King Kong (2005)

The latest version of the 1933 classic film from Peter Jackson who is now in position for making the epic films after his exploits with the Lord of the Ring trilogy. This is a more direct remake of the original story with the characters using the same names with some slight changes to their roles in the film but ultimately they fulfil the same roles as the original.

The biggest difference between this film and the original are the size of the set pieces, from my experience this is the biggest issue that most people have is the fact that a couple of scenes go to far in stretching the believability of even the extreme situation they are in. The dinosaurs stampeding is one of them, the fact that fewer incidents with the people, the vines and the T-Rex fight and the bug attack are all points that stick out where you watch and go that is very clever but really? It takes you out of the film some what.

The best part of the film though is Kong portrayed by Andy Serkis using motion capture technology and while they do put some human emotions on an animal still you can see an intelligence in the eyes of the beast. This is 4 stars, simply for the effects and the tie in to the original film. Worth seeing so you can see what they can do with special effects these days.

King Kong (1976)

The remake of the 1933 classic , I watched this straight after seeing the original and have to say that I liked where it decided to go, they update the story to what is present day so the 1970's they stretch a bit with the idea that there is an island on earth that has not been discovered in an age when we have walked on the moon but you can let them away with it.

Jeff Bridges plays a hippy photographer and this plays in to the moral of the story when he sneaks on board a petrol explorer boat that believes that if they go to the island which is hidden by fog, the believe it is hidden because of fumes from a massive petrol field that is undiscovered. Ultimately this follows the same basic story as the original but has a moral story about the rape of the natural world and the impact that mankind can have on the world if they do not stop and think about what is best rather than what is best for themselves, quite blatant and not very subtle but does not overly bother me.

This is a solid 3 star film, possibly edging almost to 4 but being a remake it just loses out, if you enjoy watching films and seeing the same story told in different ways then this is well worth a watch.

King Kong (1933)

Considering that this film is nearly 80 years old, it still stands up to today's exacting standards, yes some of the effects are a bit dodgy and really the stop motion that they use is dated and you can see the strings and you can tell how some of the effects are done but overall you have to remember that these effects were done in a different time period when things were done properly.

Reading up after watching this film this was actually a risque film, at the time this was made there were little to no rules about what you could show on film. Reading the history of the film from the cuts that were made to being restored it is a snap shot of where we have been with films. Overall this film is excellent you care about the characters and Kong who is the star of this film you care so much about what is happening to him and even though you know the end and you know where it is going you still hold your breath while he scales the tower.

I would say that this is a five star film that everybody who cares about film should at least try and watch once, it is also good if yo have seen the Peter Jackson film from 2005 you will see where he takes lots of his inspiration.

The Three Muskateers (2011)

The legendary story from Alexandre Dumas is brought to the big screen in glorious 3D by Paul W S Anderson. You have a fine cast of villains played by Christoph Waltz as Cardinal Richelieu, Milla Jovovich as M'lady and Orlando Bloom as the Duke of Buckingham with your heroes being played by Matthew Macfadyen as Athos, Luke Evans as Aramis and Ray Stevenson as Porthos with Logan Lerman as D'Artagnan and Gabriella Wilde as the young couple in love for the stroty.

This is a story that has been told many times before and to be honest my favourite and best telling was the Muskahounds, but back to this telling of the story. Firstly it does not need to be seen in 3D and there is an element of steamunk to this telling and it fits well with the way they are trying to tell the story. While this is not the best film you will ever see ti is fun and entertaining and actually worth seeing.

So a recommend if you are interested in seeing a retelling of this classic tale and an enjoyable couple of hours. A three star recommend from me, let me know if you saw it in 2D and thought anything was missing as I did not think that the 3D added that much.

Ruthless People (1986)

The classic 80's comedy from Jim Abrahams, David and Jerry Zucker, starring Danny DeVito, Bette Midler, Judge Reinhold and Helen Slater. This is the story of Ken and Sandy Kessler, payed by Judge Reinhold and Helen Slater when wronged by Sam Stone, played by Danny DeVito they kidnap his wife Bette Midler just before he can get rid of her himself and the hilarity of misunderstood and misconstrued ideas leads to some classic scenes.

This is one of these brilliant comedies that gets slightly overlooked when talking about 80's classics as quite often people only get as far as the John Hughes films which are great but overlook the other films that are out there. The acting cast is stellar for the time with DeVito, Midler and Reinhold fulfilling all that you expect and Helen Slater who was famous as Super Girl being brilliant as the ditsy blond. And you also have Bill Pullman and Anita Morris playing great roles as some of the side characters.

Another film that revisited for the first time in a long time and was really glad that I did, there are some flaws with a lot going on and some of the comedy just being down right Silly. Overall this is a recommend for those that have not seen it and maybe time for a re--watch for those that have not seen it for a while 4 stars.

The House on Haunted Hill (1959)

Public Domain films are abundant and easy to get your hands on and one I watched recently via a free podcast was the 1959 Walter Scott classic The House on Haunted Hill starring the classic horror actor VIncent Price who brings his full presence to this atmospheric film.

The set up of this film is a Millionaire, played by Vincent Price invites 5 strangers to a haunted house party and straight from the start there is something going on within the household and the scene between Vincent Price and his screen wife Carol Ohmart is brilliant and will help redifine how you think of black and white films from the 50's if you are not a fan of these films. This film is a true classic of it's time and still holds up today and is worth seeing.

I really enjoyed this film and would recommend that everybody gives it a look, this is a 4 star film for me and as it is public domain it should be easy for everybody to see. Let me know if you have seen it or if you do see it in the near future.

The Thing (2011)

So what did I want from a remake/sequel/prequel to the 1982 John Carpenter's The Thing, which I reviewed here, nothing I did not want the 1982 film touched at all but as I said in my review of the 2011 trailer here, I was not looking forward to it. The biggest issue i have is the fact that we know how it has to end as it has to tie in with the original start. The biggest thing they could not resist that the original could not do was using CGI at least it was done fairly well still not a patch on the effects of the original.

