Reel - Final

1

Exit Through the Gift Shop

2

Die Hard franchise

6

In-depth film reviews

16

The Artist

21

Garden State

26

Comedy genre

30

Oldeuboi

36

Catfish

40

Bill Gold

42

Exit Through the Gift Shop Released 2010

The master of conjuring up public discussion and debate, Banksy doesn’t disappoint.

Exit Through the Gift Shop is an account of

disguised Banksy, giving their recollection of

the life of Thierry Guetta, a French filmmaker

the events that took place. Not only is Exit

who becomes entranced by the world of

Through the Gift Shop filled with hilarious

street art. His obsession leads him to working

one-liners from Banksy but it also introduces

with some of the big names in the industry

the audience to the culture of street art and

such as Invader and Shepard Fairey, following

the skill involved, although this is questioned

them around at night when they are creating

throughout by the analogy of Mr Brainwash.

their work, documenting every moment on

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film. Rapidly his tape collection grows, as

Despite the masked face and altered voice,

does his desire to meet the top name in the

after years of being completely personality-

business, Banksy. Finally his dream comes

less, Banksy is finally shown as an individual,

true as by chance he is hooked up with him

‘real’ person, with his sense of humour being

and continues to work with the anonymous

not only displayed through his voiceovers

artist. Guetta later becomes involved in

but also through the plot and direction of

the business himself under the name of ‘Mr

the film itself. Brilliant publicity for not only

Brainwash’ and much to the others annoyance

Banksy himself, with him coming across a

becomes highly successful selling his work

likeable character, who is easily warmed to

for thousands. It is filmed in a documentary

with his humble attitude about the work he

style with the artists involved, including the

produces, but for street art itself. Packed

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with real footage of what art goes on at

his message at the same time. Whether

night in worldwide cities, the documentary

you are a fan of this modern art form or not

manages to accurately put across why people

quite understanding the hype behind it, Exit

get involved with street art and crushes any

Through the Gift Shop is well worth the watch.

skeptics without turning it into an hour long

Not only do you feel as if you’ve personally

lecture, the images speak for themselves. Of

tapped into a world that is so far away from

course no Banksy piece comes without room

the 9-5 job lifestyle, but is an interesting story

for debate and this is no exception.

about ambition and greed.

The questions surrounding the authenticity

It is a cleverly crafted piece of film, with the

of Mr Brainwash came through fast. Some

audience being drawn into this somewhat

described it as a ‘mockumentary’, it all being a unreported world of street art. If you grand hoax used in order to mock the money

choose to watch it as a documentary or a

making business of the art industry and

mockumentary it doesn’t matter, Banksy has

lack of originality within modern art. Thierry

managed to produced a thought-provoking

Guetta symbolizing the ordinary man who too

entertaining film for the masses.

believes they can crack the art world just by copying the work of others. Whether it was all a hoax or if Guetta and Mr Brainwash really do exist, it doesn’t matter because Banksy achieved what he wanted, to once again spark debate and controversy whilst presenting

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4 out of 5

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Director:

Banksy

Starring:

Banksy, Space Invader and Mr. Brainwash

Trivia:

The New York Times movie reviewer Jeannette Catsoulis coined a new term for this kind of film: prankumentary.

Die Hard

Witty, action packed and plain cool.

With a 5th installment planned for 2013, we look back at the franchise so far.

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Die Hard Released 1988

5 out of 5

Officer John McClane (Bruce Willis) leaves

the never ending ammo and the ability to

New York to spend Christmas with his family

talk coherently with a cigarette perched

in LA. However, soon after arriving at his wife’s between his teeth. Action-wise, this movie is work, Hans Gruber (Alan Rickman) takes over

outstanding — it is the perfect genre film.

the building with a group of terrorists and seals off all contact with the outside world.

If you were introducing someone to action,

Holding the workers hostage, he plans to steal start here. Something we’ll refer to a lot is $640 million stored in the buildings vault.

