What I've just watched

Phantom of the Paradise (1974), a weird but enjoyable horror/musical/comedy written and directed by Brian De Palma. A fusion of the tales of Faust, The Picture of Dorian Gray, The Hunchback of Notre Dame and of course, Phantom of the Opera. It's got a likeable charm, and it does take more than one viewing to 'get it', but it's got a touch of Rocky Horror about it, which came out a year after this did. This has disfigured musician Winslow Leach (William Finley), who tries to get his revenge upon the corruptly Satanic record mogul Swan (Paul Williams), who stole Winslow's music. Now behind a mask, Winslow's soul now belongs to Swan, who betrays him again, and even tries to groom young Phoenix (Jessica Harper) for stardom with Winslow's work. Another mad rock film from the 1970's, but it has good music, written by Williams, yet it is a world away from De Palma's darker films such as Carrie, Scarface and The Untouchables. However, it's a pity we don't get odd rock musical films like this anymore, but they were products of their time, they probabily wouldn't work now. 4/5



Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008), Woody Allen goes to Spain, after 3 films in London. It is a sort-of return to form for Woody, his London based films were all crime related, whereas this is an old-fashioned romance through and through. It's got a very good cast, a very gentle yet dry sense of humour and it makes Barcelona and surrounding Spain look absolutely beautiful. This has American friends Vicky (Rebecca Hall) and Cristina (Scarlett Johansson) who come to spend the summer in Barcelona, at the house of two relations of Vicky's, Judy and Mark Nash (Patricia Clarkson and Kevin Dunn). Shortly after they arrive they meet with local artist Juan Antonio Gonzalo (Javier Bardem), who is enamored with both of them, but seeing as Vicky is engaged to Doug (Chris Messina), Juan Antonio begins a relationship with Cristina, however, his emotionally unstable ex-wife Maria Elena (Penélope Cruz, who won an Oscar for her firey performance), re-enters his life, complicating matters. It's a gentle little film, and Woody brings out the best in Barcelona, the film edges on the verge of erotic without being explicit. It shows a beautiful way of life over there, but with a dark undertone. It's well made, and like a holiday, it's a good piece of escapism. 4/5

One Eight Seven (1997), after the big budget madness of Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991) and Waterworld (1995), director Kevin Reynolds opted to go for something smaller and much more down-to-earth. The result is a powerful crime drama with a brilliant lead performance. It begins with high school teacher Trevor Garfield (Samuel L. Jackson) teaching in a rough neighborhood of Brooklyn, he is threatened by a student who Garfield has failed, and student almost stabs Garfield to death. 15 months later, Garfield has moved to the West Coast, and is now working in an even rougher school in the San Fernando Valley district of Los Angeles. He finds it hard to get though to his students, a select few are influenced by him, but the more rougher types threaten him, whilst some teachers would have quit and moved away, Garfield doesn't and he decides to clean up the school and the local gangs that terrorise it. The whole film reaks of Straw Dogs, but it is a gripping and taut film, and it does raise the question of how far is too far?? And it does ask who was right or wrong, (at points, Garfield comes across as bad, if not worse than the gangs.) The film deserves a look and Jackson is brilliant in the lead role. 4/5



1408 (2007), the second Stephen King adaptation of 2007, and this one isn't as good as The Mist (2007). Taken from his short story collection Everything's Eventual, this one is creepy in all the right places, it has a good lead performance, and it does have parallel's with The Shining, but cold exterior provided by Swedish director Mikael Håfström holds it's own for the running time. It begins with author Mike Enslin (John Cusack), who after a family tragedy goes around debunking supernatural occurances. However, he receives an anonymous postcard from the Dolphin Hotel in New York City, which states "don't enter 1408." The hotel won't let him into the room, but he ables to convince the hotel's manager Gerald Olin (Jackson) to let him into him into the room, despite warnings of perfectly healthy people dying in the room. But, Enslin goes in, all seems OK at first, then the radio starts acting up, the temperature changes alot, attempts to escape end in failure. It's creepy and provides good shocks, it does take a while to get off the ground, but once it does, it is good entertainment. Cusack handle's the horror well, and Jackson makes a welcome but sinister cameo, plus We've Only Just Begun by The Carpenters will never sound the same after this film!! 3.5/5

