The Conjuring

Cast:  Vera Farmiga, Patrick Wilson, Lil Taylor, Ron Livingston, Shanley Caswell, Haley McFarland, Mackenzie Foy and Joey King.

Director: James Wan

Release Date: 2013

Genre: Horror

Running Time: 1hr 52 minutes

Rating: R

Format: Blu-Ray

Synopsis:

Set in 1971, Paranormal investigators Ed (Patrick Wilson) and Lorraine Warren (Vera Farmiga), work to help a family terrorized by a terrible presence in their farm house.

Ed and Lorraine Warren are real life paranormal investigators, in 1952, Ed and Lorraine founded the New England Society for psychic research, the oldest ghost hunting group in New England. They have investigated over 10,000 cases including The Amtyville Haunting and the Enfield Poltergeist. In 1971, the Perron family contacted Ed and Lorraine Warren because they were convinced their house was haunted. The Conjuring is based on that true story. Contrary to popular belief you do not have to watch "Annabelle" in order to understand this movie. They are two completely different stories. It supposedly happened a good 10 years before the Perron Family started to experience strange things in their house.

James Wan is a fantastic director, he's really started to prove himself too with hit movies like "Insidious" and "Furious 7" this movie is no different. This is by far one of the best horror movies out there. Knowing it was based on a true story, is pretty terrifying on it's own. The real Annabelle doll is locked away safe in a museum that is still to this day owned by Ed and Lorraine Warren. I do think it takes serious skill to make a horror movie and make it well, without it coming across as cheesy, or poor. A good horror movie is also made well when the storyline is written well. Chad and Carey Hayes wrote the storyline it is an extremely well written screenplay. Lorraine Warren also acted as consultant on this movie and claims what you see on screen is extremely accurate to the real events that occurred in 1971.

Casting also did a fantastic job because I honestly don't think they could have picked two better actors to play Ed and Lorraine Warren. I absolutely love Vera Farmiga, she's very recently played Norma Bates in "Bates Motel" and Patrick Wilson was in both "Insidious" films that was also directed by James Wan. I don't want to say that they are both type cast, but both are absolutely fantastic in this film and are very convincing. Lil Taylor is brilliant as Carolyn Perron, I would definitely recommend concentrating on her character through out this film. Great significance.

The cinematography is pretty awesome, the vast majority of the movie is filmed in the dark, but that doesn't mean the filmmakers haven't allowed the audience to see what is going on. Some movies are shot so dark, that you end up missing bits and it ends up being less enjoyable, however James Wan got the combination spot on, I'm more then convinced that a lot of the suspense and fear comes from clever lighting and photography. I remember watching this in the dark the year I received it for Christmas and being generally freaked out. I love how the camera follows characters, it doesn't really rely on jump scares. There's a lot of mystery to this film, that's where your fear will come from, not knowing what your're going to see next.

There aren't really any special effects as it were, but there are some truly awesome moments of photography, The set design is really cool, set in a gorgeous old Farmhouse,  it has a very 70's feel to it, the interior of the house doesn't really have any colour to it, leading it to seem even more spooky then it really is. Old fashioned furniture and dark rooms. One might say that is very typical when it comes to a horror movie? It's quite a secluded set really. It's a pretty impressive though.

I love the costume design for this film, I don't know how accurate Ed and Lorraine Warren's clothing in the movie is to what they actually wore in real life but it's gorgeous, either way what Lorraine is wearing really suits Vera Farmiga's character. Of course the family are all dressed in 70's styled clothing, it's supposed to be 1971, so of course they'd all be wearing the fashion of that time. That's what I love so much about Ed and Lorraine, their fashion is so unique and almost feels dated compared to the 70's fashion, don't take that the wrong way, it's not an insult, it almost shows the maturity of their characters.

I love the soundtrack in this movie, particularly the opening credits, damn, it just speak fear. It honestly has such a scary feel to it, it works perfectly alongside the storyline. I honestly can't explain it, you'd have to hear it to understand. It's definitely not something you'd want to listen to in your car put it that way. James Wan thought about every aspect of this film including the soundtrack. Gotta give him credit for that. There's even a song by Ryan Gosling on the soundtrack, definitely keep an ear out for that one!

I would definitely recommend this film to any horror film nut, and anyone else that loves really well made films. By far one of the best horror movies I have ever seen! Frightening!

Blu-Ray Special Features:

The Conjuring: Face to Face with fear: 

A six minute featurette with the real Perron family on what they really witnessed at their house.

A life in Demonology:

A small featurette on Ed and Lorraine Warren and how they've helped people over the years with ghost hunting, very fascinating if you are interested in the supernatural.

Behind the Scenes: Scaring the s*** out of you! 

A really cool behind the scenes featurette with James Wan and the actors. Unfortunately the featurettes aren't very long, but they are rather interesting.

5/5 stars

Lights out

Cast: Teresa Palmer, Gabriel Bateman, Alexander Dipersia, Billy Burke, Maria Bello and Rolondo Boyce.

Director: David F. Sandberg

Release Date: 2016

Running Time: 1hr 17 minutes

Genre: Horror

Rating: PG-13

Synopsis:

Rebecca (Teresa Palmer) must unlock the terror behind her little brothers supernatural experiences that once tested her sanity, bringing her face to face with an entity that is attached to their mother.

The thing that drew me the most to this film was the trailer, I'm not the biggest fan of horror movies, not because they scare me, but because I think it takes some serious craftsmanship to actually get it right. Billy Burke stars in this movie, you may recognize him from "Red Riding Hood" and the "Twilight" saga. On first impressions this movie is pretty creepy, immediately you witness something pretty scary. I love that despite seeing something you don't know what the heck it is. It's pretty scary.

This isn't your typical horror movie, don't expect any gore as such. This movie does rely on jump scares quite a bit though, which is a bit annoying, it's rather predictable. The main characters aren't really that great, they aren't the best actors in the world. Teresa Palmer doesn't do a bad job, as Rebecca, Martin's older sister, you might recognize her from "I am Number 4" she's certainly not the best actress in the world. She doesn't show a great deal of characterization.

The storyline makes sense, but at the same time it doesn't. Your lead to believe one thing, when really the complete opposite is actually happening. Diana is not who she says she is. Her character is extremely interesting though and very very creepy. I did honestly think this was going to be a lot scarier judging by the trailer though, as I mentioned before it was the trailer that drew me towards the film. The special effects aren't amazing, but they are still pretty good, it makes the scene work if you get what I mean?

There isn't really much of a soundtrack, therefor the movie doesn't allow much suspense, you don't really have a chance to get frightened, despite most of the film being shot in the dark, it still doesn't allow for much fear and suspense, even though you can deeply see that's what the director was hoping for. I'm not entirely sure what this film is missing, it's partly the storyline I think and partly the fact that this movie is very shot at just 1hr 17 minutes. I respect it was based on a short movie by the same name, but I think filmmakers could have done an amazing job with this movie, if they had made it much longer and gone into a lot more detail about the characters, especially as some pretty important bits are mentioned briefly through out the film.

