Darkmatters Films to look out for in 2012

Darkmatters Top Film Picks 2012

By Matt Adcock

"I am the LAW"

DREDD (Darkmatters' hot tip)

Judge, jury and executioner, the infamous 200AD  super cop / one man law, teams with a trainee to take down a gang that deals the reality-altering drug, SLO-MO... This has lots of potential to rock!

"They're Creepy And They're Kooky, Mysterious And Spooky

Dark Shadows (Darkmatters’ most freaky) 

Tim Burton rocks some younger viewer friendly horror with everyone’s favourite Hit Girl Chloë Grace Moretz.

"All vampires should wear leather and carry guns!"

Underworld: Awakening (Darkmatters’ most guilty pleasure) 

Kate ‘vampire warrioress’ Beckinsale sqeezes back into her leather catsuit as Selene in order to lead the battle against humankind.

"We gotta kill em all OK?"

The Hunger Games (Darkmatters’ most like Battle Royale)

In the future a boy and girl from twelve districts have to fight to the death on live television… Could be a good riot deterrent!?

Prometheus (Darkmatters’ most promising sci-fi) 

Ridley Scott brings us an Alien prequel starring Idris Elba and Noomi Rapace – also looking at the origin of humankind… Please don't cock this one up!

"Scarlett johansson brings the sizzle"

The Avengers (Darkmatters’ film of the year?)

Finally the S.H.I.E.L.D. agency brings together a team of superhumans to help save the Earth from annihilation by extraterrestrial invaders. Altogether now ‘if we can’t defend earth, we will AVENGE it!’

"New Catwoman, on what looks like a batbike"

The Dark Knight Rises (Darkmatters other film of the year!?)

Tom Hardy brings the Bane… Gotham City falls and Batman is pushed to breaking point and beyond. Do the words ‘can’t wait’ mean anything to you?

"The tube rush hour crowds really annoyed Peter Parker"

The Amazing Spiderman (Darkmatters’ spider sense tingling) 

Andrew ‘Social Network’ Garfield takes the spandex clad lead, the Lizard is set to be the main baddie. We are excited!

"Wild card thrills ahoy"

Django Unchained (Darkmatters’ violent thrills choice) 

Tarantino is back with a tale of mentor / slave-turned-bounty hunter who set out to rescue his wife from a brutal Mississippi plantation owner.

"The not so happy couple"

The Great Gatsby (Darkmatters’ literary classic) 

Another lavish looking adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald's Long Island-set novel, where Midwesterner Nick Carraway is lured into the lavish world of his neighbour.

"The dwarves are out..."

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (Darkmatters’ Fantasy-em-up) 

Off we go then back to Middle Earth where young Hobbit Bilbo, journeys to the Lonely Mountain accompanied by a group of dwarves to reclaim a treasure taken from them by the dragon Smaug.

"The gorgeous people"

Syrup (Darkmatters’ random Amber Heard starring choice)

Sees a slacker hatches a million-dollar idea. But, in order to see it through, he has to learn to trust his attractive corporate counterpart. Based on Max Barry's novel.

Looks like another great year for films potentially - what are you looking forward to?

Amazing Spiderman vs Dark Knight Rises - trailer fight!!

Amazing Spiderman vs Dark Knight Rises


Matt Adcock can't decide which looks better from the trailers...

Matt's top ten films 2008

Matt’s Top Ten Films of 2008

2008 had some fantastic films in just about every genre – there was high camp in Mama Mia (even if it was a bit like watching actors play SingStar on a Greek holiday), future art in Wall-E (unique and lovely)and more shoes than you can count in Sex and The City (I didn't like this but I know some women who did) but for me here’s the top ten of films that are worthy of special note:

"no one was supposed to get hurt..."

10. Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead (15)
An awesome slow burning, nerve grinding tour de force that will make you squirm as you see characters making very bad decisions and then try to deal with the consequences. Philip Seymour Hoffman and Ethan Hawke have never been better.

"What if the stories you told came to life?"

9. Bedtime Stories (PG)
You want ultimate kids dream wish fulfillment, genuinely funny slapstick, a romantic central plot and some great special effects… Disney deliver the goods this Christmas with the unlikely but winning team of Russell Brand and Adam Sandler bringing the feel good fun of making bedtime stories come to life. Adults need not apply.

"Never Forget. Never Forgive."

8. Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (18)
Johnny Depp cuts a dashing swathe as the demon barber of Fleet Street, singing whilst he delivers this biting black comedy with a very sharp edge. A full blooded musical horror show driven by homicidal tendencies and cannibalistic appetites – it isn’t for the faint of heart.

"Shoot first. Sightsee later."

7. In Bruges (18)
You might not expect a foul mouthed, crunchingly violent and darkly comic oddball film about hitmen to make you stop and consider life, honour and the nature of Purgatory but that’s exactly what In Bruges achieves… Colin Farrell is on top form as a newbie contract killer hiding out in the quiet fairytale like Belgium town of Bruges.

"A comedy about growing up... and the bumps along the way."

6. Juno (15)
Teenage pregnancy is certainly no laughing matter but cool indie film Juno manages to deliver plenty of sharp comedy as well as a refreshing edginess in tackling a difficult subject head on. Juno has so much going for it, a fantastic cast, a rich and kookily left field comic vein and even a cool soundtrack. This compulsive watching and Ellen Page is going to be a massive star!

