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Read the best and most honest reviews for movies and the cinema and coming to Blu Ray DVD. Our movie reviews are comprehensive and honest.

What Richard Did — An Intelligent Drama About Social and Familial Responsibility

Posted on January 11, 2013 by Paul Harrison

Irish Director Lenny Abrahamson Show His Brilliance in What Richard Did 

1x1.trans What Richard Did An Intelligent Drama About Social and Familial Responsibilitymovie review

If originality and creativity are to be praised, then Irish director Lenny Abrahamson deserves rapturous applaus for his first three major productions: they all look completely different. Where many directors seem to like to stick to one type of film, Abrahamson is more interested in pushing himself and creating a genuinely unique peace of work each time he directs.

The latest of his works is What Richard Did, a complex drama written by Malcolm Campbell and starring Jack Reynor, Sam Keeley and Roisin Murphy. The story is about Richard, a teenage male played by Jack Reynor. Richard is an over-achiever and a rugby star schoolboy. Everywhere he goes he gets the adoration of the girls, he has parties and present himself as a celebrity. It’s the dream lifestyle, at least until he falls for Roisin Murphy, the girlfriend of his fellow teammate Conor (Sam Keeley).

What Richard Did is an intelligent drama that speaks of social and familial responsibility. It has a lot to say, and says all of it with meaning and intent. This is a movie that will make you think.

Overall: 4 out of 5 

What Richard Did — An Intelligent Drama About Social and Familial Responsibility

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Review of Gangster Squad, Starring Sean Penn

Posted on January 11, 2013 by Paul Harrison

Ruben Fleischer’s work was never really regarded for its maturity nor its earnestness. Before Gangster Squad the Washington-born director had mostly worked on cheesy comedies like Zombieland and 30 Minutes or Less. Now, Fleischer has made a move to further his career and launch him into a more serious directorial landscape with this, his first really mature movie, Gangster Squad.

Gangster Squad Review

Gangster Squad is based on a true story about a group of incorruptible cops up against a mobster in Brooklyn in Los Angeles in the 1940s. It stars Sean Penn as Mickey Cohen, the creepy and evil mobster. Sean Penn plays the role with a lot of hamm behind a lot of prosthetics. Truth be told its not a particularly notable performance than Penn puts in.

Sean Penn as Mickey Cohen in Gangster Squad 

1x1.trans Review of Gangster Squad, Starring Sean Pennmovie review

 

The film itself matches Penn’s performance: it’s entertaining but shallow. There’s a great deal of violence, though the movie does focus on the good guys rather than the bad.

Leading the good guys is Josh Brolin’s Sergeant John O’Mara, whose pregnant wife is at first less than pleased about his work but, almost miraculously, suddenly decides that actually she quite fancies getting into all that crime malarkey. Ryan Gosling is getting it on with Emma Stone, filling that all important romance part.

Probably the biggest plus of Gangster Squad is the accuracy and detail with which is evokes LA in the 1940s. Oh, and there’s some pretty decent dialogue too.

All in all, Gangster Squad is a decent enough flick, though it certainly wont blow you away. Its violent and gritty, but disappointingly shallow.

Overall: 3 out of 5.

Review of Gangster Squad, Starring Sean Penn

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Les Miserables Review–Hugh Jackman headed For OSCAR Win

Posted on January 11, 2013 by Paul Harrison

The  musical version of Les Miserables and Victor Hugo’s original novel on which its based have wowed audience and readers for years, telling, very emotionally, the story of the anti-monarchist Paris uprising of 1832. Even non-musical lovers, its impossible not to recognise the brilliance of Les Miserables on stage and the same is true for Tom Hooper’s films, which stars Anne Hathaway and Hugh Jackman. There’s just something about Les Miserables that demands it to be watched.

How could Les Miserables possibly fail? It stars truly exceptional performers in Hugh Jackman, Anne Hathaway, Russell Crowe and company. It’s directed by The King’s Speech’s Tom Cooper, and it’s Lay Mis.

