Fight Club: Review

Fight Club is a film which I originally posted about when I first started this blog, but I have yet to write a review of. As I placed it as number two on my top ten list, I thought it only appropriate that I do so. The movie was directed by David Fincher, also responsible for the twisted masterpiece Se7en, and revolves around the main character who for all intensive purposes will be called "The Narrator", played by one of my favourite actors: Edward Norton. The Narrator meets a man named Tyler Durden (Brad Pitt), who goes on to completely change his outlook on life, opening him up to what is truly his full potential, and encouraging him to leave behind his old monotonous life and "just let go."

The Narrator (Ed Norton)

It's difficult to explain why Fight Club is the incredible experience it is without spoiling anything. The main misconception is that the movie focuses on fighting, which is a fair assumption, based upon the name, but it is almost inexcusable to disregard it without delving a little deeper. About one tenth of the film contains fighting, with the remainder telling an unforgettable story of self-discovery and leaving you as the viewer to raise some questions about yourself and precisely where you think your own life is going. It's clichéd with many highly-rated films, but Fight Club really is life changing if you allow it to be. 

It'd be wrong to review the film without touching on just how exceptional the acting is. Marla, (played by Helena Bonham Carter) is the embodiment of a wasted life, counting down the days till she dies. Her life, like The Narrator's, completely changes when she meets Tyler, providing even the most depressive character in the film a new way of seeing things. Brad Pitt plays Tyler perfectly, not caring at all how people see him and being his own man, something which he encourages The Narrator to do. 

Tyler Durden (Brad Pitt)

The true reason Fight Club is so phenomenal as a film however is down to the fact it was made with the sole purpose of being watched again, thanks to the completely mind-blowing twist featured towards the end. I can't put in to words just how shocked I was after the first time I saw the film, leaving me to instantly need to see it again. If there was ever a reason to see Fight Club, the twist alone would be it. 

Verdict

I'm yet to review a bad movie, as Fight Club is practically tied as the best movie I have ever seen. It's funny, exhilarating, deep, meaningful and at times fairly hard to watch. It'll make you look long and hard at yourself, something very few films have ever done for me. If you haven't seen Fight Club, it's really about time you did, the only problem being that once you have other movies fail to bring you the same sense of awe by their conclusion.   10/10

"You've met me at a very strange time in my life." 

 

Iron Man 3: Review

I should start this review by saying I have only seen the first Iron Man film, and that was a long time ago, so I will be talking about Iron Man 3 as if it were a completely stand-alone film. 

Iron Man 3 stars Robert Downey Jr. reprising his role as the smart, rich, smooth-talking philanthropist Tony Stark, known to most now as Iron Man. The film does what many comic-book films have done lately by showing the protagonist at arguably their lowest point, creating a new perspective of the likeable hero. The story plays out with Tony being mentally scarred after the events that took place in Avengers Assemble, leaving him at an incredibly unstable state of mind, not the most ideal when a new villain known only as The Mandarin (Ben Kingsley) threatens to attack several locations in America. The story is far more complex than it seems however, but I won't spoil anything here.

Tony Stark / Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) 

I think the most notable reason Iron Man 3 is a very good action movie is simply down to the fact it is a lot of fun to watch. The action sequences are highly entertaining, even though they are incredibly over the top, but that's excusable due to it being a superhero movie. Robert Downey Jr. brings huge amounts of charisma to the character of Tony Stark,  just as well as he did in Avengers Assemble. It's also a rather interesting choice to have the story follow directly on from the events of that movie, but one that completely pays off, with the plot and current state of Tony having a solid reason to it. The acting from other cast members such as Guy Pearce as the suspicious Aldrich Killian or Don Cheadle as War Machine do nothing but compliment the movie, making it even more enjoyable to watch.

Unfortunately there's a few things pulling the movie back for me, forcing it to just miss out on a rating of 'incredible'. There's a rather strange choice of twist in the plot which although humorous, drew me out of the experience, making the film seem slightly like it was grasping for the comedic element a little too much. Saying this however, most of the time the humour in Iron Man 3 is appropriate and genuinely funny, something I was not expecting much of based upon the seemingly darker plot. Also, there were a few times where the film seemed to drag on a little, but this is only a minor complaint as when it was good, it really was very good. 