"When Ambition Meets Faith."

5. There Will Be Blood
Paul Thomas Anderson's epic sees Daniel Day-Lewis go completely over the top in a screen eating performance that burns into the retina. This is larger than life melodrama that doesn’t know when to stop. Mesmerising but uncomfortable – this is a must see, even if it’s only once.

"They took his daughter. He'll take their lives."

4. Taken (15)
“I will look for you, I will find you. And I will kill you…” People traffickers nab the wrong girl as her CIA trained dad (Neeson) goes on a rampage to save her. The plot might be wafer thin but that hardly matters when the action is this crunching and high octane. More exciting than the latest Bourne and Bond put together.

"Fully Charged."

3. Iron Man (12)
“Is it better to be feared or respected? I'd say is it too much to ask for both?” is the mantra of Tony Stark, multi-billionaire playboy and maverick high tech weapons dealer. Stark (a never better Robert Downey Jr.) becomes the titular metal clad super hero and unlike the multitude of tortured soul reluctant world saviours we’ve had recently, he relishes the opportunity.

"You can't stop what's coming."

2. No Country For Old Men (15)
In the land of the free they say that ‘there are no clean getaways’, and No Country for Old Men takes that notion and splatters it large across the screen in a stunning, violent modern classic. No Country for Old Men is an awesome experience - a perfect storm of a talented cast, quality source material and stunning direction, mixed with jaw dropping cinematography.

"Why So Serious?"

1. The Dark Knight (12)
The stakes are raised for Batman / Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) when he has to figure out how to fight The Joker (Heath Ledger RIP) an enemy with an irrational lust for chaos. Dark and dangerous, fast and furious, a superhero film that is far more graphic novel than comic book. The Dark Knight is gorgeous, stylish and exciting - this is 2008’s defining film.



check out last year's list here:

matts-top-10-films-of-2007

The Dark Knight review 'heavy duty Batman joy'

The Dark Knight (12a)

Dir. Christopher Nolan

Reviewed by Matt Adcock


“Some men aren't looking for anything logical. They can't be bought, bullied, reasoned or negotiated with. Some men just want to watch the world burn.” And the world of Batman burns in blazing style thanks to an incredible reimagining of The Joker in The Dark Knight. Director Christopher ‘The Prestige’ Nolan follows up 2005’s excellent Batman Begins with a powerhouse epic based on the iconic comic book hero’s greatest challenge.
The Dark Knight sees Batman having brought his own brand of extreme justice to the mean streets of Gotham, he’s tamed the mob and put real fear into the hearts of the underworld. But just as Harvey Dent the new crusading District Attorney (Aaron Eckhart) is appointed and looks to cement a crime free future, the criminal elements are about to be galvanised by a psychotic madman / criminal genius named The Joker (Heath Ledger).


"you will believe too..."

So the stakes are raised for Batman / Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) – how do you fight an enemy with an irrational lust for chaos? Welcome to a world without rules where the gloves are off and no one is safe. This is bleak, dark material, a million miles away from the camp knockabout of Joel Schumacher’s Batman and Robin, and so much the better for it. The Dark Knight is grim, violent and unsettling in places (certainly not a family movie) but equally wildly exciting and thought provoking too. Who’d have thought that a comic book tale could deliver potentially the best film of 2008? I have to note Ledger’s performance as The Joker as it is the stuff of legend, he even blows Jack Nicholson’s performance from Tim Burton’s Batman away and he will be very sadly missed.Are there any weaknesses in this fantastically assembled masterpiece? Well, if you want to be picky it is a bit long but that’s not really much of a grumble. My only real disappointment was that Maggie Gyllenhaal's Rachel 'didn’t quite work as well as Katie Holmes' (never thought I’d be writing that).
Her only memorable moment comes when she lands a kick in the Joker’s privates – he quips:
“A little fight in ya. I like that!”
But is immediately upstaged by Batman who appears and adds:
"Then you're going to love me…”
delivered whilst punching him full in the face!?



DARKMATTERS RATING SYSTEM (all ratings out of maximum 10 but '-' is bad whereas '+' is good):

Endorphin Stimulation: ööööööööö (9)
+ The Dark Knight delivers...

Tasty Action: ööööööööö (9)
+ Batman has never rocked so hard

Gratuitous Babeness: ööööö (5)
+ Gyllenhaal is cute but not stunning

Mind Blight / Boredom: ööööö (5)
+ Not much padding but could have been a bit sharper

Comedic Value: öööööö (6)
+ Some nice dark humour

Arbitrary final rating: öööööööööö (10)
Kapow… this is an altogether awesome film, see it as soon as you can (and it looks absolutely stunning in IMAX too).

Liable to make you:
"fall for the big black bat"

DM Poster Quote:
“cross the line..."

The Dark Knight...

"Oh baby... JOKER is my favourite bad guy!!"


"I couldn't be more excited about this... IMAX anyone!?"

gotta love this dialogue...

Bank Manager:
"The criminals in this town used to believe in things. Honor. Respect. Look at you! What do you believe in? What do you believe in!?"

The Joker:
"I believe whatever doesn't kill you simply makes you... stranger."

Click through here to the infamous FILMSTALKER and watch 5 wonderful minutes of what just might be my film of the year!!
LINK: http://www.filmstalker.co.uk/archives/2008/07/the_dark_knight_five_minutes_o.html