In Depth review: Skyfall

Considering the last James Bond film, Quantum of Solace, was released in 2008 faith in the newest instalments of the Bond franchise and its leading man Daniel Craig was beginning to falter. That was until Skyfall was released encapsulating Bond fans all over the world. Skyfall utilises a more damaged and experienced Bond coming face to face his bosses past and pushing himself to the very limit once more.

Skyfall follows a shaken (but not stirred) Bond after his latest assignment doesn’t go to plan with serious implications for both him and MI6. We follow 007 as he tracks down a missing hard drive containing information about undercover NATO operatives in terrorist organisations, which has been stolen. Bond manages to track down the hard drive that leads him twisted and vengeful villain Silva who has his own personal vendetta.

The narrative stays true to what we expect from a Bond film but with a level of delivery superior to the Bond films of late. In Skyfall the plot twists and turns throughout with every turn heightening the intensity of the previous. However, for me this is the first Bond film to take advantage of the fantastic scenery Britain has to offer. We get tastes of far away lands and exotic shores but the utilisation of London landscapes and the Scottish highlands left a bigger impact on myself than any other Bond film. Skyfall doesn’t conform to the letter to the Bond film-making formula which in this case works.

Skyfall is everything you expect from a modern day Bond. Director Sam Mendes manages to cram as much action and drama into 143 minutes as humanly possible to deliver a film that pleases its audience on every level. Mendes embraced everything Bond in its 50 year anniversary delivering everything expected from a Bond film – the memorable opening credits, the girls, the cars, plenty of explosions, awesome weapons and death-defying stunts – all wrapped up in a slick bow with incredible visuals. The 23rd instalment truly honours classic elements of the Bond series it’s modern in its approach, intense in its dramatic kicks, witty and charming in its humour but also a fantastic action film in its own right.

Cinematographer Roger Deakins stamps the film with the most impressive visuals ever seen in a Bond film. His combination of shots as well as framing and focus pulls the audience into the action and perfectly mirrors the atmosphere of each specific scene. For example, at the beginning of one of the action sequences Deakins employs a fixed focal length and has 007 walk from out of the darkness into the spotlight pulling out the intense and quiet drama the scene creates and embedding hidden meanings of Bond’s journey throughout this narrative.

But even if you were to take away these amazing shots and iconic landscapes you would still be left with an outstanding cast that have enough chemistry to cause epic Bond style explosion. For me, in this film Daniel Craig establishes himself as a darker Bond with strong emotional depth that hasn’t been displayed in the other leading actors. His tone and manner bounce perfectly off the best actress in this film – Judi Dench playing M. Dench shines as the perfect M and provides a constant source of entertainment and emotional grounding throughout the film.

Although I was impressed with both Craig and Dench I was most pleasantly surprised by Javier Bardem as Silva and Ben Whishaw as Q. Bardem encapsulates a vengeful and twisted villain reminiscent of Hannibal Lector and Heath Ledger’s Joker which contrasts with the 007 Craig has developed to deliver high levels of tension. Meanwhile Whishaw reinvents the stereotypical Q represented in previous Bond films and injects his own charming and youthful twist on the character.

The verdict? Skyfall dusted away the doubts and delivered a powerhouse of a Bond film that is up there with the best of 007. Mendes has pieced together all the elements, both modern and classic to truly celebrate the 50th year in Bond history. Skyfall is witty, charming, intense, action packed and typically British which is everything audiences could have asked from it and more.

Review: The Hunger Games and Nationality.

The Hunger Games brings to life the best selling book series by Suzanne Collins and creates an intense survival film and arguably one of the best films of 2012.

The Hunger Games follows the story of Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) who voluntarily takes part in the 74th annual Hunger Games in which 24 children from the districts of Panem fight to the death for everyone to see. The film is all-consuming and emotional right from the out set and all the elements of this film work perfectly in sync to deliver an overwhelming sensory experience.

One of the things The Hunger Games does perfectly is use contrasting landscapes and places to really bring out the underlining themes of poverty and unrest within and between the 12 districts and the Capitol. Within the opening sequences there is a stark contrast between the initial interview scene with its vivid, almost unnatural colours to the grim, monochromatic state of Katniss' district (district 12).

As well as building detailed and insightful sets The Hunger Games cleverly uses costumes to reinforce these differences. While the Capitol citizens dress extravagantly, and you could argue futuristically, the district citizens look like an army of greys and simplicity which intensifies the differences between these people. Although the districts and the capitol are supposed to be one entire nationality the way the film is shot as well as the costumes and settings, for me, places them as polar opposites and creating split nationalities and identities within the nation of Panem.

