G E N T L E M E N B R O N C O S

'Oh my holy crap, surveillance does... I hate those. This is ridiculous, that's the most well guarded yeast factory I've ever seen!'

- A hilarious moment from the film.

This is Jared Hess' third feature film, following Napoleon Dynamite and Nacho Libre. I happened to catch Gentlemen Broncos on television one Sunday afternoon but was unable to finish watching it due to some commitments. But, I did manage to find it a few weeks later and view the second half of the film. I was drawn in immediately during the first viewing and was again during the second. I really admire Hess' unique style. I wouldn't know how to describe it but he seems to be inspired by the 1980s with his use of fashion, music, settings and props. It's totally corny but he makes it really cool.

Gentlemen Broncos tells the story of Benjamin, a shy teenager who writes sci-fi novels and lives with his strange mother who is a fashion designer of hideous sleepwear. When he attends a writers convention he meets his favourite author, Chevalier who turns out to be a bit of an arrogant asshole.

Benjamin is played by my new favourite actor, Michael Angarano (mentioned in Ceremony review) who is perfect as the insecure Benjamin. Jemaine Clement (Flight of the Conchords) is hilarious as Chevalier putting on an amazing voice as the rude sci-fi author.

Hess' style is amazing in this film and the characters are quirky and unique (Hector Jimenez as Lonnie is a standout, his facial expressions are hilarious), however, the story was somewhat lacking. The film starts out really great, but kind of loses it an hour in. It must be hard for Hess to live up to his debut feature, which became insanely popular worldwide and had us all saying, 'Your mum goes to college,' and so on. Unfortunately Gentlemen Broncos doesn't quite have the same appeal as Napoleon Dynamite but it still maintains the quirkiness minus the memorable quotable lines.

Look I'm going to give this a good rating because I did find it rather entertaining and fairly amusing. It just probably isn't the best thing to come from Hess (which is forgivable of course.)

Rating: 3.5/5

D R I V E

A standout performance by Ryan Gosling

This has to be one of the best films I have seen this year if not the best. After seeing Ryan Gosling in Crazy, Stupid, Love the other week and now this; it makes me wonder if there's nothing Gosling can't do. He has to be one of the greatest actors of our time.

There is so much I could say about it but I have no idea where to begin. I'm not going to tell a synopsis of the film but rather describe why I enjoyed it so much.

Firstly, the look and style of the film is brilliant. It is shot so beautifully. Most of the scenes are dark though. I was completely unaware of how violent this film was until I saw some pretty graphic scenes. (There's quite a confronting scene taken in an elevator... not going to give it away, but oh boy!) So it's not for the faint hearted because trust me these guys are not pussies, this is like some Tarantino shit.

The soundtrack is phenomenal! PHENOMENAL! I am listening to it as I write this and I am getting major goosebumps. The soundtrack and my dear friend Gabby is what made me want to see this film. After she played me 'Nightfall' by Kavinsky & Lovefoxxx, I was like, 'Girl! I need to get me that soundtrack and see this film immediately!'

The song 'Tick of the Clock' by The Chromatics used in the opening sequence is perfect! It works so well with the intensity of that scene, helping to build the tension. The soundtrack along with the look of the film & the bright pink titles seem to be influenced by the 1980s, which also work very well with the film. The 1980s influence was a big plus for me.

All of this along with the performances of the entire cast (except for perhaps Carey Mulligan who I found to be inappropriately casted as Irene) was exceptional. Gosling is a stand out for sure but Bryan Cranston, Albert Brooks, Christina Hendricks, etc. are all flawless!

I cannot stop thinking about Drive since I got home from the cinema and it will probably be on my mind for the rest of the week. I am highly recommending this one. Do not miss it!

Rating: 5/5

G I R L , I N T E R R U P T E D

Winona is too cute with that pixie haircut. Such a style icon.

'Have you ever confused a dream with life? Or stolen something when you have the cash? Have you ever been blue? Or thought your train moving while sitting still? Maybe I was just crazy. Maybe it was the 60's. Or maybe I was just a girl... interrupted.'

These were the first words that Winona Ryder said at the beginning of the film as the character Susanna Kaysen. This film literally grabs you from these beginning words & holds onto you until the closing credits.

