movie – Page 5 – NZ Film Freak

One Month Anniversary

2 February 2012:
NZFilmFreak’s one month anniversary!

Thank you to all of the blog commenters, readers and viewers (in that order)! With 464 views I am excited by the growth in popularity and I hope it continues at an alarming rate!

I will continue to write my honest reviews of all of the positively terrible and fantastical films that I have watched and admire the talented writers and directors from around the world.

I will continue to write about many of my random thoughts.

And I will continue with my political rants and raves to help open your eyes to the issues in our world that need attention. Because that is the only way to solve our major problems – by recognising them, talking about them, blogging about them and most importantly doing something about them.

Thank you very much for your support and for fellow bloggers like Dead Homer Society and That Indian Dude (even though it appears it has been deleted, but still…) who have referred to my blog on their site.

Keep reading and commenting – it’s great to know people are reading.

Yours faithfully,
Jodie.

Public Enemies

Director: Michael Mann
Writer: Michael Mann, Ronan Bennett and Ann Biderman
Released: 2009
Starring: Johnny Depp, Christian Bale, Marion Cotillard, Billy Crudup, Stephen Dorff, Stephen Lang
—

After reading the blurb on the back of the $9.99 DVD I was preparing myself for a mind-numbing 143 minutes of car chases and gunfire. With such an instant dislike you may wonder why I bothered rescuing this film from the bargain bin. Well, I put my faith in Johnny Depp’s reputation of being in the best of films.

Three words; Way. Friggin’. Cool. The car chases were not boring (possibly for the simple reason that the 1930s cars are wicked!) and the gun fire had consequences. i.e. it wasn’t random gunfire for the most part – some bullets did actually collide with people or surroundings, which is always a bonus.

John Dillinger mug shot — The real John Dillinger

Public Enemies is a true account of John Dillinger’s (Depp) bank robberies, successes and being on the constant run from the cops during the depression of 1933-34. Despite it being rather difficult to distinguish many of the male characters during the dimmer scenes due to their very similar wardrobe, the characters were pretty well rounded and before you knew it, you were rooting for the ‘baddies’. You know the writers and film makers have done their job when you end up supporting the murdering protagonists. It’s like Dillinger is perceived as a superhero villain/rock star… He’s the dark superstar of the 1930s.

This action thriller is fantastic because it did happen which makes all of the gasping and gob-smacking moments even more appropriate. However, after doing about ten-minutes worth of research after watching the film, I realised that they embellished the love-interest and missed out the hugest mystery of all; the question mark over Dillinger’s death!

Apparently there was a look alike named Jimmy Lawrence who was a petty thief who became Dillinger’s alias in Chicago, and because John Dillinger burned his fingers with acid to remove his fingerprints, the post-mortem was inconclusive despite the FBI closing the case – possibly to save any more embarrassment in relation to the long chase. I think they should have included that, and laid off on the love interest of Billie Frechette (Marion Cotillard) a tad.

The filming and lighting was FANTASTIC! It was mostly hand-held with slow motion shots that made chills go down your spine and incredible shadows which created the entire mood.

“What keeps you up at night?”
“Coffee”

Jodie’s rating: 7.5/10

Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs

Directors: Phil Lord and Christopher Miller
Writers: Phil Lord and Christopher Miller (screenplay), Judi and Ron Barrett (story)
Released: 2009
Starring: Bill Hader, Anna Faris, James Caan, Andy Samberg, Bruce Campbell, Bobb’e J. Thompson, Mr. T, Benjamin Bratt, Neil Patrick Harris
—

Animated films have been growing in popularity because of the flexibility and ability to create elaborate sets. Fantastic films have been made thanks to the advanced technology now available from Toy Story 3 to Megamind to this film; Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs.

Bill_Hader_in_Cloudy I was skeptical at first as it seemed like a silly and random storyline. However, after watching it from start to finish I found that the humour was similar to that of Megamind (one of my favourite animations) and the fantasy element like the 2009 animation Coraline.

