Wednesday, 9 November 2016

Hell or High Water


A very earthy movie with terrific performances.  The movie starts out as a typical yarn about white trash bank robbers. It then veers heavily into Trump territory which makes this a superior flick. There is a push back against vigilantes scene I really enjoyed. Rotten Tomatoes loved it with a 90%, I have to go with 75. A very good movie but aside from the acting no A's.

3.9 stars

Monday, 17 October 2016

Amerigeddon (2016)


Amerigeddon is a seething parinod fantasy about the New World Order detonating an EMP designed to send America back to the stone age. Fortunatly we have 8 patriots who resist. The plot is great, the budget shoestring and the acting just passable. This movie needed a Red Dawn injection of vision. Still its better than Dragon Day. In fact the director, and some of its cast could have a future in pictures.

Perhaps the most interesting thing about this project is the makers likely think its a documentary.

Two point six stars for true patriot love

Flight Crew (2016)


This is a totally Russian movie. It stars Danila Kozlovsky  and Agne Grudyte.  Both IMHO match any current Hollywood screen power. The subtitles are revealing because the translations are literal. For example when the female lead tells the male lead he is too imature for her she says " I like Alexy's older brother, not you". Flight Crew was filmed in IMAX and the production values are world class. Its a good story and the last half hour really generates tension and tears. Well done cultural experience.

Four Stars for our Russian Friends


Thursday, 13 October 2016

Siege of Jadotville

Commandant Pat Quinlan pictured with his men in the aftermath of the Siege of Jadotville
A tremendously poignant story that sticks with you for days. As a movie its good but not great. The moving parts of this geo political parable are not clearly identified. The battle scenes are by Hollywood standards much like the TV series A team. Perhaps part of the reason is that incredibility after a five day siege by the French Foreign Legion (CIA)the Irish UN troops did not lose a single soldier. The acting, directing and pace are all world class.

This film documents a 1961 battle for the riches of the Congo. As we battle ISIS today I hope this film opens the eyes of policymakers and average citizens to the hypocrisy that rules our world and changes minds for the better. The Siege of Jadotville illustrated the reality that the UN would never be more than a referee in an alleyway knife fight. Dag Hamerstrong died in this battle. He was the man that might of made the UN relevant and someone took him out.

The only thing missing was Roland the Headless in the soundtrack.

Four hopefully influential movie stars


Soldiers of fortune when the pay was not okay.



Sunday, 9 October 2016

Train to Busan (2016)


Its Snowpiecer with Zombies. Even though its Korean dialogue with no subtitles it should not stop anyone from enjoying this Korean take on the Zombie Apocalypse. (Subtitles are comming)There is something fresh about watching non Hollywood productions that is really delicious. One sidenote, the Korean TGV is very industrial looking compared to the Japanese Shinkansen,

The director really make you care about his characters and the tension in the last minutes is heart pounding. Production wise these are the best Zombies ever. Don't miss the Last Train to Pusan.

Three Point Eight stars

Saturday, 1 October 2016

ARQ (2016)


This may be the first Netflicks produced movie I have watched. Cant wait for this one Oct 7. It was a good experience and if it provides funding for similar efforts the public good is well served. Its a time loop groundhog day kinda movie with a twist. They made a lot out of nothing much here kudos all round, especially for Tony Elliot the Orphan Black writer who makes a great directoral debut.

3.5 Stars for difficulty yet clarity which is rare in a time travel movie

Mechanic Resurection (2016)


Its a Jason Statham movie. It started out realy strong and then just became a meaner McGiver. Lots of clever plot, Jessa Alba is great eye candy.  The locations, Phuket, Bangkok, Penang, Sydney, Rio are to die for as all of the people who cross Bishop do. A very nice looking picture with more hand to hand combat than than Bruce lee did in his entire career. 

Three been there done that stars

Sunday, 25 September 2016

Star Trek Beyond


The plot is a big stretch. Lots of great CGI and diversity, we got diversity. I liked Sofia Boutella as Jaylah. Crab head people, acid snot engineers and a genetic mutant bad guy. For some reason the main characters did not seem to capture their characters with the authenticity of the last two episodes.

It was the weakest of the three reboots. I give it a little better than entertaining rating. Rotten Tomatoes loved it, I am just pleased for another edition.  I really wonder is Star Trek would not be better going back to the small screen as  GOT type series.

Three point two stars.

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Monday, 19 September 2016

31 (2016)


I have great affection for B movies. I cant think of a better one than The Devils Rejects. Thats why I was eager to see the new Rob Zombie film 31. After about 20 minutes I came very close to bailing.

