Winter Passing (AKA Happy Endings [UK Release])

Directed By: Adam Rapp
Written By: Adam Rapp
Starring:
Zooey Deschanel
Ed Harris
Will Ferrell
Amelia Warner

“The Woman treated me as a mild curiosity all my life” – Reese

Winter Passing is the first feature film from playwright Adam Rapp.

It follows the story of Reese Holden (Deschanel) a struggling actress living in New York who is approached by a literary agent who offers her a small fortune which she will get if she can obtain letters of correspondence from her famous famous novelist parents Don (Harris) and Mary Holden (Mary has recently passed away) from early in their relationship. Reese agrees to the deal and travel back home to Michigan to be with hear father and try to find the letters. While there Reese meets the people that her father has taken in since her mother’s passing, handy(ish) man Corbit (Ferrell) and former student Shelly (Warner).

This is a really nice film and is well made by Rapp.

Zooey Deschanel is superb, she plays her character of a young woman reduced to rubble by her parents extremely well. For the first twenty minutes or so she carries the movie on her shoulders. Ed Harris gives a stirring portrayal as the reclusive writer Don Holden. Will Ferrell and Amelia Warner are really good as the supporting characters.

There is going to be people who will consider the movie a bit slow, but it is a joy to watch. All the characters are well rounded and interesting to watch interact with each other.

The music that was chosen for the movie fits in nicely where they are placed. The music adds to the tone the movie is setting.

Deschanel’s performance really fully evokes on screen how Reese is feeling, cold and lonely.

I love the first twenty minutes of the film, before we find out much about her parents, we can see the psychological damage that they have inflicted upon her, She now does cocaine and has resorted to slamming her hand in a drawer just to feel something.

His is a wonderful and emotional film with great characters, a solid story and would be worth watching for Zooey Deschanel and Ed Harris’ performances alone.

7/10 – Cody
N/A – Michael

70%

(500) Days of Summer

Directed By: Marc Webb

Written By:  Scott Neustadter & Michael H. Weber

Starring:

Joseph Gordon-Levitt

Zooey Deschanel

Geoffrey Arend

Chloë Grace Moretz

Matthew Gray Gubler

Clark Gregg

There’s no such thing as love, it’s fantasy… – Summer

(500) Days of Summer is Marc Webb’s stellar feature film directorial debut

This movie follows the story of greeting card writer Tom (Gordon-Levitt) who falls in love with the radiant Summer (Deschanel), who doesn’t believe that true love exists. The movie starts on day 488 and flips back and forth between the days as Tom remembers his relationship with Summer, the highs and the lows.

This film is easily one of the best romantic comedy movies ever made as it is more realistic, original and breaks away from the cinematic norm of what people expect a romantic comedy should be like. One part that is original in this movie that I personally love is the Expectations/Reality moment where we see onscreen in split-screen Tom’s expectations for a particular encounter, the reality and how different the two really are.

The acting is really great, Joseph Gordon-Levitt is wonderful as the lovelorn Tom and Zooey Deschanel is sublime as free spirited Summer. All the supporting Cast are very solid and funny especially Chloë Grace Moretz as Tom’s wise beyond her years sister Rachel and Geoffrey Arend & Matthew Grey Gubler as two of Tom’s Best Friends, McKenzie and Paul whose onscreen presence I really enjoyed.

This movie has a first rate script penned by Scott Neustadter & Michael H. Weber and is remarkably directed by Marc Webb.

The soundtrack is fantastic, the movie starts with the lovely Regina Spektor song “Us” and uses the Song “You Make My Dreams” by Hall & Oates in one of my favorite sequences in the movie, where Tom has slept with Summer for the first time the night before and is so happy that the song starts playing in his head and he precedes to walk to work, all the while imagining himself dancing in the street with the pedestrians around him. The film also contains songs from the always brilliant The Smiths and The Temper Trap.

This movie remains both funny and touching throughout the whole of its 95 minute run-time.

I really love this movie so very much, it’s smart, it’s sweet, it’s charming, it’s inventive and it’s quite brilliant.