It was the crazy gestures and facial expressions which I thought was the funniest element. Particularly the main character’s father who simply had a monobrow, a nose and a mustache. The creativity was pretty awesome in regards to the natural disasters formed by food, as well as the colour and realistic food which made me want to eat a hamburger so badly (despite being a vegetarian, so that shows how far graphics have come these days!). cloudywithachanceofmeatballs-sequel

Typically there are mostly stereotyped characters, but that wasn’t really a surprise for a film which is targeting a younger audience. Having said that, these animations (with Toy Story 3 in mind) aren’t boring for the older viewers – cartoons are not just for kids any more.

cloudy It was a simple storyline, however. Despite me trying to look deeper – perhaps it’s a stab at genetic modification or corporations wanting to rule the world or global warming – I found it lacked substance. Plus, the ‘absolute low’ in this film lasted as long as a blink. Not very much suspense at all. Perhaps it really was just a film with a tired moral of “not giving up on your dreams”… *sigh*

Cloudy-With-a-Chance It’s an easy-to watch film which is pretty funny (not as funny as Megamind) and fantastical (not as fantastical as Coraline) with a typical “they all lived happily ever after” ending.

Somewhat disappointing but perhaps my hopes were too high.

Jodie’s rating: 6.5/10

Back to the Future II

Back to the FUture II

Director: Robert Zemeckis
Writers: Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale
Released: 1989
Starring: Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson, Thomas F. Wilson
—

Well, we went to the recent past of 1985 in the last movie so it’s only logical to go to the future of 1985 in the sequel! We go to 2015 where the cars are flying and instead of skateboards, we have hover boards… Doesn’t seem quite so realistic now that 2015 is just around the corner! You scientist better get on to it. We’re going to be disappointed if we don’t have our flying cars and hover boards by 2015…

back_to_the_future_part_2_1989_685x385 “Roads? Where we’re going, we don’t need roads….” We go to the future with Marty (Micheal J. Fox), Doc (Christopher Lloyd) and Marty’s girlfriend Jennifer (Elizabeth Shue) because Doc is concerned that their son will be framed by the grandson of Biff (Thomas F. Wilson), Marty’s high school bully.

back-to-the-future-2_b — Recognise a certain somebody from *Titanic*? Billy Zane’s (front left) first job was playing one of the bullies in *Back to the Future*!

Whilst there, Marty buys a magazine that recorded the results of every major sport of 1985 making betting a breeze. Unfortunately, he leaves it laying around for it to land in the wrong hands – Biff’s – who steals the time machine and creates an alternate 2015! So Doc and Marty have to save the McFlys as well as going back to 1955 to prevent Biff giving the magazine to his younger self who would create the evil alternate era!! Pheph! This is a much more scary and shocking film than the more lighthearted last, but still very exciting.

BTTF2 This dark film exposes the full extent of the dangers of time travel as Marty finds his father’s grave and his mother married to Biff in the alternate 1985. There’s a lot of gun action and accurately predicts the rise of corporations ruling the world (Biff’s company owning the police force) and everybody’s infatuation with money. It’s a massive flip-side to the innocent times of the previous film which is unexpected.

I preferred the colourful times of 1955 of Back to the Future I. However, this is still a very enjoyable film! Particularly the epic music by Alan Silvestri – equally as great as the previous film.

Jodie’s rating: 7.5/10
Check out my review of the sequels: Back to the Future I and Back to the Future III

Back to the Future I

back-future

Director: Robert Zemeckis
Writer: Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale
Released: 1985
Starring: Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson, Crispin Glover
—

The first of the Back to the Future trilogy is a mind-blowing and exciting science fiction adventure. About 17 year-old Marty McFly (convincingly played by a 24 year old Michael J. Fox) who finds himself in ‘Doc’s’ (Christopher Lloyd) unreliable Delorean time machine and is whizzed back to the year 1955, unable to return.

I loved how you really had to think about where you were and who certain people were in relation to Marty’s life back in 1985 – such as meeting his Uncle “Jailbird Joey” who never seems to want to leave the bars of his play pen, when in the future, he never seems to get out of jail!

Unfortunately, Marty makes too much of an impression in 1955 and accidentally attracts a little too much attention from his future mother, Lorraine Baines, (Lea Thompson) – endangering his very existence!

Back-to-the-Future-One-of-the-best-movie-series-of-all-time-michael-j-fox-21003788-1280-688 As we are trapped in the fifties, we see the repetitive nature of the McFlys and how each generation get bullied by the same family of Marty’s bully as well as the lack of self-confidence carried from father to son in the McFly family. This structured life brings out the irony and humour of the story.

marty.doc02 So while he is stuck in the fifties he finds the Doc from that era to help try find another fuel to get the usually nuclear-run time machine back to the eighties! All at the same time, trying to get his future parents to meet and fall in love whilst trying to get back to the future! It’s such an exciting and fun film which looks very well made for its time.

