Kent's Talk

Batman: Dead End

An amazing fan-film, which can be found on YouTube, from Sandy Collora. In just 8 minutes, it delivered that what the 4 previous feature films didn't.

Clark Bartram fit the "Batman" role perfectly, in a way much better than Bale's recent showdown as the legendary Bruce Wayne. The 1939 suit was an absolute idea... The white contacts where a nice touch, and it showed that the producers preferred to focus on the gritty side of the comic other than the "realistic" tilt Hollywood directors chose.

Andrew Koenig as the Joker was very good, I'll will probably get flamed for this, but he was much better than Heath Ledger. I preferred the chaotic, yet psychotic feel of the character.

I never was a fan of AvP films, however the costumes where rather amazing.

The figth scene, Batman vs Predator was mesmerizing to say the least. It's incredible that in such a short time with limited budget and all I still do prefer this fight scene from any other Batman flick. There were no big sets, most of the action was confined to one very simple location with that "Gotham City" feeling, that neither Nolan could achieve in "The Dark Knight".

I never thought I'd see that sort of cinematography in a live action Batman film.

Collora should direct a "1939 feature Batman film", much different than the "Dark Knight Universe" and probably much more appealing to the comic-book fans.

See full 8 minutes film here
Official Site

Revolutionary Road

Director:Sam Mendes
Released: 2008
Stars : Kate Winslet, Leonardo DiCaprio, Kathy Bates, Michael Shannon
Genre: Drama/Romance
Country: UK/USA

A young couple living in a Connecticut suburb during the mid-1950s struggle to come to terms with their personal problems while trying to raise their two children. Based on a novel by Richard Yates.

Part of my Oscar watch season, Revoultionary Road is the 3rd film I think that I've seen that had finally reached my local cinema and very suprrisingly. Only I maye have to re-watch it again because of two annoying women behind me and my Mum, "blabbering their opions in my ear"- to use a line from Annie Hall. It's rude and disrespectful to others around you, so don't it folks! Anyway, I'd also like to add that if you get to see this film, most likely you'll have a "Titanic Crowd" in the cinema screen with you, as I did. Laughing at every sex scene in the film or the sight of a naked body. Yeah, that's just fucking hilarious. Without the annoying distractions, Revoulionary Road is such an underated film and just close to perfection.

Revolutionary Road has been described by many critics and reviewers on the site as being just the same as Mende's 1999 film American Beauty. Well, true, they deal with the same issues but they are set into two different time periods and two different films entirely. For one thing Both characters in this film have different things to deal with. For instance, Frank has to be the breadwinner of the family and be the man of his generation. Clearly, from the portryal of Frank by DiCaprio- that is not really what Frank's all about. Whereas American Beauty is enitrely about that life.

Revoultionary Road centres on the two main characters, Frank and April Weeler. Two different people, wanting different things. Throughout the film we are witnessed to two characters almost keeping up the lie. Underneath it all, they're not the people everyone thinks they are. For example, this is evident with the majority of the characters around them saying "what a great couple they are " and "oh, but you're the Weelers. In some respects they a couple which every other couple aspires to. We can see how much that affects them both. Frank wants to keep pretending to be the ideal man of his generation, by accepting te promotion he gets. April wants to try a new life. It's April that announches all of this as well.

The soundtrack to the film, like Newman did on American Beauty, was just stunning to listen to. It fits perfectly with the theme of the film and just helps us as an audience deleve deeper into 1950's America. Like the America Beauty, the them is almost haunting as you know the characters so well and understand the emotions that the them gives off. Just perfect. I will be downloading the soundtrack very soon. Also worth mentioning the brilliant 50's Jazz music that was in and around the film.

Acting in this film is just brilliantly done. From Kate Winslet to Kathy Bates all the cast produce some sublime performances that quite frankly deserve mre credit. Kate Winslet plays her role as April Weeler, so well and with such realism that you really feel for her. Deserved an Oscar nomination for her role, whch stupidly the Academy omitted. Michael Shannon, however I agree with. With a short apearance he left an impact on the characters and the audience. His character also made me laugh on some occasions at his wonderful social observations that both Frank and April noticed noone else had said. His performance is probably one of my favourites of the year. Leonardo DiCaprio also produced another performance of his career for me. Not his best but up there with my top 5 performances of his. I'm suprised he hasn't been given more credit for his performance.

Mendes once again delivers some brilliant direction in what seems to be an underated films of 2008. One shot in particular at the end perfectly summed up the whole films for me. Wanting to switch themselves off from the constant pursuit of the American Dream and live a little. Just superb. Overall his direction, again deserves more credit as it's just sublime and so underated. Only the Golden Globes have credited him. His attention to camera angels and some else I noticed was an shot which he also used in American Beauty, one to look out for.

Overall, Revoultionary Road is a film which deserved more Oscar Nominations as it's just a brilliant film and one which is close to perfect as you can get. A fascinating tale of one couple's constant struggle to bring up their kids, dealing with personal probelms and almost keep pursuing that American Dream.

Close to perfection...

Highly recomended

9/10

RocknRolla

People ask the question... what's a RocknRolla? And I tell 'em - it's not about drums, drugs, and hospital drips, oh no. There's more there than that, my friend. We all like a bit of the good life - some the money, some the drugs, other the sex game, the glamour, or the fame. But a RocknRolla, oh, he's different. Why? Because a real RocknRolla wants the fucking lot.

If you enjoyed Snatch or Lock, Stock, this is worth seeing, some migth say that the former were better, I'd tell them to shut the hell up they ain't the same and stop comparing them.

All you need to know about life is retained in those four walls. You will notice that one of your personalities is seduced by the illusions of grandeur - the gold packet of king size with a regal insignia, an attractive implication towards grandeur and wealth, the subtle suggestion that cigarettes are indeed your royal and loyal friends, and that, Pete, is a lie. Your other personality is trying to draw your attention to the flip side of the discussion, written in boring bold black and white, it's a statement that these neat little soldiers of death and in fact trying to kill you and that, Pete, is the truth.

Oh, beauty is a beguiling call to death and i'm addicted to the sweet pitch of its siren. That starts sweet ends bitter, and that which starts bitter ends sweet. That is why you and i love the drugs and that is also why I cannot give that painting back. now please, pass me a light.

The story was fine, not Ritchie's best work but certainly interesting enough to hold together a film, on the other hand, the dialogue was class. All of a sudden this movie takes off to the Guy Ritchie storytelling, which isn't a bad thing either.

I can't fucking wait for The Real RocknRolla :D

New York Post | Kyle Smith
A sharp comedy as well as a punk-pulp spree. Don't go if you can't handle Brit slang. ("Grass" = informer.)

My Bloody Valentine 3-D

Several months ago when I heard they were making this remake I rented the original and watched it (for the first time). I remember loving the campyness of it (and I sometimes hate too much camp) and really liking it.

Without ruining it for people who mean to see this remake or the original, they changed the plot in a simple way in the remake that made it a lot better in my opinion.

Plus, it wasn't cheesy or slow, it has eye candy, plus rewquisite slutty boob sex scene, a little person and pretty cool deaths.

Minor complaints: Kerr Smith's awful mustache and facial hair are distracting, and the 3D doesn't add much at all and is just a gimmick.

But overall I liked it.

Step Brothers

So much better than I thought it would probably be, in sme parts I laughed so hard my eyes watered.

As with almost all of Will Ferrell's silly comedy movies, there were a few random scenes I'm not sure why they were included (like Derek's family singing in the car)

But the whole thing about the drums (don't wanna give it away for people who haven;t seen it) was hilarious. And John C Reiley in the underwear, haha

Sillyness, but fun

The Reader

Director:Stephen Daldry
Released: 2008
Stars : Ralph Fiennes, Kate Winslet, Bruno Ganz
Genre: Drama/Romance
Country: USA/Germany

Post-WWII Germany: Nearly a decade after his affair with an older woman came to a mysterious end, law student Michael Burk re-encounters his former lover as she defends herself in a war-crime trial.

Part of my Oscar watch season, The Reader came a few weeks late to my local cinema and suprised me a great deal. Much attention has been given to the performance of one of my favourite actresses, Kate Winslet and I 100% agree with those critics. The Reader is an excellent film and one which is unfortunatly overshadowed by the likes of Slumdog Millionire and various other Oscar nominated films.

The Reader unfortunatly is American funded and by those Wenstein brothers, who are the only reason that this was up for best picture and perhaps for Stephen Daldry. Don't get me wrong Daldry's direction was very good just not Oscar worthy like the film in general. Without the backing of the Weinstin Brothers, this wouldn't have been receiving those awards; OScars and BAFTAs for example.

Just wanted to point that out. The Reader is an excellent film and suprised me enormously. What is just perfect about The Reader is that, despite being made for an English Language Audience, it feels very Geman orientated. Which for me is the key to any English Language based WW2 film or any other foreign orientated theme. What it does for the audience is that we can add meaning to what we are watching and really delve into each characters because they are very believable. The likes of Ralp Fiennes and Kate Winslet, for example, despite being English were very believable as German characters in the film. The film also sets the backdrop to Germany very well and the scenery around Germany was just brilliant and again added to meaning of the film for the viewer. One scene in particula which was extremly poignent, was the scene in which Michael visits Auswitz and goes in a series of rooms. What was brilliantly done here was the ommision of the soundtrack and just following Michael through what he is seeing. One to watch if you catch it at your cinema.

As metioned throughout the Media, Kate Winslet is just outstanding and highly believable. Thoughout the course of the film I was really feeling for her character and really believing this was Hana Schmitz that I was watching and not Winslet, playing Schmitz. Just brilliant! I hope to see her finally win the Oscar for this year because it was just brilliant to watch her on screen. Ralph Fiennes, brilliant as ever is great as older Michael as is Bruno Ganz as Michael's Law professor. A notable mention to newcomer David Kross who played his role with such innnocence and such a great performance. With the majority of the cast, from what I noticed, being German, I thought still kept the German theme going. For instance I felt like I was watching it in German because it was just done to perfectly.

The Reader, however does rush into the story a little fast and you really have to think for a bit as to watch just happened. I mean there are a few other tiny flaws that I noiced, but none other than the first one that make a difference. What Daldry does perfectly aswell is Michael's story as a boy, when he met Hanna, running alongside him as an older man. For some reason this let us as an audience get to know the character much quicker and establish a posistion with him before the two meet.

What is great is the chemistry between David Kross and Kate Winslet. For instance when thy first meet, you really feel for the both of them, which is difficult to say unless you catch the film. What is difficult to do when you what the film is feel negative towards the character of Hanna in any way. Trying to distinguish between the terrible things that she did as an SS officer and her relationship with Michael is very diffuclt to do. That is all down to Kate Winslet's brilliant performance.

Overall, The Reader is an excellent film and which should see Kate Winslet win her first Oscar. It's also one which shouldn't really be up for Best Picture as it's just not quite there in the 5 star films that I would normally regard in the Oscars. However, at the same time I think it has been forgotten as the other films have taken centre stage and because of Kate Winslet's performance. The Reader is a great film in it's own right and not just " Kate Winslet" film.

Highly Recomended

8/10

Funny Games

We couldn;t finish this. I know a lot of people are saying it's good, but from what I saw (quite a bit of the movie) it was just horrible, anddumb, and sooooooo clow, the slowest movie I've ever seen. And it was boring, so boring.

Don't waste your money on this crap.

Man on Wire

Philippe is an emotional captivating story-teller.

Upon completing the feat, people kept asking why they did it and with their French ideals they didn't understand why there had to be a reason - it was art, nothing more. I couldn't imagine how a documentary about a tight rope walker would be so entertaining that critics would acclaim it so much I had my doubts, but then, I realized they were right.

Best documentary of 2008.

New York Post | Lou Lumenick
Engrossing and exhilarating documentary.

Defiance

Given this was a true story, without going nuts, there are limits to the variance.

Don't expect any over the top hollywood action. In my opinion depiction of the situation and the battles was fabulously real. Ordinary people, victims of war, rebel against trained soldiers - eventually getting their buttocks kicked - even if some survive, none of them was portrayed as some immortal being. In particular Tuvia Bielski's (Daniel Craig) part, as the leader he breaks down a few times - but fights to live, as this in his opinion is his revenge towards the Nazi occupiers.

The New Yorker | David Denby
Defiance, as it turns out, makes insistent emotional demands, and those who respond to it at all, as I did, are likely to go all the way and even come out of it feeling slightly stunned.

Doomsday

hmm dunno what to think of this one. Yeah sure Rhona Mitra has a sweet ass, and it's worth watching over and over.....but she still kinda strikes me as a good actor in training (maybe it's just me).

It kinda feels like a combination of various films put together to get this one. Some sort of a modern Mad Max (but NOTHING like it), some Banlieue 13(come on you can use the wall thing on...how many films? til it gets old), and i'm sure i can think of more but i'm sleepy*yawn*.

Overall i'm still a sucker for action packed sci-fi like movies with at least one hot chick that kicks ass, i know it's a cliche already but call me a cliche junkie. I've seen it after Death Race and couldn't help noticing some similarities between them, only a few, but i still like it. It's worth watching once or twice. Anarchy, Mayhem, Slaughter, No rules at all, Some car chases, and at least looks a little like Mad Max (which to me is legend), so why not decide one day to re-live the old days in a modern film that might suit ur tastes.

What Happens in Vegas

OK...i wasn't expecting this to be such a funny movie. I watched this with many of my friends and laughed with tears, of course if i had watched it alone i might not have laughed that much, but that doesn't change the facts. Ashton Kutcher no matter what i thought before his latest movies or what i've heard...is a good actor (that dumb handsome look on his face is worth millionz), and Cameron Diaz, well i've kinda liked her anyways.

Two normal people each with a good friend decide to spend some time having fun and where else to party but in the capital city of fun and posibilities....Las Vegas. A lot happens in Vegas, only that they were not expecting THIS to happen. Witty repertoires, some funnny interesting fights literally and figuratively speaking, and so much more. This is one i'd recommend. Enjoy!

You Don't Mess with the Zohan

haha, laughed quite a lot at this one. The man with an egg shaped head strikes again. This time as a sex obsessed, agent and hair stylist all in one. Really enjoyed this silly, stupid movie with a very unique sense of humour and interesting story. The cast is pretty much as in most of the movies with Adam Sandler, not that i'm complaining. Anywayz...it's fun all around.

Transsiberian

Although the film itself entails a huge number of incorrect stereotypes, I still liked it. A lot. Mostly because I didn't expect much.

It's probably the most engaging thriller I've seen for 2008, plenty of suspense, fine performances and a story that will hold your interest. It is not particularly original but it's handled professionally. Good score and excellent cinematography to say the least. Too bad it didn't make it to the big screens.

New York Post | Lou Lumenick
Brad Anderson's Transsiberian is a genuine sleeper that jump-starts an almost extinct genre.

War, Inc.

This is our generation's Dr. Strangelove, and like Dr. Strangelove, it isn't as funny now as it could possibly be in a few decades due to the fact that it is too close to painful reality. A must see for all citizens of the world.

Battle For The Planet Of The Apes

The entire film can be forgotten, except for the ending.

The final battle scene is useless to say the least, it felt more like one of those campy Mac Guyver adventures than the faith of the world. On the other hand, the ending is depicted with Caesar's statue, rather than Aldo's, ape and human children sitting aside of each other, treated as equals, which is perhaps the biggest hint.

For me, this put all the series into a new perspective and I fully appreciate it more now. What had previously appeared to an annual rip-off from the 1968's hit movie, Planet of the Apes, turned out to be a well developed storyline with some huge flaws which however can be easily ignored.

Conquest Of The Planet Of The Apes

Conquest carries on the storyline of the downfall of man and the rise of the apes to power.

It's full of concept/context mistakes that could have been avoided easily.

Escape from the Planet of the Apes

By switching the setting of the series from the future to a modern day earth, the producers came up with a fresh approach to the movie.

Beneath The Planet Of The Apes

"We were following Taylor's trajectory, so whatever happened to us must have happened to him."

Everything was bigger and better this time around: bigger sets, more monkey models, a metro station and telepathic mutants than can kill with the power of thought!

...

Not so much better actually. It tries to tell the same story twice as big, but with only half the success.

Planet of the Apes

Philosophical, creative, absorbing and scary. Excellent commentary on religion and just about everything else. I strongly recommend to anyone who has not seen it.

So far I haven't even been able to convince my friends to see it because there seems to be such a strong prejudice against it and some sort of entrenched belief it must be bad; in fact it is one of the finest films I've seen and I can see why it is a classic.

WALL-E

For me this has got to be the best animation i've seen in years. i like it so much, so different from what we're normally used to.

A cute recycling robot that thinks it's alone in the universe, finds out there's really more to it....and he only needs one feeling to realize, the feeling that changes the very rules and laws of everything......LOVE!!!