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Four Lions (2010)
A beauty!
Four lions review
There is little information on four lions, mostly because it's a independent film that made it big. The other reason is the plot takes all the credits (wrote by Chris Morris, Sam Bain and Jesse Armstrong.) But I did gather some info, like I said it's an independent film made in 2010 starring Riz Ahmed, Kayvan Novak and Nigel Lindsay. The man behind the magic is director and writer Chris Morris who received tonnes of respect after four lions scooped award after award and took the sun dance festival by storm, all this in his debut film. Of course, Morris isn't doing feature films anymore so this is a real treat! The plot is about a group of young Muslim men from Sheffield who aspire to be suicide bombers. The leader of the pack is Omar, a critique of western civilisation; Waj, a massive dimwit; Barry, a impatient and bad-tempered converted Muslim; and naive Faisal, who try's to use crows as bombers. While Omar and Waj go to a terrorist training camp in Pakistan, Barry recruits a fifth member Wassan. Eventually, Omar's trip ends in disaster when he misfires a rocket propelled grenade into fellow terrorists, however he bends the mistake to take authority when he comes home to Britain. The pack start to make bombs but they disagree on what to target, Barry wants to bomb a local mosque to cause an uprising but Omar finds that idiotic (as it is!) Faisal suggests bombing Boots the pharmacy, Omar disagrees with that as well. Soon, Hassan let's a oblivious neighbour of the lads into the lab when they make their bombs! They decide to move to a different location, and they carry the explosives in carrier bags which is costly when Faisal trips and blows himself up. Then the remaining four argue, split up and reconcile. Afterwards, they decide to target the upcoming London Marathon. The next scenes are hilarious and they change the storyline so I won't spill the beans. But it does turn out that Omar's mistake kills the leader terrorist Osama Bin Laden! Luckily, I'm not easily offended so I was able to enjoy the film and get some laughs out of the western society spoofs like: "you and all your f*****g overpriced McDonalds! You go chicken cottage, buy halal bargain bucket for £6.99, easy man...it annoys me!" It was the best independent film I've seen, I laughed all the way through which is always a big accomplishment. I hope that Chris Morris is just as good with a big budget as he is with a small one, it's essential that he doesn't lose the laughs and they don't get lost within explosions and expensive destinations. If they're just like this film they'll be awesome! because this ones a quality film. RATING: 8.1/10
Best parts: Taping their terrorism videos Deciding their targets The costumes in the London Marathon
Killing Bono (2011)
Decent musical movie
Killing Bono review
As always, I'll start this review with info on the film. Killing Bono was a movie released in 2011 and was based on Neil McCormick's 2003 memoir 'Killing Bono: I Was Bono's Doppelgänger.' It was shot in Northern Ireland, funded by Northern Ireland Screen and was released by Paramount Pictures. Directed by Nick Hamm plus, the cast included some great young, upcoming talent in Ben Barnes and Robert Sheehan. In a nutshell, Killing Bono is a rock 'n' roll comedy about two Northern Irish brothers trying and struggling to forge their path through the 1980's music scene. At the same time, their old school friends successfully add their band name in the history of British rockers, their name being U2. Plunging the brothers' band deeper and deeper into the shadows, just like the thousands of other musicians that didn't make it. It has a great story: ambition, ego and the comedy of the 80's music scene all blended together. It's all told in an authentic, light-hearted way by director Hamm, who brings out the best in Barnes and Sheehan. The film overall is enjoyable and the main storyline- continuing dreams of stardom even when they remain out of reach-are hauntingly familiar for some. So it relates to many people well, but in my opinion it needs more funding to transform onto the big screen, although it does well considering the budget. If you're a British music fan or if you want an easy way to tell your kids it's not easy making it in the music industry I highly recommend this film, make sure your children have a working knowledge of U2 beforehand though. RATING: 7.3/10
Best parts: The making of 'Bono' and 'The Edge' The "it's the Pope, or me" speech The ending-I won't spoil it
Mr. Popper's Penguins (2011)
Hmmmm...
