Films #26-32 Roundup

So, due to lack of time I'm having to quickly roundup the last seven films I watched. I plan to go back and flesh out all of these reviews at some point soon, this weekend even if life were to go the same way as dreams do.

It's business time:

Film #26 - Moon (2009)
Incredibly good debut from Bowie's son, minimalist sci-fi at it's best with little more than two characters acted to near on perfection by Sam Rockwell and Kevin Spacey. If you haven't seen this yet, then we should probably stop talking.
9/10


Film #27 - Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)
Another solid comic book movie from Marvel, Chris Evans manages to pull off the patriotic hero as likable and modest while Hugo Weaving turns in a typically comic book over theatrical performance as the slightly red in the face Nazi with a plan to rule the world. One of the better Avengers build up movies, if not a little bit long.
7/10


Film #28 - Margin Call (2012)
An enjoyable film with consistently decent performances throughout and an interesting backdrop, let down by most scenes feeling overplayed and some lines just giving you the feel that the writers still think making topical references and obvious stabs every five seconds is a cool thing to do. It's not. Saved by the acting wonder that is Kevin Spacey, delivering the only authentic and grounded character to be found.
7/10


Film #29 - The Artist (2012)
Very charming and sweet film with some fine camerawork and a wonderful soundtrack. The film itself, once you get past the retro gimmick of it being silent and in black and white doesn't really have much too it while I felt that the performances were actually quite lacking. When a film goes silent, and facial expressions are all the actors have to rely on, I'm afraid the dog wins. Bonus point earned for use of Uggie The Dog.
8/10


Film #30 - Burn After Reading (2008)
Starts off strongly but soon falls into the chaos of mediocrity, the film initially showed a lot of promise with a strong cast and the Coen Brothers controlling it all from behind the cameras. However, the humour never really did anything for me and I was never really sure if I was meant to care about any of them. While not as irritating as his performance in 'Of Mice and Men', still looking for a reason to like John Malkovich.
6/10


Film #31 - Observe And Report (2009)
Seth Rogen leads a comedy about a security guard of a shopping mall trying to prove himself and get the girl of his dreams. The humour fell flat on me on near on all occasions, the cast had no chemistry and the film clinged desperately to genre cliches throughout. Seth Rogen is very enjoyable when given a supporting role, but please don't give him the spotlight as he just can't carry a movie.
4/10


Film #32 - Ghost Rider (2007)
This film is so bad, this film is just so painfully bad. It's painful because I know somewhere deep down Nicholas Cage is quite a decent actor, but once again he's given a terrible role and he attempts an absolutely dreadful accent. The script was shite, the action scenes were poorly done and the characters were just unlikable. Not to mention I sat through the overindulgent director's cut, making an already overly long bad film even longer. How did a sequel to this get the green light?
2/10

I'm still alive...I think...

Oops, it's been 10 days, it doesn't feel like it's been 10 days. Sorry about this people, I have watched some films over the past few days but just haven't had the time to write about them yet. I'll do that tonight, now I have found myself a spare and relaxing evening.

New posts incoming, including an end of month wrapup.

EDIT: Okay, just decided I'm going to do a proper review for Moon as it's bloody brilliant and then just do quick reviews for all the rest in one big wrap up post as they only range from average to pretty decent.

EDIT EDIT: No wait, I'd nearly finished my review of Moon and then Google Chrome crashed. Review lost. Ah well folks, better luck next time.

Film #25 - Enemy Of The State (1998)

Right, I'm not going to properly review this film. Partly because it doesn't deserve to be properly reviewed, partly because I want to go and watch a really good film before I go to sleep.

So then, Enemy Of The State.

Will Smith put his serious face on and tried acting again, by acting I mean he was being Will Smith again.

According to this film, politicians are corrupt and also lie. I cannot even describe how much that shocked me.

Jack Black was in it, that automatically made this film worse than it was before he appeared.

To summarise: This film is really quite bad, only not in the funny way. Just in the bad way. Please don't watch this, if you ever get tempted too watch this film tell me and I'll send you a list of 50 films you could watch instead of this film. But hey, sometimes you need to watch a bad film to help you appreciate just how good other films are.

3/10

Film #24 - Thor (2011)

Let me be honest, I'm a massive comic book film fan and as far as comic book film's go, Thor gets a lot of things right. The cast all do a fine job, the story does enough to keep you interested throughout and the action sequences both look good and appear frequently enough to keep any fan happy for the duration of the film. Chris Hemsworth stars as the God of Thunder but if we were to pick any standout acting job from this film, the award would go straight to Tom Hiddleston as his slightly twisted brother Loki.

The soundtrack was better than most you'd find associated with a superhero film while the effects used to make the city of Asgard what it is look massively impressive if not a little too plastic and unreal. The plot unfolds at a decent pace and despite being massively predictable, makes an enjoyable ride. Thor is a fun comic book film, and while it's certainly not the best, it's one of the better ones to of come out of last year.

