Flight Of The Living Dead - An Inflight Movie With Bite !

2007
Dir. Scott Thomas

This movie is hilarious. Director Scott Thomas has taken George A. Romero’s zombie franchise to ‘new heights’ with this tongue-in-cheek gore filled horror set 30,000 feet above sea level.

The fun begins when a trio of mad scientists on the run from the CIA get aboard a passenger flight from Los Angeles to Paris carrying with them a coffin containing a colleague infected with a strange virus. All hell breaks loose however when the flight crosses a violent thunderstorm, the turbulence breaking open the coffin and unleashing the colleague, who is now a flesh eating zombie who doesn’t want the chicken or the fish.

What I love best about this film is the vast amount of gore. As the zombie gets loose and eats/infects each passenger one by one, there’s some great scenes of exploding heads, flesh being ripped from the bone, eyeballs popping out and beheadings to rival a medieval battlefield. There’s even a great ensemble of characters on this flight, all the clichés you would expect such as a cop transporting a dangerous prisoner, a nun, a cheating couple, a sports personality, an air Marshall and even the pilot is on his last flight before he retires and visits the grandkids up in Peaceful Lake or wherever.

There’s some absolute lunacy in some parts, as in the part where the cop creates a bomb, yes a bomb, and throws it into a cargo infested with zombies, and miraculously doesn’t destroy the plane. There’s also a whole lot of shooting going on in the cabin, and somehow nobody manages to hit a window or pierce the walls and kill everybody.

All in all however, if you’re looking for a tongue in cheek horror you can sit back with a bowl of popcorn and laugh at whilst still being entertained, this is up there. Id definitely say that horror fans looking for a guts and glory zombie flick that’s more concerned with action than scares should definitely give Flight Of The Living Dead a look…

3 and a half Skulls

Gran Torino - Stefan's Take

After watching this film I think nearly everyone would want a neighbour like Walt Kowalski (played by Clint Eastwood, the film's protagonist). He's clean, he's quiet, no need for neighbourhood watch, he has got a great tool kit that you might be able to borrow and is actually very funny when you get to know him. This however, is all by the by. What you really want to do is befriend him, go down to a McDonalds car park after dark and find the biggest group of chavs you can and let him do the business. Think (apart from Dirty Harry) Chopper, but with a slicker and colder way of threatening his opposer.

"Ever fu###d with someone you should'nt have? That's me." Walt Kowalski.

Although Walt, a Korean War veteran, seems devoid of any human emotion other than disgust, he proves himself to be a very honorable man. Even his racist nick names are seen as gestures of affection by the the end of the film. Having just lost his wife and unable to relate to his 2 sons and grand children, he finds solace in the Hmong family next door. In particular the girl, Sue, and her brother Thao. Walt recognises the plight Thao is in due to his no good cousin trying to lead him astray and into his gang. The tug of war that takes place over the welfare of Thao is what drives the film and provides Walt with the compassion and direction that has been lacking in his life. This escalates to the point where Walt realises he has to act once and for all to end this fued and offer the young man some hope for the future. The development of Eastwood's character through the film builds nicely to shaping this final conclusion.

The film is actually very funny. Walt's dead pan voice and no nonsense persona give a great platform for some very humourous lines and make him quite lovable. The film is also quite well thought out and pleasantly subtle. Hours after seeing it things occurred to me that made sense, like when he chose to smoke in the house for the first time. You also take into account that he might be giving more thought to his health than he lets on, and this adds more depth to his already quite thought provoking character.

Overall I would say an enjoyable movie and provides further confirmation of Eastwood's hard man on screen credentials, as if we needed any. Performed with style and impact. A lesson to budding tough guys everywhere. 7/10.

Up

The latest poster for Up. This is going to be special.

Who Watches The Watchmen ?

Did you attend a midnight screening ? What did you think ?

More Popbitch Film Bits ...

Could be all lies...

"We were absolutely nailing each other constantly” 
- Hugh Jackman, on Liev Schreiber in Wolverine.

Favourite red carpet Oscar moment: when Ryan Seacrest
asked Dev Patel - Harrow's finest - what his family
back in India thought about Slumdog's success.

Anvil! The Story Of Anvil is out this week. 
Director Sasha Gervasi was an unlikely ladies' 
man long before Ginger Spice picked him out
to be her sperm donor. When Gervasi moved
to LA in the early 90s to try to get into
the movies, he had a "thing" with model
Veronica Webb. One night when he was having
sex with her from behind she turned round to 
compliment him on his love-making skills,
and said, "You're better than De Niro."

Zomblogalypse

Just been turned on to this little comedy web series Zomblogalypse, which is filmed for no money around York. The first season is just about to come to an end, with episode 6 'Cinepocalypse', due for release on the 11th of March.

They're building up a little fanbase on facebook and all episodes are available online at www.zomblogalypse.com.

Have a looksee.

Sam "Mother F**king" Jackson

A little bit of tasty movie news here for you. Marvel have signed a new deal with Mr Bad Ass himself, Sam Jackson. The deal is for him to appear in no less than 9, yes you heard me, 9 Marvel films. This is such a big and great break through for all concerned, it shows Marvel having some balls and getting behind and supporting an actor instead of stabbing him in the back and casting someone who isn't as good (much love goes out to Terrence Howard).

So with this latest development it seems mostly likely that we'll see our favorite eye patched non-pirate back in action in Iron Man 2 and The Avengers ? Oh if only dreams came true.

Until next time my evil minions.

Re-makes, Heroes And Heroes

Total Recall is being re-made. Neal H Moritz is currently in talks with Columbia to develop and produce the Philip K. Dick story "We Remember It For You Wholesale." Moritz wants to make a contemporary version of the 1990 Schwarzeneger starring, Verhoeven directed action film.

For those who don't remember, it's the story of a man who has dreams of Mars and then goes to Rekall inc. to have a memory implanted. Things go wrong and it turns out he's a secret and travels to Mars and fights for the rebels there to get air from the dictator, Ronny Cox in the film.

It's a fantastic film already and a re-make will have its work seriously cut out. Moritz has reportedly been saying he hopes advances in technology will breathe new life into the story. This is a little worrying because one of the great things about the 1990 version was how lived in the environments felt and a CGI heavy adaptation could hurt. Plus there will be no Arnie in it.

*QUICK UPDATE*: It's been reported that Sam Worthington has turned down the role of Green Lantern due to his commitment on Clash Of The Titans.

Emile Hirsch and Ryan Gosling have also passed on the role.

A new name in the frame is Anton Yelchin who is playing the role of Kyke Reese in Terminator Salvation. Could be interesting to follow that, I think he's a bit young for the role but i could be wrong.

My favorite Nathan Fillion has apparently been ruled out for being too "geezerly." I hope someone reconsiders that.

The Green Lantern release date has been announced as December 17th 2010. It's good to see Warner Bros. getting their arses into gear with all their super-hero franchises. With Martin Campbell directing, Green Lantern should be in great hands and this will hopefully get things moving on Green Arrow, The Flash, Wonder Woman etc. movies and then maybe a good Superman re-boot which could lead to a fantastic Justice League film. Fingers crossed.

Any thoughts on who should play Hal Jordan? My personal favourite would be Nathan Fillion from Serenity. Great actor, terribly underrated.

