Oscar Reviews: Part I

If Best Pictures are not enough to wet your appetite for this weekend's Academy Awards, here are some other nominated films that I have reviewed just for you:

13th (Best Documentary Feature)

13th is a daring documentary. It doesn't deal with an isolated far away issue that we can sympathise with from a distance. It gets up in your face and deals with one of America's biggest contemporary and most contentious problems: mass incarceration. However, this is not a Louis Theroux documentary where they gently try to find answers, sweetly exploring what has caused this mess. Ava DuVernay presents us with a host of academics, activists, and ex-inmates who clearly explain the history of the States' systematic oppression of the African American population, centering the discussion around the 'loophole' in the 13th Amendment that, to paraphrase, says slavery is okay as punishment for a crime. 

The documentary really hits home almost exactly half way through the movie when an image of Trayvon Martin fills the screen for an uncomfortably long fifteen-or-so seconds. We're no longer talking about slavery 150 years ago, or the civil rights movement 50 years ago, this is now. The second hour of the film is not easy watching, but it's not meant to be. DuVernay is drawing a big picture and it is an ugly one. We see the violence, the abuse, the police brutality happening in our time, today, on our streets. DuVernay plays these images alongside archival footage from the civil rights movement whilst Donald Trump's voice echoes over the images 'In the good old days...'. 

A powerfully moving piece of work. It's unpleasant and upsetting, but it is real, and that's probably the most heartbreaking thing.

The Lobster (Best Original Screenplay)

Imagine a world in which singleness is illegal, that those unable to find a mate must either go it alone in the woods or be it turned into an animal of their choice. This is the premise of The Lobster and it only gets weirder after that. Weird though it may be, it is also wickedly funny. Its finest moments of comedy are also some of its darkest, but for the laughs it produces it is completely justified. Kicking little girls in the shin, choking women, dead dogs - these things have almost never been funnier as Colin Farrell's David tries desperately to find a lover. 

The film is, in its own way, genius however it suffers from both a tonal problem and pacing problem. Its dry comedy, at first amplified by its drab and mechanical presentation, is later dulled as the gags come fewer and further between and yet the slow pace of the film remains unchanged. This leaves the second half of the film to begin to drag as it goes on. Secondly, the jokes move from dark toward vulgar. At somepoints this lands, using the same shock reflex that the darker jokes work with, but othertimes it feels out of place and uncomfortable. 

The Lobster is a few strokes away from a masterpiece, but those missing strokes are not small ones. They are unfortunately noticeable and it is a pity because the film ends with the feeling that it could have been more. 

Jackie (Best Actress, Best Costume Design, Best Score)

The story of Jackie Kennedy planning a funeral for her husband does not immediately spring to mind as one the most riveting biopics of our time, however Jackie, through its non-linear narrative and excellent performances, manages to be bold and striking. Director Pablo Larraín takes something simple, adds layers of complexity, jumping back and forth in time and even into a television documentary piece the Fist Lady starred, building one narrative to boiling point before switching across to something else. The audience keeps on their toes and becomes engaged in the story Larraín wants to tell. 

But the defining feature of this film, as all the marketing suggests, is Natalie Portman playing the titular Mrs Kennedy. Portman is no stranger to playing strong female leads and this could be her peak. She fully embodies Jackie Kennedy, balancing heartbreak, mourning, determination, grief, vulnerability and a gritty drive to make the world remember her husband. It is an astonishingly good performance and one that will no doubt be remembered. 

As a whole, the film lacks omph. The supporting cast are in shadows next to the powerhouse that is Portman. They're not poor or even average performances, there is just an inconsistency in quality. Peter Sarsgaard and the late John Hurt both put in a good show here, particularly Sarsgaard again showing his capabilities of being a top tier actor. 

