This site has moved!!!!

Like I said before guys this blog is coming to a close but have no fear it is simply being moved over to a different web address where on this new site you will be able to see new release music features and news as well as film articles, news and reviews. You can also interact and have your say on this years films.

The new website is called Audio Rushes and can be found here:

http://audiorushes.com/

So please guys take a look and enjoy your 2013 film experience, with the help from us at Audio Rushes.

TOP FILMS OF 2012

So with the year finally out then (oh Happy New Year to you all) I thought I would bring you a small feature giving you my top films of 2012 followed with my least favourite films of 2012. If you are a regular to my blog you will see I've been reviewing a new film every week and rating them out of ten and judging which ones have been my favourite for the year. As 2012 has been and gone the top list of films of 2012 for me, has been locked in and my top 10 has been confirmed so below is my list with a little blurb of each film. If you disagree, agree please do leave a comment and let me know. Here's the list.


1. THE DARK KNIGHT RISES     10 / 10


Starring: Christian Bale, Tom Hardy, Anne Hathaway

Directed By: Christopher Nolan

The Batman returns for his final outing in Christopher Nolan's finale to the Dark Knight trilogy. Eight years since Batman took the fall for the White Knight Harvey Dent, Bruce Wayne has isolated himself from the City that now hates the Batman. When a mysterious cat burglar breaks into his Manor however Bruce links her to bulky terrorist Bane who is hellbent on destroying Gotham meaning Batman will have to return.

A fantastic end to a brilliant trilogy that has a bit of everything to wrap up the entire narrative. This may be the weakest of the trilogy but for an ending it is perfect and for that reason is our number 1 of the year.

For the full review: The Dark Knight Rises review


2. ARGO     9 / 10


Starring: Ben Affleck, Bryan Cranston, John Goodman

Directed By: Ben Affleck

The true story of Tony Menez, a CIA extraction expert who is sent into a hostile revolutionary Iran to rescue six US Diplomats. His idea; to pose as a film crew and bring them out via the airport which is guarded by Iranian rebels in search of the hiding Diplomats.

This is a tense film filled with elements of comedy but is also a film that had us on the edge of our seats for the final half hour at least. Some great performances and great direction from Affleck makes this our 2nd favourite of the year but only narrowly missing out on the number 1 spot due to the scale of The Dark Knight Rises. This is a film not to miss.

For the full review: Argo review


3. SKYFALL     8.5 / 10


Starring: Daniel Craig, Javier Bardem, Naomie Harris

Directed By: Sam Mendes

The latest installment of James Bond sees him survive death right at the start and begin to realise he isn't as invincible as he first thought. With Bond out the way a new threat looms over MI6 but not with the organisation itself but with one member of the team; M. A former agent with a baring grudge plans revenge on his former boss but when Bond returns he does all he can to protect his Mother figure which leads him to relive a troubled backstory that until now the aundience never knew Bond had.

This is Bond back where he belongs. it doesn't feel like a Bond film as it is much more grounded than the usual smart quips he spouts out. This is the Bond between Bonds and is certainly the one that will be putting the franchise back onto a steady track.

For the full review: Skyfall review


4. SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK     8 / 10

Starring: Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, Robert De Niro

Directed By: David O. Russell

A former teacher is released from a mental institution and begins to train up to get his wife back. When he finds out she has a restraining order against him he befriends a local widow who has mental issues of her own as he believes she can communicate to his wife for him, however she will only do it if he agrees to be her dance partner at an up and coming competition.

For the full review: Silver Linings Playbook review


5. THE HUNGER GAMES     8 / 10

Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth

Directed By: Gary Ross

In a futuristic world two candidates from different Districts must take part in a televised game devised by an evil President of the Capitol. The Hunger Games pits twelve children to the battle of the death with only one becomming the victor. When Katniss Everdeen's little sister is chosen at random to compete, Katniss volunteers to take her place and finds herself battling for her life in the arena.

For the full review: The Hunger Games review


6. SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN     8 / 10

Starring: Kristen Stewart, Chris Hemsworth, Charlize Theron

Directed By: Rupert Sanders

A dark fantastical version of the well known fairy tale. A new Queen takes charge of the land and removes beauty and youth from younger women in order to keep herself perfect but when her magic mirror tells her Snow White will surpass her she orders a Huntsman to bring her Snow White's heart. Whilst fighting the dark forest the Huntsman comes across Snow White and instead of killing her takes her side and the two build an army to take down the Queen's evil reign.

For the full review: Snow White And The Huntsman review

7. AVENGERS ASSEMBLE     7.5 / 10



Starring: Robert Downey Jr, Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson

Directed By: Joss Whedon

When the World comes under threat from the evil God Loki, Super Spy Nick Fury constructs a team including Iron Man, Captain America, Thor and the Incredible Hulk to go to battle against the alien creatures Loki plans on unleashing against the World. The biggest problem for the team however is getting along with each other.

For the full review: Avengers Assemble review


8. LOOPER     7.5 / 10

Starring: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Bruce Willis, Emily Blunt

Directed By: Rian Johnson

In the future time travel has been invented and Levitt plays Joe, a Looper who is an assassin who kills people sent back in time to be erased from the future. The job is well paid and Looper's live the life of luxury however that soon changes when Joe's next target turns out to be the future version of himself. When the older Joe escapes the younger version must track him down and kill himself before the next thirty years of his life is taken away from him.

