Black Swan Film Review

I may be a bit slow on the uptake with a Black Swan film review, but I haven't had the opportunity to watch this until this afternoon. And, boy, am I glad I finally got to watch this incredible piece of cinema.

As a bit of a film snob, I'm often reluctant to believe the hype surrounding a film; in the past, I've sometimes been encouraged by over-the-top reviews, only to be left feeling disappointed after watching the film for myself. So, I settled down to watch Black Swan with no particular expectations. I was blown away.

Black Swan is beautifully written and exquisitely shot; both the story and the cinematography had me gripped from start to finish. It's one of those films that really takes the audience on a journey with the main protagonist; you follow Nina (played by Natalie Portman) through her journey as she obtains the role of Queen Swan in an adaptation of Swan Lake. The audience watches the transformation as Nina's fragility and vulnerability slowly peel away so she can learn to play, not only the delicate White Swan, but the enigmatic and sensual Black Swan too. Nina lets go of her inhibitions to step into the role of Black Swan, but with it she also loses her mind.

I cannot remember the last time I felt true escapism when watching a film. Before I knew it, I was completely engrossed; I had left the comfort of my sofa and I had joined Nina as she grew into the Black Swan. As the last scene faded, I was left feeling as though I was still in another world — a mark of a truly great film.

I cannot even begin to explain how astonishing this film is and I would encourage you to see it for yourself. Believe all the hype because this film is incredible. This is the best film I have seen in a very long time.

Let me know what you think.

Garnier BB Cream Review

Thanks to my little sister, I recently discovered this Garnier BB Cream and I absolutely LOVE it!

I was totally reluctant to use the Garnier BB Cream as I'm a bit of a self-confessed foundation addict! Since my teenage years, I have grown accustomed to caking my face with foundation until my actual skin colour is a mere memory; I was never able to leave the house without a layer or two of foundation followed by a layer of powder, so the idea of wearing something with just a hint of foundation was a bit scary!

However, using Garnier BB Cream has broken me of this make-up habit. BB Cream is so silky to apply and feels super light on the skin too. It gives a gorgeous, healthy glow — a few people have noticed this — and leaves skin feeling really soft and moisturised. It doesn't provide 100% blemish coverage, but this isn't really an issue as you can apply a little concealer if necessary.

I was really eager to find a product like this for the Summer as I hate having to wear so much make-up when it's warm, but each year I found myself reluctant to break away from foundation routine. I'm so pleased to have discovered Garnier BB Cream and look forward to actually letting my skin breathe — whilst still having glowing coverage — during the coming Summer months.

The Muppets Film Review

The Muppets, starring Jason Segal, Amy Adams and not to mention the motley crew of Muppets, is a fantastic film for the whole family; it's packed with fun, frolics, singing and plenty of cheese that will help you escape the mundane of everyday life and enter the bizarre world of these lovable puppets!

The Muppets film tells the sing-along story of three Muppets fans who discover that the infamous Muppet studios are under threat from a tycoon who is eager to pull down the studio for the oil supplies buried deep beneath them. Horrified at these plans, Gary, Mary and Walter set out to re-unite the Muppets crew in an attempt to save the studios from destruction. There are plenty of laughs and cringe-worthy (but quietly entertaining!) songs along the way as Gary, Mary and Walter set out on their road trip to gather the Muppets together to perform one final show.

Okay so this film is pretty damn awesome ... I love that it doesn't take itself too seriously and once you get past the over the top random outbreaks of song, it really makes for excellent viewing! The Muppets film cleverly captures the essence of the Muppets from their hey day, but reinvents the show so that it appeals to the more modern audience.

I found myself giggling from start to finish and left the cinema with a big smile on my face. I would most definitely recommend The Muppets film to anyone looking for some light-hearted cinema fun.

Barry M Instant Nail Effects

I am obsessed with this innovative nail varnish!

I have always been a fan of experimenting and having fun with my nails and this range of nail varnish just makes nail art even easier.


It's really easy to use too  ...
- Select your base coat, paint it on and let it dry
- Apply a coat of Barry M Instant Nail Effects (From personal experience, I would say you need to get the quantity ... too little and the effect isn't as striking... too much and it doesn't crack quite as easily ... one clean stroke down the middle of the nail or a clean stroke on either side of the nail is usually best for full coverage)
- Watch the magic! See the varnish crack as it dries (don't be tempted to add another coat as this won't work!)

