David M. Brown's Blog, page 25
April 20, 2014
This Week’s Films (20/04/14)
Saw VI (2009)
Special Agent Strahm is dead, and Detective Hoffman has emerged as the unchallenged successor to Jigsaw’s legacy. However, when the FBI draws closer to Hoffman, he is forced to set a game into motion, and Jigsaw’s grand scheme is finally understood.
Verdict: 5/10
Diminished Capacity (2008)
A Chicago journalist suffering from memory loss takes leaves from his job and returns to his rural hometown, where he bonds with his Alzheimer’s-impaired uncle Rollie and his old flame.
Verdict: 5/10
Saw 3D: The Final Chapter (2010)
Witness the last diabolical act of a legend as the final pieces of Jigsaw’s puzzles are revealed! As a deadly battle rages over Jigsaw’s brutal legacy, a group of Jigsaw survivors gathers to seek the support of self-help guru and fellow survivor Bobby Dagen. But Dagen hides his own dark secrets, ones that will unleash a wave of unrelenting terror and suffering in this heart-stopping finale to the most successful horror movie series of all time.
Verdict: 4/10
All Dogs Go To Heaven 2 (1996)
In this animated sequel, that ol’ pal of ours Charlie Barkin returns to create chaos in heaven and on earth. The trouble begins when Charlie gets bored with the peaceful bliss of life in doggy heaven and begins dreaming of returning to Earth. Even the arrival of his former best pal Itchy does little to cheer him up. Then the wicked Carface steals Gabriel’s horn and in the struggle it falls into San Francisco. Charlie and Itchy jump at the chance to retrieve the holy horn.
Verdict: 2/10
Did You Hear About the Morgans? (2009)
Sarah Jessica Parker and Hugh Grant star in this delightful, heartwarming comedy about finding love in the most unexpected places. Two successful New Yorkers, Meryl (Parker) and Paul (Grant), are at their wits’ ends on how to solve their strained marriage. But when they become the only witnesses to a brutal murder, the police hide them away in Wyoming – together. Now these diehard city dwellers will have to survive the weather, bears, fresh air, and forced time with one another if they want to make it out alive. Co-starring Mary Steenburgen, Sam Elliott, and Elisabeth Moss.
Verdict: 3/10
Boy Wonder (2010)
A young Brooklyn boy witnesses the brutal murder of his mother and grows up obsessed with finding her killer. Thus begins his life as a quiet, straight-A student by day and a self-appointed hero at night. But what is a real hero? And who decides what is right or wrong? As the boundaries blur, Sean’s dual life wears on his psyche and his two worlds careen dangerously close to colliding. Like a graphic novel you can’t put down, Boy Wonder challenges morality, distorting perceptions of what is right and what is justified, as it races to its shocking conclusion.
Verdict: 6/10
Black Rock (2012)
Three young women – Sarah (Kate Bosworth), Abby (Katie Aselton) and Lou (Lake Bell) – get together for a private campout at one of the iconic settings of their childhood, an empty island off the coast of Maine, to renew their bond of sisterhood. They quickly learn, though, that the island is anything but empty, when they encounter three men, who have come to the island to hunt. A misunderstanding quickly turns to tragedy, and the three women soon find themselves the targets of the hunt. What started as a simple playdate to recall old times is now a race for survival.
Verdict: 4/10
The Tripper (2006)
Directed by, co-written by and starring David Arquette, this classic horror movie revolves around a group of friends who escape to a modern-day Woodstock concert for a weekend of debauchery, only to be stalked by a homicidal maniac determined to finish what he started years earlier.
Verdict: 2/10
Arbitrage (2012)
Dynamic performances by Richard Gere and an all-star cast highlight this riveting, suspense-filled thriller about love, loyalty, and high finance. Robert Miller (Gere) is a New York hedge-fund magnate who appears to have it all – money, power, a loving wife (Susan Sarandon), and a devoted daughter (Brit Marling) working by his side. But behind the gilded walls of his mansion Miller is running on borrowed time, trying to unload his crippled trading company before his frauds are revealed. A deadly error throws Miller’s “perfect life” into a tailspin, raising the suspicions of a detective (Tim Roth) and threatening the future of his financial empire. As the line blurs bet ween what is right and wrong, legal and criminal, Miller is driven to desperate measures to protect the only thing more precious than his considerable fortune: his family.
Verdict: 7/10
Solstice (2008)
There’s something spooky down on the bayou, in this supernatural horror from ‘Blair Witch’ director Daniel Myrick. A short time after her twin sister Sophie’s death, Megan (Elisabeth Harnois) and some of her teenage college chums decide it would be a good idea to have one last party at the family’s summer home. With the full moon rising, and some strange occurrences afoot, Megan soon begins to suspect that her recently departed sister is trying to reach her from beyond the grave.
Verdict: 5/10
Domestic Disturbance (2001)
In this “edge of your seat thriller,” John Travolta stars as Frank Morrison, a man who discovers that his son’s new stepfather (Vince Vaughn) is not who he pretends to be. Frank’s investigation into this man’s past explodes into a terrifying mission to rescue his son from the ultimate danger. This chilling, critically acclaimed hit will have your heart pounding from start to finish!
Verdict: 4/10
Hoffa (1992)
Screenwriter David Mamet’s script combines real people with fictional characters in an attempt to portray the important people in Jimmy Hoffa’s life. Danny DeVito’s and Armand Assante’s characters are actually composites of numerous Hoffa associates.
Director/co-star Danny DeVito’s unforgettable epic stars Jack Nicholson as Jimmy Hoffa, the legendary Teamster boss whose mysterious disappearance has never been explained. The film traces Hoffa’s passionate struggle to shape the nation’s most influential labor union, his relationship with the Mob, and his subsequent conviction and prison term at the hand of Robert Kennedy.
