Top 10 Movies of 2014

And so we've come to the end of yet another enjoyable year of cinema. There's been plenty of highs and lows, disappointments and exceeded expectations. So now, with only a handful of days left, I've decided to give you my entirely subjective list of the best films released in the past 12 months. In case you missed them or are just interested, feel free to click the title of each movie to be taken to my review. Also, I'd like to take this time to thank anybody who's stuck with me for yet another year, and hopefully I'll continue to give my opinions well into 2015. So, without further ado, here are my picks for the best releases this year: 

10 - X-men: Days of Future Past
This instalment marks a consistent theme for my list this year: surprises. I went into Bryan Singer's latest X-Men movie with apprehension, because the series as a whole has always been hugely varied in its entertainment value and critical reception. Thankfully, this latest outing was enjoyable from start to finish, and managed to seamlessly blend the older franchise with this current, updated interpretation. 

9 - 12 Years a Slave

Released at the very beginning of this year in the UK, 12 Years a Slave was inarguably one of the most powerful movies I've seen in a cinema. By the end the entire audience was stunned into silence, and this shouldn't come as a surprise to anybody who has seen the film - it's engrossing and tragic throughout. It's definitely not a movie which I could recommend to everybody due to the intense nature and historical origins of the story, but 12 Years a Slave has remained with me in vivid clarity since I first saw it 12 months ago.

8 - Edge of Tomorrow 

Continuing with surprising hits this year comes Edge of Tomorrow. Now known alternatively as 'Live. Die. Repeat.' due to poor box office results, this sci-fi action movie brought Tom Cruise back into the public eye as a more than viable choice for leading protagonist, and was just a very fun movie. The movie played with the idea of an ever-repeating day, which led to an enjoyable blend of comedy, action, and drama. I wouldn't be hugely surprised if you told me you haven't seen Edge of Tomorrow, as it appears most people chose not to, but I implore you to check it out as soon as possible. 

7 - Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

If this were a list for the longest movie titles, then Dawn of the Planet of the Apes would be a definite front-runner. Regardless of its long-winded name, this sequel improved upon its already solid foundations in every way, and provided an engrossing comparison between ape and human life. The motion capture by Andy Serkis in particular was stellar, and allowed a sense of raw emotion previously unfathomable in CGI characters. The consensus for this movie is mixed to say the least, but I personally loved it. 

6 - The Wolf of Wall Street

After first viewing this drug-fuelled Scorsese biopic, I was a little under-whelmed. I'd heard such insurmountable praise for the film that I had build my own levels of hype to unreachable standards... not surprisingly, they weren't met.  But in hindsight, The Wolf of Wall Street is most certainly worthy of plenty of praise. Leonardo DiCaprio portrays infamous stock-broker Jordan Belfort as equally humorous and detestable, and all of the supporting cast make this 3-hour epic a joy to behold, even if certain scenes drag on a little longer than necessary. 

5 - Gone Girl

Many movies this year had endings which didn't fully conclude or at least satisfyingly wrap-up the events which had preceded them. Gone Girl takes the crown for this. But does it matter? Not in the slightest. David Fincher's missing-person thriller was an intriguing ride from start to finish, and although the ending wasn't quite as punchy as I had hoped, it still didn't even come close to diminishing the rest of the movie. A film which definitely earns its 18 rating, Gone Girl makes for some very entertaining viewing. 

4 - The Babadook

2013 provided us with some excellent horror. 2014 on the other hand, was considerably lacking. Perhaps this is why I loved The Babadook so much. Or, more likely, perhaps it's because it is an incredibly smart, eerie film. Boring gore is replaced by consistent tension, and in the place of lifeless stereotypes are characters who you genuinely feel attached to. Even if you're not a fan of horror, I would still urge you to watch this movie, as it may tempt you to check out some of the better films released within the genre, and convince doubters that horror movies can still terrify without requiring a loud bang in the night. 

3 - Interstellar

What can I say about Interstellar that I haven't already? It's not Nolan's finest movie, but is still a phenomenal achievement which manages to appeal to a whole plethora of movie fans. On one side there's the moving relationship between Matthew McConaughey's character Cooper and his daughter, and then there's also an epic space drama which deals with time travel and relativity. The special effects are quite literally out of this world, and the movie embodies the idea of a proper 'cinema movie'. Watching this anywhere else but on a huge screen would truly be an injustice. 

2 - Guardians of the Galaxy

Marvel knows what they're doing when it comes to comic-book movies. This cannot be exemplified more than with Guardians of the Galaxy. Here, Marvel managed to take a relatively unknown series and turn it into an immensely popular film which was not only widely seen, but praised almost universally for its creativity and sense of fun. I've seen the film multiple times since its release, and the immensely catchy soundtrack is still a joy to listen to. Couple this with excellent characters, and you've got a real treat on your hands. 

