I Love Sarah Jane… But Only As A Very Good Friend! // I Love Sarah Jane Short Film Review

Plot Synopsis:

Jimbo is 13 and can think of only one girl — Sarah Jane. And no matter what stands in his way-bullies, violence, chaos, or zombies-nothing will stop him from finding a way into her world.

Full Review:

I am absolutely drained out from all of my exams. Never have I carried out so much revision in my life and I still have a few more exams to go! I am as exhausted as Rick Ross on a treadmill. So when it came to deciding what film to review this week, I thought to myself “What is the cinematic equivalent to how I feel at the minute?” And the answer? Zombies!!! But not just any zombie flick… A romantic zombie flick! The reason for this is because I’ve seen quite a few attractive ladies in the exam hall!!! There is always a reason.

Anyway, I Love Sarah Jane is a quirky and very gritty romantic drama that, ironically, has very humanistic characters and rather compelling dramatic friction between each of them. But at the end of the day, I feel the same way about this that I do about my recent Psychology exam: the bits that were done well were done REALLY well but overall could’ve been just a tad better.

I’ll start with what I liked. The characters. There is a healthy variety between each character’s personality; our lead is shy and timid, his love interest Sarah Jane (played by Mia Wasikowska!) is bitter and owns one hell of a foul mouth, and those around them resemble chavs that think they’re so cool but are actually weak as brittle. Visit North London if you want to know what I mean!They all behave and act just as they should in an dystopian apocalypse; sad, angry, and hopeless. And they interact accordingly too. Everyone’s nerves are slowly shredding and they are unsure of what to do with themselves for good reason: it’s the zombie apocalypse! In short, each character felt relatable, authentic, and deserving to be included in the film.

Of course, no character is made without a great actor behind them. And thankfully, the acting talent in this short is IN SPADES!!! BA DUM TSS! (if you’ve seen the film, you’ll understand that pun!). Mia Wasikowska (Alice In Wonderland, Lawless) stars in one of her early roles as the no-bullsh*t persona Sarah Jane, and you can absolutely tell she was gonna go places! She is lean, fierce and commands every scene she’s in. And even better, the boy who plays our adorably sympathetic lead Jimbo (Brad Ashby) adds a lot of much needed heart to the film. The other three characters all kind of feel the same as each other and there isn’t anything greatly unique with how they portray their characters, so they unfortunately don’t make such a grand contribution to the film as much as Ashby or Wasikowska.

On the other hand, the screenwriter contributes something of his own: substance. Even though this is technically a zombie film, the divine characters carry the most significance throughout which makes it more of a gripping drama in the vein of The Road and The Walking Dead rather than a guns-blazing shoot-em-up. The film cleverly uses the zombie theme only to assist and heighten the drama and increase the conflict between our characters.

Unfortunately, the script trips over the hands of a brain devouring zombie and falls flat on its face, ready to be eaten for lunch, near the end. From frame one all the way to roughly the 12 minute mark, the film told a engaging story that took a unique twist of the tired tropes of its own genre. But sadly, as the film reaches a close, it retreats from it’s humble base and decides to take cover in the Cliché Camp. I won’t spoil what happens but the film’s final frames very quickly became painfully predictable and lost most of the overall credibility that made the film intriguing to begin with. Also, I feel that for what’s only a fifteen minute movie that it kind of dragged along a little bit too slowly which (only slightly) dulled the punch of the otherwise compelling drama.

But as a whole, did I think I Love Sarah Jane was a bad movie because of this? Hell no! There are way too many great assets of this film that are too hard to ignore, despite a few of them being tainted by the film’s faults. I still recommend this film as it’s a refreshing change to your movie loving system and overall it is indeed a extremely well made short. And as well as being cliché, the ending is quite gruesome. So this might not be for the faint hearted!

Fergie’s Final Fifteen:

Solid acting, coupled with arresting characters and bewitching turmoil. An invigorating experience despite inadequate ending.

Here’s a link to the short for you to enjoy in all of it’s gruesome and slightly heartwarming glory!

