Hello everyone! Haven't done a post in months but I went and saw an awesome movie today, Chronicle, and I just had to review it! I honestly thought it was one of the best films I've seen in the cinema! This review will contain spoilers so if you don't want to find out what happens, stop reading now :)
The film follows 3 teenagers who are exposed to some sort of meteor or radiation (I'm not sure) and develop super powers; the ability to move and control things with their mind.
The film focuses on the most interesting of the 3 kids, Andrew. There are really emotional parts where it shows how he hasn't really had a happy life! His dad beats him, he is bullied daily and he just seems lonely - with his popular cousin Matt being the only person who talks to him. The whole situation with his mum made me feel so bad, I felt I really connected with his character.
I thought the cast picking was good, the character of Andrew made me feel really uncomfortable. He's the kind of guy you definitely judge before you know, very creepy, especially how he films everything! Steve was such a funny guy and seemed really genuine and I was gutted when he died.
I loved the way that when they first got the powers, they weren't like 'let's save the world' they did things that regular teenagers would do - piss about! It was really entertaining seeing the pranks that they pulled and how their relationship really grew doing these things, as they weren't really that close before they got these powers.
With the simple concept of moving things with your mind, you can do so much more than just move things. For example they learn to fly in this movie, which would work cos you just have to imagine moving yourself. It made me pretty jealous watching them fly. Special effects weren't all that good but I wasn't expecting amazing stuff.
I thought that the way it was being filmed (hand held cameras) would really annoy me, but to be honest it wouldn't have been the same without it! It made the whole experience very real and was so good near the end the way that Andrew took all the phones and cameras, and they were all being used when Matt and him were talking in the sky.
I didn't think this film was boring at all, it was all relevant, emotional and just plain cool. Watching Andrew stand up for himself after years of abuse made me happy in a way, but seeing what he was capable of made me genuinly fear for everyone's lives. I thought the ending was so unexpected but a very good way to finish off the movie.
I've heard people say that thought the movie wasn't as long as it should've been, but that is a typical feature of found-footage movies. If it was any longer I think it would've been like they were dragging it out and it would've got boring then.
Overall I thought this was an awesome movie, definitely getting it on DVD. Just really liked the plot, build up. The action was good and the emotional side of it. Great movie!
Up until a few months ago, the only song I had ever heard by the folk/indie Bon Iver was 'Skinny Love', to be honest I didn't like it that much, and I hadn't bothered to listen to any of their other songs. I wish I had, because they are sooo goood! I haven't stopped listening to their new album since it was released on 21st June, and right now I am going to go through it track by track and give you my thoughts.
First, my favourite parts of the album and band in general. I love the haunty vocals in each song and the different harmonies just give me shivers! I never thought drums could sound this beautiful, whoever the main drummer was in recording this album, just wow. Now onto my track by track analysis.
1) Perth
So the all important opening track really sets up the tone and feel of the whole album and has a really awesome catchy guitar riff (which I am determined to learn). When I first heard this song I knew straight away this was gonna be a good album. Favourite part is when the drums build up and the beautiful vocals and guitar sort of, play the same parts. If you don't understand what I'm saying, this is about 1:27 in. This was a fantastic way to start the album
2) Minnesota, WI
This features alot of different layered and delayed electric guitar parts, I also liked how they even used slide and wind instruments. It's got quite a big and driving vIerse, but everything cools down for the chorus, which is a nice difference to the normal build up to choruses.
3) Holocene
Oh my god, my favourite song on the album by far. It is so breathtakingly beautiful. It has many many layers of clean acoustic guitar and I love the opening. It also has other stringed instruments later on in the song. I really do like this song, I always recommend this song to friends as a first song Bon Iver song to listen to.
4) Towers
The interesting thing about this song is you start off listening to it thinking you've got the whole song sussed out. But then about halfway, the song completely changes and all these different slide guitars come in, it turns much more upbeat and and I like it when that happens. The good thing is it doesn't stray too far from the original idea of the song and feels very natural. It's a lovely sing along song though, this is one of my favourites.
5) Michicant
I do like this song alot. It is a sing along track like Towers, but the thing I love about it is how every so often there are these little sounds (sometimes they only appear once or twice) and it just makes listening so much more interesting and enjoyable rather than it being repetitive. There are many more ideas, and clearly alot more thought and planning into this song. An example of this is near the beginning how there is just a bell ringing, and it leaves you thinking where did that come from! I so was eager to listen on for more. Great song, great song.
6) Hinnom, TX
This song is alright. I appreciate the chorus and the different vocal melodies and echoes that go on. Apart from that, it's just a pretty decent instrumental containing many layers and flowing well. It's one of those trippy songs that you can get lost in.
7) Wash.
This track starts of with a nice piano bit, but really the stand out feature of it is towards the end when you've got lots of string sections and almost orchestral parts coming in and it really paints the soundscape and enhances the feel and the message of the lyrics. I do like the beginning when the strings quickly come in and then fade, it's quite suprising but good.
8) Calgary
This was the first single that was released from the album, and a good choice too. It's got alot of awesome vocal effects, then band comes in and then again it gets stripped back to the original vocal.
9) Lisbon, OH
This is the shortest track on the album, only about a minute and a half long. I think this song was meant to a break from all the other songs before, and also an introduction into the last track. The synth beeps and organs and other instruments make it really interesting to listen to, like many of the other songs on this album.
10) Beth/Rest
This song features alot of different vocal effects and like the other tracks, really awesome synth. A nice part of this song is the guitar solo about 3 quarters through the song. There are alot of electric piano parts jumping in and around the vocal parts and I love the effect that has on the song as a whole.
So my final thoughts. There really is something special and unique about the way Justin Vernon approachs song writing, he's incredibly talented and such an underrated musician. There are not alot of albums that have got such a great atmospheric vibe like this one and I definately recommend everyone to listen to this.
Thanks for reading my review on Bon Iver's "Bon Iver".
This is it. It has been 10 years leading up to this moment and I can honestly say that this was a perfect and stunning way to end the Harry Potter story, that has been such a massive part of my childhood. I went and saw this film in the evening it was released. In this review I am going to go through some things I liked, disliked, and my overall views. Naturally this may contain spoilers so if are yet to watch the film - you have been warned.
Before I start I just want to say how impressed I was with the film in general! For the first part I came out the cinema with literally one complaint where they missed a part out in the book. This part I had a few more complaints but that doesn't mean I didn't enjoy the film! The things they missed out or changed didn't make the film significantly worse. In the DH premiere, Daniel Radcliffe talks about the book and film comparisons. He says that the directors and even JK Rowling understand that the film can never do the book justice! The film must have its own spin on things, which this did.
So a little thing to begin with. I really enjoyed how the character of Bellatrix (Helena Bonham Carter - beautiful) truly acted and it felt like Hermoine was in her body. It was so convincing! She is a great actor and I couldn't help but admire her in this! It reminded me of when Harry Ron and Hermoine took the polyjuice potion to go through the Ministry in the first part. I also loved how the actors performed that too (as you can see if you read my review on the first part).
Something that wasn't in the books was that Harry could hear the horcurxes, but to be honest it didn't bother me much. It did help in the film and it creates a much more cinematic touch, where you don't really need it in the book. But yeah it worked really well.
I did like the kinda badass moment of Harry stepping out of the crowd in the hall when they were all gathered, and his line when all the Order came in, it did make me happy :') But I couldn't help but notice how did Snape not notice him, how did anyone not notice him..? I did like the bit in the book in the Ravenclaw common room alot, but this works still. Voldermort's voices in people's heads was so brilliantly executed too.
Now I'm not gonna lie, I really don't like the couple Ron and Hermoine, but I did like the kiss down in the Chamber of Secrets. In the book it was alot more.. passionate? How they like leap into each other's arms, and the humour with Harry being there like 'is this the time'? But t'was good. Their relationship throughout the film too, how Ron remembers things Hermoine says. Yah, cute.