Personally this didn't scare me at all, In some sense I love to be scared by a horror movie, it means the director has done a damn good job, as it should be his intention to disturb/scare/frighten people. Not for you to come away thinking what the heck just happened you know? I'm honestly quite dissapointed in this film. I was definitely expecting a lot more from it.

I wouldn't really recommend this film, perhaps if your really into your horror movies and you are scared easily.

I liked it.

2/5 stars

The Beach

Cast: Leonardo Dicaprio, Robert Carlyle, Virginie Ledoyen, Guillaume Canet and Tilda Swinton.

Director: Danny Boyle

Release Date: 2000

Genre: Adventure

Running Time: 1hr 59 minutes

Rating: 15

Synopsis: 

Richard embarks on a journey to Thailand where he finds himself in the possession of a strange map. Rumour has it, that it shows the way to paradise. A solitary beach. 

Based on the novel of the same name by best-selling author Alex Garland. Director Danny Boyle takes us all the way to paradise in this fantastic film adaption. Phi Phi Leh Island is approximately 53.9km from Phuket, before this film was made it was relatively unknown to most of the public. It is now one of the most sought out places on Earth. Backpacker Richard (Dicaprio) embarks on a journey to Phuket Thailand, in search of something different. One night backpacker Daffy (Carlyle) breaks into the hotel room next to Richard, he desperately tries to convince him paradise really does exist and that he knows the way. Before killing himself he leave the map for Richard to find where he embarks on a life changing journey with a french couple, Etienne (Canet) and Francois (Ledoyen).

As far as film adaptations are concerned, this is probably one of the best you're going to find. Although a few changes have been made, Danny Boyle has been very strict and fantastically kept to the original story. We're introduced to Richard at the beginning of his journey in Phuket, Thailand, where he searches for something a little bit different. As far as the Thai's are concerned, Richard is a typical American tourist passing through. The thought of living on an island will be daunting for some, others a dream come true. Richard, Francoise and Etienne realise as time passes that it's not as magical as they had original hoped for. Even paradise has it's problems.

Leonardo Dicaprio is terrific as Richard, young and somewhat naive, he's unaware of the dangers he's really in. Spontaneity can be a good thing, however teaming up with two strangers you don't even know and then travelling to a remote island is a pretty risky idea. The characters relationships have been adapted for film, although the changes are small, they don't pull away from the original storyline, the characters interactions work well for film, Boyle chose to introduce new characters to the story which work really well. Dicaprio shows deep emotion and characterisation in his role, he's exceptionally likable, you want to make him see it through. Survive.

Tilda Swinton delivers a tremendous performance as island leader Sal, her character unfolds nicely throughout the course of the film, her colours really begin to show, she's not the woman you thought she was. Selfish and unfaithful, Swinton really immerses herself into her character. Virginie Ledoyen and Guillaume Canet deliver good performances as Francoise and Etienne. Both French actors, they naturally fall into their characters. The storyline focuses on very real issues, drugs, love, conflict, the islanders don't want to lose what they have, they'd risk losing one of them, if it meant keeping their island a secret.

Beautifully set in Phi Phi Leh Island, Thailand. Director Danny Boyle has really brought the book to life. Film critics and audiences around the globe slammed the film's initial release, due to the terrible misuse of the island (ironically the 2004 tsunami changed it back to the way it was), this however shouldn't stop you from immersing yourself into this fantastic film. A thought provoking film that makes you question, how long have they been on this island? The production design is exquisite, huts that really look lived in, art on the walls, their only source of food, fish and rice. Danny Boyle and production designer Andrew McAlpine have gone to great lengths to really capture it on screen.

A mixture of orchestral music and a contemporary soundtrack really go hand in hand together. The contemporary soundtrack explains the story fantastically through lyrics and song titles as the film progresses through big names such as Leftfield, All Saints and Moby. Unkle's "Lonely Soul" in the closing credits speaks volumes about the journey Richard, Francoise and Etienne have been on, the heartbreak that they've had to leave behind, returning to civilization, returning to normality. Lonely souls that were sadly left behind. The book is drastically violent in comparison to the film, the decision to leave a lot of violence out of the film adaption was a fantastic idea, the story works brilliantly without it, it also left room for freedom, for the islanders to return home to some sort of normality. To start over.

A highly entertaining film that shouldn't be overlooked.

5/5 stars

Night at the Museum 3: Secret of the Tomb

Cast: Ben Stiller, Robin Williams, Owen Wilson, Steve Coogan, Ricky Gervais, Rebel Wilson and Skyler Gisondo.

Director: Shawn Levy

Release Date: 2014

Genre: Adventure/Fantasy

Running Time: 1hr 38 minutes

Rating: PG

Synopsis:

The Natural History Museum is receiving a new exhibit and Larry (Ben Stiller) is in charge of the presentation. However he soon realizes that the exhibits aren't working as well as they used to, he learns that the tablet is corroding. In some research Larry learns that Cecil the former night guard at the Museum (Dick Van Dyke) was at the original site where the tablet was found. Cecil was warned that if the tablet was moved all things could come to an end. Could the museum in London hold secrets to keeping the table alive with magic?

So here we are the the 3rd and final installment in the "Night at the Museum" series. Once again we are greeted with the wonderful characters from the first two films and again a few new faces too. Personally this is what the second film should always have been about. It makes a lot more sense and we see a lot more of the characters. A lot more is explained in this film too, the first film starts to make a lot more sense. I really like that they brought back the character of Cecil too. Of course we've got the wonderful Ben Stiller again back as Larry, however were introduced to a new face as Nikki, played by Sykler Gisondo and of course who could forget the amazing late Robin Williams who returns as Teddy. Ben Stiller might have more then one role in this movie too! Not too sure how I feel about Rebel Wilson though as security guard at the museum in London. I find her to be incredibly annoying, she doesn't particularly show a lot of characterisation, she's rather typecast.

Skyler Gisondo doesn't do a bad job as Nicky, I think he does a better job then the other lad did in the first two films, I also think you see into his character a lot more, which I really like, a great deal isn't explained about Nicky in the first two films. He's also grown up some what since the past two films. Nicky is now clearly in his late teens applying to University and hoping to make it big as a DJ. Ben Stiller once again offers a really great performance, again much better then the last film. The storyline certainly makes a lot more sense then the previous film. It also gets straight to the point pretty quick. This film is a lot of fun and brings back the fun from the first film, I really appreciate that. Perhaps they worked out that was what was missing from the last film?

The cinematography is pretty cool, there are some really great scenes, certainly much better then the second film. Can you tell I really didn't enjoy that one? The set design really isn't too bad, again though it's not as good as the first film. It does however look much better on screen. I do think they've managed to make this film a lot more entertaining too, it's got a very modern vibe too it, advertising the likes of mobile phones, youtube and candy crush. There are definitely some really cool scenes though especially one involving Pompeii!

