Summer Views...

How To Train Your Dragon 2 - 5 stars *****

I only recently watched the first of these films and loved it, so when the second came out, I jumped at the chance to take Aum to see it. The story begins five years after the initial instalment, and dragons now live peacefully in Berk amongst the villagers. 

Main man Hiccup is at the age where he has to make a decision about his future, and he is being pressurised into taking over from his father Stoick as chieftain of the village. He has his reservations, and instead enjoys flying around with his dragon, Toothless, and exploring unmapped areas. On one such trip, he encounters a dragon trapper named Eret, who is hostile towards him and attempts to capture Toothless in the name of his boss, a shady character building a dragon army named Drago Bludvist.

Upon returning to his father to warn of Drago, it turns out that Stoick has had a run in with him before, and he is a barbaric war lord who will stop at nothing to get what he wants. Determined to believe that war isn't the answer, Hiccup runs away to try and reason with Drago, only to be captured by a dragon rider called Valka, who turns out to be Hiccup's long lost mother, believed dead. She takes him to a dragon paradise that she has founded from rescuing dragons, created by a humongous species called a Bewilderbeast, known as the Alpha, to whom all dragons answer.

Stoick follows Hiccup and is reunited with his wife, but Drago has also followed, backed with his own Bewilderbeast, who fights the Alpha and wins. Using its power of control over all the other dragons, it turns them against the humans, including Toothless, who ends up killing Stoick whilst hypnotised.

Distraught, Hiccup returns to Berk and sets a plan to ride baby dragons (who are not controllable by the Alpha) and defeat Drago. He manages to break the enchantment over Toothless, and when he battles against Drago's Bewilderbeast and wins, he becomes the new Alpha. Hiccup takes up the role of chieftain and despite losing a leg in battle, order is restored.

I actually preferred this film to the first, which doesn't happen very often with sequels! The visualisations are amazing, it actually feels like it could be possible for somewhere as beautiful and magical as Berk to exist. The relationships throughout are extremely believable, and I easily shed a tear at the demise of Stoick, who was a very likeable character. The twist of Hiccup's mother returning was a lovely plotline and helped to explain why he has such a talent with the dragons, and there were some create comedic moments which seemed to make everyone in the audience chuckle, regardless of age. A great one to watch with the kids -but I will also be watching it again with the boyfriend!

Winter Views...

The Hobbit: The Desolation Of Smaug

I have just returned from watching the latest instalment in The Hobbit series, The Desolation Of Smaug. We went to a 3D showing at Altrincham cinema. Usually I am not that bothered about seeing films in 3D, but this seemed like a good opportunity to put it to the test and see if it really makes a difference.

I enjoyed the first film in the series of three, but having read the book, I couldn't help but feel it was being milked to make it span out for three long films, so didn't really have high hopes. However, I actually thought The Desolation Of Smaug was better than the first film, in that it wasn't quite so descriptive, and had more action in it.

It picks up where the first finished, when the group of dwarves, Bilbo Baggins, and Gandalf are hiding from a group of Uruk-Hai. They pass through the Mirkwood, an elven territory, and then on to Esgaroth, a city inhabited by men. They are smuggled into the city by Bard, a man who we later discover is a descendant of the last ruler of Dale, and owns a black arrow with the power to kill Smaug, the dragon who guards the Arkenstone (that is needed by Thorin to rule the dwarves once more). The film ends when an attempt to kill Smaug by drowning him in molten gold fails, and he is unleashed upon the city, much to Bilbo's horror.

As a die-hard fan of Orlando Bloom since the first Lord Of The Rings came out, it was always going to be a welcome sign when he made an appearance in this film. I also really warmed to the first major female role that was introduced, Tauriel, played by Evangeline Lilly as though she is an elf; a species notorious for being unemotional and cold, she showed a certain humanistic quality, taking a shining to Kili, one of the dwarves, and aiding in his rescue when he is struck with a poison arrow. For fans of the book though, her character has been added by director Peter Jackson, and as such seems a bit of an add on - indeed, the whole escapade into Mirkwood is played upon to add light relief and a bit of humour I felt. 

Esgaroth is a beautiful city visually, and especially in 3D I loved the scenes where wide shots of it were shown. The fight scenes were more realistic, and a few fun extras were added in for the benefit of the 3D experience, which I enjoyed. Overall worth watching, but I am hoping the third film is the best of the bunch.

Winter Views...

Frozen - 4 stars ****

On Thursday, I took Aum and his cousin Uma to see Frozen at the cinema. I have taken him to see quite a lot of films whilst being his nanny, and though a few have been really good (Brave, Happy Feet 2), there is also a lot of utter crap that kids watch (Planes)! I had heard good things about Frozen though, so went in with an open mind.

The first thing I noticed was how it was like the more old school Disney films - lots of songs, princesses in a castle, a bit of comedy - the one main difference is the ending, but I'll save that until later. The story is about two sisters, Elsa and Anna. Anna was born with the power to create snow and ice, and as the doting younger sister, Elsa is fascinated by her talent. However, she is not in complete control of her magic, and a mishap whilst they are playing results in an accident, leaving Elsa nearly dead when an ice spell goes through her head. She is saved by magic goblin creatures, but her parents vow that Anna's powers must be hidden to keep her safe, so have all Elsa's memory wiped, except those of her childhood memories of playing with her sister. Anna is then locked away and forbidden from seeing her, much to the confusion of Elsa, who has no idea what she has done to deserve such hostility from the sister she loves so much.

