2008 Film Review Catch Up (Very Brief)

I have not got around to review some of the films I watched this year due to a mixture of changing jobs, having a girlfriend, having a life outside my computer and of course god damn laziness.

So here's a quick update on what I saw (from ages ago btw) and if I enjoyed it:

The Dark Knight: So good i watched it twice at the cinema. The perfect batman film with the perfect joker and a script which not only riffs on the most influential dark knight comics but on a rich cinematic tapestry. The opening scene alone homages Micheal Mann on pitch perfect form. It's performances and set pieces eradicate any source of bum ache. One of the best films of the year.

Sweeney Todd: An odd beast. Like all Burton films it looks grand and the obligatory Johnny Depp performance is oddball by the way of Jack Sparrow, but the film is ultimately very shallow and lacks the charm that would keep me coming back for repeat viewings. The songs are sung well enough but nothing too memorable. Once again for true Burton fans.

Be Kind Rewind: Quirky, breezy and amusing, Be Kind could do with the Kaufman touch and a less restrained Jack Black, however Mos Def proves that he's not only a solid actor but could carry a bigger film if he tried. While the story is cute but not too sweet on the tooth. If anything it's worth watching for the "sweded" videos

There Will Be Blood: The most intense character study I've seen in a while. Daniel Day Lewis brings about a performance with the force of two tornadoes. His titanic performance is only heightened by the gorgeous cinematography (Robert Elswit) and the haunting score (Radiohead's Johnny Greenwood). The ending is so brutal and manic it hurts. Anderson's film is complex, richly layered and painfully compelling. This is also one of the best films I've seen this year.

Adulthood: Whilst the story is moderately weaker than the first film (Kidulthood). Writer/Director/Star Noel Clarke shows how multi-talented he can be. Clarke's sequel maintains a lot of the grit and British "charm" which made the first film more watchable than people would like to let on. If Clarke chills out with the OTT editing gimmicks (split screens) he can make himself to be one of the most interesting young British directors on the scene.


Well there! Due to lack of funds I've not been watching many recently released flicks as of late but now I'm more stable, expect some more in depth reviews soon. When I get time around i may even finish the five above!

SAW 5

I recently visited the IMDB messages boards for no other reason other than madness and my eyes fell upon what many people see when they go to such a place....ridiculous arguments. I love a good message board, but one where posters value other peoples opinions and can engage in intelligent debate. There is none of this there.

Went to the SAW 5 board, read this topic, died a little inside and then found this at arrow in the head:

Sorry Saw fans, while at first the series was fresh and inventive......It looks quite clearly that everyone involved is flogging a dead horse.

If your don't with horror by the way, do visit arrow in the head, his reviews are no bullshit and his writing style quite humorous.

Interesting trailers of note

After watching the breezy Brothers Bloom Trailer, I felt it was about time that I found some other trailers of films I'd like to see.

First up is Clint "shut the fuck up Spike" Eastwoods Changeling:



Next is the film that looks set for everyone to call "the next juno"...Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist



Fingers crossed that these films kick ass.

Dynamic Duo

What a movie idea! I mean really, I'd never of thought of it. Hayden Christensen and Paul Walker in a movie together!?!?!? Amazing call off the 2009-10 Oscars! Because Bone Deep (Yes the name of the film) will win everything and break records


What the Fuck? When I first read this I thought it was April Fools Day and I fell into a time warp when I got off the tube. Who'd the fuck would want to see this? The article where I found this atrocity even tries to place these "actors" in a good light!

"Walker was actually pretty good in fare like Running Scared and Roadkill, and seems to do pretty well when he’s not just being a pretty boy with rock-hard abs. Christensen, of course, is still struggling to escape the Star Wars type-casting tag, but he showed promise in Shattered Glass, so let’s hope that is consolidated here."

Hummm... That's far too much praise for a couple of good looking yet underwhelming actors (Good Roadkill and Running scared shouldn't be in the same sentence). But I'm sure director John Luessenhop (director of little seen independent Lockdown) will give these two jokers plenty of screen time to gaze blankly at each other.

Bond has license to kill taken away...or something

Wanted to laugh while looking at this piece of "news". Basically for those too lazy to read the link...

Their are complaints about Bond holding a gun on the new posters of QOS (I'm not putting the full title up, it does sound silly then again...octopussy?).

Now Censoring films is one thing (bonds had headbutts taken out of films in the past) but the idea that the worlds most famous fictional spy isn't allowed to walk around with a big fuck off machine like he owns the place is near sacrilege.

I'm kinda sick and tired of people trying to control everything that we see and/or do because it might "harm the kids" etc. I mean I've watched all sorts of films filled with various degrees of killing all my life and the only violence I want to unleash is to ass clowns to wish for it to be banned. Now they wish to move onto NON MOVING IMAGES.

I'll have a word with Spielberg see if he'll put in a walkie talkie for them. Below is a poster done over 40 years ago when kids could tell the difference between poster and fucking reality.