Film Review: PANDORUM (2009)

Director: Christian Alvart
Running time: 108 mins (approx)
Certification (UK): 15

UK Release date: 2nd October 2009

Watched on DVD Sunday 28th November 2010.

PLEASE NOTE: THERE MAY BE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.

I wanted to see this when it came out last year but was put off by the lacklustre reception it got. I fortunately recently got hold of a copy of the DVD and so, after a short summary, I’ll give you my take on Pandorum. (Summary haters please remain in cryo-stasis until after the summary… thank you).

In a future Earth population gets out of control. Resources cannot meet demand and it’s all going to hell. An Earth-like planet called Tanis has been discovered and a massive ship, Elysium, is sent out to colonise this planet. At some point, long after launch, Bower is woken in his hyper-sleep pod. Disorientated, he finds his locker and very slowly things come back to him. He is part of the ship’s crew that cycle through; he is part of team five. One of his colleagues, Cooper, has already woken and is missing and the ship’s power is fluctuating dangerously. Later, his Lieutenant, Payton, is brought out of hyper-sleep. Unable to open the door to the bridge, Bower crawls up into the air-conditioning ducting in order to find a way out, he must get to the reactor core in order to re-set it. Once out, he discovers that he is not alone on the ship, and not all those he meets are friendly… or even human… I think that’s enough of a summary for now.

This is a pretty well made film with some interesting ideas as far as technology goes. I love the fact that each instrument, or weapon, has the means to be powered manually, at least for a short while. Decent performances all round, so honourable mentions go to; Dennis Quaid as Payton, Ben Foster as Bower, Cam Gigandet as Gallow, Antje Traue as Nadia and Cung Le as Manh.

Over all, although it’s not going to win any prizes for originality, I quite liked this film. There’s lots of running around in the dark, some really bad-ass bad guys and a pretty good plot to tie it all together. There are a couple of points where it does get a little bogged down, but it’s still worth a viewing (IMO). Oh, what’s Pandorum? Well, it’s a form of madness caused by being in space alone too long... Over all, recommended.

My score: 6.4/10

LINKS:
IMDb Page: http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt1188729/
Official Site: http://www.pandorummovie.com/
Trailer: http://uk.imdb.com/rg/VIDEO_PLAY/LINK/video/imdb/vi354026009/

Film Review: THE BOYS ARE BACK (2009)

Director: Scott Hicks
Running time: 100 mins (approx)
Certification (UK): 12A

UK release date: 22nd January 2010

Watched on Sky+ Saturday 27th November 2010.

PLEASE NOTE: THERE MAY BE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.

I remember when this came out it attracted some good reviews so I decided I’d see what all the fuss was about when it turned up on TV recently. It is set, for the most part, in Australia and is based on a true story. Now, how much was invented for the film is up for debate, but still, it is quite an engaging tale. More of my thoughts later, but here’s a short summary first (summary haters please have an impromptu ride on the front of a 4x4 down the beach while I write the next paragraph).

Sports writer Joe Warr has never spent much time at home, so when his wife, Katy, dies suddenly he struggles to come to terms with bringing up his seven year old son Artie. Joe is very much a free spirit and allows Artie to do pretty much what he likes, within certain rules, of course. And when Joe’s son from a previous marriage, Harry, comes to stay from England, things don’t seem to get much easier. Harry has problems of his own. Joe had divorced his mother when he was only six and left to be with Artie’s mother, who was pregnant. Although he has support from Katy’s parents, Joe still wants to bring the boys up on his own. He gets some help from a single mother at Artie’s school, Laura, but it gets a bit tense between them. Joe is called away with work and Harry is left to look after Artie. Things don’t quite go according to plan and after an incident at the house Harry heads back to England. Unknown to Joe, the boys had formed a strong bond while he was away. Is this bond strong enough to bring the boys back together? I’ll end my summary here; don’t want to give too much away.

Although it has a very slow pace I found this film quite enjoyable to watch. All the characters are quite engaging, although I get the feeling a lot of Artie’s part was ad-libbed. Pretty good performances all round, so honourable mentions go to; Clive Owen as Joe Warr, Emma Booth as Laura, Laura Fraser as Katy, George MacKay as Harry and Nicholas McAnulty as Artie.

Over all, it’s a pretty well made film with lots of shots of the Australian outback to give a real sense of location. I still have to see a film where Clive Owen doesn’t get beaten up at some point. If I was him I’d be having a word with my agent! But I digress; it’s quite an engaging tale which very slowly evolves, so you’ll need a little patience to watch this one, but still recommended.

My score: 6.4/10

LINKS:
IMDb Page: http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt0926380/
Official Site: http://www.boysarebackmovie.co.uk/
Trailer: http://uk.imdb.com/rg/VIDEO_PLAY/LINK/video/imdb/vi3531014681/

Gig Review: MOTÖRHEAD at the Leeds O2 Academy 25th November 2010

MOTÖRHEAD:

Motörhead are: Ian “Lemmy” Kilmister (lead vocals and bass guitar), Phil Campbell (guitar and backing vocals) & Mikkey Dee (drums and percussion)

We arrived about twnety minutes before Motörhead hit the stage and the place was pretty full. Lemmy announced “We are Motörhead… and we play Rock and Roll!” and they opened up with a couple of classics of which ‘Metropolis’ and ‘Over the Top’ were best received. Other classics like ‘Killed by Death’, one of my all-time favourite Motörhead tunes, ‘Stay Clean’, ‘I Got Mine’ and ‘Just cos You Got the Power’ were all well received. A smattering of new tracks also put in an appearance. Of course, at the end of the set we got the classic, ‘Ace of Spades’. The encore consisted of ‘Born to Raise Hell’, (I love that track!) and, of course, ‘Overkill’. Over all a really good show, I really enjoyed it. No t-shirt this year, at £25.00 they’re getting a bit too expensive these days.

My only complaint is that the venue, when full, is not very condusive to being able to see the stage, particularly if, like me, you’re only 5 feet 7 inches tall! We spent most of the night towards the back, either by the mixing desk or right at the back by the bar (not a bad place to be). It wasn’t a bad view from there, but I must admit the sound quality was terrible! I don’t know what was wrong, but Lemmy even apologised for it.

