What I Watched Last Week (1st-7th April)

Winter's Bone
Whilst Jennifer Lawrence's performance was brilliant I was left slightly disappointed with this film due to the fact that not much actually happened meaning that I did look at the clock a few times. What this film does do a good job of is making the audience slightly uncomfortable witnessing these people's grim lives with plenty of help from Lawrence - who manages to portray so much emotion without actually saying very much with the camera on her just about the whole time (deservedly earning an Oscar nomination). In addition the cinematography and locations are stunning because they make the film all the more atmospheric.
3/5

Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory
I watched this for the first time in about 6 years this week only to be reminded how much of a classic film it is. Whilst some scenes like the TV were laugh out loud funny because of how dated they were, the performance by Gene Wilder and some of the catchiest songs in film history have helped this film to age well over time. Wilder's performance manages to make Willy Wonka seem absolutely bonkers but not creepy, a feat that Johnny Depp couldn't quite realise in the slightly unnecessary remake a few years ago.
4/5

The Hangover
In my opinion this is probably one of the best of a flurry of 15-rated comedies released in the past few years along with Bridesmaids, 21 Jump Street and Ted. Many moments are laugh out loud hilarious and there's some quotable lines "IT'S NOT A PURSE, IT'S A SATCHEL!". In addition you actually grow to care about the characters which is key to any successful comedy - probably the reason why films such as Bad Teacher of late haven't reached their full potential.
4/5

Mean Girls
This has to be the definitive teen comedy of the 21st century! With lines as hilariously quotable as "WHY DON'T WE ALL JUST STAB CAESAR?!" and "You can't just ask people why they're white" along with breakout performances from Rachel McAdams and Amanda Seyfried along with Lindsay Lohan at her peak (not long before her very public breakdown) this film has the perfect mix of believably bitchy teen drama and laugh out loud funny lines. When people on twitter claim it to be a "right of passage" to show their younger siblings this film on their 12th birthday (this film must've just scraped a 12 rating, there's some pretty mature stuff in here) you know it's a film that's impossible not to love.
5/5