Do we really need another Lion King?

The Good Dinosaur - 2015 

The Good Dinosaur is the newest film released by Disney Pixar. After some flops Disney was due a good animated film. The Good Dinosaur follows the story Arlo a young dinosaur who is the runt of his family, he struggles to be the kind of dinosaur he feels his father can be proud of. His story takes us through some tragedies, some laughs, friends and enemies.

Unfortunately, at my age it is very easy to see the Disney formula. For me, this was déjà vu of The Lion King. It follows the same story. The same kind of characters. It didn’t feel original to me. Now this may be different for kids now-a-days because they didn’t grow up with The Lion King, they have grown up with the newer Disney that maybe it is new to them.

The special effects in this film were spectacular, and that is understating it. The water especially in this film was something quite extraordinary for an animated film. With game development growing and getting better, it is no surprise that animated films take some pages from their book. The effects on all of the dinosaurs was also something to marvel at. The detail especially on the T-Rex’s were amazing, you could see every wrinkle in their arms and legs.

The story itself was okay, a major plot point I felt was very flat, there was meant to be emotion but I didn’t feel anything. As I said before it was also déjà vu for me. I want to say for younger kids that this film would be good however, this may not be true. For a Disney film this one was rife with some scenes that you wouldn’t want your five-year-old to see. It is a PG and guidance is definitely advise for the younger kids. But even though this appeals to some older, I think they have overshot their audience. I think Disney would have been better off targeting the younger audience. The older audience have been there and done that, that they don’t feel emotion for it anymore.

I really wanted to like this film but there are some flaws, I am glad I have seen it once but it is not one I would go out of my way to watch again.

5/10

For me it was just too repetitive for me to enjoy properly, maybe if I didn’t have such a love for The Lion King I would have enjoyed it more. They have done amazingly well with the animation but I think Disney need to think of a new formula if they are going to continue targeting the slightly older kids. 

In the Heart of the Sea

In the Heart of the Sea - 2015

I actually saw this film in a secret Unlimited screening at Cineworld. What this means is that you have no idea what you’re going to see before the film actually comes on. It is an interesting concept and we went to see what it would be. It was strange not knowing what you were seeing before it started but, at the same time it made it a bit more interesting not knowing what was coming. It turned out that it was the film ‘In the Heart of the sea’. This is a new film with Chris Hemsworth and Cillian Murphy based on the classic tale of Moby Dick. It follows Owen Chase and George Pollard as they set sail whaling. At this time, 1820's, sailors would go whaling for the oil that can be found in whales. The difficulty they had was that the waters close to them were all whaled out and they had to go farther out to unknown seas to find what they were looking for.

I’m sure everyone knows the basis of Moby Dick if not the story itself. I personally have never read the story but I knew it was about a big whale.

I won’t lie that Chris Hemsworth has some Thor moments, whether this is because I like the superhero films so much or not, there were times that I felt I was watching Thor with some strange pirates out at sea. It was a little surreal, I feel bad thinking it because actors should not be defined by one role. It was hard not to think of Thor when he was shouting though. Even though Cillian Murphy is on the posters for this film, he isn’t actually in the film as much as you would think. He plays a major role in Chris Hemsworth characters life, but as a whole he does not really impact the story enough. Despite being the other main character, George Pollard, he was played by a fairly minor actor (Benjamin Walker), he was in it to an extent but it was mainly Chris Hemsworth who took the stage.

The effects were very good in terms of the whale and the storm that caused devastation to their ship, but other than this there isn’t much praise I can award this film.

Despite never reading the story, this film does not make me want to watch it either. I felt the film was boring. It was sad sure, and very hard hitting on some aspects, but overall I felt that the film lacked interest. It is not a film that I would watch again willingly. The actors were good but I feel that this is not a book that has translated well into a film.

4/10

I think this was a long shot for Ron Howard, it was not interesting. It may have been sad every now and then but this does not make up for the lack of interesting story. 

It's Christmas Time....

Unfortunately I wasn't able to post this yesterday however, here is a Christmas post for you all to enjoy on your Christmas Day!

So, today is Christmas Eve and at this moment (7.16am) I am travelling on the train. I have been up since 5.45 (was meant to be 4.45) but I set the wrong time on my alarm, and I am only 15 minutes into a 2-and-a-half-hour journey. Great right!

