Movie Review - Les Misérables (2012)

Image adapted from Les Misérables film poster.

The day after watching the 2008 film of the same name on TV, we made it around the peaceful protest riots into Belfast city center to pay a visit to the cinema to watch Tom Hooper’s 2012 interpretation of Les Mis (Warning: potentially contains spoilers depending on what you already know of Les Misérables).

At first, when the singing began with the convicts in the ship yard, it took me a minute to acclimatise as it was so different to have so much of the story sung in a movie. I knew it was a musical version before I went but it’s still something that doesn't happen very often. Most of the movie musicals I've seen before had a lot of spoken dialogue mixed in. When it dawned on me that this was very much dedicated to the musical, this opening number felt a bit like the ‘musical episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ meets ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’.

As well as all the songs from the stage show, there were also some new additions. One being a new song which we hear Hugh Jackman sing in a horse drawn coach on the way to Paris. Though nothing spectacular or really anything to write home about, it did suit the scene to help add some flavour to the bond Valjean and Cosette are developing and show it as a journey for both body and mind. As well as a little bit of originality to refresh it for the big screen, there was also a change in cast. Movie actors took up the main roles although awesomely there was a part for Colm Wilkinson - the man who made 'Jean Valjean' his own in the stage production of the musical. He plays a Bishop in this. It was a nice touch as he literally hands over the baton candle sticks to Hugh Jackman, a new ambassador for the role. There were some other faces from the stage who made it into the film. Samantha Barks plays Éponine (and is excellent) - we knew we recognised her at the time but couldn’t place her. She turns out to be ‘Isle of Man’ Sam from ‘I’d do Anything’ – the BBC reality show that was casting for the role of Nancy in Oliver, she came 3rd in that and was one of my favourites. Since then though she’s been in the stage show of Les Mis playing Éponine as well as in the 25th Anniversary Concert and also more recently playing Nancy in Oliver… shows how much I pay attention! Another to make it into the film from the stage show is Dungannon born Fra Fee who plays one of the revolutionaries – Coufeyrac.

With the cast featuring mainly movie actors, they did an amazing job with the songs that by all accounts were sung live to camera on set. The only criticism that can be made is that of the singing voice of Russell Crowe who was playing Inspector Javert. His voice did lack that little bit of power to make it a great performance like his fellow stars Hugh Jackman and Anne Hathaway but his acting and look were spot on. Don’t get me wrong, he sang his part well, it wasn't like he performed it badly, it was just that his voice doesn't have the properties to really hit home a couple of the songs that character has. If there is anyone hearing these songs for the first time, it wouldn't stand out as being bad in any way. It just wasn't as good as it can be done. If you have heard a very good version of the song 'Stars' though then you'll know what I mean... like this:

The rest of the vocals were hard to find any fault with and combined with the visuals it came into it's own with the close ups and montages. The rendition of the song 'At the End of the Day' was entirely excellent and a huge advert for more movie musicals in the future (if done well like this).

The acting was also great, very believable and sucked you into their world and emotions. So much so, the row in front of us were all in tears. Unlike the usually over the top soppy quality to Marius, in this the rather 'well spoken' actor Eddie Redmaybe was surprisingly likable. Thank goodness they didn't cast Nick Jonas as Marius like they did in the 25th Anniversary Concert - I imagine it's probably best not to have the audience wanting Marius to get left behind in the sewer.

There were plenty of lighter moments too, the main one delivered by Sacha Baron Cohen and Helena Bonham Carter who added a twist to the Thénardiers. They brought a younger looking but just as devious and funny pair. I loved the added detail here with the movie, rather than just hand movements, they were shown going about their tricks of the trade, something that just couldn't be done on stage. They were also helped a little of course by a surprise visitor!

Another memorable part of this version of Les Misérables which made us laugh (but was maybe only light hearted to a few) was the moment of the sound effect that broke the big fall into the river. For me it was just the unexpectedness of it, I think we were all expecting a splash or a cut away, but the realistic crunchy thud, lol, even just thinking about it has me laugh, ah well! It was just unexpected is all, a nice touch of realism to the not so nice business of suicide. We didn't roll around on the floor laughing mind you, nah it just made us do that awkward trying to hold it in laugh and then we each laughed at the fact we weren't the only one holding back the laughter. The situation being that the row in front were in full teary flow by this point which just made it all the more inappropriate. Another glance at each other of course just made us laugh even more. Belated apology to the folks sat in front of us that night – you probably thought we were callus and uncouth but ah well, we couldn't help it, it just happened.

