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Reviews
National Theatre Live: Obsession (2017)
First experience of Streamed theatre!
As a lover of theatre and musicals it has long been a dream of mine to see a stage show with a big name actor in it... however this is made difficult by living in Northern Ireland. So when they started introducing NTL to my local cinemas I though it would be a chance to cross this off my wish list.
I was not disappointed! The play was superb, and only after viewing did I realise it was the same story as 'the postman always rings twice'. The director decided to forgo lavish sets and instead went for a minimalist approach having only 2 or 3 props on stage throughout the entire show which allowed your imagination to fill in the gaps but always allowed all of the focus to be on the powerhouse performances of its too leads. I have always been a fan of Jude Law and to see him do his thing without fancy editing or retakes was a thing of beauty. The chemistry between the two stars was excellent and watching it on a cinema screen allowed for close ups of the actors faces! Without spoiling anything a scene near the end where his word are emotional but his face emotionless stood out to me as a perfect representation of how his character felt in the situation he had found himself.
All in all I really enjoyed the experience and look forward to seeing angels in America next month with Andrew Garfield as the lead!
Inception (2010)
This film blew me away! Nolan has crafted one of the cinematic feats of all time!
I saw this extraordinary film last night, and for the first time i can think of i left the cinema 100% satisfied with what i had seen. Christopher Nolan had proved himself as one of todays top film makers with 2008's smash hit The Dark Knight, and with Inception he makes his other landmark screenplay, Memento, seem like a distant memory. Every aspect of this film has raised and set the bar for all other films to aspire to.
The complexity of the plot will inevitably draw certain comparisons with the matrix but Nolan's work with the pen surpasses the Wachowski's due to the simple fact that by the end the audience aren't left with a million open ends. 1 or 2 things may leave viewers asking questions and certain aspects can be interpreted in multiple ways which will ensure that this films hype will not die down anytime soon.
The special effects and set pieces are a marvel surpassed only by Nolan's plot. From zero gravity hallways to snow capped mountains and winding Indian streets. Not one scene in this movie will have you checking your watch, this is edge-of-your-seat cinema at it's thrilling best.
One thing i noticed in this movie that i've never paid particular attention to before was the sound. I could feel the world of dreams engulf me from all angles, something which i have never noticed before, hands down to Hans Zimmer who has crafted a score more powerful than that of The Dark Knight. This is a haunting score which helps build the tension of the scenes without ever going to far, he should have his fingers crossed for another Academy Award nomination and possibly another win (which would be his only Oscar other than The Lion King)
Finally the acting, Leonardo Dicaprio proved he could act at a young age and in my opinion he has grown and matured as an actor, with both Inception and Shutter Island showcasing his talent in 2010 this is one actor who cant be over looked, he plays the action character here but the fantastic scrip allows him to develop the persona of Cobb, as the conflicted hero struggling with his hidden truths. Tom Hardy is growing as an actor and in Inception we can see another dimension to this rising British star. Ellen Page shine's as always as the newest member of Cobbs crack team of dream thieves, and Ken Watanabe commanding presence is well received as Cobb's one chance for redemption. The entire cast play their parts to perfection but i felt that Marion Cotillard was the strongest in this fantastic ensemble, her performance was mesmerising although it is difficult to explain further without revealing anything about the movie, but you'll understand when you see the movie. The chemistry she share's with DiCaprio is amongst the best i've seen in a long long time.
This has to be in contention for Oscars already, it knocks The Dark Knight out of the ring and Nolan has to be a safe bet for Best Director and Original Screenplay even at this early stage of the season i predict fantastic award success for this film and all its cast and crew.
Wanted (2008)
As far as action movies go this is defo in the top 10 ever
Let me start by saying that in my opinion Wanted has raised the bar that every action movie of 2008 must strive to meet.
I was very impressed with James McAvoy's transaction from serious dramatic roles (such as the last king of Scotland and Atonment) to excellent action star. To me his disgruntled employee role was very similar to that played by Ed Norton in fight club. I think we be seeing him in a lot more of these roles.
The entire cast played there parts well with Morgan freeman giving a role similar to that of his merciless mob boss in lucky number sleven.
The Acton scenes were over the top but instead of taking away from the movie this actually made it better by reminding audiences that it was nothing more than an Adrenalin fuelled thrill ride with intense action scene, some twists and a good sense of humour.
But with all the action aside i think the best part of this film and the one that will stay with me the longest is McAvoy's final monologue and a last line to rival that of the recent iron man films.
If you are not a fan of action films then this wont be your cup of tee but if you want to take your mind of the real world for 2 hours then Wanted is definitely the movie for you.
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008)
Decent story line spoiled by a few OTT scenes and poor CGI
I am a huge fan of the original movies, ranking Raiders as one of my top 10 movies of all time. When i heard that the new movie was going to be shot in the same way as the original 3 with the actors doing their own stunts i was really excited and couldn't wait to see it.
I final went to see it last Monday and i was impressed with most of it except for the final 15 minutes and one over the top seen involving vines. One other disappointment was poor quality CGI, with a budget as large as this movie was sure to have had i think that they could have made a better effort, Spielberg's war of the worlds was made 3 yrs previous and still managed better effects than Indy (some may recognise this situation which is almost identical to that of I Am Legend).
In conclusion the movie kept true to the original trilogy in the sense of thrilling chase scene and exciting set pieces (opening and concluding scenes). Parts of the story go a bit overboard and the CGI lets it down but overall the movie provides and enjoyable 2 hours of entertainment, just don't expect anything as grand as the original three (Bar temple of Doom).
Rambo (2008)
Not just mindless violence
Before going to see this movie i had heard a lot of mixed reviews some of my friend told me that it was amazing and an all out gore-fest while i heard from critics that it was awful and just an hour and a half of mindless violence.
I have always been a fan of Sly but i had to admit that Rambo 2 and 3 were pretty atrocious, but he really revamped himself for this one, to be 61 and in such good shape is one thing but to be able to take such a basic plot have hold the audiences attention for 1 1/2 hours is another triumph completely. You can't deny that there is a lot of violence in the movie but i disagree with anyone who says that Rambo kill just for the sake of killing every person that he guns down or mutilates in some horrific fashion is an immediate threat to, for want of a better word the good guys. While the intense rape and massacre scenes are graphic i believe that they are included to give the world a realistic glimpse of what war is really like.
Im conclusion i came out of the cinema feeling well please with my choice in movie and now sly has done a double with Rocky Balbo and Rambo both turning out as impressive as the originals.