Verdict

Although not perfect, Iron Man 3 is a very entertaining and fun movie, with a much deeper story and cast of characters than I was expecting. It's definitely worth seeing at full cinema price,  living quite nicely up to the hype it has received. One final thing: it's a good idea to stay till after the credits for a nice bonus scene and line of writing which will no doubt get many talking about what more is to come.       8/10

Top 10 Movie List

I've seen quite a few movies, but definitely nowhere near to all of them. The following is a list/countdown of my top 10 favourite films I have seen, bearing in mind that there are many cult classics and pop culture movies which I am yet to see. Also, I don't particularly watch any indie movies, so none will be included in this list. 

10 - Memento
Memento is a film brought to us by one of my favourite directors Christopher Nolan, following a man suffering from memory loss as he tries to track down the man who murdered his wife. The scenes are presented in a very unique order, adding to the whole experience, and making it one of the most interesting movie viewings I have ever had. 

"Memory can change the shape of a room, 

it can change the colour of a car."

9 - Back to the Future

The Back to the Future trilogy is one of my very favourites, with the original being the best of them all. It's funny, interesting and most importantly very entertaining. With extremely memorable characters and moments littered throughout. If you haven't seen any of them, you really are missing out. 

"Are you tellin' me that this sucker...is nuclear?" 

8 - Silence of the Lambs

A film which I have only seen very recently, Silence of the Lambs is still stuck in my mind. Anthony Hopkins provides the pinnacle of sinister acting, making you feel uneasy whenever he is on-screen. The only reason it is so considerably low on my list is because of the true masterpieces which surpass it, but it is definitely worthy of anybody's top 10 list. 

"Have the lambs stopped screaming,

Clarice?"

7 - Se7en

The first of a couple films by David Fincher on my list, it seemed like it would be almost criminal not to put Se7en at number seven, even though I literally saw it yesterday. It was fast-paced, exciting and disturbing, all of which perfectly combined to form the perfect crime movie. With one of the finest endings I've seen, Se7en is implanted in my mind, with no reason to move any time soon.

"WHAT'S IN THE BOX?"

6 - The Godfather

I know it seems clichéd, but The Godfather really is an exceptional example of a good movie.  What can I say that has not already been said before? It's a tale of organised crime, focusing largely on how important family is in conjunction with business. Al Pacino plays his role just as well as in The Godfather Part II, but the original just tops it for the fact that it contains the late Marlon Brando as the intimidating but highly respectable Don Vito Corleone in his elderly years. 

"I'll make him an offer he can't refuse." 

5 - The Shining

Now I'm down to my top 5, most of which could be easily changeable as they all generally are as excellent as eachother. The Shining is Stanley Kubrick showing how to perfectly direct a horror movie, with tension being amped up to unbelievable levels thanks to music and cinematography. With my very favourite role by Jack Nicholson, it stands up as a genuinely terrifying horror movie, even 33 years after release. 

"I'm not gonna' hurt ya'...I'm just going to 

bash your brains in."

4 - The Dark Knight 

The Dark Knight is probably my most viewed movie of all time, with the number of times I have seen it easily surpassing 20. It's as enjoyable the 20th time as it is the first, as Christian Bale plays a much darker vision of Batman, with the late Heath Ledger providing one of the most memorable roles ever depicted in a movie as the infamous Joker. There simply is no finer comic-book movie than The Dark Knight, and that is why it is at number 4 on my list. 

"You're just a freak...like me!"

3 - Pulp Fiction 

It was a certainty that Pulp Fiction would feature somewhere on this list, as it's one of my favourite movies of all time. The music, acting and story all compliment eachother, creating such an enjoyable experience it's hard to find anybody who doesn't at least think highly of this movie. The cast is frankly downright impressive, providing masses to an already superb movie. 

"Oh I'm sorry, did I break your concentration?" 

2 - Fight Club 

It was difficult to decide between first and second place, as both are complete masterpieces in their own right. The second movie on this list by David Fincher, Fight Club is a movie which is almost life-changing, delving deep into the human mind and featuring arguably the greatest twist in a movie I have seen. Although I'm breaking the first rule by speaking about it, Fight Club honestly is a movie which everybody needs to experience before they die. 

"How much can you know about yourself if you've

never been in a fight?"

1 - A Clockwork Orange

It's inevitable that I would put A Clockwork Orange as my number 1 film. It's just so incredibly bizarre and entertaining that it would be impossible for me not to. I'm certain that not everybody will enjoy it, in fact many would probably dismiss it as far too strange and disturbing, but I love it more than anything else I have seen. The oldest film on this list, A Clockwork Orange  was directed by the legendary Stanley Kubrick in 1971, being banned in the UK for several years due to it's extreme nature and unforgiving content. It blends different cultures so successfully, combining classical music by the likes of composers such as Beethoven with the ultra-violence depicted on-screen, A Clockwork Orange is a movie which everybody should at least give a chance. 