To add to them, in the room of requirement Ron running after Draco Goyle and *random black dude who I can't remember name of* like 'THAT'S MY GIRLFRIEND' and then he runs back screaming being chased by the fire. He just grabs her hand and runs.
So something that disappointed me was the pacing of this film. As I just said, it was too fast! Comparing it to the first part again. The first part was long and dragging out, whereas this one was too fast I barely had time to keep up. I understand that this one was meant to be the epic conclusion and everything, but that doesn't mean that they should miss out all the talking! For example, Harry and Voldermort's talk in the Great Hall that was meant to happen before they casted their spells at each other?
I suppose the writer's of this film didn't want to bore us like the first one may have. But it being too fast got rid of some of the emotion that should have been there in this finale! Many of the deaths for example were only on screen for a maximum of 2 minutes, before they were forgotten, as if it had never happened.
I would have really liked to have seen Fred's death, and the fact that the whole Percy storyline was cut makes it more complicated. But I understand that this would've slowed the film down alot if they included that scene that was so beautifully written in the book. This film was so quick, there wasn't time to slow things down.
Speaking of the deaths, Snape. His death to begin was so horrific in a way, and just dark. I really liked Snape's tears being the memories too. I really loved the ways his memories were on the screen - exactly as in my head. I found it extremely touching, like in the book, and it really hit home how all along he was protecting Harry. As well as me crying, I could hear two of my friends either side of me, and the noise around the theatre too! The bit with Snape holding Lily made me gasp, it was just.. urgh. So well done, so good.
Alan Rickman (Snape) really won this film for me. If he doesn't get nominated for some award for this movie I will be so disappointed. He is such a talented actor and the scene with his memories was one of the most heartbreaking but also my favourite part of this film.
The bit with the Malfoy's looking for Draco I liked in the book. The way JK Rowling worded it like they weren't paying attention to the battle, all they cared about was them being a family. I didn't like them just walking out, it took away that powerful feeling that they didn't care about being death eaters anymore, just being a family.
I loved the chapter when Harry and Voldemort are circling each other talking about everything and explaining, and in the film I didn't get what I wanted at all. I hated the falling of the side of the castle, flying through the air trying to strangle each other bit. Such a pointless bit of 'action'. That annoyed me! But they had the sun breaking through when he died, and it meant alot to me that they included that part!
I didn't understand why Harry just broke the wand without even fixing his own wand in the film at the end.. Literally I said 'he broke the wand.. kay..' under my breath. Now you're left without a wand - nice one Harry!
But that last scene on the platform, Christ I was a mess. The aging was a little funny though. Harry for example, give me a shirt, shirt jacket and stubble and he looks 20 years older.. but it's fine, it would be hard to age anyone like that. I liked it. It was a nice ending and it was the end of my childhood.
So to wrap things up, I don't think I've ever felt that many emotions in the space of 2 hours. When I went to watch it on the Friday it came out, I couldn't stop thinking about it all weekend. A fantastic end to my childhood, I think it did it justice. That's all I can ask for really :)
Yesterday I went and watched a new horror film that is out called Insidious, made by the creators of Saw and Paranormal Activity. In this review I am going to give a basic overview of the film, name a few of my favourite and least favourite parts, so obviously this will contain some spoilers!
To cut to the chase, I loved it! It scared the hell out of me and I haven't been that scared by a movie for a long time! I thought it was very original and overall very well done.
The basic plot is a family move into a brand new house, and all this weird stuff starts happening to them. Their son falls into a coma and the creepy things continue. The mum thinks the house is haunted, but only after they move houses, they realise that the things are following them.
Now for some of my favourite parts. The introduction and opening of the movie: I liked how they tried to make it like a real, old school classic horror movie, with the title appearing across the screen and the screech of violins. As soon as the title came up, I knew it was going to be a good film.
I absolutely loved the music! The film wouldn't have been nearly as good without the amazing orchestra. The music made me jump so much at parts. One bit made me jump the most was when the mum went into the baby's room and saw a face in the window. That terrified me! The music got me first, that's what made me jump, and then it took me a second to see what it was, and when I saw I was like 'oh jeeeeez!'
