JessyCritical Reviews

Rabbit Hole (2010)

Amazingly emotional.

[8/10 · 29 May 2011]

Rabbit Hole tells the story of a couple's grief when they tragically lose their son in an accident. With a sombre tone throughout, it is impossible not to feel disheartened and that is why this film is so engaging. It is so easy to believe and associate with Becca (Nicole Kidman) and Howie (Aaron Eckhart) making Rabbit Hole so realistic, it's incredible. Nicole Kidman's performance is Oscar-worthy; her portrayal of a grief- stricken mother is very touching. Her seeming desperation to forget Danny existed, countered with Howie's inability to erase him from his mind, makes for a very emotional watch. Rabbit Hole is very beautiful to watch and he frequent references God and Science means it caters to everyone's beliefs. The idea of a parallel universe is comforting, as Becca says, "Somewhere out there I'm having a good time."

Never Let Me Go (2010)

It will linger in your mind after watching

[8/10 · 29 May 2011]

Never Let Me Go depicts the bleak story of three best friends who were raised, more or less, isolated from the rest of the world along with other "special" children. The reason behind their different upbringing remains a secret until over half an hour in to the film. The truth behind Hailsham is hinted at until then, but nothing is clear until Miss Lucy speaks up and announces the reality of their destiny. This tale of an alternative history, set in the mid 20th century is, at times, shocking and disheartening. The blunt references to "donors" and "completion" make for an emotional watch; what is really going on here? As this film is set in the past it makes it even more believable and seems even more able to happen today. With great performances all-round it is hard to criticise Never Let Me Go. Keira Knightley is completely credible as the envious and sometimes, unfriendly Ruth. Andrew Garfield portrays the uncreative, angry, boy stuck in the middle surprisingly well. The best performance definitely comes from Carey Mulligan who plays Kathy, the central character of the story. Mulligan creates an incredibly likable character that the audience will immediately associate with. Her naivety, longing for love and her acceptance of her fate is devastating, yet applaudable. The constant flow of music throughout adds even more sadness to this film and makes what is happening truly heart-breaking. The sombre tone is easily maintained throughout, added to by Carey Mulligan's perfect portrayal of Kathy. Beginning in the middle of the film gives the audience's reason to find out why Kathy chose to become a carer, and why her life is how it is. However, the dark reason behind these questions is unexpected and shocking, to say the least. The main question you will probably ask yourself when you watch this question is "why?" This is because there are so many questions left unanswered. Why do they not rebel against their situation? Why do they accept their fate? Despite Never Let Me Go falling in to the science-fiction category, I would rather label it as a romantic mystery. Purely, because it focuses on a, somewhat, love triangle and you will be left guessing and creating your own assumptions throughout. The answers you have will not be properly answered, and it is because of this you may find the story hard to believe. On the other hand, it is this ambiguity that makes the film even more compelling. The lack of answers will also allow you, the audience, to draw your own conclusions and fill in any gaps with your own ideas. Deliberately misleading the audience appears to be something the director (Mark Romaneck) and the screenplay writer (Alex Garland) wanted to achieve. Believing that the children can escape their destiny with a few drawings is something we, and the characters in the film, hope for. Also, a select few can be chosen for a "deferral" if they can prove to be in true love. To sum up, Never Let Me Go is a wonderfully told, beautiful story of love, friendship and hope. If you don't feel a tiny bit moved by this film, you probably won't be by any other. I was surprised at its ability to linger in my mind after watching. So, if you want a film that will keep you watching, waiting and wishing to the end, then Never Let Me Go is a definite must.

Attack the Block (2011)

Entertaining, funny, but missing something.

