New Moon

I have been looking forward to seeing this film for a while. Could director Chris Weitz build on what Catherine Hardwicke started? Answer being, a really decent film.

I can't really say I was wowed by New Moon. I think that's for personal reasons. The Robert Patterson fever has calmed down. New Moon sticks pretty rigidly to the book. There are a few differences but no where near as many as Catherine put in. I think for this fact and apart from a few cringe corny romantic lines, New Moon makes for a better film. I don't imagine fans being disappointed.

A lot of flesh...you can't get away from the flesh....

The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus

Gutted! And a tad angry. This film is confused and lacking in pace. I was really bored. The only really interesting part of it was the costumes/ set design and the young Andrew Garfield.

It is just really sad that after Batman, Heath did this and THIS is his last ever film.

My advice is don't watch it! Keep the image of the Joker as the last great role of Heath Ledger.

Evoking emotion

At this moment I am staying on a farm in Dunedin, New Zealand. As a way to show New Zealand culture, my hosts put on "Once Were Warriors" a 1994 film by Lee Tamahori and starring Temuera Morrison, who some will recognise as Jango Fett in the Star Wars movie.

'Once Were Warriors" is about domestic abuse in a Maori household and how the woman comes to deal with it and get a future away from the abuse.

To say I wasn't moved is an understatement. I finished watching it about 5 minutes ago and I still feel as though I may burst into tears again. The fighting is brutal and very very scary. It's heartbreaking but its hase love in there. Love in the strangest, self harming way.

New Zealand film industry is strong with the guts to tell powerful stories without the political correctness of America.

This is a film that you have to dedicate all your mind and (I know it sounds kinda slushy) soul to, to really appreciate it. Watch it!

2012

WOW! Roland Emmerich has done it again with his Doomsday foretelling. And this time I am very much likely to believe him because yyyyeeeeaaaarrrrssss ago I remember watching a BBC documentary about it!

2012 is about the sun sparking a huge solar flare that heats up the Earth from the inside out and makes the crust and poles shift.

Like any Emmerich film, the film looks at the lives of several different people:

• Joe Bloggs - in this case John Cusack and family



• The Scientist who foretells all of it and is the 'good egg'- Chiwetel Ejiofor who Brits will recognise from Love Actually. Yet another brilliant Brit actor nicking the American parts from American actors (makes me so chuffed!)



• The President of America- Danny Glover



• The Arse- which is split into two characters, there is the Russian business man and Oliver Platt who never fails to not make me smile even when he is being a pillock!



• and a whole host of randoms, that get the "oooooohhhh shit!" camera angle when the shit really does hit the fan.

After seeing a lot of films recently (sorry I haven't reviewed all of them) it was really nice to get so involved in this one. At times I couldn't help myself by saying out loud "RUN! run now!!!!" or squealing at other parts.

Scientifically speaking some situations are highly improbable (bit with the volcano...) but with Roland you are just there for the ride, and he delivers, he really does!

The Vintner's Luck

This is a story about wine making in France during the 19th Century. A common peasant who works on a chateau vineyard works his way to the top to become a Vintner with the help of a angel.

The film is directed by New Zealand director Niki Caro (Whale Rider). Based on a book by Elizabeth Knox, 'The Vintner's Luck' is a look at the life of Sorban (played by Jérémie Renier) and his love of and Angel, his wife and a Baroness.

The make up for Jeremie Renier as he grows old is brilliant. You can even see the sun spots appearing on his skin. However the same care to detail was not conveyed onto his wife (Keisha Castle-Hughes) who does not seem to age and at some points her children look older than she does!

My favourite scene was where the Baroness is smelling and describing Sorban's hands. How Niki Caro filmed it was very erotic for such an innocent act.

Although the Vintner's Luck seems to have continued 'bad reviews', I have to say that I found it (like any good wine) slow in maturing and after being out of the cinema now for several hours, I am still thinking about it and drinking quite a bit of wine. The acting from the two main male characters and the Baroness is brilliant. The pace of the film can be slow at times but isn't it the same with any life span portrait?

