"Oh guys.....don't stay in here all day. I had to take the batteries out of the carbon monoxide detector, it was bleeping all night"

Garden State

Director: Zach Braff

Written by: Zach Braff

Garden State is a depressing yet heart-warming film that makes you look at the problems in your life and to question whether they are really problems or more of a problematic situation that can easily be solved with the right attitude and motive. I love Zach Braffs and Natalie Portmans' characters as they are so polar opposite that they work. There are parts of both personalities that I feel can relate specifically to anyone that feels kinda lost and on 'auto pilot'.... just cruising through their life, not really sure of what's happening to them or around them. Braffs' persona delivers the meaning of the story at an intense full blast, as he is so self-obsessive, lost and troubled that his self-destructive path highlights to the viewers how when we're going through the same stuff, we can be so oblivious to how everyone else sees us. On the other hand, Portmans' character is so naive and kooky, but refreshingly so in tune with the world around her. This helps guide the story as she does enable Braff to open up and just feel free without being pushy, but from just being in her presence, he is able to push himself out of this blah world he has created and take life by the hand. Watching their innocent relationship blossom shows us how the most unlikely people are the ones who can save us from ourselves. 

  Garden State is a film that conveys the message that you should seize every moment and be aware that by closing yourself off and having no faith in anyone is really going to get you nowhere. I think it's a really powerful message to convey, but this movie does it so well, without it sitting heavy on our minds or causing us to feel like we've sat through an appointment with a shrink. It does always leave me thinking by the end, but in a good way as I think if more people thought about life and the good that can come from it, then maybe more people could stop attaching so much pressure to themselves.

 Braff is notoriously well known for staring in the comedy 'Scrubs' and despite his involvement in directing a few of the episodes, Garden State is so different from anything else he has ever worked on that it makes you aware that people have sides to them that you may never have known of. To be so funny and comical but then to make such a moving film is really very impressive and shows he has pocketfuls of talent. The music too compliments the mood of the film as they choose to involve, 'The Shins', 'Colin Hay', 'Nick Drake' and some 'Art and Garfunkel' which is a compilation of mellow tunes that mesh well with the intense story.  I feel that if they had some loud rock music or something very obvious then it would distract too much from the film. Fittingly, the end credit by Essex band 'Frou Frou' pieces this masterpiece together by telling us to just....'Let Go'.

"Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it"

Ferris Bueller's Day Off

Director: John Hughes

Written by: John Hughes 

I vividly remember watching this movie when I must have been around eleven and I have loved it ever since. It must have been love at first sight because if this movie were a relationship, Valentines Day would come more then once a year.

 Ferris is such an awesome character. You love him just as much as everyone else does in the movie, but at the same time you can understand why his sister resents him so much because if absolutely everyone kissed his cute little behind, then there would be no conflict and thus no movie. He is playfully arrogant and obnoxious, but he also has such a charm that throughout the movie you keep your fingers crossed and pray that he gets away with ditching school. You can't help but admire his courage and flare to plan the wicked day for his girlfriend and best friend, a day that includes no annoying teachers, no lessons and more importantly no responsibilities. What really works in this film as opposed to so many lead teen roles is that Matthew Broderick is in my opinion a decent looking chap, but he's no Robert Pattison (last mention I swear) nor a Zac Efron. If Broderick was drop dead gorgeous then it would really be way too much. He would be like the perfect guy, which firstly doesn't exist and secondly would just make you think that this film is just too preppy and ridiculous. I'm not saying he is ugly in the slightest but with a more geeky-cuteness, his character is much more believable.

   I think that even though the story is told through a rebellious teen heart-throb, the punch line can appeal to all ages. It shouldn't take us to bunk off work to enjoy the world we live in and just to have fun and live a little. We don't have to go to the extremes that this character aspires to, but why shouldn't we push the limits and go a little crazier then we would think possible?

 Whenever I tried to bunk boring lessons I would always manage to end up hiding in the locker rooms.. and getting caught, let alone getting up to half the things they do in this movie. It's fun, imaginative and witty from start to finish and will certainly be a bad influence on the easily swayed.

 With such a strong character as Ferris's, the supporting actors roles are prominent without taking the shine away from the hero. His sister, who doesn't share in sisterly love is the playful villain, trying to do everything in her power to get her brother caught out. His best friend is so anal and controlled that he's happy to sit in the background and let Ferris whip him into shape. But don't be fooled because he has the ability to amuse just as much and to some may even be the heart-throb of the show. Lastly, this film wouldn't be complete without some love interest.. and thus enter the hot, cool and collected girlfriend. It's sweet to show how much Ferris loves her and how he'll go out of his way just to get her to smile.

  Hughes delivered some fantastic, and I mean fan-tas-tic, teen aged 80's movies. Most recognizable were those among the 'Brat Pat' alum as, 'Pretty in Pink', 'Weird Science', 'The Breakfast Club' and 'Sixteen Candles', and so with all that experience you can be sure the man knew what he was doing in scoring a hit. It's cheesy at the best of times but think of it more as a Camembert rather then the processed cheese you get with your cinema nachos. Oh and there's a cameo by a very young Charlie Sheen....with eyeliner. Mmm, I know what you're all thinking.

