Reviews

Back in 2004, Simon Pegg and Edgar Wright gave us a zombie classic, Shaun of the Dead. It was a different pace than other recent zombie flicks (Dawn of the Dead, 28 Days Later), as it was a comedy. Pegg, a well known British actor (Spaced, many British Television shows) and Wright, a writer director whose first big hit would be this.

And they deliver.

Shaun is a furniture salesmen who participates in the same boring schedule everyday. He has problems with his mother (Penelope Wilton) and his girlfriend (Kate Ashfield). He is thrust into the zombie apocalypse, and needs to band together with his best friend Ed (Nick Frost), Liz (his girlfriend), his mother, and his girlfriend's flat-mates in order to make it to their favourite place in the world, the Winchester pub, in hopes of waiting the whole thing off.

This is Pegg and Wright's first film together, and their script is very witty and humorous, but knows where it stands as a zombie film. It's a completely different take on the zombie apocalypse, showing that even if the entire world is falling apart, you can still drink and laugh to your heart's content.

The duo's first crack at a film together is astounding, and spawned the "Blood and Ice Cream" or "Three Flavours Cornetto" trilogy, which also contains Hot Fuzz and the upcoming film The World's End.

Shaun of the Dead is a truly wonderful film, giving great performances, laughs and zombie slaughtering throughout,and it shows us the meaning of friendship, family, and that you need to "remove the head or destroy the brain" in order to survive.

Everyone should experience this film at one time or another, I know I will be experiencing it again soon.

9/10

Finally. Something that shows Batman isn't the only DC hero who can pull off a successful movie. Superman and Superman 2 were formidable films, but we needed a good Superman movie for this generation, and Man of Steel succeeded.

This isn't a Dark Knight/ Man of Steel comparison review, this is a Man of Steel review. It is more action-driven then The Dark Knight, however, and those going to see it for a Christopher Nolan experience won't get it. This is different than the Batman trilogy, and a welcome difference.

Man of Steel is the first film in a planned saga, branching over many DC heroes and setting up the Justice League film, much like Marvel did with The Avengers universe.

Anyway, here is my review.

Zack Snyder (300, Watchmen) brings us into the new world of Superman. This is a reboot film, done well. You already know the story of how Kal-El got to earth, but MoS shows even more of what really went on on Krypton. I went in expecting a dark, Dark Knight-style film, instead I got a unique, action-filled thrill ride that kept me on the edge of my seat.

Cavill is a great Superman, and which I was initially hesitant with seeing, but after watching the film, I have changed my opinion completely. Shannon is a fantastic Zod, and the rest of the cast (Adams, Fishburne, Crowe, Costner and more) give outstanding performances in each of their roles, which helps the film drastically.

I applaud the makers of this film, they've given us the first real great Superman movie. Fans of the genre and of action movies in general will get a kick out of this film, and you will feel that DC's universe is a formidable opponent against Marvel. Bring on the Justice League!

8/10

The Fast and the Furious franchise has never been known for an engrossing story. No one goes to the movies to see character development and a complicated storyline. They go for the cars, the girls, and the explosions, and this installment has all of the above, including a fair story.

A ghost from Dom's past, Letty, has come back from the dead, and Dom reunites the team from Fast Five (a team that works on all levels) in order to get her back. Ludicrous and Tyrese Gibson provide some of the humor of the film, with their bantering back and forth throughout, but I found that the theater I was in laughed and cheered throughout the course of the movie. The action is good, and never lets up. For a film that is over two hours, I found myself only checking the time when I thought the finale was happening (to see how long it would be).

What you want in this film is something as good as Fast Five. Something original and fresh. What you get is something that improves on Fast Five (and the rest of the series) on all levels. This is by far the best Fast and Furious movie ever, and it really shows how a series like this can turn around from something as bad as Tokyo Drift.

And it has a nice set up for Fast & Furious 7 during the credits, where we get a little surprise for the villain of the next film.

Bravo, this film is awesome, and should be viewed by fans of both the series and of action movies in general.

8/10

Pulp Fiction was released back in 1994, and now, nearly twenty years later (as of 2013), Tarantino's first real masterpiece can still be compared to some of the crime movies of today. Critically acclaimed across the world, we are presented with four interweaving stories about mob hit-men, a boxer, a gangster's wife, and a couple looking to rob a diner, and it deserves it's acclaim.

Quentin Tarantino's first film, Reservoir Dogs, was a word of mouth success. Little was known about this raw, raunchy crime thriller from an unknown writer/director, but it became a cult classic quickly. Therefore, his follow-up film needed to be good, and he delivers.

Anyway, on to Pulp Fiction. The Academy Award-Winning film contains four interweaving stories. They are gritty and foul-mouthed, but truly spectacular. Only few times have writer/directors been able to pull off such astounding films. Without dipping into spoilers, I can safely say that Pulp Fiction is like a dive of a cliff for first-time Tarantino viewers. You think it's risky attempting it, but when you do, you're hooked. It's this film that truly made Tarantino who he is today, and it's this film that can still stand the test of time, one of the rare few.

Pulp Fiction is a masterpiece I can't wait to watch again. A truly spectacular film on all levels. A beautiful crime drama that accurately dips you into the crime world in ways we've never been dipped before, and I can't wait to get dipped again.

10/10