Film 333/365, Day 349/365 – Franklyn

Dark, arty and a little slow.  The story is ok but doesn’t do enough to make up for the first thirty minutes where you are desperately trying to work out just what is going on.  The ending finally managed to pull the story together a bit more but not quite enough to get it more than two stars.

Synopsis:  Three dark and tragic stories that are more interwoven than they may seem.  A man ditched at the altar, an artist whose work centres around suicide and a man desperate to avenge a death he was unable to prevent.

Film 276/365, Day 306/365 – Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End

Excellent adventure, brilliant action and fantastic fun.  This is the third in the series and as good as the other Pirates films.  All of the characters are brilliant, especially the madness of Jack Sparrow.  The script is littered with jems and moments of absolute quality.  All in, another great film in the franchise.

Synopsis:  With the Flying Dutchman under the control of the East India Trading Company the pirates are forced to take desperate measures.  Barbosa, back from the dead, Will Turner and Elizabeth Swann must travel to the ends of the Earth to rescue Captain Jack Sparrow from Davy Jones locker.  

Film 158/365, Day 166/365 – V for Vendetta

A fantastically dark and intense film and a very real warning about voter apathy, if you don’t vote someone like this could very well sneak into a position of power.  There are some excellent action scenes throughout, some incredibly unbelievable but all the better for it.  The story itself is excellent and very well directed and acted.  Also Patrick from Coupling can be found here!

Synopsis:  Great Britain is now ruled by a fascist totalitarian government, everyone must follow the rules or face extermination.  One freedom fighter who wears a Guy Fawkes mask and is known only as V.  Using terrorist tactics against the government he seeks to inspire the repressed inhabitants to rise up against the government.

Film 111/365, Day 121/365 – Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl

Action, adventure and high jinx on the high seas.  Johnny Depp is flawless as Captain Jack Sparrow.  Geoffrey Rush is also excellent as the Captain of the Black Pearl, Captain Barbossa, my favourite pedantic pirate.  And also of note I have now seen the third and final male member of the TV show Coupling with Jack Davenport.  Just need to find the girls now.  Excellent fun for all the family.

Synopsis:  Eight year old William Turner is rescued at sea and given a new life.  Many years later his past will come back to haunt him, which coincides with the appearance of Captain Jack Sparrow.  Soon Turner and Sparrow will be chasing the Black Pearl across the Caribbean to rescue Turner’s love, Elizabeth Swan.  The crew of the Black Pearl however are cursed!

Film 73/365, Day 74/365 – Ninja Assassin

Without a doubt the best ninja film I’ve ever seen.  The action is exceptional all the way through.  The ninjas use stealth like nothing I’ve ever seen before slipping in and out of shadows, brilliant.  Also following on from seeing Jeff from Coupling in Prince of Persia, Patrick is in this film… bizarre!  Well worth watching if you like actions films or martial arts films.

Synopsis: When a Europol agent, Mika, finds credible evidence that ninjas are being used as by a number of organisations as assassins she herself becomes a target.  Mika’s only hope now lies with Raizo, a former member of the Ozunu clan where he was adopted and trained as a ninja.  After his first kill he turns against his master and only just survives, now if he is ever to have any peace he is going to have take care of things once and for all.

Film 71/365, Day 72/365 – Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time

I love a good epic so had high hopes for Prince of Persia, and whilst some of the action is very entertaining and the vistas are stunning it felt like the story had been a little too Disney-fied.  On the plus side Gemma Arterton gets a lot of screen time, and that is no bad thing.  Also try and spot Jeff from Coupling!  Good fun but too simple!

Synopsis: The adopted son of the Persian king is framed and accused of killing his father and is ruthlessly hunted across the lands.  He finds a number of unlikely allies including the Princess of the city he just helped invade.  A mystical secret is buried at the heart of the betrayal that could lead to untold power or the destruction of mankind.