I do love me a bit of IMDb ratings and if you follow me on Twitter I'll have annoyed you a lot with my rating posts, I'm sure. Apologies for that. Anyways, here are my ratings for all the films I have seen this year. Stephen, this is for you...
Pitch Perfect (Comedy/Musical; Anna Kendrick): 8/10.
The Sitter (Comedy; Jonah Hill): 5.5/10.
Life of Pi (Adventure/Drama; Suraj Sharma & Irrfan Khan): 7.5+/10.
Project X (Comedy; Thomas Mann): 5/10.
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (Adventure/Fantasy; Martin Freeman): 8/10.
Seven Psychopaths: (Dark Comedy; Colin Farrell): 7.5+/10.
Silver Linings Playbook (Comedy/Drama/Romance; Bradley Cooper & Jennifer Lawrence): 8/10.
Great Expectations (Drama; Ralph Fiennes): 7/10.
Goon (Comedy; Sean William Scott): 2/10.
Jack and Jill (Comedy; Adam Sandler): 2/10.
Here Comes The Boom (Comedy; Kevin James): 1.5/10.
Casa de mi Padre (Comedy; Will Ferrell): 7/10.
Argo (Drama/Thriller; Ben Affleck): 7.5/10.
Skyfall (Action/Crime; Daniel Craig): 8.5/10.
Looper (Action/Sci-Fi; Joseph Gordon-Levitt): 7.5/10.
Taken 2 (Action/Thriller; Liam Neeson): 4.5/10.
Sinister (Horror/Thriller; Ethan Hawke): 7/10.
Ruby Sparks (Romance/Comedy; Paul Dano): 6/10.
The Perks of Being a WallFlower (Drama/Romance/Comedy; Logan Lerman): 8/10.
Lawless (Crime/Drama; Shia LaBeouf): 7/10.
The Campaign (Comedy; Will Ferrell & Zach Galifianakis): 7.5/10.
Paranormal Activity 4 (Horror; Katie Featherston): 5/10.
The Expendables 2 (Action/Thriller; Sylvester Stallone): 5.5/10.
House at the End of the Street (Horror; Jennifer Lawrence): 6/10.
Anna Karenina (Drama; Keira Knightly): 7+/10.
Hope Springs (Comedy/Romance/Drama; Tommy Lee Jones & Meryl Streep): 8/10.
Total Recall (Action/Sci-Fi; Colin Farrell): 7/10.
The Sweeney (Crime/Action; Ray Winstone): 7/10.
The Possession (Horror; Jeffrey Dean Morgan): 6/10.
The Watch (Comedy; Ben Stiller): 6.5/10.
The Dark Knight Rises (Action/Crime/Drama; Christian Bale): 8+/10
Iron Sky (Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Comedy; Julia Dietze): 3/10.
Keith Lemon: The Movie (Comedy; Keith Lemon (Leigh Francis): 1/10.
The Wedding Video (Comedy/Romance; Lucy Punch): 4/10.
Ted (Comedy; Seth MacFarlane): 8/10.
The Amazing Spider-Man (Action/Fantasy; Andrew Garfield): 8/10.
Men in Black 3 (Sci-Fi/Comedy/Action; Will Smith & Tommy Lee Jones): 5/10.
The Five Year Engagement (Comedy/Romance; Jason Segel): 5/10.
Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter (Action/Fantasy; Benjamin Walker): 7/10.
Dark Shadows (Fantasy/Comedy; Johnny Depp): 5/10.
Silent House (Horror/Thriller; Elizabeth Olsen): 5/10.
Salmon Fishing in the Yemen (Drama/Comedy; Ewan McGregor & Emily Blunt): 7/10.
21 Jump Street (Comedy/Action; Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum): 8/10.
The Hunger Games (Action/Fantasy; Jennifer Lawrence): 8/10.
The Women in Black (Horror/Drama; Daniel Radcliffe): 5/10.
Monday, 31 December 2012
Saturday, 29 December 2012
The 2012 Film Review: 'The Watsie Awards'
I know you have all been waiting on the edge of your seats for 'The Watsie Awards' to be announced, but the wait is finally over! Yeah, yeah, I know no one else cares... Anyway, to satisfying my own film geekyness I have compiled seven different awards that have been given to films released this year. Let me know if you agree/disagree with any of my selections. It was very tough, especially picking the film of the year. 2012 has been a good 'un for films.
1. Skyfall: I decided to go with Skyfall because, to be honest, I have never been a massive Bond fan, but I thought this was such a great film. It was a different kind of Bond movie. It was darker, grittier and certainly not as flashy and over-the-top as many Bond films are. The film relied more on the performances of the actors and the story being told than the flashy cars and gizmo's. It is definitely my favourite ever Bond film.
