Sinister (2012) Review

One of the only horror movies that failed to scare me.

Okay, let me  just start by saying this movie is Shit. Excuse my French, but someone that looks like he's dressed in a poorly made Halloween costume just can not scare you. I am the biggest wuss when it comes to watching horrors, I literally couldn't sleep after paranormal activity 3, but I wouldn't actually mind talking to the 'demon' from sinister, he seems like a cool guy, someone who would probably need some advice on a better dress-up. What can I say about the story-line? BORING! I spent half of the time texting my  friend asking him how his movie was (Perks of being a wallflower). That can't be a good sign. So much predictability from a horror movie brings the whole fear-factor down, and this movie was pretty much setting you up for shitness. A good hour of the film was pure dialogue from two extremely unnatural and poor actors (Ethan Hawke, Juliet Rylance). If I could get a refund, trust me I would. Save yourself some money and go watch Hotel Transylvania, in all honesty, that would probably be more scary anyway. 

This is England (2006) Review for Media Class!

Shane Meadows' autobiographical film centres on young skinheads in 1983 England.

Shaun Fields, a young 12 year old skinhead, looks like he could barely hurt a fly with those hands. An older skinhead 'Combo' (Stephen Graham) jokes that he looks as if 'he came out of a box' comparing him to an Action Man doll, telling us about his apparent undersized character. After hooking up with a bunch of borderline criminal skinheads including 'Combo', in the long hot summer of 1983, he gets dragged into racist views of the National Front.  Shaun's loss of naivety is central to the subculture that is adopted by the white nationalists of '83 in this raw British drama. Shane Meadows creates an image of a young boy who needs identity and links it to something patriotic and racially conscious. 

Watch the trailer here if you haven't seen it already...

Dredd 3D, the gritty reboot...

Karl Urban plays 'Dredd' the famed and feared Judge.

At a first glance at the trailer of the movie, I thought as if it were a film about action dolls coming to life. Frankly, it looked cheesy, dull and a little bit depressing. No offence to Karl Urban but he looks as if he's constipated under his helmet. I mean, what look was the director trying to pull? a skinnier version of Magneto? It doesn't sound like your typical film-festival-feature either, mind you it didn't fail to entertain the masses at San Diego comic-con - one positive we can take from the poorly reviewed film, receiving just 1 star on Rotten Tomatoes . However, you should never judge a book by its cover! See what I did there? Never mind... Here's the trailer!

The Expendables 2 : First Look

They are back! And this time its personal...

 Barney Ross (Sylvester Stallone), Lee Christmas (Jason Statham), Yin Yang (Jet Li), Gunnar Jensen (Dolph Lundgren),Toll Road (Randy Couture) and Hale Caesar (Terry Crews) -- with newest members Billy the Kid (Liam Hemsworth) and Maggie (Yu Nan) aboard -- are reunited when Mr. Church (Bruce Willis) calls upon  the Expendables to take on an apparently simple job. The task looks like an easy paycheck for Barney and his crew of old-school mercenaries. But when things  take a turn for the worst and one of their very own is killed viciously , the Expendables are forced  to seek revenge in hostile territory where the odds are stacked against them. So far, The Expendables 2 has received an average rating of 5.8/10 on the rotten tomatoes website, with a whopping 87% of its audience giving it it the thumbs up! However some top critics still think that The Expendables 2 is 'turning a franchise out of a novelty item'. But what will you have to say about it?

The Bourne Legacy tops U.S Box Office !

Jeremy Renner plays Aaron Cross in the new instalment of  the Bourne franchise .

After taking a hefty $40.3 million dollars at the U.S box office, The Bourne Legacy knocks The Dark Knight Rises right off the top spot! Matt Damon's Bourne Supremacy and Ultimatum took a whopping $52m and $69m respectively, so Renner should be more than happy for his takings. It will be seen as a solid opening for the latest film in the franchise, but lets see how it holds up for the next couple of weeks. Renner commented on the authenticity of his film compared to Damon's, in the sense that there was little CGI involved and that there is great believability in everything that was done in the film. Director Tony Gilroy recently suggested that Renner was the 'perfect person' to play Aaron Cross and that he needed someone who was just as 'soulful and talented' as Damon, believing that Renner was exactly that. The Bourne Legacy is now playing in the U.K so lets see if it can keep up with its chart-topping U.S success...
Here's the trailer below, enjoy!

Ted (2012) Review

Mark Wahlberg and Ted (Seth Mcfarlane) co-star in this outrageous comedy!

