Halloween 2 - 2010 * * * *

Never trust anyone.

I still fail to see why Malcom McDowell has to appear in these films and I make no exception here, his part appears pointless and just ceases to stupify the film. I thought this was loads better than the first Halloween remake. However Sheri Moon Zombie wandering around in a white dress with a horse by her side in a dream-like state was a bit stupid. Some nice gruesome killings to bring the calibre of the film up to speed again so that's something. Nothing to do with the original Halloween 2 though.

The Final Destination - 2009 * * * * *

Rest in pieces.


I have seen all of the Final Destination movies and this by far surpresses all the others. The killings are brilliantly thought out, the story is really individual ( although still settling with the whole 'vision before you die' aspect that makes the 'Destinations' unique). The ending was pretty good as well and may of the scenes made me want to hide behind the sofa. A must for anyone who has been an avid fan of the other movies in the series, I think this would be a great high to end the series on so hopefully this is the last one.

She Done Him Wrong - 1933 * * *

Mae West is really something else. She's totally different in style, personality and appearance from any other actress of the 30s. Sure Jean Harlow was blonde, and Gloria Swanson had style, but Mae West seems light years ahead of her time when it comes to sexualising herself or telling crude jokes. Many of her quotes are still famous today because of their shocking content and you can see here why she is still so amazing. To be honest the story isn't really up to much, but if it means getting to see Mae West wear extravagent dresses and mutter her now infamous 'come up and see me some time' like with a smirk and drawl is priceless.

Blood Creek - 2009 *

The nightmare has awakened.

My partner said this was a huge flop and not worth wasting time on but sometimes we vary on films we see and so I gave it a shot anyway. What an idiot I was. This film screams out for help and for a realistic storyline. The idea that we meet a man whose brother is presumed dead in action and who then turns up randomly hell-bent on shotting some random man who lives ages away on a farm is stupid. The fact that the brother then gets his brother to help him and they both go around shooting people and keeping some people hostage but oooo half of them are already dead is hardly practical. I won't go further, I have probably already ruined most of the film for you, but it may be better this way than you having to endure the garbage of nearly 2 hours. I normally hate it when people say they have 'wasted 2 hours of my life' but I couldn't agree more here.

The Ugly Truth - 2009 * * * *

The battle of the sexes is on.

I've heard this film slated on many reviewing sites and to be honest I was having doubts about whether I would last for more than 10 minutes.

A film where the leading man is a chauvinistic pig who thinks all women want horrible males is hardly the most appealing premise for a rom-com. However Heigl and Butler bounce off each other to hilarious effect including one hysterical scene featuring some vibrating pants. The thing I don't like about this movies is that the intelligent and independent women are always construed as loners or 'boring' if they are dedicated to their jobs as opposed to jumping into bed with loads of men in a short space of time whilst on a high of booze. However you can't take this movie too seriously and both actors are pretty good to watch so a good effort all round, although you know from the start what will happen at the end.

Sorority Row - 2009 * * *

They share a killer secret.

For a start, I wanted to see this really to see if Audrina from 'The Hills' ( one of my favourite shows) could act. Well I hardly had a chance to make my mind up considering she was out of the film almost as soon as it had started.

I've seen the original Sorority Row and it didn't do much for me. I thought the acting was rather dull and unexciting whereas in this remake I was freaked out, gripped and slightly scared. This almost never happens with a remake so I guess the directors were doing something right. The idea of never knowing who you can trust was fairly prominent in this film and the end did come as a surprise. The actresses all belong to a brand of American 'babes' who seem to appear in every new horror film that comes out so they were all familiar.

A scary film, a silly film but a bit of fun anyways.

St Trinian's - * * * *

School's a riot.

I had wanted to see this for ages, although being a typically 'girly' film did put me off it at first. Then I realised that if it was based on the classic St Trinian's movies with Alastair Sims then it couldn't be too bad.

The cast is brilliant, with special highlights from Rupert Everett ( who plays not just a man, but also his own twin sister - hilarious!), Colin Firth and Russell Brand.

The school is threatened with closure by Colin Firth and it is up to the girls of St Trinian's to save the day with a little help from their alcohol and drug-dependent teachers ( check out Rupert Everett's false teeth!). Fellow Cambridge student Lily Cole and 'the girl from 2 pints of lager' are amoung the girls at the school, but it's ok because you'll be guaranteed to recognise over half of them anyway which is good for a laugh.

