So yet again we wander off into the realms of film fantasy with another chick flick, this time it's the 2008 film; 27 Dresses.
To be honest, after the first half an hour, I had pretty much written (in my head) the words to this review. It's a typical girl has a crush on boy, she can't tell him how she feels, another girl turns up, takes away boy, another boy, who has been on the sidelines, plays the sympathetic friend, 1st girl falls for sympathetic friend, who then screws it all up.......
......yes, that was pretty much the way of it, but............... it was so much more!
Yes the story was, at first definition, a formulaic chick flick, but the as the plot unfolds, it twists that formula and you start to go off on routes you didn't expect.
So, to put some detail on to that short synopsis;
Katherine Heigl plays Jane Nichols. Jane is a good friend to everybody and never says; "no". She has helped organise weddings for most of her friends, being bridesmaid at quite a few, as a result of this, she has a wardrobe full of bridesmaid dresses, would you like to guess how many?
Jane is also a PA to George (Edward Burns). Jane has a secret crush on George but cannot make her feelings known. Janes' sister; Tess comes to New York to stay with Jane and gets introduced to George and Jane then has to watch, as Tess and George fall for each other.
Cue love interest number 2, in the form of Kevin Doyle, a Wedding journalist who found out Jane's secret of always being the bridesmaid and never the bride, after he found her Filofax. He thinks it is a fascinating story and wants to write an article about it in his paper. He doesn't tell Jane this.
What follows is the process of Tess falling for George with the help of a few white lies to help endear herself to him, their love develops to the point where George proposes.
Which leaves Jane, the girl who can't say; "no" remember, planning her Sisters wedding, which is the wedding that she always wanted for herself, with the man that she wanted.
Her only solace comes in the form of Kevin, and inevitably they fall for each other. However, Kevin is still writing the article about Jane.
All the this comes to a head in the last third of the film where all the little deceits and feelings come out. I shan't spoil the end, needless to say it is a happy one, but the course to it is not glaringly obvious, there's a couple of very minor twists to put you off the scent, but it comes good in the end.
In summation then; the first third of the film had me feeling; we've been here before, it's a bog standard chick flick.
The second third had me doubting my first thoughts.
The last third almost had me choking back the tears!
Yes, the plot and storyline had me sucked in, so I was living the emotional journey that our heorine; Jane was taking.
Cracking movie, Katherine Heigl was fantastic, absolutely gorgeous. James Marsden, who played Kevin was also very good.
You know when you have seen a good film, when you start writing words about it and it just flows out.
This was a good film.
Tuesday 25 January 2011
Tuesday 18 January 2011
How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days - 18th January 2011
Tonight's film was How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days with Kate Hudson & Matthew McConaughey.
Yes, another chick flick in the same vein as The Wedding Planner (which Matthew McConaughey also starred in).
Again, it's a fairly predicatble romantic comedy, with some good laugh out loud moments.
Kate Hudson plays Andie Anderson, a fashion & lifestyle magazine journalist, who accidently falls into writing a column on how to lose a guy in 10 days, (guess where the title of the film comes from), to do this she must find a man, make him fall for her, then do her best to make him fall out with her.
On the flipside, McConaughey plays Ben Barry, an advertising executive working on mens fitness and sports accounts, but really wants a shot at the big new diamond account. His boss wants to offer it to someone else, but Ben brokers a deal where, he says he can get a woman to fall in love with him in 10 days.
Can you see where this is going?
So, through some external manipulation from his advertising rivals Ben ends up trying to make Andie fall for him. While Andie tries to capture his heart then ditch him in 10 days.
Cue an hour of romance, comedy, sadness and a dog dressed in Burberry, amongst other things.
Kate Hudson is brilliant in this movie, stunningly beautiful, but she needs to eat something!! Very skinny.
The jury is still out on Matthew McConaughey, I'm not sure that I like him. His accent starts to grate after awhile, but his good looks obviously make up for this, if you like that sort of thing!
Overall a better than average film, some good hearty laugh out loud moments. The romance wasn't overly sickly and of course, there's a happy ending, but how they get there, go watch the film!
Yes, another chick flick in the same vein as The Wedding Planner (which Matthew McConaughey also starred in).
Again, it's a fairly predicatble romantic comedy, with some good laugh out loud moments.
Kate Hudson plays Andie Anderson, a fashion & lifestyle magazine journalist, who accidently falls into writing a column on how to lose a guy in 10 days, (guess where the title of the film comes from), to do this she must find a man, make him fall for her, then do her best to make him fall out with her.
On the flipside, McConaughey plays Ben Barry, an advertising executive working on mens fitness and sports accounts, but really wants a shot at the big new diamond account. His boss wants to offer it to someone else, but Ben brokers a deal where, he says he can get a woman to fall in love with him in 10 days.
Can you see where this is going?
So, through some external manipulation from his advertising rivals Ben ends up trying to make Andie fall for him. While Andie tries to capture his heart then ditch him in 10 days.
Cue an hour of romance, comedy, sadness and a dog dressed in Burberry, amongst other things.
Kate Hudson is brilliant in this movie, stunningly beautiful, but she needs to eat something!! Very skinny.
The jury is still out on Matthew McConaughey, I'm not sure that I like him. His accent starts to grate after awhile, but his good looks obviously make up for this, if you like that sort of thing!
Overall a better than average film, some good hearty laugh out loud moments. The romance wasn't overly sickly and of course, there's a happy ending, but how they get there, go watch the film!
Tuesday 11 January 2011
Walk Hard - The Dewey Cox Story - 11th January 2011
Well tonight we had; "Walk Hard - The Dewey Cox Story", a spoof of every music biopic or rock-umentary ever made.
