2008

Yes, i'm finally getting round to reviewing this film after seeing it for the first time about a month ago. Since that first viewing i've seen it three times in the cinema. The feeling i got when it started the first time round was one that I don't get many times a year but when it does happen you know it's because your watching something special. And this film really will be one that people will be talking about in centuries to come. I don't know quite where to start when writing about this film. I would probably find it incredibly hard to find anything wrong with it at all, and even if there is a minor problem with it, all the greatness covers it up completely.
From Batman Begins, it was made quite clear that Christian Bale was born to play Batman. I'm sure lots of actors could claim to be up to the task but i'm pretty certain that that wouldn't be the case. Bale as Batman, from the word go is iconic. Better than any before and although I can't say for certain, presumably better than any to follow. When it came to all the business with Heath Ledger's death, I couldn't help but feel bad for Bale as I knew it would be virtually impossible for him to have given a decent performance never a bad one. He's an actor that puts his heart and soul into everything he does and ever performance up until this point has just proved it right. His performance in the Dark Knight tops his Begins one. A lot stronger and a lot more kick ass. And because he was up against such amazing actors he really raised his game. I would love to say that he dominated the screen at every moment but sadly that can't really be the case when The Joker was on screen.
The first time Heath walks on screen all done up as The Joker it really is breath taking. I love that Nolan decided to understate the Joker's entrance, is was very subtle but very powerful. The tragic circumstances of Ledger's death meant that a whole lot extra publicity was brought to the film and Heath's performance. I couldn't help but feel slightly apprhensive about his performance as it would be a huge tragedy if it wasn't as great as some people made out simply because of his death. The huge relief I felt when it turned out to be one of the most powerful performances i've seen in a long time. Who knew that Ledger had all of that inside him. Yes, his performances in previous films had been very good but this was just beyond good. It was ground breaking. It also makes his death a whole lot more awful because of all those future performances the world is going to miss out on. The rumours surrounding Heath in terms of an Oscar nomination for this performance are completely justified and I have to say that if he doesn't win Best Actor I will have a fair few strong words for the board. They would have to be utterly blind not to see that Heath's performance is miles better than a lot of people who have previously won the award. But lets just hope for once they will see sense and give the award to the person who really deserves it.
I have to mention Maggie Gyllenhaal as well. I don't think the producers could have made a better decision than to replace Katie Holmes because she was the let down of Begins. The only weak link in the chain. Gyllenhaal is as amazing as you could hope for and more. She stands strong against Ledger and Bale which cannot have been easy considering the dominate the screen constantly. I was really upset at her final demise and only feel it will be a loss to the third film no matter how impressively executed the plot for her death was.
The stunts are as fast paced as you could ever hope for, the cinematography is brilliant, the direction is as excellent as you could expect from Chris Nolan and although he is yet to make a film that disappoints, this is probably the film that will be marked as his best and the one that made people sit up and take notice of him.
Finally, this film really is a masterpiece, but I guess you don't really need me to tell you that. It is all quite clearly obvious in all the five star reviews this film has. If you've not seen it alreay then I suggest you do yourself a huge favour and do it now.

Completely and utterly loved it. I really had high expectations about it as I was absolutely thrilled when I heard Robert Downey Jr would be playing the multi billionaire. I tried really hard not to get my hopes up but I just couldn't help it. Fortunately I didn't need to worry at all. It was everything I hoped it would be and more. Robert Downey Jr was just amazing as I knew he would be. Perfect for the character in so many ways. Jeff Bridges was excellent as the villain. I loved that the plot didn't try to hard to be anything that it wasn't. A lot of superhero films are guilty of this but Iron Man didn't even touch on it. Nothing was over done. They stuck to the story and nothing was unnecessary. So far it's my film of the year and it will be hard to budge, which worries me as the date for the Dark Knight release approaches. This is definatly a must see.

