Film #71: ANY DAY NOW (2012)

This was such a beautiful film. It's about a gay man in the 1970's fighting for the custody of his neighbours son, who has downs syndrome, as she is taken away to jail and so gets the help of his lawyer boyfriend but has to go through numerous bumps in the road due to the couples homosexual relationship.
This was totally beautiful and incredibly moving to see the love of two men for a boy and the boys reciprocated love back to them. It's a real eye opener to the lengths that some people go to to gain true happiness and safety for those they love most. The acting in particular from Alan Cumming (better known for his role of Floop in Spy Kids) was unreal, his really laid his heart on his sleeve and opened up all emotions to the camera which was remarkable to watch.

Film #70: THE WOLVERINE (2013)

This is the only X-men film I hadn't seen and that was because at the time I couldn't drive and my mum didn't want to see it so we saw every other film at the cinema but the one film that I really wanted to see which was The Wolverine.
I really liked this film it was different than the others which makes it unique. It was so nice seeing a more vulnerable side of Logan as he acts alone in this film and has little help from others.
*Spoiler Alert* I loved the scene in beginning at the bar when Logan started to fight a group of men who had shot a bear. It was so wonderful, a scene that really makes you want to go and stand up to anyone who's done anything wrong in their life. "Hey you, you dropped some litter, pick it up!" *Super intense but awesome fight scene that was choreographed but was choreographed so well that you don't notice it and that no ones actually getting hurt as it's all make up and bruises, starts*
Sorry I got carried away then, in the film it was similar to that scenario except instead of picking up some litter it was over them shooting a bear.
If you liked the other X-men films check this one out as Hugh Jackman is amazing as Wolverine and its a really good watch.

Film #69: THE THREE CABALLEROS (1944)

This is the last Disney classic film that I haven't seen and now I have, yay! It was an anomaly in the Disney classic collection as there wasn't a proper narrative to it. It features Donald Duck and shows the audience his birthday presents that he receives, these presents off him information on Brazil and Mexico. Although my favourite bit had to be the penguin at the beginning who thinks that the South Pole is too cold so goes off trying to find a more warmer location to live near the Equator. It was another Disney great but there wasn't a pure direction to the film it was just of Donald and his birthday presents. The film is more educational then it is anything else and that's not what I want from my Disney films. I want adventure and drama and songs and a character that you can really latch onto and want to know them more and a villain so terrifyingly brilliant that you become curious to the reasons surrounding them. That's a Disney film!

 

Film #68: GHOSTBUSTERS (1984)

I loved this film it was so cheesy and wonderful. I loved the idea of the ghostbusters and their outfits are awesome. *Spoiler Alert* Although this movie was spoiled for me as when I started watching it my sister came into the room and said "Isn't this the film Sigourney Weaver goes evil and is possessed?" And as I hadn't seen it before I didn't know but the further I got into the film I realised that that does happen and my sister ruined a really good film for me!  I still haven't forgiven her!
I loved this film it really shows the beginning of a new era of film with the hybrid genre being the most desirable film to watch. It was a great balance of sci-fi, comedy and romance. Which makes this film the perfect family film as it caters for most peoples tastes. I would happily sit down and watch this with my family as I love sci-fi as does my mother, my sister and father love comedy and my other sister loves romance films. I really loved this film as I didn't know what to expect next from the Ghostbusters and that's something wonderful that a film can give it's audience.
In fact I will tell you a secret dear readers....I loved this film so much that I've just brought Ghostbusters pyjama bottoms for myself :)

Film #67: AFRICAN CATS (2011)

This was a beautiful Disney Nature about African cats (hence the title). This is a wonderful true story about the lives of two lion prides, a cheetah mother and the animals that surround them. It's a lovely documentary piece which is a nice watch of an evening. However at some points is slightly emotional so make sure you have the tissues to spare.

