Topic: Never Ending Movie Marathon (short reviews)

[samuelrichardscott]

I, Robot (2004) R2 United Kingdom

Overview:
In 2035 A.D., robots are programmed to live in harmony with humans and are part of every day life. When a brilliant scientist at the U.S. Robotics Corporation is found dead, Chicago Detective Del Spooner (Will Smith) is called in to investigate. Aided by robot psychologist Dr. Susan Calvin (Bridget Moynahan), Detective Spooner uncovers the possibility that a robot may be the primary suspect in the case. But as Spooner gets closer to the truth, he gets caught up in a race for his life. With time running out, a deeper threat emerges that challenges the very existence of mankind.

My Thoughts:
Alex Proyas is a director whose work I have enjoyed, in particular Dark City. This time, he directs an OTT sci-fi futuristic actioner with Will Smith on fine form as the anti-robot cop Del Spooner, delivering his usual comedic lines throughout the action. Moynahan is well suited as the self-important yet moralistic Susan and Chi McBride perfects the standard angry police chief role. Sonny is well voiced by Alan Tudyk and looks absolutely fantastic, just like the majority of the special effects included here. A few of the camera shots were a little poorly chosen, but overall suited the style of the action well. It's never going to be a classic, but it is an entertaining popcorn movie with replay value. Recommended. 4/5

[samuelrichardscott]

Love Liza (2002) R2 United Kingdom

Overview:
Philip Seymour Hoffman (Punch Drunk Love, Almost Famous) and Academy Award® winner Kathy Bates (1990 Best Actress, Misery; About Schmidt) star in a heartbreaking and suprisingly funny drama about love and starting over.
Successful Web Designer Wilson Joel's (Hoffman) life spirals out of control after the sudden devastating event of his wife's suicide. Unable to read the goodbye note she left for him, Wilson forges new unpredictable relationships with friends, co-workers and his stunned mother-in-law (Bates). But the bond he creates with a dangerous drug could take what's left of his blown-apart life and extinguish it completely.

My Thoughts:
This film pretty much boils down to a solid character study about a man whose wife has committed suicide and how he struggles with life in the following weeks. Whilst the story as a whole is rather formulaic and the script is nothing terribly exciting to shout home about, the reason this film ends up being above average is thanks to the enigmatic Philip Seymour Hoffman in the lead role and the supporting cast of Kathy Bates, Jennifer Keddy and Jack Kehler. PSH manages to portray the self destructive nature of Wilson as he struggles to cope with grief so well that I can happily recommend this. 3.5/5

[samuelrichardscott]

Valdez is Coming (1971) R2 United Kingdom

Overview:
Oscar winner Burt Lancaster (Birdman of Alcatraz, From Here to Eternity) gives a powerhouse performance as an ageing Mexican-American lawman who erupts into a one-man army in this bold saga of retribution and redemption. Valdez Is Coming boldly recreates America's western frontier - a place where life was sometimes cheap... but honour was always priceless.
When it comes to keeping the peace, former frontier sheriff Bob Valdez has always been the voice of reason in a sea of chaos. But Frank Tanner (Jon Cypher) is a very different sort of man: greedy, impulsive and rotten to the core. So when Tanner provokes a shoot-out which results in the death of an innocent man, Valdez orders him to provide financial support for the widow. But when Tanner not only refuses but also laughs in his face, Valdez dusts off his old uniform, straps on his guns and vows to exact justice and vengeance at any cost.

My Thoughts:
Burt Lancaster was getting on a bit when he made this one (he was 57) and so was a good choice to play Valdez, a cavalry veteran of the Apache wars who is now working as a Sheriff in what he believes is a quiet little town. Unfortunately, local rich man Tanner forces him to shoot a suspect dead, who turns out to be innocent, so he decides he must get money for the deceased man's wife. Tanner is less than forgiving so Valdez decides he must exact revenge in order for justice. Lancaster shines and the supporting cast are all quite good in a formulaic, yet entertaining story. This is a solid 70s Western, that whilst not as good as some, is still above average, and should have a worthy place in the collection of any Westerns fan. 3.5/5

[samuelrichardscott]

The Last Mimzy (2007) R2 United Kingdom

Overview:
When Noah and Emma Wilder discover a special box on the beach, they open in and unlock an exciting adventure beyond imagination. Inside they find Mimzy, a magical stuffed rabbit along with other mystical toys, which give the children exceptional powers of their own. Able to move objects with their minds and solve complex equations, these new wonder kids begin to attract the attention of their parents, teachers...and even the FBI. Surrounding the phenomenon of Mimzy is an awesome secret – one that holds the key to saving the future of all mankind.

