Great Train Robbery

This is a western film made in 1903 by director Edwin. S Porter. This film was considered to be one of history's greatest milestones in film, being the first narrated film created. It follows the cliche story of bandits holding up a train in an attempt to rob it. The use of camera movement and cuts was fantastic in my opinion. I give this film a personal score of 3/5.

Trip to the moon

This is a very curious film made in 1902, directed by Georges Méliès. It begins with a meeting of astronomers whose leader proposes they go to the moon. Six of the astronomers agree to go on this journey and they go about building a space capsule in the shape of a bullet as well as a cannon to shoot the capsule from. As they space capsule approaches the moon the "Man in the Moon" watches them and they capsule hits him in the eye. Soon after the astronomers discover a cave filled with gigantic mushrooms, not long after an alien race (Selenites) appears in the cave and one of the astronomers destroys it with his umbrella, more Selenites appear at this point and the astronomers are taken prisoner by the Selenites. In the throne room of the Selenites one of the astronomers picks up the leader Selenite and throws him to the ground, destroying him, afterwards the astronomers escape back to their capsule and flee the moon, arriving safely back on earth to be praised as heroes. I give this short film a personal score of 4/5.

War of the Buttons

This family dramady (drama-comedy) was directed by Christophe Barratier in 2011. It follows youngster Lebrac (Jean Texier), a not-so-bright young man who despises his own father for not going to war against the Nazis. At the arrival of new girl Violette (Ilona Bachelier) Lebrac finds himself somewhat entrigued, but finds out that she prefers someone with brains over brawn. This film is aimed at children in an attempt to put a stop to wars but I personally think we could all take from this film. I give it a personal score of 4/5.

Les mains en l'air

This dramady (drama-comedy) follows a group of kids in Paris; most of these kids' parents are not in the country legally. The main character, Milana (Linda Doudaeva), a 10 year old Chechen gets dangerously close to being found by the authorities along with her mother but her friends band together to protect them from deportation by means of one of Milana's best friends; Blaise (Jules Ritmanic). Blaise manages to persuade his mother to take them into the family and protect them from being caught. I give this film a personal rating of 3.5/5.

Rien à déclarer (Nothing to Declare) Review

This French comedy is a good twist on the conflict between the Belgians and French at their respective borders in the early 90s. It follows a Belgian "Franceophobe" customs officer; Ruben Vandevoorde, whose severity of following laws goes to an extreme of forcing traffic to queue at the border so as to not let in any unworthy "Frogs". He is later forced to duo with French customs officer Mathias Ducatel, who, at the time, was dating Vandevoorde's sister. A fine example of French comedy, 4.5/5 stars.