10/10 – Cody

N/A – Michael

100%

 

Blue Jasmine

Directed By: Woody Allen

 

Written By: Woody Allen

 

Starring:

Cate Blanchett

Sally Hawkins

Alec Baldwin

Andrew Dice Clay

Bobby Cannavale

Louis C.K

Peter Sarsgaard

Anxiety, nightmares and a nervous breakdown, there’s only so many traumas a person can withstand until they take to the streets and start screaming – Jasmine

Blue Jasmine follows New York socialite Jasmine who after losing everything and suffering a mental breakdown, arrives in San Francisco to live with her estranged sister temporarily. As Jasmine struggles with memories of her privileged past, which are haunting her, she tries to recover in the present.

Blue Jasmine is a film of many strengths among them are that its wonderfully written and directed by Woody Allen

The acting is great in this film especially from Cate Blanchett who gives a brilliant and haunting portrayal of a woman struggling to cope

I think the flashback sequences are handled well and excellently done, the give us a glimpse of Jasmine’s past and the events which have led up to the present. They give a fantastic showcase and insight into Jasmine’s character.

This is a great movie, which has many funny moments, but is also touchingly poignant.

I firmly believe that Cate Blanchett deserves the Oscar for her performance, as she really blows her competition out of the water. This movie should be seen by any fan of Woody Allen or character studies.

8/10 – Cody

N/A – Michael

80%

 

12 Years a Slave

Directed By: Steve McQueen

 

Screenplay By: John Ridley (Based on the Book “Twelve Years A Slave” By: Solomon Northup)

 

Starring:

Chiwetel Ejiofor

Michael Fassbender

Benedict Cumberbatch

Paul Dano

Paul Giamatti

Lupita Nyong’o

Sarah Paulson

Brad Pitt

Alfre Woodard

 

12 Years a Slave is Steve McQueen’s monumental film about slavery and directorial follow up to his 2011 movie Shame.

 

This film follows the true story of Solomon Northup, a free man who is forced into slavery. This movie shows an unflinching look into the world of slavery.

 

Chiwetel Ejiofor gives a riveting performance as the films lead, in fact there is amazing performances all around, but the stand out performance in this movie is Michael Fassbender’s powerhouse portrayal of brutal slave owner Edwin Epps.

 

Steve McQueen doesn’t shy away from showing any of the brutal aspects of slavery, such as one point in the movie where we follow Solomon as he walks to a store to buy supplies for his “master”, when he crosses paths with a group of white men about to hang two black men from a tree.

 

This film is excellently written and directed, and although not my very favourite film of 2013 I would be very surprised if this movie does not get awarded with the “Best Picture” Academy Award.

 

10/10 – Cody

10/10 – Michael

100%

 

#2 On Cody’s list of favourite movies of 2013
#1 On Michael’s list of favourite movies of 2013

 

Gravity

Directed By: Alfonso Cuarón

 

Written By:

Alfonso Cuarón

Jonás Cuarón

 

Starring:

Sandra Bullock

George Clooney

Ed Harris

 

The claustrophobic space thriller Gravity is Alfonso Cuarón’s long awaited directorial follow up to his 2006 film Children of Men

This movie is about a medical engineer and an astronaut who after a disaster are left to drift in space and try to find a way to survive

This movie is brilliantly written and masterfully directed. It’s filled with beautiful shots, such as one where Sandra Bullock’s character Ryan curls into the foetal position with space and the earth in the background

There are moments in the film where the view is switched from third person into first person, where we get to see from the characters eyes, and hear their frantic breathing as their oxygen slowly drops, this adds to the movies suspense and claustrophobic atmosphere

Sandra Bullock and George Clooney’s performances are both great

This film is both visually stunning and has fantastic special effects and CGI. I would definitely recommend this movie to any fan of Sci-Fi movies or thrillers as it is one of the best movies regarding space that has come out in a long time

 

10/10 – Cody

10/10 – Michael

100%

 

#4 on Cody’slist of favourite movies of 2013
#5 on Michael’s list of favourite movies of 2013

Rush

 

Directed By: Ron Howard

Written By: Peter Morgan

Starring:

Chris Hemsworth

Daniel Brühl

Olivia Wilde

Alexandra Maria Lara

Pierfrancesco Favino

Natalie Dormer

 

A wise man can learn more from his enemies than a fool from his friends. – Niki Lauda

 

The closer you are to death, the more alive you feel. It’s a wonderful way to live. It’s the only way to drive. – James Hunt

Rush is Ron Howard’s new movie depicting the true story of Formula 1 racers Niki Lauda and James Hunt and their compelling rivalry during the 1970’s.

