Friday 10 December 2010

Narnia: Voyage of the Yawn treader

It pains me to have to write a bad review about a film, that essentially bigs up Jesus, however it has to be done.

What went wrong?

Well first off there wasn't enough of Aslan in it, and the lines he came out with when he was there weren't exactly regal, more cringey. Secondly, the majority of the acting was BAD. Lucy and Edmond were as usual, stunted, slow and unemotional. Eustace, (their annoying cousin) though a irritating character was not a bad actor. Apart from all this, the storyline was slow, the plot thin, and the special effects, well, not very special.
I have to say, the highlight for me was Ben Barnes' (prince caspian) face.
Enough said.
2/5 stars.

Thursday 2 December 2010

Snow, you're boring me

I cannot begin to say how much i am bored by the 2 foot of snow that we have and the constant snow fall that is still terrorising the nation, not in the least Harthill. For goodness sake, we're people too! Come clear our roads please! The village is running out of milk and bread and soon we're going to die of starvation... Maybe a little exaggeration but i am bored of being stuck in the house.

On a happier note, it is quite nice to see all the village out, shovelling their cars out of their homemade igloos, and people furiously rushing round our tiny co-op to get the last loaf of bread and gettingg wine instead of milk (at least that's what we did). What's more is that i have been watching copious amounts of Gavin and Stacey (new found love) and a few films, such as The boy's are back (not bad but lacking) and the carriers (adequate). This morning has turned out to be okay at the moment because i found out that Glee have done a Christmas album and Last Christmas is on it! Excited.

As for work we won't talk about that, or the fact that it's half 8 in the morning and ive already been up for 2 and a half hours.

Tidy.

Saturday 20 November 2010

Harry Potter - Not awful, but not great

Ok, so not suprisingly a huge group of us went to see Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 1 last night. I had previously read some reviews to prepare myself, and they weren't overwhelming - as many of the other films aren't. So, I must admit i went into the cinema, not in a brilliant mood and with a critical mind.

 I love the books, but the films just seem to miss something, forgetting some charm. I usually account this to the often apalling acting abilities of its leads, but actually, in this film they are not bad. Daniel Radcliffe still leaves something to be desired as our main protagonist, though to be fair to him, I've discovered through the reading of the seven books that actually Harry is a pretty annoying character, so there's only so much you can do as an actor. Rupert Grint was pretty standard, bringing his light "comical" moments, and going off in a jealous strop as per usual. But for me, Emma Watson was the suprise. I've never really liked her as hermione - with the exception maybe of the first few films - she always played hermione a little too whiney and neurotic and this didn't sit right with me. However, in the Deathly Hallows, she actually puts in a really good performance, showing a more gentle and less frantic side to the character of Hermione, and actually in my opinion carries the film.

   So what else? Well, I pretty much think they should have made one four hour film, possibly with a little toilet break in the middle (no, seriously). It may seem like a book of two halves, but one half definitley has a lot more going on in it than the other, and as two films, this doesn't really work. Furthermore, to split it in half is to lose something, whether story or charisma, it is ruining the whole. This is seen in part one, in the way in which the scenes that could have been brilliant, such as Godrics Hollow and their discovery at malfoys mansion were only lingered on briefly before going back to three characters in the forest.

   This isn't an awful film, the cast are better, the mood is right, the special effects, as always are pretty special and the intentions are there. However, splitting this novel in half was a mistake and this is seen in the lack of actual action and a feeling of disjointedness.
Not awful, not great, just scrapes a 3 out of 5.

Sunday 14 November 2010

Sweet sweet music

It has been a while since I have written anything, and i guess that's because it is often too hard to express in words what I feel. Actually scrap that, it IS extremely hard to write how you feel. I am controlled too much by emotions and how I feel, especially in the last few weeks slash years.

Something which I have recently learnt that i couldn't live without, or survive without, is music.

 Music has the ability to cheer you up, or bring you down, the ability to make you smile or cry or hate yourself or love others more. It is a way to worship your God, it is a way to worship yourself, or your country, society, culture. It's a way of expressing feelings sometimes without words, and sometimes with words that just don't make sense on their own, but add a beautiful melody and an ounce of passion and you have something that means the world.

Sometimes, words just aren't enough, without the tune that strings them altogether.

Saturday 30 October 2010

Burke and Hare

So, I hadn't exactly been anticipating this film with great wonder and excitement, but it has been a long week, and light entertainment was what i needed. Now the prospect of two grave diggers, terrorising Edinburgh, by murdering innocents in order to donate their bodies to medical science, would not ordianarily strike me as a comedy, and it was a little bit hit and miss.

I felt Andy Serkis (who plays Gollem) shined the most as Hare, as did the little comedic parts played by other big names (such as Bill Bailey and Tim Curry). However, Simon Pegg was not really on form. I mean, the script could have been alot better, as could the film, but i was quite disapointed in him, and Isla Fisher's accent was a huge put off. I just couldn't help thinking "you're an aussie, go back to home and away and speak properly" but i guess she served the purpose as a love interest okay. In fact as i think about it there are more and more plot holes and bad acting that pops into my mind, that i'm just not goingto bore you with.

Overall, i think entertainment wise it was probably a 3 out 5 (in terms of mindless entertainment) in how good a film it was, i'd give it a 2.

