The Lego Movie! - Review - Possible Spoilers!

Lego stands as one, if not the greatest toy(s) in history. Everyone will remember playing with it at some point in their life and it's creative pliability made it branch across the ages. It's this extensive creativity that has continued to evolve to encompass boardgames, video games, theme parks and now a film! The wide access to Lego makes this movie an instant box office success, but does the movie stand up as a quality piece of entertainment to other audiences. Obviously, The Lego Movie is aimed at children. It's a bright, colourful adventure with light humour that screams a child film that will deter many teenagers/young adults from seeing it. As I'm still a big kid inside with a lot of nostalgia, I felt I needed to go. Upon walking into the cinema, it was filled with children. I avoided looking at how many of the snotty things were actually around me but could easily hear the muttering of what felt like hundreds but could have been one. But, you know, one is enough.

Anyway. The movie is geared towards the younger audience through everything it does. The inclusion of Jonah Hill, Morgan Freeman, Charlie Day and Will Arnett appear more of a gimmick towards nabbing a few extra ticket sales from fans of those involved. It's likely that the voices could have been done by other people without bringing in A list actors to fill the gaps. Jonah Hill doesn't even have a big role so it feels as if the money spent on him could have been used to extend the length of the film. However, being that the movie isn't based upon something already created, Lego didn't have the foundations of Star Wars or Lord of The Rings to develop upon like their games.

Being that the film is targeted at children, the story could have suffered. However, it plays out much like a childs imagination would have played it out. The story of little Emmet in a world so advanced, he blends into the background and stumbles into a deadly situation that leads him on a rather enthralling journey that defies a lot of preconceptions. An evil, corrupt government and police force is quite a shock in a U rated film. Teaching that police are not always these good people is very difficult for children to understand for kids but nowadays the older generations are seeing this more and more. It's an interesting choice that plays towards the demographic but maintains its child exterior. Obviously, there was going to be a love story and I noticed that this connection beats out so many like it that have cropped up in live action. Plastic figures with limited facial movement/expression had more emotion on their faces than Kristen Stewart and a better love story that Twilight could have ever produced.

Lego stands upon the idea of fun. It's a ride that isn't trying to provoke philosophical thoughts. The action was fast, a little jarring at points with the aggressive cuts but flows the way everyone imagines. It's a genuinely good film with so much hard work and dedication that has to be applauded. Perfect for children and is entertaining to everyone else, apart from the god awful selection of music. That truly was horrific. But otherwise, the movie deserves an 8/10. It's a kids movie made by Lego, what the hell did you expect me to say!? Tune in for Monuments Men review and Titanfall videos over the next week!

Robocop - Quicky Review - SPOILERS

A remake of a hugely popular trilogy that plummeted harder that a rock from the top of the Empire State Building as time went on has just been released. The re-envisioned Robocop pays homage to a much loved franchise that many of my generation remember from childhood but in a new light. Seeing that I probably watched them 15+ years ago, I've lost a lot of memory of the films so I can't credit the films that far.

So jumping straight in, consider that the movie is built upon a sci-fi action classic and desires to follow the trend, however, the movie doesn't feel to much like a sci-fi. Understandably, the idea of a robotic human seems very sci-fi but set 20 odd years from now, the world hasn't really changed. People are still driving Fiat 500's and Volkswagen station wagons. With the advancement in human biotics and robotics, none of the potential has moved into any other industry and actually aid the entire world. It's hard to get a real feeling that the world has developed and I'm in a futuristic setting when cars have replaced stylish alloy wheels for bin lids. In all honesty, I wouldn't class this as science fiction, simply an action movie. But once again, an action movie is trying to create sub plots and stories to create emotions and it is well out of it's depth. To convey emotion, it takes a good script, good acting and a good narrative. Action movies can't provide these. It began with the partnership with his cop buddy who was just shot and then trying to create a family bond between Alex Murphey (Joel Kinnaman) and his son but then completely abandoning them later down the line. The son only appears 3 times and nothing concrete is done to show a connection.

