•                                    Lincoln

                                 

• Finally one of the best directors and actors of all time, Stephen Spielberg and Daniel Day-Lewis have teamed up to depict the final months of Abraham Lincoln’s life and presidential reign. To be more precise, Lincoln’s struggle to pass the Thirteenth Amendment which will abolish slavery and ultimately end America’s civil war. 
• Character and story driven, Lincoln is by far the sharpest depiction of the struggle Abraham Lincoln went through to pass the final bill of his presidency. This is not an the epic battle film we are used to seeing from Spielberg but instead, a very much mental battle between The Republicans and Democrats in the dark and smoky room of The House of Representatives.
•              It should come as no surprise to people that Daniel Day-Lewis is supreme in his role as Abraham Lincoln. The legacy and spirit of the 16th president shines through Day-Lewis. This year’s favourite for the Oscar. 
• Spielberg’s direction is great. Most notably his fascinating set up and use of light within his scenes along with Day-Lewis’s posture makes him look pretty much exactly like Abraham Lincoln Himself. 

•  

• End of Watch

•                         

 

• Argo

• 
• Ben Affleck's Argo opens up with a stunning prologue dipicting the siege and takeover of the American Embassy in Tehran during the 1978 Iranian Revolution. The sequence is exciting and very involving. The lead up to the main premise of the film is just as engaging. 
• Argo tells the true story of the 1980 joint CIA-Canadian secret operation to extract six fugitive American diplomatic personnel out of revolutionary Iran by creating a fake film and a fake crew.
• When all other plans fail, the CIA allows their specialist Tony Mendez (Affleck) to go ahead with his plan. With the help of Hollywood make-up artist John Chambers (John Goodman) and producer Lester Siegel (Alan Arkin) to front a fake film studio, approve a script, fly Mendez to Iran and fly the Americans out of Tehran disguised as film crewmakers on a location to shoot. 
• Argo is another indication that Ben Affleck is well on his way to becoming a great film maker and writer. When Hollywood is and probably always will be surrounded with franchises and superheroes, Affleck has confirmed that there is still a place in Hollywood for storytellers and originals. 
• The direction is intelligent using subtle techniques to wring out the thrills. 
• Everything in this film really transports you to the 1970s. The set design is dark and bare. With the vintage Warner. Bros sign at the beginning, all these aspects really draw you in to the story. 
• Bryan Cranston (Who is also perpelling himself in to a great actor) as Mendez's supervisor who ignites his way into the penultimate scenes of the film and Victor Garber as the Canadian Ambassador who bravely risks his life while sheltering the Americans. The refreshing comedic element of the film comes from John Goodman and Alan Arkin who team up magnificently. All of this gifts us an intelligent and exciting film. Also, Argo is probably one of the most suspenseful films I have ever seen. Just when you think it's clear, the suspense just picks right up again
• OSCAR BUZZ: Given it's powerful story and intelligence plus my feeling that it's one of the best films of the year so far, Argo has rightfully received tips to lift the Oscar for best picture. However I do see films like Lincoln, Les Miserables and Django muscling they're way in to the mix too. 
• One thing is for sure though, Argo has opened up a very positive 2013 award season. 

 

 

