Rebel Without a Pause Button

It may have seemed unwise at the time for the legendary Wes Craven to return to the Scream series as the general feeling was that Scream 2 and Scream 3 hadn't come close to the original. The original Scream was a game changer, a refreshing take on the traditional horror flick with its many genre references and meta plot. Of course, there was also the killer Ghostface, who remains one of the most haunting characters today. It was amazing to see such a weak, vulnerable killer who contrasted so greatly to Michael Myers, Leatherface and Jason Voorhees. So it was pleasing to discover that Scream 4 (or Scre4m, awful title) was surprisingly respectful to the original and actually rather entertaining. It begins as an imitation of the first film but with a fantastically clever twist which instantly plunges us into uncertainty, putting us at the mercy of the director. It is the trademark Scream style reveal and an example of how well Scream 4 pays homage to the original. The ce...

With a title like that, it's very hard (no pun intended) not to judge this film right away. It should act as a warning, as it suggests the level of humour that will be reached here.  James King (Will Ferrell) is a rich, successful businessman whose perfect life is ruined when he is arrested for fraud and sentenced to ten years in a maximum security prison. He employs the help of Darnell (Kevin Hart) to "train" him for prison life, believing that Darnell has been to prison before (which it turns out he hasn't). Cue "hilarity" as Darnell attempts to teach Ferrell how to act tough, fight, join a gang and engage in sexual activity with a man. Its as bland, crude and offensive as it sounds. You know all those prison stereotypes that just aren't funny? Well imagine they made a movie solely based around them. The writing is just appalling, with jokes that can be seen coming a mile away and nothing unexpected or inventive. With Will Ferrell clearly a capable...

Right from the beginning, it is impossible not to be blown away by Boyhood. It is an incredibly unique experience, a cinematic event that may never be equalled in terms of scale and pure emotion and which feels beautifully personal and human throughout.  Filmed over twelve years, with filming taking place over three days a year, means we experience the actors growing up realistically and we develop a much closer connection with each character. The film begins in 2002, with the central character being six year old Mason (Ellar Coltrane) who is an ambitious but rebellious young kid, with an older sister Samantha (Lorelei Linklater) and an often despairing mother (Patricia Arquette). While the film initially centre's round Mason, it soon spreads out revealing a wealth of fascinating characters, in particular his divorced dad (Ethan Hawke) who seems like a kid trapped in a man's body and represents the father every young boy wants: carefree, fun-loving and childish. The film s...