Movies "The last movie you've seen" thread [Archive]

Harrison

3rd January 2008, 00:41

When a book you are already a fan of is finally adapted into a film the characterisation is never perfect. I had the same problem with Lord of the Rings, but I still enjoyed the films because I just accepted it.

I also really enjoyed The Hogfather when it was originally aired a year ago. Very nicely made, and although as you say some characters were not quite right for their parts, or they were too old, they all acted well and made it an enjoyable experience.

Now to the last film I watched.

Film: The Golden Compass
Stars: Nicole Kidman, Daniel Craig, Dakota Blue Richards, Ian McKellen, Eva Green, Christopher Lee... and too many more to list.
Seen at: Cinema

This is one of the current "must see" films everyone is talking about. I read the books a few years ago and really enjoyed them. The second book especially. So I was excited to see how they had converted it into a film.

The first book, and this film, really just introduce you to the universe, dust, the Alethiometer, and the characters the form the good and evil sides of the story. It is the second, and next film, where things will really get interesting.

The big problem with this film is that in the book many aspects remained a mystery until later, when they were either slowly discovered and unveiled, or left unanswered until the next book. In the film everything gets answered straight away, or the audience is told about it instantly. Therefore is really removed most of the mystery from the story.

*spoiler warning*
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*
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In the first book you don't even discover what dust can do or in the existence of alternative worlds. But in the film you are told all about it in the first few minutes of the film starting.

*spoiler over*

I would say that the film feels on a level with the recent Narnia film. That also didn't live up to the book, or the original BBC production. It followed the story fine, but played it by numbered without much real feeling injected by the director. Especially when you compare it to how the Lord of the Rings films were directed and produced.

You could also compare The Golden Compass to Happy Potter. The first Potter film did a brilliant job of introducing the audience to the mysteries of the magical world and Hogwarts, and The Golden Compass should have been told in a similar manor.

But don't get me wrong, this film is still very nicely made and the characters are well cast too. The only ones I was not 100% convinced by were the bears. The animation hasn't quite polished enough for the level we have come to expect. And also the film leans heavily on CG in nearly ever scene.

If you haven't read the books I expect you will enjoy the film more because the whole story and universe will be new and interesting. If you have read the books then you will still enjoy the film, but will be a little disappointed about the lack of mystery or the dulled down characters and world.

It should have been made in a similar vain to Lord of the Rings, aimed at adults and approached from a serious perspective. Instead it has been directed with children firmly in mind and has suffered for it.

Score: 6 out of 10

Sharingan

3rd January 2008, 06:25

Apparently, The Golden Compass was a box-office disappointment (it didn't even rake in enough cash to break even), so now it's a question whether New Line is willing to continue the series.

I'll still go see it - even if it might not be a perfect film, from what I've seen in trailers it's a fun piece of entertainment.

Harrison

3rd January 2008, 10:07

I've also heard that it hasn't done well at the box office, which seems odd as all the kids seem to be talking about it. Maybe it actually came out at the wrong time of year. It's definitely not a bad film and I would say it is much better than the recent Narnia effort.

Demon Cleaner

3rd January 2008, 12:53

Halloween, the new one from Rob Zombie. Watched the DivX. I only wanted to see this one because it was directed by Rob Zombie. It's a remake of the first one, but not better, and not worse. Acting is very poor, it's a bit darker and you can see all the chicks naked, but that doesn't add anything to the movie. And the movie is sometimes very questionnable, like are they ra*ing the girl in Michael's cell??

Score: 4 out of 10

Harrison

3rd January 2008, 13:32

I always question why they need to remake a film that was already a cult classic and a defining film in the genre. It is different when an original isn't good and needs to be remade, but when the original stands up well in it's own right I don't think there is a need. Look at the Dawn of the Dead remake as a good example.

I've not seen the new Halloween yet, and will probably wait until it is shown on Sky.

Sharingan

27th January 2008, 09:58

LowercaseE

27th January 2008, 16:16

Watched STARSHIP TROOPERS again last night, GREAT flick! Looks fantastic on my new 40" Samsung 1080p TV too.

Tiago

28th January 2008, 12:33

Cloverfield

Starring: Michael Stahl, Lizzy Caplan, Jessica Lucas, Odette Yustman
Seen at: Cinema

Very much hyped through a massive viral marketing campaign carried out over the past months, but does it live up to the expectations?

I'd say, partly it does. Producer J.J. Abrams and director Matt Reeves managed to portray the chaos, destruction and panic of a city under attack by the unknown very effectively. There are some set pieces that are simply breathtaking. It's just a shame, though, that in trying to be as 'authentic' and 'realistic' as possible, the camerawork is truely nauseating, to the point of it being incredibly difficult to focus on anything at all. If you thought the shaky camera in The Bourne Ultimatum was bad, be prepared for an over-the-top experience here.

All in all though, I thought Cloverfield was a well done, tense film. It definitely could've done with a bit more background information, and the movie's ending might seem a tad abrupt, but I've enjoyed it nonetheless. Worth a look, if you don't have motion sickness.

Score: 6.8 out of 10

the camerawork is truely nauseating

Yes it's quite difficult sometimes to see the details, the camera in one minute is still and after it's moving a lot.

I saw the movie last saturday, i enjoy it a lot, it's quite diferent from normal movies, as the entire movie was "recorded" by the characters, very interesting to watch, it was not the first one, i remember blair witch....
but it is very well done, with good special effects.
but look, dont drink alchool before the movie.... you can :sick: ...

Demon Cleaner

29th January 2008, 15:04

I am Legend

Seen on: TV
The movie isn't all too bad, but has a very disappointing and boring ending. I give it a 6/10 for being a good watchable movie.

Looking forward to: The Mist, Cloverfield

J T

30th January 2008, 10:40

Ugh, mega-shakey cam makes me angry (when it's overused). I've never walked out of a film but came close during Premonition with Sandra Bullock when the facial-closeups (no, not in that sense.... dirty boy) were done with jerky(fnarr)-cam. It made me feel sick.

-----

Film: Last King of Scotland Forrest Whittaker, James McAvoy
Seen on a bumpy BA flight from Bangkok :(

Very very good film. Story told around some actual events and people (but with major artistic license taken for some of it, obviously) during Idi Amin's rule of Uganda.

Well made, interesting story and really quite gripping. The music and camera work/crowd scenes/scenery are all top and work really well together. The word is overused a bit, but this is a powerful film - as the film progresses the mood and feel change brilliantly. Highly recommended.

4.5 stars out of 5.

LowercaseE

30th January 2008, 13:13

Watched the HDDVD of THE BOURNE IDENTITY last night. I can't stand Matt Damon, but the movie came as a free pack in with my HDDVD player so I figured what the heck. Movie was ok, but it looked fantastic! The level of detail was nothing short of astounding. Ran it in full 1080p at 24fps.

Harrison

30th January 2008, 13:36

The Bourne Identity is a brilliant film. I love the music too.

Shame you bought into the soon to be completely dead HD-DVD format though.

Demon Cleaner

30th January 2008, 13:59

Agreed, the Bourne trilogy is pretty decent.

v85rawdeal

30th January 2008, 17:59

Last film I saw was Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.

And while musicals are not considered to be a great format, especially in this day and age, where films tend toward the gritty, the gruesome or the funny.

This film does one major thing, it brings musicals kicking and screaming into the 21st century, all in all a great way to keep the genre going. The film is dark, both in story and in lighting. This darkness is bought all the more into perspective when you see the only truly sunny scene in the movie.

The roles played are stunning, with outstanding performances from all the cast, even to the point of the singing sequences (which take up a huge amount of the film). There is blood, but it is not overdone. I actually found a certain other sequence quite disturbing in comparison to all the slit throats.

With the regards to individual cast performances: Johnny Depp performs to his usualy top quality, his singing voice has shades of Bowie, which can never be a bad comparison. He gets into the role, and gives a truly creepy, and yet moving, performance.

Helena Bonham Carter at first does not seem to be the ideal choice for the role, but quickly dispels that image as the movie rolls on. Perhaps not quite so a distinct singing voice as Depp's, but still a solid performance.

Alan Rickman suffers a little bit from the usual 'he's English... he can be the bad guy', but at least this time it makes sense. And again he shines, as he normally does, in his role. With shades of 'The Sherriff', he plays Judge Turpin with a cold hard attitude.

Timothy Spall is utterly despicable as the Judge's lickspittle-type servant. He is morally depraved and obnoxious. Overall, a great role from an actor who so deserves to be recognised for more than just 'that series from the 80's'

Sacha Baron Cohen is not someone who I get excited about, in fact, I generally avoid projects with him in. However, this movie has certainly made me rethink his ability as an actor. His role is one of the stand-out performances of the movie and even managed to raise some genuine chuckles from me.

Overall, if you liked something like Rocky Horror Picture Show, this is truly a worthy film to go see. The performances are wonderful, the feel of the movie is depressing and yet not so depressing as to take away other aspects of the film. The songs/soundtrack is not quite as maudlin (my odd word of the day, there) as I would have expected. The opening sequence is a bit patchy on the CGI but only if you are really picky about these things, and the final few scenes are beautifully shot.

Overall, I really enjoyed this film, and it was even better when I got to see it at the cinema. 8.5 out of 10

Sharingan

31st January 2008, 06:47

Looking forward to seeing Sweeney Todd too. Ought to be great.

LowercaseE

31st January 2008, 12:20

The Bourne Identity is a brilliant film. I love the music too.

Shame you bought into the soon to be completely dead HD-DVD format though.

The movie itself wasn't actually too bad, I just don't like Matt Damon and his shxte eating grin.

As for the format, I figure even if it does die (which is certainly looking the case), for $150 for the player and 7 free movies, it's a pretty good deal. If/when the war is over, there will be used HD-DVDs for sale everywhere for cheap and there's at least 30 or 40 movies already on the format that I want. I picked up BLAZING SADDLES and LAND OF THE DEAD yesterday for $15 each used. Both are in basically new condition.

Harrison

31st January 2008, 12:51

True, but I would personally rather own films on a format I know I can buy a compatible player for years down the line.

v85rawdeal

31st January 2008, 17:33

Just seen Cloverfield, in the comfort of my own private cinema (and portable too) and its not bad at all, the background couching (er, COUGHING!!! Damn my half-addled brain) of some unnintentional co-stars ad-libbing their lines didn't detract too much like it would have done had it been some medieval romp!

On the handheld, you do lose some of the detail, but the smaller screne does also remove some of the imperfections, which isnt too bad.

Will see it when it is releazed over here tho.

LowercaseE

31st January 2008, 18:03

True, but I would personally rather own films on a format I know I can buy a compatible player for years down the line.

I'm not too worried about that at this point. I mean, you can still get VCRs pretty easily so I'm sure HDDVD players won't be THAT hard to find. Also, even though it looks pretty well like they're dead in the water, in the back of my mind, I still hold out some small shred of hope for them. It's not much and certainly not a realistic hope, but it's there nonetheless. Evidently, HDDVD is going to have a Superbowl ad which they payed almost 3 million for. If they really and truly were dead and done, that would seem like an awful waste of money and time. Eh, who knows...

v85rawdeal

31st January 2008, 18:09

Ah, but then again, some TV shows throw all their remaining budget into the final ever show, just so it goes out with a bang, rather than a fizzle.

Harrison

1st February 2008, 00:44

Evidently, HDDVD is going to have a Superbowl ad which they payed almost 3 million for. If they really and truly were dead and done, that would seem like an awful waste of money and time. Eh, who knows...

Only problem there is that American Football and the Superbowl are only in the USA. This means there are wasting 3 million on an advert for HDDVD that can only be seen by a maximum of 4.5% of the world!

As I've thought since the start of the HD format war, if HD-DVD was going to win, it would only ever be in the US market, with Blu-Ray everywhere else.

v85rawdeal

3rd February 2008, 09:53

Film: Meet The Spartans
Genre: Comedy (Might have to check with Trade Descriptions Act about that one)
Cast: Sean Maguire, Kevin Sorbo, Carmen Electra, Method Man

Synopsis: In a send-up of recent movies amd events, Sean Maguire sets off to look for a career after Eastenders, and ends up failing. There are one or two funny moments, but most of the time it feels like having open heart surgery without anesthetic or even a half-decent doctor.

The plot is 300, to the point that they even read a review of the movie, commenting that it's just 'a cheap rip-off of 300' however they forgot the word CRAP in it (before the word cheap). This in itself would be semi-funny if it wasn't done so many times before in various forms, with Spaceballs' 'Spaceballs: The Video' sequence being the very best of the concept.

Would I recommend watching this? Er, maybe, possibly if there is nothing else to be doing (like dodging traffic on the motorway), but it depends on who's buying the "cinema" tickets, if you catch my drift. If you're paying to see a film, I'd suggest that you go see There Will Be Blood (Review forthcoming) rather than this tosh.

Funny at points (the teaser trailer has most of them), but it's not really worth being the top film in the US.

Overall: 3/10

TiredOfLife

7th February 2008, 16:03

Idiocracy

Not particuarly new but currently showing on Sky Movies.

Two people end up 500 years in the future after a botched military experiment.
(Shades of Buck Rodgers)
Unlike Buck Rodgers, nobody has invented space battle cruisers and android servants because the IQ levels have plummeted.

The man and woman are just average people but are the now the most intelligent people in the world.

The plot involves the two characters having to save the world but are hindered by the idiots in charge and all around them.

No great challenge to the intellect but a good bit of easy watching comedy.

