Welcome!

We are seven TV & Media Production students from IT Carlow and as part of our coursework we were assigned to come up with a blog.
And so 'Ctrl Alt Cinema' was born. We plan on bringing you reviews and opinions on the films which you may have missed!
So, with out much further ado..

Friday, July 2, 2010

You, Me & Marley


Set in belfast in 1992 during the troubles, 5 Catolic friends go about stealing cars and joyriding and are shaped by the violence that surrounds them.




CAST




Marc O'Shea as Sean
Bronagh Gallagher as Frances
Michael Liebmann as Marley
Michael Gregory as Hugh
Emma Moylan as Mary
Marie Jones as Sarah
Catherine Brennan as Rosaleen
Frank Grimes as Mr. Hagan
Lorcan Cranitch as Father Tom
James Greene as Father Peter
Ian McElhinney as Reggie Devine




Run time : 84 mins


this film is an entertaining film about the 5 friends who rob and joyride cars especially sean and marley. when marley is caught by the vigilantes, his fingers are broken by a bassball bat by the ira commander. this was my favorite scene, it brought so much tension before he swings the bat and breaks his fingers. the after beating is worse when the beat everypart of his body.
it has a great soundtrack like the original track 'injected with a poisin'

overall the film was farily good and i enjoyed it.

DIRECTOR: SPENCE, RICHARD

Brian

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Eden Lake 2008


Eden Lake is a 2008 British horror and thriller written and directed by James Watkins and starring Kelly Reilly, Michael Fassbender and Jack O' Connel.
We're finishing up the blog today so I said I'd post about another film I enjoyed recently.
I really enjoyed this movie. It wasn't terrifying as the poster says, but it was definitely thrilling. Fassbender (now a big hollywood star after Inglorious Basterds) is ok in this but it's not his best role to date.
The plot is about a young couple who take a trip to Eden Lake. A place where Steve (Fassbender) went as a young child, but is now closed to the public and inhabitted by youths. As tension grows between the couple and the youths, things turn violent and a game of cat and mouse insues.
I think the idea behind the story was to show what young kids in Britain are like today and how their parents are neglecting them. The breakdown of civil life in Britain. You almost believe this could happen to you and it is plausible that there are kids out there like that shown in this movie. It's almost a gaurantee these days. There are gruesome parts in the movie and you do get emotionally involved with Jenny as she tries to get away.
You have to ask yourself why they would stay and put up with the youths but I guess if I think about it I wouldn't let some kids ruin my holiday either. That's a running theme throughout though. Stubborness and hopelessness. Even when they do stand up to the kids and fight back in the end it's hopeless. All of this stems from lack of parenting and that's the feeling we're left with in the end. That this could all happen again.
I think it's a timely movie but is never going to make enough of an impact that the writer, I'm sure, wanted. It is scary though and is full of twists and turns to keep the story exciting. The ending is a great twist too. Check it out.
Anyway that's me done with this blogging craic so signing off,
Gerry.

This is my Father


This Is My Father is a 1998 Irish-American film directed by Paul Quinn.

I watched this a long time ago and only recently saw it again. The plot for this film is brilliant and the ending is pretty heartbreaking. There are of course a few terrible irish stereotypes thrown in for a modern day (1998) Ireland, but I think the flashbacks which makes up most of the movie are probably pretty accurate for the time.

The story centers around a relationship between a 17 year old middle class girl named Fiona and a shy labourer named Kieran in late 1930's Ireland.

One of the things this movie shows is how much influence the church had and how different Ireland was then compared to now.

Aidan Quinn is brilliant in this and pulls off a very believable and powerful performance.

Like I said it is a very sad film and shows a part of our history that though not particularly easy to talk about, is definitely true.

A great movie and one of my favourites.

By Gerry

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

BARAKA

BARAKA 1992 Directed by Ron Fricke. Baraka is an ancient sufi word which can be translated as a blessing. Baraka is not conventional movie as it has no structure. It is but a masterpiece of modern day photography. The film was filmed in 152 locations in 24 different countries. The film has no dialogue, no story or plot but instead uses themes to present new perspectives and evoke emotion purely through cinema. Fricke writes about his work "Both technically and philosophically I am ready to delve even deeper into my favorite theme: humanity's relationship to the eternal".
Posted by Will

Margot at the Wedding


"Margot at the Wedding" is a 2007 comedy-drama written and directed by Noah Baumbach. It stars Nicole Kidman and Jennifer Jason Leigh. It tells the story of a neurotic writer, Margot, who goes to visit her engaged sister Pauline along with her son Claude.


