Friday 19 June 2015

Insidious- Chapter 3

Hello guys!
I apologise that it has been so long since my last update but I promise I won't ever be gone that long again. I've missed writing up my reviews and I am looking forward to getting back into my routine.
So, to start us off I am going to review the new 'Insidious' film.



Insidious- Chapter 3






Synopsis:

The story follows teenager Quinn Brenner who recently lost her mother, in an attempt to contact her on the other side she visits Elise (Lin Shaye) who warns her to stop. Quinn ignores her advice and calls out for her mother but opens the portal to some uninvited guests. When one demon in particular latches on to the young girl and starts a chain of horrifying events the only person who can bring her back from the darkness is Elise.


Review:

The first half of Insidious 3 provided me with much optimism, the opening scene with Quinn and Elise sets an ominous mood. The camera angles are rather intrusive, focusing entirely on their faces and giving the audience a sense of claustrophobia.
The insight into Quinn's life builds up her character and gives us some essential background information on her previous troubles and grief. The focus on her life means that it is much easier to connect and sympathise with her character.

Insidious 3 sticks to many conventions of the horror genre, there are many jump scares throughout; some of them are predictable and others catch you off guard but as the film progresses they become more and more frequent and less effective. The use of harsh string instruments in the non-diegetic music could be created to make the viewer feel uneasy and uncomfortable but again, it is used too many times throughout and loses the intensity.

I found that Lily having broken legs brought a whole new feel to the film, this makes her trapped and vulnerable. She is unable to escape and run away from the demon whenever it appears, making the viewer face it head on too.



The lighting and camera work are nothing out of the ordinary, there is use of candles and torches which are typical of this genre but I wasn't expecting anything more from a third instalment. Insidious 3 started off strong, I assumed it was going to be much better than anticipated and had it carried on the way it started then I'm not sure I would have many bad things to say about it but after the first half things took a turn for the worse. 
The excessive use of jump scares became a little bit of a joke, I was able to point out when every single one was about to happen and the character's lost all sense of being, there was a half-hearted attempt at creating sympathy for them at the end and make a touching scene but by this point I had already distanced myself from any goings on. 
Another problem with the film is the appearance of comical character's; the two ghost hunters aren't even particularly funny but they definitely bring down the whole tone of the film and take back any credibility of Insidious 3 being a great horror. 

The worst part of the film was the final showdown involving Elise, the dialogue is laughable and full of cliche's and the fight scene looked like something out of a wrestling ring. As far as horror films go it's not the worst I have seen and considering it is the third in line it's not as bad as I expected but definitely not something I would watch again. If you're a fan of the Insidious films then check this one out but don't expect too much from it. 

2.5/5 

Friday 3 April 2015

Nightlight (2015)

Hello again, treating you all to a second review today! Checked out another found footage horror film called 'Nightlight' today, it had a few familiar faces and was much better than I had anticipated so here we go.


Nightlight (2015)





Summary: 

Five friends head out into the woods to play a series of games, one of them being a night time version of hide and seek, but this game doesn't end well for all of those involved when Ben (Mitch Hewer) goes missing. The group end up separated and soon realise the tales of these haunted woods were true and someone or something is after them and it won't stop until it gets revenge but revenge for what?


Review:

'Nightlight' has far too many similarities to that of 'The Blair Witch Project' and yet, it fails to execute itself as well. The characters are nothing special, in fact we don't really learn an awful lot about any of them besides Robin (Shelby Young) and even that is a shallow attempt at building a reason for their demise.
As far as low budget, found footage horrors go 'Nightlight' certainly isn't one of the worst I have ever seen, nor is it the best but it does provide cheap thrills and the usual shaky camera with minimal lighting. The film itself doesn't rely too much on gore and focuses on the threat off camera, by building up the anticipation of what lies off screen this provides a much better atmosphere in a film like this.




There are several moments throughout the film in which Scott Beck has gotten it oh so right and yet he manages to mess it up with the trembling hands of Robin who drops the camera every time things are about to get interesting. Whilst Robin walks through the darkness she realises her only source of light is to set off the flash on the camera, with each step she clicks the shutter button and the flash reveals her surroundings for a brief moment. This was one of my favourite parts of the movie, it does leave you with baited breath even though you know exactly what is coming.
'Nightlight' doesn't have a strong storyline and the dialogue consists of too many teen clichés but the audience do get an explanation from Robin as to why these things might be happening to them and who she thinks is behind the torment and then the film ends with a suicide video from their ex classmate. Nothing special or out the ordinary, just another predictable ending.
Not a complete shambles but definitely not worthy of another watch 'Nightlight' takes the handheld camera shots a little bit too seriously meaning half the time you have no idea what is going on.