7/10

Film #23 - Troll Hunter (2011)

Look at that poster, just look at it. This film just has one of those concepts which makes you wonder 'How has nobody else ever thought of this before!?', a found footage film about three students following a man whose secretly hired by the Norwegian government to keep the troll population controlled? Sounds like a film that should be flying off the shelves with buzz coming in from all over the place! Oh wait no, it's in Norwegian. Well there goes any chance of popularity then, as the film watching public still can't handle reading subtitles every once in a while. This is an unfortunate truth and a real shame because Troll Hunter is one of the most fun and unique films I've seen from last year.

The film admittedly begins slow focusing mainly on the three students trying to track Hans, a man they believe to be a poacher of bears. Luckily however, about half an hour in two things begin to happen that really kick this film off and help it find it's stride, these two events being the appearance of trolls and the focus on Hans as a character. While the students often seemed to be quite irritating people (as students tend to be) with their grinning and their winging, Hans' later fleshing out forms a character that both leads and owns the human side of the film coming out as an obvious highlight along with the trolls. One interview scene in a cafe in particular really shows you a more human side to a character you at first believed to be cold and bitter.

What's also very much worth noting is that for a film that cost only just around $3.5m to make, the trolls look incredibly authentic and actually blend into the film with a far easier nature than most special effects creatures you'll find in Hollywood productions. In fact, the whole film is worth watching just for the sheer spectacle of the screen conquering final Troll right at the end of the film. Troll Hunter is one of the finest B-Movies I've seen in some time while really giving Hollywood a run for it's money as far as special effects go. Get past the slow beginning and you'll find a unique, humorous and at times quite scary film that's sure to find it's way into the hearts of many over the next few years.

8/10

Film #22 - Winnie The Pooh (2011)

Note: Sorry about lack of any updates recently, been sitting a few exams recently so have naturally been using my time to revise over watching films. However, now the brief exam time is over I shall return to a more consistent pattern of film watching!

Disney, stop messing about with live action, let's all admit it doesn't really work out for you and move on. Because, instead of milking out Pirates of the Caribbeans a few more times or letting Johnny Depp and Tim Burton make a rather tame and mediocre version of Alice In Wonderland you should be focusing all of your money into making more films like this. Winnie The Pooh is a film made for children, but that doesn't mean us beyond our potty training days can't enjoy it too! Effortlessly charming, beautifully animated and clocking in at only just over an hour this is the kind of short and sweet film that'll not only hit the credits before any under 7's reach their attention span limits but also bring a smile to the face of just about anyone who gives it a go.

It's very much old school Disney at their best, not least because of the animation style (which for me is a massive improvement on the overly bright and ultimately soulless recent take on Pooh you can find a picture of here) but because of the real heart it brings back to Disney. There is no threat at any point during the film, more just a series of pleasant mini adventures with the running theme of Pooh's honey craving supported by the colourful main cast of the series. I could say all the voice cast suit wonderfully (which they do) but right now I'd prefer to focus on just how much I enjoyed John Cleese's narration. To hear the man I know so well as grumpy manager Basil Fawlty from all time great British comedy Fawlty Towers become this warm voice of bedtime stories was inspired, not only improving the film but also reinforcing Cleese's reputation as a bit of a national treasure.Also worth noting is Zooey Deschanel's work on the soundtrack, which suited the film's tone perfectly as a light and sweet piece of musical accompaniment.

Winnie The Pooh is just about everything you could ask for as far as children's films go. A warm hearted, short effort with likable characters, valuable life messages and it's a damn fine looking piece of animation to boot. If you have any young relative about to watch films with, use them as an excuse. If you don't, forget the excuse, sit yourself in front of this and for one sweet hour just enjoy that feeling of being six years old again.

9/10

Film #21 - Sherlock Series 2 (2012)

Note: For all those unaware, the general rules for the 365 in 365/366 in 366 challenge are that one full series/season of a television show may also be counted as one off the list from your film list. So occasionally, I may manage to watch a show the whole way through it's run without giving up.

When BBC's latest Sherlock adaptation turned up in 2010, I don't remember expecting all that much of it. I hadn't really heard much of it, I hadn't bothered to look up buzz about it, I can't even remember why I tuned in. I'm glad I did however, as when I did what I found was one of the best shows currently on the magic box. There are just so many things to admire about this show, first of all it's bravery. In an age where it seems every show feels the need to talk down to you and generally treat you like an idiot, Sherlock trusted you to work things out for yourself. Of course there are many moments of explanation (could any of us keep up with Sherlock's mind?), but it never feels the need to indulge itself by explaining obvious plot points.