2. The Dark Knight Rises: Christopher Nolan knows how to make a Hollywood blockbuster. It has been an incredibly successful trilogy, finished off with another fantastic piece of cinema. Was it as good as The Dark Knight? In my opinion, no. The Joker was a better villain than Baine and the way Nolan chose to kill Baine off was a little bit of an anti-climax. However, it was still an fantastic film with another cracking performance from the ever-excellent Christian Bale.
Comedy of the Year:
1. 21 Jump Street: It was tough to choose between this and Ted and on another day it may have been the other way round. However 21 Jump Street gets my vote because it surprised me how good it was. We knew Ted would deliver on being funny, but I was not so sure about 21 Jump Street. Any film new film before this that had Jonah Hill in it always made me sceptical. However, he has had a good year and has turned it around in my eyes. He and Channing Tatum made an impressive comedy double-act in this consistently funny film. Some very good lines, Ice Cube as Captain Dickson, a nice cameo from Johnny Depp and the relationship of the two leading men make this a comedy that is well worth a watch.
2. Ted: Seth MacFarlane needs no introduction. If you like Family Guy and American Dad, you will most definitely like Ted. A different character, but the same humour. Thankfully for us MacFarlane was able to recreate the Family Guy humour and make it work in a full-length feature film. Mark Wahlberg once again proved his worth as a comedy actor playing alongside his loud-mouthed teddy bear companion.
3. The Campaign: I would just like to clarify that this has not got in to the top three because Will Ferrell is in it, although that is clearly a massive plus point. I actually did not expect this to be that good and its early ratings were mixed. However, I really enjoyed it. I thought it was a great mickey-take out of the American political system by two fine comedy actors in Will Ferrell and Zach Galifanakis. It plays on all the factors involved in an American election campaign, including the debates and promotional videos as well as discussing the idea of corruption (shock, horror!)
Worst Film of the Year:
1. Keith Lemon: The Movie: Horrible, just horrible. Cheesy, lazy and just, well, embarrassing. The Keith Lemon humour works well on a game/panel show like Celebrity Juice, as he can bounce off and take the mickey out of the people competing. In a movie spread out over 90 minutes, with a poor storyline and an endless supply of celebrity cameos, it gets very boring, very quickly. One of the worst films I have ever seen.
2. Here Comes The Boom: When I see Kevin James in a film I know it is not going to be my sort of thing. I knew it would be bad, but a 1.5/10 bad? Nope. Lazy, cheap comedy, with an extremely cheesy Rocky rip-off ending.
3. Jack & Jill: This is another, in an ever-growing list, of rubbish Adam Sandler films. Why did Johnny Depp and Al Pacino lower themselves to agree to appear in such a film? When a person plays more than one of the lead characters in a film, you know it is risky. Adam Sandler seems to have this high-pitched voice he puts on in a lot of his films, of which in this one he passes off as 'Jill' the annoying sister. Lazy, lazy stuff.
Special Mentions For: Goon and The Wedding Video.
Bradley Cooper (Silver Linings Playbook): Best known for his role in the hit-comedy franchise The Hangover, Cooper proved once more his depth as an actor putting in an exceptional performance as Pat Solitano, a Bipolar suffer who has just been released from a mental institute. Portraying mental illness in a sensitive light is always a tricky job, but Cooper does it perfectly, adding humour and honesty to a difficult subject matter. His performance has been rightly recognised with a Golden Globes nomination, as has the outstanding Jennifer Lawrence.
Tommy Lee Jones (Hope Springs): There is not many films where Meryl Streep is out-shone. Tommy Lee Jones was superb as the distant, unapproachable husband in this surprisingly enjoyable mature rom-com. It is very disappointing to see that only Streep has been recognised for her role in this film in the Golden Globes nominations. Jones would have more than deserved a place on that list.
Worst Performance: (Joint Winners)
Henry Winkler (Here Comes The Boom): 'The Fonz' let himself down big style in this film. It was an extremely cringeworthy performance as a High School teacher. It was overplayed and just not funny, at all. I expect better, Henry.
Anyone in Keith Lemon: The Movie: Do I need to explain myself here, really? Kevin Bishop; Oh dear, oh dear...
The 'I actually quite enjoyed that and was not expecting to' Film:
Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter: I went to see this film expecting it to be rubbish. I mean, Lincoln hunting vampires? Come on! However, it strangely worked. It was actually quite historically accurate (bar the vampire bit, of course), with some excellent action scenes that thankfully were not overplayed, making for an entertaining film.
Special Mentions For: Hope Springs and Anna Karenina.
Biggest Let Down:
Taken 2: The original was an 18 certificate and generally well thought of. The sequel was a 12a and, erm, not so much. You could tell the difference. Granted I have not seen the original, but I have heard good things off of people who have. Taken 2 was weak, very weak. Presumably the action sequences that made the first so popular were cut to make it a lesser certificate. This is disappointing. I was left massively underwhelmed by it all. Sorry, Liam.