I never get bored with this product! The black is probably my favourite - this was also the original colour brought out by Barry M - I love this one most as it works with any colour base coat.

I'm so pleased that there are more colours available now... you can also get your hands on pink, white and blue to create different designs.

All Instant Nail Effects are available here for only £3.99 each - a great price if you ask me!!

Rango Cinema Review

Johnny Depp in an animated film about a reptilian adventure … this had to be pretty awesome!

Rango is a pet Chameleon with a vivid imagination; he finds himself stranded in the desert after his tank crashes out of the back of his owner’s car. He’s separated from his plastic toys and left with nothing but a few words of wisdom from an Armadillo who has just been run over. He makes his way through the desert and finds himself in the Old West town of Dirt.

He meets some uninviting inhabitants in Dirt and soon discovers that he’s going to have to act the hero if he’s going to be accepted. This task proves to be harder than Rango first thought as he uncovers a huge conspiracy, but the trials and tribulations he faces help him find himself along the way.

Rango is a bizarre film … not your typical kid’s movie at all, but it’s very entertaining. I love the Old West style (complete with tumbleweed!) and the band of instrument playing birds are amusing.

The animation of some of the characters is a little scary though… Rango is fine to look at, but Beans (Isla Fisher) is a little weird … but perhaps that’s just me!

Rango is a great family film … definitely worth a watch if you want to see something a little different this Spring!

Barry M 3 in 1 Nail Paint Review

I'm always on the search for the best way to make my nail varnish stay on for longer and I think I've finally come across a product that can really help ...

The Barry M 3 in 1 Nail Paint is a basecoat, topcoat and nail hardener all rolled into one. Using a coat underneath your chosen nail polish and then a coat on top when the polish is dry really helps keep the colour in place for longer and it gives a gorgeous shine too!

My nails are usually put to the test when I have painted them and I was pretty impressed with how they held up after I used the 3 in 1 Nail Paint.

The Barry M 3 in 1 Nail Paint is available here for only £2.99.

I don't think I'll need to look elsewhere for a clear nail polish ever again! Perfect!

Thanks Barry M!!

Westlife Live at the CIA - Monday 7th March 2011

I was as excited as always to see Westlife back in Cardiff and I had high expectations for a good night out – they didn’t let me down.

The show kicked off with No One’s Gonna Sleep Tonight from their newest album Gravity and they followed this with a mix of ballads and up-tempo songs from both the old days and the present. 

There were some pretty interesting sets for this first section; part of the stage rose up and had a large screen showing images of an elephant underwater followed later by fish and hot air balloons. Elsewhere on stage there were giant inflatable apples and hot air balloons fit with baskets – all very random, but interesting to watch.  

Later in the show there were some cool cityscapes in the background, some electric streaks, brightly coloured lips and legs and giant inflatable lips dangling from the top of the set! And of course there were fireworks! Whatever you want to say about these guys, their shows are never boring!

The medley was incredible once again this year; I always look forward to this part of the set.
This year we were treated to covers of Coldplay’s Viva La Vida, Rihanna’s Only Girl, Black Eyed Pea’s Time of My Life, Lady Gaga’s Bad Romance and Kaiser Chiefs I Predict a Riot – what a strange mix, but the result was pretty damn good! The Disney T-shirts Westlife had on for this really made me smile too.

Westlife took to the air on a large beam for part of the last section and this was definitely the highlight of the night for me (and probably for the majority of fans in the arena!) The lads came right out over the seating area of the CIA whilst singing Seasons in the Sun, You Raise Me Up and Already There – three beautiful songs for such an amazing part of the set. I just love it when Westlife come over the audience like that - seeing them up so close turns me into a giddy teenager in an instant!

They closed the show with What About Now and Uptown Girl and another concert was over for another year all too quickly.

See you next year lads!

Toy Story 3 in 3D Cinema Review

Well it’s been a long time coming but, the toys are back in town as Toy Story 3 hits our screens in 2D and 3D for the first time ever.

Buzz, Woody and friends are facing the moment they’ve all been dreading as Andy is due to leave for college and their fates are in his hands. In the confusion with sorting out Andy’s stuff, the toys (minus Woody who Andy wants to take to college with him) find themselves en route to Sunnyside Daycare centre instead of to the attic as Andy intended. Woody follows his friends to the day care centre in an attempt to convince them to come home.

