FILM LAUGH - 'The Avengers' Gag Reel

And now to end on an entertaining note. I don't know if you guys have found The Avengers' gag reel yet. If not, it's below. And it turns out Thor can't catch a hammer. Enjoy...
Oh, and there are spoilers if you haven't seen the film yet.

That's all for this weeks film. Kieron's got a technology filled Crunch for you tomorrow. I'll be back next week with music.
Tom :)

FILM REVIEW - Limitless (Spoiler-free)

Directed by: Neil Burger
Written by: Leslie Dixon (based on the novel by Alan Glynn)
Starring: Bradley Cooper, Abbie Cornish, Robert De Niro
Genre: Mystery/Sci-Fi/Thriller
Certificate: 15
Release Year: 2011

Limitless is the story of failed writer Edward Morra (Cooper). Morra's life seems to be failing; he can't put any words on paper, he's living in a dilapidated flat and his girlfriend has left him. But then an old aquaintance gives him a drug, a drug that allows him to use not just the usual 5%, but the full 100% of his brain. Suddenly he's a literary genius, a martial arts master and cracks a formula that allows him to near enough control the stock exchange. But people become suspicious of his powers, and soon he is being hunted down for the secret. And at the same time, the full effects of the drug begin to take hold.

Limitless is unique. The plot is clever and fast paced. A lot of thrillers nowadays get bogged down in making the story too confusing, but this doesn't do that. While surprising twists are offered, they are straight-forward and neat.

The other thing that sets Limitless apart is how it looks visually. The "on-drugs" sequences are mind-blowing. Varying light levels and on-screen text and animations are used to great effect to give the viewer nearly the full effect of the drug. There is also camera-work in here to rival that of The Matrix films, in particular the "street-zoom" sequences and the use of time-lapse. Everything about it is original.

This doesn't make the film flawless though. My first niggle is that the film was plugged largely as a Cooper/De Niro double...which it isn't...at all. This is entirely Cooper's film, with De Niro as a background character. I'm not being negative about their performances, Cooper produces one of his best here, but it's just been publicised wrong, no doubt to take advantage of De Niro's fame.

The other problem is the ending. It seems as if the makers had a great idea for a film, but no idea how to bring it to a satisfying conclusion. The film builds up, and...well yeah, the film builds up, and that's about it.

Overall, I really enjoyed this, but the lack of a satisfying denouement left a bit miffed. Well worth watching though as it's very impressive cinematically.

7/10

To buy Limitless from amazon, click here.

Tom :)

FILM OBITUARY - Tony Scott (1944 - 2012)

Earlier this week we were saddened to hear that director Tony Scott had taken his own life after contracting cancer. Scott was an iconic film director that was active for 40 years.

Scott started out in the movie industry making commercials, working for his brother Ridley (another famous director). However, Scott wanted to make full-length feature films and finally realised his dream in 1982 when he released The Hunger; a vampire film starring David Bowie and Catherine Deneuve. At the time of release, The Hunger recieved harsh reviews from critics and failed at the box office. Scott returned to making commercials.

It was in 1985 that Scott finally made his name directing Top Gun, after he was approached by the film's producers Don Simpson and Jerry Bruckheimer. The film was a huge success, taking $176 million at the box office and turning it's leading man, Tom Cruise, into a star.

After the success of Top Gun, Scott found himself one of the most popular directors in Hollywood. He went on to direct Beverly Hills Cop II (starring Eddie Murphy and Brigitte Nielsen), Days Of Thunder (again starring Tom Cruise) and True Romance (starring Christian Slater and Patricia Arquette), among many other successful films.

In 1995, Scott established a working relationship with actor Denzel Washington in the film Crimson Tide. Scott and Washington worked together on Deja Vu and The Taking Of Pelham 123.

Scott also produced alot of films, including The A-Team and Prometheus.

Tony Scott was a talented director who put a stamp on the action movie that many have tried to copy, but none could fully replicate.

Tom :)

FILM NEWS - 'The Dark Tower', 'The Inbetweeners Movie 2' and 'The Rocketeer'

Warner Bros. Drops Out Of The Dark Tower

Bringing Stephen King's epic The Dark Tower to the screen has been a project that has been treading water for a long time. A few weeks back we reported potential involvement of Russel Crowe, but it seems it's not to be, now that Warner Bros. have dropped out of the project. It's becoming increasingly more likely that the trilogy of films with a joint TV series will never see the light of day.

