My latest DVD rental sees a long line of incredible actors break out of a war prison and walk home... not that great you might think until you realise they will have to walk for weeks before reaching civilisation and through uninhabitable lands of snow, wind and desert. Oh and they're low on food and water. The film, inspired supposedly by a true story, stars Colin Farrell, Ed Harris, Jim Sturgess, Mark Strong and Saoirse Ronan and sees them on an epic walk for survival.
Janusz (Sturgess) has just arrived at the Siberian gulag after being falsely accused of being a spy. His wife has been tortured into confessing all and he knows only he can forgive her. So, not long after he arrives he manages to enlist a few people to help him escape and join him on the long walk back.
Cinematically, the film is staggering as they walk through blizzards, forests, lakes, deserts and everything in between. The acting is great, if a little bizarre with all the eastern European accents (except for Ed Harris - who I envisage rather comically just flat-out refusing to do any accent but his own). It's a long arduous film, to reflect their journey as the group gets smaller and smaller.
I imagine this film would have been much more epic on the big screen, as the shots of landscapes are simply breath-taking (akin to those of Lord of the Rings though far more harsh than picturesque).
The real let-down is the final scene which is so overly sentimental it just didn't fit with the rest of the film. Other than that, worth a watch if you like the slightly depressing.
Horrible Bosses is the story of three guys who are so unhappy with their bosses, and don't feel like they can quit their jobs, that they decide to off them. What they don't realise is that life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans and as they try to come up with the best way to achieve their goal, their plans go slightly awry.
The three guys are not the important part of this film though - it is the bosses who steal the show. Jennifer Aniston plays Julia, the sex crazed man-eater, Kevin Spacey plays Dave Harken, the psycho and Colin Farrell (not remotely attractive thanks to some hair and make-up magic!) plays Bobby, the coke-head "tool". Harken clearly is slightly unhinged, Julia will get her man even if she has to resort to blackmail and when Bobby tells his guy to "trim the fat" he literally means fire the fat people.
With brilliant and all-too-minor cameos from Donald Sutherland and Jamie Foxx, the men's attempts to rid themselves of these evil bosses go from bad to worse in what is a surprising and hilarious plot. I had absolutely no clue what was going to happen in the next scene, let alone the end of the film. The whole cinema was laughing out loud (often embarrassingly so).
Sadly, it's a little too like The Hangover which makes it look like its not as cool cousin but still very worth a watch.
This film is sentimental. If you hate sentimental films do not watch it! If you think you can stand one woman's search to 'find herself' then give this film a look. I haven't read the book so cannot comment but the film was actually lovely. It's not overly sentimental just honest as a recently divorced (by her own doing I might add) Liz decides that life without feeling is useless and embarks on a year abroad to learn once more how to get back her appetite - for food and feelings.
The scenery is INCREDIBLE! (Possibly helped by the fact that I have just got back from Rome myself) and her journey is plausible - helped by the fact its based on a memoir not a book of fiction. The people she meets along the way are quirky and brilliant in their own ways and each have a part to play. The yummy Javier Bardiem is as fab as always.
This film is great for its story, characters and scenery and is not just for those post break-up looking for inspiration but for anyone who has looked at their life and just thought - there's got to be more than this.
Not worth it on the big screen but good on DVD.
LE xx
Social Network
Funny moments - when Eduardo's crazy girlfriend doesn't understand why he hasn't responded to her 47 messages and then sets fire to his room, the opening conversation which starts it all and the final scene where Zuckerberg friend requests the girl that started it all.
Oh and Andrew Garfield is hot - I'd probably keep watching if he was reading the yellow pages.
The rest is dull, only made interesting by the fact that its based on reality.
In Bruges
When this film was first released it didn't do too well. But it has developed, over time, into a bit of cult classic with a loyal group of followers spreading the word of its brilliance. And I am now one of them.
The film is fundamentally a serious one. The plot is based on two hired hitmen (Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson) who are sent to the remote Belgian town of Bruges after a hit goes wrong by their boss (Ralph Fiennes).
But the banter between the two is the funniest thing I have seen in years. Well done to the scriptwriters and the main cast are just brill. Add to this the constant Bruges bashing, the insults, the complete un-PCness of the entire film and the random inclusion of a dwarf and a film dream sequence and you have pure comedy genius.
Fiennes is fantastic as always as the cockney gangster and the one-liners throughout made me laugh out loud. It's been a while since a film has made me smile as much as this one did - go and see it right now!
RED (Retired, Extremely Dangerous)
I'll admit it was the cast more than the plot that drew me to this one. For those who don't know the plot is about a bunch of ex-CIA agents who are being systematically wiped out and they have no idea why. Of course, they won't go down without a fight...
Bruce Willis is seriously like a fine wine and just gets better with age. Throw in Helen Mirren with a machine gun and the likes of Morgan Freeman and John Malkovich and you've got yourself a kick-ass film! The one-liners are brill, the acting is ace but of course it is the cast list is made up of the best actors over the age of 40. John Malkovich is once again playing the crazy man - but just because you're paranoid doesn't mean you're not being followed! Bruce Willis is just trying to get a date but can't seem to leave the old CIA life behind.
Favourite dialogue from the whole film: Marvin Boggs: [from trailer ] Why are you trying to kill me? Frank Moses: Look, why would I be trying to kill you? Marvin Boggs: Because last time we met, I tried to kill you. Frank Moses: That was a long time ago. Marvin Boggs: Some people hold on to things like that.
It was silly and will win no Oscars but was class-A viewing and made me laugh hysterically on many occasions. The good thing is you don't have to really pay too much attention so it works brilliantly for a night in with your mates and a bottle of vino. It's also got enough violence to keep the guys interested.
Check out Bruce Willis walking away guns-a-blazing from a moving vehicle:
