Editor’s Pick – Page 3

The Way Way Back

The Way Way Back is a funny, feel-good film, similar to Little Miss Sunshine and Juno. It’s an uplifting tale about Duncan (Liam James) who has to endure a summer with his mum Pam (Toni Collette) and her new boyfriend Trent (Steve Carell).

Struggling to withstand Trent’s subtle bullying, Duncan goes out as often as possible. He soon gets a secret job at the local pool, where he gains a lot more confidence and gets a good reputation.

Toni Collette, Steve Carell

It is extremely well cast. Carell does a fantastically accurate job of being a total a-hole. Collette, just like in Little Miss Sunshine, plays the warm mother figure convincingly. She is a fantastic actress. The main character, Duncan is aloof but certainly not played as an emotionless character, which I think should be applauded.

THE WAY, WAY BACK

My favourite character is laid-back Owen (Sam Rockwell), Duncan’s boss at the local pool. He’s a hilarious character who balances the heavy situations out with a lighter perspectives.

The storyline shows how every character is being manipulated somehow. The Way Way Back has the humanity of Little Miss Sunshine, and the devastation of The Perks of Being a Wallflower.

THE WAY, WAY BACK

It’s a blend of sadness and comedy, which I love. It’s definitely worth a watch!

Jodie’s rating: 8/10

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty

Director: Ben Stiller
Writer: Steve Conrad. Based on The Secret Life of Walter Mitty by James Thurber
Released: January 2014
Featuring: Ben Stiller, Kristen Wiig, Shirley MacLaine, Adam Scott, Kathryn Hahn and Sean Penn
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An inspirational fable to say the least. I have been waiting for a movie like this for a long time.

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

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

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

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

Ben Stiller not only produced and played the lead, but he directed it too. I have a new-found respect for this man. I have fished him out of the pile of cheap laughs in comedies with Owen Wilson or Adam Sandler. He is way up there with respected artists and creatives. Absolutely incredible.

The shots are beautifully framed and the locations are simply breath-taking.

Iceland has been on the top of my travel list for a few years now, so the fact that this movie is mostly based in Iceland just gives me warm and fuzzies. No other location could offer this film with a better foundation. What an exceptional choice.

The characters are real. The acting and casting is superb. Kristen Wiig, Ben Stiller, Sean Penn, Patton Oswalt, Adrian Martinez… Holy beans. This cast is gorgeous.

I can’t think of another movie that put me in these situations and locations first hand. I feel like I experienced the courage Walter experiences, and how he felt when he is embarrassed or intimidated. I don’t know how they did it.

I suppose it is the genuine dialogue, the seamless transitions between scenes and the emotional and realistic reactions. Genius.

Now. The music. The soundtrack and the use of music for the scenes is simply a HUGE part of The Secret Life of Walter Mitty. Jose Gonzalez and Of Monsters and Men in particular had songs that complimented the film perfectly.

My favourite scene is the montage of Walter Mitty going through the mountains to the song ‘Lake Michigan’ by Rogue Wave. The music is more than icing on the cake… This is the flour IN the cake; it is so essential and so well mastered.

House on fire leave it all behind you,

Darkest night let the lightning guide you

– Step Out by Jose Gonzalez

I won’t lie to you; I did have a fat cry. But I shan’t be ashamed! This film just gave me chills, and the songs moved me. I blubbered like a baby. Deal with it.

New Zealand’s TV3 movie reviewer, Kate Rogers, gave this film a 2.5 out of 5… Perhaps she accidentally watched Anchorman 2 instead. There is no way this movie could be any less than a 9/10.

Films should be entertaining and transport you to another world, and make you feel different when you walk out the theatre. The Secret Life of Walter Mitty did this. I walked out feeling inspired, excited, exhilarated, happy and feeling the urge to travel, even more so than before.

My favourite component is how a lot of the characters’ mistakes were things that would happen in real life, such as throwing something away absent-mindedly or daydreaming about having a conversation with somebody.

This is more than a feel-good film. This is a lively, funny, adventurous film, full of rich and interesting characters and places. I cried, I laughed, I felt empowered and excited. It’s just a magical adventure. I’m going to see this again.

Don’t just dream it; live it.

Jodie’s rating after first watch: 10/10

The first 10/10 ever given on filmfreak.co.nz!!

November 2014: I have to say, after almost a year of watching Walter Mitty, I think it’s realistically closer to an 8/10 because Kristen Wiig doesn’t really work with the genre, and the movie can look a bit sterile.

However, I’ll stick with 10/10, because that’s how it feels after the first watch.

PLUS an epic extended trailer:

You may enjoy The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, if you enjoyed these:
Big Fish
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Forrest Gump
Stranger Than Fiction
Little Miss Sunshine
Juno
Billy Liar

Gravity

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. gravity_inline_2

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.

Structurally, 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.

The Jane Austen Book Club

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

—

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

Morning Glory

Director: Rodger Mitchell
Writer: Aline Brosh McKenna
Released: November 2010
Starring: Rachel McAdams, Harrison Ford and Diane Keaton
—

I love this movie. This is my happy movie.

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

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

Mike: Why do we have to mention that first cup of coffee? Why not just say, “Watch Mike Pomeroy before your morning dump?”

I love Becky because she has arms flailing all over the place, her hair is messy and she’s so intensely dedicated to her job. Rachel McAdams was reluctant to take this part because she said she’s not funny enough to be in a comedy. But I disagree! McAdams is so natural in this, she makes it funny in a Bridget Jones sort of way.

Morning Glory‘s morals are sort of similar to The Devil Wears Prada… Well, it’s written by the same person, so I guess that’s why. But they’re basically about how important a career can be to someone, treating it like a relationship. In fact, when Becky discusses her job, it sounds like she’s talking about a person.

I guess although I understand why the reviews of this movie are average, I personally love it because I can relate to the industry having studied television and journalism. Becky is a character who I would love to be! I want her hair, wardrobe, confidence and success.

Becky: Why haven’t they bumped you up [to executive producer]?
Lenny: It’s not for me. I did it for a couple of weeks once, but they put me back at Number Two. Apparently, the crying was distracting.

Keep an eye out for how Becky’s hair and clothes change as she grows and becomes more secure. It’s the attention to detail that makes this movie fun.

A very funny film, particularly if you’re familiar with the news industry!

Jodie’s rating: 7/10

Bridesmaids

Director: Paul Feig
Writer: Annie Mumolo and Kristen Wiig
Released: May 2011
Starring: Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Rose Byrne, Melissa McCarthy, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Ellie Kemper, Chris O’Dowd and Jill Clayburgh
—

I was put off of seeing this movie when it first came out because it just looked like The Hangover – but the female version. However, after seeing a few scenes of it over the last couple of years, I decided to buy it in the sales.

