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Reviews
Juno (2007)
Perhaps not a movie for all?
'Juno' is, in my opinion, a movie for women. I don't mean this in a sexist way- but I think there are some films out there that only women should watch. 'Juno' is one of them. The character of Juno, to me, seemed unlikable and full of herself- I could not, as a man, relate to her situation and I certainly could not sympathise for her terrible taste in music. A lot of people enjoyed this movie- and I wasn't sure why. I asked one person if they enjoyed the movie to which they replied "yes". I then asked if they enjoyed the classic of film, 'Chinatown' to which they replied "No- it was boring." If you think 'Chinatown' was boring (which it certainly was not) go and see this movie. If you didn't, perhaps steer clear.
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007)
Stunning...
As a big fan of Tim Burton, I came to see this movie expecting all of his 'trademarks'- rebellious main characters with crazy black hair, panning opening credits, Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter & a unique Gothic style. But I got so much more. The music was great- I was not a big fan of Sondheim before seeing the film but am starting to like him more and more.
Depp put in a great performance well worth his Academy Award nomination- but I was shocked that Helena Bonham Carter didn't get nominated for an Oscar (she did get a Golden Globe nomination) because I thought she was absolutely amazing- however I was told my a friend that her performance was quite different from how the character is played in the show.
The story follows Benjamin Barker (Depp) , who is sent to Australia for 15 years for a crime he didn't commit- and then returns as Sweeney Todd, taking vengeance on the judge (Alan Rickman) who purposely exported him. He starts a sort of relationship with Mrs. Lovett (Bonham Carter, beautiful as always)- who owns a pie shop below his old barber shop and recognises him from 15 years ago. Sweeney goes a bit mad and decides that everyone in the world deserves to die. He and Mrs. Lovett create a plan to kill everyone who comes for a shave at his shop and then turn them into meat for he pies. At this point the film switches from a story of Sweeney's revenge on the judge to him and Mrs. Lovett killing everyone. Blood starts to spurt in an (sort of) hilarious scene which includes the violent slashing of customer's necks. Things get more complicated as Mrs. Lovett expresses her desire to marry Sweeney (in one of the best scenes of the film- the song "By The Sea"). Eventually blood continues to pour until all the characters have died (except three).
Burton outdoes himself in on of his best films yet- and the cast is great, all with good voices for non-professionaly trained singers (Bonham Carter especially. A must for any Burton fan.
The blood is plentiful but as long as it's just blood it still has a slightly comedic affect.
The film can best be summed up as a cross between 'Moulin Rouge' and James Whale's 'Frankenstein'.
Wild West (2002)
Love It
I am a big fan of Dawn French and Catherine Tate, and this absolutely hilarious comedy series is a dream come true for me. It is quite dark and doesn't rely on the big on-screen moments, but rather the toned-down mild, very dry but witty humour (With the notable exception of one absolutely hilarious scene involving bungee-jumping).
The Cornwall fishing village setting is the perfect setting for two 'lesbian until something better pops up' girls, and their hilarious neighbours, including the owner of the local pub and his deaf wife, a lonely old sailor, a young lad and a young witch.
If you like Dawn French or Catherine Tate- you'll love this. Otherwise, there is a lot in this series that might not seem hilarious.
The Catherine Tate Show (2004)
Comedy Genius
Many people don't find Catherine Tate funny. They can't see what is funny about her sketches, but the humour really comes from how absolutely spot on real they are. Lauren Cooper is a classic example- so many people find seeing a girl say 'Am I Bovvered?' a lot boring, but it is a classic representation of the chav subculture and it is dead on.
I read one comment that said offense was taken in a sketch where there was a 'ginger retreat' for redheads who were being outcast by society. As a redhead herself, I'm sure Catherine Tate didn't mean to offend anybody in this sketch- and indeed involve an ending where the redheads protested about their rejection from society.
The real humour in Catherine Tate is to be able to laugh at yourself, something a lot of people can't do.
The CTS is often compared to Little Britain- something that strikes me by surprise as I find them very different. Little Britain relies on rude, unbelievable jokes to make things work- The Catherine Tate Show's funniest sketches are often her tamest, such as the Aga Saga Woman who stops an egg-and-spoon race in disgust because "The Eggs aren't organic"- hilarious.
The Catherine Tate Show is one of the funniest shows on TV, and Catherine Tate is very talented.
Fred Claus (2007)
Don't give this as a Christmas Present...