1 - Nightcrawler

Bet you didn't see this coming. Yes, my favourite movie of the entire year was a film which I actually saw without even planning to. Nightcrawler was a dark, menacing, and yet morbidly funny story a man who discovers that you can make a reasonable amount of money simply by recording brutal accidents which can then be sold to news outlets. It's a film which is practically driven entirely by Jake Gyllenhaal's amazing performance as Louis Bloom, but also features some breath-taking cinematography and witty dialogue. If you haven't seen this yet, rectify that. 

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies: Review

And so our second visit to Middle Earth has come to an end. With that comes a sort of gleeful melancholy; the Lord of the Rings trilogy is inarguably more vast in terms of both story and scope than that of The Hobbit, but it's been a fun ride nonetheless. The question is: can this final instalment conclude yet another epic Peter Jackson saga? At times, the answer is definitely a resounding 'yes'. 

Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman)

The Battle of the Five Armies begins immediately with the consequences of Bilbo's actions from the previous film. Smaug is destroying Lake Town. Thorin is becoming rapidly unhinged. Gandalf is in peril. It's a beginning which quite literally throws you in, and so newcomers to the franchise might want to do a little background reading before the title appears. Once the immediate danger is resolved, The Hobbit: TBOTFA turns into a film resembling something that portrays the Cold War. The dwarves have possession of the mountain, but their leader, Thorin, is not satisfied. He demands that they find the precious Arkenstone which belonged to his Father, therefore meaning it belongs to him. It's difficult to divulge much of the plot without spoiling the first 30 minutes of the movie, so I won't explain how the battle in the title actually comes to be. I will however, say that the battle itself is as entertaining as you'd expect from a film taking place in Middle Earth, even if it's a little drawn-out. 

It might just be because I've read the book (which is only 300 pages, hence why most people don't think it needed a trilogy), but many of the scenes within the battle go on for just a little longer than necessary. There's definitely some thrilling moments littered throughout, and some which rival previous events such as the Battle of Helms Deep, but overall things begin to feel slightly monotonous. In fact, the first half of the movie and the build-up to the fighting was far more enjoyable than the combat itself. 

Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage)

Regardless of this, it's still a pleasure to see Bilbo and Gandalf and all the regulars back for one last time. Gandalf's moments in particular carry a real weight to them, which most fans of the franchise would probably expect. The most surprising character though, would be the recently appointed king, Thorin. It's as much Thorin's story as it is Bilbo's, and the movie does a really great job of conveying how power and wealth have corrupted him and skewed his perspectives on loyalty and honour. By the time the credits roll, you really feel like you've been on a journey with these characters. In the end, the flaws seem comparatively less important. 

Verdict

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies is a satisfying final visit to the world created by Tolkein. It contains some subtle nods to the other trilogy which provide great fan-service, and is a film which very nearly achieves the epic nature of Return of the King, even though not quite. If you haven't seen any other films set in this universe, then I highly doubt The Hobbit: TBOTFA will do anything to persuade you. If you are a fan of Tolkein's world however, then you've no doubt seen this already. If you haven't, then definitely go and see it, even though it's probably the weakest of the trilogy...but only because it's such a strong trilogy to start with. 

"Will you follow me...one last time?"

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1: Review

Last year, Catching Fire ended abruptly with one of the biggest cliffhangers I'd seen in a film. Or at least it felt like it, due to the multiple colossal reveals within the closing moments of the movie. Between that movie and the release of Mockingjay - Part 1, I decided to read the Hunger Games books, which put me in a fairly unique position personally, as I rarely go to see a movie knowing with considerable certainty how exactly it will play out. Now, I won't compare this film endlessly with the book counterpart, as they're both from completely different mediums. However, not only was it very faithful to the source material, but Mockingjay - Part 1 made me enjoy its story of political warfare even more than I previously had. 

Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence)

To divulge the story of the film will involve ruining aspects from the previous movies, so unfortunately I'm going to have to do just that. The film begins with Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) living in the supposedly destroyed District 13, along with many other survivors who managed to escape the bombings of their home, District 12. Life in the District is certainly not as free as it was in District 12, but 13 comes with a strong sense of security due to it being located in underground bunkers as opposed to vulnerable houses. This security is needed, as following Katniss' actions at the end of Catching Fire in which she destroyed the arena of the 75th Hunger Games, Katniss has now become the face of a brutal uprising directed at the totalitarian Capitol. President Coin (Julianne Moore) who presides over District 13 wants to use 'The Girl on Fire' as a symbol of rebellion in the form of propaganda videos, and Katniss only agrees to this if Coin promises to rescue her ally Peeta (Josh Hutcherson) at the earliest opportunity. 

Many assumed that due to the fact this is merely one part in the Mockingjay story, the plot would not really develop enough and would in fact act as nothing more than an introduction to the finale of Part 2 next year. This is not the case. Although the absence of the Games themselves in this instalment means the movie lacks the action scenes found in the other movies, Mockingjay - Part 1 is still hugely engaging on account of the focus being more subterfuge than violence. It's definitely a very different movie to its predecessors, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing. In fact, the main aspect carried over from the other instalments - that being the Katniss / Peeta / Gale love-triangle - turns out to be the least interesting part of the movie. Scenes included such as when Gale and Katniss are sitting by a lake getting cosy with one another feel redundant in the grand scheme of things, but thankfully these moments are few and far between. 

Plutarch Heavensbee (Philip Seymour Hoffman)

In terms of acting, it feels as if things have taken a huge step-up since Catching Fire. Not to say the entirety of that movie was atrocious, but certain moments felt awkward due to the delivery of some laughable dialogue. Now however, Jennifer Lawrence has fully made the character of Katniss Everdeen her own, and it really shows. I honestly couldn't picture another actress playing the role. Even new members of the supporting cast are enthralling, such as the late Philip Seymour Hoffman in the role of rebellion leader Plutarch Heavensbee. Plutarch was included in Catching Fire, but Mockingjay is where we really get a feel for his character, and P.S.H portrays him excellently. 

Verdict
This instalment in The Hunger Games series certainly shows its 'Part 1' clichés, such as yet another huge cliffhanger to lead into the finale, but it's still a solid movie in its own right. Newcomers to the series are unlikely to fully grasp the complex story, but I doubt that was ever intended. This is a film which is for fans of the series as a whole, and in that, it completely succeeds. Yes, the fact it is primarily a propaganda war between the rebels and Capitol means it has a very different feel to it when compared with the other movies, but its this feel which makes Mockingjay - Part 1 stand out. I can't decide if I prefer this movie or its predecessor, but it's easily a film which I'd recommend for fans of the series. 

"I have a message for President Snow: If we burn, 

you burn with us!"

Interstellar: Review

Like many people, I was incredibly excited to see Interstellar. Christopher Nolan is yet to release a film which is anything below incredible, and so my hopes for this epic space odyssey were set considerably high. The trailers released gave away nothing but a sense of mystery and adventure, which certainly didn't quell my anticipation. And so when I sat down in my seat in the cinema, I was phenomenally eager to see whether or not it could fully live up to the hype. In short: it most certainly did. 

Cooper (Matthew McConaughey)

The film is set in the near future, on an Earth which is gradually becoming inhabitable. The only job worth anything is now farming, due to the immense shortage of food which is plaguing humanity. The actual choice of substance available has dwindled to primarily corn, which adorns the hundreds of acres covering the now barren planet. We are immediately introduced to Cooper (Matthew McConaughey), whose previous job as a pilot for NASA ended with a devastating crash, and who now lives off of his farm with his two children Murph (Mackenzie Foy) and Tom (Timothee Chalmet). But Cooper's never stopped dreaming of the stars. Through a series of events, Cooper and Murph stumble upon a hidden NASA base, and soon Cooper is given the chance to find another biologically-compatible world which humanity can move to. The problem is though, that this would mean leaving his two children for a potentially unimaginable amount of time, due to the required use of interstellar travel. 

Interstellar is naturally a very sci-fi film. The plot is in many ways comparable to classic movies within the genre, perhaps most notably the iconic 2001: A Space Odyssey, which many consider the finest example of space put to the screen. However, the unique directions in which the story progresses definitely make it shine on its own, and well-worth watching for any fan of science-fiction. Strip away all of the space aspects however, and Interstellar really tells the story of a daughter longing for the return of her father, which brings a strong sense of humanity to this intimidating drama set amongst the stars. The plot becomes arguably convoluted towards the film's conclusion, but it's never sub-par. 

Regardless of the plot however, Interstellar is a visually and audibly incredible film. Last year, many were amazed by how Alfonso Cauron's Gravity depicted the isolating void of space. I'd argue that this movie far surpasses that attempt, and enters a league of its own. Not only are the special effects incredible, but the segments which are set on Earth also spectacularly convey an impending sense of self-destruction. It's a particularly harrowing thought considering the way things appear to be going within our own world, and has never been realised quite so successfully as it is in Interstellar. The musical score for the film is also stellar, but the terrifying moments of silence which accompany the shots of space itself are just as effective. And unlike Gravity, when I say silence, I mean complete, utter, isolating silence. There is literally no noise whatsoever for certain moments of the movie, which can sometimes eerily juxtapose the on-screen events. 

Brand (Anne Hathaway)

I don't think anybody expected Matthew McConaughey's performance as Cooper to be anything but powerful considering the man has won multiple awards, so I don't think I even need to comment on how overwhelmingly moving his scenes within the movie were. However, what did surprise me was just how talented Mackenzie Foy was as Cooper's daughter, as I'm never usually a huge fan of child actors within movies. Not everybody's acting was as sensational as the leading cast's, but there wasn't a particular part which detracted from the overall experience. 

