Sunday 10 November 2013

Gravity



Without doubt best film seen for a long time. Multiple Oscars will be coming its way come March. Sandra Bullock very well cast in lead role and given the other actress offered the role, the most appropriate and should receive her second statue for her part.
How long the stunning opening scene went on for I do not know but it felt like ten minutes, but could have been longer so much so that the first obvious cutaway came as a jolt. Cinematography in Emmanuel Lubezki hands gobsmackingly outstanding, another Oscar winner there too. I have read that there are only around 200 cutaways in the film much less that normal, please note other directors and editors. Nothing is more tiresome than a scene cut into multiple shots and different perspectives. Emmanuel Lubezki, if you dont get an Oscar, you will get mine.
Lastly for a Brit, this was filmed, except for the last couple of minutes, in Shepperton Studios and 3D enhancement again by UK studios. How they achieved this 'real' film is beyond me but breathtaking it was.

A tip, unless watching at an IMAX, sit down at the front. Do not stray towards the back (which I normally would) but get yourself down there so that the screen fills your vision totally and you have to move your head to see what is happening on the extremes.
A  truly remarkable film.

9.75 / 10   (the ending was predictable otherwise it would have been 10)

Sunday 3 November 2013

Captain Phillips


Decent film in the hands of a master director, Paul Greengrass. Hanks and Barkhad Adbi turn in good performances especially Adbi as it was his first screen role.
9 / 10