Mr Popper's Penguins review
I'll start this review with a bit of info about the movie. It was inspired by the classic, award winning book also named 'Mr Popper's Penguins,' which will make children laugh just as much as the film. Twentieth Century Fox made the movie, and placed Mark Waters as the director. Cast included the immature yet rather funny Jim Carrey, Carla Gugino and Angela Lansbury. Essentially, the storyline is about a successful New York City real-estate agent (Jim Carrey) who gets a shocking inheritance from his previously neglectful father who died. His present-a penguin. Later in the week, he receives 5 more penguins and just as he plans to give them to Central Park Zoo his son arrives and believes they're birthday present for him! To keep his children happy he promises to keep the animals in his apartment, however he is supposed to be doing his work. Instead, he takes the duty of penguin caretaker as he develops a growing fondness and attachment to them. The movie is really sweet, but it may be to the point of cringing for some. The predictable 'all work, no play' businessman, who after a revelation realises 'less work, more play' is better for parenting. Still, the film is surprisingly entertaining and would have the kids giggling for days over the slapstick shenanigans, penguin choreography and Carrey's comedy. Who knows, it may become a family favourite because even for older viewers it's a guilty pleasure. RATING: 5.0/10
Best parts: Snow football in Central Park Penguins being glued to Charlie Chaplin Adorable Pippi (Ophelia Lovibond) who always speaks in alliterations of the letter P, just as you think it gets old it becomes funny again-much like the movie
Elf (2003)
Lovely Christmas Film
Elf review
Elf is an American Christmas comedy film, written by David Berenbaum and directed by actor Jon, the film was released in 2003. The cast is mainly made up of Will Ferrell, James Caan, Bob Newhart, Ed Asnar and Zooey Deschanel; it was released in America on November 7th and it grossed over$220,400,000 worldwide. The plot is: one Christmas Eve a baby boy crawls into Santa's present sack while he's delivering gifts to children in an orphanage, Santa doesn't know that he has took the baby back to the North Pole, where Papa Elf volunteers to raise him. Through a misunderstanding the boy is renamed Buddy. He is raised unaware that he really is a human, not an elf- until his size and average toy making leads him to the truth. Papa Elf reveals to Buddy that his father is called Walter Hobbs, his mother was ('was' as she is dead) called Susan Wells and he was given up for adoption, his Dad still doesn't know that he exists. Walter now works at a children's book company in New York, Buddy then sets out to Manhattan to find his father. When he arrives in the 'Big Apple' Buddy tracks down his Dad in the Empire State Building, Buddy goes and sings to Walter in his elf suit just to be escorted out by security. The security tells Buddy (sarcastically) "get back to Gimbels" he takes that literally, he goes to the shop and is mistaken for a worker, there he meets Jovi a fellow worker.That night, the human-elf hides in the store for hours and decorates it from head to toe like the North Pole; it is soon revealed that Santa is arriving at Gimbels that day to meet children, Buddy then gets a shock when he realises he is not the genuine Santa that he knows. Then a fight breaks out between Buddy and the imposter, he is sentenced to 24 hours in jail. Eventually, Walter bails him out and takes him for a DNA test, the test reveals Buddy is actually Walter's son, he then takes Buddy home to meet his step-mother (Emily) and step-brother (Michael). The human-elf shocks the family with his weird diet, his childlike personality and the insistence that he actually walked from the North Pole to New York. Buddy becomes friends with Michael after a snowball fight in Central Park, Mike persuades his brother to ask out Jovi, his crush. I don't want to ruin the end in case you watch the film so I'll leave it there. Like I said in my previous review, I love Christmas films but I have high standards. Elf certainly meets those standards, it is humorous for both child and teen (I can't say adult, I'm not an adult). It keeps Christmas spirit and is cute, the perfect film to put your tree up while watching it, or eat mince pies while watching it, practically you can do any traditional Christmas thing you want while watching it. All the cast do well but mostly Will Ferrell plays a great part, it's like he was made to play Buddy, he has all the characteristics: humour, silliness, etc. So it's well done to Jon Favreau you made one of the best Christmas films I've seen! RATING: 8.0/10
Best parts: Arriving in New York Decorating Gimbels Snowball fight in Central Park
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012)
A start
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey review
