Oscar Hosts Announced



So, it has been announced, the hosts of 2010's Oscars are James Franco and Anne Hathaway. I am very glad to hear of this paring, as having younger hosts will hopefully inject the energy into proceedings which last years ceremony lacked. The combined age of these two hosts is 61, which is less than last year's host Steve Martin's alone, 65. Having such talents at the top of their game, can hopefully mean that their will be some decent set pieces between awards, hopefully consisting of some large productions and perhaps a musical number, which I felt worked so well for Hugh Jackman in 2009. This announcement is the first sign that Awards Season is edging very near, and I for one cannot wait.

Leslie Nielsen 1926-2010



Leslie Nielsen, Comedy Legend and star of 'The Naked Gun', 'Airplane' and 'Forbidden Planet' has died at the age of 84 in Florida from complications of pneumonia, with his wife and family around him.. His movies made me laugh more than most other's, and this was due to this wicked comic timing and delivery of lines. Some of which have become the most famous lines in movie history - 'I am serious........ and don't call me Shirley'. I personally am very sad to hear of the loss of this Comedic Icon, so therefore I will, and urge others to, dig out some of his films and laugh heartily once again - perhaps the most fitting tribute to this wonderfully funny man. Leslie Nielsen, rest in peace.

'Blue Valentine' Trailer

Had been hearing a few buzzings about this film, but just checked out the trailer tonight - and I think it looks like a topper. Cant wait to see it, hopefully the UK release is sometime soon. Check out the trailer, linked below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sYgr_iGATB4

Theres No Movies Like Snow Movies

As the snow is falling relentlessly right now here in Scotland, I felt it was apt time for a snow based movies feature. I have decided to create a list of what I think are 10 of the best snow themed movies to watch during these wintry times, or anytime really. This list features films which have snow feature predominantly in them, in compiling the list I tried to avoid Christmas movies (although a couple have creeped in).

The Shining (1980)

The greatest horror of all time? I certainly think so. This is perhaps not the cosiest movie to curl up to, but it is a cracker. 'The Shining' tells the story of a family that heads up into the mountains to look after a hotel during the winter period. Whilst there the father goes insane and makes attempts to kill his wife and son. As the snow sets in the feeling of isolation is increased emphasizing how trapped these people are. Jack Nicholson nails the role of the psychotic Jack Torrance, truly bringing all he possible can to the character.

Fargo (1996)

'Fargo' is set in the frozen and bleak winter wilderness of the upper Midwest of America. It tells the story a man who attempts to gain money of his father-in-law, by setting up the kidnapping of his wife, and have him pay the ransom. But thanks to the poor efforts of his bumbling henchman and persistent police work of pregnant Marge Gunderson. People may have noticed in my 'Frances McDormand' article, that I do have a strong love for her acting talents, and she truly deserved the Oscar for the role of Marge.

Die Hard 2 (1990)

This may not be the best actual film within the 'Die Hard' series, but it is my personal favourite. Bruce Willis returns to the role of John McClane to stop a group of mercenaries who have seized control of an airport's communications, and threaten to cause plane crashes if their demands are not met. This is perhaps my favourite of the series because of the element of danger brought about by the blizzard conditions which have come about during the Christmas period in which the film is set.

Billy Elliot (2000)

'Billy Elliot' is about a boy who finds himself torn between his newly found love for dance and the resentment his family feels towards this newly found talent. Jamie Bell and Julie Walters are superb in the roles of the title character and his dance teacher. Although this movie is not predominantly set in the snow, I had to choose it for how much I love the snow set scenes in the film. These moments follow a scene where Billy dances up a street in frustration at his family's attitude, and falls to the ground against a wall. The audience is meant to believe he has only been there for a moment, but it actually involves two separate moments threaded beautifully together, as Billy stands up runs back down the street which is now covered in snow.

Home Alone (1990)

'Home Alone' is one of the greatest Christmas films of all time, but what is so good about it is that it can be watched all year round. It tells the story of Kevin, an 8 year old boy who finds himself left alone whilst his family flies to France for Christmas. Whilst alone, Kevin has to defend his home against idiotic burglars, with a vast array of home made booby traps, which lead to hilarious consequences. The winter setting of this film makes it so engaging, creating a contrast between the freezing outdoors and the warm interior which Kevin is keeping the burglars out of.