Special Mentions For: The Woman In Black and Dark Shadows.
Films in 2013 to Look out For:
Les Miserables (11th January)
Django Unchained (18th January)
Lincoln (25th January)
Hitchcock (8th February)
Cloud Atlas (22 February)
The Great Gatsby (17th May)
Man of Steel (14th June)
World War Z (21st June)
This is the End (28th June)
The Lone Ranger (9th August)
The World's End (14th August)
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (22nd November)
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (13th December)
Anchorman: The Legend Continues (20th December)
Film of the Year:
1. Skyfall: I decided to go with Skyfall because, to be honest, I have never been a massive Bond fan, but I thought this was such a great film. It was a different kind of Bond movie. It was darker, grittier and certainly not as flashy and over-the-top as many Bond films are. The film relied more on the performances of the actors and the story being told than the flashy cars and gizmo's. It is definitely my favourite ever Bond film.2. The Dark Knight Rises: Christopher Nolan knows how to make a Hollywood blockbuster. It has been an incredibly successful trilogy, finished off with another fantastic piece of cinema. Was it as good as The Dark Knight? In my opinion, no. The Joker was a better villain than Baine and the way Nolan chose to kill Baine off was a little bit of an anti-climax. However, it was still an fantastic film with another cracking performance from the ever-excellent Christian Bale.
3. The Amazing Spider-Man: Excellent effects, great on-screen chemistry between Emma Stone and the new (and very impressive) Spiderman Andrew Garfield, as well as an impressive villian in Rhys Ifans (The Lizard) made for an extremely impressive re-take of The Amazing Spiderman story.
1. 21 Jump Street: It was tough to choose between this and Ted and on another day it may have been the other way round. However 21 Jump Street gets my vote because it surprised me how good it was. We knew Ted would deliver on being funny, but I was not so sure about 21 Jump Street. Any film new film before this that had Jonah Hill in it always made me sceptical. However, he has had a good year and has turned it around in my eyes. He and Channing Tatum made an impressive comedy double-act in this consistently funny film. Some very good lines, Ice Cube as Captain Dickson, a nice cameo from Johnny Depp and the relationship of the two leading men make this a comedy that is well worth a watch. 2. Ted: Seth MacFarlane needs no introduction. If you like Family Guy and American Dad, you will most definitely like Ted. A different character, but the same humour. Thankfully for us MacFarlane was able to recreate the Family Guy humour and make it work in a full-length feature film. Mark Wahlberg once again proved his worth as a comedy actor playing alongside his loud-mouthed teddy bear companion.
Special Mentions: Seven Psychopaths and Hope Springs.
Worst Film of the Year:
1. Keith Lemon: The Movie: Horrible, just horrible. Cheesy, lazy and just, well, embarrassing. The Keith Lemon humour works well on a game/panel show like Celebrity Juice, as he can bounce off and take the mickey out of the people competing. In a movie spread out over 90 minutes, with a poor storyline and an endless supply of celebrity cameos, it gets very boring, very quickly. One of the worst films I have ever seen. 2. Here Comes The Boom: When I see Kevin James in a film I know it is not going to be my sort of thing. I knew it would be bad, but a 1.5/10 bad? Nope. Lazy, cheap comedy, with an extremely cheesy Rocky rip-off ending.
3. Jack & Jill: This is another, in an ever-growing list, of rubbish Adam Sandler films. Why did Johnny Depp and Al Pacino lower themselves to agree to appear in such a film? When a person plays more than one of the lead characters in a film, you know it is risky. Adam Sandler seems to have this high-pitched voice he puts on in a lot of his films, of which in this one he passes off as 'Jill' the annoying sister. Lazy, lazy stuff.
Special Mentions For: Goon and The Wedding Video.
Best Performance: (Joint Winners)
Bradley Cooper (Silver Linings Playbook): Best known for his role in the hit-comedy franchise The Hangover, Cooper proved once more his depth as an actor putting in an exceptional performance as Pat Solitano, a Bipolar suffer who has just been released from a mental institute. Portraying mental illness in a sensitive light is always a tricky job, but Cooper does it perfectly, adding humour and honesty to a difficult subject matter. His performance has been rightly recognised with a Golden Globes nomination, as has the outstanding Jennifer Lawrence. Tommy Lee Jones (
Henry Winkler (Here Comes The Boom): 'The Fonz' let himself down big style in this film. It was an extremely cringeworthy performance as a High School teacher. It was overplayed and just not funny, at all. I expect better, Henry.Anyone in Keith Lemon: The Movie: Do I need to explain myself here, really? Kevin Bishop; Oh dear, oh dear...
Special Mentions For: Hope Springs and Anna Karenina.