[8/10 · 29 May 2011]

Telling the story of a group of residents from an apartment block defending themselves against glowing- blue-teethed gorilla-type creatures from outer-space, Attack The Block had enough laugh out loud moments to keep me entertained to the end, but it was definitely missing something. The night is November the 5th and a lady notices, you wouldn't be able to tell "if World War 3 is going on out there." That is due to the sound of fireworks lighting up the sky, and she is almost right as something more sinister is about to happen. Attack The Block exceeded my expectations, and certainly everyone in the Cinema found it hilarious. However, there was something a bit try-hard about it. Yes, it was nice to see aliens causing mayhem in the 'ends' of London, instead of choosing to torment the huge cities of Los Angeles or New York. However, the constant gags centred on the slang language of the teenagers, began to grate on me. There are only so many times I can laugh at, "they're aliens, bruv, trust!" Don't get me wrong, the script was very well written and it's great to see England not being presented as a bunch of posh-speaking Hugh Grant's, but, not all teenagers are like that. It is a definite genre-defying, original and very entertaining film that does its Director Joe Cornish justice. It has everything you could want from a sci-fi film: aliens, intense fighting and the typical hero vs monster showdown at the end. There are even a few jumpy moments, something I was not expecting. Also, the damage the monkey-dogs caused was pretty disgusting and the film is undoubtedly not pure comedy. The moments of comedy that usually included the character of Pest were, also, reasonably funny. Perhaps the film would have been funnier if the comedy moments had included Nick Frost and his character Ron. The few scenes he and the very British Brewis (Luke Treadaway) were included in were the funniest and most memorable. The other characters that were created weren't particularly likable, and it was hard to care about any of them. This was probably because their determination to maintain their tough stance whilst facing blue- teethed and very angry extra terrestrials became annoying. However, they did know (sometimes) when it was time to run, and warn others that their water guns were a particularly inadequate choice of weapon. Of course, our heroes knew that swords, guns and a lamp would be more sufficient. Perhaps this film is a warning to knife-wielding teenagers: you should think twice about mugging a stranger on the street, because they may end up saving your life. Or perhaps this is just a director having a lot of fun, making a film that he knows will get rave reviews from its British audience. Whatever reason Cornish chose for making Attack The Block, it was a good one as it has become a very promising debut for the Director. Overall, Attack The Block is a fresh addition to its genre. A very funny, but sometimes tedious, action-packed film, pitting teenagers against their worst nightmare: something that threatens to take over their block.

Cherry Tree Lane (2010)

The ultimate urban horror? Not quite.

[5/10 · 29 May 2011]

Cherry Tree Lane is a 70 minute Funny Games/Eden lake-esque 'horror' that sees a bunch of teens terrorising a not-very-happily married couple in North London. Despite the ridiculously short running time, Cherry Tree Lane is LONG. Too long. I found myself drifting in and out of consciousness listening to the pointless conversations that this film includes. Moments include the leader, shall we say, eyeing up 42-year old Christine, telling her to stand up "to see how fit she is" whilst her husband, gagged on the floor, is yelled at "don't look round at me, blud!" So basically, it's a group of chavs armed with knives, stealing credit cards and biscuits. They aren't JUST after money though, they want the couples son who's apparently not been able to keep his mouth shut about someone cousin...or something along those lines. There were some nice slow motion shots, but other than that, it's a very simple film with the only location being the house, well, the living room. There were a handful of tense moments that had me remotely wondering what was going to happen, however, it's all rather predictable. I didn't REALLY care what was going to happen at the end, although, I did hope the couple would execute some revenge if they were to escape. Overall, it's not the worst film in the world, but it's definitely not the best of it's type; Eden Lake and Funny Games are a lot better..and the teenagers seem too stupid in Cherry Tree Lane to carry out anything too horrific.

Léon: The Professional (1994)

Amazing

[9/10 · 18 November 2010]