Once at Sunnyside, the toys are lulled into a false sense of security by Lotso (a strawberry-scented bear) who was cast aside by his human, leading him to take control over the other toys at the day centre. He promises them that there will always be children to play with them no matter what and shows them to their new home, The Caterpillar Room. Woody still feels that they should get back to Andy and after failing to convince the others, he escapes the centre to try and find his way home.

However, all hell breaks loose in The Caterpillar Room after the recess bell and the toys are tossed around by a group of toddler’s and played with more roughly than they ever imagined. The toys try to reason with Lotso but, they soon realise that he isn’t as cuddly as he makes out; he has Buzz reprogrammed by his minions and takes the other toys prisoner for resisting his regime.

In the meantime, Woody finds himself being taken home by one of the kids at the day centre, Bonnie; she treats him to her imaginative games and he remembers how much fun playtime can be. He gets talking to Bonnie’s other toys about Sunnyside and finds out the truth about Lotso from them so, naturally Woody has to embark on a mission to go back and save his friends before it’s too late.

Toy Story 3 is a great sequel and proves to be much better than Toy Story 2. It’s full of fun and interesting twists and parts may even bring a tear to your eye. I thought there was only so much that could be done with a group of toys but, the storyline is much better than expected and proves to be a great summer film for all the family.

My only criticism of Toy Story 3 would be that it is completely unnecessary for it to be viewed in 3D, so the 2D version would probably be the better option if you can catch it as you won’t miss out on anything and you will also be saving a bit of money!

Law Abiding Citizen DVD Review

Law Abiding Citizen starring Gerard Butler and Jamie Foxx depicts the battle between good and evil in the extreme and will have you on the edge of your seat right up until the last moment.

Clyde Shelton (Butler) is an inventor who lost his wife and daughter as they were brutally murdered in their home while Clyde watched helplessly. Ten years later and Clyde is seeking justice for his family but, not in the conventional way; after being let down by the justice system, he decides to take matters into his own hands and puts his invention skills to use as he develops a series of techniques for wiping out whoever he wants to without anyone being able to stop him.

After killing the man who murdered his wife and daughter, Clyde then embarks on a mission to bring the justice system crashing to its knees to prove a point to everyone involved in his families’ case, including his ex attorney, Nick Rice (Foxx), who soon discovers that Clyde is not a man to be messed with.

Law Abiding Citizen is a gripping film from start to finish with an excellent pace of action. It has all the right ingredients to make it an excellent thriller and it’s definitely one of the best films I’ve seen in a long time. You don’t know what’s going to happen next with this film and each scene leaves you wanting more.

Westlife Live at the CIA

It’s been two long , agonizing years since I last saw Westlife live on tour but, their performance at the CIA on Friday 21st May proved that it was definitely worth the wait.

The show ‘Where We Are’ featured some of the best songs from the album of the same name. They sang ‘What About Now’, ‘Shadows’, ‘Where We Are’ and a jazzed up version of ‘How To Break a Heart’’.

As well as the new tracks, they also played some old favourites such as ‘If I Let You Go’, ‘Uptown Girl’, ‘Tell Me What Makes a Man’, ‘When You’re Looking Like That’ and of course ‘Flying Without Wings’ which had me in tears for yet another year.

As is tradition for a Westlife gig, the boys did a medley of cover songs in the middle section. I look forward to this every time as I never know what they’re going to sing. This year we were treated to ‘The Boys Are Back in Town’ (very appropriate for this tour), ‘I Gotta Feeling’ and ‘Sex On Fire’ – all were huge crowd pleasers.

The encore was definitely one of the highlights of the show as it was full of emotion that could be felt rippling right throughout the audience. The lads sang ‘I’ll See You Again’ as a dedication to both Kian and Nicky’s Fathers both of whom passed away last year. They sang with their eyes closed and with images of both of their dads coming up on the screens behind them. The emotion emanating from the stage was incredible and it was such a moving moment that I bet there was hardly a dry eye in the house. It really was a brilliant dedication and a strong testament of their ability to move between up-beat feel good songs and deep emotional ballads.

The scenery on stage and on the big screens for this tour was very varied which wasn’t always a good thing. The props and images ranged from giant multicoloured inflatable balls, an arch of red roses and an enormous robot with lighting and fireworks attached to a scantily dressed woman dancing sexily on the screens (which was obviously there just to keep the men who had been dragged along by their partners interested in the show) my only criticism of the show is that this wasn’t such a great idea as it was hardly a hit with most of the female fans and seemed a little out of context with the songs they were singing.

