Interstellar

Christopher Nolan has a cavernous brain of fantastic and intricate ideas. His latest, Interstellar, is no different from his other wonderful work. 

The film opens on Matthew McConaughey, his father, played by John Lithgow, and his two young children. We soon learn of the dust and how it's slowly covering their land. The crops are failing and it seems like planet earth is in a slow demise. McConaughey plays former pilot and now farmer Cooper: A single dad with a love for space and science. The film is just under three hours long, so as you can imagine, we're given a real insight to their family life before venturing out into space. We follow along as Cooper visits his kids school, as he downplays the existence of the supernatural to his ghost visited daughter and as he brings down a military drone whilst driving through a corn field. Just your normal day! But soon, things escalate with the weather and Cooper, with daughter in tow, discovers a secret government run base. I wont go into much more detail about the plot because it's fantastically constructed and my words wont do it justice.

Firstly, the film is available in both 2D and 3D. I saw the film in 2D and still had brief moments of motion sickness. There are several moments within Interstellar that involve constant spinning and wormhole light contortions. As you can imagine, this will be heightened in 3D and could leave audiences feeling nauseous by the closing titles! Even in 2D the film is beautiful with sharp colours, wide angle views and beautiful other-worldly landscapes. Even the scenes that were created using advanced CGI technology looked incredibly realistic and were familiar enough to be understood as real. With so many people choosing to watch films at home on smaller screens and on laptops, this film would be wasted anywhere but the wide screen of a cinema.

Undoubtably, like most of Nolan's films, Interstellar has more than a few plot twists and turns! Once in space, the team encounter difficulties with gravity, relativity, fuel and with a particularly suspicious astronaut from a previous expedition. However, I think one of the biggest surprises was the emotional depths that the film explores. I found myself on the brink of tears not once or twice but five times. The film is intense and builds as the minutes tick by. Even in the moments of silence in space, there is an uncertainty that haunts each action on screen. Anne Hathaway, as Amelia Brand, and Jessica Chastain, as Murph(ey) Cooper, provide tender but powerful feminine touches to an otherwise entirely masculine cast. They are both strong characters, one more than the other, who are a representation of the smart and strong willed girls in our society who still have typically 'feminine' emotions that sometimes take control.

The film deals with so many fascinating questions, most notably: Is earth the only planet we can live on? This film will likely spark thought provoking conversations amongst audiences world wide. Are we alone? Can we travel through time and space? It's important for films to open this discussion because it's not only interesting but it could potentially spark a light under a passionate individual who could one day answer these questions for us. Nolan's ability to create such captivating characters and dialogue, opens doors for Science Fiction to further infiltrate mainstream cinema more than ever before. 

This film is a must see and will likely win big during award season next year. If the film wasn't three hours long, I'd head back to the cinema now to watch it again!

Prometheus

Genre hybridity is a long running tradition in Hollywood cinema. Directors and writers alike, have been combining different styles and aesthetics in an attempt to make new types of film that would eventually form its own genre. Ridley Scott's 2012 film, Prometheus, is one that adopts this way of thinking and portrays elements of both the Science Fiction and Horror genres.[1] The film had been in development since the early 2000s and had been rewritten and reworked right up until 2010 when the film began production. Prometheus contains themes and plot staples that are seen in both genres and shows characters that develop similarly to those in Horror or Sci-Fi films. This film is a prime example of clever and effective genre hybridity that was successful in the box office and will likely serve as an example of combination work that film makers will draw inspiration from. 

The story follows a group of individuals from selected professions as they travel to and explore a new planet. As the film progresses the audience learns with the characters that the planet is not as safe as they had thought. As alien beings begin to cause havoc and David, the android, begins to act more and more suspicious, our protagonist and heroine Elizabeth Shaw makes life threatening decisions and is ultimately left seeking revenge. The name of the movie is interesting considering that ‘Prometheus is called upon to help us think about what it means to be human.’[2] It seems the film reflects heavily upon the God after which it was named. The title itself suggests that the film is centred on consideration of morality, and as the plot is driven by the search for our makers, it is evident that humanity is also a central theme. Humanity can be seen thriving through the protagonist as she defeats her own mutant foetus. Yet humanity can also be interpreted as flawed, primarily through the character of Peter Weyland, who is searching for any way of staying alive possibly because he fears his own death. Both Horror and Science Fiction genres tend to explore the human mind being pushed to its limits either physically or theoretically.

