21 – The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002)

The Olympic Torch makes its way into isengard.

Lord of The Rings is about a wealthy English nobleman who has a penchant for collecting wedding rings.Not,everyone knows what LOTR is about.I was looking forward to this on the list but when the film starts it just jumps right in.The story begins right after the credits,no humming or ha-ing.It’s the second film so i guess there was reason to go back and retell or introduce anything.That’s why the first third of the film i wasn’t too bothered about the characters,then the second third i was just getting to know them again and there side stories and the last bit i was excited and now that it’s over i want to watch the next one.But i don’t think i’ll bother,i seen it some 10 years,yes it’s been 10 years,ago and it’s a long film too.I found a lot of the CGI didn’t hold the test of time.I guess when you’re making an epic film,or three,you have to skimp and cut corners somewhere and there was more scenes than i care to mention that the special effects just looked a bit on the shit side for me.Great story though and fair dues to Jackson for tackling and fighting to get the rights to make the film.Lets see,notable stuff:Aragon or the buck who plays him is a solid actor,merry and pippen come across as too camp in places,Sauromon must spend half his day combing his hair up in that castle like Rapunzele or something.Also the Orcs had a pretty good grasp of language,who taught them how to speak?I noticed 2 chatting to each other while guarding the black gate,what would they be talking about? “Going out for the weekend?” , “How’s the missus?”

IMDB RATING      –     8.7
MY RATING     –    7.8
SEEN BEFORE     –     YES
RECOMMEND?     –     YES
OVERALL     –  EITHER WATCH THEM ALL TOGETHER OR NOT AT ALL.

69 – The Prestige (2006)

My precious….

The Prestige would be one of my top films but i never expected to see it on this list for some reason.I thought it was a hidden gem that not many people had really seen or rated.This will be the forth time i’ve seen it now and it’s just as good as the first time i seen it.Speaking of that first time,i went to see it in a cinema in Dingle in Kerry.This cinema had tea and biscuits under the screen and a man of about 70 came out and essentially read out the back of a dvd to a crowd of about 20 waiting to watch the film.When the film was over i mentioned to my friend Rory that it was a good old plot and the said something about the cloning machine.He was dumb founded and didn’t know what i was on about,then i explained the plot and he said ‘what?when did that happen?i don’t remember any of that.to be quite honest i didn’t know what was going on half the time’.The films good and i think warrants a re-watch.It doesn’t give too much away and the unlabeled different time lines have the viewer thinking for themselves.This was one of them ‘2-for-2’ films where tow similar films come out at the same time,the Illusionist being the other.I didn’t know Christopher Nolan did this film until just now,not only did he direct but it looks like he adapted the novel for screen with his brother.He know’s how to use Bale to his full potential.

IMDB RATING      –     8.4
MY RATING     –    8.5
SEEN BEFORE     –     YES
RECOMMEND?     –     YES
OVERALL     – EXCELLENT.BALE AND JACKMAN ARE GREAT.JOHANSENS ENGLISH ACCENT ISN’T THE WORST I’VE HEARD TOO.

189 – Howls Moving Castle (2005)

i’ve definitely seen this woman knocking about Roonies after a few vodkas and coke

Here’s an anime from Ghibli Studios.I think it’s a steampunk film.The film’s not meant to be set in any specific time,not past or future,but in an alternative present where mechanics haven’t evolved past the steam engine.The film is about good and bad witches and wizards and spells cast by both.One of the best aspects of anime is you can get some really bizarre and unique stories.Western animation seems to stick to a set of strict plot guidelines,but Asian stuff can be really out-there.I did notice after a wee bit that Christian Bale was voicing the main guy and all i could think was Batman with that forced husky voice.Maybe the subtitled version would be better.The subs would be more accurate;they change the dialogue to sync with the lips which were animated originally for the Japanese script.

IMDB RATING      –     8
MY RATING     –     8.3
SEEN BEFORE     –     HALF OF IT
RECOMMEND?     –     YES
OVERALL     –  WICKED.GHIBLI DOES GREAT ANIMATION.

216 – Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows-Part 2 (2011)

hot stuff

I’m not going to get too much into this cluster-fuck that is Harry Potter because I’d be here all day.Even for the first 30 minutes i thought i’d downloaded the film in a foreign language.I’ve seen the first 3 films,i think,and this is number 7 so i didn’t know where the fuck i was or what was happening.It’s definitely not a part of a series you can jump in anywhere with or have a friend try and explain it to you in 5 minutes.I’m not sure if its a theme with book to film conversions for teens but the CGI looks pretty shit,same as Twilight.One point about Harry Potter is that stuff is too easy for him.He’s looking for something “where the yoke” it might be in this room,walk to that room grab it end of.Where’s the next thing?Go here and so on.

IMDB RATING      –     8
MY RATING     –     6.4
SEEN BEFORE     –     NO
RECOMMEND?     –    NO
OVERALL     –  I’D LET EMMA WATSON HANDLE MY WAND ANY DAY.