2/5

Haunting of Cellblock 11

Haunting of Cellblock 11 (2014)




Synopsis:

A team of Paranormal Investigators spend the night in a haunted prison in a bid to up their ratings and keep up with their competitors. Somehow the team end up locked inside and with no escape they're forced to face their fears. 


Review:

I'm not one for brutally tearing a film apart because as an aspiring filmmaker I understand how difficult it can be, especially on a low budget but I can't deny the fact that 'Haunting of Cellblock 11' is a laughable attempt at a horror. The whole premise for the film sounds intriguing, set in a creepy abandoned prison, found footage, paranormal investigators... Yes, we've seen it before but I am a huge fan of this sub genre and wanted to give it a chance.
'Haunting of Cellblock 11' could have been a great film, it could have been a hidden gem amongst these kind of films but the ridiculous acting takes away any kind of credibility. There were times when I literally laughed out loud and that is definitely not a good sign. The script was appalling, dialogue was comical, the characters had no substance and overall it was just a farce. 




Of course there were some positive parts of the film, for example the back story of the prison and it's gruesome past is a great idea and the brief flashbacks and reconstructions were artistically pleasant but as far as good points go that is all I have.

'Haunting in Cellblock 11' is proof that film making isn't just about an interesting storyline, it needs a good script, great actors and  smart editing to build it up into something great. Definitely won't be watching this film again and if I were you I'd spare yourself from checking it out.

1/5

Thursday 2 April 2015

Clown (2014)

Hello guys! I do apologise for my lack of posts, I won't bore you with excuses. Instead I'll jump straight back to it and start off with my review of Clown, so give it a read and let me know what you think.

Clown (2014)



Summary:

When Kent (Andy Powers), a loving father finds a clown suit just in time for his son's birthday party he decides to try it out and soon discovers that he can't remove it. Kent realises this wasn't just an ordinary clown suit but one that has cast a terrifying curse on him.


Review: 

An interesting premise for a horror film nowadays as it's not very often we get many killer clowns featuring in them, so when I heard about 'Clown' I knew I would have to check it out. The film jumps straight into the action, with Kent trying on the suit almost immediately and then struggling to remove it. The slow burning process of the terrifying transformation is what makes 'Clown' stand out, the brutal visuals of children being eaten and maimed by Frowny the Clown (Eli Roth) creates an individuality to the film and the usual victims seen in horrors. 




Director Jon Watts has created a monstrous and deeply disturbing atmosphere by allowing the transformation to start off a little bit comedic but after a grisly scene in which Kent has a part of his nose ripped off in order to take off the nose, we soon realise that it's going to be much darker than first expected. 'Clown' could fall into the psychological thriller category as opposed to horror, yes there are gruesome scenes with blood and gore but for myself, personally I wasn't scared by it in the slightest and at times it just felt a little bit silly. 
The acting wasn't some of the best I have seen and it was very difficult to relate to any of the character's because Watts skips past any character development and back story and straight in to the horror but it was much better than I had anticipated. 




If you are afraid of clowns then maybe this film isn't for you, the final image of Frowny the Clown is not for the faint hearted and the visual effects are incredibly realistic. 
'Clown' is never going to go down in history as one of the best horrors around but as far as killer clown stories go it's not that bad. 

2.5/5

Friday 13 March 2015

The Duff (2015)


'The DUFF' follows the story of high school student  Bianca (Mae Whitman) who is quite comfortable in her friendship group and her own skin, that is until Wesley (Robbie Amell), a popular and charming jock blurts out that she is The DUFF.
DUFF- Designated, Ugly, Fat Friend.


Wanting to impress her crush, Toby (Nick Eversman), Bianca makes a deal with Wesley- she helps him to pass science and he helps her to bag the boy of her dreams but along the way she discovers that in one way or another we are all somebody's DUFF and we can only be happy when we are happy with ourselves.



