Film Mini Review: The Fault In Our Stars

Two teens fall in love after meeting at a cancer support group.

The Good:

The actors were amazing. Truly. Shailene Woodley makes a wonderful, cynical Hazel. She was very tactfully played and we felt we truly understood her feelings and why she acts the way she does.

Augustus Waters. Is there any person more wonderful? The casting here is spot on as Ansel Englert plays the role beautifully. He puts so much joy and vivacity into the. Every teen should find themselves falling for him.

Poignant, with very beautiful words that make you strongly feel the characters. Enough to make you cry certainly.

Unashamedly realistic in terms of the conversation that people of this age actually have, and every day life.

I've never had cancer, but now I think I know how these two feel. Even the trailer (below) has severe feels.

The Bad:

The ending! No spoilers though. My heart was broken into three billion pieces.

Overall:

I don't have a bad word to say about this film. Great. Something that everyone should watch, apart from people who don't like experiencing emotion.

The Fault In Our Stars on IMDB

Film Mini Review: We're the Millers

A drug dealer creates a fake family from a group of people he kind-of knows in order to smuggle a truck-load (literally) of cannabis into America.

The Good:

• Laugh out loud funny. I am not over-dramatising this, unlike most other reviews of kind of funny films.
• No awkwardness or extremeness. I'm looking at you, Bridesmaids. Awkward seems to have gotten really popular these days in comedies and now it's all anyone is doing. I don't find that funny, I find it unbearable.
• Great charcterisation of each one of the main four. I honestly loved how each one had a few facets.
• Good cast, but we all love Kenny. Is there anything Will Poulter can't do?
• Some very amusing situations. Very.
• Kind of heartfelt in an odd way, and also appears to have a moral compass. it doesn't point completely north, but it's nearly there.

The Bad:

• Some may not like the swearing. There's a ton of it.
• There are a lot of unsavoury subjects here: drugs, smuggling, nudity (well, ish), stripping, violence.

Overall:

To be honest. I loved this film. It's a great one for a night in with friends and is definitely only suitable for adults. I wouldn't want to watch it with my parents in the room, either. Very funny and great for some lighthearted fun that you take with a pinch of salt.

We're the Millers on IMDB

By the look of IMDB, there's going to be a second one. I am a little bit excited!

Kyra_x

Film Mini Review: Insurgent

The second film in the Divergent trilogy (or is that quadrilogy? I can't keep up now) is pretty cool, I have to say, and the effects are stunning.

So Tris and Four (and the rest) have safely gotten out of the city and away from those awful factions that basically let you die if you don't fit in. And now they're wandering around aimlessly looking for a place to be safe. Luckily, there's a faction for that. Oh, my mistake, there are two.

The Good:

• Shailene Woodley shines here as she gets to flex those acting muscles, also, we get to check out Ansel Elgort, Jai Courtney and Theo James again... yummy.
• Loads of action to keep you on your toes and it all looked amazing
• Well thought out concepts (some of which weren't in the book, apparently)
• They actually got me! For a moment I was shocked and confused! Unexpected events, yay!
• Loved the way you were kept guessing about the allegiance of a few of the characters and their motives
• Great visuals, especially when Tris is inside her own little world again.

The Bad:

• I think Tris was lost here as a character. It was like she just wasn't her any more. Ok, so some pretty major things happened to her and no doubt that changes a person, but it was like watching Mockingjay Part 1 Katniss all over again!
• I also couldn't help but compare Ansel to The Fault in our Stars. Caleb is just such a boring ass in this film; a completely different person. However, as a result I completely rate him as an actor.
• According to other sources (since I actually haven't read this one), the film leaves a fair bit out that the book has in it, and the concepts are different, slightly. However, as films go, it was good!

Overall:

A good little film which packs plenty of punch. Perfect for teens and fans of action movies where the girls wear practically nothing. A great sequel in my opinion. It'll be interesting to see if that opinion changes once I've read the book.

I have a feeling that the next film will be great. Now off I go to read the books. I need to know what really happens and I MUST know how it ends this instant. I have heard disturbing things, but I WILL reserve judgement. No spoilers please!

Insurgent on IMDB.

