Finding Dory

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I was more keen to see BFG if I’m honest, but mostly because I thought Finding Nemo was so good that ‘Finding Dory’ was just going to be a cash-in. But due to a particularly over-excited boyfriend, we ended up seeing Finding Dory. Sharing a small cinema with about 50 people – some of them peculiar, some of them creepy, and only a couple of them under the age of 13 – we unabashedly cracked open a couple of ciders and the movie began. And I was pleasantly surprised… Continue reading →

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Arthur Christmas

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Only just came across this animated festive feast. I had ignored it when seeing it in the bargain bin for sometime, but with a ‘buy two get one free’ deal on, I found myself struggling to pick the third and free DVD. Stuck between Alvin and the Chipmunks and Barbie in A Christmas Carol, I reluctantly decided on Arthur Christmas as my free movie…
I got my ticket. I was ready to be a passenger on this one-horse open sleigh ride of festive fun. I was ready to deck the halls with wonder and joy. I was ready to let it snow with good tidings, tinsel and turkey.

It was time to bring Santa back to town… Continue reading →

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A Few Good Men

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“You can’t handle the truth!” Well. Now I know where this famous quote actually comes from. I’ve heard it being referenced in Seinfeld (and probably countless other shows), and hadn’t the slightest clue it was from a good movie – not some Terminator, mindless action film that for some reason I always assumed it would be from. A Few Good Men, a courtroom drama from 1992. I know, I know, I’m only 23 years behind. Man, this movie is my favourite at the moment. I’m assuming I was the only person on the planet who hadn’t seen this film, but if you need a refresher of the plot without any of the court or Marine jargon… Continue reading →

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Inside Out

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What a fantastic premise!

I am fascinated by psychology and why people behave they way they do, and this film has simplified our complex behaviours into an entertaining and interesting animation.

It’s about a young girl… Well, more like the emotions that make up a young girl. We see inside her head and see who controls her moods, decisions and feelings:

Joy, Sadness, Disgust, Anger and Fear… Continue reading →

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My Lonely Me

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A slightly abstract musical about a young woman uncovering mysteries of her childhood.

Reiga (Sabrina Dickens) is a music student suffering from flashbacks and hallucinations, particularly of a little girl. As the movie goes on, it gets darker and even rather creepy.

The little girl is Reiga’s younger self, who helps her uncover family secrets and come to terms with the tragedies of her past that she has mentally blocked out… Continue reading →

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Top 5: Film Pet Peeves

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For the sake of all the Abeds out there here are my annoyances with film and television… Continue reading →

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ANOTHER King Kong Movie… Ugh!

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…But good Lord, here comes another. Kong: Skull Island is expected to hit screens in early 2017, with stars such as the glorious J.K. Simmons and Tom Hiddleson confirmed to be a part of it, with potentially Michael Keaton too.

It’s to be directed by Jordan Vogt-Roberts, who, after checking wikipedia, hasn’t done a huge amount of directing. The film he’s suposed to be known for is a Sundance film called The Kings of Summer… Continue reading →

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Frozen

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I’m not a huge fan of the cheese-covered conservative Disney films in general. I avoided watching Frozen until just last week, but I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised.

This was a modern story where the main characters are not searching for true love for once. In fact, it was based around friendship and family.

The trailer includes all of the cheese, targeting the younger audience with the shallow humour.

However, the humour in the movie is actually quite funny and target toward an older audience too. Continue reading →

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Captain America: The Winter Soldier

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Wow! Okay, I haven’t seen the first of the Captain America films (Captain America: The First Avenger) but I feel I still got the impact of the movie without much of the back story.

I haven’t seen the Avenger movies either (don’t kill me!).

Captain America: The Winter Soldier is about Captain America’s (AKA Steve Roger’s) past haunting him. He was once in the army where he lost a dear friend, Bucky. The flash backs are gorgeous; back to the 1940s. Steve Rogers is trying to fit into the modern day but the values of the people in charge don’t sit well with him… Continue reading →

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American Hustle

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I honestly didn’t know what to expect. All I knew was Jennifer Lawrence is in it. Which sold it for me.

Bright, bold, glossy and rawkus. American Hustle shows off the glamorous seventies in a gorgeous light.

In the same way The Boat that Rocked made the sixties nostalgic, American Hustle enhanced our recollection of the seventies.