Looking at the action, it is alright. Nothing truely wowing. At points questionable, such as the explosion that in reality would have killed Murphey but immediately after, left him with all of his limbs with minor burning to then have them all removed! His condition was that of a minor burn victim and after a giant explosion, no one battered an eyelid. The wife walked down and then ran back in a few minutes later, the son never appeared in the first vision and neighbours just thought their partners had ripped a rather large one in bed. The rest of the action was simply mediocre.

I'm lacking much enthusiasm for the movie. Pumped to be reintroduced to a childhood hero, I felt rather let down. The incessant need to create connections, is truly useless. Paying Samuel L. Jackson to play a role that isn't even necessary and use Kinnaman for the major role when his acting leaves you wondering if he's always that boring, not to mention that they needed to use Jackson and his iconic "motherfucker" to grab a laugh from the audience. Then casting Jay Baruchel, who I don't like very much and just want to poke him with a stick while repeating "Hey, awkward". Probably the only sufficient actor was Gary Oldman but he looked rushed and looked to have only been given his lines 2 minutes before. All together it tried too hard on so many levels that shouldn't have been the primary focus, thus neglecting the others that truly needed the work.

Although a shoddy movie with a poor character development and acting, the visual aspect of the movie was gorgeous and action had moments in which it was enjoyable to watch. Sticking with the lower end of reviews, I feel the 6/10 is a good representation.

Lone Survivor - Review - SPOILERS

It's not rocket science, the trailer and the films name really do make the outlining plot obvious. If you've seen the trailer, you've seen the majority of the movie. Presented as an all American patriotic war film based on a true story, but the Lone Survivor is something far bigger. Based on the operation Red Wings, a 4 team squad have to take down a high profile Taliban target. With no comms, the strike team find there cover blown with no support or commanding orders. Left alone, it's a right for survival which costs the lives of 3 of the squad leaving only Mark Wahlberg's Marcus Luttrell to fend for himself.

The story is great. Once again, I'm not versed into the ins and outs of what actually happened and expect the odd embellishment from time to time, but there were a few bits that I was a little saddened by. With a lack of character development throughout, the death of the soldiers do very little to cause an emotional response. Running up to the outbreak of violence, characters are introduced but the movement is incredibly slow. Characters we meet are completely irrelevant and hold no emotion value while in this time, they should have focused on character progression rather than a slew of names and faces. One piece I really enjoyed was the representation of the Afghan people. Moving away from a typical "everyone of them is involved with the Taliban" approach, and taking a positive view and portraying it to a world through a form of media that normally attacks Afghanistan.

As the movie represented itself as an action movie, it's important to critique this. However, the first thing that I would like to talk about is the use of armour. I understand that they are given Kevlar armour which is supposed to withstand quite the impact, yet it appears that it does very little to stop a bullet when these guys get shot to shit. Now that is out of the way, the action is brutal. There is no other word to describe it. The wounds look real and the deaths are mortifying. One particular shot sits with me and will do for quite some time is the killing of one of the soldiers. After running dry on ammo and suffering multiple gun shot wounds, he props himself up against a tree. The shot expands to center his limp body. As he struggles for breath, Taliban draw closer and aim. Firing two shots that rip through the tree above his head, he doesn't flinch. The final shot hits Axe (Ben Foster) in the head and sends his head back into the tree only to drop forward seconds later. The lingering shot was amazing. Yet, for a movie at 15+ of age, it seems a little much. With action comes sound. With war comes loud noises. Microphones must have been peaking, at points it scares the living shit out of me because it's so sudden and really aided in immersing into the movie.

The movie is wonderful. Without digging into everything else too deeply, the acting was alright and visually it was gorgeous apart from the slow-mo team jump which felt generic and cheesy. But otherwise, Lone Survivor deserves a solid 8 out of 10. It's a great piece of entertainment and deserves a watch from anyone interested in the conflict and to any ladies out there, Taylor Kitsch was massive and Wahlberg didn't steal all of the screen time!

PS - Another short review as I'm in a race to catch up with The Walking Dead...So. Damn. Good.

Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit - Quicky Review!

