Boyhood (2014) Film Review

Boyhood (2014) Film Review.

The coming of age genre, it can span over a couple of hours (Breakfast Club) or take over 12 years to film. Boyhood is not just a technical and creative achievement it is a life experience. It tackles a period of life that is hard to reproduce in this medium and the cinematic experiment has paid off.

This film is no three act structure, it is a series of event, tracking the progression of boy/man Mason Evans (Ellar Coltrane), while the film also tracks the lives of his mother (Patrica Arquette), who struggles being a single mother while studying. His sister, (Loreli Linklater) and his father (Ethan Hawke) who sees his kids over the weekends.

Boyhood is an engrossing experience, pack with moments that we have all shared, maybe not all but there will be big life moments that we have encountered, your first beer, having the talk with your parents etc. The reason why no other film can pull you in and re-experience it, is because this film you are growing up with the actors. You first see a boy, young and free, grow to a man, scared of the future. This journey, a full three hours, contains a genuine evolution of exploration and knowledge.

This is a unique experience and probably will never be repeated again. Filled with pop culture references and nods to past fads. Boyhood is a film that puts the audience in a position of recollection. A realisation of 12 years that has past. It is filled with moments of smiles, joys but also horror.

I hate calling it an experiment but it did have a huge risk, to work at something for 12 years and it to flop would of been a tragedy. There are some critics that will criticise this film to go against the grain. They need to re-evaluate themselves, because for a film critics to slander a project with so much passion and heart. This is what film is about and any cinema fan should be ashamed to cast this away.

Boyhood is the seminal reason why I love film. Richard Linklater had an idea. Even though it sounds ludicrous, he stepped up and made it. Great performances and commitment to all that was involved. This is not just one of the best film of the year, this is one of the best films I have ever seen.

My Top 5 Favourite Movies Of 2014 - 5. Edge Of Tomorrow.

My Top 5 Favourite Movies of 2014.

5. Edge Of Tomorrow. (2014)

2014 has been a busy year and I live further away from a cinema, meaning I haven’t got to watch as many films as I should and wanted too. This is a brilliant segway to a film that not many people have seen and should see. Now I got a free ticket to this film and didn’t expect much. It’s a tom cruise film that steals the plot from Groundhog Day. It is and it does, but it’s much more then that.

This is a underrated movie that takes the Groundhog Day plot of living the same day over and over again and expands it and does everything right. I hate Tom Cruise but in this film he’s a likable character. Emily Blunt is amazing in this. This was the biggest shock of 2014. I love it, it’s sci-fi and action element was perfect and it was brilliant to see the progression from day to day. This film was shunted before it’s release as being another Tom Cruise film, with a stupid name, which the studios recognised and imitating the Groundhog Day storyline. However it is much better then that. A great plot, great character, well shot and a massive surprise. I recommend this film.

Movie Review - Silver Linings Playbook (2012)

Movie Review - Silver Linings Playbook (2012)


Yes I know I am two years late and haven’t done a review in ages but this has been on my to watch list and finally had a chance to watch it. David, O Russell’s explores into bi-polar disorder which is a mental illness that is perceived with a general ignorance and I am glad that this film tackles this topic because it is a great reflection of a disease that is placed in the same societal generalisations of depression with people calling that just being sad but is far from the case. A reason why I have longed to watch this film.


Patrick (Bradley Cooper) has Bi-polar disorder and has just been released from a mental facility after an incident and must try and get his life back on track. He meets, Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence) a widow he wants him to participate in a dance contest in exchange to help him win back his wife.


It is a beautiful thing this film does, to portray BPD in a fashion that does not make light hearted comedy of a mental illness. The film has dark places that touch on the struggle of this illness. There is a comedic tone to the film but never crosses the line to be insulting. Bradley Cooper’s performance is rightly so Oscar nominated. His chemistry with Jennifer Lawerence is a match made in heaven. They bounce off each other with a fast paced exuberance later seen in American Hustle (2013). There characters pull you into their state of mind and you sympathise with them to the point of understanding and that is a very difficult task which is accomplish here. Through the writing and Cooper’s and Lawerence’s acting.


What makes this film an instant classic in the underlying argument that everyone is just as crazy. As we are placed in the shoes of Tiffany and Patrick who are seen in society as ‘crazy’ the surrounding character perform similar character traits of ‘craziness’ but is seen as ‘normal’. Robert De Niro character as Patrick’s Dad is a brilliant example of this, he has a obsessive nature that he must perform certain tasks so the Eagles win a American Football game. De Niro’s performance parallels performance there in the 1970’s and 1980’s. His best performance in the noughties. Silver Linings Playbook contains a whole vast line of character from a slightly turned down Chris Tucker who has been far away from the movies recently turns in a great performance and only wish we received more from his character because I believe that he can pull in a serious role and doesn’t have to do the Chris Tucker, turn it up to 11.


In all, Silver Linings Playbook is on my list of greatest movies ever. It’s portrayal of mental illness is a rarity in the medium especially a film that has had a worldwide exposure. The performances are brilliant, the production is smooth and story is heartfelt. Silver Linings Playbook is a film that has the heart of an independent film but the production of a big Hollywood film and it creates a film that is a pure classic that should be on anyone’s and everyone’s to watch list.

Godzilla (2014) Review. (NO SPOILERS)

The most anticipated film of the summer. The same amount of hype mirrored to the 1998 version of Godzilla.  Instead of the eye of Godzilla from 1998, the loud ear piercing scream of Godzilla fames the 2014 marketing. However that is the only similarity between the two as this film cherishes the source material of the Japanese film lore of the king of monsters.

It's very rare Hollywood respects the source material but it achieves it here with this remake. Godzilla is bigger, louder, more destructive. I can only recommend watching this film in IMAX because when Godzilla roars it literary sent chills down my spine. It's exactly the way Godzilla should be. The scale and destruction of this film is massive, the action is explosive. Even though the first hour of the film is very slow, when Godzilla is finally shown in full, the action exponentially rises and building topples, bridges explode and cars get thrown about. Godzilla really lives up to it's title of King of the Monsters.

Now there is some weaknesses in this film, it is slow in the first part of the film and takes a while to see Godzilla but I don't see that as a major flaw. It just heighten the anticipation of when Godzilla is finally revealed.  There are some plot holes that I can't mention due to spoilers and some scientific inconsistencies but this film is about and 300ft monster so who cares. I have been reading other reviews and they always comment on the cliche characters or not well developed characters. It doesn't matter, you don't go into this film caring about the humans, you want to see Godzilla. Maybe Walter White (Bryan Cranston) but people want to see Godzilla.  Now the cliche character does limit the actors abilities being shown so I can't really excel anyone credentials here, except for Cranston's, there are moment where he does create another layer to his character which all the other actors find hard in the confines of their cliche. The action sequences sometimes get cut short when it seem things are hotting up but this just builds up to the final encounter which is absolutely amazing, literary blown off my seat.

This was the Godzilla I wanted to see, it met my expectations from the hype, it might of not surpass it beyond the confines of awesomeness. However I am satisfied of Gareth Edwards careful consideration of Godzilla, you can see he is a fan with the little nods to the Japanese originals. I would recommend people to watch it. It's big, it's loud, it full of destruction. Not overkill like Man of Steel but enough destruction to fulfill to audiences masochistic needs. As a Godzilla fan, I loved it, I'll watch it again and I think you should too.
Rating 8/10 

The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014) Review

The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014) Review.

Even though film reviews are suppose to be impartial but I have a soft spot for Wes Anderson. From a personal stand point his films are comfortable to watch. It has this style which is weird and wacky but it’s colour aesthetics gives a sense of nostalgia and the retro grandeur is a pleasant portrait to cast your eyes upon. 

The Grand Budapest Hotel is no different. Anderson stays to his way of film making. Even on a limited budget the sets and the direction is one of a majestic feeling and the tone is quirky enough to become a joy to view. The huge and acclaimed cast is perfect for this film. It;s huge cast of all era’s and the only downside is that every big star gets limited to a cameo performance.

Ralph Fiennes plays the concierge of the Grand Budapest Hotel and his character is a unique in Anderson’s universe.  In past films every character plays to Anderson’s world. Wacky in style and peculiar in their speech, There’re normally a calm tone to the characters speech even when they are angry. However Fiennes breaks out of this mould and at times, quoting ‘fuck it’ and loses his marbles. Fiennes breaks out of that mold and it provides a comedic strength to the film. Fiennes definitely shines in this film and that is not putting anything down on the supporting cast. Every actor did their job to the Anderson standard. Especially Ed Norton’s character was also a favourite, now becoming a regular in Anderson’s troupe. I would love if he had a leading role in the next Anderson film.

This is not Anderson’s best film, Moonrise and Steve Zissou is still by far my favourite films. The story had a lot of tangents that wasn't necessary and the cast was too big. Their was a lot of talent on show and not enough screen time. The Royal Tenebaums shows that Anderson can utilise a big cast, in this film some big names had very little screen time. 

However The Grand Budapest Hotel is one of the best films I’ve seen this year and would recommend everyone to watch it. It was hilarious, not massive laughs but constant chuckles. I just had a 100 minute smile on the whole time. This film will surprise you, it will make you laugh, make you cry, amaze you though the style and sets. I have yet to come across a Wes Anderson that I’m disappointed by.  

Overall - Wes Anderson creates another masterpiece and if everyone followed suit of how much effort the director put’s into the set and utilise the budget every film would be a joy to watch. Maybe it was over ambitious in it’s cast but Fiennes shines, Norton excels and Dafoe just terrifying. If you love Anderson watch it, If you don’t find your lost soul and watch it anyway. Film Rating 8.5/10