298, Champagne Problems

Firstly - don't panic - I've not written a blog about a Taylor Swift song!

Champagne Problems (available on Netflix) is the first (and possibly the last) of the 2025 Christmas Movie Blogs, and the good bit is, it's not actually a proper Christmas movie.

Okay - it's 'set' at Christmas in Paris and the stunning Champagne region, it's slushy and romantic, the plot is super easy to work out and the cast is gorgeous.  To be honest, there is nothing really bad to say about it!  So perhaps it really is a Christmas Movie!

In brief - our loveable lead (Sydney - played by Minka Kelly / Ransom Canyon) is tasked by her boss to head over to Paris, at Christmas to buy-out a failing Vinyard.  She meets a guy on her first night there, kind of falls in love, is late for her meeting the next day - turns up, faced with a room full of other investors all after the same thing and would you believe it! Guess who turns up as the Son of the Vineyard owner.  (Don't worry - not really a spoiler - its very predictable!) 

Next stop - they all get whisked away for a weekend at the Vineyard in Champagne, to get to learn about the business, the owner - and all basically just have a lovely time so he can make up his mind who he wants to sell too.

What made this move for me is the characters.  There really is no one to dislike.  Sydney (Minka) is just adorable, the love interest (Henri) is suarve and friendly - his Dad (Hugo) is just the nicest man on the planet and then there are the other bidders.  Roberto, the Gay Billionaire who just wants to party.  Otto, the up-tight German who is all about efficieny (stereo-typed to the max!) and Brigitte, the local French woman who has a history with the widowed Vineyard owner.  Even if they tried to make you dislike any of them, you just can't.  

The script joyfully skips along at quite a decent pace & the surroundings / settings are stunning, albeit the scene set within the Parisian Christmas Markets (I hear on good authority) is never that calm and friendly! 

Does it peak at any point?  Is there the build up to the high, followed by the low, and then the happy ending moment - of course there is, but it's done is such a way that you dont care if you know how it's all going to end within the first 10 minutes, it's actually a lovely little watch.

Will it make you feel Christmassy?  Possibly, but it WILL make you wish you were in Paris for Christmas and if you're like us, 40 minutes into the movie we were goolging 'Vineyard get-aways in Champagne' for the new year (mostly unnafordable of course) but we can only dream.

It won't go down as a Christmas Classic and I'll probably read over this blog again in a few years time wondering what the hell this movie was all about, as there are dozens with the same sort of premise but for the here and now, make sure you add this one to your Christmas 2025 viewing.  If anything, it'll make a nice change to Elf and The Holiday I'm sure! 

(Images used in blog are sourced from IMDB, The guardian, Parade, Radio times & US Weekly)

297, Frankenstein

 

A new offering from Netflix this month is Guillermo del Toro's re-imagining of Frankenstein, taken as always from the 1818 Mary Shelley Novel.

I have to admit, of the 60+ movie adaptations of this book (so far), I dont recall ever actually watching one in full! (or even reading the book!).  The classic 1931 version is deemed the most iconic, characterising the 'creature' with the high forehead & bolts in the neck and there have been dozens more versions in between that and this most recent offering, but I am not really in the best position to compare this to either these prior movies or the novel itself however, it appears del Toro's version is being priased for not only being "faithfull to the original text" but also hailed as "a great and powerfull modern re-telling".

Our story starts as many do now,  at the end - with the first half of the film narrated retrospectively by Victor Frankenstein himself, being chased across the NorthPole by his creation, only to be saved by a Navy Sea Captain who with his crew, set out to protect Victor from his hunter and it's to this Captain that Victor re-tells his tale.  Oscar Isaac portays the inventor and does a pretty good job.  Erratic, funny in parts, obsessive and single minded, we flash back to memories of childhood and his doting mother and overbearing father (played by Charles Dance) who, as a world leading Surgeon, is intent on ensuring his eldest son follow in his footsteps, which to all intents and purposes Victor does, only to be consumed with the objective of re-creating life which lays out our plan for the remainder of this first act.

The creating of the creature itself for me, was probably the highlight of the movie.  Victor meets Harlander (played by Christoph Waltz) who, with an ulterior motive, after seeing Victors presentation of his early works on re-invention offers unlimited funds to support his project.  They aquire a desolate tower in the middle of nowhere and set about creating the laboratory in which our tale begins.  