Public Enemies (2009), Michael Mann serves up a true crime tale, based upon a book by Bryan Burroughs. And it turns out to be one of Mann's very best films, it captures the era it's set in perfectly, it's a sprawling epic of America's crimewave of the 1930's. It's got some brilliant performances to it's name, which are complimented by Mann's sharp visual eye. Set in 1933, it has the FBI led by J. Edgar Hoover (Billy Crudup), determined to bring down the rising crimewave sweeping Chicago and the Mid-West, these include notorious criminal John Dillinger (Johnny Depp, brilliant as always), and his friends/accomplices Homer Van Meter (Stephen Dorff) and Baby Face Nelson (Stephen Graham). Hoover sends FBI agent Melvin Purvis (Christian Bale) to lead a manhunt to try and catch Dillinger and his associates. But, Dillinger proves to be a tough man to catch, even at one point, when they do catch him, he's able to escape. It takes a little while to get into, but once you do, you're drawn into Mann's depiction of the 1930's, which feels real and authentic. The digital cinematograhy is crystal clear, making it feel all the more real, the cast are perfect, (including Marion Cotillard as Dillinger's girlfriend Billie Frechette. Depp just about steals the film, (give him an Oscar), this is one film where you find yourself routing for the criminal!! Give Mann an Oscar as well!! 5/5



Collateral (2004), after his biopic Ali (2001), Michael Mann went for a modern day film-noir, with traces of Hitchcock about it's persona. It's all set during one long night, and it's a suspenseful and exciting crime thriller, with two brilliant leads, with one half of the two leads in a rare role as a villian, a role he plays with great relish. Collateral is set in Los Angeles, and it follows one night in the life of taxi driver Max (Jamie Foxx) who wants greater aspirations in life. On his rounds, he picks up a mysterious man called Vincent (Tom Cruise), who is in LA for one night only, and he has 5 stops to make during that night, he asks Max to be his personal chauffeur for the night, to which Max reluctantly agrees. However, when it turns out these stops all involve Vincent killing off people one by one, Max is now forced to work with Vincent, driving around from destination to destination. It's going to be a long night... It's a taut and tight thriller, but it's well made, (LA at night looks so eerie), Mann keeps the mood up for the film, Cruise makes a great villian, Foxx's very subtle performance compliments Cruise's turn. There's something ambient and dreamlike about the film's mood. Oh, and it has good support from Jada Pinkett Smith, Mark Ruffalo, Peter Berg and Javier Bardem!! 4/5

I haven't seen a film in ages but caught these three over the weekend. All a waste of time.

Prime (2006, Ben Younger) - 3/5*
The Ice Harvest (2005, Harold Ramis) - 2/5*
Vital (2004, Shinya Tsukamoto) - 2/5*

Paper Moon (1973), Peter Bogdanovich was on a roll back in the early 1970's, with films such as The Last Picture Show (1971) and What's Up, Doc? (1972). Before his success came crashing down around him, he made a sweet and offbeat little comedy-drama, with an engaging and brilliant performance from a real father and daughter team. Set in 1935 in the American Midwest, it has recently orphaned Addie Loggins (Tatum O'Neal), who finds herself hitching a ride with travelling bible salesman Moses Pray (Ryan O'Neal), who may or may not be the father of Addie, as he seemed to know her mother. He offers to take Addie to her Auntie in Kansas, and it turns out on the way that Moses is a conman, conning recently bereaved people into buying bibles. Addie wants a piece of the action, and wants to join in with Moses with his way of confidence trickery. They make a good partnership. It's a sparse yet warm little film, rather like a fusion between two other films of 1973, The Sting and Badlands. It's offbeat tone feels like something out of a Coen Brothers film, but Bogdanovich gets the best from his actors. Tatum O'Neal is wonderful, she won an Oscar for this. Her father puts in a great turn, (always an underrated actor.) Well worth a look. 4/5



The Frisco Kid (1979), from the great Robert Aldrich, who made so many great films in his era, (from What Ever Happened To Baby Jane? to The Dirty Dozen to Too Late the Hero), comes his penultimate film, a friendly comedy western, a different kind of western at that. With one great comic actor and one actor on the verge of superstardom making a winning combination. It begins in 1850 in Poland, and it has novice Rabbi Avram Belinski (Gene Wilder), who is sent to America to work in a San Francisco synagogue. Not a good traveller, he is the victim of 3 con men in Philadelphia, Avram then works on the railroads to make money, and he bumps into roving bank robber Tommy Lillard (Harrison Ford), who decides to help Avram get to San Francisco, encountering Red Indians, Snowy Mountains and Devout Monks. It's a good little film, maybe a little too long for it's own good, but even in the form it's in, it feels like it was cut down from a much longer length. It's a good travelogue of the grand vista's of America's West. Wilder makes a good lead, a naive and trusting Rabbi who is enthralled with the land he's now made home, and Ford is very good with a rugged charm, it was this role that got Ford the part of Indiana Jones!! 3/5

