16 Days of Birthday, Day 4: My Actress Idols

Being around movies all the time, I tend to look up at a lot of actresses as role models. Not the Disney types of actresses that us young adults are all supposed to aspire to be...no. It's the real kinds of actresses who are out there kicking Hollywood's butt, and looking awesome while doing it. Here's my ultra cool list of some of my favourite actress role-models:

Jennifer Lawrence is someone who I think is completely awesome. Not only did her career sky-rocket in 2010 thanks to her gutsy performance in much acclaimed indie Winter's Bone, she is practically now one of Hollywood's most-wanted actresses. And you know, she still seems to be a completely normal girl. Completely normal.

Vera Farmiga has slipped off the radar a bit of late, but I sure am looking forward to seeing her directorial debut, Higher Ground. I just love Vera, and I can't really pinpoint on the exact reason why. But she's one cool chick.

Anne Hathaway has been my idol ever since I watched Brokeback Mountain back in 2006. She radiates all kinds of happiness it's just ridiculous. Oh, and who remembers that huge Disney princess phase she had back in the day? Yeah...that's a distant memory.

Y'all know that I quite like Rebecca Hall, the rather tall British actress who always seems to be in the right movies. Seriously, I will watch anything that she stars in. Even though she's so amazing that I want to cry.

I think I just wish I was Saoirse Ronan. She's one of those rare teenage actresses who has all the talent of an actor who has been in the profession for a few decades. Seriously, if I was an eighth of how awesome she is then I would be such a happy panda.

As you're all probably well aware, Amy Adams is my favourite actress, and I think she's an amazing person, too. Sure, there have been some mishaps in her career (ah, Leap Year, anyone?). But she's still one of the bubbliest and most vibrant actresses out there, who continuously shies away from the spotlight.

Ever since I watched The Disappearance of Alice Creed, I've been in love with Gemma Arterton. In that movie, I thought she was incredibly gutsy, and she looked so real, unlike any of those other stick-thin actresses. Also, watching Tamara Drewe fuelled my love for her a bit more. Seriously, the girl is amazing!

Who doesn't love Natalie Portman? I think she's such a cutie pie, and she seems to have a heart of gold. Plus, her laugh is crazy. Not to mention that she shaved off her hair for a movie role. And learned how to do ballet for a movie role. Dedication.

Emma Stone is probably the actress that I look up to the most. First of all, she made a powerpoint to convince her parents that she should be an actress. Look where that got her. Piles of crappy movies, but she always remained the best thing about them. And along comes Easy A, the film where she showed us all that she could indeed carry a comedy by herself, and be naturally funny. She's such a cute person, too. Let's just hope the sudden boom her career is having won't go to her head...

So, do you have any actress idols?

DVD - Tamara Drewe

There once was an ugly duckling. She had a very big nose. She left her small hometown. She got a nose job. Then, the peaceful little village called Ewedown is rocked and shocked when Tamara Drewe (Gemma Arterton), former laughing stock, comes back to her roots as a successful columnist with a smaller nose. Now you can guess that there's some sort of story that comes after that is similar to that of a fairytale. Yes, Tamara becomes the hottest property in her township. Yes, she gets a rockstar boyfriend (Dominic Cooper). Yes, there is another man pining after her (Luke Evans). But while there is a story that you have probably seen before, there is also another few strands in it, which involve anything from a crazed teenage fangirl (Jessica Barden) and a married couple going through a huge rough patch (Roger Allam and Tamsin Grieg).

Tamara Drewe is a blindingly simple piece of work, but there is something about it which works. The first thing you need to know about this is that it is based on a series of graphic novels by Posy Simmonds. Now, I haven't read these, nor had I even heard of them before this film was released. But there is a sort of cheeky comical tone in the movie, which no doubt comes from it's original source. The cheekiness of it all does work very well and makes it very fun to watch, but because we are so used to that tone, it's difficult to take the ending seriously. Mind you, the ending - while it's easy to see it happening - is really silly. Whether that's the way it is done (the direction in that scene is a bit off the mark and it feels like some bad hill-billy home video) or just the what it is, it just doesn't feel right.