But, it’s fine it gives me a chance to write and think. Well thinking is not always the best, but, it is giving me time to focus on you, my readers and my blog. (something that hasn’t happened in a while for which I apologise)

So, the point of this post you ask? Well as it is Christmas Eve I feel that I need to do something Christmassy. For everyone Christmas means different things. For kids it means presents. For grandparents is means getting to see their grandchildren. For school kids it means holidays from school. And for people my age, who are stuck in between the excited time and the I don’t really care about Christmas stage, it is a chance to see family that you may not have seen for a long time.

I want you to all think about what Christmas means to you. It may mean nothing. It used to mean very little to me, I used to have to work over Christmas as did my parents. Now? Well I won’t be going back to England for Christmas (flight prices are ridiculous!) but I have reason to be thankful for my 2015. It has been quite a year for me; the start of many things that I hope will continue into 2016. Don’t worry I’ll do another sappy New Year post! And because I feel that it needs to be said, I want you to also think about those who have lost people for Christmas, not everyone has had a good 2015 and this needs to be recognized as well.

Christmas can be the best time, or the worst time for people and I hope that it is the best time for all of you. So, on this Christmas Eve where you are? What are you doing? What are you most looking forward to over the next two days? Doctor Who special? If you’re anything like my mum the annual Christmas Top of the Pops!

I guess the point of this post is that not everyone has a good Christmas. I didn’t used to but I’m hoping that changes this year and for the years to come. But, just remember, it is just Christmas. It is only a time of the year (that yes is religious) but it is only for a period of time at the end of the year. Just remember that even if you don’t have a good Christmas for whatever reason, it will always get better. You have another year ahead of you!

One thing I have forgotten to mention about the wonderful Christmas time is the songs, the films and the decorations. Decorations are being put up everywhere, a Christmas tree in every house. The songs are playing everywhere you go, shops and restaurants, which is the best part if you ask me. And of course the films. I have never been for many Christmas films actually, which I know seems strange, but they’ve just never really interested me as much as they should. I find them quite dull and repetitive, I mean what can you change about a Christmas film. There aren’t that many options.

But I guess what’s important is not the films, songs or even the decorations. It’s just that you should all have a good Christmas.

Everyone enjoy yourself this Christmas, have a nice Christmas Eve and Christmas Day tomorrow. 

May the Force Be With You

Star Wars: The Force Awakens - 2015 - Film

After ten long years Star Wars is back. 

The Force Awakens is based three decades after the fall of the Empire and a new threat appears challenging the "Light". 

When this film was first announced I wasn't a fan of bringing back the old cast, it made me concerned about what the film was going to be about. I mean the likes of Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher and Mark Hamill are not exactly in the prime of their life. I was also concerned that they would make the film too much about the old cast and not enough of the new generation. But, and I know this is hard for some people to admit, I was wrong. We still got to see enough of Han Solo and Leia that it fills that need for the old cast, however, they take a back seat in the overall, combat and story which makes way for the new cast to arrive. 

So, we'll start off with the new cast. This is her first major movie and what a movie to start off with! Daisy Ridley (Rey) shows that her talent has been wasted on TV series. She is joined by Adam Driver (Kylo Ren) and John Boyega (Fin). Each one makes their own mark on the franchise. 

The cast aside, I think the real challenge here was to make the film modern. To make it appeal to the new generation that wasn't around for the previous films. And this challenge was for J.J Abrams. He originally didn't want to take the role, but, after deliberation he decided that it was worth taking. Despite being hesitant at first, Abrams obviously put his heart and soul into this film. He managed to bring together the old and the new. He also managed to throw in some twists and turns. I will admit that some of them were easy to guess following the previous formulas, but, this was okay. There were still some shocks that made the film interesting, and, the bad guys were interesting to see and watch. 

He still left PLENTY for the second film, due to come out 2017. I personally feel like watching the older ones now even if they may seem a bit dated. Abrams gave a fresh lease of life into this franchise, which I hope continues into the next films. 

The one thing that I thought was a bit strange was the introduction of Kylo Ren, he was introduced quite early in the film. 

It left off for there to be an exciting and interesting sequels that I cannot wait to see. 

9/10

If I did part points it would be an 9.8 - it is closer to 10 than 9 but I feel like there it isn't quite perfect... maybe next time. 