Hugh Jackman deserves the OSCAR for Les Miersables Jean Valjean

1x1.trans Les Miserables Review Hugh Jackman headed For OSCAR Winmovie review movie review les miserables hugh jackman

Jackman plays Jean Valjean, a decent and noble man imprisoned for stealing bread to save his sister’s family from starvation. When Valjean is released, Crowe’s police officer Javert chases him for breaking parole, but fortunes change when he gains respectability and becomes a mayor. He meets up with Anne Hathaway’s Fintine, a poor employee, whose daughter Cosette (Amanda Seyfried) falls for Marius (Eddie Redmayne). As Valjean prepares for his final face off with Jacert, Paris descends into violence. An uproar ensues that will burn a fire in the belly of all watchers and leave you with the sneaking suspicion that you may just have witnessed an epic.

Les Miserables is coated with sincerity. There isn’t a single scene of the movie that passes by without the viewer being crucially aware of the weight and gravity of the source material. Every note and every line is punched out with meaning and intent.

Of all the powerful scenes in Les Miserables, the opening scene of Valjean stands out as the best. Valjean is taken aback by the charity of the Bishop, who forgives him and offers him protection. As Jackman sings a soliloquy to the camera your heart melts and you are swept up in the emotion of it all.

Though Anne Hathaway puts in a brilliant performance as Fantine, Jackman really is the star of the show. It’s hard to imagine Jackman not receiving an Academy Award for his work here. It would be robbery were he not to win.

Anne Hathaway as Fantine in Les Miserables

1x1.trans Les Miserables Review Hugh Jackman headed For OSCAR Winmovie review movie review les miserables hugh jackman

Russell Crowe will also wow audiences. His performance is open and honest—one of the best of his career.

All in all, Les Miserables is an epic that simply must be watched, whether you’re a fan of musicals or not. Hugh Jackman has an OSCAR headed his way.  This is one of those movie moments you will always remember.

 

Overall: 4.5 out of 5.

 

 

Les Miserables Review–Hugh Jackman headed For OSCAR Win

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Star Trek Into Darkness — Dying Fans Wish Comes True

Posted on January 3, 2013 by Paul Harrison

Star Trek into Darkness director JJ Abrams has made a dying fan’s wish come true by allowing him to watch Star Trek Into Darkness months before its release.  

1x1.trans Star Trek Into Darkness Dying Fans Wish Comes Truemovie news star trek

It was Christmas day when Reddit user iddeyut (Grady Hendrix) made a wish via reddit for his friend Dan, a 41 year old cancer sufferer, to be able to see Star Trek Into Darkness. Knowing that his friend had just weeks to live, he had bough a ticket to The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey simply to catch the 10 minute preview to Stark Trek Into Darkness. That day, Dan was sent to hospital, meaning he missed the preview.

 

Spreading online, the story of Dan and Grady reached Paramount and JJ Abrams, who naturally wanted to do all they could to help Dan. They set up a private viewing for the cancer sufferer and his wife and they watched the film on Sunday.

 

It speaks much about Paramount and Bad Robot that they opted not to make a big thing about the screening. Rather. Dan’s wife sent the following message to TrekMovie.com:

 

 

 

“Hi everyone, it’s Daniel’s wife. We are of course sworn to secrecy, but we are officially allowed to say we saw it and we enjoyed it immensely as a film and as a gesture… However; Daniel ‘hates’ being an ‘inspiring cancer story’ we his friends and loved ones would prefer for the update to have more of a heartfelt message of giving, especially during this season

 

“This is a story of us giving something to him, the ‘internet’ community giving something to him and ultimately being a heartwarming gift to our friends, family and so many others. This story of us (and of course JJ Abrams & Bad Robot) being able to give this surprise gift of a screening to a huge movie buff like Daniel, especially a film made by a film maker who obviously makes movies with such care, with a fan like Daniel in mind (and a person like me who knows slightly less about these things). Also, it was truly amazing that a film-maker so secretive as JJ Abrams was kind enough to show this to us.

“It is also so wonderful for his friends & his family to finally hear some good news from us, They know how important film is to Daniel & could not think of a better way to please to him. So this gesture really has brought a lot of smiles all around.

“Be assured we enjoyed it 110%! We are so grateful thank you, thank you, thank you…”

 

. . .  not often do the movies warm your heart like this.

