Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens
Rating: 8/10
The seventh episode in the second biggest film franchise in the world, The Force Awakens picks up a few years after the end of Episode VI – The Empire Strikes Back. After the defeat of the Galactic Empire (the bad guys), a new evil has reared its ugly head in the form of the First Order, who intends to take over the galaxy. The only thing standing in their way being a motley group of heroes aided by the Resistance.
I seriously enjoyed this movie and I definitely recommend you go see it. With reappearances of brilliant actors such as Harrison Ford ("Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade") and Carrie Fisher ("When Harry Met Sally..."), you know you're in for a treat.
This film also shows the fresh faces of Daisy Ridley (who debuts in the film) and John Boyega ("24: Live Another Day").
One thing that I particularly loved about this movie, is that it stayed true to the previous movies whilst creating it's own identity. The Force Awakens differentiates from the previous movies in its constant humor and brilliant, but relatable characters.
The special effects are what you would expect from a $200 million budget and the soundtrack was also amazing, throwing back to great songs like the famous "Imperial March"
And if you're really not into any of this sci-fi weird nerdy stuff (*dagger through my heart*), watch this movie for John Boyega (the sweetest, sassiest cinnamon roll that must be protected at all costs).
Yes, that is David Beckham. Sadly, he is not in Star Wars.
Or if you don't think John is that cute (go check out this interview with Graham Norton. You won't regret it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kO3aByH_4DY), there's always Oscar Isaac. ("Ex Machina"). He plays Poe Daveron, the best pilot of the Resistance and plays a key role in the final battle. He'll also be making an appearance in another sci-fi/adventure movie, X-Men: Apocalypse, so he's a man to watch.
One of the best aspects of this movie which I think is really important is the character Rey (Daisy Ridley). Contrary to all the other Star Wars episodes, The Force Awakens not only includes black people (e.g. John Boyega), but its main protagonist is a strong female character who is, quite frankly, kick-ass.
For so long, Star Wars has been a male dominated film and thus, it has had the biggest influence on boys and men. However with the emergence of Rey, children of both genders have someone new to aspire to. Her role is not purely "feminine" and not purely "masculine". She appeals to everyone and I think the appearance of this character shows that even Star Wars is beginning to change with the times. You go Daisy Ridley!
Director J. J. Abrams did a brilliant job with this movie. I would definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoys Sci-Fi, Adventure, Action or just a great movie that you can sit and watch with your family for a laugh.
The Theory of Everything
Written by: Jarita Kassen E4
This
is the extraordinary story of one of the world's greatest living minds, the distinguished
astrophysicist Stephen Hawking. This name may sound familiar because you have
heard one Mr Sheldon Cooper say it several times in The Big Bang Theory (this movie is like the retro version of TBBT)
Hawking
falls deeply in love with fellow Cambridge student Jane Wilde. Hawking was a
healthy, active man until he received life-changing diagnosis at the age of 21.
Jane continues to support and fights tirelessly
by his side, thus she played an instrumental role in Hawking furthering his
career. He embarks on his most ambitious scientific work, which encompassed the
study of time, something he valued very dearly at this time.
This
film calls for those science-lovers as well as those hopeless romantics. It
stars Felicity Jones ("The Amazing Spider-Man 2") and Eddie Redmayne ("Les
Misérables"), who won the Oscar for Best Actor for his portrayal as
Stephen Hawking, if that does not validate the success of this movie, I don’t
know what will.
The happy couple
The
film is based on the memoir Travelling to Infinity: My Life with Stephen, by
Jane Hawking.
JOHN TUCKER MUST DIE
Written by Kim Davidson (C5)
John
Tucker (Jesse Metcalfe) is popular, attractive, skilled and a complete player.
He dates as many girls as he wants at the same time, just because he can. He’s
got Heather (the stereotypical cheerleader), Beth (the ‘easy’ one) and Carrie
(the clever girl). The problem is that none of them are aware of each other,
they each think that they are Johns one and only.
Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens
Written by: Gabby Adams D3
Rating: 8/10
The seventh episode in the second biggest film franchise in the world, The Force Awakens picks up a few years after the end of Episode VI – The Empire Strikes Back. After the defeat of the Galactic Empire (the bad guys), a new evil has reared its ugly head in the form of the First Order, who intends to take over the galaxy. The only thing standing in their way being a motley group of heroes aided by the Resistance.