Now trying to be honest I have to say that I enjoyed this film from the stand alone point of view, they do not remake the film but there a certain scenes that they have to make decisions about and they cannot just do what they want, I think that a film in the universe of The Thing with no tie to the original film would have been interesting. A big issue I have is that there are enough questions about the motivation of the creature from the first film and this film just raises some more regarding what where and why and really the tension and enjoyment of the film do not need these concerns to make them a  good tense film.

So the cast were fine it was good to see Mary Elizabeth Winstead in the lead role and the supporting cast were good as well. I liked the differences between it and the original, it took it's own way and had the check points that all prequels have to indulge in but overall it was a solid film and one that i would recommend whatever you think of it the 1982 film is still there. This is a solid 3 star film for me.

The Adventures of Tintin:The Secret of the Unicorn (2011)

An animated film from Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson with the voice talents of Daniel Craig, Andy Serkis, Jaimie Bell, Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Cary Elwes and Toby Jones and the writing skills of Edgar Wright, Steven Moffatt and Joe Cornish. This has to be the greatest film ever submitted with these people involved and it is based upon a much loved book series from Herge. Why does it not work? Well part of the problem is that there are 3 screen writers involved all brilliant in their own way their previous works are their as proof and it is based on a book. What were they all there for? Really I am unsure it sticks to the book quite closely but there is something lacking from it. The voice talents are lost in the visuals it is in 3D for no reason other than the added value at the box office.

I do not know why this film fails but I think most of it is to do with too many people involved. All this really is and should be is a big screen visual representation of the characters we all know and love. It should perhaps have changed things slightly to make it work better on the big screen. I have to say there were some little nods to fans of the series, the crabs, the cigars and a good gag at the start about how the characters look but that is it.

Overall perhaps my expectations were to high from a film that should have promised so much but to be honest I did not know as many people were involved until afterwards and really I came out feeling it just missed the mark. I am going to be harsh and say 2 stars wait for it on DVD if at all. I will say that perhaps on a re-watch I may enjoy it some more but looking at IMDb I am surprised the next 2 are already in pre-production as they have just presumed this will work.

Anonymous (2011)

Was Shakespeare a fraud? A question asked many times and there are several proposed conspiracies and let us be honest it happened more than 400 years ago so we will never know the exact truth. But this film is a suggestion of what may have happened and irrespective of the story and whether you believe the film you have to love it, Roland Emmerich not a fan of his stories but you have to love what he can bring to the screen with his epic visuals and stunning photography. He brings to this story set during teh reign of Queen Elizabeth the 1st a sense of the time, the filth and how people lived in these times.

The central performaces were brilliant from Rhys Ifans as Edward, was that good in this role that I did not recoignise him and have a new found respect for his acting which has been flawless. Vanessa Redgrave as an aging Queen and David Thewlis as Lord Cecil which he played brilliantly. Over all the only flaws in this film is the story which is a major part but also it is not that important if you let yourself go and believe what the film is saying you will appreciate what Emmerich has brought to the screen.

This film seems to have missed a large audience as it has barely lasted 2 weeks in cinemas and this is a shame, believe it as fiction if the concept bothers you but watch the film and appreciate what they are doing. In these days of remakes and sequels it is refreshing to see a new story brought to the big screen, a solid 4 star recommend from me.

Open Graves (2009)

This was an interesting idea I saw being advertised on the TV so taped it, starring Eliza Dushku and Mike Vogel and it appeared to be a horror version of Jumanji so I was interested. From the off I knew I was probably going to be disappointed, terrible acting and dodgy loose plot and early on i was actually tempted to switch it off. But anyway the play this game that they are given by a strange man in a wheelchair. Now they appeared to be on a surfing holiday and were interested in weed and beer so why they played a game they had never heard of? But these things must happen for the story to progress.

So the game gives out death cards and the players will die how the card describes it, now the holes start to appear in the story and the film. The effects are that funny they are not even funny, the crabs are terrible and so unbelievable. And the first person dies before the game is finished and then you are at his funeral and nobody else has died and straight away you are like what. So it progresses with some more terrible effects the snakes form nowhere are shocking. You are really just hoping for some cool depths and thinking well there must be a cool twist at the end? The ending is predictable and laughable and really badly thought out as the surfer proves himself to be a dude. The side story of the cop is pointless as well and not that well explored.

So this film is not worth seeing on any level, it is disappointing to see them spend the money on something like this, again it is an interesting idea and in the right hands could have been awesome instead it is a disjointed waste of time, please do not see this 1 star drivel.

Ghostbusters (1984)

This is the 1984 film, I have seen this film many times and love it as one of my favorite films of the 1980's, I heard a rumour that it was getting re-released on the big screen on a limited release and I was quite keen to see it. However there a showing in Glasgow so I made my way through to see it on the big screen. It was well worth the extra effort to see this classic on the big screen I loved the experience of seeing Dan Ackroyd, Bill Murry, Harold Ramis, Sigourney Weaver, Rick Moranis, Ernie Hudson, Annie Potts and William Atherton play out a story I knew so well.

It is not a remastered version so you can see some of the effects showing up quite badly on the big screen in today's digital world however this did not detract from my experience. Also this is by no means a perfect film, the story itself is great but back in the 80's they kept to your basic story structure, you have the main characters, the set up of their position and then the situation for them to sort out. It is simple and works and the jokes and one liners keep flowing.

If you have not seen this film yet I would recommend it, if you have seen it before and get the chance to see it on the big screen I would recommend it, possibly not the best option if you have never seen it before as it does not look great. The experience for me is 4 star, if they cleaned up the effects I would give it 5 on the big screen. Let me know what you think of it and here is hoping for the sequel to be released next year.

Jumper (2008)

The 2008 film starring Hayden Christiensen, Jamie Bell and Samuel L Jackson, I had put off seeing this film for as long as I had not heard good things about it and I have a real problem with Hayden, the hangover from him being mis-cast as Anakin Skywalker, that us something I will have to get over. But apart from my dislike of him I just do not think he is that good an actor, he was not very good in what I love as a premise. You basically have someone that discovers they can tele-port anywhere they have seen or been, that is never quite clear.