The soundtrack really isn't too shabby either this time round, especially the song in the end credits, it's really bouncy and fun! If you a fan of DJ Tiesto, your very likely to reocgonise the song. I also think this was a little homage to Nicky's character seeing as he wants to be a DJ. There's some really cool moments with the characters in the end credits too, so definitely stick around to the end.

Overall this movie really isn't too bad, sadly I don't think they were ever gonna be as good as the first film. Some sequels just shouldn't be made, I have a feeling that Night at the Museum, was one of them, I honestly think they would of benefited more from just the first film. I know plenty of people have mixed thoughts on the last two films. It was terrible to hear about the passing of Robin Williams though as he sadly passed after the making of this movie. He really was a gifted man and he was fantastic in this movie.

I'd recommend this movie to family's more then anything, whatever rocks your boat really! I'd definitely recommend it over the second film that's for sure!

It was pretty good!

4/5 stars

Night at the Museum 2: Battle of the Smithsonian

Cast: Ben Stiller, Amy Adams, Owen Wilson, Robin Williams, Christopher Guest and Steve Coogen.

Director: Shawn Levy

Release Date: 2009

Genre: Adventure/Fantasy

Running Time: 1hr 45 minutes

Rating: PG

Synopsis:

Larry (Ben Stiller) is now a successful businessman who gets back to the museum just in time to save his friends, they all return in this installment to the Smithsonian, where we are introduced to lots of new characters including Amelia Earhart, General Custer and many many more!

Ben Stiller returns in the second installment to "Night at the Museum" this time as a successful businessman, so we've gathered perhaps a couple of years have passed since the first film. All of the the wonderful characters from the first film are back again for another adventure. We're also introduced to some new characters. Amy Adams isn't someone I am that familiar with apart from her most recent role as Miss Lane in "Man of Steel" and "Batman vs. Superman" starring Henry Cavill an Ben Affleck. Needless to say, I think she's come quite far since the making of this film. Shawn Levy is also back again as the director too.

Amy Adams does quite a good job as Amelia Earhart, however her character does come across a bit cheesy, her acting isn't brilliant. Bill Hader however does a great job as General George Armstrong Custer, besides Robin Williams as Teddy he's probably one of the only entertaining characters in this movie. The acting over all isn't come across as great and I'm getting a very cheesy vibe from it all. I can't seem to to take the characters the new characters in particular seriously. I definitely don't think Shawn Levy did as good a job directing this picture as he did the first. I feel like you could relate to the characters in the first film a lot more, they were a lot more entertaining too.  You barely see the original characters actually.

The storyline alone isn't fantastic and the screenplay sounds poorly written, the jokes wern't really that funny and none of the characters seem to have any chemistry with one another, including Amy Adams and Ben Stiller. I found myself laughing quite a bit in the first film, however I am sorry to say that I haven't really laughed once whilst watching this film. I honestly think if they had involved the original characters a lot more, this film would have been a lot more entertaining to watch. I really feel like this film was poorly directed.

The cinematography isn't anything special either, in fact most of the set design is well quite literally just one set, so it's rather boring. There aren't really any wow facts when it comes to set design either, There isn't really a lot to look at it, the use of colours are pretty boring too, too many dark colours. I can't quite comprehend seeing historic characters and Darth Vader in the same feel together either, perhaps I am missing something here, but it just looks daft. It's as if the filmmakers were desperatly trying to make it funny and just failed miserably.

I will praise the costume department though again the costumes do look really cool, I really like what Amy Adam's character Amelia Earhart is wearing, it looks good on her and suits her character and of course the original characters look as good as ever, you know when they are actually on screen....the soundtrack is no where near as good as the first one either, it doesn't tell a story like the first one does, it's just boring.

This movie has practically no storyline, it's a real disappointment to be honest after how good the first films was. I think they could of cast some really great actors in this film but chose not too and those that were fantastic were barely shown on screen which was a complete let down. It'a almost like the movie started off about them and finished on something completely different all together.  Confusing and annoying.

It's a no from me!

2/5 stars

Night at the Museum

Cast: Ben Stiller, Robin Williams, Jake Cherry, Carla Gugino, Dick Van Dyke, Bill Cobbs and Mickey Rooney.

Director: Shawn Levy

Release Date: 2006

Genre: Comedy/Fantasy

Running Time: 1hr 48 minutes

Rating: PG

Synopsis:

Larry (Ben Stiller) doesn't seem to be having any success in terms of work, and as a last resort applies to be a night guard at the Natural History Museum in New York. He gets the job, but everything isn't quite as it seems? It's as if the museum comes to life at night!

Ben Stiller! Known for playing a good guy who seems to always get himself into some sort of sticky situation that he can't get himself out of. In my humble opinion not the best actor in the world, I do think he has a gift for comedy, which works very well in this movie, but I don't think he'll be winning any oscars anytime soon. Ben plays Larry who is divorced and unemployed, his ex wife isn't convinced when it comes to all of his ideas for new inventions, however his son Nicky is. I really like the relationship between Larry and Nicky,  it was believable and that a lot of people could probably relate.

We have some fantastic characters in this film, especially Robin Williams who plays Teddy Roosevelt, Robin was a truly gifted man who, however what I loved the most was his incredible comic timing, that he's able to bring to this movie. I think he's absolutely fantastic as Teddy, he doesn't have a great deal of on screen time, but none the less he's brilliant and has a fantastic relationship with Larry through out this film, however I'm not too sure on the relationship between Larry and Rebecca, who he meets working at the Museum, are they an item? Who knows? It's never made perfectly clear. There are plenty more characters in this movie that I'm not gonna chat about but are absolutely wonderful and to be honest the only way your gonna know is to watch it.

Night at the Museum really isn't a bad made film, I can understand why some may look at it and think it's absolutely ridiculous and cheesy however I think they are missing the point. It's about a museum where historic creatures/people come to life, of course it's gonna be ridiculous, when we're children we make up stories that seem absolutely absurd but in our mind it's magical and wonderful and that's all this movie is doing. Personally I think the concept is wonderful and entertaining. There are some really funny moments, Some scenes are better then others. It all depends on your sense of humour though.

The set design is pretty cool, rumor has it that they actually filmed inside The Natural History Museum in New York, who knows, either way set or real life, it's pretty damn cool. It reminds me of the wonderful school trips that I took to our local museums. Although they aren't as cool as the Natural History museum and probably about twenty times smaller. I love how much thought and creativity went into each little element of the museum, it's really cool. Speaking of cool, the costume design in this movie is also pretty awesome. As I mentioned before there are plenty of awesome characters through out the whole of this movie, each when unique and different in their own way, along with their fantastic costumes.

The soundtrack really isn't too bad with a wonderful score from Alan Silvestri who also composed wonderful movies like "The Avengers" and "The Croods", personally he did a great job with this film, it's not perfect but it works well. We also have a great soundtrack from Fatboy Slim, Earth Wind and Fire and Keke Palmer. I really like that there is a combination of the two.

