michaellaing71 Reviews

Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre (2023)

Very much a miss from Guy Richie

[4/10 · 7 April 2023]

Oh dear. What positives can I really say about this movie. It looks like a lot of money was spent on it and the establishing shots look nice but apart from that, there is very few positives to this film.

This is one of Guy Richie's weaker films. It isn't that the movie is terrible, it is just flat and boring. The script is uninspiring, with every cheche you can think of. The jokes aren't particularly funny and the plot just feels dull.

The action scenes, look messy and uninspiring. The acting, not particularly strong, with a lot of cringeworthy dialogue (particularly from Aubrey Plaza. Who's dialogue sounds like it is written for 14 year olds) and the directing and editing just did nothing for me.

Guy Richie can make fun movies, unfortunately, this isn't one of them.

Battle Beyond the Stars (1980)

Not Star Wars but a great B movie

[9/10 · 30 March 2020]

Yes, I am giving the film 9 stars and no it isn't a 9 star film. I first saw Battle Beyond the Stars back when it was first released. This is a time when space fantasy movies where all the rage, with Star Wars and Battle Star Galactica leading the way.

As a 9 year old, I loved the film and as a 48 year old now I still love it. Yes, it isn't a great film but it is a great B movies and through out it made me smile. Go in thinking you are going to see a great movie you will be hugely disappointed but go in knowing this is a Roger Corman film made on a relatively small budget (but surprisingly good effects for the time), with hammy dialogue, ample amounts of cleavage (and boobs on the ships), acting which goes from decent to terrible and you get an enjoyable space romp.

Red Dead Redemption II (2018 Video Game)

Overrated and boring

[6/10 · 18 June 2019]

One of the most over rated games of all time. Red Dead Resumption II, feels more like a TV series than a video game and plays like one to. The story is epic but the controls are frustrating, there are just a ridiculous amount of cut scenes and it isn't a lot of fun to play.

I give credit to the developers for creating a game of it scope but it is more of a chore than a joy to play and gets rather boring at times.

John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum (2019)

Flawed but extraordinary at the same time.

[8/10 · 16 May 2019]

John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum is good but suffers from its eccentricities. It is a very well made, interesting and flawed. The main problem with the film is it feels like it 'jumps the shark' a little and whilst this isn't full 'jump the shark' it does go far enough over that the thread of believability even in a stylised world goes to pot at times.

So you have 2 options to ignore the silliness or just go along for the ride. Fortunately, there is a lot to ride on and the film never gets boring or dull.

The action is excellent and the fight scenes are stunning, occasionally slight over gruesome and often very funny but always exceptionally well done.

The new characters are a mixed bag, with some far more successful than others, with Halle Berry's character standing out above all, in what is her best action role.

As for the main protagonist, Mark Dacascos is interesting and at times odd and I am not not sure the humorous touches quite work.

The more established characters such as Winston and Charon, have more to do in this film but several of the other characters from previous films do go missing in this film.

As for Keanu Reeves, he plays John Wick in a very similar way to the first 2 films.

The directing and cinematography are excellent, as has been the case with the last 2 films. Chad Stahelski plays to the films strengths and there is very little time to step back and relax.

So despite my problems with the film I did enjoy it and would recommend it to others who enjoyed the last couple of films.

Doctor Who: The Ghost Monument (2018) Season 11, Episode 2

Slow, dull and predictable

[3/10 · 14 October 2018]

I have to admit to not being a fan of Doctor Who generally. I want to be but the writing is generally weak, with atrocious dialogue and problems with pacing. The West Wing could do so much more with so much less time and I wish the BBC would make the episode 40 instead of 50 minutes long.

The episode starts rather like something out of A Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy (the introduction to the Heart of Gold) and goes down hill from there.

The writing of this episode is poor and whilst the idea behind it is ok, there is no sense of danger, with exceptionally weak monsters of the week.

The only positives I can say about this episode is that the new lenses the BBC are using to film each episode has improved the look of the series and you can see the money spent on the production. Now if only they could write something decent.

