Gosford Park

Director: Robert Altman Main Stars: Maggie Smith, Michael Gambon, Kristen Scott Thomas, Stephen Fry, Helen Mirren
Release: 2001
Date Viewed: 31 January 2012

Summary

Set in the 1930’s an upper class family has invited a group of their friends for a weekend shooting party. As the party takes place many secrets are revealed and both servants and friends want to get to William McCordle’s money. The house in which it takes place is run in order by the servants but as the secrets and betrayals get revealed from servants and the upper class and the mysterious death of William doesn’t bring much grief to the friends and staff. The question left is who did it?

Response

I found this film very slow and hard to get into to. It drags on and the question for who murdered the man of the house is never answered. I found it quite confusing at the start for there are many storylines crossing between the characters. The film is full of top stars which give good performances especially the character that Maggie Smith played, but the film itself wasn’t that great. It may be as heritage style films aren’t really my kind of thing but it just seemed like it went on for longer than what it was. If it was a little more pacey and less storylines crossing over it could be better. A thumbs down for this film from me sadly.

From Russia With Love

From Russia With Love

Director: Terence Young

Year of Production: 1963

Stars:  Sean Connery , Robert Shaw , Lotte Lenya

Summary:  Bond is sent willingly into a trap to bring back a russian decoder involving a naive Russian agent Tatinana Rommanova. What she doesnt reliase however is that she is secretly helping SPECTRE headed by Blofled who plan to kill Bond in revenge of him killing Dr No in the previous film. Bond is taken to Istanbul where he meets up with ally Kerin Bay to recover the Decoder whilst being hunted down by two Spectre agents 'Red' Grant and Rosa Klebb the woman with a knife in her shoe. 

My Thoughts:  In my opinion is the best of the orignal Bond films with Connery at the helm, this is due to the fact that it contains Two brilliant villians and Bond Girl. The pre title sequence is very clever in catching the vierwers attention as its shocks the viewer into thinking thew impossible is possible with *SPOLIER* 'Bond' being killed*SPOLIER*. Something to note is that its brilliantly made with such a small budget and unlike some of the later Bonds it is narratively driven with an engaging plot which is porbably one that is most centred around Spies. Something that is quite eye rasing is the level of violence Bond shows towards the Women from giving her a slap for reaching out to a phone to full on slapping her round the face, its not even toned down as the use of Foley is used to emphasise the slap! Overall a very rewarding Bond film with lots of great action scene ( dodging a helicopter) and probably the closest it comes to being true to Flemings creation.

8/10



Juno

Juno

Year of production:  2007

Director: Jason Reitman

Main Stars: Ellen page, Michael Cera and Jennifer Gardner

Summary: The story revolves around a 16 year old girl called Juno  (Page)who finds herself pregnant after sleeping with her best friend Bleak (Cera). She changes her mind about having an abortion and instead finds herself getting to know a young couple (Gardner and Bateman). It’s a story of both growing up and relationships. It follows her through 4 seasons and the various issues that arise with a teenage pregnancy.

Thoughts: I thought this film was great as it tackles a well-known and often sensitive area but makes it funny instead of a deep film. I think Juno is played fantastically well and I feel the film works well within our age group as the characters are all meant to be around the same age. The use of the Sketches throughout the film when indicating what season the film is in enhances the fact that it is being shot from Juno perspective and I get the feeling it was like a ‘Scrapbook ‘of her. The soundtrack is superb most songs mirroring perfectly the attitudes of both Juno and Bleak. My only negative would have to be the relationship between Juno and the would be father, i understand its meant to highlight how unhappy he is but I found he was out across as a paedophile which I’m sure he’s not. Overall a bittersweet, moving story of what love is and the joys of being a teenager.

8/10

Notes on a Scandal

Director: Richard Eyre

Main Stars: Judi Dench, Cate Blanchett, Bill Nighy, Juno Temple

Date of Release: 2009

Date Viewed: 7/1/12

Brief Summary:

A bohemian art teacher, Sheba, escapes the boredom of her dysfunctional family life by conducting a relationship with her 15 year old pupil. Meanwhile an infatuated fellow teacher stumbles upon the affair and uses the secret to manipulate and control Sheba, securing her loyalty as a friend.