The Inbetweeners Movie 2?

It is real. There are plans underway for a sequel to last summer's smash hit, The Inbetweeners Movie. There have been rumours, but are the rumours true?

"Sort of, yes." Said co-creator Iain Morris, "We've got an idea, think we'd like to do it if we can make it good, but we're a long way from it really happening. Long way."

So it's in the works?

"Yes. I think we all want it to happen, but the 'ifs' are quite big."

Who wants another Inbetweeners Movie?

The Rocketeer Reboot?

Rumours have started to circulate that Disney are planning to make a reboot of the cult classic film Rocketeer. The original - which starred Bill Campbell, Jennifer Connelly and Timothy Dalton - didn't make much at the box office, but has harvested alot of fans over the 20 years since it was released. Vulture have reported that Disney "will soon be meeting with various writers to come up with a take".

To read the full vulture report, click here.

Released This Week

CINEMA

 - The Expendables 2

 - The Wedding Video

 - Ek Tha Tiger

DVD

 - The Hunger Games

That's everything for this week, Kieron's got The Crunch tomorrow
Tom :)

FILM NEWS - 'Prometheus', 'The Wolverine', 'Outpost II', 'Bullet To The Head', Sorsese's Sinatra, 'Iron Man 3', 'Kick-Ass 2' and 'The Dark Tower'

Prometheus - Deleted Scenes Might Make Sense!
Earlier this year, Ridley Scott's Prometheus split critics by it's confusing plot and mass of unanswered questions. But there is a glimmer of hope now for those that the film left bamboozled now that the titles of some deleted scenes that will be available on home release have been confirmed:
 - Arrival of the Engineers (02:31)
 - Tis The Season (00:58)
 - Our First Alien (00:42)
 - We're Not Alone Anymore (01:22)
 - Skin (00:42)
 - Strange Bedfellows (02:57)
 - Holloway Hungover (01:25)
 - David's Objective (00:23)
 - Janek Fills Vickers In (03:27)
 - A King Has His Reign (03:40)
 - Fifield Attacks (02:01)
 - The Engineer Speaks (04:06)
 - Final Battle (05:30)
 - Paradise (05:05)
For a spoiler-filled breakdown of what these scenes COULD include, visit Den Of Geek.
For our review of Prometheus, click here.

Official Synopsis Of The Wolverine
The official synopsis for the upcoming X-Men spin-off, The Wolverine, has been released, confirming what alot of people suspected already.
"Based on the celebrated comic book arc, The Wolverine finds Logan, the eternal warrior and outsider in Japan. There, Samurai steel will clash with adamantium claw as Logan confronts a mysterious figure from his past that will leave him forever changed."

First Trailer For Outpost II
The first trailer for the new film Outpost II: Black Sun has been released. The film stars Catherine Steadman and Richard Coyle who have to face a batallion of zombie Nazi stormtroopers.

First Trailer For Bullet To The Head

Bullet To The Head  is a Sylvester Stallone film that was filmed before The Expendables 2, but it's release date was set back until next February. Stallone plays a hit-man on a revenge mission. Here's the new trailer:

Writer For Scorsese's Sinatra Biopic

Director Martin Scorsese has been working on this project for a long time. He has said he has always wanted to make a film about the life of the great singer Frank Sinatra, but after his Rat Pack project that had Tom Hanks and John Travolta signed to it failed to make it to the screen, people thought this dream would never see the light of day. But it is now happening, and writer Billy Ray will be writing. The question now is, who will play Sinatra? Personally, I'd like to see Pierce Brosnan have a go at the role.

Dale Dickey In Iron Man 3

True Blood's Dale Dickey will appear in Iron Man 3, though alot of mystery is surrounding her role. Apparently her IMDb page says her character is called "Mrs. Davis". Hhmm...

Casting News For Kick-Ass 2

Robert Emms (War Horse) and Morris Chestnut (Boyz n the Hood) have both been cast in Kick-Ass 2, the sequel to the hit superhero spoof movie of 2010. Emms will play Insect Man and Morris Chestnut has been cast as "essentially...the guardian". 

Chestnut has also landed a role in Brad Anderson's thriller The Hive alongside Halle Berry and Abigail Breslin.

But back to Kick-Ass 2. Another potential cast member is the brilliant funny-man Jim Carrey. Carrey is said to be a big fan of the original film, and is currently in talks to play 'Colonel Stars', a superhero with a military theme.