 

The Words // A Written Review Of A Film About A Book?!?!

Plot Synopsis:

A writer at the peak of his literary success (Bradley Cooper) discovers the steep price he must pay for stealing another man’s work. Also starring Jeremy Irons, Zoe Saldana, Dennis Quaid, and Olivia Wilde.

Official Trailer:

Full Review:

Okay guys, listen up. I’m going to share some personal news with you all. I’ve always wanted to be a writer. Despite my adoration for film and cinema, my love for movies is mainly due to my fascination with books and novels. Ever since the age of five, I’ve wrote many short stories (which were all terrible) and have read many superbly written novels. And in fact, I’m planning to write a full length science fiction novel and hoping to finish it later this year. At heart, I’m a bookworm and I’m a proud one at that.

So when I heard that this film was about a struggling writer trying to break into the publishing industry, I was intrigued. And I was even more intrigued when I heard that Bradley Cooper (Silver Linings Playbook, The Place Beyond The Pines) and Jeremy Irons (Die Hard With A Vengeance, The Lion King) were starring. And when I learnt it was a drama, I was flat out excited! You guys know how much I love my dramas!!
So what did I think of The Words? I thought it was good, but not brilliant. I was immersed into the story, but my experience was tainted by a few bothersome flaws in which I will divulge into.

As always, we’ll begin with what the film did well. Like I said earlier, I was immersed into the story and that wouldn’t be the case if I didn’t care so much about the characters. With this being a drama, good character development was vital in making this a successful film and thankfully, every character had a excellent amount of substance and great significance. No matter what emotion each character is feeling, you feel the same as they do as if you’re holding their hand throughout, which is something every film should aim to do.

Of course, great characters wouldn’t exist without great acting. Fortunately, The Words has exactly that, which isn’t much of a surprise with the talents of Cooper and Irons being showcased on screen who play their respective parts well, particularly Jeremy Irons who effortlessly exudes emotion and feeling in his role. Zoe Saldana (Avatar, Star Trek) gives a good performance as well, and quite possibly the best I’ve seen her. But to be honest, the only people I didn’t like we’re Olivia Wilde and Dennis Quaid. I just found them slightly annoying and their characters seemed to belong in a bad RomCom, judging by how they interacted with each other. They don’t have roles that dominate the story much so it’s not a major issue but it’s still an issue I had nevertheless.

Apart from the acting, I was invested in this film due to how layered this film was. In case you’re unaware, the film bounces back and forth between three time periods; the past, present, and future. The story that takes place in the present is (very aptly) narrated by Dennis Quaid from the future time period, who makes mention of Jeremy Irons’s character who then narrates the story from the past. So, it’s a story within a story within a story… Story-ception!!! But seriously, each layer is handled well and given enough importance and dedication. So big credit to the film for that.

However, where the acting and the story structure excel, the writing itself falls short. At times, the story is very cliché and therefore feels a little bit like ‘Been here, done that‘, with scenarios such as the classic “Two Strangers Talk On A Bench In The Park” and the family favourite “Moving Into New House To Start A New Life”.Because of these clichés, the story can also feel pretty predictable, especially the ending. Although it was touching and eloquent, I saw it coming from a mile away. With a strong story of this calibre, its a massive shame that these factors bring down the film’s overall quality by a few notches.

I also felt that pacing was a fairly big issue. By that, I mean it wasn’t ‘in your face’ big but it was noticeable and consequently off putting. As previously mentioned, the film takes place throughout three different time periods and it is for this reason that we are unsure of how long each period lasts. I have no idea how long Bradley Cooper had to suffer through his ordeal and it’s repercussions since it is not addressed or even subtly mentioned. Just to prove my point, Cooper is told to get a job (don’t worry, no spoilers!) and yet a minute later, he’s nailed a work placement and then another minute later, he says he’s worked there for two friggin’ years! Films don’t have to show us everything, but I would’ve liked to see build up of some kind.

