Trailer Watch X

Hey readers, this is an honour for the site, as after nine popular posts of Trailer Watch so have finally made it to ten. A now weekly installment of the latest and greatest trailers around, we've had great feeback about how you love it, so to say thank you for coming by, becoming a friend or even mentioning the site to others, heres are ten trailers from the past 9 editions:

1. Cop Out: Red Band



2. Iron Man 2



3. Inception



4. Kick-Ass



5. A Nightmare on Elm Street



6. Get Him To The Greek



7. Toy Story 3



8. Legend of the Guardians



9. Prince of Persia



10. Hot Tub Time Machine

9 is the magic number!

9 - Shane Acker

With the name of Tim Burton and the director of Nightwatch, Daywatch and Wanted, Timur Bekmambetov placed across posters and trailers, the advertising company behind Shane Acker’s feature length debut 9, have made it clear that these names will draw in more people, but it should be Acker’s name that is bold and clear, because he’s a talent for the future. Famous for short animations, where this feature length is based on, 9 is a superb debut in the animation field, where it looks and sounds like a veteran piece and it’s something new to the genre of mainstream animation. Having a large release in cinemas, it had a chance to showcase a different style of animation not seen before and have a very mature storyline. It’s not Disney or Pixar, it’s a magical world seen through the eyes of creations made by humans. It’s the end of the world, the end of mankind and all that is left are tiny puppets that are left to build humanity. It’s a story of hope and sacrifice and it’s refreshing to have that in cinemas and especially animation, where anything is possible, just look at my previous reviews of Ponyo and UP.

The plot follows 9 robot-like “Stitchpunks” that are trying to survive in the world where everyone is dead except for machines which have come back to life to destroy them. A war between man and machine erupted before they were born and thus the environment around him is decaying and broken. The latest creation 9 meets the rest of them and tries to put right his mistakes and save them from the machines clutches. It has a great build up of action having smaller scenes leading into the main sequence with the queen machine. It has a great ending, sad but defiantly up-lifting. It comes across as having a meaning without shoving it down your throat which sometimes animation films do.

Overall a simple story, which some might criticise as being too simple or not having a deeper meaning to it, but i understand the film, and i understand the decision to not have undertones or sub plots to it. It’s a small package and its nice for a change. The sound here is perfect, i really can’t fault it, from the soundtrack to the sounds of everything including the clogs and material of the characters, everything sounds crisp. Truly a great a job done with sound, but the voice acting is lacking, but mainly because of the script. The action takes centre stage so the dialogue is only used for plot forwarding in parts. Go out and see this film, it’s different...in a good way.

7/10

Simon Childs

Richard Kelly pushed the button.

The Box - Richard Kelly

Richard Kelly’s film history is small compared to directors with the same status in the underground cult groups. His most successful film is Donnie Darko and it seems that his films after that are only trying to achieve the same feel and style whilst using a story that tries to make sense. It’s a common theme from his work, except for writing Domino (which he didn’t direct) which was a big pile of shit. Southland Tales was decent in parts but tried to confuse the viewer into thinking it was intelligent. And of course, Donnie Darko is a superb film, crafted brilliantly, but that’s because it was the piece his career was made on, it had to be good. But now he’s made it, he doesn’t have to try too hard. As i was thinking, Kelly would soon fall into one-hit-wonderum, but instead he fights back with a new film, The Box, starring Cameron (I’ve only made one decent film ever) Diaz and James Marsden.

The plot follows the tale of a couple with a kid who are tested by a man with a box. If they press the big red button on the box, someone, somewhere will die, and they will be given loads of cash for it. Simple premise. Throw in some strange science fiction questions, such as lightning bolts connecting people to other worldly creatures, a man with half his face missing, a town becoming manipulated zombies and base it on questions of human conscious and if a person could really kill, and it’s a good film. It has its random Kelly moments, especially with water, but overall, its questions are in the right place, with the audience being tested. I’m sure at the end of the film, people were asking, would they have the guts to do it. Would i be able to kill for money, and I’m sure most of them would say yes. And i would too. It sounds horrible to think, but then at the same time, i would invest some of that money into a profitable business, get shitloads back and then go to the clinic in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, the one owned by Tom Wilkinson and get my memory erased of it, so then i forgot that i killed someone, and my conscious would be clean. How about that Kelly, didn’t think about that did you!

For a science fiction thriller with horror elements, it’s mediocre; you expect more from a director who got nominated for a shit-ton of awards but as produced nothing like his debut. It’s better than what i thought it would be, with many critics and reviews panning the shit out of it, except for Empire, who i respect as a reviewing system. But it’s simple, it’s a little long, with it being two hours for a horror film essentially, but it feels like a throwback to the old horror from the 60’s and 70’s, where it wasn’t a scare, more of a mental thought.

6/10

Simon Childs

Trailer Watch IX

6th March - 13th March

Welcome readers both old and new, here is another batch of new trailers released for your viewing pleasure. Watch out for next week's batch, as we count down the top ten best trailers so far that we've put up! So every tenth trailer watch, we'll give you the best of the best! We'll be working out which trailer come out the best and reveal it in a weeks time!

And don't forget...PAUL DANO! DON'T FORGET PAUL DANO!

1. Rememeber Me



2. The Runaways



3. The Good Heart



4. Legend of the Guardians



5. Prince of Persia

PONYO, PONYO, MOTHAFUCKING PONYO!

