New Dark Knight Rises Trailer

The newest trailer for The Dark Knight Rises is out now, and all it's doing is make me want to watch this film more and more. I'm double happy because the film is out here in Australia a day before it is back home in Ireland. (I think that's the real reason I came over here :D ) If you haven't clicked on the video above to watch yet, then why the hell not?

Film Review: The Avengers

Marvel’s latest big-screen blockbuster is hitting screens worldwide at the moment and I was fortunate enough to get a chance to see it yesterday. For those who don’t know, this is what Marvel’s last few films (Iron Man, Thor, Captain America, Incredible Hulk) have been building up to. We’ve been introduced to all these characters in what have mostly been very good films(the last Hulk film wasn’t as good as the others but certainly not as bad as Ang Lee’s Hulk, but then again, not much is).

Going in as I did having watched all those films (and having read comics about them for the last few years too), it’s hard to tell whether you need much knowledge of the characters beforehand, but it seems the film  assumes you at least have a rough knowledge of them (and if you’ve successfully managed to avoid hearing at least the most basic details about the characters from their last few films, then chances are this won’t be the film you’re looking for anyway).

The basic premise of the film is that this group of superheroes (consisting of Captain America, Iron Man, Thor, Hulk, Hawkeye & Black Widow) has to unite to face a greater force than any of them could handle individually. It’s a pretty basic premise, and overall the plot is pretty straightforward, but with an ensemble cast like this, that’s pretty much necessary. Not to say that this hurts the film either, it simply leaves lots of space for the films real strength to show through, the character interaction.

Film Review: The Hunger Games

It was a sunny afternoon yesterday and I went to see The Hunger Games. I'd read a few reviews and heard some positive things about the film. I managed to avoid hearing too many actual details before seeing it, knowing only the basics of the plot, and not having read the books.

For anyone out there who hasn't heard about the film (and I'd be surprised. It seems to have done quite well for itself...) takes place in some unspecified future date and revolves around the fictional North American country Panem, which features and central seemingly advanced city called The Capitol, and surrounded by 12 poorer districts. After a failed uprising by the districts 74 years ago, the capitol punishes the districts by once a year selecting one boy and one girl from each district, aged between 12-18, to participate in The Hunger Games, where each "tribute" (as they are called) is forced to fight to the death, with the victor bringing prestige and benefits to their district, and a life of relative ease for themselves. The main thrust of the story revolves around the character of Katniss Everdeen, a young girl from District 12, as her younger sister is selected for the games at the beginning of the film, and Katniss offers to take her place.