Samuel L. Jackson has signed up to play Nick Fury in Iron Man 2. Not only that, Jackson has the opportunity to play the S.H.I.E.L.D agent in another 9 Marvel movies. It is also possible that there will be a S.H.I.E.L.D movie all on its own.

This, to me, seems a bit too good to be true. I wasn't particularly bothered if Jackson came back or not, since he's only at the end of Iron Man, but I'm happy that they're keeping the continuity. But it wasn't long ago Marvel wouldn't pay Jackson what he wanted and he wouldn't budge. So it will be interesting to see what the deal was, unless he's playing smart and waiting until everyone has accepted him as Nick Fury then demand horrific money.

Is The Film Industry Past It ?

And so it begins, like many other films. The lights fade and the screen flickers to life. My eyes are met by vast vistas and extraordinary looking characters, each capable of changing the tale in a heartbeat. I spend a precious moment taking it all in, such creations only capable with the use of the industry's most advanced technology. But as the film unfolds, I am not at all surprised by my reaction.

I yawn. Yes, I'm afraid to say it but I yawn. I yawn like I have never yawned before. What is it about the film that fails to satisfy me? The plot? The characterisation? The production? Well, it's a bit of everything really. The plot is flimsy and unbelievable, the characters are shallow stereotypes and the production, well, it's nothing short of a joke. I can't really criticise things such as set design or make up because they don't appear to exist. Instead they are provided by the industry's "most advanced technology". It is a mess. It is then I realise that this is not an isolated incident, but rather a link in a chain far, far too long. I ask myself why are most films made today so bad? The answer is clear: because the year is 2009, not 1989. Much like civilizations that have passed before us, cinema has reached its peak and is now set for decline.

As a man in his early twenties, I grew up with such gems as Aliens, The Terminator, Die Hard, Big, Predator and, of course, the undisputed film to end all films, Ghostbusters. These films had it all. They had great characters, gripping stories and special effects to die for. I believe that the Queen Alien in James Cameron's masterpiece is the greatest visual effect to ever grace the screen, one that was butchered by the pitiful CG abomination in Alien Vs. Predator.

There is a certain magic to 80s cinema, something that no amount of analysis can ever understand (believe me, I've tried). But one element that is consistent throughout these films is the themes. If you deconstruct each film you will find that the themes are very human. The juxtaposition between this and the often eccentric nature of the film works beautifully. For example, the premise of Big is a far-fetched one: a boy who wants to be a man and gets his wish. But this is a coming of age story that shows us that we must grow to survive in this world but also that, no matter our age, we never truly grow up. There is always a kid within us. John Heard's childish outbursts and Elizabeth Perkin's mischievous episode with the car radio remind us of this. And if Robert Loggia's duet with Tom Hanks didn't bring a smile to your face then you need to give work a rest and have some fun.

Let's take a look at an equally bizarre, but very different, film. The pride and glory that is Ghostbusters will be remembered for many years to come. Again, it dealt with very human themes (being unemployed and going into business) in spectacular fashion (doing battle with a hundred foot marshmallow man). But the true victory of this film is the three main characters: Bill Murray's sleazy opportunist with heart, Dan Aykroyd's eager, yet bumbling, paranormal investigator and Harold Ramis' science geek who manages to steal the Crown of Cool from all the other characters. I have never heard anyone say "Print is dead" quite like Egon Spengler. He knows it may sound arrogant, he just doesn't give a damn.

This film was made when comedy was at it's prime in the 80s, a subtle blend of clever and toilet humour that made for excellent viewing. Unfortunately a lot of comedy these days is nothing but toilet humour. I blame American Pie. The relationship between our three heroes and their adventures was a result of great 80s comedy. When they inadvertently attack a maid in the hotel during their first real job, all they offer are awkward apologies and the truly great line from Venkman "Sorry, we thought you were someone else". The American Pie generation would probably handle a scene like this tragically by casting Sean William Scott and having him scream surprised profanities before Ashton Kutcher opens a hotel door and offers his pearls of "wisdom". Ghostbusters is a flagship for 80s comedy and if the likes of American Pie and the horrible Scary Movie films are all modern cinema can muster, then they should prepare to be blown out of the water.

A friend of mine once said "I don't consider CGI to be special effects because there's nothing special about it". Truer words have never been spoken. CGI is nothing but bells and whistles, it offers nothing to us as viewers. Most of the time, we can see that it is fake. In fact, it is a distraction for both the audience and those involved with the film. Ewan McGregor, for instance, is a fine actor and one of the great British exports of our time. Yet, his performances suffered in the recent Star Wars trilogy because he had absolutely nothing physical to work with. Now, I understand that there are certain situations where bluescreen technology must be used. I don't think Warner Brothers would have been too thrilled if Christopher Nolan had decided to hang Heath Ledger upside down outside a real building for The Dark Knight. But to use it just to fill in the blanks in a corridor scene? Come on.

Last year the film industry suffered the loss of many of its talented artists. Amongst these was Stan Winston. He was a man that fashioned incredible creations. A lot of the ideas in 80s films would not have been possible without him. But he was able to do this physically, he did not need the use of computers to create. I remember watching the making of Terminator 3. In it, he said they had actually created working robots and that they had faked it for the first two films. But there lies his greatest success. He was able to fool audiences with what he had at the time. Okay, there are certain points in The Terminator that don't quite work, but for the most part his work is second to none. When Stan Winston passed away he left behind a vast and enduring legacy. The type of legacy that CGI will never have.

So there we have it, my little crusade against modern cinema. These are just a few of the reasons why I think films from the 80s are vastly superior to their modern day counterparts. However, to say that there are no good films released these days would be extremely unfair. Of course there are. The problem is, for every great film made another three terrible films are as well. This is an issue that needs to be addressed because it is slowly crippling the industry and with computer games coming ever closer to achieving the status that cinema once had, it is close to becoming second best. So, budding directors, pick up your cameras, gather a crew, and start making some entertainingly eccentric films that were all the rage twenty years ago.

Ten Things You Shouldn't Do When Making A Video Game Movie

1) Don’t assume the game has enough story for the film.
2) Hire Uwe Boll (although he has a mean right hook)
3) Don’t take a radical new direction in the film. There’s a reason why the game was popular.
4) Cut out the coolest gadgets/ guns/ vehicles
5) Don’t gloss over character development. The characters in the game maybe pretty bland but that’s only because the player can add their own ideas to the character. Plus they’re only really there to shoot/beat/ blow up stuff
6) Remake Super Mario Brothers. There’s enough suffering in the world already.
7) Don’t forget that the audience is full of people who played the game.
8) Don’t rush out the flick for a game tie-in/anniversary. Marketing people say ‘yes’, gamers say ‘ you bloody idiots, why did you screw it up!’
9) Assume a ‘star’ name will be able to pull off the main character.
10) Don’t just play the game you’re basing the movie on. You should be spending weeks hammering through every little design detail in there. After all, games can take between 1 and 4 years to make so the chances are game designers have done more homework than you.

The Green Hornet

Is this true ? I overheard two guys chatting about this as I was getting my morning coffee.

Michel Gondry has stepped up to the plate to helm The Green Hornet.

After Stephen Chow stepped down as the director of the Seth Rogen caper, Gondry has taken it on. Not sure if Mr Chow (that's his name, that name again is Mr Chow) will appear in the film - as Hornet's sidekick Kato. Production will begin later this year.

I'll try and find out more...

Appaloosa

Director : Ed Harris

Writers : Robert Knott, Ed Harris.

Starring : Ed Harris, Viggo Mortensen, Renee Zellweger, Timothy Spall and Jeremy Irons.

Hollywood heavyweight Ed Harris takes his place behind the camera for the second time after he directed Marcia Gay Harden to Oscar winning success in Pollock (2000).

Working in front of the camera under the guidance from masters such as James Cameron, Clint Eastwood and Ron Howard has clearly had an effect on the popular actor's directorial skills. He implements a no frills, 'nuts and bolts' method to present a western in the classical sense - deliberately paced, quiet but fearsome characters, whiskey shot drinking, sandstorms, native Americans and of course the 'stand offs'.

New Mexico 1882. Virgil Cole (Harris) and Everett Hitch (Mortensen) are hired as marshal and deputy in the town of Appaloosa to enforce the law after a ruthless rancher Randall Bragg (Irons) murders with no remorse the previous marshal and his two deputies in a gun blazing, blood spilling opening scene. The two new lawmen devote their time, trying to bring Bragg to justice but their law abiding methods and morals of loyalty are put to the test when a widow named Allison French (Zellweger) arrives in town.

This film starts strongly and the opening few scenes show great promise and most movie goers would jump at the chance to watch Jeremy Irons as a gun toting villain. However on 15 minutes enter Renee Zellweger. The story - along with Zellweger's acting - takes the film, not only on a downward spiral but has you feeling frustrated and irritated. A few scenes after this are well shot and undoubtedly are compelling to watch, but by the end you may be wishing Ed Harris made a 'Reservoir Dogs Western' - something with balls and no women in the cast.

If you love the western genre or find the assembled cast too mouth watering to resist - which also includes Lance Henriksen as a villain - then it comes recommended. However if you rate Ed Harris and you want better value for money and have not yet seen Gone Baby Gone (2007) in which he gives an explosive performance as crooked cop Remy Bressant, then get down to your video store, hire it and you will only be spending a third of the price and ultimately watching a film of greater quality.

SUPERIOR SCENE : The third scene into the film has Cole and Hitch give their stamp of authority on the town of Appaloosa, by killing three of Bragg's gang members. This not only emphasises they are now the law but are unquestionably quicker at drawing their weapons than most outlaws. Harris excels here with some great dialogue.

QUALITY QUOTE : "Of course he's willing to die. You think we do this kind of work because we're scared to die ?" Virgil Cole (Ed Harris)

RATING : 3 / 5 stars.

On a personal note, back in 2005 I met Vince Vaughn in a bar called Velvet Margarita in Hollywood L.A.. Having a quick drink with him and not wanting to bombard the movie star with questions, I told him I admired his work, especially in The Prime Gig (2000) and said I only wanted to ask one thing in relation to the industry - "What was it like to work shoulder to shoulder with Ed Harris ?" To which this towering frame of a person replied whilst drawing on a cigarette - "A fine man. A true gentleman and more so than most in Hollywood."

Be Careful What You Wish For

A modern day Alice In Wonderland, Coraline transports you to a world full of imagery, enchantment and colorful characters.

Right from the opening title sequence, the audience is immediately brought into Coraline's world following mechanical hands that deconstructs and guts an old doll and watches as it carefully and skillfully builds a doll that looks just like Coraline. For all you Neil Gaiman fans, he does not disappoint and for all you future Neil Gaiman fans, this will be the film that does it. With a running time of 1 hour and 40 min, Henry Selick (director of The Nightmare Before Christmas) has made the longest stop-motion animated film, and has also made history by filming it completely in 3D.

Now, this isn't the 3D from the 80's with those cheap red and blue cardboard glasses that never really worked except for giving you a headache; the technology has really matured and is quite successfully used in this film. If you do have a chance to see it in 3D, I definitely recommend that you do, but in regular 2D is also just as good.

Coraline (Dakota Fanning) and her family arrive in their new home at the Pink Palace Apts, and right away the mood is set. Everything is overcast and gray, if it isn't raining, then there's always the threat of it looming. Our young heroine, with her bright blue hair and yellow rain jacket is already too colorful for this world. As she explores her new surroundings and new home, Coraline discovers that it's just plain boring here. The only other kid around is Wybie (Robert Bailey Jr.), and he's just a little weird and just a little too annoying for her. He leaves a mini Coraline doll for her one day, and Coraline's adventures start to take off.

The doll, you can say, helps Coraline discover a sealed off tiny door behind the wallpaper. After bugging her mom (Teri Hatcher) relentlessly to open the door for her, Coraline (and the audience) all hold their breath as her mother turns the key and slowly pulls the door open. What's on the other side? Well, a brick wall of course! Now we all know that in these childhood fantasy tales, the adults are oblivious to any of the magic that surrounds them, so there couldn't be anything else but a boring old brick wall. It isn't until that night, when everyone's asleep, that Coraline follows a squeaky little mouse back to that door.

Through that door and on the other side....is Coraline's house. What?!? Ah, but the twist, everything is colorful and bright, and her parents do whatever she wants and ALWAYS have time for her, not like her parents back in the "real world". This is where the 3D acid trip really kicks in. Not only is this alternate "other world" more colorful and bright, but it's also more 3-Dish than the bland gray "real world". Another thing, in this "other world" everyone has buttons for eyes.

Her "Other Mother" cooks, while her "Other Father" sings, and the neighbors are friendlier and she is the center of everyone's attention.

Coraline loves it here, and everything is perfect....or is it? As Coraline bounces between the two worlds and two sets of parents, neighbors and Wybies, she learns the moral lesson that is featured in the tagline of the film "Be careful what you wish for".

Set to a wonderfully executed score by Bruno Coulais and They Might Be Giants, all the components of this film come together beautifully. There's something enchanting in this dark and creepy fantasy world that Gaiman and Selick have created for us. It's definitely worth a look, even if you haven't read the book. And for those of you who have been following this film and are "in the know", wait for a little something after the credits roll.

dinner time! ciao ciao!
~jb

From The Slums To ...

It has just been reported that the beautiful Freida Pinto of Slumdog Millionaire will be quickly adding onto her resumé. She has signed on to be a part of Woody Allen's new project currently known as the "Untitled Woody Allen London Project". They are currently still in their pre-production phases, but rumor has it that Josh Brolin and Sir Anthony Hopkins are also attached.

The International

I have been waiting to get an email to confirm which I now have, so I can tell you all about it. Sunday 1st March I am going to a charity screening of The International at my local cinema where Clive Owen is a patron. The screening consists of a question and answer session at the end so fingers crossed I will able to sneak one in before he’s bombarded with questions about his favourite colour or something equally stupid. So just wondered if I do get a chance to ask one if anyone has anything particular in mind they would like to know, and I will try my best to find out.

And also just a quick thank you to Alton for sorting this out for me.

A Proper Watchmen Review !

Go look.

Some Watchmen 'Reviews'

Some Watchmen reviews have surfaced. Officially there aren't meant to be any out until March 6th, so these ones are cagey when it comes to details, but they certainly give some opinions.

Those opinions are mixed. The positive reviews (and they're damn positive) seems more convincing though.

Watchmen London Premiere Yellow Carpet Pics

The Watchmen London premiere was earlier this evening. Here are a few pics from the yellowfest. The rest of the pics are found here. Great photos from Rich Johnson (LITG) and Brendon Connelly (/Film)

And The Oscar Goes To...

Ok ok, I know the Oscars are over and it's been overly talked about since the Golden Globes, but being here in the Hollywood area, it's hard not to still feel the tingle of last night's winners in the air. So I promise, that this Oscar recap will be quick and painless!

A lot of last night's Oscars show was kept a secret by the Academy and everyone involved, because they had revamped the structure and overall feel in order to draw in audiences all over the world. Even the celebrity presenters played coy with any pre-Oscar interview about what involvement they had and if they knew any spoilers for the big show. The red carpet also didn't see many of the celebrities that we saw on the show, because they wanted to keep the presenters' identities as secret up until the very last minute possible.

Hugh Jackman, although admitting to some nerves about hosting, was completely comfortable on that stage in the Kodak Theater, whether he was singing, dancing, reenacting, and keeping the audience fully involved. Looking dapper and channeling old Hollywood glam, Jackman was tall, dark and handsome like his predecessors Dean Martin, Cary Grant, Gregory Peck and so on. And what a voice!

After the spectacular opening number, they dove in, starting the night off with a beautiful Penelope Cruz winning the Oscar for best Supporting Actress. Right away, past Oscar viewers could tell that things have changed. The presenters now come out, explain a little about the category they are presenting or talk about the nominees and then reveal the winner. I thought it was a great idea to do this, because it keeps the audience and the viewers at home involved. Although not everyone cared for it, an explanation, especially on the more technical side of things, could help home viewers understand why one film won over another.

A lot of people predicted that the Oscars would be more subdued and toned down due to the current state of the economy, but it proved to be just the opposite. All the women channeled old Hollywood with the silhouettes and gorgeous updos, while the men looked breathtakingly handsome in their tuxes and black ties. In a time when the economy sucks and everyone is worried about one thing or another, the Oscars gave us all a great escape for at least one night.

So, as this post is getting a bit lengthy, I will list all the winners from last night's show and bid you adieu.

- Motion Picture: "Slumdog Millionaire."

- Actor: Sean Penn, "Milk."

- Actress: Kate Winslet, "The Reader."

- Supporting Actor: Heath Ledger, "The Dark Knight."

- Supporting Actress: Penelope Cruz, "Vicky Cristina Barcelona."

- Director: Danny Boyle, "Slumdog Millionaire."

- Foreign Film: "Departures," Japan.

- Adapted Screenplay: Simon Beaufoy, "Slumdog Millionaire."

- Original Screenplay: Dustin Lance Black, "Milk."

- Animated Feature Film: "WALL-E."

- Art Direction: "The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button."

- Cinematography: "Slumdog Millionaire."

- Sound Mixing: "Slumdog Millionaire."

- Sound Editing: "The Dark Knight."

- Original Score: "Slumdog Millionaire," A.R. Rahman.

- Original Song: "Jai Ho" from "Slumdog Millionaire," A.R. Rahman and Gulzar.

- Costume: "The Duchess."

- Documentary Feature: "Man On Wire."

- Documentary (short subject): "Smile Pinki."

- Film Editing: "Slumdog Millionaire."

- Makeup: "The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button."

- Animated Short Film: "La Maison en Petits Cubes."

- Live Action Short Film: "Spielzeugland (Toyland)."

- Visual Effects: "The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button."

One more thing, as I am a native New Yorker, that number Hugh Jackman did with Beyoncé stating that "The musical is BACK!" completely blew me away. I grew up watching Broadway shows and musicals and absolutely love them!

That's all for now. I plan to make my way to the theaters to check out Coraline in 3-D one more time before it leaves theaters and then will only be played in 2-D from then on. One more tidbit of Oscar related news, Coraline received such fantastic reviews on its opening weekend, there were rumors that this film could be the first contending Oscar film for next year! I'll be back with my review later.

Ciao ciao!

2009 - Films Coming Up

With the golden Hollywood glow of the Oscars now behind us celebrating the best of 2008, I want to turn a thought to wait awaits us in the year to come. What will be hits, what will be misses, what will gather Oscar buzz and what will be the unexpected box office smash. With a mere glimpse at what is to come, I think 2009 is going to be a big year for film.
Now I myself aren't really into Oscar type films, serious drama's and hard hitting film. Don't get me wrong, I respect the crap out of them, just not my cup of tea. With that in mind, allow me to list the films that have got my blood pumping in the months ahead.

Watchmen.
Okay, there's not much that can be said about this film that you cant already see in the trailers for it. Its a beautiful looking filming, interesting characters, amazing source material and a cast of relative unknowns that somehow look like they'll command the screen with ease. Watchmen really will be one to watch (that hurt me to write it just as much as it was for you to read it).


Terminator Salvation
With Christian Bale being in the media spot light in the past few weeks for all the wrong reasons I think its kind of over shadowed what the real story here is HE'S JOHN FREAKIN' CONNOR. Am I the only person who finds that to be one of the best bits of casting in years? The Bale can do no wrong, he brought Batman back to life with some guy called Nolan and now he's put his magic to work on bringing the Terminator franchise back where it belongs in the big leagues.
p.s I love Christopher Nolan


Transformers 2: Revenge Of The Fallen
Are you seeing a trend yet? Yes, I love my big budget movies a little too much. With Megan Fox being the hottest thing on two legs saving the world, and I think there was something about robots in there too, I'm not 100% sure on that. Transformers was definitively a 2007 summer blockbuster, two years later and Mr Big Explosion himself Micheal Bay is back in the directors chair pointing the camera at nothing. I was a fan of the first film but felt the plot could of done with some trimming and some more Megan Fox. Now that he has got a second stab at it, I hope we get another action adventure worthy of a cinema ticket, and from what we've seen in the trailers so far, I think we may just get that.


G.I. Joe: The Rise Of Cobra
Lets see the list
Big budget? CHECK
High Concept? CHECK
Great Action? CHECK
Hot Girls in Tight Outfits? DOUBLE CHECK
With that out the way, I find it hard to see how this film could do badly. The only thing I could possibly see holding it back is the once again relatively unknown cast. But with the action sequences shown in the SuperBowl spot and a director who is no stranger to blockbuster success (Stephen Sommers, The Mummy, The Mummy Returns and Van Helsing) I think we are looking at the possible surprise hit.
The Twilight Saga: New Moon
Okay okay, hold back the hate. Not sure where you all stand on this subject, but I personally loved Twilight and no, I'm not gay or secretly a girl, there are male fans (trust me). New Moon has proved to be an interesting topic of conversation with previous helmer Catherine Hardwicke no longer set to direct and American Pie's Chris Weitz taking over the production. All original cast members are back, including Robert Pattinson and my future wife Kristen Stewart. As Twilight was shot on a modest budget of $37million, talk has begun over how much dollar is being thrown at New Moon, with location shoots in Italy and much more special effects needed, I cant wait to see how things play out next month when filming gets under way.


As for me, I'm done. I could go on and on about films but a line has to be drawn my friends. The real reason is the Pizza Boy just rang the door bell and I'm hungry. Until next time.

Quotes From TDK - Tribute To Heath Ledger

Sometimes, just sometimes it is more satisfying to read great movie lines rather than watching scenes on You Tube. So here's 10 - well actually it's 11 but who's counting - of the very best from the late great Heath Ledger's stunning portrayal of The Joker in The Dark Knight. It was these words and the way he said them - along with his mesmerising mannerisms (Note * the licking of the lips in particular !) that earned him a richly deserved Academy Award. Enjoy.

"It's simple. We kill the Batman."

"You won't kill me out of some misplaced sense of self-righteousness. And I won't kill you because you're just too much fun. I think you and I are destined to do this forever. "

"You see, madness, as you know, is like gravity. All it takes is a little push ! "

"And here... we... go !"

"I'm a man of simple tastes. I like dynamite, and gunpowder... and gasoline! Do you know what all of these things have in common? They're cheap !"

"Wanna know how I got these scars ?"

"If you're good at something, never do it for free."

"Why don't we cut you up into little pieces and feed you to your pooches? Hmm? And then we'll see how loyal a hungry dog really is."

"How about a magic trick ?... I'm gonna make this pencil disappear.... Ta-daa! It's... it's gone."

" Why so serious ?"

And of course, especially in an unforgettable Oscar winning performance, always save the best for last.....

"Do you want to know why I use a knife? Guns are too quick. You can't savor all the... little emotions. In... you see, in their last moments, people show you who they really are. So in a way, I know your friends better than you ever did. Would you like to know which of them were cowards ?"

Heath Ledger R.I.P.

Sledge's Live Oscar Blog Twit Thing That Might Not Work

EDIT - The Oscars are now over ...

FilmRyan's Thoughts On The Oscars

I have decided to put my thoughts on these impending Oscars into words.
As a Brit, I have to stay up ridiculously late whilst the rest of the nation sleep.
Two Oscars ago, myself and friends all illegally streamed it together whilst MSN’ing each other our thoughts. As I will no doubt find myself deprived of sleep at the monumental time, I feel slightly aggrieved that one friend is in the US and another is in Japan, which means they will be up anyway when the Oscars are happening. Deprived of sleep and now companionship, I will still experience that magical witching hour (or rather four or five) when it seems as if all the world is asleep apart from me and The BFG will turn up to see Kate Winslet cry too. Tomorrow is a new day, and if I had a job to go to, people would denounce my behaviour as lunacy. Alas I do not have a job, but an interview in 12 hours or so, but that won’t let that stop me staying up past me bedtime.

Although, I feel this sacrifice should only be worthy if I were rewarded with a presenter of calibre. What about a Jew I hear you cry. Why not?! Larry David? Not yet that worldly familiar. Woody Allen? What a brilliant choice. But all those naysayers, “Oh but he bummed a child”. Jerry Seinfeld? Didn’t he too? But I always preferred Kramer in Seinfeld. Now he would go down well. Hmm… maybe not.

Anyway. My predictions and thoughts for the awards.
So Best Film.
Benjamin Button should be applauded for its special effects, but the story was too saccharine (Forrest Gump meets Cocoon anyone?), and if for a second you take away that Benjamin Button ages backwards, the story is not interesting and features characters that are not dynamic enough to be engaging.
Frost/Nixon was suspenseful, interesting and good to watch, but so too was Saved By The Bell. Frost/Nixon is too TV like and how can you take this serious by the same director who reveres Dan Brown. Yes, you Richie from that show Happy Days.
Milk and The Reader were alright, and featured good performances but were ultimately flawed. It’s a crying shame that The Dark Knight and The Wrestler weren’t nominated instead. I’ll just repeat that as I’m still hurting. The Dark Knight and The Wrestler weren’t nominated. Pontificate the Academy should.
Slumdog Millionaire is engaging throughout, shot energetically, with authentic and thoughtful performances, and a storyline that makes you root for the central character. I think Slumdog Millionaire should definitely win Best Picture. For many the same reasons I feel Danny Boyle should win Best Director.

Mickey Rourke undoubtedly deserves to pick up Best Actor. Do I need to explain?!
I think Kate Winslet was good in The Reader but her performance is not Oscar worthy, if such a term exists. Kate Winslet is a great actress but her recent performances in Revolutionary Road and Little Children surpass this and I would prefer to see relative newcomer Mellissa Leo to win Best Actress for her role in Frozen River.
Heath Ledger deserves to win Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal as The Joker as I’m sure he will. Every time I watch The Dark Knight, his performance gives me goosebumps and a fright, and I always notice something else he does that I missed the last time.
I would like to see Marisa Tomei pickup the Best Supporting Actress gong as her role is crucial for Mickey Rourke’s character in The Wrestler, although Penelope Cruz stole the silver screened show in VCB.

I think Milk will win Best Film editing, but I think it’s editing is of standard fayre, and Slumdog Millionaire should win as its editing is intrinsic to keeping the audience engaged and interested, and along with its score it has a vivacious energy. Best Adapted Screenplay should go to Slumdog Millionaire as the structure allows for the audience to get to know the central characters whilst maintaining suspense and tension throughout.
Further to this end, I’d like to see Slumdog Millionaire pick up Best Cinematography, Best Score, and Best Song for Jai Ho. I think The Dark Knight comes in a close second for Best Cinematography and would like to The Dark Knight pick up the Best Sound editing and Best Sound mixing awards.
Just to note, Bruce Springsteen’s song for The Wrestler should have been nominated and won. I’m appalled at the academy for not nominating Bruce. Again I will repeat this for effect. I’m appalled at the academy for not nominating Bruce.

For Best Original Screenplay, I don’t want Milk to win and think that In Bruges, Frozen River, Happy-Go-Lucky are all great little scripts, that are more deserving.
Although I haven’t seen 2 of the nominees for Best Foreign Film, I feel that Waltz With Bashir should win, although The Class and The Baader Meinhof Complex were very good and close contenders.

The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button should win for Best Visual effects, however as most of the aging on Brad Pitt was done through special FX, rather than make-up, it should win Best Visual effects and not makeup. Instead that award should (but won’t) go to The Dark Knight as The Joker’s makeup is now iconic. Hellboy 2 deserves a mention but as it’s a sequel, most of the accomplishment was achieved for the first Hellboy.

I don’t really like any of the nominees for Best Animated feature film but I’d say the award should go to Wall-E, especially for its courageous absence of dialogue during the first half making it almost a silent film. If it weren’t for its stinking advertising, I’d almost like the film. One of the other nominees Kung-Fu Panda also stinks, but the director made a great little short called Made which is mind-bogglingly brilliant, and you should look it up and watch now. Trust Ry, that’s what I say. You can buy a T-shirt with that slogan on from www.filmryan.com now.

My predictions for the Oscars are:
Best Picture - Slumdog Millionaire
Best Director - Danny Boyle
Best Actor - Mickey Rourke
Best Actress – Kate Winslet
Best Supp Actor - Heath Ledger
Best Supp Actress - Penelope Cruz
Best Cinematography. - Slumdog Millionaire
Best Original Screenplay - Milk
Best Adapted Screenplay - Slumdog Millionaire
Best Foreign Film - Waltz With Bashir
Best Score - Slumdog Millionaire
Best Song - Jai Ho - Slumdog Millionaire
Best Animated feature film – Wall-E
Best Art direction - The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button
Best Costume design - The Duchess
Best Documentary feature - Man On Wire
Best Film editing - Milk
Best Make-up - The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button
Best Sound editing - The Dark Knight
Best Sound mixing - The Dark Knight
Best Visual effects - The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button

Trust Ry.

Ryan Owen

Scott Pilgrim, It's Totally Gonna Rock Ultimate

So it's that time of year again, as if you need telling. I t's a time to talk about films, the films we've seen and the ones we're looking forward to.

