Cloverfield.

"What the fuck is a Cloverfield anyway" was just part of the conversation I was listening in on whilst I was waiting for the painfully long set of adverts to finish before I could finally watch Cloverfield. The film which has had internet nerds wetting themselves ever since that first sneak peek trailer appeared on the net back in May. A Blair witch style film, about a monster attack on NYC with obvious 9/11 connotations. This is really all we knew, so did I have a clue what to expect? Well yeah I did actually, I spent the entire week before reading review after review from critics and films boffs around the globe all wanting to let the planet know just what Lost Creator JJ Abrams had brought to the table. Reviews were slightly mixed but on the whole it seemed the world was giving Cloverfield a thumbs up. I give it two. The film is pure entertainment from start to finish, and runs at such a relentless pace, that you may find yourself gasping for air at points. Those who are seeking an in depth drama, with complicated narrative and strong character development look else where, because this is not what Cloverfield is about. Nor is it your run of the mill Hollywood Blockbuster. The narrative is simplistic, but for tension, and sheer feelings of panic, you'd be hard pressed to find anything better over the last 2 years or so. By using hand held camera, and only showing brief glimpses (until a stupid full view shot of the monster at the end) of the monster, it allows the audience to feel like they are actually experiencing these truly unbelievable events that are unfolding in front of their very eyes. The Monster looks great, and you feel that some nerd somewhere is already fantasizing about a Cloverfield vs Godzilla spin off. Cloverfield will undoubtedly have it's haters, but for a truly engrossing and exciting cinema experience, Cloverfield will take some beating.

Children Of Men

Brilliant but rather worrying vision of Britain in the future. Based around the world’s first pregnancy for years, Children Of Men is a rollercoaster ride of emotion, mixing action, drama, and humour the way it should be done. Lead role Owen is fantastic as the broody yet unlikely hero, with good support from all of the other parties. Look out in particular for the Saving Private Ryan esque scene towards the films end, which can be described as nothing else, but jaw dropping. And any film that casts Michael Caine as a weed-smoking hippy is one not to be missed.

Death Proof.

Before I continue, I must point out that this film is meant to be viewed as part of a double bill with Robert Rodriguez's "Planet Terror" known as "Grindhouse" Both films pay homage to cheap budget slasher/ horror flicks made back in the 60's and 70's. Two films would be shown back to back, and would be known as a "Grindhouse"

So Death Proof, Tarantino returns to the big screen is stylish fashion. The film is devoid of any real narrative, choosing rather to feed off of the films characters which are the main attraction here. The film divides in to two halves, with Kurt Russell's manic character pursuing a group of females in his car "Death Proof" Sounds fucking shit doesn't it? Well actually the film is on the whole enjoyable and has all of the usual Tarantino charm. The soundtrack as usual, is brilliant, as are the actors who play their roles delightfully. Sticking to usual "grindhouse" fashion, it is completely over the top, look out for the first death scene where 3 deaths are shown from a variety of different angles.

So on the whole a decent notch on the bed post for Tarantino. Although, I feel now with Tarantino that the wait for "the next Pulp Fiction" is going to be a long one.

Oi Oi

This seems to be the new trend, so I thought I would jump on the bandwagon and make one of these bad bois for myself. I will mostly be posting my thoughts on films that I have seen recently, and also documenting any specific days/nights that stain my memory banks.

Enjoy