It follws the life of Dewey Cox (John C. Reilly), from young boy to old man, with his struggle with possibly every musical genre going, from the Blues in the 50's, through rock 'n' roll in the 60's, flower power, protest, disco. pop, rock, etc. etc.
John C. Reilly as Dewy manages to skillfully parody everybody from; Roy Orbison to Bob Dylan, Brian Wilson to The Beatles. Talking of which, the section of the film where Dewey and his band are with the Maharishi and The Beatles, in India, is a fantastic section of the film, I think I laughed from start to finish.
Jack Black and Paul Rudd appear as Paul McCartney and John Lennon and their portrayal and parody of the beginning of The Beatles rift is superbly reenacted and laugh out loud funny!
It's good and funny film, the story is predictable but that's not a bad thing. There are some running gags through the film, which although you know they are coming, it does pull the plot together.
Be warned, it is a 15 rating, so there is some nudity, crudity, strong language, but it's not excessive and certainly adds to the enjoyment without being overly gratuitous.
Other highlights for me were Tim Meadows as Dewey's drummer, who always seemed to be taking some new kind of drug; "you don't want any of this shit, Dewey"!
Storyline, as written by Sony Pictures;
The up-and-down-and-up-again story of musician Dewey Cox, whose songs would change a nation. On his rock 'n roll spiral, Cox sleeps with 411 women, marries three times, has 22 kids and 14 step-kids, stars in his own 70s TV show, collects friends ranging from Elvis to the Beatles to a chimp, and gets addicted to - and then kicks - every drug known to man; but despite it all, Cox grows into a national icon and eventually earns the love of a good woman - longtime backup singer Darlene.
It follws the life of Dewey Cox (John C. Reilly), from young boy to old man, with his struggle with possibly every musical genre going, from the Blues in the 50's, through rock 'n' roll in the 60's, flower power, protest, disco. pop, rock, etc. etc.
John C. Reilly as Dewy manages to skillfully parody everybody from; Roy Orbison to Bob Dylan, Brian Wilson to The Beatles. Talking of which, the section of the film where Dewey and his band are with the Maharishi and The Beatles, in India, is a fantastic section of the film, I think I laughed from start to finish.
Jack Black and Paul Rudd appear as Paul McCartney and John Lennon and their portrayal and parody of the beginning of The Beatles rift is superbly reenacted and laugh out loud funny!
It's good and funny film, the story is predictable but that's not a bad thing. There are some running gags through the film, which although you know they are coming, it does pull the plot together.
Be warned, it is a 15 rating, so there is some nudity, crudity, strong language, but it's not excessive and certainly adds to the enjoyment without being overly gratuitous.
Other highlights for me were Tim Meadows as Dewey's drummer, who always seemed to be taking some new kind of drug; "you don't want any of this shit, Dewey"!
Storyline, as written by Sony Pictures;
The up-and-down-and-up-again story of musician Dewey Cox, whose songs would change a nation. On his rock 'n roll spiral, Cox sleeps with 411 women, marries three times, has 22 kids and 14 step-kids, stars in his own 70s TV show, collects friends ranging from Elvis to the Beatles to a chimp, and gets addicted to - and then kicks - every drug known to man; but despite it all, Cox grows into a national icon and eventually earns the love of a good woman - longtime backup singer Darlene.
Tuesday 4 January 2011
Remember Me - 4th January 2011
So tonights' film was Remember Me, with Robert Pattinson playing the moody and rebellious Tyler Hawkins, who meets up with Ally Craig (played by Emilie de Ravin). They soon discover that their somewhat troubled lives have things in common. Ally witnessed the murder of her Mother. Tyler found the body of his elder Brother who had comitted suicide.
They are also both children of divorced parents. And through these common bonds, they help each other through their troubles.
Tyler has a close bond with his gifted younger sister (Caroline) and plays an essential role in her day to day life. Which could not be said for their father; Charles Hawkins, ably portrayed by Pierce Brosnan.
All this and more is what makes this film. You need to watch it, follow it, pick up all the references, don't question it. Follow the story, build with the film the relationships of the characters.
It is all the small details, coincidences, crossing paths, everyday troubles and relationships that weave themselves neatly into a fine, but somewhat unremarkable story.
Unremarkable that is, until the end of the film.
Yes indeed, it is 105 minutes of story telling and plot development and 3 minutes of gob-smacking, sad, unexpected, but first class conclusion.
If you haven't seen the film, see it. Buy it. Rent it. Watch it, but do not look it up, or ask anybody about it. Don't read any synopsis or spoilers or anything! Just watch it.
If you have read this, you will know there's an ending worth watching, as long as you don't know what it is, then it's a film worth watching.
Really enjoyed this film and I hope you all do too.
They are also both children of divorced parents. And through these common bonds, they help each other through their troubles.
Tyler has a close bond with his gifted younger sister (Caroline) and plays an essential role in her day to day life. Which could not be said for their father; Charles Hawkins, ably portrayed by Pierce Brosnan.
All this and more is what makes this film. You need to watch it, follow it, pick up all the references, don't question it. Follow the story, build with the film the relationships of the characters.
It is all the small details, coincidences, crossing paths, everyday troubles and relationships that weave themselves neatly into a fine, but somewhat unremarkable story.
Unremarkable that is, until the end of the film.
Yes indeed, it is 105 minutes of story telling and plot development and 3 minutes of gob-smacking, sad, unexpected, but first class conclusion.
If you haven't seen the film, see it. Buy it. Rent it. Watch it, but do not look it up, or ask anybody about it. Don't read any synopsis or spoilers or anything! Just watch it.
If you have read this, you will know there's an ending worth watching, as long as you don't know what it is, then it's a film worth watching.
Really enjoyed this film and I hope you all do too.
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