The Darjeeling Limited (2007), Wes Anderson goes to India. Even with a change of continent, he's lost of his quirkiness, or even alot of his regulars. What follows is what we've come to expect from Anderson, yes, it's another quirky comedy drama, but it is also one of his most visually stunning films to date, bringing out the best in his cast and the local colour of rural India. The film follows the Whitman Brothers, Peter (Adrien Brody), Francis (Owen Wilson) and Jack (Jason Schwartzman), an American family who haven't seen one another in a year since the death of their father. They meet up on a train in India, and they all suffer from some kind of depression or other. Peter has a pregnant wife back in America, Francis tried to kill himself and Jack is away from his girlfriend and is trying to fill the void. Then they try and find their equally estranged mother Patricia (Anjelica Huston), who has become a nun in the Himalayas. It's a very whimsical film, and although it has a dark undertone running throughout, it is quite uplifting in a strange way, it's humour isn't laugh out loud, but it's funny in a weird way, and it suits the film. Brody, Wilson and Schwarzman make excellent brothers, and Anderson keeps the mood up, despite quick dives into the melancholy. The soundtrack is wonderful, and look out for director Barbet Schroeder, Kumar Pallana, Natalie Portman and Bill Murray!! 4/5



Rumble Fish (1983), in the early 1980's, Francis Ford Coppola had been brought to his knees after the failure of One From The Heart (1982), which bankrupted him. Now, desperate for money to pay off his massive debts, he adapted two books by author S.E. Hinton, shot back-to-back. The first was The Outsiders (1983), the other one was this, an inventive and experimental film which featured much of the 'Brat Pack' of the 1980's. Shot in an almost noirish black and white in Tulsa, Oklahoma. It follows Rusty James (Matt Dillon), who is the leader of a street gang, but lives in the shadow of his brother, The Motorcycle Boy (Mickey Rourke), who had all street gang fights stopped after a treaty. But, Rusty James breaks the treaty after a fight with Biff Wilcox (Glenn Withrow), and The Motorcycle Boy reappears after a 2 month absence, and Rusty James' life is thrown into disarray. It's a powerful, brooding film, a little dated now, but well made and daring for it's time. It's young cast give off top notch performances, (including Nicolas Cage, Chris Penn and Laurence Fishburne), with a powerful score by Stewart Copeland off The Police which keeps the mood up. 3/5

Public Enemies (1st view) - I've read a few reviews that praise the look of this film but that was my biggest problem. I haven't got a clue about how films are shot or anything but this just looked poor to me at times, almost grainy and little better than a Youtube clip. The Empire review said that the clarity was remarkable but I just didn't see it. It gave me a headache. Overall though, it was good and Depp was excellent. - 4/5




He Got Game (1st view) - I love Denzel Washington and this must be one of his best performances. Much of the rest of the cast let the film down, but it's nice to see a not quite so conventional sports drama - 3/5




Salò, or the 120 Days of Sodom (1st view) - Those who know of this film will probably be aware of its content. Those who don't probably don't want to know. I can only imagine that this film is supposed to have a point. Exactly what that point is I have no idea, it's meaning is lost to me but, to be honest, if I found out what the point is I probably wouldn't care. The subject matter and controversial images on display didn't particularly bother me. After all, it is only a film and I've seen other films just as graphic (Saying that, the visual appeal of crap on screen is non-existent. If I got my jollies from looking at such, I wouldn't need to watch a film to get my fix.) It's just a useless film, with only Ennio Morricones's score providing anything worthwhile.




I also saw the short Tex Avery cartoon, Bad Luck Blackie, Watch it here, tis very funny!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UCP4JghzbGM

Thicker Than Water (15th+ view) - The final short film that from Laurel and Hardy probably doesn't even make their top 10 short films, but there's enough here to allow it full marks. Most famous for the classic scene involving the loss of some rent money, the final scene has the the two men undergo a personality swap, and they have the mannerisms of each other perfected. A variation on the "Another fine mess" quote, the boys pulling the next scene onto the screen and the ever reliable Daphne Pollard and James Finlayson providing misery make this a winner - 5/5

Mulholland Falls (1996), a noirish police detective film from New Zealand director Lee Tamahori, which is a good ensemble piece, and in terms of noir in Los Angeles, it predated L.A. Confidential by a year. It's an underrated film which borrowed alot of it's tone and structure from Chinatown, but it's a good thriller while it lasts. Set in the early 1950's, it follows a special crime squad of the LAPD, which consists of Max Hoover (Nick Nolte), Elleroy Coolidge (Chazz Palminteri), Eddie Hall (Michael Madsen) and Arthur Relyea (Chris Penn). They're investigating the murder of Allison Pond (Jennifer Connelly), who seemed to have clandestine trysts with General Thomas Timms (John Malkovich), who is the leader of the Atomic Energy Commission, which is based out in the Nevada desert. Along the way, the team uncover a hidden agenda which has resulted in the death of many army officers in atomic tests. It's a rough, tough film. But, it has a visually sparse look and tone, rather like film noirs of the time, but this is in colour, with added sex and violence. But, it's got a good cast, it's well made and it's got a good gripping plot, well worth a look. 4/5



