Following on from Part 1 and Part 2, here are five more 20 second reviews from my Lovefilm rental list:
The Golden Compass
25 October 2008
Based on the superb novel Northern Lights by Philip Pullman, this movie was never going to quite live up to expectations but on the whole I thought they did a pretty good job with it. Nicole Kidman was sufficiently sinister as the nasty Mrs Coulter and the effects managed to bring to life the armoured bears, the daemons and a whole host of other fantastic elements that make up the lore of Pullman’s His Dark Materials trilogy. It is just such a shame that the film was not successful enough to make the rest of the trilogy since the story in the movie has no real ending as it stands.
3:10 To Yuma
4 November 2008
This gripping western was a really enjoyable film to watch. A rancher played by Christian Bale takes the task of escorting robber Ben Wade (Russell Crowe) to the town of Contention to meet a train which will take him to trial. I kind of love this genre (the modern-made western) and this little snippet from IMDB.com covers what makes it exciting:
The transport to Contention is hazardous and filled with ambushes by Indians, pursuits by Wade’s vengeful gang and Wade’s own conniving and surreptitious demeanor that makes the ride all the more intense.
More than likely to watch this again (and own it on Blu-ray).
No Country for Old Men
3 December 2008
Possibly my favourite film from 2008 (although this is tough because there were a lot of good ones). Directed by the Coen brothers, this adaptation of Cormac McCarthy’s novel had me on the edge of my seat throughout. Wikipedia describes the plot:
No Country for Old Men tells the story of a botched drug deal and the ensuing cat-and-mouse drama, as three men crisscross each other’s paths in the desert landscape of 1980 West Texas. The film examines the themes of fate and circumstance…
Javier Bardem was brilliant as the psychotic hitman. Josh Brolin and Tommy Lee Jones were also superb and I cannot wait to watch this film again.
Be Kind Rewind
3 December 2008
A complete change of pace with this gentle and warm comedy. Jack Black tones it down (a bit at least) for this indie-looking film about a couple of dudes in a video rental store who start remaking all their favourite movies after all the tapes are wiped in a freak accident. The popularity of these films end up helping them to try to save their store from being torn down. The Be Kind REwind YouTube minisite encourages fans to remake films of their own! I may well watch this again at some point but I wont be rushing to do it.
There Will Be Blood
30 December 2008
Daniel Day Lewis demonstrates yet again why he is so well-respected. You cannot take your eyes off him for a moment. This is the sort of film I take ages to watch because although I know it will be good, it seems like such a boring subject. Oil digging? Really? And yet, as I predicted, I was soon completely enthralled by this epic and ruthless quest of Day Lewis’s character Daniel Plainview. Paul Dano, who I had only previously seen in fairly gentle roles such as the nerdy brother in Little Miss Sunshine, was a complete revelation to me. Shocking yet brilliant. The whole film stayed with me for a long time and I will undoubtedly be watching this again.
