A Prophet on DVD now

A Prophet begins when 19-year-old Malik (Rahim) enters an adult prison for the first time to serve a six-year sentence. The prison that Malik enters is divided into two groups - Corsicans and Muslims with the Corsicans in charge, they are a ruthless group headed by crime boss Cesar (Arestrup), who have the guards in their pocket. Malik unrealistically wants to keep his head down and out of trouble but because of his dual heritage (French / Arab) he is soon singled out by the Corsicans to undertake a deadly task. Malik has no choice but to cooperate but this marks the beginning of his determination to turn things around for himself both inside and outside of the prison.

 
A Prophet unfolds slowly, much like Malik’s character, when we are first introduced to him he is shy and awkward but soon, as he slowly turns his position around his intelligence and patience become apparent. It is testimony to the way that the character is written and portrayed in that you find yourself warming to him and willing him to succeed even if he is inflicting violent acts. This is though not a one man act although undoubtedly Rahim shines as Malik, he though would be nothing without having to deal with the prejudices of Cesar and his crew or the support and mentorship he receives from Ryad (Bencherif).

A great film, and one in which you cant predict what is going to happen until it unfolds. You find yourself supporting the underdog, from the first time he is forced to commit an act for the Corsicans to his slow and clever rise in power – unmissable.

Director: Jacques Audiard

Cast:

Tahar Rahim        Malik El Djebena
Niels Arestrup      Cesar Luciani
Adel Bencherif     Ryad
Hichem Yacoubi  Reyeb
Reda Kateb         Jordi

 

Kick Ass - at cinemas now

Matthew Vaughan brings the outrageous comic Kick Ass to the big screen. The hero of the story is Dave Lizewski (Johnson) an average slightly geeky teenager and comic book fan. He decides that he will dress as a superhero and do good deeds around the city – and so Kick Ass a hero without any special powers is born.

While Lizewski dresses in a adapted wet suit and go through various levels of pain there are two real superheroes – Big Daddy (Cage) and the excellent Hit Girl (Moretz) who easily put Kick Ass’s efforts in the shade. Big Daddy and Hit Girl are determined to bring down crime lord Frank D’Amico (Strong) by whatever means possible.

This film is great, its fast, its funny, its gory, its over the top, it plays at 100 miles an hour. Its like being on a film roller coaster – exhilarating and exciting and you don’t want the ride to stop. Its also a film that’s so over the top and the graphic violence and swearing Im sure will offend middle England (all the more reason to see it!).

The cast is perfect, from the slightly geeky but also handsome Johnson (recently seen as a young John Lennon in Nowhere Boy), hes going to be one actor to watch in the future. Cage begins to return to a form he was at many many years ago, Strong is excellent and Mintz-Plasse (Mclovin from Superbad) is great as the hero with all of the gadgets Red Mist. It is Moretz who effortlessly steals the show though, from the first time she appears on screen to the stunning Matrix-esque fight scenes – shes gotta be around for a long time. The mixture of deadly killer and schoolgirl is not something that can be easily studied but boy she sure pulls it off!

If your not easily offended and want some fun catch Kick Ass

Director: Matthew Vaughan

Cast:

Aaron Johnson – Dave Lizewski / Kick Ass
Mark Strong – Frank D’Amico
Chloe Moretz – Mindy Macready / Hit Girl
Nicholas Cage – Damon Macready / Big Daddy
Christopher Mintz-Plasse – Chris D;Amico /Red Mist



For the official website click here

Inglourious Basterds in cinema now Certificate 18

Set in World War II in Nazi occupied France Quentin Tarantino introduces us to his Basterds – a team of Jewish soldiers lead by American Lt Aldo Raine (Pitt). Tarantino gives us his spin on World War II. The Basterds are a team of Nazi hunters striking fear in the Third Reich as they hunt the German army planning intent on getting Raine his 100 Nazi scalps.

The film also concerns Shosanna (Laurent) a woman who survived the massacre of her family and ends up in Nazi occupied Paris running a cinema. Her life is changed when her cinema is chosen to host the Nazi’s latest propaganda film, which provides her with the opportunity to exact revenge on the Nazi officer who killed her family.

To say this is just a war movie is far to simple, Tarantino again produces a clever multi layered story full of colourful characters, quick dialogue (and wonderful accents), great set pieces, violence combined with a great sense of humour. It also a mixture of a Sergio Leoni western and the Dirty Dozen. I expect the flashes of violence and the clever and quick dialogue this was the first Tarantino film where I laughed throughout.

The characters, even the ones where we only see them in snapshot, are all fully formed, there is also such a great comic (and sinister) used of accents it adds to the many twists and turns of the film itself. There is also a real build of tension in scenes, whether you are anticipating the specialist skills of the ‘Bear Jew’ or the outcome of the Nazi premier.

It’s a very good movie, I really enjoyed it – although I didn’t find it as smooth of stylish as my favourite Tarantinos like Pulp Fiction. Its quick multi layered and clever and it will keep you on your toes to the final scene. One word of warning is that when the violence happens it really happens – its worth watching though if you can stomach it.

Director: Quentin Tarantino

Cast:

Brad Pitt – Lt Aldo Raine
Melanie Laurent – Shosanna Dreyfus
Christoph Waltz - Col Hans Landa
Eli Roth – Sgt Donny Donowitz
Michael Fassbender – Lt Archie Hicox
Diane Kruger – Bridget von Hammersmark
Daniel Bruhl – Fredrick Zoller
Til Schweiger – Sgt Hugo Stiglitz
Gedeon Burkhard – Col Wilhelm Wicki
Jacky Ido – Marcel

Click here for the trailer

To go futher click here