Daddy's Home - Film - 2015
Dad vs. Step-Dad.
The two clash in this comedy extravaganza... or they just crash and burn.
Mark Wahlberg and Will Ferrell star in this (meant to be funny) family film about a dad and step-dad battling it out for Sara (the mother) and the children's affections.
I will say that one thing I admired about this film, amongst all else, was the subject it chose. With divorce a very common event in our society, step-parents come along with this; being a step-parent is not always an easy task and this film does help highlight this for the whole family.
If you have read my Sisters review you will see that I pointed out that the film was based upon the cheap laughs of the audience, this one is the same. Although it is a family film, so yes I wasn't expecting a huge amount when I walked into the cinema, I was expecting just a bit more from Will Ferrell especially. Having not seen Wahlberg in a comedy role before, he was interesting to watch however, I feel as though he pulled off his dad character well.
Although I wouldn't say the film is bad per say. Just incredibly predictable and obvious jokes to go with. I feel as though these two could have been a bit more subtle and clever about their jokes and still keep it as a family film.
3/10
It is maybe worth a watch when it becomes available to stream on Netflix etc. but for now I wouldn't be rushing out to buy this film.
Sunday, 8 May 2016
Another One?
Creed - Film - 2015
Creed is the follow on from Rocky Balboa. It was almost ten years since we last saw Rocky on our screens.
Creed follows the story of Apollo Creed's son (you will know this if you have seen the previous Rock films however, this is not necessary to watch Creed).
Creed is about the trials and tribulations of Adonis Johnson - Adonis Creed - who is trying to make his name in the boxing world without the help of his father's name. He seeks out Rocky Balboa to help train him and bring him up to his fathers level.
Although there are references to the previous Rocky films, such as Rocky and Apollo Creed's fights. You would not have had to have seen the previous films to watch Creed. I hadn't seen any since Rocky III and I still managed to follow the film without a problem.
Although, this film is good in the way that the actors are good. The story is pretty average. What you would expect from a boxing film. They tend to follow the same formula, he trains, something happens and pulls him down, he gets back up to fight, the last fight of the film.
Stallone is looking pretty good in his old age, plus he is meant to be a man of ill health in the film so he definitely looks the part.
Despite, the predictability of the film, I did enjoy Creed. It was easy to sit back and watch. Didn't have to think too hard about the story to understand it or enjoy it. It was simply a film.
No real twists and turns so to speak. It was interesting to learn more about Apollo Creed, and will admit made me want to watch the old Rocky films.
5/10
This was your average boxing film made for a specific audience. Although I didn't mind the film it is definitely not one I would write home about. If you enjoy sporting films this is definitely for you.
Creed is the follow on from Rocky Balboa. It was almost ten years since we last saw Rocky on our screens.
Creed follows the story of Apollo Creed's son (you will know this if you have seen the previous Rock films however, this is not necessary to watch Creed).
Creed is about the trials and tribulations of Adonis Johnson - Adonis Creed - who is trying to make his name in the boxing world without the help of his father's name. He seeks out Rocky Balboa to help train him and bring him up to his fathers level.
Although there are references to the previous Rocky films, such as Rocky and Apollo Creed's fights. You would not have had to have seen the previous films to watch Creed. I hadn't seen any since Rocky III and I still managed to follow the film without a problem.
Although, this film is good in the way that the actors are good. The story is pretty average. What you would expect from a boxing film. They tend to follow the same formula, he trains, something happens and pulls him down, he gets back up to fight, the last fight of the film.
Stallone is looking pretty good in his old age, plus he is meant to be a man of ill health in the film so he definitely looks the part.
Despite, the predictability of the film, I did enjoy Creed. It was easy to sit back and watch. Didn't have to think too hard about the story to understand it or enjoy it. It was simply a film.
No real twists and turns so to speak. It was interesting to learn more about Apollo Creed, and will admit made me want to watch the old Rocky films.
5/10
This was your average boxing film made for a specific audience. Although I didn't mind the film it is definitely not one I would write home about. If you enjoy sporting films this is definitely for you.
Absence
Firstly, I want to apologise for my absence.
K.A. Editing has been taking up a lot of my time, as well as a lot of issues personally.
But I am back to stay, K.A. Editing (please visit our website www.kaediting.com) is thriving (with a new partner might I add) and everything is back on track.
So, be prepared for reviews of your favourite films regularly and this time I won't stop!
Once again, I want to apologise for my sudden absence. It won't happen again!
K.A. Editing has been taking up a lot of my time, as well as a lot of issues personally.
But I am back to stay, K.A. Editing (please visit our website www.kaediting.com) is thriving (with a new partner might I add) and everything is back on track.
So, be prepared for reviews of your favourite films regularly and this time I won't stop!
Once again, I want to apologise for my sudden absence. It won't happen again!
Laughs? Not Here.
Sisters - Film - 2015
Sisters was meant to be the crowning moment for women in comedy. Comedies best two women Amy Poehler and Tina Fey joined forces to create this meant to be feel good film.
Two words: Let Down.
Both women are known for their clever wit, sharp jokes and overall hilarity. What did Sisters deliver, cheap jokes, boring story line and flat characters.
I expected a lot from these two, I generally try and avoid women comedians, I don't find what they think is funny, funny, at all. These two were different with their contributions to comedy such as 30 Rock and Parks and Recreation, both of which are thoroughly enjoyable.
Sisters used every cliche joke in the book, you could see the joke from a mile away.
There was no subtly or even thought that went into the film, just cheap laughs that they knew the audience would give.
There was a practically non-existent story, which ended exactly how you would expect it to when you see the first five minutes of the film.
Nothing surprising, shocking or even funny happened in this film.
1/10
I have nothing good that I can say about this film.
All there was, was cheap laughs for the audience; although this may be okay for some people, I expected a lot more from these two.
Sisters was meant to be the crowning moment for women in comedy. Comedies best two women Amy Poehler and Tina Fey joined forces to create this meant to be feel good film.
Two words: Let Down.
Both women are known for their clever wit, sharp jokes and overall hilarity. What did Sisters deliver, cheap jokes, boring story line and flat characters.
I expected a lot from these two, I generally try and avoid women comedians, I don't find what they think is funny, funny, at all. These two were different with their contributions to comedy such as 30 Rock and Parks and Recreation, both of which are thoroughly enjoyable.
Sisters used every cliche joke in the book, you could see the joke from a mile away.
There was no subtly or even thought that went into the film, just cheap laughs that they knew the audience would give.
There was a practically non-existent story, which ended exactly how you would expect it to when you see the first five minutes of the film.
Nothing surprising, shocking or even funny happened in this film.
1/10
I have nothing good that I can say about this film.
All there was, was cheap laughs for the audience; although this may be okay for some people, I expected a lot more from these two.
Saturday, 30 January 2016
Break the Story... Break the Silence
Spotlight - 2016 - Film
The Spotlight team of The Boston Globe are a small investigative team, they handle sensitive stories that others would not. In 2001, the newspaper has a new editor Marty Baron (Liev Schreiber) who has big ideas on how to make the newspaper better. He leads the Spotlight team into the story that turned into something bigger than they ever imagined.
After a story is written about one Catholic priest molesting a child, Baron wants to ensure that the Spotlight team investigate even further and see what they can uncover. The team go searching in the old archives, interviewing, and tracking done leads where possible, they stumble across a massive number of priests in the Boston area alone. However, Baron didn't want them to stop there. After more digging, it was time for them to take on the system, and shake the Catholic Church to its core.
What made this film so good, was the fact that is was real. There was no additional relationship/family fluff to make it into a 'more exciting' movie. Tom McCarthy (director) realised that the story he had, was good enough. There is no need to ruin a TRUE story, with other 'fluffy' action just to make an audience happy. They even included the events of 9/11 which also added to the realistic feel of the film.