My score: 7/10

Official site: http://www.imotorhead.com/

Film Review: CARRIERS (2009)

Writers/Directors: Àlex Pastor & David Pastor
Running time: 82 mins (approx)
Certification (UK): 15

UK release date: 11th December 2009

Watched on Sky+ Friday 26th November 2010.

PLEASE NOTE: THERE MAY BE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.

I seem to be finding a lot of movies about the darker side of life at the moment, and this is no exception. Four young people are travelling across America to get to a costal resort. Unfortunately the rest of the world is either dead or infected with a deadly virus. Sound interesting? Well, I’ll tell you what I think after a short summary (summary haters please try to avoid infection while I write the next paragraph).

There are four simple rules: 1. Avoid populated areas at all costs. 2. If you come in contact with other people, assume they have it. 3. The virus can survive on surfaces up to 24 hours so never touch anything that is not disinfected. 4. The sick are already dead and they cannot be saved. Easy enough? Well maybe, but brothers Danny and Brian Green and their companions, Bobby, Brian’s girlfriend, and Kate seem to have problems sticking to the rules. They come across a man, Frank Holloway, and his daughter, Jodie, on the road and initially leave them, but then wreck their car and go back to steal theirs. Although the girl is infected they allow them to come along as far as a clinic Frank had heard about that might have a cure. Of the group, the one most against breaking the rules is Brian, but the others, particularly Bobby seem to persuade him otherwise. Of course things go wrong and over the course of their journey two of the group end up infected and are either forced to leave or end up dead. Which two survive? Well, I’d class that as a major spoiler, so I won’t say.

This is more of a tense drama than anything else, and as such works quite well. There are a couple of problems with it, which I’ll go into later, but as far as production goes, no problems in that department, but nothing new either. As far as performances go, Chris Pine as Brian and Lou Taylor Pucci as Danny were fine, as were Piper Perabo as Bobby and Emily VanCamp as Kate.

The main problem I have with this film is the character Brian is such an asshole that I found it very hard to sympathise with him. Also, although there were things that I liked, the typical horror movie stupidity still reigns. Investigating noises in the dark, stopping to help bad guys when you know they will try to kill you…etc. But it’s not all bad; there are points where the logical action was carried out, which I applaud. Over all, it’s not great, but it is watchable, if you can get past the Brian character being a total asshole. (Only just) recommended.

My score: 5.8/10

LINKS:
IMDb Page: http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt0806203/
Official Site: http://www.carriersmovie.com/
Trailer: http://uk.imdb.com/rg/VIDEO_PLAY/LINK/video/imdb/vi2346123801/

Film Review: TRON (1982)

Writer/Director: Steven Lisberger
Running time: 92 mins (approx)
Certification (UK): PG

UK Release date: 21st October 1982

Watched on DVD Thursday 25th November 2010.

PLEASE NOTE: THERE MAY BE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.

In anticipation of the forthcoming Tron Legacy, I thought I’d go a bit retro and take a look at the 1982 original. I remember being blown away by the whole concept when it first came out, but now I’m a tad older and several tads wiser, it’s maybe lost a bit of its awe. Don’t get me wrong, it’s still a pretty enjoyable film… But more of that later, here’s a short summary before I tell you what I really think (summary haters please wait on the game-grid until the end of the next paragraph).

Kevin Flynn is a programmer who has been swindled by his old boss, Ed Dillinger. In order to find evidence of Dillinger’s con Kevin must break into the system holding the data. He is assisted by his friends, Alan Bradley and Lora. Little do they know a rogue Master Control Program (MCP), written by Dillinger, has taken over the system. Flynn is digitised and sucked into the system, where programs take on the form of their programmers. He is forced to take part in gladiatorial games, at the behest of the MCP, but he escapes with two other programs, Tron and Ram. Now Tron was written by Alan Bradley and is designed to take down the MCP. The trio must make their way to the MCP before it becomes too powerful. They are pursued by the MCP’s most powerful warrior, Sark. Will they make it in time? Well, I guess I’d better leave it there, don’t want to give too much away.

Although it does look fairly dated by today’s standards, I think the effects stand up pretty well. You can tell they spent a lot of time and money getting it to look as good as it does. Unfortunately some of the dialogue is a bit wooden, particularly in the first half hour, and the musical score doesn’t exactly set your toes tapping, but I can forgive that. Performance wise, Jeff Bridges did a decent job as Kevin Flynn / Clu, as did Bruce Boxleitner as Alan Bradley / Tron. Honourable mentions also go to; David Warner as Ed Dillinger / Sark / Master Control Program and Cindy Morgan as Lora / Yori.

I found it a little dull for the first thirty minutes or so, but after Flynn is sucked into the computer it soon grabbed my attention. It brought back so many memories, I used to love playing the light cycles game at the arcade. But enough nostalgia, although is seems a little dated, it’s still perfectly watchable today. I really enjoyed it and I hope the younger generation will also get the chance to see this one… Recommended.

My score: 6.8/10

LINKS:
IMDb Page: http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt0084827/
Official Site: http://disneydvd.disney.go.com/tron.html#4063
Trailer: http://uk.imdb.com/rg/VIDEO_PLAY/LINK/video/screenplay/vi3405709593/

Film Review: THE LOVELY BONES (2009) - Revisited

Director: Peter Jackson
Running time: 135 mins (approx)
Certification (UK): 12A

UK Release date: 19th February 2010

Watched on DVD Wednesday 24th November 2010.

PLEASE NOTE: THERE MAY BE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.

I have now read the book by Alice Sebold, with the same title, on which this film is based, and so I thought I’d give it a second viewing. In my first review I looked at the film as a stand-alone piece of work, now, having read the book, will I see it differently? Here’s a brief summary first before I give you my thoughts (summary haters please wait in the ‘in-between’ while I write the next paragraph… you can re-join the group afterwards).

NOTE: This is as depicted in the film:
Susie Salmon was fourteen when she was murdered on December 6th 1973; she has never been kissed and will never grow up. Her body is never found, but her consciousness goes to a place known as ‘the in-between’, where she watches as her family try to come to terms with her loss and also try to discover what happened to her. Her father, Jack, becomes so obsessed with finding out what happened to his daughter that he ends up in hospital having stalked a man into a field only to be beaten up for his trouble. Her mother, Abigail, cannot face it all and has to take some time away from the family. Abigail’s alcoholic mother, Grandma Lynn, comes to stay while she’s away. Her sister, Lindsey, frustrated with the whole situation, focuses her attention on a neighbour, George Harvey, who she is convinced has something to do with Susie’s disappearance. Through it all, Susie watches and tries to steer them in the right direction so that they can move on, and so can she. It’s very difficult to summarise the plot without giving too much away, so I’ll leave it there, I think I told you enough to know what the film is about.

