Sometimes you get to watch a movie on the big screen and it just blows your mind and Paul Thomas Anderson’s ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER is one such movie… the pace is electric, the humor is dark & relevant, the road chase towards the back end of the film is unlike anything you will see on the big screen, and the narrative really makes you think and talk about ICE, refugees, revolutionaries and the fucked up white supremacists of the world… you also get to watch THREE titans of the screen produce three remarkable & captivating performances in one picture and if the words Semen Demon, Jungle Pussy & LockJaw don’t tickle your inner Tarantino there’s no hope for you ! ★★★★★
Louis Mandylor’s PRISONER OF WAR is an old-school actioner that delivers in sentiment, revels in it’s fight choreography, has a whole bunch of compelling characters & WOW those scenes between Scott Adkins RAF Wright & Peter Shinkoda the proud yet brutal Colonel are EXPLOSIVE !! A bit like Chuck Norris in Vietnam back in the 80s with Missing in Action, it’s great to see War Movies mix with Martial Arts and if done the right way the combination can be dynamite, hats off to Mandylor & Adkins SUPERB ★★★★
Jeeeez what a film… YADANG: THE SNITCH is everything I love about Korean movies… the premise is OUTRAGEOUS, the flighting and action scenes are INSANE and there are many moments of humor that you know you shouldn’t be laughing at but you do anyways… THIS is one Grizzly, Nasty and Unflinching action packed movie with a STAND-OUT performance by Kang Ha-Neul that will have you on the edge of your seat throughout !! ★★★★
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, The Sting, Barefoot in the Park & All the President’s Men are my favourite Redford movies but he was fabulous in pretty much everything he was in, whether that be on the screen or behind it directing the likes of Ordinary People & The Legend of Bagger Vance, I mean what was not to admire about this great American… he had the works… his dashing good looks, enormous talent, an advocate for the environment and of course not forgetting he was the grand daddy of independent film creating the Sundance Film Festival… as I type this I look around my movie collection and smile knowing that I will still be entertained and inspired… RIP
Director :Zach Cregger Julia Garner, Josh Brolin, Benedict Wong, Amy Madigan & Alden Ehrenreich
From Zach Cregger the helmer of Barbarian comes WEAPONS a picture that is truly unlike anything you’ll see in the cinema this year… it’s mysterious, unsettling, fresh & original yet tainted with a darkness of peak Shyamalan… if the narrative that involves young children vanishing from a school doesn’t make you feel unnerved then what happens next to some of the citizens in this small community surely will… there’s so many “Kevin” hands to mouth moments throughout Weapons but I particularly loved the convenience store scenes, Gladys visiting Marcus at home and my throat tightened when Justine came across the house with newspaper cuttings covering the windows… the witch hunt, the paranoia, the dark & moody suburbian streets, the cop chase & even the utterly insane moments of dark humor are all captured magnificently by Seiple’s all consuming camera work & Cregger’s direction and fucked up script ★★★★★
Director : Camille Griffin – Cast Includes : Keira Knightley, Matthew Goode, Roman Griffin Davis, Annabelle Wallis, Lily-Rose Depp, Sope Dirisu, Kirby Howell-Baptiste, Lucy Punch and Rufus Jones
SOMETIMES you have to get into the festive spirit and dip your toes into a movie treat sprinkled with dark humor, christmas decor, children & friends and then slowly watch as it all implodes with impending helplessness and agonising dispair : Camille Griffin’sSILENT NIGHT is a real gem, it’s not your normal Christmas affair more of an examination of us humans and how some would react to the crazy scenario that this group of family and friends finds themselves in… with swirls of Melancholia mixed with The Mist I really found it facinating and rather upsetting in what transpires in the country home of Nell and Simon played delightfully by Knightley and Goode, who both appear to be good parents trying to do what’s right… Silent Night has a magnificent cast all of which turn in good performances, such as Annabelle Wallis who always makes me smile with her boundless energy taking on the role of Sandra, mum to the rather eccentric Kitty, the fastly growing talent of Lily-Rose Depp who’s character Sophie has other things on her mind and the impressive JoJo Rabbit star Roman Griffin Davis who delivers yet another unnerving turn as Art the son of Nell and Simon who keeps questioning as the night goes on… I would certainly class Silent Night as a horror film as it tackles fear brilliantly, especially when you throw into the mix the children and as the film progresses you can’t help but get caught up in it’s nervous & frightening drive : I LOVED the chaotic last 10 minutes of the film, admiring how Simon stays calm as the twins want the same amount of coke and then that final shot was just WOW and how about that scene when Art runs away and comes across an abandoned car and I so enjoyed watching Sandra purr over James throughout… SILENT NIGHT is a movie executed with a passion and thought provoking precision by a director making her feature debut from a story she had written… it’s one that I just connected with right from the off and has now been added it to my rather long list of annual December rewatches ★★★★½