Hail, Caesar! (Best Production Design)

The Coen Brothers' latest outing is a comedy noir romp through taking place in the behind the scenes world of 1950s Hollywood. It follows Eddie Mannix (Josh Brolin) whose job it is to fix things like press attention surrounding unwanted pregnancies or your lead of a huge blockbuster being kidnapped. When exactly that happens to George Clooney's Baird Whitlock, and he is taken to a group of communist thinkers' hideout, Eddie has to work twice as hard to find a fix. 

The film is scattered with moments of excellence and brilliance. Some set pieces really steal the show, particularly an all out singing and dancing spectacular with Channing Tatum as a sailor. However, the film is a bit convoluted in it's delivery. There's quite a lot of intersecting story lines and the narratives sometimes lose their way - you may find yourself questioning when a performer changes into a soviet spy, for example. 

Despite this, the film is hilariously funny. The Coens are masters of bringing out Clooney as a fool and a clown (see Burn after Reading and O Brother Where Art Thou?) and throughout, the jokes land as they're intended to. It makes for an enjoyable watching experience but it will probably leave you wanting to pull out one of the Coen's more acclaimed ventures and experience them at their best. 

Suicide Squad (Best Hair and Makeup)

'I'll carry your ass if I have to' says Will Smith's Deadshot as we head into the final act of Suicide Squad. He is talking to Rick Flag, played by Joel Kinnaman, but he may as well be talking to the film makers. Suicide Squad is a messy film, and not in a good sense. There's an overwhelming sense of overnighters in the editing room before deadline day and nothing quite fits. It consists of several pieces from different puzzles that director David Ayer is trying to bash into a cohesive picture and whilst you can see what he is trying to make, it's clunky and broken. 

There is some strength at the opening and in the final third of the movie, but shamefully for an ensemble piece, several of the supporting characters are left woefully underdeveloped and under-utilised, especially Jai Courtney's Captain Boomerang who is often found flailing in the background with no real substance. Suicide Squad seeks to capture the grit of the Batman comics and Nolan's films, but fails in being nearly as good as either.

Whilst solid leads in Viola Davis, Will Smith, and Margot Robbie (as Harley Quinn) keep the film afloat, the messy narrative and lack of cohesion cannot be saved by a few fun filled action packed sequences to a rock song from the noughties. It would also be remiss not to mention Jared Leto's Joker, a modern age, grill teethed gangster who seems to be able to do the impossible without explanation. Overkill may be too strong a word, and the artistic vision may to be to blame over Leto, but it's hard to ignore the press surrounding his 'method acting'. If there's a silver lining, its that if there is a sequel, it can really only be better.

The God Of Thunder

With the record breaking release of The Avengers (which I will be reviewing, don't you worry) I thought it's about time we jumped back and had a look at some of the other movies that have led up to this. I've already looked at Iron Man 2 but I've neglected a couple of others. Let's make it up to them. Starting with the Asgardian 'god', Thor.

Somewhere out there, there are other realms. One of these realms is the realm of Asgard. In other realms, particularly Earth, the Asgardians are regarded and worshipped as deities. A long time ago, they fought an evil race known as the Frost Giants, who were rather fond of attacking Earth. The Frost Giants were defeated by the Asgardians, led by the king Odin (Anthony Hopkins), and their power source was taken away. Odin recites this story to the audience by telling his two sons, Thor (Chris Hemsworth) and Loki (Tom Hiddleston). Time passes and Thor, as the oldest son of Odin, is preparing to take over as king. However, the coronation ceremony is disrupted by a few Frost Giants who are trying to steal back their power source. Thor demands that war is the only option and, despite Odin's direct commands to not attack, Thor travels with his greatest fighters to Jötunheim, the land of the Frost Giants. After battling carelessly against the Frost Giants, Odin arrives to protect his fighters. He tries to calm the Frost Giants and returns to Asgard with his sons and fighters. Furious, Odin banishes Thor to Earth where he is hit by a van containing three scientists, Jane (Natalie Portman), Erik (Stellan Skarsgård), and Darcy (Kat Dennings). Thor's aim is to get back to Asgard, but an evil plot may be brewing against him...

Stop! Hammer time!

