Minions: The Rise of Gru

The little yellow pills of fun are back, and ready to take on the world in a new adventure.

Gru’s childhood is about to a little heated, as his dreams of hitting the big villain league get a little out of control.

In this heartwarming tale of adolescence, Gru finds his way in the world, with the help of his little yellow minions, to use his talent for getting up to mischief.

But what he doesn’t expect, is meeting his villainous idol, who takes him under his wing and shows him the ropes.

From incredible animation, to crazy plot twists, this film delves into the mayhem of the minion world.

But what this film loses in fluffy unicorns, it makes up for in jokes, that are there to bring a new level of enjoyment to the franchise.

Though this film won’t be everyone, it is an easy watch, and makes for good and wholesome family entertainment, that will make everyone from your 5 year old to your second uncle twice removed glow from ear to ear.

Lightyear

An intergalactic journey just isn’t the same without your best friend.

What is supposed to be the film that made Andy from the world of Toy Story fall in love with Buzz Lightyear doesn’t quite meet expectation as this lack lustre Disney film leaves a lot to be desired.

Now, I’m as big of a fan of Chris Evans as the next person, but there is something quite frankly just odd about not hearing the voice of Tim Allen come out of Buzz Lightyear, and even Chris Evans, with his docile tones, can’t convince me otherwise.

With a film that is supposed to be the basis for one of Pixar’s biggest franchises, Lightyear is a flimsy attempt at the Disney joy that is sparked in the ever-so-loved Toy Story series.

Probably the most frustrating thing about this whole attempt at film making is the fact that every plot hole seems to resolve itself by implementing the use of mechanical emotional support cat. Need a screwdriver? Use the cat. Need a say-the-day solution? Use the cat. Need a laser beam? Use the cat. Whilst this starts off as amusing, it soon becomes annoying and a little lazy in terms of storytelling.

The only thing that can be said for this film is the animation is at least passable and the cast are somewhat trying to make the best of a bad situation.

But if I’m completely honest, I would not waste your money seeing this at the cinema and instead wait until it inevitably gets released on Disney+ in the upcoming weeks.

Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom

Bringing Jurassic life into the twenty first century turned out to be a little more complex than the creators of Jurassic Park could have ever envisaged.

Following the collapse of the park’s renovation, the fate of the dinosaurs hangs in the balance as the humans responsible for their resurrection debate whether they deserve to live or die with an impending volcano due to erupt upon the island of Isla Neblar.

In an epic bid to save these animals from a second round of extinction, Bryce Dallas Howard (Claire) and Chris Pratt (Owen) return to this dinosaur driven franchise with faces old and new on a quest to preserve the live’s of these endangered species.

Despite this now being the fifth film in this ever-growing franchise, it remains a whirlwind of activity and suspense as new obstacles provide new entertainment, alongside actors whose talents are inextinguishable.

Love, Simon

Falling in love is never easy, especially when you’re hiding your sexuality.

Being gay is the biggest secret Simon has ever kept from his family and friends, but no matter how hard he tries, he just can’t seem to find the right words, that is until he meets Blue; a fellow high schooler hiding the same secret.

The young actors in this film take on an intimidating role in accomplishing the task of bringing Becky Albertalli’s novel (Simon Vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda)  to life on the big screen. Heading up this exceptional cast is Nick Robinson who takes on the role of Simon Spier with such delicate sensitivity that it’s hard to believe the story is not his own. Though Robinson is in the driving seat, his fellow cast members also deliver exceptional performances which broadcast this incredible story with the ferocity it deserves.

Director, Greg Berlanti, also does a magnificent job of converting this millennial page turner into an action packed romance by creating a truly unique atmosphere that not only effortlessly normalizes homosexuality, but also inspires a young generation in their ability to express themselves regardless of their sexual orientation or individuality.

Black Panther

Stealth is not only important for a superhero, but it is a way of life for whomever finds themselves to be the King of Wakanda.

T’ Challa must take over the throne in the midst of his fathers death. However, it soon becomes clear that the transition from prince to king is not a straightforward one, as his ruling is thrown into question when a long-lost relative comes to town.

Despite being under the Marvel label, this film has a very different imprint; focusing more on the dynamic of the plot and the subtleties of the storyline and less than on the all too familiar rampage of superhero action scenes.

Though the film does stand out from the usual Marvel protocol, some elements still remain, such as the quality and creativity of the cinematography which are of a superb standard.

It is clear from the outstanding reviews and appraisals for this film, both by critics and throughout this year’s awards season that the film has impressed audiences in their millions and continues to break both cultural and cinematic barriers alike.

Everything, Everything

Ripped from the pages of Nicola Noon’s bestselling novel comes a big screen coming of age production that is sure to warm the hearts of teenagers everywhere.

Locked in her own house for the majority of her eighteen years existence, Maddy has become victim to SCID (severe combined immunodeficiency), essentially she’s allergic to everything. Maddy has come to accept her limited surroundings, that is until she falls in the love with Olly, the boy next door.

Though pitched as a typical teen flick, this film covers multiple emotions, from love, to loss and everything in between. Both actors, whilst fairly new to the acting scene manage to excel in their roles portraying every emotional goal expected of them. With Amandla Stenberg playing Maddy and Nick Robinson as Olly, it’s safe to say both these new faces have a hell of an acting career ahead of them.

The film itself was excellently converted from page to screen, using animations to explain the science behind Maddy’s disease and further animations to break down the building drama in certain scenes, making it accessible to audiences young and old.

For fans that are faithful to Noon’s written word, this film will be a pleasant representation of the original masterpiece.

Pirates of the Caribbean: Salazar’s Revenge

The pirates return for the fifth time, with Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) and his not so loyal crew setting sail for a new voyage.