Apart from the fact that I did not believe or like Hayden in the lead role overall this was a massively missed opportunity from what they had to begin with. The idea is awesome and the basic story line is good as well but they just try and squeeze far to much into this film, they have a story with Jamie Bell as a middle character, Samuel L Jackson as your bad guy and so many rules about the "Jumping" that they try and let go but it would be better if they had an exposition scene where an experienced jumper explained it as I spent most of the film trying to figure out the rules so was not worrying about the story of the film and with so much trying to go on I missed somethings.

Not a great film, I think that a remake or perhaps a directors cut could work, I would probably be able to get over the Hayden factor if the story worked that we bit better for me, 2 stars not worth seeing this effort.

Piranha (1978)

This is the 1978 killer fish film from Joe Dante, starring Bradford Dillman and Heather Menzies-Urich it is from a grimy time and low budgets. I have to come out and say that I can see past all of the problems of this film to state that I love it. Even the problems when you stop and go would you really do that? Really? I still love it, there is a dark humour that comes from the way that the film is put together and it is as funny now as it was when filmed with a comedy in mind.

This film starts with a couple of hitchhikers who go for a swim in a tank of water that they had to climb through a fence for, it is dark and I ask would you really swim in a tank of water in the middle of nowhere? Then you have Maggie looking for the lost couple who drags the drunk Paul along to try and find them and quickly they end up in the same place as the couple and they break a lock to get in, I mean this is all set up which makes me think there is a level of let us quickly get to killer fish without worrying about believability. In her desperate search for the couple instead of contacting the authorities they go inside ignore the clearly twisted genetic experiments and drain the tanks and so you have killer fish in the water. And from there the fun ensues with a race down river following the path of destruction that the fish leave in their wake.

Joe Dante sculpts this film expertly along there is character development so that you care when someone is eaten and you know what is going to happen and how it is going to work but that is all part of the fun. I will admit that there are some serious flaws in this but you cannot really fault this film, so for me it is a 4 star review and a recommend, certainly if you enjoy dark horror comedy.

Transformers 3:Dark of the Moon (2011)

So I watched the 3rd Transformers film even though the first 2 were nothing special or appealing and now there was no Megan Fox to look at, even though as an actress she was nothing special I have to be honest and say I think she looks good. Shia Le Beuf is back and I did like the fact that he was not ensconced in the heart of Military Intelligence and they did try to play it a little real, however let us remember that this series of films are about giant robots that are from space and they fight each other, this is not based in realism so the fact that they bother trying to develop this when in the last hour they forget anything like development when the robots are fighting.

Michael Bay does not seem to live in any form of reality when it comes to making movies and apart from the fact that these films take so much money he should not be allowed to make films. Transformers 3 is about an hour too long, there is a scene at the end when I am like what happened there it is like I missed 5 minutes, must have dozed off, and really in a film about robots changing into cars and fighting why was I so bored?

There is very little actually any good about this film, fair enough the effects are as always awesome and I can believe that the robots are there but the characters, I do not care and actually I was hoping that they would fail. They introduce random Autobots never seen before so they can die and there are racist stereotypes abound and why have a fat waddling Robot, who designs a robot to be fat and cumbersome? This is barely worthy of the 1 star and I would avoid this at all costs, it is not worth the time it takes to watch it.

Sharktopus (2010)

This is a SyFy original starring Eric Roberts, I cannot believe that they actually paid money to make this, I watched it hoping it to be so bad it is good but it is not, this is a 1 star avoid at all costs, I cannot even be bothered to tell you why it is bad.

Paranormal Activity 3 (2011)

I enjoyed the first 2 Paranormal Activitiy films but in all honesty was not that bothered about PA 3, especially when I heard it was going to be a prequal. I want to know what Katie did next and how they can work it in. Anyway they open with some extra footage found from the start of 2 that shows a big box of VHS that goes missing and they we appear to see what was on those tapes, that is not a spoiler as such but straight off the bat they give exposition about the film you are about to see and then throw in a question about how we are getting to see this film, annoying that they missed this, if I can see through a hole like that it has to be pretty obvious because usually I misss these things but anyway. The story follows the girls from the previous film Katie and Kristie and them growing up and it is essentially back ground for the first 2 films.


The film makers put pressure on themselves by setting it in 1988, you are going to VHS and you have to justify why a family would have what were expesive items back in the late 80's I think they pull this off and they get away with it but there are so many issues as soon as some of the stuff appears on camera I would be at the experts not trying to figure it out and the reactions of some small acotrs is a bit strange. And ultimately that is my problem with this film, it is clearly a film, why the continued push and determination for it to all be caught on hand held cameras, who tapes themselves while they edit video, it is ridiculous and unbeleivable. Anyway the story in it's basic form apart from the holes I can rip in it and the continued far reaches behind why they would film everything it is actually wuit enjoyable.

I would recommend this for anyone that liked the first 2 it is basically the same idea and the tension and scares did get me and I enjoyed it, but do not go in expecting a masterpeice, 3 star recommend for those people that have enjoyed the other films. I have heard tha PA 4 has been green lit and what I would love to see would be a normal film, form the point of view of the detectives investigating the first 2 films, using the footage from all 3, that would be interesting if done well.

Blazing Saddles (1974)

Finally watched the Mel Brooks classic from 1974, the Western spoof where a Black Sheriff played by Cleavon Little is appointed to a town by Harvey Korman who wants the land, because when the railway goes through it will be worth a fortune. With Gene Wilder as the Kid and Slim Pickens as Taggart this is a brilliant comedy film.

I have to be honest and say that several of the jokes are out of place and the use of the N word in today's society is unacceptable so there is a jarring call when it is uttered in the film, however the film addresses this itself and makes a fool of it really well. I love one of the first scenes with the sing off "Camp Town Races" makes me smile every time just to think about it. The jokes mainly hold up, the camp fire scene is one of the most famous and is still funny even if this is on a totally base level.

I have to say even though some of the comedy and references are a bit out of date and out of place this is a solid 4 star film and everybody should watch it at least once.

Real Steel (2011)

I went to see the new Hugh Jackman film which is a robot fighting movie with a heart of gold, it is the story of Charlie Kenton played by Hugh Jackman, who is an ex boxer and now trains and builds Robot fighters. And then he finds out the mother of his child has died and he sees instead of a child a paycheck and from there you have the story of a father and son who do not know each other who are spending the summer together before the Son, played by Dakota Goyo moves in with his aunt.

