FILM: TWILIGHT: ECLIPSE

FILM: TWILIGHT: ECLIPSE

Twilight - what is all the fuss about?  Yes, this is the penultimate film as there were only ever four books penned, but from a male point of view this is really a love story scattered with watered down action scenes. The action and special effects are good when they happen. But what happens? Well the vampires are getting wind of some new blood vampires who are planning to cause chaos and the question is who is behind it? That redhead Vittoria (or is it Victoria - they never pronounce it clearly enough) seems to be the mastermind behind it all - but is she?  It is gonna take a battle of some magnitude to find out - and that means an alliance between the warewolves and the vampires.  Meanwhile the three way love-battle between warewolf Jacob, vampire sparkly boy Edward and the rather caught in the middle Bella is getting ever more deep. But let's be honest - it's all about the love triangle between Bella, Edward and Jacob.

The love story in the film is so tightly woven that the characters personalities are quite believeable.  The uneasey alliance between Edward and Jacob show's an adult's mutual respect for the protection of Bella, but I don't know why someone doesn't just wade in there to tell her to stop leading both men on. I think that Edward comes across as a bit immature and jealous sometimes, and graceful, romantic and loyal others. Jacobs self absorbed - "you want me we should be together" stance is a bit forceful, and in my mind is no wonder Bella wants to get with Edward.  The plot thickens and moves on - which is better than the last movie as I felt it just didn't go anywhere.

Thsi film though is well worth the wait for Twilight fans and good enough as a film for those who aren't. Some of the dialogue is sharp and witty - there are two scenes in particular that stand out and both feature the three main characters. The acting by teh supporting cast was top notch and I have to say in the debate of which team are you one - Edward or Jacob - I'm firmly in Team Alice!

BOTTOM LINE: A worthy addition to the insanely popular vampire saga - better than the second but not as good as the first.

RATING: 8/10

FILM: DEATH AT A FUNERAL

I sadly haven't seen many movies recently - but my most recent one was this one....

FILM: DEATH AT A FUNERAL

Comedian Chris Rock and Martin Lawrence (you know the guy from Bad Boys) are two brothers who are organising their fathers funeral. Well I say they are, but it comes down to Chris Rock to getting the family together and organising the whole thing. Comedy ensues as one of Rock's cousins has been dealing in funky pills and the cousins sister (played by the lovely Zoe Saldana from Avatar and Star Trek) gives one to her boyfriend when he is feeling off colour - and ends up being high for most of the film. This is where most of the humour comes in - but it's when the cousin loses the pills and other people take them thinking they are Valium that the who thing degenerates into sketch after sketch. Rock does well to keep the thing going and is supported be a cast of actors who are well established in Hollywood - such as Luke Owen and Danny Glover as the grumpy uncle.  A spanner is thrown into the works when they find out that their father was having a homosexual affair with a white person who has dwarfism.

It's all a very crazy hotch potch of comedic characters and is funny enough to keep your attention for the whole of the movie. Apparently this was based on a British film which didn't do too well - but nevertheless they always say the best way to handle death is with humour and they certainly do.  It can't have been as memorable as I wished though, as to be honest, I cannot recall any of the names of the characters!

BOTTOM LINE: A serious life event injected with humour from the myriad of characters present. Some great Hollywood talent there to keep the laughs coming - good but not great.

RATING: 7/10