Avatar

Just watched the full length trailer for Avatar which has the release date 18th December Worldwide. It looks so impressive and I can't wait to see it. I very much doubt I will be disappointed. Check out the website: http://www.apple.com/trailers/fox/avatar/

Taking of Cinema Paradiso

http://abritishgirlskiwiadventure.blogspot.com/2009/11/cinema-paradiso-wanaka.html

Follow this link to see my review of the awesome cinema in Wanaka, NZ and Tony Scott's film, 'The Taking of Pelham 123'.

Try watching this and NOT get excited!

Dam! Fry and Jackson team up!

Dude!

I have just read this little piece of info and I have got very excited! 

If this is true, the remake of the Dambusters with Peter Jackson as the producer and Stephen Fry as the screenwriter, is going to be brilliant! Oscars for sure!

You may not like the story, but you have to admire the film making!

Back in the Backpackers in Wellington, everyone was sat by the TV watching Joe Wright's Atonement. Now if any of you have actually seen the film you will know that it is heartbreaking and tragic. And for that reason you may not like the film. I was one of those people, however watching it again in the backpackers I retreated into myself and I realised things about the filming that I never noticed before. I strongly believe if you don't notice certain bits in a film, in the acting or the choice of camera shot and it overall evokes a strong emotion, then it is a brilliant film.

Taking Joe Wright's filming for instance I have noticed that he concentrates strongly on the hands to convey emotion. The picture above is of the scene when Robbie meets up Cecilia before he gets shipped off the France. Now they haven't seen each other for 3 years, since the tragic misunderstanding that lead to his wrongful imprisonment. Joe takes the simplicity of making a cup of tea to show the strong passion and connection between these two character, all by focusing on their hands. Cecilia pours Robbie a cup of tea and as he is stirring in his sugar she places her hand on his free hand. Focus pull to the spoon stirring hand and you can see how the slightest touch of this woman effects him to the point that he can't stir anymore. This is confirmed in a face mid shot of Jame McAvoy, who plays Robbie.

Joe did this previously in Pride and Prejudice where Mr Darcy helps Elizabeth in the carriage. This is an unexpected action for Elizabeth, but you can see the growing affection that Darcy has for Elizabeth with a shot of his hand as he walks away. He stretches it as if it has a thousand tingling sensations going through it at once. I have had this feeling before and I instantly connected with Darcy when Joe Wright filmed this.



Simply put, through watching Atonement again I realised that Joe Wright is one of my favourite directors. Looking forward to the next project!

On an side note. Please marvel at the beauty of the 5minute steady cam shot of Dunkirk beach. The detail is amazing and the emotions are overpowering. I personally think that there needs to be a war film about Dunkirk.

Lest we forget.

Finally!

Ive finally written a short film while I am in New Zealand. It is about Death on his day off, feeding birds in the park. I want to try my hand at directing and I have lots of ideas for it and who could be involved. However I would love it if I got a few more down on paper before I left.

I now also want to directs some theatre for the Chorlton Players Hot Pot sketch show. Eeek!

Edam but tasty!

Couple of films that I think are really cheese but I can't help but like!

1) HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL(S)
2) WILD CHILD
3) SPEED RACER
4) CRANK- Different sort of cheese to 1,2, and 3. It 'random' cheese.

More to come...

500 Days of Summer

I got to see this film at the BRILLIANT Embassy theatre in Wellington. It is set out like a theatre but- what the hey!- its a cinema. Beautifully decorated...emerald green tiles. Just lovely! I know I’ll be going again!