For any of this bravery to work out you'd actually need some smart scripts, which this series luckily has plenty of. Steven Moffat, Mark Gatiss and Steve Thompson all appear to have an astounding talent at revamping Arthur Conan Doyle's stories to not only fit the modern world and it's technological advancements, but also making adjustments where justified to make the stories feel somewhat more legitimate. For a real good show of revamping an old and dusty classic, treat yourself to Mark Gatiss' fresh reimagining of Holmes and Watson's most popular adventure: The Hound Of The Baskervilles.

However, the greatest strength of all in my opinion is the casting, with seriously strong performances throughout making everyone else on telly feel just a bit silly in their period drama costumes. Benedict Cumberbatch is Sherlock, forget Robert Downey Jr's slapstick and flirtatious failure of an attempt, Holmes should be a cold and calculated machine and this is exactly what you get with Cumberbatch. Martin Freeman on the other hand grows on you more and more as Watson, Holme's faithful sidekick and the human heart beating at the centre of all these mysteries. The greatest treat of all this series though, was getting to know Andrew Scott's Moriarty so much better. Unhinged, unpredictable and unnerving Scott portrayed everything you want Moriarty to be and more. Given glimpses of him in both the finale of the first series and the opener of the second, it wasn't until tonight's incredible finale too it all that we finally got to truly encounter him for all that he is. In fact, if you really want too know what I'm talking about when it comes to the acting department then please skip to the final episode of Series 2 for (in a more justifiable world) award winning performances from all three main players of the cast. Trust me, Martin Freeman as Watson may just make you shed a few tears towards the end of the final act.

As for the themes present in this series, I feel like this is the writers truly gaining confidence. While the first series was introducing us to their modern day interpretations of both the characters and crimes of the Sherlock Holmes world, this series is them striding in and leaving their own big footprint of how they want it to be done. Throughout the three feature-length episodes this series, there appears to of been a theme of Sherlock's relationships with those close too him. Despite nearly always appearing to be so cold on the outside, we occasionally see these little glimmers of emotions felt for those he cares about most. His anger when he finds someone to of harmed Mrs Hudson, his moments of laughter with Watson and his sad look of realisation when Molly suggests herself to be seen as nothing by him.

Overall, this series has once again proven that the BBC, at it's best, can produce programming like no other channel in the UK can at present. With sharp writing, incredible casting and a mature treatment of it's audience Sherlock manages to stand head over shoulders above the rest of our current schedules. Watch this now, and join me in my demands that Series 3 starts next Sunday.

10/10

Film #20 - Shame (2012)

Shame, the first great film of 2012. There, just thought I should get that out the way first so we knew what we were dealing with here. Shame is powerful, Shame is gripping and Shame is just damn brilliant. You can without a doubt focus the brilliance of this film on it's two lead's incredible performances. Both Michael Fassbender and Carey Mulligan have fast become reliably consistent in the film industry for performances that can only be described as showstealing, so having these two talents sharing the show together for once was more than a treat. What was truly incredible was that throughout the film, never once did you feel like the two talents had to compete with each other for screen supremacy but more that they were performing in harmony. Their equally tragic portrayal's of brother and sister complimented each other perfectly, highlighting each other's true talents and constantly pushing each other's characters that one inch closer to the brink.

Steve McQueen has also done a truly remarkable job as far as direction goes, with a scene of Fassbender's character jogging through nighttime New York as the camera follows him down each street showing both beautiful camera work and just how beautiful a city New York is. Admittedly I have not seen McQueen and Fassbender's previous work together (Hunger, 2008) but I can promise you that this film has bound me into searching that down more than any trailer ever could, and should surely have the same effect on you.

Admittedly, this film will not be for everyone and if you can't manage sex scenes in your films then this is a straight off no for you. However, if you can get past the fact that the taboo of talking about or covering sex in the media is nothing more than outdated tradition, then what you'll find is not just one of the most mature explorations of sex that cinema has had to offer in a while but also a film that beautifully portrays the very human flaw of addiction and a moving tale of a brother and sister almost at unintentional war with each other as their broken lives collide. One of my personal favourites of the 2011-12 awards season, if you can handle the fact that some people have sex sometimes then you simply owe this film 100 minutes of your time. I'm sure you won't regret it.

9/10

Film #19 - The Princess and the Frog (2009)

The Princess and the Frog was an interesting one for Disney; a nostalgic look back at no doubt one of their most consistent formulas given a modern remix. Replacing the fairyland castles of old with a jazzy New Orleans and the idea of blood born royalty replaced by the spoilt daughter of the richest man in town TPatF was in one way a breath of fresh air for Disney, while on the other hand it wasn't.