Avengers: Infinity War (2018)

Good film, better than I had expected

[7/10 · 26 April 2018]

I enjoyed Avengers: Infinity War much more than I had expected and was impressed that the film was as good as it was considering all the characters Marvel were including from all the other MCU films.

Generally the film is well paced and the story is ok. A lot of what happened in Civil War seems to have been ignored and whilst the story is pretty simple it works ok, though if you think about it for a few minutes the plot holes do start to show but for the most part the film doesn't give you a huge amount of time to dwindle on what happened 5 minutes before, so it isn't a big problem.

The film is quite dark but does have Marvels normal amount of humour, particularly in the first half of the film. The action is handled generally very well and but like most Marvel films, it does become a bit of a CGI fest at times.

The big thing with the film is getting the characterisation right. Thanos is given much more of an character arc than I expected, not just the normal evil villian we have grown used to with most of the MCU films. The other bad guys in the film feel much more throw away though and they don't really hold the threat that they really should.

As for the good guys, it is really very much the norm, with each character conforming to their normal stereo type, not that this is always a bad thing.

The score is pretty forgettable but does a decent job. The effects are very good and the cinematography looks pretty nice.

Overall I gave it a 7 but it is probably work a 7.5. I does everything pretty well and is well worth having a watch, particularly if you are a MCU fan.

Blade Runner 2049 (2017)

Much of the greatness of the original and also its faults

[7/10 · 5 October 2017]

There is a lot to like about the film but the film is slow. Visually the film is a treat and Roger Deakins will probably get an Oscar for his cinematography. The score is OK but it doesn't feel as iconic as the original. The acting is good and Denis Villeneuve directing is excellent as usual.

If you didn't have a problem with the pacing of the original, then you probably won't with this, though personally I do think the original is very slow and this film doesn't feel any different. The story is interesting but I won't say anything about it cause I don't want to spoil it for anyone. This film isn't an action film, more an art house film with action in it.

Seeing the original isn't essential but probably worth doing and I would definitely say watch the 3 short films 2022, 2036, 2048.

For me this isn't the perfect film I was hoping for and think that trimming half an hour away from the film would help. At times it does leave certain motivations unanswered and occasionally occasionally I feel the film tries to hard visually.

At times Bladerunner 2049 is very impressive but I would probably prefer to re-watch it on Blu-ray than in the cinema, where I can stop and come back to it another time (very similar to the original)

The Magnificent Seven (2016)

The clichéd seven

[5/10 · 2 May 2017]

Destinctly average in almost every way. The remake of The Magnificent Seven is not a bad film but it is not very good and follows every cliché imaginable, to the point where you know exactly what is going to happen before it happens.

The score is very average, with the main theme only coming in at the end titles. The cinematography isn't great and the amount of tracking shots with horseman becomes a joke. The acting is OK but nobody really stands out. The story is predictable(even for a remake) the characters dull and the dialogue nothing special. The directing is serviceable but nothing more.

Overall a bit of a let down and only worth watching if there is nothing better to do.

Ghost in the Shell (2017)

A good Blockbuster film which needs to be watched as its own film

[7/10 · 3 April 2017]

I have been a big fan of the Ghost in the Shell films and Stand Alone Complex series for many years,so when I first heard that Hollywood was adapting Ghost in the Shell and that they had cast Scarlett Johansson in the lead role, I was rather worried but the first trailer was OK so I thought I would give it a chance.

Of course reading the reviews wasn't particularly but the one thing that I did notice was that the vast majority of reviewers seemed to be comparing the original and also to films like the Matrix, Robocop and Bladerunner instead of reviewing the film on its own.

Yes it shares some of the themes of the above films and it isn't as good an any of them (including the original GITS or Stand Alone Complex) but this doesn't mean it is a bad film and comparing it to a myriad of other Hollywood blockbusters it is pretty good.

The script isn't bad (though I did have some issues with the final act) and the directing is generally good, with good pacing and the editing was is generally decent. There was a couple of times where the film didn't quite make sense but it wasn't a big issue, just a little silly.