Brüno (2009), Sacha Baron Cohen rides again. He's done Ali G, he's done Borat, and there was only Brüno left, (the characters originated from Cohen's Channel 4 series), and he followed exactly the same structure that Borat did nearly 3 years ago. That was successful, and it made money. So it should work again. Does it work?? Well, yes and no. It does expose a shockingly colonial, racist side to America, but despite a great lead performance, the character isn't likeable. It begins with 19 year old gay Austrian TV presenter Brüno (Cohen), who after a stunt with a velcro suit at Milan Fashion week, is fired from his TV show, so he goes to America with his assistant's assistant Lutz (Gustaf Hammarsten) to become a superstar. He tries getting his own TV show, but the pilot is a disaster, he tries to go straight, that ends in disaster, and there's an ill-fated attempt to bring peace to the Middle East where he mistakes hummus and Hamas. It is funny, but not as funny as what Borat was. It's trying to be shocking for the sake of it. But it does well in exposing homophobes and the like in America, (the bit with his adopted black baby O.J. is jaw-dropping, as is the cage fight.) Cohen is certainly a brave man, but it's time for him to do something new, a character that doesn't get his kicks from upsetting real people. 3/5

The Tin Drum (1st view) – At the age of three, Oskar decides to stop growing and remain a child. He spends his time playing his tin drum and shrieking with enough power to shatter glass, talents which help serve him well when WWII arrives. It’s undeniably powerful at times and well acted by all, but I can’t get past the fact that Oskar is one of the most irritating and unlikeable characters I’ve ever seen in a film – 3/5




Triumph Of The Will (1st view) – Fascinating propaganda film showing the 1934 Nuremberg rally – 4/5

The Adventures of Barry McKenzie (1972), G'Day! Barry Humphries' boorish, loudmouth creation from Private Eye magazine got his own big screen adventure. Nearly 40 years on, it's dated alot, and the humour was quite near-the-knuckle for it's time, but it's a fun timepiece while it lasts. It begins in Sydney, where Aussie Barry McKenzie (Barry Crocker) receives an inheritance, and is to go to England to further his cultural education, but Barry cannot stand the Pommies. He goes with his auntie, Edna Everage (Barry Humphries ), he ends up living in a sort of ghetto of Aussies in Earl's Court, London. He gets ripped off by officials, he gets drunk frequently, he gets insulted by the higher classes, and exploited by a couple of hippie rockers who want him for his crass Aussie folk songs, then to top it off, he drops his strides on the BBC!! Alot of the humour doesn't work today, but it does have it's moments, the songs are rude and very funny, and it has a good supporting cast including Peter Cook, Dennis Price, Willie Rushton and Spike Milligan!! It's director was one Bruce Beresford, who later did Driving Miss Daisy (1989), who'd have guessed he'd go all the way from that?? 3/5



The Avengers (1998), and so another classic TV series, (British no less), becomes another Hollywood feature film. But, it was set to be an antidote to the recent release of Mission: Impossible (1996). It was going to be a fusion between 1960's style and 1990's technology, done with a surrealist day-glo action fantasia. It was a huge flop, but it's misunderstood for all the wrong reasons, and it should be acclaimed for BEING different. It has John Steed (Ralph Fiennes), agent for The Ministry, teaming up with scientist Emma Peel (Uma Thurman) to try and stop evil megalomaniac Sir August De Wynter (Sean Connery), who has a weather changing machine, which he's blackmailing the government with, but it turns out Peel has an evil double and London is going to be hit with one hell of a storm. True, Fiennes and Thurman are no Patrick Macnee and Diana Rigg, and Connery hams up every scene he's in. But, it's an experimental summer blockbuster, which became a turkey, (it ruined the career of director Jeremiah Chechik), but it's production design is brilliant, and it's undeniably well made, despite it's flaws. Plus, it's strong but odd supporting cast including Jim Broadbent, Fiona Shaw, Keeley Hawes, Roger Lloyd Pack, Shaun Ryder and Eddie Izzard help prop up the all-but fleeting film. 3/5

