MOVIES – MUSIC – TV – BOOKS
Everlasting Light on their album, Brothers.
That. Bass. *Drool* The distorted vocals. That beat. Phwaaaar!
The backing vocals are such an unexpected surprise. The fifties “shoo-shoo-shoowah” is such a cool twist!
Let me be your everlasting light
Your train going away from pain
Love is the coal that makes this train roll
Let me be your everlasting light
A wicked song! Will be on repeat for a while!
Jodie.
Director: Alfonso Cuarón
Writers: Alfonso Cuarón and Jonás Cuarón
Released: October 2013
Starring: Sandra Bullock and George Clooney
—–
This movie is out of this world!
Ha.
I saw Gravity 3D and it was spectacular. The director, Alfonso Cuarón, said movies should be a visual experience – a lot of dialogue isn’t necessary to tell the story – and he certainly did that well.
Claustrophobia, agoraphobia, isolation, suffocation and death. This is a terrifying movie, playing on our natural fears. It is a very ‘human’ film – it goes back to basics – which is extremely effective in such an alien environment.
I’m not sure how to describe the epicness of the visuals… It is inviolable. Simply spectacular. The shot of the Northern Lights from outer space, and of the sun emerging from behind Earth… Wow.
Ryan (Sandra Bullock) and Matt (George Clooney) were absolutely incredible. I am a huge fan of George Clooney anyway, who played a chatty and upbeat character. But I was pleasantly surprised with Sandra Bullock! She convincingly played a strong protagonist.
All the dialogue used makes a huge impact. There is literally no unnecessary dialogue. The spoken word is almost used as a parallel storyline; Ryan’s back story links to her current traumas.
The audio is so detailed and layered. The use of silence is powerful and serene. Ryan’s heartbeat can often be heard in the background. The point-of-view shots include the dampened sounds of collision as though heard from inside the astronaut suit.
Speaking of audio, the soundtrack is incredibly moving – especially in the final scene! RANDOM FACT: Steven Price, who composed for Gravity, also composed for The World’s End.
S
tructurally, the story keeps you hooked. The count down before the next debris shower from the destroyed satellite near-by, and the suspense as the oxygen depletes… You literally find yourself holding your breath.
The loneliness, desperation, mourning, horror and serenity creates a hugely emotional journey. The point-of-view shots, as mentioned before, just gets you closer to the action.
All my favourite movies are character-orientated and emotional. Juno, Young Adult, About A Boy, Little Miss Sunshine, The Perks of Being A Wallflower.. I could go on! But imagine that character development in a terrifying thriller with a totally original environment.
Intense, stunning and creative. It is definitely worth seeing in 3D.
I loved it!
Jodie’s rating: 9.5/10
The trailer gives away nothing. The storyline is barely touched upon – you’re in for a treat!
I just got chills. Again.
Director: Alan Taylor
Writers: Don Payne and Robert Rodat. Based on Thor by Stan Lee, Larry Lieber and Jack Kirby
Released: November, 2013
Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Tom Hiddleston, Anthony Hopkins, Stellan Skarsgård, Idris Elba, Christopher Eccleston (the ninth Dr. Who!), Kat Dennings…
—
I haven’t seen the 2011 prequel, but Thor: The Dark World was still entertaining.
Obviously this is an action-packed, exciting and a surprisingly funny superhero movie which is bound to be a hit with most.
I saw this movie twice, and I certainly enjoyed it more the second time around – which I think is common for superhero films. The first watch is just about the storyline, but the second time is about the characters.
Loki is my favourite character for sure! He is vindictive and vicious with a quirky comedic element throughout most of his dialogue.
The best thing about Thor: A Dark World is the self-awareness of the characters. The references to Captain America and, my personal favourite, when Loki says that a comment repeated by various characters will “become a line”.
I really like the lighter side of Thor. Marvel films don’t tend to take themselves too seriously, which is cool.
Personally, I don’t think Chris Hemsworth is hugely attractive, but I am aware I’m in the minority. If you’re keen for a bit of eye-candy, you will appreciate this film.
But, if you’re wanting a pretty cool supernatural storyline with frightening villains, then you’ll be quite pleased with the twists and action scenes in this sequel. They jump through time and space which is ah-maz-ing. Any time travel enthusiasts will appreciate these elements.
I love the costumes of the dark elves – so creepy! Also, the environment the characters fought in were amazing – Iceland scenery of volcanic ash wastelands being the most impressive.
Worth a watch!
Jodie’s rating: 7.5/10
If you’re in to old school country/rock ‘n’ roll, I think you’ll be interested in this band.