Kyra_x

Film Review: Hercules (2014)

The story of Hercules has been done and redone til it hurts, and yet I still bought this new film and had a watch of it. I think no matter what, the Disney version will always win hands down in my book. This movie made a brave attempt though.

The Good:

• A realistic take on a classic story.
• Some good names: Dwayne Johnson, Ian McShane, Rufus Sewell, John Hurt, Joseph Fiennes, Peter Mullan.
• One absolutely inspired character; Tydeus, a savage killer who never speaks a word, but is reptty brutal and actually quite funny at times. He is also extremely brave, and I could not get over some of his actions.
• Interesting greek mythology origin story which stays true to the original story of how he killed his wife and children after going mad.
• Loads of action.
• A nice twist in the plot that you don't completely expect.
• Includes Atalanta, who is easily the best human female character in greek mythology. Two thumbs way,way up.

The Bad:

• Fair CGI, but didn't really make too much use of the 12 labours to help the story along.
• Some of the casting, specifically that of Dwayne Johnson is a bit dubious. He carries off the look and strength of the character, and does show some levels of character, but for me he was a bit flat. He is almost convincing.
• On the character point, I can't say that I cared at all for the characters. None of them was very relatable, and many were one-dimensional. I didn't even care about the kid, seriously.
• The plot is fairly boring and not terribly memorable. In fact, you really remember the fighting rather than anything else.

Overall:
A good ending which satisfies, but probably not something I am likely to watch again. It is really best for men who like action films and realism.

Kyra_x

Film Review: Kingsman: The Secret Service

Synopsis:
A gentleman spy organisation offers an unlikely young man the chance to be in the secret service, but first he has to go through a series of tests with other, much more posh, competitors. At the same time, an American technology genius is becoming a major world threat.

The Good: 

• Great selection of established actors: Colin Firth, Mark Strong, Michael Caine, Samuel L. Jackson, Mark Hamil and Jack Davenport.
• Taron Egerton, who plays Eggsy, delivers a very believable character who is quite endearing.
• There is a Pug involved.
• Great to see such Britishness involved, including some of the humour.
• Nice rags to riches story, with a great commentary on snobbery, self-image and climate change.
• The mix of action and comedy will appeal to a wide range of people.
• Great nods to Arthurian legend and some Bond satire involved.
• Awesome female villain. I loved the fact that she was a double amputee and was also really kick-ass. It could have bad connotations though if other films run with the same concept after the Oscar Pistorius trial.
• Follows that great trend of comics into films.
• Great clothing selection. Honestly, the suits, the umbrellas, the shoes, even the glasses were like an extra character.

The Bad:

• Slightly contemporary with mentions of Iggy Azelea so may not age well.
• Can verge on ridiculous comedy in places.
• Chavviness at the beginning may grate on some people.
• Quite gory!
• I am not sure about our villain. He only makes sense to a point with his motives and doesn't strike you as really being all in with his plan.

Overall:
A great film. Fun to watch, very accessible for many age groups and I would definitely buy it. Very entertaining and quite thoughtful too.

Film Mini Review: In Time

Synopsis:

In a world where time is money, people live freely until they are 25, when a timer device begins ticking on their arm. They then have one year until their death. While some die young, with next to no time amounted and stuck in dead end jobs, other high flyers in better time zones can live for a hundred years, a thousand years, even a million. It all depends how successful you are, and where you were born. Some live by this law: for the few to live, many must die, but two young people are about to put a stop to that.

The Good:

• An awesome idea of time being currency, set in a dystopian future.
• Takes on a Bonnie and Clyde feel which is great, but also this all happens for the good of the people from impoverished time zones, which can also be compared to Robin Hood.
• Olivia Wilde, Cillian Murphy, Alex Pettyfer, Justin Timberlake and Amanda Seyfriend star, and it's a really good watch.
• Lots of action.
• Makes you honestly question what you would do in such a situation.
• Dystopia, yay!

The Bad:

• I am not too keen on Justin Timberlake's acting abilities
• More world development would have been good.
• Some distances and time-frame didn't make sense when added up against the time on the protagonist's clocks. eg: When passing between multiple checkpoints.

Overall:

A really good film and something I will be watching again. Suitable for fans of dystopia and action films, as well as sci-fi lovers and those who like a futuristic feel. Very entertaining.