As much as they gave their 'fairytale princess story' generating machine a fresh lick of paint, the workings on the inside are very much the same. It's fair to say that you may securely predict how this film will end within five minutes of it starting, and while I would usually say that is not so much a bad thing with Disney as much it is their trademark...if they're gonna really put all this effort into refreshing this genre they could of put some real effort into it at least?

Please, do not be mistaken. This film is very enjoyable with some very likable and fun characters and your standard set of sugar coated Disney songs littered throughout the film (although once again they fail to manage any songs that could stand proud amongst the classics) and is certainly delivering a more worthwhile and honest moral to the younger audience than a lot of animated films are managing too these days. Overall, you'll have fun watching this and while some of the new ideas are interesting I can't help but feel there was some real potential lost somewhere along the line with this one.

8/10

Film #18 - Horrible Bosses (2011)

Horrible Bosses is almost definitely one of the most fun American comedies of last year. You can put this down to one main thing; great chemistry between all of the cast. For the whole entirety of this film, it looks like all the cast are genuinely having fun making the movie and that is a joy to watch. Whether the jokes manage to do much for you or not, you will at least be smiling at this because the mood is so fun (which is unusually rare in comedies recently) and because some of the actors deliver such brilliant performances.

Without a doubt, my favourite performance of this movie was Kevin Spacey. Usually known for taking part in far more serious roles, it was a good change to see him take on the role of Bateman's psychopathic and just quite horrible boss. Being fair, if you're not a fan of American comedy this won't be changing your mind too far anytime soon. If you are a fan however, this is a pretty decent one.

6/10

Film #17 - A Town Called Panic (2010)

Have you ever seen the cravendale adverts on TV and thought 'Wow, they need to make a film of this only in French'? Neither have I, but we really should of been because this film is brilliantly good fun. Starring Cowboy, Indian and Horse this film is not only very funny but also, makes almost no sense at all. Trust me, that is a good thing with this film so don't try and follow the story, just sit back and enjoy the brilliant writing.

For a film that looks child appropriate, I can definitely say this isn't aimed at children. Why? First of all, it's in French with English subtitles. Second of all, the humour style is definitely aimed at the older audiences and the humour is on the whole delightful. I don't really have much else to say about this, but then again that may be because it's only about 70 minutes long and doesn't even make any sense for half of that time. The bottom line is just go and watch it, take one hour or so out of your life to experience this unique piece of cinema. You may as well, we both know it's better than just staring blankly at BBC News 24 for an hour.

8/10

Film #16 - Cars (2006)

Cars, the worst Pixar film to date. With a lot of movie studios, for a film to earn that statement it would have to be pretty damn awful. Luckily for Cars it just makes it average because we're talking about Pixar, the studio behind such cinematic masterpieces as Monsters Inc, Wall-E and of course the Toy Story trilogy. Unluckily for Cars...we're talking about Pixar, and this film being made by Pixar makes it instantly feel worse than it is. As far as animated films for the youngsters go, this would usually be a strong 7 or 8 out of 10 without a shadow of the doubt. However, this is made by Pixar and thus must be looked upon as far as Pixar films go.

What differentiates this film (and it's sequel, although I argue that they made a lot of improvements with the sequel) from the rest of the Pixar bunch is it's lack of so many important things. This film lacks real heart, this film lacks the mass appeal from the concept and most importantly, this film lacks the humour for everyone that we've all grown to love so much. No longer is there the subtle humour and social satire standing alongside the slapstick that helps these films appeal to all age ranges, making them the perfect family films only for this to be completely overrun with bad slapstick humour while the only acknowledgement of an older crowd is bad attempts at innuendo which come across more forced than funny.

My final and probably most important complaint about this film is you just don't like the characters. Sure, the lead car Lightning McQueen learns his lesson by the end of the film but you'll never care for him like you cared for Mike and Sully from Monsters Inc, Wall-E and EVE from Wall-E or basically the whole damned cast of the Toy Story trilogy. Sit a 6-10 year old boy down in front of this, I wouldn't be surprised if it became his favourite film with ease and why not? This film was definitely marketed at him along with the extensive range of merchandise but if you're looking for something that means you can sit down and really get something out of the film too pick just about any of the other Pixar films, you'll do a lot better out of them.

5/10

Film #15: The Devil's Double (2011)

The Devil's Double looked like it could of been one of the surprise hits last year when I saw it's trailer, and I was surprised to hear basically nothing about it as the weeks it had been in cinemas went on. After finally getting my chance to see it last night, I see why. There isn't an awful lot to be said about this film, on the face of it it's a good film. Dominic Cooper manages to show some superb range with the two leads of crazy and spoilt son of Saddam, Udey Hussein and his unwilling body double brought into his mad world, Latif Yahia. The film is shot beautifully with some truly stunning locations and the story certainly manages to keep you gripped the whole way through.