For the full review: Looper review


9. TED     7.5 / 10

Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Mila Kunis, Seth MacFarlane

Directed By: Seth MacFarlane

When a lonely young boy makes a wish on Christmas Eve that his teddy bear would come to life he wakes up on Christmas Day with that dream having come true. Twenty odd years later and that young boy John, has grown up and the teddy bear is still around only now he is a pot smoking, foul mouthed, prostitute buying scumbag who John must stop hanging around with in order to grow up, however best friends are for life.

For the full review: Ted review


10. 21 JUMP STREET     7.5 / 10



Starring: Jonah Hill, Channing Tatum, Ice Cube

Directed By: Phil Lord & Chris Miller

Two useless cops are sent to the forces worst undercover division after bodging their first arrest. The division they join is on Jump Street and their new mission is to go into a high school posing as students and find the suppliers and dealers of a new drug which has killed one of the students, however school has changed somewhat from when they were there and neither of them understand what the word 'cool' really means.

For the full review: 21 Jump Street review


And the ones to avoid, the worst five of the year:-

1. Magic Mike
2. The Cold Light Of Day
3. Abraham Lincoln; Vampire Hunter
4. Lockout
5. Dark Shadows

So that is my small review of the year. I highly recommend the films in my top ten as out of the 52 we have seen these are the ones that have stuck in the memory and we thoroughly enjoyed. The worst five I would avoid as best you can as they really are poor movies but with the top quality that floods the top ten it is safe to say that 2012 has been a good year for movies. Roll on 2013 that is already boasting some highly anticipated movies.

Sadly however this blog is coming to an end, my year long project has been completed but I am currently in the process of kick starting a website that will bring you all the movie news and reviews plus music news and previews that will excite movie and music fans alike. Check out this page in the next few days where I will give you the new address that we hope to get up and running as of next week. So fear not my fellow followers the reviews will continue but on a different site. Happy new year to you all.

JACK REACHER - Forget the internet outrage, Cruise IS Reacher

Jack Reacher is the final film to be seen of 2012. It stars Tom Cruise as the title character who has been taken from the Jack Reacher novels written by Lee Childs. There are seventeen in total but this first film adaptation of the series is the story of the ninth book called One Shot, which was supposed to be the title of this film but was changed so people who didn't know the book would begin to understand the character. Personally I prefer the title One Shot but that isn't the reason for this review so I will brisk past it. Ever since this film was cast fans of the books caused mass outrage across the internet as they felt Cruise was not the Reacher they had in their minds, mainly because Reacher, according to the book, is six foot five and two hundred and sixty pounds where as any human with eyes will know Cruise certainly doesn't fit this profile. I haven't read the books so I am unaware of the depths of this character but I think Cruise is the perfect fit for it especially charisma wise. I have read that Brad Pitt and Will Smith were rumoured for the role but I really can't imagine either of them as Reacher. The fans of the books may think Cruise isn't their man due to his physical presence but as an action lead the fans can relax because Cruise is perfect.

The film opens in style with a slick opening credit sequence before showing us the incident that triggers events of the film. Jai Courtney (to be seen later in the year as John McClaine Junior) pulls a van up in a parking lot, removes a sniper rifle from his van and shoots dead five people with six bullets. He litters the scene with evidence and disappears. The following day a different man is arrested and charged for the murders, a man with a history of murder with a sniper rifle whilst in the army. The only words this suspect uses are 'get me Jack Reacher.' While the police and District Attorney try to find out whom this Jack Reacher is, Tom Cruise arrives on the scene to announce his presence. Jack Reacher is a ghost, a man who drifts from place to place with no identification and brings justice to people who deserve it regardless of the laws. Reacher begins to discuss the case with the defence lawyer (Rosamund Pike) and tells the story of how the suspect, James Barr, was involved in a shooting which Reacher investigated, meaning Reacher knows Barr only too well. Reacher believes Barr to be guilty but as he begins to help investigate the case he realises he is becoming the target of 'random' attacks and that someone doesn't want him to dig any deeper. Due to this Reacher questions Barr's innocence and sets out to bring justice to the people who are doing all they can to cover their crime which is linked to a bigger conspiracy then simply five random shootings. Reacher's investigation leads him to a man known as the Zec (Werner Herzog) who will do anything he can to survive, including chewing off his own fingers.

There is plenty of charisma in this film, especially in the first hour. The opening sizzles and the introduction of Reacher is well done. As the crime is investigated we begin to see Reacher's investigating abilities and plenty of background exposition is delivered by showing how the lawyer's and Reacher's opinions differ depending on the information they have received. In this half we are also given some decent action sequences involving Reacher taking on five men in a bar fight and teaching them all a lesson. A fight with three heavies in a suspect's house where he receives a blow to the head from a bat, and an exhilarating car chase though the streets with Reacher being chased whilst being in hot pursuit of a potential lead. The action sequences are very well done by director Christopher McQuarrie and are acted out brilliantly by Cruise who brings his usual action panache to proceedings. The mystery cranks up to ten with plenty of intrigue floating around and the introduction of the Zec is horrifying as we see how far he will go to survive. Surely this could only make for an intense second half.

