Posted : 2 years, 6 months ago on 14 June 2022 08:41
(A review of
Jason and the Argonauts (1963))
While not my all-time favourite movie or anything, I really like Jason and the Argonauts. It does start off a little slow and Todd Armstrong is a tad wooden in the lead, but visually and audibly it is simply delightful. The scenery is splendid as is the cinematography, and Bernard Hermann's score is distinctive and really quite stirring. The story is exciting enough, with scenes involving encounters with gods and demons and Honor Blackman playing chess with the destiny of men, and moves along briskly, while the dialogue is pretty good on the whole. The direction is solid too, while the acting while nothing outstanding was not bad either. Honor Blackman is both alluring and cunning, while Patrick Troughton and Laurence Naismith are nice additions to the cast. Along with the score, my favourite asset of this film were the thrilling special effects by none other than the legend known as Ray Harryhousen- I particularly loved the sword-wielding skeletons and the giant man of bronze. Overall, this film is just fun and there is for me lots of it. 8/10 Bethany Cox
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Posted : 2 years, 6 months ago on 14 June 2022 08:31
(A review of
Ikiru)
As a great fan of Akira Kurasawa, Ikiru is not just Kurasawa's most moving film it is one of his very finest alongside Seven Samurai and Ran. It is as always beautifully made, sumptuous in look and the cinematography simple yet interesting. Kurasawa's direction is at its most delicate, making a story that could easily be mawkish and manipulative into a genuinely moving, powerful and quite inspiring one instead, and making us also care every step of the way for the dignified central character of Watanabe. Together with a hypnotic score, a thought-provoking script and a powerful, yet in a discreet and heart-wrenching way, lead performance from Takeshi Shimura, and you have a fantastic film.
Overall, I can't praise Ikiru enough. Any complaints of how the final third is not as good as the rest of the movie is valid but I didn't care so much after being moved and inspired so much by the film. 10/10 Bethany Cox
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Posted : 2 years, 6 months ago on 14 June 2022 08:05
(A review of
What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962))
What Ever Happened to Baby Jane was a movie I once saw about 7 years ago, and in all honesty some of it traumatised me not just the purposefully grotesque make up but also the snarl-and-shriek chemistry between the two leads. Watching it again, the film maintains its chilling and shocking values, but there is also under the surface a sadness, compassion and campiness(in a good way) that I didn't notice as much previously.
What Ever Happened to Baby Jane is essentially a must see movie. The production values are superb, with beautiful yet atmospheric cinematography, well-tailored costumes, well-constructed/chosen sets/scenery and above all the grotesque yet brilliant make-up. The music never detracts from the atmosphere which is resolutely chilling albeit with moments of pathos as seen Davis' and Crawford's envy, the script shocks, amuses and delights and the story is well-paced and never less than interesting. Aldrich directs superbly, and while Victor Bueno is wonderful, it is the performances and hair-raising chemistry between the two leads that takes centre stage. Joan Crawford is superb, but Bette Davis has the meatier role as a very over-the-edge character and gives a portrayal that is both terrifying and heartbreaking.