7/10

Harrison

7th February 2008, 17:23

I watched Idiocracy on Sky last weekend and am seriously thinking of writing to Sky to demand two hours of my life back! It was some of the worst TV I've seen in a long time. The idea was good, but the execution was really bad. Too American, and in my view not fictional enough. A lot of the US is already much like the future portrayed in the film! 2/10 from me.

Alien vs Predator 2

I finally got to see this film the other day and due to the negative press it's received I wasn't expecting much. It wasn't amazing, but it was enjoyable enough just the same. Pretty average in my view. Probably the worst film so far out of all the Alien and Predator based films to date, and definitely more a b-movie/tv movie feel to it than previous ones.

The biggest disappointment was that you didn't get to see much of the Aliens at all. The face huggers had more screentime than the full sized ones, and a lot of the CGI distance shots looked computer generated as their movement wasn't realistic. It still had some nice Predator sequences which were nicely done. Favourite for me was when he was in the sewers hunting the Aliens and set the laser traps on the walls.

Overall, if you like Alien and Predator films and didn't completely hate the first vs film, then you should enjoy this. At least most of the human main actors in the film get killed which is always a big plus point for any sci-fi horror film.

5/10

Mimic 3: Sentinel

I really enjoyed the original Mimic and noticed that the third film was on the Sci-Fi channel the other night so thought I would give it a go. Compared to the first film it isn't that great, and anyone who hasn't seen the original will be slightly lost as this one doesn't go into any detail on who they are or where they came from.

Most of the film consists of a boy living most of his life in his apartment room due to allergies to the outside world (boy in the bubble). He spends most of his time taking pictures of the alleyway below and apartment block across from him and creating a montage of the scene on his wall, constantly evolving it and updating it with new images from recent photos he has taken.

During his watching of the outside world he started to notice some of the bugs looming in the shadows, and eventually witnesses what he thinks is a killing, but doesn't get to see much or take any pictures. Up to this point the film is quite boring with nothing much happening. It is only at the very end when some quite violent scenes take place with the bugs attacking and killing most of the film's small cast.

Overall it's OK if slow to get going. It's possibly worth watching for the final 30 minutes, but not a patch on the original. I've not seen the second film though so have no idea what that was about (other than the main Mimic bug theme) so maybe that one is better.

5/10

Sharingan

15th February 2008, 09:45

Ratatouille

Starring: Ian Holm, Peter O'Toole
Seen at: Blu-ray

I didn't expect to like Ratatouille so much. The trailers left me rather lukewarm (even though I loved the previous Pixar feature films), so I didn't have high expectations. But when I went to see it in the cinema last year, I was pleasantly surprised. Pixar yet again managed to produce a heartwarming tale, and it's presented in an eye-popping fashion: the details of the CG here are astonishing, the animation top notch, the voice acting spot on. Whoever thought a story about gourmet kitchening couldn't possibly work will eat their words after seeing this flick. It's funny, it's touching and it's entertaining, and can be enjoyed by anyone regardless of age.

The Blu-ray release is impressive to say the least, with a pristine 1080p picture totally free of noise, grain and other impurities. The beginning of the film might appear a bit soft and subdued, but as the movie progresses, you'll start to see more and more scenes that literally pop out. Likewise, the soundtrack is equally superb, with an uncompressed audio track provided for those with the right equipment. The extras provided aren't too shabby either: an interesting featurette that tries to draw parallels between movie making and fine cuisine, two Pixar short films, deleted scenes, movie trailers and an interactive cooking game.

All in all, this disc definitely deserves a 9 from me. If you are a new owner of a BR player, and want to show your friends something impressive, this might just be the disc to show them.

Score: 9 out of 10

Sharingan

29th February 2008, 16:55

Rescue Dawn

Starring: Christian Bale, Steve Zahn, Jeremy Davies
Seen at: Home (Blu-ray)

Now, this is a movie I didn't really expect that much of (despite me being a fan of Christian Bale), but ended up absolutely loving.

Rescue Dawn tells the true story of one USAF fighter pilot Dieter Dengler (Bale) who, after being shot down over Laos prior to the start of the Vietnam war, has to use every resource available to him, and every ounce of willpower to survive the harsh and cruel prison that is the jungle. Imprisoned by Laotian forces, he has to face constant torture and embarassment by the prison camp guards, with no hope of rescue. The only friendly faces around him are the few surviving fellow POWs who are imprisoned with him, but the fact that they themselves have lost all hope of ever returning home again after having spent over 2 years as prisoner isn't particularly encouraging.

The ordeals of that these prisoners go through is brilliantly portrayed by Bale, Zahn and Davies, and Bale again shows just how versatile he is as an actor here. You won't see any Rambo-like heroics - just a gritty, realistic depiction of the harshness of war.

Rescue Dawn is highly recommended.

Score: 9 out of 10

Buleste

29th February 2008, 17:02

Don't forget that the story is actually true and for once hasn't been too hammed up by hollywood.

Harrison

3rd March 2008, 23:15

Sunshine

I missed this film at the cinema, and really wanted to see it on the big screen to get the full effect of space and the sun. And after watching it on the small screen I really wish I had managed to because I know I missed some of the visuals epic majesty.

The film's plot is quite simplistic. The sun is dying and the last hope for mankind's survival is for a team to travel to the sun and detonate a bomb into its core, to restart it and save all of mankind. One ship was already sent but contact was lost and the mission's completion time came and went without the result needed. No one knew what had happened to the first ship, and so in a last ditch attempt the remaining resources of Earth were used to create a second identical ship to try again. If the second attempt failed then that was it, the end of Man.

The style for most of the film is slow and thought provoking, creating a tension reminiscent of previous classics such as 2001. The crew grow tired of the wait to reach their destination, with obsessions with the sun growing for some of the crew, while others fought each other of decisions taken.

The discovery of the original first ship sent on the mission brought some similarities with the beginning of Event Horizon, and sadly other horror aspects were also introduced right at the end of the film, which I thought were not needed. Instead creating a philosophical thought provoking chain of events to show the magnitude of the suns power compared to the task they had to undertake, as well as questions of religion and mystical forces could also have been used, instead of the way it was instead portrayed.

But even with the unnecessary horror elements and some other minor flaws it is still a film worth seeing.

9/10

Ghost

8th March 2008, 21:58

Hello al,

I just saw Doom; the movie here on Dutch television, and I have to say, this is one of the most boring clichÃ© ridden movies there is.

Ignoring the fact that the movie barely resembles the games at all, ignoring the fact that the writers just made some crap story involving pseudo science, I can't recommend this movie at all unless you absolutely have to see everything that resembles soldiers vs monsters.

I found the characters unlikeable, the effects not that interesting at all, and I have walked away several times in order to do other things.

Doom the movie is just another example why Hollywood shouldn't turn games into movies; because it just doesn't work.

Buleste

12th March 2008, 11:37

The Muppet Show Season One
DVD

I know this thread is about movies but i thought i'd put this in as well.
Due to a bout of Depression and Insomnia i started to trawl through my DVD collection and from previous knowledege of times like these i know that watching a TV series whilst doesn't cure anything it does while away the hours. So from my choice of B5, Firefly, Robotech, Fraggle Rock, Muppets, Heat Guy J, Tokyo Underground, Orguss 02 and a few others i decided on Season One of The Muppet Show.
The idea for a variety show featuring the Muppets had been bouncing round American TV startions for years but no one wanted to pick the show up. That is until the British TV mogul Lord Lew Grade decided to commision 24 episodes and so the Muppet show was born. As this is season one some of the guest are not as well known as in the later seasons due to the Muppet show was career suicide in showbiz circles (goes to show how wrong they were) but there are still guests like Peter Ustinov, Vincent Price, Ethel Merman and Bruce Forsythe(?). However ther are some classic scetches such as Manah Manah, Fever (with Rita Moreno and Animal an episode that won 2 Emmys) and many more.
If you are over the age of 30 I recommend you slip back into childhood and watch the Muppets as only the guest stars have aged (as most of the jokes were old to start off with). Also i reccomend switching on the comments as you get a lot of subtitled information with each episode. This 4 DVD set contains all 24 episodes (12 Hours of chaos and mayhem)and also the pitch reel made by Jim Henson to try to get US Stations to buy the idea of the Muppet Show.

This gets 8 out of 10 purely because it gets surpassed by some of the later seasons but is still pure enjoyment.

Harrison

12th March 2008, 12:20

I keep meaning to grab some of the DVDs of past TV series, and The Muppet Show is definitely one of them. I already have Fraggle Rock and that is still great.

Buleste

12th March 2008, 13:01

I'm just trying to get the cash together for season 2 (If anyone wants to buy me this for no reason other than being really nice people, I don't mind).

Buleste

17th March 2008, 16:13

Just managed to win a brand new copy of Season 2 for Â£14.99 from ebay. I'll review it when i get it, then i'll put a new wish list of things for you to get me;). Found an old video with 3 episodes of Muppets Tonight (Michelle Pfiefer, Billy Chrystal and Sandra Bullock) and it was no where near as good as The Muppet Show.

Harrison

17th March 2008, 17:12

What was the difference between Muppets Tonight and The Muppet Show? Didn't know their were two different ones!

Teho

17th March 2008, 18:29

Muppets Tonight was intended for a more mature audience. It aired later and had more adult humour in it. Not over the top of course, but some stuff definitely wasn't for the young ones. I think the show flopped bad, but I remember seeing the first episode when it aired here, and I thought that was great. Especially that Bay of Pigswatch thing was funny. But mostly because you weren't expecting those kind of jokes from muppets I guess. I think that was the Michelle Pfeiffer episode. Never saw any of the others though, maybe the thing just got old pretty fast. You should see that first episode once if you can though, it wasn't bad at all in my opinion.

Buleste

17th March 2008, 20:23

What was the difference between Muppets Tonight and The Muppet Show? Didn't know their were two different ones!

About 20 years and Jim Henson. Muppets tonight wasn't aimed at a more mature market it was just more modern. Muppets tonight was set as a TV sow with a purple (but distinctly black) host and a lot of the old characters were sidelined. Some of the good stuff was Deep Dish 9 and Elvis moments in history. But overall the show lacked something and i personally think it was that Jim Henson magic.

Harrison

18th March 2008, 07:33

Ah! A purple host! I do remember that. So I must have watched it but then wiped it from my mind. :lol: Either that or my old age is starting to play tricks on my mind. ;)

Demon Cleaner

18th March 2008, 09:52

Lastly seen:

- Evan Almighty (forget about that one, wasted 90 minutes of my life, but it was nothing else on TV. 1/10)

- Hostel 2 (not very good either, only some nice chicks. 3/10)

- Inugami (have seen better japan horror than this one. 4/10)

Buleste

19th March 2008, 09:34

@ Harrison.
If you're interested in Muppet show season 2 then i got mine from here. (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/The-Muppet-Show-Series-2-DVD-Brand-New-Shrink-Wrapped_W0QQitemZ230233155081QQihZ013QQcategoryZ2288QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem)

Harrison

19th March 2008, 12:28

Cheers for the link. :)

Buleste

19th March 2008, 12:42

Mine arrived today and they are brand new and in superb condition. The first episode sucks though. Can't wait to get to the Peter Sellers and John Cleese episodes though.

Sharingan

26th April 2008, 21:08

The Spiderwick Chronicles

Starring: Mostly (yet) unknown actors
Seen at: Cinema

I liked this. A fantasy movie that doesn't have the most original storyline, or the best effects, or the best acting, or the best of anything really. What it does well is offer a decent story that, while perhaps a bit predictable, is engaging (and endearing) enough to keep one entertained throughout, and when I walked out the cinema, I couldn't help but think, 'Hey, that was definitely worth the money. I might even watch it again.'

I can see them turning this into a series as well (it's based on a book series), if the box office results are good. Aren't we getting tired of all these fantasy flicks, then? Well, some people might think so, but I for one don't mind. Bring on The Hobbit!

Score: 7.5 out of 10

EARTH

Starring: Animals
Seen at: Home (Blu-ray)

Nature documentary, but with a twist. It's in pristine 1080p high-def reso, and it shows. Instead of the blurry SD mess of DVD, there's actually an abundance of detail, and it's absolutely mesmerizing, whether it's shots of rainforests teeming with wildlife, desolate arctic wastelands or danger-ridden African deserts, there's no shortage of beautiful footage to soak in. If you like this sort of thing, EARTH is definitely a disc to pick up, along with Planet Earth, the BBC series.

Score: 8 out of 10

Demon Cleaner

5th May 2008, 23:26

Inside

Inside is a french movie, called Ã€ l'intÃ©rieur in France, definitely not for a fragile stomach. IMDb link here (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0856288/).

Entertainment value: 6/10
Violence: 11/10
Sex: 0/10
Litres of tomato ketchup: About 100
Abdominal delivery with scissors: 1

Harrison

5th May 2008, 23:49

Next
Starring: Nicholas Cage
Seen: Sky Movies

This film has a very interesting premise. A guy who can see 2 minutes into his own future at all times. Imagine what you could do with such a gift? You would know exactly what was about to happen all of the time!

If it was me I would be playing roulette until each casino banned me! :lol:

Anyway... apart from his gift he has also been seeing a vision of a woman walking into a diner. He knows the time she will enter, but not the day or if it is am or pm. So he has been visiting the diner twice a day until she turns up, as for some reason he can so see her much further than 2 minutes into the future.