Kyra_x

Mini Film Review: Django Unchained

Synopsis: 

A freed slave and an ex-dentist take up bounty hunting together in 1858 America. Django has other plans to save his wife, who is trapped as a servant in a Mississipi cotton plantation.

The Good:

• Excellent story about love and revenge, really bringing to life the hardships of black people in this place and time.
• Interesting in the way that Django handles himself, especially towards the other slaves. Is he acting, or is he enjoying it? You honestly can't tell.
• Christoph Waltz excels as Dr. King Shultz, the ex-dentist, with Jamie Foxx and Leonardo Dicaprio not far behind him.
• It's got Samuel L. Jackson in it. As we all know, a film isn't a film without him.
• Funny at times, especially when Waltz says and does clever things.
• Cameo from Jonah Hill anyone? Two cameos from Quentin Tarantino himself.

The Bad:

• So, so, graphic in terms of violence, sometimes utterly unneeded.
• A bit ridiculously bloody nearing the end.
• Too much use of the word 'nigger' for my taste.
• Really long.

The Overview:

Honestly, not a bad film at all. Quite entertaining but not something I would actually choose to watch again thanks to the overload of violence.

Kyra_x

Film Mini Review: A Million Ways To Die In The West

Synopsis: 

When Albert's girlfriend dumps him, he loses his will and nearly leaves his hometown, only to be persuaded to stay by a mysterious woman he hardly knows, who can shoot a gun better than any man.

The Good:

• Western comedy full of modern references, and lots of laugh out loud moments.
• Seth MacFarlane. Also starring Charlize Theron, Amanda Seyfried, Liam Neeson, Sarah Silverman, Neil Patrick Harris.. the list goes on.
• Look out for funny cameos from the likes of Ewan McGregor, Jamie Foxx and Ryan Reynolds, oh and the voice of Patrick Stewart.
• Nice bit of romance and danger elements.
• Loved that the main character was so normal and kind of cowardly.
• The moustache song.
• Acting is actually really good!

The Bad: 

• Fair bit of unnecessary swearing.
• Tiny bit of toilet humour (I am just not a fan)

Overall:

A great film and brilliant for a bit of fun. Those with a penchant for dark humour would really enjoy this, or anyone who likes Ted or Family Guy. Totally recommend for a non-serious night.

Mini Review: Pompeii - Film

Pompeii - A Quick History Lesson: 

The city of Pompeii was an ancient Roman site near Naples that was mostly destroyed when Mount Vesuvius erupted in 79 AD. The population was 11,000, and most of them did not survive, having been blasted by heat at 250 degrees Celsius and being killed instantly.

The Good:

• Kit Harington is really good, and I love that Emily Browning was there too. Oh! Emily Browning's parents are some pretty big names too, so watch out for them.

• The film ties in with what many already know about Ancient Rome. The gladiators being slaves and seeking their freedom by fighting their way to it is a fairly well trodden path. I liked how this was incorporated in the film to create a background for our protagonist and supporting characters.

• Absolutely full of action, the fight scenes are great.

• Nice bit of romance and a nice little friendship between gladiators.

• Realistic as far as I know, in terms of how the people reacted (by fleeing to the port) and as to how long the eruption would have taken.

The Bad:

• The ending! Maybe slightly too realistic, and that is all I can say.

• Some of the effects (take the chariot chase scene) ended up looking like a video game.. but not state of the art.

• A lot of people die. I mean, I expected it, but they do kill off some great characters.

Overall:

Really watchable and really enjoyable. I will be watching this again soon, I can tell! 

Kyra_x

Divergent - Film Review

I read the book to this film a long, long time ago, and quite frankly, I like it that way. When you neglect to re-read just before you watch the film version, you tend to see it for what it is instead of nit-picking wrong or misplaced elements. I could remember the main plot but not much else, and the ending was a rather confusing jumble where I could remember how it all went down. That suited me just fine.

Divergent is a dystopian YA fiction set in a  world where people are divided into five factions, when they are a certain age, they undergo tests to discover which faction they belong in, and then they choose where they should be. Tris, out protagonist, gets inconclusive results on her test, marking her as a divergent and a threat to the way of life. She manages to place herself in the worst possible position when she opts to enter Dauntless, a free, fearless but harsh faction, where her nature could be discovered at any moment.

