January Film of the Month

A new year, a new bunch of reviews! It has been a bumper month of films this January as all the big dramas are released for the awards season. I'll be seeing more of the nominated pictures in February, but let's crack on with the movies opening 2015. 

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 relevant IMDB pages so you can find out more about plot, cast and crew.

The Theory of Everything

Image: en.wikipedia.org

Eddie Redmayne's performance is unbelievably good. Especially after Stephen's diagnosis of motor neurone disease, Redmayne convincingly embodies the Hawking we are all so familiar with. It got to the point where I forgot that Redmayne was acting. His change in physicality is remarkable. What an achievement. Redmayne certainly deserves the Oscar nod and all the award wins and nominations so far. Felicity Jones, who plays wife Jane, is equally as good, though her aging on screen isn't quite effective.

If you are going in expecting a science film, it isn't. Although there are many comparisons to this and The Imitation Game, The Theory of Everything is more of a love story. It is therefore rather sentimental and is a bit of a safe movie. We all know that Stephen has exceeded the expectations of doctors who gave him only 2 years to live. It then makes the film less dramatic as we know the outcome and his story. Mind you, it is more to do with Jane's story. It is adapted from her autobiography and deals with the struggles of looking after the physicist and how they met. 

A beautifully shot film and a stellar performance from Eddie Redmayne gives this a high recommendation. Not quite perfect though.

Rating: ****

Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)

Image: tribute.ca

Being an avid theatre goer and performer, I loved the dynamic between the outside world of New York and underground feel backstage at the theatre in Birdman. The cinematography is so clever and a huge technical feat. The film flows as one continuous take, which fits the setting of theatre perfectly, and never drops the momentum. It reminded me of Hitchcock's Rope (1948), but the achievement here is miles better than Hitchcock's attempt ever was - mainly because Rope was contained in just one room for the entire film. Here, we weave through the depths of the dressing rooms and venture out into a busy Times Square, in a fantastic sequence involving Michael Keaton dodging the crowd in his underwear. Keaton delivers a terrific and hilarious performance as Riggan. I wouldn't be surprised if he pips Redmayne to the post for the Best Actor as this year's Academy Awards. Emma Stone is a delight as his daughter and Edward Norton equally puts in a cracking performance. The soundtrack is tremendous too - a drumming jazz heartbeat throughout the film, adding to the chaos of the stage and Riggan's wild imagination.

This off beat black comedy is definitely worth a second viewing. An astonishing, unique and surprising film - a must see for this year.

Rating: *****



The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies

Image: imdb.com

I am a huge Lord of the Rings fan, but I have been bitterly disappointed by The Hobbit series. Firstly, why does it need to be three films? The Hobbit is a super short book, especially when comparing it to the LOTR trilogy. They managed to put each book into one film each, why not one or just two films for The Hobbit? Splitting it into three was clearly decided so the studio could make more money. Indeed, it was #1 at the Christmas box office but I don't think it has paid off in making a quality film.

Compared to the second film it didn't drag as much but the ending could have been edited down greatly. What did I like the most? The fact that the movie went into Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring (2001). We see Ian Holm return as old Bilbo with Gandalf knocking on the door to greet Bilbo on his 111th birthday. Maybe I only liked that moment because it was the end of The Hobbit  and we can all have a wave of nostalgia watching LOTR again.  

An OK film which could have been a lot better with less CGI and a shorter running time. A disappointing series overall.

Rating: **

Into the Woods

Image: collider.com

I am a big musical fan so this is right up my street. I also love Stephen Sondheim's quirky lyrics and scores but had never encountered Into the Woods before. Emily Blunt is the best piece of casting in the film. She puts in a wonderful performance as the Baker's wife. Her on screen husband, the Baker, played by James Corden, equally brings charisma and warmth to the story. I loved the cheeky cameo from Simon Russel Beale - a musical star and Sondheim actor - as the Baker's father. Meryl Streep gives it plenty of welly playing the Witch, however I found it a little too over the top. Chris Pine is utterly charming as the Prince. He and Rapunzel's prince have the best scene in a song called Agony - which has them despairing over the effort they have to go through to win their loves.