And whilst on the topic of clichés, the dialogue was a bit iffy and wasn’t incredibly original in some regard. As a whole, it’s just passable but during some scenes, you can kind of sense awkwardness and inauthenticity in the flow of the conversation and the words the characters speak. I may only be picking up on this due to being exposed to SO many films with dialogue exactly like this and I’m fairly confident regular audiences won’t give a toss about whether or not the dialogue seems forced or somewhat contrived. But I’m not regular, so I do give a toss about it!!

It really irritates me that The Words has a inviting story that’s on the verge of riveting, but is unfortunately scattered with amateurish imperfections in how it’s executed. The script could’ve been improved by a substantial amount but I will say that the enjoyability of the film isn’t degraded because of this. I didn’t want to kill myself while watching this film, which is an added bonus(!), and I definitely don’t regret seeing it as it has some very moving and wonderfully composed moments. But at the end of the day, I have to compare it to an attractive woman with a terrible personality. It’s beautiful on the surface, but it’s inherent flaws sadly cannot be ignored.

Fergie’s Final Fifteen:

Poignant and captivating, but is woefully ironic in its flaws. Not painful but not magnificient.

Rating:

C+

I liked the film for what it was trying to do; to tell a great story in a midst of rehashed and unoriginal Hollywood films. Ultimately, I would still recommend the film but just keep in mind that you should not expect the same level of filmmaking as Citizen Kane or the same quality of screenwriting as any one of Quentin Tarantino’s movies. Enjoy the film for what it is and you will have a good time.

 

The Incredibles 2 Has Been Announced!!

HALLELUJAH!!

Do I really need to say more?! The sequel Pixar fans have been waiting for since 2004 (ten freakin’ years ago!!) is now finally a reality! With no release date confirmed and unsure whether or not Brad Bird will return at the helm of directing, this movie has had numerous rumours and amounts of speculation surrounding it since the release of the original and I for one cannot wait.

Now some may argue that Pixar are starting to lose their golden touch that catapulted themselves to such a stellar reputation, with recent releases including the critically panned Cars 2 and the mildly-received Scottish fantasy Brave. But I remain optimistic because I know, without a shadow of a doubt, what Pixar are capable of doing. They’ve produced some of my all time favourite films, let alone favourite animated films. They have the potential to create quite possibly their most spectacular film in years; that is if we’re basing our opinions on the quality of the Oscar winning original.

Oh. And in other news, Cars 3 has also been announced. Woop de doo. This side news has (for good reason) been overshadowed by the aforementioned announcement, and has been widely ignored due to the fact that most of us don’t really care if we’re getting a third film after being bitterly disappointed after the second installment.

But before we indulge ourselves into the awesomeness of The Incredibles 2, we will have to sift through The Good Dinosaur (which was pushed from a 2014 spot to a 2015 release) and 2016’s Inside Out as well as the other much anticipated sequel Finding Dory.

So much to look forward to! I can hardly contain myself!!

 

The Southern Belle // A Must-Watch Short Film

Plot Synopsis:

The paths of two starkly different men, a generation apart, converge late one evening for them to discover they have a dark and destructive bond. Starring Theodore Bouloukos and Ethan Sharrett.

Official Trailer:

Full Review:

Well, this is something different! I was planning to review The Inbetweeners Movie since someone made the request (you can do the same thing by visiting the ‘Make A Request‘ page!). But unfortunately, exams and schoolwork have snuck up on me faster than I expected, meaning my time to watch and review a full length film has (for the time being) gone down the drain, just like my possible success rate for these exams! But does that mean I won’t post a review? Of course not!. The only difference being that this is a review of a short film. A darn good short film at that!!

This slow-sifting yet intense 10 minute flick is slightly hard for me to review properly since I really don’t want to spoil anything. I think it’s best if you go into this movie without knowing too much as the plot isn’t incredibly complex and elaborate. The simplicity of The Southern Belle means there’s not a lot we, as an audience, need to keep track of which means that we can really appreciate the bare bones of the film and it’s story. And this definitely is not a bad thing at all! As Albert Einstein once said, “Keep it simple, but no simpler”

In a film like this, the screenplay really needs to shine. And boy, this script shines as bright as the sun! Filled with realistic, down to Earth dialogue that is crisp and engaging, the script makes The Southern Belle one of the most well written short films I’ve ever seen. To whoever wrote this film, you my friend have earned yourself a very well deserved pat-on-the-back from me! And the script gives us characters, although in a small quantity, that we can latch onto within the very first couple of minutes and also perfectly understand their behavioural characteristics within the ten minute time frame. If that’s not good writing, I don’t know what is!