"Viddy well, little Brother, viddy well." 

Se7en: Review

Se7en (or Seven, depending on how you'd prefer to write it), is a movie directed by David Fincher in 1995: the same director who brought us the incredible cult classic Fight Club. The movie follows Detective Mills and Somerset (Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman, respectively), as they attempt to track down a brutal serial killer, (played by the Oscar winning Kevin Spacey) who tortures his victims using methods inspired by the seven deadly sins: lust, gluttony, greed, sloth, wrath, envy and pride. Se7en is far from a typical crime thriller however, with a conclusion which will stick with you for days, possibly weeks, after watching. 

Now, it would be almost wrong for me to leave out the fact that Se7en is definitely not appropriate for everybody. It is dark, gritty and at times very disturbing. It is also however intriguing, complex and hugely enjoyable, with a final act which will keep anybody on edge, especially those who know nothing about the movie. Unfortunately I already knew mostly how the film ended, but there were still several twists which I had not been able to work out. These are not as jaw-dropping as those featured in Fight Club, but will certainly play on your mind for hours. 

Detective David Mills (Brad Pitt) 

Se7en is not only a intricate crime thriller, but it also explores the incredibly dark side to us all, commenting on how all of these sins are present inside every last one of us, showing their ugly selves in numerous ways. The murders exacted by Kevin Spacey's character are cleverly woven to present each sin in an incredibly violent fashion, brutally highlighting how dark human nature truly can be. It's a fair criticism that at times the movie goes to places maybe not expected, much more sinister than you would think, but in the end this all leads to a shocking and surprising climax which wraps up the story in a very gruesome manner. 

I have literally just finished watching the movie, so it is difficult for me to think of a personal criticism I may have, as it was just as good as I have heard it would be. I will say however, that the final few crime scenes feel very rushed, in comparison to the very first taking up a good 10 minutes of the movie. This is almost excusable however, as it builds up the pace to an almost unbearable level getting the viewer prepared for the nail-biting finale. 

Verdict
Se7en is a dark, violent and at times difficult to watch movie. If you can bring yourself to do so however, you really are in for a treat. With an excellent cast of actors to present an equally excellent story, Se7en really is a film that shouldn't be missed.    9/10

"Ernest Hemmingway once wrote: the world is a fine place, and worth

fighting for...I agree with the second part." 

Silence of the Lambs: Review

The film which launched Sir Anthony Hopkins into fame, Silence of the Lambs is yet another movie which almost everybody has heard about. Released in 1991, it is by far my favourite thriller I have seen. Combining disturbing imagery with intense psychological fear, Silence of the Lambs stands out as a movie which lives up to it's years of hype.

The story revolves around a novice FBI agent by the name of Clarice Starling (Jodie Foster), who has been sent to speak with the notorious Dr. Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins) in order to hopefully catch a rampant serial killer known only as Buffalo Bill (Ted Levine), who kidnaps size 14 females and eventually dumps their bodies, with large areas of skin missing. The reasoning for this is revealed, delving deeper into the twisted mindset of his character. 

In case this very short synopsis hasn't allowed you to work it out, Silence of the Lambs is a very dark film, exploring deep childhood traumas and their resulting effects. The character of Hannibal is left considerably vague through most of the movie, increasing the uneasy feeling whenever agent Clarice converses with him. This lack of depth to Dr. Lecter does not detract from the enjoyment of the film however, quite the contrary, as Anthony Hopkins' role is one of my very favourites I have ever seen; enveloping a sociopathic twisted mind with an almost respectable level of education and intelligence. Every scene he features in stand out as the best within the movie. 

Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins) 

My only complaint with the movie, if it's even acceptable to call it a complaint, is that due to the incredible acting provided by Anthony Hopkins and Ted Levine, other characters seem slightly less in comparison, such as Clarice's FBI superior Jack Crawford (Scott Glen). It would be difficult to refer to this as a negative though, as when taken by themselves, no member of the cast particularly brings the movie down, with the majority of the actors being a joy to watch. 