The Hobbit is an fantasy film made in 2012, it is directed by Peter Jackson. Its written by Peter Jackson and his long term co-writers: Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens and Guillermo del Toro, who originally was chosen to direct the film until he resigned from the project in 2010. This film is only the first of a three part series of films about the book which was wrote in 1937 by J.R.Tolkien, the second film will be called 'The Desolation of Smaug' and following that will be 'There and Back Again'. The follow ups are set to be released in 2013 and 2014. It premiered in New Zealand on the 28th of November and was released all over the world on the 13th December 2012. The movie is set sixty years before 'the Lord of the Rings', the story is about the hobbit Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman, not Morgan) who is hired by the wizard Gandalf the Grey (Ian McKellen) to go with thirteen dwarfs, led by Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage). The dwarfs, the wizard and the hobbit go on a adventurous quest across Middle Earth, from Bilbo's home in the Shire to Thorin's home of Erebor. Thorin is the rightful king of Erebor but the kingdom was burned to a crisp by Smaug the dragon, which led them into a battle with elves in which his father and grandfather died. Thorin wants to reclaim Erebor back to his family, Smaug stands in the way but first they must get to the lonely mountain, which is a massive challenge anyway. I'll be honest, don't shun me, I can't remember when I last watched Lord of the Rings and I can't remember the plot which is why I was a bit sceptical on whether I would understand the plot, the characters, etc. So there I sat, in between snacking film-viewers in my comfortable seat which led me to the question "would I fall asleep? And if I did how would I manage to review it?" I came to the conclusion that I wouldn't, well I couldn't could I? When the movie started I loved it, the opening battle was epic, trolls, dwarfs, giants, fire, earth, water, blood, guts, tears and beards...everything! More specifically everything you expect from the Lord of the Rings. After that scene, the tempo slowed down as you would expect when you're describing a peaceful hobbit's life, things became quite boring until Gandalf and his crew showed up which brought some life back into the film. But it didn't really kick in until they all set off on their journey, from then on its madness, nothing is left uncovered even a nature loving wizard (I know right!?) Then about three fifths of the way through most of the viewers-including me- became a bit restless, after all its a massively long film! Which is probably normal for avid Lord of the Rings fanatics, but not for the average viewer, that would be my biggest criticism. However, the film requires you're attention constantly otherwise you won't fully understand the plot for the rest of the film, this would be impossible to keep your focus fully on a movie for nearly three hours normally but the breath-taking graphics and destinations make it easier, honestly they're awesome the only better graphics I've seen are the ones on 'the Amazing Spider-Man'. They're the best part about the movie because everything requires a stunning view and the creatures there need putting together piece by piece on computer and when you think about the attention to detail on each character it's scary how hard it would be to make. Well done to everyone who worked on The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, it was good even to those who weren't familiar with Lord of the Rings. And may I just add "thhheee preeeeeecccious!" RATING 7.9/10
Best parts: First battle Riddles with Golumn (that should seriously be a game-show!) Bilbo Baggins being accepted
Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992)
Finally! A good sequel
Home alone 2: Lost in New York review
Home alone 2 is a Christmas family film made in 1992. The plot was written by John Hughes and was brought to life by Chris Columbus. It's the sequel to warm comedy Home Alone; Kevin McCallister is played by Macaulay Culkin and the criminals are played by Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern, Catherine O'Hara, John Heard, Devin Ratray, Kieran Culkin also featured. It was filmed in 3 destinations: Chicago Airport, New York and Miami. It was released on 15th November and was awarded the people's choice award for favourite comedy movie. Despite getting mixed reviews, the film became the second most successful film of 1992 (the most being Aladdin) earning over $173 million in revenue in America alone and over $358 worldwide! The McCallisters plan to spend Christmas in Miami, Kevin (the youngest) sees Florida as the worst place to spend it mostly due to the lack of Christmas trees. During Kevin's Christmas school play his older brother Buzz embarrasses him causing Kev to retaliate and ruin the play. Buzz apologises but Kevin refuses, storms to his bedroom and wishes he could go to his own holiday...not with his family, just like last year. On the eve of the vacation- Kevin's dad: Peter- accidentally resets their alarm clock and causes the family to sleep in the next day. Meanwhile, Kevin's nemesis 'the Wet Bandits' (who now rename themselves 'the Sticky Bandits') escape from jail and are in New York. In confusion and rush to get to the airport on time, Kevin gets on a flight to New York and the rest of the family get on a flight to Miami without realising where their relation is until they land in Florida! Anyway, Kevin tours New York and uses his 'Talkboy' to check into the Plaza Hotel, afterwards he gets scared by a woman covered in pigeons in Central Park. On Christmas Eve, Kevin travels to Duncan's Toy Chest in a limo, there Kevin discovers the money made that day will go to the children's hospital and outside he runs into