The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel

The Second Best Marigold Hotel (Rotten.T)
The Second Best Marigold Hotel (IMDb)

Directed by: John Madden
Written by: Ol Parker
Run time: 122 Minutes
Rating: PG


Rotten.T:  6/10
IMDb:      6.5/10
Me:          8.5/10
Audience: N/A



I wasn't rushing to see this film, nor was I excited to sit down and put it on but I eventually did it and surprisingly I wasn't actually disappointed. Now that isn't to say the first was a bore because I thoroughly enjoyed that film but I didn't see what else they could do with it but bring back the amazing cast. 

The cast is fantastic and they all play their roles incredibly well, not only that but what made me happy is they had a diverse versions of  the elderly rather than focusing on my idea they used all different. What I mean by that is the opinions others have. Some people think that the elderly are miserable, others think they are incredibly nice or pervy. This movie touches on all those ideas and makes the film funnier and more watchable. 

Obviously, given the title, it will be about a second hotel being opened by the last manager but he hasn't been that successful as a manager. He has had the same customers but it is only two more he has that makes him need more rooms, leading to a new hotel.

The acting in this didn't disappoint either. The characters kept up what they were before and I saw no hiccups in their characters personality but that is expected from the years of experience they all have in acting. Muriel (Maggie Smith) is by far my favourite character. I always seem to attach myself to those characters who have a hard exterior but show some sort of weakness, in Muriel's case not being loved and death, and change their life accordingly. This always seems to hit me hard in films, never cry, but get some sort of emotional connection. Not a lot of actors can pull this up, Maggie and Clint Easton can, but she seems to brush it off without any problem.

I did get a quarter of the way through this film and began to yawn. Boredom struck me hard but it took five minutes for the film to pick straight back up again and draw me in with interest. The ending gripped me also, they finished it beautifully I believe and I hope that if they do make another, which I hope they don't, should be the same way. Maggie and Bill ran this film I believe but all of the actors made this film what it was. I know this isn't everyone's cup of tea, especially not those of my age but I do recommend this film to any and everyone! 

Is it me or does Bill Nigh have a problem with his bottom two fingers on both of his hands?

Categories: Comedy

Big Hero 6

Big Hero 6 (Rotten.T)
Big Hero 6 (IMDb)

Directed by: Don Hall, Chris Williams
Written by: Jordan Roberts, Daniel Gerson, Don Hall, Robert L. Baird, Duncan Rouleau
Run time: 93 Minutes
Rating:     PG

Rotten.T: 7.3/10
IMDb:       7.9/10
Me:            N/A
Audience: N/A


Review Coming Soon!

Categories: Disney/Pixar

The Good Dinosaur

The Good Dinosaur (Rotten.T)
The Good Dinosaur (IMDb)

Directed by: Bob Peterson, Peter Sohn
Written by: -
Run time: N/A
Rating:     U

Rotten.T:  N/A
IMDb:        N/A
Me:            N/A
Audience: N/A


Release: November 27th 2015

Categories: Disney/Pixar

Monsters University

Monsters University (Rotten.T)
Monsters University (IMDb)

Directed by: Dan Scanlon
Written by: Daniel Gerson, Robert L. Baird, Dan Scanlon
Run time: 95 Minutes
Rating:     U

Rotten.T: 6.8/10
IMDb:       7.4/10
Me:           7.5/10
Audience: N/A


Review Coming Soon!

Categories: Disney/Pixar

Minions

Inside Out (Rotten.T)
Inside Out (IMDb)

Directed by: Pierre Coffin, Kyle Balda
Written by: Brian Lynch
Run time: 91 Minutes
Rating:     PG

Rotten.T: 5.8/10
IMDb:       6.7/10
Me:            N/A
Audience: N/A

Review Coming Soon!

Categories: Disney/Pixar

Inside Out

Inside Out (Rotten.T)
Inside Out (IMDb)

Directed by: Pete Doctor, Ronnie Del Carmen
Written by: Pete Doctor, Ronnie Del Carmen
Run time:  94 Minutes
Rating:     U

Rotten.T: 9/10
IMDb:       8.6/10
Me:            N/A
Audience: N/A

Review Coming Soon!