Ted, co-written and directed by Seth Mcfarlane, was full to the brim with crude, immature and offensive jokes much like what we know from Mcfarlane's 'Family Guy', so audiences wouldn't have been surprised by his facetious style of humour. The movie had me laughing the whole way through and even though the plot lacked depth, it kept me interested. Mark Wahlberg, more notably known for much more serious and physically demanding roles, deserves credit for matching Ted (Seth Mcfarlane) with his comic timing, like for like. The movie shows some absurd scenes in which Mark Wahlberg's magical Teddy, is shown smoking weed, having casual sex, and generally being a feckless and lazy toy - Something which I found hysterical! Definitely one of the funniest, most outrageous comedies I have seen in a long time. Certainly worth a watch, maybe even twice it's that good!

Why Jackie Chan hated Rush Hour!

Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker pose for Rush Hour 3 Poster!

In his own blog, Jackie Chan stated that he 'he felt very dissapointed' because Rush Hour was a movie he 'didn't appreciate'. He also said that he 'didn't understand the humour' and felt that the 'style of the action was too Americanized'. Well if he doesn't' like Rush Hour, why would he do two sequels?, You might be asking yourself. Jackie answered this saying that he was offered an 'irresistible' amount of money for the second movie, and that he felt inclined to make the third one for his fans. It is extremely rare to hear from an actor that they dislike their own movies, especially from someone who performs their own stunts and action scenes like Jackie. To be honest, I feel sorry for Chris Tucker for having to work with one of the biggest stars in action-entertainment, knowing that his co-star wasn't entirely enthusiastic about it all...

Fifty Shades of Grey on the big screen?...

The best-selling book of 2012 so far will be making its way to the silver-screen!

Following the huge success that the knee-trembling erotic novel has had this year, 'Universal' have announced a work in progress movie ,which is rumoured to be released next year. The book sold a whopping 1 million copies on the Amazon kindle alone, out of the 5.3 million it has sold in total. These figures meant that it has become the best selling book in the UK since Harry Potter, eclipsing Rowling's previous record. Casting has already been among the talks of the production with Kate Beckinsale as a favourite to play Anastasia Steele, the lead female role. Easton Ellis, a writer that had recently been left off the short-list, had been swapping cast ideas on twitter for weeks with his followers. Among these were; Channing Tatum, Tom Hardy, Aaron Johnson, Alex Pettyfer, Joseph Gordon Levitt, Ian Sommerhalder, Christian Bale and American Olympic swimmer Ryan Lochte for the part of the lead male. However, for all you fifty fans, another year or so may be what it takes to complete the project and who knows?, maybe 2013 will be one of the best years for cinema yet...

'The Hobbit' to be expanded into a trilogy...

'Ian Mckellen will be among the list of  stars that will reprise roles from The Lord of the Rings '

From what was originally announced as a two-parter, Peter Jackson has recently confirmed that a third film will complete the story of middle earth, set 60 years prior to the events of The Lord of the Rings. The first film in the trilogy 'The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey', is set to be released later this year on December 14th, whilst the second film will follow December of next year. The third part is expected to be released summer 2014. Returning cast members from The Lord of the Rings include: Elijah Wood as Frodo Baggins, Christopher Lee as Saruman, Hugo Weaving as Elrond,  and Andy Serkis as “Gollum”. All three movies are being shot in digital 3D,and will show-off the latest breakthroughs in camera and stereo technology. Will it be regarded as epic as The Lord of the Rings? Well, we'll just have to wait and see...

A sequel to Bad Santa?

Director of 'Hot tub time machine', Steve Pink has signed on to direct foul-mouthed festive follow-up Bad Santa 2.

A sequel to the raunchy, black comedy will see Billy Bob Thornton returning as the naughty conman that dresses up as Santa Claus. After impressing with his screenplays for John Cusack vehicles, 'Grosse pointe blank' and 'High Fidelity', Pink will be writing the script also. Bad Santa has got everything you don't expect from a festive film; adult scenes, offensive language, racism, and the list goes on... But, this is what made the film a massive  hit, and it is widely regarded as one of the funniest Christmas themed movies till date. Bad Santa 2 will be no exception we hope!
Pink will have to maintain the filthy shenanigans from the first film as there were 159 iterations of the 'f word' and 300 swear words in total. However, who are we to complain? That's what Bad Santa is all about!
Keep your eyes peeled for more news on Bad Santa 2, as I will be back later  this year with a special Christmas preview!