This isn't going to be everyone's cup of tea, I think personally it will appeal to family's purely because it will appeal to children a lot and is child friendly. Despite it being a PG rating there isn't anything inappropriate in this movie. Night at the Museum is one of those movies that is just a fantastic film to watch when it's raining outside and you have nothing better to do, but watch fun and entertaining movies. I would definitely recommend this movie more to those that are fans of Ben Stiller and Robin Williams too, because you will probably love it. This is a just a great fun film, go check it out.

4/5 stars out of 5!

Singing in the Rain

Cast: Gene Kelly, Donald O Connor, Debbie Reynolds, Jean Hagen and Millard Mitchell.

Director: Stanley Dohen and Gene Kelly

Release Date: 1952

Genre: Comedy/Musical

Running Time: 1hr 43 minutes

Rating: U

Format: Amazon Prime UK

Synopsis:

A silent film production makes it's first difficult transition to sound.

Set in Hollywood 1927, Monumental Pictures biggest stars, dazzling on-screen couple Lina Lamont and Don Lockwood, or if you are to believe the gossip columns and trade papers, they are an off-screen couple too. In reality, Don loathes her, while Lina despite thinking Don is beneath her, believes everything she sees on screen in order to boost her own stardom. In 1927, Monumental Pictures releases it's first talking picture film "The Jazz Singer", Don and Lina naturally want to jump on the band wagon, releasing their very own talking picture film.

Beautifully directed by Stanley Dohen and Gene Kelly. It's astonishing how much movies have changed throughout the years, sound films first started off with synchronized dialogue, which were more commonly known as talking pictures, by the 1930's, they'd become a worldwide phenomenon. The storyline explains the change in history, beautifully through the art of dance. Gene Kelly stars as Don Lockwood a stuntman turned actor, a charming man who is loved by thousands around the world, a heartthrob. His relationship with Lina Lamont however is far from rocky, loathing even being in the same presence as her, pretending to be in love with her just to please his adoring fans.

Lina Lamont is played terrifically by Jean Hagen. A squeaky voiced woman, who demands the attention of film studio's all over Hollywood. Lina however, isn't aware that she can't act, can't sing and can't dance, dancer Kathy Seldon (Reynolds) ends up filling in for, in her first talking production, showing Lamont as a fraud after she desperately tries to steal Kathy's stardom. Debbie Reynolds steal the show with her stunning singing voice and charming on screen persona. Reynolds, Hagen, O'Connor and Kelly all bring the story to life with their excellent performances.

Director of Photography Harold Rosson has worked well with directors Stanley Dohen and Gene Kelly in creating a terrific atmosphere on screen. The film really has that wonderful 1920's feel to it. The dance sequences are beautifully choreographed, Gene Kelly and Donald O'Connor steal the show time and time again, captivating their audiences as they dance on screen. The dance sequences are highly entertaining and spectacularly shot. Fun and entertaining, the superb soundtrack adds to the magic of the film. Although "Singing in the Rain" is the name of the movie, the theme is slightly different, however Debbie Reynolds delivers a gorgeous performance of the song in the film, when she finally becomes the star she deserves to be.

5/5 stars

Peter Pan (1953)

Cast: Bobby Driscoll, Kathryn Beaumont, Hans Conried, Bill Thompson, Heather Angel and Paul Collins.

Director: Wilfred Jackson

Release Date: 1953

Genre: Animation/Family

Running Time: 1hr 17 minutes

Rating: U

Synopsis:

This is Walt Disney's adaption of J. M Barries classic book about the young boy who never grew up! Wendy, Michael and Peter receive a visit from Peter Pan who whisks them away to Neverland, where an ongoing war between Peter and Captain Hook is taking place.

Based on the best selling novel of the same name by J.M Barrie. Like many others Walt Disney saw the beauty within the book and adapted it into a gorgeous piece of animation. Every night Wendy tells her brothers Michael and John magical stories about the young boy who can fly Peter Pan, one night her dreams come true when Peter visits them at their bedroom window and whisks them away to Neverland. Pirates, mermaids and Native Indians what more could you want? I'm pretty sure everyone can relate to Peter in some shape or form, perhaps you don't wanna grow up or even though you are grown up you don't feel like an adult? Kid at heart? Walt Disney truly allows you to immerse yourself into this magical story.

Peter (Bobby Driscoll) is a free spirit, he's charming and the locals worship him! Bobby Driscoll delivers a wonderful performance, he suits the role of Peter perfectly. He's very charming and his presence really comes through his voice over work. Walt Disney has really hit the nail on the head when it comes to adapting J.M Barries classic book into a movie, The storyline is beautiful, it's magical, people of all ages can relate and the animation is absolutely stunning! It is a little bit disappointing to know that Walt Disney chose to leave a few bits out of the movie that were originally in the book, however it doesn't ruin the movie, it's still very very enjoyable.

Disney never fail to impress when it comes to their gorgeous animation. Produced in 1953, this is a very impressive looking film considering the time in which it was made. So much detail has gone into Captain Hook's ship, Peter Pan's underground home all made from a tree and mermaid lagoon. The use of colours are gorgeous, when your a child it's exactly how you'd picture mermaids to look, starfish in their hair, a fully functioning working Pirate ship. Hans Conried steals the show as the wonderful Captain James Hook. From personal experience Hans Conried and Dustin Hoffman have been the best at pulling off the character so far, no offence Jason Issacs, but you weren't that convincing. After reading the book my imagination and Walt Disney's imagination are not far off.

The score is captivating and magical, who can forget the famous song "Follow the leader" trust me you'll find yourself singing along before you know it, the soundtrack on it's own allows you to immerse yourself into this gorgeous realm of fantasy and magic. Wendy's emotional song will bring a tear to your eye. Are they really whisked away to Neverland or is it all simply a dream to get away from a very dominant father who wants his children to grow up? This movie is very special to me, it was one of the first that I owned on VHS when I was little, I can remember watching it on my 10th birthday, my friends and myself were captivated.

If your a huge Disney fan and haven't had the pleasure of viewing it, please do, all proceeds go towards Great Ormond Street Hospital in London, DVD's and Blu-Rays don't actually go towards the charity however Disney themselves donate a lot of money every year to support the charity! Please go and check it out, it's magical!

5/5 stars

Space Jam

Cast: Michael Jordan, Bugs Bunny, Wayne Knight, Larry Bird, Bill Murray, Charles Barkley and Danny Devito.

Director: Joe Pytka

Release Date: 1996

Genre: Family/Comedy

Running Time: 1hr 28 minutes

Rating: PG

Synopsis:

Swackhammer (Danny Devito), is looking for new attractions on Moron Mountain. He soon decides that the Looney Tunes characters would be perfect. Swackhammer uses his underlings to bring them to him. Once kidnapped Bugs Bunny convinces them to play a match of basketball against the underlings to determine whether they should stay on Moron Mountain or not. Bugs obviously needs some help so tracks down famous basketball star Michael Jordan for some help! Do the the underling aliens have ideas of their own though for help with their big game?