Johnny Depp's cameo is brief but very enjoyable as the Wolf. However, you can tell that Sondheim's dark musical has been slightly Disney-fied. Deaths of characters are hinted at and it is no where near as brutal as the stage version. There are only slight suggestions to the dark nature of the film which will probably skim over children's heads. If Disney had not been tied to the film, I am sure it would be darker, and arguably a better movie.

A great entertaining film for musical and fairytale fans. Not a technical masterpiece but with a brilliant cast and exciting plot, it comes with a good recommendation.

Rating: ***

Foxcatcher

Image: cineworld.co.uk

I had high expectations for Foxcatcher having featured it on Trailer Tuesday on Ticket Stub. It is a story worth being told and the performances are very good indeed. I found Steve Carrell really creepy as John Du Pont, and that is not just down to his phenomenal hair and make up. His voice and mannerisms are very well executed - a far cry from the comical performances we are so familiar with. However, Mark Ruffalo deserves more praise for playing David Schultz. Particularly in the scene where he is being interviewed and, through gritted teeth, has to say that Du Pont is a mentor to him. The brotherly relationship between Ruffalo and Channing Tatum, as Mark Schultz, was very convincing too.

This is a slow paced film. I mean really slow. I understand that it builds up the drama, especially towards the end, but it got to the point where I actually got slightly bored. However, maybe it is meant to be like this? Cold, dark and slow to reveal a quick shock and dramatic ending?

A recommended film and story but I probably wouldn't choose to sit through it again.

Rating: ***

Wild

Image: pcta.org

Reese Witherspoon is great as Cheryl Strayed. She gives a stripped back, realistic performance which is instantly likeable, despite her character flaws. Nick Hornby's screenplay works cleverly with flashbacks throughout Cheryl's hike on the Pacific Crest Trail. We learn more about why she is walking and how she is coming to terms with the loss of her mother and break down of her marriage.

Surprisingly, Wild is very funny - especially with tiny Witherspoon attempting to put on the biggest backpack ever! Witherspoon has earned a Best Actress nomination for her performance and it looks like she has a good chance of winning. A very enjoyable film of self discovery and coming to terms with loss. Recommended.

Rating: ***

A brilliant bunch of films from this month. 
Who will come out on top? 

January Film of the Month is....

Birdman or

 (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)

Do you agree? 

Comment below or tweet @TicketStubBlog with your favourite film this month.

Film of the Year 2014

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Firstly, I'm going to say sorry for the lack of posts during December - it was a busy month and blogging took a massive back seat which is not how I wanted to end a fantastic year on Ticket Stub. To make up for this, I'm starting 2015 with the Film of the Year for 2014! I will also combine a brief December Film of the Month to this post too.

So let's have a very brief look back at last month's films. This final month of the year was actually pretty disappointing for movie-going. I only managed to see two films during December, and didn't get the chance to see the biggest film The Hobbit! I know, this is very poor. (Don't worry, it will be in the January 2015 round up).

As usual here is the 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 titles to films link to their respective IMDB pages so you can discover more about the plot, cast and crew.

Dumb and Dumber To

Image: imdb.com

The dumbest duo are back in a not-so-eagerly awaited sequel. Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels look like they had fun making this themselves, but is it funny for the rest of us? Not so much. If you're a fan of the first film (really?!), then you'll probably enjoy this. For the majority though, there is no need to see it.

Rating: *

Big Eyes

Image: filmpulse.net

Tim Burton unexpectedly directs this movie starring Christoph Waltz and the brilliant Amy Adams. The story is exciting and it is actually rather refreshing to not have Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter starring in yet another Burton picture. Adams is excellent and Waltz plays the creepy crook very well. A great story that I would certainly recommend.

Rating: ***

Therefore, December Film of the Month is:

Big Eyes

Watch the trailer here:

Now to the main event - 

Ticket Stub's Film of the Year 2014. 

Let's look at the nominations:

Click on the links above to read each review in full.

