ASSIGNMENT 3- VIDEO

For our video, we decided to do a Paranormal Activity film parody set at university to fit in with the film related topic of our blog. Enjoy!

PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLERS: Shutter Island

A mind-twist of a film that leaves you a little unsettled.

What is it about?

Shutter Island is a suspenseful mind-twister that trails Teddy Daniels (Leonardo DiCaprio) in his search around a federal mental hospital for a mentally unstable suspect – Rachael - who has escaped. His suspicion grows as no one at the facility seems to take the case seriously, with loose security enabling her to escape. He begins to believe corruption to be rife. Teddy’s partner Chuck (Mark Ruffalo) disappears and his suspect Rachael does not turn out to be all that he was led to believe. Repeated flashbacks of his tormented past reoccur through the film and it becomes unclear as to whether Teddy is mentally stable himself.

What I Thought:

I thought that Shutter Island was incredibly well made. The acting, casting and production is really well done. It also boasts an freakishly mind-twisting storyline, that really gives you very little. In saying all this, it did make me think, but I did not enjoy the experience. There were a couple scenes that just didn’t sit well with me. It was confronting in some ways, yet very thought provoking.

Conclusion:

Shutter Island is very well done, with some impressive performances. Yet it lives up to it’s claim and plays with your mind. For a softie like me, it wasn’t too enjoyable.

Grade:

78/100 (D)

- Emily

PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLERS: Memento

This film is like a jigsaw puzzle, you have to connect the pieces together. It goes away from the standard linear approach and became something more interesting than we expected. Memento starring Guy Pearce, Carrie-Anne Moss and Joe Pantoliano. Directed by Christopher Nolan.

What's it about?

Memento is all about a man named Leonard Shelby (Guy Pearce) who is seeking for revenge for the rape and murder of his wife. But there's just on little thing that's getting in the way, he has a condition called anterograde amnesia which impairs his ability to store new explicit memories. This is also portrayed throughout the film as it has two different sequences. A series of black & white scenes that are in chronological order, and a coloured one that is in reverse order. The two sequences meet at the end to produce one common story. Throughout the film, we see his struggles in dealing with his condition and the dilemma of who to trust. In order to keep track on the trail of his wife's murderer, he tattoos information on his body so he wouldn't forget them. He also keeps photos of various objects/people so that he would know their value to him. The closer he gets to the trail, the more secrets he finds out about people that surrounds him, and the true nature of himself.

What I thought:

To be honest, the first time I saw this film I was a little puzzled because there were so many pieces of information to be pieced together that I missed/forgot some of them so I watched it again for the second time straight away. I'm glad I did it as I really appreciated the beauty of this film. Very seldom will you see a film like this. It has 2 different sequences of scenes that have different order. You can truly experience what the main character is experiencing as the scenes just jump from one scene to another, creating that amnesia type of feel. You empathise with his situation but the more you watch the film, the more twists you find out about him and the lies of people close to him to take advantage of his condition. The film is not action packed but is more story based. It relies on its unique form of story telling to capture the audience's attention and take them for one hell of a ride. All the actors were magnificent and delivered a stellar job as what you would expect from a Nolan film. 

Conclusion:

Memento is a unique form of story telling that will make you a little bit puzzled at first, but once you fit all the pieces together, you will come up with a wonderful story that is very well made and acted. I recommend this to everyone that loves psychological thrillers as it wouldn't disappoint. This is one of Christopher Nolan's early works, so if you're a fan of him, this is a must watch!

Grade:

85/100 HD

-Russel

PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLERS: Silence of the Lambs

This film is quite an old film being released in 1991 and is based on he book with the same by Thomas Harris.  This film is a combination of thriller, crime, and horror and it it the first horror film to win Best Picture.  It has won 5 Oscars in the top categories of Best Picture, Best Actress, Best Actor, Best Director, and Best Adapted Screenplay. 

Starring: Jodie Foster, and Anthony Hopkins. 

Synopsis:

The movie follows a young FBI agent in training by the name of Clarice Starling, is assigned to help out on the case of Buffalo Bill who is a serial killer that skins his victims. Clarice Starling is sent to Hannibal Lecter by her boss FBI agent Jack Crawford, as he thinks Hannibal Lecter has the answers to their questions and has insight on who Buffalo Bill is. Hannibal Lecter is a brilliant psychiatrist and cannibalistic serial killer, and so is very powerful and clever mind manipulator and so also plays mind games with Clarice Starling while also giving her subtle clues to help her catch Buffalo Bill. But first Clarice Starling must gain his confidence before he gives her the clues.