Die Hard Science. It is essentially the science

McClane manages to get into maintenance

that exists in the world of Die Hard, but not

areas of the building and tries to alert the

in reality. For example, one man may be shot

police about the situation. The police, apart

in the head and just crumple, another’s head

from Sgt. Al Powell (Reginald VelJohnson),

may explode. Rickman was also superb. He’s

are useless.

such a perfect antagonist. He’s creepy but isn’t aggressive unless he really needs to be.

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This is Bruce Willis at his very best. He

He’s menacing and powerful without being

is the epitome of cool. He has the pout,

loud or violent.

Director:

John McTiernan

Starring:

Bruce Willis, Alan Rickman and Bonnie Bedelia

Trivia:

Richard Gere was considered for the role of John McClane.

One thing that is particularly great about this movie is the location. Despite the film only taking place in one building, this is a forty story building; there’s more room in a forty story building than in a forrest. This allows for the sense of claustrophobia, but still has the ability to create grand scale action. Bombs, tanks and abseiling with a hose pipe — this movie had it all.

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Die Hard 2 Released 1990

3 out of 5

John McClane, once again wishing to spend

communication so that they can crash them

Christmas with his wife, is waiting for her

at their will. McClane steps into save the day.

plane at the airport when he notices some

Once again, Willis proves that he is the coolest

suspicious behavior. Upon investigating,

man alive. More pouting whilst shooting, more

he gets shot at, destroys a mans head, and

talking with a cigarette, and more throwing

almost gets arrested. The complete lack of

metal painting towers over. He even plays

help from airport security leads him to turn to

chicken with a plane! Once again, he’s helped

his old pal Al Powell (via a new creation called out by a friendly black guy, Leslie Barnes (Art ‘a fax machine’) who informs him that one of

Evans), who is great fun. Exactly what John

the men that shot at him, was dead according

McClane needs, a wise cracking, good willed,

to records.

black guy that stands up to his superiors in order to help McClane. And the antagonists

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Cue evil plan to keep plane’s circling until the

of this film are brilliant. I don’t just mean the

demands of the terrorists’ have been met,

outstanding Col. Stuart (William Sadler), I also

despite all aircraft being low on fuel. Oh, they

mean the not-quite-baddies-but-you-really-

also take over all the planes’ computers and

want-to-punch-them baddies. This includes

Director:

Renny Harlin

Starring:

Bruce Willis, William Atherton and Bonnie Bedelia

Trivia:

This is Bruce Willis’s least favorite film of the “Die Hard” series.

Capt. Carmine Lorenzo (Dennis Franz), in

require complete suspension of disbelief. That

charge of airport security who tries to over

being said, it’s still great fun and 100% worth

power McClane at every turn and, reprising

watching, especially with a good crowd of

his roll as the selfish and ignorant journalist,

friends. It’s a bit sillier, a lot bigger, and twice

William Atherton is brilliant as Richard

as action packed, with twice as many

Thornburg. This is a typical sequel. It’s bigger

plot twists.

and more ridiculous.

That Die Hard Science we mentioned earlier plays a huge part in this film. Plane’s crash, with no fuel, and yet explode into an unbelievable fireball. The brilliant aiming of the bad guys suddenly disappears when they shoot at McClane. Several planes can fit onto a very small runway despite it being covered completely in snow. This film does

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Die Hard: With a Vengeance Released 1995

4 out of 5

Five years after the second Die Hard was

want answers, McClane has to complete the

released, a third installment came out. Then

tasks Simon tells him to. Task one: Wearing

it’d be another 12 years before we’d see

a rather offensive sign in the rough part of

anything Die Hard related in the cinemas. How town. Fortunately for McClane, Zeus Carver did they keep a franchise going despite the

(Samuel L. Jackson) steps in to protect him

massive gap in time? How did they adjust?

from a group of thugs. Not so fortunately for

Lets have a look, starting with Die Hard: With

Zeus, this means he is now involved in Simon’s

A Vengeance.

games. Simon gets McClane and Zeus to run around town trying to stop bombs that

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John McClane, (Willis) now almost a full-

he has rigged. However, Simon is planning a

blown alcoholic, is on suspension from the

little more than he’s letting on. By adopting

NYPD. However, when a bomb goes off in a

a slightly more I-don’t-care attitude, Willis

department store and the police are stuck

provides a better performance than his

for answers, a mysterious man named Simon

second outing as the character. He brings

(Jeremy Irons / Graham Greene) phones and

the same wit that he’s brought for the first

asks for McClane. He states that if the police

two movies but this time they it comes with

Director:

John McTiernan

Starring:

Bruce Willis, Jeremy Irons and Samuel L. Jackson

Trivia:

Although Bruce Willis and Samuel L. Jackson had both appeared in Loaded Weapon 1 and Pulp Fiction, this is the first movie where the two appear on-screen together.

a fresh dowsing of pessimism. However, the

My least favourite aspect of the movie is not

stand out performance of the movie comes

the slowly sinking realism but the incredibly

from Jackson as Zeus. The antagonists,

annoying choice of music. Throughout

Jeremy Irons and Graham Greene are superbly dramatic moments of the movie, we are dark and smart. Their plots provide more

treated to an instrumental version of ‘The

twists than either of the first two movies and

animals went in two by two hurrah hurrah’.

they create such a tense atmosphere which

(Technically known as When Johnny Comes

makes the film extremely exciting.

Marching Home). Something about it doesn’t fit.

The Die Hard science begins to get a little bit out of control in this movie. There’s ridiculously high and yet survivable falls; surfing on giant dump trucks; and goons with even worse aim than ever before. But all of this only helps to make the movie all the more fun to watch.

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Die Hard 4.0 Released 2007

3 out of 5

So the plot of the last movie is slightly more

Q). Unfortunately for McClane (and in some

nerdy than the others. This time, the terrorists

ways, fortunate for Farrell), Lucy Gennaro

are hackers and they’re developing a system

McClane (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), John’s

that can systematically shut down the entirety daughter, gets caught up the whole ordeal of the United States, one bit at a time.

and despite her disliking of her father and his attitudes to things, she relies and trusts in him

McClane (Willis) gets involved after he is sent

to stop the terrorists.

to bring internet hacker Matt Farrell (Justin

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Long) to Washington. Soon after he arrives at

In the twelve years that John was absent from

Matt’s apartment though, unknown assailents

our cinema screens, a lot changed in his life.

begin shooting at Matt and McClane. After

He lost all his hair, stopped talking to his ex

getting him out safely, McClane turns to

wife and daughters, became a much angrier

Matt to gain some insight from his hacking

and older man. Willis continues to develop

knowledge and together they plan to bring

and adapt the character we’ve grown to love

down mastermind Thomas Gabriel (Timothy

but still sticks to his roots. The years have

Olyphant) and his assistant Mai Linh (Maggie

aged him, and he shows us that.

Director:

Len Wiseman

Starring:

Bruce Willis, Justin Long and Timothy Olyphant

Trivia:

It is the only Die Hard movie to take place over the course of more than one day.

Also a brilliant performance from Justin Long.

above the other three movies. Probably the

Admittedly it’s a role that he plays more than

most silly out of all four movies but also one

any other, the awkward nerdy teenager. But

of the easiest to watch. There’s lots of action

the contrast between Willis and Long is so

and lots of explosions to keep your eyes busy.

perfect it makes the movie great fun to watch.

Die Hard science goes to a whole new level in this movie. Death seems to become a thing of the past, or at least all of the characters have developed super strength. Cars are driven into helicopters, people are run over but able to continue fighting and fighter jets will destroy half a city on a very vague order.

However, being a more modern movie, the special effects, camera work, and general appearance of the entire film is a league

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In-depth Film reviews

Review any film, past or present in under 140 characters.

Tweet us @reelmovie using the hashtag #indepthfilmreviews.

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Tron Legacy

Sunset Blvd.

Like eating a coconut flavoured jelly Sublime yet disturbing. bean when you were expecting toasted marshmallow. (I don’t like coconut)

The Avengers

Snow White & The Huntsman

An abundance of superheroes and one liners. Lacking in plot.

Entertaining cross between Willow & LOTR. Sadly none of the actors did a better than adequate job.

The Shining

Seeking a friend for the end of the world

Every now and then it’s good to be reminded just how terrifyingly brilliant Jack is.

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Really long title. Average movie.