Luc Besson, director of La Femme Nikita, introduces us to the kind- hearted assassin Leon, in this tense thriller. After her family is killed by the corrupt Government Official Stansfield (Gary Oldman) the young Mathilda (Natalie Portman) is befriended by Leon. Determined to be taught how to 'clean' and desperate to avenge her young brother's death, Mathilda takes on a deadly new life. Leon, played by Jean Reno, is one of those character's you can't help but love. His goofy appearance and quirky behaviour contrast perfectly with his lethal career choice. Despite being unable to read, Leon loves a good film. The scene where he is watching 'Singin' in the Rain' shows us that he just a child inside. Also, during Mathilda's game he is only able to recognise Gene Kelly. Natalie Portman, also, gives a wonderful performance as the 12 year-old Mathilda and it's clear to see why she began to star in other films quite soon after this: Heat, Mars Attacks! etc. Portman has to portray a lot of emotion in this film and she does it with such ease. You instantly feel for her and the situation she's been put in. However, it does become clear that the tough-girl attitude she acquires is just a front, all she wants is to be loved. Perhaps seeking it from a professional assassin, who is a fair bit older than you, is not the best idea; but it is believable and understandable in this film. Gary Oldman as the villain, Stansfield, is brilliant. With lines like, "I haven't got time for this mickey mouse bullsh*t," he was born for roles like this one. His performance is completely believable and you'll love to hate him. He, also, is an odd character: the weird way he takes his pills is nothing short of disturbing. The music used in Leon is another thing that needs applauding. Suspense is easily created and there are many times where you'll want to hold your breath until the scene is over. The soft music adds even more emotion and charm, making the film quite beautiful. So, overall, I really enjoyed this film and could easily watch it again and again. It's another of those films that will stay with you long after you've seen it. Even though it was made 16 years ago, nothing in this genre comes close to being as good.

The Wind that Shakes the Barley (2006)

...not for me.

[2/10 · 12 November 2010]

I was actually not going to write anything about this film because I only watched 40 minutes of it. However, I'll just tell you why that was.

This really is an "acquired taste" film. Probably of an interest to you if you're Irish, and lived in 1920's Ireland. As I have very little knowledge of Ireland during this time, being English and 19, meant I struggled to follow the story of it. It was rather depressing, added to with the constant stream of quiet piano music. It just seemed like a bunch of angry Irish people shooting each other and beating each other up. Yes, yes, this is what it was probably like at the time, but that doesn't mean I should want to watch it. I can see why it did get a thumbs up from many critics, and they are probably more mature than me, and will delve deeper in to this film. I, however, didn't want to waste 2 hours of my life doing so. Yes, the acting was reasonable, there were times when I felt sorry for the characters. On the other hand, I don't think I cared enough and this is why I couldn't watch it. I like being able to associate with the characters on screen, feel their pain, feel their sadness. That's just what this film was missing: the ability to make you feel. It shouldn't matter that I'm not Irish, I should still want to watch it and be interested in it. I was not. The only good thing about it was Cillian Murphy!

Paranormal Activity 2 (2010)

Not as good as the first - 6.5/10

[6/10 · 12 November 2010]

Paranormal Activity 2 begins promisingly with the introduction of new characters; more than than in Paranormal Activity. This meaning more people to protect from the ghostly goings-on we know are going to transpire. Cutting to the chase, the new family believe their house has been broken in to, so they install security cameras around their home. Now we know we're going to be viewing the remainder of the film through these cameras, and also a very helpful hand-held that someone always seems to have, for some reason. It is fair to say that Paranormal Activity 2 is rather slow at getting to the spooky bits. We witness a few bizarre moments involving a swimming pool and a saucepan, but we are still firmly sitting in our seats. We do, however, know Director Tod Williams has far more in store, and that's why we eagerly carry on watching. The success of Paranormal Activity 2 is thanks to its simplicity. With no jaw-dropping special effects and buckets of blood, we aren't looking for a film about to win "Best Picture" at the Oscars. Audience's flood to the cinema for the genuine frights they know they'll get. Which is something missing in most horror films these days, with their unnecessary and scare-free re-makes. Humans are scared of the unknown and that's why Paranormal Activity 2 triumphs. We never actually see what is haunting the family, and that terrifies us. Our imagination is allowed to run wild. This added to the drawn-out silences and careful editing is a recipe for a true horror film. The clever link to Paranormal Activity is another reason this film deserves a thumbs up. Without giving anything away, the reappearance of Micah and Katie lures us in to wonder what is going to happen next. There are a few laughable moments, including the sinisterly named baby, Hunter but, they are quickly forgotten when the family's beloved Alsation is included in the hauntings. The story may not be completely original, with the man of the house typically disbelieving anything paranormal is going on, but this just involves the audience, we and his daughter urge him, "look at the tape! Look at the tape!" Overall, despite a slow beginning, Paranormal Activity 2 may not be as effective as the first (probably because we now expect the long silences to lead to a loud bang) it still delivers a handful of jumpy moments that will keep you entertained until the (again) shocking ending.

