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Reviews
The Lovely Bones (2009)
The Lovely Bones
I usually have no problem reviewing movies, but I find the "Lovely Bones" a very difficult movie to review. I'm sure everyone is familiar with the story-line: the movie focuses on young 14 year old Susie Salmon who has a passion for photography but who is later raped and killed by the sadistic Mr. Havery, a man who lives in her neighborhood. When Susie is killed, she goes on to watch her family from her "Heaven". I would not usually watch movies of this genre, but the book (by Alice Sebold) and fantastic visual affects pulled me in straight away. The first-half of the movie is absolutely brilliant and many pivotal scenes (and dialogue) from the book are kept in i.e. when Susie drives her "sick" brother to the hospital. We are introduced to several main characters (Ruth, Ray etc) and are able to see Susie grow up, thus making her murder more difficult to sit through (though nothing is actually shown).
Pardon my expression but I was biting my fingernails on several occasions and quite literally, on the edge of my seat, especially when Lindsey Salmon breaks into and escapes the murderer's house! The graphic details, although not shown, are still very dark and disturbing and the movie is overall, very difficult to sit through, though this does not mean it is not entertaining. As many reviewers have already pointed out, I felt at times, the movie focused its valuable time far too much on the visual-affects (in "Susie's Heaven") rather than the story or in this scenario, character development. For example, I did not feel we knew enough about Buckley (Susie's younger brother), who plays a pivotal role in the book, while Ruth's character is sadly not explored at all. Other characters featured in the book are also missing.
On the bright side, the CGI/visual affects are very beautiful to look at and with it's bittersweet humour and ability to play at your heart-strings like a fiddle, this makes this movie well-worth watching. Many of the scenes in the book are in here, although for somebody who has not yet read it, it may be a little confusing. Saoirise Ronan (as Susie Salmon), is absolutely faultless, as are many of the other actors/actresses in this movie. To sum it up, I think the "Lovely Bones" is a very entertaining movie. It's not the best movie I've seen but it's certainly not the worst either. I would agree with other reviewers when I say the "Lovely Bones" focuses more on the imagery than anything else, thus earning a 7/10 rating from me. Give it a go but be prepared to lower your expectations.
Imagine Me & You (2005)
So happy together...
Imagine Me and You is a wonderful uplifting film and is everything a comedy should be. It is original, charming, witty and has some great laugh out loud moments while having just the right amount of drama in between. Granted, this is not your usual stereotypical love story. Instead of boy meets girl, it's girl meets girl! Here's the story in a nut shell: Rachel is getting married to the very lovable Heck who is also her best friend. During the wedding, she meets florist, Luce whom she "clicks" with immediately. But when sparks begin to fly, it causes some trouble between her family and friends; hilarious results ensue! I also think it delivers a very good message although I will let you figure that out for yourself.
Piper (Rachel) and Lena (Luce) have amazing chemistry on screen (and really feel like a "real" couple) while Matthew Goode shines as the all lovable Heck! Do not be put out by the ridiculous R rating! There is only one lot of bad language and the suggestive content is only what you would expect in a 12 rated movie. This is definitely a "feel-good" film and really puts a smile on your face. It has plenty of laugh-out-loud moments and does not use crude humour and ridiculousness to deliver them. The "football stadium" scene for instance was very sweet and funny at the same time. Yes, some may say it's a little predictable but it's lighthearted and fun and well worth watching. Whether you are lesbian or straight, I would definitely recommend watching this movie. I only wish there were more comedies like this...8/10.
John Tucker Must Die (2006)
"Slut in truck"
I saw this film for the first time tonight. To be totally honest, I did not have very high expectations; just thought it looked like fun and what a surprise this turned out to be! This is by far one of the best rom-coms I have seen in a long time. Like most rom-com comedies, they are funny but only for a short period of time. This movie held my attention through to the end and had plenty of laugh-out-loud moments, twists and fun surprises. I loved the netball scene! It is bound to have you laughing out loud within seconds!
The story is pretty simple but is wonderfully crafted together. Three girls (who have had their hearts broken by womanizer John Tucker) band together with "new girl" - Kate - to get even with him by breaking his heart. I've got to say, the actors/actresses work brilliantly together. You can really feel the chemistry between them. Yes, it is a bit predictable but it is still very funny and well worth watching, especially if you are into these types of movies. It left me feeling happy and good inside. I haven't really got a bad thing to say about. 9/10.
