Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (2011)

Reece says:


So this time yesterday I was booking tickets for the last installment of Harry Potter and I am kind of sad that I sit here and it is all over :( Tara and I decided that we had to see it in 3D so we traveled all the way from Aberystswyth to Shrewsbury (about an hour and a half) to see a 10pm 3D screening of the last Harry Potter film. For the first time I was really looking forward to a Harry Potter film and in mine and Tara's excitement we bought the Harry Potter style 3D glasses (we are to cool). After standing in the queue for ages to get a good seat we could not wait for the film to start. Going off track for a second there was,a trailer for The Dark Knight Rises trailer which was wicked and really added to my buzz.


So after all the excitement and buying myself and Tara the special 3D glasses was it worth it... YES... HELL YES! It was bloody brilliant, its like they stepped it up for the end. The film felt far more epic than the previous installments and the action and story had such a good fast pace that it kept me completely gripped. One section of the film that stands out is the battle of Hogwarts which was just crackerlacking! Though saying that the whole film was filled with brilliant pieces if cinema like the Gringotts scene... though I could just go on and on pretty much mentioning every scene. The acting was brilliant, Tara and I both think that Voldermort was just perfect and his battle with Harry was just cinema magic (excuse the pun). I could just go and on and on about this film and really everyone should see it because it is just awesome. As I wrap this up it is really sad to think this is the end of an era an era that started back when i was in primary school (10 years old) and now at 22 it is all over. Sad times but ow what an ending, hold onto your robes because Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 won't just blow your socks off, it will easily blow your entire wardrobe off!


Reece's rating:

An epic end to an era!

Tara says:


WHAT AN ENDING! Harry Potter, Part Two is one of the best films I have seen this year. Definitely a must see... all the actors and actresses playing their parts as they have been doing for the past so many years have pulled it off. Even Daniel Radcliffe (who I despise as an actor) pulled it off and gave Harry Potter the ending it deserved. I laughed, I cried I didn't want this to be the final but I couldn't think of a better way to end the series of films which I have followed as a child- teenager and now adult... It has been part of my life. I mean I even went out and bought a Harry Potter wand, which wasn't exactly cheap AND I made Reece buy us the Harry Potter 3D glasses. I am a Harry Potter fan, more about the books than the films but still this last film finally did the book justice in my eyes. 


The only part I cringed at was the ending when they had all grown up, got married had children. The 3 main actors looked exactly the same, I don't even think they changed Hermione at all. It sort of looked wrong and kind of cheesy especially their children's names... little bit over that line, even in the book I thought it was unnecessary, but meh... if J.K.Rowlings wants it then she can have it in. Maybe it was a happier ending that it still lives on even without Harry Potter. Still gives children hope that one day they will get their acceptance letter to Hogwarts :P 

Anyway back to the film, they didn't really dwell on the sad bits as much as they did in the books, like Fred, Lupin and Tonks dying. I knew I would be crying at that part but the director didn't really give anyone chance too because something else happened... I mean Harry didn't even look upset. I loved the bit about Snape and Harrys mum Lilly... How they grew up together and drifted apart but he still loved her, he always had.... and we still don't know if Snape was Harry's dad or not... His patronus charm was a doe as well as lilly's but Harry's is a stag as I thought James was,,,,, ah well I suppose she wanted us to think about it for ourselves. 


Wow realised how nerdy I sound... so I'm off to do something less nerdy :P ooo almost forgot Neville in this film is my hero, love him so much, makes me laugh and ends up saving part of the day.


Tara's rating:

X Men Origins: Wolverine (2009)

Reece says:


I am a fan of the X Men franchise, along with others I think X Men is one of the great comic book to screen adaptions. The trilogy before this film was really good with some great mutant filled action that would usually leave me wishing I had some cool mutant power and one that I really would not mind is Wolverine's. I think that the only origins style film they could have done was Wolverine as he was/is such a stand out X Men character played by the brilliant Hugh Jackman who was a brilliant piece of casting.


So was X Men Origins Wolverine any good? Well yes, first off they had a great main ingredient in Wolverine and secondly a good story line to go with it. Tara said to me that there were not enough mutants in it but you have to remember this is pre Charles Xavier and the X Men, before mutants became a focus/noticed by the public. I really enjoyed the story with the battle between Wolverine and his brother, with this the reasons for him becoming the metal riddled mutant he is.It was also nice to see briefly both a young Cyclops and Charles Xavier which gave the film a larger endorsement from the already present X men franchise. The film contains some truely staggering mutant battle scenes with some brilliant CGI. So all in all X Men is a brilliant addition to the X Men movie series and for me definitely better than one or two of the films in the already standing trilogy.