P.s, don't go with medics to see this film, apparently it's not totally medically correct... what is with that?!

Sunday 24 October 2010

A weekend of culture

I went home this weekend, mainly for the fact that my mum had tickets to go and see the musical chess. I laughed and shunned the people who laughed at me for going to see a musical about chess, i told them to stop being silly, due to the fact that there would be some deep metaphorical meaning for calling it chess, not a literal one. How wrong can a girl be... I mean there were some political undertones about the rifts between Russia and Ameria (this musical having been written in the late '70s) but it was primarily about chess and two players going against each other. Even most of the cast were dressed as chess players. As spectacular as the cast looked, and as beautiful as some of the voices were, i wasn't really feeling it.
   Before venturing home today however, me and my mother went to see the film "Easy A". Having meant to have seen this film in Stoke last week (but couldn't because Stoke evidently didn't want to show a film about a pretend school slut) I made plans to see it in Sheffield - a place where all good films are shown... I had heard good reviews about Easy A, claiming it was a new Mean Girls and a clever and entertaining teen high school flick, so i was looking forward to it with much anticipation.
It was, I have to say, highly entertaining. I think there's something about high school films that is extremely appealing (as shown in films such as ten things i hate about you, never been kissed and mean girls) but also something which can be lost a little bit on screen (john tucker must die, high school musical...), However, wherever the film lacked some oomph (which wasn't that often) was made up by the protagonist played by Emma Stone. She is brilliant. Extremely dry, fun and believable, she made the film different and extremably likeable. Throw in a fake sex scene and a hot high school crush, and you have yourself a brilliant movie.
Until the next fil, or exciting, disapointing or frustrating thing in my life,
Au revoir

Monday 18 October 2010

7.30 on a Tuesday morning

I am in that mood, when a person wants to do everything yet nothing at the same time. You think, maybe i'll do this, that's a good idea, you get there and no, that doesn't satisfy. You think, I know i'll do that thing or read some of that book that i just haven't had time to read, but that doesn't satisfy either.
What does a person do when they can't go back to sleep but they don't want to do anything else? I'm a distressed apathetic person at 7.30 on a tuesday morning and the rest of the day is not boding well

Saturday 16 October 2010

The Social Network

There has been alot of hype about this film as you probably have inescabably seen. It's weird, because it's sort of an "indie" (or less mainstream) film, in the way it's made and the amount of dialogue and lack of action and plot is in it, yet at the same time it is incredibly mainstream by the pure fact that this film is about facebook...
   I was incredibly dubious about the premise of it, the fact that it was a story about the guy who created facebook, but actually it's pretty brilliant. Jesse Eisenberg does a pretty awesome performance of Mark Zuckerberg, playing with your feelings and emotions towards him, and Andrew Garfield in pretty much his break-out role, does a pretty good job of playing the angered friend. The fact of the matter is, is that David Fincher, along with his superb choice of actors, chooses brilliant camera shots and angles and makes a great film out of what is probably a very dry and boring job. I would give it at least 4 out of 5 stars.
   On a lighter note, i went to see Despicable Me this morning. There is something about animation  films, especially of late that just really capture something sweet and entertaining. I did enjoy Despicable me, Steve Carrell did a really good job of voicing the main charcter and the children in it were soooo cute. Where this film was let down, were in the enemy characters. They were dry, boring, and not really very evil. Altogether not very watchable baddies. However the parts of the film with the children in made up for it, and i enjoyed it alot. I would give this film a 3 out of 5.
   You may think i'm a bit of a loser for writing this, but i really do love film, and there is so much to appreciate and take away even from kids film. So bear with me :)

Sunday 10 October 2010

7.30 on a Monday morning

I hate mornings. I hate the fact that i do not have the will power at 6.50 on a monday morning to drag myself out of bed and burn off some fat. Or, in my mind burn fat, in reality it probably just burns off the biscuit that i had before i went to bed. I also hate the fact that i wake up at 6 0 clock and my head will talk, and natter and wonder and worry until my bopdy will respond and get up. Will power. What is that? Because my mind seems to have none.
On a happier note, I am watching Glee. Glee GENUINLEY gives me joy, joy and jealousy at the same time. So jealous that i can't sing all the time. Where is my will power for singing? For singing when i'm miserable, and singing when i'm not. As cheesy as it sounds, singing used to be the thing that revealed a little bit of my soul. And now what is there? My interpretation of Bleak House or writings from Sex Workers? Hmmm I don't think it really fulfills the need.
Well i'm sorry for this early morning rant. I'm gonna go get dressed now, to face the days, and the sociology of conspiracy theories that is soon to follow.
Have a good one

First ever blog

I (Fran) have jumped on the blogging band waggon. The world is going to be blessed with my thoughts and ideas... good luck to you all.
In reality i'm thinking of making this into more of a film review blog rather than my random thoughts of the day, one, for your sanity, and two because i LOVE film and here is a way for me to rant and rave about it without people frowning at me or telling me that i watch too many films. So what if i watch disney films at 7.00am on a sunday morning, what else am i supposed to do before church?
Anyway,  it's pushing on 10, 0 clock and my bed is calling me... genuinley...
Until next time...