1 January 2010

Max Power, he’s the man whose name you’d love to touch...but you mustn’t touch!


Where The Wild Things Are – Spike Jonze

From the marketing to the director, Where The Wild Things Are would always follow a path which would lead the film to a cult following, with the book itself being well-known and well-loved. First hearing that the revolutionary director Spike Jonze would be directing, many thought it was a match made in heaven, a director used to using quirky characters in unusual settings with a story based around a child’s imagination. Accompanying the images is the soundtrack composed by Karen O, a further acknowledgement to the type of audience who would go see a Spike Jonze film and see the adaptation of the book.

The start film shows Max, played by Max Records (great actor, plays the part tremendously with a certain likeable quality), a child living with his older sister and Mother, from the first minute, the audience gain the understanding of the uncontrollable nature of Max, with him fighting in his famous cat suit, with the pet dog. The quick editing is a style used throughout the film to great effect, which is used enjoyable well in the opening scenes. After the first fifteen minutes, the film transcends into the imagination of Max, or so it seems. You quickly realise that Max has run away from home to find himself in the middle of nowhere, angry and alone, he stumbles across a new place. The introduction of the monsters is perfect, the audience, along with Max is scared, whether to like to dislike them, they are created brilliantly from the book and given the right balance of emotions. The joyfulness of Max and the creatures playing and becoming friends to the sad ending of the adventure, it’s really worth watching, something different to cinema with unique form of storytelling.

Visually stunning, simplistic and natural, the cinematography is mind-blowingly perfect, with fitting the pace of the story, the setting and the characters. It’s near perfect-dom, with it having the “indie” look, but not used to the point of annoyance. A film that oozes likeable qualities, the music, the image and the dialogue is wonderful, a real treat at the cinema for something that is both liked by child and adult. If by the end you’re not uncontrollable sobbing or on the brink of real “man” tears then you’re either a zombie or a Fast and the Furious fan, which i beg you if you are, become a zombie, it would make the world a better place. A particular technique picked up is the use of shots pointing towards the sky, looking upward at the characters and the surroundings. It’s crafted brilliantly in the film to make us feel like Max, a small child looking up at the monstrous world in front of his eyes, the audience momentarily become Max. Nostalgia is also used in crafting a connection between Max and us, the inner child explored in a unique way.

And on a last note, don’t forget Paul Dano, Paul fucking Dano!

9/10

If you like this, you'll love: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Eagle vs Shark, Me and You and Everyone We Know

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0386117/

Simon Childs

30 December 2009

Trailer Watch

30th December - 5th January

Here are some of the top trailers alone at the moment for films arriving this year...We have chosen 5 of the best of the week and look out for a regular posting of great trailers. (Not in any particularly order):

1. Inception



2. Cop Out





3. Youth in Revolt



4. Alice in Wonderland



5. Iron Man 2





Simon Childs

29 December 2009

Introduction

Welcome to the new blog called Popcorn Paradise, this is a project started by Simon Childs, where he will be reviewing the many films throughout 2010. From 1st January to the 31st December, all of the movies watched will be places upon this site. Along with reviews of the films, lists and ratings will be placed alongside them too. Throughout the year, guest reviews will also be placed here, so come back regular to check them out.

With the film reviews by Simon Childs, regular contributors will also be placing their reviews here, from TV to graphic novels to video games to series of works, entertaining and exciting authors will, for the first time, have their work read by audiences. So please, compliment and comment on their work. Each week, they will contribute a piece, which over time should have a variety of subjects, a variety of areas and hopefully, a variety of reviews.

This project was started after boredom and the hatred of internet blogging and reviewing. But why not join them and fight from the inside. Similar vain to reviews by Empire and Ain't It Cool News, these reviews promise to be fair and balanced, giving the audience a better insight into the film without giving away the plot. And the end of every month, a list will be made of the best to give you, the reader, a better understanding of the amount of rubbish that will be seen.

With each film, graphic novel, CD, video game or television show, information will be given, such as the link to the IMDB page, the rating, and what media is similar to it. The journey of this blog will depend on the amount of people who read it, so tell your friends, tell your family, hell, even tell your neighbours about the site. With the more people reading it, the more interesting it will be. Also, if you wish to suggest films for Simon to watch or if your interested in becoming part of the time, go ahead and email us as simonchilds.blog@hotmail.com.

The first review will be placed on the 1st of January as an introduction to how this will work and the film will be Where the Wild Things Are by Spike Jonze.


Look at for an early review of Kick-Ass which should be a splendid read, along with a few other reviews being currently written. Along with reviews of UP, District 9 and an early review of Ponyo on a Cliff. Enjoy...

Simon Childs