This week's Tuesday Night is Film Night film, was taken from a recent broadcast on Channel 5 (UK), it transpires that it was a made for TV movie and according to IMDB was called Sexting in Suburbia.
So, I was not holding up much hope for;
Shattered Silence
Firstly, I'm not sure why we have a differing title listed in IMDB.
Secondly, being a 'made for TV' movie, there is no commercial release available, from what I can see. (Don't get confused with a film of the same name starring Michael Douglas).
Thirdly, after saying all that, the film was really good!
Shattered Silence follows the aftermath of a foolishly sent text message from high school student, Dina Van Cleve (Jenn Proske) to her then boyfriend Mark Carey (Ryan Kelley).
Basically, Dina thought Marks advances, on the night of the Home Coming dance, were slightly forward, shall we say and told him that she was not ready to make that kind of commitment, Mark took exception to being shunned and walked off.
As an apology, Dina sent Mark a personal and provocative picture message, or a Sext (hence the secondary title of the film).
However, Mark out of spite or plain foolishness, doesn't waste anytime, returns to the dance and starts making out with Skylar Reid, another girl from school, who's Mum, coincidentally is friends with Dina's Mum, Rachel Van Cleve (played fantastically by Liz Vassey).
So, what happens to the picture message? Somehow, it gets from Mark's phone and onto somebody else's. However, before long, the picture message has spread around the whole school and beyond.
And all of a sudden Dina Van Cleve is bullied and mocked for what she has done. Everybody looks at her at school and they start to make snide comments. She is branded a slut for what she has done. She is kicked off the hockey team and she falls out with Mark, quite rightly, but also her relationship with her best friend Claire, is torn to pieces.
The affect on Dina is devastating and as you will see, at the very start of the movie, and I only mention it now to build the tension, she commits suicide. And is found hanging by her mother.
Dina's mother, Rachel, then spends the rest of the movie seeking out answers as to what happened in the six weeks between the Home Coming Dance and Dina's suicide.
Shattered Silence is an intriguing drama, with suspense, tension and atmosphere. It portrays realistically the real issues with school and cyber bullying. Although the last 5 minutes of the film needs to be taken with a pinch of salt, as it was more to do with delivering a message, rather than providing a conclusion to a story.
Having said that, we really enjoyed Shattered Silence and would urge anybody to see it, if they get a chance.
Tuesday, 27 March 2012
Tuesday, 20 March 2012
13 Going On 30 - 20th March 2012
Yet again the pink and fluffy, chick-flick reigns supreme here at Tuesday Night is Film Night!
As this week, we take in the majestic movie magic, the fantastic film fun, the sumptious celluloid selection.....
(OK, enough with the alliteration!!),
......... that is;
13 Going On 30
The gorgeous Jennifer Garner, leads the cast in this female version of Big.
The story follows Jenna Rink who is the 13 year old wishing she was 30. Typically (as with most films of this genre), Jenna is not in the girlie clique at school and so feels alienated, finding solace only in her best friend and neighbour Matt Flamhaff.
The geeky Jenna suffers further humiliation at her 13th Birthday party and ends up falling out with Matt and crying in the closet, sobbing and chanting that she wished she was 30!
Guess what?
The next thing Jenna wakes to find she is 30! (And now portrayed by Jennifer Garner) and is a succesful magazine editor and all round nasty piece of work, which is not what the 13 year old Jenna really wanted.
Confused as to what is going on. Unsure of who is who. Jenna has to work out what happened in the intervening 17 years and work out what she is going to do, to put things right.
Yes, it is a predictable film, using a proven formula, as seen in Big, or Freaky Friday, but Garner brings something fresh to the screen and there seems to be more touching moments as the romantic side of the story shines through.
More romance than Big, less comedy than Freaky Friday.
The romance is provided by Matt and Jenna, who try to rekindle their friendship, although Matt is engaged to be married, but can Jenna win Matt back?
Also Jenna has to work out how to save the magazine; Poise, that she works for (watch the film for full details on the magazine thread of the story). So there is a lot going on, which ensures there are no holes in the film and it is filled with continuing storyline. Whish is a very good thing. (Lookout for the Thriller dance routine, a heartwarming moment in the film).