The film doesn't follow the themes of the original and the twist in the film was so obvious that I worked it out before I saw the film.

The acting is fine but a lot of the Section 9 actors don't get much too do, which is a pity and you don't get much of the team dynamic that you get in the original or Stand Alone Complex.

Another area I heard complaints before involved the score but I thought Clint Mansell did a pretty good job and I really enjoyed it, whilst it never felt like it was over powering the film.

So overall I enjoyed the film. It isn't going to be the best film of the year but it isn't bad and I suspect it will be one of the better blockbuster of the year (it is certainly better then most the last few years).

T2 Trainspotting (2017)

It tries hard but slightly misses the mark

[6/10 · 30 January 2017]

I really wanted to like T2 Trainspotting and at times is is funny and enjoyable but the film has a huge hole where an interesting story line should be.

This is not to say the film is bad but you have to rely on the characterisation to keep the film interesting and this can only get you so far. The acting is generally very good with the 4 main actors putting in a decent performance but the situations the characters get into are just silly and devalue the film overall.

The T2 rarely gets to the heights of the original film, it lacks bite apart from the 'choose life' scene, which stands out for all the right reasons and has the feel of a film I would really want to see.

The score of the original film is a classic and T2 very much takes its cues from the original, it feels nostalgic but feels slightly lacking some how.

I may be being rather harsh on T2 Trainspotting. There has been a lot of effort put into the film and it does try but it isn't a great film, just a sequel which whilst funny doesn't quite work, which is a real shame.

Doctor Strange (2016)

One of the Better, though not the best Marvel film

[8/10 · 25 October 2016]

Right lets get to the Elephant in the room. Tilda Swinton isn't Asian (in the comic the character comes from (Kamar-Taj (Near Tibet)) (In the film they say she is Gaelic). Doctor Strange is an American comic, created by Americans and the film is funded by an American studio, so I don't particularly care that the film is catered for an American/European audience. I also don't care that Baron Mordo is played by Chiwetel Ejiofor, when the character was originally white coming from Transylvania. What I care about is the performances and I will get to that in a while.

Right now we have got that out of the way, lets get on with the review. Doctor Strange is one of the most interesting characters from the Marvel universe and generally Marvel studio's had done a very good job bringing the character to the big screen.

Story, Direction, Cinematography and effects The film isn't particularly ground breaking and Doctor Stranges ark isn't something not seen in many of the Marvel films and doesn't hold too many surprises. The script is generally good, though I would say the villains are under written and they lack much dialogue and character. Whilst the villains are under written the opposite is true for the heroes, with some really great dialogue for Cumberbatch and Swinton (more on performance below). Marvel are very good at getting the tone of the film right, between humour and seriousness and again they succeed with this film, there are several laugh out load moments, less than Guardians of the Galaxy but enough to be enjoyable. The serious moments have enough gravitas to forward the story line and make you wonder if everything is what it seems.

Director Scott Derrickson does a good job of directing and Ben Davis's cinematography is great. Doctor Strange is very much an effects film and it must be very hard to do the cinematography for a film like this. The effects are very important to this film and generally they are very good. I watched the film in 2D but I did get the feeling they were designed for 3D, this can feel like a conflict of interest and does lose something in translation unfortunately but even then it doesn't hugely harm the film.

Acting Benedict Cumberbatch has done a good job bringing Doctor Strange to the screen. Doctor Strange is not a simple character and Benedict manages to show both the good and the bad without making him unlikable. The character does go through an obvious ark through the film.

Tilda Swindon is a great actress and for me and she lights up the screen when ever she is in a scene. She really inhabits the character and gives a great performance.

Chiwetel Ejiofor, again another very fine actor and to begin with he is very good but as the film goes on, he isn't given quite enough to convince of his final position in the film, which is a real pity.

Benedict Wong is great fun in the film (when he is in the film) and is in much of the comic relief (though not the butt of).

