Yin & Yang

Being the start of a new year and all, one phrase which I heard a lot of last month was ‘start as you mean to go on’. If that is to be an allegory for films in 2012 then it will be a very satisfying year as the standard of films in January was fantastic. This month, we have our first of four helpings of super-heroism, the return of beloved characters guaranteed to cause nostalgia for some, and much more. Read on for previews on all of February’s big releases.

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When Liam Neeson’s Taken arrived in 2008, nobody could have predicted that it would go on to earn over $226 million worldwide. The film reinvented Neeson as an action movie star, and 2010’s The A-Team only gave further credence to that fact. It’s no wonder that many are looking forward to Taken 2 later this year, but in the meantime Neeson has reunited with The A-Team director Joe Carnahan for The Grey, a genre transcendent film which benefits much from the realistic environment it plunges its characters into. Read on for my spoiler-free review.

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One definition of power is ‘a measurement of an entity’s ability to control its environment’. Power manifests itself in many forms; for J. Edgar Hoover, secrets were power, and he amassed much of it during his 48-year career. It’s a concept that is at the heart of Clint Eastwood’s latest, a biopic on the infamous founder of the FBI. Eastwood is no stranger to depicting well-known figures on screen, with 2009’s Nelson Mandela biopic Invictus an impressive credit in a bulging filmography. Is J. Edgar another notable notch for Eastwood? Read on for more.

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As some of you may or may not know, the Australian Open began last week. I’ve been keeping up to date with the tournament on twitter, and have to say that the #AusOpen is without question the most fan orientated slam. Wimbledon take note.

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‘Random Acts‘ is Channel 4‘s way of showcasing short films created by young people in the capital. Launched in October last year, you’ll find a range of artistic films spanning: spoken word, dance, animation, video art and music. Again I across a short film shot, directed and edited by ‘Daniels‘. It’s called Pockets, featuring a young poor guy unable to provide a meal for his girlfriend so he decides to go rob someone…and then some random sh*t happens! Again these guys produce a film that has no actual meaning, but rather a display of their skills as creatives and their dark sense of humour which i enjoy. Watch the film after the break.

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Silence is golden, but it certainly is not a quality that many of us are used to when we think about 21st century cinema. It is often the famous film quotes, memorable dialogue and one liners from actors that we celebrate. Perhaps this is the reason why many Hollywood producers and critics were initially cynical about the success of Michael Hazabavicius’s latest black and white silent film ’The Artist’. But the film has proved them wrong. With 3 Golden globes, a Producers Guild award, 12 Bafta nominations and inevitable Oscar nominations to its name, ‘The Artist’ is enjoying huge success. I went to watch the film last week not really knowing what to expect but I certainly enjoyed what I felt was an ‘experience’ and came out feeling nostalgic about all that embodies 1920s cinema. Short review after the jump.

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AMEN! I don’t really want to add any words to this post. I just want you ALL to watch and digest – this is dope quote (speech) for the week. With everything that’s going on around us – the corruption, hate, poor economic climate, wars and so on. That list could continue forever, depressing right? Charlie Chaplin was renowned for his B&W silent movie roles but he steps up and delivers one of the most poignant speeches I’ve ever heard in The Great Dictator. This film came out in 1940, scary that this is probably more relevant to current times. More on the reverse.

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