Obviously, it all works out in the end, but the journey to get there, is a fun, interesting and an emotional one. It is a lovely movie and will be a firm favourite here, to be watched again and again.
As this week, we take in the majestic movie magic, the fantastic film fun, the sumptious celluloid selection.....
(OK, enough with the alliteration!!),
......... that is;
13 Going On 30
The gorgeous Jennifer Garner, leads the cast in this female version of Big.
The story follows Jenna Rink who is the 13 year old wishing she was 30. Typically (as with most films of this genre), Jenna is not in the girlie clique at school and so feels alienated, finding solace only in her best friend and neighbour Matt Flamhaff.
The geeky Jenna suffers further humiliation at her 13th Birthday party and ends up falling out with Matt and crying in the closet, sobbing and chanting that she wished she was 30!
Guess what?
The next thing Jenna wakes to find she is 30! (And now portrayed by Jennifer Garner) and is a succesful magazine editor and all round nasty piece of work, which is not what the 13 year old Jenna really wanted.
Confused as to what is going on. Unsure of who is who. Jenna has to work out what happened in the intervening 17 years and work out what she is going to do, to put things right.
Yes, it is a predictable film, using a proven formula, as seen in Big, or Freaky Friday, but Garner brings something fresh to the screen and there seems to be more touching moments as the romantic side of the story shines through.
More romance than Big, less comedy than Freaky Friday.
The romance is provided by Matt and Jenna, who try to rekindle their friendship, although Matt is engaged to be married, but can Jenna win Matt back?
Also Jenna has to work out how to save the magazine; Poise, that she works for (watch the film for full details on the magazine thread of the story). So there is a lot going on, which ensures there are no holes in the film and it is filled with continuing storyline. Whish is a very good thing. (Lookout for the Thriller dance routine, a heartwarming moment in the film).
Obviously, it all works out in the end, but the journey to get there, is a fun, interesting and an emotional one. It is a lovely movie and will be a firm favourite here, to be watched again and again.
Tuesday, 13 March 2012
Despicable Me - 13th March 2012
Tonight Tuesday Night is Film Night branches out and tries an animated feature film, so will it be a thumbs up, or is it despicably meh for;
Despicable Me
So, the film is a heartwarming, fluffy little jaunt where, (and I lifted this straight from IMDB);
........... a criminal mastermind uses a trio of orphan girls as pawns for a grand scheme, he finds their love is profoundly changing him for the better.
It's a pretty good animated film, lots of laughs, albeit with a predicatable plot. It's a good family film, but for a young family.
Not the best film we've seen, but not the worst either.
Despicable Me
So, the film is a heartwarming, fluffy little jaunt where, (and I lifted this straight from IMDB);
........... a criminal mastermind uses a trio of orphan girls as pawns for a grand scheme, he finds their love is profoundly changing him for the better.
It's a pretty good animated film, lots of laughs, albeit with a predicatable plot. It's a good family film, but for a young family.
Not the best film we've seen, but not the worst either.
Tuesday, 6 March 2012
Disturbia - 6th March 2012
For this weeks Tuesday Night is Film Night film, we depart from the pink and fluffy, chick-flick, rom-com genre and run headlong into a dark and disturbing thriller, aptly called;
Disturbia
So, taken as a whole the film was not too scary. However, the tension builds and builds to an edge-of-the-seat or behind-the-sofa finale.
So what is Disturbia all about?
Well, the film centres of Kale Brecht (Shia LaBeouf) a high school kid that is involved in a car accident, which kills his father. As a result Kale becomes difficult and ends up punching his Spanish teacher. For this misdemeanour he is placed under house arrest and electronically tagged so that he cannot wander more than 100 feet from his house.
From the solitude of the family home, he begins to observe activity in his neighnourhood. Spying on the people that surround him, including Ashley (Sarah Roemer) who has just moved in next door. So this thriller has some love interest.
However, it is another neighbour; Mr Turner (David Morse), that Kale becomes obsessed with, having witnessed what he believes to have been a murder, taking place next door.