Verdict: 7/10
The Devil Inside (2012)
In 1989, emergency responders received a 9-1-1 call from Maria Rossi confessing to three brutal murders. The courts found her insane, but something else found her first. Twenty years later, her daughter Isabella’s search for answers leads her to an exorcism by two rogue priests, revealing that her mother is possessed by four powerful demons. Now, Isabella must face pure evil or forsake her soul. Discover why The Devil Inside is the movie critics call “evil in its purest form”.
Verdict: 2/10
Stalker (2010)
When novelist Paula Martin retreats to the seclusion of her family home Crows Hall she hopes to clear her mind and focus on her new book. The arrival of an assistant, Linda, should take the pressure off… but as the bodies pile up, Paula finds herself trapped in a terrifying nightmare of murder and madness.
Verdict: 4/10
The Expendables 2 (2012)
The cast of The Expendables, with newest members Billy the Kid (Hemsworth) and Maggie (Nan) aboard, are reunited when Mr. Church (Bruce Willis) enlists the Expendables to take on a seemingly simple job. The task looks like an easy paycheck for Barney and his band of old school mercenaries. But when things go wrong and one of their own is viciously killed, the Expendables are compelled to seek revenge in hostile territory where the odds are stacked against them.
Verdict: 6/10
The Jerk (1979)
That wild and crazy guy, Steve Martin, makes his film-starring debut in the wacky comedy The Jerk. Steve portrays Navin Johnson, adopted son of a poor black sharecropper family, whose crazy inventions lead him from rags to riches and right back to rags. Along the way, he’s smitten with a lady motorcycle racer, survives a series of screwball attacks by a deranged killer and becomes a millionaire by inventing the ‘Opti-grab’ handle for glasses. It’s an outrageous comedy with one laugh after another!
Verdict: 6/10
Man on Wire (2008)
On August 7th 1974, a young Frenchman named Philippe Petit stepped out on a wire and illegally rigged between the New York’s twin towers. After nearly an hour dancing on the wire, he was arrested, taken for psychological evaluation, and brought to jail before he was finally released. This documentary complies Petit s footage to show the numerous extraordinary challenges he faced in completing the artistic crime of the century.
Verdict: 8/10
The Animal (2001)
Marvin Mange (Rob Schneider) dreams of being a tough, heroic police officer but is too weak and wimpy to ever pass the entrance exam. However, when he is critically injured in a car accident, a mad scientist uses animal organs to rebuild his broken body, and, when he recovers, these organs give Marvin a new vitality. In no time at all, he is one of the city’s most celebrated cops – but he also has some unsavoury animal instincts to contend with.
Verdict: 2/10
Everest (1998)
An international team of climbers ascends Mt. Everest in the spring of 1996. The film depicts their lengthy preparations for the climb, their trek to the summit, and their successful return to Base Camp. It also shows many of the challenges the group faced, including avalanches, lack of oxygen, treacherous ice walls, and a deadly blizzard.
Verdict: 7/10
The Haunting of Molly Hartley (2008)
Supernatural teen horror. 17-year-old Molly Hartley (Haley Bennett) moves away from Boston to start a new life with her father (Jake Weber) in the small town of Huntington after surviving a bizarre and near-fatal attack at the hands of her psychotic mother. As well as making new friends and trying to fit in at her new school, Molly has to contend with nightmarish hallucinations, nosebleeds and creepy voices in her head. Has Molly inherited her mother’s insanity, or are there even darker forces at work?
Verdict: 2/10
9 (2009)
An action-packed adventure, director Shane Acker’s animated fantasy epic 9 is the feature-length expansion of his Academy Award-nominated 2004 short film of the same name. The screenplay for the feature is by Pamela Pettler (Monster House); directors Tim Burton (Beetlejuice) and Timur Bekmambetov (Wanted) are producing .Set in the near future. The world’s machines have turned on mankind and sparked social unrest – decimating the human population. But as our world falls to pieces, a mission begins to salvage the legacy of civilization, and a group of small “stitchpunk” creations is given the spark of life by a scientist – and they successfully survive the apocalypse! With their group being so small, these creatures must summon individual strengths well beyond their own proportions in order to outwit and fight against the still-functioning monster machines. 9 dynamically explores the will to live and how one soul can change the world.
Verdict: 7/10
Jack Brooks: Monster Slayer (2007)
After witnessing the brutal murder of his family when he was just a young boy, Jack Brooks is left with an unquenchable fury. Now working as a plumber, Jack attempts to fix his Professor’s plumbing, only to unknowingly awake an ancient evil. Prof. Crowley becomes possessed and starts a slow, gruesome transformation into the depths of evil. Only then does Jack realize that he can t run from his past, and quickly discovers the true purpose of his inner rage.
Verdict: 6/10
Into the Mind (2013)
Blur the lines between dream state and reality, as you perceive the world through the minds of many. Into the Mind DVD contemplates the experiences passed between mentors and peers to paint a philosophical portrait of human kind. What drives us to overcome challenge? How do we justify risk? What forces are at the core of a mountain addiction? Unique athlete segments over a multitude of mountain sport genres, depict the connectivity of Earth and window into never seen before moments. Explore how we begin our perception of self, construct the foundations of confidence, and are ultimately led to the path of self-actualization.
Verdict: 7/10
Food Matters (2008)
Let thy Food be thy Medicine and thy Medicine be thy Food Hippocrates. That is the message from the founding father of modern medicine echoed in the controversial new documentary film Food Matters from Producer-Directors James Colquhoun and Laurentine ten Bosch. With nutritionally-depleted foods, chemical additives and our tendency to rely upon pharmaceutical drugs to treat what s wrong with our malnourished bodies, it s no wonder that modern society is getting sicker. Food Matters sets about uncovering the trillion dollar worldwide sickness industry and gives people some scientifically verifiable solutions for curing disease naturally. In what promises to be the most contentious idea put forward, the filmmakers have interviewed several world leaders in nutrition and natural healing who claim that not only are we harming our bodies with improper nutrition, but that the right kind of foods, supplements and detoxification can be used to treat chronic illnesses as fatal as terminally diagnosed cancer. The focus of the film is in helping us rethink the belief systems fed to us by our modern medical and health care establishments. The interviewees point out that not every problem requires costly, major medical attention and reveal many alternative therapies that can be more effective, more economical, less harmful and less invasive than conventional medical treatments.