January - 12 Years a Slave

February - Dallas Buyers Club

March - The Grand Budapest Hotel

April - Divergent

May - X Men: Days of Future Past

June - The Fault in Our Stars

July - Boyhood

August - Guardians of the Galaxy

September - Night Will Fall

October - Gone Girl

November - The Imitation Game

December - Big Eyes

There have been plenty of outstanding films throughout 2014 that it's genuinely hard to just pick one.
However, one must be crowned the winner so here are the top three:

Third Place - Boyhood



Second Place - 12 Years a Slave




First Place - The Grand Budapest Hotel

Do you agree with my choices?

What was your Film of the Year?

Next up will be a New Year's Resolutions post (much needed I think!)

Here is to 2015!

November Film of the Month

It's the penultimate Film of the Month on Ticket Stub and we've been treated to some awesome films over the past four weeks. I've managed to see three of the best movies to hit screens this winter so let's get started.

As ever, here is the 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 titles to films link to their respective IMDB pages so you can discover more about the plot, cast and crew.

Interstellar

Image; behindwoods.com

Christopher Nolan has served us another epic movie. It is grand in scale with stunning visual effects. There are plenty of moments to keep you guessing but the film falls short in a few places. Interstellar is a tad too sentimental where it reaches the point of becoming corny. In the final third act of the film, I really wasn't sure where on earth the plot was taking us as we enter into another dimension. Despite these set backs, the IMAX screening I attended made a huge difference to the viewing experience. I think for any sci-fi film, such as Gravity (2013) or 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) - which there are many nods to in this and is also being shown in cinemas this December - they are made to be seen on the biggest screen possible. This is certainly true for Interstellar. The sound was particularly enhanced too - despite it being off balanced in places, as also reported in other reviews. Matthew McConaughey is a fantastic lead and there is a surprise cameo from a Hollywood star - no not Anne Hathaway (she's just OK in this), but someone else not included in the promotion of the movie. Though it has a long running time, it is definitely recommended viewing - if anything for Nolan's ambition which just falls short of being truly brilliant. Don't wait until DVD or Netflix though, go see it in cinemas.

 Rating: ****

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1

Image: phoenixpx.deviantart.com

Last year, I went to see The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013) after quickly watching the first film on Netflix the night before and without seeing any trailers in the lead up to the film's release. I had one of the best movie experiences because of this - nothing was spoiled and every plot twist was a complete surprise. So often now, we watch trailers already knowing what the huge scenes will be, what the best lines are and the whole premise of the film. Therefore, I knew for this first part of the final installment I had to do the same. The night before I watched the sequel, conveniently on Netflix, and purposely avoided all promotions to do with Mockingjay. Again, this made a huge difference viewing the film. Mockingjay is so much darker than the previous two films and there is a lot of tension and politics thrown into the action. Jennifer Lawrence is awesome as Katniss. As well as being a great action hero, she is passionate and emotional so we can really root for her throughout the movie. She even sings a song called The Hanging Tree, which is one of the best moments. The late, great Philip Seymour Hoffman is wonderfully charming and comedic playing Plutarch.

The action is gripping and tense throughout. I cannot wait for the last film to be released next year. Yet again, I'll be avoiding all trailers and books! Obviously watch the first two films before venturing into this sequel.
Highly recommended.

Rating: ****

The Imitation Game

Image: filmnation.com

This is such an important film to see and one of the best of 2014. The Imitation Game is based on Alan Turing and the team who cracked the 'impossible' German code known as Enigma in the Second World War. Benedict Cumberbatch's performance is captivating right from the word go. 'Are you paying attention?' he asks at the beginning. Indeed, we are. Turing is an intelligent but tragic character. His genius and isolation is compellingly portrayed with flashbacks and jumps forward to the present day of the 1950s. Turing was homosexual at a time when being gay was illegal. He was prosecuted for homosexual acts in 1952 and eventually committed suicide in 1954. In 2013 however, Turing was given a royal posthumous pardon by the Queen.

The struggles of the team trying to decode Enigma and the moment of the breakthrough itself is enthralling. I found it especially moving when the team finally decode the German message. The rest of the cast are brilliant supporters too. I was pleasantly surprised by Keira Knightly's performance and adored Charles Dance as Commander Denniston.

