Review of A Lonely Place To Die (2011) by Mike

Title: A Lonely Place To Die

Original UK Release Date: 9^th September 2011

Original US Release Date: 9 April 2011

UK Rating: 15

US Rating: NR

Director: Julian Gilbey

Genre: Thriller

Plot: A group of climbers stumble upon a kidnapped girl. The kidnappers pursue them in a deadly game of cat and mouse. The girl’s father has employed a team to recover the girl further complicating things.

Mike's Review

            This was a film that I didn’t know much about prior to watching. It had fairly good reviews so we gave it a go. The cast is pretty much unknown actors with the exception of Melissa George. Although I have no idea why she chose this film as it is not what we are used to seeing her in. This is not to say she is bad, she is very good in this but I was just surprised as I guess I am expecting bigger roles in bigger movies for her. You may also recognise Ed Speleers from the title role in the film Eragon.

            The film starts off well, after a little too brief introduction to the climbers, they set out on a climbing expedition in a remote part of Scotland. Soon they stumble across a young girl locked in an underground wooden box. They free her and the group split up, the fastest two of them head off to find help while the remainder follow behind with the girl. The kidnappers pursue them in an attempt to recover the girl.

            This is a good film, the camera work is used well to show off the locations and emphasise the peril the climbers are in. The characters are believable for the most part. There is one scene where a character sacrifices themselves that for me didn’t make sense. I have a theory but won’t reveal what as I try to avoid spoilers. If you are interested please email me.

            The stand out performance for me was Sean Harris as Mr Kidd (The Kidnapper). His portrayal of the character was chilling and ruthless. You believe that he will do anything to accomplish his goal.

            This is a good film. It is no Hollywood blockbuster but a very well made, well acted British film that doesn’t try to take the story too far and keeps things believable. There are plenty of twists and parts that keep you guessing, but you won’t always be right.

7 out of 10

Additional Information

Stand out performance: Sean Harris as Mr Kidd (The Kidnapper)

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Review of Xmen: First Class (2011) by Mike

Title: X-Men: First Class

Original UK Release Date: 1^st June 2011

Original US Release Date: 25^th May 2011

UK Rating: 12

US Rating: PG-13

Director: Matthew Vaughn

Genre: Action

Plot: The first mission for the X-Men who team up to prevent World War III



Mike's Review

I am a huge fan of action and comic book movies. The first X-Men films were great, I even liked the third one. I had very high expectations for this one. Fortunately I wasn’t disappointed.

The film is about the first meeting of the mutants and the struggle they face in the world. Sides are chosen and teams are formed. What makes this film work so well is the cast. They portray the characters in the early stages of their lives so well. Charles Xavier/Professor X (James McAvoy) & Eric Lehnsherr/Magneto (Michael Fassbender) are great first as friends and then against each other. But they are not alone. Sebastian Shaw (Kevin Bacon) makes a great villan .The rest of the characters are portrayed well and the turmoil each of them face acted out well but the stand out performance for me is Jennifer Lawrence as Raven Darkholm/Mystique. All she wants is to look normal and to be accepted and you see and feel her pain and anguish.

There are a few plot discrepancies if the film is to fit in to the established X-Men of the movies, but most of these can be explained away. However it looks like this could be a complete reboot of the franchise. Either way, the next film should answer this. Hopefully Brian Singer will return to produce it as his versions of the X-Men are far superior to anyone else’s efforts.

I was fortunate to know one of the camera men working on this, Martin Hume. He is a veteran camera operator working on films for many years including Aliens, First Knight, The World is Not Enough & The Bourne Ultimatum. He said it was one of the more challenging films he had worked on, but also one of the most visually amazing. What I found out was many of the scenes that I thought would have been CGI were in fact filmed on location. For instance the beach scene climax was filmed on location and not in a studio or green screen. This for me gave me a new perspective on the film and a new respect for the makers of the film.

If you are a fan of comic movies this is one not to miss.

10 out of 10



Additional Information



Stand out performance: Jennifer Lawrence as Raven Darkholm/Mystique



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Review of The Breakfast Club (1985) By Mike

Title: The Breakfast Club

Original UK Release Date: Unknown

Original US Release Date: 15^th February 1985

UK Rating: 15

US Rating: R

Director: John Hughes

Genre: Comedy, Drama

Plot:
Five high school students, with almost nothing in common, have a Saturday detention. It will change their lives.

Mike's Review

            I decided to review this film mainly as an excuse to see the film again (although it’s only a few months since I last saw it).

