I'm Stephanie and i love films, here i will post spoiler-free reviews!

Tuesday 15 April 2014

WE ARE THE BEST!

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Based on Coco Moodysson’s graphic novel ‘Never Goodnight’,  We Are The Best! is a heartwarming, coming-of-age story that will remind you just what it was like to be thirteen.
Set in Stockholm, 1982, We Are The Best! Follows three 13-year-old girls, Bobo (Mira Barkhammar), Klara (Mira Grosin) and Hedvig (Liv LeMoyne), who decide to form a punk band – despite everybody telling them that punk is dead.
The premise of the film is an interesting one; 1982 punk from a child’s point of view is a unique narrative and could easily have gone wrong or stagnated relatively quickly once the novelty of the subject matter had worn off. However,  despite the niche exterior of the film, We Are The Best! is ultimately a heartwarming tale with charm, wit and nostalgia at its core.
Alongside the main storyline of the three young girls attempting to form a punk band, we follow Bobo, Klara and Hedvig as they try to navigate first loves, embarrassing parents and ignorant bullies who pick on the girls for their love of punk rock – making it more of a lesson in youth and friendship for the audience, rather than punk music and 1982 Stockholm.
Perhaps the most surprising thing about We Are The Best! is just how easily the three young actresses carry the film. It is always going to be risky business when a film is heavily dependent on child actors, especially when placing them in an era that they know nothing about alongside such a specific, and alternative, subject matter. Barkhammer, Grosin and LeMoyne have a natural chemistry that ensure the authenticity of their friendship isn’t doubted for a moment; making it really feel as though you are really watching a group of best friends.
Even more endearing than their on-screen friendship are the buckets of charisma that the girls bring to the film. They bounce off each other with wit and embody their characters with such energetic charm and innocence, making it an absolute joy to watch them flounce around Stockholm, thinking that they’re grown up and know everything that there is to know. We Are The Best! has a brilliant self-awareness that pokes fun at the know-it-all attitude that young people have without coming across as patronising or mocking of teenagers. Instead, it provides a nostalgic trip down memory lane for every older person in the audience who will watch these characters and be reminded of the embarrassing things that they did when they were thirteen too.
Throughout the film, the audience witness the trials and tribulations of adolescence; the girls laugh, they cry, they get scolded by parents. They fight over boys, are laughed at by their classmates and secretly get drunk from Klara’s older brother’s alcohol – all whilst trying to become the biggest and best punk band in the World. It is this relatability that makes the film so enjoyable, with it staying realistic and light-hearted right until the very end.
All in all, We Are The Best! serves as an endearing reminder of what it was like to be 13. On the outside, the fact that it is set in 1982 Sweden and is about the punk movement might seem a little alienating, however, the crux of the film is the innocence of childhood and with such fresh, energetic and charming performances from the film’s protagonists, it’s impossible to watch We Are The Best! without a smile on your face.
★★★★☆
We Are The Best! is in cinemas from 18th April!
Stay tuned for more reviews and follow me on twitter if you fancy it :)

Love,






MAGIC MAGIC

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Starring Juno Temple and Michael Cera, Magic Magic is an indie horror film, inspired by an urban legend of what happened to a girl whilst vacationing in a Brazilian hostel.

Alicia (Temple) is an American girl who has travelled to Chile to visit her cousin Sarah (Emily Browning). Whilst staying with her cousin's friends, insomniac Alicia starts to lose a grip on what is real and what she is imagining, leaving the audience to wonder who the real bad guy is...

Marketed as an intense psychological horror, Magic Magic has all of the ingredients to make a fantastic film - the strong cast, great background story and the novel addition of the story being told through an unreliable narrator (Alicia) should have been enough to create edge-of-your-seat and spine-tingling chills. However, it doesn't exactly work out like that.