And boy am I glad! I haven’t laughed this hard in ages! It is a truly hilarious journey that these wacky characters go on – any one of them could have been the leading lady.

bridesmaids-annielillian

Nothing is going well for Annie (Kristen Wigg). Her bakery closed down due to the recession, she’s in her mid-30s and a hopeless spinster. Thankfully she still has her best friend, Lillian (Maya Rudolph).

Annie gets her heartbroken, however, when Lillian gets engaged and in the process of planning her wedding, finds a new best friend named Helen (Rose Byrne). Helen appears superior to Annie in every way. Their rivalry eventually gets Annie kicked out of the wedding planning.

bridesmaidsengagement

Their friendship is so well portrayed – I swear they must be best friends in real life, with the quirks and inside jokes that anyone who has had a super close friend will recognise. Anybody who has had a close friend move away or move on will totally get the pain and loss that Annie experiences in this.

Unlike many comedies, the characters in Bridesmaids are more than two-dimensional. They are all relatable or recognisable. The characters – including the loyal yet totally bizarre Megan (Melissa McCarthy) who is absolutely hilarious, straight up and blunt – are amazing.

megan-dolphin

Megan: I fell off a cruise ship… I’m not gonna say I survived, I’m gonna say I thrived. I met a dolphin down there. I swear to god that dolphin looked not at me, but into my soul, into my goddamn soul Annie, and said ‘I’m saving you, Megan.’ Not with his mouth, but he said it… I’m assuming telepathically.

Kristen Wigg is an incredible actor. After seeing her in Whip It I thought she was pretty cool, but her performance is so convincing in Bridesmaids that she is definitely one of my new favourite actors.

bridesmaids-photo-kristen

Passenger on plane: I had a dream last night that we went down. It was terrible… You were in it.

A ton of crazy hilarious events happen along the way. Including food poisoning (which was actually super gross…), as well as very interesting encounters with Annie’s room mates, siblings Brynn (Rebel Wilson – I love her in Pitch Perfect) and Gil (Matt Lucas).

Brynn: At first I did not know that it was your diary. I thought it was a very sad, hand-written book. But then because of the personal details and the bits that mentioned Gil and Brynn…

The soundtrack is pretty awesome, with a song that I first heard on Bridesmaids (that has now put on repeat) called Paper Bag by Fiona Apple. Check it out!

This film is clearly not for everyone though. It has a decent amount of swearing and a lot of sexual references so be careful who you watch it with.

It is a hilarious story that is written and performed extremely well.

Loved it!
Jodie’s rating: 8/10

Can I just say that half of the dialogue in this trailer is not actually in the film… Nevertheless, the facials in this films are so funny!

Dead Poets Society

Director: Peter Weir
Writer: Tom Schulman
Released: June 1989
Featuring: Robin Williams
—

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

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

Tradition. Honour. Discipline. Excellence.
Travesty. Horror. Decadence. Excrement.

Robin Williams plays John Keating who is an English teacher with unorthodox teaching methods in a private all boys school. The tradition and formality of the school keeps the students as a uniform with little individuality. But Keating is able to bring out the strengths in them and encourage creativity.

It is one of the most inspiring movies, particularly because Robin Williams is so brilliant.

There are so many amazing scenes in this film, but I think this one below is my favourite. Keating brings out the best in a painfully shy student, showing him what he’s capable of by pushing him to open up:

I thoroughly enjoy these philosophical films, especially with the quirky Robin Williams whose improvisation skills are beyond any I have seen. He is amazing.

His character is everybody’s favourite teacher. Somebody who recognises the students weakness and strengths and getting the best out of them using methods that are best for them, even though they may not be necessarily typical of a prep school environment.

Lookatthingsdifferently — Look at things from a different perspective.

Dead Poets Society is uplifting and inspiring but also shocking and morose. It delves into the worst of humanity as it explores the desperation of students trying to escape the clutches of tradition.

Jodie’s Rating: 8.5/10

Walk the Line

Director: James Mangold
Writer: James Mangold and Gill Dennis
Released: November 2005
Featuring: Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon
—

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

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

walk-the-line-folsum — Performing in Folsom Prison

It turns out that Johnny Cash’s life and the people he rubbed shoulders with is incredible. The stories he has are inspiring. I am not sticking up for everything that Johnny Cash did, but I have to say that it was so unfortunate that he was married with children just before he reached his dream of being a musician. He let that old life go, hurting his family, and continue on following his dreams and the new life that come with it.

A lot of ups and downs which can become exhausting to watch, however, that just proves how convincing the film was; it really put you in Cash’s shoes.

Reese Witherspoon, having not enjoyed her performances for almost all of her movies, pleasantly surprised me in Walk The Line. She was very convincing as June Carter and I have a new found respect for her.

Joaquin and Reese both did their own vocals… I’m afraid that I enjoyed their vocal performances more that the original Johnny and June performances! I feel bad for saying that, but their sound is so upbeat and their voices are quite similar to Johnny and June’s. Very well done indeed!

I love the sixties – as I am sure you are aware – so seeing Elvis, Jerry Lee Lewis and a few of my other favourite rock n roll stars was awesome! The clothes, the atmosphere that was so convincingly authentic was beautiful.

Can you name all of the rock and roll stars?

A gorgeously filmed biopic with fantastic actors and characters.

Jodie’s rating: 7.5/10

Midnight In Paris

Director: Woody Allen
Writer: Woody Allen
Released: June 2011
Starring: Owen Wilson, Rachel McAdams, Marion Cotillard, Kathy Bates, Adrien Brody
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When I first watched this film I was disappointed because I had hyped up the plot of Gil (Owen Wilson) travelling through different time eras of Paris. The artistic, fashionable, sophisticated and elaborate times of the 1920s, as well as the ceremonious, coming of age times of the 1890s. But after letting my great expectations subside, I really enjoyed the watch.

The plot is about the Golden Age. That is, longing to live in a time before your own. For example, mine is the early 1960s. Rock and roll music and amazing fashion, with the huge liberal movement against war and for free will.

Paul: Nostalgia is denial – denial of the painful present… the name for this denial is golden age thinking – the erroneous notion that a different time period is better than the one one’s living in – it’s a flaw in the romantic imagination of those people who find it difficult to cope with the present.

However, Midnight In Paris attempts to shroud my Golden Age in contempt, trying to convince me that few are content with the current times and to get over it. It dampened my comfort of believing I would be happier in a different time, because the reality is – as Gil discovers – that you would simply find another time that you would believe to be better.

There is a lot of magic in this film, which I love. Gil goes through a wormhole of sorts, where at the strike of midnight every night a 1920s car picks him up and takes him to parties with his literary heroes. It’s a beautiful “what if” storyline that lives out everybody’s dream to travel through time to experience a life not meant for them.

I think that the decision for Gil to be transported to different era via transport appropriate for that time was perfect. It seems like a small, obvious detail, but I’m just glad that there was no CGI, special effects or sound effects to make the transition obvious.

midnight-in-paris-carload-of-literary-types

This magic does not last throughout the film, however. “The grass is always greener on the other side” is a phrase that has been converted into the moral of this story – the cold, harsh light of day is not welcoming.

Gil sees that the beauty of every era can still be inspiring without having the ability to experience it first hand. Which is disappointing since it seems that he is throwing away his idyllic time era of 1920s Paris for an average life in 2010 Paris. He could have continued to live his dream, but chose not to for no convincing reason.

MIDNIGHT IN PARIS marion

On the other hand, I loved how his heroes gave him advice and support, which ultimately builds his confidence to improve his life in the present.

Gil: Would you read it?
Ernest Hemingway: Your novel?
Gil: Yeah, it’s about 400 pages long, and I’m just looking for an opinion.
Ernest Hemingway: My opinion is I hate it.
Gil: Well you haven’t even read it yet.
Ernest Hemingway: If it’s bad, I’ll hate it because I hate bad writing, and if it’s good, I’ll be envious and hate all the more. You don’t want the opinion of another writer.

Instead of taking the easy option of staying in his dream, he takes the tough road of building his life into what he really wants. I guess he shook of the security blanket of living in the past – an easier place to live because you know what’s coming for you.

Gil: Adriana, if you stay here though, and this becomes your present then pretty soon you’ll start imagining another time was really your… You know, was really the golden time. Yeah, that’s what the present is. It’s a little unsatisfying because life’s a little unsatisfying.

Gertrude Stein: We all fear death and question our place in the universe. The artist’s job is not to succumb to despair, but to find an antidote for the emptiness of existence.

The beautiful French music was glorious! Seriously considering buying the soundtrack.

The acting was very well done. I really hated Rachel McAdam’s character. Like, it got to the point where I was starting to think that she must be a total bi-atch in real life because she played evil Inez so convincingly. So, kudos to her acting ability.

Owen Wilson was pretty much the same character he is in everything. I’m not totally sure why he was cast. Perhaps to keep the film upbeat.

midnight-in-paris-rachel

It is an uplifting tale of something that many of us dream of doing. The ending was rather disappointing, at first. But I have come to terms with it, and I think it works well for Gil.

Worth a watch, but don’t expect it to be a deep and meaningful movie – you will be disappointed! Look at it as a quirky drama/rom-com. Although, I do think that it would have been a very moving film if it was heavier with more drama and emotion.

Jodie’s rating: 8/10

Easy A

Director: Will Gluck
Writer: Bert V. Royal
Released: September 2010
Starring: Emma Stone, Amanda Bynes, Lisa Kudrow, Stanley Tucci
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This is quite a different version to the typical high school chick flick that drowns the market. Easy A is about how rumours can make or break your reputation. But also how you can take insults and use them to your advantage.

It has a funny script with some catchy insults from the witty and very sarcastic Olive (Emma Stone) – similar dialogue to Juno.

Her best come backs are usually toward the “Jesus Freak”, Marianne (Amanda Bynes), who was responsible for spreading the false rumour of Olive losing her virginity.

Marianne: There’s a higher power that will judge you for your indecency.
Olive: Tom Cruise?

This movie covers everything that one would come across in high school; self expression, religious beliefs, hypocritical people, assumptions and rumour-spreaders. Of course, Olive uses all of this to her advantage.

She sassed up her wardrobe “just like they asked” and becomes her alter ego of the ‘whore’, despite being a very respectable 17-year-old. Just goes to show that what you may see on the outside is not always what is on the inside. And vice versa.

Emma StoneEASY A.

Nina: Perhaps you should embroider a red A on your wardrobe, you abominable tramp.
Olive: Perhaps you should get a wardrobe, you abominable twat.

I really enjoyed this movie because it is a huge, gigantic middle finger to society. You can’t change what people think of you, but you can choose not to be a victim to it.

People rumoured that Olive was a bit of a “skank”, so she began to dress like one! They didn’t whisper about it behind her back after she started wearing corsets and high heels to school, making the scandal-filled rumour less shocking.

It is a fun movie with references to eighties high school movies such as The Breakfast Club which I thought was really smart and made it a story that seemed more human because everybody wants to be in an eighties high school film.

The music is pretty awesome, too. Jessie J’s Sexy Silk is a fun song, with a modernised version of We Go Together (from Grease) by I Heart Homework. But with my personal favourite being from The Breakfast Club called Don’t You (Forget About Me) originally by Simple Minds, but covered by AM.

Oh, and since watching Easy A, Natasha Bedingfield’s Pocket Full of Sunshine has not left my mind for the past few days. You should expect the same thing after watching the film.

Mr. Griffith: I don’t know what your generation’s fascination is with documenting your every thought… “Roman is having an OK day, and bought a Coke Zero at the gas station. Raise the roof.”
Olive: He got a Coke Zero AGAIN. Ah, that Roman. Incorrigible.

Easy A is a fun and easy watch. The script enables viewers to look into it as far as they wish with layered themes and slightly more complex characters than usual. Obviously not a film for everyone, but it’s definitely my favourite movie at the moment – up there with The Breakfast Club! A 2010 version of a 1985 chick flick. tumblr_mhbirb1bNm1s1wtnqo1_500

Actually, I would say that it is on par with Pitch Perfect.

Jodie’s rating: 7.5/10

The Blair Witch Project

Directors: Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sánchez
Writers: Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sánchez
Released: January 1999
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I literally did not sleep last night.

I remember seeing snippets of this film when I was about 11, but I had not remembered how effective the horror aspect of it was! It is the best horror/psychological thriller I have seen in a very long time.

Three film makers go missing in the woods while covering the legend of the Blair Witch that supposedly haunted the area. The film makers were never found again, but their footage was, which makes up this film.

Pretty simple plot line with amateur filming which is very convincing! The idea of this horror is that the less you see the more your imagination runs a riot. You never actually see any witch or any sort of witch craft or supernatural beings, but the sounds and supposed actions of the Blair Witch is more than enough to keep you on edge.

Reading a bit about the making of this film is quite interesting. 2000 actors auditioned and the three actors with the best improvisational skills got the parts. The actors got a very loose script to work with, and to get into to character the cast were taken hiking and camping in the woods, depriving them of food and harassing them at night by the crew.

The acting is well done, with Heather being the main character as she uses the camera (and talks) the most. She is certainly an annoying character who is a total know it all, but apparently that was intentional – perhaps to keep the audience in a false sense of security as she seems convinced that at no point are they ever lost. The other two actors are fantastically convincing and natural too.

A scary story to say the least. The further toward the end it gets, the more terrifying it becomes. The final shot is still freaking me out. Considering this was all done with handy cams and mostly improvised, makes this film a more effective horror.

So awesome!!