A very solidly performed movie. Not a bad piece of acting in there. Admittedly, there's nothing that's exceptional either (though the fandoms of the internet may try to argue that). Chris Hemsworth was wonderfully naive in a sense of the world he was now inhabiting - walking into a pet shop and asking for a horse... or something large enough to ride - and also an extremely likeable character. My only issue, if any, is that his character changes too fast with little development. Tom Hiddleston, as Loki, is fantastic (and he may need therapy when he discovers he is not actually Loki). He's wonderfully bad but completely loveable, which I suppose the god of mischief should be. A great performance. Nice to see Natalie Portman in anything as she is always a fantastic actress, and Anthony Hopkins, as well, has still got plenty of game in him. A great performance as Odin, even with the occasional bit of incomprehensible yelling.

This reminds me a lot of this scene...
I'm unsure how this makes me feel.
(See here for why)

The wonder of this movie is the little bits of hinting that encourage even the least nerdy person to have a fan girl fit. Things like the inclusion of Hawkeye. Barely noticeable (if you're not aware who Hawkeye is) but so effective. A fantastic job from Kenneth Branagh and (to a far lesser extent) Joss Whedon for producing such a wonderfully playful and epic movie. If I had to chose one word to describe the film, it would be that: epic. From the visually stunning world of Asgard at the beginning to the large scale fight scenes between Frost Giants and gods, everything was epic and looked epic. the creators of the film knew exactly what they were aiming for and the hit it spot on. It was funny, epic, emotionally absorbing, and good fun to watch. You could loose yourself in it.

A big hand for everyone involved. It's no instant classic but it is the sort of film that can be watched again and again. Not too long, not to short, and constantly captivating.

Best Bit? My favourite moments were when Thor was on Earth and was unsure of everything around him. Smashing a cup of coffee, claiming that no one can stop the mighty son of Odin before being administered an anaesthetic. I kept laughing.

It's Hard To Make Up One's Mind.

Let's take a break from all this Oscar milarky. (Mainly because because I have no way to watch Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close yet.) Instead, let's talk about a movie that I had to watch for my university course. I thought since I watched it, I may as well review it. The film we look at today is Closer.

The plot is both simple and complex at the same time. On the surface it is just a your average love triangle situation, or rather, love square. Obituary writer, Dan (Jude Law), meets American stripper, Alice (Natalie Portman) when she is hit by a taxi. After taking her to hospital and then for a quick tour of London, they fall for one another. As Dan tries to move up in the writing world with a book about Alice, he begins to fall for his photographer, Anna, (Juliea Roberts). When rejected by her, he turns to the internet and impersonates her on a chat room to Larry (Clive Owen). After some very explicit suggestions, he convinces Larry to meet 'Anna' at an aquarium. Larry goes and meets the real Anna in the world's most awkward first meeting ever. Despite this initial meeting, they fall for one another and claim Dan is their personal Cupid. But Dan's feelings for Anna are still there and as time passes, our four protagonists cross paths over and over again. Will they all contain their feelings or will they succumb to their desires.

Must... Resist... Fart joke... 

This movie contains one of my favourite actresses (as you probably know), Natalie Portman. She is probably the best performer in this move too. Plus she looks so hot throughout the whole film. That being said, I preferred her fully clothed with short red hair or long brown hair at the beginning and end respectively. But let's look at her acting. A wonderful portrayal of the most dedicated and loving character in the film. You can physically see her fall in love as well as see her heart break. Jude Law and Clive Owen are also fantastic (though you will find yourself arguing with friends over who is more attractive. The answer, of course, is Clive Owen). There is a slight competition between the two of them. It seems, at points, friendly, whilst at other times it seems like a true rivalry with malicious intent. Both do extremely well as egotistical men who can't stand someone being superior to them. To me, the only weak link was Julia Roberts but that might be because she was the most plain character. Though it is far easier to pick a weak link when there's only four primary cast members. That being said, the stand off between Anna and Larry is one of the highlights of the film.

The impossible shot of London. There's one too many monuments. 

