Directed by Lone Scherfig, the award-winning director of An Education, One Day is the heartbreaking tale of love that is known to us all.

The Plot

The story follows the lives of Emma Morley (Anne Hathaway), a down-to-earth Yorkshire girl from a working-class background full of drive and ambition to do something meaningful with her life, and Dexter Mayhew (Jim Sturgess) a wealthy playboy who has it all, women, sex, drugs and rock and roll.

Having known each other in passing at university, their real meeting on graduation day, July 15^th 1988 is when they actually spend any time together.  Emma, who has always secretly liked Dexter, is so excited that something might develop between them that she drunkenly takes him back to her place to seduce him.  In the early hours of the morning, with a dodgy record playing for background noise, Dexter tries to leave, only to be hounded by Emma.  They come to the resolution to remain friends and spend the night together, but do not sleep with one another.

From then on, we visit them in snapshots over a span of twenty years on the anniversary of that day, July 15^th.  We see the time they spend together and the time they spend apart, and how their lives differ and clash, with careers, love, family and loss.

Following graduation, Dexter has landed himself a job on TV as the presenter of a show called Late Night Lock-In.  It doesn’t really involve any talent or interview skill, just a lot of shouting at the cameras and being at ease with having scantily dressed women dancing around him, (many of which are his girlfriends).  It’s his dream job.

Emma, meanwhile, is a waitress at a Mexican restaurant, staffed full of other graduates that haven’t quite found their path in life and other wannabes that are failing to live their creative dream, including admirer Ian (Rafe Spall) a would-be comedian, if only people could find him funny.

She dreams of being a writer but life keeps getting in the way and before long, she’s offered a management position at the restaurant.  Dexter drops by to convince her to leave or if she accepts the position, her life is officially over.

The years pass by and Dexter is a mess.  Fame and fortune has brought him nothing but trouble, he is taking illegal drugs, drinking heavily, going through copious amounts of women and falling out with his parents.  Throughout his troubles, the person he always turns to is Emma, the only person in the world who loves and accepts him completely, that is, until one day she decides she’s had enough of being ignored, used and walked all over and promptly tells him their friendship is over.

Years pass again and they do not see each other.  Dexter has matured, is planning to marry the woman he thinks he loves and even have a child with her, but all the time he still wonders about Emma.

Then when a mutual friend from university gets married, they finally meet again at the wedding and years of emotions come pouring back.  Their friendship is rekindled, but for how long?  And where will it lead?  Will they?  Won’t they?

After all, how long can happiness truly last?

The Thoughts

One Day was a thoroughly enjoyable rollercoaster ride of emotions and an equally watchable film.  It had substance and the plot of the story, falling in and out of love is familiar to us all and obviously relatable.  It may have men running for their lives from accompanying their female cohorts to see this film, because on a tear jerking scale of one to ten, this is a ten and easily on par with The Notebook.

Though I thought it had a shaky start, with the young jock Dexter being the most disagreeable and dislikeable character ever and the two leads not really seeming to gel, as Dexter’s character matured and became enlightened, so did the film.  It became much more complex and well rounded and far more enjoyable to watch, with funny moments as well as pocket tissue popping ones too.

Fans of the book will know how the story ends but for the rest of us who had not read the novel, it was a semi-surprising shock.  A shock in the sense that the end was saddening, but only semi-surprising because I could see it coming, after all, sad films can never end with happily ever after, can they?

As for the two lead actors, Jim Sturgess plays his finest character yet.  Loud and obnoxious to start with in his younger years with little regard for anyone but himself, he develops into a complex and troubled character, sensitive, longing, hurting, with the desire to understand why?

Anne Hathaway continues to surprise me in her skill and portrayal.  Gone are the days of The Princess Diaries, she has really stepped out and is determined to make a name for herself as a serious actress and already having been nominated for an academy award, she is not far off from doing so.

As for the accent: There has been much criticism over the accuracy of Hathaway’s Yorkshire accent.  In truth, it was not the best, she seemed to slip in and out of her native North American accent, into Yorkshire and then finally land on a generic English accent, with the occasional Yorkshire twang thrown in.  But in all honesty, this did not bother me at all.  In my opinion, as long as she had an ‘English’ accent, that is all it needed for the story to be convincing.  Yes, her character is supposed to be from Leeds and I suppose fans of the book will have wanted her accent to be more precise, but I really only noticed it, or the lack thereof when she slipped back into her American accent.