Conflicts begin to take place because of Margot's anger and her disapproval of Pauline's fiancé. The wedding becomes in danger of not taking place. Family drama takes place.
A secret is revealed by Pauline to Margot, which Margot then tells Claude.
I really enjoyed this movie. The story is simple and reliable and yet the acting is intense. The movie has a great combination of being serious and funny. It can amuse, it can shock, and it can emote.
This is one of those movies that I would look forward to seeing again. Here's hoping that you are also looking forward to seeing it now.
Mattias

Monday, April 19, 2010

Cruel Intentions


Cruel Intentions (1999)
Director:Roger Kumble
Starring: Reese Witherspoon , Ryan Phillipe , Sarah Michelle Gellar

Cruel Intentions is one of my favourite films of all time and to any-one who has not seen it they should its Gossip Girl meets Dangerous Liaisons. Katherine(Sarah Michelle Gellar) and Sebastian ( Ryan Phillipe) are spoilt upper east side New York teens and are also step brother and sister. Sebastian gets his kicks from bedding as many girls as possible while Katherine plays the good girl but behind closed doors things are completely different. Sebastian and Katherine place a bet that Sebastian will not be able to sleep with Annette Hardgrove( Reese Witherspoon) the new principles daughter. Sebastian rises to the challenge and wages his Jaguar on it while Katherine wages her body. With many twists and turns Sebastian actually falls in love with Annette discovering a different side to himself but his step sister gets jealous and makes him feel ashamed of what he feels leading to a very horrible and fatal outcome. (I am not going to ruin the ending just watch it!!!!!)

Beautiful people, great clothes , New york and a lot of sex in Cruel Intentions makes it attractive all round for audiences. The story line is flowing all the way through and the acting is second to none already you get to see years previous how Reese Witherspoon earned her Oscar. Sarah Michelle Gellar (also known better as Buffy the Vampire Slayer) stands out and portrays the immoral nasty IT girl Katherine to perfection getting her out of pesky type casting that so many actors who have starred in series like Buffy have fallen into. Ryan Phillipe also gives a stellar performance that makes you sympathise with the harsh realities of been a teenager.

The sharp and biting dialogue in the movie is great with the ever underlying sexual tension with the characters which is one of the main things Kumble wanted to convey.In saying that there are so cheap one liners that take away from the Upper est side feel of the movie. Sebastian's realisation that he was falling in love made for a moving scene when he breaks up with Annette as he cries 'I'm fucked up' the tears streaming down both characters faces is enough to make any one cry.

Although there are also many faults in the film it really makes for good watching. It is an indulgence to good to pass up.With such strong acting from the 3 main leads , darkly funny script and dolloped in Hollywood late 90's movie goodness!!!!!

Until next time
Dawn :)

Sunday, April 18, 2010

A Perfect Getaway (2009)

A Perfect Getaway is a 2009 American psychological thriller written and directed by David Twohy, and stars Steve Zahn, Timothy Olyphant, Milla Jovovich, Kiele Sanchez, Marley Shelton and Chris Hemsworth. The film was shot in Puerto Rico and Hawaii, and was released on August 7, 2009 in the US, and on August 12 in the UK. The film received mixed to positive critical reaction and was a minor financial success.

The idea for this movie seems fairly believable at first read. A young newlywed couple are on their honeymoon trekking in Hawaii when another couple is murdered on the island. Along their way they meet two other strange couples. A pair of hippy hitchhikers and an ex-marine and his girlfriend.

The story from there is kind of a who-dunnit? I don't know if it's because I watch too many movies or what, but I guessed who was the killers very early in. The reason for this was probably that there were not enough suspects and the ones who were supposedly suspects seemed a little too obvious.

There is of course your twist at the end but for me it came too early and again wasn't very shocking to the audience. I would have liked to see more fore-shadowing too. Instead of doing this they "catch up" the audience with flash backs which doesn't really work for me.

Steve Zahn was good in this and I am a fan of his but his was limited by the script. This idea had potential because the scenery is great and as a location its original. The script needed a lot of work before they went to production though. More characters, plot twists and a later reveal would have made this movie great. It's still good, but not great.

By Gerry