The French know all too well about style and flare as reflected throughout the film, Leon The Professional. An original work written and directed by French man Luc Besson in 1994.
Being such an innovative film it’s been used as a reference and inspiration for future successes such as the Wachowski brothers trilogy, ‘The Matrix‘.

It’s a story of love, loss, acceptance, corruption and society combined with lot’s of action. Before it’s release in the states, LA preview audiences found the sexual tension between the young teenager ‘Mathilda Lando’ played by Natalie Portman and Jean Reno the ‘mob hitman’ ethically wrong. And so the original was edited to an American friendly version. However I tend to empathise with the two characters and certainly believe in their shared bond regardless of the age difference. If you don’t see the director’s cut you certainly miss out on the essence of innocent love and entirety of the story.

At 13 years of age, this was Natalie Portman‘s feature film debut who went up against some stiff competition with Liv Tyler also auditioning for the role. In my opinion Portman, Reno and also Gary Oldman (The Dark Knight) as ‘Norman Stansfield’, play their character brilliantly.

There are many distinguished scenes for me. However the performance given by Oldman where he takes drugs, goes on a shooting rampage then mimics Mozart before his final kill is delivered to optimum impact.

I give it my highest rating yet of 5/5

Let Me In is the second adaptation based upon the novel Let the Right One In by John Ajvide Lindqvist. The original Sweedish film, Let the Right One In was directed by Tomas Alfredson and is displeased about the re-make directed by Matt Reeves.

Differing from the original film adaptation, Let Me In is set in the winter of New Mexico, 1983. In the opening sequence, the viewer, is thrown deep into intrigue as the movie takes you back and recounts the two weeks prior to the day. The film then continues forward in actual time.

Australian Kodi Smit-McPhee who plays Owen is a lonely frail boy abused violently by class room bullies. Chloe Moretz as Abby, “The ageless 12 year old vampire” be-friends Owen reluctantly knowing she isn’t human they grow close through their similarities and in turn encouraging their affection and trust for one another.

Paying close attention, I fancied the questionable multi-layered meanings of love, society and death in the film and found it to be more of a love story between Owen and Abby rather than a gory horror film. Of which I’m sure is a reflection of the novel. The strong acting and chemistry on screen between the two young actors tells more of the story, with the cinematography adding to the beauty found amongst the horror in the small town of Los Alamos and I enjoyed watching it.

I gave it a rating of 3.5/5

With a string of multi-award winning short films, Buried is a feature film thriller directed by Rodrigo Cortes. Starring Ryan Reynolds as Paul Conroy the story line is based upon ones worst nightmare- being buried alive.

Ryan does a stellar job of playing the innocent contract worker being held at ransom by his captors in Iraq. As his distress develops so too does the unethical and political themes the movie captures. Rodrigo excels in the way he has created a scene and turned it into a
film full of intrigue and suspense. From the way the movie begins in darkness to how he delivers with his lighting and camera movement. Ryan also captures Paul’s character and carries his panic and helplessness as a victim like a real person would.

Unlike the Hollywood films we are used to, the film is not the type of Bond 007 or a Jason Bourne flick and in saying so tells a truth and experience that makes this performance a remembered one.

I rate this film 4.5/5

The Terry Gilliam film was based on the novel Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. Although the novel was criticized over the story’s unclear plot and drug taking it’s now recognised as an important piece in American literature about U.S society in the early 1970′s.

Brilliantly cast and acted, Benicio del Toro plays Dr Gonzo while Johnny Depp is Raoul Duke also tying the movie together with his added narration. Headed to Las Vegas the two characters hit hard on the search for the American Dream initially seeking to cover an event for work purposes. The drama rises as they turn a ‘trip’ into a tumultuous binge on a concoction of drugs, taking you on a visual episodic medium between hallucinations and reality. In my opinion the success of the novel and cult following on DVD is sealed by the meaning of it’s themed metaphor for Las Vegas -the worst of America.

I’d give it a rating of 3.5/5