The key flaw in this film though, is it leaves you with nothing after the credits roll. I felt no emotion throughout the entire duration of this film, even when I felt I should be (there are obviously some very dark moments to this) and once the film was finished that was it. There was nothing to really think about afterwards, no hanging questions you want to be answered, just a slightly empty feeling. Why this is, is something I'm still trying to pin down. As said earlier, when I think back to all the elements of the film it all seemed to be done very well and yet something was lacking, something just wasn't working for the film.

It's a real shame that the film suffers such a problem, as it leaves you with basically no need to think about or remember the film a few days down the line. I believe that had this film truly worked out, Dominic Cooper's star performance would of earned him that boost he's been needing to get him on the A-List. He deserves this, and if there's anything that can be said about this film it's that this is more than enough proof that Dominic Cooper is a far better actor than the lack of hype currently suggests.

7/10

Film #14 - 50/50

So much could of gone wrong with 50/50, to make a comedy about someone whose just been diagnosed with cancer? Luckily, this turned out to be a sensitively handled and more than anything human comedy about friendship and the fragile nature of life. The acting on the whole, was extremely good with this perhaps even being Joseph Gordon Levitt's finest performance of his career so far. He takes us through his character's journey with cancer sensitively, showing a man whose holding all his emotions in and managing it slowly while everyone else around him breaks down from the pressure of it.

Just how human it is and can no doubt mainly pinned down to how it's loosely based on writer Will Reiser and supporting actor Seth Rogen's experiences together through this exact same journey. This film would of felt uneducated and simply wrong if it weren't for Reiser basing the script off his own life. The result of which brings you a comedy with a lot more heart too it than you'd expect from your standard Seth Rogen starring comedy. Speaking of which, Seth Rogen was also very well done as his best friend trying to help both his friend and himself get through the tough times with jokes and nights out while Anna Kendrick manages to control her role very subtly as Levitt's councillor and only real emotional outlet.

50/50 is rare and incredibly well done film with the way in which it manages to mix both comedic moments and moments of humanity. While this will probably be neglected at all the awards ceremonies, this is the kind of film that I feel will slowly find a cult following as the years go on, and maybe that's exactly where it slots in best.

8/10

Film #13 - Men In Black II (2002)

Pro tip ladies and gentleman, if you loved a film as a small youth and it wasn't made by Pixar or maybe Disney, please don't go back too it when you're older. The realisation of rose tinted glasses is often painful, your golden memories of the days you spent watching the same film over and over again are destroyed by your mind's local council to be replaced by a more realistic but altogether uglier view of your past. There are still things I like about this film, mainly Tommy Lee Jones as Agent Kay. He has some great comic timing and really knows how to make a scene his own. In fact, I could use this space to complain about the overall underuse of TLJ but this is no time for rants.

Will Smith overall played Will Smith Comedy Mode in this, pulling the 'Will Smith Comedic Face' about a billion times and just overall becoming quite grating by the time the credits rolled. Apart from the leading two, the performances overall were nothing special and quite forgettable which is exactly how you could also sum up this film. It has it's moments, and sit a child under the age of 10 down in front of this and they'll no doubt love it just as I did. Let's just hope that they focus it more on Tommy Lee Jones than on Will Smith when Men In Black 3 comes out this summer.

4/10

Film #12 - Magicians (2007)

Magicians is a film which will have me thinking for a very long time after I've watched it. But what does it leave me thinking? How do you get so many talented comic actors cherry picked from some of our finest sitcoms, and then make a comedy this average? I considered blaming a poor writing team, only to find it had the same writers as Peep Show, one of the best british comedies to come out of the best 10 years. But then suddenly, it hit me. This is what happens when you try and mash everything good about Britain's range of comedies into one film. Yes, they got some of our finest comic actors and then got them to play exactly who they are in their biggest show only with a new name. Mitchell and Webb are playing Mark and Jez from Peep Show, Jessica Hynes is playing Daisy from Spaced just as Peter Capaldi is playing my favourite comedy character of all time, Malcolm Tucker.

Trying to blend all these together just doesn't work. The awkwardness of Mark and the stupidity of Jez works brilliantly in Peep Show, where you are given a genuine first person view of their lives and how they see the world. Jessica Hynes character of Daisy worked in Spaced, but as with every other character in Spaced mainly down to the perfect chemistry the whole cast had throughout the series. As for Malcolm Tucker of The Thick Of It fame, while I still found his expletive ridden insults funny it just felt wrong. Like stealing someone else's prize cow and using it's sweary milk to try and cover up the fact that your cereal is actually made out of sawdust.

Magicians could of been a great film, it had the potential to be funny and all the right elements to become a British cult classic. But somewhere along the way, something went terribly wrong. What we're left with is a poorly executed and predictable comedy which isn't likely to even make you smile that much.