As well as great acting and singing, the sets, costume, make up and attention to detail were also a pleasure to see. What caught my eye the most were the scenes in Paris. A realistic sized barricade in a realistic location for a start. The fact the houses were part of it too, the windows being used and attacks from roofs etc. A realistic tight and horrible sewer access, unlike the movie we watched the night before which had something like a modern day sized manhole. The sewer itself seemed pretty authentic too! There was even some real next day stubble.

The cinematography was brilliant. From 'fly on the wall documentary' style wobbly cam that moved around the characters (almost examining them), to wide angle still shots on the streets, to shallow depth of field close ups of the actors singing their emotional numbers, to overhead panning complete with CGI landscapes - it all seemed to be there and was all very well done. When needed it was fantastical on a grand scale. At other times, it was subtle, such as with the close ups of characters singing in front of an almost plain background or the delicate touches like the butterfly gently moving it's wings on a metal bar whilst the actors sing to one another through a gate.

It had all the drama, comedy, tragedy and emotion of the stage production but added much more action, realism, grander fantasies and best of all - more context. Anything it did miss was made up for by engulfing your eyes, ears and emotions. My brother-in-law showed us this summary of the plot of Les Mis in emoticons which was doing the rounds on social media sites, it gives a novel summary of the plot which is good for a lol or two.

I've tried hard to find something I remember that I can mark it down for but I can't think of anything beyond what might have been had the Javert vocal also stood out.

Another thing I'd usually say with a film where it is set in another country with characters native to that part of the world is that perhaps it could have been a foreign language film with subtitles - to add to the authenticity of it. That could have been the case with the 2008 movie but with this movie musical, I think that would have taken something away. Based on a West End stage musical - based on a less successful French language version of the musical - based on a book (and perhaps a very old movie that was also based on the book) - it's evolved quite a bit. What part of the evolution this 2012 version uses most is the musical side of it. Though the words to the songs are in English, the music is universal. The language or time period of the language doesn't much matter so it’s just really down to the audience it’s being released to. So with the English language words to the music already being a huge part of what it is and the it's accessability to it's audience requiring this, it fits perfectly. Another point of note was the interesting use of regional accents from around the British Isles which I think worked well overlaid on this French story.

Overall I thought it was one of the best films I've seen in a long time (the best thing I’ve seen at the cinema since the opening sequence of the 2009 Star Trek movie). In giving a rating I’ve tried to take out my fondness for the stage show (as that undoubtedly helped me warm to it) but even after putting that aside, it was very well made, was absorbing, powerful and has the hallmarks of a real classic. And so, it really does have a happy conclusion, they can smile at last! Les Misérables (2012) gets my joint highest score for a movie so far, a magnifique...

Score: 9/10

Per the The A.L.I.N.I Movie Review rating scale:
9 - Excellent - a real classic - lets hope it's re-released at the cinema.

Movie Review - The Graduate (1967)

Film: The Graduate (1967)

I'm not really sure why so many people rate this movie so highly. Perhaps I missed the point?

I'll start with the good parts - I thought it was well filmed and well acted. The use of clever camera angles and strange shots combined with the great Simon and Garfunkel soundtrack were the highlights of the movie. Sadly for this movie, in my view, that does not a good movie make. Beneath all that gloss is a romanticised Jerry Springer-esq story of people with too much time and money who haven't the foresight or sense of what to do with it. It was almost like the characters or script was somehow void of imagination, maybe that was the point but if it was, why would we want to watch it?

By showing us the depths a bored teenager (who must been a joy to be around during his studies) and a bored housewife will go to to be bored with someone else because of the situations they find themselves bored in before realising they're still bored... it's just, well... boring.

I wasn't alone in being underwhelmed. Half way through the movie the other four people I was watching the movie with had become bored by it too (they were also all watching it for the first time) to the point they had given up paying attention to it and merrily chatted away. I probably should have done the same but I tried my best to give it a fair chance.

I think if we'd have been alive and old enough to have seen this movie when it came out in 1967 we might have been more impressed by it, maybe for the novelty value. As children of the 80's however, I think we've been a little more desensitised to this sort of thing - did you see the TV we grew up watching? We were teenagers with Channel 5 on our TVs in our bedrooms. Need I say any more? To summarise; anyone who is shocked enough to care about the story line or who finds the Graduate a master piece for some other reason I'm clueless about, should just be thankful Mr Robinson wasn't 'meeting' both Carl and Ben at the same time whilst also murdering the odd neighbour or two as a coping mechanism to deal with his drug addiction from a prior life of crime that resulted in his witness protection relocation to the suburbs.