Twilight: Breaking Dawn Pt 2

Kill List

In the pursuit of authenticity they completely neglected any semblance of reality, but then again, its twilight, suspend disbelief.

Creepy, gory. open to interpretation and sticks with you long after you have finished watching.

Incendies

A Separation

One of those hidden gems I want to share with the world.

Simply excellent small scale Iranian drama as estranged family bring trouble onto itself through stubbornness.

Argo

Attack the Block

A truly wonderful film. Can’t say enough Invaders from space take on sawth good things about this movie! london kids innit. Great fun, story, acting and some great lines too.

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The Artist FROM HILARIOUS TO HEART BREAKING, THIS FILM HAS IT ALL.

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It’s 1927 in Hollywoodland. George Valentin (Jean Dujardin) is a star actor of the silent movies. The camera loves him and the ladies love him. Along with his dog, Jack, he makes hit films and is always greeted by the press and a swarm of screaming ladies. One woman ends up being pushed past a policeman and into George Valentin just outside the theatre. He laughs it off and poses for the camera with his fan. The next day, the papers are covered with the question ‘Who is this girl?’

That girl is Peppy Miller (Bérénice Bejo), aspiring actress. She auditions as a dancer soon after her encounter with Valentin and ends up on set with the man himself. A spark develops between the two but they end up going separate ways. Then the ‘talkies’ are introduced. Peppy Miller works her way up the silent trail and into talking movies. Valentin, however, claims that it’s a gimmick and fights to preserve his silent films. But what do the audience want?

The acting in this movie is some of the best I’ve seen for a long time. Both main characters were up for Oscar nominations and both were very worthy. While it could be argued that Bérénice Bejo deserves a Best Actress nomination rather than a Best Supporting Actress nomination, she has a far higher chance of winning in that category and she truly deserves high recognition.

But Jean Dujardin really steals the show.

Without any form of vocal expression, he shows every emotion and thought going through Valentin’s mind. his use of facial expression borders perfectly on exaggerated and realistic; it makes everything stand out more without seeming odd. He definitely has a very realistic chance of winning the Oscar. I can’t remember the last time I was so absorbed by a performance. Certainly one of the most likeable characters in recent cinema with a brilliant character progression.

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Also, the dogs, Uggie, Dash, and Dude (mainly Uggie) were better performers than any of the cast of a Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer movie. In fact, they were the best animal performers I’ve ever seen. This movie should seem completely alien to contemporary cinema. Black and white, no sound, these sort of things evolved and became the cinema today.

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However, here we are with one of the most captivating films of recent years. Some part of this is due to the incredible score that adds character to the entire movie. It tells you how to feel. It tells you how to respond. It touches your soul... (Too much?) Whether it uses cues from Vertigo’s soundtrack or not, it literally

makes the movie, as, I suppose, all silent movies’ scores should. The delicate silence in certain moments when there is no tinkering piano are made all the more effective. Strangely enough, the rare use of sound in the movie, seem like the largest and most empty silences.

It’s almost deafening.

The camera work, at points, is absolutely incredible. From grand shots of theatres or stairways, to close, intimate shots of one the protagonists. It is also edited together wonderfully and includes some of the most surreal moments of film around. A completely absorbing piece of cinema. From hilarious to heartbreaking, this film has it all. Some

of the most talented actors, one of the most compelling scores, and one of the most well structured plots of recent years.

5 out of 5 25

Director:

Michel Hazanavicius

Starring:

Jean Dujardin, BĂŠrĂŠnice Bejo and John Goodman

Trivia:

Jean Dujardin said in an interview that the movie was shot in just 35 days.

Garden State Released 2004

The movie is a wonderful representation of life.

A particular life, but a real one.

Not all of us have millionaire friends who

a joy to watch. Peter Sarsgaard also throws in

invented silent Velcro or go to parties where

a great performance as Mark, Large’s friend,

a lot of drugs are involved but we can

who helps him to experience life more despite

appreciate what it be like if we did; this film is

his friend, Tim (Jim Parsons) sleeping with his

that life. The emotions are really felt and that

mother. Parsons, despite being on screen for

can be put down to both the writing and the

less than ten minutes, helps to create one of

brilliant performances.

the most amusing scenes in the movie as the Klingon speaking, fixed jousting champion

This is a completely new direction from

and plain out right nerd ‘mummy’s boy’ as it

the comedy TV star. Large is a completely

were. This also leads to one of my favourite

different character from JD. He’s awkward, shy lines in the movie: “Mark: The motherfucker..” and afraid of the world. Until he meets Sam.