One Does Have a Busy Life Don't They

So, I said before that a guest poster was going to write a few weeks and he did but now it's time to go back to me. 

KAEditing is taking a break over the Christmas period so I am going to be focusing my efforts on this blog. 

KAEditing will be revealing some new information in the New Year so stay tuned for that. 

Of course, we wouldn't miss Star Wars either, epic! 

It was strange, I went to a mystery screening at Cineworld the other day. Never having been to one before. It was odd not knowing what you were going to see when you got there. It ended up being something totally different from what I thought, which did not go down well, let's just say that. 

I have my first works Christmas Party tomorrow night, which I never normally go to but in the interest of trying my absolute best to be sociable I decided to attend this year. So, we'll see how that one goes. 

My guest poster will be back every now and then, but for now it will just be little ole' me for a while. 

But in case I forget in future posts, everybody, have an amazing Christmas, and a wonderful New Year. The New Year is looking to bring some big things and it's super, mega exciting! 

"Some films change your life forever" Carol Review

CAROL REVIEW

Carol is a wonderfully emotional romantic-drama based on a book called ‘The Price of Salt’ by Patricia Highsmith. Set in New York City 1952, the film tells the story of a young aspiring photographer (Rooney Mara) and her relationship with an older woman going through a difficult divorce and child custody battle (Cate Blanchett).

Both Rooney Mara (Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) and Cate Blanchett (The Lord of the Rings, The Aviator) absolutely captivate audiences with their incredible performances. The chemistry between the two on-screen is undeniable from the opening scene and it makes the film a pleasure to watch from start to finish. Cate Blanchett gives a career best performance with her character, Carol Aird, exuding a certain eroticism with every glance and movement. Her attitude and demeanour is quite peculiar and can only be explained by the oxymoron of being nervously-confident. I know it doesn’t quite make sense but it is how I felt her character carried herself especially whilst in the company of Rooney Mara.

Although Cate Blanchett is unquestionably fabulous, she is receiving almost all the praise from the critics but the film is about love between two people and Rooney Mara deserves as much of the credit as Blanchett for the success of this movie. Her performance as the young, innocent shop girl couldn’t be more on point and contrasts perfectly with the sexual maturity of Blanchett. These characters are so believable and lovable that I can’t imagine them being played by any other actresses.

The music of the film is crafted perfectly to the film with a mix of an original score by Carter Burwell and songs and music from period of the film. I even recognised one or two songs from the Fallout series for you gamers out there, as if Three-Dog himself was the DJ. In all seriousness though, the music felt right with every scene and it only ever enhanced the emotion of what was happening on screen.

It's an inevitability that Carol will face categorisation as an LGBT film, but that's not the limits of how it should be considered. It's simply a heartfelt and deeply human love story where the principle couple confronts insurmountable odds. In Carol's case, these obstacles are the prejudices of the time and culture they live in. The film frames this discrimination in a tangible and legal way, as the titular Carol is accused of a morally indecent lifestyle by her ex-husband in order to win custody of their daughter. The film isn't interested in being a courtroom drama though, instead focusing on the blossoming relationship between Rooney Mara's Therese and Cate Blanchett's Carol.

Carol is not only one of the best films I have seen this year, but it is definitely the best romance that I have ever seen. I do have a bit of a ‘thing’ for Cate Blanchett so I may be a little biased but there is no doubt in my mind that Carol deserves all the universal acclaim it has received.

10/10

"Thank God for Whitey Bulger" Black Mass Review

BLACK MASS REVIEW

Black Mass is a riveting true story of the rise and fall of Irish-American crime lord James ‘Whitey’ Bulger (played fantastically by Johnny Depp). The story spans over 30 years and begins with introducing Bulger in 1975 as the leader of the South-Boston based Winter Hill Gang. Without trying to give too much away, the movie covers the most significant events of the Bulger's life in order for the audience to try and make sense of how and why he ended up being on top of FBI Most Wanted list for 12 years.

