Private Peaceful, based on the book by Michael Morpurgo, is a low-budget British war film. The movie is inevitably going to be compared to War Horse, the other Morpurgo adaptation to come out recently. This comparison would be unfair, however, as not only did Private Peaceful start production before War Horse, but it's actually a much better movie. While the Speilberg film was … [Read more...]
Ruby Sparks (2012) review by That Film Brat
Directed by husband and wife team Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris, Ruby Sparks is a 2012 comedy-drama, based around a struggling writer named Calvin (Paul Dano), suffering writer's block in attempting to write the follow-up to his big success. His therapist (Elliot Gould) suggests he writes something regardless of it's quality. So, he invents a girl, his dream girl, in fact. … [Read more...]
Wild Bill (2012) review by That Film Guy
British character actor and one of the lead stars of Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels Dexter Fletcher turns his hand to directing in his debut feature Wild Bill. Uniting together a who's who of British acting royalty it is the story of Wild Bill (Charlie Creed-Miles), a father who returns home from prison to find his sons Dean (Will Poulter) and Jimmy (Sammy Williams) left … [Read more...]
Review: The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012)
Writing can sometimes be a thankless task. Some people will love what you write, others will hate it and the majority won't care. But those who like to write do so for a variety of reasons; to become famous, to be liked or simply to express themselves in a way that they find difficult in 'real life.' Whatever the reasons for writing, there are endless possibilities that lay … [Read more...]
God Bless America (2012) review by That Film Brat
God Bless America is a 2012 black comedy that revolves around Frank (Joel Murray) who's life is slowly falling apart around him. His wife left him, his daughter wants nothing to do with him, he just got fired from his job on the basis of a sexual harassment complaint which persecuted him for the terrible crime of sending the woman in question flower, and he has an inoperable … [Read more...]
Cosmopolis (2012) review by That Film Guy
Director David Cronenberg made a name for himself in the 1980s with a series of films that explored the human body and the lengths at which scientists will go to experiment on them. Films such as Videodrome and The Fly have become cult classics and as his career progressed he slowly moved away from the 'body shock' and to a more psychological impacting series of films. In 2012 … [Read more...]
To Rome with Love (2012) by That Art House Guy
With To Rome With Love, Woody Allen continues his grand tour of European cities, following in the footsteps of Match Point (London), Vicky Cristina Barcelona and Midnight in Paris. He also appears in front of the camera for the first time in over five years, casting himself against type as an Italian lothario (just kidding “ in a shock twist he plays a neurotic New York Jew). … [Read more...]
Untouchable (2011, French) review by That Film Dude
Untouchable, based on a true story recounted in a book by Abdel Sellou, was a major event in France when it was first released, becoming the second most successful French film ever, and holding the number one spot at the box office for ten consecutive weeks. Its overseas release is presumably hoping to replicate the huge success of The Artist, and it's probably only a matter of … [Read more...]
Now is Good (2012) review by That Film Brat
A film sometimes comes along that you are biased against when going in. You are expecting rubbish. You roll up your sleeves, take a deep breath, and walk in the cinema prepared for the mess you are convinced you're about to witness. A lot of the time, these fears turn out to be true, due to the fact that your brain is actively looking for things to dislike about the film. You … [Read more...]
The Green Mile (1999) review That Film Guy
Stephen King adaptations have become a mainstay in Hollywood since Carrie was released in 1976. Known for his contributions to horror fiction, in books, television and film, his dramatic short stories have actually provided the basis of some of the best film adaptations, notably Frank Darabont's masterpiece The Shawshank Redemption and its sister film The Green Mile. Based on a … [Read more...]