Review of 'Shutter Island' (2010)
By Kirsten L.
'Shutter Island', set in 1954, is the latest blockbuster hit from Martin Scorsese, based on the 2003 novel of the same name (written by Dennis Lehane) and sees Oscar-winning actor Leonardo DiCaprio (Titanic, The Aviator, Revolutionary Road) play Teddy Daniels, a US Marshall sent on assignment to the mysterious Shutter Island – an island in Boston Harbor that serves as a psychiatric hospital for the criminal insane – to investigate the mysterious disappearance of a prisoner, Rachel Solando. But is everything as it seems?
As the film plays out, we learn that Daniels requested the assignment on Shutter Island, for personal reasons – he believes his wife's murdered is housed on the island. After discovering that all records of the man in question have vanished, and that all leads of the Solando case have run dry, Daniels goes for a walk around the island. It is in the caves of the island, hidden in the unsurpassable bluff, that he discovers Rachel Solando (Oscar nominated actress, Patricia Clarkson, Vicky Christina Barcelona, Pieces of April, Good Night and Good Luck), hiding. Rachel seems completely lucid and sane and reveals that she had been a doctor at the hospital up until she had found out about the goings on at the hospital – terrible accounts of brain surgery and lobotomies that involve drills and mind control, as well as experiments involving psychotropic medication.
Daniels is left reeling, and when a hurricane hits, cutting off all communication to the mainland, he begins to wonder if he's been brought to the island, as part of some sinister plot of the sinister Nazi-like doctors - he begins to doubt everything; his memory, his partner, even his own sanity.
This film is fantastic – no really, it is. It is brilliance embodied in a film. But it is also one of the most predictable and “plot twisting” films ever made. DiCaprio's performance as the tormented Teddy Daniels is exceptional in most scenes, and merely mediocre in others, whilst co-star Mark Ruffalo (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Blindness, 13 Going on 30, Just Like Heaven) puts on a spectacular performance as his partner, Chuck Aule. A-list actors such as Michelle Williams (Brokeback Mountain, Dawson's Creek) and Ben Kinglsey (winner of the Best Actor Oscar in 1982 for the title role in 'Gandhi') make for an impressive ensemble cast that add sparkling performances to this rather dark and mysterious film.
Laeta Kalogridis, who was tasked with writing the film adaption of 'Shutter Island' has done so in an excellent fashion, adding just the right amount of intrigue, mystery and emotion to what could have otherwise been a very unoriginal and somewhat 'Hollywood-style' thriller. The humor is somewhat forced and contrived in places – thankfully there is not much room for humorous 'one-liners' in a psychological thriller about a mental asylum!
Two major plot twists that are discovered just twenty minutes from the end – one predictable, the other, not so much – are more exciting than the rest of the 118 minutes put together, but the overall pace of the film is quite decent.
In regards to music, Scorsese chose to forgo the tradition of hiring a score composer, instead hiring music supervisor Robbie Robertson to compile a soundtrack of previously released music – both classical, and previously produced score pieces. The soundtrack proved somewhat annoying, to this reviewer, and often distracted from the actors' performances, and the wonderfully (also exceptionally ominous!) artistic sets. In some places, it seemed that the soundtrack was actually fighting with the action on screen; the music often overpowering the scene.
The editing as shocking, with continuity errors all over the place that are defended by the “we wanted you to feel his confusion...with the jumping, rough-cut shots” explanation...that doesn't explain the fact that DiCaprio's cigarette had a life of it's own!
The cinematography (D.O.P. Robert Richardson) is well managed, with not so many close-ups as to scare off the viewer, but just enough that the emotion and fear that comes with this story is well demonstrated (this reviewer remembers one particularly well executed scene, set in the hospital courtyard, shot through the mesh of a wire fence). The lighting – as is shown by the film poster, often emitted by the flame of a match – is well balanced, with plenty of natural light lending it's bleak, white glow to the outdoor scenes and artificial lighting used in such a way that it washes the colour from the screen, adding to the effect of a sterile hospital. Scenes shot in murky cells and caves are often lit by fires that instead of offering warm, comforting light instead cast an ominous 'raging fire' glow over our valiant hero and his psychopathic co-stars.
Overall, the dramatic, twisting yet still very much captivating story line leaves one feeling somewhat nonplussed and numb, as they exit the cinema, in silence. This reviewer is of the impression that a second viewing might be more enjoyable, as the first simply left you numb, all your senses having been repeatedly assailed throughout the film.
Excellent actors, fabulous director, strong script...but one cannot feel anything for quite some time after. It was all just too much.
Ms Kerns leans forward and grabs the notebook from Daniels' hand, scrawling a single, short word onto an open page. She throws it back at him, looking around, feverishly, terrified. Daniels looks at her questioningly. He picks up the book and looks down. One word is scrawled on the page. Run.
