Favourite Movie Mum's

Mike and I would like to wish a very Happy Mothers Day to our Mum's and thank them for all they have done for us over the years. Thinking about this we thought it would be a great idea to visit some of our favourite movie Mum's that have also helped entertain us over the years, and so please find below our favourite movie Mum's:

1. Mama Fratelli from The Goonies
While Mama Fratelli certainly would't win any Mum of the year competitions, its pretty hard to go past her as one of the best screen Mum's to ever come to life. A perfect balance of cruel, intimidating, clever & funny to be the perfect kids movie villain. Anne Ramsey is a complete knock out in this role and its a real tradgey that only 3 years after filming The Goonies she passed away from throat cancer. Imagine the other roles that could have been brought to life with her talent.

2. Mrs Darko from Donnie Darko
Quite the Mum is Mrs Darko. Talk about a dysfunctional family that she has to help shepherd through a hard time whilst also being the supporter of her son as he disintegrates without alienating her two daughters. It would be a tricky balance for anyone yet Mary McDonnell does a fantastic job acting her part and being the only soul seemingly intact in this movie.

3. Sarah Connor from Terminator 2
Well, so far the movie Mum's have been fairly dark characters so keeping in line with that we move onto the most badass Mum that there has ever been: Sarah Connor from Terminator 2. Chinups in a cell block? Check. Insane knowledge of guns and weapons? Check. Ability to use those guns and weapons? Check. A touch of humanity, love and a solid moral compass? Check. Sarah Connor is really everything you need from a Mum who gives birth to the only human alive who can bring down a fully automated robot army!

4. Mrs Gump from Forrest Gump
The sweetest most loveable Mum you could imagine brought her son up to believe he could do anything and achieve anything. This led to a young man becoming the greatest table tennis player ever, showing Elvis how to dance, tells the president he needs to pee, saves many people's lives in the Vietnam war, the greatest white NFL player to live and fall in love with the polar opposite person to him. Near the end of the movie, Forrest Gump sits under a tree and cries for his Mum and every time this scene comes on it wells me up. Not only because of Tom Hanks's perfect performance but because his Mum truly touches you as a viewer and makes you feel that she is almost as good as your Mum, and Sally Field did a stellar job acting it.

5. Stiflers Mum from American Pie
Because the term MILF was coined for her. Because of Shit Break's obsession over her. Because of how much that pisses off Stifler. Because there had never been a Mum like this on screen before, or since. Because she likes her men like her scotch... aged 18 years.

Nurse 3D

Nurse 3D is one of the few true, straight up, modern exploitation flicks I've seen. I know the remake of I Spit on your Grave and Machete are around but the first of those is a truly unsettling film (more like torture porn) which I couldn't actually see through to the end, and the second felt more like a horror comedy than exploitation to me. Death Proof is probably the only other one that jumps to mind, but again, its too Tarantino-esque to compare to the 60's, 70's and 80's style of these films that were prevalent.

Nurse 3D is a true modern take on the genre. It is there for clear and explicit reasons and is destined to be enjoyed by a very specific target audience, and it does it well enough to recommend to people in that target domain. I guess I'm more the target audience for something like this than most with my enjoyment of horror flicks, but instead of my usual openly biased reviews I thought I would take a step out and try to review it as someone who just watched it for what it is.

Paz De La Heurta is pretty much the perfect leading lady for this type of film. She is buxom, happy to be naked, and convinces as a twisted psychopath. The good news is she has enough charisma that you can buy in to her crazy antics and is able to carry the film from beginning to end, something these films often lack. The movie definitely allows her to be the primarily exploited female character for the male audience, however, because she is also the protagonist (anti-protagonist?) its a bit different from most other exploitation flicks. Instead of having mean, scary men do horrifying things to women it is instead a naked, murdering, crazed sex fiend of a nurse doing horrible things to men.

In addition to doing these horrible things to men, she is also completely in love with and trying to seduce the token blonde hot girl. The lengths to which the main character goes to, to seduce and then destroy token hot girl is as to be expected, and nothing unusual for this type of movie. The gore is unfortunately a bit amateurish looking and over the top, with the scenes composed in odd ways, so they don't hold as much impact as they would if directed by another person.

Overall this is not a good film that just anyone should go out and see, but for what it is, it does it well and has enough of a difference to be worth checking out if you are into the genre. If the idea of a promiscuous, murderous Paz De La Heurta, killing men while wearing a bra but no knickers, seducing a woman and parading around in a nurses outfit appeals to you, then you will enjoy the movie for what it is. If you cant believe a movie like that exists ... don't watch it.

SCORE: 4/10

IMDB Info for Nurse 3D

The Rover (Preview)

Holy shit!  Bout time the Aussies had a crack!

Post auscopalyptic?  :)  Guy Pearce is enough to get me excited to see this one.  Looks like an Aussie - "The Road" -  100% filmed in S.A!!

Or better to watch direct from YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ChM2icbWo9w

The Returned

Yes, another zombie film.  But don't sigh just yet as this one is quite refreshingly different.  Firstly don't confuse this movie with the French series of the same translated name (Les Revenants) which is pretty decent in it's own right, but not at all related.

Why is this one different?  It's actually set  in a world AFTER the 'zombie virus' outbreak, where it has been controlled.  If an infected is given an antidote within a certain time frame the effects can be reversed. Provided they take their 'medicine' every day all is well and they can live normal lives.  These people are referred to as 'The Returned'.

The movie portrays a very believable and realistic future where 'The Returned' are not quite accepted by normal society and seen more like ticking time bombs. Things get a lot worse as it is revealed that the antidote is running out and we can watch the thin threads holding the society together start to break away.

As a lover of most things Zombie (even though the genre has been completely thrashed of late) I really enjoyed this new spin.  It was a brilliant script and although obviously low-ish budget, was presented with great cinematography and production.  An indy film maker's wet dream really.  It was directed by Manuel Carballo who I've not come across before but might be one to keep an eye on.

The majority of acting was 'ok' - however a stand out performance by the lead female - Emily Hampshire really helped carry it across the line.

I recommend giving this one a go if you you're keen for an interesting story and a fresh new take - but be warned there isn't the usual violence and mayhem of a zombie horror.

I only have one complaint.  One of the characters drops a case with 60 antidote vials on the ground and every single one of them smashes....... Really?  I get we need to build tension with lack of antidote but shiiiiiitt...  <insert Marlon Wayans 'shiiiit' from Requiem for a Dream>

7/10

IMDB Info

Ping Pong Summer

I just read about this upcoming movie and if it doesn't sum up everything I love in life and movies then I'm not too sure what else could! Quite obviously I cannot wait to see this flick!! Check out the trailer and leave your thoughts in the comments:

 

LEGO Movie

This movie is awesome! It's so good on so many different levels I'm not even sure which one to start with: the 3D, the comedy, the animation, the subversive plot, the characters, the self-awareness?

I would never, ever, have gone to see a movie about LEGO blocks as it screamed out to me of product placement, stupid story line, exaggerated emotions, conceited plot and I thought it would focus on being silly instead of funny. However, so many people have been raving about it and saying it might even end up on their top 10 lists I had to go see what the fuss was about. This LEGO movie still has product placement, a stupid story with a conceited plot but it doesn't rely on being silly instead of funny. It is totally frickin hilarious all on its own with clever writing, clever animation and brilliant voice acting.

Even the 3D is good in this film! I’m not a huge fan of 3D but mainly because it always feels tacked on and useless, but it really suits this film well and the technology has come a long way. It wasn't blurry and didn’t strain my eyes, and due to all the vibrant colours in the movie it works better than in most other films.

But let’s get on to the really good stuff: the cleverness of the whole picture. The plot if you think about it is really quite subversive. It’s all about how the LEGO people follow instructions each day and are told what to think, what to enjoy and how to live their lives. Then one day the 'typical Joe' character stumbles upon "The Resistance Piece" and so begins an adventure with Batman, the hot girl, unicorns and all sorts of weird, wonderful and hilarious things. The way the LEGO blocks are incorporated into the fight scenes, chase scenes and different worlds throughout is both breathtaking and awe inspiring.