Verdict: 8/10
Rising Sun (1993)
A Los Angeles special liaison officer (Wesley Snipes) is called in to investigate the murder of a call-girl in the boardroom of a Japanese corporation. Accompanied by a detective with unusual knowledge of the Japanese culture (Sean Connery), the two men must unravel the mystery behind the murder by entering an underground “shadow world” of futuristic technology, ancient ways and confusing loyalties.
Verdict: 6/10
Stories We Tell (2012)
In this inspired, genre-twisting new film, writer/director Sarah Polley delves into the murky waters of family histories. As each interviewee relates their story varying levels of reliability are exposed and the truth is shown as being dependant on how it is told.
Written and directed by the multi award-winning, OSCAR-nominated Sarah Polley (Take This Waltz, Away From Her).
Verdict: 9/10
Tower Block (2012)
The residents of Tower Block 31 are terrified after witnessing the brutal murder of a young man. The case is left unsolved, due in large part to their collective silence. A year later, with their building marked for demolition, the witnesses begin to find themselves picked off one by one by a mysterious sniper out for justice. Pitted against not only the sniper’s deadly traps, but also each other, the residents must figure out a way to escape their own building…or die trying.
Featuring critically hailed performances by Jack O’Connell (300: Rise Of An Empire) and Sheridan Smith (Quartet) and co-starring Ralph Brown (Stoker), and Russell Tovey (BBC’s Being Human), Tower Block is a pulse-pounding thriller that delivers gritty action and relentless suspense!
Verdict: 5/10
Till Human Voices Wake Us (2002)
A supernatural romance, Till Human Voices Wake Us tells the story of a psychologist, who, upon returning to his childhood home to bury his father, encounters a mysterious young woman who evokes memories of a long-lost love, forcing him to relinquish the past, and embrace the future.
Verdict: 4/10
Stash House (2012)
A couple love their new house, bought for a steal out of a foreclosure. During their first visit they find illegal drugs stashed in the walls, and they realise this is not their dream house. As they are about to leave, suddenly their exit is blocked by a gun-wielding neighbour Spector and his accomplice. They come to realise the house is hiding more than drugs – it’s the operation centre for mass drug tsar who is buried beneath the floorboards. On the run from the professional killers who want the drugs and evidence, the resourceful couple will need to turn the tables on their attackers to survive.
Verdict: 4/10
Kill For Me (2013)
While trying to move on from an abusive ex-boyfriend, Amanda (Cassidy) looks for a roommate to help pay the rent. Hailey (Spiridakos) just moved to college to get away from her own abusive past. Now roommates, both girls find comfort in their friendship and make a pact to help each other overcome their pasts… no matter what the cost.
When Amanda’s abusive ex-boyfriend catches up with her, a riveting roller coaster of suspense and twists is set in motion. In order to survive, the two girls face their harrowing past together. But as Hailey’s past becomes more transparent, it’s difficult to decipher who is the victim and who is the cold-blooded killer.
Verdict: 4/10
Texas Chainsaw (2013)
In 1974, enraged townspeople hunt down and kill every member of the Sawyer family for committing a series of grisly murders. Decades later and hundreds of miles away, a young woman learns that she has inherited a Texas estate from a grandmother she never knew she had. After embarking on a road trip with friends to uncover her roots, she finds she is the sole owner of a lavish, isolated Victorian mansion. But her newfound wealth comes at a price as she stumbles upon a horror that awaits her in the mansion’s dank cellars
Verdict: 2/10
Beware of Mr. Baker (2012)
This documentary about Ginger Baker, drummer for Cream and Blind Faith, includes interviews with Eric Clapton, Steve Winwood, Carlos Santana and more. Beware of Mr. Baker! With every smash of the drum is a man smashing through life, and smashing the filmmaker’s nose on the last day of filming.
Verdict: 8/10
Mesrine: Killer Instinct (2008)
Mesrine: Killer Instinct introduces us to Jacques Mesrine (Vincent Cassel), a loyal son and dedicated soldier back home and living with his parents after serving in the Algerian War. Soon he is seduced by the neon glamour of sixties Paris and the easy money it presents. Mentored by Guido (Gerald Depardieu) Mesrine turns his back on middle class law-abiding and soon moves swiftly up the criminal ladder. After pulling off an audacious heist he and his lover Jeanne (Cecile de France) flee to Canada where the opportunity of one big payout lures him out of hiding and propels his towards international notoriety.
Verdict: 8/10
The post This Week’s Films (20/04/14) appeared first on News of the Worlds.
April 18, 2014
Dave’s Odyssey #19
In May 2008, I went travelling on my own for the first time and was out of England for a month. Along the way I took in Singapore, New Zealand, Australia and Thailand before coming home. I kept a journal of my time on the road, so here’s a day by day account of my trials and tribulations that has the undeserved title of Dave’s Odyssey.
Day 19 – Melbourne – Alice Springs
View of Alice Springs from Anzac Hill
Alex’s 5.30 a.m. wake-up call came fifteen minutes early but I was already up so it didn’t matter. We left the hotel at 7.00 and said goodbye to Melbourne. At the airport Alex had devised a group check-in which comprised lining our luggage up in pairs then sending the women out of the way while we gents carried each suitcase into the conveyor belt to go on the plane. That aside we didn’t have to show our passports or anything. There was the usual security check and for some a close examination for chemicals, such as glycerine, which Alex informed us is in moisturising creams. Good to know! Thankfully I avoided one of these rigorous searches, not that I had anything to hide.