There wasn't one cast member that I could fault. Each one had obviously put meticulous time and effort into their roles. Many had studied there 'real-life' counterparts for the film. This really showed in the way they were acting, especially Mark Ruffalo, he has a well deserved Oscar nomination for this film.
This film was a lot better than I ever imagined it would be. Someone who does not necessarily enjoy true stories. This film was full of intrigue, interest and realism.
9/10
There was very little to fault about this film, the only thing I would have liked was to see more of the priests reaction. Despite them out to take down the system from the top down, we only met the cardinal once, and one priest. Although, rightly so the focus was on the victims. It would have been good to see the reactions of the priests and the clergy.
The Spotlight team of The Boston Globe are a small investigative team, they handle sensitive stories that others would not. In 2001, the newspaper has a new editor Marty Baron (Liev Schreiber) who has big ideas on how to make the newspaper better. He leads the Spotlight team into the story that turned into something bigger than they ever imagined.
After a story is written about one Catholic priest molesting a child, Baron wants to ensure that the Spotlight team investigate even further and see what they can uncover. The team go searching in the old archives, interviewing, and tracking done leads where possible, they stumble across a massive number of priests in the Boston area alone. However, Baron didn't want them to stop there. After more digging, it was time for them to take on the system, and shake the Catholic Church to its core.
What made this film so good, was the fact that is was real. There was no additional relationship/family fluff to make it into a 'more exciting' movie. Tom McCarthy (director) realised that the story he had, was good enough. There is no need to ruin a TRUE story, with other 'fluffy' action just to make an audience happy. They even included the events of 9/11 which also added to the realistic feel of the film.
There wasn't one cast member that I could fault. Each one had obviously put meticulous time and effort into their roles. Many had studied there 'real-life' counterparts for the film. This really showed in the way they were acting, especially Mark Ruffalo, he has a well deserved Oscar nomination for this film.
This film was a lot better than I ever imagined it would be. Someone who does not necessarily enjoy true stories. This film was full of intrigue, interest and realism.
9/10
There was very little to fault about this film, the only thing I would have liked was to see more of the priests reaction. Despite them out to take down the system from the top down, we only met the cardinal once, and one priest. Although, rightly so the focus was on the victims. It would have been good to see the reactions of the priests and the clergy.
Thursday, 21 January 2016
Survival Of The Fittest Has Never Been More True
The Revenant - Film - 2015
I went to an early screening of The Revenant and I was expecting a very gruesome, tough and hard hitting film. All about the survival of a man who is fighting not only for his life but for revenge.
What I got? Well, it was a very long film, about half way through my attention did wain a little bit. It kind of got to the point of 'Just hurry up'. Now the person I went to see it with (a guy) did not flinch at the time, so maybe this was just me.
Second, brutal? I think not. Not for someone my age who has had gone through brutal animes, video games and Quentin Tarantino films. Yes, there is a bear attack which is quite graphic, there are a few eating raw meat situations which did make my tummy turn a little bit, but I wouldn't use the word brutal to describe this film. Now, I am aware that people of the younger generation may be more desensitized to the blood and gore, but, I feel that even my dad would not find it that bad.
I would say the story itself was good, it was very minimalistic in the sense that it surrounded two major story lines, revenge and survival. Simple, yet dramatic.
I hope Leo finally wins his Oscar for this, although if he does he would be winning an Oscar for saying very few words. Although, I have heard the fish and liver he eats, are real which is just gross, but impressive for an actor to be that into his work.
Anyway, it was a good film. It would be one I would watch again with people who haven't seen it for instance but it would not be one that I make my mission to watch again.
8/10
I thought it was a very good survival film, it showed the sheer will needed to survive, it felt real and there were moments when using the camera, it made you feel as though you right there with them. And this is what I enjoyed most about the film, the realism. There was no outrageous Hollywood effects. The scenery was beautiful, some may say distracting but I felt it just added to the realism of the film.
This is a 'marmite' film, you either love it or you hate it. If you don't mind a little bit of blood and gore, and enjoy the survival aspect of a film then this is definitely for you.
I went to an early screening of The Revenant and I was expecting a very gruesome, tough and hard hitting film. All about the survival of a man who is fighting not only for his life but for revenge.
What I got? Well, it was a very long film, about half way through my attention did wain a little bit. It kind of got to the point of 'Just hurry up'. Now the person I went to see it with (a guy) did not flinch at the time, so maybe this was just me.
Second, brutal? I think not. Not for someone my age who has had gone through brutal animes, video games and Quentin Tarantino films. Yes, there is a bear attack which is quite graphic, there are a few eating raw meat situations which did make my tummy turn a little bit, but I wouldn't use the word brutal to describe this film. Now, I am aware that people of the younger generation may be more desensitized to the blood and gore, but, I feel that even my dad would not find it that bad.
I would say the story itself was good, it was very minimalistic in the sense that it surrounded two major story lines, revenge and survival. Simple, yet dramatic.
I hope Leo finally wins his Oscar for this, although if he does he would be winning an Oscar for saying very few words. Although, I have heard the fish and liver he eats, are real which is just gross, but impressive for an actor to be that into his work.
Anyway, it was a good film. It would be one I would watch again with people who haven't seen it for instance but it would not be one that I make my mission to watch again.
8/10
I thought it was a very good survival film, it showed the sheer will needed to survive, it felt real and there were moments when using the camera, it made you feel as though you right there with them. And this is what I enjoyed most about the film, the realism. There was no outrageous Hollywood effects. The scenery was beautiful, some may say distracting but I felt it just added to the realism of the film.
This is a 'marmite' film, you either love it or you hate it. If you don't mind a little bit of blood and gore, and enjoy the survival aspect of a film then this is definitely for you.
Sunday, 10 January 2016
The Danish Girl
The Danish Girl - Film - 2015
The Danish Girl is based on the novel (which is based on a true story) by David Ebershoff, about the unusual romance between Lili Elbe and Gerda Wegener. Lili (Eddie Redmayne) began her life living as Einar Wegener a famous artist, married to Gerda. However, Lili was always lurking behind Einar, Gerda helps to bring Lili to the surface, but this leads to Lili never wanting to go away. The film follows the miracle of Lili showing herself to the world.
The majority of the film is based in Denmark, however, they travel to Paris for Gerda's art. Here, they meet with a doctor that changes Einar's life.
Eddie Redmayne, although good in other films, was spectacular to watch. You could tell the moments when Einar was Lili, you could see the anguish behind his eyes. He was very well supported by Alicia Vikander (Gerda) whom played the loyal and supportive wife. The great thing about this film was that you could watch and feel like you watching their real-lives. Everything was realistic about the film. When Einar was Lily, it still looked like Einar to an extent, they didn't plaster on the make-up to hide who was underneath.
A bad thing I will say about this film is, it is a one trick pony. Once you know the story, even though it is a romance, it would be difficult to watch over and over again. I personally would not watch this film again willingly despite it being good.
The strength that emanated off of both the lead characters was something to marvel at. They both deserve an award for the performance that they gave. It is also amazing to think that these two people existed, Lili Elbe remains a strong icon within the transgender community and rightly so.
This was a realistic romance, that highlighted a major issue in 1926 for those who believed themselves to have been born in the wrong body. An issue that is still around today for many people, albeit the methods with dealing with this are a lot less brutal than they used to be, it is still something that many cannot or will not accept.
I enjoyed the film, it was definitely worth watching however, it is not a film that I would watch again.
7/10
What really sold this film was the level of performances both leads gave.
The Danish Girl is based on the novel (which is based on a true story) by David Ebershoff, about the unusual romance between Lili Elbe and Gerda Wegener. Lili (Eddie Redmayne) began her life living as Einar Wegener a famous artist, married to Gerda. However, Lili was always lurking behind Einar, Gerda helps to bring Lili to the surface, but this leads to Lili never wanting to go away. The film follows the miracle of Lili showing herself to the world.
The majority of the film is based in Denmark, however, they travel to Paris for Gerda's art. Here, they meet with a doctor that changes Einar's life.