I was planning on writing about the films up for Best Picture tonight. But there's already smarter people than yours truly talking about this.

Instead I'm looking to the future. It won't be long now until Watchmen, Zack Snyder's adaptation of the classic graphic novel, hits cinemas. Zack Snyder's doing his best, throwing all the slow mo effects he can muster into the film.

There are some great actors on board, including Jackie Earle Haley as Rorshach. Haley gave a fantastic performance in Little Children, which if you haven't, you should see by the way. Yes, that's right, you.

Unfortunately we've all seen films of Moore's work go wrong many times, from V For Vendetta to whatever the hell League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen was meant to be. Then there's the ending of the book being changed, and the news that My Chemical Romance have done a Bob Dylan cover for the film.

Now I know I'l have to learn to live in a world with My Chemical Romance, but I just can't do it. So I want to like this film, but just in case I don't, thank God for Scott Pilgrim.

Starring Michael Cera (Superbad) and directed by Edgar Wright (Shaun of the Dead), Scott Pilgrim Vs The World is a adapted from a series of manga inspired graphic novels that follow our titular hero, a 20 something slacker living in Toronto, whose top priorities in life are to play in his band, 'Sex Bob-omb', play videogames and date a cute high school girl. He is described at the beginning as 'Scott Pilgrim, 23, rating : Awesome'. Everything's cool and simple until delivery girl Romana Flowers walks into Scott's life, and his dreams, and turns everything up side down

The movie, which also stars Mary Elizabeth Winstead (Death Proof) and Alison Pill (Milk), is adapted from the series of Canadian graphic novels of the same name, written and drawn by Bryan Lee O'Malley.

The art of the books is inspired by Manga, following Scott as he stumbles through life in the big city, his friends and the girl he falls in love with. Things get a bit more complicated when it turns out Romona can travel through Scott's dreams via subspace, and to date her he has to fight each of her seven evil exes (it's a different ex for each book, with six books overall). The books are funny, cool, and become more emotionally complex with each new volume.

It makes perfect sense that Edgar Wright should be directing, after his work on the TV show Spaced, a programme about similiar themes and steeped in popular culture.

Scott Pilgrim, too, is about a group of people whose lives are influenced by the music, films, and video games they like. The plot itself is derivative of video game structure.

And like Spaced, the themes at work here are much deeper than it might at first seem. The friendships and group dynamic of the books change and evolve over time, and Scott himself starts to grow up. The themes become more adult and layered, and the fight scenes become less important than the relationships between the characters.' It's basically awesome.

This could also be a real chance for Michael Cera to shine. I'm not saying he hasn't been good in his other work, but Scott's is a boisterious and over confident character that could be a great departure for Cera. In short, I'm excited about this film. Shooting starts in March so there's a while to wait, in Scott Pilgrim's words you might say "the future.......what like with jet packs?" But it's worth the wait and until then you could always check out volume one, Scott Pilgrim's Precious Little Life.

So anyone else got that pre-Christmas type feeling about a new movie coming out? Anyone looking forward to Scott Pilgrim? Turn the page.

Scott Pilgrim official site:

http://www.scottpilgrim.com/

Edgar Wright's blog:

www.myspace.com/edgarwright

A Quick Oscar Post ...

We'll be trying to live blog and twitter tonight...
Join us ?

An Oscar nominee traces his career.

The host rehearsing...


The Oscars need fixing.

The Week in Film by Robert Mann - Week Starting 20/2/09

Push ****

It’s very likely that you will never have heard of the director at the helm of Push. After all, despite having been directing films for more than ten years, Paul McGuigan has led a largely unspectacular career, with the majority of his films not only failing to make an impression at the box office but also failing to make much of an impression on critics or moviegoers either. However, in 2006, McGuigan directed a film that brought him further into the spotlight and showed what he is really capable of. That film was Lucky Number Slevin, a project that didn’t sound like much on paper but proved to be one of the most pleasantly surprising movies in some time, packed full clever twists and stylish touches. On paper Push also sounds distinctly unspectacular, coming across like a cheap knock-off of last year’s Jumper or TV show Heroes. However, the involvement of McGuigan seems to provide assurance that the film won’t be just Jumper 2 or Heroes: The Movie but rather a film that can stand on its own merits.

Nick Gant (Chris Evans) is a young American living in Hong Kong, who has an ability that allows him to control objects with his mind. He is just one of many people with a variety of different abilities all around the world, all of whom have been artificially manufactured by a government agency known as The Division, which is seeking to create the perfect weapon, and is hunting down rogue people with abilities. After escaping The Division, as a young boy, Nick now spends his days using his ability to help him clear debts that he owes, until one day when everything changes. Cassie Holmes (Dakota Fanning), a 13 year old with the ability to see the future approaches Nick, asking for his help in locating a woman who has escaped The Division and has in her possession a suitcase containing something that can bring the organisation down. Reluctantly agreeing to help Cassie, Nick finds himself coming face to face with old flame Kira Hudson (Camilla Belle), the woman who Cassie is looking for, but they find that her memory has been erased, and she cannot remember where the suitcase is. With The Division’s top man Henry Carver (Djimon Hounsou) sending in all the best agents he has in their pursuit, and a rival Chinese group also after them, time is running out for Nick, Cassie and Kira find the case, and they must work together, utilizing their different talents, to escape The Division once and for all.

The plot of Push is a very complex one, with each different type of ability being given its own name, and at times it does get slightly confusing keeping up with which name refers to which ability. Also, some of the core plot points are quite tricky to follow, making it necessary to pay close attention to everything that is going on in the film, especially the opening introduction which establishes the back-story and pre-opening credits sequence that establishes a major plot device. However, while the story isn’t incredibly easy to follow at times, it is hard to deny that it is very clever, with some genuinely surprising plot twists and a smart resolution that brings together everything sufficiently, even if it doesn’t fully provide closure. The action sequences, while not being that big or that many, are well executed, and the use of practical effects where possible, as opposed to CGI is very effective. Despite the low budget, the effects are very good and quite eye-catching. The film is also quite visually appealing in other areas too. The vast, vibrant metropolis of Hong Kong is a good backdrop for the film’s events and everything is captured well thanks to some very good cinematography. The only gripe is that at times the use of hand held camera is slightly distracting. The direction is also strong, with Paul McGuigan making quite a refreshing film out of a concept that seems quite tired and overdone. On the acting front, the performances are hit and miss. On the upside, the standout performance is undoubtedly that of Dakota Fanning, who delivers a very mature performance, and shows that she is really developing as an actress, and effectively making the transition from child actress to adult actress. Djimon Hounsou is also good, delivering a suitably sinister performance as the chief villain of the film. On the downside, Chris Evans, despite being an entertaining screen presence, isn’t especially convincing and doesn’t do anything that makes him really stand out. His performance isn’t particularly bad but not especially good either. As for Camilla Belle, hardly anything is actually required of her for the most part, but she does serve the purpose of her character quite effectively. All in all, Push is a stylish and enjoyable action thriller that has more than enough distinguishing features to make it stand apart from the other super-powered movies out there, even if it never quite reaches the heights that would allow it to stand as an equal alongside them.