The cinematography is really something to marvel at as well, especially considering the budget they had and the several constrictions they faced while filming because of this. Going for a dark and moody look, the film looks and therefore feels like a high budget movie. It really goes to show you that you don’t need a million dollar budget to make a good movie; you just need talent.

And by that, I mean you need talent both behind and in front of camera. Luckily, The Southern Belle has a lot of unknown but still fantastic talent in front of the camera! The only two actors in this short are stupendous, particularly the taxi driver Bob played by Theodore Bouloukos, who collectively are able to clearly and masterfully establish as well as maintain tension from the get-go as their conversation, and inherent suspense, grows to it’s teeth grinding climax.

I won’t say too much more in fear of spoiling it for you, so I guess I’ll end my review here! You can watch the film in full underneath this article; it will be the best ten minutes you will spend this week. Trust me!!

Fergie’s Final Fifteen:

A digestive, exhilarating and truly riveting piece of quality filmmaking, all squeezed within ten minutes.

Rating:

A+

The Southern Belle is definitely one of the best short films I’ve seen and it absolutely, without question, deserves your undivided attention. I highly urge you to check it out below. Now I’m off to try and not fail my exams by staring blankly at several convoluted and downright useless textbooks! Wish me luck!!

P.S I’m thinking of doing more short film reviews in the future since my schedule is getting tighter and tighter as time goes on. With this in mind, I would love to know your favourite short films (if you have any!) Tell me in the comments below!!

 

My Valentine’s Day Pick // MUD Film Review

Plot Synopsis:

Two young boys (Tye Sheridan and Jacob Lofland) encounter a man (Matthew McConaughey) living alone on an island and form a pact to help reunite him with the love of his life Juniper (Reese Witherspoon). Also starring Sam Shepard, Sarah Paulson and Ray McKinnon.

Official Trailer:

Full Review:

Considering it was ‘Make Single People Feel Bad About Themselves’ Day (AKA Valentine’s Day) on Friday, I thought I would review a film that suits the occasion. Although this is an unconventional choice for most, I highly recommend viewing Jeff Nichols’s cinematic triumph Mud with your loved one next Valentine’s Day since it is a far better alternative to McCounaughey’s other romance movies! But seriously, whether it is Valentine’s or not, you need to watch Mud no matter what as it is a brilliant study of the emotionally damaging effects of love and affection.

Let’s get the obvious out of the way first. Matthew McConaughey (The Lincoln Lawyer, Killer Joe) gives yet another charismatic performance as the title (but not lead) character Mud. His acting in this role is very down to earth and somewhat minimalistic, which makes sympathising with his character so much easier. And ladies, despite showing off his abs during one scene, he doesn’t particularly have the nicest teeth in this role. Oh well. You win some, you lose some!

You might’ve noticed how I had to point out how McConaughey is not the lead character. The reason for this is because, from my perspective, he really isn’t the main character. Sure, he is the storyline’s most pivotal point and McConaughey has the star power, but I believe Tye Sheridan’s character Ellis is the film’s main focus since he is given the most screen time and has to face more dilemma than anyone else.

With that being said, Sheridan (Tree Of Life) is absolutely spectacular in this role, giving the best child actor performance I’ve seen since Christian Bale’s outstanding performance in Empire Of The Sun. If that’s not high praise, then I don’t know what is!. He is able to express feelings of happiness, sadness, despair, anger and heartbreak throughout the film to a sublime level, perfectly complimenting the talent of McConaughey. This kid is going places!.