Taken 2: The original was an 18 certificate and generally well thought of. The sequel was a 12a and, erm, not so much. You could tell the difference. Granted I have not seen the original, but I have heard good things off of people who have. Taken 2 was weak, very weak. Presumably the action sequences that made the first so popular were cut to make it a lesser certificate. This is disappointing. I was left massively underwhelmed by it all. Sorry, Liam. Special Mentions For: The Woman In Black and Dark Shadows.
Films in 2013 to Look out For:
Les Miserables (11th January)
Django Unchained (18th January)
Lincoln (25th January)
Hitchcock (8th February)
Cloud Atlas (22 February)
The Great Gatsby (17th May)
Man of Steel (14th June)
World War Z (21st June)
This is the End (28th June)
The Lone Ranger (9th August)
The World's End (14th August)
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (22nd November)
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (13th December)
Anchorman: The Legend Continues (20th December)
Monday, 24 September 2012
The Good, The Bad, The Terrible: Films I Have Recently Viewed
I will tell you what has been a fantastic investment- my Cineworld Unlimited Card. I am in film heaven! Since I got my card it is fair to say I have taken full advantage of it. I have been going film crazy over the last few weeks, watching everything from the surprisingly excellent \\\'Hope Springs\\\' to the darn right awful (awful is kind) \\\'Keith Lemon: The Movie\\\'. This blog was set up so I could do film reviews, but as of yet I have been very slack. I would apologise if I thought anyone really cared! As I have been slack I thought I would do a brief summary of most of the films I have viewed over the last few weeks, and then in the weeks to come I will hopefully write some proper individual reviews for the films I view.
Right then, \\\'The Good\\\':
\\\'Hope Springs\\\': 8/10
Out of all the films I have watched of late, this came as the biggest shock to me. I went in expecting to not enjoy it, but I have to say, I loved it. Yes it was cringeworthy in places, but good humoured cringeworthy-ness. It was funny, engaging, charming, all pulled together by its two leading stars in Tommy Lee Jones and Meryl Streep. Streep is not often outdone, but Jones\\\' performance as the stubborn husband is one of my favourite performances this year. Maybe it is just me, but I would not watch this with my parents. I will not go in to too much detail, but I will never be able to look at Meryl Streep the same again after watching this. \\\'Hope Springs\\\', get on it! Highly recommended.
\\\'Anna Karenina\\\': 7.5/10
I went in expecting a rather slow paced drama-type film. I was pleasantly surprised. The way it was shot impressed me the most, despite the very talented cast. Most of the film was based in a theatre setting which fitted well to the storyline. Love, betrayal, lust... it all seemed to be one big play. It was quicker than I expected which made it more engaging for someone who does not usually watch these sorts of films, which I really liked. As mentioned previously, the talented cast did not disappoint either with their performances. Definitely worth a watch.
\\\'The Sweeney\\\': 7/10
Ben Drew (Plan B) is a talented bloke. He not just raps and sings, he once again proves he can act. Cockney crime films are not usually my cup of tea and I did worry about how cheesy and stereotypical this could be. This was not the case. It was not just engaging with well put together action scenes that were not too drawn out, it added humour and emotion in to the mix well, as well. I am glad I watched it and I would definitely recommend.
\\\'The Watch\\\': 7/10
With an impressive group of comedy actors, including the ever impressive Vince Vaughn, this film did not disappoint. Not a classic comedy film, but it is certainly one which is consistent in its \\\'lol\\\' inducing abilities. If you fancy a laugh and enjoy seeing aliens running around in supermarkets on the big screen, go and see this film.
\\\'House at the End of the Street\\\': 6/10
I would not go as far as to say this is a particularly good film, but I can not ruin my blog title can I? It is more of a psychological horror film than one that will make you particularly jump out of your seat, which I was surprised about. I must state this film only received as high as 6 because of the twist, of which unfolded about two thirds of the way in to the film. Before that I thought it was pretty mediocre. I did not see the twist coming. Maybe I might have, but the first hour of the film had me pretty bored. I am not usually quick to twig on these things anyways. But yeah, the twist was good. Dark ad twisted like it should be for a horror film. Oh and Jennifer Lawrence can sing! I did not know that. I advise you to watch the last 40 minutes of this film. Ignore the first hour of this film, I will sum that up for you if you so require!
\\\'Lawless\\\': 7/10
Stupidly I watched this when I had literally two hours of on and off sleep, so I was nearly dropping off at the beginning of this film. That is not to say the film was bad, it was not. Just do not watch it when you are tired! I am tempted to watch it again just so I can take it in again, but what I did take from it was it is a good American gangster western that involved another stand out performance from the ever-impressive Tom Hardy. I am just disappointed about how short Gary Oldman\\\'s role was in it. A film that is worth checking out if you are in to this sort of thing.
The Bad...
\\\'The Wedding Video\\\': 4/10
It just felt a little lazy. If you are in to people taking the mick out of posh English people then you might enjoy this. For me it was just a poorly executed British comedy that seemed to have been thrown together in five minutes. Rubbish jokes and some very mediocre acting. Would definitely not recommend.