The central story, revolving around Tamara and her engagement to rocker Ben, which makes her ex-lover Andy a little bit jealous, is all very well and good. But we all know that it has been seen before. The most entertaining thing, which makes the story just a little bit different, is desperate teen Jody. Coming from a generation where my peers are obsessing over Justin Bieber (okay, maybe not my peers...just the people you adults think are my peers), we just need someone like Jody to show us all how dazed and confused we are when it comes to celebrity life. Once she discovers that her favourite man Ben is in her boring town, she pulls out all the stops to try and achieve the unreachable goal of marrying her prince charming. And that means becoming a conniving little brat who is out to destroy the 'plastic' Tamara so she can have Ben all to herself. While Jody may single-handedly be one of the most annoying characters ever (and don't go thinking that all teenagers are like her), it's entertaining to watch how plain stupid she is, which gives the movie a strange and unexpected edge.

Since the film features a lot of writers seeking inspiration in a peaceful land, there are quite a few literary references, particularly quite a few that go towards Thomas Hardy. There was something about this movie that felt like turning the pages of some fun, slightly old-fashioned book. But while it has that feeling, it also does feel like it is suited better as a mini-series. While it has all of the TV trimmings, it's got some great film trimmings in the performances from it's talented class. Gemma Arterton once again proves that she is worth more than those blockbuster duds that she starred in last year, and is quickly becoming my idol as she just looks and acts like the real deal. Dominic Cooper is as entertaining as ever, even with his eyes plastered in eye-liner. Luke Evans is a pleasant surprise, and I can't wait to see more of him in the future. Tamsin Grieg and Roger Allam cleverly play a destroyed married couple, each with a coy sense of humour. Bill Camp provides some laughs with his turn as a secret admirer.

The movie is slightly silly, in both it's script and execution, but I liked it. This could come down to a number of reasons: my new-found love for Gemma Arterton, an admirable amount of man candy, a funny teenager which  I can laugh at as I know the situation all to well, a writer's endless search for inspiration...it's a harmless delight, really.

THE VERDICT: It's cheeky and fun, yet very hard to take seriously. Tamara Drewe could be seen as a failure on Stephen Frears' part, but it's not a huge failure at all.


What I hoped for:

What I got (just):

Reviews Round Up, Part 1: American Beauty, The Disappearance of Alice Creed, Red, The American

In the midst of my Classic Movie Marathon, I was still watching a lot of movies (thank you school holidays). Therefore, I have a lot to catch up on. So, sorry, long reviews fans, I'm just going to give some quick paragraph long reviews otherwise I'll never catch up, though you can expect a lengthy review on Thor coming veeeeery soon.

American Beauty

I was hoping to do a full length review on this one, but I kinda thought that since I’m incredibly late to the party and most people have seen it,  I won’t bother. I can’t really add much to what everyone else has said about the film over the past 12 years. I loved this movie. The performances, the script, the direction, everything. It just felt so real. Some people have pointed out that this film has aged so quickly since it was very ‘in the moment’ when it was released, but I didn’t have a problem with that. Sure, a few things have changed, but this film still captures the world of suburban boredom and discontent so well, and it does still seem quite relevant. Kevin Spacey was positively spectacular in the lead role, with his sarcastic and cynical outlook on life. Watching him with drama queen Annette Bening was great too, they really played the part of an unhappy marriage quite well. Thora Birch was also a believable teen, and one which I felt compelled to relate to in so many instances. Mena Suvari did a brilliant job as the popular dream girl, and I felt so happy once we found out the truth about this girl, because I know there are a lot of people like her. Alan Ball did a wonderful job with the script, using every trick in the book to convey a believable world. From this to the wonderful True Blood, I think he might just be my favourite person right now. Sam Mendes, too, did an exceptional job of directing, considering he made this so early in his career. This really hit the heights of modern film-making.

