West Side Story
(30.08.13) - The Sharks and the Jets are two rival gangs in New York. The Sharks, led by Bernardo, are Puerto Ricans who are despised by the Jets, led by Riff. But Tony, the ex-leaders of the Jets, falls madly in love with Maria, the sister of Bernardo. As the two fall in love and plan to marry, the rivalry between the Sharks and the Jets gets worse and leads to tragic consequences. Based loosely on Romeo and Juliet, this classic musical was an absolute joy. With it's timeless soundtrack, excellent choreography and engaging story, the whole thing oozes class. Now around 60 years old, this film still stands up today and I loved every second of it. The songs were being whistled for days afterwards and it is one which really needs to be watched more often. The dancing and musical numbers are not as numerous as you may expect,but they are filled with enthusiasm and perfectly done. The opening scene, where the two rivals are pitted against each other is excellent and the show stopping "America" is quite literally the highlight of the film. Packed with emotion, comedy and great singing and dancing, this film deserves it's classic status.
Creep
(29.08.13) - A woman leaves a party to catch the last tube train, but find herself locked in the tube station and being stalked by an unknown assailant who attacks one of her work colleagues and leave him for dead. In a desperate attempt to find help from anyone she teams up with a homeless couple and they fight their way through the darkness to try to escape alive. This British horror was a decent film. It nicely cranks up the tension in the first half and the feelings of isolation and abandonment come across well. The reveal of what is actually stalking them is a little bit of a let down, but the film redeems itself following this minor dip. Claustrophobic and tense, this is a pretty decent horror which I really enjoyed.
District 13
(26.08.13) - District 13 is a run-down Paris suburb, controlled by criminals and where drugs and violence are the order of the day. A young idealist called Leito crosses one of the gangs which results in his sister being kidnapped. Rescuing his sister and handing the gangs leader to the police, he finds himself in prison as the corrupt system lets him down. But when nuclear weapon falls into the hands of the gangs, a policeman assigned to recover the missile requires a guide who can help him through the district. This French action film is simply outstanding. The stunts are all based around the urban sport of Parkour, and are undertaken by the cast members themselves (including David Belle, often credited with being the grandfather of the sport). The chase scenes are simply breath taking and have to be seen to be believed. The story never lets up and there are enough fight, gangs, guns and chases to keep even the most demanding action fan happy. Fast paced does not adequately describe this film and it comes highly recommended.
A Nightmare On Elm Street
(25.08.13) - A group of young friends are slowly picked off by a
serial killer in a dirty red and green sweater, a fedora hat and a gardening
glove with razor sharp metal on the end of the fingers. The killer is a child
molester who was burnt to death by angry vigilante parents. But he is
resurrected in the dreams of their children and as they are stalked and killed
in their dreams, they are killed in reality. But following the death of three
of her friends, one girl decides to fight back. This classic horror was a
favourite of mine growing up and it was good to watch it again. The whole thing
still entertains and despite the 80’s pastel pink jumpers and back combed
bouffant hair, the whole film has a dark and sinister undertone. Robert Englund
is perfect in his signature role and the Freddy portrayed in this film is
darker and more menacing than any of the others. In terms of direction, this is
probably Wes Craven's best film and the whole thing took me back to my childhood.
The film has certainly stood the test of time and remains an all-time classic.
Point Blank - 24.08.13
(24.08.13) - A young trainee nurse finds himself in deep
water when an attempt is made on the life of one of his patents. He scares off
the would-be attacker, but his pregnant wife is subsequently kidnapped and he
is forced to bring the patient out of the hospital in order for his wife to be
returned. But what transpires is a criminal conspiracy and he places his faith
in the underworld to ensure the safe return of his wife. This French thriller
was excellent to watch. It was a very short in its duration, but relentless in
its fast paced action. The story is a little cliché in places, but was hugely
entertaining and a cracking little hidden gem. The acting was decent, but the
direction zips the whole thing along as breakneck speed and it shows a number
of Hollywood thrillers how it should be done.
This Is It
(23.08.13) - Filmed in the rehearsals leading up to his death, Michael Jackson's vision for his comeback tour is cobbled together with footage from behind the scenes, films of the backdrops and the rehearsals themselves. This is a divisive film and if you are not a fan of Jackson and his music, then it is not for you. To it's credit, the film is played fairly straight. I was expecting it to be an over the top, love-fest for Jackson, but is actually a fairly bland presentation of the man in terms of him personally, but allows the music, dancing and spectacle speak for itself. Personally, I was in the mood for some light watching and some music, and I really enjoyed watching it again. The whole thing would have been a spectacular concert to say the least and in many ways, it is a shame that the finished product never made it to the stage. The only downside was being distracted by MJ's freakishly giant hands.
