Tuesday 30 December 2008

Review of the year: 2008



Well 2008 is almost over and 2009 is gearing itself up to be a quite a good movie year. Hopefully I will locate more cash and go to the movies more often than I did in 2008. However with the credit crunch (read: cute word for recession) rearing it's ugly head, this seems unlikely!

However with it all said and done I still managed to check out enough movies to have a top five list of films and that's all that matters. I also have a bottom 3 list of movies that I found unbelievably dreadful. Why only three? Because films that sucked hard should not have an equal amount of reading time as films I actually enjoyed.

Also, none of the films on either list are in any sort of order as I don't see the point.

So without further ado:

BYRON'S FAVE FIVE FILMS OF THE YEAR (2008 UK CINEMA RELEASE)



A meditation of fate and a truly quality Neo-western




Cloverfield:

The Monster movie re-vamped with a sprinkling of Blair Witch for the youtube generation.



There Will Be Blood:

PTA's most mature offering to date with a power house performance by Daniel Day Lewis




The Dark Knight:

There's no introduction needed. You knew this would show up somewhere.




Juno:
A sweet and simple coming of age film, which suddenly became a figure of hate for being successful.



THE WORST FILMS I WATCHED THIS YEAR (UK CINEMA RELEASE 2008):



Jumper:

The usually reliable Doug Liman gives us; not only a bad movie but half a bad movie.




Awake:

Dreary Thriller with no surprises and Hayden Christensen AGAIN!



The Happening

Zooey and Mark running...from nothing....for 90 minutes...fucking tragic.


Roll on next year!

Man doesn't get mad...he gets shooty

A small newspaper article caught my eye yesterday. I had a quick search on the internets and found an article covering more about it courtesy of Total Film. For those who are too lazy to read the hyperlink....Basically James Joseph Cialella Jr got so pissed off at a father and son talking during a screening of The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button*, he decided to pop a cap in the dads ass (well arm).

Now while we all hope the father recuperates and gets well soon....

WHO THE HELL HASN'T WISHED THEY CAN DO SOMETHING SIMILAR IN A CINEMA?!??!!?!?

Seriously. As a cinema goer and ex cinema worker, the chances of getting an usher (usually a skinny student*) to help you can be quite limited. To add to this some people take the absolute piss when at a cinema. Talking during the ads and trailers I get, but people constantly having a conversation during the film can effectively ruin other peoples viewing experience. The other people have paid too ya know!!!

While it sounds like I'm trying to justify going postal during a pubic cinema screenings, usually when you ask someone to be quiet during a film these days, the said party will ignore you, talk even louder or bemoan something about their rights.

People should not get shot when at a cinema (or anywhere to be honest) but on the flipside...if everyone had their gobs shut during a film because they weren't sure if the nutter beside them was packing...Well you'd have more people enjoying their visit to the cinema.

*You know how people get so worried about violence in movies.....
Benjamin fucking Button!?!?!?!?

**Trust me most of the people who worked with me when i worked at a cinema...skinny students...me included.