What I'm Watching #1

So it is that time again when the world of overnight shifts at work creep their way back into my life.  In fact they consume my life, and this becomes my cycle for two weeks; work, read until I fall asleep, eat, watch films

Here are a few reviews of the films I have watched over the past few days;

Silent House 2011

I had not heard anything about this film, but stuck it on thinking it would be easy viewing, something to help pass the time before I had to start work.  Wow I was wrong!  

 It follows (literally) a teenage girl who has gone to help pack up a summer house, she begins to hear noises and see movement within the house and discovers there is no escape.  The film started a little slow, and after about 5 minutes I realised a theme was occurring, there had not been a single shot change and the steady camera work was not so steady.  This did explain the strange interactions between the characters and the slightly awkward acting.  After a bit of research I discovered it is actually a remake and has hidden shot changes, very cleverly done!  Anyway…. The awkwardness soon ended as the pace increased and the single camera movement allows for the audience to really connect with the main character Sarah, who is played by Elizabeth Olsen, and actually feel exactly what she is feeling.  I am glad that I stuck with the film, there were a few minutes where I thought I should probably not waste my time, but if you like horrors I would recommend, I have not been that scared for a LONG time, there were moments where I actually screamed and it was still daylight outside!  Sometimes I actually felt it was me in the movie! The only disappointing fact was that I managed to work out the ending – but hey maybe that was the point! 

The Impossible 2012

Well this was a bit of a mood changer, I went from being petrified to distraught in a matter of minutes.  If you haven’t heard of this film, it is a true story of a Spanish family who are caught in the tsunami in Thailand, but it has been adapted for an American audience.  Directed by Juan Antonio Bayona, who also directed El Orfanato 2011 (one of my favourite movies) this film did not disappoint.  

 

 It is a very emotional journey and I could not help but be sad knowing that the events had actually happened, and people had really been through this ordeal. The actors were excellent, and although Ewan McGregor is not usually my most favourite actor (sorry Ewan!) I thoroughly enjoyed his performance.  Naomi Watts and Tom Holland were both excellent, and who knew Naomi was English?! This is news to me! If you haven’t seen it yet – watch it… right now! Just don’t watch it right before you head off to work, otherwise you will have to explain the red puffy eyes!

Les Miserables 2012

Wow… that is all I need to say really! I won’t though I will elaborate! =) The cinematography is incredible, the sets are beautiful, the acting was impeccable,  good ol’ Anne made me ball my eyes out with her solo, such a shame she isn’t in it for longer as she was by far the best.   

I have yet to see the last 15 minutes, I couldn’t take the crying all in one go so I had to break it up, didn’t want another blotchy faced evening at work! Now I have never seen the theatre production, but some of the songs bored me a little, on the other hand I fell in love with a lot of the others and have had them stuck in my head ever since.  I was amazed to find that the songs were sung live on set and not in a sound studio, but this adds to the emotion and excitement, it also explains a lot for those whose voices were not up to scratch!  I wasn’t aware of the number of famous faces that starred in the film, it was a delight to find that Sacha Baron Cohen starred, who brought just the right mix of comedy, and Amanda Seyfried, who I feel I should have known about, as I <3 them both.  I have heard people are a wreck at the end of the film, so I guess I have that in store for me at 7:45am when I get home from work!

 

What do you think about these films, or do you recommend any you have seen recently?

much love,

   

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