Billy Roberts and the Rough Riders certainly have a similar style of writing as the likes of Johnny Cash – and I’m a sucker for Johnny Cash songs!
The beginning of No More Mr Nice Guy has a spine-tingling harmonica and a wicked steel guitar. So awesome! My favourite part is probably the bluesy piano though.
The vocals are a little flat, making the singer sound bored. It would be great to pick up the energy for this folky genre, a genre that is great to get up and dance to. The drums sound a little too mechanical for the genre as well – we need a bit more improv!
For the most part, I really enjoyed the songs of Billy Roberts and the Rough Riders. You can check out their YouTube page here:
http://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-Fj5L70KfWvrhORMjkF6fQ
And their website:
http://billyrobertsandtheroughriders.bandcamp.com/
I say ‘well done’ for completing these decent tunes. If the band sounds like they’re enjoying their music, so will others. A more casual approach would perfect this band. I’m very pleased to be introduced to this band’s music!
Jodie.
Book me to review your favourite song, music video or film here.
The Greatest Speech Ever Made, by Charlie Chaplin is my favourite speech. Although, it is sad how relevant that speech still is to modern society.
The second speech that has really hit home is this one by Preacher Phil Snider. His 2012 speech creates shock and gives a fresh perspective on the pro-gay rights scene.
If you don’t have time to watch to the end of this speech, here is the surprise ending:
…the liberals leading this movement do not believe in the bible any longer. But every good, substantial, bible believing, intelligent, orthodox christian can read the word of god and know what is happening is not of god.
When you run into conflict with god’s established order you have trouble. You do not produce harmony. You produce destruction and trouble and our city is in the greatest danger that it has have ever been in, in its history. The reason is that we have gotten away from the bible of our forefathers.
You see the right of segregation I’m sorry, hold on.
The right of segregation… is clearly established by the holy scriptures, both by precept and example.
I’m sorry I brought the wrong notes with me this evening. I borrowed my argument from the wrong century. It turns out what I’ve been reading to you this whole time are direct quotes from white preachers from the 1950s and 1960s, all in support of racial segregation. All I have done is simply taken out the phrase racial integration and substituted with the phrase gay rights.
I guess the arguments I’ve been hearing around Springfield lately sounded so similar to these that I got them confused. I hope you will not make the same mistake. I hope you will stand on the right side of history. Thank you.
Good on yah!
Jodie.
I. Love. Miranda.
Not only do we share the same last name and similar place of origin, but we share the awkward and embarrassing everyday situations. The only difference being, the actress who plays the character of the same name, has made her life into a comedic series… While I simply digest my cringe-worthy days on my 40 minute bus journeys home…
Bear with… Bear with…
Miranda is the slightly more casual and relatable version of Bridget Jones. She makes my everyday situations become not an “embarrassing moment” but a “Miranda moment”. Which simply means my life is television-worthy. In my mind.
Miranda Hart has the ability to find sexual innuendos in most conversations, yet the inability of saying certain words.
I also give myself freely to others… I don’t mean ‘s-x-ally’.
A great series, a fantastically comical actress and an awesome character!
Such fun!
Jodie.
I was talking to my hairdresser about how tired I am with the monotonous pop songs and icons who are thrown into the spotlight until they’re wrung dry, with their music played relentlessly on the radio. We both mentioned some artists we enjoy who are quite underground in the music scene, who we hoped to hear more from in popular culture.
Any artist who goes out of their way to sound different should be applauded. It is certainly difficult to break away from the mold, and I think along with many other indie/alternative artists, Claus Zinger is doing it.
His sound is original, with inspiration from his homeland, Israel, branching into a rock/electro sound. If I had to make a similarity, it would be to Nick Cave. They both have a raw, rough sound which is a great change of pace.
His songs are typically about despair, about “the pain attached to the essence of the world, which cannot be ignored.”
My favourite of the songs I have heard of his is “Last Night”. Reading the lyrics along with the song makes it very powerful. The strings and piano are solid, creating impact and sorrow, with the drums picking up the pace.
The layered vocals can be almost distressing because of the heaviness of it. But his voice is certainly distinctive.
I say good on him! Claus Zinger is doing his own thing. His music is powerful, emotional and original. I hope to hear more from him, and others like him.
Check out his music including my personal fave, Last Night.
http://clauszinger.bandcamp.com/
https://soundcloud.com/claus-zinger/sets
Jodie.
Book me to review your favourite song, music video or film here.
I wondered what I was going to be watching when I first saw it actually…
This short film is about a man who calls a lock smith to get him out of a compromising situation.
