Review: The Riot Club

When you first see the trailer for this British drama, you will naturally hate a lot of these main characters.
I did feel that. But I also saw a very interesting topic that could be broken down to make it entertaining viewing.

Seen as a fictionalised version of the famous Bullingdon Club of Oxford University which is a well known gang that is associated with grand banquets and extreme vandalism. It has been know for ex-members to eventually end up in high political posts such as George Osborne, Boris Johson and David Cameron.

After a pretty rushed introduction, we get going with a few promising start of term moments. Even with the stereotypical toff characters making me feel like rolling my eyes, the performances were keeping me interested.
From then on, it quickly turned into something quite tense, thrilling and really nasty at times.

I think it is safe to say this film will get polarizing reviews. I can see a few walk outs, mainly due to the fact that people will naturally hate the characters due to their toff characteristics.
But I think others, will find it interesting viewing with some very uncomfortable moments.

For me, I felt I was the latter. When I saw the trailer and who was part of the it, I was hoping for an interesting insight into this club and the class system etc.
The big positives I thought were the performances. Sam Claflin was the breakthrough out of everyone. Despite all these people being posh, over the course of the film you get interesting insights into some of them and his was by far the biggest.

A lot of the scenes, especially in the second half do get quite uncomfortable to watch by the end. By then, we get to really know the intentions of The Riot Club and there was one particular scene that at this moment in time could be quite controversial. The timing of its release well definitely affect its box office.

Sadly, despite it going the way I hope it would, it just did not have enough depth that I was expecting. It felt like it was a surface driven film. This is by no means a bad thing, the surface that was shown was great to watch, but this could have been one of the best British films to come out this year if it just delved a bit more deeper into the plot.
Another negative that I think a lot we get from this is that the characters will get a lot of natural hate. One great comparison will with that of The Wolf Of Wall Street. The main characters may be doing terrible things, but you just get intrigued by them. But some will just strongly dislike them due to their morals being incredibly wrong in every way.

I did end up enjoying it, but I think it could have been something quite extraordinary. The lack of depth was noticeable and that could have elevated the dark and disturbing nature of the film. However, despite having a lot of surface, it is great surface and deserves multiple viewings.
There are great performances lead by the ever impressive Sam Claflin and like many British citizens, we cannot resist watching something that is related to the gap in the class system. We always seem to be intrigued by that subject matter, which is one of many reasons why programmes such as Downton Abbey have done well.

Rating: 7/10

Requested Top 10: My Top 10: Feel-Good Underdog Sports Films

This could well be the most specific request I have had so far.

I have done my top 10 sports films, which was one of the first blogs that I have posted. However, this one is for only sports films with an underdog element and feel-good tone.
This sub-genre is quite a popular one with many fans of film. Despite a predictable ending, the build-up and sport action involved makes you forget about the probability of the plot.

With this being a specific request, there has to be some rules. One film that may have a feel-good tone and has an underdog element that I cannot include is Cool Runnings. For people who have seen it will understand why I cannot include it.

Some that have missed out that I must mention are The Mighty Ducks and Space Jam. These two films are very special to me as they got interested a lot of sports that I still remain a fan of. But sadly, I always try to not show any favoritism in my lists and I cannot include them. It has been a tough call as there are a lot of great films to choose from.

Here are my top 10:

10) Shaolin Soccer - Hong Kong director Stephen Chow changed the way football movies are made.

With vintage Chow comedy, this terrifically enjoyable film has a great comic book feel to it and gave us interesting characters that you instantly care for.

It may have a few odd bits at the start, but the second half is essential viewing.

9) The Rookie - A dramatic an emotional story that sees a high school baseball coach look to finally try out for the major leagues.

However, to visit the try outs, his under-achieving high school team must aim to make the playoffs.

It has great emotion and hits all the right notes.

8) Seabiscuit - Nominated for 7 Oscars and based on a true story, this a wonderfully told story that will warm anyone's heart.

