Change Your Image
andymcc_80
Reviews
Your Highness (2011)
Unfunny and so boring I think I fell asleep
After seeing the trailer for this film a few months ago I was really looking forward to the films release, I enjoyed Pineapple Express and was hoping for more of the same from Your Highness. There are plenty of good actors in the film and the premise and setting all had potential, setting it during the medieval period inevitably makes you think of Monty Python and the Holy Grail and unfortunately this film never comes remotely close to the brilliance of Python's medieval comic masterpiece. Danny McBride plays the same character he always plays, only this time with a bad English accent, the character doesn't work in this film at all and for me McBride has worn the character out, he brings nothing new and didn't once make me laugh during the film. James Franco isn't bad but he isn't great either and Natalie Portman's role could have been played by any actress, she add nothing to the role other than a nice backside in her very brief semi nude scene. I can't recall the last time I fell asleep during a film but around the 60 minute mark I think I dropped off for a couple of minutes, not a good sign when watching any film let alone a comedy. The bulk of the jokes weren't so much jokes as merely swear words, in medieval epics of years gone by swearing doesn't really feature and so the the screenwriters(McBride) seem to think that by simply swearing the audience will find it funny, the first time they do this it raises a smile but after 10mins it becomes more annoying than funny and just feels lazy. I wouldn't recommend this film to anyone, if anyone asks I'll tell them to re-watch The Holy Grail, at least they'll get a laugh out of that.
Bay rong (2009)
Mediocre but not awful
I watch quite a few foreign language films(from all over the world), and find that many of the most original and entertaining films being made today are not coming from Hollywood. Korea is producing some astounding drama/action films and Vietnam and Thailand are making some of the best out and out action films of the last few years. Tony Jaa opened the worlds eyes to the type of films that haven't been made since the early days of Jackie Chan, Chocolate showed that female leads can match or outdo many male stars in the genre. I say all this because going into Bay Rong I had hoped the film would be a combination of the best bits of Asian cinema, sadly I was disappointed. The acting is not really all that bad but as someone else has mentioned feels like it belongs in a soap opera at times. If the action is good I can overlook some bad acting, I'm thinking of the Warrior King and the brutal fight scenes it had but dire acting. This film never seems to reach the heights(or depths) that would make it stand out, the action isn't bad but it isn't great either, the fights felt very choreographed and didn't have the brutal and dangerous feel of films like Ong Bak or Merantau. I wouldn't recommend this film to anyone but at the same time there are far worse films out there. If you like Asian cinema and can see it cheaply it might be worth seeing, I gave it 5 out of 10, I didn't hate it but didn't love it either.
H.R. Giger Revealed (2010)
Dull & uninformative, avoid it & buy a book instead
This documentary was awful, it was boring, contained no information about Giger or his working methods and showed nothing of his life or inspirations. The entire film seemed to be made up of fan interviews each explaining why Giger is a genius but showing very little proof of the claims, Gigers work was shown only in short clips and the man himself appears for no more than 5 minutes of the film. Like many people my main knowledge of Gigers work is from the Alien films so I was hoping this documentary would expand and broaden my knowledge of his work and influences but sadly this wasn't the case, save your time and money and buy a book of the mans work instead.
Cui hua kuang mo (1993)
So bad it's...well bad but err...no it's really bad, but I loved it!
