100 Words… – Page 16

100 Word Review – Sightseers (2012)

June 2, 2015March 6, 2016Posted in 100 Words..., ComedyTagged A Field In England, Alice Lowe, Ben Wheatley, British, Comedy, dark, Kill List, Steve Oram, ThrillerLeave a comment

This film is proof that you don’t have to go far from home to create a truly twisted feature.

In an attempt to show his girlfriend (writer Alice Lowe) the world, Chris (co-writer Steve Oram) takes her on a caravan holiday in the Lake District. But as circumstances seem to conspire against them, they deal with it the only way they can… Murder.

Dark, hilarious and full of those little frustrations that most Brits are too, well, British to confront.

Director Ben Wheatley (Kill List, A Field In England) is a master of the macabre, and one to watch for.

100 Word Review – Man Up (2015)

June 1, 2015March 6, 2016Posted in 100 Words..., Comedy, F-Rated, RomanceTagged Ben Palmer, British, Comedy, Harriet Walter, Lake Bell, Olivia Williams, Ophelia Lovibond, Romance, Sharon Horgan, Simon Pegg, Tess Morris, The Inbetweeners MovieLeave a comment

Currently in cinemas across the UK, buy your tickets now!

Lake Bell (yes, she’s American but she can do a surprisingly good British accent) stars as Nancy, a cynical 30-something who ends up on someone else’s blind date, with not-quite-over-it divorcee Jack (Simon Pegg).

With a whole host of excellent British actors (too many to mention here), this is the debut feature from writer Tess Morris and hopefully the first of many! Director Ben Palmer (The Inbetweeners Movie) has done a marvellous job, taking the audience on a journey that is truly awkward, funny, romantic and just down right wonderful.

100 Word Review – Tank Girl (1995)

May 31, 2015March 6, 2016Posted in 100 Words..., Comedy, F-Rated, Fantasy, Sci FiTagged Action, Alan Martin, Comedy, f-rated, Fantasy, feminist, IMDb, Jamie Hewlett, Lori Petty, Malcolm McDowell, MGM, Naomi Watts, post apocalyptic, Rachel Talalay, Sci FiLeave a comment

This film is the epitome of 1990s grunge.

In a post-apocalyptic world where water is scarce, Rebecca (Lori Petty) teams up with Jet (Naomi Watts) to fight against the mega-corporation (run by Malcolm McDowell) controlling all the water and power. She’s foul mouthed, completely barmy and hilariously funny.

Based on a British comic strip by Alan Martin and Jamie Hewlett, directed by Rachel Talalay, it is a brilliant piece of feminist filmmaking, despite the extensive cuts made by MGM before release (see the trivia on IMDb for some interesting reading!).

It’s brutal yet highly entertaining with a wonderful 1990s soundtrack.

100 Word Review – Pan’s Labyrinth (2006)

May 31, 2015March 6, 2016Posted in 100 Words..., FantasyTagged 1940s, Doug Jones, Fantasy, Guillermo del Toro, IMDb, Ivana Baquero, Oscars, Spain, warLeave a comment

This is not a light film, you have been warned.

Set in 1940s Spain, Ofelia (Ivana Baquero) escapes from the horrors closing in on her into creepy, captivating fantasy world based on the fairy tales she loves so much. Led by a faun (Doug Jones), Ofelia completes quests to prove herself.

Another fairytale that is Grimm in every sense, it deconstructs the psyche of a child trapped in an impossible situation.

Written and directed by the hugely talented Guillermo del Toro (Hellboy, Cronos), unsurprisingly it won three Oscars including make-up and cinematography and is currently the 126th on IMDb’s Top 250.

100 Word Review – The Cabin In The Woods (2012)

May 30, 2015March 6, 2016Posted in 100 Words..., ComedyTagged Amy Acker, Anna Hutchison, Bradley Whitford, Chris Hemsworth, Comedy, Drew Goddard, Fran Kranz, Horror, Jesse Williams, Joss Whedon, Kristen Connolly, Richard Jenkins, Thriller, Tom Lenk1 Comment

My love of Joss Whedon is well documented and unsurprisingly this is no exception.

A group of good-looking students (Chris Hemsworth, Kristen Connolly, Jesse Williams, Fran Kranz, Anna Hutchison) decide to take a break in a remote cabin in the woods (see what they did there?) and get more than they expected.

Other members of the Whedon gang make appearances (Amy Acker, Tom Lenk) along with some other classic actors (Bradley Whitford, Richard Jenkins).

Written by Whedon and directed by Drew Goddard (Cloverfield and World War Z writer), this is more than your classic horror. It’s imaginative, creative and thrilling.

100 Word Review – Princess Mononoke (1997)

May 28, 2015March 6, 2016Posted in 100 Words..., F-Rated, Fantasy, Sci FiTagged animals, animation, Anime, eco-warrior, family, Fantasy, Hayao Miyazaki, Japanese, Sci Fi, Studio Ghibli1 Comment

I love this film. It’s another classic eco-warrior princess fairytale from the marvellous Studio Ghibli.

While trying to save his home town from a rampaging bear god, Ashitaka is cursed. Forced to venture into the forest, he becomes caught between two warring forces: the humans and the spirits of the forest, lead by Princess Mononoke.

This fairytale is Grimm in every sense, and as such is not Ghibli’s most family friendly feature. The animation is beautiful and truly transportative, with Hayao Miyazaki the driving force behind it.

If that wasn’t enough, it currently sits number 71 of the top 250 on IMDb.

100 Word Review – The Truman Show (1998)

May 27, 2015March 6, 2016Posted in 100 Words..., Comedy, RomanceTagged Andrew Niccol, Comedy, Dead Poets Society, Ed Harris, IMDb, Jim Carrey, Laura Linney, Lord of War, Peter Weir, RomanceLeave a comment

I was once told that this film was a warning from Hollywood about the lizards who were controlling the world from their base on the Moon. Whether or not that’s true, this is still a film that everyone should watch.

Jim Carrey stars as Truman, an insurance salesman whose whole life has been part of a reality tv show without his knowledge.

With the marvellous Laura Linney and Ed Harris supporting and director Peter Weir (Dead Poets Society) bringing Andrew Niccol’s (Lord of War) words to life, the Oscar nominations are to be expected. Funny, romantic, sad, paranoia-enducing; simply wonderful.

100 Word Review – Gone Girl (2014)

May 26, 2015March 6, 2016Posted in 100 Words..., Drama, ThrillerTagged adaptation, Ben Affleck, crime, David Fincher, Drama, Gillian Flynn, IMDb, Neil Patrick Harris, Rosamund Pike, suspense, Thriller1 Comment

Not as good as the book, in part because of Ben Affleck, this is still one of the best films I saw in 2014.

Adapted from the novel by its author, Gillian Flynn, this film about a missing wife (brilliantly portrayed by Rosamund Pike) has the suspense of the best crime thriller and the emotional gravitas of a personal drama.

Neil Patrick Harris is superb as the eerie ex, which makes it even more of a shame that Affleck couldn’t bring the depth his character needed.

Despite this it’s truly fantastic and chilling, and will leave you on edge for weeks.

100 Word Review – Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)

May 25, 2015March 6, 2016Posted in 100 Words..., Fantasy, Sci FiTagged Action, Charlize Theron, Fantasy, feminism, George Miller, IMDb, Mad Max, Nicholas Hoult, post apocalyptic, Sci Fi, Tom Hardy1 Comment

Despite the criticism that this film has received from a small corner of the internet, this film is epically awesome!

Part 4 of the Mad Max saga sees Max (Tom Hardy) caught up in a fight between Immortan Joe (Hugh Keays-Byrne) and Furiosa (Charlize Theron) in a stark desert post-apocalyptic world.

Although Tom Hardy is a strange choice, the rest of the cast is shiny and chrome! Nicholas Hoult is superb as Nux.

Writer and director George Millar clearly has an eye for the visually breath-taking, managing to highlight simultaneously the beauty and ridiculousness of ultra violence. I didn’t blink once.

100 Word Review – The Big Lebowski (1998)

May 24, 2015March 6, 2016Posted in 100 Words..., Comedy, DramaTagged Comedy, Drama, Jeff Bridges, John Goodman, Julianne Moore, Lebowski, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Sam Elliott, Steve Buscemi, surreal, The Coen Brothers2 Comments

“That rug really tied the room together.” – The Dude

Chances are you have quoted this film without even knowing it.

The Dude (Jeff Bridges) a.k.a. Lebowski is mistaken for a millionaire Lebowski, and gets caught up in a series of events made worse by his barmy friends, Walter (John Goodman) and Donny (Steve Buscemi).

Narrated by The Stranger (Sam Elliott), this has all the twists and turns you would hope for from a Coen Brothers feature. With a supporting cast of the likes of Philip Seymour Hoffman and Julianne Moore, it is little surprise that it’s currently in IMDb’s top 250.