I went into this movie expecting it to be really god-awful. And it was. I really felt sorry for the star-studded cast- Kathy Bates was a wonderful actress... before she made this movie- Vince Vaughn and Paul Giamatti were disappointing as usual but Miranda Richardson couldn't put in one of the fabulous performances I know and love her for. Fred's dad, played by Trevor Peacock (of Vicar of Dibley fame, amongst others), had about one line.
The plot was predictable and all over the place, and the humour was... lacking. (However, there was one part of the movie where Santa enters the house of a Jewish family... that made me laugh just because their expressions were classic) Don't see this movie unless your only other alternative is having a head-on collision with a train (actually- maybe the train would be better...)
Vertigo (1958)
What a brilliant film
I absolutely love Hitchcock- believe me, I have never seen one of his films and been bored. But yet this film, which seems so complicated when you first see it, stands out.
The acting is not particularly brilliant, and the plot seems so clustered to work- but Hitchcock pulls this film off to perfection. For me, this is one of the best films ever- and indeed for a lot of others. James Stewart plays his reliable, good guy character- but something about his character is so unsettling. The way his actions mirror Hitchcock's own.
You can never stop analyzing this film and its never ending meanings- sure, it may be jam-packed full of phallic imagery and clever metaphors, but it is a great movie before you even try and delve into its hidden meanings. While some people might not find the movie interesting, they might think it is predictable- thats because this film is so classic that it has been copied a hundred times.
If you die without seeing this film your life was incomplete- definitely a must-see!
Marple: The Moving Finger (2006)
A Great Marple Mystery
Agatha Christie has always been one of my favourite authors, and this fabulous mystery really does her magnificent story lines justice. This season of Marple has had two very large mistakes, bringing Miss Marple into stories where she doesn't belong (dispite the fact there are plenty of original stories for them to film) and also changing the murderer in 'The Sittaford Mystery'. This mystery includes a wonderful cast, and, I'm pleased to say Miss Marple doesn't seem to be the main character. James D'Arcy is wonderful, and Frances de la Tour never ceases to amaze. Gripping and enjoyable, though I feel Agatha let us down with the murderer's identity. He was very boring, and not at all someone lively and unexpected. The naughty notes were fun, and Emilia Fox yet again put on a marvellous performance- despite the strange red hair.
Wonderful, I recommend it for everyone who's ever felt alone and for anyone that wants proof as to that fact English village life isn't boring. (only, it's not really proof as the whole story is fictional)
Marple: By the Pricking of My Thumbs (2006)
Not great, but an enjoyable mystery
Though Miss Marple wasn't in the original novel, I enjoyed this mystery all the same. While I would've preferred not to have seen Miss Marple (especially considering what a bad entry into the episode she has) I thought Tuppence (played to absolute perfection by Great Schacchi) took my mind of her.
I hope that more Tommy and Tuppence episodes are planned (without Miss Marple, please!) and that Miss Marple will just stick to her own mysteries, as we know that you have plenty of novels left to adapt.
(PLEASE don't change any Poirots like this because it would be a disaster!)
I recommend this for anyone who feels they can sit through Miss Marple being awfully similar to 'Midsomer Murders'
Marple: The Sittaford Mystery (2006)
A dreadful cocktail of uninteresting bore
While Geraldine McEwan is not a great Miss Marple, she has had her moments (The Moving Finger was particularly thrilling)- this was most definitely not one of them. Taking a nice old Agatha Christie mystery and changing the murderer and a considerable chunk of the plot is bad enough, but failing to even make the plot gripping is a dreadful crime. A hectic series of shots that seemed to be thrown together by a drunk infant made up this mystery story that resembled more Christie's classic play 'The Mousetrap' than the original novel. Though Timothy Dalton is a compelling actor, his failure to be murdered until halfway through was considerably strange (especially as his character died n the first chapter of the book) There were strange unanswered questions, and a very confusing end shot which had Trevelyan returning from the dead after his murderer had been revealed- all in all, this was a very disappointing adaptation of the novel, and a disappointing mystery at that. Not recommended for any Christie fans.
Poirot: After the Funeral (2006)
A fabulous Murder Mystery
I thoroughly enjoyed this mystery from David Suchet- who plays Poirot fabulously. A mystery that I did not solve until the end- one thing confused me (the nuns). I recommend this to anyone who is an Agatha Christie fan or anybody who just like (murder) mysteries. A spectacular acting job from the entire cast- David Suchet always puts on a spectacular performance. The Movie also captures the time very well- with old cars, houses, costumes and other buildings all being incorporated into the film. For those who aren't aware; Agatha Cristie is a wonderful writer- and this movie really captures her unique writing style and ability to cook up a spectacular read.