Spoilers note




**WARNING** some plot-line spoilers!

Friday, 26 November 2010

Superhoodie: un-hooded!


Rocketing onwards and upwards, Season 2 of ASBO superhero drama Misfits has gone from strength to strength, and Episode 3 has not only continued this but has solidified the show’s place amongst a myriad of top British dramas.


Thus far in the season we’ve seen beloved rogue Nathan dragged from the grave, finally announcing his power of ‘immortality’, Simon exposed as having murdered the group’s SECOND social worker and most importantly, the introduction of ‘Superhoodie’ – a masked crusader who keeps getting the gang out of sticky situations.

Episode 3 sees the unmasking (or unhooding) of Superhoodie.

Nathan, Curtis, Simon and Kelly are forced to take on a vindictive tattoo artist in the episode, with both Nathan and Kelly falling victim to his apparent super powers. After being his usual gobby self, Nathan gets imprinted by ink-man Vince and, coincidently, falls madly in love with Simon. As Nathan is so overtly sexual anyway, it’s hilarious to see his attempts to woo Simon, especially when he writes him a heartfelt love poem. The group soon sniff out the culprit and confront Vince.

In the meantime, Alisha takes it upon herself to discover the identity of Superhoodie. She purposely provokes attack from a stranger, prompting our trusty hero to swoop in and save the day. After a nasty head-knock, Alisha wakes up in Superhoodie’s lair, which can really only be described as a British (and much cooler) Bat-Cave! Wandering around the room, filled with timers and photos of our five delinquents, she sees Superhoodie and he turns, only to reveal….. Simon. But not the usual Simon: ‘Future Simon’.

Future Simon soon reveals that he has come back to watch over them and to ensure certain events play out how they need to. He is cool, calm and confident, and miles away from the shy and odd Simon we see now. Alisha is instantly attracted to the fact that he can touch her without going into a sexual frenzy and remarks on how different he is. After swearing Alisha to secrecy, the pair have a tender yet lust-filled sexual encounter, filled with an unexpected passion and love that is surprisingly mature and powerful for a programme surrounding five angry youths.


Again, Superhoodie (aka. Future Simon) saves the day by giving the gang a pack of dry-roasted peanuts to defeat Vince – who is allergic. This brings a rather dark comedic light to such an intense episode, something that the writers consistently succeed in doing.

Future Simon doesn’t reveal anything about what has forced him to return, although it is hinted that perhaps he is back to save the woman he loves; Alisha. We can only hope that more will be revealed in Episode 4. I’m not gonna lie, the sultry and mysterious Future Simon has already prompted me to pre-order season 2. Rock on. Episode 3 has been my favourite episode of Misfits so far – a solid 9/10.

Thursday, 25 November 2010

The game goes full circle…well, we hope.


Hurtling into to cinemas for Halloween, Lionsgate and Twisted Pictures have released what we can only imagine is the last instalment in the Saw franchise. Saw 3D, the seventh film surrounding the infamous Jigsaw killer, slathers audiences with a load of gratuitous gore, twisting storylines and of course, plenty of inventive death traps.


With Jigsaw dead and gone and Saw 6 leaving his successor, Detective Hoffman, with only half a jaw and a painful vendetta, the brutal ‘games’ go silent for a while; but not for long…

The film is a little different to the previous chapters, centring on a group of Jigsaw survivors who have all been brought together by Bobby, an award-winning writer who has made money out of his supposed fray with the clever killer. It quickly becomes apparent that Bobby has been anything but truthful about being a Jigsaw victim. Unfortunately for Bobby he’d managed to make it onto Jigsaw’s radar before his death, forcing Hoffman to teach him a deadly lesson.

Hastily abducted by our friends in pig masks, Bobby, his wife and his closest confidants all become part of the latest Jigsaw game. The five victims awake in horrific circumstances, chained, blindfolded and in one case, with a key down their throat. Bobby is given the opportunity to save all of them, but time and fear is against him and his rescue attempt is unsuccessful. Suffice to say, Bobby gets his comeuppance, losing everyone he cares about and being left to bleed out.

Who's that boy? Yes, it is indeed Chester of Linkin Park...set for certain death. Even making great music can't save you from Jigsaw's wrath Chester - you should know better.

Detective Hoffman, after fixing his jaw and seeing Bobby’s game through, sets out to take revenge on Jill Tuck for locking him into a Jigsaw trap. It soon becomes clear to the police and Jill that he’s not going to stop until he kills her. However, it seems that Jigsaw has left Jill with an all-too familiar face to act as her body guard…

Saw 3D stays true to it’s usual grizzly MO and 6 years on, still succeeds in coming up with new ways to bring characters to a deadly demise. Sadly the 3D aspects did the film little favour and the franchise as a whole did seem to have run out of steam a little. Parts of the film, especially at the very beginning, did seem a bit cheesy and offering more comedic value than terror! That being said, I was still cringing and squirming in my seat – using my coat as a barrier between myself and the gore in front of me. As such, when asked "do I want to play this final game?" my answer is: "Hell yes!" (as long as I’m NOT actually playing a real jigsaw game. Bleurgh). If you’ve been a fan of the films throughout, I would suggest seeing this final chapter, if simply for closure more than anything.

I’ve always been a fan of blood and guts, so what can I say; 7/10 from me.

Friday, 15 October 2010

The complete Back to the Future experience...

Apologies for the quietness on my front! Sadly it's been a mixture of studying for an oh-so-important test *pause for Ooo's* ...and also slight writers block. Lucky for you my fine friends, I had no trouble writing about this gem, as it sits quite comfortably in my Top 10.


On a chilly Thursday evening, with little to do but wait for Friday to come, I headed down to my local Odeon to catch the last night of the Back to the Future 25th Anniversary re-release. Considering it served a long stint in the ‘theatres’ back in 1985, there was a pretty decent turnout. I saw Gremlins a few years back and that didn’t get anywhere near as much of a reception! It was me, my boyfriend and, well, lots of empty seats. It just proves what a massive fan-base BTTF has, even a quarter of a century down the line.