• Tyrannosaur

•                   
•  
• With films such as Submarine,
• Tyrannosaur capped a magnificent 2011 for British cinema.
• Not for the faint hearted, Tyrannosaur is Paddy Considine's (Dead Man's Shoes) directoral debut which centres around Joseph, a man plagued by violence and a rage that is driving him to self-destruction, earns a chance of redemption that appears in the form of Hannah, a Christian charity shop worker. Tyrannosaur is very much a character based film with no distinct story. Usually I wouldn't like this but the pure intrique of the protagonists helps you forget about a shortage of story.
• Joseph, played by Peter Mullen (Trainspotting) is a character that, through his own mistakes early in life has given in to his demons which has forced him to shut everybody out of his life and the very few people who arrive never last long. When Joseph meets Hannah, it doesn't take him too long to offend her by stating that she has no idea what it is like to experience the feeling of not knowing whether you'll live to see another day. What Joseph fails to see is that Hannah is facing her own suffering but the difference between her and Joseph is that Hannah hides behind a mask in order to keep in touch with her faith in God. Either way, Joseph and Hannah can't avoid hurt and angst throughout the narrative.
• As Tyrannosaur progresses, Hannah and Jespeh grow closer which turns each others lives around. Also, a beautiful sequence in the film proves that you can find goodness in every corner of the world if you are willing to give people a chance.  
• We are drawn back in to the darkness of the film towards the end. The contrast of Joseph and Hannah from their introduction filled with obvious darkness for Joseph and inner suffering for Hannah which is chillingly uncovered as we delve deeper in to Tyrannosaur.
• Paddy Considine proves with Tyrannosaur that the real artistry in films is spearheaded by one element, simplicity.

 

1. Moby Dick

2. 
3. The sole survivor of a lost whaling ship relates the tale of his captain's self-destructive obsession to hunt the white whale, Moby Dick.
4. When films are hinged on performance, one predicts that the film needs a stellar cast. That is what Moby Dick produces with Gregory Peck. Arguably his greatest performance in front of screen, Peck is supported by a fine cast who also arguably give their greatest performances in Moby Dick. 
5. The striking aspect of this film however is its poetic and Shakespearean script. With some fantastic quotes, Moby Dick is mentally superb for its era.  

         

      Frankenweenie

1. 
2. Victor Frankenstein conducts a science experiment to bring his beloved dog Sparky back to life, only to face unintended, sometimes monstrous, consequences. Frankenweenie is Tim Burton's (Edward Scissorhands) first stop motion animation since Corpse Bride. A setting not too dissimiliar to that of the neighbourhood of Edward Scissor Hands, Frankenweenie is a big sign that Tim Burton still has the ability to make enjoyable films.
3. Burton made Frankenweenie initially as a short film in 1984 but was considerered too dark and scary for children.
4. Set in black and white, Frankenweenie is an homage to the 1930's monster films, a personal inspiration for Burton. The references to these films (the score and visuals) gave Frankenweenie a unique and refreshing feel and look to it. Something modern animations need. Over exuberant character features revealed each personality before anybody said anything. The character visuals and development included the one aspect of a film that I crave on, attention to detail.
5. Giving it was a Tim Burton film, I was disapointed with the way Sparky died but this was made up for when he was brought back to life by his beloved master, Victor. This is done by an inspired piece of writing centered around the history of the town, New Holland.
6. When Sparky is brought back to life, in no way does he stop behaving like a michievous dog and thankfully not some zombie creature. Something that sets Tim Burton's family films apart from others is the way he does not shy away from death. In fact, I feel that Burton gives his young audience more respect than other film makers do.  I would agree he feels that exploring the darker, even more artistic shores of our imaginations brings out more enjoyment.
7. Frankenweenie mixes a 1930 horor film at the beginning with a family adventure by the end with the town coming together to save the day and define the morale of the film: If you disturb the dead in a Tim Burton film, very BIG consequences entail.
8. Tim Burton's finest film in some time.

 

 

12 Angry Men

1. 
2. Acting on an unprecedented scale.
    
   Henry Fonda stars in the film that changed the face of crime drama forever.
   12 Angry Men centers around a dissenting juror (Henry Fonda) in a murder trial who slowly manages to convince the others that the case is not as clear as it seemed in court.
   It is unfortunate that in this day and age, we see a black and white film and automatically think "boring"
   But what 12 Angry Men emphatically proves is that if you have actors, a camera and great writers, you can make anything happen. 
   The shining light in 12 Angry Men was the writers and the actors. The ability to set a whole film in one room, with 12 men and little to no imagery only the imagery that invades your mind from the breathtaking script and executioners that are the actors. 

   Less is more with 12 Angry Men.   

