The Bling Ring (2013)

Who said Fashion was an addiction?

A assemblage of indulged teenagers commit the most audacious crime using certain types of medium such as Social media and celebrity blog websites to hunt for the Hollywood hills mansion owners address this is the most impudent burglary in Hollywood recent history the group were accused of stealing more than $3million in clothing and jewellery  from A listers , with a total disregard for privacy and do not  have proper usage for disguises, the group  brag aimlessly on social media websites to friends and how long they can keep this disarray up for? The film based on true events from an article in Vanity Fair “The suspects wore Louboutins”

As the soundtrack purely states with Frank oceans line “Super rich kids with nothing but fake friends” has a line been more pertinent. Teenagers of our generation can most certainly relate to Facebook and twitter stalking and nicknaming our friends “bitches” a very endearing name to close friends a sort of entitlement if you may.  The Bling Ring started as a Vanity Fair article in 2010 “The Suspects wore Louboutins” with the boredom of dropout high schoolers fuelled this passion for fashion! The article detailed the crime binge and the use of technology and to the yearning and pleasure to be on an E! Entertainment channel the group stealing more than $3million worth of cash. Coppola paints these characters quickly telling small strokes. Hopeful fashionista more like wannabe Rebecca (Katie Chang) wants to attend fashion school “where all the Hills girls went”. Reserved new boy Marc (Isreal Broussard) wants to be noticed and have friends and be popular. Nicki (Emma Watson) and her sister Emily (Georgia Rock) and best friend (Taissa Farmiga) are home schooled by a air head mother (Leslie Mann) in lesson from self help to self attraction. This group of teenagers wish and want to be living in a world of Balmain and Paris Hilton are their new worshipers and soon decide they want to be slaves to that world.

Coppola has a excellent recognition for youth and particularly the flow of female friendships, she draws perfectionist performances from her very young cast. With Emma Watson building up her actress profile with building character from Perks of Being a Wall flower Watson offers a seamless delivery of self indulgent and almost self delusional and lead from her mother defiantly living vicariously through her life. Chang posses a light and you can almost tell she is the groups full on ring leader.

Like most of Coppolas previous films she has based her heroines trapped in prisons of suburbia. The characters have a gratis by the internet showing similarities to films such as the Social Network and the other Guys, few films are captured on the life of social media but these lives are done so accurately. Coppola is also recognised for her spectacular shot especially in one scene of the Audrina Partridges house being broken in to the shot is done in a elegant wide shot of the two protagonist Marc and Rebecca ransacking her home.  Each robbery has a divergent look with three robberies being looked at through footage of the robberies.  The film most defiantly has a fluid ethical side to it and this makes the film all the more interesting for it. The film is intoxicating it may not deliver certain resilience such as Lost In translation and Marie Antoinette but it does almost certainly catch the teenage generation today.

It provokes a extremely less violent Reservoir dogs gang members especially when they walk down the street in recent stolen goods to Kanye West’s Power which shows how most teens desire to akin to.  A small snapshot of the dreams of Airhead teens today. The devils Most certainly wore Prada.

 

R: 15

Running Time: 1 hr 30 mins

Director: Sophia Coppola

Cast:

Katie Chang (Rebecca)

Israel Broussard (Marc)

Emma Watson (Nicki)

Tarissa Farmiga (Sam)

Went The Day Well? (1942)

"Yes, that 's the only bit of England they got!"

A fantastic novel written by a legendary English Author Graham Greene novelist to (Brighton Rock, Our man in Havana) is a brilliantly constructed wartime melodrama. The film is set through 72 long hours in a extremely small British village of Bramley End later described as the Battle of Bramley End. Which is the centre point for a endeavour for a German Invasion. Only this can be done be done with a contact inside of Bramley End with Local Fifth Columnist Oliver Wileford (Leslie Banks The Man Who Knew Too Much) But with much democracy still integral when postmistress-telephone operator Mrs. Collins (Muriel George) stumbling across a diminutive and basic clue involuntarily left behind  by well masked Germans who immediately alerts her neighbours of  imminent danger.

Director of Went the Day well Alberto Cavalcanti’s 1942 film wanted to produce a black-comic nightmare a surrealist masterpiece which doughtily English like army types reveal to be Nazis. Some resemblance to Dads army are here, In village of the damned, with a comparative twist on Taratino’s extraordinary fantasy war film Inglorious Basterds, also showing slight resemblance to Orson Welles radio broadcast of War of the Worlds the sheer terror and panic that its happening to the world and in a small town. In the quiet and inactive town of Bramley End, dozens and dozens of German disguised paratroopers arrive at this serene village.  Cavalcanti does not reveal how this penetration could be achieved. The film shows the Germans to be capable of violence and monster-ish behaviour towards civilians even daringly commenting on a rumour from the first world war about bayoneting babies, a rumour that is still almost certainly current at the time but revealing to humanity now that in later decades, a extremist innocence of what Nazi Germany were really actually competent of doing.

