Into The Wild (2007)

Genre: Adventure, Biography, Drama

Director: Sean Penn

Writers: Sean Penn (screenplay), Jon Krakauer (book) 

Staring: Emile Hirsch, Marcia Gay Harden, Vince Vaughn, Kristen Stewart

Rating: ★★★★½

Into The Wild is a film that's based on a true story and an adaptation of a book, Sean Penn captures every bit of emotion possible creating an inspirational, beautiful, sad and influential film that you will always remember. Words won't do justice to just how good a storyline this film has, the fact it's based on a true story just adds to the emotion and wonder. It has a fantastic crew that shows when looking at the film from the technical point of view, it also features a cameo of all star actors and actresses from Vince Vaughn to Kristen Stewart.

Emile Hirsch plays the character of Chris McCandless a young man who has it all, youth, wealth, intelligence but it isn't what he wants, he just wants to live to be out there. After graduating from Emory University with straight A's he abandons his old life, his possessions, his car, he gives his complete $24,000 savings to charity and decides to hitchhike his way to Alaska to live in the wild as Alexander The Supertramp. He rebels against his demanding snobby parents (Marcia Gay Harden, William Hurt) and leaves his bewildered sister (Jena Malone). On the way of his great adventure he meets some extraordinary and different characters that shape his new life. 

The film skips between Chris in Alaska at the end of his adventure to how he got there and the lessons he learnt and the people he met, finally they meet and the film follows the present day. The characters he meets all vary giving not only Chris advice but you feel the audience life lessons. He meets the characters middle aged "hippy" couple Rainey and Jan (Brain H. Dierker, Catherine Keener) to the likes of an old man Ron (Hal Holbrook) not only is it inspirational and heart warming but the relationships and bonds formed are truly heart warming.

 

 

Sean Penn has adapted the book very well, staying close to the original source. He was helped along the way in creating this wonderful film by an excellent crew, credit should be given for a inspirational mood setting soundtrack by the sound department. The acting was outstanding, Emile Hirsch adapted very well not only mentally but physically to play the character of Chris McCandless, for me it's one of my favourite performances in the last decade. All in all Into The Wild is a must watch film, not only is it a inspirational story but a serious one about a boy who was lost due to his desire to live. It deserves its status as the 165th best film of all time and its many wins and nominations, don't miss out. 

Signs (2002)

Genre: Horror, Sci-Fi

Director: M. Night Shyamalan 

Writer: M. Night Shyamalan 

Staring: Mel Gibson, Joaquin Phoenix, Rory Culkin 

Rating: ★★★★

Signs isn't just a Sci fi film about aliens and crop circles, it's a film about fate and how life gives you signs of what's meant to be. Although inspirational to some extent it's horrifying, M. Night Shyamalan's has written and directed a fantastic film, the use of sound or the lack of it, in silence creates a fear of the unknown and a fear of the unheard. It's an amazing film with an amazing crew as well as cast that will make you leave a few half empty glasses of water around your house. 

The film follows the "Hess" family who owns a farm in the small town of Bucks County in Pennsylvania. Former Reverend Graham (Mel Gibson) has just recently lost his wife, with his faith being tested he then discovers crop circles up to 500ft big in his field, later finding out he's one of many to suffer world-wide. He lives with his two kids Morgan, who suffers badly from asthma and Bo, a little girl who is more than a little picky when it comes to water and finally his brother Merrill (Joaquin Phoenix) a former mini league baseball player known for his big swing. After animals start behaving strange, crop circles getting more than enough publicity world wide and some dodgy baby monitor reception they are all in too deep and are about to encounter the unknown and be tested as a family. 

As I said before Signs isn't just about crop circles, its about fate and signs that aren't always visible in life giving an inspirational twist on a Sci fi horror making it stand out to the rest. It's also a heart warming story about how a family sticks together and fights its way through hard times. M. Night Shyamalan has written a film that will make you shiver and give you chills not only due to horror but due to the relationships between the characters. The key element that sticks out is the sound, the use of silence makes you fear the unknown and creates a feeling of loneliness and helplessness, for me it was the best thing about this film alongside the cinematography and the suspense created by keeping the antagonist off screen until the climax. 

M. Night Shyamalan was at his best when creating this film in my opinion, it deserves all the credit it can get. It's one of my favourite films that discuss the topic of extraterrestrials due to its different approach and use of tin foil hats. It's one to watch on a dark lonely night for sure, but don't expect to get much sleep after. 

Ghost (1990)

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Genre: Drama, Fantasy, Romance

Director: Jerry Zucker

Writer: Bruce Joel Rubin

Staring: Patrick Swayze, Demi Moore 

Rating: ★★★★

Ghost is a film that shows love can even transcend death. It mixes the two genres of romance and thriller together effectively to create a heart warming story that unfolds before your eyes. It has a outstanding acting, a magical soundtrack all completed by a great storyline. 

Sam Wheat (Patrick Swayze) is a banker who has just recently moved in to a new apartment in New York with his girlfriend Molly Jenson (Demi Moore). After a date to the theatre together they walk back home through a dark alley, a robber jumps out and demands Sam's wallet at gun point. Refusing to give in they get into a scuffle and Sam gets shot and dies however his spirit stays on earth. He realises his death was no accident or coincidence and that Molly is in danger, through the use of psychic Oda-Mae Brown (Whoopi Goldberg) Sam has to reveal his death true meaning and protect his love, Molly. 

