New on DVD this week: Silent House

There are two films released this week on DVD. One which was huge, and I mean HUGE, and the other was more of an indie film that didn't really crackle any sound waves. If you have stuck with me I can tell you that the film I've stated above is not the big release of the week, and I'm sure if you are a movie fan you will know exactly what film has been released. So without further ado I give you the two films.




SILENT HOUSE - Elizabeth Olsen stars as a teenage girl trapped inside her house with no way of communicating outside. Whilst in there strange entities seem to be possessing the house. A gimmick with this film is that it is played in real time.

Silent House trailer









Highly Recommended
AVENGERS ASSEMBLE - Does this film need an introduction? Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, and Hulk are thrust together in order to prevent the evil Loki from destroying the World. A fantastic cast, a fantastic vision, and an all around fantastic film.

Avengers Assemble trailer

DREDD - Judgement is finally served.

With us unable to decide what to see this week, due to there being a few films out that we were more than happy to watch, we stumped for a film that was released the weekend before; I think the reason we picked it was due to the trailer that showed us some breathtaking visual sequences in 3D that could only look good on a big screen. The Sweeney or Premium Rush were the other choices but there was something about Dredd that was calling to us so that is what we went out to see. In hindsight could we say that it was the right choice? I don't know. There is something about the film that is great but there is also a lot about the film that is easily forgettable, and for me it turns out to be a typical, average action flick. I'm not the biggest fan of the comics, so maybe this is why I'm not too sure on it, but if people know as little about Judge Dredd as me you may come to the same opinion; it is mindless action with little story but graphic violent set pieces that are very pleasing to the eye.

The story is very simple, if you don't know already Judge Dredd is a law enforcer in a futuristic city ridden with crime where he is judge, jury and on the spot executioner, Dredd and his new apprentice find themselves trapped in a tower block where the drug baron Ma-Ma deals her product and has issued a bounty on the two Judge's heads. That is really as complex as it gets and basically the film is about the Dredds needing to battle their way to the top, confront Ma-Ma, and get out unscathed. Not much for you to really grip hold of then and you can quite easily switch off for a good portion of it and when you come back find yourself back in another action scene. This can be seen as a pro or a con depending on your mood and what type of film you wanted to see. I personally prefer a film that grips me emotionally and narratively and the problem with Dredd is that you are only engaged when the action takes place as there is nothing else to hold on to.

I don't want to take too much away from the action because it is done very well and really has been produced on a big scale. There are mini machine guns ripping complete floors out of the tower block, fight scenes in where Dredd takes out five to his one, and mind reading capabilities from the new apprentice that throws us into the wild imagination of the prisoner they have detained. All of this looks brilliant and the vision of the film really adds to these set pieces. The vision is very much like a comic book on screen, perhaps in the vein of Watchmen but only for a few scenes. It is very dark and captures a side of Dredd that the Sylvester Stallone version did not. Although the vision really is the stand out point of this film I can't help but wander is it a gimmick for what otherwise would be a bit of a dull movie? Much of the film is played out in slow motion due to a drug in the film called Slo-Mo, with which when people take it they find themselves witnessing the world in one percent of its original speed. A great idea and again a great way to show some fascinating visuals but again is it just a gimmick?

Karl Urban pays Dredd and you would never be able to tell as he never removes his mask. This is a good way to show this character as he really is as bland as they come. Urban plays it so well especially since it is his chin that does most of the acting. He delivers his lines with enough gruff that you will not believe it is him. Some of his lines however are rather cheesy but do keep in context with Dredd's way of speech. The other actors do very well with what they are given as there is little to no character development throughout the film.  Not that this is a character driven story but it is difficult to attach yourself to these characters when they are just thrown from action scene to action scene. For instance Ma-Ma is intriguing and does have a little back story, but her character never seemed to become more threatening or nastier. They make her too evil from the start so when the climax comes round we don't hate her enough. We saw Lawless last week and I wanted the villain to be defeated from the minute I saw him where as with Ma-Ma I never hated her as much as I should have done.

This is a better film then some other action films I have seen this year but I do worry that it could be a little forgettable. The action scenes and visuals, especially the slow motion scenes, are the best thing about it but there is nothing with it to make me want to watch it again. Many films the more you watch it the more you get but I feel with Dredd that I have seen everything it has to offer me. For insane action sequences it could be on top of its game, but unfortunately that is all it has to offer. Judgement is finally served when it comes to erasing the previous Stallone attempt at Dredd but if a sequel to this is to be made than I feel that will be where Dredd really will spring off.

Pros: The action set pieces look great, as do the slow motion graphics.

Cons: Washed over story and lack of real character development for us to really care about them.

6 / 10

Top 10 films of 2012 so far:

1. The Dark Knight Rises     10 / 10
2. The Hunger Games     8 / 10
3. Snow White And The Huntsman     8 / 10
4. Avengers Assemble     7.5 / 10
5. Ted     7.5 / 10
6. 21 Jump Street     7.5 / 10
7. Lawless     7 / 10
8. The Expendables 2     7 / 10
9. Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol     7 / 10
10. The Grey     7 / 10

In Cinemas This Weekend: To catch a criminal you must act like one.

Six films are released in cinemas this weekend, that's right six!! Quite a lot of releases really considering the box office is being slated at the moment due to poor films and poor takings. I'm not saying that because there are a lot of films released this weekend it means they will be good, but the more films there are the more chance one will be. I don't agree with the way people are saying the film industry is struggling due to one poor week at the box office. It was officially the worst takings for ten years last week, despite films such as The Possession and Lawless being released. I believe that people just decided to not go to the cinema that weekend. These two films won't be everyone's cup of tea, and it was possibly the weekend to get children sorted for back to school, and the weather was exceptional. Personally I don't think there is anything to worry about but to make sure let's hope one of these films listed below will blow the box office open this weekend.


1. First up are the people who 'do the things you can only dream of.' The film version of seventies television cop show THE SWEENEY is hitting cinemas. Starring Ray Winston and Ben Drew as the Regan and Carter, who lead a Flying Squad within the police force in order to catch a hardened criminal. Also starring: Damien Lewis & Hayley Atwell. Can they outrun the Sweeney?

The Sweeney trailer


2. Kids film PARANORMAN is about a young boy who takes on ghosts, zombies, and adults in the hope to save his town from a curse. Boasting the voices of Anna Kendrick and Christopher Mintz-Plasse, ParaNorman is bound to please children and adults alike. Also starring: Kodi Smit-McPhee & Tucker Albrizzi. Can Norman defeat the Paranormal?

ParaNorman trailer


3. Joseph Gordon Levitt appears once again on the big screen but this time on a push bike through New York City. In PREMIUM RUSH he plays a bike messenger who picks up an envelope which a dirty cop wants to get his hands on, but Levitt's morals lead Michael Shannon's cop through the city on two wheels. Also starring: Danila Ramirez & Kym Perfetto. Can he ride like hell?

Premium Rush trailer



4. Have you been married for thirty years? Has the sex life dried up? If so follow Meryl Streep's Kay and Tommy Lee Jones' Arnold as they attend an intense week-long relationship course run by Steve Carell in the hope of getting their marriage back on track. The film is called HOPE SPRINGS and I'm sure will give us some uncomfortable moments. Also starring: Jean Smart. Will they get it on?

Hope Springs trailer




5. Woody Allen writes, directs and stars in TO ROME WITH LOVE which shows us the lives of some of the visitors and residents of Rome as romance blossoms and adventures run wild. An all star cast and much loved director should bring this film off the ground. Also starring: Penelope Cruz, Jesse Eisenberg, & Ellen Page. Is Rome the place for love?

To Rome With Love trailer



6. Finally is a poltergeist film set in Yorkshire during the seventies. WHEN THE LIGHTS WENT OUT is based on the true story of a family in Yorkshire who encounter an evil spirit who threatens to ruin their placid existence. Starring: Kate Ashfield, Martin Compston, Peter Egan, & Tracey Goodwin. Will they handle the dark?

When The Lights Went Out trailer


There are a whole list of films to potentially bring enthusiasm back to the box office. I'm sure The Sweeney will bring many seventies children to the cinema, Gordon Levitt also attracts audiences, and if all else fails there is the loved Woody Allen to go and see. This could be the week to lay rest to all those disbelievers in cinema, but it may need your help so get out and see one of these.

