The Prestige (2006)

I can't believe this one slipped under my radar, directed by Chris Nolan (the Batman trilogy) and starring Hugh Jackman, Christian Bale, Michael 'bloody' Caine and a certain Scarlett Johannson, my attention was only alerted whilst reading an article in Total Film about great twist endings with this one predominately mentioned by readers.

Robert Angier (Jackman) and Alfred Borden (Bale) are illusionist's, partners once, but now bitter enemies after a dreadful  accident during a performance, they both conspire against each other with tit for tat spoilers in the others shows, with Bale Borden even losing two fingers when Angier 'gate crashes' his 'catch the bullet' illusion.

You've captured my attention!

The film oozes class, a great cast, a riveting plot and screenplay, 2 hours fly by, dark, gripping, atmospheric, high class movie making from one of the worlds top directors.

*****

Match Point (2006)

...any excuse.

Its Woody Allens wonderful world of upper class Blighty!

An Irish (really??) ex tennis pro Chris (Johnathan Rhys Meyer) who never quite made it is hired by a London club to coach toffs, he soon falls for one a sister of a toff, marrys into her rich family, Daddy loves him and gives him a job, everything is hunky dory, or is it?

Things start to fall apart when he falls for Nola (Scarlett Johansson ♥) the fiance of his brother in law, when she is dumped he starts a steamy affair....
Plus points are a fairly good slow burning fluffy plot, good British cast (loads of faces from UK tv including a hilarious cameo from Paul Kaye aka Denis The Penis as as an estate agent!) and of course Scarlett is drop dead gorgeous. Trouble is though its a stereotypical Americans depiction of Britain, all champagne, caviar, cocktails and a stiff upper lip.Its all slightly Downton Abbey in the 21st Century, and things take a bizarre twist, when Chris turns into an assassin, thankfully he outwits Scotland Yards very own Keystone Cops!

Silly, but enjoyable fluff.

*****

Turistas (aka "Paradise Lost") (2006)

'Paradise Lost' starts off looking like a promising little horror movie.A group of back packers are stranded in Brazil after their bus crashes, they think they've hit the jackpot when they hook up with some locals in a secluded beauty spot, beach, beer and babes, what could go wrong?

Soon though the film descends into a world of 21st Century horror clichés, evil locals, semi naked women, lots of screaming, running and one hell of a lot of swimming!

It transpires that an evil local doctor wants their organs to sell to the rich, the film includes a scene you won't forget in a hurry when a naked girl has her kidney removed, a scene so gory it brought back memory's of the 1980's video nasties!!!
Sadly though there's very little here on offer to recommend this film, we seen it all before in the 'Hostel' and 'Saw' series.

*****

Date Movie (2006)

Dreadfull yes, but no worse than I expected, that's how low/high my expectations.

The real head-scratcher about this movie is that it parady's comedys, when Airplane came out its whole coup-de-grace was its mickey taking of serious genre movies, in paticular the Airport and disaster movies of it's time.

Date Movie spends almost 15 minutes of it's short running time almost re-enacting entire scenes from the 'Meet The Parents' films, and then throws in some spoofs of 'When Harry Met Sally', 'Say Anything' and the pants in the sink gag from 'Planes,Trains And Automobiles'!! (really topical stuff there guys)

Saving graces?
Well there are a few amusing moments, but the trouble is, that for every good gag you get dozen or so off target.
Oh, and Alyson Hannigan does look so cute.

*****

London To Brighton (2006)

It's three in the morning, a prostitute called Kelly with ripped clothes and inflamed black eye bustles a terrified 12 year old girl into a public toilet somewhere in South London,they are fleeing from someone and decide to get the next train to Brighton.As the film progresses we slowly learn what has happened via a series of flashbacks, and it's a very harrowing subject.

I have to admit I was blown away by this 'little' film, yes the subject is deeply unpleasant, but it is handled maturely, there are no 'Lock Stock' style bad guys in this film, just ordinary people, some good, but a lot of very very sadistic violent characters.You really care for the characters which is the most important essence of any film, the acting is superb, especially Lorraine Stanley as Kelly and newcomer, Georgie Groome who is barely a teenager and puts in a stunning performance as the terrified youngster Joanne.

This is a quite brilliant debut from a young film-maker, Paul Andrew Williams, he recently quite rightly won a best newcomer award at the Edinburgh Film Festival, and for me it's one of the best British movies ever.

Kidulthood (2006)

Very much like a Brit version of Larry Clarke's "'Kids', 'Kidulthood' tells the of a bunch of 15 year old's in London.Like 'Kids' like young people in this film really are the dregs of society, drug taking, prostitution, casual sex, bullying, you name it, this group of social rejects get up to it.

Bar the pregnant Trife you really have no sympathy for any of the characters, at time's you could do with subtitles the dialogues so bad with the mix of US gangsta/London cockney drawl.

The plot is good though as one bad thing happens after another, you know this film will climax with no happy ending, not in the same league as the aforementioned 'Kids' but still a good effort.

*****