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Contributors
adam lapish
adam@lapish.net
matt edge
matt.edge1@btinternet.com
2008 Viewings
click on underlined films for review
Angus, Thongs & Perfect Snogging B (AL)
Australia D+ (AL)
The Baader Meinhof Complex C (AL)
The Bank Job C+ (AL)
Body of Lies A- (AL)
Burn After Reading C- (AL)
Changeling B (AL)
Che: Part One D+ (AL)
Cloverfield C+ (AL) A+ (ME)
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button D (AL)
The Dark Knight B- (AL) B+ (ME)
Death Race D+ (AL)
Defiance D (AL)
Donkey Punch F (AL)
Doubt B+(AL)
Eagle Eye D (AL)
Easy Virtue D (AL)
Elegy A (AL)
The Fall A- (AL)
The Forbidden Kingdom D- (AL)
Frost/Nixon A- (AL)
Frozen River B (AL)
Get Smart D (AL)
Ghost Town B+ (AL)
Gomorrah B (AL)
Hancock A- (AL) B+ (ME)
Happy-Go-Lucky B+(AL)
Hellboy II: The Golden Army A- (AL)
In Bruges D- (AL)
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull B- (AL)
I've Loved You So Long A (AL)
Journey to the Centre of the Earth (3D) F (AL)
Lakeview Terrace B- (AL)
Let the Right One In B- (AL)
Mamma Mia! D (AL)
Man on Wire B+(AL)
Married Life B- (AL)
Milk B (AL)
Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist C- (AL)
The Orphanage B- (ME)
Pineapple Express D- (AL)
Pride and Glory D (AL)
OSS117: Cairo - Nest of Spies D+ (AL)
Quantum of Solace C+ (AL)
Quarantine B- (AL)
Rambo D+ (AL)
The Reader D+ (AL)
[Rec] A (AL) A+ (ME)
Redbelt C (AL)
Revolutionary Road A (AL)
Role Models B (AL)
Sex and the City B+ (AL)
Shine a Light A (AL)
Slumdog Millionaire B+ (AL)
Taken C+ (AL)
Teeth B+ (AL)
Tropic Thunder B (AL)
Twilight B+ (AL)
Valkyrie C- (AL)
Vicky Cristina Barcelona A+ (AL)
The Visitor A- (AL)
The Wackness B- (AL)
Wall*E B+ (AL)
Wanted C+ (AL)
Wendy and Lucy C+ (AL)
What Happened in Vegas B- (ME)
The Wrestler A (AL)
Film Links
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Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging UK, 2008 Director: Gurinder Chadha Starring:
Matt: - Adam: B
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Going into this I found myself very nearly explaining to the girl at the box office why I was buying a ticket. I nearly offered an excuse to the usher that took my stub. And then when I got into a theatre half full of young teenage girls I half thought about declaring to them all why I was going to be joining them. This is very obviously not a film aimed at a 20-something male audience. It is unashamedly British, unashamedly targeting young females and unapologetically made for readers of Louise Rennison's books Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging and On the Bright Side, I'm Now the Girlfriend of a Sex God, which apparently have received quite a cult following amongst schoolgirls. Gurinder Chadha, she of Bend it Like Beckham fame (a movie I refuse to see based solely on Beckham's name being in the title) directs and 16 year old Georgia Groome gets her big break as the heroine Georgia Nicholson.
The books are a little bit of a young female version of Adrian Mole, with the ups and downs of being a teenage girl explored in journal entries. Georgia and her friends are just beginning to develop an interest in boys and struggling with the usual adolescent dilemmas of questioning how attractive they are, wondering how to kiss properly and deciding whether or not your boobs are big enough to wear a bra. We've all been there. Two of the likable foursome, Georgia and Jas, are a little ahead of the maturity curve since they've devised a ten-point snogging scale. They are ready for boy-action but are frustrated by the lack of talent in Eastbourne. One day their prayers are answered when two "sex God fitties" turn up from London and have the girls in a complete frenzy. Georgia and Jas decide they must pursue these two and they do just that, with often amusing results.
The two sex Gods are played by Aaron Johnson and Sean Bourke. Now Sean is the reason I went to the see the film, since I both taught him Biology and was his rugby coach for a year. He was and is a top bloke and being cast in this film must have been a bit of an ego boost since the main requirement is to look fit at all times, something he pulls of very well! It is a very good film debut and I hope he conquers Hollywood asap. Johnson it has to be said is probably even better looking than Sean - in fact he disgustingly handsome and looks like that should be illegal. Despite being way out of their leagues, the handsome duo fall for Georgia and Jas. This is a little implausible but I think you can forgive it because Chadha has obviously wanted to make a film where a teenage girl's dreams come true, and boys are attracted to girls not based on looks but based on personality. That's a very noble tale to be telling during a time when superficiality is almost celebrated. The film is obviously based on a very popular and teen-savvy book, which helps a lot, but Chadha and co have to take immense credit for some clever casting. Beginning with the smart choice of star, and continuing with a talented supporting cast, everyone seems perfectly suited to their roles and the on-screen chemistry is rife. Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging has a very specific target audience and I have absolutely no hesitation recommending this funny and even charming film to them. Heck, if you can look past the title, even non-teenage girls may enjoy it.
AL |
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