Verdict 

Silence of the Lambs is a movie which keeps you on the edge of your seat from beginning to end. With phenomenal acting, a likeable protagonist and an interesting and intriguing plot, it's well worth watching, even 22 years after it's release.   9/10

"A census taker once tried to test me, so I ate his liver with some

fava beans and a nice chianti." 

Films coming in 2013

There's a collection of really good and enjoyable looking films coming out this year, some of which may be personal choices, others being anticipated by the masses. Here's a list of each film, in chronological order of their release: 

Iron Man 3 (26th April)
The Iron Man films are amongst the best of the comic-book film adaptations, with the first and second being hailed by many as hugely enjoyable entertainment. The third comes out next week, which will hopefully live up to all the hype it has received. 

Tony Stark / Iron Man

Man of Steel (14th June) 
Produced by Christopher Nolan, responsible for the critically acclaimed Batman movies and directed by Zack Snyder, who directed films such as 300 and Watchmen, Man of Steel looks to do for Superman what Batman Begins did to Batman: give a much more mature take on classic superhero stories. Man of Steel is one of my most anticipated films this year, and with the newest trailer having been released very recently, it doesn't look like it will disappoint. 

Kick-Ass 2 (19th July)

The sequel to one of my favourite "comic-book" films of all time, Kick-Ass 2 has been in the making for quite a while. The first revolved around the unlikely superhero of 'Kick-Ass', showing how anybody could become a hero if they applied all they had to it. Kick-Ass 2 looks set to be just as enjoyable as the first, with the introduction of Jim Carrey as the comedic looking 'Colonel Stars and Stripes', a stereotypical American hero. 

Red Mist / Kick-Ass

The Conjuring (19th July)

Sharing it's release date with Kick-Ass 2, The Conjuring brought by the director of Saw and Insidious, James Wan. The first I saw of it was when I went to see Dark Skies, with the teaser trailer proving to be scarier than all of the film I had paid to see. It looks tense, disturbing and unsettling: the perfect mix for a horror movie. A personal pick, but one that nobody who loves horror movies should miss out on. 

The teaser is well worth a watch if you're
into horror movies 

The Wolverine (25th July)

July seems to be the month for movies, with three personal picks all being released in the space of a week. The Wolverine sees the return of...well, Wolverine, his newest stand-alone film since X-Men Origins, and although it isn't my most anticipated film this year, it looks well worth seeing nonetheless. 

Hugh Jackman returns to his role as
the Marvel hero

Insidious: Chapter II (September/October)

Although there's no specific UK release date announced yet, the American one has been, stating the film will be released on the 13th of September. The first Insidious was enjoyable, if a little silly towards the end, but I am eager to see how they continue the story. The second film on this list by director James Wan, Insidious Chapter II will hopefully be an enjoyable scare-fest to be experienced in the lead up to Halloween. 

The only poster released of
Insidious Chapter II

Thor: The Dark World (30th October) 

The forth superhero/comic-book film on this list, this sequel to Thor is set after the events played out in 'Avengers Assemble', released last year. Not a huge amount of information has been released, but as long as it is as entertaining as the first Thor movie then it should be worth a trip to the cinema. 

The only poster of Thor:
The Dark World

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (22nd November) 

I thought that the first Hunger Games released way back in March last year was a lot better than I had expected it to be. After seeing countless trailers before other movies, I quickly grew tired of the advertising, dismissing the film as another teen-book adaptation. I was pleasantly surprised at how engrossing and entertaining the movie was however, and the sequel 'Catching Fire' looks to be just as enjoyable as the first. The trailer came out less than a week ago, and has got me excited already. 

Anchorman: The Legend Continues (20th December)

Will Ferrell movies always seem to be hilarious, and the original Anchorman released nine years ago in 2004 stands testament to this. With countless quotable lines, funny dialogue and suitable Ferrell-humour, it's almost certain the sequel will be just as enjoyable, if not more. The only problem is that it's so long away, releasing only 5 days before Christmas 2013. 

The Legend Continues

So there it is: my pick of films to go see in 2013. There's many more being released this year, such as Star Trek Into Darkness and the second in the Hobbit trilogy, The Desolation of Smaug, but these are my choices of movies I plan on seeing this year. Hopefully 2014 will bring us a new Batman movie, or possibly a sequel to Avengers Assemble, but we'll just have to wait and see. 

