Tarantino on his favourite movies of 2013 (so far)

The Hollywood craftsmanship of Quentin Tarantino needs very little introduction other than he is a full time director, writer and most times, a very in-depth movie critic with rival projects in the past finding that out the hard way. Tarantino is never shy of controversial opinion; while those who once pointed the finger at Quentin's work have in most cases felt the force of powerful and very constructive words from a man who's argumentative persona is felt like a hot knife through butter. Nevertheless, Tarantino is an all round child like movie buff. His work is hailed to be contently successful due to the desire of creating a film that he, as an adolescent, would have liked to pay in to see. 

As you may or may not know, one of Tarantino's favourite movies of all time is Battle Royale (2000). While we would love nothing more than an extended list of enjoyable and somewhat personal list of classic movies from the man who knows best, we are giving his top ten favourite movies of 2013 instead. 

Afternoon Delight

Director/Writer: Jim Soloway

Starring: Kathryn Hahn, Juno Temple and Josh Radnor 

Synopsis: Rachel (Kathryn Hahn) is frustrated at the lack of romantic spark that once embraced the home she shares with lover boy Jeff (Radnor). Desperate to dabble in new experiences, the "stay at home mom" visits a strip club in which she meets McKenna (Temple); a struggling teenager caught up in a life that needs rescuing. Rachel does just that, in granting McKenna the new life of being a nanny to her kids, Rachel believes this is a deed worth pushing. However her selfishness creates tension within the household of others, with husband Jeff finding it difficult to cope around a situation that becomes all too peculiar and unsatisfying as far as his relationship goes with Rachel. 

Before Midnight

Director: Richard Linklater

Starring: Ethan Hawke and Julie Deply 

Synopsis: Jesse (Hawke) and Celine's romance is celebrated over two decades from when they first met. Both are on holiday in Greece, courtesy of an invitation from a former colleague and friend of Jesse's. As the trip comes to an end, Jesse finds himself in limbo, with a once dedication toward Celine hanging in the balance as a relationship that has lasted a lifetime begins to slope. However the surviving friendship and lustful chemistry between both, shows that neither is willing to give up on what they both discovered on a Paris train a lifetime ago. 

Blue Jasmine

Directed: Woody Allen

Starring: Cate Blanchett, Alec Baldwin and Sally Hawkins

Synopsis: New York based socialite Jasmine (Blanchett) is deceived into false love and ultimately left with nothing other than her sister Ginger. While they say family should become first, the depressed mindset of Jasmine quickly becomes a burden to the household of Ginger and her husband Augie (Andrew Dice Clay). 

The Conjuring

Directed: James Wan

Starring: Patrick Wilson, Vera Farmiga and Ron Livingston

Synopsis: Based on the real life work of paranormal investigators Ed (Wilson) and Lorraine (Farmiga), their duty calls on what seems a routine house of haunted ghouls; with the outcome, in most cases, appearing false. However, the experience of both Ed and Lorraine is tested as a family is terrorised in a dilapidated farm house in Rhode Island.

Drinking Buddies

Directed: Joe Swanberg

Starring: Olivia Wilde, Jake Johnson and Anna Kendrick

Synopsis: Luke and Kate spend their days in the Chicago Brewery sober - to a certain extent. But their typical mundane shift can only last so long before they make a routine session of beer drinking. But considering both Luke and Kate are in "not so" convincing relationships, the romantic premise of Drinking Buddies kicks as they are both convinced of their lustful suitability, they know it can never be, or can it? 

Frances Ha

Directed: Noah Baumbach

Starring: Greta Gerwig, Mickey Sumner and Adam Driver

Synopsis: The life of Frances Haliday (Gerwig) is full of wonderful hopes and dreams with optimism in abundance. Frances lives in New York without an actual apartment, and while the only way is up in the eyes of Frances, her friend Sophie is bemused to where exactly she sees her friend going and creates a fallout in friendship. However while Frances continues to live her life with sheer enjoyment, her sudden dawn on reality seems almost inevitable.

