100W: The Last Airbender

As a writer, it is a regular expectation to keep to a strict word count. Every time you pick up a magazine, articles can be a small 100-word write-up or a 1000-word review. My own notes for the many films seen are always over 100 words - so this is a new feature that will focus on reviewing films in a concise 100 words.

The Last Airbender (Dir. M. Night Shyamalan, 2010)

The infamous comparison to Spielberg stops as Shyamalan takes on multi-million pound blockbuster The Last Airbender. Adapting the Nickelodeon TV-series may have appeared an easy hit, but alas, script simplicity plagues the film despite top-notch special effects. The story revolves around Aang (Noah Ringer) – the only one who can “bend” all four elements of Fire, Water, Air and Earth – who, in a messianic manner, will bring balance to the planet. Katar (Nicola Peltz) and Sokka (Jackson Rathbone), two flat-characters join Aang on the journey as they challenge Fire-Nation exile - Zuko (Dev Patel). Good effort – but complete misfire – from Shyamalan.

Simon and Jo in Trafalgar Square

Some more videos from the Simon & Jo Film Show, shot by night in Trafalgar Square, London. We reflect on Smokin' Aces, The Last Airbender and Sean Penn with the usual mixture of random ranting and odd dancing. Enjoy.







Kudos to Rhys Bendix Lewis for his excellent camerawork, apologies for the low level lighting. It's quite the guerilla operation.

The Simon and Jo Film Show: 15/08/2010 (The Last Airbender/Knight and Day)

This week on The Simon and Jo Film Show we have a special guest... It's Rhys Bendix Lewis! He's seen M Night Shyamalan's The Last Airbender and so has Simon which leads to a jolly interesting discussion on what many are calling an horrendous film. Knight & Day has been getting pretty poor reviews as well but that didn't stop Simon & Jo checking out the all star pairing of Cruise & Diaz. Tune in to find out if Jo's peculiar Tom-Love takes a battering or if he is blinded by that smile. There are also reflections on a couple of people films, which is not as odd as it sounds.

There's the usual banter on the London Box Office, the UKs latest releases and a bit of movie news, including Brigitte Bardot coming out fighting as the Americans try to make her biopic with Jaime King.

Massive shoutout to Cinema Obsessed, a podcast and blog from two women obsessed about cinema.

The music this week comes from the soundtracks to The Last Airbender and Knight & Day.

Finally in trailer talk there's Independence Day x 100 in Skyline, Gasper Noe is a controversial artist with Enter the Void and it's Katie Holmes v Anna Paquin in The Romantics.

Simon and Jo Revealed in the Summer...

Some new videos filmed right outside Buckingham Palace ... obviously, when you hear my reaction to Jo's choice of top-film-of-the-summer, this was filmed before the last podcast because my view on it has changed...





Apologies about the lighting in the second video ... the question is this: bad lighting and buckingham palace? or good lighting and park in front of buckingham palace? [Like Big Brother] You decide.

We do have a bunch more videos and - on the right hand-side bar, or here - you just need to click on the link to be hooked up to all the previous videos we have done!

The Simon and Jo Show Podcast: 07/02/2010

Recorded at the National Theatre, the BFI and the IMAX at Waterloo, this week we are 'all over the place'. We first run down the top 5 films and, alas, the number two spot has changed - albeit with a film that has been sitting in the top five for far too long. Richard joins us for coverage, sharing his views on the recent releases while we all rip apart the Best Actor, Best Actress and Best Film nominees at the upcoming Oscars. Then, to finish, a bit of mockery headed towards Ridley Scott's Robin Hood and excitement for The Last Airbender directed by auteur M. Night Shyamalan.

Music this week from the soundtrack to Invictus and Youth in Revolt.

The link is:
http://simonandjoshow.mypodcast.com/