sarah-lou_12 Reviews

Suicide Squad (2016)

"I Mean, What The Hell Was That?"

[1/10 · 2 December 2016]

Being Harley Quinn's biggest fan prior to the movie, I was looking forward to it immensely and was thoroughly disappointed. The characters we all know and love have been twisted to fit in with this new punk-pop style the director seems to be trying to foist on them, the soundtrack being further disconcerting proof of this. The messages of the film have been awfully skewed, particularly concerning the relationship between HQ and the Joker, which actually made me feel extremely uncomfortable, not least because ever since the films release girls have been trying to find a relationship in this vain. The relationship between them is supposed to be construed as damaging, not insanely romantic, and I think the messages this film has sent out to young girls regarding how they should act to be appealing to men and what sort of man they should be looking for are absolutely appalling. I wish I could say that despite this the film was good, but this is not the case. It was plot less, pointless, and utterly disappointing.

Common (2014 TV Movie)

"Did You See The Politics Here?"

[8/10 · 8 October 2015]

'Common' is the story of four boys who go out to get pizza and come back suspects to a murder. This premise was more than enough to get me interested, and the film did not disappoint. Not only is Nico Mirallegro absolutely adorable as the innocent and scared character of JohnJo, but the telling of the story - the WHOLE story - is wonderful. You see the aftermath of the murder from every perspective - the mothers of the boys' involved, as well as the mother of the murdered boy. It's impossible to know who to root for. Everyone, maybe? This is just one of those films that leaves you questioning who the real villain is, right up until the very end. I'm one of these people who tries too hard to see the meaning behind a films making, but this time? I was too swept up in the story to really see what all this was about. A real and subtle political message wrapped in a great plot, with amazing actors and everything you could really want from a film.

Paper Towns (2015)

"Not as Disappointing as I Expected"

[4/10 · 8 October 2015]

But still disappointing. I may be biased, as I didn't like the book, and the movie actually stuck very closely to the book's plot, only diverging slightly. Actually, the divergence made the plot just that tiny bit more bearable. The supporting characters are definitely what make this movie, having the best personalities, the best gags, the best one-liners. I think, if I'd want this movie to be remade, I would definitely want it told from their point of view. It would be much more interesting and lot less pointless. I'm not saying the movie was bad in any way; the movie was great - what else could you make when it's based on a pre-existing thing? I just think the message got skewed, and that's definitely not the movies fault. I think if you're looking to just lose yourself in another search for the manic-pixie-dream-girl at the side of a boy with little to no imagination, go ahead. This movie will actually teach you what's wrong with that. It just definitely could have done it in a much stronger way.

Spike Island (2012)

"Well, I Liked It!"

[6/10 · 8 October 2015]

As a British person, I felt a personal connection to this film - trust me, it got everything spot on! I liked this film a lot - it was your typical film bout a group of friends going on an adventure (Think Stand By Me if the characters were older and a lot more obsessed with girls and pop rock bands). It was fun, there were lot of laughs. But it was also more than that. It dealt with a lot of issues, subtly at least. The emphasis was on the music, but the underlying angst was there. I can't exactly put my finger on why I enjoyed this movie so much, but there it is: I liked it. Definitely worth a watch, and, of course, a listen to that soundtrack.

The DUFF (2015)

I just couldn't believe it.

[2/10 · 28 June 2015]

The Duff is just another filed attempt by film makers to make a movie from what was actually a great book. There were so many things wrong with this film that I don't even know where to start. The book was about how stereotyping is a pile of crap, yet the film strove to make stereotypes out of the characters. They made Wesley stupid and all about his body, they made Bianca 'awkward' and socially inept, they made Casey and Jessica look shallow and self-obsessed, and worst of all, they made Toby into an indie, guitar playing dreamboy with long hair. All the characters were meant to be AVERAGE (except maybe Wesley, who was meant to be particularly attractive), because the message of the book was that stereotypes don't exist and everyone is actually leading really similar lives and you shouldn't judge. I basically hate this movie and all that it stands for. If I could, I would give it a zero, because I was so disappointed that the makers of it had A* material to work with, real characters and real talk about the world, and they made it just another teen movie.

