Release date: 18 June 2010
Certificate: 12A
Running time: 97 mins
Director: Jonathon Lynn
Starring: Bill Nighy, Emily Blunt, Rupert Grint, Rupert Everett, Martin Freeman
Genre: Action/Adventure
Studio: Entertainment
Wild Target sees Victor Maynard, a professional hitman (Nighy) fall for Rose, the woman he is supposed to be eradicating (Blunt). Maynard abandons his mission to kill Rose and takes on the role of her protector, picking up a wayward young man on the way (Grint).
A fun-filled British comedy action movie, full of familiar faces. Exceptional acting from Nighy, Blunt and Grint as they act out an unlikely trio struggling to save themselves from those trying to kill them. A romance is subtly kindled between Nighy and Blunt, with Grint looking for a family to look after him.
A thoroughly good film, with fantastic acting and a brilliant script. See this film. 4/5
Buy, rent or skip? Difficult, as it's similar to Son of Rambow - you want to buy it, but it's not a film you'll watch all that often. Buy, to have in the collection.
DVD or Blu-ray? Dvd.
Tuesday 22 June 2010
Killers
Release date: 16 June 2010
Certificate: 12A
Running time: 100 mins (short, I know!)
Director: Robert Luketic
Starring: Katherine Heigl, Catherine O'Hara, Ashton Kutcher, Tom Selleck
Genre: Action/Adventure, romantic-comedy
Studio: Lionsgate
Whilst on holiday with her parents, Katherine Heigl accidentally meets her ideal man, and they start a whirlwind romance. All is well and very typical rom-com until she finds out that he is in fact, a professional hit-man.
Having tried to explain that he gave up his career to be with Jen, Spencer's (Kutcher) secret identity is revealed. When the neighbourhood turns against Spencer for a chance at a large cash reward, Jen and Spencer have to work together to save their lives, and their relationship.
Lots of funny moments, and a cracking performance from Kutcher - this film is an amusing twist on the typical rom-com. It'll probably get old quite soon, but it's worth a watch for an entertaining evening. 2/5
Buy, rent or skip? Rent this one for a fun-filled evening with friends or family
DVD or Blu-ray? Dvd - there aren't enough effects to justify blu-ray for this one
Certificate: 12A
Running time: 100 mins (short, I know!)
Director: Robert Luketic
Starring: Katherine Heigl, Catherine O'Hara, Ashton Kutcher, Tom Selleck
Genre: Action/Adventure, romantic-comedy
Studio: Lionsgate
Whilst on holiday with her parents, Katherine Heigl accidentally meets her ideal man, and they start a whirlwind romance. All is well and very typical rom-com until she finds out that he is in fact, a professional hit-man.
Having tried to explain that he gave up his career to be with Jen, Spencer's (Kutcher) secret identity is revealed. When the neighbourhood turns against Spencer for a chance at a large cash reward, Jen and Spencer have to work together to save their lives, and their relationship.
Lots of funny moments, and a cracking performance from Kutcher - this film is an amusing twist on the typical rom-com. It'll probably get old quite soon, but it's worth a watch for an entertaining evening. 2/5
Buy, rent or skip? Rent this one for a fun-filled evening with friends or family
DVD or Blu-ray? Dvd - there aren't enough effects to justify blu-ray for this one
Tuesday 1 June 2010
Kick-Ass
Release date: 26 March 2010
Certificate: 15
Running time: 117 mins
Director: Matthew Vaughn
Starring: Chloe Moretz, Nicholas Cage, Aaron Johnson, Mark Strong, Christopher Mintz-Plasse
Genre: Action/Adventure
Studio: Universal Pictures UK
Kick-Ass tells the story of a young man whose ass probably does get kicked regularly. A geeky type of kid, Dave decides that the world needs a real superhero, and he wants to be the first. So, armed with a bizarre costume, he sets out to save the planet.
