Tuesday Night is Film Night needs to stop all this monkey business and quit aping around and sit down to watch a film, but what shall we watch gibbon half a chance? Take the cheese on toast from under the gorilla mother and sit down!
Who writes this rubbish?
Tonight we are watching;
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
It is good to catch the sequel of a film we've already seen, (see Rise of the Planet of the Apes) and Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is a really good sequel. It is set in a post apocalyptic earth, where a Simian flu virus has wiped out most of the inhabitants of the planet. Outside San Francisco the small pocket of apes that were around at the end of the first film have evolved and are now living in communal surroundings and have developed skills like basic building and making fire. They have noticed that the humans are now scarce and have not been seen for at least three years, that is until a small band of human survivors, who have set up a community in the centre of San Francisco try to find a small hydro electric power station near to the apes home. The plan being to supply power to the city and try to reestablish a human presence on earth. However, they did not bank on finding a colony of evolved apes who can communicate with humans.
Caesar, from the first film (played by Andy Serkis) is still the dominant male in the colony and when the human search party is captured it is Caesar who negotiates and eventually starts to trust the humans to work on the hydro electric plant. Malcolm (Jason Clarke) brokers a treaty with Caesar, but things start to breakdown, on both sides, as human and ape rebels shall we say, start to distrust either side and their own leaders.
Does that sound all a bit confusing? It isn't really, watch the film and the story will unfold quite clearly and you will find human nature is echoed in ape behaviour, where trust becomes mistrust and where respect and loyalty breeds contempt and disorder. Far fetched as the storyline may be, but the behaviour of the on-screen apes and humans are not so different to reality, when it comes to living together with people or in this case a species with different beliefs.
Is that a bit heavy for a film review? It's either philosophical thoughts or monkey jokes here!
Anyway you look at it, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is a great film, with a good storyline. It goes without saying that the CGI effects are outstanding, making the simulated action very real and believable. Jason Clarke and Gary Oldman are really good as the leading human actors, as are Serkis (Caesar) and Toby Kebbell who plays Koba, the rebel ape. The film starts with a brief synopsis of the pandemic that has struck the earth, so it's not necessary really to understand the plot of the first film, but it is advisable to watch it to get the full depth of story that links the second film to the first.
Perhaps not as good as the first film, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is still a gripping drama to watch and is worthy of a viewing should you find the time and enjoy a bit of far fetched monkey business.
TNiFN Rating 76%
IMDB Link
Tuesday, 14 July 2015
Tuesday, 7 July 2015
Dinner for Schmucks - 7th July 2015
Tuesday Night is Film Night wanders back to 2010 for a comedy starring Steve Carell. Tonight we serve up;
Dinner for Schmucks
Dinner for Schmucks? Film for schmucks more like. Ludicrous.
Scathing first line, but true unfortunately. The DVD case states "Outrageously funny". Unfortunately this is not the case, it was and we quote one of the panel here at TNiFN Towers; "....weird, but mildly amusing".
To cut to the chase and fill in some synopsis detail, Dinner for Schmucks is about Tim, played by Paul Rudd, who is after a promotion at work. He makes a move to hook a big customer and gets the chance to prove himself. This is when he finds out that his superiors have this strange ritualistic evening, where they host a dinner celebrating the idiocy of their guests, so when Tim is invited, he just needs to bring a guest, this is when he runs into Barry (Steve Carell), who is a part time taxidermist and luckily, a complete idiot.
The rest of the film plays out some convoluted and farcical premise that Tim will lose his girlfriend, due to the antics of Barry and the fact that Tim is chasing this materialistic promotion, which actually goes against his beliefs and if you ally this with the fact that his girlfriend is appalled by this dinner idea as well, then you end up with some bizarre scenarios which are interspersed with a modicum of comedy.
There's roles for some homegrown talent in the form of David Walliams and Chris O'Dowd, but even their combined performances cannot rise this diatribe of drivel out of the mirthless mire we find it in.
The films follows this really strange idea of a story, laid over the top of a formulaic feelgood romantic comedy, with little romance and slightly less comedy. There are a few laugh out loud moments, but these are crammed into the official trailer that lulls the viewer into a false sense of security. Really how they justified filling 114 minutes of film with this vapid and feeble story is beyond us.