Star Trek Into Darkness — Dying Fans Wish Comes True

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West of Memphis Review + Positive Psychology Movie Review

Posted on January 3, 2013 by Paul Harrison

1x1.trans West of Memphis Review + Positive Psychology Movie Reviewmovie review

Being nominated for an Oscar on your directorial debut is no mean feat. But that’s precisely what happened to Deliver us From Evil director Amy Berg. Now, she’s returning with the Peter Jackson produced West of Memphis, a film about the West Memphis Three – three men who were tried and convicted as teenagers in 1994 of the 1993 murders of three boys in West Memphis, Arkansas. The film runs-in at 150 minutes and delves deep into the details of the 1993 tragedy.

West of Memphis’ Positive Psychology Review

West of Memphis is a deep, intelligent and important piece of work. It’s revealing of society and human nature, and leaves the viewer with feelings of hope and justice

Want to know about Positive Psychology Movies? Read our guide for free HERE.

West of Memphis Traditional Review

The film begins with an exhaustive introduction to the circumstances leading to the trial and conviction of the West Memphis Three. We’re familiarised with the important members of the trial: the prosecution and the victims’ families. After watching Paradise Lost, a woman named Lorri Davis falls for Damien Echols (one of the members of the West Memphis Three). They get married and Davis begins to set up an appeal for Echols. The appeal catches the attention of Peter Jackson and many other notables including Johnny Depp and Henry Rollins, who rallied behind the wrongly imprisoned men. Enough money is made to hire investigators and discovering the evidence to free the innocent party and to incriminate Terry Hobbs, who may indeed be the guilty.

Through two and half hours of meticulously detailed filmmaking, West of Memphis concludes with the freeing of the wrongly imprisoned men.  Thanks to Amy Berg’s brilliant work, it is quite impossible to finish watching the film without feeling a gross sense of injustice.

West of Memphis is a deep, painful and important film worthy of admiration and at least one viewing.

Overall:  4 out of 5

West of Memphis Review + Positive Psychology Movie Review

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Ubisoft Confirmed Development on Ghost Recon Movie

Posted on January 3, 2013 by Paul Harrison

Video games always make the best movies. Think about the truly great game movies like Mortal Kombat Anihilation, Super Mario Bros. and Street Fighter. . . they made The Godfather look amateurish. . .

1x1.trans Ubisoft Confirmed Development on Ghost Recon Moviemovie news

Oh wait.

 

I forgot.

 

Video game movies are usually really, really bad, aren’t they?

 

Usually, movies only serve to humiliate the gaming public. What gamers really need is a movie about a more serious game. Resident Evil was fairly serious, enough to at least make a passable movie. But still, the gaming world needed a more serious kind of game to turn into a movie. It needed a game that had a heavyweight name behind it; something that could attract the A-list.

 

Oh, I know, what about all those games based on the work of Tom Clancy, that really really serious writer of espionage and military science novels. That’d do, wouldn’t it?

Yes, he would do. At least Ubisoft think so, and I tend to agree with them. In an article in the LA Times, it was revealed that Ubisoft Motion Picture chief executive Jen Julien Baronnet is “putting together a pitch” based on Ghost Recon, the games based on Tom Clancy’s writing.

Ghost Recon is about a team of high-tech soldiers who must stop a villain’s devious schemes.

Will this be enough to finally save the good name of game-movies? Probably not, but at least it might make for a couple hours of quality viewing.

Ubisoft Confirmed Development on Ghost Recon Movie

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2013 Movie Calender, With The Wolverine, Monsters University, Great Gatsby ETC

Posted on January 2, 2013 by Paul Harrison

Continuing the 2013 movie calender, we now come to May – June, with The Great Gatsby, Star Trek Into Darkness, Hangover Part III,  Fast & Furious 6, Lone Ranger, After Earth, World War Z, Monsters University and The Wolverine

The 2013 Movie Calendar — May to June

1x1.trans 2013 Movie Calender, With The Wolverine, Monsters University, Great Gatsby ETCmovie news May 10th: The Great Gatsby: Leonardo DiCaprio starsin F. Scott Fitzgerald’s epic The Great Gatsby. Director Baz Lurhmann will look to do justice to the great love of the story and its overriding themes of love and excess.

 

1x1.trans 2013 Movie Calender, With The Wolverine, Monsters University, Great Gatsby ETCmovie news May 17th: Star Trek Into Darkness: J.J Abram’s 2009 reinvention of Star Trek pleased the vast majority of viewers (including Trekkies and non-Trekkies and the sequel looks likely to repeat that success.