Director : Ridley Scott – Cast Includes : Matt Damon, Adam Driver, Jodie Comer
I know I’m banging the same drum here… but why on earth somebody would rather wait for physical media or stream this movie than visit their local cinema and watch the latest picture by one of our greatest ever filmmakers on the big screen is beyond me… from the moment I was seated till the end credits two and a half GRIPPING hours later THE LAST DUEL proved to be yet another Ridley epic, with Dariusz Wolski‘s cinematography shot in Irleand and France on the grandest & grimmest of scales, battle scenes that pull no punches and that felt realistic & unpleasent in their delivery, it’s incredibly true story written for the screen by Nicole Holofcener, Ben Affleck, and Matt Damon is cruel and relevant and delivered in three absorbing chapters each from a different character’s perspective ending the movie with the continuation of those opening five minutes and to top it all off the The Last Duel has some of the finest acting by an ensemble put to screen this year… : MAGNIFICENT ★★★★★
Director : David Gordon Green – Cast Includes : Jamie Lee Curtis, Judy Greer, Andi Matichak
David Gordon Green‘s Halloween back in 2018 finished with Michael Myers trapped in a burning basement in Laurie Strode’s house, HALLOWEEN KILLS follows on directly after those events… the gasps, the laughter and the uncomfortable silence is why this movie is a must watch on the big screen… Halloween Kills is a real chaotic, unforgiving, relentless and NASTY AS HELL horror movie that pays homage to Carpenter’s original by building on the Haddonfield ethos, creating this timely reminder of the consequence of a witch-hunt whilst also managing to keep the films tension bubbling to boiling point : unlike previous outings in the franchise out the window goes this subtle, stalking killing machine that lurked in the shadows, in Halloween Kills you can almost feel the anger, & pain behind his torn up mask as he uses someone’s back as a pin cushion plunging knife after knife into their flesh for the sheer joy of it, I just felt there was something different, more evil than I had seen previously… the writing was on point too with Green’s narrative not all about Laurie dealing with her demons but more of a collective with Tommy, Karen and Allyson more in the firing line… the return of Kyle Richards as Lindsey & Nancy Stephens as Marion is not only a great touch, bringing both actors back from the 78′ original but it also worked well in the overall storyline and my eye’s lit up like a Birthday morning when Jim Cummings came on screen playing officer Pete McCabe in an early well worked flashback : for me Halloween Kills is the best Michael Myers outing since 1978’s Halloween & it’s underrated sequel Halloween II, it’s a film that suits the big screen arena but BE WARNED this film is not for the squeamish, with each death the next is more fierce and it’s R rating is a true indication of it’s horror : BLOODY AWESOME ★★★★½
Director : Lisa Joy – Cast Includes : Hugh Jackman, Rebecca Ferguson, Thandiwe Newton, Cliff Curtis, Daniel Wu, Marina de Tavira, Natalie Martinez
From it’s engaging cast and Westworld inspired imagery Lisa Joy’s directorial debut (in a feature film) is a thought provoking slice of scifi escapism that could have been so much more… I LOVE original content and having just watched the film I was blown away by the idea of a future world where retrieving & replaying favourite memories was possible, filmed like an film-noir mystery with accompanying narration Reminiscence had me hooked from early doors so why did I feel that tiny bit lacklustre after the end credits began to rise?… well to be honest I just felt the movie could have run for another twenty minutes, surely there was a need to explore the future world Lisa Joy had created, giving more meaning to the intriguing landscape of futuristic Miami rather than using it as alluring backdrop to a love affair that was doomed from the outset… I wanted to know much more about the characters that inhabitated Joy’s headspace and how did the city end up the way it did submerged under water with only the rich living in the dry space? was I wrong in feeling such originality, such ambition need more substance even if the runtime crept on slightly… but that being said Reminiscence is a fabulous movie and I feel my love for it will only grow over the years… so who cares what it does at the box office, as I sit here thinking what a certain time traveller once said… (I guess you guys aren’t ready for that, yet. But your kids are gonna LOVE IT) ★★★★