So in the film she does eventually walk into the diner and he persuades her to give him a lift to Flagstaff. But a series of events sees them having to stop overnight in a motel.

Whilst this is going on the FBI have found out about his unique gift and are therefore very interested in getting hold of him to use for their own purposes. With a situation currently taking place where a terrorist group are going to set off a nuclear bomb and the FBI need his help to locate it. But the terrorist group also know about him so are trying to kill him before the FBI can get their hands on him.

It isn't the most amazing plot in the world, but the parts of the film when he is using his ability to predict what is about to happen is very well done and creates some great action sequences worth watching it for.

Score: 6/10

Demon Cleaner

6th May 2008, 13:12

I've seen Next, no too bad, I would also give it a 6/10.

Supersexy hot girls: 1 (I love Jessica :wub:)

v85rawdeal

6th May 2008, 16:12

Movie: Doomsday
Certificate: 18 (AFAIK)
Release: May 9
Length: 101 mins (approx)
Cast: Alexander Siddig, Bob Hoskins, and more...

Plot Outline: A deadly plague infects Scotland and wipes out the population

First things first, this IS quite gory. Not schlock-horror gory, but well implemented gory. The next thing I noticed about the movie was how similar it was to a wide range of other movies out there. There are strains of Aliens; Resident Evil; 28 Days Later; Mad Max and Escape from New York/L.A, but with some seriously cool gadgetry thrown in.

The strange thing is the movie almost manages to outdo each of the individual parts quite effectively. The panic by the heroes certainly matches Aliens, but as they are English, there is something distinctly more ordered and less gung-ho. The virus is far more deadly than the Resident Evil/28 Days Later virus, which does lead to an interesting set of circumstances for the heroes. The vehicle ideas from the Mad Max movies make a comeback, in various guises; although the good guys do get the best vehicle in the movie (at least, that's what James May would say).

The movie itself is quite well acted, although I was hoping to see someone like Gary Oldman in one of the roles, as he would have fitted well, but certainly would have been beyond the budget of the makers. It's great to see Bob Hoskins getting down and dirty in a role closer to Mona Lisa than Roger Rabbit. It was also good to see Alexander Siddig making an welcome return to the screen.

The soundtrack is great, with music from seminal 80's stars Adam and the Ants and Frankie Goes To Hollywood. The visual effects are quite visceral, yet done with a sense of need, with the camera panning away from certain moments, leaving the viewer to witness the after-effects, rather than putting them through the whole experience. The death at the barbecue is certainly one to watch for.
Some elements of the movie (probably a bit like this review) seem a bit piecemeal, with a lack of explanation as to how or why. Perhaps this is a ploy to release a Director's Cut DVD at some point. I get the sense that the movie was more destined to be about 2 hours long, but perhaps costs cut it short.

Overall, a good film, made better by the fact that it wasn't the usual London/New York/L.A. plight, but rather a film set in Glasgow and the wilds of Scotland. An enjoyable way to spend a couple of hours and certainly a movie that reminds the world that the UK can still make good movies, and usually on a much lower budget than it would have done in the States.

Overall: 7.5/10 (the main problem is the disjointed sequences that just have no linking footage, plus the fact that it is essentially a re-hash of most post-apocalyptic movies out there (albeit done with a certain sense of style and flair) which automatically lead to comparisons being made)

Demon Cleaner

7th May 2008, 23:58

Planet Terror

Just watched it, haven't seen it yet. This movie is just pure fun, it contains a lot of laughs. IMDb link (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1077258/), but I guess everyone knows it.

Entertainment value: 8/10
Sex: 3/10
Litres of tomato ketchup: Containers!!
Body count: Over 500
Funny quotes: Hundreds
Rose McGowan: Sweeeeeeeet

TiredOfLife

9th May 2008, 12:05

In Bruges.

A Film Four production currently on in the pictures.

Two Irish hitmen, one sterotypically fond of a drink, the other into culture.
Have to go into hiding together in Bruges after a job goes wrong.

Violence and comedy in all the right places with a good story line.
Very enjoyable.

8/10.

Harrison

9th May 2008, 12:50

Iron Man
Viewed: Cinema

This film was very typical of most of the recent Marvel comic based films. Great production value, but ruined by a crap end to the plot.

The film's beginning and initial concept of how he conceived the idea of his iron man suit was very well done, utilising the current topical terrorist group idea. However towards the end the plot moved into an over used default ending for all films in this style and it completely ruined what could have been so good.

**** plot spoilers ****

The initial idea of creating the suit whilst in terrorist captivity, and then using it to escape was great and very enjoyable to watch. For me the film was fine throughout this, right though his development of the improved suit designs. And the part where the terrorists discovered the original suit in the desert and started working on reassembling it could have given the film a great ending.

Instead their did the over used clique of his business partner turning evil and ending up with a battle against the good side (iron man) and a bigger more evil version of the suit piloted by the evil ex partner. All ending in a big one on one battle against the two involving the destruction of buildings and anything in the surrounding area. How many times have we seen the exact same ending to a film? It was identical in every way to the end of Robocop 2, most of the Batman films, Spiderman, The Hulk... I could go on.

For me this ending was pointless and ruined the end of the film.

They clearly missed what could have been a great ending. Through out most of the film it made suggestions that the terrorist group still had a big part to play, but this was completely ruined when after they had reassembled the suit, the evil parter of Iron Man just walked in, killed them all and stole the suit.

For me a much better plot would have been to completely scrap the whole idea of the evil partner. Instead exploring the terrorist idea much further. They found the original suit and managed to piece it back together. They could have easily written it so that they managed to get hold of the original chest power supply and repower the suit, and then start to use this against their enemies in their territory, but using its power to wipe out whole villages of women and children. With the final ending to the film involving Iron Man in his improved suit having to battle it out against the terrorists in the original suit, situated somewhere in the original afgan region.

7/10

I gave it a score this high just because the concept and first 2/3 of the film were very good. If the end hadn't been so obvious and super hero ending by numbers then it would have scored higher.

Demon Cleaner

16th May 2008, 09:45

- The Golden Compass (I found it very boring although well done, definitely not the kind of movie for me. Perhaps I'm getting slapped by Harrison, but that's exactly the reason why I don't even watch Harry Potter movies and other stuff for children (mainly, because my mom also likes that stuff. So should I say children and older women??))

Score: 4/10

- Rambo (Always the same plot, gets also tedious. "Colonel, I don't want to star in another movie like that, I retire". Yes Sylvester, reprieve us.)

Score: 5/10

- 10.000 BC (Thought this might be something different, but also seen hundreds of times, just in another setting. Boy loves girl, girl gets kidnapped, boy makes journey to get girl back :yawn:)

Score: 5/10

- Shoot'em up (Great movie, funny, ridiculous, violent and much more. [brain off]watch movie[brain on], aaah what a pleasure)

Score: 7/10

Harrison

16th May 2008, 11:47

I agree regarding The Golden Compass. It was very well done, but also very predictable and boring in places. For me I didn't like it because I've read the book and it doesn't follow the book at all. The second film should be much better though, but only if they do follow the sequence of events in the second book in order, instead of as with the first film, picking the story ideas and changing the whole sequence of events.

BTW, regarding Harry Potter. Compared to The Golden Compass there is no comparison. HP has a lot of originality and cool ideas that hadn't been seen up to the point of the first film's release. Even if you don't normally like children's films the first HP film is still worth watching just so you know what the whole thing is about and why it is so popular.

Buleste

19th May 2008, 11:18

Babylon 5 Lost Tales
It's 10 years after the formation of teh Inter Stellar Alliance and B5 is holding a celebration.
This consists of 2 stories one with Elizibeth Lochley and one with President Sheriden. If these stories were set in the series then they would be at best subplots to a real story. Unfortunatly they aren't.
The Lochley story should have been dropped altogether and the Sheriden story should jave been expanded.
The special effects are good. If they remastered the series with this standard of effect then my wallet would be screaming in pain. The new Valen class ship is very nice.
The best bits about this DVD is the tributes to two of the actors, Andreas Katsulas and Richard Biggs, who have "gone beyond the rim" and the effects (although the B5 model is not quite right in my mind).

Ratings:-
For the tributes 9/10
As a B5 fan 7/10
As a Sci-Fi fan 5/10
Other 3/10

One for the collectors and die hards i'm afraid.

v85rawdeal

24th May 2008, 19:57

Movie: Redline

To be fair, The Fast And The Furious this ain't. Plot seems relatively thin on the ground (Like V. Diesel's hair). Generally seems to be okay camera work, I can imagine the temptation to do some of the TFATF camera trickery must have been fairly major. A few peices of eye candy, but imho nothing that matches Suki from 2F2F. The real stars of the movie are the cars, and they're not your average joe's street car taken straight from Pimp My Ride. These motors are true marques, including Porsche Carrera GT and Ferrari Enzo. The most impressive scene was the driving the Veyron off the end of the pier (or maybe I just imagined that, having dropped off to sleep at some point).

Overall, one to fill the gap until The next installment of the Paul Walker/Vin Diesel/American Muscle car menage-et-trois comes along!

Score: 3.5/10

rayzorblue

25th May 2008, 16:54

Movie: REC

Nice little spanish horror flick filmed in the handycam style (although I am getting a little tired of this) where a young woman (hot) filming a late night junk TV show stumbles upon a disturbing episode unfolding in a block of flats that is sealed by the goverment needless to say quite a bit of gratuitous gore ensues with little in the way of survivors. A nice plot that was a little different from the usual horror yarn with quite a good ending (shades of Blair Witch though). Good acting and decent special effects along with a few scary "jump" moments (my girlfriend was so scared she nearly cried) make this a worthwhile picture.

7/10 (Done before but not necessarily better)

Movie: Diary of the Dead

Well what can you say, George Romero tries out the fashionable handycam style and turns out a reasonable if not a little boring and not very scary zombie flick. Being a Romero film the gore is 10/10, very nicely done as you would expect but unfortunately it cant offset the lack of decent storyline and at times very wooden acting. The basic plot is a bunch of students set off to go home together in the midst of a viral outbreak, one of them films the whole thing (including zombies picking off his friends, I mean why would you help?) but it isnt particularly well done. There is a social message in there about modern society but who cares when you are watching body parts come off and projectiles ripping through semi dead flesh.

5/10 (Worth watching if you are a genre fan and gore freak like myself)

v85rawdeal

1st June 2008, 01:45

Movie: The Machine Girl
Japanese with English Subtitles

This movie has quite literally got the goriest opening sequence I have EVER seen for a movie. In fact, it contains more 'in your face' gore than most movies have in their entirity.

The basic premise for the movie is a girl loses an arm in an attack, and manages to obtain a little gun attachment for it. With this she seeks revenge on the people who have hurt her, and anybody else she knows.

The movie starts off with great momentum and manages to maintain it for a fair while, but it does start to lose pace. There is humour in the over-the-top violence, but that also seems to lose its edge toward the end. Whether this is because of the translation, or just the type of humour, is hard to say.

The one main problem that some people will have will be the reading of the subtitles whilst there is a lot of action on screen. Relax, as you get used to these movies that skill becomes second nature (and is usually learnt by watching a move many times).

All in all, if you like your blood by the bucket, then this is for you. If you like anime, then this is for you (but be prepared for lots of blood). If, however, you don't like blood, or you are looking for something intellectual, then this is not for you.

Score: 7.5/10 (It's good, but the flaws are noticeable)

Demon Cleaner

26th June 2008, 11:31

Be Kind Rewind

:lol: has some funny moments. Jack Black, playing Jerry gets electrocuted, trying to sabotage a powerplant, and is now "magnetised". When he goes to the video rent shop where his friend works, he erases all VHS tapes due to his magnetism. So they take the camera and shoot the films themselves with of course absolutely no budget at all.

First one they do is Ghostbusters, but that is just so hilarious, and a lot more to follow,Rush Hour 2, Robocop, Lion King 2!!.

Movie is no masterpiece, but I found it worth watching.

7/10

Harrison

26th June 2008, 11:47

Sounds like that could be quite a funny film. I will have to check it out.

burns flipper

27th June 2008, 12:21

Stranger Than Fiction
I'm not a Will Ferrell fan by any means, in fact I don't really like the man, but I really enjoyed this movie.

IMDB: "Everybody knows that your life is a story. But what if a story was your life? Harold Crick is your average IRS agent: monotonous, boring, and repetitive. But one day this all changes when Harold begins to hear an author inside his head narrating his life. The narrator it is extraordinarily accurate, and Harold recognizes the voice as an esteemed author he saw on TV. But when the narration reveals that he is going to die, Harold must find the author of the story, and ultimately his life, to convince her to change the ending of the story before it is too late."

I'd class this as a "thinking man's movie". It's not funny (not intentionally, some scenes have a dry humour), it's like a light science fiction. What if the events in your life were being written by someone else, who just thought they were writing a story? It follows Harold as he changes from being a monotonous person with no life outside of work, to someone who wants to have a real life of his own, one that he controls and is responsible for. My description probably makes it sound a bit dull but there's enough in the film to keep you occupied, and I came away thinking about it for a few days.

I'd recommend it and so have intentionally left out spoilers.

8/10

Superbad
A good one here, it follows the events of 3 students on the last day of college before they all go off to University. It's an important party tonight, with all 3 of them tasked with getting the alcohol for it, and all wanting to secure girlfriends for the holiday. The film starts on the last day at college and then most of it is spent on the events leading up to the party that night. To make the film interesting, one freak event leads to another, which leads to another, and you're thinking "how will they ever make it??".