After a multitude of trailers, the film finally begun its iconic story. Although you know what's coming around every corner, I still found myself grinning constantly throughout; all I can think is that the film was somehow further intensified by the cinematic experience as a whole. To be clichéd, everything was bigger, better and a million times more fantasmical.

For those of you who HAVEN'T yet seen the BTTF franchise, I will firstly say: “seriously, where the hell have you been for the last 25 years?! Do you live under a rock? Are you deaf and dumb??” - followed swiftly by this brief synopsis...

Unlikely duo, nutty professor Doc Brown and slacker student Marty McFly, team up in this seemingly typical 80s film to attack the audience with what can only be described as sheer time travel immensity. When Marty accidentally propels himself back to 1985 in a time-travelling DeLoreon, he finds himself dazed, confused and colliding with young versions of his teacher, his parents and lifelong bully Biff. Marty enlists the help of a youthful-looking Doc, but makes a ripple in the process, jeopardising the future of his family, and himself. The race is on for Marty to return everything back to normality in time to catch a bolt of lightning 'back to the future'. That's all you’re getting summary-wise because a) I don't want to ruin it and b) I feel slightly ashamed of you if you haven't seen it already. Tut tut. I may have to honestly reconsider our friendship.


The re-release achieves a great sense of familiarity and fun, coming together in the cinema to create a masterpiece that has proven that it can outlive the 80s and will be relevant for many years to come.

I would 100% recommend reliving this incredible experience on the big screen, it really puts watching it on any old bog standard TV to shame...even if you do have an overhyped Blu-ray system with glorified surround sound. It just isn’t the same, friend. So, get your glad rags on (by that I mean your 'life preserver'), crack out those Huey Lewis cassette tapes and brush the dust off your flux capacitor; because this rollercoaster definitely deserves a second ride. Gazillion/10.

P.S. On the back of the re-release, the legendary Michael J. Fox rebooted the original Back to the Future teaser trailer. I was so excited, I had to include it in this blog. So here you go:

Monday, 4 October 2010

A dinner party that will put ‘Come Dine With Me’ to shame

Adding to an extensive library of buddy comedies, primarily involving the awesome Paul Rudd, Dinner for Schmucks provides a cringeworthy and tickling bromance that offers a bizarre take on how to get a promotion.


Job-hungry Financial Analyst, Tim (Rudd), is fighting for a long-awaited promotion when his boss reveals that the only thing standing between him and a new office is a carefully-selected ignoramus. Every month, Tim’s boss hosts a ‘Dinner for Winners’ wherein the higher-level businessmen within the company bring along their very own simpleton to the meal, the best winning a prize for being the most ‘extraordinary’ guest. Enter idiotic buffoon and mouse taxidermist, Barry (Carell). Desperate to secure his promotion, Tim immediately goes on the hunt for the perfect guest, accidently crashing into Barry on the way – literally. Upon realising that Barry is a little bit right of crazy, Tim immediately befriends him and extends an invite to his special dinner party. Starved of affection and friends, Barry is quick to accept. Unfortunately for Tim, Barry is hoping for a lot more than dinner.

With the help of IRS mastermind Therman (Galifianakis) and obscure animal artist Kieran (Jemaine Clement), Barry unintentionally does his utmost to ruin the life that Tim has worked so hard to maintain. Not only does Barry mess up important client meetings, wreck Tim’s apartment and accidently flag him for a tax inspection, but he also becomes responsible for the swift departure of Tim’s beautiful girlfriend, Julie.


As Tim fights to put his world to rights, he soon realises that Barry was just naively trying to be helpful. Even after having a lovers tiff, the pair still decides to go to the dinner, even if it will humiliate Barry. The dinner itself doesn’t actually happen until the very end of the film.  Each abnormal guest puts on a show, varying from a nutty ventriloquist to a blind swordsman and an animal psychic. Barry showcases his talents by using his mice to demonstrate how mankind has evolved throughout the centuries. As Tim sees the heartfelt display that Barry has put on with his mice, he suddenly develops a conscience and tells the truth to all the ‘special’ guests that are being poked fun of. Although he wrecks the party in doing this, Tim is clearly happy with the prospect of having a clear conscience and also gaining a new friend – which is what a true bromance is about. Unfortunately the dinner offered a rather underwhelming climax, with the jokes sparsely distributed and the cringeworthy nature of the film so overdone by this point, that it is almost frustrating.

Sadly, what looked like a winning combination on paper fell to pieces on screen. I don’t think this was at all down to the acting however; I stand firm on my love for Galifianakis, Carell and of course Rudd. In this case the script failed the actors, providing jokes that were tired and repetitive and at some points, completely unfunny. Having said that, Paul Rudd plays his usual role of cringey wet-wipe well and Zach Galifianakis provides the most laughs with his mind-control antics. Dinner for Schmucks is not even close to being on the same scale as Role Models, I Love You Man and Anchorman, but the spirit is still there; 6/10.

Saturday, 25 September 2010

Shyamalan proves his horror worth with 'Devil'

M. Night Shyamalan’s Devil is a claustrophobic and overwrought thriller, offering up a strong footing as the first instalment in his up-and-coming ‘Night Chronicles’ trilogy.


The film works off a supposed old wives tale wherein the devil torments a group of sinners before dragging their souls back with him to hell. Religious and Hispanic security guard, Ramirez, tells the story of how the devil comes to earth, posing as a corrupt human, and brings together this ‘devil’s meeting’. As the story goes, the series of events starts with a suicide and then the eventual deaths of whoever the devil picks to be his victims. In this particular instance, a thug, a blackmailer, a kleptomaniac, a conman and a murderer are all trapped together in an elevator. Unbeknownst to this group of miscreants, the devil is among them.