It’s a beautiful film to look at, very clear images and some wonderful production. The time period the film was set was, for me, brought across perfectly, I’m only a few years younger than Susie would have been, and I remember the early 1970’s quite well. I thought the performance from Saoirse Ronan as Susie Salmon was quite brilliant, she won several nominations and a few awards for the part. I also thought that Stanley Tucci as the creepy neighbour, George Harvey, was also excellent. Decent performances from Mark Wahlberg as Jack Salmon, Rachel Weisz as Abigail Salmon, Susan Sarandon was woefully underused (IMO) as Grandma Lynn and Rose McIver as Lindsey Salmon.

There has been a lot of discussion about the depiction of ‘the in-between’. Personally, I didn’t have a problem with it; I guess whenever you adapt a book the picture in the reader’s head will seldom match the vision of the director. Now, having read the book I find there are a lot of differences between the book and the film. Some of the changes make the film more coherent, but the book was already out there as a body of work a long time before the film. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a very good effort by Peter Jackson et al, but I think I’m always going to prefer the book.

But going back to the film, I found it a little too long, but for the first hour it was totally engrossing. The visuals are stunning and there are a couple of great performances. I guess if you haven’t read the book that I can recommend it to you, it’s worth seeing. Now the tough one, if you have read, and loved, the book then maybe don’t see this adaptation… but if you’re feeling brave... Oh, and in case you’re interested, last time I scored it 7.1/10.

My score: 6.4/10

LINKS:
IMDb Page: http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt0380510/
Official Site: http://www.lovelybones.com/#home
Trailer: http://uk.imdb.com/rg/VIDEO_PLAY/LINK/video/imdb/vi2521171225/

Film Review: HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS: PART 1 (2010)

Director: David Yates
Running time: 146 mins (approx)
Certification (UK): 12A

UK Release date: 19th November 2010

Watched at the cinema Tuesday 23rd November 2010.

PLEASE NOTE: THERE MAY BE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.

I chose to go and see this on a cold damp Tuesday evening because I remember a bad experience watching the previous Harry Potter last year. I foolishly went on the Saturday of the opening week and the cinema was packed. It wasn’t until the interval that I finally managed to threaten the teenager behind me enough to stop him kicking my seat all through the second half. But that was a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away… I must take some of my pills. Here’s a very brief summary before I tell you what I thought of this one (summary haters please hide the chosen one in a forest while I write the next paragraph).

Lord Voldemort and his followers have taken over the Ministry of Magic and are hot on the trail of Harry Potter. Those loyal to him try to move him to a safer location, but they are betrayed and some of their number are killed or injured. After a further attack Harry, Ron and Hermione escape and decide to go it alone. They have discovered that one of the remaining Horcruxes is at the Ministry. Posing as three of the members of the Ministry they manage to steal the Horcrux, but have no way of destroying it. In his will, Dumbledor has left each of them an item that could help. Harry has been bequeathed the snitch he captured in his first game of quidditch as well as the Sword of Gryffindor which is currently lost. Hermione discovers that it is possible that the Sword could destroy the Horcrux. A mysterious light leads Harry to the sword and they are able to destroy the Horcrux. There a three more to be found and Lord Voldemort is becoming more and more powerful as time goes on. I have missed an awful lot out, but those are the salient points and, I hope, very few (if any) spoilers.

As we have come to expect, this is a beautifully made film, although much darker than the others. It was nice to see the three main characters out in the real world for a change. I love the animation that was used for the explanation of the meaning of the Deathly Hallows, beautifully done! Great performances all round, particularly from Daniel Radcliffe as Harry, Rupert Grint as Ron and Emma Watson as Hermione. All are growing into fine actors.

As you may notice from reading my summary (assuming you weren’t hiding in a forest), that a knowledge of all of the previous six episodes does help when watching this instalment. I did find it a bit hard to get into at first, but was soon enthralled again. The scenes in the ministry did remind me a little of Terry Gilliam’s 1985 film Brazil and there are more than hits of ‘The Lord of the Rings’ throughout. Over all, a very good film and one I heartily recommend.

My score: 8.3/10

LINKS:
IMDb Page: http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt0926084/
Official Site: Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (Official Site)
Trailer: http://uk.imdb.com/rg/VIDEO_PLAY/LINK/video/screenplay/vi3126958361/

Film Review: CRANK 2: HIGH VOLTAGE (2009)

Directors: Mark Neveldine & Brian Taylor
Running time: 91 mins (approx)
Certification (UK): 18

Norway release date: 16th April 2009

Watched on DVD Tuesday 23rd November 2010.

PLEASE NOTE: THERE MAY BE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.

OK, so this is a no brainer, just mindless action from start to finish. You know how it is, sometimes you just want to turn your brain off and watch a film that isn’t going to tax it too much. Well here it is… It helps if you’ve seen the first one in the series, Crank (2006), but there are plenty of flashbacks if you haven’t. Here’s a short summary before I tell you what I think (summary haters please plug yourselves into the mains for the duration of the next paragraph).

Our hero, Chev Chelios, has fallen out of a helicopter; he survives only to be picked up by a gang of Orientals. They perform surgery on him and remove his heart, replacing it with a battery powered artificial heart. He escapes and goes in search of his real heart, now in the hands of a low-life called Johnny Vang. Feeling under the weather he calls up his friend, Doc Miles, who tells him that in order to keep the artificial heart going he must keep giving his skin an electrical charge every now and then. So, with time running out, he finds various allies on the way, including old flame, Eve Lydon and the brother of a victim from the first film, Venus. To add a bit of spice to the mix, a gang of Mexicans are also after Chelios. Will he find his real heart in time of will the Mexicans be having a fiesta? Well, I guess I can’t tell you that.

This film has a real comic-book feel to it, some of the dialogue, although spoken in English ends up as subtitles. The picture, at times, looks like it’s been shot on a really low budget and some of the locations, back alleys etc. look like they just turned up and shot. Decent performances all round, although nobody was stretched, so honourable mentions go to; Jason Statham as Chev Chelios, Amy Smart as Eve Lydon, Dwight Yoakam as Doc Miles and Efren Ramirez as Venus.

