July Film of the Month

August is upon us tomorrow which can mean one thing on Ticket Stub - time for another Film of the Month!

I've seen three new films so who will come out on top?

As ever, here is the all important rating system:

* = Poor. Why did I even bother?!

** = OK. Could have done better.

*** = Good. Recommended though don’t feel bad you don’t get to see this one.

**** = Excellent. Not quite perfect but highly recommended.

***** = Masterpiece. You’d be a fool not to see this film.

All movie titles link to their respective IMDB pages where you can find out more.

Do you agree? Let me know in the comments below or tweet @TicketStubBlog

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

My friend Emma and I saw this summer's big blockbuster at an Unlimited Secret Screening. We booked ahead in advance at the local Cineworld not knowing what would be appearing. Until Andy Serkis popped up on the screen to tell us that we would be some of the first people in the UK to see Dawn of the Planet of the Apes ahead of its release (only by two days, but still pretty cool). Having only seen the original 1968 film, I had no great expectations. Overall, the movie is gripping and tense. Big commendations should be made to the CGI team. The effects are incredible and the apes are particularly emotive - more so than the humans. Gary Oldman's role was pointless and I was disappointed there wasn't more of a female presence in film. Ellie, the only prominent female character, is the healer of the group. That's about it.

After doing a module about animals on film at university last year, there is a lot to say about the animal representation. As the tension and conflict builds between ape and man, all the ammunition is taken over by the animals. The ridiculousness of apes on tanks and charging forward to kill the opposition, poses questions of why we, as the human race, are so often at war with each other. We share around 98% of our DNA with apes - are we that far away from these animals? Can we truly separate ourselves from their animalistic and beastly behaviour?

Altogether, a good summer blockbuster. Although the trailer may look silly with apes riding horses, once the action is underway it is far from crazy. 

Rating: ***

Begin Again

This is probably the surprise film of the month. From the same people who made the great independent film Once (2006), Begin Again takes a similar stance of a musical encounter in the city. Keira Knightley stars as young singer-songwriter, Greta, and Mark Ruffalo as the drunk and disgraced music executive, Dan. Their chemistry and, in fact, all the characters bring a bunch of charm and wit to the screen. And, for the first time ever, Knightley was not the most annoying character! Horray! She also has a rather lovely Norah Jones esque singing voice. James Corden oozes his cheeky charisma, which was highly entertaining to watch. Maroon 5's Adam Levine isn't too bad and Cee-Lo Green's cameo, although rather random, is also quite funny. You can tell that the actors have been able to play off each other and include their own ad-libs. This creates a naturalism to the movie and lots of laugh-out-loud moments. As always, New York looks absolutely stunning - even more reason for me to go there! I came out of the cinema wanting to put my iPod on full blast and explore the city, just as Greta and Dan do in the Big Apple. A great feel-good film with a satisfying ending too. I can't stop listening to the soundtrack either.

Rating: ****

Boyhood

Boyhood is a revelation. Filmed over 12 years, all the actors age on screen and tell the story of Mason and his family life growing up. The movie seamlessly moves into each stage of his life from 5 to 18 years old. Through doing this, we as an audience can at last connect with a character's story. Normally, a different actor will play the various stages of a character's existence. We know that they are just a different actor playing the same role and it is therefore hard to connect the two together. Whereas here, you are reminded where each character has started and how they have progressed. I related a huge amount to this film, particularly in the opening scenes. I was that sister dancing and singing to Britney Spears. The sibling fights in the car? Yep, that happened a lot too! I'm sure many will also relate to those awkward teenage years. Braces, experimenting with hair-dye and just trying to be 'normal'.

The cultural references and soundtrack are also well placed. From Harry Potter midnight book launches to the iPod Mini, I'm sure when we look back at this in another ten years, it will be even more nostalgic.

The whole film is a time capsule of life. Not only for Mason but for all the characters. I think this even includes us as the audience. We are reminded of how family circumstances can easily change and how random moments in our lives make us who we are. As Mason puts it at the end: "You know how everyone's always saying seize the moment? I don't know, I'm kind of thinking it's the other way round, you know, like the moment seizes us".

The only down side I'd say would be the length of time - it is nearly three hours long but every minute of it is entertaining. Plenty of laughs and so many moments that I'm sure many families and young adults will relate to now and for years to come.

Rating: *****

Some truly fantastic films this month but only one can be the best of July.

Ticket Stub's Film of the Month is...

Boyhood

Check out the trailer below to one of the best films of the year so far.

Do you agree with Ticket Stub's choice?

What did you think of Boyhood or any of the other films this month?

Comment below with your July Film of the Month or tweet @TicketStubBlog