There are many jeers towards pessimistic French propaganda. The film is also in an almost cruel way how it repeatedly frustrates the audience hopes for victory of Bramley End. After callous attempts at extermination of home guards, the villagers make numerous efforts to convene help.  All the villagers of Bramley End respond with much determination, ruthlessness and resourcefulness. Theres an awful lot to forgive here, its very much an over-simplistic black-and-white, good-versus-evil story but the sets of the film well designed and simple not to overshadow the script which there at times is not as well refined as it could be. The film was made on a small budget but this does not show within the film, because all of the attention and detail has most certainly gone into the script and characters profiles. Extremely skilfully Cavalcanti turns the villagers of Bramley End from sleepy and tranquil people to cold blooded killers as they realise they are fighting for their and England’s life.

This is a simplistic but yet effective piece of wartime propaganda with what can happen to strangers enter a serene English paradise. The film is beautifully made and the actors within the film play their roles so well.

 

Running Time: 1hr 32mins

R: PG

Directed By: Alberto Cavalcanti

Cast:  Leslie Banks (Oliver Wileford)                                                                                                                                                                          Valerie Taylor (Norma)                                                                                                                                        
Marie Lohlr (Mrs Fraser)
Norman Pierce (Jim Sturry)

Blue Jasmine (2013)

A New York socialite Jasmine (Cate Blanchett) Who is very intensely disturbed and in absolute denial, arrives on the west coast of America in San Francisco to impose on her ‘Blue-collar’ half sister with jasmines marriage to a financial Crook Hal (Alec Baldwin) in ruins and her life which once was a sheltered life is now severe disaster.

Woody Allen has had his fair share of a winning streaks when it comes to his filmography he almost certainly has had a astounding career since the quiet days of Annie Hall, Broadway Danny Rose, Manhattan and Hannah and her Sisters would be a gigantic understatement. Within the last decade he has created some monotonous films such as Vicky Christina Barcelona and scoop the two films I believe didn’t have Woody Allen’s magic within it. Some would go to say “Woody’s lost it, there not as funny, and he needs to stay in the same location” but of course he most certainly delivers with Blue Jasmine.

Jasmine played by Cate Blanchett comes across as a protected Manhattanite who is thrown completely headfirst into the strong realities of a working class America from one extreme to another as Jasmine would say. The realities that she is utterly unprepared to deal with. Jasmine is an icy typical New York Socialite whose life is suddenly turned upside down because of her husband Hal (Alec Baldwin) uncovered to be Moses Pray style conman and Jasmine escapes to San Francisco to live with her adoptive sister Ginger (Sally Hawkins, Happy Go Lucky, Made In Dagenham) with Jasmines lack of education and any notion of work are most certainly agonizing to watch, as she tries to rebuild her life without any practical skills. This film is a whole new Woody Allen you cannot compare it to his previous masterpieces you wouldn’t think it’s a Woody Allen creation is this a good thing? or a bad thing? He has started to creep and expand the introspection that creating his conventional dramas as woody Allen ages.

With a wonderful performance by both Cate Blanchett and Sally Hawkins. Blue Jasmine is an insightful creation of brilliance that these types of stories could potentially happen. That even at the age of 77 Allen most defiantly has the element of surprise for any work he does. This is Woody Allen’s best film in a long time, shot through enthusiastic observations on many types of people, and showing a price and pain of having to rebuild a life from a lie, and ponders the idea of deceit massively.

Running Time: 1hr 38mins

R: 12A

Directed By: Woody Allen

Cast:
Cate Blanchett (Jasmine)
Alec Baldwin (Hal)
Sally Hawkins (Ginger)
Andre Dice Clay (Augie)

Finally going to see Blue Jasmine tonight

I have been waiting for the latest instalment of Woody Allen creation's For ages now following the previous film in 2012 To Rome With Love. This man will not give up on bringing out a film every year, the films are beautifully and simply made and not forgetting executed brilliantly. I am really looking forward to this film as I'm a huge fan of Alec Baldwin I cant deny that 'reel talk'. so my next review will be on Blue Jasmine and should be up this time tomorrow. hope you stay watching this space.

Thank you for reading  

When Harry Met Sally (1989)

 When Harry met Sally (1989)

A touching, unique and funny film set a new standard for romantic comedies. Rob Reiner’s Romantic Comedy When Harry Met Sally stars the quirky individuals Billy Crystal (Harry Burns) and Meg Ryan (Sally Albright) the main protagonists as the film commences the two strangers, both who have recently graduated from the University of Chicago, share a car trip to New York. Their Initial love-hate bond escalates into a nonphysical friendship which spans over a decade until they eventually begin to realise that there might be more on a connection than realised, more than just a buddy buddy relationship.

