MashedA Reviews

Don't Look Up (2021)

Stella cast on simmer

[6/10 · 16 March 2022]

Quirky in the wrong way, a film that misses more than it hits, with a good editor this would be about 40 minutes shorter and more on point. It's not without good scenes, it's just rambling and chaotic and the final act is really rather sad and emotional, but by that time the characters you are supposed to route for have burned up any currency in the preceding folly of a script.

Theres ever so slightly a whiff of famous celebrities just playing to themselves.

When you get together a cast with so many awards and skill you have to wonder why they weren't given enough to do. Truly bewildering?

Star Trek: Picard (2020–2023)

Maybe a decade too late

[7/10 · 24 January 2020]

I'm an out and out Trekkie, I've watched all variations and love or loathe them they have their place. Obviously we are just one episode in so plenty of time to get a better feel for how this will unwind.

There are genuine scenes where Patrick Stewart looks frail, I'm guessing at close to 80 years of age that he doesn't need to act too hard to pull that off. It's sad to see the once proud Picard be a shadow of his former self!

The rest of the cast so far are just empty characters but all in all not totally dislikable.

These things will take time, it took TNG a whole first season to get out of the starting blocks.

Obviously there is huge expectations for this show and that makes it difficult to compare against the heights of TNG.

This show needs to shake of the frail aspect of the Picard character, I'm not expecting headstands or bullet time action from Picard, just less knocking on heavens door.

As from the first episode, it might of been better to have made this 10years ago 😉

Downsizing (2017)

Dreadful is not the word!

[1/10 · 11 March 2018]

Watched the trailer which shown a more upbeat and comedic slant. To be honest the whole thing was a bit depressing to say the least. At best some of the actors were annoying, Matt Damon is absolutely awful in this, it feels like a back door Hollywood attempt at climate change shaming. Which wasn't on the trailer! Absolutely feel like I have been robbed of 2 hrs 15 mins. The ending leaves you scratching your head and asking yourself why, what just happened & how do I get forgiveness from my wife who I made watch this with me. Terrible, terrible film. DO NOT WATCH!! You have been warned.

Radius (2017)

More Nuanced Than You Expect

[8/10 · 12 November 2017]

Liam wakes from a car crash and has no memory of what has happened, he walks from the scene of the accident and further down the highway and sees a car coming down the road and flags it down. The car crashes, he see's the driver and It appears there is a weird virus or plague and people from here on in are dropping like flies.

Liam quickly comes to realise that he is the cause and takes steps to keep people from coming into contact with him. He meets up with a woman known as Jane and they find out that when they are together it cancels out the death radius that affects Liam.

There are little twists and turns here & there laying down breadcrumbs to open up the story line.

Eventually via memory flashbacks the two characters get a small window into their previous lives which ultimately culminate in an ending of sacrifice of one of the two main characters.

It's not Oscar material and there is minimal special effects, however it's an interesting tail and more nuanced than you'd expect. Both the key actors are very good and the film is worthy of a watch.

Made for TV which happily entertains you for 1.5 hours

Quite why other reviewers have a downer on it evades me.

Life (I) (2017)

Where do you start...

[3/10 · 12 June 2017]

Spoiler alert... Spoiler alert... Spoiler alert... Spoiler alert...

Not really, if you have watched alien or anything remotely similar, you have seen this!

Picture the scene, sponge bob square pants goes to space and has a bad dream, then you kind of get the picture of where this film got its direction and plot. You know it's bad when your top rated star Ryan Reynolds dies after 30 minutes, he probably read the rest of the script!

The international space station is occupied by six astronauts, a mars probe is bringing back samples from guess what... Mars, there is a single cell organism that is given life from a controlled experiment under conditions the film explains is pre earth atmosphere. So you make an ass of yourself by assuming it couldn't survive where humans can! Wrong. this bad CGI blob, octopus fish creature thing is super, super intelligent. Not only can it understand the complicated specifications and plans of a space station and how it can enter & leave the space station without a Tomtom sat nav, it can outwit the boffins on the space station. The explanation of how this single cell organism can mutate and become a super criminal without a credible scientific explanation defies even a childlike defence. Mercifully the bad actors are killed off one by one, unfortunately Jake is the last.

Quite why anybody needs to see a 3rd rate scifi when there are quality films out there is only an answer that can come from the director Daniel Espinosa, he must have seen a gap in the market that needed an intelligent piece of slime that is basically cleverer than Einstein within the space of 37 minutes.