Rachel McAdams is OK but she isn't given a huge amount to do beyond the first act.

Mads Mikkelsen unfortunately isn't given enough to really bring his character to life, which is a shame, the character is a little understated, which is a pity as he is another exceptional actor but Marvel often don't quite get their villains right and unfortunately, this is the case in Doctor Strange.

Scott Adkins has been doing some good work in a lot of roles, often playing the main henchman is big movies (though he has stared in a few films). Unfortunately, the character is completely under developed and could have been built much better. What he does bring is his martial art skills, which whilst again being slightly wasted are used enough to create a good action scene in the film.

As for the other henchmen/woman again they are very under developed and it just feels like they are the to be taken down by the protagonist.

Score and sound design.

The score goes through various moments but ultimately there was something that bugged me, with it which I only realised towards the end. It has been done by Michael Giacchino who also did the modern Star Trek films and the riffs of the film are very similar (its similar to the way James Horner scored Battle Beyond the Stars and then did a similar version for Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan (though I much prefer Horner's score over Giacchino)). This is not to say that that Giacchino score is bad, it isn't it matches scenes well and there is some good stuff, I just wish there was more original sounding stuff.

The rest of the sound design works really well giving an epic feel Conclusion I really enjoyed Doctor Strange despite its problems and I would be tempted to go and see it in 3D just for the effects. At the heart of the film are the strong performances of Cumberbatch and Swinton and they make the film worth watching on its own. I don't think it is Marvel's best film but it is a good entry and does enough to make it fun and interesting.

Doctor Who: The Girl Who Died (2015) Season 9, Episode 5

Doctor Who at its most terrible

[1/10 · 17 October 2015]

It is rare that I give a 1 star review but certainly this episode of Doctor Who earned it. This is just a terrible, terrible episode. Horrible concept, terrible dialogue, awful costumes (why the hell did they give the Vikings horned helmets, I thought that idiocy stopped in the 1970's). A completely moronic plot save (electric eels come from South America).

I might not have minded so much if the comedy had been funny but it really wasn't. This was a completely stupid episode, writing at its very worst. I keep hoping there will be a good episode but it is going down hill faster than a toboggan.

Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex - Solid State Society (2006 TV Movie)

OK, but for me a big let down

[6/10 · 10 March 2013]

Ghost in the Shell: Solid State Society, is probably the weakest in the Ghost in the Shell series of films and TV shows and is the third entry into the Stand Alone Complex series.

The anime is a good as any of the Stand Alone Complex series though doesn't quite match up to the two feature films. The drawing and shading has improved greatly over the series and is at its best here, there are moments when I noticed flickering but this is rare and again better than the two series of Stand Alone Society.

Where the story falls, compared to the rest of the Stand Alone Society is story, which I didn't find nearly as engaging as with previous efforts. Solid State Society is very slow to get going and really never builds the tension that it really should. Too much time seems to be spent on explaining what has happened over between the previous series and this film, which could have worked with a complete series but bogs the film down, with its much shorter running time.

Whilst I didn't hate the film, I must say that I was very disappointed, It is trying to be clever but for me was a let down in what is a very good series.

Skyfall (2012)

Skyfall, Easily on the best Bond films

[8/10 · 26 October 2012]

Casino Royale was one of the best Bond film, whilst Quantum of Solace was frustratingly flawed. Now we have have Skyfall, the third outing of Daniel Craig as Bond, with Sam Mendes stepping into the directors chair.

After the horrible opening to Quantum of Solice (a lesson in bad editing). Skyfall opens with an extremely strong action packed opening sequence, which introduces a new major character and also is the basis for the main plot of the film. The following title sequence, is exceptionally well done and whilst I am not a big fan of Adele's Skyfall opening theme, it does work well with the titles.

I won't go into any further detail on the story but it is handled well through out. Certain comparisons have been made with Christopher Nolan's 'The Dark Knight' and I can definitely see resemblances, though I think the dynamic between the characters in Skyfall is stronger and more interesting.