 

1x1.trans 2013 Movie Calender, With The Wolverine, Monsters University, Great Gatsby ETCmovie news May 24th: The Hangover Part III: The world doesn’t really need three hangover movies, but we’ve got them anyway. But I digress. . . Ed Helms, Bradley Cooper, Zach Galafianakis, Ken Jeong, Heather Graham, and yes, Mike Tyson will star in this alcoholic-gag-aphon.

 

1x1.trans 2013 Movie Calender, With The Wolverine, Monsters University, Great Gatsby ETCmovie news May 24h: Fast and Furious 6: Because for some reason we need six takes on the exact same movie. . . Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Dwayne Johnson, Tyrese Gibson, and Ludacris star alongside some cars and stuff (yay. . . )

 

1x1.trans 2013 Movie Calender, With The Wolverine, Monsters University, Great Gatsby ETCmovie news May 31st: The Lone Ranger: The producer, director, writers, and star of the “Pirates of the Caribbean” trilogy take-on one of the most famous characters in history. Johnny Depp stars alongside John Reid.

 

1x1.trans 2013 Movie Calender, With The Wolverine, Monsters University, Great Gatsby ETCmovie news June 7th: After Earth: Will Smith and Jaden Smith play a father and son who crash land on Earth 1000 years after the rest of us fled. After Earth looks pretty darn interesting, but given that it’s an M night Shyamalan movie, it’s bound to be either freaking amazing or blinking awful.

 

1x1.trans 2013 Movie Calender, With The Wolverine, Monsters University, Great Gatsby ETCmovie news June 14: Man of Steel: So, there’s this man, and he’s really like.. . . super and stuff. . . . If you’re one of the many people who somehow thought that The Dark Knight Rises wasn’t the most disappointing piece of tripe ever, you’ll likely be looking forward to the Man of Steel  

 

1x1.trans 2013 Movie Calender, With The Wolverine, Monsters University, Great Gatsby ETCmovie news June 21st: World War Z : Brad Pitt has practically becomes a zombie himself now that he’s lowered himself to ultra-shite commercials like Chanel No. 5’s Inevitable commercial. And now he’s fighting a bunch of his undead friends in World War Z.

 

1x1.trans 2013 Movie Calender, With The Wolverine, Monsters University, Great Gatsby ETCmovie news June 21st: Monster’s University: Pixar present their first ever prequel, set ten years prior to Monsters Inc. John Goodman and Billy Crystal return to voice Sully and Mike in what will surely be the best animated movie of the year.

1x1.trans 2013 Movie Calender, With The Wolverine, Monsters University, Great Gatsby ETCmovie news June 26th: The Wolverine: Hugh Jackman gets back to his usual claw-laden antics as the awesome Wolverine. This is probably the one flick in this list I’m not sarcastic about as both Hugh Jackman and The Wolverine ROCK! 

Roll on June 26th! And we’re only half way through 2013!  On the next page we’ll cover July — December 2013.

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2013 Movie Calender, With The Wolverine, Monsters University, Great Gatsby ETC

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A Good Day To Die Hard: Hot Girl and an Old Man

Posted on December 28, 2012 by Paul Harrison

Bruce Willis definitely is too old for this s**t nowadays. Sure, he might have been one of the coolest action movie stars around back in the nineties, but now he’s more fit for a zimmer frame than an action movie.
Speaking of fit, though. At least A Good Day To Die hard does feature the epic ass of the motorcycle girl. I guess John moore saw how much exposure Cat Girl got wearing leather, bent over the bike in Dark Knight Rises and wants to copy it with A Good Day To Die Hard. . . . something’s hard, but it aint dying.

 

Anyway, here’s the latest TV spot. Pause on Motorcycle girl’s ass shot, surely, right? Thought so.

A Good Day To Die Hard TV Spot

A Good Day To Die Hard: Hot Girl and an Old Man

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Exclusive: Waterworld Remake Confirmed in Development

Posted on December 17, 2012 by Paul Harrison

The idea of there being a sequel to Waterworld—Hollywood’s biggest box office bomb ever—has been discussed on and off for years. The most recent of those stories came last month after 400,000 viewers watched an airing of Waterworld on TV.

400,000 viewers for the biggest box office bomb ever? That’s one heck of a successful failure.