It is tastefully done and leaves most of it to the imagination – making a bigger impact! The clever thing about the film is that it is based in one room with only two characters and no music, yet it still tells a convincing story.
It will be interesting to see the final cut, so that I could comment on the lighting and audio. But certainly a solid effort was put into acting a scripting with clear morals.
It’s an interesting concept made simple and entertaining – I’m very keen to see the final cut!
I was lucky enough to see the rough cut, but if you are keen to take a look, keep up to date with their progress on their Facebook page: www.facebook.com/lockedmovie
Read up about their film here on IMDb.
Jodie.
Book me to review your favourite song, music video or film here.
Directed: Robin Swicord
Written: Robin Swicord. Based on the book of the same name written by Karen Joy Fowler
Released: September 2007
Starring: Maria Bello, Emily Blunt, Kathy Baker, Amy Brenneman, Maggie Grace, Hugh Dancy, Kevin Zegers, Marc Blucas, Jimmy Smits and Lynn Redgrave
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This film is up there with Bridget Jones’ Diary, I reckon.
I got this DVD because there was a ‘buy two, get one free’ deal on. Since the choice was limited, I thought I’d give this a whirl.
I was concerned because I had no interest in any of Jane Austen’s romance novels and had little knowledge of the stories and characters. So I wondered if a film about people discussing these books would be confusing…
Not the case, surprisingly!
The first time I watched it, I was just like ‘meh’, better than a chick flick… But kind of average. So it gathered dust on my shelf until one day, boredom and exhaustion from watching my DVD collection five times over resulted in me indulging in The Jane Austen Book Club once again.
I have to say, I really love this film now. The six main characters are empowering and strong, they all relate to at least some part of your own personality or life experiences. I could literally write an entire in depth essay of each character if necessary, they are that ‘real’!
I’m loathed to say they are ‘very human’, but you get where I’m coming from… They are likeable and relatable.
This is a character-based film where each character has some sort of hurdle to overcome, or growth.
Maria Bello as Jocelyn
Jocelyn is my favourite! She’s never fallen in love, which she says is “all like fiction to me anyway”. She’s a dog-breeder, and if you catch onto her mannerisms early enough, you’ll notice she treats men like dogs – she’s strict, short-tempered and dominant with them. Jocelyn is known as the ‘match-maker’, always on the look-out on who she can pair people up with. She’s drawn to ‘Grigg’ because he’s “eager to please” and “tries hard”… Sort of like a dog.
“Alone’s not the end of the world. For as many years as you’ve been married I’ve been quite happily unmarried.”
Emily Blunt as Prudie
Prudie gets on my nerves SO much! But I can’t help but admire her. She is so elegant, controlled and feminine. Her mother was a hippy, so she has a systematic and professional lifestyle to distance herself from her past. However, she is falling for a rebellious student…
Prudie: Trey, you really shouldn’t come on to me.
Trey: Why? Because you’re a teacher? We’ll go back to my place…
Prudie: Let’s not and just wish we did.
Kathy Baker as Bernadette
I would love to have a best friend like Bernadette. She is optimistic and loves people. Bernadette is a free spirit and probably doesn’t think things through very much, she has been married and divorced six times. But she is totally in love with the idea of love and brags about her previous husbands like they are trophies – not regretting any of them.
“My first husband was a politician. He was embarrassed by every move I made. He said I was rude and loud. “Stop pointing your breasts everywhere,” he’d say to me. I was 17… I married the first man who looked at me… But I’d like to get married again, maybe just once more.”
Hugh Dancy as Grigg
Aww, Grigg! You almost feel sorry for him because he is so excitable and happy all the time. You just want to take him under your wing and look after him. He stumbled into the Jane Austen Club because Jocelyn was trying to set Sylvia up with him.
“Hi! Well, I’m excited. Never read anything by Jane Austen before. What is it? I went to the bookstore to buy a copy of each one of the novels, and I saw this. And I thought, ‘Well, maybe they’re sequels’. So, I figured it might be a good idea to keep them all together in one book, in case I needed to refer back…”
Amy Brenneman as Sylvia
Sylvia is a woman who is an amazing mother and best friend. Her husband who she has been with since highschool recently asked her for a divorce and she is devastated. However, toward the end of the film, she realises how much she has grown and changed – perhaps something she was never able to explore in her younger years.
“I don’t want to meet someone [else]. I wanna pull the covers over my head and read novels. And eat. I’m starving. Allegra, go get me a dozen eggs. I’m gonna make a flan.”