I was utterly gob-smacked to discover… Continue reading →

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Wild Girl Waltz (Indie film)

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This cast and crew deserve applause!

This is a comedy about the adventures of two girls, Angie (Christina Shipp) and Tara (Samantha Steinmetz), who pop some unknown pills to escape boredom in their small town.

Brian (Jared Stern), Tara’s boyfriend, comes home to find the girls high. Brian ends up ‘babysitting’ them and we follow their crazy and hilarious journey through the town.
The script is actually really genuine and funny. Talking in depth about colours and other irrelevant and random subjects.

Brian provides… Continue reading →

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Step Out – José González

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The first time I heard this song was on the Walter Mitty trailer… It gave me chills!

I thought it must be Of Monsters and Men, who also had music included in the movie. But it turned out to be José González! This guy is so talented.

I first heard of him via a chill-out album which included two incredible songs; Crosses and Heartbeats.

Step out has a thumping drum beat, inspirational lyrics and vocals that give you shivers… Continue reading →

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The Secret Life of Walter Mitty

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An inspirational fable to say the least. I have been waiting for a movie like this for a long time.

“Having a Walter Mitty moment”, you’ve probably heard the phrase. The Secret Life of Walter Mitty explores the ‘what if’ situations in life.

It is sort of similar to The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, because it is the story of a man’s dreams and epic adventures.

Coincidently, there is a hilarious reference to Benjamin Button in the movie.

Everybody can relate to Walter Mitty. Dreamers, travellers, photographers, bored office workers… Anybody who fantasises about running away or doing something crazy… Continue reading →

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Tamla Rose (Indie film)

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Tamla Rose is a pleasant reminder of what a dedicated independent film crew can produce.

This feature-length film is about three aspiring singers who transition from back-up singers for an ego-driven solo singer, to taking centre-stage as a successful trio in their own right. The group, which perform Tamla Motown-type music, experience personal struggles and conflicts as their egos inflate.
Tamla Rose initially reminded me of the 1991 film The Commitments, with its young wannabe-musicians and the strife they go through as they fight for fame.

However, the originally upbeat and energetic tone of Tamla Rose quickly resembles a Spice Girls-like film… Which is fine if you like the Spice Girls.

Lacking the… Continue reading →

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Beer & Seed (Indie film)

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Making a feature-length long film is not easy. The amount of organisation, preparation and dedication put into this independent film, Beer & Seed, does not go unnoticed.

Accomplishing all these things on a budget only makes it more difficult; the cast and crew deserve immense credit.

Beer & Seed is well shot, well lit and well framed. However, the acting is sometimes wooden which lets down the feel of the film somewhat.

Many of the characters are… Continue reading →

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The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

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This movie is about three hours long, but I felt like I was in the cinema a lot longer than that. Perhaps because we went to the midnight premiere. Being in a theatre until three in the morning can be tiring…

However, despite not being too fussed about the Lord of the Rings trilogy, or anything to do with The Hobbit, I did enjoy this film.

Despite not seeing the first instalment, I certainly found The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug entertaining.

Well shot, incredible visuals, powerful… Continue reading →

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World War Z

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I love zombie films! They are probably my favourite kind of horror.

World War Z was an awesome, classic zombie film with big frights. It was not nearly as gruesome or cringe-worthy as many other zombie films like Dawn of the Dead or its sequel, which I think, although mildly disappointing, was an interesting change for the genre.

I won’t give away the unique trait of these zombies, but it is certainly a cool adjustment to the classic zombies you’ve seen in other films.

I can assure you, you will be intrigued with the altered storyline in this film. It’s not quite a cookie cutter zombie movie.

There was no mucking around at the beginning! There was like a five minute intro, then BANG! You’re in a world-wide zombie apocalypse.

There were heaps of moments where… Continue reading →

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Iron Man 3

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Holy crapolah. This movie… Guys… Just..

Wow.

This is a huge step away from the typical and clichéd superhero movies. This one was very funny with a switch up of roles among the characters. Like, it is an action-comedy with an underlying deep and meaningful storyline.

Throughout the movie, Tony Stark kept having anxiety attacks. Although I think it could have been more effective and emotional by having flashbacks, it was still pretty intense.

