Gambit - A Review

3.5 Stars - Fun

Gambit is a remake of an comedy from the 60s, which I have not seen, so I won't be comparing it in any way. This remake is scripted by the Coen Brothers, and while it is pretty funny, it lacks the usual dark edge their films have.

In the middle of the film there's a wonderful section of farce in a hotel with Colin Firth sneaking around with no trousers. It's a shame there wasn't more of that kind of thing, as the rest of the film couldn't quite match up to it.

Performance wise, it's strong enough, no-one is bad certainly. The highlights are a couple of supporting cast members, namely Stanley Tucci and Julian Rhind Tutt.

You can just feel the eyes rolling...

In short, I'd say worth a watch, but maybe one to wait for TV for.

Silver Linings Playbook - A Review

1.5 Stars - Bad

Silver Linings Playbook is a film that tries to talk about serious mental illness and attempts at dealing with it. It isn't very good at it. I sensed that the writer had very little understanding of it's subject matter, and didn't get across anything of what was going on in the main characters' heads. Instead it seems to many times treat it as a joke, and this ruins any sympathy you might try and have for them.

The acting is okay, nothing really special, certainly not worth all the oscar buzz it's been getting.

To Think, I Could Be Watching The Hunger Games Right Now...

In short, not a very good film, I really didn't like it.

Singing In The Rain - A Review

5 Stars - Glorious

I feel somewhat ashamed that it has taken me twenty one years of living to get around to watching Singing In The Rain. It's one of the all time classic films and it's easy to see why. This film is fun, colourful and energetic with a whole lot of heart.

The main appeal of this film is, to me at least, the performances from Gene Kelly, Donald O'Connor and Debbie Reynolds. They all give it everything they have, with Gene Kelly dancing through pneumonia to produce the perfect tap-dancing in the 'Singing In The Rain' scene and Debbie Reynolds, who wasn't a dancer, dancing till her feet bled for 'Good Morning' and Donald O'Connor hurling himself through the scenery in 'Make 'Em Laugh'. No one does anything by halves and it shows.

Also, Aunt Harriet from Batman is in it, what more do you need?

Few Scenes Are This Perfect

In short, a brilliant film, worth all the praise everyone lavishes on it.

Macbeth - 2010

So you take Macbeth and you set it in Soviet Russia with Macbeth as basically Stalin. Then you cast Patrick Stewart as Macbeth and Kate Fleetwood as Lady Macbeth. What do you get? An incredible version of Macbeth.

Performance wise this is a very strong piece, Stewart's Macbeth is perfect, starting out uncertain and ambitious growing to confidence but ultimately a weak mental state. He gives meaning to every word and is always fascinating to watch.

Kate Fleetwood is wonderful as Lady Macbeth, she is cruel and manipulative, but loses her composure the more Macbeth grows self reliant. This gives creedance to her fall into madness which is tricky thing to pull off.

For once the weird sisters were really good, powerful and intimidating, without going for the typical haggard crone stereotype. Also casting them as nurses gave it a really weird association in your mind, people who are meant to look after you causing the ultimate downfall of a kingdom.

The Soviet setting is very interesting, giving everything a very unique look that stays in the mind. The location of Welbeck Abbey lends many creepy and echoing locations which really gives it a regal and at the same time dirty feel, perfect for Macbeth.

This is my favourite version of Macbeth, very inventive and cool, and full of great performances. I can find very little wrong with it, other than maybe the scene in England is a bit dull, but it always is no matter what production it is.

In short, a brilliant Macbeth, definitely worth a watch.

Rust and Bone - A Review

4 Stars - good, but unusual

De Rouille Et D'os (or Rust and Bone in English) is a French film about a woman who loses her legs and a man who is trying to be a father, but isn't very good at it and the relationship the two of them have.

The film is very good, but it is weird, a little dull in places, but ultimately entertaining for it's deep characters and terrific performances. Also one of the most upsetting scenes I've seen in a film for a long while.

Not an awful lot to say other than it is a good film, if you don't mind a bit of reading with your film it's worth a watch.

Marion Cotillard and a killer whale. Your argument is invalid.

In short, a good film, if a little weird.

The 5 Best and Worst Stephen King Adaptations

Consider this something of an epilogue to Stephen King Month if you like, I've seen some shockingly bad films in my foolhardy theme month, but some good ones too, so here's the cream of the crop. Bare in mind this is just out of the 31 I reviewed for Stephen King Month.

I'll start with my least favourite, because that just makes sense to me...

5. It

This is pretty awful, However I mainly include it on the list because of the sheer number of people who say they are scared of it. It isn't remotely scary. The only point in its favour is that it gets Tim Curry points.

4. The Tommyknockers

The perfect example of the bad Stephen King miniseries, three long hours of bad acting, 90s special effects and lousy scripts. 

3. Salem's Lot (2004)

I guess they at least tried with this one, but the updated modern setting and changes they made to the characters, especially Father Callahan, kind of ruined it.

2. Firestarter

This one just sucks plain and simple, bad acting, bad writing, bad effects. Hell it made a film with George C. Scott and Martin Sheen as villains boring.

1. The Stand

While this is probably technically better than Firestarter, this one pissed me off a lot more because the book is so good. Also it is six hours long, which is just horrific to sit through.

Now onto my favourite. Bare in mind some I like more might not be technically as good...

5. Apt Pupil/Needful Things

So I'm cheating and doing two here, but I wanted to include my favourite new discovery (Apt Pupil) and my favourite book (Needful Things)

4. The Shawshank Redemption

If I didn't include this I'd feel wrong. Truly the most iconic film on this list. Everyone loves it and it is easy to see why.

3. The Shining (1980)

A bit of a masterpiece, with wonderful acting, cinematography and scary noise.

2. The Green Mile

Quite possibly the most accurate adaptation of a book I've ever seen, Magnificent in every way.

1. Misery

That wonderful rarity of an adaptation that surpasses the source material. My favourite Stephen King film.