Maggie Grace as Allegra
Allegra is the daughter of Sylvia. She is a fresh-faced, alternative, out-doorsy young lady who immediately clashes with the tightly-laced Prudie. Allegra falls in love and trusts “too quickly” causing her strife. She is close to her mother and quickly becomes a strong component to the book club.
Bernadette: How’s Sylvia doing without Daniel?
Allegra: She’s still stuck in the wounded stage. When she’s ready for anger, I’m so there.
Each Austen novel has a curious relevance to each character’s life. The details are subtly interwoven into the story, so even if you haven’t read any Austen, you can guess pretty easily. If you are an Austen fan, you’ll relish the tibits they reference all through the script!
This ‘review’ is more of a character bio, so please excuse that! However, I have to say, the film relies on these characters so heavily, they really ARE the story.
I am so buying the soundtrack! Amazing songs! Particularly “Save Me” by Aimee Mann.
As a side note – I am such a fan of Robin Swicord now. She’s worked on Matilda, and even collaborated with the writers of The Curious Case of Benjamin Button!
Awesome watch! But obviously not for everybody.
Jodie’s rating: 7.5/10
Hurricane is the second song I have reviewed of Junior Turner’s – the first being Natural and Nice.
This is a country-pop sounding song with upbeat melodies. It’s really quite inspirational-sounding!
In my last review for Junior Turner’s song, I said his voice sounds “like David Bowie mixed with Robbie Williams”, but I can hear Nick Cave in this one! Pretty cool.
This song has been fantastically recorded and produced – a very clear and professional sound.
A solid beat with great vocal harmonies between the singers. Hurricane is an easy listening song, bound to please many listeners.
A digital version of this song will be available on iTunes, Amazon & Play.com on September 27th, 2013.
Keep track of Junior Turner here:
www.juniorturner.co.uk
Twitter
FaceBook
YouTube
Jodie.
Book me to review your favourite song, music video or film here.
Director: Neill Blomkamp
Writer: Neill Blomkamp
Released: August 2013
Starring: Matt Damon, Jodie Foster, Sharlto Copley, Alice Braga, Diego Luna, Wagner Moura and William Fichtner
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What a concoction! An action sci-fi film with epic fight scenes, storyline, characters and sets.
Elysium (a term from Greek mythology referring to where the blessed dwell after death) is based in the year 2154 where Earth is polluted, diseased and overpopulated by the poor and dying.
On an artificial planet/space station not far from Earth is ‘Elysium’. This is a place populated by the wealthy, where robots and machines take care of all the work and security of the station. They have access to machines that can cure anything from cancer to old age.
We follow the struggle of Max Da Costa (Matt Damon), as his fight to get to Elysium is littered with obstacles and unexpected twists and turns, loss and conflict.
What I like about this film is how it’s not a cold-hearted sci-fi. Every development is paralleled by an emotional character change too. It is clear how Max’s perspectives and values shift as he grows through his traumatic experiences.
The fight scenes are extremely well choreographed and shot! Wow, I got chills when the camera was mounted on the gun, as it moved around – almost first person. The jerky/shaky camera work was effectively used, without giving anybody motion sickness. This technique certainly accentuates the gory scenes! Prepare yourselves for exploding people…
Because Earth was no longer divided by countries, it was a huge boiling pot of accents. A bit of French, Spanish, American, Afrikaans and English accents/dialects were all spoken, but subtly mixed.
The characters were wicked! Jodie Foster’s character verbally bitch-slapped anybody who stood in her way. She began speaking French, and then spoke with a posh English accent with an American twang here and there. I thought her English accent was an epic fail, but considering my previous paragraph, perhaps her accent is accurate of the era.
Matt Damon kicked ass! He’s a talented actor because he plays the emotive dramas (Good Will Hunting) convincingly, with the ability to do actions (Bourne trilogy…) well. These two strengths were perfect for the character.
You’ll all know him as Wikus (the “sveetie man”) in District 9, but Sharlto Copley was far from sweet in this film. He played a vicious character, Agent Kruger, very well indeed. I think he’s one of my favourite actors, up there with good ol’ Christoph Waltz.
The ‘sveetie’ man of District 9
My favourite character, however, was Spider (Wagner Moura). He was not a stereotypical ‘geek’, but an intelligent and complex person. His intentions are confusing at first, which makes his character strong and respectable.
The bad: There were a few dull scenes and minor plot annoyances, such as certain occurrences being a little too lucky. The motives of the villain – Agent Krugar – are relatively unknown/unconvincing. There were a few dull spots where my mind wandered a tad, and the final fight could have been more memorable.
