I Want Candy (2007) August 10, 2007
Posted by robwilliams1967 in : Uncategorized, comedy, New Movies , add a commentTwo film students head to London with their script which they believe will be the first step to Hollywood, they hook up with a dodgy film producer who agrees to finance the film, provided they can get porns hottest star Candy Fiveways (Carmen Electra).
I Want Candy’ it must be said is quite a sweet and charming film in a ‘The Full Monty’ kind of way, sadly though unlike that film, the laughs are few and far between it must be said, I think I went a full hour before a proper laugh, a very amusing scene that all I shall say “required wet wipes”!
The only selling point this film would seem to have is the chance for men to see Carmen Elektra in various sexy outfits and states of undress, something I’m sure you could see say in a Playboy dvd, if she has one that is, not that’d I’d know about that sort of thing!
Lightweight fluff all in all with a serious lack of laughs I’m afraid.
5/10
Knocked Up (2007) August 5, 2007
Posted by robwilliams1967 in : Uncategorized, comedy, New Movies , add a commentSlobby jobless Ben (Set Rogan) can’t believe his luck when he meets an attractive charismatic career girl Alison (Katherine Heigel) in a bar, a one night stand and 2 months later and Alison is horrified to learn she is pregnant!
‘Knocked Up’ starts off as your by numbers ‘American Pie’ comedy but it soon becomes a very grown up, and very funny ‘adult’ comedy. When O say adult, I don’t mean T&A, this film deals with real relationships and all the troubles and anxieties that they entail.
As well as the charismatic Rogan and Heigel the supporting characters are excellent too,from Bens’ stoner mates (”Tell him not to jerk off with a noose around his neck - it’s dangerous”), Alison sister and brother in law(”You look like Babe Ruth’s gay brother… Gabe Ruth”) as well as smaller parts, in particular ‘Saturday Night Lives'’ Kristen Wiig as Jill, a snobby TV executive(”We don’t like liars in Hollywood”)
The film never sags during it’s lengthy 2 hour running time, even the trip to Vegas brings in the laughs with a hilarious conversation on magic mushrooms about the amount of chairs in their Hotel room (”Isn’t weird how chairs exist even when you’re not sitting on them?)
One of the best comedies of the year so far and, well why not, the feel good hit of the Summer!
9/10
Captivity (2007) August 4, 2007
Posted by robwilliams1967 in : Uncategorized, Horror, New Movies , 1 comment so farCaptivity hit the headlines earlier in the year when the billboards for the film were withdrawn in New York and LA after complaints, all ‘good publicity’ for the movie the producers no doubt thought, how wrong they were.Three weeks after it’s release it had only pulled in a miserable $3.6M, and registered just 8% on Rotten Tomatoes, oh dear, things aren’t looking good as I settle down to view the latest “torture-porn” flick vomited out of Hollywood.
Directed by “acclaimed director” Roland Joffe, he of “The Killing Fields” and “Super Mario Brothers”, which he likes to omit from his c.v. the question was, is this as bad as people say? Well in all honsety, yes it’s a very poor film, but it’s biggest crime is that it’s so dull.The “Saw” and “Hostel” film franchises are pretty average to poor horror movies but at least they’re fairly interesting, the first hour of this film was akin to watching paint dry.Things do pick up a little towards the end but by then you’ve gone past caring.
The only plus point I can muster from this film is the eye candy that is Elisha Cuthbert, great to look at in a leather dress, but this doesn’t disguise the fact that she still can’t act for toffee.
Another major failing of the film is that for a horror/thriller it is neither suspenseful nor scary.The film just about fails on all levels really.
4.5/10
This Is England (2007) July 2, 2007
Posted by robwilliams1967 in : Uncategorized , add a commentAfter the quite awesome ‘Dead Man’s Shoes’ I was really looking forward to Shane Meadows follow up.Set in 80’s England, newcomer Thomas Turgoose plays 12 year old Shaun, his Father recently killed in The Falklands, bullied at school, he befriends a gang of mods and skinheads.Things change though when the gang is infiltrated by National Front member Combo and things start to take a sinister direction.
The performances are excellent, Turgoose a revelation, this is is first major role, in fact he couldn’t even get a part in his School play, Stephen Graham as Combo, another power-house performance.There are a few quibbles though, Shaun’s Mother disappears from screen when he gets involved with the NF and also Shaun’s ‘love interest’ was rather pointless and quite frankly unbelievable.
Those point’s aside, this is another great film from Meadows, not in the same league as the aforementioned ‘Dead Man’s Shoes’ but still a great effort and one the British Film Industry can be proud of.
8.5/10