Reece's rating:

Cracking prequel

Tara says:

For some unknown reason I had been putting watching this film off... I didn't know if it was going to wreck the x-men films as I've loved them all or make it better. I felt that it was good, not amazing but just good. It did have me hooked and we got to see mutants before they were in xavier's school we even caught a glimpse of cyclops as a young boy which was good. 

I did like the fact that this film was purely based on Wolverine who is, in my opinion, the best xmen... I mean come on its Hugh Jackman, who is an amazing actor and extremely good looking. Anyway... moving on. I do like this film, although I did find something confusing... I mean what happened to Logans brother? what happened to the weird mutant that they made? There were just so many questions and I know the next film won't answer it because the new film is based even before this. Hmmm. Reece is right, I did say that there weren't enough mutants and thats what I like about x-men, that every single one has a unique talent and we get to see it, in this it was briefly touched upon I think when one girl was bullet proof, and her sister could persuade people to do what she said and they would. I'm not going to say much more because I don't remember the rest, I'm just looking forward to the next film now :)

Tara's rating:

No Strings Attached (2011)

Reece says:

Haha well no strings attached, well were to start um it was actually quite good. There is alot of sexual scenes between Ashton Kutcher and Natalie Portman which kept lifting my attention to the TV. It was a genuinely funny amongst all the sex scenes and there was quite a nice love story buried beneath the sheets which I believe addresses a relevant occurrence in the life of the current generation. It really did ask questions about distinguishing between the feelings of being in a relationship and a one night stand.

Anyway the acting was good I mean they both obviously get loads of sex because the sex scenes were very realistic JOKING! Anyway as I was saying the acting from Natalie Portman was brilliant as always but after Black Swan does not need to prove herself, it felt like she had gone for a film to have a bit of fun after the intensity of Black swan. Ashton Kutcher was good as always, though I still see him as the guy from Punk’d and not an actor but still. I am in the car right now waiting for Tara after work and she has just got in the car so to round it off briefly: Lots of sex buried the story line but girls can watch this with their boyfriends and the guys will not get bored. 

Reece's rating:

Shamefully I enjoyed this film, more story focus needed.

Tara says:


I liked this film, I felt it did capture what some friendships are like in this day and age. I felt the lead actors were very well chosen for their roles in this film and I loved everything about the characters lives and how different they were to one another. I sometimes felt that the story lacked a few things but I'm not sure what... just something. There is LOADS of sex in it, which makes me sound old but when its almost every scene in different places the story doesn't move on, but I suppose you get the characters relationship or lack of it.

Parts were funny and I did laugh a lot because this is a feel good film, showing us opposites attract. I felt Natalie Portman, amazing actress, played her character well as I've never really seen her in anything like this film before. She played a nice, educated woman who was scared of being in a relationship or more so in love with someone. Ashton Kutcher, played a young man who becomes rich through his dad although he tries to make it on his own with his own scripts. The only part I didn't like in this film was the character that was Kutcher's father, he annoyed me and I found it creepy that all of his ex girlfriends would then go and sleep with his father :/ ah well. 
Even though I bought this DVD because of the two main actors, I'm probably going to sell it and not watch it again unless it comes on to the TV and there is nothing else on :P


Tara's rating:

The Next Three Days (2010)

Reece Says:

The Next Two paragraphs should sum this up pretty well... sorry bad play on words there. So The Next Three Days, I remember this being released in the cinema and thinking I need to go and see this but I never did. So when I saw this in this shops I didn’t hesitate to buy it, I am a fan of Russel Crowe and really hoped this lower budget film were be far better than Robin Hood (big letdown). So a brief synopsis is that Russel Crowe’s wife in this film is put into a prison for a murder she seemingly didn’t commit. With his wife suicidal Crowe attempts to break his wife out of prison and escape.