Would you like to see Jim Carrey in Kick-Ass 2? Let us know in the comments.

Film News to be continued in next post...

FILM REVIEW - The Dark Knight Rises (Spoiler-Free)

Directed by: Christopher Nolan
Written by: Jonathan Nolan, Christopher Nolan, David S. Goyer (based on the comics by Bob Kane)
Starring: Christian Bale, Gary Oldman, Tom Hardy, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Anne Hathaway, Marion Cotillard, Morgan Freeman, Michael Caine
Genre: Action/Adventure/Drama
Certificate: 12A
Release Year: 2012

This film has made such an impact, and it came out so long ago, that it's a miracle we haven't got round to reviewing it yet. But we've finally seen it, and it's brilliant.

The Dark Knight Rises is the final film in Christopher Nolan's Batman trilogy. It takes place 8 years after the events of The Dark Knight and starts with Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) as a recluse. Gotham has entered a crime-free golden age, and it seems the caped crusader is no longer needed. But then a mysterious masked figure known as Bane (Tom Hardy) arrives in Gotham, intent on reeking havoc on the city.

With this being Nolan's final Batman, there was alot of hype, and alot more people skeptical as to whether it could live up to the standards of it's predecessors. But never fear! It more than does, and provides one of the most complex and creative superhero films to date.

Normally I would pick out a particular actor who did particularly well, but in this incredibly talented cast this is nearly impossible. Christian Bale was fantastic as always, and Tom Hardy played a wonderfully unsettling villain, especially considering the standard set in the previous film by the late Heath Ledger. Possibly the biggest surprise was Anne Hathaway. With credits to her name such as The Princess Diaries, she didn't seem the obvious choice to play the seductive Selina Kyle. But her performance was very impressive and fresh. I'm running out of superlatives.

As to be expected from a Nolan film, the plot was complicated enough to keep the audience intrigued and excited, but doesn't overly confuse them. Excellently written, and brilliant cinematography.

Overall, epic. Don't miss it.

10/10

Tom :)

FILM NEWS - "Thor 2", "X-Men: Days Of Future Past", "Guardians Of The Galaxy", "Cockneys Vs. Zombies", "The Dark Tower", "Prometheus 2", "Jersey Boys", "The Avengers 2" and "Hansel and Gretel"

Sorry there wasn't any film news last week, here's our round-up of the last two...

Thor 2 Villain Announced
Marvel Studios have confirmed that the villain that everyone's favourite Norse-god-turned-alien-turned-superhero will face will be Malekith the Accursed, the leader of the Dark Elves. And the actor to play him? Please welcome Christopher Eccleston. Eccleston is one of my favourite actors, having played the 9th Doctor and the baddie in the first G.I.Joe film. Definately a good choice. However this does of course mean Malekith will only be in this one film!
Thor: The Dark World will be released next November.

X-Men: First Class Sequel Is Titled
The sequel to the hugely popular X-Men prequel, X-Men: First Class, has been given a title. The film's producer Bryan Singer confirmed in an interview with IGN that the new film will be called X-Men: Days Of Future Past, and will be loosely based on the 1981 comic of the same title.
In the interview, Singer also said that he would like to "broaden out" the X-Men universe, meaning the new film could potentially feature some of the cast from the original trilogy.
To watch the full interview, click here. (IGN)

Writer Confirmed For Marvel's Guardians Of The Galaxy
Marvel studios have confirmed that Chris McCoy will be reworking Nicole Periman's draft for upcoming Guardians Of The Galaxy. McCoy is a relatively new name to Hollywood, and is yet to have a big screen work to his name. His tone is quirky and comedic, which makes sense for a film starring a gun-wielding raccoon and a half man, half tree.
For more on this story, click here. (Hollywood Reporter)

New Trailer For Cockneys Vs. Zombies
The first trailer has been released for Cockneys Vs. Zombies. As the title of the film suggests, this trailer is full of swearing, violence and fountains of blood and guts. Viewer discretion before watching the trailer is recommended.

Russell Crowe To Take On Stephen King's The Dark Tower?

Turning Stephen King's Dark Tower novels into a movie franchise has been talked about for around five years now, but there seems to have been a step forward. Warner Bros. have said that they will deliver a decision on whether they want to go ahead with a film and accompanying TV series within 2 weeks, while actor Russell Crowe is said to be in talks about taking on the lead role as the gunslinger Roland Deschain.