Film #66: THE BLACK CAULDRON (1985)

I have seen this film before but it was ages ago and I forgot what actually happens, so I decided to rewatch and it was like watching it for the first time again. I had forgotten how good it was. I loved the idea of the pig being the future telling phenomenon of a character that has to be protected or the evil King will come to power again. It's a lovely Disney film, but not the greatest of all time. However I would recommend it as a nice watch if you happen to have a spare hour and a half you should watch it.

 

Film #65: FOUR WEDDINGS AND A FUNERAL (1994)

This was a beautiful Richard Curtis film that I loved. It's strange as it's one of those films that I never watched all the way through in one go, I'd always only ever seen parts of it randomly and so never really understood the narrative. However, I've now watched it all the way through and it was well worth it.
I loved the concept of the film and how each character was so uniquely funny.
Especially Rowan Atkinson, even though he was only in it for a small part of the film he was still so funny and created a new comedy dynamic to the film.
The wonderful thing about Richard Curtis and his films is that they are so wonderfully simple and so easy to watch. They propose a way to enjoy life and to make the most of it. All his films are extraordinarily beautiful, my favourite being Love Actually.

Film #64: DJANGO UNCHAINED (2012)

Surprisingly I really enjoyed this film, it was thrilling to watch. I loved the scene with Leonardo DiCaprio's cut hand and he smeared it across the face of Kerry Washington. It was a very powerful scene that made the film, I know that it was a mistake for DiCaprio to cut his hand but it added to the dialogue and the intensity of the scene. It was a really good film but it was really intense to watch but it was definitely one to watch if you haven't already seen it.

Film #63: MALEFICENT (2014)

What a film?! This was truly a masterpiece from Disney, I love Disney but mostly I love villains. There is nothing more wonderful than a villain, they are the most interesting characters of any story, film, television show, anything. They have the most character depth and normally the most amazing back stories which can excite or move an audience.
This film was no exception to my love of villains and, for once, it was so lovely for an institution to recognise the beauty of a villain and to explore that for audiences to see.
I loved the animation of the film it was honestly amazing and made the film even more magical. It was also amazing to see parallels between the original and this film.
Also Angelina Jolie was so perfect for the role that it was unreal!!

Film #62: THE CROODS (2013)

This was a very wonderful animation that really was a lovely feel good film. I loved the simple humour that Dreamworks used with their dialogue with new words and concepts being created that the cave people hadn't heard of like the "brain". For me that scene was one of the funniest moments of the film! I also loved the simple American Dream metaphor that there's always a silver lining to every situation. It was a really good and funny film, however it doesn't compare to the classic Dreamworks films of Shrek and How to Train Your Dragon.

Film #61: X-MEN DAYS OF FUTURE PAST (2014)

This film was really good and I can't really review it without spoiling a lot so I will keep this short and say it was fantastic. My only confusion with the film is that the outcast for this film changes what the first three X men films were based on and about so I hope they do another one to clear this up.

Film #60: MAN OF STEEL (2013)

I have a small rant about superhero film as a huge fan of superheros and superhero films. And my rant is this.
They never do them justice.
The only superhero films which I love and will always love is the Xmen film series as they match the genius and brilliance of the comics. But all other superhero films whether they are DC or Marvel are always slightly disappointing and Man of Steal was no different.
It was a great build up and it was a wonderful story narrative with the fantastic Russell Crowe but the end battle which is meant to be one of epic proportion was just a flop.
And I have an issue with Amy Adams as Lois Lane, it's my same issue with Natalie Portman as Jane Foster and Gwyneth Paltrow as Pepper Potts. They're too 'Hollywood' as actors and are only in the films so that fans will watch because of their status that they've already claimed. But the honest to Zeus truth is that these actresses are not suited for these roles and I feel are not suited for superhero movies. I know another unpopular opinion.
But I feel this is what needs to change in order for the superhero genre of films to become more successful and to give the audience voyeurism.

