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 What I've Just Watched: Part 2

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Donald McKinney
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PostSubject: Re: What I've Just Watched: Part 2   What I've Just Watched: Part 2 - Page 21 EmptyTue Aug 09, 2011 10:43 pm

Tales of Terror (1962), Roger Corman's 4th Edgar Allen Poe adaptation after House of Usher (1960), The Pit and the Pendulum (1961) and The Premature Burial (1962). This is a 3 part anthology, 3 creepy tales but they're very effect. As this is Corman and American International producing, set and shots from previous films are recycled here. Razz The first tale is "Morella", a tale where Lenora Locke (Maggie Pierce) travels from Boston to be with her estranged father (Vincent Price), who abandoned her as a baby when her mother Morella (Leona Gage) but all is not what it seems in the house. In "The Black Cat", alcoholic Montresor Herringbone (Peter Lorre) abuses his wife Annabelle (Joyce Jameson) and her black cat, but he soon gets his comeuppance after taking part in a wine tasting competition with Fortunato Luchresi (Price again), and he romances Annabelle, and bricks them up in the basement of his house. Then, in "The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar", the titular M. Valdemar (Price) is dying slowly, and employs hypnotist Carmichael (Basil Rathbone) to help him through his suffering, but the hypnotism puts Valdemar in a word between the living and the dead. They are very creepy tales, done on the cheap and they show, but they're all very effective and Price is top notch, especially in The Black Cat, and this is one of the better Poe films. Anthology films don't always work, but this does. 4/5

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The Oblong Box (1969), the last Edgar Allen Poe film that was produced by American International Pictures, directed by German born British director Gordon Hessler, and bringing together two greats of the horror film world. It's actually a good film, which has a touch of Tales of the Unexpected about it. In 1865, aristocrat Sir Edward Markham (Alister Williamson) is horribly disfigured out in Africa during a voodoo ceremony. He is brought back to England, and is kept locked in an attic room by Julian (Vincent Price). However, Edward is sick of being locked up like that, and family lawyer Trench (Peter Arne) comes up with a plan to drug him so it looks like he's died, so he can get out of the house. After the burial, Trench has the body exhumed and sent to the shady Dr. Neuhartt (Christopher Lee). Then Edward comes back to life, and he blackmails Neuhartt into sheltering him, while Edward goes around seeking vengeance on Trench, who double crossed him for the money. But, after getting involved with prostitute Heidi (Uta Levka), who Edward kills, he is wanted man, and then Julian's friend Kemp (Rupert Davies) discovers what Trench did. It's a thickly plotted film, quite complex as well. But, Price plays it straight for once, and Lee is quite sinister. But, the film works well, although like Cry of the Banshee, it takes time to get going. 4/5

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PostSubject: Re: What I've Just Watched: Part 2   What I've Just Watched: Part 2 - Page 21 EmptyTue Aug 09, 2011 11:22 pm

Super 8 (2011), J.J. Abrams makes his follow up to Star Trek (2009), and it's a personal film, based in part on his childhood and the films he grew up with, those of Steven Spielberg, who also produced this film. It's a very nostalgic, mysterious film, that harks back to films Spielberg produced and directed in the 1970's and 80's. It's this kind of entertainment the world needs these days. In 1979, in the industrial town of Lillian, Ohio. Joe Lamb (Joel Courtney) is making a film with his friends Charles Kaznyk (Riley Griffiths), Preston (Zach Mills), Martin (Gabriel Basso), Cary (Ryan Lee) and Alice (Elle Fanning), the film is to be entered in a contest. They film on an old train platform, and a train goes by, but the shoot is interrupted when a pick-up drives onto the tracks and derails the train. They escape, but strange things happen around the town, their dogs go missing, the electricity keeps cutting out, and the US Air Force, led by Colonel Nelec (Noah Emmerich) is muscling in too much, while Joe's dad Jackson (Kyle Chandler) who is deputy sheriff, is trying to figure out what's really going on, and he has to try and keep order. It's a great piece of entertainment, and Abrams keeps us guessing as to what's causing all this destruction during the film. The child actors are all terrific, and it'll be great to see what Abrams will do next, as he's created a nostalgic adventure here where kids are the main characters, and films like that are rare. 4.5/5

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Reservoir Dogs (1992), Quentin Tarantino's directorial debut, and the world of cinema hasn't been the same since this motormouthed film geek came on the scene, and his debut will always be his best film. A clever, noirish thriller with twists and turns and a taut, focused ensemble that keep us gripped. The film is mostly set in a warehouse during the aftermath of a diamond heist, however the planned heist went wrong, even though they got the diamonds. Mr. Orange (Tim Roth) was shot and is being looked after by Mr. White (Harvey Keitel), who promises Mr. Orange that he'll live. Mr. Pink (Steve Buscemi) turns up, thinking someone ratted them out. Mr. Blonde (Michael Madsen) tells them that Mr. Blue (Eddie Bunker) and Mr. Brown (QT) are dead. They sit around trying to figure out what went wrong, waiting for gangster Joe Cabot (Lawrence Tierney), who masterminded the heist, and his son Nice Guy Eddie (Chris Penn) to turn up. Meanwhile Mr. Blonde has taken cop Marvin Nash (Kirk Baltz) hostage, and Mr. Blonde plans to torture Nash. However, one of crooks is a cop, but who is it?? This has alot of violence, with QT's trademark dialogue on display throughout, it has alot of iconic scenes that have been referenced to death ever since. It's got a good soundtrack too. It's a shame QT hasn't tried anything as small, low-budget and as short as this since, it seems everything changed since Kill Bill. 5/5

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PostSubject: Re: What I've Just Watched: Part 2   What I've Just Watched: Part 2 - Page 21 EmptyThu Aug 11, 2011 12:39 am

Sanctum (1st view) - Terrible script and not a single character to care for but the diving and action scenes are decent - 3/5*

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PostSubject: Re: What I've Just Watched: Part 2   What I've Just Watched: Part 2 - Page 21 EmptyThu Aug 11, 2011 3:16 pm

