NZ Film Freak

Sing Street

Director: John Carney
Writer: John Carney and Simon Carmody
Released: May 2016
Starring: Ferdia Walsh-Peelo, Lucy Boynton, Maria Doyle Kennedy, Aidan Gillen, Jack Reynor, Kelly Thornton
—

I was dubious about this film at first, I was thinking ‘any second now it’s going to take a turn for the worse’. But it didn’t! It was actually a very uplifting film from beginning to end.

I love movies about a likeable and naive underdog – like About a Boy or Driving Lessons – but coming-of-age films with a great soundtrack like this one is even better. The songs are so catchy!

It’s very similar to The Commitments as it follows the story of a band of young Irish musicians in the 1980s/1990s. But Sing Street has a more definitive love story and protagonist. I really enjoyed it!

Darren: What does “happy-sad” even mean? How can we be both things? It makes no sense.
Conor: It means that I’m stuck in this shithole full of morons and rapists and bullies, and I’m gonna deal with it, okay? It’s just how life is. I’m gonna try and accept it and get on with it, and make some art.

Protagonist Conor (Ferdia Walsh-Peelo) is sent to a new school as a result of his parents breaking up. It that wasn’t bad enough, he is already getting picked on by students and teachers at school. Conor soon meets a young, aspiring model (Lucy Boynton) hanging around the school, who he tries to impress by saying he’s in a band. As a result, he immediately tried to recruit people to be in his band.

Brendan: This is life, Conor. Drive it like you stole it.

The band is a bunch of misfits and underdogs, which I just love! It’s so funny.

Sing Street would particularly appeal to those who love 1980s pop or who love stereotypical 80s fashion. But even if you don’t like either of those things, you’ll love the humour in this film. It’s Irish humour like in Black Books or Calvary.

An easy-to-watch film about people who win at life by not giving up, and continuing to pursue their dreams. A real pick-me-up.

Jodie’s rating: 7/10

Top 21: Romantic Film Quotes

Feeling flowery and happy and romantic? Or are you just here to get inspiration for an anniversary card? Either way, here are some beautifully romantic quotes from movies…

They say when you meet the love of your life, time stops. And that’s true. –Big Fish

Good mood, bad mood, ugly, pretty… The right person is still going to think the sun shines out of your ass –Juno

The greatest thing you’ll ever learn is just to love, and be loved in return –Moulin Rouge (although, technically a song lyric)

When you realise you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible. –When Harry Met Sally

You had me at hello –Jerry Maguire

I love you. You complete me –Jerry Maguire

I’m also just a girl, standing in front of a boy, asking him to love her –Notting Hill

I wanted it to be you, I wanted it to be you so badly –You’ve Got Mail

It’s like in that moment the whole universe existed just to bring us together –Serendipity

You have bewitched me, body and soul, and I love you. And wish from this day forth never to be parted from you –Pride & Prejudice

Choose me. Marry me. Let me make you happy –My Best Friend’s Wedding

It was a million tiny little things that, when you added them all up, they meant we were supposed to be together –Sleepless in Seattle

I wish I had done everything on earth with you –The Great Gatsby

I have loved her even when I hated her… –Crazy, Stupid, Love

Promise me that whenever you’re sad, or unsure, or you lose complete faith, that you’ll try to see yourself through my eyes –P.S I Love You

I am nothing special; just a common man with common thoughts, and I’ve led a common life. There are no monuments dedicated to me and my name will soon be forgotten. But in one respect I have succeeded as gloriously as anyone who’s ever lived: I’ve loved another with all my heart and soul; and to me, this has always been enough –The Notebook

…most of all I’m scared of walking out of this room and never feeling the rest of my whole life the way I feel when I’m with you –Dirty Dancing

I’m just exactly where I want to be –Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

Love is too weak a word for what I feel –Annie Hall

I think I’d miss you even if we’d never met –The Wedding Date

You’re not perfect… She’s not perfect either. But the question is whether or not you’re perfect for each other –Good Will Hunting

Never lie, steal, cheat, or drink. But if you must lie, lie in the arms of the one you love. If you must steal, steal away from bad company. If you must cheat, cheat death. –Hitch

Jerry Maguire

Director: Cameron Crowe
Writer: Cameron Crowe
Released: December 1996
Starring: Tom Cruise, Cuba Gooding, Jr. Renée Zellweger, Kelly Preston, Jerry O’Connell, Jay Mohr, Bonnie Hunt
—

Show me the money!

You had me at ‘hello’.

They’re quotes that everyone has heard, but I’m not convinced everyone has actually seen Jerry Maguire.

It probably has a similar reputation as A Few Good Men where everyone knows the “You can’t handle the truth!” line, but not as many have seen the film it’s from. (Coincidentally they’re both Tom Cruise movies.)

This film is about a sports agent called Jerry Maguire who has an epiphany that results in him sending a late-night mission statement to everyone in the office. An inspired letter about perceived dishonesty in the industry and how they should work toward quality over quantity. However, in the morning that all too familiar, overwhelming warm wave of regret hits him.

Management don’t like his new way of thinking, and organises a co-worker called Bob Sugar (Jay Mohr) to fire him. Suddenly, it’s a race against each other to secure all their clients – will they follow Jerry Maguire away from the company, or stick with Bob Sugar?

Along with a small handful of sports stars, the only co-worker to supports him is single mother Dorothy Boyd (Renée Zellweger) who leaves the company with him to start their own sports star representative company.

Jerry: [after having been fired] But if anybody else wants to come with me, this moment will be the ground floor of something real and fun and inspiring and true in this godforsaken business and we will do it together!

It’s fast-paced and hilarious, particularly when Jerry dwindles down to only one [very enthusiastic and loyal] sports star: Rod Tidwell (Cuba Gooding Jr.). He. Is. So. Funny. (Jamie Foxx auditioned for his part, but surely he would have been too serious to play Rod Tidwell?)

Usually Tom Cruise carries the film, but oh my Lord, Cuba Gooding Jr. is absolutely, undeniably the reason why this film can be watched on repeat.

Tom Cruise was a brilliant decision. Apparently the part was written for Tom Hanks, but he was too old by the time the script was finished. It was then assumed that Robin Williams would play the part, but I wonder if that would have been too much energy in conjunction with Cuba Gooding Jr..

I think Renee Zellweger was a solid choice because she looks so much more ordinary than a lot of women often cast as the love interest – I’m pleased they picked her over Winona Ryder! Apparently Renee was broke when she was cast and was very relieved to be working again.

While the romantic storyline is nice, I’m not convinced it’s essential and does occasionally put the breaks on the film.

Nevertheless, Jerry Maguire is a genuine must-watch. It’s romantic, it’s inspiring, it’s funny – a brilliantly smart drama that is perfectly cast. I love the themes of overcoming the odds despite being the underdog, I love how the film is about a failure while still having a dream, and the inspirational language all the way through it.

Particularly the cut-aways to interviews with a character called Dicky Fox, who parallels Jerry Maguire’s struggle with business advice.

Jerry : [Lying in bed one morning when suddenly the radio comes on and wakes him up with a jolt after having slept with Dorothy the night before]

[flash to Dickey Fox in his office]

Dicky: I love the mornings! I clap my hands every morning and say, ‘This is gonna be a great day!’

[flash back to Jerry Maguire who accidentally steps on a toy]

Jerry: [mutters] I don’t believe this. How’d I get myself into this?

Such an uplifting movie that really picks you up if you’re going through a rough patch. Similarly to Up in the Air, this film gives you a pat on the back if you’re struggling professionally and gives you a warm hug if you’re struggling romantically.

It’s a film that tells you ‘everything is going to be okay, and here’s why’.

Dicky: Hey, I don’t have all the answers. In life, to be honest, I failed as much as I have succeeded. But I love my wife. I love my life. And I wish you my kind of success.

Exploring frustration, desperation and acting on impulse, this is a highly satisfying film that you must watch. It’s about standing up to ‘the man’, it’s about doing what you want to do, it’s about staying positive and keeping your dignity and morals along the way.

Jodie’s rating: 8/10

Top 10: Famous Final Lines in Films

Here are my top 10 favourite ‘famous last words’ from some iconic films.

1. “Good morning, and in case I don’t see ya, good afternoon, good evening, and good night!” –The Truman Show

2. “Roads? Where we’re going we don’t need roads” –Back to the Future

3. “That was my father’s final joke, I guess. A man tells his stories so many times that he becomes the stories. They live on after him. And in that way, he becomes immortal.” –Big Fish

4. “Days turned into weeks, weeks turned into months. And then, one not-so-very special day, I went to my typewriter, I sat down, and I wrote our story. A story about a time, a story about a place, a story about the people. But above all things, a story about love. A love that will live forever. The end.” –Moulin Rouge!