Jodie’s rating: 8/10

Cemetery Junction

Directors: Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant
Writers: Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant
Released: April 2010
Starring: Emily Watson, Ricky Gervais, Ralph Fienes, Christian Cooke, Tom Hughes
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Based in the early seventies, this film follows the lives of three boys in their early twenties whose lives consist of “boozing”, partying and “getting birds”. However, after one of the boys, Freddie (Christian Cooke), meets an old friend, Julie (Felicity Jones) who is bursting to leave town and travel the world, he decides that he wants more in life too.

They both realise that they are both being held back by conservative parents and living in the regimented town of Cemetery Junction. The film follows these two characters as well as their friends and families, as they come to terms with climbing out of the armpit of a town, despite Julie being engaged and their ideas beyond the town are frowned upon.

This movie is fantastically well made! Bright colours from the swinging sixties that reminds me of The Boat That Rocked and Made In Dagenham. Fantastic songs from the sixties and seventies too, including Bowie, Slade and Elton John. I bet the soundtrack would be worth getting.

The characters are (according to my parents) quite accurate of the time. The older generation racist and with plans of keeping in the same job and staying in the same town, but with a growing proportion of the younger generation wanting more than being in a 9 to 5 job, marrying and having children, but wanting to explore and move away.

It is a refreshing plot line that is beyond an aesthetically perfect rom-com, but an inspiring story of escape in search of adventure. The feeling of being trapped experienced by some of the characters who are trying to break free are well communicated in the film. It’s a very human story of breaking the mould and being independent.

Cemetery Junction is convincing and very well made, apart from the frequently questionable language. It is extremely funny, exciting and makes you long for that era with the fashion and majestic clubs with live music booming. The characters are relatable and realistic who encourage the feeling of moving away from all that is familiar just for the sake of the journey.

A fun easy-to-watch, yet deep movie of lovable characters living in an increasingly exciting time.

Jodie’s rating: 8.5/10

Chocolat

Chocolat-Movie

Director: Lasse Hallström
Writer: Screenplay by Robert Nelson Jacobs. Based on the novel by Joanne Harris.
Released: December 2000
Starring: Judi Dench, Johnny Depp and Carrie-Anne Mos
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A mysterious and magical fable-like tale about an eccentric, colourful and embracing chocolatier named Vianne Rocher (Juliette Binoche) and how she brightened up a deeply rooted traditional French village. Her provocative clothing, illegitimate child and outspoken values made her unwanted in the village, being outcast as an evil influence. Despite this, her Chocolaterie brings hope and perspective to the guilty customers. Amongst this, there is a compelling love interest between Vianne and a free-spirited Irish traveller, Roux (Johnny Depp).

I love the lead actress, Juliette Binoche, but I do wonder if they chose her because Marion Cotillard was unavailable. In any case, they are two gorgeously elegant and talented French women.

Despite looking like a model village, Flavigny-sur-Ozerain is in fact a real village located in Burgundy, France.

This film is about depriving ourselves of things purely for the discipline, particularly pressured by religion or the expectations of society. With everybody being up tight about keeping a perfect front for others, it seems easy for the important things in their lives to crumble in the background. Perhaps marriage, not pursuing new love, staying in dangerous situations from fear of persecution, or not allowing themselves to try new things.

The incredible Judi Dench playing a foul mouthed, strong willed landlord

The Chocolaterie represents freedom and indulgence. It is a moral that allows people to make mistakes, to not feel guilty about taking pleasure in something or feeling damned or frowned upon. They begin to give into desires, discover new feelings and acting on them.

The soundtrack is authentically French! Minor Swing by Django Reinhardt/Stéphane Grappelli makes you want to get up and dance, with other classical songs that bring out the essence of the town. Lots of guitars and drums that gets your feet tapping. Fantastic songs.

This is a movie set in the year of 1959. The women wear dresses and hats and the men in suits. Everything seems black and white until the woman with pink shoes and bright coloured dresses arrives. The costumes are absolutely to die for. The shoes, the belts the make up… So beautiful!

I have to say, the first few times I watched this, I was expecting it to be a bit more mystical with a Chocolatier who is very wise and knowledgeable, helping people in every place that she moves to. But she is only human who makes mistakes and questions life like the people in the village opened themselves up to do. Now that I’m older, I can see that this was purposeful. Vianne is flawed too which just makes this fable a much more down to earth film.

For all the chocolate lovers, Johnny Depp lovers, romantics, dreamers and free thinkers. This is a personable film that is easy to watch and brings hope to people, particularly to anyone who feels a little different or who questions society’s morals, or the things that we are influenced by.

An uplifting, soulful journey of how a little sweetness in life can bring people together.

Jodie’s rating: 8/10

The Prestige

Director: Christopher Nolan
Writer: Jonathan Nolan and Christopher Nolan
Released: October 2006
Featuring: Hugh Jackman, Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Scarlett Johansson and David Bowie
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David Bowie is in it… I don’t think anything more really needs to be said…

Act one: “The Pledge”

Are you watching closely?
The Prestige is an incredible movie with real mystery and thrilling themes, like nothing you have ever seen before. Its dark and haunting aesthetic with the ruthless, deceitful, cut-throat and competitive characters makes an extremely intense film.

It is the story of strong-willed magicians who guard their incredible tricks of illusions with their lives resulting in sacrifices way beyond their expectations as their hunger for dominance of rival magicians runs riot.

Of course, I can’t forget to mention the era that this movie is set in, the late 1800s. I wouldn’t mind living in those times… Only if I was very wealthy of course. Beautiful dresses, old school showmanship, horse and carts and the thrill of newly discovered electricity.

With the complexity of Nolan’s Inception, the grungy look of The Dark Knight, but with a hint of total tragedy, this is just another of Christopher’s incredible creations.

Act Two: “The Turn”

I’m sure it will be compared to The Illusionist… But that doesn’t come anywhere near to what The Prestige delivers, nor does it deliver as much mystery, heart-break or violence. The Prestige is truly a one of a kind movie that makes you feel scared, desperate, amazed and sit mesmerised at the end trying to figure out the wild twists and turns in the story.

The trailer for The Illusionist, a second class film in comparison, but a pretty decent film nonetheless.

This film makes you gasp, cry, feel a sense of desperation and total awe as Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale’s characters go to extreme lengths, bending moral judgment to the expense of their loved ones, as they attempt to steal each other’s secrets of their most breath-taking, and threatening, tricks.

With such unexpected twists and turns, it is impossible to guess the ending. Unfortunately, knowing the ending can spoil the magic of the film for future viewing, sort of like in the second or third viewing of The Others.

Act Three: “The Prestige”

There really is no thrill in knowing the secret behind the magic. “The secret impresses no one”.

So incredible.

Jodie’s rating: 9/10

The Help

Director: Tate Taylor
Writer: Tate Taylor (screenplay), Kathryn Stockett (novel)
Released: August 2011
Starring: Emma Stone, Octavia Spencer, Viola Davis, Bryce Dallas Howard
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The first thing that attracted me to this DVD was, quite shallowly, the dresses that the characters were wearing on the cover. This was a story based in the sixties, also, it has Emma Stone in it.