The Empire Strikes Back (1980)

Probably the best of the 'Star Wars' series, this film is where so many of the most famous moments from the saga have occurred: 'I am your father'. It is in this installment that Luke takes his Jedi training from Yoda, whilst his friends find themselves relentlessly pursued by Darth Vader, as part of his plan to capture Luke. Some of the best scenes in the film are those set on Planet Hoth. The planet is covered in snow and ice, creating a challenging terrain which makes the Rebel's attempts to defeat the Empire all the more difficult.

Groundhog Day (1993)

One of the funniest movies of all time, 'Groundhog Day' stars Bill Murray as a weatherman who travels to Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania for the annual Groundhog Day celebrations, and finds himself living the same day over and over again. The repetitive nature of this film creates some fantastically funny set pieces as Bill Murray's character begins to reap the benefits of living the same moments as many times as he likes. Some of best moments within the film happen because of the snowy setting.

On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969)

Although not my favourite of the James Bond Movies, 'On Her Majesty's Secret Service' has one of the nicest locations set within the snow covered Swiss Alps. In this installment George Lazenby takes on the role of Bond, in his one and only outing as the infamous character. Bond goes undercover to uncover the true reasoning behind Blofeld's allergy research within the Swiss Alps. This movie is significant in that it is the only film in which Bond actually falls in love and marries a Bond girl for a change. which ultimately leads to one of the most poignant moments of the series.

Edward Scissorhands (1990)

One of many Johnny Depp/Tim Burton pairings, and possible the best one. This beautiful film tells the story of an unusually gentle man, who has scissors for hands. Throughout the course of the movie we see this outcast trying to fit into a normal family, where he falls in love with the daughter. The wintry scenes in the film are effective in building up atmosphere towards the latter half of the film. This movie is both funny and touching in equal measure, and definitely worth watching.

Inception (2010)

The biggest movie of the year, 'Inception' proved to be both immensely clever and entertaining, I personally saw it 3 times in the cinema. The film looks at technology which allows the film's characters to enter the human mind through dream invasion. A highly skilled thief is given his hardest challenge to date in which he has to perform Inception, a job which provides many difficulties along the way. Another film which is not mainly set within wintry locations, but the climactic scene at the end provides one of the most exciting sequences to ever be shot within snow. 

Truly Intriguing Movie Facts: Part II

• The line 'Play it again Sam' was never actually said in the movie 'Casablanca', what was actually said was 'Play it Sam'.
• Nobody that is still alive today knows who provided the voice of God in the movie 'The Ten Commandments'.
• Chocolate syrup was used to portray the blood in the infamous shower scene in Alfred Hitchcock's 'Psycho'.
• When Hollywood actor Johnny Depp was engaged to actress Winona Ryder he had 'Winona Forever' tattooed on his arm, when they split he had it surgically altered to just say 'Wino Forever'.
• Alan Rickman was handpicked for the role of Severus Snape in the 'Harry Potter' series by author of the books, J.K.  Rowling. She gave him special instructions as to his character, and even provided him with exclusive back story to his character, which was not revealed until the final book.
• During the drunken golfing scene in 'Fight Club' both Edward Norton and Brad Pitt were actually drunk, and the balls they were hitting were soaring right into the side of a catering truck.
• Director Stanley Kubrick's final movie before his death  'Eyes Wide Shut' had the longest constant shoot in movie history, taking about 400 days to film alone.
• Police were called on Sacha Baron Cohen 91 times during the making of 'Borat'.
• In 'Goldfinger' some of Pussy Galore's all-woman Flying Circus were played by men wearing blond wigs.
• Over 500 gallons of fake blood were used during the filming of 'A Nightmare On Elm Street'.