You have a love interest for Charlie in the form of his boxing trainer's daughter Bailey played by Evangeline Lily who played Kate on Lost. They had fairly good chemistry and a believable relationship and you were rooting for them to get together. The story is fairly predictable however the effects were truly awesome with Atom being as much a character as any of the living people and the fight scenes were awesome. This film for me is aimed at a young audience so the bad guys are obvious and outlandish and are played well on the small scale by Kevin Durand and on the grand scale by Karl Yune and Olga Fonda.

I loved and enjoyed this film and give it a strong 4 stars and recommend for the acting, the story and the special effects, go and see this and enjoy it.

The Goonies (1985)

This is one of my favorite all time movies, I have seen it so many times that when re-watching it I am able to quote whole conversations and the jokes still work for me, i will say that there is a level of nostalgia and I think that the music the jokes and the setting just put me back to when I was a child watching this film repeatedly from a VHS we had taped from the TV. I had watched the tape so many times I used to know all of the adverts on the VHS. But back to looking at the film, the best thing about this for me is that it throws you into the middle of a situation, it is easy enough to pick up what is happening and they reference so many things that happened previously that I likened it to being the film at the end of a TV Series which shows that Chris Columbus really was a great writer and Richard Donner is a great director, everything in this film works.

Your main cast is a surprising in that so many of the child actors are well known for other things, Sean Astin in Lord of The Rings, Josh Brolin in No Country for Old Men and other things, Corey Feldman for being Corey Feldman and Jonathan Ke Quan as Short Round in Temple of Doom. The fact that so many of them are still around shows they had the chops and it was a dream cast. The baddies, thr Fratellies are played by the late great Anne Ramsey, she still scares me today and i would not cross her and teh fact that her 2 sons hate each other as the vye for her attentions. The set peice is the dream and realm of so many kids fantasies from that era, who did not go looking for treasure when they were younger?

This film is a 5 star masterpeice that I actually think people watching today for the first time will still enjoy, and if you have not seen it, you will see some really common pop culture refrences and where they originated so "Hey you Guys!" Make sure you have seen this film.

Gnomeo & Juliet (2011)

The William Shakespeare play redone as animated garden gnomes what can possibly go wrong, You have the red garden versus the blue garden in this battle of bitter rivalry that no-one can remember how it started and then Gnomeo and Juliet meet and fall in love. This is not that deep a film and is very much for the kids with some references for the adults as well, the voice acting provided by Emily Blunt, James Mcavoy, Jason Statham, Richard Wilson and Patrick Stweart and a whole host of other big name actors there really is quite a lot to like about the cast of this film. And while some of them get really small roles over all none of them do anything wrong, i do like what they do with Tybalt voiced by Jason Statham.


This is a simple story with bright colours that the kids will love and enough references to keep the adults entertained. I have heard bad things about how they address the ending of the original story and I have to say that I disagree, this is a kids film and it introduces a story to them that may encorage them to explore some of the great literature as it comes in a package they can appreciate, the fact that they even take the time to address the ending of the play and the fact that they are going for a different version is good and at least they do not brush it under the carpet.


All in all this is not a film I will revist time and time again but if I am ever fortunate enough to have kids it is definetly a film I would let them watch and would happily watch with them, it is a solid 3 star recommend for the kids.

True Lies (1994)

So I was doing a mini marathon with Arnold and decided to re-watch the James Cameron, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jamie Lee Curtis venture in to spy comedy that was True Lies. I knew I had seen this and knew some points but could not remember everything that happened so was interested to see if I would like it. With Tom Arnold, Tia Carrere and Bill Paxton in supporting roles you know that the acting is going to be pretty good and an early role for Eliza Dushku as well.

Your premise is that Arnold Schwarzenegger is a spy and Jamie Lee Curtis is his wife and she knows nothing of what he does. The fact that he is saving the world daily and is never home on time is driving a wedge between them and the story unfolds to some interesting points with a terrorist subplot that keeps the action driving on. The premise works quite well you have a transformation performance from Jaimie Lee Curtis and you have Arnold the super spy a role that he fits into but you actually think would never really work as he stands out so much. You have Tom Arnold as the comedy sidekick and Bill Paxton in a role he was born to play the sleazy car salesman. This has James Cameron all over it with the car chase with a helicopter and the fight with the Harrier Jump Jet you can see his love of special effects and fantastical situations. While there are so many levels of unbelievable there is only a little suspension of disbelief required to enjoy the film.

Overall this was a joyous romp of a film that entertained me with the comedy, the acting and the action and effects, I have to say that this is 4 solid stars and several more re-watches along the years, the scene with the lamppost cracks me up. 

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011)

John Le Carre's epic novel is brought to the big screen, directed by Thomas Alfredson and starring a whose who of British cinema with Gary Oldman putting in a performance that is already being talked up for an Oscar with support from Colin Firth, Benedict Cumberbatch, Tom Hardy, John Hurt, Mark Strong and Toby Jones. This is based on the 1974 novel of the same name and tells the story of George Smiley played by Gary Oldman as he tries to identify the Soviet mole in the upper echelons of the British Secret Service.

The acting in this is awesome but the story is long, it was last told in a 6 hour mini-series and there is not much exposition in the two hours you are given. I have not read the book and would presume that if you have read it it will be even better as I have heard it is quite true to the original story. All of the actors in this do give excellent performances and if you can follow the story then you will really enjoy this film.

Overall I am going to give this 4 satrs, however it does come with the caveat that you have to give it a chance I heard from a couple of people that they found it long and boring. If this sounds like your sort of film then I think you will really enjoy it.

The Debt (2011)

My latest foray to the cinema was to see the new film starring Helen Mirren, I had very little knowledge of the story going or who else was actually in this film. It is based upon a true story but as I do not know the story it was pretty intriguing going in and by the end I had a good idea what was going to happen so there is no real surprises. However it does play with you a couple of times and keeps you wanting to see the conclusion.

