National Treasure: Book of Secrets Review

About
Nicholas Cage, Justin Bartha, Diane Kruger, Jon Voight, Helen Mirren, Ed Harris
Treasure hunter Benjamin Franklin Gates (Cage) looks to discover the truth behind the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, by uncovering the mystery within the 18 pages missing from assassin John Wilkes Booth's diary.

The Good?
This film was a really good mix of comedy and adventure, and even my mum (who normally hates Nicholas Cage) really enjoyed it.

I really enjoyed the historical side to the film, and I would love to know how much of it is actually true.

The Bad?
Not really that many plot twists for an adventure film.

I think they played down the 'bad' guys death a lot. Also, it was kinda weird they way it happened.

The Ugly?
Nothing.

Overall
A pretty good film, very entertaining to watch.

Links
| Official | IMDB | Wikipedia | Trailer |

My Top Ten Movies of 2007

I think this year has been a pretty good one for movies, with a number of blockbusters and sequels being released. I had a pretty hard time choosing my favorites. But here we are!

Please note that not all of these films may have been release in the US in 2007, it is all based on NZ release dates (and therefore when I got to see them).

Runner's Up

It was just too hard to pick just ten of my favourite films of the year, so here are the one's that made the shortlist:
The Nanny Diaries
Harry Potter and the Order of Phoenix
Ratatouille
The Simpsons Movie
Surf's Up
Night At The Museum
Music and Lyrics
Enchanted
Ocean's 13

And there are undoubtedly countless more that I have forgotten to mention.

Number Ten - Bobby
Harry Belafonte, Nick Cannon, Emilio Estevez, Laurence Fishburne, Heather Graham, Anthony Hopkins, Helen Hunt, Joshua Jackson, Ashton Kutcher, Shia LaBeouf, Lindsay Lohan, William H. Macy, Demi Moore, Freddy Rodriguez, Martin Sheen, Christian Slater, Sharon Stone, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Elijah Wood
With such a hugely famous cast, it was no wonder this film was such a hit. Being a New Zealander, I'm not hugely familiar with American history and therefore really enjoyed getting to see it remade on screen. I loved that they used old clips of the Senator throughout the film, instead of hiring someone to play him, it was a really nice touch to his memory, I think. I think they pulled off having all the character's storylines integrating together in the end really well, too. Overall, it was a really interesting movie, if a little bit different to the types of movies I usually enjoy.
Official // Trailer // IMDB // Wikipedia


Number Nine - Stranger Than Fiction
Will Ferrell, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Dustin Hoffman, Queen Latifah, Emma Thompson, Linda Hunt
I remember when this first came out and everyone was really disappointed after seeing it because it wasn't a comedy like they expected it to be (due to Will Ferrell being the star). Unfortunately I don't think the trailer helped this either, as the film was very different to what was portrayed in the ads. I really enjoyed the quirkiness of this film, and loved seeing Will Ferrell doing something other than comedy. The storyline was really creative, and kept me completely hooked throughout.
Official // Trailer // IMDB // Wikipedia


Number Eight - Waitress
Keri Russell, Nathan Fillion, Cheryl Hines, Jeremy Sisto, Andy Griffith, Adrienne Shelly
The charm of this movie was a complete surprise to me, as I had only gone to see it because I was having a bad day and had seen or was not interested in anything else. It was both quirky and adorable, and much more entertaining that I could have ever have hoped for. Keri Russell was absolutely amazing as Jenna, a lost soul whose life wasn't quite what she wanted to be. I especially loved the scenes of her making up new pies in between scenes, it was hilariously done and really made the movie. The ending was bittersweet, but left me very satisfied as a viewer.
Official // Trailer // IMDB // Wikipedia


Number Seven - The Bourne Ultimatum
Matt Damon, Julia Stiles, David Strathairn, Scott Glenn, Paddy Considine, Edgar Ramirez, Albert Finney, Joan Allen, Daniel Brühl
This movie was a fantastic ending to the Bourne series, with heaps of action and a surprise twist or two along the way. I'm a huge fan of Julia Stiles and Matt Damon, so I loved seeing them on screen together. One of the best things about this film (or the whole series, for that matter) is that it manages to be action-packed nearly the whole time yet without getting repetitive or boring. The ending was so suspenseful, but leaves it open for a sequel in the future...? Well, I can always dream ;)
Official // Trailer // IMDB // Wikipedia


Number Six - The Golden Compass
Dakota Blue Richards, Nicole Kidman, Daniel Craig, Ian McKellen, Ian McShane, Sam Elliot, Eva Green
This film is probably one of the best book adaptations that I've seen to date. Dakota Blue Richards plays the character of Lyra flawlessly, they could not have picked a better actress. While they did cut out a few major parts of the storyline, I think they changed it in a way that still made sense to the story. This movie probably would have scored higher on my list if it wasn't for the fact they completely cut out the ending (despite originally filming it), which is one of the most important parts of the book. I really hope they decide to film the sequels, although they're going to find it more and more difficult to fit all the material into a two hour film.
Official // Trailer // IMDB // Wikipedia // My Review