My favourite thing about the entire movie, without a shadow of a doubt, is the script. It is very clear that this is a play text rather than an original screenplay. There's something very... Stagey about the dialogue. But it is extremely witty and quick but also heartfelt and dramatic. The arguments that erupt every few scenes are brilliantly written and you really get a sense of what is being felt. It is simply a great script, right down to the conversation in the chat room which perfectly strikes the idea of early internet slang as well as dirty talk; the early Chat Roulette or Omegle. Apart from this, no technical elements were particularly outstanding. In fact, the editing got confusing at points as the plot skips large periods of time and it's very difficult to realise until a character mentions this.

Overall, it is an intriguing movie full of lust and love. It's story line twists and turns more times than you can shake a stick at. It's dialogue is punchy, witty, and beautiful. Some great acting and a cast that is too good looking for its own good. Admittedly, not Mike Nichols best film, but also not his worst. And for those wondering about the title of this blog post, you'll have to watch the movie. Very brutal. Very funny. Very sexual.

Best bit? It'd be too easy to claim Natalie Portman's strip scene... I want to go with.. Dan and Larry's encounter towards the end of the film in Larry's office. Some of the best dialogue in the movie.

The Sexiest Female Characters in Film?

So Empire Magazine are currently holding a poll for the Sexiest Movie Characters. Now, as a film blog, I thought it was important that I raised some thoughts on the matter. I'll stick to female characters since my love of Brad Pitt and Joseph Gordon-Levitt will over run my male choices. I've added links to any reviews I've done of the movies and I've included some favourite scenes. Do read older reviews, they're rather funny. But here's the thing: I can only pick 5. My short list is open to change but here's my current short list and reasoning IN NO ORDER:

 #1: Alison Lohman as Christine Brown in Drag Me To Hell.

Why Christine Brown? In the movie, all sorts of disgusting things happen to her. Things that should be (and are) very un-sexy. However, that being said, when nobody is being sick on her or something similar, she has a cracking dress sense and always looks very attractive. 'So do most actresses!' I hear you cry. Here's where Christine Brown differs from other, typical horror movie pretty girls: The grave scene. As shown above, Christine digs up a grave and hops on in. Cue pouring rain, wet t shirt, angry shouting, and getting dirty. How could one not find that sexy? Especially considering I kinda like a girl with a bit of a bad attitude. You'll hear me say that a few times. One of my favourite scenes in a horror movie... Ever.

2# Cameron Diaz as Tina Carlyle in The Mask

When she first walks in the door, all the characters on camera turn and stare at her. She just has that effect. This is young Cameron Diaz. Before she was extremely skinny, back when she was hot. Why is Tina Carlyle so sexy? All sorts of reasons: She's trouble, she sings, she dances, she looks like that. She's brilliant in every way and she was the first time I felt the urge to wolf whistle the screen. And when she sings, I have the same reaction as Jim Carrey in this scene. 

3# Jessica Alba as Nancy Callahan in Sin City

I suppose Nancy Callahan is a bit of a cheat considering she's an exotic dancer/stripper. Her job is to be sexy. Good thing is, she succeeds. But what makes Nancy even better? She's got a heart of gold. She's a complete sweetheart. A beautiful, sexy stripper who would do anything to help her friend. Now that is sexy. Plus, when she dances like this, not much else matters.

#4 Natalie Portman as Evey Hammond in V For Vendetta

If you've followed this blog for a while, you'll know Natalie Portman is one of my favourite actresses and I find her extremely attractive. So attractive in fact, that I almost just posted five different roles of hers as the five sexiest characters. But I decided that's not fair, so instead I narrowed my options down. I found it hard to choose between three of her roles: Evey, Nina (Black Swan), and Sam (Garden State). I decided that Sam's innocence made her less sexy, as did Nina's insanity. Evey on the other hand, is incredible. She is very attractive but not only that. She's loyal, strong, independent, beautiful, and very, very cool. Plus, she is the only women to look just as attractive with hair and without. I think she's extremely sexy. 