Eddie Redmayne, although good in other films, was spectacular to watch. You could tell the moments when Einar was Lili, you could see the anguish behind his eyes. He was very well supported by Alicia Vikander (Gerda) whom played the loyal and supportive wife. The great thing about this film was that you could watch and feel like you watching their real-lives. Everything was realistic about the film. When Einar was Lily, it still looked like Einar to an extent, they didn't plaster on the make-up to hide who was underneath.
A bad thing I will say about this film is, it is a one trick pony. Once you know the story, even though it is a romance, it would be difficult to watch over and over again. I personally would not watch this film again willingly despite it being good.
The strength that emanated off of both the lead characters was something to marvel at. They both deserve an award for the performance that they gave. It is also amazing to think that these two people existed, Lili Elbe remains a strong icon within the transgender community and rightly so.
This was a realistic romance, that highlighted a major issue in 1926 for those who believed themselves to have been born in the wrong body. An issue that is still around today for many people, albeit the methods with dealing with this are a lot less brutal than they used to be, it is still something that many cannot or will not accept.
I enjoyed the film, it was definitely worth watching however, it is not a film that I would watch again.
7/10
What really sold this film was the level of performances both leads gave.
Friday, 1 January 2016
Happy New Year!!!!!
2016 is here and what a year 2015 has been for me.
I'm not going to go into the whole 2016 will be my year and resolutions and all of this because how many of us stick to resolutions, honestly? I know that I don't my motivation is nil!
So, all I want to talk about quickly is one: I hope everyone had a really nice New Year Eves and didn't get too drunk :)
And two: 2016 is here and there will be some changes and new things coming for K.A.Editing so stay tuned to our Twitter/Facebook and all of it :)
So if you have made a New Year's resolution then I hope you stick to it and if not (because you're like me) I hope you just had a good 2016 all around :)
I'm not going to go into the whole 2016 will be my year and resolutions and all of this because how many of us stick to resolutions, honestly? I know that I don't my motivation is nil!
So, all I want to talk about quickly is one: I hope everyone had a really nice New Year Eves and didn't get too drunk :)
And two: 2016 is here and there will be some changes and new things coming for K.A.Editing so stay tuned to our Twitter/Facebook and all of it :)
So if you have made a New Year's resolution then I hope you stick to it and if not (because you're like me) I hope you just had a good 2016 all around :)
Sunday, 27 December 2015
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.
Friday, 25 December 2015
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.
Sunday, 20 December 2015
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.
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.
Thursday, 17 December 2015
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!
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!
Friday, 11 December 2015
"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
Saturday, 5 December 2015
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.
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!
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!
Monday, 23 November 2015
May The Odds Be Ever In Your Favour
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2 - Film - 2015
When I was in England I felt it important to watch the final instalment of The Hunger Games. To see the first one I skipped college and went to the local cinema making it back in time for my history lesson. So the trilogy (books) and quadrilogy (films) hold fond memories for me. I loved the books and the films have not disappointed.
Francis Lawrence bought us three out of the four films of The Hunger Games. The last book was split into two films to allow them to include more details. This is something that normally puts directors on my blacklist but, in this case I was happy they took this approach. The reason being there is a lot of development in the third book. A lot of twist and turns for the story and after seeing it split over two films, it is clear that if they had tried to fit it into one film - well it just wouldn't have worked.
There is very little negative to say regarding this franchise and it's actors. Each one: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Elizabeth Banks and Woody Harrelson give some of their very best performances in these films.
One thing I would say for this film is that it was a little, for lack of a better word, dull. Because it was wrapping up the story there was some action, but very little in terms of theatrics. Elizabeth Banks and Woody Harrelson got very little screen time in this film as they needed to make sure certain criteria were met for the story. I felt this was a shame. Both characters, Effie and Haymitch, bring a lot of life into the film. They balance out the seriousness of Katniss and Peeta's situation.
The ending was also a little disappointing, it was a little bit like they they ran out of time and had to rush it a bit. They did manage to wrap up everything in quite a clever way in terms of all the other characters.