When you think that this calamity cost 58 million, you only have one big name actor who starred in the Green Lantern... you kind of wonder where the money was spent? the CGI is mediocre at best! There is T.V. series on lower budgets that achieve better.

All in all this is a film that wouldn't even be in your top 500 or maybe 1000, hang on a minute, whats it called again???

The Leftovers (2014–2017)

Step away from the hallucinogenics

[3/10 · 24 November 2015]

Season one had potential, it was perhaps a little bit weird here and there but that added to the mystery and intrigue. Season two had a new show intro, a new town and now it would seem everyone is sniffing glue! Everything has gone way off kilter, the clues to the story are so far out there that it defies all logic. We have nudity for the sake of nudity, it doesn't drive the plot in any substantial way. Why on earth would Liv Tyler agree to flashing her nether regions in a scene where she rapes a man... it's a career defining low. As for Christopher Eccleston (worst American accent ever) showing off his dangle-berries, what on earth is this man doing/thinking?

The Kevin Garvey character is just bloody bonkers, the man was an officer of the law and is madder than a wet hen! The man looks constantly befuddled!! Overacting and hammy scripts have made this man near unwatchable.

As the second season excruciatingly drags on the plot is becoming increasingly more and more tenuous, characters become more unbelievable. Considering Liv Tyler is one of the lead actors her air time amounts to approx 10 minutes over 10 episodes.

To be honest I was intrigued as to the reason why the the others disappeared, however I now wish I was one of them...

Better Call Saul (2015–2022)

Good things come to those who wait

[7/10 · 17 February 2015]

Just watched the 3rd episode, slow burner, just like it's predecessor Breaking Bad. I'm glad that the time is being taken to get the back story right, it would have been easy to get straight into Breaking Bad territory and not fill in the blanks. If people are expecting this to be exactly the same then they will always be disappointed. We have to take this show on as a completely new identity in a familiar setting.

Having watched Breaking Bad from start to finish just recently (The wife's first watch), the first series is a very different proposition to the last few series. It took time to get from A to B, quite a few people will have struggled to get to those series without the promise that what was to come after, would be very rewarding.

A television programme cannot be condemned after just 3 episodes, the journey has started, I'm sure we'll know by the end of season one or two if it fulfills the it's potential.

Good things come to those who wait

The Captains (2011)

Oddly engaging, ultimately unfulfilling

[6/10 · 4 January 2012]

If you love Star Trek you will forgive the meandering route this documentary takes, if you are not a fan you will see this as an overindulgent preoccupation of Mr. Shatners one true love... Himself and his impending mortality!

There are truly some heart felt conversations with Patrick Stewart and Scott Bakula regarding the long hours put in and the disintegration of their respective marriages. Scott Bakula seems like a really nice guy who is grounded, he understands the life he has chosen and is grateful for the opportunities given to him, although if I'm honest Enterprise comes second to his success in Quantum Leap.

There is straight talking from Kate Mulgrew whom sees the world from a female perspective in a male dominated industry. I'm not sure Bill got the best out of Kate Mulgrew as I have seen her in other interviews and she was more upbeat and less preoccupied with gender related commentary! I suppose that could be down to the editing, context and questions posed by Mr. Shatner...

The Chris Pine segments are purely incidental, you can't help feeling that William Shatner feels a little embittered at the fact he is in his twilight years and would gladly exchange his position with Pine for another throw of the dice.

Poor old Avery Brooks, this poor chap seems to have lost his marbles! Either his interviews were edited to make him look completely unbalanced or this guy really has taken leave of his senses. Some parts of the interviews with Avery were a little uncomfortable as he just grins like a lunatic and plays the piano rather than respond to simple questions.

Patrick Stewart always comes across in a quiet and considered manner. There were times you could clearly see he was emotional, however he never comes across as bitter or anything other than a dignified true professional.

I have mixed emotions when It comes to William Shatner in this documentary, in parts he reveals emotional content about himself & you feel empathy, for instance the part where he says he fears death! In other parts you feel there is narcissistic tendencies which smother the other interviewee's

What you can take away from this is that all the Captains worked extremely hard in their respective roles and there was a toll paid by each of them. William Shatner seems quite reflective in places and yet self focused in others (not completely unexpected).

Of the five Captains interviewed you wouldn't hesitate to ask Patrick Stewart & Scott Bakula out to lunch, because from this disjointed venture you get the feeling they were the most articulate individuals who have the ability to talk about themselves and you would still like to listen.

Limitless (I) (2011)

pass me a bag of those pills and I'll be president :P)

[7/10 · 3 June 2011]

I like the premiss that one little pill can change your life so dramatically. Eddie Morra is one step from the gutter when he bumps into his ex brother in law who offers him this wonder pill, at first Eddie has doubts about what the drug can do?, He overcomes his initial nerves and takes the pill, everything changes from this point on.

Eddie fast tracks the book he has delayed for over two years, he then sets his sights on bigger things and this sets in motion the main plot for the film...

Lets back track a little here and look at some of the sub plots, one sub plot is the side effects this drug has and the double life Eddie leads, there is a darker side that rears it's head when Eddie drinks and indulges the excessive lifestyle that comes with the high rollers and there are definitely skeletons in the closet. Others sub plots include Russians and sinister characters whom all have an agenda to get hold of these wonder pills, some of these sub plots hold up better than others.

The film is definitely worth a watch, obviously you have to suspend belief to some of the obvious plot holes, also turn a blind eye to the fact the brilliance bestowed on the person taking the pill makes them become blinded to the obvious supply issues. On a side note the bag of pills Eddie has never seems to get any less!!

In summary, pass me a bag of those pills and I'll be president :P)

Battle Los Angeles (2011)

All in all a good shoot em up flick

[7/10 · 21 May 2011]

I'm only surprised that people thought that this would be anything other than a shoot em up kind of movie! For me the action ticked along quite nicely with the usual body count expected given the storyline. We were invited to make friends with the rag tag marine types to add to the sense of loss when they bit the dust.

There is no dialogue with the aliens, they portrayed as strictly bad ass and when they are close quarters its only to blow them to pieces or mangle their insides.

Yes there were the usual cliché's throughout the film and stereotypes were more than overstated but what the heck its what we have come to expect in most genres these days. The scenery was bleat and fitted in with what was happening.

I do find the jerky camera movement something of an irritation, I guess there is that need to make the audience feel involved or give it the live at the scene feel to the action. I thought that Aaron Eckhart played the lead well, there really wasn't that much to do other than grunt occasionally and then give the obligatory teary eyed speech about those that were left behind in past operations and how if we bond as a team we can get through this ordeal.

All in all a good shoot em up flick with special effects that reflect a high budget film .

The Expendables (2010)

Smash and Bash of the 80's

[8/10 · 10 September 2010]

What is up with people, this film was totally what I expected! Explosions galore, testosterone through the roof and wise cracks. What else would you expect from a cast line up like this? The only problem for me is that there were so many action style actors that ultimately some of them suffered from being underutilised.

Many fans will remember the 80's where this type of film was common place, you didn't have to think to hard about the plot and there was a reason for that, the action spoke for itself.

The recent release of the 'A' Team will no doubt be tarred with the same brush!

Bring on the sequel..

The Karate Kid (2010)

Far removed from the classic original!

[1/10 · 28 July 2010]

Remakes will always be compared to the original, this is as surely as night follows day. The problem this film suffers from is it lacks all the charm and pathos of the original. Jackie Chan plays it straight without much charm and that was an essential ingredient in the original. Jaden Smith is on screen far too much and is almost as wooden as the peg he repeatedly hangs his coat on.

In the original Karate Kid film the tasks given to Daniel Larusso are more believable in Karate instruction, rather than simply hanging a coat on a wooden peg. You would expect the son of Will Smith to have some of the same endearing qualities, sadly this has yet to reveal itself.

I have no doubt that Jaden Smith will have a fantastic career in Hollywood :P)

The Man from Earth (2007)

It could only be made worse if Mark Wahlberg starred in it!

[1/10 · 30 August 2009]

I'm sorry but this film is just not that good! Yes the premise behind the film was an interesting one, however it is badly actualised. The actors were so wooden that a carpenter would be embarrassed (when you have seen the film you will realise the pun).

This would have been better suited to theatre, as a film it just can't keep you entertained simply because the dialogue is dreadful the backdrop dreary and uninspiring.

For goodness sake, if you have no money you might want to ask your parents for a bit of pocket money. At least you could spend more than the price of a parking ticket on the whole movie! This film felt like a student had made this as a first project at college, there simply wasn't any direction, these guys just sat on their backside throughout the film. I was tempted to switch the film off mid way through but couldn't find the will or energy to do so.

Pitiful, just pitiful. It could only be made worse if Mark Wahlberg starred in it!

Breaking Bad (2008–2013)

This program is unique in a world of knock off's and remakes

[10/10 · 11 March 2009]

The sign of a good actor is the ability to be completely believable in the part they are playing.

Brian Cranston played the manic Hal in 'Malcolm in the Middle' a role that was likable but not outstanding by any means.

'Breaking Bad' is a revelation, it's like watching a butterfly emerge from a chrysalis, Brian Cranston is just brilliant as Walter White, he plays an over qualified chemistry teacher who discovers that he has cancer. This discovery completely changes his perspective on life, the realisation that his mediocre life could soon be over and he has little to show for it triggers a change in life that simply leads from one amazing drama to another.

Crystal meth is not something that should be taken on lightly in any drama, happily this is not the case here, and the program tackles these issues admirably. It shows the ups and downs of dealing, the unsavoury characters who Walter meats along his journey. What makes this show different is that it doesn't glamorise drugs; it does show what a human being is capable of put into various circumstances.

'Breaking Bad' is a very dark comedy; some of the light relief is give by Cranston and more especially from his co-star Aaron Paul who plays the small time drug dealer who Walter taught at school. Their relationship starts out as one of mutual benefit and over the first season blossoms to one of two people who know each other's secrets and then kinship.

This program as I said is a dark comedy, but don't let that fool you in any way, it is also very hard hitting, there are scenes of extreme violence which are not for those of a squeamish disposition. Then there are the complications of family life and all the realities of a cancer sufferer.

This program is unique in a world of knock off's and remakes; this is definitely NOT chewing gum for the brain and requires the viewer to pay attention.

Having watched the first season I was spellbound and couldn't wait to watch each episode to see where this drama would take us, I am happy to report having watched the first three episodes of the second season that this is no flash in the pan, the second season is starting out as good as the first season and long may it continue.

W. (I) (2008)

George W Bushes legacy will be given far worse treatment that this film has offered.

[6/10 · 11 February 2009]

Where to start..

Looking from the outside in as a individual from the United Kingdom it would be all to easy to put a negative slant on the George W Bush. So I will try to keep emotion from this review and base it purely from the films point of view.

The film W. tries to give Bush a more human side, to portray a man who has flaws, failings and give him a softer side. It shows the way he lived his turbulent life in the early days, it reveals the awkward relationship between George W Bush and his father. There are scenes in this film which show that GWB had seen the light, that he was a born again Christian.

This film tries to show the man behind the Image. What seems obvious from the film and looking at his Presidency is GWB was a mad trying to grapple with a job far beyond his grasp and capability. Looking at this film it seems the decisions made by GWB were either influenced badly by his administration or by the drive to please his father who he saw as weak for not finishing the job off in Iraq.

This film portrays Bush as right wing in outlook, that the decisions he made were motivated by emotion rather than intellect. The scenes where Donald Rumsfeld discusses the oil fields and Guantanamo Bay are quite chilling if accurate.

Although we now widely accept that there wasn't WMD's and that the main argument for invading Iraq were for the oil reserves, it makes it more shocking to see those decisions take place on screen.

George W Bushes legacy will be given far worse treatment that this film has offered.

The Day the Earth Stood Still (2008)

Haze of bad editing

[6/10 · 11 February 2009]

Let be honest here, when we go to the movies we expect to be entertained. Unfortunately sometimes films entertain but miss the beat, by that I mean that the continuity that takes us from one scene to another needs to be seamless and not blunt, the scene preceding should somehow explain what is happening or give us the facts or spoon feed if absolutely necessary.

The Day The Earth Stood Still is not inherently bad, it suffers because this film assumes that you have already seen the original! Therein lies the problem for the first time viewer. The scenes are knitted together in a fashion that makes it difficult to join the dots in some cases. The dialogue is poor which is a shame because given a good script and better editing this could have been a good film. Perhaps an editors cut version might answer some questions.

Keanu Reeves is playing a role not to dissimilar to Neo, however this minimalist portrayal seems to lack something to make Klaatu other than a one dimensional being. Reeves looked to be back on form in Street Kings, this will do little to re-energise his career.

All in all this suffers from a bad script and a haze of bad editing.

Raising the Bar (2008–2009)

L.A. Law meets Hill Street Blues

[7/10 · 27 December 2008]

L.A. Law & Hill Street Blues springs to mind when watching Raising The Bar, it has the same sort of feeling of colleagues working together and using each other in a supportive way. Each of the main characters has it's own idiosyncratic ways which endear you to them. What drew me to this series was tracking the career of 'Malcolm In The Middle' actress Jane Kaczmarek, I was curious as to what she was doing and to my delight she has taken a part the suits her down to the ground. I wouldn't say the role is challenging but rather something which fits naturally with her previous role as the domineering mother and not forgetting the the same role she voiced in 'The Simpsons'. Unfortunately there is a familiarity with Raising The Bar which could stop it from being anything other than a series that gets shelved after a few seasons.... A series that will get a a thumbs up from the T.V. Execs is that of Kaczmarek's acting partner in 'Malcolm In The Middle' Bryan Cranston, that series is really breaking the mold, simply awesome!

Max Payne (2008)

Mark Wahlberg cast as Max Payne, another big budget film destroyed!

[4/10 · 14 November 2008]

Mark Wahlberg cast as Max Payne, OMG what was John Moore thinking! Clearly there was little thinking all round when it came to casting in this tragedy. The Max Payne game thankfully bears little resemblance to this shambolic reinterpretation. Mark Wahlberg just hasn't got any charisma, why oh why do directors give this guy parts in big budget films?

The storyline briefly resembles the story of the game, however Max Payne is brutal in the extreme as you would expect from a video game. Video games are a basic 'shoot em up' with little or no regard for realism, the problem with the film is they have tried too hard to make it believable. They have tried to give Max Payne a human element which frankly destroys any hope of this being a good film. This is a big budget film and in parts is beautifully shot, the CGI is top rate the scenes with the demons are well done.

So, what makes this terrible? Mark Wahlberg... it wouldn't have made a difference if he had played the game Max Payne! Simply because he is unable to portray any emotion, Wahlberg is miscast for this film (or any other for that matter). Beau Bridges is a great actor but struggles to be able to convey a bad guy, I know that Beau is meant to come across as a good guy initially but we all know he isn't.

Sadly the ending left it open for a sequel, please, please, please don't let this happen without a total re-imagination that resembles the original story and re-casted with appropriate actors for the part.

Tropic Thunder (2008)

A Triumph of Comebacks!

[8/10 · 7 November 2008]

Tropic Thunder starts in bad taste and ends in bad taste! I loved it. The films pokes fun at pretentious actors who believe that they have to go through some sort of pain for their art, it also pokes fun at substance dependant actors… So to have Robert Downey Jnr and Nick Nolte in the film shows that these guys do have humility because we know what their past encompasses and the baggage they bring with them.

For different reasons this film is a triumph and career enhancing opportunity, Robert Downey JR is well down the road of forgiveness for his past transgressions, Iron Man has bolstered his career and this just cements where he is on the international stage. Tom Cruise….. Well this is a complete change of pace for Tom, I just couldn't have seen Cruise play a character like this even 2 years ago, this just might see his career take an upturn just because he has shown he has the balls to do something completely out of the box.

Ben Stiller plays the main character who leads a team of actors through the Vietnam jungle believing that they are being filmed. The film pokes fun at so many war films you find yourself listing them in your head for instance:- Full Metal jacket, Apocalypse Now, hamburger Hill & even Forrest Gump to name just a few.

The film is very near the knuckle on several occasions, so you are either going to love it or hate it.

Iron Man (2008)

Career Saving Performance From Downey Jr

[9/10 · 3 October 2008]

Wow, come in from out of the cold Mr. Downey Jr, hands up who would have thought that RDJ would have been given the lead roll in an action hero film at the age of 44. Not me that is for sure! What a great choice, I have watched this film 3 times now and each time I like it more. Downey Jr is better placed than most to portray the playboy millionaire Tony Stark.

Downey Jr's life is probably had more up's and down's that a Ferris Wheel, he was kicked off the Ally McBeal show for falling unceremoniously off the waggon and looked to be dead in the water career wise. How wrong can you be? The movie is jam packed with special effects that really give this film a wow factor in a summer with other block busters from Marvel like 'The Incredible Hulk' and the 'The Dark Knight'. The Iron Man was definitely viewed as the underdog but has come out fighting, IMO it easily edges the Hulk into third place.

Jeff Bridges plays sinister well, come on, any guy with a bald head is going to be a bad guy.. Gwyenth Paltrow looks like she has be schooled by the Mark Wahlberg actors guild, she appears so wooden that she may have dutch elm disease.

The story is not without faults for a movie based on a comic, there may be one or two out there who will be unhappy with the direction. These minor technicalities shouldn't be held against this movie as the overall production is fantastic. Iron Man has been made at a time where special effects can truly bring a comic book adaptation to life without any corners being cut.

I just wanted to touch on the the special effects in conjunction with the Incredible Hulk! the Iron man special effects are IMO top drawer without looking too obvious, you might say that all special effects are obvious and you would be right.. but when it looks natural and almost plausible you know the boffins have really worked hard to make it seamless, whereas 'The Incredible Hulk' although better than the first re-imagining, still lacks the finesse of Iron Man.

Hancock (2008)

Will Smith is an enigma wrapped up in a mystery, wrapped up in an enigma!

[8/10 · 3 October 2008]

Will Smith is an enigma wrapped up in a mystery, wrapped up in an enigma! If you like Will Smith you will like this film period! What I like about Will Smith is that you are never really sure what type of film he is going to come out with. I suppose he has made some turkeys and has tried his hand at some serious stuff e.g. Ali, & The Pursuit of Happiness; but when it comes down to it, his best work is action with a pinch of comedy.

This film has two definite sides to it, the second part catches you a little off guard although the clues are there if you watch carefully. The anti superhero with a drinking problem is an angle which is not often explored, Smith gives it his brand of humour and it works well.

Act two of this film seems to be getting bashed rather a lot throughout many of the reviews I have read, although I think this is a little unjustified! It seems more plausible to me that if there is one person with superhuman abilities, it stands to reason there would be others with this capability also.

Will Smith is big box office, he has charisma in spades and can just about carry any script in front of him at the moment. (take note Mark Wahlberg).

Watching Hancock, it is hard to see the movie moguls losing faith any time soon..

Righteous Kill (2008)

Get hold of a copy of 'Heat' to see these guys on top form

[4/10 · 3 October 2008]

De Niro and Pacino are a much sought after pairing, you are left wondering why they would accept such a flimsy script which is both blindingly obvious in direction and paper thin in plot and context.

The film is just over an hour and a half but feels longer because the story is stretched out and regurgitated throughout to the point of absurdity!

De Niro is not good in this film, I can't quite put my finger on it, he seems to be playing a one dimensional character and I never quite believe the person he is meant to be portraying. On the other hand I have never been a big fan of Pacino's hammy over the top acting, however, this film sees him playing an understated character for 90% of the film which suited him well. True to type though, Pacino gets all hammy towards the end, so those that like that side of him will not be disappointed!

De Niro (Aged 65) and Pacino (Aged 68) are battling the signs of age here, although they just manage to be believable as two cops in the twilight of their careers.

Overall the film lacks originality and the suspense level wavers too much to keep you gripped throughout. This is definitely a missed opportunity for De Niro & Pacino as their last outing 'Heat' was a far better production all round.

Wanted (2008)

Just tune in, turn off and watch the action.

[7/10 · 31 July 2008]

I desperately want to love this film despite the fact it has plot holes all over the place, the film is based on a comic book style hero's of good and evil… but who are the bad guys? The nearest possible reference with regards to the style and content is The Matrix with all the bullet time action and superhuman feats, although the film is stylish it suffers from a vague familiarity that just nags in the back of your mind. It's never really explained how these guys got their power which for me is an important aspect. The film is basically done in four acts 1). Dweeb with uninteresting life explored 2) Dweeb taken to secret society to learn of his untapped powers 3) Dweeb becomes superhuman assassin 4) Hero seeks revenge.

Not a bad tale by any stretch of the Imagination, James McAvoy carries of both sides of his personality well even if he is somewhat annoying in the first car chase sequence with all the screaming he does. Angelina Jolie looks stunning; however she is underutilised in this role, which is a shame as she is capable of more. Morgan Freeman is treading water here with yet another old sage role that seems to epitomise his career. Terrence Stamp's role was all but a cameo. Common was wooden and Marc Warren may have grunted occasionally. The supporting casts were really not given very much to do but be background fodder, this was a mistake given some of the work they have done previously.

Some of the scenes are probably stretched too far and become a little tiresome, for instance the training segments really didn't need to be so in-depth we got the picture and could have moved on.

That said, on the whole the film is entertaining with twists and turns towards the end you may or may not see coming. Jolie's actions in the showdown sequence with the other assassins seemed unnecessary, without some serious inventive writing I seriously doubt there will be a sequel for many of the characters.

Well worth the price of a ticket at the cinema. Just tune in, turn off and watch the action.

The Dark Knight (2008)

Better Second Time Out!!

[10/10 · 26 July 2008]

Wowzers, where do you begin with this film? Epic makes it sounds like a long film where your buttocks begin to get numb and you start fidgeting… NOT in this film WOW, from the initial opening sequences until the credits roll a whole 152 minutes later you're a gripped to the screen wondering why has it taken so long for this franchise to get all the right ingredients together to make such a kick ass film? At the end of this film I was breathless, the action didn't overwhelm the film the melancholy didn't overwhelm this film; the balance was struck with deft precision. The actors didn't ham it up as in previous instalments (prior to Batman Begins naturally) and you truly feel empathy for the characters, even the Joker! Ledgers character shared his past whilst committing some fiendish crimes, giving an insight as to why his life had gotten him to this point. I suppose there are going to be inevitable comments made as to Ledgers performance in this role due to his untimely death. It would be disingenuous to praise his role out of sympathy, luckily this is not necessary. Ledgers performance in this movie only reminds us of the terrible loss we suffer from him no longer being with us.

Moving swiftly on, Christian Bale continues his solid portrayal of Batman and builds on his previous outing in 'Batman Begins'. The only tiny criticism I have is Bale himself when he gives interviews… he is soooo dull, other than that, the role he plays is great (I suppose that is what a good actor does, take note Mark Wahlberg) Michael Cain is, well, Michael Cain, the man is a legend in his own lifetime and following this performance only adds to his kudos. Aaron Eckhart has at last got a role he can get his teeth into; hopefully this will lead to other work. The switch to Maggie Gyllenhaal for the role of Rachel was an inspired choice and pays off. It's a pity her role won't be revived! Lastly we see Gary Oldman reprise his role as James Gordan. The Gordan role second time out is expanded and supports the rest of the film very well. Oldman has been vastly underutilised in recent years, hopefully this will be rectified.

There will be calls to make this into a trilogy and rightly so, however in the rush to make a third instalment I would urge caution to Christopher Nolan not to be rushed to into something to cater to the studio's lust for more profits…..

The Happening (2008)

Missed opportunity!

[2/10 · 10 July 2008]

Where to begin with this sorry saga! The Happening is without doubt a missed opportunity snatched from the jaws of victory by our good friend Mark Wahlberg. Wahlberg who, when given excellent direction and material can turn in a mediocre performance at best, finds that given no direction and bad material, well; I'm afraid you only get what you deserve.

Acting lesson 101:- An actor should be that good that you don't notice them acting! Wahlberg is so wooden I half expected to see a carpenter use him as an instrument to bludgeon one of the victims with.

The story in the Happening is a good premise badly realised. The film lacked a cohesive direction which left you without any empathy for the main characters or what was happening to them. There are many good scenes in this film, what is lacking is a strong enough thread by our main characters to mesh everything together.

There are some quite shocking scenes of construction workers jumping off high rise buildings that left me puzzled, would airborne spores really have reached that altitude in sufficient quantity when there didn't seem to be very much vegetation in the surrounding area?

In previous films by Shyamalan you had big name actors like Bruce Willis, Mel Gibson & Samuel L Jackson. The only link I can see here is Joaquin Phoenix who had been in the film "We Own The Night" which also starred Wahlberg. Perhaps Phoenix tipped Shyamalan that Wahlberg was good!

When all is said and done about this film, it is the actor who should be able to carry a film, be the star attraction,the film merely being a vehicle, you only have to see this from the likes of Will Smith who has had a couple of turkeys, yet is forgiven by his box office returns. Wahlberg is not in a position to carry the lead in a movie, he should stick to being a co-star in films with actors with more charisma like "The Departed" We can only hope that Wahlberg is not given the opportunity to ruin yet another film.