5. “By the toll of a billion deaths, man had earned his immunity, his right to survive among this planet’s infinite organisms. And that right is ours against all challenges. For neither do men live nor die in vain.” –War of the Worlds

6. “Some people are born to sit by a river. Some get struck by lightning. Some have an ear for music. Some are artists. Some swim. Some know buttons. Some know Shakespeare. Some are mothers. And some people dance.” –The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

7. “Tonight most people will be welcomed home by jumping dogs and squealing kids. Their spouses will ask about their day. Tonight they’ll sleep. The stars will wheel forth from their daytime hiding places, and one of those lights, slightly brighter than the rest, will be my wingtip passing over.” –Up in the Air

8. Phil: “They’re gone! They’re all gone. Do you know what today is?”
Rita: “No, what?”
Phil: “Today is tomorrow. It happened. You’re here. I’m here.”
Rita: “Oh, Phil. Why weren’t you Iike this last night? You just fell asleep.”
Phil: “It was the end of a very long day. Is there anything I can do for you today?”
Rita: “I’m sure I can think of something.”
Phil: “It’s so beautiful! Let’s live here! We’ll rent to start.”
-Groundhog Day

9. ‘Leo’: “They’re ruby slippers, Adrian. Put these on and say, ‘there’s no place like home, there’s no place like home,’ and you can be there.”
Adrian: “I hope. I hope we all could.”
-Good Morning, Vietnam

10. Joe: “Don’t cry, Shopgirl. Don’t cry.”
Kathleen: “I wanted it to be you. I wanted it to be you so badly.”
–You’ve Got Mail

Nobody Gets What They Want Anymore – Marlon Williams ft. Aldous Harding

marlon williams

After recently discovering the Kiwi brilliance that is Aldous Harding, I soon stumbled across this duet with another Kiwi icon, Marlon Williams.

Isn’t is strange, impossible to claim your reward,
I cannot explain, emotions I can barely afford to contain,
You’re the same, you hide away from anything that turns you on,
Nobody gets what they want anymore.

It’s a highly melancholy song, sung in a tone of despair. But it’s so dreamy and relaxing to listen to.

No words, only scream, could possibly protect you, you know what it means,
Two is the charm, a place therein around us and pray and pray,
And saying the name there is no blame, there is no shame, and even more,
Nobody gets what they want anymore.

There’s no animosity in the song, it just sounds like pure surrender to a really bad
situation. I think it’s a break up song:

What am I going to do when you’re in trouble,
And you don’t call out for me?
What am I going to do when I can see that you’ve been crying,
And you don’t want no help from me?
Baby, I can’t separate us out anymore.

It sounds like Marlon Williams is saying: ‘Something really terrible has happened but there’s nothing I can do about it. And that’s that.’

I love Aldous Harding. She’s the perfect choice for this song – it’s not as powerful when Marlon Williams sings it by himself in live performances.

Nevertheless, Marlon’s almost classical voice is faultless, and Aldous’s alternative style is perfect.

The music video to accompany this song is quite tongue-in-cheek (below), which I like. Marlon plays a waiter who keeps getting the orders wrong and ‘nobody gets what they want’.

Jodie.

My Favourite Scene: Good Will Hunting

I adore Good Will Hunting, particularly because of Robin Williams’ performance as a shrink named Sean. He has many lovely quotes, but this speech is my favourite. It’s about living life and having first-hand experiences. I think how Robin Williams encapsulates the depths of sadness that Sean has after losing his wife is tear-jerking.

Sean: So if I asked you about art, you’d probably give me the skinny on every art book ever written. Michelangelo, you know a lot about him. Life’s work, political aspirations, him and the pope, sexual orientations, the whole works, right?

But I’ll bet you can’t tell me what it smells like in the Sistine Chapel. You’ve never actually stood there and looked up at that beautiful ceiling; seen that.

If I ask you about women, you’d probably give me a syllabus about your personal favorites. You may have even been laid a few times. But you can’t tell me what it feels like to wake up next to a woman and feel truly happy.

You’re a tough kid. And I’d ask you about war, you’d probably throw Shakespeare at me, right, “once more unto the breach dear friends.” But you’ve never been near one. You’ve never held your best friend’s head in your lap, watch him gasp his last breath looking to you for help.

I’d ask you about love, you’d probably quote me a sonnet. But you’ve never looked at a woman and been totally vulnerable. Known someone that could level you with her eyes, feeling like God put an angel on earth just for you. Who could rescue you from the depths of hell. And you wouldn’t know what it’s like to be her angel, to have that love for her, be there forever, through anything, through cancer.

And you wouldn’t know about sleeping sitting up in the hospital room for two months, holding her hand, because the doctors could see in your eyes, that the terms “visiting hours” don’t apply to you. You don’t know about real loss, ’cause it only occurs when you’ve loved something more than you love yourself. And I doubt you’ve ever dared to love anybody that much.

And look at you… I don’t see an intelligent, confident man… I see a cocky, scared shitless kid. But you’re a genius Will. No one denies that. No one could possibly understand the depths of you. But you presume to know everything about me because you saw a painting of mine, and you ripped my fucking life apart. You’re an orphan right?

[Will nods]

Sean: You think I know the first thing about how hard your life has been, how you feel, who you are, because I read Oliver Twist? Does that encapsulate you? Personally, I don’t give a shit about all that, because you know what, I can’t learn anything from you, I can’t read in some fuckin’ book. Unless you want to talk about you, who you are. Then I’m fascinated. I’m in. But you don’t want to do that do you sport? You’re terrified of what you might say. Your move, chief.

Beauty and the Beast (2017)

beauty and the beast.jpg

Director: Bill Condon
Writers: Linda Woolverton (Disney film), Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont (story)
Released: March 2017
Starring: Emma Watson, Dan Stevens, Luke Evans, Kevin Kline, Josh Gad, Ewan McGregor, Stanley Tucci, Audra McDonald, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Ian McKellen, Emma Thompson
—

The 1991 Disney animation of Beauty and the Beast is a movie that I love dearly. So while I had major reservations about this remake – mostly because of Emma Watson – I was quietly optimistic about it. Perhaps today’s technology will enhance the magic…

But no. It doesn’t. This remake was appalling, and my reluctance to watch it was proven understandable.

The casting was totally wrong. Right off the bat Emma Watson – or should I say Hermione Granger – was a problem. While she fits the physicality of Belle, her same-old expression of open-mouthed, furrow-browed facials were tiring to say the least.

beauty and the beast2.jpg

I personally would have cast another semi-unknown actress like Lily James who played Cinderella in the 2015 remake, or Mia Wasikowska as Alice in the 2010 remake of Alice in Wonderland.

Not only was the protagonist the wrong choice, I also found that Emma Thompson had a really harsh voice, which didn’t fit the part of the warm motherly character, Mrs Potts. I think Julie Walters would have done it better.

I love Stanly Tucci, but I’m not sure how he stumbled into this film either. However, Josh Gad as LeFou was perfect. (He played the snowman in Frozen.)

I don’t think the horse Philippe should have been a dapple grey. What’s wrong with keeping him bay?

Fun fact: Ryan Gosling turned down the role of the Beast for the lead role in La La Land. Emma Watson turned down what became Emma Stone’s role in La La Land for this film. (Thank the stars above for their decisions.)

The storyline strayed a little too far from the fairytale for my liking. It went into how Belle’s mother died and how it put a strain on her relationship with her father. It was an unnecessary deviation. Because of these added sequences, I found the rest of the film to be condensed and rushed. (In the 1991 film, I swear it takes longer for Belle to fall in love with the beast.)

I wonder if Emma Watson influenced the story? Because it has far stronger feminist themes through it now, where Belle is forever in control and smarter than the rest. Which made me dislike her. Especially because of the very poignant moments where Belle would make it exceptionally clear that she is a strong independent woman who don’t need no man… She may as well have turned to camera and say ‘#timesup’.

The songs are lengthened, which was also unnecessary and I honestly started daydreaming a bit.

Beauty and the Beast was trying too hard. Trying too hard to make it better than the animation, and all the unusual actors that were cast seemed to be desperately trying to prove themselves too. Over-theatrical acting turned it into a stage play rather than a live-action movie.