Sceptical detective and recovering alcoholic, Bowden, is brought to the scene where a lift has mysteriously stuck itself between two floors of a busy city skyscraper. Unable to communicate properly with the elevator’s inhabitants and with limited resource to restore the lift to full workability, all the police and security guards can do is watch the fear unfold on a small surveillance camera. The panic of the five trapped strangers is magnified by their close proximity, so when the lights flicker and the bumping and crashing begins, they are all thrown into a terrifying turmoil. This is when the devil claims his first victim. Starting with the salesman being impaled by the lift mirror, every time the lights go out, someone suffers a gruesome and painful death. To their captive audience, it is instantly assumed that one of the five is a homicidal maniac, biding his/her time and waiting to kill their fellow inmates. Only Ramirez, who thinks he saw the devil’s face flicker on the CCTV footage, is convinced that something supernatural is afoot.

Bowden initially refuses to embrace an idea that defies all logic, but quickly it all becomes too impossible and he starts to think that maybe the devil is behind it all. As the group is rapidly whittled down, Detective Bowden encourages an increased effort to rescue them from certain death.

It soon becomes apparent that the devil doesn’t want anyone interfering in his plans and even causes the death or injury of any innocents that try to get in his way. Not only that but it is ultimately discovered that the viewers watching the events unfold on CCTV aren’t there by mere coincidence either; everything has been carefully orchestrated by the devil.


With a classic ominous horror score and clever cinematography, primarily sweeping upside-down shots of Philadelphia, the film is strengthened by its strong attention to detail. Colours and numbers also play a great significance. Not wanting to ruin the ending on this one, I won’t reveal who the ‘devil’ turns out to be, but I guarantee the film carries off a ritual M. Night twist and will keep you guessing and perpetually on the edge of your seat...

Despite the sceptical comments of the press, Shyamalan storms into the horror genre, emerging a success and proving that Signs and The Sixth Sense weren’t just a couple of flukes. Let’s hope part two of the trilogy (rumoured to be named ‘Reincarnate’) can continue what Shyamalan has started with Devil. If you still have a little bit of faith in this talented writer, or simply need that faith restored, Devil is definitely a must-see. I was shocked that on the second weekend of opening I was sitting in a pretty empty cinema screen. A shame really, as I’d give the film 8/10.

Wednesday, 15 September 2010

Another action-packed zombie-fest from Paul Anderson

World-famed gaming franchise, Resident Evil, has returned yet again for another action-packed zombie-mutant movie in the form of third sequel, Resident Evil: Afterlife.



The film gets off to a promising start in the opening credits by travelling back four years to see how the t-virus and the Umbrella Corporation gained its foothold. This introductory scene is set in a rainy part of Japan and has some very strong cinematography, primarily when the camera focuses on a young girl in the middle of a busy pedestrian crossing, symbolically set amongst a ceiling of umbrellas. She slowly meets eyes with an older man and then instantly pounces on him, ripping into his neck and starting the spread of the T-Virus.

Picking up from the end of the last film, the first 20minutes of Resident Evil: Afterlife focuses on Alice (Milla Jovovich) successfully destroying the underground base of Umbrella and its inhabitants, with the help of her trusty clones. Albeit flawless in delivery, the initial Matrix-esque fight scene is just too long and a bit excessive – so much so that I was reasonably pleased when Wesker, Umbrella’s latest head honcho, escapes in a plane and blows the HQ (and Alice’s clones) to smithereens.

Wesker soon discovers the ‘original Alice’ lurking in the back of his plane, and after a brief stand-off, manages to stab her in the neck with a syringe containing the cure for the t-virus. Sure enough, Alice manages to escape from Wesker’s clutches but thanks to the anti-virus, has now lost all her supernatural powers.

The film maintains a reasonable storyline; despite some evident plotholes. Alice, in her returned-to-human state heads to Alaska to find Claire and the rest of her friends, only to discover that the whole Arcadia rescue mission was a farce, a trap set by Umbrella so that they had new specimens to experiment on. Only Claire has been left behind, and even she has been marred by memory loss, courtesy of an electrical parasite from Umbrella. Once Claire has regained her memories, the pair of them head back to LA to find and save their friends, having to battle a zombie or two on the way.

Unfortunately, despite a reasonable enough beginning, Resident Evil: Afterlife loses its way by not explaining enough about what’s going on. Followers of the games will be fine, and probably even pleased to see some newer game concepts taken into the film, but any other viewer would be left with gazillions of questions, ranging from: ‘where did Chris Redfield and Wesker come from?’ to, ‘Who’s that big guy with the axe?’ (The Executioner), and ‘why are the zombies even more mutated all of a sudden?!’



Although this film may be harder to follow than its predecessors, I’m still convinced that Resident Evil fanboys who follow the games religiously will be satisfied with the level of action, and the likeness between film and game. Resident Evil: Afterlife makes up for a lack of dialogue by retaining the traditional Resident Evil ethos; killing a shitload of zombies and looking hot doing it. The film also maintains its usual tense, edge of your seat feeling, significantly magnified by the use of 3D.

Aided by the omnipresent RealD technology, some great post-apocalyptic SFX, and Jovovich kicking ass just as much as usual, I give it 6/10.

Oh, and just a side-note, make sure you stay past the credits – there’s one of those sneaky ‘extra bits’ afterwards. And yes. It sets the film up for yet another continuation…

Friday, 10 September 2010

One hell of a Jacuzzi ride!

Serving up a platter of laughs, eighties frolics and, lets face it, one damn good Jacuzzi, Hot Tub Time Machine outdoes itself with some stellar Hollywood comedic-types and the ability to mock it’s own storyline.




Hot Tub Time Machine follows four deadbeats who are down on life, love and have generally lost momentum: Adam (John Cusack) is an uptight insurance broker who has been heartlessly dumped by his girlfriend; Jacob (Clark Duke) is a geeky teen, unable to leave his basement and glued to his laptop; Nick (Craig Robinson) is a down on his luck ex-rocker who now cleans up dog crap for a living; and Lou (Rob Corddry) is a steaming drunk whose family hates him.

After a supposed suicide attempt from Lou and in an effort to escape from the ever-increasing rut the four of them are slipping into, the four guys decide to take a weekend break to their old ski-resort haunt, Kodiak Valley. The hotel is nothing like it was in their eighties heyday and is significantly run down – even the bell boy is missing an arm! Luckily, the guys are fortunate enough to have a shiny looking hot tub on their veranda, which they waste no time in jumping into.