It goes on from there to become a much bigger picture than you would first think it to be, and the whole time it is self-aware. It knows it’s a straight forward adventure movie so it plays on all the tropes and clichés to the max but somehow does it without feeling corny. The outcome of this is that young kids will get wrapped up in the adventure but adults can also laugh at everything they have seen before done in a new way.

I highly recommend checking out this movie, it was loads of fun and much better than I was expecting. You will genuinely be laughing out loud and mightily impressed.

SCORE: 9/10

IMDB Info for LEGO Movie

Hunger Games: Catching Fire

Ok, this movie is a lot better than first instalment of the Hunger Games quadrilogy in pretty much every way. The story is much more intricate and has depth, the acting seems to be less cheesy, the direction is much better, the use of visual effects is smarter, the action is much richer and all around more informative, and focus seems to be applied on the bigger themes at play as opposed to focussing the game dynamics and the emotional relationships between the kids. This still doesn't shake my unease for young people being so obsessed with it though. There are some very tough and full on themes running throughout this movie, although, they seem to be swaying much more in favour of something I personally feel, so maybe its for the best.

Let me clarify. The idea of oppression is a big issue and a scary one and one that is nice not to know until you are a bit older, and a bit less innocent. The idea of rebellion is also one better left for a bit older, not only because you need to know the other side to know why you would rebel, but also from the point of view of being a parent: the less kids rebel the better (hehe). However, I feel some parts of the world are in true need of fixing. Celebrity culture, obsessive natures about material things and fashion, talk shows designed to pull every scrap of information out from other peoples lives to a mass audience, magazines full of faked pictures of humans living fake lives with false representations of those lives, the loss of integrity in the world ... I could go on. These are horrible results of the world we live in, and the amazing thing about this movie is it addresses them in a very direct way. It seems conceivable that our world could reach a point like the movie is indicating (almost) and its great to be teaching young people of the consequences of something like that. So, therefore I am in favour of showing those themes and addressing them to young people. For example, the horrible feeling you get when they interview the contestants on that creepy talk show, the ridiculous fashion and how it rules the lives of the elite, the thought of having to drink a potion to cause you to vomit so you can keep eating highlights the excesses that exist in this world, and the themes can be applied to our own. I feel its great to call them out and make you think about them in such a mainstream blockbuster movie.

But, I couldn't help but wonder, how many young people read 1984 when it was released in 1949, or the 50's, or even the 60's? Would any young teens, let alone MOST young teens be reading something like that? If so, then maybe I am over-reacting. But if not, maybe it is concerning. It seems kids aren't given any time to be young and innocent any more and Im not sure what the results of that will be. Angrier and angrier kids who are more connected and more knowledgeable about everything before they can fully comprehend it? That doesn't sound too appealing to me. Even if the odd one or two of them would be as integral, capable and nice as Katniss, most wouldn't be.

And so, I find myself still very confused about this whole thing. If these movies were targeted for adult audiences and explored these themes to an R18+ level then I think I would be gobsmacked by them, but Im still uneasy of the pre-teen appeal of them.

Ultimately I cant fault this movie much, it was a think piece, big action movie and thats typically what I am going for in a blockbuster type film so for that Im thankful. I recommend watching it and enjoying it, but Id be interested if you are left in the conundrum I know find myself in or not. Maybe Im just getting old!

SCORE: 7/10

IMDB Info for Hunger Games: Catching Fire

The Necessary Death of Charlie Countryman

"While traveling abroad, a guy falls for a Romanian beauty whose unreachable heart has its origins in her violent, charismatic ex." (IMDB)

Decent summary really and along the journey of this love story you can enjoy a nice mix of comedy, violence and generally entertaining cinema.  Our main guy Charlie played by Shia LaBeouf sets off to Bucharest, Romania for some soul searching after his mums death.  After a very strange welcome into the country he meets this 'Romanian Beauty' (played by Evan Rachel Wood in a very decent performance) and things really start to spiral out of control.

Early on in the piece though Charlie makes his way to the Marco Polo youth hostel where he meets up with a couple of party heads from the UK.  If you're a fan of either Harry Potter or the Inbetweener's you will love this part as much as I did as these guys are played by Rupert Grint (Ron Weasley) and James Buckley (Jay).   They down a shitload of LSD and X and some really funny shit ensues captured well with some great filming and "I'm on drugs" effects.  I read that LaBeouf actually took LSD for the scene to make it more authentic, would have been a fun day on set no doubt.   A good quote from Buckley - "If I can't take my tin of drugs around with me then the terrorists have already won".  True that!

But then things get more serious as Charlie starts inadvertently getting involved with some pretty nasty fellas.  The poor bastard cops a lot of beatings but he remains true to the cause.  Reminded me a bit of Brick where J.G.L just kept getting pounded into a bloody mess.   Full credit to the casting of the bad guys too - Mads Mikkelsen (Hannibal) and Til Schweiger (Inglorious Basterds) ... not a pair you would want to cross in a hurry. 

Overall the movie is a bit of muddle but the changing style keeps it quite interesting and the story moves along quick enough.  LaBeouf wears a little bit too much dark eye shadow for my liking, makes him look like Khal Drogo but don't let that put you off.  It's worth watching just to see Ron Weasley pop 5 viagra.

7/10

IMDB Info

Am I Truman Burbank?

So, last week I made up a funny (I thought so anyway) Aprils Fools Day post about The Goonies II being greenlit and coming to a screen near you. Two days ago my wife indicates to me that there is something on her Facebook about The Goonies sequel and I laugh and tell her that was just me being an idiot. Then she says it mentioned Richard Donner and that he had confirmed it to TMZ, and all I could think of was the scene in The Truman Show where he realises that everything seems to play out perfectly for him all the time, that all of his actions are listened to and acted upon. It was the dawn of realisation that everything that is happening in this world must be happening for me (and yes I imagine the whole thing is actually being orchestrated by Ed Harris) and its all to make a movie happen. To make The Goonies II actually happen.

And so, now that I know I have this power, did everyone know that Star Wars VII is greenlit? Oh, wait... Did everyone know that The Hobbit is finally ... oh, wait. Did everyone know that Indiana Jones ... oh wait .. oh, Ive got it! I've got it!

Did everyone know that Monty Python are re-teaming and going to do a sequel to The Holy Grail!?!?!?!?!

Last Vegas

I wasn't expecting much with one but always love to be proven wrong.  As soon as it started it produced a smile on my face and I don't think I stopped smiling for the entire film with some laugh out loud moments as well.   Last Vegas is just a great, fun movie.   It doesn't try to be anything else.

The film is about a bunch of elderly guys who have been mates since forever hitting up Vegas for a Bachelor party and realizing they're not dead yet!   What makes this an absolute success is the chemistry between the 4 main male leads - Robert De Niro, Morgan Freeman, Michael Douglas and Kevin Kline.   They nailed it.  Their interactions between themselves and with the outside world was natural and hilarious.

All were brilliant but Morgan Freeman was the stand out for me.  He played such a great character who was just out for a good time and after a couple of drinks became the kid he was 60 years ago.  Together the guys manage to score the penthouse at the Aria and find themselves clubbing, judging bikini contests, throwing a massive party and one even get's a lap dance from Red Foo.  It sounds corny written like that but the way it pans out in the movie it doesn't seem it.

Not much else to say on this one, just that it gives off a really good vibe.  I highly recommend it, especially for us blokes getting on a bit - there's a lot of 'old man' problem humor, all stuff to look forward to I guess.

8/10

IMDB Info

Goonies II is Greenlit!

Well everyone, its official, Hollywood is officially trying to ruin our childhoods even more.

A new report comes out from Deadline, Variety, and even IMDB have a page for it, reporting that Bret Ratner has signed on to bring about the much desired Goonies II movie. Normally I would be completely over the moon and excited beyond belief to be bringing you this news, but just wait until you hear about the cast.

Returning to the flick are Corey Feldman and Ke Huy Quan and Martha Plimpton, however, it appears Sean Astin, Josh Brolin, Jeff Cohen and Kerri Green have all refused to be a part of the remake stating they are either not acting any more or uninterested in the new story.