Black Mass features an incredibly talented all-star cast including Joel Edgerton, Benedict Cumberbatch and, of course, Johnny Depp. All three give great performances of their respective roles but it is, without a shadow of a doubt, Johnny Depp who outshines all the rest. Depp’s portrayal of Bulger had me feeling sadness, discomfort and outright fear. There are a number of scenes when his character dominates not just the people on screen but also the people watching, especially in the later scenes when he is quite unstable. There is no scene in particular that comes to mind and those of you who have seen the film probably know the one I am referring to and those of you who haven’t seen it will know it when you see it. I suffered a little from a little condition a call ‘Cinema-Seat-Paralysis’ during this particular scene and I’m sure I’m not the only one.

Unfortunately, I can’t really speak much to the Boston accents in the film as I have never really been exposed to it in my life, however, I was able to understand everything that was being said so I’m happy. It was also very interesting watching this film as someone who had never heard of Bulger before the movie started, maybe it’s because I was raised between Ireland and England but news of Bulger and his crimes never reached my ears though I was never really one for the news of the world.

Critics and users reviews have criticised the film because it not all guns and explosions from start to finish like some similar films, but to be honest I seriously enjoyed the more intimate and personal take on the story and I feel that it gave the actors a chance to really pour some of their talent in to the roles. Not every film with a criminal at the centre needs to be ‘high-octane’ bullshit that ends up being forgotten by the time the credits finish. Black Mass is certainly not that.

The film isn’t perfect however and I think that one of its most prominent flaws is the lack of screen time for some of the interesting supporting characters, Benedict Cumberbatch’s Billy Bulger being at the top of this list. Billy Bulger is not only the brother of ‘Whitey’, he is also a leading member of the Massachusetts Senate. I feel this is contrast between the two brothers, who were quite close, could have been better utilised to make some truly dynamic moments. Unfortunately, the number of scenes with Benedict Cumberbatch could be counted on one hand. Such as waste.

Overall though, the film is excellent. Well worth going to see if you are interested by the source material or simply a fan of Johnny Depp. There are some spectacularly shocking moments filled with sadness and fear that make the viewer almost sympathise with Bulger from time to time but only from the beginning to the middle, after that Bulger jumps to an eleven on the psycho scale. Enjoy!

8/10

You Are Never Safe... When You Are Alone In The Dark

My last post before my guest poster begins: 

Alone in The Dark - Karen Rose - Book - 2015

Alone in the dark is the second book in the Cincinnati series by Karen Rose. This one focuses on Scarlett Bishop and the reporter Marcus O'Bannion. As with her previous books Rose ties this in with her previous books you have the familiar characters of Faith, Deacon and Dani. This story also pulls some in from her previous book Closer Than You Think.

Scarlett Bishop is a cop with a soft heart. She struggles on a day to day basis with her cases pulling on her heart strings.

Marcus O'Bannion, still struggling to get over his brother's death, along with his team at the Ledger, go out and try to fight all of the abusers in the world. Through any means necessary. What they don't realise is their 'activities' lead them to the darkest depths of human trafficking without them realising what kind men they are dealing with.

Tala, tries to get away from her captors. She wants to save her family and risks her life in the cross hairs. 

As always, with Karen Rose, Marcus and Scarlett have an attraction that they try to fight, but, it is inevitable. 

I enjoy Karen Rose, for her stories and characters, and she has not disappointed with this new one. She uses strong female characters which I like, the women aren't always the damsel in distress. 

Her story was just as complex and gut twisting as her previous books. One thing that I would prefer to see more of the case itself, Karin Slaughter for instance goes into a bit more technical details surrounding the evidence and the killing itself. But Karen Rose tends to stick to quite a mild description of the murders and the case. 

The story ties in really well with her other books and makes me want to read Closer To You again! 

If you enjoy crime this may not be the book for you. She is taking the suspense, out of the 'romance,suspense' books. I think is a shame as I am going back to her first books and actually they are more interesting from a crime point of view. 

If you don't mind the romance and enjoy it then her later books are definitely worth a read. 

8/10 

I think it could've been better in terms of story for me, too much of the nitty gritty romance fluff and not enough of the crime itself. 

Guest Poster!

Okay, so I'm sorry but I have been neglectful the last week or so and it's purely because of KAEditing taking off! Which is awesome and exciting, but, it does mean I haven't had that much time to put into my dearly beloved blog. 

So, to change this there will be a guest poster for a few weeks. 

He knows all about films. 

He knows all about games. 

He knows all about anime. 

His writing is awesome. 

So, if you would please welcome the writing styles of Sean McCourt-Casey for the next few weeks. I would really appreciate it!