No, no, no, no and no. I shan’t be your guest and I disagree entirely with the casting decisions and with messing-about with the story.

Jodie’s rating: 3/10

Sorry Roberta, thank you for lending me the DVD though :) x

Seven Pounds

Director: Gabriele Muccino
Writer: Grant Nieporte
Released: December 2008
Starring: Will Smith, Rosario Dawson, Michael Ealy, Barry Pepper, Octavia Spencer, Woody Harrelson
—

Seven Pounds is the film you watch when you’re depressed and have no intention of wanting to feel better. It’s heavy and tells a story of an absolute tragedy.

It’s about an IRS agent Ben (Will Smith) who is overwhelmed and broken with guilt after accidentally killing seven people – including his wife – when driving recklessly. He was wealthy and had everything, he felt indestructible and took what he had for granted.

Ben: In seven days God created the world, and in seven seconds I shattered mine.

After the accident, he can’t enjoy life anymore so he goes about finding seven worthy people to save for the seven he killed. Not in a superhero kind of way, more like in a charitable kind of way.

Ben: It is within my power to drastically change this person’s circumstances, but I don’t want to give him a gift he doesn’t deserve.

It’s about the journey to forgive oneself, and allowing to love again. It’s also about how relentless guilt is; how nothing can turn back time or undo a mistake, and how heartbreaking it is to watch bad things happen to good people.

The writer of Seven Pounds, Grant Nieporte, was inspired by a man he met whom he described as the saddest man on earth. Grant later discovered he was responsible for a national tragedy.

The soundtrack is what makes this film so emotional; it supports its misery perfectly.

The casting was perfect too – I think Woody Harrelson will pleasantly surprise you. Apparently Tom Hanks auditioned for Will Smith’s role. While I don’t doubt he would have done a good job, I can’t imagine anyone but Will Smith playing the role now.

Seven Pounds is like a sad song you can’t help but listen to on repeat. It’s a film designed to make you feel the full impact of a man who lost it all.

You need to give into the story’s power of despair and allow it to consume you – don’t resist the urge to cry as you will burst a blood vessel and the movie won’t be the slightest bit insightful.

You walk away wanting to be more careful with your life, and basically never wanting to leave the house for fear of losing those precious to you. Seven Pounds gives you a bit of a reality check as it makes you thankful for the more mundane problems in life.

It’s well-made, well-cast, well-scored but holy Jesus it’s depressing and is not one to watch frequently. You will feel devastated afterward, but I think that shows that the story has been successfully told, rather than it being worthy of a low rating.

Jodie’s rating: 7/10

Left Handed Kisses – Andrew Bird ft. Fiona Apple

I adore this song. It would be nothing without Fiona Apple though. She brings all the raw emotion to it.

Andrew: I don’t believe everything happens for a reason
Fiona: To us romantics out here, that amounts to high treason

What begins as an internal conflict of Andrew Bird’s, soon becomes a quarrel between lovers as Fiona Apple’s growling vocals retort. I think it’s about Andrew’s conflict over writing a love song – does he believe everything happens for a reason? Or is love logical?

It soon takes the role of two lovers having an argument.

I first thought the song was a bit all over the place in terms of melody. But the lyrics kept getting stuck in my head so I found myself replaying it over and over again. It’s Andrew’s pining voice and the melancholy of his violin against Fiona’s rough and emotional vocals that I love because it tells a story of disagreeing lovers.

I love the writing – all your left-handed kisses and backhanded love songs.

Fiona:
The point your song here misses
Is that if you really loved me
You’d risk more than a few 50 cent
Words in your backhanded love song

The bridge of the song shows that they are accepting that they’ve had an argument and are ready to move on. This comes after their vocals begin to harmonise and weave in and out of each other’s lines.

It could also be interpreted as Andrew deciding on how he feels about love.

Andrew: Now it’s time for a handsome little bookend
Fiona: Now it’s time to tie up all the loose ends
Andrew: Am I still a skeptic or did you make me a believer?

But I love how the final line is a threat from Fiona Apple. It echoes her very angry songs (that I love). She’s not to be messed with!

Fiona: If you hesitate, you’ll hear the click of the receiver

I recommend watching the live version – I think it shows off the emotion better.

Parental Guidance

Director: Andy Fickman
Writer: Lisa Addario and Joe Syracuse
Released: December 2012
Starring: Billy Crystal, Bette Midler, Marisa Tomei, Tom Everett, Scott Bailee, Madison Kyle, Harrison Breitkopf, Joshua Rush
—

Previously titled Us & Them, this is a whole-heartedly, all-American family film. Therefore, you will either laugh from beginning to end, or you won’t be able to avoid cringing at the cheese.

I personally enjoyed Parental Guidance – I could appreciate the family-fun.

It’s about grandparents Artie and Dianne (Billy Crystal and Bette Midler). Artie has just lost the job he loves because he’s too ‘old-school’ and not up to date with social media.

Drayton: We’re looking for guys who Tweet.
Artie: I’ll tweet, I make any kind of noise you want.

With him being in a depressed state, Dianne accepts their daughter’s plea for them to babysit their grandchildren at short notice. Dianne is keen to be more involved in her daughter’s and grandchildren’s lives, while Artie is preoccupied with chasing his dream to broadcast.

Diane: You know what we are? We’re the OTHER grandparents.
Artie: Well we can’t be all four.

Comedy ensues as they learn how they are to treat their grandchildren – they are never to say ‘no’, feed them sugar, or have winners and losers in sports games.

Eager to please, they try to help with their grandchildren’s problems – Harper’s (Bailee Madison) ‘high achievement syndrome’, Turner’s (Joshua Rush) stutter, and Barker’s (Kyle Harrison Breitkopf) imaginary kangaroo friend Carl.

Barker: You should’ve used your exit shoes.
Artie: My what?
Barker: Exit shoes, to walk away and not use a red voice.
Artie: And a red voice is…?
Barker: Super-mad sounding. You shouldn’t use it… That’s why you have a cool toolbox. It’s where you keep your cool blue voice, your exit shoes and your repair squares.
Artie: …All right, so I am taking a repair square out of my cool toolbox to say in my blue voice, that I am sorry.

But their more relaxed and traditional parenting techniques are not encouraged by their daughter Alice (Marisa Tomei).

Alice: For instance, where you would say “No”… we would say, “Consider the consequences.” Or where you would say, “Don’t”… we would say, “Maybe you should try this.” Or where you would say… “Quit your whining, you’re giving me a headache”… we would say, “Use your words.”

I personally found a lot of parts funny, mostly thanks to Billie Crystal’s sarcastic comments. But found the older grandchild Harper irritating because the actor overacted tremendously.

While not getting a brilliant reception, I think it’s a perfectly entertaining family film. No swearing, no offending, just an overly-sweet and cheesy movie!

Jodie’s rating: 6/10

You’ve Got Mail

Director: Nora Ephron
Writer: Nora Ephron and Delia Ephron
Released: December 1998
Starring: Tom Hanks, Meg Ryan, Parker Posey, Jean Stapleton, Dave Chappelle, Steve Zahn, Greg Kinnear
—

A classic 1990s rom-com! Featuring the mum and dad of 90s rom-coms – Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan.

It’s from the writer/director Nora Ephron – the brain behind When Harry Met Sally, the similar 90s story of Sleepless in Seattle, and Julie & Julia. (She must have really loved Meg Ryan – I wonder if Nora considered her for Julie & Julia because she has a striking resemblance to Amy Adams.)

You’ve Got Mail is the ultimate feel-good film. It’s everyone’s daydream; realising the love of your life has been in front of you the entire time. In this movie, Kathleen Kelly (Meg Ryan) owns a quaint book shop, until a giant book-selling conglomerate – owned by Joe Fox (Tom Hanks) – moves right up the road from her.

Kathleen: [writing to “NY152”] People are always telling you that change is a good thing. But all they’re really saying is that something you didn’t want to happen at all… has happened.

This threatens her family business, so Kathleen takes comfort in a stranger online – known as NY152 – whom she confides in. Developing feelings for the stranger, and vice versa, they decide to meet and you’ll never guess who NY152 turns out to be.

(Meanwhile, Kathleen is dating a complete arse (Greg Kinnear) who I absolutely adore hating.)

Kathleen: [in an email to “NY152”] The odd thing about this form of communication is that you’re more likely to talk about nothing than something. But I just want to say that all this nothing has meant more to me than so many somethings.