It’s definitely not going to win any awards, but, for the most part, it’s pretty good fun. It did get a little tedious after about an hour, but by then I was prepared to see it through. There’s nothing particularly new here but I did find it pretty entertaining. I think you’ve got to be prepared to not think too much and you’ll enjoy the ride. So, over all, although quite mindless, it’s good fun if you like crazy action thrillers, there are a few comic moments and it does what it says on the tin… Recommended.

My score: 6.0/10

LINKS:
IMDb Page: http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt1121931/
Official Site: http://www.crank2.com/
Trailer: http://uk.imdb.com/rg/VIDEO_PLAY/LINK/video/screenplay/vi211026457/

Film Review: THE CRIMSON WING: MYSTERY OF THE FLAMINGOS (2008)

Directors: Matthew Aeberhard & Leander Ward
Running time: 75 mins (approx)
Certification (UK): PG

UK release date: 25th September 2009

Watched on Sky+ Monday 22nd November 2010.

PLEASE NOTE: THERE MAY BE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.

Known simply as ‘The Crimson Wing’ here in the UK, I remember it causing a bit of a stir when it was released just over a year ago. Of course it all died down pretty quickly and the film didn’t pick up any major awards. Needless to say it caught my attention and so when it turned up on TV I decided to give it a viewing.

This documentary tells the story of Lake Natron in northern Tanzania and how every year, after the rains come, a massive flock of Lesser Flamingos comes to the lake to breed. It tells of all the trials and tribulations of the young chicks, of all the dangers they must survive and, yes, there are scenes depicting the fates of those that don’t. We are also told about some of the wildlife surrounding the lake and how it gives the flamingos their unique crimson plumage.

A great score and some superb cinematography give this film the edge over other nature documentaries I’ve seen. There is also a great narration delivered by British TV presenter, Mariella Frostrup which only added to my enjoyment.

It did tend to sag a bit towards the end, but overall quite an enjoyable and informative film. I wouldn’t recommend it for the very young, but I think for anyone interested in wildlife its well worth a viewing. Over all, recommended.

My score: 6.8/10

LINKS:
IMDb Page: http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt0902967/
Trailer: http://uk.imdb.com/rg/VIDEO_PLAY/LINK/video/imdb/vi406454809/

Film Review: DEAD SNOW (2009)

Director: Tommy Wirkola
Running time: 87 mins (approx)
Certification (UK): 18

Norway release date: 9th January 2009

Watched on DVD Monday 22nd November 2010.

PLEASE NOTE: THERE MAY BE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.

I have to admit I’m not a great fan of horror films, but I was prepared to give this one a go. I mean, how bad could it be, a Scandinavian (Norwegian in this case) horror film with subtitles that involves Nazi zombies! How could I turn it down? Well, I have to say it wasn’t as bad as I was expecting, in fact I quite liked it, to a certain extent. But more of my thoughts later, here’s a brief summary first (summary haters please chainsaw your own arm off while I write the next paragraph… pick it up after).

A group of young friends, Martin, Roy, Hanna, Vegard, Liv, Erlend and Chris are meeting at a cabin in the mountains for the Easter holidays. The cabin is owned by Vegard’s girlfriend Sara, who is skiing there and will arrive later. During their first night a stranger knocks at the door, they let him in and make him coffee. He tells them the creepy tale of the Germans who occupied the area during World War II. They were particularly evil to the locals and when they were about to be defeated many of them escaped to the mountains with a horde of cash and jewels stolen from the locals which was lost in the escape. Some say they still search the mountains for the horde. The stranger leaves and the group are slightly creeped out by his tale. Then Erlend, searching for some beer, finds a box under the floor (bet you can’t guess what’s inside). Needless to say, the group is picked off one by one until the final few are left for the big showdown at the end.

Although this film does not really do anything different to most in this genre, it was quite nice to see it from a different standpoint. What I mean is, it’s nice to see the Norwegian take on this type of film. I loved the soundtrack, some classical and then everything up to some really hard rock, all in Norwegian of course. I won’t say too much about the performances, everyone was ok and nobody really stood out. Although Vegar Hoel as Martin and Stig Frode Henriksen as Roy had a few really good comic moments towards the end.

So, overall, pretty gory with a nice soundtrack. It doesn’t really add much to the genre although the zombie Nazi’s move a lot faster than in most American zombie films. I really liked the sound design; they actually took their time and mixed a proper 5.1 surround sound track (Hollywood please take note). Some really great comic moments, particularly towards the end, but it does have subtitles which may put a few off. Over all, recommended.

My score: 6.2/10

LINKS:
IMDb Page: http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt1278340/
Official Site (Note: Norwegian): http://www.dodsno.no/
Trailer: http://uk.imdb.com/rg/VIDEO_PLAY/LINK/video/imdb/vi2978087705/

Film Review: THE DEPARTED (2006)

Director: Martin Scorsese
Running time: 151 mins (approx)
Certification (UK): 18

UK release date: 6th October 2006

Watched on DVD Sunday 21st November 2010.

PLEASE NOTE: THERE MAY BE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.

I have lost count of the number of times this film has been recommended to me. Consequently I bought the DVD some time ago but never got round to watching it… until now. It is a remake of a 2002 Hong Kong film titled Infernal Affairs which was a big hit over there. It deals with crime and police corruption in Boston, and I must admit to those that recommended it to me, it’s pretty damn good! More of my thoughts later, here’s a brief summary first (summary haters take big Joey for a ride while I write the next paragraph… But don’t let me catch you readin’ it!!!).

State Detective, Billy Costigan, is from the South side of town; he has no family to speak of and so is targeted by Cpt. Queenan and Staff Sgt. Dignam who run undercover operations. They persuade him to get in with crime boss, Frank Costello, who they suspect is selling technology to the Chinese, amongst many other crimes. Little do they know that Costello has an inside man on the police task force, Colin Sullivan. Now Sullivan is not able to get the name of the undercover operative in Costello’s gang, but tips him off whenever the cops are getting near. After a while the cops become suspicious that Costello has an inside man amongst their ranks and start up an investigation to find out who the rat is. Cpt. Ellerby appoints Sullivan to lead the investigation. Add to this the fact that Costigan is slowly losing his mind the longer it goes on and has to see a police psychiatrist, Madolyn, who just happens to be Sullivan’s girlfriend. With both sides slowly closing in on the insiders a tense and shocking climax is in the offing.