 

Looper​

 

 

1. Starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Inception) and Bruce Willis (Pulp Fiction) 
2. In 2072, when the mob wants to get rid of someone, the target is sent 30 years into the past, where a hired gun awaits. Someone like Joe,(Gordon-Levitt) who one day learns the mob wants to 'close the loop' by transporting back Joe's future self (Willis) in order to kill him. 
3. If you havn't noticed already, Looper is a time travel film. Time Travel films have been scarce in recent years so when Looper was confirmed, there was inevitably some buzz around it. 
4. With films such as Looper, there tends to be plot-holes. Thankfully on first viewing, I saw nothing that looked out of place. 
5. Since Gordon-Levitt was playing a young Bruce Willis, he needed to look like him. This was something that could of gone wrong but it could not of gone better. Levitt not only looked like Bruce Willis but also had that Willis-ora about him with his acting.
6. I felt the writers and director depicted the future adequately without going overboard. Yes, we do get flying automobiles but the buildings were not too much different to our own with the exception of some touch screen devices. What the writers do attempt to portray is a crime ridden-future where anything goes. 
7. The action sequences accompanied by the soundtrack reminded me of Inception but at one point, the action tailed off to mirrior Die Hard (unfortunately)
8. Looper is not a ruthlessly fast paced film. Halfway through, we are introduced to an edgy Emily Blunt who seems to have more to protect than her secluded farm. The action takes a back seat at this point in order for the film to focus on it's story. The main reason Looper was a worthwhile film is because when it was toned down Looper was still exciting to watch.
9. The onscreen chemistry between Gordon-Levitt and Willis was impressive. This was brought home with a scene set in a lonely Kansas diner. I woudn't be surprised if they teamed up again in the future (no pun intended)
10. Recent time travel films tended to be generic but Looper was pleasantly unique which could result in it setting a new standard for this genre of film. 

 

 

 

Lawless

                           

•  

• First off, Lawless is one of the rarest movies ever depicting the Prohibition era of the United States dating back to 1920's. I was very impressed with the study of that era in this movie. The most interesting element of Lawless was its conveyance of the amateur bootlegging trade high in the mountains of Franklin Virginia and not the glamorous Prohibition of Atlantic City and Chicago we would know more about. With the exception of the highly impressive “Boardwalk Empire” Contrary to what many American directors have pulled off regarding this era the Australian director, John Hillcoat (The Road) has exceeded many movie goers expectations with this gritty movie. The only downside was I would of liked to see Gary Oldman (Leon: The Professional) have more moments than what he was given. I feel that if you are going to cast Gary Oldman in any movie, give him as much screen time as possible. The cast, I can tell you, is not stellar but still not fading away with Tom Hardy (Warrior) who can do no wrong at the moment career wise. Although he probably had one of the easiest roles seeing as for large parts of the movie he just stood in shot looking tough.
•  Lawless somewhat reminded me of Public Enemies especially if you take it’s score into consideration.  
• Many movies which told stories of the past eras did not really weave the sociological impacts and influences of those times but the director and the photography artist must have studied hard before drawing the outline of this movie. Nothing falls short of the history. I paid close attention to see any discrepancies but I was caught off-guard with the homework of the director and whoever was involved in the study of the history of that time . The scenery and the dialogue were meticulously intertwined and nothing falls short in cinematography. Bootleggers rise up against the authorities who entreat the profit in importunity. I liked the acting of Shia Lebouf. He was lost in Transformers but he found his incarnation in this movie. Guy Pearce’s performance as Deputy Charlie Rakes the man who is determined to shut down every bootlegging trade in Virginia is nothing shy of chilling. His physical appearance, attitude towards crime and his ability to hold a grudge intertwine to produce a very disturbing character.
• Lawless will entice people who have an interest in The Prohibition and have patience in slow building movies.

 

 

 

Gone Baby Gone

 

1. wow!
2. Two Boston area detectives investigate a little girl's kidnapping, which ultimately turns into a crisis both professionally and personally. Based on the Dennis Lehane novel.
3. Starring the incredibly talented Casey Affleck and directed and written by his now incredibly talened brother, Ben Affleck. Gone Baby Gone portrays a very real and emotional  story of a dangerously large and twisty plot and the touchy theme of child abduction.
4. What struck me first in Ben Affleck's direction, is his ability to draw in his audience into the story right from the beginning. 
5. Our story begins with images of the Boston neighborhood of Dorchester. This is in unison of a narrative told by Patrick (Casey Affleck) talking about his experiences within Dorchester. Along with images of the reality of life and Patrick's honest words, we know immediately that we are about to witness a very genuine movie.
6. When we first encounter the family that seems to be grief stricken after the abduction of their little girl I couldn't help but notice that the little girl's aunt is more desperate to find her as apposed to her mother who is drowning her sorrows in a daily drug binge. 
7. As the movie slowly progresses we are introduced to more and more characters. Not least Morgan Freeman (The Dark Knight) as chief of police, Jack Doyle and Ed Harris (A Beautiful Mind) as detective Bressant. These charcters go along with the plot in similar fashion right until the very end  We also are given clues about Patick's past which ultimately helps with his search for the little girl. 
8. The first of many twists in Gone Baby Gone opens our eyes to what the realisation of what seemed to be a staright forward plot is in fact something much bigger. 
9. The movie seems to have a number of alternitive endings, a plot that gets lost but finds it way agaiin once or twice and some great acting sequences. Ed Harris's "Why we're in this business" speech comes to mind. 
10. I always like a movie that asks a question of it's own and challenges it's audience to think and wonder. Gone Baby Gone certainly accomplishes this.
11. After Gone Baby Gone, Ben Affleck made The Town. A movie that has the same setting and mood of Gone Baby Gone, comparisions get help but be made.
12. For me, Gone Baby Gone trumps The Town

 

 

The Shore -

     Academy Award winning film 2012

1. Terry George's (Hotel Rwanda) The Shore is the story of Joe and Paddy, whose childhood friendship is shattered by the troubles in Northern Ireland. Twenty five years later they are reunited. 
2. The Academy Award Short Film category is usually of a very high standard and this year was no different. The Shore proved that making a short film is the core of filmmaking. You can never go wrong with a real life story. The Shore does not falter with its conveyance of a forgotten friendship and a lost lover. This all begins when Joe (Cieran Hinds) arrives home to Belfast with his Daughter  after 25 Years living in America. When Joe's daughter learns  of the reason her father moved to America and who he left behind, sets the scene for an emotional reunion. 
3. Along with a very peculiar misunderstanding, beautiful transitions of rural Belfast and a story perfectly balanced with realism, The Shore deserves it's title of Academy Award winning film. 

   

     

     ted

         

1. From the creator of Family Guy, Seth MacFarlane directs the comedy of the year, Ted. Starring Mark Wahlberg (The Fighter) Mila Kunis (Black Swan) and Seth Macfarlane himself. 
2. As the result of a childhood wish, John Bennett's (Wahlberg) teddy bear, Ted (MacFarlane) came to life and has been by John's side ever since. A friendship that's tested when Lori, (Kunis) John's girlfriend of four years, wants more from their relationship.
3. Ted probably derserves it's title as "comedy of the year" with some very funny one liners and clever pop culture and 80s references. I felt the setting of Boston for the movie was perfect. With Wahlberg being from Boston, this let the writers give Wahlberg the opportunity to really be himself in this movie. 
4. We don't see too much comedic imagery in Ted but the one liners especially from Macfarlane keep us laughing pretty much all the way through the movie. 
5. However I felt the conclusion to the movie somewhat tarnished what was a funny and refreshing movie. 
6. I am looking forward to what Seth Macfarlane has lined up for his second stint with the big screen after a pretty positive deput. 