Maybe there was a message to do with some deeper meaning to life, love and the issues of growing up (or something) somewhere in there - but if there was, I missed it. I found it to be like watching reality TV without the unintentional comedy or ridiculous moments of revelation that might put you at unease or question yourself.

I think my main thing that disappointed me was that I just felt like I didn't care one way or the other for any of the characters. I tell a lie, I did feel sorry for the passengers and bus driver at the end.

This movie had a plot but a plot all about not a lot, just some dysfunctional wealthy folk swapping body fluids.

Score 4/10

Per the The A.L.I.N.I Movie Review rating scale:
4 = Could have probably done without watching it but meh, it was meh.

Movie Review - Role Models (2008)

Film: Role Models (2008)

From arguments over the stupid names of coffee cup sizes to Jane Lynch playing a character who must have been the predecessor to the Sue Slyvester in Glee. Not to mention a set of rules to put the inflatable weaponry from our wedding to good use, this movie had loads going on. Unexpectedly I should add, I thought Role Models was great, I'm kinda sad I didn't see it at the cinema.

The laughs were regular and spread well throughout the movie. The humour was rude in places but never fell to being too crude even with a few topless scenes ("a bit 'blue for the dads" as Peter Kay would say) and some strong language in places.

Seann William Scott and Paul Rudd's characters were surprisingly likeable and the rest of the cast were great, most noteably Christopher Mintz-Plasse who played one of the kids needing a big and another performance of note from Ken Jeong (of 'The Hangover' fame) who was King in a world of pretend. The cast was very well balanced and there wasn't just the usual one or two stand out acts like you get in some films of this ilk.

The story I didn't see coming as it started off like a teen movie but transitioned in a lot of ways into a feel good film with an whimsical edge. I find it hard to put this movie in any one category and that in a film is something that I like! It was certainly a comedy but it was also part rom com, part teen movie, part bromance - not a combination I thought would go well but you know what, it worked.

You can't go wrong with plenty of laughs and this had many. Nothing thought provoking here, just comedy in a mashup. So for that; Role Models on the good old L.I.N.I.M.R arbitrary 'out of 10', gets a very respectable...

Score: 7/10

Per the The A.L.I.N.I Movie Review rating scale:
7 = Good movie, would watch again. T'was good!

Movie Review - Fools Rush In (1997)

Film: Fools Rush In (1997)

Those Fools Rushed In so quickly that they ended up stuck in the plot of a romantic comedy... those silly fools!

In this movie, a couple who get together randomly find that their cultural backgrounds collide when they take things further but they are helped to overcome it by the power of a seemingly sentient universe with a master plan convieniently kicking them in the right direction to keep the plot going (a master plan from a divine overseer who happens to like the tired old rom com formula *insert nausia*) and pre-destined 'true love' with some added rain in the desert to top things off.

As far as rom coms go it was pretty good: Some of the acting in the big dramatic scenes wasn't the most convincing but there were a fair few good comedy moments and it used the screen well, fitting in smoothly some big scenes of NYC, The Grand Canyon and Las Vegas with the character close ups and dialogue.

The dialogue wasn't too bad and the main characters were more 3 dimensional than the usual rom com though some of the support characters did seem a little bit void of more than one emotion.

The movie starred Matthew Perry of Friends fame and his character wasn't that far removed from the one he played in friends and he played it very well even if you could be forgiven to think Mr Bing had just changed his name and taken a new job.

To be honest, though it was pretty much just candyfloss, it kept my attention and I did laugh out loud and would go so far as to say that I enjoyed it.

However, that was about it, the only thing it left me pondering was how much spare cash do these characters have to spend on travel and how convienient that, as in so many rom coms, one of the characters is usually pretty well off or from a crazily wealthy family and they manage to fit a helicopter into the plot. Is it just because they always have one on hand to shoot the movie with anyway or do they go out of their way for these things?

It was far from anything special but never the less it was worth the watch on TV on a Saturday without football.

Score: 6/10

Per the The A.L.I.N.I Movie Review rating scale:
6 = Decent, I won't be in a hurry to watch it again but if it's on TV... well worth the price of free!

A Reminder of the Movies

Please don't hate me.

With the 20+ movies I've never seen that I intend to see in 2012 as announced in my 2012 list, I've decided to record what I think of them as I watch them. That means I'm going to *cough* review them.

So welcome to a randomly strung out string of posts scattered between all the other stuff that will be imaginatively called...

