Bad Teacher

The Synopsis
Elizabeth Halsey (Cameron Diaz) is a teacher purely as a means to an end. What she would really like is to settle down with a husband... a stinking rich husband. Convinced the way she can do this is by getting breast implants, she works extra hard on every 'get rich quick' scheme she can think of. Her incentive sped by the cute new teacher that has started at the school with his own trust fund, Scott Delacorte (Justin Timberlake).

The Review
My reason for wanting to see this film? The same superficial reason for why I wanted to see Alpha Dog, Black Snake Moan, and even Shrek the Third... Justin. Justin is just so pretty to look at.

However, I found myself barely watching him and spending more time laughing out loud at the jokes throughout. Cameron Diaz was hilarious in this film and surprisingly the whole premise wasn't nearly as predictable as I had initially thought. There's no cliche character development to ruin the plot, instead just a complete devotion to making it as funny as possible and for that I tip my hat. I liked that aspect A LOT.

Jason Segel is also in this film as the sarcastic gym teacher that holds a bit of a crush on Elizabeth (Diaz). The banter between the two is awesome and completely un PC but once again this just adds to the film rather than detracting from it.

Justin's character Scott is so pathetic that you have to laugh and he plays it well. I don't think there was a single bad performance. It was incredibly enjoyable.

I'm off to watch James MacKavoy in something or other that isn't X Men... three guesses as to why I want to see this one. Film-Buddy-Kezia refused to come and see it with me until I had written this review. That girl can really crack the whip when she wants to. I'm a little scared.

All in all go and see Bad Teacher if you want a laugh. But probably not one to share with the kids.

Peace out with four faces.

X Men: First Class

The Synopsis
Designed as the prelude to the famous X Men stories we all know and love. It tells the tale of how Charles Xavier (James McAvoy) and Erik Lehnsherr aka "Magneto" (Michael Fassbender) meet and the first collection of special mutants to form a team of X Men.

The Review
Dude, if you have even a tiny amount of Comic Book/Sci Fi geek in you then you are going to love this film. I don't think Film-Buddy-Kezia was quite prepared for the amount of mini chair dances I did throughout this film as I watched the well known characteristics of the beloved X men start to take form.

Not to mention that this film is directed by Matthew Vaughn (Kickass). This little juicy nugget of information was what made me go from a tentative "I suppose I should see it as I've seen the others but I'm not holding my breath" to "Oooh this is going to be good!" And it did not disappoint.

The soundtrack to the film was immense as well. The composer is Henry Jackman, not a name I am familiar with but definitely one I will be looking out for in the future.

And also, aaaah James McAvoy... you're back. I feel like you've been gone for so long! Where have you been man? I do love me some of the McAvoy perve.

But if I had to pick my most pleasantly surprising performance of the film I would have to tip my hat to Nicholas Hoult. You may remember Nicholas from the Hugh Grant movie, 'About a boy' where he played the boy and for those of you British TV watching people, he was also in the first series of Skins. I've never been that fussed by Mr Hoult. He's just skitted about on my periphery not really attracting any form of attention, but in this film he pretty much stole it for me. Not because he was particularly better than any of the other actors on screen but more because I was so surprised he could act the part as well as he did. He ain't no kid anymo'.

All in all a very enjoyable film although perhaps a little rushed with some of the character development. Younger-Brother-Daniel has a theory that it was because they didn't think the film would do as well as it did so they tried to cram everything into one film. Bad choice in my opinion, Matthew Vaughn really should have more faith in himself.

A happy four faces from me.

Attack the Block

The Synopsis
It's an alien invasion in a place we have yet to see, in a South London block of flats. The aliens have met their match with a bunch of teenage kids from London who will protect their block, no matter what it takes.

The review
Oh my days. Dude, you simply HAVE to see this movie. I know that a film has got me hooked when the next day it is all I can think about.

I saw the trailer for this film a while ago and thought immediately that I have to see this film. I didn't really know how I would take it though. But then the film came out and with it the reviews were outstanding. This peaked my interest as I couldn't see how such a bizarre and low-funded film could make that much of an impact, but then I saw it and now I know. It was immense.

Being a girl that lives in London, I immediately related to the characters. I am definitely not streetwise enough to ever pull off being anything like them but you can't go anywhere around this area without bumping into someone just like them. There's not many alien films where I can genuinely say, that was actually really realistic!! I'm not kidding, if aliens were to attack South London, that would totally be how it would pan out.

The film was fresh, new and simply awesome. The writing was perfect for it's setting and the main gang of kids totally stole the show.

One thing I wondered about prior to seeing the film was whether it would be nearly as good to anyone who doesn't live in London. After seeing it though, I really don't think it matters. The film was so well put together that an outsider might very well think it a little strange but by the end would be so wrapped up in it, it wouldn't matter.

All the main actors in the groups of boys were awesome but I need to take a moment to marvel at the genius that was one of them. His name is Alex Esmail and he played the character 'Pest.' I absolutely loved him. Almost everything that came out of his mouth was freakin hilarious and if he isn't immediately snapped up for another film then there is something seriously wrong with this world.

It was pure alien invasion science fiction classic with a new twist that was refreshing and very enjoyable. But overall, on top of absolutely everything else, it was FUNNY. Really really funny.

I really don't know what else to say except Nick Frost was his normal awesome self throughout and the Writer and Director Joe Cornish is officially my favourite person this month.

GO AND SEE IT AND THEN TELL YOUR FRIENDS TO DO THE SAME. I've officially roped everyone I came into contact with at work today to make it their priority, now I'm doing the same to you.

That is all. No review can do it justice, it needs to be experienced to fully understand. I'm already making plans to see it again.

An unsurprising 5 faces from me.

Water for Elephants

The Synopsis
Just as Jacob (Robert Pattinson)is about to take his exam to make him a registered Veterinarian he is told that both his parents have died in a car accident. Distraught and without a place to call home he leaves town and jumps on a circus train. The Ringmaster of the circus, August (Christoph Waltz) takes a liking to him and hires him as the Circus's vet. It is here that he meets August's wife, the beautiful Marlena (Reece Witherspoon) and learns the trials and joy that is life in the 1930's circus.

The Review
Four months ago I saw this trailer for a film called Water for Elephants and was immediately taken aback by the imagery. Two days later I bought the book and had finished it before the week was out. The book simply blew me away.

Since then I have been waiting rather impatiently for this film and finally tonight I got to watch it. Let me tell you now, if you're wondering over the next month what film you'd like to see... choose this one.

Let's get the obvious bit out of the way first. It almost doesn't need to be said because any hardcore RPatz fans will probably be set on seeing this anyway, but for all you who love him, you will not be disappointed. It is definitely something to help take the edge off the long wait till November for Breaking Dawn.

But I want to say this to those who aren't fans of his. This is not just a film for people to swoon over Robert Pattinson. Please do not be disheartened from seeing it for that reason. Yes, he's in it and yes, when he first came onto the screen there was an excited gasp from a large population of the female viewers in the cinema, but this film is so much more than that. It's beautiful and magical and shows both the glamourous and not so glamourous life of the 1930's Circus.

Reece Witherspoon and Christoph Waltz are both amazing in this film. Christoph Waltz played August so well, they couldn't have cast anyone better.

For those who are going in to see it having read the book. Never fear people, they are very true to the book! The only large change they have made is by making August the Ringmaster and getting rid of the book's Ringmaster (Uncle Al) altogether. I've got to admit though, for the film it made sense. There were some slight differences in the storyline nearer the end due to this change but they find their way back again and keep all the best parts from the book in the film.

It's very well done and captures the heart of the story beautifully. Please people, see this film, it's one to watch! Not to mention the Elephant (Rosie) in it is adorable.

Now I said previously in my review for Never let me go that I would be a lot more stingy with my five faces and only reward films with that marking if it touched me as much as that film had. This isn't on the same level but at the same time, the idea of giving it any less doesn't seem right. So for completely gorgeous reasons that made me smile inside and out I'm going to dust off my five faces and give it to this film. It's not perfect but then again, I don't think I'll ever find a film as amazing as Never let me go was so it would be unfair to tarnish this film for that reason alone.

Thor

The Synopsis
Thor (Chris Hemsworth) is set to be the next in line to the throne of Asgard. However, his head strong attitude and his selfish nature land him in danger. He needs to find the true attitude of a king before he can ever continue. His journey takes him to Earth and into the life of Jane Foster (Natalie Portman), but will he ever find what it takes to truly be a king?

The Review
Okay, I'm going to be honest. I went to see this film for two reasons: 1. It had Natalie Portman in it and 2. I was outvoted in terms of what my other friends wanted to see.

I wasn't exactly excited at the prospect of seeing this one as I'd seen one too many bad Marvel movies in the past but I've got to say, this one was pretty awesome!

It was very well written with some comedy gems in there that had the whole cinema laughing and although there was a lot of content to cover in the movie, it kept a fast pace and in turn kept me entertained.

What impressed me the most however, was the imagery. Moments like the transition from Earth to Asgard were amazing and the whole of how Asgard was set out simply rocked. I loved the attention that had gone into the detail of this world. Every part of this moving and magical city had been meticulously planned out and it showed. I actually left the cinema hoping and praying that such a place existed so that I could go there and sit on their golden furniture and where really uncomfortable metal clothing that probably chafed like a bitch when you walked.

It was inviting, the whole film just sucked you in and you had to be a part of it. I loved it.

And yes, Natalie Portman was once again in another film. That woman literally has not stopped working for what seems like a millennium to get all the films that she's done in. She was, of course, amazing as was Chris Hemsworth who managed to jump from serious to comical and then back again in the space of one scene and with such ease I had to tip my metaphorical hat at him.

All in all, a very good Marvel film and one I will most definitely be going to see the sequel of. Four happy faces from me.

Beastly

The Synopsis
Kyle (Alex Pettyfer) is completely obsessed with looks, convinced that they will take him anywhere. But when he upsets the witch Kendra (Mary-Kate Olsen), she puts a spell on him, taking away his looks for what could be forever if he doesn't find someone to fall in love with him in just one year. Devastated, he moves away from the city, only allowing his housekeeper Zola (Lisa Gay Hamilton) and teacher Will (Neil Patrick Harris) to see him. He's convinced he will never break the spell until he meets Lindy (Vanessa Hudgens) who gives him hope that perhaps he has more to offer than just his appearance.

The Review
Okay, this is a guilty one. The film won't be winning any oscars and there's nothing about it to go 'wow' about, but I have to admit, it was sweet.

I tip my hat to Neil Patrick Harris who proves once again that he can bring comedy to a scene beautifully. This I knew he would be able to do before I went to see the film.

What shocked me however was the performance I saw from Mary-Kate Olsen. She was just so... enchanting. She played the witch in this modern day version of Beauty and the Beast and boy did she play it well. I particularly loved the physical theatre that she gave the character. She bent her body around as she talked in an understated way that, as Film-Buddy-Kezia aptly commented "Commanded your attention to her whenever she was in a scene." She owned that part man. Well done Mary-Kate. Plus, you know, if she ever got tired one day, she could always have just thrown her sister in to play the part. Ah the advantages of identical twindom are endless.

There was one scene that was possibly the worst scene I've ever seen in the whole of my film watching life. It was clear that there were two halves to this film, the part that was before Lindy arrives at Beast Kyles house to live and the part after. It was also clear that there was a large transition to get the girl who had barely spoken to Kyle to decide to live there. This would have to be dealt with well to show the marked change.

The film makers I get the impression however, decided to forgo the idea of even attempting to do this well. Instead they decided to go with the option of cramming half an hours worth of transition into two minutes and have the people who perform these two minutes to be pretty much the worst actors in the world. I'm not kidding, it was probably the funniest scene in the whole film purely for how BAD it was.

That being said and overlooked because I was sheepishly enjoying it up to this point. I continued to sheepishly enjoy it, whilst knowing in the back of my mind that this probably wasn't really a good film. But you know what? I really don't think I care. I'm going to say I enjoyed it because I did and in all fairness I will be buying the DVD because it was sweet and I like a bit of feel-good sweet every now and again so I shall generously give it four faces from me... with the warning that this one you may not agree with.

Scream 4

The Synopsis
Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell) is back in Woodsboro to promote her new book on how to move on from being a victim. However, from the moment she comes back, she is thrown into a world she is sadly all too familiar with as calls begin to come in asking a whole new generation the big question. "What's your scary movie?"

The Review
Okay, so I don't know if I am able to be anything other than completely biased with this film review as the whole Scream series are such a massive part of my teenage life that I can't help but completely geek out over there being a new one!

I have many a memory of girly sleep overs where we would curl up under a blanket on the sofa and scream into our popcorn at each new death. If you know me at all from my randomthoughts blog page, you would know that I am not a fan of the scary movie. However these films I tend to have a little bit of a immunity to due to my excitement for re-living my teen years being a far more dominant emotion.

I can't tell you the feeling of joy I felt when I first saw Dewey (David Arquette), Gail (Courtney Cox) and Sidney (Neve Campbell) all together in one scene again. And although yes they are not life changing films and yes they may not have much substance to it and yes they're even not particularly that scary but it is SCREAM man!! It is it's own thing.

It did what Scream did best, it analysed the film for you as you watched. Really there is no need for me to review it because they do it all themselves. The whole film constantly played the pros and cons of the series off each other through the film version of the real life events called 'Stab.'

Film-Buddy-Kezia had not seen any of the others and managed to enjoy it still (which I'm not surprised because it's awesome). My FAVOURITE bits throughout were when they tipped their hats to the previous films (mainly the first) and created in some cases almost identical situations as we have found previously (garage door opening, boyfriend tied to chair).

I also LOVED the opening sequence, creating a series of scenes of a 'film inside a film' idea and, again, doing what they do best by bringing a few well known actors into the mix for one scene cameos (Anna Paquin, Kristen Bell).

This is the first film for a while where I've come out, punching the air and saying 'Yesss man, I'm buying the DVD.' I guess that means it can only have one score.

Your Highness

The Synopsis
Thadeous (Danny McBride) is the younger brother of the impressive and good looking warrior Prince, Fabious (James Franco) and has always been in his shadow. But when Fabious's bride Belladonna (Zooey Deshcanel) gets kidnapped by the evil warlock Leezar (Justin Theroux) he is forced to work with his brother and brave his first quest to bring her back home. Along the way they meet Isabel (Natalie Portman), a beautiful warrior who Thadeous immediately falls for.

The Review
I liked this. It was funny in a way that these particular film makers and writers are. It had an feeling that screamed if Pineapple Express had been set thousands of years prior then this is what it would have been.

I loved the juxta positioning they did of the Medieval time they were in and the modern language and other little bits and pieces of today's time thrown in. It became a running joke throughout the film that didn't ever get old.

I particularly adored Fabious's almost incestuous love that he had towards his younger brother, always hugging him that little too close and talking about him with just that little bit too much adoration in his eyes.

I also realised that I hate Natalie Portman's body (in the sense that I loved it and mourned that I do not have it). I'm usually not that fussed about my own weight, I'm too lazy to really do anything about it anyway. But I watched this and thought, hmmmm, I definitely envy you Natalie Portman. Film-Buddy-Kezia had a particularly humourous moment during watching this film as she turned to me just as Natalie Portman was taking off her clothes to bathe and said "I love Natalie Portman." She then stopped, tilted her head to one side and added, "Probably not the best point of the film to mention my appreciation for her acting is it? It just sounds sort of pervy now." Oh how I laughed.

Overall it was a fun film, I did have to take a moment of amazement at one point as I realised I was watching a scene with 6 or so actors all speaking in an English accent and not one of them actually was from England. That seemed a little weird lol.

I can't bring myself to give it anymore than three faces because although I enjoyed it, there were moments I felt dragged and, well, there really wasn't anything about it that made me get that excited tbh. It is a fun one though and I definitely do recommend it if you fancy laugh. Especially if you are a Pineapple Express fan.

Red Riding Hood

The Synopsis
Valarie (Amanda Seyfried) lives in a village that is haunted each month by a werewolf. This werewolf, the town soon begins to realise could only be one of them. Valarie has to find out who this wolf is, could it be her secret love Peter (Shiloh Fernandez), the man that she is betrothed to Henry (Max Irons) or even her own Grandmother (Julie Christie).

The Review
Okay, so to say I've been excited about seeing this one would be a bit of an understatement. The idea around the film caught my eye and then to top it all off Amanda Seyfried was starring in it, Catherine Hardwicke was directing it and Leonardo Di Caprio was a producer. How could it possibly be anything other than amazing?

I think that there may be the reason for my not actually enjoying it as much as I hoped. My standards were unbelievably high and although it was an entertaining and highly competent film, there were just a few things that forced it to fall short of how great it could have been.

Let's start off with the things I did like. The iconic images from the fairy tale were portrayed in amazing light throughout the film. For any of you who have seen the trailer, you might remember the shot of Valarie walking up a snow filled mountain a long trail of red cloak blowing behind her. The magnificent red on white imagery was a token part all the way through as you can see in the above picture. It made me feel excited about what the film had to offer, like seeing a fairy tale shown with some level of reality (well, as real as you can get when your talking about a village being terrorised by a werewolf).

I also loved how true it was to the fairy tale whilst completely standing out as it's own piece. It kept the memorable scenes of the travelling to Grandma's with a basket and red cloak and managed to get away with using the "Grandmother, what big eyes you have" sequence without losing the integrity of the film which was quite a feat. There was one particular moment close to the end where they may have stretched the bounds of reality a little too much in order to accommodate the fairy tale but all in all, an awesome job.

Okay, here are the bits that forced me to drop a face off my overall score. As important as the whole "Whodunnit" plot was to the story, I fear they may have gone a little overboard. Due to absolutely everyone being a possible murderer it was really hard for me to form any kind of attachment to the characters or their relationships with each other. This left me therefore uncomfortable throughout the film and not really able to settle on any particular character. It caused a detachment that I don't think they intended to make.

Also the ending was a little strange and although Film-Buddy-Kezia seemed to approve of it, I was on the fence. Probably due to the fact that I had no involvement with the film by the end. That whole premise unfortunately just threw the quality of the film slightly out of whack but other than that, it was an enjoyable film that I would see again now I am aware of what happens. I might actually enjoy it a lot better that way.

Three faces from me.

The Roommate

The Synopsis
Sarah Matthews (Minka Kelly) is starting her first year of College when she moves in with her roommate, Rebecca (Leighton Meester). At first things seem fine, but after a while, when Sarah starts dating Stephen (Cam Gigandet) she starts to realise that there might be something more sinister to Rebecca than she had first thought.

Warning. Could possibly contain spoilers.
I think.
I don't know.
I'm not too sure if I've actually given anything away but I may have alluded to things that you could probably guess at if you tried hard enough so I thought I should probably say something before you started.

The Review

Film-Buddy-Kezia: If you say anything bad about Leighton Meester in your review I will kill you.
Me: You terrify me.