Once Alicia arrives in Chile, her cousin Sarah is called away almost immediately, leaving Alicia to spend two nights alone with Sarah's friends, Brink (Michael Cera), Agustin (Agustin Silva) and Barbara (Catalina Sandino Moreno). The friends seem cold from the offset, with Cera nailing a particularly disconcerting performance as Brink, who manages to appear creepy and unnerving without even saying anything particularly offensive. However, despite Cera's discomforting presence and the group's tendency to speak to eachother in Spanish, meaning that Alicia can not understand, as the film progresses it becomes a struggle to see what the group are doing that makes Alicia scream down the phone to Sarah that they are 'all sadists'. 

For example, while the fact the boys shoot a bird when they go hunting would upset many people, myself included, it isn’t far-fetched to think that an American teenage boy with a shotgun would shoot an animal. The film also tries to use the fact the boys tease Alicia and laugh at her misfortune as evidence of their cruelty, but again this isn’t exactly unusual behaviour for teen boys. Alicia's paranoia makes these overreactions a little easier to swallow, but more could have been done to make these characters appear as the sinister threats that they are supposed to be at this point in the film.
Over time, it becomes evident that there is something seriously wrong with Alicia; her cousin joins them but Alicia is struggling to sleep and her behaviour becomes increasingly bizarre. This is when the film finally starts to pick up. Despite the lack of genuine jumps or scares, the intrigue of the story and where the film is going is just enough to keep you tense and maintain your interest as you desperately start to wonder what is wrong with Alicia... and that is what makes the film's conclusion all the more disappointing.
The final scenes gradually become more and more ridiculous, eventually becoming reminiscent of a certain goat scene in Drag Me To Hell. However, alongside being totally far-fetched and implausible, the conclusion is also incredibly out of place in Magic Magic. The conclusion is rushed and makes no sense in relation to the rest of the story and it completely bypasses the tone of the majority of the film. Although certainly not without its faults, Magic Magic at least maintained an element of realism up until this point and had they decided to opt for a realistic ending, rather than prioritizing their bid to shock the audience, it would probably have made the film a much more compelling watch. 
The one positive part of the entire film comes from the strong performances; as well as creepy Cera, Juno Temple gives the part her all and truly embodies Alicia's paranoia, which becomes more and more apparent as her mental state deteriorates. Emily Browning also does her best to add some realism to the madness and gives an equally strong performance, despite being underused. However, strong performances are just not enough to cancel out the film's fatal flaws, with its fascinating concept being ruined by a ridiculous narrative which results in an underwhelming watch... In fact, resulting in the worst film that I have watched this year.
☆☆☆☆
Magic Magic is available to watch from 18th April! 
Stay tuned for more reviews and follow me on twitter if you fancy it :)

Love,







Saturday 12 April 2014

THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 2

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After waiting for what feels like forever, the sequel to director Marc Webb and Andrew Garfield's take on everybody's favourite insect-based Superhero is finally hitting the big screen!

Continuing with his more faithful adaptations of the Marvel comics, Webb's (That's not even a pun, that is his actual name!) The Amazing Spider-Man 2 picks up with Peter Parker (Garfield) and Gwen Stacy (Emma Stone) graduating high school, Peter’s childhood friend Harry Osborn (Dane DeHann) returning to New York after years at boarding school, and an accident at Oscorp turning Spider-Man super-fan Max (Jamie Foxx), into glory-seeking villain Electro.

Peter is still doing what he does best: swinging through New York City solving crime and saving pedestrians, however he has relationship troubles to boot.The narrative picks up where the first film left of; Peter’s girlfriend Gwen is still the only person who knows Spider-Man’s true identity and while she struggles to cope with her boyfriend’s double life, Peter also fails to find the balance between his personal life and his vigilante alter-ego.