Director : Leos Carax – Cast Includes : Marion Cotillard, Adam Driver, Simon Helberg
ANNETTE : Henry is a stand-up comedian who falls in love with Ann, a famous opera singer. Under the world’s glare they form a much photographed and devoted couple but when Ann gets pregnent and gives birth to a little girl their lives are turned upside down : the passion & the commitment by Adam Driver in giving Henry McHenry this bat-shit crazy existence is totally admirable, from the opening tune of So May We Start to the scenes on the boat and his showdown with Simon Helberg’s Accompanist, Adam Driver is devastatingly good… as is Marion Cotillard playing Ann the opera singer and partner to McHenry, from the extraordinary sex scene to the birth scene Cotillard one again demostrates her prowess, her range of vocals and acting ability is astonishing… and don’t get me started on baby Annette (bizzare just don’t cover it)… and as for Leos Carax’s movie I can guarantee you that you will not see anything as uniquely ambitious, wildly bizzare yet quite as brilliant this year !! ★★★★½
Director : Robert Schwentke – Cast Includes : Henry Golding, Andrew Koji, Úrsula Corberó
SNAKE EYES (G.I. Joe Origins): After saving the life of the heir apparent a Japanese clan called the Arashikage welcomes Snake Eyes into their world. He is taught the way of the Ninja until his past catches upto him and his secrets become known to all around : I had a good time watching Snake Eyes but just felt the PG-13 rating hampered the overall tone of the movie, if it was darker, a tad more violent as the Yakuza generally are and the lead role of Snake Eyes was someone with a bit more experience in Martial Arts in real life and onscreen then the film would have kicked ass, I’m a big fan of Henry Golding but didn’t find his character believable enough… so overall Schwentke‘s movie is nothing more than a solid slice of entertainment that fails more than it does succeed ★★★
Director : Michael Morrissey – Cast Includes : Kay Tuckerman, Chukwudi Iwuji, Lexi Johnson
THE GIRL WHO GOT AWAY (aka: Mother) : After a female serial killer who killed four young girls escapes from prison, she returns to a small town to hunt the one girl that got away : It’s been eleven years since filmmaker Michael Morrisey directed Boy Wonder his first feature and judging by his latest I hope he directs another one soon… The Girl Who Got Away is a slow burning low budget slasher that’s reminisent of Carpenter’s Halloween, the film does a great job in keeping the tension bubbling with it’s intriguing plot and fabulous turns especially from Iwuji and Johnson, some of the death scenes really caught me off guard, making me jump on a few occassions and the film has a few twists that you don’t see coming duing it’s finale ★★★★
Director : Shawn Levy – Cast Includes : Ryan Reynolds, Jodie Comer, Lil Rel Howery
FREE GUY : A bank teller who discovers he’s an actual NPC (non-player character) in an open-world video game, decides to become the hero of his own story : Shawn Levy has directed many films in his career including the likes of Real Steel, Night at the Museum and The Pink Panther BUT nothing comes close to what he’s achieved with Free Guy a film that MUST BE SEEN on the biggest screen (please stay safe and wear a mask but this is perfect Cinema material), the writing by Zak Penn and Matt Lieberman is a delight, keeping the plot fresh, funny and playing perfectly into Ryan Reynolds capable comedy turning hands… the action is break neck and Jodie Comer is ON FIRE (and without sounding creepy she’s GORGEOUS too) her chemistry alongside Reynolds is terrific handling all the action scenes with ease and the faces she pulls when delivering her pitch perfect comic moments are so damn funny… I must also mention Taika “what you talking about Willis” Waititi who’s hilarious as the film’s villain, he swaggers with the best of them and his one liners are out of this world and along with some wonderful movie injokes look out for a great cameo by Channing Tatum who had me in tears (mum can you stop the hoovering)… CINEMA feels damn good right now and FREE GUY is the summer blockbuster of the year !! ★★★★★
