The furry fiend known as The Wolf Man first howled at the silvery moon in 1941 with a suitably hirsute Lon Chaney Jr in the lead role., joined in the golden age of beasty baddies like Frankenstein and Dracula back in the 40s. Almost 70 years later, the eponymous beast runs free again across the blood-spattered English countryside in director Joe Johnston’s tongue in cheek -and exceedingly bloodthirthy – remake.
Surrogates shows us a bleak vision of the future (seriously, is there any other type of future according to films?) in which people have the power to create flawless robot versions of themselves. Why, you may ask? Well that’s not really the point, is it? Cos it’s cool. This film explores – with predictable pessimism – a future in which our lives are controlled by machines. And though it’s a little dull in terms of overall message, this is still good, Bruce-Willis-based fun, ensuring you 88 minutes of non-stop action.
The Firm is a re-make of a classic TV film of the same name, originally directed by Alan Clarke for the BBC. Not only was it critically acclaimed, but it also Gary Oldman his springboard into stardom. Well done all round, we’re sure you’d agree. So could this re-make push the accolade of the original? Considering the director is Nick Love, a man well versed in football hooliganism having directed both The Football Factory and The Business, we went into this rather optimistically. The result? A well paced, humourous and action-filled hooligan romp which is well worth a watch, without really adding anything new to the original
Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett star in the tale of a man who grows younger. Based on a 1922 short story by F Scott Fitzgerald, The Curious Case Of Benjamin..
Based on the novel of the same name, The Time Traveler’s Wife explores a sometime traditional love story in a very untraditional way. It centes on the lives of two people ‘fated’ to be together, but one is plagued by a (very) rare disease; that he randomly jumps through time, so that their relationship is fundamentally fragmented, heartbreaking and frankly, very, very confusing.
Space travel has always been an inexhaustable topic for film-makers, but upon watching Pandorum, you can’t help but feel like you’ve seen everything it has to offer before. And you’ve seen it done better. Though it’s made by the same guys who brought us Resident Evil, this film lacks any real originality and it’s consistantly dark and moody shots are more likely to leave you with eye-damage than anything else.
Oliver Parker’s adaptation of the classic Oscar Wilde novel has everything you’d want from a gothic bodice ripper; sex, gore, and darkly chiselled cheekbones. Young Dorian Grey wishes to stay young forever, and so binds himself in a deal with the devil to always retain his beautiful good looks. But what is the cost? This dark and smoky tale is a great warning against vanity everywhere However, amongst all the Burton-esque moody shots of Victorian England, the biting essence of Wilde’s classic story gets slightly lost.
Set in the 1950s, Revolutionary Road centres on the relationship between Alice (Kate Winslet) and Frank Wheeler (Leo DiCaprio); a married couple in their late twenties. Seen as the shining example of wedded bliss by their friends and neighbours living on Revolutionary Road, they have two children, a secure future and a beautiful home. But beneth their flawless exterior both Alice and Frank feel as though their lives are being wasted. Revolutionary Road is a poignant, heartbreaking and piercing look into what makes up a relationship, and how it is that deep love can turn to hatred.
“Boy meets girl. Boy falls in love. Girl doesn’t.” Marc Webb’s 500 Days of Summer is refreshing because as its tag-line suggests, it tells the truth about love. Sometimes things just don’t work out. Simple. And that’s fine.
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