One of the key reasons why Prometheus was a successful film by itself but also as an example of combination cinema, was because Horror films have often contained Science Fiction elements. This meant that the eventual combination of the two genres was relatively seamless as many of the plot points and themes fit within both categories. Horror films were created and produced with the aim ‘to shock, scare, revolt or otherwise horrify the viewer.’[3] And these films are often subdivided into seven categories. Brigid Cherry explains this in her 2009 book titled Horror.[4] This is similar to Science Fiction films, as they too can be divided into any number of specified categories. One type of Horror film is explained as supernatural and involves interventions of other worldly beings into our reality. The supernatural is key to this film as the premise surrounds other worldly ‘engineers’ that created mankind and is now seeking to destroy it. Naturally, Science Fiction, the supernatural and Horror cinema blend together effortlessly.

One of our biggest social fears is the basis of many Science Fiction films: technology that develops a sinister and superior advancement over humans. This is widely explored within the film and it is clear that the film contains technology far advanced from the types that we are used to today. Science Fiction and Horror are both popular for expressing cultural and social anxieties. Horror garners negative emotions as opposed to more straightforward pleasures of the romantic comedy or western whilst Science Fiction tends to explore technological advancements that would result in our downfall. The largest technological advancement seen in Prometheus is through, Michael Fassbender’s character, David. Throughout the movie it is unclear whether David is morally good or bad, as he both poisoned Elizabeth’s love interest and offered to help her escape the planet in the end. He certainly acts suspiciously throughout, which doesn't help the audience warm to the android. Since the early beginnings of technology there has always been those who worry that eventually robots, like David, that we create will work against us rather than for us. ‘Science fiction films concerning fears of machines or of technology usually negatively affirm such social values as freedom, individualism and the family.’[5]

With space exploration developing dramatically in recent years, humankind is more in fear of the universe than we have ever been. But probably the fear that resonates most is the fear of disease and infection. We see the character Charlie Holloway slowly get infected and turn into a monster himself. We can often judge what our anxieties are by looking at the films that we watch. ‘All popular films reflect social attitudes. How do we know what the social attitudes are? Just look at the films!’[6] Because disease is something that can spread quickly, people often fear epidemics which was evident over the last ten years when the public responded to the Swine Flu. Many nations increased their intake of vitamins and some even began wearing masks in an attempt to avoid the dreaded Flu that resulted in the death of hundreds.[7] As long as audiences have social anxieties, they will go to the cinema to see films that explore that topic out of pure curiosity and, typically, Horror and Science Fiction are genres that investigate these the most.

When two genres combine, so do the fan bases of each. Typically Horror films and Science Fiction films have the same target audiences that the films appeal to most – men aged between 16 and 24. Genre hybridity increases audiences as the film appeals to more people, therefore the film will likely gain more profit. This then allows for more films to be created following its success. Prometheus was a film that appealed to several different audience groups; fans of Ridley Scott and the Alien franchise, Horror movie buffs, Science Fiction ‘nerds’ and lastly, those who were attracted by the advertising campaign and advertisements.[8] The film made roughly $403 million at the box office after being made on a budget of nearly a third of that, $130 million. Whilst it is nearly always the aim of film makers to make as much of a profit as possible, Scott was able to cash in on his pre-existing fans by tying the film to the popular Alien franchise that he had made years before. Fans play a large part in the success of any film and can really help to either make or break a crossover film. By giving Prometheus a ‘horrifying’ edge, Scott was challenging his fans to see his film, a loose prequel for Alien, as being aesthetically different to others that he had done which were more Sci-Fi than Horror.

Horror and Sci-Fi are two genres that maximise the use of prosthetics and special effects. The combination of these two genres can result in a boom of creative designs that will spur artists to create more. The film was a great combination of CGI and prosthetics which was nice to see considering ‘the concern for many people trained in the techniques of makeup and prosthetics, model making and animatronics was that the demand for this type of workmanship would simply disappear altogether should CGI ever prove capable of stimulating the materiality of physical effects effectively enough to meet with audiences’ approval.’[9] The prosthetics were mainly used to show disfigurement and age on characters but the most notable use was on the Engineers themselves. The artist was challenged to make a human-like face that was also completely alien. The characters had squared off jaws and head that made the characters look dominating and superior. Compared to the Alien franchise, the film had a much smoother image with animatronics and CGI working together. Prometheus was an example of how, when technology has been improved the quality of the film will likely improve also. This will result in sophisticated special effects and an improved cinema experience because the on-screen image will be closer to reality than it was before. Prometheus was nominated for several special effects awards because of its achievements visually, creating a world that was believable but still completely new and unknown.

