Film Review 26th February 2011

"No Strings Attached" (15)
Director: Ivan Reitman
Writer(s): Elizabeth Meriwether 
Starring; Natalie Portman,Ashton Kutcher and Kevin Kline
Distributors: Paramount Pictures

Quote of the Movie: "I can't concentrate on my porn with all this real sex going on!" 

Adam (Kutcher) and Emma (Portman) are a couple who agree to have a strictly physical relationship without any emotion. But wait! can they actually continue a relationship solely  based on sex? or will they develop feelings for one another?

I wish I can say more about the plot than this, however, I can't. The chances are you have already worked out the ending to this film by reading the first three lines of my introduction so just like the concept of this film I will keep this review relatively short. The formula is simple (Spoiler alert!!!): Guy meets girl, guy chases girl, guy and girl stop seeing each other (although their feelings are quite clear) guy and girl realise what they have and get together - happy ending. Although this formula has worked with various film the only piece of originality is Elizabeth Meriweather who has made Emma (Portman) the emotionally distant love interest, who suggests the f*ck buddy relationship, and Adam (Kutcher) as the needy guy who goes along for the ride although it is clear he wants more. I really don't know what else to say. This film is so predictable it is impossible and I enjoyed it for it's predictability. It passed the time and made me laugh a here and there but there isn't much more.

The Supporting cast is good. Kevin Kline made a great performance and I, for some reason, was happy to see him back on the big screen. Kline  plays Adams dad a one time TV star who Adam constantly try to move out of his shadow.In addition he is also man going through a mid-life crisis shacking himself up with Adams ex girlfriend. This was buy far the funniest part of the plot which brought out some good scenes between him and Kutcher (Kline character offering Adam a Spliff and Adams Birthday dinner stand out to me).

Jake M Johnson and Chris "Ludacris" Bridges Play Eli and Wallace who also have two of the best roles in film as Adams friends.They do a good job of giving him very poor advice and draw more laughs than Kutcher and Portman's characters put together. Mindy Kaling (The Office: An American Workplace) is the finniest of Portmans support taking full advantage of her comedy skills with line that are guaranted to make you chuckle. Kaling Plays Shira the "cooky" one of Emma's friends and I loved her characters wit and one liners throughout the film.

One thought. I heard that Ivan Reitman was too old to direct a film with such young content.....bullocks! he does a good job each he brought out comedy from Portman who is usually brittle and Kutcher who usually sucks in any case I disagree. the only problem which I have with this movies is, as I have saying throughout, its good. It isn't great, Its average good at best.

To be quite honest I'm getting bored writing about it. This is not a bad film by all means I have just seen so many versions of it. This is  film writing 101 and so there is no point talking about it anymore or I will ruin it all for you as Peter Bradshaw of the Guardian eloquently put it: "You don't need a PhD in romcomology from the University of Predictable Nonsense, formerly Predictable Nonsense Polytechnic, to guess what happens next." The main thing to know is that this film is OK so go and check it outor all the romantics out there.

I would give this film 2 1/2 Winkleman's out of 5

What do you think? Let know your thoughts post them comments.

W/C 21st Feb: Out This Week - The Rite Trailer

"The Rite" (15)

Director: Mikael Håfström

Writer(s):Michael Petroni,Matt Baglio

Starring:Colin O'Donogh, Anthony Hopkins ,Alice Braga and Ciarán Hinds

Distributor: Warner Bros

Firstly let me have just one quick moan. I really dislike movies that say "inspired by a true story" is this supposed to make us think that 'yeah this can happen' while setting up what is to come in the movie? I am an atheist so is this film being marketed to Christian's who believe in demonic possession? Insipred does not mean it has happened. That's it, why ruin the magic of good film making. I want to get the bad out of the way before deciding whether the trailer would make me go and see the movie. 

I like a good horror movie. Anything that can make me jump automatically makes it a good movie, trust me it will take a lot for a movie to make me jump. On paper this film should be good. It has the great Sir Anthony Hopkins starring and is directed by the man who did a good job with Derailed (not the Steven Seagal Movie) which is a decent enough thriller and 1408 which he did very well adapting the Stephen King Novel, very hard to do right, so he should not have a problem with Matt Baglio's novel of the same name.

