Requested Nostalgic Review: Donnie Darko

One thing I remember as if it was yesterday about Donnie Darko was seeing the plot synopsis and read as follows:

"A troubled teenager is plagued by visions of a large bunny rabbit that manipulates him to commit a series of crimes, after narrowly escaping a bizarre accident".

I instantly thought to myself, "what have these people been smoking?" But after the recommendations and high ratings, I still felt inspired to check out why this insane plot synopsis still produces a supposedly great film.

Boy were they right!

Firstly, it is clearly a film you need to see more than once to fully understand this. But for some people, they still don;t understand it, and yet weirdly still love it. That alone surely shows why this film is incredible. Donnie Darko is the type of film that provides its viewer to do some hard thinking and after the movie, some hard re-thinking.

There is so many things I like about this. The complete curiosity as to actually what is happening to everything, the strange and compelling characters involved and the very powerful scenes. The curiosity evens gets to the point of you are not sure what genre this would fit into. There are sections of a teen flick, some show the style of horror, sci-fi and even fantasy.

When it comes to the ending, some of you may think you have got it. Then you will have to watch it again to confirm your thoughts. But then you are not sure and will watch it again and again.

I can see why this was an instant cult classic, and it could even more than that. It is extremely well written and it produces incredible characters with dialogue you will believe in with a passion.

I can see this film will not be to everyone's taste, but it will certainly make an impression on you. I managed to join the majority and find it an incredible feat of movie-making. I would recommend it, but only for certain people, because I know some that will instantly hate this with a passion. But that is what makes a cult classic. Prepare yourself, as you will have never seen anything like this before.

Rating: 9/10

Requested Nostalgic Review: The Greatest Game Ever Played

Usually, a film about Golf does not appeal to the general mainstream audience. But with it being made by Disney, it attracted a decent amount of non-golfing fans.

But after watching it, you realise that Golf is not the central theme. It is a terrific tale of someone breaking the boundaries of social status in front of Americas finest.

More impressive than this 'great game', was its presentation of pure cinema. The whole movie builds great suspense and powerful emotions. There are some particular scenes that are just glorious to watch and were completely original that I have never seen in any other sports films.

Shia LaBeouf plays a solid enough role of Francis Ouimet to make him likeable compared to his other films. I personally don't think he is as annoying as other people say, but I can see why he is not liked. Elias Koteas as Ouimet's working class father plays it perfectly to the time period and his final scene with his son makes me cry every time. One great performance was Stephen Dillane's portrayal as the legendary Harry Vardon was a great surprise and just made the whole experience even more enjoyable.

I absolutely loved this film. Not because it was a sports film, but that it was very enjoyable, had me gripped throughout and was entertaining. It felt like watching an old fashioned underdog classic that would be a perfect movie to watch many times over for a family on rainy weekend. Not only is it a great old fashioned plot, but there is beauty in its presentation that just makes everything even better.

Rating: 9/10

Review: From Up On Poppy Hill

After finally watching the only Studio Ghibli left that I have not watched (My Neighbors The Yamadas), it was perfect timing for me to see their latest UK release, From Up On Poppy Hill.

This viewing is very special as I have to had to travel to my first ever Picturehouse. After being a regular at the local multi-plex, it was time to delve into the world of independent and foreign films. I have seen many, but never on the big screen and I was satisfied with my visit. I was amazed that a lot of it is used for non-film. For example, there were a lot people having lunch on one of the levels, and the whole place did have a perfect meeting place feel to it. After going up a few levels and encountering some very appealing movie memorabilia they were selling, I was set for my first Picturehouse movie experience.

It sadly was not a fantasy based epic which is the main reason why this company has become so popular. But their non-fantasy dramas are still worth watching, as is this one.

After mixed reviews of director Goro Miyazaki's debut with 'Tales From Earthsea', it was becoming an even bigger task to compete with his brother, the amazing Hayao Miyazaki. Thankfully, he has created something so funny, charming and refreshing for the studio after a few years of imaginative fantasy epics. Goro has really shown the spirit of Japan after WWII and before them hosting the 1964 Olympics.

There are the usual positives. The animation is truly amazing. The details of every single scene was a joy to watch and sights and sounds of Poppy Hill just felt like you were at the seaside. The characters that have been created, you instantly fall in love with. There are very clever sequences and they even make the dull scenes gripping.

The only negative that I could find was that the whole feel of it just is not the same as the fantasy ones. That being sad, it is still worth watching and definitely better then some of the features in Studio Ghibli's collection.

Overall, I was not disappointed. I am glad to see Goro Miyazaki is growing into a top director for the studio to use. It may not have that fantasy theme, but it is still a beautiful work of art and the whole story is very charming. After seeing this become a success, this has now given me confidence that Studio Ghibli can keep going once Hayao Miyazaki is no more. Can't wait for the next installment, The Wind Rises.

Rating: 8/10

My Top 10: Matt Damon Films

In most of the mainstream world, he is known for being mocked in Team America: World Police. But despite that, he is seen as a tremendous who regularly delivers every year in creating successful blockbusters for many different genres. From fairy tales and bank heists to war epics and golf, we have seen Damon grow up to become a huge star that will be remembered many years after he has retired from acting.