3/10

Film #11 - (500) Days Of Summer (2009)

(500) Days Of Summer is sort of a rom-com. Apart from it's not got many comedy moments in it, and the romance element of it is in a far more reversed order to most of the genre. This is not a bad thing. The exact reason I found interest in this film was all the buzz I heard of the different angle it was taking on perhaps the most tired and generic genre of them all, and it's worked so well. But luckily it's not the only thing that works about this. The two leads, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel have genuine chemistry (or anti-chemistry when the relationship takes the worse points) and there's no doubt that without this key factor the film would of flopped hard.

But the main thing that makes this film succeed and stand out in a boring and repetitive genre is it's far more realistic take on love. There is no fairytale ending too this and will no doubt disappoint those who simply want another film portraying the idea of perfect and true love. But for those who were waiting for the stagnant rom-com drama to finally find it's breath of fresh air, this is a refreshing and honest film about love with a pretty decent soundtrack to boot.

8/10

Film #10 - Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol (2011)

I'm just gonna throw this out now; I have never seen any of the other Mission: Impossible films and thus will not be comparing the latest entry to the others. I will be reviewing this on it's own merits as a blockbuster. A bloody good blockbuster at that, this film is all about big set pieces and stupidly fun action. No mysteries to be solved (apart from the mystery of why Hollywood still persist with Tom Cruise still being a reason to see a film) and no confusing plot twists. It focuses in on it's villain of the story very early and sticks too him. The plot's also very much standard action film with threats of nuclear war, a crazy Russian and an American hero. You know I sure am glad America have such a healthy supply of heroes, or our world may already of been destroyed by Russia's apparent surplus population of madmen obsessed with the idea of nuclear war.

This being Brad Bird's first time directing a live action film, I was admittedly impressed. Obviously this never even comes close to his finest moments at Pixar or The Iron Giant, but c'mon, how many films in general can be compared to Pixar's finest and come out of it not looking a bit rubbish? The supporting cast also all managed their roles pretty well, with Simon Pegg in particular more than filling his role as the comic relief. I didn't come into this film expecting any laughs, to be honest I never even checked out any trailers, but thanks to some pretty good lines and Pegg's delivery there were quite a few times where the whole audience were laughing.

Mission: Impossible is far from perfect, it's full of flaws and I still don't like Tom Cruise but it's one of the finer blockbusters out there and one of the very few that still understands the true concept of what makes a good blockbuster. Don't try and be smart and don't try to make your characters deep or confusing, just have some damn fine set pieces and some edge of the seat action scenes. If you're looking for just over two hours of stupid fun, this film will do the job perfectly.

7/10

Film #9 - Confessions (2011)

Sometimes, admittedly I question why I put so much of my time into watching films. When so many of them turn out to be average and forgettable, why should we as people celebrate the film industry so proudly? And I'm glad that whenever I do begin to question myself about this, a film like Confessions comes along. A film so powerful, so unpredictable and just so damn beautiful you know that it won't leave you for a long time. The imagery used is so beautiful, the tone is so chillingly cold and I cannot stress just how refreshing it is to finally find a film which could consistently surprise me with it's constant twists and revelations.

Takako Matsu as the grieving mother and teacher to her child's killers, Yuko Moriguchi, portrays her character to a level where simply her presence absorbs you in. Underneath her cold, bitter and dertermined shell you see a broken and fragile woman who will do anything to help her cope with her child's death while the younger actors who dominate so much of this film amazed me with the raw acting talent they could already show so young. Yukito Nishii and Kaoru Fujiwara have you held almost breathless as their lives and motives for each action slowly unravel while Yukito Nishii in particular chills you down to the core with his darker side you slowly see more and more of as the film progresses. Ai Hashimoto has a key role of holding the film together and keeping the three lead characters linked for much of the second and third acts of this film, and she manages this so effortlessly that I can't help but see bright futures for all three of the young actors involved in this.

It's a shame for both the people that made this film and us as audiences in general that this film will never really be seen anywhere close to the extent it deserves too on our shores thanks to so many of us as a filmwatching public not having the effort to read subtitles when we watch films and our dominating multiplexes that are too scared to show us anything that hasn't been crammed full of CGI and Hollywood taglines. But please, if you're feeling brave and want to try something different, hunt this down on DVD or Blu-Ray, watch it. This has effected me like little other films ever have, and even just for that reason alone this now deservedly becomes my first full marks film of the year.

10/10

Film #8 - Attack The Block (2011)

Attack The Block is Joe Cornish's (of Adam and Joe fame) debut in the world of film and if there's one thing that can be said about it, he certainly wanted to make an entrance. This is a fast paced comedy-horror splicing with a lot of action. This is not a film for character studies or deep dialogue, but just looking at the poster you'd have to be pretty oblivious to expect that anyway. This more than delivers with the action making it fast, exciting and surprisingly well done for a low budget debut while the humour on the whole will stay cheap and based on how the kids speak, but keep a keen ear out for some quite subtle and clever jokes littered throughout the script.

