DVD Review - Detour (2013)

This review started off a little differently than normal so I thought I had better explain before I jumped into it. Writer/Director/Micro-budget extraordinaire William Dickerson and I started following each other on twitter and I became interested in his work. He offered to send me over his films for me to have a look at and Detour is the first of two that I have watched and reviewed. Even though I was sent the film directly, it is available on amazon and as with everything I write, my opinions are my own and true to myself.

Okay so with that out of the way, what is Detour all about?

Put simply, the film is an account of one man's survival when he becomes trapped inside his car due to a mudslide. Billed as a claustrophobic thriller it is reminiscent of films like Buried and Wrecked but it is no way a carbon copy, not even slightly. What unfolds is a definite story of parts of the human Psyche that intertwine to create the complexity of wanting to survive.

The man in question is L.A quick talker and business man Jackson Alder who is (quite terrifically I must say) played by Neil Hopkins. I knew little about Hopkins apart from trying to watch the TV series Lost years ago until I became well... lost but trust me when I tell you that in Detour, he is more than watchable!! Hopkins manages to convey all the emotion of a man facing death while playing up to that almost cocky business like persona that dwells within Alder's personality. At one point I became unsure whether on not Alder was a complete genius or slowly going mad but came to the conclusion that it was probably a bit of both, I'm not sure I would of acted the same in such a high pressure situation but Hopkins made me believe.

As with many of these survival films the start is frantic with very little build up. The subject soon becomes the focus (and vice versa) but as I am a mystery loving girl I didn't need explanation. Alders was trapped underground and I wanted to know if he was going to get out! For me it was that simple, but as I touched on above it wasn't within the plot. What followed the start was about forty minutes of gripping stuff as Alders creates and existence around him within the confines of his tomb.

I loved this act of the film because as I said I wasn't quite sure if the character was an utter genius or slowly verging on a mental breakdown. Dickerson as writer and director offers us no real concept of time lapse which only adds to the confusion and it was brilliant. Unlike other survival films Alder's main focus wasn't about getting out, instead it was about making sure he could survive where he was.. great twist and it worked well.

The second act of the film and the next glimpse at human Psyche is one of connecting with the outside world. This is done through some flashback snippets but even more emotionally, through playbacks of home videos on Alder's mobile phone. Together, they both answer questions about the type of man Alder's is while adding other elements of mystery. Even the poignant parts don't seem very bleak though because by now hope was instilled in me through this mans sheer strength. Again, clever because act three was an absolute emotional roller coaster.

I am going to leave it there and urge you to go watch and while watching, bear in mind that this film was made on a minuscule budget and is testament to Dickerson's craft. It definitely is claustrophobic, that elusive third act more so and it is a tale of surviving BUT it is cleverer than that, it played at parts of my mind I didn't even know existed.

Spot on!

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Bare With Me!

I hinted the other day about my mental health issues and unfortunately I have hit a bit of a slump. I am okay and still working on blog posts etc but everything is just happening a little slower than normal. I wanted to write a quick post to say thank you for sticking with me and also to say that I will be back with frequency very soon.

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News From The Web - Tom Holland Confirmed as Spider-man

I wrote a post at the beginning of this month about the excitement of on who would be playing Spider-man in the next movie. My money was actually firmly on Asa Butterfield but it emerged this morning that Sony and Marvel have in fact chosen Tom Holland for the role.

As I said in the last post Holland has proven with The Impossible that he can take on both emotion and action. I am hoping he can inject some much needed oopfh into Peter Parker and do for spider-man what I feel Ruffalo did for the Hulk.

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Something A Little Different - My Mad fat Diary

Today I want to veer away from film just for one post and talk instead about a TV series. Since 2013 when it first began My Mad Fat Diary has touched me in a way that is so rare and pure that I simply had to share some of my thoughts on it. Last night saw the programme embark on it's third series so I thought the time was definitely right for it to make it's appearance here. I shall explain..

MMFD is a UK comedy drama series made for E4 based on a book of the same name by Rae Earl. It is set in a mid 90's Lincolnshire and centres around Rae Earl, a young girl recently released from psychiatric hospital. 

Before I go any further it is worth noting that this was the reason I first started watching. I myself have suffered from various strains of mental illness for most of my life so anything that tries to tackle the subject I look at with interest. Mental illness is very close to my heart, something I deal with every day and the very reason I started this blog (as distraction therapy) so of course I watch things associated with it. Unfortunately, I feel many films and TV shows miss the mark and was expecting the same from MMFD... boy was I wrong.

