The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

Brace yourselves, I am a hugggeeee hunger games fan!

Okay so Catching fire is the second instalment in the Hunger games trilogy and it was incredible. Hunger Games fans won't be disappointed, I know I had very high expectations having read all the books, but the arena, the costumes everything was perfect!!!

Once again Jennifer Lawrence amazed as Katniss Everdeen. This role had to be cast so perfectly in order to get everyone to want her lead and actually like the character. Lawrence is so entertaining and captivating in the role, we can't help but love her!

This film saw Katniss become even more aware of the consequences of her victory in the previous games. Rebellion and riots are beginning and this film is clearly building up to the third and final act (Mocking Jay). Of course this is being split into two films meaning more action for us :P

Now the relationship between Katniss and Peeta is becoming more serious in the eye of Panem and we also see their private relationship grow. Josh Hutcherson as Peeta Mellark is so sweet and loveable in his role. But of course the only person standing in the way of his happiness with Katniss is Gale, played by Liam Hemsworth. A particularly distressing scene  in this film is the torture/whipping of Gale in the town square.

Another character and personal favourite of mine is Haymitch played by the awesome Woody Harrelson. He provides most of the comedy within this film. Of course the film would also be nothing without Cinna (Lenny Kravitz), Katniss' stylist who makes the incredible dresses in this film, Effie (Elizabeth Banks) who we really grow fond of in this film and Caesar (Stanley Tucci) who has some awesome costumes in this film haha.

Now we can't fail to mention some of the new characters and the two I felt who particularly stole some of the scenes, Sam Clafin as the gorgeous Finnick Odair and Jena Malone as the feisty Johanna Mason. These two characters I personally became really attached to, particularly once the games have begun.

Now without spoiling anything, can I just say the arena in this film was spot on! So thank you filmmakers, it was truly awesome!

So yeah, this film is a lot darker and is so much bigger and better than the first film! There has been a clear development in all the old characters. President Snow is more evil, Katniss is more kick ass and Haymitch is drunker!

But seriously, love this series. Some people fail to credit the film and don't see the real genius behind it. Look at it as a prediction for the future and take away the social messages and I think you may be able to appreciate the film in a lot more depth. Love it!

Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa

So I actually saw this a month or so ago, but it's out on DVD now so still relevant and would make the perfect xmas gift ;)


So Alan Partridge played by Steve Coogan is a bit of an old fashioned radio DJ whose show is considered boring by the new generation of listeners. When the station is taken over by a new media company, the bosses of the radio station are ordered to find new ways to reestablish the station and gain more listeners, (basically get rid of the old radio presenters).

Upon hearing that himself and other radio presenters are under threat of losing their jobs, Partridge makes the suggestion that they 'just sack Pat' (Colm Meaney), another presenter who considers Partridge his friend. Of course after being fired Pat becomes very depressed and goes insane taking over the station with a gun, holding hostages.

I won't say anymore about the plot, but this film is absolutely hilarious. Coogan and Meaney are so funny, you will literally be laughing throughout the entire film. The concept is so crazy it is brilliant and there are some fantastic one liners. The cast is amazing, also consisting of the brilliant Nigel Lindsay.

 I really recommend this film.  It was way better than I ever expected. Just make sure you don't watch with young ones, it's a 15!

December nominations

Best Film:

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
Anchorman 2: The Legend continues
The Secret life of Walter Mitty
Homefront




Best Actor:


Martin Freeman (The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug)
Will Ferrell (Anchorman 2: The Legend continues)
Ben Stiller (The Secret life of Walter Mitty)
Jason Statham (Homefront)




Best Actress:

Christina Applegate (Anchorman 2: The Legend continues)

Kristen Wiig  (The Secret life of Walter Mitty)

Emma Thompson (Saving Mr Banks)
Winona Ryder (Homefront)




Best Actor in a supporting role:

Steve Carrell (Anchorman 2: The Legend continues)

James Franco (Homefront)

Ian McKellen (The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug)

Best Actress in a supporting role:

Evangeline Lily (The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug)

Kate Bosworth (Homefront)

Annie Rose Buckley (Saving Mr Banks)

Best Director:

Ben Stiller (The Secret life of Walter Mitty)

