Stanley Tucci – cinemescope

100 Word Review – Easy A (2010)

May 1, 2015March 6, 2016Posted in 100 Words..., Comedy, F-Rated, RomanceTagged 1980s, adaptation, Amanda Bynes, Comedy, Dan Byrd, Emma Stone, John Hughes, Lisa Kudrow, Malcolm McDowell, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Patricia Clarkson, Penn Badgley, Romance, Scarlett Letter, Stanley TucciLeave a comment

More than your average teen Rom Com.

Olive (Emma Stone) is a clean-cut student who, in an attempt to save her gay friend Brandon (Dan Byrd) from endless bullying, fakes losing her virginity at a party. But no-one can manipulate the High School rumour mill for ever and get away with it.

There are some seriously sized head-nods to classic John Hughes movies and Nathaniel Hawthorne’s Scarlett Letter (Easy “A”, get it?) plays its part. If Emma Stone wasn’t enough, the supporting cast’s fantastic; Stanley Tucci, Patricia Clarkson, Amanda Bynes, Penn Badgley, Lisa Kudrow, Malcolm McDowell.

Funny, romantic and empowering.

100 Word Review – The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 (2014)

April 26, 2015March 6, 2016Posted in 100 Words..., F-Rated, Sci FiTagged Action, adaptation, Donald Sutherland, dystopian, Elizabeth Banks, future, Hunger Games, Jennifer Lawrence, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Sci Fi, Stanley Tucci, Woody Harrelson1 Comment

You’ve seen the first one and the second one.

You are ready to follow Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence) into District 13, the heart of the resistance. What will Snow (Donald Sutherland) do to punish her betrayal? Does she really have the moral high ground? Is she fit to be Mockingjay?

Heavily built on the sturdy foundations of the previous films, don’t start with this one. However, it takes a good hard look at the intricacies of rebellion and the power of propaganda which is covered so well in the book (Read. The. Books.).

It’s the things we love most that destroy us.

100 Word Review – The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013)

April 25, 2015March 6, 2016Posted in 100 Words..., F-Rated, Sci FiTagged adaptation, Donald Sutherland, dystopian, Elizabeth Banks, future, Hunger Games, Jena Malone, Jennifer Lawrence, Panem, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Sci Fi, Stanley Tucci, Toby Jones, Woody Harrelson1 Comment

Sequel to The Hunger Games (2012), Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence) has survived her first Hunger Games, but will she survive the scrutinising gaze of The Capitol and Panem’s terrifying leader, President Snow (Donald Sutherland).

With all the drama and almost as much of the politics as the books (read the books!), this opens up Panem in a way the first film couldn’t.

The cast is fantastic (Philip Seymour Hoffman, Stanley Tucci, Toby Jones, Jenna Malone) and the visuals are just as breath-taking. Prepare yourself for media spin, duplicity and rebellion.

Nobody ever wins the games. Period. There are survivors. There’s no winners.