What can I say that I haven’t already said about the legendary Canadian Filmmaker James Francis Cameron : each and every one of his movies are BADASS… filthy, beautiful, iconic slices of Badass CINEMA that I have crazed over since I was thirteen years of age, sneaking into my local big screen and falling in love with 1984’s Sci-Fi Classic The Terminator, the film, the cast, the story just blew my tiny mind to smitherines… and then if that wasn’t enough of a cinematic awakening how about 1986’s ALIENS the BEST godamn movie sequel that’s ever been, the film has the greatest ensemble, the greatest number of quotes that I’ve used in daily life than any other movie and a movie that sits comfortably in My Top 10 Greatest Movies of ALL TIME… James Cameron is an innovator, a visionary, an artist and although he doesn’t knock out movies every few years like say Ridley Scott or Clint Eastwood the quality and substance of his material is high end, near perfect and usually they turn out to be ground breaking in every way possible, just look at the visual effects, the ideas put together and what was achieved on the likes of The Abyss, Titanic and still the Best 3D IMAX experience that’s ever been in Avatar… and how about the comedy he injects into his films such as T2 Judgment Day and True Lies, both rock the pants off most in the action genre and both are incredibly funny too… so if like me your a fan of James Cameron then raise a glass and salute one of Cinema’s Greatest Filmmakers…
Director : Cate Shortland – Cast Includes : Scarlett Johansson, David Harbour, Florence Pugh
Since Marvel have treated us to many solo-outings that have involved Iron Man, Captain America, Hulk and Thor to say a BLACK WIDOW picture was long overdue is putting it mildly… I decided to ignore watching the movie at home as it was released on Disney Plus at the time and ventured a little further afield to my local big-screen, and just as I had hoped the wait was worth it and MCU’s latest did not disappoint : Cate Shortland’s movie is set after the events of Captain America: Civil War, and sees Natasha Romanoff on the run and forced to confront an old adversary that is linked to her past : my biggest take from the movie along with it’s darkly written storyline is the films delicious humor and Black Widow is full of great one liners that are smartly written and delivered superbly well by David Harbour’s Red Guardian and Florence Pugh’s assassin Yelena Belova… I loved Natasha’s backstory and the chemistry of those involved in this big cuddly dysfunctional Russian Spy family and along with the injection of humor it was the terrific big scale action scenes that caught the eye, from Black Widow’s first encounter with the Taskmaster in Norway, the epic fight scene between Natasha & Yelena, the prison escape involving Red Guardian and of course that final battle in the film’s last quarter that reminded me so much of a 70s Bond film : needless to say there’s nothing quite like watching any movie on the big screen and although the cinema was only half-full the atmosphere was enough to give Scarlett’sBlack Widow the send off she really deserves : CRAZY GOOD FUN ★★★★
Following the Abbott family who are forced to venture into pastures new as they quickly realise that the alien creatures that hunt by sound are not the only threats lurking beyond the sand path : A QUIET PLACE Part II opens up with a flashback… Day 1 starts with happier times where we get to see the the small American town where the Abbott’s lived right before the Alien invasion took place, there’s smiles aplenty as the kids are playing baseball, we get to see Brody’s Pizzeria an obvious nod to Spielberg’sJaws and we get our first look at a new character Emmett played by Cillian Murphy, a family man watching the baseball when his and everyone’s life changes forever : if your a horror fan then the darkness of the Cinema is the best place to watch A Quiet Place Part II as Polly Morgan’s imaginative camera work, the muted sound with flashes of screeching, screaming Alien attacks and the tension with each scene as the family attempt to navigate their now crushed world without making a sound is unbearable : I know I touched on this after 2018’s first movie but I have to say how impressed I am with Millie Simmonds who’s easily the star of this sequel, her character Regan is fearless & clever and the train and boat yard scenes with Cillian are terrific to watch, Emily Blunt of course is superb, the pain Evelyn feels in defending her children & insurmountable loss is the backbone of the movie, from heartfelt moments such as leaving her wedding ring on the cross and her fight with the creature whilst carrying two oxygen tanks is formidable, Peaky BlinderCillian Murphy is a welcome additon to the cast, his character Emmett plays a pivotel role in the Abbott families survival and The Undoing’s young star Noah Jupe is once again fabulous, that scene where Marcus is running out of air in the safe had my pulse racing and my knuckles turning white as I gripped the arms of the chair, nearly knocking my popcorn all over the place : it’s no mean feat to direct a sequel that stands up well alongside it’s original yet somehow John Krasinksi has managed just that… yes if I was being slightly picky the film finishes rather abruptly and could have benefitted with an extra thirty minutes… but since a third film in the franchise has been green lit with no other than Jeff “Midnight Special” Nichols directing then I’ll let this one pass and look forward to another chapter where being quiet is the new norm : TERRIFYING ★★★★