NEWS - Cameron reveals more on Avatar 4

Rumours have been around ever since the first Avatar film that 2 and 3 would be filmed back to back and the second being pencilled for release in 2015. Since then however James Cameron has come out to talk about the fourth instalment, quite ambitious considering the second and third haven't even been written yet. He has stated in an interview with Total Film that he is trying to avoid the route that the Matrix Trilogy went down, in that it left too many questions unanswered and failed to deliver the same brilliance as the first one. He has claimed that the second and third instalments of Avatar will be self contained within themselves but also will have a complete story arc over the entire trilogy. All of this based around the same set of characters we have already seen.

Now the fourth film will then concentrate on before the first Avatar, in essence a prequel. Cameron really has got his long term plan sorted, especially since the first one is still being talked about as a change in the vision of cinema. Cameron has also said that Avatar will be the only films he works on from now on and all his effort is going on the next two films, which will be filmed back to back, and then eventually the fourth film which will have new characters and show how the humans and Na'vi became such enemies. Avatar 2 is the only one with a rough release schedule and that is 2015.

QUESTION: What is the best Shia LaBeouf film?

Shia LaBeouf generally gets a lot of stick for his acting performances and is considered to be a bad omen for the films he turns up in. I have to say, despite me agreeing that he has done some stinkers; I have never thought he is that bad. In last week's release, Lawless, he is actually surprisingly good and proved that he can do it if he manages to shake off the tag he has hooked onto him regarding his performances in the later two Transformers films. In the first one he was actually pretty good. To try and help bring Shia back into people's good books I want to ask you what you think his best film is. I have listed five options below so either pick from them or add your own in the comments. What is Shia LaBeouf's best film?




1. DISTURBIA - An updated version of the Hitchcock classic Rear Window. LaBeouf plays a teen held inside under house arrest and witnesses what he believes is his neighbour murdering his wife.








2. EAGLE EYE - Here he stars alongside Michelle Monaghan as strangers who are thrust into each other's lives by a mysterious woman on the end of a phone call. The woman seems to be protecting them from all the dangers around them but is there more to the agenda?






3. INDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL - Indie 4 basically and Shia plays Indie's new sidekick whilst the archaeologist stumbles across a Soviet plot to uncover the secret of artefacts known as Crystal Skulls.







4. TRANSFORMERS - The live action film of the popular kid's toy. Shia plays the lead who the evil Decepticons hunt down over an alien artefact he holds in his possession. The Autobots are soon on hand though to aid Shia and prevent the Decepticons from taking over the world.










5. WALL STREET: MONEY NEVER SLEEPS - The sequel to Wall Street with Shia turning up as the recently released from prison Gordon Gecko's daughter's boyfriend. In an ironic twist Shia also wishes to get involved in the stock market but under his new mentor he begins to understand that much of it is illegal. 





There are your five choices for this question. There aren't many films he has lead in other than these as he got himself caught up in those Transformers movies. However Lawless was a step in the right direction and he is also soon to be seen in The Company You Keep alongside an ensemble cast including Robert Redford who also directs. Anyway until then let me know which film you think is Shia LaBeouf's best.

New on DVD this week: American Reunion

If you are a fan of the American Pie movies then you will enjoy this weeks DVD release. There are a few films out but the main one is the 'final' or 'latest' installment to the American Pie franchise. Other films released are ones that were not huge successes at the box office or with me, but they are ones that will entertain you all the same. Take a look at them below.




Recommended
AMERICAN REUNION - 9 years after the last installment and Jim and the gang have all grown up and are now in the stage of marriage, children and careers. However the gang have one lat chance to be young again when they attend a reunion in their old home town and they find themselves involved in the same old antics.

American Reunion trailer








THE COLD LIGHT OF DAY - The next 'Superman' stars alongside Bruce Willis in this CIA thriller. Henry Cavill finds himself being hunted down by Sigourney Weaver's government agent when his Father is accused of turning against his own government.

The Cold Light Of Day trailer








SAFE - Jason Statham is back kicking backside when a young girl, who has the ability to remember anything she sees, is targeted by a mob who are after the number she holds. With corrupt cop and gangs after her Statham becomes her only hope to avoid being caught.

Safe trailer








THE PIRATES IN AN ADVENTURE WITH SCIENTISTS - Wallace And Gromit style animation shows us a Pirate Captain on a mission to win the Pirate Of The Year award, causing him to go toe to toe with some fierce Pirates from across the globe.