Ponyo - Hayao Miyazaki

I've had the pleasure this week of reviewing three films that i would easily call the best three films i've reviews this year so far! All romantic and gentle films that spring memories of my childhood, my love of life and the wonders of the future. Something i haven't thought about since the last Miyazaki's film, Howl's Moving Castle, and even then, i watched as a double-bill with Spirited Away. That afternoon i felt like a child again and this weekend, i have the same feeling. I think about my future and whats in store. It's a wonderous feeling. Something that Disney and Studio Ghibli purposefully do. I've got the Studio Ghibli collection on DVD and it's a prize possession in my collection, a real die hard fan would have them, and watch them all the time and one day want to be a part of that system, which i want to. I want to be a part of a company who keeps producing high quality films for all ages. As a filmmaker, Ghibli, especially Miyazaki is a major influence on my work, even in the smallest details.

Ponyo, the lastest in the collection, follows the story of Sosuke and a fish-girl named Ponyo. Sosuke meets Ponyo, in the form of a fish and has a deep connection with. After being taken by her father back into the sea, Ponyo wishes to become human so she can be with Sosuke. She uses her father's magic to become human and meets with Sosuke. When she does this, the world becomes unbalanced and storms and high seas begin to appear. Sosuke and Ponyo must go find help and find Sosuke's Mother, which in turns tests the love of Sosuke and Ponyo. It's a simple plot about two people falling in love, and what they would do for each other, but it's told in such a childish manner, that it gives it a basic love feel, nothing sexually or harmful, just pure love for something. It's refreshing to see that. Classic Disney films are full of it, and that's why everyone loves them. It's gives love a pure quality, not like the purity rings and all that jazz, but just love, in it's simplist form. Adult and child will "get" the film and enjoy it. It's that simple. Obviously it's aimed at a younger audience, a little younger than the audience that was there for Spirited Away and Howl's Moving Castle because of the dialogue and action, Ponyo is less dark and scary and more about swooping lines and curvy creatures.

If Studio Ghibli release a film every year forever, i will be happy. I know many of the reviews i do, i almost pointlessly put a film down, saying how shit it is, but with this film, i can't fault it. I go all childish about it, like im a young boy again. I can't make dirty jokes about it. I would give it a ten or even a nine, but it's not as good as Spirited Away which is a 10 and Howl's Moving Castle which is a 9! Bring on next week's shit films! YEAH!

8/10

Simon Childs

I’m still holding onto the balloons of Pixar and never letting go!

UP - Pete Docter

Recalling back to my childhood and watching films with the family, a safe bet would always be the latest offering by Disney. They offered imagination and great storytelling; using intriguing characters in crazy outlandish worlds. Places where i wanted to visit for real and become friends with the protagonists whilst on their journeys. As i became older, these views changed. I watched wrestling, action films, more adult themed television, and i lost my interest in childish adventures with talking animals. I’ve now got to the age where I’m officially an adult. I’m not meant to enjoy Disney and things of that nature. Cute animals and little children. I’m meant to tell it to fuck off. But alas, i don’t. I’ve had a soft spot for anime and animation in general. I’m a whore for it. And i especially love the revolutionary film company that is Pixar. I can stand here and say that Pixar have never made a bad film. It’s one of the only film companies to proudly exclaim it. That all of their releases have had critical success along with the numbers to prove it. I loved Toy Story, Monsters Inc, The Incredibles, Ratatouille and absolutely adored Wall E. And here, in 2009, another Pixar masterpiece was released. One that maybe is their best yet. It’s called UP.

I knew from the opening scenes that UP would use the same system as past Pixar films, but have a new twist, bring something new to the genre. And it did. Even from the opening montage, showing the age change of the main couple, it was frightening sad and genuinely funny. I was moved. And this was only the first five minutes. I was captured. And not a single second did i drop my interest. I was there throughout. Now the film centres around two characters, Carl and Russell, two unlikely heroes, who band together to make their dreams come true. Carl wanting to move his house to Paradise Falls to live out a dream that Carl and his now deceased Wife wanted, he meets Russell, who wants an elderly helper badge and must do anything he can to help Carl. They find an extinct bird that helps them on the journey and the adventure begins. It’s wonderful. Pixar has the knack of having a perfect pace. Not too quick into the action but at the same time, allowing a steady build up for when it explodes.

Some day, when I’m older, I’m gonna show Pixar films to my kids, to give them morals and spark their imagination. I’m not gonna show them television shows that are harmful or make them play violent video games. Children who are brought up on Pixar films are, in my view, better people for it. They learn right and wrong in a safer setting. Pixar films are the bases for so many adults of the generation, who want to change the world, who want to help people and who want to make a difference. Pixar expects the audience to understand on so many levels. Not just entertainment. The films always hit every audience group, from small children to elderly people. It’s not ageist. So please, i beg you, if you haven’t seen UP yet, and think that it won’t be better than Finding Nemo or Toy Story, it might just blow your mind. It’s like The Dark Knight of the animation world. It needs to be seen!

9/10

Simon Childs

Don't tear my Paper Heart

Paper Heart - Nicholas Jasenovec

Looking into the types of films that have been released this year so far, well mostly January and February, the common occurrence of big action films are released around January where most people are off, children from school, adults because of snow or fake illness. It makes sense, and now we are coming into March, Paper Heart is released on DVD, a perfect present for a loved one, maybe if you missed Valentine’s Day or was sleeping with her sister/his brother. It’s a fake documentary mixed with real content, it’s hard to describe, it starts off as a documentary, containing real interviews, but also mixed animations with acting from the main characters in a fake relationship. Charlyne Yi is its main star, the obviously nervous and shy musician and comedian who doesn’t believe in love and wants to find out more, travels across the US to find tales of real love, from gay relationships, 50 year marriages to divorces and Harley riders, Charlyne has some great chemistry with these people, where they describe their vision of true love and when you know you’ve found it.