The new story comes to us from Barry Wernick who co-wrote Grandma's Boy, a movie great for drinking games but hardly something of the quality we want for a Goonies sequel. It is rumoured to be casting for younger versions of all the main cast who are all the new generation of video game playing, boring children who stay indoors all the time, and explain to them the efforts of their parents to preserve such a special outdoors adventure area such as the Goondocks by putting them through a daring adventure to go back into the underground lair of One Eyed Willy. Rumoured to be in the lair is the treasure of a second pirate April Fools who tends to write these silly news announcements each year.

The kids will undoubtedly go on to defeat such a nefarious beast as the April Fools pirate and revel in the aftermath of the fight by flying down waterslides, swinging on ropes, killing invisible octopi and stopping an evil father and son from setting up a golf course. It is with much concern I share this news and with much excitement I run home to watch the real, awesome, amazing, most perfect movie of all time: the original THE GOONIES! I suggest you all do too.

Noah

I guess I should preface this review by revealing I am not a very religious person. I’m not actually sure if that works for, or against, being a viewer of the latest Darren Aronofksy movie Noah, but I think it’s worth mentioning. Possibly if I had studied the Bible more I would have been aware of some amazing facts of the times!

1. The humans of old had amazing metallurgy skills being able to make metal piping, seemingly windmill type devices and all sorts! And possibly long before Noah there were metal based cities or villages or something, with pipes n stuff.
2. There were walking, talking huge rock people. Yep.
3. Some of the rocks could ignite into all sorts of fires just by hitting them with the right motion. Oh, and they glowed and fizzed.
4. There were some amazing dried herbs that magically put animals to sleep without them needing to eat or pooh or anything. But it didn’t affect humans, only animals.
5. How the fuck did all those animals know at what time to come together, where the ark was, how to move together, which two of the many were the special two, etc, etc, etc?
6. Plants and indeed, entire forests, can grow in approximately 10 seconds flat.
7. I could go on, but I think you get the idea.

This movie makes no sense. It is truly unbelievable and truly impossible to grasp or believe in any part of it. There is a large amount of repetitive imagery showing ... something ... I’m not too sure what, but it seems to mean different things at different times. Some of the imagery was truly profound such as a bit showing silhouettes of different generations fighting each other, but most of it was embellished meaningless crap.

The story was terrible. It tried to make something huge and emotional and grand and epic, but at the end of the day it failed miserably. It became too engrossed in trying to be worthwhile that it lost its way. It’s also truly dark and depressing. By the end when I think I’m supposed to feel elated that humans are still around and thank Russell for being a good drunkard, or father or something, I actually felt even more depressed that humans are still around than I did before I watched the frickin thing.

The one saving grace was the acting. Russell Crowe was excellent, Emma Watson was as good as even, Jennifer Connelly was great, the three brothers were all surprisingly great too in light of who they were acting with. Ray Winstone was very miscast in my opinion, and is in fact not a very good actor at all if you ask me. He was far too comically evil for this movie and really fell flat the whole time. Even being seemingly written out for a good 20mins before popping up at the end as the bad guy you thought was gone. And, Anthony Hopkins was good but .. I don’t know what he was in the film for to be honest.

The special effects went from astoundingly good to astoundingly bad. I’m not sure if this was a budget, time or intentional effort as it was glaringly obvious but it helped me realise that this film was just all over the shop the whole time. Some of it was really quite beautiful and profound but mostly it’s a bumbling boring mess of a film. I really can’t recommend anyone go and see this film unfortunately. Definitely stick to Aronofsky's other flicks they are well and above this film in every conceivable way.

SCORE: 4/10 (4 points for the acting and batshit crazy idea of even trying to make this movie)

IMDB Info for Noah

 

Short Term 12

Been saving this one for the right mood and definitely glad I did.  Unfortunately I don't think I'm even close to qualified for reviewing it.  I think production wise it is almost perfect for the genre and story it was delivering.  I would love to crap on about the use of camera angle's, lenses, shooting style etc but I'm completely out of my league so will just say it's 'beautifully shot'.

Short Term 12 is more of an experience than a story.  We are immediately thrown into the world of a handful of carers looking after troubled youths and once we settle into this environment we can see like all things in life it's not as black and white as we may have thought.  Again I say I'm not qualified, being a middle class 'white dude' whose biggest problem growing up was not getting a Nintendo 64 for Christmas, it's hard to relate to the trauma and experiences these kids must have gone through - but the film does a good job of putting this in perspective.

In fact I think perspective is a key focus of this film.  It almost becomes a lesson in the power of perception. The perception of authority, perception of what we fear, and for us the viewer the perception of who or what is fucked up, or considered fucked up.

Snap out of it! Too deep, sorry.  Bottle of cheap Barossa red + antibiotics for an ear infection that is giving me nothing but Mono sound at best... maybe over thinking it all.

Moving on... It's a potentially dark subject but captured in quite a positive light.  The main characters have a lot to do with this adding some humour, but also the music is very up-beat and happy even during moments that could be perceived as higher tension.  I think this worked really well.

The acting is crazy good.  I didn't recognise anyone in the cast but quality was top notch.  There were a few story telling type scene's which helped add the humour but also just felt so natural and well acted.  I honestly hope this film kick starts a few careers here.

As always I have to make a small complaint.  There is a scene involving a suicide attempt and I would like the makers of this film to look up the number of litres of blood in the human body, and how many of those litres are expelled when slicing certain areas.  I don't think a smear on the wall covered it, but hey - maybe they were going for PG rating?

Overall though an incredibly well made film.  It loses a point for re-watch ability,  definitely think this is a once only for me.   That said though if I see the next title from Destin Cretton, writer and director,  I will definitely be checking it out.

8/10

IMDB Info

My Favourite Talk Show Skit Ever

I know this isn't really movie related but its just so amazing that I have to share it around. Jimmy Fallon is now the host of The Tonight Show in America and while I have never, ever, enjoyed the American talk show programs this guy just clicks with me for some reason. Maybe its my age and the fact he has so many 80s and 90s music and movie references in his show. Maybe its just his amazing ability to totally make a fool of himself and his guests without depreciating anyone. Maybe he is just what a good talk show host can be? Anyways, here are a couple of the best examples of my favourite skit on his show: LIP SYNC BATTLE!

Enjoy!
 

Wolf of Wall Street

Wolf of Wall Street could have been brilliant. It could have been the Scarface of our generation: a depiction of greed to the ultimate excess with a character arc that took you for a ride from an arrogant man with nothing all the way through to the total destruction of him and everything around him. Instead we got an over indulgent, love letter to having lots of money and spending that on drugs, sex and material things. This film makes no point and has nothing to say about this excess wealth, the consequences for the means with which he obtained it, the pain and suffering he brought on the world, to his own family or himself. It simply says that what he did is possible, that you could do it, that anyone can do it really, and that if you do all you need to do at the end is serve a little prison time and pay a $110 million dollar fine. (Which he had enough money to pay, WTF!?!?)

I'm actually really disappointed in this movie. There was so much potential, and so many great parts to the first half of this movie, I thought I was going to get to see one of the biggest fall from graces ever to be seen in film. Instead I get asked to sell him a pen. What a cop out. What were you thinking Marty? Im not sure what happened during the making of this flick, but you seemed to lose your way  and to end up not making a point about anything in 3+ hour movie is just bad filmmaking.

In fact I would probably put this movie right down the bottom somewhere of Marty's movies. Its nothing profound, its nothing edgy or stylish, its just disappointing.

The good of the film is surely Leo DiCaprio acting his arse off. He really does some amazingly graphic, slapstick, crazy stuff in this movie and goes for it in full, all the way, all the time. He is by far the best thing of the movie and would have had to have come close to Matthew McConaughey winning Best Actor for this year (who also has a great cameo in this flick). I find it quite amazing he agreed to do some of the things he did in this film actually, and that Marty could ask such a big A list cast member to do them. He is thoroughly entertaining throughout.

Jonah Hill is the other stand out. He plays this perfect mix of totally crazy, over the top, fake try hard brilliantly and I'm finding myself starting to like his acting more and more. He is a really interesting guy picking very different roles and bringing something new to them each time so it'll be good to see what he moves on to from this (now that Scorcese, like, totally thinks he is awesome).

