Movie Reviews

I thought I’d do a quick review round-up of all the films I’ve seen lately.

This is the End

James Franco, Seth Rogan, Jonas Hill and Danny McBride all play themselves in this self-depreciating, outrageously funny comedy about the end of days.  The funniest scene is where the earthquake first hits and a load of celebrities fall into a hole with magma at the bottom - I honestly was laughing so much it hurt my stomach and I couldn’t breathe.  It is quite crude the humour and probably a ‘lads’ movie in certain respects but it’s a comedy first and foremost, and has probably overtaken Airplane as my all-time favourite.    8/10

Captain Phillips

This is a gripping thriller telling the real-life story of the Maersk Alabama that was hijacked by Somali pirates.  As ever, Tom Hanks gives a flawless performance but the most incredible part for me was just watching how the Somalis, with a tiny boat and a rusty ladder, managed to get on board the huge cargo ship.  It’s a really good film.  8/10

American Hustle

I’d read a lot about this film before watching it and particularly the amount of awards it was nominated for.   Therefore, I found myself actually disappointed in the film because it is quite dull, long-winded and flat.  I appreciated the rock-steady acting of Christian Bale, Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence, as well as a few comical moments, but on the whole it falls short of a truly outstanding film.           6/10

The Purge

I like Ethan Hawke, mainly his cool name I guess, but he’s the best thing about the film.  I like the concept, that one day of the year everyone is legally allowed to commit crime, but the film was just a bit boring.  The plot twist at the end was all too easy to see because it was overly hinted at in the early scenes.  With a great concept like this, the film should have been set in an open-world following the nightly mayhem around the city.  There are too many horror films where the victims are stuck inside a house while the killers try to get in.   4/10

Riddick

I had never watched Pitch Black back in the day but this reboot I really enjoyed.  The visuals were stunning and the landscape of the alien planet, and the terrifying creatures on it were impressive.  Vin Diesel nails the role, and there was a healthy amount of gore, cheesy lines and violence to satisfy my action needs.  7/10

World War Z

Note: don’t watch this on a plane with headphones in and the screen only a foot in front of you.  The last time I jumped from shock like I did with this movie was watching 28 Days Later.  I really enjoyed this film, I liked the fact it focused on Brad Pitt trying to track down why the outbreak started rather than fighting the zombies, because nearly all of the time he is fleeing against overwhelming odds of masses of zombie hordes.  I thought it was a good ending and I’m looking forward to the sequel.  8/10

Fast and Furious 6

I’m a little behind with this one, but thought I’d mention it.  I love the Fast and Furious franchise, ever since number one (with the exception of Tokyo Drift).  I think it’s what cinema is made for and what I’m quite happy to depart my ten pound with for a ticket.  It’s pure action, adventure, cheese, and over-the-top sequences which requires no mental effort to watch – perfect for escapism.  Now, this 6^th installment was the most insane of all of them featuring a runway the length of Africa and nonsensical jumps from cars leaving everyone unscathed.  But, it’s a good movie and I’m looking forward to number seven.  7/10

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On a musical note, I’ve been listening to Absolution by Muse a lot recently.  Honestly one of the best albums ever made and not one track you skip, which is so rare these days because there are always at least a few rubbish songs on every album. 

Review: Half Bad by Sally Green

I was lucky to win this ARC on Goodreads and it was the first competition I’ve ever entered and I won!   I only entered after reading about Sally Green in an article in a British newspaper online, but I’m very glad I did because this will surely be one of the biggest books of 2014.  Before even beginning to read the book it already scored highly to me because of the original, fresh and intriguing premise, something which is severely lacking in today’s literary world.  Most of all, I’m pleased to say that it delivers and more.  

 

                I was gripped from the first page and from then on it was an intoxicating ride on every level.  Dark, intense and heart-pounding, and I’m sure there are many other superlatives which I could use to describe it if only my vocabulary wasn’t so limited.  Most importantly for me, though, it sits amongst the list of a very few books that I will re-read (The Hobbit is one of them) because despite knowing what happens, the story and characters are just that good that you want to get lost in them all over again, every year. 

                This will be a huge success and I, like millions of others I don’t doubt, will be eagerly awaiting the next book in the series. 

5/5  *****

Half Bad will be released on 3rd March 2014.

The Hobbit Part 2 - it's that time again!

December is fast approaching which means it’s that time of the year again:  The Hobbit Part 2 is almost out!  Watching Lord of the Rings was a unique cinematic event for me, as I’m sure it was for many others.  Waiting all year for the December release and then watching the trailers months just built-up the excitement.  It was like an early Christmas present, which made the Christmas season even more fantastic.