I must say I really enjoyed this film up to a point. That point is the ending, I would have done it differently, but then who am I to argue with a man like Scorsese? A great script by William Monahan really brought out some great performances. First up I thought Leonardo DiCaprio was outstanding as Billy Costigan, Matt Damon totally made me forget the Bourne films as Colin Sullivan and, of course, Jack Nicholson was great, as ever, as Frank Costello. Also on the role of honour are; Mark Wahlberg as Staff Sgt. Dignam and Martin Sheen as Cpt. Queenan. Honourable mentions go to; Ray Winstone as Mr. French (Costello’s top henchman), Vera Farmiga as Madolyn, Anthony Anderson as Brown (a cop) and Alec Baldwin as Cpt. Ellerby.

A really engrossing film with just enough twists and turns to keep the audience enthralled without confusing too much. A great script and some really great performances only add to the enjoyment factor. I’ve already said I have a slight problem with the ending, but it is still a tremendous film and one I don’t hesitate to very highly recommend.


My score: 9.3/10

LINKS:
IMDb Page: http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt0407887/
Official Site: http://thedeparted.warnerbros.com/
Trailer: http://uk.imdb.com/rg/VIDEO_PLAY/LINK/video/screenplay/vi686883097/

Film Review: G.I. JOE: THE RISE OF COBRA (2009)

Director: Stephen Sommers
Running time: 118 mins (approx)
Certification (UK): 12A

UK release date: 7th August 2009

Watched on DVD Saturday 20th November 2010.

PLEASE NOTE: THERE MAY BE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.

I believe that G.I. Joe was originally a toy, an all American hero meant to inspire young boys to join the American armed forces. We have a similar thing over here in the U.K. call ‘Action Man’. In the film G.I. Joe is no longer an individual, but a special top secret unit, and the unit is no longer American, but made up from the best of the best from all over the world. I guess Hollywood is learning that there is a bit chunk of the planet that isn’t the USA. But more of this later, here’s a short summary before I tell you what I really think (summary haters please inject yourselves with nanobots and omit the next paragraph… thank you).

Captain Duke Hauser and his team are tasked with delivering new weapons, special nanobot warheads, to NATO. They are ambushed but the mission is saved by the intervention of the top secret unit known as G.I. Joe. Having been taken to their HQ in Egypt, Hauser and his sidekick, Ripcord ask to join the Unit, lead by General Abernathy. They go through training under the watchful eye of Heavy Duty and Snake Eyes. Both qualify to join the team. Before they can set off after their ambushers the base is attacked and the bad guys, including Anastasia ‘Ana’ DeCobray, who has a history with Hauser and Storm Shadow, who is the sworn enemy of Snake Eyes. They get away with the warheads and head for Paris. The bad guys are led by megalomaniac James McCullen, also known as Destro who is assisted by the evil genius the Cobra Commander. The G.I. Joe unit follows the bad guys to Paris where they fight a pitched battle. They escape but ‘The Joes’ are on the trail and a big showdown is imminent.

This film relies very heavily on CGI, which is very well done. There are also some nice fight sequences and the stunt work is all of high quality. The sets are of James Bond scale, giant complexes hewn into the ground or vast undersea cities, all very impressive to look at. It’s a shame the same effort wasn’t put into the plot. There were too many flashbacks that broke up the narrative and proved more of a distraction than, I’m sure, was intended.

I have to say that Christopher Eccleston‘s Scottish accent as James McCullen is one of the worst I’ve ever heard, I expect much better from an actor of his standing. Nobody really stood out, performance wise, but I guess I’ll give honourable mentions to Channing Tatum as Captain Duke Hauser, Dennis Quaid as General Abernathy / Hawk, Sienna Miller as Anastasia ‘Ana’ DeCobray / Baroness, Byung-hun Lee as Storm Shadow, Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Rex Lewis / Cobra Commander and Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje as Heavy Duty.

At the end of the day the great special effects could not make up for an over-complicated plot. It’s left wide open for a sequel and I hope the producers take a long hard look at this one before giving any sequel a green light. I can see what they were trying to achieve but I feel they tried to squeeze too much into this film. Over all, for me, although it’s visually quite spectacular, it just doesn’t work, and so, not recommended.

My score: 5.3/10

LINKS:
IMDb Site: http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt1046173/
Official Site: http://www.gijoemovie.com/dvd/index.html
Trailer: http://uk.imdb.com/rg/VIDEO_PLAY/LINK/video/imdb/vi2463367705/

Film Review: DAYBREAKERS (2009)

Writers/Directors: Michael Spierig & Peter Spierig
Running time: 94 mins (approx)
Certification (UK): 15

UK release date: 6th January 2010

Watched on DVD Friday 19th November 2010.

PLEASE NOTE: THERE MAY BE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.

A film about vampires set in the not to distant future can’t be bad, can it? I liked the ‘Blade’ movies so this one should be good too, shouldn’t it? Well, it’s not bad, but at the same time it ain’t no ‘Blade’. More of my thoughts later, first here’s a short summary (haters of summaries please spontaneously combust… or more practically, just omit the next paragraph).

About ten years into the future nearly all of the world’s population has been turned into vampires. How this happened, we are not told, but only about five percent of the humans remain. The vampires catch them and farm them for their blood, but there is not enough to go around. Desperately searching for a substitute for human blood is Edward Dalton, a haematologist working for a pharmaceutical company lead by Charles Bromley. If vampires are deprived of blood for too long they become more like giant bats and this is seen as a retrograde step by those in charge. Edward is contacted by a group of humans, one of which, Lionel ‘Elvis’ Cormac, was once a vampire but was cured in a freak accident. The humans want Edward to help them recreate the conditions of the accident. He does so and is turned human again. He now has to convince the entire vampire population to do the same… or die.

There was obviously quite a bit of money spent on this movie. There are some great special effects and an awful lot of gore on view. Decent enough performances all round despite a rather weak script IMO. Even Willem Dafoe as Lionel ‘Elvis’ Cormac struggled at times, but still stood out above the rest. Ethan Hawke as Edward Dalton and Sam Neill as Charles Bromley were not really stretched by their roles, but did a good enough job. Honourable mentions go to Claudia Karvan as Audrey Bennett, Michael Dorman as Frankie Dalton and Isabel Lucas as Alison Bromley.

