"Now Showing"

[peep]

Saw Frozen last night in 3D.

I loved it, it's a really nice film that feels oddly short. I think the marketing for the film was dreadful though, really put me off the film and made me really dislike Olaf, so it was odd to find that in the film I really liked that character. The songs are Ok, the score is amazing. I found the songs in Tangled to be far superior though. Oh and I don't understand the fuss over Menzel? It's clearly all about the fab Kristen Bell.

 

[Nic]

ueen of Arundel

I've treated myself to a Cineworld card, so I'm gonna go all Peep on your arses and review a bunch of films in one go. Only, unlike Peep, mine won't be a combination of Disney and intelligent, thought provoking cinema... it'll just be Disney and tosh involving Vince Vaughn et al. (Going by the looks the massive dyke that works there was giving me, I think she's already worked this out)

So, to start as I mean to go on, this is how I spent today:

Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs 2
I wasn't expecting to like the original, but did. It's not made it to may all time faves list, but it is enjoyable. I guess the sequel is sort of in the same vein. I enjoyed it, and in no way regret seeing it, but aren't in a massive rush to see it again.
3/5


Saving Mr Banks
What a lovely film. Emma Thompson should be made Queen of the World. I don't need to say anything else.
5/5


Frozen
I was sceptical about this. I hadn't seen any trailers, but the toys and images made it look a bit crap. Then the gays all started raving about it on Facebook... Yeah, it's definitely better than I imagined, and well worth a watch if you love a good Disney film. It is essentially Tangled with snow. This is much more of a true musical in the traditional sense though - with half the storytelling and "acting" done in song. It was more like a stage musical than a Disney film in that sense, and I found that a bit overly cheesy at times. Some of the songs are fabulous, but overall, Tangled is still better <3
PS. When did Idina Menzel get made the Queen of Arundel? I'd have thought there'd have been a mention of it in the local news!
4/5

 

[Ben]

I liked Saving Mr Banks, I really did, but, only the half with Emma Thompson and Tom Hanks. Then it kept cutting to **** Colin Farrell in Australia and it was ****.

Like, they should have focused on the main part of the story more, and left the back story as back story. I needed about a third of what they gave us before I was like "OK, I get it, her dad is the dad in Mary Poppins. Subtle". For me it ruined what was a movie of half great performances and magic by being half boring.

Frozen was amazing, way better than Tangled omg. The songs are so much better, they're just so much more Broadway and catchy. It reminded me a lot of Wicked, "misunderstood" woman with powers that make people turn on her, she runs away, but actually she's nice, and only the "nice" other one knows that... And then the mean one belts out a killer song half way through about how she's just going to embrace her power and **** everyone else. Plus Idina's part was basically the same and she is the best at that sort of role. I also loved how the men were just, inconsequential. It's a story about two sisters loving each other, and the men just happen to be there, which is totally different to almost everything else Disney have ever done. I loved it, best thing Disney have done without Pixar since 1994. It's weird, their run of latest computer animation (Tangled, Wreck-It Ralph and now Frozen) has actually been stronger than Pixar's (Monsters University, Brave and Cars 2). Maybe the tides are turning on who has a monopoly on great animated films?

 

[marc]

"Now Showing"

What lets Pixar down is the **** stories. Brave and cars2 were just boring.

Monsters university looked great but it had a nothing story.

 

[LiveForTheLaunch]

I really liked Frozen and my boyfriend who totally likes nothing even half complimented it saying "I liked it but wouldnt invite my boys over to watch it, and the end made me sad for ten seconds." I thought the characters were great and I have to agree with Ben that it did have similarities to Wicked. I liked the songs and although some bits followed stock storyline, most of it was fairly dfferent for a Disney film. I LOVED Anna's character.

8

 

[marc]

"Now Showing"

Watched life of pi.

Pile of ****

Watched the Hobbit again today as I'm that bored. Film was so much better the 2nd time really enjoyed it.

 

[Nic]

Free Birds

As utterly crap as it looks.


Frozen (again)

Yup, still fab <3

 

[tomahawk]

Scrooged

Bill **** Murray Christmas movie, just awesome.

4

Redemption

Anyone who considers Jason Statham an actor needs to be taken out back. He is a glorified stuntman and is absolute ****. I have taken dumps with more depth than what he brings to his characters, and this was no exception. This quickly jumped near the top of my "worst movies of the year" list, and gets an honorable mention for all time **** sipper. Wife got her rights to choose movies back, and chose this, then she relinquished them again.

1

 

[peep]

Just saw the best Christmas movie at the incredible Prince Charles Cinema... The Muppets Christmas Carol, a sing along! It was awesome and they handed out a few gifts (sweets and free tickets). Im really in a festive mood now

 

[nealbie]

Actually on a computer for once...

Frozen

The first time I saw this, I was absolutely blown away. Perhaps this was in part to not having a CLUE what it was about owing to Disney being clever with their advertising for the first time in AGES and providing a scene that isn't actually in the movie. I had no idea it was going to be a VERY loose adaption of The Snow Queen.

Of this, I am glad, because Disney's last effort at a Hans Christian Andersen novel was poor at best. What we got this time was the best Disney film since Treasure Planet (11 years ago)! As well as being a proper return to the musical formula we grew to love in the 1990s.

The animation sublime, the story (whilst ropey at times) scintillating and the characters adorable. Sven the reindeer in particular! <3

However, there are two things that let it down. 1: The "Cold never bothered me anyway" line is so out of place and tone in the otherwise fantastic "Let it Go" sequence. Made me cringe. Twice! 2: Taking a different approach to their villain really harms the repeat value of the film. Instead of the villain being obvious and fabulous from the outset, we get a (moderately predictable) plot-twist. Which does its job the first time round, but a second and third viewing is tainted by the character loop not being correct when you know who it is.