A mountain of booze, a squirrel and one can of illegal energy drink ‘Chernobley’ later, and the troubled foursome are not only suffering from pruney fingers and a killer hangover – they’re also surrounded by eighties paraphernalia. With brightly coloured lycra, cassette players, giant mobile phones (just like Dom Joly) and the fact that Michael Jackson is still white, they soon discover that they’ve been inexplicably fired back to the eighties; Winterfest ’86 to be precise.



With the time-bending hot tub fried, Adam, Nick and Lou embrace their eighties counterparts. As it goes with all time travelling movies, Jacob is quick to inform them that they have to repeat exactly what happened the first time round, or they may change the future. For Adam this means being stabbed in the eye with a fork, whilst Lou gets beaten up and Nick performs awfully with his band and gets booed off stage. Without even intending to, they do things insanely different but still end up getting injured in some way or another. A mysterious repairman, in the form of Chevy Chase, appears to tell them they shouldn’t be changing things and that they must find a can of Chernobley to get home as that was what spilled on the hot tub electrics, turning it into a Hot Tub Time Machine!

Together they hunt down and recover the Chernobley, which had been stolen by the guys who beat Lou up, and rush to get home. Lou, confessing he really was trying to kill himself in the present, stays in the past, hoping he can change his life for the better. He wasn’t wrong. Adam, Nick and Jacob return to the present to find Lou has exploited his knowledge of the future and is a billionaire, making his money from search engine, ‘Lougle’ and rock band ‘The Motley Lou’. Take that Butterfly Effect!

Hot Tub Time Machine is a guilty-pleasure comedy that doesn’t take itself too seriously. The storyline is nothing but ridiculous and it seems the writers knew this and just did the film for a bit of a giggle. Hearty laugh out loud moments, a corking eighties soundtrack and some of my favourite comedy faces gives this one: 6.5/10.

It doesn’t have Marty McFly and a flux capacitor, but it’s still pretty good going.

Tuesday, 7 September 2010

An increasing pile of dead people and a seemingly innocent child? Never. Time to open Case 39.

Case 39, starring Renee Zellweger as social worker Emily, is a supernatural thriller that extorts the repetitive Damien-style ‘devil child’ story.



Emily’s new case, funnily enough her 39th one, is with the Sullivans and their daughter Lilith. On the surface, the Sullivans are a dysfunctional family who have it drilled into their heads that Lilith is some demon spawn that needs to be sent to hell. One scene in particular, where the Sullivans barricade their daughter into a large oven, is quite harrowing and really highlights the sadistic nature of child abuse. However, this is one of the films only saving graces.

After a rather dramatic rescue, workaholic Emily manages to get the Sullivans checked into a first-class psychiatric facility, leaving Lilith in her capable hands. Obviously it becomes clear all too quickly that Lilith isn’t all sweetness and light as originally observed and Emily soon finds the people closest to her dying bizarre deaths; most notably the supposed suicide of love interest and child psychiatrist Doug, played by Bradley Cooper. Confessing earlier in the film to Lilith that he has a fear of hornets, rather fittingly Doug finds himself locked in his own bathroom with hornets flying out of every orifice. Not pretty. Although Doug’s death is suitably disturbing, the film fails in making him a worthy love interest for Emily and also struggles in introducing the character effectively to the viewer.

As things get progressively worse, Emily resorts to working longer hours than usual, leaving Lilith home alone, hiding all her case files so Lilith can’t contact any of her case targets, and even putting deadbolts on her bedroom door. It soon becomes apparent however, that it’ll take more than a few locks to keep Lilith at bay, and Emily resigns herself to the fact that she needs to kill the child, or the demon inside of her. Despite several attempts to get rid of Lilith, Emily soon discovers that she is able to survive more deaths than Jason. Eventually she resorts to driving them both into a river, finally killing the beast (we hope!) and nearly fatally harming herself. Sadly for Emily, by this point she has already lost her best buddy, potential boyfriend and has no home to speak of. Bummer.

The film left me with one lingering question: why had the Sullivans never thought of drowning Lilith in the first place? If it was really that easy, then why the hell not? The ending was a bit of a cop-out for me, after all, would a bit of water really kill a little girl who can murder people with a mere thought, survive a house fire and who is insusceptible to sedation?! Don’t think so…

Case 39 succeeds in offering up several tense and supernatural moments but these are short-lived, meaning it gets a perhaps over-generous 5/10 from me. Unfortunately it’s a storyline that has been rehashed too many times and it’s unsurprising that Paramount delayed the release for so long. Worth a Blockbuster rental but I won’t be adding it to my DVD collection anytime soon.

My recommendation, if you want a real spine-tingling ‘creepy kids’ TV spot, is Supernatural’s ‘The Kids Are Alright’ – Season 3, Episode 2. Scary shizzle.

M.I.A.

Apologies for being missing in action over the last week peeps (or the few of you that follow me!) - it's been a hectic one! Just to keep you filled in on the goings-on of you favourite reviewer (ha ha), I've been busy with the following:

A wedding:














...a weekend away to Suffolk, w/hot tub:












...injuries (urgh):














...and also not forgetting, a disposable barby! Ahoy!:














I hope these are sufficient excuses for you...if not: TOUGH. ;) Never fear though, I have reviews for the likes of Case 39, Legion, Hot Tub Time Machine and many more in the pipeline. Stay tuned. Or whatever the reading equivalent is....

Peace.

Alex X

Friday, 27 August 2010

Scott Pilgrim is the Sex Bob-Omb!


The eagerly anticipated Scott Pilgrim Vs. the World from director Edgar Wright, serves up a plate of nonsensical, unsolicited fun. With kick-ass fighting scenes that out-do the likes of Tekken, a range of awesome indie tunes, and incredible visuals throughout, the film is the perfect escape from reality for any moody teen or big kid.

Scott Pilgrim, lovingly played by the geeky yet cute Michael Cera (Juno, Year One, Superbad), is a twenty-something bass player with little direction in life. Cue sexy bad girl Ramona Flowers. Pilgrim falls madly in love with Ramona, only to discover she comes with more baggage than the usual girl, in the form of 7 evil exes. What comes next is a multitude of justifiably over-the-top battles, incorporating some fab fight moves from Cera, electrical music monsters, a load of comic-book stylings and super-powers cool enough to give Spidey a run for his money.