The flight to Alice Springs was around two and a half hours. Once again, Quantas were very concerned about our welfare and brought a sandwich to keep us alive along with an assortment of drinks to stave off dehydration. They do look after you.
Touching down in Alice Springs you immediately felt the change in temperature. It wasn’t sweltering but was warmer than New Zealand and Melbourne. The airport was a small building bereft of stairs and escalators. They weren’t kidding when saying Alice Springs is in the middle of nowhere. All around you could see the red sand with the odd tree, bush and grass growing here and there. To be fair there was more green than I anticipated.
School of the Air
There was a delay at the airport as one of our party had had their suitcase damaged. When we eventually got going Alex informed us we would be rushing through our tour of Alice Springs and it turned out he wasn’t kidding.
The first stop was a look out spot on Anzac Hill. This gave us a great view of the town, which was bigger than I expected but does home 30,000 people, including the aboriginal settlers who have been there for centuries. I’d made the mistake of leaving my cap in my backpack so had to make do until we reached the hotel. As it turned out it was the flies that were more annoying than the heat.
We headed for the School of the Air next. Inside we watched a ten-minute documentary then one of the staff had a chat with us about the school. It was first established in 1951 and by using radio brought education to hundreds of children scattered throughout the Outback. The school uses the Internet these days but it’s still a remarkable feat. These children learn from home, assisted by a private tutor, but also spend a few hours a week logging onto the Internet at an agreed time and taught on-line. Unfortunately, we didn’t get to stay long at the school before we had to move on but it was interesting all the same and has been copied throughout Australia so now no one misses out on an education.
Next up we stopped off at the Royal Flying Doctor Service. Again we had a video to watch then a talk with one of the staff. The Flying Doctors have been in operation for some time and ensure medical help isn’t far away for those in the Outback. They have dozens of spots where they are able to land safely so many people have to drive to the nearest landing zone. They do a great job all the same.
Due to Alex’s brief stops at these destinations I wasn’t able to look round the museum area. This was due to needing a bottle of water and because the café there must be the slowest service on record. I was okay buying water but some of my group ordered teas and coffees but didn’t get them before we had to leave, so marched back into the café to request a refund. Some were successful as well.
The hotel promised relaxation in the sun for many, but not for me. I was more interested in traversing the Outback.
Our last stop was at the Old Telegraph Station, one of the earliest settlements in Central Australia. Many of the buildings had been preserved and one had been specially restored as a mini-museum detailing the origins of the small settlement and its significance as a communication centre. We were on borrowed time once more so had to rush through our visit.
We reached the hotel late in the afternoon following a brief drive through the main shopping area of Alice Springs. There were a lot of aboriginal people who seemed to keep to themselves. Relations between the Aussies and the Aborigines are still somewhat fragile unfortunately. We were warned to treat the Aborigines courteously and not to take photos. I’d done some research before my travels began and was determined to abide by all customs and traditions and remember I was a guest here.
The Lasseters Hotel was rather exotic with a built-in casino, three restaurants and a couple of swimming pools as well. I had a quick look around the casino but that type of gambling I don’t follow nor ever desire to. I didn’t go into Alice Springs as a bus/taxi ride was recommended from the hotel and the shuttle service had already passed. Having seen the main sights of the town I didn’t feel regretful about not being able to wander the town centre. It was just shops mostly and I planned to do my last-ditch souvenir shopping in Sydney anyway.
Tomorrow was a free day for those who were relaxing by the pool and working on that suntan. For me a day in the Outback beckoned. It was an 8.20 start but having been up at 5.00 a.m. for the last two days it would feel like a picnic.
The post Dave’s Odyssey #19 appeared first on News of the Worlds.
April 16, 2014
Masterpieces #14: Hero
About Hero (2002)
Hero starring martial arts legend Jet Li in a visually stunning martial arts epic where a fearless warrior rises up to defy an empire and unite a nation! With supernatural skill … and no fear … a nameless soldier (Jet Li) embarks on a mission of revenge against the fearsome army that massacred his people. Now, to achieve the justice he seeks, he must take on the empire’s most ruthless assassins and reach the enemy he has sworn to defeat! Acclaimed by critics and honored with numerous awards, Hero was nominated for both an Oscar® (2002 Best Foreign Language Film)and Golden Globe!
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Hero (2002)
Hero is based on a period of ancient Chinese history when the country was divided into warring kingdoms. The most powerful of the kingdoms, Qin, is the setting here as the king is visited by a Nameless Warrior (Jet Li) who claims to have killed three assassins that have kept the sovereign awake each night – Broken Sword (Tony Leung Chiu Wai), Flying Snow (Maggie Cheung) and Sky (Donnie Yen). Allowed to approach to within ten paces of the king, the Nameless Warrior gives an account of how he came to defeat the three assassins that the king’s entire army could not even wound.
Zhang Yimou’s film is a visual dream, full of stunning effects, a vibrant array of colourful settings, jaw dropping scenery and an intriguing storyline. The film begins with the Nameless Warrior’s arrival at the palace of the King of Qin and his careful escort to the throne. As the Nameless Warrior recalls his encounters with the three assassins we are treated to some memorable exchanges. The duels with Sky, Broken Sword and Flying Snow are all simply breathtaking, especially the emotional battle with Broken Sword which has to be seen to be believed.
There are few characters in Hero but the main six who are involved in proceedings each have their own loyalties and motivations. Nothing is what it seems in Hero. We are given multiple interpretations of what has been going on but both tales are equally intriguing and worth the wait. The ending will keep you guessing and the outcome may surprise the audience given the Nameless Warrior’s unwavering focus on his duty.
This a far more thrilling experience than the much lauded Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. Hero also offers a reflection of a divided China, before the first Emperor had even ruled the united land. The fights in ancient China’s history were unlikely to have been as beautiful as the ones here but Hero still provides a fascinating background to China before its unification. Sit back and enjoy this thrill a minute ride.