During depression-era America, sport is where people find hope.
In horse racing, the Kentucky Derby is the biggest race of the year and this undersized stallion manages to achieve something no-one else could.

7) The Legend Of Bagger Vance - An absolute favourite of mine.

When a golf club owner is looking to create the biggest exhibition tournament with the greatest players, a down-and-out local pro played by Matt Damon has been given the chance to recover his game.

With the arrival of a mystical caddy, Damon's character finds the help he has been looking for.

6) Moneyball - Nominated for 6 Oscars, this beautiful looking drama tell us the true story of how a major league baseball manager changed the way of how to win the league of a sport that is over a century hold.

With great story-telling and memorable performances, it is one of those few sports films that fans and non-fans can like on the same level.

5) Warrior - One of the big hits of this current decade, this films based on mixed martial-arts makes Rocky look like a pillow fight.

This is pure entertainment, has memorable performances and the action is quite amazing. You really feel the pain the actors are going through and by the end of it, you want to achieve something that you never thought of trying.

4) Any Given Sunday - Any film directed by Oliver Stone will have anyone preparing for the subject matter to be quite in your face. This one, is no exception.
This graphic presentation of American Football is quite enjoyable and has some great performances from a surprisingly impressive performance.
With stars such as Al Pacino, Jamie Foxx, Dennis Quaid, Cameron Diax, LL Cool J and James Woods, this one of those rare adult sport movies that is well made.

3) Miracle - Before directing Warrior, Gavin O'Connor made this deeply emotional portrayal of one of the greatest moments in Olympic history.
With the Soviet Union dominating the Ice Hockey world, America's challenge is with an ambitious coach with an unprecedented amateur squad.

It is quite inspirational viewing and has a memorable end credits sequence.

2) The Greatest Game Ever Played - Despite getting mixed reviews from the critics, this wins the fans over every time.

It tells the true story of 1931 U.S Open golf tournament, where a young amateur and former caddy takes on the worlds best and inspires a nation.

I love for its drama, cinematography and how perfect it looks in terms of the production and costume design.

1) Remember The Titans - This has been mentioned on many lists in the past, so you can probably tell how much I love this film.

Performances you will never forget, amazingly touching scenes and terrific American Football action. Lead by Denzel Washington and many famous actors that at the time were widely unknown, this is the film I just have to watch before a big match that I am competing in.

Also, its got a terrific soundtrack, especially in the end credits.

Requested Top 10: 80's Films Associated With The 80's

When you think of the 1980's, you instantly think of big hair, should pads, Pac-Man and the general cheesiness of everything. But its biggest contribution was the growth of pop culture. The most popular films of this particular decade owe a lot to pop culture. A lot of the films that I will mention are guaranteed to be close to your hearts.

However, I would like to mentions some films that missed out that are as famous as the films that did make it:

Top Gun - A pretty solid drama with good amounts of action. I did not like as much as others, but thought it was pleasant viewing at best.

An American Werewolf In London - An above average horror that for some people saw it as a bit of a ground-breaker.

First Blood - The birth of the Rambo franchise. I'm not a big lover of brainless action movies, and this one sort of proves it. However, if you expect full on explosions that I recommend Rambo: First Blood Part II

Near Dark - One of the better, more interesting and probably my favorite vampire movies. Directed by Kathryn Bigelow and featuring a lot of actors you would see in a James Cameron film, this films has a great mix of horror and mythology of the vampire legend.

Gremlins - Only first saw a few years ago and saw it to be a wonderfully dark film that amazed me as to how violent and enjoyable it is. This would also be a great film to watch over Christmas if you are not a big fan of those generic holiday films.

The Goonies - Many people's all-time favourite. Sadly for me, I was not brought up by it and saw when I was much older. I still think its a romping adventure film, but I felt a lot of the film to be just annoying screaming by the child actors.

Robocop - A film that you forget that is certified as an 18. But when you re-live the dark violence, you remember how great this action packed blockbuster.