If you have joined this review via this link then, I well and truly hyped myself up over nothing. I got the genre of this movie COMPLETELY wrong. If you haven't, then I'll actually get to the review bit now.

When I initially turned up at this film, I assumed it was a horror because the trailer had scared me to my very core. I was pleasantly surprised to see that it was less of a horror however and more of a Psychological Thriller which is far more up my street.

I'm going to take a guess and assume whoever was behind making this film also has a lot of influence in American teenage dramas as well. The cast consisted almost solely of characters from either Vampire Diaries, Gossip Girl, One Tree Hill or The OC and those are only the ones I recognised, who knows what others there were.

That being said it wasn't as trashy as you would think with a cast like that. Previous movies who had done similar things with their cast usually ended up being B movies where it was just any excuse to get a girl naked and lathered up then murdered in some awkward and embarrassing position. This film, dare I say it, had a touch of class behind it.

This was all mainly down to an amazing performance by Leighton Meester who played Rebecca (No I'm not just saying that because Film-Buddy-Kezia told me to). She played the classic murderer but she actually gave her some character and portrayed her in a convincing enough way that I was feeling sorry for her for the majority of the film.

Unfortunately, however, this accurate representation did then clash with the rest of the performances as all the way through they gradually started to treat her more and more like a lost cause that needed to be stopped.

I don't know, maybe it's because I work in Mental Health and almost definitely it was because, thanks to Meester's performance, I was expecting FAR too much of the film, but I was not impressed with the way this ended. It felt a little harsh and I was totally on Rebecca's side by the end which I'm pretty sure was not where the film makers wanted me to be. This is not to say that I have any inclinations to get all murderous on my friends, but whatever she did wrong the ending was certainly not what she deserved. I'll say no more, don't want to ruin it for you if I haven't already.

All in all, the film was okay but the rest of the performances really didn't come anywhere near what Meester brought to the film (A particular, what could have been potentially chilling juxta positioned sex scene proved this, Meester was good the others involved... not so much). But I almost feel stupid giving this a serious review as I'm pretty sure you were meant to take it with a pinch of salt. Ah well. In total, I'll give it three faces because I did actually enjoy myself watching this.

Killing Bono

The Synopsis
This film follows the story of two brothers, Neil McCormack (Ben Barnes) and Ivan McCormack (Robert Sheehan), who went to school with U2's Bono and had the same dreams of forming a famous band as he did. However the journey wasn't as smooth for them as it was for Bono and they soon struggle under the strain of constant bad decisions and the overwhelming shadow of their former friend.

The Review
Well this was a first. Never before in my life have I ever gone into a movie that I hadn't even seen a poster for. Sunday afternoon I found myself waiting in the queue and scanning the screen to see which films were starting. The only one that seemed to be available was the mysterious film "Killing Bono" so I thought... hmmm why not?

I must admit I was a little concerned, especially as the title sounded a bit dubious and I had NO CLUE what it was about, but all in all I was pleasantly surprised and here's why.

The opening credits come up and immediately I spot Robert Sheehan's name. Being a complete and utter HUMUNGOUS fan of the amazing Channel 4 drama 'Misifts' I perk up straight away and figure, well even if the film is rubbish at least I'll have his stupidly sparkly eyes to look into (I'm not kidding, they LITERALLY sparkle).

Then Ben Barnes appears in a car talking in an Irish accent and I thought to myself, "Well you might as well give the film a chance."

Once the perving stopped and the plot began to progress I actually started to watch the film and it was smart, funny and very well put together. It's based on a book that as far as I can tell is the true story of Neil McCormack, the lead singer of a small time Irish band called Shook Up. He was friends with Bono at school but due to Neil's constant inclincation to make stupid decisions and pass down amazing opportunities, they never reached anywhere near their potential.

Robert Sheehan and Ben Barnes both give very funny and genuine performances of two brothers who struggle to keep their bond together through all of Neil's shortcomings.

I love Irish humour and I loved this. The writing was just right and the film made me chuckle. It took me a while to get into the swing of what the film was trying to say but I blame my complete lack of knowledge about the film prior to seeing it for that one.

It was refreshing to see a genuinely unique and good film again after the dry spell of late and it is with great happiness and pride I dust off my four faces and present them for all to see.

I'll have to go in blind to films more often.

Chalet Girl

The Synopsis
Kim (Felicity Jones) is a child prodigy when it comes to skateboarding. However, when her mother dies in a car accident she gives it all up to support her scatty father (Bill Bailey). When money gets hard she takes a job in a Ski Chalet in Austria where she rediscovers her skateboarding love via Snowboarding and falls for the owner of the Chalet Jonny (Ed Westwick).

The Review
Okay this is a film where the advertising for it is completely different to what it actually is. The way the poster, trailer and all round build up for this film talks, I walked into this movie fully expecting some kind of Hannah Montana/Hilary Duff type rom com, designed specifically for young girls who still giggle slightly when a boy looks at them. What I actually got though was bizarre, because although during some points it had that Hannah Montana feel to it, it would then suddenly throw in a pocket of nudity or swearing before going back to jolly happy cheesy land.

It surprised me how much I liked it but due to the unsure feel of the movie I did spend the majority of it confused. The largest point of this particular confusion in the movie was when our main couple had gone from giggling in the snow and flirting subtly with each other to a full blown sex scene. I had not been prepared for that! I was happy in the little innocent U rated relationship they had been building and fully expecting this to be another 'High School Musical' romance where they only kiss and then gaze sweetly into each other's eyes. But then bam! They changed the tone and age of the movie again .

My biggest "wow, that impressed me" nod has to go to Bill Bailey though. Now I love this man, I think he's a very funny comedian and awesome musician but when it came to his acting career I always came away from watching it thinking "well, at least he tried." But in this role he was actually pretty good! And it was a tough roll to play for him as well, given that it was more serious than most things he's ever done but he actually managed to pull it off! I mean, it wasn't Oscar worthy or anything but it really was miles better than anything else I've ever seen him act in.

Ed Westwick played a rich man, which anyone who watches Gossip Girl would know he does exceptionally well and Bill Nighy (who played his father) was his usual amusing self throughout.

It was overall fun. Not one to be taken seriously and there is a large possibility that if you do choose to see it (especially on weekends) you may have to share the viewing experience with a room full of teenage girls. But I didn't hate the experience. NB not one to watch if you fancy anything that may be intellectually stimulating.

Three faces for this one.

Limitless

The Synopsis
Eddie Morra (Bradley Cooper) is a struggling writer who can't seem to get his life together until one day he is offered a small clear pill that takes him from using 10% of his brain to 100%.