The other point to note is that I didn't know you could show as much sex related stuff in a movie these days and not get it censored off to a padded cell somewhere never to be seen again. Its weird that the excessive amount of totally naked girls, full on sex scenes and innuendo has been approved for this movie, yet in other films has been censored so much more? Maybe its a changing time, maybe its just the weight Marty has in Hollywood, but its interesting in its difference.

This movie is well worth a watch for some of the crazy events and funny scenes that take place, but, you wont be amazed, learn anything or even feel the need to go back and watch it again. Except maybe for the scenes where the Quaaludes kick in! Steeeeevvvveeee Maaaaaaaaadddeeeeeeennnnnnnnnn, haha.

IMDB Info for Wolf of Wall Street

SCORE: 7/10

12 Years A Slave

12 Years A Slave is a real masterpiece. I'm so very happy that Steve McQueen has finally won a well deserved Oscar for his ability as a filmmaker and this film is the perfect fit for his skills and the Academy's tendencies of what type of film to award best picture to.

Having said that, of the three films I've seen by Steve McQueen this is his least amazing to me. So, how can a filmmakers least amazing film be the best picture winner? Well, it would be fair to say that his other two films Hunger and Shame are a lot less accessible than 12 Years A Slave. The first is a truly harrowing, no holds barred, account of the will of the IRA to starve themselves to death when arrested for their crimes. It is one of the hardest movies I have ever watched and has stayed very clear in my minds eye even to this day. There are some of the most beautifully horrible shots comprised in that movie, and some of the most chilling actions conveyed without any thought of watering down, or covering something up. It is a hard film to watch, but its more than a masterpiece, its a film that cannot be equalled in many ways. But its no best picture winner.

Shame was my favourite movie of 2013 (it was released in 2011 but I hadn't seen it before). Once again, it is composed of the most beautiful shot making and acted to perfection. The direction given to the team making that film is nothing short of some of the best direction that has ever been given to a filmmaking team. The story is once again very confronting talking about taboo topics and showing horrible acts by deplorable people, however, you simply cannot stop watching. It sucks you into this mans world and make you feel what he is feeling, even if you do not understand it all. And as I've said many times in the past simply has the best ending to a movie ever. But, yes, it is no best picture winner.

That brings me to 12 Years A Slave. Many have said the scenes of brutal torture put on black people in slavery is too much, that the film is more interested with making you feel this pain and disgust than it is with opening up a discussion about slavery itself. They do not understand Mr McQueens filmmaking skills. You are supposed to feel the impacts of slavery to Solomon, it is supposed to make you understand slavery from one mans perspective. It is just like Hunger and Shame: an investigation into an issue from the point of view of one man. The film makes you feel everything that one man feels so you can connect to it and relate to it.

The brutality of 12 Years A Slave is non negotiable. It shows some heinous acts. But this is the toned down version of the film in comparison to what Mr McQueen has done in both his other films, and that dear readers, is exactly what amazes me the most. Astounds me. The director and the filmmaker within him has seen his need to reduce his skills, just a little, to make his film more accessible. He wanted more people to see this movie, and more people to be able to sit through and recommend it as passionately as I do his other films. And he knew, by toning it down a smidge, that it could get a best picture oscar. Guess what? It did. What an amazing human being Steve McQueen is, what an amazing filmmaker he is, what an amazing film he has made in 12 Years A Slave and what amazing things will he be able to go on to do now he has won that prestigious prize?

IMDB Info for 12 Years A Slave

SCORE: 9/10

Academy Award Results

So, the awards were a week or so ago (sorry, Mike and I have been flat out at work) and so its time to see how we went with our Oscar predictions. First up let me say that I was very happy with this years choices, it seems that picking the obvious choice wasn't the agreed strategy for this year and it was nice to see the truly deserving win in most cases. So how did we do on our predictions? Lets see:

BEST PICTURE: 12 Years a Slave
Boom! The one we wanted: 12 Years A Slave. Steve McQueen is one of the best filmmakers out there and its brilliant to see him pickup his first oscar for such a strong movie. Look out for our review soon on this one.

BEST ACTOR: Matthew McConaughey
Boom! Two out two. I still haven't seen all of Matthews performance but from what I have heard its amazing. Wasn't too sure what to make of his acceptance speech, but I don't know what he is on at present with top performances also popping up in True Detective, Mud and Wolf of Wall St this year.

BEST ACTRESS: Cate Blanchett
And the Aussie takes it out! Well done Cate, love your work in all your movies. So proud to see you up there and brilliant acceptance speech.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR: Jared Leto
Way off the mark here, didn't even really know who Jared Leto is, but his performance does look like a knock out. And, he seems like a pretty cool dude.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Lupita Nyong'o
I am so glad Lupita won! Only the 7th black lady to ever win an Oscar and her performance was raw, emotional and poignant. So much better than Jennifer Lawrence's was.

BEST DIRECTOR: Alfonso Cuaron
Alfonso did it! We think that 12 Years was a more deserving picture for the top spot, but actually making Gravity is a truly astounding feat. He literally had to create new technology just to allow his vision to be reality and fought for nearly 7 years to make his Sci Fi epic. Plus, he made Children of Men! Come on.

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY: 12 Years a Slave
Again, great to see such an amazing film take this one out, but I think the Before series deserves to win one for this category. Such brilliant writing.

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY: Her
This was unexpected in some ways. Its such an interesting night when the best screenplay, director and movie are all from different filmmakers and creatives. I love that as it means people really cared about the winners and Spike really deserved this. What a stand out accomplishment to write his movie the way he did.

BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN: The Great Gatsby
Think this one was pretty obvious. Quite interesting that The Great Gatsby won two more oscars than either Wolf of Wall Street, American Hustle or Captain Phillips.

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY: Gravity
Now, Im not entirely sure on the rules or way cinematography is done for animated movies, but to me this was a real disappointment. Prisoners was the most intensely shot film, done with the most perfect lighting of the year, hands down. If its harder to do that in an animated film then Gravity was great, if its a misunderstanding of the construction technique Im annoyed at this one.

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS: Gravity
Hand in hand with what I said about cinematography, Gravity looks astounding! But its due to the visual effects, not the shooting techniques (In my opinion) so glad to see this take it out. Simply amazing how they did what they did in this movie.

So all in all we were pretty close and pretty happy with the outcome. I quite enjoyed Ellen's most tweeted photo of our overlords and loved Luipta's acceptance speech. Its a weird ceremony really, but always good to see what you love recognised. Here's hoping for a funnier leading comedian next year though.

Knights of Badassdom!

With a title like that you can't go wrong!  Can you?

Knights of Badassdom is exactly the sort of movie you would want to make. Take a crazy funny script about LARP'ers (Live Action Role Play) and add some horror themes, a great main cast including a few hot ladies and a dwarf (sorry, little person) and you have a recipe for success in my opinion.  This would have been so much fun to make, I'm jealous.

If you're not familiar with LARP it's where people go meet to role play their fantasy characters and do fake battle.  Yup, it's all the dungeons and dragons stuff involving +4 maces and spells of healing or whatever.  If you've seen the movie 'Role Models' then it's the same thing.  Not sure I should admit this out loud but I reckon it looks like a hell of a lot of fun and would love to give it a go :)

Where to start though?   I'll start small... Peter Dinklage.  What a great actor and obviously feels right at home in any medieval setting after we all fell in love with him in Game of Thrones.  He's absolutely hilarious as Sir Hung and he steals the show in every scene he's in.  Things only get better when Sir Hung downs a bag of shrooms before the event, although that said I think any comedy benefits from a character downing some sort of hallucinogenic.

