Film Addict's May Film Choice

We all go through life with ups and downs and sometimes they are big and sometimes they are small, and this month just seems to be full of both big and small downs.  My grandad was diagnosed with cancer well over 5 years ago but we thought he beat it, the lovely stubborn man that he is but unfortunately, the cancer decided to strike twice and he took a big turn for the worst this year.  He passed away this month and though we knew it was coming, we are all going to miss him so while I've been sat here on my own, thinking about how to deal with this, I decided to dedicate Film Addict's May Film Choice to him.  While I don't know what his favourite film is because he used to watch so many and he was a man of very few words but I know that he liked war films so I have decided to pick one from my extensive film collection and chose Fury.

Fury is the 2014 war film directed by David Ayer who also wrote the screenplay.  Brad Pitt (Ocean's Trilogy, Fight Club) stars along with Shia LaBeouf (Transformers, Constantine), Logan Lerman (Perks of Being a Wallflower, Percy Jackson series), Michael Peña (American Hustle, Shooter), Jon Bernthal (The Walking Dead, The Wolf of Wall Street), Jason Isaacs (Harry Potter series, Peter Pan), and Scott Eastwood (Gran Torino, The Longest Ride).

Rating: 6

Recommended To: War film fans

Favourite Characters: Wardaddy

Favourite Part: Wardaddy: [pointing at the tank, Fury] That's home. Do what you're told. And don't get too close to no one.

Good Points: The relationships between the crew of Fury; sense of realism throughout; good old fashion action

Bad Points: Predictable

George R.R. Martin - A Game of Thrones

My mum's great in my opinion because she actually remembered that I wanted the Song of Ice and Fire series, which were the series Game of Thrones was adapted from, and got me it for my birthday along with other random books, she is the person that encouraged me to read as a child after all.  I know I could have watched the Game of Thrones TV series without reading the books but I watch enough TV so I don't need more shows to watch at the moment, but I may just nick my sister's DVDs soon.  Now for the first book in the series.

A Game of Thrones is the first book in George R.R. Martin's epic fantasy series, A Song of Ice and Fire, which is also the basis of the HBO TV series, Game of Thrones which stars Peter Dinklage, Lena Headey, Kit Harington, and Sean Bean to name a few.  A Song of Ice and Fire is based in the world of Westeros and Essos with King Robert Baratheon on the throne, having usurped Aerys II Targaryen AKA "The Mad King" many years ago; the series focusses on multiple characters in various settings including the Wall where the Night Watch defend Westeros from those beyond and King's Landing, home of the King and his men and where Westeros is ruled from.  As well as in Westeros, Essos is seen from the point of view of Daenerys Targaryen where she and her brother have been exiled since their father was usurped and killed, but are on a quest to return to their home and reclaim their lost throne.

Rating: 9

Recommended To: Epic fantasy fans

Favourite Characters: Jon; Ned

Favourite Part: There was no place for him in Winterfell, no place in King's Landing either.  Even his own mother had not had a place for him.  The thought of her made him sad.  He wondered who she had been, what she had looked like, why his father had left her.  Because she was a whore or an adulteress, fool.  Something dark and dishonorable, or else why was Lord Eddard too ashamed to speak of her? - Page 433

Good Points: Multiple narrators; the concept behind the throne; full of fascinating characters; engaging story

Bad Points: Multiple narrators

Geek Alert - May Loot Crate

It's the middle of the month again and that means Loot Crate is here, which is always a great surprise, whether I come home from work and it's in my porch or I'm home when it's delivered.  Loot Crate is always good because there is so much imagination that goes into it.

The Age of Adaline

It's been a while since I have purposely been to the cinema to see a romance film, let alone an epic romance which has been compared to the likes of The Notebook, but when I saw the trailer for The Age of Adaline, I felt compelled to see it because I liked the look of the cast as well as the story.

The Age of Adaline is the 2015 epic romance fantasy film from Lee Toland Krieger which focusses on a young woman who no longer ages because of an unusual accident in 1937.  Blake Lively (Gossip Girl, Savages), Michiel Huisman (Orphan Black, Game of Thrones) star in The Age of Adaline along with Harrison Ford (Original Star Wars trilogy, Indiana Jones series), Kathy Baker (Edward Scissorhands, The Town), Amanda Crew (Charlie St. Cloud, The Haunting in Connecticut), and Ellen Burstyn (Interstellar, The Fountain).

Rating: 7

Recommended To: Romance fans

Favourite Characters: Ellis

Favourite Part: Adaline: What are you doing here?
Ellis: I got something for you too.  [Pulls three books out of his bag] Some flowers.
Adaline: Daisy Miller by Henry James.  Dandelion Wine by Ray Bradburn.  White Oleander by Jenny Fitch.  [Laughs] Very clever.

Good Points: Beautifully shot; interesting premise; Harrison Ford

Bad Points: Predictable; hard to connect with Adaline at first