Stand By Me - Some people see it as the ultimate 'coming-of-age' film. I agree to that statement to an extent. But sadly just missed out on my top 10.

The Thing - A terrific terrifying horror film that is well known for its wonderful design. Directed by John Carpenter, this is probably his masterpiece and is great fun to watch.

Ferris Bueller's Day Off - Seen by a lot by as the ultimate 80's film. I'm sorry, but this is not even going to make my top 10. This does not mean that I did not like it. It is a great comedy with smart writing and wonderful characters and performances. It will be a timeless classic for many.

The Naked Gun: From The Files Of Police Squad! - An absolute belter of a crime comedy that stars the brilliant Leslie Nielsen as an incompetent cop. It is spoof comedy of the highest standard and if this was a top 11, this would be included.

Before I talk about my top 10, I would like to say this is NOT my top ten films of the 1980's. But my top 10 films that were released in the 1980's that you would associate with the 1980's. This could be from the style of film-making, the memories and legacy the film has given since its release or just the general look of everyone in the film, amongst other things.

Now that you know, here is my top 10:

10) Poltergeist (1982) - A highly enjoyable horror with Steven Spielberg being involved in the screenplay.
It involves a family that is being haunted by a group of ghosts.
There are many memorable and jump out of your seat moments. The visual effects are pretty impressive for that time also.

9) Big (1988) - With the exception of Splash, this is the performance that began his illustrious career.

When a boy wishes to be big by asking a wish from a machine, he wakes up the next morning with this life suddenly turning on its head.
There is the perfect blend of comedy and moving drama.
The idea may sound silly, but the makers make a wonderful viewing experience that can easily be seen many times.

8) Ghostbusters (1984) - Probably seen as the most entertaining film of this decade and it still works now and probably will forever more.

Seen as a timeless classic by many and great writing and brilliant performances definitely gives this film enough credit to be seen as that.

With a few mysterious incidents taking place in New York, three professors decide to make a business where they catch ghosts.

7) Die Hard (1988) - Possibly the most watched action film of all-time.
Bruce Willis stars in his breakthrough performance as an off-duty cop that gets caught up in a hijacking of an important building in Los Angeles.
It has everything you could want in action film. Big set-pieces, memorable characters and smart dialogue with lines that people will use in everyday life.

6) Airplane! (1980) - After an entire crew of an airplane falls to illness, it is up to an ex-pilot that is afraid of flying to help them land.

A plot like that is the just the beginning of the laugh count that will just implode.

When you think a movie could not get any funnier Airplane manages to pull that off in such a smart and witty way.

5) The Shining (1980) - Directed by Stanley Kubrick, this iconic horror sees Jack Nicholson play a father who becomes influenced by an evil spirit whilst living in an isolated hotel with his family.

With a master director at the helm, this has many clever set-pieces that will scar you for life.

4) The Breakfast Club (1985) - A film that completely struck me throughout.

When five high school students all depicting all the usual stereotypes meet in detention, they discover how much in common they have with each other.

It is a great movie that everyone can relate to and will make you want to punch the air by the end.
This will run with all of your emotions and you will not be forgetting this film anytime soon.

3) Back To The Future (1985) - The first part of a trilogy that has become one of the most enjoyable trilogies in film history.

When rundown professor invents time-travel, a young friend gets stuck in the past. It is up to him to not only get himself back to his time, but save his own existence.

It will have no doubt be seen by everyone during their childhood and I am sure people will still watch again and again for decades to come.

2) The Terminator (1984) - A tense, thrilling and action-packed sci-fi that saw the birth of Arnold Schwarzenegger and director James Cameron.

With a b-movie style plot, Cameron gives the deserved production value that makes it a romping success.

It is amazing to think that its sequel manages to top its predecessor.

1) E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982) - Winner of four Oscars, Steven Spielberg directs the highest grossing film of this decade.

It is seen as Spielberg's most personal film and is everything you want from a Spielberg film.

Full of amazing moments that is perfectly family viewing and wilmany families to come.