It has already been confirmed that there will be a second Hobbit movie to be released in December 2013.
The Hobbit is released in the UK on 14th December 2012 and the trailer is embedded below.
Saturday, 9 June 2012
Film Preview: The Hobbit
After the huge success of the Lord of the Rings trilogy (I hated it), we see a prequel in The Hobbit which sees Martin Freeman take up the role of Bilbo Baggins and Ian McKellen back as Gandalf. The film has been a long time in the making after delays with MGM due to financial troubles and an industrial dispute in New Zealand with the International Federation of Actors. The delay with MGM meant that Guillermo Del Toro left the production of the movie.
It has already been confirmed that there will be a second Hobbit movie to be released in December 2013.
The adventure follows the journey of title character Bilbo Baggins, who is swept into an epic quest to reclaim the lost dwarf Kingdom of Erebor from the dragon Smaug (played by Benedicte Cumberbatch). Baggins finds himself being joined by thirteen dwarves on his mission through dangerous lands.
The Hobbit is released in the UK on 14th December 2012 and the trailer is embedded below.
It has already been confirmed that there will be a second Hobbit movie to be released in December 2013.
The Hobbit is released in the UK on 14th December 2012 and the trailer is embedded below.
Friday, 8 June 2012
This week's releases
Thursday, 7 June 2012
Film Review: Reservoir Dogs
Director: Quentin Tarantino
This was Quentin Tarantino's debut movie certainly sets the tone early so you know exactly what to expect from his other films that have been released since. It is one of those movies that fans praise and re-watch on many occasions but I have to admit that it's over 10 years since the one and only time I saw it. Sufficient time has passed that I decided to re-watch it and review it after trying to hunt down a trailer for Tarantino's latest film Django Unchained (I was unsuccessful).
6 men using alias: Mr. White, Mr. Brown, Mr. Pink, Mr. Blue, Mr. Orange and Mr. Blonde have breakfast with two gangsters called Joe Cabot and ''Nice Guy'' Eddie Cabot. These men are involved in robbing a diamond exchange which we don't see but we follow the bloody aftermath as everyone argues over whether they were set-up and who the possible police informant is.
The film has many scenes, which I have included in some of the stills from the movie, which are now iconic in film history. Although it was only following the popularity of Pulp Fiction (to be reviewed soon) that this film was seen by a wider audience after taking modest box office sales. Tarantino is superb at creating scenes and moments in movies that stay with you forever with the infamous ear cutting scene where Mr. Blonde (the excellent Michael Madsen) dances around menacingly to ''Stuck in the middle with you''. I wouldn't say Michael Madsen's performance as Mr. Blonde steals the show because that would detract from the other actors who were all excellent like Keitel, Buscemi and Roth.
I can understand that the violence can be too much for some people especially in the early nineties when nobody knew of Tarantino so didn't know what to expect. I still haven't decided if the fact we don't actually see the ear cutting scene happen makes it harder or easier to watch but the sadistic torture of the Police Detective is still uncomfortable viewing. It was renowned for making Wes Craven walk out of the movie at a film festival in Barcelona as well as Rick Baker who is a special effects artist but he later stated it was because the movie felt very real and for it to be taken as a compliment.
The warehouse where a lot of the action takes place has a slightly claustrophobic feel despite being mostly empty and quite large in size. I felt like I was sat in the corner watching this action unfold in front of me due to the lack of close-ups and changes in camera angle. It's a fascinating thrill ride from start to finish that doesn't slow down until the credits start to roll at the end, the opening scene in the cafe is about the only time when you can relax.
3.5/4 violent, quick witted yet stylish, classic Tarantino.
This was Quentin Tarantino's debut movie certainly sets the tone early so you know exactly what to expect from his other films that have been released since. It is one of those movies that fans praise and re-watch on many occasions but I have to admit that it's over 10 years since the one and only time I saw it. Sufficient time has passed that I decided to re-watch it and review it after trying to hunt down a trailer for Tarantino's latest film Django Unchained (I was unsuccessful).
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| The iconic scene of the gang walking down the street |
The film has many scenes, which I have included in some of the stills from the movie, which are now iconic in film history. Although it was only following the popularity of Pulp Fiction (to be reviewed soon) that this film was seen by a wider audience after taking modest box office sales. Tarantino is superb at creating scenes and moments in movies that stay with you forever with the infamous ear cutting scene where Mr. Blonde (the excellent Michael Madsen) dances around menacingly to ''Stuck in the middle with you''. I wouldn't say Michael Madsen's performance as Mr. Blonde steals the show because that would detract from the other actors who were all excellent like Keitel, Buscemi and Roth.
 |
| Mr. Pink (Steve Buscemi) and Mr. White (Harvey Keitel) have a disagreement |
The warehouse where a lot of the action takes place has a slightly claustrophobic feel despite being mostly empty and quite large in size. I felt like I was sat in the corner watching this action unfold in front of me due to the lack of close-ups and changes in camera angle. It's a fascinating thrill ride from start to finish that doesn't slow down until the credits start to roll at the end, the opening scene in the cafe is about the only time when you can relax.