If I had to illustrate what this movie is like, I would explain it by using the following recipe:
Ingredients:
Method:
Mix everything together. Add the neglected love interest, and a sprinkle of violent fire arms. Beat into submission and heat at magma level to make the hottest sci-fi film of 2013.
Jodie’s rating: 7/10
Director: Louis Leterrier
Writers: Boaz Yakin and Edward Ricourt
Released: July 2013
Starring: Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Isla Fisher, Dave Franco, Mark Ruffalo, Mélanie Laurent, Michael Caine and Morgan Freeman
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Um. Yeeeeaaaah. So the reviews I had been reading before I went to see Now You See Me, basically stated that it was over-complicated and so layered that one would need to watch it more than once.
This is quite simply, not the case.
It is so clichéd, so typical, so obvious, that the ending could be guessed half way through the film.
The ‘twist’ is… Barely even a twist. It wasn’t shocking or unforeseen at all. My reaction was more like, “oh yeah. Hmm. I’m not surprised”.
So, it really is nothing like The Prestige. The magicians are superficial and unlovable, as are the other characters who are all underdeveloped. For the most part, they were unbelievable – despite the epic cast!
I usually love Woody Harrelson’s and Michael Caine’s work, but they really weren’t given the chance to shine. Their characters were brief and shallow. But oh my God, Jesse Eisenberg just got on my nerves! I can’t stand the characters he plays, who are usually very similar.
The story was like something seen on a long-running TV series like CSI or what not. It was so… Average.
The only cool parts were when they explained how the tricks were performed. That was quite effective.
Unfortunately, there were a lot of major jump-cuts that became jarring. Leaving out a lot of footage, although kept the pace, did make you feel disconnected from the film.
I am quite disappointed in this movie. Despite hearing negative reviews on this film I still went into the theatre expecting to be thoroughly entertained and mystified… Yeah.. Nah.
Meh! It’s okay. Nothing special.
Jodie’s rating: 5/10
This is one of my favourite songs by Canadian twins, Tegan and Sara.
These indie rock singer-song-writers have been around since 1995, now with seven albums. This song is from their fourth album, So Jealous.
I guess my favourite thing about I Can’t Take It, is the pace of the song. As soon as the guitar starts it suddenly makes me feel super relaxed.
I love those songs that are so emotive!
Check out their other tunage. Most of my favourite songs are on the album called The Con, but So Jealous is close behind.
The more you listen, the more you can tell which song is written by who, and who is singing. Tegan and Sara have very distinctive writing and singing styles.
Such awesome musicians!
Jodie.
Director: Benjamin Ross Hayden
Producers: Benjamin Ross Hayden, Fred Alapat, and Plainsight Pictures
Written for the screen by: Benjamin Ross Hayden and co-written by Tyler Hayden
Music by: Chris Tenz
Starring: Kevin Fraser
Genre: Sci-fi
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This short film is unlike anything I have ever seen before.
There are some small thematic similarities to the likes of The Matrix and Avatar. But this is actually an original, thought-provoking, metaphorical and emotionally-charged representation of what I perceive to be our dependant and warped relationship between nature and technology.
This movie is pretty ambiguous, you can read into it as much or as little as you wish. I’m sure different themes, concepts and interpretations could be picked up by every viewer.
You can’t fault Agophobia. The visuals, the imagery and the graphics are incredible – almost looks 3D.
It’s dark and complex, but ultimately, Agophobia is amazing art, with talented actors, writers, visual effects and camera work.
The music fits very well indeed; supports the film perfectly. Almost like you could close your eyes and still understand the story.
Agophobia has already been accepted into several festivals, including:
– 66th Cannes Film Festival – Court Metrage
– 37th Montreal World Film Festival – (F.I.A.P.F accredited film festival)
– 17th FLICKERS: Rhode Island International Film Festival (Oscar-qualifying)
– 9th Monterrey International Film Festival
If anything, this film is inspirational to anybody interested in visual effects or make-up/costume. It also sets the standard for anybody hoping to enter the short film industry.
Agophobia will be available online once it has finished its festival circuit – in the meantime you can exclusively see the film Trailer here: https://vimeo.com/71386060
password: Transhuman
Or email info@agophobia.com for interest in film on a private basis.
Keep track of Agophobia here:
www.agophobia.com
Twitter: AgophobiaFILM
www.manifoldpicturecompany.com
Impossible to rate. This spectacular short film is something you need to judge for yourselves.
The best of luck in the film festival circuit, team!! :)
Jodie.
Book me to review your film or song here.
Hey kids!
So I recently heard about this song and it is pretty cool!
I’ll tell you what, Junior Turner’s voice sounds similar to the likes of David Bowie mixed with Robbie Williams. Pretty awesome sound actually.