Another thing I liked was, well you know in most horror movies nowadays they try and make the film more realistic - oh is wasn't a demon, she was killed by her best friend who went crazy or whatever. I liked how Insidious threw every kind of fantasy in there (with the different realms and dimensions) and still managed to make it scary without gore! I mean, I am a fan of Saw, but I can't tell you how annoyed I get without horror movies that overuse gore. Insidious was awesome without one bit of pointless gore!
I also loved how they used different types of suspense, example when Josh (the dad) was in the other dimension place, you could only see where the light was shining? Whereas there were some complete silence parts, where you were just waiting for something to jump out at you!
By the way, did anyone notice when Josh was in his classroom on the computer at one point, drawn on the chalkboard behind him was a drawing of Jigsaw from Saw? And it had an 8 underneath it? - Saw 8? Hinting to us there slightly. I noticed it and smiled to myself because of how clever that James Wan is that he managed to put that in there so subtly.
Now for some parts that I didn't enjoy so much. It wasn't really parts I didn't like, just actors! I thought the actress for the mum was terrible. She didn't seem to convice me at all, at any stage in the movie. I didn't like the paranormal nerd guys either, they didn't seem believable. Just the way they acted, their equipment, their humour? It didn't work, sorry about that.
Also, I didn't really understand the ticking? There was always a ticking going on, whether it was the big (creepy) Grandfather clock or her metronome. I didn't understand it :\
But despite that, I thought it was awesome. One of the best horror movies I've seen, if you can handle it, definately go see it! :D
So as you know if you read my last blog, I went and watched Scream 4 (or SCRE4M) in the cinema last Thursday. My plan was to watch the movie again before I wrote a review on it, but hey I'll do it now because I'm not sure when I'm going to watch it, and I got loads of things to say on it!
So overall I thought it was really well put together and an awesome film! Before I saw this, I had no knowledge on what the Scream films were, what the plot was, or anything about them! To be honest, the only reason I wanted to see this was because the certificate was 15, rather than 18 like the others in the trilogy.
Even though I didn't know what they were about, I did manage to pick up the plot relatively quickly, which was good :)
After watching the 4th Scream, I went home and watched the first one online. After seeing that, a lot of things that didn't make sense to me suddenly did! I watched some reviews online for it and nearly all of them said that it's vital you watch the first Scream before the 4th, but you don't need to watch the 2nd or 3rd. I think it even says somewhere in the film that it's a remake, not a sequel.
Many people have been asking me if it's scary. I wouldn't really say that it's scary, just suspenseful and gory! (Although when I did come home after the film, I jumped out of my skin when the phone rang!) Some parts are quite thrilling and I did enjoy them! But one part did make me feel a little sick. When you see the movie, I think you can guess which part I'm talking about.
So to wrap things up, I really liked it! I'm definately going to watch the 2nd and 3rd one and I hope they don't disappoint! :)
I really need to start doing these more often damnit.
So what's new? Well, I decided to jump on the Tumblr train, because so many people have suddenly got it and how amazing it is. I had a Tumblr account for 20 minutes, before I thought to myself how utterly pointless it was, and deleted it. Sorry to all you Tumblr addicts!
In other news, I went and saw Scream 4 (SCRE4M) the other day - very impressed with it! I think I'm gonna go watch it again, then expect a review on it up, because I need to start blogging more! :)
I need some interesting stuff to happen in my life though before I can blog! Ahhh wells..
Reaaaally quick update, haven't done a blog in a while. This isn't really gonna be a blog, just a couple of links of some other sites I use:
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/SnakeyMeow
Follow me on Twitter, I haven't got many followers :(
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/SnakeyMeow
Started posting more videos on my YouTube so be sure to subscribe to be the first to know when I have a new video up. It'll mostly be music covers, maybe a few originals!
Thanks, I'll be on this ting more as well. Later <3