So I decided to [wait until the price came down and] buy it.

In the back of my mind I was expecting it to be either over-emotional and depressing such as the film Precious (which I still haven’t brought myself to watch). Or, I was expecting it to be a little too cheesy… But I was gladly wrong.

This is a story about a strong-willed and moral young woman named Skeeter (Emma Stone) who interviewed African-American maids in Jackson, Mississippi despite it being very dangerous and very much against the law.

With many struggles and an immense amount of courage from all involved, she wrote a book anonymously based upon the accounts of the Help who serve white families for little money and humiliating conditions.

Although I am not overly well-versed in American Civil Rights history, it is not hard to feel sympathetic and emotionally moved by the stories of the Help, or incredible remorse for the way that many of the white population viewed African-American people.

Hilly Holbrook (Bryce Dallas Howard) plays the ‘villain’. It’s easier to pity her more than despise her, and she is still accessible enough to guess why she acts the way she does.

bryce-dallas-howard-as-hilly-holbrook-in

Skeeter was the most inspirational character of course. Maybe because she is about my age. But I also find her an inspirational character because she refuses to fit into society.

She doesn’t just want to get married, live in a house in the suburbs or pay a maid to raise her children. Instead, she wanted to change the world around her for the better. Skeeter graduated as a journalist and bravely took on a huge project for the greater good, giving the ignored maids a voice.

Minny and Celia

Minny (right) and her new employer, Celia (Jessica Chastain) is a happy go-lucky woman who is impossible to dislike. She is excluded from the white community, probably because of her acceptance of everybody – no matter the colour – and finds friendship in her new maid, Minny Jackson.

I am reluctant to give too much credit to the author that this film was based on, Kathryn Stockett, because I’m not incredibly sure she was completely honest and pure in her intentions (my theory based upon a few interviews I have seen her in).

There was a lawsuit filed against her by Aibileen, the author’s brother’s maid, saying that Stockett had stolen her life story without her knowledge. Although Stockett was found innocent, it did take the honour out of the story a bit.

The novel is in fact fiction, with bits and pieces drawn from Stockett’s life experiences as a white child growing up in the South with a family maid. But, it is essentially a story that is worth being told to remind us of how it was, with themes of friendship, adversity, desperation and success.

This film is a people film. It follows characters who have flaws and struggles, triumphs and strength. It follows the lives of various people and from their points of view which reminds me of The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Big Fish and other stories that accurately follow the path of interesting, yet believable, people.

Triumphant and inspirational.
…Also, their accents and way of talking is so awesome. I’ve watched this movie so many times, my thoughts are now in a Southern accent.

Jodie’s rating: 8/10

Can’t say that the movie is quite as upbeat as this trailer makes it out to be, but it gives you chills nevertheless.

Moulin Rouge!

moulin-rouge-original

Director: Baz Luhrmann
Writer: Baz Luhrmann and Craig Pearce
Released: 2001
Starring: Jim Broadbent, Nicole Kidman and Ewen McGregor
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Truth, beauty, freedom and love.

I have never been a fan of sappy romance, and I still am not. Because Moulin Rouge! is not at all sappy or unbelievable, nor does the music break the suspension of disbelief. I think that it is because the acting is not over the top or overly theatrical at all.

Ewan McGregor plays the protagonist, Christian, a writer who wants to write about love, but the problem being that he has never been in love. That is until he meets Nicole Kidman’s character, Satine, a courtesan at the Moulin Rouge. Satine is forbidden to fall in love, so they must keep their relationship secret.

Christian_Satine Unfortunately, the fairytale romance unravels due to the Duke (Richard Roxburgh) – an investor in Satine and the Moulin Rouge – attempts to put an end to their love affair. Christian and Satine’s love turns into a concoction of “desire, suspicion, jealously, anger and betrayal”.

Yet, “the show must go on!”, as a beautiful parallel between the new production that the Moulin Rouge is performing called Spectacular, Spectacular and the couple’s forbidden love is intertwined with the on-stage play, which results in disastrous consequences.

Moulin-Rouge-moulin It is full of colour and energy! It feels like you’re right there in the Moulin Rouge with them. The lighting is incredible along with Baz Lurhmann’s trademark choppy edits and steadicam footage. This all adds to the excitement on the dance floor with the colourful dresses and cabaret dancers.

Throughout this is the serious and unfortunate events for each character, which is again reflected in lighting and music with very fantastical scenes. Some are metaphors such as the feeling of being on top of the world being acted quite literally.

Plus, the over all performance by the people who run the Moulin Rouge show such as Jim Broadbent’s character Harold Zidler who, although a father figure to Satine, has the priority of keeping the facade of the shows convincing to the paying customers, which is at the expense of Satine’s love for Christian.

ewan_moulinrouge The music is fantastic! They’re not songs that describe mundane things, it’s music that supports the emotion of it all. They’re modern songs by incredible artists such as Bowie, Rufus Wainwright and Elton John, as well as bands such as T.Rex, Queen and Nirvana, in an orchestral fashion, and/or medley mash-up of multiple songs, sometimes in aMoulin Rouge party style.

I have many favourite songs in this film including Your Song originally written and performed by Elton John and The Show Must Go On originally by Queen. But I have to say, I prefer the Moulin Rouge! version of every song. Elephant Love Medley is very cleverly put together with lyrics from various songs including All You Need Is Love by The Beatles, Silly Love Songs by Wings and Heroes by Bowie – the collage of twelve infamous songs is seamless!

See if you can pick out various lines from the different songs. It really picks up 2 minutes in, which is my favourite part of the song:

An example of the more serious scenes is the El Tango de Roxanne scene where some of the best dancing shown. Absolutely amazing lighting too.

Moulin Rouge! is a tragedy that reminds me of a Shakepeare play, – ironic since the director Baz Lurhmann also directed Romeo + Juliet – but the sincere romance is based within the “underworld” of cheap, make-believe love. It is layered with so much detail to notice in every scene.

Satine-Moulin-Rouge-female

Forget that it’s a musical, it’s more of a movie with a ton of music in it. Each song sung very well by Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor, and with convincing sincerity to keep the audience hooked.

Moulin Rouge! is a pretty heavy and emotional story – so certainly not a movie you would unwind to, despite there being some comedic scenes that almost mock the life of theatre. However, I think there is something in this film for every person to appreciate whether it’s the incredible costumes, the music, the romance or Ewan McGregor’s face.

McGregor

This has always been in my top five favourite movies, its an uplifting wonderland with a deeply moving story acted out by authentic and convincing actors.

Clearly, romance is not everybody’s cup of tea – it certainly isn’t mine – but this is not just another silly Hollywood love story.

Jodie’s rating: 9/10

This is the WORST trailer of all time.

