My rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Director: Lasse Hallstrom

Starring: Ewan McGregor, Emily Blunt, Kristin Scott Thomas and Amr Waked

Plot: Fisheries expert, Alfred Jones (McGregor) is contacted by Harriet Chetwode-Talbot (Blunt) a consultant to help her realise a sheikh’s vision of bringing the sport of fly fishing to the Yemen desert. 

A light hearted romantic-drama in which the characters are likeable. Its a comedy in places which makes it a joy to watch and its simple storyline plays to its advantage. The appeal of the film is for everyone, not just for those who take an interest in fishing. It’s setting sheds a positive light on the Middle-East and challenges the stereotypical interpretation. It’s a very British film with great talent in the form of Ewan McGregor and Emily Blunt who pull off fantastic performances.

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Image credit: www.economist.com

My rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Director: Stephen Chbosky

Starring: Logan Lerman, Emma Watson and Ezra Miller.

Plot: The film follows Charlie (Lerman) ‘the wallflower,’ a shy and unpopular freshman with no friends in high school until he meets Sam (Watson) and Patrick (Miller).

The Perks of Being a Wallflower is a coming of age film that explores the idea of what it means to form a special bond with someone. It is about the relationships and the friendships that are made in college and how these ties play an impact on someone’s life. The story is simple yet complicated at the same time and it unfolds in a way that keeps you hooked. The characters are complex yet they’re admirable and relatable. The film displays an array of fresh and new talent whose names will surely pop up more often. 

It is a warm, light-hearted drama in which relationships are tested and friendships are created and develops on the ways in which someone’s life experiences can change them.

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Image credit: TVGuide.com

Director: Susanna White

Writer: Tom Stoppard

Starring: Benedict Cumberbatch, Rebecca Hall and Adelaide Clemens.

Plot: Parade’s End is a 5 part miniseries that revolves around a love triangle with Christopher Tietjens (Cumberbatch) a Conservative upper class aristocrat at the centre. His love for his socialite wife, Sylvia Tietjens (Hall), has declined over the years as he begins to fall for a suffragette, Valentine Wannop (Clemens). Which woman will Christopher chose in the end? 

Parade’s End is cleverly set against the backdrop of the First World War, Parade’s End offers a central theme and a protagonist well worth rooting for.

The morally driven Christopher Tietjens is caring but sometimes naive. He is a man who understands the right from wrong but refuses to follow his heart when it comes to his marriage. He is willing to make the sacrifice even if it is not what he truly wants. Christopher is the polar opposite of his wife, Sylvia Tietjens who is an arrogant and pompous socialite who fails to understand what it takes to commit in a marriage. She does her own thing whenever she likes even if that is the wrong thing. She lies and cheats on her husband but Christopher is willing to give her a second chance. Her rival, Valentine Wannop is a modest and mature character. She is a young suffragette and first meets Christopher when she is protesting for women’s rights and an instant attraction forms between the two. Sylvia and Valentine are two very different characters and this is what makes the series very interesting to watch.

The performance of all cast members is fantastic but the best come from Cumberbatch and Hall. There is indefinite chemistry between the two and this comes across in the portrayal of their respective characters.

Benedict Cumberbatch remains sincere as Christopher and plays him with emotion and conviction. It’s a performance like this where Cumberbatch truly shows his talent. Rebecca Hall’s performance stands out the most. Her depiction of Sylvia is convincing. There are times when Sylvia shows two different sides of her personality and Hall holds up both ends of the character with conviction and ease. 

The storyline itself is interesting as well as compelling. There is never a dull moment as the characters are gripping in their own ways. The series requires the audience to do the work and the central theme explores why people make certain choices, even if they are not logical ones. 

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Watch a trailer here

Image credit: www.bbc.co.uk

My rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Director: Joe Wright

Starring: James McAvoy, Keira Knightley, Saoirse Ronan, Romola Garai, Vanessa Redgrave, Juno Temple and Benedict Cumberbatch.

