Film Review: AMERICAN PSYCHO (2000)

Director: Mary Harron
Writers: Bret Easton Ellis (novel), Mary Harron & Guinevere Turner (screenplay)
Running time: 97 mins (approx)
Certification (UK): 18

Genre: Crime/Drama
UK Release date: 21^st April 2000

Watched on Sky+ Sunday 3^rd March 2013.

PLEASE NOTE: THERE MAY BE UNINTENTIONAL SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.

Believe it or not, I had never seen this film before today; it’s one I’ve obviously wanted to see for a long time, but it’s always eluded me. I must say it was worth the wait; a very interesting take on the psychotic killer motif with one truly remarkable performance from Christian Bale. I should say that I’ve never read the book on which it’s based so I can’t compare it with the literary work but here’s a very brief summary before I give you my thoughts.

It’s the 1980’s; a time of excess and there’s no one better at it than New York company Vice President Patrick Bateman (Christian Bale). But despite the money, the beautiful fiancée, Evelyn Williams (Reese Witherspoon) and a great apartment; he’s not happy. See Patrick has a secret; one that’s about to make his life very difficult. See, he’s a psychopathic killer and in a fit of jealousy he’s just murdered one of his colleagues. This brings in a detective, Donald Kimball (Willem Dafoe) who begins to poke about and Patrick is afraid he might discover more that he’s supposed to. This doesn’t stop him carrying on his ‘hobby’, he even nearly kills his own secretary Jean (Chloë Sevigny). But as time passes we can see he’s unravelling and it’s getting worse, even to the point where you begin to doubt what’s real and what’s just in his head. I think I’ll leave it there…

First off, Christian Bale is totally excellent in this part; because I’ve seen all the Batman films before seeing this, it came as a bit of a culture shock to see him in this particular role. But he carries it off brilliantly! I love the way his character’s narration overlay’s the images and the musical references are worked in so well. It’s a really well made film too with a pretentious cuisine and big chunky telephones taking us back to the 80’s. Having not read the book I did find some of it a little hard to follow, but I’ll add it to the reading list and give this one another look afterwards. Definitely worth a look though, if just for Bale’s performance.

SteelMonster’s verdict: RECOMMENDED

My score: 8.1/10.

IMDb Score: 7.6/10 (based on 202,870 votes when this review was written).
http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt0144084/

MetaScore: 64/100: (Based on 35 critic reviews provided by Metacritic.com at the time of going to press).

Rotten Tomatoes ‘Tomatometer’ Score: 67/100 (based on 141 reviews counted at the time of going to press).

Rotten Tomatoes ‘Audience’ Score: 83/100 (based on 262,961 user ratings counted at the time of going to press).
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/american_psycho/

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http://facebook.com/andy.steel3

FAVOURITE QUOTES:
Evelyn Williams: Thousands of roses and lots of chocolate truffles. Godiva, and oysters in the half-shell.
Patrick Bateman: [Bateman narrating] I'm trying to listen to the new Robert Palmer tape, but Evelyn, my supposed fiancée, keeps buzzing in my ear.
Evelyn Williams: Annie Leibovitz. We'll get Annie Leibovitz. And we'll have to get someone to videotape. Patrick, we should do it.
Patrick Bateman: Do what?
Evelyn Williams: Get married. Have a wedding.
Patrick Bateman: No, I can't take the time off work.
Evelyn Williams: Your father practically owns the company. You can do anything you like, silly.
Patrick Bateman: I don't want to talk about it.
Evelyn Williams: You hate that job anyway. I don't see why you just don't quit.
Patrick Bateman: Because I want to fit in.

Patrick Bateman: You're a fucking ugly bitch. I want to stab you to death, and then play around with your blood.

Evelyn Williams: What about the past?
Patrick Bateman: We never really shared one.

Waiter: Would you like to hear today's specials?
Patrick Bateman: Not if you want to keep your spleen.

Patrick Bateman: He was into that whole Yale thing.
Donald Kimball: Yale thing?
Patrick Bateman: Yeah, Yale thing.
Donald Kimball: What whole Yale thing?
Patrick Bateman: Well, for one thing, I think he was probably a closet homosexual who did a lot of cocaine. That whole Yale thing.