What I hoped for:

What I got:

The Disappearance of Alice Creed

2010 was really the year to release movies with minimal sets. Like Devil, 127 Hours and Buried. The Disappearance of Alice Creed, a British kidnapping thrilled set almost entirely in a run-down house, is every bit as good as the other movies. Sure, the film may go astray a few times, and it really loses some ground as the movie goes on, but I found it simply reeling with intensity. As the film goes on, it gets increasingly hard to watch, as it really throws you in the position of Alice in a small way. The dynamic between she, Vic and Danny was also very interesting, even though I felt that we found out the truth way to soon, leaving little to be desired for the rest of the film. In saying that, I was completely and utterly entertained throughout the whole thing, and despite it's many flaws, I just kept going with the flow happily. From start to finish, it was an enjoyable thrill ride with a truly haunting end. By far the greatest thing about the film was seeing Gemma Arterton finally in a role worthy of her talents. After seeing her dabble in that blockbuster business (Clash of the Titans, Prince of Persia), she gets down and dirty and seems to be at home when she is just being natural. I can't wait to see future projects with her in it similar to this one, though if a few people in high places see this, hopefully she'll get a bigger break.

What I hoped for:

What I got:

Red

I admit, I need to watch this one again. While I liked it, and thought it was quite funny, everyone in Dannevirke has been going absolutely nutters for it. And fair enough, I think this is just a little too high above my age group, since it's all about old peeps with their guns. But hey, Helen Mirren, shooting people? Now that makes for a good movie! I swear that woman can do anything! And when Helen Mirren is in a film, you know the class level goes up a bit. Though you could say that this movie is pretty classy, as it has one of the better casts of recent history. You take Bruce Willis, you give him a little bit to do, some downright cool action scenes and tell him to smile a few times. Then you get John Malkovich to play a complete nutso. And along comes Morgan Freeman, taking a break from being God or narrator in Alec Baldwin's dreams to kick some ass. Mary Louise Parker also comes for the ride as the confused girlfriend of old Willis, and she's fun, too. Oh, and Kiwi man Karl Urban continues his Hollywood rise being a guy who always looks angry. The cast do lift this a hell of a lot, and it's a really fun ride. If only more Hollywood action comedies could be a bit more like this.

What I hoped for:

What I got:

The American

I do like slow movies. As long as I have the willpower to really get into them and dissect all the hidden themes . Which usually takes me a couple of watches. The American is a damn slow movie. Yet, in all it's slowness, in all the minimal things that happen, you really get to just bask in the glory of beautiful cinematography. Jaw droppingly beautiful cinematography. And then you get to bask in the glory of a mostly silent, completely charmless George Clooney. It's hard, but there it is. The story is quite interesting, as it unfolds slowly. The set pieces and the various beautiful women are great to look at. Yeah, this movie is all about the aesthetics. If aesthetics are enough, then there is a 75% chance you'll love this movie. The ending is absolutely haunting. However, I do admit to succumbing to boredom while watching this movie, and definitely wasn't wowed by it at all. It wasn't anything special, it was just an incredibly stylish and stunning piece of cinema. It's not a movie, it's cinema. Which will be a little too hard for the mainstream audiences to grasp, but that's just the way it rolls, Holmes.

What I hoped for:

What I got:

AAN: Who could possibly win the BAFTA Rising Star award?

Gemma Arterton. Andrew Garfield. Tom Hardy. Aaron Johnson. Emma Stone. All actors who have been around for a little while, but have impressed in the past year. All actors who equally deserve this award, because they are amazing.

We're just over a week out from the BAFTAs, so why not start the chatter with trying to answer this impossible question: who deserves this award more? Let's look at each of the nominees and...try to decide.

Gemma Arterton

'Known For' on IMDb: Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (2010), Quantum of Solace (2008), Clash of the Titans (2010), Tamara Drewe (2010).

