FILM RECOMMENDATIONS: 00'S NOSTALGIA (2003-14)
Legendary Pictures, Universal Pictures
Age Certificate: 15
IMDb: 6.3/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 24/100
Plot
As his kingdom is being threatened by the Turks, young prince Vlad Tepes must become a monster feared by his own people in order to obtain the power needed to protect his own family, and the families of his kingdom.
Review
I'm surprised this film got a low rating from critics as the reviews and rating from the audience has been really good. I wouldn't consider the film to be of the horror genre but unlike Twilight, I prefer vampire films such as this. An origin story well told.
My rating: 8/10
HanWay Films, Picturehouse
Age Certificate: 15
IMDb: 6.7/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 91/100
Plot
A soldier introduces himself to the Peterson family, claiming to be a friend of their son who died in action. After the young man is welcomed into their home, a series of accidental deaths seem to be connected to his presence.
Review
Whilst watching the film, I had a hard time understanding the story behind the soldier. Even until the end, the soldier's motives and background were unclear. That being said, the film was thrilling especially towards the final act of the film with the multiple suspense. The guest's character was dark, ambiguous, and mysterious from start to finish. He shows no true emotions and couldn't care less about the consequences of his actions. The film ends with a cliffhanger which I think is a bad way to end as I believe it could have been a good stand-alone film.
My rating: 8.5/10
StudioCanal, Universal Pictures
Age Certificate: 15
IMDb: 7.9/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 91/100
Plot
Shaun is a salesman whose life has no direction. However, his uneventful life takes a sudden turn when he has to single-handedly deal with an entire community of zombies.
Review
A mix of your regular zombie flick with a large amount of comedy thrown in. Edgar Wright, once again, shows that he is the king of comedy. You know you're watching an Edgar Wright film from the very quick cuts and the pace; they are just his signature camera work techniques. Simon Pegg does an amazing job dealing with a serious situation (the zombies) in a comedic and nonsensical way. It doesn't feel fake or try-hard. Out of the Cornetto trilogy, this probably is my second favourite after 'Hot Fuzz' (2007).
My rating: 8/10
Relativity Media, Working Title Films, StudioCanal, Universal Pictures
Age Certificate: 15
IMDb: 7/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 70/100
Plot
Two comic book buffs take a road trip to Area 51, where they run into an alien. With federal agents in pursuit, the two inept geeks must quickly find a way to return the alien to his spaceship.
Review
I have watched this film about two times and it doesn't compare to the Cornetto trilogy, however, any film with both Simon Pegg and Nick Frost feels nostalgic and you know it's going to be hilarious. Just like 'Shaun of the Dead' (2004), the film is nonsensical but a fun comedy movie nonetheless.
My rating: 7.2/10
Legendary Pictures, Warner Bros. Pictures
Age Certificate: 12A
IMDb: 6.4/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 76/100
Plot
Ford and his father, Joe, find evidence pointing to the existence of giant creatures. When the creatures, classified as MUTO, surface, Godzilla, an ancient behemoth, rises to fight them.
Review
If you remember the 1998 version of America's 'Godzilla' then you would remember how disastrous of a film it was including the underwhelming box office figures as well as a disappointing reimagination of the popular monster. The visual effects of Godzilla made it look cartoonish and really took the scare factor out the story. Maybe the technology was not quite there in the 90's, however, Warner Bros takes their turn in reinventing the Godzilla franchise. After watching this adaptation, it is was everything the 1998's 'Godzilla' was not. The narrative is detailed; Zilla is introduced into the world and the main protagonists fit in with that story. The visual effects do not disappoint; the scale of the monster and the scale of the destruction feels like a true disaster film.
My rating: 8.5/10
DreamWorks Animations, 20th Century Fox
Age Certificate: PG
IMDb: 7.8/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 91/100
Plot
When Hiccup and Toothless discover an ice cave that is home to hundreds of new wild dragons and the mysterious Dragon Rider, the two friends find themselves at the centre of a battle to protect the peace.
Review
A sequel better than the original film. What I appreciate about DreamWorks is that they put in more effort and dedication into their characters in all their films. They know how to continue a story and develop the characters that we have already liked since when they were introduced. For HTTYD, they took the risk of killing one of the main protagonists because it fit the story well and they knew it would aid the character development of their main protagonist, Hiccup. The visual effects were a lot better than the first film and the story shows a lot more into the world of dragons and the connection between Hiccup and Toothless.
My rating: 8.9/10
DreamWorks Animations, Paramount Pictures
Age Certificate: PG
IMDb: 7.2/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 72/100
Plot
The supervillain Megamind finally defeats his nemesis, the superhero Metro Man. But without a hero, he loses all purpose and must find new meaning to his life.
Review
Another fantastic DreamWorks film. It's a shame there isn't a sequel or a franchise to this but then again, it works well as a standalone film. Filled with A list celebrities who are known for comedy, this story is full of fun, comedy, and action. The story takes a hilarious look into the life of a proclaimed supervillain and see what happens when he finally wins against the city's superhero.
My rating: 7.5/10
21 Laps Entertainment, 20th Century Fox
Age Certificate: PG
IMDb: 6/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 45/100
Plot
Security guard Larry Daley infiltrates the Smithsonian Institution in order to rescue Jedediah and Octavius, who have been shipped to the museum by mistake.
Review
The Night at the Museum franchise may be, as of right now, a somewhat mediocre film compared to all the blockbuster films we have been consuming today but it was one of those films that was memorable as a child. The idea that the exhibits at a museum comes to life at night is like an adventure in a child's dreams. The film has its comedic moments and the cast especially Stiller and Wilson showcase that. The inclusion of one of my favourite 90's actor, Hank Azaria, made the film even better. It is a fun adventurous movie for children and parents.