The Bobo (1967), a long-forgotten Peter Sellers film directed by Robert Parrish, which he starred with his then wife Britt Ekland. It was a big flop upon it's original release, but it's not that bad. It's dated quite a bit, and alot of the humour doesn't work today, but it's a good timepiece of Spain in the 1960's and it has a certain sense of charm and flair about it. Set in Barcelona, it has aspiring but hopeless singing bullfighter Juan Bautista (Sellers) arriving in town to try his luck in the big city, he has determination and he won't give in. He tries to impress local theatre impersario Francisco Carbonell (Adolfo Celi), and pesters Carbonell to give him a go with a few nights in his local theatre. Being a devious so and so, Carbonell accepts, but only on the condition that Bautista can woo the elusive Olimpia (Ekland), a "shrewd merciless beauty" who can win the heart of any man, but always seems to break their hearts easily, but Bautista is a man of determination, and doesn't give in easily. It's well made for it's time, but despite it's dated humour, it was the beginning of Sellers' sad decline, before his comeback in the mid-1970's. But, he gives a good performance here, as does his wife. Oh, and Hattie Jacques is in it!! 3/5



Soldier (1998), a film by Paul W.S. Anderson. Don't go!! It's actually good, very good in fact. Written by David Peoples, (who wrote Blade Runner, Unforgiven and Twelve Monkeys), it's essentially a sci-fi western, crossed somewhere between Shane and Mad Max, leaning more towards the latter. But, it's a film which decides to be old school, and not rely on CGI all the time. It's good dumb action fun. Set in an alternate future, this depicts humans selected at birth to become soulless killing machines, one such soldier is Todd (Kurt Russell) who is declared obsolete after Colonel Mekum (Jason Isaacs, with a comedy moustache) announces he has genetically created new soldiers, which include Caine 607 (Jason Scott Lee). Todd is banished to waste disposal planet Arcadia 234, where Todd discovers a colony of humans, living amongst the waste after a crash years earlier. But when Colonel Mekum sends his GM soldiers on a training exercise to Arcadia 234, and are told to kill any humans on site, it's time for Todd to fight back!! It's a silly film, but it's well made, and the waste planet is well thought out and designed. When Anderson puts his mind to it, he can make good films. Russell just grunts for most of the film, but it has a good supporting cast including Gary Busey, Michael Chiklis and Sean Pertwee!! 4/5

Waking Life (2001), Richard Linklater unleashes another experiment upon unsuspecting cinema audiences. Made using a rotoscoping technique of animation that hasn't been seen since the days of Ralph Bakshi. It's a very novel idea, but the plot, (which doesn't really seem to exist), doesn't go anywhere. For making a film this bizarre, the presence of a plot could have helped in spades. The film follows a nameless young man (Wiley Wiggins), who seems to be trapped within a state of persistent lucid dream-like state, even when he seemingly wakes up, he is still trapped in this dream-like state, floating above and in and out of houses, and he ends up partaking in philosophical conversations with local philosophers and professors on the subjects of reality, free will, our relationships and existentialism. It's different, very different indeed, and although rotoscoping a film is a novel way to go, it could have been put to better use, (indeed Linklater did just that with A Scanner Darkly (2006)), it looks good, there's no doubt about that, but it's left feeling hollow and cold. 2.5/5



Starman (1984), after making such dark and disturbing films such as The Fog, The Thing and Christine. John Carpenter decided to go in the other direction for a change, and make a sci-fi fantasy aimed at a family audience. It's a good film, dated a little bit, but it has good special effects for it's day, on the basis of this, it's a pity Carpenter hasn't tried more films like this. In 1977, Voyager II was launched, on board was a golden vinyl record with greetings in many different languages. An alien race discover the gold record, and one spacecraft is sent to Earth, but the craft is shot down over Wisconsin, where it crashlands. The Starman makes its way to a nearby house, where the recenly widowed Jenny Hayden (Karen Allen), and using her dead husband's hair, the Starman takes the shape of Jenny's dead husband Scott (Jeff Bridges), now the government are looking for the crashed spacecraft, and the alien inside. Now Jenny has to take the Starman to a rendezvous point in a crater in Arizona within 3 days. It's a bit of a mawkish film, but it's enjoyable while it lasts, with a naive performance by Jeff Bridges. Carpenter gives the film a good epic scope, and it does share it's similiarities with E.T., but it's like a more lighter version of The Man Who Fell To Earth. 3.5/5