Marley & Me (2008)
Heart-warming
Marley and Me is not and not for the faint-hearted; I can tell you that. I watched this movie for the first time today and really, really enjoyed it and in saying that, I appreciate my dog more now! John Grogan's Marley and Me was fantastic and I can say, without a doubt that the film follows the book pretty closely, minus a couple of scenes left out but hey, what do you expect? You can never fit an entire book into a movie! Just appreciate this film for what it is, sit back and enjoy the ride. For what it is, I thought cast and crew did an excellent job. Marley's antics were funny and had me laughing out loud on more than one occasion. You can't help but love him!
I did have my doubts about Owen and Jenifer playing John and Jenny Grogan but they were, without a doubt, spectacular! Jenifer Aniston was exceptionally good and seemed very in-character with her role. The beginning did seem a bit rushed and for the first 10/20 minutes, I feared this film was going downhill....fast but it shot straight back up again and settled into a more comfortable pace. This film is not your average dog movie. It has far more depth than that. It is not just about some wild-out-of-control dog who does crazy things. It's about family and friendship and the difficulties life can have. That is what makes it realistic. It also passes on a very important message but I will let you figure that out for yourself.
This film is without a doubt, heart-wrenching. It is tear-jerking. I would recommend having a box of tissues on hand. I must admit, this film feels very family oriented and although some scenes may be a little intense and upsetting for younger children, you must remember it is only following the book and if it had not, I wouldn't have seen much point in making the movie. Just remember that. To sum it up, I thought this movie was great and although I think it could have been better in places, I am not going to complain. Just appreciate this film for what it is. 8/10.
Miss Congeniality (2000)
Excellent!
Miss Congeniality is one of those fun rom-com comedies that does not come around often. It may be over eight years old but is still utterly hilarious and entertaining. Unlike most comedies these days, this film is not, I repeat, not loaded with un-necessary (crude) jokes, continuous sexual references and bad language. Miss Congeniality is one for the girls!! It is light hearted and extremely funny; entertainment ensures! Sandra Bullock, Michael Caine and Benjamin Bratt make this film what it is. They are simply fabulous. I could not fault any of them. The good thing about this film is that it does not try to be something it's not. It's funny but not-over-the-top funny which is good because a lot of comedies nowadays don't seem to know their weaknesses. It also has it's share of serious elements. The story - An FBI agent - Gracie Hart - reluctantly goes undercover in the Miss United States beauty pageant to prevent a wrong-doing and is transformed into a beauty queen. Disatrous results are a must for a film of this category! When I first watched the trailer for this film, I thought it looked like fun although a little predictable. I was wrong. It is simply full of surprises! The jokes, although not very memorable, were funny (Example: 'I haven't seen a walk like that since Jurassic Park') and has a good soundtrack. Give this film a chance. It is certainly worth it for the laughs. Go on. Give it a go!
The Heartbreak Kid (2007)
Disappointing
I bought this movie expecting to see yet another 'Along Came Polly' or 'There's something about Mary' but this movie fails to reach any of those levels . Ben Stiller plays the part he always plays and although he and cast were good at their roles, not even they could pull this off. Undoubtedly, the movie does have it's laugh-out-loud moments but I found it lacked originality and was as predictable as expected, despite the twist at the end. This film is over-filled with unnecessary jokes and sexual references. The sex-scenes were in my opinion, far too graphic and left you with a bad taste in your mouth. I think the first half was better than the second half. Take my advise. If you want to watch a good feel-good comedy staring the lovable Ben Stiller, I would recommend watching 'Along Came Polly', 'Meet the Parents' or 'There's something about Mary' but not this. Overall, this film is OK although it is nothing we haven't seen before. 5/10. You can do better.
Batman Begins (2005)
Batman Begins
Having never been a fan of Batman before, I was unsure of what to expect but I can safely say, I was pleasantly surprised and boy, what have I been missing out on? This film is great. Batman Begins has a rather dark feeling to it; something previous Batman movies failed to explore. This is the true Batman. Accompained with a great cast of talented actors (who did not disappoint in the slightest) and a great storyline, there is little to complain about. Ah yes. The story. The first half focuses mainly on his origins, his parents' deaths, his training and how he became Batman and got all his gadgets etc. They're all there! The second half focuses mainly on his being Batman and his relationships with various characters such as Alfred the butler and Rachel Dawes. There are also a lot of twists and turns so watch out!!