Never before have I come across anything so delicate to the subject matter whilst still allowing humour and I think that's the magic ingredient here. Rae is played by Sharon Rooney who is a cracking stand up comedian and along with the rest of the cast injects a lot of fun into something that really could become bleak.

I don't want to say too much about the plot because there is quite a lot to cover and I don't want to spoil it for anyone who hasn't seen it. However I will say that over two series I have both laughed and sobbed along through dramatic story lines that are acted brilliantly. I have, on more than one occasion, looks at my screen and thought to myself 'she could be me' and I have held Rae's hand throughout both taking strength and urging her on.

If you haven't heard of it or seen it please do seek it. Start at the beginning and allow your life to be infected by the characters of My Mad Fat Diary.. Honestly, It's marvellous.

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Wednesday Wonders - The Sorry I Missed Last Week Edition

Last week saw the acting world lose Christopher Lee who died aged 93. Known fondly for many a role including Dracula and Saruman in the Lord of the Rings the whole world seemed to mourn him through tributes and social media. This particular article is quite in depth and was enjoyable but bitter sweet to read. I also liked this one which is a tribute from the mouth of Tim Burton.. beautiful stuff.

I haven't seen many gangster flicks because I really don't like to see 'real life' brutality on screen. I have however seen The Long Good Friday which was released the year I was born as I went through a stage of actively seeking out films from that year. I read THIS today which not only talks about the film in classic status but poses the question of predicting the future through cinema.

I am OBSESSED with Ru Paul's Drag Race on Netflix at the moment that it is quickly taking over my night time routine. I am dying to see Drag Becomes Him which is the story of season five winner (and my personal favourite) Jinkx Monsoon. Until then I have been perusing this list of 5 great drag queen films to wet my appetite.

Another list I have loved this week (and boy do I love lists) is one that connected with the romantic in me. Coffee Cups & Camisoles chose the best 3 movie kisses and I think they're pretty good choices to be fair. My personal favourite is the swimming pool seen in Whip It! but whatever!

And finally, because I asked for comedy films to see recently, I have been watching a lot of Adam Sandler. (In fact I am working on a couple of blog posts now which I will link here when they're finished). Anyhoo, when I was looking for films to watch and generally getting the low down on Sandler I came across this TRAILER for upcomimg film Pixels and I must of been living under a rock because it looks GREAT!! I SQUEALED!!!!

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Cinema Review - 1971 (2014)

I have to be straight before even start this and say that documentary films are not within my comfort zone. It isn't that I don't like them or anything because let's be honest I will watch anything that holds my attention for long enough. Instead I think, at least for me, one has to have a little bit of knowledge tucked away about the films subject in order to really understand. In the case of 1971, apart from a quick research google, I had none.

The film is the directional debut of Johanna Hamilton who I'm afraid again I knew nothing about. What I do know something about though is the pull of indie cinema with it's films that pop up and pop off again so fast that you simply have to see them. I found an article over at Indie Wire which gave me the gist about Hamilton and where she named Deer Hunter as a cinematic influence. I've seen that I thought, and I liked it. That was good enough for me!

1971 focuses on events in that year, on March 8th to be precise, when a group of seemingly ordinary people broke into an FBI office in Media, Pennsylvania. They then proceeded to steal all the files and then over time out them through various newsrooms. Although the subjects of the files differed one the most significant involved illegal practises of J. Edgar Hoover's agency.

Hamilton sets 1971 up to tell the story of that group of people and in fact uses interviews with five of them along with a lot of archival footage as the meat of the film. The story is put into context as the audience is asked to contemplate just what impact unfolded on public. You can't help but compare to today's opinion government corruption and this changes what could of been seen as a family documentary into a hard hitting scoop or secret. I must say too that there was more than once, as I heard the personalised accounts, that I literally gasped for air. I found it riveting, more so because it actually happened. I felt like I was watching a bloody great thriller movie that was well constructed and brilliantly shot.

The only let down for me was the reenactment scenes that I guess were put there as a visual aid. They didn't really add anything if I am honest and the acting wasn't great. Luckily they didn't distract too much from the retelling of a piece of history that by the end I cared about.