Who came up with the genius idea to put Michael Jordan and The Looney Tunes in a movie together? Director Joe Pytka. In my humble opinion the only movie still to this day to truly pull off reality and animation at the same time together perfectly. Joe Dante's "Looney Tunes: Back in Action" was entertaining but nowhere near up to the standards of this film. Rumour has it they are making a sequel? Michael Jordan has decided to put an end to his basketball career after his father dies and takes his chances with baseball, however it doesn't exactly go to plan. Up on Moran Mountain Swackhammer (Devito) is looking for new attractions when he comes up with the brilliant idea to steal the powers of famous basketball players for his aliens to inhabit. Michael Jordan must help win a game of basketball between said aliens and The Looney Tunes to get his friends basketball skills back.

I know the storyline sounds a little daft, but just hear me out for a minute okay? At the time this was highly entertaining and still is if your a fan. The idea of Michael Jordan going into Looney Tune land does sound a bit stupid I know, but trust me when I tell you there is something so awesome about it as well. Michael Jordan delivers a very good performance, his acting isn't amazing but for someone that wouldn't normally do it, it's really very good. Especially considering the vast majority of the movie he is in fact talking to nothing or or no one. The beauty of animation ah? The cinematography is great I love the transition between real life and animation, it's clean, it's sharp and it looks really really good! Clearly working with animation and real life at the time was trending, as "Who Framed Roger Rabbit" had been released six years prior and "Casper" was also in the works at the time.

Danny Devito is an actor that over the years has always surprised me with his performances, he's an incredibly funny man but at the same time he can be absolutely terrifying, his characterization in "Matilda" for example is fantastic, imagine Harry Wormwood in animation form and that is what you've got with this film. He's really great, he brings fantastic presence to his role as Swackhammer. What a name. Generally sounds like it should be part of something inside your tool box. There are so many wonderful moments in this movie that will have you chuckling away, Daffy Duck is a fantastic character, he's hilarious and doesn't seem to fit in anywhere, Bugs Bunny steals the show, this time he has a lady friend too, Lola.

The best thing is most certainly the soundtrack, it's really entertaining and works alongside the storyline brilliantly. It just works perfectly. It's entertaining and fun with hit names Seal, Quad City DJ's, Monica, James Newton Howard and R Kelly. Easily one of the most entertaining movies of the mid 90's, it's easy watching, it's perfect for children, you'll probably find yourself enjoying it too mum's and dad's! One of those movies you can have on in the background that you can still follow and understand! An absolute must have!

5/5 stars

Flight of the Navigator

Cast: Joey Cramer, Paul Reubens, Cliff De Young, Veronica Cartwright, Matt Adler and Howard Hesseman.

Director: Randal Kleiser

Release Date: 1986

Genre: Sci Fi/Family

Running Time: 1hr 30 minutes

Rating: PG

Synopsis:

David Freeman (Joey Cramer) goes missing one night in 1978, only to reappear 8 years later in 1986. Despite 8 years passing, David hasn't aged or changed, it's no coincidence that when he returns a unidentified object is found wrapped in power cables.

This is an absolute classic! Directed by Randal Kleiser who also brought us wonderful movies like "Grease" and "Honey I blew up the Kid" needless to say in my opinion he's a pretty good director. I honestly don't think I can compare this movie to anything else, there's something very special about this film, I'd hate to see a remake to be honest. I honestly think filmmakers today would just ruin it. This is by far one of the best films of 1986. I must have seen this so many times as a child, my siblings and myself always had fun sitting down watching this on Saturday afternoons.

Starring Joey Cramer as David Freeman, sadly Joey doesn't act anymore, which is a shame, because I do think he had a bright future. Personally he does a really good job in this film, his character is really likable, this movie is primarily about his journey home, his journey through time, he generally is the star of the show in this film, despite his co stars. The story explains itself pretty well, it's really easy to understand and flows really well. It doesn't take too long to get going! Once it does, it's awesome! What an adventure!

Howard Hessesman who plays Dr Farady has quite a frequent role in this movie, we also see a very young Sarah Jessica Parker too, who also works for NASA. She's really good in this movie though and has a very interesting relationship with David. Just watch out for RALPH! He's pretty cool too and has a really interesting role in this movie with helping David on his journey. Max Is absolutely awesome, I don't wanna give much away, because it will spoil it, but what a character, he really makes this movie fantastic and works brilliantly alongside David! Keep an eye out for some pretty cool creatures in the ship too!

Set in Florida in 1978/1986, the set design is pretty good, we see some beautiful shots of America, not all of Florida mind you, San Francisco and Texas too! I must admit, a great deal of the movie is shot in a spaceship, I know for some reading this, that probably sounds a bit cheesy, but believe me it's flipping awesome! Especially when you see inside, it's definitely not a spaceship you see in "Men in Black" that's for sure! I'm not gonna lie moments of this movie haven't been edited particularly well, especially in the opening scene, it's very rushed, almost cutting it off sharp, like something is missing. The special effects are pretty awesome though!

The soundtrack to this film is absolutely awesome, yes it does have a really big 80's feel to it, but then so did "Terminator" and we all know how good that turned out right? It just works really well, it's like you can feel it explaining the story as it goes along all through the use of music, which is pretty impressive, not many films are able to do that. In fact some movies have next to no soundtrack at all, the soundtrack in this film, speaks mystery and adventure! There is also a nice little homage to Randal Kleiser with a brief song from the "Grease" soundtrack.

This really is a fantastic movie, if you haven't seen it before I cannot highly recommend it enough, it's one of those movies that is absolutely perfect for a rainy afternoon, a film the whole family can sit down and watch, there's nothing inappropriate, obviously no bad language or violence due to the PG rating. It's a wonderful family film. I love this movie and would recommend it to everyone!

5/5 stars

Live by Night

Cast: Ben Affleck, Elle Fanning, Brendan Gleeson, Robert Glenister, Chris Messina, Chris Cooper, and Sienna Miller.

Director: Ben Affleck

Release Date: 2017

Genre: Crime/Gangster/Drama

Running Time: 2hrs 9minutes

Rating: R

Format: Theatrical Cinema Release 

Synopsis:

Set in Boston, 1926, John Coughlin (Ben Affleck), the youngest son of Boston Police Captain (Brendan Gleeson), has long turned against his proper upbringing, from petty theft to being a pretty famous mobster, he loves the thrill of being an outlaw. Joe and his friends set up a shop in Florida, during the prohibition era, facing off against the competition and the Ku Klux Klan. Could it be an early death for Joe though?

Based on the novel of the same name by Dennis Lehane, Ben Affleck delivers one of the best gangster films to date! Set in Boston in 1926, John Coughlin (Affleck), is the youngest son of Boston Police Captain Thomas Coughlin (Brendan Gleeson), John has long turned against his proper upbringing from theft to be a famous mobster, John thrives on being an outlaw! Once again Ben Affleck proves that he is more then capable of directing an exceptionally good movie. When you picture a gangster movie you are probably picturing a film full of action? Live by Night has it's moments. The storyline is very interesting and flows very nicely, however the second chapter is where it really starts to get good! There's certainly a few twists. For someone who wouldn't normally go looking for gangster movies, I was really very pleasantly surprised!