Review:

'The DUFF' is a charming and witty teen comedy, the script is outstanding and builds up a great on screen atmosphere between the characters.Witman reminds me of  Emma Stone, a little bit quirky and downright hilarious, it is obvious she is going to become a star in teen films after her wonderful performance. Witman and Amell appear so comfortable on screen and they have great chemistry, their moments together had me chuckling many times.
Of course 'The DUFF' is predictable and follows the usual plot summary of a high school outcast trying to change herself but realising she is perfect the way she is and eventually bags the boy of her dreams.


The slapstick humour, sarcastic snaps and over the top reactions are just a way of portraying to the audience that the film itself doesn't take things to seriously but underneath all of that we can sense that it is a genuine and sweet story about inner beauty. Although on what planet is Witman 'fat' or even slightly overweight? That was one issue I had with the film; if you aren't a size 6, 5 foot 11 girl then you're deemed as overweight and in this society today the term 'fat' and any representation of it should be used very lightly.


Overall 'The DUFF' was much better than I had expected, it's definitely something I would watch again just for the feel good factor and the laughs. Yes, it's predictable but deep down we all secretly enjoy a happy ending.

4/5

Thursday 12 March 2015

Top 5 Film Releases 2015

Good evening guys! Haven't had much chance to watch any films over these last couple of days so instead I thought I would update the blog with the top 5 films that I am looking forward to in 2015. The films are in no particular order.
If you agree or disagree with any then let me know and send me across your top 5!



1. Unfriended (April 2015) 



In this film we witness a teenager and her friends become the victims of an unknown online presence who is using the account of a young girl who committed suicide a year ago due to bullying. Who is the person behind the account and how far will they go to exact their revenge?



2. Ex Machina (April 2015)





Caleb Smith is a programmer for an internet-search giant, he wins a competition to go and spend a week at the company's private mountain estate with the brilliant but reclusive CEO, Nathan Bateman. Caleb soon realises he has been chosen to take part in an experiment to test the capabilities of Bateman's latest creation, a wonderfully sculpted AI named Ava but her emotional intelligence and deceptiveness is much more sophisticated than than the two men could have ever imagined. 



3. Jurassic World (June 2015) 




It has been 22 years since the events of Jurassic Park, Isla Nubar is now a fully functioning dinosaur theme park but after 10 years in operation the visitor numbers are starting to decline. In order to bring people back to Jurassic World the geneticists create a genetically modified hybrid dinosaur but when it escapes from it's enclosure the whole park is in danger. 



4. Sinister 2 (August 2015)

There hasn't been an official trailer released yet but seeing as the original 'Sinister' is in my top 10 favourite horror movies of all time I am hoping that the second lives up to it's predecessor. There's also a lack of detail on the plot thus far but it follows the story of a single mother who moves in to a new home with her twin sons only to realise that they are now in danger and new targets for the murderous demon that haunts the residents of this cursed house. 


5. The Avengers: Age of Ultron (May 2015)


When Tony Stark awakens a dormant peacekeeping programme, things begin to go wrong which forces him to turn to Thor, Captain America and the rest of the Avengers for help. The fate of the Earth hangs in the balance and the Avengers face their toughest challenge yet in the form of Ultron, a technological terror who is determined to destroy the human race. 



So there you have it. My top 5 films that are due for release this year. If you have any comments or different views then don't be afraid to leave a comment and let me know!

Sunday 8 March 2015

Snowtown (2011)


Evening guys! So after watching 'The Babadook' and '54 Days' earlier this year I decided to look in to Australian cinema in a bit more depth and one film that kept on cropping up was 'Snowtown'. Known for it's brutal and graphic storytelling I checked it out anyway and here is my review.


Synopsis: 

Snowtown is based on the brutal murders that took place in the Australian suburb during the 1990s. The story follows John Bunting who is a charming and charismatic man who becomes romantically involved with Jamie's mother. John takes up the role of a father figure to the boys and takes Jamie under his wing, a 16 year old boy who has been suffering from sexual abuse caused by his older brother Troy. Using fear and control over Jamie he makes him an accomplice to all of these horrific murders.