The review
Okay, let me get it out of the way first. How freaking blue are Bradley Cooper's eyes? Seriously, he and Daniel Craig should do a film together. They don't need to do anything, just sit there and stare into the distance. I'd definitely go and see that.

But back to this film. It was interesting and a concept that I can imagine being a reality in another 50-100 years or so. This idea that there is a pill that unlocks all of that untapped percentage of your brain. It's intriguing.

The story was told well, although I did start to get annoyed with the persistent commentary Eddie made over the top of the film and I'm not totally sure I get the ending. I may have to watch it again to fully understand it. Huh. They probably did that on purpose, clever film people.

Cinematography was actually pretty effective in this film. They made it so that the film looked visually different depending on whether or not our Eddie was on the drugs (brighter and more defined when he was and washed out and dull when he wasn't). They also did this really impressive bit of camera work that was used a few times throughout the film whereby they merged different street shots of New York together to create this long road... I know, he explained it on Graham Norton a couple of weeks ago and I didn't get it then either. It's one of those things that you just have to see and then say 'Huh, that's pretty impressive. Now I understand.'

The film was overall entertaining but I wasn't overly impressed with it. Then again I wasn't unimpressed. It was an okay way to spend three hours on a Saturday afternoon.

It's worth seeing, and out of everything else that I have seen right now, it is one of the better ones in the cinema at this present time. A nice and even three faces from me.

Hall Pass

The Synopsis
Rick (Owen Wilson) and Fred (Jason Sudeikis) are two married men who can't help but look at other women. This becomes such an issue that their wives Maggie (Jenna Fischer) and Grace (Christina Applegate) give them Hall Passes from their marriage for one week, allowing them to do whatever they want as if they weren't married to get it out of their system.

The Review
When I first restarted this film review blog I was concerned that all I ever seemed to be doing was giving good reviews to films. I began to question how my integrity would look if I just continued dishing out the four and five faces. However, over the past couple of weeks I've been reassured as I've realised that it wasn't necessarily bad reviewing on my part but rather they had just been a little slow in bringing out the bad films for 2011. They are arriving now.

Now you don't need to be a brain surgeon to work out how this film is going to pan out. It's pretty much obvious from the beginning. So why oh why did they insist on dragging the whole process out for so long? Little tip to 'Hall Pass' people, if the film has me and Film-Buddy-Kezia sinking to the bottom of our seats about three quarters in exclaiming we're bored, then you've done something wrong at some point. I mean the fact that the film had lasted for about an hour before the hall pass had even began just showed that these are people who like to rinse something within an inch of it's life.

It's really annoying because all of the actors in this film I like. I have seen them all in other things that have made me wet my pants. Maybe that's the reason why I was so disappointed, I had gone in with too high expectations.

There were some mildly funny points, and even two very funny points (two imagination sequences of what could happen should the particular character make a certain decision). But the rest just seemed like they were trying too hard. Steven Merchant, who had a minor part and was the largest reason why I had wanted to see this film in the first place did have some good moments but he was in it for a total of five minutes which again, I fear, was bad judgement on their part.

Film-Buddy-Kezia summed it up at the end of the movie by saying 'If they had ended that half an hour earlier, it may have been an okay film.' Was quite shocked however when I noticed we had only been in the cinema for an hour and a half rather than the three hours it had felt like. I guess they would also have had to make it good as well.

Apologies for the ruthlessness of this review. It was kinda harsh. Alas no surprises I'm sure though when I say, one face from me.

The Adjustment Bureau

The Synopsis
David Norris (Matt Damon) is running for Senator of New York when he meets Elise Sellas (Emily Blunt) and falls instantly in love with her only to find out that they should never have met.

The Review
Okay. I think I get what they were trying to do with this film, I just don't know if they quite got there. The premise (if done well) is an interesting one and could make a good film. However, this was not done well, it teetered on mediocre all the way through.

You see there were these agents who were meant to act as a type of angel and nudge each person into their right path. Again, this is an interesting idea that could have been entertaining, only the film decided to air on the side of cliche and almost from the opening scene with them I had lost interest. I mean, having four men in business suits with hats pulled down to their eyes standing in a line on the roof of a building whilst staring out and talking to each other in husky voices? Yawn.

The writing was also pretty awful as it just felt like they were trying too hard to be poignant and important. The door premise was interesting I suppose and I really liked the dance routine in the middle but I got bored about two thirds of the way through and to be honest they should have ended it at this point, because the actual ending? Eurgh!!

Before I get into that little nugget (do not worry I will not be spoiling any of the plot) I feel it is in my duty to say that although I was most unimpressed throughout this film, my film buddy Kezia liked it. In fact I think we had the opposite opinion on everything. I hated the agents and their cliche and persistent hats, she loved them. I shrunk further into my seat as the film went on, shuddering at the cheesiness of it, she seemed to sit more on edge. I thought the only good thing about this film was the performance from Matt Damon and particularly Emily Blunt, she thought their characters were the worst things about it. There was one thing though that we both completely agreed on. The ending made the film a lot worse.

For a film to have me pulling my "something just died in here and I can smell it" face as the end credits roll up doesn't happen often but when it does I know that it can't be good. I was teetering on the two faces for the majority of the film but the ending chucked the rating right down to the depths of just one measly face. Sorry Emily Blunt, I'm still a fan and can't wait to see you in something better.

Tangled

The Synopsis
Rapunzel (voice: Mandy Moore)is a princess who is stolen from her bed as a baby by the evil Mother Gothel (voice: Donna Murphy) so that the magic in Rapunzel's hair can be used to keep her young and beautiful forever. For her whole childhood she is locked in a tower and hidden away from her true identity. On her 18th Birthday Flynn Rider (voice: Zachary Levi) accidentally finds her and takes her away to see the world outside.

The Review
Aaaah, this was nice. This was pure Disney at it's very best. The loveable 'bad boy' hero, the sassy princess, the evil witch and of course the funny animal side kicks (This time a Chameleon and a horse).

It was funny and very well animated. My particular favourite was Max the horse. He, I feel, had the biggest personal journey to go through in the movie. His outlook on life was shaken, his true emotions began to crack on the surface of his white coat and he was forced to make a particularly important decision that would cause him to truly examine the horse within. All this done and with not a word muttered. Such is the genius of Disney. Hoorah to Disney.

The songs were mixed I felt. There were two I liked but the others didn't seem to be singable which I assumed would be essential for a Disney movie as my fondest memories as a child was twirling around singing Pocahontas's 'Just around the riverbend' and Ariel's 'Part of your world' at the top of my lungs. Having said all that I have only heard them once and they might grow on me after a couple more listens. I hope so as it is Alan Menkin who composed them and he was the genius that brought us The Hunchback of Notre Dame soundtrack which we all know simply can't be faulted (Takes a moment to sing 'God save the Outcasts' to the neighbours).

Flynn Rider fits in well with all the Disney animated heros that went before him. There is only one question I ask in order to determine whether the man fits the bill of the hero of the Disney animation and that is, 'Do they leave me confused as once again I find myself strangely attracted to an animation?' The answer is yes. Yes he did. And now I will have to book another appointment with my therapist and have that discussion again...

All in all, the film was Disney to a T and I can sleep happy tonight in the knowledge that they haven't lost the ability to create a classic fairy tale film just like they used to in the glory days of Aladdin and Beauty and the Beast. Four faces from me.

No Strings Attached

The Synopsis
Emma (Natalie Portman) and Adam (Ashton Kutcher) are two people who meet and attempt at being sex buddies without letting feelings become attached. Needless to say, they find this harder than it looks.

The Review
I physically couldn't bring myself to write more in the synopsis than that. To say this film is predictable would be the understatement of the century. What disappointed me about it though was that they sold it to sound like it wouldn't be. Guys, call a spade a spade. This film could have been predicted from simply hearing the title.

It wasn't a terrible film and I was certainly entertained throughout with minimal looking at my watch but almost as soon as it was finished I had forgotten about it.

It was all just...alright. There was one mixed CD moment that made me giggle and I thought was a neat idea but other than that I find myself really straining to remember many other moments of this film. It was cliched and although amusing at points it seemed to fall short of anything particularly interesting.

I might one day end up buying the DVD should I find it in the sale but I'm in no rush to see it again and although it wasn't exactly a bad experience watching it, I can't bring myself to give it anymore than a simple two faces. I have nothing more to say.

I am number four

The Synopsis
John Smith (Alex Pettyfer) is part of the chosen nine from his almost extinct race. They were all sent to Earth when their planet was destroyed and since then he has been on the constant run from the 'Mog' who want to finish the job and kill the remainder of them. They kill in order. Three of the chosen nine have been killed. John is number four. Desperate to hide he blends in in a small town called Paradise and starts school. There he meets Sarah (Dianna Agron) and struggles with staying invisible and seeing her.

The Review
To quote Elphaba from Wicked 'Something has changed within me' when it comes to Science Fiction. I'm a heartbeat away from hanging out in comic book stores and attending sci fi conventions. I fear I may have caught the bug.

I liked this film. It's based on a novel but I haven't really heard of it so the storyline and characters of the film were all brand new to me.... of course I mean in the sense that I'd heard of Clark Kent but not of John Smith. The concept behind the characters follow the exact same line as every other super hero/alien/chosen one story line that governs the classic action sci fi movie.

I was incredibly confused at just how old our John Smith was meant to be as with his original hair colour at the beginning of the film he seemed in early twenties and then with highlights he became about 17 and was suddenly going to school (I have just imdb'd his ass and apparently the actor is 20). Number 6, a fellow alien added to my confusion as soon as she started to talk as her accent ranged over about sixteen different countries in the space of a couple of sentences (incidentally if anyone who's seen it recognises this accent please let me know as I am at a loss). All of this confusion was known to at times remove me from the movie and force me to follow my own thought pattern as I tried to answer my own questions instead of actually watching the film. But that's the great thing about a film like 'I am number four,' it doesn't really require that much thinking.

I most enjoyed the fact that it was a group film as well. So many points in it made you want to comment and make jokes etc with the person you were with. And because we had turned up late to the cinema we were forced to sit in the very first row which meant our comments wouldn't cause those in front of us to get annoyed so 'yeay to the whole experience.' Can I just say now that myself, K and P who watched this film together tonight all seemed under the delusion that we had automatically turned into the biggest comedians ever with the comments we made. However I fear if I were to try and repeat them now it would be one of those 'you had to be there' moments.

I'd like to say that although we were laughing and joking throughout this film we certainly weren't making fun of it, it was just a film you didn't have to take too seriously. It was fun and strangely left me wanting more. It had an air to it that made me think they would have been better off turning it into a TV series as there were so many places you could take it that could last them for a good several seasons.

I'm not going to marvel at the amazing acting skills or the skillful camera shots coz I barely even noticed either. It was there to serve it's purpose of entertaining and it did. I will say this though, the 'Ghost hay ride' our two main lovebirds go on halfway through the film scared the crap out of me and I'm pretty sure that if I ever had to experience something like that at a fair I'd pretty much cack myself.

On that image I bid you adieu with a happy three faces from me.

Never let me go

The Synopsis
Never let me go is about three people who grow up together Kathy (Carey Mulligan), Tommy (Andrew Garfield) and Ruth (Keira Knightly)in a reality that is very different to others. The films sees them through their journey of coming to terms with the world they are in and as a result the future they inevitably hold.

The review
I've been too hasty with my reviews to this point because I think I had forgotten what it's like to see a truly stunning film. Tonight this film made me just stop in my tracks and whisper 'wow.' This is what deserves my full marks and the others I have given five faces to, although amazing, certainly fall short of this masterpiece. So from this point I measure all films up to this and will therefore be a lot more stingy with my full marks until I see a film that has this much of an impact on me.

With that little revelation over let me tell you exactly why this film rocked my world. The concept for the film was something that I had been a little cautious of prior to seeing it as I kept on thinking it sounded a lot like a storyline done before in 'The Island' but let me tell you now, although in theory the ideas are the same, the very delivery of them both could not be more different. This film told the story of these people's short planned out lives with such a beautiful hopelessness behind it that my breath was caught in my throat throughout the whole thing. There was no way out, no fight to get out, just acceptance that this was the only way they could possibly live. It was that underlying attitude that just made the film so precious.

I'm sitting here trying to think of words that will do this film justice and am overwhelmed by memories of different scenes written so beautifully and performed with such power by all three actors that I would happily sit down and watch it all again right now.