Junior Turner reached fame after winning the chance to release a single for the BBC Children In Need competition in 2010, against 110,000 applicants! Talent much!!
I guess this is technically pop music, but it’s got trumpets and techno keyboards… It’s a concoction of 80s dance music and 90s pop music, with a twist!
I love the sound – fun to dance to, easy to sing to and really upbeat.
Here is the sample of Natural and Nice, but you can buy the whole song on iTunes.
Check out Junior Turner’s Facebook, Twitter and website!
I’m sure you’ll enjoy his music. Another of my favourite songs by Junior Turner is ‘Hurt‘ featuring Neil Taylor. Check it out!
This guy is super talented.
Jodie.
Book me to review your favourite song, music video or film here.
I have always loved the electric violin, but this has been taken it to a new level.
Dubstep + electric violins… Who would have thought it could work so well! Particularly in this song, Ignite the Fuse.
FUSE, featuring Linzi Stoppard, is an English-based group who has been around since 2007. I recently heard about them and enjoyed their originality and energy. Perhaps a little theatrical, but a breath of fresh air for the music industry nevertheless.
Looking at their website, I actually really enjoyed the song they’re performing on the front page. Their violins sound like electric guitars in a James Bond intro.
What an interesting sound! I can see some awesome remixes being done with their work.
Jodie.
Book me to review your song or film here.
The Long Road is a song about the lead singer’s mother surviving cancer.
With a soft rock, ballad sound, the upbeat guitars and slightly melancholy vocals – I can totally hear the influence of The Eagles. The drumming is great!
Although not the kind of genre I would usually listen to, I can definitely see the popularity of this band growing.
The music video is creative and really well made! Although, I think it would look better if it was all in black and white, the time differences between the parallel story lines aren’t portrayed too convincingly. Perhaps making it tad too literal..?
The Long Road is a song you will want to listen to on repeat. It’s quite moving. Watch the interview with the lady who inspired this tribute song here, on the band’s website.
Check out the song:
Facebook page
www.facebook.com/freefromgravitymusic
Jodie.
Book me to review your song, music video or film here
I have rediscovered this sixties gem!
It begins like an intro to a James Bond film with the orchestra.
Nina’s voice is so distinctive! It’s like she’s bantering with the absolutely spine-tingling saxophone. It sounds like they’re just jamming.
Her first line is “I put a spell on you” and it sounds like she is bitterly angry with someone… You can so tell from her voice!
Nina has such emotion in her voice. I can totally imagine her just getting all up in some dude’s face and being all like, “And I don’t care if you don’t want me! I’m yours right now!!” *saxophone which gives you shivers*
It is such an emotive song! I’ve got it on repeat at the moment… Really listen to the lyrics, Nina delivers them like she’s really raging at somebody.
I put a spell on you
‘Cause you’re mine!You better stop the things you do
I ain’t lyin’
No I ain’t lyin’!You know I can’t stand it
You’re runnin’ around
You know better daddy
I can’t stand it cause you put me down
Yeah, YeahI put a spell on you
Because you’re mine
You’re mine!*epic sax solo*
I love you, I love you, I love you
I love you anyhow
And I don’t care!
If you don’t want me
I’m yours right nowYou hear me
I put a spell on you
Because you’re mine!
So amazing. Check out the live versions on youtube!
Jodie.
Director: James Mangold
Writers: Christopher McQuarrie (uncredited), Mark Bomback and Scott Frank
Starring: Hugh Jackman, Hiroyuki Sanada, Tao Okamoto, Rila Fukushima, Famke Janssen, Svetlana Khodchenkova and Will Yun Lee
Released: July 2013
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Average much!
I am a Wolverine fan though! Absolutely. The character is a wicked hero who didn’t fail to impress.
However, the storyline was bland, boring and predictable. Nothing special.
There were some great scenes though. The ninja scenes was rather entertaining. The fight scenes and roof jumping was cool too. But nothing really sticks in my mind as being outstanding.
I enjoyed the more light-hearted and comedic dialogue, similar to that of Iron Man at times, which fitted well.
The villain was absolutely ridiculous!! Every scene Viper was in she was wearing a little less clothing. She was not scary. Not cool. Not shocking. She was just creepy and weird…
A painfully average film. There were no real highlights, or overly appalling parts. The acting was not amazing, nor was the story. No twists, just a straight-shooting film.
However, the fact that Wolverine was portrayed as a convincing hero, did make the film worth-while.