Large: “Pun intended?”

Like many movies, Portman’s performance

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is the backbone of the movie. Her

The film is the directorial debut from Braff

characterisation of the hyper, enthusiastic and

and he appears in every scene. It should

outgoing Sam is mesmerising to watch and

feel a bit self involved but it doesn’t. It feels

almost inspiring. Her unique attitude to life is

humble. The writing is incredible. The dialogue

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changes from terribly awkward to exciting

with brilliance but unfortunately it doesn’t

and uplifting without any difficulty or lack of

carry on all the time. While the majority of

confidence. One scene in particular stands out the plot is wonderfully written and, at times, as an example of this. The first confrontation

brilliantly unique, the ending is littered with

between Large and his father is so well

cliches. While touching, sweet and with

written that, when combined with Braff’s

occasionally original dialogue, the concepts of

brilliant timing, the viewer feels awkward just

the last scene are overplayed and over worn.

watching it.

Never set a romantic scene in an airport! Not unless you’re Up In The Air. I promise, we’ll

Some wonderful touches make even the little

have seen it before.

things stand out in Braff’s directorial style.

Things like automatic taps turning on one at

My only other criticism is the acting of

a time as Large walks past, a totally white

Ian Holm who plays Large’s father. His

bedroom or even screaming into an infinite

performance just seems a little hollow.

abyss. The range of different genres and styles Confrontations between Large and him are of music on the soundtrack is excellent and

held up by Braff. It just seems like we should

includes such artists as Colin Hay and Imogen

expect more from Bilbo Baggins, ya know?

Heap. Each song, hand picked by Braff, is

(But then again, Frodo was in Spy Kids 3-D so

perfect for the situation they are placed in.

who am I to judge?)

And the occasional camera shot glimmers

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The film is hilarious, sad, touching, inspirational and moving. With laugh out loud moments and times to make you cry, there’s something for everyone. Some moments, in my mind, have become almost iconic.

4 out of 5 29

Director:

Zach Braff

Starring:

Zach Braff, Natailie Portman and Peter Sarsgaard

Trivia:

This was Zach Braff’s directorial debut.

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Why aren’t funny movies considered great movies?

Comedy is one of the biggest genres in the world of film and has spawned almost every sub-genre possible. With more comedies than you can shake a stick at hitting the big screen every year for the last two or three decades, why do so few find spots on lists of the greatest movies?

Is there really a difference between comedy and quality?

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With Empire’s Top 50 Funniest, we began

Whilst not completely lacking in laughs, it

asking ourselves ‘Are these really considered

is understandable that this would force it

the funniest movies ever?’ Despite the list

lower down the list than a movie that focuses

being voted for by the readers, the comments

entirely on making its audience laugh such as

section was full of negative statements. No

There’s Something About Mary or Superbad.

Chaplin? No Keaton? Are the classics not as

Surely this then raises a question: can a full

funny in today’s society as they once were?

scale comedy also be one of the greatest movies or does trying for laughs take some of

The point was raised that a great movie

the quality away?

may not necessarily be the funniest. Take In Bruges as an example. It is recognised by

On IMDb, the first comedy in the top rated

critics worldwide as a masterpiece of modern

250 is Doctor Strangelove or: How I Learned

cinema and black comedy. However, as the

To Stop Worrying And Love The Bomb and

movie progresses, its tone becomes darker

that falls in at 34. Like The Apartment, which

and more intense.

is at 12 on Empire’s top 500, these comedies are considered some of the best movies ever made, and surely that makes them the best

Can a film really be thought to be the funniest and top of its genre, but not be considered alongside the greatest movies of all time?

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comedies? Yet, according to Empire’s list, there are still 16 funnier films than Strangelove and The Apartment is not even in the top 50.