For more on this story, click here. (Deadline)

Prometheus Sequel Confirmed

Fox has confirmed that there will be a sequel to Ridley Scott's Prometheus, the sci-fi horror that returned Scott to the Alien universe. Although the film received mixed reviews, it made alot of money at the box office, and seems enough to warrant it another film. Actors Noomi Rapace and Michael Fassbender are confirmed for returning for the sequel, but writer Damon Lindelof due to other commitments. Fox is apparently talking to other writers.

For more on this story, click here. (Hollywood Reporter)

For our spoiler-free review of Prometheus, click here. (ME!)

Jon Favreau To Direct Film Of Jersey Boys

The director behind last years Cowboys and Aliens, Jon Favreau, has been confirmed to direct the upcoming musical film Jersey Boys. Jersey Boys is currently a very successful stage show on both The West End and Broadway and tells the story of the 60s group The Four Seasons. Now we're just waiting for casting news.

Joss Whedon Confirmed For The Avengers 2

Disney have confirmed that Joss Whedon will return to direct and write the sequel to the smash-hit superhero film The Avengers. He will also be involved in an Avengers TV series. The release date it seems is likely to be may 1st, 2015! That is after Captain america: The Winter Soldier and Iron Man 3 in 2013 and Thor: The Dark World and Guardians Of The Galaxy in 2014! (It is unclear when Ant Man is set to be released)

For more on this story, click here. (Newsarama)

Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters Will Be Bloody, Violent and R-Rated

Here's a weird one to watch. Since making dark fairytale films seems to be a bit of a craze at the moment, Paramount have turned round with this wacky idea. This week they confirmed that this film would be very gory, and will definately be R-Rated. It will star Jeremy Renner (Bourne Legacy) as Hansel and Gemma Arterton (Quantum Of Solace) as Gretel.

New Trailer for Looper

Snow White and The Huntsman 2? Or Just The Huntsman?

Some sources claim that the upcoming sequel to Snow White and The Huntsman will focus on The Huntsman (Chris Hemsworth) and maybe not even include Snow White (Kristen Stewart) at all. It may even be a spin off movie with a different name!

So there's alot of news to keep you going. Tomorrow, the return of The Crunch!

Tom :)

FILM NEWS - "The Hunger Games" Sequels, "After Earth" Teaser, "Pacific Rim" Costumes, "The Wolverine" Casting and "Oz The Great And Powerful" Trailer

And now all other film news, mostly from Comic-Con. Enjoy...

The Hunger Games Sequels
If you didn't know, because you've had your head stuck in a rock or you've been spending a long time trimming your nasal hair, Comic-Con was last weekend. And it's safe to say, it was pretty mahoosive.
So, The Hunger Games. As we all knew, after the success of the first installment earlier this year, Lionsgate plan to go ahead with the whole series, the next film being Catching Fire (due 22nd November 2013). New cast members include Amanda Plummer (who will play Wiress) and Phillip Seymour Hoffman (who will play Plutarch Heavensbee).
And now onto the next film. The third and final story in the books is Mockingjay. It has been confirmed that, like Harry Potter and Twilight, the last installment will be split into two films.

After Earth Viral Teaser

The upcoming Sci-Fi movie starring Will and Jaden Smith released it's first teaser trailer at Comic-Con. It's certainly intriguing, and makes it a film to look out for.

Pacific Rim Suits
Not much is known about this upcoming Sci-Fi starring Idris Elba. "When an alien attack threatens Earth's existence, giant robots piloted by humans are deployed to fight off the menace". The team behind the film showed off some of the suits they are using in the film at Comic-Con.

New Cast For The Wolverine

The upcoming sequel to the X-Men prequel (confusing right) X-Men Origins: Wolverine has got a new cast member. Jessica Biel will play Viper in the film, who is a variation of the character Madame Hydra from the comics. Biel is also to appear in the remake of Total Recall, which also was previewed at Comic-Con.

Oz The Great And Powerful Trailer

A new prequel to The Wizard of Oz starring James Franco and Mila Kunis released this trailer at Comic-Con.

New Stills From Dredd

Click here to view our gallery for stills released for the upcoming Dredd.

