Beowulf

Beowulf (2007) starring Ray Winstone, Anthony Hopkins, Robin Wright-Penn, and Angelina Jolie.

Before...One of my favourite poems of all time. I was looking forward to seeing this adaptation of the film, as I don't really think it could be done without being in CGI.

In 507, a monstrous troll wrecks havoc in the mead hall of the Danish king and Queen, Hrothgar (Hopkins) and Wealthow (Wright-Penn). He offers rewards for the death of Grendel (Crispin Glover), so Beowulf (Winstone, a great and boastful Geat warrior, arrives with his thanes. Beowulf sets aside his armor and awaits the monster; a fierce battle ensues that leads to Beowolf's entering the watery lair of Grendel's mother (Jolie), where a devil's bargain awaits. Beowulf returns to Herot, the castle, and becomes king. Jump ahead many years, and the sins of the father are visited upon Beowulf and his kingdom. The hero must face his weakness and be heroic once again. Is the age of demons over?

My wife's view... "Bleeeurgh-WOLF. A hideous attempt to try and merge cartoon and something more real. I know it's from a classic but this won't encourage anyone to read it. Painful to watch! If I never cross paths with this film again I will be quite happy. ☆☆☆☆☆"

Where to start...I knew that Laura would never like this film. It is a CGI masterpiece and Laura doesn't like CGI films at all. However part of my heart completely belongs to this film because I studied Beowulf at school when I was younger and this was one of my favourite poems. The thing that I annoyed me about the film was that it decided to distance itself from the film by making some key changes that altered the feel of the poem. It is disappointing and yet at the same time in taking this different angle it propels it into challenging our views of it. Thinking about the characters in new ways. The scriptwriters claim they were able to do this because the narration in the poem is flawed and therefore they can take some rather contraversial angles on the poem.

However, even though they have taken a different angle to the poem, this action packed and glorious CGI film is truly wonderful. It is visually stunning and filled with some amazing action-packed sequences. Also, the CGI shows some trul fantastic images, with it sometimes hard to see whether the actors are actors or whether they are CGI, it really is that impresive in my view.

All in all although visually stunning and action-packed it did disappoint me in way of the big changes it made. Although challenging it takes away the essence of the poem. So this leaves me with giving the film...

★★★☆☆

Behind Enemy Lines

Behind Enemy Lines (2001) starring Owen Wilson and Gene Hackman.

Before...I remember watching this a few years back on DVD, but I don't remember what I felt beforehand. I know I wasn't too impressed after watching, so here's hoping I will enjoy it more this time.

Fighter navigator Chris Burnett (Wilson) wants out: he was looking for something more than the boring recon missions he's been flying. When he fights with Admiral Leslie Reigart (Hackman), he quickly finds himself flying the lone Christmas day mission over war-torn Bosnia. But when he talks pilot Stackhouse into flying slightly off-course to check out an interesting target, the two get shot down. Burnett is soon alone, trying to outrun a pursuing army, while commanding officer Reigert finds his rescue operation hamstrung by politics, forcing Burnett to run far out of his way.

My wife's view..."Well having thought for a week this was actually Enemy at the Gates (which I love), when I sat down to watch it I was thinking it was Spy Game (which I don't understand). I was delighted to find out what it actually was. I saw it a month or two ago and forgot. I love this film. Gripping from start to end. A boy film designed for girls. It's not a classy film but it is excellent entertainment and so I am giving this ★★★★★"

Where to start..."A boy film designed for girls" I couldn't pin why this film didn't work until a few seconds ago when my wife dictated her review. It's not the fact that it needs gratuitous action set pieces it's the fact that it being a boy film it has no plot...which is fine. What the girl film side decided to do was give it characterisation and empathy for the characters, but when you put that together with a plotless film it just doesn't gel right. I'm not saying I don't like, cause I do but it needs a bit more raison d'etre for me.

I think if I had watched it when it first came out, it would have been a clever political piece, but now it kinda fumbles and falters it's way through the tense bits of the film...which brings me back to another gripe, the tension of the film is non-stop. I just couldn't take it really, the constant tension...that combined with no plot made me confused about why I was tense.

