OK so I jumped on the Watchman band wagon and rushed to see it and thought I would blog straight away while it is fresh in mind
So I had been looking forward to this film since the trailer came out nearly a year ago and was even tempted to buy the graphic novel but decided to save the pleasure for the big screen. After 300's epic entrance into my ever growing DVD collection, I was sure that Zak Snyder would bulk the CV with another visually stunning and entertaining watch. Well, Watchman was definitely one of them.
Unfortunately I have to say it was more the former - a visually fantastic film with great fight sequences, which are just too rare for this film. Before I receive any criticism, I know it is a graphic novel and is therefore restricted to what is written on the pages but still the trailer was totally misleading. A two and a half minute trailer portrays a raging action film that will salivate your average man - the film however being over two and a half hours long probably still only has two and a half minutes of action. When they come they are good, but the bits in between can drag.
The storyline is original and so a spoiler would well spoil the movie. The acting is okay, not oscar winning and sadly the one scene that may be etched in my mind will be the awful fall to the knees and screaming NOOOOO, that may even be worse than the moment Star Wars was ruined by a similar scene (see episode 3).
On the positive side, it is entertaining, but not as much as I would have hoped and it may be a little too long although this is necessary to convey the whole story. Rockshaw was an awesome character played very well, but in essence the villain is an old Milky Bar kid that was less scary than the fallacial images of Dr Manhattan.
In short, see this movie and make up your own mind. Some love it and some hate it. I liked it but will not rush to see it again any time soon.
IMDb gives it 8.3/10
Rotten Tomatoes gives it 64%
Reel Opinion gives it 7.2/10
Written by squaredmovie
Monday, 9 March 2009
Saturday, 7 March 2009
Unborn Undecided
Truly cannot make up my mind on the new "horror" Unborn
Right I have to give you a background to my motives in seeing this film, my original plans were to see the new Woody Allen flick Vicky Christina Barcelona due to a friends recommendation, but the Little Theater being little (unsurprisingly) was sold out. So I was forced to join the masses who pour to Odeon on an Orange Wednesday and make a new decision because for some reason the Odeon think they are too good for Woody Allen. Realising they were not showing Confessions of a Shopoholic instead of VCB, I found myself cursing the big Odeon corporation like an outraged Goth when Boots runs out of black makeup. After I collected myself I saw they were showing the Unborn, a film I had seen on Apple trailers and thought looked pretty good but being such a hard ass was turned off by the 15 certification. Anyway I beat my pride and joined a full cinema to watch the Unborn
From the offset you could tell this film was going to try to make you jump at every loud sound or door opening. Although I was determined not to shit myself in front of 50 or so impressionable teenage girls. I have to say I succeeded. So here is a spoiler - the film follows a late teen/early 20's girl haunted by her mother's suicide as she starts to see images of young blue eyed boy. Things are exacerbated when one of her eyes changes colour and it is revealed that she had a twin brother who died in the womb. Anyway not to give too much away the film climaxes with a Jewish/Christian Exorcism that turns into carnage.
As the film ended a resounding 'meh' surrounded the cinema - was it scary - yeah a little but nothing we had not seen before with certain horror aspects stolen from the Grudge and the Exorcist (no surprises for guessing which bits) - was it entertaining - the acting was laughable and it does have a hilarious scene where a child is run over (you have to see it to understand) - can I decide - not at all.
Overall I am aware it was a pretty shit film, but I am trying to think if they could have made it scarier and I really do not think so. It was jumpy and there were some pretty messed up images so it ticks many of the horror criteria but maybe that has just become a standard in the movie genre that it is not scary anymore. The film has actually got me pondering the genre entirely - has my generation become so desensitised that films have to be really special to invoke horror - to avoid a philosophical debate (and by the fact that I did not sleep the night after seeing Quarrantine recently) I will say no.
Basically see this film if you are easily scared and enjoy a little horror. Do not look for substance, good acting or groundbreaking plotline. An average film at best that has been left open for a sequel but we can only hope Sin City 2 graces our screeens before that.
IMDb gives it 4.7/10
Rotten Tomatoes gives it 13%
Reel Opinion gives is 5.2/10
Right I have to give you a background to my motives in seeing this film, my original plans were to see the new Woody Allen flick Vicky Christina Barcelona due to a friends recommendation, but the Little Theater being little (unsurprisingly) was sold out. So I was forced to join the masses who pour to Odeon on an Orange Wednesday and make a new decision because for some reason the Odeon think they are too good for Woody Allen. Realising they were not showing Confessions of a Shopoholic instead of VCB, I found myself cursing the big Odeon corporation like an outraged Goth when Boots runs out of black makeup. After I collected myself I saw they were showing the Unborn, a film I had seen on Apple trailers and thought looked pretty good but being such a hard ass was turned off by the 15 certification. Anyway I beat my pride and joined a full cinema to watch the Unborn
From the offset you could tell this film was going to try to make you jump at every loud sound or door opening. Although I was determined not to shit myself in front of 50 or so impressionable teenage girls. I have to say I succeeded. So here is a spoiler - the film follows a late teen/early 20's girl haunted by her mother's suicide as she starts to see images of young blue eyed boy. Things are exacerbated when one of her eyes changes colour and it is revealed that she had a twin brother who died in the womb. Anyway not to give too much away the film climaxes with a Jewish/Christian Exorcism that turns into carnage.