Great job!

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Looking Forward - Suffragette (2015)

I have always identified myself as a feminist from being as young as I can remember. Of course back then I had little understanding of what it meant. I had been taught about Emmeline Pankhurst at school and even without knowing the impact she would have on my adult beliefs just knew that she had acted the way she did for me. It wasn't until I started University that I actively studied feminism and it really started to strike a chord with me. I care about equality but what women did in order to get a little piece of it for further generations is mind blowing.

I feel then like I have been waiting forever for this film to be made. The plight of Pankhurst and the other women involved deserves to be shouted about and if that can be done by putting it on the big screen, I say marvellous! With many a historical and political film banded about over the years surely this movement should of been flung forward sooner? If a biop can be made about Margaret fucking Thatcher, who personally stole part of my womanhood, then surely this is a no brainer.

In a time of non peaceful protest Suffragette promises to be a no holds barred look at the foot soldiers of the early feminist movement. Women fighting back in a dangerous game of cat and mouse against government and society. It stars three huge female actresses, Carey Mulligan (Never Let Me Go) Helena Bonham Carter (Sweeney Todd) Meryl Streep (Doubt), in roles that according to the first look trailer see them fighting for their rights with gusto.

If you haven't already you can see the trailer HERE which shows the feminist plight as one all guns blazing. It shows that the chase for equality knows no class and it shows the women as true (if somewhat radical) heroines of history.

I can't wait for it's release in October.

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DVD Review - Brokedown Palace (1999)

 

I was unsure about this one as I settled down to watch it. I read the synopsis and already discounted it if I'm honest. I mean surely a movie that follows a plot I have seen so many times before starring two young actresses will end up being just mediocre at best right? Wrong actually.. Don't misunderstand me,  this is not the best movie I have ever seen but as a piece of drama it was definitely better than average.

The two young actresses I mentioned are a 20 year old Claire Danes (Romeo and Juliet) and a 26 year old Kate Beckinsale (Underworld) both more or less at the beginning of their careers. They play friends Alice (Danes) and Darlene (Kate) who are arrested (and convicted) for drug smuggling whilst on holiday in Thailand.

I need to start by saying that the chemistry between the two girls is terrific. They have been friends for a lifetime and as a viewer it's easy to buy into both their similarities and differences that ultimately make the friendship work. I loved the fact that each personality was different with Alice being the bolder of the two and although both actresses held their own throughout the film, for me Danes was absolute stand out.

What makes it interesting for me is that  under the different back drops of each point in story it's the constant test of their friendship that drives the movie forward. It was refreshing that even though most of the movie was set in a Thai prison there was little reliance on shock tactics from the situation and instead the focus was always on the people involved.

Also starring is Bill Pullman (The Equalizer) as the girl's American lawyer Hank Greene. I felt uneasy with Hank at first as he teeters on a tightrope between being phony and the real deal which Pullman plays this brilliantly, kick starting the thrill aspects within the drama. Unfortunately though Greene always feels like a bit part against the strength of the two main characters and I would have loved a little more development. It's worth stating here that the movie seems a little short and a bit more time added could of allowed extra depth in characterisation.

The movie has a pace that sometimes lacks subtlety but there's enough twists to keep it more than interesting. Sure, there's a couple of head scratching moments but there is also enough questions (both deliberate and not) to keep us both guessing and thinking. Overall Brokedown Palace is a good piece of drama, written well and acted even better. It has enough balls not to water down the conclusion and the story skips along nicely enough to get us there.

Good stuff!

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Looking Forward - Bridge Of Spies (2015)

I am a woman who still lives alongside her childhood. My movie diet as a nipper contained huge portions of E.T, Jaws and Indiana Jones so as a result I tend to eat up anything Steven Spielberg can throw at me. The trailer for his latest thrill ride Bridge of Spies hit the web this week and I bit.

Being a fact based drama like his last movie Lincoln I am expecting grit, uncertainty and a historical roller coaster. Judging by the sneak peek I just viewed I don't think I am going to be
disappointed as Spielberg's visions collide with the writing talent of Ethan and Joel Coen. The trailer which is just over 2 minutes long looks amazing and wets the appetite for what I'm sure will be a major smash upon it's UK release in October.

