Aeon Flux

400 years in the future, a virus has left only 5 million people left on Earth and they all live in one city, Bregna, under the control of a group of scientists.

Aeon Flux, the best operative of the underground movement, is sent on a mission to kill the head of the scientists. Fairly straight forward until she shoves a gun in his face and suddenly realizes that she knows him.

The mystery is slowly revealed leaving Aeon with some choices to make.

I wouldn't put this down as a great film, but it's certainly well worth watching.

 

  

 

Anger Management

There's some great moments in this film. Lots of laughs, and even an appearance by John MacEnroe - you just couldn't have anger management without John, could you?

Worth watching!

  

 

Around The World In 80 Days

I really like Jackie Chan films, and this one doesn't disappoint either.

Good fun!


  

 

Big Fish

This is a sweet little film.

It's not very often you find films that are just really nice stories.

  

 

Breakfast on Pluto

A baby boy is left on the doorstep of a priest's house in Ireland. The boy grows up to be Kitten, a confused transvestite who goes looking for his mother in London.

Set in the seventies, with music to match, the film takes us on the roller coaster ride that is Kitten's life.

 

  

 

Brother Bear

Another fun film from Disney - similar to The Lion King, but with a whole new bunch of characters.

Go on rent it, i bet you laugh!

  

 

Enemy At The Gates

Based on a true story about a Russian sniper who becomes Stalingrad's hero. The German's bring in their best sniper to deal with him - and so the duel begins.

  

 

Fun with Dick and Jane

A remake of an old film in the light of the Enron scandal.

Dick is promoted only to find the company has gone bust. All the bills are piling up, they're paying the housekeeper with their appliances and the house is in negative equity.

Only one thing left - Dick and Jane set out on a crime spree.

Good surburban fun.

And don't forget to watch the deleted scenes; the toy store robbery is probably the funniest part of the film.

 

  

 

Genghis Blues

The true story of blind blues musician, Paul Pena's journey to Tuva to compete in a overtone singing contest.

Paul had taught himself to throat sing after hearing a broadcast on shortwave radio. He also taught himself to speak Tuvan by translating Tuvan to Russian to English as there were no Tuvan-English dictionaries.

Whether you're into overtone singing or not, this film is wonderful in how it portrays one man's ability to overcome his disability and suceed at doing what he loves.

Big thanks to Colin for lending me this.

 

  

 

i, Robot

I've read every robot story Asimov ever wrote and i'm currently reading them all again. You can find out all about the books here.

This film is well worth watching, but not as much as Asimov is worth reading.

  

 

Interview with the Vampire

I watched this years ago before i read the book, and having recently read the book for the second time i thought i'd watch the film again.

The film is a very condensed version of the book, as a lot of films are, but it is really well done. The acting is excellent, especially Tom Cruise as Lestat and Stephen Rae as Santiago. One little niggle though, Antonio Banderas is far too old to be Armand. Armand is a teenage vampire in the book, incredibly powerful and old, but still a teenager.

Anyways, if you like the film, which i can't see anyone not liking it, then read the books and get the whole story.

  

 

Kill Bill

Another great film from one of the masters of film making - and Quentin's discovered the sword! Not as good as Pulp Fiction, but definitely up there abouts.

I just love all those swords!

Bring on part two!

 

  

 

Kill Bill 2

If you liked the first one you'll love the second. And if you haven't seen the first one yet then why you still sat there reading this?

Go rent it now!

  

 

Lord Of The Rings

All three of them.

It's been about ten years since i read the books (all in a week). This was my first taste of fantasy novels, and i really enjoyed them. I do however think that there are much better fantasy novels about now, but Tolkein did set the standard upon which they all built.

Not sure how i feel about the films though. I had certain images in my own mind as to what the characters were like and some of them just didn't fit with it. And i'm not sure that the story would make much sense unless you've already read the books (including, and especially, The Hobbit).

But that said there were some great moments, and special effects are certainly getting better these days. That aside, the story struck me as very phrophetic in the vision of materialism and greed being represented by the two towers. Thoughts of 11th of September 2001 come to mind, the symbolism is quite uncanny.

  

 

Master And Commander

I love those old tall masted sailing ships.

Well worth watching.

  

 

Once Upon A Time In Mexico

This film is funny, fucked up, bizarre - but excellent!

Great characters, lots of guns, blood and shooting.

On the extras disc there's the director giving a demo of how to cook the Puerco Pibil featured in the film. I haven't tried it, but it sounds very interesting.

  

 

Over the Hedge

One of the best animation films i've seen. The quality of the animation is superb, the storyline is good, the humour is hilarious and there's even a serious side to it as a critique of urban invasion.