The answer to that would be no as the second hour falls apart. Once the centre point car chase finishes the story line becomes slightly generic and we begin to learn about a typical mole who is playing for the opposite team, and we meet an otherwise unmentioned war veteran who just turns up to help for no reason. This is nothing against Robert Duvall, who is great in the role, but he seems to be a character who was explored in the books but not so much here. This is how the second half felt, like much of the book was skimmed to get to a climatic fight. The Zec is never really mentioned and for a creepy villain he is reduced to two scenes, with is motives for the conspiracy never really being wrapped up. There are also many moments that don't make sense with Reacher giving the Zec's main henchman an opportunity to survive by challenging him to a fist fight instead of shooting him dead, what if Reacher lost the fight, everything would have been for nothing.

It is a shame how the second half turned as I was really enjoying it but by the end I felt completely unsatisfied with the plot never really wrapping up the loose ends. It felt like a film I had seen many times before and nothing could save it from falling drastically. The action scenes are well done, even in the finale, but it was all too generic and I never once felt afraid that Reacher was going to lose. The plot fails to realise which genre it should be settling in as at times it is a deep thriller and suddenly comedic fight scenes are thrown in which feel slightly out of place. Cruise is great in the title role; Pike unfortunately fails to back him up. The opening is great with the ending running out of steam. And the opening mystery disappears for the sake of mindless action by the climatic finale. This was a theme of the movie where something so good was equalled out by something particularly poor which means this has turned out to be a rather average action thriller, which is kind of what you expect from Tom Cruise now days. An underwhelming end to the year then.

Pros: Begins strongly and Cruise oozes charisma.

Cons: Fails to have any closure and loses its way in the second half.

6 / 10

Top 10 of 2012 so far:

1. The Dark Knight Rises     10 / 10 
2. Argo     9 / 10 
3. Skyfall    8.5 / 10
4. Silver Linings Playbook     8 / 10
5. The Hunger Games     8 / 10
6. Snow White And The Huntsman     8 / 10
7. Avengers Assemble     7.5 / 10
8. Looper     7.5 / 10
9. Ted     7.5 / 10
10. 21 Jump Street     7.5 / 10

In Cinemas This Weekend: Tom Cruise is Jack Reacher

I'm a bit behind this week on delivering you the new releases of the week. All the booze and turkey is making me lose track of the days. The films I am bringing to you then were actually released on Boxing Day and have been showing for a few days already. Well you do have a good week to see these films and if you have plenty of time in-between Christmas and the New Year then there are some decent ones for you to go and see.  None of them are particularly Christmassy but there is the usual Tom Cruise action flick that seems to be released at this time of year, and another is a family comedy that may remind you of some of the antics taking place within your family during this Holiday time. Anyway take a look at the few films out now that may keep you preoccupied whilst you take a well earned break. Merry Christmas.


1. Tom Cruise is JACK REACHER in the film adaptation of Lee Child's book One Shot. Reacher is former military turned homicide detective who is called on to a case involving five shootings carried out by a trained sniper. When the police make an arrest Reacher argues that he has been framed and sets out to track down the real killer which brings him to uncover an even bigger conspiracy. Also starring: Rosamund Pike, Richard Jenkins, & David Oyelowo. Have you done something wrong?

Jack Reacher trailer

2. Billy Crystal and Bette Midler play the parents of Marisa Tomei who needs a babysitter when she and her husband are called away in PARENTAL GUIDANCE. Call in the Grandparents who struggle to deal with the children's 21st Century antics and refuse to be disciplined by old-school methods. Expect a visual comedic film pitting an ageing Crystal against some feisty children. Also starring: Tom Everett Scott. Who will win the war?

Parental Guidance trailer


3. Finally is SAFETY NOT GUARANTEED which follows three magazine employees whose latest assignment is to interview a guy who has placed an advertisement looking for a companion for a time travel expedition. With the trio refusing to accept this time traveller's expedition as real they begin to question their own issues in life and try to right some of their wrongs which means this time traveller may come in handy. Starring: Aubrey Plaza, Mark Duplass, Jake Johnson, & Lauren Carlos. Want to travel through time?

Safety Not Guaranteed trailer

So there are your Holiday films to pick from. They all seem particularly mindless as no one wants to have to think too hard when they are full of Christmas goodies. You have action, comedy, and absurdity and I think whichever of these films you see you will quite enjoy it. Have a good New Year.



  

LIFE OF PI - A nice story on a big scale

With The Hobbit also being in cinemas at the minute, people have a choice of two fantastical stories to go and see. Both are adapted from books, both have top directors adapting them; with a cast full of future potential, and both display fantastic visuals. The one we chose to see out of the two then was Life Of Pi which we decided on having never been big fans of the Lord Of The Rings trilogy. Life Of Pi is the apparent 'unfilmable' book from Yann Martel about a young boy's adventure when he is cast adrift at sea with only a Bengal Tiger for company. If this is classed as unfilmable then I believe director Ang Lee deserves huge credit because he has given this film some breathtaking visuals that show that if you employ the correct people then anything is filmable.

