What I've Just Watched: Part 2

Don't listen to the critics, it's brilliant!!

Death Wish 3 (1985), as if 2 weren't enough, Michael Winner returned and so did Charles Bronson for the third installment of the vigilante saga. Thankfully, it's better than the 2nd film, which was spoiled by rape and silliness, although it isn't that much better, but it is benefitted by a good burst into action at the end. It begins with Paul Kersey (Bronson) returning to New York, the slums of Brooklyn to meet up with his old army buddy from the Korean war, Charlie (Francis Drake). Unfortunately, when Kersey gets there, Charlie has been attacked by gang members and dies in Kersey's arms, and Kersey is arrested. The police chief Richard Shriker (Ed Lauter) recognises Kersey from his actions 10 years ago, but he makes a deal with Kersey, he can do his vigilante stuff, but he has to report to the police on a regular basis, so the police can get on the news. Kersey has his eye set on gang leader Manny Fraker (Gavan O'Herlihy). This is quite silly, and because they couldn't afford to film in New York, they did it in London, which is not very convincing at all, but when the action shootout comes, it's good but still very silly. Oh, and look out for Alex Winter off Bill & Ted as one of the gang members. 2/5



A Serious Man (2009), Joel and Ethan Coen return to their roots with this one, set in and around the area they grew up in, some might say it's their most personal film to date, but it isn't really, it just happens to be set in the time when they were kids. It's a dark comedy which doesn't answer questions about why do bad things happen, it just asks questions. Alot of the Coen's films have more questions than answers. Minnesota, 1967. Professor Larry Gopnik (Michael Stuhlbarg) is having a bad time. His wife Judith (Sari Wagner Lennick) is leaving him for the smooth talking Sy Ableman (Fred Melamed). Larry's son Danny (Aaron Wolff) is smoking weed and his daughter Sarah (Jessica McManus) wants a nose job. Plus, Larry's brother Arthur (Richard Kind) is at the house with a cyst on his neck, sleeping on the sofa. Plus, Larry is being bribed money, and threatening letters are being received. He goes to 3 different Rabbi's, to see if they can help him in life. You don't have to know about Jewish culture to understand this, the performances from the unknown actors are all brilliant. It's well shot, it captures the era well without having to go for psychedelic stuff, and does have brilliant dialogue and it is very, very funny. Even if we are laughing at a poor man's misfortunes. Mazel Tov!! 5/5

Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll (2010), this one slipped under the radar, it's a biopic about one of our greatest musicians, Ian Dury. But it's a very unconventional biopic, done by way of the visual panache of 24 Hour Party People (2002), only it's a lot more serious, although given Andy Serkis' brilliant lead performance as Dury, you'll be drawn into the world of a man who saw things differently. Ian Dury (Serkis) was stricken with polio as a boy, and abandoned by his father Bill (Ray Winstone) to fend for himself in a special school. Dury got by, although crippled by polio, he never let it get in the way of his work. He left his first band Kilburn and the High Roads and formed his new band, The Blockheads. Along with this, he was hopping back and forth between his wife Olivia (Olivia Williams) and his girlfriend Denise (Naomie Harris). But, his disability has taken it's toll on Dury, and his behaviour alienates his wife and girlfriend, as well as his son Baxter (Bill Milner). It's done in an unconventional way because Dury himself was an unconventional man. It's very well done, and Serkis is absolutely engaging as Dury, a true force of nature. It's an amazing story, and the music is exquisite. Brilliant performances all round and one of the best films of the year. 5/5



Shutter Island (2010), after winning his Best Director Oscar for The Departed (2006), Martin Scorsese returns with this adaptation of Dennis Lehane's 2003 novel. It's something quite different for Scorsese, and it borrows alot from Hitchcock. In fact, in parts, it doesn't feel like a Scorsese film at all, although it does have some nice visual flourishes. But it is quite moody, and the outcome can be a little hard to accept. Set in 1954, it has U.S. Marshal Teddy Daniels (Leonardo DiCaprio) and his partner, Chuck Aule (Mark Ruffalo), go to the Ashecliff Hospital on Shutter Island, just off the coast of Boston to investigate the disapperance of one of the patients. The hospital is run by Dr. John Cawley (Ben Kingsley), who is trying to use new methods to help the patients. It turns out Daniels has another agenda on the island, his wife Dolores (Michelle Williams) was killed in an apartment fire, and he wants to see the man who caused it, and Teddy is haunted by dreams of his wife. It's a psychological horror/thriller, much more of a think piece rather than going for out and out scares, but it is gothic and very atmospheric, although the twist at the end, if you haven't worked it out, will leave you scratching your head. Still, it has a brilliant supporting cast, including Patricia Clarkson, Emily Mortimer, John Carroll Lynch, Elias Koteas, Ted Levine, Jackie Earle Haley and Max Von Sydow. 3.5/5

