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American Hustle
#57 Stand by Me (1986)
.JPG)
Directed by: Rob ReinerStarring: Wil Wheaton, River Phoenix, Corey Feldman
Everyone must have seen this so i'll keep my views on it short.
Stand by Me evokes so many emotions. It's funny, tearjerking, tragic and heartwarming all at different times. It's a coming of age story that will make you cherish your friends and feel grateful that they're in your life.
It's well paced and each scene delivers something valid to the story. If you've not seen this, do so, you can thank me later.
#56 The Mist (2007)
.JPG)
Directed by: Frank DarabontStarring: Thomas Jane, Marcia Gay Harden, Laurie Holden
The Mist is one in a long line of Stephen King adaptations. The best of course, is The Shining, look out for that in a future review. This, however, seems to have split opinion amongst audiences and holds mixed reviews across the web.
Those mixed feelings sum up my thoughts on the movie too. One the one hand I feel that it's technically very good. The camera work and editing are all done very well and I really like some of the direction. On the other hand, however, I found the ending to be somewhat of a letdown and some of the characters annoying and underdeveloped. I'd recommend watching this and making up your own mind.
#55 Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011)
.JPG)
Directed by: Rupert WyattStarring: Andy Serkis, Karin Konoval, James Franco
The original planet of the apes is one of my all time favourite films. Even some of the sequels weren't too bad, with beneath the planet of the apes actually being really enjoyable.
I was, however, sceptical about this reboot. The Mark Whalberg version was dreadful and I feared this would go the same way.
The performances here are decent without being outstanding. Franco suits his role well without ever really excelling. This goes for most of the main cast. It does look incredible though, with the apes being the standout feature.
It's a strange film that makes the audience root for human extinction but this does exactly that. I found myself cheering on Caesar in his quest for freedom, even though I knew exactly what it would lead too.
In summary, Rise of the Planet of the Apes is the reboot I always wanted. It looks great, has a well written script and a nicely paced story. It also, importantly, pays homage to and respects the original. Highly recommended.
#54 Gangster Squad (2013)
.JPG)
Directed by: Ruben FleischerStarring: Sean Penn, Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone
Gangster squad features an all star cast. Man of the moment Ryan Gosling and one of Hollywood's current starlets, Emma Sone, promise a lot from this gangster film.
It's a difficult film to hate, in that it's immense fun to watch. From the very beginning to the end it really is an enjoyable ride, without ever being particularly great. I think had the cast been of a lesser standard i'd find this an easy problem to accept, but with the talent on show, it certainly feels like a missed opportunity.
With that being said, it's definitely a guilty pleasure film. One to watch when you want some mindless violence with a great cast. I just wish it had slightly more substance as it had the chance to deliver something really special.
#53 Broken City (2013)
Directed by: Allen HughesStarring: Mark Wahlberg, Russell Crowe, Catherine Zeta-Jones
Broken City has some big name actors and actresses and promised quite a lot. Unfortunately, while there is some good here, the script ruins what could have been a fine political thriller.
It holds together reasonably well and generally, there are good performances from the leads. The problem is that the material they are working with is extremely poor and some of the scenes seem to have just been stuck in as an after thought.
I wouldn't necessarily recommend this, but it's certainly entertaining and an easy watch. The big name actors scrape enough together to avoid it being disastrous.
#52 Piranha 3DD (2012)
Directed by: John GulagerStarring: Danielle Panabaker, Matt Bush
I'm struggling to find anything good to write about this. While the 2010 version of Piranha was far from a masterpiece, this makes it look like the best horror film ever made.
Piranha 3DD takes the general concept of the first but fails to deliver on every level imaginable. The acting is atrocious, the gags unfunny and the script dire. I can't really bring myself to say much more about this so i'll finish with one word to sum it all up...
Garbage.
#51 Piranha (2010)
.JPG)
Directed by: Alexandre AjaStarring: Pete Goldfinger, Josh Stolberg
Piranha is surprisingly great fun. The acting is decent and the story moves at quite a pace. Some of the scenes do seem a bit laboured but overall I really enjoyed it.
It's gory, funny and never takes itself too seriously. The plot is as thin and basic as they come but that can be forgiven in the context of the films genre. Watch this with an open mind and it's most certainly an enjoyable, yet gory ride.
#50 Dumbo (1941)
.JPG)
Directed by: Samuel ArmstrongStarring: James Baskett, Herman Bing
Dumbo pretty much sums up the phrase, short and sweet. With a runtime of 64 minutes, it's probably the shortest film I'll watch during this challenge.
I'll start off by saying that this looks simply made. The animations and art of the lesser characters are, at times, poor and not particularly detailed. The story is also pretty basic and you can see that Disney cut corners in the production of this, probably to save money.