1x1.trans Exclusive: Waterworld Remake Confirmed in Developmentmovie news

It’s clear to see why Waterworld has always been ridiculed while still capturing a healthy audience. Though the movie was doubtlessly a complete debacle  and one of the worst pieces of filmmaking ever, it was also a very powerful idea.

Strip Waterworld of its awful production and what you’re left with is a solid idea for a story in a post-apocalyptic world. It’s an idea that captured the imagination of millions around the world, even if the film ended up disappointing.

Recognising the value of Waterworld’s idea and plot, Syfy recently announced that a remake or sequel would be possible. And now, thanks to our sources, we can confirm that Syfy are indeed working with Universal on a remake of Waterworld.

Finally, the great idea of the movie might be matched with a great production to create the movie Waterworld should always have been.

1x1.trans Exclusive: Waterworld Remake Confirmed in Developmentmovie news

Exclusive: Waterworld Remake Confirmed in Development

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The Best Reviews of Quentin Tarantino and Jamie Foxx’s Django Unchained

Posted on December 15, 2012 by Paul Harrison

The majority of important Django Unchained reviews have now come in. So, does Quentin Tarantino and Jamie Foxx’s latest movie pack a knockout punch or is it just a deadweight?

1x1.trans The Best Reviews of Quentin Tarantino and Jamie Foxx’s Django Unchainedmovie review 1x1.trans The Best Reviews of Quentin Tarantino and Jamie Foxx’s Django Unchainedmovie review 1x1.trans The Best Reviews of Quentin Tarantino and Jamie Foxx’s Django Unchainedmovie review

Well, the good news is that the vast majority of reviews from around the internet have been wholly positive. While some reviewers  take issue with how over the top Django Unchained is, most rave about its brutality (and to be honest, if you don’t want brutality, why watch a Quentin Tarantino flick in the first place?!).

Perhaps the best thing about the reviews of Django Unchained is that all reviewers seem to agree that it does contain important themes about slavery and that its underdog story is brilliantly told with great actors and stunning performances from Leonardo diCaprio andJamie Foxx.

 

The Best Reviews of Quentin Tarantino and Jamie Foxx’s Django Unchained

 

• “A jokey, discursive, idiosyncratic and spirited film that does to slave owners what Inglourious Basterds did to Nazis,” –The Hollywood Reporter

• “Tarantino relishes the opportunity to run wild with a symbol of black persecution until the idea loses momentum—and then, true to form, he just keeps going,” –IndieWire

 

It’s an unfortunate example of a director disappearing so far into his own vision that he’s lost interest in taking a step back and looking at it in its entirety.

– Movie Line

 

Django Unchained is a wonderful mix of exploitation, western, and revenge films, and though it doesn’t have too many narrative surprises, it definitely lives up to the hype

Filmonic

 

Tarantino definitely has a point to make about slavery, and it is there, but it is well hidden behind a stout curtain of fun, which is ultimately what you’ll get from “Django

ComingSoon

• “Quentin Tarantino’s excellent  and horrific revenge Western is a very thrilling return to form,” says The Guardian

Django Unchained, Tarantino’s bloody tribute to spaghetti westerns, is as wickedly funny as it is offbeat & brutal.

IGN    Overall 9.4

 

Django Unchained is a worthy successor to Inglourious Basterds. It’s an underdog story with attitude.

ScreenCrave

 

Audacious but overlong, irreverent but gripping, writer-director Quentin Tarantino’s Django Unchained is like nothing else — except, that is, the filmmaker’s earlier works

– Screendaily

 

Django leaves a viewer with plenty of conversation afterward, so take a friend. I might not recommend taking your mother, though. I had to hold mine in her seat.

The Best Reviews of Quentin Tarantino and Jamie Foxx’s Django Unchained

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Stark Trek Into Darkness plot synopsis from Preview

Posted on December 14, 2012 by Paul Harrison

Spoilers abound in this Star Trek Into Darkness plot synopsis of the preview shown before IMAX screenings of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. 

1x1.trans Stark Trek Into Darkness plot synopsis from Previewmovie news

Stark Trek Into Darkness plot synopsis from Preview

AroleModel.com readers to have seen The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey in IMAX will likely be buzzing with the excitement of having seen a nine minute preview of Star Trek Into Darkness. Those of you yet to have seen it are warned that spoilers follow.

