American Mary (2012)

Date Watched: March 2014

Kam: I really don’t know what to make of this film. I think I liked it but not fully. It was on the cusp of being really good but was let down by some weird moments which I for one didn’t like but think I may have missed the point as most reviews and feedback have been very positive from the reviewers that I trust.

It’s been labelled as a Feminist Horror film but I don’t really agree with that. Just because it has a female lead character and was directed by two women doesn’t make it feminist in theme.

The plot is quite similar to other non-feminist revenge horror films in all honesty. Horrible thing happens to female character, female character goes about getting revenge in a bloody and gruesome way. Female character is hot and plays up to typical male views of hotness with choice of costume.

I don’t really buy into the women feeling empowered by wearing high heels and tight dresses because rather than empowering them, I think this plays into the image that men have created for how they want women to look and dress and Mary I think definitely plays into this as her costume is more on the fetish side of sexy (just look at the posters or DVD cover) but maybe I think about stuff like this too much.

As far as the revenge theme, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo did something similar in a minor plot point within the overall story but that to me was better done from a feminist point of view.

If I ignore the above issues then its fine. I just didn’t like the ending.

In a nutshell- If you want shells on your nuts, Mary can probably do that for you.

Hannah:

I was pleasantly surprised by this. 

Looking at the DVD  cover I was dreading watching it. But if you accept the terrible acting and pretty stupid story line then its alright. Near the end it feels like they weren't sure where to take it, but I thought the ending itself was perfect.

I agree with Kam about it not really being empowering for women at all. Unless feminism just means you have the power to manipulate men...

I was a bit disappointed by the lack of any gore or shocks at all. Or maybe my mind has become deadened to all the horrors of the world. *weeps*

Score:

Amelie (2001)

Date watched: Friday 28th February 2014

Kam:

What a nice little film from the director of the previously reviewed Alien Resurrection. You can definitely see the similarities in the quirkiness of each film, quirkiness which is put to much better use in this light-hearted comedy rather than something that has its origins as a horror film in space.

It’s funny and heart-warming but I must admit if this was an English language film I would probably dismiss it as cheesy and sanguine. Maybe I’m willing to look past that as I have some strange notion of foreign language films being crazy because foreigners are just plain mad… or maybe it’s because Audrey Tautou is just lovely…

In a nutshell- Tres Bien

Hannah:
I found that i spent the majority of the film thinking 'her eyes are massive', so the storyline didn't seem very important.
If it wasn't for subtitles I really wouldn't have paid much attention to the screen, it's all a bit too silly and I refuse to believe anyone is that naïve.

Meh

Almost Famous (2000)

Date Watched: 27th February 2014:

Kam: I don’t know why I don’t like this film. Hannah seems to love it but I just can’t bring myself round to being positive about it. I like music, I like music journalism and I like the legends you get around the music scene so this should be my film right?  But it isn’t, it just annoys me. Maybe it’s because it’s set in an era unfamiliar to me. Maybe it’s because the band we follow is fictional.

24 Hour Party People for example has a similar theme- the story of the music industry at a particular moment in time. I like 24 Hour Party People because the bands and people are real so when Shaun Ryder feeds rat  poison to pigeons I laugh because I can imagine him actually doing it (not that I’d condone it). In Almost Famous, when the fictional rock stars are doing their rock star thing, it seems clichéd. To me anyway.

After checking the IMDB trivia for the film, I read that Brad Pitt was originally cast in one of the lead roles and after months of working on the film, he left stating that he just didn’t get it. I think that sums up my feelings towards the film perfectly. I always knew Brad and I had a connection.

In a nutshell- Almost OK

Hannah: I love this era, I love the clothes, I love the freedom. I wish I was there.

If you tried to make a film set in today’s world about a couple of underage teenagers following round middle-aged rock stars it would be very sinister indeed.

Ultimately this film is fun, easy to watch and makes me happy!

I’m of the opinion that the only reason Kam doesn't like this film is because I do…and this is some Alien revenge. If he thinks this is clichéd then I’m pretty pleased we own Rockstar!

P.s- HOLD ME CLOSER TINY DANCER

Score:

NB- it has been pointed out that Penny Lane maybe older than 16... depending on whether you take her literally.

Alien Resurrection (1994)

Date Watched: Sunday 23rd February 2014

Kam: Ripley has finally lost her marbles.

This is the most interesting film in the series for me, quite quirky and very different from the previous films and like Alien3, the most interesting part is Ripley’s character development. Ok so she’s not Ripley in the strictest sense which allows them to have some fun with the character. It seems Sigourney Weaver has grown tired with the Ripley of old and embraced the rough round the edges Ripley we were beginning to see in Alien 3 except this one has a wicked sense of humour which I think I like!

