Skyfall Review

Review By: Tim Donaldson
It's now been 4 years since the disappointing mission Quantum of Solace and with 2012 being the 50th anniversary of James Bond I was really wanting to see something special and with Sam Mendes directing I was really looking forward to this instalment. So was it good? Well I put it this way, I am a massive Bond fan and this is now got to be my favourite Bond film yet; so in short it's amazing!

Sam Mendes has really created something different here and has put a new fresh spin on the classic character. Just like Christopher Nolan did in 2008 with The Dark Knight, Mendes has done here by changing the standard rules of Bond films. Everything about this film revolves not around Bond but around M (Judi Dench) and it was great to finally have a Classic feel back in the film. You know what I am talking about when I say classic; all of these stupid gimmicky gadgets that we have seen since about 1990's have all been taken away from the film, the stunts are being done for real and having a film that is more substance over style was nice to see. Also Skyfall's plot is also nice and simple. This really allows us to see a more emotional side of Bond that we have never seen.

Daniel Craig has also Delivered his best performance yet as Bond, Naomie Harris is great and Judi Dench gives a great performance as always. But it was Javier Bardem as the villian Silva who was the stand out. Barden really gives some amazing moments that wow us and at times make you laugh. He really was embracing this villain and giving everything out of his performance.
Also I should mention Adele's Music Number in the opening credit sequence that we have come to know was great, really suited the tone of the movie and had a classic Bond feel. Now you are probably getting sick of me saying the word Classic, but really that what you are getting with Skyfall. It's getting down to the basic's and not letting the action be the be all of the film. Sam Menses has not just created a great Bond film, he has made the best one yet.

Taken 2 Review

Review by: Brendan Cherry

Liam Neeson stars again in Taken 2 aka Taken. Sporting the same ex-wife Lenore (Famke Janssen) and daughter (Maggie Grace), this sequel is really just the same film as the first but with slightly different locations and a few more fake explosions. Grace's character, Kim, now has a boyfriend and it's for this reason that there is slight tension between herself and Neeson's character, Bryan. Boyfriend troubles for Lenore give Bryan the opportunity to invite his daughter and ex-wife along with him on a trip to Instanbul, but Kim's previous kidnappers are up for revenge and they plan to use Bryan's family to get at him. This time Neeson actually gets kidnapped but some fancy gadgets up his sleeve make his rescuing, through Kim much easier.
There were no stand out cinematography moments in this film, though some felt not too different to a few seen in the housetop chase scenes of The Bourne films, however the acting was generally on cue, but with some dumb and wasteful henchman to do the revenge-driven father's dirty work.
While as a stand alone I would agree this film is good, I'm going to cut this review short, because the new director, Olivier Megaton, has basically made a copy of Taken 1. My verdict, if you've seen neither of the films, choose one and never watch the other, if you've seen the first, maybe give this a miss, at least until it comes out in stores.

Star rating: 2 1/2

Dredd Review

Review BY: Tim Donaldson

When I heard that they where remaking the 1995 film Judge Dredd my fist thoughts were not another remake. Then it hit me, the original was not that great and was a complete failure of a film. There was not much going for the film and is really only a classic to a small amount of people. So I was looking forward to see a new take on the film and to see if they could do a better job. So what's the new one like; well it’s OK.

Dredd is an Entertaining film to say the least but it’s not ground-breaking like I wanted it to be. What I could not help was see flaws that the original film had and the lack of story .The film is artistically pleasing and looks amazing. Everything from the costumes to the sets are just great, but there's just not much going on in the story. I will give you a small rundown of Dredd. In the future there are Officers called Judgment Officers and their job is to take down big and dangerous missions in what seems to look like a rundown world that has been overtaken by crime. When Dredd is called to a homer-side crime in a large apartment centre that is many stories high, Dredd and his apprentice get trapped when a large mob group locks down the building. That there is the basics of the story.

The thing that gets to me is that the writers had so much chance to make a great story here, but in the end that just make it a typical survival and escape mission. Some things that happen seem to be easy ways out to end a scene or the film and it looked like the writers were kind of writing the film as it was being made. Now not everything about this film is bad, as I said before it looks amazing and the attention to little things is so good. Karl Urban as Dredd does a great job and Lena Headey as Ma-Ma is amazing. Now I’m not saying don’t see this film but I would probably wait to rent it later on next year. With many better films out at the moment like Argo this just does not come close to being great. I was never really bored with Dredd and I did not fall asleep considering I went to a late 9.30pm screening. It's fun and funny at times, but don't go in expecting a Oscar worthy story because It's just your typical action movie.

127 Hours (Favourites Review)

Review By: Tim Donaldson

Here and there I will be doing reviews on some of my favourite films in my home collection and for todays I have chosen to do 127 Hours.