IMDB: "Seth and Evan are best friends, inseparable, navigating the last weeks of high school. Usually shunned by the popular kids, Seth and Evan luck into an invitation to a party, and spend a long day, with the help of their nerdy friend Fogell, trying to score enough alcohol to lubricate the party and inebriate two girls, Jules and Becca, so they can kick-start their sex lives and go off to college with a summer full of experience and new skills. Their quest is complicated by Fogell's falling in with two inept cops who both slow and assist the plan. If they do get the liquor to the party, what then? Is sex the only rite of passage at hand?"

It's funny and serious. One to watch on a Friday or Saturday night, but not with your mum due to the intense profanity. It reminded me exactly of what it was like finishing school, with all the excitement and promise of what was to come - the film really captures that atmosphere. It moved me a little, it has some special real-life moments in, and I felt I was on their journey with them.

9/10

Click!
Another good one I saw very recently. I saw this advertised as "man gets a remote control that controls reality" with a picture of Adam Sandler, so I naturally assumed it would be a comedy with him e.g. putting his wife in slo-mo as she undressed, or clicking 'mute' when she was shouting at him.

I was completely wrong, it's not a comedy at all. It's like a variation on A Christmas Carol, where someone gets a different perspective on their life and sees what effect this has on the people he loves. It's another "thinking man's movie", not too heavy but enough to leave you thinking about it for a few days.

IMDB: "A workaholic architect finds a universal remote that allows him to fast-forward and rewind to different parts of his life. Complications arise when the remote starts to overrule his choices."

Once he gets the remote, he's told it "learns" from how he uses it and will do it automatically next time. He gets a cold and 'fast forwards' until he's better, and wakes up feeling completely better...so for the week when he's unwell (which he didn't directly experience), his body goes into auto-pilot as his mind/soul isn't really present. He misses out the cold, but next time he gets ill for longer he realises he's starting to miss out on the lives and experiences of the people he loves as he's ill for longer, and he loses control over what happens since the remote has now 'learnt' to skip illness, and more.

Recommended, and it all resolves itself in the end so don't worry!

8/10

Harrison

27th June 2008, 13:34

Stranger than fiction was really good. I watched it a couple of months ago when I couldn't find any other films on that I hadn't already seen and although the style is quite querky it was interesting with a good ending.

burns flipper

1st July 2008, 11:05

I agree - the casting was great, the actors really fitted the roles well and you kind of got lost in the story without being reminded it was just a film.

v85rawdeal

5th July 2008, 15:18

Movie: The Forbidden Kingdom
Certificate: 12A?
Release: 9th July
Length: Wasn't paying attention...
Cast: Jet Li, Jackie Chan

Plot Outline: A powerful immortal seeks vengeance on the one who embarrassed him.

A story that has been eagerly awaited has finally arrived, although with a few twists that will perhaps displease fans of the series Monkey.

Set initially in modern-day USA, the story tells of a young boy, whose interest in martial arts leads him on a journey of self-discovery. Unwillingly involved in a serious crime, a desperate act leads to uncovering hidden talents within.

Just how special this move is can be summed up by the surnames of the two main cast members. Li & Chan. A movie starring two of the greatest modern day martial arts protagonists was often considered the Holy Grail. Well this movie is the Da Vinci Code of the genre.

Not only are they in the same movie, but they perform one hell of a fight sequence. With Jackie Chan demonstrating some of the original martial arts skills that he made his name with, and Jet Li demonstrating a variety of katas, laced with elements of humour, and some wonderful demonstrations of chi powers; this movie does capture the feel of the mythical tales alongside some wonderful wirework and beatifully choreagraphed fight sequences.

Seems to be slightly cliched, but when you consider the source material, it is not so much cliche as 'traditional'.

Overall: 8.5/10 (Beautifully shot, with great sequences, a solid story, and elements of humour. A sense of predictability does lose some of the edge off the film, but the ride is still good. I highly recommend this movie, and look forward to seeing more movies using Li & Chan.)

Movie: The Mist
Certificate: 15?
Release: Probably now
Length: 125 mins

Plot Outline: A small town finds itself engulfed by a thick mist.

As this is a Stephen King story, you can expect that this is not your ordinary 'pea-souper' from Old London Town.

The story follows a man and his son as they head off on a shopping trip with the next door neighbour. Whilst they are in the superstore, the mist reaches the centre of town and effectively traps the shoppers in the store.

As time goes on, strange noises and screams are heard from far off. During this time, tempers begin to flare amongst the shoppers, with one or two bearing the brunt of the anger. Eventually factions form and plans are made.

The action scenes are good, not great, as the main focus of the story is on the personalities of the individuals and how the stress of the situation affects them. There are tense moments, and one or two shocks, but the main part of the story is relatively standard King fare.

The inevitable division occurs, and the movie proceeds to follow the smaller group's attempt to gain understanding of what is going on and their resultant decisions.

For me, I found the ending of the movie quite harrowing and disturbing, to the point where I questioned what my actions would have been. As upsetting as I find moments like this in a movie, I appreciate the way it can get you to question your own humanity.

Overall: 8/10 (The ending left a bitter-sweet taste in my mouth, but also tears in my eyes. The sense of forboding in the film is quite tangible, especially with the lack of explanation as to the cause of the events [something that I have noticed has started to become a trend; which, in my honest opinion, is about time too. Let's stop treating the audience like dummies and assume that we DO have brains]. I did enjoy the movie, and wasn't left wishing I could have those two hours back.)

Sharingan

8th July 2008, 17:53

Hot Fuzz

Starring: Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Timothy Dalton
Seen at: DVD

Brilliant, simply brilliant. The parody to end all parodies. I couldn't believe this movie was made on a budget of 8M pounds, when the average Hollywood flick seems to cost over 80 million dollars to 200+ million nowadays. Just goes to show that plot and good acting are worth more than big name actors and special effects. I laughed my ass off from beginning to end.

Score: 9.0 out of 10

The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian

Starring: Many
Seen at: Cinema

Darker and grittier than the first effort, and definitely more cohesive plot-wise. It isn't going to rival LotR, but it's a nice enough fantasy film anyway, with breathtaking visuals, some fine action sequences and good performances by the child actors.

This second episode of course sees the Pevensie children return to the world of Narnia. Although initially delighted, they soon chance upon the ruins of a once-great castle. Their delight turns into horror when they discover that those ruins are, in fact, the remains of Cair Paravel, the great stronghold where they had once ruled as kings and queens. Determined to find out what happened to their castle and where the Narnians had gone to, they set out on a quest to find the truth.

I quite enjoyed the film, even though it was quite a long sit. Recommended for people who like fantasy and those who liked the books, worth a look for everyone else.

Score: 7.8 out of 10

Demon Cleaner

8th July 2008, 18:22

American Gangster

Following the death of his employer and mentor, Bumpy Johnson, Frank Lucas establishes himself as the number one importer of heroin in the Harlem district of Manhattan. He does so by buying heroin directly from the source in South East Asia and he comes up with a unique way of importing the drugs into the United States. As a result, his product is superior to what is currently available on the street and his prices are lower. His alliance with the New York Mafia ensures his position. It is also the story of a dedicated and honest policeman, Richie Roberts, who heads up a joint narcotics task force with the Federal government. Based on a true story.

Absolutely great movie, 9/10.

And I also agree with Hot Fuzz, although I possibly didn't get all the jokes :lol:

Harrison

8th July 2008, 23:40

Hot Fuzz is a brilliant film. I saw it twice at the cinema, and about 5 times since on DVD and TV. Is great. On a par with Shawn of the Dead. :)

Stephen King's Thinner

This was just on the Sky Horror film channel and I've wanted to see it for some time. Very well made TV movie based on this Stephen King story. Involving a fat man who is cursed by a gypsy for the death of his daughter, he starts to lose a lot of weight until he realises he is going to become so thin he dies. The only way to prevent this is to somehow get the curse lifted.

It is a bit slow to begin with, but is worth watching as the last third is better. And although I did already know the story it was still worth watching.

6/10

Demon Cleaner

9th July 2008, 06:38

Lions for Lambs

Starring Meryl Streep, Robert Redford (which also directed it) and little Tommy Cruise.

Three stories told simultaneous in ninety minutes of real time: a Republican Senator who's a presidential hopeful gives an hour-long interview to a skeptical television reporter, detailing a strategy for victory in Afghanistan; two special forces ambushed on an Afghani ridge await rescue as Taliban forces close in; a poli-sci professor at a California college invites a promising student to re-engage. Decisions press upon the reporter, the student, and the soldiers.Not bad imo, worth a watch, but nothing outstanding, 6/10.

my_lo

9th July 2008, 10:23

CHILDREN OF MEN

Written by Alphonso Cuaron
Actors: Clive Owen - Michael Caine - Julianne Moore

In a future were mankind cannot reproduce anymore, a pregnant woman is a symbol of hope but she must not fall into the wrong hands. Clive Owen has to help her in her journey to join a group of people called "the human project" where she will be protected...

When a workmate advised me that movie, i was afraid to see another of those advertisement for having babies, some kind of crap message about the so called marvel of giving the life. But not at all, the only message in the movie is about peace and it's really nice.

To notice: during the whole movie, they go through a lot of violence but yet, the hero will not once use a weapon...

Probably the best movie i've seen in a long time: 9/10

TRANSFORMERS

Not much to say except that i really had a great (unexpected) evening thanks to this movie. I knew it would be a pop-corn time and nothing else and it did the job nicely. I thought it would be chained visual effects with a big "not all machines are your enemy" kind of crap at the end, i was mistaking. The robots are attaching and the scenario is pretty cool.

Great time: 8.5/10

DIE HARD 4.0

Mc Clain is back and once again, he has to defeat a super organised band of terrorists alone. Chuck Norris, eat your heart out! As usual, it's very rythmy and the visual effects are probably the bests in the whole serie. Plus, at the beginning, we can see the apartment of a young hacker and it's so geeky, i just love it... A bit later we can also see a basement where another hacker is living and, even if they have over-clichÃ©'d it, it's really lovely done.

Let's go Bruce, kick their ass: 8.5/10

Harrison

9th July 2008, 10:55

I was very disappointed with Children of Men. It was a very slow film. The ideas and concepts were great and the production was very good. However I spent much of the film quite bored. The scene near the end in the apartment block with the tanks and armed forces really had energy and drew you into the scene, but for me it wasn't quite enough to redeem the film completely.

For me I would give to 6/10. Worth watching, great concept, but not so well written. The acting was also a little dead.

my_lo

9th July 2008, 11:48

The scene near the end in the apartment block with the tanks and armed forces really had energy and drew you into the scene, but for me it wasn't quite enough to redeem the film completely.

That's precisely the scene i liked the less in the entire movie and i thought "thank god the rest of the movie was so great that it makes me forget this scene".
I love the entire part with M. Caine the best, he's such an outstanding actor and his performance as an old hippie was fantastic. I also loved the colors used, contrast lowed down, introduction and position of the greys.
It's so diferent from one person to another, typical for Cuaron's style. It's all about the ambiance he creates (like, for example harry Potter and the pris. of Azk., half HP community loved it as the best of the serie, the other half just found it slow and boring, guess in which part i'm situated).

Demon Cleaner

9th July 2008, 14:13

I agree with Harrsion, the film bored me until the last 20 minutes. I also gave it a rating of 6/10 at IMDb.

Demon Cleaner

11th July 2008, 05:24

Rendition

Starring: Reese Witherspoon, Jake Gyllenhaal, Meryl Streep.

Plot:

After a terrorist bombing kills an American envoy in a foreign country. An investigation leads to an Egyptian who has been living in the United States for years and who is married to an American. He is apprehended when he's on his way home. The U.S. sends him to the country where the incident occurs for interrogation which includes torture. An American CIA operative observes the interrogation and is at odds whether to keep it going or to stop it. In the meantime, the man's wife raises hell to find him despite being pregnant but the person behind this refuses to help or give her any information.

The movie is not too bad, although I was never a fan of Reese Witherspoon, she does a pretty good job here. I give it a 6.5/10, good to watch, but not a must see. I watched it on TV because I had nothing else to do, so.

Harrison

11th July 2008, 11:47

I wanted to see Rendition but completely forgot about it and missed it at the cinema. Will have to watch it when I get the chance. I've always really liked Reese Witherspoon. Never liked Meryl Streep much though.

my_lo

11th July 2008, 12:25

Yeah, Reese Witherspoon is great, i really liked her in "Walk the line" :thumbs:

Demon Cleaner

11th July 2008, 15:43

I never watched Walk the Line, I'm not that big Cash fan. I saw her often in such cheesy teenie movies, and didn't like her acting. I'm also no fan of Meryl Streep, and along with that, she's ugly :sick:

Demon Cleaner

14th July 2008, 13:58

All the King's Men

Genre: Political Drama
Starring: Sean Penn, Kate Winslet, Jude Law

Plot: In the 50's, in Louisiana, the smart populist, manipulative and wolf hick Willie Stark is elected governor with the support of the lower social classes. He joins a team composed of his bodyguard and friend Sugar Boy; the journalist from an aristocratic family Jack Burden; the lobbyist Tiny Duffy; and his mistress Sadie Burke, to face the opposition of the upper classes. When the influent Judge Irwin supports a group of politicians in their request of impeachment, Stark assigns Jack to find some dirtiness along the life of Irwin, leading to a tragedy in the end.