The film begins to twist a little when Charlyne meets Michael Cera, played by Michael Cera, at a party, and Michael is interested in Charlyne, over the course of the film, by both beginning to see more of each other, in the end resulting in them becoming a couple. Along with this buding romance, various interviews with real people are shown to represent different relationship types, from long marriages, to gay romances, to single people looking for their "one". It's all very sad and a bit soppy! As well as seemingless random animations from Charlyne that are quite quirky and funny. Overall, i thought i would hate it, i thought the romance aspect would make me angry, make me want to smash something and disapprove of this romance bullshit and the idea of love. But i was wrong. I found it likeable. It's something different. It's something that you could take a loved one to see and you would enjoy it as much as her. It's a real surprise. I would recommend it to others just to show more of Michael Cera. And please if you haven't seen Arrested Development, go watch it or just die.

With Valentine's Day been and gone, maybe next year, surprise them with this DVD. Really, do it, you would easily get some lovin' that night! YEAHHHHH!

7/10

Simon Childs

New York, your freaking me out!

New York, I Love You - Various Directors

The sequel (kinda) to Paris, I Love you, ten short films are constructed together along with transitions focusing on various aspects of New York, with the setting and the people who inhabit it. It's certainly different to Paris, some of the abstract elements have been taken away and more interested in different cultures and nationality, which looking at New York, it thrives on. The variety is not the same though as Paris, where each story had maybe a different style or different techniques of telling stories with a twist, well most of the time. Here, the twists are not that twisty at all, except for the piece starring Shia LaBeouf and John Hurt, which is one of my favourites, most of the stories do not have their own story and you'll only realise that they are different when the actors change and sometimes the actors will change but the short film carries on (watch out for the Chris Cooper, prostitute, wife storyline!)

As there are many short films, i can't describe all of them, but my highlights were, from start to finish, the Orlando Bloom and Christina Ricci short about a writer who meets his boss and kinda falls in love, along with the Anton Yelchin and James Caan short about a prom date with a disabled girl, turns into a good night for Anton (wink wink, nudge nudge) and with a great twist too! As mentioned above the Shia LaBeouf and Julie Christie short is shot far differently to the others and has a certain flair which stands out as the best of the bunch, it's hard to describe and i don't want to give away the plot, so go watch it to find out. The rest talk about different cultures, including being Jewish, along with immigrants in New York and how anything is possible.

The film overall does give the impression of New York really well, it gives it that dream feeling, where New York is the best city in the world, where anybody can "make" it. Comparing New York to Paris, i like New York, the city better, but the stories and creativity with Paris is unflappable! I can't wait for the next one, which should easily be London, i bloody love you! Starring Ray Winstone, Danny Dyer and the cast of Eastenders...oh wait, that doesn't sound like a good idea at all!

6/10

Simon Childs

Trailer Watch VIII

28th February - 5th March

Two whole weeks have passed since the last editon of Trailer Watch, so we've thrown in two more extras trailers for you. we feel sorry and this is our whole of apologising. we hope you enjoy...

1. Get Him To The Greek



2. Suicide Girls Must Die



3. A Nightmare On Elm Street



4. Leaves of Grass



5. Toy Story 3



6. Sex and The City 2



7. Kick-Ass

Up and Coming

Readers,

Another exclusive today, a new feature, here at Popcorn Paradise 2010, we like to show people the future, the films and people that in years to come will be big. We bring the latest reviews straight to you, in a down-to-earth, non dickhead fashion (to put it bluntly)...so something new to gaze at is this short film made by Rehan Alexander Mudannayake. It's called Transmission and it caught our eye straight away. So if you would please peep it out, here is the link, you may need facebook to view, but im sure you have!

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=355197686275&ref=mf

Popcorn Paradise x

RANTBOX REVIEW - Watchmen

Readers,

Today marks a new frontier for the site, a new reviewer along with a new format of reviewing, we have finally gone video! So for the first time, let us introduce, the lovely and calm RANTBOX REVIEW! these reviews turn up when they want to, so expect a pattern! They are made by the legend that is Michael Leroi, who one day will be a massive internet sensation, check out his other videos too, so im happy to report that we snapped him up as soon as we saw his reviews of the Zelda series. Here is the first: Watchmen



Simon Childs

The Popcorn Paradise Posse!

Dear Readers,

A quick message from the team behind Popcorn Paradise 2010...

We apologise for the recent lack of writings, but big things have been happening behind closed doors, people getting touted to write and new exclusive content that could be emerging any day now! so please, stay tuned and watch out for more reviews and stuff coming in March, it's going to be a big month for the site, so everyone on facebook, everyone on the internet, everyone around the World, this is the time for Popcorn Paradise to have an army! Which all of you a part of, The Popcorn Paradise Posse! We have a few new tricks which we would like to show you very soon...

So look out for those and have a wonderul day,

Popcorn Paradise x

Crazy old men, gung-ho feds and the unexplainable, explained – a review of “Fringe” Season 1

Fringe

I recently tore my way through the first season of the instant cult classic, “Fringe”. Produced by JJ Abrams, the mastermind behind “Lost” and the latest (and my personal favourite) iteration of “Star Trek” on celluloid, “Fringe” is best described as “X-Files” for this generation – a lot less boring, too. At first, it centres around FBI agent Olivia Dunham (Anna Torv), who is pulled from her standard American post-9/11 terrorism-based assignments into a world of messed-up science experiments gone wrong. The top secret ’Fringe Division’ are tasked with stopping the rapidly spreading wave of unexplainable crimes to do with Fringe Science (the clue is in the title, science on the fringe of belief, not generally accepted by the scientific community... cryogenics, teleportation, mind control, etc), and Anna is drafted after her boyfriend/FBI partner is caught in the explosion of a bomb unlike any other. As he literally begins to go invisible whilst in a coma, Anna is approached by “The Wire” alum Lance Reddick, playing Agent Philip Broyles, who heads up Fringe Division.