For those of you who don't know Spielberg is working with Tom Hanks (Saving Private Ryan, Catch Me If You Can, The Terminal) again. This time Hanks plays James Donovan, a Brooklyn lawyer, who is in charge of negotiating the exchange of a captured US spy plane pilot for an undercover Soviet agent during the Cold war. The movie, which is based on real life events, has a beautiful film noiresque feel to it and sees Hank stepping into another role that demands firmness, determination and probably a hell of a lot of dialogue.

You can see the trailer HERE so let me know what you think?

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Cinema Review - Listen Up Philip (2014)

After it's premiere at the Sundance Festival in January 2014 I have been itching to see Listen Up Philip but decided to wait for it's UK release so I could see it on the big screen. I'm glad I did.

 

I had heard of writer and director Alex Ross Perry from watching The Color Wheel which I happened to find mesmerising and very funny. I knew that with him with the reigns again I could look forward to some 'stick out like a sore thumb' characters and awkward comedy based on the grit of real life struggles, I wasn't disappointed.

Listen Up Philip is the story of, would you believe it, Philip who is an author awaiting publication of his second novel. He is not a happy bunny and is totally bored with both life and his relationship with girlfriend Ashley. When offered peace and refuge (in the form of a summer house) by his idol Ike Zimmerman he takes it and uses it to focus on his favourite subject, himself.

Jason Schwartzman  (The Grand Budapest Hotel) takes the title role and take it he does. He does narcissistic artiste with such a vacancy that confuses the viewer but not on a total negative. On the contrary what Schwartzman does is make Philip so unlikeable that his inner struggles are what become real and interesting. That pull is then taken right through the film with an insecurity of whether we are rooting for him or want him to fail. There's a hell of a lot of wit too, that awkward wit I talked about earlier, and it is delightful. Schwartzman's face shows blankness as he delivers funny in such a dry tone that sometimes it makes for uncomfortable viewing. You know what though? That's the point and it's brilliant.

Jonathan Pryce is equally funny as the ageing, prickly Zimmerman and when the two characters come together they mirror each other perfectly. Zimmerman is both fatherly and Philip's future self and Pryce is able to both bounce off Schwartzman and stand his own. The scenes towards the final act of the film between the two of them are some of my favourites because they honestly stick in my throat and stay there. The coming together of two minds allows a strange kindred spirit air to manifest itself that becomes gloriously overbearing, it's all very marmitey and I love it!

If Scwartzman brings blankness with abundance Elisabeth Moss (Girl,Interrupted) brings a whole load of emotion. She really is wonderful despite my worry early on that she would fade in amongst everything else going on around her. Instead, Moss plays raw but gutsy as her character deals with the aftermath of her relationship. Look out for an incredible close up that put a tear in my eye.

In essence then Listen Up Philip is quirky and coarse in characterisation but beautifully polished in everything else. For me flows fast and gives everything I expected. It made me laugh, made me cringe and very nearly made me cry.

Was it worth waiting a year for? Hell yeah it was!!

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In Memory Of My Mam

On Monday I took a day off from blogging to spend some time with my family remembering my mother who sadly passed away last year. I wanted to remember here some more in my own way so thought long and hard about whether it was appropriate or not to put something here. I came to thinking that she was a massive part of my life and my biggest influence therefore I wouldn't even be blogging without her existence. With that in my mind I reasoned that it would be nice to post today and talk a little about her two favourite films.

My mam wasn't a great film watcher. I only remember one instance of going to the cinema with her when I was younger and as I grew older she would often fall asleep during films at home. When I first started writing this blog I discussed it with her and she admitted that her attention span wasn't good enough to carry her through a whole film. She did however tell me about her favourites, favourites I later re watched with her when she was diagnosed with cancer.



Her most favourite film, probably because of the childhood memories attached to it, was The Wizard of Oz. I remember watching this every festive season with her and other relatives and I know why she loved it so much. I think everyone has seen it haven't they? The whimsical tale of Dorothy, played by Judy Garland (Meet Me in St. Louis), who is taken away to a magical place by a tornado and then enlists the help of a wizard to get her back home. Released way back in 1939 it really is a timeless classic and despite it's flaws doesn't look dated at all. I think my mam, much like myself, liked the musical elements of the film as I know that somewhere over the rainbow used to make her cry but what really makes the Wizard of Oz so enchanting are the characters Dorothy meets and her plight of a girl so desperate to get back home.