Interest in Mr Turner increases, and Kale ropes in Ashley and his school friend Ronnie, to help with the surveillance.
The tension builds and the film takes a darker route, when Ashley is following Mr Turner at the supermarket, whilst Ronnie and Kale try to discover some of the secrets of the house next door. When Ashley loses track of Mr Turners' whereabouts, things start to get scary, especially when he stops her in the car park and takes her car keys.
What will he do?
What he actually does is to tell Ashley, that he is a private man and doesn't appreciate being spied upon. So, he knows he is being watched, but as he points out, who is watching who?
From here the tension grows. Ashley wants Kale to drop the spying. Kale is convinced that Mr Roberts is a serial killer. So he concocts ways of obtaining evidence, but each time he seems to be thwarted by Mr Roberts.
So, is Roberts a serial killer. Is Kale deluded and totally wrong?
You'll need to watch the film to find out! We don't give away much here at TNiFN.
Needless to say, this is a good tense film to watch. Not too much gore, but enough scares to keep you hiding behind the cushion. It is fairly easy going to start of with, but the tension builds and the suspense grows to a great finale.
Disturbia
So, taken as a whole the film was not too scary. However, the tension builds and builds to an edge-of-the-seat or behind-the-sofa finale.
So what is Disturbia all about?
Well, the film centres of Kale Brecht (Shia LaBeouf) a high school kid that is involved in a car accident, which kills his father. As a result Kale becomes difficult and ends up punching his Spanish teacher. For this misdemeanour he is placed under house arrest and electronically tagged so that he cannot wander more than 100 feet from his house.
From the solitude of the family home, he begins to observe activity in his neighnourhood. Spying on the people that surround him, including Ashley (Sarah Roemer) who has just moved in next door. So this thriller has some love interest.
However, it is another neighbour; Mr Turner (David Morse), that Kale becomes obsessed with, having witnessed what he believes to have been a murder, taking place next door.
Interest in Mr Turner increases, and Kale ropes in Ashley and his school friend Ronnie, to help with the surveillance.
The tension builds and the film takes a darker route, when Ashley is following Mr Turner at the supermarket, whilst Ronnie and Kale try to discover some of the secrets of the house next door. When Ashley loses track of Mr Turners' whereabouts, things start to get scary, especially when he stops her in the car park and takes her car keys.
What will he do?
What he actually does is to tell Ashley, that he is a private man and doesn't appreciate being spied upon. So, he knows he is being watched, but as he points out, who is watching who?
From here the tension grows. Ashley wants Kale to drop the spying. Kale is convinced that Mr Roberts is a serial killer. So he concocts ways of obtaining evidence, but each time he seems to be thwarted by Mr Roberts.
So, is Roberts a serial killer. Is Kale deluded and totally wrong?
You'll need to watch the film to find out! We don't give away much here at TNiFN.
Needless to say, this is a good tense film to watch. Not too much gore, but enough scares to keep you hiding behind the cushion. It is fairly easy going to start of with, but the tension builds and the suspense grows to a great finale.
Tuesday, 28 February 2012
The House Bunny - 28th February 2012
Tuesday comes around yet again, time is flying by this year, we're almost in March! Anyway onto the film, after last week's romantic comedy You've Got Mail, we fly headlong into yet another chick-flick, (yes, we at Tuesday Night is Film Night love the chick-flicks).
The chick-flick in question is;
The House Bunny
Well, when the film started it was debatable whether I was a little too old for this film, maybe 30 years too old! It certainly feels like it is a teen movie, the basic premise of the story is as follows;
Shelley Darlingson (played by the very pretty Anna Faris) is a Playboy Bunny who has just turned 27 and is unceremoniously kicked out of the Playboy Mansion (more on that later). Homeless and jobless, Shelley stumbles upon a school, where she discovers the various sororites and is rejected by the popular one, but is accepted by the unpopularsorority, which is just about to be shut down.
So there is your formulaic plot, vapid, dumb-blonde Shelley, is out to save the girls of Zeta sorority.
Simple and vapid. This could describe Shelley and indeed, the film, but...............
..... and this is a big but, it's not that simple and / or vapid.