Overall, a must see film especially for the leads. 10/10 Bethany Cox
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Posted : 2 years, 6 months ago on 14 June 2022 07:18
(A review of
The Innocents)
Along with Black Narcissus and From Here to Eternity, The Innocents is one of Deborah Kerr's best roles and films. She is excellent as the haunted Miss Giddens, but that is not to say she is the only asset worth looking out for. This is a superb film, truly terrifying and unforgettable with a brilliant story(based on Turn of the Screw) and the suspense and chills are so much that even after seeing The Innocents two days previous I've never forgotten about it. The script is excellent too, as is the direction, while the conclusion is incredibly chilling to say the least. Then there is the fantastic cinematography, and Pamela Franklin and Martin Stephens who are bone/spine-chilling as the orphans and Peter Wyngarde who is the personification of evil as brutal Quint. In conclusion, a must see for especially fans of Kerr or of Turn of the Screw. 10/10 Bethany Cox
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Posted : 2 years, 7 months ago on 7 June 2022 06:15
(A review of
Monk)
Monk is a very entertaining detective series, that is excellent if you want some chuckles for 45 minutes. Tony Shalhoub is fantastic in the lead, giving the character a sense of charm and humour. Monk suffers from OCD. However, because of this, Monk's actions are priceless, as he is obsessed with everything. There was even one episode, when he was at a school, and he wrote his name very neatly on the blackboard, and rubbed it off again, after he was unsatisfied with how it looked. Bitty Schram is lovely as Sharona, and Traylor Howard was a very worthy replacement in the later series as Natalie. Ted Levine is amusing as Stottlemeyer,(I loved the episode with the chimpanzee and Levine jumping up and down in the interview room) there was one episode, when he was exasperated when Monk was convinced that a man who is "conveniently" in a coma sent bombs to two people, Levine's reactions were priceless. Jason Gray-Stanford has his moments as Lieutenant Randall Disher. There have also been some great guest stars, one of my many favourites was Tim Curry as Dale "the Whale" Biederbeck in the episode Mr Monk Goes To Jail, as well as John Tuturro as Monk's estranged brother Ambrose. I am not hugely keen on Randy Newman, so I don't know what to think of the title song. Other than that, I really like Monk. 9/10 Bethany Cox.
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Posted : 2 years, 7 months ago on 6 June 2022 12:36
(A review of
Paddington 2)
Loved the first 'Paddington', was not sure whether that would be the case but it turned out to be one of that year's biggest surprises and delights. Was enthused about hearing that there was a sequel with the same crew returning, always a plus when it comes to sequels, but there was the concern as to whether it would fall victim to "sequel-titis".
Very luckily, 'Paddington 2' does not fall victim to that. It is one of not many sequels to actually be equal in quality to its predecessor and come close to being even better. It maintains all of 'Paddington's' heart, fun and charm, maintaining everything that made that film so good, and even builds on that appeal. For such a hit-and-miss year and seeing my fair share of overblown big-budget blockbusters with little soul, films that waste great premises and films that attempted laugh-a-minute laughs and doing it in a way that came at the expense of heart, 'Paddington 2' was a much needed refreshment. Not saying at all that it has been a completely bad year, actually there have been very good to great films, just that 'Paddington 2' stood out in the best of ways in recent weeks.
Maybe it could have been ever so slightly longer and would have again liked to have seen more of Mr Curry and his acrimonious relationship with Paddington. Everything else is magic.
'Paddington 2' once again looks great. It's beautifully shot and vibrant in design with a little bit of grit and Paddington as to be expected couldn't have looked more perfect. The music score is suitably soothing, rousing and whimsical, while the direction keeps things moving at a bright and breezy pace. A pace that never slows down but doesn't ever feel too hasty either.
Scripting is also spot on. The comedic moments are incredibly funny, the best of it hilarious, with rapid-fire wit, endearing quirkiness, clever gags that don't feel like pale retreads of before and perfectly pitched misunderstandings and physical comedy. Underneath all the humour and the darker and more suspenseful mystery/action-oriented elements of the story is a big heart and strong emotional core, with some lovely inspiring messaging and values that are very much current and some touching parts. It's also incredibly intelligent, not many films this year have treated its audience with the amount of respect that 'Paddington 2' has, and has such an endearing innocence.
A large part of that is the character of Paddington himself. Can't fault his design or Ben Whishaw's beautiful voice acting, nor can one fault his truly adorable personality, absolutely love how he tries to still remain even in the grimmest of situations and he is easy to root for and love throughout. The story may on the slight side structurally but has a lot going on, without being cluttered, that makes it very much eventful and to me there weren't any tonal issues.
