It’s with a heavy heart that I share with you guys the news that the talented filmmaker Curtis Hanson has died aged 71 – With a CV that boasts the 1992 intense psychological drama The Hand That Rocks the Cradle, 1994’s The River Wild, 2000’s delicate yet brilliant Wonder Boys, hip hop drama 8 Mile, 2005’s heart warming In Her Shoes and of course his masterpiece 1997’s gripping noir drama L.A. Confidential that not only won awards but gave it’s stars Russell Crowe, Kim Basinger and Guy Pearce a huge career lift, L.A. Confidential is up them amongst the Best Movies of it’s genre and one I personally enjoy returning to – thank you sir for the legacy of great movies you’ve left behind for us to enjoy over and over…..
When the movie starts up and we are first introduced to Richard Brake‘s sadistic abomination watching as he slowly utters the words “Hello, they call me Doom-Head” you know instantly that Zombie is back and his latest feature 31 is gonna be a whole lot of dark and twisted movie fun – it’s the way Doom-Head continues outlining his plans to his most recent, helpless victim that is not only brutal but is executed in a calm, truly horrifying manner that sucks you in and allows you to think “damn this is gonna be tense” – 31 is possibly the most bloodthirsty of Rob Zombie’s movies to date and after the let down that was The Lords of Salem it’s great to see this warped filmmaker returning to his roots and just like his earlier work The Devils Rejects and House of 1000 Corpses I’m expecting this new depraved slice of insanity to gather a cult following – the film is not only directed but written by Zombie, it was made on a crowdfunded budget and brings together a casting of familiar faces, some of which you may recognize from not only previous Rob Zombie movies but cultist horror movies of yesteryear – if your a fan of this director and his style of gory terror then 31 will appeal, it captures the haunting mood of Rejects, the carnage & horror of Corpses and immerses you into a blood soaked vision of torture, murder and a deadly race of survival as the clock slowly ticks down….
I must admit I was not a fan of Jean-François Richet‘s miserable remake of Carpenter’s moody, epic Assault on Precinct 13 but that I can now forgive after watching his latest thriller Blood Father that stars Mel Gibson playing an ex-con who reconnects with his estranged daughter and kicks some ass in the process – Gibson looks great, he has obviously bulked up, his skin looks weather beaten looking every bit the menacing no-nonsense ex-con the role required, nobody plays mean, angry, gun tooting, revenge shooting better than this snarly Aussie, like most great film stars you can’t help but admire his work and in Blood Father this is Gibson firing at his absolute best – but this is not a one man show, on screen Gibson’s backed up nicely by Erin Moriarty an exciting young actress who plays his daughter in the film & the talented William H Macy who delivers a sound performance playing his sponsor & friend – so whether your a fan of Mel Gibson or not (and I most certainly am) Blood Father is one helluva movie, it’s fast paced action, sumptuous cinematography and it’s 80s style one liners has already catapulted this thrill ride into one of my favorite movies of the year….
from the South Korean master of terror Kim Jee-woon comes The Age of Shadows a gangster movie set in the 1920’s, the movie follows the activities of the Heroic Corps, an anti-Japanese independence organization that existed under the Japanese colonial period in South Korea. The group used violent means to achieve Korean independence – if you’ve not seen any of Kim Jee-woon’s movies then start with 2010’s epic, nail biting I Saw the Devil it will give you a taste of what this cult movie director is all about, his brand of Asian Cinema is top draw, all are well acted, visually stunning pictures that usually nail your ass to your seat and don’t give you time to breathe until the films final conclusion – he often collaborates with superstars Lee Byung-hun and Song Kang-ho and both star in his latest The Age of Shadows here’s the trailer, enjoy but don’t forget to check out Kim’s other movies such as The Good, the Bad, the Weird, A Tale of Two Sisters and A Bittersweet Life all terrific pictures that deserve your time….