Now one of the main criticism's I've heard about this film from others is that the characters are just not likable, usually followed by saying they turned it off within a few minutes. Those two points are very key in their connection, because I can't see anyone disagreeing that during the first act of this film the kids overall are an unlikable group, being the type who seemingly mug nurses at knifepoint. But stick with this, and as the film progresses you'll warm to most of them as you see their more cowering and human side when faced with the far more menacing alien threat en masse. Turn this film off after the first five minutes and you'll be left with an unpleasant taste in your mouth, and could just make yourself the poor decision of writing off Joe Cornish as a new talent on the block. However, stick with this and you could just find yourself enjoying a well done mix of good action scenes, some good lines and a few jumpy moments thrown in too. Recommended for the more patient film watcher.

8/10

Film #7 - Cemetery Junction (2010)

It's taken me a while to get round to watching this, I'll admit I was avoiding it. But can you blame me? Ricky Gervais' first two attempts at breaking into films (Ghost Town and The Invention Of Lying) were average, easily forgotten films. Cemetery Junction is a very different beast with Ricky Gervais and his usual writing partner Stephen Merchant taking a far more preferable role behind the keyboard and the camera. Showcasing their writing talents and instead throwing the acting spotlight on far younger blood was a smart move which has helped make a surprisingly good coming of age film.

I'm not usually one for coming of age films, they're predictable, the characters are walking cliché's and the plot's are big non events. In many ways, that also sums up this film. It won't ever surprise you in it's direction, the character's aren't too original and not a lot really happens. But it's the beauty of it's execution that makes this film such a bright light in it's genre. All three of the lead character's are genuinely likable and it's a joy to see them all go through their story arcs and develop as people while Ralph Fiennes continue's his consistency with a well turned in performance as the cold boss of an insurance policy company. If you're looking for a warm, enjoyable and pleasantly short film (clocking in at little over 90 minutes) then this is a strong candidate and a promising start to Gervais' and Merchant's film writing talents.

8/10

Film #6 - Puss In Boots (2011)

Oh Dreamworks, why must you disappoint me so with your inconsistency? Just when I think they are stepping up in the animation world and perhaps even have the potential to one day be like Pixar they go back to milk Shrek some more. Let me assure anyone who enjoyed their recent bright efforts of How To Train Your Dragon or Kung Fu Panda 2, this is a big step down and a disappointment. I'm not saying this is a bad film, but it's damned bloody average. The first half was slow with poor attempts at humour and unlikable characters, and while the second half improved the pace I still failed to really raise a smile or grow any liking for any of the characters. At their finest points, Dreamworks can produce quite wonderful and original animations with likable characters and some rather well done jokes. This is not one of them.

5/10

Film #5 - We Need To Talk About Kevin (2011)

This is one of the most brilliant and most challenging films of 2011. To miss a film like this is a crime to yourself, simply because it's one of those few films that can actually effect you, it can leave you thinking. Okay, background info time.We Need To Talk About Kevin is an adaptation of a book (with the same name if you wish to go read that first) about the relationship between a mother and her quite disturbing son throughout the years. One of the true beauties of this film is how it's put together, in the way that it never fixes to one linear timepath. You'll hop from him as a late teenager to his first days and then suddenly to him at the age of around eight. With any other film, this constant changing of time setting could prove annoying but it truly works in WNTTAK's favour. Not once will you feel comfortable or relaxed during this film, and I couldn't bring up the unsettling mood of this film without also mentioning Ezra Miller's career making performance.

While I'm sure many film-goers are already well experienced with just how good an actress Tilda Swinton can be, and trust me she doesn't fail to impress here either (if she doesn't receive some Best Actress nominations come award season I shall not be pleased at all) but Ezra Miller is the true star of this film. Playing Kevin in his teenager films, he brings in an atmosphere that's nothing short of sinister and truly unsettling. His dead looks, the cold tone to his voice and the real lack of emotion he shows almost the whole way through the film sends chills down your spines. I like to keep these reviews short, but I have so much more to say on this film I'll no doubt write up a full review for this and put it on a separate blog at some point. But more than any other film I've seen so far this year, this is the film I urge you to see most of all. I promise you one of the most powerful pieces of cinema last year presented us.

9/10

Film #4 - Senna (2011)

After the disappointment that was Half Nelson, I moved onto Senna which turned out to be an incredible surprise. Hear me out when I said surprise, I had heard all the incredible buzz about it calling it the best documentary this year. Yet still I was concerned that my lack of interest in Formula 1 would interfere with my enjoyment of it. I was wrong. Whether you have an interest in the sport or not, this is no exclusive documentary. Because at the heart of it, this is a character portrait of Ayrton Senna, and he is what will keep you hooked to this film. To see a man so driven and focused on his one goal in life is fascinating, and he himself becomes more interesting throughout the film as his increased success and popularity sees him truly come out of his shell.