Not bad, worth a watch, but don't await any action here. 6/10

Flags of our Fathers

Genre: War Drama
Starring: Ryan Phillippe, Jesse Bradford, Adam Beach

Plot: In 1945, the Marines attack twelve thousand Japaneses protecting the twenty square kilometers of the sacred Iwo Jima island in a very violent battle. When they reach the Mount Suribachi and six soldiers raise their flag on the top, the picture become a symbol in a post Great Depression America. The government brings the three survivors to America to raise funds of war, bringing hope to desolated people, and making the three men heroes of war. However, the traumatized trio has difficulties to deal with the image build by their superiors, sharing the heroism with their mates.

One of two films directed by Clint Eastwood, the second one being Letters from Iwo Jima, which I have still to watch. This one is very good, and again you get a picture of how it really was during a war. 7.5/10

Harrison

14th July 2008, 14:31

In pursuit of Happyness.

Starring: Will Smith, Jaden Smith

This was a very moving and touching film. Possibly one of Will Smiths best films to date. It is very different to the usual action films we are used to seeing Will Smith in. And although it's story (which is based in a real one) could have ended up very cheesy and obvious, it didn't thanks to good direction and acting.

It is worth seeing, and I can guarantee it will touch anyone who watches it.

8/10

my_lo

15th July 2008, 07:32

Batman begins

Starring: Christian Bale, Katie Holmes, Liam Neeson, Morgan freeman, Gary Oldman and Michael Caine

I don't know why but I had never watched it eventhough this is really my kind of movie. I was a bit afraid to find a movie filled with special effects where everything happens too fast and only leaves you with the feeling of not enough. (my feeling about the spiderman serie)
I didn't read any synopsis nor any comment about it, so i didn't know what to expect... I've been very surprised to find a brand new Batman, where all is less cartoonish, where they restart everything at zero with the young Bruce Wayne and the way he became the hero. The casting was amazing and once again Michael Caine was great. I really had a good time and i can't wait for the next episod :D

9/10

Harrison

15th July 2008, 08:04

my_lo

15th July 2008, 12:23

Batman begins was a brilliant film. I think it was the right move to restart the whole franchise again from the start, reinventing Batman from the beginning with a more serious and much darker take on the character and his world. Much better than trying to do sequels to the existing cartoon focused previous films.

And this seems to be the trend lately with many of the old series being restarted. Look at James Bond. That too has been restarted with a much more serious, more violent, realistic 007. And the next Batman, due our later this year, is looking good from the trailers.

That's interesting, i hadn't see the last Bond like that. I must admit that i was expecting another superspy movie where the guy jumps from a cliff, falls on plane which explode and finally uses his costume has a parachute to land on the top of a palace in Vegas, just in time to have a glass of champagne without a single drop of sweat. When i saw him being tortured, etc... i was a bit sceptical maybe even disappointed, it was a great symbol in my mind and it was being destroyed.
But now, with this trend of "more realism", i must admit that i may have judged it too fast... I must rewatch it asap ;)

Demon Cleaner

15th July 2008, 13:19

I also like the latest Bond, and I think that Daniel Craig fits the role very well. Pierce Brosnan was way too smart as 007. I also liked the latest Batman movie, and I'm looking forward to see the sequel, unfortunately with a dead Heath Ledger. Christian Bale is meanwhile one of my favorite actors, he's very versatile, that's what I like.

Demon Cleaner

18th July 2008, 14:33

Haute Tension (High Tension)

Genre: Horror
Starring: CÃ©cile de France, MaÃ¯wenn le Besco, Philippe Nahon

Plot: Alexia travels with her friend Marie to spend a couple of days with her family in their farm in the country. They arrive late and they are welcomed by Alexia's father. Late in the night, a sadistic and sick killer breaks into the farmhouse, slaughters Alexia's family--including their dog--and kidnaps Alexia. Marie hides from the criminal and tries to help the hysterical and frightened Alexia, chase the maniac, and disclose his identity in the end.

A good french horror movie, not very different from the US horror flicks, but one of the better ones. French movies are often more brutal than the US ones, like A l'intÃ©rieur (Inside), which I had watched some weeks ago. Very gory, but well done. Also the french movies are always unrated, as in France they only have a 16+ classification, you don't need to be 18 to watch the movie. I'll rate this one 7/10.

toomanymikes

18th July 2008, 20:58

I just came back from WALL-E and I think it was fantastic, as did my 3 year old.

Plot
The last robot on an abandoned earth which has spent years cleaning the mess left by humans encounters a visitor from space and falls in love. When his love interest gets picked back up he stows away on the spaceship and trys to get back to Earth.

Great family film to bridge to gap between now and The Dark Night!

v85rawdeal

19th July 2008, 18:07

HELP ME!!!!

My brain has turned to mush, I just caught the last 15 minutes of Double Dragon: The Movie...

I didn't even know there was a movie... and Uwe Boll had NOTHING to do with it, but surely it was his inspiration!!!

Er... 1.5/10 (mainly because I missed most of it... otherwise the score may have been lower!)

Sharingan

19th July 2008, 23:47

Kung Fu Panda

Starring: Animated characters
Seen at: Cinema

A good effort from Dreamworks. Nothing very much original, but the story is endearing, helped by a strong voice actor lineup, good music and a good pace. Some great jokes as well, though if you're expecting Shrek-like parodies on other films, there aren't a lot in here. If you have kids, they're sure to enjoy this film, but do be wary that there's quite a bit of punching and kicking involved!

Score: 8.0 out of 10

Harrison

21st July 2008, 14:20

Prince Caspian

This has been getting some very bad reviews, with many saying it isn't worth seeing. However I enjoyed it. It isn't the best fantasy film by a long way, but it doesn't really have any flaws as such and it very well made. The special effects are especially well done. I think the only flaws are that it is now compared against existing fantasy films such as the LOTR trilogy, to which the story this film is based on cannot compete, and is not meant to.

You do have to remember that this is a children's film based on a children's book. I was a fan of the C.S. Lewis books when I was young, so seeing them on screen is great for me. I can imagine those who haven't read the books when they were younger wouldn't get as much from the films.

Also I think you need to have seen the first film before you see this one to get the most from it.

Definitely not on a level with LOTR in terms of scale, but still a good film for the genre and worth watching if you like fantasy books/films.

7.5/10

Sharingan

21st July 2008, 19:23

For a children's movie, Caspian sure features lots of fighting, doesn't it?

Oh, The Dark Knight is out this thursday. It will be grand! :thumbs:

Harrison

22nd July 2008, 08:59

Yes, it does have quite a few fight scenes, and even lots of death, but it sticks to the book well, when it so easily could have had the fighting dulled down more and ruined.

I'm just hoping they eventually make The Magician's Nephew at some point, as that was my favourite book from the series. However, it was the first book, before The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, so the continuity might be a bit out.

Demon Cleaner

23rd July 2008, 07:34

The Happening

Genre: Mystery
Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Zooey Deschanel, John Leguizamo

Plot: A paranoid thriller about a family on the run from a natural crisis that presents a large-scale threat to humanity.

The first 30 minutes of the film are watchable, as there's still a certain suspense what may cause this happening, but soon it gets very boring, as nothing new gets revealed, and it's just always the same. The ending even gets cheesy and the whole movie is far away to be one of the better ones. M. Night Shyamalan already proved that he can do better, and so far his latest movie turns out to be his worst so far (besides perhaps Lady in the Water which wasn't a masterpiece either). Conclusion: 5/10

v85rawdeal

23rd July 2008, 09:57

Movie: The Dark Knight
Certificate: 12A
Release: July 24
Cast: Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Michael Caine, Aaron Eckhart, Gary Oldman
Plot Outline: Gotham is plagued by a crime wave unlike any seen before

A dark film, this. Set almost directly after the events in Batman Begins. The Dark Knight allows you to delve deeper into the mindset of Bruce Wayne, as he lives a dual-life as The Batman. The direction of the movie takes you on a thrill-ride with as many twists and turns as there are streets in Gotham. There are elements of humour in there, but they are for the most part a subtle blend of sarcasm and irony.

The cast is, as in Batman Begins, wonderfully put together. Each main member of the cast puts in a great performance. And there in lies the big problem.

The Joker, played by Heath Ledger with such surreal authenticity, steals almost all the scenes that he is in. His entrance, during the main movie, (not the opening sequence) is just a fascinating look at psychosis and dementia. He plays such a good role that, considering the circumstances surrounding his untimely departure, people seem to be focusing on his role, and overlooking the other roles. Whispers of oscar-nominated performances are spreading like wildfire.

Is it the Curse of the White Mask at work? It feels like The Crow all over again. Bear in mind that Brandon Lee died whilst playing a mentally-disturbed (albeit due to his murder) individual daubed in face paint, and played it so well that it became a legendary protrayal of a cult character. And Brandon seemed to get overlooked for so many posthumous awards. Is the Joker performance over-hyped? Yes, but only slightly. But that little bit is enough to detract from the other great performances.

Christian Bale, as Bruce Wayne, seems to get more under the skin of his character, becoming more in tune with the playboy, and even more so with the Bat. The air of confidence he has at the beginning of the movie evolves and takes on new forms by the end, whilst retaining much of the initial sense of frustration at the official law enforcement forces. He develops and grows with every new gadget that it introduced to his arsenal and seems able to separate both his personas regardless of the events that occur. Of course, what good movie would allow the hero to get away with that for too long.

Aaron Eckhart, as Harvey Dent, is a genuine made-for-the-role casting choice. He has a charm that is unshakable in his convictions. Willing to take risks with his career to ensure that the City of Gotham is a safe, secure place to live, he accepts that decisions have to be made that will not always be popular. He IS Harvey Dent all the way through, and plays the final act so well that he reaches in and twists at your guts as you wonder what you would feel in that situation. A genuinely strong role.

Gary Oldman, is again, showing just how good an actor he is. One of the greatest proponants of mad, bad guys can also turn his hand at playing the good guy, even though the line between good and bad is straddled by the role on a few occasions, you know, just by the look on his face that he is regretting the actions that he has taken. Not the perfect policeman, he makes mistakes, takes gambles and puts peoples lives on the line in order to catch the bad guy.

Michael Caine, as Alfred, seems to revel in his role, telling Batman off is not something just anybody can do. It takes someone who loves and is loved by the Bat to be able to tell someone as strong and as over-the-edge as Bruce Wayne that he's being a very silly boy. Alfred is that permanent Deux et Machina, able to provide Bruce with a tale of his past that helps Bruce get to grips with something that is troubling him. Very few actors would have been able, in my view, to carry that off. I put this down, in part, to Michael Caine drawing on the weight of all his many other roles to give that sense of authenticity when he speaks about his past. A very subtle, but beautifully played role.

Morgan Freeman, as Lucius Fox, is his usual restrained self. The line when he warns someone off from trying to blackmail Batman is just pure Freeman in its delivery. Not quite as prominent in the role as he was in the first film, he is still a joy to watch.

The plot is quite a simple one, but made complex by the seeming randomness of events. As a 12A it is quite violent, with some quite unsettling scenes that certainly could give a few kids some serious shocks. The action in the movie is great, but there seems to be so much happening in so many locations that the movie seems to have trouble focusing on a sequence for too long. It seems to jump about, but the story does still manage to flow, even though it seems like the editor has been at it with a hatchet.

Overall: 8.5/10 (The shadow cast over the movie regarding Heath Ledger is, I think, clouding the overall view of the movie and the great performances by the cast. I do see the potential for technical oscars, but I still don't think that, unless the Oscar committee is taken over by a bunch of teens and gamers, it should be in the running for some of the big oscars.)

In the long run the question is: Is it worth going to see at the cinema (or even better, the IMAX)...

OH HELL YEAH!!!

Demon Cleaner

24th July 2008, 06:16

Seuseung-ui eunhye (Bloody Reunion)

Watched this Korean horror movie yesterday, and I must say that it wasn't bad, but yet no masterpiece, like other asian horror/mystery/thriller movies. Contains a handful of bloody and gore scenes, but nothing more (at least for me it was watchable, perhaps others will faint). The endind id also a bit questionable, but isn't that the case with most of the horror genre movies?

The conclusion is, that it was enjoyable for its entire 90 minutes, but nothing more, no blockbuster. The problem is that I have seen over 100 asian movies in that genre, and always compare them. I give it a 5.5-6/10.

Sharingan

27th July 2008, 17:47

The Dark Knight

Starring: Lots of people
Seen at: Cinema

Not going to repeat everything that v85rawdeal mentioned above. He's summarized everything excellently.

My take on the movie? It's great. Definitely a worthy followup to Batman Begins. Christopher Nolan had one hell of a job to do in order to top the first film, and with The Dark Knight, I believe he's delivered the goods - in a big part, thanks to the exceptional cast. Heath Ledger has already been named a thousand times by nearly every movie critic as being the star of the show, and I won't disagree. His portrayal of The Joker is decidedly vicious.

The only negative things I've got to mention is that at times, the plot does seem to wander a bit too much, and there's parts that drag on a bit.

Bring on the third film!

Score: 8.7 out of 10

P.S. did anyone else love the pencil magic trick? Hilarious!

v85rawdeal

27th July 2008, 17:57

Saw TDK for the third time last night. And you can tell those who have not seen it before just by the mass flinch that occurs throughout the whole cinema when the pencil trick is done...

Whereas me, I just laugh. LOTS!

Harrison

29th July 2008, 00:06

The pencil trick was a great moment and I know exactly what you mean. Loads of people around me in the cinema gasped or did a sharp intake of air sound.