A Man For All Seasons (1966), from Oscar winning director Fred Zinnemann, best known for High Noon (1952) and From Here To Eternity (1953), comes this adaptation of Robert Bolt's 1961 stage play, which had started on BBC Radio in 1954. The film would have a brilliant lead role, and a brilliant supporting cast to it's name. It's a low-key story, but still quite powerful. It focuses on Thomas More (Paul Scofield) who is caught in a struggle with Henry VIII (Robert Shaw), who wishes to divorce Catherine of Aragon, and marry Anne Boleyn instead. Cardinal Wolsey (Orson Welles) wants the Pope to grant them a divorce, and he needs More's help, but More being a devout Catholic refuses. More is made Lord Chancellor of England by Henry, but one comment regarding Henry is picked up by Thomas Cromwell (Leo McKern), who uses one of More's old acquantances from Cambridge, Richard Rich (John Hurt) to spy on More and his family. It's a fairly straight forward story, and to the point as well. It's beautifully shot by Ted Moore, and Georges Delerue's traditional score is good on the ear, but it's Scofield's restrained, down to earth, human role as More which makes the film all the more engaging. It's a pity there wasn't more of Shaw's powerful Henry VIII, who nearly steals the film from Scofield. 4/5



Point Break (1991), directed by Kathryn Bigelow, who has since made history, and produced by her ex-husband James Cameron, comes perhaps the best action film of the 1990's, a high-octane story which is gripping, engaging and always exciting. It has two good leads at the top of their game, and some of the best surfing, skydiving and action in films of the last 20 years. It has rookie FBI agent Johnny Utah (Keanu Reeves) being assigned to Los Angeles to investigate robberies by a gang known as the Ex-Presidents, who rob banks wearing masks of American Presidents. It leads Utah to a group of surfers, led by Bodhi (Patrick Swayze), who is charming and peaceful, and the other surfers Roach (James LeGros), Grommet (Bojesse Christopher), and Nathaniel (John Philbin). As time goes on, Utah comes to understand Bodhi's philosophy on life, and the way of life of him and his fellow surfers. But, when it comes to the bank robberies, Utah cannot kill Bodhi, and Utah has fallen for surfer girl Tyler Endicott (Lori Petty). It's very cheesy, but the action is very well choreographed, and there is something slightly homoerotic about it all. But, Bigelow never lets the action stop, it's focused and to the point, and it's very entertaining. You'll want to surf after seeing this!! 5/5

Finally got back into watching films again!


Alice In Wonderland (1st view) – Visually stunning, a fine score from Danny Elfman, great fun to be had watching Depp. It might not be the most meaningful film ever made but it’s very enjoyable – 4/5*




30 Days Of Night (2nd view) – One of the best vampire films of recent years, but with the exception of Josh Hartnett’s beard growing, you’d never know it took place over a month. It could have all happened in one night – 4/5




District 9 (2nd view) – Just as good second time around. The best science-fiction film from last year that I’ve seen – 4/5




Sea Of Sand (1st view) – WWII film set in North Africa about a group of British soldiers who are sent to destroy a German fuel dump. Forgettable, though Richard Attenborough’s always worth watching.- 2/5*




Paul Blart: Mall Cop (1st view) – Better than the other security guard in a mall comedy from last year, but that’s not saying much – 2/5*




Julie & Julia (1st view) – Quite funny at times, but also a bit depressing in a way I think it wasn’t meant to be. I can’t understand why Streep was Oscar nominated – 3/5*




The Boat That Rocked (1st view) – Good music and I liked the fact that no one tried to hog the limelight so the ensemble cast worked well together. Not as funny as I’d hoped though, Kenneth Branagh providing most of the laughs – 3/5*




The Duchess (1st view) – Very good – 4/5*




The 40 Year Old Virgin (2nd view) – Rewatched this on the basis that I’m now a much bigger fan of Steve Carrel, thanks to The Office. He’s great in this too, but half the time it feels like the films trying to be rude instead of funny- 3/5




Forgetting Sarah Marshall (1st view) – It has its moments, but I still can’t stand Russell Brand. I hope Jason Segel does a getter writing job an his proposed Muppet film than in this, though the Dracula Puppet musical segment was very funny – 3/5*




Son Of Rambow (1st view) – I spent had the film trying to figure out where I’d seen one of the children and then remembered he popped up in that awful Channel 4 sketch show that was acted entirely by children. He was useless in both. And this film was very hit and miss, with a useless and at least three scenes that are supposedly meant to tug on the heartstrings but made me want to turn off. But when it’s funny, it’s very funny. – 3/5*




Underworld: Rise Of The Lycans(1st view) – Crap, but in a fun way. It works well if you watch it as some kind of mini-epic tragedy, but with bad dialogue and worse effects.