My Thoughts:
The Last Mimzy is a fun little family fantasy adventure that has a lot of imagination and some very creative ideas that come across quite well to screen. The supporting (adult) cast of Joely Richardson, Timothy Hutton, Rainn Wilson, Kathryn Hahn and Michael Clarke Duncan all bring a feeling of quality to the proceedings, which was a good thing because unfortunately those in charge of casting made a mistake with the two young main stars Chris O'Neil and Rhiannon Leigh Wryn who struggle to hold up such a unique story and it is no surprise to me that both seem to have pretty much failed at getting other films in the last few years. Still, if you can get past the unforgettable acting of the two kids, there is a good amount to enjoy here, and the plot is fun enough to make a cheap blind buy worthwhile. 3/5

[samuelrichardscott]

Buddy (1997) R2 United Kingdom

Overview:
This is a fact based story about a socialite and her husband who live in a mansion with a brood of animals including chimpanzees who are raised as her children. When she discovers an ailing baby gorilla, she decides to care for it as well. Years later, the gorilla is fully grown and its strength is sometimes out of control. However, the gorilla shows love for his mistress and obeys her commands. That all changes when she is invited to display the gorilla and chimps at the Chicago World's Fair. Accidentally freed by one of the chimps, the gorilla terrorizes the Fair. From that point on, he becomes moody and more uncontrollable until he attacks his mistress in a bestial rage.

My Thoughts:
Despite its low 80 minute runtime, Buddy is unfortunately a poorly paced and slow movie about an animal loving woman (Rene Russo) who raises a gorilla alongside her horses, dogs, ducks, cats and chimpanzees until it terrorises the Chicago State Fair. Supposedly based on true events, the story is as formulaic as they come, suffering from a standardised script and poor structure. Despite this, Russo and Robbie Coltrane put in a couple of reasonable performances to stop the film becoming too stale and the mechanised Buddy made by the Jim Henson Company looks good, if unspectacular. The chimpanzees have a couple of funny moments and the set design is worthy of a nod, but the story is just too slow and boring to keep anybody entertained. Skip it. 2/5

[samuelrichardscott]

Shadrach (1998) R0 United Kingdom

Overview:
Harvey Keitel and Andie MacDowell, light up the screen in this touching, poignant and often humourous coming of age drama.

My Thoughts:
Although this is a low budget drama from the stables of NU Image with a couple of big names whose careers aren't what they used to be attached (Keitel, MacDowell, Martin Sheen), Shadrach is a surprisingly well written and well acted little film that wouldn't go amiss during a primetime television viewing. Although budget restrictions are noticeable (location sets have obviously been kept to a small size/simple structure), the film moves along at a good pace and tells the story of an old slave, Shadrach, who at the age of 99, wants to be buried in the fields he was born. Full of heart and a couple of funny moments, this is a solid enough drama worthy of a low end recommendation. 3.5/5

[samuelrichardscott]

The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974) R1 America

Overview:
An all-star cast, including Oscar®-winners Walter Matthau* and Martin Balsam** teams up with Robert Shaw (Jaws) to deliver "sure-fire entertainment [that's] gripping and exciting from beginning to end" (The Hollywood Reporter). Based on the sizzling best-seller by John Godey, this pulse-pounding picture is guaranteed to give you the ride of your life!
Somewhere underground, in New York's subway system, just outside the Pelham Station, a gang of armed men hijack a train, threatening to kill one hostage per minute unless their demands are met. Forced to stall these unknown assailants until a ransom is delivered or a rescue is made, transit chief Lt. Garber (Matthau) must ad-lib, bully, con and shrewdly outmaneuver one of the craftiest and cruelest villains (Shaw) in a battle of wits that will either end heroically or tragically. From the minute you board this train until its exhilarating climax, you will be taken by "plenty of surprises and lots of nail-biting action" (Blockbuster Movie Guide)!
*1966, Best Supporting Actor, The Fortune Cookie
**1965, Best Supporting Actor, A Thousand Clowns

My Thoughts:
The Taking of Pelham One Two Three is often regarded as a classic crime movie of the seventies, and rightly so. Featuring a superb cast including Walter Matthau and Robert Shaw, the movie jumps darkly from scene to scene with the occasional injection of dark humour to make you laugh. The characters are not only portrayed well by the cast, but they have been written well, with each getting enough individual characteristics to show the viewer what type of person they are during the fast moving plot, and it isn't always the 'bad' guys that you'll dislike. One of my favourite heist movies of all time, if not my favourite. Highly recommended. 4.5/5

[Najemikon]

 

One of my favourite movies full stop! The ending has to be one of the very best...