Garfield continues to trump Tobey Maguire’s portrayal of the superhero as he gives him the wit, sarcasm and likability that is found in the original comics. He brings believability and relatability to an otherwise surreal situation and his efforts to maintain his relationship with Gwen bring an element of normality to Peter Parker’s life. 
Although Garfield steals the show as the leading man – and rightly so –  all of the supporting characters are just as well-rounded but none more so than unassuming unassuming ‘nobody’ Max Dillon, who Spider-Man saves from death in a busy New York street. Unable to believe that he has actually been noticed by somebody, Max becomes obsessed with Spider-Man and begins to believe that they’re actually best friends. Ignored by many and mocked at work, it’s hard not to feel sympathy for Max and this is why when he has an accident at Oscorp and turns into villain Electro it’s all the more upsetting - because you know that he isn’t a villain at heart and his transformation is just as confusing and unsettling for him as it is for the viewer.
However, Electro isn’t the only villain in the sequel and the plot is full of surprise twists and turns with action-packed fight sequences as well as an emotionally engaging subplot surrounding Peter and his personal relationships with both Gwen and his Aunt May.
Throughout the film the use of 3D gives a really slick feel to the story, making it appear so glossy it is almost other-worldy. The breathtaking visuals bring the film to life and it is almost as though you are swinging around the city with Spider-Man in tow. The effects are strong from the offset and from the very opening sequence you will find yourself appreciating and marveling at the special effects, with the awe not faltering until the credits have started to roll.
To conclude, Garfield and Webb continue to be a winning team when it comes to Spider-Man as they create strong characters and an enjoyable narrative; all mixed together with these with stunning visual effects and 3D. The combination of action, emotion, and surprise twists together create a film that is so engrossing  the two and a half hour run time flies by.
One word of warning though: There is no post-credits scene, I repeat: THERE IS NO POST-CREDITS SCENE! (We found out the hard way and the credits are really long...)
★★★★★
The Amazing Spider-Man 2 is in cinemas from 16th April!
Stay tuned for more reviews and follow me on twitter if you fancy it :)

Love,





THE QUIET ONES

The Quiet Ones



On Tuesday 1st April I was lucky enough to attend the World premiere of Hammer Film's newest chiller
Me on the red carpet at The Quiet Ones premiere
The Quiet Ones.

Starring Finnick Odair, sorry I mean Sam Claflin, and inspired by true events, The Quiet Ones tells the story of a professor (Jared Harris) who performs a series of experiments on a young patient (Olivia Cooke) in order to test his theory that you can create a poltergeist from negative energy.

The most original aspect of the film is the storyline itself as it offers an interesting take on the notion of poltergeists and evil spirits. Harris effortlessly slips into the role of Joseph Coupland, a professor at Oxford University who believes that everything has a rational explanation, including the appearance of demonic possession. Coupland takes on four of his students; confident and sassy Krissi (Erin Richards), her joker boyfriend Harry (Rory Fleck-Byrne), and shy, unassuming Brian (Claflin), alongside a mentally disturbed girl, Jane (Cooke), to test his theory. The experiment involves driving Jane to the brink of insanity in order to summon the negative brain energy out of her and into an inanimate object, curing her of her apparent demonic possession.

However, as time passes Jane’s state only appears to worsen and with demonic etchings suddenly being burned into her skin and Krissi’s life coming under threat, the students begin to think there’s something supernatural going on after all. Coupland stubbornly refuses to accept the possibility of his hypothesis being wrong, leading to friction forming among the group and putting all of their lives in danger.
With its setting in the 70s, The Quiet Ones is immediately eye-catching with its retro feel that will appeal to
Claflin, Cooke, and Fleck-Byrne introducing the film
fans of horror classics such as The Exorcist and The Omen. Claflin’s character, Brian, also serves as the cameraman for the experiment and the film flits between regular filming and Brian’s shaky, grainy, handheld camerawork. As a viewer this technique thrusts you right into the middle of the experiment as you experience the same terrifying perspective as the students.
Most of the horror comes from the tension of not knowing what is going to happen next which makes for creepy, edge-of-your-seat viewing rather than scream-inducing terror. Cooke gives a stand-out performance as the disturbed Jane, confusing the audience into whether they should be scared of her or pity her and often achieving both. The rest of the characters are also well-rounded and integral to the plot with their presence adding elements of reassurance and normality to the film, with scary scenes neatly embedded among everyday conversations between the group. In a way, you start to look forward to the scenes where all the characters are together as you feel a sense of unity with the students who are just as confused, scared and freaked out as you are.
The Quiet Ones is strong from the offset and only gets stronger as the film progresses, however parts of the conclusion feel a little rushed with one particular revelation about Jane’s character being delivered quite suddenly and then being quickly glossed over to make way for the film’s grand finale. Although the finale is still effective, it probably would have a stronger impact if the audience weren’t still trying to process and get their head around the previous scene's twist. 
All in all, The Quiet Ones is an innovative and intriguing new horror film that will have you on the edge-of-your-seat throughout. Even if you’re made of stronger stuff and the scares don’t impact you, you’ll still be able to enjoy the story and the characters as, unlike many recent horror films, The Quiet Ones doesn’t depend on the horror to make the film.
★★★★☆
The Quiet Ones is in cinemas now!
Stay tuned for more reviews and follow me on twitter if you fancy it :)