Not all actors are brilliant at maintaining an accent which is not natural to them.  Hathaway may have disappointed on this level, but excelled in bringing Emma Morley to life on screen.  In essence, I was enraptured by the story enough to ignore the Yorkshire accent coming and going.   In contrast, it was wonderful to see Sturgess speaking with a posh playboy Southern accent, when he is in fact from Liverpool.

The direction by Lone Scherfig should also be praised.  Though uncomfortable at times, she has a way of bringing a scene to the consumer and engulfing you in it.  When Emma cries, you feel her pain, when young Dexter does something irritating, you feel angry and annoyed and when they are both happy, you do feel genuinely happy for them.  Her skill in directing One Day, most certainly carefully crafted through An Education, shines through completely and the way the story is compiled, jumping from year to year, might make some viewers feel nauseated with confusion if directed by someone else, but you don’t with Scherfig’s clear cut direction.  Though it is based on a novel, the story is convincing because the material is so relatable and this in itself, makes it a cinematic triumph.  Store it in your DVD collection when it is released, sandwiched between The Notebook and Blue Valentine.

The Film Buzz Review Rating: *******~~~ (7/10)

UK Release Date: 24^th August 2011

Director: Lone Scherfig

Writers: David Nicholls (screenplay and novel)

Synopsis: The Quileute and the Volturi close in on expecting parents Edward and Bella, whose unborn child poses different threats to the wolf pack and vampire coven.

The Film Buzz Anticipation Rating: *******~~~ (7/10)

UK Release Date: 18th November 2011

Director: Bill Condon

Writer’s: Melissa Rosenberg, Stephenie Meyer

Stars: Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson and Taylor Lautner

The Plot

Elise Ward (Angelina Jolie) is summoned to Venice by a mysterious personality known as Alexander Pearce. Aware of his notoriety, he instructs Ward to mislead those who are after him by selecting a human decoy with a strong resemblance to himself. Ward chooses Frank Tupelo (Johnny Depp); a humble math teacher whom she encounters on the train from Paris to Venice.

Tupelo, though taken aback by Ward’s directness, falls into her trap instantly and seems overpowered by her lure. The trouble begins at a magnificent Venetian hotel when Tupelo is believed to be Pearce and is chased by Russian thugs. While he ends up in more danger than he could ever imagine, Tupelo declines Ward’s ticket to escape and involves himself even further in her dangerous schemes.

The Thoughts

Although this was not a film which I had expected to be of high quality; I had nevertheless anticipated a fair handful of action scenes, a thrilling plot, and even a substantially intimate scene between Jolie and Depp. Disappointingly, there was nothing; null, nada, zilch.

Jolie, a personality whom I have admired since my teens for her uniqueness and usually strong roles, was the first let-down. She strutted around in The Tourist pouting as if her life depended on it, used scarce and impotent dialogue, and portrayed a good-for-nothing ego that had eclipsed the entire film; she was so fabricated and unyielding that she resembled little more than a mannequin. However when Jolie did open her mouth, out had erupted her awful and stereotyped attempt at an English accent; I was one of many who were heard sniggering at it. What had struck me as even more disappointing, were the few scenes where she would normally have whipped out a pistol, a rifle, or even a surprise knife from her suspenders or other such kinky garment – instead she continued to pose with her nose turned up to the point where it could hardly be seen, draped in gleaming oversized jewels, and caked in more cosmetics than a clown, all Victoria Beckham-esque, swinging her hips so dramatically that it seemed as if she was starring in a parody. I wasn’t sure whether to laugh or curl my lip.