A Lifeform In Northern Ireland's Movie Reviews

I hear the groans and I do understand, but don't worry! I sincerely don't aim to fall into the trap of actually knowing what I'm talking about even if I might vaguely seem like I might - I just intend to tell it how I sees it. Literally.

But no review is complete without an arbitrary score and my reviews will be no different. A score out of 10 will be awarded gauged on the following criteria.

The A.L.I.N.I Movie rating scale.

10 - Frickin awesome, classic and a half and probably another half or 10 halves, *ARMS OF YAY*!
9 - Excellent - a real classic - lets hope it's re-realsed at the cinema coz our TV is too tiny. w0Ot!
8 - Very good film, recommended and remind me to buy DeVidDeo if I haven't already.
7 - Good movie, would watch again. T'was good!
6 - Decent, I won't be in a hurry to watch it again but if it's on TV... well worth the price of free!
5 - OK, not that memorable but entertaining never the less. Just Meh.
4 - Could have probably done without watching it - not quite Meh - I suppose that makes it just Eh?
3 - All the good bits were in the trailer,  I mean really, why did we bother?
2 - A great goldfish movie - best if you've a limited memory because it was just bad - and not in a good way.
1 - Time I will never get back - why did they steal a part of my life?
0 - WTF!... WHHHHHHHY!... WHAT DID I DOOOOOOO?!

Since Norngirl and I have already watched 5 movies this year that we had never seen before and it's not even the end of January, I figure this might be a good time to start to record these. And so without further delay, well, except a day or so - you know, to give anyone who wants to the time to read this in order to maintain some sort of structure to this blog given this new low - let there be movie/film/flicks/fil'um (that last one is the local pronunciation) reviewablige!

I hereby give this post 10/10 and some serious cinematic arms of yay because it's all downhill from this point in :-D

First up is - The Rom Com: Fools Rush In (1997), well, it is as soon as I make a picture in paint that truly reflects the ambience of this piece. So turn off your cell phones and re-seal that re-seal-able bag you have no intent to ever re-seal... it'll be on your screen before you can scream "Nooooooooooooooooooooo" give or take 200,000 'o's.

Rocky Horror at the Black Box and a meal in Hooligan

The 2011 Belfast Film Festival is well under way and last Thursday night we attended our first Film Festival event of the year. It came only a couple of days before the first year anniversary of us losing our Rocky Horror virginities when we went to see the stage show in the Grand Opera House twelve months ago. This event however was a screening of the film version of the Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975) in the Black Box that was attended by Patricia Quinn (Magenta in the film) who gave an interview on the stage before introducing the movie.

Before we made it to the Black Box to meet our friends for Rocky Horror night, Norngirl and I met up after work for a drink at the Duke of York.

After a nice pint of Guinness we headed on to try a restaurant Norngirl had heard good reviews about and that eatery was Hooligan on Talbot Street in the Cathedral Quarter of town. The décor is the thing that will initially stand out, with all sorts of mix-n-match furnishings.

It's quite a sight and probably worth a trip just to sit on who knows what type of chair to take it all in... even the loo's are peppered (like the roof) in newspaper and eclectic art. Then the food arrived. I'd ordered the Fish Finger sandwich and it was absolutley delicious. The chips were perfect and reminded me of those my dad used to cook me when I was young and when he did it he would peel fresh potatoes, par-boil them, fluff them up with a sieve then use sunflower oil in a chip pan until golden brown. I can only assume something similar was done here too - I could have eaten what was a sizeable portion twice over! To go with these home made chips was a sizeable sandwich of breaded fresh fish, garnished and seasoned. It was all absolutely delicious. The presentation of the food was great, no regular plates here, Norngirl's portion of chips even came in a small metal bucket. For pudding we both had the Spiced Plum and Apple crumble with Egg custard. Again the portion size was great and like the main course it was really tasty. For the quality of food and service, the price was reasonable too and I think I would go so far as to say that it is now my new favourite restaurant in Belfast.

Full and happy from our nice meal we walked the short distance to the Black Box met our friends and queued up to present our tickets. Once inside we headed into the main room where there was a small slightly raised stage, a big screen set up to our right and lots of chairs and tables laid out cabaret style between them and the bar.

We found ourselves a table, settled down and got some drinks in and it wasn't too long before some dude whose voice seemed familiar was interviewing Patricia Quinn. The interview was a bit of fun but not the most informative. There were a few random stories, a story of Deep Purple in Dresden and some mention of a memorial Meatloaf didn't attend. Such is the surreal world of showbiz so it seems.