A peak in Gus Van Sant's and all the actors involved, career. I didn't expect this film to touch me as much as it did. I'd heard the story of Harvey Milk before and knew what an exceptional human being he was but I think when films are applicable to what is going on in the world, their stories suddenly have, not new, but personal meanings.
This film is set in the 1970s. Who'd have thought that events that happened that long ago would once again be happening in 2008. The only difference in the two cases are 6 and 8. Both designed to remove human rights.
Sean Penn is an outstanding actor and all his work so far has been amazing but for me this, at this point, is the high light of his career. A brave and bold choice, which shows just what kind of a person he is. His performance was more than amazing. I'd call it his last scene although it really wasn't, you'll know what i mean when you watch it, was outstanding. A slow motion shot that really will bring tears to your eyes, but it's his reaction that is stark and real, that makes this film almost too real. If he doesn't get at least an Oscar nomination for this film, there is something seriously wrong.
Emile Hirsch once again teams up with Penn. They bring out the best in each other when they appear on screen together. Hirsch is a more than capable actor who has proven himself in his recent work. It's clear Penn has seen some magic in him, and in this film, you'll see it too. The first time you see him on screen you won't even recognise him. It's not until his next scene i realised who it was. His performance is excellent and stands well against Penn's.
Diego Luna makes a brilliant addition to the cast. Personally I love his films, i'm always annoyed when he only plays very small parts. It was no different in this film but he is very good nonetheless.
James Franco also made a very nice addition to the cast. Up until now, i felt he was yet to prove himself as a proper actor but in this film he finally accomplishes it. Even when opposite Penn, he just about manages to hold his own.
Van Sant's direction is, as always, brilliant. Some of the shots are stunning. And cut with what i believe to be actual news footage from the time, it gives it a very much real feel, which is exactly what the film needed. It can sometimes be the case that true stories don't have that real life factor in them and just lack that little something. This one doesn't, it feels very real which is what makes it such an honest account of the events.
At any other point in time, this film would be a must see. But because of the situation in America at the moment with Prop 8 being passed, it is now essential viewing. If this film doesn't stir up some for the treatment of other humans then i don't know what will. The tag line for this film reads, "his life changed history, his courage changed lives". There couldn't be a truer statement about Harvey Milk. He was an exceptional human being who only wished to change the ignorance of nation, and just like all others who attempt to climb that mountain, he was slain for it.
"It's not about personal gain, it's not about ego, and it's not about power. It's about the us's out there. And not just the gays, but the blacks, and the asians, and the disabled, the us's. Without hope, the us's give up. And i know you can't live on hope alone, but without hope, life is not worth living."

I think it's fairly obvious that you're on to a good thing when within ten minutes of the film starting you have already fallen in love with the main character. Although it has been said before, i'm going to repeat what the vast majority think about this film and say it is Pixar's best film to date. Everything about it is just beautiful and breathtaking.
The animation does not come in a higher quality than that produced in ever Pixar film. This however, tops the lot with some truly amazing sequences and were just stunning in every way.
WALL.E as a character is highly lovable and adorable. You fall for him the minute you see him. It's amazing how they managed to give a box of metal so much character and expression. Truly amazing if you ask me.
Another fantastic aspect of the film is the soundtrack, over shadowed slightly by the quality on screen but it really was a brilliant choice of tracks. Peter Gabriel's input I just can't get out of my head. I loved the music used from 2001: A Space Odyssey. An excellent choice for the genre and direction of the film.
It's also the case that the film is not solely about a cute robot who falls in love, but it also has some excellent political messages to send out as well. I don't think that Pixar could have made a broader statement about the treatment we give our planet if they tried and I applaud them for having the guts to actually say something relevant in a kids movie.
Everything about this film is beautiful. It blew me away in everything that it achieved. All I wonder now is will Pixar be able to top it. Of course that is what I said about Ratatouille and then they made this. So although they have not convinced everyone that they will be able to make another masterpiece in animation like this, I have every faith that the will turn out something just as excellent.