Categories: Disney/Pixar

Flight

Categories: Historical

Saving Private Ryan

Categories: Historical

Noah

Categories: Historical

Exodus

Categories: Historical

Anabelle

Categories: Horror

The Conjuring

Categories: Horror

Sinister

Categories: Horror

Unfriended

review coming soon

Categories: Horror

Mad Max Fury Road (2015)

Mad Max Fury Road (Rotten.T)
Mad Max Fury Road (IMDb)

Directed by: George Miller
Written by: Brendan McCarthy, Nick Lathouris, George Miller, Eric Blakeney
Run time: 120 Minutes
Rating:     15

Rotten.T: 8.8/10
IMDb:       8.3/10
Me:            N/A
Audience: N/A

Categories: Sci-Fi

Ender's Game

Ender's Game (Rotten.T)
Ender's Game (IMDb)

Directed by: Gavin Hood
Written by: Gavin Hood
Run time: 113 Minutes
Rating:     12A

Rotten.T:  6/10
IMDb:       6.7/10
Me:            5/10
Audience: N/A


Review Coming Soon!

Categories: Sci-Fi

Star Wars The Force Awakens

The Force Awakens (Rotten.T)
The Force Awakens (IMDb)

Directed by: J.J.Abrams
Written by: Alan J. Abrams, J.J. Abrams, Lawrence Kasden
Run time: N/A
Rating:     Unrated

Rotten.T:  N/A
IMDb:        N/A
Me:            N/A
Audience: N/A


Release: December 18th 2015

Categories: Sci-Fi

Pitch Perfect 2

Categories: Comedy

American Ultra

Review Coming soon

Categories: Comedy

Grown Ups 2

Categories: Comedy

Grown Ups

Review coming soon

Categories: Comedy

Cindarella

Review coming soon

Categories: Romantic

The Longest Ride (2015)

The Longest Ride (Rotten.T)
The Longest Ride (IMDb)

Directed by: George Tillman Jr.
Written by: Nicholas Sparks, Craig Bolotin
Run time: 128 Minutes
Rating:     12A

Rotten.T: 4.3/10
IMDb:       7.2/10
Me:            N/A
Audience: N/A

Categories: Romantic

Aloha

Aloha (Rotten.T)
Aloha (IMDb)

Directed by: Cameron Crowe
Written by: Cameron Crowe
Run time: 105 Minutes
Rating:     12A

Rotten.T: 4.3/10
IMDb:       5.5/10
Me:            N/A
Audience: N/A

Categories: Romantic

50 Shades of Grey (2015)

50 Shades of Grey (Rotten.T)
50 Shades of Grey (IMDb)

Directed by: Sam Taylor-Johnson
Written by: Kelly Marcel, E.L. James, Patrick Marber, Mark Bomback
Run time: 110 Minutes
Rating:     18

Rotten.T: 4.2/10
IMDb:       4.2/10
Me:           6.5/10
Audience: N/A


Review Coming Soon!

Categories: Romantic

Fury

Categories: Historical

Toy Story 3

Toy Story 3 (Rotten.T)
Toy Story 3 (IMDb)

Directed by: Lee Unkrich
Written by: Lee Unkrich, Andrew Stanton, John Lasseter, Michael Arndt
Run time: 103 Minutes
Rating:     U

Rotten.T: 8.9/10
IMDb:       8.4/10
Me:            9/10
Audience: N/A


Review Coming Soon!

Categories: Disney/Pixar

Godzilla

Godzilla (Rotten.T)
Godzilla (IMDb)

Directed by: Gareth Edwards
Written by: Dave Callaham, Dan Callahan, Frank Darabont, Max Borenstein
Run time:  138 Minutes
Rating:     12A


Rotten.T: 6.6/10
IMDb:       6.5/10
Me:            8/10
Audience: N/A

Review Coming Soon!

Categories: Sci-Fi

Pixels

Categories: Comedy

Sinister II

Sinister II (Rotten.T)
Sinister II (IMDb)

Directed by: Ciaran Foy
Written by: C.Roberts Cargill, Scott Derrickson
Run time: 90 Minutes
Rating: 15


Rotten.T: 3.9/10
IMDb:      5.5/10
Me:           3/10
Audience: N/A

There aren't a good deal of scary movies out there that actually scare you. For me most of them actually make me laugh, and not at awkward laugh because I just jumped out of my skin. The sequel to Sinister, released three years previous, was highly recommended for a watch. It truly had me excited, as I can imagine, it did for a lot of others and to tell you the truth, I was thoroughly disappointed. The first sinister played on a family that new of the murders and the father investigating it, bringing his family in to the cycle. In the sequel there is no evidence for the mother to realise that anything 'unholy' is happening and she remains anonymous to the whole plot undergoing by some disappear-reappear ghost children manipulating the brothers. 