It’s got just the right amount of cheese for this outlandish twist of fate to be believable and enjoyable. It reminds me of Serendipity in that way.

I love the nonsense that Kathleen talks about. She really does have her head in a book even when she’s not reading:

Kathleen: [writing to “NY152”] Once I read a story about a butterfly in the subway, and today, I saw one! It got on at 42nd and off at 59th, where, I assume, it was going to Bloomingdales to buy a hat that will turn out to be a mistake, as almost all hats are.

It’s the perfect rainy Sunday watch. Its happiness and joy will make the sun come out in your life!

Jodie’s rating: 6/10

Kathleen: I love daisies.
Joe: You told me.
Kathleen: They’re so friendly. Don’t you think daisies are the friendliest flower?

I agree! ❤️

Which Actor Would Play You in a Movie?

Screen Shot 2018-06-21 at 16.08.49.png

With the possibility of my life being made into a movie one day (ha ha), I have prepared a casting list for my some of my family. (Just to help the producers out.)

Is this something everyone else thinks about in their spare time..?

The actors who will play me, my parents, brother and significant other must have some physical similarities to the actor portraying them, as well as having the ability to bring their characters to the screen believably.

Here are my decisions below. Please let me know in the comments section or on Facebook who you’d want to have play you!

ME
Most importantly, the protagonist: Me. Now, I have thought long and hard about this and I’ve decided on two options: Emily Blunt or Saoirse Ronan. Saoirse is my age and Emily has similar colouring to me, so I’d be happy with either.

celeb lookalike.png

MUM
My mum. As already discussed in a previous post, Dianne Wiest or Julie Walters would be my top choices.

celeb lookalike2.png

DAD
My dad. Back in the day, David Schwimmer would have fitted nicely. Today, while Mark Williams (who plays Mr. Weasley in the Harry Potter films) could be a good option, unfortunately they don’t look very similar. Alan Rickman was a solid contender – another Harry Potter actor – but he’s obviously permanently unavailable now. Michael Caine is too old now… Ah! Jerry Seinfeld. Yes. Jerry. 100%.

celeb lookalike3.png

BROTHER
My brother. He has a massive beard, which has influenced my decision significantly. Therefore, there was merely one option: Zach Galifianakis. Is he nearly twice my brother’s age? Yes. But prosthetics are a wonderful thing.
celeb lookalike4.png

SIGNIFICANT OTHER
My significant other. He would hate me to include a photo of him, but I can safely say that Ryan Gosling would be an accurate choice… If Ryan was a bit better-looking haaaaaa.

The Truman Show

Director: Peter Weir
Writer: Andrew Niccol
Released: June 1998
Starring: Jim Carrey, Laura Linney, Noah Emmerich, Natascha McElhone, Holland Taylor, Ed Harris
—

I don’t know how I have gone this long without reviewing this remarkable movie.

The Truman Show is about Truman (Jim Carrey) who lives a humble life in a suburban town with a solid job and a perfect wife. But he can’t stop thinking about a woman he fell in love with at university. He soon begins to reflect on his life and missed opportunities, before expressing his desire to travel.

Truman: And all the way around here… Fiji. You can’t get any further away before you start coming back.

We soon release that his world is a lie. He is the main character in a reality television program that films him 24/7. His wife (Laura Linney), his best friend (Noah Emmerich) – everyone around him are all actors and the town is a massive stage, which appears inescapable.

I love the innocence of Truman – who knew that Jim Carrey could be such a perfect casting choice. Apparently Robin Williams was considered, but Jim Carrey was keen to show his dramatic side.

The story is brilliant and it was executed so well. The Truman Show puts you on edge, it makes you laugh, it makes you despair, and it sticks with you well after watching it. Similar to The Matrix, you begin to look around and reflect on the sincerity of your environment.

Mike Michaelson [presenter]: Christof, let me ask you, why do you think that Truman has never come close to discovering the true nature of his world until now?
Christof (Ed Harris) [producer]: We accept the reality of the world with which we’re presented. It’s as simple as that.

The script is brilliant, and the details of the film are so well done that after the 10th watch, you will still see new things. Such as the people in the background wanting to get a good look at the ‘star’ of the show when they are supposed to be professional background artists. It’s funny when Truman unexpectedly interacts with them, because their improv skills are awful.

Bus Driver: [unable to get the ferry moving] I’m usually the bus driver!
Production Assistant: [into his radio] Bottom line is they can’t drive the boat. They’re actors!

I love how well thought-out this movie is. Especially how adverts and product placement is intertwined with the ‘everyday life’ of Truman.

Meryl (Truman’s wife): [holding up a jar of cocoa, slipping into advertising mode] Why don’t you let me fix you some of this Mococoa drink? All natural cocoa beans from the upper slopes of Mount Nicaragua. No artificial sweeteners.
Truman: [looking around] What the hell are you talking about? Who are you talking to?
Meryl: I’ve tasted other cocoas. This is the best.

I like the theme of fate, and certain perceived coincidences that dictate our lives. The producer (Ed Harris) of The Truman Show plays God with Truman – something that some people believe to be true in their own lives. That their lives are out of their control, and in the hands of a higher being.

In that respect, Truman trying to escape this controlled environment is like people moving away from religion or considering a life without God. It’s scary taking responsibility for their own decisions and fate, but you’re rewarded with freedom.

Within this theme, is how fear controls people – touching on the media and advertising. The producers of The Truman Show ensured that Truman grew up being scared of water so that he would never want to board a boat and realise the town is a set. As a child, he was discouraged to becoming an explorer so that he would never want to board a plane and leave. He grew up on air, trapped by fear in order for him to stay put, spend money and consume products.

Fantastic, philosophical, almost coming-of-age kind of film. I love, love, love this film.

Truman: In case I don’t see you… good afternoon, good evening, and good night.

Jodie’s rating: 8.5/10

Cloudbusting – Kate Bush

I am a huge Kate Bush fan, but Cloudbusting has to be my favourite song.

I just know that something good is going to happen
And I don’t know when
But just saying it could even make it happen

I never knew what the song was about until now. I thought it was like a pep-talk about good things being just around the corner.

In fact, Cloudbusting is about a real-life father-son duo in the 1950s who believed they had invented a machine, called a cloudbuster, to make it rain. This invention would result in crops being saved during a drought if successful.

But every time it rains
You’re here in my head
Like the sun coming out

However, the father became paranoid and began to get into trouble with the government after suspicions of his invention being phoney spread. He refused to go to court, and along with other reasons, he was arrested. (I think I’ve understood this correctly; it’s quite a complicated story.)

I can’t hide you
From the government
Oh, god, daddy
I won’t forget

Kate Bush’s song is from the point of view of the son who watches his beloved father getting taken away by the government.

You could see them coming
You looked too small
In their big, black car
To be a threat to the men in power

It’s such a haunting song because of the cello and the lyrics. But it’s equally uplifting, as she interprets the feeling of breaking new ground and the excitement of it.

Paul

Director: Greg Mottola
Writers: Simon Pegg, Nick Frost
Released: March 2011
Starring: Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Jason Bateman, Kristen Wiig, Bill Hader, Blythe Danner, John Carroll, Lynch Sigourney, Weaver Seth Rogen
—

From the director of Superbad, and the creators of Hot Fuzz and Shaun of the Dead, comes Paul.

A story about a laid-back alien called Paul (Seth Rogan) who is on the run from the government across the States before getting picked up by a couple of geeky tourists, Graeme (Simon Pegg) and Clive (Nick Frost). Graeme and Clive attended Comic-Con before travelling to various locations where UFOs have been sighted in an RV, until they get a closer encounter than they expected!

A concept that was thought-up on the set of Shaun of the Dead, but was not to be a part of the ‘Cornetto Trilogy’ with Edgar Wright. Looking into it, Pegg and Frost decided on an American director instead of their usual collaborator to keep an American tone.

Paul is a fun film, but can become a bit of a drag to watch because it feels like a never-ending chase without enough funny moments along the way to sustain your attention.

It’s an epic road trip film, which is entertaining enough with it being neither hilarious or a total write-off. Because of the writers’ previous epics – Hot Fuzz in particular – I was expecting a faster-paced script with cooler moments. But I guess the humour was tailored for an American audience.

Nevertheless, Pegg and Frost are brilliant writers and the casting was great. Seth Rogan was a good choice to be the voice of the CGI alien, whose attitude is severely laid-back, even in the most stressful of situations.

The cast is quite large for a relatively simple storyline, and I wonder how many of the characters were necessary.

