drama – Page 2 – NZ Film Freak

Young Adult

Director: Jason Reitman
Writer: Diablo Cody
Released: December 2011
Starring: Charlize Theron, Patton Oswalt, Patrick Wilson, Elizabeth Reaser and Collette Wolfe
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Another classic Diablo Cody script! I love the dialogue she writes for characters who are (for lack of a better word) ‘real’. Jason Reitman is the director of this comedy-drama, who is responsible for the likes of Juno and Up in the Air.

Young Adult is about a ghost writer, Mavis Gary (Charlize Theron), who returns to her home town to try and get back with an old flame, Buddy. Buddy, however, is married and has just had a baby and is in no way interested in what Mavis is so obviously implying.

Mavis’ mum: That new baby of his is just darling.
Mavis: Have you seen it? …up close?

Her pessimistic and delusional outlook is something that [unfortunately] I love about her. She is rude, aloof and doesn’t care what people think of her.

Her language is just great though. The way she talks about marriage and children is like she’s talking about a disease that needs to be avoided. Mavis tells Buddy that ‘we can beat this thing together’ referring to his family. I’m tickled by that. This really isn’t a typical comedy at all.

Thankfully, during her crisis, Mavis meets a guy who she also used to go to high school with, Matt (Patton Oswalt).

Matt was severely attacked during high school resulting in him being disabled. But they bond over hating the same things. Mavis projects her hatred outwardly, and Matt eventually realises he has nothing to lose by expressing his anger around her too.

Mavis is such a lost soul though. She tortures herself by forever reminiscing about her high school days, when she was popular. It doesn’t help that she writes a ‘young adult’ series about popularity in high school, which becomes her diary disguised as a fictional teenage novel.

I love this movie because it’s character-based. It’s not fast-paced, just like real life, and hangs on to every emotion of the unstable Mavis, which makes you squirm. She’s so immature… But entertaining because she’s so expressive.

It’s not a movie for everyone. But I enjoy analysing behaviour, and I find the subtleties in this film interesting. She’s entertainingly perpetually disgusted with everything.

Check out my favourite scene in the movie here. It’s when Mavis Gary loses the plot at Buddy and Beth’s (Elizabeth Reaser) baby shower. It’s oddly empowering. Although I feel like I’m doing the wrong thing by taking her side.

I suppose this is a movie where the protagonist is the ‘bad guy’, and you can’t help but support and relate to her.

Jodie’s rating: 7/10

Nightcrawler

Director: Dan Gilroy
Writer: Dan Gilroy
Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Rene Russo, Riz Ahmed and Bill Paxton (the dude from Titanic)
Released: November 2014

This film is by far one of the creepiest films I’ve seen. It’s not so much scary, but it does put you on edge and makes your skin crawl. I guess, hence the film title.

Jake Gyllenhaal with his goggly, baby-bird eyes and sharp cheek bones, is enough to make you squirm. Let alone the control he has over everyone. It is so captivating.

He lost more than 13kg (30 pounds) to play the ‘literally and figuratively hungry’ character, Lou Bloom. Gyllenhaal did so by running a lot and eating only kale and chewing gum. He said the diet was completely safe and healthy.

Lou Bloom, is searching for a job he’s really good at. He soon discovers the media industry where freelance camera operators use police scanners to find car crashes, shootings and what-not, to film and sell to local news outlets.

Bloom dives into this career and quickly makes a sweet sum.

He basically represents the media industry and the control they have over broadcasts and the law. He steps on and manipulates every relationship, smudging the lines of ethical coverage along the way.

Having recently gained a degree in journalism, I found the subject relatable. I don’t think I’ve seen a movie like Nightcrawler before where the story is from the media industry’s point of view.

It’s a fascinating film that is quite difficult to explain. But it certainly gets you thinking. But if you just want to be entertained, you’ll certainly find yourself laughing at Bloom quite often! His intense delivery of lines is sure to give you fits of nervous giggles.

Actually, come to think of it, his character sometimes reminds me of Jim Carrey’s Andy Kaufman character in Man on the Moon.

The only thing I was disappointed about was how there were no consequences for Bloom – which I know is the point because he represents the gigantic conglomerate of the untouchable media. But just when there was a major conflict, the movie ended.

Despite that, I loved it, and I am definitely going to watch it again.