As abysmal as Jolie’s on-screen self-indulgence was, I eventually overlooked it, considering her reputation is based on her appearance rather than her acting skills – thus there is only so much one can expect from her. It was Johnny “Scissorhands” Depp however, that made me feel like bursting through the screen and shouting “What were you thinking?!” In an interview that I watched afterwards, Depp was asked how it had felt to play such a “normal” role, taking into account his history of eccentric on-screen characters. I laughed; “normal” role? For someone of Depp’s capability, it was a mind-numbingly-pathetic role. The character of Frank Tupelo was less convincing than any of Depp’s previous “oddball” roles; regardless of how far from reality the characters had seemed, they were more comprehensible and certainly more compelling  than this lame persona to which he was painfully ill-fitted. His character was neither shy, nor humorous, nor a “hero” of any sort; he was simply indifferent – possibly the worst criticism an actor could receive whether or not it was intentional. Depp was far better off playing the quirky, unconventional roles which I believe  he had acquired well, thus giving him the respect he should deserve.

As I sunk into my seat, I tried to figure out what exactly director Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck had planned for the audience. The film was miles from being exceptional enough to stand in a genre of its own, so it appeared as if von Donnersmarck had combined a pretentious “romance” with a “thriller” that had absolutely zero suspense and a bland, uninspiring plot, thus the overall product resembled a spoof movie – which I somehow assume was unlikely to be the writer’s intention. The embarrassment of the film had reminded me of my screenwriting tutor’s advice;  she warned us that one of the worst reactions to a potential “drama” is to send the audience into fits of laughter – otherwise known as clichéd melodrama. I rest my case.

The Tourist‘s inappropriately corny music, awful dialogue (or lack thereof) and vague, hollow characters had me astonished that Depp, and even Jolie, were the leads of such a dreadful failure. To sum it up: two points go to the few wide shots of Venice, and the other two for the predictable, yet somewhat entertaining (in comparison to the rest of the film), “twist” at the end.

The Film Buzz Official Rating: ****~~~~~~ (4/10)

Director: Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck

Writer: Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck (screenplay), Christopher McQuarrie (screenplay)

UK Release Date: 10 December 2010

Tron Legacy is a 3D high-tech adventure set in a digital world that’s unlike anything ever captured on the big screen. Sam Flynn (Garrett Hedlund), the tech-savvy 27-year-old son of Kevin Flynn (Jeff Bridges), looks into his father’s disappearance and finds himself pulled into the digital world of Tron where his father has been living for 25 years. Along with Kevin’s loyal confidant Quorra (Olivia Wilde), father and son embark on a life-and-death journey of escape across a visually-stunning cyber universe that has become far more advanced and exceedingly dangerous.

Genre: Action/Sci-Fi

See it if you liked: Avatar (2009), Speed Racer (2008), The Matrix (1999)

Certificate: PG

Release Date: 17 December 2010

Burlesque

Ali (Christina Aguilera) is a small-town girl with a big voice who escapes hardship and an uncertain future to follow her dreams to LA. After stumbling upon The Burlesque Lounge, a majestic but ailing theater that is home to an inspired musical revue, Ali lands a job as a cocktail waitress from Tess (Cher), the club’s proprietor and headliner. Burlesque’s outrageous costumes and bold choreography enrapture the young ingenue, who vows to perform there one day. Soon enough, Ali builds a friendship with a featured dancer (Julianne Hough), finds an enemy in a troubled, jealous performer (Kristen Bell), and garners the affection of Jack (Cam Gigandet), a bartender and fellow musician. With the help of a sharp-witted stage manager (Stanley Tucci) and gender-bending host (Alan Cumming), Ali makes her way from the bar to the stage. Her spectacular voice restores The Burlesque Lounge to its former glory, though not before a charismatic entrepreneur (Eric Dane) arrives with an enticing proposal…

Genre: Romance/Drama/Musical

See it if you liked: Nine (2009), Chicago (2002), The Notorious Bettie Page (2005)

Certificate: 12A

Release Date: 17 December 2010

Catfish

In late 2007, filmmakers Ariel Schulman and Henry Joost sensed a story unfolding as they began to film the life of Ariel’s brother, Nev. They had no idea that their project would lead to the most exhilarating and unsettling months of their lives. A reality thriller that is a shocking product of our times, Catfish is a riveting story of love, deception and grace within a labyrinth of online intrigue.

Starring: Yaniv Schulman, Ariel Schulman, Melody C. Roscher, Megan Faccio

Genre: Documentary/Drama

Certificate: 12A

Release Date: 17 December 2010

Eat Pray Love gives Julia Roberts an infrequent chance at a lead role in this year’s visually breathtaking romantic drama. Based on the memoir by Elizabeth Gilbert, this globe-trotting tale will undoubtedly tease the thirst for travel.