Richard Brake as Doom-Head was terrific and should have been the central villain. That was the biggest problem with the movie, it was a series of short horror vignettes tied together by a mostly uninteresting group of victims. Fans of Sherrie Moon Zombie will get there full fix, otherwise its only recommended for hard core Zombie fans.

I can only hope there is a sequel fleshing out Doom-Head and the 31 group.

2.5 disappointed stars.

Saturday, 10 September 2016

Lost in the Pacific (2016)


Lost in the Pacific is the sequel to The Last Flight.  It is a movie so bad its good. The tone was set because my version had English Subtitles for English dialogue. Aside from the cats the production values are fabulous.

This Chinese action plane disaster flick will have your eyeballs glued to the screen waiting for something weirder to happen. My favourite character was Ruoxin the female pilot who just cant get no respect. There is even a very funny homage to Casey Ryback. Sit back take it for what it is an have a hoot. 

Three point one awfully good stars.


Wednesday, 7 September 2016

Ex Machina


I figured the movie out after half an hour. It was interesting but I did not find it entertaining.   I would like to give is a good rating for originality but it was not that original. I ended up just sampling it, give it a try.

This is a very cool scene.

Rampage (2009) Rampage:Capital Punishment (2010) Rampage: President Down (2010)


Fans of The Purge will love these movies. The message is hard core anti republican. Hard to believe the central message is a call for gun control. All three are written and directed by B movie wunderkund Uwe Boll. All three have a cheesy low budget feel. The story is pretty good. In the first movie Bill Williamson practically wipes out his hometown. In the second he takes his message to Washington, in the third he wastes the Untited States. The anti hero taken to psychopathic extremes is good entertainment for those who like comic book violence.

a collective 3.8 thought provoking stars

Saturday, 27 August 2016

Eden Lake (2008)


If you liked Straw Dogs or even the remake this movie will delight you. A "hoodies film" be scared of the Yobs. Between this and Harry Brown I am just crossing England off of my destinations.  This directoral debut by James Watkins maintained extrodinary tension and kept the ball rolling till the final seconds.

Micheal Fassbender is the lead and his lovely lady is Kelly Rielly who I did not recongnize despite her impressive list of credits including Flight and two Sherlock Holmes movies. Also notatable Jack O'Connell as the bad bad boy.

I am not a huge fan of this genre, but this was well done and gracefully gory.
Everybody liked this movie. RT gave it 80%.
I agree

4 Bloody good stars


Bastille Day (2016)


A whole baguette of good movie. Count me as now considering Idris Elba as a potential James Bond. I still think Bond should be a white Scottish Person but if we must be politically correct then why not Idris. Cant wait to see Johnny Depp play Nelson Mandela.:)

 Attention Hollywood, Iris is 43 make him crank out at least two action films a year. I also loved the co star Rob Stark of GOT fame. Another great choice to be the new Bond. And the winsome Canadian actress Charlotte Le Bon was charming as the  pastsy revolutionary next door.

The real star was James Watkins (will have to watch Eden Lake now) who wrote and directed this genre blending mover. Its a story told a thousand times but with some real nice twists and great pace and charm.

Rotten Tomatoes was totally sacre bleu 50%. This was the best movie I have seen so far this year. Its sad it did not pull a Taken at the box office bringing in a mere $10 million, damm those subtitles. Never release a movie in America with subtitles, who is running those studios anyway? I love subtitles but why have the real thing when you can dumb it down.

4.1 Stars ( I advise you do not watch the trailer)



Sunday, 24 July 2016

Carnage Park (2016)



Based upon a true story this low budget movie starts with a nice Resevioir Dogs buzz and hums along nicely to a the Hills have eyes harmony. Ashly Bell who was one of the best things in The Day is the principle victim of   psycho Vietnam veteran Wyatt Moss who has created a "carnage park" in his massive piece of property out in the desert, where people get trapped so he can then pick them off one by one. 
I loved the soundtrack, near the end it really starts to creep you out. Director Mickey Keating also wrote the script and he deserves Kudos for both efforts. Much of the critizm of this movie is that it is totaly derivitive. Telling a story that has been told a million times before and  making it interesting is a talent.  Rotten tomatoes gave is a mere 56%. Its a solid 70% in my blog.