The Star Trek Into Darkness prologue begins with Noel Clarke’s character as he awakens in a future London before visiting a hospital with his wife where they look after his daughter, who is ill.

The inciting incident happens as Clarke steps out on the balcony. There he hears the voice of Cumberbatch, making an offer to Clarke that he cannot refuse: he offers to save his daughter’s life.

 Next comes a moment that will have Khan conspiracy theorists smashing their head against the wall till it looks as bashed in as a Klingons. Clarke asks “Who are you?” and . .. and. .  .the camera cuts away before we get an answer.

. . . you can stop smashing you head against the wall now.. .

What happens next kinda makes up for it that disappointment. We see a planet overgrownwith scarlet flora, a planet called Nibiru, a class M Plant.

As though the pants hadn’t been whetted enough, we next see the figures of Kirk (Chris Pine) and Bones (Karl Urban) being chased by natives in robes.

It turns out the Starfleet are on a mission to deactivate a volcano that’s about to destroy the planet.  Spock gets lowered into the volcano to prevent it from erupting but ooops, they apparently don’t make safety cords like they used to as it snaps, leaving poor old Spock stranded amid lava. His logic determines that it’s not worth risking the team to save him. . . and with that Stark Trek Into Darkness’ preview ends.

Nine minutes of the Stark Trek preview is enough to leave you absolutely buzzing with anticipation.

  NEXT 

  

Stark Trek Into Darkness plot synopsis from Preview

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Golden Globes 2013 Predictions, with Lincoln, Les Miserables, The Impossible and More

Posted on December 13, 2012 by Paul Harrison

Daniel Day Lewis and Lincoln lead the Golden Globes 2013, along with The Impossible, Les Miserables, Argo and more. 

Award seasons divide movie fans in two. Half of all movie fans hate the indulgent glitzy glamour of awards and the other half love it. Well, just for now, let’s totally ignore the first group. This article is for you awards show lovers. It’s time to do the predictions for the Golden Globes 2013 as the nominees have just been announced.

Below you’ll find the complete list of Golden Globe 2013 nominees along with my personal choices of the winners.

You’ll also notice how many DERP nominations there are (Ewan McGregor is up for his role in Salmon Fishing in the Yemen and not for The Impossible. .. DERP!)

But anyone, here are the nominees and my personal winner picks.

 Golden Globes 2013 Predictions

 

BEST DIRECTOR

Ben Affleck, Argo

Kathryn Bigelow, Zero Dark Thirty

Ang Lee, Life Of Pi

Steven Spielberg, Lincoln

Quentin Tarantino, Django Unchained

 

Winner: Ben Affleck / Argo : I was surprised by quite how brilliant Argo was. The directing was increbily intelligent and is well worth a nod (though I also have to show some love to Ang Lee for Life of Pi).

 

BEST ACTRESS, DRAMA

Jessica Chastain, Zero Dark Thirty

Marion Cotillard, Rust And Bone

Helen Mirren, Hitchcock

Naomi Watts, The Impossible

Rachel Weisz, The Deep Blue Sea

Naomi Watts: The Impossible : In an extremely challenging role, Naomi Watts absolutely nailed it.

 

BEST ACTRESS, COMEDY OR MUSICAL

Emily Blunt, Salmon Fishing In The Yemen

Judi Dench, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel

Jennifer Lawrence, Silver Linings Playbook

Maggie Smith, Quartet

Meryl Streep, Hope Springs

 

Winner: Judi Dench for The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel Definitely not a category I’m particularly interested, but The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel is the film foremost in my memory here.

 

 

 

BEST ACTOR, COMEDY OR MUSICAL

Jack Black, Bernie

Bradley Cooper, Silver Linings Playbook

Hugh Jackman, Les Misérables

Ewan McGregor, Salmon Fishing In The Yemen

Bill Murray, Hyde Park On Hudson

 

Winner: Hugh Jackman Les Misreables:  I definitely am somewhat biased here as I adore Hugh Jackman, but with such a powerful and important character (Jean Valjean) it’s hard not to see a win here.  Had Ewan McGregor been up for the right role (The Impossible) I nay have thought differently. .  .

BEST PICTURE, DRAMA

Argo

Django Unchained

Life Of Pi

Lincoln

Zero Dark Thirty

Winner: Lincoln: With the power of its subject matter and the maturity and mastery with which it was written directed and acted, it’s hard not to like Lincoln in this.

 

BEST ACTOR, DRAMA

Daniel Day-Lewis, Lincoln

Richard Gere, Arbitrage

John Hawkes, The Sessions

Joaquin Phoenix, The Master

Denzel Washington, Flight

Daniel Day Lewis :  A masterful actor perfectly portraying one of the most important characters in history .. . no brainer.

 

BEST PICTURE, MUSICAL OR COMEDY

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel

Les Misérables

Moonrise Kingdom

Salmon Fishing in the Yemen

Silver Linings Playbook

Moonrise Kingdom: Stunningly beautiful movie that captivated audiences around the world on a scale unmatched by its fellow contenders. Deserves to win.

 

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Alan Arkin, Argo

Leonardo DiCaprio, Django Unchained

Philip Seymour Hoffman, The Master

Tommy Lee Jones, Lincoln

Christoph Waltz, Django Unchained

Winner: Tommy Lee Jones/ Lincoln : Looks like Lincoln is going to clean up at the Golden Globes and Tommy Lee Jones deserves this award as much as any Lincoln deserves any other of its many nomination.

 

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Amy Adams, The Master

Sally Field, Lincoln

Anne Hathaway, Les Misérables

Helen Hunt, The Sessions

Nicole Kidman, The Paperboy

 

Anne Hathaway: Les Miserables: I’m fairly certain I’ll remember Anne Hathaway’s portrayal of Fantine and her singing of I Dreamed A Dream for the rest of my days. Enough said!

 

 

BEST ORIGINAL SONG

“For You” Act Of Valour

“Not Running Anymore” Stand Up Guys

“Safe and Sound” The Hunger Games

“Skyfall” Skyfall

“Suddenly” Les Misérables

Skyfall: Even though I have absolutely no love for her, Adele’s Skyfall is one of Bond’s best themes and worthy of a win.

 

 

BEST SCREENPLAY

Mark Boal, Zero Dark Thirty

Tony Kushner, Lincoln

David O. Russell, Silver Linings Playbook

Quentin Tarantino, Django Unchained

Chris Terrio, Argo

Winner: The Master : Oh wait, The Master isn’t up for best screenplay.  .. . HUH?! Lincoln then. . . again.

 

 

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE

Brave

Frankenweenie

Hotel Transvylvania

Rise Of The Guardians

Wreck-It Ralph

Winner: Wreck It Ralph: A pretty good year for animated features but Wreck It Ralph absolutely destroys all contenders. Ingenious animation. Sure-fire winner.

 

 

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM

Amour

A Royal Affair

The Intouchables

Kon Tiki

Rust and Bone

 

Winner: Amour: Michael Heneke’s masterful drama put every Hollywood movie to shame this year and deserves recognition for it.

 

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE

Mychael Danna, Life Of Pi

Alexandre Desplat, Argo

Dario Marianelli, Anna Karenina

Tom Tywker, Reinhold Heil, Johnny Klimek, Cloud Atlas

John Williams, Lincoln

 

Winner: Lincoln: Stunning soundtrack from John Williams. It’s among his finest work and that’s saying a lot.

Golden Globes 2013 Predictions, with Lincoln, Les Miserables, The Impossible and More

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Ewan McGregor and Naomi Watts in The Impossible : A Review

Posted on December 12, 2012 by Paul Harrison

Ewan McGregor and Naomi Watts star in on e of the most intelligent and mature movies of the year: Antonio Bayona’s The Impossible. 

1x1.trans Ewan McGregor and Naomi Watts in The Impossible : A Reviewmovie review

Juan Antonio Bayona saved the horror movie scene from drab and shallow tediousness back in 2007 with The Orphanage, a mature and emotional horror with a deep, meaningful theme. Now he’s thrilling audiences again with another mature and deep story: The Impossible.

The Impossible is a disaster movie, but unlike The day After Tomorrow, it’s a flick with emotional maturity, intelligent writing and a depth of meaning. That’s no mean feat given the complexity of the movies subject: the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami.
Making a movie about such a recent major event is dangerous to say the least. Naturally, people are very sensitive about the subject of the 2004 tsunami. That sensitivity needed to be handled with great delicacy and indeed has been. Antonia Bayona and writer Sergio G Sanchez have handled the subject about as well as anyone could possibly hope for.
The Impossible follows one family, Henry Bennett (Ewan McGregor), his wife Maria (Naomi Watts) and their sons Lucas (Tom Holland), Simon (Oaklee Pendergast) and Thomas (Samuel Joslin).

