Prometheus 3D Review

So Prometheus came out today and I just saw it, it is incredible! Ridley Scott has come back to the sci-fi genre with a film that exceeded all my expectations and more! I am a big fan of his first sci-fi film Alien, a film that redefined the genre and sparked a long running franchise and a number of spin offs. Alien was amazing, but unlike many others, I was not a big fan of the films that came after it, not even the highly rated sequel Aliens directed by James Cameron, so maybe I have not been as excited as some fans out there who couldn't wait for this kind of prequel to the Alien franchise. I am so happy that this film turned out to be one of the best sci-fi films I have ever seen!

The plot of the film goes like this; 'A team of explorers discover a clue to the origins of mankind on Earth, leading them on a journey to the darkest corners of the universe.' The edge of the universe is in fact stunning and the film opens with wide swooping shots of a planets landscape that, mixed with 3D, can only be described as a beautiful spectacle. This fim however is not a direct prequel to Alien so those who go in expecting this may be disappointed. Xenomorphs are not the aliens that the crew of the spaceship Prometheus encounter.

The crew embarking on this mission to find our creators are made up of some of the best acting talent around at the moment, including, Noomi Rapace, Michael Fassbender, Charlize Theron, Idris Elba and Logan Marshall-Green. It's great to see Noomi Rapace in a leading role after her under used role in Sherlock Holmes 2. We now get to see her acting talent shine through just as much as it did in her role as Lisbeth Salander in the original The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo films. Though my only criticism of her is her accent that I think was supposed to be British but sounded kind of South African. Maybe its because she's an explorer so shes probably picked up many accents on her journeys. Rapace plays Elizabeth Shaw, basically Prometheus's Ripley. Is she just as good? Yes!

Though it is not Noomi Rapace's character that steals the show, that goes to Michael Fassbender's role as the android David. It seems as if Fassbender has a knack of stealing films with his incredible performances, and this is just another role to add to his list of amazing characters. He was definitely the best android I have ever seen!

Another great thing about this film was the visual effects. They were stunning! Not at any point did I think I was watching a swarm of pixels on screen. Maybe this is due to Ridley Scott's determination to use as little green screen as possible, and this really payed off as the hand built sets looked amazing! The cinematography also helped make this film look visually beautiful, and the 3D worked perfectly with this element. The soundtrack also made an big impact on the film and helped create some terrifying sequences, The score was composed perfectly for the film.

The 3D is very good. It is not always apparent but when it is, it really helps create a new dimension to the scenes you are watching. In particular a scene where a sandstorm commences, in which the 3D really helps it come alive. I don't know whether I would recommend seeing it in 3D or not, but if you enjoy the element then this is one film you should watch.

This film is not for everybody though, it can be very gory in places and rather scary. Maybe not as 'horror' as the first Alien film was but it definitely had its moments! Also if you are pregnant then maybe you should give this film a miss, you'll know what I mean when you see it. 

Overall I loved this film! Although many will disagree with me, I personally think this film was better than  Alien and is one of the best sci-fi films ever made. I hope that it gets a sequel as the film raised more questions then it answered. 2012 is turning out to be one of the best years ever for film! I'm giving Prometheus a rating of  5/5.

Thanks for reading!

The Hunger Games Review

Ok so if you have read any of my early posts you will know that I have been looking forward to this film for a while after having my mind blown by the books. I booked tickets as soon as I could after recent hype suggests this could be massive! Well... It did not disappoint!

I thank the director Gary Ross for not making this 'the next twilight' as it has been wrongly accused of being. This was a sophisticated film that had it's own unique style that pulled it apart from any other film I have seen before. I'm sure there will be some who join the 'Team Peeta' and 'Team Gale' groups but for me, I'm more 'Team Katniss'!

Jeniffer Lawrence is Katniss Everdeen. She truly does take over the role and holds the film throughout, even against the acting legends such as Donald Sutherland, Stanely Tucci and Woody Harrelson. The world will definitely be watching her then! If you are unsure of plot (where have you been?) then here it is: 'Set in a future where the Capitol selects a boy and girl from the twelve districts to fight to the death on live television, Katniss Everdeen volunteers to take her younger sister's place for the latest match.' This may sound cheesy but it is far from it!