3.5/5 – Great film..personally, this reviewer didn't 'like' it, but it must be acknowledged that 'Shutter Island' is a fantastic film, that just fell short of amazing. This reviewer also didn't sleep for three days after seeing it.
Kick-Ass (2010)
Directed By: Matthew Vaughn
Based on the comic series by Mark Millar
Kick-Ass is about a young teenage boy named Dave, played by Aaron Johnson, who decides to become a superhero. He is just your average guy with an interest in comics. He has no superpowers, no training and even no reason to become one.
His first attempt at being a superhero puts him in hospital and he ends up with plates on almost every bone in his body and dead nerve endings, so he feels he is more like a superhero or, as he says, “I’m like friggin’ Wolverine”. His second attempt was more of a success and a passer-by filmed him fighting off the thugs. He quickly becomes a Youtube phenomenon.
Kick-Ass quickly discovers that he is not the only superhero in town as he crosses paths with Hit Girl (Chloe Moretz) and Big Daddy (Nicolas Cage), a father-daughter duo, who are out to destroy a very big and powerful drug operation.
I liked this film because it was a different take on a superhero movie, yet it still had all of the action. It was more of an action comedy, rather than just action.
Hit Girl was one of my favourite parts of the film, her character is just amazing as she is only a young girl of 10 or so and yet she is out fighting bad guys. Aaron Johnson also did a very good job of playing Dave. He was very lovable and goofy. He gave the film a few extra laughs with his, I guess you could say, nerdy ways.
I would recommend this film to most young adults and even older adults as I really enjoyed this movie. You’d have to be up for a bit of blood though and if you’re not really into that kinda thing I wouldn’t recommend this film. But it definitely wouldn’t be suitable for children as there is a lot of swearing and violence in the movie.
by Sarah L.
The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
My favourite movie is The Shawshank Redemption. It was filmed in 1994 and was directed by Frank Darabout. It is a movie about drama and crime. Its tagline is “fear can hold you prisoner, but hope can set you free”.
The main themes of the movie are integrity, friendship and hope. It’s about a man named Andy Dufresne who was wrongly convicted of murder and for this, he is sent to Shawshank prison. Shawshank prison is in bad condition and gives out even worse punishments for stepping out of line. Lucky for Andy, he’s quiet and stays out of the way. During the movie, Andy makes friends with a Prisoner called Red, who can get anything people need from outside the prison.
Throughout the movie, you see Andy’s experiences and how he survives the prison with only hope. Andy is played by Tim Robbins and Red is played by Morgan Freeman. I would recommend this movie for anyone who likes a dramatic movie with good twists along the way. It was Nominated for 7 Oscars in 1995.
By Lisa S.
My Fair Lady (1964)
The musical My Fair Lady was written by Alan Jay Lerner and based on the play Pygmalion by Bernard Shaw. The music was written by Frederick Loewe.
The cast:
Eliza Doolittle - A cockney flower girl. Her potential to become “a lady” becomes the object of a bet between Higgins and Pickering.
Professor Henry Higgins - British, upper class professional bachelor, world famous phonetics expert, teacher and author of “Higgins’ Universal Alphabet.”
Alfred P. Doolittle - Eliza’s father; an elderly but vigorous dustman.
Colonel Hugh Pickering - Retired British officer with colonial experience and the author of “Spoken Sanskrit.”
Freddie Eynsford-Hill - Upper class young man who becomes completely smitten with Eliza.
Mrs. Higgins- Henry’s long-suffering mother.
The Musical:
A cockney flower girl, Eliza Doolittle, reacts badly when her basket of flowers is knocked over by Freddy-Eynsford Hill. She has a thick cockney accent. Nearby Professor Henry Higgins is taking notes on her every word (her speech). Eliza thinks he is a policeman, but he corrects her and explains that he is looking for new dialects. Higgins bumps into an old friend, Colonel Pickering, and is boasting that he can identify any English accent within six miles of his home. Pickering challenges Higgins to a bet that involves changing Eliza into a real lady, which involves teaching her to speak act and dress correctly.
Eliza’s father, Alfred P. Doolittle, is drinking in a small run-down area (Tottenham) with some friends and is short of money. He decides to go and ask Eliza for some but discovers that she has moved in with Higgins and Pickering to begin he lessons.
By Aisling B.
Taken (2008)
Main Characters: Liam Neeson and Maggie Grace.Director: Pierre Morel
Writers: Luc Besson & Robert Mark Kamen
The main storyline in this movie is based on a girl called Kim (Maggie Grace) whose parents agree to allow her to go away to Paris on her own with her friend.
Her Dad, Bryan (Liam Neeson) is a retired spy/ agent.
