Date: Wednesday 28th November
Film: Friends With Kids (2011)
Director: Jennifer Westfeldt
Starring: Jennifer Westfeldt, Adam Scott, Maya Rudolph and Jon Hamm
Running Time: 01 hour, 47 minutes
Rating 7.5/10
The commentary on this DVD box says 'funnier than Bridesmaids'. Not sure that's a fair comparison to make. Whilst Friends With Kids has a cast made up almost entirely of faces that popped up in Bridesmaids, the humour is totally different.
Don't go expecting this to be another Bridesmaids; the jokes aren't as brash, the characters aren't as 'caricature-y' and at no point does anyone defecate in the street. It is, however, as good as Bridesmaids, mainly due to the brilliant cast.
Friends With Kids is heartwarming, funny and has an exceptional cast, although Chris O'Dowd's accent upset me a little.
Challenge day: 66
Challenge time: 03 days, 06 hours, 10 minutes
Challenge Film Total: 42
Friday, 30 November 2012
This is not recess. Everyone is accountable.
Date: Monday 26th November
Film: Less Than Zero (1987)
Director: Marek Kanievska
Starring: Andrew McCarthy, Jami Gertz and Robert Downey Jr.
Running Time: 01 hour, 38 minutes
Rating 7/10
I love the Bret Easton Ellis novel that this film is based on. I love 80's Andrew McCarthy and I believe that everything Robert Downey Jr. touches turns to gold, magical gold (I also believe that he should be my husband). There was so much potential for me to love this movie.
I think I set my sights to high.
This wasn't terrible, by no means, it just wasn't the film I was expecting, the plot line seemed watered down, compared to the book (my mistake, I really should have learned my lessons from One Day/The Time Traveler's Wife).
If I think of this as independent from the novel, then Less Than Zero is a well acted, solid film about the lives of excess lived by over-privileged LA teenagers. Robert Downey Jr. is amazing in his portrayal of an addict who will do anything to get his next fix. Andrew McCarthy plays the wide eyed dreamer role so well.
This is a great film. It just isn't entirely related to a great, great novel.
Challenge day: 34
Challenge running time: 03 days, 04 hours, 23 minutes
Challenge film total: 41
Film: Less Than Zero (1987)
Director: Marek Kanievska
Starring: Andrew McCarthy, Jami Gertz and Robert Downey Jr.
Running Time: 01 hour, 38 minutes
Rating 7/10
I love the Bret Easton Ellis novel that this film is based on. I love 80's Andrew McCarthy and I believe that everything Robert Downey Jr. touches turns to gold, magical gold (I also believe that he should be my husband). There was so much potential for me to love this movie.
I think I set my sights to high.
This wasn't terrible, by no means, it just wasn't the film I was expecting, the plot line seemed watered down, compared to the book (my mistake, I really should have learned my lessons from One Day/The Time Traveler's Wife).
If I think of this as independent from the novel, then Less Than Zero is a well acted, solid film about the lives of excess lived by over-privileged LA teenagers. Robert Downey Jr. is amazing in his portrayal of an addict who will do anything to get his next fix. Andrew McCarthy plays the wide eyed dreamer role so well.
This is a great film. It just isn't entirely related to a great, great novel.
Challenge day: 34
Challenge running time: 03 days, 04 hours, 23 minutes
Challenge film total: 41
He has come into a handsome fortune and he has great expectations
Date: Monday 26th November
Film: Great Expectations (2012)
Director: Mike Newell
Starring: Jeremy Irvine, Helena Bonham Carter, Ralph Fiennes and Robbie Coltrane
Running Time: 2 hours, 08 minutes
Rating: 7/10
I'll admit, I'm partial to a period drama, the bigger the frocks and hats, the better, and Great Expectations is one of my favourite stories. For the longest time (I think since I first read the book) I've been saying that there is no actress on Earth better suited to playing Miss Havisham than Helena Bonham Carter, and, as if they heard my calls, guess who rocks up in this new adaptation. My hopes were high, the only downside, as far as I could see, was my love for the BBC adaptation late last year, would this film match up?
With the exception of the, always excellent, Helena Bonham Carter, this could be any other adaptation of Great Expectations. It's not the best I've ever seen, but it is by no means the worst. It is faithful to the story (although the Mrs. Joe subplot does get a little sidelined), beautifully shot and has a great cast.
I'm undecided. I didn't love it, but I can't quite work out why.
Challenge Day: 64
Challenge Time: 03 days, 02 hours, 45 minutes
Challenge Film Total: 40
Film: Great Expectations (2012)
Director: Mike Newell
Starring: Jeremy Irvine, Helena Bonham Carter, Ralph Fiennes and Robbie Coltrane
Running Time: 2 hours, 08 minutes
Rating: 7/10
I'll admit, I'm partial to a period drama, the bigger the frocks and hats, the better, and Great Expectations is one of my favourite stories. For the longest time (I think since I first read the book) I've been saying that there is no actress on Earth better suited to playing Miss Havisham than Helena Bonham Carter, and, as if they heard my calls, guess who rocks up in this new adaptation. My hopes were high, the only downside, as far as I could see, was my love for the BBC adaptation late last year, would this film match up?