Verdict
Interstellar was incredible. I don't think it was quite Nolan's finest movie, but it was by far one of the best movies that I've seen in a long time, which should say plenty about the director himself. The plot may stray at points, and certain moments are relatively predictable, but these flaws don't in any way make the movie bad. It's stunning, enjoyable, and genuinely moving; Interstellar is a film which you should definitely not miss. 

"Mankind was born on Earth. It was never meant

to die here."

Gone Girl: Review

Abduction movies can go one of two ways. Either they're fairly mediocre throughout but manage to twist your perception by incorporating a shocking, jaw-dropping finale, or they have you gripped from the beginning but then fail to accumulate all their tension into a satisfying conclusion. David Fincher's latest thriller Gone Girl unfortunately falls into the second type, but that does not mean that it is a bad movie by any means.

The film opens by introducing us to Nick and Amy Dunne (Ben Affleck & Rosamund Pike, respectively). Nick and Amy appear to be a happily married couple who seem to have everything going for them. They own a local bar, a beautiful house, and love eachother infinitely. However, on the day of their fifth anniversary, Amy suddenly disappears. Nick comes home to find the living room wrecked and small traces of blood splattered in odd places. All signs point to a home invasion or kidnapping, but Detective Rhonda Boney (Kim Dickens) thinks that maybe the 'perfect couple' aren't so perfect after all. 

Nick Dunne (Ben Affleck)

I went into Gone Girl expecting a fairly generic sequence of events, which would eventually culminate into a shocking conclusion in which we discover that Amy is either alive or dead, and then have it explained exactly how this situation came to be. About halfway through the film however, things take a fairly dramatic turn and the movie becomes something else entirely. I can't explain precisely why - considering how important this is to the plot - but just know that you're unlikely to guess at how the movie will play-out. Needless to say, this made the film extremely more interesting than it perhaps could have been, and gripped me considerably more than other films from within a similar genre. 

However, as mentioned, the story builds and builds and then...well, to divulge anything else would be completely ruining the plot, but I wasn't quite as impressed as I could have been. The ending itself isn't bad, and in a way it may have been the most realistic ending that would have occurred, but I was hoping for far more. The film sets up an amazing premise which it fails to properly capitalise on, and although it doesn't completely squander it, much more could have been done. 

Amy Dunne (Rosamund Pike)

Regardless of the story's slightly anti-climactic ending though, all of the performances in Gone Girl were nothing short of incredible. Obviously Ben Affleck as the main character Nick was captivating, but the smaller roles of certain characters were equally as engrossing. Neil Patrick Harris for example, plays one of Amy's former lovers, and although he doesn't properly come into the story until towards the end, he was still fairly amazing. In fact, I don't think that there was a single actor present who let the film down, and the same can be said for every scene within the film. Yes, the ending could have been improved upon, but up until that point I was never bored or disinterested. Even with the slow-burning introduction to the story, I was gripped from beginning to end. 

Verdict

Despite the questionable ending, Gone Girl is an incredibly interesting movie which will no doubt keep you hooked for its entirety. There's numerous bold twists and turns which keep the plot interesting and unique, and it's certainly not a by-the-books abduction movie. If you're a fan of Fincher, or even if you just like tense thrillers, then it's certainly well worth seeing. 

"Whoever took her is bound to bring her back."

The Babadook: Review

I don't like most horror movies. Now, that sounds fairly ridiculous coming from somebody who watches countless horror films for fun, but let me explain. I don't like films which solely rely on gore as a form of 'horror', which is unfortunately what most films claiming to be 'scary' now rely on as a form of entertainment. Of course, there's certainly a market for this, and last year's Evil Dead is a stellar example of a horror film which instantly let's you know what you're in for - that being copious amounts of gore - and doesn't try to be something else. It's inarguable then, that a psychological horror experience is far more effective at making you feel pure terror than any amount of blood and violence. That's why The Babadook is one of the best horror movies I have ever seen. 

Amelia (Essie Davis)

The film starts by introducing us to the main character of Amelia (Essie Davis). Amelia is the mother of a single child, and whose husband died in a car accident while she was headed to the hospital to give birth to said child. She loves her son Samuel (Noah Wiseman) very much, but is gradually becoming more and more fatigued due to his obsession with fictional monsters. One night, Amelia decides to read Samuel a book titled 'Mister Babadook', and this sets into motion a dark and genuinely terrifying decline in their already depressive well-being. 

Like all the best scary movies, The Babadook rarely shows even a glimpse of the creature itself, and causes you to spend the entire film wondering if it even exists. From the offset, several events occur which make you incredibly empathetic to Amelia, as Samuel grows more and more antagonistic. However, your opinion soon shifts when she starts exhibiting increasingly violent mannerisms towards her son, and soon you're hoping that anything but the very worst will happen. This is cleverly foreshadowed by the 'Mister Babadook' book itself, which is eerily enticing. It looks like something from a gothic Tim Burton movie, although I'm not sure if I'd like to own a copy myself. 

