Poltergeist (2015) (REVIEW)

I really wanted this to be good, because so far I've only seen Sam Rockwell in some pretty darned respectable movies. The cast of Rockwell (Moon, Seven Psychopaths), Rosemarie DeWitt (Mad Men) and Jared Harris (Fringe, Mad Men) gave me hope. But alas, this was the biggest pile of shit (pardon my French) I've ever seen, at least in recent years. 

It was ridiculous from start to finish, with dreadful child acting to boot. I'm not sure how close to the original movie this remake is, but if this was the plot of the original then that must have been horrendous too. Or perhaps the concept has just aged really badly and film makers should leave the past where it belongs? 

I realise that this was a Sam Raimi film, and Sam Raimi traditionally makes pretty ridiculous films such as The Evil Dead. Maybe I'm looking at this all wrong, maybe I was supposed to be laughing all the way through... But then again, he did allow/help Fede Alvarez to murder his Evil Dead franchise in 2013 with a terrible "remake", so maybe this was a mistake in the same vein. 

Possibly its only saving grace was that Sam Rockwell was bloody funny! He's an excellent actor who found himself horribly out of place in this train wreck. Seriously, don't bother. 

Live Fest @ The Globe, 30th May 2015 (REVIEW)

I wasn't going to write anything about Saturday's mini festival at the Globe, Newcastle, but I realised there were a few highlights that just needed to be mentioned.

Starting the line up was a band named Killer Spiders. They are a new three piece hard rock band from somewhere in the local vicinity. As the first band to play they were able to set the standard for the evening, and they set the bar bloody high! It was a great performance. The frontman's vocals were fantastic and he expertly managed to multi-task in his role as vocalist and guitarist. The whole band were lively, enthusiastic and seemed happy to be there which is always good to see! 

Iron Mass, a shock rock and metal band from Consett, put on an absolutely amazing show. Taking to the stage in masks, they really gave the audience something to look at. The opening bassline of their first song was enough to tell you the set would have you hooked. The three piece band worked seamlessly together and their performance was clearly in sync. The drummer gave 100% and you could tell, the songs were energetic and the pace was maintained throughout. The frontman's growling vocals worked excellently with the killer riffs from the bass and the guitar. Mid way through the gig the frontman faked suicide by cutting his throat on stage (with fake blood in case you're concerned), adding to the intriguing theatrical elements of the performance. The whole thing came together perfectly to be one hell of a gig!

Finally, the last band of the night, Velvoir, were unusual and amazing. I'm not sure that anyone knew what to expect when they took to the stage, but from the very start the singer stared us all down and gave it her all! The progressive and psychedelic feel to their hard rock was strangely calming - I could have stood and watched for hours. The bassist was excellent and you could really hear the impact the basslines had on the songs. The singer, wearing a blonde wig, full face of make-up and a fur coat, brought a really awesome vibe to the whole performance. She danced her ass off for nigh on the whole set, using the feather boa clad mic stand as a partner. With elements of Rocky Horror to bluesy funk... the important part was that they performed as if a million people were watching. Truly fantastic. 

The other bands of the night all put on great performances, these were just my personal highlights. Well done to all involved! Including the fab sound guy, photographer and bar staff. You were all fantastic. :) 

www.facebook.com/theglobenewcastle
www.facebook.com/IronMassBand / https://twitter.com/IronMassBand
www.facebook.com/velvoir / https://twitter.com/Velvoir

Fast & Furious 7 (REVIEW)

So, Fast & Furious 7, or Furious 7, whatever they're calling it, was ridiculous. But in the best possible way of course. It was action packed and never boring. The acting was pretty standard, nothing ground breaking but just what you would expect. Everyone found it really funny when The Rock called people 'Woman' in a derogatory manner. Everyone was intrigued by action hero Jason Statham playing a baddie. Oh, and Iggy Azalea was amazing. Haters gonna hate...

I'm sure everyone expected that tribute would be paid to the late Paul Walker. Well it was, and it was beautiful. Not a dry eye in the cinema. 

I'm hoping that this movie will be an end to a very successful franchise, but who knows. Definitely worth a watch - especially if you like lots of cars and/or guns. 

Home (REVIEW)

I wanted a movie starring Sheldon Cooper as a purple alien and that was exactly what I got.

