Posted on July 6, 2010 by Darren
Terminator 2 is a pop culture classic, a film that single-handedly made Arnold loveable despite films like Junior and Jingle All the Way, typecast Robert Patrick as a distinctly unpleasant individual and reminded us that not all teenage protagonists had to be eye-roll inducingly bad. Spielberg’s Jaws is frequently regarded as “the first blockbuster”, but I think the case can be made that Terminator 2 redefined the kind of summer movie we saw – for better or worse, it laid down a blueprint which has been followed countless times since.
Prepare to be blown away...
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Filed under: Non-Review Reviews | Tagged: actions, Arnold Schwarzenegger, blockbuster, blockbusters, classic, edward furlong, film, james comeron, linda hamilton, Movies, non-review review, review, sci-fi, science fiction, terminator 2, terminator 2: judgement day, terminator 2: judgment day | 7 Comments »
Posted on July 5, 2010 by Darren
Alien³ is generally regarded as an inferior Alien film, and the start of a slippery slope that would lead us through Alien: Resurrection into Aliens vs. Predator and even Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem. It’s also regarded as something of a hiccup in the career of David Fincher, and an example of how meddling from greedy corporate executives can potential derail the rise of a young talent. That’s a lot of pressure for a single film to carry – particularly one which has enough trouble standing on its own two feet. However, I am quite fond of this particular incarnation of the franchise. Not enough to call it a “classic” or even “great”, but enough to argue that it was a relatively brave and ultimately valid experiment for the franchise – much more so, arguably, than the fourth film.
It’s an emotional reunion, to say the least…
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Filed under: Non-Review Reviews | Tagged: alien, alien 3, alien franchise, alien trilogy, aliens, charles dance, charles durning, david fincher, films, Movies, non-review review, review, sequels, sigourney weaver, xenomorph | 4 Comments »
Posted on July 1, 2010 by Darren
We all know the story. Artists are apparently particularly self-destructive, especially those who write country and western songs. Crazy Heart isn’t exactly a boldly original film by any stretch of the imagination – in fact, it’s typically predictable up until the end – but it does have a thing or two working in its favour, which elevates it just a bit above these almost conventional films. The first is a rather endearing soundtrack which is – in many ways – better written than the film itself. The second is Jeff Bridges.
Jeff Bridges plays your heartstrings...
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Filed under: Non-Review Reviews | Tagged: bad blake, biopic, colin farrell, country, country and western, crazy heart, film, jeff bridges, maggie gyllenhaal, Movies, music, non-review review, otis blake, review, soundtrack, western | 5 Comments »
Posted on June 28, 2010 by Darren
There are somethings you can’t put a positive spin on. The rape and murder of a fourteen-year-old girl is one of those things.
A little too lovely...
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Filed under: Non-Review Reviews | Tagged: films, heaven, mark wahlberg, Movies, non-review review, peter jackson, rachel weisz, review, saoirse ronan, stanley tucci, susan sarandon, susie salmon, suzie salmon, the lovely bones | 9 Comments »
Posted on June 26, 2010 by Darren
I quite enjoyed Get Him to the Greek. It wasn’t quite as wonderfully put together as Forgetting Sarah Marshall, but it’s a pleasant little comedy that treads familiar ground, but in a witty and confident manner. The movie isn’t exactly a laugh-a-minute, it is one of the better major releases so far this summer.
Aldous is about to have his world rocked...
Note: My brother and correspondent, Ciaran, reviewed the film earlier in the week. My thoughts aren’t too different than his – save a few details here or there (I maybe liked it a tiny bit more). It’s well worth a read.
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Filed under: Non-Review Reviews | Tagged: aldous snow, colm meaney, comedy, films, forgetting sarah marshall, get him to the greek, jonah hill, music, non-review review, p. diddy, puff daddy, review, russell brand, sean combs | 4 Comments »
Posted on June 25, 2010 by Darren
It’s great when film makers find something original enough to play with. Daybreakers takes an intriguing little snippet most of us have probably had and dismissed while watching a cheap vampire film – “what would happen if the vampires won and became the dominant species?” – and stretches it out to a two-hour film. It’s a movie that’s bristling with all sorts of witty ideas, but the problem is that it never really takes the opportunity to lift itself out of the “trashy B-movie” category of vampire and futuristic military films. While there are some great notions and concepts at play here, they aren’t executed with a hint of finesse, instead played with the sort of skill you traditionally find in a hackneyed slasher movie. Which is a damn shame, because when the movie hits the right buttons, it really works.
Blood work...
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Filed under: Non-Review Reviews | Tagged: day breakers, daybreakers, ethan hawke, films, Movies, non-review review, review, sam neill, vampires, willem dafoe | 4 Comments »
Posted on June 24, 2010 by Darren
Stephen Spielberg helmed something of a loose science-fiction trilogy in the early years of this century. A.I. and Minority Report are still relatively contentious (perhaps the former more than the latter) when it comes to discussing the place of his modern output in the context of his wider filmography. However, it’s the third film of the three which I’ve always been most fascinated with, despite the fact it has been mostly forgotten on his somewhat impressive list of accomplishments. Never afraid to stick up for a film that most people seem to have just shrugged their shoulders about, I’m going to stand up for the not-quite-so-little-but-not-so-big-you’d-notice-him guy. I think that War of the Worlds is the best film Spielberg has directed in the last decade.
This invasion hasn't got three legs to stand on...
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Filed under: Non-Review Reviews | Tagged: adaptation, aliens, film, h.g. wells, hg wells, invasion, mars, martians, Movie, non-review review, review, spielberg, stephen spielberg, the war of the worlds, tom cruise, tripods, war of the worlds | 11 Comments »
Posted on June 23, 2010 by cimooney
I’m a big fan of Russell Brand but he seems to be somewhat overshadowed by Jonah Hill in Get Him to the Greek. Hill easily steals the show and is the main reason this film is funny, I may even go as far as saying he’s the only reason this movie is funny. Without Hill this movie may have fallen down, but luckily he keeps everything a float throughout the course of the film.
It's only rock'n'roll but we like it...
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Filed under: Non-Review Reviews | Tagged: aldous snow, comedy, films, get him to the greek, jonah hill, Movies, non-review review, p. diddy, puff daddy, review, russell brand, sean combc | 1 Comment »
Posted on June 22, 2010 by Darren
Ever thought Hamlet was kinda a downer, what with everybody dying and all? Well, you’re not alone. Failed actor and volunteer drama teacher Dana Marschz had the same notion. Drafting only his misfit bunch of drama students, he has decided to stage a play of his own, using it as a window to explore his own peculiar father issues through the window of a time-traveling Hamlet and a (rock me, rock me) sexy Jesus. The movie doesn’t perfectly capitalise on its downright hilarious premise, but it’s still a wonderfully entertaining story with a promising lead performance.
Sexy Jesus found his role greatly increased in the sequel...
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Filed under: Non-Review Reviews | Tagged: comedy, hamlet, hamlet 2, mvoies, non-review review, review, steve coogan, the arts | 7 Comments »
Posted on June 21, 2010 by Darren
Yes Man is a fairly standard romantic comedy with an inventive (but one-note) high concept. It does, however, have an ace in the hole: Jim Carrey.
Keep Pottering on...
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Filed under: Non-Review Reviews | Tagged: bradley cooper, comedy, films, fionnula flannigan, jim carrey, luis guzman, Movies, no, non-review review, review, rhys darby, spencer garrett, terrence stamp, yes, yes man | 4 Comments »
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