The lab itself was more reminiscent to Jim Carey's 'Riddlers' lair in Batman Forever and the horrific process, graphically portratyed by del Toro with the chopping up and splicing together of body parts was gruesome, but somehow, being set to a very uplfting and cheerfull soundtrack suddenly made it all enjoyable and fun - removing the viewer from the actual horrors of what was happening before your very eyes.     

Now, I can only assume that as in the original novel, Frankenstein becomes frustratred with his creation - deeming it a failed experiment and nothing like what he imagined so sets out to destroy the creature, with disasterous consequences.

There are many other elements I've purposely missed at this point.  A yonger brother and his fiance* that causes distuption for Victor - Harlanders ulterior motive, Victors own struggles and how that plays out but, all in all - Act 1 is great fun.

Back on the Navy Ship and after Victor finishes his story to the Naval Sea Captain, we switch to the 2nd part of the movie and we actually get to hear the Creatures side of things.  His portrayal of events that has led him to the North Pole and to hunting down his creator.

For a 'Frankensteins Monster', forget the bolts and high forehead, the slow marching, arms out in front and constant moaning.  This creature is actually quite a handome chap.  Played by Jacob Elordi, I kept getting flashbacks to a less 'shiny' version of Paul Bettany's Vision / J.A.R.V.I.S (Marvel) with the two tone skin colouring and smooth head (with hair that grew over time).  The Creature is somewhat a caring soul - dangerous, strong and deadly yes, but childlike and wanting to experience new things - none of which is seen by Victor (or seen but ignored) but only understood by Elizabeth* - the aforementioned fiance of the younger brother.

After managing to escape Victors first attempt at destruction, the Creature sets out on his own adventure, seeking hidden refuge with a family of hunters and learing how to speak and understand reality from an old blind man played by David Bradley (Filch from the Harry Potter movies) who takes pity on our anti-hero and in the absence of his own family, spurs the creature on to seek out his creator and set the record straight.  

As with Victors story, I've purposely left out some key points of act 2 but one to highlight is the brutal nature of the Creature lending itself to a fantastic wolf fight.  Again, hide your eyes if you're more the squemish type, but once all is said and done we end up back at the North Pole, on the Naval ship, with Inventor and Creator reunited and Victor finally getting to understand what he has created.

Overall I really enjoyed this one.  At nearly 2.5hrs long it didn't really seem to drag at any point.  The story itself  I found fast paced and they manage to cram an awful lot ino this movie.  The Cinematography and acting was fantastic, a little campy in parts - but aren't all monster movies?  

The scenery is breathtaking - beautiful surrounding from high luxury stately homes to desolate northern wastelands and great but subtle special effects.  Let's just say, the CGI used on some of the wild animals would feel just as easily at home in the new Snow White movie than it does in this.

If like me you think know all about Frankenstein but only through what you've heard or believe to be accurate - give ths one a go.  If you have seen other variations, namely the Kenneth Branagh outing from 94' then definately check this one out as it should make a good comparison.

Scary? Not really.  Brutal? Occasionally. Future Classic? Probably not - but, this movie should stand up strong against prior versions and I can now say, pretty confidently - ask me about Frankenstein and his Creature, and I can tel you what it's all about!.

(Images used in blog are sourced from IMDB, Empire Magazine, House & Garden, Broadway Cinema, & The Shaving Room)

 

296, Hedda

Hedda is a current Amazon Prime release that follows a single evening in the company of Mr & Mrs Tesman, predominantly Hedda - the wife to George Tesman who, besotted with his wife, has recently purchased a significant sized estate to afford her the life of luxury and ceremony that she desires.

The evening focusses on a party, thrown at Hedda's request, that sees prominent figures from literature and education thrown together with friends from Hedda's past in a hedonistic, boozy & egotistical evening of pleasure and betrayal.

Hedda's past life is a mixed bag of socialite dating, power grabbing, bullying and a sense of self importance - most of which appear to be very much unknown to Hedda's rather naive husband and it becomes clear very early on that the house, the lifestyle and the promises afforded to Hedda all focus on a promotion at work for George, that comes under threat when the arrival of Eileen Lovborg sends the party into a spiral.  Armed with a new manuscript in-hand, something she believes is a sure-fire way of her securing the job instead, initially believed to be a 'given' for George - the environment intensifies and Hedda start to manipulate the situation, guests and the activities to play out to her benefit.