[samuelrichardscott]

The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 (2009) R2 United Kingdom

Overview:
Walter Garber (Denzel Washington) is a New York City subway dispatcher whose ordinary day is thrown into chaos by an audacious crime: the hijacking of a subway train. Ryder (John Travolta), the criminal mastermind behind the hijacking and leader of a highly-armed gang of four, threatens to execute the train's passengers unless a large ransom is paid within one hour. As the tension mounts beneath his feet, Garber employs his vast knowledge of the subway system in a battle to outwit Ryder and save the hostages. But there's one riddle Garber can't solve: even if the thieves get the money, how can they possibly escape?

My Thoughts:
Denzel Washington, John Travolta, James Gandolfini, Luis Guzmán and John Turturro star together in Tony Scott's big budget remake of the 1974 original which is one of the best heist movies ever made. There are numerous differences between the two, most notably the ending, and the updated soundtrack. Gone are the jazzy tracks and in comes Jay Z's 99 Problems, which is a surprisingly fitting tune to start the movie with considering the day Washington's Garber is about to endure. For the most part, the cast in the original are slightly better, though I do think Gandolfini plays a better mayor than Lee Wallace. Unfortunately, the dark underlying humour that was in the original has all but gone from the remake. Still, it is an enjoyable enough update that is worth watching. 3.5/5

[Najemikon]

The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 (2009) R2 United Kingdom

[...]though I do think Gandolfini plays a better mayor than Lee Wallace, and the dark underlying humour that was in the original has all but gone from the remake. Still, it is an enjoyable enough update that is worth watching. 3.5/5

My first reaction to that comment was a Darth Vader "NNNNOOOOO!!!!", but you might be right that Gandolfini was better. However, it's your next comment that nullifies the first. Had the ex-Soprano been given a script as great as the first version, then he might have done even more with it. As it is, Lee Wallace is the better Mayor simply because he had better dialogue... 

[samuelrichardscott]

I can certainly agree Wallace had the better script, but Gandolfini had much more screen presence. Had the script included the dark humour, Gandolfini would have been fantastic. As it is, I still think this is one of his better performances since The Last Castle. Gandolfini was better at displaying the characteristics than Wallace also. He is the only one I did find better cast than the original. I'm usually a huge fan of Guzman but I think he was massively wasted here and he just didn't have much to do at all, which is a shame. Washington, Travolta and Turturro were all strong, but they are all capable of far better as we have seen in previous years.

[samuelrichardscott]

Highlander (1986) Region B - United Kingdom

Overview:
He fought his first battle on the Scottish Highlands in 1536. He will fight his greatest battle on the streets of New York City in 1986. His name is Connor McLeod. He is immortal.
Connor McLeod (Christopher Lambert - Mortal Kombat, Subway) survives a wound that should kill him in a clan battle in the Scottish Highlands in 1536, and is banished from his village. Years later McLeod is met by Juan Sanchez Villa-Lobos Ramirez (Sean Connery - The Untouchables, The Hunt for Red October), a swordsman who teaches MacLeod the truth about himself; he is immortal, one of a race of many who can only die when the head is cut from the body. When one immortal takes the head of another, the loser's power is absorbed into the winner. Ramirez teaches McLeod the ways of the sword, until he is killed by gravest foe, the evil Kurgan (Clancy Brown - The Shawshank Redemption) who lusts for the ultimate power of the immortals, "The Prize"; enough power to rule the earth forever. McLeod must fight his way through the centuries until the time of The Gathering, when the few immortals who have survived the ages will come together to fight until only one remains.
In New York City, the final fight is about to begin, and in the end, there can be only one.

