The Hunger Games

This review was requested by sugar cupcakes,  also check out her blog at http://aworldawayquestions.blogspot.co.uk/!!!!

The Hunger Games

I am sure that many of you have read the AMAZING book, by Suzzane Collins, and I would advise if you are thinking of reading the book, you read it before you watch the film. 

This film is set in future America, in a place called Panem. Panem is split into 12 districts and the capitol ( It is spelt with an o!!) Each year a female and a male teenager from each district is selected in a lottery to participate in the hunger games. Part entertainment for the Capitol and part brutal revenge, for a past rebelion. The 24 competetors are forced to kill each other to survive while the whole of panem is made to watch it. When Katniss's younger sister, Prim is chosen to fight in the games Katniss volenteers to fight instead of Prim. Katniss and the male competitor, Peeta are put against bigger and stronger competitors, some, who have been training for all there lives...

Katniss

This film was brilliant! You may be wondering if it is anything like the book, or if they have missed out any important bits from the book and surprisingly they haven't! The book is very long, but somehow they fitted in mostly everything! This film is really exiting and keeps you on the edge of your seat! The actors are great, and so are the costumes! In the Capitol the people dress really extravagantly, with coloured wigs, big dresses and amazing makeup, so I was impressed with how they handled that!

The story-line is amazing, and it touches some issues about about how unfair some people are treated. The people who live in the 12 districts are ruled by one place, the capitol. It shows how powerful a city can get by threatening and hurting people. The games were made to teach the other districts in Panem that there is no way they can fight against the capitol. They can make children kill each other to survive and if you win the games you will live a life of luxury, but you will have to live the rest of your life knowing that you have killed other kids to live like that. In a way I think this film take you back to the Roman ages (which sounds a bit weird), how rich people , the capitol, enjoy watching the less fortunate, the tributes, suffer and die, just like gladiators in the arena. This was shown strongly.

There where some animals created by the capitol in the film, I though they were really clever they were:

Jabberjays - Which are mutated birds used by the Capitol to 'record' and bring back full human conversations that the rebels had. When they rebels discovered these birds they sent false information back to the Capitol and the Jabberjays were eventually left to die.

Mockingjay - instead of dying the Jabberjays eventually mated with the mockingbirds and created Mockingjays. Instead of repeating conversations like the Jabberjays, these birds repeat sounds and melodies.

Mutated Dogs -These were used during the Seventy-Forth Hunger Games. These dogs had their eyes replaced with those of the dead tributes, making it feel like the Tributes were coming back to get them.

Tracker jackers -are hornets that track and destroy. In the best cases the poison will just make you delusional; in the worst cases, they could cause death.

These animals were fitted into the film really well. I though the mockingjays brought hope to the film and the tributes.

My favorite characters was Katniss. She was really strong and brave, and I liked the way she always put her family first.

In conclusion I though this film was a great success and it didn't stray too far from the book!

Rating: 10/10

Age:10+

Recommendation: Really high!

Shanghai Noon

Shanghai Noon

This film has my favourite actor... JACKIE CHAN! That is partly why I love this film so much... I have watched it so many times, and I think I could watching loads more times!

 It is set in the late 19th century western. Chon Wang is a clumsy Imperial Guard to the Emperor of China. When Princess Pei Pei is kidnapped from the Forbidden City, Wang feels personally responsible and insists on joining the guards sent to rescue the Princess, who has been taken away to the United States. In Nevada and hot on the trail of the kidnappers, Wang is separated from the group and soon finds himself an unlikely partner with Roy O'Bannon, a small time robber with delusions of grandeur. Together, they find themselves in one accident after another. 

This film was hilarious! Jackie Chan is really good to watch because you know when he does all his karate a stunt man is not doing it for him! Owen Wilson is best knowen for being in the film like 'Night at the Museum' and 'Marley and Me', both of those film have been a sucsess and I feel that this one was one too!

I really really really really liked this film and I really think you should watch it!

Rating: 10/10

Age: 11-Adult

Recommendation: Really really high


Here is it's trailer:

Link to buy this off amazon! You really should!

The Art Of Getting By

The Art Of Getting By

This film is about a boy called George who has made it all the way to his senior year without doing a full day of work. He doesn't see the point of life, school or homework and believes in the quote that you are born alone, die alone and everything else is an illusion. Then he meets Sally, a popular but complicated girl who understands George then feels like there is a reason to go to school and make friends, but still not ready to admit that he actually loves Sally. The school then introduce him to Dustin a successful artist who could help George in finding a meaning in his life, but other distractions start to surface, and he may not be able to graduate from high school.

I quite liked this film as it wasn't cheesy, but it was good. It has some funny bits , sad bits and romantic parts, it was an all rounder.

The actor that play George and Sally are both successful, Emma Roberts has been in the film 'Wild Child', 'Nancy Drew' and 'Hotel for Dogs' and Freddie Highmore is best know for being in 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory' even though he performed  in it when he was about about twelve. 

I have seen some reveiws about this film which have stated it was really bad and they say it was boring and cheesy so, maybe you shouldn't watch it... I'm not really sure...

Rating: 5.5/10

Age: 11-14

Recommendation: maybe not for everyone...

The link to buy it off amazon... if you want it

Notting Hill

Notting Hill

This film is about a completely normal man who works in a travel book shop in notting hill. One day when working he notices a world loved actress look at the books in his shop, and again when he goes out to buy some drinks. He bumps into her  and spills orange juice on her. She then accepts his offer to go and get changed at his house as he lived very close to his shop. They get to know each other over a couple of months, but being together with one of the world most famous woman is not easy as the press will do anything for a good picture.