I am no stranger to this film. I own it on D.V.D. & have seen it numerous times. The reason behind me reviewing it is because this week on my radio show we are talking about the extraordinary Winona Ryder. In my opinion the first 15 or so years of her career were phenomenal. We saw her in such films as Heathers, Beetlejuice, Mermaids, The Age of Innocence, Little Women, Reality Bites and of course the phenomenal Girl, Interrupted which, I think, is most definitely one of her best roles.

Girl, Interrupted is based on a true story following Susanna Kaysen who checked in to a mental hospital in the 1960s after she nearly killed herself or as she puts it, 'I was trying to make the shit stop.' Believing she doesn't belong there, Susanna tries coping and along the way befriends her fellow mental patients including, Lisa (Angelina Jolie) a sociopath.

What I love about Girl, Interrupted is the setting of the 1960s, the awesome soundtrack, the performances of all actors are phenomenal (Goldberg, Jolie, Murphy, and most definitely Ryder who really should have won an award), and although it's a dark story it has it's subtle humorous and beautiful moments i.e. when Susanna sings 'Downtown' to one of the patients to cheer her up - so sweet!

I think Winona Ryder is exceptional in this film! I absolutely adored her as Susanna. I found her incredibly smart, witty, insightful and very real. I never tire of watching this film. Definitely a Winona classic from the 1990s.

Rating: 4.5/5

S P U N

Mena Suvari & Brittany Murphy in a scene from the film

What I like about Spun is that it portrays the awful side to the life of drug taking/dealing that puts you off ever wanting to become a part of that world as well as adding some humor to the genre which you don't often see. Drug films are often so in your face and off-putting that it can make you feel ill & depressed. So it was nice to see a film that didn't indulge in the ugly side of the drug world as much.

Spun spans three days in the life of Ross, (Schwartzman) a young guy hooked on speed who visits his dealer and then chaos ensues. We are introduced to an abundance of characters and some bizarre events occur.

This film really does have an amazing cast; Brittany Murphy, John Leguizamo (that guy who played Tybalt in Luhrman's Romeo & Juliet), Mickey Rourke and the amazing Deborah Harry (who plays Ross' dyke neighbour/phone sex worker - brilliant!) All actors are perfect in their roles and seeing Murphy as the bubbly Nikki makes you feel a little sad that she died so young because it really does remind you how good of an actor she was.

Spun doesn't shy away from your typical drug style film editing. There's the fast paced scenes when Ross is waiting for his next hit & then the chill that follows once he has snorted the speed, the extreme close up shots; in particular the eyes when they dilate (reminiscent of Requiem For A Dream), and just simple things like make-up (Mena Suvari's teeth are a great example, oh boy are they gross).

I did enjoy Spun, it wasn't your stereotypical druggie film. I like that there was humorous moments i.e. the cops from the over-the-top 'Bust' show.

Of course the fact that Jason Schwartzman was in it also made it all the more appealing. It's not a typical role for him but he still manages to do an excellent job and still look babe'n (in a 'speed freak' kinda way).

Rating: 4/5

B U R L E S Q U E

Cher... she may be getting old but that girl's still got it

I am never hesitant to raise my hand to the fact that I am a fan of the fabulous Cher. For me it started as a young girl hearing the single Believe; I woke up early every morning to watch Rage waiting for that clip to come on. Later I would receive a Cher: Greatest Hits album on my 12th birthday and go on to create dance routines to such classics as Gypsies, Tramps & Thieves, The Beat Goes On and many more. Another great thing about Cher is she is an incredible actor. Some of my favourite films she has starred in are Mask and Mermaids.

So my point to this is I was pretty excited about the release of Burlesque, (but not excited enough to see it at the cinema or rush to see it when it was released on DVD... ok so my love for her isn't as strong as when I was playing with Barbies) and watched it in preparation for my film based radio show* this week. The topic being, Musicals.

So what did I think about Cher starring alongside Christina Aguilera in the end... Not much really. Sadly I was a little disappointed. The storyline had been overdone, small town girl with big dreams moves to the city and tries at nothing to pursue her dream of becoming a singer/dancer... The storyline may have been lacking but the songs and dancing were what kept me watching this film. It really stuck to the Musical genre, not holding back on the show tunes. Most of the songs started to sound the same, but a few of the numbers where quite good. Sadly Cher only performed in two songs though... boo!