Jodie’s rating: 8/10

RIP Robin Williams

robin-williams-weapons-of-self-destruction-1024

Actor Robin Williams, 63, has been found dead in his home. Cause of death is currently unknown, but a forensic examination will be carried out August 12. “The Sheriff’s Office Coroner Division suspects the death to be a suicide due to asphyxia, but a comprehensive investigation must be completed before a final determination is made.”

http://www.businessinsider.com.au/actor-robin-williams-found-dead-in-his-home-2014-8

I am so upset to hear this news. Good Will Hunting, Good Morning Vietnam and Dead Poets Society are my favourites of Williams’ work. What a shame!

Good Morning Vietnam showed his incredible talent for improvisation. Most of the film was unscripted, with Williams playing the part of a DJ for entertaining the soldiers in the field.

Dead Poets Society featured a fantastic speech which was subsequently used in an Apple advert. He was truly a performer with various talents – from humour to drama. His voice is so recognisable and his performances were so realistic.

A hilarious comedian who will be sorely missed.

GOOOOOOOOOD MORNING VIETNAM!!

Jodie

The Fault in Our Stars

Director: Josh Boone
Writers: Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber. Based on the book by John Green.
Released: June 2014
Featuring: Shailene Woodley, Ansel Elgort, Nat Wolff, Laura Dern, Sam Trammell and Willem Dafoe
—

My friend said this movie was “a real punch in the feels!” I agree.

Do not expect to walk out of the cinema feeling uplifted, inspired or at peace with the world. If anything, The Fault in Our Stars will rob you of the right to complain about your life, and you will find yourself driving home in total silence as you digest this story.

If you haven’t read the book or seen the movie, it is about two teenagers with cancer who fall in love, before being faced with all sorts of tragic circumstances. ‘Heard it before’, I hear you say? On paper, you’re right, but on the screen, it is certainly something a little different.

It isn’t sugar-coated, or glazed too much with the flawlessness of Hollywood cinema. The raw and truthful tale of two kids with cancer has leapt to the fore with this film.

Depending on how close to the topic you are will depend on how much you take away. For a simple and sheltered viewer, like myself, I found the balance between reality and fantasy well done. But certainly not as inspirational as I expected.

The rumours are true: do expect to have a fat cry during this movie. But it’s not just the circumstances of the story that will trigger the tears, it’s the fantastic acting and soundtrack that work together so damn well that could cause the crying.

For me, I wept because the song “Wait” by M83 was so gorgeously teamed up with the most well-acted scene… It was just so amazing! I was in awe.

If you’re feeling good about your life and need to be reminded that other people aren’t having such a great time, watch The Fault in Our Stars. You will find your high spirits will crash down below ground level.

If you’re not into the storyline, experience it for the music!

Jodie’s rating: 7/10

BEWARE: This trailer makes this romantic drama seem like a coming of age, Perks of Being a Wallflower kind of deal.
It’s not.

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

Locked (Short Film)

I wondered what I was going to be watching when I first saw it actually…
This short film is about a man who calls a lock smith to get him out of a compromising situation.

It is tastefully done and leaves most of it to the imagination – making a bigger impact! The clever thing about the film is that it is based in one room with only two characters and no music, yet it still tells a convincing story.

It will be interesting to see the final cut, so that I could comment on the lighting and audio. But certainly a solid effort was put into acting a scripting with clear morals.

It’s an interesting concept made simple and entertaining – I’m very keen to see the final cut!

I was lucky enough to see the rough cut, but if you are keen to take a look, keep up to date with their progress on their Facebook page: www.facebook.com/lockedmovie

Read up about their film here on IMDb.

Jodie.
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Zhon: The Alien Interviews – “Here’s Zhonny!”

Directors: Alan Williams and Tyrel Good
Writers: Clif Campbell and Marty Ketola
Released: 2012
Website: www.whoiszhon.com
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Zhon: The Alien Interviews is a sci-fi comedy/drama web-series made in Southern Arizona by a group who self-funded the project.

The series is of a man, known as Zhon Jacob Jingle Heimer Schmidt, who claims to be an extra-terrestrial and has wandered Earth for thousands of years. He tells his story during an interview by the Secret Service.

I have watched the first episode, “Here’s Zhonny!” and I am quite keen to see more!

This genre is right up my alley, since I am into the comedic and dramatic Doctor Who (David Tennant) series. Tapping into an original and creative tangent of the classic sci-fi genre with very eccentric characters! Zhon: The Alien Interviews is certainly one out of the box!