Response:

I thought the film was brilliant! It effectively blurred right and wrong into a grey haze as opposed to the typical convention of Good vs Evil which allows only sympathy for the almost faultless protagonist. Although Dench’s role was essentially as the “villain” of the film, each individual character had flaws and made their own mistakes; over complicating things for themselves and forcing them to take responsibility for their actions. The audience was able to see the nature behind Dench’s character and identify with her as the strong narrative allowed her to talk directly to the viewer via her private diary and justify her behaviour. In this way, the character developments and downfalls were both believable and thought provoking. 

500 Days Of Summer

500 Days of Summer
Director: Marc Webb
Main Stars: Zooey Deschanel, Joseph Gordon-Levitt
Date of Release: 2009
Date Viewed: 27th January 2012

SummaryTom Hanson reflects back on his year spent with his thought to be love of his life Summer. As their relationship grows stronger Summer leaves Tom wishing to be friends. Tom mopes around for days until the two meet at a wedding. Summer is engaged leaving Tom more depressed until a new love interest comes into sight... Autumn.
ResponseI really enjoyed this film and wasn't confused by the fact that the events don't happen in chronological order. It is a great twist on the romantic/comedy genre. It is a light hearted film with a great dance sequence which was a little random but also a film where you can feel the emotions for the characters which was shown through a split scene sequence .
Exam Use
It was an independent production that was funded for distribution by Fox Searchlight Pictures and achieved a profit of over $60 million worldwide, and won several awards and had several nominations.

Dorian Gray

Good Evening Evil Enteties. I am here to slay the film Dorian Gray so without further ado here it is.
Director: Oliver Parker
Main Stars: Ben Barnes, Colin Firth, Rebecca Hall.
Year of release: 2009
Date Viewed: 20/01/2012
Plot Summary: When Dorian Gray arrives in London he is quickly swept up into a web of socialisation and gentry like parties by his friend Lord Henry Wotton. He is introduced to artist Basil Hallward who creates a portairt of Dorian. When the painting is unveiled he pledges anything and everything including his soul to stay the way he is in the picture. He later meets and falls in love with Actress Sybil Vane who kills herself after and arguement. Dorian learns of her death from her brother Jim and Henry convinces him that all events are meaningless. Later Dorian discovers that his pledge of selling his soul fot the painting has become true. Dorian reveals his secret to Basil bt kills and disposes of his body soon afterwards. Dorian leaves London but returns many years later and begins to fall in love with Herny's daughter Emily. He is then confronted by Jim again who is killed by a train. Dorian tries to persuade emily to leave the country with him but before he can henry deduces the source of Gray's everlasting youth and goes in search of the painitng of him. Henry knocks Dorian unconcious in the attic alongside the painting and leaves the house dragging elizabeth with just before it explodes. In an epilogue we are show Henry scarred, attempting to reconsile with his daughet over the phone. He then head's up to the attic and looks at Dorian's portriat before saying "Poor boy, for who can bear to look at you now." and the film ends.
Personal Opinion: I think this film was amazing. I have seen the origjnal and read the book as well and ths film lived up to the standards of the previous two. Ben barnes portrayed the character of Dorian Gray perfectly with the other Characters of henry and Basil also being well utilised. I think this film is well worth anybody watching. Lovers of fantasy, old films, and i daresay even people with a slight interest in gothic horror would enjoy this film.

Film Viewing List

New year - new viewing list! This time focusing on British films - so start viewing!

Any RANK movie, 4.3.2.1, 500 Days of Summer, Another Year, Atonement, Babies, Beautiful Thing, Blue Velvet, Boat That Rocked, Brassed Off, Bullet Boy, Carry on Camping, Carry on Up the Khyber, Carry on Screaming, Cemetery Junction, Cleopatra Jones, Creation,Dorian Gray, Dracula Prince of Darkness, East is East, Easy Riders Raging Bulls, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, For Colored Girls, From Russia With Love, Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, Gosford Park, Gypo, The History Boys, I Am Love, In The Loop, Japanese Story, Jubilee, Juno, Kaboom, Kes, Leaving, Let Me In, My Summer of Love, Not Another Teen Movie, Notes on a Scandal, Orlando, Paris is Burning, Quatermass and the Pit, Ratcatcher, Rocky Horror Picture Show, Rumblefish, Senna, Secrets and Lies, Slacker, Somerstown, Summer, To the Devil a Daughter, The Future is Written (Joe Strummer), Thumbsucker, Telstar, The Vampire Lovers, Witchfinder General, Withnail and I