1x1.trans Ewan McGregor and Naomi Watts in The Impossible : A Reviewmovie review
The choice to focus on one family is smart one because it allows the movie to get intimate and in-depth with a few key characters, rather than merely skimming the surface of hundreds of different characters as many disaster movies often do.
By allowing the audience to build a strong relationship with the main characters, The Impossible produces a more emotional tragedy when the tsunami hits. The logic there is simple: seeing disaster happen to people we don’t know is one thing, but when it happens to people we have built a relationship too, it’s something altogether different. That’s why it’s so important that we have a relationship with Ewan McGregor, Naomi Watts and co. when the disaster strikes: it brings the tragedy home.
The mastery that Bayona and co. show before the disaster is only improved upon when the tsunami strikes. It would be too easy for The Impossible to focus on the visual spectacle of the tsunami. That would be entertainment, but it would not be tragedy, nor would it be reality. Instead, the tsunami occurs with all the confusion and horror one imagines the real invent to have produced.

1x1.trans Ewan McGregor and Naomi Watts in The Impossible : A Reviewmovie review
It isn’t until after the tsunami that we truly understand the Bayona’s mastery of vision and respect for his subject matter. The family having survived the tsunami, The Impossible delves into the horror of its aftermath as the family fight to find each other and to recover.
All this directorial intellect would be for nought were it not matched by solid performances from Ewan McGregor and Naomi Watts. Watts is phenomenal: stricken, horrified, yet courageous and driven forward by that strongest of power: love for family. Ewan McGregor doesn’t quite match her brilliance with a performance that is at first a little weak before finding its stride
There is nothing finer in the filmmaking industry than a mature, important and relevant theme being handled with intelligence, sensitivity and respect from director, screenwriter and cast. With The Impossible, that’s exactly what we are given.

The Impossible Overall: **** (out of 5)

Ewan McGregor and Naomi Watts in The Impossible : A Review

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American Mary Review — Katherine Isabelle Stars in Rape Revenge

Posted on December 11, 2012 by Paul Harrison

Katherine Isabelle and “The Twisted Sisters” bring us a must see rape-revenge horror flick in American Mary. 

 

Rape revenge. It’s a powerful genre.  Some would call it “feminist.” But it’s a hell of a lot more than that (besides, dismissing a story about a woman fighting back by labelling it “feminist” is as stupid as it is ignorant. What Rape revenge undoubtedly is is a controversy-laden tabloid powerhouse of a genre , and in American Mary, it’s found itself another hit.

American Mary is the brain-child of writer/director sister Jen and Sylvia Soska—who also go by the title “The Twisted Twins,” a most fitting title for the rape revenge genre, but I digress.

With American Mary, The Twisted Twins have created a movie about empowerment. Katherine Isabelle (Ginger Snaps, Freddy VS Jason) plays Mary Mason, a girl studying surgery. She’s a good looking gal who’s hobbies including stitching turkeys back together (you should read her internet dating profile).

She’s also into a bit of stripping in order to make ends meat. One night she’s called on by less than savoury strip club owner Billy (Antonio Cupo), who wants to fix up a torture victim.

As though poor Mary Mason’s life weren’t bad enough already, she soon gets into black-market body-modification for such charming people as Beatress (Tristan Risk), who wants to turn herself into a human doll.

You’ll notice by this part of the review that “The Twisted Twins” have already earned their name. If American Mary weren’t twisted enough, Mary soon gets involved in some sexual violence, which we share with her in POV format.

 What makes Mary Mason such a strong character is that she refuses to become a victim. Rather, she becomes an icon, one which leads the film through various debates as to how women might turn the tables on abusive men and prevent themselves from becoming objects.

Though some truly dodgy production values threaten to thwart everything that’s great about American Mary, the movie manages to remain mature, sensitive, shocking and absolutely hilarious. It’s a cinematic treat more than worthy of your time.

American Mary overall: **** (out of 5)

 

 

American Mary Review — Katherine Isabelle Stars in Rape Revenge

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