Without Turing we wouldn't have computers or, in fact, nearly any of the technology which makes our world work today. Not only is this a superb film, it is an important one to educate new generations about the significance of breaking of Enigma and Turing's incredible intellect. Justice Minister, Chris Grayling, stated on the announcement of the pardon from the Queen that "Turing deserves to be remembered and recognised for his fantastic contribution to the war effort and his legacy to science." Let's hope this film can do the same too.

Rating: *****

A great month for films, but as you can see there is one clear winner.

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

The Imitation Game

Check out the trailer below:

What's been the best film you've seen this month?

Comment below or tweet @TicketStubBlog

October Film of the Month

Autumn is well and truly here. As the clocks go back and the dark nights draw in, it's time to head to the local cinema and see some (hopefully) great films. Four movies are included in this month's round up, so let's see who will come out on top.

As always, 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 so you can find out more about plot, cast and crew.

Gone Girl

Image: thefilmstage.com

After quickly finishing the book the week before the official release of Gone Girl, I was super eager to see the film adaptation. With the story still fresh in my mind, there could have been many opportunities for the film not to meet my expectations. However, this never happened. David Fincher has created an epic tense drama, filmed beautifully and with a brilliant cast. It is hard to review without revealing the plot twists, but the way the story unfolds is captivating - just as the book is. Rosamund Pike is fantastic as the wife, Amy and Ben Affleck plays Nick just how I imagined. Don't be put off by the 2 and half hour running time. The action doesn't drag in the slightest and keeps you guessing (even though I knew the plot twists!).

Possibly a bit melodramatic in places and there are slight differences to the book - which inevitably always happens with movie adaptations - but they are fortunately not enough to make the film a disaster. An excellent thriller and I urge everyone to read the book too. Highly recommended.

Rating: ****

Effie Gray
  

Image: imdb.com

I love period dramas. Sense and Sensibility (1995) is one my favourites, written by the glorious Emma Thompson. Effie Gray is similarly written by the actress, who stars in the film too, however it falls flat in many places. Effie Gray takes itself too seriously and barely anything actually happens. I felt the film could have used more flashbacks to provide further context into the relationship between John Ruskin and Effie. Without these flashbacks, I didn't care for either character and therefore did not care for the story or film. It became almost comical. My friend and I did start laughing in places that were rather cringe-worthy. The cast on paper looks brilliant: Greg Wise, Emma Thompson, Dakota Fanning, Julie Walters and David Suchet. But it is a bit of style over substance. The landscapes look lovely and cinematic - but the story is , dare I say it, boring and dull. It did make me research more about the relationship but I wouldn't particularly recommend this film. Just OK.

Rating: **

The Rewrite
 

Image: teaser-trailer.com

Hugh Grant is back in a new action film...oh wait, no, not action....sci fi? No, that's not right either. Oh, wow! Of course, he's starring as the romantic English lead in a new rom-com. Who saw that coming?! Yes, Mr. Grant is embracing his type casting in a relatively charming film about a screenwriter who has to take a posting at a university to pay the bills. There a few funny jokes here and there but it is nothing to scream home about. An enjoyable rom-com, with some entertaining moments. Recommended for Hugh Grant fans (but even they might be disappointed).

Yes, the review for this film is that short.

Rating: **

Magic in the Moonlight

Image: indiewire.com

I enjoyed this film a lot more than expected. Emma Stone is enchanting - just as Colin Firth's character finds her. It is a charming film but is highly unlikely to be the awards season hit as Blue Jasmine (2013) was last year, with Cate Blanchett winning Best Actress at the Academy Awards. After studying Woody Allen's work at university, I've come to recognise many themes within his movies. Particularly, the subject of death and the afterlife which is at the core of this film. Although that sounds morbid, the script creates an entertaining perspective through Colin Firth's cynical character. Despite some good qualities, the film doesn't have the magic of Allen's Midnight in Paris (2011). Recommended for a Sunday afternoon if you haven't got too much to do.

Rating: ***

As you can see, there is a clear winner this month.

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

Gone Girl

Check out the trailer below:

What's been the best film of October?