Plot: Set against the backdrop of the Second World War, 13-year-old hopeful writer Briony Tallis accuses her older sister’s lover of a crime that he did not commit, tearing apart and forever changing the course of the couple’s lives.

A tragic romantic drama that focuses on the endearing consequences of a lie. The idea in this film is that consequences are important and lasting, as the primary character, Briony Tallis (Ronan, Garai and Redgrave) learns to deal with the wrong that she has created. Briony comes to realise that forgiveness doesn’t mean anything when it’s too late and that in the end, little can be done to change what has happened.

There are brilliant performances by James McAvoy and Keira Knightley as the two lovers, Robbie Turner and Cecilia Tallis. Both actors show their immense talent and the connection between the two characters is unique. They’re in love yet they’re pulled so far apart because of the tragedy of what has happened. 

The story is thrilling, gripping and above all, heart-breaking. 

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Image credit: www.guardian.co.uk

My rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Director: Rian Johnson

Starring: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Bruce Willis and Emily Blunt.

Plot: In the year 2074 where time travel has been invented and outlawed, it continues to be used by criminals to send those they want to be killed into the past where the job is completed by assassin “loopers”. Joe (Gordon-Levitt) encounters his older self who is sent back in time with disastrous consequences…

Looper is an original idea that plays to its advantage. It’s a thrilling sci-fi that depicts future issues in a new light and proves to be believable. It is a film that doesn’t need an explosion or a shoot-out every 10 minutes to make it enjoyable. The storyline is rooted deep in the narrative allowing time to develop the characters and their stories. 

Joseph Gordon-Levitt plays the younger version of Joe where he displays his fantastic talent. He shows us what he can do and is the reason why this film is a compelling and original sci-fi film, a rarity nowadays.

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Watch the trailer here

Image credit: movies.yahoo.com

Click on the picture to listen to the song on YouTube

Two years since their last album, Barton Hollow, The Civil Wars are back with their brand new single, The One That Got Away.  

Despite their unaddressed hiatus last year, the Grammy award winning duo recently announced their new self-titled album which is due to be released on August 6.

For some time, the duo have teased us with lyrics to the song on their Instagram and Vine and now that it is finally here, it doesn’t fail to disappoint. Going back to their roots, The One That Got Away is a hauntingly beautiful song that combines ominous guitars and pounding drums to create a louder, dramatic and a sad song.

The new single doesn’t have the melancholy tone of Poison and Wine or the menacing stomp of Barton Hollow but it sounds more like the gloomy tone of Safe and Sound, their collaboration with Taylor Swift for The Hunger Games soundtrack.

“I never meant to get us in this deep, I never meant for this to mean a thing, I wish you were the one that got away.” Joy Williams takes over with most of the singing while John Paul White’s voice looms in the background. Lyrically, the song is about a lover that she wishes she’d never met.

Fittingly the video features nothing more but a looming cloud of black smoke.

Buy the song on iTunes here

The new self-titled album is released on August 6. Pre-order it on iTunes here

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Watch videos on their YouTube channel here

Watch videos on their VEVO channel here

My rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Director: Ben Affleck

Starring: Ben Affleck, Bryan Cranston, Alan Arkin and John Goodman.

Plot: Ben Affleck directs and stars in this historical adaptation as Tony Mendez, a CIA operative who leads the rescue of 6 US diplomats from Tehran during the Iran hostage crisis in 1979. 

Having winning several awards, (Oscars, Golden Globes, BAFTA’s to name a few…) Argo emerged as one of the biggest films in 2012. 

It’s title as the best film is perhaps justified. It is a great film which explores historical events which enforces the realism in story. It is a thriller; the storyline makes you sit on the edge of your seat as its impossible to tell what will happen next. This film is based on its craft and the clever storyline that is emitted and this is what makes the film so enjoyable to watch. It is broken up into different parts making it quite compelling. The beginning focuses on the situation that the hostages have gotten them into while the middle explores the way in which Ben Affleck’s character, Tony tries to get the hostages out. In midst of the thriller, it’s funny in places which makes it very versatile.