LINKS:
(Note: All were working at the time of going to press)
Trailer:

Film Review: THE DARK KNIGHT RISES (2012)

Director: Christopher Nolan
Writers: Bob Kane (characters), David S. Goyer (story), Christopher Nolan (story/screenplay), Jonathan Nolan (screenplay)
Running time: 164 mins (approx)
Certification (UK): 12A

Genre: Action/Adventure/Crime
UK Release date: 20^th July 2012

Watched at the Picture House (K-town) Saturday 21^st July 2012.

 

---------o0o---------

And so we come to the final chapter in Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy and I must say it was well worth the wait. Everything from the opening sequence to the credits at the end had me gripped (even two boys arguing in the next row half way through didn’t spoil my enjoyment – I may have spoiled theirs though!). For a change I won’t do a summary as I know there are many out there not wanting to know any of the plot and so I’ll respect that and keep my comments as spoiler-free as I can. I’ll save it for when I review the DVD at a later date.

Many new characters are introduced in this instalment, the most important of which is Bane, The Dark Knight’s new nemesis. We are introduced to him in an action sequence that could have come straight from my favourite Nolan film, Inception. He is an echo from Bruce Wayne’s past; one that will resonate deeply for him. The renowned thief Catwoman (a.k.a. Selina Kyle) also makes an appearance; she can either help or hinder the Batman; I won’t tell you which. A young police officer, Blake, will also have a part to play; like Bruce Wayne, he’s also an orphan and this could shape his future. Miranda Tate is an investor who wants Bruce Wayne to help her with her charity work; she could be the key to saving Wayne Enterprises. Of course, returning characters, Commissioner Gordon, Alfred and Lucius Fox all have their parts to play in this quite extraordinary tale. The more I think about it the more I want to see it again! Yes, it’s THAT good.

The cinematography by Director of Photography, Wally Pfister, was once again truly epic! How he got some of those shots, I will never know, it’s a great piece of work for which he should be congratulated. The musical score by Hans Zimmer, again a great piece of work with themes that fit the visuals perfectly. And so we come to the performances; for an actor playing the same role for the third time, I thought Christian Bale gave his best performance as Bruce Wayne/Batman here. You really felt his pain and conflict and when we get to the end… well, I guess I’d better not tell you that bit. Gary Oldman as Commissioner Gordon was excellent as usual; given more to do in a slightly more demanding role this time, I thought he did a great job. Now to Bane, played with great aplomb by Tom Hardy, a tough part to play due to the restrictions of his costume; I thought he did it really well and I couldn’t imagine anyone else for the part. Joseph Gordon-Levitt was a good choice for the part of Blake; still young enough to play a role that could evolve if the franchise is continued (I can’t say any more). Anne Hathaway played Catwoman/Selina Kyle and I thought did a pretty excellent job (even without a skin-tight costume). Marion Cotillard as Miranda Tate; her role really surprised me and she played it with great composure (no more clues). Finally I must say that both Morgan Freeman as Lucius Fox and Michael Caine as Alfred were both as excellent as ever.

With set-piece action sequences that are truly epic and an intelligent plot that has many a twist to keep the audience interested; for me it was one of the best films I’ll see this year! I listened to Christopher Nolan in an interview before I saw the film and he was saying that although CGI is used in places, there’s always a physical effect at the heart of it, and it shows. All the effects are expertly done with some great stunt-work behind many of them (hats off to those guys). Some may find the slow build-up to the ultimate conclusion a little tedious but, for me, it made the ending all the more poignant and all the more effective!... VERY VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

My score: 9.8/10

IMDb Score: [Awaiting 5 Votes (surprisingly)] (based on <5 votes at the time of going to press).
http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt1345836/

MetaScore: 78/100: (Based on 43 critic reviews provided by Metacritic.com at the time of going to press).

Rotten Tomatoes ‘Tomatometer’ Score: 87/100 (based on 228 reviews counted at the time of going to press).

