100 Words… – Page 20

100 Word Review – Insurgent (2015)

April 21, 2015March 6, 2016Posted in 100 Words..., F-Rated, Sci FiTagged adaptation, divergent, dystopian, future, insurgent, Kate Winslet, Sci Fi, Shailene Woodley, teen, Theo James1 Comment

So, I probably should have seen Divergent (2014) first, but this film definitely holds up as a stand alone film as well as part of a trilogy (albeit in four parts).

In a dystopian future, a community is split in to groups based on personality types. But Tris (Shailene Woodley) is different. Together with Four (Theo James) and co., they must fight against the tyranny of Jeanine’s (Kate Winslet) regime.

Although this does sound like every other teen Sci Fi, it stands out for its 3D characters, emotional gravitas (they have sex and it’s not a big deal!) and genuine suspense.

100 Word Review – Animal Farm (1954)

April 21, 2015March 6, 2016Posted in 100 Words...Tagged 1950s, adaptation, animals, animation, Batchelor and Halas, CIA, communism, George Orwell1 Comment

All animals are equal but some animals are more equal than others.

Based on the communist fable from George Orwell in which farmyard animals overthrow their human oppressors and attempt to forge their own path.

Not suitable for children. This isn’t Disney. The animation from Batchelor and Halas is simultaneously dated and timeless, creating an eerie sense of a warning being shouted across the ages.

It was funded to a large extent by the CIA as anti-communist propaganda. This film is so steeped in history it’s impossible to ignore, and is probably best enjoyed with a generous side of Wiki.

100 Word Review – This Is Spinal Tap (1984)

April 18, 2015March 6, 2016Posted in 100 Words..., ComedyTagged Christopher Guest, Comedy, Harry Shearer, Michael McKean, mocumentary, Musical, Rob Reiner, Spinal Tap1 Comment

If you have never seen a mockumentary, this is where to start.

Director Marty DiBergi (Rob Reiner) tries to capture the “sights, the sounds … the smells of a hard-working rock band”, Spinal Tap (Christopher Guest, Michael McKean and Harry Shearer). But this “legendary” British band turns out to not be quite so sort-after on their American comeback tour …

What follows is simply brilliant. When this film first came out many rock bands were convinced it was based on them. That’s how clever it is.

Once you’ve seen it, watch with the commentary which is Tap in character 25 years on. Priceless.

100 Word Review – Zombieland (2009)

April 17, 2015March 6, 2016Posted in 100 Words..., ComedyTagged Abigail Breslin, Comedy, dead, Emma Stone, Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, zombies3 Comments

Although recently the U.S. have spawned (or summoned) many zombie films, this one stands severed head and shoulders above the rest.

The dead have risen and a reclusive student (Jesse Eisenberg) has survived by following a strict set of rules. But when he meets Tallahassee (Woody Harrelson), a man on a mission to find Twinkies, he learns that even an apocalypse can be fun.

The film is made with style and a sense of humour and Emma Stone and Abigail Breslin are excellent as a pair of con artists they meet along the way. Watch out for the wonderful cameo.

100 Word Review – Dracula (1958)

April 16, 2015March 6, 2016Posted in 100 Words..., FantasyTagged Bela Lugosi, blood, Christopher Lee, Dracula, Fantasy, Frank Langella, Gary Oldman, Gerard Butler, Hammer Horror, Jonathan Rhys Myers, VictorianLeave a comment

Everyone knows the story of Dracula.

Not to be confused with the Gary Oldman one, or the Bela Lugosi one, or the Jonathan Rhys Myers one, or the Frank Langella one, and definitely not the Gerard Butler one (what were they thinking?), this is The Christopher Lee One.

Hammer Horror has an indisputable visual style that doesn’t fall into “naturalistic”. But who wants a naturalistic fantasy film? This is about escape! And blood, obviously.

The end result is a film akin to the Victorian penny dreadfuls; dramatic, passionate and satisfying. Trust me, once you’ve seen this one, you’ll be hooked.