 I also think it would be more than unfair to mention the incredible work and love obviously put into this film, the amount of archive footage that was found and put together so beautifully is what makes this work above other documentaries and what makes it stand out in the general term of cinema. Not once was there a piece of narration or boring talking head interview to pull you out of the experience, and this truly made you feel like you were seeing his life from a third person perspective. Perhaps the most remarkable thing about this film is just how much of an emotional impact the end provides, even though you knew it was coming right from the beginning. This is film crafting at some of it's finest, and the love put into making this only makes it a further joy to watch. Simply put, this is something you should not miss no matter your interest on the background subject.

9/10

Film #3 - Half Nelson (2007)

Sometimes you find yourself at a loss, a loose end. Why? Because you've found a film that you think is sure to at least grab your attention in some way. A well hyped film that got it's fair share of buzz and praise lead by Ryan Gosling? After his strong performances in Drive and The Ides of March last year, I certainly went into this with some confidence that I would come out satisfied with at least a 7/10 film. But something about this film just didn't click with me at all. Maybe I wasn't in the right mood for it, maybe I need to give it another shot a few months down the line but all I could see in it was obvious shots at awards. Not to mention the fact that even 40 minutes in I didn't feel like the film was going anywhere, nor was it saying anything new or interesting too me. Admittedly, I'm willing to try again with Half Nelson sometime in the future because I almost blame myself for my lack of enjoyment of this. But right now, tonight, after watching it, I have not really enjoyed it at all.

3/10

Film #2 - Sherlock Holmes: A Game Of Shadows (2011)

After starting with the 2009 take on Sherlock Holmes, what better way to continue than with it's recently released sequel? While I know some may question why I would go to see this not much longer than 12 hours after I had rewatched and on the whole reslated the first one, I must admit that I only rewatched the first one because I already had plans set to see the sequel with friends. And might I say, what a sequel. This is how more blockbusters should follow themselves up, rather than trying to edge itself out to new risky ground it simply focused in on what the first did best. They've ramped up the action, the stakes and even the bromance between Holmes and Watson. I was more than relieved to see that the filmmakers had mainly admitted that they couldn't do the cold and calculated mystery solving side of Sherlock even half as well as Steven Moffat recently has for the BBC leaving us with a far more action orientated and impressive setpiece boasting piece of cinema. Oh, and by far the greatest improvement on the first one? The new cast addition of Jared Harris as Sherlock's infamous rival Moriarty. Managing to equally display menacing and genius at the same time, the cold calm Harris always managed to hold made him perhaps the only bit of casting I would dare compare to the BBC's series opposite. I can only urge those who like me, felt more than a little disappointed in the first attempt to give this Hollywood adaptation one more shot.

7/10

Film #1 - Sherlock Holmes (2009)

Beginning this year of films, films and more films is the 2009 adaptation of Sherlock Holmes. If there's one thing that I don't like about this film, it's that it tries to call itself Sherlock Holmes. Other than that it's a fun blockbuster mystery romp with quite a strong lead cast delivering good performances. Robert Downey Jr seemed to play very much a victorian era Tony Stark, which as fun a performance it may be was not Sherlock Holmes. He was much too flirtatious and his humour was far too slapstick. Mark Strong (the man who seemed to be on a mission to be in every film of 2011) meanwhile delivered a menacing character as Lord Blackwood, a man of magic and cults. This leads me onto my other problem, the main plot idea was all over the place. The film couldn't seem to set it's mind on whether it wanted to be logical or all occult nonsense which grew really very tiresome very fast. Now, I want to keep these reviews pretty short and sharp so I'll sum this up now. If you're looking for a fun romp through ye olden days with a likable cast and some impressive visuals, sit down in front of this and enjoy yourself! If you're looking for a good modern day adaptation of Sherlock Holmes, please turn to the far superior BBC Series starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman.

5/10

Time to begin

And so, I have taken on the difficult and time consuming task of watching 366 films in 366 days. I will no doubt lose enthusiasm and fail in a few months, but I think I've got a fairer chance than I did last year. I'll be trying my best to see a variety of films, challenging myself on what I'd usually watch and we shall just see how it goes.
And not forgetting that one full TV series also counts as one on the list, I'm sure some of my telly watching habits will help me reach a reasonable number.
If anybody bothers to read this, please feel free to comment as I go along or even recommend a film too me. At current moment I do have both an Unlimited Card and a Lovefilm subscription so it's quite easy for me to see almost anything!
First film shall be ticked off shortly!