I wasn’t totally convinced by Fede Alvarez’sEvil Dead remake but his latest the low budget thriller Don’t Breathe is a different animal – I’m sure my heart actually stopped for a brief second whilst being terrified by this darkly intense and at times brutally twisted horror movie – Alvarez really makes use of the house interior, his camerawork adds so much to the scares and along with Stephen Lang’s deranged victim come tormentor this is one creepy ass movie that will scare you senseless – do yourself a favor and don’t miss this on the big screen….
I’m always a bit dubious of this constant obsession of film remakes but David Lowery’sPete’s Dragon is an absolute beauty of a movie- one of them rarities a picture that’s actually better than it’s 1977 original – the cast is sublime especially Bryce Dallas Howard and the wonderful Oakes Fegley who plays Pete and in both cases I could not have imagined better, the CGI of Elliot is magical, it really is the stuff of fairy tales, combine that with the breathtaking scenery & it’s fantastic well written script and you have a real cinematic treat, a picture that evokes memories of the classic Disney movies of yesteryear – Pete’s Dragon is a heartwarming, magical movie that will make you smile and bring out the child in you…..
“If science teaches us anything, it teaches us to accept our failures, as well as our successes, with quiet dignity and grace” – in his career Gene Wilder has made me laugh like no other actor has, his movies such as Stir Crazy, Blazing Saddles, Young Frankenstein, See No Evil, Hear No Evil and of course Willy Wonka continue to this day to make me smile, cry with laughter and think of the world a much better place after watching them – thank you for entertaining us with your own brand of humor and stardom and you can be sure that someone somewhere is watching one of your movies tonight and raising a glass or two and more than likely spilling it as they begin laughing like a banshee… may you now rest in peace… well that’s if Feldman, Pryor and co will let you 🙂
War Dogsis the unbelievable true story of two young men, David Packouz and Efraim Diveroli, who somehow manage to land a $300 million contract from the Pentagon to arm America’s allies in Afghanistan – This film is certainly a change of pace for Hangover director Todd Phillips, War Dogs is peppered with delicious humor, stunning cinematography and genius casting but it’s also a pretty dark, intense picture that will have you shaking your head in disbelief at what actually went on, and although some of the story the film is based around has been slightly changed for movie purposes what actually follows is an incredible ride, a ride that’s not only witty, compelling and utterly riveting but one that’s scary as hell – Overall: to spend nearly two hours in the cinema watching a masterclass in acting by Teller& Hill who seem to effortlessly bounce off each other, their energy electric working that insane, exciting War Dogs script was such a joy – two of my favorite scenes from the movie are when the guys travel to Jordan in an attempt to transport their arms to Baghdad (what follows is not only absurdly funny but it also contains some ass twitching moments), the second scene is when Jonah Hill’s Efraim goes all Tony Montana on some local Miami drug dealers (just one of them magical movie moments where the packed cinema erupts with laughter and you just wish you had a remote in your hand to play that moment back) – I had lot’s of fun watching Todd PhillipsWar Dogs it’s a gem of a movie and one that I can’t wait to watch many more times ★★★★
Daniel Ragussi’s directorial movie debut IMPERIUM is a solid, well written thriller with two good performances from Radcliffe and Collette and one exceptionally creepy one from True Blood’s Sam Trammell – the film’s subject matter is no doubt disturbing and is handled well by Ragussi but it’s darkness is too often conveyed by flashing images, often thrown together in a serious of video montages instead of being built into the film narrative, these montages work to a degree but for me personally I never felt Radcliffe’s character was in any serious danger and his cover looked more routine than it should have been – OverallDaniel Ragussi’sImperium is a good watch and even though I felt slightly unsatisfied with it’s conclusion I would recommend it and look forward to seeing more from it’s director in the future !! ★★★½