The vocals from all the lads were spot on as usual and the banter and chemistry between them on stage is great to watch, they really know how to put on an entertaining show; there are very few acts with the ability to make me laugh and cry in the same concert.

This year’s gig at the CIA really was amazing, I wouldn’t have missed it for the world and I look forward to next year. It’s a relief to see them back and doing what they do best.

2012 DVD review

From the hype surrounding the release of this film, I was expecting an epic movie with the ability to make me nervous about the doom we might all be facing in 2012... How wrong I was though, I just couldn’t take the film seriously.

2012 tells the tale of the end of life as we know it as the destruction of our planet looms and the survival of the human race is limited. We follow an author called Jackson and his dysfunctional family on their mission to safety as they attempt to make it on to the Ark for a new life away from the devastation. However, space on the Ark is limited and tickets are only offered to the elite who have the best chance of keeping the human race strong so Jackson and his family have to find a way to sneak onto the Ark but, in doing so they put the whole project in jeopardy.

On paper, this film sounds pretty decent but, in reality it’s a bit of a joke. The plight of a family / group of people escaping a disaster is all too familiar and it just feels rehashed for 2012. The acting, on the whole, is fairly good but, this does little to make up for the cheese present in the plotline and don’t even get me started on the CGI; I’m not the biggest supporter of CGI but, it’s a part of our modern film diet and we all like a bit of it from time to time but, the CGI used in 2012 is so over the top and out of proportion that it is quite ridiculous to watch.

Overall, 2012 is an entertaining enough watch (if you like that kind of thing) but, it’s definitely not the best film you’ll see this year and it definitely doesn’t deserve all the hype so just don’t set your hopes too high before you press play!

The Men Who Stare at Goats DVD Review

George Clooney and Ewan McGregor star as an unlikely duo in this unusual off-the-wall comedy The Men Who Stare at Goats.

Bob Wilton (McGregor) is an ambitious young journalist who wants to prove his worth after the break-up of his marriage so, he flies out to Kuwait to report on the Iraq War.

Back at home he had interviewed a man named Gus Lacey who claimed to have psychic powers but, Bob labelled him as crazy and thought little of it until he stumbled across retired Special Forces Operator, Lyn Cassady (Clooney) on his arrival in Iraq.

On mentioning Gus to Lyn, Bob uncovers a whole new side of the armed forces as Lyn reveals that he was part of a specialist group (the Jedi Warriors) who were training psychic spies to use their abilities in cloud busting, remote viewing, invisibility and other psychic abilities.

As the pair become closer and Lyn identifies Bob as a fellow Jedi Warrior, they find themselves embarking on a strange adventure as Lyn believes he is on a mission after his vision of the Jedi Warrior founder Bill Django. On their journey together, they are kidnapped by a criminal gang, rescued by a private security firm, caught up in a fire fight between two security firms and then they find themselves stranded in the desert after Lyn crashes the car. All the while Bob is learning more about Lyn’s life as a Jedi Warrior and his strange abilities (though Bob is still not entirely convinced that Lyn isn’t just another crackpot).

The Men Who Stare at Goats is a brilliantly bizarre comedy and Clooney and McGregor have their roles down to a tee making it an entertaining and exciting watch. If you like Burn After Reading, then you’re going to love this film; even if it does leaving you wondering what the hell just happened when the credits start.

The Men Who Stare at Goats in available to buy or rent on DVD now.

Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince PS2 game review

After having played a few of the other Harry Potter games on the PS1 and PS2, I was really looking forward to Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince and anticipated that it would be a thrilling and spooky game that would keep me on the edge of my seat and wanting to play more... how wrong I was.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince takes us through Harry’s sixth year at Hogwarts; Voldemort is back to full power and posing a great threat to the wizarding world and Harry has to help Dumbledore find a way to defeat the Dark Lord by finding and destroying the Horcruxes whilst also keeping an eye on his nemesis Draco Malfoy who seems to be up to no good. Of course, he still has his school work and teenage relationships to keep astride of on top of all this. This story would give the game the opportunity to provide lots of exciting challenges but, it fails to follow through on this.

The majority of the important aspects of the game are all portrayed in narrative and involve little or no interaction. In fact, you don’t really do a great deal throughout the game and it all becomes very repetitive: you duel with Malfoy and his gang, learn a new potion in potions club and play Quidditch (which has to involve an annoying warm up before each match); these aspects are broken up with narrative, talking to Ron and Hermione and following Nearly Headless Nick around the castle before the repetition starts all over again.