Big Fish

Director: Tim Burton
Writer: John August (Screenplay), Daniel Wallace (Novel – Big Fish: A Novel of Mythical Proportions)
Released: 2003
Starring: Marion Cotillard, Helena Bonham-Carter, Billy Crudup, Albert Finney and Ewen McGregor
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I have mentioned this movie in quite a few other posts, relating it to Forrest Gump and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button because of their similar stories about an average man on his adventure through life.

Big Fish is directed by Tim Burton, so already you have probably got an idea of what the feel of this film is. A little bit quirky with gothic undertones, but don’t be fooled, this is not a cookie-cutter Burton film (although it does include the incredible Helena Bonham-Carter), this is an amazing tale about Edward Bloom’s (Albert Finney/Ewan McGregor) life.

circus The protagonist is a storyteller although he is known to exaggerate and embellish the story of his life with fantastical metaphors and unbelievable occurrences. Just like Forrest Gump, Edward is a Southern man who finds himself on a road of various adventures, finds love and goes to war.

But Big Fish is a more light hearted and fantastical version where you’re not quite sure what to believe to be true. Edward Bloom’s stories take up most of the film, but it also tells the story of his son, William Bloom (Billy Crudup).

spectre1

He goes on a journey of his own, retracing his father’s footsteps to find out the real story behind all of Edward’s fabricated tales. The contrast between reality and fantasy makes the story more believable. The facts would have made uninteresting tales, whereas the elaborate stories are entertaining and unbelievable.

I love this piece of dialogue where William’s fiancé Josephine (Marion Cotillard) speaks to William Bloom about how he met is wife, Sandra (Jessica Lange/Alison Lohman). I love Bloom’s way of speaking!

Edward Bloom: Your mother-in-law was never supposed to marry me. She was engaged to somebody else.
Josephine: I never knew.
Edward Bloom: Will never told you? Probably just as well. He would have told it wrong, anyway. All the facts, none of the flavor.
Josephine: Oh. So this is a tall tale.
Edward Bloom: Well, it’s not a short one.

This clip should give you a good idea of the feel of the movie:

The music is fantastic in Big Fish. There is Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly and Pearl Jam as well as the compositions by the infamous Danny Elfman (who incidentally cannot read music!)

witch Fate, destiny, time, love and death. From real life giants and lion tamers to mermaids and witches, Big Fish is a fantasy/adventure/drama movie, but with a make-believe glaze over it.

It is a story of great imagination which you will want to watch over and over again and read further into the details. It’s entertaining but also pulls on the heart-strings.

Jodie’s rating: 9/10

Just noticed they have used the same piece of music from Tim Burton’s Edward Scissorhands… and another piece of music I recognise from Black Beauty in this trailer! All of these movies have the same composer though; Danny Elfman.

Forrest Gump

Director: Robert Zemeckis
Writer: Screenplay by Eric Roth. Based Forrest Gump by Winston Groom
Released: 1994
Starring: Tom Hanks, Sally Field and Robyn Wright
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I love these films. The kind of stories that are based on a character’s life adventures are the most inspirational because the scripts tend to be quite philosophical. Forrest Gump is, of course, a very innocent story of a man’s journey through his life. The hurdles and the triumphs are all narrated by the protagonist Forrest Gump (Tom Hanks).

Forrest Gump is a film that shares the genre with the likes of The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Big Fish and perhaps Driving Lessons. It’s those life stories that remind you of the stories that your grandparents’ would tell you. The morals, meanings and journeys that are motivational and inspirational make great films because they are believable and fascinating.

forrestjenny — Forrest (Hanks) and Jenny (Wright) take two very different paths in their lives, but their paths frequently cross as if they are drawn together.

Tom Hanks is an amazingly talented actor, so it’s no wonder that he makes a fantastic Forrest Gump – the innocent, yet dim, Southern man who only has three important things in his life; his Mother (Sally Field), his love, Jenny (Robyn Wright – incredible actress!) and God. His simplistic life takes many strange turns as he brushes among some of America’s major historical occurrences from the Vietnam war to exposing the Watergate scandal. As well as meeting the likes of President John F. Kennedy, Elvis Presley – ending up influencing Presley’s dance moves – and John Lennon; consequently helping to inspire his hit song “Imagine”.

Sorry it’s a bit out of sync.

Forrest is such a likeable protagonist because of his lack of prejudice or anger toward others. This movie is based in the fifties and sixties in the South during the height of racism, but Forrest Gump has no part of it. He literally treats everybody the same, completely ignorant of their look, their race and beliefs.

There are some very sad scenes, but that is what makes Gump’s story so real. Although there many mockeries and memes at Gump’s expense, you can’t deny the script has many pearls of wisdom. Analysing fate and the existence of God, life and death – represented by a feather blowing in the wind. So deep!

Considering that this film was made in the nineties, the technology-use is absolutely fantastic! It has been made so incredibly well – I don’t see how it could possibly be improved by today’s technology… And ‘no’ making it 3D does not necessarily improve a film.

I have the soundtrack that I thoroughly enjoy. Alan Silvestri is the composer who has captured the feel of Forrest Gump very accurately. On the soundtrack are many popular sixties songs and artists including Lynyrd Skynyrd, Elvis Presley, The Youngbloods and Joan Baez. Incredible compilation!

It’s great that the drama and philosophical self-reflection is balanced out by the comedic scenes involving Forrest’s naivety, and the heart-warming moments between Forrest and Jenny. At almost two and a half hours long, this is not a film one would watch to chillax and unwind. However, it is certainly a fantastic film to have in the DVD collection at home. It is easy to get emotionally invested in as the characters are so animated and realistic.

Jodie’s Rating: 9.5/10

Skyfall

Director: Sam Mendes
Writers: Screenplay by: Neal Purvis, Robert Wade and John Logan
Released: 2012
Starring: Javier Bardem, Daniel Craig, Judi Dench and Ralph Fiennes
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I’m not a huge James Bond fan, nevertheless I can fully appreciate the epic awesomeness of the 23rd film of the 50 year-long Bond series.

This had it all. Fighting, car chases, scary bad guys and beautiful women. Obviously all of these are the ingredients necessary to make a successful and authentic Bond film. So what was different about this one?

The lighting is absolutely amazing. It really accents the traditionally spectacular surroundings that are classically chosen for Bond movies. Skyfall was most certainly no different with beautiful Scottish environment where the final fight occurs – Bond fights Silva; ice fights fire – and everything makes a full circle. The storyline was very well intertwined with the history of James Bond and supported by the amazing locations! I want to meet this location scout they used…

skyfall7 — Raoul Silva played by *Javier Bardem*

Javier Bardem plays the villain Raoul Silva which he played so convincingly! No jokes! He creeped everyone out in the theatre when he first appeared on screen with his bleached hair and he is most certainly a serious personal-space-invader, where you lean back in your seat to try and get some distance. He’s also a sadistic killer, a techno-freak and over-all a dodgy character, which makes him so perfect! An amazing villain!!