The highlight of the film is its likeness to eighties videogames, like Pac-Man. Everytime Pilgrim successfully defeats an ex, they explode into coins. Not only that, but the Pilgrim-verse gives Scott the ability to gain extra lives, fight in split screen and have all the onomatopoeias you can ask for showing up on screen whenever he throws a punch. Also, whenever a new character is introduced, their name and age comes up next to them on screen; again this gives a virtual feel to the movie.


Brandon Routh plays avid vegan Todd, my favourite evil ex. His super-powers are seemingly enforced by his pretentious vegan nature and although he struggles to string an intelligent sentence together he proves to be a tough kill for Pilgrim. Another character that gives the film that little bit extra is Wallace Wells, Pilgrim’s gay roommate. Played by Kieran Culkin, Wallace offers a vast amount of comedic value with his ability to send a gossipy text even when he’s passed out, by turning straight men gay, and by generally highlighting Scott’s stupidity and ineptitude with women.

Wright succeeds in keeping the film as true to the graphic novels as possible, whilst adding his own British spin. Snappy cut scenes, as seen in previous Edgar Wright gems Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz, are used to effect when Pilgrim is rushing off to battle his next nemesis. The film is well cast and although it has its fair share of special effects, it doesn’t rely on these to carry the film, unlike a lot of current blockbusters. A wicked sense of British humour, several cringe-worthy moments and an underlying love story really help the film come into it’s own.

With a simplistic yet relatable storyline and enough KOs, smashes, biffs and POW!s to keep any comic-book fan happy, Scott Pilgrim Vs. the World gets 9/10.

Tuesday, 24 August 2010

Keep telling yourself it’s only a story…

Last weekend I took a trip to London to see one of the West End’s newest additions, Ghost Stories. Normally I stick to TV and film, but this piece of fried gold blew me away so much – I just had to spread the word! As the show begs for the viewer to ‘keep the secrets of Ghost Stories’ I will happily oblige and keep this review short and sweet, without giving away anything to ruin it.



Before the show even begins you are filled with a sense of foreboding, sparked by the décor in the Leicester Square’s Duke of Yorks Theatre which is kitted out with industrial lighting, dark wallpapers, hazard tape and cob-webbing. The experience as a whole, including being shut into the theatre and told that ‘anyone who leaves won’t get back in’, really kick-starts the whole style and atmosphere of the show.

Mark Carter (understudy) plays Professor Goodman, an expert in parapsychology and yet an evident sceptic. Carter is great, building up a rapport with the viewers from the outset by using a conversational tone and employing a touch of audience participation. The professor shows the audience a variety of recordings and images, supposedly conveying paranormal activities, each of which he hastily explains away. Only three stories have ever given him cause to question his scepticism, which he proceeds to tell with the help of his trusty tape recorder and four other flawless actors. Each story succeeds, with the help of some wonderfully executed sounds and lighting, in making the audience shriek and jump with fear, all in unison, and the ending offers a delightful twist that you don’t see coming.

Andy Nyman’s Ghost Stories is an edge of your seat horror taken to new heights by the initial concept of having the terror physically in front of you. Sights, sounds, and even smells, are all magnified to make it an intense experience, outdoing anything a simple DVD can provide.

Would I go again? Hell yes; I do love a good scare. Book it, book it now! 9/10.

Monday, 23 August 2010

I love it when an action film comes together!

As someone who was probably a bit too young to get caught up in the craze of the series, I wasn’t really sure whether I was going to enjoy The A-Team or not. So you can imagine my surprise when, despite initial reservations, I found myself grinning from ear to ear throughout.



The A-Team offers 100% straight-up action from the outset, with unbelievable stunts fuelled by farfetched and perfectly executed plans. The primary mission (recovering some stolen U.S. treasury plates) is secondary to the action plan itself - you could almost say it’s irrelevant. The ethos of the film doesn’t really seem to be ‘where are we going and why’ but more about the journey, the plans and the events in between; namely some impossible helicopter flights, high-power car chases and a rather interesting use of some old airbags. A token romance involving girl-next-door Jessica Biel is thrown in but thankfully not overdone, leaving much more leg-room for the action element.

Although elaborate, the infamous A-Team plans would be nothing without the four men that carry them out. Colonel “Hannibal” Smith (Neeson), Templeton “Faceman” Peck (Cooper), Bosco “B.A.” Baracus (Jackson) and insane pilot, “Howling Mad” Murdock (Copley), are four renegade comrades-in-arms on a crusade to clear their names. Wrongly accused about their involvement in the missing plates, our beloved A-Team are striped of their ranks and put in separate maximum security prisons. Obviously, with the brilliant mind of Hannibal at the helm, prison isn’t enough to keep them tied down for long.

One character who really stood out for me was Murdock, played by the ever-talented Sharlto Copley. After the success of District 9, what could he do wrong? The answer: not a damn lot. Copley acted his part flawlessly, with a dash of smarts and just the perfect amount of crazy thrown in to play the off-the-wall pilot. B.A. Baracus, played by ex-wrestler Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson, is definitely worth a mention, as even with the big shoes of Mr. T to fill, Jackson did a first-class job in taking on the comedic role of the big softie. Neeson is his usual self, playing the steadfast, intellectual group leader without a hiccup, and Bradley Cooper doesn’t have to do much to play the notoriously handsome Face, but he does well in bringing his own flair to the character which as we discover, isn’t just a pretty face after all. When he puts his mind to it, Faceman contributes a lot to the plans that power the A-Team.

Overall, the basis of the film seems to be more focused on the introduction of the characters that make up the group rather than the provision of an original storyline. Despite that, I actually really enjoyed getting to know all the characters and just experiencing some pure action, no questions asked. My hope is that better storylines are to come in the form of a sequel (or two!), which must be on the cards.