In previous games, you have had to explore the castle to collect Witches and Wizards Cards, Beans and other objects however, in this game, all you collect are shields which you can pick up on your travels but, collecting these very quickly becomes boring.

Despite my first impressions that this would be a hard game to complete, I soon discovered that it was ridiculously easy, meaning I had finished with it all too quickly and was left feeling disappointed and slightly ripped off!

It may be that Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince would be engaging on other gaming platforms but, sadly for the PS2 it’s really not worth the time of day.

Alice in Wonerland cinema review

Wow, Tim Burton has done it again; Alice in Wonderland will blow your mind. It’s a gripping and entertaining film from start to finish and it gives the classical children’s tale a new lease of life that will appeal to a huge array of people.

Burton’s Alice in Wonderland takes us on a journey that combines aspects of the original Disney film with aspects from Lewis Carroll’s books as Alice returns to ‘Underland’ in her teenage years to face her destiny.

Alice (Mia Wasikowska) needs an escape from the pressures of a high class engagement party where she is in the spot light and facing an unexpected marriage proposal from a ginger Lord with sensitive digestion, so she follows the White Rabbit (Michael Sheen) down a hole in a tree trunk and finds herself in the fantastical world from her childhood dreams.

Alice meets some strange and wonderful creatures in ‘Underland’ including Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Dee (Matt Lucas), The Dormouse (Barbara Windsor), the Blue Caterpillar (Alan Rickman), the Cheshire Cat (Stephen Fry) and of course the Mad Hatter (Johnny Depp). They all assist her in realising who she really is and they guide her towards her fate of defeating the Red Queen (Helena Bonham Carter) and her Jabberwocky to return the crown and the power over the land to the White Queen (Anne Hathaway).

The cast for this film is fantastic but, there are two characters in particular that stand out amongst the rest. Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter are excellent as the Mad Hatter and the Red Queen; both shine in their roles and create enchanting performances that are a joy to watch. And they’re both mad to boot!

Tim Burton has let his imagination run wild and has put a firm stamp on this film with his reinventions of certain characters, the amazing aesthetics and the brilliant use of CGI. If anyone has possibly failed to sit up and notice Burton’s works before this then this film will surely do the trick.

In short, Alice in Wonderland is an excellent film which I would recommend to everyone. I just didn’t want it to end.

Westlife – Where We Are album review

It’s that time of year for me again, after waiting patiently on Christmas Day with my fingers crossed to see if I’d have the latest Westlife album, it’s time to memorise the lyrics in time for the bands upcoming tour which kicks off at the Belfast Odyssey Arena on Sunday 2nd May.

‘Where We Are’ features their first single in over a year, ‘What About Now,’ which reached number 2 in the UK charts in October and is one of the best songs on the album. It is a beautiful and catchy song (though sadly it’s a cover) and will be a huge hit in concert.

Tracks 2 ‘How to Break a Heart’ and 4 ‘Shadows’, are really unusual but, are really easy to listen to and both have a great melody.

‘As Love is My Witness’ is a gorgeous love song and would be brilliant as a single; it’s a really soulful ballad and the lyrics are lovely.

‘No More Heroes’ is another really memorable track, again it’s quite unusual but, it’s a great song and is definitely one of the highlights of ‘Where We Are’.

The last song ‘I’ll See You Again’ is a moving song with beautiful lyrics and vocals and it makes the perfect ending to the album.

Although ‘Where We Are’ isn’t as strong as some previous Westlife albums, it’s still a great chill out CD to listen to. The vocals are as strong as ever and you can really hear how their sound has matured with them. I look forward to the tour, the lads always put on a really entertaining show and I’m sure this year won’t be any different.

Westlife - What About Now single review

Irish heartthrobs Westlife are back on the music scene after enjoying a year off. They return with a great new single from their much anticipated tenth album, Where We Are, which will be released at the end of November.

What About Now marks Westlife’s first single since Us Against the World which reached number 8 in the UK charts in March 2008 and the lads will surely be hoping to find themselves heading back towards the top of the charts with their new release.

The new track sees the boys sticking to what they do best as they bring us another beautiful power ballad. The vocals, as expected, are amazing and the lyrics are great too. My only criticism of this single is that it’s another cover (the original being sung by Daughtry) and while it’s a brilliant song, it would have been nice to see the boys do something new with their first single in over a year. Nevertheless, it will hopefully be a huge hit with fans worldwide.