I Spit On Your Grave
(23.08.13) - A young female writer heads to the solitude of the countryside to work on her new book. But on arrival, she manages to embarrass a group of young, local men. She is subsequently attacked by them in her cabin in the middle of the woods, but when she escapes, she comes across a Sheriff who is out hunting. Thinking she has found salvation, she finds that he is as bad as them and he returns her to her tormentors. She is brutally raped, but manages to flee. Hiding out in the woods, she garners her strength and seeks her revenge, getting each person back in a way which befits their crimes against her. This remake of a seminal 70's classic is standard reboot fare. It was an good film, in terms of it's high gore and violence content, which elevates it above the usual, and it does have some quite inventive death scenes. It was a a decent revenge thriller and had it's moments, and has to be better than the similar Last House On the left remake. The violence is pitched at the right level and is never goes too far. A decent film to watch on a Friday night with a bottle of wine which demands little from the viewer and delivers and entertaining piece of viewing.
Hellraiser
21.08.13 - Frank is a man who lives life to the extreme. He
obtains a small Chinese puzzle box which unleashes the Cennobites, demons to
some, angels to others, who transport Frank to another world and where he is
tortured for eternity. His pain and pleasure are indivisible as his skin is
ripped apart by hooks and chains. His brother moves into Franks house where,
following cutting his hand, his blood revives Frank from the other world.
Needing more blood and flesh to revive him from the dead, Frank turn to Julia,
his sister in law with whom he had an affair, to assist him and bring him back.
But the Cennobites are not far behind and are not prepared to easily allow one
of their victims to escape. This is another classic 80’s horror which I really
enjoyed as a youngster. I was worried that the film would look tired and dated,
but actually, the effects stood up fairly well. It was good to see a film which
contained mostly mechanical special effects and make up. The story was still
engaging and I enjoyed re-watching it much more than I thought I would.
You're Next
(20.08.13) - A family head for their holiday home in the middle of nowhere to celebrate the wedding anniversary of their parents. But as the evening get's under-way the house is attacked by a gang of strangers in animal masks. Using a crossbow and some brutal violence, they take out the family one by one. But who are they and why are they attacking the family? And who is the new girlfriend of one of the sons and why is she so capable of fighting back. I did enjoy this film a lot more than I thought. It was a decent home invasion flick and was also fun. It had a dark comedy element to it, and was laced with black humour. The film nicely cranked the tension up and paid off with some decent action, some great violent scenes and some good action. It went from home invasion to revenge thriller very smoothly and is recommended.
Rango
(19.08.13) - A domesticated lizard finds himself slung out of the comfort
of his tank and into the middle of the desert. Following his escape from a
buzzard, he comes across a wild-west town which is suffering from a water
shortage. Bumbling his way into the role of sheriff, he uncovers corruption
within the town, whilst all the time, trying to restore the water supply to the
town. This film was an absolute delight. Firstly, the animation is simply
stunning and the whole thing is beautiful to look at. I remain absolutely
astounded by the quality of the animation and the overall look of the film. The
story is fun very well written, the voice overs are well acted and there are
plenty of in jokes and nods to the western genre. It is a real credit to a film when you actually
forget that you are watching an animation as the whole thing draws you into
total immersion in the characters and story. There are some spectacular set
pieces (the cart chase through the canyon springs to mind) and the film is an
unmitigated delight. Highly recommended.
Beetlejuice
(17.09.13) - A couple move into their dream house, but following an accident, they find themselves as a ghosts living in their attic and trapped in their home in a state of limbo. But as a horrible City family move in and start to ruin their ideal home, they try to scare them off, but fail miserably. Seeking help, they approach Beetlejuice, a bio-exorcist, who is a specialist, in getting rid of the living out of the homes of the dead. But Beetlejuice runs out of control and the couple try to reign him back in. The film from the twisted imagination of Tim Burton has dated slightly in terms of special effects, but is surreal and enjoyable. Michael Keaton puts in a terrific performance as Beetlejuice and the rest of the supporting cast give good support. The story is fun, the film is short and punchy and the whole thing was very enjoyable. If you look past the special effects for the most of it, the whole thing is terrific fun.