Next in line is Aussie actor Ryan Kwanten of True Blood fame.  He is great with comedy but also showed depth in the Aussie drama Red Hill (pretty decent flick btw).  Good to see Aussie actors doing well.   Kwanten is a toned down version of his True Blood character for this one, which works well surrounded by his super nerd mates.  Steve Zahn also shares the lead well and for those Community fans there is a small role for Danny Pudi (Abed)...  Love that dude :)

Knights of Badassdom is just a good, funny and silly horror comedy.   Definitely a movie to watch with mates over a few drinks. It's a low budget gem and the old school special effects using real creature costumes compliments the style perfectly.   Like any good horror comedy the kill scene's are way over the top and are delivered with good frequency.  Not a movie to be taken seriously, just enjoy and have a laugh.

My only complaint was lack of boobs.  (sorry ladies).   This sort of movie is only made better by some completely deliberate and blatantly tasteless titty shots.  Take a leaf out of road trips book.

Enjoy :)

8/10

IMDB Info

Dallas Buyers Club

Matthew McConaughey just cracked the big league.  This performance puts him in such company as Christian Bale and Daniel Day Lewis.  Had the film been made earlier it would be in contention for a spot on the top 10 male performances of all time list.

Dallas Buyers Club is based on a true story about Ron Woodroof, a Texas electrician who contracts the H.I.V virus in the mid 80's and his subsequent struggle to attain the right medicines he needs to survive.  He finds a market selling non-approved drugs to other H.I.V patients and sets up the "Dallas Buyers Club" which provides all the drugs you need for the price of a monthly membership.  Through this he begins his own research and improves the lives of many people however maintains a constant fight with the F.D.A, the police and the I.R.S to provide the drugs.

It must have been a very frustrating time for those infected by the virus. The usual government corruption led to a drug known as AZT being approved for human trials and this was having very mixed results amongst patients.  Different drugs were available in other countries but were not approved by the F.D.A so couldn't be brought into or sold in the U.S.  Woodroof worked around the system and traveled to many countries finding suppliers and giving the people an alternative option to AZT, one that appeared to be far more successful.

The craziest thing about this movie was that it was made for 4.5 million.  Obviously a passion project for McConaughey who would normally draw that amount in salary alone.  It is well shot, incredibly acted and is quite an interesting story on a controversial subject.  I was pleased to read that it made about 25 million worldwide which is a great result for 4.5 million budget.

Jared Leto co-stars as Rayon, a trans-gender male with H.I.V who opens up the market for Woodroof and becomes a partner in the business.  Both McConaughey and Leto are fantastic.   They both had to lose insane amounts of weight and it is just disturbing how skeletal they are in some shots - similar to Christian Bale in 'The Machinist' or as Dicky in 'The Fighter'.  It really adds authenticity to the characters though.

My only criticism is that the story is very slow.  I think Macca used the term 'snails pace' and I would have to agree.   Given the true content of the story I'm not quite sure how they could have changed this, perhaps shaved 20 minutes off the  run time, not sure.  It was a good watch though but not one I will be in a hurry to watch again.

7/10

IMDB Info

Wolf Creek 2 Opening Weekend Box Office

Well, some good news for the Aussie film industry came out this week: Wolf Creek 2 killed its way to the top of the Box Office! It beat out Wolf of Wall Street which has been sitting in the number one spot since January and the Mark Wahlberg war drama Lone Survivor also released on the weekend, by making a cool $1,681,636.

It still has a way to go to take the top spot of Aussie made films box office, with Crocodile Dundee racking up $47 million with its run in 1986. Love that movie!

Mike and I would like to congratulate the filmmakers and cannot wait to see it! Our tickets are purchased for the Sat night session and we will probably back it up with 12 Years a Slave if that's still showing as well, so look out for our thoughts on the films next week.

Apologies for not writing much in last couple of weeks, I have been flat out with work, sons birthday, editing an advertisement and some study, so in watching terms all I have managed is a few Downton Abbey episodes with my wife as she is rewatching them. Might do a post about that soon too as its surprisingly good.

Box Office stats came from the Motion Picture Distributors Association of Australia

Filth

A very fitting title for this one.  Violent, gross, racist, sexist... FILTHY.  Think Bad Lieutenant (Nick Cage) crossed with Trainspotting.  *edit* - just looked up this one and see it was based on Irvine Welsh's novel.  That explains the Trainspotting!

In Filth we are thrust straight into the insane life of police officer Bruce Robertson played by James McAvoy.  What this guy does in a day most of wouldn't do in a life time.   We follow him through a montage of drinking, drugs, sex, terrible police work and overall just being an absolute wanker.  But amongst this chaos is a deeper story and we can see there is more to Bruce than meets the eye.

It's quite an engaging film to watch.  Snappy editing provides a fairly fast pace and when the story backs off a bit there's enough on screen appealing to our 'depraved' curiosity to keep watching intently.

I felt a bit like the movie didn't know quite which direction to take. At times it was completely hilarious, others quite clever, also a little serious at times and others just down right crazy.  Although this was probably deliberate, by the end I was still waiting for the POINT!  I get there's a lot of filth in the world but what are you saying about it?  This may have been driven home better in the book methinks. 

McAvoy is good playing Robertson.  Couldn't fault his acting.  However, to me he felt poorly casted.  I don't know if it is just his face, or something about his take on the character but something didn't fit here.  No other performances really worth mentioning except maybe Jim Broadbent as the doctor. Under the influence of certain 'enhancers' his character would have provided plenty of  "WTF" moments.   In fact even without there were enough.

There were a couple of scene's though that had me literally laughing out loud which is an achievement in a movie when watching alone I reckon.  One involved a very interesting game I might try out at the next work party involving a xerox machine.  The finale of this though was priceless - "Fuck me with that horses cock!......  What????".    The second involved some drink spiking of Bruce's 'best friend' Bladesey.  Anyway I apologise for describing scene's if you haven't seen it yet.

Overall quite an interesting and unique watch.  Definitely won't suit those with milder taste.  If you're a fan of Welsh's work this will be a must see.  I loved Trainspotting but don't think Filth is up there in the same category.

P.S - what the fuck is up with that PIG?


6/10

IMDB Info

ZOMBEAVERS!

 

Sold!

Ender's Game

MORE SCI-FI!!!!!!   Always wanting MORE MORE MORE!

Even better when you find GOOD Sci-fi, and Ender's Game delivers on all levels.  It's based on the book by Orson Scott Card and Directed by South African Gavin Hood who has done other quite large studio flicks like X-men:Origins and Rendition. I loved every minute of it, but I have a feeling this one won't be for everyone.

I'm a complete sucker for good kids movies.  And 99.9% of these were created in the 80's and early 90's.  Growing up during this time was obviously a large contributing factor to this opinion however I don't think anyone can argue that the movies made back then just had some sort of charm that we rarely see these days (sorry I know Guy and I crap on about the 80's a lot, but hey :).  With the incredible animation and special effects we enjoy today the studio's are creating for a completely different children's market and I understand our older movies wouldn't "cut it" for today's younger audience.  This is why I am so impressed with 'Ender's Game'.  It uses all the modern tricks but still captures the essence of a good 80's story telling.  There's no unnecessary violence or gore, no swearing - just a great story presented beautifully and paced to perfection.

So what's it about?  If you're old enough you will remember a movie called 'The Last Star Fighter'.  Very similar story elements between the two.  Set in the future where Earth has survived a large scale invasion by a race known as the 'Formics' and is preparing to go on the offensive to prevent future attacks.  Humans have learned that children possess superior decision making skills during battle so are trained to lead and fight at an early age.  The best of these are promoted to the top of the academy to lead the attack on the enemy.  Ender Wiggin is one such candidate and the story follows his progression through the academy and eventual role in the attack.

'Ender's Game' is just a good fun movie.  Wiggin, played by Asa Butterfield,  is a very likable character and by the end of the film I was sold on him being a born leader and strategist.  Harrison Ford was pretty decent as Colonel Graff, man he's looking old though. Poor Indy.  Ben Kingsley's character Mazar Rackham was completely destroyed by Kingsey's terrible attempt of a New Zealand accent, it was actually quite hilarious.  It probably doesn't sound too bad for those not familiar with the accent, like Leo's South African accent in Blood Diamond which was apparently terrible but sounded good to me.  Anyway, at the very least he is good for a couple of laughs.