The Quiet Ones (2014)

"Better Than A Three"

[4/10 · 7 June 2015]

Although this film was interesting and kept us watching throughout, there were many unanswered questions and plot-holes which we'd have liked to have seen cleared up. The films 'unique' spin on the typical horror story was lacking in that it wasn't original at all - we've seen it all before. Not enough 'scary' parts to keep your mind occupied, either. Although there were a few token jump-scares, the film focused mainly on the plot, which was quite disappointing as the plot itself was lackluster. Maybe I missed an important plot point (Although I was watching avidly throughout to try and figure out the plot before the twist happened) but the film just didn't fit together as seamlessly as I would have liked, and that's why it's better than a three... but only one point better.

Filth (I) (2013)

I don't know what to think...

[4/10 · 3 June 2015]

I really just don't know whether I liked this film or not, and that's the reason for my low rating. The film did make me feel extreme heights of emotion (the ending, especially, gave me this little jolt of anxiety in my stomach), and I suppose that's what a film is supposed to do - however, none of these emotions were of a positive nature. A lot of the scenes in this movie really disturbed me and I was left thinking about them for days afterward, wondering if I could ever wipe them out. In the end, I think they tried to make another 'Trainspotting' and it just didn't go to plan, as there was nothing even remotely laughable about any of this film, and at least Trainspotting had some moments of comedy to detract from the negative subject matter.This film, though it started out quite funny, quickly descended into depressing and scary places that I was just not prepared to go. I will, however, be watching this film again, and reading the book, to see if some deeper meaning can be gleaned from the horrors of its plot line.

The Cabin in the Woods (2011)

'I Don't Want Him To Die, He's Quality'

[10/10 · 2 June 2015]

The Cabin in the Woods is an amazing film that mixes everything you know with everything you could never imagine, with a fantastic twist on the horror/slasher genre, more monsters than you could hope for, deep metaphorical resonance, and fantastic moral issues that could be discussed forever. Any lover of horror and its tropes, or anyone complaining that these tropes are 'getting old' and that there's 'nothing original any more' should watch this film. Not only is it a great watch with a scattering of classic jump scares, and hilarious black comedy and irony, it's something that will make you stop and think for a second about what it really means, if you like to go that deep with film, which I certainly do. Have fun trying to second guess this great movie: I know I couldn't!

Kill Your Darlings (2013)

"What even IS Kill Your Darlings? I mean, really."

[8/10 · 27 May 2015]

I can't begin to answer this question. Kill Your Darlings is somewhat a coming-of-age film about Alan, a wannabe poet, entering the world of university and encountering a dark-humoured, romantic boy-with-a-past, Lucien. This part is pretty predictable, and what comes immediately after is also somewhat to the book. However, KYD will most likely touch you in some deep place if, like me, you enjoy black comedy, rebellion, and wannabe revolutionaries. There is everything to enjoy about this movie, and, what's more, it's based on a true story, so the story doesn't end once the credits start rolling. Don't you just love a film where you can do a little research? I do! Cinematography is wonderful, dialogue is beautiful, and Dane DeHaan is fantastic as always. I was close to giving it ten stars, but since I've literally just finished watching it, I thought I'd let my starry-eyed-ness die down a little before reaching a concrete verdict. Eight stars it is.

Poltergeist (2015)

'That was actually good!'

[5/10 · 27 May 2015]

Admittedly, it wasn't awesome. I expected a lot more from a remake of such a great film to begin with. I thought, what with all the technological advancement since then, it'd be better. But it was just that: A remake. Everything was pretty much the same and any attempt to diverge from the original storyline could easily be overlooked. Special effects were, as always, fantastic, and the fact that I saw the whole thing in 3D didn't hurt either. It's good, it's entertaining, it's - in the first half, at least - frightening. This film is definitely worth a watch, especially if you're a fan of the original - but no, it wasn't the amazing spectacle I was hoping for.

Frank (II) (2014)

"It was hilarious, like"

[8/10 · 27 April 2015]

But not only was Frank hilarious, it was really poignant and it's art house style didn't detract from what was actually a great storyline. Reminiscent of Submarine or The Double in both editing style and narrative, the characters, though odd, are really likable and amusing. It kept me laughing all the way through, and the conclusion was really heartfelt. It was a great film with awesome narrative structure and a clear message, even if that message was not necessarily what the audience wanted. I couldn't have asked for a better movie to watch tonight and I'll definitely be taking a look at the book to see how it matches up!