I liked the concept of this film; unfortunately the execution did not ultimately live up to my expectations. It was quite hard to identify with any of the characters and thus it was really hard to care who lived or died in the end. The effects are very well done but this ultimately didn’t make up for a rather flawed script. If you’re a hard-core vampire movie fan then I’m sure you’ll find some redeeming features here, I don’t fit into that category, and so, sadly, not recommended.

My score: 5.4/10

LINKS:
IMDb Site: http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt0433362/
Official Site: http://daybreakersmovie.com/
Trailer: http://uk.imdb.com/rg/VIDEO_PLAY/LINK/video/imdb/vi1687225369/

Film Review: GANGS OF NEW YORK (2002)

Director: Martin Scorsese
Running time: 160 mins (approx)
Certification (UK): 18

UK release date: 9th January 2003

Watched on DVD Thursday 18th November 2010.

PLEASE NOTE: THERE MAY BE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.

This film has been lurking in my DVD collection for some time now. The trouble is, it’s hard to find the nigh on three hours required to watch this epic. Fortunately, having been ordered to take my holidays, or lose them, a day off provided the necessary timeslot. It’s a movie with tremendous scope that shows a side of New York history I wasn’t aware of. Although not perfect, it still has a lot going for it. But more of that later, here’s a very brief summary first (summary haters please assume the crash position for the next paragraph).

We begin in 1846 at the Five Points, a district of New York notorious for its poverty and for its gangs. A clash between two gangs, the ‘Native Americans’, predominantly white, who were born there and the ‘Dead Rabbits’, predominantly Irish immigrants, leaves the leader of the ‘Dead Rabbits’, ‘Priest’ Vallon, dead. His killer, leader of the other gang, Bill ‘The Butcher’ Cutting shows mercy on his young son and sends him away. Sixteen years later the son, Amsterdam Vallon, returns to the Five Points seeking revenge, but prepared to bide his time. He decides to get close to Cutting and manages to do so with some great cunning. He meets Jenny Everdeane and falls for her, but she is indebted to Cutting and so Amsterdam, at first, spurns her, but we all know that isn’t going to last. This is all told against the backdrop of the American Civil War and President Lincoln’s plans to bring in a draft on the citizens of New York. There is a lot of feeling about this and the citizens are getting restless. Also, a politician, William ‘Boss’ Tweed is always trying to buy the votes of the residents of the Five Points by siding with Cutting on certain matters, a situation that doesn’t go down to well with certain factions. Now, having infiltrated Cutting’s inner circle, it’s time for Amsterdam to strike… and it’s here I’ll leave my short summary… what? You didn’t really expect me to give the ending away did you?... Shame.

This is a beautifully made film; everything from the cinematography to the set design to the costumes is all really well done. Some great performances too, especially from Daniel Day-Lewis, as Bill ‘The Butcher’ Cutting, it is a pleasure to watch every scene he is in. Also praiseworthy are; Leonardo DiCaprio as Amsterdam Vallon and Cameron Diaz as Jenny Everdeane. Honourable mentions also go to; Jim Broadbent as William ‘Boss’ Tweed, John C. Reilly as Happy Jack Mulraney and Henry Thomas as Johnny Sirocco.

I was afraid at first that this was going to be just another of those damned “America loves everything Irish” kind of movies, which I totally despise! Fortunately Scorsese knows better than that and what we get is a more balanced view of things (for a change). The film is a little too long for my liking and I found it quite easy to draw parallels with the likes of ‘Goodfellas’ and ‘Once Upon A Time in America’, but I can forgive that. It is enthralling throughout and a great visual spectacle, if just for the height of the top hats and Daniel Day-Lewis’s moustache and trousers! They are tremendous! Over all, if you can make the time… Highly recommended.

My score: 7.6/10

LINKS:
IMDb Site: http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt0217505/
Official Site: http://video.movies.go.com/gangsofnewyork/
Trailer: http://uk.imdb.com/rg/VIDEO_PLAY/LINK/video/screenplay/vi518717721/

Film Review: JULIE & JULIA (2009)

Director: Nora Ephron
Running time: 119 mins (approx)
Certification (UK): 12

UK release date: 11th September 2009

Watched on Sky+ Sunday 14th November 2010.

PLEASE NOTE: THERE MAY BE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.

I wasn’t quite sure I would like this film, for a start I have never heard of Julia Child, but I guess few people outside the USA that are not all that into food have. Don’t get me wrong, I like to cook, it’s one of those survival skills you pick up. I guess what I’m trying to say is I’m not what you might call a foodie. So I’ll begin with a very brief summary (summary haters please look away while I type the next paragraph… you can rejoin the group after).

Two stories are told in parallel. First the story of how famous food writer Julia Child got her love of cooking, and how she came to write the well known book “Mastering the Art of French Cooking”. Julia’s husband, Paul, is a diplomat who is stationed in Paris in the late 40’s early 50’s, and this is where Julia, needing something to do, decides to learn to cook. She meets two French ladies, Louisette Bertholle and Madame Brassart who are writing a French cook book for Americans. After their publishing deal falls through they ask Julia to help out, which she does and, after many years they finally get it published. The second story is that of Julie Powell who needs a focus in her life. At the suggestion of her husband, Eric, she decides to cook every recipe in Julia Child’s book in one year. Not only that, but she will write a blog about her experiences. There are many highs and lows, but she eventually achieves her aim, which brings other, greater rewards.

I found this film a little hard to watch, the constant jumping from one story to another got a little distracting at times. However, the scenes when Julia was in Paris really took me back. At one time I had a French girlfriend and we had some good times in Paris… but I digress (again). I hear that Meryl Streep’s performance as Julia Child is spot on. I’ll have to take that on trust never having seen the original to compare. There were also good performances from; Amy Adams as Julie Powell, Stanley Tucci always good value as Paul Child and Chris Messina as Eric Powell.

At the end of the day, yes, I did enjoy this film. Despite the slightly distracting jumping from story to story, I found it quite engaging. Although it’s not the best film ever made, it is still pretty entertaining, and you can’t ask for more than that. Over all a quite endearing film with some good performances. I find films based on fact are often quite interesting and this one is no exception… recommended.