            The description of the film sounds awful. Five students get a detention! Seriously what kind of film is that and what strings did the director, producer and writer, the late John Hughes, have to pull the get it made? Most of the cast were relative unknowns, up and coming stars including Emilio Estevez, Anthony Michael Hall, Judd Nelson, Molly Ringwald, Ally Sheedy and Paul Gleason. The film is set almost in one location over the course of one Saturday. It is hardly the formula for a great movie. But for some reason the film turns out to be amazing. It went on to become the 16^th highest grossing film of 1985 (the top film that year was Back to the Future). It is a true master class in film making. It shows what you can accomplish with the right script and the actors who can bring the characters to life. The cast is perfect, every one of them brings something great to the film from the teacher in charge of the detention, to the janitor. But for me the stand out performance is from Judd Nelson’s performance as John Bender. At the time Judd Nelson was 25 playing a 17/18 year old, but it took the maturity of age to play such a troubled and messed up character. A character who’s tough exterior hides the anguish of abuse. His is the most interesting journey in the film.

            The performances in it are so good because of the rest of the cast. Each actor feeds off the other actors performances and every one of them is better for it. This is what many films are missing, a great young talented cast putting it all out there. Other films that use this include The Outsiders, Young Guns, Red Dawn and St. Elmo’s Fire (coincidentally all apart from Red Dawn star Emilio Estevez but it does star his brother Charlie Sheen so I guess it must be in their genes!).

            I absolutely love this film. It is in my top movies of all time and I never get bored watching it.

            If you haven’t seen this film please give it a go. It is a true love it or hate it film. A film that can be watched over and over. A timeless classic.


10 out of 10

Additional Information

Stand out performance: Judd Nelson as John Bender

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Review of Gladiator (1992) By Mike

Title: Gladiator (1992)

Original UK Release Date: 26^th June 1992

Original US Release Date: 6^th March 1992

UK Rating: 15

US Rating: R

Director: Rowdy Herrington

Genre: Action, Sports

Plot:
Tommy Riley has moved with his dad to Chicago. He tries to keep to himself. However, after a street fight he is noticed and quickly falls into the world of illegal underground boxing - where punches can kill.

Mike's Review

            I remember getting advance tickets to this the year it was released. A friend and I went along to see it not knowing what to expect. We knew absolutely nothing about the film. Sometimes this can be the best way to experience a film and occasionally you discover a cinema gem, like this one.

            The film is about Tommy Riley (James Marshall), a teenager who is forced to move with his father from Bridgeport to a run down, troubled part of Chicago. Once there he discovers that his father is in debt to a loan shark. He is then drawn into a world of underground boxing to pay his father’s debt.

            The boxing scenes are well shot and choreographed, the cast including James Marshall, Cara Buono, Cuba Gooding Jr., Robert Loggia, Ossie Davis, John Heard & Brian Dennehy really make the movie. If it wasn’t for their performances the movie wouldn’t be half the movie it is. Robert Loggia & Brian Dennehy are great if a little over the top, but the over the top performances work in this film. But it is James Marshall as the lead that gives the film the humanity it needs. His portrayal of the troubled teen forced to fight is great. However the standout performance has to go to Cuba Gooding Jr. He stands out in this film as a true rising star. Unfortunately a few years later after he won an Oscar for his performance in Jerry Maguire he seemed to give up on the more challenging roles.

            This film should be more well known, but it seemed to fall under most people’s radar. A shame as it is a very entertaining film. For pure entertainment this is one of the better films released in 1992. If you like boxing films then this one is definitely one for you.
.

9 out of 10

Additional Information

Stand out performance: Cuba Gooding Jr. as Abraham Lincoln Haines

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Review of The Expandables (2008) By Mike

Title: The Expendables

Original UK Release Date:

Original US Release Date:

UK Rating:

US Rating:

Director: Sylvester Stallone

Genre: Action

Plot: A group of mercenaries travel to rescue a girl from a corrupt military group

Mike's Review

When I first heard about this film I had really high expectations. Sylvester Stallone writing, directing and starring in an action film. He was trying to bring together some of the greatest stars of action films past and present, it sounded too good to be true. As the months went by I kept hearing rumours as to who was in it. Pretty much every name from action films was mentioned. Then the biggest rumour of them all, it was going to star Sylvester Stallone, Bruce Willis and Arnold Schwarzenegger! Never gonna happen I thought. I was never so glad to be wrong. The scene they appeared in may only be a few minutes long but it was perfect.

I went to see this film the week it came out. The cinema was fairly full, and as the film started I noticed something about the audience, they were loving the movie. As the film continued it started to feel like I was seeing this in my living room with a large group of friends. Everyone was laughing, gasping and really getting into the spirit of the film. This really added something special to the film. I have not experienced this during a normal screening of a film.

The film itself follows a very basic formula, big characters, big explosions, big guns and lots of bad guys dying. But what makes this one stand out from modern action films is it doesn’t try to be anything more. It is a throw back to the great action films from the 80’s and 90’s like Commando, Predator, Die Hard and Rambo: First Blood Part II. Films that are so over the top but so very entertaining.

The cast is an action movie fans wet dream. Action movie legends Sylvester Stallone, Bruce Willis, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Dolph Lundgren Gary Daniels and Mickey Rourke star alongside modern day action stars Jason Statham, Jet Li, Steve Austin, Randy Couture and Terry Crews. Add to the cast Eric Roberts, David Zayas and Charisma Carpenter and you have probably the greatest cast assembled since Ocean’s Eleven was remade in 2001. The cast works well. I always believe that if the cast had a good time making a movie then it will show in their performance. They must have had the time of their lives filming this.