Love,





Saturday 5 April 2014

10 Exciting Films Still To Come in 2014...


We are only four months into 2014 but it has already shaped up to be a pretty memorable year for film. With the likes of The Wolf of Wall Street, Dallas Buyers Club, Noah and Divergent already done and dusted, you'd be forgiven for thinking that 2014 cinema has peaked already. However, you would be wrong - and here I have 10 exciting films that 2014 is yet to bring....
Cheer up Tobey

1. The Amazing Spider-Man 2
Release Date: April 18th
Not long to go now! Peter Parker fans have been excited for the second installment of Marc Webb's take on the Marvel comic ever since the first film in 2012. Andrew Garfield continues to replace Tobey Maguire as everybody's favourite insect-based superhero in a film that promises to remain as faithful as possible to the original comic book story, thumbs up all round!





2. Maleficent
Release Date: May 28th
If you are anything like  me you will feel like you have been waiting for Angelina Jolie's portrayal of Disney baddie, Maleficent, forever. Telling the story of Sleeping Beauty from the villain's point of view, Maleficent will reveal what it was that made her so cold-hearted and why she cursed Princess Aurora. One thing is for sure, Maleficent will be visually stunning and bring out the child in even the hardest of adults. 





3. Jersey Boys
Release Date: 
June 20th
This may be mildly exclusive to me due to my absolute love of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons, but as somebody who simply can not afford to go and see the West End production of Jersey Boys every single week, the prospect of it being a film is overwhelming. Even if you think that you don't know who The Four Seasons are think again and give the film a chance; you will be surprised to discover just how many of their songs that you know and you will be dancing and singing along in no time!




Love you, Eddie

4. Jupiter Ascending

Release Date: July 25th
An interesting sci-fi adventure that stars Mila Kunis as Jupiter Jones, a young woman who is targeted for assassination by the Queen of the Universe (nice job title!) and consequently realises her destiny to end the Queen's reign. It unarguably sounds like a great story, but did I mention that Eddie Redmayne is also in the film? Because that sealed the deal for me. 


5. Guardians of the Galaxy
Release Date:
August 1st
Another Marvel film but this time on the lesser known Guardians of the Galaxy. I am just sold on the concept that each of the guardians have their own flaws but together they discover their greater mission. There is also the presence of Rocket Raccoon and Groot, animated characters that are voiced by Bradley Cooper and Vin Diesel respectively, who serve as just one example of the CGI and special effects spectacle that this film is set to be!



6. The Inbetweeners 2
Release Date:
August 6th

Do you really need a reason? Do you really?! After the success of The Inbetweeners television show and their first film back in 2011, it is about time that Will, Simon, Neil and Jay reunited for some more laughs, chaos and many, many awkward situations.



7. Sin City: A Dame To Kill For
Release Date:
August 29th
Even if it wasn't a sequel to the brilliant 2005 film Sin City, the star-studded cast would be enough to lure in the most cynical of spectators. Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Juno Temple, and Bruce Willis are just a few of the names to top the list, alongside a surprise cameo from none other than Lady Gaga. Whether the film is good or not (it will be), watching it is certain to at least be an experience.





