Review: Testament of Youth (2014)

It's taken me a really long time to write this post, it turns out I had no idea what I was getting myself into when I started this movie on my own on a Sunday night.  I had no idea this was a true story until is started watching it and it really struck a cord with me, so I've had to wait a while to write the review so i didn't sob all over my computer!!

Based on the book of the same name by Vera Brittain, Alicia Vikander plays a young Vera during some of the brightest and darkest parts of her life through World War 1.  Vera a strong willed woman determined to do everything people tell her she can't from going to Oxford, to becoming a Nurse and a writer.

This film was truly heartbreaking and the thought that its a true story just chokes me up even more.  Vera was an unbelievably strong woman for what she went through at such a young and just continues to push forward.  It almost made me feel ashamed for worrying over petty issues and not trying to do more than what people expect of you.

I loved Vikander in Ex-Machina and she didn't disappoint, she was amazing at Brittain and made every emotion so raw I was a sobbing snotty mess in the first half an hour.  Another star in the making is Taron Egerton playing Vera's much loved brother Edward, who for me steals every scene he was in (we all knew it was possible after still standing out next to Colin Firth in Kingsman).  I was a little disappointed with Kit Harrington as love interest Roland but I haven't seen him shine in anything outside of Game of Thrones so its not a surprise.

I am fully aware that I haven't really reviewed the film but if I think too much about the plot I'm going to be a blubbering wreck again!

Jenna I want you to know that I really, really tried to watch and enjoy this for you. There are only 2 types of movies I struggle with, War and Period Dramas, and this was just too much for me! I appreciated the performances by the cast, but I just couldn't deal with the story...I think I started to tidy and clean the living room for something more interesting to do...

Review: The Revenant (2016)

Managed to get an advanced screening for this so I was dead excited thinking I was going to see a big Oscar movie way before everyone else, until I realised my big preview was the day before the general release date.  I gained a whole day.....

Whereas I convinced myself that an Odeon Secret Screening was something else, and missed a chance to see it 2 whole weeks before release date! Doh!

The Revenant is based on the true events of Hugh Glass (Leonardo DiCaprio) who, while out with a group of hunters, is mauled by a bear and left for dead by his own team.  Amazingly, Glass manages to fight for survival to find the men who deserted him and take is revenge.

I have no idea how to explain my thoughts on this film, I really did enjoy it and the first 40 minutes I was so engrossed I let my ice cream melt while sat with my jaw dropped.  It was all pretty graphic and there were a few moments where I actually covered my eyes to avoid my ice cream going in reverse.  Before I even saw the film I was willing for DiCaprio to get his Oscar because I felt like he deserved it for all his amazing roles but no I've seen this he needs to win in solely for this movie.  He barely says a word in the whole movie but he completely owns it.

Seeing this at the cinema reminded me just how much fun the cinema experience is. During the opening scene when the main group is attacked by the natives, there were gasps and cries left right and centre as the slaughter happened on screen. I heard one woman utter a pained 'I felt that one' and even grown men cringe! The bear attack got an even bigger reaction. That was a really tough scene to watch, actually, and major kudos to the technical teams for all their work on that.

Tom Hardy is at his best as Hugh's main target for revenge, John Fitzgerald and his scenes with Will Poulter were amazing.  Although, as good as Poulter was, I couldn't get his character from We're the Millers out of my head which kind of ruined some of the scenes for me. You're so mean! I loved him in this, I thought it showed how he can do so much more than comedy, but I have got Chasing Waterfalls stuck in my head, so thanks for that. This just highlights for me how good DiCaprio, Hardy and Domhnall Gleeson are because I've seen them in countless films over the years but I never relate one to the next.  I even forgot both brothers were Hardy in Legend. 

How do you even pronounce Domhnall Gleeson's name?! He was on Radio 1 with Will Poulter the other day promoting this movie and I swear they were pronouncing it 'Dome-hull'. I thought it was more 'Dom-nall' with a silent 'h'? This is what I tend to think about late at night while I try to sleep. Can we just call him General Hux? Anyway! Hasn't he had an amazing year in 2015?! Seriously, it's like Ex-Machina all over again....

Edit: I've done more resarch into this than one would consider healthy, but it hasn't helped, it's just added a third pronounciation to the ring, 'Doh-nall'! Argh!

I don't think anyone can argue with how beautiful The Revenant is. In fact, last year during the Oscars season I tried to learn what Cinematography actually meant with very little luck, but whilst watching this, I realised. This is Cinematography! At it's finest, too. It's something I don't normally notice, but there were so many seemingly small technical bits (sorry for the lame terminology here) that really stood out. Things like character's breath fogging up the screen during close ups, I noticed and appreciated it all.  I need to watch it again to see these bits, I spent a lot of the film with my hands over my eyes for fear something was going to jump out!