500 Days of Summer. Boy meets girl. Boy falls in love. Girl doesn't
Directed by Marc Webb, 500 Days tells the story of loving someone, to the extent that they love the idea of the relationship, heartbreak, hope and then back to love.
I know people who have been in a relationship and have been very, very happy and then suddenly BAM! Its over. Why? For heaven sake when it was going so well?!
For anyone who has had this happen to them they may cry with sympathy and understanding at this film. However it does an excellent job, as films generally do, at restoring hope. It is a very funny/ sad/ hopeful film. The two leads are Joseph Gordon-Levitt (who you will recognize from 3rd Rock from the Sun, 10 Things I Hate About You and other indie, off the beaten track films) and Zooey Deschanel (Failure to Launch, Elf) , who’s dead pan expressions and timing never fails to make me smile. Both of them were just brilliant! Joseph, who’s past roles were child, borderline adult roles has come into his own as an adult actor with 500 Days of Summer. I can’t help but feel as though Joseph looks an awful lot like Heath Ledger. What do you think?

New Moon, new trailer!

OK, Catherine did alright with the first in the Twilight films but check this out! It looks brilliant! (Fingers crossed all the good bits where not in the trailer!)

I am totally going to watch this in Gold Class when it comes out (I beleive 20th November)

Gold Class in District 9

Hello to those who follow this blog! Apologies for the lack of posts recently. It is because I am travelling in New Zealand.

Quick run down on some films I have seen recently:

PRICELESS: French comedy and it is completely 'priceless' its a must watch even to those who dont like subtitles. The French really know how to do their comedies!

MY BEST FRIENDS GIRL: Really good fun, up to the really random ending. Didnt end right. It had opportunities to end and then it started up on another strand of a possibly plot that didnt come to a full stop. Still worth a watch just for the amount of giggles.

THE PURPOSAL: hhhhhhmmmmmm I love Sandra Bullock but Im not too sure of her pairing with Ryan Reynolds (regardless of how hot he is).

17 AGAIN: I know he is younger than me but Zac Efron is ccccuuuuuuute! Plus I think he is a great actor, dancer, singer. I think hes the new John Travolta. Nice plot. Funny characters. Nice little film.

Now DISTRICT 9! I watched this tonight in Auckland. Australia and New Zealand have this cinema experience called 'Gold Class' and it where you have your own private waiting area to await the start of the film. You can choose froom a menu of high quality food to be brought to your chair at any point in the film. They serve alcohol. The chairs are wide, plush and RECLINE! There is only about 24 seats in the actual cinema. Pure luxury!

DISTRICT 9 is sort of like a mock documentary with live action story lines. Its about Johannesburg in South Africa and 20 years ago a alien mother ship hovers over the city and the aliens are put into slums. Now I really cant tell you more about it because it would spoil the film.

Its a brilliant film. The main protagonist goes through stages when you pity, dislike and like him. I think its a reflection on human nature and how flippant we can be. Well worth a watch.

OMG! CHECK THIS OUT!

HOW COOL DOES THIS LOOK!?

The Big Chill... I Spit on your Rave...shambles

Last weekend I went on a camping expedition to Eastnor to attend the Big Chill Festival. What should I find there? Noel Fielding shooting scenes for his up and coming project entitled "I Spit on your Rave". It is set in the future a few years after a virus was let off at the 2012 Olympics and practically everyone is now a zombie (who are all attending a rave). The film needed a crowd scene full of zombies so the organizers ask people to participate. Here are the pictures to prove it.

Now I was a huge fan of the Mighty Boosh first and second series (not the third!) and last year at the Big Chill, Noel and Julian did some late night comparing. Lets just say it was not good! Scripted stuff, they can be VERY funny, but improvising? :/
Whilst they were filming the scene for Noel's zombie film, they had moments when nothing was happening, but Noel still had to keep his audience entertained, errr... he really wasn’t that great. Granted, this is mine and my friends opinion, other people may of found him very entertaining...I have yet to find them. The weekends comedy bar was certainly set by Russell Howard, VERY entertaining.

Anyho, here is the official trailer.

Whip It!