So maybe they are just the best received. And then, on the other side of the spectrum, what about Airplane!? A film that constantly tops

‘Funniest Films’ lists and yet is nowhere to be

a gag-a-minute type film like Airplane! or

seen on IMDb’s top 250 and is all the way at

something a bit more sophisticated like The

368 on Empire’s top 500.

Big Lebowski, the truth of comedy is as long as it makes you laugh, it has done its job and

If you handed me the Empire’s top 50

it doesn’t matter how highly it is rated on its

Funniest Films list and asked me to pick

other merits.

my favourite film, I would have no difficulty selecting In Bruges. However, if you asked for my favourite comedy, I would probably read the list several times before throwing it across the room and complaining over the lack of Burn After Reading, O Brother Where Art Thou, The Guard, Submarine, and Little Miss Sunshine, despite none of those being my favourite comedy.

Whether or not it is possible to create a comedy that is worthy to be considered alongside the likes of The Godfather, Shawshank Redemption and Fight Club, there is one certain fact. It is not hard to make something that will make your audience laugh more than those films. Whether you go for

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A comedy is only truly a failure when it fails to make you laugh.

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Oldeuboi (Oldboy) Released 2003

Oldboy has been hailed as one of the greatest inter-national films ever made.

This movie has been hailed as one of the

He begins to train, build up his strength, and

greatest international movies ever made and

find a way to escape. He swears vengeance on

it stands at number 92 on IMDb’s Top 250

whoever trapped him and when he is finally

films and isconsidered the best film in the

out of the room he goes on a journey to find

loosely connected ‘Vengeance Trilogy’. The

the truth. With help from Joo-hwan and Mi-do

movie opens with a mysterious man dangling

(Hye-jeong Kang) he begins to unravel the

another man over the edge of a building by

mystery surrounding his capture.

his tie. When asked what his name is we cut away to Dae-su Oh (Min-sik Choi) in a police

All performances in the movie are

station, very drunk and out of control. He is

outstanding. Min-sik Choi is outstanding as

picked up by No Joo-hwan (Dae-han Ji) but

Dae-su. His emotions are gritty and raw. It’s

soon lost at a phone-booth.

absolutely captivating to watch him from start to finish. Not only is his tantrum in the police

Dae-su Oh wakes up in a room. He has no idea station one of the funnier scenes I’ve seen

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who has trapped him here and he has no idea

for a long time, his brutality which verges on

why. He spends the next fifteen years trapped

insanity is horrible to watch yet impossible

in his little room with only a tv for company.

to look away from. At some points you’ll like

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him, some points you won’t, and some you’ll

the fight down the side of the corridor. It’s

just be shocked by him. It’s brilliant. As an

incredible to watch. The use of sound in the

antagonist, Ji-tae Yu is fantastic as Woo-

film is also brilliant. Often music (or more

jin Lee. He has a perfect balance between

often silence) will juxtapose what’s happening

psychotic and plain evil. He’s got enough of a

on screen. It creates a really eerie atmosphere

human side to develop a tiny bit of sympathy

that works wonderfully with the explicit

for him but mainly he’s crazy and cruel. What

nature of the film.

really stood out for me in this movie was the technical side of things. Chan-wook Park

Overall, this film is definitely not for the faint

really knows what he’s doing as a director.

hearted. While it has funny moments, they are completely outweighed. There’s even a tooth-

Everything is perfectly timed. Everything

pulling scene, something that really makes me

looks perfect. Everything is perfect as far as

wince. However, it is a great movie and well

the technical aspects are concerned. The fight

worth a watch... if you can stand it. And pay

scenes, particularly the long corridor fight, are attention. It twists more than a roller coaster. spectacularly shot. The corridor fight scene involves a huge number of guards against one man. The first camera shot shows us how small the corridor actually is. The next one is a an extremely long single shot that follows

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4 out of 5

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Director:

Chan-wook Park

Starring:

Min-sik Choi, Ji-tae Yu and Hye-jeong Kang

Trivia:

This is the second of director Chan-wook Park’s “Revenge Trilogy”. The first is Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance. The third is Lady Vengeance.