Chronicle (2012)

"My favourite kind of hero"

[10/10 · 30 March 2015]

Chronicle tells the story of a young boy named Andrew - an outcast, abused by his father and, more often than not, his peers too. Andrew's an extremist version of Spiderman - he just doesn't fit in. And then, suddenly, he comes into this amazing power. Unlike Spidey, Andrew's friends also inherit this power. What follows is the story of their discovery of their own boundaries. Many boundaries are discovered and crossed in this film - not all of them positive. One thing can be sure - this is not a superhero movie. It's more an accurate representation of what would happen if teenagers got super powers - they'd prank people in supermarkets and play extreme football. The first half of this film, though clouded with dark undertones, is mostly light hearted. Unfortunately, due to his tragic past, you can only assume that Andrew's mind is going to take this power way too far. I won't say anything else, but I will say that the ending will not leave you disappointed. If you love morally questionable, tragic protagonists, you'll love Andrew. I personally loved Chronicle. I didn't think the found footage element in any way detracted from the storyline. I'm not actually entirely sure 'found footage' is exactly the right word. I don't think anybody is claiming to have found these tapes and put them together, I think this was just a useful and alternative medium with which to tell the story. Either way, the film was great, the storyline was interesting and there were a lot of issues explored. To conclude, if you love anti-heroes, you liked Dane Dehaan as The Green Goblin, and you're in the mood for some seriously emotional content, as well as some laughs and some stupendous action sequences (Considering the low budget), you should probably go watch Chronicle. Like, right now.

The Babadook (2014)

"Well...That was just...Childish!"

[10/10 · 28 February 2015]

First of all, I want to get it out of the way that I liked this film for the editing style and the creepy feel it produced, than the actual storyline. Though the idea was good, the plot left a lot to be desired. My mother, who is a 'real' horror fan (i.e, she enjoys lots of tension and jump scares) did not enjoy this movie at all, but I thought it was great! As I said, the idea behind the film, to display feelings of grief as a physical thing that people live with, was fantastic, and the monster itself - wow! I simply heard the noise it makes - that creepy, croaky, demonic sound - on the trailer, and knew I had to watch it, if only to give myself nightmares. And it didn't disappoint! The Babadook was ridiculously scary, though actual sightings of the monster were few and far between, and even then he mostly appeared in shadow. But it's common horror knowledge that things are scarier when left to the imagination, right? In conclusion, I think this film is worth a watch, but don't expect jump scares... just endless tension that won't end once the final credits have rolled!

The Double (2013)

"What Was That All About?"

[10/10 · 19 February 2015]

I loved this film. It's a hard one to understand at first, and you may feel a little alienated and confused at first, but if you stick it out you'll get the gist. The film plays out like a nightmare, another review said, and I think that not only is that a perfect description, but also that that's just what the director intended. Because the film is just Simon's nightmare. The whole thing is a masterpiece with some real moments of humour and heartbreak, and I thought it was wonderful. It's become one of my favourites! And that ending! Just wow! Trust me, you will be blown away - perfectly put together and a fine example of modern film.

Oculus (2013)

'Proper Chockered my Head...But it was Alright'

[8/10 · 11 October 2014]

The trailers for Oculus were misleading...I thought this film was going to be totally different than what it was. Oculus is not your typical horror film. Featuring what we think is going to be the usual 'haunted' mirror, we expect some nice jump scares, twisted reality, and a nicely wrapped-up ending, hopefully with the mirror's spirit eradicated, or the mirror itself being destroyed. Instead, what you get is one or two fantastic jump scares, mind-boggling twists of reality that leave you wondering just what the heck is going on, and an ending that I won't reveal to you, but it's certainly not wrapped-up in anyway. A sequel is not necessary, though. As a stand-alone film, Oculus is everything you could want for sophisticated film viewing. I repeat: DO NOT WATCH if you are looking for easy viewing.

La haine (1995)

Worth a Watch ... If you're a movie buff

[7/10 · 11 October 2014]

Admittedly, I watched the badly subtitled American version of this film, and so couldn't possibly comprehend the resonance of what they were saying, but at least I got something out of it. Though I feel the characters are a little lacking, this being a film they made up as they went along, the cinematography is just brilliant if you take the time to think about it. This film gets such mixed reviews, some people love it, some people hate it. It's all just a matter of what you want to get out of a film. Some people watch films for the entertainment value, in which case you're better off watching something else, but others watch for more unique reasons. If you like to ponder the metaphorical resonances of a film, this is the one for you. If not, and you'd rather watch something for pure entertainment, maybe give La Haine a miss. You need to actually care about this film to enjoy it, which is a shame, as the first time around, this film often goes over people's heads (It certainly went over mine!)