Speed Racer (2008), The Wachowski Brothers make a film completely a world away from The Matrix, with this film, they lighten up, and do something for the whole family with this film based upon the 1960's Japanese Cartoon. It's good that they're trying something different, but it's a little too different, even as a mainstream film, it's too experimental. This has Speed Racer (Emile Hirsch), a teen who lives and breathes racing cars. His family Pops Racer (John Goodman) and Mom Racer (Susan Sarandon), run an independent business building racecars, but when their homerun business is threatened by the corrupt Royalton (Roger Allam), Speed decides to fight back using his knowledge of racing. It's a hyperkenetic, super-psychedelic adventure, containing the sort of visuals some films have never dared put on, (there hasn't been a colour kids film as this in years, with added CGI of course). It doesn't always work, but at least it's different from alot of the other summer films this year, kudos to the Wachowski's for having the balls to do it. It's just big, dumb fun, nothing more to it. 3/5



Cradle Will Rock (1999), Tim Robbins has another stab at directing after the success of Dead Man Walking (1995), it's a lighter tone of film, based on a true(ish) story set in the world of theatre in the mid-1930's. It's got a great ensemble cast, and it captures the era it's set in very well. It's a pity more people haven't seen this film. Set in the 1930s during the height of the Great Depression, it has the Federal Theater Project set in place by the U.S Government to get more people into the theatre, both working and as viewers. At one such theatre, songwriter Marc Blitzstein (Hank Azaria) has just written a far-left labour musical called, The Cradle Will Rock, which is being put on stage by rising young theatre actor and director Orson Welles (Angus Macfadyen). However, it hits a snag when the musical is under threat by the Federal Theater Program, due to it's tone, but the show must go on. It's a very good film, using intertwining plots to move the film along, (it's obvious that Robbins took inspiration from Robert Altman, who he'd worked with.) But, it's a very good film, with a gentle sense of humour and making a stand against censorship. Oh, it has a BRILLIANT cast, including John Cusack, Joan Cusack, Rubén Blades, Cary Elwes, Philip Baker Hall, Bill Murray, Vanessa Redgrave, Susan Sarandon, John Turturro, Emily Watson, Bob Balaban, Paul Giamatti and Jack Black!!

Starman is one of my favourite Carpenter film. I love it!

It is a lovely little film...

The Breakfast Club (1985), for a time, John Hughes was one of the most bankable writer/directors of the 1980's, making teen orientated Brat Pack movies, (as well as the odd National Lampoons films), here he made the quintessential Brat Pack movie, which is a bit dated now, but it should be to remember John Hughes for, (rather than Home Alone.) It's a good timepiece of the 1980's too. Set one Saturday in one March. It follows 5 students, who have to spend their Saturday in detention at their school library, the students are troublemaker John Bender (Judd Nelson), skiver Claire Standish (Molly Ringwald), athlete Andrew Clark (Emilio Estévez), brainbox Brian Johnson (Anthony Michael Hall) and "basket case" Allison Reynolds: (Ally Sheedy). They have nothing in common, but by the end of the 8 days they spend in the library together, they realise that they have alot more in common than they guessed. It's a fun little comic drama, done with a gentle touch, Hughes pens good dialogue and fleshes out the characters well within an hour and a half. The 5 youngsters are a joy to watch, and there's good humour from angry principal Dick Vernon (Paul Gleason). It's got a good 80's soundtrack too. 3/5



The League of Gentlemen (1960), not to be confused with the recent comedy troupe, this is a fun little crime caper from the 1960's, written by Bryan Forbes and directed by Basil Dearden, this is a good little British film with a good ensemble cast all giving good performances. It follows Lieutenant-Colonel Norman Hyde (Jack Hawkins) who sends out invitations to former army officers, including Major Peter Race (Nigel Patrick), Captain “Padre” Mycroft (Roger Livesey), Captain Martin Porthill (Forbes), Major Rupert Rutland-Smith (Terence Alexander), Captain Stevens (Kieron Moore), Captain Frank Weaver (Norman Bird) and Lieutenant Edward Lexy (Richard Attenborough). Hyde wants them all to partake in what he believes to be a perfect crime, which is known as Operation Golden Fleece, in which they're going to rob a bank in London, but they're going to obtain weapons from the army to ensure this goes off without a hitch. It's a good little crime caper, with some wonderfully witty dialogue to it's name, the cast are pitch perfect, (Hawkins is wonderful, and look out for a camp Oliver Reed!!) It's up there with all the great heist films, but this one has a good sense of humour. 3.5/5