What I thought:

This film was very well written, the tug of war between Hannibal Lecter and Clarice Starling was quite intense and interesting. This film will have you hooked from the very beginning and the movie progresses it becomes more intense and more thrilling. Anthony Hopkins was brilliant playing Hannibal Lecter he made the character, even though he wasn't the main character he owned the movie from beginning to end. This movie deserves the title of one of the best thrillers and also justifies winning the 5 Oscars. Unlike many of the thrillers and horror movies of today, this movie has you guessing and pulled in from the very beginning. It isn't as gruesome and bloody like the others but still has the concept of horror around it. 

Conclusion:

This is a must watch film if you like thriller movies, it is a classic in this genre and will always be. It is suspenseful and will have you on the edge of your seat from the beginning to the very end. The ending was especially intense. The actors and actresses were superb, and Anthony Hopkins was amazing as Hannibal Lecter.

Grade:

90/100 so a High Distinction

-Irene

PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLERS: Inception

Written, co-produced and directed by Christopher Nolan, the 2010 hit Inception is a science-fiction thriller featuring a star-studded cast including Leonardo DiCaprio, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Marion Cotillard, Tom Hardy, Ellen Page and Michael Caine to name just a few.

What's it about?
Dominic 'Dom' Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio) is an industrial spy who works his way into people's subconscious and steals what people value most: ideas from directly their minds. In his last assignment to possibly clear his name, he is assigned not to steal an idea from someone but to plant one inside someone's mind- a process called 'inception'. To carry out the task, Cobb's 'brainiac' specialists team up again with him. The difficulty comes when certain people are trained to block their ideas from being taken.

What I thought:
I thought that Inception was an extremely complex film thanks to its multi-layered plot which focused on the emotional journey of its lead character, Cobb, but at the same time thrusts the audience into multiple levels of action-packed storytelling, very distinct from one another but all finely connected. The final hour of the film is possibly one of the most complicated action sequences put on film. You have to constantly be paying attention to remember all the layers of what is happening. Without spoiling anything, all I have to say is that is what this film is about and what makes it so great- layers. Once you've seen this, you'll know what I'm talking about. I also felt that the emotional depth and explosive action complemented each other perfectly and was able to deliver a film that was both heart-wrenching and heart-pounding. All of the actors were fantastic, with DiCaprio the stand out. The thrilling music in the film should also be noted and was provided by Hans Zimmer, the composer who also set the mood for Christopher Nolan's previous film, The Dark Knight. I really enjoyed this film immensely and would recommend it as a definite must-see for all lovers of film!

Conclusion:
This epic film is simply amazing. It has been described by critics as 'a film that rewards intellect' and I can assure you that it is exactly that. It is everything you would want from a psychological thriller in that it will make you think, it will challenge you to keep up and it will then reward those who can with a breathtaking piece of cinema that has the capability to leave you awestruck. The best part about it is that while you may feel you need to watch it again to be able to fully grasp and absorb the experience, chances are, you will probably want to as well.

Grade:
98/100 (HD)

- Cecilia

Movie review theme: Psychological Thrillers

Our latest topic for movie reviews is...

Psychological thrillers!

We're talking about those films that have the ability to blow your mind and make you question, think and just rethink everything you just saw again. There's definitely an audience for such films considering the buzz surrounding the release of the latest psychological thriller, Looper starring Inception star, Joseph Gordon-Levitt. So keep your eyes peeled for our newest round of movie reviews!

- Cecilia

SUPERHEROES: The Dark Knight Rises

The Epic Conclusion to Christopher Nolan's Epic Batman Franchise!

What's it about?

The Dark Knight Rises is about Bruce Wayne/Batman (Christian Bale) after the events of The Dark Knight. After taking the fall for Harvey Dent's crimes, Batman has never been seen for 8 years. Bruce Wayne became a recluse and stayed at home far away from the eyes of the public. He decided to retire the mantle as he believed Commissioner Gordon (Gary Oldman) and him have won and eliminated organised mob in Gotham City. As Gotham moved on and continued to live and enjoy this time of peace, a new fire rises in the form of the masked mercenary called Bane who plots to terrorise the city. (Tom Hardy). It is up to Bruce Wayne if he decides to unretire and put on the cape one last time in order to save the people and the city he loves most.