I also agree with the comments above. Great film and his portrayal of the Joker was brilliant. It makes the Jack Nicholson version look very dated and quite pitiful by contrast.

I also agree that certain scenes do hang on for much too long, whereas others seems to cut off to quickly. Highly recommended for anyone to watch. It is far from perfect, but still great.

Demon Cleaner

29th July 2008, 10:51

Watched it yesterday. I liked it a lot, as it's again very dark, and you finally have villains that are villains (remember Schwarzy as Mr. Freeze? Come on!). And I have also to agree that certain scenes hang on for too long, and others come a bit short. But all in all a good movie, definitely better than the Spiderman/Superman movies. 8.5/10

Harrison

29th July 2008, 10:56

What did everyone think of the last Superman film? I thought the new Superman character was great, but all of the other characters were cast completely wrong. Louise was nothing like she should be (strong, determined, opinionated, independent) and Lex has really bad. If they make another Superman film I think they should do it using the characters from Smallville and do it as a film off the back of the final series.

Demon Cleaner

29th July 2008, 11:04

I rated it 5/10, some scenes were not bad, but extremely exaggerated. Ok, it's Superman, but already the first scene with the plane. Imagine such a scenario, the plane would have completely fallen apart in the first 10 seconds. And I hate love scenes in such movies, cut that out, I wanna see action, not Superman kissing his all time girlfriend over and over again, how many times have we seen it? I bet they'll do it again in the next movie.

That reminds me of the last Spiderman with its over-cheesy love scenes. Pure crap, that destroys a movie, why can't they just stick to action, and film love story movies for the sissies out there? I mean, HEY, it's Spidey.

Harrison

29th July 2008, 11:06

Very true. The love interest in all superhero films should be the continued questionmark over their relationship. The fact they are so close and love each other, but won't admit it or actually ever get to kiss. That was used well in the original Superman film, and I still think the first film is still the best. Christopher Reeves was great in that role.

Buleste

29th July 2008, 11:51

Superman Returns was alright. Kevin Spacy was terrible. Lois Lane was alright but as H says too girly. The inclusion of the kid was a mistake. TBH I'm just sick of all Superman films/TV shows using Lex. Supes has a shitload of enemies they can use but instead they keep using the bald twat. Smallville at least tries to put other bad guys in and even adds in some of the JLA but it still relies on Lex. Hell i'd rather see the return of Nuclear Man than Lex.

Zetr0

29th July 2008, 12:57

Hancock (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0448157/)

A truely enjoying and engrossing film, as with a lot of Will Smith, he has flourished to be perhaps one of the best actors todate!

You are thrown into this movie without a clue, and bewilderd by the whole of it, but by doing that it puts you in the shoes of Hancock the super-to-be-hero.

Charlize Theron, plays an magnificent and convincing part, I am yet to find any fault with her acting within any movie really, she really applies her talent 110% a truly believable effort

I wont ruin the movie, but it gets a Zetty Score 8.5 out of 10

----------------

Wall.E (http://www.imdb.com/character/ch0089568/)

It never ceases to amaze me how one can endear emotions from something that emotionless, Although this is a kids film, I found it quite slow in the begining for kids to be honest..

Its light hearted, cute in a lot of places and a sweet movie, and if at times a little crass in how it puts ITS MESSAGE accross.. however, one not to miss me thinks Zetty Score 6.5 out of 10

-----------------

The Dark Knight (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0468569/)

For all that has been said by v85, clearly has only just begun, a fantastic movie, absolutle scene stealing from both Heath Ledger and Aaron Eckhart, not by foul but by true acting tallent and role assumption... I have to admit i am in awe by both their performances.

A must see Zetty Score 9.5 out of 10

Demon Cleaner

31st July 2008, 11:39

Noriko no shokutaku (Noriko's Dinner Table)

Genre: Drama (Horror)

Plot: A teenager called Noriko Shimabara runs away from her family in Tokoyama, to meet Kumiko, the leader of an Internet BBS, Haikyo.com. She becomes involved with Kumiko's "family circle", which grows darker after the mass suicide of 54 high school girls.

Japanese movie, which is the sequel to Suicide Circle (Suicide Club). The movie is quite good, although it's a bit like a book. There's not much dialogue, but the story is told and led by different protagonists, and the whole comes in a very poetical package. It is also very long with 159 minutes, so you can already guess that it is very story driven. There maybe some lenthgs in the movie, as with a lot of movies, but the twists will keep you interested until the movie's over. 7/10

Demon Cleaner

1st August 2008, 18:24

Rinjin 13-gÃ´ (Neighbour No. 13)

Genre: Thriller/Horror

Plot: JÃ»zÃ´ Murasaki is a boy miscast in his classroom, being frequently abused, tortured, beaten and humiliated by the bully TÃ´ru Akai and his gang of juvenile punks. After years of repression, rejection and fear without facing Akai, he develops a psychopathic dual personality with a violent alter-ego. While living in the apartment 13 of a tenement building, he becomes unable to control his violent dark personality, who plots an evil revenge against his upper floor neighbor Akai and his family.

Another japanese movie which was worth watching. 6.5/10

Demon Cleaner

4th August 2008, 06:01

3:10 to Yuma

Genre: Western
Starring: Christian Bale, Russell Crowe, Ben Foster

Plot: The rancher Daniel Evans, who lost part of his leg in the Civil War, is broken and owing a large amount to a powerful man in Bisbee. When the outlaw Ben Wade is captured after the heist of a stagecoach, Dan offers to escort the cold blood killer to the city of Contention to take the 3:10 PM train to Yuma to be sent to trial. In return, he would receive US$ 200,00, enough to save his land and give a better life to his family. During their journey, Ben gets closer to Dan while his gang of criminals follows the group to rescue their boss.

Although I'm not the biggest fan of western movies, I quite enjoyed this one. 7.5/10

The Heartbreak Kid

Genre: Comedy
Starring: Ben Stiller, Michelle Monaghan, Jerry Stiller

Plot: The story centers on a man who is convinced that he has finally met the right girl and marries too quickly. While on his honeymoon and in the process of discovering that his new bride is a nightmare, he meets the girl of his dreams.

Well, I'm no comedy fan either, so it has to be good to convince me, but this one wasn't. There are some good jokes here and there, but I have seen a lot better. 5/10

my_lo

4th August 2008, 13:13

The Marine

From the trailer, it looks like a big brainless action movie but it's far from looking as bad as the movie really is. Thank god it was only 1h20' long.
The actors are bad (except maybe the bad guy from terminator 2) and the scenario is even worse.
Basically, an ex-marine and his wife are on a vacation trip when they cross the path of some gangsters. The rest of the movie is only about the guy going through all kinds of stunts to get his wife back (she has been taken hostage). Really, the first thing that come to your mind when the movie is over is: "omg this was bad".
I'm gonna give it a 2/10 only because, at the begining of the movie, the guy has to help a bunch of prisoners to escape from an al quaida camp and he says one of those killing one-line:

The prisoner: "how are we gonna go around these guys?"
The marine: "We don't. We go through them!"

my_lo

6th August 2008, 09:08

Planet Terror

Another movie from Grindhouse... When Death Proof didn't really impressed me, i must say that i had a really great time with Planet Terror. The scenario is pretty basic: Zombies are in town, people have to escape, alot of gore and babes. You really have the feeling to read one of those old stories with the pages yellowed by the time.
The 2 main actors, Freddy RodrÃ*guez (from 6 feet under) and Rose McGowan, were really great.
What woman doesn't dream to have one of her legs replaced by a machine gun? 8/10

Spiderman 3

We really didn't have a great time watching it, we even stopped it before the end. My wife and i are great fans of spiderman (the comic books) but this movie sounded too much like a weird version of "the mask" (but without Jim Carrey). I couldn't stand Tobey Maguire after 20 minutes and i wonder how i made it to 1h20'. Even Kirsten Dunst was disappointing. She was completely charmless. (man, i still remember "the virgin suicide").
1/10 (the black costume is cute...)

Star Trek Enterprise - pilot

We were scared of this. It's been 3 years now that every sunday and wednesday eve is Star Trek evening for us.
We had first bought the complete "Voyager" serie and we had such a great time with it that we directly bought "The Next Generation" and lately we have done the same with "Deep Space Nine".
My wife completely converted me into a trekkie. And when we realised that we were getting close to the end of all our dvds, we started to think about "Enterprise" but so many people have said bad things about it... We were afraid to buy all the seasons without having, at least, tried it once. So last week-end, we rented the first dvd and we watched the pilot episod.
When the opening credits started, we were like "wtf is that for some crap music, is it Bon Jovi or something?". But we really enjoyed the episod. The crew seems great and the scenario gave us the "Star Trek" feeling enough to be sure that we'll get that serie too (when we'll have seen the end of DSN). I'm happy to know that there is more Star Trek to discover :D
8.5/10

Harrison

6th August 2008, 09:20

The first pilot episode of Enterprise is really good. Sadly the first series doesn't quite live up to that first episode, but it is worth persevering with the series as the final series is very good, especially with the mix of Klingons and other races.

Buleste

6th August 2008, 09:23

Submarine 707 Revolution

Plot Summary: To combat the terrorist organization known as "USR", eleven countries combine their naval forces to form the Peace-Keeping Navy (PKN). However, all hell breaks loose when Admiral Red and his USR submarine UX crash the PKN's inaugural ceremony and destroy majority of the fleet. At the last minute, when the UX lands the final blow on the aircraft carrier Apollo-Norm, the obsolete Japanese submarine 707 (a.k.a. "Snapping Turtle") appears from out of nowhere and sacrifices itself to save the PKN flagship. Six months later, Captain Youhei Hayami is called back to duty to lead a new group of recruits and captain an all-new 707 in the war against terrorism underwater.

This has to be the most un-anime anime i've ever seen. The starting credits aren't big and flashy, the music isn't loud and brash. There are very few action scenes and even then they are at a more sedate pace. However all this doesn't matter because everything is perfect for this DVD. The only bad thing about this is that it was never completed as a story. This should easily have been 6 hour long episodes but unfortunatly they only made the 2 so the story doesn't so mush as end as finishes. Other than that i would say this is a must buy.

9/10

Sharingan

10th August 2008, 10:08

WALL-E

Starring: Robots
Seen at: Cinema

Going into the movie, I had doubts as to how Pixar could tell an 1.5 hour story essentially without dialogue (the stars of the show are robots, and as such, do not speak), but somehow, they pulled it off. It's a touching, exciting tale with plenty of laughs to be had. Oh, and the CG isn't half bad either!

Definitely recommended, and not only for the kids either.

Score: 9.2 out of 10

my_lo

13th August 2008, 08:11

The fantastic 4 - Rise of the silver surfer

The movie wasn't bad, we even had a good time. But when it was over, we didn't really have the feeling to have seen a movie, more a long trailer. I just think that it was missing depth in the scenario, it seems to start in the middle of something and to end the same way. The cast was ok, the effects were ok but really nothing impressive.

6/10

300

It was better than i thought. I had heard a lot of comments like "it's for gays, full of naked muscle men",... But i found the scenario really nice, the slowmotions and the effects were pretty neat and i also found the main character attaching (i thought he would be irritating). I found myself willing to scream "THIS IS SPARTAAAAA!"

8/10

Harrison

13th August 2008, 08:52

I was very disappointed when I saw Fan4 - Rise of the Silver Surfer. It did not meet the same standard as the first Fan4 film. The silver surfer was very well done, but the rest of the film and the main actors just didn't seem to be trying or really wanting to be in the film.

Buleste

13th August 2008, 09:04

What dissapointed me most about FF-ROTSS was how short it was. Galactus the devourer of worlds comes allong as a pile of gas and SS comes along and flies ointo it and then the earth is safe all done in about 1 min. The other thing that pissed me off about it was that Ben Grimm was the least orange person in the FF.

khaxzan

13th August 2008, 16:12

The last movie I seen? The one with Heath as the Joker. :coffee:

Demon Cleaner

18th August 2008, 11:20

30 Days of Night

Genre: Horror/Thriller
Starring: Josh Hartnett, Melissa George, Ben Foster

Plot: This is the story of an isolated Alaskan town that is plunged into darkness for a month each year when the sun sinks below the horizon. As the last rays of light fade, the town is attacked by a bloodthirsty gang of vampires bent on an uninterrupted orgy of destruction. Only the small town's husband-and-wife Sheriff team stand between the survivors and certain destruction.

Decent vampire movie with a good setting. I'm no huge fan of vampire movies, but this one was Ok, not the traditional vampire movie. 6.5/10

v85rawdeal

30th August 2008, 23:26

Just got back from the European Premiere of Gamers 2: Dorkness Rising.

All I can say is that if you are a gamer (CRPG, RPG or LARP), then this movie is for you.

The acting is certainly not Oscar-worthy, but in the whole element of the movie it adds to the charm. The humour is everywhere, along with some very nice touches (the tribute to Gary Gygax is especially well done, if you can spot it). The cast are very down to earth in their appearance, befitting the fact that they are ordinary people enjoying an ordinary hobby.

The quality of the movie's sound and vision are adequate, but, again, it all just adds to the atmosphere that helps to define this movie as being the Dungeons and Dragons movie, written and performed by gamers for gamers.

Not afraid to use terminology specific to one system, they still manage to allow product placement to be a part of the movie, but in a very understandable and utterly fair manner. It also touches on some of the perceived prejudices that some gamers can have about other gamers and deals with that quite well.