The film begins in present day with an adult Pi, played by Irrfan Khan, sitting down to dinner with writer Rafe Spall. Rafe's writer, who remains unnamed in the film, is looking for his next big story and he has been put onto Pi who potentially has the greatest story ever told. One so amazing that it will make people believe in God. The pair begin to talk about the story which is an experience that happened to Pi when he was younger. He begins by explaining the origins of his name (after being unfortunately being named Piscine he abbreviated it to Pi and convinced those by memorising the numerical equivalent) and continues on to connections he made growing up with his family, a potential love interest, and a new addition to his Father's zoo. With life starting to shape to the way Pi intended to live it, his Father announces that they are to move to Canada and sell their animals whilst there. Pi is unhappy at this but must move with his family and it is on their voyage across the Pacific that his great journey begins. The boat is sunk during a terrible storm and only Pi is lucky enough to survive, despite his attempts to fight for his family. When the storm settles the ship is gone and Pi finds himself in the middle of the ocean in a lifeboat occupying a zebra, a hyena, an orangutan, and the Bengal Tiger he attempted to befriend at the zoo. As the days turn into months the animals become hungry and eventually just the tiger, named Richard Parker, and Pi remain. Pi begins to understand that Richard Parker's presence is keeping him alive so he does all he can to keep the tiger living on whilst learning to understand the unpredictability of the sea and remain uneaten by the hungry carnivore.

The story is certainly inspiring and told very well. The shot choices, cinematography, and effects are absolutely beautiful and they really add in putting a smile on your face as you watch. Shots when the lone boat floats on a still, placid sea that reflects the stars in the sky just look astounding, and really add to the tone of the film. The connection between man and animal is a slow burn but when it gets there it is full of heart and you really believe in their relationship. As Pi tames Richard Parker the emotion between the two alters and a hungry beast soon turns into an ally that is keeping each other alive. Richard Parker is played by a mixture of real life tiger and CGI effects. The tiger is used for the scenes of Richard swimming through the ocean but a CGI rendered alternative is used for the up-close scenes with Pi. Either way Richard Parker looks breathtaking. The graphics for him look highly realistic and you could, at times, mistake him for a real tiger. You can tell a lot of effort went into him alone. Alternatively there are a few scenes which switch to different animals or mammals that look highly computer generated and they don't look anywhere near as good. This is a shame when others look so realistic. As well as the animals, and effects, the actors also play there parts very well. Newcomer Suraj Sharma is impressive as Pi who must have spent a lot of time acting alone. Along with him Khan, as the older Pi, brings plenty of wisdom as he tells his story. The positives in this film evolve around the story, which by the end brought a huge smile to my face and I left the cinema feeling very pleased indeed.

Although the visuals and acting make for a fantastic story some of the slow paced build up can make your mind wander as opposed to keeping you entertained. The film is fairly long at just over two hours considering it spends the majority of it with a child and tiger alone at sea and at times I was willing the story to move forward quicker as there is only so much of a boy taming a tiger I can take. Also in the build up to the sinking ship I got a little bored with Pi's back story. It was all very nice but some of it failed to seem necessary and didn't help me strike a connection with him, meaning that when the ship sunk I didn't really feel for him. Other moments that let the film down involved odd scenes that had very little place such as Pi 'painting' the ocean and a whale leaping from the depths. The scene looked very nice but didn't really add to anything.

By the end I understood I had been on a nice journey. It was a story that you would always want to tell but the issue is that this was all it was. At no point did I feel much suspense or worry that Pi was going to suffer at the paws of the tiger, meaning it is easy to become underwhelmed by the entire experience. When we left I had a nice smile and felt I had been to see a gentle movie with lovely visuals with an ending that had me nodding in inspired appreciation however my partner left unflustered by it all and failing to believe there was any point to it all, and she loves stories involving animals. To her it never really gripped and at times became repetitive. Despite me thinking it was a very good film I still understood where she was coming from and there are many scenes that could have been cut. It is a nice film to see but only if you make the effort to see it on the big screen as it is the visuals that make all the difference. Ang Lee has definitely brought to life the visuals the book painted in his imagination as they are very dreamlike and surreal. Definitely see this film once as it is a good watch but don't expect anything tense or overly dramatic, simply expect to be taken on an incredible journey with some astounding visuals that you can only gawp at in appreciation.

Pros: The visuals and acting are strong and aid the telling of a gentle story

Cons: Can be repetitive resulting in some underwhelming scenes.

6.5 / 10


Top 10 of 2012 so far:

1. The Dark Knight Rises     10 / 10 
2. Argo     9 / 10 
3. Skyfall    8.5 / 10
4. Silver Linings Playbook     8 / 10
5. The Hunger Games     8 / 10
6. Snow White And The Huntsman     8 / 10
7. Avengers Assemble     7.5 / 10
8. Looper     7.5 / 10
9. Ted     7.5 / 10
10. 21 Jump Street     7.5 / 10






       

In Cinemas This Weekend: An unbelievable life story of man and animal

So we are at the last weekend before Christmas and two new films are being released for you to cram in before the day arrives. Neither of the films are Christmassy but you have one filmed on a large colourful scale and one a comedy based in the world of singing, and no they're not Christmas Carollers. Both of these films in a way could be inspiring which is exactly what you need on the build up to the festive season, if a boy's lonely journey in the wilderness or a freshman at college unveiling herself as a top singer doesn't make you feel good then your family may be in for a miserable Christmas. Anyway with that stress of Christmas nearly ready to leave you get yourself down to the movie theatre and start your festive break. Your new releases are below:

1. Revel in the remarkable story of a young boy who survives an incredible journey in LIFE OF PI. Whilst transporting their zoo across continents, a family strike disaster when their boat sinks with only their son, Pi , and a Bengal tiger being the only two survivors. Cast away the man and animal strike an unexpected connection that could ultimately keep Pi alive instead of being prey to the carnivorous animal. Beautiful cinematography means this is one to be seen on the big screen. Starring: Suraj Sharma, Irrfan Khan, Adil Hussain, & Ayush Tandon. Is inspiration what you need this Christmas?