Years pass, and the girl's parents die tragically, leaving Elsa more lonely than ever. She counts down the days until her sister is of age and can be crowned queen, in the hope that they will be reunited. The day arrives, and finally the pair reconcile their differences; until Elsa meets Prince Hans that she 'falls in love' with, and rashly decides to marry. Her immaturity riles Anna, and causes her to reveal her power to the kingdom by accident in her anger, creating chaos when the townsfolk think she is an evil witch. Scared, she runs away to the mountains and creates an ice castle, where she hides, knowing that she cannot hurt anyone there (This part was my favourite, the visuals when she creates the castle are amazing, and accompanied by a brilliant power ballad!).

Elsa then goes on a quest to find Anna and return her to the throne, joined by Sven the reindeer, Kristoff, a trader of ice, and Olaf, a very amusing snowman that the girls made as children who has come to life. They are beset by various trials along the way, including Elsa being struck through the heart with an ice spell, which proves fatal if not met by an act of true love. Kristoff has since fallen in love with Elsa, but it is unrequited as she is still besotted with Hans. Worried, they race back to him, and Kristoff and Sven leave for home, only for the audience to find out that he has tricked them all and only wants the throne for himself. He chains up Anna, and eventually Elsa turns to a statue of ice. 

This is where the difference is. In normal Disney films, this would be where Kristoff rocks up, kisses her and they both live happily ever after. However, this time, it is the tears of Anna crying over the death of her sister that bring her back to life - an act of true love. As an older sister myself, I couldn't cope with this, and was bawling like a baby, which had to be swiftly covered up in front of the two kids I was with! 

I would really recommend this as an all round family film, it has a love story, comedy characters, good songs, amazing cinamatography, a fiesty heroine, and an absolute babe in the form of Anna, who is my favourite Disney princess EVER. Go see!

Autumn Views...

Gravity - 4 stars ****

I actually ended up seeing this on the day it came out, completely by chance, as the girls and me fancied a trip to the cinema and happened to notice this was playing. Although I'd seen the trailer a few times, it didn't quite register whilst I was buying the tickets, so I bypassed the 3D showing in favour of the cheaper 2D version, and then realised my mistake! We decided to see it anyway, and though I must admit it would have been a much better experience in 3D, it was still a great film.

It doesn't have a very complicated storyline, as the main focus is on the special effects, the 3D element and the massive build up of suspense throughout, which it creates very well - it was probably my most stressful and traumatic film experience! It takes place in space, where medical engineer Ryan Stone (Sandra Bullock) and astronaut Matt Kowalski (George Clooney) are stationed on a mission, when some debris hits them, killing their fellow crew member and separating them from their base, and each other. The next 75 minutes is the aftermath - every jaw dropping, heart pounding, adrenaline rushing minute of it.

Bullock steals the show as Ryan, who has to face her demons and push herself to the limits in order to survive, and Clooney is a loveable rogue providing some light comic relief from the catastrophe that ensues around him. I would urge anyone thinking of watching this movie to see it, and definitely opt for the 3D variation. There are so many moments when it could have turned something picturesque into something beautiful, and a quick intake of breath into a ' jump out of your seat' scene that it is worth the extra £2.50!

Autumn Views...

Thor : The Dark World - 4 stars ****

On Thursday I went to see Thor: The Dark World at Parrs Wood cinema with Mo. We weren't too bothered about it being in 3D, so opted for the 9pm showing to avoid it (and the expensive tickets!). I haven't seen the original Thor film, or The Avengers, so was a little dubious as to whether I would be missing out on some vital information to enjoy the film, but this was not the case. Though some things were a bit over my head, having only seen a few comic book based films, and read no original books, I understood the majority of the action and storyline, and would recommend it to others whether they are fans of Marvel or not.

This instalment (said because the ending of the film suggests there will be a third film) copes with the build up to what is known as the Convergence, where once every 5000 years all nine realms of Asgard (including Earth) align, creating portals between them. Jane Foster (love interest Natalie Portman) discovers one of these portals, and is sucked into it, and given exposure to a dark substance called Aether, hidden for thousands of years. An evil elf called Malekith (Christopher Eccleston in very good makeup!) senses the find, and awakes in order to capture the Aether to destroy Asgard. Thor (Chris Hemsworth) has to join forces with his shady war criminal of a brother Loki (Tom Hiddleston) to defeat Malekith and restore peace to the nine realms.

One of the things I can commend Thor: The Dark World for, is the depth of plotline despite the brilliant special effects, as in previous films of this type I have seen, one takes a focus to the detriment of the other. I could have coped with it being a bit longer actually, as there were certain aspects that I felt could have been expanded upon, though these may have been explained in the first film.