I seriously enjoyed this movie and I definitely recommend you go see it. With reappearances of brilliant actors such as Harrison Ford ("Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade") and Carrie Fisher ("When Harry Met Sally..."), you know you're in for a treat.
This film also shows the fresh faces of Daisy Ridley (who debuts in the film) and John Boyega ("24: Live Another Day").
One thing that I particularly loved about this movie, is that it stayed true to the previous movies whilst creating it's own identity. The Force Awakens differentiates from the previous movies in its constant humor and brilliant, but relatable characters.
The special effects are what you would expect from a $200 million budget and the soundtrack was also amazing, throwing back to great songs like the famous "Imperial March"
And if you're really not into any of this sci-fi weird nerdy stuff (*dagger through my heart*), watch this movie for John Boyega (the sweetest, sassiest cinnamon roll that must be protected at all costs).
 |
| Yes, that is David Beckham. Sadly, he is not in Star Wars. |
One of the best aspects of this movie which I think is really important is the character Rey (Daisy Ridley). Contrary to all the other Star Wars episodes, The Force Awakens not only includes black people (e.g. John Boyega), but its main protagonist is a strong female character who is, quite frankly, kick-ass.
For so long, Star Wars has been a male dominated film and thus, it has had the biggest influence on boys and men. However with the emergence of Rey, children of both genders have someone new to aspire to. Her role is not purely "feminine" and not purely "masculine". She appeals to everyone and I think the appearance of this character shows that even Star Wars is beginning to change with the times. You go Daisy Ridley!
Director J. J. Abrams did a brilliant job with this movie. I would definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoys Sci-Fi, Adventure, Action or just a great movie that you can sit and watch with your family for a laugh.
The Theory of Everything
Written by: Jarita Kassen E4
This
is the extraordinary story of one of the world's greatest living minds, the distinguished
astrophysicist Stephen Hawking. This name may sound familiar because you have
heard one Mr Sheldon Cooper say it several times in The Big Bang Theory (this movie is like the retro version of TBBT)
Hawking
falls deeply in love with fellow Cambridge student Jane Wilde. Hawking was a
healthy, active man until he received life-changing diagnosis at the age of 21.
Jane continues to support and fights tirelessly
by his side, thus she played an instrumental role in Hawking furthering his
career. He embarks on his most ambitious scientific work, which encompassed the
study of time, something he valued very dearly at this time.
Together
Jane and Stephen are the ultimate power couple and seem to defy impossible
odds. His studies were ground-breaking in medicine and science, achieving more
than they could ever have imagined.
This
film calls for those science-lovers as well as those hopeless romantics. It
stars Felicity Jones ("The Amazing Spider-Man 2") and Eddie Redmayne ("Les
Misérables"), who won the Oscar for Best Actor for his portrayal as
Stephen Hawking, if that does not validate the success of this movie, I don’t
know what will.
|
| The happy couple |
The
film is based on the memoir Travelling to Infinity: My Life with Stephen, by
Jane Hawking.
JOHN TUCKER MUST DIE
Pictured
from left to right: Carrie, Kate, Beth
and Heather.
THE BOOK THIEF by Markus Zusak
Written by: Jarita Kassen D4
Many of you may have watched this movie, but this review is on the book- which I'm sure is going to become a classic for the 21st century. Just a side-bar note be sure to have tissues on hand when reading this because the feels get real.
Set in Nazi -Germany (1939-1943), before you get any ideas this is no ordinary Holocaust story, it is much more than that. The story revolves around a girl, the book thief, Liesel. The story is narrated by Death, who is in possession of the book, which Liesel wrote during this time of her life. Therefore in a way, they are both book thieves (death and Liesel).
Liesel is an effectually orphan, her brother dies on the way to her foster parents' house. This is where Death encounters Liesel for the first time and the Book thievery begins. Liesel steals her first book, The Grave Digger's Handbook.
Her foster parents, Hans and Rosa Herbermann, are poor Germans, who nurture and care for her. Liesel becomes best friends with a mischievous, playful boy named, Rudy.
