Max Manus: Man of War (2008)

7/10

Solid cast, great set decoration but slow paced story

Plot: The true story about one of the most brilliant saboteurs during World War II and his battle to overcome his inner demons.

A decent film that captures the life of Max Manus during world war II.

However, I felt something was missing in this film to push it into the catagory of epic/classic but can't put my finger on what. Max Manus: Man of War had the action, great set decoration and amazing characters but it feels like it lacked in the intensity that other world war II films carried. The ease Max and his gang went through check points didn't leave me in cold sweat and panicked. I remember watching Uprising (the TV movie) and after certain scenes I was left shaken. A different type of feeling was created when I was viewing this film. I felt I was just on the sideline watching in on Max's life where I connected with a few characters but spectator for the rest.

This being one of the first Norwegian film I viewed, it has left an impression on me. It was well filmed with great camera angles, nice colour treatment in editing, realistic special effects, bloody amazing set decoration and solid casting. A bit more focus on the other characters' (like Gregers, Kolbein, Gunnar) lives in relation to Max and the saboteurs would have helped the audience to feel attached the the movie. It would have benefitted knowing just a bit more about the other characters to really feel the loss Max felt.

Overall a well made film that is worth viewing but not overly epic.

Though, not going to lie, I have grown rather fond of the supporting character Gregers and wouldn't mind seeing more of the actor  Nicolai Cleve Broch in films.

The Secret in Their Eyes (2009)

8/10 [highly recommended]

astounding storytelling and so gripping that you can't peel yourself away.

Plot: A retired legal counselor writes a novel hoping to find closure for one of his past unresolved homicide cases and for his unreciprocated love with his superior - both of which still haunt him decades later.

A masterpiece of a film intertwinning the present and past together to tell the story of a legal counselor Esposito and his struggle of a past case. This does a absolute amazing job of using flashbacks and character development taking use through the story. This film goes back and forth between the case and Esposito's present life, almost allowing the audience to see his life backwards.

It's a thriller that makes your hair stand at the very end of the film. The entire film is one big chase scene that does not need car crashes, gun shootouts or wild fights to be amazing.

The beginning was very well shot and editted together using blurriness of a scene to convey the idea of a memory. This in contrast to the very sharp image of the present really emphasizes the memory element of this film.

This amazing film is very very graphic with nudity, course language and some gore. I would forewarn audiences with

Run Lola Run (1998)

7.5/10 [highly recommended]

Fast pace, enticing and great storyline

Plot: A young woman in Germany has twenty minutes to find and bring 100,000 Deutschmarks to her boyfriend before he robs a supermarket.

This German thriller is well made to incorporate both cartoon, action sequences and well oriented music. This film uses one simple event to demonstrate its effect on the lives of people who come into contact with it. Run Lola Run takes the one event and fine combs it to allow the imperfection to come out.

The use of of cinematography and cartoon appeal is absolutely wonderful in this film. It not only engages you but it also allows us to be in the mindset of the main character as she frankly attempts to stop her boyfriend from robbing a supermarket. Without giving too much away, everytime she comes into contact with a stranger we see this stranger's life flash before us in a series of photographs. This is a great effect in giving us a quick glance into the lives of others.

Wonderful film that is fast paced and really uses music well to help accompany this film. Love it and I highly recommended!

Slipstream (2005)

4/10

I would highly recommend you to NOT watch this film unless you have a time machine to undo watching it after you've watched it.

Plot: A scientist plots a bank robbery based around his newest invention -- a time travel gadget that will send its user 10 minutes into the past.

I liked the concept during the first 10 minutes in the bank but the film seems to have lost its focus from there and frantically attempted to reel in again at the end.

Slipstream started off strong but tried way too hard to want to capture Requiem for a Dream artsy effect. This film used too much artsy elements, cliche dialogue, overdramaic acting and rewinding of itself that it became annoying. I was so fed up with this film that I was skipping through it to just get the gist of the story.

Unlike Requiem for a Dream, Slipstream uses artsy footages for the sake of being artsy. Whereas in Requiem For a Dream the artsy elements were use to allude the audience into the mind set of the characters during their moments of getting high. Slipstream could have been so much better if it stayed off the artsy throttle and focused more on time travel...then again maybe a different writer/director might have been helpful too.  I know I am being very harsh towards this film but Slipstream just lacked in everything (and too much of some things).

Inglourious Basterds (2009)

8/10 [highly recommended]

Daring, unique and brilliantly epic

Plot: In Nazi-occupied France during World War II, a group of Jewish-American soldiers known as "The Basterds" are chosen specifically to spread fear throughout the Third Reich by scalping and brutally killing Nazis.

Inglourious Basterds doesn't try to find forgiveness, to be historically accurate or to please the audience. It is full throttle on being a dark, fun filled comic fantasy film about an alternative WWII where people fault back. I loved the dark humour and gore that filled this film from bottom up. The film uses all the human emotions and takes a shape of its own.