The only aspect of the film which I didn't quite enjoy as much as the rest of it would be the ending. Throughout the entire movie, the idea of whether the monster exists is constantly brought into question, but a few scenes near the finale of the film makes it abundantly clear that this question has a definite answer. It doesn't completely ruin the experience, but a much more ambiguous ending would have been preferable.  

Verdict
The Babadook is an incredibly engrossing psychological horror film, and one which any fan of the genre should definitely check out. The subtlety of the scares is a breath of fresh air in a climate swamped by cheap jump-scares and screaming monsters, and the Babadook himself is equally as sinister. It's a film which I didn't expect to enjoy as much as I did, and one which will definitely stick with me for a long time. 

"You can't get rid of the Babadook"

Nightcrawler: Review

As a part of Odeon's 'Screen Unseen' event, I was able to see the upcoming thriller Nightcrawler about a fortnight before its public release. The event works by the audience buying a ticket to the movie for a reduced price, but the catch being that the only information you are given is the start-time of the film, and the certificate it's been given. Luckily, I got to see a film I've been eagerly awaiting for quite some time, and I could not have been happier with the reward of my anticipation. 

Lou Bloom (Jake Gyllenhaal)

The film begins by introducing us to Lou Bloom (Jake Gyllenhall). Lou's lacking financially and socially, and is initially shown stealing copper wire so that he can sell it for an incredibly minimal profit. However, our protagonist soon learns of a fairly questionable job under the title of 'nightcrawling'. This basically consists of arriving at crime scenes mere moments after they are formed, and then filming the events unfolding so that the footage can then be distributed and sold to the highest bidder. Soon, Lou is nightcrawling for himself, but the constant praise for this dark, fringe job begins to encourage his frightening - and blatantly sociopathic - tendencies. 

As expected, Jake Gyllenhaal is incredible in the role of Lou Bloom. He perfectly conveys the complete lack of empathy Lou has for the victims he is recording, and establishes an unnerving tension which remains throughout the entirety of the film. Of course, each scene is loaded with a tense atmosphere, but the mere facial expressions and mannerisms of Lou lead you to believe that something genuinely terrifying is bubbling under his scarily natural façade. This continues throughout every moment of the movie, and is only escalated by Lou's hiring of an assistant in the form of a homeless man named Rick (Riz Ahmed). 

As the film progresses, Lou begins to become far more brave and risky with his nightcrawling, which leads to some fairly intense footage. The film never chooses to exploit this however. For example, one case which Lou arrives at is that of a home-invasion which resulted in a triple homicide. Now, the movie could have quite easily shown the gore in its all its brutal gory, but we instead catch glimpses of this through Lou's camera lens and screen. This subtle delivery is also attributed to the dark humour littered throughout Nightcrawler. It wasn't uncommon throughout the film for the entire audience to one moment be waiting on baited breath at what seemed to be unfolding, and the next laughing at a remark made by one of the characters. The comedy doesn't detract from the dark atmosphere the movie creates so successfully, but instead adds to it. It's never just there for the sake of it. Every time you laugh, it lets you see more into the twisted character of Lou himself, or become increasingly concerned for his 'sidekick' Rick. 

Verdict
I genuinely loved Nightcrawler. It was dark, brutal, and at times bordered on going slightly too far. But it only ever bordered on this. The director knew precisely when to cut a scene short just as it was becoming too graphic to the point of exploitative, or too humourous to maintain the menacing tone. It was an incredibly fun, exciting and occasionally frightening ride, and one which I imagine I'll be repeating as soon as possible. 

"If you want to win the lottery, you have 

to make the money to BUY A TICKET."

The Maze Runner: Review

Teen fiction being adapted for the big screen is rapidly becoming one of the biggest film genres around. It arguably took off with the release of Twilight back in 2008 (although I'd prefer to think The Hunger Games was the real success story), and has shown no signs of slowing down. Now with The Maze Runner, we're presented with yet another story revolving entirely around young adults set in a dystopian world. But is it any good? 

Thomas (Dylan O'Brien)

The film begins with a boy whom we eventually learn is called Thomas (Dylan O'Brien) rising up in an elevator. He has forgotten everything about his past, and is struck with overwhelming fear and uncertainty. Soon, Thomas appears in the middle of a large, square field, and is surrounded by other boys of his age. He has found himself in what is referred to as "The Glade", and must set about finding a way out. The first boy found himself trapped here three years prior, and since then more and more boys have arrived - all without their memories. The Glade is surrounded by colossal stone walls - which is where the 'Maze' part of the title comes in - and some of the boys are given the title of 'Runners', whose job is to map out the course of the maze in an attempt to find their way out. Some members of their small society are more than happy to remain where they are, but the arrival of Thomas sparks some rapid (and occasionally frightening) changes. 