Superheroes aren't created overnight, and naturally, Dave needs help as he doesn't possess any super powers at all. He does, however, inspire a whole range of copy-cats, and meets a pair of them who've taken ass-kicking to a whole new level. Hit-Girl and Big Daddy (Chloë Moretz and Nicholas Cage) are the masters and help Dave through many interesting scenarios. He also meets an emerging superhero, Red Mist (Mintz-Plasse), whose allegiance will be put to the test thanks to Red Mist's father, a local mob boss who wants Dave out of the way.
Cue lots of swearing, knife-wielding and shouting as the superheroes tackle the deadly criminals in a race against time.
At times, Kick-Ass is too graphic in its violence, and the young girl using such foul language caused a stir when first released. However, the film is so well-made and so well-written that you almost overlook it. There is an element of humour throughout, as well as a good soundtrack, and I think geeks everywhere will be proud of their new mascot, Kick-Ass. 4/5
Buy, rent or skip? Rent this for a great night in with some friends
Blu-ray or DVD? DVD
Certificate: 15
Running time: 117 mins
Director: Matthew Vaughn
Starring: Chloe Moretz, Nicholas Cage, Aaron Johnson, Mark Strong, Christopher Mintz-Plasse
Genre: Action/Adventure
Studio: Universal Pictures UK
Kick-Ass tells the story of a young man whose ass probably does get kicked regularly. A geeky type of kid, Dave decides that the world needs a real superhero, and he wants to be the first. So, armed with a bizarre costume, he sets out to save the planet.
Superheroes aren't created overnight, and naturally, Dave needs help as he doesn't possess any super powers at all. He does, however, inspire a whole range of copy-cats, and meets a pair of them who've taken ass-kicking to a whole new level. Hit-Girl and Big Daddy (Chloë Moretz and Nicholas Cage) are the masters and help Dave through many interesting scenarios. He also meets an emerging superhero, Red Mist (Mintz-Plasse), whose allegiance will be put to the test thanks to Red Mist's father, a local mob boss who wants Dave out of the way.
Cue lots of swearing, knife-wielding and shouting as the superheroes tackle the deadly criminals in a race against time.
At times, Kick-Ass is too graphic in its violence, and the young girl using such foul language caused a stir when first released. However, the film is so well-made and so well-written that you almost overlook it. There is an element of humour throughout, as well as a good soundtrack, and I think geeks everywhere will be proud of their new mascot, Kick-Ass. 4/5
Buy, rent or skip? Rent this for a great night in with some friends
Blu-ray or DVD? DVD
Iron Man 2
Release date: 30 April 2010
Certificate: 12A
Running time: 125 mins
Director: Jon Favreau
Starring: Robert Downey Jr, Sam Rockwell, Mickey Rourke, Don Cheadle, Gwyneth Paltrow, Scarlett Johansson
Genre: Action/Adventure
Studio: Paramount
Format: DVD
Robert Downey Jr. shines in Iron Man 2, and it's not just because of his suit. Since Iron Man, everybody now knows that billionaire Tony Stark is the superhero known as Iron Man - and he's not shy about it.
However, he is now under pressure by the media and the government to divulge the secrets behind his suit so that they can be mass-produced and used defensively. Tony also has to defend the suit and whether it can be used as a weapon. He comes under fire when he announces that no other country could produce something like that for at least ten years, and then gets attacked by one run by Mickey Rourke.
Medically fighting for his life, Tony goes into a spiral of self-destruction, signing his company away and discrediting the Iron Man name. In order to get the respect back, he has to win it back. What results is a battle between two incredible minds and the products of their genius.