Rotten Tomatoes ‘Audience’ Score: 94/100 ‘Liked it’ (based on 372,822 user ratings counted at the time of going to press).
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_dark_knight_rises/

If you’re crazy enough… You can find me on Facebook at:
http://facebook.com/andy.steel3

FAVOURITE QUOTES:
Jim Gordon: [lying in a hospital bed] We were in this together, and then you were gone. Now this evil... rises. The Batman has to come back.
Bruce Wayne: What if he doesn't exist any more?
Jim Gordon: He must... he must...

Bruce Wayne: That's a brazen costume for a cat burglar.
Catwoman: Yeah? Who are you pretending to be?

Alfred: You are as precious to me as you were to your own mother and father. I swore to them that I would protect you, and I haven't.

Lucius Fox: This conversation used to end with an unusual request.
Bruce Wayne: I'm retired.
Lucius Fox: Well let me show you some stuff anyway. Just for old time's sake.

Selina Kyle: [to Bruce Wayne] You think this can last? There's a storm coming, Mr. Wayne. You and your friends better batten down the hatches, because when it hits, you're all gonna wonder how you ever thought you could live so large and leave so little for the rest of us.

Bane: Gotham, take control... take control of your city. Behold, the instrument of your liberation! Identify yourself to the world!

Crowd: [chanting] Deh-Shay, Deh-Shay, Bah Sah Rah. Bah Sah Rah.
Bruce Wayne: What does that mean?
Prisoner: "Rise."

LINKS:
(Note: All were working at the time of going to press)
Official Site: http://www.thedarkknightrises.com/
Official Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thedarkknightrises
Trailer:

Film Review: THE DARK KNIGHT (2008)

Director: Christopher Nolan
Writers: Bob Kane (characters), David S. Goyer (story/screenplay), Christopher Nolan (story/screenplay), Jonathan Nolan (screenplay)
Running time: 152 mins (approx)
Certification (UK): 12A

Genre: Action/Crime/Drama
UK Release date: 24^th July 2008

Watched on DVD Saturday 14^th July 2012.

PLEASE NOTE: THERE MAY BE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.

I guess there’s little I can say about this film that hasn’t already been said, apart from things like ‘Terrible’ and ‘Nolan should be ashamed’, but of course I’m not going to lie… It’s truly epic and a fitting tribute to Heath Ledger who is totally awesome as the Joker (and believe me I’m not saying that just because he’s no longer with us). Amazingly it’s only the second time I’ve seen it, not surprising given its length and the busy lives we lead these days, but I must say it really gripped me all the way through. More on the grippyness of it after this very brief summary.

Having tied up the lose ends from ‘Batman Begins’, a new villain is in town to taunt the Batman. This guy, the Joker, pulls no punches in his rise to the top of the new District Attorney, Harvey Dent’s, wanted list. Although he still believes the police force is untrustworthy me’s willing to work with Lt. Jim Gordon, who he knows can get him into contact with Batman. The pair meet and Batman is impressed and believes he’s the man to take over his work; a ‘hero with a face’, to use his words. Dent is dating Bruce Wayne’s childhood girlfriend, Rachel Dawes who is one of the very few that know he is Batman (Sorry if that’s a spoiler, but if you didn’t know that by now…). Meanwhile the Joker has made overtures to the organised crime bosses of the city and has given them an offer… He’ll kill Batman for half of their money. Will they take him up on the offer? Is Harvey Dent the hero Batman hopes he is? Well, I guess I had better not say here or the Spoiler police (Gotham Division) will have me banged up in Arkham Asylum (again).

Beautifully made with an excellent score by James Newton Howard and Hans Zimmer that really sets the tone and carries themes over from the first film ‘Batman Begins’. Lots of physical stunts used although there was some CGI in evidence; both were excellently done. Performance-wise, well star billing has to go to Heath Ledger as the Joker; I doubt I’ll ever see a bad guy quite like that again, he was awesome! Of course, Christian Bale did his usual excellent work as Batman/Bruce Wayne, as did Michael Caine as Alfred. Aaron Eckhart was much better than I remembered (from first viewing) as Harvey Dent/Two-Face and Maggie Gyllenhaal did a decent job as Rachel Dawes. Gary Oldman as Lt. Jim Gordon and Morgan Freeman as Lucius Fox complete the starring line-up and both were excellent as ever.