100 Word Review – Bang Bang Baby (2014)

April 14, 2015March 6, 2016Posted in 100 Words..., F-Rated, Fantasy, Sci FiTagged 1950s, Fantasy, Hammer Horror, Jane Levy, Justin Chatwin, Musical, Sci Fi1 Comment

Definitely more Rocky Horror than Mamma Mia, with ample helpings of Bye Bye Birdie, and something of the Hammer Horror about it, this film defies accurate description.

Stepphy (Jane Levy) is a small-town girl with hopes of becoming a singer. But when her dad burns her acceptance letter to a national singing competition her dreams of meeting heart-throb Bobby Shore (Justin Chatwin) are dashed. Or are they? And what’s this about a leak at the local chemical plant?

There is nothing more I can say about this film except that it will be nothing like anything you’ve ever seen before.

100 Word Review – A Matter of Life and Death (1946)

April 13, 2015March 6, 2016Posted in 100 Words..., RomanceTagged 1940s, angel, classic, David Niven, debate, heaven, Kim Hunter, law, Powell and Pressburger, Romance, theology, warLeave a comment

Peter’s (Daid Niven) bomber is going down over the Channel. He makes radio contact with June (Kim Hunter), and American service woman and passes on his dying words.

But when his designated angelic guide gets lost in the fog, he wakes up near June’s house. So he finds himself caught up in a celestial legal battle for his life, literally.

Niven and Hunter are utterly compelling and completely heartbreaking in this classic Powell and Pressburger feature. Full of theological debate and logic, every detail has been clearly thought-through to create a film that is … heavenly.

More than your average romance.

100 Word Review – The Lego Movie (2014)

April 12, 2015March 6, 2016Posted in 100 Words..., ComedyTagged 21 Jump Street, adventure, Alison Brie, animation, Batman, children, Chris Pratt, Christopher Miller, Comedy, Elizabeth Banks, family, Lego, Phil Lord, Stop Motion, Unikitty, Will Arnett, Wyldstyle4 Comments

Everything is awesome.

There is nothing not to love about this film. It may be aimed at children, but once you get passed the obvious marketing ploys there is enough in it for everyone.

Emmett (Chris Pratt) is an average construction worker who accidentally gets stuck to the Piece of Resistance and finds himself helping Batman (Will Arnett), Wyldstyle (Elizabeth Banks) and Unikitty (Alison Brie) to save all of the worlds from Lord Business (Will Ferrell).

Written and directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, the team who directed 21 Jump Street (2012), this stop-motion animation is delightful from beginning to end.

100 Word Review – The Wicker Man (1973)

April 11, 2015March 6, 2016Posted in 100 Words...Tagged British, Edward Woodward, Horror, Hot Fuzz, Nicolas Cage, Saw, Sir Christopher Lee, SummerisleLeave a comment

Epically creepy and unnerving, do not confuse this original masterpiece with the Nicolas Cage misogynistic remake.

Sent to a remote Scottish island to investigate a missing girl, a policeman finds himself surrounded by its eccentric residents, who could be lass harmless than they seem. Edward Woodwood stars as the policeman, with the gothic master Sir Christopher Lee as the sinister island’s charismatic leader Lord Summerisle.

A seminal film in the horror genre, it has been hugely influential, inspiring the likes of Hot Fuzz (2007) and Saw (2004).

This is an eerie horror that will change your view of quaint British traditions forever.

100 Word Review – Moon (2009)

April 10, 2015March 6, 2016Posted in 100 Words..., Drama, Sci FiTagged computers, Drama, Duncan Jones, Kevin Spacey, Moon, Sam Rockwell, Sci Fi, suspense2 Comments

I think it is the silence of this film that moves me so completely. Duncan Jones’ debut feature film really does stand out from the crowd.

Sam Rockwell stars as Sam, the man who works on the moon, alone except for his computer GERTY (voiced by Kevin Spacey).

Rockwell is unbeatable in this role. This film rests firmly on his shoulders and he does not disappoint. It’s not surprising that the role was written for him.

For Sci Fi geeks, this film is full of winks and nods to the genres rich history. This may be the perfect Sci Fi.