You'll have no idea how delighted I am with this film. I'm a massive Woody Allen fan and to be quite honest his recent turn outs have been rather dry and not in the good way.
I do hope this is a turn in his creative works as it was truly brilliant, just as you should expect from the master of quirky lovable films.
The plot follows two women played by Scarlett Johansson and Rebecca Hall as they travel to Barcelona to spend the summer with Hall's relatives. They meet a charismatic Spaniard, played by Javier Berdem. They both fall in love with him, even though Hall is engaged to be married and denys her feelings. As if it couldn't get even more complicated, but Bardem's crazy ex wife, played by Penelope Cruz, turns up.
The film twists and turns and as is always the case with Allen's films, you'll always be surprised with his very Anti-Hollywood take on the human condition.
I, like Allen, have a thing for Scarlett Johansson. She is a wonderful actress who commands the screen with every word. Her performance in this film is especially good because the film itself is very laid back and natural, which means Johansson gets to come into her own and really become the character. There are points in the film when you quite easily forget she is only acting because of the sheer comfort she seems to be in. It's quite obvious that Woody Allen brings out the best in her as an actress, and I do hope their collaborations with continue.
Bardem is a brilliant actor at the best of times but he too really embodies the character. And his scenes with Penelope Cruz are just wonderful to watch as they come across as a real couple that just grate on each other with every breath. The chemistry between all the actors is in full gear all the way through the film and it's rare to find such a thing.
The ending to Allen's films are never what I consider the Hollywood ending. Most of the time they don't really resolve anything and the characters don't tend to learn a whole lot either. I like this about them. It's especially the case with this film when Johansson's character says she doesn't know what she wants, she just knows what she doesn't want. Her journey as a character came right back to the beginning with her only knowing what she knew before, what she didn't want. It's a stunning film and Allen is back on full form which is something to celebrate after his series of very much, average films. A must see for any fan.

I don't know why but I kind of laid off seeing this film for quite a while and I now regret it because it really was brilliant. Colin Farrell steals the show with a stunning performance of a complicated and troubled character. Brendan Gleeson is brilliant as well playing another hit man. I love that the characters are not typical types of hit men. You know that they have done some really terrible things and yet you really feel for them and really don't wish any harm to come to them. This in a lot of ways reminded me of the Sam Jackson and John Travolta in Pulp Fiction because in the same way you really like them even though they could be considered horrible people. Ralph Fiennes plays the mob boss really well and although you don't get to see much of his character until the end of the film the characterisation was brilliant especially when you got to see him speaking to his children, really gave you a look into the character. The thing I loved most about this film would have to be the ending though. No, not because I wanted it to end but more the way it was carried out. I wasn't sure how they were going to end it successfully. And they did so and a little more. I'm not going to say exactly what happens because it would spoil it but it works so well.

The most serious contender for best animated film of the year. "We do not wash are pits in the pool of sacred tears". I was in fits of laugher most of the way through this film and it just completely blew me away. I totally was not expecting it to be nearly this good. Jack Black was brilliant and I know that probably sounds weird because all he did was a voice but because he worked with the character so well you could actually picture him doing everything that Po did. This film is not just a simple animated film but a film that children will enjoy because it's fun, adults will enjoy because the comedy transcends just children and martial arts lovers will love because it's a fun take and something that hasn't really been done before. Such an amazing little film that shouldn't be missed.

A real kick ass movie, that too many people are putting down. Yes, it's brainless and about as deep as a puddle but if that is not what you are looking for then don't want films that are many solely for that purpose. I love the Matrix-esk look of the film. Some of those bullet shots were just stunning. Both Anjelina Jolie and James McAvoy were both really great. Two really strong performances. Morgan Freeman made a really great addition to the cast as well. If your after a film that you don't have to think about but just enjoy then this would be a good choice. The plot was great and I loved that the ending wasn't exactly Hollywood friendly. It didn't shy away from things that might annoy audience members which was brave. A sequel would be interesting, although I don't think it would be quite as good. One to check out when you're in the mood for a real action film.