Kim is a seventeen year old girl who lives in California with her Mum and her step-dad. She decides with her friend Amanda that the two of them are going to go to Paris for the summer and stay with Amanda’s sister in her apartment. She manages to convince her reluctant father Bryan to let her go away under the conditions that she keeps in contact with him.
When Kim and Amanda arrive in Paris they share a taxi with a stranger named Peter who turns out to be in a gang of Albanian men who traffic young women and sell them in to the slave trade. Amanda ends up telling Peter that the two of them are staying alone in the apartment (as Amanda’s sister isn’t home). These means the two of them are now targets because Peter knows they are alone.
A few of the Albanian men break into the girls apartment and kidnap the girls.
But while the men are in the apartment Kim hides and manages to call her Dad and give him little pieces of information about the men who are taking them. These little pieces of information are the key pieces that will help Bryan to save his daughter and her friend.
Bryan briefly gets to speak to one of the kidnappers and he threatens him to let the girls go. He says, “I don't know who you are. I don't know what you want. If you are looking for ransom, I can tell you I don't have money. But what I do have are a very particular set of skills; skills I have acquired over a very long career. Skills that make me a nightmare for people like you. If you let my daughter go now, that'll be the end of it. I will not look for you, I will not pursue you. But if you don't, I will look for you, I will find you, and I will kill you." The kidnapper replies with “Good luck” and so after that Bryan prepares to travel to Paris to find his daughter.
Bryan gives all the pieces of information (including a recording of the kidnapper's voice) to his friend Sam who is also an ex-agent. Sam manages to find out where the kidnappers are from and what their gang does, which turns out to be kidnapping girls, drugging them, selling and trafficking them. Sam tells Bryan that he has at most 96 hours (4 days) before the girls disappear, or are killed in the business.
That means the race is on for Bryan to see whether or not he can save Amanda and Kim before it's too late...
by Rachel G.
Review: Whip It (2009)
The most recent film I have seen is called “Whip It”. Both the novel and the screenplay for this film was written by Shauna Cross. It stars Ellen Page playing the lead role and co-stared by Drew Barrymore, who was also the director .
The film tells the story of a seventeen year old girl living in a small town in Texas. Bliss, the main character, decides to take up roller derby, a ruthless rollerblading sport, to push herself to the limit in the hopes of finding out who she really is, while her mother wants to live out her dreams of becoming a beauty pageant queen through Bliss. By the end of the film Bliss has learned some valuable life lessons, notably that you have to be the master of your own destiny and “be your own hero”.
I enjoyed watching this film because it was heartwarming and funny. There was never a dull moment. As soon as the film started, you immediately feel like you already know Bliss. Page gives a flawless performance of a lost teenager trying to find her way.
In general I found that most of the characters where easy to relate to and as the film progressed, the audience seem to not help but feel everything that Bliss felt.
I was most pleased with the final twist at the end of the closing scenes. It for me, it was the thing that made this movie so good. It did not follow the traditional “tying up all the loose ends” formula. I would strongly recommend this film to anyone wanting to see a light hearted feel-good comedy.
The movie was produced by Barry Mendel and Drew Barrymore and film production was by Barrymore’s Flower Films and Mendel’s Mandate Pictures. It was released in late October 2009 in America and on the eight of April 2010 in the UK and Ireland. Other actors include Eve, Marcia Gay Harden, Alia Shawkat and Daniel Stern. By Chloe D.
UP (2009)
A film that I really enjoyed was the 2009 animated film, Up. It was directed by Disney Pixar director, Pete Doctor. The film is about a 78 year old widower, Carl Fredrickson, who decides to keep his promise to his late wife Ellie, which is to travel to Paradise Falls in South America. He ties thousands of balloons to his house and sets off on his adventure. But, he is not alone as a young boy scout, Russell, is a stowaway on his house and joins him on his journey.They become friends and as Carl realises that Russell doesn't have a have a father figure, he begins to act like a grandfather to him. They arrive across the way from Paradise Falls and begin to walk the house that is floating in the air over to the waterfall and make a friend on the way. Kevin is an endangered bird and is wanted by Charles Muntz, an old adventurer who is determined to find the bird and prove its existence.
The film won 2 Oscars, another 39 wins and 29 nominations. It stars Edward Asner as Carl and Jordan Nagai as Russell. I really liked this film because it is a very original, sweet story and you really begin to love the characters as the story continues. The story was written by Pete Doctor, Bob Peterson and Thomas McCarthy and the film was the first animation to be nominated for Best Film at the Oscars. by Rebecca R.
One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest (1975)
I watched Milos Foreman’s One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest over the Easter holidays, and can not help but regard it as one of the best movies I have ever seen. Based on the novel by Ken Kesey, the movie presents a biting and ultimately tragic satire about mental institutions and the human spirit. A disturbing, witty, and sometimes hilarious film, One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest will most definitely stay with me for the rest of my life.