One thing that struck me straight away about the movie was that the explanation of the world was extremely rushed in order to get to the action, meaning that perhaps some in the audience don't fully understand the first few scenes where Tris and her brother choose other factions rather than the one they were born into. However, I don't see that as too much of an issue as you get the idea of the main factions involved as you watch the rest of the film.

Tris was acted very well by Shaliene Woodley, as her cleverness, determination and general kick-ass attitude shone through. Her range of emotions as opposed to the book weren't quite there, as in some scenes when you know Tris is terrified, she appears all too calm. A little bit of sweaty palms or twitchy fingers wouldn't have gone amiss there, though I understand that it would have been quite difficult to show her exact emotions. Four (Theo James) was pretty good too, and I think the right actor was chosen for the job sine he comes across really scary at first, and although he stays that way, his actions speak louder. The one thing that bugged me about the characters was the fact that it was very hard to differentiate between Al, Peter and ?, who all looked far too similar. Considering that Al at least was described rather differently in the book, I'd say that was a poor judgement call in order to get more good-looking boys onto the screen. Some famous faces included Kate Winslet, whose acting was fair but she didn't get much screentime, Jai Courtney, who was really cool, . while they were good, none really stuck out to me.

The depiction of the world was something that very pleasantly surprised me. everything looked extremely similar to how I envisioned it being as I was reading. Maybe the Dauntless camp could have looked a little bit more dangerous though.

As for content, the plot stayed very close to the book, and if there were any discrepancies, I never noticed. I was pleased to see one major event included that I had not expected after no-one fell to their deaths during initiation. Some elements have been left out, but honestly I felt that it lent to the overall pace of the film.

This is a very engrossing film and a really great story. It has very much spurred me on to read both Insurgent and Allegiant, which had fallen by the wayside until now. I can't wait to see what the film-makers do with the rest of the series, even though I haven't read them yet!

My Review of the Book

Divergent on Goodreads

Divergent on IMDB

Kyra_x

Despicable Me 2 - Film Mini Review

Gru isn't an evil villain any more, but now he is bored with his normal life. when an opportunity to become a spy for a secret organisation arises, he leaps at the chance.

The Good:

• New levels of cuteness (Gru dresses up as a fairy princess).
• Awesome new characters in the form of an overenthusiastic spy, Lucy.
• Voices from Steve Carell, Russel Brand and Kirsten Wiig
• Still as funny as the first one.
• Romance, mutants and Gru dealing with parent issues
• Best scene: Lipstick Taser!

The Bad:

• Agnes becomes officially weird.
• Iffy villain with no real explanation as to his back-story. How did he fake his his own death and why? How does he have a son and what happened to the mother?
• The ending comes rather too close to cheesy for my liking.
• Don't hate me: the minions were not funny - they were too slapstick this time around.

Overall: 
Very entertaining, but I would still say that the first one is better. Still a great, original idea and still very well done. Suitable for kids but certainly watchable for grown-ups too.

Guardians of the Galaxy - Film Review

Starlord, AKA Peter Quill, is a self-proclaimed outlaw. After stealing an orb from a far-away planet, Quill soon gets arrested for his theft after having a run-in with rocket, Groot and Gamora, all of whom are also arrested. The four, plus an inmate from the prison known as Drax the Destroyer, all realise they have an enemy in common; Ronan the Accuser, and so they team up in order to save the universe from being destroyed by the power of the orb, which could fall into the wrong hands at any time.

Wow, this film is great. The premise of criminals becoming the good guys isn't completely fresh, but its good enough and certainly brings in more laughs than a bunch of goodie-goodies doing the job. There is a whole new set of characters to add to Marvel's collection now, this time a set of misunderstood miscreants.You'll get to know Starlord (Chris Pratt), an abducted human, Gamora (Zoe Saldana), a green assassin, Drax (Dave Bautista), the muscly, tattooed human thesaurus, Rocket (Bradley Cooper), a strangely clever raccoon bounty-hunter and his tree-like bodyguard, Groot (Vin Diesel).