It is an off-beat journey with rather quirky characters. The script is well written with dialogue that is authentic. The use of silence is very well executed! Particularly in the first scene where the awkward silences make you laugh just because of the tension. In fact, the entire opening scene is probably my favourite. The Security Guard’s (Steve McKee) expressions were hilarious!

A lot of thought has clearly gone into the making of the web-series. The editing is well paced with a clear format typical of a television series. Although, I think the lighting and some of the audio could be evened out and given more attention to ensure a smoother transition between scenes.

Despite some of the acting being a little forced at times, the actors are well established in their roles. Their use of humour is fantastic! The funny lines of dialogue are fluently delivered – with some catchy lines!

“My name is Agent Killjoy”
“Your mother named you ‘Agent’!? Man! Talk about planning out a kid’s future!”

The main character, Zhon, is played by Robert Linden. The confidence of the character who has clearly experienced life in many places and eras shines through to create a believable and well-rounded protagonist.

The predominant member of the US Secret Service is David Killjoy, who is played by Eric Schumacher, who stands out for me. I can totally see some Matrix ‘Mr. Smith’ going on! Which seems rather appropriate. His facials and calm deliveries are awesome. He’s probably my favourite character because of his awkwardness, seriousness and desperate-looking professionalism.

I think the best decision this team of filmmakers made was staying away from the stereotypes of aliens, and keeping it upbeat.

When making projects on a budget, I’ve seen some genres become drastically unbelievable. However, this strong and entertaining web-series has certainly over-come that, and is sure to become popular for anybody who loves sci-fi, or has a passion for inspiring independent work.

After watching an episode and reading about what an epic project this web-series was for the cast and crew, you can totally appreciate what a grand challenge this was. The final product is exceptionally well produced, and is something everybody involved should be very proud of completing. Dedication much!

Zhon: The Alien Interviews is a fun and exciting web-series with a very interesting storyline. The idea of an alien being interviewed about his life, with flash backs to illustrate, is an effective idea. There’s nothing quite as intriguing as a character telling their story!

Expect to become a Zhonster!

Jodie’s rating: 8/10

Watch “Here’s Zhonny!” below:

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The Great Gatsby

Director: Baz Luhrmann
Writers: Baz Luhrmann and Craig Pearce. Based on F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby
Released: May 2013
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Tobey Maguire, Carey Mulligan, Joel Edgerton, Isla Fisher and Jason Clarke
—

Visually, this film was MIND BLOWING! This is Moulin Rouge! on steroids.

The party scenes are phenomenal! The lights, the atmosphere, colours, fashion, music… It is ground breaking. Just beautiful sets, like we’re being sent to another world.

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The overall feel of the movie is very similar to the likes of The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Edward Scissorhands (the garden scenes) and of course, Luhrmann’s Moulin Rouge! and Romeo + Juliet. I think it’s because all of these movies are fantastical and out of this world.

The actors were very convincing, Leonardo DiCaprio gave another ground-breaking performance. Although his accent was a little confusing on occasion, his dialogue was incredible! I feel like speaking formally, like an upper class person from the 1920s now.

Gatsby: Come on, old sport!

I wasn’t expecting much from Toby Maguire, and for a while believed that Ewan McGregor could have done a better job, until it was mentioned to me that his “pluckiness” was what made his character convincing. Which, I thought was a good point.

I’ve never been a huge fan of Carey Mulligan, but I have to say she did a pretty decent job in this film – her eyes are incredible! Like, she plays such a depressed character, and her eyes tell you that from the first scene. Carey Mulligan has since become one of my favourite actors.

carey-mulligan-as-daisy-buchanan-in-the-great

The music was perfectly selected. Florence + the Machine’s Over Your Love is my new favourite song at the moment. But, the coolest track was Lana Del Rey’s 1920s Jazz version of the popular Young and Beautiful.

However, there were some major disappointments.

This is a film that is based strongly on characters. They fuel the story almost conclusively. Therefore, it was so disappointing that I did not become attached to any of the characters. I was not rooting for or against any of them – I didn’t feel like I had gotten to know them properly.

People are complicated, these characters were not, considering it was such a ‘people story’. Too many of their thoughts and emotions were not portrayed clearly. Most of the time there was a lot of emotion without obvious reasoning behind them.

I was forever looking too deep into the plot, expecting complicated and unforeseen twists. When in fact, the plot is too easy to figure out. I think it is supposed to be very mysterious, which was not portrayed in this film.

They should have kept the audience one step behind – like in the Sherlock Holmes films – until the end for a huge “I did not see that coming!” moment.

