COWBOYS & ALIENS (2011)

Director: Jon Favreau

Running time: 118 mins (approx)

Certification (UK): 12A

Genre: Action/Sci-Fi/Thriller

UK Release date: 17^th August 2011

Watched at the cinema Saturday 20^th August 2011.

PLEASE NOTE: THERE MAY BE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.

I must admit I was intrigued by this one when I first heard about it almost a year ago. In recent weeks I have seen the trailer several times and this has only intensified my interest. Despite a few poor reviews from across the pond I was still determined to make my own mind up (as I do with most things) and so when it came up at my local cinema I was there. While it’s neither the greatest Western ever made, nor the greatest Sci-Fi film ever made, I still found it very entertaining, exciting and just about everything you’d want to fill a damp Saturday afternoon. I will give you my thoughts after this brief summary.

Full Review Here

Film Review: ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO’S NEST (1975)

Director: Milos Forman

Running time: 133 mins (approx)

Certification (UK): 18

Genre: Drama

USA Release date: 19^th November 1975

Watched on Sky+ Saturday 20^th August 2011.

PLEASE NOTE: THERE MAY BE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.

Based on a novel by Ken Kesey, and later a play by Dale Wasserman, this film won 5 Oscars including; Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor and Best Actress. So it looks like it’s a ‘must see’, which, to a large extent, it is. I did find, though, that as a translation of a novel/stage play to the big screen it did suffer from being just a little too, well, theatrical (for want of a better word). I don’t want to detract from some truly excellent performances, but, as a whole, I did come away very slightly disappointed. As usual, my thoughts after this brief summary.

Full Review Here

OFFICE SPACE (1999)

Writer/Director: Mike Judge

Running time: 89 mins (approx)

Certification (UK): 15

Genre: Comedy/Crime

UK Release date: 19^th April 1999

Watched on Sky+ Friday 19^th August 2011.

PLEASE NOTE: THERE MAY BE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.

This film came up in a conversation about Jennifer Aniston, and a claim that she never made a good comedy. Well, this one was recommended to me and, I can concede that, by today’s standards, this is a good comedy. However, Jennifer Aniston does not play one of the leading roles in it. Her performance is good, but I’ll argue that she isn’t the star… although her name does come up second in the cast list. But I digress, it’s a film about office life, and how one individual, with the help of his friends, deals with it. Here’s a brief summary before I give you my thoughts.

Full Review Here

EXIT THROUGH THE GIFT SHOP (2010)

Director: Banksy

Running time: 87 mins (approx)

Certification (UK): 15

Genre: Documentary

UK Release date: 5^th March 2010

Watched on Sky+ Monday 15^th August 2011.

PLEASE NOTE: THERE MAY BE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.

This film by street artist Banksy tells the story of Thierry Guetta. As a young man Thierry would film anything, it was an obsession with him. He is a Frenchman who lives in L.A. and one day, on a visit to France, his cousin is making some street art. This fascinates Thierry and he begins to follow all kinds of street artists around L.A., Paris, anywhere he can find them, cataloguing their work and even helping out from time to time. And as he gets more and more into it, he becomes aware of an artist called Banksy, but Banksy is very elusive. Eventually they meet and Banksy lets Thierry film him at work, something those close to him are not too happy about. He is supposed to be making a documentary about street art, but, if the truth be known, he’s just filming… There is more to tell, but I don’t want to give too much away here.

Full Review Here

THE LIVES OF OTHERS [DAS LEBEN DER ANDEREN] (2006)

Writer/Director: Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck

Running time: 137 mins (approx)

Certification (UK): 15

Genre: Drama/Thriller

UK Release date: 13^th April 2007

Watched on Sky+ Sunday 14^th August 2011.

PLEASE NOTE: THERE MAY BE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.

I remember when this came out it got quite a lot of critical acclaim. Of course it never made it to a cinema near me and so when it came up in the TV listings it became a ‘must see’ for me. I’m really glad I saw it, it’s somewhat different to what I was expecting (in a good way). I know there are a few out there that are afraid of subtitles, so I should tell you that yes, it’s in German with subtitles. For me, this isn’t a problem, but with a long film (as this is), I find I sometimes have to take a break to rest the brain for a few minutes. I found it to be a really engaging drama that has some truly powerful scenes and some great performances. Here’s a brief summary before I give you my thoughts.