Skyfall - James Bond is back! (preview)

'James Bond making a grand entrance with her majesty the Queen at the 2012 Olympics opening ceremony,'

Daniel Craig is set to return in his third  movie in the series, as 007 this late October! And aren't we all exited? Skyfall will be unique as it is not related to any previously published Ian Fleming novel and nor does it carry on from Quantum of Solace which was the sequel to Casino Royale.  Little is known about the plot in detail but what we do know is, the film will show the test of Bond's loyalty to 'M', as her past comes back to haunt her. Also, as MI6 comes under attack, Bond must do all he can to avert the threat, even it is at personal cost... 
The title of the film itself will have emotional context,as it refers to 'Skyfall Lodge', a critical location of the film. Sounds like its going to be the best one yet!  Take a look at  the trailer below and see what all the excitement is about for yourself...

The Dark Knight Rises Review!

The final part of the most anticipated  film of 2012, did it live up to the hype?

In what can only be described as an explosive ending to the batman trilogy, the dark knight rises, in my opinion, certainly  lived up to the hype! With intense and critical performances from Tom hardy as 'Bane' and an impressive 'Catwoman' portrayal from Anne Hathaway, the film promises a more than entertaining experience. Christian Bale donned the mask for the last time in this action epic, but a surprising end will leave you shocked, without a doubt. The plot took many twists and turns, after what seemed an unnecessary long start, however, once the pace livens up, we delve deeper into the back-story of pivotal characters,  and see a whole new storyline developing within Gotham. Christopher Nolan  deserves every bit of credit for what many critics are describing as 'the best trilogy ever' so don't give it a miss, make sure you watch it on the big-screen while there's still time!

Jimmy's thoughts...

What we of the human race fail to realise is that life is far from a fairytale. We face a heart and can't see the light at the end of the tunnel. Making bridges with that crush, but failing to make comparisons to the unfortunate heart break we suffered from last time. Before we know it, we're in too deep. We've fallen again and the harnesses have become undone. Free falling down the well of the past. Again, we have been lulled into a false sense of security, and the security is as just as fake as the connection that has been created. 
- James Hannaford 

Top 5 movies list...

Since I've always wanted to know, which movie is the best of them all?, I searched deep into the heart of the web and conjured up my own top 5 list! It was extremely difficult not to make a top 200, but I would have bruised my fingers typing!...

1. Inception - This has to be one of the most talked about films ever! the concept was just genius and had audiences pondering for hours, is life just a dream? within a dream, within another dream? hmmm, I'm just as confused as you are...

2. The dark knight - This action epic just oozes awesomeness. Creative fight scenes, dark twisted characters and best of all, the coolest costume with pointed ears you could ever see!

3. Forrest Gump - 'Life is like a box of chocolates'... Tom Hanks I salute you! This is probably one of my favourite acting performances ever from the king of versatility and it is the one of the most entertaining movies out there with bits you can laugh at and cry at...

4. The godfather- The timeless classic that brought us true viewing pleasure! its almost as if you are living in the events of the movie and watching it from the sidewalk, it's that good!

5. The Lion King -  You would be crazy if you said you didn't like this feature-length animation! This film taught me so much at such a young age, responsibility , maturity and braveness! probably my favourite Disney film too!  with that, I shall leave you with one of the best songs to ever come out of Disney...

Jimmy's thoughts...

I don't know if you've ever felt like this. You feel as if nothing can get much worse. Conversation turns to argument, love turns to hate. The glass is half empty, and desperation has kicked in. You're thirsty for anyone to cure your loneliness. You are told some have it much worse, but this does not change the fact you have what you have. You break down to confusion and disarray, feeling selfish because of your experience of recent events. Feelings are feelings, the only constant is change, and life doesn't stop for anyone. 

- James Hannaford 

Jimmy's thoughts...

Idols... 
'Having an idol is great!' So they say. And in some ways I agree that an idol can be beneficial. Your idol may be a famous individual, such a Steve Jobs. This man made mega bucks. He chased his dream, and made his dream a reality. His morals are spot on, and a lot can be learnt from them. Work hard, and chase your dream. Although, what I do find most intriguing is when many followers decide to make their life, their idols life. These followers look up to their idol for everyday support. This may be because the idol has done many great things for society and for the world. Do not get me wrong they deserve to be praised, but by following your idol will not make your life better. Your life will become a fantasy. Eating, sleeping and breathing your 'one and only'. Just because they're a good person, does not make you one. Learn from your idol, learn from their morals. But, do not be distracted from your life by seeking out theirs. Don't be a follower. 
- James Hannaford 

The Amazing Spiderman review...