Movies released in the past year: St. Trinian's 2, The Disappearance of Alice Creed, Clash of the Titans, Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, Tamara Drewe.

Coming up: Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters, Wrath of the Titans.

Gemma Arterton has become the sweet girl from Britain who divides her time between being in indie Brit flicks and huge Hollywood blockbusters. Surprisingly, she is brilliant at doing both, and there seems to be a new trend in blockbusters: 'must have Gemma Arterton'. Not bad for the girl who got her start in British teen comedy St. Trinian's. Gemma has had a good career, which has spanned just around four year, but even though her most famous role came in 2008's Quantum of Solace, 2010 has been her year to shine. She starred in two critical failures, though very successful Hollywood epics: Clash of the Titans and Prince of Persia. But Gemma is never one to forget her roots. She came back for a second round of her debut St. Trinian's, which managed to go direct-to-DVD everywhere. She also starred in kidnapping thriller The Disappearance of Alice Creed, which was met with very good reviews and saw Gemma appear on screen looking less like the Hollywood version of herself. Many people outside of Britain aren't probably aware of her collaboration with director Stephen Frears on the comedy Tamara Drewe, which was released in select theaters and will be making it's way to our theatres on the 24th of this month. Gemma has been a busy girl of late, and probably one of the most profitable British stars, which could see her bagging the award.



Andrew Garfield

'Known For' on IMDb: The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (2009), The Social Network (2010), Never Let Me Go (2010), Boy A (2007)

Movies released in the past year: I'm Here, Never Let Me Go, The Social Network

Coming up: Untitled Spider-Man Reboot.

If I just went with an uneducated guess at this award, then of course I would pick Andrew Garfield. But then I would feel really bad for the others, because they all deserve it. That aside, Andrew Garfield is amazing. And extremely sexy. To be honest, he has made a huge mark on the film world over the past year. But what few people know is that Andy has already won a BAFTA, for an outstanding performance in TV-movie Boy A. That was back in 2008. Brits would have also become well acquainted with him thanks to his role in the Red Riding series in 2009. Not to mention he was also a part of Heath Ledger's last film The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus. 2010 was his year though, as he kicked it off playing a robot in Spike Jonze's fantastic short I'm Here. Several months later Andrew burst onto the scene with none other than The Social Network, where he played the emotional backbone of the movie Eduardo Saverin. His performance was acclaimed everywhere, and he only just fell short of an Oscar nomination, which should work in his favour. Riding on the success of The Social Network, and his casting as Spider-Man, came the British sci-fi drama Never Let Me Go, where he shone opposite Carey Mulligan and Keira Knightley. Andy has proved to us not once, but several times that he could be the actor of the coming decade. Or, that could just be my opinion coming from my undying love for him at the moment.



Tom Hardy

'Known For' on IMDb: Inception (2010), Layer Cake (2004), RocknRolla (2008), Bronson (2008)

Movies released in the past year: Inception

Coming up: Warrior; This Means War; Tinker, Tinker, Soldier, Spy; The Wettest County in the World; The Dark Knight Rises

Tom Hardy is the only person who isn't in his 20s in this award, but then again, he has one of the better looking futures. He's been around since 2001, and has had parts in the acclaimed TV series Band of Brothers, and films like Black Hawk Down and Layer Cake. It seems the guy likes his period dramas to, starring in Marie Antoinette and as Heathcliff in a TV-movie of Wuthering Heights. While Tom is mostly resigned to taking supporting roles, his big break came when he took the lead role in Bronson, which saw him gain 42 pounds to play 'Britain's most violent criminal'. The movie has been making it's way around the world slowly, so it would be a good chance to see Hardy's star shine. But everyone knows Hardy from somewhere, and that's as the scene stealing Eames in Inception. Eames got all the best lines and squeezed a laugh out of the audience nearly every time he spoke. As soon as word got out about him, the casting calls came flooding in. It's simple: if you're a blockbuster and you have Tom Hardy, you have instant coolness. With all the projects he is tied to and his brilliant breakthrough in Inception, Hardy is a very worthy candidate. Not to mention that he is buddying up with Chris 'God' Nolan again for The Dark Knight Rises. If you are in more than one Nolan film, you must be really swell.