Jacob Lufland also gives a great performance as Ellis’s best friend Neckbone who also gives us some comic relief to allow the audience to breath between the more electrifying and dramatic sequences. Despite having very little to work with, Reese Witherspoon contributes another good performance to the movie’s top notch acting portfolio as McConaughey’s on-screen sweetheart Juniper. Michael Shannon (who has worked with Jeff Nichols previously) also makes an appearance, but unfortunately his talents aren’t fully capitalised upon since he plays such a minor role, which is a real shame but because he is still able to give a decent performance, it ultimately doesn’t hurt the film that much.

On another note, the cinematography is as gorgeous as the orange glow from an early morning sunrise. At no point does this film appear ugly or unattractive as every frame is aesthetically wonderful and glorious. Perfectly capturing the atmosphere of sunny Americana, the soundtrack consists of very well chosen country and folk music you can’t’ help but tap your foot along to. Watching (as well as listening to) Mud takes you on a luxurious miniature holiday, immersing you further into the film more than you could imagine. Plus, Jeff Nichols’s direction really adds to the visual beauty by providing many shots showcasing the natural environments surrounding our characters in all of their glory.

Speaking of Jeff Nichols (Take Shelter, Shotgun Stories), who directed and wrote this film, the writing is phenomenal! Rich with raw emotion and superb dialogue for one to sink his/her teeth into, the story is a fantastic analysis of the false representations of love and how reality is a harsh truth that always advocates the destruction of the delusion of a perfect relationship that we can ALL relate to. Thanks to this, Mud ends up being an extremely heartwarming and occasionally heartbreaking tale of true love which makes us question the lengths one will go to in order to keep their other half safe. In turn, this will pull you and your other half closer together more so than ever before, and hopefully make you cherish the love of your life for as long as you’re together.

And that’s why I’m recommending this as a movie to watch with your boyfriend/girlfriend. Mud does something that every single RomCom cannot do even if they tried; it makes you feel something. You and your companion will not finish the film with the thoughts “Why can’t our relationship be like that?!” but instead your relationship will benefit from knowing the love between the two of you will never die. Granted, I can’t tell you that with experience since the only companion I have at the minute is my cat! We’re actually going through some troubles at this moment of time, but hopefully all the fighting and arguing will end very soon … She won’t even talk to me!!

Fergie’s Final Fifteen:

A riveting drama that tugs on the heart strings like no other. A romantic triumph.

Rating:

A

Gone are the days where you’re left with no choice but to watch the latest ‘chick flick’ with your partner when instead you can watch this stupendous piece of cinema and not feel utterly compelled to kill yourself!

 

Trailer Review (and Rant) // The Purge: Anarchy

Plot Synopsis:

A young couple works to survive on the streets after their car breaks down right as the annual purge commences.

Trailer:

Full Review:

For crying out loud! We’ve got yet another unnecessary sequel coming our way. This time round, it is the follow up to last year’s critically panned, but highly successful, home invasion flick The Purge. Before I give my verdict on the trailer for the sequel, I will briefly give my opinion on the previous installment. I thought it was horrible. Simple as that! The concept of all crime being made legal is a cool idea, but the film unfortunately wasted any shred of potential it once had by making it a home invasion movie. Yes, that’s right; a fairly original idea was somehow made incredibly cliché and predictable. Needless to say, I wasn’t impressed with the direction the film took!

With this in mind, I definitely didn’t think to myself “I would like to see a sequel of this pile of sh*t” after sifting through ninety minutes of visual feces. But hey, in the land of countless Paranormal Activity sequels, it was kind of expected that The Purge would be granted a sequel. Especially when the film cost a mere $3 million to make and earned over $80 million at the worldwide box office during the summer season of 2013.

So this new trailer, which was just released earlier today, shows us exactly what we should expect from the film. What should we expect? Nothing. Nothing at all. Based on what’s shown, this seems like another classic example of Hollywood studios rehashing a idea and hoping to make the same amount of money they did the first time round. You’d think most of us would have learnt by now, but no. People are still handing over their hard earned cash to see films they’ve already seen but underneath a different title. I believe that Hollywood has developed a motto over the past couple of years, along the lines of “If it makes money, do it more often!”