Which brings me on to my only real complaint about The Revenant. It has a decent runtime anyway, but the middle section moves by so slowly, it felt at least an hour longer than it was. Also, whilst watching Glass' struggle for survival was a harrowing affair, there's only so much despair I can take until it all becomes too much, and turns sadistically funny instead. The moment Glass and his horse ride straight off the cliff face? Hilarious! I felt awful for laughing, but my heart had frozen about half an hour prior to that scene.  Oh dear god, in the cinema I was in, that made everyone gasp, I think I even let out a little yelp and you laughed?! That poor horse...

There were a few moments in the middle where I got a little bit bored but I was still interested to see where the film went so it didn't ruin anything for me.

This is firmly in the list of amazing movies I never want to see again. I wish it was shorter, but there are a good few categories in the Oscars I'll be wanting to see The Revenant win in. Technically, it's a 10/10, but I didn't enjoy it as much as I wanted to.

Review: Pain & Gain (2013)

I have been meaning to watch this for a while as I thought the trailer looks quite funny and I noticed Rebel Wilson so I thought, this must be good! 

This is actually the true story of Daniel Lugo (Mark Walhberg), a bodybuilder who decides he wants to be a 'doer' and to do this he decides to kidnap a rich client of his to get him to sign over all his assets.  He ropes in Christian teetotaller Paul Doyle (Dwayne Johnson) and steroid junkie Adrian (Anthony Mackie) to help him on his mission to 'get what he deserves'

This has been on my list for a while so once I saw Jenna had watched and reviewed it, that was my kick up the bum to get on with it!

This film is really funny, in an odd way, you can't think too much about what your watching and if you try to remember its a true story it actually becomes quite hilarious to think that three guys actually got themselves into this situation! The dialogue is cheesy and the story seems far fetched but that adds to the entertainment. Rebel Wilson was completely wasted, her limited screentime left you wanted to see more of her and disappointed that you didn't!! The voice overs throughout the film although comical become a little annoying towards the end and drag on a little but the freeze frame scenes and general tackiness add to the disbelief that this is a true story (but it is!).

Gah, I really struggle to say what I think about Pain & Gain. The first half was pretty good actually, sure it was a little farfetched, but it was still interesting and a little silly. But after a major turning point which I won't mention, it just went a bit too far for me, and all I could think about were plot holes which my mind normally happily forgets about. It also dragged like crazy! I paused to go to the loo at what I thought was about 20 minutes before the end, and realised there was still an hour to go. Ouch!

I would recommend this to someone looking for a cheesy film to watch when they have nothing else to do.

Dwayne Johnson was the highlight for me, and well, take that however way you want to. Pain & Gain isn't a film I'll watch again in a hurry, but if you've got an interest in it anyway, don't let us put you off and give it a go.

 

Review: Cinderella Man (2005)

I downloaded this film onto my iPad to watch if I was bored in the airport on the way to some other far flung place and thank god I did as I ended up on an 11 hour journey to get home (which should have taken 4 hours) so I had plenty of time to watch everything I had downloaded.

This film is the true story of James J Braddock a boxer during the Great Depression in 1930's America who loses everything.  Him and his family struggle after he gets ditched from boxing and they have to fight to survive and provide for their children.  Years later, Braddock gets the opportunity to box again and the rest they say is history...

I didn't think I was going to enjoy this film, the cover looked depressing as did the description, but it just goes to show you can't judge a book by it's cover.  This film was amazing, loved every minute of it and I was completely gripped from beginning to end.  I spent 20 minutes of the film sobbing, on a train in Germany no less so maybe it wasn't SFT after all. I have to be honest, I've never even heard of this film, and when I saw the title Cinderella Man in the draft section of our blog, I actually thought it was going to be a cheesy Disney film! I now realise I was thinking of A Cinderella Story...sorry.

The film seemed quite slow but that didn't take away from the story at all.  Russell Crowe was brilliant at the down ad out boxer trying desperately to avoid having to send his children away and the fact that it's based on a true story makes it that much more poignant.  Your heart breaks where their heart breaks and you feel the pure joy whenever something happens to him and his wife, played by Renee Zellweger (who possible wears too much make up for someone with starving kids in the height of the depression!).  Giamatti is perfect in the role of Braddocks trainer, Joe Gould who looks on with the perfect amount of sadness when it all goes wrong and himself gives everything up in his belief of Braddock.

A definite must-see even if you don't think it's for you, give it a try anyway, you might be surprised. I'm going to take you up on that one!