Originally a play - the single setting of the house and party give itself easily to a stage production.  I couldn't help getting Gatsby vibes when watching this, albeit Hedda is set around 30 years later but for me there were many comparisons, especially the party itself - the setting, the grounds, the clothes and the frivolity - to me, all very similar.

Being a character driven screenplay I would admit there appears to be very little in the sense of a plot line.  The real funs starts when Eileen arrives - and the backstory between her and Hedda soon becomes apparent, as does Hedda's past life and how she ended up where she is, much to everyones surprise as this was not the life some believed she should have.  

Eileen (played brilliantly by Nina Hoss - who I have only seen in Jack Ryan, 2022) is definitely the star of the show for me.  Hiding a dark past herself which does get some explanation,  the relationship with Hedda comes from a seemingly dark place,  either through abuse of power or position - even perhaps adoration or obsession we only get the headlines but this becomes the focus of the story and one that plays out to its conclusion.

Some may find this movie isn't their cup of tea - would it have been better on the stage? Well, perhaps.  I however did enjoy it.  It's all about the characters and their ulterior motives that captured my interest - the power play between George and Hedda, the involvement of Eileen and Thea (Eileen's +1 to the party) along with yet another side interest of Hedda's - Roland and the many other guests that all seem apparent to the continuation of the story as we make our way through the night, only to end up the following morning with a police investigation and some questions to be answered.

The whole film is set to an over indulgent soundtrack - fast paced percussion pretty much throughout and songs from the time - I was confused about the addition of Bjork's "It's Oh So Quiet" but found out (after googling) that it was actually a cover of an original 50's track that now all makes sense!  I do think the music was heavy & defiantly being used to build tension and atmosphere but it worked very well in parts and did add another level to a plot so heavily focussed on the spoken word.

How does it end?  Well, that's for you to find out yourselves - historically this blog won't ever really give the game away but If you liked Gatsby, if Theatre screenplays are your thing - if you like a story that includes intrigue and deceit then this may be a hidden gem you'll thank me for.  If these are not you're your thing - don't blame me - you were warned! 

(Images used in blog are sourced from IMDB, BBC, Vanity Fair, The Guardian & Rotten Tomatoes)

295, A House of Dynamite

Well, if you all thought my comeback post, 'Trainspotting 2' (Blog #294) in 2017 was a welcome return to the blog, only to be dissapointed with a 'one off' submission following a 3yrs gap then rest assured, I'm re-vitalised, re-married, re-invigorated and the blog is back!

In a world that's 11yrs older than it was last time out (ignore the T2 post!) so much has changed! 

Is the written a blog a thing of the past?  Do I have it in me to re-launch onto Tik-Tok or result to viral streaming to visualise my ramblings - or are there enough of you out there still interested in the typed script, well, we will see!

The Blog will now take a new turn - with the successes of Netflix, Paramount+, Apple TV, Disney +, Amazon Prime plus much better terrestial T.v offerings outside of 'soap world', you don't need to go to the Cinema four times a week to keep up with all the new releases.  There is so much Blockbuster action now focussing itself into streaming services and big named stars appearing in TV shows that I am hoping to blog more about the everyday accessible viewing, not just the cinema realeases that are very much (for me), few and far between compared to the beginnings of this blog and hopefully - everyone will be happy!

Where to start!

Box sets have exploded - the 'binge' TV show is a current normality for most and my household is no different - saving up espisodes to smash out over a week or weekend.  The culture of 'everything everywhere all at once' (see what I did there?) has gripped us all so although this blog is a return to publication (and don't worry - there is a movie I have in mind to kick things off) - let's not forget some of the awesome stuff I've missed out on talking about over the last few years.  If you have ever read my blog and used it to decide what to watch - then below is especially for you!

Netflix:

Territory, The Diplomat, Lincoln Lawyer, Gangs of London, Black Doves, American Primevil, The Night Agent, Riviera, House of Guiness.

Disney+

Rivals, Skeleton Crew, Dr Odessey

Sky

Industry, The Penguin, The Day of the Jackal, Sweet-Pea, Dune Prophecy, Seal Team, SWAT

Apple TV

Disclaimer, Your Friends and Neighbours, Slow Horses, Highest to Lowest, The Morning Show

Paramount+ (Or, the Taylor Sheridan channel!)

