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Regression
Regression (I) (2015)
7/10
Some flaws but an engaging film
10 October 2015
This film is not a conventional 7 - a score I would tend to give to a decent but not outstanding film. Regression was in some ways an 8, or dare I say it 9, but some of its flaws are just too bad g to ignore.

I will start by talking about its strong points. The story line and script were engaging, unpredictable and fresh. There were enough twists and turns to keep the viewer guessing, and without too much in fact happening, the film is disturbing and uncomfortable to watch. The twists as the film goes on are not outlandish - a careful viewer will be able to pick up on a number of subtle clues. The acting is good and the characters succeed of convincing us of their roles - mostly.

What then is wrong? First and foremost - whilst the female lead is a good actress, her American accent just isn't convincing enough for us to forget about Hermione. Secondly, whilst I am no expert of the American justice system, some of the practises and actions taken by the police seem questionable and unrealistic. The psychologist is cliché and annoying - going round insulting strangers for having religious beliefs. The ending is an anti climax once the big revelation has occurred, and it seems like the writers tried to re kindle the atmosphere, which doesn't happen. The ending is also a bit hard to square in your mind logically.

Therefore, whilst this film is a very enjoyable watch, its flaws deprive it of the 8+ score in my eyes.
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Eden Lake
Eden Lake (2008)
7/10
A well made horror with some flaws
18 June 2015
Warning: Spoilers
I have kept spoilers to a minimum...

The first thing I would like to point out is that this film is not 'the most disturbing film ever', as some other reviews would have you believe, and it is certainly not extreme in comparison with many other horrors. This film is simply disturbing, because it makes relatively little in terms of thrill, gore and horror, go a long way.

This film depicts a scenario in which a couple camp at a lake, and refuse to be bullied by a bunch of youths. Some other reviews have criticized the scenario as unimaginative or not different enough, and yes most of the story is not something that we haven't heard in the news. However, the film does put characters behind the story - we sympathize with the main character's conflict between simply wanting to enjoy his weekend, against a desire to prevent the youths from winning, and the results of his decisions therefore affect the viewer deeply.

We can also relate to the gang - their portrayal makes the viewer wonder how many seemingly normal people could behave similarly in the same circumstances.

Some have commented that the film is predictable - perhaps sometimes, but not altogether. There is plenty of uncertainty to keep you watching.

There are some big flaws - sometimes the characters do not behave in a manner believable to the viewer, and almost always their odd behaviours serve to intensify the plot. The plot also relies on a lot of convenient/unfortunate coincidences - whilst we can expect a film such as this not to have a happy ending, the number of coincidences leading to the end make it questionable (especially as the film is attempting so hard to be realistic).

Overall, this film trumps a lot of others n its genres, and therefore is worth watching.
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Boyhood
Boyhood (I) (2014)
3/10
Long, lacking dilemma, suspense or imagination
31 July 2014
I felt that a score of '1' would be too cruel. The acting is good; the years poured into creating this film are no mean feat; the way the film is made helps us to connect with characters as we see so much of their lives. Also, I feel that in its own artistic way the gruelling experience of life is portrayed well.

However, this film became like pulling teeth as we drew to the end, for me personally. The film is very long, and there is no plot. There are several mini plots which the viewer may expect to lead on to something later in the film, but rest assured, none of them do. Aside from a few of the core characters, the cast is constantly changing, and the viewer is constantly mislead to believe that a character will be significant, when they are in fact not. The main character goes from being quite a likable child to becoming an energy-draining lifeless teenager and a depressing young adult. Many of the characters are fundamentally the same - same American style sassy attitude, same humour, same thoughts and personalities.

I'm not a film fanatic, and this is the first review I've written. I consider myself to be fairly average in my expectations of films as well as in what I enjoy watching. Therefore, perhaps that is why my review is so different to the hype that appears to be going on here - I'm just completely different to these arty farty film nutters. It is for this reason that I am addressing the average person with this review. If you enjoy at least some of the more mainstream films (with plot, action, dilemma and an uncertain ending) then this ISN'T for you.
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