Shutter Island (1st view) – Really enjoyed this whilst being simultaneously creeped out, more so than by any film in a long, long time. The freaky (yet excellent) score helped with that. Fine performances by all (it’s odd to think there was a time when I didn’t look forward to seeing DiCaprio in a film) and some stunning visuals – 4/5




The Hangover (1st view) - A lot better than I expected, with a few moments that had me laughing like crazy.

Green Zone (2010), after the success of The Bourne Supremacy (2004) and The Bourne Ultimatum (2007), Matt Damon teamed up with director Paul Greengrass for this loose adaptation of Rajiv Chandrasekaran's book Imperial Life in the Emerald City, about civilian life within the Green Zone of Baghdad, where the Allied forces are based. Despite Greengrass still not yet investing in a camera tripod, it remains a taught, tight thriller, thought provoking and questioning our position in Iraq. Set in Baghdad in 2003, shortly after the American troops have taken control of the city and most of the country from Saddam Hussein's regime. It has Chief Warrant Officer Roy Miller (Matt Damon) and his squad looking for Weapons of Mass Destruction, but is always drawing a blank. He works for Clark Poundstone (Greg Kinnear), who insists there are WMD, but CIA agent Martin Brown (Brendan Gleeson) tells Miller there isn't any. And after one raid, Miller comes into possession of a book which may uncover the truth, but to get it, Miller needs to find the Ace of Clubs, General Al-Rawi (Yigal Naor). It's very focused and to the point, although the always moving camerawork will be a little off-putting to some, but it is a powerful film which will leave you talking. It'll be compared to The Hurt Locker, but this points the finger. 4/5



Hedwig and the Angry Inch (2001), one of last decade's best kept secrets, this is a camp and catchy little musical which had it's origins as a 1998 off-Broadway stageshow, and from there, it gathered a bit of a cult, and it was inevitable a film version would be made, and this is it. about East Berlin transexual Hedwig (John Cameron Mitchell, who created the stage show, and also wrote and directed this film), whose operation to become a woman was blotched, hence "she" was left with the titular angry inch, the man "she" married to get from East to West, U.S. Soldier Luther Robinson (Maurice Dean Wint), leaves "her" on their first wedding anniversary for another man. But she tours with her band, called Hedwig and the Angry Inch, recalling the story of how "she" became that way, and the rivalry with young protege Tommy Gnosis (Michael Pitt) A weird but likeable musical, with memorable songs, complete with shades of Rocky Horror and The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert about it, with a hint of John Waters about it all. Actor/writer/director John Cameron Mitchell shows great confidence with his debut, he followed it up with the hugely controversial Shortbus, a world away indeed from his debut. 4/5

Jennifer's Body (1st view) - Not particularly funny or scary, but it's better than Juno and J.K. Simmons continues to be the best thing in any film he's in - 3/5*




Last Chance Harvey (1st view) - Emma Thompson and Dustin Hoffman are both very good in this and it's really the two of them that make the film, despite the fact these roles are hardly a stretch. Slight and predictable but charming - 4/5*




The Strangers (1st view) - Reminded me a bit of Halloween and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre with the unrelenting terror piled upon the central characters. Certainly better than many, more gory, modern horrors - 3/5*




Doubt (1st view) - The second film in as many weeks that I've seen in which pretty much everyone on screen is better than Meryl Streep. Amy Adams continues to impress and Philip Seymour Hoffman is excellent. Very open-ended and consequently infuriating but worthwhile.

