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Loophole (1981)
An underground heist to thrill.
Ignore the low scores, this is a good film.
It's dated and seems a bit wobbly here and there, but the script and acting are excellent.
I understand why they used Martin Sheen, not because he is a fine actor, it was to get financing and possibly attract a US audience.
The movie shows that even honest people can be lured by the 'Big Payday', and commit crime. This is what the movies premise revolves around, and does it well. Martin Sheen, an architect, finds himself in a situation, where financially he is stretched by his families lavish lifestyle. He's approached to help a band of crooks pull off a heist in a banks security box room. Initially he is duped into thinking he is employed to help extend an office building, but discovers it's a ruse.
He confronts the leader of the crooks and reveals he has worked out the ruse, then is told of the real reason they approached him. He refuses to help, at first, but after his bank threatens to foreclose on his mortgage, and he realises his kids would have to leave their private schools, he agrees to help.
What follows is a classic mix of heist, greed, desperation and redemption.
I hope you watch this movie and make your own mind up.
It could do with being redone with modern techniques, script and a bigger budget.
Official Secrets (2019)
Not officially entitled either way.
This film centres on the rights/wrongs, risks/benefits of signing the official secrets act, and is well acted in all of the roles that the film explores.
Katherine Gun was working for GCHQ, when a memo was forwarded to her desk. In the memo there was a message asking certain parties to find dirt on diplomats and members of countries who were part of the United Nations.
Having (As shown in the film) her own views on what the US and UK governments were trying to do, concerning a war with Iraq, she became quite opposed to the 'Lies' she perceived Blair and Bush were giving out in press conferences. Then, as if the gods of righteousness were at work, the memo lands in her lap.
I like the pace of this movie, and the acting is exquisitely tense enough to keep you on the edge of your sofa. Keira Knightly is great, as are Ralph Feinnes and Peter Guinness (As the 'Creepy' Scotland Yard detective), but it's actually Matt Smith and Rhys Ifans who excel.
I have my own opinion regarding the actions of Mrs Gun, but it's not the topic I am discussing here.
A great dramatically tense thriller. 8/10.
Snowball (1960)
The cost of lying.
A good film to show young people!
This film concentrates on a young boy who has a tendency to tell fibs. There are serious issues contained in this movie, not only child lies, but the way the press and a person's peers can treat an innocent person, going only on the word of a child.
Basically, this film is about how a childs simple lie can have repercussions beyond the mis-spending of a sixpence, and lead to things no one wanted, or expected.
Waterman and Jackson are great and show the acting skills that would later make them both excellent TV actors.
The film could do with an upgrade, as it still carries an important message.
8 out of 10.
Riverdance: The Animated Adventure (2021)
Dither dance
Watched it with a completely neutral view. I knew of the 1990s phenomena of Riverdance, but wasn't allowing this to have a bearing on my review. I am sorry, but the reviews that give this movie a 10, are either by people connected to the film, or children.
It was complete nonsense and I am sorry I took the time to watch it.
Don't bother as it's just stupid.
1/10.
Upgrade (2018)
A pain in the neck.
I was drawn over a rating. On one hand this movie is a thrill ride of gadgets and kung fu, whilst on the other a story of redemption and revenge. It does make you think about high budget movies, that lack the drive and tech of this film, plus the lack of ideas that this movie delivers.
I remember the TV show Knight Rider, where a man has a tech ladened car and your never sure whether it's the gadgetry, or the man that controls things.
I watched the movie with an open mind, knowing nothing about what it was about. I enjoyed many parts of the film and the acting is excellent, but I was often left in disbelief at some of the scenes. I thought that most of the ideas and narrative were believable, but others not so.
There is a great movie here, but the lack of budget played against it. Like the first Terminator film, it lacked the finance, but is a great movie. I'm conflicted by this, as I know with a bigger budget the film could have been so much better, so more believable.
I've given this movie a 7, due to it being a great ride and very watchable. I just hope that it is remade in the future, in Hollywood and with a bigger budget.
Rough Cut (1980)
A 'Rough Cut' through sensibility.
One thing first... Why did the police chief (Niven) need the girl (Downe) to catch the thief? (Reynolds). She was surplus to requirements, and just a pretty face to distract from the poor script. Also, why all the wierd characters? The Nazi and the Pimp? There are lots of wasted parts.
Anyway, to the film in its entirety.
The film was just another crime caper in the long list of crime capers. The only difference is that this one was a waste of talent, and time.
3/10
Patriots Day (2016)
Touching and moving.
I watched this film when nothing else seemed worthy on TV, and after passing on it previously. Initially, I felt it was too raw (As a memory of an awful event) plus feeling it wasn't right to portray such awful events.
I was sceptical and dubious that a movie could capture the events in a way that was true to the actual incident, would be informative and was not just an Hollywood cash in.