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Image credit: www.AceShowbiz.com

My rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Director: J.J. Abrams

Starring: Chris Pine, Benedict Cumberbatch, Zachary Quinto, Zoe Saldana, Simon Pegg, Karl Urban, Alice Eve, John Cho, Anton Yelchin, Bruce Greenwood, Peter Weller and Noel Clarke.

Plot: Jim Kirk (Pine) steps back onto the Enterprise as captain where he is joined by Spock (Quinto), Uhura (Saldana) and Bones (Urban) on another mission. He vows to go after English terrorist and former Starfleet commander, John Harrison (Cumberbatch) who threatens to destroy the Earth. Can the captain defeat the villain or has Kirk found his match?

This film works quite well on its own. You don’t have to know anything at all about the Star Trek universe or any of the characters. (Well it would help if you have seen the 2009 reboot…)

This story sees the relationships of these characters grow.They were only touched upon in the first one but Into Darkness develops them. Kirk and Spock have become best friends while Uhrua and Spock’s romantic relationship has furthered.

Chris Pine delivers a fantastic performance as always as Captain Kirk. Kirk still breaks the rules and does what he thinks is the most logical solution and he feels the wrath of the consequences. Kirk does what he thinks is right and in most cases ends up in dangerous situations. Pine steps up his game in this sequel and shows us exactly what he can do.

John Harrison played by Benedict Cumberbatch is a terrorist. He’s strong, dangerous and above all, manipulative. The character is much more focused on a more intellectual level, rather than a raging lunatic like Nero in the last film. Harrison’s intelligence is his main strength and without giving too  much away, he uses this to manipulate Kirk into getting what he wants. Benedict Cumberbatch can certainly pull off playing a villain. He does a brilliant job as the baddie, which is not a character that he usually fills the shoes of.

Zachary Quinto’s Spock has developed a stronger character. He is someone that we root for even when the Captain isn’t around. Spock is willing to sacrifice himself for those who he cares about and this is shown at the very beginning of the film. Zachary Quinto is a fantastic actor who has certainly stepped up his game in order to fill the pointy Vulcan ears. 

This an amazing summer blockbuster which will leave you hanging off the edge of your seats. There’s an array of talent that will surely leave you wanting more from this wonderful cast. 

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Watch the trailer and other clips here

Image credit: Paramount Pictures

My rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Director: David O. Russell

Starring: Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, Robert De Niro, Jacki Weaver and Chris Tucker

Plot: The film is about Patrick Solitano (Bradley Cooper), a man with bipolar disorder who moves in with his parents after being released from a psychiatric hospital. Determined to win back his wife, he meets recently widowed Tiffany Maxwell (Jennifer Lawrence) who agrees to help his marriage but in return asks to enter a dance competition with her. 

Despite being a Hollywood film, it feels very much like an indie film. The storyline feels real. The characters seem real. And the acting is what makes the story come alive. 

Patrick and Tiffany are both pretty messed up characters. They find each-other though their similarities and realise that their tragic lives are not all that different. 

Throughout the whole film, Patrick deals with his bipolar disorder in strange ways. There are moments where he acts completely bizzare and moments when he is sincere. He is dedicated to reunite with his estranged wife and fails to see that Tiffany likes him. Bradley Cooper’s acting is superb. He divulges himself into the craziness of the character, who doesn’t turn out to be so bad in the end. 

Tiffany is plagued with a different kind of darkness. She is a recently divorced woman who is much younger than Patrick. Her loss has meant that she acts out and doesn’t think about what she says and does. Her relationship with Patrick is strange but they meet each-other because they’re both in equally dark places. Jennifer Lawrence’s acting is fantastic. She brings a sense of moodiness and broodiness to the character.

An Oscar definitely well-deserved for Lawrence.   

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Image credit: http://movies.yahoo.com