All in all the movie is very much driven by an well-thought-out equal balance of character, plot and entertainment (the Bard is amazingly good value-for-money).

In the end it does make scoring this movie quite hard, so I have given it 2 scores.

Score (for non-RP'ers): 7/10 (A few moments could go way over your head, but the main sections of the movie just work so hard and achieve so much more.)

Score (for RP'ers): 10/10 (Everything fits together, in the perfect quantities, and with the perfect charm and sentiment)

Sharingan

14th September 2008, 10:44

The Kingdom

Starring: Jamie Foxx, Jennifer Garner
Seen at: Home, DVD

Not bad.

[The film is fictional, but inspired by bombings at the Riyadh compound on May 12, 2003 and the Khobar housing complex on June 26, 1996 in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The story follows a team of FBI agents who investigate the bombing of a foreign-workers facility in Saudi Arabia.] [Wikipedia quote]

Typical Hollywood action, with plenty of explosions and gunfights to satisfy even the most hardcore action-fanatic. The best performance comes not from the American cast, but from Ashraf Barhom, an Israeli Arab actor who plays the role of Col. Faris Al-Ghazi, a dutiful Saudi army officer bent on bringing the cowardly terrorists to justice.

Worth a watch.

Score: 6.8 out of 10

Sharingan

18th September 2008, 17:46

Wanted

Starring: Morgan Freeman, James McAvoy, Angelina Jolie
Seen at: Cinema

Quite a cool movie. Semi-original story, good performances, good humour and above all, non-relenting, over-the-top action. Could easily have been a Jerry Bruckheimer / Michael Bay flick.

"A young man finds out his long lost father is an assassin. And when his father is murdered, the son is recruited into his father's old organization and trained by a man named Sloan to follow in his dad's footsteps." (IMDB quote)

Score: 7.7 out of 10

Demon Cleaner

18th September 2008, 23:02

We Own the Night

Genre: Drama/Thriller
Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Mark Wahlberg, Eva Mendes

Plot: Brooklyn, 1988. Crime is rife, especially drugs and drug violence. A Russian thug is building his heroin trade, while everyone laughs at the cops. Brothers have chosen different paths: Joe has followed his father Bert into New York's Finest; he's a rising star. Bobby, who uses his mother's maiden name, manages a club. Bobby too is on the rise: he has a new girlfriend and a green-light to develop a Manhattan club. Joe and Bert ask him to help with intelligence gathering; he declines. Then, Joe raids Bobby's club to arrest the Russian. From there, things spiral out of control: the Russian puts out a hit on Joe, personal losses mount, and Bobby's loyalties face the test.

Good film, worth a watch. Just watched it on TV. 7.5/10

Harrison

19th September 2008, 09:28

I saw We Own the Night recently on TV too. Was a good film.

v85rawdeal

20th September 2008, 21:28

Death Race

Starring: Jason Statham, Tyrese Gibson, Ian McShane

This is, to be honest, not the most though-provoking of movies. But what can you expect from a movie that is a combination of Carmageddon, Twisted Metal, Full Auto et al.

Lots of action, guns, explosions, foul language, amusing lines, amusing moments and extremely OTT sequences. At an hour and 40 minutes, it's an enjoyable, popcorn movie for the boys. Not that girls will not enjoy it, but it certainly does cater more for the men.

A lot of people have moaned that it is not as good as the original, but I say, who cares. It's not trying to be a remake, or even a re-imagining. It is, to all intents and purposes, a sequel to the 1975 cult classic.

I reckon most people who have played games like the ones listed above will get a lot of kicks from this movie. And I sense that if it does well, you may very well see some of the Carmageddon games making a re-appearance on one of the virtual consoles.

Overall 7.5/10. (Lots of fun, but no brain strainer...)

Sharingan

21st September 2008, 13:15

No Country For Old Men

Starring: Tommy Lee Jones, Josh Brolin, Javier Bardem
Seen at: Home, Blu-ray

This, on the other hand, requires a bit more thought in order to fully enjoy.

"After stumbling across a case of money among dead bodies, Llewelyn Moss thinks he can keep it quiet, but when silent killer Anton Chigurh locates Moss and his money, Vietnam veteran Moss makes a run for it. With bodies falling everywhere Anton goes, it's only a matter of time before he catches up with Llewelyn. Whilst all this is going on, Sheriff Ed Tom Bell is overseeing the investigation and begins to see the country in a different light than it once was."

Javier Bardem is incredible in his role as the main antagonist - a sociopathic killer that feels absolutely no remorse as he relentlessly chases after his target, leaving a path of death in his wake. Had Heath Ledger not played the role of the Joker in the latest Batman film, I think this guy would've done an equally great job. Some scenes were simply unnerving.

Score: 8.0 out of 10

Demon Cleaner

23rd September 2008, 15:25

Hancock

I think this has already been talked about and everybody here knows what the movie is about. I give it a 6/10.

Sharingan

23rd September 2008, 17:21

There Will Be Blood

Starring: Daniel Day-Lewis
Seen at: Home, Blu-ray

I was impressed with Daniel Day-Lewis in his role as Butcher Bill in Gangs of New York, so I was curious to see how he'd fare in this movie. Suffice to say, he's again delivered a star performance. Definitely one of the best character actors at the moment.

"In the 1890s, Daniel Plainview, a struggling silver miner, finds his true wealth in petroleum extraction while taking the orphaned child, H.W., as his own for a valuable family man image. In 1911, Plainview gets a tip on a valuable supply on the struggling Sunday family ranch in the impoverished Little Boston, California. In his quest to acquire the property, Plainview meets the sanctimonious Eli Sunday, the young reverend of the local church with his own ambitions for his diocese and the profit from the oil. As the oil wells begin, an escalating conflict arises between exploiters of many kinds while Plainview's canny ruthlessness gradually sinks into a slowly mounting malevolent madness. In doing so, it begins to drive every emotional bond away that all the wealth he gains can never replace."

It's a very slow-paced movie, but definitely worth a watch for the stellar performances.

Score: 8.2 out of 10

Demon Cleaner

30th September 2008, 08:46

I watched There Will Be Blood last week on TV, and I kinda liked it. Daniel Day-Lewis does indeed a great performance. I'll rate the movie 7.5/10.

v85rawdeal

2nd October 2008, 19:30

Two Girls, One Cup (by accident, I hasten to say)

er... DON'T!!!!!!!

EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And I mean EVER!!!!!!!!!

Buleste

3rd October 2008, 07:53

http://media.ebaumsworld.com/2008/04/2Girls1Cup.jpg

insert10p

4th October 2008, 18:29

it w\s some one about gangs cant even remember the name of it
some woman was in it lol this is bad
then cars before that and it was no good

Harrison

6th October 2008, 11:38

Watched Click with Adam Sandler on Saturday and the best I can give it is probably 4/10.

The concept is a good one. Being given a remote control that allows you to control every aspect of reality and your life. However quite early on in the film it becomes quite clear that it is obviously a rip off of It's a Wonderful Life and this makes the rest of the film completely predictable and quite boring.

Demon Cleaner

7th October 2008, 14:06

I agree with Click, it's just another "not so funny" Adam Sandler movie.

Harrison

7th October 2008, 15:05

The problem with Adam Sandler is that he can be really good in some films, but equally really bad in others. No consistency in his acting at all. And definitely more bad films than good!

But I think the script was what let this film down more than Sandler himself. There were enough great actors co-starring alongside him in Click and yet none of them really shone. Christopher Walken for example is a great actor, and Kate Beckinsale has made some great films too.

About the only redeeming feature of the whole film is getting to see David Hasselhoff paused and beaten.

The only actor who i thought did put in a good performance was Henry Winkler.

Demon Cleaner

22nd October 2008, 00:34

Hellboy II: The Golden Army

I don't think I have to explain what this movie is about, and when I had to describe it in one word:

Brilliant!!!

9/10

Harrison

22nd October 2008, 01:56

I was unsure from the trailers if Hellboy II was going to be any good. I'm not yet seem it, but I've heard people saying its good so I will definitely have to see it now.

Demon Cleaner

22nd October 2008, 16:31

It has a lot of funny quotes and is also nicely done. I prefer the first half of the film though, as later comes a small step into :wub: but nothing to worry about, it's not like the love story in the Spiderman movies ;)

Demon Cleaner

23rd October 2008, 14:46

Vantage point

In this movie the attempted assassination of the american president is told and re-told from several different perspectives. Good movie, stays gripping until the last minute.

7.5/10

Harrison

23rd October 2008, 16:04

From the trailers I avoided that film on release, and the reviewers didn't like it. I will probably wait until it's out on Sky and then watch it.

Demon Cleaner

23rd October 2008, 18:02

I also watched it on TV (Premiere), and it wasn't bad at all, the beginning is slow, and I already thought this one's gonna get boring, but once you see the same 23 minutes from different views and angles, it gets interesting and keeps you guessing what really happened.

Harrison

25th October 2008, 01:56

Grim Reaper

I watched this the other night on TV and I would definitely recommend you don't bother. The acting is really bad, bordering on amateur. The camera work is also quite bad. You can see they have tried to make it look better with some low down skewed angles but it has the quality of a low budget TV movie.

*Spoiler*

The story isn't much better. A stripper leaves the club she works at to wait for her boyfriend to pick her up. While waiting she is hit by a taxi. She wakes up in a hospital and then everyone vanishes and she gets knocked out by a nurse. She then wakes up again in a mental institute cell with seemingly only one doctor on duty and no other staff. Soon discovering there are others there trapped like her. They quickly find out that the doctor was dying of lung cancer caused by smoking, but sold his soul to the grim reaper in exchange for him finding other souls trapped in limbo (should have died in accidents but somehow lived). And the stripper is one of them.

The film continues with her boyfriend trying to find out what has happened to her and eventually finding his way to the hospital and getting inside. During which each of the inmates is killed one by one by the grim reaper in very cliche ways. Finally the girl works out the only way to escape death is to die. So she makes her boyfriend kill her, then bring her back.

End of film. Well the end is her in a bath, talking to her boyfriend in the other room, she falls asleep, slips into the bath, drowns, and the grim reaper gets her anyway.

2/10

Demon Cleaner

27th October 2008, 07:29

Poor Harrison, I just saw that it got 2.4/10 at IMDb, in that case I wouldn't even have bothered to watch it. Seems like 82 minutes of your life are forever gone ;)

Demon Cleaner

5th November 2008, 16:09

Iron Man

I found it very good, although not throughout the whole movie, so I give it a 7.5/10, I prefer Hellboy as comic translation, but with Iron Man following as 2nd.

Harrison

5th November 2008, 16:26

Iron Man was a very good film, but I also agree that this wasn't true throughout the whole film. I think the end let it down especially as it did end up being a super hero film by numbers, with Iron Man facing off against a less evolved, but stronger opponent. They really could of created an amazing Middle East combat finale to the film rather than wrapping that part up as an aside to an internal company link.

Demon Cleaner

5th November 2008, 18:07

It was indeed the ending that was rather disappointing, and as you said, a less powerful opponent being stronger, but why??

Demon Cleaner

7th November 2008, 12:35

21

"21" is the fact-based story about six MIT students who were trained to become experts in card counting and subsequently took Vegas casinos for millions in winnings.

The film is not bad, only lacks a bit here and there, but overall decent. 6.5/10

Buleste

7th November 2008, 12:46

I haven't seen that film as I used to be a croupier and know all about card counting and how easy it is to spot. It's the only way to turn the odds in a casino in your favour but is easy to spot and relies on the other players being able to play the right way and TBH a plumber would not want to watch a film about plumbers which is why I'd never watch it as I'd spot too many mistakes.

Demon Cleaner

20th November 2008, 22:08

Tropic Thunder

I liked it, although no masterpiece, it has a lot of funny moments. I especially liked Robert Downey Jr. Would rate it 7/10

Demon Cleaner

21st November 2008, 00:56

Saw V

And the hunt for Jigsaw continues, part 5. Meanwhile the movies tend to get a little bit boring as it's always the same, but they are still enjoyable to watch. I'll rate it only 6/10 though, as the suspense almost gets lost immediately.

Demon Cleaner

24th November 2008, 06:00

Max Payne

Not a lot to tell you about this one, it was very disappointing. I'll rate it a 5/10 at best, and if you wanna watch it, rent it or just d/l it, but don't waste too much money for it.

Demon Cleaner

2nd December 2008, 14:24

I'm not gonna explain what the movies I watched lately are about, as surely everyone should know these films, I'm only gonna rate them shortly.

Babylon A.D. - 5.5/10
Indiana Jones 4 - 6.5/10
Eagle Eye - 7/10
The Mummy 3 - 6/10

I also watched the new Bond movie, but that was on Sunday evening, I was drunk, and honestly, I cannot remember one single action of the movie :lol: have to rewatch it.

Harrison

2nd December 2008, 16:05

I would have given Indiana Jones 4 much lower than 6.5. I was very disappointed with that film. Not anywhere near as good as the old trilogy. Where I would have given Mummy 3 more. Although changing the leading lady ruined it a bit for me.

Demon Cleaner

2nd December 2008, 18:13

I was also disappointed with Indy 4, but it wasn't that bad, just a little overdone.

Harrison

2nd December 2008, 23:48

A little overdone? Some parts were completely stupid. The part where they were driving through the jungle having a gun fight with the other car. How none of the bullets hit them is impossible. And the ants attacking them was just as silly. In the original films it was all tongue in cheek, and did stretch the realms of reality, but not quite to the cartoon style action of the last film. For me it ruined the series more than added to it.