With a fandom styled introduction of the movie from Patricia Quinn we were into the feature presentation of the night as the film started. Like most of the crowd there - we had seen the movie many times before and so, like the stage show, it was one big sing-a-long with the traditional audience participation of heckling the characters.

It was good fun however unlike when I was up dancing with the rest of them at the Grand Opera House last year, I admit that I was one of the few who didn't get up to do the dance to the Time Warp this time. "Booooo!" I know.

I was bopping along in my seat to the songs I like most though and it was great to see the movie on a big screen rather than just on a small TV screen. That really for me is the best bit about the Belfast Film Festival - it gives you a chance to see films as they were meant to be presented and with the audience, who especially in the case of Rocky Horror, really do add to the experience which would never be the same. The funniest audience participantion of the night for instance had to be the during the line "There's no crime in giving yourself over to pleasure" to which the cry from an audience member was "There is in Northern Ireland" or words to that effect.

I really enjoyed the night and it brought back great memories of last years trip to Rocky Horror and also the film festival events. I can't wait now for the rest of the Film Festival events we've booked to go to - like Janet, "I've tasted blood and I want more" - "more, more, more" :)

Anagrammed Northern Ireland - Hand Linen Terror!

This account of an evening out in Belfast from earlier in the week has been hijacked by anagrams. Can you work out what the real story should be? (Answers at the bottom of the post - and yes I was quite bored!)

'Main File For Hand Linen Terror' trip to the Cinema

On Tuesday night in 'Stab Elf' City there was a trip taken by 5 people to see 'A Demonic One' within 'Caves Roar I Quit'. The feature film was 'Heirlooms Privily Oil Up' a love story starring 'Gnome Grew Car' with 'My Rice Jar' .

It was a film based on a true story and was quite tragic really, but very funny never the less and well worth seeing. Once the movie was over we headed out of the screen and into the hall. It was whilst there that we waited on a few who couldn't hold it any longer and had to take a trip to the 'Ham Robot'.

On the walls were posters for up coming shows, one was for 'Dandy Hag Knit' starring 'Most I Cure' and 'Domain Craze'. We tried to work out if the silhoutes in the poster were to scale in regards to one another and guess their heights. According to IMDB 'Erotic Sum' is 5' 7 and  'Amazon Cider' is 5'5½", the silhoets in the poster must have either been taken at different times or edited.

I don't think I'll be going to see that one, I'd rather watch Newry's 'Reliable Sticky Hen' on The One Show or Belfast's 'Hen Rang The Bank' in Much Ado About Nothing.

With everyone together again, we headed out into the cold, rainy night and out onto 'Their Erect Chests', down past 'Bitch Alley Flats' and the soon to disappear ‘Webfeet Halls’, to our bus stop.

We were soon flying past 'Yoga Trek'. I thought about writting this post then fell asleep and probably dreamt of 'Manhole Omens'.


Answers:
Hand Linen Terror - Northern Ireland, Main File For Hand Linen Terror - A Lifeform in Northern Ireland, Stab Elf - Belfast, A Demonic One - Odeon Cinema, Caves Roar I Quit - Victoria Square, Heirlooms Privily Oil Up - I love you Phillip Morris, Gnome Grew Car - Ewan McGregor, My Rice Jar - Jim Carrey, Ham Robot - Bathroom, Dandy Hag Knit - Knight and Day, Erotic Sum/Most I Cure - Tom Cruise, Domain Craze/Amazon Cider - Cameron Diaz, Hen Rang The Bank - Kenneth Branagh, Reliable Sticky Hen - Christine Bleakley, Their Erect Chests - Chichester Street, Bitch Alley Flats - Belfast City Hall, Webfeet Halls - Belfast Wheel, Yoga Trek - Yorkgate, Manhole Omens - Eamonn Holmes

Up 3D and the 3D Cinema Showdown.

On Monday it was another cinema night and a trip this time to the Movie House cinema at City Side Mall (aka Yorkgate Shopping Centre) on the outskirts of the central business district of Belfast. There we enjoyed a trip for a cup of tea and then on to see the recently released Pixar /Disney Digital 3-D film, Up. After Toy Story 3D at the Odeon where RealD is the preferred format, this was a chance to try out the 3D experience at the Movie House’s flagship cinema, with a Dolby 3D system. So what did we find?