The first thing The Maze Runner gets right is its absence of unnecessary introductions. As soon as the movie begins, the main protagonist is thrust into unfamiliar surroundings, which makes his predicament relatable in the sense that you as the viewer are also unaware of what's happening. The film keeps up this sense of mystery for quite a while, with only rare flashbacks giving hints at the context of what is happening. Eventually it shows a little too much which lets you piece things together - lessening the effect of the ending - but doesn't reveal completely everything. This keeps you interested to a certain extent for the entirety of the movie, which is lucky, as none of the performances are particularly memorable in the sense that they would be able to carry the film on their own shoulders. Nobody is particularly 'bad' as such, but most of the characters are either generic stereotypes or utterly forgettable. The main character of Thomas is interesting in that you want to discover what led him to find himself in The Glade, but that's all. 

As the maze is in the title, you'd expect it to play a key part in the movie, and although it's obviously an important story element, I would have liked to have seen more of it. Giving away every aspect would naturally ruin the mystery behind this gigantic structure, but I hope that the blatantly referenced sequel will expand more upon this. Also, the monsters within the maze are simply referred to as 'Grievers', which also carries a certain level of mystery to it, but they turn out to be mechanical scorpion monsters. There's nothing wrong with this, but a bit more variety would have kept things more engaging throughout the entirety of the film. 

Verdict

The Maze Runner is successful in keeping you interested for the majority of its length, but little more. The conclusion to the story is blatantly to set-up an inevitable sequel, which feels a little cheap, as it means that this first instalment can't properly stand on its own. In the end, it's a fun time and a good way to kill a few hours, but results in being pretty forgettable and lacking in much personality. 

"Every morning when those doors open,

the runners look for a way out."

Films Coming Soon: An Update

Unfortunately, there's been a bit of a dry-spell in films recently. That's not to say none have been coming out - because that certainly isn't the case - but there's been very little that caught my attention (hence why I haven't posted a review in just over a month). Within the next few months however, this is thankfully set to change! So here's three movies which I'm personally very excited for coming out soon, and ones which I will definitely be giving my opinion on when they're released: 

Interstellar (7th November, 2014)

Christopher Nolan has yet to disappoint. All of The Dark Knight trilogy of films were nothing but incredible, Inception was mind-blowing, and even his earlier movies such as Memento are easily amongst my very favourites. Naturally, Interstellar looks set to continue this trend. The plot revolves around the idea that the human race can only maintain life on Earth for a finite period of time, and so 'engineers' are sent through interstellar travel in order to find other sources of sustenance. With huge names such as Matthew McConaughey and Michael Caine being a part of this, it certainly looks like it could be one of 2014's best films, and I for one am incredibly excited. 

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1 

(21st November, 2014)

If you'd have told me a few years ago that I would be eagerly anticipating the next instalment in a popular teen-fiction adaptation series, I would have probably laughed in your face. Imagine my surprise then, that I indeed am doing just this. The original Hunger Games film released back in 2012 instantly got me hooked, and had me excitedly awaiting its sequel. While Catching Fire wasn't a masterpiece of a movie, it was still hugely enjoyable, and yet again got me looking forwards to the next movie in the franchise. Sure, the fact the final book is being split in to two movies (like The Deathly Hallows) is slightly irritating, and will no doubt mean that the cliffhanger featured will be immensely irritating. But I honestly couldn't care, just as long as the conclusion to this dystopian drama is as satisfying as it can possibly be. 

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies 

(12th December, 2014)

Yet another franchise I never anticipated I would have so much love for. In the build-up to the second film in The Hobbit series, I decided to watch every Lord of the Rings movie and the first Hobbit film back-to-back. This turned out to be a really enjoyable investment, as both series are hugely entertaining in their own right. With this conclusion of the prequels I've even decided to read the book that inspired them, which is an immense rarity for me. Based upon the tone set by the single trailer released, it certainly looks like The Battle of the Five Armies will continue the epic atmosphere of its predecessors, and if the title is any indication, will hopefully feature plenty of Middle Earth action. 

So there we have it: three movies I'm personally very excited for. These will all definitely receive reviews from me on here, and will hopefully exceed the already high expectations I have for them. They're by no means the only films I will watch before the year's end, so keep an eye out for other reviews and similar posts. 

Also, I occasionally write game reviews for a website called 'Brash Games', and if that's your thing, then feel free to read them here. Let me know what films you're looking forwards to this fall, and maybe I'll check them out some time too!  