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Confessions Of A Shopaholic ***

Based on the bestselling book series by Sophie Kinsella, Confessions Of A Shopaholic is the latest addition to the ever growing list of chick flicks aimed at more mature female viewers, following in the footsteps of such successful films as The Devil Wears Prada and Sex And The City. When the film initially went into development, it seemed like a sure-fire hit that had the potential to be just as successful as those aforementioned films. However, in the light of the current economic recession, what once seemed like a film that couldn’t possibly fail has become one of the few films to actually find itself hurt by the economic crisis by underperforming at the US box office, with the film’s central themes seeming rather less appealing in these hard times. This doesn’t necessarily mean that the film is unappealing however, just that it no longer offers the level of escapism that it would have in different circumstances.

Rebecca Bloomwood (Isla Fisher) is a 25 year old New York City girl who, since childhood, has been obsessed with shopping, and now whenever she sees a store she can’t control the urge to shop, and she has found herself building up huge debts on her many credit cards. Unable to pay off the debts with the income she gets from her journalism job, she finds herself in even greater trouble when the magazine she works for is shut down and she loses her job. Attempting to land a job at fashion magazine Alette, where she has always dreamed of working, she finds the position already filled by someone on the inside and she ends up working for Successful Savings magazine, proving a huge hit with her column entitled The Girl in the Green Scarf, where she makes finances easier to understand by discussing them in terms of fashion and shopping. Her hope is that she can work her way up the ladder towards a job at Alette, but an attraction to her boss Luke Brandon (Hugh Dancy) shows her what true love is for the first time and makes her question what she really wants. With the world at her feet, everything seems to be on the up but for the fact that her shopping obsession is out of control, much to the dismay of her best friend and roommate Suze (Krysten Ritter). Being pursued by a debt collector who is determined to catch up with her at any cost, she realizes that her shopping addiction is never going to bring her true happiness but can she overcome it before the truth about her debts is revealed to Luke and it ruins her life forever?

In a distinctly similar vein to 2006’s The Devil Wears Prada, Confessions Of A Shopaholic could have rivaled that film in the quality department. Sadly, however, it fails to even come close, and this is not because its themes are less appealing at the moment, but rather that the film generally isn’t as good as it could have been. There are certainly some good things to be said about it though. Isla Fisher is perfectly cast in the lead role, excellently capturing the essence of the character and delivering a sincere and likable performance. The rest of the cast are also decent, with John Goodman and Joan Cusack appearing as Rebecca’s parents and Leslie Bibb as job rival Alicia Billington, but they are all completely outshone by Fisher. The romance between Fisher and co-star Hugh Dancy is sweet, but sadly the romance is greatly underplayed, and this is where the film’s faults begin. Throughout, the film fails to be completely engaging, with the humour never really taking off (with a few exceptions) and the light-hearted approach negating the impact of the more serious elements somewhat. The film does have some interesting insights to offer but isn’t as hard hitting as it could be, failing to put anything across in an incredibly insightful or thoughtful manner. Also, it drags a bit in places, not necessarily because it is too long, but rather because it just doesn’t have a very good narrative flow. The main reason the film doesn’t work as well as it could have is probably the direction. The script, while being far from spectacular, is mostly well done, with some quite clever touches, but ultimately director P.J. Hogan fails to really capture the essence or provide a film that is as enjoyable or as interesting as this could have been. Having directed romcoms from the 90s Muriel’s Wedding and My Best Friend’s Wedding, Hogan may have seemed like a good choice to direct this, but whatever he had back then he seems to have lost now, and this film suffers for it. All in all, Confessions Of A Shopaholic isn’t a bad film but it most definitely not a great one either. A film that is easy to enjoy but hard to love, there is no doubt that many female viewers will find an appreciation for it, but with the exception of Fisher herself nothing stands out, with most aspects of the film being merely average when compared to other similar movies.

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Reviews by Robert Mann BA (Hons)

Top 10 Movie Animals

Since the dawn of film, animals have played a major role in movie-making. From loyal side-kick to raging beast to city-destroying monster, movies would be a lot poorer without them. In this feature we count down what, in my opinion, are the ten greatest movie animals ever!

The criteria for the list were difficult to come up with, being as it is an extremely subjective matter. Not only does inherent bias towards certain types of animal play a part but bias towards particular films too! Like all lists of this nature, the author's own favouritism pulls all the strings so by no means is this meant to be the final word on our non-human cinematic antagonists!

Let the countdown begin!

10) The spider from Arachnophobia.

The smallest animal on the list is also one of the most deadly. Hitching a ride in the coffin of it's first victim, this merciless arachnid starts as he means to go on. After surviving a bird attack (the bird never) he begins to terrorise a small neighbourhood and even manages to find a mate, spawning hundreds of mini-killers! The movie is named after one of the most common human fears and the star of the show certainly doesn't disappoint. This huge tarantula provides us with both funny and genuinely frightening scenes that have had us checking the insides of our shoes and cereal boxes ever since.

9) Totoro from My Neighbour Totoro.


I think anyone who's seen My Neighbour Totoro falls immediately in love with the title character. He's big, soft and friendly and I think any child would love to have one of their own. He gives the children in this movie hope and friendship when they need it most and perhaps they give him the same in return. Even if you're not a fan of animé I urge anyone to see this film especially if you have children to watch it with you.

8) Falkor The Luck Dragon from The Neverending Story.

The Neverending Story is a lot of people's favourite childhood film. Ask those people what they remember first from the movie and most would say Falkor the Luck Dragon. This huge, white, furry dragon is hard not to love with his gentle nature and noble spirit. He relies on sheer luck to get him through most situations and this seems to make him all the more amiable.


7) The Rancor from Star Wars: Episode VI - Return Of The Jedi.


In movies that are perhaps more famous for epic space battles and glowy sticks, the Rancor stands out as one of the most memorable creatures across the whole franchise and takes part in one of the best sequences. Luke Skywalker very nearly becomes lunch for the Rancor in Episode VI and was pretty lucky to escape his claws. This towering 30-odd foot monster is actually an arachnid. If it was a real animal I'm pretty sure arachnophobics would be taken a lot more seriously if Arachnophobia hadn't done the job! I always thought it was a shame we didn't get to see more Rancor action in the new trilogy, given as we were several other sub-par creations, none of which matched up to the meanest and ugliest of them all. I think we all shared in his handler's sorrow when he is finally defeated at the hands of the Jedi Knight.

6) Timon and Pumbaa from The Lion King.


I suppose the list was bound to have at least one Disney animal so I decided I'd cheat and enter these two as one character. The Lion King gave us two of the most genuinely funny and likeable characters Disney have ever made. After being cast out of the pride, Simba bumps into this crazy Meercat and Warthog duo as he is wandering through a jungle. Once they realise he's not going to eat them they soon become his best friends. Not only that, they become his mentors as he grows from but a tiny cub to the eventual king of the pride. Without this unlikely, yet believably heroic pair, Simba would no doubt never have returned to free the plains of Scar's rule of tyranny. When we first meet them they haven't a care in the world. By the end they show their true bravery and for that we'll never forget them.

5) Babe from Babe.

He may be small and humble but he has a heart as big as anyone. And it was Babe who captured everyone else's heart when he first appeared on screen back in 1995. Naïve but smart, Babe quickly learns about life on the farm and just how tough it can be when you're the only piglet. Soon though he finds he has a talent. Using his charm and good manners he is able to “out-sheep-dog” the sheep-dogs and becomes the first ever sheep-pig! It is only the farmer and the viewer who has any faith in him but by the fantastic climax he is loved by all, even the disgruntled dogs. We'd seen talking live-action animals before, but this self-titled porcine adventure raised the bar and set the standard with it's seamless blend of effects and animatronics.