Well, to begin with, a delicious raspberry muffin and a cup of tea at a near by cafe. It was there I met up after work with Norn girl and friends, closely followed by my soon to be sister and brother-in-law. The group were set. Losing one to other commitments, the group heading to the cinema comprised of 4, 20 something’s and a 12 year old. It was the oldest of us, *cough* Norn Girl, who with the encouragement of her younger brother ended up buying some crazy coloured clip in hair extensions which were worn all evening until donated to a lion... don’t ask!

We made it to the kiosk outside the York Gate/City Side Movie House and bought our tickets. After a quick ice cream stop for some. We climbed the stairs and handed in our tickets. The rest of the group headed to the queue for drinks and refreshments but I only wanted a bottle of something wet and cold so made my way around to the vending machine that’s around the corner near the higher numbered screens. After I had bought an overpriced bottle of Oasis compared to any other shop in the area I had a look around at the machines whilst I waited for the others to catch up. One caught my eye. It was a grabber machine like I used to play in Blackpool on family holidays as a kid. I was tempted to play this one because it had a nice sign on it saying ‘win every time’. I got my £1 and put it in the slot. I moved the stick and the grabber moved forwards, I had my eye amongst the random items for a toy SpongeBob Squarepants... the grabber stopped, I hadn’t meant to but it hit the back wall and was just out of reach of Spongebob. Oh well, I pressed the lit up button and the claw descended and missed everything. Thankfully it was a win every time... take 2... this time I headed for a pile of stuff and managed to dislodge a few things and there was another Spongebob... if only I could grab it with my grabber. Take 3 I tried, and failed. Take 4, the claw grabbed, and started to pick something up... in a real life version of Sid’s space ship grabber machine victory in Toy Story, my first thought was also...“Alright! Double prizes!”. The others were soon with me and I gleefully donated Spongebob to Norn Girl. I offered the weird bee thing around but sadly for this ‘Buzz’ there were no takers.

We made it to our screen and the staff were handing out the glasses. The Dolby3D glasses are reused and are apparently washed each time between uses because they are expensive to produce. They look the part, like trendy sunglasses and have an almost two tone coloured shimmer to them.

We picked our seats and watched the 3D ads and the 3D Pixar short film called ‘Partially Cloudy’ which was funny and a good warm up for our eyes. The view through the glasses though seemed just a bit off being 100% clear. There was almost like a slight fog around the outside of the field of view from the glasses which didn’t take away too much but was just noticeable. We tried each other’s glasses but they were all the same. A wipe on a cotton t-shirt to see if it was a smudge or residue from cleaning or something didn’t make a difference.

Up started and we settled back into our seats. I won’t spoil anything but the story sets up in the past with the lead character Carl Fredricksen as a boy, we are given his life story... and then the main story begins. The comedy is brilliantly done, the situation is so imaginative and well thought out that it’s hard to describe. All I will say is that Kevin and the dogs with their collars, at least for me, are the funniest movie characters to grace our screens this year, the movie lives up to its name and is as uplifting as the name suggests.

The 3D effects were quite subtle in places and not always used as much as they could have maybe been but the story to this movie and the comedy is its charm, the 3D effects are just the icing on the cake.

So yet another excellent movie experience. I don’t like to promote products and services and the corporate world but it seems like its probably about the right time to declare that 3D isn’t just a fad anymore. With the new push to promote digital 3D systems, its well and truly being integrated as part of the motion picture art form and it looks here to stay... which is good news for me because I’ve really enjoyed it so far!

The only let down to the movie (that was my own fault!) was the slight discomfort that came when I had randomly lifted off my glasses. I was trying to hold them away from my face try to try to see how the 3D was working out and to see what the brightness was like between that actually on the screen compared to what was coming through with the lenses filters. On their return to my head, I ended up missing the side of my head and poking myself in the eye with the end of the ear piece... oops! I missed a couple of minutes of 3D due to this slight mishap but I can officially say I’ve safety tested the ear pieces of the Dolby 3D glasses and that pair at least are a good level of blunt.

With the Storm cinema at the Odyssey at the time of writing not having a 3D showing advertised on their website (though they do have the VIP screenings with the lazy boy chairs – to which I’ve only been once, but they were so very comfy!) and having now experienced a 3D movie at both a Movie House and the Odeon. I think I can outline my experience mingled with a bit of the experiences of those with me on each occasion.

Customer Service: Both venues were great – excellent customer service, as in no fuss and friendly and clean (before other people made them messy). All good!

Prices (at the time we bought the tickets):
Movie House City Side - standard 3D showing ticket price £7
Odeon Victoria Square – standard 3D showing ticket price £8.45

3D experience: The 3D technologies of RealD and Dolby 3D were both good and produced a good quality 3D experience but here are what we found to be the pro’s and con’s of our visits.

