Rev Stan's film blog

Review: Vampires get the mockumentary treatment in What We Do In The Shadows

Synopsis: A New Zealand film crew are given permission by a group of vampires living in a house share in Wellington to follow them with their cameras.

Stan's thoughts: If you like Spinal Tap then you'll probably like this. It's very silly and the antidote to the plethora of vampire movies that have been hitting the big screen in recent years. Cool vampires these ain't, in fact they are the only ones who think they are cool.

The makers of Flight of the Conchords are behind the film which may recommend it to some people (never seen it myself). The 'film crew' follow the vampires through their pretty mundane domestic life arguing about whose turn it is to wash up, complaints about blood on the carpet and the relentless search for a bar or club that will 'invite' them in.

Then when Petyr the 3,000 year old vampire who lives in a stone casket in the basement makes a new vampire, Nick, it shakes things up a little. Nick introduces his human friend Stu to the group who in turn shows them how to use modern technology like mobile phones and the internet.

This has got a limited UK release and the screening I was at was packed as a result with plenty of laughter throughout. In fact its the funniest film I've seen for a while, I was still chuckling at particular scenes hours later. Really hope it gets a wider release because it is very good and makes a refreshing change for the usual comedy offerings on the big screen.

Ratings

• Stan’s 80%
• IMDB 80%
• Metascore 67%
• Rotten Tomatoes 93%
• RT Audience Rating* 88%

Recently seen

Interstellar

Nightcrawler

Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby

The Mule

'71

Maze Runner

Gone Girl

Before I Go To Sleep

The Hundred Foot Journey

Dracula Untold

A Most Wanted Man

Pride

The Riot Club

* Based on number of people who rated the film 3.5/5 and higher

 

The I'm not behind with my reviews review: David Tennant in What We Did On Our Holiday

Synopsis: Abi (Rosamund Pike) and Doug (David Tennant) pretend to still be a couple for the sake of a family holiday to visit Doug's father Gordy (Billy Conolly) for his birthday celebrations.

Stan's thoughts: OK so August doesn't seem that long ago but that's when I saw this. Wow. Don't read an absence of review to this point as an indictment on the film because it isn't. Just busy. What nudged me to get on with it was seeing Bobby Smalldridge in a play on Monday - he plays one of the kids.

So what did I think? Well this is a strange one because it is a comedy and I did laugh but I cried more but there is a reason for that. There is a particular storyline in it that pressed a certain emotional button and as a result I wept for half the film.

It's from the team behind the sitcom My Family so lots of improv with the kids which is where most of the laughs come from but it does occasionally feel like we've been here before with that technique.

There is some brilliantly observed parental bickering particularly on the long drive to Doug's Scotland home. The particular plot line I've referred to does take the film in an unexpected and brave direction and it just about gets away with it tonally. Just about.

While I probably got more upset than most in the cinema the rest of the film is frothy and reasonably satisfying fun. One to watch on the telly when its on, on a wet Sunday tea time.

Ratings

• Stan’s 60%
• IMDB 67%
• Metascore No rating
• Rotten Tomatoes 78%
• RT Audience Rating* 72%

Recently seen

Interstellar

Nightcrawler

Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby

The Mule

'71

Maze Runner

Gone Girl

Before I Go To Sleep

The Hundred Foot Journey

Dracula Untold

A Most Wanted Man

Pride

The Riot Club

* Based on number of people who rated the film 3.5/5 and higher

Ratings

• Stan’s 70%
• IMDB 90%
• Metascore 74%
• Rotten Tomatoes 73%
• RT Audience Rating* 87%

Recently seen

Nightcrawler

Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby

The Mule

'71

Maze Runner

Gone Girl

Before I Go To Sleep

The Hundred Foot Journey

Dracula Untold

A Most Wanted Man

Pride

The Riot Club

Night Moves

* Based on number of people who rated the film 3.5/5 and higher

- See more at: http://film.revstan.com/2014/11/review-interstellar.html#sthash.CiPluIQd.dpuf