What would you expect from a film produced by Big Jim?? Razz

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (2011), and so it comes to this. The end of the Harry Potter franchise, which has lasted 10 years, over 8 films, and as the curtain comes down, they've saved the best till last. It's very operatic in scale and tone, and it whizzes by at breakneck speed, and it's a fitting end to an enjoyable franchise. It starts off from where Part 1 ended last year. Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes) getting the Elder Wand from the grave of Dumbledore (Michael Gambon). Meanwhile, Harry (Daniel Radcliffe), Ron (Rupert Grint) and Hermione (Emma Watson) break into the vault of Bellatrix Lestrange (Helena Bonham Carter) at Gringott's Bank to get the a cup, which is one of the Horcruxes to be destroyed to defeat Voldemort. Then they have to get into Hogwarts, now run with an iron fist by Snape (Alan Rickman), to find a tiara which has to be destroyed too. Voldemort has assembled an army to bring down Hogwarts and kill Harry Potter, but our hero isn't defeated yet, although he learns that he was always destined to die, no matter what, as a bit of Voldemort has been in him from when he killed Harry's parents. It's a dark film but there is relief by the end, that there's no more threats to Harry. You've come to care and be entertained by these characters over the last 10 years, we've watched them go through childhood to adulthood. The final showdown between Harry and Voldemort is well worth waiting for. It is the shortest film of the series, you would have thought they would have gone all out with this one though. 4/5

What I've Just Watched: Part 2 - Page 21 Deathly-hallows-p2-1

The Jacket (2005), directed by John Maybury, (Love Is the Devil: Study for a Portrait of Francis Bacon (1998)), this is a taut psychological thriller pitched somewhere between Altered States (1980), Total Recall (1990) and Twelve Monkeys (1995), it's dark thriller which leaves more questions than answers for it's viewer to make up their own minds about. It starts in 1992, where ex-Gulf War soldier Jack Starks (Adrien Brody) is wandering Vermont, after surviving a bullet to the head during the conflict. He suffers from amnesia, and finds himself on trial for the murder of a policeman, however Jack's amnesia causes him to be put in a mental institution. Jack is subjected to medical experiments by Dr. Thomas Becker (Kris Kristofferson), which involves being injected with an experimental drug, being put in a strait-jacket, and put inside a morgue drawer. In that state, Jack finds himself being able to travel 15 years into the future, where he meets the older version of a young girl he helped in Vermont in 1992, the young woman is Jackie (Keira Knightley), who can't believe it's the same man, but tells Jack he dies on New Years Day 1993, a few days after Jack was admitted to the institution. It's very twisty, turny, but it has some good ideas but it's a little too complex to keep up with, alot of plot points in the film are open to power of suggestion, including whether time travel is involved or not. But, it has a good cast too including Jennifer Jason Leigh, Kelly Lynch, Brad Renfro and Daniel Craig. 3.5/5

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PostSubject: Re: What I've Just Watched: Part 2   What I've Just Watched: Part 2 - Page 21 EmptyFri Aug 12, 2011 5:29 am

Donald McKinney wrote:
What would you expect from a film produced by Big Jim?? Razz


Good point!


I can't wait to see Harry Potter. I'll be going later today. I've been watching the other 7 this week, and I've just finished Hallows part 1. Seeing them all together has been pretty great.

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PostSubject: Re: What I've Just Watched: Part 2   What I've Just Watched: Part 2 - Page 21 EmptyFri Aug 12, 2011 5:41 am

I Am Number Four (1st view) - A bit like Twilight, but better. Pettyfer managed to be even worse in this than Stormbreaker, I didn't think that was possible - 3/5*

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Hell Ride (1st view) - An homage to biker films and exploitation flicks from the 70s. I can only hope that those from the past are better than this - 2/5*

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PostSubject: Re: What I've Just Watched: Part 2   What I've Just Watched: Part 2 - Page 21 EmptySat Aug 13, 2011 10:03 am

Harry Potter and The Philosopher's Stone (6th view, 2001, Chris Columbus) - 4/5
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (5th view, 2002, Chris Columbus) - 4/5
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (4th view, 2004, Alfonso Cuarón) - 4/5
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (3rd view, 2005, Mike Newell) - 4/5
Harry Potter and the Order of The Phoenix (2nd view, 2007, David Yates) - 4/5
Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince (2nd view, 2009, David Yates) - 4/5
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (2nd view, 2010, David Yates) - 4/5
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (1st view, 2011, David Yates) - 4/5*


What I've Just Watched: Part 2 - Page 21 Harrypotter



MASSIVE, HUGE, ENGORGIO-AFLLICTED SPOILERS FOR BOTH BOOKS AND FILMS




Hedwig’s theme. A lovely, wistful, twinkly tune that hinted at the wonders of a boy who goes to wizard school. In a decade that saw very few memorable film themes, the John Williams’ tune that graced the trailer for the Philosopher’s Stone got me quite excited. This was going to be the fantasy film of 2001. 2000 was the year when I first read Potter, just as the book series was becoming massive, and blasting though the first three books was a joy, so anticipation for the film was high. I saw it and loved. I saw it again and I loved it. A masterpiece. Then Fellowship of the Ring came out and I realised that the first Potter film might not be the best that fantasy could do. But still, I enjoyed it immensely and even bought the dvd when it was released at midnight at the local at Asda (It still has the price label, $15.84. Haven’t paid that much for a DVD in ages) And 10 years later, the film is still an immense joy. In taking great scene from the book and reproducing them, quite faithfully, it succeeds admirably. In putting in place an adult cast that is, and would remain, nigh on perfect, it can’t be faulted. Rickman, Coltrane and Harris are especially perfect. It might try to be a tad too faithful, and in fact this might be its downfall. And the tone of the film is at odds with what will come later. And sure, the kids aren’t great but it creates a believable world and is a fantastic introduction.