The Cross of Lorraine (1st view) - I think this is the first film I've seen Gene Kelly in that isn't a musical. He's one of a group of French soldiers taken captive and transported to a POW camp. Peter Lorre and Hume Cronyn are on hand with solid support - 3/5*




Battleground (1st view) - With the exception of the Band Of Brothers episodes, this is probably the best depiction I've seen of the Battle Of The Bulge. There's no shying away from the violence, but the emphasis here is on the characters and how they adapt to the conditions. Excellent - 4/5*





Joe Kidd (1st view) - I thought I'd seen all of Clint Eastwood's westerns, but this one must have passed me by. Robert Duvall is the villain, and he's a fine addition to any film, and to top it off it's directed by the man behind The Great Escape and Bad Day At Black Rock. Not quite as good as it perhaps should be, but Joe Kidd is one of Eastwood's more endearing heroes, and it's not everyday you get somebody driving a train into a general store! - 4/5*




The Thief (1st view) - Ray Milland stars as a physicist who's also a spy working for a foreign country. A decent cold war thriller that's entirely without dialogue, which both helps and hinders the film overall - 4/5*

Without A Paddle (2004), directed by Steve Brill, who's best known for the Adam Sandler comedies Little Nicky (2000) and Mr. Deeds (2002) comes this ever so underrated parody of Deliverance (1972), although it doesn't go down the road of other modern movie spoofs that this could have been. It's actually an affectionate homage with a likeable cast and some amusing set pieces. It has schoolfriends Jerry (Matthew Lillard), Dan (Seth Green) and Tom (Dax Shepard) attending the funeral of their friend Billy (Antony Starr) who died in a para-sailing accident. While revisiting their old haunts, they discover a map done by Billy leading to the lost treasure of plane hijacker D. B. Cooper. So they head out into the wilderness, with a canoe for a camping trip. But, nothing goes to plan, they encounter a bear, run afoul of two violent farmers, Dennis (Abraham Benrubi) and Elwood (Ethan Suplee) and encounter mysterious mountain man Del Knox (Burt Reynolds). It is quite enjoyable, it has shades of City Slickers II: The Legend of Curly's Gold (1994) about it. But, it does have it's laughs and it's got some funny set pieces, including one with a load of cannabis and a few flares gone astray that ignite the lot. Critics got the wrong end of the stick over this. 3/5



My Fair Lady (1964), based on George Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion and turned into a musical play by Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe. This big screen musical had alot going for it, and it came from a time when grand epic musicals could do well and win Oscars. This looks beautiful, has two good lead performances and instantly memorable songs. Set in Victorian London, it has Professor Henry Higgins (Rex Harrison), who specialised in phonetics, placing a wager with acquaintance, Colonel Hugh Pickering (Wilfrid Hyde-White), that he can turn common Cockney flowergirl Eliza Doolittle (Audrey Hepburn) into a duchess for an embassy ball. So begin many weeks of training, and eventually, Eliza's voice goes from Cockney into a very polished, posh English accent. But, not everything goes to plan, Freddy Eynsford-Hill (Jeremy Brett) falls for Eliza, unaware for her true background of Covent Garden, and Eliza soon finds out Henry didn't care about what he was creating, or did he?? The direction by George Cukor is grand and colourful, he gets the best from his actors, (also featuring Stanley Holloway and Theodore Bikel), and the music, arranged for the screen by Andre Previn is lush and beautiful. It's a pity you don't get grand musicals like this anymore. But, the leads from Hepburn and Harrison are enjoyable. 4/5

Glad you liked My Fair Lady!!


Mission: Impossible (5th view)
Mission: Impossible 2 (4th view)
Mission: Impossible 3 (3rd view)

I've only seen the first film five times in full, but I've lost count how many times I've caught moments on the ITV channels. It feels like it's on everyday, and I always, always, always, ALWAYS end up seeing the Langley break-in sequence )Poor old William Donloe ). Very effective action thriller, though it doesn't make a lick of sense. The second film is worth watching simply to see how Tom Cruise's shampoo advert flowing locks remains unruffled throughout, and I think it also gets an award for most unnecessary slo-mo in any film ever. The third's the most fun, and also the only one in which it looks like Hunt's actually in any danger.




The Most Dangerous Man in America (1st view) - One the of nominees for this years's Best Documentary Oscar, telling the story of Daniel Ellsberg and how he leaked top secret papers about the Vietnam War. A part of recent US history I was only vaguely aware of, so it was interesting to learn more - 4/5*




Hot Rod (1st view) - Incredibly silly comedy about a wannabe stuntman who wants to jump 15 buses on his bike in order to raise money for his stepfather's heart transplant - 4/5*

I Love You Phillip Morris (2009), from writer/directors Glenn Ficarra and John Requa, best known for writing Bad Santa (2003) comes this unbeliveable true story, which despite all that happens in it, is all true. It has a brilliant cast, and some laugh out loud moments, but past the black comedy, it has a sweet and tender love story at it's centre, an unconventional one though. It's about Steven Russell (Jim Carrey), a family man with a good job as a cop, who after a car crash, comes out as gay. He leaves his family and moves to Florida, where he has a boyfriend Jimmy (Rodrigo Santoro). But, it turns out Russell is a conman, and he's eventually caught and sent to jail. While there, he meets inmate Phillip Morris (Ewan McGregor), who Russell falls for. When Russell is let out, he impersonates a lawyer to get Morris out of jail so they can be together. But Russell won't stop being a conman, and even escapes from prison four times to be with Morris. It's a very offbeat but funny story of what some people will do for love, no matter what the orientation. This is Jim Carrey's funniest film in ages, and McGregor is a revelation as the innocent lover who Russell loves. I can see greater things coming from Glenn Ficarra and John Requa on the basis of this. 4/5



On A Clear Day You Can See Forever (1970), based on a 1965 Broadway musical by Alan Jay Lerner and Burton Lane. Despite critical indifference to the musical, a film adaptation was made by the great Vincente Minnelli (Meet Me in St. Louis, An American In Paris and Gigi), it was released at a difficult time when Hollywood was shunning films like this, it's beautiful to look at but like it's main character, it's a bit scatterbrained. It has kooky chainsmoker Daisy Gamble (Barbara Streisand) going to psychiatrist Marc Chabot (Yves Montand) to help kick her habit. Instead, Chabot discovers Daisy has extrasensory perception, and under a spell. Daisy becomes Melinda Winifred Waine Tentrees, a lady in 19th Century England attached to royality, married to the rich Robert Tentrees (John Richardson). Chabot becomes more and more attracted to Daisy under the hypnotic guise of Melinda, but Daisy has little idea of what's going on. It's well made, and the bits in 19th Century England are very well filmed, and it's a clever concept, but it doesn't gel very well. This is a film that could do with a remake. But, it has a BRILLIANT supporting cast including Jack Nicholson, Bob Newhart, John Le Mesurier, Irene Handl and Roy Kinnear!! 3.5/5

Inside Deep Throat (1st view) - Documentary about the making of Deep Throat and the effect it had on the participants. It manages to tell facts without actually giving any information, so it kind of fails - 2/5*




Green Zone (1st view) - Very good. I may prefer it more than the Bourne films - 4/5*




Race To Space (1st view) - James Woods is a German scientists working for NASA in the 60s and his son befriends a chimp who's about to be sent into space. The Right Stuff this isn't - 2/5*

Synecdoche, New York (2008), Charlie Kaufman rides again, what started out as a horror film became a romantic fantasy of sorts on relationships and the eventuality of death. It looks brilliant, it's got a lot of very good ideas, and it has a brilliant (mainly female) cast, but for the most part, it's impossible to make a head or a tail of it, but you need more than one viewing to distill it. The film has a renowned playwright called Caden Cotard (played by Philip Seymour Hoffman), who is given a theatre grant to do a project of his chosing. So, Caden plans to build a life-size recreation of New York City inside a warehouse as part of his new play. At the same, he has problems with the women in his life, past and present, including his first wife Adele (Catherine Keener), his second wife Claire (Michelle Williams), his mistress Hazel (Samantha Morton), and his first wife's best friend Maria, (Jennifer Jason Leigh). He embarks on a play about his life, and it goes on for years, even decades. It's an obession that consumes him. It's a very odd film, and it has Kaufman stamped all over it, but it's impossible to take it all in at first, but the more you think about it. But it's a good take on life, and it does leave it's viewer with a headache. Hoffman is wonderful as always, and it's a bold idea, but more than one viewing will determine if it's a masterpiece or a grand folly. 4/5



Carry On Matron (1972), the 23rd Carry On film, coming short after the critical and commercial letdowns of Carry On Henry and Carry On At Your Convenience in 1971, but 1972 saw the release of two of the best Carry On Films. This was one, and the other was Carry On Abroad. The Carry On team have always loved hospital based japery, (see Nurse/Doctor/Again Doctor), and this carries on that tradition. Based at Finisham Maternity Hospital, it has criminal mastermind Sid Carter (Sid James) planning a robbery of the hospitals supplies of the pill, which he plans to sell to foreign countries. For that, he gets his son Cyril (Kenneth Cope) to go in dressed as a nurse. But, trying to keep up being a nurse isn't as easy as it sounds, Cyril has to share a room with the bubbly nurse Susan Ball (Barbara Windsor) while Cyril is being lusted over by Dr. Prodd (Terry Scott). Elsewhere in the hospital, a love triangle has developed between Sir Bernard Cutting (Kenneth Williams), who runs the hospital, the hospitals Matron (Hattie Jacques) and psychiatrist Dr. Francis A. Goode (Charles Hawtrey). There are alot of great gags in this one, both physical and verbal, the double entendres are on top form, and the whole ensemble cast is on fine form, and Kenneth Cope is rather attractive all dressed up as a woman!! 4/5

Matron's one of the best of the Carry Ons!


Get Smart (1st view) - More fun than I expected. Carrell is a gifted comedian who is funny without mugging for the camera, and the film was refreshingly free of toilet humour, just funny jokes and situations. Ann Hathaway has an affable screen presence, and Alan Arkin can help light up any film. Great fun - 4/5*

Before Winter Comes (1st view) - Set in the immediate aftermath of WWII, this stars David Niven as a Major in the British Army who is charged with looking after a camp for displaced civilians, and to make decisions on whether they be moved to the American or Russian zones. Topol stars as one of the refugees who helps him out as an interpreter, but mistrust starts when they both fall for the same woman. Not in the same league as any other films I've seen from director J.Lee Thompson (tt's no Cape fear or Guns of Navarone) but still worth a look - 3/5*




Closing the Ring (1st view) - A good cast includes Christopher Plummer, Pete Posthlethwaite and Shirley MacLaine, but the story of lost love that spans from 1941 to 1991 is predictable from the very beginning - 3/5*




Lonesome Jim (1st view) - The third film from Steve Buscemi as a director, and the weakest so fare - 2/5*

Battle Cry (1st view) - Fantastic WWII following a group of marines from training though to an assault against the Japanese. Patriotic gung-ho is balanced out with some surprisingly effective romances and a thrilling finale - 4/5*




Rendition (2nd view) - Well acted and thought-provoking but it gets muddled near the end - 4/5*

The Hurt Locker (2008), the little film that could, Kathryn Bigelow made history with this film, as it became the lowest grossing film to win Best Picture at the Oscars, and she became the first woman to win the Best Director Oscar. It's actually very gripping and to the point, it doesn't ask questions, it's about men risking their lives doing a very dangerous job that needs doing. Set in Iraq in 2004, it follows the work of a U.S. Army Explosive Ordnance Disposal working in and around Baghdad. It has Sergeant First Class William James (Jeremy Renner) joining the unit after Staff Sergeant Thompson (Guy Pearce) was killed in action by a bomb. James served in Afghanistan, so he is very well used to situations like this, but he is a maverick, chosing to do it his own way, rather than follow the correct procedures, much to the ire of his superiors Sergeant J. T. Sanborn (Anthony Mackie) and Specialist Owen Eldridge (Brian Geraghty), but they just get on with it. It's a minimal plot, but it manages to stay gripping, taut and suspenseful for the duration, shot documentary style by Barry Ackroyd, Bigelow puts you at the centre of the most nerve-wracking and most difficult job in the world. Whether it was worthy of it's Oscars, only time will tell, but it's a different kind of war film. Oh, and Ralph Fiennes and David Morse pop by. 4/5



The Devil and Daniel Johnston (2005), a critically acclaimed, award-winning documentary focusing on the life and times of a near-forgotten cult musician and artist, Daniel Johnston, the documentary tells the story of his life through interviews with his friends and family as well as home movies made by Johnston himself. It tells of how he was born into a large family, and he was heavily influenced by The Beatles, and would record music in his bedroom on his tape recorder, he would also document his life on tape cassettes as well. Years later, living in Austin, Texas, he became something of a cult local celebrity, but he was suffering from manic depression, which has marred him from achieving the high fame he deserves, but he had celebrity fans who ranged from Kurt Cobain to Beck to Tom Waits. It's such a touching documentary which showcases a unique talent, although the documentary does ramble on a little longer than it should, (documentary director Jeff Feuerzeig is a big fan of Johnston's work, and it shows), but it is an enjoyable, sad and loving document of a maverick artist who is one of a kind, and has had a very eventful life. 4/5