Didn't really know anything about this film when I first started watching it. Ellen Page was enough to convince me it was worth seeing. I've been reading other peoples reviews to get other opinions on the film and the general consensus is that people didn't like the style or the plot and found the structure confusing.
I can see where these people are coming from. The style used splits screens in almost every scene of the film. Sometimes it was challenging to keep and eye on what was going on in every screen. But I liked it. It was different. I've not seen this technique used an awful lot and I found it a pleasant change to just normal shots and cuts. I liked that Bruce McDonald also chose to have the screens play different times from different angles. It was also very interesting to see one scene shots from ten different angles all at once.
The structure was odd and I can see why people would get confused about what was going on but once the film really got started I found it reasonable to follow. The plot I found was probably made better and more interesting by the character and the style of the film. It follows a teenage girl searching for her brother. It starts with her sat at the back of a bus, naked with a sheet wrapped around her. A very odd sight in itself. You are then taken back in time to before she was on the bus, this is confusing because you are not really made aware that you are going back in time. You get to know a little more about the character which, in my opinion, is a fascinating and well written one, played to perfection by the outstanding Ellen Page. The whole thing is still a little muddled but over time the director reveals more and more to you in very little pieces. We find out that Tracey is an outcast at school who is picked on. She also has psychotic tendencies as she fantasises about a boy who joined her school but she talks about it like it really happened. To begin with you are not sure if she is telling the truth or not. These fantasies go just a little beyond harmless.
I also feel an obligation to mention the fact that Ellen Page is now one of very few actors who can successfully pull off the word Cunt without sounding like a complete dickhead. Some actors just can't do it but Page's delivery of it to her shrink is spot on.
At the end of the film everything is revealed very skillfully. The whole story is very tragic and you cannot help but feel really bad for the character. I think a lot of people should be able to relate to the character as well. She is essentially a normal girl who is just trying to make sense of a messed up world she is living in. This is why I think the style of the film works so well for the story. All the screens you see is just the way she sees things in her mind. Experiences are exaggerated and her emotions are heightened. A very sad story that unfortunately seems to be being overlooked by a lot of people. Don't underestimate this film. It is very good and I believe I would still think this even if it did not have Ellen Page in it. I feel she's just another incentive to see it. I have to mention the very last scene as well before I finish up. It's a very long and uncut shot of Page walking through the park wrapped in the sheet. Nothing is said and it is just a very beautiful scene. In some ways completely pointless but it looks brilliant.

Very impressed with this film. The reviews about it seem to be very mixed and I just had to know for myself which side was accurate. Obviously I agree with the positive reviewers.
Will Smith never fails to entertain in which ever area he is embarking upon. This could be counted as another of his Oscar attempts. It's made clear he wants one, and I don't see why he doesn't deserve it if he is going to be producing work like this.
The plot is very confusing as to begin with you are unclear about everything. Smith's character is impossible to work out and his motives are unclear. All the new characters he interacts with are also completely in the dark about his true identity and purpose. It is however, made quite clear, just how caring his character is. There are many reasons why this is clear but I think the most notable one, that you receive at the beginning of the film is when he helps the old woman. Your not sure why he needs to know if the man is a decent and caring human being but you see that he feels very deeply about truth. Which I find amusing because he hides the truth from everyone he meets in the film.
A few of the characters seem completely irrelevant all the way through the film. I'm mostly referring to Barry Pepper's character, who right up until the end of the film, doesn't seem to have a purpose. Its obvious he is very close to Smith's character and he knows him very well.
Rosario Dawson does a really great job, especially at the end where she and Woody Harrelson share their first and last scene together. It's very touching because they are completely unknown to each other and yet have this common connection that they both feel very strongly.
There are some really beautiful shots in the film as well. A few field shots that could have been average were brought to life by the use of lighting. The director used quite a lot of unusual camera angles as well. That impressed me because it would have been so easy for him to just do what is normal with the scenes.
A very good film that is definatly worth checking out. It's touching and it has some very good messages. The plot is sad but it makes you think about life. As for Smith's Oscar, I don't think this will do it, but he's certainly heading in the right direction.

This film has received mixed reviews and I can't understand why. I was really in the mood to watch an action adventure film and this had everything I was looking for. I love Martial Arts films and what better combination can there be other than Jet Li and Jackie Chan? I'll tell you, there isn't. The two best actors in the genre in the same movie makes for some rather impressive, fight scenes. I liked that there wasn't anything too American about the production of the film. A lot of outrageous stunts made most of it look genuine. Especially the very first scene. I'm not exactly sure what age group they were trying to aim this at, but if you ask me, I think all ages will love it. The plot is slightly childish but there is still the great quality it has that will appeal to adults as well. Michael Angarano is slowly establishing himself as a very good actor and this film proves a lot of his potential and I believe we will see a lot more from him in the future. I would recommend this film to anyone who likes Martial Arts films and to anyone that just enjoys a good action film.

Brilliant film. I was just blown away by Anton Yelchin's performance. It really was excellent. He's not been in too many films and this was probably his first major role and he was brilliant. The character was really great to watch as well which helped a lot. Troubled and really just wanted to help people even if he didn't always go about it in the right way. I suppose a lot of teenagers could relate to him since a lot of us get quite a bad reputation no matter what we do nowadays. A stunning performance from Robert Downey Jr. as well. His performance stayed consistently good right the way through the film and then he did a scene at the end with a bottle of whiskey and a pistol and I have to say he really was brilliant. I think everyone knows about his drug and alcohol history and it was like he just channeled all of it into what he was doing which make you really feel for his character and him at the same time. Definatly a must see film.