I must compliment the cast and crew on their success. Christian Bale is the ultimate Batman and he could not have done a better job. He and crew had some great chemistry between them and it did not go un-noticed. Well done to them. It also contains some great action scenes - gadgets included - but while not going over the top or being too often. However, I do think the fight-scenes could have done with being a little longer. And that's not all. I cried. That's right. I cried! One scene was very emotional, as was some others. And I cried!! You think you've seen it all. Think again. This is one superhero movie you don't want to miss; Batman fan or not. 9/10 from me.
Warning: I wouldn't recommend showing this films to kids under the age of ten. The Scarecrow was pretty scary. He's not called Scarecrow for nothing! The scene with the bats also might be a bit intense for young kids.
X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009)
This is what we've been waiting for....
X-Men Origins: Wolverine is not without its flaws and although some things are left unexplained, it is nowhere near as bad as critics are cracking it up to be. At the end of the day, it is a very fun roller coaster ride from beginning to end and personally, I enjoyed every second of it. Hugh Jackman did not disappoint, as I knew he would not as Wolverine and his true dark side is finally shown as in the films it was really dumbed down. I was very impressed by his performance. Liev Schreiber who plays Wolverine's half brother - Victor Creed - was far better than I expected. He was cruel, ruthless and merciless, just how you would expect Sabretooth to behave and act in say, the comics.
Taylor Kitsch was very impressive as Gambit and did not disappoint at all which was a relief. His accent is there at times and although his red eyes are only shown once, I did not mind. It is great just to see Gambit in a movie! I would love to see Taylor reprise his role as Gambit again in future X-Men movies and sequels; the same goes for Deadpool who was also superb although I expect a lot of Deadpool fans will be disappointed due to his and Gambit's lack of screen time and characterisation. Deadpool does not don the classic red and black costume but hey, what can I say? This movie is called X-Men Origins: Wolverine for a reason, not X-Men Origins: Gambit or X-Men Origins: Deadpool!
This film has plenty of action and plenty of explosions! You need not be bored! The CGI and special effects are not brilliant and for a film of this modern age, they could have certainly been better but don't let that put you off! It is loaded with action, drama and plenty of sexy men for us ladies to feast our eyes on! What more could a woman ask for? Surprisingly, there is no to barely any blood and the violence, although good, is very lighthearted and very much left to the imagination. The fight scenes between Wolverine and Sabretooth, although short, were very entertaining and are sure to please fans. Be prepared for plenty of roaring because they do a lot of it in this movie! May I say this film also has plenty of humour and laugh-out-loud moments that make you feel good. Some scenes, specifically the opening credits and adamantium-infusion scene totally took my breath away and were incredibly well done. Do yourself a favour and judge this film for yourself. Do not listen to the critics. It may not be as good as X-Men 2 but I assure you it is well worth your time. 8/10.
Australia (2008)
Epic!
Australia is a long film (154 minutes to be precise) that is full of fun, action, a little comedy, romance and plenty of drama. Do not listen to the critics and people who are badmouthing this film. It is the sort of film you have to judge for yourself to understand it completely. It may be long but it is well worth your while. The film focuses its plot on three main characters - Hugh Jackman who I thought was great as the Drover (and showed me that he's capable of many different roles besides Wolverine!), Nicole Kidman who I thought was brilliant as Lady Sarah Ashley and Brandon Walters who plays Nullah – an orphaned boy who helps them dearly on their treacherous journey over an 'unforgiving landscape' and who is a main character throughout the film.
The plot is fairly simple and never seems to lose track of itself. It captures and motivates you and keeps you interested up until the very end. I must admit this is an incredibly powerful and emotional film that can make you laugh and cry, especially near the end. I think the war-scenes were done brilliantly. You would never know CGI was involved! OK, maybe you would, but it was still pretty darn good! The landscapes were beautiful and sometimes, some of the scenes took me by surprise because I was just not expecting them. One scene in particular involving the cattle and a cliff was very thrilling and literally had me on the very edge of my seat! Very exciting! Now for the story - Set in 1939 before World War II, a woman (Nicole Kidman) inherits a ranch in Australia and reluctantly joins forces with a man named the Drover (Hugh Jackman) who as you have probably guessed, drives the cattle from A to B. They then experience the bombing of Darwin and let me tell you; they couldn't have picked a worse time to fall in love! The story then takes it from there and so forth.