Whilst the story for the film is quite basic, it is written extremely well for the most part. The dialogue is probably at a higher level than I have heard in a Bond film for many years and maybe ever. Sam Mendes is generally accepted as being a actors director and he shows his skill here, bringing out some great performances.

Daniel Craig has made the role of Bond his own and for me is probably the best Bond. In this film we see a much changed, more grown up Bond, who is much more world weary than previous Bonds and who is shown to have various problems. Judy Dench as we expect is impressive as 'M' and with the story of the film, revolving firmly around her character, she is given much more to do than any previous Bond film.

As for incoming Characters. Javier Bardem is a strong Bond villain, who come across as extremely creepy at times and camp at others. Naomie Harris works well as the field agent 'Eve' and her character and Bond work well off each other. Bérénice Marlohe does a good job in her role but isn't given a huge amount to do, Ben Whishaw plays a modern version of 'Q', he is given quite a bit to work with and again his interaction with Bond helps the film. Ralph Fiennes comes in to the film with a very murky character, who is fleshed out through out the film. It does become quite obvious where his character is heading, though those of us with a suspicion double cross nature might come to an in obvious but incorrect assumption.

Mise-en-scène in a Bond films are exceptionally good generally but with Skyfall the notch is moved up another level. The settings for the film look extraordinary adding a huge amount of character to the film. Special mention has to be given to Roger Deakins, who does an amazing job of the cinematography and if this is not up for an Academy Award for the amazing job he has done on the film, it would be a travesty.

Another area where Skyfall has stepped up its game is the score, which I found both comforting and interesting. Thomas Newman has taken over from David Arnold and has done a great job. As I said at the top, I am not a big fan of Adele's Bond theme but it does make much more sense after seeing the film.

Unfortunately I can't say the film is perfect. There are a couple of moments, which for me don't work as well as they should. The initial interaction between Bond and Bardem's Raoul Silva, at a certain point becomes uncomfortable, in not a great way. Fortunately that moment psses soon enough but it will raise eyebrows.

My second gripe is the ending.I found it to be much weaker than I had hoped for. It isn't terrible but is very sudden and feels out of step compared to the rest of the film.

Apart from the two small problems though I feel that Skyfall, in Bonds 50th year is a triumph. I would say that this Bond film probably isn't for kids as it has some strong moments, though none stronger than the Chair scene in Casino Royale. Well worth going to see.

Haywire (2011)

Lazy story telling ruins what could have been a good film

[6/10 · 2 August 2012]

Haywire feels like a film that is in need of a decent story and script and I have to blame Steven Soderbergh for most of the films problems. According to the DVD extras he saw Gina Carano fighting and thought that she would be great in a film. Unfortunately he didn't think that the film would have to have a decent plot or script.

The film does have a plot but unfortunately it is very convoluted and messy, with huge holes and lazy story telling. The script feels rushed, everything is focused on getting Gina Carano into the next action or fight scene.

Sonderbergh has been smart in a few areas. He has brought in some very good actors to back up Carano but they are generally given little to do and the dialogue is generally terrible. I didn't think Gina Carano was terrible as the lead and she is very convincing when she is battery the hell out of everyone. She isn't given much to do acting wise and this is maybe a good thing. Michael Fassbender is always good, though he isn't given much to work with. A similar story can be said of Michael Douglas. Ewan McGregor feels terribly miscast and I have to say that this is easily the worst performance I have seen from him.

The fight and action scenes are handled very well and the cinematography is generally very well done. Gina Carano is easily the toughest action heroin and the fights are both brutal and convincing. One fight in particular reminded me of the fight between Sean Connery and Robert Shaw in From Russia with Love.

One of the areas I really hated was the editing style and music. It felt very similar to the Ocean 11 films and took a lot of edge off of the film.

Over all I was very disappointed with the film. It isn't bad but it barely gets a 6 from me. I will look out for Gina Carano, I think she could be a stand out action star, if given the right movie and some more acting lessons.