Colin O'Donogh (The Tudors) play Michael Kovac a young American priest who travels to the vatican to study exorcism. Being a sceptic it is not until he meets the unorthodox priest Father Lucas Trevant (Hopkins) who introduces him to the dark world of demonic possession that will no doubt test his faith. 

The Trailer has loads of shouting, or acting as they call it, and some cool effects (watch out for the girl with the dark veined eyes and soggy hair.  I haven't read the book but am looking forward to this movie well worth seeing with a girl you know is going to grab you tight at the shear forcefulness of sir Anthony passionate acting skills. 

Judge for yourself and let me know your thoughts. 

W/C 21st Feb: Out This Week - Drive Angry Trailer

"Drive Angry 3D" (18)
Director: Patrick Lussier
Writer: Todd Farmer and Partick Lussier
Starring: Nicolas Cage, Amber Heard and William Ficher
Distributor: Millenium Films, Summit Entertainment 

Great, Nicolas Cage is back in another film. Okay to start of with my tone is a touch sarcastic but come on! give it a break! why is he cast in terrible action movies that are just shit. He just isn't trying anymore. I'm sorry I really don't like Nick Cage , but that hasn't always been the case. I rate "The Rock" as one of my favourite action movies, Leaving Las Vegas was the best performance in Cage's career and Gone in 60 seconds kept his action man status at arms length while still doing some believable stunt with a script that made sense. In comparison we have The Sorcerers Apprentice, Bangkok Dangerous, Next, The National Treasure Series and Season of the Witch all have been disappointing very very very dissapointing. It's strange because their are some movies that he really shines putting in an epic performance in Bad Lieutenant and, my favourite of 2011 Kick Ass. So why is he doing these shitty action flick which require 2 pages of script and load upon load of special effects? money, money money, money....MONEY!

Cage plays a dude who escapes Hell after the Murder of his Daughter and the kidnapping of his granddaughter by a satanic cult. Help by the hot Amber Heard he will stop at nothing to get her back and destroy/kill anything that stands in his way. Chased by the Devils right hand man "The Accountant" (William Ficher) this film looks like a mix between a gone in 60 seconds and Ghost Rider. Gone in 60 was good ghost rider was shit so it's 50/50 but more than likely shit. oooh its in 3D too.

Judge for yourself let me know your thoughts.

W/C 21st Feb: Out This Week - I am Number Four Trailer

Please note: These are just my thoughts on the trailers I haven't seen the movies so I reserve the write to change my mind on I have watched it.



"I am Number Four"
Director: D J Caruso
Writer: Alfred Gough and Miles Miller 
Starring: Alex Pettyfer, Timothy Olyphant, Diana Argon. 
Release date: 23rd Feb 2011


The Aptly named John Smith (Alex Pettyfer) is a like any other teenager getting through school, except dadah! he isn't he is a boy with awesome powers who is on the run trying to blend in. John  has to escape from the the people who have killed three out of the nine others just like him and oh no he's number four. Thank F that that is made clear in the trailer because I don' t think my tiny little brain could have worked that out in the cinema. I guess it cuts out the first 20 minutes of the movie so don't worry about arriving late you just might sit down when the story kicks off.. The trailer looks okay special effects IN YOUR FACE! Slow motion matrix like shots  jumping on cars, ninja girl, damsel in distress blah blah blah but that is no surprise with Michael Bay being it producer. I guess I'm not really holding out on much as the trailer is reminiscent  of Twilight and that TV programme Dark Angel, mmm Dark Angel does anyone remember that? lets be fair it was shit! a series which you would happily watch the get through a Sunday afternoon; good but not something will turn the cogs in my brain to understand. I'm sure "I am Number Four" will be a fun visual spectacle just don't hold out on the story. £10 say if there is a twist you'll predict it.

Judge for yourself  let me know your thoughts on the trailer.

Film Review 19th February 2011

"Paul" 
Director: Gregg Mattola
Writer(s): Simon Pegg, Nick Frost
Starring: Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Kirsten Wiig Jason Bateman and Seth Rogan. 