There is quite a lot of comedy in this film too, which helped to lighten the scenes that were pretty heavygoing and fantasy based. It doesn't take itself too seriously, which is refreshing from a film of this genre. Worth a watch.

Autumn Views...

Turbo - 3 stars ***

Yesterday I took Aum with two of his friends to watch Turbo in Altrincham. It is the latest offering from Dreamworks, the makers of one of Aum's favourite films, Madagascar. It tells the story of Theo (Ryan Reynolds), a dissatisfied snail working as all snails do at The Plant, which to the average human, is a large greenhouse in someone's garden.

Every night, he sneaks into the human's shed, and watches Formula One racing on a TV, wishing for adventure and to escape and fulfil his dreams of competing in a race. His brother, Chet (Paul Giamatti), a health and safety officer, is less than impressed with his brother's crazy risk-taking attitude and frequently chastises him for having his head in the clouds.

One night, Theo goes to watch the cars driving on the motorway, when he gets sucked into the engine of a drag racer, and his DNA becomes fused with nitrous oxide. The following morning, he finds that he has the characteristics of a car, from his eyes being headlights, to reverse beeping, and even having a radio! His new powers get him into trouble at work however, causing him and his brother to be fired from The Plant. Whilst they are arguing, his brother is snatched by a bird, and Theo uses his super speed to chase it, and save Chet from death. 

Just as they think they are safe, they are captured by Tito, a man working at a taco shop owned by his brother. Similarly to Theo, he has dreams of greatness, cooking up a variety of schemes to try and get their shop on the map and make his cynical older brother proud. Thinking they are doomed to death, Chet and Theo are surprised to learn he wants to use them as racing snails, and they meet a gang of other snails led by Whiplash (Samuel L Jackson), who Theo (now known as Turbo) really associates with. 

Astonished by Theo (now known as Turbo) and his powers, Tito and his friends travel to Indiana to enter him into the Indiana 500 - a world famous car racing event (and coincidentally the race that Theo used to watch on the TV back at home). Here they encounter various set backs and Turbo's belief in himself is tested to the max as he tries to defy Mother Nature and gain the approval of his big brother.

This was a good kids film that I enjoyed myself as well. It had some really funny bits that were clearly aimed at adults, yet all the kids I took said they loved it. The scenes where Turbo falls into the car engine were especially effective as they merged the technical aspects of engineering with bright colours and special effects to make little ones interested. The only qualm I had was that the whole brotherly disapproval seemed a little overdone, to the point where at times Chet seemed really mean! That and the unrealistic aspects (does snail racing actually take place? Would a snail really be allowed to compete in a car race?) but I suppose that is the beauty of a children's film - anything goes!

Summer Views...

Planes - 2 stars **

Today I took Aum and his friend Max to see Planes, the latest Disney Pixar offering. It tells the tale of Dusty Crophopper (voiced by Dane Cook), a small plane built to dust crops in the countryside, and his dreams of winning the prestigious Wings Around The World race tournament. After originally failing to make it past the trials stage, a place becomes available when one contestant is found guilty of using an illegal fuel and is disqualified. The space in between Dusty's disappointment at not making the grade, to him gaining a place took all of ten minutes, so there wasn't much empathy there to be honest.

There are all the usual set backs; a few planes dislike the fact that he isn't a racing plane, and try to bully him out, he has a fear to overcome (a fear of heights) in order to succeed, and his hero (Skipper, a supposed naval hero) is found to have lied about his accomplishments, causing Dusty to doubt himself at the last hurdle. I think the overall story in Planes left a bit to be desired, it was quite predictable, and was basically the same as Cars but with a different mode of transport. This was particularly noticeable with the characters, as there is a clumsy and stupid sidekick (Brad Garrett), a self righteous leading female (Teri Hatcher) and a 'baddie' with a big ego, all of which are dominant in Cars.

However, the visuals in this film were really good. As the competition takes places all over the world, many countries and cultures were shown, which was really interesting and good for children seeing it to learn about international destinations. The two I took to see it complained that it wasn't long enough, which is unusual, so they obviously enjoyed it!

A sequel is planned for release in 2014, which I may be dragged to see, but my expectations won't exceed a carbon copy of Cars 2, with planes!

Summer Views...

Man Of Steel - 2 stars **

On Friday Mo and I went to see Man of Steel, the new Superman film, at Parrs Wood cinema in Didsbury.  It is directed by Zack Snyder of 300 fame, and stars Henry Cavill as the leading man, who it must be said is rather pleasing on the eye, and this is coming from a fan of skinny indie boys, so muscle men are not usually my thing.

Having never seen a Superman film before I didn't really know what to expect - I didn't even know the basic storyline. The film begins with Jor-El (Russell Crowe) strutting around a space age room during the birth of his son Kal-El (who we come to know as Superman), and then zooms to a view of an apocalyptic scene of the planet Krypton, where they live.

Crowe enters a chamber where what appear to be leaders are all sat around in a council, only to be disturbed by head of the military, General Zod, who declares a coup. He is reprimanded, and his team sentenced to hang in space in pods for a long period of time; but not before he has murdered Jor-El, and vowed to kill his son. Shortly afterwards Krypton begins its final destruction and Superman's mother shoots him towards the safety of earth in a probe, just before the planet is seen to self destruct.