Paul is essentially a love letter to the science-fiction genre, and Steven Spielberg in particular whose voice makes a guest appearance over the phone in one scene. So if you’re a science-fiction fan, you’ll probably enjoy this more than the Cornetto Trilogy fans would.

Jodie’s rating: 5/10

Top 20: Best Mums in Movies

I was thinking about the actresses who always get cast as the motherly characters in movies, and the same names kept coming up. So I decided to put together a list of the best mum characters in the movies and the eight actresses who play them.

(I probably should have done this around Mother’s Day but I forgot.)

Dianne Wiest

“Why are you hiding back there? You don’t have to hide from me – I’m Peg Boggs, your local Avon representative and I’m as harmless as cherry pie…” – Peg Boggs
Dianne Wiest has been cast as the mother in Edward Scissorhands, the Avon Lady named Peg who takes Edward Scissorhands in and looks after him. She is encouraging and positive.

“Phew. You smell like garlic.” – Lucy Emerson
She’s also Lucy in vampire movie The Lost Boys, where she is not only the mother to her two boys, but is also good friends with them.

“Yeah. He’s a good man. Ooh, he’s got a gift. Comes from heaven above, I swear… But he’s still just a man.” – Dianne Booker
Finally, she plays a mum in The Horse Whisperer. Dianne is a farmer’s wife and is highly family-orientated. She doesn’t beat around the bush and says it as it is.

Julie Walters

“So young and so pedantic… One glass. You can tell God I forced you.” – Dame Eve
Julie Walters has played a motherly role in Driving Lessons as the ‘mentor’ of sorts named Evie. She is blunt and protective with a brilliant sense of humour.

“Not my daughter, you bitch!” – Mrs. Molly Weasley
Walters also played the protective Mrs. Weasley in the Harry Potter series, she’s equally fierce and strict as she is warm and loving.

Toni Collette

“That’s a long time to be ‘nowhere’.” – Pam
Toni Collette is a personal favourite of mine – she just seems so lovely. She plays the quiet and unsure mother in The Way, Way Back named Pam who learns to listen to her son and put him first. I love the final scene in that film.

“Look at my face; I was not thinking anything bad about you.” –Lynn Sear
She’s also the mother called Lynn in The Sixth Sense. After losing her mum she is in a vulnerable place while trying to work out what is bothering her son.

“For better or for worse, we are your family.” – Sheryl Hoover
My absolute favourite of Collette’s is Sheryl in Little Miss Sunshine. She is struggling to keep the family together, but stays strong and selfless in the toughest of circumstances.

Allison Janney

“Courage sometimes skips a generation. Thank you for bringing it back to our family.” – Charlotte Phelan
Allison Janney surprisingly doesn’t have any children in real life, but she can play the warmest and trusting of characters on screen. Janney plays the mother, Charlotte, in The Help who struggles to stand up for what is right, but encourages her daughter to do so.

“Off the wagon again!” –Betty Thompson
She is certainly not the best mother in The Way, Way Back called Betty. She drinks and swears and isn’t the kindest to her children. But ultimately, she’s whacky and hilarious.

“Well, I’m a nail technician and I think we both ought to just stick to what we know.” –Bren MacGuff
Janney plays Bren in Juno, who is possibly the best step-mum in the movies. She supports her 16-year-old step-daughter who reveals she’s pregnant and gets right on to making a plan with her.

Melissa McCarthy

“What kind of man takes a kid to a bar and a racetrack?” –Maggie Bronstein
Melissa McCarthy plays is a brilliantly hard-working mum called Maggie in St. Vincent. Struggling to make ends-meet she does a great job of raising her son, and makes fun of difficult situations. Particularly where Bill Murray’s character is concerned.

“They’re just looking at my smock, it tends to catch the light.” –Deanna
Her most recent is Life of the Party. Oh my goodness what a cool mum character. Deanna wants to feed every one and give solid advice to everyone. She’s widely accepted when she goes back to university and is looked up to by the younger students.

Sandra Bullock

“What it means, is, is that, we want to know if you would like to become part of this family.” –Leigh Anne
Sandra Bullock’s character Leigh Anne in The Blind Side makes me cry even though I’ve only seen the trailer and not the movie. But it shows a generous and honest motherly character, despite the very cringe storyline.

Ryan Stone.jpg “I have a bad feeling about this mission”. – Ryan Stone
Bullock is also a mother in Gravity called Ryan, where it takes everything in her being to come to terms with the sudden death of her daughter. As an astronaut, the lack of gravity represents her lack of control over the tragedy and her feeling of not feeling ‘down-to-earth’ or ‘grounded’ anymore. So sad.

Juliette Binoche

“Well, it’s not cinnamon, it’s a special kind of chili pepper… Mm-hm. It’ll give you a lift.” –Vianne Rocher
Juliette Binoche plays Vianne in Chocolat. She’s possibly the most fashionable and understanding mother in the movie world. Vianne travels around France helping people mend their psychological distress with chocolate. She lost her beloved mother and feels obliged to follow her tradition of moving with the north wind with her restless young daughter in tow.

Emily Blunt
While she doesn’t have the same vibe as the others on this list, I think Emily Blunt will become the go-to mother figure of future films.

“I have shot and buried three vagrants in the past year! So I don’t care what hobo sob story you’ve got. I get a dozen a week, pal. It cuts no cash for me.” – Sara
Blunt plays a single mother called Sara in Looper. She becomes aware early on that her son, Cid, has particular strong powers whereby he can manipulate objects. However, he uses his powers for evil in the future so Bruce Willis’s character comes from the future to kill Sara’s son. Sara is extremely protective and is well prepared for anyone threatening Cid.

“I need that shoe to have a child.” – The Baker’s Wife
Into the Woods is a musical with a medley of fairytale characters thrown together in the same film. Emily Blunt’s character is the Baker’s wife and she can only have a child if she finds a slipper as pure as gold. I personally think it’s a load of poppycock. But Blunt plays the part of an aspiring mother well.

“Who are we if we can’t protect them? We have to protect them.” –Evelyn Abbott
A Quiet Place is one of Emily Blunt’s most recent films where she plays Evelyn Abbott, a mother who is protecting her children in the most unforgiving of environments. No one can make a sound because the monsters hunt via sound and they will find you and kill you. She does everything in her power to protect her children and teach them how to survive. I love how she can still make her children laugh though (in a quiet way).

“Mary Poppins, it is wonderful to see you!” – Micheal Banks
“Yes, it is, isn’t it?” –Mary Poppins
Mary Poppins Returns is coming soon, and it stars Emily Blunt as the leading role. Mary Poppins is the idealistic mother figure, even though she’s a nanny rather than a mum. But she’s dependable and fun for sure. It comes out in December 2018 so I’m excited to see how well Blunt does.

While my mum doesn’t act in movies, I would like to say that she is the best mum who could be portrayed by any of the above actors… Particularly Dianne Wiest or maybe Julie Walters…

Top 10: Highest-Grossing Films of 1993

Well. It’s official. As of June 20, I turn 25 years old and I’m experiencing what can only be referred to as a quarter-life crisis. So I have found comfort and inspiration in successful 25 year old films.

Here’s a list of the highest-grossing ones that were released in 1993:

Jurassic Park
$914,691,118 (worldwide gross)
June 1993
—
With special effects unlike anything seen before (at the time of release), Jurassic Park took the cake by a mile – look how much they made! These dinosaurs recently made a return to the big screen for the fifth time with Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom. Just goes to show how obsessed we are with the franchise – even 25 years later.

Mrs. Doubtfire
$441,286,195
November 1993
—
A family-friendly film that still lives on today. A Robin Williams classic, with Forrest Gump’s mother and little Matilda featured too. Mrs. Doubtfire recently made my Top 10 Best Dads in Film list, so it’s certainly a film that we still think about today. I imagine there are a lot of people who reminisce fondly about this movie.

The Fugitive
$368,875,760
August 1993
—
I do believe I have seen this before; my dad probably owns a copy. Got to love Harrison Ford! What a guy. A classic suspenseful action about a fugitive and his journey to remain hidden while figuring out a way to prove his innocence.

Schindler’s List
$321,306,305
December 1993
—
We studied this film in Media Studies class at high school, so even though I’ve seen it a thousand times I’m afraid I can’t say I remember a huge amount of it. But I know it’s an iconic film that wasn’t exactly a barrel of laughs. I appreciate it’s an important film about a particular person in the holocaust, but I’d like to never watch it again please and thank you. It’s just too realistic and too heavy.