Max, who is Jewish man comes to stay with the Herbermanns. Hans helps Max because, he made a promise to Max's father. Max and Liesel become close friends as they are both alone in the world, apart from the Herbermanns. Max writes a beautiful, unconventional story for Liesel, he writes this story on painted pages of Hitler's Mein Kampf. The story is a tale of Max's life, thus begins the water-works.
Although the main protagonist, Liesel, lives a life that is surrounded by heartache- deaths, loss, exposure to fragile Jews marching around on command, the book is by no means morbid. So have no fear, the only reason why the tissues are needed is because of the incredible way Zusak writes. His writing makes the characters so tangible that the reader may become emotionally attached to them.
The Book Thief, is not just a book it is a word of art, which has revitalized and re-energized my love for reading. The book is not just about the words, it is about the emotional transitions the reader experiences and the vivid visual landscapes that the reader encounters. It is more like a stage-play with the asides and moments of emphasis and melodrama created by Death.
Edge of Tomorrow
Written by: Jarita Kassen D4
A futuristic sci-fi thriller, which will have
you hanging on the edge of your seat. A movie in which Tom Cruise will show you that he still got it.
The epic action of "Edge of
Tomorrow" unfolds in a near future in which an alien race has hit the
Earth in a relentless assault. This alien race is unbeatable by any military
unit in the world.
Major William Cage (Tom Cruise) is an officer
who is hastily dropped into a day of combat which becomes more of a suicide
mission. As before this day, he had never
taken part let alone seen combat of any sort.
Inevitably he is killed within minutes, but
fear not Mr Cruise has not left the screen yet.
This is where the futuristic
side is uncovered. Cage now finds himself mysteriously thrown into a time
loop. This time loop forces him to live through the brutal combat, which led to
his death, over and over again. In other words, he fights, dies then fights and
dies all over again.
There is no monotony, however, around this
time loop because with each battle, Cage is able to engage with the opponents
with an increasing amount of skill.
Cage fights these relentless battles
alongside Special Forces Warrior Rita Vrataski (Emily Blunt, “Devil Wears Prada”).
Cage and Vrataski tirelessly fight against
the aliens, each repeated encounter brings them closer to defeating the enemy.
The question is, if they do defeat the enemy,
will they be able to escape the time loop and get back to their time?
Watch the movie to find out!
NOW YOU SEE ME
Written by: Tumelo Moloto E1
Rating: 69%
“Now you see me…. Now you don’t”
Now You See Me follows four magicians each with various talents who team up to become the magic act known as The Four Horsemen. Together they pull bank heists during the performance and give the money back to their audiences.
The audience is left wondering how and why the magicians robbed the banks, until it is explained later in the film. Although the manner in which they robbed the banks isn’t as elaborate and exciting as one would expect, it is however not a deal –breaker, as the anticipation is far more exciting than learning how they managed to pull it off, anyway.
Although the idea of magicians being criminals is genius and unexpected, it can’t disguise the films' terrible ending and the unanswered questions it leaves the audience. What do the magicians stand to gain from this? Why would they be willing to possibly face imprisonment to follow the orders of someone they don’t even know?
Frozen
Written by: Tumelo Moloto E1
Rating: 89%
"Frozen" is the coolest (excuse the pun) animation to watch this
year!
Frozen is the story of two sisters,
Elsa (Idina Menzel) and Anna (Kristen Bell). Elsa has had magical ice powers since she was a little girl,
but after nearly injuring Anna , she is forced
to hide her powers and retreat from their tight sisterly bond. The death of the king and queen means Elsa must take
over, but the stress of her coronation and Anna's rash decision to get engaged
to a hunky prince she just met, makes her lose control, and her magical ability to create ice is discovered by the
public.
Elsa runs to the mountains and unintentionally traps the kingdom
in an eternal winter. On her way she sings one of the films’ incredibly
powerful and catching songs "Let It Go”
which has been stuck in my head for the past week. Good luck trying to get it
out of yours.
Up in the mountains she
realizes that she no longer need to be ashamed of herself and her ice powers,
and is free from the restrictions placed on her.
Anna’s journey is, thank
goodness, not about a boy or even about herself, but rather about travelling to
convince her sister to return. Anna teams up with the rugged, yet still handsome,
ice salesman Kristof (Jonathan Groff) and buck-toothed adorable snowman Olaf.
If you love animations with
catchy songs and adorable characters, Frozen is a must see
movie!