What do you guys think of the new trailers? Let us know in the comments...
Tom :)

FILM NEWS - Superhero News

The Dark Knight Rises Review Round-Up
We are very close now to the release of Christopher Nolan's final Batman film, The Dark Knight Rises. Some lucky reviewers have seen it all ready (*envy*). Overall conclusion? It's pretty insane!
For a full review round-up, visit Den of Geek.
For a collection of stills from the movie, click here.

Marvel Dominates Comic-Con
Let's take it film by film...

This logo was released at Comic-Con. It's a shame that this wasn't given an epic title, but hey, it's good for consistencies sake. It has been confirmed that Ben Kingsley will be playing the main villain in this film, The Mandarin. It is also confirmed that another villain appearing in the  film will be Iron Patriot. This has come as a surprise to alot of people as Iron Patriot is normally associated with Spider-man. In the original Marvel comics, Iron Patriot is another alias of Norman Osborne a.k.a. The Green Goblin. Could this mean the new film The Amazing Spider-Man is to be incorporated into the combined Marvel universe? Because of copyright reasons, we think it's unlikely.

The upcoming Thor film now has a proper name and a release date! The name doesn't really tell us anything about the film, but it sounds cool. Add this to your diaries.

Captain America 2 was also given a name and release date at Comic-Con. Unlike the first film, The Winter Soldier will be set in modern day. This title also tells us who the villain will be in the film, as the Winter Soldier in the comics was none other than James "Bucky" Barnes.

It is confirmed, the other big Marvel film of 2014 will be Guardians of the Galaxy. Most people believe (but it hasn't been confirmed) that the film will exist in the same universe as all the above and will be used to introduce Thanos, the villain who appeared at the end of The Avengers and who is likely to be the main antagonist in The Avengers 2.

And finally, Marvel  surprised us all by announcing that Edgar Wright's Ant-Man has got the green light. No release date has yet been pinned on it, but at least we now know it will definately happen. I'm very excited!

Man Of Steel Poster

At Comic-Con, director Zack Snyder unveiled this poster for upcoming Super-Man reboot Man Of Steel. Snyder also announced that a teaser for the film had been tagged onto the reel for The Dark Knight Rises, which opens this weekend.

Which of these superhero films are you most looking forward to? Mine's Ant-Man! Let us know your thoughts in the comments...

Tom :)

FILM GALLERY - "The Dark Knight Rises" Stills

If you didn't know (and why not?!) Christopher Nolan's epic conclusion to his Batman saga, The Dark Knight Rises, is released this weekend. Here's a selection of stills from the movie to celebrate...

Tom Hardy as villain Bane

Bane vs Batman

Bane vs Batman again

A close-up of Bane's mask

The Dark Knight  on his trusty steed

Christian Bale and Michael Caine's response when Warner Bros. suggest another sequel

Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) and Selina Kyle (Anne Hathaway)

"You want me to wear that?!"

Director Christopher Nolan on set of TDKR

Nolan again

Levitt tells Oldman that he's actually in a dream within a dream...within a dream...

Morgan Freeman as Lucius Fox

Marion Cotillard as Miranda Tate

Anne Hathaway as Selina Kyle aka Catwoman

The Tumbler reeks havoc on the streets of Gotham

On a scale of 1 to my-head's-about-to-explode, how excited are you for TDKR? Let us know in the comments...
Tom :)

FILM GALLERY - New "Dredd" Stills

Here's the latest stills from upcoming movie Dredd. The film is based on the Judge Dredd comics, which have been adapted into a film before (1995's Judge Dredd). It's looking pretty good, we're very excited!

Karl Urban as the infamous Judge Dredd

Olivia Thirlby as Judge Cassandra Anderson

Lena Headey as Ma-Ma

Who else is looking forward to Dredd? Let us know in the comments...

Tom :)

FILM REVIEW - Chronicle (Spoiler-free)

Directed by: Josh Trank
Written by: Max Landis
Starring: Dane DeHaan, Alex Russell, Michael B. Jordan
Release Year: 2012
Genre: Sci-Fi/Thriller/Drama
Certificate: 12A


This is a film about 3 guys who get superpowers, and that is all I'm telling you! Trailer here:

I went into this movie knowing nothing of the story line except what I told you above and watching the trailer. This is a good idea as it changes mood throughout the film. The start went slower then I would have liked and maybe even bored me, but it was only short and was bearable. The film built up drama and anticipation well and had an excellent ending. This was aided by starting with a cheaply shot, "boy-films-himself-and-friends" style to suddenly a massive budget ending.