Now when we came to watch this myself and Tara had just finished watching all four series of the fantastic Prison Break (incredible show well worth a watch). So we had just watched a very well planned and thought out show about someone breaking out of prison, meaning the next three days had a big boot to fill! Well I’ll be honest the film is good, very very well thought out and so it was never in any way farfetched. Russell Crowe really made a step up in this film from Robin Hood and it really gets you gripped with lots of meaty twists and turns that have you guessing and willing the characters on. There was just one thing wrong and that was at the end of the film Tara and I looked at one another and we both felt that it felt like it lacked a climax in the escape, like a big decision or major drama. There was none of that and in a way the film is very modest but if it had a bit more danger/drama during the escape it would have been epic. So The Next Three Days is a great film but just lacks a little drama where they could have crammed a bit more in at times, definitely worth a watch if you like Prison Break.

Reece's rating:

Loving Prison theme TV entertainment at the moment : )

Tara says:


The Next Three Days is a good film, it focus on one husbands love for his wife. Oh and also there is a prison break, a death, a fast paced run...... etc. It is a beautiful film, a women gets wrongly accused of killing her boss and is sent to prison for life, leaving her husband to look after their son. Russel Crowe plays his character very well and goes to ultimate lengths to get his wife out of prison by going to lawyers and then taking matters into his own hands. 


This film makes it look possible for somebody to break someone out of prison, the way he breaks her out looks so easy, but its what he does up until that point that is the big part of the film. Looking up what his family will need once they leave America...

I was currently on the edge of my seat wandering what would happen next, I like that fact that director has used things that anybody could find, like how to make a key to fit any door and how to open a van door, just by the use of you tube, it makes you wander some times how many times that you tube video has been viewed and how many of those types of videos work. I liked that fact they had to change identity and also had to blend in with the crowds and everything had to be well planned out. Very interesting film and good take on a prison break from what it does to somebody on the inside as well as what it does to the family on the outside. Would watch again :)


Tara's rating:

Hangover: Part II (2011)

Reece says:

When I heard that there was going to be a Hangover sequel I got so excited that I checked www.ign.com every day for the first trailer release and when it finally came it did not disappoint. Then along came the film and a standard trip to the cinema with my beautiful girlfriend was in order. As we sat in the cinema waiting for the film we both wondered the same thing could they really do a sequel that was going to be as unique and un predictably hilarious like the first?

The answer is Yes!... and no, well kind of no... let me explain. Firstly the positives; the hangover part II manages to be pretty much completely unique in terms of your never quite sure what is going to happen next and I think that is due to the setting (Bangkok) which alters the dynamics slightly, it allows for different jokes. One thing that I have to mention is the film opening which is similar to the first with Phil on the phone saying ‘It’s happened again’, I really made me excited to watch the rest of the film. There are some really original jokes in the film though there are also so recycled ones which are slightly altered sure one or two of them were worth recycling the others just were old. Whilst I am touching on the negative side I may aswell bring forth the negative aspects there are only two that I can think of:

1)   The setting: Bangkok was a very sinister setting which made things seem a little dangerous and scary rather than funny.

2)      Mr Chu: Yes he re-appears and from the outset he is annoying, granted funny in the 1^st film but a bit recycled and crappy for the second. (and is it me or does is Chinese accent sound false in this film).

Those are the only negative points that come to mind which says loads for the film. So I’ll wrap it up now so you can get out there and go and watch the Hangover Part II because you should it is truly hilarious. A funny summer film well worth watching, please let them risk a Part III!


Reece's rating:

Hilarious, hope I never have a hangover in Bangkok 

     Tara says:

     

     Hangover Part II, funny, but not good as the first by far. I felt it lacked comedy that the first film had and gained a more dangerous side to it. I think that fact it was set in Bangkok gave the film that edgy feeling and kept you on your seat unknown to what might happen next, I mean Mr.Chow 'died' more or less at the start of the film which I didn't expect at all. Then to find afterwards he's alive and becomes the annoying character that perhaps should have stayed with the first film.

     The film was again based around a wedding and a stag do that went wrong, this time Doug wasn't the guy getting married and ending up lost, he stayed out of the film once again but this time safe and sound. The same can not be said for Stu's bride to be's brother, who is the one missing after their night out. Before even watching the film I was unsure how they were going to be able to make another film along the same lines but without it being identical. 

