Bad Neighbours

These Neighbours Know How To Party

Director: Nicholas Stoller
Release Date: 2014
Rating: 15
Running Time: 95 mins
Genre: Comedy
Actors: Seth Rogen, Rose Byrne, Zac Efron, Dave Franco

'In this neighborhood, we don't always stay off the "grass"!' says a brown-nosing Seth Rogen before revealing a pre-rolled joint to his newly arrived neighbours Zac Efron and Dave Franco, you'd assume by this welcoming gift from the 'old couple next door' that a neighbourly friendship is about to blossom. But little do both parties know its not just going to be the joint that will be sparked, but also, after phone call to the police, intense rivalry like no other resulting in hilarious circumstances. With pool Parties, BBQ Parties and even Robert DeNiro Parties, it's fair to say that these neighbours no how to party. But lets back up a little...

Newly wedded couple, Mac and Kelly (Rogen and Byrne) are settling into their married life and adjusting to living in their suburban home, whilst also coping with the added responsibilities of parenthood and becoming fully grown adults, it seems like the couple will finally have to finally accept that their youth is now behind them. Enter the Delta Fraternity next door....

Like Channing Tatum and others before him, it's finally Efron's turn to prove himself as an actor, not just for the women but for the guys as well. It's fair to say, as he takes on the lead in this American comedy, he settles into the part and suits it very well, there's definitely a career in comedy for the young star if he fancies Bad Neighbours 2. And of course he ends up spending the majority of the film with his top off, so of course its a film for the ladies as well. Seth Rogen once again graces our screen as his usual character of a fat lovable stoner, but now is the fat lovable stoner accompanied by a wife (Rose Byrne) and new born baby , so the comical actor changes his tune slightly and adapts to this new role. Of course there's much more shrooms, weed and other drugs involved, so the old Seth Rogen we know and love hasn't fully left us yet.

There's no denying that Bad Neighbours is yet another mad college film with constant parties and the typical American gags we both love and sometimes are sickened by, so if you like dick jokes, fart jokes and more dick jokes then Bad Neighbours is definitely a must see movie this year. But its not just its crude humour that stands out in this film, because its not just a typical college film but it can be said it goes a bit deeper than that. In many ways despite its 'boyish' humour, the film does say a lot about people growing older, loosing their youth coming to terms with being grown ups. As well as also looking the problems with drawing to the end of education and having to venture out into the real world. In many ways it says a lot about reality and age and how we cope with it, but of course there's also a load of drinking, taking drugs and staying up all night to party.

7/10

The Amazing Spider-Man 2

A Well Rebooted Franchise

Director: Mark Webb
Release Date: 2014
Rating: 12
Running Time: 145 mins
Genre: Superhero/Action
Actors: Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Jamie Foxx

Hats off to Andrew Garfield, when all is said and done, he portrays a pretty badass Spider-Man. Mark Webb's recreation of the web slinger's franchise is certainly able to raise the bar on what a superhero movie needs. Awesome fight scenes, squaring up to bad guys but mainly just being amazing, and there's no question about whether The Amazing Spider-Man franchise brings this. If we compare this rebooted franchise to the last one 10 years ago with Toby Maguire and Kirsten Dunst, it's interesting to look at what's stayed the same and what this new one has managed to do differently (better!). For one thing, the technology now is able to provide us with a real kick-ass superhero that's able to do so much more than they've been able to do previously, but for the Spidey fans who grew up with the comic books and cartoon TV series (like I was), it feels to be much more loyal to what it originally was. Plus this time there's a Peter Parker who is a believable late teenager, like he was originally meant to be, and like in the comics, he doesn't have webbing already, but instead manufactures it himself (but I'm getting into real geek territory now).

We meet Peter Parker two years on, after the first instalment of The Amazing Spider-Man, and he's just graduating high school and becoming a man. He's a typical young man just setting out in life, worrying about college, leaving home and suffering girl trouble with his girl friend Gwen Stacy (Emma Stone), as well as just generally trying to stay on top of things. But as well as all of this, he's web slinging super hero trying to save Manhattan and all of it's citizens whilst also trying to prevent anyone from finding out his true identity (busy life)! In this new instalment to the franchise Peter's got to battle not one but two super-villains this time, with the power drive maniac (literally) Electro (Jamie Foxx) and another familiar face as well.

There's no denying the filming and direction of this film is incredible, it would've been hard to manage what Mark Webb is doing currently, 10 years ago, audiences are given a real insight into Spidey's mind, and it's pretty amazing. The acting in this film is fantastic, especially from a 30 year old Andrew Garfield playing a  man 10 years younger than himself. Though this is not the shortest film Marvel have produces (at just under two and a half hours), it's fair to say it's very dialogue heavy (obviously setting up the next, but hopefully not final chapter to this franchise), but no denying the action sequences definitely made up for it and kept everyone entertained throughout, along with some more brilliant Spider-Man one liners. Its true that perhaps Spider-Man isn't everyone's favourite superhero but I can guarantee he'll be up there after you've seen this because he is just so cool and likeable (like a young Tony Stark). Without a doubt Marvel need to continue making more Spidey films, and quickly before Andrew Garfield gets too old! Webb will definitely will need to get him into an ensemble superhero film soon because it would be epic to see Spidey along side Ironman and Hulk!

8/10