The combination of two genres that already contain many of the same features is likely to be successful. Not only is the film more likely to make a profit because of the widened target audience but it also provides Hollywood with a new interpretation of film and suggests that sticking rigidly to one genre may be outdated. With the advances in technology in the past decade these hybrid movies contain higher quality special effects and are able to utilise the conventions normally associated with each individual genre. Resulting in advancements in special effects artistry and effects, hybrid films are some of the most realistic films visually. The combination of Horror cinema and Science Fiction film is successful as the two fit together well and often aim to reach the same goal through their films. With common themes these two particular genres are the easiest to merge and have the most cohesive end result. There will always be a demand for films that explore our deepest fears and shock us in the process. Prometheus was able to appeal to both Science Fiction and Horror fans alike, whilst also attracting mainstream audiences which shows the far reaching abilities of the hybrid film.

---

[1] Prometheus, Dir. by Ridley Scott (20^th Century Fox, 2012)

[2] Carol Dougherty, Prometheus: Gods and Heroes of the Ancient World (Routledge, Oxon, 2006) p. 3

[3] Bigid Cherry, Horror (Routledge, Oxon, 2009) p. 5

[4] Bigid Cherry, Horror (Routledge, Oxon, 2009)

[5] Michael Ryan and Douglas Kellner, ‘Technophobia’ in Alien Zone: Cultural Theory and Contemporary Science Fiction Cinema, ed. by Anette Kuhn (Verso, New York, 1990) p. 58

[6] David Bordwell, Poetics of Cinema (Routledge, New York, 2008) p. 30

[7] Richard Alleyne, ‘Swine Flu Killed 475 People and Cost £1.24 Billion, Official Figures Show’, The Telegraph, 1 July 2010 <http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/swine-flu/7865796/Swine-flu-killed-457-people-and-cost-1.24-billion-official-figures-show.html>

[8] Alien, Dir. by Ridley Scott (20^th Century Fox, 1979)

[9] Stephen Prince, Digital Visual Effects in Cinema: The Seduction of Reality (Rutgers University Press, New Jersey, 2012) p. 26

The Big Wedding in Last Vegas

Well, Robert De Niro is certainly keeping his dance card full! In 2013 alone, he has played prime characters in six films - at least that's what his IMDB page is telling me. Anyway, in my spare time last night, I watched The Big Wedding. Despite appearing on my Netflix feed for months and consistently scrolling past it uninterested, I decided to give it a go.

De Niro plays the unlikely head of a household. Within the first ten minutes we learn of his affair, his subsequent divorce from first wife Ellie and his 10 year relationship with his mistress Bebe. With three children, grown and out the house, the family prepares to reunite for, adoptive son, Alejandro's pending nuptials. But, drama unfolds as Alejandro's strictly catholic birth mother arrives from Columbia expecting her son's parents to still be happily married. In an attempt to save face, Ellie and Don (De Niro) pretend to be together which leaves Bebe feeling left out and pretty pissed off! The rest of the film deals primarily with the family's dysfunctional relationships and the modern, religiously diverse, sexually active and inactive family.

The film was a star studded event. Susan Sarandon, Amanda Seyfried, Katherine Heigl, Diane Keaton and even Robin Williams appear as key characters along with, of course, Robert De Niro. The actors seemed to work well together on screen and made a cohesive, and more importantly, realistic family. It was nice seeing Sarandon and Keaton in the same film for the first time. They are both actresses that I admire and was frankly shocked when I discovered this was the first time the two are appearing together. Hopefully I'm wrong and some kind person will tell me of another Keaton/Sarandon film! I'm also surprised that Robin Williams made an appearance in a rather pivotal role considering he has become rather selective with the films he stars in. But when he does appear in roles like this, the world is reminded of his brilliance and his wonderful style of acting. Hollywood loves a film with several blockbuster names, so I'm surprised I hadn't heard much buzz about it. Even on Netflix, I never saw a banner or a suggestion for the movie.

