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.

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.

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.

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.