Jodie’s rating: 5.5/10
Directors: Alan Williams and Tyrel Good
Writers: Clif Campbell and Marty Ketola
Released: 2012
Website: www.whoiszhon.com
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Zhon: The Alien Interviews is a sci-fi comedy/drama web-series made in Southern Arizona by a group who self-funded the project.
The series is of a man, known as Zhon Jacob Jingle Heimer Schmidt, who claims to be an extra-terrestrial and has wandered Earth for thousands of years. He tells his story during an interview by the Secret Service.
I have watched the first episode, “Here’s Zhonny!” and I am quite keen to see more!
This genre is right up my alley, since I am into the comedic and dramatic Doctor Who (David Tennant) series. Tapping into an original and creative tangent of the classic sci-fi genre with very eccentric characters! Zhon: The Alien Interviews is certainly one out of the box!
It is an off-beat journey with rather quirky characters. The script is well written with dialogue that is authentic. The use of silence is very well executed! Particularly in the first scene where the awkward silences make you laugh just because of the tension. In fact, the entire opening scene is probably my favourite. The Security Guard’s (Steve McKee) expressions were hilarious!
A lot of thought has clearly gone into the making of the web-series. The editing is well paced with a clear format typical of a television series. Although, I think the lighting and some of the audio could be evened out and given more attention to ensure a smoother transition between scenes.
Despite some of the acting being a little forced at times, the actors are well established in their roles. Their use of humour is fantastic! The funny lines of dialogue are fluently delivered – with some catchy lines!
“My name is Agent Killjoy”
“Your mother named you ‘Agent’!? Man! Talk about planning out a kid’s future!”
The main character, Zhon, is played by Robert Linden. The confidence of the character who has clearly experienced life in many places and eras shines through to create a believable and well-rounded protagonist.
The predominant member of the US Secret Service is David Killjoy, who is played by Eric Schumacher, who stands out for me. I can totally see some Matrix ‘Mr. Smith’ going on! Which seems rather appropriate. His facials and calm deliveries are awesome. He’s probably my favourite character because of his awkwardness, seriousness and desperate-looking professionalism.
I think the best decision this team of filmmakers made was staying away from the stereotypes of aliens, and keeping it upbeat.
When making projects on a budget, I’ve seen some genres become drastically unbelievable. However, this strong and entertaining web-series has certainly over-come that, and is sure to become popular for anybody who loves sci-fi, or has a passion for inspiring independent work.
After watching an episode and reading about what an epic project this web-series was for the cast and crew, you can totally appreciate what a grand challenge this was. The final product is exceptionally well produced, and is something everybody involved should be very proud of completing. Dedication much!
Zhon: The Alien Interviews is a fun and exciting web-series with a very interesting storyline. The idea of an alien being interviewed about his life, with flash backs to illustrate, is an effective idea. There’s nothing quite as intriguing as a character telling their story!
Expect to become a Zhonster!
Jodie’s rating: 8/10
Watch “Here’s Zhonny!” below:
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Director: James Wan
Writers: Chad Hayes and Carey Hayes
Released: July 2013
Starring: Vera Farmiga, Patrick Wilson, Ron Livingston and Mackenzie Foy
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That was the coolest horror movie I have experienced in a long while.
It was top of its game in the horror genre! It had all the things you love about horrors in one movie.
Creepy ‘chuckie’ dolls
Freaky children
Supernatural hauntings
Demonic exorcism
Based on true events
It’s got the lot! If you like sudden jumps, suspense AND interesting story lines, then you will love The Conjuring.
The story is surprising to say the least! The trailer makes it out to be a good old fashioned house haunting. In fact, the film is much more complex with various characters being directly linked to the hauntings. The hauntings are not necessarily by ghosts, but by demonic forces.
I read about the back story, and the film is pretty loosely based on it. A negative force or spirit, believed to be a previous owner named Bathsheba Sherman, allegedly tormented the mother, Carolyn Perron. However, that’s the main event that was included into the script, the rest were mostly embellishments. (Read more here).
Some of my favourite parts about the true events were left out of the movie. Like how ghosts were apparently whispering “there are seven dead soldiers hidden in the walls”, when in the movie, they changed it to “we want to kill your family”…
One of best things about this movie is that it isn’t too predictable. The Conjuring does not have a typical structure, it has many false climatic and low points which keeps you on edge. Also, there’s no mucking around with sceptical main characters in the beginning, you’re just thrown straight into the story!
My FAVOURITE thing about this movie is how the camera would linger on whatever was scary. It wouldn’t be like: ‘*Scream* oh my God… Did you see that?‘. It’s more like:
‘*Scream* oh my God! Get it off the screen! Pan the camera! I can’t watch! Is it still there!? Jeez!‘
Which was an awesomely affective technique…
Of course, expect some cringe-worthy and weird masks. This is a James Wan movie after all with some clear similarities with Insidious and Dead Silence.
