A straightforward list of favourite Christmas movies would be rather redundant. Excepting some difference either side of the Atlantic, the traditional Christmas movies are a predictable lot: ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ or ‘The Wizard of Oz’ in the main, a sprinkling of ‘Home Alone’, ‘Die Hard’ or ‘Muppet’s Christmas Carol’ as a side dish and ‘The Great Escape’ if you’re British.

But if you’re looking for something a little different this year, try one of the films from this list:

Tokyo Godfathers

Considering that barely 2 percent of Japan’s population are Christians, it’s surprising that the holiday is celebrated at all. That there is a Japanese film, set in Japan that heavily features Christmas is probably even more suprising. Satoshi Kon’s Tokyo Godfathers actually seems to have been inspired by a minor John Ford western, 3 Godfathers, wherein three cowhands return an orphaned baby to civilization.

Read the rest of this entry »

It seems to me that we’re well past the point where anyone is willing to defend 3D cinema with any real passion. You either choose to quietly like cinema’s latest supposed technological leap, or you choose to hate it vocally. Considering that I’m here talking about it all, you can guess what my feelings are on the subject. Frankly, I notice 3D’s effect on film more when I’m not watching it. A trip to the cinema for me usually involves sorting out which of the limited, awkwardly scheduled 2D showings me and my friends can make it to and sighing every time I see something thrown to the foreground of a scene.

Not especially enamoured with James Cameron’s storytelling, I haven’t seen Avatar, which in terms of 3D appreciation is a cardinal sin. How can I pass judgement over 3D Cinema when I’ve not seen its crowning glory? Perhaps because even if I’m willing to accept in theory that there is this one film that actually does this stuff right, the fact that two years of bad 3D films have followed just makes it seem that this supposed feat will rarely, if ever be repeated.
Read the rest of this entry »

It amazes me that with the cheap price of films on DVD these days that people still decide to watch pirated versions of the films, but why?

I was talking to someone recently who had just got around ten films off someone they knew of some of the latest movies in the cinema, so I asked why? Why would you watch films that are so bad in quality it’s like going back to the days of videos?

Their answer was this, “There free!”

But what about the quality, wouldn’t it be better to see them in the cinema or wait for them to come out on DVD, I got the same answer.

My personal point of view is that I would rather see a film in the cinema in glorious surround sound and great picture quality, or wait for the DVD and watch it on a 38inch HD tv with Cinema sound than sit there and watch a film with a crappy picture, muffled sound and the odd occasion hearing people ask if they would like some more popcorn.