I think it appropriate to state that I am a huge fan of Russell Brand's work. I was worried that I wouldn't be able to write a completely objective review about his first major film role. I am therefore happy to report that even with the biased attitude, I actually thought this film was very good. I don't have to lie about any of the performances or the plot. It was as good as could be expected. I think that what I just said will undermine what I am going to say now, which is that Russell Brand really was the star of the film. He was truly the funniest character in the film with all the best lines and probably the character that made me laugh hardest. I loved that the character was very similar to that of the real Russell Brand. Being a recovering drugs user meant that he brought a lot to the character. The rest of the cast were pretty good as well. Kristen Bell fitted her character very well also. Jason Segal played the pathetic but lovable boyfriend very well. The smaller roles were all very memorable, with Paul Rudd and Jonah Hill finishing the whole cast off nicely. Overall a really decent film and it really stands up despite my love of Russell Brand, he just makes it that little bit more enjoyable.

I really had high hopes for this film. I've been looking forward to seeing it for ages. Jim Sturgess a new and up and coming actor that is going to do very well in the future with the lead character. I've seen all of Aaron Yoo's films as well and he's destined for big things as well. Then there is Kevin Spacey who just rocks the cinematic world. The film, however, didn't really live up to my huge expectations. I think if you go in, not expecting much then you'll probably enjoy it more than I did. The performances were good. Nothing wrong at all with any of the actors. The story is obviously a brilliant one but it didn't really reach it's full potential. The plot was just a little too slow. Attempted twists were obvious to even the youngest viewer. You could see everything coming well before it had happened. Just the execution of the whole film wasn't as good as it could have been. I'm going to put all blame squarely on the shoulders of Robert Luketic. A director with more experience and someone who has proven their capability of making a good film would have been a better choice for director. His CV isn't exactly brilliant. Still, it is a good film and definatly worth the watch. Just don't go in with too many expectations.

Another decent but nothing special film from the master that is Woody Allen. He really is an excellent film maker and this one is good but obviously far from his best work. It isn't quite as good as Match Point. That one flowed a lot better and the ending was stronger. Colin Farrell and Ewan McGregor work well together. Farrell is the stronger one of the two in terms of acting. His performance is far superior compared to McGregor's. The accents bothered me a little. They were both meant to be convincing characters from London and yet they cast a Scot and an Irishman. Doesn't really add up. McGregor cannot do accents so he really should just stop. Producers should accept the accent or not cast him. Farrell was slightly more convincing in that respect. The plot was good but didn't draw you in as much as Allen's films usually do. The rest of the actors were forgettable but this was still a worth while film. I would recommend it to people who like Woody Allen's work as it is very typical of him with the style and plot.

I like murder mystery films so i've been looking forward to watching this one for a while, despite quite a few bad reviews. I don't think it was as terrible as some people were making out. Yes there are better films of this genre out there but there are also worse. I'm a huge fan of Ludwig Wittgenstein and have read all of his books so it was a surprise that one of the first things you hear in this film is a quote from him. The plot was good but perhaps not executed in the best way. Elijah Wood really surprised me. I didn't think he would be able to pull the character off but he did a fairly good job. John Hurt is as always excellent and I don't think you could expect anything less. This film tried really hard to be intelligent but didn't really pull it off as well as it should have. As far as i'm aware this was a book, so I think i'm going to have to read that to see if it lived up to the standard of the book. Still, it was a decent film and I have certainly seen a lot worse so i'm not complaining too much.