With that being said, the film delivers on so many levels. The story is heartbreaking as well as joyous, bringing even grown men to tears! The characters are loveable too and show that it doesn't matter how much a film costs to make, it's success ultimately relies on it's narrative.
Dumbo is an all time Disney classic and probably my favourite ever animated picture. It's heartwarming as well as heartbreaking, but always extremely sentimental. By telling a simple story, it hasn't tried to be a masterpiece. However, by telling it so effectively, we get just that.... A masterpiece.
#49 The Road (2009)
.JPG)
Directed by: John HillcoatStarring: Viggo Mortensen, Charlize Theron
The Road was released during a time when post apocalyptic films were coming thick and fast. This is probably the most dark and gritty of them all. It has a huge sense of dispair running throughout, which makes for hugely depressing viewing.
With that said, the film is very well made. The cinematography is, at times, breathtaking and the performances are all very good. I really felt for the central characters and they all evoked strong emotions.
The Road is a terrific piece of cinema, but it's also one of the most depressing films I've ever seen. I'd recommend this to anyone, just dont watch it on a day you're feeling low, or it might just send you over the edge....
#48 Johnny English Reborn (2011)
.JPG)
Directed by: Oliver ParkerStarring: Roger Barclay, Rowan Atkinson
I really like the original Johnny English film and was sceptical to hear they were making this sequel. It did however surprise me by not ending up as a complete rehash of the original.
Rowan Atkinson, as usual, plays his role really well. His facial expressions alone make for some laugh out loud moments. Some of the gags are surprisingly well written with barely any toilet humour or sex jokes, which seem to plague many comedies of recent years.
There are times where it does feel a bit uninspired though, and moments of predictability keep cropping up. A couple of the jokes feel like they were taken directly from the original, slightly altered, and then crammed into this, although these are few and far between.
Overall, Johnny English Reborn is a watchable, funny, basic comedy. The plot doesn't offer a lot in the way of substance, but laughs are present throughout. Don't take it too seriously and you will find enough good here to make you feel this sequel was warranted.
#47 Twelve Monkeys (1995)
.JPG)
Director: Terry GilliamStarring: Bruce Willis, Brad Pitt
Where do you begin when talking about Twelve Monkeys. It's such an unbelievably complex film that I'm wondering if I need to create a whole new blog just dedicated to it. The underlying problem I have with writing about this film is my indecision as to whether or not I actually like it. Beacause of this, I will break it down and talk about each major point.
Firstly, the performances. Bruce Willis is fantastic in his role. It's a tricky part to play but he does superbly. Brad Pitt is also a standout performer with his character being one of the highlights of the whole film. Madeleine Stowe's character as the female lead/love interest i found to be a bit annoying though. Her performance, at times, seemed a bit unrealistic too, especially in the initial kidnapping scenes.
Next, the cinematography. For a film made in the nineties, it holds up pretty well to todays standards. Nothing looks too ridiculous or badly done. Some of the sets look fantastic too, especially when you consider when this was released.
As for the story, it's complicated but not too tough to follow. There are a few plot holes, although few compared to many other time travel themed films. Looking at the likes of Looper, which has lots of problems, Twelve Monkeys actually does really well at limiting the amount of continuity errors. One of the issues I had though, was trying to actually decipher what the film was trying to be. A comedy, a drama, a thriller or a mix of all three. That's where my main problem lies, as it all feels slightly confused as to it's genre. I think it would have worked better by just choosing one and following it. I have no issue with dashes of humour in a film, but this seemed too much at times and made other elements seem devoid of any real direction.
Overall, Twelve Monkeys is a very good Sci-Fi film. One of the best time travel films I have seen and holds up well to multiple viewings. Its flaws, of which it has few, are unfortunately too big for me to dismiss and end up leaving me with slight disappointment. I would however, highly recommend watching this for yourself and making up your own mind.
#46 Fast and Furious 5 (2011)
.JPG)
Directed by: Justin LinStarring: Vin Diesel, Paul Walker
It's incredibly rare that the fifth instalment in a film franchise turns out to be the best. In fact, I can't think of any examples, apart from this.
By now, the characters are all pretty settled in their roles and it shows. The performances are decent and the chemistry between them all is marvellous to watch. The inclusion of Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson is a master stroke and his character immediately makes an impact.
The story is well balanced and generally entertaining. It is, as you would expect, incredibly far fetched but as I've explained in my previous reviews, this isn't a problem due to the sheer nature of the films style. It can get away with almost anything and credit for that has to go to director, Justin Lin. His F&F films have become better and better with each instalment.