4) King Kong from King Kong.

Arguably the most famous movie animal of all time. Even if you've never seen any of the King Kong movies you will still know exactly what he is. This giant ape has appeared in several movies but the three most people think of are the original 1933 incarnation and the 1976 and 2005 remakes. Kong's story is one of discovery, love and ultimately tragedy. There are many giant movie animals I could have picked but Kong is my favourite for a few reasons. He has intelligence to match his size and he behaves in a much more realistic manner than most other movie monsters. Kong doesn't just turn up one day and start wreaking havoc for the sake of it. It's the humans who turn up. They capture him, taking him back with them, which inevitably leads to his destruction. It is his attachment to, and protection of, a terrified woman that endears us to him. By the end we mourn the events and reflect on the real monsters within ourselves.

3) Gromit from Wallace And Gromit.

It's easy to lose count of the number of times Gromit has saved Wallace's bacon (or should that be cheese?) and everyone's favourite stop-motion canine is fully deserving of a place on a list of all-time great movie animals. This dog-genius plays the classic smart side-kick to a hapless hero perfectly and most fans would name him as their most-loved character by a long way. His patience with his clumsy owner knows no bounds, and we are forever feeling sorry for this poor dog who is perhaps too loyal for his own good! We all know that look to the camera, the sigh or the shrug. His slumped-shouldered, eye-rolling resignation to each situation his clumsy owner gets them both into always make us smile and his resourcefulness and bravery keep us on the edge of our seats. Gromit shows us all what it means to be “man's best friend”.

2) The Great White Shark from Jaws. (The Shark itself is usually referred to as Jaws too).


The film that gave us the Summer blockbuster also gave is probably one of the scariest movie animals ever seen. Although somewhat unrealistic in it's portrayal of an evil, calculating fish (not to mention suspiciously rubber-looking), Jaws still thrills us to this day.

Jaws, unlike some monsters, does not come to land and try and confront the screaming humans in their own back yard. Rather he waits for them to come to him. Whilst humans make pretty good swimmers we aren't exactly made for the open sea. This is a fact that our favourite Great White Shark exploits perfectly. It is this sense of helplessness that brings on the fear in the viewer. Unsuspecting holiday-makers, carelessly splashing around, unaware of the impending shadowy doom that awaits them. Jaws sticks in our minds because he was smart, huge, dangerous and always hungry. Sharks are amongst the most finely evolved killers on the planet and Jaws definitely reminded us of this.

1) The Tyranosaurus Rex (or T-Rex) from Jurassic Park.

The best dinosaur film of all time is undoubtedly going to give us the best movie dino' of all time. It was a tough decision between the T-Rex and the Velociraptors but after careful consideration I went for the big girl. I loved the 'Raptors but didn't choose them for two reasons: They were unrealistically portrayed as 6 foot man-eaters when in fact they were no bigger than a turkey and, secondly, they attack the T-Rex and she kicks their arses!

The T-Rex is Jurassic Park and Jurassic Park is the T-Rex (her skull is even the logo!). The film has dozens of memorable moments but nobody ever forgets the ripples on the water, the disappearing goat (and subsequent reappearing leg), the lawyer on the toilet, the car chase and the aforementioned confrontation with the 'Raptors.

Every schoolboy's favourite dinosaur was flawlessly brought to life on to the big screen in Spielberg's masterpiece. With special effects that still outdo a lot of films some 16 years later, most people remember this as the first time they sat in a movie theatre and saw truly realistic computer generated creatures on the screen. This was largely down to the conservative way the technology was used as opposed to now when it is clearly much, much over-used.

Like in King Kong, we can sympathise with this majestic creature who is created in artificial circumstances - except this time it is the humans who end up out of their depth. The viewer is left in quiet awe of these prehistoric creatures and their feathered descendants.

They Don't Have One ??

Happy Oscar Eve everyone ! As I can imagine you're all talking about who will win, who should win and who doesn't even deserve red carpet space. Well being the useless knowledge junkie that I am, I thought it would be interesting to browse some past nominee lists and was amazed by some of the people that DON'T have a little Golden guy. So here's a few ''what the hell ??'' moments.

Kate Winslet- 5 nominations
-Sense And Sensibility (1995), Titanic (1997), Iris (2001), Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind (2004), Little Children (2006) ***6th Nomination for The Reader (2008)***

Peter Sellers- 2 nominations.
-Dr. Strangelove (1964), Being There (1979)

Julianne Moore- 4 nominations.
-Boogie Nights (1997), The End Of The Affair (1999) Far From Heaven and The Hours (2002)

Leonardo DiCaprio -3 nominations.
-What's Eating Gilbert Grape ? (1993), The Aviator (2004), Blood Diamond (2006)

Debra Winger- 3 nominations.
-An Officer And A Gentleman (1982), Terms Of Endearment (1983), Shadowlands (1993)

Julie Walters- 2 nominations.
-Educating Rita (1983), Billy Elliot (2000)

Bill Murray- 1 nomination.
Lost In Translation (2003)

Bette Midler- 2 nominations.
-The Rose (1979), For The Boys (1991)

And, in my opinion, the biggest injustice:
Brenda Blethyn- 2 nominations.
-Secrets And Lies (1996), Little Voice (1998)

Who do you think should have an Oscar but doesn't ? Let us know !!

Old Bastards And New

The Inglorious Bastards


Inglorious Basterds

Watchmen Les Gardiens

A French Watchmen poster. I'm not a big fan. The poster, not the Watchmen.

Aborted Watchmen & Oscar Politics

You know this. You'll be watching the Watchmen in a couple of weeks.
Can't wait until then ?
Would you like to read the script ?
I know of three people who had a bash at the script.

Sam Hamm (Batman and Batman Returns)
David Hayter & Alex Tse (X Men)

Those scripts are here.

Also, I have been turned on to a nice little piece about the politics regarding this year's Oscars. All the contenders for best picture have a specific message, apart from one.

EDIT - Both David Hayter & Alex Tse are credited for X Men. Thank you Brendon.
Mistake rectified.

Popbitch Oscars Special

** Popbitch Oscars special **

1. We remade the best film nominees into 1 minute long films starring a weird range of dolls, soft toys and taxidermy animals:http://www.popbitch.com/home/popbitch-oscars/

2. Betting suggests almost every category is aforgone conclusion, e.g. Heath Ledger 1-50! However Oscars generally spring at least onesurprise - in our mind it's most likely to bein Best Actor/Actress. So we asked Wilbur the Psychic Cat to pick the winners. http://www.popbitch.com/home/popbits/

3. An anagram of William Bradley Pitt is: A Liberal Dimply Twit. An anagram of Stephen Daldry is: Dad helps entry. More random Oscar nonsense:http://www.popbitch.com/home/2009/02/18/oscars-predictions

The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button has been banned in Bhutan. The only other films to get this honour? Cannibal Holocaust and The Life Of Brian.

Oscar nominee Richard Jenkins and Bradley Whitford (Josh from The West Wing) are starring in a new horror movie from Joss Whedon and Drew Goddard (Buffy/Cloverfield), The Cabin In The Woods.

Mickey Rourke's favourite dog, Loki, died this week.

Len Deighton's first choice to play Harry Palmer in The Ipcress File was Len Deighton, not Michael Caine.