Like I said before, this film literally had me on the edge of my seat. I did not think it was at all predictable and I do not think it deserves all the bad reviews it is receiving. Why, I do not know but then, I guess everyone has their own opinion. If you like war movies, romance and Hugh Jackman, I definitely recommend checking out this film. It is not your usual popcorn type movie. If I had seen this in the cinema, I would have been too distracted to eat popcorn anyway!! Give this film a go and judge it for yourself. 9/10.
Wolverine and the X-Men (2008)
They're back!!!
When I first heard about this show, I was as you can guess, very excited and it did not fail to live up to expectations. The X-Men (who consists of Wolverine (duh), Cyclops, Storm, Forge, Iceman, Kitty, Beast, Rogue, Emma Frost, Jean Grey and Nightcrawler) are handled very well in terms of characterization. Sure, some things have obviously changed but this is good change. They have taken the X-Men in a totally different direction as compared to X-Men (TAS) and X-Men Evolution. Basically, Professor X is in some kind of coma but is also in the future, which at the time, is being dominated, by Sentinels and it is up to the X-Men (in the present) to stop that future from happening. Neat, huh?
Wolverine and the X-Men, is in my opinion, a more-serious take on the X-Men. The stories are deeper and go in to explain some of the character's origins i.e. Cyclops which is always nice to see as opposed to the comics. The action sequences (if you can call them that) are good and certainly entertaining although I feel as if sometimes, they are a little repetitive if you know what I mean. I would say Magneto is the main villain throughout season one although they also have to battle the Brotherhood on more than one occasion and on those rare occasions, each other. Season two, however, will focus on Age of Apocalypse. I also hear Deadpool will be making an appearance.
Although Wolverine and the X-Men, is undoubtedly entertaining and has its fair share of funny moments, I prefer X-Men (TAS), mainly because Wolverine was not in the spot-light all the time and the chemistry between characters was fantastic! I just love them. Scott is such a boy scout. I also think the Phoenix saga was in a way, handled better seeing as it lasted for longer. Nevertheless, Wolverine and the X-Men is still thoroughly entertaining and I cannot wait for season two. Watch it. You won't regret it! 8/10.
Mamma Mia! (2008)
Entertaining!
You don't have to be a fan of Abba to enjoy this movie. It is a sit back and relax kind of movie that leaves you feeling very positive at the end. I must warn you though, it is a bit of a chick flick and has (paticulary near the end) a few cheesy scenes but hey, if you like that kind of stuff, you should definitely enjoy this movie. If not, watch it anyway because you will not regret it.
The great thing about this film is that it features a lot of well known actors/actresses and Pierce Brosnan, whom I did not think could pull it off played superbly as Sam Carmichael. Julie Walters, was as usual fantastic and did not fail to give it her best. She was by far one of the funniest characters in the movie and had a great sense of humour, as did the others. Although you could not always feel the chemistry between the characters, they all seemed like they were having a really good time and are friends on/off screen.
There was not much of a plot but here it is anyway - Sophie Sheridan is due to get married but when she reads her mother's diary, she finds 'that any one of three men could be her father' so she invites them to the island so one of them can give her away at her wedding. But which one? This film has two sub plots. One was about Sophie and how she is determined to find out who her father is and keep them a secret from her mother. The other is about Donna Sheridan (her mother), who invites to the island Rosie and Tanya (as backup singers) but who discovers her ex's sooner than expected.
This is a fun film which I think adults can enjoy as well as teenagers/kids as there is no violence, very mild language and a lot of laughs. The songs sung were brilliant and included some of Abba's best songs e.g. Mamma Mia, Dancing Queen, Honey, Honey, Last Summer, the Winner takes it All and many others. The script was solid, the acting was un-flawed, the dance moves were cool and the jokes, although crude at times were funny. However, I do think that the ending could have been concluded better but I will leave that up to you to decide. To sum it up, I think this movie is great. 8/10.
