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Reviews
The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (2015)
stylish and original
What a delightful movie. Guy Ritchie and his team have crafted a wonderful recreation of the 1960s TV series. Stunningly photographed,well paced and with excellent characterisations the film is a delight.
Henry Cavill is Napoleon Solo, a suave CIA agent who is tasked to get a young girl out of Berlin. Solo is a charming, funny, vain womaniser and Cavill gives an excellent performance.
Armie Hammer is Illya Kuryakin, a devoted KGB agent, assigned to stop Solo. Hammer is mesmeric in this film.
The chemistry between the two is first class, and both work well with the adorable Alicia Vikander. This is the first thing that I've seen Vikander in anything, but I may have fallen in love with her.
The rest of the cast is superb. The stunts fantastic and clever, the score stunning and the humour is laugh out loud funny at times. Favourite movie of 2015
Pixels (2015)
don't bother with this
Despite the general terrible reviews and box office went to watch Pixels last night. Mistake! This is not a film that deserves the benefit of the doubt.
Adam Sandler sleepwalks through another acting job and his character is super unlikable. he keeps insulting people, as far as I can tell for no reason.
Kevin James is the President..which , despite the bizarre events exaggerated for comic effects might be the least believable thing in the movie.
Michelle Monaghan falls in love with Adam sandler?? really?? why??
Josh Gad is in this but I have no idea why or what he is supposed to be.
The comedy falls flat and basically consists of Sandler being an idiot. He is too old for this schtick and it is just an embarrassment.
It is not the worst movie of the year- step up Jupiter Assending- but it isn't worth your money
The Anomaly (2014)
meh
The central idea of Anomaly is a familiar one to recent science fiction fans, as well as fans of the Jason Bourne series. That wouldn't particularly matter if The Anomaly had its own sense of identity or style. It does not.
The idea for films like this is to create a sense of mystery. Initially the film succeeds in doing this, but after some poor dialogue and clumsy info-dumps I suspect that most viewers will stop caring what the film is about. There is no sense of tension and, ironically, the ticking clock that the narrative needs is missing.
some of the performances are below par and The Anomaly feels like a vanity project for Noel Clarke, who casts himself as the hero and directs.
Dredd (2012)
forget the Stallone version, this is good
Chgannel 5 showed the Stallone version of Dredd the other night. having never seen it I watched it. After ten minutes of Stallone's mincing midget with a codpiece and a speech defect I could stand no more.
THANKFULLY THE KARL URBAN DREDD IS NOTHING LIKE THAT.
Urban is a very good actor, physically imposing and with a strong voice. He IS Dredd from the moment he appears.
The entire cast are strong and deliver. Headey is excellent, as usual. Thirlby- an actress I was unfamiliar with before this- is appealing as Psi Judge Anderson.
The script is dark and clever and manages to capture the tone of the Dredd audio adventures from Big Finish ( I've never read the comics and I'd like to start but I'm not sure if buying comics is seemly for a woman of my age).
Its violent and moody but not off puttingly so. I came out of the picture with an exhilarated feeling..and the desire for more adventures with this team and character.
The Bourne Legacy (2012)
a personal favourite
I like all of the Bourne movies but this is my favourite. I'm not saying it is the best but it is the one I like the most. I think the lack of shaky-cam has a lot to do with it. Greengrass films are good but the inability to focus on what's relevant takes away from the enjoyment of the films. That is why Doug Liman's film, The Bourne Identity, is my favourite and The Bourne Legacy is my second favourite. There's not much between the two. I much prefer the characters of Aaron and Martha to those of Jason and Marie and the relationship between them is much better realised. Legacy is the start of a new character's journey and there are enough elements to produce fascinating sequels.
I hope Gilroy returns as director. 8.5/10
John Carter (2012)
I enjoyed it
I am not familiar with the books or comics on which this movie is based. My only experience of Edgar Rice Burrough's is the odd black and white Tarzan movie on Saturday mornings on television.
I am aware of all the whining about how much it allegedly cost but paid it no mind. If I enjoy a movie, I enjoy it. I don't care how much it cost or how many people bought tickets.
John Carter ( I keep wanting to type Of Mars) is visually stunning. Andrew Stanton has tremendous style and the CGI, production design really did make me feel as though I had been transported to another world. It's utterly bewitching and beautiful.
Taylor Kitsch seemed a little hesitant as first, but soon grew into the titular character and played the role with aplomb. Mark Strong is always wonderful and Ciaran Hinds does sterling work.
The heroine is fantastic. Sexy, exotic and tough she is the way Lara Croft should have been in the movies.
Great action sequences. I'm really glad that I saw this on the big screen.
Watson & Oliver (2012)
just not funny
If Watson and Oliver want to be the new French and Saunders they've failed. They're more like the new Horne and Corden. Yes it really is that bad.
The problem is one that seems to exist in most modern British comedy series, especially on the BBC. There's a belief that silly voices, wigs, repetitive catch phrases and absurdity is inherently funny. It's not.
There is no subtlety in the writing or the performances. People deliberately being inept or stupid isn't funny. People with delusions of grandeur who fail are more likely to be. Watson and Oliver feels like watching kids playing dress up. It's not a performance, it's just showing off.
It's a pity because there isn't enough female comedy on TV. Watson is a good presenter and Oliver is a decent actress but they're not a comedy double act that anyone is going to warm to. They're too much like Hazell and Pepperdine when they should be Morecambe and Wise.
The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day (2009)
not as good as the first...
Boondock Saints 2 is not as good as the first one.I'm sorry it isn't.
I love the first movie beyond all reason so number two always had big shoes to fill.
The second movie doesn't begin well with the boys and their unconvincing facial hair and Eunice's introduction. Billy Connolly isn't in it much, which is a shame.
By the second half things look up. I started to warm to Eunice, there's some great one-liners and the final action scene is great. What a climax!
I know I've sounded a bit negative here but the film is still pretty good. I bought the DVD today so I obviously like it.
The Assassination Run (1980)
hasn't stood the test of time
I remember watching this on BBC as a little child..I recently got the chance to watch it again. What a plodding, pedestrian waste of time.
Every spy cliché is used, the cast ( Malcolm Stoddard in particular) sleepwalk through their roles and there is no decent action.
The lead character does nothing to develop the story or its outcome- the secondary characters do all the work.
I was really looking forward to seeing this again but it was a bitter disappointment.
On the plus side the photography is excellent, fantastic use is made of the locations and Stoddard and Mary Tamm are very attractive.
Bit of a damp squib though.
The Tournament (2009)
seen it all before...only better
Like many people I wondered why an action movie with Ving Rhames,Kelly Hu and Robert Carlyle didn't go to the cinema screen.
The answer is...its not good enough.
It is totally predictable from beginning to end, even if you haven't seen the many movies it rips off.
If you can't see who'll win and what part the priest will play after 30 minutes I'd give up.
Liam Cunningham and Robert Carlyle look embarrassed to be doing this. Kelly Hu is beautiful but can't act and other "stars" like Sebastian Foucan, Scott Adkins,Rachel Grant are blink and you'll miss them cameos.
The opening scenes in Brazil show us what to expect as an idiot "top assassin" runs into a room firing wildly then runs out of ammo and is killed.These are the best killers in the world????
even the guns sound like cap guns. Not worth your time