There is some happiness and sadness in this film. There were times that I felt like crying but others when I thought 'that is just amazing'
The action was good, the effects were what you would you would expect from a Hollywood blockbuster.
These films became a phenomenon and they are some of the best book to film adaptations I have ever seen. But, this film fell under the 'it happens in the book so we have to find a way for it to happen in the film' curse. Some situations are forced, or of their making but too obvious for it have any effect. Unfortunately, this is not something that is easy to get away from.
8/10
I think they should have utilised their characters more. It was not the best of the franchise and I think that the earlier films especially Catching Fire were more interesting to watch. It is definitely still worth the watch for all ages.
When I was in England I felt it important to watch the final instalment of The Hunger Games. To see the first one I skipped college and went to the local cinema making it back in time for my history lesson. So the trilogy (books) and quadrilogy (films) hold fond memories for me. I loved the books and the films have not disappointed.
Francis Lawrence bought us three out of the four films of The Hunger Games. The last book was split into two films to allow them to include more details. This is something that normally puts directors on my blacklist but, in this case I was happy they took this approach. The reason being there is a lot of development in the third book. A lot of twist and turns for the story and after seeing it split over two films, it is clear that if they had tried to fit it into one film - well it just wouldn't have worked.
There is very little negative to say regarding this franchise and it's actors. Each one: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Elizabeth Banks and Woody Harrelson give some of their very best performances in these films.
One thing I would say for this film is that it was a little, for lack of a better word, dull. Because it was wrapping up the story there was some action, but very little in terms of theatrics. Elizabeth Banks and Woody Harrelson got very little screen time in this film as they needed to make sure certain criteria were met for the story. I felt this was a shame. Both characters, Effie and Haymitch, bring a lot of life into the film. They balance out the seriousness of Katniss and Peeta's situation.
The ending was also a little disappointing, it was a little bit like they they ran out of time and had to rush it a bit. They did manage to wrap up everything in quite a clever way in terms of all the other characters.
There is some happiness and sadness in this film. There were times that I felt like crying but others when I thought 'that is just amazing'
The action was good, the effects were what you would you would expect from a Hollywood blockbuster.
These films became a phenomenon and they are some of the best book to film adaptations I have ever seen. But, this film fell under the 'it happens in the book so we have to find a way for it to happen in the film' curse. Some situations are forced, or of their making but too obvious for it have any effect. Unfortunately, this is not something that is easy to get away from.
8/10
I think they should have utilised their characters more. It was not the best of the franchise and I think that the earlier films especially Catching Fire were more interesting to watch. It is definitely still worth the watch for all ages.
Sunday, 22 November 2015
Is the world moving on from James Bond?
Spectre - Film - 2015
- 24 films
- 6 James Bonds
Has the world finally grown tired of suave super spy?
Spectre is the 24th film in the franchise with it being Daniel Craig's fourth outing as the spy. All of Craig's Bond films (Casino Royale, Quantum of Solace and Skyfall) all tie in with Spectre. Spectre uncovers the man behind the mirror (or organisation in this case) Skyfall raised the bar for Craig and Spectre crashed and burned.
Despite it being the wrap up to the previous three films there was no tension. No amazing reveals. No new information. Boring action. Rubbish acting. Too many cliches to count on your hand. Pointless use of a villain. Predictable... the list goes on and on, the bottom line. Spectre did not deliver.
Sure, Spectre had everything you expect from a Bond film: a villain, a pointless sex session, some killing/explosions, a pretty Bond girl, an epic theme tune and the line "shaken not stirred" but has all this just got boring now?
The action was mediocre, he was in a big military base "Oh action" I hear you say... Wrong! There was a few bullets fired and an explosion with him walking out with not a scratch on him.
Sex scenes were dull, predictable and boring.
