From August onwards, I'm not reviewing 'Film of the Moment' as such, because I haven't seen a film that's brilliant this month. It's more like a review of whatever I have seen. That settled? Ok then, read on!
This is pretty good. I'm not one for buying singles, I prefer taping them off the radio, but I did buy Here With Me. It's a sign that I like something if I buy the single. I was actually a little bit disappointed with the album as a whole at first - I thought all the pieces would be like Thank you and Here With Me, but then if they all sounded the same I'd probably be complaining! My particular favourite is My Lover's Gone. Maybe because I love folk music, I don't know, but this is a wonderful track. It reminded me of music by some Irish bands. The whole album makes great background music, and there's no track I really don't like, just some that I only listen to occasionally. Overall, I'd give it about 8 out of 10.
I can't give this a proper review because I was watching it in the wee hours of the morning after having had a bit to drink, but that might be an improvement because the plot made perfect sense! I'd heard such great things about this for ages, but the storyline sounded so convoluted, I wasn't sure I'd be able to follow it. Now I don't know if it's actually simpler than I thought or just due to the alcohol. Regardless, it's a cracking film, great soundtrack and absolutely spectacular effects which rival any other sci-fi film I've seen. Keanu Reeves has often been criticised for his acting ability (of lack thereof :-) but he was a perfect choice for this film which gave the impression it wasn't taking itself completely seriously. There are many memorable moments and one-liners, but by far the highlight of the film is the main bad guy, Agent Smith. He is so understated, yet brilliantly funny. I especially liked his revelation that they tried making the matrix perfect for us, but we refused to believe it was real, so they made the world as it is today - full of starvation and despair - and we were satisfied. Excellent. I think I'll give it 9 out of 10, but I should probably watch it again just to be sure.
I grew up listening to the musical version of this - and was scared to death by it. I know that his radio version had people believing it was actually happening. It's easy to understand why, as the idea of an invasion is a real concern for some people today. Okay, so we can scoff at the idea of it happening, and scientists can tell us 'the chances of anything coming from Mars are a million to one', but is anyone really sure? And what possible defense could we put up if they really came? This is what the book is all about, and it tells the story exceptionally well. The description of surroundings by the central character, his eye for detail, all make the tale seem so real, and help pace the story by providing relief from the action whilst maintaining the momentum. One of the most striking aspects of the book is the realistic portrayal of human behaviour when gripped with panic - blind disregard for others is in evidence, and people react in different ways. There is the disillusioned priest who is convinced that Satan has taken over, and becomes so hysterical that the protagonist has to take drastic action to save himself, and the deluded artillery-man whose physical ability and mental capacity fall far short of his grandiose plans for survival. The scene where he plays poker, chess and other such games with our hero whilst the country is being decimated by the Martians is memorable. The conclusion to the book is also remarkable in turning on its head the traditional idea of men saving the world from disaster as in so many invasion films. Overall, this gets 10 out of 10, an excellent read.
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