Life Of Pi trailer

2. The other release is PITCH PERFECT, the story of a freshman at Barden University whose singing abilities cause her to be recruited by an all-girls singing group called The Bellas. With their new recruit bringing them much needed energy, The Bellas go head to head with their all-male rivals in a University Competition. Think Bridesmaids crossed with Step Up. Starring: Anna Kendrick, Brittany Snow, Rebel Wilson, & Skylar Astin. Can the girls beat the boys?

Pitch Perfect trailer


Doesn't seem like much for a Christmas release but they are two films that will attract a vast range of audience members, meaning a cinema isn't going to need to show much else. With The Hobbit in cinemas and Twilight and Skyfall still going strong the cinema is going to be filled with many films that many want to see. With Christmas round the corner then I will say Happy Holidays. I will be trying to continue my updates over the next week but I can't guarantee the extra stone I'm about to put on won't weigh me down. Have a good one.



 

NEWS - Ricky Gervais in talks to star in 'Muppets' sequel

With Christmas right around the corner I thought it would be good to bring to you some potentially light-hearted movie news. The news is basically that a top British comedian has been in talks to star in a World known comedy franchise movie, and today it has been confirmed that it is not simply talks and instead the comic will be starring in it. The news is of Ricky Gervais playing the lead in the sequel to 2012's The Muppets. Now the Muppets are a World known established unit and over the past decade Gervais has become the same, meaning this can only be a match made in heaven.

Most would have thought it would be merely for a cameo but reports suggest that it is in fact for the lead role. That unfortunately means Jason Segel will not be returning to the action. Nothing else has been reported on what Gervais' role entails but I presume it will be to do with him teaming with the Muppets as they travel across Europe, considering the movie has been described as a 'European-set caper. Gervais had filmed a cameo for the first movie which ended up being cut, perhaps it was such a good performance they didn't want it to be seen until they could base a whole movie on it. Who knows?

Despite setbacks in the shooting schedule due to Christoph Waltz dropping out from playing an Interpol Agent, the movie is set to shoot in the UK in January 2013. Now with a lead actor in place the wheels will begin to turn on this project.

THE BOOK OF ELI movie review

The Book Of Eli

Starring: Denzel Washington, Mila Kunis, Ray Stevenson, & Gary Oldman

Running time: 118 minutes

Year: 2010

Directed By: The Hughes Brothers

Written By: Gary Whitta

The Book Of Eli trailer

From 2009 to 2010 Denzel Washington stared in The Taking Of Pelham 123 and Unstoppable either side of making The Book Of Eli. In those films he gained weight in order to play an everyday man and one who works closely to trains. The Book Of Eli must have been a welcome break then as he had to shed the weight to play a loner walking the post apocalyptic world without a train in sight.  We are used to seeing Washington in a variety of lead roles but here we manage to see a different side to him; he's quiet, he's lonely, and he's hard as nails.

It opens then with Washington trawling the post-apocalyptic land alone. He shoots a cat for food later and hides out, listening to his IPod, in an abandoned house. In the morning he sets off again on his journey where he is ambushed by a group of hijackers who want his possessions. This is the first moment in the film where dialogue is really spoken, some eight minutes in.  He manages to defeat this group with ease and continues on his way, arriving at a small town run by Gary Oldman's Carnegie. When Washington (his name in the film as of yet unknown) enters a bar he argues with one of the locals and again manages to defeat a large group of people who intimidate him. Witnessing this Carnegie asks to see him and offers him a chance to join his mob, throwing in his hot step daughter Solara (Kunis) as a sweetener. Washington however still rejects and the following morning heads back on his way but his short stay in the town has brought to Carnegie's attention that Washington is in possession of a book that he has been searching for since the apocalypse. When Carnegie's men fail to stop him, Washington goes on the run with Solara trying to keep this good book that has guided him through the apocalypse. Whilst on the run we learn Washington's name is Eli and that faith has lead him this far. This book he possesses could start wars and makes people God-like which is why he believes he has to protect it. This book is the Bible.

In my eyes the plot is very thin. All of this in search of a book so that people can become the 'Messiah'. Being an Atheist I fail to really understand the importance of all this but I suppose if it is in your belief system you will get it. The film seems to be religious propaganda and trying to remind people that religion is not a bad thing. This is overly stated in the end which gives off a clear message of 'to have faith'. I will come back to the end in a minute as I do think it is a big talking point of the film but first I want to continue with the plot. It opens strongly but it is something we have seen before. Washington shines in these opening few minutes and his presence made it all feel different. However when he reaches the town it all seems to go downhill and becomes a shoot out in a post apocalyptic world. This wouldn't be so bad if it was done well but it takes so long to set up that all the shoot outs feel rather rushed and the pace changes drastically.

Character motivations are also highly flawed especially with Solara. Why would she leave her blind Mother in the hands of an evil gangster to run off with a loner? She reckons she will be safer but how wrong that turned out to be. Oldman's Carnegie, although performed very well by Oldman, doesn't feel mean enough to really be hated. All he wants is a book and that motivation just doesn't seem enough, but that is probably my thoughts regarding the importance of the book.

The ending then was God-awful. It took me a while to grasp it as I worked out the twist and then decided that it can't be right because the rest of the film would make little to no sense. Turns out I had got it right meaning the film became implausible. I took to forums to see what other people's interpretations were and saw that people had devised theories to how it is plausible but I'm sorry, watch it again and you will see that it just doesn't work.