Aaron Johnson

'Known For' on IMDb: Kick-Ass (2010), The Illusionist (2006), Nowhere Boy (2009), Shanghai Knights (2003)

Movies released in 2010: The Greatest, Nowhere Boy, Kick-Ass, Chatroom

Coming up: Albert Nobbs, Jack the Giant Killer, Kick-Ass 2: Balls to the Wall (rumoured?)

Aaron Johnson is probably more famed for his private life, as he is engaged and a parent with 43 year old Nowhere Boy director Sam Taylor-Wood. However, that has not tarnished his rise to fame. He was interestingly cast as John Lennon in a biopic searching into his younger life, Nowhere Boy. His performance was nothing short of amazing. However, while that may have been his artistic break, his Hollywood break came in the form of Dave Lizewski in action-comedy Kick-Ass. He donned an American accent and played the largely stereotyped sensitive/nerdy guy role with such confidence that the audiences couldn't help but fall in love with him. Those familiar with his early work will still see him as more of a teen idol, but those who has just caught the Aaron train will probably feel as if they are in the embrace of a true star on the rise. While he isn't tied to many projects of late, that probably comes with the fact that he is largely picky with roles and also has father duties to attend to. Either way, Aaron Johnson is a name which has been cemented in film world, finally.

Emma Stone

'Known For' on IMDb: Zombieland (2009), Easy A (2010), Superbad (2007), The House Bunny (2008)

Movie released in 2010: Paper Man, Marmaduke, Easy A

Coming up: Movie 43; Crazy, Stupid, Love.; Friends with Benefits; The Help; The Croods; Untitled Spider-Man Reboot

Emma Stone has always been the best thing about bad movies. She is naturally very funny. Her sense of humour and warmth just makes you fall for her. Unfortunately, it has taken until 2010 for everyone to see just how fantastic she really is, with her star turn in teen comedy Easy A. She was easily the best thing about this movie, but at least the rest of it was up to her standard. She got a well deserved Golden Globe nomination for her award, and if the Oscars liked comedies, she could have had potential where that is concerned. But even without that, she has potential with all her upcoming roles to be the next huge thing. It's was she deserves: a comedy just isn't a comedy movie without Emma Stone. Plus she's pairing up with fellow nominee Andrew Garfield in Spider-Man, which could see her serious side bloom. Think she's not versatile? See her in Paper Man, which has her in a pretty dramatic role. Emma Stone is the man.

So after all that 'research', who would I choose?

I'm liking on Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone. I think they are the biggest rising stars out of the lot of them, even if Andy only has one project going. Don't ask me to choose between the two of them. It's impossible.

...but considering it's a peoples choice award...

And the fact that you have to be British to vote, I could see them going with Andrew Garfield, since he has become (well, I'm guessing) the 'next new hottie'. Mind you, Kristen Stewart won last year (over Nicholas Hoult and Jesse Eisenberg, plus the BAFTA Best Actress winner/Oscar nominee Carey Mulligan), so anything could happen. Not that there are any 'Kristen Stewart' type people in this category.

Over to you now: who do you want to win? And if you live in the great land of Britain, be sure to vote!

Top 10 actors and actresses who got their breakthrough in 2010

Looking back on 2010, we have seen lots of new faces shine through and out perform some of their older peers. Also, I have managed to get myself some new favourite actors during the year. Even though they have been in plenty of movies up until now, there has always been one which makes them a household name. And that's what they deserve.