My score: 7.1/10

LINKS:
IMDb Page: http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt1135503/
Official Site: http://www.sonypictures.com/homevideo/julieandjulia/
Official Blog: http://blogs.salon.com/0001399/2002/08/25.html
Trailer: http://uk.imdb.com/rg/VIDEO_PLAY/LINK/video/imdb/vi77595161/

Film Review: ASSEMBLY (2007)

Director: Xiaogang Feng
Running time: 124 mins (approx)
Certification (UK): 15

China release date: 20th December 2007

Watched on Sky+ Sunday 14th November 2010.

PLEASE NOTE: THERE MAY BE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.

Let me first say that this film is in Chinese with subtitles, so if you’re not keen on subtitles it’s probably best to stop reading now. I should also point out that the story is based on true events stretching from 1948 through to the late 1950’s. Given what was going on in that part of the world at the time some people may find it hard to sympathise with the main characters depicted here. Again, if this is the case then it’s probably best to stop reading now. So, now that’s out of the way, for those that are left, here’s a very brief summary (haters of summaries please erase the next paragraph from your memory).

We begin in 1948 when China was being ravaged by a civil war. Gu Zidi is the Captain of the Ninth Company of the People’s Liberation Army fighting the Nationalist Army. Having fought hard in many battles, severely depleted, they are ordered to defend a position against seemingly impossible odds. Gu is told that he must keep fighting until he hears the Assembly bugle call. They fight bravely but are ultimately overrun without Gu ever hearing the call. His last act is to make sure the bodies of his 47 comrades are hidden from the enemy. Miraculously he survives and goes on to fight in Korea, where he meets Zhao Erdou, a young Colonel who becomes his friend. He is injured and returns to the site of the battle where his command was lost to find his fallen comrades. This proves much harder than he ever imagined it would be. There is much more to tell, but I don’t want to give out spoilers, so I’ll end my summary here.

The battle scenes are really well done; extremely graphic and as well choreographed as any I’ve seen. The entire film is beautifully shot with some epic scenes depicting the true horror of battle. Great performances all round, but particularly from Hanyu Zhang as Gu Zidi, he really put in a tremendous performance.

Now, whether you agree with the politics or not, this film is about the camaraderie of soldiers and about coming to terms with the consequences of war. If you can get past the subtitles its well worth seeing, a truly epic film with some very touching moments. Yes, there are points where you think the politicians got their way, but I hope you can see through that. Over all… Highly recommended.

My score: 8.3/10

LINKS:
IMDb Page: http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt0881200/
Official Site (Chinese): http://ent.sina.com.cn/f/m/jjh/index.shtml
Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8KJKgAefkwA

Film Review: DEMOLITION MAN (1993)

Director: Marco Brambilla
Running time: 110 mins (approx)
Certification (UK): 15

UK release date: 12th November 1993

Watched on Sky+ Saturday 13th November 2010.

PLEASE NOTE: THERE MAY BE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.

This has always been one of my favourite guilty pleasures, a sci-fi action thriller from the nineties featuring Stallone and Snipes. Lots of violence tempered with, it has to be said, a great deal of humour. Yes, I love the scene with the three sea shells… who wouldn’t? Anyhow, I digress… Here’s a short summary before I let you know what I really think (summary haters, the next paragraph really isn’t for you… trust me, you won’t like it).

The year is 1996 and after cop, John Spartan, destroys yet another building while pursuing psychopath Simon Phoenix, he is sent to be cryogenically frozen along with his prisoner. We then skip to 2032 where a utopian society has grown up along the West coast of America after an enormous earthquake destroyed much of it in 2010 (mmm soon then…). This society is lead by Dr. Raymond Cocteau who has created his own vision of what society should be like, and it’s pretty lame! An underground group lead by one Edgar Friendly survives outside this society in the sewers under the city. Into this world the psychopath Simon Phoenix escapes cryo-prison with all the skills he needs to survive in this future world already downloaded into his brain while he was frozen. He immediately goes on a killing spree which leaves the Police, lead by Chief George Earle, unable to cope. The last murder was decades ago! At the suggestion of 20th Century fanatic, and cop, Lenina Huxley, they release John Spartan to track Phoenix down. Unfortunately, the Demolition Man lives up to his reputation and there is much more mayhem in the offing for the seemingly hapless police force.

I really love the humour in this film, Wesley Snipes over-the-top performance and Stallone’s stone-faced delivery are really enjoyable to watch. In fact, really good performances all round, particularly from; Sylvester Stallone as John Spartan, Wesley Snipes as Simon Phoenix and Sandra Bullock as Lenina Huxley. Honourable mentions must also go to; Nigel Hawthorne as Dr. Raymond Cocteau, Benjamin Bratt as Alfredo Garcia, Bob Gunton as Chief George Earle, Glenn Shadix as Associate Bob and Denis Leary as Edgar Friendly.

This film is never going to tax the old grey matter too much, but I always find its good fun to watch. There is some good stunt work and some reasonable special effects, but I think it’s the vision of the possible future I find most intriguing. As I may have already mentioned, I like the humour, but don’t be fooled, there is plenty of violence to be had as well (definitely not a chick-flick). Recommended… But I still have one question… How the hell do you use the three sea shells?


My score: 7.2/10

LINKS:
IMDb Page: http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt0106697/
Trailer: http://uk.imdb.com/rg/VIDEO_PLAY/LINK/video/screenplay/vi3047227673/

Film Review: CLIFFHANGER (1993)

Director: Renny Harlin
Running time: 106 mins (approx)
Certification (UK): 15

UK release date: 25th June 1993

Watched on Sky+ Saturday 13th November 2010.

PLEASE NOTE: THERE MAY BE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.

I have seen this film quite a few times before, but this is the first time I’ve attempted to review it. It’s quite interesting seeing films that you haven’t seen for a while; you tend to notice things that you missed before. This is no exception, for instance, I hadn’t realised that British actor Craig Fairbrass was even in it until watching it this time! But I digress, here’s a short summary first (summary haters: this next paragraph is just a figment of your imagination).