What films are you looking forward to for November?

Comment below or tweet @TicketStubBlog with your suggestions.

September Film of the Month

It's been a busy month - not with seeing a huge amount of films unfortunately - so this will be a brief Film of the Month post. October is looking particularly exciting though, with plenty of widely anticipated films being released. I'm quickly reading Gone Girl before it's out in cinemas next week - check out this Trailer Tuesday to find out more!

Looking at the month gone by, it hasn't been the most outstanding. However, hopefully now autumn leaves are falling and the dark nights are drawing in, awards and Oscar buzz will start to build. This all means we'll be watching some epic and thrilling films for the remainder of the year.

As always, 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 will link to their relevant IMDB pages so you can find out more about plot, cast and crew. 

Do you agree with the ratings? Let me know on Twitter or in the comments below.

Sex Tape

Image: beyondhollywood.com

I knew this movie was going to be awful before it began. With low exceptions, I was therefore slightly surprised at how I laughed a few times. But only a few. There isn't really much to say about the movie. (Great for a reviews section! Well done, Helena). What I mean by that is, you can pretty much get the gist of it by the trailer.

The thing I found most funny about the film is how it has coincidentally mirrored real life in recent weeks -  with celebrity sex tapes and pictures being leaked online because of The Cloud.

 'And you can't get it down from The Cloud?' says Diaz. 'Nobody understands The Cloud. It's a fucking mystery!' exclaims Segel. (You can see this dialogue in the trailer - like I said, just watch that and you've seen the film).

The product placement is also ridiculous. Apple must be having a field day with the amount of products taking up the precious screen time. It is pretty much an advert for Apple all the way through.

With only a few laughs, it is embarrassingly silly and underwhelming. Don't bother.

Rating: *

If I Stay

Image: en.wikipedia.org

Since The Fault in Our Stars was released, it seems that the dramatic and tragic teen love stories are becoming increasingly popular. If I Stay falls into this category. It is rather soppy and romantic, so I'm sure it will appeal to the target audience of young teenage girls. The acting and plot is very dramatic. With Mia between life and death, the scenes in the hospital become very melodramatic - especially in one instance where Mia is crying and falls to the ground in a OTT fashion looking straight down the lens of the camera.

Despite this, the soundtrack is brilliant. It is actually a huge element of the film, Mia is a cello player so Saint-Saens, Bach and Beethoven are heavily featured. Not only good for dramatic effect, this is also great for introducing young audiences to classical music. Mia's boyfriend, Adam, is in a band and is drawn to Mia's love of the cello. It is what brings them together. So along side the classical strings, are Ben Howard with his song Promise and a beautiful cover of Beyonce's Halo by Ane Brun. The indie-rock tunes are probably influenced by Mia's parents' taste in music too. The soundtrack is available on Spotify and is well worth the listen.

A few good parts, but too dramatic and soppy for my liking. Great for young teens though. 

Rating: ***

Night Will Fall

Image: bfi.org.uk

This has got to be up there with one of the best documentaries I have ever seen. On Sunday, my sister and I went to see Night Will Fall at the British Film Institute (BFI). This is a documentary about the cameramen from the Allied Forces, who were making their own documentary, headed by Sidney Bernstein, about the discovery of the concentration camps in Germany between 1944-45. 

The filming of German Concentration Camps Factual Survey was left unfinished until the Imperial War Museum London recently restored and completed the documentary with the notes left by the filmmakers. Alfred Hitchcock also worked on the film as a supervising director.

Alongside excerpts of the film's raw footage, are interviews with those individuals who were liberated from the camps and the soldiers who discovered the unimaginable atrocity. The interviews are heart breaking and incredibly moving. Especially so, when their descriptions are matched with the visually shocking images. I had seen photographs before from the camps, but no reel footage like this. The images are hard to describe as they are truly horrific: corpses being thrown into pits, men, women and children being left to rot and freeze in the snow. As one of the veterans describes, 'I had peered into Hell'. Watching this film only gives you a glimpse of what they saw, but my word, it is exactly as he says: Hell.