Ben Affleck's character John Coughlin is very interesting, a man who is essentially addicted to robbing. He can't help himself. The more he succeeds at robbing the more he wants to do it. Brendan Gleeson delivers a very nice performance, although it's a shame he doesn't have a great deal of screen time. Captain Thomas Coughlin is very aware of what his son is doing. Despite the circumstances in which they find themselves, they share a nice relationship with one another. Chris Cooper is an actor who never fails to impress, he really immerses himself into his roles and shows incredible characterisation. He too has a very interesting character, he works fairly well on screen with Elle Fanning who plays his daughter Loretta Figgis. Elle Fanning has come very far since "Super 8" and "Maleficent" she's really fantastic as Loretta. Loretta changes drastically through out the course of the film.

The production team have really captured the era beautifully with stunning set designs. I love the choice of cars, they look fantastic during some action sequences. The costume design is brilliant and adds to the tone of the film perfectly. The choice of lighting was excellent it corresponds with the storyline and the set design beautifully. It's an old school gangster movie, it's brilliant! I'm stunned that this flopped at the box office? Is it too slow? Not really. The movie flows very nice and explains itself well as the course of the film goes on. Action sequences? Few and far between but very good none the less. Is that where audiences went wrong? They were expecting this to be a massive action film? Forgetting that it was based on a novel. The action is there, it's just presented more to the audience during the second chapter of the film.

In my humble opinion one of Ben Affleck's best films to date and easily his best directed films. It's stunning, it's classy and it's meaningful. If your into your gangster movies this is definitely worth a go! Be patient! It's an emotional ride!

5/5 stars

Aladdin

Cast: Scott Weigner, Robin Williams, Linda Larkin, Johnathon Freeman, Frank Welker, Gilbert Gottfried and Douglas Seale.

Director: Ron Clements and John Musker

Release Date: 1992

Genre: Family/Animation

Running Time: 1hr 30 minutes

Rating: U

Synopsis:

Aladdin (Scott Weigner) is a young boy who lives on the streets of Agrabah, it all begins when he meets a young girl, who happens to be Princess Jasmine (Linda Larkin), who is being forced into marriage by her father (Douglas Seale), however Aladdin's luck suddenly changes when he accidentally receives a magical lamp from the cave of wonders, what he doesn't know is there is a cunning Genie inside (Robin Williams) who is about to make all his wishes come true...

Walt Disney's Aladdin! Who doesn't love Aladdin? Do you know I watched this film so much as a child, I quite literally wore the tape out, it kept jumping. I am now the proud owner of it on Blu-Ray, It looks absolutely gorgeous. Ron Clements directed this beauty alongside John Musker, Ron also brought us great Disney movies like "The Little Mermaid" and Walt Disney's "Hercules" as well as this wonderful film. He's got a gift that's for sure, because all three are absolutely fantastic movies, this movie personally probably being his best. Sadly he hasn't directed much since Disney's "The Princess in the Frog" back in 2009.

I love each and everyone of the characters in this movie, this is by far one of my most favourite Disney movies, I honestly watched it so many times as a child as I mentioned before and when chatting to friends and family, they often state it's one of their favourites. I'm not gonna lie though Jafar really used to scare me, I guess that was their intention though right? He's the bad guy. So his character was portrayed as quite authoritative, serious and very sinister. I think Aladdin appealed to a lot of people too with his character, he was made to be likable, so that you felt sorry for him, the relationship between him and Jasmine doesn't start off great, they still have great chemistry though. The combination works perfectly due to the circumstances they are thrust upon in the movie too. Aladdin is the ultimate hero!

You've got to love the Cave of Wonders, there's so much to look at the whole time! We're introduced to some pretty awesome characters here too! This is where we're introduced to the Geenie performed by the incredible late Robin Williams. He's absolutely marvelous, you will instantly fall in love with his character, he's hilarious, the characterization is fantastic! The Geenie as a bumblee too is the funniest thing ever! Remember beeee yourself!

The animation in this movie is absolutely gorgeous, it looks even better on Blu-Ray too. The use of colours are beautiful, lots of reds, yellows, browns, desert colours. It works perfectly along with the gorgeous set design too. The soundtrack is absolutely wonderful, with hit songs like "Whole new world" and "Friend like me" sung by the wonderful Robin Williams. You'll soon get addicted and find yourself going round the house singing the songs.

If your a massive Disney fan and have never seen this, you really must, it's definitely one of the best Disney movies of 1992! You'll find yourself singing the songs, quoting the lines and telling all your friends about it. Really suitable for children and family's. Your little girls, will want to be Princess Jasmine believe me, I did. Your boys might even want to be Aladdin! Definitely worth a go!

Cannot recommend this film enough! Give it a go!

5/5 stars

Blackbeards Ghost

Cast: Peter Ustinov, Dean Jones, Suzanne Pleshette, Elsa Lancaster, Joby Baker and Richard Deacon.

Director: Robert Stevenson

Release Date: 1968

Genre: Fantasy/Comedy

Running Time: 1hr 46 minutes

Rating: U

Synopsis:

Famous Pirate Blackbeard (Peter Ustinov), has been cursed by his last wife, who was a notorious witch. The curse that was placed, was that Blackbeard would never die, the only way to break the curse is to do a good act, however is he able to do anything good?

Edward Teach better known as Blackbeard, was a notorious English Pirate, on November 28th, Edward's two ships attacked a French merchant vessel, just off the coast of Saint Vincent. Both ships fired at broadside killing several of it's crew, forcing the captain to surrender.

This is a classic Disney movie! Director Robert Stevenson is also know for directing hit Disney movies "Mary Poppins" and "Bedknobs and Broomsticks" if you really enjoyed these two, chances are your gonna love this Disney classic! Starring Peter Ustinov (Robin Hood), Dean Jones (The Love Bug) and Suzanne Pleshette (The Birds), so we've got some pretty familiar faces here, the crazy thing too is that they've all worked with Walt Disney at some point during their career.

The story is great, it's really easy to understand, with moments of great humour and a bit of action. There are some pretty interesting characters in this movie and the odd bad guy too, making the relationship between Blackbeard and Steve Walker (Dean Jones) pretty entertaining, they have great chemistry and work really well together on screen. Suzanne Preshette has a nice role Jo Anne Baker, I'm never too sure if she's meant to be Steve's love interest or not? Now this movie is based on a novel too, so it could be different again?

The acting is really good, Peter Ustinov as Blackbeard is absolutely brilliant, he brings great characterization and humour to his character. Despite his character supposedly being quite selfish, his heart is in the right place. Steve Walker and Blackbeard have great charisma on screen, Dean Jones is absolutely brilliant. His character too is very funny. Some moments of this film are absolutely hilarious and will have you on the edge of your seat laughing! The bad guys are great and also bring a lot of humour to this movie! I do think the woman who play Blackbeards descendants the daughters of the buccaneers is a bit over the top in terms of acting, but then they are related to Blackbeard so what would you expect?