Every ounce of the heart, charm and fun seen in 'Paddington' is here and everybody gets a chance to shine, especially Mr Brown and Mrs Bird of Paddington's family. The new characters are great additions, with a superior villain and the character of the cook Knuckles being one of the film's nicest surprises. Only Mr Curry could have been done better.
Performances across the board are great. Hugh Bonneville balances comedy and drama with ease, Sally Hawkins is compassionate and Julie Walters is a hoot. Jim Broadbent is always a welcome presence and the younger actors are appealing. Brendan Gleeson excels in a departure role, a dramatic actor in a more comedic role in a family-friendly film could have gone wrong but Gleeson brings a curmudgeonly charm and great comic timing. Hugh Grant is also cast against type and brilliantly sends up himself and the world of acting. This is Paddington's film though.
Overall, an absolute delight and refreshing. 9/10 Bethany Cox
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Posted : 2 years, 7 months ago on 6 June 2022 12:29
(A review of
Paddington)
Was not expecting to enjoy it as much as I did, to be honest, after seeing the trailer which gave off the vibe that it was going to be another live-action/CGI outing with a weak script, a predictable story, cheap gags and characters we don't care about. After seeing the film, Paddington had none of those things and the trailer really did not do it justice, it may not entirely have the essence of the stories and TV series but it modernises the setting etc. very cleverly and stands very well on its own terms.
Paddington looks great, with lots of vibrant colour in the sets(the forest in the prologue is beautiful as well) and with photography that's not haphazard or sloppy. Paddington himself is brilliantly animated and the complete opposite of cheap. The music has its playful-in the humour/slap-stick- and soothing)in the emotional parts) moments, while the script is a sheer delight with deliciously witty dialogue that children and adults alike will understand and enjoy. The story is also a winner, the comedy scenes are just hilarious and very well-timed, something that will absolutely delight children, and the adult jokes are equally sly with inspired references(in a visual way) to the likes of Wes Anderson. Paddington also has a lot of heart and warmth, there are some emotional moments and they were very touchingly done without being cloying, and there is even a bit of suspense thrown in without being too dark or out of place.
In Paddington, I found myself really engaging with the characters even Mr Brown. The strongest being Paddington who is incredibly endearing, it's almost impossible not to love him. Ben Wishaw also voices him absolutely beautifully, bringing a calm, youthful quality to it. Hugh Bonneville is appropriately uptight and stern while also bringing humour and warmth to Mr Brown. Sally Hawkins is compassionate, the children are good and Nicole Kidman is both amusing and menacing(wasn't crazy about the wig though. Jim Broadbent and Julie Walters play their roles expertly, Walters especially is a hoot as Mrs Bird, while Imelda Staunton and Michael Gambon while limited in appearance bring heart to their roles. My only complaint that Mr Curry should have had more screen time and the film could have stayed truer to the character in the stories and series. Peter Capaldi does a good job, but the character and his acrimonious relationship with Paddington was one of the best things of the series and Mr Curry instead seemed more of a plot device, with the relationship between them barely explored.
To conclude, a delightful family film with something for everyone. 9/10 Bethany Cox
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Posted : 2 years, 7 months ago on 6 June 2022 05:27
(A review of
Resident Evil 4)
Warning: SpoilersHaven't picked this up in years, and yet, dusting off my Wii last week, just in time to miss out on the virtual console now i could afford it, i have now completed what must be my fifteenth play-through of the main story, and like some kind of Plagas itself, the tension, the dread, the all encompassing desire to play the game with as perfect a score as possible, has not left me. Even with this recent run where i omitted my much beloved Wiimote controls for the more traditional Gamecube controller, i found myself once more not being able to put down this game. Those Wiimote controls definitely smoothed the difficulty curve though. Old strategies no longer worked and the game was much, much harder, especially on the professional difficulty. Now, i feel like i've properly played the game from beginning to end, brand new save, gamecube controller. And it was a pleasure.