This Is England (2006)

Highly believable

[7/10 · 12 November 2010]

"We are not racist..we are realist" is one of the most powerful lines This Is England has and sums up the excuse many people used during 1980's England. The excuse to physically and verbally abuse people because of the colour of their skin.; or if they just didn't fit in with the crowd. You can't help but be lured in to 12 year-old Shaun's heart-felt story. Set in the 1983 Midlands, he is bullied because his trousers are too baggy, something that could probably happen in a school today. On his way home he meets a gang of skinheads, lead by Woody; one of the few characters with a handful of morals. He consoles Shaun and immediately involves him in his gang. The impressionable Shaun, eager to fit in somewhere, adjusts his image and asks, "Am I in the gang now?" Despite being younger than the majority of the skinheads, Shaun is accepted; showing how important appearances can be in this film. The first appearance of the Irish, recently-out-of-prison Combo, is a memorable one. Dying to impress everyone he enthusiastically tells a story involving a thieving black man he met in prison. Ignoring his nonchalant audience, he throws around many racist terms, seeming not to have noticed the only black skinhead in the room, Milky. The clever use of piano music creates a very questioning tone, is this how society will always be? Shane Meadows successfully pin-points what was wrong with England in the 1980's and encourages the audience to make sure this doesn't happen again. When the group is split and Shaun chooses the Nationalist Combo over Woody, we know he has made the wrong decision and we intently follow the rest of the film to see what becomes of his choice. This Is England covers many themes; romance, violence, friendship and family in its 90 minutes, so we remain fully engrossed to its end. The many questions Meadows raises are enough for this film to remain in the audience's head for a long time after they watch it. Including clips from the '80's and alluring music, we know that this film was not put together over night, a lot of thought was needed to get it to this standard. The characters are believable, the script fantastically written, with brilliant performances to deliver it. The 18 certificate is needed, however, many would agree that the story should be seen by those younger. Showing the importance of the family unit, and the lengths young people will go to be accepted, This Is England was destined to be a modern-day classic and one of the best films of 2006.

Edward Scissorhands (1990)

Perfect

[10/10 · 12 November 2010]

Edward Scissorhands, as its slogan states, tells the story of an uncommonly gentle man. As the film progresses it is clear to see that he is the only gentleman in a neighbourhood filled with narrow-minded and ignorant residents. This (and many other reasons!) is why it is easy to fall in love with Edward, who is perfectly portrayed by Johnny Depp. The story is a simple one: boy meets girl, boy falls in love with girl, but it's not meant to be. However, Tim Burton put a twist on this typical, Hollywood rom-com structure when he created this dark fairytale. Edward is discovered by the cheery, Avon representative Peg Boggs (Dianne Wiest) who thinks it would be a great idea for him to go home with her. Little does she know, that this is the worst thing she could have done. Tim Burton emphasises the monotony of life in the Suburbs when showing every resident rushing to Peg's house to have a look at the new visitor. Edward immediately falls in love with Peg's daughter Kim (Winona Ryder) when gazing at her photograph. She, however, has a jock boyfriend: Jim. He rapidly forms a hatred for Edward and mocks him throughout the film. Life in this neighbourhood eventually takes its toll on Edward, and without giving anything away, he doesn't get the fairytale ending he deserves. The ease at which we fall for this story, is perhaps, the best thing about it. Tim Burton invites us into his Gothic fantasy world and we enjoy every moment we are there. The music, that accompanies the many bitter-sweet moments between Kim and Edward, is beautiful; it is easy to see why Danny Elfman believes the music he composed for Edward Scissorhands to be his greatest. It is also understandable why Tim Burton favours this out of all of his films; if he had only made Edward Scissorhands, he would still be thought of as a great Director. The wonderful performances by all members of the cast, which include Vincent Price as the inventor, add to the brilliance of this film. Each character is different from the next, yet equally believable. This just adds to how heart-breaking this film is; we know, that this is how people would act towards someone this different. We sympathise with Edward because all he wants to do is fit in. The amount of themes Edward Scissorhands covers is endless: love, hatred, jealousy, kindness and it, also, raises many questions about society. Something else that needs to be touched on is the amazing contrasts between Edward's dark, eerie, lifeless world and his new life; filled with bright colours, flocks of people and noise. This makes Edward stand out even more from the crowd, his pale face covered in scars and his all-black clothes. To sum up, Edward Scissorhands is a must for Tim Burton and Johnny Depp fans alike, they are both at their best here. It is definitely a modern- day classic that will stay with you long after you've seen it, and want to be watched over and over again.