Yes, the film is true to the genre, formulaic, predictable, fluffy, pink and girlie, but it's also laugh out loud funny! (And chock-full of pretty girls! What's not to like?)
There are some real funny moments as Shelley takes her house of mis-fits, nerds and weirdo's and turns them into popular girls on campus. There's no real point going into details here, you need to watch the film and understand the characters, so you can see for yourself the transformations, but do look out for the Forrest Gump pastiche, very funny.
Hugh Heffner makes an appearance as well, as it is his Playboy mansion where Shelley lived at the beginning. (And he didn't really kick her out, another plot line to look out for).
All in all The House Bunny was a surprisingly good film.
The chick-flick in question is;
The House Bunny
Well, when the film started it was debatable whether I was a little too old for this film, maybe 30 years too old! It certainly feels like it is a teen movie, the basic premise of the story is as follows;
Shelley Darlingson (played by the very pretty Anna Faris) is a Playboy Bunny who has just turned 27 and is unceremoniously kicked out of the Playboy Mansion (more on that later). Homeless and jobless, Shelley stumbles upon a school, where she discovers the various sororites and is rejected by the popular one, but is accepted by the unpopularsorority, which is just about to be shut down.
So there is your formulaic plot, vapid, dumb-blonde Shelley, is out to save the girls of Zeta sorority.
Simple and vapid. This could describe Shelley and indeed, the film, but...............
..... and this is a big but, it's not that simple and / or vapid.
Yes, the film is true to the genre, formulaic, predictable, fluffy, pink and girlie, but it's also laugh out loud funny! (And chock-full of pretty girls! What's not to like?)
There are some real funny moments as Shelley takes her house of mis-fits, nerds and weirdo's and turns them into popular girls on campus. There's no real point going into details here, you need to watch the film and understand the characters, so you can see for yourself the transformations, but do look out for the Forrest Gump pastiche, very funny.
Hugh Heffner makes an appearance as well, as it is his Playboy mansion where Shelley lived at the beginning. (And he didn't really kick her out, another plot line to look out for).
All in all The House Bunny was a surprisingly good film.
Tuesday, 21 February 2012
You've Got Mail - 21st February 2012
It might be Pancake Day, but it is still Tuesday Night is Film Night and we continue our penchant for romantic comedies and our love of the legendary Tom Hanks, with this weeks offering;
You've Got Mail
Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan pair up again as romantic leads, first seen in the 1993 film Sleepless in Seattle, for this 1998 movie. Also, as with Sleepless in Settle, You've Got Mail is directed by Nora Ephron.
So, we see Meg Ryan play Kathleen Kelly, a small independent book store owner. And Tom Hanks play, Joe Fox, the owner of a huge chain of book superstores, who is opening his next superstore, just by Kathleen's store.
So, in business Kathleen and Joe are clearly enemies.
Joe and Kathleen have more than books in common though. As they both use email and chat rooms on the Internet, however, unbeknownst to these two they are chatting to each other.
So, in cyberspace, they are clearly friends.
The story follows how their business and private lives intertwine, still totally oblivious to their closeness online. Until that is, they decide to meet up and this is where Joe learns that Kathleen is the woman he is conversing with online. However, Kathleen is still unaware that Joe is her online friend, as he does not reveal his identity to her.
It's now up to Joe to fix the situation and get Kathleen to love him.
OK, so it is a formulaic romantic-comedy, the storyline is predictable, even if you haven't seen the film before, but it is lovely, cute and quaint.
There are moments of tears and laughter.
It does draw you into the story and you are there willing them to get together.
It has all the ingredients of a classic romantic-comedy and it is. Meg Ryan is as beautiful as ever and Tom Hanks is just legendary. We have never seen a bad Tom Hanks movie.
If you liked Sleepless in Seattle, then you'll love, You've Got Mail.
You've Got Mail
Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan pair up again as romantic leads, first seen in the 1993 film Sleepless in Seattle, for this 1998 movie. Also, as with Sleepless in Settle, You've Got Mail is directed by Nora Ephron.
So, we see Meg Ryan play Kathleen Kelly, a small independent book store owner. And Tom Hanks play, Joe Fox, the owner of a huge chain of book superstores, who is opening his next superstore, just by Kathleen's store.