The Shining: Review

In 1980, legendary director Stanley Kubrick made The Shining, a film based off the well known Stephen King horror novel. To this day, it still remains scary, suspenseful and incredibly enjoyable. Starring Jack Nicholson in arguably one of his best roles, The Shining revolves around the Torrance family as they are given the task of looking after the intimidating Overlook Hotel for the Winter, keeping the heaters running and making sure nothing goes wrong. Jack Torrence (Jack Nicholson), Wendy (Shelley Duvall) and Danny (Danny Lloyd) are to remain solitary for several months, which Jack is told led one of the previous caretakers to insanity, murdering his entire family with an axe before killing himself by "biting down on both barrels of a shotgun". 

The film opens with very far panning shots following a car travelling along a mountainous road. The music sets the scene perfectly, sinisterly humming along as the car slowly approaches it's destination. We are quickly introduced to Jack, the main character in the film, who is presented as a friendly, likeable family-man, quite an ironic foreshadowing of the climax, which I won't ruin for anybody unfamiliar with the plot. We learn early on however that not all is how it seems, through a conversation between Jack's son Danny and his imaginary friend "Tony". 

The strange thing about The Shining is that many people know about it or have at least heard of it, but very few have taken the time to view it, which is a huge mistake. The Shining is one of the greatest horror movies ever made, relying on tension and music to make the viewer feel uneasy rather than gore or violence. There are a few violent scenes in the movie, but they are minute in comparison to the eerie shots of empty corridors and long, unsettling zooms on specific characters. For anybody who is completely in the dark about the plot, the film does an excellent job of making you think, adding many psychological terrors and fears. 

Jack Torrence (Jack Nicholson) 

The only complaint I think that could be held against the movie is that at times, the prolonged scene-setting may feel slightly drawn out or dull, but I feel that in the end it is entirely worth it, truly placing the viewer in the Overlook Hotel, making the entire experience more terrifying. When I say terrifying, I don't mean jump-scares or spooky faces which are solely designed to unsettle you for a moment, I mean images and thoughts which will stick with you for a while after watching The Shining, the real basis of an excellent horror movie. 

Verdict

The Shining is for me, the pinnacle of horror entertainment. It builds scares greater than almost any movie I have seen, keeping the viewer on edge from start to finish. With an ending that will make you think for days, outstanding acting from Jack Nicholson and an intriguing story, it really is one of my favourite films I have ever had the pleasure of seeing.      9/10 

"I said I'm not going to hurt ya'. I'm just going to bash your brains in."

On a slightly unrelated note, the Simpsons' parody titled "The Shinning" is a surprisingly accurate depiction of the movie, with many of the key plot points shown in a slightly less terrifying manner. It's spooky how spot-on they got the character of Homer, being a lovable family man himself, to Jack in the movie. 

Thoughts on remaking horror movies

The newly released "Evil Dead" remake got me thinking on whether or not it was a good idea to remake old films, specifically horror movies. This is widely regarded as an awful idea, with films such as the remake of "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" receiving an average of only 5.0 on IMDb, being slated by many critics for it's attempt at bringing the classic story to the younger generations, with a focus on gore over substance. This usually wouldn't be so much of an issue, as although the "Nightmare on Elm Street" remake wasn't exactly adored by the masses, the original had it's fair amount of gore, but the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre had almost no violence whatsoever, focusing more on psychological terror. I was a surprised at this as you probably are reading it, as when you think of the series you think of extreme gore, but the original directed by Tobe Hooper in 1974 was rather tame in comparison. 

Now, saying all this, I have no problem with gore at all. I can watch any of the Saw movies or Hostel trilogy without barely flinching, let alone complaining about it. But I am against bad movies, unless they're bad for the sake of it, which seems the way the "Scary Movie" films are headed. Movie remakes can turn out rather enjoyable, such as the recent "The Amazing Spiderman", but very rarely better than the original. Although from what I have heard of "Evil Dead", it seems like I am going to enjoy it more than the original, contradicting that statement. 

Evil Dead (2013)

Regardless of this, I think the main reason horror remakes are almost always panned by critics or at least lower in quality in my opinion, is down to the simple feel of the movie. Watching the original 1984 Nightmare on Elm Street is enjoyable because not only is it a classic horror movie, but because it feels like a classic horror movie. This is down to the cheesy acting, the slightly grainy camera and the (at times) goofy special effects. For example, the scene in the original Nightmare on Elm Street when Freddy Krueger stretches his arms to scratch the sides of the alleyway would not be the same if it were re-done with CGI in the remake. The fact that they included the part of the movie in the remake where Freddy stretches the wall but with CGI is testament to this, as I prefer the original by far.