Now, I'm trying to be less critical of films like this. Films specifically designed to make people laugh and not much else, shouldn't be ripped apart by critics and bloggers... but I can't help myself. Everything was great apart from the ending...

**SPOILERS**

Another film, completely ruined by it's ending. Why did the writer suddenly feel the need to create this web of lies and adulatory which was then almost immediately overlooked! It's practically a law that comedy films like this one are supposed to finish on a happy ending. But by glossing over the drama that is included is only complicating the film. The affair reveal at the end was also entirely unwarranted, and could have been left on the cutting room floor. I almost feel like the reveal should have come much earlier in the film to allow the characters time to react realistically instead of shrugging their shoulders and accepting that their loved ones cheated on them.

If you're looking for something to watch on Netflix, then go ahead and watch this. But just remember... everything ends, pretty much the exact same way that it started (with the addition of a wedding ring and one little Katherine Heigl surprise).

The second film on my De Niro list was Last Vegas. A film that follows four men on a trip to Las Vegas for a bachelor party. Of course this sounds very familiar, but these men are all 60+ years old and are not exactly the 'hangover' types. Again, the aspect of the film that garnered my attention was the stellar cast. Michael Douglas, De Niro, Morgan Freeman, Kevin Kiline and Mary Steenburgen are the core cast with amazing support from Romany Malco, Joanna Gleason and Roger Bart! There was also a short but hilarious cameo from Curtis Jackson a.k.a 50 Cent.

The jokes were heavily centred around age and the differences in attitudes. With the closing moral of the story surrounding the importance of friendship and living life to it's fullest at any age. Morgan Freeman's character donned a fanny pack throughout and provided many of the out-loud-chuckles as he experienced gambling and young women. I enjoyed Romany Malco's character and the way his interaction with the men changed over the course of the movie. He's obviously a very talented comedy actor having starred in several box office hits, and I hope to see him shine again in Think Like a Man Too which premières this Autumn.

Last Vegas showed a different side of Vegas than the one we so often see on screen. Instead of focusing on the neon colours and messy, party lifestyle, we saw several beautiful scenes of the characters walking through pool areas and casinos. The image was less overwhelming than those seen in The Hangover (which is simply the first Vegas based film that came to mind). It was bright and beautiful.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this film, its themes and its cast. It would be a great watch for anyone who enjoys a few good laughs from some very talented actors.

Princesses

I've never thought of myself as the princess loving type. But with a little bit of reflection and a marathon of my old favourite films, it has become clear that I am. 

With the end of the festival, I can sometimes find myself unwilling to leave my bed. And sometimes I'm just glad I can use the Fringe as an excuse for doing so! Anyway, during September, I enjoy TV binging and movie marathons. This year, I decided to dive into my past a little and watch some of the films I idolised as a child. There were three main films on my list to watch: Anastasia, The Little Mermaid and The Princess Diaries. Straight away you can tell that my favourite movies growing up all had the same particular theme - royalty! Although it was never something I noticed at the time, princesses dominated my upbringing through films, television and Barbie dolls. Here is what I have learnt from re-watching these films just before I turn 20 and leave my teenage years behind.

Anastasia

This film has always been one of my favourites that I have consistently come back to. And for anyone else who studies film, you know how difficult it is to identify a favourite film! Anastasia was a story that captivated me from a young age. Everything, from the cute puppy, Pooka, to the beautiful dresses of the 1920s, kept me entertained and engaged as a girl. I would try to imitate scenes in my bedroom, dress like Anya as she danced in her yellow gown and sing the songs as loud as my voice would let me. Watching the film as an adult is no different. I regress to my younger self when Once Upon a December begins to play, and it's a state I don't snap out of until the credits roll. However, the film almost seems scarier now. Maybe it's due to my better understanding of the world, relationships and my knowledge of what actually happened to the Romanov family, but for some reason, the film hit deeper than it's ever done before. I felt real pain for Anya and her Grandmother when they were separated and sorrow as the nearly weren't reunited. I felt despair when Anya danced in the Grand Hall with only her faint memories to guide her. I felt anxious when Dimitri swings on the rope to save Anya from drowning. I felt anger when Rasputin wouldn't leave them alone. Every emotion was much stronger than it used to be and it felt like I was unable to help the characters, whom for so long as a child I had considered my friends. 