The Firm
$270,248,367
June 1993
—
I have never seen The Firm before, but I’d never pass up a Tom Cruise thriller! It’s about a high-flying lawyer who begins to uncover murders in the company he works for. It seems his salary is being paid by criminals, and he might be the next to die if he doesn’t fall in line.

Indecent Proposal
$266,614,059
April 1993
—
Demi Moore’s character is married to Woody Harrelson’s character, but Robert Redford’s character offers them a million dollars in exchange for sleeping with Demi Moore’s character… Bit raunchy isn’t it?

Cliffhanger
$255,000,211
May 1993
—
A heist gone wrong results in various people scouring a snowy mountain range in search for the cash. The trailer didn’t do a lot for me, but it’s an action/adventure film that may peek the interests of some.

Sleepless in Seattle
$227,799,884
June 1993
—
This is my kind of film! Although, I forever get this mixed up with You’ve Got Mail, which also stars Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks – and is also about falling in love with a total stranger. Nevertheless, it’s one of those heartwarming 90s rom-coms that is easy to watch.

Philadelphia
$206,678,440
December 1993
—
Another Hanks film, and one I’ve seen too. It’s about a lawyer who is fired from a very successful position because he is a homosexual diagnosed with AIDs. He hires an excellent lawyer (Denzel Washington) to take his employers to court. I remember being disappointed because I was expecting more lively courtroom scenes like in A Few Good Men. It had the potential to be heart-racing, but lacked smart courtroom tactics and intensity.

The Pelican Brief
$195,268,056
December 1993
—
Another personal favourite of mine – we studied this film relentlessly at high school. It’s cleverly made, featuring Denzel Washington, an investigative journalist, and Julia Roberts, a law student who is being targeted for digging too deep into a case that powerful people want buried. If you can stay tuned into the slower pace of 90s thrillers, you’ll find it’s a brilliant film with lots of twists.

—

I guess 1993 was big on legal thrillers – we’ve got three films that feature a lawyer as the main character! (Although, two of those are based on John Grisham novels.) Tom Hanks and Denzel Washington were popular actors this year, who are still going strong today.

I am relieved to see that 25 year old things are still cool today. I hope to take a page out of these quarter-century-old films and also be successful and make a ton of dough.

Top 10: Best Dads in Movies

Happy Father’s Day to the UK and USA readers!

In celebration of all the dads out there, here is a post about the best father characters on the big screen.

Keep an eye-out for a post about the best mums in movies too.

“Yeah sure you have – your old D-A-D! You know I’ll always be there to love you and support you no matter what kind of pickle you’re in… Obviously.” –Mac MacGuff
Mac is played by JK Simmons in Juno. He is the epitome of a calm and supportive dad, especially since his 16-year-old daughter just told him she’s pregnant. He goes with her to meet the adoptive parents and remains level-headed.

“I admire that honesty, Natalie, that’s a noble quality. Never lose that, because it often disappears with age, or entering politics.” –Daniel Hillard/Mrs. Doubtfire
Daniel Hillard/Mrs. Doubtfire is of course played by the brilliant Robin Williams in the comedy Mrs. Doubtfire. After Daniel and his wife begin the divorce proceedings, he finds that he isn’t seeing his three young children enough, so he disguises himself as an older woman named Mrs. Doubtfire who is hired to be the children’s nanny. Just goes to show how far this father will go to see his kids.
Chris Gardner.jpg “Hey. Don’t ever let somebody tell you… You can’t do something. Not even me. All right?” –Chris Gardner
Based on a true story, Chris (Will Smith) in the movie The Pursuit of Happyness is down on his luck. He loses everything, but he works hard in order to get his life back on track for his young son. He makes sure that despite his downfall, he keeps his son happy and inspired.
“Probably just as well. He would have told it wrong anyway. All the facts and none of the flavour.” –Ed Bloom
Ed (Albert Finney) in Big Fish is the the storytelling father who is philosophical and entertaining with a fantastic sense of humour. He’s been everywhere and done everything, with everyone admiring him along the way. His son, however, doesn’t appreciate his anecdotes and goes on a journey to discover the truth behind the tales.

“I used to think a wedding was a simple affair. Boy and girl meet, they fall in love, he buys a ring, she buys a dress, they say I do. I was wrong.” –George Banks
George (Steve Martin) is the Father of the Bride, and he shells out a lot of money to ensure his daughter has the perfect wedding. While I’ve written about the controversy of this film before (George was manipulated by his daughter in my opinion), it does show the love George has for his daughter; he’d do anything for her and doesn’t expect anything in return.

“Now Harry, you must know all about muggles. Tell me, what exactly is the function of a rubber duck?” –Arthur Weasley
Arthur Weasley is played by Mark Williams in the Harry Potter films. He and his on-screen wife Molly Weasley are often referred to as the perfect parents. They’re fierce, protective but inclusive, warm and family orientated too. Arthur is the more laid back one out of the pair, and is completely fascinated by everything muggle-related.

“I love you. I’ve always loved you.” –Lee Abbott
A recent ‘dad-goals’ father figure on the big screen is Lee (John Krasinski) in A Quiet Place. In a more basic ‘survival of the fittest’ kind of world, he sacrifices a lot to protect his children. He teaches his son to be brave by day, and works hard on a device to improve his deaf daughter’s hearing by night.

“If you let my daughter go now, that’ll be the end of it. I will not look for you, I will not pursue you. But if you don’t: I will look for you. I will find you. And I will kill you.” –Bryan Mills
While it is comedic that Bryan Mills (Liam Neeson) has had the worst luck over the years with multiple Taken films, you can’t deny his bravery and perseverance to find his daughter.

good will hunting robin williams.jpg “You’re not perfect, sport, and let me save you the suspense: this girl you’ve met, she’s not perfect either. But the question is whether or not you’re perfect for each other.” – Sean
While Robin Williams’s character Sean is Will Hunting’s psychologist rather than his dad in Good Will Hunting, you can’t deny that in the absence of Hunting’s father, Sean makes a darn father figure in his place. He listens, he’s patient and he’s loyal.

“Is everything all right? It sounds like you’re having sex in here, which I know can’t be true due to the fact that you have a homosexual boyfriend.” –Dill
Dill is the father to Emma Stone’s character who is played by the amazing Stanely Tucci in the film Easy A. It is one of my favourite films, and Tucci’s remarkably understanding and laid-back character is brilliant.

While my dad isn’t in the movies, he is the best dad in real life. Happy Father’s Day, Cage!

Ocean’s Eleven

Director: Steven Soderbergh
Writer: Ted Griffin (screenplay), George C. Johnson and Jack Golden Russell (story)
Released: December 2001
Starring: George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Andy García, Julia Roberts
—

After hearing about Ocean’s Eight coming out, I decided it was time to watch the first instalment.

Actually, Ocean’s Eleven is a remake of a 1960s movie called Ocean’s 11 (number instead of word) featuring Frank Sinatra as the protagonist. I had no clue!

Ocean’s Eleven is a fun, shallow film about a star-studded cast who rob a casino. Why? Because Danny Ocean (George Clooney) has just got out of prison and doesn’t accept that his ex-wife (Julia Roberts) has moved on with a wealthy casino-owner.

oceaneleven2

Hence why him and his former colleagues rob the casino, in order to try and win Danny’s wife back. How romantic.

It’s harmless fun, really, which is what the director wanted; enjoyment without embarrassment or cheese. It looks like everyone on set had a good time – and apparently their chemistry is all completely genuine! They hung out together, played pranks on Julia Roberts and even gambled together outside of shooting.

This is a short review because although I enjoyed it, I was hoping for a bit more comradery, a bit more comedy and more deep-and-meaningful moments. To be honest, I was expecting The Parole Officer featuring cool Hollywood superstars.

Oh, and Don Cheadle as Basher was a terrible choice; his English accent was cringe-worthy. Otherwise, they should have just allowed him to be American! (Apparently Ewen McGregor was considered for his part initially.)

It’s a classic and I enjoyed it for what it was, but maybe it’s simply more of a man’s man film.

Jodie’s rating: 6/10

War of the Worlds

Director: Steven Spielberg
Writer: Josh Friedman, David Koepp (screenplay), H.G. Wells (story)
Released: June 2005
Starring: Tom Cruise, Dakota Fanning, Justin Chatwin, Miranda Otto, Tim Robbins
—

Firstly, ‘yes’ I am a massive fan of War of the Worlds. I studied film at high school and university, where H.G. Wells’s original story The War of the Worlds and the 1953 film of the same name were frequently picked apart.