Like all modern day big budget movies the cinematography is top notch and special effects seamlessly crisp.  The action scene's were incredibly well shot, and contrary to current trends were not rushed or over edited.  Just overall a damn enjoyable watch!   A reminder again this is a kids movie so if you take your Sci-Fi a bit too seriously then maybe give it a miss.  Personally I love having a few reds and letting myself be young again!

8/10

IMDB Info

All is Lost

When it comes to the quality of this film, all is definitely not lost. 

Writer and Director J.C Chandor delivers an incredibly realistic survival story set in the vast Indian Ocean.  We are introduced immediately to the only character in the movie (we never learn his name), played by Robert Redford as he wakes to find his yacht damaged by a rogue shipping container floating in the middle of nowhere overnight.  It's nothing but survival from this point onwards as he faces a string of bad luck yet luckily has the Macgyver-esk skills to overcome most obstacles.

A warning to all those action heads out there - this is a very in depth, slow burning movie.  There are only a handful of words spoken and every event is played out in absolute detail and precision as though you were on the boat watching directly.  It is beautifully shot, but one thing they especially nailed was the underwater to above water transitions and vise-versa - absolutely seamless.  Being a single boat in the middle of the ocean, the team could concentrate heavily on creating the perfect sets for in and out of the yacht.  Inside of the yacht was quite spectacular and was even built to be able to capsize which provided some incredible internal action shots during some stormy scene's.

When a movie only has a single character - casting must become the single most important decision I reckon.  If you're not captivated by the character then yes, All Is Lost.   To be honest at first I thought Redford might have been the wrong decision.  He looked almost too far past expiry to pull off the role, quite slow and sore.  That said though, about half way through I was sold.  Fantastic performance.  He never tried to over compensate for the lack of dialogue by over-acting his emotions.  I think the reason why I initially doubted was because it was so different to the usual acting we see but after adjusting and thinking on it, it felt very authentic.  Our reactions when alone are quite different to with company and I think Redford and Chandor nailed it.

I love survival stories.  I remember reading 'Hatchet' in school which was a great little story and then later saw movies like 'Survive the Savage Sea' and of course 'Cast Away' which was just brilliant.  I would compare 'All is Lost' a little to 'Cast Away' in some elements from the time Hanks left the Island.  If you're a fan of this type of stuff also then definitely add to the watch list. I originally gave it a 9 and in lot of area's it definitely deserved but I took it down to an 8 after considering re-watch value.  Will definitely be watching again but will give it a few years I think to recharge ready for the slow burn once again.

8/10

IMDB Info

Academy Award Predictions

Hey All, with the Annual Academy Awards coming up shortly Mike and I thought we would have a guess as to what we think will come out trumps. We have highlighted below both what we think deserves to win and what we think will, in reality, win. Sometimes this is both and we will make note of it by colouring the row in both colours.

And so, for the sheer fun of it, here are our thoughts:

Yellow is for what we think will win
Green is for what we would like to win

Best Picture
American Hustle - Guys Prediticion is a little different to Mike's on this one
Captain Phillips
Dallas Buyers Club
Gravity
Her- Mike's prediction
Nebraska
Philomena
12 Years a Slave
The Wolf of Wall Street

Best Actor
Christian Bale, American Hustle
Bruce Dern, Nebraska
Leonardo DiCaprio, The Wolf of Wall Street
Chiwetel Ejiofor, 12 Years a Slave
Matthew McConaughey, Dallas Buyers Club

Best Actress
Amy Adams, American Hustle
Cate Blanchett, Blue Jasmine
Sandra Bullock, Gravity
Judi Dench, Philomena
Meryl Streep, August: Osage County

Best Supporting Actor
Barkhad Abdi, Captain Phillips
Bradley Cooper, American Hustle - With Guy's prediciton of best picture I think this will win
Michael Fassbender, 12 Years a Slave - Mike is pretty sure Fassbender will win too, and I hope he does
Jonah Hill, The Wolf of Wall Street
Jared Leto, Dallas Buyers Club

Best Supporting Actress
Sally Hawkins, Blue Jasmine
Jennifer Lawrence, American Hustle
Lupita Nyong'o, 12 Years a Slave
Julia Roberts, August: Osage County
June Squibb, Nebraska

Best Director
David O. Russell, American Hustle
Alfonso Cuaron, Gravity - Mike's wish here for best director
Alexander Payne, Nebraska
Steve McQueen, 12 Years a Slave - Guy's wish here for Steve to finally get one
Martin Scorsese, The Wolf of Wall Street

Best Adapted Screenplay
Before Midnight - Richard Linklater, Julie Delpy, Ethan Hawke
Captain Phillips - Billy Ray
Philomena - Steve Coogan and Jeff Pope
12 Years a Slave - John Ridley
The Wolf of Wall Street - Terence Winter

Best Original Screenplay
American Hustle - Eric Warren Singer and David O. Russell
Blue Jasmine - Woody Allen
Dallas Buyers Club - Craig Borten & Melisa Wallack
Her - Spike Jonze
Nebraska - Bob Nelson

Best Production Design
American Hustle
Gravity
The Great Gatsby
Her
12 Years a Slave

Best Cinematography
The Grandmaster
Gravity
Inside Llewyn Davis
Nebraska
Prisoners

Best Visual Effects
Gravity
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
Iron Man 3
The Lone Ranger
Star Trek Into Darkness

So lets see how it plays out on March the 2nd. Please note we have only tried to guess those categories we know enough about, and have in fact not seen all the movies in them either, which makes it a bit hard. But with knowledge of how these awards have been given out in the past we feel we can make a pretty sure bet given what we know about them.

How about you? Do you agree or disagree?

Captain Phillips

"Maybe in America Irish, maybe in America"



A given with all my reviews - potential *spoilers alert*

Just managed to sneak seeing this before our top 10 posts... to be honest I thought I would have to re-adjust my list but in the end it wasn't quite worthy so no harm posting after.

If you're not up to speed on this one it's basically a 'true' story about an American ship & captain taken hostage by Somali pirates.  It can be easy sitting in my comfy lounge chair in front of my flat screen T.V to be swept up in the usual American propaganda however it becomes more difficult these days as we are made more aware of the cost of our decadent lives.  To be fair though I think this movie did give a small effort to show the 'other side of the story' however I couldn't help but feel like the pirates were the true victims as these four men with rifles on a lifeboat were chased down by multiple battleships, seal teams, helicopters and the navies finest.

All that aside though it's a pretty damn good movie.  Thank Christ I was watching this at home and not in the cinema.  Mr Greengrass has the tendency to hire camera men with Parkinson disease and at the cinema I may have thrown up all over my pop corn.   But with this style comes an absolute realism and .... what's that word that means completely immersed and feels like you're there?  Damn..

With all the U.S bravado and big action music I had flash backs in a couple of moments to Michael Bay - mainly the Rock... maybe Armageddon.  Quick cuts of military dudes yelling out status updates and orders around the place - definitely the right formulae.

There's not much point going into Tom Hanks performance.  We have come to expect nothing but perfection and once again he doesn't disappoint.   As the story progresses so does his character and emotional depth and he carries the movie along on his giant shoulders like so many before.   The fellas playing the pirates were damn good as well - especially the captain 'muse' played by Barkhad Abdi.   Is it just me or does this guy look a hell of a lot like Omar from 'The Wire'??

Overall a very decent and intense action/drama with solid acting and good (albeit shaky) production.  Definitely worth checking out.

One last thing to add - I hope Hans Zimmer got some royalties for the last track played, massive 'time' rip off.  However I did watch the credits and saw his name in the thank you list so maybe he was feeling generous?

7/10

IMDB Info

Some recent watches

Back at work now, but whilst on holidays I was watching a fair few flicks.  I feel a lot of them don't really need a full review so I've consolidated a few quick summaries below.



Riddick

This is a hard one because I absolutely love Pitch Black.  I thought Chronicles of Riddick was a piece of crap and now this 3rd installment I find somewhere in the middle.  The story feels a lot closer to the first however still keeps ties with the second.  The movie is absolute cheese on toast with horrible corny dialogue delivered very poorly throughout.  I think my favourite was...