Mulligan, Garfield and Knightly are all stunning in this film but I want to particularly applaud Andrew Garfield. He played his part amazingly, his eyes were constantly filled with the innocence of a man who knew no better than the sheltered life he had been forced to live and as a result every time he was on the screen my heart just leapt out for him. To really talk about what I loved on this film I would have to give away so many spoilers it wouldn't be fair but there are loads of moments I want to applaud him in. Cryptically I could mention the showing of his art and the exploration of the ship and losing it on the road and of course the looks he shared with Kathy. All these things I could spend a blog alone talking about. I'll just have to sum it up by saying it was beautiful.

Now I understand that it is different to the book it's based on but for that part I am very glad I haven't read it because I hear people might not be happy about it in comparison to the book though to me as a stand alone piece there is nothing at all I could fault about it.

Add on that it has made me a instant fan of the Screenplay writer Alex Garland and that the genius composer that is Rachel Portman (The Duchess) provides the score for it and you have perfect icing on a gorgeous little cupcake. My favourite film of the year so far ... by a looooong stretch.

Justin Bieber 'Never say Never'

The Synopsis

Ha ha, yeah right! Like I'd actually go and see this film.

Paul

The Synopsis
Graeme Willy *tee hee* (Simon Pegg) and Clive Gollings (Nick Frost) are two British guys who go to America for Comic Con and expand their holiday by taking a road trip and visiting all the great Sci Fi hotspots it has to offer. Their journey is thrown completely out of whack however when they end up hiding a real life alien fugitive, Paul (Seth Rogen)from the American government and agree to help him try to get home.

The Review
Aaah, me likey me likey. I mean I went in thinking that I was going to love it because it has my fav comedy duo in Nick and Simon but of course that worried me as I feared it wouldn't live up to my expectations but you know what? It was fandabidosy.

The whole thing just reeked of geek love but being a budding geek myself I felt at home watching it. It was basically a love story to all things sci fi and it was done by two men who obviously know their stuff. Now as far as I stand with the science fiction world I would have to say I'm around just below average but the sci fi things that I do watch have been known to take over my whole life, (namely Doctor Who... I could soak in those stories all day).

What I love about Paul is the same thing that Nick Frost and Simon Pegg always seem to do in the films they do together and that is they underline all their characters with aspects of themselves. Like I could easily believe that they have probably done the tour of America's best alien land marks plenty of times before they filmed this film. In fact I like to believe that when Nick and Simon retire they might migrate together to Roswell, buy a little two bedroom space shuttle shaped house and live out the last of their years whistling the theme tune from Close Encounters into the night sky whilst secretly hoping to hear the whisper of alien life speaking back...

Hmmmm, a couple of minutes has passed since writing the above as I have just closed my eyes and imagined how perfect the world would be if that would happen.

For anyone who is a little obsessed in the world of science fiction then there are millions of little tid bits littered throughout the film for you to go 'Oh my days! I saw that on Star Trek/Spielberg films/etc etc' I would like to think that I caught about 80% of them but I'm sure if I were to see it with a hard core sci geek I would probably hang my head in shame with the amount I really missed. So with that said, if you are not a sci fi geek at all but simply a fan of the comedy duo then it does not depend on you to get all the references in order to enjoy the film, it stands on it's own as a highly funny film without a need for research first.

The alien Paul in the film is rude and very funny and somehow comes across as very loveable. Seth Rogen's voice definitely suits animation, it's very soothing to listen to and his timing is awesome. There are a few moments in the one on one conversations between him and the other characters where it seems to get emotional and automatically each time I could feel myself getting nervous as I was sure it was going to enter into cheesy town but I have to say, not once did that happen. Instead at the end of these conversations I found myself inwardly applauding the writing of this. Thinking about it, this is quite obviously a film of love from two people who know this genre very well, it couldn't have been written any other way than just perfect for the genre it was in.

Go and see it, love it and tell your friends. Well done Nick and Simon, next one to look forward to is the Cornetto Trilogy finale! An almighty five faces from me as it appealed to my geekdom so well.

Just go with it

The Synopsis

After being jaded at his wedding Danny (Adam Sandler) devotes his life to using the idea of marriage as only a tool to pick up women. This was a flawless plan until Palmer (Brooklyn Decker) comes into his life and he thinks she could be something more. However when she finds his fake wedding ring in his trouser pocket, he is forced to enter into a lie involving his assistant Katherine (Jennifer Aniston)and her two children as his made up ex wife and kids.

The Review

I've never been much of a fan of Adam Sandler's straight out comedies but I love his rom coms. Let me get this out now, it is in no way a challenging movie and if you've seen 50 First Dates then expect the exact same gags but I tend to forgive him for this as it doesn't pretend to be anything else. I almost love that Adam Sandler doesn't change his rom coms from one to the other, the fact that they are always the same is like a security blanket that you can curl up under and feel safe.

Now it is stupidly unrealistic and sacrifices a lot for the sake of the gags involved but you don't end up too cut up about it as if you were expecting anything else then... well... do you not know Adam Sandler at all?

Having said all that, although it left me feeling all happy and warm inside I don't really have anything else to say about it. It was fun, it had a lot of jokes, (some I got, some I didn't) and it even had an A list supporting role (Nicole Kidman) but other than that it doesn't hold anything else to review.

Go and see it if you want a brainless feel good film and don't mind that it has a storyline you could have predicted from the trailer alone. 3 faces from me!

Black Swan

The Synopsis
This is a film about a ballet dancer, Nina Sayers (Natalie Portman) who is cast in the role of the Swan Queen in Swan Lake. On her journey to the opening night she struggles to learn how to embrace not only the dignified white swan side of her role but also the much darker and intense black swan side. As she tries her hardest to let go and discover this side, the film explores the lengths she must go to to allow her mind to open up to the powerful and dangerous force that accompanies it.

The Review
Hands down, that was the hardest synopsis I've had to write so far. In truth there really are no words to describe this film. It is definitely one of those that can only be explained by going to see it yourself.

This is a movie I have been hyping up and wanting to see with my friend 'J' for quite some time. We waited patiently for this long to wait and see it together and so I have been subject to the many reviews and different 'words of mouth' about this film for weeks. I knew it would be dark, I knew it would be weird, I knew it would make me turn away from the screen and go "tell me when the bleeding stops." And let me tell you, I was not disappointed.

This film was weird. But in a totally amazing way. It delved so deeply into the human psyche that I feared we'd never be able to get out again. Definitely not one to see if your mind is anywhere other than in a healthy place because otherwise it will creep you out and leave you cowering in the corner of a dark room, swaying backwards and forwards and questioning your own existence and how much control you have over your mind.