Review:

Snowtown is most definitely not an easy film to watch, there will be times when you want to look away but enduring the graphic and torturous scenes allows you to take a look at the psychological traits of Australia's most infamous serial killer.
Snowtown builds slow suspense, it gives the viewer the chance to watch the character's develop and understand their lifestyles and mindsets, this helps you to understand why Jamie was dragged in to such a mess and why Bunting found it easy to brain wash him.
The gritty, social-realism really works well in Snowtown and what makes the film even more terrifying is that it is based on actual events. The unknown actors, shaky cameras and unconventional shots give Snowtown a documentary feel which works well in it's favour. Justin Kurzel hasn't opted to glamourise the story and has done his best in creating a diegetic world that is truly representative of what actually took place.
My only qualm with 'Snowtown' is that it drags out for much longer than needed, there are certain parts throughout the film in which I lost interest but it never lasted long because another key moment would occur and have me hooked again. The film doesn't focus too much on the brutality and gore, (sometimes moving the camera away from the torture) and this was a great way to add tension, sometimes it's what we can't see that terrifies us the most.


Not easy to watch but an interesting look in to the psychological profile of John Bunting and Jamie Vlassakis.

4/5

Saturday 7 March 2015

Love, Rosie

Hello guys! I recently discovered that my favourite Cecelia Ahern book had been adapted in to a film called Love, Rosie so that was definitely next on my agenda. Although it's not my usual Saturday daytime viewing I thought I would check it out anyway so here we go.



Love, Rosie (2014) 





Synopsis:

Rosie and Alex have been best friends from the age of 5 so their true feelings somehow get mixed up along the way. When Rosie unexpectedly falls pregnant at 18, she misses out on the opportunity to accompany Alex to Boston and life carries on throwing missed opportunities their way. Somehow the two of them are always drawn back together but will any of them realise that they are meant to be before time runs out and they miss that chance forever. 


Review:

Okay, so I'm not one for cheesy rom-coms but Love, Rosie doesn't sugar coat everything and the ups and downs of Alex and Rosie's lives make this story even more intriguing. Lily Collins and Sam Claflin are wonderfully charming in their roles and it is almost impossible for you not to fall in love with them together. Of course the ending is predictable, it's a romance film and that is what we come to expect of them but that doesn't mean Love Rosie should be shunned because the acting and character development is rather beautiful and left me with a smile on my face. Love Rosie is lacking in the comedy department but I feel as though any more laughs and it would have taken away the true sentiment of the film. 
Love, Rosie has a lot missing in comparison to the book 'Where Rainbows End' but that is understandable, as the book is rather long and does drag out this love story for several more years. The film adaptation does take away some key moments and character's but Christian Ditter has done a great job of bringing this story to life and it wasn't a disappointing adaptation. Some of the sub-plots are quite ridiculous and some parts of the story don't quite add up but they are quite easy to ignore, the whole narrative is created to focus solely on Rosie and Alex so the backing cast aren't really that important.
 Different to any other story Love Rosie follows the couple through 12 years of separate failed relationships, missed opportunities and real life obstacles but we get there in the end and I wouldn't have wanted it any other way. 

Definitely something I would watch again and will be suggesting it to my fellow romantics.

4/5


Friday 27 February 2015

Fifty Shades of Grey

Hello guys! I finally watched 50 Shades of Grey, which has been a huge talking point amongst women and even some men for a while now. I wasn't sure what to expect but I went in with an open mind (Like Mr Grey asked) and here's the verdict...

Fifty Shades of Grey (2015)

Synopsis:

Based on E.L James' best seller fifty shades of grey is a raunchy tale about a masochist relationship between the powerful and successful Christian Grey and a college student named Anastasia Steele. He wants nothing more than to have her submit to him but Ana wants more than that, she wants a loving relationship but in an attempt to understand his desires she realises it may all be a bit too much.





Review:

I'll be completely honest, I wasn't expecting Fifty Shades to be a great movie. After reading the books and realising it is in fact a terrible piece of literature, I still somehow found myself enjoying them because it was mind numbingly fun and allowed an escape. I was hoping the film would be the same but it was just incredibly awkward, not because of what was on screen but the non-existent chemistry between the two main character's. God bless Dornan and Johnson for trying but it's clear that they're both uncomfortable in their roles and there wasn't a single likeable trait about either of them. In fact, it was 110 minutes of scripted talking, brief sex scenes and unconvincing sexual tension. I am well aware that the team had trouble with casting and these two weren't the first choices but that being said, with this film being so highly anticipated, I had just hoped for much more. Sam Taylor-Johnson wasn't brave enough to explore the true depths and darkest corners of Grey's character which makes the movie adaptation tamer than several teen slasher movies I've seen in the past. Fifty Shades also comes across as contradictory, Christian mentions that 'He doesn't do romance' several times throughout the film and yet he sends Ana gifts with personalised notes, takes her on a helicopter ride and even introduces her to his family which makes it seem a little bit like a cheesy love story in several parts.