Movie House City Side:

Positives - Choice of seats on the day. A few arcade and vending machines in the corridors between screens though if you’re a parent this could well be a negative hehe.

Negatives - What we judged to be slightly more uncomfortable glasses for our heads than the Real D (4/5 of us anyway) and slightly less clear/vibrant images but still a very good quality, however this is likely to be subjective and also could be influenced by the colours used in the movie itself. You can't take home the glasses and look cool/an idiot on the way home. Food and drink is expensive compared to same products at local shops and supermarkets.

Odeon Victoria Square:

Positives - What we judged to be slightly more comfortable glasses for our heads and what appeared to be slightly more clear/vibrant images, though this is subjective and also could be influenced by the colours used in the movie itself. The glasses are your own to keep and you too can look cool/an idiot on the way home :).

Negatives - Lesser choice of central seat locations without increased cost. Food and drink expensive compared to same products at local shops and supermarkets.


In regards to the technolgies involved, I’ve had a read around the t’interwebs and the best description I’ve found so far (one that isn’t too out of date yet) is a post by a user on the Audio Visual Science Forum who describes his observations of RealD and Dolby3D.

Conclusion:

It’s honestly very hard to choose between them but personally from these experiences, I preferred the actual 3D movie experience of the RealD technology in the Odeon but preferred the physical venue at the Movie House.

However, if I had to choose what I enjoyed most of all; I enjoyed the good time had with Norn Girl, friends and family, the rest is just a bonus.

Toy Story 3D

Excited about a movie we’d all seen several times before? You bet we were! Last Friday I bounced into a cinema screen like I hadn’t done for over a decade.

Having been very impressed by the latest version of the 3D cinema experience when we took the plunge and went to see Monsters Vs Aliens a wee while back, we were really looking forward to this one. It’s not hard to see why when I break this down in true Joey Tribbiani style - probably a reviewing technique that the likes of Radio 1’s James King wishes he’d thought of (I don’t know about you but I think he has a terrible taste in movies, but even he gave this 5/5!)...

Whats not to like? Toy Story, good. RealD 3D Digital Cinema, good. Getting to walk out of the cinema with 20-30 other people all still wearing polarised glasses and looking like you’ve all come out of a Blue Brothers re-enactment, good!

This new generation of 3D cinema really does beat the pants off the older 3D versions. I remember being at Alton Towers in their 3D cinema as well as the odd IMAX elsewhere and coming out feeling quite nauseous. I’m surely not that prone to it? I’ve never been car sick and even when my cousin and I decided to spend the best part of a morning at Blackpool Pleasure beach riding only anything that spins, and riding those rides repeatedly we didn't hurl. We might have been dizzy and in need of food to give our internal organs some stable and cohesive binding, but it wasn’t as bad as a 30 minute visit to see an unstable 3D adventure. With the new range of digital 3D cinema, we’ve headed to the Odeon mainly so far, and I believe they use RealD, this has been by convenience more than choice, but undoubtedly it has been first rate. The screen still seems very bright, the colours are great, the 3D really does stand out and the experience has been all together brilliant. Sure it might seem outdated and be superseded before long, but right now, it’s quite a sight, quite literally.

The only downside I’ve found has been the cost. The Odeon is far too expensive, as it is anyway for its regular tickets, especially compared, over here in Northern Ireland, to the Movie House cinemas. With the 3D showings, for 2 adult tickets and a bag of sweets, you’re not going to get much change from a £20 note.

Toy Story itself was the same bunch of giggles and action as it was in 2D but in 3D that extra dimension really does add an extra dimension. Seeing Andy’s toys coming to life with depth was great, it was like watching it for the first time again and brought you closer into the characters CGI world. From the reactions of those in front and from my own behaviour, it seemed like everyone was taking random turns at smiling at whoever they were with. Not to spoil it for anyone, but even the credits had a hint of 3D to them!

All in all, it was probably worth the money this time but I do hope it comes down in price a little, and perhaps it will if the hints are true that 3D TV might be upon us in the not so distant future.

Film, Film, Pow!

Whether it was the film crews on the streets, going to the cinema or noticing how our very own Northern Irish transformer is being built, last week threw a bit a film theme my way.