This film was true, was informative, but not in any way did it seem to be cashing in.
The characters were believable, the screenplay uncompromising and the casting was excellent. (The two bombers roles especially).
I agree with a former reviewer, this film would have been better as a documentary style representation. But, nevertheless, the film is brilliantly portrayed by the cast. Wahlberg, Goodman and Bacon give stellar performances and are very believable indeed.
I am sure the film was difficult to make, given the topic, but nonetheless, I'm pleased they did make it.
A great film of a terrible event, and well worth seeing. 8/10
Darkest Hour (2017)
Oh, what a war we fought.
Gary Oldman gives a masterclass of acting, portraying one of Great Britain's greatest leaders.
I think the reviews, (so far) that give low points, are from those who have seen too many movies that dramatise and falsify war, so obviously expected it from this film.
The acting is marvelous, the cinematography excellent, and the script true to the actuality of Churchills pondering and orations of that time. Not one part of the film was overdone, nor was it turned into a blood and guts, flag waving fantasy. The events Britain faced in 1940 are honestly depicted and not one compromise is given away to the sensationalist.
I think this is a great film, but it may take time to be accepted as one of the best war films ever made.
10/10
American Assassin (2017)
Not American Assassin, more , Cash in Assassin.
This film is a rip off of the likes of Bourne, and other films where the Americans have one man who'll save the day. It's not done on the scale, with the acting prowess, or with the budget of the latter. The backdrops (In some scenes) are ridiculous, and downtown Tripoli looks more like downtown Birmingham.
The acting is well done, and the effects are believable. The premise works, but the whole thing is not presented right, or has the script to make it a great movie.
A film worth watching for Keaton alone, but not something you'll remember in the way other, better financed and scripted films, have.
6/10
Cats (2019)
Wish to Paws, Get Meowout of here!
What exactly I was expecting? Who knows, but this was not it. As I was 'Kind of' forced to go, by my wife, all because I had told her I wanted to see 'Rise of Skywalker' after it.
This film is like a Hallucinogenic trip in Pet World. There is no plot, as such, just lots of incidental plots and action, plus wasted talent!
I am not adding more to this review, as the film is utter nonsense. Guessing who the stars are under the CGI is a good game to play, that's if you're forced like me to go and see it.
2/10 for the wild experience only. Oh, and a few laughs at how bad it is.
Sleepless (2017)
A cure for insomnia.
This film is not that bad. Foxx is great as the Vegas narcotic cop, who steals, (Then loses) 25 Kilos of cocaine that belongs to a casino owner, who is giving it to the gangster who gave him it. Sounds mad, and it seems implausible, but watch the film and it will make sense, maybe. It is all action, at least, and there is plenty of violence and blood. Foxx, (Vincent) is stealing drugs from criminals, but the criminals find out he has stolen them. Obviously, they want them back. Thus ensues a non stop endeavour, and violent rollercoaster of action.
This film is not for the squeamish, as there are a lot of bloodcurdling scenes. There is also a lot of running around, fights, car chases, and guns.
It is not the best action film ever made, nor is it the worst.
Well worth a viewing.! 7/10.
This Means War (2012)
This means bore!
I get the idea of two buddies fighting over the same girl, and the idea of two agents being hunted for killing a terrorists brother. The problem I have is that the two ideas combined into a story, well it's just too unbelievable. Reese Witherspoon is not what I would call 'Beautiful', as she is too small, too ordinary and too blonde. Yet, the two handsome agents begin a fued over the said girl. Tom Hardy is a fine actor, but his acting talent isn't really tested in this movie, neither is Pines. I found the premise interesting, but it is just too contrived, which spoils the whole believability of the movie. This film doesn't know whether it's an action thriller, a pastiche, or whether it's a romantic comedy. There are a few 'Hitchcock' references, but this film is miles away from the cinematic genius of Hitchcock. At the end I sighed, as the whole thing was just a waste of time, and obviously an attempt to cash in on the genre of buddy film success.
Sorry, just hated it.
2/10
A Single Shot (2013)
Point? Can't, not without a pointer.
No point to this being made. Sam Rockwell and William H Macy are great actors, but this film isn't great. I watched it all, yes, every boring minute of it. The plot is non existent, as is the fine script and dialogue. Also, the editing is just atrocitious, the score annoying, and the cinematography weird. John, (Rockwell) is an ex con who lives in a trailer, alone. His wife and child have left him, due to his inability to find work. He survives doing odd jobs, and deer hunting, (With a 12 bore shotgun!). Out hunting one day he shoots a woman who was 'Somehow' hiding in a bush, and in the middle of nowhere! So, instead of calling the cops, or at least getting help, he rummages through her belongings and then puts her over his shoulder and dumps her body in the trailer where she'd been hiding! How he knew where she was staying, that's a mystery. In the said trailer he finds a box of money and he decides to keep it. What happens next is just stupid! It turns out that the money belongs to very dangerous people, Never! They want the money back, Never! But instead of knocking on his door and saying, "Can we have our money back or we'll kill you", no they shoot his dog and dump the girls dead body in his trailer, with a note saying "John murdered me". The pointlessness just goes on and on. The music in this film is so annoying too. It's just an endless screech, like a violin being scratched backwards with a coin. It's all just too unbelievable to warrant more than 2 stars. Give it a miss 2/10.
A Most Violent Year (2014)
A most 'Silent' non violent year!
I so wanted this film to be great. I imagined gangsters, yes.. there are some. Not gangsters like in 'The Godfather', no... gangsters like a four year old would write about after an innocent school yard squabble. I'd watch any film with Jessica Chastain in, (hence the three stars) but this film is so slow, so boring, and so nonviolent that I was looking on ways to sue the makers for misleading me with the title.
I'm sorry, but this film is a waste of two hours, so give it a miss.
Idiocracy (2006)
Nostradamus, puhh, here's the future!
This film, (Though a comedy) may just be the actual future we face. When shows like 'Love Island', 'The Only Way Is Essex', 'Real Housewives' etc, are the televisual feasts that young people watch, with characters they idolise, then yes, the future. Mike Judge has made a masterpiece here, and an actual foretaste of the future of mankind. It is a funny movie, and Luke Wilson is great as the dumb private who gets sent to the future, by accident! To say that mankind is stupid now, and accident prone, isn't wrong. So, it sets the scene for what mankind would be like in the future, where generations of idiots had been breeding more and more idiots, but the 'intelligent' refuse to have children, but look at their careers instead. I liked the premise, and the comedy. Future cult film, and possible must watch in 2505. 8/10
Villain (1971)
Poor man's Get Carter.
Plenty of thugs, sneering, and shouting 'Coppers', 'Slag', 'Grass' and the like, with vitriolic disdain. And the good old boys of the Metropolitan Police, looking tired and apathetic at their jobs, whilst the Inspector seems over eager for that one last collar before retirement. The cast do a great job, but the plot is non existent. Vic, (Richard Burton) is the local gangland boss, who for whatever reason, wants to self destruct by committing a crime himself. Then there's Nigel Davenport, the Police Inspector. Both are driven, but one is insane, and the other is determined to collar him. I kept thinking of Get Carter when I watched this, which is a much better movie, and laughed at the statement, 'We'll have to get the heavy mob from Newcastle!'. This film is an OK watch, but don't expect to see a fantastic story played out.
5/10
Plastic (2014)
As plastic as the acting.
This film is about as good as watching paint dry! The acting is so wooden, that I expected woodworm to set in at any moment. The script is amateur, contrived and disregards the facts of banking system security. It skips from scene to scene, without detailing the processes involved in whatever situation they characters are concerned in. I would say that it's best to avoid this film, as other films in this genre are much better. 2/10
The Trust (2016)
Robbing your time.
Cage plays his character in his usual 'Wacky' way, and woods gives a usual stiff, but well acted, part to this crime Caper. I watched the first half of this movie, thinking what a great film. It's funny, exciting and shows the apathy, and disillusionment of many underpaid cops. It's the second half of this film that disappoints. It's like another director was drafted in to complete the movie, or the production costs spiralled out of control, so they needed a quick ending. I was yelling at my TV, saying 'WTF', and 'Why couldn't they have a better ending'. So, from this review, you can see, I was very unhappy with this film, so 2/10.
The Drop (2014)
Doggedly paced, surprising and boom.
A film, and more. It starts almost teenager sulkily slow, but full of building nervous tension. Hardy, playing the dumb, 'turn the other way' bar tender, who's happy to earn a buck as the patsy, (who sees nothing) for gangsters who now own the bar. Gandolfini, playing the once owner, who's been beaten down to a front for the Chechen mafia, gives a great performance, and plays his role with assuredness and believability. But it's Hardy, the quiet, simple living bartender who makes this film more than just another gangster movie. This film could have been shorter, but the last 20 minutes of this movie make it a classic. Money, gangsters, deceit and violence, the fodder for many mob films.
This film though, it has something different, Hardy!
A must watch. 9/10
Supersonic (2016)
A journey from humble to crumble.
Watching this documentary/film, was like I had travelled back to 1994 and watched the next two years in a Meth induced rush. The only difference being, this time I actually was able to take it in and reflect on what a great time it was to be alive. I loved their first single/album and every subsequent single/album after that, why? Because I was carried along on the hype and the fantastic music. Liam and Noel, or should I say Noel and Liam? They created history and without really setting out with that intention, became the greatest band of the last 50 years. Life sometimes has twists, it does something that is the least expected thing you or anyone else thought would happen, then bang, nothing is the same afterwards. To be in a certain place at a certain time, purely by luck, plus to have a record company boss in the audience, well that's what I mean. Noels songwriting is the key to the success, but Liams vocals where also crucial. This film shows the rise of Oasis, from humble beginnings to becoming the greatest rock n' roll band of a generation. Their journey was like a person being at the best fireworks display ever, but with too much drink or drugs in their system. You see lots of lights, hear lots of bangs and get a bit over excited, and afterwards you say, "What the hell happened?" Then spend the next few years asking if you were really there at all! The relationship between the brothers was ultimately their downfall, but at least their music will still be around for future generations to listen to.
This film takes you through the two years from 'Definitely Maybe' being released, to the few months after 'What's the Story Morning Glory hit the shops and the massive Knebworth gigs.
Its an honest film and the views of all the people involved is given.
Loved it. 10/10
Transcendence (2014)
Science and quantum physics for non intellectuals.
I was expecting a lot from this film. The stellar cast and Christopher Nolan's name attached, led me to presume that we had the makings of a 10/10 rating. This film though, is full of holes. The lack of understanding of the films subject matter leaves the watcher bemused and scratching their heads, asking why did they bother? If some of those who watched the film lacked a basic understanding of science and quantum physics, in fact any physics, then this film may have been enjoyable. But for the majority of those who watched this film, I guess they felt the same as me, disappointed. The potential was there, but the lack of research by the writers let the whole thing down. Its like the producers of Alice in Wonderland trying to say to the viewer that the film could happen in reality. The score and effects were its only good points. My rating 5/10
Chappie (2015)
Number 5, sorry 22, is ALIVE!!!!!!
What to make of this film, ?????, don't really know to be honest. Its a sci-fi film , its an action film, its a comedy film and its a tearjerker. Actually, its all of them, without being categorized as any of them. Other reviewers have stated that its a Robocop/Short Circuit hybrid, so I won't add more of the same.
The film is good, the robot is lovable, the acting is OK, but its the premise and location that bewilder me. South Africa! Why South Africa? It may be that the makers were keeping costs down.
Best part... Chappie going 'Street'. The worst... MC Ninjas acting.
This film is a must for anyone who isn't too cynical, its just a shame there is violence and strong language, as kids would have loved it.
For me, 6 out of 10.
Harsh Times (2005)
Lacking something.
I was really looking forward to watching this movie. I took the phone off the hook, dimmed the lights, had tasty treats and drinks close by and resolved myself to watch it in its entirety without any pauses. The thing is, I expected too much and got bored after thirty minutes of action-less tedium. Bales character 'Jim' is all snore instead of roar and reminded me of a small dog that never stops yapping, but of course is pretty harmless. The best acting is from Freddy Rodriguez 'Mike', who plays the subservient patsy to Bales' dominating and psychopathic war vet character.
The terms' Yo Hommie' and 'Fuck Yeah' is comically overused and Bale is the one who looks miscast! This movie would have been better if more action had gone into the storyline, as it gets bogged down in domestic situations too often.
Its far from Bales' best film and only deserves a five out of ten.
Inception (2010)
Intrude, interfere, influence, inception. Pure genius!
My oh my, this film is something of a masterpiece. I expected a lot from this film, (given all I had heard about it) I got a lot more than I had bargained for.
Di-caprio is one of the finest contemporary actors in Hollywood, giving a wonderful performance as 'Cobb' the flawed extractor. He shows in this film why he is sought after by directors. In fact all the performances were excellent in this movie, which only compliments the beautiful score and brilliant writing.
Its the special effects that deserve the most applause, as they take us literally into the psychedelic world of the dream-state. I can honestly say that the CGI in this film is the best I have ever witnessed.
Nolan is a genius who not only writes fantastic stories, he makes fantastic films too.
This is a movie that doesn't disappoint and finds a place in my all time 20 favorites.
10 out of 10
Edge of Tomorrow (2014)
Groundhog day on steroids.
Why does Hollywood have such a fascination with 'time reversal' movies? This film is yet another one in the genre, where the lead character lives the same day over and over again. It may be possible if we consider the 'many world's' theory, but again, the film at no time suggests this. It incorporates elements of other films you may have seen, like 'groundhog day' or 'predestination' etc, but for a loop to be created that makes a mockery of time continuum, then the 'other world's' theory must be included as part of the dialog. Its the only way someone watching can make sense of it.
This is a visually spectacular movie, where the use of CGI is never underused. Cruise portrays a believable character, where, on his journey of self discovery and stoic bravery, he leads the viewer into a world of alien invasion and terror. Blunt too is excellent, playing the hardened, war weary veteran, with charisma and balls. There are comedy moments and lighthearted homages to other films like it, but overall this is a tense action thriller that leaves a lasting memory.
There are too many paradoxes created in this film for it to work in the quantum physics world, but its enjoyable.
8 out of 10