3.5 bloody screaming stars

Wednesday, 20 July 2016

Warcraft (2016)


Overall a pretty good Sword and Sorcery story. Two fascinating aspects.  Warcraft was directed by Duncan Jones. His two previous small movies Moon and Source Code where spectacular. This spectacular seems to have gotten a little bigger than he could manage. You feel the two hours, in a great movie you dont notice the passage of time. Still its a complicated story and to be honest I liked it as much as some of the first LOTOR movies. Second fasonater is that Rangar Loothbroke plays the hero. I did not know Travis Trimell was the lead.  I thought it might be but had to see the credits to verify. While not as good as Rangar, his portrayal as a sword swinging lover of half breed Orcs is enjoyable.

The worldwide box office was close to half a billion, and the movie was set up for a sequel which I expect to see.

RT gave it only 28% with me in the seventies.

3.6 stars

Sunday, 17 July 2016

Eye in the Sky


A taunt thriller about a drone flight whose mission turns from capture to kill. A very philisopical outing where just like the war on terror winning is hard to quantify but the forumla for collateral damage is well defined.
Alan Rickman and Helen Mirren star in Gavin Hood’s nail-biting thriller that explores the ethics of drone strikes
Gavin Hood did a predator like job of directing this movie that at times came close to the ministry of silly walks, but in the end real horror. His nice body of work includes X-Men Wolverine and Enders Game.

Arron Paul and Kim Engelbrecht play the unfortunate drone pilots convincingly. This movie is very well made and thought provoking, a sure box office bomb. (Just $18 million in North America) Just checked amazingly Rotten Tomatoes gave it a 95%. Which nuged me higher in this case

Four Stars for a move that really puts the drone in drones

Saturday, 2 July 2016

Independance Day: Resurgence (2016)


One of the few sequels equal or better than the original. Liam Hemsworth was terrific as the star of the movie. The plot was better, and the plan for victory more plausible. All the characters from the first movie except Will Smith are back. The film takes place 25 years after the first invasion. Humankind remains united and has adopted Alien tech. Very soon its clear that plan of defense was not going to work.

A truly fantastic disaster porn, alien invasion, sci fi spectcale epic blockbuster.
Rotten Tomatoes savaged t with 38%. I would be close to 80. I am not giving it five stars like the orginal, because the orginal was orginal.

4 stars

Tuesday, 24 May 2016

Independence Day (1996)



Independence Day was a big movie. Biggest Grossing movie of its year, and 51st in history.  For the Sci Fi Genre it was the 25th highest. It was a great groundbreaking epic movie. Lots of great messages and themes. Generally a huge dart at the military industrial complex.

I generally cant stand Will Smith but loved him in this movie. (MIB, Enemy of the State, I am Legend as well). Jeff Goldblum is another actor I am lukewarm on but he nails it here. The rest of the cast mostly character actors, with the exception of Bill Pullman. Brent Spinner has a great part as a capitve scientest in charge of  alien studies  Area 51.

Due to the upcomming release of the sequel I rewatched it last night. It remained fresh and compelling. The only thing really dating it was the period automobiles.

Rotten Tomatoes was really rotten in giving this movie only 61%. I have to go with over 90%.

Five Stars

Wednesday, 11 May 2016

Deadpool (2016)



My review of Deadpool was tempered by great expectations. It could never deliver on the promise. As usual the comedy would be much more effective in a Cinema. Still I laughed out loud a couple of times. I found the script overly busy and drivel like at times. Nevertheless this was perhaps the best of the Marvel comic book movies, but nowhere close to Batman levels. Morena Silva de Vaz Setta Baccarin is the Audrey Hepburn of science fiction. Her presence alone adds one star to any production. Ryan Reynolds deserves five stars for difficulty, and he nailed this difficult role.

Rotten Tomatoes gave it 83%, I am still in the seventies. Certainly this is the best of the latest bunch and as you may have noticed the latest movie I found worthy.

Three point 89 stars

Tuesday, 23 February 2016

Waterworld (Ulysses Edition) 1995 (2010)


The Ulysses Edition adds 40 min to the orginal.  I liiked the orginal I thought is was a nice parabole and the use of the Exxon Valdez particularly poingant. 

I like Kevin Costner and he is totaly on here. Jeanne Tripplehorn shines as the female lead. Dennis Hopper delivers as the villan.

Considering this movie was released in 1995 it shows just how farsighted the ad have been released today it would not be the bomb it was in 1995. The additional minutes fill in many blanks and make the ending much more satisfying, there is a bit of a Planet of the Apes moment at the conculsion that was powerful.


The original got a 42% Rotten Tomatos which I would have had at 60. This one moves up at least 10 points.

Three point two stars