It’s an odd one really; I spent most of the week very tired and heading to work on auto pilot. Admittedly it was largely due to the week before and the residue from a bad cold and not sleeping properly. I probably didn’t help myself by not going to sleep as early as I probably should have given the circumstances. In my defence though, when I get home and just want to have a bit of a night, the couple of hours after getting home, cooking and doing anything that needs done, just don’t cut it. I’m slower than the average bear and like Yogi that includes my leisure time, once I get started watching a TV show or surfing the net that’s me there for a couple of hours at least. So usually bed time ends up going on midnight, if not later – student habits of old die hard it seems! However after being a bit run down, this lifestyle unfortunately resulted in me becoming a part time narcoleptic upon finally returning home from work on Friday.

So tied and a bit dazed it was odd to be heading to work one morning and to see a mass of large powerful lights surrounding a pub called the Garrick bar on Chichester Street. The place looked like a crime scene from the outside but the trucks and vans parked along the street gave away that they were defiantly home to a film crew and their gear.

Later the same day, heading home this time, I ended up walking down the back of the City Hall. Oddly I stumbled across a Big Red London bus, a red phone box that hadn’t been there the day before and a random tent with anti war slogans on it. Not far from these items was a group of about 30 people and some sort of makeshift set up for outdoor catering. Next to all this a sign saying “Caution Filming in Progress”.

I’m really not sure what they were filming for, but they weren’t isolated events that day as a colleague at work also told me they had seen a film crew at another location in town. It seemed from the London theme that they using the back of the city hall to re-create a London street scene. The Labour advertisement on the Bus combined with the ‘protest tent’ seemed to indicate something political but whether it be a drama or a party political broadcast or even a comedy, that’s for them to know and us to find out! I can’t find anything about the filming elsewhere but maybe before long all will become clear with an appearance of this scene on TV... do let me know if you see it!

To top it off, as I headed down the street a little further, I look down to see a bright tag kicking around on the floor and what do I find just laying there but yet another cinematic link...

Could it be Ben Stiller was in town or as the lable hints, in a wearhouse near by? It's a mystery!

After all the showbiz and in an attempt to relax we decided to have a bit of a date night. Norn Girl and I really do enjoy our random, though usually meal then cinema based, date nights - when we can afford it or aren’t too tired or lazy to head out of the house. We decided that day to head to see a movie that was new out as most others that are out we’ve either seen already or one of us didn't really want to see. We both knew very little about the movie and I hadn’t even seen a trailer for it. I’m starting to find that this is the best way to see movies as you aren’t so disappointed having already seen what are usually all the best bits in the trailer already.

The movie we picked to see was ‘The Hangover’ and I have to say I thought it was really rather good! In the magical world of cinema I don’t mind too much what I’m watching but I do prefer movies that can take me somewhere new and that keep me glued to the screen. For a comedy based around a stag do, it broke the preconceptions I would have had having now seen the trailer. Loads of laughs and a plot that keeps us intrigued by the characters being as unaware as we are as to what happened. An intriguing mystery that puts my earlier one to shame is laid out in front of us, leading from one comedy moment to the next. To top it off it’s not only funny but uses the screen well unlike some comedies (I’m thinking of several romantic comedies I’ve had to watch in recent times) that might as well have been made for TV. Sure it’s a little rude and maybe not one to watch with the kids but if you want comedy that has the potential to make you lol-a-lot and that even managed to include end credits worked in to be a meaningful part of the plot, then it’s a movie worth a watch.

Its reinvigorated a taste for the cinema (if it ever went away) so all being well we’ll be seeing a few more movies in the near future. One movie we aren’t likely to head to is the new transformers one. Although I do love Sci-Fi and I even loved to play with the plastic toys when I was younger, those movies based on cartoons and comic books really never seem to be that good. Having now sat through the trailer a couple of times, it just looks boring and unlikely to be much more than a comic book guys drool fest with special effects as the plot. I probably shouldn’t be too quick to judge but I’m tempted to see something on a whim from now on than something advertised to death before hand.

The biggest piece of advertising I’ve seen so far is the transformer that’s taken up residence in the disguise of the new Obel building. It’s a handy disguise but we can see through it, it seems friendly enough so it’s probably an Autobot and we should be safe but sure we’ll have to see how pretty it is before we know whether we should try convincing it to head back to Cybertron.


Update 06/09/2009

The filming that was going on around Belfast back in June this year has been revealed in the October 09, City Matters (Belfast City Council Residents magazine) to be, "an upcoming Channel 4 drama 'Mo', in which she (Julie Walters) plays the role of the late Mo Mowlam, former Northern Ireland Secetary of State". Another mystery solved! According to the article it'll be on TV sometime next year :)