'Cowboys And Aliens' Trailer

A strange combination, but one that makes for something which looks like a pretty good movie. Starring Harrison Ford and Daniel Craig under the direction of Iron Man's Jon Favreau. It is set for a summer release next year. Check it out

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=In-m2RJw3hE

'Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 1' Review



The first installment of the movie adaptation of the final book has finally arrived. I saw it during an 11pm showing last night, and I loved it. Perhaps I am biased in that I absolutely love the Harry Potter series, but I don't particularly care. This film feels more like a road movie compared to the others, as none of it is set at Hogwarts, and instead follows the trio as they hunt down the remaining of Voldemort's Horcruxes. I found this movie to be a breath of fresh air in that respect, I did not feel that the movies particularly needed to be removed from the Hogwarts setting, but it is interesting to see them in new locations. Credit must be given to the location scouting that happened for this film, the locations used were often breathtaking with the scenery surrounding the action being particularly beautiful.

Although allowing themselves two films to cover the last book, the pacing of this film still had to be pretty fast to get everything in. This worked both well and perhaps not so well. It allowed the movie to fly past, with the two and a half hour running time disappearing quickly. However it seemed to move past some things too rapidly, when they maybe should have been given a little more time to be addressed, but altogether this film has been put together and altered very well so that it covers everything that really should be covered.

The performances were again very good in this installment, with the usual characters delivering yet again. However, this is perhaps the film for which the young trio should be given a great deal of credit. They truly managed to hold the emotional weight of some of the story very well, and delivered very believable and naturalistic performances. As they are together all of the time in this movie, the tensions that inevitably arise between these teen characters are death with very well, with all emotions surfacing when these tensions come to a head. The chemistry between these characters feels very real, probably being down to the fact these actors have grown up with one another. I particularly enjoyed the scenes with only Harry and Hermione as they felt very genuine, and you can tell these actors have a great affection for one another. One scene that emphases this is the dance sequence that occurs. Although Daniel Radcliffe shows that he truly can't dance, this was the point as it showed the importance of fun and laughter, and altogether was very enjoyable to watch. And speaking of Hermione, Emma Watson is particularly beautiful in this movie, showing just how young they were in the original where she was about 4 feet high, with a near Afro of the frizziest hair possible.

Although I was a little disappointed with the absence of Maggie Smith as Professor McGonagall and lack of Alan Rickman as Snape, there was still one barnstorming piece of character acting. Helena Bonham Carter is absolutely superb as Bellatrix Lestrange, delivering a wonderfully psychotic performance, whenever she is onscreen her presence is unavoidable. One thing that is handled well in this film, is that there is no over usage of characters, which could have happened if the director David Yates had decided he wanted to please everyone by including every possible character. In doing this everything remains focused and unchaotic.

The use of humour is particularly effective in this film, mostly coming from the supporting characters delivering moments of hilarity when it is often most needed. However, this movie also has some particularly scary elements, particularly the eerie scene within Harry's birthplace, Godric's Hollow. The sight of elderly character Bathilda Bagshot looming in the darkness will send shudders down your spine. This movie also has particularly sad moments too, notably the death of one character which creates one of the most painfully sad moments of the series. This death is death with very well, but there are two other deaths in this movie, which just seem to go nearly unnoticed. The loss of these characters does not seem to wield any emotional significance to the characters, when they clearly would. This is probably again down to the lack of time to include all relevant material which is needed from the very busy final book.

This movie is shot very well, with the most interesting cinematography of the series so far. The cinematographers have shot this in a way which none of the previous installments had been, with bolder and more interesting means of capturing the action.  There is also a particularly unusual animation sequence which depicts the story of the Deathly Hallows, this combined with the cinematography and locations provided the most visually interesting movie.
The direction is also clearly very significant in this movie as it has become evident that after his two previous Harry Potter movies, David Yates now has a full understading of the story and knows exactly what he wants from this, leading up to it's climactic conclusion.

Although this movie is ultimately an elongated build up to the final installment (set for a summer release next year), it does so very effectively, leaving you awaiting the story's conclusion with great anticipation, especially given the cliffhanger ending which left the audience groaning with displeasure in that they could not see any further right away. Despite various critics displaying their confusion in the separation of the last book, I feel it was completely necessary for it to be split over two movies, as without this so much would have been cut. This movie also perhaps relied too heavily on a knowledge of the books or previous films, creating the first movie that really cannot stand alone as a movie to be watched without a grasp of Potter's past, but for fans of the series this wont matter. I personally loved this movie, and look forward to seeing it again. Go and see 'Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 1' and leave eagerly awaiting next summer's massive finale.