DREW BARRYMORE IS DIRECTING NOW!!! Her film is called “Whip It” and it stars Ellen Page (Juno) as a girl dragged to beauty pageants in the 60’s when it is the last thing she wants to be doing. What she does want to be doing is Roller Derby. The only way to describe it is female gladiators on roller skates. It looks A LOT of fun and I will definitely be going to the cinema for it!

J'taime

When out at my weekly shop in Asda I came across “Closer” for the grand total of £2. From what I remember the reviews were mixed, bordering on dislike for the film starring Jude Law, Julia Roberts, Clive Owen and Natalie Portman.

Personally I though “Closer” was brilliant. It was originally a stage play were Clive Owen had once played the character of Dan (played in the film by Jude Law). Instead he played the character of Larry, a nice genuine guy with a huge libido. The each one on one scenes Clive has with Natalie, Jude and especially Julia are quite amazing. His rollercoaster of emotion when he is told that he has been cheated on is so captivating; I challenge everyone not to see Clive’s merit as an actor.

Another shining star from the film is Natalie Portman. Child actor who made an effortless leap to adult role I can’t help but not look up to Natalie. She is an intelligent, brilliant actress and (now that you can get the “New York, I love you” trailer from Apple where I was very impressed to see that) she is now dabbling in directing!

“New York, I love you” are from the same producers of “Paris, J’taime”, which was a film that was made up of a collection of short love stories grouped together under the same location, Paris. Now they have moved over to New York where they have a constellation of Stars appearing, including Orlando Bloom who personally, I thought had turned into a black hole after the Pirates of the Caribbean series. I am very much looking forward to this film coming out.

Another Natalie film that is coming out soon is “Brothers”, a film starring Jake Gyllenhall and Toby Maguire. Its about how a women deals with the death of her soldier husband and how his brother steps up to the plate to look after the family his brother left behind…but he isn’t really dead and he comes back from the war not fully of sound mind. It is a social drama bringing up the issues posed to people who have to deal how to normal life after war. It looks to be a very intense drama. Watch out for it!

Classic

I watched Disney's Aladdin this morning.

You can't beat a good Disney film when Robin Williams is using his voice.

Classic!

Public Enemies

Dir. Michael Mann

1933. America. Great Depression (much like today).

John Dillinger is a bank robber and the Fed’s public enemy number one. At that the director of the police is J. Edgar Hoover (who later became President of the United States… thought I’d throw in a bit of history) and he employs Melvin Pervis played by Christen Bale to catch John who is played by the chameleon Johnny Depp.

John is pursued, John gets captured, John escapes (by very cheeky methods), it’s a cat and mouse game film. This is a very long film. Only negative. There were several times that I thought they could have ended this film however, being a biographical piece it dragged. Yet being a long film, it was able to keep me interested in how John Dillinger was either going to escape or get captured by the police.

Public Enemies was filmed in HD format instead of the classic 35 mm (the same way as to how Collateral was filmed). I really like this style of filming for two reasons. One, it makes the film look like a really well made, expensive student film and two, it feels so much more real for the viewer. You can see every open pore on the actors face. They say that with the rise of the HD format, it will do what the talkies did for the silent movie actors. No Vaseline on the camera lenses for Marion Cotillard (granted she wouldn't need it as she is stunning!) who was brilliant as John Dillenger’s ‘girl’ Billie Frechette.

Production design: amazing. Because of the style of filming, you can see every nook and cranny. It was merely the cheery on the top for the whole feel of the film.

One of my favourite bits in the film is when a really awful gangster bloke finally gets shot down (and good riddance), its out in the open and with the beauty of film you get a very unique moment. You get to see his last breathe. Blink and you’ll miss it, but it’s those types of subtle moments, which makes great films.

This is a really good film that will probably feature highly in next year’s Oscars. I would watch it though in the comfort of your own home as the length of it can be a bit too much in a cinema.