The love story in Anastasia was always different to the ones you would see in Disney movies. Anya and Dimitri are equals who fall in love over time (not a long period of time, but longer than most Disney romances). They started as strangers, grew to become friends and eventually Dimitri suddenly fell in love with his stubborn accomplice. I've never been one to wish for a relationship that emulates one I've seen on screen, but there was something about the match that just felt perfect. Although, having said that, I do enjoy a little more romance than a single dance on the deck of a boat. But I suppose beggars can't be choosers! Finally, as I grow older, I continue to be fascinated by the way that Anya conducts herself. She is a strong, wilful and hopeful character who values family above all else. Certainly traits to admire as I move into the next stage of my life. I could write for days about the many aspects of this film that I adore and how fascinated I am with the history behind the story and the version too grisly for film. But sometimes, when a film is thoroughly dissected and analysed it can ruin the many years of love. I suppose it's easier to touch only the surface and enjoy the film for what it is.

The Little Mermaid

This must be on every girls list of favourite films from their childhood. The Little Mermaid came out before I was born so I'm not entirely sure what age I was when I first saw it but it's stuck since then, that's for sure! Ariel was my spirit animal. She was everything I wanted to be, young, beautiful, talented, kind and wonderful. Just wonderful! Ariel finds a prince who loves her, even when slightly derailed by Ursula. And the way she loves Eric was always something I had dreamed for myself. I grew up searching for that 'prince' who I would sacrifice everything to be with! Now, a little older, I realise that relationships are about compromise not sacrifice and that my role model, Ariel, didn't exactly prepare me for a healthy love life!

The movie was always an overwhelming show of determination. To me, Ariel was the shining light amongst the other Disney princesses because she was fiery and passionate about living the life she wanted to live. I never realised the impact re-watching this film would have on me. I'm in my last year of university and I'll graduate next summer. This is petrifying. I have ideas of how I would like to live my life but I suppose I'm still too scared to make the positive moves towards it. Ariel didn't care. She went for what she wanted and even though it was hard and she had to sacrifice some of the things she loved, she got there in the end. This was strangely inspirational to me. Yes, I sometimes get inspiration from animated mermaids, deal with it. 

This film was always one I related to on a bizarre level. Although I've never felt restricted by my parents to any extremes, I think it's a feeling that every child has. Realising that your life is your own and that you don't need to do everything your parents want you to do can be liberating. Parents obviously want the best for their children but sometimes the lines are blurred and it can feel like they are trying to live through you. Pushing you towards the decisions that they would make rather than helping you towards your own decision. I love my parents and have a great relationship with them now, but every now and again, I do feel a little lost and like my parents only see one direction for me. The Little Mermaid will probably always make me nostalgic for the days when big decisions were only made in movies but it's helped me see that moving towards what you want is important for your own personal well being.

Ariel would have driven herself insane if she had stayed underwater for her entire life.

The Princess Diaries


This film came out a little later in my life. Already seven, going on eight, I was able to understand more of the themes presented. This film, growing up, was a symbol of change. A pillar of hope that my life could change just as easily as Mia's life did. This obviously led to many years of me believing I was a princess and unpopular because my time simply hadn't come yet. I moulded many of my attributes around Mia's. I tried to be kind and humble, I tried to work hard and be honest. I learnt to appreciate myself a little more and grew up ambitious and courageous (at times). Many of these things, I believe I've upheld to the best of my ability but re-watching the film has instilled in me, yet again, the importance of being true and comfortable with yourself. It's interesting to look back and see how important being popular is in high school. Whether you admit it or not, it was important. But it's not. In the long term scale of things, who you know and who knows you in high school doesn't matter. It's so easy to get caught up in the social swing of things but why do so many consider it to be important. Having friends is vital in school and very important in helping develop into an adult, but having the most friends is total bullshit. If I could go back and tell myself anything, I would say 'find yourself a few good friends and hold on tight, they are all you need'.

I think I loved this film so much growing up because it was about an average girl who's entire world changed overnight. That was exciting to me. And even at the young age I was when this film was released, I was already fully immersed in imaginary games with my toys. So there is no surprise that the idea of living a different life was exciting. Now I watch The Princess Diaries and cringe a little. It's all far too reminiscent of first kisses and first betrayals. It makes me think back on my embarrassing high school memories and how many things I would change if I could. But I can't and that's what's funny about it all now. Everything that was the cause of pain, stress and upset, is in the distant past and seems like a joke to me now. Maybe The Princess Diaries taught me more about reflection than I thought. Maybe the film reminds older viewers to look back at their adolescent years with a smile, because they were really funny.
So there we go, three films that I once loved, still love and will continue to love. Even if they are all about princesses.

