The Strangers

Synopsis: A couple come back to an isolated summer house from what seems to be a romantic night out. Atmosphere rises and tempers build they sit apart thinking about what to do next, as they try to make up their interrupted by a group of wonderers looking for something to keep them occupied. Doors get knocked on, lights go out and things get out of hand as they both fight for their life on what’s meant to be the happiest day of their life.

Right, I’m not sure about this one, I don’t know if I like it. When I saw the trailer I couldn’t wait for this film to come out I thought it was going to give me the same chills I felt when watching Scream for the first time. The beginning slowly built to a jumpy start with the bass from the surround sound slowly pulling up the hairs on the back of my neck but I started to lose focus on the tension as the film progressed as the style seemed to be the same. Although I had a man behind me shouting out all the things that were going to happen, it was predictable at times but you didn’t need someone to point out the obvious. But for the director Bryan Bertino, his first feature debut was shot great and well thought out with interesting ways to make you jump and feel nervous. The camera work had that shaky documentary approach making you feel like something is always going to happen with a set and locations that shows the audience that there isn’t anyone close to help them, it does want to make you know though how much of it is based on the truth? I thought the performance by Scott Speedman and Liv Tyler for their emotion throughout the film was good but were let down at times because of the dialogue braking the tension in a comical way due to some of the feeble words coming from Liv’s mouth, it lost its feeling of realness becoming predictable as her character doesn’t seem to change throughout the film by bumping into things and baiting herself up. Then just as you start to think, right now the knocking on the walls and standing in corridors trying to freak them out has stopped, are the antagonists going get involve in some action? They do but its ended short. Only running at 85mins, maybe another 10 more would have ended it well.

Worth seeing in the cinema: YES (With a date on Orange Wednesdays)

Worth buying on DVD: YES (If you enjoyed it but I’d wait until it goes down in price)

The Mummy 3: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor

Synopsis: With Rick and Evelyn O’Connell retired their son Alex stumbles across the tomb of the dragon empire. As things get out of hand and the emperor is awakened Rick and Evelyn find themselves back into adventure as they try to solve family problems with their son and save the world from the un-dead Chinese terracotta army.

I did not feel the same buzz I felt when watching the first mummy film, maybe because I had not seen a film like it before or maybe because the third part of the trilogy was and effortless revamp of a franchise that was made to make money. There was no heart and soul put into the script as most of what I was watching was predictable even though I did not expect the arrival of the yetis in one of the scenes that come running out from behind the mountains, even though they look good digitally, I feel that they made the film worse . The replacement of Rachel Weisz makes the relationship between Rick O’Connell and Evelyn O’Connell seem a bit artificial compared to the previous films as Maria Bello looks uneasy trying to live up to previous performances and doesn’t come close to delivering. The dialogue is poor throughout the film as they try to make jokes that are not that funny but what do you expect with one liners like “yeah same mummy, twice” as Brendon Frasier argues with his son (Luke Ford) that looks 10 years younger than him. I thought Jet Li was going to be in more of the film but for half it the mummy was played by a CGI terracotta statue which I didn’t mind because the effects where cool but I feel they could of done a lot more with his martial arts skills. While John Hannah is really the funniest part of the film playing the scared brother in law who ends up somehow getting involved in the adventure even though he shouldn’t be there and it’s as if he was put into the film to make it better than what the film actually is.

Worth seeing in the cinema: No (Shouldn’t rush out to see it if you want to)

Worth buying on DVD: YES (Only to complete the mummy DVD collection)

Wall-E

Synopsis: A single cleaning robot has been left to clean the planet as the human race leave waiting to return when life is suitable to live on earth. After 700 years Wall-e falls in love with a new age robot that lands on earth to find life and ends up on a journey that takes him into outer space to prove his love for her.

I could not find any flaws with this film other than It doesn’t have as many adult jokes as the other Pixar films but what do you expect when it a kids film. Visually it is amazing with the look of the earth polluted and covered in rubbish to the manmade holiday destination in space. Even though for the first half an hour you hear nothing but the robotic voice of Wall-e, it manages to keep you entertained with the way he acts and the items he comes across as he cleans the planet all by himself with nothing but a pet cockroach to keep him company. As the story unravels you come to find that all Wall-e wants is to be loved and you can’t help but care for the small cute out of date robot. It’s a simplistic love story for children and adults which could easily bring a tear to your eye if you’re the soft hearted type but in all fairness will make the hardest nut still feel warm inside. It also has the secret message, which can’t be missed, of the way we treat our planet and how life is an important thing. Perfect for kids and great family entertainment that shouldn’t be missed by any means necessary, definitely Pixar’s best film yet.

Worth seeing in the cinema: YES

Worth buying on DVD: YES (Will be worth adding to your collection of Pixar movies)

The Dark Knight

Synopsis: As the Dark Knight can’t work out whether he’s actually any good for Gotham city the Joker runs a riot blowing things up for fun, stuck in the middle of all this is Harvey Dent, the man seen as the white light of Gotham city who tries to put away the bad guys without the use of a mask. As things take a turn of events batman must choose what is right for Gotham and put his previous relationships behind him.

This is a very entertaining sequel and compared to the first segment by Christopher Nolan I would personally say its better. A striking performance by the late Heath Ledger that shows more of a dark side from the joker compared to others that have played this part in the past, with Christian Bale still pulling off the two personalities of Bruce Wayne and the Batman I wonder how he doesn't get a sore throat from that husky voice he puts on. From other reviews I’ve read some say it glorifies terrorism but I believe that the message being put across through the characters is that there’s one side of us that follows rules (Batman), the other side that doesn’t (Joker) and that all this chaos and redemption happens by one single difference, chance (Harvey Dent). It can be easy to lose the plot due to the brilliant action scenes but as far as action films go this is top notch; this is definitely a film that if you watched it first time on DVD you would regret not seeing it in the cinema. I don’t think it should of been a 12A though because of the use of knives in the film and especially what is going on with the knife crime of today but if you know your child is level headed then certainly one to take him/her to see.

Worth seeing in the cinema: YES

Worth buying on DVD: YES (The extras will be great)