 

 

 

   Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close

1. Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close follows a troubled young boy named Oskar who is trying to cope with the death of his father (Tom Hanks) A year later, Oskar comes across a very old key in his father's belongings and embarks on a search of New York City to find the matching lock. Throughout Oskar's journey he meets a lot of people and discovers secrets about his family. While upon his journey he realises how difficult life really is without his father. Which in turn causes him to damage his realtionship with his mother (Sandra Bullock)
2. Directed by Stephen Daldry (The Hours) Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close plot interested me. It interested me to see how the director could keep the plot interesting and enjoyable for over two hours. And there was the catch. He didn't. 
3. Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close was extremely touching at times. The first half hour was deeply touching. We witnessed the healthy relationship between Oskar and his father through inquisitive games. The most fascinating game being, finding the "sixth burrow" While playing this game we see how incredibly educated Oskar is. And also how well grounded his father keeps him. 
4. As the movie progresses and we follow Oskar on his journey in finding the matching lock for his father's key, the more the plot drags on. I noticed how over emotional the movie got. It seemed the more desperate Oskar got in finding the lock the more annoying he got as a character. With this came a lot of one dimensional emotion which was screaming and crying. Unfortunately this did not work for me. I felt the only scenes that were most touching and powerful were the scenes involving Tom Hanks.
5.  Most disappointing of all was the ending. Throughout the movie and even on evidence of the trailer, Oskar's journey is a long and difficult one. The ending didn't seem to take that into consideration. In other words, ANTICLIMACTIC. 
6. The epilogue tried to salvage the ending as best it could however. 

 

 

Brave

                          

1. Upon choosing what film I was going to sit down and watch and pay attention to in order to do a review, Disney Pixar's  Brave did not cross my mind. It didn't cross my mind because I felt it was one of those films that would keep kids happy for a year before the big Monsters, Inc. sequel next summer. But then I realised that Brave looked nothing like any animated movie  that I have watched or heard of. So when I changed my mind and decided to watch it, I was honestly pretty excited.
2. Brave is centered around medieval Scotland. Here, we encounter princess Merida, she is not the kind of princess that conveys royalty. So when the time comes for Merida to choose a suitor for her hand in marriage, she makes a choice that results in terror for everyone involved. Thus forcing Merida to prove herself and set things right. Merida is played by Scottish actress Kelly Macdonald (Boardwalk Empire) an actress who I find extremely annoying.
3. In Brave, Disney Pixar do what they do best and that is produce stunning backdrops, attention to detail and art design. Right from the intro we are introduced to the incredible highlands of an mythical Celtic Scotland. With these never before seen visuals used in an animation, Brave had all the signs for an excellent Pixar film. Until the main turning point in the storyline came to fruition which was unfortunately unoriginal. A backfired wish from an angry and confused girl that affects her whole life which turns into a race against time was somewhat disappointing. However what did impress me was the obvious research that went into Brave. The songs that we hear in the film are entirally Scottish sang in a Scottish tone and we also hear the native Scottish language through one of these songs. Along with the brilliant imagery, I felt this was one of the attractions Brave possessed.
4. The wit in Brave is also refreshing. Although what do you expect when Billy Connolly stars? I even got a kick out of three little characters that never breathed a word the entire film. 
5. Brave has spectacle in abundance but falls short on storyline that could of been slightly more imaginitive given it's unique backdrop.
6. Not a Disney Pixar classic but enjoyable nonetheless.  

 

 

   

 

     

       The Dark Knight Rises

         ​

1. So here it was, the single most exciting event of the year. The event that I had been looking forward to since it was confirmed, THE DARK KNIGHT RISES.

2. Mr. Nolan, to quote the Joker, "you didn't disappoint"

3. THE DARK KNIGHT RISES was an action film with a backbone. I watched the film on an IMAX screen. This meant I could experience the sheer magnitude of the film on a perfect scale. The IMAX wasn't just visually impresseve but sound too. I remember feeling the whole movie theatre shake because of the loudness of some truly epic scenes.