Overall, Fifty Shades of Grey has been a big disappointment and yet, I'm probably going to go back and talk to my friends about it. Far from a blockbuster to be remembered but still has tongues wagging. 

2/5

Friday 20 February 2015

What If (2013)

Being an avid Daniel Radcliffe fan myself, I have been meaning to check out 'What If' for a while now so I finally took the time to watch it today and it's actually rather heart warming.


What If:

Synopsis:

Wallace (Radcliffe) is a medical school drop-out who has suffered his fair share of heartaches. After deciding to give up on love he is introduced to Chantry (Zoe Kazan) and the two of them hit it off immediately. Discovering that Chantry has a long-term boyfriend means only one thing, Wallace is placed in the friend zone but their undeniable chemistry means it's not that easy. What if the love of your life just so happens to be your best friend?






Review:

It has always been difficult for Daniel Radcliffe to step away from his Harry Potter roots but in his first ever rom-com I think it's safe to say that there's much more to this pint sized actor than meets the eye. Radcliffe is charming, witty and strikes up amazing chemistry on-screen with his co-stars and that is what really brings this movie to life. 
Of course 'What If' is never going to be a classic that's remembered years down the line but it's fun and respectable and definitely leaves you with a smile. It's completely predictable but isn't that what we all secretly want from a romance story? Wallace and Chantry are unbelievably cute together, their sweet little inside jokes and flirty insults have you rooting for them the whole time.
My only problem with 'What If' is the disappointing and frankly rather dull ending. After watching almost an hour and a half of Wallace and Chantry battling against their feelings for one another it's a bit of a cop out to skip ahead several years and show them happily married and madly in love. It would have been nice to see a bit more of their story as a couple but I still enjoyed it nonetheless,

A witty and modern love story that has you smiling most of the time. A definite must-see, even if it is just the once.


4/5

Thursday 19 February 2015

Blackfish (2013)

Hi guys, so I spent my evening watching documentaries and decided to watch Blackfish again for the third time. It's such a powerful and heart wrenching story that uncovers the dark truth behind these glamourised shows. I visited Sea World back in 2013, before I had watched this documentary but it has had such an impact on me that I won't ever visit that place again. If I want to see orca's then I shall go out to sea and watch these wonderful creatures in their natural habitat.


Synopsis:

Blackfish goes behind the scenes of the magical façade that is SeaWorld and takes a look at how the Orca's are captured, trained and ultimately mistreated thus leading to several deaths and attacks of trainers. It contains eye witness accounts from those who saw the attacks and statements from previous SeaWorld employees which paints a pretty grim picture of this sea life prison.




Review:

Blackfish is gut wrenching, intense and completely eye opening and it most definitely changed my outlook on the SeaWorld parks and the franchise as a whole. Cowperthwaite's detailed storytelling includes eye witness accounts, archived footage and tapes from several court hearings which makes it almost impossible to ignore. The brutality of the deaths shocked me to the core but Blackfish looks beyond that and uncovers the aftermath and the cover ups to ensure these huge corporations can carry on making money.

The documentary investigates the capturing of these majestic and intelligent creatures, how they are forced apart from their own families and jetted across the other side of the world to perform in front of thousands of people. Humans can never understand their emotional requirements but it's obvious keeping them in a small concrete pool with other whales from different cultures is not something they need or want. Cowperthwaite's argument contains plenty of evidence and facts to get viewers on board and of course it is always nice to hear both sides of the story but SeaWorld don't really help themselves by refusing to make a comment. Maybe because all of it is true and there really isn't anything left to say?



Hopefully Blackfish sets in motion some changes in the way these animals are treated and housed. I believe it is certainly powerful enough to persuade others not to visit these parks again and maybe some day these beautiful creatures can be left alone to live their lives out in the ocean.