I usually find, when watching a film of this length, that there is always a passage where your mind wanders and you find yourself drifting away from what’s on the screen. Not so with this film; Nolan keeps your attention all the way through, whether it’s with stunning action sequences or with the dialogue or just with the interaction between the characters that (by then) you’ve become invested in. He really is a master of his art and I can only hope he goes on to make even better films in the future. As for ‘The Dark Knight’ well I knocked a couple of points off for the ‘tidy-up form Batman Begins’ sequence at the beginning; I didn’t think it was necessary. Other than that it was near-perfect… VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

My score: 9.7/10

IMDb Score: 8.9/10 (based on 726,635 votes at the time of going to press).
http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt0468569/

MetaScore: 82/100: (Based on 39 critic reviews provided by Metacritic.com at the time of going to press).

Rotten Tomatoes ‘Tomatometer’ Score: 94/100 (based on 281 reviews counted at the time of going to press).

Rotten Tomatoes ‘Audience’ Score: 96/100 ‘Liked it’ (based on 1,167,671 user ratings counted at the time of going to press).
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_dark_knight/

If you’re crazy enough… You can find me on Facebook at:
http://facebook.com/andy.steel3

FAVOURITE QUOTES:
Gotham National Bank Manager: Think you're pretty smart, huh? The guy that hired youze, he'll just do the same to you. Oh, criminals in this town used to believe in things. Honor. Respect. Look at you! What do you believe in, huh? WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE IN?
[Bozo leans down and sticks a gas grenade in the manager's mouth]
Bozo: I believe whatever doesn't kill you, simply makes you...
[takes off his mask, revealing the Joker]
The Joker: ...stranger.

Bruce Wayne: Targeting me won't get their money back. I knew the mob wouldn't go down without a fight, but this is different. They crossed the line.
Alfred Pennyworth: You crossed the line first, sir. You squeezed them; you hammered them to the point of desperation. And in their desperation, they turned to a man they didn't fully understand.
Bruce Wayne: Criminals aren't complicated, Alfred. Just have to figure out what he's after.
Alfred Pennyworth: With respect Master Wayne, perhaps this is a man that *you* don't fully understand, either. A long time ago, I was in Burma. My friends and I were working for the local government. They were trying to buy the loyalty of tribal leaders by bribing them with precious stones. But their caravans were being raided in a forest north of Rangoon by a bandit. So, we went looking for the stones. But in six months, we never met anybody who traded with him. One day, I saw a child playing with a ruby the size of a tangerine. The bandit had been throwing them away.
Bruce Wayne: So why steal them?
Alfred Pennyworth: Well, because he thought it was good sport. Because some men aren't looking for anything logical, like money. They can't be bought, bullied, reasoned, or negotiated with. Some men just want to watch the world burn.

The Joker: And... here... we... go!

The Chechen: What you do with all your money?
The Joker: See, I'm a man of simple tastes. I enjoy dynamite, and gunpowder, and... gasoline!
[he pours gasoline on the mountain of cash]
The Chechen: [panicked] What the...?
The Joker: Ah-ta-ta-ta-ta. And you know the thing they have in common? They're cheap.

Natascha: How could you want to raise children in a city like this?
Bruce Wayne: Well, I grew up in Gotham, and I turned out all right.

LINKS:
(Note: All were working at the time of going to press)
Official Site: http://thedarkknight.warnerbros.com/dvdsite/
Trailer:

Film Review: BATMAN BEGINS (2005)

Director: Christopher Nolan
Writers: Bob Kane (characters), David S. Goyer (story/screenplay), Christopher Nolan (screenplay)
Running time: 144 mins (approx)
Certification (UK): 12

Genre: Action/Crime/Drama
UK Release date: 16^th June 2005

Watched on DVD Sunday 8^th July 2012.

