Driving Lessons

Not a greatly known film I don't think, but I think it is quite a good one. Lots of funny one liners from all the characters and both Rupert Grint and Julie Walters are great in this film.
Although some parts of this film do seem a little slow and without much story, I have seen this film so many times because of the funny relationship between Ben and Evie (Grint and Walters). Evie is an eccentric actress and Ben is the vicars son who goes to help her out around the house. After practicing Shakespeare in the garden, they embark on a camping journey which takes them to Edinburgh and back.
I love this film and will definately come back to it in time.

Billy Elliot

One of those classic films of all time. This sees Billy (Jamie Bell) transform from a desperate boy boxer, to the ballet dancer he wished he could be.
Set in 1980s Durham during the miners strikes, Billy goes against everything his dad has tryed to teach him to do something he himself, actually loves. A great story for anyone who has dreams of any sort.
My favourite character in this is Julie Walters' Mrs Wilkinson, the dance teacher. The way she smokes and reads the paper while teaching a class is great, but you can really tell she cares about Billy and does her best to help him.
I absolutely love this film and every time I watch, I wonder why it has been so long since the last time.

Avatar

This film has been hyped up loads recently so i was quite looking forward to seeing a film in 3D that wasnt a childrens film. It turns out, this has been a slight over estimate.
We sat in the cinema for over three hours all together, which means the film must of been at least two and a half. This would of been fine if it was exciting all the way through. During the first three quarters, I was becoming more and more fidgetty and bored. The end did pick up slightly but it took along time to get there.
However, the effects are great, there was something real in this film like non I have seen so far. And the ending was quite good.
Not a film I will be rushing to see again but it is impressive.

About a Boy

After a few drinks last night, the best thing to do the morning after, three days before Christmas, is watch About a Boy. A great film to make you smile even when you do feel a little hungover.
Nicholas Hoult is brilliant in this film, playing a school boy you cant help but feel sorry for. His rendition on Killing Me Softly with Will Freemen (Hugh Grant) at a school production, could touch anyone.
Hugh Grant plays the envy of everyman, with no responsibilities, Marcus, (Hoult), changes everything for him in his weird and wonderful way.
There are parts of the film that are abit slow but overall, a film that is always put on and loved around Christmas.

Chicago

A great classic musical. One I always end up watching on a raining day, or in todays case, a snowing day.
Renee Zellweger and Catherine Zeta-Jones are great as inmates battling for the limelight of the media, fighting for the attention of Billie Flynn (Richard Gere).
The songs are catchy and the story pretty much keeps you hooked for the extent. The smaller parts are also played very well, Queen Latifah, Taye Diggs, Christine Baranski and the smaller singing parts.
I really do like this film, I have most of the sound track and it is good, but not one of my favourites or all time classics.

St Trinians 2:The Legend of Frittons Gold

I think it's safe to say that this is probably going to be one of my favourite films like the first St Trinians.
Maybe thats just because I'm such a big fan of the first one. The story in this one is not a good as the first, but the characters definately are. The click groups have branched out slightly, we still have chavs and the posh tottie but now there are also the flammables and the ecos. The girls of St Trinians seem to be more naturally funny this time round, slight changes in actresses have definately paid off. But the general story line isn't quite as enticing. The first St Trinians is full of references to other films and jokes, particularly related to Colin Firth and Rupert Everett. This doesn't seem to have that edge, on first view atleast.
Just like the first, Rupert Everett has stole this film. There has been alot of hipe about Girls Aloud singer Sarah Harding being the talking point, but for me, it has to be Rupert Everett. Donning the outfit of Miss Fritton yet again, aswel as her ancestor Pirate Fritton. Miss Fritton's relationship with Geoffery Thwaites (Colin Firth) is moving on, and David Tennant does make a pretty convincing bad guy.
Conclusion, not quite as great against the first film, but a great film non-the-less.

The Secret Garden

This film is one of those that I watched over and over again when I was younger. Growing up, it was one of my favourites. Now I have watched it again for the first time in along time, I can remember why.
A beautiful story of three children who find friendship thanks to a secret garden. All while under the reign of Mrs Medlock, played wonderfully by Maggie Smith.
I am glad I have found this film again after all these years. I will deffinately be watching this again as soon as I get the opportunity.
This film also contains one of favourite lines from a film. "If you look the right way, you can see that the whole world is a garden".

Ocean's Eleven

One of the best classics in robbery themed films. The all-star cast, (I know that sounds a little cheesy), are attempting to rob $150 million from three casinos in one night. A tall order.
Danny Ocean (George Clooney) leads 10 men, including an ace card sharp (Brad Pitt), a pickpocket (Matt Damon), and explosives expert, a surveillance man, a chinese acrobat, a retired theif, a casino employee, two front men and one bitter casino mogul out for a little satisfaction.
A great film I have seen several times. And each time I enjoy watching as tricks and stunts are performed whilst all avoiding lasers, cameras, security guards and the like.