Have to say I was slightly disappointed. I love all of Kevin Smith's work, and i'm not saying I didn't enjoy this film, it's just that I didn't love it as much as I wanted to.
The plot wasn't as substantial as I thought it was going to be. The premise being rather simple already, there really wasn't anything added to it to make it more enjoyable and deep as Smith's films usually are.
The plot follows Seth Rogan's and Elizabeth Banks' characters, Zack and Miri. The are best friends that have been together since high school. Living together, working dead end and unfulfilling jobs. After Zack fails to pay the utility bills their water, electricity etc, is cut off and Zack's solution to their financial problem is that they should make a porn film. At first Miri doesn't go for it, but after some persuasion comes around to the idea. The round up an odd ball cast and set about filming. They run into many expected problems with money, people and each other.
Right from the beginning it's obviously what is going to happen. From what i've said you can probably guess what will happen in the film. This doesn't tend to be the case with the rest of Smith's film. Because they are quirky and odd, you find it slightly more difficult to predict exactly what is going to happen. Here it just isn't the case. I get a slightly feeling that the only point to this film is for Smith to throw some expected jokes into a film about making a porn film.
The only thing that redeems Smith and film is that he has the opportunity to be as filthy as possible. This just makes for some really funny moments and although you know they are bound to be in the film at some point, they're also totally worth seeing put into action because it's not that Smith used these set pieces, it's the way he's used them which makes sure he gets away with using them.
The cast is, as it always is with his films, brilliant. Seth Rogan is undoubtedly one of the most promising stars to be rising to fame in Hollywood at the moment. He is as funny and witty here as he always is, and saves the film just a little. Elizabeth Banks does a really excellent job, as it couldn't have been easy to stand opposite Rogan and give such a credible performance that could be compared and still stand up to his. And as always with Smith, we have the always used, but always loved, faces. Jason Mewes really made me laugh with his cocky and arrogant character. Jeff Anderson makes his usual and much loved performance, as small and sweet as it may have been. It's always great to have Traci Lords in a film taking the piss out of the porn industry as well and she really made an excellent and well thought out addition to the cast.
Overally, it's not terrible and it's in no way put me off Smith's film as i'll always love his work, it's just not the best i've seen from him, and after the standard he has set himself before, i have come to expect the best, this just isn't his best. Still it's worth checking out for the cheap laughs and the brilliant characters.

This film receive some pretty bad reviews so although i was slightly wary about seeing it, when I read the synopsis it dragged me in quite a bit.
There is nothing special or original about the plot, i'm fairly sure it has been done before. It's just the circumstances that surround that plot and the actors involved that make it stand out more than it usually would.
The plot follows a young interracial couple that move to the California suburbs. When their next door neighbour takes an instant disliking to them, things escalate to a point where things turn nasty.
Patrick Wilson hasn't been in many films as it stands but after seeing him in Hard Candy, he immediately caught my attention as a very capable actor. And he would have to be to stand up against the legendary Sam Jackson. This is a very good role Jackson, recently he's been going for the bad guy roles which is nice because it means we get to see a whole new side to his ability. Although Jackson does steal the scene whenever he on, Wilson does a damn good job at holding his own.
Kerry Washington also makes a nice addition to the cast as Wilson's wife.
The direction isn't bad. I feel LaBute could have done a slightly better job of building tension through camera work as it is the kind of film that should take full advantage of it situation.
Overall not bad at all, not nearly as bad as some reviewers have made out. It's a nice, neat film that is definatly entertaining if nothing else.

I expected a little more from this film because the plot sounded rather impressive, but it really didn't live up. I also loved that they chose Scotland as the infected country. The odd thing was that I really didn't see much of a difference to a night out in Glasgow and some of the scenes in this film. It was remarkably similar. Rhona Mitra fitted the character well and did a good job as the leading lady. I loved Bob Hoskins character a lot for some reason. He wasn't in it an awful lot but he was good when he did have a scene. I felt the cannibal scenes weren't exactly necessary. The car chase at the end was pretty poor considering it was the final clash. It could have been a lot better. I liked that they didn't do the usual thing of people infected with virus become living dead. It was more of an anarchy thing that gave a much fresher look on the concept. Overall not bad. Very similar to Resident Evil without the zombies. If you like that kind of film then you're bound to like this as well.