4. THE DARK KNIGHT RISES picks up eight years after the chaotic Joker. Gotham City is in a state of peace. Until a terrorist and the new leader of the League of Shadows, Bane, overwhelms Gotham, forcing Batman to resurface in order to protect a city that has branded him a murderer. Bane exposes "The Dent Act" an act that has put 1000 criminals behind bars as being built on a lie. This then results in the prisoners of Black Gate Prison storming Gotham and working as Bane's army against "the liars" of Gotham. As these events unfold, Batman is nowhere to be seen. This is because Bane breaks the Bat and condemns him to the prison known as "hell on earth", the place where Bane grew up in, to helplessly watch Gotham burn.

5. THE DARK KNIGHT RISES is like any other trilogy/era ending movie. Huge intensity and big filmmaking. But unlike some of these movies, THE DARK KNIGHT RISES has emotion, suspense and humanism at times. Just like most Nolan films, one of the opening sequences to the film supplys intensity and amazing imagery. Our story kicks off with Bane and two of his henchmen being transported via airplane but not all goes to plan and this is where we find out exactly what kind of threat Bane is. What I noticed first about Bane was his beastly eyes. I felt this was his most definitive feature.

6. The attention that Nolan gives to the comic books in all of his Batman movies is impressive. Some people might be aware but for those who aren't, Bane grew up in a prison for 27 years serving his Father's sentence. For these 27 years, Bane read countless books and in THE DARK KNIGHT RISES, Bane has extremely impressive vocabulary, I felt this was staying true to the DC comics. With all the villians Batman has battled none have matched and indeed conquared Batman in a fight but this all changes with Bane. Batman and Bane first encounter each other underground where Bane is working from. Here, Bane breaks the Bat litrally in half. For the first time, we hear Batman grunting and panting while fighting. I felt the lack of music really gave the scene that disturbing feel to it. While Bane's words are evil is accent is not. I felt his accent could of been slighty more sinister to go with his chilling words.

7. Now to my one of my pre-concerns of the film, Anne Hathaway's Catwoman. In the build up to the film, I coundn't picture Hathaway as a character in Batman especially Christopher Nolan's trilogy. But by the end of the movie, the cat had my tongue. Hathaway plays her charcter very well. The main reason being that the development of Catwoman was written perfectly. Intstead of the usual seductive "in the way" character, Catwoman is intriguing and powerful. She is portrayed as a cat burglar (who can arguably be taken as not Catwoman at all) who seeks what every other criminal does, a clean slate. In our story, a clean slate is a possibilty for her if she keeps the right people happy. I was very happy with the portrayal of Catwoman and was actually glad she was a character who by the end, has a big say in the ending of The Dark Knight Trilogy.

8. Throughout the film we see Gotham in a new light, quite litrally. Most of the sequences in THE Dark KNIGHT RISES are during daylight. This was another concern I had upon watching the film. But once again Mr. Nolan proved me wrong. The action is on such a grand scale in this movie that in order to really appreciate it, you need to have most of the film in daylight. I felt I could see more and pick up more because you can physically see more in the light of day. It also was an interesting change to the shadowy Gotham we're used to.

9. Batman's costume never looked better. I felt Batman looked more glossy and more engaging in the film. I believe the camera angles and the close ups of Batman made him look more intense. He talks more in this film. I felt he talked too much. The more lines Batman says in a scene the more comical he sounds. However what I did enjoy, was how human he was in some scenes. While fighting Bane, he can hear him grunt and breathes heavily which I found to be both intense and believable.

10. There was one notable aspect of clever writing and timing with THE DARK KNIGHT RISES. It is where Bruce Wayne and Alfred are in the Bat Cave discussing the threat Bane poses to Gotham. Alfred is telling Bruce about how Bane escaped from the worst prison on earth. Alfred says "Every now and again, a man will rise" at the same time Alfred says this, Wayne's Batman costume rises from the ground on a podium. This is where we first encounter the Bat costume in the film. I felt this little sequence was very fitting towards the film's title.