Light and frothy fun with a tad of a dark undertone this is a film for anyone really, not just us girls.

Already Dead - 2007 * * *

It's never too late for revenge.

I've never heard of this but liked the sound of the title and actually the story didn't turn out too bad at all.

Based around a man's revenge on the murder of his son, we follow him as he meets the supposed killer of his child and find out how he copes and whether he can stay an innocent man.

Very good performances from both lead men backed up by Christopher Plummer. The end shocked me. Probably not worth a re-viewing though.

The Ramen Girl - 2008 * * *

She's on pins and noodles.

Not a bad film, 'the Ramen Girl' follows Brittany Murphy to Tokyo where a bad breakup with a boyfriend causes her to take solace in a Japanese restaurant where she is introduced to her first bowl of Ramen.
Captured by the dish, she convinces the owner to teach her how to make the perfect Ramen and along the way starts to analyse not just her food, but her life.
Murphy hasn't quite reached the pitiful state she had later on in the year as her drug-taking took over and so this was a pleasant enough film with some funny and heartfelt parts.

Crimes and Misdemeanors - 1989 * * *

A film about humanity.

Woody Allen films are never funny, more tragically farcical. His plots are never light and always tend to deal with intricate family relationships or his love for one woman who won't reciprocate his affections.

When a rich businessman tires of his affair with a beautiful woman he does the only thing he thinks will cause the least hassle on all parts - he gets his brother to hire a hit man to bump her off so she will never spill the details to his wife.

Meanwhile Woody Allen is trapped in a loveless and passionless marriage and spends his days going to classic films with his niece and dreaming up ideas for films he could make. His whole life is unfulfilled and agonising for him.

I do like Woody Alen very much and although he tends to deal with dreadful subject matter I can usually raise a smile at his ridiculous over-the-top attitude.

Jack Ketchum's The Girl Next Door - 2007 * * *

Murder became the neighbourhood game.

Few people are unaware of the disgusting and brutal murder of Sylvia Likens by Gertrude Baniszewski in 1960's America. It shocked everybody. This will shock you too. The film is based roughly on the events that led up to the torture and death of a young girl who, along with her younger sister are taken in by a friend of their parents after they die. Little does the child know that her nightmare has just begun.
A heartbreaking and brutal film made all the more gastly by the true story factor, this is a film that should be seen, if only to show how vile our society has become.

Mr Skeffington - 1944 * * * * *

She was very lucky that Mr Skeffington was such a gentlemen!

I have yet to see a movie where Bette Davis doesn't totally light up the scene and this was no exception. I am very fond of Claude Rains and have seen a number of his films now ( he reminds me of Ronald Colman) and had heard great things about this movie. Set in the time period just before the 1st world war we are introduced to Fanny Trellis, a beautiful and vain young girl who lives in a beautiful old house. Her life is a constant series of proposals from eligible young men all desperate to win her hand but in reality she is not interested. After an embarassing incident where Fanny finds out her brother has been scamming the place he works at she meets Mr Skeffington, the manager of her brother's office. A few days later they are married, but Mr Skeffington is soon to realise that Fanny Trellis will not change her attitude or lifestyle for anyone, not even him.

The scale of acting in this film is extraordinary and both Rains and Davis are brilliant together. I couldn't help but cry towards the end of the movie when Rains gives a heartbreaking performance.

A must see for anybody who wants to watch 'proper' acting.

What's New Pussycat? - 1965 * * * *

How you cats will laugh!

Now this was a FUNNY film. Sellers is hilarious as a psychologist who has a tough life dealing with all his crazy and mentally unbalanced patients including sexually promiscuous women ( most of whom take a fancy to him) and a sexually promiscuous male ( who takes a fancy to all the women and is unable to commit to his fiancee). Add a load of ridiculous situations ( including one of the most slapstick sequences in a hotel I have ever seen) and a small appearance from the beautiful Ursula Andress and you have a film that is quite literally a laugh a minute.

There's a Girl in my soup - 1970 * * *

A saucy romance.

I am on a Peter Sellers rush at the moment. I watched this today hoping to escape back to the 1970s and I found I almost did. Sellers meets Goldie Hawn one night and a brief 'relationship' they go away together to all the smart and posh events that are Sellers' life ( he is a food critic) which are incidentally all the types of events that Hawn is NOT accustomed to leading to some embarassing but funny circumstances. Goldie Hawn is a pretty funny actress and I normally like things that Sellers is in, so a good choice for a Saturday viewing.