I hate to say it but I was distracted throughout Burlesque often playing Fruit Ninja on my phone and I paused it about three times to go and do other things. Look I'm a GenY girl with a short attention span; you just gotta keep me entertained is all I'm saying. And lets face it, Christina Aguilera is pretty painful and to see her playing the sweet girl next door type in this film is even more aggravating. As much as I love you Cher you just didn't save this one for me!

Rating: 1/5

*Yes, I have a radio show now. A little guiltless promotion on the side: http://syn.org.au/program/ellys-film-review

C E R E M O N Y

Michael Angarano and Reece Thompson in a scene from the film

Two names: Michael Angarano and Reece Thompson.

These two guys star in Max Winkler's (Harry Winkler's (The Fonz) son) debut film; Ceremony.

Michael Angarano is none other than little William from Cameron Crowe's Almost Famous who shouted in the backseat of his mum's car, "I'm eleven? ELEVEN?!" He is also Jack McFarland's sperm donor child, Elliott in Will & Grace. Now Angarano is 24-years-old and I gotta tell you, he is babe'n!

The other guy I mentioned; Reece Thompson, a name you will have recognised from my last review, is the main reason I hired this film and being the bitch I am, I have now lost interest in him and have developed a crush on Angarano. Something about that mustache in the first third of the film and his slicked back hair just made me go, "Ohhhh yep."

So as for the film, it's got a lot of cool things about it; witty banter, and an awesome party that I so badly wanted to be a part of and indie fashion (think wayfarers, cardigans, old-school suits).

Being Winkler's first film though, I'm not going to be totally harsh. The film had a lot of promise what with the cast and all but the story was kind of lacking and for the second half I found myself playing Monopoly on my iPhone whilst taking occasional glances at the screen, (yeahhh never a good thing).

It wasn't a completely disappointing film, I just felt that it started out so well but just kind of fell flat at the end. Plus I wasn't really buying the relationship between Angarano and Uma Thurman. That or I was feeling a little envious of Thurman...

Rating: 2.5/5

D A Y D R E A M N A T I O N

Kat Dennings and Reece Thompson in a scene from the film

Described as being like, 'Juno as reimagined by David Lynch...' I'm not entirely sure if that's a good comparison but there are moments in this film that are abnormally cool, so to speak.

Daydream Nation features everything you'd expect from an indie teen film; a soundtrack featuring Stars, young guys experimenting with drugs, affairs with teachers, bike riding, house parties, cupcakes and of course Kat Dennings and Reece Thompson. I suck though, having not seen Reece Thompson in anything before seeing this film, so of course after falling in love with him after this I jumped onto imdb and wrote down everything he has been in followed by me going into work and searching all those films. (Yes, I can turn into a creep sometimes when it comes to cute male actors.)

This is a super cool teen film. It's dark in parts and hilarious in others. Reece Thompson's character is quirky and adorable. Kat Dennings is the new girl in school; confident and sexy. But I can't help but notice she has a 'Keira Knightley nose' (looks like she's constipated most of the time) which is kind of distracting and annoying. I had noticed this before when I saw her in Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist, I didn't let it ruin the movie for me then so this time was definitely no exception.

I highly recommend this film to those of you who love a quirky indie teen film. Sure they're making a heck load of them these days, but like I have said before, this is one film genre that isn't getting old for me.

Rating: 4/5

B R I D E S M A I D S

"I had a dream last night that we went down... you were in it."

Okay so I'm not the kind of person to see a movie at the cinema more than once, mainly because I can see them for free when they come out on D.V.D. (perks of working at a video store). I have only ever done it with Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle (I saw it three times, I kid you not) and now the hilarious film Bridesmaids, which I saw twice last week!

I honestly don't think I have laughed so hard throughout a movie. There are hardly any moments in this film where you're not smiling or crying with laughter. I can't stop quoting it... "What kind of a name is Stove? Are you an appliance?" (If you have seen it, you totally just laughed then.)