Y’know what? I can see myself going on for another 2,000 words just trying to explain the damn first episode of this thing. So I’ll nutshell it – she does a little research into the Fringe division, finds that this strange occurrence (and many others) can be linked back to a former Professor at Harvard, and his old colleague. The Professor, Walter Bishop (the excellent John Noble), is now in an insane asylum, and his colleague is the shady CEO of a shady corporation who always seem to be involved in these messed-up cases. Dunham, to get to Bishop, must contact his son, Peter (a much less annoying Joshua Jackson, long removed from those awful Pacey “Dawson’s Creek” shenanigans) to get to him – Peter being a veritable jack-of-all-trades, holding quite a mysterious side himself. Together, Dunham and the Bishops along with the help of Agent Astrid Farnsworth (relative newcomer Jasika Nicole, a revelation), solve these Fringe cases week by week, all the while trying to peel back the curtain and find out just what is going on with Massive Dynamic, the previously mentioned shady corporation which is headed up by William Bell – Bishop’s old colleague. Just wait till you see who they cast him as – the surprise is an awesome one, especially if you count yourself as a card-carrying sci-fi nut.

Okay, so I said I’d nutshell it, and obviously that didn’t work out too well. Really, the whole appeal of Fringe is watching it for yourself and uncovering all the mysteries as you go along. Each episode is at first an interesting curveball, with cases that range from a baby being born, growing and dying of old age in minutes, to bank robbers who walk through walls - and they only get better as they go along. The whole direction of the series does an about-face just over halfway through, and suddenly the viewer is confronted with what seems like a completely different show. Clearly Abrams knows what he’s doing, because it worked on “Lost” and here, it works again.

The acting is really good in parts and serviceable (at best) in others. John Noble steals the show in every episode, his insane character often having the best lines, with his deliveries making them even better. You grow quite fond of the character, as he is very much a tragic figure with a dark past. Even though he’s not all there, you can see that he very much wants to be, and yearns for his glory days. His arc is definitely one to watch, with a few revelations along the way that’ll leave you speechless and craving more. As I said, Joshua Jackson is much better here than he has been in the past. He actually plays somewhat of a badass, believe it or not. The weak link, which is a pretty big weak link, is Anna Torv. Here she does her best Cate Blanchett impression, albeit with a little edge – but it’s just not enough to be a cut above the rest. She comes off as pretty bland, but I can’t tell if it’s the character or the actor. Then again, this is the trouble with characters such as this, being the point-of-reference for an equally clueless audience. What she discovers, you discover. What information she is spoon-fed, you are spoon-fed. You’ve seen the same character a thousand times – it’s necessary, but in the end she is but a mechanism from which the story flows. As the season goes on her character becomes less important, even if she’s meant to be the main attraction. Hopefully they will find a way to remedy this for the second season.

The budget really helps a show like this – they go all out with the special effects, which one needs with a show of this nature (in my opinion this is where “Heroes” falters – you can’t have a show about superheroes and not show any superhero fights... but that’s another article). The directing is always top notch, although do we ever really notice good or bad direction in a TV show? I digress. There are, as is the norm, filler episodes and ones that really stand out. ‘Bound’ and ‘Ability’ make for good thrillers, ‘Inner Child’ is creepy as hell at first but gains a lot of heart (an oddly stunning combo) and the last two episodes of the season, ‘The Road Not Taken’ and ‘There’s More Than One of Everything’ are equal parts entertaining, thought-provoking, heartwarming/breaking and f*cking cool. Not bad for 40 minutes of telly a piece.

There is one critique, being that each episode more often than not follows the same formula – but when the plot of each episode is so varied, the formula starts becoming unnoticeable.

But like I said – the real draw of the series is the hidden motive/drive of the series – this, you don’t find out until midway through the season. I can say nothing of it, as it would just ruin a lot of sh*t for you, and where’s the fun in that? If you have the time, give this series a proper chance. You might just love it...

VERDICT: 4.5 Pacey’s out of 5! A nice, entertaining way to spend a portion of your evening - curled up with a saucepan full of spag bol, a cigarette and 40 minutes of Fringe!

ALSO SEE: “Lost”, “The X-Files”, “Flashforward”

Dan Woburn

Trailer Watch VII

15th - 22nd February

Afternoon readers, heres another selection of glorious HD trailers for your eyes.

1. Cemetery Junction



2. The A-Team



3. Ong Bak 3



4. A Nightmare on Elm Street



5. Wall Street 2 - Money Never Sleeps

VAUGHAN! BATEMAN! FAVREAU! ... but still a shit film!

Couples Retreat - Peter Billingsley

Every year for the past decade, around Valentine’s Day, studios have been releasing movies that follow the theme of people failing madly in love and all that jazz. Now I’m not partial to Valentine’s Day, it’s a horrible holiday used by companies to sell cheap tacky shit for people who think that one day of the year should be used to show their true affection for someone. Now if you’re one of those people who every year buys a girl flowers, chocolates and stuff, then sadly, i feel sorry for you. I feel sorry that you think its right to only spend one day of their showing your affection. I understand when you’re really young, it gives the illusion of finding true love and being happy, making the idea of marriage a good thing, something you should strive, when in actual fact, it’s not the best thing to do. The idea of marriage is wrong. And you’ve seen the figures, the amount of people getting divorced. And now for this year’s Valentine’s Day, they are releasing a film about having counselling for your marriage, finding true love even in a loveless marriage. Yes, they really have. I know in the cinema that have released Valentine’s Day, a cross breed of an American version of Love Actually and Crash. Sick in my mouth.