But if you're able to handle that and see it purely objectively then... wow. There is no doubt in my mind that Natalie Portman will be accepting an Oscar for that role this year. She was so fragile all the way through and never dropped character making her own personal journey completely believable.

And as for Mila Kunis? Being a MASSIVE That 70's Show fan I have this fondness towards all of the cast and (in the sad, 'films and books are my life' way that I have) always hope that they do well in any further ventures. Mila has definitely landed on her feet in terms of her career. She has a very real take to her acting which almost seems like she's not acting at all... I know I didn't really explain that very well but I'm still trying to find the words I mean for her performances. It was the same thing she did in 'Forgetting Sarah Marshall.' There's a sense of 'reality show' feeling about her acting. Like a camera is trained on her talking and being a person rather than her being an actor with lines... Even reading that back, it sounds odd and I don't think I'm explaining myself very well. Maybe in her next movie I'll put my finger on what it is. Whatever it is, I like it.

Actually watching the film, I'm glad I went with a friend rather than chose that as a film to watch on my own. It sort of pushes the boundaries of British comfortableness and possibly the most entertaining part of the movie for me was listening to the packed cinema's embarrassed giggles as certain scenes progressed. I too let out a few embarrassed giggles and J and I were known to throw each other the 'oh my days, did that actually just happen?' look on more than one occasion.

Whilst I can fully understand that this is not a film for everyone, (a suspicion that was confirmed when we witnessed several people get up and leave the cinema on different stages in the film) there was no denying that it was very well made and with just the right tone that left you constantly confused on what was reality and what was insanity. It achieved it's goal in a style I cannot deny to be absolutely flawless and made me realise that I could never and would never be a ballet dancer because it seems like way too much hassle and pain...

The King's Speech

The Synopsis
Based on the true story of King George VI's (Colin Firth) journey to the throne, the struggle he had with his longstanding stammer and the damage it had on the Country's faith in him as King. His wife, Queen Elizabeth (Helena Bonham Carter) calls on the help of Lionel Logue (Geoffrey Rush) to coach him in overcoming his stammer.

The Review
Aaah man, I love films where I come out feeling all patriotic and this was one of them! I have never felt more British and proud. I know the royal family get a lot of slack for not seemingly doing...well...anything but I absolutely love them.

There's this little part of me that stays dormant for the majority of my day to day life, this is the 'proud to be British' gene. It's always there but it very rarely takes a dominant position in my life. Previous to this film the main culprits for encouraging it to take over are a: Al Murray or b: anything written by Richard Curtis, with the occasional c: british comedy panel shows. But this film and it's simple 'probably not going to be understood by the Americans' undertone just made me want to jump from my seat and start singing the national anthem at the top of my lungs. Luckily I resisted this urge as it was already kind of sad that on 'Orange Wednesdays' at my local cinema at half eight in the evening, I was looking slightly 'weird freak who no one likes' as I queued for half an hour all on my lonesome.

Anywho, enough about me. The film... Colin Firth was awesome and definitely deserves the awards he's been getting, oscar worthy performance definitely. The film was funny and realistic. Helena Bonham Carter played an amazing portrayal of Queen Elizabeth, balancing the regal uptight behaviour with her complete devotion to her husband perfectly. Geoffrey Rush... perfectly timed one liners throughout and the performance was at his usual stunning level. I was a little confused with his accent as I would not have for one moment assumed he was Australian had they not kept on bringing it up throughout the film. His wife definitely sounded Australian but the scenes with them two again confused me. I couldn't quite understand what kind of relationship they were trying to show. Was it distant? loving? happy? unhappy? All the scenes seemed to sit uneasy with the rest of the film, like the director switched styles of filming specifically for them and it made the flow slightly disjointed.

That aside, I loved it and can definitely see why there is a lot of fuss about it. If you're looking for a realistic representation of our beautifully civil and uptight British ways then this is the film for you. If youre looking for action and plot twists, perhaps hold out for something else. Overall it was funny, powerful, emotional and a perfect way to brush up on your history knowledge if you don't know much about the Royal family at that time. I swear.. no one actually needs to go to history lessons, the films are showing it all for us anyway. (DISCLAIMER: Not all films are as historically accurate as they claim to be, for example, do not rely on Disney's Hercules to teach you about Greek mythology because in spite of what they say, it is certainly NOT the 'Gospel Truth.')

Another four faces from me.

Love and Other Drugs

The Synopsis
Jamie (Jake Gyllenhall) is a man with a low attention span and a charismatic personality. After he starts his new fad of being a drug salesman he meets Maggie (Anne Hathaway) a young woman with stage one Parkinson's and a complete fear of commitment. The film explores the couple as they both surprise themselves by falling in love and learning all the challenges and perks that come with it.

The review
Ladies, let me just get this off my chest before I get all profound and 'professional' in my reviewing. Jake Gyllenhall in this movie is STUPIDLY gorgeous. This was a fact that took me completely by surprise as, although being slightly aware that he wasn't exactly hard on the eye, I had never found him particularly that attractive. It freaks me out when I'm faced with a revelation such as this as I'm pretty much lost as to how I had never noticed before. I have seen a LOT of Jake's work and not even Brokeback Mountain had made me stop and take notice, which judging by the type of men I have been known to show interest in in the past should have been the film, if there was going to be any, that would have turned me to 'Team Jake.' Nonetheless, it was this film and he was truly beautiful and nail bitingly yummy in it all the way through. Enough said on that... onto the proper stuff.

I was once asked a few years ago whether I write stories that are plot based or character based. This was a concept that to me I had never thought about until asked but since have always looked at when watching a film or reading a book. When it comes to romance films, the plot line 9 times out of 10 can be predicted within the first ten minutes of the film. This film is no exception to that rule, but what makes this film good instead of ridiculously mundane is that it is 100% all about the characters. Both Maggie and Jamie are real and completely screwed up characters that are entirely relatable to the audience and Hathaway and Gyllenhall both give an outstanding performance throughout. As a film on the whole, yes there really isn't anything substantial to it but in amongst it all there are pockets of sheer dialogue beauty between the two of them as they project their own screwed up insecurities on the other in a way that only proves they are perfect for each other.

Scenes such as Jamie's panic attack and Maggie's bathtub speech are two of the highlights of the film. My hat is tipped off to the writers for those particular moments. The film was simply about two very real people and without relying on anything fantastic happening it focused on these people and who they were, which in this context was by far enough.

Pretty impressed tbh, a good four faces from me.