Sweeny Todd
(17.09.13) - Sweeny Todd returns to London to avenge the death of his wife and his daughters kidnap at the hands of the local magistrate. Setting up above a pie shop in Fleet Street, he slowly hones his murderous craft, whilst depositing the victims into the mincer below. The pie shop becomes one of the most popular in London, and Sweeny Todd's skills with a cut-throat razor become legendary. But as his anger grows, he becomes closer and closer to exacting his revenge. This sing through musical was suitably filmed by Tim Burton, using his trademark Gothic overtones and dark visuals which matched the tone of the story and the music perfectly. Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter both put in good performances and did better than expected, despite not being the greatest vocalists. The film becomes a contrast of dull grey and stark red as the blood starts to flow, particularly towards the finale. Whilst the show itself is not necessarily one of my favourite musicals, but I have to say that the film was better on second viewing than I remember it. The songs are not the most memorable, but were fairly decent. I have to say that I enjoyed the film far more than I thought I would and really did quite enjoy it. I will certainly watch it again in the near future which will no doubt cement it more as a decent musical in my mind.
Takers
(16.08.13) - A gang of thieves are persuaded to engage in a hastily planned and high risk job by a colleague who has just been released from prison after taking the fall for the group. Feeling obliged to repay the favour, the gang take on the heist, but in their planning and execution, things start to get difficult as they find out that there is some double crossing in place. But the question is who is crossing who? This film was a bit of a surprise. Bought on a whim, it is not my usual kind of thing, but it was actually much more enjoyable than anticipated. It is Oceans 11 for the "Fast and Furious" generation. Paul Walker plays his usual character, ably supported by a fairly decent cast. The film is high octane, high action and damn good fun. Relentless in it's chase scenes, shoot outs and fights, the film is absolutely nothing new in terms of story or plot, but when even a clichéd story like this is done with such enthusiasm and in such a casual way, you can't help but get swept up in the fun of it all. The film is never going to be an Oscar winner or a classic, but it was never intended to be. What it is is a throwaway bit of fun which, overall, is a great "brain in neutral film".
Lockout
(16.08.13) - A commando is set up and sent to a high tech space prison to serve out his life senetcne in cryogenic status. But follwoign the president's daughter being held hostage whilst on a humanitarian visit. Knowing that the commando is the only hope of getting out the presidents daughter alive following all of the psychotic prisoners being released from their "cells", he is set on task to get her to the escape pods and keep her safe. But battling through floor after floor of demented criminals is not going to be easy. This film is from a story by Luc Besson and is pitched as "Die Hard in space". It doesn't quite hit the heights of that film, but what it should be is is "escape from New York in space". Guy Pearce is decent enough in the role as the wisecracking commando who is as handy with his quips as he is with his fists. The special effects were a little limited, reflecting the films low budget, but they were functional and provided enough to look at during the film's relatively snappy 90 minutes. The film is your standard action film, but was enjoyable enough for a late Friday evening.
Salt
(12.08.13) - A CIA agent finds herself in the middle of a plot by the Russian's whereby sleep agents were planted on US soil during the cold war. When a high ranking and highly wanted Russian terrorist walks into the CIA building, he tells Agent Salt that she is one of the sleeper agents. But when she gets mixed up in an incident which leaves doubt as to whether she is a sleeper agent or not, and with her fuzzy memory starting to put together the mystery of her past, the chase is on. This was a great little action film which I enjoyed a lot more than I thought. The film was originally going to be star Tom Cruise, but Jolie stepped in when he left. It is great to see a good female lead, some excellent action and chase scenes and an enjoyable story. Whilst it was nothing too original in concept (The Long Kiss Goodnight has already trod this ground some years ago), it was a surprisingly good no brainer which is well worth a watch.
Borderland
(09.08.13) - Four friends head off to South America, but after a heavy night out, one of them goes missing. He awakes to find himself having been kidnapped and is chained up in a barn where he is about to be the latest human sacrifice by a cult who still practice the barbaric ritual. His friends won't give up on their missing travelling companion and without the assistance of the police, try to track down and subsequently rescue him. This horror film is based on a true story and was an average watch. It was not the best horror film I have ever seen, but not the worst. The film was pitched to fans of Hostel and Saw, but I struggled to see the links to them. It was not as gory as Hostel, as original as Saw and was more a thriller than a horror. Overall, I enjoyed it, but it was not the film I was expecting, so on that basis, and enabling me to head into it with the right frame of mind, it is one that will shortly have another watch.
Commando
(09.08.13) - A retired commando is forced back into action when his former squad are killed off one by one and his daughter is kidnapped. On the trail of his would be assassins, he turns into a one man killing machine in the hunt to save his daughter. This 1980's classic has not fared that well. In terms of action, it is good fun. There are plenty of shoot outs, car chases, chases on foot and hand to hand combat, but the acting is terrible (in a so bad it is good kind of way). Schwarzenegger contorts his face through the acting scenes and the cliché direction simply enhances the campness of it all (the worst (best?) scene is during the titles, with Arnie and his daughter feeding a deer and smiling at each other in what looks like a pose from a 60's catalogue). It also has what can only be described as the world's gayest looking villain, all chain mail vests, handle bar moustache and leather caps. You have to wonder whether there was anything conscious about the villains appearance from the director? That said, the continuity errors, the corny script and the poor acting are still good fun and the whole thing is entertaining enough and falls into the so bad it is good category, but has not held up as well as other film from around the same time - such as Back tot he Future etc - but it was an average watch. I guess we were just more easily pleased in our younger days!
The Bourne Ultimatum
(10.08.13) - Jason Bourne emerges in London with information that an expose Treadstone - the secret project that created him. He approaches a reporter and after a tense chase in Kings Cross station, Bourne comes closer still to discovering the truth about his identity whilst also moving towards exposing the corruption in the CIA. As he is relentlessly pursued by a number of assassins, he makes his way to the CIA headquarters to confront his past. This closing chapter was absolutely outstanding. From the opening scene, the film grips the viewer and never lets go. The film moves seamlessly from one perfect action set piece to another. The whole thing was quite simply superb and nicely ties up the story. The trilogy as a whole is one of my favourites, especially after this re-watch and I cannot recommend these films highly enough. A great story, great action and great characters all round. This film is the pinnacle of the trilogy and it is great to see such a solid set of films where each one gets better than the last one. Very highly recommended.
The Bourne Supremacy
(07.08.13) - An attempt is made on Bourne's life by the Government Department who are desperate to cover their tracks over the secret project which Bourne was part of. But when Bourne's girlfriend is killed instead, he heads out internationally to track down the man responsible and to get closer to those who ordered the assassination What follows is a game of cat and mouse played out on a number of continents as Bourne moves closer to discovering his real identity. This sequel built very well on the first film, continuing the story and getting deeper into the conspiracy that Bourne came from. The action was much more fast paced and focussed more on the one on one chase between the two agents. Really stepping up a notch, this film was really enjoyable and builds nicely on the strengths of the first film.
The Bourne Identity
(04.08.13) - A man suffering from amnesia is pulled from the sea. He had two bullets in his back and no idea as to whom he is. As snippets of his memory start to re-emerge, the discovers that he is a highly trained secret agent from a government project. But he is more interested in finding out exactly who he is. But after an incident in the American Embassy, he travels to Paris with a young woman in search of answers as to who he is. This film was excellent. A great opener to a fantastic trilogy. The story was interesting and had some great characters. It held a nice balance between an action film and political thriller and the whole thing was thoroughly entertaining. The action sequences were fast paced and exciting, the performances generally good all round and the films, in my view, are much preferable to the James Bond films.
Priscilla - Queen of the Desert
(03.08.13) - Three drag queens "unplug their curling wands and go bush" to head to Alice Springs on a pink bus called Priscilla, Queen of the Dessert. Along the way, they laugh, bicker, find prejudice and love and "dress up in women's clothes and mouth the words to other people's songs". Yet another repeat viewing for this simply brilliant film. Its witty script still sparkles, the costumes are excellent, the story is moving in parts, hilarious in others and all combines to what can only be described as a genuine viewing delight. The film (and play) is reviewed at many other points on this website, which is a testament to the quality of this film and the number of times I have sat through it.
Jack Reacher
(02.08.13) - Following what appeared to be a random shooting, Jack Reacher, a Military Investigator, is asked for by the prime suspect. But Reacher, who has had dealings with the suspect before, is not sure of his guilt and assists his defence lawyer in trying to uncover the truth behind the shootings. But his investigations start to make various people nervous and his safety, his investigation and the life of the young suspect all hang in the balance. This gripping action thriller was absolutely great. It was an excellent story with the almost perfect balance being both an action film and a thriller. Tom Cruise turns in a great performance as the titular hero. The film was panned, mainly for the fact the Cruise bears no resemblance to he character described in the book, but for, me, as someone who has never read the book, Cruise did nothing but an excellent job. His appearance did not matter and in no way detracted from what was an excellent modern thriller which is up there with Mission:Impossible 3 & 4 with it's great blend of story, thrills and action. This is up there in my top films of the year. Highly recommended.