 

Whether you’re a Formula 1 fan or not you will love this movie. It is entertaining from beginning to end. The racing scenes are unbelievably realistic and the direction is fantastic.

 

The film follows Niki Lauda (Daniel Brühl) and James Hunt (Chris Hemsworth) rise from Formula 3 to Formula 1 and their rivalry from beginning to end. James is cocky, arrogant and your typical playboy. He loves the fame and attention, especially from the women, that he gets. Lauda is more focused on work and obsessed with succeeding and being the best.

 

Chris Hemsworth proves that he is a future award-winning actor as his portrayal of James Hunt is brilliant but it is Daniel Brühl who steals every scene he’s in. I think he deserved an Oscar nomination aswell as his Golden Globe nod.

 

One of the best movies of 2013.

 

9/10 – Michael

8/10 – Cody

85%

 

#6 On Michael’s list of favourite movies of 2013

#5 On Cody’s list of favourite movies of 2013

 

American Hustle

Directed By: David O. Russell

Written by: Eric Warren Singer & David O. Russell

Starring:
Christian Bale
Bradley Cooper
Amy Adams
Jennifer Lawrence
Louis C.K
Michael Pena

Did you ever have to find a way to survive and you knew your choices were bad, *but* you had to survive ?– Irving Rosenfeld

American Hustle is David O. Russell’s fantastic follow-up to his 2012 film Silver Linings Playbook.

This film is about a con man Irving Rosenfeld (Bale) and his partner in crime Sydney Prosser (Adams) who are forced to work with FBI agent Richie DiMaso (Cooper) who uses them to try and take down corrupt politicians.

This movie is filled with rich characters, amazing performances and a great story. This film is marvellously directed by David O. Russell. It’s so packed with fun and enjoyable moments, that I would recommend it to anyone.

A moment that shows the character of Irving Rosenfeld extremely well is the opening scene in which he puts together an over-elaborate comb over of his, I thought this was a great showcase of his character.

Jennifer Lawrence’s character of Irving’s wife Rosalyn Rosenfeld, has a few brilliant moments in this movie, most of which involve her arguing with Irving.

American Hustle has to be my favourite film of 2013 and it fully deserves all of the critical acclaim it is receiving and I am really looking forward to David O. Russell’s next film as he is fast becoming one of my favourite directors.

10/10 – Cody

10/10 – Michael

100%

#1 on Cody’s list of favourite movies of 2013
#3 on Michael’s list of favourite movies of 2013

Star Trek: Into Darkness

Directed By: J.J Abrams

 

Written by:

Roberto Orci

Alex Kurtzman

Damon Lindelof

 

Starring:

Chris Pine

Zachary Quinto

Benedict Cumberbatch

Zoe Saldana

Karl Urban

Simon Pegg

You think you world is safe? It is an illusion. A comforting lie told to protect you. Enjoy these final moments of peace. For I have returned to have my vengeance. So, shall we begin?– John Harrison

The needs of the many are greater than the need of the few – Spock (originally from Charles Dickins)

I was highly awaiting this sequel to the 2009 action blockbuster Star Trek and after a week into its release i finally got around to going to see it in the cinema

After Starfleet comes under attack by intergalactic terrorist John Harrison (Benedict Cumberbatch), Captain James T. Kirk (Chris Pine) leads a mission into a war-zone to catch him

This movie is action packed and it is very good right from its fast paced opening right to the very end

The acting in in this movie is really good all around especially from the three main leads

Title of the movie makes it seem like a dark dramatic film but really it has frequent funny moments that are there to relieve you from the drama

After watching this movie I can safely say that J.J Abrams has done a great job of bringing Star Trek to a new generation of people and this piece of highly entertaining cinema will please fans of the original series and people new to the Star Trek universe, if they are to make a sequel I will happily turn up at the cinema and I trust the direction this franchise is going in

I really love the way these two new Star Trek films are Reboots but also sequels to the original Star Trek television series and they handle doing this very well

7/10 – Cody

7/10 – Michael

70%