The leading role of R.P. Mc Murphy is played by the mind -blowingly amazing Jack Nicholson. The film-makers could not have cast a more suited actor. His facial expressions and actions in the movie were one reason for my love of the film. Another one of the film’s strongpoints would have to be the legendary characters; Cheswick, Martini, Chief and of course, the world-renowned, terrifying Nurse Ratched (Louise Fletcher), whose set of rules and regulations are meant to repress patients’ psychotic outbursts, and their spirits. It’s not long before Mc Murphy; a misbehaved con who finds himself in an asylum after faking insanity to get out of work detail in prison, is reaching out to his new inmates, trying desperately to bring a bit of life to an otherwise dead, depressing atmosphere. To Nurse Ratched, however, Mc Murphy’s free spirit is as dangerous as a schizophrenic impulse.
I would definitely recommend this phenomenal film to people over the age of fourteen. I am sure that this film was probably a serious culture shock to people when it was first released in 1975. The film won The genius of the film is that you never really feel like you are being preached at, but rather being allowed a fly-on-the-wall view of a systematic crushing of humanity.
by Rebecca S.
The Parent Trap (1998)
Plot
Identical twins Hallie and Annie were separated at birth when their parents divorced. After the two meet at summer camp, they begin plotting to reunite their estranged parents. Hallie Parker and Annie James. Hallie is a cool, laid-back gal from California. Annie James is a proper rose from London. Annie has never met her father, and Hallie has never met her mother. When they get thrown into the Isolation Cabin, they uncover the secret behind the ripped picture. They realize that they are twin sisters separated at birth by their divorced parents, and they decide to switch places to meet the parent that they've never met.
Cast
Lindsay Lohan plays both Hallie and Annie Parker. Denis Quaid plays the father and Natasha Richardson plays the mother.
What I thought
This film is one of my favorite movies. It's easy to watch and a family favourite, but it also has a gripping plot. This movie has every bit as much charm as the original and its ending makes much more sense than the original, they just get-together-without-talking-any-of-their- problems-out original. by Lucy W.
Catch Me If you Can (2002)
Catch me if you can is a movie directed by Stephen Spielberg and stars Leonardo di Caprio and Tom Hanks. It’s based on the true story of the teenage conman and the FBI agent who's trying to catch him. Frank Abignale (di Caprio) and his con-man ways, start when he poses as his french classes subsitute teacher. His parents are getting a divorce because of his father's financial troubles and ask him to choose between them. Horrified, he runs away with only $25 in his checking account. He soon finds crime is the only way to survive so he steals a uniform and poses as a Pan Am pilot, then as a doctor and a lawyer, cashing more then $2.5 million in fraudulent checks along the way. FBI agent, Carl Hanratty (Hanks), is always one step behind.
This movie is one of the greatest conman movies. It is clever and often funny. However as the movie progresses young Frank seems unhappy with his life and starts having regrets, but he only seems to get more and more trouble. Soon, even Carl has to feel sorry for the teenager who has gotten in way over his head.
Katie D.
Zombieland (2009)
The cast:
Jesse Eisenberg - Columbus
Woody Harrelson - Tallahassee
Emma Stone - Wichita/Krysta
Abigail Breslin - Little Rock
A short appearance is made by Bill Murray, but he is soon killed by accident by Columbus.
It was directed by Ruben Fleischer & written by Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick of Columbia Pictures.
The horror comedy Zombieland focuses on two men who have found a way to survive a world overrun by zombies. Columbus (Jesse Eisenberg) is a big wuss -- but when you're afraid of being eaten by zombies, fear can keep you alive. Tallahassee (Woody Harrelson) is an AK-toting, zombie-slaying bad ass whose single determination is to get the last Twinkie on earth.The cast:
Jesse Eisenberg - Columbus
Woody Harrelson - Tallahassee
Emma Stone - Wichita/Krysta
Abigail Breslin - Little Rock
A short appearance is made by Bill Murray, but he is soon killed by accident by Columbus.
It was directed by Ruben Fleischer & written by Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick of Columbia Pictures.
They join forces with Wichita and Little Rock after a rather bumpy starting friendship, who have also found unique ways to survive the zombie mayhem. The girls have to determine which is worse: relying on each other or succumbing to the zombies. They all decide to stick together in the end after the two girls get attacked by hundreds of zombies and after stealing the boys’ car and going to an amusement park. The boys come to save the day and they all ride off together ending the movie.
I loved the movie because it had a bit of every genre in it: thriller, when there were zombies chasing our lead cast, comedy which happens every two seconds in the movie, and romance between our anxious lead man Columbus and tough girl Wichita. It even has its dramatic moments when you're shown what each character has lost during the traumatizing events that occurred once the zombies got their loved ones. Altogether, I think it was great and would recommend it to anyone.
by Jenny Ní C.