Lioness,  Yellowstone (plus all prequals), Landman, The Agency, Mobland, Tulsa King

Amazon Prime 

The Better Sister, Lie to Me, Ballard, Suga, The Termination List: Dark Wolf, Marching Powder, Handmaids Tale, Cross 

(and many more I have probably missed - so just a few thousand of viewing there to crack on with - all recommended!)

............ and don't even ask me to list the hundreds of movies I've seen inbetween all of that!  Just imagine if I had stuck with it across the last 11 years, - I'd be well on my way to over 1000 posts.  

That's 2017 to 2025 all caught up - on with the Blog.

A House of Dynamite on Netflix starts out as a gripping thriller - set 18 minutes from potential USA devestation, you get to see the launch of an undisclosed foreign power nuclear weapon making a beeline for central USA and our story focusses on key areas of American Government, Defense and Public Opinion that has you gripped to your cushion and sitting on the edge of your seat for the first 40 minutes.  

The cast is phenominal - Rebecca Ferguson, Idris Elba, Gabriel Basso, Jared Harris, Jason Clarke - the list goes on.  Netflix can command this sort of cast & this size of budget and they rarely dissapoint so by the time the movie gets to around 37 minutes - I am as excited as a puppy with 2 tail's and then.....................reset.

Yes! just like that - seconds from devestation we get a rewind and Act 2 begins.  Basically, a repeat of Act 1 but from another perspective.  

Okay - breathe, they are building anticipation - no need to panic.  

But alas, Act 2 lacts the conviction of Act 1.  Is this because we now know whats happening - so nothing is a surprise?  Perhaps the Director (Kathryn Bigalow - Hurt Locker, Zero-Dark-Thirty) wanted a soft reset, to allow the chance for that anticipation to build once more - high following high? and just as you get there again, ACT 3!  another reset - come on!

The movie has been out a few weeks now so assuming some of you have already seen it, I dont want to spoil the ending for the rest - but for those who have seen it, I'm sure they would agree with me that we should spoil it for you!  If anything to save you from a complete dissapointment at the end and save you all the 112 minutes of your life you'd waste if you do watch all of this movie.

I read that the idea was to prompt a conversation - what would you do in this situation but in reality, we all like a conclusion to our movies or shows!  I remember 'Lost' - did they ever really explain it (I never got to the end) so to commit to the promise of this film - the cast, the director - the expectation.  I have to say, it sadly wasn't really for me.

That said - DO watch the first 40 minutes as a 'TV episode' and you get all you need - excitement, anticipation - and if I remember, you get to play "Guess the President" (as you only hear his voice in Act 1) 

Well - that's Post 295 done and dusted.  I hope my loyals will come back to me (I think we got over 20,000 at it's peak) which I know is nothing compared to the dizzy heights of streamers nowadays but I'm back in my happy place, and I look forward to you all sharing the ride with me.    

294, T2 Trainspotting

After a 3 year break its time to re-launch the blog and what better way than going full circle to one of the movies that first made me really appreciate cinema as a medium of story telling unlike no other and T2 completely solidifies my love for the art.

T2 takes place 20 years after the original movie ended and before the full opening credits you get a quick run down of events for Renton, Sick-Boy, Begbie and Spud all following immediately on from Renton's betrayal with the £20k he stole after the drug deal that ended the first movie.

No spoilers from me on this bit but its good to see how each have dealt with the fallout of that night.

Its hard to not speak highly of the way the 2nd movie seemingly brings the audience straight back into the fray and even if you haven't seen Trainspotting for 20 years - the way the movies connect make it easy to recall events and well placed flashbacks further assist in remembering the story links for each character as you literally re-live the original movie step by step. You HAVE to watch the original to fully enjoy T2 - so much of the nostalgia will be lost if you go into this cold and seeing as C4 / Film4 have been playing it quite regularly right no - there's no excuse.

Having watched all of the lead cast mature in different roles over the years it was amazing how easily they all fell back into character.  McGregor was immediately Renton all over again - the accents (not too hard I suppose) but the look, the clothing - very much a mirror image of his younger self however for me, having watched Elementary for a few years - seeing Johnny Lee-Miller revert  back into Simon with the hair - the accent - the general charismatic approach (even with James Bond references still present) was brilliant.

One of my favourite scenes was the pair of them having a boozy time reminiscing about the 90's - all to the total confusion of Sick-Boys 'friend' Veronica who just laughs along at the boyish charm and bromance being rediscovered by the long time friends after such a long break.