The ending is not the only thing that brought this movie down; there were many issues I had throughout. The shots and visuals were too much like a music video and it was very distracting, the plot was weak, characters had unbelievable relationships and the music started well but become repetitive. Oh and Mila Kunis' Sarah Connor impression at the end really didn't work. It was a film that just lost me after about thirty minutes and it just got worse until it hit that poor ending.

Washington and Oldman are the respectable entries of this film. Everything else may as well just accept defeat. Washington brings a feel of isolation to the role, he may not be the most likeable character, but we really believe he is a loner whose only hope is this book. Oldman brings a sense of menace to a badly drawn character and in a lesser actor's hands the villain would have been worse. I had been looking forward to this film for a while but it had too much religious propaganda for my liking and some fairly flat action sequences meaning that despite some decent performances this is one left unwatched, unless of course you want your own view on that ending.

2 / 5       

QUESTION: Who would be your favourite 'Guardian'?

Rise Of The Guardians got me back thinking in the ways I did as a child, especially towards the mythical characters that lead the movie. I remember the days when I believed in the Tooth Fairy and Santa Claus and I really think the movie established these characters in a new light for children today. It really was great to see these characters interpreted differently to what we normally expect. We have seen plenty of movies involving Santa but none that team him with imaginary personnel who have mythical origin stories like he does. This is what made Rise Of The Guardians so fun, and why it will have children in awe of the spectacle. What I want to ask then is which one of the 'Guardians' is your favourite? The one you believed in most as a child? The one you wished was real even now? Which is the one you will convince your children is true?





1. EASTER BUNNY - The animal who brings the joy, and chocolate eggs, to Easter. Hiding them in your garden the Easter Bunny will continue to watch as you rummage through the outdoors in search of the colourful eggs he had left for you to collect.












2. JACK FROST - Was never so much a person as an expression, but Rise Of The Guardians may have people thinking differently. Jack Frost is the term used when it is bitterly cold outside and you wrap yourself up warm in the hope that the frost doesn't get you. For adults he may be a pain but for children nothing makes you happier than a garden full of snow.










3. SANDMAN - The creator of dreams, the Sandman will infiltrate your mind and release wonderful thoughts of wonder and hope that you dream about until you wake the next day. The Sandman keeps your imagination alive.











4. SANTA CLAUS - The most famous out the lot. Wearing a big red coat and a fluffy white beard, Santa travels the world in his sleigh on Christmas Eve delivering presents under people's Christmas trees, as long as you've been good of course.












5. TOOTH FAIRY - When those baby teeth fall out, stick it under your pillow and in the morning you will find a gold coin. Why? The Tooth Fairy that's why. She enters your room and replaces the tooth with gold so she can keep it for something to remember you by.









According to the film these are the five 'Guardians' who protect children's imaginations across the globe from the notorious Bogeyman. I remember believing in the Tooth Fairy and Easter Bunny and hearing the term Jack Frost but it wasn't until the film Halloween that I had ever really heard of the Sandman. Strange film to get you thinking about dreams I know. And Santa Claus, well I'm still a believer.





   

RISE OF THE GUARDIANS - Jack Frost will be believed in after this.

Rise Of The Guardians could have easily been pitched as The Avengers for children. It brings together many of the character/mythical creatures that children choose to believe in, and uses them as protectors of this imagination. Without belief they cannot exist. This crew are the Guardians and they are Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy, and the Sandman but in order to protect the children from the Boogeyman they must bring a new Guardian into the fray, Jack Frost. Alongside the famous imaginary characters we have some famous 'A-List' actors willing to lend their voices. Alec Baldwin voices Santa, Hugh Jackman the Easter Bunny, Isla Fisher the Tooth Fairy, and Chris Pine is Jack Frost. The Sandman doesn't speak and simply communicates via thought bubbles. The villain of the piece, the Bogeyman, is voiced by Jude law. In my eyes that is a pretty stellar cast and a film with this top talent and some imaginative characters can only mean one hell of a movie. Right?

Jack Frost is the character who leads this movie and in the prologue we see him surfacing from an iced over lake and learning that he now has powers to create ice and snow. However when he ventures to a nearby town he realises no one can see him and he is isolated and alone. Moving forward 300 years later we meet the four Guardians of the children, lead by Santa, who have just learnt that Pitch Black, the Bogeyman, has returned and intends on bringing fear to the children of the world, causing them to cease in believing in their heroes and instead believe in the Bogeyman. With the Guardians looking to the 'Man In The Moon' for help (the moon highlights solutions and meaning via shadow) they are given the one mythical character that can help them; Jack Frost. None of the Guardians are happy with this solution, especially since Jack causes more trouble than he is worth, but set out anyway to find him. Jack has turned into a fun loving character and creates snow days for children to enjoy themselves in regardless of the time of year; however the children don't believe in him which means he ultimately fails to exist. When the Guardians find him and take him to the North Pole he makes it clear that he isn't interested in working hard like the others do and simply wants to continue having fun. He gives in when Santa offers him a ride in the sleigh, now what fun loving child wouldn't want a ride in Santa's sleigh, and on route they find Pitch has removed all the teeth (which carry children's memories) from the Tooth Fairy's mountain meaning the children are beginning to not believe in her. With Tooth now disappearing the Guardians must fight to keep children's imaginations afloat whilst also stopping Pitch from turning Sandman's dreams into nightmares, and all can only be done by the one uninterested party and the one the children fail to believe in; Jack Frost.