So, if you have a hankering for an action movie dose and you can’t stand it; you can watch the A-TEAM! Jam-packed with over-the-top stunts and killer rock tunes, The A-Team will fix you up good and proper.

This one gets 7/10 from moi.

Friday, 20 August 2010

Sexed-up British teens get a scare

BBC Films’ recent teen horror, Tormented, is a ghastly black comedy about a student who commits suicide and then returns to torture and take revenge on his ex-classmates.



Starring several throwbacks from the Channel 4 programme Skins, Tormented wastes no time in jumping straight into the story, beginning the film with the funeral of student Darren Mullet. It is clear from the outset that Mullet, or Shrek as he is perpetually referred to, was invisible to most of his classmates and those that did notice him subjected him to bullying hell. The popular kids that offered Mullet nothing more than torment, headed by wannabe bad-boy Bradley (Alex Pettyfer), disrespectfully throw a shindig to celebrate his demise.

We don’t see Mullet’s super-freaky ghost until about half-way through the movie, but prior to that quick snapping frames and rather shaky camerawork is employed for us to see through the eyes of Mullet.

Mullet’s first victim is the idiot DJ at Bradley’s party. This may because he thinks he’s a mini-gangster or perhaps, more likely, that when deviating from the party he decides to void his bladder on Mullet’s grave. Bloodily impaled by a wooden cross, this DJ definitely isn’t gangster. Sorry.


Several unsettling appearances in windows and mirrors later, Mullet launches full speed into taking out the entire group that caused him to kill himself in the first place. Mullet racks up a multitude of different killing methods, including drowning, decapitation, impaling, whipping and rather strangely, forcing pencils up someone’s nose a *little* too far. Head Girl Justine is one of the only ones he does little harm to as according to his suicide note; he was madly in love with her. Unfortunately being the last one standing does her no favours, as she quickly gets all the blame for the serial killings and ends up in the back of a police car.

Key black comedy points include:

  • A girl being drowned in the swimming pool by Mullet; he does this by using his weight and girth to sit on her, pinning her to the floor of the pool. Worth noting that he wears goggles. Since when does a ghost need googles?!
  • A bunch of stereotypical goth kids at the school who think ‘death is so erogenous’ and wish they could be just like Mullet. They also want to do a mash-up of the funeral march.
  • Mullet’s ghostly force is powered by his inhaler.

Tormented is a typical Brit horror-flick with sexy romps and an unhappy ending, but offers a plotline that has some decent substance. Not only that, but despite its comedic nature, the film does well to highlight the seriousness of bullying. Hats off BBC!
Gets 5.5/10 from me (1/2 a brownie point just for being British. England ahoy!)

Also, just an aside: unlike most US films set in schools, it’s nice to see teens playing teens, rather than actors in their late twenties playing young-uns! I loved Dawson’s Creek but it just wasn’t realistic.

My 10 Best 'Chick Flicks'

Cheese, madam? Don't mind if I do!


Following my humdinger of a '10 Worst Chick Flicks' blog on Tuesday, I have decided to transversely discuss my '10 Best Chick Flicks' > as promised. Herewith the list of my 10 favourite cheesy/girly movies that I adore and, in most cases, have watched so many times I know all the songs and the scripts backwards. Each one gives me that warm fuzzy feeling inside that all good chick flicks should. Hope you all agree!

Voila! (again in no particular order):


Mannequin – An eighties classic, Mannequin provides all you could ask for in a chick flick. A guy, a girl, a romance…the only problem here is that our leading lady (Kim Cattrall) happens to be a dummy. Well…more precisely, a dress-up doll in a department store that comes alive at night. Providing the perfect obstacle to love (that’s the bit in the middle of any romantic film, where for some reason the lovers and pulled apart by some ‘event’ before being beautifully reunited! Bliss), Mannequin is a must for any hapless romantic who doesn’t mind seeing the odd eighties quiff here and there.

Sleepless in Seattle – Young Hanks and Ryan perform beautifully in this epic tale of romance. If you haven’t seen it already, WHAT THE HELL?! Never has a film filled me with such good vibes about a building. Empire State, I love you.

How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days – Albeit modern and a rehash of other films before it, I find How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days really comforting as far as chick flicks go. It’s a balls out, no frills, chick flick. Not only that but Matthew McConaughey (in his less fake-tanned days) and Kate Hudson make a beautiful couple to look at. How could anyone not find this film appealing? McConaughey’s Southern charm and Hudson’s dulcid tones make it an all round pleasant experience. A feel-good movie if I ever saw one!

Beaches – A tale of two childhood friends from different worlds. Theatre, love, hardships and death, Beaches is a must when wanting to watch a girly film about ever-lasting friendship. As the tagline says: ‘Once in a lifetime you make a friendship that lasts forever’. Awww. Honest to god though, makes me sob everytime. Plus Bette Midler brings her usual sparkle to the film.

Legally Blonde – This is my guilty pleasure movie. I’m not traditionally a girly girl, but I can’t get enough of the pinks, the beauty parlours and little Bruiser, the Chihuahua. Despite ‘Elle Woods’ being a dippy, rich blonde that everyone loves to hate, Witherspoon really does well in making the character relatable. The story follows Elle in her journey to get back her high-school boyfriend who dumps her because he wants to date ‘a Jackie; not a Marilyn’. Attempting to prove her merit, she somehow scrapes into Harvard Law School and through her own determination and fierce will, becomes top of the class. This film gives the true essence of chick-flick by enforcing ‘girl-power’ (in the words of the Spice Girls).

Cruel Intentions – Another Witherspoon classic (can you guess I’m a fan yet?). I don’t want to give away too much, but with a hot bad-boy male lead (Ryan Phillipe) a sex-crazed step sister (SMG) and a frigid cello player (Selma Blair), this film provides fun for all the family. Well. Most anyway. A fantastic love affair and a heart-wrenching ending give this film a distinction in the chick flick category.

The Wedding Singer – This one’s not traditionally a chick-flick (probably more of a rom/com), but I’m a chick and I, er, love this flick. This the only film that Sandler is really fanciable and when he sings on the plane at the end > my heart melts. One of my fave movies EVER.