My top 10 shows how talented this actor really is and how successful he has been and will continue to be in the future. Out of his 58 films, I have seen 40 of them. I will rank all of the ones I have seen, and give a short review for each of my top 10:

40) The Great Wall
39) Ocean's Twelve
38) The Monuments Men
37) EuroTrip
36) Happy Feet 2
35) Ocean's Thirteen
34) Promised Land

33) Gerry
32) Downsizing
31) Elysium

30) Suburbicon
29) The Rainmaker
28) The Brothers Grimm
27) Courage Under Fire
26) Green Zone
25) Geronimo: An American Legend
24) Spirit: Stallion Of The Cimarron
23) We Bought A Zoo
22) Invictus
21) The Adjustment Bureau
20) Rounders
19) Contagion

18) Dogma
17) Jason Bourne
16) The Last Duel
15) True Grit
14) Behind The Candelabra
13) The Bourne Identity
12) Le Mans' 66
11) The Martian

10) The Legend Of Bagger Vance - Sadly a fictional tale, but a tremendous story about a down-and-out golfer trying to recover his game for the match of his life and this mysterious stranger Bagger Vance (brilliantly played by Will Smith) aids him by being his caddy.

There are some terrific lines in this film and it shows the mental side of golf and is a truly inspiring film.

9) The Talented Mr. Ripley - A quite regularly forgotten film but one of Damon's most underrated performances. Alongside Jude Law, Gwyneth Paltrow and Cate Blanchett, Damon takes the lead role and makes it his own.

As a young underachiever who is told to retrieve a spoiled millionaire, but ends up taking extreme measure. This is a surprisingly tense thriller that never gets mentioned. I hope people now go and watch this.

8) Ocean's Eleven - One of the very few re-makes that has bettered the original. This tremendously thrilling heist movie has great flow, lots of tense moments, witty humor and a great ensemble cast to go with it. Even the powerhouses George Clooney, Brad Pitt and Julia Roberts, Damon still competes well with him in his own way.

It is has a great mix of just about, everything. It appeals to everyone and is great film to kick back and relax.

7) Ponyo - Not a very well known role, but one that deserves to be.

Since all Studio Ghibli films were endorsed by Disney.Every film is now being dubbed and voiced by many stars. For Damon, he plays Koichi, the father of a five year-old boy who build a friendship with a goldfish called Ponyo, who is wanting to become human.


6) The Bourne Supremacy - Damon returns as Jason Bourne and continues to be on the run. After returning to the CIA, a botched operation has found Bourne wrongly seen as the enemy.

It is the beginning of a terrific series of thrilling crime action.

5) The Bourne Ultimatum - His third appearance as the tenacious Jason Bourne as he continues to try and find about his past whilst dodging CIA officials and agents during a new assassination program out to hunt him down.

Director Paul Greengrass continues to prove how well he can direct action. It is tense throughout and comes to a thrilling finale.

4) Good Will Hunting - A very successful film from the late 1990's and one of the few famous Robin Williams films that has him in a serious role. A story about a janitor working at MIT that has a gift for mathematics and finds help from a psychologist to find his purpose in life.

It is compelling viewing and makes you question yourself and make you drive to do more challenging ambitions.

3) Interstellar - Despite being initially seen as a surprise cameo, Damon's character of Dr. Mann manages to be an important minor role in Christopher Nolan's sci-fi epic.

It sees a team of explorers travel through a wormhole in space in an attempt to ensure humanity's survivial while the Earth suffers in the gradual loss of food supplies.


2) Saving Private Ryan - Playing Private Ryan, Damon is once again teamed up with a stellar line-up.

Directed by Steven Spielberg, this modern WWII epic brings a great blend of emotions at the front line even during the most brutal of action scenes.

1) The Departed - My favorite of the Martin Scorsese gangster films and his most successful after picking up Best Picture at the Oscars.

With actors such as DiCaprio, Nicholson and Wahlberg, Matt Damon definitely kept up pace with these talented individuals and showed how good he really is. Disguised as a cop helping out a well known criminal figure in the Boston area, his duels with DiCaprio have become legendary in film history.

Requested Nostalgic Review: The Untouchables

I saw this only a year ago, and it a shame that I had not seen it nearer the time. But I am glad I encountered this terrific gangster epic.

One thing I did not know, was that there was a TV series in the 50's and it is apparently quite true to the series. But there also some things missing from the series. I'm not too bothered as the film on its own, is fun and very classy.

I was impressed the set and costume designs. It did feel that you had traveled back to the 1930's. The whole experience was very entertaining and it is everything you need in an gangster action epic. One big element of the entertainment was the cross between the classy gangster look and the old fashioned shoot 'em ups.

The big plus points are the action sequences and the performances of Kevin Costner and Sean Connery. Great locations and the terrific cinematography during the scenes with the Untouchables and Capone's men is truly great action. As for the performances, Costner does an incredible job with his character. Connery's role as his mentor seems to be the perfect role for him at the moment. You really need to say how good DeNiro was as Capone as he has made a career in playing a gangster.