So much the games industry has taken from Resi 4, it's almost inconceivable to think about the impact this must have had back in '05. Masterful implementation of third person camera, blockbuster CGI, grim and gritty colour palette, the immaculate weapons upgrade system. Yes, the action shooter genre would be unrecognisable today without this masterfully designed game.
Resident Evil 4 sets itself apart from imitators near and far though with it's firm acknowledgement of it's roots. The gameplay retains strongly a survival horror element with a deceptive quantity of resources combined with equally deceptive enemy A.I. Easily, with the right weapons, the various Ganados could be cut through like paper, and i have. However, it's not the Ganados themselves that provide the difficulty. It's the item management and currency system which is the real meat of the game. Fighting bosses like Krauser without the assist of a handcannon or tommy gun, with limited ammo and scarcer health items, provide the kind of tension and split second decision making which define Resident Evil 4.
Add to this all of the extras, including the best version of the mercenaries mode, the aforementioned special weapons and Ada side stories (which BTW feature my most favourite shotgun ever in videogames, with its vertical foregrip and chillingly industrial like SFX), and you have what must be one of the most replayable games this side of the millennium. It's a masterpiece and i doubt i'll ever be putting it down.
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Posted : 2 years, 7 months ago on 5 June 2022 05:17
(A review of
The Office (UK))
I love comedy, when it is funny, clever, intelligent and sophisticated. Imagine my surprise when I saw the first episode of The Office, huge surprise and in a very good way too. Since seeing the first episode I have been hooked on this show. Why? Because it is funny. The writing is a vast majority of the time hilarious while allowing some time to be intelligent as well. True there are one or two moments in Season 2 that are somewhat cringe worthy, but I always find myself laughing so hard and wiping away tears from my eyes, I don't mind so much. The production values are terrific, the direction is very well done consistently and the acting is wonderful. Whether I can stand Ricky Gervais or not is very dependent on the material and what he is in. Personally I don't mind him, but I am not his biggest fan either, but I have to admit he is right in his comfort zone here because he is just brilliant. The other actors also do really well, and all of the characters are likable and developed well. While The Office is often hilarious, the Christmas specials have had a poignant tone to them, that I appreciated. Overall, a wonderful comedy series. 10/10 Bethany Cox
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Posted : 2 years, 7 months ago on 5 June 2022 03:46
(A review of
Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol)
And as much as I did like the original 1996 movie, despite some convolutions in the story, I found this sequel even better and better than the better-than-reputation-but-flawed sequels. Perhaps it is little too long, but there are so many impressive things about it. The plot may have a sense of familiarity about it, but what Mission Impossible- Ghost Protocool does is make the film as inventive and as relentless as possible knowing this.
The visual spectacle is faultless I have to say. The gadgets are suitably outlandish, anyone here love the retina-based video-screen, the film is shot and edited in a stylish fashions, the stunts such as Cruise dangling off the Burj Khalifa tower are amazing and the special effects dazzling. Brad Bird(director also of the wonderful Iron Giant and the excellent Pixar films Ratatouille and The Incredibles) does a very capable job directing, making everything as gripping as possible.
I very much liked the music too which helps to enhance the action and what not. The dialogue is tension-filled and the humour doesn't jar too much, the film is much better paced than the third film(which I found rather sluggish at times) with some scenes going at an exhilarating rate and the characters while not the most compelling ever are much less cardboard than the previous two outings in my opinion. The story as I've said may be familiar, but again much is done to make us not think too much of this, and if there was one thing that it improved over the original it was that it was less convoluted.
The acting was fine, with Tom Cruise giving perhaps his most comfortable performance of the series, Jeremy Renner is a great new addition and Simon Pegg gives some well-timed comic relief. The villain was good as well and solidly played by Michael Nyqvist, if not as well-written or as well-performed as Owen Davian superbly played by Phillip Seymour Hoffmann.
All in all, I loved it and consider it the best sequel since the original film and even surpasses it. 9/10 Bethany Cox
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