My Thoughts:
Highlander was a flop at the box office, taking just $12m worldwide from a budget of $16m, but it soon found a place in home media and has become a cult classic spawning TV shows (live action and animated) and several movies. The reason it eventually found success could be the guilty pleasure fun that people get from watching it, the awesome soundtrack by Queen, or a mixture of both. For me, the film is a lot of fun, but it's the right selection of music for the right scenes that make it an above average film. There are some very dodgy accents, and the swordplay is sometimes uninspired, but the story is enjoyable enough to recommend, especially when accompanied by some of Queen's greatest hits. 3.5/5

[samuelrichardscott]

Futurama: The Beast with a Billion Backs (2008) R2 United Kingdom

Overview:
In FUTURAMA's latest and most tentacle-packed epic, space itself rips open, revealing a gateway to another universe. But what lies beyond?
HORROR? LOVE?
Or maybe both, if it happens to contain a repulsive, planet-sized monster with romantic intentions! Nothing less than the fate of human and robot-kind is at stake as the FUTURAMA crew takes on...
THE BEAST WITH A BILLION BACKS

My Thoughts:
The Beast with a Billion Backs is the second feature length Futurama movie and if you enjoy the show, then chances are, you'll enjoy these direct to DVD/Blu-ray features. The storyline, like with any episode of the TV show, is quite out there and includes a couple of sub-plots that sometimes moves a little far from the actual main arc, possibly to help pad out a bit of time. The humour is sharp and fits the feature and the circumstances well but is far from Futurama at it's best. Unfortunately, the main problem with this feature is it does feel overlong, despite the short 85 minute runtime, and I think a lot of it is down to the format of Futurama working much better as 22-minute episodes. Still, even when not on form, this Futurama feature is still enjoyable enough for fans of the TV show. 3.5/5

[samuelrichardscott]

On Golden Pond (1981) R2 United Kingdom

Overview:
Family tensions explode for a loving couple, Ethel and Norman Thayer (KATHERINE HEPBURN and HENRY FONDA, in Academy Award winning performances) at their New England summer cabin on Golden Pond. Their daughter Chelsea (JANE FONDA) has come to visit with her new lover Bill (DABNEY COLEMAN) and his tough young son, Billy (DOUG McKEON).
The three generations collide. But what begins as a stubborn battle of wills between Norman and Billy slowly turns into a relationship that Chelsea always wanted with her father and Norman discovers how much he has missed by denying his daughter's love.

My Thoughts:
On Golden Pond is one of the best dramas of the eighties, mainly down to the extremely strong performances from the perfectly selected cast. Despite all the films that Henry Fonda has starred in, I believe this is possibly his best effort as an actor, managing to portray all the characteristics required for Norman with great finesse. Is the story formulaic and straightforward? Absolutely, but it is told so well and it fully deserved the Oscars it won. What starts out as a regular drama, unfolds into something very deep and meaningful and the script, coupled with the cast, makes this highly recommended from me. 4.5/5

[samuelrichardscott]

Made in Britain (1982) R2 United Kingdom

Overview:
From a fact-based screenplay by David Leland (Wish You Were Here) and directed by master film-maker Alan Clark (Scum). MADE IN BRITAIN is a hard-hitting drama that received huge acclaim when it was first screened on television in 1983.
Trevor is a teenage Skinhead. Caught smashing the windows of a Pakistani owned shop, he is sent to an assessment centre by social worker Harry (Eric Richard – The Bill) where it is discovered he is highly articulate and intelligent. But when he escapes, steals cars and goes berserk, can Harry still save him?
Tim Roth made an unforgettable screen debut as the tattooed, contemptuous racist Trevor. MADE IN BRITAIN depicts his relationship with Harry and the reasons behind his violence with documentary-style naturalism. Filmed on location in London, MADE IN BRITAIN is one of the most memorable feature-length TV dramas of the 1980s.

My Thoughts:
I had heard a lot about Tim Roth's acting debut but I was not prepared for just how good his performance actually was. I actually purchased this based on the strength of Alan Clarke's involvement, who directed Scum, but it is Roth who intensifies the entire project as the racist, thieving, violent skinhead Trevor who also happens to be quite intelligent. However, the film brilliantly depicts Trevor's self-destruction and, by the end of the film, you are actually hoping he turns things around and gets his life back on track. The film also gives a good indirect insight into the government at the time and captures the social and economic problems from the early eighties.  Highly recommended. 4.5/5