Blurred-Lines-Girl

8. Gone Girl
Release Date: October 3rd
Gone Girl was the book of 2013; everywhere you looked people seemed to be reading it and even those who weren't reading it seemed to be talking about the global bestseller. Neil Patrick Harris is set to make his  first serious film debut since.... God knows when, and the 'Stunning-Blurred-Lines-Girl', aka Emily Ratajkowski, will also be featuring as Andie Hardy. 




9.The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1
Release Date:
November 21st
I have said it before and I will say it again, for me Mockingjay is the weak link of The Hunger Games book trilogy. Especially the first half of it. And especially the ending. That is why I was so surprised that of the three books it was Mockingjay that got split into two films. Saying that, I am still heavily invested in Panem and the lives of Katniss and Peeta and nothing will stop me from seeing how this film plays out on the big screen. Although frustrating we will then have to wait another year before we see the final chapter, the hope that director Francis Lawrence will change the book's ending is enough to see me through.




10. Unbroken
Release Date:
December 26th
Angelina Jolie is allegedly staying firmly behind the camera as she directs this true life story of Louis Zamperini, an Olympic runner who was taken prisoner by the Japanese in World War II. With rising star Jack O'Connell starring as Zamperini there is no doubt that this will be one of the most emotional and powerful films of the year!




Special Mention: Madame Bovary
Release Date:
WHO KNOWS?!

There has been a Madame-Bovary-Shaped thorn in my side ever since I got excited about the film adaptation, starring Ezra Miller, back when it was announced in 2012. Originally billed for release in 2013, the year came and went and no cheating Doctor's wife was to be found. Now it is apparently going to be released in 2014 but with no production news, no set date, or even month, I remain apprehensive. Fingers crossed for a release this year - how much longer are we expected to wait?!
Where are you, Ezra? We miss you.


So there we have it! Alongside the 10 films mentioned above there are a multitude of other great pieces of cinema set to come before the year is out. Keep an eye out on my blog and Twitter page for updates and reviews on all the films mentioned, and then some!

Love,








Tuesday 1 April 2014

NOAH

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Darren Aronofsky brings Noah and his ark to the big screen in his long-awaited biblical epic that is ased on the famous story of Noah (Russell Crowe), a man who God entrusts with the task of building an ark in order to save two of each animal before an apocalyptic flood destroys the world.
Noah Review movies movie reviews Let’s be honest, everybody knows the story of Noah’s ark, though not necessary in great detail. And while Aronofsky’s retelling of the story has faced criticism from religious leaders for straying from the original tale, the basic premise appears to be the same with added drama for entertainment purposes.
The film starts with a brief biblical history of the earth’s creation and how the descendants of Adam and Eve were Cain, who was evil, and Seth, who was good and father to Noah. This good/evil divide is integral to the story and leads to Noah being chosen to save the animals as God cleanses the world of the evil of mankind in order to start anew.
Although the basic story of Noah is his epic task, the heart of the film is Noah’s family and the brutal impact his task has on them. Douglas Booth, who stars as his son Shem, and Emma Watson, who plays Shem’s wife Ila, add complexity to the story. The film delves beneath the surface of Noah’s mission and brings home the tragic consequences of wiping out all of mankind, leaving him to wonder if humans are supposed to survive the new world, or if God thinks the world would be better off without them due to their brutality and evil. This aspect of the film is a thought-provoking new take on the story and adds to the tension and high-drama throughout.
Noah Review movies movie reviews However, While the added elements of Noah’s family are widely welcomed, at times their presence changes the tone from epic blockbuster to soap opera. Aronofsky tries to cram too many subplots into the film, making it around 30 minutes too long. As Noah progresses, the family’s issues become more melodramatic with Jennifer Connelly, as Noah’s wife, and Watson delivering lines in a way that feels too contemporary given the film’s biblical setting.
Despite this slight narrative hiccup, Noah is aesthetically beautiful with mesmerizing CGI and cinematography that gives the film an almost fantastical feel throughout, with some scenes that wouldn’t look out of place in Middle-earth. The look of the film also complements the narrative; as with the original story, you must be willing to suspend your disbelief in order for it to make sense. God communicating to Noah through a dream, Noah’s grandfather having magical healing powers, even the way all the world’s animals travel to the ark in pairs would look out of place and impossible to wrap your head around if it weren’t for the rest of the film having a fantasy element to it. The film’s overall look is arguably the strongest part of Noah, as even when the plot begins to falter it is still enjoyable to watch.
All in all, Noah is a fascinating take on the original story, and tackles many questions you may not have considered prior to seeing the film. Although it’s a story most of us think we already know, Aronofsky’s retelling adds complexity and depth as the film delves beneath the surface and brings home the tragic consequences of Noah’s epic task. The focus on Noah’s family is a particular strength of the film and, along with the its visuals, makes for an original and thought-provoking take on a classic story.
★★★✯ ☆
Noah is in cinemas nationwide from the 4th of April!
Stay tuned for more reviews and follow me on twitter if you fancy it :)