The post Masterpieces #14: Hero appeared first on News of the Worlds.
April 14, 2014
This Week’s Films (14/04/14)
Who’s Harry Crumb? (1989)
John Candy is bigger, better and more bumbling than ever as the hilarious Harry Crumb–a big-hearted, soft-headed private eye and mix-up master of disuise. When Harry, the last of the great sleuthing Crumbs–and the last person in the firm to ever get an assignment–finally gets a shot at a frontpage kidnapping, it’s only because his beady-eyed boss, Eliot Draisen (Jeffrey Jones), doesn’t wantthe case solved. At stake is the gorgeous daughter of multi-millionaire P.J. Downing, a $10 million ransom, and Eliot’s mistress (Annie Potts). Attired in a bizarre array of goofball disguises, from a Hungarian hairdresser to a hefty housewife, Harry is bound, gagged and determined to crack the case and prove that when it comes to crime, he is one Crumb that won’t be swept under the carpet.
Verdict: 5/10
Cocaine Unwrapped (2011)
This documentary ties the recreational use of cocaine to the global realities of its dirty supply chain. It gives voice to those campaigning to take responsibility for our drug problem and exposes the human cost of one of the most popular drugs.
Verdict: 6/10
The Fish Child (2009)
Celebrated Argentine director Lucia Puenzo (XXY) returns with a gripping tale of forbidden lesbian romance and a crime heist gone awry. Boasting beautiful cinematography and electrifying performances from its two female leads, The Fish Child is a film festival favourite that will take you on a journey you won’t ever forget.Lala, a teenager from the most exclusive suburban neighborhood in Argentina is in love with the Guayi, the 20-year-old Payaguayan maid working at her place. They dream of living together in Paraguay, at the shores of lake Ypoá. Robbing every purse and wallet in the house to fulfill their dream, hiding the money in a shoe box. But when the box is full, it bursts, fueled by desire, jealousy and rage. This is the starting point that spurs the escape through the highway that connects the North of Buenos Aires with Paraguay. While Lala waits to be reunited with her lover in Ypoá by reconstructing her past (the mystery surrounding her pregnancy and the legend of a fish child who guides the drowned to the bottom of the lake), the Guayi is detained in a minors institute in the outskirts of Buenos Aires. She turns out to be hiding a crime from long ago.
Verdict: 7/10
Last Chance Harvey (2008)
Romantic drama starring Dustin Hoffman and Emma Thompson. Harvey Shine (Hoffman) is one of life’s losers. A would-be jazz pianist, he earns his living in a dead-end job writing advertising jingles. When he flies to London for his daughter’s wedding, he is dismayed to learn that his daughter would prefer her stepfather (James Brolin) to walk her down the aisle. While drowning his sorrows, Harvey meets Kate (Thompson), a 40-something employee of the National Office for Statistics whose life has hithero been limited to work, the occasional humiliating blind date and endless phone calls from her smothering mother (Eileen Atkins). Despite numerous setbacks and misunderstandings, a gradual connection forms between Kate and Harvey that will transform both of their lives.
Verdict: 8/10
The Soloist (2009)
A Los Angeles journalist befriends a homeless Juilliard-trained musician, while looking for a new article for the paper.
Verdict: 7/10
Mysterious Skin (2004)
Off-beat indie drama. Brian Lackey (Brady Corbet) went missing for five hours when he was eight-years-old, an event that he remains convinced was the result of alien abduction. In the same small Kansas town, teenage hustler Neil McCormick (Joseph Gordon Levitt) is a confused outsider with a promiscuous mother (Elisabeth Shue) and who was abused as a child by his Little League coach (Bill Sage). Locked into their own obsessions, both young men pursue a self-destructive path that will lead them towards each other, and will result in each of them trying to exorcise the demons of their past. Also starring Michelle Trachtenberg.
Verdict: 9/10
Life 2.0 (2010)
LIFE 2.0 follows a group of people whose lives are dramatically consumed by the virtual world of Second Life. They reside in this new reality, where inhabitants assume alternate personas in the form of avatars – with digital alter egos that can be sculpted and manipulated on a whim. More than an examination of a hot new technology, LIFE 2.0 is an intimate, character-based drama about people who look to a virtual world in search of something they are missing in their real lives. The results are unexpected and often disturbing: reshaping relationships, identities, and ultimately the very notion of reality.
Verdict: 7/10
Bronies (2012)
This unique doc explores the cultural phenomenon of Bronies, the rabid community of adult fans of the children’s cartoon show “My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic.” The film chronicles Bronies from around the world as they share their stories of ridicule and acceptance and prepare to attend the annual BronyCon convention in Baltimore, Maryland.
Verdict: 6/10
The Phantom of the Opera (1989)
In this house of music, evil strikes the final chord! Horror legend Robert Englund (A Nightmare on Elm Street) assumes the classic role of the Phantom in this shocking, nerve-jangling retelling of Gaston Leroux’s timeless tale of music, madness and murder! An aspiring opera singer finds herself transported back to Victorian-era London – and into the arms of a reclusive, disfigured maestro determined to make her a star. The silver-throated Christine (Jill Schoelen) enjoys success through the arrangements of her new lover (Englund)…until she realizes that he has been committing unspeakably grisly murders in her honor and won’t stop until he’s completed his masterpiece…in blood!
Verdict: 5/10
The Andromeda Strain (1971)
Directed with clinical precision by Academy Award winner Robert Wise, this compelling account of the earth’s first biological crisis is perhaps the most chillingly realistic science fiction thriller ever made. After an errant satellite crashes to earth near a remote New Mexico village, the recovery team discovers that almost everyone in the town are victims of a horrible death, with the mysterious exception of an infant and an old homeless man. The survivors are brought to a state-of-the-art laboratory descending five stories beneath the ground where the puzzled scientists race against time to determine the nature of the deadly microbe before it wreaks worldwide havoc. A trailblazer in the areas of special effects and inventive sets, The Andromeda Strain is based on Michael Crichton’s best-selling novel that created national paranoia for its topical relevance to the first moon landing.
Verdict: 6/10
Flirting with Disaster (1996)
Written and directed by David O. Russell (Three Kings, Spanking the Monkey), this hysterically original comedy was cheered by critics and audiences nationwide. In a quest to find his biological parents, Mel Coplin (Ben Stiller – Duplex, Meet the Parents) – joined by his wife (Patricia Arquette – Human Nature, Holes) and a sexy adoption counselor (Tea Leoni – People I Know, Hollywood Ending) – embarks on a cross-country search for his “roots”. Yet as he careens from one outrageous situation to another, Mel finds himself tempted by the s eductive counselor – even as his wife starts a flirtation of her own! By the time they meet up with his free-spirited birth parents, the whole situation is spinning hysterically out of control! Also starring Mary Tyler Moore, Alan Alda and Lily Tomlin, this hilarious hit is sure to entertain everyone!
Verdict: 9/10
Salvador (1986)
James Woods gives his “fullest, most humane, most emotional performance”(New York Magazine) to date in this “gritty, harrowing and bold thriller”(Gannett Newspapers). It’s 1980. Young men, women and children are being brutally killed in a bloody civil war in El Salvador. It’s a horrific setting…but a perfect one for Richard Boyle, a sleazy war photojournalist whose career needs a jump start. Armed with his camera, Boyle joins the front lines in an attempt to capture atrocious-but-valuable images of pain and horror. But with each picture he takes, he catches a tragic side of humanity that ignites his long-buried compassion. And he unexpectedly discovers something that will change him forever: his soul.
Verdict: 8/10
We are Legion (2012)
An intimate look inside the world of Anonymous, the radical “hacktivist” collective that has redefined civil disobedience for the digital age.
Verdict: 8/10
The Lookout (2007)
Chris “Slapshot” Pratt (Gordon-Levitt), whose once-bright future has been dimmed by a severe head injury, is a night janitor at a bank. Lonely and frustrated, Chris falls prey to a con man’s seductive promise of romance and a better life, and agrees to help rob the bank where he works.
Verdict: 8/10
Bedtime Stories (2008)
Story centers on a hotel handyman whose life is turned upside down when the bedtime stories he tells his niece and nephew start to come true.
Verdict: 3/10
The Thin Blue Line (1988)
Academy Award winner Errol Morris broke new ground with the “riveting” (LA Weekly) film that dramatically reenacts the crime scene and investigation of a police officer’s murder in Dallas. So powerful and convincing that it helped free an innocent man from prison, The Thin Blue Line is “one of the finest documentary features ever made” (Boxoffice). On November 28, 1976, when drifter Randall Dale Adams was picked up by teenage runaway David Harris, his fate was sealed. That night, a police officer was shot in cold blood. And though all the facts pointed to Harris, a sociopath with a lengthy rap sheet, Adams was convicted of capital murder. Was Adamsguilty? And if not, can Morris unlock the secrets of this baffling case? *2003: Documentary Feature, The Fog of War (with Michael Williams)
Verdict: 9/10
The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane (1976)
Some little girls can be murder! Thirteen-year-old Rynn (Foster) is a gifted prodigy who lives in a big old house with her reclusive father…all alone. Or does she? When Rynn’s nosy landlady and a lecherous neighbor (Sheen) begin to susupect that this little girl is hiding a dark and dangerous secret, Rynn is determined to preserve her isolated existence at any cost – and stop those vicious rumors dead in their tracks!
Verdict: 6/10
The Verdict (1982)
Sidney Lumet’s riveting courtroom drama earned five Oscar nominations including Best Picture and Best Actor for Paul Newman’s towering performance as a down-and-out alcoholic attorney who stumbles onto one last chance to redeem himself. When attorney Frank Calvin (Newman) is given an open-and-shut medical malpractice case that no one thinks he can win, he courageously decides to refuse a settlement from the hospital. Instead he takes the case, and the entire legal system, to court.
Verdict: 8/10
Safety Not Guaranteed (2012)
When an unusual classified ad inspires three cynical Seattle magazine employees to look for the story behind it, they discover a mysterious eccentric named Kenneth, a likable but paranoid supermarket clerk, who believes he’s solved the riddle of time travel and intends to depart again soon. Together they embark on a hilarious, smart, and unexpectedly heartfelt journey that reveals how far believing can take you.
Verdict: 6/10
Along Came a Spider (2001)
Morgan Freeman reprises his Kiss the Girls role as Alex Cross in this spellbinding psychological thriller that is a knockout with a surprise twist. After the harrowing death of his partner detective and best-selling author Alex Cross has retreated to the peace of retirement. But when a brilliant criminal (Michael Wincott) kidnaps a senator’s young daughter Alex is lured back into action. Teamed with the Secret Service agent (Monica Potter) assigned to protect the missing girl Alex follows a serpentine trail of clues that leads him to a stunning discovery – the kidnapper wants more than just ransom…he wants Alex’s help in documenting the crime of the century. With time running out Alex plunges through a tangled web of danger and deceit to stop a madman and save an innocent victim’s life.
Verdict: 7/10
Apartment 1303 (2012)
Janet leaves her troubled home for a high-rise apartment, despite warnings about the apartments dark and haunted reputation. Soon after moving in, Janet inexplicably dies, falling out the window of her thirteenth story apartment. Her sister Lana (Mischa Barton) moves in to the apartment, determined to reveal the truth behind her siblings bizarre death. What Lana finds is far more frightening and unexplainable than she had thought possible. Before she knows it, Lana gets pulled into a cycle of supernatural horror as she struggles to escape the apartment before she becomes its next victim.
Verdict: 2/10
Wall Street (1987)
In this riveting, behind-the-scenes look at big business in the 1980′s, an ambitious young broker (Charlie Sheen) is lured into the illegal, lucrative world of corporate espionage when he is seduced by the power, status and financial wizardry of Wall Street legend Gordon Gekko (Michael Douglas). But he soon discovers that the pursuit of overnight riches comes at a price that’s too high to pay.
Verdict: 8/10
Some Like It Hot (1959)
When Chicago musicians Joe (Tony Curtis) and Jerry (Jack Lemmon) accidentally witness a gangland shooting, they quickly board a southbound train to Florida, disguised as Josephine and Daphne, the twonewestand homeliestmembers of an all-girl jazz band. Their cover is perfect…until a lovelorn singer (Marilyn Monroe) falls for Josephine, an ancient playboy (Joe E. Brown) falls for Daphne, and a mob boss (George Raft) refuses to fall for their hoax! Nominated* for 6 Academy Awards(r), Some Like It Hot is the quintessential madcap farce and one of the greatest of all film comedies (The Motion Picture Guide). *1959: Director, Actor (Lemmon), Adapted Screenplay, Cinematography (B&W), Art Direction (B&W), Costume Design (B&W, winner).
Verdict: 8/10
Gangsters, Guns and Zombies (2012)
When one man sees the dead rising from the grave, another sees opportunity. Q had a nice, simple plan: drive the robbery getaway van, deliver everyone to the safe house and get paid. Unfortunately, life is never that simple. Q s accomplices are TONY, a murderous nut case; DANNY, who is bleeding all over the money in the back of the van; and CRAZY STEVE, who lives up to his name. The safe house is surrounded by police, and these zombies just don t quit. The group takes refuge at a fortified windmill where they team up with the lovely CASSIE and her insane but well-armed GRANDMA. As Tony descends into deeper and deeper psychosis, he forces a last stand against the zombie horde closing in.
Verdict: 3/10
The Crow: City of Angels (1996)
This action-packed sequel to THE CROW explodes on screen with hot new stars Vincent Perez (I DREAMED OF AFRICA) and sexy Mia Kirshner! After a brutal attack by an evil drug cartel, the murder victim (Perez) is brought back to life by a mysterious crow. With the help of a beautiful woman named Sarah (Kirshner), he exacts revenge on his killers one by one … only to realize his enemy, the lethal Judah, has discovered the one weakness that can destroy him forever!
Verdict: 3/10
Saw V (2008)
Fifth instalment in the Saw horror franchise. Despite the grisly death of Jigsaw in the last film, his legacy continues as the string of gruesome murders shows no sign of abating. When Detective Hoffman (Costas Mandylor) and Agent Strahm (Scott Patterson) are assigned to investigate the case, Strahm follows up on his hunch that his colleague is somehow involved in the new rash of killings. It isn’t long before a new group of strangers wakes up in Jigsaw’s lair to face a series of brutal tests. Can Strahm uncover Hoffman’s dark and deadly secret in time to save their lives, not to mention his own?
Verdict: 4/10
Get Low (2009)
Academy Award winner Robert Duvall (1983, Best Actor, Tender Mercies) is Felix Bush, the “Hermit of Caleb County,” a man so haunted by his secrets that he has lived in quiet desolation in the Tennessee backwoods for over 40 years. Realizing that he is near his own mortality, Bush decides to have a “living funeral party,” inviting people to tell their stories about him. Enlisting the help of Frank Quinn (Golden Globe winner Bill Murray, 2004, Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy, Lost in Translation) and Buddy Robinson (Lucas Black, Legion), Bush goes through a process of self-discovery, allowing him to deal with his past secrets, including ones involving old flame (and new widow) Mattie (Academy Award® winner Sissy Spacek, 1980, Best Actress, Coal Miner’s Daughter).
Verdict: 8/10
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April 13, 2014
This Week’s Books (13/04/14)
Dan Brown – Deception Point (2001)
A shocking scientific discovery. A conspiracy of staggering brilliance. A thriller unlike any you’ve ever read….
When a NASA satellite discovers an astonishingly rare object buried deep in the Arctic ice, the floundering space agency proclaims a much-needed victory — a victory with profound implications for NASA policy and the impending presidential election. To verify the authenticity of the find, the White House calls upon the skills of intelligence analyst Rachel Sexton. Accompanied by a team of experts, including the charismatic scholar Michael Tolland, Rachel travels to the Arctic and uncovers the unthinkable: evidence of scientific trickery — a bold deception that threatens to plunge the world into controversy. But before she can warn the president, Rachel and Michael are ambushed by a team of assassins. Fleeing for their lives across a desolate and lethal landscape, their only hope for survival is to discover who is behind this masterful plot. The truth, they will learn, is the most shocking deception of all.
Verdict: 2/5
Aesop – Aesop’s Fables (620-560 BCE)
The fables of Aesop have become one of the most enduring traditions of European culture, ever since they were first written down nearly two millennia ago. Aesop was reputedly a tongue-tied slave who miraculously received the power of speech; from his legendary storytelling came the collections of prose and verse fables scattered throughout Greek and Roman literature. First published in English by Caxton in 1484, the fables and their morals continue to charm modern readers: who does not know the story of the tortoise and the hare, or the boy who cried wolf?
This new translation is the first to represent all the main fable collections in ancient Latin and Greek, arranged according to the fables’ contents and themes. It includes 600 fables, many of which come from sources never before translated into English.
Verdict: 4/5
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April 11, 2014
Dave’s Odyssey #18
In May 2008, I went travelling on my own for the first time and was out of England for a month. Along the way I took in Singapore, New Zealand, Australia and Thailand before coming home. I kept a journal of my time on the road, so here’s a day by day account of my trials and tribulations that has the undeserved title of Dave’s Odyssey.