Now on this idea of "boy-films-himself" theme. This could have been done to make the film cheaper, but I really liked it. When he wasn't the one with a camera it was someone else's camera or a security camera or something. However if you start with this style Mr Director, stick with it and don't put random parts that are just filmed normally. Also there is a part where one of the characters brings a load of phones and tablets and stuff around him which is a bit random and draws away from the atmosphere and then it is still filmed with a really good film camera. Personally I would prefer it if it was from the cameras of the devices.


When the film finished I was left really wanting to know what happened after! There could easily be a good sequel of this as there are still unanswered questions.


7/10


Kieron :O

FILM REVIEW - Danny Boyle's Frankenstein (Spoiler-Free)

Directed by: Danny Boyle
Written by: Nick Dear (based on the novel by Mary Shelley)
Starring: Benedict Cumberbatch, Jonny Lee Miller
Release Year: 2011 (Encore Screening 2012)
Genre: Sci-Fi/Horror/Stage Play
Certificate: 15

In 2009, the National Theatre in London launched a project to broadcast their best plays live to screens across the world. It was called National Theatre Live, imaginatively. So this "film review" isn't really of a film, but of a stage play, which is unlikely to be released on DVD. But it might be, and I certainly wouldn't be surprised if it returns to cinemas for a third time. If it does, SEE IT!

Frankenstein tells the story of the Dr. Victor Frankenstein, a gifted scientist who discovers how to create artificial life. But his first experiment goes wrong, bringing the deformed creature into existence. The creature develops human emotions such as hate and a thirst for vengeance, and decides to pursue his maker to demand him to build him a mate.

This is a completely new and original interpretation of Shelley's gothic classic. Instead of siding with Dr. Frankenstein and showing the creature as a full-blown monster, this version shows the story through the creature's eyes. We see it's vulnerability and it's sorrow, and experience it's longing and self-sympathy. This adds an entirely new twist to the story and gives it a much deeper meaning that Shelley intended, but has been lost in most film adaptations.

When the play was performed, Benedict Cumberbatch and Jonny Lee Miller alternated roles as Victor Frankenstein and the creature each night. On the showing I watched Cumberbatch played the creature and Lee Miller played Frankenstein.

At first, I wasn't too overwhelmed by the production. The play opens with 20 minutes of the virtually-naked creature learning to walk. While this is a clever way to show the creatures innocence and child-like nature, and is certainly a more down-to-earth opening than that of the book, the scene does drag horrendously. 10 minutes maximum would have been enough.

After this though, the play really picks up pace and becomes very enjoyable. It sways from moments of hilarity (the creature's first words are "P**s off! B****r off!"),  to moments of extreme tension or heart-wrenching sadness. Both Cumberbatch and Lee Miller were fantastic, and I would love to have the opportunity to see the play again with them in opposite roles.

Do not be put off seeing this because it is apparently a horror. While the play is very tense and provides a few little shocks, it never reaches the stage of terrifying. The 15 certificate has been earnt by a mixture of mild language and nudity.

In modern adaptations, we expect parts to be different from the book. In this version, just the right amount was changed to make the story new and interesting for people who have read the novel while also keeping very true and traditional. It was a perfect balance.

Overall, this is a superb production of Frankenstein which is only let down by it's lengthy opening scene. Please show it cinemas again!

9/10

Have you seen Frankenstein? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
Tom :)

FILM REVIEW - Avengers Assemble (Spoiler-free)

Directed by: Joss Whedon
Written by:  Joss Whedon
Starring: Robert Downey Jr, Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Tom Hiddleston
Release Year: 2012
Genre: Action
Certificate: 12A

What do you get when you give a 12 year old boy a litre of coke and 50 blue smarties, then tell him to write a list of everything he wants in a film? The answer is Avengers Assembled. There is more explosions then a popcorn machine on overdrive. And yes this is a good thing. And when there isn't any explosions there is sexy fighting from black widow or a massive green hulk smashing everything to pieces.


The film also has some memorable and funny quotes and scenes and it is hard to choose my favorite. It is well directed and written throughout and I never felt like there was a bad line or moment.


The story line is alright, but then with a film like this a lot of action sequences would suffer with an in depth story line so this was not needed. Some things that bothered me in the film was how powerful Iron man, The Hulk and especially Thor are compared to the rest of the gang. I mean, what can Captain America do, really? He is a slightly stronger then a strong human and his shield would be better off in say Thor's other hand. Obviously paint it so it looks less like a giant lolly pop then we can kill off Captain America. 