The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (2009), Terry Gilliam is back!! And his latest film created publicity for all the wrong reasons as Heath Ledger died halfway through filming. But the film was saved from being abandoned thanks to a little help from Heath's friends, who completed the film for Heath. And it's an amazing triumph in the face of tragedy, and Heath's death aside, it's a wonderfully imaginative film with some of Gilliam's best imagery to date. It's a mess though, but a brilliant mess. In modern day London, 1,000 year old monk and storyteller Doctor Parnassus (Christopher Plummer) travels with a Victorian carnival show, which consists of performers such as his daughter Valentina (Lily Cole), runaway Anton (Andrew Garfield) and dwarf Percy (Verne Troyer). When they pick up amnesiac stranger Tony (Heath Ledger), Parnassus counts upon him to save him from a wager he has with the devil, Mr. Nick (Tom Waits). Sometimes, a messy, mad film can be a load more entertaining and enjoyable than a perfect one. This is the purest Gilliam film in about 20 years, this is what we've been missing from him, and seeing this, you want him to make more films!! Plus, kudos goes to Johnny Depp, Jude Law and Colin Farrell for becoming Tony behind Parnassus's magic mirror, and making Heath's final performance memorable. Gilliam's best film in a decade, and absolutely impossible to forget!! 5/5



Jabberwocky (1977), Terry Gilliam's first film as a solo director after co-direcing Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975), and he stuck with more medieval mud, but the comedy is alot more blacker, but this was a taster of the better things to come from Gilliam. Although this is a very good little film, and it showcased what Gilliam's imagination had to offer at that time. Based on Lewis Carroll's poem, it has Dennis Cooper (Michael Palin), who is the son of a barrel maker, when his father dies, he heads off to the city to get a job. In the city's castle, King Bruno The Questionable (Max Wall) is trying to think of the best way to rid the kingdom of the monster known as the Jabberwocky, which has been ravaging the city and the countryside around it. Through chance and serendipity, Dennis ends up being the squire to the knight that will go out and slay the monster, and all Dennis wanted was a humdrum life with a simple job. It is very funny and it has all of the visual flourishes that Gilliam became so good at. The film is also a who's who of British telly and films of the 1960's and 70's, look out for Harry H. Corbett, John Le Mesurier, Warren Mitchell, Rodney Bewes, John Bird, Bernard Bresslaw, Brian Glover, Gorden Kaye, Terry Jones, Neil Innes and David Prowse!! Gilliam found his feet with this one, and once he got going making films, he never stopped!! 4/5

Kick Ass (1st view) - Most fun I've had in the cinema for a long while. Hugely enjoyable. - 4/5*




Chaos (1st view) - Muddled and convoluted thriller that sees Wesley Snipes take hostages in a bank and Jason Statham as the cop out to get him - 3/5*




Good (1st view) - Viggo Mortensen joins the Nazi party much to the dismay of Jason Isaacs his Jewish best friend. Strong performances, but a good story is lost in the poor dialogue - 3/5*

Sunshine Cleaning (1st view) - Amy Adams and Emily Blunt star as two sisters, both stuck in a rut with regards to career and relationships. In an effort to make some money fast they start up a crime scene cleaning business, but it turns out to be a lot different to what they expected. Part drama, part comedy it's neither hilarious or particularly involving, but the two stars have a good chemistry and Alan Arkin as their father is an added bonus - 3/5*

Kick-Ass (2010), based on Mark Millar and John Romita, Jr's 2008 comic book, Director Matthew Vaughn (Layer Cake and Stardust) had no luck when trying to get money from the studios to fund this ultra-violent comic-book film, but he raised the money himself, meaning no interference, the result is the best comic book film in ages, and it's well made and very entertaining. It has geeky teen Dave Lizewski (Aaron Johnson) having aspirations of becoming a superhero, he buys a scuba suit and becomes Kick-Ass, and sets up a MySpace page to get publicity. It works, but he finds himself getting involved with father and daughter vigilantes Big Daddy (Nicolas Cage) and Hit Girl (Chloe Moretz). Big Daddy has an agenda to take down crime kingpin Frank D'Amico (Mark Strong). D'Amico has seen his men being taken down by Big Daddy, but D'Amico's son Chris (Christopher Mintz-Plasse) becomes Red Mist to gain Kick-Ass' trust and get to Big Daddy and Hit Girl. It's so well made, and it has some brilliant performances, espcially Moretz as the foul-mouthed assassin Hit Girl, and Mark Strong, who gets better with each film he makes. Vaughn has created a brilliant world here with great action and good dialogue. More please!! 5/5



Zack and Miri Make a Porno (2008), Kevin Smith rides again, this time with his second film after Jersey Girl (2004) set outside his View Askewinverse, and this one is far more successful than his first attempt outside what he knows best, and it shows that he's showing signs of maturity as a director, even with such immature and rude material. Set in the small town of Monroeville, Pennsylvania, it has room-mates and close friends Zack Brown (Seth Rogen) and Miri Linky (Elizabeth Banks) in severe financial trouble, and the power and water to their flat being turned off. To make ends meet, it is decided that they should make a porno film, after some inspiration at a high school reunion. So, with a little help from Zack's co-worker Delaney (Craig Robinson), they set about making a home made porn film. This is such a funny film, but it's one with a heart at it's sick and very rude centre. Smith's foul-mouthed dialogue is present and correct, although sentimentality does creep in towards the end, it does feature Traci Lords blowing bubbles, Jason Mewes walking around naked and Brandon 'Superman' Routh making an appearance you won't forget in a hurry!! EVERYONE should have a go at making a porno film on the strength of this film!! 4/5

Using the controversial poster there, I see!