I suppose in the end though it all comes down to personal taste. In my opinion, horror movies should not be remade unless members of the original production team are involved, which is what has happened with the Evil Dead remake, which is currently doing exceedingly well for a horror movie. Only time will tell though, as long as Hollywood doesn't start remaking films like Clockwork Orange or The Shining, then I'll keep watching anything that perks my interest. 

Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)

Back to the Future: Review

When I consider the greatest movie trilogies ever made, I don't think of Lord of the Rings, or the original Star Wars movies, or even The Evil Dead. No, for me, one of my very favourite set of three movies is none other than the "Back to the Future" films, with the original being the pinnacle of entertainment. Made in 1985 and set briefly in the same time period, Back to the Future follows the adventures of a teenage boy named Marty McFly, one of the most suave and charismatic characters ever put on screen, played by the legendary Michael J. Fox, as he travels 30 years into the past thanks to a customised DeLorean DMC-12 built by Dr. Emmett Brown (Christopher Lloyd) 

The real reason all of the Back to the Future movies are so timeless is the fact they are just a ridiculous amount of fun to watch. They are the definition of an adventure movie, with the iconic theme chiming up whenever something key happens in the story, and Marty or Doc uttering many memorable lines. They are suitable for any generation, as the humour appeals to anybody from the youngest ages to the very oldest, never getting too slapstick or too self-aware. Characters do what they were put on screen to do perfectly, with Marty being an idolized "cool guy", his Father (Crispin Glover) being a lovable yet awkward nerd, and Doc being a consistent comic relief, finally with Biff (Thomas F. Wilson) playing the hateful, aggressive school bully. 

There's very little wrong with any of the movies in the trilogy, especially the first. Of course it could be easy to criticise the fact all three are very similar in structure, with small plot-points used to distinguish one from another, but I feel this adds to their charm, meaning you get more of what you know and love. My only slight problem with Back to the Future is that the movies do rely heavily on each other, resulting in possible confusion if you have not seen them all. This is not a direct criticism of the first film however, more one of the series as a whole, because I cannot think of anything specifically wrong with Back to the Future, aside from some typical time-travel logic issues familiar with any movie involving different time zones. 

I will no doubt say it in any review I do of a film I enjoy, but the soundtrack in Back to the Future is superb, contributing vastly to the enjoyment of it all. From the opening scene where Marty is on his way to school which "The Power of Love" plays, to when we first get a glimpse of 1955 with "Mr. Sandman" idyllically humming in the background, the music always adds and never does anything negative to the on-screen events. And of course, the scene where Marty plays guitar to the song "Johnny B. Goode" sticks in my mind as one of the most iconic scenes in any movie I have seen. 

Verdict

Back to the Future holds up as a classic movie from the 80's which is as enjoyable today as it always has been. With one of the coolest protagonists ever put on screen, a lovable supporting cast and a ridiculously catchy soundtrack, you owe it to yourself to experience one of the most enjoyable films made.         9/10

"Last night, Darth Vader came down from Planet Vulcan and told me if I didn't take Lorraine out, he'd melt my brain!" 

Marty McFly

Pulp Fiction: Review

Pulp Fiction is deservedly at the top of most people's favourite movies of all time. The only reasons this should not be the case is if you have not seen it, or you did not pay attention the entire time. Directed by the notoriously unforgiving Quentin Tarantino, Pulp Fiction follows the stories of two hit men, a boxer, a gangster's wife and two diner bandits. These stories all tie together in some sort of fashion, with smaller-scale events happening in-between. 

One of the most notable aspects of Pulp Fiction is the huge cast assembled. John Travolta, Samuel L. Jackson, Bruce Willis, Uma Thurman, Christopher Walken and Harvey Keitel all feature just to name a few, and nobody lowers the movie from anything but amazing. The cleverly written script makes Pulp Fiction more enjoyable than countless other films, raising it above anything but average. The fact that Quentin Tarantino can easily get away with using many offensive curse words and racial slurs is a testament to how engrossing the dialogue in the movie truly is, with almost any line being acceptable to have on your grave-stone without anybody questioning it. 

In my opinion, the most enjoyable scene amongst the sea of perfection is that featuring Jules (Samuel L. Jackson) and Vincent (John Travolta), where they go to repay an offence against the main gangster Marsellus Wallace (Ving Rhames) in the film. This shines as probably my favourite scene in any movie I have ever seen, simply due to it's sheer enjoyability. Samuel L. Jackson has an entire Biblical monologue which will remain in your mind for days after viewing, and the use of burger-talk previously spoken in order to verbally torture their victims is incredibly entertaining. That's what's so unique about Quentin Tarantino as a director: his films contain dialogue which sounds so real and everyday. 