I enjoyed this film so much that I managed to ignore the fact that I really don’t like Daniel Craig... As James Bond anyway. He just seems too arrogant to be 007… Plus his blue eyes look unnaturally blue…

Judi Dench who plays M finds herself in the field with Bond which makes the stakes higher than ever! So intense! I don’t even need to go into what a fantastically talented actress Judi Dench is. She’s amazing as per usual.

benwhishawq600 — I love this guy! Q played by *Ben Whishaw*

Ben Whishaw plays the character Q – the Quarter Master – and does a spectacular job too! He was so cool with his dry humour and casual intelligence. Very cool. Very cool indeed. Actually, the casual humour was all the way through the movie by several characters which was a great way to lighten it up.

I was surprised that there were not many car chases… Only one I think. With very few flash-looking cars! To be honest I can barely distinguish a Mini Cooper to a Land Rover, but I did notice that the amount of cool-looking vehicles was at a minimum.

As a side note, the music for the opening title sequence was by Adele. I don’t think it was a bad choice at all. But, perhaps not the best? I suppose it’s the thought of having a pop star singing for a traditional and long-running film franchise, she just seems a little too superficial for a noble and deep-rooted James Bond movie..? Then again, she is very talented and I’m not sure who I would have preferred to have sung it.

Overall, this Bond film is full of twists and turns, shocking moments, action (but not to the point where it gets boring) and creativity. It is a bit of a marathon to watch at 143 minutes. So make sure you don’t drink too much before going to see it – at no point will you want to miss out on anything to run to the loo.

You won’t know what’s coming!
Jodie’s rating: 8.5/10

Stranger Than Fiction

Stranger-than-Fiction-will-ferrell

Director: Marc Forster
Writer: Zach Helm
Released: 2006
Starring: Will Ferrell, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Queen Latifah and Emma Thompson
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I. Love. This. Movie.

I first watched this in Media Studies class to study the narrative structure, and ever since then I have been able to watch it numerous times and never get bored… I know the entire script almost off by heart now.

Stranger Than Fiction is about a man – Harold Crick (Will Ferrell) – who can hear a voice narrating every event in his life, but it becomes sinister when the narrator casually mentions his approaching death.

Narrator: Little did he know that this simple, seemingly innocuous act would result in his imminent death.

Harold Crick now has to try and find the author to get her to stop writing before she completely writes him out of existence.

haroldcrick

I guess the first awesome thing about this film is the cast. Will Ferrell was never really an actor that I thought too much of until his versatility was shown in this comedy drama. He plays a very mundane and dry person, yet Ferrell’s subtle comedic value turns his character into a convincing yet entertaining person as he discovers his purpose in life is more than just being an IRS agent.

Emmathompson

Emma Thompson shows her insane abilities as a struggling author, yet without becoming a drag. She makes her character, Kay, so comedic yet so believable – as with all of her characters that she has ever played. You totally understand where she’s coming from. She has a lot of great come backs with no hesitation or concern for other’s emotional feelings.

Penny: And I suppose you smoked all these cigarettes?
Kay: No, they came pre-smoked.
Penny: Yeah, they said you were funny.

stranger_than_fiction-dustin

I can’t go without mentioning Dustin Hoffman. His acting is SO accurate for his character – spot on! He acts as Harold’s mentor and does so in full confidence that Harold is telling him the truth, and takes it very seriously. Professor Hilbert has many little habits that I would expect to be accurate for his career and character, such as excessive coffee consumption and loud eating.

Harold: You have to understand that this isn’t a philosophy or a literary theory or a story to me. It’s my life.
Professor Jules Hilbert: Absolutely. So just go make it the one you’ve always wanted.

Maggie Gyllenhaal as Ana Pascal

My favourite character is the baker; Ana Pascal played by Maggie Gyllenhaal. She is a rebellious yet respectable woman who brings Harold to life. I wanted to own a cookie store after I watched Stranger Than Fiction. She’s just such a cool character with strong morals.

Ana: Mr. Crick, it was a really awful day. I know, I made sure of it. So pick up the cookie, dip it in the milk, and eat it.

This movie is not a light chick-flick at all (even though it has my favourite romance storyline of all time). It is about identity and real life – the characters are not stereotyped or perfect by any stretch.

It’s about feeling out of control of your life, but with determination, focus and the right people, you can change your life to make it what you want it to be. You only have your life’s outline written for you; but you can always change it if you really want to.

The music is amazing – it goes so well with every scene – and I am most definitely going to put this on my Christmas list… *Hint hint*. My favourite song is Whole Wide World by Wreckless Eric and Bottles and Bones by Califone.

The structure is perfect, and once it gets going you realise how emotionally attached to the characters you are. Because they have won you over with their subtle comedy, and lines that you will end up trying to find the perfect conversation to drop them into. My favourite line is by Ana: “You. Miscreant.”

I haven’t been able to drop that into a casual convo as of yet though.

If you enjoy Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, you are likely to enjoy this trippy story. However, it is a tragic comedy that everyone will enjoy.

Jodie’s rating: 9/10

The Wedding Singer

Director: Frank Coraci
Writer: Tim Herlihy
Released: February 1998
Starring: Adam Sandler, Drew Barrymore and Christine Taylor
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This film is the eighties equivalent of the sixties-based The Boat That Rocked, so it is very funny and has an awesome soundtrack!

Adam Sandler plays Robbie Hart the wedding singer who is very talented and loves his job until he loses faith in love. ‘Love Stinks’ is probably the most memorable song in the entire movie, which is covered by Sandler who has a surprisingly good voice!

The Love Stinks scene is my favourite scene, not because he is at the depths of heartbreak, but because his anger becomes pretty hilarious…

I think if Sandler had carried on doing the more tasteful films like The Wedding Singer, I would be a fan of more of his movies… It’s a shame that this is the only film I own with him in it.

Julia is the sweet girl-next-door type played by Drew Barrymore. Julia is such a cool character who is marrying the wrong guy; Glenn Gulia who is arrogant and rude.

That is until she starts “spending more time with this other man… Robbie Hart” who is, to her mother’s disappointment just “the wedding singer”.

Drew Barrymore has never looked more innocent with short blonde hair, this character shows her versatility as an actress since I always imagine her to be a bolshy and over-confident person in real life.

This film is probably my favourite rom-com of all time because it has a dry sense of humour, but above all it has a soundtrack that I absolutely love! Literally the best of the eighties.

Like all classic rom-coms, stereotypes and inevitable story lines fall into place, but the incredibly accurate fashion trends and set designs – at the very least – will keep you entertained and/or reminiscing!

I am now on the hunt for blue mascara…
Jodie’s rating: 8/10

Little Miss Sunshine

Directors: Jonothan Dayton and Valerie Faris
Writer: Michael Arndt
Released: January 2006
Starring: Greg Kinnear, Steve Carell, Toni Collette, Paul Dano, Abigail Breslin and Alan Arkin
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If you adored the humour of Juno, you will fall madly in love with this film! It was full of that dry, black humour where you don’t know if you should laugh or cry.