Marvel films aren't really known for the incredible acting, but for their awesome action sequences. However, I will say that Chris Pratt does an exceptional job at being a likeable jerk, and the comedic timing of everyone is spot on. There are a lot of famous faces in here: Zoe Saldana, Glenn Close, John C Reilly, Karen Gillan and Djimon Hounsou (horribly misused in my opinion as he doesn't have much screen-time) to name a few. Of course, there are a couple of faces that you won't see: Bradley Cooper and Vin Diesel. Rocket Racoon is by far the best character in the film, due to his snarky comments and foul temper, and Groot is pretty interesting too. I won't lie though, Vin Diesel must have had an easy time of it - one line to remember and no physical appearance.

Although this is all very sci-fi, you nearly forget about that fact as you get wrapped up  in the action of the scenes, and they were truly awesome; a prison break, countless fight scenes, a ton of outer-space shots and some really funny conversations. Speaking of conversations, younger viewers may want to cover their ears. This is a 12A film (UK) and I'm not sure I'd want a child younger than 12 to learn some of the curses that come out, parental guidance or not. Parents, you've been warned.

For those of us who are fans of the Marvel universe, we don't get a lot of nods to other films based on the Avengers. However, there are nods to the infinity stone storyline when we see Thanos and The Collector, who have featured in after-credits scenes. We can definitely see this story developing in this film, spurring on bigger and better things. This film has picked us up out of the Earth-bound (and Asgard-bound) world and flung us into outer-space, where things could really start getting a great deal more epic.

One last thing: the soundtrack. The soundtrack for this movie is incredible. It really makes the film, and links it to Starlord in a very nice way. The music actually comes from a mixtape that Starlord has on his person when he is abducted, and therefore all of the songs are from the 70s and 80s. This is totally geared towards the adults in the audience, but it is also very good in adding a touch of realism and humour into the mix. Lots of action sequences were made more amusing simply by adding the ill-fitting music over the top.

Join the universe's most unlikely heroes in a hilarious quest to deny a villain his attempt at Earth. This is a hugely entertaining film, full of laughs and action. It was so good, I immediately wanted to watch it again.

Best bits: Glenn Close sets the scene with the films first curse. Drax the Destroyer gets a bit too literal. Starlord gives a motoviational Kevin Bacon speech to Gamora. Rocket asks for an inmates leg as part of his escape plan. I am Groot.

Guardians of the Galaxy on IMDB

Kyra_x

How to Train Your Dragon 2 - Film Review

Caution: Spoilers for How to Train Your Dragon follow. Ye Be Warned.

It's been five years since Hiccup convinced everyone on Berk that Dragons were nice and friendly, but now trouble is brewing once again. His father, Stoic, wants him to become chief, but Hiccup only wants to go flying with Toothless to explore new terrain. On one of his adventures, he and Astrid stumble upon a group of dragon-catchers (check the term) and hear about a man who is building an army of dragons. This new threat quickly escalates and before you know it, Hiccup has embarked on a whole new adventure.

I could go on and on about how great the first film was. I could say that the mixture of Scottish-accented vikings and adorable dragons was epic. I could say that Toothless is as much a character as every single Viking there, and he's hilarious. I could say that the film appeals to both children and adults. This is all old news for many of you, but I will say that this film does all of that and then adds some more epic on top. In the form of exploring more about dragons and about the area surrounding Berk. Where the first film had no real bad guy, this one takes it up a notch to include a very bad guy and some cronies too. So this guy has some ability to talk to dragons, and he is amassing a dragon army, all enslaved by an Alpha dragon who is doing Drago's dirty-work. One issue; we have no idea how Drago managed to get this giant dragon who could simply crush him with his foot to do his bidding. However, this is a children's film, and since children don't think about things like that, it's not too much of a criticism.

Big themes in this film are those of family and responsibility. Hiccup is 20 years old now, and his father wants him to take care of the entire village. In this film, we see him truly growing up, and with the appearance of his mother (oh come on, we've all seen the trailer) giving him a full family once again, this really gives a coming-of-age feel to the whole thing. One issue though; there's this one scene where his parents start singing; it's completely surreal and kind of stopped the flow of the film. Thank God it quickly escalates to a bit of fun instead of the cringey parent romance it would be perceived as by children and teenagers.