Admittedly, the past few releases have been well below expectations, but this new addition to the franchise has given the pirate themed films a new lease of life.

With Will Turner (Orlando Bloom) making an unexpected return to the plot, his son, now 18 years of age, tracks down Jack in an attempt to save his father from his seemingly permanent cursed life aboard the Flying Dutchman. Needless to say, with the infamous Captain Jack involved, things don’t exactly go swimmingly, as he literally finds himself being chased across the seas by death. 

There is little to say about the acting; Depp, is, as usual, spectacularly brilliant as the lead role of Jack Sparrow, which is to be expected given the amount of times he has played the character. With the likes of Bloom, Rush and Bardem, it’s not surprising that the acting is elaborately wonderful throughout this production.

The special effects, too, have complimented the films overall aesthetic, without over-complicating the intricacies of the plot.

It is though, despite all the new characters and technology included, still the same old Pirates of the Caribbean formula and sooner or later fans will become disappointed with the lack of change this franchise delivers to the big screen.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2

Star-Lord and his troop are back to guard the galaxy against the most unlikely of predators.

Since saving the planet and relinquishing their criminal reputations, the guardians have been busy freelancing their skills around the galaxy. But when Quill’s father makes an unexpected appearance, the team must put their business plans on hold.

Despite having a lot to live up to, as sequels go, this film truly does match expectations. The characters have been further developed and the special effects have been given a revamp. Rather than lagging behind, the story has been turbo-boosted with vigour, allowing for the characters to pursue their paths and continue their bond with the audience.

The acting, as is to be expected with such a star-studded cast, is beyond impressive, especially when taking into account the vast majority of it would have been done using green screen; they are in space after all.

What continues to amaze me the most about this franchise is the very fact that the creative team have been able make an audience fall in love with a CGI tree that says just three words: I am Groot.

 

 

 

Table 19

No wedding is complete without a little drama, and this wedding is no exception.

There’s always that one table at a wedding that is crammed full of weirdos who have been invited out pity, and that is the very subject of this film. Table 19, as you may have guessed by now, is that such table.

From a married couple in turmoil to a teenage boy who’s trying to bag himself a girlfriend, this table has it all.

Though the plot has a great concept behind it, it never seems to reach its full potential, which is no more helped by the often sloppy acting, which is only marginally saved by Anna Kendrick taking centre stage. 

A film that’s entire focus is narrowed to a single table within the wider environment of a wedding is a difficult task and, unfortunately, one that I cannot say was successfully achieved within this attempt, which at most could be described as an experimental defeat.

Cinema Etiquette

Seeing as I spend a vast amount of my life at the cinema, I thought I’d document my experience.

Much like the film ’10 things I hate about you’, I have compiled a list of 10 unforgivable sins you can commit on a cinema outing.

1. Arriving Late

There is absolutely no excuse for this, the time is literally printed in black and white; you wouldn’t arrive late to a job interview late, would you? No, and yet you think a simple ‘sorry, excuse me’ will make up for me missing the all important opening scenes because apparently not only are you late, it takes you about half-an-hour to actually sit down. Unacceptable.

2. Children

If it’s not a children’s film, then leave them at home. There’s nothing worse than having a three year old getting so bored they begin touring the cinema under the illusion the auditorium is just a massive play area. Not to mention the fact that apparently they need to empty their bladders every 5-minutes, which further upsets the equilibrium.

3. Babies

Speaking of children, babies are just as annoying, perhaps even worse, mainly because of that crying thing they do, which apparently most parents don’t think constitutes reason to leave.

4. Popcorn Munchers

Now, admittedly its not our fault that some nut-job decided that, possibly the world’s nosiest food, provides perfect accompaniment for the cinema, but that does not mean you have to live up to expectations and chew with your mouth open, prolonging that astonishingly annoying crunching sound. I think we can all agree that there is nothing worse than being unpleasantly surprised by a ginormous crunching sound just as the plot drops its biggest twist yet.

5. Can Openers and Slurpers

These guys are probably best mates with the popcorn munchers. Why, oh why do people wait until the middle of the film to open a can, it’s not as if you were given 20-minutes of advertisements to prepare or anything.

Likewise, we get it, your drink is finished, making horrific slurping noises isn’t going to make things better, at most you’ll get  an extra 0.01 ml out, just admit defeat already, some of us are actually trying to watch this film.

6. Phones

There is absolutely no excuse for this one, if you want to browse instagram, just stay at home. In case you haven’t noticed you’re in a darkened room, a bright light kind of draws attention and distracts everyone.

7. Armrests 

Just because you’re a man, or excessively overweight, does not give you the right to claim both armrests. We’ve all paid the same price, I deserve one of those armrests too. And if you are really that determined to hog both armrests, then can you at least try and keep your elbows to yourself?

8. Coughing

Yes, I know, we all get a tickly cough sometimes, but if your coughing is continuous, then the least you can do is excuse yourself from the screen whilst you compose yourself, as opposed to ruining the atmosphere for everyone else.

9. Talking

The cinema is not a social engagement, it should be a silent procedure. As such, talking is not permitted once the opening credits have begun and if you persist on doing so, then expect sour looks from your fellow cinema-goers, because no one likes the low hum of conversation during the film.

10. Excessive Laughter

At this point you might be thinking what an utter Grinch I’m being, but hear me out. Granted, we all laugh during films, it is only human nature after all, but there’s always that one guy who has to take it too far and is still laughing two scenes on; it really wasn’t that funny and you’re just annoying everyone, even your family and friends are embarrassed for you.

And that, Ladies and Gentleman,  pretty much sums up my cinema pet hates. I’d love to hear if you agree or not in the comments.