The Terrible...
\\\'Keith Lemon: The Movie\\\': 1/10
85 minutes of pure rubbish that I will never get back. First off, I do not mind Leigh Francis and \\\'Celebrity Juice\\\' can be a decent laugh. However, the comedy what he uses for the panel show does not translate to a movie, at all. It works for \\\'Celebrity Juice\\\' because he has guests who he can bounce his dirty humour off of. In a film, spread over 85 minutes, it just does not work. This was just a cringe-fest of awful jokes, terrible acting and cheesy celebrity cameos. I would only recommend you watch this film to see how terrible it really is. I do not think I have quite done it justice!
Right then, \\\'The Good\\\':
\\\'Hope Springs\\\': 8/10
Out of all the films I have watched of late, this came as the biggest shock to me. I went in expecting to not enjoy it, but I have to say, I loved it. Yes it was cringeworthy in places, but good humoured cringeworthy-ness. It was funny, engaging, charming, all pulled together by its two leading stars in Tommy Lee Jones and Meryl Streep. Streep is not often outdone, but Jones\\\' performance as the stubborn husband is one of my favourite performances this year. Maybe it is just me, but I would not watch this with my parents. I will not go in to too much detail, but I will never be able to look at Meryl Streep the same again after watching this. \\\'Hope Springs\\\', get on it! Highly recommended.
\\\'Anna Karenina\\\': 7.5/10
I went in expecting a rather slow paced drama-type film. I was pleasantly surprised. The way it was shot impressed me the most, despite the very talented cast. Most of the film was based in a theatre setting which fitted well to the storyline. Love, betrayal, lust... it all seemed to be one big play. It was quicker than I expected which made it more engaging for someone who does not usually watch these sorts of films, which I really liked. As mentioned previously, the talented cast did not disappoint either with their performances. Definitely worth a watch.
\\\'The Sweeney\\\': 7/10
Ben Drew (Plan B) is a talented bloke. He not just raps and sings, he once again proves he can act. Cockney crime films are not usually my cup of tea and I did worry about how cheesy and stereotypical this could be. This was not the case. It was not just engaging with well put together action scenes that were not too drawn out, it added humour and emotion in to the mix well, as well. I am glad I watched it and I would definitely recommend.
\\\'The Watch\\\': 7/10
With an impressive group of comedy actors, including the ever impressive Vince Vaughn, this film did not disappoint. Not a classic comedy film, but it is certainly one which is consistent in its \\\'lol\\\' inducing abilities. If you fancy a laugh and enjoy seeing aliens running around in supermarkets on the big screen, go and see this film.
\\\'House at the End of the Street\\\': 6/10
I would not go as far as to say this is a particularly good film, but I can not ruin my blog title can I? It is more of a psychological horror film than one that will make you particularly jump out of your seat, which I was surprised about. I must state this film only received as high as 6 because of the twist, of which unfolded about two thirds of the way in to the film. Before that I thought it was pretty mediocre. I did not see the twist coming. Maybe I might have, but the first hour of the film had me pretty bored. I am not usually quick to twig on these things anyways. But yeah, the twist was good. Dark ad twisted like it should be for a horror film. Oh and Jennifer Lawrence can sing! I did not know that. I advise you to watch the last 40 minutes of this film. Ignore the first hour of this film, I will sum that up for you if you so require!
\\\'Lawless\\\': 7/10
Stupidly I watched this when I had literally two hours of on and off sleep, so I was nearly dropping off at the beginning of this film. That is not to say the film was bad, it was not. Just do not watch it when you are tired! I am tempted to watch it again just so I can take it in again, but what I did take from it was it is a good American gangster western that involved another stand out performance from the ever-impressive Tom Hardy. I am just disappointed about how short Gary Oldman\\\'s role was in it. A film that is worth checking out if you are in to this sort of thing.
The Bad...
\\\'The Wedding Video\\\': 4/10
It just felt a little lazy. If you are in to people taking the mick out of posh English people then you might enjoy this. For me it was just a poorly executed British comedy that seemed to have been thrown together in five minutes. Rubbish jokes and some very mediocre acting. Would definitely not recommend.
The Terrible...
\\\'Keith Lemon: The Movie\\\': 1/10
85 minutes of pure rubbish that I will never get back. First off, I do not mind Leigh Francis and \\\'Celebrity Juice\\\' can be a decent laugh. However, the comedy what he uses for the panel show does not translate to a movie, at all. It works for \\\'Celebrity Juice\\\' because he has guests who he can bounce his dirty humour off of. In a film, spread over 85 minutes, it just does not work. This was just a cringe-fest of awful jokes, terrible acting and cheesy celebrity cameos. I would only recommend you watch this film to see how terrible it really is. I do not think I have quite done it justice!