A criminal mastermind unleashes a form of justice that will terrifyin a new chapter from the book of Saw : Let’s dive straight in and get to the nitty gritty… DON’T listen to anybody who says that SPIRAL is like Fincher’s Se7en or that the movie is shifting in a new direction NO it is not : Darren Lynn Bousman’s movie is NOT a new beginning it’s just a pure and evil continuation of the dark & gory horror franchise that I love with every insane horror bone in my body : Bousman himself is a veteran of the SAW movies directing Saw II, Saw III, Saw IV, so let’s be honest Lionsgate wasn’t about to change the formula were they? and can you blame them…. yes Spiral is a tad predictable, but the writing is sharp with it’s focus on police corruption, it’s pace is quick and it’s creativity in setting up those grizzly murders is top draw and kept my butt clenched throughout… the cast ain’t too shabby either with stand out roles from Chris Rock who actually suits playing a lead detective, Samuel L Jackson, Max Minghella and Marisol Nichols who all fuel to this well oiled horror franchise : so if you’ve been a fan since 2004 and love your horror to contain plenty of blood and twisted carnage then SPIRAL will fill that 90min void with it’s own cruel blend of sick entertainment ★★★½
“I love every aspect of the creation of motion pictures and I guess I am committed to it for life”
Born in San Francisco, California in 1930 and with over 50 acting roles, 40 directorial credits, a whole bunch of original music and 4 Academy Awards CLINT EASTWOOD is the epitome of the word LEGEND : he’s 91 today, he’s still working & his latest film Cry Macho lands in October……… (Happy Birthday Clint)
A chilling true story of the supernatural, a violent murder and an unknown evil that shocked even the experienced paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren : If like me your a fan of The Conjuring franchise and invested in it’s characters and the horror universe it plays out in then Michael Chaves movie will get under your skin and deliver plenty of knee jerks, shivers and chewing of finger nails, yes of course I was disappointed to hear James Wan wasn’t returning to the franchise he started but after watching Michael Chaves brilliant directorial debut The Curse of La Llorona I was more than happy to enjoy another chapter of Conjuring : the third film of course sees the return of Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga as Ed and Lorraine Warren a real life husband and wife team of paranormal investigators who are now looking into the possession of David a young boy from Connecticut and the alarming events that followed : I watched this movie on the big screen, allowing the darkness of the movie theatre to consume me I was ready…. or so I thought…. in typical Conjuring fashion those sudden ear bursting moments of screaching SOUND really caught me off guard, especially at the beginning of the movie when David is being tormented by some evil entity and Ed & Lorraine with the help of some family members & a local priest are trying to perform an exorcism really startled me…. and AGAIN when David goes all Regan on the dining room table the SOUND matching the horrific intensity of the scene, really standing my hair on end : loved the nod to The Exorcist early on as Father Gordon arrives standing outside the Glatzel house looking up at the window, so poetic, Ed & Lorraine’s love story arch with it’s emotion and early flashback are beautifully handled (that gazebo scene had me like niagara falls), the supporting cast that includes Fringe’sJohn Noble (when is he not great eh?) & Ruairi O’Connor who I last seen in Teen Spirit are excellent and along with the well worked screenplay written by Aquaman’s David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick it’s the chemistry of it’s two stars Wilson and Farmiga that once again deliver believable and emotional characterisation of the Warren’s, this third film has more backstory allowing both stars to grow their respective roles even further : overall THE CONJURING 3 is a superb entry into the franchise and one that has everything you’d want from a horror movie : it’s super SCARY, has a COMPELLING and facinating story and the ATMOSPHERE you could cut with a knife★★★★
“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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