Tom Clancy has had his faced and name slapped across everything in a substantial amount of years. With his recent death, the possibility of more Clancy movies and games creeping out is inevitably going to increase. Having never read one of his books, I cannot comment of his ability as an author. However, his involvement with other forms of the media is were I can play about. Actively avoiding his collection of games because they were simply the same game, wrapped in a different package and sent to the studio to change the threat from the Taliban to Russia. Call of Duty has that market cornered and there is only so much of the same crap we can endure.

Jack Ryan is solely based on the character created by Clancy. Fortunately it doesn't involve his stories revolving around Jack Ryan and it does allow for a great possibility to move away from the abusive draining of a dead man's creations. However, Jack Ryan was also played by Harrison Ford, Alec Baldwin and Ben Affleck in several other movies simply aimed at bleeding a rock. When this will end is a mystery that only Da vinci could solve. It would be refreshing to see them come up with something that isn't solely used for money rather than a good story. The question here is is Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit worth it?

Answer - No.

I'm going to keep this short. The story is genuinely pants. Lets crash another countries economy because they didn't want to do one thing. Mother Russia is the best, America bad. No America is the land of the free and Russia are just grumpy and we need to send a secret agent to hack into their mainframe. I'm no computer genius but if you wanted to find something out, you can do that. It's as loose as an extra large condom on a small calibre man and feels ignorantly patriotic that it is painful to watch. It's a plot that takes itself

From story to acting, I have to attack the most prominent piece for me. Keira Knightley. First of all, what jackass cast her to play an American even though she cannot do an American accent without looking like a horse. Alongside the fact that the rest of her acting could be considered poor, at best, it really puts a lot of pressure onto the others to bring the level back up. However, stuck with Kevin Costner, the acting isn't going to be great. Yet Chris Pine should have filled his role of testosterone filled secret agent pretty easily but his voice squeaks in comparison to Kenneth Branagh's thick Russian accent. None of it fits. Much like a school play, people have been cast simply because they asked for it and were available. The extent of their talent has disappeared as Christmas draws closer and they are excited to get home rather than put all of their effort into a play that means very little to children who have no concept of what the story is trying to portray. Each character has little or no background whatsoever and are thrust onto screen while Kenneth Branagh (also the director) shoots at their feet to make them dance. It's a hash of people with no character, poorly directed positioning, script and casting and should not have passed go.

Finally, the only thing that should be good in this movie but is incredibly mediocre and excessively over-produced is the action. The action is big, there's a lot of noise (all be it deafening) but all common sense just vaporises. We do everything in extensive action scenes through the streets of cities will no interference from traffic. I went to Paris last year, it was fucking difficult to drive around. I've also seen New York traffic and the aspect of reality and common sense piles on me with every poor punch.

The movie had my hopes high. A cast of actors that are typically deemed good, only to find out they are astonish bad. A script written by a room of monkeys that still have the deadline for that Shakespeare piece and an attitude to it that is so pretentious and up it's own ass makes it a poor watch. I haven't even delved into the cinematography because it wound me up so much. A constant blur covers the screen, with nothing clear or crisp, I don't feel I'm in a modern movie that's been recorded on a million dollar camera but rather an Iphone. So my overall score rounds in at 6/10. The only redeeming factors are that it's an action movie and keeps you remotely interested and it's only 105 minutes long which is enough to pass the time you need to waste before you go to the dentist for that check-up they keep insisting on.

The Wolf of Wall Street - Review! - MINOR SPOILERS

First post of the year and it's only taken 3 weeks! Really sorry, once again. Essays suck and I will try my best to keep my Twitter updated and the new Facebook page! You may also like to know that I saw 12 Years a Slave, Walter Mitty and American Hustle in recent weeks but didn't have enough time to give you my opinions but if you do want them, just let me know!