The Plot

Liz Gilbert (Julia Roberts), although in the peak of her seemingly successful life, feels little more than emptiness. Without a tangible argument, she divorces her distraught husband Stephen (Billy Crudup) and immerses herself into her long sought-after escape; travelling away from her home in New York City to eat herself to ecstasy in Italy, progressing on to appreciate the power of prayer in India, and finishing with beautiful, blissful Bali.

While she observes and absorbs the fascinating cultural variations throughout her travels, she accumulates all that she had learnt and heals herself by finally stumbling upon what she had been searching for during her whole time.

The Thoughts

Having read about this film and thus watching its trailer several months back, I was quick to judge it as a feature that seemed compelling; perhaps a “refreshing” drama that had not been recently explored on the big screen. With that in mind, along with knowing that the lead role had been handed over to the amiable Julia Roberts, I looked forward to the release of Eat Pray Love hoping for an uplifting, inspirational after-effect. Alas, my naivety was put to shame.

The painfully long “introduction” dragged on to the point where I started to ‘pray’ myself, fidgeting and wondering when all of the highly-anticipated travel pornography would begin.  Gilbert’s suddenly-turned-ex husband, Stephen (played by Billy Crudup) however portrayed an accurate, almost satiric reaction to Liz’s irrational and unpredictable decision to divorce him; the particular scene with the lawyer I thought was heartfelt but comical at the same time. I felt that his character certainly had more depth than Liz did herself – had Roberts not added her charisma and that famous ‘ear-to-ear’ smile in this film, the persona of Liz Gilbert may as well have been non-existent.

The first holiday spot we were shown in detail was Rome, Italy. The culture shock from an American’s point of view I thought was genuinely conveyed, as the audience was introduced to niceties such as Gilbert’s embarrassing Italian accent and her generally superficial, but inevitable attitude in comparison to what was portrayed as the simpler but more cultivated Europeans. As the camera zoomed in on Gilbert’s “relationship” with a marvellous plate of spaghetti bolognaise, followed by several other close-ups of hearty, delectable Italian dishes, my stomach reminded me of my foolish decision to watch the film before dinner, as I stared wide-eyed and open-mouthed.

When the setting had moved to India however, I was definitely not as spellbound (or ‘hungerbound’ rather) as I had been during the glimpse of Gilbert’s Italian adventure. The audience was not allowed as much time to ‘explore’ the country and its distinct culture from the fly-on-wall perspective we were given earlier; rather I found myself being forced to focus on an irrelevant and irritating fellow traveller named Richard (played by Richard Jenkins) who had hailed from Texas. What I also questioned, was that although Gilbert had supposedly travelled to India to “follow the art of meditation”, the process and her bland involvement were disappointingly unconvincing. We are however, permitted to watch as she miraculously “forgives herself” for breaking her ex-husband’s heart after some dire motivation from the annoying Texan and his own tale of trauma.

The purposelessness of the film heightened when Gilbert moved on to Bali; despite the stunning views we were presented, with the cliché of a romantic drama certainly kicked in with a vengeance. It was as if the whole film, and her raison d’être pointed to yet another guy – the smooth-talking, emotionally tuned Brazilian, Felipe (played by Javier Bardem). I shook my head in dispute at what I considered as one of the worst on-screen couples, as well as the gradual disappearance of the significance of being in such a place as Bali – the only charming feature being the adorable Ketut Liyer (played by Hadi Subiyanto). His toothless smile and honest, outright but amusing advice was probably as ‘cultural’ as it had got, despite Subiyanto himself not even being Balinese.

I found myself checking the time frequently throughout the film – a definite sign that a movie is not going well – and feeling an increasing urgency to simply get out of the cinema hall. Admittedly there were a fair handful of picturesque visions, humorous peeks at culture clashes or even ‘learning’ the odd swear word in Italian, nevertheless the film had completely missed its point, whatever it may have been, and  ended up as an unfulfilled, clichéd, tedious 134 minutes – a running time that should’ve been given to The Runaways instead. Eat Pray Love may not have been the worst film I had watched this year, but the frustrating anti-climax I felt after gaping at the previously seductive trailer had certainly sent me packing.