This is the story of 3 Mossad agents, the covert intelligence agency in Israel, their mission is to capture a German war criminal played by Jesper Christensen, the agents are played by 2 actors one while they are young and older actors when the film starts 30 years later. Rachel is played by Jessica Chastain and Helen Mirren, David is played by Sam Worthington and Ciaran Hinds and Stefan is played by Martin Csokas and Tom Wilkinson. There are 2 stories the 1965 mission and 1997, which is present day in the film. The 1965 story is good old fashioned espionage with the 3 agents behind enemy lines getting to know each other and follow out their mission. Then there is present day when there is some fall out from the mission 30 years previously.

This is an entertaining film based upon a 2007 Israeli film of the same name and is actually well worth a watch, Helen Mirren is as Impressive as ever and apart from some issues with the older male characters and who they represented I really enjoyed this. Go and see it, I give it 4 solid stars.

The Green Hornet (2011)

I actually chose to watch this film even though like seemingly quite a lot of people something about Seth Rogen just puts me off, his voice performance in Paul was great but this is the only good thing I have heard him do. He just has this way of being annoying, which worked in this film as a he was supposed to be annoying. So your story is Seth Rogen is the son of a Paper Mogul, played by Tom Wilkinson they do not get on and he has to take over the paper when his father dies. He hooks up with Kato his fathers mechanic and they decide randomly to become crime fighters and ingratiate themselves with the bad guys so they can bring them down and using the newspaper they start their campaign of crime against the criminals.

Now as a premise it works quite nicely, the biggest flaws in this film is the humour does not work properly as there seems to be something missing. I think that it is the crossover between slapstick and intelligent and it fails to work. Also I did not believe the relationship between Seth Rogen and Jay Chou who plays Kato and when you throw Cameron Diaz in to the mix the chemistry is just not there between the trio. Christoph Waltz plays an excellent bad guy and with James Franco getting a cameo the cast of this film was actually really good, Edward James Olmos also shows off his chops as the editor of the paper.

Overall I had low expectations and they were barely met, this is a 2 star avoid unless you like Seth Rogen a lot. Will give him credit he does look like he has lost a bit of weight but his style just does not work for me at all in this film or any of the others I have seen him in.

A Lonely Place to Die (2011)

I went to see this Melissa George film without having seen the trailer or heard that much about it and I have to say that this makes for an interesting watching experience. Based upon the poster and basic information it is a mountaineering expedition in to the hills of Scotland, with Melissa Geroge, Ed Speleers, Alec Newman, Kate Magowan and Garry Sweeney as your intrepid mountaineers. Their plans are changed and they end up going in a slightly different direction due to the weather and things change in to a world of hurt.

I will not go any further than that as I think that discovering teh twists and turns of this film are a lot of fun. Overall if you think about the film to hard you can see decisions and ideas that you might do differently and think why did they not do this or that and that can be fun but can also make you question if the film is any good. I would say go along for the ride and enjoy the performances and the scenery and and while the film might not go in a direction you like or enjoy overall I think you will enjoy this film from Julian and Will Gilbey.

This film was a lot of film it will not be for everyone but if you enjoy character studies mixed with adventure then you will enjoy this film. I give this a solid 3 stars and would ask people to give it a chance.

Apollo 18 (2011)

I went to see the "Documentary" about why we did not go back to the Moon after Apollo 17. Yeah I like the fact that they push the fact that it is reality but really it gets boring when they continue pushing it as reality all the way to the end of advertising and the film, so sorry for spoilers if you thought that a revelation like this would be released on the big screen rather than as front page breaking news. It surprises me that people fall in to the trap of thinking that "Real" stories will be released on the big screen, it is fun marketing but really goes to far for me. This film does it in the standard way with teaser trailers and the "true story" about where the footage comes from and I am happy enough with this as a concept but it is depressing how stupid some people can be when NASA have to issue and announcement that Apollo 18 is not a documentary.

Anyway the story is a found footage story based upon 84 hours of material uploaded to the internet and then edited into the film in front of you. The story is around the 3 astronauts of the top secret Apollo 18 mission to the Moon to put down sensors and gather more samples and it is what they found on the Moon. Now it is hand held and fixed camera footage and it gets old quite quickly for a short film and the fact that the claim to have so much footage there are longs spells of not a lot happening. It preys on the claustrophobic nature of the capsule, and the fact that there is nowhere for them to go and getting home is difficult. I think that they do a fantastic job with the characters, making you care for them and feeling empathy when they feel the pressure and tension of the situation they find themselves in.

This is a very clever film, it takes an idea and pushes it as far as it can. The actors and way that the footage is put together is actually almost believable they make you think that in reality this is actually a possibility. I enjoyed it I rate this a good 3 stars and it is well worth a watch.

Rio (2011)

So after playing Angry Birds Rio I finally watched the animated film about the Blue Macaws. Now this is another film that got the Orange sponsorship in British Cinemas and based upon my timing regime when it came on I went to the bathroom to make sure that I could get through the film in one sitting, what can I say weak bladder. So I had a preconception that they were simply in for sponsorship and this made me not really that fussed for the film when I got a chance to see it. You have your story which is Blu who is stolen from Rio, taken to the US where he is lost and then found by Linda a little girl who looked after him and raised him from a chick. He is found by a Brazilian bird lover who wants to take him to Rio to breed with Jewel the only female Macaw left in Brazil.

So basically you have 2 love stories between Blu, voiced by Jess Eisenberg and Jewel, voiced by Anne Hathaway and Linda, voiced by Leslie Mann and Dr Barbosa, voiced by Gracinha Leporcae and overall there is a lot of fun humour that ensues from a fish out of water. With your domesticated Americanised bird being reintroduced to his home country and the clash of cultures. I think that overall this is a visually attractive film with some stunning scenery and the colours and images are good to look at. The kids will love some of the jokes and the battle between Birds and monkeys and the bad bird Nigel, voiced by Jermaine Clement is actually a really good baddie I enjoyed it when he was involved in the story. With the voice cast of Jane Lynch, George Lopez, Wanda Sykes and Thomas F Wilson involved it was enjoyable fare.

This film is not to bad it is nothing that special and after one watch I do not really need to revisit this film, though I would not be against a re-watch. Overall if you enjoy animated films aimed at kids then you will enjoy this film a good 3 stars from me.