The whole story was meant to be wrapped up here and it was just a let down. You would think the head of this organisation Spectre would be evil beyond words. He (or she) would be willing to do everything and anything to bring down the mighty James Bond. Do you want to know the reasoning behind the whole organisation? Because his daddy took Bond skiing instead of him. Boo frickin hoo. Four films have been based on the revenge plot of a spurned boy. I'm sorry but that is not believable, it is rubbish and a complete let down to the films. If the main villain had to have a vendetta it should have been Bond killed someone or something with a bit more to it than just "Your were a spoilt child"
Oh and the cliches every other line was a cliche that you just sat thinking "After this they are going to have sex" - it was just dull.
It was obvious during the film that Craig was not interested. He made it clear to the media that he no longer wanted to play James Bond and it showed. His acting was stiff and unemotional. Some of the major scenes that could have been more, weren't out of what seemed pure laziness. Fair enough if you don't want to play a role anymore but, you still have a job to do.
Having said all of this, it was not the worst of the Bond films but I just feel with all the actions movies out. New spy movies coming. James Bond is getting old. Every film is the same because that's who the character is.
This film had the potential to be 100% better. The acting could have been better by Craig taking interest. The story could have been better especially, with the use of the villain. This film did not live up to expectations.
6/10
It was mediocre but when I watched it the second time around it didn't seem quite as bad. If you are a die-hard of these films then I am sure you will be in your element. If you are looking for an original action spy movie, move on.
- 24 films
- 6 James Bonds
Has the world finally grown tired of suave super spy?
Spectre is the 24th film in the franchise with it being Daniel Craig's fourth outing as the spy. All of Craig's Bond films (Casino Royale, Quantum of Solace and Skyfall) all tie in with Spectre. Spectre uncovers the man behind the mirror (or organisation in this case) Skyfall raised the bar for Craig and Spectre crashed and burned.
Despite it being the wrap up to the previous three films there was no tension. No amazing reveals. No new information. Boring action. Rubbish acting. Too many cliches to count on your hand. Pointless use of a villain. Predictable... the list goes on and on, the bottom line. Spectre did not deliver.
Sure, Spectre had everything you expect from a Bond film: a villain, a pointless sex session, some killing/explosions, a pretty Bond girl, an epic theme tune and the line "shaken not stirred" but has all this just got boring now?
The action was mediocre, he was in a big military base "Oh action" I hear you say... Wrong! There was a few bullets fired and an explosion with him walking out with not a scratch on him.
Sex scenes were dull, predictable and boring.
The whole story was meant to be wrapped up here and it was just a let down. You would think the head of this organisation Spectre would be evil beyond words. He (or she) would be willing to do everything and anything to bring down the mighty James Bond. Do you want to know the reasoning behind the whole organisation? Because his daddy took Bond skiing instead of him. Boo frickin hoo. Four films have been based on the revenge plot of a spurned boy. I'm sorry but that is not believable, it is rubbish and a complete let down to the films. If the main villain had to have a vendetta it should have been Bond killed someone or something with a bit more to it than just "Your were a spoilt child"
Oh and the cliches every other line was a cliche that you just sat thinking "After this they are going to have sex" - it was just dull.
It was obvious during the film that Craig was not interested. He made it clear to the media that he no longer wanted to play James Bond and it showed. His acting was stiff and unemotional. Some of the major scenes that could have been more, weren't out of what seemed pure laziness. Fair enough if you don't want to play a role anymore but, you still have a job to do.
Having said all of this, it was not the worst of the Bond films but I just feel with all the actions movies out. New spy movies coming. James Bond is getting old. Every film is the same because that's who the character is.
This film had the potential to be 100% better. The acting could have been better by Craig taking interest. The story could have been better especially, with the use of the villain. This film did not live up to expectations.
6/10
It was mediocre but when I watched it the second time around it didn't seem quite as bad. If you are a die-hard of these films then I am sure you will be in your element. If you are looking for an original action spy movie, move on.
I'm Baaaaack
So, just a short post. I am now back from holiday and one of the things I have learnt is it is more stressful away from work than at it. So, I am back until Christmas when the yule tidings will begin. But for now, there are reviews coming, advice, help and some randomness for your daily reading.
Keep an eye on this space!
Keep an eye on this space!
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