Nina

Sam

#5 Emma Stone as Wichita in Zombieland 

Oh, what about her isn't sexy? Hot brunette girl with a gun. Who is also a complete badass. And also a sweetheart. And also super hot. And has a bad attitude, and we've already said that I like that. She just looks so cool all the time and whether she's flirting or being a complete bitch, the words just roll off her tongue. Admittedly, Emma Stone is another actress I find beautiful all the time (See her as Olive in Easy A) but there's something especially sexy about Wichita. Maybe it's the mystery surrounding her or the fact that she could kick your ass and you'd still think she's perfect. And she comes with just a hint of danger... She doesn't even have to speak... Just look at her.

Olive

Below, I've included a load of others that just didn't make the list. In order of how close they came to being in the top five.

Mila Kunis as Lily in Black Swan

Zooey Deschanel as Summer in [500] Days of Summer

Ellen Page as Bliss in Whip It!

Keira Knightley as Elizabeth Swann in
 Pirates of The  Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl

Nicole Kidman as Satine in Moulin Rouge!

Lyndsy Fonseca as Katie in Kick Ass

Brie Larson as Envy Adams
in Scott Pilgrim vs The World

Mary Elizabeth Winstead as Ramona Flowers
in Scott Pilgrim vs The World

New Jersey - Part Of Natalie Portman Week.

Ah, Natalie Portman week. It's been a good one. It's encouraged me to write my blog more. But most of all, it gave me an excuse to watch one of my favourite actresses in some brilliant movies. But alas, we come to the end of our three reviews. We finish the week with a cult film, directed by one of your favourite comedy TV stars. Yes, It's Garden State.

In Los Angeles, struggling actor, Andrew 'Large' Largeman, (Zach Braff) gets a call from his father and has to return to New Jersey for his mother's funeral. Amongst trying to avoid an awkward confrontation with his father, Large reunites with old friend Mark (Peter Sarsgaard) and meets Sam, (Portman) a compulsive liar, at a doctors surgery. Between parties, trips to the doctors and being shot at by friends with fire arrows, Large finds himself being taught about life by Sam and he begins to fall for her.

The Army were very impressed with Braff's camouflage design.

The movie is a wonderful representation of life. A particular life, but a real one. Not all of us have millionaire friends who invented silent Velcro or go to parties where a lot of drugs are involved but we can appreciate what it be like if we did; this film is that life. The emotions are really felt and that can be put down to both the writing (we'll talk about that in a bit) and the brilliant performances.When I first saw this movie, I had what I like to call a JD alarm on. Whenever Zach Braff acted like JD from Scrubs I would say, 'beepbeepbeep.' It happened once. This is a completely new direction (no pun intended) from the comedy TV star. Large is a completely different character from JD. He's awkward, shy and afraid of the world. Until he meets Sam. Like many movies, Portman's performance is the backbone of the movie. Her characterisation of the hyper, enthusiastic and outgoing Sam is mesmerising to watch and almost inspiring. Her unique attitude to life is a joy to watch. Peter Sarsgaard also throws in a great performance as Mark, Large's friend, who helps him to experience life more despite his friend, Tim (Jim Parsons) sleeping with his mother. Parsons, despite being on screen for less than ten minutes, helps to create one of the most amusing scenes in the movie as the Klingon speaking, fixed jousting champion and plain out right nerd 'mummy's boy' as it were. This also leads to one of my favourite lines in the movie: "Mark: The motherfucker.." Large: "Pun intended?"

The directorial debut from Braff and also written by the protagonist... Based on his own experiences.... He appears in every scene. It should feel a bit self involved but it doesn't. It feels humble. The writing is incredible. The dialogue changes from terribly awkward to exciting and uplifting without any difficulty or lack of confidence. One scene in particular stands out as an example of this. The first confrontation between Large and his father is so well written that, when combined with Braff's brilliant timing, the viewer feels awkward just watching it. Some wonderful touches make even the little things stand out in Braff's directorial style. Things like automatic taps turning on one at a time as Large walks past, a totally white bedroom or even screaming into an infinite abyss.