So what is Bridesmaids about, I hear you ask. It follows Annie (Kristen Wiig) who is asked by her best friend to be her maid of honour. It is after this we meet the bride's bridal party consisting of some amazing characters but the best is definitely the groom's sister, Megan played by the hilarious Melissa McCarthy. Her character is brilliant and provides for some super hilarious moments i.e. when she takes a whole bunch of labrador puppies (party favours) from the bridal shower. Amazing stuff!

What I love about Bridesmaids is that the characters are very relatable. The conversations that are shared between Annie and her best friend remind me a lot of my conversations with my best girl friends. It's also a female take on the male driven films that we love like The 40-Year-Old Virgin & Superbad. Paul Feig has done a great job with Bridesmaids, it's super hilarious and still kind of keeps that chick flick feel without being overly lame. I could not say a bad thing about it. Go and see it!

Rating: 4.5/5

R A B B I T H O L E

Kidman and Eckhart in a scene from the film

Okay, unlike a lot of people out there, I am not a Nicole Kidman hater. She doesn't shit me. I can see why some get irritated by her, but fortunately I can still watch films starring her and not want to throw myself off a bridge by the end of it. So with that being said, I was really looking forward to seeing Rabbit Hole starring Kidman of course and the awesome Aaron Eckhart (awesome because he was awesome in Thank You for Smoking... enough said). The film tells the story of Becca and Howie who are coping with the fact that their son died eight months ago. It's a hard topic to handle for Shortbus director John Cameron Mitchell, (yes I couldn't quite believe it either... from Shortbus to Rabbit Hole, very interesting indeed) but he does it well.

Visually this film is shot beautifully. I really appreciate it when a film captures the small things and takes pleasure in them. Such as the simple moment of Kidman planting a flower in the beginning of the film where we see Kidman in focus and then the camera focuses on the flower. Simple. Beautiful. Mmmm yeah.

I also really liked Miles Teller in the film, a bit of a newcomer and someone I think we'll be seeing a lot of in the future. I won't go into detail who his character is but what I loved about his character was in the beginning we didn't see his face but rather these drawings he was creating for his comic book, 'Rabbit Hole.' (ahhh link to the title of the film!) The illustrations are so amazing to look at and are quite original in style. Whoever they got to draw those in the film is seriously talented.

I truly enjoyed this film. I was completely engrossed in the characters' lives from beginning to end and even got a little teary! (Always a good sign for me)

So I highly recommend to check it out unless you are one of those Nicole Kidman haters... shame on you! She was totally awesome in Moulin Rouge! Yep, I said it.

Rating: 4/5

U N M A D E B E D S

Vera and the babe aka my new obsession...

I literally just finished watching Unmade Beds. Yes I can't hold back the excitement, I have to type this now, that's how freaking amazing this film was. I'm sure this review will be poorly written but alas I am way to antsy, fingers must type away now.

So why did I see this film? One of my favourite customers happened to return it this evening & upon returning it informed me that she Loved this film. Without hesitation I returned it in the system & then immediately brought up my name & scanned that baby!

The film is set in London where foreigners, Vera & Axl are living/visiting. They both live in the same warehouse but they don't come acquainted til two thirds into the film. Axl is sweet & all but Vera totally stole it for me. Her story is such an intriguing one. It seems she has just broken up with her boyfriend and in amongst getting over him, she meets a strange man in a bar. They spend a night together in a motel where they just sleep & nothing more. Then as fate has it they run into each other again and after that encounter they decide to keep seeing each other but never exchange numbers or tell each other their names; just set a date and place and meet up. This relationship they share is so exciting and the way it's shown is done so beautifully. For example, one time when they meet we are shown clips of them catching a train, walking along a beach, smoking cigarettes and overhead we hear a conversation between them where they reveal a secret about themselves. Visually it is so beautiful but we never see them have this conversation we just hear it. So good!

I got to tell you I am so in love with this man that Vera shares this unusual relationship with. He got me giddy from the get go. This may lead to me watching every film he has ever been in... Yes once I see a babe in a film I am all over that (I am a creep).

This film was told and shot so beautifully. It makes me really appreciate being young and makes me want to make the most of my youth whilst it's still around... I kind of just want to party now and meet a boy. Yep.