Look out for track two on the single (You Raise Me Up live at Croke Park) as it’s also a great song and perhaps even better that it’s the live version.

Westlife’s upcoming album, Where We Are, will be available to buy from 30th November.

Up cinema review

Disney Pixar’s Up is a magical film with a very unique plot that will be a huge hit with people of all ages.

Mr. Fredricksen is an adventurer at heart but as old age sets in and he looses his wife there’s not much adventuring to be had and he finds himself backed into a corner and forced to go into a retirement home. However, Mr Frederickson isn’t ready to give up his house yet and he certainly isn’t prepared to come quietly so he decides to fly his beloved home to Paradise Falls using only helium balloons.

Of course this is Disney so his bizarre plan works and he is soon on his way to his dream spot but, it looks as though his retirement won’t be quite as peaceful as he expected when Russell, a junior Wilderness Explorer, turns up on his porch as the house is floating mid air.

The pair land in South America and soon make themselves familiar with the locals as an exotic bird befriends Russell (much to Mr. Fredricksen’s dismay) and fast on the birds tracks is a talking dog who is also eager to hang around.
The unusual group quickly find themselves wandering into trouble though and Mr. Fredricksen has to make some important decisions about the direction he wants to take in life.

Up is just brilliant; the characters are great and the story is so unusual that you just can’t take your eyes off the screen. It’s got the perfect balance of everything and will make you laugh, cry and perhaps think about its messages a bit too. This is a must see for everyone this autumn.

The Invention of Lying cinema review

The Invention of Lying is a new comedy by Ricky Gervais and while the concept is interesting, the film itself doesn’t quite live up to expectations.

The Invention of Lying is about Mark Bellison, a man who is down on his luck as he finds himself out of a job, facing eviction from his home and unable to woo the girl of his dreams. He is almost ready to admit defeat when he discovers his hidden ability to lie in a world where people only ever tell the truth; this completely turns his life around but, is it really for the better?

The opening credits and the first sequence of this film are very strange and as the plot continues it all becomes a bit too silly; there are a few funny moments throughout but, nothing that really makes you want to laugh out loud, which is quite a disappointment. Gervais is ok as Mark Bellison but, none of the characters in the film are particularly gripping, which adds to the feeling that the film is a bit of a let down. The idea behind this film is really clever and it’s a real shame that it doesn’t quite hit the mark.

The Invention of Lying is the kind of film that is fine to watch if there’s nothing better on but, it’s definitely not one of this Autumns must see movies.

District 9 cinema review

Peter Jackson and director Neil Blomkamp are bringing a new type of alien film to our screens with District 9.

The film is about a group of aliens who become stuck on earth after their Mothership breaks down. The people of Johannesburg find them malnourished and so they set up a secure camp for them to live in where they can be separate from the human population.

However, this does not quite work for the locals as the aliens (or ‘prawns’) start to break the rules of their confinement. The authorities decide it’s time for them to be moved outside of Johannesburg into a new camp and so they are all served eviction notices which they are expected to cooperate with.

One vigilante alien has other ideas; he has been running an operation under his home in District 9 where he has been working on a special substance which will enable him to repair the Mothership to take his people home again.
The government agent in charge of the evictions is exposed to the liquid when searching the alien’s home and slowly finds that he is transforming into one of the ‘prawns’.

District 9 is a really interesting film. It’s shot in a documentary style which feels strange at first but really works as you adapt to the technique.
The film is gripping from start to finish and the interaction between the aliens and the humans is great to watch and offers plenty of laughs.
The film feels fresh and quite different to the alien films we usually see, which makes it a brilliant watch.

The Taking of Pelham 123 cinema review

The Taking of Pelham 123 is an exciting film about a group of criminals who take over a train and hold its passengers as hostages.

John Travolta stars as Ryder who has recently been let out of prison and is now the ringleader of the train hijack. Along with his gang of miscreants, he terrorises the passengers and demands a heavy ransom which has to reach him on time or he threatens to start shooting the people on the train.

An unsuspecting train dispatcher (Denzel Washington) finds his day taking a very unexpected twist as he has to quickly learn how to negotiate with terrorists while keeping the situation calm and the train passengers alive.

Pelham 123 is a really gripping film and John Travolta is perfect as the unhinged and humorous Ryder. The relationship between his character and Garber (played by Denzel Washington) is really interesting to watch as it develops over the course of the film. The film focuses mainly on these characters but, this doesn’t harm the plot at all as they are both well cast and have great chemistry, resulting in a great watch.