Number Five - The Pursuit of Happyness
Will Smith, Jaden Smith, Thandie Newton, Brian Howe, James Karen, Dan Castellaneta, Kurt Fuller, Scott Klace
There are few things in this world that can make me bawl my eyes out, this this film was one of them. Will Smith was fantastic in the lead role, and having his real life son Jaden starring alongside him really adds to the film. Their chemistry was amazing. I wasn't familiar with the story before I saw the film, but I think it was an amazing tribute to an amazing man. This was such an incredibly tragic but heartwarming tale, the kind of film that makes you walk out and want to change the world.
Offical // Trailer // IMDB // Wikipedia


Number Four - Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End
Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom, Keira Knightley, Geoffrey Rush, Bill Nighy, Naomie Harris, Tom Hollander, Stellan Skarsgard, Chow Yun-Fat, Jack Davenport
From start to finish this film was packed with action, excitement, and many many laughs. Johnny Depp is absolutely classic in this film, I don't think the whole series would be half as entertaining as they are if it weren't for him. I love the relationship between Will and Elizabeth too, I'm such a sucker for romance. One great thing was the many references to the previous two films. In my opinion, the final film wasn't quite as good as the first one was, and so probably not my top film of the year. I still enjoyed it a lot though, and am hoping that the open ending might leave opportunity for a sequel...? Again, I can always dream xD
Official // Trailer // IMDB // Wikipedia

Number Three - Transformers
Shia LaBeouf, Megan Fox, Josh Duhamel, Tyrese Gibson
From the moment I saw the trailer for this film, I just knew it was going to rock! I was never a fan of the cartoon or the toy, but I think the movie is something that anyone can appreciate. I especially like how it was focused on a number of different main (human) character's, but ultimately it's about how the meet together to witness the final battle between Autobots and Decepticonz. Gosh I feel like such a nerd right now! Shia LaBeouf and Megan Fox were both fantastic, and it's great to see the nerd get the girl! Apparently a sequel is already being planned with the two involved - yay!
Official // Trailer // IMDB // Wikipedia


Number Two - Stardust
Charlie Cox, Claire Danes, Michelle Pfeiffer, Robert De Niro, Ricky Gervais, Mark Strong, Peter O'Toole
This will probably become one of my favourite fantasy films of all time. The central core plot is nothing spectacular, but the chemistry between characters and the brilliant script writing means that you barely even notice it. I seriously have not laughed so hard as I did at Robert De Niro in this film. Nor have I seen a cuter couple than Tristan and Yvaine in quite awhile. I'm really psyched to read the book now. This made number two because it was an original, sweet, exciting, funny and all around feel-good movie!
Official // Trailer // IMDB // Wikipedia


Number One - Hairspray
Nikki Blonsky, John Travolta, Michelle Pfeiffer, Christopher Walken, Amanda Bynes, James Marsden, Queen Latifah, Brittany Snow, Zac Efron, Elijah Kelley, Allison Janney, Taylor Parks, Jerry Stiller, Paul Dooley
When I heard that John Travolta was going to play a woman in a musical film, I just knew I had to see it. And then when I heard what a fantastic cast this film was going to have, I was dying to see it! From start to end this film had me captivated, and the music had me dancing in my seat. And I can't believe what an amazing voice Queen Latifah has! If you loved Grease, High School Musical, any musical, or even any feel-good film, this is for you!
Official // Trailer // IMDB // Wikipedia

The Golden Compass Review

About
Dakota Blue Richards, Nicole Kidman, Daniel Craig
In a parallel universe, young Lyra Belacqua journeys to the far North to save her best friend and other kidnapped children from terrible experiments by a mysterious organization.

The Good?
I was really impressed with how well they portrayed the book on screen. From the trailers I really didn't know what to expect, and considering they manage to screw up many of my favourite books by making them into a film (ie Eragon), I didn't have the highest of hopes.

Dakota Blue Richards was absolutely perfect for Lyra, she outshone the likes of Nicole Kidman and Daniel Craig and definitely was a huge part of making the film believable.

The daemon's were really well done too, they didn't seem like cheesy talking animals (like in Garfield), they really felt like a part of each person's soul. Pan was really well done, with his split second changes in shape.

The Bad?
There were some minor (and one major - see The Ugly) differences between the film and the book, and while some of the changes didn't make sense and caused a few holes in the plot, I can understand them having to change things to make it shorter, as even the first book of the series was pretty long.

I'm not going to speak much on the controversy surrounding this film, I'm not a Christian myself and in all honesty it's up to you to decide whether or not you/your family are mature enough to see a film which portrays ideas that you are against but then take that and use it as an opportunity to discuss the ideas and why you don't agree with them.