Wednesday, 4 July 2012
Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter; The Review
Shocked, stunned, gobsmacked.
I am not ashamed to admit that I liked this film, although I was thoroughly expecting to hate it. After watching the trailer I was expecting very little of Timur Bekmanbetov's adaption of Seth Grahame-Smith's hit 2010 novel. Instead of finding it hilariously awful, I have to say bravo Mr Bekmanbetov. 'Abrham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter' is a very solid fantasy action film, of which I found enjoyable to watch and surprisingly engaging.
Picture this: 'Honest Abe', the 16th President of the United States, the vampire hunter. Chopping the heads off of slaveholding vampires in his spare time whilst still pursuing his political career. It should not work, but it does.
The film begins with a young Lincoln (played by the relatively unknown Benjamin Walker) witnessing the death of his mother. She did not die by drinking dodgy milk. Oh no. She was killed by a vampire. From then on Abe was determined to avenge his mothers death. Advised by friendly vampire Henry Sturgess (Dominic Cooper), Abe sets out on his one man slaying mission of ridding the south from the vampire threat. Sturgess is unable to help in the slaying because only the living can kill the dead, apparently. What, did Twilight not teach you that? Oh right, I'll carry on. Anyway, knowing the threat was too big for one man to handle on his own, Abe decided to tackle the vampire problem through different means: politics. It turns out the Civil War did not just see the end of slavery in the United States, but also the end of the vampire. In the middle of all this he marries Mary Todd (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), has a son, loses his son, and has an epic battle with a bunch of vampires on top of a speeding train. It was a quiet old life for Abe.
If you put aside the vampire aspect of the film for a moment, a point that needs to be made is about the historical accuracy of it. Production Designer Francois Audousy told Total Film in a recent interview that it was very important to them that it was as historical accurate as possible. To their credit, they did well. Lincoln's back story ("I used to be a rail splitter"), his political battles with Stephen Douglas, his relationship with William Johnson, slavery and the Civil War were covered well in the film. My only gripe, from an historical point of view, is how they portrayed Lincoln's position on slavery. A little picky maybe, but in reality Lincoln was actually a proponent of colonisation in his earlier political days. Just to add a little more historical knowledge to this review...
All in all, I was impressed. If you fancy watching an action film with a bit of a different flavour to it, this film is worth checking out. The action sequences are not over-played, which I liked, and it is shot very well. The train scene mentioned earlier happens at the end of the film and is definitely the pick of the action scenes. The ending, if not a little cheesy, made me laugh. Whilst looking for his famous black hat, you hear Mary Todd shout from the waiting horse and carriage "We're going to be late to the theatre!" Bekmanbetov leaves it with the possibility of a sequel, finishing with Surgess in a modern day bar beginning a conversation, the same way he had done with Lincoln, to an unseen man with a gun. 'George Bush: Vampire Hunter' anyone?
6.5/10.
I am not ashamed to admit that I liked this film, although I was thoroughly expecting to hate it. After watching the trailer I was expecting very little of Timur Bekmanbetov's adaption of Seth Grahame-Smith's hit 2010 novel. Instead of finding it hilariously awful, I have to say bravo Mr Bekmanbetov. 'Abrham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter' is a very solid fantasy action film, of which I found enjoyable to watch and surprisingly engaging.
Picture this: 'Honest Abe', the 16th President of the United States, the vampire hunter. Chopping the heads off of slaveholding vampires in his spare time whilst still pursuing his political career. It should not work, but it does.
The film begins with a young Lincoln (played by the relatively unknown Benjamin Walker) witnessing the death of his mother. She did not die by drinking dodgy milk. Oh no. She was killed by a vampire. From then on Abe was determined to avenge his mothers death. Advised by friendly vampire Henry Sturgess (Dominic Cooper), Abe sets out on his one man slaying mission of ridding the south from the vampire threat. Sturgess is unable to help in the slaying because only the living can kill the dead, apparently. What, did Twilight not teach you that? Oh right, I'll carry on. Anyway, knowing the threat was too big for one man to handle on his own, Abe decided to tackle the vampire problem through different means: politics. It turns out the Civil War did not just see the end of slavery in the United States, but also the end of the vampire. In the middle of all this he marries Mary Todd (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), has a son, loses his son, and has an epic battle with a bunch of vampires on top of a speeding train. It was a quiet old life for Abe.
If you put aside the vampire aspect of the film for a moment, a point that needs to be made is about the historical accuracy of it. Production Designer Francois Audousy told Total Film in a recent interview that it was very important to them that it was as historical accurate as possible. To their credit, they did well. Lincoln's back story ("I used to be a rail splitter"), his political battles with Stephen Douglas, his relationship with William Johnson, slavery and the Civil War were covered well in the film. My only gripe, from an historical point of view, is how they portrayed Lincoln's position on slavery. A little picky maybe, but in reality Lincoln was actually a proponent of colonisation in his earlier political days. Just to add a little more historical knowledge to this review...
