Universal Studios & Working Title Films
Out Now
Firstly I’d like to mention that you know something is of some merit, when rottontomatoes.com give it 100% high quality rating. Perhaps because of how brilliantly and acutely a book has been adapted to work on the big screen. With British director Joe Wright (Pride and Prejudice) at the helm, Atonement vividly transpires as a smart, lush and massively faithful adaptation of Ian McEwan’s 2001 successful novel. Set in 1930’s and 1940’s England, it flawlessly echoes the acting standards and romantic clichés of that era, down to the apt British accents. And right through to the wonderfully passionate and dark soundtrack.The first 50 minutes of the film is entirely based on the summer day that is reflected in the rest of the story. By simply replaying a scene over and over again, using a different perspective and detail, we get a very clever perpetual shuffling of time.
The film thrusts the audience straight into the story, beginning on a hot summer day in the beautiful green southeast England, in 1935. 13 year old Briony Tallis finishes typing another one of her amateur plays to be performed at home to welcome back her older brother. We are briefly but efficiently shown the Tallis house, land, and practically the entire cast within the first couple of minutes. Jump straight to Briony who happens to be looking out from her bedroom window, when her sister Cecilia suddenly removes all of her clothes in front of Robbie Turner the housekeeper’s son, and climbs into a large pond to retrieve something. Stunned at her sister’s lack of modesty, and confused by her childish emotions, Briony feels obligated to turn on Robbie. And clearly very unaware of the consequences that her actions might cause, she accuses him of an outrageous crime he never committed. The ramifications of her childish spite and ignorance reverberate throughout the years, and lead to a tragic and poignant ending.
Having been sent to war, Robbie finally returns to England to visit Cecilia, who is now working as a nurse in London. However the visit is momentary, as he must return to France to fight in the Second World War, where he ends up as one of the thousands of soldiers deserted at Dunkirk, waiting for the fleet to ship them back home to England. Cut to London, and Briony is now older and also working as a nurse, in what appears to be some sort of guilt-ridden quest to eradicate the shame she now feels, and the hurt she caused as a child. The final emotional 45 minutes of the film are fuelled by Briony’s pursuit for atonement, for the opportunity to just speak to Cecilia and Robbie once again.
From start to finish the film compels you into a tragic masterpiece, from the naivety of youth and the pain and suffering it can cause later on. Atonement is a clever, ambitious, and compassionate picture that doesn’t shy away from the bleakness and isolation of loss, guilt and heartbreak.
Emily Paget
Continual hallucinations of suicidal ghosts springing from the walls, self-aware windows slamming shut, the thermostat jumping from extremes, the exit door won’t open and the radio alarm clock instantly turns on, ominously blasting the Carpenters’ “We’ve Only Just Begun.” Is this the essence of a nightmare?
Alison lives with her control-freak sister Debbie, her brother-in-law Pete (who shares possibly one of the most amusing scenes with Ben in a hotel, with the chairs) and their two kids. Pete and Debbie seem to be constantly at heads, and their arguments are unusually on real things and situations that can separate even the smart, committed people. Alison notices that their fights never end, but lacks to see that its because they’re both right.
I really don’t understand why this film has received such laudatory praise. I mean, it was good, but it was nowhere near perfection, even for its genre.
Another constant annoyance in the film was that Bourne was either “the source” or was going after “the source”. Only eventually we find out what we already knew before from the first two films, that the narrative (if you can call it that) is of a spy whose makers are ready to kill him and all of their other Jason Bourne spies, in a sort of massive cover-up scheme.
On Friday I managed to wangle myself into a first showing of 
The film appears to have been taken from one episode of the series of tales (there are four), where Sparrowhawk is the central character. Where Sparrowhawk encounters and befriends a seventeen-year old prince, called Arren, who then rescues a mysterious girl, named Therru.
Yes, The Simpsons, Americas answer to wit. Just made a 90 minutes long episode they’re selling as a “movie”, they let you know that within the opening sequence; add some expensive new graphic software, Bart’s “doodle”, microscopic controversy, some political yarn and you have yourself a Simpsons Movie.
Obviously The Simpsons Movie is not the epitome of animated films so far, nor does it try to be. Honestly it basically feels and looks like 5 episodes all put together, back to back. What The Simpsons Movie does, and really does well, is to return to the some of the series’ most stable and regular situations and themes while boosting it up just enough to give everything a new spark and level of excitement and suspense.In the film, Homer’s thoughtlessness and stupidity not only puts the rest of his family in danger, but it almost wipes Springfield off the map. Whilst Homer is causing a national blunder, he also manages to humiliate Bart when he challenges him to a dare. Causing Bart to go on a search for a more constant and loving father figure, and possibly finds one. But one of the more touching side stories involves the ever-loving Marge.
I love The Simpsons, and I loved this film. It wasn’t spectacular; it doesn’t stay with you hours after you’ve seen it, or make you want to talk about it with everyone you bump into. But it was funny, touching and much like watching 5 episodes of The Simpsons, which is still better than the majority of films out at the moment.
I’m a big Transformers fan; it was the comic, programme and toy of choice when I was a kid, who didn’t find joy in cars that you could turn into robots and blow up Lego houses?
Despite the plot and dialogue being totally basic, there is some intensity in the actual robots; they are essentially automated life forms that think and feel for themselves, they should have been given a lot more time, instead of the US army who were really quite unnecessary. Sam is a brilliant character, funny, quick witted and very easy to watch, as are his parents and the robots, however the rest of the cast are so predictable and stale, watching them becomes old.. Fast.
So finally after 4 films of gentle wizardry and jovial mystery, things are undeniably starting to get darker in the world of young Potter. Not only is the mood more sinister but even the colouring is bleak. This is all due to the TV-cum-film director David Yates (who is also doing the next Potter film) and screenplay writer Michael Goldenberg.
Causing the film to switch from political Ministry business to Hogwarts School teenage drivel, finally allowing some form of predictable amalgamation at the end.
Having adored and treasured Eternal Sunshine (also by Michel Gondry), I went half expecting a different narrative, thinking he’d know not to mess with a good formula. But The Science of Sleep is similar to Eternal Sunshine; it’s a gentle, messy, disjointed, romantic tussle between idealism and reality. Nevertheless, apart from sharing those characteristics, the film itself is quite different.
Ah, Detective John McClane the reluctant hero is back to drive retribution into the faces of bad guys everywhere; bloodied, battered and not a moment too soon. For all those planning on dismissing this film because its predecessors were good enough, allow me to tell you that this film is better than Die Hard 2 and 3 in all their 90’s glory.