Action then zooms to Earth and Clark Kent's (Superman's Earth name) current situation as an adult, detailing a few of the 'miracles' he has been a part of in the past, including one where as a child he drags a school bus out of a lake where it has crashed, saving all his classmates. It is then that he makes a decision influenced by his father to hide his abilities so as not to disturb the balance and create fear with the people on Earth.

Lois Lane (Amy Adams) is then introduced as a scientist working on a glacier that has been found to be thousands of years old. On a late night walk, she discovers a ship hidden inside it,  which turns out to be Zod's, the rebel leader who has now come to Earth to fulfil his promise. She becomes endangered by technology onboard, and is saved by Superman who hears her and comes to the rescue, before disappearing. Lane then begins to search for her mysterious saviour, and discovers his whereabouts, just as Zod makes a threat to Earth to hand him over or he will destroy the planet.

The citizens of Earth comply, but then it becomes apparent that the Kryptons wish to steal the planet for themselves, abolishing humans in a mass genocide. So begins Superman's battle to save Earth and at the same time convince humans that he is on their side and won't harm them.

The first thing that I can say about this film is the special effects and action sequences are incredible. Technology is shown in a really finely detailed light and despite being literally light years ahead of what is currently possible, you find yourself believing it. Apart from that though (which, granted, is a large part of the film) I didn't have many more positives to say.

The dialogue is stunted and often cringingly cliched at times, and Superman just isn't that likeable as he is too flawless - he takes the moral high ground, cannot die and is very nicey nice all the time. It is also pretty laughable that he is still getting around in a rubber suit with a cape when everything else in the film is so high-tech and advanced. His relationship with Lois is pretty far fetched; they meet a few times, barely talk, and all of a sudden seem to be a legitimate couple! Amy Adams is like a blushing schoolgirl around him which doesn't fit with her hard-as-nails scientist persona shown originally either.

I don't know if this is the start of a series of films or simply another remake with a slightly different slant, but whichever it is, I will be remaining someone who just isn't that bothered about Superman's adventures!

Candid Article 28

Here is a link to my latest Candid piece, a review of a documentary called 'Planet Ocean':
http://candidonline.com/dvd-review-planet-ocean/

Winter Views...

Cloud Atlas - 4 stars ****

On Friday, Mo and I went to watch Cloud Atlas, the latest offering from the Wachowskis (of The Matrix fame) and Tom Tykwer (Run Lola Run). I managed to find a preview of it on at Parrs Wood, as it is not released until this week, so I booked tickets to make sure we definitely got in. I saw the trailer for it way back in summer and have been waiting to see it since, although apart from knowing it is based on a book by David Mitchell I had no idea what it was about!

I'll admit, trying to explain what this is about is going to be tricky, not least because there are so many subplots, and all the characters are at least doubled if not quadroupled up, so even describing things that happen to certain people is difficult! 

The main idea is that people's souls remain the same throughout time and space, yet external factors can influence the way their life turns out. There are six different settings: a slave owner's (Jim Sturgess) ship in a pacific voyage in 1849, a composer (Ben Whishaw) writing love letters in 1930s Britain, a news reporter (Halle Berry) investigating a corrupt nuclear power plant in the 1970s, a publisher (Jim Broadbent) confined to a nursing home in the present day who attempts to run away, a Korean clone (Doona Bae) who escapes from her master (Hugh Grant) and rebels in 2144, and a tribesman (Tom Hanks) fighting cannibals in a post-apocalyptic world in 2300. The film (that is nearly three hours long) flits between all six of these stories, until eventually at the end everything appears to click into place and certain conclusions can be drawn about each 'soul'. 

I cannot even begin to comprehend the skills of the actors who took part in this, as they would have had to have done research on many different characters at once, and gone through time consuming, arduous transformations to become them. This is one of the brilliant things about the movie, as sometimes it takes quite a while before you realise who is playing which character. This gives each one a chance to impact before you see them as the actors they are, for instance, Hugo Weaving or Susan Sarandon. Weaving is especially good in drag as the terrifying Nurse Noakes, preventing Broadbent from escaping the home he has been put in by his rich younger brother (Grant) who is jealous of his affair with his wife Georgette (Whishaw).

One bad point I had with this, which may seem a little petty, is that Old Georgie, the ghoulish creature that haunts Zachry in 2300, was very similar to a Mighty Boosh character, even down to the way he spoke, which made me want to constantly laugh! Also a sort of madeup/ patois style language is used in the same setting, which at times I really struggled to understand.

I think that this film has marmite syndrome; though overall I would say I loved it, I have spoken to many that hated it. I thought it was a truly awe-inspiring piece of work, that seemed to evoke and attach itself to every emotion, from love and jealousy, to fear, delusion, pain, lust, greed, pride and philanthropy. It also had a lot of philosophical stuff in that was a little over my head, but intrigued me all the same.

After watching this, I am really tempted to read the book, as I think a story of this depth and complexity would excel on paper and be much more understandable. All I can say of the film is watch it, and hopefully you will think as highly of it as I do! 