All in all, I was impressed. If you fancy watching an action film with a bit of a different flavour to it, this film is worth checking out. The action sequences are not over-played, which I liked, and it is shot very well. The train scene mentioned earlier happens at the end of the film and is definitely the pick of the action scenes. The ending, if not a little cheesy, made me laugh. Whilst looking for his famous black hat, you hear Mary Todd shout from the waiting horse and carriage "We're going to be late to the theatre!" Bekmanbetov leaves it with the possibility of a sequel, finishing with Surgess in a modern day bar beginning a conversation, the same way he had done with Lincoln, to an unseen man with a gun. 'George Bush: Vampire Hunter' anyone?
6.5/10.
Monday, 25 June 2012
We Walked, It Rained: Hadrian\'s Wall Trekathon
I will try and set the scene a little. We stayed in a place called Gilsland which was about a ten minute drive from the finish line and the coach pick up point. Like most places in the area it was a one horse town. Well, village, but I do not want to ruin the saying! Do not get me wrong, it was a nice place. The restaurant was lovely. Albeit it took ages for the food to arrive and it felt like we were eating in someones living room, but all was good with the little village. There was also a shop. Well there used to be, but apparently it has shut down. How does that work? Anyways, I digress.
I got up at about 5:05am. I say I got up, but to be honest I did not sleep. The Cumbrian wind was banging against the windows of the hotel all night. To make matters worse it was raining and the wind was still strong, with the forecast for the rest of the day looking grim. We had to be at Lanercost Priory for 6am to catch the coach to the starting point at Brocolitia Roman Fort. Two things were on my mind during the coach journey; I hoped my trousers were waterproof (they were not), and fair play to the guy dressed as a Roman Soldier. Helmet, chest guard, sword and shorts. Now that was commitment in that weather. He pulled out a couple of miles in though apparently... By the time we had actually arrived at the Fort (it was literally a carpark) and everyone was ready, it was approximately 7:45am when we began the hike and it was the to beginning of a long day.
I can honestly say I would be happy if I never saw that wall again. Such a positive statement to make from a history student, right? I really enjoy hiking, I like to view different places, but this was tough. Really tough. Both myself and Adam both agreed that it was tougher than doing the Yorkshire Three Peaks. From my point of view it was tougher because of the weather. By heck, it was not nice for the first fifteen miles at all. Last year we had perfect walking conditions, this year we had strong wind and rain. Mixed together it is never good. Some of the views were absolutely stunning and it is a real shame I did not get to appreciate them fully because I had to have my hood up. The view I had for the majority of the first fifteen miles was of cow poo, which is always delightful.
The first fifteen miles of the trek was like being on a rollercoaster. We were constantly going up and down hills which in the conditions was made even harder and I am not ashamed to say I ended up on my backside twice. Thankfully the weather subsided for the last ten miles which meant I could enjoy what the beautiful area had to offer. Despite this section being alot flatter, the hills of the first fifteen miles really takes it out of you.
Despite the weather and despite the achy joints and blisters that accompany such an activity, it was well worth. All four of us are chuffed to bits with the support we have received from friends, family and kind strangers. OCD-UK and Mind were specifically chosen for personal reasons amongst the four of us and are two fantastic charities who do a lot of great work for people suffering with mental health problems. From my own point of view though, raising awareness for mental health issues, especially Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, is something I am very passionate about. So to do this hike in the name of OCD-UK meant a lot, and I plan to do more for them. What I am trying to say is thank you. Thank you to all you lovely people for supporting us with your donations and kind words. The two charities, as well as the four of us, really appreciated it. A special mention must also go to the three wonderful people who did the hike with me. It was my idea to do it so I have been taking the deserved stick for the aches and pains that they are now feeling. Mark and Jenna especially, who have no prior experience of hiking, deserve so much credit. Not that me or Adam are in anyway hiking Gods, but we have done a fair bit of walking in the past, whereas those two have not. To come in and do that they should be very proud of themselves. Well done you three, bless you!
Now there is actually another reason why I have decided to write a blog post on our hike. It is because the owner of the hotel we stayed in asked us too. Yeah, that is right, he asked us to blog about him. Well, Tantallon House, his hotel. So here we go Roger, you lovely man who makes a mean egg breakfast, this is your mention. In all seriousness, Roger is a top bloke and Tantallon House is a lovely hotel. If you are ever planning on staying in Cumbria I would highly recommend it. To top it all off he is also going to make a donation to OCD-UK. Top service, top food and a warm welcome is certainly guaranteed. I feel like their agent!
It is now time to start thinking about our next challenge. I want to do something bigger. However, I might go on holiday next year...
Once again thanks for the amazing support. We all really appreciate it.
Matt.