And to be honest, I’m getting sick of it! I mean, REALLY sick of it! I’m at the point where whenever a film has a number at the end of it’s title, my attitude towards it immediately worsens. I very rarely see a genuinely unique film gracing international cinema screens nowadays which is a huge shame because Hollywood shouldn’t need to look towards other forms of media (books, tv shows, and graphic novels) and already existing films in order to move forward as an art form. If anything, making sequels no one wants and reboots/remakes we didn’t ask for is damaging cinema.

In my eyes, cinema is a medium for people to express and share their stories through the means of visual images. Unfortunately, Hollywood couldn’t give a toss about the quality of a story; all they care about is MONEY. In the eyes of studio executives, filmmaking is a business. A very poorly managed business, to be precise. As a student of Business Studies, I can confidently tell you that the primary objective of any business should be to identify and satisfy customer needs. And herein lies the problem. Hollywood. Doesn’t. Care. About. You. I only have one thing to say to those stuck up snobs joyously swimming in tidal waves of hundred dollar bills:

STOP IT HOLLYWOOD! YOU’RE GIVING ME CHEST PAINS!!

Sorry. I needed to get that out in the open. How about we actually talk about what’s in the trailer, eh? Well, even with the rant aside, the film doesn’t look remotely good to begin with. As I previously said, Anarchy doesn’t appear to offer anything new that we haven’t seen already, which sparked my momentary rage towards Tinsel Town as seen earlier.

Granted, the film seems to be approaching the storyline via a much larger scope where our lead characters have the entire city to explore and hopefully not get killed by the hooded hooligans. The expansion from the small household to the entire suburbia is a nice addition, but I’m not excited about this change since it still revolves around the same storyline as the previous film. Speaking of the hooded hooligans, one of them can be seen in the trailer during an absurdly noisy shot.

Seriously, look at the ugliness! This is a shot that made it’s way into a Hollywood film! Would you like to see image quality which is about as beautiful as a mole rat’s rectum on a large cinema screen? I certainly wouldn’t!!

Where was I? Oh yes!! The city setting! Although this can be seen as upping the ante, this has left a gaping hole in the storyline. In the first film, Ethan Hawke and his family were housing a fleeing stranger and tried to fend off a group of murderers which wanted the man dead. So it made sense why the killers were trying to kill Ethan Hawke as well. But here, it doesn’t look like there’s any justification why the hoodlums are trying to kill the main couple. This loses any dilemma for the characters to deal with and the masked thugs aren’t as threatening and intimidating because of this.

I think it’s quite obvious that I will not be checking this movie out when it’s released but I may stream it so I can review it to tell you guys how sh*t it was! To be fair, I’m judging and criticising this film way too early, for I haven’t even seen the movie yet, but then again isn’t that why trailers exist in the first place?!

Fergie’s Final Fifteen:

As pointless as a blunt pencil and completely unnecessary. Stop giving these people your money!

Rating:

E-

The only reason I haven’t rated it a flat out F is because they’re trying to expand the scope of the film, but it still gets an incredibly low grade for the aforementioned reasons. Trust me guys, I will drop the F-Bomb very soon on a film I absolutely loathe!

What did you guys think of the trailer? Leave your thoughts in the comments below!

 

Sunshine // Shining Spectacle or Dim Lit Disappointment?

Plot Synopsis:

50 years into the future, the Sun begins to die, and Earth is dying as a result. A team of astronauts are sent to revive the Sun – but the mission fails. Seven years later, a new team are sent to finish the mission as they are Earth’s last hope. Starring Cillian Murphy, Rose Bryne, and Chris Evans.

Official Trailer:

Full Review:

Following last week’s review of The Dark Knight, which I considered to be a perfect film (find out why here), I thought I would review Sunshine. Why? Because Sunshine should’ve been perfect but ultimately it wasn’t. So how can a film from living legend Danny Boyle, director of Trainspotting and 28 Days Later, be anything less than expected? The answer to that question rests in this article.