Suicide Squad:“After the events of Batman vs Superman a secret government agency run by Amanda Waller sets out a plan to recruit imprisoned supervillains to execute dangerous black ops missions in exchange for clemency”
as film fan’s we owe it ourselves to follow our own heart and not to be influenced by others, we should embrace any movie we watch and if it sucks then say so but don’t ever be afraid to enjoy a movie experience even if other do not……
If your a fan of the Comic Book Universe or just love escaping into a movie then you will have a blast with David Ayer’sSUICIDE SQUAD – to quote Derek Zoolander this movie is “ridiculously good looking” it’s a crazy cocktail of ass whooping action, mouthwatering characters (some of which are making their big screen debut) and a rather awesome soundtrack from Eminem’s Without Me, Grace and G-Eazy’s You Don’t Own Me to Norman Greenbaum‘s Spirit in the Sky these tunes only add to the already electric, colorful comic book vibe filmmaker David Ayer has managed to create – at it’s start the movie gives us a brief lowdown on each of the super villains, this is cleverly done allowing even non-fans of the comic book world to grasp a little about these characters – you have Rick Flag the groups leader nailed by the impressive Joel Kinnaman who I loved in The Killing such an underrated actor, Margot Robbie is sensational as Harley Quinn the manic Looney tune, who can look after herself in a scrap and loves her pudding, Margot simply owns the screen, I was mesmerized by her look, her mannerisms and of course her bat shit crazy vocals – onto Aussie actor Jai Courtney and being honest I’ve not always been a fan, but his turn as Digger Harkness aka: Captain Boomerang is completely bonkers & utterly fabulous, his comic bites and action scenes are brilliant and oh yea he has a little fetish for pink unicorns – another clever bit of casting was Viola Davis who it must be said is terrifying as Amanda Waller she oozes presence and inhabits the darkness of Waller’s character so well, don’t forget to stay after the credits for a little teaser involving Waller & Bruce Wayne – and last but not least is Jared Leto’s take on the Joker – it’s wacky, it’s fresh and at all times it’s menacing, that haunting laugh, them silver gnashers and his vibrant green hair has given this infamous DC villain a unique twist, but saying all of this I somehow believe that this will be the one and only outing for Leto which would be a shame as with similarities to Cesar Romero’sJokerLeto’s mastermind, given time could go on to become the greatest of all carnations….
Overall: I have now seen David Ayer’sSuicide Squad three times in the cinema, each time I have left after the end credits with a huge grin on my face – it’s action is insane, it’s casting spot on and you know what I did not think of the film’s editing, film’s rating or whether Marvel are better or worse than DC once (not one single time) I sat there in my seat and enjoyed David Ayer’s vision from start to finish – Suicide Squad is lots of fun and when called upon it’s pretty dark too, damn we even get some surprises along the way, cameo’s from Ezra Miller’sThe Flash and Ben Affleck’sBatman both mixing it up with our new super villain friends and don’t forget like most superhero movies these days don’t be quick to look for the exit when them end credits rise – for me Suicide Squad is pure entertainment, a delicious popcorn munching cinematic treat, a fanboys dream, a giddy fun packed comic book movie adaption that allows you to have fun whilst also allowing you to look forward to that universe’s next installment….★★★★
JUSTICE LEAGUE and WONDER WOMAN have landed some trailers and if your a fan of their universe and love the comics then you best sit your ass down and watch these two on repeat for the rest of your day – the Justice League looks lots of crazy badass fun, the introduction of Aquaman,Cyborg and last but not least The Flash (although I still prefer Grant Gustin’s Barry Allen) but that scene in the trailer where Bruce Wayne throws his Batarang is pretty awesome – all of this only whets the appettite for the planned Ben Affleck stand alone Batman movie whilst the trailer for Wonder Woman an origin story set back in World War I will blow your fanboy mind, Gal Gadot looks incredible and so comfortable leading the first modern female-led superhero movie, judging by it’s look, feel and high speed action we could be in for one hell of a ride next summer….
Justice League: Ben Affleck, Gal Gadot, Jason Momoa, Ezra Miller, Ray Fisher, J.K. Simmons, Willem Dafoe, Amber Heard and Henry Cavill – “Fueled by his restored faith in humanity and inspired by Superman’s selfless act, Bruce Wayne enlists the help of his newfound ally, Diana Prince, to face an even greater enemy. Together, Batman and Wonder Woman work quickly to find and recruit a team of metahumans to stand against this newly awakened threat. But despite the formation of this unprecedented league of heroes—Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Cyborg and The Flash—it may already be too late to save the planet from an assault of catastrophic proportions”
Wonder Woman: Gal Gadot, Chris Pine, Connie Nielsen, Robin Wright, David Thewlis and Danny Huston – “Gal Gadot returns as the title character in the epic action adventure from director Patty Jenkins. Before she was Wonder Woman, she was Diana, princess of the Amazons, trained to be an unconquerable warrior. Raised on a sheltered island paradise, when an American pilot crashes on their shores and tells of a massive conflict raging in the outside world, Diana leaves her home, convinced she can stop the threat. Fighting alongside man in a war to end all wars, Diana will discover her full powers…and her true destiny”
It’s always painful as a film fan to loose anybody you’ve admired in the business, even if that person was from afar and sadly the passing of Garry Marshall is one that hurts like hell – yes I know what your thinking “you never knew the guy so why the sad face?” well let me tell you why the sad face – Garry Marshall was a huge part of my television life, back in the 80s I would watch his classic creations Mork & Mindy, The Odd Couple and Happy Days the Marshall stamp was clear on all these shows, simple, effective and loveable characters that would bring tears of joy to my face, then in the late 80s and early 90s when I became truly addicted to film he delivered two classic film gems 1987s Overboard with Goldie Hawn & Kurt Russell and then in 1990 the romantic Pretty Woman with Julia Roberts & Richard Gere, both fantastic slices of cinema that continue to get replayed in my home on a yearly basis – other much loved films in my collection include his 2004 film Raising Helen with Kate Hudson and the underrated Frankie & Johnny from 1991 that starred Al Pacino & Michelle Pfeiffer – so as you can see Garry Marshall meant a lot (and still does), his film style, his love of the audience, his performers and most of all he above all else his creations made me smile when I needed to smile most and for that I thank him RIP
Here’s some fantastic footage of Gareth Edwards latest Rogue One: A Star Wars Story – this 3 minute clip is an absolute treat for us fans of this universe and whets the appetite for the movies upcoming release in December – the films cast include Felicity Jones, Ben Mendelsohn, Mads Mikklesen, Diego Luna, Alan Tudyk & Forest Whitaker the impression I get from these clips is that Rogue One appears to be more practical film-making, less CGI than say The Force Awakens and more in style of the original Lucas trilogy, the action and storyline looks fabulous and the return of old favourite Darth Vader will get us fanboys buzzing like a turned on light sabre – take a peek at the trailer below and enjoy (I have already watched it 3 times it’s so damn good)
OK first up I never wanted to see this movie made and not because of this nonsense “all female” thing either, I just love the original films, like many they’re part of my upbringing since the original was released back in the mid 80s I must have seen the film 100 times or more Aykroyd, Ramis and Murray are three of my film heroes so discovering that they were doing another film remake and this time it was my beloved Ghostbusters I was at first mad as hell, I wanted to scream the social media house down, I guess I never wanted a movie more than this one to fail miserably but luckily for me like most things I calmed down and accepted that even without my blessing this reboot was going to happen one way or the other – Paul Feig happens to be one of my favourite modern comedy directors, films such as Bridesmaids, The Heat and Spy have all made me cry with laughter so taking the mantle for this remake was a big thing for him and I just prayed, kept my fingers crossed that he was up to the task…..