The only word that springs to mind when asked to describe 'The Amazing spiderman', is the adjective in the title itself! With a combination of great casting, reformed origins and definitive acting performances, the movie has certainly redefined Spiderman from it's cheesy Tobey Maguire days, to an emotional and fast-paced reboot. Andrew Garfield's immaculate performance seemed just perfect for the title role, and Rhys Ifans portrayal of his adversary was powerful and striking. The plot had also been refined and many unnecessary parts from the original, were dumped to liven the pace of the film. A worthwhile experience and I look forward to the sequels! If you haven't already seen it, don't wait for the DVD, go out and be entertained!

Jimmy's thoughts...

Come to your own conclusion.

Happiness and love. The two words I am yet to put in a sentence together. Happiness is defined in the words of 'state or well-being characterised by emotions ranging from contentment to intense joy.' If you are not content, you are not happy. Its all about you. Love, for it is also about you.  'An intense feeling of deep affection.' In the definition of love, it does not mention happiness.  'An intense feeling' does not say 'happy intense feeling'.  So the only individual who can make you happy is you.  For seeking love will not find you happiness.  You need to be happy with yourself before searching for the 'special someone' you undoubtedly crave for. And if they can't make you happy, you know who can. 

- James Hannaford

Jimmy's thoughts...

The first note...

Be human. Music is an infection that encourages us to do many things. Physically, from head banging to foot tapping. Putting your body in a state of rhythmic consciousness. But, the main thing music affects is the emotions. Whatever the effect on the listener, by appealing to their feeling, encourages them to feel. It is the choice of yours whether you let your ears listen to The Scripts heart break albums. For you're bringing unhappiness upon yourself. Although, I do agree that making music is a great way of expressing yourself and your feelings. But expressing yourself for the wrong emotion  such as your endless unhappiness is not the route to take. You will not gain from creative desolation. Express for what is to come, what will become, for that is your future happiness.

- James Hannaford

"Broken keys, for a broken heart"

Big bucks for the richest actors in hollywood!

If it's one thing we're all certain about Hollwood's actors, is that they get paid BIG time. With actors like Leonardo Dicaprio raking in $37 million from May 2011-May 2012, it's no wonder that they can afford bank-busting luxuries! However, Dicaprio's earnings do not compare when it comes to hollwood royalty,in the shape of Tom Cruise. Yes, if $37 million wasn't enough to smack you right on the gob, then how does Tom's tasty  $75 million earnt from 2011-2012 sound? Forbes magazine named Tom Cruise as the highest  paid actor in Hollywood, mainly because of the box-office hit Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol. The action-packed thriller,grossed $700 million at the box-office world wide, which ensured a more than decent payout for Mr.Cruise.

Adam Sandler, despite being nominated for 10 razzies, still managed to earn handsomely. Forbes magazine reported that Sandler's movie 'Jack and Jill' grossed $150 million at the box-office which, not in the slightest, reflected the poor reviews it recieved. The women in Hollywood aren't too far behind when it comes to the big bucks so, take a look at this short clip and find out more...

Spidey returns!

Here we go Spiderman fans, the web-slinger is back in this 'reboot' which tells the story of Peter Parker's earlier years. The franchise opted for a brand  new cast in an aim to provide a fresher feel to the audience. Andrew Garfield replaces Tobey Maguire as the title role of the amazing Spiderman himself, who has definitely got the spider-glint in his eye and looks like he is going to give Tobey a run for his money. The plot is going to uncover the 'untold story' of Spiderman's earlier years and fans will be taken on a journey along with Peter Parker in finding out about his parents death. The film's outlook gives an authentic feel, as Parker no longer has organic web shooting, but custom built wrist-mounted canisters. A great family film that should liven up your evening for certain! Enjoy the trailer below and most importantly, go and watch the film!

The Dark Knight falls...

Finally! 4 years after the first Dark knight movie, Batman fans have something to cheer about. The Dark Knight rises will be released later this year and, is one of the most eagerly awaited superhero sequels of the DC movies franchise. The  sure-to-be-hit film, ironically titled "The Dark Knight Rises ", unfortunately will put an end to the Christian Bale and Christopher Nolan era of the epic take on the Batman world. The plot will definitely thicken, as the events in the movie, will put a bitter finish to the story 8 years after the events of the first film. The movie will play a host to a number of fresh faces as Anne Hathaway (Catwoman) and Tom Hardy (Bane) will make their superhero movie debuts. Most of the cast from the first movie remain the same with the continuation of Christian Bale as Batman/Bruce Wayne and Michael Caine as Alfred Pennyworth. The movie hints at being even darker with more twists and turns than the first, and may leave the audiences a tad disappointed to see their beloved caped crusader in presumed defeat. Although, it does promise an exellent viewing experience for us all, and mark my words - it shall not disappoint.