Film 327/365, Day 345/365 – Time Bandits

Surreal fantasy adventure with dark humour from the minds of Michael Palin and Terry Gilliam.  This is quite unlike anything that gets made now which is a real shame because this is a very entertaining film.  It is however quite likely to split opinions, much like Monty Python, you either get it or you don’t.

Synopsis:  A young boy gets caught up with a group of time travelling dwarves who are determined to steal treasure throughout history.  They are using a map they stole from their employer, the Supreme Being, to navigate through time.  Evil however also would like to get its hands on the map!

Film 247/365, Day 262/365 – The Fifth Element

Zany, incredibly stylish and brilliant.  Luc Besson directs a thoroughly enjoyable film and with the help of Jean Paul Gautier they have created a future that still looks like it could be possible even though it was made 14 years ago.  Bruce is great, Milla is fantastic and Chris Tucker is hilarious.  I love it, great film.

Synopsis:  Korben Dallas, a former special forces opperative, has been called out of retirement to assist a female who is supposed to be the key to ultimate weapon and the only thing that can stop an evil entity on the other side of the universe that is determined to destroy Earth.  Problem is there are more than one group of people trying to find the ultimate weapon for their own reasons.

Film 151/365, Day 161/365 – eXistenZ

Exceptionally clever and more than a little weird.  There are some actual moments of genius within eXistenZ if you manage to spot them, some very clever self referential points.  There is quite obviously a twist and you’ll be pretty disappointed if you don’t get it.  You do start to wonder how intentional some of the stuff is, but then that’s Cronenberg for you.  Far better than Inception.

Synopsis:  When the leading games designer narrowly survives an attempted murder she goes on the run with her bodyguard.  The games console was damaged in the attack and the only way to see if the game is intact is to play it.