Ratings

• Stan’s 70%
• IMDB 90%
• Metascore 74%
• Rotten Tomatoes 73%
• RT Audience Rating* 87%

Recently seen

Nightcrawler

Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby

The Mule

'71

Maze Runner

Gone Girl

Before I Go To Sleep

The Hundred Foot Journey

Dracula Untold

A Most Wanted Man

Pride

The Riot Club

Night Moves

* Based on number of people who rated the film 3.5/5 and higher

- See more at: http://film.revstan.com/2014/11/review-interstellar.html#sthash.CiPluIQd.dpuf

Ratings

• Stan’s 70%
• IMDB 90%
• Metascore 74%
• Rotten Tomatoes 73%
• RT Audience Rating* 87%

Recently seen

Nightcrawler

Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby

The Mule

'71

Maze Runner

Gone Girl

Before I Go To Sleep

The Hundred Foot Journey

Dracula Untold

A Most Wanted Man

Pride

The Riot Club

Night Moves

* Based on number of people who rated the film 3.5/5 and higher

- See more at: http://film.revstan.com/2014/11/review-interstellar.html#sthash.CiPluIQd.dpuf

Review: The IMAX movie - Interstellar

Synopsis: Earth is dying and an ex-astronaut is brought in to fly a mission through a wormhole to find a new planet for the human race.

Stan's thoughts: This is film definitely worthy of a trip to an IMAX screen. The volume when the space craft takes off is such that it vibrates the whole cinema. I felt like I was on the spaceship with Matthew McConaughey and his crew.

There is a lot of science in this - worm holes, black holes, time and relativity and some have said you need a degree in physics to understand it. I don't have a degree in physics but understood enough to get the gist. Besides, this is a human story, the technicalities of space travel are background context and it is that which helps make this a great movie.

It is too long with the first and last act dragging their heels a bit but the central third is cracking. Christopher Nolan's skill is in drawing out the real emotion of the situation, despite how absurd but also in creating drama and tension from fairly ordinary situations. There is a scene where two bits of space rocket are trying to connect and I was on the edge of my seat.

A great ensemble of actors work brilliantly with sometimes clunky script but this remains an aural, visual and emotional feast and certain scenes and tones haunted me afterwards.

Ratings

• Stan’s 70%
• IMDB 90%
• Metascore 74%
• Rotten Tomatoes 73%
• RT Audience Rating* 87%

Recently seen

Nightcrawler

Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby

The Mule

'71

Maze Runner

Gone Girl

Before I Go To Sleep

The Hundred Foot Journey

Dracula Untold

A Most Wanted Man

Pride

The Riot Club

Night Moves

* Based on number of people who rated the film 3.5/5 and higher

Review: Jake Gyllenhaal is the Nightcrawler

Synopsis: Louis Bloom (Gyllenhaal) is desperate for work when he discovers that TV news stations will pay for footage of accidents and crime scenes but how far will he go to get the scoop on other crime hacks?

Stan's thoughts: Bloom is a fascinating character. He initially appears a sad loner who spends his time doing online courses only to regurgitate chunks of what he's learned verbatim at what he feels are appropriate times. But as he gets a taste of success he becomes more manipulative and calculating.

He is generally friendly and polite with traces of that desperate loser bubbling beneath the surface but never wholly nice; there is something quietly sinister about him. He is in one sense perfect for the work he does lacking any scruples. The TV news stations he sells too, desperate for ratings, has little more by way of moral conscience. His footage is questioned but only as far as whether the footage is legal.

There are a couple of moral touchstones - a news producer and the intern Bloom takes on - in this cesspit where desperation and ratings war collide.

Nightcrawler is an uncomfortable watch but like the accidents and crimes Bloom films you can't tear your eyes away. It makes you leave the cinema feeling a little bit disgusted and a little bit of that is with yourself. Great performance from Gyllenhaal.

Ratings

Stan's: 80%

IMDB: 83%

Metacritic: 76%

Rotten Tomatoes: 94%

RT Audience*: 87%

*% of people rating the film 3.5/5 or higher

 

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