March Film Reviews | Monthly Roundup

Whilst we haven't watched many films this month, due to other commitments and Parks and Rec marathons, we have watched a nice eclectic mix. Some brilliant, some a little terrible! If you've seen any of these films, let us know what you thought of them in the comments section below and feel free to give us some recommendations too.



1. ender's game (luke didn't like it!)

2013 | 114 min | action / adventure / sci-fi

Young Ender Wiggin is recruited by the International Military to lead the fight against the Formics, a genocidal alien race which nearly annihilated the human race in a previous invasion. 

L: This is not the best one to start off with but it's actually weirdly refreshing to talk about a film I didn't like, as most of our film round-ups so far have been generally positive. This film was a big disappointment for me, as I felt it could have been so much more! There are such interesting ideas and settings hovering around in the background but they never really break into the film and, as a result, nothing really happens. It really is a shame that the most interesting part of Ender's Game, in my opinion, takes place in the last ten minutes. I suppose it doesn't help either that it's difficult to actually care about any of the characters. The script feels very weak perched on top of what could have been an awesome and somewhat unique sci-fi setting, and sadly the acting just wasn't good enough to draw me in. So yeah, I look up at the poster and gaze at all that fascinating stuff in the background and then I see Harrison Ford's face, as lovely as it is, replicating the exact expression I had at the end of this film. 

2. frozen (we liked it!)
2013 | 102 min | animation / adventure / comedy
Fearless optimist Anna teams up with Kristoff in an epic journey, encountering Everest-like conditions, and a hilarious snowman named Olaf in a race to find Anna's sister Elsa, whose icy powers have trapped the kingdom in eternal winter. 

B: If you know me, you'll know that I like a sing song as much as the next person. However, I think there were too many songs in Frozen. Whilst they were heartfelt, I didn't think the score was particularly strong compared to other Disney / Pixar films. The pacing was another thing that failed to impress me. I was expecting some sort of epic quest full of fun and adventure but I don't think it delivered. I did, however, like the comedic moments throughout the film, notably from Oaken in his little cabin and Sven the reindeer. I'm a sucker for funny animals a la Maximus from Tangled. Whilst I thought this film was visually stunning, I don't think it was anywhere near as good as my top two Disney princess favourites Brave and Tangled. It's still definitely worth a watch though, and I'm sure young Disney fans will be head over heels for it. 

L: I think I'll start by agreeing with Bee, there were too many songs for my liking. Maybe I'm just a sad old Scrooge but it just seemed like they were cramming them in whenever and wherever. Songs aside though, I liked this film. The animation was awesome, the voice acting was strong and I loved Sven the reindeer. He reminded me of my dog, Woody. Admittedly, this tale doesn't really see any of the characters go very far on their adventure and the plot could be a little less conventional but hey, this is a film for kids too so I think it strikes a good balance of keeping everyone happy. 

3. the giant mechanical man (bee didn't like it!)
2012 | 94 min | comedy / drama / romance
An offbeat romantic comedy about a silver-painted street performer and the soft spoken zoo worker who falls for him. 

B:  I don't usually watch rom-coms, particularly ones that aren't rated very highly, but I needed something so-so to have on in the background whilst I did some coding and I thought this film would do the trick. I won't lie, I watched this film mainly for its actors - Jenna Fischer and Chris Messina - and honestly they were the only okay thing about this movie. It was a throwaway film, attempting to be an indie romance but falling short of the mark due to its weird pacing, empty plot and poor dialogue. Give this one a miss. 



4. fantastic mr fox (we loved it!)
2009 | 87 MIN | ANIMATION / ADVENTURE / COMEDY
An urban fox cannot resist returning to his farm raiding ways and then must help his community survive the farmers' retaliation. 

 B: I reviewed this film for our January film reviews and our Book vs. Film adaptation post so you probably know how much I love it by now! I adore this film, from the superb voice acting to the film's overall aesthetics. You should all watch it like...now. 

L: I guess Bee's pretty much nailed it with her review. This film is awesome. I waited too long to see this film, don't make the same mistake because you're missing out!



5. submarine (bee liked it!)
2010 | 97 min | comedy / drama /romance
15 year old Oliver Tate has two objectives: To lose his virginity before his next birthday, and to extinguish the flame between his mother and an ex-lover who has resurfaced in her life.

 B: I also reviewed this film in our Book vs. Film Adaptation post so you should check that out if you haven't already! I thought that the cinematography was beautiful and it's certainly a film I'd recommend for lazy Sunday viewing. However, it wasn't anywhere near as sharp as the book and the plot was a little empty as a result. Read the book before watching it.   



6. blade runner (luke loved it!)
1982 | 117 min | drama / sci-fi / thriller 
A blade runner must pursue and try to terminate four replicants who stole a ship in space and have returned to Earth to find their creator. 

L:  Blade Runner is a classic. A film you should all really get round to watching and one that I found even more fascinating after I read Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep, the book Ridley Scott took inspiration from when making this beauty! You can see further comparison on our Books vs. Film Adaptation post. 



7. american hustle (Bex liked it! Luke Loved It!)
2013 | 138 min | crime / drama 
A con man, Irving Rosenfeld, along with his seductive partner Sydney Prosser, is forced to work for a wild FBI agent, Richie DiMaso, who pushes them into a world of Jersey powerbrokers and mafia. 

B: I think there were times where I felt the film could be a little more concise, and a little less dense, but overall it made for a really interesting watch. I was particularly impressed by the acting throughout, and I would say it was the highlight for me.  It's a good film that I can see a lot of people enjoying so take time to watch it when it's released!  

L: This is one of those films that you really get drawn in to as you watch it. The acting in both main and supporting roles is really as good as it gets and is largely why you get drawn in. Christian Bale's performance for me was the highlight, in fact, I'm convinced he is indeed a conman disguised as an actor. I believe this film is partly based on truths from somewhere in history too which always makes me a little more intrigued too. American Hustle is a brilliant film and if it wasn't for 12 Years a Slave I think it would have been the best film I've seen this year. 



8. nobody walks (bee liked it!)
2012 | 83 min | drama 
A Silver Lake family's relaxed dynamic is tested after they take in a young artist so she can complete her art film. 

B: I won't lie, I only watched this film because John Krasinski was in it. Sue me! The plot and the dialogue could have been stronger but the acting and cinematography were both pretty good. It was a little too slow for me, and nowhere near as good as Away We Go, but I would recommend it to fellow Krasinski fans and those that love a bit of lens flare.  

MOVIES WATCHED THIS MONTH: 8
IF YOU ONLY WATCH ONE OF THESE MOVIES IT SHOULD BE:
B: Fantastic Mr Fox 
L: American Hustle

NOW THAT WE'VE SHARED THE FILMS WE'VE WATCHED THIS MONTH, TELL US...

• What have you watched this month?
• Do you have any recommendations?

LEAVE US YOUR ANSWERS IN THE COMMENTS BELOW or tweet us using @tftcblog. If you enjoyed this post, feel free to subscribe through Bloglovin and check us out on Twitter. We'll see you on Sunday!

with regards, THE FINER THINGS CLUB.

FOLLOW US ON TWITTER: @TFTCBLOG | FOLLOW US ON BLOGLOVIN

EMAIL US AT: THEFINERTHINGSCLUBBLOG@GMAIL.COM