Don’t get me wrong, this is a GREAT film. And I mean a REALLY great film. I’ve seen a lot of Sci-Fi films over the years and this is one of the most thrilling and nail biting films I’ve seen in this genre. So what’s the problem? Well first, let’s start with the positives because there is plenty of good points to talk about!

With Danny Boyle behind the camera, of course this is going to be a good looking movie. In fact, the film looks fantastic! The direction is very crisp and concise and every scene has such a strong sense of emotion. It is an incredibly intense experience too, so make sure you don’t have any Red Bull before you watch this film! Sunshine oozes with incredibly powerful scenes that will stick with you long after the end credits have stopped rolling.

I also feel that this is a film worth analysing and studying. There are many films out there which are replayed over and over again in many film schools such as Citizen Kane and Casablanca, with students picking apart every detail trying to decipher what the significant purpose of a character’s actions are. This is one of those films. I’ve seen many online film lovers debate over the philosophical meanings of certain scenes in Sunshine, and that’s for a good reason. Because there’s a lot of unanswered questions which delve into the psychology of each character, particularly Cillian Murphy’s character, as well as larger than life questions about the mysteries of the universe and the human race. I will leave you guys to make up your own mind about the film’s hidden meanings when you see it!

Speaking of Cillian Murphy, he gives a really good performance as Robert Capa. Not the famous war photographer but instead the spacecraft’s go-to physicist. He gives a really enigmatic, cold to the core style of performance, unflinching about the possibility of dying in an attempt to save mankind. How nice of him, eh?! Chris Evans’s Mace is the hot headed leader of the crew who is played with vigorous amounts of energy and his emotional instability is a perfect contrast to Cillian Murphy’s cool-as-a-cucumber character.

And the special effects are, if you excuse the very obvious pun, out of this world! Achieved with a budget of £20 million (roughly $35 million), the visuals are simply stunning and put many Hollywood films to shame. Just look at the trailer if you don’t believe me! And yes, the trailer has the absurdly overused music from Darren Aronofsky’s Requiem For A Dream playing in the background but don’t let that influence your opinion of the score heard in the movie. John Murphy’s score is filled with such raw emotion from beginning to end and this film wouldn’t be as intense and dramatic as it is without this glorious soundtrack. I immediately bought it on iTunes after I first saw this!

Now for the big question, what’s the problem? For what sounds like one of the best sci-fi films to be released in the past decade, I must be mad to say otherwise. But to my dismay, there is one major flaw that stops me from wholeheartedly loving this film and I believe some of those who have seen this film may already know what I’m eluding to. And that is a certain plot point involving a certain someone at a certain point in the film. Since I don’t want to spoil this film for anyone, I won’t say too much because it is a major revelation which I want you guys to experience for the first time.

But I will say that it is a pointless revelation. I personally felt it wasn’t necessary in the slightest; only put in to elevate the already sky high intensity near the end of the film. There was no need for this element of the storyline to be introduced as the film was already doing fantastic without it. And to be honest, it kind of annoyed me when I first saw the film since up until the revelation was made, Sunshine shot its way into my favourite films of all time. But unfortunately, it was at that point it fell from grace. And I absolutely hated the fact that it did. It left a third degree burn to my movie loving heart, which has since been treated by recent Sci-Fi epics such as Inception and Gravity. Damn you Mr. Boyle!

Overall, this is a thrilling, spectacular Science Fiction film illuminated by nerve shredding intensity and truly tear jerking scenes. But alas, the nonessential side story has scorched my final verdict and that really p*sses me off!

Fergie’s Final Fifteen:

A mesmerising Sci-Fi of intergalactic proportions. But went one step too far. Still highly recommended.

Rating:

B+

This could’ve been a straight up A+ but I was so irritated by the “you know what”, it has subsequently brought down my mark. I still urge you to see this, but you have been warned!