Another slight moan is that although Hulk did look really good in this movie there was still a couple of moments where he looked unnatural (well apart from being a giant green man, you get what I mean though right).


I would defiantly recommend this film and I might even be one of the people who goes back and watches the re-release with an extra 30 minutes (if it is released), because it is that good. 


9/10

Kieron :O

FILM NEWS - Snow Crash, Brave, Spidey, Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, Maleficent and The Watch

Hello again, it's Thursday, and we bring you movie news.

Joe Cornish For Snow Crash
For those of you who aren't familiar with the name Joe Cornish, he made his directing debut last year in Sci-Fi/Comedy hit Attack the Block. I'll admit, I am yet to see the film, but I have only heard good things and as soon as I have watched, a review will be heading your way.
Anyways, the news is that Cornish will be directing upcoming Paramount film Snow Crash. The film will be based on the Neal Stephenson book of the same title, which was released in 1992. Paramount attempted to make a film of the book when it was first released, but it never happened. For those who aren't familiar with the book (and that's me included), here's a synopsis from amazon:
From the opening line of his breakthrough cyberpunk novel Snow Crash, Neal Stephenson plunges the reader into a not-too-distant future. It is a world where the Mafia controls pizza delivery, the United States exists as a patchwork of corporate-franchise city states, and the Internet - incarnate as the Metaverse - looks something like last year's would lead you to believe it should. Enter Hiro Protagonist - hacker, samurai swordsman and pizza-delivery driver. When his best friend fried his brain on a new designer drug called Snow Crash and his beautiful, brainy ex-girlfriend asks for his help, what's a guy with a name like that to do? He rushes to the rescue. A breakneck-paced 21st-century novel, Snow Crash interweaves everything from Sumerian myth to visions of a postmodern civilisation on the brink of collapse. Faster than the speed of television and a whole lot more fun, Snow Crash is the portrayal of a future that is bizarre enough to be plausible.
I can't wait!
For more on this story, click here.

Exclusive Look At Pixar's Brave
This film looks alright, and hopefully it will be able to renew the magic that we know Pixar is capable of. A new preview clip was released on Thursday. To watch it, click here.


Preview Clip From The Amazing Spider-Man
You may have noticed, me and Kieron are getting a little bit excited about this film. Mainly because it looks awesome!!!
In the original comics, Spidey is renowned for his smooth, sarcastic wit. And it seems the guys behind the upcoming film have really grasped that in this new preview clip which was released on Sunday. Brilliantly written and very funny acting from Andrew Garfield. Check it out below:

Also, loving the music from James Horner.

Abraham Lincoln: Publicity Stunt
Cast and crew of the upcoming movie Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter flew out to USS Abraham Lincoln ship as it patrolled Middle Eastern waters for a special screening of the film for the sailors. Actor Benjamin Walker, who plays America's 16th President in the film, even showed up in full costume, including fake beard.
For more on this story, click here.

First Look At Disney's Maleficent
This week, filming officially started on Disney's upcoming live-action fantasy film Maleficent. The film is an origin story about the title character, who is the villain in the animated classic Sleeping Beauty. Angelina Jolie is in the lead role, and Disney released this photo of her to publicise the start of production.
The film is due for release in the US on the 14th March 2014.

The Watch New Trailer
This upcoming comedy shows a lot of promise to be the big comedy  of the summer. But can it take the top spot from Men In Black 3?

Lots of news this week, and that's your fill. Which of these upcoming films are you most looking forward to? Let us know in the comments...
Tom :)

FILM REVIEW - Prometheus (Spoiler-free)

Directed by: Ridley Scott

Written by: Jon Spaihts, Damon Lindelof
Starring: Noomi Rapace, Michael Fassbender, Guy Pearce, Idris Elba, Logan Marshall-Green, Charlize Theron
Release Year: 2012
Genre: Sci-Fi/Horror
Certificate: 15

When Ridley Scott announced that he planned to return to the world of Sci-Fi to create a prequel to his masterpiece Alien, naturally, everyone got very excited. And why wouldn't you? Alien defined science fiction/horror movies, and is regarded as a classic. Also, the Alien franchise needed redeeming after the terrible Alien vs Predator films.

Prometheus tells the story of a group of humans going to a distant planet to make contact with an alien race that may have created mankind. Unfortunately, the aliens turn out to be a little hostile...