Reservoir Dogs (1992)

Tarantino fans won't be disappointed

[8/10 · 12 November 2010]

Reservoir Dogs tells the intriguing story of a handful of 'colour-coded' criminals. They're out on a job, robbing jewels and the like, when something goes wrong. It's set mainly in an empty warehouse, with 4 of the nameless criminals: Mr White, Blonde, Pink and Orange and a poor kidnapped policeman. As you will expect from a Tarantino film, it has a lot of shooting, a lot of blood and a lot of dead people. However, this shouldn't put you off. As it is only a mere 95 minutes long, it won't take up too of your day and will keep you adequately entertained. Right from the start you know it is not going to be your usual crime- thriller. Tarantino's unique direction and clever dialogue prevent this film from being forgotten once you've seen it, it will probably persuade you to give it another watch. There are some excellent performances by Steve Buscemi, Harvey Keitl, Chris Penn and Tim Roth. A small part, of course, was saved for Quentin Tarantino himself. Being Tarantino's first film; it is very impressive and definitely paves the way for his future successes..Pulp Fiction, Kill Bill. There is only one thing I'm going to be critical about: the discovering of who is the undercover policeman came about too soon for my liking; it could have easily been drawn out a bit longer. However, this didn't mean I wanted to stop watching once I knew. There was still a lot more to keep me wanting to watch. The flash backs in the film gave it more depth, and saved it from being a typical linear narrative. The funny opening scene where Buscemi "doesn't believe in tipping" could be one of my favourites and instantly reminded me of the bar scene in Desperado, where he tells the story of a man urinating all over a bar and the barman being pleased about it. Overall, Reservoir Dogs is not my favourite Tarantino film, but it is highly entertaining and well worth watching.

Ed Wood (1994)

Tim Burton = Genius

[8/10 · 12 November 2010]

d Wood is the story of the "worst Director - ever". Until you find out that Tim Burton is the director of this film, you'll probably wonder why someone would choose to, almost, document the life of such a person. However, it is typical of Burton to portray the life of someone different, not typical. It is sad that Edward D Wood Jr. did not receive fame until after his death, spending most of his life creating films that were not accepted in Hollywood. The story of his life has become more popular and watchable than any of the films he made. He does still have a small amount of fans today, but, he really was no Orson Welles, despite aspiring to be. Tim Burton depicts the sad yet, hopeful life of Ed Wood very well. Although we know that none of Ed Wood's films gain huge success and popularity, that doesn't stop us hoping they do. We easily associate and believe in the character played greatly, by Johnny Depp. Ed Wood is filmed in black and white which makes it seem even more true to life. However, the actors cast to play Wood and his bizarre friends such as, Bunny (Bill Murray) and Dolores (Sarah Jessica Parker), are played by modern actors. This lets the audience know that Burton is clearly not trying to make a documentary/docu-drama etc, he is purely making a film; something that will entertain the audience. The many comedic moments in this film also add to this idea. Johnny Depp makes a marvellous Ed Wood, his lack of blinking and goofy smile add to the idea that Wood really was an eccentric character. This without the fact he liked to dress in women's clothing, something I think Johnny Depp, strangely enough, suited. Another performance that has to be commented on is that of Martin Landau who played Bela Lugosi. His performance was so good it won him an Oscar for Best Actor in a Supporting Role. The irony in this is that the real Bela Lugosi never won an Oscar himself. Landau is very well suited to the role, and looks like someone who could definitely have played Dracula. He knows himself that, "what I do best, what I've always done best, is act." He portrays wonderfully the character of Bela Lugosi and his struggle to find fame and fortune; dealing with a drug addiction and being willing to play any character thrown at him, however awful it was. Overall, Ed Wood is a funny yet sad, portrayal of Ed Wood's life. It definitely deserves to be named one of Tim Burton's best films, and again, we see a brilliant collaboration between him and Johnny Depp.