With some knowledge from the first film you will know how the cycle works, revealed towards the end, and you know that this will not be linked with anyone in the family from the first film. However in the opening scenes of Sinister II you see the officer from the first who was inevitably fired due to being a suspect for the murder of the first films family. Of course
not much of the story will change from the first because there isn't much you can change however it did have some potential to do some good which the film never seemed to do. I mean horror watchers, nowadays, are very critical and do not want to see disappear-reappear ghosts which is easily the worst part of the film. We saw none of them in the first, hence why we loved it so who's light bulb above head moment was it to think, let's make them disappear. That'll scare the shit out of them. Who ever it was should get the sack. It certainly doesn't take a monkey with half the IQ of a walnut to figure that one out. Let's hopes it the latter so we can excuse them for their first but not only mistake they made in this film. 

It took me roughly 5-10 minutes to already find an inconsistency with the film. I wasn't even trying to find it, I may have looked around the scene by chance when it appeared but it near enough jumped out and said hello. This scene was right at the beginning when the officer from the first came to burn the house and the mother  ran over to speak to him. At this point when the camera changes from him to her then her to him the wooden boards on the windows of the church disappear and reappear just like the children. I wasn't sure there was wood heaven but I suppose we already have the magic children so why not? 

The beauty of the first was no one had any idea what was going to happen, how it was going to pan out and why the hell the children were near enough executing their parents. I mean I know my mum got me a razor for Christmas and my brothers portable gaming devices but that doesn't mean I want to stab her a few times then hang her upside and wait for her to bleed out. However this would of course made it difficult to write and direct the second. We already knew what happens to the children, what the cycle is and why this Pagen god does it so what knew can you give us? I know it wouldn't be disappear-reappear 
ghosts because that's an awfu.... oh okay never mind. 

The first thing I said when the film finished,however, was. WHY THE HELL DID YOU NOT SMASH THAT CAMERA THE FIRST TIME? To be honest he should have hit the kid harder with the car and kept the camera. The whole idea with the manipulation was good though and upped the film for me. Using the 'favourite' child against the 'bully' one creating a lust for the 'bully' child to take over and do a better job. I have never wanted to kill my parents to prove a point to my sister but there you go. 

And the films, jeese louise. They just added to the already good but messed up few from the first. These ones were even better and more messed up. Using more barbaric and medieval ways to kill the parents making it a bit more painful and taking longer to die. My personal favourite being the rats. I wasn't sure how I felt towards the children showing off what they did because would they really still be that happy with what they have done?

I also loved how the Pagen God only keeps the successful children, and near enough destroys those who fail. Showing exclusivity of the 'Killed my Family' Club. This does answer a the question from the first: what happens if they fail? They are touched by him and are ultimately destroyed from the face of the earth and the only evidence being the pile of ash that is slowly drifting away.

The main thing that ruined it for my other half was the face at the end, not only is that a GIANT horror cliche but it changes your perception of the Pagen God. Throughout both the first and second film, he is a very cool and collective God, who has no need to run, no need for fast movements because he is a friggin GOD. So why on earth would he swiftly appear from the side whilst someone turns on by itself. He should just appear behind him.

I really want your opinions on this so please leave your thoughts on this film on the comments box or if not contact me to the right of the page and I may quote you in my review. 

Thank you!

Happy Reading

Categories: Horror

Paper Towns (2015)

Directed by: Jake Schreier
Written by: Scott Neustadter, Michael H. Weber
Run time: 109 Minutes
Rating: 12A


Rotten.T: 5.8/10
IMDb: 6.9/10
Shan: 5/10
Audience: N/A

This review is going to be from someone who has read half of the book so I will try and comment on the film itself as well as the film in relation to the book. 

Prior to seeing the film, I had read up to part 2 of the book and I went to watch it with my brother who has read all of it, (who was extremely excited to see the film). The first parts of the book were relatively the same as the film, which is good as I appreciate it when a film stays true to the book. However, this did not last long; around an hour into the film, it took a completely different route. A lot of the lines in the film were cringey, and portrayed in a different way to the book. Margo and Quentin's conversation's were intelligent, witty and quick, but in the film they seemed to be a lot slower and a lot less witty, which I believe ruined their characters and made them much less interesting.

Now let's talk about characters! 
Margo - Cara Delevinge: I was originally a bit disappointed at this casting, as it seemed as if she was cast for the role only due to her high fame at the minute. But after watching the trailer a few times and actually watching the movie, I thought she played Margo perfectly.
Quentin (Q) - Nat Wolff: I thought watching Nat Wolff would be somewhat weird after being a big fan of The Naked Brother's Band (lol), but he is exactly how I pictured Quentin so I was pleased with this casting, (however annoying it is that John Green characters just seem to be played by the same actors in every film adaptation).
Ben - Austin Abrams: I really don't know how to say anything good about this casting. Besides the fact that he looks about 12, he also just seems to be in the film for the 'comedy factor'. Although the acting from Abrams isn't terrible, he is not the right person for the role at all.