The actual "dinner" scene was funny, but filled about a fifteen minute segment near to the end, if they had concentrated more of this and less on the procrastination to get to this pivotal plot moment, then perhaps it may have been funnier. Steve Carell was very humourous, but he generally is, but Dinner for Schmucks was not the best vehicle to showcase his talents. Which is a shame, as we had high hopes for this comedy caper.
If you want a gift boxed, expensive and shiny coaster for your coffee cup, then buy this DVD.
TNiFN Rating 48%
IMDB Link
Dinner for Schmucks
Dinner for Schmucks? Film for schmucks more like. Ludicrous.
Scathing first line, but true unfortunately. The DVD case states "Outrageously funny". Unfortunately this is not the case, it was and we quote one of the panel here at TNiFN Towers; "....weird, but mildly amusing".
To cut to the chase and fill in some synopsis detail, Dinner for Schmucks is about Tim, played by Paul Rudd, who is after a promotion at work. He makes a move to hook a big customer and gets the chance to prove himself. This is when he finds out that his superiors have this strange ritualistic evening, where they host a dinner celebrating the idiocy of their guests, so when Tim is invited, he just needs to bring a guest, this is when he runs into Barry (Steve Carell), who is a part time taxidermist and luckily, a complete idiot.
The rest of the film plays out some convoluted and farcical premise that Tim will lose his girlfriend, due to the antics of Barry and the fact that Tim is chasing this materialistic promotion, which actually goes against his beliefs and if you ally this with the fact that his girlfriend is appalled by this dinner idea as well, then you end up with some bizarre scenarios which are interspersed with a modicum of comedy.
There's roles for some homegrown talent in the form of David Walliams and Chris O'Dowd, but even their combined performances cannot rise this diatribe of drivel out of the mirthless mire we find it in.
The films follows this really strange idea of a story, laid over the top of a formulaic feelgood romantic comedy, with little romance and slightly less comedy. There are a few laugh out loud moments, but these are crammed into the official trailer that lulls the viewer into a false sense of security. Really how they justified filling 114 minutes of film with this vapid and feeble story is beyond us.
The actual "dinner" scene was funny, but filled about a fifteen minute segment near to the end, if they had concentrated more of this and less on the procrastination to get to this pivotal plot moment, then perhaps it may have been funnier. Steve Carell was very humourous, but he generally is, but Dinner for Schmucks was not the best vehicle to showcase his talents. Which is a shame, as we had high hopes for this comedy caper.
If you want a gift boxed, expensive and shiny coaster for your coffee cup, then buy this DVD.
TNiFN Rating 48%
IMDB Link
Tuesday, 30 June 2015
Kingsman: The Secret Service - 30th June 2015
Hello there! It's been a while. Yes, we had three weeks off to do all sorts of other things rather than watch films, but we're back now and tonight we are going to be taking a look at;
Well there we are then, first film back after our mini hiatus and it's a cracker. Kingsman: The Secret Service is a spoof spy, thriller with a bit of comedy thrown in, just in case. In fact one could go so far as to liken it to a brand mash-up of James Bond, Austin Powers, Kickass and My Fair Lady all rolled into one, with the lovely Colin Firth as the nations favourite Kingsman, lovely Colin.
Essentially the plot of Kingsman: The Secret Service is your bog standard spy thriller. Megalomaniac super villain discovers something to rule the planet, in this case the answer to global warming and sets off to put his plan into action. To save the planet, enter the Kingsmen, a top secret super efficient, anti-terrorist, anti-establishment, anti-everything team of crack spies and agents, ready to take on and win their every mission.
However, this time it is slightly different, as an existing agent; Galahad (aka Harry Hart) played by Colin Firth rescues from the street, for want of a better description, the son of another agent, an agent who just happened to save the life of Galahad, while losing his own and as a result, Galahad is indebted to him and who wouldn't be?
Still with us?
So Taron Egerton plays Gary 'Eggsy' Unwin, son of a long dead Kingsman. Eggsy has dropped out of school, dropped out of the Marines and fallen in with the wrong crowd, but when he takes it one step too far and gets embroiled in a contretemps with some local hard nuts, he ends up on the wrong side of the police cell door. However and here we roll back 17 years, when Galahad (remember him? Colin Firth, yes?), had to tell the family of the death of his Kingsman colleague, he left a special medal with Eggsy, on the back was a number, it takes just one phone call to this number and he is free. Galahad takes him under his wing, as he believes Eggsy has the making of a Kingsman and so we have a street kid rubbing shoulders with, to coin a phrase from the film; "aristocratic snobs, born with a silver spoon stuck up their arse!" on the Kingsman training programme.