Please watch this if you get the chance, it will change your perspective and if it doesn't then I don't know what will.

5/5



Wednesday 18 February 2015

The Boy Next Door (2014)



The Boy Next Door follows a suburban school teacher Claire (J-Lo) as she tries to come to terms with the fact that her husband had an affair. Whilst getting back into the dating scene she is introduced to Noah (Guzman), a new high school student who just so happens to be incredibly helpful, polite and quizzed up on English Literature, the subject that Claire teaches at the school. After getting drunk one night she makes the mistake of taking Noah to bed which leads to an insane obsession with her and she soon realises he won't stop until he has her all to himself, no matter what the cost.




Review:

It's always nice to have a good looking cast on your screen but even that is not enough to help this film amount to anything. It's predictable and in all honesty, I've seen it all before, several times. Obsession, lust, crazy murdering stalker, you know the usual...
The Boy Next Door was much more endurable than I had first anticipated but it's slightly embarrassing to see Jennifer Lopez be an executive producer for a film which revolves entirely around Jennifer Lopez. It's obvious she has paid more attention to making herself look sexy in every shot than the actual production and narrative and characters, or anything for that matter. Yes there are times when The Boy Next Door provides a cheap thrill but it's so tediously obvious what the outcome is going to be in every single situation that it becomes a bit of a farce. 
Guzman takes up the role of a psychopathic stalker with great ease and he was probably my favourite part of the movie but that may just be because he is nice to look at because none of the character's have a lot of depth and when you finally discover Noah's back story it's so ridiculous you almost want to laugh out loud.
The ending did take me by surprise but not for reasons you would expect, it's gory and silly and doesn't fit in with the rest of the movie whatsoever. It's feeble attempt to go out with a bang but instead it switches over to a slasher/comedy movie.

Better than anticipated but not something I'd watch again, although there are much worse films out there.

2/5


Sunday 15 February 2015

Taken 3

Hi guys, apologies for neglecting the page but I'll be blatantly honest with you, as of late I have been indulging in soppy, cheesy rom-coms and I am pretty sure you don't want to hear about that. Anyway I am back now and I am going to start you off with my review of Taken 3, hope you enjoy.



Taken 3 (2015)







Synopsis:

Bryan Mills is thrust back into a chaotic world after his ex-wife is brutally murdered in his apartment and he is being framed for it. Mills (Liam Neeson) is forced to go on the run from the CIA whilst attempting to discover who really killed his wife and why they are trying to frame him.


Review:

Taken 3 is just like the rest of the franchise; full of action, car chases and gun fights but a little bit far-fetched. I was more shocked at how good Liam Neeson looks for his age than the plot of the movie itself, but overall it's not as bad as everyone makes out. Taken 3 consists of the usual twists and turns, guessing games and almost unbelievable fights in which Mills manages to defeat several men with nothing but his bare hands and although nobody in the movie is actually 'Taken' it does make for quite an interesting change.
Many believe the Taken franchise should have stopped after the second but all in all it does what it's supposed to and provides the viewer with plenty of action, even if the plot is a little bit silly. The relationship between Mills and his daughter Kim runs much deeper in the third instalment and the character development does continue from the last but it also lets us see that Mills isn't a hero and is in fact, rather selfish. In Taken 3 we witness Mills drag his golfing buddies into his dangerous world and watch them pay the price so that Mills can protect his daughter, which seems to be his only priority. Saying that, I am still a huge Neeson fan and I would probably watch Taken 3 again if it was on the television.
If you're a huge action movie fan and love destructive car chases, repetitive combat scenes and Liam Neeson saying 'I will find you and I will kill you' then you should definitely give this film a watch.

3/5

Saturday 17 January 2015

American Sniper

Hi guys! I'm sorry it's been so long but I will make it up to you with a review of the eagerly anticipated 'American Sniper'. Being a huge fan of the war genre I was incredibly excited for it's release and I wasn't disappointed.


American Sniper (2014)


                                                     





Synopsis:

American Sniper was directed by Clint Eastwood and follows the true story of the U.S Military’s most lethal sniper, Chris Kyle. Bradley Cooper portrays Kyle as he is sent out to Iraq to protect his fellow soldiers but when the opposition realise how lethal he actually is, they put a bounty on his head and he quickly becomes a prime target. Despite the stress and worry his wife has been put through, Kyle goes on to serve four tours of Iraq but when he finally decides to retire he realises that he will never truly escape the war.


