Tuesday, June 26, 2012

An Extract From an Article on Internet Trolls...

I'd like to thank the BBC for pointing this out...


Especially useful half-way down the page.

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Danger at the British Library

Well, I can see why they'd want to be cautious. They are a perilous 6 inches high. And who would expect stairs near a main entrance, how ridiculous!

Sunday, June 10, 2012

May Film Highlights

The 50 Word Film Reviews blog has earned me a massive £6 - oh yeaahhh!  I just need to make another £54 before I can make a withdrawal from Google!  

Cabin in the Woods (2012) Kristen Connolly, Chris Hemsworth, Anna Hutchison, Fran Kranz, Jesse Williams, Richard Jenkins, Bradley Whitford, Amy Acker. Dir: Drew Goddard.

Cabin in the Woods 50 Word Film Review

5 teens head to an isolated cabin for a holiday, while men in a bunker wait for the action to unfold. Both celebrates and parodies genre conventions, while insisting on their constant re-evaluation and renewal. It never forgets to be scary and successfully plays with your expectations and your sympathies.

DDDDd



Conquest of the Planet of the Apes (1972) Roddy McDowall, Don Murray, Ricardo Montalbán, Natalie Trundy, Hair Rhodes. Dir: J. Lee Thompson.
Conquest of the Planet of the Apes 50 Word Film Review

The apes’ baby is now 20; he arrives in the city to find evolving apes are now a slave class. The first planned sequel develops the ongoing story in a more satisfying way, even if script’s patchy and rushes along. Having an experienced director pays off with a stunning climax.

DDDd

Marley (2012) Dir: Kevin McDonald
Marley 50 Word Film Review

The life of Bob Marley, as told by his family and friends. First family-endorsed Marley documentary explores the life of an extraordinary talent and the popular, social and political impact of his music, without indulging in hagiography. Startling footage, great tunes, and real characters make it hard to improve upon.

DDDDd


Ordet (1955) Henrik Malberg, Emil Hass Christensen, Cay Kristiansen, Preben Lerdorff Rye. Dir: Carl Theodor Dreyer.


Ordet 50 Word Film Reviews
A father’s faith is tested by two less devout sons and another who believes he is Jesus. Strange but compelling drama about the nature of faith, shot with almost ghostly grace. Characters are brilliantly observed, totally natural in their lack of hysteria. Writing’s sharp, thoughtful and surprising – a real one-off.

DDDDd



The Avengers (2012) Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Tom Hiddleston, Clark Gregg, Cobie Smulders, Stellan Skarsgård, Samuel L. Jackson. Dir: Joss Whedon.

Avengers Assemble 50 Word Film Review
A team of heroes assembles to fight an alien threat. Hangs together surprisingly well, and manages to give almost everyone worthwhile material (except for Jackson). But as with other Marvel movies, the threat’s bland and too pondersome to get worked up about. Yet with so much talent involved, hard not to enjoy.

DDDD



Bringing Up Baby (1938) Cary Grant, Katherine Hepburn, Charles Ruggles, Walter Catlett, May Robson, Fritz Feld. Dir: Howard Hawks.


Bringing Up Baby 50 Word Film Review
A palaeontologist’s life is turned upside down by a debutant who happens to have a leopard. All-time classic comedy, with a snappy and outlandish script, which yields all kinds of riches. Only a double act as good as Grant and Hepburn could pull off the breakneck speed of it. Superb.

DDDDDd

Performance (1968) Edward Fox, Mick Jagger, Anita Pallenberg, Michèle Breton, John Bindon. Dir: Donald Cammell, Nicolas Roeg.

Performance 50 Word Film Review
A gangster hides in the home of a musician, who has an unexpected effect on him. Experimental film about identity which uses creative cutting and visuals to show Fox’s character unfurl, stripping away the roles he plays. Little grating, but intriguing, with alluring moments and a surprising turn from Jagger.

DDDD


The Deer Hunter (1978) Robert De Niro, Christopher Walken, John Savage, John Cazale, Meryl Streep. Dir: Michael Cimino.
The Deer Hunter 50 Word Film Review

Three friends party and hunt before shipping out to Vietnam, where events transform their lives. Powerful epic-length portrait of sheltered lives transformed by absolute horror. Beautifully shot, with sympathetic, believable characters, great performances and knife-edge terror. Thematically though, it’s muddled, occasionally style-over-substance, and lots of work for a war-is-hell message.

DDDDd

Friday, June 01, 2012

One Day I Will Get to Number 1!