Olympus has fallen

Can I just say that I loved this film, but mainly because it is virtually a carbon copy of the original Die Hard.

The first 10 minutes of this film was like a cold slap in the face. I could not believe that this happened, if you ever see it you'll know what I mean, but it is a very good way to engage us the audience. This film was fast paced with intense gun fights and political interest. Also this film had Morgan Freeman in it, so you can't really go wrong there. It's a good story line, people taking over the white house and exploiting the president's knowledge to start world war three. And the whole lone ranger thing; where there's one guy taking out all the evil agents when the entire security detail on THE WHITE HOUSE failed to take down, well, any of them. I suppose it adds to the stakes, and you've just got to hope that this one guy doesn't get shot in the back when he's not looking (anticlimatic or what).

Again, I did love this film, but it is so badly based on Die Hard. The bad guy locking everyone in one room that the 'cowboy' has to get into to save someone close to him, whilst the bad guy is trying to get what he wants as well as get the cowboy off his back. This results in many failed attempts at killing the cowboy including sending someone in he thinks he can trust, bla bla bla, one man mission; save the president save the world sort of thing (excuse the heroes reference). Don't get me wrong it was great, but if anyone goes in to watch it and has already seen Die Hard then you will be able to predict the whole story start to finish. Which kind of bugged me.

Overall I would definitely recommend this film, but I would only award it 4 stars because of the constant de ja vu feeling throughout the film.

Wreck-It Ralph

I completely fell in love with this film.

The idea is amazing; all the different arcade games interacting with each other, and all the little quirks like 'Game Central Station', the security check guy and 'Bad-Anon' were brilliant. They did all the background stuff quickly and effectively (which I appreciate a lot). Also no two characters were even remotely similar, which I loved, and giving the pacman ghost (Clyde) a deep psychiatrist's kind of voice was quite ironic considering all he does in his game is mindlessly chase pacman. But overall I just thought it was brilliantly thought out; the unlikely partnership of Ralph and Venellope and Felix and Calhoun, the way all the characters intermingled with each other, how the game worlds were designed, it was all just fantastic.

They paid particular attention to the animation, making everything so clear and vibrant, especially the sugar rush world. I would genuinely love to play sugar rush, it looks like a brilliant game, even if it is virtually the same as mario kart. But honestly I could not fault this film if I tried. The idea is unique, story line is perfect, the characters are brilliant and it is impossible to get tired of the setting because it changes every other second. I would absolutely recommend this film and I have done to many people. Seriously, it is definitely worth it.

Man of Steel

Personally I'm not sure whether the three stars I awarded this film are because of the film as a whole or my dislike of superman.

I enjoyed the end of this film, which I can't say about a lot of films I watch. It was typical but in a good way, like you know what's going to happen but you also want it to happen. There was a lot of action, a lot of world saving, a lot of heart break and a lot of love. I thought the final scene between Kal and Zod was heartbreakingly beautiful and I wasn't expecting that at all. I thought by this time in the film everyone was on the same page concerning the death of Zod as he was currently public enemy #1 but obviously not to Kal. I also like that they threw in Clark Kent at the end there, glasses and all, very charming indeed.

Unfortunately the start of this film was VERY slow. It does explain about his childhood and such and why he doesn't want to come out of the super closet but it dragged terribly. So much so that I did actually fall asleep for 20 minutes at some point in the first half but my partner said I didn't miss anything (you see my point). Otherwise I would've given this four stars but the first half of the film really did drag it down a lot, and I personally don't find superman a very interesting character either.

If you can get through the beginning and see it through to the brilliant ending it is worth it. If you've missed it in the cinema and you've got it on DVD then just keep your finger on stand by over the fast forward button, it will be needed. I would recommend this film, but mainly for fans of the genre, as a general something-to-watch film I wouldn't recommend it.

The Purge

I went into the cinema with high hopes for 'The Purge'. It sounded like a great idea and I love thrillers, but it just didn't live up to expectations.


I enjoyed the little quirks that they threw in, like the boy's toy, the
masks and the character of 'the polite gentleman', they were very appreciated. The little twists between the father and the boyfriend and the family and the neighbours weren't expected, and I did enjoy the little moments that actually surprised me. The idea really is a great idea, the concept of a country legalising murder for one night every year is both unique as well as terrifying because on some levels I can actually see it being successful (worrying I know).


Unfortunately, it is a concept film and didn't do all that well in terms of presentation. I found the camera angles sloppy, the location grew stale very quickly and the ending kind of just..... fizzled out. In my opinion 'The Purge' would come under the category of 'films that you need to watch' and I would probably watch it again, but I personally wouldn't recommend it in terms of overall entertainment.