenes where they are discussing the possible share price fallout of the disaster. Washington and Pine seem to bounce off each other reasonably well, and suit their polar opposite characters quite well. The story arc in this film belongs to Pine, but Washington seems to get the more plausible motivations, particularly when he bites back at rail bosses who threaten to fire him if he does not do what they say: "You already fired me! 90 days with half benefits." It was a good moment in the ... (Denzel Washington) and rookie conductor Will Coulson (Chris Pine) inadvertently end up in the centre of this looming disaster when the train they are controlling ends up on the same track as the runaway train. This film could potentially have been not that interesting, but Scott's flashy visual style and sense of drama make this quite a thrilling ride. The threat in this film is human error, and there is no bad guy, although there is an attempt to make the rail bosses look callous and irresponsible during scenes where they are discussing the possible share price fallout of the disaster ...
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... Jackson) and eccentric pilot Captain Murdock (Sharlto Copley). When the team are imprisoned for a crime they did not commit, they are drawn in to a wider conspiracy with the CIA, which eventually leads them to break out and deliver payback against those who framed them. The strength of this film lies in its casting. Liam Neeson always delivers a strong presence on screen, and he lends a raft of experience and macho-ism to the role of Hannibal. Bradley Cooper is a lot of fun as the wise-cracking playboy Face, who eventually steps up to the plate to devise ... right level of craziness as Murdock. The A-Team, with its use of the musical signature theme from the television series, delivers a certain amount of fun and character that make it worth watching at least once. THE BAD: The film unfortunately relies extensively on computer generated images to create its extensive action sequences. As a result, this otherwise potentially good action film looks like a ridiculous cartoon. A sequence where the team are in a tank while trying to make it fly after the plane it was carrying explodes is downright stupid. You do not necessarily look for realism in a ...
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... role aside 'United' is beautifully shot with a sepia feel that ignites the red shirts of the mighty football team that was cruelly taken away from its adoring fans, Christopher Ross's cinematography deserves more than the small screen treatment that it will be presented in to the masses. This film tells the story of the crash extremely well with horrific scenes blasting home the harsh truth of what happened to Britain's most promising football team and its accompanying journalists. The horror of it all is here for everyone to see, some found it too much, others, including United representatives ... he so magically graced, his character is unfortunately lacking any interesting dimensions. This failing can't be aimed at O Connell's performance therefore it must rest squarely on the writers' shoulders, Chibnall's choice of the obvious 'Rocky' style cliche to propel this most important story is where the film falls short. It would have been far more interesting to delve into Murphy's character more deeply or Harry Greggs journey as the forgotten hero, maybe even attempt to tell the story of the young baby on board? Anything than the 'Charlton fest' that we have all heard a million ...
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... case in point is the hospital sequence where Martin is attacked after coming out of an MRI scan. There is no real tension in the scene, despite it being pivotal to Martin's plight. Also, the overall plot is extensively transplanted from films like "The Bourne Identity", but unlike that film, you do not feel any sort of sympathy for the lead character. At the end of the day, Harris is not a good guy, and although he makes things right, you never really get the sense that he is desperate to make things right once he realises what is going ... wife who mysteriously is with another man claiming to be Martin Harris. As one expects, Martin goes on the run and tries to identify what is happening to him, which leads to some unexpected twists and turns before he learns the shocking truth. The film does well with Liam Neeson in the central role, grounding the entire film in a reality that it comes close to breaking on many occasions. In many ways, the plot is borderline ridiculous, but with Neeson leading a great cast, you cannot help but go along with his journey. Some nice touches include former East German agent ...
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... , out of fear their indiscretion will be revealed. Life goes on seemingly, until Charles receives a call from the mugger demanding more money, and a terrible cat-and-mouse game ensues between the two, escalating further and further out of control. The performances of Owen, Aniston and Cassel in this film are quite intriguing and make for interesting viewing as they all trade off against each other in this battle for who comes out on top. It is a great idea for a thriller, almost Hitchcock-like in a way, where the narrative slowly unravels a scenario that is not at ... , who is having a tough life with his wife Deanna (Melissa George) who have to care for their sick daughter. He has a chance meeting with Lucinda (Jennifer Aniston) on the train, which develops in to a friendship. Eventually, they both decide to have an affair. At this point, the film feels like it is heading in to 'affair' mode when it abruptly changes course in to thriller mode when the couple are interrupted in their hotel room by a mugger who proceeds to rape Lucinda and seriously assault Charles. When he wakes up, Charles wants to call the police but ...
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... ) and Gerri (Ruth Sheen), who seem to be handling their gradual aging with grace, maintaining good relationships with friends and family and occupying their time with work they enjoy; instead, the real central character is Gerri's co-worker and longtime friend Mary (Lesley Manville), who gradually takes over the film precisely because that is what people like Mary do in life. Any conversation, party or gathering of any kind is easily subverted by the Marys of the world into dramatic, self-pitying reconstructions of all that has gone wrong in their lives. These takeovers become more forceful when Mary has ... is undoubtedly very difficult: he takes his time. He rehearses for months without a script, creating the characters and their situations with the actors through improvisations and other exercises and writing the script based on these insights. The result is that we see real people, whose lives begin before the film and go on after it, as opposed to the more utilitarian and one-dimensional characters usually seen in films. This method had served Leigh and his actors (many of whom have been nominated for and won huge, prestigious awards as a result of their collaborations with him) extremely well over ...
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... while it seems we are watching Seidler's play with some bad actor who looks a lot like Rush! At places you are convinced that he is going to utilize his Captain Barbossa from The Pirates of the Caribbean to help Albert! Some have questioned the historical inaccuracy of the film and even though The King's Speech looks contrived at places it's not fabricated enough to not move you. Watch it. Rating: 4/5 Cast: Colin Firth, Geoffrey Rush, Helena Bonham Carter, Guy Pearce and Michael Gambom Written by: David Seidler, based on his play Directed by: Tom Hooper ... A Single Man he finally got a lead role that did justice to his talent. But with The King's Speech Firth gets the role that he was born for. Firth gets Bertie so right that after a while you forget you are watching a film. He makes Bertie operate on two levels throughout the film to convincingly portray the two men that seem to reside within one. He makes him strong in thought for that's what is expected from royalty and yet at the same time he makes him vulnerable enough to be ridiculed by his own father and brother ...
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... . "Inside Job" on the other hand is a far more calculated and measured experience by documentary maker Charles H. Ferguson. It systematically goes about making its point about how Wall Street hijacked most of the global economy to make one of the biggest heists in history. In many places, the film is chilling as it works through all the various points on how the government, urged by Wall Street, deregulated the financial system, and in turn, cut everything loose so nothing was off limits in terms of financial risk taking. It is disturbing how many of Wall Street's goons infiltrated ... during the global financial crisis. Most of it is warranted, which is shown in a few of the interviews where the subjects were clearly of the impression that the focus of the piece was different to what they were led to believe. Another issue is pace. The middle of the film tends to drag because it makes the same point from various different examples, to the point where it could have move on faster.
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