Although harrowing to watch, this documentary is incredibly important for every human being to see. Night Will Fall also reminds us of the significant importance of documentary film in revealing truth and creating a historic record. The original documentary, German Concentration Camps Factual Survey, will be shown at the BFI London Film Festival on October 13th 2014.

Rating: ****

As you can see, there is a clear winner for

September Film of the Month...

Night Will Fall

Take a look at the trailer below:

What is the best film you've seen this month?

Comment below or tweet @TicketStubBlog

August Film of the Month

August is over and it is time to look back at the best Film of the Month.

Have you seen any of these films? What did you think? Do you agree with my ratings?

To help your decision, here is Ticket Stub's 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.

Each film title links to their relevant IMDB pages so you can find out about plots, cast and crew.

So let's get on with it and see which movie will come out on top. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below or on Twitter @TicketStubBlog

Guardians of the Galaxy

Image: metrokids.com

At first, I wasn't too sure where this film was going - with a talking raccoon and special effects galore, my initial impression was 'oh, god what have I walked into? Is this just some silly movie for kids?'. However, once we get going, this film is a hoot. The script is brilliantly funny, almost bordering on spoofing the superhero blockbusters. The charismatic Chris Pratt (The Lego Movie, TV's Parks and Recreation) is a brilliant piece of casting as Peter Quill. He knows how to play comedy but we can also take him seriously as the hero of the film. Each character is intriguing and entertaining, put altogether their chemistry bursts a huge amount of energy on the screen. The plot may be a bit frantic in places, but a highly recommended film nonetheless. Another stand out moment? It has to be the soundtrack which is based on Quill's mixtape from the 1980s. Tracks include: I Want You Back by The Jackson 5 and Ain't No Mountain High Enough by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell. Highly recommended for all the family.

Rating: ****

The Inbetweeners 2

Image: metro.co.uk

The Inbetweeners 2 has been extremely successful at the box office. The movie, based on the popular E4 TV series, took £12.5 million in its first five days at the UK box office. So with its success in sales, is the film itself any good? Well, yes and no. Yes in the sense that the four socially inept guys are back, visiting Jay in Oz. The jokes are pretty funny including Will serenading his love interest in a great piece of cringe-worthy comedy. There are also plenty of snarky remarks on gap-year students and culture. However, some of the humor may be too vulgar for viewers - with physical comedy involving excrement and misogynistic themes throughout. Some jokes fall flat but if you don't like one, they'll be another to have you laughing. For fans of the TV show and first movie, it is more of the same and you know what to expect. Stay for the credits, as they are just as funny. Recommended to fans of the show, but do not worry if you miss this one.

Rating: *** 

What If

Image: sideonetrackone.com

Daniel Radcliffe stars as Wallace - a geeky British med-school dropout living in Toronto. He meets Chantry who has a boyfriend. The film asks the inevitable 'will they/won't they' questions and the all important one - can men and women be just friends? I liked the themes of this, mainly because it reminded me of When Harry Met Sally (1989), however What If falls into the predictable rom-com cliches. I thought Radcliffe plays the comedy pretty well, but he doesn't have the same charm and heart-throb attractiveness as say, Hugh Grant. It is pretty certain that if this was made in the 90s, Grant would be all over this. What If is enjoyable but is certainly not a stand out rom-com.

Rating: **

Lucy

Image: eadavisblog.wordpress.com

Scarlett Johansson stars in the thriller which, although slightly ridiculous, keeps you guessing as to what will happen when Lucy reaches 100% of her brain capacity. The movie is thrilling and having the weighty Morgan Freeman as the professor always adds a sense of dramatic seriousness. Lucy is great, up to a point. As she accesses more capacity, her powers become hard to fathom and the movie spirals out of control. Maybe that is the point though? The ending is very disappointing. When the credits rolled, I asked 'is that it?'. A fairly good thriller which starts as an entertaining piece, but soon becomes nonsense. 

Rating: **

A huge variety of films this month. Which is Ticket Stub's pick?

August Film of the Month is...

Guardians of the Galaxy

Check out the trailer below:

What is your August Film of the Month?

Let me know in the comments or tweet @TicketStubBlog