I loved this film because it was really funny, the story line was not predictable also the actors were good. However there was some bad language, and there are some inappropriate scenes so anyone under the age of 10 should probably not watch this film! 

In my synopsis I did not mention his welsh room mate, he is really funny and mad so he is my favourite character.

In conclusion I really think this film is worth watching, so honestly watch it!

Rating: 8.5/10

Age: 12-adult

Recommendation: Fairly High 


Here is a trailer:

The link to buy it off amazon.

Some Like It Hot!

    Some Like It Hot

This an old black and white film, I usually hate black and white films because i usually get bored really quickly but for some reason I loved this film. It has the one and only Marilyn Monroe who plays a stereo typical dumb blonde , but she is not the only star. The film starts of with two men musicians, who witness a mafia killing. Soon realising that they must run away before the mafia kill them they plan to join an all woman band, tis is when Marilyn comes in, she plays the main singer named Sugar Kane who performs in the band the two men manage to to join the band who are planning to go to Miami to perform in a hotel.

 One of the men, Joe, falls in love Sugar and tries his hardest to live his life as a 'woman' and 'a rich millionaire' at the same time! In the meantime the other man (Jerry), as a woman, gets persuaded to go out to dance with a millionaire named Osgood. They dance the tango all through the night and Jerry came back to his room telling Joe some big news...

This film is funny and a bit like and 1950's version of a rom-com! It is one of me and my mum's favourite films, I think one of the main reasons I love this film so much was because it ahs Marilyn Monroe in it! Yay! 

I think it could have had a little bit more of a storyline but i guess that is the nature of films like that!

Rating: 8/10

Age: 9/10-adult

Recommendation: High!

I managed to find the original movie trailer and here it is...

and the link to buy it off amazon

 buy it here!

Hope you like it (if you see it) and thanks for reading!

Poll Draw!

This is just to say thank you to all the people who have voted on my poll unfortunately there was a draw between 'Chalet Girl' and 'Some Like It Hot' so I will have to write about both! Remember to comment and tell me about films that you have seen and loved or hated!

Son of Rambow

Son Of Rambow

Son of Rambow is about two boys with completely different backgrounds working together to create a home made film.  It is set in a long summer holiday in the early 80's. We see the story through one of the boys eyes, Will.

 Will is the eldest son of a fatherless Plymouth Brethren family who believe they are 'god's chosen one's' and there strict moral code means that Will is not aloud to watch the television, listen to music and mix with 'the bad group'. Well that was until he was caught in the complicated life of Lee Carter. Lee Carter is the school bully, and maker of bizarre films.

 Carter exposes Will to a pirate copy of Rambo: First Blood and from that moment Will's mind is blown wide open and he's easily convinced to be the stuntman in Lee Carters' diabolical home movie. Will's imaginative little brain is not only given chance to flourish in the world of film making, but is also very handy when it comes to dreaming up elaborate schemes to keep his partnership with Lee Carter a secret from the Brethren community. 

 They start to make a name for themselves at school as movie makers but when popularity descends on them in the form of the  French exchange student, Didier Revol, their unique friendship and their precious film are pushed, quite literally, to breaking point. 

This is another great family film as it is not a chick-flick or a action packed film! It is really funny but also exiting and shows the hardship of growing up.

My favourite character is Didier, the french exchange student when he was in England he was really popular but when he was in france is thought of really strange and very unpopular.

The two boy in the film are really good as it was there first time. If I could change one thing about it I would change nothing i don't think it needed changing!

Score: 9/10

Age Rating: It is a PG but I think people aged from 10-adult.

Recomendation: YOU MUST SEE THIS!

Here is it's trailer:

Link to order the film off amazon

Hope you enjoyed it!

Miss Congeniality

Miss Congeniality 

Gracie Hart is a F.B.I. agent who shows no sign of femininity in her appearance or personality. But when a serial killer indicates that his next target is the Miss United States beauty pageant, the F.B.I. decides that they must get an undercover agent as a participant in the contest. A search uncovers no suitable candidate other than Agent Gracie Hart. Reluctantly, her captain agrees to let her join the team working the case. 

She enters as Miss New Jersey, replacing a contestant who was discovered unacceptable to enter the pageant . The managers of the pageant are immediately horrified about the agent appearing in the show, but arrange a top handler to come and give her a quick makeover, with the expected outstanding results.

 When the killer is suddenly caught, everything seems to be over, except the Gracie tries to convince her boss that something is still not right. She has discovered that the pageant managers are being sacked after 21 years for younger people, and one of the manager's character may not be as honest as she seems on the surface.

The reason I love this film is that it is crosses different genres. It has loads of funny moments but is thrilling but some romance is squeezed in! This film is great for people aged from 11- adult, I watched this with my mum, dad and brother and we all loved it!

All of the actors are great especially Sandra Bullock who is my favourite actress! She fits in this film really well and could change her personality to fit as this tomboy agent!

If there was one thing I would change about this film is that it can be a little bit predictable at times but otherwise it is excellent!

Here is it's trailer:

And buy it off amazon here Miss Congeniality to order off amazon.

P.S The sequel to this film is Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous, it is also great her is the trailer,

and link for amazon Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and fabulous link for amazon

Or buy them as a box set: Box set from amazon