Are you confised by our synopsis? Watch the film, it will make sense honestly. It's a decent story, but with the multi-faceted threads, you're better off watching it to get the lay of the land, rather than read us wobble on about it!
So anyway, to the highlights, without doubt the best performance comes from the lisping Samuel L. Jackson as the megalomaniacal Valentine, a billionaire intent on changing the whole world. Jackson is sublime and a joy to watch. As is Colin Firth, playing the quintessentially English gentleman spy, with a voracious penchant for eliminating the enemy, without having to loosen his tie.
Taron Egerton puts in a great performance as the young Eggsy, employing enough south London twang to make the character very believable. Look out also for the bladed legged Gazelle played by the very pretty Sofia Boutella, her flashing legs of steel could put Oscar Pistorious to shame, not that he isn't currently shamed enough.
Other highlights include a welcome appearance from Michael Caine as Arthur, who quite rightly sits at the head of the Kingsman table. Look out for Mark Hamill too, he of Star Wars fame, he makes an appearance as a professor working with Valentine on the global warming issue, an issue that quite literally blows his mind.
Which brings us to the subject of the very gratuitous and very bloody and violent nature of some of the scenes. Well, a lot of the scenes! There is a lot of flashing blades, firing guns and pointy things being stuck into all and sundry. There's more CGI violence in this film than you can click a mouse at. Luckily the way it is done and the way it is portrayed is erring on the side of comedic, a pseudo cartoon violence if you will, gruesome but inherently funny.
We enjoyed this film, if you refer back to the mash up of film genres and titles we referenced in the first paragraph then you will have an idea of what kind of film Kingsman: The Secret Service is. A bloody good one, pun intended.
As to the scores, a mixed bag of very high end ratings which aggregates to;
TNiFN Rating 96%
Blimey! That is a good score, so go and buy the film. Enjoy.
Kingsman: The Secret Service
Well there we are then, first film back after our mini hiatus and it's a cracker. Kingsman: The Secret Service is a spoof spy, thriller with a bit of comedy thrown in, just in case. In fact one could go so far as to liken it to a brand mash-up of James Bond, Austin Powers, Kickass and My Fair Lady all rolled into one, with the lovely Colin Firth as the nations favourite Kingsman, lovely Colin.
Essentially the plot of Kingsman: The Secret Service is your bog standard spy thriller. Megalomaniac super villain discovers something to rule the planet, in this case the answer to global warming and sets off to put his plan into action. To save the planet, enter the Kingsmen, a top secret super efficient, anti-terrorist, anti-establishment, anti-everything team of crack spies and agents, ready to take on and win their every mission.
However, this time it is slightly different, as an existing agent; Galahad (aka Harry Hart) played by Colin Firth rescues from the street, for want of a better description, the son of another agent, an agent who just happened to save the life of Galahad, while losing his own and as a result, Galahad is indebted to him and who wouldn't be?
Still with us?
So Taron Egerton plays Gary 'Eggsy' Unwin, son of a long dead Kingsman. Eggsy has dropped out of school, dropped out of the Marines and fallen in with the wrong crowd, but when he takes it one step too far and gets embroiled in a contretemps with some local hard nuts, he ends up on the wrong side of the police cell door. However and here we roll back 17 years, when Galahad (remember him? Colin Firth, yes?), had to tell the family of the death of his Kingsman colleague, he left a special medal with Eggsy, on the back was a number, it takes just one phone call to this number and he is free. Galahad takes him under his wing, as he believes Eggsy has the making of a Kingsman and so we have a street kid rubbing shoulders with, to coin a phrase from the film; "aristocratic snobs, born with a silver spoon stuck up their arse!" on the Kingsman training programme.
Are you confised by our synopsis? Watch the film, it will make sense honestly. It's a decent story, but with the multi-faceted threads, you're better off watching it to get the lay of the land, rather than read us wobble on about it!
So anyway, to the highlights, without doubt the best performance comes from the lisping Samuel L. Jackson as the megalomaniacal Valentine, a billionaire intent on changing the whole world. Jackson is sublime and a joy to watch. As is Colin Firth, playing the quintessentially English gentleman spy, with a voracious penchant for eliminating the enemy, without having to loosen his tie.
