Cs_The_Moment

Filth is an in-your-face, raucous film about corrupt policeman Bruce (James McAvoy) determined that nothing and no one will stand in his way of a promotion which will help him win back his family. As he falls further into his web of lies and deceit he is drawn deeper into drug addiction which causes his life to spiral out of control.

I actually saw this film a few weeks ago and couldn't really make up my mind about it until I'd really sat and thought about it. It's so brutal and twisted and leaves you feeling like you've been slapped round the face when it ends. Yet, once you started thinking about it and strip all the punch out of it, it's just very honest in dealing with some incredibly difficult topics that most films usually gloss up a little. It's not afraid to hit you where it hurts and I was so impressed with the way it manages to be disturbing without being hugely offensive at the same time. As the story unfolds so does Bruce's mind and there are some huge plot twists that really take you by surprise. James McAvoy is outstanding as the corrupt policeman – I haven't seen much of his work and the few films that I have seen haven't overly impressed me but his performance in this blew me away. The entire supporting cast is pretty strong too with some big names like Jamie Bell, Eddie Marsan and Jim Broadbent, as well as some smaller names, but McAvoy really does steal the limelight from start to finish.

Filth is disturbingly dark and honest, almost a little too much, which is why I didn't rate it higher. It did its job of unsettling me to the point where I had to sleep on it for ages before making up my mind about how I would review it. Definitely worth a watch but prepare to be unsettled right from the very first minute.

The Green Mile looks at life on Death Row, told from the perspective of guard Paul Edgecomb (Tom Hanks) who recounts, as an old man, his encounter with mysterious prisoner John Coffey (Michael Clarke Duncan), a convicted child murder who has more to his story than meets the eye, including a very curious ability.

This film is such a classic and it's beautifully acted. Tom Hanks is an incredible actor and he delivers yet another exceptional performance as the sensitive guard willing to treat his prisoners like people, unlike his colleagues such as the harsh and unforgiving Percy Wetmore (Doug Hutchison). Michael Clarke Duncan delivers a really touching performance that culminates into an emotional ending that may bring a few tears. Even the other prisoners, played by Michael Jeter and Sam Rockwell, offer emotive performances with their own descent into madness knowing that they are waiting to die. The majority of the film is set in either the prison block or the electric chair room, which helps to reinforce the intense feeling of entrapment.

The story itself is a little unusual as there is a touch of the supernatural throughout, however it's surprisingly easy to accept this into the normality of the film. As you can expect from a film about Death Row it is a little upsetting to watch at times, but it's mostly a carefully woven story that gently unravels the history of the prisoners and why they are all there, focusing much more on the emotional aspects of such a setting for both the prisoners and the guards, rather than the physicality of it. I only have one real criticism: it was too long. At just over three hours long I felt like it was losing its emotional momentum and could have managed without some scenes and been just as, if not more, powerful a film. Nevertheless don't be put off by the length, unlike some lengthy films there are no points where you get bored watching it drag on, and even if you feel yourself getting lost towards middle of it, the final third brings you right back into it.

The Green Mile is beautifully acted and a really touching classic film. Despite being a little unnecessarily long it offers a real heartfelt journey and an unusual story that will really evoke some emotion – well worth the three hours of the film!

21 Jump Street is apparently something of a remake of the 1987 TV series starring Johnny Depp and Dustin Nguyen (it's a couple of years before my time so I haven't seen it yet to compare the two) which features underachieving policemen Schmidt (Jonah Hill) and Jenko (Channing Tatum) who are assigned the task of posing as high school students in an undercover operation to bring down a drugs ring, leading the pair into a whole host of hilarious situations.

Despite the juvenile nature that you'd typically expect from this film (not normally something I particularly enjoy) I thought this film was hilarious. Some of the jokes were very base but these were fairly outnumbered by some genuine good humour. Of course the whole film borders on the silly and far-fetched throughout but it never pretends to be anything other than just that, and rarely feels like it's trying too hard for audience laughs. Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill are a dream comedy duo in this: their differences in acting styles and personalities are played up in stereotypes which make for some real fun, especially as the stereotypical American high school is a strong factor. Dave Franco plays the shifty popular kid and offers an enjoyable performance that occasionally stands up to the humour of Tatum and Hill, although the biggest laughs from a more minor character come from Ice Cube, the exasperated chief at the 21 Jump Street Facility. There's a nice cameo appearance from the original 21 Jump Street-ers Johhny Depp and Dustin Nguyen too.

If you're looking for a brilliantly funny comedy that's full of light- hearted silliness then it doesn't get much funnier than this. Despite being a little apprehensive I absolutely cracked up at this film and can't wait to see if the sequel lives up to the laugh out loud humour in this.