Short – Jurassic Park (Sweded)
Tag: adaptation
100 Word Review – Breakfast At Tiffany’s (1961)
“A girl can’t read that sort of thing without her lipstick.” – Holly Golightly
Based on the novel by Truman Capote of a prostitute and her next door neighbour, this Hollywood version keeps all of the glamour of its source.
Holly Golightly (Audrey Hepburn), a New York Socialite, lives next door to ‘average Joe’ and hopeless romantic Paul Varjak (George Peppard) in this 1960s cult movie.
Screenplay by George Axelrod (The Seven Year Itch, Paris When It Sizzles), this film manages to live up to its stylish reputation while sneaking in some of the darkness and turmoil of the original story.
100 Word Review – Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)
Cosmic criminals, comedy, combat and a killer 80s soundtrack, what more could you want from this Marvel comic adaptation?
Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) is taken from Earth after the death of his mum, with only an epic mixtape to keep him company. 25 years later he calls himself Star Lord, and is an intergalactic thief, caught up in a bid to save the galaxy.
Writer/director James Gunn (Scooby-Doo) does a fantastic job of creating a three-dimensional ensemble cast that includes a talking tree (Vin Diesel), a wise-cracking racoon (Bradley Cooper) and a whole lot more. It’s an absolute joy to watch.
100 Word Review – The Illusionist (2010)
Not to be confused with the 2006 film of the same name, this French animation is based on a screenplay by Jacques Tati (Mon Oncle, Jour de Fete).
A French illusionist befriends a young Scottish woman and both of their lives change for ever.
It is the closest I’ve come to seeing a silent animation and the combination is mesmerising. Full of humour, charm and at times magic, this is a wonderful film for both adults and children alike.
Adapted and directed by Sylvain Chomet (Belleville Rendezvous, Paris je t’aime, Attila Marcel), it was nominated for the Best Animated Feature Oscar.
100 Word Review – Where The Wild Things Are (2009)
Based on the award winning children’s book by Maurice Sendak, this film is an exploration of the dark and wonderful imagination of a child called Max.
A young boy called Max (Max Records) runs away from home following a tantrum, retreating to a world of his own imagining full of wild beasts who hail Max as their King.
James Gandolfini, Paul Dano, Forest Whitaker and Catherine O’Hara provide voices for the wild things. Adapted and directed by Spike Jonze (Her, Being John Malkovich) it retains much of the awe inspiring magic of the book while adding a more complex plot.
100 Word Review – Cloud Atlas
Adapted from David Mitchell’s novel and directed by Tom Tykwer (Run Lola Run, Perfume:The Story of a Murderer) and the Wachowskis (The Matrix, V for Vendetta), this film is extraordinary.
There is no describing the plot. It crosses time and space in seconds, covering both the past, present and future as well as alternate worlds.
The cast is fantastic (Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, Hugo Weaving, Hugh Grant, Doona Bae, Jim Broadbent, Susan Sarandon) and the cinematography is exquisite. There is simply too much to see to take it in with one viewing. This film is Romantic with a capital R.
100 Word Review – Room (2015)
Adapted from the best selling novel by Emma Donoghue by the author herself, and directed by Lenny Abrahamson (Frank, What Richard Did), this film perfectly captures the sense of claustrophobia and terror of the two awe-inspiring leads.
Jack (Jacob Tremblay) is five. He has lived his whole life in one room with his mother (Brie Larson), visited only by their captor, Old Nick (Sean Bridges).
A heartbreaking story that there are far too many chilling modern day examples of. Tremblay is extraordinary, and Larson is well deserving of her Oscar. Currently #119 on IMDb’s Top 250, make sure you’re prepared to cry.
100 Word Review – Deadpool (2016)
This may be the perfect comic book movie.
Set in the X-Men universe, this is an origin story film for the funniest mutant around, Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds).
It’s the first feature for director Tim Miller, who was involved in the visual effects for Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, and it was written by the team behind Zombieland. It’s stylised, it’s got a dry and dark sense of humour, and it shows a tongue-in-cheek self-awareness which is missing from the more run-of-the-mill comic book movies.
Even the opening credits are hysterical. It’s not suitable for children, but definitely for everyone else!
100 Word Review – Secretary (2002)
Adapted from Mary Gaitskill’s short story by Erin Cressida Wilson (Men Women and Children, The Girl on the Train), this film has accrued the kind of cult acclaim that Fifty Shades could only dream of.
Lee (Maggie Gyllenhaal) is a troubled young lady with self-harming tendencies when she starts working at a small law firm for the demanding Mr. Grey (James Spader).
With strong themes of sexuality and BDSM, this film is dark and erotic and really human. It’s not for the squeamish or the faint of heart, but it is beautifully, stylishly done and the two leads are perfection.
100 Word Review – Josie and the Pussycats (2001)
“Conform! Free will is overrated! Jump on the bandwagon! There is no such place as Area 51!”
Josie (Rachael Leigh Cook), Valerie (Rosario Dawson) and Melody (Tara Reid) are The Pussycats, until they find themselves caught up in the middle of a subliminal international conspiracy to influence the world’s youth.
Seth Green, Breckin Meyer, Donald Faison and Alexander Martin co-star as boy band Du Jour, whose questionable lyrics will stick with you for days.
Written and directed by Harry Elfont and Deborah Kaplan (Can’t Hardly Wait, Surviving Christmas) and adapted from the Archie comics, expect brilliant silliness from beginning to end.
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