Unsurprisingly, I went into Prometheus expecting a terrifying, gore-filled blood-bath. Surprisingly, Scott has offered us an intelligent, philosophical thriller with only hints of the expected horror-fest. If you want a "people-run-round-spaceship-and-get-killed-in-horrific-ways" film, you are much better off just watching Alien again. Only two deaths are particularly bad, and even they are nothing compared to John Hurt's stomach bug.

I don't see this as a bad thing though. Yes you kinda miss the mindless gut-ripping to begin with, but it is soon forgotten as you submerge yourself in the new, complex plot.

The acting on the whole is superb. Noomi Rapace more than fills the gap that is left for her by Signourney Weaver. It's worth mentioning that Elizabeth Shaw is nothing like Ripley of the original films and Rapace makes the new lead role her own and makes the whole film feel a bit more human. The other actor to take note of is Michael Fassbender as creepy android David. Fassbender's performance is flawless, and will leave you guessing right up until the end.

To begin with, the writing is as good as the acting. The film carries at a steady pace and Damon Lindelof's script moves from moments of high tension to moments of comedy quickly and with ease. There's a particularly quirky scene between Idris Elba's Yannick and Charlize Theron's Vickers that I found very funny. I won't spoil it for you though.

About half way through though, the writing becomes a bit clunky. The story starts to become predictable, and some of the "twists" are just annoying. The amount of unnecessary gore also increases. I'm not saying I'm squeamish, but there is on scene in particular that just seems over the top and verges on comedic. You should recognise the bit I'm talking about, but this review is spoiler-free.

Overall, I did enjoy the film, despite the poorly written second half. It's cinematic, very well acted and, above all, entertaining. Definately a fun way to pass two hours.

6/10


If you've seen Prometheus, let us know your thoughts in the comments.
Tom :)

FILM NEWS - Wreck-It Ralph and Super Hero News

Wreck-It Ralph Trailer Released At E3
Wreck-It Ralph will be the best video game movie mash-up ever when it is released in November. Well it will be the only one. It was announced at E3 last week with this trailer:

Oooooohooooh sometimes, it get this feeling: This will be really good even for a kids movie!


Wrech-It Ralph is an arcade game in which Ralph lives in a tree house. But his house is bulldozed and relocated to a garbage dump so a building can be built in its place. So he trys to destroy it, however Fix-it Felix Junior fixes the house. If you as the player fix the house completely before Ralph destroys it your minions throw him of the roof. You can play the game here! Im terrible at it :(

In the film Ralph decides to leave his game and try's other out other games with themes from Pong to Halo 4. However he accidentally releases something that will corrupt all the other games. Looks awesome! And I'm looking forward to looking out for Easter eggs of lots of different video game characters that I know. In the trailer we see Bowser and the Pacman ghost. However its not from Pixar so will it be good?

Brave
But you know what is from Pixar, the upcoming movie Brave. Which has released a new teaser trailer. Said to recapture the magic missing from cars 2 and other recent flops. Yet not as good as WALL-E or Toy Story 3.

Sten Lee's children are growing up!

New Clips for The Amazing Spider-Man have been released here, here, here, here and here. Yerp I think that's it. I've got to say, it is looking action packed and funny. There is also talk of Spider-Man from this summers film being a new addition to the Avengers. Sony has the rights to Spider-Man but in a recent interview about the Avengers Avi Arad said "everything is possible" saying of a collaboration "it's great for Disney, it's great for Sony". Personally I think they should scrap Thor because he is boring. But they are working on Venom first.


Venom is a spin-off from the new Spider-Man movie featuring Eddie Brocks story (Peter Parker's best friend, that tries to kill him). Avi Arad says he wants it to be as close to the comics as possible. Hopefully we think they will be in the same universe.

Other news from the Marvel universe is that Stan Lee admits that "they hadn't quite found the right formula with the Hulk". Until now! He says Mark Ruffalo in the avengers "nailed it"

New Dark Night Rises Promo

Enough said!

Storage 24
Looks good. Check out the trailer here
.
Magnificent Seven
MGM’s remake of The Magnificent Seven cast that has been announced so far list is full off top quality actors:
Tom Cruise as Chris
Matt Damon as Vin
Kevin Costner as Britt
Morgan Freeman as a villain.
I wonder who else they are going to have on the cast, leave your suggestions in the comments.


Kieron :O