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011)

A good film but not as good as the BBC's adaptation

[7/10 · 16 September 2011]

Going into watching this film, I had recently watched the BBC adaptation, which is a master piece of television. So when I review this film, it is in comparison with the BBC version from 1979.

Firstly I have to talk about the Mise en scène. The film is set in 1973 and everything is made to feel drab, desaturated and used, as if the 60s never happened. The feeling is that Britain is old, not the power that it once was, where bureaucracy is beginning to take over and everyone is feeling negative.

Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy has a very strong cast and I think, mostly everyone does very well. Gary Oldman is one of my favourite actor and his portrayal of George Smiley is one of the most subtle and destingished performances I have seen from an actor, He is soft spoken, often letting his gestures and movements do the talking. Tom Hardy again shows that he is one of the best up and coming actors, dominates his scenes, with skill and vigour, that never goes over the top. It actually show the skill that Gary Oldman has that he doesn't feel the need to compete and it reinforces the gravitas that his character has.

Benedict Cumberbatch is good in his role, though I don't always feel that he has a toughness that his character should have. Kathy Burke handles a very hard role well, though she isn't in the film for long and her scene doesn't feel as important, as I feel it should. The role of Control is probably the most over the top and for me works the least well. Mark Strong gives a good performance but I would have liked to see slightly more of his character.

John Hurt tries very hard as a man running out of time but the character feels forced and doesn't quite work. I am not sure if this is down to the acting of just the way the character was originally written.

With the four members of the top of the circus, I have mixed views. The film starts to try and build the four of them up but then fails to keep the early momentum going. I think the acting is well done, though Toby Jones character isn't nearly as pompous as I would have liked and David Dencik just breaks down to easily towards the end. Ciarán Hinds is a very strong actor but he isn't given enough to do which does leave a problem. Colin Firth plays the most likable character in the entire film and does a good job, coming over as friendly and reliable.

I am not a fan of films where the cinematography is particularly noticeable and this is one of the more distracting things for me with the new version of the film. Hoyte Van Hoytema is a very talented director of photography and is quite amazing, for me Oscar worthy if you enjoy it. But I just found that the constant use of and changing of depth of field, especially in the first half of the film was too artsy. It didn't help much with the pacing of the film, which I will go onto in a while. The score by Alberto Iglesias is very underplayed but perfectly fits the tone of the film, never distracting and extremely subtle. There is also a very interesting moment in the film where is played which although from the 1930s works very well.

Tomas Alfredson is a good director and I suspect a very good actors director, bringing out some very good performances. I cannot give complete praise though. Scenes don't always seem to flow as well as I would have liked, in conjunction with the cinematography there is a lot of lingering around, where nothing his happening, which is meant to show a character contemplating but is just slow.

In the end though the biggest problem with the film is time, Bridget O'Connor and Peter Straughan have done a sterling job of trying to adapt John le Carré book, but I just don't feel that they can succeed in the time allowed for a film. There are just so many little things that the film has to either cut or condense, and some of the characters are never given the space that they need, to build up the tension that is needed for a 'who done it'.

The film is not bad, in fact it is good. It cannot compete with the BBC series though and how ever good Gary Oldman, he runs up against the classic performance Alec Guinness gave in the role. If you have not seen the BBC series, I would suggest watching the film first and then watching the TV series because it is the definitive version of the story and also leads to Smiley's People which for me is even better.

Page Eight (2011 TV Movie)

A waste of good talent

[5/10 · 28 August 2011]

Page Eight is a bit of a conundrum. It has a few interesting moments but as a whole fails to really deliver. The entire thing feels wrong. The drama tries to be believable thriller about the intelligence service in the UK but falls foul of having completely unbelievable characters and a silly plot.

There is a lot of dialogue but none of it feels natural, though there were some good lines. The relationships feel forced and occasionally just daft. I don't feel as if the directing was well done and the cinematography was basic. The acting was mixed, I liked Michael Gambon, who is always likable. Rachel Weisz is a good actress but her character just felt like an add on to give the drama an ending. Bill Nighy's character was odd, he was meant have had lots of woman, but he had no character at all, he had lots of back story and but was completely two dimensional.