Gravity

Directed: Alfonso Cuaron

Starring: George Clooney and Sandra Bullock

Synopsis: Dr. Ryan Stone (Bullock) is in the company of astronaut Matt (Clooney) who are both exploring the wonders of space on its first shuttle mission. Things take a turn for the worse when the shuttle is destroyed, leaving Dr. Ryan and Matt fighting against the daring possibility of being sucked into the abyss forever. 

Kick-Ass 2

Directed: Jeff Wadlow

Starring: Aaron Taylor Johnson, Chloe Grace-Moretz and Jim Carrey

Synopsis: Kick-Ass (Johnson) joins up with a group of self inspired crime fighters in order to maintain the peace. On the other hand, Hit-Girl (Moretz) struggles to come to terms with modern day high school, with her personality outside the costume becoming harder to control. 

The Loan Ranger

Directed: Gore Verbinski

Starring: Johnny Depp, Armie Hammer and William Fichtner

Synopsis: The Loan Ranger, aka the tale of John Reid is told to a young boy in way of enlightening the 1930s. Told through the eyes of a late Tonto (Depp), the movie retraces the origin of John Reid in a spaghetti Western parody that leads both Tonto and Reid through explosive territories and blockbuster adventures; a surviving outcome that grants Reid the title of "The Loan Ranger".

This is the End

Directed: Evan Goldberg and Seth Rogen.

Starring: Seth Rogan, James Franco, Jay Baruchek and Craig Robinson.

Synopsis: A gathering of "stoners" and every Seth Rogen cohort you can think of, turn up for James Franco's house warming. Sounds like a lot of fun, especially if you are actually friends with these guys. But unfortunately, a seat in a dark room with a big ass screen is as close as we are going to get to witnessing the adventure of six of the funniest guys in Hollywood (at the moment); Jonah Hill, Seth Rogen, James Franco, Craig Robinson, Danny McBride and Jay Baruchel (Read my full review here).

That's all folks. Thanks for reading. 

The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2

The release of Twilight Breaking Dawn - Part 2 can only call for one thing - celebration. Cinema-goers around the globe will be celebrating the end of a terrible franchise, for now. However there is a large minority who will probably shed a tear while they try and get to grip with life after Edward. So before I can truly celebrate, an important review is beyond my eager finger tips; Breaking Dawn part 2, or as the french would say, part deux.

Life in the Cullen house is no different, well, beside from a reformed Bella (Kristen Stewart) and the kid she shares with Edward (Robert Pattinson). Vampires and wolves go about there day to day mundane lives as life in the woods is just never ending (literally).

It's an introduction to soft, yet twisted music as we are thrown into the bond that both Bella and Edward share. We learn the once bookish sweetheart is now a greedy blood sucker (that's my girl!). Although many of lifes ambitions are now at her advantage, Bella is yet to control her thirst for blood as she fights to avoid the hunger for humans. This comes as a disadvantage to her as Jacob (Taylor Lautner) is guarding Bella's daughter Renesmee (Mackenzie Foy) in fear of Bella's thirst. However the Cullen house is never dull for long as the relationship between Bella, Jacob and Edward form a family unit that focuses on what is best for Renesmee; who is half human half vampire (apparently that's extraordinary).

A plot we have seen once too many in the franchise arrives at our door, snapping the letterbox in desperate need to sell us something. When a false accusation gets back to the Volturi, the affiliation is sent into panic. They believe a child like Enesmee will damage the existence of the Vampire race beliveing she holds a unique power that is not worth the risk. Leader of the Volturi, Jasper (Jackson Rathbone) is determined for answers and leads the cult toward Bella and the Cullen family. While there is only so many happy montages we can take in a Twilight flick, enough is enough as word gets back to the house concerning the safety of Enesmee. Edward an co begin to recruit Vampire families from around the way to support an possibly fight against the Volturi.

