3D: Style over substance?

In 2009, 3D films exploded. Coraline, Up and Monsters Vs. Aliens, were just a few of the blockbusters to embrace the medium, and it would take a colder cynic than I to argue that it didn’t enhance the experience. Coraline was creepier, the Up balloons more colourful, in a format which meant you could almost reach into the world you were watching. The downside is that directors have started to create films specifically designed to be as stunning as possible in 3D, with little or no regard to the script or story. The culprit? Avatar.
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Edward who?

I managed to avoid the Twilight phenomenon when it first emerged. If you read Stephanie Meyer’s novels, you lovingly traced the words “Mrs Edward Cullen” onto your schoolbooks, invested in white foundation and adopted a gloomy look – all of which I’m a bit old for. It managed to catch up with me when my younger cousin turned up for Christmas in heavy eyeliner, clutching a copy of Twilight. The week before, she’d taken a Zac Efron lunchbox to school. I was sceptical, but if anything was going to stop teenage girls from trying to be Miley Cyrus, I was willing to investigate.
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Avatar fans “suicidal”

As the second-highest grossing film of all time, there can be no arguing that Avatar has had a massive effect on many people.
However, director and writer James Cameron may not quite have anticipated the feelings of genuine depression that many people have experienced after viewing this futuristic sci-fi flick.
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The Badger meets the Fox

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Thirst

South Korean Director Park Chan-Wook shot onto the world cinema stage with the middle part of his revenge trilogy Old Boy (2003), winning the grand jury prize at Cannes, and provoking awe and outrage with it and all of his films to date. It looks as if this is not set to change with the release of Thirst, fresh from Cannes with a second jury prize for Park.

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Up

It will come as no surprise to learn that Pixar’s latest cinematic offering is outstanding. In fact it is hard to convey in words just how brilliant Up really is, you just simply have to see it for yourself. The tenth film by Pixar delivers both heartbreak and humour in a way that will leave you wondering just how they manage to instil so much personality and character into a computer generated image.

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Final Cut at Komedia

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The Invention of Lying

In an alternate world where everyone tells the absolute truth and has no concept of falsehood, one man, Mark Bellison (Ricky Gervais) discovers that he can lie. Initially there is the potential for a good comedy; however, what the film delivers are just occasional laughs which become increasingly monotonous as the film goes on. Not only does everyone tell the truth, but they also seem to volunteer revealing truths regarding their thoughts and previous actions; “I was just masturbating” is Anna’s (Jennifer Garner) fairly casual second statement to Bellison within 5 minutes of meeting him – not the work of comedy gold. Read more

(3) Films of Summer

Yes, apparently summer 2009 has finished! Already! Mental. Here are three very good films from that short, largely cold and rainy period, which you may have missed: Read more

3D? No thanks!

I’ll say it as it is; for people who claim to truly love the cinema, the introduction and preoccupation with the new 3-D craze can be nothing but an annoyance. The movie-going public have been bombarded of late with new ‘special event’ and ‘limited screenings’ of 3D films such as Bolt and Monsters vs. Aliens, not to mention the re-release of cult-favourite The Nightmare Before Christmas. Is all of this really necessary?
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