Favourite moments in Cinema: Part one.

In no particular order…

SPEED: The bus explosion. Just after the guy says to Keanu “Hey Jack, you’ve forgotten your muffins”, the one fluid motion of the action. Bus goes by, Jack goes to his car, camera moves round the car, car Jack and bus are in frame and the BOOM!

SPEED: The moment when Jeff Daniels’ character knows he is going to get blown up. There is the flicker of realisation, a millisecond where he looks like he’s mustering all the courage/ dignity that he can before BOOM!

FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING: the movement of camera through the woods at the end with all the Orcs from Aragon to Boromir, in the same time, the reaction of the Hobbits when Boromir is shot down and they think “fu*k it, we’ll take these Orcs on”.

FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING: The aerial shot of Arwen being chased by the Nazgul, always gives me tingles.

ALL LOTR FILMS: I think Samwise Gamgee (Sean Astin) is brilliant!!! At the end of FOTR when hes saying that he'll never leave Frodo's side, TTT when he's talking about having to go on and the strength/ goodness of people and in ROTK when hes carrying Frodo up Mount Doom. Basically any Sam moment at the end of the films and generally when he is crying. Heartbreakingly brilliant. I hope I can tell Sean in person one day that I thought, actor wise, he was the best thing in LOTR for me.

FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING: sorry, I know there are loads, but I think its one of the best films. The whole breakfast, second breakfast, lunch, dinner... speech and then the flying apple.

GLADIATOR: EVERYTHING! But the lighting in particular when Maximus could chop of the other gladiator's head in the areana and he just stands there, bathed in shafts of light.

28 DAYS LATER: The Aeroplane. The subtly and the magnitude of what it means for the plot. Simplicity at its best.

GROSSE POINT BLANK: Dan Aykroyd running from the car towards the house. Always makes me giggle.

MASTER AND COMMANDER: Basically the whole film but its heart breaking when one of the crew commits suicide.

JARHEAD: I loved the whole philosophical edge to this film. What is a knife if it can’t cut anything… pointless. The bit when Peter Saaragard is told that Jake Gyllenhall and himself can’t shoot someone because the target is going to get bombed. His reaction, amazing!

There are more but I can’t remember them at the moment :)

£3 DVD GAMBLE…it’s cheaper than a cinema ticket!

Let’s face it, this Recession sucks pickled eggs! Even though news reports say that despite these hard times, people are spending money on experiences rather than material possessions, money is still in the equation.

 

I love experiencing new films in a cinema but my bronze coins in my purse say “NAY! Be-gone!” to the regular trips that I am oh so used to.

 

A cinema trip these days can cost up to £10+, so why not instead you just stay in a watch a new DVD.

 

DVDs these days are from the £3 mark up (thanks to places like Fopp), or even less if you venture to the used and resold world of Cdex (located in the Arndale centre) where you can gamble with the qualities of movie from £1+.

 

This week I ventured into this hollowed ground and purchased; Pathfinder £1.50, The Wedding Date £1, National Treasure 2 £4, making a grand total of £5.50 (which in total was a better spend that watching Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince £15!)

 

Pathfinder

I’m finding I want my retrace my path to where I parted with that £1.50. Can’t seem to get through this film without my thoughts wandering. Not good! Still, I really like Karl Urban as an actor though. A must see with him in is Star Trek. Kick ass film!

 

The Wedding Date

This was one of those films that you see, don’t like but then you find yourself watching it again and end up daydreaming that one day, one fine day, you’ll be lucky enough to meet a guy like the male prostitute Dermot Mulroney and he would fall in love with you and you’d live happily ever after and have lots of children and a lovely house in the country…

 

A hum, Sorry, back to reality. This is a lovely little rom-com made from an America perspective that shows Britain in an interesting light. From the lar-de-dar lifestyle in what looks to be Notting Hill to the random guy in the pub (who I’m pretty sure was dubbed over) saying “I’d shag her”. We aren’t in an Austin Power’s film people!