As Above, So Below: Review

For anybody unaware, the catacombs which trail all under Paris are really, really big. A certain area of this is legal for the public to venture under the supervision of a guide, but the majority of these expansive tunnels are forbidden. This is because they are so expansive and complex that anybody could quite easily lose track of where they are. In fact, there's several examples of people exploring the illegal areas...and never returning. As Above, So Below plays on this creepy idea, in the form of yet another found-footage horror movie. 

Scarlett (Perdita Weeks)

The film tells the story of a group of teenagers (surprisingly), as they explore the catacombs in order to find an ancient stone one of the girls in the group has been looking for. This stone is supposedly heavily linked with spiritual and unearthly things, which makes the strange sightings throughout the film slightly more plausible. Like most horror movies, the first third or so is largely just introducing the plot and characters. Unlike other horror films however, which have spooky things introduced that will have significance later, As Above, So Below has a lot of boring, pointless moments in the opening act. Sure, there's a couple of eerie scenes which have a little relevance later, but you're urging the film to progress just so the frightening scenes can begin. 

Once the group does reach the catacombs however, the film really steps-up the scares. It's not exactly a 'scream-a-minute', but being a found-footage film, As Above, So Below puts you in the experience more than other horrors might do. This works especially well when conveying the claustrophobic atmosphere which the catacombs would deliver. I thankfully don't suffer from claustrophobia, but even I squirmed a bit when the group had to squeeze through incredibly small spaces. Unfortunately, this first-person perspective throughout the film also means there's a huge amount of jump-scares. These kinds of scary moments are in almost every single horror film, but an over reliance on them just becomes a bit boring after a while. Thankfully, the film also features a few intensely high-tension moments to accompany these jumps. They don't completely make up for the constant jump-scares, but they do a good job of keeping you on edge for lengthy periods of time. 

Horror films aren't exactly known for their outstanding acting (at least modern ones), but As Above, So Below surprisingly features some decent performances. Naturally, there's the stereotypical roles which are found in most movies within the genre, but the guide who takes the group deep underground is a fairly engaging character. When he's freaking out over unnatural occurrences, it makes you feel on edge as well. There's definitely nobody earning an Oscar from this, but it makes the moments of tension that bit more entertaining. 

Verdict
As Above, So Below isn't an incredible movie, but if you're a fan of horror, then it's definitely worth seeing. The unique location of the Paris catacombs makes for some intensely tight spaces, and the atmosphere is consistently scary. The ending of the film is incredibly anti-climactic, but it's a fun film to see in the cinema with some friends. 

"We can't go back...we should just

keep moving..."

Why You Should Play P.T.

During this year's annual Gamescom event held in Germany, a teaser was shown for a 'game' known cryptically as P.T. The game was apparently under development by the unknown 7788s studios, and appeared to be a terrifying horror experience. Well, now that it has been released publicly for some time, everybody has learnt that only part of this information is true. 

P.T is indeed a terrifying horror experience that was released on the Playstation 4 almost as soon as the trailer was shown. But that's where the assumptions end. The 'game' is in fact a demo (or Playable Teaser, hence "P.T"), and is actually a reveal for an upcoming game known as Silent Hills, which is a part of the popular horror franchise by the same name. It was developed by the iconic Hideo Kojima whom is responsible for the Metal Gear Solid line of games, along with director Guillermo Del Toro, and is by far one of the scariest games I have ever played. 

In terms of how you actually go about playing P.T, things are fairly simple. You wake up in a concrete chamber, and go through the only wooden door in front of you. From here, you slowly walk down a corridor in a typical house until you come across yet another door. Going through this will cause you to appear at the first door you came out of, which is instantly disorientating, and quickly makes you feel uneasy about where you are. This required no jump-scares or gore. By simply messing with your expectations, the game already surpasses many recent horror games within the first few minutes. 

As far as a plot is concerned,  P.T's is fairly vague. By listening to a radio broadcast that plays on repeat and finding subtle clues, you can gather that you are in the house of a family whom are all now dead. The father of the house murdered his wife and son, then finally his daughter whom he lured out of hiding. He then went on to kill himself, although it's unclear how much of that is actually true. One of the key things that stands out on the broadcast however, is that the announcer states that the daughter "had the sense to hide herself in the bathroom". Imagine how scary it is then, when you pass a door in the hall and hear crying from the inside. There's plenty of subtle yet terrifying features such as this which keep you on edge throughout your whole experience of P.T. 

By far the one factor that keeps this experience terrifying without being obnoxious or gratuitous however, is the repeating nature of it all. Every single time you go down the corridor and into the other door, you are placed instantly back at the beginning. This allows you to get incredibly familiar with your surroundings, which makes it all the more eerie when things do begin to change. It happens slightly enough at first, such as the bathroom door being slightly ajar, but soon escalates into frantic running down a seemingly empty walkway in an attempt to escape things which may or may not even exist. P.T is effective not because of what you see, but because of what you don't. It causes intense paranoia which other games could only hope to achieve, and yet has the production values of a modest indie-game. 

