Raising Arizona (1987)

Directors: Joel Coen, Ethan Coen
Starring: Nicolas Cage, Holly Hunter, Trey Wilson, John Goodman
Certificate: 12
Genre: Comedy, Crime
Awards: None

Raising Arizona is an off the wall comedy about a criminal played by Nicholas Cage who marries a cop (Holly Hunter). When they find out they can't have children, they decide to steal one from the owner of a large supermarket chain.  When they get him however, they do not get what they expected.

Sometimes the film is completely random and just goes completely bizarre, but that's what makes the film funny. The whole story is just completely stupid and unrealistic, but also hilarious and sweet at times. Definitely one of the weirdest comedies I've ever seen.

****Good

Raising Arizona Trailer

28 days later (2002)

Director: Danny Boyle
Starring: Cillian Murphy, Naomie Harris, Christopher Eccleston, Brendan Gleeson
Certificate: 18
Genre: Horror
Awards: None

Great Britain has been infected by a virus that turns people into flesh eating fiends and only a handful of survivors are left. Jim (Murphy) has ben unconscious for a long time, and he wakes up to this post apocalyptic nightmare with no idea what is going on. He soon meets other survivors in the form of the cynical Selena (Harris) and the taxi driver Frank (Gleeson) and his daughter.  When they hear a broadcast from Major Henry West (Eccleston) promising the cure, they set off to join the broadcasters in hope of protection.

28 Days Later is brilliantly shot to show how empty and different London seems when almost everyone is dead or infected. The atmosphere is eerie and depressing and gives it a feeling of immense tension. All of the actors perform wonderfully and have very different characteristics you can emphasise with.

The only problem I have with the film is that sometimes the characters do things that I don't think people would do in a zombie apocalypse, such as taking valium to get to sleep and entering a dark, uninviting building to get some cheeseburgers.

Overall, this is a pretty scary film with gore aplenty. I enjoyed it a lot, and I'm not that into horror movies.

*****Brilliant

28 Days Later Trailer

The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)

Director: Henry Selick
Starring: Danny Elfman, Chris Saradon, Catherine O'Hara
Certificate: PG
Genre: Musical, Animation, Horror, Fantasy
Awards: None

The Nightmare Before Christmas is a animaed film similar to the look of Coraline. The Hero of the film - Jack Skellington (Elfman (Singing)/ Saradon)- is the of Halloween, but he is bored of scaring people every year. When he finds a mysterious land called Christmas Town, he decides to get into the festive mood and take over christmas.

Most of the film dialogue is sung by Elfman and the other characters. The animation gives the film an eeriness that I don't think had been seen before. Other Characters such as the boogieman are also a joy to watch and the halloween styled christmas is a very original story. This is a very enjoyable film... If you can stand musicals.

****Good

The Nightmare Before Christmas Trailer

Rio (2011)

Director: Carlos Saldanha
Starring: Jesse Eisenburg, Anne Hathaway, Jemaine Clement
Certificate: U
Genre: Animation, adventure, comedy
Awards: None

Blu (Eisenburg) is a blue bird, and the last male of his species. When he taken to meet the female Jewel (Hathaway) to bring back the special blue birds, they are kidnapped by bird smugglers and their pet bird Nigel (Clement). They escape with help of some friends but must now break the chain that attaches them. Oh, and Blu can't fly.

Rio has some good bits, but it seems to be me about the music than anything else, and I don't like the music. The villain is the best character and he seems down right ruthless. This isn't the best animated film of the year, but it could have done worse. At least people went to see it unlike Cars 2.

***Okay