Verdict:
5 Stars

'We Are What We Are' Review

A very unusual piece of cinema to say the least. 'We Are What We Are' is a Horror film, but it is hard to understand which the audience is meant to find more horrifying, the cannibalism which occurs throughout, or the squalor and poverty the central family live in. Jorge Michel Grau directs this film in a fashion which opts for a slow creation of unease over cheap thrills, and this proves very effective. A combination of the poverty ridden Mexican backdrop and cannibal activities the characters indulge in, creates the feeling of unease which lingers throughout. However, this movie has it's flaws, firstly  in that it lacks a great deal of clarity, and half the time I found myself baffled by what was going on. More significantly though, is the fact the characters feel somewhat underwritten. You never really get to know or empathise with film's desperate characters, even though I imagine this is the course the movie tries to take. 
All in all though this is an interesting movie, with various situations which make for gripping viewing. It is always refreshing to see a horror movie which does not seek out cheap and easy ways to scare a cinema audiences, it was just a shame about the confused nature of the film.


Verdict:
3 Stars

Halloween Poll Results

In the 'What movie did you watch on Halloween?' poll the highest scoring choice was 'other'. So from this a clear result cannot be gained. All I can assume is that the majority of people who voted either watched more modern horror movies, or slightly less known ones. The highest scoring individual movie answer was 'Halloween' itself, which is perhaps as it is truly the most fitting for the occasion. I myself watched 'The Shining' this year.

I have just put a new poll up, this time asking 'Which is your favourite movie genre' . Please vote.

'The Ugly Truth' WTF?!

Just sat here doing my Uni Coursework with' The Ugly Truth' on in the background, as it is showing on Sky Movies. And upon watching it I felt my stomach turning, as what I was witnessing was some of the worst crap ever dedicated to the screen. 'The Ugly Truth' is a series of gratuitous remarks on sex by Gerard Butler, in another hideously unflattering performance. I assume this garbage was pitched to studio bosses by idiots trying to sell the idea of a man talking so honestly about sex as 'refreshing' or something like that. This is far from the case. The script is just packed full of unnecessarily blunt comments, which are just thoughtless and humourless. I cannot recommend a movie less. This movie really is ugly, and that's the truth.

'Somewhere' Trailer



Being a big fan of 'Lost In Translation' and 'The Virgin Suicides' I was very excited to hear about Sofia Coppola's next directorial outing. Somewhere tells the story of a hard-living Hollywood actor (Stephen Dorff) who has to take a good look at his life when he is surprised by a visit from his daughter (Elle Fanning). The UK release of this film is the 10th of December.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E3cPbxCBGVo

'Let Me In' Review

'Let Me In' is the second screen adaptation of John Ajvide Lindqvist’s novel 'Let The Right One In'. As the first movie - which was titled the same as the book - was given superb reviews and deemed on of the best foreign language features within the past decade, this movie had a lot of pressure. And if this was not enough, the director Matt Reeves was also following up his 2008 smash 'Cloverfield' with this movie, so the expectations were high.

I myself have not seen the Swedish original, so I went into this film without any expectations, and came out with no comparisons to make. The film tells the story of a boy who befriends a young female vampire who has just moved in next door to him, with her mysterious guardian. Kodi Smit-McPhee and Chloe Moretz deliver strong performances as the young boy and vampire girl. Smit-McPhee plays the tormented child very well, playing the loneliness to the character with an effortless subtlety which comes across very naturally. The alienation of his character is also cleverly heightened by the decision to keep his mother and estranged father faceless throughout. Moretz plays the vampire with an emptiness which emphasises her character's loneliness, which is very different from that of Smit-McPhee's character. Together they create a very believable chemistry which is superbly captured by Reeves. For such young actors they impressively harness this chemistry to make the viewer believe that they truly care for each other a great deal.

This film conjures up a fittingly gloomy atmosphere in it's use of location and score. The New Mexico location is well utilised creating a very cold and dark setting for the film. It is this combined with the eerie and simplistic scoring that creates a lingering feeling of doom.