Also, one of my favourite childhood memories is going to see Jeff Wayne’s War of the Worlds musical in Auckland during 2007.

I had always been obsessed with Jeff Wayne’s 1970s musical interpretation of the story. I listened to his soundtrack on repeat before I went to bed most nights as a teenager, as did my father before me. It’s a masterpiece and it can not be improved upon.

Therefore, for the first time ever, I was disappointed to hear Morgan Freeman’s narration on Spielberg’s film version. In my mind, it was an insult to change Richard Burton’s spoken word on Jeff Wayne’s soundtrack.

Nevertheless, I definitely love this film interpretation despite it not reflecting the musical masterpiece that came before it.

It is a sci-fi horror about Ray (Tom Cruise) and his two children Rachel (Dakota Fanning) and Robbie (Justin Chatwin) trying to escape the alien invasion. The aliens are relentless and terrifying as they displace millions of people.

There’s no where to run, there’s no where to hide and there’s no way to kill the aliens and their machines.

Horrifying!

Ray soon finds a safe haven with a man named Harlan who takes them in. But Harlan begins to lose his cool and Ray realises that with the pressure on, it’s survival of the fittest – the aliens are no longer the only danger.

Steven Spielberg aced the art of suspense, but so has Tom Cruise and Dakota Fanning – they are both incredibly talented no matter what you think about them on a personal level. They’ve done well to capture the essence of our most primal fears and created a blockbuster film out of it.

Although, Tom Cruise and Steven Spielberg do turn this global disaster into a very American hero, nuclear family sort of story. I think it would have been a little more raw and real if it was English-made. Or maybe I’m just being too patriotic.

To me, this film is a classic in many ways. I can see the essence of Signs in this retelling of War of the Worlds, and I have seen War of the Worlds echoing in many sci-fi invasion films since.

Jodie’s rating: 7/10

Signs

Director: M. Night Shyamalan
Writer: M. Night Shyamalan
Released: August 2002
Starring: Mel Gibson, Joaquin Phoenix, Rory Culkin, Abigail Breslin
—

What a shame.

I love The Sixth Sense. I love The Village. I love Split. Unbreakable was pretty cool. But how has Signs not kept up with the Shyamalan grade?

I love a good sci-fi thriller as much as the next person, but this had all the potential and none of the thrills.

It’s about Father Graham Hess (Mel Gibson – I guess Bruce Willis was sick that day) who has lost faith in God after his wife was killed by a driver, Ray (M. Night Shyamalan), who fell asleep at the wheel. If he had fallen asleep and veered off the road at literally any other point during his journey, then Graham’s wife would still be alive. This fact haunts both Graham and Ray.

Ray: I’ve never fallen asleep while driving before. It had to be at that right moment. That 10-15 seconds when I passed her walking. It’s like it was meant to be.

This theme of fate and destiny plays a large part in this film.

Graham: People break down into two groups. When they experience something lucky, group number one sees it as more than luck, more than coincidence. They see it as a sign, evidence, that there is someone up there, watching out for them. Group number two sees it as just pure luck. Just a happy turn of chance…

Meanwhile, what is supposed to be the main plot point takes a back seat thanks to all the internal conflict: Graham has bloody great big crop circles appearing on his land. Then, unidentified intruders begin to appear on his property.

His younger brother Merrill (Joaquin Phoenix) and Graham’s two children Bo (Abigail Breslin) and Morgan (Rory Culkin – Haley Joel Osment must not have been available) hide in the basement when the aliens begin to attack.

Now I see what helped inspire the Tom Cruise film War of the Worlds. Especially with the whole single dad and smart-ass children thing going on. Cruise’s character is even call Ray in War of the Worlds – just like Shyamalan’s character in this movie!

Unfortunately, the Morgan character was such a little know-it-all that he’d basically tell the audience exactly what was going to happen, just before it happened. So by the time the aliens did invade, you already knew what they’d do and why anyway.

In addition to his over-shares, was that we are shown the aliens in broad daylight – big mistake. It’s far more scary when you don’t know what the monsters look like.

If that wasn’t enough, the lack of music did not work in the film’s favour at all. Isn’t that rule number one of filmmaking? It’s the music that sets the mood, but the lack of if in vital scenes during this film meant that there were many points where it fell flat instead of making you jump.

Bo: There’s a monster outside my room, can I have a glass of water?

Very flat. To the point where the story of alien invasion ground to a halt while Graham reflected on his faith and internalised emotional conflict.

The story was trying to be more complex and more philosophical than it needs to be, with jarringly comedic dialogue to snap you out of any suspense that may have been growing. It drags the film to a crawl and you no longer feel afraid – which, I’m certain was the opposite effect they were going for.

Graham: Everybody in this family needs to just calm down and eat some fruit or something.

There were too many monologues and too many over-layered scenes for me to really get stuck in.

I’m so disappointed because I can see this story had so much potential, I just think it was executed in the wrong way. Which is doubly-disappointing because the genius M. Night Shyamalan is behind it all.

What happened?

Jodie’s rating: 3/10

Cloverfield

Director: Matt Reeves
Writer: Drew Goddard
Released: January 2008
Starring: Lizzy Caplan, Jessica Lucas, T.J. Miller, Michael Stahl-David, Mike Vogel, Odette Yustman
—

Cloverfield is basically The Blair Witch Project but set during an apocalypse in a city, rather than a witch hunt in the woods. I thought it would be an easy watch, and perhaps even a good film as I’ve always heard it being referenced to.

(Not to be confused with 10 Cloverfield Lane, which is the second instalment.)

But it was not entertaining, exciting or scary. I was hanging on by a shoestring the whole time I was watching it, holding on to the possibility that it might get better. But then it ended.

I felt incredibly deflated. But kudos for keeping me hooked just enough for me not to turn the film off.

Basically, a guy called Rob (Michael Stahl-David) is leaving America and going to Japan and all his friends and work colleagues throw him a surprise party. Rob’s camera is given to a friend called Hudson (T.J. Miller) who is in charge of filming the party and testimonials. One woman, Beth (Odette Yustman) , speaks to camera and it’s revealed that she is the ex-girlfriend who is clearly still in love with Rob. Rob feels the same way, shown by the regret he expresses when she leaves the party – just before the lights go out in the city.

Suddenly, buildings are falling and everyone scatters into the city streets. Hudson is still filming everything and he sticks close to Rob who is hell-bent on finding Beth, who he decides is the love of his life. In the distance a large shadow can be seen – a monster who is smashing up the street.

It reminded me of Godzilla meets War of the Worlds in that respect. But a far more simplified and cheesy version.

I appreciate there are many qualities in this film that would make it ideal to study at school: A small group of characters on a quest despite the uphill struggle and imminent danger posed by a monster. Simple film techniques and good use of sound effects in the place of music. It’s a relatable environment, and the storyline plays on our fears.

But quite frankly, it was boring. Without giving away too much, the open-ending was incredibly unsatisfying and way too many of the core characters get killed off, which is a let-down because most films need a hero in order for the audience to feel content at the end.

I would say it was a brilliant, if not predictable, film if you told me it was made by a group of self-funded film school students. But surprisingly, Paramount Pictures is behind this.

All in all, you’ll find yourself scoffing and eye-rolling rather than watching through sweaty fingers at the end of your seat.

Jodie’s rating: 4/10

Maleficent

Director: Robert Stromberg
Writer: Linda Woolverton (screenplay), Charles Perrault and Disney (story and characters)
Released: May 2014
Starring: Angelina Jolie, Sharlto Copley, Elle Fanning, Sam Riley, Imelda Staunton, Juno Temple, Lesley Manville
—

I had disregarded Maleficent as a boring and unnecessary retelling of a well-known fairytale. But I asked around and heard such positive reviews about it, so I decided to give it a chance especially because Sleeping Beauty is one of my favourites and Maleficent is about the ‘baddie’ of that tale.

Maleficent (Angelina Jolie) is a powerful fairy who lives in a land adjacent to a town. One day, she meets a human man called Stefan (Michael Higgins (child), Jackson Bews (teen)) and they fall in love. Unfortunately, they drift apart because Stefan is all like, ‘I want power, money and control; I’m going get a job in our local castle’. But she’s like, ‘oh no, I’m heartbroken’.