There are a lot of references that go back even further than the original - you hear how Renton and Begbie met, how Sick-Boy and Renton saved up for their first hit and how other characters not in the main group have also developed such as Mikey Forrester, Diane and Renton's Dad.

For me, it was all about the history - there is a great scene where (old) Spud finds himself back on the road from the original opening titles (the chase where Renton hits the car and laughs) and has a moment of reminisce as a very subtle, slowed down version of 'Lust for Life' kicks in - albeit cut short but for the real nostalgia you have to wait until the very last scene!

This was a beautiful movie - one filled with flashbacks and in my mind, every single story line opened in the original gets complete closure which is totally satisfying and as a duo of films, these two compliment each other like salt and pepper.  I couldn't think of a better way to close a 20 year story who, for a 20 year old at the time - and a 40 year old now, completely appreciate as not only a change in the times but also as a tale of maturity. It was my coming of age movie, one that I connected with and to see it finally finished was awesome.

293, Thor: The Dark World

For those of you who haven't kept up with the with the recent spat of Avengers, Iron Man, Thor movies and feel you need to get back in the loop, Thor 2 takes place chronologically after the Avengers movie - albeit 1 to 2 years later.

I too was wondering why after such a gap our blond hero didn't even bother letting his earth girlfriend know he was back in town, leaving local news bulletins to break it too her but luckily they were quickly answered with a slap to the face within the first 10 minutes of meeting up and a very speedy "you're forgiven" but I suppose the lure of a handsome God knocking on your door is enough not to warrant breaking up over!

Well, there is no doubt that Thor is back with a bang and offering his girlfriend a free trip to Asgard I'm sure was a highpoint in any love stricken woman so when she is possessed and a new (albeit ancient) enemy of Dark Elves rise up against humanity and threaten existence, Thor has to once more bring the Thunder as he did in Avengers to defeat evil once and for all.

Obviously this blog is coming out quite a while after Thor 2 hit the cinemas back in October (but even the best of us need a break!) and in all honesty - the entire plot line is now a bleary pre-Xmas blur however I do recall London getting mostly annihilated, Christopher Ecclestone playing a blinder as Dark Elf Malekith and Tom Hiddleston reprising his fallen Loki role, this time - forced into helping those he previously tried to destroy all for the greater good - enemy of my enemy is my friend and all that.

I am confident that the visual spectacle of Thor 2 will amuse the most hardcore Marvel fan base as and with most of the characters and relationships already in place - it doesn't take too long for familiar faces to reignite on the big screen.

As a Marvel fan myself I wont ever slam a Stan Lee inspired movie and seeing that most of my Christmas Stocking comprised of Marvel goodies - who am I to judge?

Oscar winner it isn't - but its damn good fun regardless!

292, Ender's Game

This is another of the movies that crept up silently, without a single trailer or clue what it was about before I came to watch it.  I literally knew that Harrison Ford and Ben Kingsley headed up a pretty slick cast list about a space age generation, locked in battle with an alien race.

After coming close to extension - the bravely on one warrior, Mazer Rackham (Kingsley) gave his life to save the human race.  50 years on - and expecting a retaliation attack, Colonel Graff (Ford) is heading up an elite force of teenage warriors - leading the way with game strategy and computer based warfare intelligence to create a 'remote controlled' army - set to destroy the enemy race - The Formecs.

Don't get me wrong - its not all kids in-front of TV screens - there is some actual training and one-on- one combat between the trainee troops but its the skills of youngster Ender Wiggin, played by Asa Butterfield that catches the Colonel's eye and Ender is quickly promoted through the ranks to officer training and with his own battalion of like minded youths.

 The final training scenario sees a now hardened and strategically advanced Ender take on Bonzo - leader of the Salamanders and as such - promoted to lead (albeit remotely) the potential attack on the Formecs.

I wont go into to many details about the end of the movie as there's a cheeky twist that see's Ender and his troops come to realise exactly the situation he's advanced himself to with devastating effects however on the whole, this was a new twist on an old story and one that was well acted and well received.


Ford & Kingsley head up the cast in roles that I wouldn't have guessed either would be interested in.  Maybe Ford is getting used to begin back in space ahead of his (rumoured) Star Wars return in Episode VII, due 2015. 