The Pirates In An Adventure With Scientists trailer

LAWLESS - It is the violence that sets these men apart!

Tom Hardy seems to be absolutely everywhere at the minute, and most of his films, This Means War aside, are pretty darn good. Hot off the press of The Dark Knight Rises, and still holding most of the muscular tone he needed for Bane, Hardy is back on the screen as one of the leads in Lawless, leading a fantastic cast through Franklin County, Virginia in the 1930's. He plays Forrest Bondurant, a bootlegger who along with his brothers provides locals and the authorities with alcohol during prohibition. That is until corruption within the law in Chicago decides to interfere through sleazy Guy Pearce, but these brothers are Bondurants and they don't lay down for nobody. From here on in we have a 'battle of the balls' as such with Hardy, Shia LeBeouf and Jason Clarke finding themselves doing battle with Guy Pearce to establish respect and order in Franklin.

This is the sort of film that I would not normally be bothered about. Other John Hillcoat films have never satisfied me and I believe that it is the cast alone that have got me to see this film. Maybe we need to thank the director for getting them all on board then. Many people I have spoken to about the trailer have also said the same thing, they would see it due to the cast more than anything as it is nothing they haven't seen before. For those of you that thought this then I suggest you throw that out the window because it is actually really good. It is graphic, it is character driven, there are established arc, and some great acting from some great actors. I'm going to throw this out there now; even Shia LeBeouf was great! If these kind of things suit your fancy then I suggest you get out and see this film as you won't be disappointed.

It is hard to decide who steals the show throughout the film. Hardy is brilliant as Forrest, and his character is put through a lot during the film and manages to go through each emotion out there. He is also hard as nails and is terrifying when he is throwing his knuckle dusted fist around. What happens to his character will shock you all and the legend of him being indestructible is also very well handled. LeBeouf is also very good. He definitely shows that he can play a more serious role and here he was thoroughly believable as the younger brother who seeks approval from his elders. Clarke also plays the drunken brother very well and Jessica Chastain and Mia Wasikowska do well with the little roles they have; this is very much a male driven film. Guy Pearce should be inline for some kind of award as his villain is one of the creepiest, with a terrible haircut, since Chigurh in No Country For Old Men. When him and Hardy stand toe to toe you are just waiting for fireworks with one willing to stab you and one wanting a fist fight. Pearce is that good you are actually wishing he will get his commupance.

There are one or two downfalls with the film however. Yes it is full of gore, the violence is some of the most realistic I have seen before, the direction is spot on, and the set design is out of this world but it lets itself down on a couple of occasions. The film is fairly long and there are moments that feel like they drag and could possibly have been shortened in order to not get this feeling. Gary Oldman is also billed for this film but is barely in it, which is disappointing considering the explosive introduction he has. The ending is also drawn out with several fade in and outs when all you really want is it to be wrapped up. Instead we get a daft ending for Hardy's character that could have easily been omitted or left to the narration. I really did like this film but I did come out thinking it was not as good as No County For Old Men, which although isn't exactly the same it was all I could think about during some scenes.

The few negatives aside it is a very good film. The characters are well drawn and the cast play each one brilliantly. Each seems to have their own trait which gives you a back story in performance alone. This is a kudos to cast and director alike. The plot does seem paper thin but there is something about it that grips you and it becomes more in depth through the characters despite it being a typical hero vs villain film. If you like a bit of violence and gore then you will love this, it is clear why it is an 18 certificate. Throats get cut, faces get smashed, shovels swing, and testicles are removed, and all look realistic and some of the most graphic interpretations I have seen on film.

Pros: Strong acting, believable characters, and some brutal violent scenes.

Cons: Not enough Oldman and a weak final five minutes.

7 / 10

Top 10 of 2012 so far:

1. The Dark Knight Rises     10 / 10
2. The Hunger Games     8 / 10
3. Snow White And The Huntsman     8 / 10
4. Avengers Assemble     7.5 / 10
5. Ted     7.5 / 10
6. 21 Jump Street     7.5 / 10
7. Lawless     7 / 10
8. The Expendables 2     7 / 10
9. Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol     7 / 10
10. The Grey     7 / 10