The Gate

IMDB
First time viewed: No
Current Release: Yes
Watched With: Tyler

Those little demons in Don't be Afraid of the Dark left me nostalgic for this film. A Genuine 80's kids horror film and a childhood favourite. This film is balls out awesome, filled with great freak out moments and has some of the greatest 80's Toronto teen fashion this side of Degrassi.

Randy Cook, visual effects supervisor on Lord of the Rings, was doing FX on this and they use every old-school trick in the book. Some truly wonderful work including some shots I have no idea how they could have pulled off back then. For the longest time I was convinced the only way most of the shots were possible was if they actually summoned real demons to help out with the filming. When I got the new Anniversary DVD, which has a nice shiny widescreen transfer and some behind the scenes extras and retrospective interviews, they were the first things I watched and the craft is fascinating. But they still don't give everything away there so there's still a few shots I'm just baffled by.

Little Stephen Dorff, who recently played one of the most enjoyable characters in Immortals is great as the young kid who unwittingly unleashes hell. I forgot how epic in scale the finale of this is and he really sells it all.

This is just a brilliant film to scare the crap out of kids, it really feels to me like something Amblin would have released if it just wasn't so dark. Avoid the dreary sequel but definitely seek out this forgotten gem. I love it dearly.

Puss in Boots

IMDB
First time viewed: Yes
Current Release: Yes
Watched With: Jordan, Amberly

Well it's far better than the last 2 Shrek films that's for sure. For an animated film from Dreamworks I was surprised at how slow and boring the start was. I mean there was running and swordplay but theres a bunch of clunky exposition to get out.

The best thing about the film is the 3D, it's really great and definitely worth the effort to see for that. It's not as post modern annoying as Shrek but it's still nowhere near as great as How to Train your Dragon or even Kung Fu Panda 2.

It does feel like a spin off film. It's not very grand in scale and despite having such great technical look there's never much weight to anything that happens. Or perhaps it's just me. But it was fun enough and there were one or two jokes that I really liked. I also like the split screens. Sufficient.

Attack the Block

IMDB
First time viewed: No
Current Release: Yes
Watched With: Paul

Here's my first write up. And second.

Finally I get to see it in a cinema! Only, what, like a year after it came out overseas? Bah.

Anyway it works wonders in a cinema, it plays really well. So strange how everything seems heightened at the movies as opposed to watching at home. Perhaps the lack of distractions helps.

The only disappointing thing is there wasn't much of a crowd. It's gonna be one of those films I love that no-one else will ever hear about. So sad. Unless they listen to the Super 8 commentary...

Zulu

IMDB
First time viewed: Yes
Current Release: No
Watched With: Dad

I've had this on a crappy DVD for about 6 years but always held off watching it. The disc was a crappy pan and scan. This is a film that needs the full widescreen. Looks great in HD too. There are some very nice vistas on display here often populated with thousands of extras, always impressive.

Michael Caine's first major role in a feature film. He's so damn British in this too, it's hilarious.

I'm not really one for war stories and this one didn't grab me too much aside from the cool use of extras (and cows in one scene). It lays out the battle pretty well. Still it's a little hard to get over how much make up everyone has caked on. Caine has a lot of eyeliner. A lot.

Zombi 2

IMDB
First time viewed: Yes
Current Release: No
Watched With: Myself

AKA Zombi, Zombie, Zombie 2, Zombie Flesh Eaters, Island of the Flesh-Eaters, Island of the Living Dead... Basically it's Lucio Fulci's zombie movie that was at some stage given the sequel moniker to try and cash in as an unofficial sequel to Romero's Night of the Living Dead.

And as was the usual practice of Italian produced films with mixed nationalities in the cast, no audio was recorded on set and everything was dubbed in later. the sync problems from these old Italian films always wig me out a little. Also there seeming lack or ethics regarding animal treatment *cough* Cannible Holocaust *cough*. Or perhaps this time it was all a trick.

Okay so lets talk about that, because that's why everyone remembers this film and it's been given a bluray treatment and made a bit of a comeback. Zombie vs Shark. A zombie fights a shark underwater. Hand to hand. I'm serious. Holy crap it's badass.

Apart from that, some amazingly fun eye trauma, a great many classic rising from the ground scenes and a few fire deaths there isn't much to this film. The zombie make up has a very unique look but also looks a little cheap now, with patches or normal skin always poking through here and there.

Still, I am glad I saw that zombie/shark fight. And I do like the more classical voodoo zombie vibe it has going.

Bridge to Terabithia

IMDB
First time viewed: No
Current Release: No
Watched With: Jordan, Amberly

Oh man that trailer is hilarious. It's one of the few false advertising campaigns that I like because of how devious it is. "Come on kids, Walden Media and Disney have the next Narnia adventure waiting for you!" Get them all excited and in the theatre and then BAM, punch them in the face.

This was one of the required reading texts in school so I was well aware of what to expect and as it did many fans, that trailer had me very worried. But really, how are you supposed to advertise the film without giving anything away? And no-one would probably go and see it if they knew what they would have to explain to their crying children on the car trip home from the cinema.

Well that's not really true the ending is very uplifting.

Suffice to say the finished film thankfully doesn't soft pedal anything from the book. I think it's a really fantastic adaptation and a really wonderful film. Just beautiful, even with the disney-esque sheen the whole thing is coated in.

Josh Hutcherson and AnnaSophia Robb are bloody brilliant and once again, Bailee Madison shows some real talent. It's just such a beautiful story and I really love the film version. Don't write it off, and if you can avoid spoilers all the better. Watch it and thank me later.