Rating: 4.5/5

W I L D A T H E A R T

Some still shots from the film. Bobby Peru pictured third from the top... oh so creepy!

David Lynch. Painter. Filmmaker. Musician. Iconic. Genius. Unique. So damn cool. (oh & babe.)

Just some words that come to mind when I think of David Lynch. Just in case you didn't notice... I am a fan of the man that is David Lynch. I have been obsessed with him ever since viewing Mulholland Drive. I may have caught on late but after seeing some of his other gems like Blue Velvet & the best TV show ever created: Twin Peaks!!! I have gone crazy over this guy, grabbing as many books as I can on the guy and reading as much as I can about him. It was after reading Lynch on Lynch that I became interested in his film Wild At Heart. I finally saw this film a week ago and let me tell you, my feelings for Lynch have not changed, the film made me love him even more. (Yes in my fantasy world I am madly in love with Lynch).

Wild At Heart is so Lynch-esque. It's dark, hilarious in parts, totally whack and inspiringly creative. I loved his use of close-up shots of something as simple as lighting a match and then the smoking of a cigarette. The sound effects used in this re-occurring shot are also amazing. I love Lynch's use of sound in his film, it's so creative and intense. The story follows young lovers Lula and Sailor on the run from Lula's overprotective mother, Marietta (who is a total nut by the way and covers her entire face in red lipstick at one point in the film - amazing scene!). In amongst this long road trip we are encountered with some strange characters, Bobby Peru being a noteworthy mention (boy is he a scary looking man). Another noteworthy mention is a scene where Lula is talking about her crazy cousin Dell. It is completely unrelated to the storyline but it's such a great moment in the film where we see a little moment of Dell's mannerisms and for that short moment you are left in hysterics. I have re-watched it on YouTube so many times and laugh every time.

I really could go on and on about this film. It is high up there now with my favourite films of all time. I could not get enough of it. I am a biased Lynch fan but fuck it, I'm giving this a very high rating.

Rating: 5/5

S O M E W H E R E

Playing Ping Pong in the Chateau Marmont's 'backyard.'

I have been a huge fan of Sofia Coppola's films ever since I saw her feature film debut, The Virgin Suicides. I quite literally obsessed over her when I was eighteen, watching her films on repeat and even made a film inspired by her work where I filmed mainly nature and the characters were probably only featured for a quarter of the film. So of course I got extremely excited when I heard of her new film Somewhere. When I was overseas I went to so many cinemas in search of her new film but it wasn't showing anywhere. I have had to wait all this time for it to be released on DVD and boy did it kill me! Fortunately it did not disappoint (this could probably be because I am obsessed with Coppola's style so in my eyes she can't do no wrong, but regardless it's a damn good film).

Somewhere has a basic storyline, there is a very minimal soundtrack and the characters have little dialogue. It is mostly a visual experience. Coppola's films could be compared to a meditation class, you are completely relaxed throughout and come out feeling calm and at ease. Coppola describes it beautifully in the Making of Somewhere, '...I wanted to do something that was more like a poem, just a little portrait. I'm not really interested in an elaborate storyline and narrative, but more of a mood and a portrait of a person. Just kind of a moment in our life.' When she says this she is comparing it to her last film Marie Antoinette where she had a lot of obligation to historical facts and the storyline was therefore a little more complex. With Somewhere she had more freedom and was able to focus on things away from the storyline. She could basically be an artist.

I absolutely adore this film! Elle Fanning is just adorable as Cleo and Stephen Dorff is perfect as the actor who is stuck in this world of sex and alcohol. Really pleased to see Coppola sticking with her style in her fourth feature film.

Rating: 4.5/5

Stanley Kubrick: A Life in Pictures

Kubrick on the set of A Clockwork Orange (by far one of the best photos I have ever seen of this man)

I'm doing something a little different today, instead of reviewing a film, I'm reviewing a documentary about a filmmaker instead. The filmmaker is none other than Stanley Kubrick.