Coach Carter (1st view) - 3/5*



The Iceman Cometh (1st view) - 3/5*



Secuestro Express (1st view) - 3/5*



Ice Age: Dawn Of The Dinosaurs (1st view) - 4/5*

Detroit Rock City (1999), directed by Adam Rifkin, who wrote such kiddies films such as Mousehunt and Small Soldiers, comes this bit of 70's rock nostalgia. Quite underrated too, it's a bit of fun too, it's got a small cult following amongst rockers and such, but it should get a little more exposure. It begins in Cleveland, Ohio in 1978, and it follows 4 friends, Hawk (Edward Furlong), Lex (Giuseppe Andrews), Trip (James DeBello) and Jam (Sam Huntington), 4 rebellious teenage rockers who try to emulate Kiss in concert. They're all planning to see Kiss in concert over in Detroit, they have the tickets. But, then confiscated and burnt by Jam's ultra-conservative mother (Lin Shaye), but Trip wins a contest for Kiss tickets and they set out for Detroit to collect them, but nothing goes to plan, It's a funny little film, but our 4 heroes make a good team, especially when bad luck trips them up, they're not gonna give in that easily. Even Kiss endorsed the film, (Gene Simmons produced it), it was a sad flop on release, but it's a good film, and it would help to spread the word around about this one!! :: 3/5



Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging (2008), from Gurinder Chadha, who found success with Bend It Like Beckham (2002) and Bride & Prejudice (2004), comes this sweet and heartfelt little teen comedy, based upon a series of books by Louise Rennison. It comes across as an English version of stuff like Clueless and even Sixteen Candles. Set in Eastbourne, it has 14 year old Georgia Nicolson (Georgia Groome) going through the teenage motions, her parents (Alan Davies and Karen Taylor) are always snooping in, (as they do), and now Georgia and her friends are trying to move in on two brothers who have just moved down from London, Robbie (Aaron Johnson) and Tom (Sean Bourke). Plus, there's trouble at home when Georgia's Dad moves to New Zealand, and is planning to move the whole family down there, and she's got a huge crush on Robbie too. The title is off putting, but stick with the film, it is worth it. It's a charming little comedy, with some very funny moments and it has a real heart to it. To think the film version would have been made in America!! It just wouldn't have been the same at all, plus Eastbourne make a good film location too!! 3/5

License To Kill (2nd view) - Probably the worst James Bond film besides A View To A Kill - 2/5




Click (1st view) - Naff - 2/5*




Children Of A Lesser God (1st view) - Solid, dependable drama. William Hurt is always worth watching - 4/5

Licence to Kill rocks

The Color Purple (1985), Steven Spielberg went serious with this adaptation of Alice Walker's Pulitzer Prize winning novel. He wanted to do something that was a world away from the audience friendly films he'd made before this. It is one of his most powerful and most moving films, with some really good performances and it marked a new direction for the world's most famous director. It begins in the winter of 1909 and concludes in the mid 1940's, it follows the life of Celie Harris (Whoopi Goldberg) who has had two children by a man she called her father (Leonard Jackson), Celie is forced into a marriage with Albert Johnson (Danny Glover), who treats Celie as a slave. But Celie finds solace with Albert's old flame, singer Shug Avery (Margaret Avery), they both have a clandestine lesbian affair. With help from Shug, and local friend Sofia (Oprah Winfrey), Celie builds up the confidence to stand up to her abusive husband. It's not the sort of project you'd have thought Spielberg would tackle, and despite it's dark overtones, it's not a film of dispair, but a film of personal triumph and an unbreakable spirit. It's a real tearjerker, and it's so beautifully made too. The cast are wonderful, (especially Goldberg and Avery), and Spielberg directs it with such confidence. It's a film to rediscover. 4/5



A Star Is Born (1976), the story of A Star Is Born had been done twice before, once back in 1937 as a drama and again in 1954 as a musical. Now, for the 1970's, it was going to be a drama like the 1937 original, but it was going to be set in the world of rock music. It became a world success, and even if it is a little on the long side, it's still an engaging enough story. It starts off with once successful rock star John Norman Howard (Kris Kristofferson), whose career has gone into a bad decline, he's late for concerts and his musicianship and singing is now sloppy, and he's drinking heavily too. One night, he's in a club, and he see's an upcoming singer Esther Hoffman (Barbara Streisand) who exudes talent. John tells her "I'm gonna take you girl, I'm gonna show you how." He helps make Esther a huge success, and the two fall in love and marry one another. As her fame grows, John's career sinks even further into a sad decline. It's a good love story, and Streisand and Kristofferson make a good pairing. The music is pretty good as well, (the song Evergreen won an Oscar for Streisand and Paul Williams), it's a story which could happen to anyone, anywhere. But, it's good enough to hold the attention for 2 hours and a bit. 4/5

Moon-

Simply stunning, both atmospheric, chilling and involving even whilst not too much is happening, the effects are terrific for such a low budget, and Sam Rockwell needs his first Oscar pronto

5/5

I really want to see Moon, but it hasn't come up here yet...