The Film Buzz Rating: *****~~~~~ (5/10)

Sex and the City 2 is the second instalment of the Sex and the City movie franchise after making its long awaited transition from hit television series to Hollywood movie back in 2008.  Written and directed again by series creator Michael Patrick King, Sex and the City 2 is, dare I say, the most glamorous and luxurious film of the year.  The film follows our four favourite girls (Carrie, Charlotte, Samantha and Miranda) two years down the line from the first film and how their lives filled with marriages, children, jobs and ‘youth pills’ have changed them.  Based in both New York City and Abu Dhabi, the girls give us an insight into what it is really like to live the high life.

The Plot

We rejoin the girls in New York City, two years after the events of the first film.  Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker) is finally settling into married life with Mr. Big (Chris Noth) after their tumultuous relationship throughout the television series and multiple wedding set-backs seen in the first film.  Meanwhile Charlotte (Kristin Davis) is busy with husband Harry (Evan Handler) raising their two demanding children.  Workaholic Miranda (Cynthia Nixon), having resolved her trust issues with Steve (David Eigenberg) is now experiencing work-place problems with a male colleague that insists on using the ‘talk to the hand’ gesture to cut her off.  Finally, Samantha (Kim Cattrall), in a bid to stall the menopause and stay young and lively has resorted to a hefty beauty regime, filled with vitamin tablets and ointments.  But with Carrie upset with the monotony of married life, Charlotte’s children driving her crazy and Miranda stressed about work, all is eased when Samantha is gifted a complimentary stay for her and the girls in one of the most luxurious hotels in up-and-coming Abu Dhabi in the UAE for 7 nights.

Luxury knows no bounds and just when we thought we’d seen designers on display galore with Sex and the City, prepare to be wowed further.  The dunes of the Arabian dessert, forbidden lusts and bumping into the one that got away half way around the world will provide an exciting ride for the girls, but how will it all end and will they make it back to New York City intact, physically, emotionally and with all their designer gear?

John Corbett, Willie Garson and Jason Lewis also star, with cameo appearances from Penélope Cruz, Liza Minnelli, Miley Cyrus and Omid Djalili.

The Thoughts

Having been a long time Sex and the City fan, naturally I, like many others, was thrilled to hear of a sequel to the 2008 Sex and the City movie and without doubt, Sex and the City 2 is a glamour filled event, both on and off screen with opening night movie goers dressed to the nines!  It was certainly an inspiring, and somewhat feminist occasion to see a predominantly female audience, dolled up head to toe in dresses and heels, cheering and clapping throughout the film.  Astonishingly there was a sprinkling of a male faces, albeit somewhat limited, and unsurprisingly consisting of a combination either mostly gay men or boyfriends/husbands that had done wrong at some point and were being tortured with the ultimate chick flick!

Michael Patrick King delivers possibly the girliest Sex and the City instalment yet (though we currently do not know if we are to expect a third film); with more wardrobe changes than you can shake a stick at, (an estimated $7m of the budget was spent on clothes alone!) and more raunchy and naughty scenes (Samantha-related, need I say any more?) with some hysterical one liners thrown in.  Michael Patrick King has done a pleasing job with both the direction and the screenplay and despite having to mature their roles, he has managed to keep true to the spirit of the characters who are supposed to be in their 40-50s but still fabulous in every way.

In addition, cameo roles by several well-known stars let the audience know that Sex and the City 1, although not received well by most critics, was generally a box office success and allowed them to include cameos in the second film from some of Hollywood’s biggest stars.  Although at times it seems almost unnecessary to include a snippet of a celebrity for a split second, it will undoubtedly deliver additional appeal, splendour and humour to fans of the show, with 64-year old superstar Liza Minnelli executing a perfectly choreographed dance to Beyoncé’s hit ‘Single Ladies’ being one of the most memorable laugh-out-loud scenes (and good on her for doing so too!)

Of course, what would Sex and the City be without our four favourite girls?