It feels as if the film was purposely made cheesey and cliche to please the young teen audience that would be watching it, (especially a certain Pokemon scene). The book is insightful, intelligent and philosophical, where the film is not (which is a major disappointment). One good thing about the film is the soundtrack. The songs included in the film were extremely fitting and were just good songs in general. One scene in the film gave me goosegumps due to the music, and I must say that that made the film better in itself. Don't get me wrong though, a few scenes in the film were made very well.

Without spoiling the ending, I must say that I was quite surprised and it was actually somewhat sad. I am happy the film ended this way as it wasn't expected or cliched, unlike the rest of the movie. 

On a whole, the film was not great. It was definitely made for the 12-16 age group, and it did not please me at all. The film could have been made a whole lot better if they stuck to the books main motifs and ideas but I believe that they altered it too much which was a mistake on the director/script writer's part. The film adaptation of 'Paper Towns' was  made to be a lot more romantic than I believe that John Green intended, which again made it slightly unbearable to watch.

Categories: Romantic

Star Wars The Phantom Menace (1999)

The Phantom Menace (IMDb)

The Phantom Menace (Rotten.T)

Directed by: George Lucas
Written by: George Lucas
Runtime: 131 Minutes
Rating: PG 

Rotten.T:    5.8/10
IMDb:         6.6/10
Me:             6.5/10
Audience:    N/A


Now the Star Wars series is by far my favourite and I try not to fault it too much as not to put me off but being someone who watches these films regularly you slowly start to see the faults. Growing up with the new trilogy of Star Wars releases, as a kid, seemed the greatest set of movies ever. Now being older and more critical with films, they have lost their edge. 

So where do I begin with the Phantom Menace. The whole Idea of the film is fantastic, with the original three being some what of a dictatorship, The Phantom Menace brings in more political ideas which for the older viewers makes it more chunky, more real. Starting with diplomacy breaking down with the Trade Federation ships whilst they blockade Naboo shows the first Jedi of the Film, one being our favourite Obi Wan Kenobi. This is where I began realising Jedi's stand no match to droidekas. Makes you wonder why they don't make more of them. Now I can't lie, but I believe the Trade Federation command ships look awesome and are well designed, along with their assault ships which we see in Revenge of the Sith above Coruscant. 

When the film moves to Naboo we meet the very famous Jar Jar Binks, which has caused quite an argument amongst die hard fans. Jar Jar really is like Marmite. You either love him or hate him. I speak for a fair few of my friends, our opinions change, sometimes we love him sometimes we hate him. Compared to the original three I can understand that Jar Jar has come across as something that has ruined the franchise but has made it more friendly for the younger generation. Saying that, I despised the fact they did that with some of my favourite films but you must see from both sides. 


This is really just a side note but please leave comments below: 
In the Phantom Menace, who else finds Anakin Incredibly annoying?

I'm not sure what every one else thinks with the animation though, I haven't really seen any discussions on it but I think they were revolutionary. I mean the real R2-D2 stands nothing on the CGI on the new one. Same goes for Yoda. These were, at the time of release, amazing and I couldn't believe my eyes, they really showed the potential of future films but there still is nothing more magical than the real making of the characters in the original three. 

Now the fight towards the end between the Gungans and the Trade Federations Droid Army is amazing. I truly loved this part because the Gungans have a-kind-of tribal lifestyle and their weapons mirror my view. Although they seem advanced, at the time this was set it was very behind. Using slings, catapults and local wildlife against guns and tanks can be, as you all can imagine, very difficult but they managed to do a great deal of damage and the cringey-ness of Jar Jar's clumsiness actually working against the droids adds to the beautiful scene. 

Nothing, however, beats the final scene. After the Victory on Naboo between the Jedi, Gungans and the Soldiers of Naboo the celebrations, of not only the victory but the alliance between the people of Naboo and the Gungans, is incredibly catchy and gave me goosebumps. 

Categories: Sci-Fi

First but Foremost

Hello Readers

This isn't the first blog I have made but this is the first one where I focused on one subject. Movies are my passion, I love every genre, every make, every length and since I have been like this for a while I have picked up a few skills to pick up certain aspects the director chose to do in certain scenes. Now these skills as easily picked up by anyone so I wouldn't say I'm anything special. I only really want to write about films I love and share my opinions on a large online community for debates and conversations on films. 

Please try not to be too critical too early on, understand I haven't ever done properly by now is the time I can. On my blog I hope to do reviews and talks on films, however I will also do reviews on films from requests and anything of the sort. I also definitely will be happy for discussions in comments and will try and interact with you all in my posts. 

I hope you enjoy 

Happy Reading

Categories: