Monday, March 26, 2012

The Hunger Games

SF: I'm very fond of the books so this film had a lot to live up to. I was rather please with how much was kept in the film, with the author writing the screenplay you'd hope for a faithful adaptation. So on that point I was satisfied, however I felt nothing from either of the main actors. No chemistry and nothing emotive at all and I desperately wanted to like them, to the point of projecting the depth that wasn't there. The random shaky camera work didn't help. I sincerely wish directors would stop doing this, don't you know the audience can't see anything? Its supposed to be raw but this is not a found footage movie. The lack of brutality in the film works to the detriment of the story. The point is, The Hunger Games are inhumane, barbaric and cruel, thus evoking empathy and horror in us the audience. The fact it's children highlights the darkness of this dystopian future. All of this was lost. Sadly they had all the pieces to make this great and ended up with a flat uninspiring film. Maybe there'll be uncut version that holds a bit more substance amd that missing spark but until then a disappointed 5/10

50 Eggs: A surprisingly good adaptation! The film keeps every major set piece from the book and does them justice, and the key roles are all cast well. Hopefully the same director will stay on-board for the sequels as that'll be the best chance of them not going horribly wrong like the books. I'd have given this a 9 if they'd have kept the blood in. 8.5/10

DonkeyB: n/a

Overall:  6.75/10

Thursday, March 22, 2012

21 Jump Street

SF: I loved the series of 21 Jump Street so was curious to see how this would translate. Well I don't remember the TV show being like this but it didn't matter much and the cameos were a lovely touch. The plot was a little predictable but it didn't matter I laughed all the way through and with a comedy isn't that the point? Must given them credit for making the characters rather appealing and not going for the stereotypical approach to American high school we are all accustomed to. For actually making a silly movie I enjoyed, 7/10.

50 Eggs: I rarely laugh out loud in the cinema, even if I am liking the film. But there were at least half a dozen moments in this that made me do just that. 21 follows the Starsky & Hutch remake philosophy, and it works just as well as it did for that. Very funny. 8/10

DonkeyB: n/a

Overall: 7.5/10

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

John Carter

SF: This did what it said on the tin. A standard fun, action adventure. Alright for a Sunday afternoon in front of the TV with your slippers on but for the cinema? Well it was pretty long so my patience was running a bit thin. The 3D was unnoticeable (but I've already ranted about that on my main blog). I wasn't expecting a plot, this isn't Shakespeare but this was alright. On the whole rather average so 5/10.

50 Eggs: It's not often I get to say 'Attack of the Clones did it better', but that certainly applies to this film. The trailers looked amazing but it turns out that the action is as humdrum as the story. 100 years in the making apparently. I could've waited longer. 5.5/10

DonkeyB: n/a

Overall: 5.25/10

The Raven

SF: I like the macabre side of fiction and cinema but even that didn't help me sit through this. I wanted to leave after an hour from sheer boredom - Saw meets Sleepy Hollow but not as good as either of those films. The killer has a connection to the eccentric, down on his luck genius (non-police guy), the detective in charge brings him in to consult on the case, the game begins. Haven't we seem this before? Yep and delivered better too. There were parts that were alright but nothing can make me ever sit through this again. Luke Evans was the only one trying to hold this together, poor guy. Minus 1 mark for credits that seemed to be made for the new Bond movie 3/10 

50 Eggs: n/a

DonkeyB: I love Edgar Allan Poe. I didn't love this. I didn't really like it... at all. 3.5/10

Overall: 3.25/10

Wednesday, March 7, 2012

This Means War

SF: This film should be renamed "This Means Bore". Three laughs and I still don't believe it was only 98 mins long. Most unbelievable point - the idea Resse Witherspoon has any issues getting a date. Also FDR (Chris Pine) comes across as a creepy stalker/narcissist, so how any girl spends more than two seconds with him is a feat. I could moan about this all day, there were so many plot holes I can only liken it to Swiss Cheese. I wanted trashy fun, all I got was trash. One point for each laugh and another for irony. Tom Hardy - why did you do it? 4/10

50 Eggs: n/a

DonkeyB: No bonus points for anything. Utterly abysmal from start to finish. Cinematically illiterate. Creepy and wrong headed. Continuity mistakes. 1 laugh, SF counted 1 laugh where she laughed because someone said blue_donkey's real name. 1/10

Overall - 2.5/10