Numerous scenes in the film show Reeves' talent as a horror director. The horror scenes within the film are very well constructed, and there are never any cheap thrills within. All in all this movie has been very well crafted and gives both crowd pleasing scare moments with plenty of gore, but also combines it with a mood that gets under your skin and stays there. The scenes involving Richard Jenkins guardian figure are very creepy, both because of the nature of the action and because of Jenkins' unnerving performance.

All in all 'Let Me In' is a very well crafted horror, that proves far more effective than most of the mass produced teen orientated horror movies that are always being thrown out. There is a great deal of heart to this film which is created by a very strong central relationship. What makes this film so effective is the nature of having a love story set amongst the backdrop everything else that is going on. Hats off to Reeves for proving that he is a talented director by providing a strong follow up to 'Cloverfield'. As most reviews say that the original is better, I now feel that I must sit down and watch it, as this film was a decent adaptation in itself.

Verdict:

4 Stars

'Hereafter' Trailer

The trailer for Clint Eastwood's latest offering 'Hereafter' looks excellent. It is a story looking at how death has affected people in different ways.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8qeCa8j4x7M

Movies Can Be Your Best Friend Too!

Upon reviewing what it is that makes a good movie,  I realised that some of the factors are actually very similar to what makes a best friend. So I gave this similarity some more thought and compiled a list of things that a good movie and a best friend have in common. So here I present to you the final list of things that make a movie just like a best friend:

• They always tell you interesting stories that you are glad to listen to.
• They can cheer you up when you are feeling down.
• You do not get bored in their company, and can happily stay with them for long periods of time.
• They know how to make you laugh, but even know how to make you cry.
• You would gladly pay money to go and see them.
• It can occasionally be hard to be in their company, but it is always worth it in the end.
• You find yourself telling other people about how great they are.
• You look forward to seeing them again.
• They leave you with lots of memories that will remain with you.
• You stick with them til the end.

So it is these 10 reasons which prove that movies actually can be considered one of your best friends too, but going out and proclaiming that they are is perhaps not the wisest move.

Truly Intriguing Movie Facts

• For the film 'The Wizard Of Oz' Judy Garland was paid $35 a week for playing Dorothy, when the dog that played Toto was given $125 a week.
• Rob Reiner was originally interested in directing 'The Shawshank Redemption' and he had planned to have Tom Cruise play the role of Andy and have Harrison Ford play the role of Red.
• Adolph Hitler reportedly liked Clark Gable more than any other Hollywood actor, so when Gable was flying combat missions in World War II it was said that Hitler offered a large reward to anyone who would capture Gable and bring him back to him, alive and unharmed.
• Will Smith and Nicolas Cage turned down the role of Neo in 'The Matrix', the part was later given to Keanu Reeves.
• 'The Silence Of The Lambs' was originally released on Valentines day in 1991. Perhaps not the best movie to see on a date.
• Joan Travolta was one of the actors who turned down the role of 'Forrest Gump', the part was later taken by Tom Hanks.
• In preparation for the role of The Joker in 'The Dark Knight' Heath Ledger hid away in a motel room for about 6 weeks. During this time Ledger delved deep into the psychological workings of the character, devoting his time to developing The Joker's every tic, specifically the voice and sadistic laugh.
• Numerous injuries occurred on the filming of 'Jackass 3D'. Bam Margera stated that whilst filming he himself garnered a broken clavicle, three broken ribs, a busted knee and then a broken foot. The film's director Jeff Tremaine said the worst injury to happen was to Loomis Fall during the fighter jet engine sequence. Fall jumped behind the engine with an umbrella and upon landing broke his hand and collar bone badly.
• The snow from the maze scene at the end of 'The Shining' was not actually snow, but 900 tons of salt and crushed Styrofoam. The scene was filmed in an indoor set which was actually stiflingly hot.
• The studio behind 'Gone With The Wind' were fined $5,000 for the use of obscene language in the film. The obscene language in question was the word 'damn'.