The odd thing about me watching this film is that the only reason I wanted to watch it was that it had Aaron Yoo in it, the odd thing being as he has under five minutes screen time in total. He's attracted me a few times in the other small roles he has had but unfortunately he's yet to be given a starring role.
Anyway, this film was better than I expected it to be. I'm not really a fan of rap or hip-hop music so I couldn't say I enjoyed that part of the film at all, but i'm sure this would be ideal for anyone that is as a lot of the film is carried by the music that is played. The story follows Luke played by Josh Peck. Who I remember from that daft kids program my sister used to watch and the biggest difference in him is the amount of weight he has lost. Big change in him, he seemed like he had more ability to hold attention on screen. Like he's gained some self confidence. His character is drug dealing for the summer before he heads off to college. He's having a rough time at home and his love life is nonexistent. Through his shrink, he meets a girl, who he really falls for. It's basically about Luke trying to figure out who he really is. I'm sure a lot of people can relate to this in the character as everyone goes through that stage in their life. The performances were decent. Ben Kingsley with the most notable performance. I liked that he'd chosen to do this film as his character is a psychiatrist who also is a high class drug user. Quite a fun character to play I imagine and it was fun for the viewer to see him get his teeth stuck into something a bit different from his usual characters. For his performance, the film is worth seeing alone. I wouldn't say I loved it hugely, it did disappoint a little as I was hoping for something a little bit more fast paced as there is points where it lags. Still, I would recommend it as anything with Kingsley is worth checking out.

Didn't really know much about this film or expect much from it before I started watching. It wasn't half bad though. The acting surprised me the most. Lots of really great actors which didn't do their best performances ever but most of the time there was no one that let the side down. Which is surprising as it does have Sarah Michelle Gellar in it. I've alway considered her an average actor with nothing huge to offer. Sometimes she does a good job and I think this film is one of few that proves it. Her performance was strong and surprisingly I really did like her character. Andy Garcia plays his usual mob boss type which he always does well. Brendan Fraser plays the thug with a heart. He did an ok job. I think Andy Garcia would stand out as the strongest performance even though you really do hate his character. I liked the structure of the film very much. You begin with Whitaker's character then Fraser's character is introduced soon after with Garcia. Everything fits together nicely with a very clear circular structure to the plot. Ending wasn't quite as strong as i'd hoped it would be. Decent film with good characters that is worth at least one watch.

Before people started raving about this adaptation, I had no idea the books even existed. So I write this review as someone who has not read any of the books and had to prior knowledge of the characters.
I was disappointed. I didn't have many expectations but I at least expected to enjoy the story itself because of the whole thing being so popular.
I felt that there was thing disconnection between the characters and me as a viewer. I haven't read the books so I didn't care for the characters which as something I expect from most films, I thought the film would build up. It didn't. You got the basic plotline but because there was no real depth to any of it, I couldn't feel a connection with either Edward or Bella.
I also think that the quality of writing is very poor. I couldn't help but feel most of the lines of dialogue were written by a loved up, unrealistic teenager who was desperate to throw in as many cliches as possible. I do realise this obviously comes from the writer of the books and not the guy who wrote the screenplay.
The plot wasn't terrible, it could have been a hell of a lot better though and it's lack of depth made the story hard to engage with.
The acting wasn't terrible. I felt Robert Pattinson didn't really prove himself as his performance was weak. Kristen Stewart did a better job and managed to carry this film to the end. It was nothing special from her but it was made clear she has potential to be a lot better. I expect to see great things from her in the future and i'm not referring to the Twilight sequels.
The other characters I believe are explored a lot more in the books and I was disappointed that they were barely mentioned as they seem a lot more interesting.
Overall, I think people who have not read the books will hate it because of the lack of characterisation and people that have read the books will hate it because it's not as good as the books.

I didn't expect much from this film considering it had Ashton Kutcher in it but as daft romantic comedies go, this one wasn't bad. I've definatly seen worse. Cameron Diaz and Ashton Kutcher worked reasonably well together and made for quite a few laughs throughout the film. The plot wasn't hugely great but I don't really recall seeing anything close to this before, so it gets thumbs up for originality, which can't be said for other films like this. Slightly cheesy in parts but when the pair of them are fighting and doing silly things like removing doors to piss one another off, you can't help but laugh. I wouldn't recommend this to everyone but if you're into this type of film, it might be worth checking out. Not a huge loss if you don't though.

Half way through watching this film I decided that people were being a little harsh on it. It is a good comedy and I challenge anyone to say that Jack Black isn't funny because he really is. Jack Black is at his funniest when he is playing a character that is very close to what he is like on real life, in this it isn't a complete match but the essence is still there so he manages to pull the character off very well. Together with Mos Def, who is also very funny, they make a good pair with different outlooks on life and different personalities. The plot was decent right up until the ending where I decided to drop my three star rating down to a two and a half star rating. The ending was just slightly too cheesy for my liking and it kind of let the whole film down. Still, it was an enjoyable film that I would recommend to anyone who enjoys a straight up comedy.