11. I don’t agree with the thought that THE DARK KNIGHT RISES was too long. Unless you are not enjoying the movie, you don’t feel the length of it. I felt the writers of The Dark Knight Trilogy achieved their main aim of portraying Bruce Wayne’s story. Yes, we don’t see much Batman in THE DARK KNIGHT RISES and the fans disappointment with this is understandable but if we remember Batman Begins , it had little Batman but a lot of Bruce Wayne. This is because the aim of the trilogy was to tell Bruce Wayne’s story not necessarily Batman’s. 

12. The acting as a whole in the DARK KNIGHT RISES is brilliant. Each character brings their own style to the screen. If you were not too familiar with Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Inception) before this film, you will be now. His portrayal of police officier, Blake is nothing but dedicated and focused. Tom Hardy (Warrior) is nothing shy of disturbing at times. Bane's eyes and strut were the main features of Bane that I really enjoyed. Alfred, played by the infamous Michael Caine (The Prestige) produces his best performance of Alfred. Every word he utters you can't help but cling onto. Anne Hathaway's (The Devil Wears Prada) Catwoman is as sinister and manipulative as they come. Also, her physical preparation for the role must be respected. Christian Bale (The Fighter) as Bruce Wayne and Batman is another solid and impressive performance.

13. What sets THE DARK KNIGHT RISES apart from it's predecessors is it was never a Batman vs Villian movie. Each character is as important to the story as the next.

14. And where would we be without that oh so familiar "Nolan ending" The ending to THE DARK KNIGHT RISES will keep everyone talking and arguing for years to come.

15. Thank you Christopher Nolan for bringing your filmmaking intellect to the Batman franchise and transforming it into one of the biggest trilogy of films in cinematic history.

 

 

 ​​Prometheus

      ​

 

1. Personally, this was one of the two films I was most looking forward to this year. (The other being The Dark Knight Rises)

2. However after hearing the score from across the board as above average, I was actually waiting to realise what made this the hollow film it was presumed to be. But in the end it was actually much better than what I imagined, I really enjoyed this film and everyone who has any slight interest in the film’s premise should view it at the cinema.

3. Prometheus follows a team of explorers who discover a clue to the origins of mankind on Earth, leading them on a journey to the darkest corners of the universe. There, they must fight a terrifying battle to save the future of the human race. 

4.  The first half was a very nicely paced hour. We as an audience are drawn and submerged into the films world and the main characters are built on this foundation with the plot tagging alongside. Although they found what they were looking for almost immediately, which I found to be too coincidental.

5. Fassbender leads as the performer playing 'David' brilliantly, who seems at first to have other intentions compared to the other crew members. Rapace is a close second and is definitely the Ripley (Alien) of this film. I felt the last 15 minutes played a homage to the original Alien film. But there are a lot of minor characters who aren't really explained and seem to serve purpose of just being the disposable crew.

6. Mid-way thorough the film; the genre very quickly dives into an unnecessary mild horror film before surfacing again back into sci-fi and then repeating that again near the end. The final scene is extremely satisfying, but I'm not going to give that away. Although, that being said, I am convinced the movie had at least 30 more minutes to give.

7. My main concern with this film was that I didn't want the mystery behind what I believe to be the Xenomorph to be revealed. The film instead gave me my own interpretation of its origin and surprisingly I was left at the end with only just a couple of questions to attempt on answering myself.

8. Secondly the Space Jockey in this film is exposed too early on and I thought it defeated the mystery behind the film which I thought played a big part. It's like when horror films put a spot light on the monster and reveal it to us in broad daylight, so it takes away that aspect of tension that fuels these types of films. The overall effects are great in this film it kept the squeamish tradition intact from the chest-buster scene (Alien) which we all grew to love.

9. All in all, it's not as good as Alien, I could see it returning as a cult classic in the future like how Fight Club did. I also believe 'Prometheus' is Ridley Scott's counter on Danny Boyle's 'Sunshine'; both films seem to share the same DNA as each other rather than with Alien's. The film’s storyline was handled with maturity.

10. I recommend the film but it may leave a sour taste on your tongue if you're very sensitive to the Alien franchise, if not it may be bitterly sweet.