"I dont fuck guys...  but sometimes I fuck them up"

*sigh*  And to make that line worse it was delivered by Katee Sackhoff of Battlestar Galatica fame who I held in high regard after that series.  This was definitely not her role but after reading that script I could imagine her motivation waned.

What keeps me going though is the character of Riddick.  He's awesome!  Vin Diesel just slips into the role so perfectly.  A lot of the story involved Riddick himself surviving on an unknown world and there were some good scene's with him vs the wildlife.   If you're a fan of the franchise I recommend grabbing some scotch or a wine and chucking this one on whilst turning off the brain for a couple of hours.  It was enjoyable enough.

6/10

IMDB Info



Don Jon

J.G.L (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) has become a first rate actor.  It has been great watching his career push forward from 3rd Rock to a plethora of indy films until finally making it big with massive films like Inception, Dark Knight Rises and Looper.   Once again he gives a great performance and plays the lead role of Jon perfectly.

For me though the stand out was Scarlett Johansson.  This would have to be one of, if not the best performances of her career.  She transforms into the Jersey girl - accent, attitude, everything.  Compare her in this role to say We Bought a Zoo - just an incredible contrast.

To summarise in a sentence - Don Jon follows the porn addicted Jon through failed relationship attempts and his journey of true sexual awakedness with an older lover Esther (played by Julianne Moore).   It's a good watch - honest and real.

7/10

IMDB Info



The Kings of Summer

This probably deserved it's own review.  A very unique film with terrific quirky characters and an atmosphere of adventure we all crave.   The story follows a couple of friends dealing with different home life issues who befriend a very odd young fellow and run away into the forest near their town.  They build themselves quite an impressive cabin and enjoy the freedom of living with their own rules and braving the wild.

The movie nearly has it all - comedy, drama, love and adventure.   It is beautifully shot with scene's spliced with spectacular nature shots the crew must have caught while filming out there.   There was a great scene with the boys drumming and dancing on a large pipe running through the forest - absolutely loved how they then used this drumming music in a tense scene later in the film.

All characters were great but Nick Offerman was sensational as one of the fathers. The more I see of this guy the more I like. Loved the Wonton's!

I'm stuck between giving it a 7 or an 8.  I think for me personally rating on overall enjoyment I would give a 7 but I can easily see others giving it an 8 or even a 9.   This would be right up Macca's alley I reckon.  Definitely give it a go though.

7/10

IMDB Info



The Wolverine

Getting so sick of comic book movies.  The Wolverine is not a bad movie, in fact it would have to be one of the better comic movies.  I like Jackman as the Wolverine character and there is something about being super strong, having protracting blades in your hands and the power of regeneration that appeals to every male.   The story was 'ok' and I liked the setting of Japan.

But with all that said I still found it quite boring.  Why do they makes these movies so damn long?  Why not make it 90-120 minutes and keep it exciting, quick and interesting instead of padding it out!! zzzzzz

5/10

IMDB Info




Clear History

Comedy starring Larry David (he Co-made Seinfeld!!) about a man who forfeits his shareholding in the company he works after a disagreement with the boss.  Big mistake as those shares end up being worth billions.    Many years later in a new life he runs into his boss again and begins to plan revenge.  An so the hilarity ensues.

Or so it should have...

I just don't find Larry David that funny on screen.  He is a quirky character and can generate a smile here and there but nothing laugh out loud funny.  This movie needed to be hilarious as it really had nothing else going for it.

If you love Larry David then definitely give this a go, else I wouldn't waste your time.

5/10

IMDB Info



Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa

I've only recently become a fan of Steve Coogan after Guy introduced me to 'The Trip'.  I was not familiar with the Alan Partridge character going into this movie but quite enjoyed it regardless.  Good British humor with a side of fun.

Not too much to say here except that it has enough laughs to keep you watching.

7/10

IMDB Info

Guys Most Anticipated of 2014

So the year of 2013 is done and dusted and we already half way through January 2014! It’s time to look ahead at the year that is to come and see what is on offer. The following 10 movies are the ones that already have my attention and I am eagerly awaiting their release date to get my ticket, grab some popcorn (or for some of these movies: Ritalin) and line up to see them.

1. 12 Years a Slave
Though this film has already been out in the U.S. it’s only set to come out this year in Australia. From everything I've seen and read about I’m pretty sure it will be making my Number 1 spot for 2014. Directed by Steve McQueen and starring Chiwetel Ejiofor it looks to be a harrowing account of what slavery was like.

Released on January 30.

2. Interstellar
Christopher Nolan's next film. 'Nuff said. Oh, and it’s about: A group of explorers make use of a newly discovered wormhole to surpass the limitations on human space travel and conquer the vast distances involved in an interstellar voyage. Boom!


Released on November 6

3. Transcendence
Christopher Nolan has always used Wally Pfister as his cinematographer and I think a large portion of his success in film can be directed towards the style and look, derived from the skill of Wally. I therefore cannot wait to see the directorial debut of Mr Pfister with his movie Transcendence.


Released on April 24

4. Gone Girl
Directed by David Fincher, starring Ben Affleck, and Rosamund Pie and based on the bestselling book. It centres around the mystery of a woman disappearing on her wedding anniversary, and I am hoping like mad Mr Fincher will call back to his Zodiac making skills for this one.

(No trailer available yet) Released on October 2

5. The Monuments Men
Clooney, Damon, Murray, Goodman and Blanchett as art dealers convinced to head into the middle of the Second World War to recover the art stolen by Nazi's. It looks to be a wonderful conglomeration of comedy, tragedy and war action.


Released on March 13

6. Tracks
A story about Robyn Davidson who walked from Alice Springs to the Indian Ocean on her own through the desert! It stars Mia Wasikowska and is a South Australian film production that looks simply epic. The cinematography is gorgeous and this will definitely be one to see at the cinema.


Released on March 6

7. Nymphomaniac
I really don’t like Lars Von Trier movies, in fact I don’t think I’ve ever made it through to the end of one, but how he has the likes of Shia Lebouf, Charlotte Gainsburg, Uma Thurman, Willem Dafoe & Christian Slater to be involved in a movie with unstimulated sex scenes just calls out to be seen.


Released March sometime

8. The Wolf of Wall Street
Again, it’s already out in the U.S. but another good ol Scorcese film starring Leo has got to be amazing. Also, I'm hearing that it goes pretty explicit in showing the excess that Jordan Belfont went through so it’ll be interesting to see Scorsese take it to the extreme.


Released on January 23

9. Wolf Creek 2
I've only seen Wolf Creek once, but once was enough to have it seared into my brain for ever. I’ll be curious to see if they can replicate even half of what was good about the first. And I like to support Aussie horror flicks.


Released on February 20

10. The Hobbit: There and Back Again
Readers of this site should know that I have a soft spot for this stuff, and so yes, I am already eagerly awaiting the release of the trailer sometime in June/July! And, for Boxing Day when I can get in line to see Smaug again!!
(No trailer for this one .... yet)
Released on December 26

Also, it appears that Aussie cinema will be having a bit of a boost in 2014 with a few major deals being successfully landed. I read a good piece at the IF website here about it if you are interested: http://if.com.au/2013/09/19/article/2014-A-banner-year-for-Oz-cinema/YTYEYIMNZJ.html

Maccas Top 10 of 2013

2013 has been a fairly decent, consistent year for film.  Out of 66 movies ive watched classified as released in 2013, 29 of them ive rated as a 7 or better, but only 5 that Ive rated as an 8 or better.  This shows there has been plenty of watchable, decent, fun, enjoyable films but not many that reached any real epic heights.  The real disappointment of the year was with the big budget or big name flicks.  Whilst some lived up to expectation (Mud, Prisoners, Gravity), there were many that missed the mark.  Movies like Elysium, World War Z & Pacific Rim were poor.  Others that I was looking forward to in Only God Forgives, Trance and Now You See Me had promise but failed to deliver on that potential.  It was left up to the lower budget indie flicks to get the job done in 2013 and there was plenty of gold there.  Movies such as Drinking Buddies, Europa Report, Kings of Summer, I Give It A Year were all good lower budget flicks to check out.