I’m sure during screenings of When Harry Met Sally rows and rows at theatres hysterically laughing at one particular scene where Meg Ryan demonstrates how to fabricate a fake orgasm in a packed out delicatessen. I’m sure like my family everyone over the world where laughing.  With me being a pre-adolescent teen a few years ago watching it for the first time with a woman forging a fake climax, finding it slightly embarrassing and cowardly hiding behind my pillow waiting in angst for my Mother and Fathers reaction.  This much commemorated ignition of a extremely taboo subject is why the film was such an gigantic hit. Its professed theme, that the two old college mates Harry and Sally that it is inevitable that they finish in bed with one another and then thus annihilating their beautiful and functioning relationship.  The problem with the connection in the film shows Billy Crystal a extremely hilarious actor though he is, he doesn’t perform with a convincing admiration for the lustrous Meg Ryan. I find their relationship to be not quite believable because the relationship is purely bonded by their singleness, and the relationship becomes a struggling support system for both of them waiting endlessly for the right ‘One’ to materialise.

The two pamper a relationship over flirtation making long phone calls to one another and indulging over never-ending meals making both their interactions and acquaintances too familiar for sex to be concern.  Surely its just a very much a well advancement of flirtation. Often reminding me of the film The Apartment  (1960) showing similar traits to this great film, Reiner taken inspiration from Wilder.

Rob Reiner is one of my all time favourite Directors who is most defiantly a un-neurotic filmmaker especially the fantastic Postcards from the edge being one of his most celebrated films. The pure genius of Reiner and Ephron come together to make an unforgettable brilliant comedy which is still influencing films and TV shows today.  The setting for When Harry Met Sally is in New York which is one of the most photogenic cities in the world joining a extremely long shelf life along with movies such as Annie Hall and Alfie. Because of the way to portrays certain sexual dilemmas that everyone can almost certainly relate too.

When Harry Met Sally is one of my beloved films, showing a sweet and old fashioned romantic comedy that shares its place on the shelf under an all time great.

Rated: 12

Running Time:  1hr 36min

Directed By: Rob Reiner

Cast:

Billy Crystal (Harry Burns)                                                                                                                               

Meg Ryan (Sally Albright)                                                                                                      

Carrie Fisher (Marie)                                                                                                                                      

Bruno Kirby (Jess)  

Brief Encounter (1945)

I will begin my journal with reviewing one of my all time favourite films. Brief Encounter, the film was created and directed by none other the great Noel Coward, Brief Encounter was based on a play “Still life” Brief Encounter is a romantic yet a dramatic film about two married people who meet by fortune in a London Railway station who by which carry out a passionate and strong love affair. Poignant yet extremely ordinary. Set in pre-World war II England, the film follows the main protagonist Laura Jesson 
played by (Celia Johnson) who is on her way home to her charming family and home, but catches a residue in her eye.  Unintentionally, she meets a Dr. Alex Harvey played by (Trevor Howard) who removes the cinder from her eye. The pair talk for a few minutes and instantly sparks inaugurate, but realise they board different trains. However mutually return to the station once a week to meet and, as the film advancement the pair grow more and more intimate, sharing stories, fears about their lives, marriages and children and hopes. One day when Alec’s train is delayed both become frantic that they will miss one another. When the pair finally discover each other, they both realise they are in love. But this moment should be a blissful recognition they are both burdened with calamity, since both care awfully for their families and realise a future is impossible with one another. Their final meeting is in railway refreshment room, now with the poignant perspective of their story. Their meeting is quickly erupted by an acquaintance of Laura’s.     Celia Johnson and Trevor Howard give perfect performances as two realistic married people who find themselves to be in tricky situation and both know they can never be truly happy.

Unrated  

1hr. 26min

Drama, Romance, Classics

Directed BY David Lean

Cast:

Celia Johnson (Laura Jesson)                                                                                                                                                                                          Trevor Howard (Dr. Alec Harvey)                                                                                                                                                                       Stanley Holloway (Albert Godby)                                                                                                                                                 Joyce Carey (Myrtle Bagot)

 

Welcome to The Reel World

This is The Reel world a blog dedicated to most Films from genres such as Film-noir, Westerns , Comedy, Romance, Musicals, Sci-fi  and Drama the list is endless. 

I will be keeping a web based journal where I will write about my opinions, thoughts and experiences about films.

I will review films  throughout every decade and every genre to present day films.
Here I will be able to express my love of film from every aspect and the teams that go into making these films.