Now I have to say I think the plot sounds marvellous. It is fun, original, and brings together all the characters we all believed in as a child. What more do we want to see at Christmas? The Guardians all group together well and the banter between them all is a lot of fun. These aren't your usual interpretations of the characters though. Santa is called North, covered in tattoos, and Russian. The Easter Bunny is called Bunny, is Australian, and grumpy. The Tooth Fairy is an avatar looking creature who sends smaller fairies out to collect the teeth, and the Sandman is a mute but tough as an ox. These different interpretations are simply splendid and create a whole new world for a child's imagination. It isn't just the children in the film who are inspired it is also the ones in the movie theatre. One of my pet hates is children in the cinema as they usually can't keep quiet or still but in Rise Of The Guardians they were mesmerised and not a peep was heard. That can only state that this film really did capture the world of a child's imagination. My initial worry would be that the darker sides of the film might have frightened them but it didn't in the slightest. The film even opened on a dark tone, an opening that I thought was excellent, where the first word is 'darkness' and the floating body of Jack Frost is the first image. For me this opening completely gripped me and by the sounds of it, it did for the children.

Unfortunately though it did go slightly down hill after this fantastic opening. From the trailer I was expecting to see something darker than your typical children's movie but instead this is closer to an all out children's movie than the likes of Shrek, Monsters Inc., and Finding Nemo are. Those films at least had some adult references in there which made the parents love them as much as the children. This film though is pushed mainly toward children with the humour coming from typical visual gags as opposed to any quirky dialogue. For a child this won't be a problem but for me it was as animated films have become aimed toward children and adults over the past few years but I feel like this one was not. The writing was also very generic and you could guess at each point the certain arcs and story twists were coming, and as it was aimed at children they felt no need to explain random moments that take place in the film. It was as if to say the kids won't know any different but I beg to differ, I reckon they do. I'm sure they will be asking why it was snowing at Easter, considering the film is set around Easter and not Christmas which I found slightly odd, and they may even ask why the Easter Bunny is so grumpy. Certain aspects of the film just seemed out of place, like it was weird it was set at Easter and not Christmas considering the time of year it has been released, and that Santa begins as the leader of the Guardians but ends up being the buffoon of the group and is the only Guardian who is never really characterised. The ending is also far too easy and too many tired cliches are used. By the end it has moved from a fantastic opening visual, with great direction to a tired script and a film made abundantly for children.

For kids this film will blow their minds, and it will hold their attention span. A parent will only be going to keep them happy as, although it is enjoyable, it isn't as amazing as other films DreamWorks has made. The visuals are good but again aimed more for children with the 3D and the characters being a lot of fun. I would recommend this film; I think people should see it at least once. It has some great moments, especially visually, and it is a film many will enjoy. Just don't expect the next Toy Story as you will be thoroughly disappointed. For a young child however this film will be the best they have ever seen and taking them to see this could be an early Christmas present by itself.

Pros: Great visuals and a great idea. The opening five minutes are particularly well done.

Cons: Too much of it is aimed towards children resulting in some poor plot devices and tired cliches being used.

6.5 / 10

 Top 10 of 2012 so far:

1. The Dark Knight Rises     10 / 10 
2. Argo     9 / 10 
3. Skyfall    8.5 / 10
4. Silver Linings Playbook     8 / 10
5. The Hunger Games     8 / 10
6. Snow White And The Huntsman     8 / 10
7. Avengers Assemble     7.5 / 10
8. Looper     7.5 / 10
9. Ted     7.5 / 10
10. 21 Jump Street     7.5 / 10 

In Cinemas This Weekend: The Baggins' family prequel

I'm sure most people will be aware of the film being released in cinemas this weekend. It has come with a lot of promises and expectation, especially since it is the prequel to one of cinemas biggest ever trilogies. Director Peter Jackson has also released the film in many different formats; 2D, 3D, 24 frames per second, and 48 frames per second, and by all accounts it feels very different depending on which version you see. Also he has made this singular book into a trilogy, emulating his previous work on the first trilogy which was actually three books. The question though is can he emulate the success? I'm sure you know what the film is so take a look below to confirm. Also there is a cartoon flick for the children on the build up to Christmas.


1. Peter Jackson takes us back to the World of the Baggins family in THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY. The first of a trilogy based on the J.R.R. Tolkien book, and prequel to the Lord Of The Rings, this film follows Bilbo Baggins as he teams with a group of dwarves travelling to Lonely Mountain to reclaim treasure stolen by evil dragon, Smaug. Be prepared for a long film that will set up the rest of the trilogy. Starring: Martin Freeman, Ian McKellen, Richard Armitage, & Ken Stott. How did he become barer of that ring?

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey trailer


2. The other film released this week is TINKERBELL AND THE SECRET OF THE WINGS, a nice little tale for the children. The story centres on Tinkerbell and another fairy called Periwinkle who enter the winter woods to find the secret behind fairy wings. Starring: Timothy Dalton, Lucy Hale, Megan Hilty, & Anjelica Huston. Want to enter the world of magic?