The films cinematography is superb and it visually looks incredible. The camerawork is mainly handheld and shaky which gives it it's own style though sometimes is overused and can confuse the scene ans starts to make you dizzy. The visual effects are great and The Capitol personally reminds me of the planet Naboo in Star Wars. The 'girl on fire dress' which fans of the book have been eagerly waiting to see is the only down point of the film as it does not look brilliant but then again imagination is each to their own.

The music contributes to the emotion of the film even when it is not present. With the ambient music and unique cinematography the film feels like it should be an indie and not the big blockbuster I am sure it will become.

This though is not a film for kids, not because of the graphic content, (which there is enough for us older teens to enjoy!) but because it is quite slow paced and dramatic which is not bad at all for us movie buffs out there! It really is emotional and I felt myself getting goosebumps and welling up at numerous scenes from the very start! Some bits in the film I felt more emotionally connected to the characters then I did when I was reading the book!

But I am not saying it is better then the book, because it is not. The books go more in depth about certain situations and you can understand the characters motives more. Though there are some bits of the film that I thought were better then the book and better then I imagined them to be! The film even adds stuff in that was not in the book, which really work as we are no longer watching just from Katniss's point of view like the books, but we see outside the games, including one very emotional and powerful riot scene which was actually one of my highlights of the film!

Overall a very good and faithful adaption that leaves you hungry for more. Though I do worry for the sequels as the first film has raised a very high bar. I am not afraid to admit that this is one of the best films I have seen and definitely the best film of 2012 so far! Bring on The Avengers!

Thanks for reading!

Team Katniss!

 

The Amazing Spider-Man Trailer!

So yehh, I just saw the new trailer for my most anticipated movie of 2012, possibly of all time... I'M KIND OF NERDING OUT RIGHT NOW!!! While I calm down you can watch it for yourself:

Did you just see that! Wow Spider-Man is back and looks better then ever. All the haters can shut up as this trailer brings a storyline that looks nothing close to the first one. It's dark it's gloomy and still has great humour, 'Do I look like a cop?'.

Andrew Garfield puts on his Peter Parker mojo brilliantly and really suits the character more then anyone else (Tobey Maguire!). It looks like it's taken advice from Christopher Nolan but not enough to make it look like a rip off. The stunts look cool, you actually believe that is Spider-Man swinging through New York and beating up criminals and taking on a SWAT Team!

Then there is Emma Stone's Gwen Stacy who looks like she could be Peter's best catch yet, she actually looks as if she loves him, though I (spider) sense that they could bring Mary-Jane back for round 2 to form a tricky love triangle for the webslinger. Though they would have to bring in some one good enough to create an on screen romance that betters the one I have just seen, probably helps that they are now a real life couple. Though I am also secretly hoping Gwen Stacy get chucked off a bridge like in the comics, that would create something we have never seen in the case of Peter Parker's personality, especially since he seems a bit more darker in this version.

Then finally there is Rhys Ifans as The Iizard or Dr Conners. Didn't get much chance to see him in all his glory but the glimpses shown did look impressive. Could be quite a strong fella too as in the last part of the trailer we see him taking down a building that we all know is going to look super cool in 3D. I also like how they are hinting at Peter Parker possibly making the formula that creates The Lizard. That would be a lot of 'With Great Power Come Great Responsibility' especially as Peter has daddy issues this time round and Dr Conners looks like the only one who will help him out!

Overall it looks incredible and I cannot wait for this film! I'm going to go and watch that trailer again and again and again!

2012 - A Big Year For Movies

2012. Many people may associate this year as the end of the world, or if you live in the UK it is the year of the London Olympics. But for me this is the year for movie nerds everywhere! Next year is the year for cinema, will it finally get back on track with more people going to it? If the films that are coming out next year are anything to go by, then hopefully. Here are my top 10 anticipated films of 2012! And no The Dark Knight Rises is not first!:

10. Chronicle
Chronicle is a found footage film which actually looks different this year! As many of you know, I love superheroes and this film is about three boys who gain super powers. A found footage superhero movie, what more can I say?
9. War Horse
I am a big fan of the book which I read a couple of years ago, and if anyone could adapt it too the big screen it's Steven Spielberg! Even the author has commended it! I want to see this film!
8. Gangster Squad
I love period gangster dramas, and this one has Ryan Gosling, Sean Penn, Josh Brolin and Emma Stone in it! I can't wait!
7. Prometheus
The Alien prequel or spin off film trailer was released last week and looks amnazing! Time to get the watch the Alien Box set I Think!
6. The Muppets
Unless your American this film has not come out yet! And I have to wait till February to see it! Painful but worth the wait by the sounds of it. I love the muppets!
5. The Hobbit - An Unexpected Journey
Being a big fan of The Lord of The Rings trilogy how could I not be excited about this one! Love the idea of Peter Jackson upping the frames per second to create amazing 3D. The Trailer came out last week and it looks incredible!
4. The Hunger Games
As you already know I'm a a massive fan of the books and cannot wait to see them adapted for the big screen. I'm hoping it isn't too Twilight but by the looks of the trailer it looks amazing and quite emotional too.
3. The Dark Knight Rises
Who is not excited about this one? The trailer was amazing as suspected and in Nolan we trust!
2. The Avengers
I have been waiting for this film since the closing credits of Iron Man and cannot wait for this film to finally be here! With Joss Whedon on the directors chair this is certain to be one hell of a movie!
1. The Amazing Spider-Man
Yes it is the half man half spider who tops my list! Being a massive fan of the man in red I cannot wait for this film. Marc Webb is a brilliant director and Andrew Garfield is one of the greatest actors of our time. This is sure to amazing! They have gone a little bit darker and have added The Lizard to the mix, cannot wait! Lots of people hating this film because its telling the origin again or because they like Tobey Maguire, Personally Tobey was a great Peter Parker but unlike Andrew Garfield he is not Peter Parker!

And that concludes my top 10 most anticipated films of 2012. I hope you agree! I hope everyone had a good Christmas and I will blog my review of 2011 before 2012... hopefully!

Superhero Leaks!

So the last couple of a days have been full of supposed 'leaks' of superhero films; The Amazing Spider-man & The Dark Knight Rises. I will start by saying that I am looking forward to these films so much and have been enjoying reading all the gossip around them. And there has been a lot of pictures and supposed details leaked from the new batman film which is strange for director Chris Nolan to allow this to happen, Because usually he is quite strict on what is revealed as he likes the audience to watch his films without knowing a thing. But I reckon its all part of his plan. In Nolan we trust!

So we know the villain for the new Spider-man reboot film is going to be The Lizard, but until recently the look for the creature has been kept under wraps. Until it was revealed via PEZ Dispenser!

So yes this isn't really a great look but I believe there was a lot of hate for the look? It's a PEZ dispenser guys!? Personally I think it looks pretty awesome! So the next day, there was another supposed 'leak' of concept art of the comic book villain. I say supposed because I believe that Sony were probably pretty mad a PEZ for releasing the image before they had given the fans something better to look at, and due to the bad press it was getting they probably 'accidently' released the concept art to help calm fan boys down.

So more positive reaction to this but again had fans divided. I again personally think it looks amazing and just what I was hoping for, but could do with more of a snout. BUT again this is just concept art, so who knows what could happen. Hopefully an official movie image will be released soon or 'leaked' but until then we'll just have to assume it will be awesome. I definitely recommend watching some of Andrew Garfield previous films, he really is a great actor and will fit into the part of Peter Parker well!

So on to The Dark Knight Rises, a synopsis has been released of the prologue, which will have a look at the new villain Bane. Here is the synopsis: (SPOILERS)

"Bane and his mercenaries hijack a military plane transporting a dictator of a country which is in unrest (think Saddam Hussein type figure).

'He successfully kills the leader, but makes some mistakes along the way and is unable to safely land the plane.

'Because of the resulting injuries from the accident, he has to undergo complicated surgeries and that is how he winds up with that scar down his neck and the need for the mask to numb the pain.'

The source goes on to describe Bane's origin story as reimagined by Nolan.

"'He is raised by Ra’s al Ghul [Bruce Wayne's old mentor] and his up bringing mirrors that of Bruce Wayne.

'It’s a mirror of Bruce, except it’s darker and twisted. Bane is trained to be an assassin for the League of Shadows.

'He kills political figures that are deemed unfit by the LOS. So he is a bit of a Che Guevara/ Jason Bourne type character.'

 

So yeah, sounds pretty awesome! I don't know whether it will be as good as Heath Ledgers prologue as The Joker but only time will tell as it will soon hit 5 IMAX cinemas in the UK before the start of Mission Impossible 4. So if your lucky enough to see it at one of the 5 I'm sure you'll love it but for the rest of us I guess we'll just have to wait until its 'leaked' online!

 

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