Film Review C; Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005)

Rating: ★★★★

Running Time: 1 hour 55 minutes
Rating: PG
Release Date: 15 July, 2005
Genre: Comedy, Family
Starring: Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Freddie Highmore
Director: Tim Burton
Writers: Roald Dahl, John August

Plot: A young boy gets a chance for his dreams to come true as he visits the world's best chocolate factory run by fantastically eccentric chocolatier, Willy Wonka. It is one adventure no one could prepare for.

Review: I absolutely loved it. Right from the beginning, I was entranced by the mystical and enchanting acting and setting. It took me away to a fairytale, and although it is so far from my own reality, it felt like I was in it.

The CGI used in this film really made it for me. There is a lot of discussion about which it better, the original Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971) or the remake. Although both are really good for difference reasons, the remake wins it for me. It's so tight - the soundtrack, the CGI, the acting; it all works together perfectly.

The quirkiness of Johnny Depp's acting, the dark and twisted fantasies of Tim Burton's directing and the classic Roald Dahl humour combined creates a film that has odd eccentricities whilst still being good family fun for all ages. In my opinion, it was one of the most enjoyable films of it's kind of the past ten years.

TRIVIA TIME

Forty squirrels were ACTUALLY TRAINED for one scene.

Loads of the sweets, including the lollipops on the trees, were real.

Four of the five songs in the film were written by Roald Dahl himself.

Nearly 2,000 chocolate bars were provided for the making of the film by Nestlé.

It took almost six months to build the boat - so it could actually float on chocolate.

The river of chocolate was filled with over 200,000 gallons of fake chocolate.

Film Review B; BASEketball (1998)

Rating: ★★★

Running Time: 1 hour 43 minutes
Rating: 18
Release Date: 31 July, 1998
Genre: Comedy
Starring: Trey Parker, Matt Stone
Director: David Zucker
Writers: David Zucker, Robert LoCash, Lewis Friedman, Jeff Wright

Plot: Best friends, Coop and Doug, create a new sport that takes America by storm. These two bums turned pro athletes then have to protect the game from a money-grabbing millionaire who wants the power, dollar and fame for himself.

Before we get started, for those that don't know, Trey Parker and Matt Stone are the masterminds behind South Park.

Review: This film combines the perfect amount of South Park low class and tongue in cheek humour for an all round, half decent comedy. The entire film is basically based on an idea that you and your mates could come up with as a joke but then somehow got turned into a film... a lot of people don't like this, but I think it works. It's as if everyone involves knows it's terrible yet manage to play on that fact with purposefully bad acting and awful props alongside many cringe worthy jokes to make an enjoyable comedy film. Probably worth a watch, if you're into the likes of Team America and South Park.

Did you know?

BASEketball is a game that actually exists. The entire movie is based on a game the director, David Zucker, and his friends made up on his driveway. Believable.

The word 'dude' is said 98 times throughout the film.

Chris Farley, from the classic 90s film Wayne's World, was originally offered the role of Coop. When he turned it down, Trey Parker and Matt Stone were offered the role and changed the entire script to suit their comedic style.

The South Park Kenny is actually in this film... but as Kenny 'Squeak' Scolari.

Reasons why The Wolf of Wall Street is one of the best films ever

Based on the true story of wealthy and borderline insane stockbroker Jordan Belfort, this film has an amazing storyline and is incredibly well produced. It has easily made it's way into my top five films of all time.... and this is why.

1. Because it produces tweets like this

2. The actors ACTUALLY snorted powder in the cocaine taking scenes. Even it was just crushed vitamin B tablets...

3. One of the drug scene took 70 takes, just to get ham to stick to Leo's face. They eventually managed to do this by using lube. Dedication to the cause.

4. It combines the talent of all these amazing people.

5. The actual Jordan Belfort coached Leonardo DiCaprio on how to play a crazy, drug-fuelled, sex crazed maniac. Good job Jordan, good job.

6. In the film's opening weekend weekend, it took over 18 million dollars.

7. It has all the elements of classic Scorsese films... 

dancing,

 money,

sex,

and of course, drugs. Lots and lots of drugs.

8. Despite only have being released for under two months, The Wolf of Wall Street has already won 17 awards and been nominated for another 53... including five oscars.

9. One of the scenes in the film had to be toned down in order to receive the certificate 18. That's right. Can you imagine what it must have been before hand?

10. The on screen chemistry between Leonardo DiCaprio and Jonah Hill is unreal.

11. Any film with this quote in the trailer has to be a pretty, pretty intense film.

"My name is Jordan Belfort. The year I turned 26, I made 49 million dollars, which really pissed me off because it was three shy of a million a week."

12. And finally, because even if you don't like the storyline, you can look at one of the most beautiful women in the world for almost three hours.

Film Review A; Apocalypse Now (1979)

Rating: ★★★★

Running Time: 2 hour 33 minutes
Rating: 15
Release Date: 15 August, 1979
Genre: Drama, War
Starring: Martin Sheen, Harrison Ford, Laurence Fishburne
Director: Francis Coppola
Writers: John Milius, Francis Coppola

Plot: Captain Willard, an army captain and intelligence officer, is given a new and dangerous mission after he has come home from his tour of the Vietnam war. The mission; to assassinate Colonel Walter Kurtz, a man who lost his mind and has set himself up as a God among a tribe in Cambodia. Willard must now endure the terrifying and brutal journey during the height of the Vietnam war in order to find almost unlocatable man for a mission that 'does not exist - nor will it ever exist'.


Review: This film is like an onion, there's lots of layers. Everything combines together to really make this film a piece of artwork. Firstly, it's got so many fantastic actors at the start of their careers. I mean, I had no idea Charlie Sheen had a famous papa, yet I was amazed by his fantastic display of acting skills. Sheen really brings life to the character and makes every trait of Willard's so believable; the trauma he's faced, the cold, broken man he has now become, he's on the edge of insanity... and Sheen shows this in the most subtle ways yet makes it so powerful. Not to mention the rest of the star studded cast; Harrison Ford, Laurence Fishburne, Marlon Brando... fantastic casting for the film.

The next layer to add to the film as the absolutely incredible soundtrack! It's like the soundtrack you'd expect to have in a seventies sci-fi and horror film. The music seems almost out of place and makes a real statement, rather than being subtle in the background. This adds to how out of place the war, fighting and man made machinery is in the depth of nature and the jungle.

The storyline is absolutely brilliant. The film is three hours long and it definitely felt three hours long. However, the storyline is intriguing enough to keep it's audience enticed throughout the entire thing. There is depth to a lot of the characters allowing you to either take them at face value or read more into them. Apocalypse Now allows to viewer to make the decision to passively or actively watch it - and either way is enjoyable.

Overall, it's pretty, pretty good. It's a long one meant for Sunday afternoons and a definite must see.