Ever After – Combine some period costume with a classic fairytale, a beautifully British male lead, a stonkingly gorgeous heroine and music from the awesome Texas and you’ve got a winner. Ever After is a wondrous adaptation of the original Cinderella tale, with the amazing Drew Barrymore taking the lead role. Barrymore is oppressed by her wicked Stepmother, played to perfection by Angelica Huston, and two ugly step sisters. Actually, they aren’t really ugly at all, just pretty horrid. Just as the original story goes, our Cinders is bullied and hidden away until she is discovered by the handsome Prince Charming, Dougray Scott. There’s a little bit of hoo-ha, but then guess what? They live happily Ever After. I adore this story anyway, but with the help of some stellar acting and beautiful dresses, it really comes into its own level as a chick flick.

Dirty Dancing – ‘No-one puts Baby in a corner’, and this film doesn’t deserve to be put in one either. Clichéd and over-played as it is, Dirty Dancing is the daddy of chick flicks and deserves a lot of credit for being the first of its kind. Not only that, but there’s some kick-ass dancing too. You go Swayze!

Titanic – Albeit a lengthy film that needs mental preparation, Titanic succeeds in being the perfect chick flick. Pauper Jack (DiCaprio) falls for the very rich, and very engaged, Rose (Winslet) whilst both of them are on the Titanic’s maiden voyage across the Atlantic. Loosely based on a true story, we already know the tragic ending of the ocean liner, but in this film, that all gets forgotten as you get swept up in the whirlwind romance. Unfortunately, this one has no happy ending for Jack & Rose, as I’m sure everyone knows, and makes me ball my eyes out every time.


Can you think of 10 you'd prefer?

Tuesday, 17 August 2010

‘Did I fall asleep..?’ – How on earth could I?!

Last week I had to do a TV programme review on a recent sci-fri programme...and here it is! Ta da!

The uber-awesome Dollhouse cast


The genius that is Joss Whedon has brought us a portfolio of sci-fi gold over the years, ranging from the omnipresent Buffy to the futuristic Firefly - not to mention a few musical numbers to boot! Last year saw the arrival of Dollhouse.

Headed by one of Whedon’s best, foxy starlet Eliza Dushku, Dollhouse provides a myriad of technological wonders, presenting you with the concept that people are dolls, or ‘Actives’, that can easily be wiped and programmed at will.

Centred on Caroline/Echo (Dushku), the show takes us on the journey of her selfawareness, whilst simultaneously offering episodic storylines wherein we see the dolls sent on engagements, some of which are pretty sordid! The Actives at the LA branch of the Dollhouse are our main focus, and all are cleverly named after the phonetic alphabet. The likes of Victor, Whiskey, Sierra, November, and of course, Echo, demonstrate a range of personas, sometimes plonked into the most mundane, and other times, the most bizarre situations. From high-risk criminal ventures to loving interludes, no episode is the same and, if anything, Dollhouse really earns its merit by giving all of its actors the chance to showcase their talents.

After each engagement, the Actives are ‘wiped’ of each character imprint by Topher, the resident techy geek. However, this doesn’t really work on our heroine Echo, who retains some memories from each person she transforms into. Gradually, she comes to terms with the fact that she is a doll, with her services being prostituted to the highest bidder. Suffice to say, she, with the help of FBI buddy Paul Ballard, is eager to fight back and break away from the exploitations of the Dollhouse. Unfortunately this isn’t as easy as it may seem. Even Ballard, with his unhealthy Echo obsession, gets roped in to working for them in the end, albeit an attempt to take them down from the inside.

Both season finales are worth a mention, as they interestingly jump forward in time to a post-apocalyptic future. Without giving too much away, it stages the uprising of the dolls, as well as showing how advanced the Dollhouse technology has become and subsequently, what it has done to the human race.

A definite must, Dollhouse comes up trumps for me and I’ve already pre-ordered Season 2 on DVD. If only it hadn’t been so prematurely cancelled…

In the words of Mutant Enemy: ‘Grr. Argh.’

This futuristic sci-fi drama deserves a decent 7.5/10.

My 10 Worst ‘Chick Flicks’ – *SPOILER ALERT* (well not really, because most of them are rubs…)

After much deliberation, I have compiled a list of my 10 least fave chick flicks. Believe you me, it wasn’t easy, there’s a lot of cheese out there. I also do feel a weeny bit evil for bad-mouthing all these films. I promise to produce a good vibey post in the next day or two to counteract how blunt this one is. Enjoy!

In no particular order…


Ghosts of Girlfriends Past – Could this be more an insult to Charles Dickens? Answer: no. This film turns a brilliant story (A Christmas Carol) into a rather stupid chick flick. ‘Nuff said. Poor show for Garner and McConaughey.

Wedding Date – Debra Messing hires escort, Dermot Mulroney, as her ‘wedding date’ in order to make her ex jealous. Messing and Mulroney fight and then, whaddaya know? They’re in love. Wow. An anxiety-prone gal and a male prostitute – destined to be together. Deuce Bigalow, eat your heart out.

When in Rome – Generally shite as chick flicks go. I expected a lot more, especially when there’s appearances from some Hollywood big-shots: Josh Duhmal, Jon Heder (Napoleon Dynamite!), and the legendary Danny DeVito. Not sure what happened here…it’s just PURE cheese...wrapped in some gouda…then drizzled in brie. Also, FYI, Kristen Bell is not Sarah Marshall in this film. Doh.

Made of Honour – McDreamy becomes McBoring in this film. Die-hard Greys Anatomy fans look away! It’s just awful seeing Patrick Dempsey completely emasculated and forced to be his best (girl)friend’s ‘Maid of honour’. Cringe factor? 20 out of 10.

My Best Friend’s Wedding – Loved seeing Rupert Everitt as the gay best buddy in this film, but it wasn’t enough to save yet another chick flick where the girl doesn’t actually get the guy in the end. I hate it when this happens. I watch chick flicks for good love or friendship vibes. This just doesn’t do it for me. Sorry Rupe!