If you want to have a good laugh and put a big smile on your face, rent this!

  

 

Open Range

Has a bit of a dull start but builds to a great western gun fight - Kevin's well'ard!. And there's even a nice soppy love thing thrown in just to keep the tissues busy!

Well worth a rental just for the gun fight!

  

 

Paycheck

Another one of those Phillip K Dick stories doing the rounds, and is very similar to Minority Report.

I wouldn't call it a great film, but it's worth giving it a watch.

  

 

Runaway Jury

When i first saw this film in the video shop i judged it by the cover and thought it looked boring. But i got to watch it for free and i have to say that the cover doesn't do justice to the film.

A really good story, that gets revealed little by little as the film goes on.

A few of my thoughts about US gun laws...

Thousands are killed and injured by guns in the US every year, and the gun companies are simply allowed to hide their responsibility for this behind an ammendment.

We also have a right to bear arms in the UK, but only if we can prove they are for a legal and responsible purpose.

The 2nd Ammendment was written long before automatic sub machine guns and pissed off students walking into schools shooting their classmates, and maybe the whole point of ammendments is that they need to be ammended occasionally.

  

 

Saw

I got to see this when i was at Ant and Lin's. I admit to even leaving the room at one point in the film.

If you like nasty movies like Se7en then you'll love this.

If you don't like nasty, stay well away.

  

 

Shark Tale

This whole film is worth watching for the Rastafarian jellyfish enforcers alone.

Great fun, and not to be missed!

  

 

Shrek 2

What better than true love. Awwwwwwww...

It's great!

And funny!

  

 

Sin City

Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino do make a great team.

Stunning cinematography with lots of gore and violence.

A great film!

2 & 3 are in the works so look forward to more great films.

  

 

Star Wars Episode III

Well here's the first bad review of a film on my website. The acting in this film is appalling.

Obi Wan Kenobi was an Englishman!

Now is it too much to expect that they actually cast a young Englishman in the role of a young Obi Wan? Instead we are forced to watch a hopeless Scottish actor chewing through his words trying to sound and act like a young Alec Guiness acting Obi Wan - and he fails miserably.

And Palpatine and Anakin are pretty awful as well.

In fact, the only believeable acting in the whole film is Yoda.

Rant, rant, nuff said!

  

 

The Big Lebowski

Another film that's been out for ages and i've only just got around to watching it.

But it is excellent and very funny. John Goodman at his best...

"Am i wrong?"

"Am i fuckin' wrong?"

  

 

The Good Thief

A great old classic heist with lots of twists, turns and fun too. A good story with lots of great characters.

You could do a lot worse than rent this film!

  

 

Transamerica

It's a film about a guy called... "Stanley", who is transgender and now known as "Bree" and just waiting for her final operation when she gets a phone call and finds out she's a father. She tells her shrink who then won't let her have the operation until she's sorted her past out with her son (who is a rent boy in New York). Ergo, roadtrip across the states while Bree and Toby get to know each other - and also themselves.

 It's supposed to be hilarious, but i didn't find it that funny. It rely's a lot on shock value for the humour, so if it doesn't shock you it loses a lot of the humour. But it does have other more thoughtful levels to it, and the acting is great.

And if you like Dolly Parton, she wrote and sung the theme tune - which is a good old Jesus-loves-me-even-if-i-am-f**ked-up country song.... Yee haa!

Anyway, this is the second film i know of with a guy called Stan(ley) becoming a woman and i'm starting to get very suspicious about these film makers.

  

 

Troy

Wow! What a fantastic film.

It's got a bit of everything in this.

  

 

Twisted

A good police detective whodunit. Who's killing who and why?

You'll find out at the end.

  

 

V for Vendetta

The guys who brought us the Matrix Trilogy are back with their latest film.

Yeah, more kick ass, non stop, full on action from the beginning - you won't be bored with this film.

It's also a very poignant reminder of how governments are manipulating the people by allowing and even instigating so called acts of terrorism in order to create fear in the populace.

It is crucial to remember that governments and their security services who claim to be protecting you really do have a vested interest in creating and allowing things to happen that they can then claim to be protecting you from.

I really look forward to their next film.

  

 

Van Helsing

It's James Bond meets Dracula.

I really liked the Jekyll and Hyde character, i'm sure they could have made a great film with him alone.

Not the greatest of vampire films, but it's ok.

  

 

Walk The Line

Having grown up with a father who was always listening to, singing and playing Johnny Cash songs it's little wonder that i'm a fan. The guy was great.

I'm not sure how much people who don't like 50's rock n roll and country music will like this film, but for those of you who do, you'll love it.

But music aside, it's also a great love story.