When the ladies said body art was sexy, Zach got the wrong idea.

The range of different genres and styles of music on the soundtrack is excellent and includes such artists as Colin Hay and Imogen Heap. Each song, hand picked by Braff, is perfect for the situation they are placed in. And the occasional camera shot glimmers with brilliance but unfortunately it doesn't carry on all the time.

While the majority of the plot is wonderfully written and, at times, brilliantly unique, the ending is littered with cliches. While touching, sweet and with occasionally original dialogue, the concepts of the last scene are overplayed and over worn. Never set a romantic scene in an airport! Not unless you're Up In The Air. I promise, we'll have seen it before. My only other criticism is the acting of Ian Holm who plays Large's father. His performance just seems a little hollow. Confrontations between Large and him are held up by Braff. It just seems like we should expect more from Bilbo Baggins, ya know? (But then again, Frodo was in Spy Kids 3-D so who am I to judge?)

The film is hilarious, sad, touching, inspirational and moving. With laugh out loud moments and times to make you cry, there's something for everyone. Some moments, in my mind, have become almost iconic. I really am struggling to place a star rating on it. Okay... I think I have it:

Best bit? Tricky, but for me there's two inspirational moments that stand out. The first is very simple. Sam shows Large what she does to make sure she's unique. Simple but ingrained in my memory. The second: Standing on some old machinery screaming into a giant hole in the ground. It is just wonderful.

African-American Swan (We're Politically Correct Here) - Part Of Natalie Portman Week.

Well here we go. A film that fits in both of my current themes: The Oscars and Natalie Portman. Yes, today we discuss Black Swan. With five Oscar nominations under its belt, is it all it's hyped up to be? Lets have a look.

Nina (Portman) is a ballet dancer. And a dedicated one at that. She just wants to be perfect. However, this gets in the way when director Thomas, (Vincent Cassel) wants her to let go a bit and dance freely. When Nina's company decide to perform Swan Lake, she dreams of dancing as the main part, the Swan Queen. But the pressure of performing begins to get to Nina, especially when relationships with her friend Lily (Mila Kunis) and with her mother (Barbara Hershey) begin to get complicated, and we begin to see a whole new side of our protagonist.

You'd think professional cameras would have red eye reduction.

A chilling tale showing the darkest side of ballet brought to life by a stunning performance by Natalie Portman. She's both innocent and dark. A hybrid of naivety and danger. Her character contrasts with itself so effectively and is developed beautifully and subtly from start to finish. A shoo in for Oscar if you ask me. Her portrayal of Nina is so impressive, you'll forget that you're watching a movie and become connected to the character. Other performances from the likes of Kunis, Cassel and Hershey are excellent and incredibly strong. Without them, the film would fall flat on it's back. Kunis brings an incredible air of confidence and sexiness with her (especially in one scene) that enlightens the film. She's portrayed so that we, the viewer, are left unsure as to how we feel about her. An effective performance if I ever saw one. Along with Portman, she brings the whole movie up into a better class. An Oscar class.

Oh and the direction. Is brilliant. Somehow, Darren Aronofsky has taken ballet and turned it into a sexy, scary, cold and disturbing piece of work. Black Swan contains all of these attributes and more. What really makes them blend together so well is Aronofsky's use of subtle hints throughout the movie. Everything from funny looking rashes to Nina's mum's paintings are presented in such a simple way but are all part of a huge overarching development. The movie is just as terrifying as much as it is dramatic. I wouldn't class it as a horror, but it crosses over genre boundaries without any difficulty: thriller, horror, drama, you name it it.

Worst Mirror Ever.

With a wonderful score consisting of classical music used in ballet, Black Swan juxtaposes what should be something beautiful with something visually disturbing. And yes, disturbing is the right word. With some slight camera tricks, some special effects and some sneaky editing, Aronofsky takes us into Nina's confused and often twisted mind and leaves nothing out. Her fantasies, her jealousy, her lust... It's all there. Perhaps not in the clearest of ways but hey, Nina doesn't know what is going on, why should we?