Taron Egerton puts in a great performance as the young Eggsy, employing enough south London twang to make the character very believable. Look out also for the bladed legged Gazelle played by the very pretty Sofia Boutella, her flashing legs of steel could put Oscar Pistorious to shame, not that he isn't currently shamed enough.
Other highlights include a welcome appearance from Michael Caine as Arthur, who quite rightly sits at the head of the Kingsman table. Look out for Mark Hamill too, he of Star Wars fame, he makes an appearance as a professor working with Valentine on the global warming issue, an issue that quite literally blows his mind.
Which brings us to the subject of the very gratuitous and very bloody and violent nature of some of the scenes. Well, a lot of the scenes! There is a lot of flashing blades, firing guns and pointy things being stuck into all and sundry. There's more CGI violence in this film than you can click a mouse at. Luckily the way it is done and the way it is portrayed is erring on the side of comedic, a pseudo cartoon violence if you will, gruesome but inherently funny.
We enjoyed this film, if you refer back to the mash up of film genres and titles we referenced in the first paragraph then you will have an idea of what kind of film Kingsman: The Secret Service is. A bloody good one, pun intended.
As to the scores, a mixed bag of very high end ratings which aggregates to;
TNiFN Rating 96%
Blimey! That is a good score, so go and buy the film. Enjoy.
Tuesday, 2 June 2015
Notting Hill - 2nd June 2015
It's back to 1999 for this week's film, a romantic comedy from the pen of Richard Curtis. Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant star in;
Notting Hill
Clearly Notting Hill is a famous and quite rightly a very popular film of the romantic and indeed comedic genre. We all know the story of Anna and William.
What? You don't?
Well let us give you a brief synopsis to cover the main points. William Thacker is the proprietor of a bookshop in Notting Hill. Anna Scott is an internationally famous actress who happens to be in London promoting her latest film. Anna visits William's shop looking for a book. This brief encounter ignites a spark of romance, which is subsequently doused when the couple literally bump into each other again later that day, as the drink that William has just purchased covers Anna, as they collide on a street corner. William invites Anna to his house to clean up and that spark is rekindled albeit briefly as the romantic tension rises and the couple kiss.
The film then continues to follow Anna as her career progresses and William as his friendship with Anna blossoms. Although it can only be a friendship, as their juxtaposed lifestyles prove difficult to merge. That really is the crux of the story, although love is in the air, are the practicalities of getting a lowly shopkeeper from Notting Hill, to be with a starlet from Beverley Hills a reality or is it just a dream for them both?
Hugh Grant is superb as William. Quintessentially British and 100% Hugh Grant, as he really doesn't play any other character, but then you wouldn't want him to,he is perfect for the role and takes the words of Richard Curtis and translates them to the screen with aplomb and his own almost self-deprecating humour. As for Julia Roberts, she glows from the screen. Her sultry good looks and and the occasional impish smile makes her so easy to watch and she's not bad at acting either, taking her role as Anna Scott and playing her with passion, panache and poignancy.
Whilst we wax lyrically about the main cast, let us not forget the supporting players who really add another layer of charm, wit and enjoyment. Rhys Ifans as Spike, William's housemate is magnificent, he portrays the wacky characteristics to perfection, providing much of the comicality. Tim McInnery and Gina McKee play Max and Bella, friends to William who are always there to lend support, along with the magnificent Emma Chambers who plays William's crazy sister; Honey. Also praise should go to Hugh Bonneville who plays Bernie another friend of William, who looks so much younger than the characters that Bonneville plays now, which comes as no real surprise as it is a 16 year old film, but still you know what we mean.
Notting Hill is classic Richard Curtis without a doubt, but there is something that puts this above his previous film of the same genre; Four Weddings and a Funeral and on a par with the also brilliant Love Actually. It is very difficult to say what that is, at a guess it is a combination of the very witty script, the warmth of the story, the desire for a happy ending that the story instills in it's audience. It is the choice of location, the choice of music, the cast. Well, it seems to be a bit of everything!
Sometimes, just sometimes a film will come along and capture a moment, it will dissipate through the screen an ethereal, fuzzy feeling of comfort, fabricating a tangible sense of pleasure, with the ability to make you smile effortlessly whilst watching. Yes, there is something very pink, fluffy and warm about Notting Hill, it is a very comfortable film, like slipping into an old pairs of shoes, or being cossetted in a celluloid bubble of happiness.
Let us rein in the verbosity somewhat and get down to some closing facts, Notting Hill is a modern classic. It is very funny, romantic and charming, with an exceptional feelgood factor that makes it so very watchable.
Some good scores here at TNiFN Towers, although some scored higher than others. (Editors note; I know! Unbelievable! I loved it.)
Anyway Notting Hill gets a very respectable;
TNiFN Rating 91%
IMD LINK
Notting Hill
Clearly Notting Hill is a famous and quite rightly a very popular film of the romantic and indeed comedic genre. We all know the story of Anna and William.
What? You don't?
Well let us give you a brief synopsis to cover the main points. William Thacker is the proprietor of a bookshop in Notting Hill. Anna Scott is an internationally famous actress who happens to be in London promoting her latest film. Anna visits William's shop looking for a book. This brief encounter ignites a spark of romance, which is subsequently doused when the couple literally bump into each other again later that day, as the drink that William has just purchased covers Anna, as they collide on a street corner. William invites Anna to his house to clean up and that spark is rekindled albeit briefly as the romantic tension rises and the couple kiss.
The film then continues to follow Anna as her career progresses and William as his friendship with Anna blossoms. Although it can only be a friendship, as their juxtaposed lifestyles prove difficult to merge. That really is the crux of the story, although love is in the air, are the practicalities of getting a lowly shopkeeper from Notting Hill, to be with a starlet from Beverley Hills a reality or is it just a dream for them both?
Hugh Grant is superb as William. Quintessentially British and 100% Hugh Grant, as he really doesn't play any other character, but then you wouldn't want him to,he is perfect for the role and takes the words of Richard Curtis and translates them to the screen with aplomb and his own almost self-deprecating humour. As for Julia Roberts, she glows from the screen. Her sultry good looks and and the occasional impish smile makes her so easy to watch and she's not bad at acting either, taking her role as Anna Scott and playing her with passion, panache and poignancy.
Whilst we wax lyrically about the main cast, let us not forget the supporting players who really add another layer of charm, wit and enjoyment. Rhys Ifans as Spike, William's housemate is magnificent, he portrays the wacky characteristics to perfection, providing much of the comicality. Tim McInnery and Gina McKee play Max and Bella, friends to William who are always there to lend support, along with the magnificent Emma Chambers who plays William's crazy sister; Honey. Also praise should go to Hugh Bonneville who plays Bernie another friend of William, who looks so much younger than the characters that Bonneville plays now, which comes as no real surprise as it is a 16 year old film, but still you know what we mean.
Notting Hill is classic Richard Curtis without a doubt, but there is something that puts this above his previous film of the same genre; Four Weddings and a Funeral and on a par with the also brilliant Love Actually. It is very difficult to say what that is, at a guess it is a combination of the very witty script, the warmth of the story, the desire for a happy ending that the story instills in it's audience. It is the choice of location, the choice of music, the cast. Well, it seems to be a bit of everything!
Sometimes, just sometimes a film will come along and capture a moment, it will dissipate through the screen an ethereal, fuzzy feeling of comfort, fabricating a tangible sense of pleasure, with the ability to make you smile effortlessly whilst watching. Yes, there is something very pink, fluffy and warm about Notting Hill, it is a very comfortable film, like slipping into an old pairs of shoes, or being cossetted in a celluloid bubble of happiness.
Let us rein in the verbosity somewhat and get down to some closing facts, Notting Hill is a modern classic. It is very funny, romantic and charming, with an exceptional feelgood factor that makes it so very watchable.
Some good scores here at TNiFN Towers, although some scored higher than others. (Editors note; I know! Unbelievable! I loved it.)
Anyway Notting Hill gets a very respectable;
TNiFN Rating 91%
IMD LINK
Tuesday, 19 May 2015
Rise of the Planet of the Apes - 19th May 2015
It's from one extreme to another here at Tuesday Night is Film Night, we are reaching out and taking in all kinds of genres. Oh yes! This week, gibbon half a chance, we won't be monkeying around, as we sample what is on offer with;
Rise of the Planet of the Apes
Well that was a surprise, after being bought up on the 1970's TV series the older members of the TNiFN panel were not holding out much hope for a gratifying film based on a similar premise, how wrong we were. Luckily the junior member of the panel saw sense and convinced us to watch.
From 2011 Rise of the Planet of the Apes depicts the story of a drug development company working on a chemical treatment for brain repair, to treat amongst other things Alzheimers. Whilst in the development stage the drug is being tested on chimps. Scientist Will Rodman (James Franco) is developing the drug and early indications are very positive and the chimps are responding well, with improving cognitive behaviour. So far so good, however when the drug is shown off to the investors, the main chimp who has been treated decides to throw a tantrum and breaks out of the test environment, with the result that she is shot. At first they thought it was a side effect from the drug, however it transpires that she had recently given birth and was merely defending her young baby, who is now orphaned. So Will Rodman takes the young male chimp home.
Will lives with his father Charles played superbly by John Lithgow. Charles is suffering from Alzheimers and is pleased to see the chimp who he names Caesar. It also transpires that Caesar has been subjected to the drug therapy via his mother and starts to improve intellectually and although he was only going to stay with the Rodman's for a few days, that soon turns to months and years. Also because of the drugs effect on Caesar, Will decides to experiment on his own father with the same drug therapy and he sees remarkable improvement.
And that is where we should leave the synopsis, there is more than enough information there to get you started. Needless to stay the status quo does not remain intact for Caesar and the Rodman's.
As for the film itself, the story is really good, it kept us gripped from start to finish. The CGI content is just superb, with some very fast paced action scenes where the graphics were smooth, realistic and seamlessly integrated into the real life action. Although the chimps are CGI generated, they are from motion captured actors portraying the chimps, with Andy Serkis playing Caesar.
Further into the story we get to a primate holding centre, where Caesar is placed, we only mention this as one of the characters; Dodge Landon is played by Tom Felton, he of Draco Malfoy fame (Harry Potter), and he really plays the character well and is definitely worthy of a mention here.
Not to give too much away, the storyline follows the title of the film and it is certainly worth a watch, it will keep you enthralled hopefully for the duration, it did for us here. Although we have shied away from science fiction in the past, this film landed sufficiently on the side of the believable for it to be enjoyable and it has certainly whetted our appetite for the next installment.
TNiFN Rating 87%
IMDB Link
Rise of the Planet of the Apes
Well that was a surprise, after being bought up on the 1970's TV series the older members of the TNiFN panel were not holding out much hope for a gratifying film based on a similar premise, how wrong we were. Luckily the junior member of the panel saw sense and convinced us to watch.
From 2011 Rise of the Planet of the Apes depicts the story of a drug development company working on a chemical treatment for brain repair, to treat amongst other things Alzheimers. Whilst in the development stage the drug is being tested on chimps. Scientist Will Rodman (James Franco) is developing the drug and early indications are very positive and the chimps are responding well, with improving cognitive behaviour. So far so good, however when the drug is shown off to the investors, the main chimp who has been treated decides to throw a tantrum and breaks out of the test environment, with the result that she is shot. At first they thought it was a side effect from the drug, however it transpires that she had recently given birth and was merely defending her young baby, who is now orphaned. So Will Rodman takes the young male chimp home.
Will lives with his father Charles played superbly by John Lithgow. Charles is suffering from Alzheimers and is pleased to see the chimp who he names Caesar. It also transpires that Caesar has been subjected to the drug therapy via his mother and starts to improve intellectually and although he was only going to stay with the Rodman's for a few days, that soon turns to months and years. Also because of the drugs effect on Caesar, Will decides to experiment on his own father with the same drug therapy and he sees remarkable improvement.
And that is where we should leave the synopsis, there is more than enough information there to get you started. Needless to stay the status quo does not remain intact for Caesar and the Rodman's.
As for the film itself, the story is really good, it kept us gripped from start to finish. The CGI content is just superb, with some very fast paced action scenes where the graphics were smooth, realistic and seamlessly integrated into the real life action. Although the chimps are CGI generated, they are from motion captured actors portraying the chimps, with Andy Serkis playing Caesar.
Further into the story we get to a primate holding centre, where Caesar is placed, we only mention this as one of the characters; Dodge Landon is played by Tom Felton, he of Draco Malfoy fame (Harry Potter), and he really plays the character well and is definitely worthy of a mention here.
Not to give too much away, the storyline follows the title of the film and it is certainly worth a watch, it will keep you enthralled hopefully for the duration, it did for us here. Although we have shied away from science fiction in the past, this film landed sufficiently on the side of the believable for it to be enjoyable and it has certainly whetted our appetite for the next installment.
TNiFN Rating 87%
IMDB Link
Tuesday, 12 May 2015
Let's Be Cops - 12th May 2015
Tuesday Night is Film Night flops onto the communal sofa to hopefully be entertained by this comedy from 2014;
Let's Be Cops
Jake Johnson and Damon Wayans Jr. star in this action comedy as Ryan and Justin, two friends who attend a so-called fancy dress party wearing two very real police uniforms. When the party turns out to be not fancy dress, or any fun for that matter, Ryan and Justin head into town, but discover to their great pleasure that they are mistaken for real cops.
Cue hilarious situations.
Unfortunately the fun turns sour as the "cops" get caught up in some proper gangster activity and suddenly find they are in way over their heads. Justin, the more level headed of the two, tries to own up and hand in their fake badges, while Ryan, the more adventurous or stupid one, tries to bring down the gangsters.
Cue more hilarious situations.
Let's be fair, Let's Be Cops is a genuinely funny film, the story has potential and is played out really well. The back stories for the two main characters pull the other threads of the storyline together. The juxtaposition between the characters Ryan and Justin, allied with the "fake cops, real trouble" jeopardy, provides a decent platform for the comedic moments, of which there are many. And although the whole premise is farcical you end up rooting for the good guys and booing the bad ones. (Not literally you understand).
Yes, it is a formulaic lad movie. And yes it is full of giggles and some big laughs. So all the those associated boxes are ticked, it just could have been a bit better all over. During the end credits there are a few scenes obviously cut from the main movie, these should have been left in and more made of the fake cops premise and what they could get away with, but that's just a minor negative.
A pleasantly pleasing movie, funny, irreverent, laddish with girls, guns and gangsters, but probably a movie that will not live long in the old movie memory bank, but certainly worth a watch should it hit a TV screen near you soon.
Short blog, mediocre film. Those are the rules.
TNiFN Rating 67%
IMDB Link
Let's Be Cops
Jake Johnson and Damon Wayans Jr. star in this action comedy as Ryan and Justin, two friends who attend a so-called fancy dress party wearing two very real police uniforms. When the party turns out to be not fancy dress, or any fun for that matter, Ryan and Justin head into town, but discover to their great pleasure that they are mistaken for real cops.
Cue hilarious situations.
Unfortunately the fun turns sour as the "cops" get caught up in some proper gangster activity and suddenly find they are in way over their heads. Justin, the more level headed of the two, tries to own up and hand in their fake badges, while Ryan, the more adventurous or stupid one, tries to bring down the gangsters.
Cue more hilarious situations.
Let's be fair, Let's Be Cops is a genuinely funny film, the story has potential and is played out really well. The back stories for the two main characters pull the other threads of the storyline together. The juxtaposition between the characters Ryan and Justin, allied with the "fake cops, real trouble" jeopardy, provides a decent platform for the comedic moments, of which there are many. And although the whole premise is farcical you end up rooting for the good guys and booing the bad ones. (Not literally you understand).
Yes, it is a formulaic lad movie. And yes it is full of giggles and some big laughs. So all the those associated boxes are ticked, it just could have been a bit better all over. During the end credits there are a few scenes obviously cut from the main movie, these should have been left in and more made of the fake cops premise and what they could get away with, but that's just a minor negative.
A pleasantly pleasing movie, funny, irreverent, laddish with girls, guns and gangsters, but probably a movie that will not live long in the old movie memory bank, but certainly worth a watch should it hit a TV screen near you soon.
Short blog, mediocre film. Those are the rules.
TNiFN Rating 67%
IMDB Link
Tuesday, 5 May 2015
Gone Girl - 5th May 2015
Tuesday Night is Film Night is here again, these weeks are flying by! This week, it's feet up, lights out, popcorn popped and remote control ready for;
Gone Girl
After spending the last 149 minutes watching Gone Girl, we could just write; "watch this film!" That would be sufficient. End of review.
Why?
Well for two reasons really, firstly it is a brilliant story, with more twists than a Turkey Twizzler! Secondly, any plot synopsis or contrived spoiler that we make mention of might detract from your viewing enjoyment.
However, we are not going to leave it like that, we will skirt around any of the obvious plot spoilers and outline the merest whiff of intrigue for you to salivate over. In fact, and here is a first for TNiFN, why not watch the official trailer, for all the intrigue you should need.
We will say that Gone Girl provides Ben Affleck and Rosamund Pike with an ideal platform to display their outstanding acting talents. Affleck is superb as Nick Dunne the husband of Amy Dunne (Rosamund Pike), who goes missing on their fifth wedding anniversary and Nick then gets caught up in a media frenzy, as the police and the probing journalists try to discover the truth. Although Amy goes missing, we see her side of the story, to a degree, by the clever use of flashbacks and diary entries that retell the other side of the story, but it is not that simple, although the two sides of the story unravel in a juxtaposed symmetry, we also see layer upon layer of mystery, intrigue and subterfuge, that take a simple plot and tie it up in knots that will have you mentally untying them all the way through the film, right until the end. Absolutely superlative writing from the author Gillian Flynn.
Rosamund Pike is just perfect as Amy, portraying the character with enthusiasm, pathos and emotion, all of which draw you in to the plot, making the viewer hang on every word, action or deed. Mention must also go to Carrie Coon who played Margo Dunne, Nick's twin sister who has to make sense of everything that is going on and support her brother even in the darkest times.
Hopefully that is not too much information, we don't believe so. There is so, so much more to this film than is intimated in the few words above. The start is slow and quiet which draws the audience in, you are made to observe many character traits and snippets of information that may be pertinent later on, so take note and follow the start closely, as the story develops that scene setting becomes an important factor. The film continues with this totally compelling storyline, following a multiplicity of angles, deriving pleasure from the dramatic overtones as yet another twist appears. All the while you are drip fed information, sometimes countering what you've already learnt, sometimes enforcing a plot line, but every time the outcome is not entirely clear and you continue to follow the bait in this gripping, dark mysterious tale of intrigue, deceit and duplicity.
The movie is beautifully filmed, with the appealing Missouri countryside providing an idyllic backdrop. Ally that with a subtle soundtrack that doesn't overpower but provides a perfect additional layer of sophistication to an already multifaceted film and you have a perfect combination brought together in this superb thriller.
TNiFN Rating 95%
IMDB Link
Gone Girl
After spending the last 149 minutes watching Gone Girl, we could just write; "watch this film!" That would be sufficient. End of review.
Why?
Well for two reasons really, firstly it is a brilliant story, with more twists than a Turkey Twizzler! Secondly, any plot synopsis or contrived spoiler that we make mention of might detract from your viewing enjoyment.
However, we are not going to leave it like that, we will skirt around any of the obvious plot spoilers and outline the merest whiff of intrigue for you to salivate over. In fact, and here is a first for TNiFN, why not watch the official trailer, for all the intrigue you should need.
We will say that Gone Girl provides Ben Affleck and Rosamund Pike with an ideal platform to display their outstanding acting talents. Affleck is superb as Nick Dunne the husband of Amy Dunne (Rosamund Pike), who goes missing on their fifth wedding anniversary and Nick then gets caught up in a media frenzy, as the police and the probing journalists try to discover the truth. Although Amy goes missing, we see her side of the story, to a degree, by the clever use of flashbacks and diary entries that retell the other side of the story, but it is not that simple, although the two sides of the story unravel in a juxtaposed symmetry, we also see layer upon layer of mystery, intrigue and subterfuge, that take a simple plot and tie it up in knots that will have you mentally untying them all the way through the film, right until the end. Absolutely superlative writing from the author Gillian Flynn.
Rosamund Pike is just perfect as Amy, portraying the character with enthusiasm, pathos and emotion, all of which draw you in to the plot, making the viewer hang on every word, action or deed. Mention must also go to Carrie Coon who played Margo Dunne, Nick's twin sister who has to make sense of everything that is going on and support her brother even in the darkest times.
Hopefully that is not too much information, we don't believe so. There is so, so much more to this film than is intimated in the few words above. The start is slow and quiet which draws the audience in, you are made to observe many character traits and snippets of information that may be pertinent later on, so take note and follow the start closely, as the story develops that scene setting becomes an important factor. The film continues with this totally compelling storyline, following a multiplicity of angles, deriving pleasure from the dramatic overtones as yet another twist appears. All the while you are drip fed information, sometimes countering what you've already learnt, sometimes enforcing a plot line, but every time the outcome is not entirely clear and you continue to follow the bait in this gripping, dark mysterious tale of intrigue, deceit and duplicity.
The movie is beautifully filmed, with the appealing Missouri countryside providing an idyllic backdrop. Ally that with a subtle soundtrack that doesn't overpower but provides a perfect additional layer of sophistication to an already multifaceted film and you have a perfect combination brought together in this superb thriller.
TNiFN Rating 95%
IMDB Link
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