The on-screen romance at the start of the film between Sam and Molly shows such a connection from the way they touch and look at each other. It sets up one of the most famous scenes in film history and one of the best romances. The film focuses on how their love is eternal and can even transcend death. Whilst the characters of Sam and Molly provide a eye watering romance, Oda Mae Brown provides eye watering comedy. Whoopi Goldberg plays a hustler con artist who poses as a medium who just happens to discover her true powers when Sam arrives. She's from the "ghetto" and is tough cookie, but she changes as she helps Sam protect Molly and uncover his murderer. Ghost also provides thrills and tense scenes that keep you entertained. 

For me the acting in Ghost is faultless, the romance between Sam and Molly is so real, Patrick Swayze and Demi Moore were very convincing and made it believable, for me making it one of the best film love stories. This was completed and entwined with magical score and soundtrack including "unchained melody" and the theme song Ghost written by Maurice Jarre. Ghost is a endless classic and one you can watch over and over again, it has everything to entertain you with comedy, romance and thrills all embedded into an amazing unique storyline. 

Review: My Little Eye (2002)

Genre: Horror

Director: Marc Evans 

Writers: David Hilton, James Watkins

Staring: Sean Cw Johnson, Kris Lemche, Jennifer Sky

Rating: ★½

My Little Eye has the potential to be a great film due to its unique storyline however instead of providing gasps and jumps it creates snores and yawns. In a period where British Horrors were thriving with the likes of Dog Soldiers and 28 Days Later, My Little Eye definitely lets down the team and failed to make an impression on anyone. Maybe it was the unknown actors and crew or maybe it was because it has the least amount of horrifying moments produced by a horror ever. 

The storyline plays homage to at the time recent and popular reality TV series Big Brother. Five contestants must stay in a completely isolated house for six months, if they all stay they win $1million however if one leaves or breaks the rules they all loose. Each contestant represents the classic stereotypes, you have your innocent fragile virgin, the whore, the jock and the comic relief. Everything is there and in place to make a great movie however they choose to put all the action at the end. 

The group eventually finds out that they're not being broadcasted as a young Bradley Cooper who plays Travis who works and pratically lives on the Internet discovers the house when skiing and explains how he's never heard of them or seen a single advertisement online.  The reason they're in the house soon becomes clear, they are there to be watched and tortured by "the company". However torture in this film is a crate of bricks being delivered or a nasty message being left of a steamed up window, not a limb cut off. There is then a big plot twist at the end that brings the action and violence you would expect, however for me it's too little to late and many of you would of probably switched of well before. 

The acting is of low quality and it feels scripted and unnatural, the score is again below average and fails at trying to create any suspense and tension. The only creditable thing about this film is the use of in narrative cameras giving us a constant third person outsider perspective. No wonder this film isn't heard of by many and I'm sure now Hollywood star Bradley Cooper wants to keep it that way, its possibly the most boring horror to date, the rating I'm giving it is purely for the storyline. I wouldn't rush to see this one. Marc Evans and My Little Eye you've been evicted please pack up your bags and leave! 

Review: The Descent (2005)

Genre: Horror, Adventure

Director: Neil Marshall 

Writer: Neil Marshall

Staring: Shauna Mcdonald, Natalie Mendoza

Rating: ★★★½

Just like Danny Boyle's 28 Days Later three years previous, The Descent is another British horror film that was both popular in the UK as well as the US producing an American sequel. Neil Marshall, director of Dog Soldiers this time takes on an all female cast that go caving and discover some more than unfriendly inhabitants. Providing thrills, jumps and shocks it truly lives up to its genre. 

The film follows the character of Sarah (Shauna Mcdonald) who has just recently lost her husband and daughter in a horrific accident shown at the beginning of the film. Despite no longer being in the stage of grieving Sarah is obviously still suffering from her loss but however agrees to go on a routine caving trip with her friends to Boreham Caverns. The narrative has a side plot and a in group protagonist of Juno (Natalie Mendoza) after it becomes obvious she was having an affair with Sarah's late husband. Juno, who's planned this caving trip decides against the tourist options and take the girls to an unknown cave in the hope of them being the first to discover it but all this is unknown and a surprise to the girls. 

When in the unknown cave system things start to go wrong and their entrance and possibly only
exit becomes blocked, eventually a worried panicky Juno tells the group the truth. However they're still far from knowing what they are getting themselves into, the cave is home to hundreds of blood thirsty monsters. These "crawlers" are fast, clever and hunt in packs for flesh and the group become top of their menu. Being hunted the group must try to escape the cave, however Sarah has other things on her mind as she sets of for revenge on Juno. The rest of film fuels on tense chase scenes, providing many jumps and scares. It also focuses on the transformation of Sarah and how troubled she really becomes, from visions of her dead daughter to extreme acts of violence.

The Descent is a very different and unique horror, for starters its all female cast is something we don't often see and it strays from the stereotype. The "crawlers" are a new take on a monster, they however provide blood, guts and gore as they hunt the group down, creating just what we expect. The setting is also something new, however despite this innovation as a viewer you still get what you came to see, and that's a thrilling, gore-filled horror. The acting despite not standing out is good and is something you come to expect nowadays, although Shauna Mcdonalds performance as Sarah is worth a mention. For me the editing and the graphics of the "crawlers" is something that deserves credit, they are realistic but at the same time horrifying and will really stay in your mind. The sound used also creates suspense moments, although mostly its natural diegetic score when long silences and stings are used its effective and well timed so be prepared to jump.

 Neil Marshall definitely represented the British horror industry positively once again as The Descent is a great horror and its no surprise the Americans made a sequel. A film that's somewhat discredited and underrated but for me it's one to watch, a film very much accurate to its genre and good for a dark night.