What I thought:

Having been a fan of the director Christopher Nolan, I have high expectations for the movie. There's also a lot of hype for this movie as the previous one, The Dark Knight was a major blockbuster all because of our very own Heath Ledger and his legendary performance as Batman's nemesis, The Joker. And did this movie deliver? With a big YES. I was really impressed where the director took this movie. He really upped the scale in every level. Nolan is famous for having a dark tone in his Batman films and this movie got really dark. You feel every single bit of intensity and empathise with the characters. The film also boasts an amazing score, the best score I have ever heard in a movie. Every soundtrack they played matches the tone of the scene so it really sticks to you. I like the fact that they didn't put any background music in Bane and Batman's first fight making the scene powerful and raw. This just shows the brilliance of Nolan's directing abilities as he knows how to make every scene stick. The new villain didn't disappoint as well. Tom Hardy as Bane is really menacing and it just shows his remarkable skill as an actor as you can see the emotion in his face through his eyes alone. He was wearing a mask all throughout the movie so his eyes were really important in showing people his character. This movie just worked in every aspect for me and I truly enjoyed watching this film.

Conclusion: 

The Dark Knight Rises in my opinion is one of the greatest superhero films ever created and I would definitely recommend everyone to see it. I have watched the film several times with different set of friends and it didn't grow on me and it just got better everytime I saw it. The film offers everything you want in a superhero movie and more.

Grade:

95/100 (HD)

-Russel

SUPERHEROES: The Avengers

The movie that takes 'superhero epic' to the next level.

What’s it about?

‘The Avengers’ is a tale that epitomizes modern heroism through the impressive teaming up of several childhood superhero favourites, with an impressive cast and production to match. A war between the gods Loki (Tom Hiddleston) and Thor (Chris Hemsworth) threatens to destroy the world as we know it and the avengers are called together to protect the helpless inhabitants of earth. The Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner), Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), the Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), led by Captain America (Chris Evans) together with Thor are pulled together by Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) to form a formidable team in the face of Loki and his godly power.

What I thought:

I thoroughly enjoyed ‘The Avengers’. It really grabbed my attention with impressive action scenes and entertaining storyline. Robert Downey Jr. provides his usual arrogant wit playing Tony Stark, which makes for enjoyable viewing. The characters compliment each other well and the well-constructed action scenes meant I was engrossed in the action. It lives up to it’s promise of being an epic as it clearly draws on the fact that it is fulfilling many a child’s dream in combining such popular characters together in one adventure.

Conclusion:

It’s a great film that offers plenty of entertainment. It is a must for any superhero fan as it satisfies in terms of action, comedic value and story.

Grade:

90 (HD)

- Emily

SUPERHEROES: Captain America

The first movie release of the Captain America film; starring Chris Evans, Hugo Weaving, and Samuel L. Jackson.

Synopsis:
Captain America is the movie adaption of the Captain America comic books, and revolves around the character Steve Rogers. Steve Rogers is a scrawny boy who is deemed as unfit to join the war and so  volunteers himself to be part of a top secret experiment by the government in order to create "super soldiers" which turns him to Captain America; a superhero dedicated to defending the USA ideals. He then joins forces with Bucky Barnes and Peggy Carter to wage war on the evil HYDRA organisation, led by the red skull.

My thoughts:
This film is one of the best movie adaptions by Marvel of the Avenger's series. The film was very well thought out and the actors selected were also a good choice for their roles. Chris Evans fits the image of Captain America very well and even looks like the comic book superhero too which is a plus when it comes to these adaptions of comics. Hugo Weaving was an excellent choice to play the Red Skull and was very amusing and enjoyable to watch. The movie in its entirety was not perfect and had some flaws, but it was overall very amusing and fun to watch as it was good humoured and simple, and unlike the comic books didn't go into too much depth with the political side of things.

Conclusion:
The movie is fun and enjoyable to watch, it doesn't have a complicated storyline so doesn't require a lot of brain power and is therefore relaxing to watch. It has its moments with comedy and thrilling moments, but it is miss something to make it an amazing movie. But it is a very well put together movie in comparison to other superhero movies.

Grading:
75/100 so D

-Irene

SUPERHEROES: The Amazing Spiderman

The latest retelling of the Spiderman saga starring Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone and Rhys Ifans.

What's it about?
The Amazing Spiderman is centred around Peter Parker, a teenage boy facing the trials and tribulations of high school life including being an outsider at school, dealing with his first crush, Gwen Stacy and figuring out who he is as a person. His life changes when he finds his father's old briefcase and goes on a quest to understand how his parents disappeared which brings him to discover a secret that will ultimately shape his destiny as Spiderman. The film charts Peter Parker's transformation into Spiderman and how he learns to use his powers to overcome the evil actions of his father's former partner, Dr Curt Connor's alter-ego The Lizard while trying to manage keeping his secret identity from his aunt and uncle in order to protect them as well as everyone else.