I'd also like to take a moment to appreciate the differences in the animation style and the character design between the first and second films. I have to say that particularly with the younger characters the design is pretty flawless. You know who each character is meant to be, but also you can see the small ways that the artists have built on their teen forms and transformed them into adults. This is especially prominent with Hiccup, who, although he is still skinny, is no longer a gawky-looking boy. The animation style is very slightly different, but that to me is a good thing, as effects are improving all the time.

The ending is brilliant with an epic finale, lots of dragons and lots of action. One truly shocking thing happens and it blew me away that the film-makers decided to do it. However, it really wraps up the plot well, and I left the cinema elated.

How to Train Your Dragon 2 has entertainment value for kids and grown-ups. It merges the hilarious with the serious and the action with more emotional scenes. With the voice talents of Cate Blanchett, Gerard Butler, Dijom Hounsou, Kristen Wiig, Chistopher Mintz-Plasse, America Ferrera, Kit Harington, Jonah Hill and Jay Baruchel, the cast list makes for a pretty impressive read too.  I would definitely reccommend to anyone.

How to Train Your Dragon 2 on IMDB

Kyra_x

The Railway Man - Film Mini Review

A man who was tortured as a prisoner of war still vividly remembers the trauma years later and cannot seem to cope. His new wife struggles and tries to find out more. Based on a true story.

The Good:

• It has Colin Firth, Nicole Kidman, Jeremy Irvine and Stellan Skarsgard in it, all of whom deliver excellent performances.
• Jeremy Irvine really does look like the image of the man this film is based on as he was during the war and his voice echoes Colin Firths brilliantly, making him instantly recognisable as his younger self.
• Based on a true story and doesn't shy away from horrible truths
• A real story of what it is to forgive and how difficult it is to forget
• The romance is quite a nice aspect and lets us know that life doesn't simply end once you have been through a war
• Poignant and satisfying ending

The Bad:

• Some scenes were graphic and quite horrific.
• A little slow to start
• As the film flits between past and present time, some parts could be slightly confusing

The Verdict: 

Probably not for everyone as scenes can be a bit difficult to handle. Very dramatic, very good performances. Recommended for people who like dramas, war stories and films with more than a pinch of truth to them.

The Railway Man on IMDB

Kyra_x

The Grand Budapest Hotel - Film Review

The tale of Zero Moustafa, a lobby boy of the Grand Budapest Hotel, and Gustave H, the charming concierge. When one of Gustave's hotel clients is found murdered, he is left her most prized possession; a priceless painting, but the family will not let this rest so easily. Soon, the two heroes are on a wild adventure, having stolen the painting and been framed for the murder.


The Good:

• So many awesome actors, including Ralph Fiennes, Tilda Swinton, Bill Murray, Willem Dafoe, Saoirse Ronan and Jude Law.
• Quirky, funny plot.
• The new kid, Tony Revolori, who played Zero, was great and delivered his lines with perfect comedic timing. Ralph Fiennes was, as always, extraordinary.
• Cutest love story ever.
• Darkly comic with violent scenes and surprising characterisations.
• A really nice relationship builds between Zero and Gustave.
• Stunning scenery (models, green-screen and real) and interesting camera shots.

The Bad:

• It was, at times, really weird and verged on the ridiculous.
• Cliched story-within-a-story made the beginning really quite boring.
• Not too fond of that music at the beginning.
• The historical context was not completely clear to me (I am not good with that kind of thing though)

Overall thoughts:

Clearly this is a love or hate film, judging by all the reviews on IMDB. Wes Anderson films seem to have a very select following who love the sense of pure fantasy that this film brings, whereas others revile the silly nature of the film. These people probably have no sense of fun or humour, because I really liked it. I did finish the film with a kind of 'what the..?' feeling, but nevertheless it was amusing and interesting to watch.

The Grand Budapest Hotel on IMDB

Kyra_x

I, Frankenstein - Film Review

Mini Review

Frankenstein's monster still lives today, battling a force of demons without our knowledge. He has been hunted by them for 200 years, and now he is about to find out why.