The Box

I think this has got to be one of the weirdest films I have ever seen. It is nothing like I expected it to be. And I suppose that is why I'm writting this, my third post in just over half an hour. While The Box is still fresh in my mind.
The beginning is as I expected it to be. A thriller type film with a slightly odd story line. But the further in we got, the more bizarre it became.
As of yet I am undecided as to whether it should be put down as overall good or bad. I think I may have to buy it when it comes out on DVD just so I can see it again. Probably, this would just squeeze on the good pile.

Somers Town

I watched this film today in my geography lesson, some scenes being just the slightest bit awkward with a teacher in the room, but we laughed it off. For example, polish father and son learning English by reading the newspaper, one particular article being about a well endowed man.
A father and son move from Poland to London, while at the same time, a young boy travels by train from Nottingham. Their paths cross and a friendship is started on grounds that could only ever happen in a film.
Over all, this is a film that will leave you smiling at the end. But as a friend pointed out, the ending is a little farfetched.

Atonement

One of the things i liked in this film was the way it is told, or laid out. The way we see one part of the story from one characters view, then see it from another. This allows for more than one character to be the main story.
Although it seems rather predictable throughout the majority of the film, the ending is quite different to how i would of thought it to be. I loved the ending, the monologue type speech at the end by Vanessa Redgrave being the most moving and inspiring part of the film.
I think this a great, moving, film for a day when perhaps nothing seemed to go your way.

Quantum of Solace

I couldn't help but dive straight in to the next James Bond film. Quantum of Solace, although not as good as Casino Royale, with its explosive beginning is very impressive.
Our villian this time is Dominic Greene, seemingly doing the world good, but of course he has other ideas. Again Daniel Craig is great as Bond, Camille (Olga Kurylenko) is blinded by revenge which leaves Bond with something else to worry about.
A great film, but possibly not the first Bond film I will pick up off the shelf.

Casino Royale

I have never been the biggest James Bond fan but I will denfinately be taking more notice of them from now on. A more serious look on Bond but it pays off, and more. Explosive from start to finish, and extremely entertaining.
Daniel Craig is my favourite James Bond from the ones I have seen. (Or though I'm sorry to not have seen some of them, I will get round to it one day I promise). Eva Green is very good as Vesper Lynd, Bond girl. And as always, Judi Dench puts in a great part, for the little she is in it.
The only fault for me, because of the new image James Bond has been given, there is much less of the typical Bond ridiculousness. But I suppose this film works better for it. A great film I always find myself watching to cure bordom or on a rainy day.

Angels and Demons

Personally, I find it hard to choose which is the better film, The Da Vinci Code or Angels and Demons. Although The Da Vinci Code is more interesting to watch, I think I am going to have to go with Angels and Demons.
Just as thrilling and just as obscure, this time though its the Cathlics in trouble rather than Christians. This film also deals with science in the form of anti-matter, a combination that does work supprisingly well.
I liked this film more than i thought i would, but not a classic.

The Da Vinci Code

Although I think the story of this film is a little out there, I did enjoy this film for the action and the intriguing information from symbologist Robert Langdon (Tom Hanks) and cryptologist Sophie Neveu (Audrey Tautou), who make us look differently on many matters lots of us won't even have thought twice about.
A bizarre murder mystery which is action packed from start to finish, it's entertaining to watch and is very gripping. I enjoyed watching this film and now I think I will move straight onto the next in the series, written by Dan Brown, Angels and Demons.

Shrek 2

I know i have said it about a couple of films already, but believe me when I say that Shrek 2 is one of my favourite films of all time.
Although the first Shrek film is good, the second, for me, has a better story, better action and is all together the better film. I always find that the first Shrek film is a little boring to watch over and over again, however i have seen the second about a million times.
Shrek 2 continues the antics of Shrek, Fiona and Donkey, but now we have Puss in Boots, Prince Charming, and my favourite character of them all, the Fairy Godmother.
A truely classic film!

Calendar Girls

This has got to be one of my favourite ever films. Based on a true story of a WI meeting near Yorkshire, of which twelve members proceed to make a nude (not naked) calendar to raise money for a chair in the relatives room at the local hospital.
Helen Mirren and Julie Walters play the central characters to the story, and along with the remaining members of the WI provide a comedy performance that both makes me laugh and cry all the way through.
With each woman being so different from the last, this is a great film that I come back to all the time.

Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End

This is the most Spectacular and extravagent of the three Pirates of the Caribbean films. Fantastic special effects. The final scenes of the action are some of my favourite of any film. It has a great story that i could easily watch again straight away. Although i still stand by what i said about the second of these films being the best, At Worlds End is close behind.
Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley are almost convincing as true lovers. But as usual, Johnny Depp steels the show.

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest

The second of the POTC films and i think my favourite. The first being a film that maybe i have seen to many times now, that i can never be bothered to sit and watch it again. Dead Man's Chest, to me, seems much more exciting with a better story line to it.
In this film, we continue to see Captain Jack Sparrow, Elizabeth Swann and Will Turner sail the seven seas as each are fighting to save something or someone. This time however, Davy Jones is in on the action. Great special effects create his tentacle covered face and the legendary Cracken is a superb site.
All together a great film i love coming back to watch every time. I am just about to watch the third of the POTC film (At Worlds End) so my next post will be about that. Not that i haven't seen it before of course.