Affliction (1st view) - Nick Nolte and James Coburn are both excellent in this.




Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian (1st view) - Like the first one, it's hardly sophisticated comedy and it tends to rehash all the jokes I didn't find funny first time round. But it does have Amy Adams. And it also has Oscar the Grouch wanting to help takeover the world, and that alone makes it worthwhile. - 3/5*

Gimli the ? wrote:

Using the controversial poster there, I see!

I had to!!

Clash Of The Titans (3D) (1st view) - I can remember little about the original film other than the clockwork owl, so how closely this film follows that storyline I have no idea, but the original did seem to have a charm to it that this one lacked. It probably made more sense as well. At least twice good guys died and I had no idea who had snuffed it, and some of the action scenes went past in a blur (thought the pretty naff 3D probably didn't help). Liam Neeson and Ralph Fiennes are two of the finest actors alive today, but neither is given anything to do here. What's the point of casting Danny Huston just so he can speak 10 words? And I really don't like Sam Worthington - 3/5*




The Covenant (1st view) - Good old Renny Harlin!!! Not content with making the biggest flop of all time, the worst Die Hard film, a shark thriller that's about as far away from the best of the genre you can get, the rejigged and somehow worse 4th Exorcist film, that really bad thriller about FBI profilers, and the car racing film that almost makes Speed Racer look good, with this one he's bettered himself and made the cinematic equivalent of kneeling on an upturned plug - 1/5*

Time Bandits (1981), after the success of Monty Python's Life of Brian (1979), Terry Gilliam teamed up again with Handmade Films to produce this family fantasy adventure with a black sense of humour and brilliant visual panache, which he co-wrote with Michael Palin. It would help put Gilliam on the map as a director, (it went down a storm in America), and it has a brilliant all-star cast, and a brilliant gang of dwarves. It has 11 year old Kevin (Craig Warnock) who loves history, but his parents always ignore him. One night, 6 dwarves appear in his bedroom, (Randall) David Rappaport, Fidgit (Kenny Baker), Strutter (Malcolm Dixon), Og (Mike Edmonds), Wally (Jack Purvis) and Vermin (Tiny Ross). Kevin's bedroom is a portal to places in space and time, and it takes them to historical locations including Napoleonic France, Sherwood Forest, Ancient Greece and the Titanic. Watching them is the Evil Genius (David Warner), who wants the map of space and time they have. It's a brilliant film, with all of the best ideas and set-pieces Gilliam has ever dreamt up, complete with the most shocking ending of them all. The dwarves are brilliant to watch, and it's always enjoyable to watch. It's one of the best films of the 1980's, and the all star cameos from John Cleese as Robin Hood, Sean Connery as King Agamemnon, Ian Holm as Napoleon and Ralph Richardson as Supreme Being. It's a perfect introduction for anyone who has ever wanted to know about Gilliam's films. He was on perfect form in the 1980's!! 5/5



10,000 BC (2008), getting away from cities and planet Earth being destroyed, well before 2012 (2009) at least, director Roland Emmerich takes us back to when civilisation was coming about. It might not be historically accurate, but it does have it's moments, and it makes for a good cheesy action adventure. Set (probabily) in it's titular year, it has D'Leh (Steven Strait), going off on a long quest to rescue his girlfriend Evolet (Camilla Belle) who has been kidnapped by raiders from a pre-Egyptian civisation, D'Leh goes with Tic'Tic (Cliff Curtis) and Ka'Ren (Mo Zinal), and form an alliance with the Naku tribe, led by Nakudu (Joel Virgel), whose people have been affected by the raiders too. Emmerich certainly knows how to do things on a big scale, and to do some good action scenes. He gives us woolly mammoths and sabre-toothed tigers, and the film is beautifully shot. But, it's historical inaccuracy lets it down, or maybe it's not meant to be accurate, judging from his other films, science is not Emmerich's forte, but it does make a good change from the disaster films he's well known for. It's just a bit of harmless, dumb fun, it also has a warm narration by Omar Sharif. 3/5