Tinkerbell And The Secret Of Wings trailer


Only the two releases then which seems quite sensible considering The Hobbit will probably make a lot of sales. As someone who wasn't particularly a fan of The Lord Of The Rings trilogy (I'll be ridiculed now won't I?) I can't say I am overly excited about The Hobbit. I think if you are a fan of the films it will be your film of the year but if you're not it may be best to wait for DVD so you can pause it when you fancy a break. Either way it will be the big release for the week but at least there is a nice calmer film if you are just looking for something to pass the time. The Tinkerbell film could actually be watched twice before The Hobbit would be finished once, now there's a fact that might sway your decision, especially if you're taking the kids. Enjoy whatever you see this weekend.


 

NEWS - Martin Sheen confirmed for The Amazing Spider-man 2; First trailer for Guillermo Del Toro's Pacific Rim

Many trailers have hit the web over the past week, all for films with Spring/Summer release dates next year. Despite them all being fairly anticipated films and starring some pretty big names, not one of them has been particularly raved about or cropped up in many news reports. You can find a whole host of new trailers on IMDB, so have a look on there if you wish to see them. I have though posted about one new film released next year that has had a rather cool trailer brought out so look below for that one, and I've also posted about a confirmed cast member for the sequel to Marc Webb's version of Spider-man.

Martin Sheen confirmed for The Amazing Spider-man 2

At the beginning of this week Martin Sheen officially announced his return to the new Spider-man franchise. In The Amazing Spider-man Sheen played Uncle Ben who, as you all know, is killed, causing Peter to become a superhero. Well if you haven't seen the new version it is still safe to know that you guys surely are aware that once again Uncle Ben is killed off in this origin story so that Peter can gather inspiration to fight crime. So with Sheen's character having already been killed off I presume we will be seeing him in some kind of flashback. Den Of Geek have Sheen quoting that he has been called back to the franchise and that the film begins shooting in February.

With this new version failing to really hit the sweet spot with me I am still struggling to really become enthused by this new version of the superhero character, despite some great cast members. Let's just hope that the other confirmed news of Jamie Foxx being cast to play Electro, can bring something fresh to proceedings.


First trailer for Guillermo Del Toro's Pacific Rim

This week there have been new trailers released for Oblivion, After Earth, The Lone Ranger, and Man Of Steel, but the one that seems to be attracting the most hype is the trailer for Del Toro's new film which pits Charlie Hunnam as a soldier controlling giant robots to take down a monster that has risen from the sea. Take a look at the it below:




Pacific Rim trailer

So what do you think? It is very different from what I expected of it, and it looks like a cross between Godzilla and Avatar. It does look rather cool and also boasts some strong British talent in Hunnam and Idris Elba. I think this has gathered more interest than other new trailer releases because of the status of Del Toro but I fail to see how this looks better than other movies coming out next year. It does look cool but it looks like it has the slight potential to be a bit of a CGI mess. Let's hope not though and instead add it to the ever growing list of anticipated films for next year. 2013 is going to be a fantastic year for movies. Pacific Rim hits UK theatres on 12th July 2013. 

QUESTION: Who is the scariest movie psychopath?

Trying to keep to some kind of connection with last week's film release, Seven Psychopaths, I thought I would ask who you thought is really a psychopath in the movie world. Seven Psychopaths is more of a satirical comedy with the nutcases, although still being nutty, more comical then really psychotic. What I want to know then is in your eyes which character is the nuttiest, and the one you would least want to meet in a dark alleyway? Total Film has also done a feature on this topic and I'm going to use five of their top ten choices as examples below. So have a think, which one of these would you not want to be alone with? 

1. HANNIBAL LECTER (Silence of the Lambs) - Imprisoned for murder and then eating his victims, former psychiatrist Hannibal is interrogated by Clarice Starling who needs his help to catch a serial woman killer. You wouldn't want this guy getting inside your head mind you. Played by Anthony Hopkins.

2. NORMAN BATES (Psycho) - A deranged motel owner who dresses up in his dead mother's clothes and murders occupants when they're in the shower. Don't think I would like to stay at the Bates Motel. Played by Anthony Perkins.

3. COLONEL KURTZ (Apocalypse Now) - A top Colonel turned insane by the trauma of war and now hiding out in the Cambodian jungle as the head of a small village where he plays God to the tribe and kills anyone who gets in his way. Played by Marlon Brando.

4. LEATHERFACE (The Texas Chainsaw Massacre) - Severely disfigured living within a psychopathic family, Leatherface kills or kidnaps anyone who comes near their property and introduces them to a family that kill for sport. His weapon of choice; a chainsaw, mask of choice; victim's faces sewn together. Played by Gunnar Hansen.

5. ROARK JUNIOR (Sin City) - Roark is nicknamed the Yellow Bastard and in the comic book film noir he is highlighted as bright yellow and tremendously ugly. He gets his kicks from kidnapping and torturing children, especially the ones that got away years before. Played by Nick Stahl.

Now there is several more that could have been added to that list, John Doe (Seven), Jack Torrance (The Shining), Annie Wilks (Misery), Joker (The Dark Knight), but I decided to go with the ones above as they were the ones Total Film put at the top of their list. I personally don't think any are worse than the other but that's because I wouldn't want to be left alone with any of them. On second thoughts I think it would be the oversized chainsaw wiedling, dead skin wearing freak from Texas who would have me running the fastest. Now if you've seen Seven Psychopaths you'll know what I mean when I say these guys make the ones in McDonagh's new movie look sopping wet behind the ears.