I'll start by saying that his film is awful, the acting is bad, the script is non-existent and the action well that's bad too, but I haven't laughed so much in a long time. If you watch this film looking for a great martial arts film you'll be disappointed, if however you're someone that loves 'so bad it's good' type films then this one will become a favourite. The actors(and I use the term loosely) were all clearly picked because they could fight, which seems pointless when you see how bad the fight choreography is, the delivery of some of the lines is hysterical and will have you rolling on the floor. The fights which should be a saving grace are hopeless, they kept showing close up slow motion shots which would normally show brutal hits (films like Ong Bak did this to great effect) but here they only show the actors stopping punches with inches to spare or the faces of people trying(and failing) to show pain. I got this DVD for £3 and it was worth every penny, I laughed until I cried , rewound to watch parts again and again, yes the film's bad but it's the perfect definition of 'so bad it's good'
Buy it, watch it, try not to pee yourself laughing :-)
Despicable Me (2010)
I enjoyed this more than Toy Story 3
I saw this and Toy Story 3 about a week apart and have to say that while Toy Story had more emotional depth than Despicable Me I enjoyed this film more. The humour in Despicable Me will appeal to adults and children and although the emotional aspect of the story is predictable and has been done before it works very well within the film. The humour for me is what made this film a more enjoyable experience than Toy Story 3, I felt I was nearly always laughing or chuckling or smiling. There were parts of Toy Story 3 that I felt dragged a bit but with this film there was non of that, in fact I felt like the 95 minutes flew by. Given a choice between seeing this or Toy Story 3 again I'd go for Despicable Me every time, I can see me watching this many time in the future, even if you're a fan of Toy Story go and see this, you won't be disappointing.
War, Inc. (2008)
Clever, funny and with good action.
I bought this film on DVD mainly because John Cusack was in it and I'll normally give anything he's in at least one viewing, after watching it I think it deserves more than it's current 5.8 rating on IMDb, I've watched it 3 times since buying it and always enjoy it. The film balances satire and action well and never seems to drag. Cusack is perfect for the role as the traveling hit-man, in fact all the actors chosen(even Duff) play their parts well, Kingsley and Joan Cusack stand out in their roles too. Why this film hasn't been seen by more people I don't know, especially when you compare it to most of the recent 'hit' films. If you want an easy to watch(but clever) satire/comedy with good action scenes you could do far worse then pick up a copy of War Inc.
Leaves of Grass (2009)
Thoughtful and funny
I really enjoyed this film and think that it will only get better with multiple viewings. The story is not as some reviewers stated dull and boring(if you expect a typical stoner film maybe you would find it slow & unfunny) the film moves at a sedate pace but never feels like it drags, the humour is often gentle or subtle. Ed Norton delivers a stunning performance as the twin brothers, within minutes of watching you forget they're played by one person(this is helped by the fact that there are no scenes that look fake or CGI'd)
The film uses philosophy quotes a lot to explain character motives or personalities and it could have seemed contrived but the director/writer has made it such an integral part of the film that without the quotes and passages the film would be hollow and not have the depth or be as touching and thought provoking as it is.
If you get a chance to see this film, do so, you won't be disappointed(but go into it with an open mind and don't expect slap stick fart gags)
Black Dynamite (2009)
A classic! up there with Airplane & Police Squad
I saw a trailer for Black Dynamite months ago and thought it looked interesting but would probably be mediocre at best...I was wrong!
From the first seconds of the film until the last I couldn't stop laughing, everything about the film is spot on, the humour, soundtrack even the look of the film itself has a 70's feel. There are tonnes of quotable lines and scenes that you'll be talking about after seeing the film. After so many poor spoof films it's great to finally see one done properly, the makers of the film clearly know blacksploitation films inside & out to be able to capture them so perfectly.
I can't recommend this film highly enough, if you get a chance to see it, do, you won't regret it.
9/10 And deserving of every point :)
Wanted (2008)
Non stop action and great fun!
I expected this film to be the type of movie that showed the best bits in the adverts and left you with nothing but filler to watch but I was wrong, from the first few minutes the film had action and it never seemed to stop. Jolie makes killing look easy and cool(not sure that's a good thing in real life but hey this is film and fiction after all) McAvoy did a good job with US accent and was far better at the action than I expected. If you're looking for heartfelt drama or Oscar worthy acting don't go to see this and then moan, this is a film for people who like to go the cinema and just enjoy themselves and yes it's far fetched but so what it's loads of fun too.
The last few times I've been the cinema I've come away disappointed, the films I saw were either garbage or I could have enjoyed just as much sitting at home on DVD(and paid less for popcorn) but films like this were made for cinema, they are loud, fast, overwhelm the senses and are hugely entertaining. This is the type of film I'll end up buying on DVD to watch again and again when I want a film that I can switch off to and just thoroughly enjoy.