With increasing Oscar buzz, Golden Globes and DiCaprio's blitzing performance, I've been anxiously waiting for the UK release. Instead of launching into a rant about why it should be a world wide release, I will simply say, it exceeded my expectations. Martin Scorsese's ability to use small details to connote traits of a character or a drive to force the best out of his cast and the gloriously captured scenes add so many levels to the movie experience. A brief explanation describes it best -
Based on the true story of Jordan Belfort, from his rise to a wealthy stockbroker living the high life to his fall involving crime, corruption and the federal government. IMDB

First of all, I'd like to talk about the cinematography. With each scene, each job and each place, the mood of Jordan Belfort (Leonardo DiCaprio) is captured. Through a blend of lighting, shading and the vividness of colours can show a distinct difference between anger and happiness. Although we consider it typically easy to use colour and lighting correctly, many do not use it to the potential and do not take into fact the placement of the shot. I cannot praise the endless detail that went into setting up shots and a personal favourite is Belfort's meeting with a banker. There's an element of stress of DiCaprio's face but behind him; a vast city landscape, while behind the banker sits a small fish tank sunk into the black marble wall. Representing both of these characters with this device is great to see. Belfort's desire to be richer than ever, his open minded thinking process compared to the formal shark banker whose closed-in scene demonstrates his emotional capabilities for anyone other than himself and his closed aspect mind. I won't ruin it, but the final scene drags, it doesn't bore but it connotes something really hard hitting and it would be great to see what some people took from it. This level of attention to detail could really push Scorsese ahead of the other Oscar nominations for best director this year, although stiff competition from Gravity's Alfonso Cuarón and Steve McQueen's 12 Years a Slave realistically will be the ones to capture the Oscar.

Swiftly towards the story. Based on the true story, doesn't insinuate the extent of what actually happened throughout the life of Belfort, however, the embellishment and development upon a story is what makes it a movie rather than a simple documentary. Beginning with a simple entrepreneur who makes it rich, to the point he has no way of spending it fast enough with a drive to keep it that way that leaves him in the shit with the FBI. Stereotypically, a film has a set point within the story, something that pushes the tale forward and keep everything moving. Yet within this, it's not till half way through we really understand that the trail starts when the FBI become involved but in very minor ways while Jordan works his way around life. It never felt like a linear plot, nothing had to be achieved apart from avoiding governmental attention and it detailed random points throughout the years to a point that some may perceive as useless but show a desire for character development rather than a simple story. As the movie grows, Belfort breaks down the 4th wall. Like Marvels Deadpool, he begins to narrate scenes, flowing through the sets like ghost as he describes the ins and outs of the market, his criminal actions and sells the story just as well as he sells stocks.

Essentially the Charlie Sheen of the Stock Market, Belfort is a character that can be incredibly motivational but his dependency on narcotics creates a demeanour that could only be described as malicious. His wealth and power is demonstrated through his flash cars, a white Ferrari 512 TR, Jag E-Type and the infamous Lamborghini Countach (fun fact - extremely rare 25th anniversary edition was destroyed on set!), then through an assortment of houses and a 150ft yacht. We see these items and at points I felt inspired. The vast sums of money, the ability to live life fast and drive fast is something that appeals to myself and probably many others out there. The role was built for DiCarprio. No one else could have played Belfort without loosing the flow or trying to hard. Effortlessly he shines throughout alongside all of his co-stars. Jonah Hill, who plays Donnie Azoff (Belfort's partner) also nails it. His comedy heritage is such a great addition to him as an actor and with elements of comedy throughout the movie, he can rely on his true forte to convince and knock it out of the park. The rest of the main cast were very strong. Names that ring no bells and faces that are new is refreshing in movies, without using an excess of big names, The Wolf of Wall Street has room for true talent rather than gimmicks. In their stock empire, the amount of extras needed to fill the

expansive room is enormous and some were a little over zealous at points and really distracted from scenes when you lock directly on the bell-end humping a desk or looking like they've just bitten into a Haribo sour soaked in Red Bull... Finally we must consider Naomi Lapaglia played by Margot Robbie. Naomi is the definitive love interest that has to deal with the back lash of her husbands addictions and that is no simple task. With her past as a Miller girl, Naomi was/is a beautiful women with a feisty and blunt persona. I've never come across her before and this being her most serious role is a lot of stress that doesn't seem to affect her. She plays the scenes perfectly, she looks the part for the era and holds her own on the screen opposite Leonardo. With a collection of other big names popping up for minor cameos, the casting department did a brilliant job in their selections.