All in all even though I have destroyed this film in this review I quite enjoyed it. The acting isn't amazing but the action sequences and the tense sequences of the film work. Slick and stylish it is not but it is enjoyable, in a weird sort of way. So i will give this film...

★★★☆☆

Beetlejuice

Beetlejuice (1988) starring Alec Baldwin, Geena Davis, Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder, Catherine O'Hara, and Jeffrey Jones.

Before...I can't remember a time before this film. But I think it was one of the first films I watched when I was slightly older. It is a film that is close to my heart, but I haven't seen it in a while, so I hope it doesn't spoil my memories!

This is the story of Adam (Baldwin) and Barbara (Davis) who live in a beautiful house in New England. One day while driving home they are involved in a terrible auto accident. They manage to walk home only to discover later that they have died and now haunt their house. When their house is purchased by an out of state family (O'Hara, Jones and Ryder), they feel their home is threatened by the over-the-top artists wife and real-estate idea-man husband. Their only relief is the Gothic daughter of the family. Their attempts at scaring the family out of the house are ignored or laughed at. Finally they fall to the temptation to use the people-exorcizer Beetle Juice (Keaton). When they find his tactics too dangerous, they attempt to contain him and save the family they were trying to boot.

My wife's view..."Worse than I remembered (which is saying something). Won't be watching it again anytime soon. Really dated, acting was poor. ★☆☆☆☆"

Where to start...well, to put it bluntly, my memories were shattered. It just hasn't aged well since I last saw it, as it's definitely stuck firmly in the 1980's! From the haircuts to the clothes, all of it screams the 80's, unfortunately not in a good way.

The one thing that lifts this films from the doldrums for me is Keaton, he is fantastic in the titular role of Beetlejuice...which leads me onto one of the most confusing elements of the movie. Why, o why, did they alter the name of the movie. In the film Keaton's characters name is written down numerous times, and it is written as "Beetlegeuse". It confuses me to no end.

Anyway, as I said...rewatching this film disheartened me. It made me realise that some films are best left as memories, which is why I am giving this film...

★★☆☆☆

A Beautiful Mind

A Beautiful Mind (2001) starring Russell Crowe, Ed Harris, Jennifer Connelly, Christopher Plummer and Paul Bettany.

Before...previously Akiva Goldsman had written some true stinkers like Batman Forever, Batman and Robin and Lost in Space. All in all this made me very nervous. How could a man like him produce a good script?? Sufficed to say I really needed to be convinced.

A brilliant but somewhat arrogant and antisocial man, John Nash (Crowe) preferred to spend his time with his thoughts, which were primarily of seeing mathematical formula associated with everyday occurrences, than with people. Two people he did make a connection with were Charles (Bettany), his roommate at Princeton, and Alicia Larde (Connelly), one of his students when he was teaching at M.I.T. in the early 1950's. He and Alicia eventually marry. As time goes on, Nash lives more and more within himself which causes major problems in his life. But Alicia stands by her husband to his redemption to the Nobel Prize win. Nash learns that his graduate school colleagues, with whom he had a cordial but somewhat distant relationship, are closer friends than he imagined, although in his later life he really does miss Charles' company more than anything despite knowing that spending time with Charles is not in his or anyone's best interest.

My wife's view..."Fantastic. Russel Crowe is a genius. I love Paul Bettany, so that helps. It's a very clever film and I always cry, without fail. It's kinda sad and scary, but I do love it. I think it is very unique as well. It's a must watch for me. ★★★★★"

Where to start...a dark and wonderfully crafted film. Akiva Goldsman has created a true masterpiece with this script and it was a true suprise to me that he wrote something so truly brilliant. Not only is the script brilliant but the direction is also fantastic. Ron Howard is a true genius of his craft. All of his films are either fantastic summer blockbusters or really dramatic masterpieces. It is brilliant and this film truly shows off his talents.

Crowe is also fantastic in this film. It is a true stand out performance by him and not only that but he is backed up by a stellar class. Ed Harris as a Government Agent, Bettany as Nash's room mate, and Connelly as Nash's wife, all of them are wonderful in this film.

That for me is the best way to describe this film, it is simply wonderful. Clever and scary, dark and brooding, there is nthing about the film that I don't like. Which is why I am giving this film...