3.5/4 violent, quick witted yet stylish, classic Tarantino.
Wednesday, 6 June 2012
Film Review: For Love of the Game
Director: Sam Raimi
For Love of the Game, and not For the Love of the Game as it is often misconstrued by many including myself originally, is a baseball film from 1999 which is based on the novel of the same name by Michael Shaara. The film follows Billy Chapel (Kevin Costner) who is at the end of his 19 year career with the Detroit Tigers when he is about to pitch against the New York Yankees who need a win to clinch the American League East title. The team has been bought by new owners who want to trade Billy to the San Francisco Giants.
As the film progresses we see flashbacks to Billy's relationship with Jane Aubrey (the annoying Kelly Preston) and how they met before getting to where they are now on the verge of break up. Billy doesn't realise till the bottom of the eighth inning that he is pitching perfect game and now must fight the pain in his arm to finish the game to become a baseball legend.
The baseball scenes in Yankee stadium are beautifully shot and Costner is probably the best around at playing a baseball player like he did in Bull Durham. The atmosphere of the crowd and the realism of trying to pitch in that stadium are beautifully captured. The Razzie nomination for Costner for Worst Actor is a step too far as he isn't that bad in the film. Kelly Preston on the other hand adds little to the movie in her role and the whole love story side of the film is far too soppy and contrived. At no point was I rooting for them to get together as a couple and that kills the entire plot line.
The film is an easy one to watch but certainly drags on to well over two hours without a huge amount actually happening, so much so you wondered how it last that long in the first place. The interludes in the baseball game whilst Billy thinks about the story of his love affair with Jane last so long in parts that you completely forget that baseball game is happening at all. A couple of times I completely forgot that Billy is in Yankee stadium hoping to pitch a perfect game which again makes it a strange movie to watch.
1.5/4 accurate and intriguing on the baseball side of things but far too soppy and uninteresting a love story
For Love of the Game, and not For the Love of the Game as it is often misconstrued by many including myself originally, is a baseball film from 1999 which is based on the novel of the same name by Michael Shaara. The film follows Billy Chapel (Kevin Costner) who is at the end of his 19 year career with the Detroit Tigers when he is about to pitch against the New York Yankees who need a win to clinch the American League East title. The team has been bought by new owners who want to trade Billy to the San Francisco Giants.
As the film progresses we see flashbacks to Billy's relationship with Jane Aubrey (the annoying Kelly Preston) and how they met before getting to where they are now on the verge of break up. Billy doesn't realise till the bottom of the eighth inning that he is pitching perfect game and now must fight the pain in his arm to finish the game to become a baseball legend.
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| Billy Chapel (Kevin Costner) at the mound |
The film is an easy one to watch but certainly drags on to well over two hours without a huge amount actually happening, so much so you wondered how it last that long in the first place. The interludes in the baseball game whilst Billy thinks about the story of his love affair with Jane last so long in parts that you completely forget that baseball game is happening at all. A couple of times I completely forgot that Billy is in Yankee stadium hoping to pitch a perfect game which again makes it a strange movie to watch.
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| Jane Aubrey (Kelly Preston) |
Tuesday, 5 June 2012
Film Preview: The Watch
Seth Rogan teams up with Evan Goldberg to write this science fiction comedy with an impressive cast of comedy actors. The idea for the film was to create a PG-13 Ghostbusters type film with names such as Will Ferrell and David Dobkin slated to star in the early days of production. It features Ben Stiller, Jonah Hill, Vince Vaughn as well as Richard Ayoade who is much better known to UK fans from The IT Crowd and the absolutely superb Garth Marenghi's Darkplace.
The film follows four men who form a neighbourhood watch scheme mainly as an excuse to spend times away from their families and have fun with the guys. The group then discovers a plot that could end the human race and have to take on the battle themselves. The trailer looks reasonably promising and has some top comedic actors with the casting of Ayoade being a personal highlight.
The film is released in the UK on Wednesday 29th August and the trailer is embedded below:
The film follows four men who form a neighbourhood watch scheme mainly as an excuse to spend times away from their families and have fun with the guys. The group then discovers a plot that could end the human race and have to take on the battle themselves. The trailer looks reasonably promising and has some top comedic actors with the casting of Ayoade being a personal highlight.