One thing you hardly notice, is the amazing score by Ennio Morricone. It's nowhere near as good as his score for the Dollars trilogy, but he still creates and exhilarating score that captures the feel of the film beautifully.

It is a great movie, and most importantly a fun movie. It may not be as good as The Godfather or Once Upon A Time In America. I love its stylish presentation, it is well made and just very enjoyable to watch. There is a great blend of action and comedy and that usually ends up being a film that a lot will watch many times over. I will happily recommend this, especially for a father and son (in their teenage years) to watch this on a rainy day or a Sunday afternoon.

Rating: 8/10

Profile: Studio Ghibli

Vast amounts of imagination, ground-breaking animation and bringing a whole new way of story-telling. This is the world of Studio Ghibli.

This Japanese film studio has brought much joy to many people from around the world. After being endorsed by Disney, the mainstream western world have discovered the biggest gem anyone has in the filming industry.

Lead by director Hayao Miyzaki, his imagination is just indescribable and amazingly puts Disney to shame and makes them look, well quite ordinary. It is quite hard to believe, but all you need to do is give them a go. You will be transported to many different worlds and meet so many new characters. Below is my ranking of all Studio Ghibli films with a short review for the top 10:

24) Earwig And The Witch

23) Ocean Waves
22) Only Yesterday
21) Tales From Earthsea
20) My Neighbors The Yamadas
19) The Cat Returns

18) The Boy And The Heron
17) The Wind Rises
16) Pom Poko
15) Arrietty
14) From Up On Poppy Hill
13) When Marnie Was There
12) Porco Rosso
11) Kiki's Delivery Service

10) Laputa: Castle In The Sky - Studio Ghibli's second feature film and a huge action adventure one for everyone to enjoy.

This non-stop magical adventure does not have that Japanese feel to it. So this would probably appeal to the mainstream western world more than the others.

9) Ponyo - A modern and more advanced fantasy telling of The Little Mermaid.

With it being underwater, there is a lot of opportunity for Miyazaki to create many fascinating creatures and of course spirits, because that is a big thing with Japanese fantasy films.

8) Whisper Of The Heart - A wonderful love story that really surprised me as I thought I would not like this.

This is the type of film that makes you appreciate the smaller things in life.

7) Grave Of The Fireflies - My highest ranked non-fantasy theme movie from this studio.

But one of Ghibli's very few intensely moving and highly emotional features.

Seen as a masterpiece by many, this moving war tale shows the studio's variety.

6) The Tale Of The Princess Kaguya - One that I decided not to go and see at the cinema thinking it would be a miss for me. I should never under-estimate this studio.

When I eventually saw it, I was completely overwhelmed by its story-telling, style of animation and just all-round wonderful viewing experience.

5) My Neighbor Totoro - A lot of people's secret favorite and it is definitely making me like it even more every time I watch it.

One of Studio Ghibli's earlier creations produced one of the most famous characters in the animation genre that eventually became the logo of Studio Ghibli itself.

4) Howl's Moving Castle - Probably seen as the last modern classic Studio Ghibli have created.

They broke their own grounds of imagination and animation technology to give us another beautiful story and with imagination that not even Studio Ghibli could never have dreamed of as this was an adaptation of a childrens novel.

3) Nausicaa Of The Valley Of The Wind - Officially it is not, but it is seen as the first Studio Ghibli feature and they definitely hit the ground running with this epic fantasy adventure.

This put Japan on the map as a major animation film maker.

2) Princess Mononoke - Took me ages to finally find this one and it is worth the wait.

The story is vast, the animation goes without saying and the topics it covers is executed perfectly.

Certain one of the studio's most moving features.

1) Spirited Away - My first Studio Ghibli experience, and still the best one I've ever seen. Well deserving of its Oscar for Best Animated Film.

Everything about it just made the animation genre jump to a whole new level. Everyone really needs to thank this film as the success of this 2001 epic made the studio become endorsed by Disney and be shown in the western world.

Requested Nostalgic Review: Source Code

When seeing the trailer for this, I instantly thought that would be another uneventful sci-fi thriller as peoples ideas for films in these genres are decreasing each year.

You do however, get some that are just so fresh and surprise you. But I was confident this would not be one of them. Boy was I wrong!

The trailer gave nothing away and when I eventually got round to seeing it, it was so nice seeing another idea being presented to the world. One big thing I liked it was the amount of detail involved. It was one of those that if you said even the smallest of plot detail, it would reveal a twist or two. The pacing is good, it sucks you in from the very start and most importantly, it keeps you wanting more.

Script is solid and everyone's performances contribute to the film in every way. Jake Gyllenhaal and Michelle Monaghan hold this film incredibly well by themselves which is a tough skill to acquire.

It is quite hard to review this film, as revealing any info would ruin your own experience. So I will quickly end this by saying, it's a must watch. It's originality is its biggest positive and thankfully it is presented well for everyone to understand, enjoy and it is one of those that you can watch again and again. It's a shame that it has not been promoted as well as it should have been. But that could be a good thing, as it feels like a secret gem that people can find on their own during a movie hunt.

Rating: 8/10