Rescue worker Gabe Walker is about to give up his job after losing a climber in a rescue attempt a year ago. He has returned to clear out his stuff from the house he shared with his girlfriend Jessie Deighan when a call comes in. Some hikers are trapped on a mountain, the weather is too bad to get the helicopter out and Gabe is persuaded to go and help. His former friend Hal Tucker is also on the rescue attempt. Little do they know, the people they are heading to rescue are robbers who, after a failed hijacking, are now on the hunt for their loot. Their leader is Eric Qualen, a psychotic killer who is very determined to find the money as quickly as possible. He is aided, amongst others, by US Treasury employee turned bad, Richard Travers who has a tracking device for the three cases of cash. Walker and Tucker get separated and, while the gang keep Tucker as a guide, it’s up to Walker, who is later joined by Jesse, to try and get to the money before they do. They know that when the bad guys found all of the cases they will kill Tucker.

There is some stunning scenery in this film; the helicopter flying shots are particularly good. The special effects are maybe not quite up to the standard we are used to today, but still passable. There is also some great stunt work, hats off to those guys! Decent performances all round, particularly from Sylvester Stallone as Gabe Walker, John Lithgow real bad-ass as Eric Qualen and Michael Rooker as Hal Tucker. Honourable mentions go to; Janine Turner as Jessie Deighan, Rex Linn as Richard Travers and nice to see Ralph Waite as Frank.

I thought John Lithgow was particularly good as the bad guy; he really made the audience hate his character. Plenty of thrills and spills and I like the way the tension is slowly built up throughout. Although it looks a little dated by today’s standards, still a pretty enjoyable watch and overall… recommended.

My score: 6.7/10

LINKS:
IMDb Page: http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt0106582/
Trailer: http://uk.imdb.com/rg/VIDEO_PLAY/LINK/video/screenplay/vi2783511321/

Film Review: KUNG FU HUSTLE (2004)

Co-Writer/Director: Stephen Chow
Running time: 95 mins (approx)
Certification (UK): 15

UK release date: 24th June 2005

Watched on Sky+ Tuesday 9th November 2010.

PLEASE NOTE: THERE MAY BE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.

I have a vague recollection of seeing parts of this film before, maybe after a few beers one night. Needless to say, my attention wasn’t fully focused on the screen. So it was nice to sit down (sober) and watch it in its entirety. A very enjoyable film with some great comedic moments, excellent CGI and some tremendous fight sequences. But more of that later, here’s a brief summary first (summary haters please ignore the next paragraph).

It’s Shanghai in the 1940’s, competing gangs run the city and the most powerful is the “Axe Gang” led by Brother Sum. Only very poor neighbourhoods escape the gangs and one of these is Pig Sty Alley, a housing complex run by a crazy Landlord and Landlady. Sing and his sidekick Bone have ambitions to join the Axe Gang and one day they turn up in the Alley posing as Axe Gang members and start some trouble. This comes to the attention of the real Axe Gang and they intervene. Unknown to them, living amongst the down-and-outs in the alley are three former Kung Fu masters who defend their turf with great zeal. Brother Sum, seeking revenge, employs two assassins who are ultimately defeated by these three and another two other, rather unexpected, Kung Fu masters. Now quite furious, Brother Sum allows Sing, a skilled lock-pick, to join the gang and sends him to spring the ultimate assassin, The Beast, out of jail. We are now all set for the big showdown but Sing still has a part to play in the outcome.

I really enjoyed this film; even the subtitles didn’t detract too much from the action on the screen. The film has a comic-book style, which, although it relies quite heavily on CGI, is brought about more by the script, the set design and the actors than the computer generated visuals. Great performances all round, particularly from; Stephen Chow as Sing, Qiu Yuen as the Landlady, Wah Yuen as The Landlord, Kwok-Kwan Chan as Brother Sum, Zhi Hua Dong as Donut and Siu-Lung Leung as The Beast.

There are some great comic moments and many plot twists that take the audience on quite a journey. You never quite know just what is going to happen next. If I have a criticism, it’s that the fight scenes did drag on a little bit too long, but apart from that, a very entertaining film. It’s one that left me with a smile on my face and that’s always a good sign! I would certainly watch it again and so it’s highly recommended.

My score: 8.1/10

LINKS:
IMDb Page: http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt0373074/
Official Site: http://www.kungfuhustle.com/
Trailer: http://uk.imdb.com/rg/VIDEO_PLAY/LINK/video/screenplay/vi2945515801/

Film Review: JENNIFER’S BODY (2009)

Director: Karyn Kusama
Writer: Diablo Cody
Running time: 99 mins (approx)
Certification (UK): 15

UK release date: 4th November 2009

Watched on Sky+ Saturday 6th November 2010.

PLEASE NOTE: THERE MAY BE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.

If it wasn’t for the fact that this was written by Diablo Cody, writer of the rather excellent Juno (2007), I would probably have passed. I’m not a great fan of horror movies, unless they’re very very good, and so a teen horror flick is usually straight on the reject pile. But with Diablo Cody penning the words, how bad could it be? Well I’ll tell you after a short summary (as usual, summary haters please omit the next paragraph).

Jennifer Check and Needy Lesnicky have been friends since kindergarten and, although Jennifer is a cheerleader and Needy is a bit of a nerd, their friendship survived into high school. Needy has a steady boyfriend, Chip Dove, who is just an average teenager. Jennifer decides to take Needy to see a band she had seen on the internet called Low Shoulder. During the show a fire breaks out and several people are killed. Jennifer ends up going with the band in their van. Needy makes it home where she is met by Jennifer covered in blood. The next day Jennifer turns up at school behaving normal. This perplexes Needy and when, over the following weeks, several boys are found brutally murdered, she begins to put two and two together. Little does she know, Chip is becoming a target and time is running out.

Although the dialogue is just as snappy and cool as in Juno, this movie is sadly flawed. I just didn’t buy into the characters and found it all a little bit too ludicrous. A very decent performance though from Amanda Seyfried as Needy and honourable mentions go to Megan Fox as Jennifer, Johnny Simmons as Chip and Adam Brody as Nikolai Wolf.

I must say there is a really good score to this movie, some great indie and rock tracks, however, a great score does not a great movie make. There were one or two good moments in the film, but again, as a whole it just didn’t work for me. I guess if you’re a die hard fan of Megan Fox, then by all means go and see it, there are plenty of scenes with her wearing very little. Otherwise, not recommended.

My score: 5.2/10

LINKS:
IMDb Page: http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt1131734/
Trailer: http://uk.imdb.com/rg/VIDEO_PLAY/LINK/video/imdb/vi4062052889/