Title: American Hustle
Director: David O. Russell
Score: 7/10

After having seen American Hustle swipe up BAFTA awards for best original screenplay and best supporting actress I had to see this film. I have to say I wasn't extremely interested when I first saw the trailer which is why I probably left it so long. It didn't seem very different and I thought it was going to be yet another funny conman-turned-good movie.

I will say this: the story is not what makes this film. I probably wasn't too wrong in that the scenario was pretty predictable and felt like we had seen it before. The characters, however, are nothing like we have ever seen before and they are what makes this film truly unique.

The acting was superb. Jennifer Lawrence was absolutely brilliant and she really deserved the best supporting actress award. She played the part of the quirky (to say the very least) wife to perfection. Amy Adams's acting was probably the weakest link, it was a bit bland with no distinguishing features.

The characters were extremely real. There were no black and white personalities. The attachment a conman has towards his first real friend and his adopted son, the extreme ambition of an FBI agent who just wants to get ahead, a man torn between two women all seemed like genuine portrayals of people.

All in all, I'm extremely glad I have watched this film as it was a brilliant combination of real-life drama and hilarity.

*The product artwork I use within this review is taken from Wikipedia in order to identify the subject of the review. It is low enough in resolution such that it could not be used as counterfeit or pirated material.

The awards ceremony we had all been looking for finally took place. I wouldn't say there were any major surprises but there were a few actors and actresses that I was routing for so it was exciting to watch the awards ceremony nonetheless. I have outlined the main awards and winners below.

Best Film: 12 Years a Slave
Best Director: Alfonso Cuaron - Gravity
Best Actor in a Leading Role: Chiwetel Ejiofor - 12 Years a Slave
Best Actress in a Leading Role: Cate Blanchett - Blue Jasmine
Best Actor in a Supporting Role: Barkhad Abdi - Captain Phillips
Best Actress in a Supporting Role: Jennifer Lawrence - American Hustle
Best Original Screenplay: Eric Warren Singer and David O. Russell - American Hustle
Best Adapted Screenplay: Steve Coogan and Jeff Pope - Philomena
Best Cinematography: Emmanuel Lubezki - Gravity

I was extremely happy to see Barkhad Abdi win best supporting actor for Captain Phillips. His acting was so remarkable that it was almost difficult to believe he wasn't an actual pirate. I believe this is an even bigger achievement considering this was his first acting role. Cate Blanchett was another one of my favourites and I was delighted to see her win best leading actress. Everytime I think acting cannot be improved, a performance like hers comes up, setting the bar even higher.

Gravity, a film I have yet to see, swiped up many awards including best director and best cinematography. American Hustle was another high performer swiping the award for best actress in a supporting role and best original screenplay among many others. I have also not seen American Hustle but that will be rectified this week.

12 Years a Slave won best film and best leading actor and featured in many nominations. I am embarrassed to admit I have also failed to see this but judging by the sheer number of awards and nominations, I am sure I won't be disappointed when I have a cinema trip soon(ish).

The awards ceremony was definitely worth watching, if not for the emotional and hilarious speeches then to simply admire Angelina Jolie's flawless skin and incredible style.

*The product artwork I use within this review is taken from Wikipedia in order to identify the subject of the review. It is low enough in resolution such that it could not be used as counterfeit or pirated material.

Title: The Hunger Games: Catching Fire
Director: Francis Lawrence
Score: 7/10

I have just been to see this movie and I must say I was impressed. It was a marked improvement from the first movie in terms of plot and cinematography. Having read the books, I actually thought it followed the plot almost to the letter (which is rare for films based on books).

However, and this is a bit of a large however, I wasn't thrilled by the acting. We all know Jennifer Lawrence can act; we've seen her in Silver Linings Playbook, but somehow I found her acting slightly theatrical at times. The same certainly goes for Josh Hutcherson playing Peeta. Sam Claflin made a wonderful Finnick on the other hand; he was everything I expected from the character (including the good looks!). Oh and how could I forget Jena Mason? She really did make the perfect Johanna.

The film was beautifully made but I thought the soundtrack somehow felt rushed in certain scenes. For instance, Coldplay during the credits? I mean, I love a bit of Coldplay myself but that really felt random-like someone literally pressed random on their phone and Coldplay happened to blast out.

This brings me to my major problem with the film: the ending. I'm ok with cliffhangers as long as the scene is cut at the right point. Leave it too long and the ending is ruined, which is what happened here. Watching an actress look severely constipated made for a poor finale to an otherwise decent movie.

*The product artwork I use within this review is taken from Wikipedia in order to identify the subject of the review. It is low enough in resolution such that it could not be used as counterfeit or pirated material.