the Sticky Bandits then they chase him back to his hotel. Mr Hector, the hotel manager confronts him on his credit card, which came up as stolen, Kevin try's to run away but is then captured by his enemies. They talk about plans to rob Duncan's toy chest that night, afterwards Kevin escapes on the back of a horse and carriage. In Florida, the McCallisters find out their son is using Peter's credit card in New York, they then fly to find him. Having noted that his Uncle has a house in the city Kevin tries to visit him, he does find the house but the house is undergoing renovations while his Uncle is on holiday in Paris. Later in Central Park, Kev comes across the pigeon lady again, and when he gets his foot stuck in a rock she helps him instead of hurting him as he expected. He goes with the pigeon lady to her storage room flat above a music hall, whilst listening to music he learns how her life has fallen apart and how she deals with it by the seeking affection from pigeons in the park. Kevin vows to her that he'll be her friend. After leaving the flat, Kevin heads to his Uncle's house and sets booby traps inside, like he did with his own in the previous film, he then goes to the toy store during the Sticky Bandits raid. From there, all Hell breaks lose and I won't reveal any more. I love Christmas films but I have high standards for them, honestly I can't be bothered with Christmas light competitions or cringey reindeer stories. Home Alone is something different, the first film was a breath of fresh air, nobody had covered that story before and I think that's why people flocked to see it instead of the same old Rudolph story that was the appeal factor. I'm not sure how much appeal factor the sequel had though, there's only so many things you can do with a kid being at home by himself, but Home Alone 2 rings the best out of the dry towel that is the Home Alone franchise. On some levels it is repetitive, however it's still really good film and more specifically a really good Christmas film, in fact one of the best in my opinion. Plus, Macaulay Culkan jumped ship at the right moment because the rest of the Home Alone films were truly rubbish, (I think that's about the only thing Macaulay did right in his career other than doing the first 2 films.) RATING: 8.3/10
Best parts: Checking into the Plaza Kicking the Sticky Bandits butts The pigeon lady
Home Alone (1990)
Quality at Xmas
Home alone review
Home alone is a warm, family comedy film made in 1990, it was written and produced by John Hughes and was directed by Chris Columbus. The main part of Kevin McCallister is played by Macaulay Culkin, his parents are played by John Heard and Catherine O'Hara and the villains (the wet bandits) are played by Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern. The signature tune is made by John Williams, musician of 'Star Wars', 'Harry Potter' and 'Lord of the Rings'. 20th Century Fox bought the plan for home alone from Warner Bros and upped the budget for the movie by $4 million, it turned out as a bargain for 20th Century Fox because it raked in $476,684,675 at the box office; and as of 2009, home alone was the highest grossing comedy of all time! The McCallisters go to Paris for Christmas, however their eight-year-old son Kevin is left behind after sleeping in and not being awoken but being forgotten...bad parenting! In the mother's defence, she moves Heaven and Earth attempting to get back to her son. At first, Kev loves being alone by himself in his house, eating junk food, jumping on beds, watching scary movies, going through his brothers personal belongings, without anyone telling to do otherwise. But eventually, the young boy has to fight for himself and his home as two wannabe robbers plan to raid his house. He does this while helping repair the broken family of a man who once scared the life out of him, can an eight-year-old really manage to do this? Mend, cook, clean and kick butt? After writing my Hobbit review I re-read my previous reviews, and of course I came across my Home Alone 2 review. It stated that the home alone's were really good Christmas films, and conveniently my parents had bought me the box set the previous day...good parenting! So I decided to do some Christmassy things (decorated the cake that my Grandad baked and put up my tree) whilst watching it. This movie is just as good as it's sequel, which means this film has to be quality because number two had an automatic advantage due to the fact it was in New York. This film is the first of it's kind, an individual, not repetitive, a breath of fresh air which I pointed out it's sequel review; John Hughes must have been just as tired as me with boring ol' movies that are remade every year, he must have had to rack his brains for a while in order to think up a plot like that, it's pure random gold! Anyway, I love this film, the plot is magic, the actors are magic, the music is magic and I think it well deserves to be the highest grossing comedy of all time! I think that's why it's follow-up had to be something special, in order to not be one of the biggest movie let downs of all time, and that's why three and four were. So, Well done John Hughes and Chris Columbus (for one and two, not three and four because they were a massive let down.) RATING: 8.3/10
Best parts: Kevin's initial reaction to being left alone The booby trap fight The ending (oh, how cute!?)