The set design is really cool, the pub where Steve stays, is made to look like an old Pirate ship, including the gorgeous interior design, the set design team were definitely onto something when they made this movie. It's one of those sets I would love to have a look around, there's a lot going on, lots of detail, I really appreciate filmmakers who take the time to make movie sets look authentic, I also think the actors perform better when something seems more real to them too. I do think CGI is used a bit too much these days, it ruins it, you've got to remember this is 1968, so they did the best they could. I really like it.

The special effects aren't amazing, but like I mentioned before this was 1968, they could only do so much and considering what they had access too, you've got to give them credit. This is a really fun family film, it works, you shouldn't really expect anything else either to be honest. Yes it's Disney, but old school Disney, half the fun is that it doesn't always look brilliant, you can use your imagination and humour to make the movie fun.

All in all this is a really entertaining movie, full of humour, fun and action, it's something that the whole family can sit down and watch, there honestly isn't anything in that I would say is inappropriate, there's not use of bad language and definitely no violence. This is just a great fun family film, Disney lovers in particular I would recommend.

4/5 stars

Kindergarten Cop

Cast: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Penelope Anne Miller, Pamela Reed, Linda Hunt and Richard Tyson.

Director: Ivan Reitman

Release Date: 1990

Genre: Action

Running Time: 1hr 51 minutes

Rating: PG-13

Synopsis:

John Kimble (Arnold Schwarzenegger) is city cop who's been after drug dealer Cullen Crisp for years. He manages to finally track him down however it seems that the only person who can testify against him is his ex wife (Penelope Anne Miller), the problem is she's gone on the run, no one can find her, apart from the school where supposedly her young son Dominic attends, when things don't quite as planned in finding Crisps wife, John finds he must go on his toughest quest yet as an undercover Kindergarten teacher.

I was first introduced to this film at quite a young age, probably a bit too young, as I have mentioned before I was always curious at what movies my brother owned and this one was of them. I was probably a bit too young as it did frighten me for a years, some moments in this movie are a bit hard to watch, especially if you do have children. Ivan Reitman directed this beauty of a movie back in 1990, probably the prime of action movies, just after "Back to the Future" and the same year as the hit movie "Ghost" starring Patrick Swayze.

We've got a pretty interesting cast, besides Arnold Schwarzenegger, we don't really see many of the faces in this movie anymore, although you might recognize Pamela Reed from "Junior" also starring Arnie and Linda Hunt who did a voice in the hit Disney movie "Pocahontas" don't be put off though, this is a wonderful cast, they work brilliantly together and Richard Tyson who plays bad guy Chris is absolutely brilliant, I always think it's quite a task to play a bad guy especially if you are known to others off set as an extremely nice and generous person. That ladies and gentlemen is what makes them wonderful actors though. As strange as it sounds, the chemistry between Arnie and Richard Tyson is fabulous. It's hard to believe that the man playing an undercover Kindergarten teacher was also a badass Robot in "Terminator" I guess again though, that's what makes him such a good actor.

The young lad who plays Dominic played by twins Joseph and Christian Cousins, not known for acting anymore, however they did a fantastic job in this movie playing Dominic, I'd normally say don't expect a lot from a child actor, not only are they starting out in their career they are also just children, so it's best not to expect a lot, they both do a really great job though and have a great relationship with Arnold Schwarzenegger in this film.

The storyline is really really good, despite it being an action movie there are great moments of humour, especially once Arnie attends the school as an undercover teacher, lots of mayhem unfolds. If there are any teachers reading, you might even be able to relate? Lessons don't always go quite as planned do they? Don't worry there is definitely plenty of action and some really great choreographed fight sequences. Some scenes involving the school are extremely funny, you never quite know what's going to happen. Did I mention John Kimble also owns a pet ferret?

This movie is set in Oregon, Canada, with some beautiful scenery sadly, not a lot, but you do see some in the background. Most of the set design is around an elementary school, I'd imagine quite a simple set in terms of budget for the filmmakers. Considering most stuff takes place at the school this makes a lot of sense, of course you do see other things too, it's not all aimed at the school. There are some nice little homages to Ivan Reitman too in this movie, I won't give away what though? That's up to you to spot! Most of the action scenes do take closer to the end of the movie, but there is plenty of action through out the film too.

Despite this movie being a PG-13, there are moments of violence in this movie that personally are a bit grown up for those in their early teens, I certainly wouldn't let anyone under the age of twelve watch this, there is mention of illegal drugs quite often and a lot of scenes involving guns. I mean let's face it, what would you expect from a movie about a Police officer who goes undercover as a Kindergarten teacher? There are also some scenes that are extremely relatable and realistic that might be quite sensitive to some audiences.

I really enjoyed this movie, if your a Arnie fan, then this is definitely something you are gonna enjoy. If you love action movies too, then I'd say you'd probably enjoy this quite a bit, it's aimed at a family as well though, but perhaps don't have very young children in the same room as you when watching, this is a PG-13 don't forget, and the DVD copy won't be as well edited as that on TV, where a lot of the violence and language is taken out. This is probably one of Arnie's best movies besides the "Terminator" franchise. A must watch.

4/5 stars

Blue Crush

Cast: Kate Bosworth, Sanoe Lake, Michelle Rodriguez, Matthew Davis, Mika Boorem and Chris Taloa.

Director: John Stockwell

Release Date: 2002

Running Time: 1hr 40 minutes

Genre: Drama

Rating: PG-13

Format: DVD

Synopsis:

Anne Marie (Kate Bosworth) lives to surf! She wakes up every morning before dawn to practice for the local competition Pipe Masters! However when she meets Football Quarterback Matt (Matthew Davis) she becomes distracted, will Matt come between her and her surfboard?

Anne Marie Chadwick, eats, sleeps and breathes surfing, she lives in a little beach shack in O'hau with her two best friends Eden and Lena and her little sister Penny. Anne Marie has been training for months for pipe masters a surfing competition with some of the biggest waves in the world. Although it's not all fun and games, it's not long before Anne Marie bumps into football quarterback Matt (Matthew Davis) and falls head over heels for him, she must find balance between her surfboard and spending time with Matt but will it be too late? It becomes apparent pretty early on that Anne Marie and Penny have come from a broken home, neither see their parents, with Penny still at college, Anne Marie, Eden and Lena must act as breadwinners by working in a local hotel as maids. Bosworth is absolutely fantastic as main lead Anne Marie, she's clearly put a lot of work into making herself look like a professional surfer, the relationship she has with her friends Lena and Eden is pretty convincing, they are clearly all very close to one another and there is plenty of tension between Penny and Annie Marie, emphasizing that Anne Marie is struggling to act as mum to her sister Penny.