Demon Cleaner

3rd December 2008, 00:08

Ok, you're perhaps right, quite a few things were really stupid. Also at the end of that jungle race when they jumped with the car on the tree, then were let down and continued in the water to manage it to dive 3 river falls!!

Or when he flies around several miles in a fridge without breaking one single bone :huh:

The movie might be stupid, and even more for the Indy fans, but for me it had some entertainment, but by far away from the trilogy. I can imagine myself that for true fans of the trilogy, it was a huge disappointment. Oz didn't like it either, as he's one big fan himself, but did see it a bit the same like me.

Sharingan

13th December 2008, 22:06

Beowulf

Starring: Voices of Anthony Hopkins, Ray Winstone, Robin Wright-Penn, Angelina Jolie, Crispin Glover, Brendan Gleeson
Seen at: Home, Blu-ray

I've avoided watching this movie for a long time, because I expected it to be crummy. Saw the Blu-ray version in the shop shelves for cheap, though, and thought ... why not give it a try. I was pleasantly surprised. It may not be the most accurate depiction of the classic poem, but it definitely is more entertaining in CGI form.

The motion capturing still needs a bit of work, though. Most of the animation is well-done, but movement appears a bit stiff, and the facial expressions (especially eyes and mouth) seem unnatural.

Score: 7.5 out of 10

Demon Cleaner

15th December 2008, 15:13

Beowulf

I've avoided watching this movie for a long time, because I expected it to be crummy.Same here, that's why I still didn't watch it.

Sheitan

Watched it yesterday, it's a french horror movie with Vincent Cassel, whom I like a lot as french actor, but the movie isn't that great, thus it's one of Cassel's worse movies. 4.5/10

Buleste

10th January 2009, 09:54

The Muppet Show Season 3

I'm back with my Muppet Show DVD's with possibly the strangest season so far. To start off with this can best be described as the country season as a lot of the musical guests are from the Country Music scene from the 70's with the only one I'd heard of being Kris Kristofferson. Apart from that the guests are an eclectic bunch ranging from Alice Cooper to Liberace, Sylvester Stallone to Raquel Welch (Very good looking but having a bad hair day). There are a few classic sketches and some very strange ones (one of the guests Marisa Berenson sings a song called You're Always Welcome At Our House which is a song about killing visitors to her house. If you don't believe me watch it here (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HCJD1lMZ8wA&feature=related)). Most importantly it features the first appearance of Lew Zealand (Spelt Lew Zeeland on the subtitles on the DVD) who saves Kermit from marrying Piggy and in subsequent episodes appears in musical numbers with his boomerang fish.

Rating:
For over 35's 9/10
For under 35's 6/10

If you want a full view of what's on the DVD's go here. (http://muppet.wikia.com/wiki/The_Muppet_Show:_Season_Three)

Sharingan

19th June 2009, 21:33

Angels and Demons

Starring: Tom Hanks
Seen at: Cinema

Plot Synopsis:

Despite his notorious relationship with the Church, Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon is once again called upon to decipher the clues to a catastrophic conspiracy. The Pope has died, and before conclave can begin to determine his successor, the four preferitti (primary hopefuls for the papacy) are kidnapped. An ominous threat of their hourly demise, along with the complete annihilation of Vatican City, is issued as an elaborate revenge scheme for a persecuted group known as the Illuminati. With their meager time limit steadily counting down, Langdon, accompanied by beautiful physicist Vittoria Vetra, must travel throughout Rome to unravel the carefully hidden signs that will lead them to a terrifying adversary, a harrowing discovery, and the shocking truth.

Verdict:

Somewhat predictable, but decent enough action/thriller, with good actor performances throughout. Probably not worth visiting a theater for, but should be good for a DVD rental or purchase.

Score: 7.0 out of 10

Harrison

19th June 2009, 22:56

For me I both enjoyed and disliked Angels and Demons.

I really liked the book and still think it was better than the Da Vinci Code. And the film was well made with the majority of the book left intact. However Tom Hanks is still completely wrong for the role and just doesn't fit the character portrayed in the books. And as with the Da Vinci Code they cut the love interest part completely out between Langdon and Vetra. There was also a key character from the book completely removed from the film. But for me the biggest thing that annoyed me was that the ending was changed!

Sharingan

22nd June 2009, 10:10

It was a good while ago when I read the book, so maybe that's why I wasn't so bothered with the changes they made. But you're right, the ending was a bit on the ridiculous side.

A couple more movies to add:

Death Race

Starring: Jason Statham, Ian McShane
Seen at: Home, Blu-ray

Plot synopsis:

In the not-so-distant future, the world economy has collapsed. Among high unemployment and general chaos, criminality rises to the point where government-run prisons can no longer handle the massive influx of prisoners. Privately owned, commercial prisons spring up to fill in the void, but as always, when money comes into the picture, evil plots begin to arise.

Jensen Ames (Statham), a former racing champion, is framed for the murder of his wife and forced to make a choice: die in prison, or take part in DEATH RACE - an entertainment show where prison inmates race each other to the death - with the 'promise' of freedom should he manage to win.

Verdict:

When I saw the trailer to this movie, I thought it would be a dumb film. After having watched it, I STILL think it's dumb, but at the same time, very entertaining. Death Race basically is thin on plot and acting, but more than makes up with adrenaline-pumping, explosive action (and an incredibly hot female co-star!).

Definitely worth a watch if you're into cars and gritty action.

Score: 6.9 out of 10

Ong Bak 2

Starring: Tony Jaa
Seen at: Home, Blu-ray

Plot synopsis:

As a young boy born of nobility, Tien (Tony Jaa) witnesses the brutal murder of his parents at the hands of a renegade warlord. Orphaned, the youth is taken in by a band of mountain bandits who teach him the art of combat. Growing up, he has become content with life as a bandit, but when he encounters a statue in the likeness of his murdered father during one of his raids, memory comes flooding back to him, and he vows to use his skills to dethrone the warlord and free the population from his cruel reign.

Verdict:

Ong Bak 2 is a sequel only in name, for it has nothing to do with the first part (apart from seeing the return of Tony Jaa). Plot-wise, Ong Bak 2 is nothing to write home about, but then again, I don't think anyone is expecting such - people just want to see explosive martial arts action, and that's what you get.

Tony Jaa's fighting skill surely has matured, and he seems to have little trouble using several different styles throughout the course of the movie, from Japanese swordfighting to Chinese style boxing, Drunken Fist and of course, Muay Thai. The choreography is very well done, and fans of martial arts will surely appreciate the fast-paced fights.

Score: 6.8 out of 10

burns flipper

23rd June 2009, 07:56

Step Brothers

Starring: Will Ferrell, John O'Reilly
Seen at: Home, DVD

Plot synopsis:
An older man and woman meet and are instantly attracted to one another. It turns out they both have 40-year-old sons who still live at home with them, unemployed and still acting like children. When the couple decide to get married, they all move into the same house and the step-brothers become rivals. Hilarity ensues.

Verdict:
Although a comedy in the main part, it shows you life through another perspective - the child within us all - but also has a "growth" element, where the brothers learn to take charge of their own lives through the decisions they make. I watched it with my wife, who doesn't like "silly" movies, and she really enjoyed it. I didn't used to be much of a fan of Ferrel, but after watching this, and Ron Burgundy, and Bewitched, and Stranger Than Fiction I have to admit he's really good at being both serious and funny, often at the same time. I also like the way his movies make me think about things in my own life, and my own behaviours.

This movie made me laugh. It also made me think, and moved me a little in places. It shows you how easy it is to unknowingly let others affect your life, but that you take charge again and still live a grown-up life whilst having fun and allowing the child within to still be a part of you. And it contains the dialogue "What are you doing??" "I'm burying you alive!" "But I thought you were dead!!" "I know, I used my ninja focus to still my breathing!" right before Will buries his brother alive in the dead of night.

Score: 8.5 out of 10

Harrison

23rd June 2009, 11:33

I've never liked Will Ferrell. In most films he tends to act in that American childish humour way that just isn't funny to anyone with an IQ and just come across that he thinks he is great, which instantly gives me a dislike for him. Others that have a danger of acting this way are Jack Black, Adam Sandler and Jim Carry. When any of them do this it just ruins the whole film and produces complete crap. But I think Farrell has produced more crap than the rest combined.

For me his worst films (that I've seen) have been blades of glory and Talladega Nights.

But when given a good script and a director that can stop him doing this he can be a reasonable actor. Not brilliant though, and definitely not good enough to warrant the number of films he keeps appearing in. Most of which he ruins.

Probably his most interesting film has been Stranger than Fiction. That was surreal enough to be good.

I don't think I will ever like him enough to pay to actually see a film he stars in.

Demon Cleaner

24th June 2009, 01:20

Step Brothers is one of the worst movies I ever saw, just pathetic. The jokes are perhaps good enough if you are 12 years old. Also probably John O'Reilly worst movie.

Harrison

24th June 2009, 01:23

The Eye

Starring: Jessica Alba
Released: 2008
Watched: At home, Sky Anytime TV.

Sidney is a concert violinist who lost her sight aged 5 and has been completely blind every since. She is given an operation to restore her sight using the corneas from a donor.

However the donor corneas belonged to a Mexican witch. And as soon as Sidney starts to regain her sight she starts to see things that are not there. These start off as shadows and movement, but soon become clearer as she realises it is the dead she can see, reliving their moment of death, or having just died, being taken away.

Later into the film there is also a nice twist in the story as Sidney looks at her "own" reflection in the mirror.

Verdict:

Normally remakes of JHorror films don't tend to be as good as the originals, but I normally still enjoy them. However I've not seen the original of this one so can't comment on how closely it follows the original, but I enjoyed it. While the story wasn't really anything new and we have seen this sort of JHorror inspired plot, it was done well and remained quite gripping and suspenseful to the end.

The last part of the film reminding me a lot of the beginning of Final Destination 2.

Score: 7.5/10

Demon Cleaner

24th June 2009, 01:30

I didn't see the remake yet, but I like the original from the Pang Brothers, very good. But forget about the 2 sequels, The Eye 2 and The Eye 10.

Harrison

24th June 2009, 16:32

Transformers 2

Watched: Cinema

The content of this film doesn't really need much introduction. Following on from the first film, the US military have joined forced with the autobots to hunt out and eliminate the remaining decepticons hiding on earth.

Meanwhile the rest of the deceptions are orbiting Earth and observing transmissions, searching for something hidden somewhere on Earth, lying in wait for the right time.

Events happen which alert the deceptions to the location of the artifact they have been searching, and a race is on to stop them activating it and destroying our sun.

Verdict:

The action is great and all the additional transformers on both sides are great to see in action. However they didn't spend any time introducing any of the new ones, and hardly any letting the main autobots talk or do anything except combat, which was a little disappointing.

The original couple also don't seem to have quite the same spark as the original film, and apart from a section near the beginning where she saves his life, Megan Fox's character doesn't seem to have much purpose in this film other than to keep a mini transformer under control.

Worth watching if you enjoyed the first film. The action is great, as is the transformations. However it just doesn't have the wow factor of the first film and feels like a bit of a franchise cash in.

Score: 7/10

burns flipper

7th July 2009, 13:01

The Day The Earth Stood Still
Synopsis
Keanu Reeves is an alien representing a collection of races intent on preserving life-sustaining planets. He comes to Earth and sees how Man is driven by war and hate and is destroying the Earth, and starts a cleansing process to rid the Earth of man so that it may survive. A female doctor tries to show that mankind has another side, that of loving life and living selflessly, and that the current situations of war and environmental damage are at the turning point for man's evolution to becoming a peaceful, superior race. She shows it's not as simple as making a judgement, and he learns what it means to be human.

Verdict
I enjoyed this. It only has a few key scenes in, spread throughout the film, but you need the space in between for them to have their full effect. I'd probably only watch this once as it's more of a learning/journey film, but it's worth watching.

Score
7.5/10

Sharingan

12th July 2009, 18:34

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

Starring: Shia LeBoeuf, Megan Fox
Seen at: Cinema

Plot synopsis:

Not much of a plot, actually. Megatron is brought back to 'life' and is more pissed-off than ever. On top of that, another, even more angry Decepticon is hiding out there somewhere, out to exact his revenge. Again, it's up to Sam and the Autobots to save the Earth from total annihilation.

Verdict:

I like my share of action, but Transformers 2 was a tiny little bit over the top when it comes to that. Basically, out of the 150 minutes of running time, at least 140 minutes was action. I'm not even kidding here. Coupled with the insanely LOUD soundtrack and bombastic music, I found myself suffering from ringing ears and headache after an hour had passed.

The special effects were top notch (again), and Megan Fox hot as ever, but that alone isn't going to make a good movie. I really hoped there would be a little more character development. How about, for example, properly introducing the new robots, as well as having more than 5 minutes of screentime for the rest, save Optimus Prime?

And again, in the battle between good and evil, the humans seemed to be doing quite well against the supposedly all-powerful Decepticons. In fact, during the final confrontation save for the very 5 minutes, the Autobots hardly seemed to contribute anything against the dozen+ Decepticons, yet the humans still held their own. I expected more out of the bad guys, honestly, especially considering they were numerically superior.

All in all, I thought it was an entertaining enough flick, but sadly, a missed opportunity to develop the franchise into something more than a mindless action romp.

Score: 6.2 out of 10