Love,






THE MOTEL LIFE

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The Motel Life (15) is a heartbreaking tale of brotherhood and the lengths that we will go in order to protect our own. Frank (Emile Hirsch) and Jerry (Stephen Dorff) are working class brothers who have been living a meagre life following the death of their mother. When Jerry accidentally hits and kills a teenager whilst drink-driving he becomes consumed with guilt and shoots himself in the leg, and ends up in hospital. With the police hot on his case, it’s down to Frank to plan their getaway.
One of the most profound aspects of The Motel Life is the way the grown brothers use stories in order to escape their gritty and damaged lifestyles. Jerry still appears to harbor a child-like innocence and, following an accident that left him with just one leg, he often asks his brother to tell him a story where he is the hero. Directors Alan and Gabe Polsky make use of animation to bring these stories to life on screen, a surprising and heartfelt addition to the film that makes Hirsch’s narration of the story appear even more raw and emotional.
The Motel Life Review movies movie reviews These fantasy stories are included from the get-go and automatically present you with the relationship that the brothers have. Although the youngest of the two, it is Frank who shelters Jerry from the world, and when a drunken Jerry stumbles into Frank’s bedroom in the middle of the night and exclaims that they have to flee, Frank does not hesitate – not learning until later on that Jerry had just been involved in a fatal hit-and-run accident.

The story heats up once Jerry finds himself in hospital with the police closing in on them. Frank does everything he can to secure money for them to make a getaway, and when Jerry starts to crack from the guilt consuming him, the pair escape the hospital and drive to a motel in another city.
The Motel Life Review movies movie reviews
The essence of the film is heartbreaking from start to finish; the boy’s love for each other and the dependence they have on one another is emotionally exhausting to watch: the most heartrending scene being when Jerry has to swallow his pride and have his brother help him shower. Although it’s Jerry who is suffering physically it becomes hard not to feel for Frank as the more the film goes on, the more you can see just how much he has been held back by Jerry’s recklessness, and how much he has sacrificed for his brother.
While The Motel Life never feels rushed, there’s no real buildup to the story. The film opens with Jerry’s hit-and-run accident and before long he is in hospital. From then until their escape, a lot of scenes appear to be there purely to flesh out the short 85-minute run time. However, once the boys leave the hospital, the film really picks up and becomes much more hard-hitting with their relationship becoming increasingly profound.


Although a slow burner, The Motel Life is an emotional tale of what we do for those we love. Frank’s stories provide a heartfelt insight into the boys’ past and a reinforcement of Jerry’s innocence, bringing home their working class roots and how alone in the world they are. With no parents to guide them, the brothers have grown to be dependent solely on one another and, despite the fact Frank is much more able on his own, he refuses to leave Jerry behind, providing an honest insight into the meaning of true brotherly love.
The Motel Life is out nationwide from the 4th of April!


Stay tuned for more reviews and follow me on twitter if you fancy it :)

Love,