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Wednesday 30 December 2009

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Director: James Cameron
Starring: Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Lang.

It is fair to say this film is product of an obsession; costing 200 million and taking over the entire life of Cameron, famous for Titanic in 1997 he wrote, directed, filmed and even did the make-up for this epic piece of work. And it doesn't go unnoticed. The impressive special effects and nothing short of breathtaking scenery scream money and effort.
The film's topics are unashamedly commentaries on contemporary issues, addressing unjust war for want of valuable materials, global warming, racial prejudices and harking back to the Gaia hypothesis; that the earth is a living organism that we are murdering. Despite the blatant criticisms of the culture, the film is nothing short of amazing, and whether it is your sort of thing or not, it is certainly worth seeing. If nothing else, the film is a beautiful piece of art.

Monday 28 December 2009

Where the Wild Things Are

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Director: Spike Jonze
Who's In It?: Max Records as Max, Catherine Keener as Max's mother and James Gandolfini, Paul Dano, Catherine O'Hara, Forest Whitaker, Chris Cooper and Lauren Ambrose as the voices of the Wild Things.

If you asked me to name the weirdest director, I would have to go for wither Tarantino or Spike Jonze. His previous masterpieces, Being John Malkovitch and Adaption have both left the mind reeling. It is no wonder, then, that you leave the cinema with a question mark hanging over you. It is only now, three days after watching the film, that I have managed to form a fully fledged opinion of it.
The camera-work was beautiful, the lighting was dawn-like, golden and nostalgic and the harsh light of 'reality' in the film give's the viewer Max's eyes for escapism. Although it was a well loved children's book, Jonze seems to have manipulated it into a film about children; I'm not sure how well suited the film would be for children. The humour is wise and coldly adult, although sometimes silly, and the often too-deep philosophies seem to be observations on family conventions and healthy upbringings. I liked the film, loved the visuals, but it left me unsatisfied and one word for it, fittingly to it's director, would be 'weird'.

Sherlock Holmes

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Director: Guy Ritchie
Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Jude Law, Rachel McAdams and Mark Strong.

Finally! I made it to see Sherlock Holmes, for the third time in three days as I'm taking advantage of the Northern low prices (in London, my term-time residence, it's double that). With an all star, fairly beautiful cast and one of today's most ambitious directors, this film was set to impress, and box office's have been making space in their cash drawers for the intakes. And Sherlock Holmes did not disappoint.
The costume was stunning, the acting impeccable with only the odd cringe in Law's direction and the directing was top notch. Although it was far cry from Ritchie's well trodden cockney paths, it still retained the rawness of his previous works. McAdams' Irene Adler was beautiful and believable and her complex character, alongside Mark Strong's Dastardly Lord Blackwood thicken the plot like cornflour. Sadly, at times the mystery somewhat resembled a Dan Brown spiel, but the wit and genius of the dashing Downey Jr.'s Holmes and the offbeat comedy, as well as the expected but welcome ending more than compensate for this.