'Dym' - A Short Film

I was mailed by the director/writer of a short film called 'Dym' with him asking me to check it out, and I was very glad I did. 'Dym' which translates as 'Smoke' is a polish film by Grzegorz Cisiecki. It is a surrealist film which seems to draw influences from the likes of David Lynch. The film explores the inner madness of one man through strong imagery, to which a lot of credit is due to the cinematography and editing. The film does not follow a specific plot, but that does not detract from the film as this allows the viewer to garner their own meaning from it. The film is shot in a very haunting fashion with a constant eerie tone to every shot. The sound design is also very strong in complementing the atmosphere of the film, particularly the piano accompaniment which plays throughout. The use of varying camera angles to create a series of interesting shots are edited very well together to created a visually intriguing final product. The performances are also very strong, coming across very professionally considering the actors have no dialogue to express emotion, but instead have to rely heavily on expression and movement. This 7 minute film is well worth checking out, so you can view it on youtube by clicking the link below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KHyUwbBbrag

'Howl' Trailer



I am very excited to see 'Howl' after watching the trailer for the first time, it's a shame I'm going to have to wait til January 7th for the UK release of it. It details the time at which Allen Ginsberg's poem 'Howl' was put to trial for obscenity. Check out the trailer from the link below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ba9yazkl0UE

Sally Field as May Parker



I Have not yet been particularly excited about the re-boot of Spiderman, but I was glad to hear that Sally Field is set to play May Parker in the movie alongside Martin Sheen as Ben Parker. I am happy that they are taking this re-boot of the franchise seriously by moving away from what is familiar and taking it somewhere new, notably as Sally Field will be different to the usual old grandmother figure we are used to seeing as May.

Frances McDormand: An Underrated Icon

The fact this woman has won an Oscar and also has 3 nominations to her name should suggest that she is most certainly not underrated, however I feel otherwise. Frances McDormand may have been recognised for her talents by critics on numerous occasions, and The Academy obviously has a great deal of respect for her acting ability (Oscars are not just handed out to anybody who delivers a half-arsed performance)  however, I still feel McDormand is overlooked. The people who do not truly understand the talent of this woman are us, the people who go out and buy the tickets to see the films.

Frances McDormand has been a personal favourite actress of mine ever since I saw her gem of a performance in 'Fargo'. Never before had I seen a performance like it, I felt a real connection to her character Marge, you really cared for her and always wanted her to be alright. It takes a lot to deliver a performance with this level of heart, but McDormand knocked it out of the park and more than deserved the Oscar for her efforts. The character of Marge Gunderson is a key figure in the world of cinema. as never again has there been a character like her. Frances McDormand managed to play the character of a police chief with both a steely nerve and fearlessness combined with a big-hearted motherliness. Clearly the part was brilliantly written but without McDormand's insight into characterisation the character could have easily been looked over.

'Fargo' is one of very few occasions in which McDormand has been given a meaty leading part to play, as most of her other notable work has been done in supporting roles, 'Almost Famous' is a prime example of this. In this wonderfully heart-filled movie McDormand provides a character which although is only in it for a small portion, provides a significant impact within the whole movie. McDormand is the overly caring mother who tries to keep her son away from the big bad world, but fails as his adventurous spirit gets in the way. McDormand clearly understands what it is to be a mother, as she shows this in the way she can make the viewer really believe that her character cares so deeply for the son. It is very subtle and brief moments in the film when this is most notable, particularly in the moment in which she lets her son leave home for the first time. The sadness which radiates from her as she sits and contemplates what has just happened is so deeply affecting to watch, and the fact she does it with such subtlety is highly commendable.

McDormand has even proven herself as a very talented comedic actress, with a wicked sense of comic timing in the Coen Brothers' 'Burn After Reading'. In this she brought to the screen a character whose naivety led her into the most insane situations. Despite the fact these situations were so massively over the top it was still easy to identify with her and understand how she got so caught up in them. It is roles like this which show McDormand brings a great deal of balance to her performances, which is probably down to a knack for observing human behaviours and bringing this understanding into her acting.