Some of the acting was a little over the top, with a few cheesy lines. But pretty good for the most part.
If you’re going to watch The Conjuring, spend out to have the cinematic experience. The surround-sound is essential for many of the frights, which are very well timed! None of the jumps happen when you think they will, and when the frights do occur, they don’t hold back!!
Absolutely fantastically made! I don’t think we’ll see another horror this scary for a while.
Jodie’s rating: 9/10
Director: Edgar Wright
Writers: Edgar Wright and Simon Pegg
Released: July 2013
Starring: Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Paddy Considine, Martin Freeman, Eddie Marsan and Rosamund Pike
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…what the hell did I just watch..?
So I’m guessing most of you are huge Edgar-Simon-Nick combo fans! I’m sure you were just as psyched when you heard about the final instalment of the Cornetto trilogy being released!
Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz and The World’s End – bring your check list for all of the similarities and shared jokes! It’s like being a part of a huge inside-joke.
Anyway! So I was so excited to see this film! But this was more wacky, more psychedelic, out of left-field, ‘what the hell’ material that I ever thought could be possible for these three guys to invent.
The movie started out awesomely! It was hilarious as they introduced the main characters.
The general storyline was that the five main characters wanted to complete the 12 pub pub-crawl they failed to finish in highschool. So these near-on 40 year olds begin their journey, until they realise the people in the town are super weird.
Many people in the town turn out to be blue-blooded robots. And a Shaun of the Dead-esk pursuit begins… It got pretty weird. Not going to lie.
Just on a deeper note, I felt the robots were a metaphor for being in the institution of 9-5 jobs and not fulfilling the more enjoyable parts of life.
Simon Pegg’s character is my favourite of all their creations within the trilogy! He was absolutely convincing! Fantastic!
Simon Pegg and Nick Frost had loosely swapped their Hot Fuzz characters around, as in, Nick Frost had the straight-laced character and Simon Pegg had the weird and lazy guy. It was cool to see a different side of them.
I wish more of the characters from the previous two films showed up in this one… Although I did adore Rosamund Pike! I’ve been a fan of hers since Made In Dagenham.
I felt bad noticing how old everybody looked in this film. But I LOVED how they wrote that into the script – their story is about 40 year olds rediscovering the freedom of their youth.
It was sort of nostalgic reflecting on how long ago Shaun of the Dead was made – 2004 and Hot Fuzz – 2007. For some reason, I think all of their fans feel like they’ve followed them on their journey for the last eight years.
I really want to see it again – I feel like it will be better the second time around. But, it’s definitely in third place within the trilogy, for me. I feel like the storyline was a little too similar to Shaun of the Dead, and it didn’t flow nearly as well as the other two films.
Just like the other two films, the structuring was impeccable. Although the ending was… Questionable.
However, the strong character development was enough to keep you totally engaged throughout the entire film. Let alone the well-choreographed fight scenes.
OMG I HAVEN’T REVIEWED HOT FUZZ YET! It’s on my priority list!
Jodie’s rating: 7.5/10
PS: You’re going to feel the urge for an ice cold lager after this movie.
I first heard this song on the trailer for The Conjuring – I. LOVED. IT. Works SO well with the horror genre.
It was recorded in the sixties and became a hippy-related song. George Harrison actually helped write the song, however, his verse was not included in the single that was released.
Awesome song. Psychedelic and creepy!
Jodie.
This is one of my favourite 50s songs!
Connie Francis did this cover in 1958, but there have been many versions with some of the earliest being in 1923 by Marion Harris, Irving Kaufman and an orchestral version by Isham Jones. Ella Fitzgerald also covered this song in 1960.
But none of these beat Connie’s version, which is probably just as slow, but more ‘jukebox’…
I love 50s and 60s music.
In case you are interested, this is Marion Harris’ version:
Jodie.
I am so into the 1920s music and fashion at the moment!
It all began after I watched The Great Gatsby…
The coolest thing about the movie was that they did epic jazz versions of modern pop songs. The Bryan Ferry Orchestra perform the altered versions.
My favourites are:
Young and Beautiful (Lana Del Rey)
Crazy In Love (Beyonce/Emeli Sande) Amazing!!
Back to Black (Amy Winehouse)
Alicia Key’s “Empire State of Mind Part ll” was also covered beautifully! But I can’t find that version…
I am so into this New Orleans style of jazz!!
Super cool :)
Jodie.
NZ Film Freak