First of all I am just going to inform you I am not a crazy-mad fan of Kubrick's. I have always admired his work and consider a few of his films my personal favourites. A Clockwork Orange was always considered for a long time to be my all time favourite film and I have always loved The Shining, Full Metal Jacket and Lolita. I am still yet to see a few of his films and there are also a couple which I dislike. After seeing this documentary though I have considered to re-visit these films again and hopefully change my mind.

Stanley Kubrick: A Life in Pictures is hugely insightful and inspiring. It takes you from his childhood to the inside of each of his films including interviews with his family, assistants, other great directors, actors from his films, etc. You learn how much of a perfectionist Kubrick was, spending long amounts of time working on films providing hard work for his actors and crew. His passion for classical music, and how well it was used in his films. Think of the use of Beethoven in A Clockwork Orange and Strauss in 2001: A Space Odyssey. It is used so perfectly in his films to create a mood to go with the scene.

The things I loved to find out about were things like the relationship that Malcolm McDowell and Kubrick had during the making of A Clockwork Orange. McDowell describes their relationship during that time as very close but McDowell held onto this relationship after the film was released. He was always calling Kubrick hoping to spend time with him with no response. McDowell said he was young & naive at the time but your heart kind of goes out to the poor guy! Then there is a behind the scenes look at just how tough Kubrick was with his actors when we see him getting frustrated with Shelley Duvall on the set of The Shining. He swears at her and tells her she's wasting their time with not getting the scene right. It's quite a shock to see but it makes you understand just how much of a perfectionist Kubrick was and Duvall says in the doco that she never regretted doing that film because it was a learning experience but would never want to go through it again. You can see the clip here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XP5w0yE0r6Q

Most actors who worked with him praise Kubrick throughout the documentary. Jack Nicholson says at one point, 'Everyone pretty much acknowledges that he's the man, and I still feel that underrates him.'

It's astonishing to discover he only received one Oscar from the Academy and to hear critics were so harsh toward his films and often referred to him as a lunatic is such a shock because today we consider him to be a genius and one of the best filmmakers of all time.

I was highly impressed with this documentary. It made me want to watch all his films all over again and see the ones I haven't already viewed. Kubrick truly is one of the best filmmakers of all time and this documentary emphasises this.

Rating: 4.5/5

Happiness (1998)

Philip Seymour Hoffman and Lara Flynn Boyle in a scene from the film

I have finally seen Todd Solondz's film Happiness after months of dying to see it! I'm not sure if it started in 1990's America, but there seems to be a pattern of films from that time that were determined to destroy the 'American Dream' and show the reality of what happens to the typical American. A common typical American used in these films was the person living in suburbia with a husband/wife and kids whilst working in a dead-shit job. This is evident in such 90's films as American Beauty, Shortcuts, etc. I also think that Happiness is another great example of this.

Happiness, kind of tells the story of three sisters but also looks at the other people in their lives. The characters range from depressed to in denial to just being totally fucked up. And when I say fucked up I'm actually describing quite a few characters. For the most part I was quite impressed with the film; it raised some issues that perhaps haven't been covered so strongly in films that follow a similar theme. One issue that is looked at in particular is pedophilia. This is looked at through Dylan Baker's character, Bill Maplewood. His character, I found, was the most disturbing in the film and very hard to watch in scenes. I found it quite confronting when you would watch a scene where he discussed masturbation with his son so openly. It's these discussions that make you cringe and feel insanely uncomfortable. The final discussion he has with his son is the hardest to sit through.

Aside from the depressing and disturbing scenes in the film, it is often quite hilarious. An example of this is shown through a conversation between Philip Seymour Hoffman and Camryn Manheim in a diner. The story that Manheim tells Hoffman is told in such a funny way despite it's content and Hoffman's awkward reaction is genius! Solondz is an excellent filmmaker in that he manages to get a lot of emotions out of you and this film does it so well. It's a tough one to sit through but the performances from all actors are outstanding. Philip Seymour Hoffman is such a standout, I seriously don't think I have ever seen a film with him in it where I haven't been amazed by his acting.

In the end, despite being a little confronted and upset by some scenes, I was impressed overall. All stories are told brilliantly and even if it did get me a little down, it's always those films that linger and make an impact.