Samuel L. Jackson 

It's difficult to review Pulp Fiction, because there's literally almost nothing wrong with it. The only fault I can think of is that during the sequence featuring Butch (Bruce Willis) and his girlfriend Fabienne (Maria de Medeiros), the film seems to slightly slow down, but this almost could be taken as a positive, so to prepare the viewer for the shocking events which are about to take place. It would probably be appropriate to say that Pulp Fiction is not suitable for anybody who requires parental guidance, as like previously mentioned it contains many, many profanities, with an average use of "F**K" every 30 seconds. If you can handle the fast-paced, brutal action and the superbly written script, Pulp Fiction will be one of the best movie experiences you ever have the pleasure of undertaking. 

One final thing which is more than worthy of mentioning is how effective the musical score is for the film. The opening sequence ends with an incredibly fast, adrenaline-fuelling song, which effortlessly transitions into the more hip "Jungle Boogie" by Kool & The Gang. The soundtrack is, along with the movie itself, one of my very favourites, with songs being timed perfectly to fit with the on-screen events. 

Verdict

Pulp Fiction is unforgiving, violent, controversial and at times rude. Yet it is also one of the best pieces of cinema ever made, providing countless hours of repeated viewings each as enjoyable as the last. Everybody will find something unique they loved about the film, even if other parts shock or offend you.    9.8/10

"Oh I'm sorry, did I break your concentration?" 

Uma Thurman

Dark Skies: Review

Dark Skies was advertised as the new movie "from the producers of Paranormal Activity and Insidious", both of which were scary movies the first time you viewed them. I had reasonably high hopes for the film, until hearing a few negative early  reviews from critics who witnessed exclusive screenings. Regardless of this, I still went to see the movie around a week after it came out, and I can't say that I was hugely impressed. 

I should start by stating the few of the things I enjoyed from Dark Skies. Firstly, there were several scenes which had me hiding behind my hands, as the music and lack of lighting built the tension quite well. There were about three times I jumped considerably hard, but this was almost always due to the fact any on-screen scare was accompanied by a deafening sound effect. Secondly, I thought that  at times the story was fairly interesting, especially when the 'alien specialist' Edwin Pollard (J.K Simmons) explains to the main characters what was happening, and all about the aliens found out to be called "The Greys", a rather unimaginative name if you ask me.

But this is where the movie ceased to be anything but bland and unoriginal. The scares became incredibly predictable, with the music going silent when somebody was about to appear from nowhere, and there were three distinct scenes which myself and the two people who I was with laughed as if we were watching a successful comedy movie. These could be considered spoilers, so read on at your own risk: 

The first of these is shown in one of the many trailers. It's revealed that three separate flocks of birds flew into the house the family the movie revolves around were staying in, which is meant to be one of the countless "spooky" occurrences which builds up to the climax. This scene was frankly awkward to watch however, as the number of dead birds remaining after it all happened was ridiculously unbelievable. The second scene was also shown in a trailer (a common mistake for most horror films now), in which the main female character of the Mother bangs her head repeatedly against a glass window, which is meant to show how the aliens can control whomever they choose. Again though, this small segment of the film was hilarious in it's stupidity, making me question why I even paid full price to get into the cinema. The last of these scenes I will leave for you to discover if you choose to see Dark Skies, but again, it was shown in the trailer. 

Scary movies should not make you laugh more than you're scared, unless their name
is actually "Scary Movie."  

If you haven't noticed by my lack of naming, the characters in the film are incredibly forgettable, with their names completely evading my memory. It's your stereotypical collection for a Spring horror movie, with a family consisting of a Mother who will believe anything she finds on Google, her husband not believing her until an hour into the movie, and their two children being the most susceptible to whatever is plaguing them. Also, without spoiling anything, the ending is atrociously clichéd, leaving you as the viewer annoyed at the thought that there may be a sequel for you to spend more money on. 

Verdict

Dark Skies is definitely not worth paying full cinema price for. It has a few scares that may unsettle those unfamiliar with Horror movies or those under the age of 10, but nothing that will cause you to lose sleep over. Even after saying all this however, there is a time that this movie could create a fun time. If you gathered a collection of friends one night and chilled wanting to watch an entertaining movie, I don't think Dark Skies would be the worst choice, just make sure to rent it for an incredibly reduced price.   5/10

There's no memorable quote for this movie, so instead I'll just leave you with a trailer which was scarier and looked far more enjoyable than the whole of Dark Skies, maybe being one of the few reasons to go and see it. It's titled "The Conjuring", and should be out around July. 

Why is Clockwork Orange so good?

It seems that based upon who I have spoken to, not many people are familiar with my favourite movie of all time, Clockwork Orange. It is ranked at #65 on the IMDb top 250 movie list (far too low in my opinion), and deserves far more attention that it achieves. Directed in 1972 by legendary director Stanley Kubrick, Clockwork Orange follows the exploits of gang member Alexander DeLarge, as he causes havoc and turmoil among anybody his gang of "droogs" come across. It should be said now that the film frequently uses vocabulary not common, lots of which is derived from Russian or other languages. "Droog" for example is to describe a friend, with other words such as "Devotchka" meaning female or girl solidifying the unique nature of the movie. 

An example of the simplistic pop-art inspired by Clockwork Orange

But I have not yet begin to describe just why Clockwork Orange is my very favourite movie of all time, amongst such gems like "Pulp Fiction" and "The Shining". It is simply how much of an acquired taste the movie is. I can promise you that not everybody is going to enjoy this film, and most will probably dismiss it as being too strange or incomprehensible.  A combination of the music, cinematography and acting provide such a memorable experience which will stick with you regardless of if you enjoyed it or not. For example, there is a scene where Alex comes home after a gang fight, and once he has got ready for bed, he places a tape into a machine. All of a sudden, the viewer is bombarded by confusing images of death and chaos, while Ludwig Van Beethoven plays in the background. The juxtaposition of sound and image  cause me to smile every time, because this is precisely why I love the film: it is extremely bizarre. Now, I understand the many under-lying messages about government and control, with the famous line "Without choice, a man ceases to be a man.", and I have even picked up on a few examples of symbolism myself, such as the colour red being always present whenever violence is spoken about or viewed, at times seemingly used to say that it is always present inside of us. This further adds to my love of the film, as similar to Fight Club, several viewings can provide completely different perspectives as usually the first is used to get over the initial shock of how unforgiving it all is, but once you watch Clockwork Orange a couple times, I sincerely hope that you develop a love for it as deep as mine. 

"It had been a wonderful evening and what I needed now, to give it the perfect ending, was a little of the old Ludwig Van." 

Alexander DeLarge

The complexities of Fight Club

I've seen Fight Club about 4 times now, and it just never seems to bore me. Obviously after the first viewing, you understand the story from a completely different perspective (due to the arguably biggest twist in films), but it still doesn't cease to keep the sense of adrenaline and intrigue achieved from the first time you watch it. I should warn you now that the rest of this post will be filled with spoilers, so if you have not yet seen Fight Club, you probably should stop reading now. 

I think the thing that really amazes me about the film is how much detail was put in specifically for the second viewing. For example, when The Narrator (Ed Norton) has his apartment blown up, he goes to call Tyler (Brad Pitt) as he has nobody else to turn to. He receives no answer however, but just as he goes to walk away the phone starts ringing. Now, the first time you see the film, this doesn't seem like a huge deal, it's happened in other movies. But when you realise that Tyler doesn't in fact exist, (or at least Brad Pitt's character) this is where things get interesting. As the Narrator goes to answer the phone, the camera very briefly shows the phone and text placed around it. Underneath the "TELNEX" brand name, you can make out a piece of information that reads "No incoming calls allowed", meaning that Tyler never could have called the Narrator from the phone. 

There are many clues like this hinting at the inevitable plot twist, including the scene where Lou beats up Tyler underneath the bar. In the background, you can very clearly see Ed Norton reacting to the blows Tyler receives, but it is done very subtly so that you would only realise if you had already seen the film or knew the twist.

This is why it annoys me when people disregard Fight Club as some film solely made for the enjoyment of those interested in fighting or anything but a masterpiece. It is about self-discovery, mental illness and freedom. Everybody who I have spoken to who has seen it has done nothing but love it. I would easily place it among my top five movies I have ever seen, as there truly is nothing like Fight Club, I don't believe many movies could ever top the feeling when you discover the identity of Tyler Durden towards the end of the movie. 

"I know this, because Tyler knows this."