Quote of the Movie: "Three tits...awesome"

Paul

Simon Pegg and Nick Frost (Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz) are back in this Road Trip/buddy comedy about two sci-fi geeks Greame (Pegg) and Clive (Frost) exploring America's UFO hotspots. While on their pilgrimage they cross paths with an actual alien, Paul (voiced by Seth Rogan), who has just escaped the military base that he has been held prisoner since his crash landing in 1947. Graeme and Clive assist the wise cracking, smart arsed stoner that is Paul who takes them on an adventure across the mid west . In Hot Pursuit is federal Agent Zoil (Jason Bateman) who will stop at nothing to prevent Paul from getting home.

Okay so this is my first review, may it go down in internet history.

Firstly, I have to say I really like Simon Pegg and Nick Frost. I have been a big fan since their Channel 4 comedy series "Spaced" I have always counted on them to deliver smart comedy with blatant and subtle reference to the movies and shows that have inspired them. These references feature in Shaun of the Dead, a homage to George A Romeros Living dead series as well as drawing on other sterotypical zombie films. In addition, Hot Fuzz which I lost count of the references they used such as Point Break, Bad Boys II, horror references to The Wicker Man and, correct me if I'm wrong The Omen. With the help of their long standing friend and director Edgar Wright (Scott Pilgrim Vs the World) they are always able to deliver a story with such flair, honesty, emotion and more importantly comedy. They have never shied away from the fact that they are, for want of a better word, geeks and this has attracted like minded geeks and stoners such as myself.

So is "Paul" any different? well no not really. But this is by no means a bad thing the formula that they have used in their previous endeavours works and works for so many different subjects. As you can imagine like  Hot Fuzz and Shaun of the Dead, Paul is a buddy comedy and the knowledge Pegg and Frost have on all things sci-fi  helps fill in the gaps to give us a familiar yet unique movie experience. When watching this film look out for references to Close Encounters of the Third Kind, E.T, Predator Star Wars and, once again correct me if I'm wrong, even Caccoon. I will have to watch this film a second time to find more, as is the way with subtle and clever scripts, I'm sure I have definitely missed a couple.

As you would expect Pegg and Frost play their characters well, I would be concerned if they couldn't as they have been friends for many years. They know how to play of each other and even when the film gets slightly monotonous (slightly) they are able to reel it back in with their mannerisms.

Lets not forget that a film only works if the supporting cast is also right? Seth Rogan voices Paul as...well...Seth Rogan the archetypal  lazy stoner man-child which he does so well and what we have come to expect from him, for example, Pineapple Express, Zack and Miri make a Porno and Knocked up. This may sound negative but I liked it. Although his character parades E.T I like the fact that the little Alien offers his friends a spliff, I like it that he puts his bare arse on the window and moonies Peggs Clive and that he wants to teach to god fearing Ruth (Wigg) how to really curse. these part gave me a good laugh and to be honest I think Seth Rogan was a good choice.

Kirsten Wiig plays Pegg's (who else) Female love interest as well as can be expected she starts off shy and unassuming protected from the world by her bible bashing red-necked dad until she joins the crew on their escape after finding out Paul's existence. This liberates her from her trappings discovering that the world is not 4000 years old and evolution is a better way of explain life than the all powerful words of Gods Bible. If I'm to be honest Wiig gets the best lines; it must have been fun shouting obscenities like [having] the best titty farting sleep ever", "shit butt city" and my favourite "dick milk" but that's just me.



Jason Bateman Plays the perusing federal agent Zoil very well and I have to admit he maybe the best actor in this film. He reminds me of a average sized human T2000 Terminator. Ok let me explain before you say "what the fuck??" he has a misson and he wants to execute it. Zoil doesn't suffer fools lightly and his calm exterior breaths a dark breath of fresh air to Bateman emotionally troubled every-man characters of the past. I liked Bateman in this film. He needs to play more emotional vacant bad guys he's good at it.