So why should you play P.T? Because it's one of the most refreshing, well-executed and terrifying experiences I have ever played. It looks almost photo-realistic which is always a nice feature, but this yet again just adds to the intensely scary atmosphere. It's a game in which subtlety is key, and although you can beat it through a sequence of incredibly precise and convoluted puzzles, I found it much more entertaining just to become immersed in its downright creepy feel. 

The Last of Us Remastered: Game Review

Last year, The Last of Us solidified just how successful video games could be as a medium of conveying complex and intricate stories. It went on to win an unfathomable number of awards both for its story and technical prowess, and has gone down as one of, if not the defining game of the previous generation of consoles. Now, it has been re-released on the Playstation 4 with the sub-title 'Remastered' in hopes to bring in an audience previously unable to play the game, whilst also considerably improving the already impressive graphical fidelity the game possesses. 

On paper, the story behind The Last of Us doesn't really sound hugely original or even engrossing. You play as Joel (Troy Baker) and are given the task of transporting a young girl named Ellie (Ashley Johnson) across America to meet with a survivor group called 'the Fireflies'. The game takes place in a post-apocalyptic world inhabited by a handful of humans in comparison to the overwhelming majority of 'infected' - a collection of diseased people who act similar to adrenaline-fuelled humans. Rather than the undead rising from the ground or any other number of reasons for an infection, the reasoning in The Last of Us is purely biological. A non-fictional virus known as cordyceps infects the brain of the host and causes the infected in question to desperately hunt non-infected survivors in hope of spreading the virus constantly. 

Joel (Troy Baker)

But although the story that The Last of Us tells is entertaining in its own right, it's the characters within the story which make the game truly memorable. Joel has survived in this broken world for nothing short of 20 years, and has changed drastically from the loving father we see him as in the game's opening prologue. He is a broken, dark individual whom does nothing but try to survive, which is shown throughout his actions in the first section of the game. When he is reluctantly introduced to Ellie however, the pair form a relationship of distant trust. The story is split into seasons, and across these the relationship of Joel and Ellie really develops just as much as the characters themselves. 

Whilst Joel is jaded and bitter due to his previous experiences of the normal world hugely contrasting the waking nightmare he now lives, Ellie is considerably different. She is aged only 14, and so knows nothing else outside of the bleak existence which she is now a part of. This really shows throughout the story as the couple view things noticeably different. A really good example of this is a section in which Ellie finds a diary of a young girl written before the virus spread, and criticises the issues which the girl writes about, as she has literally no reference point to relate to such issues. Small moments such as these make the characters of Joel and Ellie seem much more than just video game characters, almost as if they were living, breathing people. 

The incredible story The Last of Us inevitably tells is matched only by just how fun it is to play as a game. Being set in a post-apocalyptic America, supplies gathered throughout are scarce at the very best (if played on a hard difficultly like the game should be). Because of this, decisions need to constantly be made as to what is more important - medical supplies or weapons? The combat is meaty and satisfying when engaged in, but the game allows you to quite as successfully use stealth to avoid confrontations altogether, therefore conserving supplies. This constant instantaneous decision-making throughout every chapter of the game makes it stand-out even further from a typical action-shooter, and really stands testament to how incredible the game really is. 

Of course, the 'Remastered' sub-title on the box is there for something, and this would be raising the game graphically to fit suitably on the current generation of consoles released last year. From a technical point of view, the game has been practically doubled in performance. This raises the frame-rate from 30 to 60, which makes the game run at a previously unobtainable level of smoothness, and also raises all graphical features to 1080p. Not only that, but practically all textures within the game have been improved to look even more realistic and believable. All of this culminates to a truly amazing looking game, and one which is likely the best visually on the PS4 currently. Developers Naughty Dog capitalize on this by introducing a 'photo mode' which essentially allows you to freeze the game at any moment and pan the camera to your liking, which shows off the graphical prowess of the game unlike ever before. 

Ellie (Ashley Johnson)

A final feature which is arguably just as good as the main story itself is the multiplayer featured in The Last of Us. It manages to intricately replicate the same tense and concerning tone found in the single-player, and also contains a unique ranking system which makes progression feel like a real necessity as opposed to a commodity. Not many people seemed to check out the multiplayer for The Last of Us last year when it was released on the Playstation 3, but the community definitely seems to have embraced the hugely entertaining gameplay this time around. 

Verdict
The Last of Us Remastered is undoubtedly one of the best games ever released. Not only does it feature arguably the two best protagonists found in a game, but also boasts fun and engrossing gameplay which mimics the desperate tone created by the plot. If you are a fan of incredible stories or just amazing games, then you probably already own The Last of Us in some form. If you don't however, you should definitely buy it, as it is inarguably one of the greatest video games released. 

"I've struggled a long time with survivin', but no matter what 

you have to find something to fight for."