Still, it’s a fun film and shouldn’t be taken seriously. Best line was delivered by Sarah Parish “Oh god! I think I’ve come” J

 

National Treasure 2

Now, I am not a fan of Jerry Bruckheimer (Pearl Harbour? BIG no-no!) but on the rare occasion he makes a film that reminds me of watching films with my family as a child. Big action, big scenery, a script that is well researched but lacks fluidity in places and big name stars.

Like The Wedding Date, National Treasure 2 takes a little trip over the pond to visit good old London Town. Here you get to see Nicholas Cage been rather funny mimicking the British Accent. The big flaw with the English part of the film was when they had a car chase in London. Hello?! Have the script writers actually been to London? No way they could have had a car chase, one word; traffic! But that’s me again forgetting that this is just fiction.

I love the fact that Helen Mirren has finally been recognised by Hollywood and is making a steady and regular appearances in films. Also Justin Bartha needs to get given a main role in a film and soon! I think he is really good! He’s attractive, has an interesting voice and has very good comic timing.

On the whole this is a hangover movie, where you don’t have to really follow the plot and just be awed by the explosions and nice scenery.

 

So, next time your thinking about going to the cinema to watch a film that may or may not be good, but worried about spending the money, don’t go. Go to Fopp or Cdex and get a cheap film for around £3 and who knows, it might be your next favourite film of all time and you get to keep it straight away! And if it’s not any good? Pass the film on, it cost you £3 and it was cheaper than a cinema ticket.

Proactive time wasting...

At the moment I am not in work. It is in my nature to be proactive with my time. That is why I decided to film a monologue I wrote in 2002, after being absolutely gutted at the ending of Sparkhouse which, apart from the ending, I loved!

So here it is, the monologue is called 'Lost Love'. I had some problems with tape quality, but I did the best I could with what I had.

Harry Stinker!

Oh Dear!

I went to see Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince this past weekend. Personally I think my time would of been better spent watching Transformers again!

There are so many problems with the Harry Potter series. Visually, Harry Potter films stand out from others. The Half Blood Prince in particular is visually stunning. Not stunning enough for me to forget the awful acting (Ginny and Hermionie in particular) and very loose script (nothing is really made of the Half Blood Prince plot line).

It lacked the energy of the Prisoner of Azkban or The Goblet of Fire.

Having said all that praise has to be accredited to Draco Malfoy a.k.a Tom Felton who has consistently shone out in all of the H.P films as a really really good actor. I'm surprised that I haven't seen him in any other main stream films recently. He played tormented soul brilliantly!

Also hats off to all the Deatheaters in the film and the girl who plays Ron's girlfriend who thankfully provided comic relief.

Looking forward to...

Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince!

(500) Days of Summer

(music, love, great actors... could you want anything more???)

Game

(or Gamer) (looks terrible but brilliant at the same time).

The Hurt Locker

( Kathryn Bigalow directs in a 'near-perfect' action war film).

The Time Travellers Wife

(I think Rachel McAdams is such a brilliant actress, there is not one of her films that I dont like her in)

Music

One of the things I enjoy so much about watching films is listening to the music. For example “Push” was a tad boring at times. The script just lost the pace more than once in the film. However I liked it and the one thing (apart from Chris Evans) that sold it to me was the music. The urban landscape just came alive and the action matched the beats.

I find myself whenever I am listening to music I can visualise places, characters and plot lines. Music is amazing! Don’t worry readers, I am getting to a point. Having said all of that, I would now like to introduce you to one James Kelly from Manchester, England. Give him a chance, listen to his music, tell me what you think...

Transformed!

POSTIVES

1. The one person that really stole the show for me was Julie White who plays Shia’s mother Judy Witwicky. She is hilarious.

2. My one main beef with Transformers (1) was with the battle scenes. Who on Earth was fighting who? You had to wait until it was over to see who had the upper hand...or wheel...