These are only 3 of many brilliant performances by Frances McDormand, so this is why I feel it is a shame she is so overlooked by movie watchers. She has such a skill for delivering such naturalistic and human performances, and these kind of portrayals so often go unnoticed by people who cannot see the skill that lies within actors whose names aren't at the top of the highest earning list. It is a shame the typical movie goer does not go into a film to be impressed by talent but instead goes in to watch a 'name'. I feel it is a pity that people who enjoy watching movies aren't always willing to watch underrated acting talent simply because they are not familiar with them, it is an attitude like this which limits you from seeing some of the best films out there. Frances McDormand is currently in the process of filming Transformers 3, which she has a part in. Perhaps a film like this is what it will take to get more people to notice her, however it will not be the kind of film which will allow her to unleash her true potential.  To people unfamiliar with Frances McDormand, I urge you to go out and watch some of her wonderful back catalogue, you will not be disappointed.

'Rabbit Hole' Trailer

Just watched the trailer for 'Rabbit Hole' for the first time, and it looks great. It tells the story of a couple trying to deal with the death of their son and stars Nicole Kidman and Aaron Eckhart. Looks like some serious Oscar fare, and judging by the trailer it looks as if Kidman is on form.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pq73A-tkJLw

'Another Year' Review

'Another Year' is film set over four Sunday afternoons - one for each season - to detail a year in the life of Tom (Jim Broadbent) and Gerri (Ruth Sheen). Tom and Gerri may be the core pairing in the film, but it is their associations with their friends and relations which builds up the main body of the film. 'Another Year' does not have a great deal of anything going on in it, and is really only a series of conversations between the characters in order for the audience to get to understand these people, and what strongly developed characters they are at that. Despite the fact the film follows this very simple format and is only essentially a series of Sunday afternoon discussions, it is still gripping to watch. This is down to the fantastic performances by the whole cast, but particularly Lesley Manville as Mary.

Manville superbly delivers in the role of Mary, portraying her utterly convincingly as a ditsy drunk but also wowing with her ability to go from this to the empty shell of a woman, who is plagued with loneliness. Manville delivers her best performance during the winter segment of the film, where Mary appears at her friends door to make amends with them, but find Tom's recently widowed brother Ronnie (David Bradley) there instead. The awkward exchanges she makes with Ronnie are so painfully well observed that it often verges on too embarrasing to watch, but you can't look away as the two emotionally drained characters deliver the most poignant scene from the film. Manville is set for a strong chance of scoring some wins during awards season next year.

Broadbent and Sheen are also both excellent as the central couple, there as a shining example of how a marriage works at it's best, something which other characters have failed to make work in their lives. Sheen is both endearing and understanding as Gerri, bringing a great warmth to the character. Broadbent delivers his lines to both Gerri and the other supporting characters with exactly the right balance of wit and wisdom which makes him a very respectable figure in the film.

Mike Leigh has delivered another strong movie to add to his already great repertoire. In this movie he shines in his witty and enteirly original yet relatable screenwriting, and also directs this movie with great precision. He knows exactly what he wants from his actors, and he achieves it with what seems like great ease. The film is also very well shot, showing us the different aspects of of their lives, like the happy times spent at the allotment to the sadness of the dark shell of a home which Ronnie lives in, in doing this the audience gets a hightened understanding of the emptiness of Ronnie's life following the death of his wife.

The only fault in this film is that although it is always fascinating to watch, some scenes felt too long and therfore it felt slightly like it dragged along a little at parts. However, every scene did feel neccessary in order for us to build up an understanding for what these characters were like. With strong performances (enough praise cannot be given to Manville in particular), a strong script and strong direction Leigh has delivered again.

Verdict:
4 Stars

'Jackass 3D' Review

A film where you get to see: pigs eating apples out of peoples rear ends; midgets having a brawl in a bar and adult play things flying through the air in slow motion sounds like it should never exist, however this is Jackass, so it very much does. As some people sit shaking their heads at the idea of such a creation,  I will be very happy to vouch for this movie as a highly entertaining way to spend one and a half hours (although it is a given this movie is not for everyone). I have always been a Jackass fan, loving both the TV show and the two films which preceded this one so I went in to this film knowing what to expect, and coming out delighted with the outcome. As a movie it is hard to review as it cant be merited in the ways most other films can be. However, one cinematic tool that can be commented on is it's use of 3D technology. I am normally not a fan of 3D technology within movies, finding it often very distracting and poorly used, so I came into a film like Jackass thinking that it was bound to just be another gimmick to sell tickets, however I was pleasantly surprised. I thought the picture was crystal clear, and it seemed to add well to the film, enhancing some of the ridiculous moments that lay within.