The music is probably my favourite aspect of the film – simply because I’m a sucker for 50s music and that era. The best version I’ve heard of “Earth Angel” (originally released by The Penguins) was in this film sung by Marvin Berry and the Starlighters – it was way cool! But not as cool as Marty’s rocking version of Chuck Berry’s “Johnny B. Goode”! Music really sets each time era and helps you keep track of where the characters are from and where they are now.

THIS FOLLOWING CLIP MAY BE A SPOILER
Do not watch this following clip if you have not seen the film before.

I love Robert Zemeckis’ movies from Forrest Gump to the Polar Express and A Christmas Carol and the Back to the Future trilogy is way up there too! He has always made meaningful and incredible films which always show off his talent.

back-to-the-future

If you love timetravel or great music, this fun and easy-to-watch classic will never get old!
Look out for the sequel!!

Jodie’s rating: 8.5/10
Check out my review of the sequels: Back to the Future ll and Back to the Future lll

Inception

Director: Christopher Nolan
Writer: Christopher Nolan
Released: 2010
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Ken Watanabe, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Marion Cotillard, Ellen Page, Tom Hardy, Cillian Murphy, Tom Berenger, Michael Caine
—

Wow! If you liked the Matrix you’ll like this!

A mind-twisting film which demands the full attention of viewers as it’s not an ‘easy watch’. By that, I mean that a passive audience is not going to be handed the complex idea of dream inception and deep characters on a platter.

Dom Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio) is the primary dreamer or extractor hired by a corporation-owner, Mr Saito (Ken Watanabe) to plant a lucrative idea into Robert Michael Fischer’s (Cillian Murphey) mind via a dream. This is to encourage him to decide to break up the energy conglomerate which he recently inherited to make way for Saito’s company.

inception_luciddreaming

Despite this not being an easy task. But to add to the challenge, Cobb’s late wife invades the dreams, potentially sabotaging the entire job and putting the dreamers (including Joseph Gordan-Levitt and Ellen Page) in fatal danger. This is because dying in a “dream within a dream” will not wake them up, but send them into limbo which is basically no-man’s land for what seems like an eternity.

That was a mouthful!

This epic film is a James Bond action meets Matrix science fiction meets a totally unique twist of a psychological thriller, which incorporates the modern fear of privacy invasion and increasing reality that companies have the most power.

With so much going on and so much to think about during the movie, the two and a half hours whizz by.

My favourite scene would have to be the parallel storyline of the van that is driving the unconscious dreamers, with the storyline of the conscious dreamers within somebody else’s dream. (Yes, it’s difficult to explain).

It’s the fast-paced dream versus the slow motion van that explains the time difference between dreaming and real life.

The count-down begins as the slow motion van is driven off of the bridge and the dreamers need to accomplish the mission and wake up before their physical selves drown in the van. It’s so intense!

The cliff-hanger ending leaves much debate between viewers – so after much philosophical thinking, logical analysis and heated debates with friends, you would be back in the cinema for a second viewing or buying the special edition DVD from the nearest store.

The devoted and flabbergasted viewers will find themselves questioning how they come to certain decisions (are we in a dream?) in the same way the Matrix promoted questions of fiction and reality (is this world physically real?). In the same way as Sims players question if somebody is playing our lives out.

Of course, different people take away very different things from this movie. The most popular comment being “I don’t get it.”

INCEPTION. With a stream of shallow chick flicks and rom-coms, Inception was a breath of fresh air for those who enjoy a bit of an “epic”.

Of course, the film and talented cast is not all that creates such a movie – Hans Zimmer’s haunting scores were essentially what gives you chills!

Not forgetting the song that was the cue for the dreamers to wake up in the film (and is everybody’s alarm clock sound now) – Non, Je Ne Regrette Rein sung by Edith Piaf. It stirs emotions of apprehension and nostalgia in the audience which is parallel with the characters’.

I’m sure you can tell that I am an Inception fan, but I have to say that such a long and complicated film has less entertainment value by the third or fourth viewing.

However, it’s a “must have” for all dedicated DVD collectors or movie-making enthusiasts.

Even if it is a DVD that is not watched frequently, it’s a film that will always spark conversation and is kept handy for casual social viewing for a wide audience.

Jodie’s rating: 8.5/10