When Filmmaker Danny Boyle read about the incredible true story of a mountain climber becoming trapped under a boulder, he did not only see a great true life story, but also a movie. Based on the Autobiography 'Between a rock and a hard place' written by the climber Aron Ralston ,127 Hours is based on a event in his life where he was stuck in a canyon for 5 days when a boulder came loose as he was descending down, trapping his arm in the process. What comes next for Aron is a struggling battle that will test his way of life and will leave him to do anything to break free.

This Film really had me intrigued for the whole time. Danny Boyle has done a wonderful job in keeping your attention for the entire time with only one cast member for the most of the film. Flash backs and intense moments is what keeps you wondering how he is going to get out. But it's the visual achievement which is one of the most amazing parts of the film. With
Cinematography by Enrique Chediak and Anthony Dod Mantle, these two have captured the amazing landscape of the Utah, USA. Great flying shots and amazing human point views is what really makes you feel like you want to visit this place. But it's the moment where Aron gets trapped where these two really shine. With little room in this canyon, the cinematogarphy is so tight and narrow. This leaves you sometimes with a claustrophobia feel which would leave manny suffers of claustrophobia wanting to turn there screens off. How these two managed to film in such a tight location is beyond me, but yet through out the film they give us new camera angles and shots, and rarely if never do we get shots repeated in other scenes, it's amazing what these two have really done.

Cast:James Franco plays Aron Ralston and does a amazing job in the role. James was nominatied for a oscar in 2011 for his performance in the movie and you can see why. James really gives some emotional moments in the movie bringing sad and funny times to the screen that keep your emmotions sky rocketing and sinking through out the entire film. You really feel what he feels in the film, there's times when you feel lost, sad, depressed and then theres times when you feel happy. Personally James should have won the Oscar that year and not Colin Firth (was nominated for 'The Kings Speech').

Danny Boyle has truly made another amazing film. With Movies such as Slumdog Millionaire and 28 Days Later under his belt, Danny is really a director of amazing talent. He really knows how to direct stories that most people would fear directing.

Jack Reacher (Final Trailer)

Tom Cruise is back in the all new action movie 'Jack Reacher'. The film also stars Rosamund Pike and Richard Jenkins. Jack Reacher is set for release January 3rd 2013

Iron Man 3 Trailer

This is the first trailer for Iron Man 3. Joining the cast this time is Australian actor Guy Pearce and British actor Ben Kingsley. Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle and Paul Bettany are all returning as supporting cast. Iron Man 3 is set for Release in May 2013

Arnold to return in Conan Reboot

Website Dreadline.com has reported that Arnold Schwarzegger will be returning in a reboot of the Conan the Barbarian. The film titled The Legend of Conan is to go into production from Universal Studios. Producer Fredrik Malmberg and Chris Morgan (screenwriter of Fast and the Furious and Wanted) will produce the film. Hopefully this reboot will be a step up after the terrible Conan the Barbarian 3D reboot last year. The studio has said to want the film released by winter 2014. Deadline talked to Arnold and Schwarzenegger added, “I always loved the Conan character and I’m honored to be asked to step into the role once again. I can’t wait to work with Universal and the great team of Fredrik Malmberg and Chris Morgan to develop the next step of this truly epic story.” Lets all hope we receive a great film.

Argo Review

Review By Tim Donaldson

Argo is a political Thriller based around the events of the 1979 Iranian hostage crisis and the six people who escape the hostage situation. Tony Mendez (Ben Affleck) comes up with the plan to help get the six escaped (who are hiding out at the Canadian Embassy) by using a cover up which is to make them look like an Canadian film crew for a terrible scripted science fiction film. Ben Affleck, who also Directed and Produced the film, does an amazing job at capturing this historical moment in history with great cinematography and amazing direction. Affleck brings some incredible tense and suspense moments from behind the camera coming into the final moments into the film that have you on the edge of your seat. Affleck is really becoming a respected Director to me and is up there with greats such as Christopher Nolan and Martin Scorsese.

But its the script the really shines in the film. Written by Chris Terrio he brings some great moments with brilliant comic relief and amazing one liners that could definitely go down in history. The dialogue is so snappy and fast that it really gets you laughing hysterically at moments. Now just to remind you this is not a comedy but it's these moments that just help give some relief from all the drama going on in the film. Chris has adapted this event show well that really gets you pondering what is going to happen. The film's cast is also well put together. Bryan Cranston who plays Jack O'Donnell does a great job and Ben Affleck (lead) is good in his role too, but it is Alan Arkin and John Goodman who really stole the show. When these two are on screen they just work so well together, but not only with each other, but with every other character that they interact with in the film. Argo is suspenseful, intriguing, fast, funny and well acted. Ben Affleck has delivered one of 2012s best films and shows us that you don't need heaps of gunshots and violence to have a great thriller film. He has delivered not only a interesting and intriguing movie, but has documented this moment in history that would be respected by those involved in the real life event.