Final Destination 5 (2011)

So I went to see the latest in the long line of Final Destination sequels, it fell in to the trap last year when the stated that they were releasing THE Final Destination it sucked and to be honest after that film I was not that interested in seeing number 5, however when I saw the trailer which I reviewed here I thought a different take now that could be interesting. Now I have to say that they do not play this angle up quite as much as I thought they would but it made a nice conclusion to part of the story. Now I have to be honest and say that I love these films for the campyness and the tension when it is done right.

The story is your basic Final Destination plot with a cast of characters that you meet and then you see the disaster and the survival. Now the disaster is a bridge collapse and it is pretty cool actually they have some good impact scenes at this point the 3D was worth it for some good kill scenes but the CGI was god awful, why can they not get it right. Anyway I was not that bothered by the crap CGI as the deaths were pretty cool and I had a great time in the nearly empty theatre laughing my ass off.

Overall this is probably tied for my second favourite Final destination film with number 2 and behind number 1. The twist that they do at the end is awesome and when I saw it coming I was jumping up and down getting far to excited for a 33 year old man in the cinema alone. This is 4 stars for me I only bump it up as I came out with a really good feeling about the film and would actually go and see it again.

The 6th Day (2000)

So I watched the 6th Day again and loved it again, I think this is another film that falls into my guilty pleasure category. Arnold Schwarzenegger appears in this film twice so you get the double Arnold and it is about human cloning, the real story is a film that can make you think how would you cope if you met yourself and how would you react and feel. I understand that many people do not like the film I think that the biggest downside to people is the science and the believability levels are hard to get around.

Overall your basic story is that Arnold wakes up in a cab and then then some weird stuff happens to the point when he gets home and sees himself in his living room with his wife and the mind games begin with him trying to figure out what is happening and who the people trying to kill him are and what the hell is actually going on. You have 4 characters trying to kill him and the confusion envelopes him as he kills a couple but then sees them again. Now I can see some of the holes with clones remembering how they died even though the "simcard" is a save point in their lives. But I can see past all of that and love the X-Coptors that can be controlled and the action and gun play.

As a Guilty pleasure for me it is 4 stars and overall I would say switch the brain off at the door and you will have a pretty good time, these opinions are my own.

Conan The Barbarian (2011)

So I went to see Conan the Barbarian the remake of the Arnold Schwarzenegger 1982 sword and sorcery epic character. Now as I have stated many times before I am not a fan of remakes I am very much why cannot we get some new ideas? However they might not be very good but at least they will be original. It does make me want to see the original films in the series and there is an element in the originals looking back that it is Arnold therefore they were great, which is not always the case. But I think that going back to those films Arnold's muscles are a character within the film and they are not present in the remake.

So I have the problem I mentioned when I looked at the trailer, my thoughts you can see here. I cannot remember the original films that well so I am not that sure with the remake if they are ripping off the original or just taking the characters on a new story, I will look at that when I re-watch the originals. Now to the film, it is terrible, the acting was okay but the film and story was totally dull and pointless. They seem to have so much to fit in that it jumps all over the place, from the fact that in one scene it jumps from night to day with no real transition of time and the fact that I notice it shows me that I was not that enthralled with the film, also the fact that I wanted to see what time it was, showed me how  dull it was. And why should it be dull, big swords lots of blood and lots of boobs and still I did not care about it.

So the only good thing about this is that I am going to revisit the originals and see if they are better than the mess that I sat through in the cinema. This film is totally not worth viewing from the lead actress being really brave but screaming an awful lot to Conan being big but not Arnold a 1 star film that should be avoided, did not miss it being 2D rather than 3D would probably have been more annoying in 3D.

The Inbetweeners (2011)

I will be upfront and say that I have never seen any of the TV Series and know nothing about any of the characters but the Fiance wanted to see it as it appeals to her funny bone. The premise is that the main characters do not fit in even within their own families and they decide to go on holiday to the Greek island Malia. Firstly this film is almost the same as Kevin and Perry Go Large the out of place guys who are thick go on holiday and I wonder how it will turn out?

Now some of the jokes are hilarious the dance scene will go down in YouTube history when it comes out on DVD, having looked online this seems to be Neil played by Blake Harrison. A part from that and some other jokes the film is too cringe worthy for me, it is very much laugh at these people not with them and this is not the sort of comedy I appreciate as I simply feel bad fro them as I want them to succeed and every time you think they are winning the pull the Dumb and Dumber ending which is what made me hate that film, but that is a different review.

Overall if you like the series I am sure you will love the film and if you liked Kevin and Perry then this is for you, however it was not for me but a couple of the jokes were funny enough so 2 stars.

Conan The Barbarian (2011) Trailer

I get confused between the Arnold versions of the Barbarian and the Destroyer and cannot remember which film is which but I know that I enjoyed them both and when they decided to remake Conan the barbarian I was unsure how I felt about it as it is not one of my all time favourite films but I do enjoy them and I do think that they are taking remakes to far.

So the trailer shows us that there will be lots of sword and sorcery and this appeals to me however and this is good from the trailer you do not get to much of the story so when you get there it will be a pleasant surprise that is presuming that there is a story, hopefully they will just make their own story and we will not keep getting references to the original but it will be more based upon the comic book which I have never read rather than the films from the 80's.

I am actually going to see this film this afternoon at the cinema going to see it in 2D as to me 3D is totally dead and there are very few films I want to see in 3D any more.

UK Release Date - 24th August 2011

Cowboys & Aliens (2011)

Went to see the Western/Sci-Fi cross over film from John Faverou, starring Harrison Ford, Daniel Craig and Olivia Wilde. There were some good Cameo's from Sam Rockwell and Clancy Brown, two actors who always make any film better. Now I am not a fan of Westerns but I love the Sci-Fi genre so was watching this film with a bit of trepidation as half of the premise was not for my tastes. This is actually a Western film with a Sci-Fi element, normally when a film has any element of Sci-Fi the film automatically gets classed in that genre as it is the strongest genre there is, as the simple premise of Sci-Fi is usually unbelievable and can take you out of a setting.