Prime – Boy meets girl. Girl meets boy. Girl is daaaamn old, and really more of a lady than a girl. It’s a recipe for disaster and, inevitably, doesn’t have a happy ending. As much as I enjoy a bit of cradle-snatching, this is on too much of an epic level. Plus Uma is oodles better in the action roles. Pulp Fiction trumps this any day.

The Perfect Man – Girl (Hilary Duff) sets up mum (Heather Lockyer) with an imaginary ‘perfect’ man (Big from SATC). That is all. Excuse me while I vom.

Elizabethtown – Let’s be honest, Orlando Bloom isn’t much more than a pretty face (except when he’s Legolas! :D), so the slightly wooden acting, coupled with a storyline that is so riDONKulous, the hedgehog in my garden could’ve done better, makes for a pretty awful film. It tries to be a bit Indie, but doesn’t quite get there. It tries to be a chick flick but doesn’t really make it there either. I mean, there’s a guy and a girl, the guy’s dad dies, he’s all depressed, the guy and girl get it on, blah blah blah, which is all gravy - but there just doesn’t seem to be a spark. The worst chick flicks of all are the ones without chemistry, and this one seems allergic to it.

You’ve Got Mail – Again, a disappointing one. Ryan. Hanks. I was personally expecting Sleepless in Seattle part 2. WRONG. Instead I got instant messaging…on film. Bad idea.

The Break-up – I actually like this film. A lot. Despite Vaughn always playing the same character, I can’t help but love him. Not to mention, who doesn’t want Jennifer Aniston in a film (‘cause she’s in Friends, duh!)?! My main gripe is that the film gives the impression of being a good, upstanding chick flick and then trashes it all at the end but not having a happy, flowery ending. Don’t get me wrong, I adore films that surprise you and end completely the opposite to how you think they will, but this one saddened me because I REALLY wanted them to stay together. It’s the chick flick that broke my heart! Hence why it’s in my 10 worst. Still love it though.


...Any agreements/disagreements? :) X

Saturday, 14 August 2010

Calling all gamers!

Howdy folks :)

Here be my first EVER blog review on Gamer, starring Gerard Butler, which I managed to catch on Sky Movies Premiere last night.

With gaming scenes realistic enough to satisfy any Call of Duty fan, Gamer is a jolly tale about a modern warfare game known as 'Slayers', wherein the players are actually controlling real people through nano-technology. If you hadn't guessed, I was being a wee bit sarky when I said jolly. Gruesome from the outset, the film throws death-row cons into this real-life gaming experience, with promises of an early release if they complete 30 rounds without getting their heads blown off (sound familiar? The Running Man? Death Race?). Kable (Butler), our anti-hero, has been typically wrongly accused and is desperate to get home to his wife and daughter. Surviving 28 games, Kable is the longest standing convict in Slayers and a threat to the game's creator, Castle, in more ways than one.

Kable's wife Angie doesn't fare much better either. Devastated that her daughter has been taken into fostercare, she becomes a voluntary victim in Castle's other game, 'Society'. A take on virtual life-simulation games like The Sims, Society works much in the same way as Slayer; players controlling real people. This enables players to live out their fantasies, however depraved, by seeing real people behave as they want them to without dealing with any consequences. The man controlling Angie is a morbidly obese recluse who likes to dress her in bright PVC colours and force her to come on to half of the Society populus. Heroes' Milo Ventimiglia also pops up as a character in Society called 'Rick the Rapist'. Donning a leather one-piece and harassing all the women, his character really demonstrates that not everyone is as they seem and Society gives the opportunity for any sick and sexual desires to come into the open.

Special guest appearances from the oh-so-creepy Michael C. Hall (TV's Dexter) and rap artist Ludacris add some credit to the film, but unfortunately don't make up for a rather weak plot-line. The feud triangle between Kable, Castle and their other business partner, who Kable supposedly killed in cold blood, is never fully explained. Not only that, but for me, the whole film ended quite abruptly. There was no stereotypical final fight between the good and the bad, just a rather minuscule stand-off. Also worth a mention, Butler's accent. Is he Scottish or is he American? It really is a mystery.

That being said, the gaming scenes really do deliver, offering killer camera-work (pardon the pun), justifiably gory head-shots, and a realistic take on how games are for the gamer in this day and age. For me, the best part was seeing one player teabag his dead team-mate. Classy.

Give this one 2/10. A must-see if you're an avid gamer, otherwise the storyline is a bit thin.

Friday, 13 August 2010

Sorry, I'm a newb...

So this is my first blog entry.

I’ll try and keep it short and sweet as I’m pretty sure that any miniscule viewership I manage to entertain is much more interested in hearing about the excites of TV and film, as opposed to seeing me chatter on about the quandaries of life. Trust me when I say I won’t be doing a Rachel from Friends and ‘rambling on for 18 pages – FRONT AND BACK’. Yup. You heard it here first. I am a die-hard Friends fan and you can rest assured I will be quoting my butt off whenever possible.

Now that that's out of the way, all I have left to do is introduce myself and properly say what I'm attempting to do with this blog. Well, as many of my friends will know (probably 99% of the people that will read this blog are my friends anyway...) I love, love, love all things film. And to top that off, I love all things US TV too. Give me a bit of True Blood or Supernatural anyday of the week and I'll be grinning from ear to ear. Anywho, I hope to use this blog not to ramble (you'll be pleased to hear!) but as an attempt at sampling my reviewing skills. I try to head down to my local Odeon at least once a week, unless the world is ending, to see all the new films (aided by free tickets from the boyf's brother, a cinema worker!) so I'm hoping to supply you, my glorious audience, with some in-depth info on what I think about films. Might be worth noting that it takes alot for me to hate a film...someone once said to me that it was a sweet quality, that I 'see the good in every film'. Perhaps that's true. Or perhaps I'm just a whiny girl, who knows?!

Anywho, I think these blogs will be a bit few and far between for a while, and probably comprising of some of my favourite movies/shows first, just until I get in to the swing of things.

Please bear with me! Hopefully I can get my first review up over the weekend  - I'm thinking I Love You, Man - hello Paul Rudd!

Adios amigos....I'll be back.

X