First view: 8.5/10
Subsequent views: 7.5/10

__________

The Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug

I was one of the few that liked the first film, I also like this one (perhaps a bit more).

Having been given a year for everyone to get used to the differing world climate in Middle Earth at this period in the Third Age, viewers are taken back closer to the darker tone of The Lord of the Rings period as Sauron's power continues to increase. The second installment serves well at increasing the appreciation of the first (remember Fellowship only really became "fantastic" when we'd seen the final two). There's some fine performances in this film and Martin Freeman actually managed to make me laugh and believe he was not Martin Freeman on a few occasions!

However, the gross re-edit of Beorn's sequence and the time they spend in Mirkwood and the Halls of the Woodland Elves (as well as subsequent escape) made me cross. I can sort of see why he'd want to speed through that bit and make it more actiony than stimulating; but Jackson seemed to approve of drawn out mental and visual stimulation in Lord of the Rings, so I don't understand the change of heart.

There are two devastatingly irksome continuity errors as well. 1) Bilbo can only understand the black speech of the spiders when he has the ring on, he takes it off to kill one but can still hear it scream out as it dies. Ugh! 2) Smaug, despite his isolation from the world under the mountain is somehow aware of Thorin's "Oakenshield" title, even though he gained that hundreds of miles away and AFTER he had been forced out of Erebor by the dragon. Double ugh!

Other than that, it's a brilliant fantasy epic, just, not quite on a par with The Lord of the Rings.

9/10

 

[Nic]

The Harry Hill Movie

If you're not a fan, steer well clear. If all you've ever seen of him is "TV Burp" you may also not really know what you're letting yourself in for! This definitely represents more of a trip back towards the old days of the Channel 4 series. That said, don't go expecting to see all your old favourites (hint: There's no Woodland Alphabet ) although there are a couple of tiny Easter eggs.

Some of the original songs are great, with my absolute favourite being The Magic Numbers' B&B song. The famous cameos (Jim Broadbent as a cleaning lady, anyone?) are one of its strengths. Oh, and there's creds too.

As a fan of the original series, I did really enjoy this. I couldn't call it hysterical, but there were plenty of moments that made me genuinely lol.

 

[furie]

The Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug

I was one of the few that liked the first film, I also like this one (perhaps a bit more).

Ditto.

Though the first one was a bit of a mess. It was too slow in places, then awful in others. Melancholy and poignant, then farcical.

It was just all over the shop and never really seemed to find a pace or mood to settle into.

The second one was pretty much action right from the start. There was still some slapstick and farce, but it wasn't quite as horrendous. The darker side of things was also not as tedious. It was a much better balanced film and flowed really nicely.

It's a kids film though (considerably more so than the first) and it works as such really well. Maxi-Minor_Furie absolutely loved it, and the (just shy of) three hours flew by for us both.

It was still really flawed in a lot of places, but it was a good popcorn film, which was refreshing for the Middle Earth stuff :lol:

I totally agree with all your points by the way Neal.

 

[marc]

Re: "Now Showing"

Saw frozen yesterday.

Wow that's all I can say, I did not work the story out at all so was shocked.

The music is the best in a long while and the ice and snow were just so well done, best computer drawings I've seen yet.

Yes it's probably not as good 2nd time as you know the story but I got out and wanted to see it again.

 

[peep]

Anchorman 2

Fantastic stuff. I think the first film still has more funny quotes and that but it's still great. There's some scenes which I didn't think worked and were a little tedious but overall it didn't harm the film. And OMFG the cameos!


Kill your darlings

Based on a real event that I know nothing about I found it a little tedious. It's quite slow and weird and I just didn't really enjoy it.


Nebraska

Another slow film but it adds a sense of realism to this normal yet quirky drama about an old man who thinks he has won a million dollars. It's very funny at times and even if it has a bit of a predictable outcome it's nice and works well.

 

[Jordanovichy]

Ooooh you've equalled last year's total

 

[caffeine_demon]

^and still a week to go!

 

[LiveForTheLaunch]

Bridesmaids

Ha, good old chick flick/comedy. I wasn't expecting anything more than a lighthearted, funny story and that is exactly what I got. It had me laughing out loud in some spots. Helen </3

7.5/10

 

[marc]

Re: "Now Showing"

Saw Saving Mr Banks.

Sorry but no way as great as many made out. She was brilliant and deserves an award but Tom Hanks played it well but tbh don't think it was an outstanding performance.

The film did not pull in my heart strings at all.

It's a good film but just did not do it for me.

 

[tomahawk]

Frozen

Better than 85% of Pixar films, and that was just Josh Gad. I enjoyed it for what it was, a very well done children's movie.

8

American Hustle

Jennifer holy **** Lawrence. She, once again, deserves an award. While slow at points, she turned those points into hilarious, head shaking, laugh out loud moments. The rest of the cast was phenomenal as well.

9

2 Guns

Very enjoyable popcorn movie. Love me some Marky Mark. Denzel is awesome as always.

7

 

[rtotheizzo17]

Anchorman 2: If you liked Anchorman you will like this one. They try a little to hard to hit the one liners like the first one had "KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS THAT HURT!", other than that it was what was expected.

Saving Mr. Banks: Solid family film. Surprised it got a PG13 but I guess the alcohol abuse is what did it. If you like the movie Marry Poppins or Disney in general, it is a fascinating look at what went into making the movie.
It wasn't an Ole Yeller level tear jerker, but it had its emotional moments.