Shame

(Contains scenes of a very sexual nature)

2011


Michael Fassbender, Carey Mulligan

Brandon Sullivan (Fassbender)live in New York and has his own flat, a great job and a seemingly perfect life. He has a dark secret addiction which controls everything he does. His sexual desires lead him to the seediest parts of life that most people stay away from. He seems unconcerned about these aspects of his life until his younger sister Sissy (Mulligan) comes to stay. With this unwanted burden spoiling his need for sexual gratification and bringing up unwanted memories of an abusive childhood, Brandon's life slips out of control.

I had never seen Fassbender in anything until now, actually, i had never seen Mulligan in anything either, so their chemistry on screen was a lovely surprise :) They were both absolutly fantastic and Carey's "New York, New York" scene was heartbreaking. The cinematography is  fantastic and  the scenes of New York are beautiful. It should win an award for its musical score as it really captures the moment.

Only gripe i had were that Carey's singing scene was a little drawn out....and it had a bit of a oh, thats it? type ending. Other than that loved it. :)


9/10

Barney's Version

2010

Paul Giamatti, Rosamund Pike, Minnie Driver, Dustin Hoffman

Barney (Giamatti) is old, worn out and very very bitter.As a book is published on his friends disapearence about 20 years ago (which he was blamed for murdering him), we see him reliving his past experiences and 3 failed marriages and wondering where it all went so wrong.

This is a lovely film, but very sad and very depressing. Sometimes we make the wrong choices in life and then realise that it is to late to make everything as it was, but you can still make amends..Hoffman was brilliant as Barney's very Jewish dad....i want him at my wedding, he would be a great laugh.

8/10

Limitless

(2011)

Bradley Cooper, Abbie Cornish, Robert De Niro, Anna Friel

Eddie Morra (Cooper) is a down and out wannabe writer who just needs his big break but is to lazy and unmotivated to seek it out. He soon finds his break in the form of his ex brother in law who fits him up with a wonder drug called NZT. This allows Eddie to access all the parts of his brain which he couldn't get to before. However, NZT, like any other drugs, has a major come down.

When i went to see Unknown, the trailer for Limitless was shown. I was excited, but never got round to seeing it on the big screen. Im glad i didn't waste the cinema ticket. It really didnt live up to my expectations. The acting was good. The idea behind NZT and addiction was good. The actual playing out of the storyline was so contrived  beyond belief and made the drug addict out to be the good guy. It was full of stupid stupid plotholes and unbelievable scenarios, when on NZT, just wouldnt have happened. De Niro was the best thing but was wasted and thrown to the side in a ridiculous ending.

All in all, music good, setting good, acting good.......script and storyline. bloody awful. Which is a shame........as it had SO much potential.

6/10

Source Code

(2011)

Jake Gyllenhaal, Michele Monaghan, Vera Farmiga, Jeffery Wright, Michael Arden

Colter Stevens (Gyllenhaal) wakes up on a Chicago bound commuter train, across from a beautiful woman called Christina (Monaghan), and is being called by completely different name and is a completely different person in the mirror. Just as he is trying to get to the bottom of what is going on, there is a massive explosion and Stevens wakes up in a strange pod with noone telling him why he is there or who he is!

Its actually impossible to review this without giving the whole storyline away but all the performances are fantastic  and it really does mess with your head.

9/10

Red Riding Hood

(2011)

Amanda Seyfried, Gary Oldman, Billy Burke, Shiloh Fernandez, Max Irons, Virginia Madsen, Lukas Haas, Julie Christie

Valerie (Seyfried) is a beautiful young woman who lives in a medieval villiage which is being plagued by a werewolf. If that isnt enough to deal with, she is torn between her childhood love Peter (Fernandez) who is the bad boy every girl falls for and the goody two shoes, Henry (Irons) whom she cannot see herself ever loving. When the wolf kills her sister, it sets the villiage off on a game of whodunnit and like the Crucible creates an air of blame and suspicion. In comes the famous wolf hunter Father Solomon(Oldman) who will do anything (and i mean anything) to avenge the death of his wife, who had been plagued by a werewolf some years ago.

I only really wanted to see this because of Oldman, but i found myself actually quite enjoying it so much more than Catherine Hardwickes previous attempt Twilight (read the books, so much better). It is dark, quite eery at some points and kept me guessing until the end.

Bad points were the stupid use of modern music.....why? it was not needed and just seemed like a silly attempt to make the film cooler. Second bad point is Max Irons, surely with Jeremy Irons before you, there should be more than one expression in your ability.

That said, enjoy it for what it is. The scenery and colours are beautiful.

7/10 

The Godfather

 (1972)

Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan, Robert Duvall, Talia Shire, John Cazale, Diane Keaton

Celebrating his daughter's wedding, the aging mafia Don Vito Corleone (Brando) is a master of the old way of thinking. Everything comes down to respect and family. All of his children are involved in some way in the family mafia business apart from his beloved son Michael. Michael has just returned from war with his girlfriend Kay (Keaton) and shows no intention of joining his father. However, through a set of horrendous circumstances, Michael becomes far more embroiled than he would like to have been. A rival of Vito's wants to begin to sell drugs in New York and need's Vito's influence. Old world thinking and new world values will clash bringing a terrible price for all.

I absolutly loved the film. The music was fantastic and absolutly heartbreaking at some points. The performances are all fantastic....and it's cliche but Brando is just heartbreaking.....Pacino and Keaton have a great chemistry. and James Caan as the wayward Sonny is amazing to watch.

I recommend it to all :)

10/10

Bridesmaids

2011

Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Rose Byrne, Melissa McCarthy

Annie (Wiig)'s life is unravelling fast. She has lost her business, her crazy flatmates are chucking her out and her best friend Lillian (Rudolph)  is getting married and she feels she is losing her. She also has to contend with Lillian's oh so perfect new friend Helen (Byrne) who is hell bent on having Lillian all to herself. When Lillian chooses Annie as her maid of honour, what follows is chaos.................and Annie finds herself losing her sanity and her best friend.

I thought the film was absolutly hilarious and far better than i originally thought it would be. Kristen Wiig and Maya  Rudolph make a great double act and Melissa McCarthy steals the show as the groom's crazy sister.
Guys and girls alike will enjoy this and the food poisining scene will have you doubled up in laughter.

10/10