Visually incredible, with a pumping soundtrack (thanks to AC/DC), the film is a feel-good action film with lots of comedy thrown in. The casting in the film was good - it changed my mind about Downey Jr., Paltrow and Rourke, but it installed in me a sheer dislike for Scarlett Johansson. She is completely objectified, and placed in the film for no other reason than aesthetic pleasure, and it didn't please me. Sometimes, less is more. 3/5
Buy, rent or skip? BUY
Blu-Ray or DVD? DVD
Certificate: 12A
Running time: 125 mins
Director: Jon Favreau
Starring: Robert Downey Jr, Sam Rockwell, Mickey Rourke, Don Cheadle, Gwyneth Paltrow, Scarlett Johansson
Genre: Action/Adventure
Studio: Paramount
Format: DVD
Robert Downey Jr. shines in Iron Man 2, and it's not just because of his suit. Since Iron Man, everybody now knows that billionaire Tony Stark is the superhero known as Iron Man - and he's not shy about it.
However, he is now under pressure by the media and the government to divulge the secrets behind his suit so that they can be mass-produced and used defensively. Tony also has to defend the suit and whether it can be used as a weapon. He comes under fire when he announces that no other country could produce something like that for at least ten years, and then gets attacked by one run by Mickey Rourke.
Medically fighting for his life, Tony goes into a spiral of self-destruction, signing his company away and discrediting the Iron Man name. In order to get the respect back, he has to win it back. What results is a battle between two incredible minds and the products of their genius.
Visually incredible, with a pumping soundtrack (thanks to AC/DC), the film is a feel-good action film with lots of comedy thrown in. The casting in the film was good - it changed my mind about Downey Jr., Paltrow and Rourke, but it installed in me a sheer dislike for Scarlett Johansson. She is completely objectified, and placed in the film for no other reason than aesthetic pleasure, and it didn't please me. Sometimes, less is more. 3/5
Buy, rent or skip? BUY
Blu-Ray or DVD? DVD
Robin Hood
Release date: 12 May 2010
Certificate: 12A
Running time: 140 mins
Director: Ridley Scott
Starring: Russel Crowe, Cate Blanchett, Max von Sydow, William Hurt
Genre: Action/Adventure
Studio: Universal
Robin Hood before he became Robin Hood - this movie tells the story of how the legend was born, and gives a fantastic backstory to a story we all know and treasure.
Robin Longstride (a.k.a. Robin Hood) is an archer in the army of Richard Coeur de Lion who fights against the Norman invaders for the pride of his country. After King Richard's death, England becomes a very different place, where the new King John has become manipulated by Godfrey, an English traitor who wants France to invade England. Robin Longstride comes across the dying Robert of Locksley, whose gang was slaughtered by a group led by Godfrey. Robin makes a promise to Robert that he will return his fathers sword to its rightful place in Nottingham. If Robert Locksley died, his land could be confiscated by the crown, and in order to stop this happening, Robert suggests to Robin that he impersonates him in order to save the land. Godfrey has talked himself into being the "tax collector", and under the pretence of this title, he brutally invades towns and steals from them, tortures them and kills them.
Robin decides to fulfill his promise and returns the sword to Nottingham, where he is encouraged by Robert's father to impersonate his son in order to save their land. Robin agrees, and becomes an instant hit in the town when he talks the Friar Tuck into giving the churches grain to their land to see them through the hard times. Marian and Robin don't instantly hit it off, but when they unite to save their land, the sparks are there.
Robin Hood is a very good film where a story we already know is taken and twisted into something totally new and fresh. The action scenes and cinematography is visually stunning. The soundtrack was what you would expect from an epic like this, so nothing original or exciting there. The casting was a bit dull, as Crowe and Blanchett don't make for an exciting or adventurous couple. I would have preferred to see Marion with a bit more personality and spirit, rather than a dowdy middle-aged woman. It could have been half an hour shorter and it wouldn't have affected too much of the outcome. All in all, a very good film, but a tad drawn out for my liking. 4/5
Buy, rent or skip? BUY
Blu-Ray or DVD? BLU-RAY (you'll appreciate the battle scenes all the more!)