With the exception of the, always excellent, Helena Bonham Carter, this could be any other adaptation of Great Expectations. It's not the best I've ever seen, but it is by no means the worst. It is faithful to the story (although the Mrs. Joe subplot does get a little sidelined), beautifully shot and has a great cast.
I'm undecided. I didn't love it, but I can't quite work out why.
Challenge Day: 64
Challenge Time: 03 days, 02 hours, 45 minutes
Challenge Film Total: 40
Monday, 26 November 2012
This is such a stone-cold pack of weirdos, and I am so proud!
Date: Saturday 24th November
Film: Bridesmaids (2011)
Director: Paul Feig
Starring: Kristen Wiig, Chris O'Dowd and Maya Rudolph
Running Time: 2 hours, 05 minutes
Rating 9/10
After a long and adventurous day at Secret Cinema, all we wanted to do was settle down with a movie and, following Friday night's gossipy disaster (2 films started, neither finished, both stopped for slightly boring stories and superhero chats), we needed something that was going to hold our attention and stop us falling asleep on the sofa.
Two of us adore Bridesmaids and one of us hadn't seen it, so it seemed like a good choice. Something that I knew inside out so if I did feel myself getting a little too tired, I could take a 5 minute power nap and still know exactly what was going on.
This film gets better and better with every viewing; each time I watch there's something new to make me laugh. It probably helps that it is created by a bunch of people I adore, Paul Feig can do no wrong in my eyes (maybe it's because I'm a massive Freaks and Geeks fan), Kristen Wiig is hilarious and Chris O'Dowd is his usual charming self. Bridesmaids is always going to be one of my favourite comedies.
Chaellenge day: 62
Challenge time: 3 days, 00 hours, 37 minutes.
Challenge film total: 39
Film: Bridesmaids (2011)
Director: Paul Feig
Starring: Kristen Wiig, Chris O'Dowd and Maya Rudolph
Running Time: 2 hours, 05 minutes
Rating 9/10
After a long and adventurous day at Secret Cinema, all we wanted to do was settle down with a movie and, following Friday night's gossipy disaster (2 films started, neither finished, both stopped for slightly boring stories and superhero chats), we needed something that was going to hold our attention and stop us falling asleep on the sofa.
Two of us adore Bridesmaids and one of us hadn't seen it, so it seemed like a good choice. Something that I knew inside out so if I did feel myself getting a little too tired, I could take a 5 minute power nap and still know exactly what was going on.
This film gets better and better with every viewing; each time I watch there's something new to make me laugh. It probably helps that it is created by a bunch of people I adore, Paul Feig can do no wrong in my eyes (maybe it's because I'm a massive Freaks and Geeks fan), Kristen Wiig is hilarious and Chris O'Dowd is his usual charming self. Bridesmaids is always going to be one of my favourite comedies.
Chaellenge day: 62
Challenge time: 3 days, 00 hours, 37 minutes.
Challenge film total: 39
Tell No One
Date: Saturday 24th November
Film: TBA
Director: TBA
Starring: TBA
Running Time: 2 hours, 22 minutes
Rating 10/10
This is the post in which I tell you I went to see a film and proceed to tell you nothing about it.
Secret Cinema day has been and gone.
Secret Cinema, for the uninitiated, is an all encompassing, secret, theatrical, cinema experience. You buy tickets knowing nothing about what lies ahead of you. Leading up to the start of the Secret Cinema season (the same event runs for a few weeks, with performances every evening as well as weekend matinees) obscure, indirectly related, clues (songs, pictures, video clips) are uploaded to Secret Cinema's Facebook page.
A couple of weeks before the event you're given a dress code and a meeting place.
The day arrives, you get up and get organised and find yourself, as I did on Saturday morning, queueing outside a library with hundreds of others, all dressed in men's suits.
You are then led into a world where the film is recreated and you are encouraged to join in. For the last event, earlier this year, the film was Prometheus and we found ourselves, in our boiler suits, examining life forms from other planets and experiencing life aboard our space ship.
This time around, as the event is still taking place, I am to keep quiet about where I have been and what I have seen.
Once the season ends, I can tell you more, for now I can tell you the films I saw was 2 hours and 22 minutes long, it was a film I already loved and the experience was, as it was last time around, phenomenal.
Tell no one.
Challenge day: 62
Challenge time: 2 days, 22 hours, 32 minutes
Challenge film total: 38
Film: TBA
Director: TBA
Starring: TBA
Running Time: 2 hours, 22 minutes
Rating 10/10
This is the post in which I tell you I went to see a film and proceed to tell you nothing about it.
Secret Cinema day has been and gone.
Secret Cinema, for the uninitiated, is an all encompassing, secret, theatrical, cinema experience. You buy tickets knowing nothing about what lies ahead of you. Leading up to the start of the Secret Cinema season (the same event runs for a few weeks, with performances every evening as well as weekend matinees) obscure, indirectly related, clues (songs, pictures, video clips) are uploaded to Secret Cinema's Facebook page.
A couple of weeks before the event you're given a dress code and a meeting place.