So, in business Kathleen and Joe are clearly enemies.
Joe and Kathleen have more than books in common though. As they both use email and chat rooms on the Internet, however, unbeknownst to these two they are chatting to each other.
So, in cyberspace, they are clearly friends.
The story follows how their business and private lives intertwine, still totally oblivious to their closeness online. Until that is, they decide to meet up and this is where Joe learns that Kathleen is the woman he is conversing with online. However, Kathleen is still unaware that Joe is her online friend, as he does not reveal his identity to her.
It's now up to Joe to fix the situation and get Kathleen to love him.
OK, so it is a formulaic romantic-comedy, the storyline is predictable, even if you haven't seen the film before, but it is lovely, cute and quaint.
There are moments of tears and laughter.
It does draw you into the story and you are there willing them to get together.
It has all the ingredients of a classic romantic-comedy and it is. Meg Ryan is as beautiful as ever and Tom Hanks is just legendary. We have never seen a bad Tom Hanks movie.
If you liked Sleepless in Seattle, then you'll love, You've Got Mail.
Tuesday, 14 February 2012
Valentine's Day - 14th February 2012
So this week's Tuesday Night is Film Night falls on Valentine's Day, so what better way to celebrate St. Valentine's Day, than with a film called;
Valentine's Day
So what is Valentine's Day (the film) all about? Well, predictably it is about love. Old love, new love, young love, undiscovered love, and man love! (You'll see when you watch it).
It is a cutesy romantic comedy, with a fairly star studded cast, well some big names from recent movies; Jessica Biel, Bradley Cooper, Anne Hathaway, Eric Dane, Julia Roberts, Jamie Foxx, Jennifer Garner, Ashton Kutcher, Jessica Alba, Taylor Lautner..... the list goes on.
So, it is a very busy plot, with intertwining storylines, along the same theme as Love Actually, or New Year's Day. Although Valentine's Day seems to lack the true romance, the punch to the stomach storyline, that has you reaching for the tissues, but in fairness it does make up for it with some good laughs. So it's more of a comedy-romance, rather than a romantic comedy.
The plot seems to be very active, too much going on to draw you into the lives of those involved, but it does dangle a few lines for you to swallow, which does get you thinking. It doesn't necessarily work out the way you think it might, which is a good thing, plot twists and story turn-arounds, make for better viewing pleasure. You want to walk away from a movie saying; "I didn't think that would happen". Rather than thinking; "well, that went down a very predictable route".
As a movie for Valentine's Day, it is certainly worth the effort. For any other time of the year, well let's just say that there are better movies out there.
Having said that, it does have Anne Hathaway in it, so, what's not to like!!
Enjoy.
Valentine's Day
So what is Valentine's Day (the film) all about? Well, predictably it is about love. Old love, new love, young love, undiscovered love, and man love! (You'll see when you watch it).
It is a cutesy romantic comedy, with a fairly star studded cast, well some big names from recent movies; Jessica Biel, Bradley Cooper, Anne Hathaway, Eric Dane, Julia Roberts, Jamie Foxx, Jennifer Garner, Ashton Kutcher, Jessica Alba, Taylor Lautner..... the list goes on.
So, it is a very busy plot, with intertwining storylines, along the same theme as Love Actually, or New Year's Day. Although Valentine's Day seems to lack the true romance, the punch to the stomach storyline, that has you reaching for the tissues, but in fairness it does make up for it with some good laughs. So it's more of a comedy-romance, rather than a romantic comedy.
The plot seems to be very active, too much going on to draw you into the lives of those involved, but it does dangle a few lines for you to swallow, which does get you thinking. It doesn't necessarily work out the way you think it might, which is a good thing, plot twists and story turn-arounds, make for better viewing pleasure. You want to walk away from a movie saying; "I didn't think that would happen". Rather than thinking; "well, that went down a very predictable route".
As a movie for Valentine's Day, it is certainly worth the effort. For any other time of the year, well let's just say that there are better movies out there.
Having said that, it does have Anne Hathaway in it, so, what's not to like!!
Enjoy.
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