Adam McKay (Anchorman 2: The Legend continues) 

Peter Jackson (The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug)

Gary Fleder (Homefront) 

November Winners

Winners for November:


Best Film:

Gravity













Best Actor:


Joseph Gordon Levitt (Don Jon)















Best Actress:


Jennifer Lawrence (The Hunger Games: Catching Fire)










Best Actor in a supporting role:




Tom Hiddleston (Thor: The Dark World)












Best Actress in a supporting role:


Dianna Agron (The Family)







Best Director:



Alfonso Cuaron (Gravity)

November Nominations

Nominations for November are:

Best Film:

Gravity

Don Jon

Hunger Games: Catching Fire

Thor: The Dark World

The Family

Best Actor:

George Clooney (Gravity)

Joseph Gordon- Levitt (Don Jon)

Josh Hutcherson - (The Hunger Games: Catching Fire)

Robert De Niro (The Family)

Chris Hemsworth (Thor: The Dark World)

Best Actress: 

Sandra Bullock (Gravity)

Scarlett Johansson (Don Jon)

Jennifer Lawrence (The Hunger Games: Catching Fire)

Michele Pfeiffer (The Family)

Natalie Portman (Thor: The Dark World)

Best Actor in a supporting role:

Tom Hiddleston: (Thor: The Dark World)

Liam Hemsworth (The Hunger Games: Catching Fire)

Javier Bardem (The Counsellor)

Best Actress in a supporting role:

Dianne Agron (The Family)

Julianne Moore (Don Jon)

Cameron Diaz (The Counsellor)

Best Director:

Ridley Scott (The Counsellor) 

Joseph Gordon Levitt (Don Jon)

Francis Lawrence (The Hunger Games: Catching Fire)

Alfonso Cuaron (Gravity)

October Winners

Winners for this month's mini monthly oscars go to:



Best Film:

Captain Phillips















Best Actor:


James McAvoy (Filth)










Best Actress:

Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Enough said)










Best Actor in a supporting role:

George McKay (Sunshine on leith and How I live now)







Best Actress in a supporting role:



Catherine Kenner ( Captain Phillips)

Best Director:



Mikael Hafstrom (Escape Plan)

October nominations

And here are the nominations for October:

Best Film:

Captain Phillips

The Fifth Estate

Escape Plan

How I live now

Best Actor:

Benedict Cumberbatch - The Fifth Estate

Tom Hanks- Captain Phillips

Sylvester Stallone- Escape Plan

Jim Broadbent -Le Week-End

James McAvoy-Filth 

Best Actress;

Saoirse Ronan- How I Live Now

Lindsay Duncan- Le Week-End

Hailee Steinfield- Romeo and Juliet

Julia Louis-Dreyfus- Enough said

Best Actor in a supporting role:

Jeff Goldblum- Le Week-End

David Thewlis- The Fifth Estate 

George McKay- Sunshine on Leith and How I live now

Colm Meaney- One Chance

Best Actress in a supporting role:

Julie Walters- One Chance

Catherine Keener- Captain Phillips

Jessica Alba-Machete Kills

Best Director:

Bill Condon- The Fifth Estate 

Mikael Håfström- Escape Plan 

Kevin MacDonald- How I live now  

Paul Greengrass- Captain Phillips

September Winners

Here are September's winners for the mini monthly Oscars!

Best Film;

Rush















Best Actor: 


Hugh Jackman- prisoners







Best Actress:

Rachel McAdams-About Time














Best actor in a supporting role:

Daniel Brühl -Rush










Best Actress in a supporting role:


Olivia Wilde- Rush






Best Director:

Denis Villeneuve -Prisoners

Rush

My long overdue review of Rush is here, and I can still say I feel the immense impact that leaving the cinema afterwards leaves you with.

First of all I want to start by sharing how amazingly cast the two lead roles were. Both Chris Hemsworth and Daniel Brühl gave incredible performances of the famous racers James Hunt and Niki Lauda and I feel really did the true story justice.

Naturally the film appeals to formula one fans as the film features numerous fast cars (Formula 3 I'm told), girls, cocky racers, pit stops, adverse weather conditions and awesome circuits. Really if you love racing this film is absolutely perfect, but also acts as a great homage to Hunt and Lauda. 