The special effects were standard to any other space / alien movie but you have to award this one to the kids, with the exception of Bonzo, who just sadly came across as annoying.  Ender, Petra, Bean & Alai all seemed to revel in their roles and under the leadership of Ford and Kingsley made this movie a nice little surprise that was a definite one to watch on the run into the Christmas blockbuster season.

291, Escape Plan

Those who have read this blog from Day 1 will know my love of 80's Action heroes.  Stallone, Arnie and the like and with Expendables 1 & 2, my childhood memories of huge explosions & 1 man armies was easily realised which meant that although being on a smaller scale - two of my all time favourite action stars teaming up for an intelligent 'prison break' styled movie was one I couldn't wait to see.

Sly plays Ray Breslin - the leading authority on private security and the type of guy who gets locked up (under cover) in some of the worlds toughest prisons, just to break out of them.

Breslin is seduced by the thought of topping his career by breaking out of the worlds toughest prison - location unknown, no safe words - a real lock down, but it soon becomes apparent that this ruse to get Breslin locked down is a set up and with no way out he has no choice but to defeat the most secure facility on earth - along with its own private army of guards.

Whilst inside he teams up with another aged but respected inmate (Arnie) who he manages to bring on-side with a promise of freedom if he helps Breslin crack the security protocols.  The guards (which include Vinnie Jones) are led by softly spoken Hobbes (Jim Caviezel) who although controlled and well mannered, shows an almost sadistic nature in his hold over the inmates and rules his prison with an iron fist.

The movie does plod along quite nicely and as with the Expendables - there are plenty of old age pranks between them both and a far more realistic and less 'gun-ho' approach to battle than their previous solo lone wolf outings. 

Caviezel is a new favourite of mine after the watching him in the brilliant TV show - Person of Interest and he is the perfect choice for this role however Vinnie Jones as the right hand 'hard-man' did seem to lower the tone ever so slightly - sorry Vinnie! 

On the flips side however - Sly's own team on the outside consist of Curtis '50 Cent' Jackson - who is actually entirely watchable and very impressive as the I.T brains of the business Breslin runs.  A far cry from the expected 'Gangsta' persona and one he'd do well to reprise if given the chance.

The plot is cleverly thought out and delivered smoothly - the thought behind the prison itself, once identified is a brilliantly perceived the escape plan itself - helped by a secret Arnie is hiding throughout the movie, only realised right at the end is a welcomed unexpected twist.

If you love your action heroes then it doesn't come bigger than these two but there's as much clever escapology and logic as there is fisticuffs and that makes for a believable and realistic movie that should go down well with fans of the overpowering twosome.

290, Captain Phillips

Captain Phillips charts the true story of Richard Phillips, Captain of the U.S flagged MV Maersk Alabama who was hijacked by Somali Pirates, the first American Cargo vessel hijacked in over 200 years.

Hanks plays Phillips in what most are saying is the role of his life and I for one have to agree.  The sheer scale of this film is firstly spectacular.  The opening scenes show Hanks preparing for the voyage, going through the motions of standard preparation and the journey to the airport where he meets up with his vessel & within 20 minutes we are on board and on the seas with a vigilant Philips questioning the pirate security measures, seemingly overlooked by a quite despondent crew.

Only after noticing a few small blips on the radar do the crew actually start to realise the potential danger they are in and in a brilliant first assault - the brave crew manage to fend of the Somali's - hell bent on securing the vessel for ransom.

Its Phillips leadership that manages to turn a handful of 'union' deck hands - initially stating they didn't sign up for heroism duty to man up and after a more successful 2nd attack - the ship is boarded and Philips taken captive while his crew hide out in the depths of the ship.

The movie is fast paced and punchy and only half of is it aboard the Cargo ship - the final half takes place on a tiny lifeboat - launched clear of the Maersk after the crew tactically overthrown the pirates but with a fear for his life - Philips ends up aboard the escape vessel with some quite panicked but committed pirates - led fantastically by Muse (Barkhad Abdi).

What goes down between the Pirates, Phillips and the US Navy is simply awe inspiring - edge of the seat stuff that sees one of the most dramatic ends to a movie I feel you will see all year.  Hopefully - this story is well known so no need for spoilers but the final scenes of the movie - with Hanks in the medical bay are some of the most moving moments you will ever see on film and will bring a tear to the hardest of eyes.

