Ratcatcher

After seeing the trailer for We Need To Talk About Kevin, got another urge to watch Lynne Ramsay's Ratcatcher. Really brilliant gritty film, will write more when I get the chance. Definitely recommend it.

Seen quite a few films lately

But having mixed reviews of them. First was Black Swan; I'd started to watch it when it first came out, but couldn't get in to it. Finally sat down to watch it, and have to say I wish I didn't. Although visually, it's a gorgeous film (the costumes are to die for), and Mila Kunis makes a brilliant appearance as Lily, I felt the storyline was lacking in any real entertainment value, and just seemed to get in over it's head with it's very 'deep' issues. Didn't enjoy it too much - a film definitely set out solely to win awards rather than entertain. To be fair, I didn't expect much of it - Aronofsky's The Wrestler was pretty appalling.

However, after someone spoke about it in class, I did watch The Social Network, and was incredibly impressed. Entertaining throughout, a few laugh out loud moments and just a very good film. Fantastic performance from Jesse Eisenburg (who I thought was Michael Cera for most of the film), really interesting take on the set up of facebook. Loved it, had high expectations because Fight Club is one of my favourite films (also found out the writer, Aaron Sorkin, did a few series of West Wing, another bonus).

Re-watched the 2004 Jude Law film Alfie. Good light hearted film, realised this time round not too much of a plot, but pretty much the same as the original. Can't really go wrong with this film, pretty bog-standard romcom.

We Need to Talk about Kevin Trailer

Browsing through film trailers for media homework, came across this trailer. It was released at the Cannes Film Festival, I've read the book, which was brilliant, and the film looks very promising. Directed by Lynne Ramsay, who also did Ratcatcher, so high hopes for this film, can't wait for the release!

'Fish Tank' - Andrea Arnold

Director and Writer - Andrea Arnold
Year - 2009
Starring - Katie Jarvis and Michael Fassbender (known for 300, X Men)


Watched downstairs, without parents, as I didn't think they'd enjoy it - on a Thursday night. I bought the DVD last week after seeing it on BBC iPlayer but never getting a chance to watch it. 
The film was quite dark, and what would be described as 'gritty'. Set on a council estate in Essex, it follows the story of Mia, a fifteen year old girl with an abusive mother who seems to prefer partying to looking after her and her younger sister.
Mia is a street dancer, and with the encouragement of her mum's new boyfriend she enters a local competition to land a spot dancing in a club.
The film explores the shady themes of neglect and poverty, and due to this and some explicit scenes involving the teenage girl and her mum's much older boyfriend, I'd definitely say that this isn't a light hearted film. It's a BBC film, but hasn't been shown before 10pm, so not a family film. I think the kind of audiences 'Fish Tank' would attract would be either teens who enjoyed programmes such as 'Skins', or 'Kidulthood' - programmes that have a similar feel to them. Not a film to recommend if someone wants a light hearted watch, I'd say that it suits more of a British audience than an American one, due to the hard nature of the film.