Sabrina
Written by: Jarita Kassen D4
A
1954 American fairy tale with plenty of glitter and a little fizz, it is the
classic rom-com. Sabrina will have you laughing, crying and dreaming, it is the
perfect movie to end the hell, we call 1st term.
It
stars the fairest lady of them all, Audrey Hepburn in the leading role.
Sabrina
is the unpretentious, naïve daughter of a chauffeur. They live on an estate
with the well-to-do Oliver Larrabee and his two sons: workaholic Linus and
fun-loving David.
 |
Now
with one beautiful woman and two handsome beaus there is bound to be some romance
brewing, but this does happen, just yet. Sabrina then attends chef school in Paris and returns
a worldly, sophisticated woman. Now (finally) the romance begins to brew, but
there is one problem: her long-lost love is engaged to be married (cringe).
Now, what is a girl to do? Steal the groom,of course and through this process
Sabrina finds love in the most unlikely way.
If
you are a music-lover, listen to the Audrey Hepburn sing “La Vie en rose” and “Isn’t
it Romantic”.
Which brother is Sabrina’s long-lost love? - is it Linus or David speculate all you want, but you will have to watch the movie to find out.
_08.jpg) |
Written by: Tumelo Moloto, D1
Running time: 92
minutes
Genre: Comedy
Director: John Hughes
Rating: 4/5
Personal rating: 2 ½ /5
There’s the arrogant tough guy “the criminal”, the neurotic nie so lekker in die kop girl “the basket case”, the jock from the wrestling team “the athlete”, the prom queen “the princess”, and lastly the class genius “the brain”.
On the surface the students appear to have little in common with each other however they eventually bond over their common dislike for their parents.
One of the main recurring themes in the film is stereotyping. Once the obvious stereotypes are dismissed, the students begin to identify with each other and discover that they are more similar than they are different.
Although the plot
is fairly predictable, for example the prom queen’s parents buy her stuff in
place of love and affection, it’s definitely a movie that you have to watch at
least once in your lifetime. Plus it will help you to understand references made in both Pitch Perfect and Easy A.
To be honest I still have no idea why the film is called the breakfast club.
Review: Written by Jarita Kassen C4
Feeling stuck in your school or work regime and desperately looking for an escape? Look no further, The Rocky Horror Picture Show will time warp you into a place of fun, laughter and excitement.
Richard O’Brien’s iconic musical stage play was originally performed in 1973 and has traveled to the Mother City for its 40th Anniversary! Now, all of us, Capetonians can join in the fun. It is being performed at the Fugard Theatre, right here in District 6.
The Rocky Horror Show is about a young couple who are caught in a storm and find shelter at the home of a whacky, transvestite scientist. So, begins an adventure of music, dance and discovery.
The superb acting, dancing, set design and dazzling costumes truly bring this show alive. If you find yourself dancing in your seat fear not, for participation is most welcomed. So put on your dancing shoes and come out to have a ball!
You’ll soon find yourself singing,” Let's do the Time Warp again
Let's do the Time Warp again, It's just a jump to the left, And then a step to the right.”
As a special treat there are dress-up nights where the audience is able to explore and create their own authentic Rocky Horror experiences. Come along and celebrate Halloween'13 at the Fugard Theater at the special Halloween dress-up night or Time warp yourself into 2014 at the New Years Eve Rocky Horror show.
Unfortunately this show is restricted to those aged 16 and above but thankfully, the show has been extended to 2014!
The humorous, unique Rocky Horror experience paired with the vintage, cosy Fugard Theatre makes this experience guaranteed never to be forgotten.
 |
| Bar entrance at the Fugard Theatre |
So, book your tickets now to move through time and have a glittering experience.
TUE - FRI 8PM | SAT 4 & 8PM | SUN 5:30 PM | R90 - R230
The Fugard Theatre, CALEDON STREET
(OFF BUITENKANT STREET)
DISTRICT 6, CAPE TOWN
REVIEW: Coco Before Chanel
Written by Jennifer Yuan, E4
Coco before Chanel is a bibliographical film, which illustrates Coco Chanel’s life story from how her father abandoned her at an orphanage to how she became a fashion icon.
The film is in French, but fear not as there are English subtitles. It will also do you no harm to listen to the language of the World’s fashion capital.