The Boov are a race of scaredy cats who are always running away from their enemy. They run to Earth and relocate the humans so that they can take over the planet and live happily, hidden from the bad guys. Obviously the humans aren't best pleased about this. One of the aliens, called Oh, isn't very clever and makes friends with a human girl who was left behind. Hilarity ensues. 

It was made by Dreamworks so of course I was expecting good things. I wasn't disappointed! It was a fun, feel-good, family movie that all can enjoy. It's one of those kids films that adults can appreciate just as much as children. 

Aside from the copious amounts of Rihanna, I have no complaints. Jim Parsons was great and the whole thing was super cute. Definitely well worth a watch.

The Theory of Everything (REVIEW)

After watching this movie I realised how ignorant I have been. Not only in my limited knowledge of anything to do with Stephen Hawking’s life, but also with regards to how seriously, seriously debilitating his disease truly is. All I knew going in was that Hawking is an exceptional physicist who has long outlived his doctor's original expectations. The speed with which motor neurone disease took over his body is terrifying. What is so inspirational is how he and his wife, Jane, have coped with it so excellently.

The Theory of Everything is a beautiful biopic depicting a brilliant life. I only hope that his life story has been accurately portrayed. The touching and fascinating story is brought to life by Eddie Redmayne’s exceptional acting. His performance was outstanding. To play the role so realistically must have put such a strain on him. Felicity Jones also gave an incredibly realistic and emotional performance as Jane Hawking. Between the two of them I couldn't take my eyes off the screen. Except to wipe them with a tissue... 

I do not envy the Oscar judges when it comes to deciding who gets Best Actor this year. 

Wild (REVIEW)

Based on the true story of one woman's work towards emotional well-being, Wild was a beautiful journey. It was both funny and moving with a genuinely interesting plot.

Having suffered traumas in her life, Reese Witherspoon's character, Cheryl, decides to hike the Pacific Crest Trail which runs 2663 miles from California to Canada. The scenic imagery in the movie is outstanding. The natural beauty was enough to make me want to quit my job and go hike the trail myself.

The people that Cheryl meets on her journey and the events that take place entwine masterfully with the flashbacks to her troubled life. The whole thing just works. Witherspoon's performance is believable and heartfelt - definitely deserving of her Oscar nod.

If you want to laugh and cry, go see Wild.

Foxcatcher (REVIEW)

It was a rare treat to see Channing Tatum, Steve Carell and Mark Ruffalo in such serious roles, and they pulled it off magnificently. Probably the best part of this film is the fantastic acting. It tells the tale of Olympic wrestler, Mark Schultz, who despite winning a gold medal in the ’84 Olympics, felt like he was living in the shadow of his older brother.

The story can seem pretty slow at times, but maybe that’s just because it’s based around something I have no interest in. However, the wrestling isn’t the main draw; it’s the interaction between the characters that keeps you holding your breath. The tension throughout the film is palpable. I couldn’t help but worry about what was building up.

I would say it was a bit too long, but then maybe it needed to be slow paced. It’s hard to judge. If you’re interested in the true story the film is based on then this adaptation should be right up your street. If like me, you just love a good piece of psychological drama, then you won’t be wasting your time. Just be prepared to feel a little confused at the end as you try to figure out if you enjoyed it or not! 

Exodus: Gods and Kings (REVIEW)

Well, it was okay. For two and a half hours I managed to watch the screen and not get bored. I was mostly just outraged at the unnecessary killing of innocent animals. Ridley Scott must hate horses or something.

The story, as ridiculous as it is, is something we’re pretty much all familiar with - the tale of Moses leading the Israelites out of Egypt and God parting the Red Sea. I’m not sure it translated well to a modern blockbuster. God just came across as a douche, and Moses a self righteous hypocrite. With terrible child acting to boot, the whole thing was a bit of a letdown.

With regards to the cinematography, whilst the ancient cities and buildings looked beautiful and detailed, a lot of the time it was so dark I could barely see what was going on. It felt really rushed and half arsed for some reason. I definitely expected better.

The acting was average. Pretty lacklustre actually.

The one thing in its favour is that it’s better than Noah. I haven’t even seen Noah and I can tell you that.

Overall, a distinctly average, unoriginal movie that could have been visually special but wasn’t. Don’t bother paying to see it.