Directed by John Stockwell of "Top Gun" fame, he directs a very nice looking movie. I love that John has done some research on Hawaii and has based his movie on the surf girls of Maui. Blue Crush is a stunning looking movie, chances are you aren't going to find a surf movie that looks quite as good as this one does. This movie is 110% all about surfing and the culture that comes with it. Believe me when I tell you, you don't have to be into the sport to enjoy this film. The film flows very nicely balancing scenes between Anne Marie and Matt and the surfing perfectly. I love that John chose to use a little bit of conflict too between Anne Marie and Eden, it's never certain whether Eden is jealous of Anne Marie or simply wants the best for her, but there is a great deal of tension between the two of them, mostly in the second chapter of the film.

Cinematographer David Hennings has truly made this movie look absolutely incredible. Underwater scenes that have been captured look absolutely amazing and very authentic, one can only imagine the time in which it took to get some scenes to look as good as they do. Stockwell has chosen to use a mix of aerial shots, mostly of the surf competition capturing everyone on the beach and the surfers from above, close ups of the actors surfing, you might even notice a few stunt doubles in there and low angle shots for the underwater scenes, with the use of clever lighting and photography they've made this film look absolutely amazing. The lighting in this movie really effects the tone of the film, the colours are vibrant, I love that there is a blue rinse over the whole film, really giving it a summer feeling. Blue Crush looks very authentic, right down to the beach shack that the girls live in, it's obvious they don't have a lot of money, they are rarely seen in designer clothes, shoes and parts of their shack is falling apart as you will see in one scene involving Anne Marie getting ready for a night out with Matt. The hotel where the girls are maids is real hotel JW Marriott Ihalani Resort and Spa at Ko Olina in Hawaii.

The soundtrack really sets the tone for this film perfectly with big names like Lenny Kravitz, POD, Zero 7, N.E.R.D, Damian Marley and Doves. Each song works beautifully with the scene in which they are used, really setting the mood for the film, it's a very catchy soundtrack with a lovely summer vibe to it. Blue Crush is really entertaining and very inspiring. It's about courage, friendship,  love and working hard to make your dreams come true. A very stunning looking film, perfect for anyone that is really into surfing or wants to give it a go.

Bonus DVD Features:

Directors Commentary:

A very interesting commentary by Director John Stockwell. He goes into great detail about how they got beautiful shots of Hawaii and the surfers.

Feature Commentary:

This time with Kate Bosworth, Michelle Rodriguez and Sanoe Lake, very interesting if you want to see it from the directors perspective and the actors. Most movies very rarely have both..worth a watch.

The making of Blue Crush:

A small behind the scenes segment on how the movie was shot with a few moments from the actors and producers. It's not amazing, but it is quite interesting.

Deleted Scenes:

Commentary by Director John Stockwell, you can choose to have it on or off. Personally the deleted scenes didn't work, they would have dragged the film down.

Filming Blue Crush:

A three minute segment set to music of them shooting the movie.

The Female Surfing Revolution:

Sanoe Lake, Michelle Rodriguez and professional female surfers discuss woman competing in a man's world!

Wipeout:

Clips of professional surfers wiping out.

Riding the waves:

Clips of the girls and the boys surfing in Hawaii. Personally some of the special features are a bit pointless and could have been put in with the behind the scenes segments etc, they may be more interesting for those who are very passionate about surfing.

Surf Fashion:

Sanoe Lake and Jessica from Billabong take you into the fashion world of surfing! Fashion that was used in the movie and how to get the look.

Lenny Kravitz: 

Music video for his song "If I could fall in love" featured in the movie.

5/5 stars

The Woman in Black

Cast: Daniel Radcliffe, Roger Allam, Lucy May Barker and Ciaran Hinds

Director: James Watkins

Release Date: 2012

Genre: Horror

Running Time: 1hr 31 minutes

Rating: PG-13

Format: DVD

Synopsis:

A young solicitor (Daniel Radcliffe) travels to a remote village, to Eel Marsh house, where he discovers the vengeful ghost of a scorned woman who is terrorizing the locals.

I was first introduced to "The Woman in Black" whilst I was studying at College. I'd never even heard of it, until my teacher mentioned it and raved about how amazing it was live on stage. I can remember walking out of our local theatre feeling inspired and terrified at the same time. Quite the combination. When I found there was a film adaption coming out, I knew I had to get my hands on it. On first impressions it's obviously very different to watching something on stage, because it's been adapted for stage, however I was still thoroughly impressed. Another pleasant surprise was to hear that Daniel Radcliffe of Harry Potter stardom had been cast as the main character Arthur Kipps. Playing someone beyond your years is no easy task, however I think Radcliffe did exceptionally well considering the material he was given. Just like the stage performance, this film relies on very little performers with Radcliffe being the only actor in shot the majority of the film.

I like that Watkins has added a few new bits to the film adaption, although it takes away the mystery of the stage version, it also builds up a lot of suspense, that's not to say that the stage version doesn't build suspense because it very much does. It'd be very interesting to compare the novel to the stage and film adaption too. In essence Watkins has managed to bring a very good horror story to life, this movie is absolutely terrifying. Watkins has relied on jump scares a little bit, which for some viewers can be a little bit predictable, however I think he found the great combination of jump scares and clever lighting and sound to really build the suspense. There are plenty of twists and turns through out the film that will take you by surprise. There are some truly chilling scenes that may be difficult for some viewers.

Director of photography Tim Maurice-Jones has done a very nice job at adapting the novel to screen. Watkins has chosen to use a lot of close ups of Radcliffe to build suspense, as he zooms in on Radcliffe, you'll hear something in the background, immediately Watkins offers a jump scare in return, how many times have you heard a noise in a horror movie, it's made you jump, only to find that there is nothing there, sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. It doesn't always work in this movie. Watkins has chosen on numerous occasions to create suspense through the use of shadow, the best part about this movie is you rarely see the woman in black, most of the fear that comes out of her is through the clever use of ghostly shadows.

Set in the early 1900's, the production department have done a fantastic job in creating a very authentic looking set, the house that Arthur stays in through out most of the film, looks gorgeous from top to bottom, the children's bedrooms with Victorian toys, the graveyard outside, and a mysterious horse and cart from a very chilling scene, but let's come back to that later. It's clear a lot of detail went into making this movie look as authentic as possible, to be quite fair, something a stage performance can't always deliver due to the space that they have to work with, probably the only thing in the movie that is so much better then the original stage performance.

This is a really nice looking movie, it probably could have been done a little bit better, I'm not always sure that Radcliffe was the right person in mind, mainly due to his young age. The relationship between Kipps and his little boy isn't always convincing, however it's good none the less. Don't expect too much from it.  Chances are if you were a fan of the stage performance and the novel, your going to enjoy this. As I mentioned before it can be very difficult to transform something from stage to screen, some audiences may not like this, others may find they like that Watkins has chosen to add bits. I'm a cross between the two, either way it's entertaining and thrilling.

4/5 stars