So you have Daniel Craig wakes up in the desert with a bracelet on his wrist and no idea who he is or where he is. Harrison Ford plays essentially the bad guy of the piece. His son Percy is an arrogant show off that gets away with everything simply because his Father is the richest man in the locality. Daniel Craig is like the lone drifter that wanders into town, and then the Aliens turn up. Now from this point onwards this is teh Sci-Fi film that I wanted, the Western element was good by my standards it was basic and simple and did not get to carried away. The characters trying to bring you back to the Western theme was a bit clunky especially the scene when Daniel Craig is coming out of the water and what he says to Olivia Wilde it feels very, oops lets remind everyone that this is the 1800's.

Overall I enjoyed this film the Western element is small enough and the Sci-Fi is strong enough that it maintained my interest so overall I give this 3 stars, worth watching especially if you like the action Sci-Fi films.

Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011)

I went to watch this film with anticipation and some trepidation it falls in to the double whammy category of remake, of a sorts from the Apes films and a prequel to the Mark Whalberg remake of the Charlton Heston classic Planet of the Apes. So I was not really sure what to expect from the film in general I knew that with James Franco and John Lithgow acting in the film and Andy Serkis doing the motion capture there were going to be some good acting and great special effects. The trailers which I have seen a few of and reviewed one here did not give as much away as I thought after seeing the film. The editing of them was quite deceptive and watching the trailer after seeing the film I have to say that they look like they are advertising a different type of film.
I have to say that overall I was fairly satisfied by the film as a whole, there was some good acting by John Lithgow as the Father with Alzheimers and a good performance from Tom Felton as a keeper in the Primate sanctuary with an interesting performance from Brian Cox as his father. The biggest disappointment to me was James Franco I thought he was totally miscast as the scientist I could not believe in him as a super intelligent character, which is a shame as I have really enjoyed a lot of his films recently. With Andy Serkis doing the motion capture for Ceaser I have to say that it was totally believable and the CGI which the film has to rely on heavily was awesome. The Apes which had to convey so much emotion without any words or communications you could see the intelligence and what they wanted from their movements and reactions.

Overall with worried expectations I have to say that I really enjoyed this film it is a strong 3 stars and I am interested what they are going to do with the series if this film is successful enough to spawn the probable sequel, I have to say that the nods to the original with Charlton Heston and the fact that it lossely linked back to the Mark Whalberg film were fantastic and I really enjoyed catching them. The one thing that bothereed me while watching was the sheer number of Apes in just the one city.

The Running Man (1987)

The Arnold Schwarzenegger film from 1987 based upon the book written by Richard Bachman who we all know is Stephen King, so you have a sci-fi film from the pen of Stephen King, I have never read the book but want to. This is another film that I have seen several times and I love it every time, it is the real height of Arnold's career where he gives all of his best one-liners including the I'll be back repeated from 1984's The Terminator.

I will see this many times again in the future and recommend that everybody gives it a go. You have a future where the corporations are running everything and the number one rated show on the network is The Running Man where criminals are sent in and killed by themed Stalkers, you have Schwarzenegger as Ben Richards who had been previously framed and escaped from jail and he is launched into the game zone. This film works so well as it puts the corporations with all the money as the bad guys and as liars.

This is a 4 star recommend for me, it suffers form being dated a bit and there are laws that some people will not get over but i think it is well worth seeing.

The Thing (1982)

The 1982 classic from the master of suspense John Carpenter, a film that I have seen several times and will watch many times again, I have listened to fan commentary's and dissections of this film and there is nothing that will make me dislike the film. It is a remake of the 1951 film  The Thing From Another World, so it goes to show that remade films can be better than the original, that however is not an excuse to go around remaking them all though. With the soon to be released prequel, the trailer which I reviewed here I decided to re-watch the film for the first time in a while on Bluray.

One of the things that this film is famous for is the effects back in 1982 they were all practical and I was worried that watching it on Bluray might destroy the memory of effects that are truly believable and fantastic. But from the Dog to the spider head they all hold up as well on Bluray as they ever did on VHS or DVD.

This is a classic of the horror genre and a must see for all fans of the genre and all movie fans in general I give this a solid 5 stars and say that everybody should give this a go at least once if you have a love of film.

RED (2010)

This comic book adaptation sees Bruce Willis, John Malkovich, Morgan Freeman and Helen Mirren as retired operatives that come out or retirement when a Black-ops team invade Bruce Willis; home and try to kill him. It is a hilarious action comedy that brings together a stellar cast to romp through some serious explosions and action sequences.

I have to say that I was looking forward to seeing this film, as a non-comic book reader I had never heard of the series before the film and had not seen that much about it. I just thin that the cast alone was worth watching and seeing what they could do with a basically solid story idea. The action and acting did not disappoint me I have to say that there were some set ups and ideas that made me laugh out loud, the love stories are actually something special.

This is a solid recommend from me and I hope that if you have not seen it then you will give it the time it is well worth it and funny enough to pass the 2 hour running time, 4 shinning stars from me.

The Change-Up (2011) Trailer

So they have made another version of Freaky Friday and this time they have decided to do a best friend switch, I have never been that big a fan of these films from the version with Jodie Foster and Barbara Harris to the Jamie Lee Curtis and Linsay Lohan version and the Judge Reinhold and Fred Savage film Vice Versa this idea has been done many times before. Now I have to say that the idea that they change it the way they does makes it different but still it is the same basic idea, they will get a better understanding of each others lives and be happier in their own.

Now my preconceptions might be wrong and there maybe some really funny high-jinks while they find this out but to be honest it is not a film that appeals to me. Jason Bateman and Ryan Reynolds are both excellent actors and I like them both but I thin that this is definitely a wait for DVD if I see it at all.

UK Release Date - 16th September 2011

Disappearance of Alice Creed (2009)

This low budget British thriller sort of slipped under the radar of most people but it was brought to my attention by somebody I trust so i thought it would be worth risking even though on reading about it i was not that enamoured by the idea of it. Your story is Alice played by Gemma Arteton is kidnapped by Vic and Danny and there is your entire cast list. This is a character driven piece and it is encapsulating, you have the relationship between Alice and her captors and then between the captors.

I have to say that I loved it, the interplay between all of the characters is fantastic and the basic story is simple and detailed with enough points that you stay interested and want to see it play out to fruition and the payoff is fantastic and I have to say i loved the ending. The way the story played out worked so well for me that it blew my mind it made me sit up and go yes!

This is a shining 5 star recommend from me. I think that everybody that likes film should give it a watch as more films like this need to be made.