Catfish Released 2010

The mystery surrounding how real the film is only adds to it intrigue.

Advertised cunningly as, “Forget The Social

who is a child prodigy in art. However, as Nev

Network - This is the Real Facebook Film.”

starts getting friendly with the rest of the

Sneaky considering both movies tell incredibly family, he becomes rather attracted to Abby’s

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different stories that involve Facebook.

half sister, Megan. As the friendship develops

However, this is a documentary. Or is it?

and infatuation begins, the trio discover a few

This is Catfish.

of Megan’s deepest secrets.

The trailer suggested something Blair-Witch-

Hidden cameras provide fairly useful in the

ish. Admittedly, the marketing campaign

final third of the movie. I’ll try to keep it

for this movie was extremely misleading.

spoiler free. It’s great. It’s suspenseful, fun

The movie is about a photographer Nev

and super unnerving. Nev is a great person

(pronounced Neev - Get it right Channel 4)

to follow. He’s normal, friendly and most

and his relationship with a family in Michigan.

importantly, he’s easy to relate to. What’s

Trouble is, he lives in New York. This means

great about this self classed ‘Reality Thriller’ is

Nev’s only forms of communication are online

the reality of the emotions. What is on screen

and through the telephone. His brother, Ariel,

is real and the audience are drawn in. But

and friend, Henry, decide to document Nev’s

wait, is it real? The authenticity of the film has

friendship with the youngest daughter, Abby,

been questioned by many viewers including

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celebrities such as Zach Galifianakis. The film

That reality may be too much for a movie

makers stand by their statement that it’s 100% that starts off fairly light. If you’re a fan of true. Ariel said that it all felt too perfect to

something a bit more real and are welcome to

them too. However, both himself and Henry

see a darker side of the internet, this movie is

are use to filming plenty of everyday life and

for you.

it finally paid off. Supposedly. The mystery surrounding how real the film is only adds to

Despite the questions regarding it’s

it intrigue. Whether or not it’s a hoax, it still

authenticity, it’s a gripping documentary. You

raises real issues that are out there relating to

grow to like the characters, you react when

social networking sites like Facebook.

they react, and you feel just as uncomfortable as Ariel when he states, ‘I just want to leave.’

It’s not impossible to guess what happens

it encompasses a whole range of emotions as

in the film without even seeing it. That’s not

well as nailing the Facebook Zeitgeist right on

important. Even if you know how it’s going to

the head. Enjoyable as well as unsettling.

end, which as the film develops you’re likely to do, it’s still the extent of the conclusion that makes the reality of the situation so shocking. Once the trio reach Michigan to meet the family, we are left squirming at particular moments. There are bits that are hard to watch and there are bits that border on disturbing.

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Director:

Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman

Starring:

Yaniv Schulman, Ariel Schulman and Henry Joost

Trivia:

As of August 2011, the film has been hit with two lawsuits.

Film posters by

Bill Gold

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Bill Gold is an American graphic

Every poster of Gold’s has a distintive style.

designer best known for his

A style that succintly encompasses the theme, tone

extensive array of film poster

and style of the film without revealing too much.

designs, from Yankee Doodle

Less is always seen as more, more or less. He oversaw

Dandy in 1941 to J. Edgar in 2011.

and directed every aspect of the design process.

His collaborations with directors, producers and designers often led to more long-lasting relationships.

Over the past 7 decades he has worked with Hollywood’s greatest filmmakers from the liks of Alfred Hitchcock, Client Eastwood and Ridley Scott.

Rob Peak, a commerical illustrator has collaborated with Gold on an multidude of projects and helped develop and shape todays modern movie poster.

His collaboration with Eastwood in particular has stood the test of time with Gold coming out of retirement to design the poster for Eastwood’s most recent project, J. Edgar in 2011, his first since Mystic River in 2003. His distinctive approach to film poster design has influenced many and here we look at just some of those influencial designs.

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Clockwork Orange 1971

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Dirty Harry 1971

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The Exorcist 1973

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Alien 1979

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Contributers Daryl Purdie Neil Symington Philip Rowlandson Sally O’Kelly Simon Harrison Stephen McAleer

Design & Art Direction Joe Warburton

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