Of the characters the tin man, played by Jack Haley, was the one I liked best. He joined Dorothy on her trip to see the wizard in order to ask for a heart and I always found it so endearing that someone could be so desperate to feel emotion, to feel love. I couldn't tell you who was my mam's favourite character but I do that she was absolutely terrified of the wicked witch of the west, but then again so was I!

Mam's second favourite film couldn't be more different and even I was surprised when she told me. I have a funny feeling it might have something to do with George Clooney (Ocean's Eleven) who stars as the lead, Seth Gecko.

Written by Quentin Tarantino From Dusk til Dawn is the story of criminal brothers (Seth being one, the other Richard played by Tarantino) who enter a strip club whilst on a crime spree. Unbeknown to them however it is populated by vampires and things get slightly crazy.

First off From Dusk til Dawn is directed by Robert Rodriquez and let me tell you that I LOVE HIM. Of course my mam wouldn't know anything about this but we would both agree that as a piece of drama it's not a bad film. Most people call it horror which is where it gets lost, my mam hated anything slightly scary so I definitely wouldn't place this film anywhere near that genre. Instead I would say it has elements of dark comedy and a slight thrill ride making it, for me, watchable enough.

Do you watch films with your families and loved ones? Have any that have special memories attached?
I'd love to hear about them..

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Looking Forward - Creep (2014)

July 14th sees a new found footage horror hitting Netflix and as I have a soft spot for both found footage and movies released for Netflix I couldn't not say something about it here.

For me, there is quite a lot to be excited about so I am just going to dive right in and start with the genre. Found footage is something I buy into fairly easily and find the thrill aspect of the unknown much more heart racing than cheap scares. Described by one of the writers (more on that in a second) as kind of like an art house film I am expecting a slow build thrill ride rather than tons of special effects and horror cliches.

Creep is a full movie directorial debut by Patrick Brice and not only that but he stars in it too. He isn't the only one though, oh no, Mark Duplass who has co-written the movie with Brice is in it as well. There is nothing more exciting to me when people become so embroiled in their art that they stick their necks completely on the line so the fact that these two have banded together to write, direct and star is something I love! I wish them all the luck in the world.

The story itself seems simple. Brice's character Aaron answers an advert on craigslist about a job for Duplass's character Josef. Of course not everything is as it seems and that's where things kick off, and with horror veteran Jason Blum producing,  I'm sure things will get fearful too.

The thought of this trio coming together to make a movie is what really gains my excitement. Blum has the production of horror down to an art form with IMDB listing no more than 76 films. I haven't seen them all of course but what I have seen makes me realise that he can cover any genre within the horror field with ease and I have no doubt that Creep will be another sweet taste of panic.

If I am being honest it's Duplass that makes me await Creep with eagerness. His writing skills first shed their light on me when I saw Cyrus years ago and it is a movie I have never been able to shake from my mind ever since. Penned as a comedy what you really get with Cyrus is something beautifully dark, it teeters on thriller so many times that I can't wait to see what Duplass is able to do when he can really let the darkness take over. I am looking forward to a movie that sits well within it's genre but is different enough to make me question just as Cyrus (and actually Jeff, Who Lives At Home did).

If you want a sneak peak to see for yourself. The new trailer for Creep can be seen HERE.

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Help! I Need Somebody!

Hey Guys (I know you are reading),

I really could do with some input from your lovely selves because I have hit a slump in a particular film genre so I am asking for you to tell me your favourites..

Comedy.

I have loads of posts on the way including cinema reviews, some more three of a kinds and my latest installment of the 30 day challenge but I want more comedy (I will take rom coms to) up here.

So....

Please let me know if you have a fave film I simply must see or if there's a film out there that you thought was rubbish and you'd like another opinion on?! I'd love to get interactive and review some stuff you guys have thrown at me!

Comment below or find me on FACEBOOK. Ohhhhh, you can tweet me too@thisgirlonfilm.

I can't wait to hear from you.

L x

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DVD Review - Holes (2003)

The last time I took on a Disney live action film here it was all a bit meh but this week during family movie night saw Holes being pulled out of the DVD rack. I sat back with the kiddies and a whole load of calorific chocolate and gave it a bash.