It’s quite an odd film and even though I like the story and where it goes, it’s still just bonkers but just about pulls it off.

In a nutshell - Its Alien Jim, but not as we know it.

Hannah: I think Sigourney Weaver was as fed up by Aliens as I am by the time she made this film. She appears to have lost her mind and acts like a crazy person throughout. I enjoyed this comical turn a lot.

The alien/human baby thing at the end being sucked out of the window by its innards made me shed a tear…

If all of humanity is represented by the characters on this ship then it probably wouldn't be a bad thing if Aliens did take over.

Scores:

Alien 3 (1992)

Date Watched: Friday 21st February 2014

Kam: I’m always going to be forgiving to Alien 3 as it was made by David Fincher, my joint favourite director.  Given that Alien 3 is known to have suffered problems during production with the first time director not being given total control, it’s not surprising that it’s not very good but I would always argue that there are some flashes of good in there as a result of Fincher’s influence and style.

It feels almost like a remake of Alien. It’s slow and isolated and there is only one Xenomorph providing Ripley with a headache (or should that be chest ache?). The most interesting part of this film is Ripley’s character development. She’s no longer the reluctant heroine of the first two instalments, rather she is now a confident and focused leader taking charge of a group of supposedly tough and dangerous men when they prove to be pretty useless in comparison.

That’s it really, not a lot to say. It’s not great but it has interesting parts and thankfully Fincher went on to do much much much better things!

In a nutshell- Better then Alien vs Predator

Hannah: The beginning with everyone from the previous film being dead was a bit sloppy/lazy. And the Alien/Dog CGI thing? Terrible.  

I loved the shaven head look. However I didn’t realise the reason for the look was so ridiculous… a rampant head lice epidemic. If everyone on the planet has a shaven head,  where are these lice hiding? Maybe they should be shaving other areas.

I’m not sure of the unnecessary Tywin Lannister bonking either… Although that at least explains the medieval setting.

Scores:

Aliens (1986)

Date watched: Thursday 13th February 2014

Kam: This film is directly responsible for my fear of spiders. I first saw it when I was around 11 years old. I had not seen Alien at this point so this was my first experience of the Alien universe and the facehuggers scared the living crap out of me. Ever since then, anything with more than 4 legs can do one.

Saying that, this film is just brilliant. Exhilarating, action packed, funny, tense and scary all at the same time and I would gladly watch this film every day for the rest of my life.

The Queen Alien reveal is still stunning and the line ‘Get Away From Her You Bitch!’ is the perfect precursor to one of my favourite cinematic fights. As you might be able to tell, I like this film , I like it a lot.

In a nutshell- IT ROCKS!!! (As Vasquez might say)

Hannah: Much better than Alien, at least stuff actually happens. It also caused me to make lots of sounds at the TV which did not involve snoring (it's behind you etc etc).  It’s a bit ruined by the stupid ending, and I feel very sorry for the Alien Queen. I don’t think anyone would react well to letting someone get away only to have them turn back around and set all their babies on fire. What morals are these! I would have been quite happy to see Ripley sucked out of the airlock after that. She also never even apologised to Robot man for having such a prejudice for his kind. I've also realised that I get Sigourney Weaver confused with Susan Sarandon a lot. But this is irrelevant.

 Scores:

Alien (1979)

Date Watched: Tuesday 11th February 2014

Kam: It’s hard to write about a film that is so well known and that we've all seen so many times already. All I can say really is that my opinion hasn't changed- it’s still awesome in its slow and creeping way. Unfortunately, on viewing this time, I was distracted quite heavily by the arrival of my new Gopro camera so my attention wasn't fully on the film. I know, I know, shame on me.

Despite this, I still managed to pay far more attention to it then Hannah did who was fast asleep for about 75% of it. I will remember this for when we come to watch one of her titles such as Twilight or the dreaded Sex and the City, I will survive by having a nap.

In a nutshell- In space, no one can hear Hannah snore.

Hannah: As Kam repeatedly pointed out, I did fall asleep during this film. I stayed awake long enough to watch the alien rip out of John Hurt’s belly, and then dosed all the way until Ripley’s prancing around in her underwear.

It’s definitely not one of my favourites, probably because it’s very slow, and I really don’t care that everyone dies.

Kam; unfortunately you will have to remain awake for ‘dreaded Twilight’ because you haven’t seen it yet… I have already seen Alien. These are the rules.

It’s hardly my fault that I was not entertained, and that by skipping the middle part all I missed was uninteresting characters creeping around a spaceship. Pretty impressed with Jones’ acting however, he can have 5 stars. I was also a bit horrified that it might be possible to kill someone by shoving a rolled up magazine in their mouth.

Scores: