Lord Of The Rings (7)

First Blood Part 2 (7)

This is the film which from some many cliches were born, and this is film that I remember from my dim youth of Rambo. For both these I actually rather enjoyed it and I am glad that I have watched this again after all these years - 7, its a classic worth watching again.

Rambo's old commander offers Rambo a "get out jail free card" (his exploits in the previous First Blood landed him jail) to go and find prisoners of war in Korea. He goes and finds some, but with one rescued he is abandoned and not picked up a helicopters. It transpires that another commander who is running the command center and controlling the mission did not want to find any prisoners because of the political problems it would cause. Rambo is caught and tortured by the Koreans and Russians but he has only only thing on his mind, revenge on the commander. That is, of course, after he has escaped and killed all the Russians, Koreans and rescued all the prisoners too. This is done in now stereotypical Rambo mode of massive weapons and endless bullets.

Things such as the red bandanna, the staggered speech and the gratuitous used of oversized weaponary (like carrying around the helicopter machine gun) are all now cliches copied (Terminator) or parodied (Hot Shots). And you knew that just as soon as he said "yes" to the woman to take back to America, that she was doomed to die. But it was good to see all this - the original before they became common and cliched.

One thing that is particularly obvious compared to the first film First Blood, is that this is a much bigger budget with bigger and better action - the helicopter fight was impressive from the very start of taking control of it, to destroying the prison camp to the dog fight in the sky. Unlike the first there is no moral message at all; this is pure action and explosive fun.

Cloverfield (7)

Yes, this is a title frame of the film - its of a home film now owned by the armed forces.

This is a documentary like, home movie amateur shaky filming horror. Like Blair Witch Porject, I guess (I've not seen it). But don't be put off, it is surprisingly good, a definitely enjoyable 7.

While a bunch of 20-somethings are filming the farewell arty for their Rob rob, Manhattan is attacked by a Godzilla-like monster. The ensueing running and stumbling and dodging and searching and rescuing friends and handy-cam filming make up the rest of the film. There is no explanation for the monster; this is simply a story about a small group of friends who try to flee the terror and escape Manhattan while the ared forces try to deal with the monster. As the city gets more and destroyed, they run and get terrifyingly close the to the beast. That's pretty much it... except...

except... that it is actually quite a jump inducing, gripping horror. Perhaps because of the empathy of the helpless main characters is so well built up, perhaps because there is no pseudo-scientific poor explanation foisted upon it, and also perhaps because of it's rough real-world handy cam filming, it is a "believable". But the thing that it lacked, the main thing, was something for me to ponder - it's an action and thrill but it's also a no brainer.

Some of the things I find that I miss is at least some steady cinematic shots and at least a little climatic musical score (the only bit is at the closing credits). That's a shame because it is pretty good, but perhaps the handy-cam realism got in my way a bit too much.

30 Days Of Night (7)

A horror of vampires that all the hallmarks of Stephen King, except that it is good! A surprising 7.

The Alaska town of Barrow is about to enter the winter month when the sun never rises above the horizon. Unfortunately for them, a group of vampires is at the same time moving into the town to feast. A small band of survivors struggle to stay hidden in the town for 30 days and fight to live to the sunrise. A weak love story, an obvious vampire killing machine and a slightly corny ending surprisingly do not weaken the film too much.


In classic Steven King, the town is isolated, there is not outside communication and no hope rescue, and a small team of struggling people are banding against pure evil. But unlike Steven King film adaptations, the people are actually slightly interesting - both the good guys and bad guys, the story is well paces but best of all, is the lighting. For a horror taking place in continuous night, in a town that has lost its electricity, I have not seen a film so beautifully light for a long time! Never mind all the silly factual mistakes, some cliches and the gore, the lighting - on people, sets, outside - is just fantastic. While admiring the lighting, you can also get to watch a pretty good horror that would be fine for any scary night in.

Rendition (7)

Thank god for this great antidote to rubbish of Lions For Lambs. This look at the use of torture, particularity by America, was well shown and even better filmed - 7, I'd watch this again.

A suicide bomb kills an American and CIA agent Douglas Freeman (ironic name Freeman) is assigned to the questioning of a suspect. The suspect is an Egyptian, married to an American and living in USA for years and year, is secretively removed a return flight home by the CIA and moved to another country for "questioning". But the question is the practice of extraordinary rendition in which terrorist suspects are move to countries where torturing can be carried out. The Egyptians wife begins questioning airlines, then politicians and then the head of CIA to try and find her missing husband. Meanwhile the CIA agent is beginning to question his bosses orders and whether or not torture is effective.

To the background of the main storyline, is a brilliant love story in the country where the torture is being carried out. A girl doesn't want to marry the man her father has chosen for her and runs off with her boyfriend. But with her boyfriends involvement in extremists and her father essentially being a paid torturer for the Americans, ties in some fantastic plots.

Apart from a great and thoughtful story, the filming is is noticeably outstanding! There is so much wonderful lighting, whether is be in the cell of a prison, or a close up in a face, that I was almost torn between enjoying such fine filming, or the harsh and harrowing story. Do not watch this this if you are squeamish, but if you want an intelligent at so call "Intelligence gathering", then this is a must see.

Interesting, Meryl Streep acts as the ice-queen CIA boss with perfection. Coincidently, she acts as the reporter who "sees the light" in the dire Lions For Lambs and is probably the best actor in it. But in this film, she is working with actors who are thankfully equally skilful.

The Quatermass Xperiment (7)

I expected this to be a poor B-grade horror but it turned out to be nothing of the sort. Apart from being black and white and having some slightly poor special effects, it was great to watch. It's a 7 (this was a delightfully enjoyable surprise, sci-fi and horror fans will love it).

Quatermass and his team of scientists go to the crash site of the first space rocket containing people to rescue the astronauts. Inside, two have mysteriously vanished and the remaining live astronaut, Victor, is delirious. The police begin to investigate the deaths. But Victor is actually being consumed by a transmuting space beast - he smashes a cactus which is absorbed into him - and he escapes the hospital. The police, the scientists and ultimately the army are after the monster as is stalks it's way across London, either killing or absorbing other living things. It must be stopped before it infects the whole earth!

This old 1955 film has some poor special effects, but only some. Most are great and well done for it's time. This is not just a monster chase film - there is conflict between the police, who to kill investigate the deaths and then kill the monster, and Quatermass who thinks that the deaths are a worthy sacrifice for science and wants to the study the monster. The acting is way better than b-grade horror, in fact,this film is not in such a corny league, it is a-grade stuff.

Black Sheep (7)

This is a great black comedy where murder, mayhem, and most of all, gore, are told in a tale of ludicrous comedy. I must admit some biasness, I have a fondness for New Zealand, and so I probably look favourably upon NZ films like this one. But this one was truly funny. It's a 7 (from the very first jokes I was laughing, like the activist environmentalist commenting about a salmon farm, "Hey, those fish died free!"), but you have to be in the mood for some fun silliness.

Henry, who decades after his his brother butchered a pet sheep and scared him creating his sheep-phobia, returns to his father's farm to sell his half of the farm to his brother. However, his brother is experimenting with genetic engineered sheep turns his docile flock into killing Franken-sheep. Those that are not killed, are turned into ware-sheep monsters, which is a interesting side effect that the farm scientists are fascinated by!

Henry's brother, Angus, tries to sell his new breed of sheep but when all the buyers are attacked, he flees. Henry, Tucker, a farm worker, and Experience, another environmentalism must battle their away across the farm to raise the alarm, and stop any sheep, and Angus, from escaping to the rest of the country.

I liked this for it's jokes (particularly the ones from new-age eco-friendly environmentalist Experience) and also for the New Zealand slang (such as "Rattle your dags"). I also liked how one of the most dumbest and docile animals is transformed in rampaging deadly hunter deadly killers. The warm relationship between the three heroes and slightly flat acting fit it perfectly. And while there is blood and gore, this is a good comedy. "Mint sauce" - ahahah!

Strangers On A Train (7)

This may be one of Alfred Hitchcock's more famous films, but I hadn't seen it before. And while the story is good and the acting is fine, for me it doesn't quite make it as a thriller since sometimes it became a comedy! It's a 7 (the story was ok, but the filming was faultless).

The story is well known - two strangers meet on train and discover that they both would like to kill someone. The eccentric Bruno suggests that they "swap murders", but the tennis pro, Guy, thinks he is joking. Bruno turns out to be more than eccentric, eccentric in fact, and he murders estranged Guy's wife on a island at a fun fair lake. Bruno then starts pressuring Guy to murder his father, but when he refuses, Bruno threatens to leave a clue on the island will frame guy. The cops are already very suspicious of Guy and so must avoid them, and race bruno to prevent the evidence from being planted.

Insane Bruno, along with his dotty mother add comedy to the film. And when he gate crashes Guy's party it's even more funny. The thriller part of the film is well executed, the murder on the island accompanied with fun fair music, and the ending race and fight and very memorable. But by the far, the filming was superb - wild angles and points of view, such as the murder reflected in glasses, the stretching for the lighter, poses by desk lamps, crawling under carousels, and even distant standing ominous silhouettes, there's just so much!

Who is doing such brilliant filming theses days?

Ghost In The Shell (7)

I'm not really a fan of Japanese anime - all big eyes, school girls, and a stuttering motion - but this also had the gritty feel and death of cyberpunk of a series I really do like, Aeon Flux, as well as wonderfull colouring and scenes. The plot thoughtful and deep 7 (I'll have to watch it again to understand more).

A female cyborg working with Bato, mostly human, is hunting for a person known as the Puppet Master - he, or she, has been hacking into people. With the action of chase scenes, there are also philosophical discussions about what it means to human, and whether a robot without any human component, or ghost, but with it's memories and experience is human. There's also political wrangling. It builds to the final conflict and battle with the Puppet Master during which we discover what where it came from, and now what it wants.

The plot is not 100%clear and does not end with everything explained - it's very much Blade Runner where the future and motivations are slightly foreign to us. But that is something that I really like about. That and the philosophising. Even the cityscape was like Blade Runner. Mix in some Matrix and you'll have this film. Even if you don't like anime, if like sci-if then you'll enjoy this cyberpunk story.

Some Like It Hot (7)

Some Like It Hot has got to be one of the most well known movies, but I had never seen it before. This 1959 classic was a charmingly fun 7 (I enjoy watching it and wouldn't mind seeing it again).
Two musicians witness a gang-land killing after the Mozarella's Funeral Parlour is busted - it's an illegal bar in dry Chicago. The musicians escape by disguising themselves as woman and join a woman's musical group who are leaving cold snowy Chicago and going to sunny Florida. Bring on all the expected jokes and sticky situations like the "girls" party in the train. Joe "Josephine" falls for Sugar (Marilyn Monroe) and pretends to a be millionaire with his own yacht to win her. Meanwhile, Jerry "Daphne" must fend off the amorous advances of real millionaire. Just when things are are suitable confused and chaotic, the mob arrives - a quick get away with hearts intact, both physical and metaphorical, is required.

This film was pure slapstick comedy, with a light hearted romancing between Marilyn Monroe and the more serious musician Joe (Tony Curtis) which was funny as well as being oh-so-very-very-slightly touching. The other musician Jerry (Jack Lemmon) was played over the top to great effect and gave it all that extra manic urgency and wild energy. These two stumbling guys as girls was a laugh. And the cliched gangsters in the film were perfect - the spats, the toothpick, the tossing of the coin - to show that there was some menace, without being a menace at all. Finally, the obligatory Marilyn Monroe shot.

A Good Year (7)

A last, an enjoyable film. If someone called it a "romance comedy", I would have been put off because calling it that is not quite right. There is the usual comedy, but with more warmth and wonderful photography to indulge in.

Max (Russell Crowe) is a flashy top stock broker full of power and brash, who goes to France to sell his uncles chateau that he has just inherited. He meets the locals - the winemaker and his family - and the not so locals - the young woman from America, Christie, claiming to his uncle's daughter. And he literally runs into the waitress, the stunningly gorgeous Fanny (Marion Cotillard), who after being run off the road she leaves him stuck humorously in a empty pool. Of course, Max falls for the place, the lifestyle and most of all, Fanny.

Crowe is not very good at comedy so he subdues it and thank goodness for that; any other person might have made too much of it and blown the warmth of the story. That plonker, that foppish floppy haired pillock Hugh Grant would have ruined this! Most everyone, from Max's uncle who is seen in flashbacks, to the winemaker to his dog is charming. The filming is wonderful with delicate lighting. Some odd scenes (what was that tennis match all about, for example) and simple "tie up all the loose ends" ending weaken. It's a nice, light film of funny romantic fantastic to enjoy, best with some wine. I rate it a 7 (it was good, I'd watch it again).

1408 (7)

Finally, at last, a Steven King adaption that is enjoyable! Unlike others I have seen, this a not a second-rate production with second rate actors. Even the music was very good - pulsing cellos, synthesiser beat, stringy tension and blasting brass - you have got to listen during the end credits.

Mike Enslin (John Cusack) is a jaded author who doesn't believe in ghosts and such, yet he writes books about haunted places. He has never experienced anything spooky (just like any sane person who lives in reality) until he stays in room 1408 in the Dolphin hotel. Trapped inside the "evil room" torments him with shock and the death of his daughter. He has been warned by hotel manager (Samuel L. Jackson) that nobody survives more than hour before killing themselves, yet he does, so why does everyone kill themselves in a hour? Because the friendly staff can help you checkout? Think of day for underground pigs.

There is the mandatory false ending, but Steven King followed his formula - "the good guy doesn't usually win, but sometimes neither does the bad guy" - so you know that there is more to come. While the story is as expected, Samuel Jackson and the music really added to the film, and some effects and filming angles are pretty cool too. Another 7 (I'm glad I watched it).

Oh and by the way, if anyone knows where I can get such a fantastic heating and air conditioning system, let know since I'd love one for my house.

Across the Universe (7)

Across the Universe is a trippy, hippy film. I'm glad that I had no idea of what it was otherwise I probably would not have seen it. As soon as the characters began singing, which is right from the very start, I thought "Uh oh, a musical". Delightfully, it turned out to be a musical of Beatles songs which is not about the Beatles. Instead it tells a simple, shallow story of story of boy-meets-girl, but it goes off a weird little psychedelic side trips.

In the 1960's, Jude (of course) goes to America to find his father and meets Lucy (again, of course). He ends up living with her, Sadie and Prudence (of course of course) and others in New York. There's not much of story, some politics, some travelling, and love and war, but the rendition of songs are brilliant. I've never heard them so good. The gospel version of "Let it be" sent shivers down my spine.
And then there are the dreamy hallucinogenic film sequences, like the hospital and water scenes (the animation and live action circus scene was very weak).

Don't watch this for an in depth story, don't watch it for a critic of the Vietnam war, just watch it for the music and stunning trippy scenes. It is art but like most art, it is not perfect - it has it's flaws. Next time I see it, some wine, and a little help from my friends, would be in order.

Night of the Sunflowers (7)

This is a great Spanish film (La Noche de los girasoles) set in a tiny isolated farming village. It beings peacefully but really starts with an attempted rape. The film time jumps between characters and their intertwined lives to reveal the story in an intriguing non-linear fashion.

The accidental murder of the rape suspect leave everyone scared and in moral difficulty, of which a crocked cops takes advantage of. More characters and plot development are introduced by chapter titles, "The Man on the Road", "Mad Amos" etc. The cavers, the cops, the farmers and Beni are all characters with great depth.

At first, things seem to work out but inevitably, it all begins to unravel. This is not some Hollywood murder story with a car chase and gun fight. It is an intelligent downfall of people in a tough situation that will keep you guessing and entertained.

Most definately a 7 (I'm glad I watched it).