November 2002, and the extended Fellowship had left Philosopher’s Stone lacking. The Two Towers was the big fantasy film for the winter of 2002. Still, Chamber of Secrets was to be looked forward to and, as with the first one, it put the book on the screen in a straightforward, uncomplicated manner. There was still a sense of magic in the air, a sense of wonderment that came across as we saw the wizard world through Harry’s eyes. And Branagh was massive casting success. Superb as Lockhart, An equally impressive piece of casting was for the more important Lucius Malfoy (was he really going to kill Harry in that final scene?), and it’s not possible for me to picture anyone but Jason Isaacs in the role. Like the first film, you sense Columbus had no idea in the way the books would play out.

Come summer 2004, and Azkaban had a lot of work to do. The LOTR was trilogy now finished, now established as the greatest thing of all time. Potter had a new director who had to adapt my favourite book of the series; two pivotal roles had to be cast perfectly, Lupin and Sirius being some of the best roles in the series. Luckily, they hit gold with Oldman and Thewlis. And Alfonso Cuaron took to the task of director admirably, the new look for the films working well, and the atmosphere of the book was portrayed exactly as it should. A proper modern mythology was set up in the storylines, book three was just the right mix of happy magic and glum despair, and the film got this just right., It didn’t, however, recast Dumbledore correctly. Perhaps, more importantly, Dumbledore was now played entirely differently. Whether this had anything to do with the fact that book 5 was now released, and events had taken a disastrous turn I have no idea, but the twinkly-eyed turn from kindly grandfather Richard Harris was now a much more solemn portrayal from Michael, Gambon. And you couldn’t help but watch this film without a hint of sadness, knowing what would occur towards the end of Order of the Phoenix. But it remains a thrilling, superior adaptation.

The book for the Goblet of Fire is probably the weakest of the series. Romance filled the air. Alas, JK Rowling is no Jane Austen. There was that silly little SPEW storyline. But even the main event, The tri-wizard tournament, comes across as a hackneyed contrivance. The film does its best. No spew for a start and the romance is kept to a reasonable minimum, and is actually played with a sense of awkwardness and humour that betters the novel. A new composer with Patrick Doyle gave some of the best music from the franchise. In a film series that now excelled in the casting of their adult characters, Brendan Gleeson proved himself to be a delightful Mad-Eye Moody. And Fiennes, Fiennes is deliciously evil. Watch as he performs the cruciatus curse with glee. Magnificent. Alas, the weakest adult performer also crops up in this film, and no, it’s not Trigger. But the main plot still seems a bit silly. Nothing can change that.

The Order of the Phoenix came out just a few weeks prior to the final book. Probably the best child actor in the series came aboard with Evanna Lynch. Imelda Staunton’s portrayal of Umbridge seemed to jump right out of the book. Look at the cast list for this film – Besides Staunton we have Michael Gambon, Maggie Smith, Alan Rickman, Robbie Coltrane, Ralph Fiennes, Helena Bonham Carter, Gary Oldman, David Thewlis, Brendan Gleeson, Fiona Shaw, Richard Griffiths, Jason Isaacs, Julie Walters, Emma Thompson. Careers filled with acclaim and praise, the talent on display is phenomenal. Alas, with a book so large you’d need the reducto spell to carry it around with you, much of the talent gets precious few seconds on screen, especially when the film is the shortest so far. Some of this trimming is beautiful. The battle in the Ministry of Magic, one of the most long-winded and convoluted sequences in all 7 books, is presented with efficient flair on screen. Some
of the cuts, not so good. Seeing more of how the supposedly angelic James Potter was so not so kind would have been nice. And more of Neville’s history was needed. In many ways a more interesting character than Harry, with an equally tragic past. Still, as ever, so much to enjoy. But prophecies, man, they bring me down.


Half Blood Price in 2009. A good, solid adaptation, with a momentous conclusion, and one of the best scores. Fine work from Nicholas Hooper. The light-hearted nature of the first two films was now well and truly gone, they might as well have been from a different series altogether, a problem the books also had. By this point, whilst not matching their adult colleagues, the main trio have well and truly made the characters their own. Had Richard Harris been around, I have no idea how he would have played Dumbledore at this point. He’s pretty much a different character. But the end it still sad, and watching it yesterday was the first time, for either films or books, I’d cried due to Harry Potter, For that I blame LOTR.

By the time part 1 of the Deathly Hallows came out, it had been 3 years since I read the book (in 7 hours on the night it came out), and at least 6 years since I’d read any of the others. Keeping Yates as a director for the final 4 films made sense. He took the horrific aspect of the books and put them on screen with exhilarating action, oftentimes beautiful visuals, but also kept much of the heart of the characters, and much of this film exemplifies such traits. Yaxley casting spells left, right and centre in the Ministry is a highlight. There are some setbacks though. No more spectral sex, please, and god, that dance is cringe worthy. The tale of the Deathly Hallows (the what you say? Surely, something sooooooo important we’d have heard talk of in the past) is gorgeous. But the film still can’t compensate for the fact that the entire fate of the wizarding world is now in the hands of three teenagers. If Voldemort was such a bad ass, you’d think Dumbledore would have given him more help in finding horcruxes. Or sent more adult wizards on the search. Or got help from other countries. The wizard world seems very, very small. I can’t remember if I had these questions when I read the book, but I do have them with these later films. In truth, all the films have the odd plot hole that the books probably provided the answer for, but they get bigger as the films go on.

And then Deathly Hallows part 2, watched for the first time about 16 hours ago and I’ve done little but think of it since. The story of a boy who goes to wizard school finally finishes but it’s no longer what it once was. I like the fact that a nice tale has become something monumental, vast, and epic, but perhaps it’s gone too far in that direction. The stakes were high in LOYTR, but it never felt like apocalyptic doom and gloom, time for to stick your head in the oven. Azkaban had the balance, even Goblet and Phoenix, the last books tipped over the edge. In the film good is great. Fist in the air moment when McGonagall squares off to Snape. The sense of unity during the battle, bringing back big name actors for about 5 seconds of screen time was a coup. But almost all of my problems start with the story and therefore with the book. The cavalier attitude in which character are killed, it‘s box-checking for an emotional response (not helped by the fact you know some of those characters were meant to survive) Dumbledore’s now become a master manipulator, a cunning, devious, blackmailing old swine who doesn’t who care who dies and with a plan that seems the very opposite of fool proof. It doesn’t make him deeper and more meaningful or add extra dimensions, it makes him a git. The really naff, exposition heavy trip to Kings Cross Station. Killing Snape. No, just no. Turning ultimate bastard dude Snape into a lovelorn, sap. Diddums, Nut up, man. I championed the guy from his first appearance in the books, I knew he was a good guy, I just wish it hadn’t been fort such a shit reason. And what with this “You have you mother’s eyes” An invention for the film I think. The Snape I know wouldn’t say that. Another change from the book was Neville’s heroism as he faces Voldemort, it’s still there, but different and not quite as meaningful. And lastly, in a massive battle such as this, half of it takes places in lonely corridors with our trio. It’s probably the only Potter film that could really do with being a bit longer, a bit more of the other characters on show.

And then the epilogue, which I don’t mind, and then credits. And we have the lovely Hedwig’s theme once more, a connection to the very start of the series. You remember Hedwig don’t you? That owl that was unceremoniously bumped off for no real reason other than to upset people, apparently because Hedwig was symbolic of Harry’s connection to his childhood he had to grow up and be an adult. That reasoning can go and take a running jump. More than anything else in the whole series of books, that moment cheesed me off. At least the film attempted to give some kind of reason. Well, in my mind, Hedwig lives.

And so, it may well seem like I don’t like the books and or films all that much. I do. A lot. It’s my love for them that makes me hate the bits I dislike all the more. Some of it I can accept, some of it I can’t, and the final two books really ticked me off in many ways. The films can’t compensate for that, but they can, for the most part, present these moments in brilliant ways. And the music is awesome, And the cast is sublime. And watching the whole series in the last 5 days, it’s impossible not to get completely sucked into the world. I can see myself doing that again in the future. Watch one Potter film, watch them all. I do feel like I’ve watch one long film. But I am still left scratching my head over god know how many plot strands, mainly from Phoenix onwards. Time to reread the books I think. And get annoyed again. But I’ll certainly be picturing Rickman, Smith, Isaacs et all when I do.

So, placing them in order

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Harry Potter and the Order of The Phoenix
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince
Harry Potter and The Philosopher's Stone
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
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PostSubject: Re: What I've Just Watched: Part 2   What I've Just Watched: Part 2 - Page 21 EmptyTue Aug 16, 2011 9:56 am

Never Let Me Go (1st view) - Well-acted by all, but perhaps never quite as involving as the story should be.

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Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon (1st view) - A mockumentary about film crew following a serial killer around. A similar idea to Man Bites Dog, but this one takes place in a world in which the likes of Freddy Krueger and Jason Vorhees are actually people. It's a great idea for a horror film, and there's much fun to be had in spotting all the various homages to slashers from the past and the detail in which Leslie prepares the stage for his attacks. It just doesn't seem to be an accomplished film technically and that lets it down - 3/5*

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The Kingdom (2nd view) - 4/5

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Very Important Person (1st view) - You don't get many POW comedies, This one works well thanks to the brilliant pomposity of James Robertson Justice and a decent turn from Leslie Philips - 4/5*

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The Company Men (1st view) - 3/5*

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PostSubject: Re: What I've Just Watched: Part 2   What I've Just Watched: Part 2 - Page 21 EmptyTue Aug 16, 2011 2:30 pm

Woah!! Shocked Nice one with the Harry Potter films!! Shocked Very Happy

True Crime (1999), based on Andrew Klavan's 1997 novel of the same name, Clint Eastwood chose this as his 21st film as director, he was still licking his wounds after the failure of Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil (1997), and this was also a big flop. It would be a few years before he got himself back on his feet with success. True Crime has journalist Steve Everett (Eastwood) recovering from alcoholism being assigned a case regarding the last day of the life of Frank Beechum (Isaiah Washington), who is to be executed at midnight for the murder of a pregnant shop assistant 6 years prior, all appeals against this have failed and it looks as if Frank is guilty as hell. However, Steve's recently deceased colleague Michelle Ziegler (Mary McCormack) had evidence that suggests that Frank might just be innocent of the crimes. So, with time running out, Steve decides to check out Michelle's theories, and discovers flaws in the original investigation. But, he has to juggle all this with his broken home life and he only has until midnight to solve the case or Frank will be executed. It's a by the numbers thriller, but some of it is quite cheesy, not helped by some maukish, annoying child-acting too. But, this has support from Denis Leary, James Woods and Bernard Hill. It would only get worse for Clint before it got better. 3/5

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Blood Work (2002), based upon a 1998 book by Michael Connelly, adapted by Brian Helgeland (L.A. Confidential, Payback) and directed by Clint Eastwood. This is a very predictable thriller, though it does work for a time being, but you do get the nagging feeling that seeing Clint at 72 running after baddies and having it off with women that he's getting too old for this shit. CIA agent Terry McCaleb (Eastwood) is on the verge of catching a serial killer when he succumbs to a near-fatal heart-attack. 2 years later, and he's given a new heart from a murder victim, and a second chance at life. But, then he's contacted by Graciella Rivers (Wanda De Jesus), as Terry has her sisters heart, and she wants him to find who killed her sister. However, Terry's physician Dr. Bonnie Fox (Angelica Huston), orders Terry not to go off pursuing this case in such a weakened condition, but Terry goes against what she says and with help from his neighbour Buddy Noone (Jeff Daniels), they follow the clues and police evidence from detective Jaye Winston (Tina Lifford) to find out who murdered Graciella's sister, but will Terry's condition hold him back?? It does work up to a point, but you do guess who it is quite early on, (it's obvious at one point), but not even Clint could see that. But, this is by the numbers stuff for Clint, a chance to see him being a hardass once again and getting baddies. However, he soon found acclaim again over the next 2 years or so. 2.5/5

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PostSubject: Re: What I've Just Watched: Part 2   What I've Just Watched: Part 2 - Page 21 EmptyWed Aug 17, 2011 5:49 am

Donald McKinney wrote:
Woah!! Shocked Nice one with the Harry Potter films!! Shocked Very Happy


Thanks. I think it comes across as if I dislike them a bit too much, but almost all my problems with them come from the storylines the books had. Even so, the books are superb.



Paul (1st view) - Funny-ish. Not as many laughs or references as I had hoped for (the best bit was the Raiders/ET joke) - 3/5*

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The Switch (1st view) - OK - 3/5*

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PostSubject: Re: What I've Just Watched: Part 2   What I've Just Watched: Part 2 - Page 21 EmptyWed Aug 17, 2011 11:38 pm

Every Which Way But Loose (1978), everyone told Clint Eastwood it would be financial suicide for him to an action-comedy, where his co-star would be an orangutan. However, he went with it, and it became at the time one of his most financially successful films. It's a fun film, similiar to the Smokey and the Bandit films, but with punch-em-ups instead of car chases. Philo Beddoe (Eastwood) is a trucker who has a knack for getting into bar-room brawls, he lives with his Ma (Ruth Gordon), and his business associate/manager Orville Boggs (Geoffrey Lewis). Oh, and he also has a pet orangutan called Clyde. Razz Philo makes a bit of money on the side as a bare-knuckle fighter, and he's challenged to fight Tank Murdock (Walter Barnes) who has a reputation as an undefeated fighter on the West Coast. Meanwhile, Philo has fallen for Lynn Halsey-Taylor (Sondra Locke), a country and western singer hoping to make it big, but Philo goes out to Colorado to fight tank, running into Lynn again, and he has the police on his tail and a biker gang known as The Black Widows on his tail, wanting to get him for past brawls. It's a very silly film, but it was good to see Clint showing he has a sense of humour. It's Ruth Gordon as his mother who steals the film, along with Clyde. The success of this guaranteed a sequel 2 years later. 3/5

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Any Which Way You Can (1980), after Every Which Way But Loose (1978) became one of the biggest films of 1978, a sequel was inevitable. But, alot of it feels like a carbon copy of the first film, with the same old punch-em-up's and brawls. It's weaker in comparison, but it does have the street fight to end all street fights as it's finale. Philo Beddoe (Clint Eastwood) is still going around doing illegal bare-knuckle fights, but they've taken their toll on Philo, and he wants to call it a day, as he's started to enjoy the pain. However, retirement isn't as easy as it seems, and a new challenge arrives in the form of Jack Wilson (William Smith), who comes from the East coast, and uses martial arts with bare-knuckle fighting, in order to convince Philo to fight Jack, the mafia get involved, and they end up kidnapping Lynn Halsey-Taylor (Sondra Locke), which they hope will convince him to fight. So, Philo has no choice to come back one last time, with pet orangutan Clyde with him, his Ma (Ruth Gordon) and Orville Boggs (Geoffrey Lewis) to back him, and The Black Widows are on Philo's tail again, looking for vengeance for years of outsmarting them. It's even more sillier than the first film, if that were even possible, with musical performances by Glen Campbell and Fats Domino between the brawls and fights. The final fight is worth suffering the rest of the film for. 2/5

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PostSubject: Re: What I've Just Watched: Part 2   What I've Just Watched: Part 2 - Page 21 EmptyThu Aug 18, 2011 6:48 am

Super 8 (1st view) - Harder to find than a good Will Ferrell performance. You'd find it easier to seek out a Flying Snitch in a hurricane. I am, of course, talking about a good child performance. They're about as frequent as Halley's Comet. To have more than one in a film is practically unheard of and the fact that Super 8 does is quite a feat. But it's also a really enjoyable sci-fi adventure film. Rushed ending though - 4/5*

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Cloverfield (1st view) - Still great - 4/5

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Hobo With A Shotgun (1st view) - By a considerable distance, the best of the Grindhouse films so far - 4/5*

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Did You Hear About the Morgans? (1st view) - Not really that good, but I'm a sucker for Hugh Grant - 3/5*

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Joshua (1st view) - Better than the other Vera Farmiga film in which she raises a creepy kid - 3/5*

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PostSubject: Re: What I've Just Watched: Part 2   What I've Just Watched: Part 2 - Page 21 EmptySat Aug 20, 2011 3:45 pm

Captain America: The First Avenger (2011), the next in line of films from Marvel Studios, and along with the Iron Man films, The Incredible Hulk and Thor, this is all coming together for The Avengers (2012), and this one makes a good set-up for things to come, and it does well with it's WW2 setting. America in 1942, and loads of young men are signing up for the war, Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) wants to do his bit for America, but because of his puny shape and bad health, it's just not gonna happen for him. However, he finds help from scientist Dr. Abraham Erskine (Stanley Tucci) who helps him enlist through a super-soldier experiment, and he finds himself turned into a large, muscular soldier. But, Erskine is murdered and Rogers discovers that Nazi officer Johann Schmidt (Hugo Weaving) is behind it, who once underwent Erskine's experiment, with bad side effects. Meanwhile, Rogers is put on a war bond tour as Captain America, and saves men while in Italy, and starts a secret league in London, led by Colonel Chester Phillips (Tommy Lee Jones), British agent Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell) and inventor Howard Stark (Dominic Cooper) to help bring down Schmidt and his plans of world domination. It is good in all the right places, but there's so much going on it's hard to keep up with what's going on in the film. Evans makes a good lead, and it has a brilliant cast, and director Joe Johnston does good with the material. But, it'll be good to see what The Avengers does next. 4/5

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Saturn 3 (1980), a sci-fi film with a troubled production history. It was due to be the directorial debut of production designer John Barry, fresh off Star Wars. But then it's star had him sacked, and employed Stanley Donen, who sadly had no experience with science fiction whatsoever. It shows throughout this film, which is achingly dull and ponderous. Saturn 3 is a small experimental food research station on one of Saturn's moons, ran by Adam (Kirk Douglas) and his assistant and lover Alex (Farrah Fawcett), who lead a quiet, serene life on the space station away from the over-population of Earth. They are due a visit from a spacecraft which has an experiment on board for them, consisting of brain tissue samples. The craft is manned by Benson (Harvey Keitel), who is mentally unstable and even killed a pilot in order to get to Saturn 3. The experiment consists of an advanced robot called Hector, whose function it is to make the crew of Saturn 3 obsolete, however it turns out that Hector, with manipulation from Benson, is out to kill Adam and Alex, who have always been sceptical of a robot manning Saturn 3. Donen tries to make something of this, but not hard enough, the special effects are ABSOLUTELY CRAP, (no thanks to Lew Grade slashing the budget due to Raise the Titanic costing too much), and the whole film comes across as a poor man's Alien, without any of the suspense or frights. To think this came out the same year as The Empire Strikes Back... :-| 1.5/5

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PostSubject: Re: What I've Just Watched: Part 2   What I've Just Watched: Part 2 - Page 21 EmptySat Aug 20, 2011 4:33 pm

The Inbetweeners Movie (2011), the big screen adaptation of the highly popular E4 series that's become a cult hit. It's a film adaptation that manages not to be another Kevin and Perry Go Large (2000), as these are characters we've come to care about and laugh along with, and it makes a good closing chapter for their misadventures. It follows on a few months from the end of Series 3, and our hapless heroes Will (Simon Bird), Simon (Joe Thomas), Jay (James Buckley) and Neil (Blake Harrison) have finished their exams and are set to leave school. As Jay's grandad died, he's been left some money, and decides to take his friends on a holiday which he promises to be "two weeks of sun, sea, booze, minge, fanny and sex." Razz They go to Malia, Crete and it's a disaster from Day 1, the hotel is an absolute shambles, Will gets a very embarrassing sunburn, Jay nearly drowns a boy and nicks sunloungers from the family of a disabled girl, Simon is pining for Carli D'Amato (Emily Head), who just happens to be there at the same time, and Neil is somehow managing to pull older women. But, it can only get better for our heroes, or can it?? It's a very funny film, and the gags come fast and furious, and if one doesn't work, don't worry because there'll be another pussy joke along in a few seconds that will. Razz It's filthy and dirty, but it's managed to have broken the curse of TV to film transfers that haven't worked in the past. We've seen them come of age (sort of), and had some great laughs with them, and this is hilarious last hurrah for the lads. Razz 4/5

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I Confess (1953), between Strangers on a Train (1951) and Dial M for Murder (1954), Alfred Hitchcock headed off to Quebec City, Canada for this adaptation of a French play from 1902 called Nos Deux Consciences by Paul Anthelme. It's an underrated Hitchcock film, one of his forgotten films from the 1950's, but it's a good film with a dark edge to it. Father Michael Logan (Montgomery Clift) is a young priest working in Quebec City, he has a 2 German immigrants working for him, caretaker Otto Keller (O. E. Hasse), and a housekeeper, Otto's wife Alma (Dolly Haas). Late one evening, Otto asks Michael if he can confess a sin, which he does. It turns out Otto murdered a rich lawyer called Villette, for whom he does some gardening. Otto was attempting to steal money when Villette entered, and was murdered. A most horrendous sin, but Michael cannot tell the authorities about what happened because he's bound by the secrecy of the confessional. However, more problems arouse when, due to circumstantial evidence, Michael finds himself being investigated for the murder of Villette. However, he has one hope Ruth (Anne Baxter), who he had an affair with before he became a priest, who spoke with him around the time of the murderer, but will it be enough to clear Michael?? It's a dark Hitchcock film, and the extensive use of locations in Quebec adds to the dark mood, but it is a good morality tale of remaining faithful to ones faith and can one hide a terrible secret no matter how bad?? it has some good performances, also featuring Karl Malden and Brian Aherne. 4/5

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PostSubject: Re: What I've Just Watched: Part 2   What I've Just Watched: Part 2 - Page 21 EmptySat Aug 20, 2011 5:20 pm

Evil Under The Sun (1982), Agatha Christie's books got a new lease of life in the 1970's and 80's, and this was the second one to star Peter Ustinov as Hercule Poirot after Murder on the Nile (1978), it's a good adaptation with all the main cast hamming it up without a care in the world. But it captures the era well, and it has a good mystery at the centre of it. Poirot (Ustinov) is asked to check out an insurance claim on a diamond belonging to Sir Horace Blatt (Colin Blakely), the diamond is a fake and Blatt believes he knows who took it. A woman he courted in New York, who is now holidaying on a hotel on a small island in the west of the Mediterranean. The hotel is ran by Daphne Castle (Maggie Smith), and the guests include theatre producers Odell (James Mason) and Myra Gardener (Sylvia Miles), critic Rex Brewster (Roddy McDowall), young couple Patrick (Nicholas Clay) and Christine Redfern (Jane Birkin) and Kenneth Marshall (Denis Quilley) and his wife Arlena (Diana Rigg). As the guests mingle, one afternoon, Arlena turns up dead on a remote beach, and now Poirot has to use to his "little, grey cells" to find out whodunnit, but nothing is what it seems, and the guests seem to be changing their stories everytime Poirot makes his enquiries. It's a good murder mystery, and it has a good period score with the music of Cole Porter. Ustinov makes a good Poirot too, likeable and intelligent, and it has good, colourful support all having a good time. Oh, and the locations in Majorca are beautiful. 4/5

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Goldfinger (1964), the 3rd and most famous James Bond film of them all, this set a standard, this took the James Bond series into the stratosphere and made it stick for over 45 years. It's still very entertaining all these years later, and it has all of the most memorable moments of the James Bond series. In this one, James Bond (Sean Connery) goes after crooked international jeweller and gold magnate Auric Goldfinger (Gert Fröbe), who has been smuggling gold illegally. It takes him from Miami to a golf club in England where Bond wins with a little cunning to Switzerland where Bond is in the firing line of a very powerful laser then onto Fort Knox, Kentucky, where Goldfinger has a masterplan known as Operation Grand Slam. Whereas Bond thinks Goldfinger is planning to steal the gold bullion out of Fort Knox, Goldfinger has something alot bigger in mind. But, with Bond held by Goldfinger, it's up to him to convince Goldfinger's pilot, the beautiful, tough pilot Pussy Galore (Honor Blackman) to put a halt to this. Alot of people like this Bond film as it's got what we've come to expect from them, the gadgets, a good villian and an unforgettable girl in the form of This is also the one with Shirley Bassey belting out the dynamite theme tune, the gadget-laden Aston Martin DB5 and Ken Adam's jaw-dropping vision of Fort Knox. 24 Carat Bond indeed... 5/5

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PostSubject: Re: What I've Just Watched: Part 2   What I've Just Watched: Part 2 - Page 21 EmptyMon Aug 22, 2011 5:28 pm

The Last Man on Earth (1964), the first screen adaptation of Richard Matheson's novel I Am Legend. This one was filmed on the cheap in Italy, and released in the States by American International Pictures. It's a very stark vision of the future, shot in a striking, bleak black and white, and with it's lead man, normally one for hamming it up, playing it dead straight. It's 1968, and the world has been wiped out by an airborne plague which has killed people and turned them into zombie-like vampires. But, there's still one man alive, Dr. Robert Morgan (Vincent Price) who uses his wits and physical prowess to stay alive, and keep one step ahead of vampires. His house is covered in cloves of garlic and mirrors to keep the vampires away, but every night they come, wanting his blood. Dr. Morgan is immune to the vampires, having been bitten by a vampire bat in Panama some years earlier, even though it killed his family, he works on experiments, using his blood to create an antidote. One day, he finds a woman out in daylight called Ruth (Franca Bettoia) who is partially infected, but she could be the key to repopulation, but she has her own agenda. You can tell it's done on the cheap, (shots reused throughout the film and such), but it manages to quite a bit with zero budget. Price does well in this film, managing to show a sympathetic hero but one with ingenuity. This was a massive influence on George A. Romero for when he did Night of the Living Dead (1968). 3.5/5

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Mr. Popper's Penguins (2011), based upon a children's book written in 1938 by Richard and Florence Atwater, which is highly popular in American schools. This is an amusing family film with some cute moments, and a chance to see it's star being funny again, and it proves to be one of his better performances in recent years. Tom Popper (Jim Carrey) is a very successful real estate executive based in New York, his father disappeared on an expedition 30 years previously, when it's announced that he's dead, Tom is left a gentoo penguin, which he is bemused by and can't understand why his father would leave him one. However, 5 more arrive within the following days. However, it's not long before they start interfering with his work life and his attempts to buy an old restaurant in Central Park from Selma Van Gundy (Angela Lansbury). Yet, Popper's children Janie (Madeline Carroll) and Billy (Maxwell Perry Cotton), and his ex-wife Amanda (Carla Gugino), however when it gets to the point where his apartment has become a freezing habitat for the penguins, Popper's peers think he's losing his mind, and it's getting in the way of his work even more. It's a sweet family film with some very funny moments, and Carrey is a natural to be working with animals, (he's had experience in the past). It's not perfect, and some of it is predictable family fare. But, it manages to be enjoyable, and it leaves you with a smile on your face. 3.5/5

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The Wildest Dream (1st view) - Documentary about Mallory and Irvine's attempt to climb Mount Everest in 1924. When Mallory's body was discovered in 199 ny mountaineer Conrad Anker, he wondered whether it was possible that Mallory had actually reached the summit, so himself attempts to follow the same route using the clothing and equipment. It's very reverential and never quite gives as much information as you'd like about either climb, but the historical footage is intersting and Liam Neeson provides a good narration, with Voldemort and Snape doing voiceover work.

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All The Boys Love Mandy Lane (1st view) - As teen horrors go, not bad at all - 3/5*

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Hall Pass (1st view) - Pretty useless - 2/5*


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PostSubject: Re: What I've Just Watched: Part 2   What I've Just Watched: Part 2 - Page 21 EmptyThu Aug 25, 2011 2:41 pm

Breezy (1973), this was only Clint Eastwood's 3rd film as a director, coming hot off the heels of High Plains Drifter (1973), and it was the first film he directed that he didn't star in, (something that's common with his films now). It's a touching romantic drama, which is actually one of the most touching films Clint ever made, and it shows his maturity as a director growing. Set in and around Los Angeles, it follows carefree hippie Edith Alice "Breezy" Breezerman (Kay Lenz), who is 17 years old and jumps from car to car, bed to bed around Los Angeles. However, when one driver (Norman Bartold) tries to rape her, she escapes and finds herself going up the driveway of Frank Harmon (William Holden), a tired, divorced real estate agent, well into middle age. He agrees to drive Breezy into town, but they encounter one another again over the course of a week, and it blossoms into a relationship. Breezy shows Frank the carefree side of life, and how to enjoy things, whereas Frank helps Breezy mature into a responsible woman, but people get talking about the age gap in the relationship, which affects them both. It's a by-the-numbers romance film, but it does have two brilliant performances in it, and Holden and Lenz make it a believeable relationship, but it doesn't get under the skin. Universal shelved it for a year, and barely promoted it, Clint didn't try romantic films again for 22 years. 3/5

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The Bridges of Madison County (1995), based upon the book by Robert James Waller, Clint Eastwood wasn't thrilled by the source material, but the idea intrigued him, and he liked screenwriter Richard LaGravenese's take on it. So, he made to be his next film after A Perfect World (1993). It's a touching, slow-burning romance with some lovely locations. Set in Iowa in 1965, it's about housewife Francesca Johnson (Meryl Streep) who lives on a farm with husband Richard (Jim Haynie) and children Carolyn (Sarah Kathryn Schmitt) and Michael (Christopher Kroon). When Richard takes the kids away for a few days to the Illinois State Fair, Francesca meets travelling photographer Robert Kincaid (Clint), who is in the area doing an article on the covered bridges in the area for National Geographic, Robert asks Francesca to guide him around the area, and she accepts. This soon blossoms into an affair, which they have while Richard and the kids are away, although it only lasts 4 days, Robert stays in Francesca's mind for the rest of her life, and the truth about it doesn't come out until after she's died. It's a good film, but it is a bit overlong, but the intentions of Clint are good, and he makes a good romantic lead to Streep's Italian war bride. It does bring out the best in it's locations, and it's photography is rich and colourful and the story is moving. 3/5

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The Next Three Days (1st view) - Slightly silly thriller in which Russell Crowe breaks his wife out of jail.

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Rubber (1st view) - Quite possible one of the oddest films I've ever seen, but stupidly entertaining all the same - 4/5*

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Catch That Kid (1st view) - Lame - 2/5*

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Nine (1st view) - I enjoed it more than the reviews seemed to suggest I should. Some catchy tunes, and a fine cast. Marion Cotillard was especially good, impressing me more in this than anything else I've seen her in - 4/5*

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Cowboys and Aliens (1st view) - Loved it - 4/5*

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Twilight (1st view) - A good cast, decent film - 3/5*

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Super (1st view) - So much to enjoy in this. Rainn Wilson's was great. The Office proved he can do comedy and it was nice to see a bit more depth to him. Biggest surprise was probably Ellen Page, better than anything else I've seen her in. Funny and brutal and surprisingly emotional - 4/5*

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The Mechanic (1st view) - 3/5*

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Drive Angry (1st view) - 3/5*

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PostSubject: Re: What I've Just Watched: Part 2   What I've Just Watched: Part 2 - Page 21 EmptyMon Aug 29, 2011 10:11 am

Kickboxer (1989), HIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII-YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!! After Bloodsport (1988) made Jean-Claude Van Damme famous, he had a deal at Cannon Films (alarm bells ringing), and this was his follow up film to Bloodsport, it's just an excuse for Van Damme to show off his physical prowess and moves, it's not as good as what came before, but it's good 80's cheese. In Bangkok, Kurt Sloane (Van Damme) is the cornerman sparring partner for his brother Eric (Dennis Alexio), who is an American kickboxing champion, and they've come to Thailand to fight Tong Po (Michel Qissi), who has never been defeated. Kurt has doubts about Tong Po, but Eric dismisses these nerves, until they're in the ring and Tong Po ends up defeating Eric and paralysing him in the process. Kurt wants vengeance for what's happened, and wants to train to defeat Tong Po, and he hears from retired American soldier Winston (Haskell V. Anderson III) of a famous trainer called Xian Chow (Dennis Chan) who agress to train Kurt to be physically fit and able to stand a chance against Tong Po, but there's corrupt gangsters on Kurt's tail to ensure that doesn't happen. It's a very silly film indeed, but the fights are well done, but the only stickler is that Van Damme simply cannot act, and it's down right laughable in places. But, that's Cannon Films for you. Razz 3/5

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Practical Magic (1998), based upon Alice Hoffman's 1996 novel, and brought to the screen by Griffin Dunne (Addicted to Love (1997)), this is a dark romantic comedy which a little bit all over the place, but it's still fun when it wants to be. Derivative is the best word to describe how this film is. The women of the Owens family have been able to perform witchcraft since witch hunts 300 years prior, however, the Owens women have been cursed, if any one Owens woman finds true love with a man, he will die tragically. Present day, and sisters Frances (Stockard Channing) and Jet (Dianne Wiest) care for their orphaned nieces Gillian (Nicole Kidman) and Sally (Sandra Bullock), who have matured to womanhood, although they've always been seen as outcasts in their local community. However, when Gillian gets into trouble with the abusive Jimmy Angelov (Goran Višnjić) and Sally intervenes by drugging Jimmy's tequilla, but accidentally ends up killing him. So, Jimmy is buried in the back garden but his ghost seems to haunt them, and it's not going to go away, while Inspector Gary Hallett (Aidan Quinn) suspects there's more to the sisters than meets the eye. It does have good moments, but it doesn't really take off until the last half hour or so. Bullock and Kidman make a good pairing and they play off each other well, but it's a pity there's not enough of Channing and Wiest, as they're alot more entertaining, especially during a drunken scene. 3.5

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Jimi Hendrix (1973), a documentary compiled, produced and directed by Joe Boyd, John Head and Gary Weis about the life and career of Johnny Allen Hendrix, who became known as Jimi Hendrix in his professional career. It's quite a dated rockumentary, with too many talking heads and not enough footage and performances of it's subject, shame really. The film contains interviews with Hendrix's family, including father Al and his friends, admirers and celebrities including Eric Clapton, Billy Cox, Alan Douglas, Germaine Greer, Mick Jagger, Eddie Kramer, Buddy Miles, Mitch Mitchell, Juggy Murray, Little Richard, Lou Reed and Pete Townshend. The film includes archive interviews of Hendrix, including his performances at the Monterey Pop Festival in 1967, Woodstock, the Isle of Wight in 1970 and Live at Berkeley in 1970. His family and friends recall how he grew up, his time in the 101st Airborne Division around 1961, how he came to become a musician and how he influenced his peers and how he rose through the ranks from session musician to a cult hero of music, before his untimely death in 1970. It's is a little dated, documentaries from this era had little to go on, but there's alot more archiving now and more footage to go on. There's too much yattering, and Little Richard manages to make a fool of himself being flamboyant and full of it. But, Hendrix's life should be a biopic, this doesn't do much justice. 3/5

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Thunderball (1965), the 4th Bond film, and the one that's been the subject of long and convulated legal complexities. But, after the success of Goldfinger (1964), that gave the producers enough clout to make the next one their biggest Bond film yet. It still stands the test of time, and it did break ground with it's underwater photography and sequences, plus to this day, it's still the most financially successful Bond of them all. This one has SPECTRE stealing two atomic bombs from a NATO flight, in an operation led by SPECTRE agent Emile Largo (Aldolfo Ceri). Meanwhile, Bond (Sean Connery) is recuperating at a health spa, and he discovers strange goings on there, which are linked to the eventually theft of the bombs. This takes him to the Bahamas, where the NATO flight was light tracked near. He investigates where the jet went, who is responsible and follows up leads. While this Bond is not very big on plot, (about a third of the film takes place underwater), and when it does get to the action, it's very good and makes up for many of the films shortcomings. Connery is as charming as ever as 007, and it has some good humour, but it would have been better without all the underwater action. 4/5

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