Something I have always loved in Jackass is the camaraderie between the cast and crew, something I feel is what makes this series so enjoyable, not just the disgusting and often hideously dangerous stunts they pull (which are of course hysterical as well). In Jackass 3D, none of the camaraderie has gone, and you can tell this group of people thoroughly enjoy being in each others company even after all of this time, and this is what makes Jackass so infectious to watch.

Overall I had a blast watching this movie, and was therefore glad to see it back on cinema screens, even though they said after the second and first films that they were finished with the franchise for good. As Jackass is unlike any other films it is hard to rate it, so I am doing so based solely on the enjoyment factor that comes from it. And despite the fact it was essentially an hour and a half of filth, violence and people doing just about anything for a laugh, I loved it.

Verdict:
5 Stars

James Bond 23 set for November 2012 release.

collider.com have reported that since MGM has now filed for bankruptcy the studio are finally able to move on with production of the franchise. The repeated delays put on filming the next installment in the series have meant that fans may have to wait til November 2012 to see the finished product. However MGM have stated that they hope to put out a new Bond film every 2 years after November 2012, so this may be the redeeming factor for Bond fans who have had to wait a lengthy time since 'Quantum of Solace'.

'Never Let Me Go' Trailer

The Trailer for 'Never Let Me Go' has gotten me very excited about seeing the movie, which has been given a UK release date of 21st January 2011.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sXiRZhDEo8A

'The Kids Are All Right' Review

For my first review I feel the best place to start is with the last film that I saw in the cinema, 'The Kids Are All Right'. This is a film following the lives of two lesbian life partners Nic (Annette Bening) and Jules (Julianne Moore). The film looks at the strain which has been put upon the couple's relationship through raising their two children Joni (Mia Wasikowska) and Laser (Josh Hutcherson). The main focus of the story is upon the two siblings decision to meet their sperm donor father Paul (Mark Ruffalo) and the further strain his introduction puts upon the family.

The film is filled with utterly convincing and relatable performances, particularly from the two female leads Bening and Moore. The two characters are very different but always feel like a very believable couple. Bening plays Nic superbly, giving the character a very balanced portrayal, showing the different sides to her personality very clearly. Nic is a character who likes to feel like she is always in control of the situations she finds herself in, but tends to be relying too heavily on wine to see her through the more trying times. Bening plays a very convincing mother and a very believable partner to Moore's character, particularly because she radiates a genuine caring nature towards Jules. Moore particularly shines in the role of Jules showing  a carefree exterior to the character but also playing the emotional core of her with a great deal of heart and warmth. Nic and Jules are always relatable and we can always understand the reasoning behind the decisions they make, even when we know what they are doing is wrong, this is down to a very well written script and two stellar performances. Together these two characters play against each other very well, creating a touching and well observed portrayal of married life through the ups and downs, but also teaming up to be a hysterically funny double act providing some wickedly funny moments within the film.  Particularly funny moments arise surrounding the couple's choice of adult video, the farcical nature of these scenes had me laughing very hard.

Ruffalo also delivers a particularly strong performance as Paul creating both a character who is easy to identify with but one we are not sure how to ultimately feel towards. Paul creates numerous uncomfortable scenes within the film but Ruffalo never loses touch with the humorous nature of these moments and allows us to laugh whilst at the same time cringing to ourselves behind our popcorn buckets. Wasikowska and Hutcherson also deliver very strong performances as the curious children. Wasikowska proves herself as a solid young actress in this film delivering a performance showing the frustrations of having restrictive parents and an interest in a male friend who doesn't clearly show if he returns these feeling or not.

I went into this film with very high expectations, but these expectations were met as the film delivered on every level. It was hilariously funny, poignant and very touching. Julianne Moore and Annette Bening have good chances of at least gaining some nominations during 2011's awards season as their performances are both tremendously delivered. I thought this movie was excellent and the run time seemed to fly past as I enjoyed every moment.

Verdict:
5 Stars