MACCAS TOP 10 OF 2013

10: We Are What We Are - Horror

A dark, moody horror/thriller about a family with many skeletons in the closet.  Low budget but this is very well acted, excellent at creating suspense and the director of photography did a brilliant job.  An excellent score as well.  Its a very attractive movie and one that put some bigger name thrillers such as Conjuring & Insidious 2 to shame.  One of the hidden gems of 2013.

9. Mud - Drama 

One of the best dramas of the year.  Matthew McConaughey puts in an outstanding performance as Mud, a fugitive who befriends a couple of young lads who attempt to help him out.  Its complex and hits the right notes.  Excellent acting by the two younger lads.  A lovely film and unlucky to not be higher in the list.

8. The Way, Way Back - Drama

This is a quirky comedy-drama in the same mould as Juno, Little Miss Sunshine and Adventureland.  Theres been a number of coming of age dramedies come out in 2013 and this is the king of them all.  A quiet, awkward teen with a dysfunctional family befriends a waterpark owner and comes of age, growing in confidence as the movie wears on.  Its quirky, its funny, it makes you laugh and makes you sad.  Steve Carrell is excellent, but the real star (as expected) is Sam Rockwell.  You can never go wrong when Sam Rockwell is around.

7. Blue Is The Warmest Color - Romance

This is French.  About Lesbians.  Whats not to love?  Its a controversial romantic drama about a young girl who falls in love and deals with the issues of being in a same sex relationship.  The controversy comes from the multiple sex scenes, one a 10 minute long very graphic lesbian scene which can only be described as an inch away from hardcore porn.  But take away the graphic scene and what is left is a brilliant film that is perfect at making you feel empathy for its characters.  It builds character development like no other film this year.  Its length at 3 hours is the only thing holding this back.  A bit tighter and this would be well up there for film of the year.

6. American Hustle - Drama

Bale, Cooper, Adams, Lawrence, CK and a neat little cameo by De Niro.  A big name cast and it delivers in spades.  Its a crime/heist drama with plenty of comedy thrown in for good measure.  Many have thought it to be too slow through the first half of the movie but I thought its pacing was spot on.  Plenty of exposition and its a complex storyline.  Must.  Pay.  Attention.  Outstanding acting performances.  For me, its the best performances Cooper, Adams & Lawrence have done in their careers. 

5. Byzantium - Fantasy

This is how a vampire flick should be made!  Im not hugely into vampire flicks, but this is so spot on its hard not to fall in love with it.  The cinematography, colour palate and restraint in the acting is perfect.  This leaves big name vampire brands like Twilight & True Blood for dead. 

4. Gravity - Sci-Fi

The best of the big budget, big name movies in 2013.  It really is an incredible film.  How they managed to shoot this and have it look so realistic, I have no idea.  As a general rule I steer clear of Sandra Bullock movies as I cant stand her acting, but this is by far the best thing shes ever done, and the best acting performance she has ever done.  The CG is beyond belief.  Get yourself a big arse tv, a blu ray player, sit back and lose yourself in this.  It not only lives up to the hype, it smashes it out of the park.   

3. The Place Beyond The Pines - Drama

A complex drama with a perfect performance by Ryan Gosling, and an incredibly mature performance by Bradley Cooper.  In fact Cooper is the real star of this and with 2 movies well inside the top 10, you could say he would be my actor of 2013.  Its a long but fulfilling movie and grips you at times like few others did in 2013.

2. Maniac - Horror

This one will polarise people.  Many will hate this, many will like it.  I found it mesmerising.  A thriller/horror about a sociopath who finds, murders and scalps girls.  The real difference in this is that its shot in first person mode.  Elijah Wood is the star and lead actor and is believable as the creepy maniac.  Like Byzantium, I lost myself in the way this was shot.  Perfect film score that really draws you in, similar to Drive.  Great cinematography.  As I said, not for everyone, and is fairly graphic in its violence, but its one I kept coming back to as one of the most interesting and enjoyable movies ive seen this year.

1. Disconnect - Drama

A complex, multi-layered drama in a similar vein to Crash, that brings 4-5 storylines together in a huge crescendo in the finish.  It shows the cause and effect of social media and being responsible for the decisions you make.  You know a movie has really touched you to your core when you're still thinking about this days after watching.  Jason Bateman was the real star as the lead character.  No other film has had this effect on me in 2013 than Disconnect.  It may not be in many other top 10 lists you'll see but its well worth a watch. 

Honourable Mentions: Prisoners, Rush & We're The Millers.  Just missed out on the top 10.

Mikes top 10 movies of 2013

My name is Mike and I'm an addict.  It has been 12 hours since my last movie hit.

2013 was a fairly average year overall however there were some terrific standouts.  For me, the top 10 list below makes it all worthwhile.   Looking over the top 10 lists for Guy and Macca I'm pleased there is about a half half ratio of same choices and different ones.  The variances can obviously come from different taste but I also think mood and experience come a lot into play as well.  Quite often watching a great movie in the wrong mood can result in a skewed opinion.  Personally this is why I love trawling through other people's top movie lists - just on the off chance of finding a movie I may have missed (heaven forbid, lol) or maybe misjudging one the first time so I give it another shot.

For movies that were initially reviewed on the site I have included a link in case you missed it.
Enjoy :)


 10. The Purge - Thriller - This one just snuck in.  I was divided between a few for this spot but in the end I think The Purge is worthy.  The movie is good but I think it was the core idea of the story that I really liked.  One night a year - the rules are off...  Brilliant.

9. World War Z - Horror - Some people will think I'm crazy putting this one in here.  I'm not going to call it one of the best movies of all time but it was a really great ride.  With so many zombie flicks bombarding the screen it's hard to find ones that stand-out and push the bar forward.  I think this one manages to stand out.  Review

8. Prisoners - Thriller/Drama - Just a great, super-intense thriller with very dark undertones.  Just how far would desperate fathers go to get back their kidnapped daughters? Not for the faint hearted :)  Review

7. The Impossible - Thriller/Drama - I don't understand how some of these tsunami shots were done.  So realistic and intense.  Combine these with incredible shots in post tsunami landscapes showing the panic, the fear and desperation.  Such a horrific event captured incredibly.  Review

6. Europa Report - Sci-Fi - A low budget gem.  The first 5 minutes may make you want to turn it off, but persevere and enjoy a great Sci-Fi flick.  A must see for all Sci-Fi fans and a must have in my blu-ray collection.   Review

5. The Conjuring - Horror/Thriller - Macca is one of the few people I know with the same thirst for horror as me.  I know he won't agree with me having this one in the top 10 but for some reason I just completely loved it.  Not sure if it was just the right night, the right mood, the right red... whatever it was I thought it was great from start to finish. Review

4. The Place Beyond The Pines - Drama - I still remember this as being one of those few exceptions where you watch a trailer and get all hyped up and then not be disappointed when you watch the film.  Brilliant story, brilliant acting and very clever transition of story and character which I had not seen before.  Review

3. Rush - Action/Sports - Just a great exciting movie to watch, even without being a fan of the sport.  Loved how they captured the 70's/80's perfectly.  Review

2. Byzantium - Fantasy/Horror - Guy may be a sucker for Peter Jackson, but I'm a sucker for vampires.  This movie was so refreshing after the years of teenage vampire shit that has been destroying the genre  *grumpy old man waves fist in the air*.   Review

1. Gravity - Thriller/Drama - Wow.  Just Wow.  I was a late comer to this one and after reading Guy's initial review it was on the list to see, just couldn't get around to it.  Last week I was pleased it was still showing in 3D so managed to catch a session.  Forget story and realism, this movie is just an incredible experience.  You are actually out there floating in space with these guys.  It is technically perfect.  Review



Bring on 2014!


Unfortunately I did not have a chance to watch the movies below - all of which I believe may have been top 10 candidates.   Also, "12 years a Slave" which may have gone number 1, Guy and I are treating as 2014 and it is not being released until March in Australia, even though was out in the states in 2013.

Philomena
Filth
All is Lost
Short Term 12
Before Midnight
Out of the Furnace
Wolf of Wall Street

If you have seen any of the above, drop a comment in and let us know what you thought.