Tarantino knows exactly how much gore, crudity and length of each scene. Giving you enough to laugh while gagging. He toys with cliches and uses unexpected as well as expected moments to put together a piece of art work.

All the Basterds are a bit mad, which gives the film an edgy appeal. My favourite characters would have to be Donny Donowitz (aka bear Jew played by actor Eli Roth) and Hugo (portrayed by Til Schweiger) as they have real dynamic to the group.

Go watch it! It's a crude, gory, unsympathetic and very daring film that is just plain awesome! Not recommended to the squeamish and the weak hearted as it is gory.

Oh and don't take the film seriously because that's not the point of it.

Vanishing on 7th Street (2010)

5.5/10

Flawed but not a horrible film.

I wanted to discovery for myself why Vanishing on 7th Street had such poor reviews so I decided to give the film a shot.

The reviews weren't lying when they said this film will leave you with more questions than answers as I was fairly confused toward the end. The film was also riddled with flaws. There's the issue with how flash lights can't be controlled but all the other electronic light sources can be controlled by the mysterious shadow/darkness. And also the extremely short life span of car batteries.

However bad the ratings were for Vanishing on 7th Street, this film is still fairly thrilling and keeps you engaged. Though confusing and flawed, I was still watching this film on edge wondering what was going to happen next. So for the thrilling element, this film succeeded. For plot, character development and dialogue elements, this film failed to deliver.

Overall, my impression is that Vanishing on 7th Street is engaging with great concept that had potential but failed to come together in the end.

Contagion (2011)

7/10

Solid storytelling even without a main heroic character.

Plot: A thriller centered on the threat posed by a deadly disease and an international team of doctors contracted by the CDC to deal with the outbreak.

This film really explores the effects of an outbreak through the lives of many live and also showing how the spread started. It does a great job showing people's reaction to the pandemic. A misguided blogger who become the cause of violence. A father who experience drastic loss as a result of the pandemic and must now protect his daughter from any harm. A doctor visiting China ends up involved in a village that is fighting to survive.

The movie is dialogue driven with the different stories intertwining with kept me intrigued. The acting was phenomenal with a solid cast making the film very believable and raw.

Every event in the movie felt very realistic, which contributes to the intensity and the fearful element of the film. It brought out the horror of humans in "every man for himself" situations. The different events in Contagion is all to possible and has definitely left me a bit shaken at the end of the film.

I would not be RE-watching this film again anytime soon, but it is definitely a movie worth watching! I recommend this to a selected audience and as it is intense. I would not recommend you to watch this back to back with  Blindness (unless you want to feel scared, upset and depressed).

Little White Lies (2010)

7.5/10 [recommended]

Made me laugh, smile, cry and appreciate all that comes with friendship A fantastic film.

I don't even know where to begin telling you how much I enjoyed this French film. The amaxing casting, great writing, witty dialogue and heartfelt story makes this film SHEER CLASS.

Guillaume Canet did it again by writing/directing another phenomenal film that. Canet has a way of taking something simple (a group of friends on vacation) and making it into a heartfelt gem (their bonds and appreciation for one another). His focus on character development and simple witty dialogue exchanges makes him stand out from other films. 

Doctor Who (1996) TV movie

6.5/10

Totally absorbing even if somewhat flawed in the story/character

Doctor Who follows the newly-regenerated Doctor (Paul McGann) takes on the Master on the turn of the millennium, 31 December 1999.

Out of the entire Doctor Who franchise, this 89min TV movie is the only one that was filmed in Canada and the one I decided to start my descend into the Doctor Who series. There's already 11 Doctors awaiting me, and I started at the 8th Doctor.

Starring Paul McGann and Eric Roberts, the film begins by planting us straight in the middle of San Fransico. The story takes flight right there with the Doctor being taken down and the Master escaping and all hell, pretty much breaking, loose at this point. With a plot like this how could anyone not get sucked right into it. I was right into the storyline from moment one. However, the strong plot is weakened by a flawed storyline  and some irrational characters. There are moments where I am dumbfounded at why a certain character would act in such a way resulting in the climax of the film.

Overall, this wasn't a fantastic perfect movie BUT this TV film does do the trick of generating interest for me towards the Doctor Who franchise..which will occupy my next weeks to month :)

A Very Long Engagement (2004)

7.5/10

Very sweet

Plot: Tells the story of a young woman's relentless search for her fiancé, who has disappeared from the trenches of the Somme during World War One.

It has been so long since I saw this film that I don't remember much detail about it except that I enjoyed the film.

Audrey Tautou ( from Amélie and Da Vinci's Code) is stars in this film and from what I recall, she gave yet another great performance.

The one thing I remember quite clearly about A Very Long Engagement are the enchanting cinematography and set scapes that made this film just breath taking.