Tania's Talk

The Proposal

The general feeling is that Sandra Bullock is a lovely sweet person that keeps making shit movies this kinda of bucks the trand - although no While You Were Sleeping its a whole lot better then Hope Floats and Two Weeks Notice... one to see again at some point..
A decent story with some funny moments

Lakeview Terrace

A good thriller about a black racist cop who happens to be the neighbour from hell for a young inter-racial couple. It's an enjoyable film and the tension between the two lead characters is good as the incidents between them escalate throughout the film. It reaches a predictable conclusion in a bit of a rush towards the end, but it's still a worthy watch.

The Day the Earth Stood Still

A potentially great story about alien contact was really let down by the plot more than anything. I have seen the original and while that would be regarded as well ahead of it's time made in 1951 this will shortly be forgotten. This has the big budget modern effects otherwise the main difference of this and the original is the reason for the alien contact. The original made after WW2 was all about living in peace or risk destruction for our violent actions. This is all about the environment if we can't change our ways we risk killing the earth and ourselves. Oh and John Cleese is always worthy of more than a few minutes cameo?!
Great start but a missed opportunity. If you want a good action, drama or disaster film on a similar them watch Independence day, War of the Worlds, or The day after tomorrow instead.

This Is England

A great British film, gritty and hard hitting and made on a shoe string budget. It doesn't matter the story and acting make this a very powerful film and it deserves all the awards and accolades it has received.
A young boy bullied at school joins the local skinheads in early 80's Britain, but the fun and games soon start to turn nasty and violent.

Little Miss Sunshine

A great little comedy about a dysfunctional family making a road trip to a beauty pageant. Along the way all sorts of bizarre things happen. A great feel good comedy film.

The Fifth Commandment

A pretty good straight to DVD action film. Some good fight scenes and stunt work. An assassin passes up a hit on a female singer and gets drawn in to protect her from the next taker. Feels like quite a few other films put together most notably Bangkok Dangerous and the Replacement killers.

Play Misty for Me

A great little thriller and the first film directed by Clint Eastwood. I imagine quite powerful in its day, one of the first obsessive, stalker thrillers. No doubt encouraged the likes of Fatal attraction and countless others.

The Break-Up

A very funny Rom-com without being too soppy. A lot of funny scenes that both sexes should enjoy as a couple try to get back at each other over their break up. A film many will relate to as the plans to out do each other keep escalating all the time as neither want to leave their apartment. Have to say though I think Jennifer had a body double for the nude scene, well some of it! Similar to War of the roses, What happens in Vegas.

The Business

Far from being in the same league as Goodfellas, Casino. However this is an enjoyable British film showing the rise and fall of an East London gangster getting involved in the drug scene in Spain. Set in the 80's with the typical fashion of the time but with a great soundtrack to boot. Quite violent, brutal and with a lot of swearing as well but an interesting story all the same.

Tau ming chong (Warlords)

Another big battle epic set in China's past. Some of the battle scenes are very good and the acting is impressive but the overall story just wasn't that interesting to me. It just sets up one battle up after another really. Curse of the Golden flower was visually more impressive and has a better storyline to it. The two are very similar.

Match Point

I'm not a big fan of dramas but when you find a good one it just has a great way of engrossing you into the story. This is one of those films, well directed, great cast with an interesting story of greed, betrayal and desperation. A very entertaining film.

Drop Dead Gorgeous

An enjoyable comedy about a beauty pageant in the style of a documentary. Has a great cast in their earlier years here. Has some very funny moments, quite a dark comedy overall not afraid to make fun of its self. Glad I got round to watching it.

Isolation

A very low budget horror set in Ireland on a farm. Very much like the Thing but on a much smaller scale. Great for a low budget indie film. Slow to start but the second half of the film is quite creepy.

The Flock

For a straight to DVD film this is actually a pretty good thriller. Gere and Claire Danes give good performances about a tough subject matter. They monitor sex offenders in the community, when a teenage girl is kidnapped in the area their suspicions are raised. A bit slow at the start but the second half of the film is good cat and mouse stuff. Don't expect much of Avril Lavigne in this though, a one scene cameo is all you get from her in this.

Oldboy

A good Korean film, if quite odd at times. However it is a great tale of revenge with some surprising twists. Well worth checking out.

Quantum of Solace

A very good action film continuing right on from Casino Royale. Plenty of action, chases and explosions. Has a certain Bourne Trilogy feel to a lot of the stunts and fights. The Bond films now are more gritty, raw without the tongue in cheek humour of the past films. One for all out action entertainment but not the best story for a Bond film.

Låt den Rätte Komma In (Let the Right One in)

A great horror drama about a girl vampire who befriends a bullied boy in Sweden, A great foreign film done on a small budget that has some great cinematography I have to add. It can be a bit slow, it's more drama than horror action, but this makes certain scenes have more of an impact. One of the better vampire films around but the emphasis is on the relationship between the two children. Check it out!

Eagle Eye

A good conspiracy theory action, thriller. A mix of Enemy of the state and Terminator in a bizarre way. Plenty of good chase scenes, and big budget effects make this an enjoyable thrill ride.

Alpha Dog

A very good film based on true events, as a group of young wannabe gangsters take things too far. A great performance from all of the young assembled cast. A lot better than you would expect from such young actors. Well worth checking out.

8 Mile

A very good, solid film about a young white rapper, trying to cut it on the rap scene in Detroit. Seems loosely based on Eminem's background? There is a good supporting cast especially by Kim Basinger playing his mum. This will surprise a lot of people as it's not the the type of film most will expect it to be. Eminem plays the role well. Even if you're not a fan of his music or rap in general this is still a watchable film about someone trying to better themselves and break away from their humble surroundings.