 

My First Review! // The Dark Knight

Plot Synopsis:

In this sequel to the critically acclaimed Batman Begins, Batman/Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) raises the stakes in his war on crime. With the help of Lieutenant Jim Gordon (Gary Oldman) and District Attorney Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart), Batman sets out to dismantle the remaining criminal organizations that plague the city streets. The partnership proves to be effective, but they soon find themselves prey to a reign of chaos unleashed by a rising criminal mastermind known to the terrified citizens of Gotham as The Joker (Heath Ledger). Also starring Maggie Gyllenhaal, Michael Caine, and Morgan Freeman.

Official Trailer:

Full Review:

Before I begin this review, I would like to explain why I chose to look at The Dark Knight for the blog’s first ever review. The reason is that this will be one of the easiest films for me to review. Why? Because there’s nothing to pick apart. NOTHING!. This is genuinely one of the few perfect films in the history of cinema. WHOA! “That’s a really bold statement” I hear most of you cry. I understand it’s something that can twist several knots in a lot of people’s panties, but I stand by it completely and I’m here to back up why I think it cannot be improved upon.

Directed by Christopher Nolan (Memento, Inception), The Dark Knight is yet another Batman film. This was the seventh Batman movie to be released in the uber-successful franchise and the second of which to feature The Joker as the villain. Oscar winning actor Jack Nicholson (The Shining, One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest) played the clown prince of crime originally in the Tim Burton gothic flick simply titled Batman, released in 1989. So what exactly does The Dark Knight have to offer? A superhero story which pushes all the boundaries and completely obliterates the mould of modern comic book movies. It’s also completely different to the atrocious (but hilarious) Batman And Robin, which is definitely a plus!

The first major strength of this film is the script. My god, this is exactly how a script should be written! The story is woven together so well, it flows like the beverage you bought in the foyer being slurped up by the straw. And every line of dialogue spoken just feels so right. Every word has a purpose; not one fragment of the script is wasted on anything we know already; something so many screenplays suffer from. Speaking of the dialogue (Ha! Get it?! Speaking? Dialogue! … never-mind), this screenplay is responsible for some truly memorable quotes which I always try to slip into conversation, including the infamous question posed by Ledger’s character “Why So Serious?”. Each letter that drips out of the character’s mouths is pure movie gold.

The acting is great all around as well, as you expect from such a top notch cast. Christian Bale really gives depth to the character of Bruce Wayne; pulling off the egotistical side of him in a sublime manner and the broken, damaged side of him in such a way that you can relate to a billionaire who dresses up as a giant bat at night. It takes a really good movie in order to pull that off! And I know some of you hate the fact that Batman sounds like he has throat cancer, but personally I don’t mind it. It’s there for a reason; to scare the seedy underbelly of Gotham to their core, and it works.

Gary Oldman plays Batman’s trusty partner in crime Lieutenant Gordon. Well, he’s Batman’s crime partner only in this movie since Robin is not included! As you expect from Oldman, a quality performance helps the audience sympathise with his character as he tries to correct the corrupt legal system and end the high octane mayhem. Aaron Eckhart also gives a good performance as you watch his character struggle to cope with the madness inflicted upon him and those he holds dearest.

But of course, this wouldn’t be a complete review if I didn’t talk about a certain actor’s iconic performance. Heath Ledger’s Joker. What else do you want me to say about this magnificent performance?! Seriously, there isn’t much I can add to the large amount of praise for Ledger’s oscar winning performance. But I will say that I’m a HUGE Batman fan and I can safely claim that the Joker that’s portrayed in this film is the perfect Joker. You don’t know his background, his real name is unknown and he doesn’t have any motives. As Michael Caine’s Alfred puts it, he is someone “who just wants to watch the world burn” His chilling chuckle sends shivers down my spine every time I hear it.

The Dark Knight has set a new precedent for all films being released nowadays. Not many films can sell an idea that’s as ridiculous as a vigilante dressed as a bat. And many films still can’t pull off the same realism inherent in this film. It’s completely in it’s own league and has yet to be matched. This is a truly immersive experience which I can very happily watch over and over again. Plus, it looks stunning on Blu-ray!

Fergie’s Final Fifteen:

Simply brilliant on every level. A true masterpiece of cinema. This is a MUST see!!

Rating:

A+

What else did you expect?!