Now Couples Retreat, released in the cinema before Christmas, which is a very strange time to release it, it’s finally out on DVD, in the nick of time too before the heavy rush of buying for v-day. It stars a cast of comedic actors, who in their own right, can own a film or television show. But sadly here, they are not used to their strengths. Especially Jason Bateman. I love Arrested Development, even if it was cut short only after three seasons! Bateman was the star of that program, well along with Michael Cera and David Cross. Here he is seen to be the villain of the story, it’s a hard character for him to play, and it’s almost contradicting Bateman in how he acts. You can see that Vince Vaughan is the star of the show, and they need that friction between Vaughan and Bateman, but it’s not needed. Jon Favs gives really good interaction with Vaughan, but that’s what you expect from the Swingers boys. The ladies are a good selection with Malin Ackerman, right off of The Watchmen, as a normal woman, then Kristin Bell, who i adored in both Veronica Mars and Fanboys, here she is majorly underused. And Kristin Davis as the character from Sex and the City; pretty much the same role. And then you have the inclusion of the black family. Almost like they thought it would be a good idea to cover all bases. It’s horrible. I know it’s mostly used for comedy, having a larger man with a younger woman, I’m surprised Eddie Murphy or Martin Lawrence wasn’t ask to play it wearing a fat suit. The film is set on a magnificent island, which is the major reason the actors probably signed up for it. And don’t forget the cameo from the almighty Peter Serefinowicz and Onimusha 3’s Jean Reno. Yeah that’s right, an Onimusha reference to end the review!

4/10

Simon Childs

Don’t call it a Disney comeback...

The Princess and the Frog - Ron Clements and John Musker

With the merge of Disney and Pixar, John Lasseter, the head of Pixar stood firmly with the belief that Disney can once again make fairy tales classics that will stay with audiences forever. To incorporate the success and the hard-working mentality of Pixar into Disney is hard work, and the changes won’t happen overnight, especially in the films Disney release. The last 2D picture Disney produced was Home on the Range, an awful film that most people won’t remember as it was drowned out by Pixar. The last film Disney made that was successful in its animation department, to a certain degree, is Lilo and Stitch, which too many people has its up and downs. Now it’s been nearly seven years since the last one, does The Princess and the Frog do justice for Disney, raise up from the ashes and show the Pixar flair with the classic style of the likes of Aladdin, The Lion King or Hercules or does it show that Lasseter was wrong to buy the company and that Disney should just stick to producing teen dramas or musicals like High School Musical and Hannah Montana?

In basic terms, The Princess and the Frog is delightful. It’s got heart, it’s certainly got soul and it’s genuinely funny in parts. Not laugh at loud like Wall E or Toy Story, but it works. It’s great to see the style back, it’s great to reminiscence about the films i saw when i was younger, having a fascination with Disney films and watching them over and over again. They were a staple for a kids growing up. Giving them morals and sometimes dreams, i don’t think there is anyone out there who didn’t want to be a princess or a prince, or be a lion or be any one of the Disney characters. Watching the film, you get strong hints of Corpse Bride, the Tim Burton film, along with hints of past Pixar films, the colours are magnificent here, and it defiantly looks better than any Disney film from the last decade. Capturing New Orleans in the film, its picture perfect, it really gives the city a heart and soul and includes music that fits together with the picture.

The film follows Tiana, a waitress who dreams of opening her own restaurant. She one day accidently kisses a prince, Prince Naveen or thinks Tiana is a princess and which will break the spell of him being a frog. Tiani suddenly turns into a frog, and both Tiana and the Prince must find a way to break the spell and defeat the evil voodoo master who put them under it. Along the way they meet funny and charming characters like the trumpet playing crocodile. It’s a simple premise for children, but adults can defiantly get into it and dig the story. It’s a film i wasn’t expecting much from, but it does the job it’s set out to do. The story is a sad one, but it has the common, heroes and villains. It would be a great modern film to let your children see to let them learn lessons but at the same time, teenagers, adult and mature people will enjoy the soul and heart of the film.

7/10

Simon Childs

HOLY SHIT! Dumbo meets Rambo...

Ong Bak 2 - Tony Jaa

Coming into this film, i had doubts, because of massive speculation of Tony Jaa leaving production half way through and living in a forest for 6 months. That little story had me worrying if the sequel will live up to the awesomeness that was Ong Bak. We’ll this isn’t a sequel; it’s a prequel, maybe the furthest prequel every in terms of years apart. Ong Bak was set modern day, Ong Bak 2 is centuries ago. It’s strange, it doesn’t feel like the same movie, where Ong Bak had very distinctive Hollywood influences, where as this has a strange cocktail of Tony Jaa’s warped mind along with traditional Asian cinema. You can see why he lost it, if he did, but he sure makes some great fighting sequences. Animal lovers beware, there are a few scenes which will make you want to kill Jaa and put his head on a stick in front of thousands of animals to prove a point. He fights on elephants; i shit you not!

The plot follows in the year 1421, a boy named Tien watches as his whole family dies, and he runs away from the King who ordered his Father’s death. Tien is then captured and tested when he is thrown into a pit of crocodiles by slave traders. Whilst Tien fights off the crocodile, he is saved by a leader of a pirate gang. The leader sees potential in Tien as a fighter and begins to train him in several different techniques of fighting, leading him to become one of the strongest fighters ever. It’s a typical martial arts film plot where a man first is weak then becomes the best and defeats a shit-ton of people. And there are a lot of people that get killed by Tien. And i mean a lot. A ridiculous amount. It almost feels like he is taking on a whole army. Just by himself; it’s amazing to watch but it becomes repetitive. The fight sequences are memorable for the great technique and flair Jaa possess.