Certificate: 12A
Running time: 140 mins
Director: Ridley Scott
Starring: Russel Crowe, Cate Blanchett, Max von Sydow, William Hurt
Genre: Action/Adventure
Studio: Universal
Robin Hood before he became Robin Hood - this movie tells the story of how the legend was born, and gives a fantastic backstory to a story we all know and treasure.
Robin Longstride (a.k.a. Robin Hood) is an archer in the army of Richard Coeur de Lion who fights against the Norman invaders for the pride of his country. After King Richard's death, England becomes a very different place, where the new King John has become manipulated by Godfrey, an English traitor who wants France to invade England. Robin Longstride comes across the dying Robert of Locksley, whose gang was slaughtered by a group led by Godfrey. Robin makes a promise to Robert that he will return his fathers sword to its rightful place in Nottingham. If Robert Locksley died, his land could be confiscated by the crown, and in order to stop this happening, Robert suggests to Robin that he impersonates him in order to save the land. Godfrey has talked himself into being the "tax collector", and under the pretence of this title, he brutally invades towns and steals from them, tortures them and kills them.
Robin decides to fulfill his promise and returns the sword to Nottingham, where he is encouraged by Robert's father to impersonate his son in order to save their land. Robin agrees, and becomes an instant hit in the town when he talks the Friar Tuck into giving the churches grain to their land to see them through the hard times. Marian and Robin don't instantly hit it off, but when they unite to save their land, the sparks are there.
Robin Hood is a very good film where a story we already know is taken and twisted into something totally new and fresh. The action scenes and cinematography is visually stunning. The soundtrack was what you would expect from an epic like this, so nothing original or exciting there. The casting was a bit dull, as Crowe and Blanchett don't make for an exciting or adventurous couple. I would have preferred to see Marion with a bit more personality and spirit, rather than a dowdy middle-aged woman. It could have been half an hour shorter and it wouldn't have affected too much of the outcome. All in all, a very good film, but a tad drawn out for my liking. 4/5
Buy, rent or skip? BUY
Blu-Ray or DVD? BLU-RAY (you'll appreciate the battle scenes all the more!)
Thursday 15 April 2010
The Blind Side
My parents saw this film when living in the States last year and had been going on about it for ages by the time it came out in the UK. It looked like a weeper, and personally, I have to be in the right mood and frame of mind to go and cry in a cinema screen for 2 hours. Going to see this turned out to be a spontaneous decision with friends, so I was unprepared for what I was about to face. The Blind Side is a true story about an American football player who has a rough start in life and is taken in by a loving family. The whole thing is realistic so you really get the feeling that it tells a true story and you can relate justly. The casting was genius, and Sandra Bullock deserved the Oscar that she won for it. Apparently, like The Proposal, Julia Roberts was initially offered the title role, but she turned it down, allowing Bullock to sweep in and create a money-spinner whilst delivering a spot-on performance. There's no way that Roberts could have been as relatable or believable as Bullock was. I really enjoyed the film, but that said, it's not one I'd rush back to see or watch repeatedly on DVD. It's a feel-good film with lots of comedy thrown in for good measure, so definitely worth a watch.
4/5
I love you Philip Morris
Having seen the amusing and laughter-filled advert for this film on the tv and in the cinema at other films, I was looking forward to seeing it. However, the film was not what I expected, and certainly not how it was advertised. The first nude and graphic gay sex scene is about 3 minutes into the film, and it left me slightly uncomfortable to see my favourite comic actor in that position, and nervous about what was still to come. The film lacked humour throughout and the characters were very one-dimensional, especially Ewan McGregor. Upon leaving the screening, I wasn't sure what I felt about the film, and it took me a day to realise that I actually enjoyed it. It wasn't what I expected, and was far more graphic than I thought it would be, but it portrayed a story of love in a raw and genuine way. To add more comedy would undermine the truth in the story and turn it into a joke, rather than a story. However, I did feel like there was more room for depth of character and at least a little bit more comedy.
3/5
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