Film Flashback #5 | The Matrix
Rewind 13 years to the day, on March 31 1999 The Matrix was released in cinemas
Nowadays, it is a rare thing for a sci-fi film to be justifiably termed groundbreaking. But it’s an apt word to describe The Matrix, an action thriller directed by Andy and Larry Wachowski. The sequels, entitled The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions, amped up the action and ultimately bookended the story satisfactorily. However, this wonderful mash-up of style and substance, combined with the surprise factor of something never before seen, is not easily eclipsed. The Matrix is one of those films that could happily have remained a standalone piece as opposed to part of a trilogy. Take the red pill to discover why it is worthy of our film flashback treatment. Or just keep reading.
Read the rest of this film flashback here.
Film Review | Wrath of the Titans 3D
Although it grossed $493 million worldwide, 2010’s Clash of the Titans is a film best left forgotten, a lamentable plot and poor 3D combining with equally poor acting in a disappointing effort. Nonetheless as is so often the case, money talks, and the franchise has yielded an unearned sequel. Changes needed to be made and they have been, not least in the form of new director Jonathan Liebesman (Battle: Los Angeles). With some impressive looking trailers promising a look at some Titans this time round, has the sequel improved on its predecessor?
Read the rest of this review on Yin & Yang here.
Film Trailer | The Dictator
Love him or hate him, it’s hard not to admire Sacha Baron Cohen’s bravery when it comes to his particular brand of comedy. For new flick The Dictator, he has reunited with director Larry Charles, who was also behind the camera on Borat and Bruno. The latest trailer showcases some new footage and seems a tad more scripted than Cohen’s past comedic efforts, but the results still look hilarious. Check it out after the jump.
Watch the trailer here.
Film Review | The Hunger Games
Turning books into films is no easy task. This is especially true of The Hunger Games, the popular Suzanne Collins novel which has sold millions of copies worldwide. As a consequence, there is a loyal fan base itching to see their favourite book accurately brought to life. Whilst an almost unabridged book-to-film transfer is arguably the right way to go sometimes, The Hunger Games boasts some unique opportunities to add and indeed improve on the source material. It is this delicate balance which director Gary Ross has for the most part managed to strike, resulting in an engrossing film which will satisfy readers and non-readers of the book alike.
Read the rest of this review on Yin & Yang here.
Film Review | 21 Jump Street
It would seem that more and more animated directors are successfully making the transition to live action. Late last year, Brad Bird impressed with Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol, and just this month Andrew Stanton did a fine job with John Carter. Now it’s the turn of Phil Lord and Chris Miller, famous for 2009’s Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, as they attempt to breathe new life into 80’s TV show 21 Jump Street. Ditching the drama for some R-rated humour, is this revamp an unlikely comedic hit?
Read the rest of this review on Yin & Yang here.
Film Review | John Carter 3D
A century ago, Edgar Rice Burroughs wrote ‘A Princess of Mars’, the first novel in his Barsoom series. Since then it has gone on to inspire a whole host of films, Star Wars and Avatar among them. Fast forward 100 years later and super fan of the books Andrew Stanton, famous for animated flicks WALL-E and Finding Nemo, has been given a $300 million budget and the task of bringing Burroughs’ vision to life in his first live action feature. Is it a success, or has the originality of Burroughs’ story been bled out in the years it’s taken John Carter to get to the big screen?
Read the rest of this review here.
Film Trailer | Men in Black III
While Jaden and Willow Smith’s careers have prospered on our TV and Cinema screens respectively in the last couple of years, Will Smith has enjoyed a noticeable absence off it; indeed, the last time we saw him was in 2007’s Hancock. In 2013, he’s teaming up with M. Night Shyamalan and his son Jaden for the futuristic After Earth. Before that though, he’s back saving the world – for what seems like the umpteenth time – as he dons the shades, suit and tie for the third film in the Men in Black franchise. Check out the new trailer and synopsis after the jump.
Film Watch | March
We have another strong month of films ahead of us in March. The return of the Titans, a return to school, and the much awaited adaptation of a popular novel are just some of the films we can look forward to watching over the next 30 days. Without further ado, hit the jump for details on which 9 films are on my radar this month. Because I love nice round numbers.