Ong Bak was remembered for its humour and it’s no effects, no strings fighting, the breaking of bones and the real danger of people getting hurt. It what made it a cult success. Ong Bak 2 does this, but less on the humour, and it suffers for it. The fights will always be the draw for this type of film, even with Ong Bak 3 being released this year, it seems like Jaa just wants to punch and kick a lot of people and not break the stereotype of being Bruce Lee’s new protégé.

6/10

Simon Childs

Trailer Watch VI

7th February - 14th February

Welcome longtime and new readers to the weekly check up on trailers, from independently fianced flicks to the big hitters coming your way over the year or maybe next year. This week selections has a slight focus on remakes and sequels. Well decent ones anyway. We apoligse for the delay in certain reviews, but over the next couple of weeks we shall be flooding you with more news and reviews on the latest and greatest releases on DVD and in your local cinema.

1. Cop Out



2. The Wolfman



3. The Losers



4. Shutter Island



5. Daddy Longlegs

Fish and Chips

Fish Tank - Andrea Arnold

The first feature length film from Andrea Arnold, and the style and technique seen in her award winning short Wasp is evident. The realistic characters in real settings, living the life of which many people are living right now, it tells the story of a teenage girl struggling to fit in, and using dance as a form of release. Along the way she has fights, Mother issues and of course, stealing said mothers’ new boyfriend. It’s a common occurrence in these types of families. I was surprised not to see an appearance of Danny Dyer in the background. But if they would have cast Dyer in the lead male role, the film would be very different. Michael Fassbender, recognised as the Englishman in Inglorious Basterds, is brilliant here. Shows his true acting chops by pulling this film about chav culture into a heart warming tale of growing up and not always rebelling. He plays the character well giving him a personality of sliminess and general affection for children, and his pushing for their future and career, especially the lead character Mia, played by first time actor Katie Jarvis.

At times in the film, Jarvis plays the role to perfection, capturing that teen angst where she quickly switches from enjoying her time to hating every person in sight, but after a little while, it runs thin, and becomes boring. We all know teenagers can sometimes be emotional swings, but not everyone is like this. Some of her characteristics annoyed me, like her random drinking at ridiculous hours of the day. Seriously, i never did that. The relationship between her and her gobby, smoking little sister was not much of great value because the little sister got to swear and shout a lot. It’s annoying after a little while, but the film does have some touching and funny scenes. It has a mix of both of heartbreak and tenderness wrapped around a working class family, living in a shithole, where dance and relationships seems to be the only release. It’s different to most of the British cinema kitchen sink dramas like Danny Boyle or Shane Meadows films because of its unique style. Harking back to classic British films like Saturday Night and Sunday Morning, it does show the stereotypical working class family, the drinking, smoking and fighting lifestyle but it gives these characters quirks that have not been seen or used before. It’s a great little British film but hopefully in the DVD release, will get a massive push and sales and people will get to see Andrea Arnold in action.

7/10

Simon Childs

Draining the blood of the recent fascination with Vampires

Thirst – Park Chan Wook

Director of Oldboy, Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance and Sympathy for Lady Vengeance, Park Chan Wook, creates a new outstanding piece of cinema in the similar vein and style which he’s known. Making South Korean cinema internationally known is a difficult task, but his work has travelled around the globe and most people in the “film know”, would easily cite Oldboy as one of the best films of recent years. His new film, Thirst again shows this directors ability in bringing new and exciting structures to cinema. Using influences from Hollywood directors, mixing with his culture and creating pieces that stick with the viewer. Scenes of distress and hurt are crafted with beauty, exploring themes of the human tolerance of violence. With Thirst, a common theme in entertainment recently with Vampires becoming a part of the film, TV and book worlds, for some, this film would be cashing in on this phenomenon. But in fact, it’s a breath of fresh air. It brings to the vampire genre, a horror twist, one that asks the viewer the real questions of this “disease” or “disorder” of only surviving on blood and never being able to come out during the day. It changes lives. Most people see vampires as cool or sexy people, who are young and enjoying it. Not Thirst.

The film follows Sang-hyun (played brilliantly by Song Kang-ho, whom you might recognise from The Host, another film you must see), a priest who after recovering from a deadly virus, finds that after a blood transfusion, becomes a vampire and must steal blood to stop the virus appearing. He begins an affair with a girl from a local family, which in the end, ends up with him killing the girl’s husband. The film has twists and turns and physiologically, it’s a mind fuck. The scenes with blood and the different methods Sang-hyun uses to kill will shock people. But this film is categorised in horror first and foremost.

I highly recommend checking this film out, giving a first taste into South Korean cinema. It’s a strange movement of films that are appearing using elements of violence, sexual desire and making the audience feel uncomfortable. Thirst has several scenes of sex that seem to last a long time. Now I’m not against having this in films, but I find that sometimes it can be used for the wrong reasons. In Thirst, they use it to show the struggle between the main characters, in the lust for blood. And remember, don’t watch it with the parents; the uncomfortable levels will sky rocket into unfamiliar territories!

7/10

Simon Childs

Trailer Watch V

30th January - 6th February

Hey sports fans, another selection of trailers coming your way this week. Already a month since this site was launched, we've got loads of fans and regular readers so keep up the reading and we'll keep up the writing!

1. Date Night



2. Macgruber



3. Mother



4. Buried



5. Shrek Forever After

When Saw gets political...