Rating: 4/5

Black Swan, 127 Hours & Blue Valentine

Okay, so I guess I should probably explain why I haven't done a post in 3 months. Well, I have been travelling for those past few months visiting places like New York, Europe & London. Of course I had computers over there and saw many films during my travels, so I guess my only excuse is pure laziness. But I am determined this year to double the amount of reviews I did last year. So I'm going to cheat a little and review quite a few films in this post.

Black Swan

Natalie Portman in a scene from the film

After shopping all day on 5th Avenue, New York, I wandered outside of Urban Outfitters, (after being in there just over an hour; yes that store is awesome) to discover there was a cinema just a few doors down. There were two films showing, The King's Speech and Black Swan. Having read about Black Swan before I left, I knew that it was directed by Requiem for a Dream director, Darren Aronofsky and of course Natalie Portman was starring in it, so naturally I didn't hesitate to purchase a ticket.

Unfortunately it has been about 3 months since I saw Black Swan and my memory is not the greatest. So I can just tell you how this film made me feel. During the film there were moments where I was terrified (I even jumped in a part and I do not scare easily), I laughed on quite a few occasions but most of the time I was just captivated at the look of the film and the story just blew my mind. After seeing the film I was unsure of how I felt about it. But I think what makes a good film is one that stays with you days after viewing it which is exactly what Black Swan did for me. I am still thinking about it. Occasionally I'll be like, 'Damn! That ending... boy!' It really did just blow my mind. Highly recommend all to see it and Natalie Portman is phenomenal. The training she must have gone through to do this role would have been hard work, so glad she won the oscar for Best Actress, truly worthy of the award.

Rating: 4/5

127 Hours

An example of the split screen look used throughout the film

Having roamed around Bayswater, London for an hour or so in search of a cinema so that I could see Sofia Coppola's Somewhere, I finally came across a cinema in a shopping mall. I was devastated to discover that they weren't showing Coppola's new film so had to choose out of the third Meet the Parents film, some shitty looking kids movie, Love and Other Drugs or 127 Hours. Having not heard anything about 127 Hours but just seeing that it starred James Franco and was directed by the awesome Danny Boyle (after observing the poster), my decision was made.

Once again, my memory is a little vague and I can't remember this film in detail so this review is going to be a brief one. I loved the editing style with the split screen kind of look that was used a lot in the beginning and occasionally throughout when Franco's character is thinking about his life before being trapped under a rock. The film is shot mainly in this spot where Franco is trapped and we watch him struggle to get out and survive the 127 hours he spends there. This is broken up with him thinking of his life and regretting things he has done. There is a moment in the film where you will be cringing so hard you won't be able to look at the screen. It was quite amusing to hear the cinema audience gasping and cringing and turning their heads away from the screen. It's a great film and one I'm so glad I didn't miss.

Rating: 4/5

Blue Valentine

Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams

So I'm lost somewhere in London in search of a cinema I had googled and then I turn a corner to only discover Picadilly Circus. It was pretty awesome. I managed to make it to the cinema only 10 minutes late after looking for it for over half an hour. The film I went to see was Blue Valentine and I think me getting terribly lost was a sign for me not to see it...

Having heard such great things about this film I was quite excited to see it. And Ryan Gosling as the lead male in the film made me not want to miss it. But unfortunately for me my favourite thing about this film was seeing a sexy Gosling in a leather jacket with stubble, pulling out all the moves as well as an offensive joke about a child molester (I laughed at the joke for probably too long). For the rest of it I felt utterly depressed and just kept feeling like I was watching another take on the film Revolutionary Road but in a more present time. Revolutionary Road is one of the best films I have ever seen but it made me feel so depressed and put such a downer on my evening after seeing it, so much so that I have never been able to watch it again. Blue Valentine did this for me as well but in a way that I wasn't as impressed as I was after viewing Revolutionary Road. I think it mainly had to do with my feelings at the time because I was in such a good mood so left the cinema feeling quite pissed off that it had dampened my spirits. I think you have to be weary of how you'll feel after coming out of this one. But overall I felt kind of annoyed at it. The performances were great from both leads but it just kind of frustrated me if anything. Such a shame. But perhaps this is just the film for people to see if they are going through a break up and can be reminded that, yes relationships tend to suck.

Rating: 2.5/5