Perhaps not for the faint hearted. As previously mentioned, it is mildly terrifying and disturbing but also very squeamish. I don't get squeamish often but this film managed to get me cringing every so often. Stay away if you don't like blood, broken bones or psychological horror. Probably not the best movie for you. Otherwise, go see it. It is stunning, brought down by it's drops in pace. It seems that the movies pace is inconsistent while it is developing which can get frustrating. But once the stress and pressure really hit Nina after a night out with Lily, things get good. I certainly think Natalie Portman has bagged herself an Oscar and perhaps Aronofsky as well.




Best bit? For some of you it may be the intimate scene between two female dancers but for me it has to be when all those subtle hints start coming together... Particularly the paintings.

V For Very Good - Part Of Natalie Portman Week

Hooray for Natalie Portman. With the release of Black Swan (Which I'm seeing and reviewing tomorrow) and in celebration of her Golden Globe win and her Oscar nomination, I've accidentally managed to watch two other films with her starring. Therefore, I'm dedicating my blog, this week, to her. Three movies: V For Vendetta, Garden State and Black Swan.

I very much enjoy reviewing one of my favourite films because it allows me to talk and talk about something I love. Our first of this week's movies, V For Vendetta, is one of those films. Every Monday, a friend comes over and we watch a movie. This week, V For Vendetta was selected for viewing in the Mega Massive Monday Movie Marathon.

So what it is it? Well, remember remember the fifth of November, gun powder, treason and plot. I see no reason why gun powder treason should ever be forgot. Imagine an almost Nazi London. No contact with the rest of the world, a curfew, a quarantined zone. That is the setting of the movie. V is a futuristic Guy Fawkes character, brought to life through the acting, but mostly voice, of Hugo Weaving. His plan? To crumble the government that ruined the country and himself. Oh yeah... And he'll do it on the fifth of November. Almost accidentally his paths cross with the beautiful Eve (Natalie Portman) and he lets her into his life. With other turns from such favourites as Stephen Fry and John Hurt, the film has some of the most powerful and brilliant performances around. (Particularly from our star of the week.)

Who is but the form following the function of what and what I am is a man in a mask.

With numerous plot twists and such a solid story, the film is simply brilliant. Hugo Weaving has one of the most incredible voices and his performance as the powerful yet sensitive V is mesmerising. Combine that with an incredible script crammed full with wonderful expressions and quotes, ("A revolution without dancing is a revolution not worth having,") and V becomes one of your favourite anarchic characters ever. Natalie Portman as Eve is simply stunning to watch. She is as incredible at acting as she is beautiful, even when she has a shaved head. It is currently my favourite performance by the Oscar nominated actress (But I'm seeing Black Swan in a bit) and there are so many reasons why. Not only is her performance stunning but also her character is simply excellently written. Even smaller roles such as Fry's Deitrich are wonderfully performed.

As for the direction, well what can I say. There's a wonderful thing about mirroring two images. Snatch does it brilliantly when the hare is running from the dogs at the same time Tyrone is running from the mob and V For Vendetta does it brilliantly every now and then. It mirrors everything from someone walking to Eve and V's characters. At parts, the film is very amusing and at others it's devastating. The balance is so ultimately perfect, you couldn't ask for more.

No, what you have is bullets and the hope that when your guns run out of bullets I'm no longer standing.

Other technical aspects, the cinematography is awesome. And the choreography for the fights is absolutely suburb. The classical music included in the score is beautiful, especially when juxtaposing any explosions.

It may not be in every one's taste. Some may argue that it's over the top, that the ending is too cheesy, that a character who just wishes to cause anarchy has no depth. To those people I say, each to their own. But I would strongly suggest this movie. In fact, I say you have to watch this movie before you die.

Best bit? The brilliant finale. The crescendo as V might say.