Dune

IMDB
First time viewed: No
Current Release: No
Watched With: Mum

Someone once asked David Lynch if he has a favourite film to which he responded with the usual "films are like my children, I love them all differently" answer so many directors give. Someone pipped up and responded "Even Dune?" to which he simply responded "Dune was a very naughty boy." Still, it got him the contract that let him make Blue Velvet so it's not all bad.

And really, anyone is going to have trouble trying to tell a story like this in a regular running time feature film. But I still do like a lot about it. I watched the bluray of the theatrical cut. The extended television version, while it has some cool extra scenes, is a little clunky, I can see why Lynch had his name removed from it.

If you're gonna fail, fail big. This film goes for broke and for a lot of people it's great. I do like the score, the old school fx, some of which are interesting many of which were poor even for the time. The disparate group of actors give it their all selling some tough material. Makes for a great cult film.

Cypher

IMDB
First time viewed: No
Current Release: No
Watched With: Paul

I really love this Vincenzo Natali film and especially Jeremy Northam's performance. It's a great little spy thriller with a bit of a corporate sci-fi bent, beautifully shot, edited and scored and all done on a lean budget.

I love how Northam's character starts off as a bumbling idiot and ends up akin to James Bond. And how the macguffin works to theme. I love pretty much everything about this film. I remember it came out at cinemas in Perth for about a week, but I managed to see it on the big screen and the brainwashing sequence was intense.

Just love this film.

Hanna

IMDB
First time viewed: No
Current Release: Yes
Watched With: Myself

First Write Up. Second.

I gots ma Bluray. Definitely one of my favourites for the year. Commentary time.

12 and Holding

IMDB
First time viewed: No
Current Release: No
Watched With: Jordan, Amberly

Another veteran of HBO directing that came from Indie films. I really love Michael Cuesta's L.I.E. and this film, following 3 stories of 3 kids getting up to varying amounts of mischief, doesn't quite hit the mark like his first film but still has a lot of interesting moments and some great performances from the young cast.

It's almost a prequel to Thirteen hah.

Immortals

IMDB
First time viewed: No
Current Release: Yes
Watched With: Alex, Jordan, Amberly, Naomi

Here's my write up.

2D doesn't really make much difference. But the sound certainly did. Sound in this cinema was awesome. Nice and loud with lotsa bass. Neat.

Arthur Christmas

IMDB
First time viewed: Yes
Current Release: Yes
Watched With: Sam

The trailer makes the film out to be cheap sappy kiddie holiday entertainment, which to a small degree it is, but there is one important factor many people overlook and that is, it's made by Aardman. And just like there other output, it's also filled with wit, wry British humour and a lot of heart. I'll cop to getting a little misty eyed at the end. And for a cynical guy like me, for the film to have won me over it must be doing something right.

The opening sequences are very cool. They present Santa's christmas deliveries as a mission impossible scenario, filled with ninja like elves and state of the art technology that would make Tony Stark jealous.

What's great is the 4 Santas from 3 generations have a very clear character traits and arcs and they way they all need to resolve these problems and come together works effectively and emotionally. And the rest of the film is just good clean fun. Enjoyed it muchly.

Das Boot

IMDB
First time viewed: Yes
Current Release: No
Watched With: Myself

What can you do when you have to wait for computers to render? Watch the Uncut 293 minute version of Das Boot in German from the newly released bluray. Being a Wolfgang Petersen fan I always had intended to see this but I wanted to make sure I saw the full version. Really it's 3 films all rolled together but it works great in one epic sitting.

Despite the long running time, the pace is fine, there are definitely slower areas but everything works so well to really get you in that submarine with the characters and really raises the suspense well. There are some great sequences and without fail the film keeps flipping expectations, celebrations are interrupted by bad news and conversely moments of despair are brightened by small rays of hope. This flip flopping continues right up to the end credits and keeps you on your toes the whole time.

I'm glad I waited to see this version, I don't know how well it would hold together if the suspense moments had to be cut down, or more than likely all of the character moments would have been cut out.

It's rare I get so involved with a war movie but this one did the trick. I can see why it was so popular. It does leave you rather exhausted though so I'll leave it there for now.

American Psycho

IMDB
First time viewed: No
Current Release: No
Watched With: Jordan, Amberly

Wow, youtube is full of fake trailers for this. I could only find one real one on there and it wasn't even embeddable.

Anyway, I really love this film. I love the shallow world of 80's wall street as a backdrop to the ease of which it seems to allow you to loose your identity. Patrick Batman isa fascinating character and Christian Bale is stunning in the role.

I'm surprised he's never done a comedy because he is absolutely hilarious here. It's a black satire that becomes so outrageous in parts you doubt wether it can all be real. And indeed that is the intention. It's left in large part up to the audience to make up their mind about what is real and what is not and both possibilities have interesting and differing ramifications as to theme.

Absolutely love it.

The Ides of March

IMDB
First time viewed: Yes
Current Release: Yes
Watched With: Myself

For a political drama about corrupted ideals, power struggles and moral grey areas this film is surprisingly straight forward. Although it hides it well beneath a sea of fast talking mumbo jumbo and quietly confident performance.

Once again George Clooney cannot resist throwing in a jazz performance in his film. I feel like he slipped some of his own political views into the background there too... The foreground here is the actors but as we've seen before he can pull off a fine looking film with the best of them.

It's the second film in as many months that Ryan Gosling takes centre stage but he's playing a very different character from in Drive. He hardly stares at all in this. Probably because he's too busy talking. He has a classic character arc from idealised innocence to understanding and it's done in a reasonably entertaining way too.

And that's what I'd say about the film as a whole. Reasonable entertaining. Slickly made, probably not my cup of tea but I did enjoy it for what it was.