Fried Green Tomatoes

This is a film i had never heard of until my step-mum suggested we watch it yesterday. It's a story about a house wife who feels stuck in her life until she meets an elderly lady who begins to tell her the story of two women who are trying to make it on their own in 1920s Alabama.
Although not particularly exciting, i really got into this film and found myself quite enjoying it. However, not a film i could watch again any time soon. For me the accents are slightly annoying but non-the-less, a very good film. Not what i was expecting from the title.

2012

This was a film i wasn't racing to see as i usually find action type films a bit boring. But 2012 was a pleasant surprise.
Although it was as typical as you would expect, everything happens at the last possible second just before everyone dies. It had a story i could get into. It was very long though, maybe it could of done with being slightly shorter, after being sat in the cinema for over three hours altogether i was ready to drop.
One very cool quote though: "we're taking the Bentley" (unfortunately, it is said in a Russian accent that I'm not very good at)
Overall, better than i thought it was going to be, but i think it was a bit predictable.

Bridget Jones's Diary

One of every woman's classics, and definitely one of my favourite films of all time. Bridget Jones is more like the rest of us than any other films character, probably why we find her more enjoyable to watch.
Renee Zellweger is the perfect choice for this role, even if she is a Texan playing a very British woman. Colin Firth and Hugh Grant are the perfect supports, with Grant being the man every woman fancies even though we probably shouldn't. A different type of character than his typical, Hugh Grant is great in this role. Colin Firth plays the man every woman wishes of meeting, very believably in fact, placing him forever in lists of best British actors. My opinion anyway.
An excellent film with a great sequel, Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason. But this remains for me, the better of the two. A classic that will always be remembered.

A Short Stay in Switzerland

I have now seen this film 3 or 4 times and each time it has never failed to bring me to tears from about half way through right up till the end (and sometimes more). A Short Stay in Switzerland has got to be the most tear jerking film ever made.
Julie Walters plays Dr. Anne Turner who is diagnosed with an incurable disease, which she earlier had to witness her husband die of. But Anne decides that this time she will take her own life instead of having to make her family suffer through the pain of such a dreadful disease.
Julie Walters provides a powerful performance that will definitely keep me coming back to this film in the future. This film, based on a true story, is very moving and touching. I think it may even have made my list of favourite films.

St Trinians

First of all I have a confession to make. When I am deciding which film to go and see at the cinema, or which DVD to buy, very often, but not always, the actors and actresses in those films make the decision for me. For example, I will automatically want to go and see any film with either Colin Firth, Rupert Everett or Julie Walters in. And so maybe this will mean I am about to be slightly bias toward the film I am about to write about. But o well.
I have seen St Trinians so many times I know most of the words off by heart and just love every minute of it. Most of all I love all the little details in this film. Miss Fritton's dog is called Mr Darcy, the girls of St Trinians are trying to steal the Girl With The Pearl Earring painting, the question in the final round of school challenge about Pride and Prejudice and Colin Firth's inevitable wet shirt moment (notice how they all involve Colin Firth). Rupert Everett is without doubt the star of this film, playing both Miss Fritton and her brother Carnaby.
My favourite character however is Beverley the receptionist played by Jodie Whittaker, oblivious to everything outside partying, alcohol and drugs she produces one liners that make up the comedy of this film.
Other appearances include Stephen Fry and Celia Imrie, two people I will also seek out in films or on TV.
DVD extras (yes I really do watch them), include the cut scenes, one with an almost moving speech from the school hockey teacher to which one girl replies in the typical teenage manner with "wat eva".
Since going to see this film two days before Christmas eve 2007, i have been in love with it. Maybe because i was 16 at the time, the prime target for a film like this. But I don't think anything could stray my decision to praise it for all i can give. I can't wait for the sequel, out in cinemas 18Th December, and have i heard rumours of a 3rd?

The Duchess

Last night I huddled up on the sofa (after watching the X-factor) with my sister to watch The Duchess.
It all started very well, Keira Knightley pulls off 18Th century aristocrat quite well, Ralph Fiennes is clearly the bad guy from the beginning and Hayley Atwell is a well come entrant, even if her character is a little dull.
However, half way through i find myself thinking, is this it? It feels very long and boring in parts. Dominic Cooper's dashing display as Earl Grey does help though of course (but maybe that's just me).
In the end, a well told story, but slow at times.

Nativity!

Although it is only 28Th November, yesterday i went to see my second Christmas film of the year. (The first being A Christmas Carol). Nativity! stars Martin Freeman as a primary school teacher who tells a small white lie to his class about Hollywood producers coming to see their nativity play. This film pleasantly surprised me. I thought, like with many other films, it had been spoilt by the trailer. But i found there were funny parts all the way through, and a class full of children that i genuinely cared for. I wasn't worried that their Christmas wishes wouldn't come true (its a children's Christmas film, i thought that was obvious) but i really did want their nativity to be a success and receive the full five stars from the critic, played by Alan Carr.
Marc Wootton stands out from this film for me though. He plays a teaching assistant that cares more about being friends with the children than actually teaching them.
Overall i was very pleased with Nativity! and will definitely be searching it out on DVD next year.