Les Miserables

Starring: Hugh Jackman, Russel Crowe, Anne Hathaway, Amanda Seyfried, Sacha Baron Cohen and Helena Bonham Carter.
Director: Tom Hooper

It is clear to see how this film has acquired such recognition for nominations across the world for various film awards. With a star studded cast headed by Hugh Jackman playing the role of Jean Valjean, the prisoner who has escaped from the hands of the detective Javert ,played by Russel Crowe, and travels across France during the French Revolution.

Tom Hooper has really upped the ante when it come to film adaptations of stage shows from his breakthrough as a director with the hugely successful 'The King's Speech', now to Les Miserables, which is a truly daunting task being the one of the most successful musicals of all time. But clearly Hooper has tackled this task and come out on top with a film that gives one a true sense of power and unity. Having the technique of having the actors sing live in front of the camera really adds a sense of reality and make you feel the true emotion. Especially during Anne Hathaway's rendition of 'I Dreamed A Dream' with which one cannot help but bring a tear to the eye. Or during the cast's rendition of 'Can You Hear The People Sing', one cannot help but join in and feel a sense of empowerment.

Overall, Hooper has created a powerful film adaptation of the musical which really gets one feeling the emotions of the characters whatever their story may be.

Les Miserables 4/5

The Woman in Black

Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Janet McTeer and Ciaran Hinds
Director:James Watkins

'The Woman in Black' is the story of Arthur Kipps, a young solicitor who is sent to Eel Marsh house to finalize some paperwork on the selling of the house. But as he arrives at the house, he senses a spirit lurking the corridors of the house. The residents of the town nearby refer to her as merely the woman in black. It is absolutely thrilling to finally see a true ghost horror story come to life.

Daniel Radcliffe has clearly grown up as an actor now that his famous role as Harry Potter is left behind him. He delivers a chilling performance as he roams the house with his suspicions raised as to the secrets of the Woman in Black. Although he has grown up, it is still difficult to see him as a father in this film as many viewers have said they just can't seem to get the thought of Harry Potter out of their heads.

The music in the film was brilliant as it provided a true sense of being alone in an abandoned house with a spirit stalking you throughout. With perfect pangs of violins and piano during the frightening scenes, merely listening to the eerie music itself would surely give one nightmares.

With all the basic elements that are infamous in a ghost story such as the abandoned house, the lone protagonist, the suspicious town folk and the angered spirit that haunts those who lay eyes upon her, 'The Woman in Black' truly is 'the most chilling ghost story of our time'. 

The Woman in Black=4/5

Taken 2

Starring: Liam Neeson, Maggie Grace
Director: Olivier Megaton

I went to see 'Taken 2' the other day, and I have to say I was unexpectedly surprised at how good it actually was. Sequels have always had a reputation for being nowhere near as good as the originals. 'Taken 2' was no exception but it was close to being as good as the first. The first film was brilliant in the way Neeson actually tracked down his daughter as it was very clever with the techniques he used. The second film however lacked then level of intelligence that came with the first film. It was a more action focused film than intelligence. Action was choreographed well but felt slow in the sense that the enemies were deliberately trying to get killed. What really annoyed was the cheesy dialogue scattered throughout the film as most of it was completely unnecessary All in all a good film to watch with action and some sort of intelligence wrapped in but with cheesy dialogue scattered throughout.     

Taken 2=3/5