As the film ended a resounding 'meh' surrounded the cinema - was it scary - yeah a little but nothing we had not seen before with certain horror aspects stolen from the Grudge and the Exorcist (no surprises for guessing which bits) - was it entertaining - the acting was laughable and it does have a hilarious scene where a child is run over (you have to see it to understand) - can I decide - not at all.
Overall I am aware it was a pretty shit film, but I am trying to think if they could have made it scarier and I really do not think so. It was jumpy and there were some pretty messed up images so it ticks many of the horror criteria but maybe that has just become a standard in the movie genre that it is not scary anymore. The film has actually got me pondering the genre entirely - has my generation become so desensitised that films have to be really special to invoke horror - to avoid a philosophical debate (and by the fact that I did not sleep the night after seeing Quarrantine recently) I will say no.
Basically see this film if you are easily scared and enjoy a little horror. Do not look for substance, good acting or groundbreaking plotline. An average film at best that has been left open for a sequel but we can only hope Sin City 2 graces our screeens before that.
IMDb gives it 4.7/10
Rotten Tomatoes gives it 13%
Reel Opinion gives is 5.2/10
Tuesday, 10 February 2009
Eastwood's last performance?
So a first full on movie review on Reel Opinion is for Gran Torino - directed, produced and starring the legendary Clint Eastwood.
Word on the grapevine is that this maybe the last time Clint graces our screens and if so was this film a justifiable end to such an elusive career? Well I have to admit I had no idea what the film was about and had somehow eluded the trailer on the Apple website so I went in with little expectation other than a sterling performance from the once Dirty Harry.
I think the first most important point to consider is the name for the film - Gran Torino - a Ford Gran Torino an all-round nice car but possibly a strange name for Clint Eastwood film suggesting more Fast and the Furious than Million Dollar Baby. Fortunately this is not the case, the film is full of emotion (I am tempted to say a roller coaster of emotion but scared to fall into the review cliche) and Eastwood lives up to all the praise that this film has and will deserve.
Clint plays a widowed, war veteran still harbouring feelings of regret and hate conveyed through the terrifying trademark snarl and array of domestic weaponary. At the age of 79, the man is still able to have an audience ducking for cover when throwing a punch or laughing at the vast number of classic and very quotable lines from the movie. I cannot falter his performance and find it hard to think of another great actor who could portray such a demanding role that would even compare to the man with no name.
Unfortunately the same cannot be said for the support act of young Tao, whose acting is slightly more Fast and the Furious than Million Dollar Baby but nevertheless the relationship between the old racist and young Mung is very believable. I am not too sure we will be seeing him in the next Scorcese flick!
Overall the film is fantastic and a harsh reminder that we may never see Eastwood on the big screens again (at least not in front of the camera), but be warned if you take offence to racial banter this is not a film for you - go and see He's Just Not That Into You (or some other sh*t) instead.
IMDB gives it 8.4/10
Rotten Tomatoes gives it 77%
Reel Opinion gives it 9.1/10
Written by squaredmovie
Word on the grapevine is that this maybe the last time Clint graces our screens and if so was this film a justifiable end to such an elusive career? Well I have to admit I had no idea what the film was about and had somehow eluded the trailer on the Apple website so I went in with little expectation other than a sterling performance from the once Dirty Harry.
I think the first most important point to consider is the name for the film - Gran Torino - a Ford Gran Torino an all-round nice car but possibly a strange name for Clint Eastwood film suggesting more Fast and the Furious than Million Dollar Baby. Fortunately this is not the case, the film is full of emotion (I am tempted to say a roller coaster of emotion but scared to fall into the review cliche) and Eastwood lives up to all the praise that this film has and will deserve.
Clint plays a widowed, war veteran still harbouring feelings of regret and hate conveyed through the terrifying trademark snarl and array of domestic weaponary. At the age of 79, the man is still able to have an audience ducking for cover when throwing a punch or laughing at the vast number of classic and very quotable lines from the movie. I cannot falter his performance and find it hard to think of another great actor who could portray such a demanding role that would even compare to the man with no name.
Unfortunately the same cannot be said for the support act of young Tao, whose acting is slightly more Fast and the Furious than Million Dollar Baby but nevertheless the relationship between the old racist and young Mung is very believable. I am not too sure we will be seeing him in the next Scorcese flick!
Overall the film is fantastic and a harsh reminder that we may never see Eastwood on the big screens again (at least not in front of the camera), but be warned if you take offence to racial banter this is not a film for you - go and see He's Just Not That Into You (or some other sh*t) instead.
IMDB gives it 8.4/10
Rotten Tomatoes gives it 77%
Reel Opinion gives it 9.1/10
Written by squaredmovie
Thursday, 5 February 2009
Introducing Reel Opinions
So why blog...
I have only really ever read one blog so past experience or inspiration was definitely not the incentive to start this blog. In fact, this has actually been started due to obligation. I am a final year student at a University in England and part of my module coursework is to start a blog and then eventually write an essay on it. I know a lot of people blog about themselves and provide a diary of their personal life but realistically who cares, so I thought I would start writing movie reviews...
Enjoy and please comment on anything you want - remember opinions are subjective so if you do not agree then you are wrong
I have only really ever read one blog so past experience or inspiration was definitely not the incentive to start this blog. In fact, this has actually been started due to obligation. I am a final year student at a University in England and part of my module coursework is to start a blog and then eventually write an essay on it. I know a lot of people blog about themselves and provide a diary of their personal life but realistically who cares, so I thought I would start writing movie reviews...
Enjoy and please comment on anything you want - remember opinions are subjective so if you do not agree then you are wrong
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