Saw 6 - Kevin Greutert

Having a drill caving your skull in is probably what most viewers get when they watch the recent Saw films, that or either a massive boner from the amount of violence. The Saw franchise have just become a yearly regime where in October, teenage boys get to take girls there, and in the dark, feel them up as they scare them in horror on the screen. Everyone knows this happens, I bet even the directors know this as they come up for another excuse to make a Saw film. The next one will be 3D, after that, what? What other gimmick or storyline could they throw in there? Jigsaw is fucking dead, let me die, and stop giving him people who were on his side but never revealed it. It’s boring and tiresome. And I can honestly say I really enjoyed Saw, the original, the first, the one with the new concept and interesting plot twists. The ones after become tired routines of violence and woman, and screaming and the now obvious plot twists. It’s as bad as some of M Night Shyamalan’s plot twists. You can see them from a mile away.

The plot goes as following, some people die in horrific ways, one of these people is the main guy who goes through challenges to try and save himself along with others. It ends up messy and bloody, whilst the police guy who worked for Jigsaw is acting all menacing and still isn’t getting found out by the police, they are really shit in this film, can’t solve anything! I know I’m not really caring about what I put about the plot, but I doubt you’ll wanna see this film voluntarily or when really drunk. It doesn’t matter about the plot, it matters about the deaths. The new, exciting ways to kill a human being. My personal favourite was the guy who has chemicals pumped into his body with spikes through his back and you see his body melt away. Lovely. There is a strange underlining theme of the US health insurance problems, but it feels outdated. They try to make Jigsaw’s killings reason of how an insurance company won’t insure people with illness, even if a cold. It’s disappointing that they think they could do this. But a real theme in a film like this.

If you want a decent horror experience, check out the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre or Friday The 13th or even modern day horror films like Drag Me To Hell, the Japanese Ring and the Evil Dead trilogy, well they are not really horror films, but still if you haven’t watched them, go to the your nearest Blockbuster and rent them! Or just buy them online. Do it now. I beg you. Stop reading this review of a shitty film and go and watch the films. Your still wasting your time here reading a Saw 6 review when you could be watching the almighty Bruce Campbell and Sam Raimi’s cinema master class. GO!

3/10

Simon Childs

Spider-Man versus Donnie Darko!

Brothers - Jim Sheridan

I feel sorry for both of these actors, Tobey Maguire and Jake Gyllenhaal. They will forever be known for one role, well maybe not, I can’t see into the future, but right now, it seems that the roles that have next won’t be as big as these. Maybe Jake will with Prince of Persia, but I don’t see it being as successful as Spider-Man. But both of these actors are a-grade performers, people who are at the top of their game, ones who can carry films, people who when you think of movie icons, these are the current generation. And with Brothers, you can see why they have their acting accolades, not just in action films, but emotionally serious drama pieces. Both actors perform here out of their skin. It’s one of these films that might fall out of public eye for a little eye, but it will be one of those that are a turning point for both actors. The casting was perfect. The relationships are believable. I’m a massive fan of Natalie Portman, so nothing bad to say about her in the film. Nothing!

The film follows Sam and Tommy, brothers, one in the military who is stationed to Afghanistan and the other recently coming out of prison. After Sam’s helicopter crashes whilst out on duty, he is presumed dead, and Sam’s wife, played by Natalie Portman, Grace is devastated by the news. Tommy begins to become closer to the family and help around the house. He gets closer to the children too, and of course Grace. The cheeky scoundrel. Whilst Tommy and Grace become close, Sam meanwhile, taken hostage by a group of terrorists, experience horror and starvation. In the end, Sam is found by American troops but his scars are seen and his behaviour changes. The film suddenly turns from being a strange romantic comedy with Jake Gyllenhaal and Natalie Portman and turns into an aggressive statement on war and the effect it has on the soldiers when they return. Maguire plays it to a tie; his attitude to change his body weight in order to make the role more believable adds another dimension to it. Compared to say, Christian Bale in The Machinist and the weight loss there, it’s not the same, it’s not as noticeable, but Maguire still has a very mean look about him. It’s differentiates between the loveable rogue of Gyllenhaal’s character and Sam, who at the beginning of the film plays like Peter Parker.

Overall, a solid film with good performances, it’s not for one for the lists of films of the year, but it’s a great start for the actors to become used to having the awards poured over them.

7/10

Simon Childs

A Cross Between Crash Bandicoot and Call Of Duty!

Gamer - Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor

This out-of-control, explosion riddled action film comes as a fresh new idea to the genre and to the cinema at the moment, with a film like this not seen recently. Taking chunks out of past action films like Die Hard and Lethal Weapon, classic 80’s and 90’s action films, Gamer appears as a new version, featuring huge explosions, immense gun fights, an interesting universe the story is set and a group of scary looking characters thrown in to create a hour and a half of mental fucking action. Just great popcorn stuff. It’s simple, and it knows it. It just wants you to enjoy the ride. And I admire it. It’s never going to win any awards, it’s not hoping to “change” you, sure it has a message of what will happen if we become technological dependant and the future of the world in this state, but it also makes fun of the fact of people who play video games and what would happen if the barriers are removed and the length people go to to have more of a interactive experience. Just take the recent release of Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2. Holy shit, that game is crazy awesome. The amount of people you can kill and do extraordinary things to would of shocked people 50 years ago. Even the online experience, bouts of extreme racism, sexism and just general horridness is heard on a daily bases, some of these people who play are just downright thugs, who I would imagine would love to actually kill someone.

The film’s plot revolves around the world becoming revolutionised in the form of the gaming industry. Dexter, sorry Michael C. Hall’s character Ken Castle has created video games that use nanocells in the brain to function, creating a real life world, where the player controls real people. One of these games, Slayers, has Kable (Gerald Butler) as one of the playable characters; all of the characters are death row inmates who, if they survive their 30th match, they get freedom. Kable is controlled by a teenager in his house, who is on his 27th win and Ken Castle begins to change the game where it would be impossible for a normal person to win, but with Kable becoming aware of his player, and the teenager and the character working together, they can win the game. The film also involved a family angle, where Kable’s wife is also in the gaming world, but in a different game. Almost like a real life Sims game. It’s horrible to watch and horrible to think about. Look out for a strange cameo from the one and only Peter Petrelli. Yes, it’s really him! You also have Ludacris play a mercenary who is against the gaming and the use of real people and helps with Kable escape. Check it out really to get the whole thing. It’s simple to watch, on paper to describe, bit wordy.