Review:

American Sniper is a powerful and thought-provoking film that delves into the realities of the Iraq war and the soldiers who risked their lives every single day. Cooper’s portrayal of Chris Kyle is so believable and moving, it allows you to distance yourself from the Hollywood star and invest in the character of Chris Kyle. I believe the film would have benefited from paying more attention to the after effects of the war and how soldiers deal with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. American Sniper does cover this topic briefly but it focuses more on dramatic gun fights and Kyle’s ability to somehow be good at everything.
Cinematic, action packed and incredibly tense, American Sniper looks beyond the ‘legend’ of Chris Kyle and allows the audience to almost put themselves in the centre of the war and witness the true horrors he had to endure. There were several points throughout the film when I had to hold my breath and even shield my eyes from one particularly brutal scene, it does shock the audience but that is the harsh reality of war and it’s clear Eastwood has created an inspiring and honest masterpiece.
I am a huge fan of the war film genre and American Sniper is definitely up there with the best, it manages to provoke all of your emotions. There were times when I was incredibly tense and hoping Kyle would make it out of the dangerous situations, it also brought a tear to my eye time and time again and most of all, it made me feel an overwhelming sadness about these wars and the effects it has on the soldiers. Bradley Cooper is the main attraction in American Sniper and his ability to take on this role with sympathy and elegance is worthy of an Oscar.
American Sniper is one of those films you can watch several times and enjoy it again and again it offers so many depths of the story and will never cease to blow you away. I would definitely recommend this film to all of my friends and I already know it’s going to be joining my DVD collection when it’s released.

4/5



Saturday 3 January 2015

The Woman in Black 2: The Angel of Darkness

Happy new year guys! Well, it's now 2015 and the reviews must continue, starting with The Woman in Black 2. Now, I hadn't expected much from this sequel because the original was fantastic but I have to say, although it was lacking any real scares, I wasn't disappointed and actually enjoyed it.
So here we go.



Synopsis:


The Woman in Black 2: The Angel of Darkness is set 40 years after the first Woman in Black film, it has all new characters but follows the same back story of Jeanette Humphreys and the death of her son in the treacherous marshes. The film’s lead character is Eve Parkins, a school teacher who accompanies a group of WWII evacuee children to Eel Marsh House. The village has been derelict for years and the group are told that they are the only people on the island but after a series of strange events and several sightings of a woman in and around the house, Eve begins to believe they are not alone.



Review:


The Woman in Black 2 is atmospheric and tense from the very beginning; it contains the perfect setting for a horror film with long, dark hallways, creaking floorboards and a sinister looking cellar but it tries too hard to live up to its predecessor and only provides the audience with cheap jump scares that are all too predictable.
Eve Parkins played by Phoebe Fox does bring the narrative to life and I thoroughly enjoyed the back story to her character, it allows you to connect with her and makes it much easier to invest in to her world. The character building in this film is incredibly strong, the audience gains all the information it needs on the main characters but of course, it still doesn’t live up to Daniel Radcliffe’s roll in the previous film.
Towards the end of the film I could predict every single jump scare and sometimes they weren’t necessary. The eerie silences, the deep shadows and the unnerving camera angles would have been enough to make the viewer feel uneasy and add a bit more depth to the film, rather than follow the stereotypical cheap, thrills but I wasn’t completely disappointed and I may have come off my chair a couple of times to begin with.
Although the casting didn’t include any big names I felt as though they exceeded my expectations and brought the story to life, they were all believable and had their own little back stories to give more information on their personalities. I was personally a huge fan of Harry (Jeremy Irvine) and really enjoyed watching his character develop. I wasn’t sure whether to trust him to begin with and feel that Irvine added a mysterious presence to Harry’s character, which we later discover more about his past and his strange actions.
Before watching The Woman in Black 2 I knew it would never live up to the first one but I enjoyed the film much more than expected. The film is let down by its overuse of cheap thrills and repetitive scenes to fill up gaps in the story but the characters are likeable and relatable and the setting of Eel Marsh House will always send a shudder up my spine. Unlike the original Woman in Black, I wouldn’t want to watch this film again but it’s definitely worth a watch if you’re a fan of this genre and you scare easily.

3/5