Best film of the year?  Well, Hanks certainly once more proves he is the stuff of legends and the 2hrs 14 minutes fly by in what seems less than 90.  The overall scale of this movie is fantastically mastered by director Paul Greengrass and if Hanks isn't given the best actor nod then I'd be very surprised - but who knows what else is to be released state side between now and the Academy getting together.

I cant fault this film in any way.  A true thriller with everyone turning in a fantastic performance and Hanks - the centre piece of my favourite film all year.

289, Blue Jasmine

Sadly - I've never really been a Woody Allen fan.  I know this will probably cause uproar from some of my readers but I'm just not.

I understand the man stands close to genius when it comes to previous movies and his work is highly regarded by many but I find them a little slow and meaningless.  Whimsical romantic stories with stunning and notable casts but just aimed at an entirely different audience that that of myself.

So - when I sat down to Blue Jasmine and having no actual clue what it was about my heart sank when I saw it was written and directed by the man above.

This movie is a 50/50 mix between present day and flashbacks of a life led by Jasmine (Cate Blanchett) having to rebuild her life after hubby Hal (Alec Baldwin) is outed as a fraud and subsequently banged up. 

Now homeless and seeking refuge from her far less wealthy sister who she's ignored for years to the point of actually losing them a lottery fortune when she advised her sister and hubby to invest in a hotel of Hal's that went 'unexpectedly' under but refusing to take any blame - Jasmine plods through life supposedly unaware of her wandering hubby and his dodgy dealings and their life together makes up half the story with the other half coming to terms with having to work and find new love.

Basically - that's covered it.  Jasmine's fear of being alone and not looked after means she falsifies her life story to impress new weatlhy suitors in a bid to gain back her 'Gucci' lifestyle, to the point of even convincing her sister she can do far better than new beau - who she paired up with after the hubby left as a result of the lottery loss.

On the whole - Jasmine comes across as a deluded wannabee - expecting everything to be handed to her without lifting a finger to help anyone and by the time the movie ends - she gets her just desserts.

That's it for this blog - Woody Allen fans will love it I'm sure but sadly, I'm not one of them.

288, Filth

I wasn't entirely sure what to expect with this new movie starring James McAvoy. 

The trailer plays out like a fast paced hallucinogen - bouncing from scene to scene in seconds and portraying an 80's themed Trainspotting revival (after all - it is written by the same Author - Irvine Welsh) but what you end up with is something completely unique.

McAvoy stars as Bruce Robertson, a drinking, drug taking dirty cop who starts the movie dreaming of promotion but pitted against a handful of other officers in his department needs to make sure he does what's needed to secure the much sought after job.  You're also introduced to Robertson's wife Carole, although she's only seen in apparent dream sequences and sultry seductive images - and never with Bruce - instantly opening up the question of is she alive or not?

If ever a movie was hard to explain on paper then this is truly it!  Although I loved the film - being able to come away and write about it proved extremely difficult as I've never seen anything like it before.  Its rude, crude, funny, explicit, weird, confusing, sickening and in some elements, sexy but when I found it difficult to actually place the movie in any kind of time frame i.e 80's dial phones paired with flat screen TV's, Cars with 'S' reg plates but suits and sideburns from the 60's I felt it was in a limbo on genres, making it even more confusing but enthralling at the same time.

McAvoy spends the whole movie dealing with his tortured past and misdirected future.  The story of his wife plays throughout and culminates with an amazing twist that I worked out about 15 minutes before it made apparent.  McAvoy's betrayal of everyone he knows - from his colleagues (that include Jamie Bell) to sleeping with another's officers wife, causing conflict amongst the ranks in a bid to secure his own promotional successes and his 'Freemasons' connections and apparent best pal Bladesey (Eddie Marsdon) who he not only bullies constantly but also makes a play on his wife but in a far darker sense of the word.

Then there is the Jim Broadbent character who as the shrink, comes across in an almost freakish capacity with hallucination's playing a massive part as a result of all the drugs.

Then there is the violence, sex and language that accompany the dirty cop side of the movie and a disturbing scene involving a 15 years old girl and McAvoy's relentless disregard to for decency.

There is so much more to this movie that would take me hours to write down but basically - its everything the trailer promises it to be with an unexpected ending that does eventually tug on the heartstrings.

To sum up - with everything said and done (to the best of my ability) I totally loved this movie.  Completely unique & totally questionable in every way I promise you wont have seen anything like it before and wont do for a while to come.

If you want a movie that will most definitely take you way outside your own comfort zone  - then Filth is for you.