The Good Stuff:

• It starts out as the classic tale of Frankenstein (missing a couple of details of course, or this wouldn't work), and then turns into a fantastical modern-time war with the monster trapped in the center. 
• Aaron Eckhart's acting is pretty sound, and his voice could give Christian Bale's Batman a run for his money in the sore-throat department.
• The idea of God-made gargoyle people is really cool, and I can see it taking off in literature (hint, hint, paranormal/fantasy authors). It's not something I've ever really heard of apart from in Disney's The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and then they were just as comedy characters.
• Surprisingly religious notes, talking about souls and demons.
• Also stars Bill Nighy (Davy Jones in Pirates of the Carribean), Miranda Otto (Eowyn in LOTR) and Jai Courtney (Bruce Willis's son in A Good Day to Die Hard)

The Bad Stuff:

• The effects are good up to the point where you see the demons, then you realise they could have been way better. The design of the demons could have used more work, they were pretty unoriginal and not scary.
• Bill Nighy was misused. He has such a prescence and here he hardly makes an impact at all.
• Plot Obviousness. It was totally clear exactly why the demons wanted Frankenstein's monster in the first place.

The Iffy Stuff:

• Commonly with the story of Frankenstein, people forget that Frankenstein was the inventor, not the actual monster. Now, this story calls the monster Frankenstein due to the fact that the monster is his creation, and therefore is his son. This is iffy logic and to me only adds confusion. Why not carry on calling him Adam? It happened in the book!

The Verdict:
Very watchable and good for those who like action and retellings. I would totally watch it again, and just try to ignore the dodgy-looking demons.

I, Frankenstein on IMDB

The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement - Film Mini Review

Mini Review

Princess Mia is now 21 and has just graduated from education. Now, she is going to live in Genovia and learn how to be Queen from her grandmother. But there is a notorious plot to ruin her plans when it is announced that unless she marries, another will take the throne of Genovia away from her.

Good:

• Chris Pine. Need I say more?
• Much better outfits than the first one, and it's much less contemporary.
• So much less teenage strops and angst and so much more mature handling of the role.
• Is that Stan Lee in that scene with Julie Andrews before the wedding? It totally is!
• Lessons Learnt: Practically the opposite of last time, sometimes you have to do what's right by you instead of what other people think you should do.
• Some cute moments at the end, as well as a really nice coronation scene.

Bad:

• The clumsiness thing is a bit overdone.
• Story-wise, it's very rushed at the beginning.
• The sleepover and the singing really doesn't work with the rest of the film, it gets really cliche and a bit boring to be honest!
• Is it me, or is it trying too hard to still be relevant to teens by adding Raven in there?
• You feel so sorry for Andrew, the guy she's basically being forced to marry.

Overall thoughts:

Much better than the first one in terms of moaning and hissy fits, a bit more mature and works it's way well into an older audience (which is exactly what the teens who loved the original would have been). Man candy in the form of Chris Pine is always good in my book.

Kyra_x

The Princess Diaries - Film Mini Review

Mini Review

Mia is a nerd and an outcast, trying to get through high school. She feels invisible, that is, until she receives a visit from her grandmother and she discovers that she is the heir to the Genovian throne. A cute comedy with some tough lessons.

The Good:

• Lessons learnt: don't try to be someone you're not, don't ditch your friends for new-found popularity. You have the ability to change the world, but change the world for others, not just for yourself.
• Julie Andrews as Queen Clarisse was a great casting choice
• The Princess lessons are pricelessly funny
• A perfect teen story, involving something every little girl dreams about; being a princess
• Also perfect for teens due to themes of love, bullies and parent/family issues
• Anne Hathaway's teen attitude is absolutely spot on

The Bad:

• Extremely contemporary to that time period, so everything looks dated, especially the scooters that the girls ride to school.
• Mia's best friend, Lilly, is really annoying.
• This is one of the times I'd rather not see Mandy Moore acting.. also, she was definitely used for her voice in this to appeal to teens.
• Riddled with teen angst, melodrama and buzz words.

Overall impression: Watch when you want something cutesy and teen-like.

Ella Enchanted - Film Mini Review

Mini Review Time!

Fairytales are the best aren't they? But what's more awesome isn't a retelling but a fresh take on the fairy-tale genre. Now for awesome factor I would go with Brothers Grimm, but for cute factor I'd definitely opt for Ella Enchanted.