Years later, Stefan returns to Maleficent’s land as an adult (Sharlto Copley). He pretends to be in love with her still, but actually he’s their at the request of the king to kill Maleficent in order to govern her fairy land. Stefan doesn’t have the heart to kill her, but he does burn her wings off.

She’s pissed about this.

So she enlists the help of a crow (Sam Riley) to watch the castle as Stefan eventually becomes king, gets married and has his first child: Aurora. And the rest is history.

What I love is that Maleficent turns into a jealousy-fuelled, hardened bitch, just like any human would if they were heartbroken. I love this about her character; it’s quite comical. It reminds me of the resentment carried by Charlize Theron in Young Adult.

This story is full of feminist themes and ‘girl-power’ – specifically the part where the spell is no longer broken by a handsome prince’s kiss (very similar to Frozen actually). While I get that Disney is trying to move with the times, I would like to make it clear that as a woman I would not be offended by a princess falling in love with a handsome man and living happily ever after.

In addition to this, while I’m happy for films to have feminist themes, I don’t think that should necessarily mean that men in the story should be demonised as a result. Not only is King Stefan’s actions the sole reason behind Maleficent’s curse, but the handsome Prince Phillip (Brenton Thwaites) is powerless in this version of the story.

Prince Phillip: I’m looking for a girl.
Maleficent: Of course you are.

Nevertheless, I appreciate this is a retelling of Sleeping Beauty from the perspective of the enemy. Which, is an inspiring tale – there really are two sides to every story.

The film looks very much like a stage show with unrealistic landscapes, which I personally didn’t like because I couldn’t lose myself in the story.

But the casting was well done. Angelina Jolie’s cheekbones were the star of the show, and her portrayal of a vengeful woman was brilliant, even funny at times.

[Maleficent is magically healing damaged trees in the woods]
Aurora: Hello.
[Maleficent turns around to see a smiling toddler Aurora]
Maleficent: Go away.
[Aurora walks closer to Maleficent]
Maleficent: Go. Go away.
[Aurora hugs Maleficent]
Maleficent: I don’t like children.

Sharlto Copley is still playing the most terrifying characters in film. And, Aurora (Elle Fanning) was annoyingly perfect, but the three fairy godmothers did bestow her with permanent happiness and beauty, so I guess that’s not the actor’s fault for having zero emotion.

I love the idea of having the story told from the baddie’s point-of-view. I hope to see more fairytales told in this way. I’m looking forward to Cruella de Vil actually. It’s in pre-production and stars Emma Stone as the famous villain.

But overall, I found the fake environment difficult to accept, and the large step away from the traditional storyline was a bit disappointing… I’m still in love with the love story of the 1959 Sleeping Beauty.

Also, the horses didn’t play a large enough role for my liking.

Let’s keep an eye-out for Maleficent 2 though! It’s currently being filmed.

Jodie’s rating: 4/10

Sex and the City 1 & 2

sex and the city.jpg

Director: Michael Patrick King
Writer: Michael Patrick King (screenplay), Candace Bushnell (story/characters)
Released: May 2008, May 2010
Starring: Sarah Jessica Parker, Kim Cattrall, Kristin Davis, Cynthia Nixon
—

Sex and the City has recently celebrated its 20th anniversary since the TV series of the same name was aired. Coincidently, I watched the Sex and the City movies for the first time ever merely a week ago (and have only just learnt it was based on a book and a TV series!).

Basically, I had to see what all the fuss was about. I always hear references to it, but was never entirely sure what it was about so I watched both movies in one sitting. (While drinking wine and eating vegan fish fingers.)

The reason why I’m combining the reviews of Sex and the City and Sex and the City 2 is because I found them to be very similar stories, with neither one more enjoyable than the other.

These films are all about the characters: Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker), Samantha Jones (Kim Cattrall), Charlotte York Goldenblatt (Kristin Davis) and Miranda Hobbes (Cynthia Nixon). Therefore, your first task is to pick your favourite.

sex and the city2.jpg Mine is Charlotte because she’s happy in her relationship, has a solid family around her, she tends to worry a lot, and I love how elegantly she dresses. So I found her the most relatable and aspirational. She is also a very sensible person who ‘mothers’ the rest.

sex and the city3.jpg Carrie is a lot of people’s favourite as she has an on-again, off-again relationship and is stumbling through her love life not knowing which way is up. While many would find this scandalous and entertaining, I found her storyline with her long-term partner, Big (Chris Noth) (I don’t want to know why everyone calls him Big), irritating. I feel like she requires a good, hard slap to snap her out of her dizzy, juvenile daydream.

sex and the city4.jpg Samantha is the eldest and is pretty much a sex addict, so even though her storyline is hot and happening with lots of young, fit men, she was a tad too brash and screechy when she spoke for my liking.

sex and the city5.jpg Miranda has an unfortunate haircut. She’s also very pale and sinewy. I don’t like it. I think Nicole Kidman or Marcia Cross would have been better casting choices. (In fact, was Nicole Kidman’s character in Big Little Lies based on Miranda?)

The first film is about the girls going to Mexico after Carrie’s fiance, Big, ditches her at the alter. The honeymoon to Mexico was already booked, so they all jump a plane to enjoy it and to recover from heartbreak.

The second film is about the girls’ trip to Dubai. Samantha gets a free-of-charge, all-inclusive luxurious getaway for them all, but things start turning sour when Carrie bumps into an ex-boyfriend in the markets of Dubai – then kisses him! Even though she has a man back home. Bitch.

sex and the city6.jpg

Sex and the City is the film that excuses you from your sad, poor-person life and gives you a doorway to the life of luxury. It’s an escape into a world that is filled with money, men, scandals and branded bags.

I was personally expecting more scandal and more bitchiness; I think the movies could have done better to live up to their reputation. But it was okay. They’re movies are about extravagance and glamour, so I enjoyed them for what they were.

While there are rumours for a third instalment, I’m not convinced this will happen. Partially due to the apparent ‘feud’ between Sarah Jessica Parker and Kim Cattrall.

Jodie’s ratings: 4.5/10

One Hot Summer – Kat French

Writer: Kat French
Genre: Romance
Released: 2016
Blurb: Alice McBride’s husband Brad is super famous, totally gorgeous… and having an affair with his co-star. And now it’s splashed across all the newspapers. After kicking Brad out, Alice decides to rent out her beloved home for the summer, but the last person she expects to arrive at Borne Manor is a sexy cowboy called Robinson. Country music star Robinson has had his own share of heartache, and he’s come to Borne Manor to escape from it all. Neither Alice nor Robinson are looking for romance, but the spark between them can’t be ignored. Could a holiday romance help heal their broken hearts? And what will happen when their long hot summer together comes to an end?

—
I’m no longer ashamed! I will read the books I enjoy, and I enjoy a cheesey romance.

I haven’t heard of Kat French before, but the gist of the theme sort of reminded me of Nora Roberts’ books (of which I’ve read one: The MacGregor Brides – review coming soon!).

I love how this book is set in an old English village. Alice lives in a manor and her best friends live in the smaller dwellings that she owns next door. It’s the perfect life.

But straight off the bat we are in the depths of a scandal! Alice is staring at her husband’s pictures splashed over the front pages of the newspapers: he’s banging his super hot co-star, and this is how Alice finds out.

Now, I was hoping she would live out everyone’s fantasy of slamming doors and throwing frozen Mars Bars at the unfaithful man’s head, but I guess this book is realistic in that way. Alice, in a state of shock, calmly shows him the door despite his pleading.

Her best friends are eccentric and quite funny, who help Alice get back on her feet. They are unrealistically supportive and attentive, but having such close friends who would jump in front of a bus for you is a warm and cozy idea to flirt with in this book.

Due to money issues, Alice has to rent the manor out while she stays in an old RV in the garden, and guess who becomes her tenant… A gentlemanly King of Leon-esk country singer named Robinson. He’s a brilliantly talented musician with a sultry southern accent, chiselled features, rock-hard abs and he love kids and animals. He too is nursing a broken heart, so what could possibly happen when a beautiful single man moves into the beautiful house of a beautiful single woman?

Apart from the fact that it includes a horse, my favourite thing about this book is that nothing really bad happens. It’s just a nice story about falling in love and the bumps along the way. It is such an easy read.

While I am usually up for a MASSIVE scandal with lots of heartbreak and backstabbing and bitchiness, sometimes it’s good to kick the summer off with a sizzling hot romance – no strings attached, no negativity.

It’s hard to not feel happy reading this book. It’s the perfect pick-me-up.

Jodie’s rating: 7/10