PLEASE NOTE: THERE MAY BE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.

It has been a while since I first saw this film and I had forgotten just how good it was! Totally epic with a tremendous soundtrack by James Newton Howard and Hans Zimmer, it really takes your breath away. I thought Tim Burton’s 1989 re-imagining of the Batman story was good but this was truly epic. Not that Nolan hasn’t borrowed from Burton to some extent; it’s very dark in tone and the styling is very gothic, just as in Burton’s version. Where this has the edge is in the way the story is told and how the characters evolve… But more of that later, here’s a very brief summary before I tell you more.

When his parents are murdered by a mugger young Bruce Wayne is devastated. He has inherited the Wayne fortune but later, when the man responsible for his parents’ murder is himself murdered by crime boss, Carmine Falcone; he leaves to travel the world and learn how to defeat men like him. Eventually he comes across Henri Ducard who, in turn, introduces him to Ra’s Al Ghul, the leader of a fighting force who call themselves the League of Shadows. They are sworn to destroy evil in the world, no matter the cost. Wayne trains with them and he is forced to face his darkest fears. When the time comes for him to join them though, he refuses and returns to Gotham. Here the family butler, Alfred helps him re-enter society and gain a place back at the family business. He now has a purpose and uses the company resources, with the help of former board member, Lucius Fox, to equip himself for the next phase of his plan – the Batman. His childhood sweetheart, now district attorney, Rachel Dawes and a cop, Jim Gordon, become part of his plan to bring down Carmine Falcone; but are there are other, more sinister, parties behind him?... I will leave it there or the Spoiler Police (Gotham Division) will have me manning the bat-signal (again).

Beautifully shot with some stunning CGI; chiefly used for the cityscapes of Gotham, and they look great. The sets and locations all blur seamlessly together and make for a visual treat; Nolan certainly has an eye for this kind of thing. All the performances were excellent; especially Christian Bale as Bruce Wayne/Batman, he really nailed it. I must also give praise to Michael Caine as Alfred; a role he could have been born to play, I thought he was perfect. Katie Holmes was also very good as Rachel Dawes, as were Liam Neeson as Henri Ducard, Morgan Freeman as Lucius Fox and Gary Oldman as Jim Gordon. I will give honourable mentions to; Cillian Murphy as Dr. Jonathan Crane/The Scarecrow, Tom Wilkinson as Carmine Falcone, Rutger Hauer as Earle and Ken Watanabe as Ra’s Al Ghul. Oh, and if you look carefully you might spot a young Jack Gleeson (currently on TV’s ‘A Game of Thrones’) in a minor role.

I’m sure that many people saw ‘The Dark Knight’, the sequel to this film, and wet back to re-watch this one. I have, of course, seen both but decided to re-watch them in order so I can get some perspective before the third instalment is released in a couple of weeks. As I said at the beginning, I had forgotten just how epic this film was and how it manages to hold your attention virtually all the way through. All the characters are quite believable (despite being based on a fantasy comic book) and their motivations are made clear. Something that many filmmakers forget but something that is vitally important when it comes to keeping the attention of the audience. For me, one of the best origin story movies I’ve seen and one I have no problem in deeming… HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

My score: 9.1/10

IMDb Score: 8.3/10 (based on 414,263 votes at the time of going to press).
http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt0372784/

MetaScore: 70/100: (Based on 41 critic reviews provided by Metacritic.com at the time of going to press).

Rotten Tomatoes ‘Tomatometer’ Score: 85/100 (based on 261 reviews counted at the time of going to press).

Rotten Tomatoes ‘Audience’ Score: 90/100 ‘Liked it’ (based on 969,838 user ratings counted at the time of going to press).
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/batman_begins/

If you’re crazy enough… You can find me on Facebook at:
http://facebook.com/andy.steel3

FAVOURITE QUOTES:
Enormous Prisoner: You are in hell, little man!
[punches Bruce Wayne]
Enormous Prisoner: And I am the devil!
[punches him again]
Bruce Wayne: You're not the devil. You're practice.