Step Up (2006)
Could be better.
This movie was OK, not great but not Dirty Dancing by any stretch. The storyline was very simple and almost predictable - Tyler Gage lives life the bad way and is usually caught up in drugs, violence and crime. It is not until he and his gang vandalise Maryland's School of Arts that he is finally caught and is sentenced to 200 hours of community service. It is here that he meets Nora, a professional dancer who is in need of a partner and when she sees Tyler expressing his moves in the parking lot, he seems an ideal choice. As the two begin to work together, they predictably fall in love and Tyler must choose between his brotherhood or his dream. The storyline, I admit, is good but what let's it down is the fact that we all know where he is going to end up and what is going to happen. There is simply no element of surprise whatsoever in this film and for me, that lets it down.
The acting is good, particularly from the two main characters. Their characters are believable and I won't deny, they pulled it off nicely. The film had it's fair share of action, humour, good dance moves and romance. If you like films that are pretty predictable, cheesy, have irritating songs and lots of cheesy romance, then this is the film for you. However, if not, I recommend you look elsewhere, perhaps at Grease or Dirty Dancing. This film is good but no where near great. Half of the time, I just wanted to forward the songs on and let me tell you there, there's a lot of them!! 7/10.
X-Men (1992)
Classic!
Unlike many people on here, I am not familiar with the comics but I can safely say, if you liked the movies, then you are bound to enjoy this. It can appeal to kids as well as adults as it deals with some personal issues as well involving certain characters. The main characters in this series are as such: Wolverine, Xavier, Jean, Scott, Rogue, Gambit, Jubilee, Beast and Storm. Each are unique in their own way. Other characters such as Nightcrawler, Iceman and Colousess and not main characters and appear in few episodes but it was interesting to see how they were portrayed and characterised and I think they did it perfectly, considering that they didn't get much screen time. I was glad to see that it involves the love triangle between Logan/Jean/Scott and Rogue/Gambit and was done reasonably realistically but without getting in the way of the main story lines.
Moving on, some of the story arcs were fantastic, particularly the Dark Phoneix saga and Days of Future Past. Some however (particularly Beyond Good And Evil) felt a bit out of place and long running. It also deals pretty well with the fight between mutants and humans while not going over the top. The animation is spot on and characters such as Logan and Jean look amazingly like they did in the movies! The fights are fun to watch and are fast paced and for once, they are allowed to punch! There is plenty of action and let's face it - who doesn't enjoy watching that? But what would this series be without humour? There are some extremely funny scenes and funny lines that you can't help but snort at. Logan and Gambit must have the best sense of humour in this particular series. I definitely recommend this series, it may be old but it is classic! 10/10.
The IT Crowd (2006)
'Have you tried turning it off and on again?'
I did not know at all what this series was about, nor did I care at the time but after watching a few episodes, I am hooked. If you liked the Vicar of Dibley and Father Ted, then you are sure to enjoy this. There are three main characters - Roy, Moss and Jen. Roy, although not smart is charming at times but impatient and loud mouthed. You can't help but like him! Moss is highly intelligent but dumbfounded when out in the open and is often saying the wrong things at the wrong times that often result in disaster and cannot talk about bras without fainting! You guessed it, he's a nerd! Jen is outgoing and flirty but does not have much luck with men and knows nothing about computers e.g. 'If you type Google into Google...you can brake the internet.' and had a love for shoes. Now picture them in an IT department, arguing, bickering and causing havoc by all means of the imagination. That's what you'll get if you watch this show.
The story lines are very simple but the actors/actresses pull it off superbly and with great skill. They portray their characters brilliantly and go to extreme lenghs to make us laugh! I do not know how they keep straight faces because some of those lines can make anyone laugh! The jokes, although crude at times are funny and do not go over the top by means of dumbness. Personally my favourite was episode five, it had me in stitches of laughter and teaches you that lying can get you into more trouble than expected. Also, episode two was also very funny, I'll never memorise that number. For those who have seen this episode will know what I'm talking about! There are other characters as well such as Richmond, Denholm and Douglas and although their roles are minor to some of the story lines, they are just as funny and act believably. I definitely recommend watching this Sitcom. It was funny yet not over the top. 10/10.
