Review: Starter for 10 (2006)

UPDATED

Sunday nights are just perfect for Netflix, they really are. I think I should make it a weekly thing, 8pm, glass on wine, kittens on my lap, and Netflix. I had no idea what I wanted to watch, but I was tired and didn't want anything that would make me think. So I had a flick through the Romantic Comedies section and chose Starter for 10.

I have finally go around to getting Netflix and therefore watching this (only 6 months after the original post but hey ho!).  This was the first thing I headed for on Netflix (after I realised that Gilmore Girls was only on the US version boo hoo!!) as I knew Allie had already done her bit so I could add to it :-)

I'm going to try and actually review this film. I promise you, I'm going to try. But I spent the whole film in shock because I knew every single actor and actress from something else I'd seen. I knew nothing about this film when I started to play it. I knew James McAvoy was in it, his face was the poster! I'm rambling already, so let me try and get to my point.

This is an awesome little British film about a student called Brian, starting his first year at Bristol University. As a child he loved quizzes and would play along whilst watching University Challenge on the TV, and so he tries out for the team at his university...whose team captain just happens to be Benedict Cumberbatch. I think I dropped a biscuit and threw a kitten across the room at that moment! Back on track Allie...back on track...but first!

I really enjoyed this film. It wasn't anything original, and I may have enjoyed spotting the cast more than anything else, but it was enjoyable none the less and it ended how I hoped it would. Being a British film as well I hold it close to my heart. Especially the New Years scene because I don't know anyone who actually knows the words to Auld Lang Syne! I even had to Google 'New Years song' just to find out how to spell that.

This film was entertaining and typically British, my Dad watched University Challenge religiously when I was little so there was a bit of nostalgia thrown in there as well.  James McAvoy was great as always and proved why he has done so well since.  He delivered the comedy with perfect timing and the head-butting scene literally made my spit my tea across the room! 

I did find the story overall quite predictable, but there was odd lines and actions that I just didn't see coming (see head-butting comment above) and the 'meet the parents' scene in the kitchen so I was engaged throughout.  I can't say I liked either of the leading ladies, I have never been a fan of Alice Eve since seeing her 'act' in Star Trek Into Darkness and I actually found Rebecca Hall's character quite irritating.

If you'll forgive my rambles, I have a little trivia for you. Benedict went on after this film to star with 3 other actors/actresses in this film. Sherlock with Mark Gatiss, Parade's End with Rebecca Hall, and Star Trek Into Darkness with Alice Eve!

Don't rush out to see this but if, like me, you have a Sunday evening free, give this a try because it's worth a watch!

That is what I did and I was pleasantly surprised, held my attention (moreso that University Challenge ever did) and loved seeing Cumberbatch and McAvoy before the 'big time' but the ladies let it down for me.





Review: Trance (2013)

At the start of 2013, I clearly remember two trailers that cropped up every time I went to the cinema, Trance and Welcome to the Punch. It just struck me as funny as they were both James McAvoy films, coming out within 2 weeks of each other. I spent ages deciding which of the two I was going to see, and as these things usually pan out, I ended up seeing neither. Last night however, I spotted Trance on Sky Movies on Demand, and figured this would be the perfect time to redeem myself.  I am a huge fan of James McAvoy so I am amazed I haven't seen this film yet but it is on my list and I will get round to I eventually.  I'm pretty sure however, that I did watch Welcome to the Punch but cannot remember a single thing about it so it can't have been that memorable.

I have to admit, I actually got the two films confused in my head and I was originally expecting an action film. Actually, I think I did better by watching Trance. This is about an art auctioneer called Simon who gets mixed up with a criminal gang. He teams up with them to help steal a painting worth $30m, but betrays the gang leader at the last minute. He's injured in the scrap, and ends up losing a lot of his memory, meaning he can't remember where he hid the stolen painting. The gang force him to see a hypnotist to help him remember.

That's really all I can tell you about Trance without giving you spoilers, and I promise you I won't do that.

Once the hypnotist was introduced, I knew this would be a film that would mess with my head. I started to question what was real, and even what order events were taking place. In fact, to be completely honest, at one point I almost wanted to give up. I'd got myself so confused, and I could feel a big reveal was about to take place but I figured it would make me more confused. In fact, it really cleared things up and I was so glad I stuck it out.  It doesn't surprise me that you were confused ;-)

Trance also reminded me just how great of an actor James McAvoy is. I haven't seen much of his work, and in fact, the first thing I ever saw him in was Shameless! I'm making a mental note though to watch more of him, maybe Welcome to the Punch should be next!  See above!!

This was nearly a 9 from me, but I'm still not sure I understand the very last scene, and I don't think it has much replay value. Still a fantastic film though!

Looking Forward to in the Cinema this Month, May 2014

Okay, I was polite last month and let Jenna have Spider-Man. It was a pretty slow month for film releases to be honest, I haven't seen Transcendence yet and I'm not even sure if I want to now I've heard so much about Locke. My point being that I'm going to get in there first this time! Haha! Can't argue with that...

There's actually a whole load of things I want to see this month. Bad Neighbours, X-Men and A Million Ways to Die in the West are but a few. What I'm really looking forward to though is Godzilla. I am so glad you said that, I thought you were going to take X-Men and my heart broke a little!! Sorry carry on...

There is no doubt in my mind that this is going to be epic. I'm going to see this at the Giant Screen in Birmingham, tickets will have gone on sale by the time you read this and I'll have booked mine too! I saw Pacific Rim there last year, and despite what some people may say about that film, you can't deny the sheer awesomeness of that screen!

Cue another gasp of disbelief but I never saw the original Godzilla. I err, kind of get the gist though. Watch this space because I'll be reviewing this very soon! My dad LOVES this film but I wasn't all that impressed.  It's not bad just could have been better.

If you've been living under a rock for the past couple of months and haven't seen the trailer yet, here it is in all its glory.

 

 

Thankfully, mine is X-Men: Days of Future Past, I am HUGE fan of the X-Men movies (except The Wolverine but lets not get into that here - wise!) and I have been looking forward this one for years.  When I found out there was a full panel of all the cast at Comic Con last year (where I was supposed to be but wasn't) I was distraught.  Watching it on YouTube wasn't the same!  So, Jennifer Lawrence is one of my favourite actresses right now and who doesn't love Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen, only for this photo:

 

If that's not enough then you have the rest of this stellar cast to look forward to:

How can we not be excited.  Although, I am a little concerned about the confusion element (to be fair the title confused me alone) and after watching Singer's work on The Usual Suspects, I'm not holding out much hope for understanding what the heck is going on - but hey that's what the second viewing is for! This is going to be a headache for me, I only understood 1 out of 4 Pirates of the Caribbean films so I don't stand a chance!

Here is the trailer in case you missed it:

What films are you most looking forward to in May??