10. Rooney Mara

Rooney Mara probably became more famous this year due to her casting as Lisbeth Salander in David Fincher's 2012 edition of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. While Kristen Stewart, Carey Mulligan and other more well known actresses were in the running, Mara, whose previous claim to fame was the horrible remake of A Nightmare on Elm Street, managed to beat them all to a coveted role which is sure to make her an international star. It wasn't just that, though. Mara appeared in three scenes of The Social Network, and managed to make sure those scenes counted. With a lack of girls in that movie, she sure knew how to rattleout Aaron Sorkin's words better than the rest, and deserves props for making the opening scene what it was.

9. Mia Wasikowska

While many people hated Tim Burton's version of Alice in Wonderland, there was no denying that the girl playing Alice, Australian actress Mia Wasikowska, was sweet and angelic, and one to watch in the future. Alice wasn't her mainstream debut, as she had previously starred in films like Defiance, but being one of the highest grossing films of the year, it sure made her known. Add in a star turn in comedy The Kid's Are All Right, and Wasikowska is the next big thing. Next year she is only furthering her talents by starring in another adaption of Charlotte Bronte's classic book Jane Eyre. Two adaptions of classic books...I smell success here, yes?

8. Aaron Johnson

Many may ponder my next choice, because he is more known as a teenage heart-throb, but hear me out. Aaron Johnson was once the boy of every British girls dreams, thanks to his role as 'Sex-God' Robbie in Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging. In 2010, however, he started the year with a role in Sam Taylor-Wood's John Lennon biopic Nowhere Boy, playing the singer in his early years. While watching this film, I forgot about the teen idol he used to be, and started focussing on the actor he is becoming. Also early in the year, he took the lead role in Kick-Ass, and managed to play the awkward nerd surprisingly well considering he is the complete opposite of that character. So do us all a favour and give Johnson some more roles, as he is more than just the cute British guy we all used to perceive him as.

7. Jennifer Lawrence

Jennifer Lawrence deserves a place on here because she is going all the way to an Oscar nomination for her turn in Winter's Bone, despite being just 20 years old. Leading up until her breakthrough in Winter's Bone, she starred in several direct-to-DVD releases like The Poker House, and also has a recurring role in The Bill Engvall Show. But her sole release for 2010 has been getting rave reviews from critics mainly because of her performance, which should give Natalie Portman a run for her money come Oscar time. And it doesn't look like Lawrence is going to be a one-movie wonder...she's got The Beaver and X-Men: First Class for 2011!

6. Gemma Arterton

I couldn't help but put Gemma Arterton on this list because she has been popping up everywhere lately. Even though she starred in 2008's Quantum of Solace, which got her some attention, it has really been this year which has made her a star. Not only did she star in two big blockbusters this year-Clash of the Titans and Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time-but she alo found time to do three other projects. First, a sequel to her debut film, St. Trinians 2 & the Legend of Fritton's Gold. Second, an independent British thriller, The Disappearance of Alice Creed, which is probably the best she has starred in this year. And finally, a Stephen Frears British comedy, Tamara Drewe, based on the graphic novel by Posy Simmonds. One would say it has been a big year for Arterton, and we can expect much more from her in the future!

5. Tom Hardy

Anyone who has watched Inception could say that Tom Hardy was the stand out in the cast. Why? Because of his carefully timed and sarcastic sense of humour that would steal scenes off his fellow performers. Plus, he got the best lines. "You mustn't be afraid to dream a little bigger, darling" is quickly associated with this masterpiece, and that's all thanks to Hardy's quick improvisation. Throw in a DVD release of Hardy's starring role in Bronson for the year, and it's fair to say that he has made his mark in showbiz. Not to mention the fact that he has been given a role in Christopher Nolan's next masterpiece, The Dark Knight Rises. Who will he play? Anything will be good.