All four actresses resume their roles as Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker), Charlotte (Kristin Davis), Samantha (Kim Cattrall) and Miranda (Cynthia Nixon) and we rejoin them two years after the first film where each are facing their own private challenges.  Carrie has found that married life with Mr. Big (Chris Noth) a more monotonous and uneventful venture than what she expected.  In Sex and the City 2 we see and hear more TV show-like Carrie Bradshaw insight and scenes of the ladies that lunch, discussing everything from beauty, sex and relationship talk to whether it is normal to make up your own rules for a successful marriage or to stick to prescribed convention.  Sarah Jessica Parker, having played the role of Carrie Bradshaw since 1998 and also having been both executive producer for the television series and also producer on both films plays the role flawlessly and exactly how we have come to know and love the ever-stylish Carrie Bradshaw.

Kristin Davis plays Charlotte York, this time delivering a much more emotional role.  Although Charlotte loves being a mother, looking after her two demanding children have brought her to almost breaking point and when questions arise about the sensibility of employing the braless Irish beauty for a nanny, Charlotte has the further struggle of suspicion between the Irish beauty and her husband Harry.

Kim Cattrall arguably has the most fabulous role of Samantha Jones, the feisty blonde bombshell PR guru, who despite being the oldest of the group, looks forever young in both body and mind and in ensnaring handsome younger men!  She is truly the definition, if not the spokeswoman, for this new breed of ‘cougar women’.  Sporting some hysterical lines and laugh-out-loud scenes, Kim Cattrall delivers a memorable performance as Samantha Jones and although these four characters are always supposed to be equal, she undoubtedly steals the show with her quick humour and bad girl attitude.

Finally Cynthia Nixon reprises her role as Miranda, the workaholic lawyer who has decided to quit her job at a place that she hates and spend some quality time with husband Steve, son Brady and the girls, and finally find a firm that she actually enjoys working at.  Miranda’s quick wit doesn’t go unnoticed and she too has some great one liners, with the emotional scene between Charlotte and herself inventing a new drinking game called ‘drink every time you feel guilty’ being both an emotional and humorous scene.

In addition, the three men in their lives Harry Goldenblatt (Charlotte’s husband played by Evan Handler), Steve Brady (Miranda’s husband played byDavid Eigenberg) and John James Preston, better known as Mr. Big (Chris Noth) make an appearance, albeit somewhat limited, with Mr. Big of course having the biggest role.  Smith Jerrod (Jason Lewis) also makes a short appearance as more of a plot developer than anything else, but it is good to see the blonde beau back in action and still important to Samantha’s life as a love once lost.

John Corbett returns as Aidan Shaw designed to complicate Carrie’s life further.  Although his initial spoken lines to Carrie are somewhat confused and badly written, it is more than made up in the one to one onscreen chemistry between the old lovers.  It is a joy to see John Corbett back as Aidan, the one that got away and who loved Carrie more than anything else in the world, the only thing was, her heart belonged to Big.

Two and a half hours of glitz and glamour, this instalment of Sex and the City really clocks up the theatre time, though some might consider this a long film for what it is, in my personal opinion, I think the running time was appropriate to the story.  It needed to spend time on recapping what had happened previously and to emphasise the transition of going from the grey stressful New York City to the brightly coloured flamboyance of Abu Dhabi.

Often a little too showy and glitzy at times, Sex and the City 2 is of course mildly ridiculous, over-the-top but absolutely fabulous in every way!  Critics may give it a slamming but Sex and the City 2 will be adored by its fans for all the fashion, escapism and witty charm it offers; this film will have a wide appeal amongst female viewers and this will more than likely be reflected in its box office takings.

Just like 2008’s Mamma Mia!, Sex and the City 2 is not going to change the world or win any Oscars.  It should be taken for what it is, two and half hours of pure escapism and back into the comforting familiarity of gossiping and bitching with our favourite girls and gays.

Fans of the TV show who did not think Sex and the City 1 was great will thoroughly enjoy this second instalment.  Although not without its faults, this film felt much more relaxed, bright and cheerful (i.e. Carrie did not spend what seemed like the entire time being depressed as in the first film) and included more cheekiness and mischief familiar of the television series.  This welcome maturity of the Sex and the City franchise on the big screen has, in my opinion, led to a much more successful film and story and although this movie is tainted with areas of ridiculousness, Michael Patrick King has done a good job with going back to the roots of what Sex and the City is about and bringing the essence of the four girls into a new era and into Abu Dhabi luxury!