A film like this will never get any major awards (it did win awards for the stunt work), but then again you don’t go to see this looking for award winning performances. You go to see this to escape from the reality of life and to just be entertained. I am a major action movie fan and it really doesn’t get any better than this.

10 out of 10

Additional Information

Stand out performance: Normally this is the point where I would name the person whose performance stood out from the rest of the cast. But with this film I really couldn’t choose just one. So this time I will nominate Sylvester Stallone. Not for his acting but for bringing together an amazing cast and developing the greatest action film. Also for bringing together himself, Bruce Willis and Arnold Schwarzenegger, together on screen for the first time.

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Review of 2012 (2009) By Mike

Title: 2012

Original UK Release Date: 13^th November 2009

Original US Release Date: 13^th November 2009

UK Rating: 12

US Rating: PG-13

Director: Roland Emmerich

Genre: Disaster

Plot: When a prediction about the end of the world comes true, the survivors do whatever it takes to survive, no matter what the cost.

Mike's Review

            Roland Emmerich has done it again. He seems to get a kick out of bringing out humanities worst fears and putting them on screen in all its glory. After destroying a large part of the world in Independence Day: ID4, and trashing New York with Godzilla, he decides to go the rest of the way and change the face of the earth forever and in the process kill off most of humanity. What is the enemy this time? Aliens? Nope done that. Monsters? Nope also done that. Bad weather? Once again done that. What is left? I know lets have the sun spit out solar flares that heat up the earth’s core and destabilize the planet! Whatever his problem with humanity is, it translates well on to film. This is an epic disaster movie. No part of the world is safe and there is no magic quick fix here.

            The film itself is simple, massive destruction minimal plot. But in this case it really works. With amazing effects and a great cast that includes John Cusack, Thandie Newton, Oliver Platt, Danny Glover and the story is played out well and the acting is good. It is not too over the top except the stand out performance from the great Woody Harrelson. He is your go to guy when you are looking for crazy, and once again he pulls off the crazy guy effortlessly.

I really enjoyed this film and I think it has been given an unfairly hard time by critics and movie goers alike. I don’t understand what people expected from this film. It is a disaster film not The Shawshank Redemption! I expected disaster and destruction and it exceeded my expectations. I didn’t expect award winning performances by the actors (many of who are award nominees and winners), and I didn’t expect a plot more complicated than oh shit, we are going to die what can we do? Many viewers and critics must have forgotten the other films by Roland Emmerich when viewing this or they were comparing it to other films that were released at the same time. However I judge a film on its own merit and not comparing it to films that are in a different category. As a disaster movie it doesn’t get much better than this.

9 out of 10

Additional Information

Stand out performance: Woody Harrelson as Charlie Frost

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Review of Horrible Bosses (2011) By Mike

Title: Horrible Bosses
Original UK Release Date: 22^nd July 2011
Original US Release Date: 8^th July 2011
UK Rating: 15
US Rating: R
Director: Seth Gordon
Genre: Comedy
Plot: Three friends conspire to murder their awful bosses when they realize they are standing in the way of their happiness.

Mike's Review

Easily my favourite comedy of 2011, with Crazy, Stupid, Love. coming a close second.

The film is about three guys whose jobs are made hell by their bosses. They decide to kill them in a “Strangers on a train” style, where one kills another’s boss so it can’t be traced back to the employee.

I wasn’t sure what to expect from the cast that includes Kevin Spacey, Jason Bateman, Colin Farrell, Donald Sutherland, Jamie Foxx and Jennifer Aniston. Each fine actors but how would they fair in this film? Amazingly is how. Colin Farrell is almost unrecognizable as one of the bosses and Kevin Spacey is great as usual. However the stand out performance of the film is Jennifer Aniston. She plays a dentist, the boss of Dale (Charlie Day) and she is sexually harassing him. She really takes the role and plays it to perfection. Dale is her shy assistant who is engaged to Stacy (Lindsay Sloane). He is faithful to her and resists all advances from his over sexed boss. It is not a role we are used to seeing her play but it is a perfect performance. Another great performance was Jamie Foxx the murder consultant they hire.

Horrible Bosses is a great comedy, almost a perfect comedy. The only flaw for me was it was all tied up a little too neatly. I saw the ending coming before it happened and it would have been nice to have an ending a little more surprising. Having said that I can’t imagine how it could have been ended differently.

The film doesn’t have to resort to crude gags and just lets the script and performances of the cast tell the story. This works so well and full credit to the writers for a great comedy.

9 out of 10

Additional Information

Stand out performance: Jennifer Anniston as Dr Julia Harris

One of the writers is John Francis Daley who plays Dr Lance Sweets on the hit series Bones.

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