The drama also had something about all the characters lighting up cigarettes. Right from the first minute. It was if they were trying to say this drama is gritty and adult because they lighting up a fag.

As you can tell I didn't think the drama was as good as it could have been. I think with a better director and a quite few tweaks this drama could have been much more interesting, especially considering the cast.

Battlestar Galactica: The Plan (2009 Video)

Only for completists

[6/10 · 11 August 2011]

Whilst 'The Plan' well made and not terrible, we find out a couple of new things but the idea and story isn't nearly as good as it should be. The script fails to ignite and there is understandably a lot of reused footage. The acting is good, especially from Dean Stockwell who really holds the story together. The special effects are good but there are no big battles, the score is subtle most of the time, occasionally the camera is a bit to unsteady but that is just a personal thing. Editing is OK, not really exciting. I didn't hate any part of it but it didn't excite me at all either. A bit disappointing really.

Really I would say that this film is for Battlestar Gallactica completists. Hopefully Battlestar will do a film explaining all the stuff they didn't bother to explain about Star Buck but somehow I doubt that will happen.

Flash Gordon (1980)

Flash Gordon's Alive! and doing well 30 years on

[9/10 · 31 May 2011]

Flash Gordon, definitely a film out of its time. When it was released in the wake of Star Wars era, it didn't do well. Looking dated in comparison. Of course now looking at it 30 years later it is one of the great joys of 80s cinema. The film hasn't really aged, it is over the top with, dodgy looking special effects and a campness which couldn't be done today. Whilst this was completely lost on a 9 year old at the time who had been wowed by Star Wars, as a 39 year old I appreciate the film more every time I see it.

The acting is over top in the extreme but it works. The Plot and script silly but fun, the effects and design all dated, even in 1980 feel inspired watching today. Of course what has always stood out with the film was Queens music, which I did love then and it still brings a smile to my face.

This film shouldn't be looked at and compared with other films of the same era but with those of the 30's and 50's. It is a wonderful film which has stood the time of age and blossomed into a fine wine.

Thor (2011)

OK but nothing more

[6/10 · 4 May 2011]

I have to say that I was pretty underwhelmed by Thor. It has had a lot of good reviews, so I went into the film expecting something really good. Unfortunately the film didn't work for me. I thought the pacing was slow and the story jerky and didn't work particularly well. It did have some fun moments but not enough.

Acting wise the film is OK, no one stood out and really I didn't care about any of the characters. The directing was OK, but again nothing special. The cinematography was OK but at no time did I think wow.

The CGI was mixed much of it felt very cartoony (not in a good way), some just looked bad but at times it did work well. The score for the film fitted but was pretty much instantly forgettable.

I have used the term 'OK' several time in this review and I think this sums up the film for me, it was just OK. I didn't hate it but it didn't get me excited, in fact the best moment for me was watching the trailer for X Men First Class. I

Outcasts (2010–2011)

Not great yet, but give it a chance

[7/10 · 9 February 2011]

Well Outcasts has finished its first season and the odds of there being a second season are small. It started of slow, with to much story and with some cringe worthy dialogue. It has grown though and I think that by the end it had the making of a decent second season. People forget that the first season of ST:TNG was pretty awful and it grew into an extremely good series. These things take time and with the way the BBC is funded it is able to do so. Unfortunately I doubt the BBC will though. Fingers crossed I am wrong though.

The production values are quite good considering as is the special effects. The actors have grown into their character and I think the direction is good. My biggest problem is with some of the writing, I can understand what the writer was doing but some of the characters are just two dimensional and the dialogue and character conflicts don't help a lot of the time (a problem I also with New BST as well). I think the series would have been better received if there had been epic space battles and dog fights but the writer has been brave to try and go down a different route and in the end it just works. This is proper SF and should be applauded for it.

I do think 10 minutes could have been losted from most of the episodes and that would have helped with the pacing. Overall the series wasn't as bad as many have said and there could be much more. I also hate the fact that they have finished the series on a cliff hanger and hope that even if they don't do a second series they do a two hour special to finish it off.

Tron: Legacy (2010)

Better than the original and better than the reviews generally say.

[8/10 · 17 December 2010]

I had read all the reviews over the last couple of weeks which have said Tron Legacy is a bit of a dog of a film. I have to admit to quite enjoying it. The first noticeable thing is that the film isn't all in 3D, the second thing is that the 3D is very subtle, so subtle in fact it I wonder if it even need it. The effects are for the most part very good, The weakest effect in many ways is Clu, the effect never looks real, which is a pity, as the character is so important in the film. Another plus for the film is the score by Daft Punk, which stands out and I would think might well be nominated for an Oscar next year.

The story is very basic and could have been done better, there are problems with character motivations and the dialogue at times. A lot of reviewer have commented on the film being over long but personally I didn't have much of a problem. Maybe it could have lost a few minutes but in comparison with a lot of action films, the story just skates along. For me the biggest problem with the story is the ending which feels very weak compared with the rest of the film, it just isn't as exciting as it should have been.

Ihe acting again isn't amazing and none of the actors have to press themselves. Michael Sheen has got the most stick but I thought his character was quite fun, he reminded me of Dr. Frank-N-Furter something I don't think was coincidental. Jeff Bridges is his normal self though I felt a little subdued.

Yes I would recommend this film, it is better than the original Tron but it could have been better, if more time had been devoted to the story and a few little details had be sorted out.

Salt (2010)

Predictable Bourne clone

[6/10 · 7 September 2010]

The problem with Angalina Jolie action films is that generally they she is better than the script and so the story goes again. 'Salt' tries to follow the Bourne route but without the charm or skill that the Bourne films had. Every scene is telegraphed and predicable with little to no suspense beyond the first 20 minutes. The story also comes over as completely daft which doesn't help.

The acting is pretty standard, though I for some reason spent most of the film thinking 'doesn't Angalina look gaunt' which was a bit of a put off. Few of the other actors are given much to bite into, though Liev Schreiber does a good job playing her boss. The action scenes vary in quality with the occasional good idea. Generally though there is nothing that hasn't been done before or better in other films.

I can't say I was much of a fan of the directing of cinematography. The camera work had the standard jerkiness that I have grown to hate over the years in action films and the editing doesn't really help. The music fits in OK and isn't particularly noticeable which is good and the set design is done well.

Over all the film is a let down. Jolie is a good actress but not even she can save this very average film. Even though I have been very negative with this review, I didn't hate the film but I did feel that it could have been much much better. This film clings to a 6 out of 10 by its fingernails and probably should be a 5.

Predators (2010)

Predators are not a patch on a Predator

[5/10 · 12 July 2010]

I am a big fan of the first two films and love the original AVP comic and can even put up with the AVP films. Predators though hardly has a redeeming feature. The script what there is of it is awful. The characters are badly written and not believable. This isn't helped by some woeful acting. The cinematography is poor and I can't really say much positive about the directing.

The worst thing about the film was the Predators themselves. In the original film The Predator was hard, in the new film the new protagonist Predators don't come close matching the original, they are to easy to kill, what makes it worse is that the original predator has been lowered in its pecking order.

I was hoping this film was going to be good, unfortunately it ranks down there with AVP2.

No Country for Old Men (2007)

A good but extremely frustrating film.

[7/10 · 3 July 2009]

I am trying to work out how I feel about this film. It is a beautifully shot film. The acting is good and it story isn't predictable and the direction is well done. Normally I would love all that kind of thing but the film feels unsatisfying.

Some of the characters are built up really well, others such as Woody Harrelson's character Carson Wells just seen to be added for no real reason. I got extremely frustrated with the way a couple of the story arcs in the film ended, even though I am sure the Coens did it on purpose, but I can't see what they achieved from it.

No country for old men is good but after the hype and Oscar success I was hoping for much more.