In addition, this film also touches on an interesting, if not slightly controversial area of women in society in cultures unlike our own.  Going to the UAE, the girls are exposed to a Muslim society and have to learn to abide by their rules, for example dressing conservatively and not performing public displays of affection, something which Samantha finds particularly difficult!

With some spectacular cinematography, hilarious scenes and equal amounts of idealism and reality, Sex and the City 2 is a must-see for any fans of the show, though for fashion and escapism purposes, this film should generate a wider appeal.  One word of advice: NOT SUITABLE FOR STRAIGHT MEN!

The Film Buzz Review Rating: *******~~~ (7/10)

Release Date: 28^th May 2010

Director: Michael Patrick King

Writers: Michael Patrick King (screenplay), Candace Bushnell (characters from the book)

Links: IMDB, Official Site

The third book Eclipse in the Twilight Series was about Bella (Kristen Stewart) having to make a choice between Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson) and Jacob Black (Taylor Lautner), while a deadly vampire returns to wreak her revenge on Bella.

I have to say this one looks pretty good. Looks like some stunning visuals and will have plenty of action, Eclipse for me was probably one of the more enjoyable of the saga, so here’s hoping they do Eclipse justice.

Twilight Saga Eclipse

The original cast return and David Slade (30 Days of Night ) directs. Eclipse hits theatres this summer.

The Film Buzz Anticipation Rating: 7/10.

UK Release Date: 9th July 2010

Director: David Slade

Writer’s: Stephenie Meyer (novel) Melissa Rosenberg (screenplay)

Links: IMDB, Official Site

The Plot

Tyler Hawkins (Robert Pattinson), a troubled, brooding, young adult lives introspectively, avoiding direction of any sort. With his tobacco-tainted vision, he sees little else besides his younger sister, Caroline (Ruby Jerins) his shabby apartment shared with best friend Aidan (Tate Ellington), and a morning ritual of pensive journal-writing in a particular cafe.

Since the loss of his elder brother, Tyler has lacked control of his emotions and after getting himself inappropriately involved in a spontaneous street fight, he is hurled into jail by police officer Neil Craig (Chris Cooper). Having been bailed out by wealthy father Charles Hawkins (Pierce Brosnan), with whom Tyler has a bitter, awkward relationship, Aidan convinces Tyler to manipulate Ally Craig (Emilie de Ravin) after discovering she is the officer’s daughter.

Initially Tyler is reluctant, though he finds an unexpected comfort in her company and the contrasting personalities heal each other by sharing their wounded childhood and loneliness. While the young pair rapidly develop a passionate relationship, specific people and events cause enough turmoil for both Ally and Tyler to question themselves and one another.

The Thoughts

I was admittedly sceptical to see this film, though after some convincing I tiptoed into a virtually empty hall and felt relieved that the only others were a scarce handful of mature couples, along with the odd lonesome soul. As I orally crushed my M&M Peanuts, I began to shift in my seat as a swarm of females, some in large groups; others in couples, filled the once peaceful hall within minutes. By the time the film had started, I could actually count the number of empty seats. I looked around and realised somewhat ashamedly that I was one of those many, many females.

Remember Me started with a heartbeat-skipping opening scene concerning Ally’s mother, which I was impressed with considering my assumption of a fairly generic romantic drama. Nevertheless, as the scene switched over to the “dreaded” Robert Pattinson, I rolled my eyes at his awkward attempt to play the lost, unruly, and emotional Tyler Hawkins. The physicality was perfect; the character, dull.

Astonishingly I found the character of Ally, played by a fresh-faced Emilie de Ravin, more intriguing than her male counterpart. Rather than resembling a sentimental mess, she came across as strong, free-spirited and very charismatic, proving able to look after herself and her father effortlessly. Contrasting “wet blanket” Tyler, she brought vivacity and significance to his gloomy days of cigarette fumes and empty beer bottles, and after a few scenes of bantering and sexual tension, I warmed to their chemistry and began rooting for their relationship.