Troll Hunter (2010) Trailer

This film was first brought to my attention by the guys at www.bloodygoodhorror.com and their podcast and since then I have been keen to see this film. It is a hand held film from Norway where they go hunting for Trolls, now really do you have to know anything else?

I have watched a few trailers for this film and there are a couple out there that seem to show an awful lot of the trolls so i am even more intrigued to see where this film goes, in all honesty it is the sort of film I am starting to really appreciate and look forward to. The best ideas and best delivery seem to be coming from countries outside the UK and US. Some great examples have been Timecrimes and REC from Spain, Let the Right One In from Sweden and Ip man.

I am really looking forward to seeing this film and I just hope it gets a wide enough release that I get to see it locally.

UK Release Date - 9th September 2011

Centurion (2009)

The Roman epic from Director Neil Marshall starring Michael Fassbender as a roman centurion that starts the film escaping from the Picts and linking up with the 9th Legion who have been sent over the border to wipe out the picts. This story is an off shoot and side story from the book the Eagle of the 9th Legion and looks at some survivors of the failed invasion trying to escape from the hostile lands of the north. I have to say that from the outset I was keen to see this film, I really like Neil Marshall as a director and have not disliked anything he has done (Doomsday confused me when i first saw it but still liked it).

This has a wide and varied cast with Michael Fassbender in the role of the Centurion Quintas Dias, Olga Kurylenko as Etain the mute Pict who is vicious and deadly, you then have several actors as Romans in the group trying to get back in to their own territories including David Morrissey and Noel Clarke, you have Axelle Carolyn playing a pict called Aeron, you did not get to see enough from their point of view but when she was on screen she was very good. Imogen Poots was the pict witch that the romans encounter.

Overall this film was a lot of fun with some good bloody battle scenes and some good character development, the only major flaw was that there were too many characters and they could not all get enough screen time so you were left wondering about some of them. Overall though this is 4 star goodness that i will watch again in the future.

Johnny English Reborn (2011) Trailer

I cannot believe that a character from a Credit Card advert got to make a film, so the fact that he is getting a sequel really surprises me. I have to say that I do not really remember the original film though I do know that I have seen it but I have to say that it did not stick in my memory.

So you have Rowan Atkinson reprising his role as Johnny English, I have to say that whatever he does I do enjoy his performances, he is probably going to be the best thing in it but i see that Gillian Anderson is in it I wonder if her comedic timing will be any good.

I do not fancy this at the cinema but will probably give it a watch when it comes to the TV.

UK Release Date - 7th October 2011

Sherlock Holmes (2009)

So I watched the Guy Ritchie adaptation of Sherlock Holmes, now this character has been done several times and I will be honest and say that I have not actually seen any of them and have very little knowledge of the characters other than the generic rules that everyone know as they are in pop culture. Such as Elementary my Dear Watson, magnifying glass and the pipe and the relationship between Holmes and Watson.

Now Rogbert Downey Jnr has had a resurgenice between this, Iron man and Due Date and he is really performing well. I have to say that I liked his portrayal of the character it showed his brilliance and the leaps of logic that Holmes is famous for. Jude Law was interesting as his partner with a sense of resignation that he would be tied to Holmes forever in some way and also the regret that he wanted his life to move forward. The story of teh film itself is interesting, there was a little bit of well there is the sequel getting set up and I have to say on review this is an origin film. You have the characters setting up, even though they are well established in most peoples mind this is them getting set up.

I enjoyed this film a whole lot, it will not be for everyone and I have to say that while I will go and see the sequel i am not in that much of a hurry to see it. A solid 3 stars for me.

Tucker & Dale vs Evil (2010) Trailer

A fun trailer for me to review as I have seen the film but i have to review it to show everybody else how much fun it is and that you should see it, i saw it at Horror Hound Weekend in March and here is my original review here.

The trailer is a good and honest appraisal of the film, you can see the trailer and the website here.

I have to say that I hope this film gets a wide release and i hope that everyone that enjoys horror films and comedies should go and see this film if it is in a cinema near you or find a cinema it is in.

UK Release Date - TBC

Captain America:The First Avenger (2011)

So I got to see Captain America after looking at what I thought of the trailer which is here. I have to say that my expectations of another origin film were met, I am not a big fan of the origin films but have to say as I have no knowledge of Captain America it was interesting to see something I had never seen being done previously. There were some points where it was a bit predictable and the fact that he is going to appear in the Avengers film which is set in present day you knew where it was going to end.

This film was enjoyable with some excellent effects very impressive with Chris Evans looking both very weedy and pumped up. Interesting that they went with a  love interest when they knew he would be around 70 years after the end of the film. I have to say that after the trailer for Captain America I had high hopes for the Avengers but now I am really worried. How can they manage to give each character a reasonable development within the Avenger circle and still have it as a feasible film. While that in itself will be a sequel to Iron Man, Thor, The Incredible Hulk and now Captain America it is in essence another origin film. I actually think that they might have been better going for the high budget high value TV series to set these all up, they could have spent 2 to 3 hours on each character and their interactions with each other and the finalise with an ensemble show that features them all.

But back to Captain America this was an enjoyable film and I would recommend that you go and see it if you have any enjoyment out of comic book films, it is one of the better films 4 stars for me.

The Thing (2011) Trailer

So the 1982 classic from John Carpenter is getting a somethingm from what I understand it is a prequel and is based in the Norwegian camp, so anyway we know how this will end up. Why on earth do we have to have a sequel to the classic, why not have an original idea to the original film (I know Carpernter's is a remake) but why not just leave the original and steal the idea and create a stand alone story that has nothing to do with the Thing but uses the same basic idea. The problem is that the film is tied to what is shown in the original also it is a group in the Antartic how different a film can it be without changing some of the rules.

Anywy the trailer does look good and I will probably see the film at the cinema as the original this is a prequal to is one of my all time favourite films. You have Mary Elizabeth Winsted invited to the antartic to investigate what the Norwegians have found and the creature comes through, I do wonder if they will actually finish where the John carpenter film starts with the helicopter, that would be fun to see.

So overall another film that is not needed at all but I will go and see it at the cinema.

UK Release date - 21st October 2011.