I wish the character development was more insightful, and the plot line more curious and unexpected.

Nevertheless, as I said at the beginning, the aesthetics were simply candy for the eyeballs. It enforces the idea that Baz Luhrmann was the ideal director for the film; the parties, grand interior shots and wonderland-esk exterior shots, simply gorgeous.

Oh, I bet Baz Luhrmann could have done an amazing version of Alice In Wonderland…

Jodie’s rating: 6.5/10

Looking Forward to: The Perks Of Being A Wallflower

— Here is my review of The Perks of Being a Wallflower —

I am so, so excited to watch this movie. I had never heard of the books before, but recently stumbled across the trailer.

The script seems awesome with hilarious lines. With the popularity that the books have gotten, I hope that the movie will live up to the hype.

I guess I am looking forward to this film because it explores a very relatable subject of fitting in… Or not… In a free spirited and fresh way.

“I am below average!”

According to flicks.co.nz, The Perks of Being a Wallflower will reach New Zealand cinemas by April 2013. But having checked both chains of New Zealand cinemas, TPoBaW is not on the “coming soon” list… Suspicious much…

Hopefully I will be put out of my misery soon because I feel like I am getting a little overexcited and hyping up the movie a teenie bit too much, increasing the likelihood of being disappointed if it turns out to be below my now very high standards.

The music is awesome – I have looked up some of the tracks already. Very cool indeed.

Let me know if you have seen it and what you reckon. I have read very good reviews so far.

Jodie.

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

Water For Elephants

Director: Francis Lawrence
Writer: Richard LaGravenese. Based on Sara Guen’s novel of the same name
Released: April 2011
Starring: Reese Witherspoon, Robert Pattinson, Christoph Waltz
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I bought this DVD as a bit of a whim. After stumbling across the trailer on YouTube I thought that the look of the whole film resembled the circus scenes in Big Fish.

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

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

horses_water_for_elephants — Beautiful animals and amazing stunts

The climax did have me holding my breath, but the over all story seemed somewhat watered down, with the lack of suspense throughout most of the heavier scenes.

Of course, my terrible habit is that I hype movies up before I’ve even seen them. I did think that Water For Elephants was going to be more dramatic and horrific, perhaps I would have been right if it was an R17 rating or something like that. But, it wasn’t a bad story by any stretch and it was an enjoyable romance drama – despite there being more romance that drama for my taste.

However, it was very well shot! The director, Francis Lawrence shows his talent for lighting in previous films including I Am Legend and has carried it through to Water For Elephants. I am excited to see how he portrays The Hunger Games sequels!

The acting was great for the most part! Christoph Waltz… Need I say more? He was amazing as usual, and one of the most compelling reasons to buy this movie, he was convincingly intense. Robert Pattinson was pretty decent too, possibly a little monotone..? Reese Witherspoon was AV-ER-AGE to say the least. Shallow acting.

A cool tale that explores the fantasy of running away with the circus.

Jodie’s Rating: 6.5/10

Burlesque

Director: Steven Antin
Writers: Susannah Grant. Screenplay by Steven Antin and Diablo Cody
Released: November 2010
Starring: Christina Aguilera, Cher, Eric Dane, Cam Gigandet, Kristen Bell, Julianne Hough, Alan Cumming, Peter Gallagher, Stanley Tucci, Dianna Agron
—

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

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

Amazing costumes, with themes ranging from the classic 1940s to the 1960s. She does an amazing job during the scenes where she is performing on stage. However, for the most part her acting is much to be desired. Her squeaky voice gets a little on nerves considering she has such a deep, powerful singing voice.

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

I swear Life After Love is the only successful song of hers that I can think of.

But Stanley Tucci is one of my favourite actors – he is great in this movie as usual!

Burlesque-tucci

I don’t love the songs enough to buy the soundtrack. But there are a couple that are pretty catchy! Unfortunately, Christina Aguilera’s voice is so distinct that sometimes her improvisation during the songs can become irritating. Hence why I have never bought an album of hers.

burlesqueCA

Following a typical chick-flick structure, the ending is no surprise. Over used morals of “do what you love”, “just do it” and “don’t give up” drowns this movie. But it is a film that is not supposed to be much more than enjoyable.

Looking for a pick me up? I think this high-energy, fun film will do the trick!

(Moulin Rouge + Glee = Burlesque)
Jodie’s rating: 6/10

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
—

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).

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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
—

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