Inside (2007)

Quite horrifying

[9/10 · 12 November 2010]

À l'intérieur (Inside) is a highly original horror/thriller written and directed by Alexandre Bustillo. It tells the terrifying story of pregnant Sarah (Alysson Paradis) who is trapped in her own home by the terrifying La Femme (Beatrice Dalle). Until the very end, the reason for this is unknown. The determination Dalle shows for keeping Paradis captive, and wanting her unborn baby, is highly believable. As an audience, we are as equally afraid of the woman in black, as Sarah is. The lengths La Femme goes to, to keep her victim imprisoned, are nothing less than horrific. There are many scenes within this film that will definitely stay with you long after the end credits. Most of the fighting between the two women involves knitting needles and scissors; not your typical weapons. This makes the film even more original. The only question you will have is, "who is this woman, and what does she want!?" and in the 45th minute Sarah will also wonder, "why me?" Despite being horrifically gory and graphic, Inside, is not your typical horror film. With beautiful photography; almost making the film appear to be black and white, accompanied by heavenly music, Inside is somewhat a masterpiece. The use of contrapuntal music and shocking images makes what is happening on-screen even more alarming. The clever way Bustillo chooses to make blood stand out from the rest of the frame, is not original, but is highly effective in this film. Inside easily builds tension and suspense with smart silences and slick lines, "your husband's not sleeping - he's dead." Other scenes include the view from the baby inside the womb, and extreme close-ups of undoubtedly, face-covering violence. Some will say the amount of blood and aggression is too much, but I say, it is needed. Too many directors are afraid of crossing the line and refuse to make a controversial film, which this most certainly is. Overall, Inside is most definitely not for the faint-hearted, squeamish.. or those who are pregnant. So, if you are a true horror fan, that doesn't fall in to these categories, enjoys a good French horror flick (and perhaps films such as Hostel and Anti-Christ) then I urge you to watch this film.

Saw 3D (2010)

Quite terrible

[3/10 · 12 November 2010]

I'll keep this short and sweet.. The anticipated return of Dr. Lawrence Gordon, and the wonder of what he's been up to since 2004 is finally answered in the, probably-not-the- last Saw 3D. This is probably all this film has going for it. The terrible acting by the cast, the insanity of the 'traps' and the complete lack of logic Saw 3D has, means it was destined to be one of the worst films of 2010. The 7th film in the never-ending Saw franchise follows Bobby Dagen, leader of a self-help group for 'Jigsaw survivors', as he is plunged in to another deadly game of life-or-death. The typical sliding from one scene to another is like a cheap Powerpoint presentation, which is all Saw has become. A presentation of "look how unrealistic and ridiculous a film can be in 90 minutes." Despite this not being the WORST of the Saw films, it is very close to being. The first film saw the emergence of a highly original and gripping horror thriller, but, all the rest have become an almost laughable, predictable let down. To be honest, it seems as if every person is an accomplice of Jigsaw's, and the amount of detectives and policeman who have been killed, leads me to question why anyone even bothers to solve his crimes. Surely it would be safer to just let him get on with it, not give him any attention and perhaps he'll get bored and stop? That's exactly what the audience has done, and it seems that this SHOULD be the last instalment thanks to the "decrease in box office performance for Saw VI" However, who knows? The ending of Saw 3D suggests there is more to come. If there is going to be a Saw 8 I hope they spend less money, as it seems, the higher the budget; the worse the film.