What I thought:
I hadn't watched the original trilogy of Spiderman so I didn't have any references to compare this movie to but as a big fan of both Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone, I did have some high hopes that this would be a good film. I thought Garfield was excellent and fully embodied the character of Peter Parker/Spiderman while Stone was very charming and effective in her role as Spiderman's love interest, Gwen Stacy. I also thought Rhys Ifans put in a fine performance as the villain of the film, The Lizard. The film had a wonderful blend of enthralling action, comedic touches and moments of genuine heart and emotion, offset by fantastic visual effects. It focused a lot on the development of characters which made me feel an emotional connection to them in a way that many superhero movies don't. However, I felt the first hour dragged on and then in other parts, it paced way too quickly and sometimes felt rushed for example, the montages when Peter was developing his costume. There were also a couple of weak points in the plot such as the early death of one of the characters in the film being swept aside quickly which I felt, as a pivotal moment, its importance could have been highlighted more throughout the film.

Conclusion: 
All in all, the Amazing Spiderman is a funny, thrilling, heartfelt and enjoyable film to watch and would be well liked by those interested in the backstory of the character of Spiderman and the villian. Although, if you're looking for a superhero blockbuster filled with non-stop action and fight scenes, this movie will probably not deliver for you.

Grade:
79/100 (D)

- Cecilia

Movie Review Theme: Superheroes

The movie review them for this week is....

Superheroes!

As of recent an influx of superhero movies have been released and it seems these movies have been garnering a lot of attention and even topping box offices. So stick around for more movie reviews in regards to superhero themed movies. :D

-Irene

MOVIES THAT MADE YOU CRY: One Day

A very realistic approach of friendship and love. One Day starring Anne Hathaway and Jim Sturgess

What's it about?

This film is based on David Nicholls novel of the same name and stars Anne Hathaway as Emma and Jim Sturgess as Dexter. The film follows their story in a 20 year time period and examine their individual lives, growth, hardships and successes. The film starts on 15 July 1988 with Emma and Dexter's graduation. They spend the night together but agreed to remain friends and just have a meaningful talk about what they want to achieve when they reach 40. Through this conversation they develop a very close relationship and eventually became best friends although both secretly long for each other. The film goes through the chapter of their lives on the same date yearly for 20 years. It show their highs and lows and their commitment and loyalty to each other.

What I thought?

I'm not really a fan of love stories so I wouldn't have seen this film if it wasn't for my friend. But I don't really regret going with her as I've really enjoyed the film and eventually got teary-eyed a couple of times. The story seems very realistic to me because they weren't lovers straight away. It shows the importance of friendship, communication and love in a very fun way. The other thing I like in this film is that they advocate the idea of destiny/soul mate. I, myself believe in this concept that's why I really connected with this film. There's also 2 cases where they showed how to tackle life after death, and the pain involved in doing so. It wants to show the importance of life and to hold on to the people we love while we still have them.

Conclusion:

One day is a really good romantic film and is also artistic in some ways. The chemistry of both actors solidified the film making it really fun and relatable. I reckon men and women will appreciate this film and is sure to make audiences shed a tear or two.

Grade:

80/100 (D)

-Russel

MOVIES THAT MADE YOU CRY: Marley & Me

An endearing story about a young couple and their lively Labrador Marley. Featuring Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston. 

What’s it about?

Marley & Me follows the life of a young married couple - Josh and Jennifer Grogan (Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston)  - and their pet Labrador Marley from the day they get him. Marley’s antics and adventures are such that Josh uses Marley as inspiration for the news column he writes twice a week.  The movie is led by Marley’s playful, destructive and endearing nature and carried by the homely feel of a young couple dealing with normal, everyday problems. You watch as they start a family, move forward with their careers, make sacrifices and deal with all the problems that life throws at them.

What I thought:

There is such a homely feeling about this movie. Everyone can relate to having a beloved pet and Marley wins your heart with his cheeky character. What I liked was the fact that not only were lighthearted moments key to the story, there were also serious and heartfelt ones that drew you in. I enjoyed the lighthearted, pleasant comedic side and especially Josh’s friendship with his boss Arne Klein who’s straight-faced quick wit is highly amusing. You become attached to the characters, Marley especially as you see how he draws the family together. The end of the movie is touching and leaves you sad, but it adds to the reality of the film. It is an honest depiction of family life and the joys and troubles that having a pet dog brings to it. I could easily relate to the story as it brought back memories of past pets and their own crazy antics.

Conclusion:

Marley & Me is a cute and endearing film. It may not have you on the edge of your seat, but it is an enjoyable, heartwarming story with character and comedic value brought to you in a realistic and relatable way.

Grade:

I give it an 82 (D)

- Emily