Full Review Here

RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES (2011)

Director: Rupert Wyatt

Running time: 105 mins (approx)

Certification (UK): 12A

Genre: Action/Drama/Sci-Fi

UK Release date: 11^th August 2011

Watched at the cinema Saturday 13^th August 2011.

PLEASE NOTE: THERE MAY BE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.

This must be some kind of record… It’s the third week in a row that my local cinema is showing something I want to see! It is a very rare thing, and something that should be savoured… long may it continue. But I digress, we’re here to talk about Apes. It is seldom these days that I find myself so totally engrossed in a film that time doesn’t matter. This was one of those very rare occasions. I got so involved in the story that people going in and out of the theatre (as they do) didn’t even bother me. I loved every minute of it and have no problem in recommending it to everyone. Here’s a brief summary before I give you my thoughts.

Full Review Here

Film Review: SIDEWAYS (2004)

Co-Writer/Director: Alexander Payne

Running time: 126 mins (approx)

Certification (UK): 15

Genre: Comedy/Drama/Romance

UK Release date: 28^th January 2005

Watched on Sky+ Saturday 13^th August 2011.

PLEASE NOTE: THERE MAY BE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.

As this is the 150^th film I’ve seen this year I wanted to watch a film I enjoyed first time around, and what better, I thought, than the 2004 wine comedy ‘Sideways’. Well, it happened to have it on the Sky+ hard drive and it was due a watching anyway. I did enjoy this film quite a lot first time around, probably because I could identify with one of the characters. This time, maybe a little less, but I still found it a pretty enjoyable watch. Here’s a brief summary before I give you my thoughts on the matter.

Film Review: HIGH NOON (1952)

Director: Fred Zinnemann

Running time: 90 mins (approx)

Certification (UK): U

Genre: Drama/Western

USA Release date: 30^th July 1952

Watched on Sky+ Saturday 13^th August 2011.

PLEASE NOTE: THERE MAY BE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.

I have seen this film a couple of times before, in my youth. Both times I didn’t rate it much, if I was going to watch a Western, I wanted lots of gunfights and in this film there’s only one. Having matured slightly… (Ok, a lot), and on several recommendations, I decided to give it another go. In the intervening time I did see, and like, a remake of this called Outland (1981) starring Sean Connery. But back to the original, I must admit I liked it a lot more than I thought I would. Yes, it is dated, but it’s still a great piece of storytelling; it’s about a man prepared to do the right thing despite the odds stacked against him. I will give my thoughts after this brief summary.

Film Review: SHREK FOREVER AFTER (2010)

Director: Mike Mitchell

Running time: 90 mins (approx)

Certification (UK): U

Genre: Animation/Comedy/Adventure

UK Release date: 2^nd July 2010

Watched on Sky+ Monday 8^th August 2011.

PLEASE NOTE: THERE MAY BE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.

I must admit that I have a bit of a soft spot for the Shrek films. I don’t know what it is; I guess I just like the brand of humour in them and (for the most part) the likable characters. The third one (I felt) was a bit of a mess, but they appear to have got it nearer the mark for the final instalment… until they decide to make some more, that is. I will give you my thoughts after this brief summary… sponsored by ‘Pete’s Potions’, available at all major ‘Fairy Godmother’ outlets nationwide.

Film Review: TAKERS (2010)

Co-Writer/Director: John Luessenhop

Running time: 107 mins (approx)

Certification (UK): 12

Genre: Action/Crime/Thriller

UK Release date: 1^st October 20110

Watched on Sky+ Sunday 7^th August 2011.

PLEASE NOTE: THERE MAY BE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.

I do like a good heist movie and was looking forward to this one when I noticed it in the TV listings. I knew little about it and so decided to watch it ‘blind’, as such, so I could see it unbiased by the opinions of others. It’s an interesting film that tries hard to keep the viewer’s attention with many plot twists and plenty of action. If anything, though, it ends up getting a little too complicated for its own good and there are a few too many plot twists to satisfy most. Not that it’s a bad film, it’s quite well made with some good performances… But more of my thoughts later, here’s a brief summary first.

SUPER 8 (2011)

Writer/Director: J.J. Abrams

Running time: 112 mins (approx)

Certification (UK): 12A

Genre: Mystery/Sci-Fi/Thriller

UK Release date: 5th August 2011

Watched at the cinema Saturday 6th August 2011.

PLEASE NOTE: THERE MAY BE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.