Archive for February, 2009
——-
Released 25th February 2009
——-
———
Clint Eastwood sneers and growls his way back onto screen in an, allegedly, farewell acting performance as the hostile Walt Kowalski, ex Korean war veteran, nearly five years after his previous role in Million Dollar Baby, and skilfully combines all his iconic characters into one obnoxious and bigoted, but comical one. And it’s pure cinema gold to have him back in front of the cameras once more.
—–
Released 18th February 2009
—-
——-
The moment the bright and breezy Rebecca Bloomwood (Isla Fisher) confidently strides in slow-mo, clad in her top-notch labels, down a NYC street in the opening scenes, those of us brought up on a diet of Sex and the City and other ‘Big Apple chic’ dramas and rom-coms feel that exhilarating high that we’re onto another delicious dose of NYC fairy-tale daydreaming. These tales never tire because we never tire of seeing the ordinary person with dreams and hopes making it big in the glamourous, but cutthroat environment of Manhattan. Therefore, however many of these types of urban fairy tales film-makers appear to ‘churn out’ (to the uninitiated), there is always a willing viewing audience waiting to consume them. Confessions of a Shopaholic is another such film, and it’s hard to tell if we love it because of its winning formula - killer fashion, head-over-heals romance and glitzy NYC scenes - or because it has that little something special…
——
Released 20th February 2009
——-
——-
After the triumph and final jubilation of Part One, director Steven Soderbergh’s equally lengthy second instalment concludes the biography of the charismatic leader, Che Guevara. But the departing feeling with Part Two is one of sadness and despair, rather than inspiration, because we know the outcome of Guevara’s Bolivian struggle.
———
Released 13th February 2009
———-
——–
Did this film have to be made? Absolutely. Is now the right time? Absolutely. Was it any good? ABSOLUTELY! This is a very honest and real portrayal of Christopher “The Notorious B.I.G.” Wallace’s life, revealing a side of him that fans may not have previously known, or understood. One thing it does brilliantly is not glamourize nor endorse the whole ideal of the hip-hop lifestyle, but it does not hide what happens when stars and fans, alike, do. Hip-hop legend aside, this is, ultimately, the story of a boy becoming a man. Whether you’re a fan of Biggie or not, you can not deny he was, and still is an icon in the music industry.
——
As the film begins, you see Biggie and his crew in an L.A. club, you hear Biggie’s hit record ‘Hypnotize’ blasting out, and you are instantly transported back to ‘97… Moments later, you see Biggie and friends in the car and as they stop at a red light, a black Chevrolet Impala pulls up and fires shots into the rapper’s car. The shot freezes with a look at Biggie…