Speaking of comedy, the movie isn't all serious. The comedy is so diverse and it's all very entertaining. You will sit there and enjoy the crudeness of some jokes and then sit in shock at the extent the comedy goes when they are under the influence of any number of drugs. From light hearted jovial playing to sudden shock tactics is what makes this film very powerful and such a contender within many award ceremonies and already stands as one of my favourite films. With a 10 minute scene exclusively about throwing 'midgets' and there apparent super human strength being completely improvised, both the acting and comedic talent comes into play. To hold a scene for so long about something so obscene is just incredible and unbelievably funny. Bucking the trend of many American TV shows (Game of Thrones, Boardwalk Empire and many more), there is a lot of nudity. When I say a lot, I mean enough to fill a 60 minute soft core porn. It's something I'm growing used to but it's vulgarity and brashness holds a certain shock value and typically ruins a story for me, however it's held with a little more grace than simply throwing in a shag or two for those who fancy getting their rocks off.

To round it up, I'd like to point out a few little issues I had. One being continuity. When DiCaprio breaks up with his first wife, he was pulled out of a limo, every time the camera switched for a wider angle, the limo vanished and then returned. Alongside a few other errors, it was a bit of a grind not to notice them after a while. Secondly is some of the visual aspects. With some stunning set pieces, the punchy colours and lights, you wouldn't think anything could go wrong. Yet if you look at the CGI, it can be really lacklustre and looks to have dropped out of an early 2000's Call of Duty game. So overall, I'm extremely impressed. I can't see it nailing many Oscars with the others about but each one it earns, it deserves. The Wolf of Wall Street is an astonishing thrill ride that grips you with brilliant gags, mind blowing acting and visually perfect. A riveting tale that you probably won't want to see with your parents... 9/10!

Top 5 Games of the Year - 2013

Looking back over the year of games, I have noticed that very little actually caught my attention. Apart from the generic continuation of the basic and repetitive instalments of CoD and Battlefield, that leave little to be desired apart from a new 6 hour campaign and new maps for the online play. I would have written have like to have done an unboxing video on the youtube channel (Black Ribbon Gaming Youtube Channel) of the new generation of consoles but seeing that I could just about afford the Xbox One and only just received it, I felt it a little pointless to do one so late on. I would also like to stress that I only have an Xbox 360. PS3 games, unfortunately, cannot make it into my top games as of yet.

In no particular order:

1 - The Walking Dead - Telltale Series.
Yes I know that it came out last year but the full hard copy came out earlier this year with every episode and also the 400 Days dropped too. Plus the new one comes out in a few days and I'm wetting myself with excitement. Possibly one of the most innovative games in many, many years.
A cinematic story that forces you to make moral decisions that affect you later on (Don't worry, forums and Wikia will help you to get the perfect ending that will help you in the next series!). With a creative art style and brilliant script writing, this game will stand as one of the best for many years too come. The Walking Dead - Review

2 - Bioshock Infinite
Originally destined for release in 2012, Bioshock was pushed back into the earlier part of this year. Saddened by the wait, hopes were high for an even stronger game. In true fashion, it was out of this world. A change in scenery was worrying to think about but the overall outcome gave you a new story that can go so many different ways. Take the DLC for example. You get to return to Rapture and it's just awesome to see the world again but with people actually living there, not some crack heads and adorable Big Daddies... A tense and exciting game. Ken Levine has done it again and should just be aloud creative freedom to do what he pleases! Bioshock Infinite - Review

3 - Tomb Raider
An unexpected favourite of mine. Earlier this year, Josh wrote a review praising it for being amazing. I held back for a while. I didn't want to spend too much money on something that I may not enjoy. Eventually I caved in and bought the special edition box set version with some really cool additions in it for only £20. Bargain! I kid you not, the game was awesome. A mix of fantasy carved into a survival story doesn't always work but Square Enix knocked it out of the park. A vast landscape with lots of free-reign to do as you please but enough guidance to keep you on track without being too intrusive. Combat is simple and realistic and the visuals are astonishing. Nothing short of incredible and too think they have just released a special edition with upped graphics for the next gen consoles. Square Enix have a prize winner by keeping their trademark cinematic footage but moved away from sponging from the Final Fantasy series. Tomb Raider - Review