By perfecting all these aspects of the film from costume to set design I feel that director Gary Ross has been able to create a beautiful and striking visual that builds several layers to the narrative. The film is a beautiful example of how elements of a film when well done can highlight deeper meanings and themes, and what's great about this film is that it's true to the themes in the original book.

I think The Hunger Games is a thought provoking film and was everything I wanted and expected. The way the film puts a modern interpretation on the theme of national identity is both clever and creative. I love how this modern interpretation of a classic theme is both thought provoking and a key element to constructing the film that can't be ignored. The Hunger Games is a deep and powerful film that has set up strong themes, characters and a fantastic plot that's an unforgettable start to this film trilogy.

What district do you think you would belong to, or would you be a capitol citizen?

Emma 

DVD Review: Real Steel

Real Steal promotional poster

If you like robots, if you like Transformers and if you like Rocky you are sure to like this film. With its slick special effects  and punchy action sequences this film has a wide appeal to audiences and all round feel good factor.

The film boasts a great cast with hunk Hugh Jackman being the great male lead that is required for this high impact film. This role is the perfect Hugh Jackman role in which (luckily for all the women out there) he gets to play the sexy male lead with a rebellious streak and interesting, yet somewhat predictable, back story. 

The plot is very simple and very Hollywood. Set in the future where the sport of boxing has become centred around robot combat. The film followers previous boxer turned struggling promoter Charlie Kenton (Jackman) rise to the top of the boxing world with his newly discovered 11 year old son Max (Dakota Goyo) and his new robot Atom.

The film is an adrenaline ride which hooks the audiences right from the start. The cast is great and the storyline, even if predictable, is highly enjoyable. Sometimes you just need a film that you can pop on, relax and enjoy without a lot of thinking which is just what you need after a long stressful day! The film isn't exactly ground-breaking but it doesn't need to be. I would watch this film again and enjoy just as much it has a great feel good factor and a true underdog story that audiences can just lap up!

What did you all think? Let me know in the comments below or through my Twitter (@EmmasReelWorld)!

Emma

Cinema review: The Grey

Official film poster: The Grey

I have to admit, I originally had no intention of going to see this film but my friend dragged me along to the cinema and I have to say I was pleasantly surprised! The film was filled with suspense, sharp cinematography and strong character development that had you hooked right the way through. 

The film follows an oil digging team whose plane crashes in the wild landscape of Alaska, while the men begin their struggle for survival they quickly find out they are being hunted by a pack of wolves who see them as intruders. The film isn't all about a group of men being viciously attacked by wolves (well in some parts it is) but also about human nature and survival and has deeper meanings intertwined into a well woven storyline.

Each actor involved brings strong development to their respective characters which was one of my favourite elements of the films. Heading this strong cast is Liam Neeson who plays wolf hunter Ottway who as usual does a brilliant job and adds depth to his character.

Overall I expected the film to be a ridiculous and unbelievable macho film about beating the living daylights out of walls but I was completely wrong. The film is fast paced, jumpy, full of suspense and hits you on every level. Although I left the cinema rather depressed and feeling absolutely freezing (the sounds of the gale winds just made me cold) I actually really enjoyed this film and would definitely recommend it as a good film to start your year off!

Have any of you seen The Grey yet or got any other film suggestions? Leave them in a comment below or drop me a message on Twitter! (@missemmabuckley)

Emma x

Keep Calm and Potter on! - Harry Potter ultimate boxset

Harry Potter limited edition box set: all photos taken by me
(Note: the time turner was unfortunately not included!)

                      

Now as some of you may or may not know I am a serious Potterhead (seriously the things I would do to be a wizard...). I love anything Harry Potter related so when I heard that Amazon was releasing a limited edition Harry Potter box-set of all the films I got very very excited. So I saved up all my galleons and invested in this amazing set and I thought I'd show you all how amazing this set is!

                   

Like I said before this edition of the films is Limited edition so it's a definite bonus knowing not many people have these. The box itself is stunning and I was really impressed with it when it arrived. Not only is the outside amazing but the pictures on the inside are amazing, they're slightly holographic and really stand out! (see image below)

                       

Inside the box you get 19 discs (a combination of Blu-Ray and DVD). This includes all the films and corresponding special features that I can't wait to watch! Also this box comes with this amazing photo album which includes photos from the films and of the characters which is super cute. I completely freaked out when I saw this I just thought it was adorable! Some of you might recognise this album design from the first film (the one Hagrid gives to Harry) which I thought was a really nice touch.

I'm so glad I invested in this boxset. I love the fact it's limited edition and the little extras that come with it are awesome! It did cost me around £65  (including p&p) and I know they are now cheaper variations but I don't regret this purchase at all!

Did any of you get any other Harry Potter boxsets or have any cute memorabilia such as my time-turner. I'd love to know so get in touch through a comment or my Twitter page! (@missemmabuckley)

Emma x