Film #59: GODZILLA (2014)

Another trip to the cinema for the new Godzilla. This was a good film but at the same time it was also disappointing, the ending was kinda a buzz kill. There was too much of a build up and really bad execution of an ending. But the graphics were good and the acting was equally as good but it was the narrative which was slightly disappointing when compared to the groundbreaking original from 1954.

Film #58: ABOUT TIME (2013)

A wonderful film by the wonderful Richard Curtis! Seriously this film was just as amazing as his other work such as Love Actually (one of the greatest films of all time!). I loved the concept as it made a heart warming approach to how would a person react if they could relive moments all over again and change anything. This was beautifully shot and really captures pure comedy moments through the simple use of using camera to it full potential without relying on dialogue and actors performance to deliver the comedy. A really good watch.

Film #57: KILL YOUR DARLINGS (2013)

Honestly this was one of the best films I had seen in a very long time. It received lots of comments from critics saying that Daniel Radcliffe was wrong to take on this role as it was so controversial for him to play a gay character and for him to be in a film which shows gay sex. But I think all those critics are wrong and that this was one of the greatest decisions that he has made in his acting career. The connection that he and his costars portrayed shows great realism in their performances and it makes the film come alive. It was fantastically directed by John Krokidas which grasps the attention of the audience and excites all emotions in the body.
Everyone, and I mean everyone, should see this film.

Film #56: CLOUD ATLAS (2012)

This was a strange sci-fi film with a very complex narrative. It's one that definitely requires a lot of thinking and is not a film that you can watch lightly. The wonderful thing about this film is that there's not a lot of actors in the film but each actor plays numerous characters, Hugh Grant and Tom Hanks play six characters at least each. But the talents of the make-up and costume departments were so fantastic that it took me most of the film to actually realise that and figure it out, as well as a quick Google. I thought this film was very exciting to watch but it did require some concentration in order to follow the narrative.

Film #55: THE VOW (2012)

I loved this film, it was beautiful and was surprisingly based on a true story. Rachael McAdams was fantastic at portraying this role and I honestly don't think any other actress would have done the job any justice. It's another love story of two people conquering the world and fighting for their love, which was a lovely story of McAdams character, Paige, being in a car crash and losing part of her memory, meaning she can't remember meeting or falling in love with or marrying Channing Tatum's character Leo. This is one that stands out within the genre.

Film #54: THE GREAT GATSBY (2013)

The Great Gastby was a great film and was a really exciting film to watch. Toby Maguire, Leonardo DiCaprio and Carey Mulligan all gave amazing performances to the film. I loved the setting and costumes on this production in particular, however I felt that they tried to make it too Moulin Rouge by having modern music throughout the film but this time it didn't work and made the film feel out of place to the music and the film. BUT having said that it was still a good film and I intend on reading the book as my mother tells me that it's fantastic.

Film #53: THE LEGO MOVIE (2014)

Ok, the child inside of me screamed until I was able to watch this, and it was very good. The animation was absolutely amazing, I was completely absorbed by the detail of the animation and how they managed to get the shin on each character. This was a really lovely film and it was so funny. It was a magical family film. My only complaint about it was I didn't like the scenes set in 'real life' with the little child playing with the lego (spoiler alert) it ruined the movie.

Film #52: NOWHERE BOY (2009)

I loved this film, it was so enjoyable. With some fantastic performances from Aaron Johnson and Kristen Scott Thomas (if you're a fan of Kristen Scott Thomas then watch Keeping Mum, its a brilliantly funny film). It follows the life of John Lennon's adolescence and the story behind how he formed the Beatles and his first band The Quarrymen. It was a lovely and heart warming film that should have had more recognition in general. There was a beautiful scene with Johnson, Scott Thomas and Anne-Marie Duff where John Lennon is finding out why he lived with his Aunt Mimi and not his mother.  Everyone should watch this film!!!!

