I have never been a huge fan of Looney Tunes. I used to watch them when they were shown on Saturday mornings, and I am very fond of Daffy Duck and Foghorn Leghorn, but as a whole the Looney Tunes were never really hilarious, just amusing. As such, I expected Back in Action to be good, but not fantastic, so setting myself up for a very pleasant surprise. Looney Tunes: Back in Action is quite simply a joy to watch, packed full of belly laughs and innumerable in-jokes and references to other films, including appearances from Robbie the Robot, a couple of Daleks, and a brief Invasion of the Bodysnatchers moment. This certainly exceeded my expectations, and at the time of writing I consider this to be the best film of 2003. An interesting sidenote, whilst watching this in the cinema amongst an audience consisting mainly of children, I was rather dismayed to notice that the biggest, and only real belly-laugh throughout the whole film was at Taz experiencing a bout of flatulence, which for me was undoubtedly the low point of the movie, thankfully brief. When I saw it with a mainly adult audience however, the laughs were much more abundant, proving perhaps that this is a more intelligent style of film, containing a level of sophistication that is sadly lacking in most of todays so-called family entertainment. 9/10.
Reviews
7 Reviews
Nuns on the Run
(1990)
Handmade with Care.
23 February 2004
Handmade films started off by making the phenomenal Monty Python's Life of Brian, made several fantastic films to follow that, and just 11 years later wound down their production with this hidden gem. Nuns on the Run is a truly British comedy. No other country in the world can do comedy as well as the British, and this movie represents when they got just about everything right. Perfect casting, fantastic scenario and some hilarious one-liners. This was really one of the last great films comedies, with only Fierce Creatures and Chicken Run coming close since. Unfairly maligned, I seldom hear a good word said about it in the film community, yet nobody I know possibly has any criticism of it. It will continue to be a personal favourite of mine, and I'd hope that other people will in time realise just what they've been missing. 9/10.
Nosferatu
(1922)
King of Vampires
23 February 2004
When I saw Nosferatu a few years ago it really was quite an experience. It was my induction into the world of silent cinema, something that I have now grown very fond of. It was also one of the first vampire films I had seen. I have now seen several of each genre, and Nosferatu remains a standout. It truly uses the lack of sound to it's advantage, creating a chilling atmosphere and real sense of foreboding. The camerawork is excellent, showing some early innovation, and genuinely helps with the narrative which, at times, can be a little slow and plodding. Although it is not the greatest silent film I have seen, it is still the best vampire film. Had I seen a lesser silent film first, I fear I may never had kept my interest in them. 8/10.
Mortal Kombat: Annihilation
(1997)
Absolutely Bloody Awful!
11 February 2004
I have always been fond of Mortal Kombat, both the Games and the Film, but this is a completely different kettle of fish. Unlike the first one, this film has not been able to resist following the games too religiously. It attempts to cram in all the elements and characters from at least 2 of the games, sacrifising story and credibility for it. This, coupled with the Z-grade acting and the risible and overused CGI, add up to what is probably the worst film I have ever seen. 1/10.
Carry on England
(1976)
Underrated
11 February 2004
This movie is no masterpiece, by any stretch of the imagination, but it has been unfairly maligned for quite a while and I'd like to use my two-pennies to defend it. The Carry On series has provided some fantastic films (Up the Khyber, Cowboy, etc.) and to say that England is one of the worst in the series is probably fair. But it still remains a reasonable comedy with some funny moments, and some good performances, perfect fodder for a rainy saturday afternoon. If you want to see the worst Carry On, check out the diabolical Carry On Emmanuelle. If, however, you want an easy laugh or two, the this is a definite contender. 6/10.
Hotel!
(2001 TV Movie)
A Real Find
1 December 2003
If there was ever a case for Television Movies over Cinema, then this is it. In the style of Naked Gun and Airplane, and with that oh so wonderful British wit mixed in, Hotel! manages to triumph over it's influence as a fantastically daft and hilariously funny movie. The cast is great, Paul McGann showing his versatility as an actor, and Bradley Walsh as funny as always (which is fairly funny). Also, an interesting sidenote is an uncredited cameo by Peter Sallis as the voice on the radio. If you like your comedy funny, then this is the one for you. Just don't ask me where you can find it, I've been waiting for a repeat on TV or a DVD release for ages.
Doctor Who: Shada
(1992 Video)
Quite Excellent
24 August 2001
This film, despite being incomplete (Due to a strike at the BBC I believe) really is quite excellent. The plot is compelling, and the cast is simply first class. Although the special effects are a little ropey (Not surprisng for TV sci-fi of the 1970's), that does not detract from the story in the slightest. This is partly because of the superb acting, as I mentioned earlier, but also because of the script, written by the late great Douglas Adams, of 'Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy' fame. Of particular interest to fans of film will be the unfinished nature of this film. Originally intended as a 6 part serial for 'Doctor Who', it was only partially completed, and is presented here with linking naration by Tom Baker, and a booklet of the script, complete with the unfilmed scenes. For anyone seriously interested in the production of TV and film, this is a must. But this would also sit well in anyones collection as a superb example of Science Fiction.
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