Thursday 29 November 2012

Actually, Kevin Bacon, I Think You'll Find That...


...Ken Barlow has a Bacon Number of 3. Ignoring the nonsense that Kevin Bacon is spouting is the current TV commercial for the EE mobile network (where he proves that he either doesn't understand the Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon game, or that he's willing to be flexible on the rules for cold, hard cash), it doesn't matter that Ken Barlow drinks at the Rover's Return and Kevin Bacon has a dog bring a ball back to him; no matter which way you cut it Ken Barlow (let's just made the assumption he means actor William Roache) has at best a Bacon Number of three. Here's how I worked it out...

Monday 26 November 2012

Whose face looks the most out of place on the poster for Movie 43?

Despite having a non-entity of a title, a trailer that makes it look like this generation's Burn, Hollywood, Burn and one of the most offensively garish posters I've ever seen, the upcoming Movie 43 has managed to secure itself an impressive cast of Hollywood A-Listers and respected comic actors. But which one of them looks the most out of place?

Could it be...

Richard Gere, who's looking right at us saying "look, I'm old, I'm miserable, and I'm in this film because I wanted something to do on the weekends".

Hugh Jackman, who is happy to remind everyone that although sometimes he looks like this, he's quite possibly the most theatrical man in Hollywood who likes to have a laugh and a joke too, and wear rather lovely knitted scarves.

Chloe Grace Moretz, who seems to be saying to herself "Naomi Watts' and Kate Winslet's names are on this poster somewhere, and I have to share a photo frame with McLovin? Wait a minute, didn't I mess you up big style in Kick Ass?"

Halle Berry, who at this point in her career is taking as many opportunities as she can to show off about how good looking she still is. She's 46 for chrissakes.

Emma Stone, who looks disappointed in her agent for getting her involved in this project. Her face seems to say "I'm better than this". Yes, Emma, you are. Also, your hair looks pretty.

And the winner is....

Johnny Knoxville, still plugging away at his acting career but not noticeably enough for the makers of this film to take a still photo of him whilst he was on set, instead putting this old candid photo of him through the photoshop mill so that he resembles Frankenstein's Monster's little brother.


The Good, the Bad and the Blu-rays

As we fast approach Christmas, some of the big hits from this summer are making their way onto Blu-ray and DVD. It's not all new releases this week though, and is a particularly good week for fans of Quentin Tarantino.

Saturday 24 November 2012

LOLA VERSUS DVD review


Waking up on her 29th birthday to be greeted by a marriage proposal from her long term boyfriend Luke (Joel Kinnaman), Lola (Greta Gerwig) starts to plan the wedding, only to have it all fall apart leaving her living the single life in the big city.

FLIGHT OF THE NAVIGATOR BLU-RAY review

The second of this week's classic '80s films to arrive on Blu-ray, the nostalgia-fest that is Flight of the Navigator is available now. When David Freeman disappears for 8 years only to return without having aged a day, NASA scientists start to study the information stored in his brain that has something to do with a spaceship they've recently found.

It's Nice To See That The Copies of Michael Keaton From Multiplicity Are Still Getting Work


If you don't know what I'm talking about, this.

   


On a side note, there's something different about the Russian poster, and I don't just mean all the backwards Rs.


Friday 23 November 2012

SHORT CIRCUIT BLU-RAY review

When S.A.I.N.T droid Number Five gets struck by lightning following an arms presentation, he finds himself that most magical of things, alive. On the run with the security forces trying to blow him to pieces, Number Five encounters Stephanie (Ally Sheedy), a free spirited young woman who believes he is alive and wants to protect him.

Monday 19 November 2012

The Good, the Bad and the Blu-rays

With Christmas fast approaching, it's a week dominated by releases for kids, and thanks to some '80s re-releases arriving on Blu-ray, for those trying to relive some of their youth as well.

Monday 12 November 2012

The Good, the Bad and the Blu-rays

In the run up to Christmas there's always one week that's almost entirely devoted to new stand-up DVDs hitting the market. This is that week. Still, ignoring all of that lot, there has to be one or two decent films mixed in, surely?

Sunday 11 November 2012

LOVE BITE review


Now in cinemas is the teen werewolf comedy horror Love Bite, starring Ed Speleers, Gossip Girl's Jessica Szohr and Skins' Luke Pasqualino.

Wednesday 7 November 2012

FOSTER DVD review

Watching Foster on DVD has led me to question how cynical I should be about a film that claims on its cover to be "a feel good family fairy tale" and certainly is that, but nothing more. It's not what I'd readily describe as a good film, but when a film is aimed at an audience who are looking for an emotional connection to a story rather than storytelling ability, who am I to begrudge them of that?

Tuesday 6 November 2012

The Good, the Bad and the Blu-rays

Now, do I buy the steelbook editions of films I already own, or the underwhelming sequel that no-one was asking for anyway? Hmmm....

Friday 2 November 2012

London Film Festival: LAURENCE ANYWAYS review


Screened at last month's London Film Festival, Xavier Dolan's third directorial outing is now in cinemas.

Thursday 1 November 2012

SAVE THE DATE trailer



The tragic indie romantic comedy has long been the stomping ground of TV actresses wanting to show off their range whilst boosting their credibility, but when the film in question stars Community's Alison Brie and Lizzy Caplan, I'm inclined to pay more attention than I normally would. Yes, they're both quite easy on the eye, but both are also actresses on the cusp of wider recognition, and Save The Date seems like a promising enough drama to do that.

Documenting the troublesome times of late 20s dating and relationships, when Caplan's Sarah decides to split up with her long term boyfriend and re-evaluate her life, it has a domino effect on the seemingly happy relationship of her younger sister, Beth (Brie). With both young women approaching potential heartbreak with drastically different methods and Sarah finding rebound love with Mark Webber's Jonathan, Save The Date looks to sidestep its hipster leanings by being emotionally vunerable whilst offering some tragi-comic moments. I'm only really familiar with Brie's comedic side, so I'm keen to see how she adapts to a heartfelt indie romance.

The title might make you think we're in for another post-Bridesmaids "girls can be raucous too!" wedding movie, but from the evidence of this trailer, Save The Date appears to be more than that. The poster appears to be aiming for a much more middle of the road audience than the rather more frank trailer is, but with two of young Hollywood's unheralded talents flexing their dramatic muscles, hopefully it will attract the right audience.

Save The Date is released in the States on December 14th. Best make a note of it somehow so that you don't forget.