I did enjoy The Hobbit Part 1.  As a huge fan of Tolkien I was just pleased to be transported back into Middle-Earth.  The opening section with Smaug taking Erebor was mesmerizing and the visual effects of the dwarven stronghold were beautifully recreated.  I also thought the clips of where the dwarves fought against the orcs at Moria was very well done; a much more brutal, gritty battle scene than any in Lord of the Rings.    

However...

Something just wasn’t quite right.  I didn’t have a problem with the higher frame rate, although sometimes it did make my head spin on the panoramic shots.  I thought it was just me but my friend next to me also felt the same spinning effects.  I did have a problem with the tone of the film, in trying to appeal to both children and adults, it failed at both.  A bit like the problem I have with my Super Spud books!  I didn’t find the humour particularly funny, it was trying too hard.  Whereas there are understated, not in-your-face humourous moments in Lord of the Rings which are done very well (the part where Eowyn hands Aragorn soup she made thinking he’d enjoy it, for example).  

Saying this, I think parts 2 and 3 will be much better.  The action will be thick and fast, Legolas is returning (though even he looks weird in the trailer) and there will be some epic scenes involving Smaug, elves, the Necromancer and the wizards kicking ass.  I’ll try and get tickets for the opening night, but if I can’t it won’t be a big deal to wait for the rush to calm down.  I hate packed cinemas anyway, I much prefer to go when the screening is almost empty and there are no idiots on their phones.

If I was scoring, I’d give the Lord of the Rings 10/10 – it was perfection for me; as a fantasy lover and Tolkien-enthusiast.  I could sit and watch the extended edition DVD’s all day. 

But I’d give The Hobbit Part 1 probably 7/10.  It was good, and definitely worth my money but crucially, I won’t be buying the extended DVD edition.  I just don’t think I could be bothered to watch it more than once a year and it could have been shorter.  I don’t have a problem with them making three films, but that doesn’t mean each film has to be a 3-hour epic!

The Unknown Man

Something a bit different from the Super Spuds today.  I wrote this little story yesterday based on a hitch-hiker I saw one day in the desert. 

The Unknown Man

Hour after hour, he waited in the sun - a lone figure by the edge of the endless blacktop.  His black veil sheltered his face from the unforgiving desert sun, but there was no escape from the rising temperature: A relentless 40 degrees by 9 a.m., which quickly drained his vital bodily fluids and moral.  Kneeling, the man stared intently at the road, watching – praying – for a car to come to his aid.  After one hour, a car approached, its outline punching through the shimmering heat radiating off the tarmac, and the man stood up and stuck out his hand.  The car did not stop.  The man kept his faith and resumed kneeling, turning his body to keep the sun on his back and the wind on his face.  He had no water with him, and there was no water within a hundred miles.  At noon, the wind ceased to blow and the punishing heat began to take effect.  His lips started to crack, his mouth stopped producing saliva and his head was like a drum pounding to the beat of a slow rhythm.  

He strained his eyes to scope the surrounding area for shade, but only the unwelcoming sight of flat gravel plains rewarded his effort.  There was no vegetation in this particular location: the environment only existed to take away life, not sustain it.  It was at this moment the man began to realize that he may not survive for much longer.  The heat would take his body and the desert would take his soul.  When the next car came – if one came at all – he would walk into the road and force the car to stop, rather than rely on the generosity of a travelling stranger.  The man reflected on what the mind of the driver who failed to stop was thinking.  If I were the driver, would I have stopped?  The man smiled to himself, he would have done the same and kept on driving, it was easier – and safer – to assume the next car along would stop and help.  Leave it for someone else. 

As the sun began to set, its brightness dimmed enough to allow the man to stare at it.  It would be beautiful, the man thought, if it was not for the fact it was going to rise tomorrow and condemn him to his death.  The sun seemed to laugh at him as it disappeared below the horizon, resolute in its confidence as the ultimate giver – and taker – of life on Earth.    The wind continued to blow, pushing the sand grains against their will onwards and away.  The man stretched his legs out and drifted in and out of sleep – the severe dehydration taking its toll on the strength of his body.  It was now midnight, the unbearable heat of the day now long gone.  The ground gave up its warmth and the empty space consumed it greedily.  The contrast between day and night in the desert was stark and cruel in its conflicting nature.  The man almost wished for the sun to come back soon and warm his body again.   He knew once it did though – and it would – he would be wishing for the cold again.  The dark of the night only confirmed his loneliness: there were no car lights approaching and only the stars kept him company tonight.

International giveaway ends tomorrow so be sure to check out Goodreads to enter!