The way that the film has been shot beautifully captures some of those heart wrenching moments, particularly with Lauda's famous crash at the Nuremberg circuit. The cinematography of this film within the racing sequences is very much shot like the races you'd see on screen. The crash on the other hand really is a very intense and jaw dropping moment. 


Niki Lauda had my sympathy all the way through. Of course we are also largely left to follow the story of James Hunt, the player and risk taker. The contrast between these two characters is incredible, however their biggest similarity is their 'drive' and passion for racing. The competition between these two characters keeps you on the edge of your sea, but there is also something beautiful about their 'rivalry'. Without saying much more, I think the ending summed this up perfectly.

Now, I myself am not the biggest fan of cars, having said that the film immediately appealed to me after learning about these two racers. Hemsworth who has been praised for his role in this film, many saying that this is him at his best, really committed to his character and I think gave us a fascinating insight into the unhealthy lifestyle of Hunt. 

Now Daniel Brühl is an actor I am very new to, but his performance also blew me away. He was truly fantastic. Obviously Lauda was a fairly disliked character, because he was good at what he did and he knew it. He fought his way to the driver's seat and won. I love the journey he goes on, and the immense sympathy and admiration, even though it was crazy, for him to get back behind the wheel after such little time after hospital is amazing.

This film is brilliant, I think Ron Howard has done brilliantly and I am so pleased that another British film is making a mark in the film industry. If you do get the chance, watch this film, even if you aren't a car fan. The messages you can learn from these two characters is well worth sitting down and watching the film. Pure brilliance.

Elysium

Pretty gory and bloody but thoroughly enjoyable...

Elysium is set in a very shocking and disturbing future of our planet where the poor are left on Earth to suffer from illness and the struggles of poverty.  Meanwhile the rich have taken to an manufactured place called Elysium where everyone can be healed instantly and live their previous luxurious lifestyles.

Matt Damon who plays Max Da Costa, a poor civilian living on Earth, dreams of one day reaching Elysium and being a part of their world. He fights the injustice of society and wants so desperately for everyone to be treated equally.

Jodie Foster stars as Jessica Delacourt, a resident on Elysium who is the secretary of defence and takes charge in ensuring poor folk don't make their way onto Elysium without authorisation. She uses an agent called C.M. Kruger ( Sharlto Copley) plays a large part in this control, destroying anyone who threatens Elysium.

I am a huge fan of films which convey political and social issues. Therefore this film immediately appealed to me. The cast (Jodie Foster, Matt Damon and Sharlto Copley) were all very strong. The blood and guts effects also aided the performances and helped to emphasise the violence and chaos of Earth.

I was particularly impressed with the use of architecture to contrast the two places. Earth, which looked very much like a cluster of slums was very horrific. Elysium on the other hand was beautiful in its appearance.

Of course given the genre there was a lot of action and fight sequences which made the scenes seem thrilling and exciting. I think though perhaps some of the camera movement and flashes may have happened a little quickly making some parts hard to follow.

Overall however I think the film was really effective. The ending (which I won't spoil) was perfect and surprisingly unconventional I think. It very definitely made a statement.


☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆

September Nominations

Here are this month's nominations:

Best Film:

Riddick
Rush
Prisoners
About Time
Diana









Best Actor:


Chris Hemsworth (Rush)
Vin Diesel (Riddick)
Hugh Jackman (Prisoners)

Ryan Reynolds (R.I.P.D)
Domhnall Gleeson (About Time)










Best Actress:


Halle Berry (The Call)
Rachel McAdams (About Time)
Naomi Watts (Diana)
Alice Eve (Cold comes the Night)

Kristen Wig (Girl Most Likely)












Best Actor in a supporting role:

Daniel Bruhl (Rush)
Terrence Howard (Prisoners)
Bill Nighy (About Time)
Darren Criss (Girl most likely)



Best Actress in a supporting role:

Gemma Arteton (Runner Runner)
Katee Sackhoff (Riddick)
Olivia Wild (Rush)
Viola Davis (Prisoners)



Best Director:

Denis Villeneuve (Prisoners)
Ron Howard (Rush)
David Twohy (Riddick)
Richard Curtis ( About Time)