     Okay so without comparing it to the first Hangover which I loved it had some funny moments. The monkey I thought was a good addition to the film and gave a sad moment with Alan when the monkey got shot. All in all I would watch it again... maybe :P


     Tara's rating:

Little Fockers (2010)

Tara says: 

After watching 'Meet the Parents' and 'Meet the Fockers' and loving them.... this one didn't really stand out. I really didn't want them to ruin it and make another 'Meet the....' film. I felt this one was the weakest of the three and to be honest I'm not really sure why because the set up for the Fockers children could have been a good classic film and fit well with the other two but it didn't get the chance too. I felt that we all knew Jack and Greg a bit too much and some things the audience knew what was actually going to happen. 

It felt as though they were trying to hard to make it funnier, I didn't like Andi Garcia played by Jessica Alba, it seemed as though she didn't want anything but Greg and there was no real reason. The children were good actors BUT still they didn't really have much about them even though the title was based on them AND why are they different sizes if they are twins?! does that actually happen or is that just the director being lazy. One of the things I loved was the fact the daughter was exactly like Jack and the son was like Greg and they were twins, they shared something; which was what the main characters did. 

I suppose some moments were funny, like the stupid questions their son asked and there was some cringe moments with the injection in the bathroom (watch it to find out more). It is worth a watch but don't expect as much as you saw with the last two films.

Tara's rating: 

Reece says:

I have always been a fan of the Meet the Parents series, they have always been like a guilty pleasure. It is nice every so often to sit back and enjoy a film where the story is not complicated and enjoy the humour. I was kind of quietly looking forward to watching this so I bought it for my Mum for her birthday in the hope that when she had watched I may borrow it. This I did and when Mum gave it to me I asked ‘how was it?’ she replied ‘good’ and she was right it was just good.

Little Fockers had some truly hilarious moments in it, one particular moment that springs to mind being the fight in the ball pool. Though there were only a few stand out moments, the film appeared to be a bit desperate in humour. They took alot of the power and stance from De Niro’s character in order to add to the laughs which kind of ruined the character balance between him and Ben Stiller’s character. It was a bit disappointing that they did not use the children more often for humour in the film as the title would lead you to believe that the plot would revolve around them. Instead it revolves again around the two main male characters with Stiller’s character taking over from De Niro’s as the ‘God Focker’. To be fair this film was not the worst and was a definite recovery from Meet the Fockers which was deeply average. So all in all Little Fockers was just too bitty and all over the place and just did not focus on what it said on the tin. It was not the best in the series but not the worst so I really hope that Meet the Parents has met the end for the sake of not ruining the franchise.


Reece's rating:

Deserved 2 stars but couldn't find the picture!

Tangled (2010)

Tara says:

LOVE this film :) I laughed, I cried, I completely and utterly fell in love with the characters that I wanted to watch it over and over again. It is based on the fairytale of Rapunzel... but with a twist that starts off with a magical flower. This flower healing and making people younger, the queen one day suddenly became ill and the king goes in search for this golden flower to save his wifes life. He finds it and takes it back to the castle and use it, what they don't know is that an old witch has been using the flower to stay young and alive... The princess is born with beautiful blonde hair, and lanterns are sent into the sky in a celebration. On the eve of that night the witch goes into the castle and sings the magically spell to make her young again to the princess holding on to her hair as she does it... only to find when she cuts it it turns brown and the magic no longer works. In rage she takes the baby and flees the castle, leaving the King and Queen at a loss... every year on her birthday and the day she was taken the King and Queen send out the lanterns in hope their Daughter will find her way home.


The rest of the story is Rapunzel trying to find out who she is, with the help of some friends one being the kingdoms most wanted criminal. The witch, Gothel, Rapunzel thinks is her mother and won't let Rapunzel leave the tower she has trapped her in. Rapunzel paints the walls, cleans the tower, brushes her hair... but all the time she wants to go out and see the lanterns that fly out into the sky on her birthday. It is a very cute story with added bits of humour and when she does eventually see the lanterns I was in floods of tears because she made it. Even towards the end I had no idea what was going to happen next and I few things shocked me, but once again with every Disney film there is a perfect happily ever after :') It even made me want a little iguana ha.  


Tara's rating: 

So cute :)

Reece says:

Tangled; well it is another Disney film and I do not know how they do it but very film that Disney does seems to be gold dust. Now do not get me wrong I liked Tangled but unlike Tara I did not love it... it just kind of passed me by. For me there has not been a great Disney film since my childhood and films like The Lion King, Beauty and the Beast etc etc. I have read back the piece I have just wrote and Tara’s review and I am going to watch it again before I finish this paragraph... to the TV!