The Amazing Spider-Man

                       

 

1. There has been plenty of talk of whether or not the Spider-Man franchise really needed a reboot just five years after Spiderman 3. Personaly I felt Spiderman needed to start again after the utterly terrible 3rd Tobey Maquire Spiderman that ruined the first two very good and promising movies in the trilogy. For me, Spiderman needed a fresh start with a deeper and more intriguing story. And that's what we got with The Amazing Spider-Man.  

2. Directed by Marc Webb and starring Andrew Garfield (The Social Network) as Peter Parker/Spiderman, Emma Stone (The Help) as Peter's first love Gwen Stacey and Rhys Ifans as Dr. Kurt Connors/The Lizard, The Amazing Spiderman mixes drama, intensity and young love very well. Our new Spiderman saga centres around Peter Parker and the secrets about his father who abandoned him as a boy that have been kept from him since childhood. These secrets come in the shape of an old briefcase that Peter finds in the basement of his Aunt and Uncle's house, Aunt May (Sally Field) and Uncle Ben (Martin Sheen) The contents of the briefcase leads him to a pharmaceutical company named Oscorp and more precisely the lab of Dr. Kurt Connors, the former work colleague of Peter's Father. Here, Peter is sent on a collison course with Connor's alter-ego, The Lizard. On top of all this, Peter is also trying to find his way with his first high school crush, Gwen Stacy. The story mixes all these elements very well and also leaves us with an inevitable sequal to mull over.

3. Gwen Stacey's father is chief of police who is hunting down "The Masked Vigilante" I felt this gave Emma Stone's character more substance.

4. With big blockbusters like this, it comes with flaws. The humour element in the movie is just a touch too much but some would say the humour is understandable because our Spiderman is a teenager. Also, I did not like the design of the lizard. I felt the Lizard's head was too robotic and didn't look as realistic as it should of been. What I did find impressive about the lizard was it's affects eg: it's eerie breathing and growling.

5. When we first encounter teenager Peter, we immediately see similarities to Tobey Maquire's clumsy and awkward Peter Parker. What set Garfield's Parker apart from Maquire's however, was his on screen chemistry with Emma Stone. You could see real romance between the on and offscreen couple.

6. The action sequences are at times brilliant. The best one being Spiderman saving a young boy from a burning car about to drop into The Hudson River.

7. Like most Marvel movies, Stan Lee makes an appearence in quite brilliant fashion.

8. Another element of the movie that I was looking forward to was the 3D. I had a feeling Spiderman was the perfect type of movie to really show how good 3D can be. Unfortuanately, I was wrong. Although there is some exciting shots that the 3D does make an appearance but like all the 3D movies that have gone before it, you hardly notice it.

9. In my opinion, the most important component to a good movie is the storyline. This is where a movie succeeds or fails. After looking at various trailers and cast interviews, I was very excited for The Amazing Spider-Man. Thankfully, It didn't let me down on storyline. It had near perfect balance between it's many themes and subplots. The Amazing Spiderman's deep and intriguing story has the ability to keep us excited for sequals and re-watches for many years to come.

10. There were small elemets to the movie that I found very satisfactory. The familiar Marvel comic book intro was one that I was hoping for. Also, the fact that Peter manufactured his own web spinning device for his spiderman suit instead of the webs randomly coming out of his wrists was good to see.

11. Many reviews of this movie mention the fact that it was enjoyable but not amazing in which the title suggests. The Amazing Spider-Man is based on the comic of the same title so I wouldn't base your opinions of the movie on the title.

12. After getting very excited for The Amazing Spiderman I just pray that Spiderman isn't tied into The Avengers. Spiderman's story was too well told/set up for it to be just dumped into an already hollow Avengers story.

13. One thing is for sure, the debate between the fans who preferred this Spiderman to those who prefer the original trilogy will rage on and on.

14. NOTE: Wait five minutes until you leave the cinema.

15. There is something more than just credits at the end.