[Famous Film Scene] - American Pie

This is the first comedy scene I have posted! The famous scene that gave the legendary franchise its name; American Pie! Though the latter films are weak, you cannot deny the original three their brilliance - taking the 'teen comedy' genre to a new level. Enjoy!

IMDB - American Pie

[Famous Film Scene] - The Silence Of The Lambs

'The Silence Of The Lambs' is a truly brilliant film, being one of only three in the history of cinema, to win the best five Oscars; Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Writing and Best Picture. This is the iconic scene in which Clarice Starling, and the audience, first meet Dr. Hannibal Lecter.

IMDB - The Silence Of The Lambs

Film Recommendation - I Saw The Devil

★★★★★★★

Good [For rating system, see information tab at top of blog]

'I Saw The Devil' is a crime/thriller that I would recommend to the dedicated fans of the more extreme side of cinema. It is, to say the least, intense, containing gore levels that would rival any horror I can think of. 

That being said, 'I Saw The Devil' is an excellent film; although brutal and gripping. The narrative blurs the line between what is morally right and wrong, and forces you as an audience to question your beliefs. It follows the story of a secret agent seeking sadistic revenge on the serial killer who murdered his pregnant fiance. 

The film is South Korean in origin, directed by Jee-Woon Kim. It stars Min-sik Choi the same leading actor who was critically acclaimed in 'Old Boy'. The direction and writing are very good which, combined with the intense performances from the cast, contributed to a very impressive finished film.

It is not for the faint of heart by any means, but I would recommend it nonetheless!

[Famous Film Scenes] - American Beauty

For many reasons, both personally and aesthetically, 'American Beauty' is my favorite film. In this moving scene, Ricky shows Jane the 'most beautiful thing he has ever filmed'. This scene combines excellent music, acting and characterization with a stunning visual connotation to create a deeply thought provoking sequence.

American Beauty - IMDB

[Review] The Purge - 5th June 2013

★★★★ - Leaves Alot To Be Desired [For rating system, see information tab at top of blog]

Release Date: 2nd June 2013

Director: James DeMonaco

Writer: James DeMonaco

Cast: Ethan Hawke - Lena Headey - Max Burkholder - Adelaide Kane - Tony Oller

Review
 

There is one simple reason for going to see ‘The Purge’: its concept - which is an interesting one! In a future society, all forms of crime, including murder, are legal for twelve hours once a year in a period called ‘The Purge’.

The film, starring Ethan Hawke, is made by the same producers as those responsible for ‘Sinister’, which also featured Hawke. This was a modern horror film that I highly regarded so I thought; why not give ‘The Purge’ a chance?

Unfortunately, ‘The Purge’ disappointed. While the concept of the film is interesting, its execution is lacking in a number of ways.  The narrative follows a family who, during the purge, choose to hide out in their house protected by a modern advanced security system. When their youngest son allows what appears to be a desperate homeless man into their home to shelter, the family end up being taken hostage by a sinister group, intent on murdering the homeless victim.

Due to this, the film is set completely in one location; the house. This means that the true extent of the interesting purge concept is not really explored. Instead, the film focuses on horror and suspense which are executed in a predictable manner. A horror film has to be frightening, and ‘The Purge’ is totally lacking in this aspect. While in parts it possesses an atmospheric intensity, it does this using common horror techniques; a few select stingers, some gory deaths and sinister shots of the protagonists in masks. It offers nothing unique, leaving it predictable and…for lack of a better word, boring. It projects no real sense of the intense fear or suspense which, after all, should be the main focus of a horror film.

In addition, the film does also not deliver in terms of the aesthetics. Ethan Hawke and Lena Headey give acceptable performances, realistic enough for this type of film, but the director, James DeMonaco did not imbue the work with anything particularly original.  

‘The Purge’ – A simple, standard horror film that unfortunately wastes an interesting concept.

Film Recommedation - Funny Games

★★★★★★

Worth Watching [For rating system, see information tab at top of blog]

'Funny Games', released in 1997 by Michael Haneke, is an Austrian horror/psychological thriller with a unique and interesting aspect to its delivery.

The film in itself is intense. It follows a family of three being taken hostage by two sadistic boys in their holiday cabin. They force the family to play 'games' for their own amusement.

The factor that makes 'Funny Games' a different, and indeed experimental film is the manner in which the director deliberately breaks the fourth wall. The protagonists throughout the film stare, gesture, and ask the camera questions, engaging the audience in quite a unique way. Furthermore, owing to the fact that the film is an intense psychological horror, this audience-engagement is quite a sinister one. There are a number of obvious scenes and sequences throughout the film that do this.

As you‘re watching, look out for 'the wink', it’s quite an iconic shot from this film. Enjoy!