Coming soon to a cinema near you-We Need to Talk about Kevin

I'm really excited about the arrival of We Need to Talk about Kevin to the big screen at the end of this month. Based on the best-selling novel of the same name by Lionel Shriver, the story follows a mother who tries to deal with her grief and feelings by writing to her estranged husband after her 15-year-old son goes on a killing spree at his secondary school.

The film adaption sees Tilda Swinton play mother Eva, John C Reilly as dad Franklin and Ezra Miller as Kevin. As films go this is sure to be a hit, after being critically acclaimed at the Cannes Film Festival.

Total Recall the remake

Next August (2012) sees the remake of sci-fi flick Total Recall, made famous by Arnie, hit the silver screen, and if you are anything like me and count the original in your top ten favourite movies, you will be feeling apprehensive about the new version. Fingers crossed they don't ruin the film and it turns out like the remake of Karate Kid. Sorry Jaden Smith, you're cute and all, and Jackie Chan- you were good in Rush Hour, but you don't come close to the original cast.
The new Total Recall will see Colin Farrell take on the role of Doug Quaid, originally played by Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Kate Beckinsale as Lori, Quad's fake wife.

Scream 4 trailer released

As a big fan of the Scream trilogy, I can't wait for the fourth film to come to the silver screen this year. Let's just hope that the new flick doesn't disappoint much like the last film did, please a horror film based on a movie set, BORING. Perhaps the same will be said for the chemistry between Gail Weathers and Dewey, now that Courtney and David are no longer an item?

Review- Black Swan

Black Swan blurs the line between reality and fantasy by delving into the dark world of a professional dancer.

If you ever had dreams of becoming a ballerina you would soon change your mind after watching this film, which reveals the extremes dancers go to in the hope of being chosen as the principal dancer.
More worryingly this truth does not seem surprising, with dancers preparing to sleep with the company's director, take drugs and starve themselves all for a part. But despite all this you feel empathy for the girls in the film who have so much passion for ballet that it become's their life's purpose, even though it's such a short-lived career.

Natalie Portman captures this spirit perfectly as Nina, a shy and retiring type, living with her mum who treats her like a 10-year-old, in order to live her life through her child having given up her ballet career years ago to have her. However this all changes when Nina is given the role of the Swan Queen in the company's (New York Ballet) contemporary performance of Swan Lake, where she is required to play two parts, the good White Swan, and her evil twin the Black Swan. While the White Swan presents no challenge to Nina, who is pure and virginal, the Black Swan is. Determined not to loose the part after convincing herself that another of the girl's-Lily, is after her role, she delves into a dark, monstrous side of her personality, even trying an illegal high, which accenuates her paranoia and psychosis, as her life starts to play out like the Swan Queen's.

Cue confusion and the use of symbolism as sub text, as the cinema goer is drawn into Nina's dark world, questioning what is real and fantasy. Does Lily really exist? What happened between Lily and Nina in her dressing room? and Was it suicide or murder?

At the end of the film you can't help feeling touched by the story, which finishes with Nina getting her wish to perform the lead role on opening night, but so accurately that she embodies the White Swan whole-heartedly.

Coming Soon to a cinema near you

This spring you will see Little Red Riding Hood as you have never seen her before in an American horror loosely based on the popular children’s tale.

Starring Amanda Seyfried and Gary Oldman, the film tells the story of a village haunted by a werewolf, leaving Valerie (Red Riding Hood) and a hunter to track the beast done and kill him.

The film is being tipped as a successor to the Twilight series, and is set to continue the trend for movies aimed at tweens.

If you go down to the woods today….. don’t go alone!

Dvd review

The Last Exorcism

This spoof documentary is confusing and lacks the scream factor. Although what makes this film stand out from the other one hundred exorcism horror films, is that this movie is from the point of view of a priest who sees doing 'exorcisms' as easy money, but surprise surprise he quickly changes his mind when he accepts a plea to help a young girl's family rid her of the demon that has taken over her body. Resulting in some shaky camera work, screaming and farcical action, Blair Witch meets American Beauty style. That is if you manage to sit through the first hour of the film listening to a priest rattle on about his life, yawn. Whats more most of the characters in the film are unbelievable leaving you wondering what they actually bring to the movie apart from making the narrative a bit more confusing and dragging things out.

Film Review- Narnia: The voyage of the Dawn Treader

After watching the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and  Prince Caspian over the Christmas holidays I was left wanting another Narnia fix so decided to give the latest film in the trilogy a go. I was slightly disappointed by Prince Caspian and had heard Disney had pulled out of making the third so was a little sceptical that the new film could be better than the first. Unfortunately I was right, the film was some what predictable and uninteresting, I guess it didn't help that I was sat next to a sniffling child for the whole two hours?
While the graphics were amazing, much of the characters lacked the love ability factor which came so easily in the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. With King Peter and Queen Susan being demoted to minor characters, it was up to Queen Lucy and King Edmund to lead the way, taking centre stage with their cousin Eustace, who depsite his name actually played a somewhat amusing part, building up a good rapport with Reepicheep the mouse, actually their relationship was what stood out most in the film.I was also disappointed with the lack of Narnian characters who were replaced by people, a comment which may seem odd but only fans of Narnia could understand. All I can think is that the lack of CGI characters was down to smaller budgets? All in all he film is a bit of a let down and because of its simplistic plot more suited to children.

Coming soon to a cinema near you....

Winter 2011                

Blue Valentine

Debuted at the Sundance festival, the film's narrative is based around a young married couple, played by Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams, whose relationship is falling apart. This results in the story going back and forth in time to show how the couple met and ended up together.

Spring 2011

Paul

A comedy by Simon Pegg and Nick Frost about two sci-fi geeks who visit American UFO terrority. While  they are there they meet an alien, as you do (?), who takes them on an insane road trip.

Scream 4

It's ten years on, and Sydney Prescott, who has just managed to get her life back on track thanks to writing, is visited by the ghost face killer, arghhhh, and what's more the old rules (e.g can't be killed if you are a virgin) don't apply anymore.
The film features most of the original characters including Neve Campbell and Courtney Cox, along with some new ones.

Summer 2011

The Hangover 2

The sequel to one of the funniest films of 2009, Phil, Stu, Alan and Doug travel to Thailand for Stu's wedding. After Vegas, Stu is hoping for a calm and subdued brunch, however things don't go as planned and there is a possibility that one of the guys get tattooed for life.


Summer 2012

The Dark Knight Rises

Currently being written by David Goyer, the film will star Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Gary Oldman and Tom Hardy. But can their performances top the late Heath Ledger's as the Joker in the preceding film?