The film is released in the UK on Wednesday 29th August and the trailer is embedded below:
Saturday, 2 June 2012
Film Review: Prometheus
Director: Ridley Scott
I will attempt to write a review containing spoilers that can only be ascertained from watching the trailers that were out before the movies release yesterday. It is the much anticipated prequel to Alien with Ridley Scott returning to the franchise he created for the first time. The project has been in development since 2000 when Scott and James Cameron discussed ideas for the prequel, but it was shelved for a long period due to the release of Alien Vs Predator.
The film follows Elizabeth Shaw (Noomi Rapace) and Charlie Holloway (Logan Marshall-Green) as they discover a star map amongst the remnants of many different ancient civilizations who had no contact with each other. They look to find the stars that are shown in the ancient drawings with the help of the Weyland Corporation and their android David (show stealing performance by Michael Fassbender) by flying into deep space.
The first thing that hits you is the wonderful work done in cinematography and CGI to produce superb landscapes and scenes especially in IMAX 3D. It is as good a film as I have ever seen visually at the cinema. It's unfair to compare it to the original Alien because that was such a ground-breaking film and was a superbly claustrophobic affair, if Scott had replicated this then he would have been criticised so in that sense he can't win. The tension is still there for the most part of the film about the unknown of what is happening to the crew as they investigate these stars in space to hopefully find answers to how we were created.
The film is classed as a prequel but is also a slight variation on the original idea and it takes a big gamble in deeply dealing with the issue of mankind's creation which is always a thorny issue, quite a few people have compared it in some ways to the film Contact which had similar themes. Michael Fassbender is superb as David the android who reminded me of C3PO but with a very sinister side to him which adds to the whole tension of the mission, I also felt shades of HAL from 2001: A Space Odyssey which was confirmed when he even said a line that HAL said from the film. Noomi Rapace is capable as the lead women and does have shades of Sigourney Weaver in her without being too similar.
Certain critics have called the film muddled so far which I can understand but a lot of the ideas are more subtly dealt with and could be missed behind the stunning visual effects. If you were wondering if it is still a must-see at the cinema? It is.
3/4 great spectacle with Fassbender stealing the show
I will attempt to write a review containing spoilers that can only be ascertained from watching the trailers that were out before the movies release yesterday. It is the much anticipated prequel to Alien with Ridley Scott returning to the franchise he created for the first time. The project has been in development since 2000 when Scott and James Cameron discussed ideas for the prequel, but it was shelved for a long period due to the release of Alien Vs Predator.
The film follows Elizabeth Shaw (Noomi Rapace) and Charlie Holloway (Logan Marshall-Green) as they discover a star map amongst the remnants of many different ancient civilizations who had no contact with each other. They look to find the stars that are shown in the ancient drawings with the help of the Weyland Corporation and their android David (show stealing performance by Michael Fassbender) by flying into deep space.
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| Movie Poster |
The film is classed as a prequel but is also a slight variation on the original idea and it takes a big gamble in deeply dealing with the issue of mankind's creation which is always a thorny issue, quite a few people have compared it in some ways to the film Contact which had similar themes. Michael Fassbender is superb as David the android who reminded me of C3PO but with a very sinister side to him which adds to the whole tension of the mission, I also felt shades of HAL from 2001: A Space Odyssey which was confirmed when he even said a line that HAL said from the film. Noomi Rapace is capable as the lead women and does have shades of Sigourney Weaver in her without being too similar.
Certain critics have called the film muddled so far which I can understand but a lot of the ideas are more subtly dealt with and could be missed behind the stunning visual effects. If you were wondering if it is still a must-see at the cinema? It is.
3/4 great spectacle with Fassbender stealing the show
Friday, 1 June 2012
This week's releases
Prometheus: I can't quite contain my excitement for the release of this on Friday and I'm booked in to go see it straight after work. The prequel to Alien from Ridley Scott looks superb in the trailers so far.
Prometheus Full Preview
Snow White and the Huntsman: The famous fairy tale is given a new twist as Kristen Stewart takes on the Snow White role against Charlize Theron as the evil Queen. Snow White is helped by the strong dangerous Huntsman (Chris Hemsworth) who was originally sent to kill her.
Casa de mi Padre: Will Ferrell appears in this Spanish language comedy about a rancher dealing with love and the local drug gangs in Mexico.
Casa de mi Padre Full Preview
Top Cat 3D: The coolest cat ever committed to paper is back in 3D on the big screen, a new Police chief is intent on cutting down on the mischief caused by the feline's antics in the alleyways around the city. Is this the end for Top Cat?
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