The Ugly?
After being so impressed at the majority of the film, the ending really pissed me off. Despite not having read the book in a few years, the ending still was vivid in my mind. So I was a little bit peeved when it ended where it did (and so cheesily too!).

After looking on the internet, apparently they did actually film the final scenes, just decided not to use them in the end. It really felt like they were taking the easy way out, to please the viewers that hadn't read the books by giving them a 'happy' ending, but in the process they pissed off all the viewers who had read the books.

I think the book works so much better with the cliffhanger, it's such an emotional scene that it just leaves you dying to know what happens next.

Overall
A fantastic film overall, even if they did completely screw up the ending.

Links
| Official | IMDB | Wikipedia | Trailer |




PS: I couldn't resist!

Into The Wild Review

About
Emile Hirsch
After graduating from Emory University, top student and athlete Christopher McCandless abandons his possessions, gave his entire $24,000 savings account to charity and hitchhiked to Alaska to live in the wilderness. Along the way, Christopher encounters a series of characters that shape his life.

The Good?
This film was beautiful, in both the message and the visual elements on screen. It was a fantastic tribute to this man's life (and subsequent death).

I'm a huge fan of Kristen Stewart (especially after her role in Speak) and was ecstatic to hear she was in this film. Emile Hirsch was also fantastic.

The Bad?
The film jumped back and forth in time periods a lot, and sometimes it wasn't all that obvious where in the story we were.

The Ugly?
The ending was sooo sad and unexpected to me, and I was a little creeped out at seeing his dead body (although it was beautifully done).

Overall
A really beautiful and thought-provoking film.

Links
| Official | IMDB | Wikipedia | Trailer |

Bee Movie Review

About
Jerry Seinfeld, Renee Zellweger
Barry B. Benson, a bee who has just graduated from college, is disillusioned at his lone career choice: making honey. On a special trip outside the hive, Barry's life is saved by Vanessa, a florist in New York City. As their relationship blossoms, he discovers humans actually eat honey, and subsequently decides to sue us.

The Good?
It was really funny and creative how they came up with the different aspects of the hive and made them a little more human-like.

The Bad?
A bee suing the entire human race, seriously!?

Halfway through I started laughing hysterically, but it wasn't because of a joke in the film. It was because the film had officially turned so absurd that it was unbearable.

The Ugly?
Quite frankly I'm getting sick of all the animated films they are throwing at us, where they animate something, add in a few adult appropriate jokes and then expect us to care.

Even minor references to beastiality in a kid's film = BAD!

Overall
There really isn't much to say about this film. It was funny, but not the type of funny that makes it unmissable.

Links
| Official | IMDB | Wikipedia | Trailer |

Once Review

About
Glen Hansard, Markéta Irglová
A modern-day musical about a busker and an immigrant and their eventful week, as they write, rehearse and record songs that tell their love story.

The Good?
Incredibly sweet film, even if it is a little off-beat.

The whole film is beautifully done, and both nameless leading characters have a certain charm to them.

The huge focus on their past love lives and how it shaped them to become who they were.

The music was beautiful, my favourite song was the duet Falling Slowly.

The Bad?
Possibly a little too many music scenes, it got a bit tedious after awhile (especially when they were recording).

The Ugly?
Not a single kiss between characters in the film, almost like a bollywood film. Though, it's still so incredibly satisfying that I'm not sure if this is a good thing or a bad thing.

Overall
A very film festivally film, if that makes any sense at all. But very sweet, even if the ending isn't what you would typically hope for.

Links
| Official UK | Official US | IMDB | Wikipedia | Trailer |

Enchanted Review

About
Amy Adams, Patrick Dempsey, James Marsden
A classic Disney fairytale collides with modern-day New York City in a story about a fairytale princess who is sent to our world by an evil queen. Soon after her arrival, Princess Giselle begins to change her views on life and love after meeting a handsome lawyer. Can a storybook view of romance survive in the real world?

The Good?
This is the best Disney film I've seen on the big screen in a while. Possibly even the best children's film. It's a sweet and funny story, but it's pulled off really well. The chemistry between the main characters is definitely there and their relationship develops in a believable way.

Plenty of eye-candy with Patrick Dempsey and James Marsden. McDreamy rocks!

Loved the random singing halfway through, LOL!

The film starts off by completely taking the piss out of previous Disney princess films, which was surprisingly funny and a great way to show that this one was going to go a little differently.

The ending was great too, if a little predictable (but hey, it wouldn't be Disney if it wasn't).

Disney princesses are back, baby!

The Bad?
I was kinda hoping that when Giselle was wandering the streets of New York in nothing but a wedding dress that someone would make a subtly prostitution joke or something, but I guess that wouldn't be quite appropriate for a Disney flick.

The Ugly?
The evil witch!

Overall
A great film, especially for children, definitely recommend it!

Links
| Official | IMDB | Wikipedia | Trailer |

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year everyone!


PS: updates will start again soon, once I'm used to working so much.