4. Jacki Weaver

In a list full of the young, it's only fair that we put at least one older actor in here. Having a breakthrough a little further on than most is a little hard, but Jacki Weaver got her turn in the spotlight this year with her stunning performance in Australian crime drama Animal Kingdom. Easily outshining the rest of the films great ensemble cast, Weaver played Smurf with a great amount of both good and bad; she cared about her children, but she wasn't willing to let go of this criminal thing they had set up. She has been receiving accolade upon accolade for her performance, and here's hoping she can make it all the way to the Oscars. Because, goodness knows, it's time an Australian got an award for playing an Australian.

3. Emma Stone

As I have said plenty of times before, Emma Stone has always been the best part of bad movies, and hasn't seemed to get enough credit for it. But finally, someone had the sense to cast her in the lead role of a great teen comedy, Easy A, and look what happened? A star was born, and now everyone loves her. Because it's hard not to fall for her charm and witty humour. And what could be better than a whole movie with her in the lead role? I don't know. All I know is that there should be more movies like Easy A, because she is a better actress to get obsessed with than Kristen Stewart.

2. Jesse Eisenberg

Yeah yeah, Jesse has been in Zombieland which was pretty big. But everyone thinks he is Michael Cera in that movie! The Social Network should prove all those non-believers wrong. Delivering what could have been the performance of the year, Eisenberg seemed to shrug off the awkward persona he gained from movies like Adventureland and became more narcissistic and scary as Mark Zuckerberg. Now tell me that wasn't the star making performance of the year? It's hard to believe that was the same person. Could he win an Oscar? If he can beat Colin Firth. Which is, in fact, very likely indeed.



1. Andrew Garfield

Andrew Garfield deserves the top of my list because he just is Andrew Garfield. I'm in love with him. Of course, that comes from his star making performance as Eduardo Saverin in The Social Network, for which he has been nominated for a Golden Globe and has won an 'Actor of the Year' award for a breakthrough performance from the Hollywood Film Festival. Leading up to this star role he had already won a BAFTA for his performance in TV film Boy A; had starred in such Hollywood films as The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus and Lions for Lambs; and gained mass critical attention for his work in The Red Riding Trilogy. Everything he does has had the critics raving him, including his other 2010 release, Never Let Me Go. And it seems it will only get better as he nabbed the leading role in the Spiderman reboot. Is he taking the world by storm? Yes. Do I mind? Not one bit.

DVD--St Trinian's 2 & the Legend of Fritton's Gold

or: So gangsta.

One word to sum it up: Stupid.

What do you get when you put Rupert Everett taking on multiple roles (mainly as a woman), every young British actress playing a stereotypical teenage character, a story about brats in a school which is pretty far from reality, and some added 'star power' from Colin Firth and Gemma Arterton? St Trinian's 2 & the Legend of Fritton's Gold, of course! Oh right...you probably didn't know there was another on the cards. Or you probably didn't even realize there was a first one in existence. But fear not, you haven't missed much. Only if you're a real fan of British comedies made about a whole lot of brats who attend a school which doesn't look like a school at all.

When Celia (Juno Temple) finds an old ring in the library at St. Trinian's, the girls all become very interested in it. It's then that they find out that the headmistress, Miss Fritton (Rupert Everett), is related to a famous pirate. The new head girl, Annabelle Fritton (Talulah Riley), leads the charge into finding treasure which could save their school. They follow riddles and clues until they can finally get to the mysterious treasure left behind by Captain Fritton (Rupert Everett). But they can't do this without the evil Lord Pomfrey (David Tennant) getting in the way.

St Trinian's 2, just like the first one, was an absolute hoot. Mainly because they are so stupid they are funny, and you can't help but laugh at the misfortune of some of these girls. The 'Posh Totties' and the 'Gangsta' kids were absolutely stripped of all dignity, and were given what an adult would presume teenagers like them are actually like. But hey, at least this film doesn't try and give an insight to a teenage girls life...because we all know how boring that is.

