Film Review: Nativity!

•  Name: Nativity!
• Released: UK - 27th November 2009
• Genres: Comedy, Family
• Duration: 105 mins
• Director: Debbie Isitt
• Writer: Debbie Isitt
• Stars: Martin Freeman, Marc Wooton, Jason Watkins and Pam Ferris

  

My Review:

 

As it's December, I only thought right to review a Christmas related film, so here it is.

 

Although this film is centralized around the Nativity which is Christmas related, it doesn't really focus on Christmas at the heart of the story. I think that they got the festive balance just right because I dislike films that are all about Christmas and don't really have much storyline to them.

 

Having said that, I think that the storyline in this film was similar to other films and quite repetitive; it was like the disaster movie all over again! I think that Debbie Isitt was trying too hard to get a funny, action-filled movie and ended up with everything going wrong. This may have been her intention but, if it was, it still didn't work. Too much was going on in it and I think there should have been just a couple of major failure points in the storyline.

  

The way that the parts were cast I think was done very well. I think that Martin Freeman, Pam Ferris, Jason Watkins and Alan Carr were cast particularly well. However, I think that, as a fan of the Royale Family, Ricky Tomlinson is too set cast to be playing someone as serious as the Mayor. Whenever I see him I automatically picture Jim Royale lounging around in his Y-fronts! Apart from that, I think that him and Pam Ferris worked extremely well together and fitted well for the characters relationship Isitt was trying to get across. Overall, I think that this is the best cast film that I have seen in a long while.

 

 To conclude, the rating on the film is a U which obviously aims it at younger children - most of whom I think would thoroughly enjoy it as well as bringing a smile to the parents' faces.

 

 

 

Overall Rating: 3.7/5

 

 

Many Thanks to IMDb.com

Film Review: Kissing Cousins

• Name: Kissing Cousins
• Released: UK - 11th March 2008
• Genres: Comedy, Romance
• Duration: 98 mins
• Director: Amyn Kaderali
• Writer: Amyn Kaderali
• Stars: Samrat Chakrabarti, Rebecca Hazlewood Rachael C. Smith & Lauren Stamile

   

My Review:

 

First things first, I commend Amyn Kaderali for making one hilarious film. It's funny and it's unique - there aren't many films with this sort of story line out on the market. Also, the mixture of Indian, American and British makes an unusual combination but, weirdly, it works!

 

But (now for the BIG but) although many things about this film made me fall in love with the acting from the likes of Samrat Chakrabarti, it made me dislike  Rebecca Hazelwood. I'm going just to put it bluntly, she cannot act for toffee. Whoever cast her as one of the main characters that is supposed to make us feel a really special connection through the screen between her character - Zara and Amir, she ruins it for me. Her acting seems very, very fake. Also, some advice for Kaderali, next time change your casting crew and editing crew because both let Kaderali down. When we first meet Amir's mother, you can really, really tell that what we are hearing is recorded and (badly) put in with her mouth.

 

Another improvement point is that I thought the ending was poor. I don't think that big a thing was made of Bridget earlier in the film which I think is what made this film falter at the end ever-so-slightly.

 

However, having complained bitterly about the casting and editing of this film I think that the story line and the way that us, as the audience, get that real sense of connection with Amir which I think by far stands out as the best actor in this film. I also think that Amyn Kaderali deserves some serious credit for this film as I love the constant connections and hidden links within the film and the comedy element brought a smile to my face.

 

  

Overall Rating: 3.3/5

 

 

Many Thanks to IMDb.com

Film Review: Romeo and Juliet (1996 Version)

• Name: Romeo and Juliet
• Released: UK - 28th March 1997
• Genres: Crime, Drama, Thriller, Romance & Tragedy
• Duration: 120 mins
• Director: Baz Luhrmann
• Writer: William Shakespeare (play), Craig Pearce & Baz Luhrmann

 

My Review:

 

I felt that the way that this film was cast was absolutely superb so I take my hat off to them for that. Leonardo DiCaprio played a hunky yet sensitive Romeo whilst Claire Danes, just sixteen at the time of shooting, played a convincing, innocent Juliet. Tybalt, played by John Leguizamo, I have to say was probably the best characterisation out of all of them. He was feisty and fiery - just how I imagined Tybalt, Prince of Cats, to be like. Sampson, Mercutio, Friar Laurence and the Nurse were also cast very well.

  

However, having said that, although I thought it was very clever how they modernised it, the way that they mixed Shakesperian language with a modern setting really put me off. My view is that you either do Shakespeare or you do a modern versions; you don't mix them. I commend Craig Pearce & Baz Luhrmann for having a go as many film makers have been put off remaking Shakespeare as it can go really well, or it can go awfully. But, contradicting that last statement, I think even though I dislike the combination of a modern setting and characters and Shakesperian language, I think this film isn't as bad as it could be.

 

The romance and the chemistry shown onscreen between DiCaprio and Danes is captivating although I believe the ending could have been more dramatic, romantic and lasted longer.

 

Overall, I think that this is an alright remake of the film and does some sort of justice to Shakespeare's work.

 

 

Overall Rating: 4.1/5

  

 

Many Thanks to IMDb.com

Film Review: Starter for 10

• Name: Starter for 10
• Released: 10th November 2006
• Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance
• Duration: 92 mins
• Director: Tom Vaughan
• Writer: David Nicholls
• Stars: James McAvoy, Catherine Tate, James Corden, Dominic Cooper

 

 My Review:

 

What I love about this film is the way that is cleverly cast; James McAvoy is really convincing and I think that the dorky style suits him in a way! Alice Eve is also cast well as the sweet, unexpected 'villain', if you like. Catherine Tate, again, was cast very well and I take my hat off to her for very convincingly pulling off the role of the mother of someone who's only 11 years younger than her! Benedict Cumberbatch also deserves some major, major credit - he wasn't so well known when the film was released but boy, he did a fantastic job. Although his character was the comedic element, he seemed totally natural which made it all the more funnier.

 

However, having said that, I dislike the way that James Corden was cast, I completely disagree with the part that he was given. The thing with James Corden is you either give him quite a big part for him to be really able to express himself, or, you don't cast him at all.

 

Aside from the casting, I thought that they got the setting spot-on for the university.

 

Also, the plot wasn't fantastic, if I'm being brutally honest. It didn't really go anywhere. The only thing that had changed was that, essentially, he'd got a girlfriend. End of story.

 

One last thing, the last scene with James McAvoy and Rebecca Hall is not romantic, in my opinion at all! They're sat right by a protest, on a wall, sat about a mile apart, kissing. Not to mention the kissing looks very, very fake. It's almost like they're being forced to kiss, which, even if they were in real life, shouldn't be portrayed in the film.

 

All-in-all, this film was alright, nothing overly special but if you have the chance to see it, it could give you some insight to the actors attributes and limits as well as giving you the odd chuckle here and there.

 

 

Overall Rating: 3.9/5

 

 

Many Thanks to IMDb.com