Candid Article 25

Here's the link to my latest article!

http://candidonline.com/dvd-review-chained/

Winter Views...

Django Unchained - 5 stars *****

Last night I went with my old work colleague Rick to see Django Unchained. I was pretty excited as I'd heard really good things about it, and I wasn't disappointed!

The story follows Django (a stellar performance from Jamie Foxx) as he is rescued by bounty hunter Dr King Schultz (Christoph Waltz) from slavery in order to track down three criminals that he is under order to kill. He does such a good job, that he becomes partners with the doctor and together they go on a mission to rescue Django's wife Broomhilda, who is enslaved by the tyrant Calvin Candie (Leonardo de Caprio) owner of plantation Candyland. As can be expected of any film, this quest is not quite so simple, and involves a lot of schmoozing and scheming in order to work.

The first thing to note about Django Unchained is its ability to make the audience feel incredibly uncomfortable by the inherent use of racism throughout. Personally I think it is admirable that Tarantino decides to get so close to the bone in order to portray the views of the characters, as it creates an accurate representation of life back in America in the 1850s. For those that are easily offended though, perhaps this is a picture to miss.

Secondly I really rate the way this film has been shot and produced. The special effects are second to none, and through the use of freeze frames, camera angles and colour, Django Unchained is made to feel very clean and up to date in terms of modern cinema, despite not being set in a present day era.

A special mention has to go out to the brilliant performance by Christoph Waltz, who totally made this film for me. His snappy comments, use of facial expression and pin pointed gestures created an entirely believable character who was a really loveable loyal guy, but could kick ass when he needed to. I must admit I have never heard of or seen him before, but would honestly search out some of his other stuff, to see if it is all such high calibre acting.

This film is Tarantino back to his undeniable best. Not only does it have a sturdy plot that keeps you entertained with its fast paced action, but the clever, witty dialogue and incredible skills of the actors involved (which also included Samuel L Jackson, of course!) made it an all round winner in my eyes. Definitely one for the DVD collection.

Winter Views...

Les Miserables - 3 stars ***

Last night I went to see Les Mis with Tasha, Hannah and Emily. I didn't know the storyline at all, and probably wouldn't have ended up seeing it at the cinema, but it was suggested as reason for us all to get together so I thought I'd go along.

The film is 2 1/2 hours long, so understandably this summary is very much abbreviated! The story takes place during the French Revolution and focuses around a man called Jean Valjean (Hugh Jackman) who is given parole after serving 19 years as a slave for stealing a loaf of bread. Wishing to escape, he goes on the run and manages to successfully carve a new life for himself as the mayor of a local town. At the same time, a young girl called Fantene (Anne Hathaway) is sacked from her job in the town when it is discovered she has a child, and Valjean (the owner of the factory) does nothing to prevent it. Forced into prostitution, Valjean finds her a few weeks later close to death (and with no hair, which the actress actually cut off for the role!), and as she dies he vows to take care of her child as repayment for the injustice he has caused.

He rescues the child, Cosette, from the couple that are currently looking after her, a pair of dodgy innkeepers played by Helena Bonham Carter and Sacha Baron Cohen. However, a police inspector called Javert that used to be in charge of Valjean when he was a slave has reappeared and suspects his true identity, so the pair have to run away to prevent being caught and punished. As well as this, there is a love triangle between Cosette, Eponine (the innkeepers' daughter) and Marius, a rich young man who has cast aside his wealthy background in favour of helping his friends with the war effort.

To say that this is a musical performed by normal actors, I was impressed at the singing talent of the majority of the cast. Amanda Seyfried as Cosette was rather annoying for me as she is incredibly high pitched and warbly, but she was the single weak link in my opinion. Samantha Barks as Eponine really stood out, and she had a gorgeous couple of solos that really made the film. The duo of Helena Bonham Carter and Sacha Baron Cohen provided some comedic relief that was well needed, even if their roles were a little typecast - it is what they do best after all.

I wouldn't be too fussed about seeing this again at the cinema, but when it comes out on DVD I would re-watch it, as it is entertaining, and has some emotionally charged scenes that really resonate. I appreciated the overall picture, and the talent that was clearly in abundance (not to mention the presence of Eddie Redmayne, who will always perk up a film for me!), but at times I find all filmed musicals a little cringey to watch, especially one such as this where literally every line is sung, so I'll keep it on three stars.

Winter Views...

The Hobbit - 4 stars ****

Last week I finally got round to watching The Hobbit with my dad and sister. I read the book when I was ten, so have fond memories of the story, and was a little sceptical when I saw it was being made into a film, especially as for such a short book it is being done in three parts.

However, I was pleasantly surprised. Though it wouldn't be my film of the year or anything, I thoroughly enjoyed it, and would recommend it to fans of the book. The scenery, costumes and prosthetics are amazing, and you can really tell a great deal of time, effort and money has gone into the production of this film. It was action packed, emotive, had aspects of humour and to say it is based in a land where goblins and orcs live, strangely relatable in terms of the challenges and fears faced by Bilbo. 