Overall, a decent ride for what it’s worth. I would recommend seeing it with a group of friends, having a few drinks, getting silly and rocking it out. Similar to the directors past work of Crank and Crank 2, hilariously great action films. Jason Statham I love you.

6/10

Simon Childs

There is a film that will never go out...

(500) Days of Summer – Marc Webb

With the reference to The Smiths in the title, you know this film has had impact on me. So much so where i can safely say i will be buying the soundtrack and the DVD when it comes out. I’ll tell my friends to buy them both. I’ll tell my family to buy them. I’ll even tell total strangers about (500) Days of Summer because it deserves it. It deserves to be known. It’s a romantic comedy made for any audience. It’s not catered just for women, it’s for men too. And for that, i salute it. It has the balls to say no to the stereotypes, yeah, sure it may have good looking leads in typically situations and everything, there is the loving part and then there is the hate or the chase, but it does it in the perspective of the man. It’s rare. It’s on par with The Notebook. Yeah, it’s that good.

So the story is of a intelligent, geeky writer in a greeting cards company, played by the immensely talented Joseph Gordon Levitt, named Tom Hansen. The film’s structure is very linear and follows throughout the relationship of Tom and Summer in 500 days. The plot switches to different times in the relationship from day 26 to day 450 and so forth. Summer Finn, played by the gorgeous Zooey Deschanel, is introduced into Tom’s life as his boss’s new assistant. After an instant attraction for her, he begins to woo her. The film tells the story of the relationship, through the highs and lows. It may be a very simple plot. But it’s cleverly told with parts that haven’t been used before in romantic comedies. It stomps on those clichés and delivers an honest piece of American filmmaking.

The influences from the music is clearly shown throughout, using references to popular culture and featuring a soundtrack full of a mix of emotional songs throughout the ages including new hits such as The Temper Trap, a song that was my song of 2009. It fitted perfectly. Marc Webb, an unknown name to many people, but his work is mainly based in music videos from the Used to Yellowcard to many, many names. He recently has been snapped up for the reboot of Spider-Man, something I’m shocked about, but if there was anyone who could capture the teenage angst with being a superhuman and having to let go of his personal life, Webb could be the one to do it. More based on the recent Spider-Man animation and comics involving Peter Parker in his younger years, it could well be a surprise hit. I hope he takes the wonderful and delicate film that is (500) Days of Summer and turns into Spider-Man, the less emo version.

8/10

Simon Childs

Trailer Watch IV

22nd - 29th January

Here is another batch of worthwhile trailers, hopefully in the next couple of weeks, this summers blockbuster films should release some new stuff along with film festival choices from Sundance too.

1. The Karate Kid



2. Valentine's Day



3. Repo Men



4. She's Out Of My League



5. Greenzone

Defiantly more than a “plane” film! (Plain spelt like plane, comedy genius)

Up In The Air - Jason Reitman

Instantly after watching this film, you can understand the amount of awards it got in a wide range of categories. It’s a great film with a clever, twisting, and unique story and structure. The performances are world class, which you will expect from the likes of George Clooney, the recognisable Vera Farmiga and the unrecognisable Anna Kendrick, all three put in performances of their career but it’s the direction that is top here. Jason Reitman, a name now which should be familiar to everyone in the film business and who have an interest in cinema. This being his third feature length film, it’s an evolution that was obvious from his amazing first film, Thank You For Smoking, which lamented his skill and precision of the camera work and editing. Juno was his next film, which was funny and charming and directed perfectly, getting performances from Ellen Page, Michael Cera and Jennifer Gardener to create a realistic tale of pregnancy and growing up. Up In The Air is the combination of his last two efforts, combining a political message, with humour, romance, and a style which we can all now call Reitman’s.

Up In The Air is the story of George Clooney’s character Ryan Bingham, a travelling employee of a company which travels to different companies and fires staff for them. In his spare time he is also a motivational speaker which helps with the job. He travels a lot, and it’s an underestimate, nearly 10 million miles, and he’s proud of the fact he is always hoping off planes and airports and not having one place to live. After many years of working this young, a young female rookie, fresh faced from university generates a new way to fire the employees in a quicker and easier manner, which involved getting rid of Ryan’s flying and his style of doing the job. The new structure would use computer technology and eliminate the personal touch. Ryan asks to show the young woman who thinks she can take away Ryan’s job, a few weeks on the job, going from city to city firing people. Natalie Keener played excellently by Anna Kendrick, goes about seeing what Ryan does. It’s tough to sit through and she soon realises that Ryan’s job is difficult and having that personal touch would be better. Along the way Ryan meets Alex, played by Vera Farmiga, a great pairing and a clear connection between these two actors, Alex is also a frequent flyer, they begin a casual relationship, which throughout the film becomes more. Along the way Natalie becomes more connected to Ryan, opening up to him about her latest break up and showing emotions and Ryan also attends his sister’s wedding. It has a beautiful ending, which is not predictable which I found refreshing. The film could have gone in several directions, but it’s tied up nicely at the end.

I highly recommend this film, I really do, it’s something different, something that will defiantly be remembered in the future, if not for George Clooney’s finest performance or for the start of Jason Reitman’s career from being an indie director to being a Hollywood legend. Look out for his name in the future, clearly the new Martin Scorsese, but less about gangs, more about real people in real situations.

8/10

Simon Childs