Released in conjunction with Walden Media, who incidentally are bringing us Everest in September, Holes is the story of a wrongly convicted young boy who is sent to a detention camp. Whilst there, he is put to work digging holes for some mysterious reason under the watch of Mr Sir, Jon Voight (The Manchurian Candidate) and The Warden, Sigourney Weaver (Alien).

Shia LaBeouf (Transformers) plays Stanley Yelnats, the young boy in question, and overall is a likable character. LaBeouf makes Stanley come across as a misunderstood, generally nice guy who got a lot of sympathy from me. His acting was good enough for me to believe the characterisation and I cared about Stanley, more or less, from the beginning.

With elements of western, drama and adventure Holes uses flashbacks to fill in back story. At the very start of the movie this feels a little choppy and hard to understand but as time goes on it gets better. Halfway through, the main storyline plays alongside two different character stories and I liked this a lot. The themes within were historical and were as dramatic as Disney can be. In fact, once Stanley is at camp the mystery of the holes becomes the stories biggest pull and made the movie more than watchable.

Voight's character is obviously meant to be the comedic break in what is essentially and adventure movie and it worked to an extent. Mr Sir with his funny way of walking and his funny way of talking made him almost cartoon like. He didn't get many laughs from me however but the kids found him hilarious. Weaver, although the film's main villain, is surprisingly likable. This role doesn't demand the drama of the famous Alien franchise but her part is played well without being either over bearing or lost.

Stanley meets other young criminals whilst captured but none are really stand out. That is except Khleo Thomas (Walking Tall) as Zero. Simply speaking, Zero is adorable and the bond shown between him and Stanley is not only believable but totally on point. Thomas plays him as a sweet kid who is a little lost in the world but he is also tough as old boots.

Overall then I enjoyed Holes. It certainly wasn't the best film I have ever seen but it was fun and enjoyable all the same. I will say that I was surprised to realise it was only 117 minutes because it did feel a little long at times. I also think I spotted a mini plot hole towards the end but I reasoned with myself that I look for these and it didn't spoil anything really.

Sure it's all extremely Disney and the ending ties it all up in a neat little 'everything works out in the end' bow but I expected that. Holes is a simple family movie that delivers enough to keep you entertained. I actually liked it!

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Wednesday Wonders - #1 The Comic Book Edition

Today I am going to start a weekly feature so I can band together some of the interesting bits and bobs I have been finding all week. My laptop is FULL of bookmarks so I wanted the chance to share with you all things I have been digging. As today is Wednesday, we shall call it Wednesday Wonders.. good huh?!

First up is this great read over at WOW247 which discusses 6 movies that were about to be made but were not. I love looking back in awe at cinematic 'could of beens' and often wish that certain movies had been shot myself. X-Men origins: Magneto makes the list here and personally that's one film I would love to see, there again I would love stand alone movies for all the X-Men. I'm just greedy.

Over the last few days new stills for Marvel's new Ant-Man movie have been popping up. They've been banded all over the net but I found them over at the wrap. The stills bring with them exciting glimpses ahead of the July 17th release including our first look at David Dastmalchian  as Kurt.

More photographs here but these are alleged leaked ones of some more  the Suicide Squad set. Although I haven't got the foggiest idea of what may actually be happening in them they still show Harley (Margot Robbie) and Katana (Karen Fukuhara) on some mean streets brandishing weapons and showing determination. I for one, am loving my almost weekly sneak peaks at what is bound to be a big smash in 2016.

If you haven't seen Avengers:Age of Ultron yet then stop reading and go see it, also, WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN? Anyway, on that note I love to read other peoples reviews to get a taste for how they viewed a movie and I never get tired of this. Charlie over at Gollancz.co.uk has written this pretty nifty one about Tony Stark and his band of not so merry men (and women). Tres good!!

Although not strictly movie related I was fascinated by this Guardian article about there being a place for feminism in a traditionally male dominated art from. I hung on every word of it and can't wait to see more female writers, directors and producers taking on comic books and their adaptations.. oh and more female superheroes too. The article does mention Ms Marvel which brings me nicely onto that Angelinia Jolie and Charliza Theron might be teaming up to bring Captain Marvel to the big screen. (That will be a female director and lead female superhero ticked off in my book).

And finally Stan Lee has filmed his Civil War cameo... Hooray!


So, it's over to you now.
Have you seen any snippets on the web about comic book adaptations that have made you squeal (or roll your eyes)? Let me know below.

