Change Your Image
mandy-southgate
Ratings
Most Recently Rated
Reviews
Blinded by the Light (2019)
Wonderful and uplifting
Such a fantastic, lovely, feel good film. As relevant for today's world as it was in 1987
The Cutting Room (2015)
Best British Horror Film I've Seen in Years
I really enjoyed this film and for ages after it finished, just sat open-mouthed in front of the TV with my heart banging against my rib cage.
The Cutting Room only cost £12,000 to make but nothing about it feels small budget. The cinematography is really impressive and you get this constant feeling that the characters are being watched. Many of the scenes are filmed underground in the disused army barracks yet the viewers is treated to all the gruesome bits in gory, vivid detail.
A lot of the film is "found footage" but the quality is so much better, in my opinion, than The Blair Witch Project. In that film, I found it pretty unwatchable but in this film it was of a quality good enough to enjoy the film while still getting the pants scared off you.
I really enjoyed the plot and the characters, who seemed believable in terms of English students. I'd definitely like to keep an eye on Lucy- Jane Quinlan and Lydia Orange in the future.
Definitely pay attention when watching the film and look out for the clues. If you don't, the finale is going to terrify you, as it did me. The final scenes take place over 15 terrifying minutes where the viewer is kept firmly on the edge of your seat. Watch out for the final, horrifying reveal in the last 15 seconds of the film.
Push (2009)
Better than I expected by far
Yesterday morning we went to watch Push, the new sci-fi thriller from director Paul McGuigan starring Chris Evans and Dakota Fanning. I really enjoyed every single minute of this film even though it felt slightly long at 111 minutes.
In the world of Push, psychic experiments started by the Nazis were carried on after World War II, resulting in people with superhuman powers. 'Pushers' can push thoughts into your mind and make you believe in their version of reality; 'movers' have telekinesis; 'watchers' can see the future and 'shifters' have the amazing power to alter your perception and create illusions. The problem is that 'Division', a US government agency, wants to control all of the people with these powers, to keep them captive and to carry on experimenting on them.
This brings us to the underworld of Hong Kong, where a group of young expats is thrown together in a fight against Division and the local branch of deadly psychics.
This film reminded me in so many ways of Anthony Horowitz's Power of Five series and Garth Nix's Shade's Children. I loved the inventive storyline, the supernatural powers, the fast pace and explosive action. I was really disappointed to see that the film got such bad ratings on both IMDb and Rotten Tomatoes. On RT, the film received better ratings from the community than the critics and perhaps that is the point. This is not a serious movie or an art house film. It might not appeal to everyone but I imagine that lovers of sci-fi or fantasy young adult fiction might enjoy it as would anyone who enjoys fun, action and teenage superheroes.
Dakota Fanning deserves special mention. I knew before going to see the film that it had received bad reviews and I also knew that there was talk of Fanning appearing as Jane in New Moon. I was prepared to be critical and I wasn't sure if I would like the way Fanning was turning out. Well, her performance was great and I think she is making the move from child star to teenage actress seamlessly. She seems to be a serious, clever girl and I hope she continues to make decent decisions in both her personal and professional life.
For reminding me of my favourite books, for action, adventure, supernatural powers and teenage heroes, I give the film a 9 out of 10. Like I said, it just felt a bit long which can happen with non-stop action.