The story is about a girl who was enchanted at birth so that she would always be obedient. So far, she has lived her life as a normal child, but then her mother dies. A few years after, her father remarries into a family that are always ordering people about, and suddenly Ella is made to do a whole host of things she never wanted to do. Her only chance is to find her fairy Godmother and get her to take back the spell.

Along her journey, she meets the handsome Prince Char (short for Charmant... original) and an elf named Slannen. But more is afoot than everyone realises. A sinister plot against Char threatens, and Ella's secret is revealed, with horrible consequences.

The Good:

• Anne Hathaway is in it, and she sings Somebody to Love. Come on, tell me you don't want to hear that rendition.
• Hugh Dancy is in it, and he's a Prince.
• It's actually got a few ideas about politics and human rights in there, including the main message; no-one should be made to do something they don't want to do.
• There are Giants, Elves, Fairies and Ogres involved... that's pretty cool.
• Even though it's meant to be kind of medieval, there's a very contemporary feel to it, with nods to shopping malls, botox injections and retirement homes.

The Bad:

• This film is horrendously cheesy; breaking out into song at the end, rhyming narrative at the beginning, a weird talking book that makes one-liners. You get the jist.
• The bad guy gets his comeuppance in the most unimaginitive way ever.
• The screaming girls begin to really grate on you.

Kyra_x

Maleficent - Film Review

On seeing the trailer, and being a massive fan of Disney, I quickly decided I wanted to see this film. After the success of Frozen Disney have been doing well. You can't really ignore that the recasting the original villain into a sympathetic character worked well for Frozen, so why would it not work for Maleficent? Well, you're about to find out.

Maleficent is a retelling of Sleeping Beauty from the point of view of the villain, Maleficent, played by a horn-wearing, winged, not-quite-English accented Angelina Jolie (saying that, the accent wasn't too far off, and it wasn't as posh as the Lara Croft one).

I love a fairy tale retelling. I love the way stories can be made into whatever you want them to be. Gregory Maguire showed this incredibly well with Wicked, a novel based on 'The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West'. Which I have read and loved, and has become a stage musical and possibly even a film (yes, I will be seeing that too if or when it comes out). Maleficent, however, is often deemed one of the cruelest Disney villains. She curses a baby for not being invited to a party? Really? Then she decides that because some fairy put a condition on her curse she's just going to lock up and probably torture a Prince Phillip just because he might just hope to break the curse. That's pretty low.
Nobody had any sympathy for someone like that.

Now Disney are shining a new light on the character, saying that she was a free spirit until a young Stefan broke her heart. So she cursed his daughter out of a need for revenge, and spends the rest of the film regrowing her heart. At the beginning she is a naive and carefree child meeting a human for the first time, gliding over 'The Moors', which are covered in CGI effects and filled with creatures of all varieties, but by the end she is a woman who has learnt a lesson and learns to love again. I did find the beginning a brutal reminder that this film isn't meant for adults. I just found it too sappy and childish. It did get better though.

I think the things that made it good for me was the addition of warring species, the story of how Maleficent the fairy lost her wings, and Sam Riley. For me he made this film. Sam Riley plays the raven Diaval in it's human form. He provides a voice of reason to Maleficent and a person who can share her burden. He is a loyal friend and I love what Disney has done for this character. Is the original he was Diablo, an annoying, screechy evil pet, and now they have given him a real character. He also looks pretty awesome. I also thought Sharlto Copley, who plays King Stefan, was very good.

I was a little annoyed about Prince Phillip. He is my favourite Disney Prince hands down. He's kind, charming, brave, strong, funny and saves the day in stupendous heroic fashion, with his horse pal along for the ride. In this film I felt nothing for the character and he was demoted somewhat, getting next to no screen time and barely a happy ending.


I should probably mention Elle Fanning here too. She plays the good natured, sweet, innocent Aurora in her most sickly form. All I can really say about her is that she seemed sweet. That's it. I don't get how everyone seemed to love her when she had no personality, apart from the fact that she was just plain nice and innocent.

I was also annoyed by the pixies (the three fairies that look after Aurora). I hated them. They were silly and insubstantial, and only there to give children laughs.

Overall though, I did enjoy it, but could clearly see that it was meant for a younger generation. I'm giving it 6 out of 10. I admired the storyline and how it diverged from the original, but there weren't that many features that I thought would make it a better film than the original.

Stacey_x