Enemy Mine (1985), after making a war film with Das Boot (1981), and doing fantasy with The Neverending Story (1984), German director Wolfgang Petersen turned his attention to sci-fi, taking on a film which originally had Richard Loncraine directing, until he was unceremoniously sacked. Petersen creates a Robinson Crusoe style tale mixed with a touch of Alien here and there. It's a very underrated sci-fi film, and is very engaging. Set in the late 21st Century, it has hotshot starfighter pilot Willis Davidge (Dennis Quaid) being stranded on a barren planet after a space based dogfight. Also crash landed is an asexual reptilian alien called Jeriba Shigan (Louis Gossett Jr.), part of an alien race called Dracs. Humans and Dracs are at war, and now these two form an unlikely alliance if they have to live in such a hostile and remote wasteland, and even save one anothers lives more than once. This is one of the most underrated sci-fi films of the last 25 years, it's a think piece, and it feels very relevent in today's culture. Quaid and Gossett Jr. are both brilliant, and the special effects were good for their day, plus it has a brilliant score from Maurice Jarre. Petersen should be making more films on the powerful strength of this!! 4/5



Monte Carlo or Bust! (1969), after the success of Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines (1965), director Ken Annakin decided to do a sort-off sequel, this time doing it around a car race. He assembled an all star cast, as he'd done before, and had it on just as epic a scope. It's fun while it lasts, and it's probabily one of the last of these all star comedies before they went out of fashion. Set during an international car rally in Europe, where the contestants start from various points, (John O'Groats, Sweden, Portugal, Sicily and Athens), it's an ensemble piece which follows the different kinds of drivers that take part. From posh rotter Sir Cuthbert Ware-Armitage (Terry-Thomas) and Percy Perkins (Eric Sykes), the co-driver he's blackmailing. American mechanic Chester Schofield (Tony Curtis) and the posh girl Betty (Susan Hampshire). There's also military inventors Major Digby Dawlish (Peter Cook) and Lt. Kit Barrington (Dudley Moore) racing through Sweden and Denmark against jewel smuggler Willi Schickel (Gert Fröbe). It's a live action very of the Wacky Races essentially, but it's good silly family fun, the kind of film they just don't make anymore. It's well made, (although there is alot of rear-projection), and the romantic subplot is half-baked. But, it holds hope. It was released in America under the title of Those Daring Young Men in Their Jaunty Jalopies 3/5

Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince (1st view) - One of the best Potter films. It certainly looks the part, the wizarding world looking more spectacular than before. It could have done with a little less lovey-doveyness though. Teen romance is a turn off - 4/5

The Young Victoria (2009), produced by Martin Scorsese and Sarah, Duchess of York, this is a rich looking piece which looks at the early years of, to date, our longest serving monarch. It's a sumptuous visual feast, well made and with a very good cast to it's name, but that's about it. It begins in 1837, when King William IV (Jim Broadbent) dies, and his neice is next in line to the throne of the United Kingdom, his neice is Victoria (Emily Blunt), who has lived a sheltered life within the confines of Kensington Palace. But now she's catapulted to monarchy, despite the attempts of her mother Princess Victoria, Duchess of Kent (Miranda Richardson) and the shady Sir John Conroy (a dastardly Mark Strong), who wanted to sign away her rights in favour of a Regency. Plus, Victoria's judgement is further clouded by a commitment to Lord Melbourne (Paul Bettany), then Prime Minister of the UK. But, Victoria finds solace in the close friendship and later marriage of Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (Rupert Friend). It is a shortish but sweet little film, director Jean-Marc Vallée gets the best out of his cast, and Julian Fellowes captures the mannerisms of the time in a good script, even if some of it is inaccurate. But, it does feel cold in places, but it passes quick. 3/5



Timecode (2000), a quite intriguing experiment from director Mike Figgis, after dabbling in the mainstream, he decided to try something different altogether. He was going to tell a story, with the screen split into four, and the sound would come in and out of each segment at the appropriate moments. It's an interesting experiment, but it could have benefitted from a better plot. It's set in the filmmaking world, and the action takes place in and around a production office in downtown Los Angeles. It has wealthy lesbian Lauren (Jeanne Tripplehorn) eavesdroping via a hidden microphone on her lover Rose (Salma Hayek) and her clandestine tryst with movie producer Alex Green (Stellan Skarsgård), who has been listening to different pitches throughout the day with his creative team, including arty director Lester Moore (Richard Edson), agent Bunny Drysdale (Kyle MacLachlan) and executive Renee Fishbine (Holly Hunter). Filmed all in four takes as one on November 19, 1999, it is a good experiment, and it does work, but the viewer will be left with a bit of a headache trying to make sense of who's going where and all. It's plot isn't really strong enough, yet there is something that brings them all together in the end. 3/5