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

MOVIES THAT MADE YOU CRY: Toy Story 3

So another tear-jerking movie is Toy Story 3 starring, Tom Hanks and Tim Allen.

What's it about?
The movie is the 3rd installment of the Toy Story movie series. The movie is a family comedy and is great for kids but like every other Disney movie it is great for everyone especially the people who grew up with Andy as he goes through his stages in life like from a kid to now a college student; which brings us to the plot. The movie is about Woody, Buzz and friends being accidentally taken to a daycare center instead of Andy's attic, as Andy cleans out his room to prepare for college. The toys are happy at first as it is been along time since someone has taken the time to play with them, but they then find themselves in a pickle as it is nothing like what they expected. However Woody is loyal to Andy tries his hardest to convince and set his friends free from the horrors of the toddlers sticky hands.

What I thought?
When I first watched this movie I wasn't expecting it to have a heart-wrenching ending which will make me end up ugly crying because it isn't what you would expect from most Disney movies especially one created for children. But this movie was a great ending for the amazing Toy Story movies, and the concept of purposely releasing the last installment 9 years later made this movie even more amazing as the children who watched Toy Story movies when it was released would be the same age as Andy and therefore making it more relatable and also as you go through similar experiences at the same time with Andy you feel as if you  have a close bond with him. The tear-jerking ending which I wasn't expecting of [spoiler alert]... Andy departing with his loyal toys was one that made many of my friends cry as well.  The movie was very well put together and had many hilarious moments which made it enjoyable not only for children but for adults too, as like all Disney movies their are adult jokes made throughout the movie.

In conclusion:
This movie is a much watch and to have the max experience the first 2 movies in the series should also be watched before seeing this movie, but it isn't quite necessary. Anyways this movie was very well done and is a much see for all Disney or animated movie lovers because I guarantee you won't regret watching it.

Grade:
It shall get a 100/100 so HD

- Irene

MOVIES THAT MADE YOU CRY: A Walk to Remember

So the first movie I'll be reviewing for this blog is A Walk to Remember starring Shane West and Mandy Moore.

What's it about?
Based on a best selling novel, A Walk to Remember is a uniquely beautiful teenage love story with a dramatic twist. It tells the tale of popular bad boy, Landon Carter (Shane West) who is held responsible for a prank gone wrong and has to do community service which includes being in the school play as his punishment. There he meets sweet, innocent Jamie Sullivan (Mandy Moore), the reverend's daughter with a big heart and nothing in common with Landon. However, they hesitantly grow closer together as he unexpectedly starts developing strong feelings for her and ends up falling in love with her, initially against Jamie's wishes and to the scorn of his friends. Then, a heartbreaking secret becomes known which tests Landon and Jamie's relationship, their love and their faith as they begin to realise the true essence of its power to transform a life into something worth living.

What I thought:
Before I saw this film, I didn't have any high expectations for it but I was pleasantly surprised. I thought the film was great because it ended up differing from the norm of teen romance movies by featuring an unexpected twist, which set an emotional tone and presence that had me hooked all the way through. It also conveyed a variety of different messages concerning love and relationships including love transcending beyond all and knowing no jealousy, hatred, pride, self-centredness and how relationships are built on trust and understanding. It made me smile, laugh and upon the now numerous times I've watched it, it still never fails to start making me cry near the end. I felt that West and Moore were a wonderful pairing and the chemistry between them made A Walk to Remember a treat to watch. Their excellent performances also made this touching and inspiring film feel believable and I enjoyed the journey they went through together. The only con I would say would be that depending on your film tastes, I don't think it would appeal to all viewers as those who are cynical may consider it to be sappy and corny although this film is a must see for those hopeless romantics out there.

Conclusion:
A Walk to Remember is emotional and a real tearjeaker of a movie that'll still leave you feeling uplifted and optimistic about love, life and also the ability for a person to change and become a better person whatever their circumstances may be.

Grade:
I give it a 80/100 (D). 

- Cecilia

How we will grade the movies we review

Just to give an insight into how we will be grading the movies we review:
We decided on the following system as it ties in with us being university students. At the end of each review, we'll score the movie out of 100 and from that score give the movie a corresponding grade and that would be given if it were a mark you'd get in a university unit.

Scores of:
85 - 100 = HD
75 - 84 = D
65 - 75 = Cr
50 - 64 = P
< 50 = F


- Cecilia

What's in the name?

So what is "The Art of Film Procrastinating"?

Film Procrastigrading is a mashup of film and procrastinating + grading.
It refers to the time spent watching and reviewing movies instead of doing the things we have put off aka work or chores etc.

- Cecilia

Design of our new movie reviews blog

We have finally decided on a layout and design for this blog. It's a fairly simple layout for easy navigation with some neutral colours (grey/white) and orange for contrast to make it look streamlined and modern. Hope you like it! We are far from designers.. but here's what a typical movie review blog post would look like on our blog:

 

Make sure you follow us on twitter to keep up with all the latest posts and updates. You'll learn about any changes or other related news on there first!

Keep a look out for our first round of posts of movie reviews based on "Movies that have made you cry".

- Cecilia