0118 999 881 999 119 7253 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2Q6xbEZ-f0
Two-Bits & Pepper (1995)
Two Bits and Pepper
Two Bits and Pepper is definitely not the best horse film I have seen and it does have a lot of faults. Adults will most likely find this film predictable and irritating but little kids are bound to enjoy it. The story is very simple - two girls are kidnapped by two very stupid kidnappers (the kind you would see in Beethoven 3, only more stupid because they can't even add 1+11!) and the kid's ponies (Two Bits and Pepper) decide to rescue their owners and bring the kidnappers to justice. The ponies do speak (Homeward Bound style) but have very irritating voices that I felt were unemotional and past caring. This film does have a lot of flaws and unfortunately they are noticeable.
The kidnappers do not speak with any emotion and sounded like they just wanted to get on with it and the girls, I think were the only ones that acted well. There were a few good scenes such as when a fire breaks out but it is fairly easy to lose interest and the film gets boring towards the end because we all know what is going to happen. Yes the horses are cute and the stunts preformed were OK and the scenery was nice but nothing could save this film from the lack of professionalism. I think it will appeal more to little kids. But one good point is that the film teaches them that they should not talk to strangers or get in a stranger's car. This film is not great and I have seen better but for the money (£1 in Woolworths) it is OK though I would not view it more than once. 5/10.
The Water Horse (2007)
Predictable
This film is OK but I found it exceedingly predictable and a little far fetched. The CGI is OK but is not great, it is definitely not King Kong CGI. Baby Crusole was cute but there was not much interaction between boy and water horse as every time we did see them together, the boy (Angus) was either called away or was interrupted. There was only one long scene of them together and in this scene Angus actually rides the water horse in the loch and somehow manages to hold his breath for long periods of time while under water! I know it was only fiction but you have to be realistic to some extent. However this scene was done well, especially when the water horse rises quickly to the surface and water splashes everywhere. This was one of my favourite scenes and my only criticism is that it kept repeating similar shots.
The story - An old man who is obviously an elderly Angus tells his story which is set in WWII to two tourists in a pub. The boy Angus finds a heavily encrusted but crystal blue egg on a beach (I thought it looked pretty similar to the egg in Eragon) and takes it home to a large house where his mother is the house keeper and keeps it hidden in an outhouse. It hatches by itself and Angus discovers the empty shell later. Angus finds it exceedingly hard to keep his growing friend a secret especially when soldiers move into the grounds of the house. From then on the story was pretty predictable, big water horse is in the loch, army try to destroy it, water horse needs rescuing. It was just plain and simple! To help her Angus's mother hires a mysterious handyman called Lewis. Angus and Lewis get off to a rocky start but soon become friends thanks to the water horse and Lewis becomes a temporary father figure to Angus.
This story was OK. Some scenes were pretty moving while others were over-dramatic and very loud because the boy unfortunately had a loud and screeching voice when excited which happened quite often. Kids are bound to enjoy this film though, there is action, no romance and a cute critter who grows enormous in short bursts and has to be released into the loch. Oddly enough, Crusole is only ever called a water horse and the name, Loch Ness Monster is not mentioned. Also, the story bares some resemblance to the ending of Free Willy.
This film is good and worth watching and I think kids will enjoy it as it is fast paced and exciting and has a nice twist to the end. My rating = 6/10.
The Fox and the Hound 2 (2006)
Surprisingly good!
This movie was surprisingly nice and heart-warming! At first I wasn't sure on the idea of watching a sequel but it turned out to be great! Plot line - Copper and Todd are still best friends and are always getting into mischief but it seems as if Copper is no good at anything -especially hunting! His luck quickly changes when he joins a band with the singing stays! Unfortunately Copper soon seems to have no time for Todd and it strongly affects there friendship.
This film was excellent in every way and most of the characters had a good sense of humour! The songs such as Friends For Life , blue beyond hound dude and We're In Harmony were very well done! (Hound dude was my favourite!) Even though this film is new the characters seemed to have there same voices just as they did in the old film! The animation was wonderful and just as before the film has all your favourite characters . E.G. Chief! The only thing I did notice about this film is that Big Momma (mummy!)wasn't in it but that really doesn't bother me! I recommend this film to everyone who likes the fox and the hound! They are both brilliant!