Other comic relief comes in the forms of Bill Hader (Superbad, Forgetting Sarah Marshall) and Joe Lo Truglio (Superbad, Pinapple express) who  play the dimwitted feds who are also in hot pursuit of Paul. These guys cracked me up especially Lo Truglio who character O'reilly is so dense he was able to steal every scene for me and make me laugh out load. Sigourney Weaver makes a cameo as the voice of the Boss enjoys 10 minutes of screen time at the end. To be honest I believe she was only in the film for reference to "Alien" it was good that she was there but meh.

This is a good movie the script is well writen and is clearly self indulgent but why not. why should people not make films in honour of the films that they have grown up with? Why have Pegg and Frost been criticized because of this Rynn Gibley of the New Statesman? Why is it wrong to have a new look on the way one film is made and change it from a drama to a comedy Paul Bradshaw of the Guardian? I disagree with any statement that says this film doesn't draw laughs.

However, my main problem with the movie is the omission of the talented Edgar Wright. There was clearly something missing with this film which was apparent in Spaced, Shaun of the Dead Hot Fuzz and that is the presence behind the camera of Mr Wright. Gregg Mattola does an okay job but that is the only way I can describe it, okay. I think that everyone who has followed the careers of the three Brits (Pegg, Frost and Wright) would agree that Edgar Wright was the the right man to direct this, Mattola wasn't wrong he was safe. Edgar Wright would have done better.

I would give this film a fair 3 Winkleman's out of 5. Well worth the watch

 

What do you think? do you agree? do you disagree? I would really like to get your thought. Post your comments and let me know.

Welcome to my blog

Hi all and welcome to Scene 1 take 2.

I will be honest I have never made a blog before and I will tell you why I have decided specifically to make a blog about movies...Claudia Winkleman!!! For all who stumble across this blog and are unaware of British TV presenter let me fill you in. Our fair Claudia has a glittering TV career and has presented  such hit shows like "Strictly come dancing: it takes two", "The Euro-vision Song Contest" and has been a contestant on  "Hells Kitchen"  to name but a few. She has now proceeded Jonathan Ross on the BBC's flag ship movie review show Film 2011.

So why have I made this blog just because Mrs Winkleman presents a TV show that review movies?

Good question. Well in short, it is because she sucks at her job. Although she is actually married to a film producer (Kris Thykie), you would expect to believe that spending 24 hours a day married to the man that produced the awesome Kick ass and the dark yet poignant Harry Brown she should have something interesting and informed to say when she discusses her thoughts on the latest release? Well, again, in short she doesn't.

I have been watching the BBC's Film Programme since I was a child and it began my love for movies. I remember asking my Mum if I was able to stay up until 11 to see Barry Norman praise or slate the movies that were due to go into the cinema's that week. I remember getting excited to see the top 10 run down as well as my childish eagerness, which I still have today, to watch trailers. After Barry Norman left in 1998 he was replaced by Jonathan Ross who, whether you liked or loathed, still gave solid reviews. Whether I agreed or disagreed with him I still respected his thoughts. Unfortunately I cannot say the same for Claudia.

Claudia "I know nothing about movies"
 Winkleman

Please do not think I dislike Claudia, I assure you I respect that she has had a career which includes writing for England's top newspapers (The Sunday Times and The Independent) as a Travel writer; however, please believe that she is so unbelievably wrong to host Film 2011. She is uncharismatic, ill informed on what to look for in a good movie and looks, what I can only described as, dead eyed as she clearly read the auto cue. The shows only saving grace is The Guardian's Danny Leigh who manages to hold together the mess that is the new look Film Programme. 

In addition making the show live has also done it no favours. Why do I  want to hear the opinion of anonymous twat  tweet in to say "I looking forward to watching that"? I don't. Avid film review followers across the globe would agree all we want is unbiased well presented critique on films that we are anticipating or may consider to watch. Remember a film can only do as well as the reviews it gets. With great power comes great responsibility, and Claudia Winkleman is Venom to to The Film Programmes Spiderman.

Now if she can host a film programme and no nothing about films there is absolutely nothing stopping me, or you for that matter.

Phew!!! Okay I'm done. My apologies about my lengthy rant.

My blog will feature my opinion on the latest film releases throughout 2011, my guilty pleasures as well as the eagerly anticipated Claudia's quote of the week. Please feel free to post your comments and your thoughts.

Stay tuned film lovers.