"A man tells his stories so many times that he becomes the stories. They live on after him, and in that way he becomes immortal"

Big Fish

Director: Tim Burton

Written by: Daniel Wallace and John August

Big Fish has to be one the most beautiful films that I have ever seen.

Firstly, it is visually a pleasure for the eyes... more so then Robert Pattison even. 

Each different set, each costume, makes you feel like you've escaped head first into a fantasy world. Burtons visionary manages to make you feel like you're in the movie, smelling the flowers, diving into the water and sitting first hand at the Fathers bedside. In most of his films no matter if you're a fan or not, one thing he never skips on is the attention to detail. Unlike his notorious love for all things gothic and eerie, his art for Big Fish is unlike any other Burton film he's created. The colours aren't scoring a 10 on the richter scale and are peaceful, quaint with hints of bold but subtle tints. The construction of the sets are so wonderful that it is almost like it's a pop-up-book come to life. The special effects are so delicately done that it gives the the fantasy and edge of reality. Their not over done that you start to doubt that a man could really be so tall, which would then ruin the ethos of the movie straight away. 

  Secondly, not only is it a visual stunning, but it is also one of the most beautiful story lines to match. It is such a heart wrenching tale that I would bet my life pleasures of Starbucks on that you will be very close to, if not pouring your eyes out by the end.  The relationship between the Father and Son is so moving, especially as it has been directed to allow you to see though both their eyes without siding with one more then the other. It teaches you to be empathetic to other peoples views and to have a little more faith in things you're too quick to doubt. 

  Including Ewan McGregor as the leading actor was right on the money. He is the perfect gentlemen to portray a very gracious yet slightly over-ambitious character, that you believe every story and word that comes out of his mouth. No matter how obscene his stories may seem, you can't help but to believe that perhaps such instances can occur. His characters relationship with all the vast people he comes across throughout his life has been so wonderfully meshed that you fall for him even more as the hero, as he is so versatile and romantic that he gets on with everyone he meets. No matter how rude, weird, strange, scary or simple they may be.

   You would get so lost in the magic were it not for the storyline constructed on the sons lack of faith in his fathers 'exaggerated' stories. I think that works so well for the film because the minute you're about to lose yourself, you get snatched back to reality which keeps the moral of the story alive.

 You know it's sure to be a winner for the reason that John August has worked with Burton on so many of his films already.. 'Charlie and the Chocolate factory', 'Corpse Bride' and the widely anticipated 'Frankenweenie'. If a writer can understand the visions of the Director then you know their working collaboration will just work in bringing out the best of each other. Not only that but Big Fish was also a novel by Wallace, and I believe that sometimes the best ideas for movies come originally from books as you can picture the story in your imagination all the more.

This is a film that everyone has to watch. It's like a life lecture served with popcorn but unlike most lessons, this is one you are sure not to forget.

"Did I listen to pop music because I was miserable? Or was I miserable because I listened to pop music?"

High Fidelity

Director: Stephen Frears

Written by: Nick Hornby and D.V.DeVincentis

High Fidelity is one of those films that should be in every one's top 10, and if it's not then stop reading. It's a modern love tale, focusing on what's important now..rather then to keep dwelling on past failed relationships. If you keep trying to figure out where everything went wrong then you might miss out on the big picture headed your way.

 I love this film because to simply put it, I love John Cusack. I think without his presence, then this film wouldn't have the same mellow yet quirky feel. He delivers the right amount of sarcasm with every memorable line yet is able to also bring enough sweetness to show that his whole witty persona is just his barrier to protect his heart. You may want to slap him at times or pour hot java on his head, but you instantly fall for his geeky-coolness and can't help to consider him your hero and root for him all the way through the film. His band of followers, the two guys who he works with, compliments his persona so well which I think catapults this film further. In most movies when you have the 'circle of Best Friends for Ever', you feel like it's so intense or Girly, but in this case you'll see that he finds them at the best of times to be so irritating and annoying that he would rather pull his eye lashes out one by one. The bonds between them are not cute but you wouldn't want them to be. They contrast just nicely, with the right amount of appreciation and eye rolling rolled into one. I think this adds to the movies meaning all the more, as it tries to highlight that while you may not want to deliver your love in bucket loads you can't not love at all. 

  The story itself is a fun indie comedy that keeps you amused for every second. You can relate to it no matter who you are because it looks at one of those topics that everyone will have gone through... only those with enough self-discipline and lack of heart will perhaps not agree. We all look back at failed relationships and wonder if it should have failed, was it me that made it failed.. should I Facebook message them and ask to meet up to see if we can correct this fail? To put it bluntly, we keep going back to certain people over and over again because we find ourselves locked too much in the past without focusing on the present and future.