The day arrives, you get up and get organised and find yourself, as I did on Saturday morning, queueing outside a library with hundreds of others, all dressed in men's suits.
You are then led into a world where the film is recreated and you are encouraged to join in. For the last event, earlier this year, the film was Prometheus and we found ourselves, in our boiler suits, examining life forms from other planets and experiencing life aboard our space ship.
This time around, as the event is still taking place, I am to keep quiet about where I have been and what I have seen.
Once the season ends, I can tell you more, for now I can tell you the films I saw was 2 hours and 22 minutes long, it was a film I already loved and the experience was, as it was last time around, phenomenal.
Tell no one.
Challenge day: 62
Challenge time: 2 days, 22 hours, 32 minutes
Challenge film total: 38
Friday, 23 November 2012
Her new boyfriend has an incredibly long neck. Just thinking about giraffes makes me angry.
Date: Sunday 18th November 2012
Film: Submarine (2010)
Director:Richard Ayoade
Starring: Craig Roberts, Yasmin Page and Sally Hawkins
Running Time: 1 hour 37 minutes
Rating: 8.5/10
Sunday Night Film Club is back and this week we fancied a little bit of British comedy and where better to look than Richard Ayoade's directorial debut. Submarine is a dark and wickedly funny film about a socially awkward 15 year old growing up in 1980's Wales, dealing with family turmoil and his first love.
A film that I've seen more than once, yet still manages to surprise me. beautifully shot, full of incredibly dry jokes and a stellar soundtrack, Submarine is boosted by a strong supporting cast of some of the best of British, including Paddy Considine and Noah Taylor.
Not necessarily the jolliest of comedies, but a great Sunday night film none the less.
Challenge day: 56
Challenge time: 2 days 20 hours 10 minutes
Challenge film total: 37
Director:Richard Ayoade
Starring: Craig Roberts, Yasmin Page and Sally Hawkins
Running Time: 1 hour 37 minutes
Rating: 8.5/10
Sunday Night Film Club is back and this week we fancied a little bit of British comedy and where better to look than Richard Ayoade's directorial debut. Submarine is a dark and wickedly funny film about a socially awkward 15 year old growing up in 1980's Wales, dealing with family turmoil and his first love.
A film that I've seen more than once, yet still manages to surprise me. beautifully shot, full of incredibly dry jokes and a stellar soundtrack, Submarine is boosted by a strong supporting cast of some of the best of British, including Paddy Considine and Noah Taylor.
Not necessarily the jolliest of comedies, but a great Sunday night film none the less.
Challenge day: 56
Challenge time: 2 days 20 hours 10 minutes
Challenge film total: 37
If you stay positive, you have a shot at a silver lining
Date: Sunday 18th November 2012
Film: Silver Linings Playbook (2012)
Director: David O. Russell
Starring: Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, Robert De Niro and Jacki Weaver
Running Time: 2 hour 02 minutes
Rating: 8.5/10
From all the trailers and press I wasn't sure about this film, but a free screening is a free screening (even if it did involve trekking to Stratford first thing on a Sunday morning!) and I'm so glad I got up and went.
I already knew I loved Jennifer Lawrence, she's amazing in Winter's Bone, as well as The Hunger Games and X-Men: First Class, but this film gave me a whole different opinion on Bradley Cooper. With the exception of The Hangover, I struggle to think of a film he's been in, let alone one where he can prove that he's more than a pretty face. With Silver Linings he does exactly this, he plays vulnerable, needy, emotionally unstable and a little kooky, brilliantly.
The supporting cast is equally outstanding. This is the first solid performance I've seen Robert De Niro give in a long time and Jacki Weaver was, yet again, phenomenal.
The story isn't anything special, you can see the ending coming from a mile off, but the acting and dry script lift this away from a standard predictable rom-com.
Worth seeing if you get the chance.
Challenge day: 56
Challenge time: 2 days 18 hours 33 minutes
Challenge film total: 36
Director: David O. Russell
Starring: Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, Robert De Niro and Jacki Weaver
Running Time: 2 hour 02 minutes
Rating: 8.5/10
From all the trailers and press I wasn't sure about this film, but a free screening is a free screening (even if it did involve trekking to Stratford first thing on a Sunday morning!) and I'm so glad I got up and went.
I already knew I loved Jennifer Lawrence, she's amazing in Winter's Bone, as well as The Hunger Games and X-Men: First Class, but this film gave me a whole different opinion on Bradley Cooper. With the exception of The Hangover, I struggle to think of a film he's been in, let alone one where he can prove that he's more than a pretty face. With Silver Linings he does exactly this, he plays vulnerable, needy, emotionally unstable and a little kooky, brilliantly.
The supporting cast is equally outstanding. This is the first solid performance I've seen Robert De Niro give in a long time and Jacki Weaver was, yet again, phenomenal.
The story isn't anything special, you can see the ending coming from a mile off, but the acting and dry script lift this away from a standard predictable rom-com.
Worth seeing if you get the chance.
Challenge day: 56
Challenge time: 2 days 18 hours 33 minutes
Challenge film total: 36
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