Bruce Wayne: They told me there was nothing out there, nothing to fear. But the night my parents were murdered I caught a glimpse of something. I've looked for it ever since. I went around the world, searched in all the shadows. And there is something out there in the darkness, something terrifying, something that will not stop until it gets revenge... Me.

[Bruce is refusing to demonstrate his commitment to justice by executing a criminal]
Ra's Al Ghul: You cannot lead these men unless you are prepared to do what is necessary to defeat evil.
Bruce Wayne: And where would I be leading these men?
Ra's Al Ghul: Gotham. As Gotham's favoured son you will be ideally placed to strike at the heart of criminality.
Bruce Wayne: How?
Ra's Al Ghul: Gotham's time has come. Like Constantinople or Rome before it the city has become a breeding ground for suffering and injustice. It is beyond saving and must be allowed to die. This is the most important function of the League of Shadows. It is one we've performed for centuries. Gotham... must be destroyed.

Dr. Jonathan Crane: I am more than aware that you are not intimidated by *me*, Mr. Falcone. But you know who I'm working for, and when he gets here...
Carmine Falcone: He-he's coming to Gotham?
Dr. Jonathan Crane: Yes he is. And when he gets here, he's not gonna want to hear that you have endangered our operation just to get your thugs out of a little jail time.

Earle: Jessica, where are you?
[walks into outer room]
Bruce Wayne: [to Jessica] Eye on the ball, and...
Earle: Why is no one answering the phone?
[sees Bruce from behind, teaching Jessica to play golf]
Bruce Wayne: [turning around] It's Wayne Enterprises, Mr. Earle, I'm sure they'll call back.
Earle: Bruce? You're supposed to be dead.
Bruce Wayne: I'm sorry to disappoint.

Batman: Falcone sent them to kill you.
Rachel Dawes: Why?
Batman: You rattled his cage.
[throws photos of Judge Faden with prostitutes]
Rachel Dawes: What's this?
Batman: Leverage.
Rachel Dawes: For what?
Batman: To get things moving.
Rachel Dawes: Who are you?
Batman: Someone like you. Someone who'll rattle the cages.

LINKS:
(Note: All were working at the time of going to press)
Official Site: http://www2.warnerbros.com/batmanbegins/index.html
Trailer:

Film Review: HOWL’S MOVING CASTLE (2004)

Writer (Screenplay)/Director: Hayao Miyazaki
Writer (Novel): Diana Wynne Jones
Running time: 119 mins (approx)
Certification (UK): U

Genre: Animation/Action/Adventure
UK Release date: 23^rd September 2005

Watched on Sky+ Sunday 26^th February 2012.

PLEASE NOTE: THERE MAY BE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.

I have made a point of watching all of the Studio Ghibli films I’ve seen up to now in the native Japanese. With this one though I’ve had to make an exception as the TV company showing it supplied the English language dubbed version. Not that it’s a particularly bad thing; it just means I’ll have to re-watch it at some point in Japanese with subtitles. So what did I think? Well I’ll tell you after this brief summary.

When eighteen year old Sophie is cursed by The Witch of the Waste she finds herself grown very old. Unable to stay with her family, she sets off to find her fortune. She befriends a scarecrow who takes her to the Wizard Howl’s moving castle. Here she meets a fire demon, Calcifer, who agrees to lift her curse if she can release him from the control of Howl. Also in the castle is Markl, a young boy who is kind of an apprentice to the wizard. On his return Howl accepts Old Sophie as a cleaning woman, but it appears he knows more than he’s letting on. We follow these characters through a series of adventures that eventually lead to the truth about Howl, and not to forget Calcifer. I will not say any more or the Spoiler Police (Ghibli Division) will be subtitling me (again).

Beautifully animated with a great score by Joe Hisaishi made for an epic feel to this picture. Likable characters also added to the enjoyment factor. Performance-wise, I thought everyone did a great job, and so honourable mentions must go to; Jean Simmons as Grandma (or Old) Sophie, Christian Bale as Howl, Lauren Bacall as Witch of the Waste, Blythe Danner as Madame Suliman, Emily Mortimer as Young Sophie, Josh Hutcherson as Markl and Billy Crystal as Calcifer.