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News From The Web - Still Seeking Spidey!

picture credit: jprart

Ever since the news broke that Spider Man was returning to Marvel for a reboot in association with Sony Pictures various tit bits of information have been banded across the web (ha ha... web). I for one have been reading quite closely and live in hope that this means Spidey will somehow be joining the Avengers after his stand alone film currently scheduled for 2017.

Anyhoo..

Yesterday it emerged that Marvel could be making a decision on who will be our new Peter Parker as early as next week so I thought I would have a looksie at the rumoured hopefuls (in a blog post that I'm sure will be one of many on the lead up to the release).

Top favourite still seems to be Asa Butterfield who is probably most well known for his roles as Ender Wiggin in Enders Game and Hugo Cabret in Hugo. Pretty strong in two main roles (a third being as Bruno in The Boy with the Striped Pyjamas) I think he has just what it takes to step into Andrew Garfield's booties as from what I have seen and read he is up for the challenge and able to step into any role. Spider man/Peter Parker is a MASSIVE part to play and personally I don't think it has been done so well so far. However I had all this with the Hulk and Ruffalo blew me out the water so I live in hopes and my hopes rest with Butterfield.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          

Another Brit hopeful reported to be sent for screen tests is the lovely Tom Holland. Holland is probably best known for his role alongside Naomi Watts in The Impossible. During his time on that film he certainly showed that he could jump into a role that demands both action and emotion and from what I can tell people on social media are backing him with gusto.

The third and final young Brit in the running is a bit of a dark horse. Charlie Rowe is being penned as a relative unknown but he has in fact played support in big films such as Never Let Me Go and The Boat That Rocked. That said these roles were pretty minor but maybe Rowe is fresh enough to follow the footsteps of the other fledgling actors who have played spidey before.

I will be waiting with bated breathe and posting more news (and my opinions on it) of the new film as and when I hear them!!



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3 Of A Kind? - Who Let The Dogs Out?!

I recently bought a dog so I've been watching doggie films. Simple really...

Pudsey:The Movie (2014)

written by Paul Rose. directed by Nick Moore

Who Is The Dog?: Pudsey is a cross breed dog with a little bit of Border Collie, Bichon Frise and Chinese Crested Powderpuff in him (wow!). He shot to fame in 2012 when he and his owner Ashleigh won the 6th series of Britain's Got Talent with a dance act.

Who Does It Star?: David Walliams (Little Britain) voices the dog. The film also has Jessica Hynes (Spaced) and John Sessions (The Iron Lady).

Plot Outline: Pudsey plays a stray dog who is happy being a loner but goes on an adventure when he meets a set of siblings who are moving due to a death in the family. Pudsey then goes up against the village villain to save the day.

Best Bits?: Pudsey is one very talented dog and when you realise that he is doing all the actions by himself it really is impressive. Also David Walliam's voice really suits the cutey canine.

Bad Bits?: Let's be honest here, this film was made off the back of a TV talent show and is aimed solely at the children who sat open mouthed the first time they saw Ashleigh and Pudsey perform. It lacks in almost everything of any substance therefore but does withhold a little charm.

Woofing Brilliant or Barking Up The Wrong Tree?: Kids will probably love it, I found it watchable on a Sunday afternoon with nothing much else to do.

Lady And The Tramp (1955)

written and directed by Walt Disney Ltd

Who Is The Dog?: Although not live action dogs I had to include Disney's Lady and The Tramp in this 3 of  a kind. These doggies are animated beauties but you do get two for the price of one; a cocker spaniel called Lady and a mongrel street dog called Tramp.

Who Does It Star?: Voice work comes from Barbara Luddy (Sleeping Beauty), Verna Felton (Alice In Wonderland) and Peggy Lee (The Jazz Singer).

Plot Outline: Lady and the Tramp is a romantic adventure tale about the two dogs who come from different classes and different backgrounds.

Best Bits?: This film has, in my opinion, one of the best on screen kisses ever! Also look out for the Siamese kitties who are simply wicked.

Worst Bits?: None as such as Lady and the Tramp really is a joy to watch but there are some moments of sadness to overcome along the way.

Woofing Brilliant Or Barking Up The Wrong Tree?: I remember watching Lady and the Tramp when I was a young girl and now 30 odd years later my nieces and nephews love it too. It's timeless, seriously.