That taken into account, it is not to say I didn't have any issues with this movie. Firstly, Martin Freeman doesn't really cut it for me as Bilbo, but maybe that is because I am such a fan of Ian Holm's later portrayal of the character, and they seem worlds apart. I understand that obviously he changes as a person on his journey throughout The Hobbit, but it is like watching two different characters. Perhaps they will meld more throughout the trilogy.

Secondly, I feel that although it is never boring, there is a lot of surplus information thrown at the audience that isn't wholly needed. For the die-hard aficionados, this is probably a major plus point, as a lot of the history of the ring's journey is included, but for the average viewer, it makes it clunky and difficult to follow. 

One thing that I really rated were the choices of cast. All of the dwarves that accompany Bilbo on his quest were finely carved individuals, each with their own quirky characteristics and traits, which made for good viewing. In particular, Richard Armitage created a fearsome, dark character in Thorin Oakenshield, who gradually shows his softer, more vulnerable side. 

I also liked how songs were included, as it split up the film into nice chunks and provided light relief from some of the more heavier going story lines.

Overall, this is a film that isn't quite of LOTR standard in my opinion, but I would buy it on DVD when it comes out nevertheless.

Candid Article 24

Cult Films

It could be thought that films are simply there to entertain or inform, but some have such a strong impact on fans and their lives that they gain cult status. This is a film that ‘has acquired a following with a specific group of fans. Cult films often become the source of a thriving, obsessive, and elaborate subculture of fandom, hence the analogy.’ I thought I would take a look at a few films that have achieved this label across the decades, and the effect they have had on their fans and society. 

The Godfather (1972) – The Godfather follows the Corleones, a New York crime family who have powerful connections and influences over the city, headed by Marlon Brando’s character Vito. The film spans a decade, and there are two sequels which continue the story once youngest son Michael (Al Pacino) has come to be the Don of the family. It details the movements and happenings within the gangster underworld that they are at the forefront of. The most commercially successful film of all time upon its release, it is ranked as the second greatest film in American Cinema by the American Film Institute. Thought to be one of the most influential films in world cinema, it made stars of Pacino and his onscreen wife Diane Keaton, and spawned a host of phrases that are well-known and frequently reused to this day. 

Star Wars (1977) - George Lucas’ hugely successful six-piece space saga first began in the late seventies with the revolutionary film titled ‘A New Hope’. It told the story of Luke Skywalker, who learns he is a descendant of a member of a rebel group called the Jedi who are trained to have great fighting skills and mind powers. He leaves his life as a farmhand to join their forces to rescue the captured Princess Leia and save the galaxy from the evil Darth Vader. The franchise has inspired an episode of The Simpsons, countless board and computer games and fancy dress parties across the globe amongst other things. Some die-hard fans even class themselves to be Jedi by religion, and there are Jedi news websites and hundreds of fan events that take place every year. The biggest convention is the (almost!) annual Star Wars Celebration, which has been held in America, Asia and Europe and has been running since 1999, the largest of which attracted an incredible 35,000 fans. 

The Breakfast Club (1985) - Directed by John Hughes, this 80s classic was one of the first films to address the high school clique system. Five students, stereotyped the Jock, the Princess, the Brain, the Criminal and the Basket Case are placed into detention one morning with the aim of writing an essay titled ‘Who do you think you are?’. Confined to the classroom for nine hours, eventually the quintet open up to each other about their lives, form friendships, and leave as different people to those they entered as. Since the creation of The Breakfast Club, countless films have been made based on similar scenarios and settings, but this is definitely a case of original and best. 

Fight Club (1999) – Based on the book by Chuck Palanuik, this film focuses on a dissatisfied insomniac, who forms a group with an eccentric soapmaker he meets on a flight. The Fight Club members release pent up frustrations with everyday life through taking part in violent clashes against each other. A delicious twist at the end makes this one of those films that you feel the need to re-watch once it’s over. However it’s no chore to do so, mainly due to the efforts of an all-star cast, which includes Brad Pitt, Edward Norton and Helena Bonham-Carter. It was reported in 2006 that due to the release of this film, many ‘underground bare-knuckle brawling clubs’ had been founded across America, but as they take part amongst consenting adults who do not press charges if injuries are sustained, there is little police can do. 

Shaun of the Dead (2004) – This was the first film dubbed a ‘zombie comedy’, created and performed in by the genius duo of Nick Frost and Simon Pegg. It has a simplistic plot - a middle-aged man whose girlfriend is sick of his layabout ways is forced to be proactive, as he has to lead a group of his friends against a zombie invasion in London, with hilarious (and gruesome) results. The team behind the film have gone on to enjoy huge success, as well as paving the way for similar films such as Severance and Zombieland to make it into the mainstream film circuit.

Winter Views...

Life Of Pi - 5 stars *****

This was a truly breathtaking film. Even the advert made me emotional it was so stunning, so I had high expectations and it didn't disappoint. It is directed by Ang Lee, who has a very diverse mixture of films under his belt, and it is clear he chooses his projects to challenge his talents - and they have definitely been put to good use in this piece.

I haven't read the book, so didn't really know the story, but it is basically about an Indian boy called Piscine (or Pi for short) whose family own a zoo. His father discovers that the animals will be worth much more money if they are sold in Canada, so the family leave India and embark upon a sea journey to the country. However, they are caught in a terrible storm, and Pi is cast out in a lifeboat alone with a hyena, an orangutan, a zebra and a Bengal tiger called Richard Parker.

The film is a sort of alternative coming-of-age story, as it follows Pi's journey at sea, as he struggles to survive, and has to gain the trust of his travelling companions in order to overcome the challenges they face. It is told first hand by Pi as an adult (Irrfan Khan), who is recounting the story to a writer (played by Rafe Spall) who wishes to turn the tale into a book.

Visually, this film is flawless. In particular, the scene set at night where the sea is a swarm of jellyfish is gorgeous, as is one of the earlier scenes where the sky is reflected in the still ocean, so that it looks possible to walk on it like a mirror. 19 year old Suraj Sharma who plays Pi, steals the screen in his debut role, and I am certain we will see big things from him, as he throws himself into character with blind determination, and you don't doubt him for one second.

The soundtrack has been chosen with great care, and really adds to the feel and emotion of the film, I am not going to lie, I was an emotional wreck whilst watching it! It is the perfect mix of philosophy, friendship, loss, love, growth and turmoil, and so touches the old and young alike in different ways. I cannot commend this highly enough - go and see it!

Autumn Views...

Skyfall - 5 stars *****

Last night I went to see the new James Bond film with my dad. It was an 8.10pm showing and I was really tired, so I was hoping it was good enough to keep me awake until the end, which it definitely was!

The title sequence was amazing, the graphics were really gothic which is right up my street, and there was no shortage of  naked women silhouettes for the men (or women) out there. The only thing that grated on me slightly is the fact that Adele does the theme tune, but with her success this year, it came as no surprise really.

The story revolves around a hard drive that has been stolen, containing classified information about the secret agents working for MI6. At the beginning of Skyfall, James has a brawl on the top of a train with the man who has it, and is believed to be dead when another agent shoots him by mistake when aiming for the opposition. We later learn that this is not the case, when Bond returns to help after a terrorist explosion hits headquarters. The man behind the attack, Silva, has history with M, and James has to choose where his loyalty lies, as she is in bad books as it is down to her that the hard drive went missing in the first place. 

I really like Daniel Craig as James Bond - aside from the obvious - as he seems to have a fragility that other actors haven't portrayed as well, and there are points in every film that he has done where you genuinely think he is going to die. It is all very well James Bond seeming invincible back in the days of Sean Connery, as I find them to be vintage classics that aren't always meant to be entirely believable  Nowadays though with the high-tech advancements in special effects and stunts, it is clear that the movies are made to be credible, and obviously nobody is immortal! This 'volume' if you will, really plays upon Bond's relationship with M as well, and it was good to see a different side to the character that we all seem to be so familiar with.

The 'baddie' in this, played by Javier Bardem, is really well developed, as an audience member you somehow end up feeling sorry for his situation despite the havoc he is causing, and I think that is always the sign of a good villain, if you can work out why they have become the monsters they are. I was slightly disappointed with the Bond Girls in this though - there weren't many sex scenes at all, and only two love interests, the best of which (played by French actress Bérénice Marlohe) is killed off halfway through!

Overall, this was a bloody good Bond film, perhaps my personal favourite one with Craig in. I would recommend seeing it to anyone, even if you can only make a late showing - it will certainly keep you awake!

Candid Article 20

Looper - 3 stars ***

The first thing to say about this film is that it is very clever. Even trying to explain the concept behind the plot proves rather challenging. I will, however, attempt to give it a go.

In 2072, time travel has been invented, but it is so illegal that it is used solely by the mob, controlled by an elusive character with extraordinary telekinetic powers known as The Rainmaker. When there is an undesirable to get rid of, The Rainmaker sends them back 30 years, where assassins known as Loopers are ready and waiting to kill them, thus disposing of the body, and erasing the person.

Joe, played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Inception, The Dark Knight Rises), is one of these Loopers, desperately saving the silver bars he earns from killing people in order to move to France and make a life there. However, his plan is thwarted when his future self (Bruce Willis) is sent back for him to murder, and manages to escape. He has hopes of killing the Rainmaker as a child, thus preventing him growing up into the monster he becomes. So begins a chase for both old and young Joe, as young Joe is now on the run from the mob for missing his target.

I must admit, I didn’t particularly warm to the main character, young or old, but perhaps as the Loopers are supposed to be emotionless and slightly robotic that was the director’s intention. I also had trouble believing Gordon- Levitt as a hard faced hitman, probably due to the characters he has played in previous films such as 500 Days of Summer and Ten Things I Hate About You, where he was quintessentially the clumsy, lovelorn bloke. Emily Blunt puts in a solid performance, with a flawless American accent, playing the slightly confusing love interest (you’ll see what I mean if you watch the film!) and her little boy is very cute, if you ignore the freaky mind stuff he does!

The action is gripping, and there are lots of thrilling car chases and explosions, so if that is what you want in a film then you will not be disappointed. However, for those viewers that don’t like movies where you have to think a lot, or you hated Inception, then I would suggest you give this a miss. If you like a bit of mind boggling and to be left going over the plot once the credits begin to roll, then this is definitely one to watch. Not a contender for film of the year, but worth making the effort to see while it’s in the cinema.

