star_gazer_1628 Reviews

Grease (1978)

Grease is the word!

[7/10 · 14 August 2007]

I saw this film just the other day, sitting underneath the stars in a park with loads of other people, watching the movie on a big screen. There is absolutely nothing like it in the world to be able to enjoy a movie with others. This film is amazing in the way that it can get everybody up and dancing; you should have seen and heard our rousing rendition of "You're the One That I Want", it was beautiful. I think that the casting in the film is superb, and the songs are great too.

We all know how successful "Grease" has been, it is a movie that has stood the test of time, and I love it. Sure, some parts do drag on a little bit, especially, "Hopelessly Devoted to You" which always gets on my nerves for some reason, but other than that, it's a great way to spend an evening. Although it does look dated, the story is timeless and will always be used in films. The dance routines, the songs, everything is amazing. My favourite scene has to be the finale, as it's a really uplifting song and a good old happy ending which makes you go away with a big smile on your face.

Ice Age (2002)

One of the best animated films EVER!

[9/10 · 11 May 2007]

I first saw this film in a cinema when it was first released, and it is now one of my personal favourites. Even now, 5 years later, it still manages to make me laugh. I can't really choose just one aspect of the film that makes it so brilliant, but I definitely think that the cast has something to do with it.

Ray Romano is a great choice for Manny; he can be moody and sullen at times, but we also get an insight into why he is like that; he is hiding his pain. Dennis Leary is brilliant as Diego; you're never quite sure where you stand with his character until the very end. Sid the sloth has got to be the funniest character in the film (aside from Scrat possibly); without him, the other characters would have no one to direct their sarcastic comments at, and there would be a lot less comic relief. John Leguizamo is amazing; the voice he gives Sid is so distinct and funny that it makes me laugh every time. He gives a charm to the character; even though he may well be one of the ugliest things you've ever seen, you warm to his kindness and loyalty to his friends. Sometimes when watching a film, there are parts that really seem to drag; fortunately, I did not find any such moments in this film.

Possibly the best scene ever has got to be the one with the dodos. Granted, the way they died was dissimilar to the truth (we were the ones who hunted them to extinction) but the slow-mo scene with Sid and the melon was absolutely hilarious: Dodos flying everywhere and Sid leaping over their heads. I was in stitches. Backgrounds are a little plain and not realistic, but hey, this is a cartoon, not a super-realistic blockbuster.

As I have mentioned before, the voices are perfect for their characters, and they give a little bit of themselves to the role. The interaction between the leads is brilliant and the dialogue is hilarious.

Anyone who loves a decent comedy movie, go see "Ice Age", (but I must admit, I personally was disappointed by the sequel; that's just my opinion.)

Finding Neverland (2004)

A beautiful surprise

[10/10 · 11 May 2007]

What a truly remarkable film this is. It wouldn't have been my first choice of film, but my Gran had been given it for Christmas and I was asked to watch it with her. I like Johnny Depp as an actor; he really gets into character, and the same is true in this film. Truth be told, I did not even recognise him at the beginning of the film. At first I found myself thinking, "This is not really my kind of film", but as time went on, I became absorbed in the story. Freddie Highmore was excellent and having worked with Depp before, there was a strong relationship between them. These two performances were the ones that stood out the most for me, but all were excellent.

I was touched by this film and am not ashamed to reveal that I was I tears by the end. This is a wonderfully directed film that encourages you to believe in your imagination; I wanted to cheer out loud when Silvia's mother was the first to start clapping in response to, "if you believe in fairies, clap your hands!" I am glad that I got a chance to watch this film, as I would have been missing out on a marvellously touching film. It rightly deserves its Oscar, and I urge you to watch this film if you can; it is a delight and will make you understand not only what a genius J.M Barrie was, but just how powerful your imagination can be.

The Mask of Zorro (1998)

Zorro Rides Again!

[9/10 · 14 February 2007]

(Don't know if there are any spoilers here, but just in case) First saw this film when it was on TV a couple of years ago. Wow. I'd not long ago seen "Shrek 2" and my dad was going on about how so much of Puss In Boots' character had been taken from Zorro that I decided I wanted to have a look. I got my chance a couple of months later, and let me tell you, I was still laughing my head off the next day.

I don't care what anyone says, this movie is one of my top ten greatest films ever. The plot, the music, the scenery, the actors and the characters: Everything was amazing. It was a little darker than I first expected, particularly the ironically-named Capitan Love who murdered the trainee Zorro's brother.

First of all, the plot. I'm not a stickler for historical accuracy; I just go to see a film to be entertained and gripped by the story, and "The Mask of Zorro" certainly did that. The way that all of the characters were linked to each other whether they knew it or not is clever: Don Diego de la Vega (elder Zorro) is imprisoned and has his child taken away from him by his arch enemy Don Rafael Montero, Governor of California. Rafael takes the child, Elena, and raises her as his own. Twenty years later, his right-hand man, one Captain Love, finds the infamous Murrieta brothers, Joaquin and Alejandro, killing the elder brother, Joaquin. Alejandro swears that he will kill the Captain, and meets Don Diego, who escaped from jail. The pair work together to thwart Montero's plans, and along the way, Alejandro falls in love with Elena, but is unaware that she is his mentor's daughter. Phew, it's kinda complicated, but it works really well.

The music. Superb score, apart from that one song, "Spend My Lifetime Loving You", which was fine in a quick snippet, but having the singers belting it out in the credits is a bit much. The one that sticks in my mind the most is in the first scene when Zorro is astride a rearing Tornado after saving the men from being killed, the sun setting in the background and the crowd cheering. Beautiful.

The scenery. Set in 1840s California but filmed in the wonderful locations of Mexico. All the rich reds and browns create a powerful and wonderful background for the actors.

Now, the cast. I personally think that they all performed brilliantly, and Anthony Hopkins was regal as Don Diego de la Vega, aka Zorro. Catherine Zeta Jones swashbuckles her way onto the silver screen with a brilliant performance, particularly in the duelling scene between Elena and Alejandro. Antonio Banderas is brilliant, he has a great sense of comic timing, and when he tries to get the horse, well. It was about five minutes before I recovered. "Hey, estupido!" he cries, and the horse reluctantly trots over. He smiles to himself and leaps from the rooftop, only for the horse to walk forward and let him crash to the ground. I was in hysterics. He and Hopkins bring a charm to the character that makes you say 'this is how Zorro is supposed to be played'. Stuart Wilson is suitably devious as the evil Don Rafael Montero, and Matthew Letscher plays a good part as the nemesis of the younger Zorro, you can really feel his hatred for Alejandro.

Some people do not realise this, but for most of the time, it is really the actors who are doing all the sword-fighting and some of the stunts. The duel between Elena and Alejandro is brilliant; there is such a great chemistry between the two leads. One of my favourite scenes of the whole movie has to be the one where Zorro takes on a group of about twenty soldiers and wins. The look on his face when he realises that the gunpowder fuse is coming towards him is hilarious!

I don't care what anyone says, I love this movie and would encourage anyone who hasn't seen it to rent it, or if you own it, view it again and have a good time. It is great to just sit back once in a while and enjoy a movie with humour and action that doesn't have to rely on huge explosions, (OK, this film has two, but that's it!) bad language and car chases. I do like a good action film, but it is nice to dive into the past and watch something different that can make you laugh, cry and cheer the heroes on until the very end.