4 - Assassins Creed 4 - Black Flag
Yeah. Do I really need to explain this? Pirates, Assassins, Sailing, killing shit and all that fun stuff that we've come to expect from the AC franchise. I'd have to question you if you did not enjoy this. The story is far superior to AC3, the visuals are fantastic, sailing is no longer a gimmick and you're a motherfucking pirate assassin! The game drops the mini games and really focuses on experiencing the incredibly vast world. It's sandbox but MASSIVE. A very similar combat system with little change makes it easy to jump back in and frolic around the deck of your ship, pestering the local wildlife or stabbing anything in a red coat... Assassins Creed 4 - Review

5 - Grand Theft Auto 5 (Not the multiplayer)
One of histories most successful games, this list simply could not ignore it. Seeing that GTA4 bored me, I wasn't expecting to have so much fun. Yeah, it lacks top of the range visuals and is extremely glitchy but the huge story and the mad antics are entertaining. It's a game you can pick up and enjoy without having the use your head. However, I don't enjoy the multiplayer much. It's a cluster of people paranoid that they're going to get wiped and will shoot without a thought. Simple, crazy and unruly.  Great with a few friends, some beer and some terrible food.

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Top 5 Movies of 2013!

2013 has been one hell of a year. We have yet to hit our first birthday (Feb. 18th) but I've had plenty of time to spend procrastinating, watching films and playing games. Nothing different to my normal lifestyle, apart from the fact that this site gives me a reason to sit up until 3AM.

In no particular order, I have chosen my 5 favourite movies of the year.

1 - Rush
Starring Chris Hemsworth, Rush details the lives of famed racing drivers Nikki Lauda and James Hunt. Ron Howards directions gave this movie an incredible feeling. It is a raw depiction of one of the most dangerous sports with little regulation and safety precaution. Gloriously shot, the colours pop and focus is always drawn perfectly with the right balance of focus in high speed chases. An exciting thrill ride with an intriguing story and a must-see for any F1 fans, both new and old. Full throttle excitement with some strong language and a feels trip for old fans. Rush - Review!

2 - Captain Phillips
Based on the events in 2009 where Somali pirates board the MV Maersk Alabama. The five day ordeal is compressed down quite substantially but still is a brutal watch. Nothing is skimped out and you can really feel the tension oozing off screen. The space that they had to work in is also incredible when you think about it. The work that went into getting the stunning shots is massive and it paid off 100%. With Tom Hanks at the helm, his acting talent shines. Contrasted against Barkhad Abdi, two completely different men bounce off of each other. Abdi's skeletal frame is token to how well they have cast everyone. A roller-coaster ride with one of the best ending scenes I have ever seen. Packed with emotion, superb acting and gorgeous filming, anyone with half a brain will adore. Captain Phillips - Review!



3 - Pacific Rim
Giant monsters, giant robots and a shit ton of action? What's not to love!? Yeah the script and acting are a little wack but no one can say that Pacific Rim is a terrible movie. Visual effects are probably the best I've seen in many years and the choreographed fight scenes are just epic. Plus a bit of Idris Elba never goes a miss. The perfect movie. Nothing to complicated, great fun and a gaggle of laughs. Pacific Rim - Review
 

4 - Only God Forgives
Considered the biggest Marmite film of this year, I felt that this movie was a work of art. Directed by the same guy as Drive, the gruesome violence transcends into this wonderfully excessive environment. Yeah, sure, Ryan Gosling isn't an amazing actor and has the voice of a prepubescent boy who can't convey anger without squeaking away like he lost a game of Call of Duty. All that aside, it is a really meaty and creative piece of work. It's a film that demands a lot from it's audience and if you're in the right mindset, you could really enjoy the neon lights and the twisted story to this dramatic thriller. Only God Forgives - Review

5 - Saving Mr. Banks
Seeing that I only just reviewed this the other day, I was in love with this movie. It's a real feel good movie which feels like it has every bit lovingly worked upon to give it this feeling. The jumping between time periods to elaborate and expand the story is a wonderful addition to document the life and creation of the beloved Mary Poppins. An all around great film with little - if anything wrong with it. Saving Mr. Banks - Review