Views from the Void

Taken
Plot: Bryan is a former FBI agent now working security jobs to be close to his daughter, Kim, who lives with her mother and rich step-father. When Kim wants to go to Paris with her friend Amanda, Bryan reluctantly lets her. However, Kim and Amanda are ‘spotted’ at the airport they end up kidnapped and sold into the white slave trade. Bryan uses all his resources to track down the kidnappers and rescue his daughter.
My Thoughts: Even though this got a bad review in the paper, I actually enjoyed the story. Liam Neeson’s acting is a little wooden, but I did believe his relationship with his daughter. There is plenty of action, fights and gunfire. The story is simple, and a little bit too tidy; he manages to track the baddies down quite easily! Plus it was lucky that his daughter was the last one to be sold!
If you like a bit of thriller action and are not too worried about plot holes then this is worth a watch. Plus there is a cameo for Holly Valence (of Neighbours) playing a pop star!
Best Bit: The action in the construction yard (Don’t worry about how he got there) And I did like Bryan’s relationship with his daughter- especially at the birthday party.
Score: 7/10

Tropic Thunder
Plot: A group of actors head off into Vietnam to make movie of the book of the survival of one Vietnam hero – Four-leaf Tayback(Nick Nolte). As the director Cockburn (Steve Coogan) struggles with the diva attitudes of his cast (Ben Stiller, Robert Downey Junior, Jack Black), Four-leaf suggests they send the actors into the jungle for real with hidden cameras, to get the real emotion! Once in the jungle, the actors find themselves in the middle of a drugs operation with real armed guerrillas! With hostages, explosions and over the top acting, will the actors manage to escape?
My Thoughts: There are laughs right from the very start of the movie as we see the actors in their most recent roles! My favourite was Satan’s Alley! The story is well developed even if it is a bit silly in places. However, the silliness is funny and you can’t help but laugh- like when Ben Stiller is made to perform his flop film ‘Simple Jack’. The interplay between the characters is very well done, especially between Alpa Chino and Kirk Lazarus, who is so into his character that he has had his skin surgically darkened for the role. Jack Black does well, but I felt his character was underused. There is even a great tongue in cheek role for Tom Cruise as a balding Jewish film producer!
ON the whole, this is a must see film - great comedy, scripting and acting.
Best bits: There are so many. The introductory previews; Steve Coogan’s Head (If you’ve seen it you know), ‘Simple Jack’, the backstabbing baby, and Tom Cruise pimping his style.
Score: 9/10

Pineapple Express
Plot: When pot smoking process server Dale witnesses a drug related murder he leaves behind a cigarette at the scene. The cigarette contains a rare blend of Marijuana known as Pineapple Express. Drug baron (and murderer) Ted Jones, traces the pot back to Dales dealer Saul (via Sauls dealer Red). From then on, both Saul and Dale are on the run trying not to get killed (by either Ted or his Chinese rivals) and enjoying some pot along the way.
My thoughts: The film started quite slowly and I was unsure how the story would unfold. However I was pleasantly surprised. Both Dale and Sean spend the film high which leads to some interesting male bonding exchanges and some paranoid conversations. Also there are some nice scenes with Dale’s college student girlfriend, especially when Dale eventually goes round to dinner. The interplay between the characters is well done (if a little bizarre at times) and there is enough action to keep you involved. The story is both ridiculous and touching (It’s basically a buddy movie with guns and explosions)
On the whole, it is an off the wall comedy that is definitely worth a viewing.
Best Bit: The cop car chase. When Saul puts his foot through the windscreen is the first moment that I laughed out loud!
Score: 7/10

Disaster Movie
Plot: Er…. Some lame movie/personality piss-takes in th guise of a comedy. Some fake meteors and some shaky camerawork supposedly add to the menace, as four teens (??) battle with armageddon and some bad spoofs
My thoughts: And I thought Date Movie was bad! Too any movie parodies that don’t really hit the mark. No story apart from the lame idea of the world ending. There was an interesting moment near the end with some Indiana Jones connection, but not much. The 8 year olds in the audience laughed at the burping Amy Winehouse. Could do a lot better. Even the end song about dating wasn’t inspiring.
Overall, I wouldn’t bother with it really.
Best bit: Amy Winehouse was interesting. And some of the cast were nice to look at.. And the fight with the Sex in the City girls (??) wasn’t awful.
Score: 3/10