One thing I cannot get over is the beautiful clarity of the animation. Studio Ghibli has a very particular style and I must admit to being a great fan of the way their films look; at times they can be quite breathtaking. I also love the imagination of the people that designed things like the Castle, it’s quite fantastic. Putting aside the visuals for a moment, I have to say that, sadly, I did find this one a little too long at nearly two hours. Although I did find the story quite enthralling at times, there wasn’t quite enough (for me) to enthral me for quite that long. Having said that it’s still an excellent piece of work and one I have no problem in deeming… Recommended.

My score: 7.1/10.

IMDb Score: 8.1/10 (based on 73,040 votes at the time of going to press).
http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt0347149/

Rotten Tomatoes ‘Tomatometer’ Score: 86/100 (based on 147 reviews counted at the time of going to press).

Rotten Tomatoes ‘Audience’ Score: 93/100 (based on 220,543 user ratings counted at the time of going to press).
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/howls_moving_castle/

If you’re crazy enough… You can find me on Facebook at:
http://facebook.com/andy.steel3

FAVOURITE QUOTES:
[Two soldiers are bothering Sophie]
Howl: There you are sweetheart, sorry I'm late. I was looking everywhere for you.
Soldier: Hey, hey! We're busy here!
Howl: Are you really? To me, it looked like the two of you were just leaving.
[gestures with his hand, the soldiers are forced to march away]

Old Sophie: Why do you get so cold when you're old? I'm fatter than ever and yet the wind blows right through me!

Old Sophie: What a dump. When I think of castles, it's not what I picture.

Old Sophie: All right Calcifer, lets get cooking.
Calcifer: I don't cook! I'm a scary and powerful fire demon!

LINKS:
(Note: All were working at the time of going to press)
Official Site: http://disney.go.com/disneypictures/castle/
Trailer:

Film Review: THE FIGHTER (2010)

Director: David O. Russell
Running time: 116 mins (approx)
Certification (UK): 15

Genre: Biography/Drama/Sport
UK Release date: 2^nd February 2011

Watched on DVD Sunday 2^nd October 2011.

PLEASE NOTE: THERE MAY BE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.

Since several friends of mine have recommended this movie, and since one of them even leant me the DVD, I thought I’d better give it a look. Well, it makes a nice change to say they were correct on this occasion, it’s a tremendous film! I really enjoyed it and have no problem in recommending it (yes, I liked it that much I’ll recommend it in the first paragraph). I’ll tell you why after this brief summary.

Micky Ward is a boxer, not a very successful one when we meet him, but a boxer nonetheless. His half-brother, Dicky Eklund, on the other hand, once had a fight for the world title against Sugar Ray Leonard. As we begin, Dicky is supposed to be training Micky, but he’s late… he’s always late. A film crew are making a documentary about Dicky, a documentary about the effects of crack addiction. Yes, Dicky has a habit and yet none of his family is prepared to do anything about it. His mother, Alice, who runs the family with an iron fist, refuses to recognise it, as does her husband, George Ward and his many sisters (too many to mention). Micky meets a girl, Charlene Fleming and they start to see each other, she is strong-willed, just like his mother, and you can see conflict coming. When Dicky gets locked up Charlene persuades Micky to go with a different manager and trainer. It pays off and Micky gets on the road to success… but how will his family react? I’ll leave it there because I don’t want the Spoiler Police breaking my fingers.

The plot of this film is a great family drama, and what makes it better is that it’s based on a true story. The critics were all over Christian Bale’s performance and he did indeed walk away with the Oscar for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role for his portrayal of Dicky Eklund. Also worthy of note was Melissa Leo who also won the Oscar for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role for her take on the domineering mother, Alice Ward. Personally, I was surprised that Mark Wahlberg didn’t even get a nomination for his role of Micky Ward and I have to also give a mention to Amy Adams as Charlene Fleming, who I thought was also great.