My rating: 6.5/10
Warner Bros. Pictures
Age Certificate: PG
IMDb: 7.9/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 90/100
Plot
Harry, Ron, and Hermoine return to Hogwarts just as they learn about Sirius Black and his plans to kill Harry. However, when Harry runs into him, he learns that the truth is far from reality.
Review
My favourite Harry Potter film in the franchise. The narrative is so detailed and reminds me of how complicated the 'Doctor Who' (1963-) series can be with the amount of time traveling involved. This film does the same thing which can make the audience rethink about the whole film. The clues that were vital and meticulously placed throughout the film in order to be connected in the end and give that satisfaction of 'all of our questioned have been answered' moment and conclude the chapter perfectly. Though the beginning may be slow at first but then you would have realised by the end that every dialogue was essential from the start. It was important information for the narrative of this film and future Harry Potter movies.
My rating: 8.9/10
20th Century Fox
Age Certificate: 12A
IMDb: 7.8/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 82/100
Plot
A paraplegic Marine dispatched to the moon Pandora on a unique mission becomes torn between following his orders and protecting the world he feels is his home.
Review
One of the biggest box offices hit in the film industry and for good reasons. The visual effects are not only stunning but was the perfect example of improved and realistic CGI in the early days of VFX. After 'Titanic' (1997), James Cameron comes back with another success. The story may be conventional as it reminds me a lot of the 'Pocahantas' (1995) storyline but you can be easily distracted by the beautiful visual effects.
My rating: 8.5/10
Lorne Michaels Productions, Paramount Pictures
Age Certificate: 12
IMDb: 7/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 84/100
Plot
Cady Heron is a hit with The Plastics, the A-list girl clique at her new school, until she makes the mistake of falling for Aaron Samuels, the ex-boyfriend of alpha Plastic Regina George.
Review
I was quite late to watching this film, probably about 14 years, but even then, the film was refreshing to watch as if time has not gone by and it is still the early 2000s. The film did not lose its comedic touch nor was the story ever boring. Therefore, I would consider this a timeless classic from the 00s; since I did not grow up with any knowledge of this film, it reminded me of 'She's the Man' (2006) in terms of its comedic tone and complicated romance between characters. Still, the 2000 was really the year for teen romcoms.
My rating: 8/10
Nickelodeon Movies, The Kennedy/Marshall Company, Paramount Pictures
Age Certificate: PG
IMDb: 6.5/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 80/100
Plot
Upon moving into the run-down Spiderwick Estate with their mother, twin brothers Jared and Simon Grace, along with their sister Mallory, find themselves pulled into an alternate world full of fairies and other creatures.
Review
Another timeless classic for the children of 00s; it was hard for anyone who grew up around that time in the UK to not have watched a single Freddie Highmore film. Probably the most famous child actor, known for 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory' (2005) and this film. I was so certain he had a twin because of the visual effects that they had to pull for this movie. I was later aware of Sarah Bolger who played the sister, Mallory, from the Alex Rider film 'Stormbreaker' (2006).
My rating: 6.7/10
Avalanche Productions, EuropaCorp
Age Certificate: U
IMDb: 6/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 22/100
Plot
Ten-year-old Arthur's family home is in danger of being demolished by a real estate developer. His only hope of survival is the fabled treasure hidden in the land of tiny, fairy-like creatures.
Review
This film was 'Honey, I Shrunk the Kids' (1989) but the kid turns into an elf-fairy like creature. As bizarre as it sounds, it was still a light-hearted nostalgic family film to watch. However, I do have to say, the visual effects could have been worked on a lot more and the saturation of the film was noticed for sure (it really shouted 2000's high saturation phase).
My rating: 6.5/10
EuropaCorp, Grive Productions, 20th Century Fox
Age Certificate: 18
IMDb: 7.8/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 58/100
Plot
A retired CIA agent travels across Europe and relies on his old skills to save his estranged daughter, who has been kidnapped while on a trip to Paris.
Review
Liam Neeson is, without a doubt, one of my favourite actors and so any film with him in it is automatically a good film. That being said, 'Taken' was truly a good thriller action. The narrative was already intriguing and can be relatable for a lot a people. It's grounded and the story never gets boring; Liam Neeson plays a retired agent who is put in a dilemma that involves using the skill set that he has acquired over the years within the service. The film became popular for its meme ('I have a particular set of skills... I will find you and I will kill you').
My rating: 7/10
TF1 Films Production, Silver Pictures, Canal+, Universal Pictures
Age Certificate: 12A
IMDb: 6.9/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 62/100
Plot
An air marshal springs into action during a transatlantic flight after receiving a series of text messages demanding $150 million into an offshore account, or someone will die every 20 minutes.
Review
One of the best thriller films I've watched (and also the first film I have watched in cinemas). I went with my friends and from what I remember, we were analysing anything and everything from the first scene till the plot twist at the end of the movie. Every detail was important like any mystery novel. What I found interesting enough to watch this in cinemas was the complicated dilemma Liam Neeson's character, the main protagonist, was faced with. I love the idea of finding out who the culprit whilst figuring out how to protect passengers from being killed. No one can be trusted, even the main character?
My rating: 7/10
20th Century Fox
Age Certificate: PG
IMDb: 5.9/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 24/100
Plot
Tom finds his life turned upside down when he agrees to tend to his twelve children while his wife is away and simultaneously also coaches his football team.
Review
The definition of a family film; there is comedy, there is drama but most of all, the soundtracks are all good and makes the whole thing nostalgic.
My rating: 6/10
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This was such a long recommendation post because I grew up with a lot of movies.
Sabina 🦁