OK so now I have seen Ghostbusters the 2016 version and I want to share my views with you film fans out there – firstly it has to be said Feig goes above and beyond in respecting the original 1984 classic, he uses the old theme tune, gives cameo’s to the old cast and even dedicates the movie to Harold Ramis at the end credits (a nice touch I thought) – his young cast comprising of Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon, Leslie Jones and Chris Hemsworth are all fabulous, McKinnon and Jones for me steal the show but in general Feig has managed to cast well all actors adding something to this reboot, Hemsworth is at times hilarious playing the dopey good looking secretary for the team, he actually wears glasses without the glass and keeps tripping over himself & that dancing at the end credits is worth staying around for – I love also the fact that the legend that is Andy Garcia plays the New York Mayor such a great actor and fabulous to see him back on the big screen – the films opening at the haunted mansion was a riot, Kristen Wigg’s character getting slimed is worth the ticket value in itself and them scenes involving Jone’s character in the subway and also the possessed dummy are so much fun, McCarthy being possessed and getting slapped by Jones was hilarious and then of course you have McKinnon just oozing style playing the oddball engineer who creates the teams Ghost busting weapons & looks equally at ease firing them bad boys – Overall: put aside (if you have any) your disagreement for this movie and go and have some fun – Paul Feig’sGhostbusters is an amusing, entertaining picture, the cast rock & I promise you this movie will bring a smile to your face, my only small criticism is that the last 15minutes could have been handled better, a little OTT but that’s me being picky – Ghostbusters is a real blast !! ★★★½
“I'm a mog - half man, half dog. I'm my own best friend” - Spaceballs (1987)
“I once stole a pornographic book that was printed in Braille. I used to rub the dirty parts” - Bananas (1971)
“Roses are red, violets are blue, I'm a schizophrenic and so am I” - What About Bob? (1991)
“Yeah I called her up, she gave me a bunch of crap about me not listening to her, or something, I don't know, I wasn't really paying attention” - Dumb and Dumber (1994)
“Fat, drunk, and stupid is no way to go through life, son” - Animal House (1978)
“Like a midget at a urinal, I was going to have to stay on my toes” - Naked Gun 33 ½ : The Final Insult (1994)
"Yes, it's true. This man has no dick" - Ghost Busters (1984)
"I have nipples, Greg. Could you milk me?" - Meet the Parents (2000)
Movie Taglines
"They called him 'Fast Eddie'... He was a winner... He was a loser... He was a hustler" - THE HUSTLER (1961)
"For Three Men The Civil War Wasn't Hell. It Was Practice!" - THE GOOD, THE BAD, THE UGLY (1966)
"The night HE came home" - HALLOWEEN (1978)
"All the power on earth can't change destiny" - THE GODFATHER PART III
"In space, no one can hear you scream" - ALIEN (1979)
"Be afraid. Be very afraid" - THE FLY (1986)
"Cruise like Thunder" - DAYS OF THUNDER (1990)
"Same Make. Same Model. New Mission." - TERMINATOR 2: JUDGEMENT DAY (1991)
"Houston, we have a problem" - APOLLO 13 (1995)
"The greatest fairy tale never told" - SHREK (2001)
"We've Sensed It. We've Seen The Signs. Now... It's Happening." - THE HAPPENING (2008)
Movie Trivia
DJANGO UNCHAINED is the first time in 16 years that Leonardo DiCaprio didn't get the top billing
In John Carpenter's HALLOWEEN Michael Myers' mask is actually a Captain Kirk mask which was altered for the film
On the set of 1982's THE THING the whole cast and crew was male
BLAZING SADDLES was shot on the same MOVIE set as Yul Bryner's WESTWORLD
The first TWILIGHT movie is the only film in the saga to not receive any Razzie Award nominations
In a deleted scene from James Cameron's ALIENS Ripley's (Sigourney Weaver) daughter was played by Elizabeth Inglis, Sigourney Weaver's real-life mother
Prints of the movie INCEPTION were shipped to theaters under the name "Hour Glass"
The Dude from the superb THE BIG LEBOWSKI says "man" 147 times in the movie
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