I find that sometimes films based on true stories tend to over-dramatise events and in doing so lose the essence of the story. I don’t think that is true in this case, they are very much ‘larger than life’ characters and that’s just how they are portrayed. I did find it ironic though that ‘Irish’ Micky Ward had to fight an Irishman for one of his big fights. I noticed the filmmakers made him a not very nice Irishman though. But enough of that, I found the film very uplifting and quite inspiring. As I said at the beginning, I have no problem in recommending this one… If you haven’t seen it, please do, it’s well worth the time.

My Score: 9.2/10

IMDb Score: 8.0/10 (based on 77,231 votes at the time of going to press).
http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt0964517/

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 91/100 (based on 225 reviews counted at the time of going to press).
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the-fighter/

FAVOURITE QUOTES:
Mickey Ward: Alice, this is Charlene.
Charlene Fleming: Hi.
Alice Ward: I've heard a lot about you.
Charlene Fleming: Really? I've heard a lot about you too.
Alice Ward: What's that supposed to mean?
Charlene Fleming: Same thing you meant.

Mickey Ward: I'm the one who's fighting. Not you, not you, and not you.

Dicky Eklund: Are you like me? Was just good enough to fight Sugar Ray? Never had to win, did I? You gotta do more in there. You gotta win a title. For you, for me, for Lowell. This is your time, all right? You take it. I had my time and I blew it. You don't have to. All right? You fuckin' get out there, and use all the shit that you've been through, all the shit we've gone through over the fuckin' years, and you put it in that ring right now. This is yours. This is fuckin' yours.

LINKS:
Official Site: http://www.thefightermovie.com/
Trailer:

Film Review: HARSH TIMES (2005)

Writer/Director: David Ayer
Running time: 116 mins (approx)
Certification (UK): 15

Genre: Drama/Crime
UK Release date: 12th August 2006

Watched on Sky+ Saturday 16th July 2011.

PLEASE NOTE: THERE MAY BE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.

I can’t really say why I wanted to see this film, maybe I was intrigued, but whatever it was, I’m quite glad I did. I have seen many better films, but few with better performances. Unfortunately, a great performance (or two) does not always a great film make; and this is a case in point. I will tell you more after a brief summary.

Jim Luther Davis has done his time as an Army Ranger in Iraq and has returned to his home in Los Angeles. He has a girlfriend in Mexico, Marta, who he intends to marry and bring back with him, but he needs a job first. The trouble is, Jim has come back psychologically damaged, and this is going to affect his prospects. His best friend, Mike Alonzo, is under pressure from his wife, Sylvia, to find work and Jim offers to drive him around to look. After Jim is turned down by the LAPD, he flips out and Mike has to calm him down. They steal some weed from a dealer and get high. Jim then hears that Homeland Security are interested in him and he has to go for an evaluation the next day. By some subterfuge, he manages to get through and is offered a job in Colombia. This does not fit in with his plans, but he agrees. Deciding to have one last blow-out, he takes Mike and another friend, Toussant, down to Mexico, but all is not well with Jim and things are about to really get out of hand.

I have to say that I found the character of Jim Davies very distasteful, even before he flips out. He’s crass, stupid and drags everyone around him down with him. Having said that, he is played perfectly by Christian Bale. A really great performance, and one he should be proud of. I thought Freddy Rodríguez was also excellent as his best friend Mike Alonzo. Honourable mentions go to; Eva Longoria as Mike’s long suffering wife, Sylvia; Chaka Forman as Toussant and Tammy Trull as Marta.

The plot kind of ambled around a lot and didn’t really go anywhere for quite some time. I have to say I wasn’t exactly gripped by it for quite long periods. I’m guessing there wasn’t a very large budget because most of the action takes place out on the streets. This didn’t detract too much, in fact I quite liked the realistic feel it gave to proceedings. The only other saving grace was the quality of the performances by the two main characters, but even that wasn’t quite enough for me to recommend this one I’m afraid.

My Score: 5.1/10

LINKS:
(RT = Rotten Tomatoes)
IMDb Page: http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt0433387/
RT Page: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/harsh_times/
Trailer: