davidgduncan Reviews

Seven Psychopaths (2012)

Yeah loved it

[8/10 · 18 January 2013]

I've written a couple of IMDb reviews before, but not one for a long time.

I watch far too many movies and this is the best movie i've seen for a long while, a year or more. Well I think Ill Manors was the last top notch movie I saw. Should have done a review for that one I should imagine.

So, back to 7.

Yeah I really liked it. Ultra violent, and with lengthy Raising Arizona pauses. Irreverent, as it ought to be with Samuel J. Rockwell and the Mr Christopher R.W. Walken. With a Senior (in the Mexican sense, although he naturally is getting on in years) Crispin Glover shout-out too, which I caught myself, I might add - the hair-flick gave it away. (I re- wound).

Oh and the super cute Bonny. Which worked so well with exploding heads and the naked prostitute tropes. Such a cutey.

If you're looking for an intelligent, ground breaking cinematic and intellectual experience, give this one a miss. You'll be sorry, but give it a miss anyway. If you're looking for an adolescent, gore embracing, hypocrisy defacing, trip of an hysterical movie that has great acting (courtesy of Mr Walken at the very least - interesting to see Colin Farell act (for once - oh I'm being mean,b'Jesus, fur shur) and always good to see Woody - sorry, I meant to type great) and touching story lines (some people died (it's a gangster rom-com (what did you expect?) , that is if rom-coms include dog-love. (Have I gone to heavy on the brackets?))), and some hard-hitting death scenes, then this is the one for you.

This movie smelt of Pulp Fiction, and tasted of peyote. I happen to be on a non-fat, high violence diet and as such I loved it.

More, low budget directors, please.

Stuck Between Stations (2011)

Yep, nice one

[9/10 · 8 April 2012]

I'm not one for romantic movies, and i've only written a couple of IMDb reviews, but I have seen a ton of low budget movies over the last few years, and frankly this is one of the best - certainly of the US variety. In fact I'd say it's as good as Before Sunrise, Before Sunset, I can't quite remember those movies names.

This is a very cool movie. It just flows. The main protagonist starts off as a complete dooch. He's in his early 30s and rides a BMX. I almost quit the movie then, but somehow the movie trickles on and before you know it he's striking up a relationship with his high school dream girl.

I won't spoil the movie, but it's a very nice trip, that despite it's obvious basicness doesn't seem like a low budget movie at all. I personally think that this movie was completely engrossing, engaging, thought provoking, interesting, if not inspiring, engaging, no I said that already, and enchanting right from the almost beginning to the end.

Well played to all participants.

Solomon Kane (2009)

A Gripping Yarn

[8/10 · 23 May 2010]

I liked it. A film very much in the vein of The Mummy series, but with a more adult and dark side. I found the film full of atmosphere and it drew me in despite the shallow story line, which is to be expected given that it's a hero driven action flick. I thought that the effects, make-up, music, acting, directing, really the whole thing was very solid and it's not just another low budget flick as other reviewers have stated. I would welcome a sequel to this movie, although that might be stretching the storyline a tad too much. Sure, not the masterpiece of the Lord of the Rings but certainly a good hack n slash medieval romp that'll keep you entertained for the duration.

The New Daughter (2009)

Not the worst movie out there

[6/10 · 13 May 2010]

I'm not a horror fan, not that i'm sure this is strictly a horror film, it's very much along the lines of an M. Night Shyamalan film, except there's not a tweest. Or is there, i'm not sure.

So this film is very much one shake of The Village / Signs (take your pick), mixed in with a dose of Blair Witch, a sprinkle of Poltergeist and a dash of Left 4 Dead (the game). All mixed up you have a watchable movie that doesn't really deliver, but then at the same time did keep me engrossed enough to watch the whole movie, although I was performing several other activities so not to completely waste my time. Pretty forgettable, fairly regrettable but then such far from the worst movie out there and i'm sure fans of the genre will enjoy it to some extent.

It's Complicated (2009)

Sickening bourgeoise tosh

[1/10 · 30 April 2010]

Actually, the film started off a lot more enjoyable than I thought it would be, but sickening bourgeoise tosh it is none the less. If your parents are 65+ and are the boring middle class, never really did anything exciting kind, then they'll quite like this movie. For me, someone that's got a bit of class about them, this is tosh of the most exquisite kind.

And why so, you ask. Oh gosh, don't allow me to bore myself by discussing the extremely weak narrative of this "story". Divorcees have an affair, and it gets complicated. That's what we got from the trailer and the title, and there ain't much more to it.

So what of the acting. It has Meryl Streep, Alex Baldwin, Steve Martin and the "funny" guy from The Office (US). Funnily enough all of these actors have one thing in common, they're all over rated. And there was another star in the movie too, not quite sure if the credit should go to Colgate or McLeans but it certainly was the act of smiling. The Office guy being particularly guilty of this. I wish I could get paid millions for pulling an inane smile for a few on-screen minutes. What kind of schmucks do they take us for? Of course the other actors pail into insignificance, as does the whole film after the first 30 mins, at which point it simply becomes as unwelcome as your second bout of piles.

Good production values, awful everything else, unless you love smiles and schmaltz. And if you were hoping that any of the main actors may live up to their reputations / bank balances, they don't.

City Rats (2009)

Not as good as recent entries

[24 April 2010]

A Danny Dyer film, with the other guy, you know, Tanner Hassan, is that right, i'm not sure, but surely a cause for celebration following the exuberant Dead Man Running. But don't be fooled, this film has none of the mockney charm that these two ragamuffins can muster. I ain't no film critic so seeing a guy masterbating to his whore neighbour might not resonate with me as it might others, but I found the whole process somewhat redundant. Give me Malice In Wonderland, give me The Business, give me any other UK gangster film other than this bunch of pointless tripe. With all due respect to the Dyer and the Hassan-meister, this ain't your best work.

A Numbers Game (2010)

I like this one

[7/10 · 23 April 2010]

This is a low budget film, there seems to be quite a few of them around, but it's a good one.

I won't provide a synopsis here because it's already been provided in the other reviews, but for me I simply love the subject matter of sales, and in particular telesales, as that has largely been my career. I've worked in places like is shown in the movie, alongside similar characters and I've even met bona fide Neal Blacks. To me, and it's shown in the movie, Sales does have its dark, greedy, selfish side, but it also has it's uplifting, inspiring, exciting and palpable side, and then main character is certainly very good at his game.

The story of this movie is weak and forgettable, the characters also, with the strong exception of Neal Blacks character which is very well acted, I do hope I get to see more of his films. But for me, given my similar experiences, I was really drawn into the setting and the overall environment of the movie, being a telesales room.

They could easily do a sequel to this movie, just make it bigger and brasher to get the audience sucked into the adrenalin rush of ringing that bell.