I got up at about 5:05am. I say I got up, but to be honest I did not sleep. The Cumbrian wind was banging against the windows of the hotel all night. To make matters worse it was raining and the wind was still strong, with the forecast for the rest of the day looking grim. We had to be at Lanercost Priory for 6am to catch the coach to the starting point at Brocolitia Roman Fort. Two things were on my mind during the coach journey; I hoped my trousers were waterproof (they were not), and fair play to the guy dressed as a Roman Soldier. Helmet, chest guard, sword and shorts. Now that was commitment in that weather. He pulled out a couple of miles in though apparently... By the time we had actually arrived at the Fort (it was literally a carpark) and everyone was ready, it was approximately 7:45am when we began the hike and it was the to beginning of a long day.
I can honestly say I would be happy if I never saw that wall again. Such a positive statement to make from a history student, right? I really enjoy hiking, I like to view different places, but this was tough. Really tough. Both myself and Adam both agreed that it was tougher than doing the Yorkshire Three Peaks. From my point of view it was tougher because of the weather. By heck, it was not nice for the first fifteen miles at all. Last year we had perfect walking conditions, this year we had strong wind and rain. Mixed together it is never good. Some of the views were absolutely stunning and it is a real shame I did not get to appreciate them fully because I had to have my hood up. The view I had for the majority of the first fifteen miles was of cow poo, which is always delightful.
The first fifteen miles of the trek was like being on a rollercoaster. We were constantly going up and down hills which in the conditions was made even harder and I am not ashamed to say I ended up on my backside twice. Thankfully the weather subsided for the last ten miles which meant I could enjoy what the beautiful area had to offer. Despite this section being alot flatter, the hills of the first fifteen miles really takes it out of you.
Despite the weather and despite the achy joints and blisters that accompany such an activity, it was well worth. All four of us are chuffed to bits with the support we have received from friends, family and kind strangers. OCD-UK and Mind were specifically chosen for personal reasons amongst the four of us and are two fantastic charities who do a lot of great work for people suffering with mental health problems. From my own point of view though, raising awareness for mental health issues, especially Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, is something I am very passionate about. So to do this hike in the name of OCD-UK meant a lot, and I plan to do more for them. What I am trying to say is thank you. Thank you to all you lovely people for supporting us with your donations and kind words. The two charities, as well as the four of us, really appreciated it. A special mention must also go to the three wonderful people who did the hike with me. It was my idea to do it so I have been taking the deserved stick for the aches and pains that they are now feeling. Mark and Jenna especially, who have no prior experience of hiking, deserve so much credit. Not that me or Adam are in anyway hiking Gods, but we have done a fair bit of walking in the past, whereas those two have not. To come in and do that they should be very proud of themselves. Well done you three, bless you!
Now there is actually another reason why I have decided to write a blog post on our hike. It is because the owner of the hotel we stayed in asked us too. Yeah, that is right, he asked us to blog about him. Well, Tantallon House, his hotel. So here we go Roger, you lovely man who makes a mean egg breakfast, this is your mention. In all seriousness, Roger is a top bloke and Tantallon House is a lovely hotel. If you are ever planning on staying in Cumbria I would highly recommend it. To top it all off he is also going to make a donation to OCD-UK. Top service, top food and a warm welcome is certainly guaranteed. I feel like their agent!
It is now time to start thinking about our next challenge. I want to do something bigger. However, I might go on holiday next year...
Once again thanks for the amazing support. We all really appreciate it.
Matt.
Tuesday, 19 June 2012
I Wish I Could Think Of A Witty Title...
Afternoon blogger.
I have decided to set this blog up for several reasons. The main one being that I want to be a journalist. To be a journalist you need to write. Go figure!?!
So, who am I? My name is Matthew Watson, a 20 year old student at The University of Sheffield. My main passions in life are football, films, music and hiking. The latter three topics are what I will be covering most in this blog, but I might throw a few curveball topics in. You know, just to surprise you!
Hopefully I will be able to blog a fair amount. At the moment I am blogging to precisely no one. Hello no one! I hope this changes and you enjoy my ramblings.
Oh, and just to warn you that I am prone to at least one horrendous grammatical error per blog post. I should really get that sorted...
Anyways, that is it for now.
Take care.
Matt.
I have decided to set this blog up for several reasons. The main one being that I want to be a journalist. To be a journalist you need to write. Go figure!?!
So, who am I? My name is Matthew Watson, a 20 year old student at The University of Sheffield. My main passions in life are football, films, music and hiking. The latter three topics are what I will be covering most in this blog, but I might throw a few curveball topics in. You know, just to surprise you!
Hopefully I will be able to blog a fair amount. At the moment I am blogging to precisely no one. Hello no one! I hope this changes and you enjoy my ramblings.
Oh, and just to warn you that I am prone to at least one horrendous grammatical error per blog post. I should really get that sorted...
Anyways, that is it for now.
Take care.
Matt.
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