The majority of Breaking Dawn part 2 is a round up of silly sequences between Jacob, Bella and Enesmee as we get a glimpse of Edward's ridiculous attempt for a smile every so often. The movie begs for interest with the introduction of the Volturi, but you just know that even the antagonist will have no impact in this follow-up. Twilight continues to centre around a fake romance that involvs everyone; family, friends, vampires, wolves, the lack of chemistry as well as acting skills is down right disgusting.

This review is analysed by a movie fanatic so I look for aspects in every film, good and bad. They say a males perspective of Twilight will always differ from that of females, but I understand what the entire franchise has tried to offer; imagination, romance, masculinity and a tear-jerking plot. If you are looking for what I have listed, you will not find it in Twilight because if you are judging the movie for what it truly is you will know it is a story taken from a book. The fantasy novel held the responsibility of a good possible story line, however the onscreen adaption has failed upon two vital ingredients; acceptable acting and acceptable plot. I failed to accept either.

In my Breaking Dawn review I said the previous flicks are mundane and sometimes quite bearable. I then followed up on saying I might regret saying that. I do. However my honesty will still prevail and will admit to saying that the original Twilight is not all that bad (I might regret saying that). Just like the one previous, Twilight continued to offer nothing new with the same irrelevant characters (and actors) with a plot that just spells laziness and quite silly and hilariously boring.

I said the same with the BD part 1 review; "I would fail to understand why twlights' biggest fanatics could even enjoy this trash" (echo)

Overall: A less than half decent ending could not change my consensus. It is a terrible film in every way shape or form. Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart are more irritating than ever. Just like it's predecessors, Twilight Breaking Dawn part 2 is hopeless!

2/10

Twilight:Breaking Dawn Review 2012

The blood thirsty saga continues with the fourth in the twilight trilogy, Breaking Dawn part 1.

The love story evolves ever more between Edward and Bella as they both continue to fight off surrounding personalities in a desperate bid to be together. As always, wolf boy slash action man wanna be Jacob goes from jealousy to anger when he receives a wedding invitation, regarding Edward and Bella.

Things spiral out of control as the plot of this story trys making sense by engaging in a storyline the viewer might possibly but not nearly relate to (sarcastic tone). Bella finds out not long after the wedding that she is pregnant....with a vampire,...for a vampire! I mean Edward! So without spoiling much (without much to spoil) Bella and the Cullen family are caught up in a desperate fight against the wolf pack, as word quickly spreads about Bella's strange situation.

Jacob, considering himself the leader of the wolf pack, comes to the conclusion of making sure Bella does not give birth as it could end up killing his childhood sweetheart. So all in all, with Bella being pregnant for the wolf packs' fierce enemy, and continuous misery brought on to poor Jacob, this could only mean an all out war between Vampires and wolves right? WRONG! Because we already got that jazz in the first three movies. Breaking Dawn offers the Twilight fan more fake romance, dull humour with a bloody concept that will disturb the average human brain.

The acting was terrible. I won't lie, Iv seen the previous movies, and although I hated the build up and madness surrounding them, they were not that bad (I could possibly regret saying that!) Breaking Dawn however left me feeling horrible with a total waste of life. My reason for seeing it was the obvious, yet a useless excuse that was, I had seen the previous movies.

Unfortunately Breaking Dawn Part 1 clearly means a part 2 is on the way. It will be the sequel of the century that one must AVOID as the End of Breaking Dawn as well as the full 100mins left me feeling nothing but shear hatred for Robert Pattinson and Kirsten Stewart. I would fail to understand why twlights' biggest fanatics could even enjoy this trash. There is no hiding the fact Robert pattinson's apparent good looks seems to attract the biggest viewers, but he has the acting skills of a snail.

So as a general movie buff or Twilight Fanatic, what have you made of it?  By the way, my opinion was far from your typical male view because I can admit to half enjoying the previous ones. But when you continue to Have Mr Pattinson's presence in such a dragged out trilogy... the future for his acting, and the saga will equal to nothing less than termination.
Hasta La Vista...Baby!!!