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

Back with a bang! 20th Century Fox's second instalment of the ape reboot was stunning in every possible way.

I've always been a huge fan of the story, meaning that I've watched all of the remakes and the original. I've even seen the TV series that aired in the 70s on CBS. I find the concept interesting and imaginative whilst still relative in today's society. There is still a real social anxiety surrounding animal testing and the lengths we go to for science. And with a film like this, that shows a fictional outcome for extreme testing, this particular anxiety isn't going anywhere fast. But, forget everything that has come before because the new reboot, which launched in 2011 with Rise of The Planet of The Apes, is spectacular.

Opening on warning announcements and a small montage of television reports, the audience quickly learns that most of civilisation has been wiped out by the ALZ-112 virus which was first encountered in the first film. Obviously, followed by the obligatory pan shot of a large, normally populated, city shrouded in trees and overgrown plant life. The first real action we see is a hunting scene as the apes find themselves some dinner. A wonderful opener, as we see the apes are humanised and have feelings, emotions and fears like their human counterparts. I'm always a bigger fan of films that make a real effort to open the film with a bang. Straight away, I sympathised with the apes and was almost more attached to them than I was to the humans after they were first introduced. The apes were as scared of the humans as they were of them, they just hid it slightly better. That particular saying is true of so many animals that we disregard and cower from in fear of being attacked.

The film continued to impress throughout with epic battles, tense scenes between Malcolm (the human's leader) and Caesar (the ape's leader) and some touching moments of real humanity from both sides. One particular interaction that stood out was on the lake. The humans were recovering from an accident inside the Dam when Caesar's young son started to play and interact with them. The scene goes from tender and rather reminiscent of the relationship between Caesar and Will Rodman from the first film, to aggressive and upsetting as one of the humans angers the apes by hitting the young monkey. This, of course, causes further strain on the partnership between man and animal.

It would be stupid not to mention the special effects in a movie such as this. The biggest aspect of the film, the apes, were obviously not real - but you'd never be able to tell. Caesar and his followers were created using motion capture technology and this resulted in a real human element to their movements. I've always been a fan of Andy Serkis' work and was very happy when it was announced he would play Caesar in the reboot. He has such a talent for bringing animals and creatures to life. I'm just waiting for the day that he receives an OBE as recognition for his two decades of amazing work in the film industry.

Finally, the ending. Wow. I'm so excited for the next film in the trilogy!

I've tried very hard to write this without any spoilers when all I really want to do is sit down with people who have watched it and dissect it properly for hours! And as a result of this, my review is a little bare. But you shouldn't let me form your opinion, go see the film (and the one before it, obviously) and see for yourself. Definitely one to watch this summer.

How To Train Your Dragon 2

Always a fan of brilliant animation, I was very excited to see the second instalment of How To Train Your Dragon. This film, set 5 years after the first, allows us the chance to revisit some hilarious and well conceived characters. And of course, the return of Toothless and his puppy-like charm!

The film opened and closed with a voice over. Always an interesting decision to make but ultimately it neither hindered nor improved the story telling of the film. Hiccup recaps the last five years of life in Berk and how things have drastically changed to the conditions seen in the first film. Now, dragons and Vikings live in peace and have adopted each other as pets and owners. I do enjoy when a film revisits previous episodes as it helps the audience re-engage with the story and the characters. But the voice over at the end felt a little too 'brave heart' for me. For someone who normally loves a happy ending and a real conclusion, it was just an obvious reminder that the film was for children. It felt immature and very Disney (even though it was Dreamworks Animation who created the film. An animation studio that has, so often in the past, made fun of Disney).

My main gripe about this film, and its predecessor, was the accents. Vikings are typically Scandinavian but were portrayed in this film as being Celtic, either Scottish or Irish. And then their is Hiccup, our protagonist and hero! His accent is obviously that of Jay Baruchel, a Canadian actor who clearly was either told not to change his voice or simply didn't bother. His character supposedly from a Scottish father and a Scottish/Irish mixed Mother has an accent better suited in the 21st Century. I haven't delved much into the creation of either film, so I don't know if there was thought behind this decision. I, as a Scot, found it distracting and annoying. If you're not going to make your Viking's Scandinavian, then at least make the accents consistent!

