-
Django Unchained 2012
Tarantino loves to remind you that you're watching one of his films, his attention seeking approach is the basis of his style and often the most enjoyable element of his movies. He knows what he likes and wants to put it in your face so you too can see how cool it is. I'd say generally Tarantino movies are playful and fun. So I was intrigued to see how he approached the weighty subject matter of black slavery and racism…
-
The Dark Knight Rises 2012
"Not a lot of people know what it feels like to be angry, in your bones" - John Blake
Rewatch, on Blu-Ray and a much more enjoyable experience this time around. The hurried pacing wasn't as annoying and the lack of focus on the film's main character allowed me to enjoy the other members of the piece, each having their moment to shine. Still, despite its attempts to bring the trilogy to an epic conclusion I wanted more of the Batman.
-
The Dark Knight Rises 2012
This review reportedly contains spoilers. I can handle the truth.
-
Skyfall 2012
Despite having all the elements for an excellent Bond movie - exotic locations, completely mental villain, plenty of action scenes, James looking dapper while dropping one-liners, henchmen and women's undies - it left me a little flat. Not really a franchise that deserves to be over analysed, but I found the clash of old and new confused the character. In Casino Royale we we're treated to a more human, emotional and rounded Bond, a side to his personality that is…
-
Argo 2012
I'm not a big fan of tension in films, so a film that is built completely around tension was never going to fully win me over. It's very well crafted and certainly squeezes as much of that unwanted emotion out of the scenario that it possibly can. But I couldn't help feel afterwards that their actual escape was rather uneventful considering the potential obstacles. Stringing all the drama together into one excruciating sequence left me feeling a little too manipulated. I get stopped at the airport every time I travel (due to identity theft) so perhaps the situation just rubbed me up the wrong way.
-
The Dark Knight 2008
Night two of my Batathon and the change in style between films was initially a little jarring. The Dark Knight picks up just a year on, but everything feels different. Gotham looks like another city all together, with the CGI slums gone replaced by shiny real world skyscrapers, only its bridges evoke the previous setting. The charred remains of Wayne Manor now replaced by a luxury penthouse apartment. Even Batman himself has a new look and, unfortunately, a new voice.…
-
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey 2012
With his LotR trilogy and King Kong remake, Peter Jackson owned Christmas for four consecutive years. His return to Middle Earth has also brought back my festive family cinema trip tradition (last year's Girl With The Dragon Tattoo just wasn't the same). I'd wanted to go to the 48fps 3D version, but decided that would be too radical an experience for my ageing parents so settled for 2D - thought I'd mention that now since it's been quite the talking…
-
Silver Linings Playbook 2012
Sometimes my 'Birthday Movie' is just whatever is showing at the cinema that day (which would explain Daybreakers), but I made the effort of hunting down a screening of this and was very glad I did. The two leads are worthy of praise, but I was pleasantly surprised at how fantastic the ensemble cast was. Really drew me into the lives of these people (in a similar way to The Descendants) and made me love Robert De Niro again. If only every Birthday was this good!
