Reviews by Kyle Ellis

I had wanted to see The King's Speech ever since it came out in cinemas, and after seeing it I was so glad I did. Was it over-hyped? Perhaps a tad, but you can say that for any of the movies that were nominated for Best Picture. Also, I had no problem whatsoever with its Best Picture win, as along with Social Network and a couple of other movies The King's Speech in my opinion was one of the stronger films of the year.

Many people on here have raved about it being well made, well acted and very moving. I agree with that sentiment wholeheartedly. I respectfully disagree with those who say it is this year's Shakespeare in Love(an unfair comparison in the first place, besides Shakespeare in Love I think gets too much hate on here) or the worst Best Picture winner since Crash(that's The Hurt Locker, The King's Speech is one of the better ones).

As I have said, The King's Speech is one of my favourites of 2010. One of the main reasons why it is so is the emotional impact this film has. Although the subject matter mayn't appeal to some, I think The King's Speech has a very moving, inspiring and personal story. Thanks to some of the writing and music especially, there are a number of very poignant scenes and little things. Not just the build up to the finale, which was an example of direction at its finest, but also the penguin story which was funny, touching and adorable all at once. I wish to say out of all the movies released last year, only Toy Story 3 and Another Year came close to how deeply moving and touching The King's Speech was.

The script is very well-written. It is one that is full of intelligent dialogue, and also the dialogue has its amusing, thoughtful and very poignant moments. Examples are any exchange between Bertie and Lionel and of course the very stirring scene with the speech. Although some mayn't agree with me, I loved the score. Alexandre Desplat's score is one that is sensitive and positively hypnotic. It wasn't just the score though, the use of Beethoven's 7th Symphony and Emperor Concerto also gave the scenes they featured in plenty of emotion.

The King's Speech is a very well-made film also. There may be those who argue the production values are reminiscent of that of a TV movie, if so in my mind it is reminiscent of a TV movie with good production values. The lighting wasn't dull and the scenery and sets are lavish and evoke the period beautifully, almost like seeing the best of a beautifully-made Agatha Christie adaptation for instance. The production values are captured wonderfully by the skillful cinematography, with the powerful end shot of Lionel especially resonating. Tom Hooper's direction is very fine, not too low-key but never self-indulgent, the aforementioned build up to the finale shows this perfectly, and the film while elegiac is paced wonderfully.

The acting is one of The King's Speech's strengths. Colin Firth is just fantastic in the lead and delivers enough poignancy and pathos to make us empathise with him. Geoffrey Rush matches him perfectly by being amusing without being over-the-top and sympathetic without being manipulative. Helena Bonham Carter while perhaps underused in comparison also makes an impression in an atypical role, in the finale for example the look she gives Firth is just one of those little things that makes me struggle to refrain from choking up. There is also a solid supporting cast, Guy Pearce is good, Michael Gambon is excellent and Timothy Spall does well considering how easily he could have gone into caricature(and I can understand why people have said he did).

In conclusion, a wonderful movie and one of the best of the year. 10/10 Bethany Cox

I like Stanley Kubrick, and I love his films, especially 2001, Barry Lyndon, Paths of Glory, Dr Strangelove and this, his penultimate film. Full Metal Jacket is a harrowing, violent and foul-mouthed film, yet it is superbly done. True, one or two parts may lack tropical realism, but the atmosphere the film creates is extraordinary. The film looks excellent with skillful cinematography. The script is very well crafted and does have a sense of realism, while the story is compelling with the transition from the training at the camp to the bombed Vietamnesse city smoothly done. I am with those who thinks the first half is better than the second, but that is not to say the second half isn't good, it is more than good, but the first half really was outstanding. Kubrick's direction as always is superb, as is the acting especially Lee Ermey and Vincent D'Onofrio. All in all, one of Kubrick's best and one of the best war movies you will see. 10/10 Bethany Cox

I enjoyed Oceans 11, I thought it was quite enjoyable, helped by the performances and the direction. However, I was disappointed with this film. Don't get me wrong, it is not a complete dud, thanks to the stellar performances from Brad Pitt, Catherine Zeta-Jones, George Clooney and Matt Damon especially and the efficient direction from Steven Soderbergh. However, the film really does suffer from truly lethargic pacing, some of the film was so slow I almost fell asleep between one key twist. Second, the plot is very convoluted and there are many twists and turns that makes it hard to keep up. The camera work wasn't as innovative as it was in the first movie either. Whereas in the first movie, it was smooth and professional, it was jerky and awkward here, and the music wasn't particularly memorable. The screenplay also wasn't as witty or as fun, and the film felt anti-climatic. At the end of the day it all felt a bit too lazy, despite the expert playing and direction. So much potential, but really a missed opportunity. 4/10 Bethany Cox

That's not to say all the Ocean movies are terrible. The first for me was very enjoyable, while the second while lazy and convoluted was okay. This film does have its moments, it is stylishly shot, has a brilliantly slick opening sequence and I liked the score. However, despite these good moments, it not only doesn't correct the mistakes of the previous time but makes more on the way. The direction is disappointingly lethargic, and the story is unevenly paced and convoluted. To me the script is not very good at all, in fact at worst some of it is pretty darn bad, while the film further suffers from being too long and too slow. Even the acting is disappointing, this is a great cast but some of them don't have much to do or don't know what to do with their material. Al Pacino comes off worst, he is a great actor but here he seems uncomfortable and uninterested. So overall, a disappointment really. I suppose it's worth a peak but I personally found it lazy and dull. 3/10 for being visually and technically accomplished. Bethany Cox

I love anime, and when I noticed that Howl's Moving Castle was showing today, I knew I had to see it. And you know what, I wasn't disappointed. I admit I haven't read the book by Diana Wynne Jones, but this film is so imaginative and delightful I doubt I would have cared if it was unfaithful to the book or not. The animation here is amazing, the backgrounds are gorgeous and the colours so bright. Plus the castle itself was a wonder to behold. The visual style here also has a certain elegance about it, and the atmosphere the visuals create is somewhat meticulous. I also have to mention the score, it was absolutely stunning. Beautiful, magical and poignant themes that caressed my ears, like a Mozart opera would. The characters are engaging and are beautifully voiced by a terrific voice cast. Christian Bale's(not a stranger to voice work, he voiced Thomas in Disney's Pocahontas as well) seductive and silky voice brings vain wizard Howl to vivid life, and Sophie is a very lovable and beautiful character, whether in her younger form or her older form. Her younger form is sensitively voiced by Emily Mortimer and her older self is voiced by the late Jean Simmons with real sincerity. The Witch of the Waste is a character consumed by jealousy, so much so it results in Sophie's transformation from a young 18 year old girl to a pensioner. This character is perfectly voiced by screen legend Lauren Bacall. Billy Crystal is a joy to behold as Calcifer, one of my favourite characters in the film, and Turniphead was very intriguing as well. The story is a sweet, timeless imaginative one, not the best written one by all means, but it did touch me a lot. Did I notice anything wrong? Yes, but these flaws are minor compared to the overall beauty of the film. The final third is a little too rushed, and the ending is a little over-surreal. But overall, Howl's Moving Castle is an enchanting and delightful work from Miyazaki. 9/10 Bethany Cox