Fast Five takes everything that was good about the previous films and improves on them. It's more daring, more action packed and more outrageous than anything we've seen so far. This is, to date, the definitive Fast and Furious film that all it's successors must follow.
#45 Fast and Furious (2009)
Directed by: Justin LinStarring: Vin Diesel, Paul Walker
The original cast finally return!
This fourth entry into the series has received some horrible reviews. Critics panned it with one saying that, 'only 13-year-old boys and Jeremy Clarkson could possibly enjoy this'. I consider myself to dislike most 13-year-olds and Jeremy Clarkson, however I really like this film!
It's a massive step forward from 2 Fast and, for me, equals the thrills of Tokyo Drift. The action scenes here are terrific and the acting much improved from the previous two entries. Many scenes are completely devoid of logic and outside the realms of reality, however this is what makes Fast and Furious films so enjoyable.
If you watched this and disliked it, I urge you to revisit it and give it another chance. I found it highly enjoyable.
#44 The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift (2006)
Directed by: Justin LinStarring: Lucas Black, Bow Wow
Justin Lin introduces himself to the Fast and Furious world here, with Tokyo Drift. He has since gone on to direct all the future films and I can see why.
F&F Tokyo Drift is one of those films that I know i shouldn't like, but can't help doing so. It doesn't have the out and out quality of the later entries but its just a whole lot of fun. I'm grateful it turned out this way as the series desperately needed a shot in the arm after the despair of 2 Fast 2 Furious.
The whole drifting concept works well and while it's not terribly well acted, it doesn't need to be. It relies heavily on action and the thrill of each race. Visually is great and I love the soundtrack.
While this isn't the most complete entry into the series, it's certainly one of the most enjoyable. It brought us back to the thrills achieved in the original and paved the way for some successful sequels. For that, I'm truly grateful.
#43 2 Fast 2 Furious (2003)
Directed by: John SingletonStarring: Paul Walker, Tyrese Gibson
Let me start off by saying that I loved the original. It started what is currently one of the most enjoyable franchises in cinema.
With that being said, 2 Fast 2 Furious is a complete mess. It's no surprise when you consider that everything, apart from Paul Walker, has been changed from the original. A different cast, location and director all make for the worst entry in the series.
The race sequences are generally pretty good, but alongside these is a sloppy script and some terrible acting from Eva Mendes and Cole Hauser. The best, and only, good thing to come from this is the introduction of Tyrese Gibson and Ludacris. Their characters have continued in the series and are an integral part to its current success.
While I'm a huge fan of the series, this is the one and only Fast and Furious film I won't ever be watching again.
#42 The Fast and the Furious (2001)
.JPG)
Directed by: Rob CohenStarring: Vin Diesel, Paul Walker
So, it all began here. It's spawned various sequels, crossed numerous continents and made a ridiculous amount of money. The Fast and the Furious franchise has been a massive Hollywood hit.
Revisiting this, I wasn't entirely sure what I would make of it. Having seen the newer more special effect heavy sequels, this seemed like I would be returning to petty underground street races for small money. Surprisingly though, it's actually very similar to every other film in the franchise, just everything is done on a much smaller scale.
The dialogue is bad, the story predictable and the performances questionable but that's what every person that has ever seen a Fast and Furious film has come to expect from them. Had I seen this now for the first time without having seen a F&F film, I no doubt would be slating it. The truth, however, is that after watching so many of them, all of the aforementioned problems become, well, part of the film experience!
The biggest positive I can give any F&F film is that it doesn't try to be something it's not. This original follows that to the letter. It knows all it's good for is mindless popcorn street racing and for that, I give it credit. It's probably also the reason i've fallen slightly in love with the whole franchise.
#41 Onibaba (1964)
.JPG)
Onibaba (English translation, Demon Hag) tells the story of two women who have been left to fend for themselves after all of the men in their region have gone to war.There was less dialogue throughout the film than I expected and therefore, Onibaba relies heavily on the acting performances of the two female leads. They are both excellent, especially the older woman. I found the whole film was superbly acted.
The atmosphere during the film is terrific and shots of the long, swaying grass coupled with the eerie sound effects make for some very creepy scenes. In fact, the surroundings of this film create an enclosed, tense atmosphere which turn it into a stylised horror. It may be set in a vast field, but the way it's shot means that we rarely ever see more than a couple of feet in front of a character at any one time. This constant foray into the unknown gets more and more tense as the film progresses with the characters having more at stake.
Having never seen Onibaba before today, I would wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone. It's clearly influenced many modern day horror films and it should definitely be seen. Whether foreign language films interest you or not, this is every bit a classic that shouldn't be ignored.
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