Captain America: The Winter Soldier - Newest Marvel film

★★★★☆

5 word summary:
You can't trust anyone, ever.

5 sentence review:

Probably the best Marvel Studio film that I've seen, although I do say that as someone who isn't very interested in any of the Avengers (prefer X-Men or Spiderman).

When I came home I explained it to my parents as a Marvel film with much more focus on the plot than simply 'look how cool superheroes are!' (Although there was also so many great fight sequences and general inner-5-year-old wonderment).

We are given a little more about a lot of the characters, from Nick Fury to Black Widow, and everyone (even Captain America) comes across as more human, showing tears and flaws rather than being excessively bad-ass all the time.

The film does have a slight feeling of being a filler film, it sets up a lot and helps to introduce/develop characters for future events; of course all these films are interconnected so there is filler/linkage in all of them, but sometimes I felt it quite strongly in this one (possibly because it's the one directly before the big one, The Avengers).

The two end of credit scenes were really interested and worth waiting for, I'm so excited to see how Winter Soldier's character develop and hope that Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver will be as good a villains as Winter Soldier was.

5 good things:
1. The cast (especially the new-comers).
2. The fight sequences.
3. The Winter Soldier = awesome.
4. Explosions!!
5. Abed?!

5 bad things:
1. So many bullets and yet so few people actually hit (why does no one shoot at Captain America's legs? The shield doesn't cover his entire body).
2. Some of the dialogue was very cheesy (which is ok for the Captain, but not for Natasha).
3. Why is Black Widow in every other film but still not her own?
4. Why is there always a black side-kick but not a black superhero with their own film?
5. Some scenes felt unnecessary.

Leon: The Professional - Film starring Jean Reno, Gary Oldman and Natalie Portman

★★★★★

5 word summary:
Amazing but odd assassin film.

5 sentence review:
After a little girl's (Mathilda played by Natalie Portman) family is killed she is taken in by an assassin (Leon played by Jean Reno) who she convinces to train her in his trade; a lovely (if sometimes twisted) relationship is formed between he two.

The cast and characters are wonderful ad unique, from the overtly mature but also vulnerable Mathilda to Leon the heartless but caring and Gary Oldman's bad of crazy character Stansfield, everyone is so interesting and well created.

It's a film to be enjoyed for the acting and the plot but it can also be put on mute and looked at as a work of art because it's so beautiful.

The plot draws you in and you spiral with the characters and, although the ending could be predicted, you are never really sure where everything is going to end up (which is always the best way for a film to be).

I can't really adequately express how much I enjoyed this film without explaining that I normally watch films at home while scrolling through tumblr, when watching Leon I actually put my laptop down; I need you to understand that this is a very important symbol of how engaging this film is.

5 good things:
1. Everyone's acting.
2. Especially Jean Reno.
3. Characterisation.
4. Mathilda shooting people with a paintball(?) gun.
5. Subverting the assassin film while maintaining some themes.

5 bad things:
1. Mathilda and Leon's relationship...sometimes...
2. Mathilda could have been a little older to make me feel more comfortable with her character.
3. Unexplained obsession with milk.
4. The fact that there isn't a sequel (although that could also ruin how good it is as a stand alone film).
5. The fact I can't work out how to put an accent onto Leon's name.

The Grand Budapest Hotel - Film directed by Wes Anderson

★★★★★

5 word summary:
Wonderfully quirky and quite genius.

5 sentence review:
This film tells a story within a story within a story about M. Gustave (Ralph Fiennes) when he is embroiled in a murderous tussle to inherit a ex-lovers fortune; he is helped by his lobby boy, Zero, (Tony Revolori) and a few other interesting figures.

When we left the cinema my Dad (who I saw it with) happily stated that it was nice to see a film that was made to be looked at, and that describes this film quite well, because it was beautiful (as all Wes Anderson films are) with bright colours, amazing costuming and perfectly symmetry throughout.

Ralph Fiennes character is delightful, it is the perfect word to describe him, and quite a step away from a lot of the other roles that I've seen him do; along with Fiennes I want to give a special mention to Edward Norton, whose character should have been given more screen time, and Adrien Brody, one of my favourites who was styled particularly well.

It followed a fairly basic plot, with people squabbling over a fortune, but Anderson managed to make it extraordinary because of the excessive of unique touches, like casually mentioning The Society of the Crossed Keys or giving Saoirse Ronan an unexplained and unquestioned birthmark on her cheek.

This is one of those films that leaves you smiling when you walk out of the cinema, although when you think about it after, there are a huge number of potential questions that could be raised which is indicative of Wes's style. 

5 good things:
1. The cast (and how much fun they seemed to be having).
2. Costuming.
3. The obsession with moustaches.
4. The fact that no one changed their accents.
5. Willem Dafoe.

5 bad things:
1. Three of the female characters died, another three were 'comically' ugly and the final one was servile.
2. Some of the fantastic roles were too small.
3. I can't go to this hotel.
4. I can't eat the Mendl's pastries.
5. The cat was killed.