I was, however, yet disappointed by the bizarre outbursts of emotion which Pattinson had so awkwardly endeavoured to convey; though his skill as an actor had slightly improved since cringing in the Twilight saga, the general lack of experience and control is almost palpable. Although the script was embedded with clichés, for the majority I considered it appropriate; taking into account the situation of the two lovers, and ultimately the genre of the film.

The most appalling descent was the final scene – just when I had reluctantly admit to myself that I may have enjoyed the film, I threw in the towel and left the oestrogen-heavy cinema hall shaking my head at the director’s low attempt at shamefully incorporating American propaganda; a manifestation that was ridiculously irrelevant in its context.

The Film Buzz Review Rating: 6/10

UK Release Date: 2 April 2010

Director: Allen Coulter

Writer: Will Fetters

Links: IMDB, Official Site

So here’s the latest trailer for Eclipse, check it out below.

Did you enjoy that? I’m sure you did.

Eclipse is the continuing story of teenager Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart) and her vampire lover Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson). This time pesky Victoria has come back to avenge her lover James who was killed by Edward back in the first Twilight story. Bella also has the added problem of having to choose between Edward and her hunk of a werewolf best friend Jacob Black (Taylor Lautner),  who is incidentally crazily in love with Bella (we expect somewhat raunchy scenes between Jacob and Bella, if it’s anything not like the book).

Twilight Saga Eclipse

Now as an individual who has read these books, I found the relationship between Bella and Edward quite intense, but in these movies there is zilch chemistry between Pattinson and Stewart. The  two of them make me cringe when watching them force out these cries of devotion to one another, and Pattinson looks like he needs to take some stool softener half the time (dude, just show a little emotion please). I really don’t want to beat this movie down because I did enjoy the books, but I just wish they could change their leading stars or at least give them some acting lessons. We expect another teenage-hormone-infested movie that will delight you Twilight fans but may leave the rest of us wanting a little more substance. Eclipse goes on general release from the 30th of June but us Brits can expect to see this from the 9th of July.

Eclipse

On other Twilight news, it’s been reported that the fourth and last instalment of the Twilight Saga Breaking Dawn may be split into two movies. Now I’m betting there are a few people who want to see this happen, but I’m also sure there are many like myself think that this may not be such a good idea. If you’ve read the fourth book you’ll know it’s kinda chunky but in all honesty – not a lot happens. I don’t think they have enough material to split the story it into two films but this may be a way to get just a little bit more from Twilight before it goes away.

Do you think Breaking Dawn be split into two movies?

The Film Buzz Anticipation Rating: 6/10

UK Release Date: 9th July 2010

Director: David Slade

Writer’s: Stephenie Meyer, Melissa Rosenberg

Links: IMDB, Official Site

You should follow us on twitter here.

Zeta-Jones plays a housewife and mother of two who discovers her husband has been unfaithful and subsequently leaves him and home for a new life in New York city with her two kids. There she meets a young, fresh faced 25 year old man (Bartha) and the two begin a lustful romance, which only leads to increasingly obvious generation gaps, kids walking in on their the couple having sex and frustrated accusations.

Also starring Jake Cherry, Andrew Cherry, Eliza CallahanKate, Jennings Grant and Lynn Whitfield.

I’m not so sure about Zeta-Jones in a rom-com, it would be probably be as entertaining as chewing gravel but a few reviews have good things to say about her though her acting will never rival that of Chicago or Ocean’s Twelve. One of the more positive things is her on-screen chemistry with Justin Bartha – who undoubtedly is riding a wave of popularity right now after hit comedy The Hangover, you can be sure Bartha can certainly deliver his side of the humour whilst also portraying an infatuated 25 year old chasing after mature love.

Although the movie does convey a deeper meaning as opposed to lightweight rom-coms of this year (The Ugly Truth, The Proposal), you could argue that the plot is still on the weak side, not containing enough substance and could very well turn out to be a ‘miss’ rather than a ‘hit’.

We’ll just have to wait and see when it hits cinemas in April 2010, be sure to tell us what you think.

You should follow us on twitter here

The Film Buzz Anticipation Rating: 6.5/10

UK Release Date: 16 April 2010

Director: Bart Freundlich

Writer’s: Bart Freundlich

Links: IMDB, Rotten Tomatoes