3. I didn’t have to worry about that with “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen”. They got the perspective right so that you could see what happened to who. Much improved.

4. The human moments within the film were more entertaining than the robot destiny stuff.

5. Shia Labeouf. His timing and quick delivery of his lines is just perfect!

6. Best robot: the little one from Megan’s garage.

7. The usual classic Michael Bay style filming, i.e slow motion camera work, going in low, coming up the actor’s body making them look ‘cool’. It’s been done before but this is a summer ‘fun’ film so I’ll let him off.

NEGATIVES

1. Megan Fox’s character. Her main motivation throughout the film was to get Shia’s character to declare his love for her. Where’s the strong independent woman??? Also, let’s face it, Megan could get any Tom, Dick or Harry! If she classes herself as a proper actor, then it doesn’t come across in this film. She is just there because she is pretty. I’m looking forward to seeing her act in a film.

2. Robot voices. Enough said.

3. I found the room-mate highly annoying.

The film in total was much much much better than the first film. I think I was actually bored in the first film. However the Transformers franchises has definitely transformed into a better film.

I'll give it a 8/10.

Bring on the next Shia film (which I believe is “New York, I love you”)!

Cold Souls

Taken from Apple- Movie Trailers:

Is your soul weighing you down? Paul Giamatti has found a solution! In the surreal comedy COLD SOULS, Paul Giamatti plays an actor named… Paul Giamatti. Stumbling upon an article in The New Yorker about a high-tech company that extracts, deep-freezes and stores people’s souls, Paul very well might have found the key to happiness for which he’s been searching. But, complications arise when he is the unfortunate victim of “soul-trafficking.” Giamatti’s journey takes him all the way to Russia in hopes of retrieving his stolen soul from an ambitious but talentless soap-opera actress. Balancing a tightrope between deadpan humor & pathos, and reality & fantasy, COLD SOULS is a true soul searching comedy. Also starring David Strathairn, Dana Korzun and Emily Watson.

Possibly to the similar vein at "Being John Malkovich", Cold Souls looks brilliant! Can't Wait!

Indiana Jones 5

I don’t know about anyone else, but I was disappointed with Indiana Jones 4. When did Indy get involved with Aliens??? Indy was all about the history and mythology with religion, not aliens. Why doesn’t he go to England and try and find Excalibur?

So what do I think of news that there will be an Indy V? Not a lot. Harrison is nearly 67! He’s passed the age of the whip cracking womaniser that we all know and love.

There is hope though, in the shape of Shia LaBeouf, who I think is brilliant. (Transformers 2 review, coming soon!). Out of all the new Hollywood stars at the moment, you can just tell that he’s going to be around for some time.

Now if they make Indy V more about Shia becoming the treasure hunter rather than Harrison, there’s hope for a more believable, fun film.

With Indy V just at the scripting stages, I’ll have to just wait and see...

Free Films!

Calling all movie lovers in the Manchester area!

For all of Summer, there will be a free outdoor cinema (weather permitting) in Spinningfields. Every Thursday at 9pm and tonight is "Withnail and I"!

http://www.spinningfieldsonline.net/app/whatson/spinningfields/film.cfm

Unfortunately due to the classic Mancunian weather, rain, I didn’t attend. Next week: Brekky at Tiff’s

"Anything"

As I have said in my "About Me", I love films and I hope to make lots in my life time. At the moment I have in my arsenal several short (and I mean really really short) film scripts.

Recently a friend of mine filmed one of these scripts in HD and it looked AMAZING. I feel like a proud parent even though I haven't seen the final film. It's a called "Anything" and its about a girl who has a daydream at work where the man of her dreams comes and lavishes her with gifts in a classic montage (you gotta love a montage!). Hopefully when it is completed I'll be able to tell you where you can see it.

In the meanwhile I'll let you look at one of my early creations.

Robin Hood

Oh dear Lord! Russell Crowe is going to play the legendary Robin Hood character in the next Ridley Scott film set for release next year.

Have a look at the cast list. Hardly ANY of the actors are actually British.

That’s the one thing I don't get with these kinds of films. It’s made in England, it’s about England but, what the hey, let’s get anyone but Englishmen to act in it!?

I get the whole pulling in the punters idea with having Russell as the lead. I get it, you need to make money. And I’m sure they will all put on a good accent, but why can't Ridley just get some home grown talent??? Where’s the harm???

I'll have to hold off judgment until May next year to find out. But I'm sure Ridley will probably make a brilliant film, as per usual.

Something to get excited about...

CLASH OF THE TITANS!!!! 2010

Growing up my favourite film was the 1981 Clash of the Titans film. Its such an exciting film. Generally I'm not a big fan of remakes but looking at the cast list, the 2010 Clash of the Titans remake will be a brilliant film. According to IMDB it is due for release in the UK on the 26th March 2010.

Sam Worthington ... Perseus
Alexa Davalos ... Andromeda
Liam Neeson ... Zeus
Jason Flemyng ... Calibos (rumored)
Ralph Fiennes ... Hades
Mads Mikkelsen ... Draco
Gemma Arterton ... Io (I've actually worked with Gemma once on a film called "Three and Out". She is very nice!)
Nicholas Hoult ... (rumored)
Hans Matheson ... Ixas
Danny Huston ... Poseidon

Can't beat a good Greek yarn!

New Moon

I got very excited this week because I got to see the new trailer for New Moon. The second in the Twilight saga. If you haven't heard of Twilight, where have you been???

It is about the relationship of Bella and Edward. Edward (played by the striking Rob Pattinson) just happens to be a vampire who doesn't feed on Human blood but on Animals. Problem then is, he really wants Bella's blood because it smells tasty...

I would suggest that anyone who hasn’t seen Twilight should read the books before seeing the film because the books are generally better. Read the books then watch the Twilight film and THEN watch the trailer for New Moon. The books are by Stephenie Meyer (www.stepheniemeyer.com/)and they are really for teenagers but I'm in my 20's and LOVE'EM!

For more info on it, heres the imdb link: www.imdb.com/title/tt1259571/

TERMINATOR SALVATION

Finally, last night I got to watch Terminator Salvation. I was all set not to like it because I heard that it received some negative reviews...Well this one is a positive one!

I’ll start though with some negatives.

1. Christian Bale’s voice! What on earth is up with that? In the film he was very gruff and almost whistled while he talked.

2. Some of the special effects with the landscape screamed Green Screen but you can’t hold that against a film set in the future.

3. Kate Conner a.k.a Bryce Dallas Howard was far too pretty for the type of future that she was in. I felt more drawn to Moon Goodbloods character, Blair, in regards to her hair, makeup and costume.

Now what I loved about it.

1. SAM WORTHINGTON! Simple. For a new guy on the Hollywood scene he makes a great impression as Marcus Wright. Although his Australian accent does pop up every now and again.

2. Anton Yetchin. Another one to keep an eye on. You’ll have seen him in the new must see Star Trek film as the brilliant Chekov.

3. Costumes where gritty.

4. They didn’t forget to put the der der derduhdun der der derduhdun at the beginning.

5. There are two surprises... I’ll say nothing more.

6. Even though other reviews have said that the plot was muddled and not easy to understand. I found it very easy to understand and I think it fits into the whole Terminator saga well. But that just my opinion.

7. The film salutes to Terminator 1 and the Great Escape.

8. Don’t forget the classic line “I’ll be back”

Some newbies to the Terminator Saga may not get alot of what's going on in regards to the plot and back story, so in that respects Terminator Salavtion is probably most suited for the die hards (which I am one of!)

Not epic or as great as the first two Terminator films, but a good one!

Eight positives/ three negatives.

I’ll give it a 7/10