It has that ‘typical family’ quality where you can relate to every character because we all know somebody like them. Sort of.

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Olive (Abigail Breslin) wants to compete in a beauty pageant, which is a good one-and-a-half day’s drive away. With an unpredictably suicidal uncle (Steve Carell) who can not be left by himself, the whole family decides to go.

You automatically adore Olive, who brings an innocence to the family who are full of ‘failures’. Her brother refuses to talk, her grandfather is a heroin addict, her uncle is suicidal, and her father is a failed life coach. Meanwhile, her mother is struggling to keep the family together.

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Despite me making it sound like a total downer, it’s actually a beautifully triumphant film where everyone slowly makes peace with themselves and each other. I thoroughly enjoyed the adventures and internal conflict with a lot of deep and meaningful messages throughout the film.

A film that will make you laugh, cry, and reconsider your priorities in life.

Jodie’s rating: 8.5/10

About a Boy

ABout A Boy Poster

Directors: Chris and Paul Weitz
Writer: Nick Hornby
Released: 2002
Starring: Hugh Grant, Toni Collette, Rachel Weisz, Nicholas Hoult
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I am in no way a fan of Hugh Grant. He seems to only play one character and that character appears to be exactly what he is like in real life. Having said that…

He is in some pretty wicked films like Bridget Jones, Notting Hill, but the most impressive being this one: About A Boy.

about-a-boy It’s about Will Freeman (Hugh Grant) who has never needed to work and is a professional womanizer. The parallel story is about poor Marcus (Nicholas Hoult) and how he deals with his mother (Toni Collette) who is suffering from depression, all the while having a tough time at school.

Will thinks that having no family and friends is liberating until he meets the friendless Marcus who is looking for family.

It’s such a breath of fresh air because Hugh Grant keeps his typecast role of the ‘handsome’ Englishman yet it is intermingled with Toni Collette’s role as an incredibly sad and hopeless character.

This film is another melancholy coming-of-age film with sparks of comedy through it. If you enjoyed Juno, Little Miss Sunshine, The Way Way Back or Scent of a Woman, you will adore this movie for sure.

This is my new favourite!

Jodie’s rating: 8.5/10

Driving Lessons

Director: Jeremy Brock
Writer: Jeremy Brock
Released: 2006
Featuring: Julie Walters, Rupert Grint, Laura Linney
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Okay, so this film has been HUGELY underrated. Despite being aware that everybody has their right to their own opinion, I, as New Zealand’s official Freak of Film, would like to say:

YOU ARE ALL INCORRECT.

Driving Lessons is a slower-than-usual paced film with a script as philosophical as Forrest Gump, but with humour as dry as Napoleon Dynamite (in some parts).

It’s about a boy named Ben (the gorgeous Rupert Grint… He’s so cool… *sigh*) who is born into a devoted Christian family, which becomes an oppressive and controlled lifestyle that batters Ben down into an emotionally-absent teenager.

Until he meets Evie.

This film has my favourite actress, Julie Walters playing an eccentric elderly woman named Evie who has been “…married and divorced three times. Once to an actor, once to an English Lord and once to a Californian” and is far from the ‘saved’ friends Ben usually acquaints himself with.

She shows him the ropes of life – with the moral being more-or-less that you can learn about how the world should be and the theory of how life works, but you don’t know a thing until you LIVE it.

She has had such a colourful life and is so liberal, which influences Ben to shake the strong reliance his controlling mother (Laura Linney) has over him.

I LOVE Walter’s interpretation of Evie who is a filthy-mouthed but very warm woman who anybody would wish was their nan in real life!

Ben’s mother, Laura Marshall, was played incredibly well by Linney who showed the character to be an insecure and controlling woman who appears almost like a puppeteer behind the mask of a wholesome church-goer. Laura Linney does such a great job, you begin to dislike the character very quickly!

The religious undertone isn’t something that should put non-religious watchers off, as it is an approach that is refreshing and open-minded. The story does very well keeping a non-bias view of beliefs, that do not suffocate the plot with pre-set ideas.

I have got the soundtrack which I absolutely enjoy! However, a few more like Ben Fold’s song “Jesusland” would have been cool.

I can’t help wondering what a TOTALLY different film this would have been if the old woman was an old man and the young boy was a young girl. Even if the plot remained the same… Just found that peculiar…

This is a film that is deep enough to watch repeatedly, yet, light enough for a social viewing. The humour is fantastic and Rupert Grint shows his versatility. A must see!

Jodie’s rating: 8/10

Fave line:

“Evie, you’re in the middle of nowhere.”
“Then I shall cling to the edge of somewhere!”

Shaun of the Dead

Shaun of the Dead Poster

Director: Edgar Wright
Writers: Edgar Wright and Simon Pegg
Released: April 2004
Starring: Simon Pegg, Kate Ashfield, Lucy Davis, Nick Frost, Dylan Moran, Bill Nighy, Penelope Wilton
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The best black comedy of all time.

I have a weakness for zombie apocalypse movies anyway. However, this film has taken every zombie cliche` in the book and ends up pointing fun at themselves, which is hilarious!

The creators called it a “Rom Zom Com” aka a “Romantic Zombie Comedy” and the “perfect date film” because it has a heart line of a romantic comedy that happens to be set in a time where zombies are attacking the world.

It starts out with Shaun (Simon Pegg) and Shaun’s girlfriend Lizz (Kate Ashfield) at a bar on yet another date at the Winchester Pub, as Lizz bickers about how they never do anything different. The shot slowly widens to show, Lizz’s friends David and Di (Dylan Moran and Lucy Davis) and Shaun’s foul-mouthed best friend, Ed (Nick Frost). Of course, what better to change the monotonous situation than have their lives bombarded with the living dead!?

That’s what I like about the Wright-Pegg-Frost trio. Their ideas are crazy!
Yet they always work.

These zombies are the classic, lazy walker-types where unless you got trapped or are a really slow walker, you would probably not get caught, unlike the kind that is on the TV series The Walking Dead where they run when they are desperate. But these zombies imitate the world we live in – we wake up, go to work, come home again, miserable. So it does have a bit of a wake-up call feeling to it.

Edgar Wright’s signature fast pans, quick cuts and cut always were present which definitely suited the shocking humour and gruesome occurrences.

Another of my favourite things about this film is the parallels between the start and the ending. Such as the trolley boy collecting stray trolleys in the car park of a shopping centre with little enthusiasm. By the end, the remaining zombies are trained and take over the chore in an equally unenthusiastic way… I don’t know. I just find it amusing…

This is the best black comedy because, unlike some others I’ve seen of the same genre *cough* Zombieland *cough*, the comedy element runs through the entire film, not just random crucial parts. Shaun of the Dead make fun of the terrifying situation at every turn.

This is a must-have item in every film-watcher’s collection.

Jodie’s rating: 8/10