A Boy And His Dog (1975)

written and directed by L.Q Jones

Who Is The Dog?: Blood is a post apocalyptic dog who doesn't really like humans and is telepathic. Strange huh?

Who Does It Star?: Tim McIntire (Sacred Ground) voices Blood. Other stars include Don Johnson (Born Yesterday), Jason Robards (Philadelphia) and Charles McGraw (The Birds).

Plot Outline: A Boy and his Dog is ultimately a post apocalyptic survival story about Vic (Johnson) and Blood. The story follows their need for each other as they both fight and band together to make it through a scary (and sometimes very, very strange) time.

Best Bits?: Gosh this film is strange but if you don't take it too seriously you will find a glorious piece of satirical 70'S cinema. Look out for hilarious conversations said with entirely straight faces.

Worst Bits?: A Boy and his Dog has some grimy scenes that put out of context may appear distasteful to some and I ended the film wanting more back story on the dog himself.

Woofing Brilliant Or Barking Up The Wrong Tree?: Bonkers, totally outrageously so but cleverer than the B Movie it often masquerades as.

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DVD Review - See No Evil (2006)

Let me start this review by saying that I am a recent convert to the world of WWE and as a result have been actively seeking out films produced by WWE studios so I can see some of my favourite wrestlers in their acting roles. See No Evil stars authority bad guy Kane as psychopath Jason Goodnight but more about that later.

See No Evil is essentially a teen slasher film and was the first major release by the WWE, it was released by Lions Gate Entertainment in 2006 and had horrific reviews. I was expecting very little from it in all honesty and now I have seen it I think I was overtly generous in my initial thought. I will explain...

The overall premise smacks of cliche from the offset. A bunch of teenage delinquents are sent to do community service at a run down hotel unaware that a psychopath is living there. It is nothing I haven't heard before from a plot line and unfortunately the cliches keep coming thick and fast.

The first act introduces to the characters and for fifteen minutes we are treated to wooden acting and snarly teenage angst played badly. The girls seem more likable than the guys but it is worth noting that these are a bunch of criminals and the characterisations have been written as such. Christine Vidal (Freaky Friday) is the stand out of a bad bunch for me and her sincerity is at least believable.

Through the second act the plot line splits the teens as they go about various things in the rotting hotel thus making way for the predictability seen in other teen slashers. The attempt at a suspense build up with the whole 'someone is watching' routine falls flat and the foil to Kane's villain, Michael played by Luke Peglar is no where menacing enough to fool anyone.

By the time we actually see Kane, he just appears with no element of surprise but in all fairness as a villain he looks great. Of course, as a wrestler he is a big guy but he literally towers over his victims and looks scary enough. He remains silent throughout until the very end which ruined it for me because their just wasn't enough from him to keep me entertained.

So what about gore, this being a slasher movie after all? It was there but a couple of deaths in it all seemed very samey although I let this slip because this villain has specific methods. The film had some decent enough shots (the kind that the Saw franchise did brilliantly) but for the most part I felt bored as the story just dripped along.

A mini twist half way through tries to pull the audience back in but a lack of development off the back of this, that I felt was integral to Goodnight's character, allows it get lost. From thereon in the film just dragged even with one of the goriest scenes not able to save it. I felt like I was forever waiting for something to happen and didn't care who died next or how.

I longed for pay off and in the third act the pace does pick up as there is a frantic lead up the twist, showdown and ultimate conclusion. For once I never guessed the big reveal but I didn't care either because by that point I wasn't really paying attention.

See No Evil never really redeems itself and the fact that there is a sequel blows my mind. I will however, have to give it a go.

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Coming Soon - Moonlight Cinema

Today I want to share something that I saw advertised recently. Something that filled me with absolute giddiness and something that I found terribly exciting.

For those of you that don't know already, I live in the UK and as such such our weather is absolutely terrible. As such us Brits love summer so much because we long all year round for a little bit of sun and for a short while between June and August we get it.

During these months lots of outdoor events pop up all over the place but recently on facebook I read eagerly about a company called Moonlight Cinemas who are bringing the outdoor cinema experience I so often see in American teen movies to a space near me!

These events are happening in the UK between June and August and have venues secured in a whopping 28 cities. Registration for first access to tickets is available now on their website and there is also a vote going on for which films should be screened.

I'm stoked and will be at the Newcastle date with my vote in for Grease so fingers crossed!

L x

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