300
Really enjoyed 300, not the most historically accurate film, nor does it have much to the story other than the fighting. But still it’s entertaining and has some amazing action sequences. I really liked the way that some of the shots are straight out of the graphic novel. It does reinforce the Lord Melchett school of warfare - that you can do anything by shouting. Worth a watch.
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Here comes the Fuzz
On valentines day the new(ish) Simon Pegg/Edgar Wright creation ‘Hot Fuzz’ hit the screens, after the success of Shaun of the Dead everyone I know was itching to see it but it looks like they came away dissapointed (Ian and Andi). I’m not 100% sure what everyone was expecting from a film that is written by and basically stars the same people but it was only ever going to be one of two things - a completely different tone from Shaun of the Dead or basically the same type of film with a different setting - it was the later.
I wasn’t a great fan of Shaun of the Dead when it first came out, it took watching Spaced to make me wise up and fully appreciate it, perhaps that’s why I really liked Hot Fuzz, I still want more of that style of humour whereas those who saw Spaced long before the films have fallen out of love with it. This film was not as good as Shaun of the Dead but then it’s not that far behind and to be honest I’ve seen Shaun of the Dead way more times than Hot Fuzz so after a few more viewings it might be as good in my eyes.
I’d give it 7.5/8 out of 10.
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Toe to Toe
Rocky returned to the big screen this weekend and Ian and I managed to get to see it today. It’s a really good film, it draws you in emotionally and it’s not really about the fight at the end of the day but the characters. Sylvester Stallone wrote this installment of the Rocky franchise as he did the first one and I think it adds to the depth of the film. For a sixty year old he pulls off the action sequences and he must have worked out for the film as he is big, I don’t mean big here I mean you can see muscles popping out all over his body.
The Rocky series has never been a favourite of mine but this film really brought the characters to life for me in a way that the others never really did, perhaps it’s the fact that I can relate easier to this one but perhaps it’s just a better film?
“Whats wrong with standing toe to toe, and saying, I am?”
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Finding Happyness
Went to see The Pursuit of Happyness today at lunchtime, which I’ll talk about in a different post! The film is an emotional rollercoaster and it doesn’t let up for the whole two hours. Will Smith proves again that he’s a great actor and that he can do most types of film. His son is also brilliant as his son in the film. Apparently the real Chris Gardener had a lot to do with the film (from Charlotte) and I think that it really comes across with the film focusing on piviotal and highly emotional episodes in six months of his life.
I can see why the film has picked up the Golden Globe nominations as the film really grabs hold of you and makes you want him to make good. Definately worth watching!
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New Beginnings…
Apocalypto places us in the Mayan empire during its decline just before its conquest by europeans. From the title you’d think that the film is an epic portrayal of this great empire and it’s practices. Mel Gibson takes a different tack and leads us on a rollercoaster story about Jaguar Paw, a Mayan village hunter and how he saves his family from death at the hands of slavers.
The film has received a lot of flak from Academics and Native Americans for reasons that become apparent during the film. Apart from these historical inaccuracies and the perhaps slightly brutal depiction of native americans the film a is beautiful piece of cinema and delivers some high adrenaline action sequences along with an simple entralling story. As Ian points out theres a fair bit of humour at the start too that help sets the scene of the peaceful village life we see destroyed.
I really enjoyed the film and even though the passing of time doesn’t seem to mean much in the south american forest it holds up for the whole film. From the title I was expecting more of an epic rather than the very human centred film that Apocalypto is, but then I was misled by the title - its passing resembalance to apocolypse is just that the title means ‘New Beginnings’ which fits much better with the story and the is the last line in the film.
Definately worth the £3.50 it cost for both Ian and Me to see it!
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