The film is extremely 2 dimensional. The story, the characters, even the actors, all sound and feel really 2 dimensional. But that isn't the worst part. The worst part is that this is a film which is basically a propaganda for feminism. And it's made mainly by men. From the girls trying to take down AD1 (a female hating organization) to the awful final 'twist' (I didn't know whether to laugh or smack myself on the head with a sledgehammer), everything about this film reeks of feminism. You may think that I would like that since I am a female, but this movie stretches that theme out to it's absolute breaking point. It also doesn't help that we have absolute brats representing the fairer sex, either.

Again, St Trinian's 2 adopts a lot of young British starlets and shoves them into this movie, which they don't require talent to do. Many of the original cast have left, leaving the admirably talented Talulah Riley and Tamsin Egerton to carry on the tradition. They can't save it, nor can Rupert, Colin or David Tennant. Gemma Arterton reprises her role briefly, but it's clear from the very beginning that she just wants to get out. No one is trying very hard, but that's okay because this movie doesn't ask for much. The excessive use of slow-mo doesn't exactly help their case, either. It kinda leaves the viewer behind to ponder at it's stupidity.


THE VERDICT: Has some awful scripting and a less than appropriate ending. Just forget it's serious and laugh at it's stupidity...it gets to be quite an entertaining yet extremely unnecessary sequel.

4/10

DVD--Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time

or: No, video games shouldn't be adapted into films.

One word to sum it up: Unsurprising.

Jake Gyllenhaal: Academy Award nominated actor, a critically sought after actor and also a very good looking one. So what the hell was he doing in Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time? Was it just an excuse for him to get beefier and get some more lady admirers? Or was it so he could fight a snake (because everyone wants to do that)? Or was it because he wanted to go into unknown and what should be condemned territory: the video game adaption? Because as far as I am concerned, this Jerry Bruckheimer action/fantasy mish-mash should have really been left in the Xbox console.

Adopted from the streets of Nasaf by King Sharaman of Persia, young Dastan (Jake Gyllenhaal) grows up amongst royalty and quickly earns his place as a mighty warrior and prince. As his brothers Garsiv and Tus plan battle strategies, a spy sends word that the Holy City of Alamut has been supplying weapons to enemies of Persia. Taking matters into his own hands, Tus orders an attack on the sacred city and upon its fall Dastan encounters the beautiful Princess Tamina (Gemma Arterton). When King Sharaman dies under mysterious circumstances shortly after, and Dastan is accused of his murder, he flees with the princess on a harrowing mission to clear his name. Learning from Tamina the true motives behind Alamut's invasion, Dastan must embark on a perilous quest to stop an evil mastermind's plot for ultimate power with a mystical weapon that can control the very fabric of time.

Ah...yeah. Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time was almost death-defyingly bad for me, only saved by whimsical performances from lovely leads Jake Gyllenhaal and Gemma Arterton. But even then, Gyllenhaal missed the mark, as in many places his over-blown muscles became the saving grace when his strange British/American/African/Asian accent fell through. This movie was kinda like a generic daytime soap stuck in the middle of a desert a few hundred years ago. Everything said is unfortunately badly written and passes off as something out of a Michael Bay movie. In fact, Michael Bay could have directed this. It was just another summer blockbuster which had money thrown at it instead of true thought.

Remember Clash of the Titans? Well, this movie ain't too unlike that one. It's filled with some 'what-the-hell is happening now?!' moments. It has a fight sequence which involve Jake Gyllenhaal and a snake (I think at this point I was pissing myself laughing. I mean, a snake? Seriously? That kind of stuff is for those outback snake wranglers). It uses sets which are totally computer generated that they still have the glow from the computer screen setting the brightness up a notch. It has Gemma Arterton. One thing this film doesn't have in common with Clash of the Titans is the fact that it is adapted from a video game and therefore doesn't succeed. I will keep this belief until somebody can recommend me a video game adaption which is really good. And that is just about as impossible as making me like Twilight.


THE VERDICT: Gives A Nightmare on Elm Street a run for it's money in being the worst movie of 2010.

2/10