Candid Article 18

Anna Karenina - 5 stars *****

The latest screen adaptation of Leo Tolstoy’s tragic novel Anna Karenina has been one of the most highly anticipated films of 2012. Directed by Atonement’s Joe Wright, and with a screenplay by Tom Stoppard of Shakespeare in Love fame, it also features a sparkling cast, including Jude Law, Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Keira Knightley as the ill-fated heroine. 

For those not familiar with the plot, Anna Karenina is the aristocratic wife of important political figure Aleksei Karenin (Jude Law). She is highly admired in 19th century Russian society, and is adored by her husband, son and family. However, a chance meeting with young Count Vronsky (Taylor- Johnson) on a trip to Moscow throws her normally stable life into chaos, as she embarks upon an illicit affair with him. 

Desperate to cling onto his wife and reputation, Aleksei agrees for Anna to continue her infidelity, as long as she is discreet. But nothing stays a secret for long in society, and whispers soon begin to emerge. When Anna learns that she is pregnant, she is forced to stop seeing Vronsky, or risk losing her position, home, and access to her son. Unable to live with the consequences of her decision, she leaves Aleksei and her son to live with Vronsky, a scandal unheard of in those times. I won't say too much more about what happens next...

This film was really interesting to watch, as it had a number of techniques within it that were so unlike anything I have seen before. The whole thing was set up to look like it was being performed on stage, so scene transitions showed furniture being moved around, backdrops being lifted and characters undergoing costumes changes as they acted. The camera would then zoom in to the action, and then when it zoomed out, the characters would actually be in the landscapes that the stage had originally set up. Freeze frames were used to emphasise certain scenes, for instance the dance sequence in which Karenina and Vronsky first meet, which is beautiful to watch. It gave the whole piece a very dramatic and vintage feel, which I loved as it emanated the romanticism of theatre during the 19th century. 

The cinematography as a whole was something to be admired, as at times the camera focused on tiny details, like the eye of a horse before a race, or ribbons on a dress fluttering in the breeze. It made the action very four dimensional to watch, as it heightened the senses to pick up subtle sounds and textures that would otherwise have been missed. 

With regards to casting, there wasn’t a weak link in sight. Each role seemed to have been hand-picked to perfection, from Anna’s loud, womanising brother Oblonsky (Matthew Macfadyen) to the meddling gossip Countess Lydia (Emily Watson). My particular favourites were Alicia Vikander and Domhnall Gleeson as the young lovers Kitty and Levin, who have a gorgeous scene together towards the end where they use children’s wooden letter blocks to hold a conversation. Keira Knightley in my opinion put in one of her best performances to date. I have not taken to many of her previous roles, finding her a little typecast and clichéd. But the passion and range of emotion that she showed whilst portraying Karenina was excellent, and she really brought the trauma of the character to life. 

As you have probably picked up from my enthusiasm, I thoroughly enjoyed this film, and think it is a really unique piece of cinema that is slick, gripping and full of emotion, and would therefore highly recommend it. As someone who is very into fashion as well, the costumes were absolutely amazing!

Summer Views...

Brave - 3 stars ***

I thought this looked quite good when I saw an advert for it, so when Aum and I were at a loose end for something to do yesterday, I thought I'd take him to see it. We went to the Trafford Centre: as it was the summer holidays it was packed, and we ended up with pretty naff seats, but at least we weren't on the front row.

The film tells the story of Merida, a young Scottish girl (I can only presume she is a young teenager) who is due to be found a suitor for marriage determined by the result of a challenge that she must set the eldest son of each of the three neighbouring clans. Fond of shooting arrows, riding her horse, and generally defying being a 'proper princess', she is horrified at the idea of getting married, and tries to persuade her mother to change her mind. As could be expected, her mother is having none of it, and wants her to stick to tradition and become a lady to uphold the family name.

At a loss for what to do, Merida follows a trail of willo-the-wisps (supposed to determine your fate) and stumbles across a cottage belonging to a witch, who she asks for a spell to change her mother. Little does she realise quite how literal the spell is though, as her mother turns into a bear, that she will be stuck as permanently after two sunrises, unless the troubled pair can 'mend their broken bond'. This seems like quite a random transformation, if it wasn't for the fact that a rogue bear named Muldoon mauled Merida's father when she was younger, and so she knows he will do anything to kill her! So ensues the chaos of having to hide a huge bear inside a castle, whilst trying to solve the puzzle to break the spell. 

There were lots of laughs for both young and old and, as with most animated films nowadays - a host of famous voices to try to guess before the credits rolled. It was nice to have a children's film based in the UK for once, and also good that it made use of traditional Scottish folklore and music, which I think will be informative to younger viewers.The only stipulation I had with this was the clichéd dialogue between mother and daughter (it was all very 'it's not fair!'/ 'life isn't fair, you have responsibilities') and also that the fearsome Muldoon was indeed that - pretty bloody scary! The film was a PG though, so I guess that was the reasoning behind the rating. Worth a cheeky watch though.