  As this movies was originally a book by Hornby, the storyline just flows and you never feel like it's a stuck record on repeat. When the main character looks back at his top 10 failed loves, the shots and screen play is quick, direct and straight to the point..delivering a funny moment again and again. The editing allows you to tap into his complexity as a character because when faced with his reasoning for his actions you are able to be drawn into that specific emotion long enough to capture it. The Director, Frears, is also well known for creating some classic British movies such as 'The Queen' and 'Mrs. Henderson Presents', and as we know that the Brits are less prone to trashy American flicks, you can be sure that this is more British then HP Sauce as it has none of the calories that the American indie-rom coms can have. 

Since the movie is based in a record store as that is where our hero works, you can bet on some good mellow indie/alternative tunes to crop up every now and then... and you should probably expect some over-the-top, cringe worthy pop tunes once and again too. With the inclusion of Jack Black and a killer end credit song, you have a winner of a movie.

'"Open 'til Midnight"

Empire Records

Director: Allan Moyle

Written by: Carol Heikkinen

Empire Records, in my opinion is a truly awesome and epic movie, and one of the best films to come out of Moyle and Hikkinen combined.

It focuses on a group of teenagers who go about their personal lives whilst working in a record store. I think that it tries to tackle with the teenage movie market as it looks at that pivotal part in their lives when they are about to make that change into adulthood. However it's aura completely differs from movies such as 'American Pie' as it creates a more realistic surrounding.

When I'm bored which is rare but hey it happens, this film is perfect because although there is depth to the meaning, it isn't emotionally draining yet isn't lifeless generic garbage either. I find certain films that are just pointless and stupid to be a laugh but they can occasionally become rather irritating. On the other hand, serious dramas can leave you tired. Empire Records allows you to laugh and wish you could jet set back to the 90's but allows you to use your brain cells too. Each characters story can touch certain parts of ourselves. No matter how past High School you may be, you can still understand their aspirations and fears because their tales are not theatrical and full of un-necessary drama. It genuinely feels real like you could walk into that store and expect them to ring up your purchases and bid you a good day. 

  Another perk is that you're not only able to relate to the story lines, but also to the development of the characters. None of the personalities are exaggerated and purposely stereotyping a specific topic. The story combines problems such as teenage anxieties, suicide, drugs, sex, friendships, our own perception of stereotypes and the prospect of the future... but without jamming it down your throat. The editing allows it to flow even more as it keeps it at a good pace without jumping around too much. When you're in the store itself, the shots are quick and direct which enables you to feel the craziness and quirkiness all the more. However when you're faced with the slower more meaningful moments, the camera takes a long sigh and put's the car into neutral so you can take in everything around you.

This move itself is a wicked high-energy cult film that I could turn on at any time, any day, no matter what. It features a great 90's Punk soundtrack and really knows how to set the mood instantly. It doesn't take a while to get into or understand and doesn't involve any overly ambitious twists and plots. Just be sure to rock a pair of Doc Martens and a plaid shirt whilst watching.

'Untitled' 1992. Zoe Leonard

I have to confess, I'm not a huge gallery fan. I love art and can really appreciate it, but since it is so subjective I find I'm only ever drawn to works that I can relate to and understand. 

   Whilst at the Tate Modern on Monday a few pieces stood out, but one in particular was that of Zoe Leonard. 

Leonard was born in New York City in 1961 and focuses on Photography, choosing to specifically take an interest into how society, the economy and cultures are ever drastically changing.

" I am interested in making a record of an urban landscape as a way of looking at who we are as a people, who we are a culture, understanding the city as a social space,...as an economic space"

 

"Untitled" captures a lonely and deserted woodland situated just in front of a promising yet intimidating hill. I find this photo interesting because I often find myself taking scenic pictures as there is something very calming and serene about Nature. The bare, leafless barks can speak to parts of us that we close off or keep to ourselves. They are parts of us that we rarely like to speak about but yet when you see something that has captured that emotion and emphasised it through a medium that is peaceful, you can find yourself possibly more at ease and more open then you would have thought. 

  I find that Leonard also successfully captured the feeling of being alone as there is no suggestion of any human interaction, yet if you were to place yourself inside the photo I believe you may not feel lost and instead might marvel at being so intimate with nature and its beauty. This is because the composition has been positioned to ensure that the Woodland is the main subject but you can still see the sky above and the hill so you don't feel so closed off and segregated from outside the trees. Perhaps with her inclusion of what seems like a Bee's nest, the metaphor of life is captured within a dead looking surrounding promising that the trees will blossom once Winter is over, filling the woodland with life once again.

The colours are a mixture of mono-tones, Black, White and Grey. The only predominant colour is that of the bleached white sky. I would have thought that perhaps the trees would have a slightly darker tint than its surroundings but perhaps that's where our main focus would lie on which may not be the intention of the artist.

   

I believe photography is a great way to get an insight into the artists thoughts and not only that, but to make you question your own ones too.