The story was pretty decent, although I have to say that the villain, Aldrich Killian (Guy Pearce) was… Continue reading →

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Jack the Giant Slayer

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What an exciting cast! Bill Nighy, Stanley Tucci and Ewan McGregor! *drool*

I first saw the advert on the back of the bus, and quite frankly I thought it looked a little.. Lame.

I mean starting from Tim Burton’s Alice In Wonderland, we have had remake after remake of these fairytales and fables; Beauty and Beast, The Wizard of Oz, Mirror, Mirror, Snow White and the Huntsman… So to see Jack and the Beanstalk being remade was not a surprise, and I expected it to have similar disappointments with all of the other remakes.

Namely the fact that the violence has to be toned down so that it can be suitable for the younger audience. Despite the storyline being 100 times better if it went the full hog and making it an M.

I was right. But it didn’t stop the story being enjoyable.

I do think the writers… Continue reading →

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The Perks of Being a Wallflower

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Okay, it was NOTHING like I thought it would be like.

This is not a happy-go-lucky, up beat and freeing movie like the trailer makes it out to be. In fact, it has a lot of very serious themes, making this high school drama rather dark, and not at all light hearted.

Despite the totally unexpected storyline, I still thoroughly enjoyed it. It is a very emotional journey – you laugh just as hard as you cry in some parts. So it evens out into a humbling story.

The main character, Charlie (Logan Lerman) and both of his friends Sam (Emma Watson) and Patrick (Ezra Miller), each go through massive emotional roller coasters. Huge changes to their lives that are developed incredibly well. Feelings and emotions are messy, unexplainable and complicated, and The Perks of Being a Wallflower accurately represent them this way… Continue reading →

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Morning Glory

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I love this movie. This is my happy movie.

Rachel McAdams plays Becky Fuller, a workaholic who is made redundant. She eventually gets hired by a breakfast show that’s going down the pan. The story follows her struggles to rebuild herself, and the show.

There are some fantastic lines! Harrison Ford is so dry with his delivery. It’s so perfect!… Continue reading →

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Dead Poets Society

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Imagine Good Will Hunting + Scent of a Woman… and with a touch of The Ron Clark Story. That pretty much gives you Dead Poet’s Society.

It is a great story about breaking the mould. Not being what your father wants you to be, not giving into the black and white versions of education, but finding the creativity in it and allowing your imagination to run riot.

Robin Williams plays John Keating who is an English teacher with unorthodox teaching methods in a private all boys school. The tradition and formality… Continue reading →

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Walk the Line

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I thoroughly enjoyed this biopic about one of the best country rock n roll singers of the sixties, Johnny Cash.

Joaquin Phoenix did an incredible job of becoming Johnny Cash. His natural intensity was perfect for the really heavy and dark life of Johnny Cash. I didn’t know much about Johnny Cash until I impulsively bought this movie. I had a few of his songs and enjoyed them, but assumed that he was just a country singer for geriatrics.

It turns out that Johnny Cash’s life and the people he rubbed shoulders with is incredible. The stories he has are inspiring. I am not sticking up for everything that Johnny Cash did, but I have to say that it was so unfortunate… Continue reading →

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Water For Elephants

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I bought this DVD as a bit of a whim. After stumbling across the trailer on YouTube I thought that the look of the whole film resembled the circus scenes in Big Fish.

It is the story of the dark side of the circus during the early 1930s, with a forbidden love story between Jacob (Robert Pattinson) and Marlena (Reece Witherspoon) intertwined. Jacob runs away with the circus and poses as a certified vet to continue travelling with them, but discovers that there’s much more to performing that the magic the audience sees.

On the way, he experiences the control and under handed acts that go on in order to keep the circus from failing during the depression. Staff would go missing in the night if the boss and husband of Marlena, August (Christoph Waltz), was unable to pay… Continue reading →

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Burlesque

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So, Burlesque is pretty much a lighter, chick flick version of Moulin Rouge. It is an upbeat, modern story with back to back songs that make you want to get up and dance.

Christina Aguilera is a singer who I admire for her talent, yet if I am honest, I do not enjoy her music.

She does an amazing job during the scenes where she is performing on stage. However, for the most part her acting is much to be desired. Her squeaky voice gets a little on nerves considering she has such a deep, powerful singing voice.

The same goes for Cher, her acting was average… But so was her auto-tuned voice. I’m not convinced that she should really be classed as “a legend”. I swear… Continue reading →

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