The animation was superb in this film. With hundreds of new species of dragons on screen in all shapes, sizes and colours, there were moments of real artistic beauty. My only regret was seeing the film in 2D instead of 3D. I think 3D could have enhanced the experience but it was still wonderful in 2D. I watched the first film at home on my computer months ago, so I missed many of the subtle markings on the dragons and on the faces of characters. It was nice to see the sequel on a big screen and to see all of the things I had missed before. If anything, this proves that watching a movie at home is nowhere near as good as watching one in a cinema.

Without spoiling the film, there was one particular moment that hit me hard. It involves Hiccup's father and for some reason I couldn't stop a small tear and squeeze of my dates hand. Whenever films explore the relationship between father and child, I become a blubbering mess. I suppose it's a sign of my love for my Dad and how much I value him in my life. Blah blah blah emotions. The film was good - go see it in 3D!

#ChicagoGirl: A revolution for social media

This week I took some well deserved time out to join my flatmate for a screening of #ChicagoGirl - The Social Network Takes on a Dictator at the Edinburgh International Film Festival. Nathan works as a volunteer for the festival and was able to secure us two free tickets. The film was being shown in the Filmhouse cinema on Lothian Road, which is one of the main venues hosting this years festival. The rooms were packed and quickly heating up but none of this hindered my experience.

The documentary takes place primarily in two cities - Chicago, USA and Damascus, Syria. Nineteen-year-old, Ala'a Basatneh is the focus of the film along with her friends Omar, Bassel and Aous. From the comfort of her home in Chicago, Ala'a communicates with the boys and with several other revolutionaries on the ground in Syria over social networks. Having moved from Syria to the states in an attempt to avoid Bashar al-Assad's dictatorship, Ala'a works close to 24/7 to help those still trapped in the harshly governed country. The film highlights the development of the revolution and how it was heavily influenced by similar protests in Egypt and Tunisia. Both of these protests successfully de-reigned their dictators in less than 30 days, however, the Syrian conflict continues to this day with the death toll rising.

Normally, documentaries like this do not appeal to me but I'm so grateful I saw it. To see the influence that a young girl can have and the impact of our actions online. It's an incredibly eye-opening experience to watch a girl, my age, change lives on Facebook when all I do is post photographs of drunken adventures and comparatively minimal achievements. Ala'a is a positive influence on everyone she talks to, helping to save lives from both Chicago and from the ground in Syria. As the film closed, the audience learnt that Ala'a had a successful first trip to Syria and was set to return a second time to provide medical supplies.

One aspect I found interesting was when Ala'a described what the police would ask the protesters when they got arrested. For their Facebook username and password. The government, obviously learning as they go, caught on to protesters using Facebook as their main form of communication and their way of organising events. Ala'a takes her friends account information before they attend a protest and once she hears that they have been captured she logs in and deactivates their account.The police use the information online to find other protesters and at one point they even found Ala'a. A few weeks after this, she was sent a death threat that explained that she would be made an example of. Clearly stressing the importance of deactivating the accounts once someone has been arrested.

A huge part of the documentary was the citizen journalists that documented the revolution with hidden cameras for the world to see. One of the Syrian government's ploys was to hide their actions from the rest of the world with the intentions of dealing with this problem 'in house'. Al-Assad has even appeared on American television blatantly lying about the state of the country and the horrific amounts of police brutality. So to counteract this, young, educated, men are filming the protests, and in some cases first hand accounts of government ordered killings, and uploading the content online. Basically a cry for help that the world wasn't hearing. The featured citizen journalist in this documentary was Bassel, obviously a representation of thousands of others just like him. He was educated in the USA before deciding to return to Syria to help in the fight against dictatorship.

Unfortunately, documentaries about such a conflict don't often end on a high. Both Omar and Bassel die during the course of this film with both funerals briefly shown. Their stories memorialised and used in an attempt to further highlight the problems within the country and the importance of support for the people on the ground who are only fighting for the freedom they deserve. The film contains graphic images of many injured men, women and children and shouldn't be taken lightly.

Something I never thought would capture my attention has fascinated me in a way I couldn't imagine. It makes me wonder about the way our world and our government bodies work and whether or not we are making the right steps forward towards a more peaceful world.