Top Ten 2014

Posted on December 31, 2014 by Craig M

This has been one of the toughest end-of-year Top Ten’s I’ve ever come up with. Although there were many good movies this year, there hasn’t (for me) been a clear winner, and well I’ve not managed to get around to some of the real big hitters like 12 Years A Slave or Boyhood, to name two. However listed below is my final Ten of the year compiled from the best movies I watched and reviewed (for the first time) in 2014. Note: I try and limit the contenders to movies released in the last two years.

1. Guardians of the Galaxy

2. American Hustle

3. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

4. The Wolf of Wall Street

5. Dallas Buyers Club

6. Gravity

7. Inside Llewyn Davis

8. Nightcrawler

9. Captain America: The Winter Soldier

10. Saving Mr Banks

Honourable mentions: Gone Girl, The Raid 2 and The Secret Life of Walter Mitty

Gravity

Posted on March 9, 2014 by Craig M

Viewed – 08 March 2014 pay-per-view

The type of movie that sells itself from the trailer alone. Seeing Sandra Bullock being flung around space as a space station shatters around her was both exhilarating and exciting … what was this? It felt fresh and new, a whole new cinematic ‘experience’ that finally warranted the dawn of 3D.

I can’t watch 3D, something to do with the fact I am only partially sited in one eye. Shame I know, but for the most part I’m not bothered. This however was the first movie I have seen where I really wish I could have seen it in all it’s multi-dimensional glory. Sandra Bullock is an astronaut working at a space station orbiting earth along with seasoned astronaut George Clooney. However when disaster strikes they are left stranded and floating in the ominous void of space with limited oxygen and limited hope, with no communication with back home. Will they survive?

I thought immediately this was a stunning looking movie, with the special effects, sound-design and camera work all state-of-the-art, transporting this viewer right there and believe me, that’s a unnerving place to be. Director Alfonso Cuarón (Children Of Men) cements his growing reputation as a visual auteur, delivering moments that truly challenge what is possible on film. How some of these shots were achieved baffles me, but that’s the magic of cinema. Bullock is very good in the central role, even if I’d have liked a bit more desperate emotion out of her (but still looks great in and erm, out of her suit), and Clooney is basically Clooney, charismatic but nothing we haven’t seen from him a dozen times. Also that moment Bullock starts barking to a radio transmission … bit odd that.

Yet this is a movie that is all about experience, about being there, about feeling disorientated and about hoping everything turns out ok. In which respect, it excels.

Verdict: 4 /5

86th Academy Awards

Posted on March 5, 2014 by Craig M

So the Academy Awards has been and gone and did I take much interest? Not really. Awards ceremonies over the years have returned increasingly diminishing results, I mean isn’t it all just about what movie has the best PR?? Many movies, many very good movies have often not even got a nomination, let alone had a chance at winning – and the ones that do? Not always very deserving. Looking at the results below, I would say it’s been a fairly predictable year. 12 Years A Slave getting best picture? Considering the subject matter it was a simple choice, probably hitting home more than Captain Phillips. Cate Blanchet was very good in Blue Jasmine, even if it seemed a very academy-friendly performance. Leonardo DiCaprio, Martin Scorsese and The Wolf Of Wall Street never stood a chance – too much tits & coke. Oh and who didn’t see the technical and directing nods going to Gravity? That movie’s marketing campaign was all about the experience, the visuals etc.

Yet I mainly haven’t taken an interest in this year’s awards (or awards season) as simply put, I haven’t seen a great majority of the movies nominated, so difficult to really give an opinion. I hope to see Dallas Buyers Club at some stage, because of being a growing fan of Matthew McConaughey and Gravity is on my list for the near future (look out for a review sometime this weekend). So I will leave you with this year’s main winners, a few of the smaller categories omitted, because really, who concerns themselves with those?

Best Picture

12 Years a Slave

Best Actor in a Leading Role

Matthew McConaughey (Dallas Buyers Club)

Best Actress in a Leading Role

Cate Blanchett (Blue Jasmine)

Best Actor in a Supporting Role

Jared Leto (Dallas Buyers Club)

Best Actress in a Supporting Role

Lupita Nyong’o (12 Years a Slave)

Best Animated Feature

Frozen (Chris Buck, Jennifer Lee, Peter Del Vecho)

Best Cinematography

Gravity (Emmanuel Lubezki)

Best Directing

Gravity (Alfonso Cuarón)

Best Foreign Language Film

The Great Beauty (Italy)

Update

Posted on November 5, 2013 by Craig M

Ok, going to be making some effort to watch a few movies gathering dust on my desk of late. Wont say here what they are, but expect reviews to turn up in the next few days … I know, very teasy of me! Unfortunately I am not sure I’ll get around to seeing Gravity, that very interesting looking Sandra Bullock movie, but I am still crossing my fingers, and the currently released Thor sequel is probably going to get missed also. Cinema is just not happening right now (sad face). Oh well. With my birthday on the horizon (11/14 readers!!), I see a few more Blu-ray’s happening and even a bit more gaming (yes, late to the party, but it will be Batman Arkham City: Game Of The Year Edition).

Last few days I managed to finally complete Hitman Absolution – a very good but very challenging entry in the franchise, but easily the best in the series I have played … awesome graphics, very cinematic and the gameplay was very cool. Also managed to finish the excellent, very emotional and engaging The Last Of Us of which I spoke about in an earlier post. Both games should be on your to-play list if you enjoy solid story driven experiences. However, Dead Space 3 is still on my shelf … it’s a good game but not been in the mood for that kind of intense fright-fest lately. One day … one day.

That’s all from me for now. Back soon!