"On any film I'm involved with, I say what I think"

I've been to the cinema lots recently, well, actually I pretty much live there just now. So in the last two weeks I have seen Meet the Parents: Little Fockers, 127 Hours, Love and Other Drugs and The King's Speech.

My friend Laura suggested I made a film review on my blog since I didn't know what to write about. So, I took this on board and here we are.
So to start with:

Meet the Parents: Little Fockers

Allstar/Universal Pictures/Sportsphoto Ltd.

Stars: ***

This sequel to both Meet the Parents and Meet the Fockers is a comedy which stars Robert De Niro, Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson, Blythe Danner, Teri Polo, Dustin Hoffman and Barbra Streisand. The film is about Greg and his wife Pam and their children, Henry and Samantha. 

The film focuses on Greg and Pan who are busy trying to raise twin children, Henry and Samantha, while pursuing their careers and somehow trying to find time for each other in the midst of all the other pandemonium. After suffering a minor heart attack and self-defibrillating, Jack Byrnes becomes worried about the state of his family. With his other daughter Debbie getting a divorce, he turns to Greg to become the patriarch of the family, the "Godfocker." Matters become complicated, however, when bombshell pharmaceutical rep Andi Garcia, played by Jessica Alba, hangs on to Greg too much and Jack suspects him of cheating like his former son-in-law Dr. Bob.

The movie has many moments of hilarity throughout however, when compared to the previous two movies does not have the same creativity as the first two films. 

127 Hours

Fox Searchlight Pictures

Stars: ****

Danny Boyle certainly delivers in this film which could have been incredibly dim. There were two things which were circulating about the film: that it was a true-life story and that it was set in a canyon in 127 hours where a man cuts his arm off. The thought of the second part was enough to make anyone queasy, and although this section of the film is very brutal and graphic, the whole tale is very moving. The film is very watchable and has enough moments of levity to relieve what could have been relentlessly grim viewing.

The story is based upon the true account of Aron Ralston (James Franco), an experienced canyoning fanatic and wannabe hiking guide who is aghast to find himself in such a situation, having made the school-boy error of not telling anyone where he was going before his solo weekend hike in the canyons of Utah.

Franco makes the experience sympathetic rather than depressing and gripping rather than grating, and carries the whole film alone beyond the first 20 minutes. 

The film overall makes the viewer come out of the cinema thinking about their life and making sure that they make the most of every minute of their life. The ending is truly moving and I recommend that everyone goes to see this stunningly powerful film. 

Love and Other Drugs

20th Century Fox 

Stars: ****

If you are in the mood for a romantic comedy with plenty of sex and giggles then this is for sure the film to see. From start to finish the entire audience was in fits of laughter at the performance of Jake Gyllenhaal and Anne Hathaways character, Jamie and Maggie. 

The story is both moving and funny. Love and Other Drugs puts Jake Gyllenhaal's toothy charm front and center, a newbie drug rep who knows perfectly well that sex appeal is the way to sell heart medication to doctors and their easily wooed assistants.Jamie meets cute with Parkinson's patient Maggie during a sales call, and once he figures out she's also only in it for good sex and no strings attached.
There is lots of nudity within the film, I actually think it's more of a shock when Hathaway has clothes on to be honest. Watching the two of them lounging naked in bed, giggling and teasing each other as often as they make out, the depth of Jamie and Maggie's relationship is established remarkably quickly.
Jamie and Maggie have a rocky relationship and as Jamie's career starts to take off with the launch of viagra things go from good to bad.
The story of Love and Other Drugs is one of romance and comedy and even with all the nudity and prancing about of Hathaway naked, it is definitely one to see.

The King's Speech

Momentum Pictures 

Stars: *****

When hearing about this film, the only thing I knew was it was about King George VI and that he had a terrible stammer. I was not expecting the wonderful performance of Colin Firth and his portrayal of 'Bertie'. The film is the private story of King George VI, the woman who loved him and became his queen, and the innovative Australian speech therapist Lionel Logue, who helped him control and come to terms with the stammer that had tortured him since childhood.
Helena Bonham Carter is splendid as Elizabeth and even though I am not her biggest fan, I can tell how brilliant an actress she is due to her performance in this role.
overall the film is a major achievement, with Firth presenting us with a great profile in courage, a portrait of that recurrent figure, the stammerer as hero.

So, there we go. That's my reviews of the last four films I have seen.