Film #51: ARGO (2012)

What a film?! This was amazing, the story was tense but exciting and the performances from all the actors were phenomenal. The only issue I had with the film was that parts were historically incorrect, like the film suggests that the British government did nothing towards helping the situation but in actual fact we were a major help in getting those people out. Do your research people!! It became another film of America trying boost their self esteem and so completely ignore the facts. Sorry for the rant, it's probably very obvious that I'm a very patriotic British citizen.
However I did really enjoy the film still and thought that it was amazing how close they were to the actual scenes of what happened in the streets and the costumes of the actors.
This should definitely be one to watch.

Film #50: THE BRASS TEAPOT (2012)

Another strange film, the sort where you question why it ever got made. I mean the morals behind it were more than clear about money and the extent that humans will go in order to gain money. But the film lacked at lot of factors which would make it great. It was ok but I wouldn't want to watch it again and it wa pointless in the scheme of things, there wasn't any amazing about it to make it stand out in film history. T

Sorry this is a short but sweet review, there's not much more I can say about it as it wasn't a good film.

Film #49: WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE (2009)

What a strange film! Everyone said to me "watch it, it's so beautiful and you'll really enjoy it". But I was honestly freaked out by it. It started out lovely with the boy and the creatures becoming friends and building their own house together so they could all live in a cohabitation. However the further into it the more bizarre it became and the more I regretted watching it. That might be an unpopular opinion on the film and I am aware of that. But it was really weird and it started off as being my type of film but then it turned into the complete opposite and I found myself getting frustrated with it. It kind of reminded me a little of Lord of the Flies.

Film #48: AFTER EARTH (2013)

This is a change in genre from romcom to sci-fi (my favourite). This film was what I expected it to be and that was mediocre. It was ok for a sci-fi film but it wasn't anything ground breaking like Star Trek or Star Wars. It's a nice family friend;y sci-fi film, with the conventional factors of the world's going to end and all of those shenanigans. And obviously it was a good acting match for a father and son figure from having Will Smith and Jaden Smith in the movie.
I'm glad that I've watched it but I probably won't watch it again out of choice.

Film #47: THE NOTEBOOK (2004)

This was a very beautiful film with a wonderfully romantic love story that could thaw any frozen heart (yes that was a Frozen reference, but it's true). It shows the development of two people falling in love, who are the least likely of people to end up together. The characters of Allie (Rachael McAdams) and Noah (Ryan Gosling) come from completely different backgrounds who end up battling all odds to fight for their love. You know, traditional romcom stuff. But the part that really interested me was the sub-narrative to the film of an old man telling this story to a women in a care home. That is the reason why this film should be watched, it was completely, mind-blowingly romantic. As well this film has the wonderful and famous kiss in the rain scene to tug at your heart strings.
I just realised the last few films I've watched have been romcom's which is so not like me!

Film #46: CHEERFUL WEATHER FOR THE WEDDING (2012)

This film was actually better than I thought it would be, I was expecting a really boring period drama type film where all the characters do all day is talk about their middle class problems, taking long walks and are constantly getting changed to do a different activity. But it wasn't like that at all. Well, it was, but there was also a lot of depth to the characters and to Felicity Jones' character Dolly. As the plot develops you find out the reasoning behind the wedding and the people invited and their stories, it became more like Cluedo just without the murder involved. There was a beautiful scene at the end of the film with extraordinary acting from all characters in particular from Luke Treadaway as Joesph. It was a really nice film for all those who like period dramas like Downtown Abbey which contain a little drama.

Film #45: SLEEPLESS IN SEATTLE (1993)

Tom Hanks again! However this was one of less amazing films. I thought the film was ok for a traditional and very conventional of a romance film. And at some points not believable, I mean who falls in love with someone without meeting them and after just hearing their voice on the radio. It was a nice easy watching film, the sort where you can put it on in the background and watch it without really thinking or concentrating.
I did love the performances of Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan, but like I said I don't think it was Hanks' best work, he's not a romcom actor I feel, he's a lot better at the more serious roles like in Saving Private Ryan or Angels and Demons.

Also sorry for the delay in updating this blog, I have been watching films I just haven't reviewed them on this so that what my plan is for today!