Day 18 – Melbourne – Philip Island
Could have used these guys when competing for photo opportunities
I had a free morning before the penguin parade tour so headed for the city for an hour or so. It was a cold morning in Melbourne and the streets weren’t as packed as the previous day, which suited me. I stopped off at the Yarrow River on my way back to the hotel and was interrupted by some students doing a survey. I can’t recall now what half the questions were about. I just ticked whatever so I could be on my way.
The coach trip to Philip Island began just after noon. A handful from my group were going including the sisters – Pamela and Valerie – who had by now adopted me as their grandson. Least I wouldn’t be short of sweets and chocolate. We had a quick tour of Melbourne before pressing on for our first stop at Warrook Cattle Farm.
Warrook wasn’t just host to cattle, there was an assortment of animals on show. The enclosure we entered had rabbits, kangaroos, ducks, etc all roaming free. Unfortunately, I found the bane of the average, inconsiderate tourist rearing its ugly head. Back in New Zealand my tour group singled out the Japanese as rude and inconsiderate. I’d like to extend that criticism to tourists in general.
Okay, Philip Island wasn’t quite as exotic as this but it was still a beautiful place
I have no photos from Warrook for the simple reason there was always a tourist in the way no matter how long you waited. The best example was a dozing kangaroo that was being petted by a mother and daughter while the father filmed the whole thing. That was fine and I stood nearby, politely waiting my turn for a photo but in a split second half a dozen more tourists raced past me and surrounded the kangaroo. Realising I’d find no joy here I moved on. The remaining kangaroos were off-limits too, surrounded by tourists feeding them.
In the end I found solace in the café where they served a slice of chocolate cake that you could have used as a doorstop. That made me feel better about the inconsiderate tourists. If everyone was patient and polite then all of us would get the time and opportunity to get great photos. Unfortunately, it didn’t work that way.
We reached Philip Island not long after that. A bridge had been built some years before connecting the island to Australia. It’s a popular holiday resort and it’s easy to see why. Aside from the unique wildlife there’s a Grand Prix circuit for Moto GP, surfing, golf, forest walks etc. Our group stopped off at the Koala Centre, which turned out to be less stressful than Warrook.
There’s a koala somewhere in those trees!
The koalas were pretty selfish when it came to photo opportunities. High up in their trees, sleeping most of the day, they weren’t remotely interested in us. Taking pictures when you did spot them proved difficult but I came away with a couple of snaps.
Before the penguin parade we drove along the coast and were surprised to see dozens of wallabies in the high grass. You’d be driving along and suddenly a head or pair of ears would appear. One was a bit of a showman, standing perfectly still for photos before turning his back and bouncing along out of sight. The high grass was also home to dozens of burrows, home to the little penguins.
At the penguin parade we had the usual warnings of no photos and also to remain seated which only a handful of people managed to do. It was a cold night and not long after darkness the first penguins appeared. You anticipate a mass procession but it’s only very tiny groups that brave the beach and begin that long march to their burrows.
After about five minutes viewing most people were too cold and began abandoning the parade. Walkways leading back to the main centre were ideal for viewing the penguins as well so most found solace there. I spent a good hour at the beach watching and waiting for the penguins to leave the ocean. By the time I left there must have been ten people remaining. It seemed a shame but it was really cold.
This kept us company on the journey back from Philip Island
On the way back to the main centre I strolled along the walkways and saw numerous penguins who had worked their way inland. Most were making quite a racket but it was comical rather than annoying. It’s amazing to think that every day they leave their burrows, swim and feed in the ocean all day, then return home at night when it’s safer. Ideally, I would have liked to see more of the penguins but you can’t predict what nature will do. I feel privileged to have seen the parade. It’s been one of the tour highlights for sure.
The journey back to Melbourne was aided by a DVD our coach driver put on for us – Surf’s Up. This one was an animation like Shrek or Finding Nemo but focusing on surfing penguins. It was okay to pass the time before we reached the city. We had a few hotels to visit to drop people off and typically the Travelodge was one of the last. Still, we saw Melbourne lit up against the night sky, which was really something to behold.
Tomorrow would be a 5.30 a.m. wake-up call! It was an early flight out to Alice Springs in the heart of Australia. At one time it seemed there was a long way to go on this tour. Tomorrow would be day 19 and already the finishing line was looming on the horizon. For me, it was all going by far too quickly!
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April 9, 2014
Masterpieces #13: Watership Down
About Watership Down (1972)
A phenomenal worldwide bestseller for over thirty years, Richard Adam’sWatership Down is a timeless classic and one of the most beloved novels of all time. Set in England’s Downs, a once idyllic rural landscape, this stirring tale of adventure, courage and survival follows a band of very special creatures on their flight from the intrusion of man and the certain destruction of their home.
Led by a stouthearted pair of brothers, they journey forth from their native Sandleford Warren through the harrowing trials posed by predators and adversaries, to a mysterious promised land and a more perfect society.
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Richard Adams – Watership Down (1972)
Growing up I can distinctly remember a VHS my mother had with Shillingbury Tales on followed closely by Watership Down’s first broadcast on British television. It’s a film I have watched many times and when I reached my teens and began reading as many books as I could, I decided to tackle Richard Adams’ classic novel, first published in 1972. Martin Rosen’s film adaptation from 1978 was excellent but due to its length was forced to omit many elements of the novel. I would recommend both the film and the novel but if it came to a choice I would have to pick the book.
Watership Down is set in the Hampshire countryside that Richard Adams has walked many times in his life. The story focuses on a warren of rabbits where a runt, Fiver, informs his brother, Hazel, that danger is coming and they must head elsewhere for safety. Though many in the warren, including the Chief Rabbit, dismiss Fiver’s concerns, Hazel believes his every word as Fiver has a sixth sense that has previously predicted threats to the warren. Hazel gathers a small group of rabbits together and they set out across the perilous English countryside in search of a new haven. This sanctuary is Watership Down, a steep but lonely hill with a single tree on the precipice and burrows beneath its roots. No sooner have the rabbits reached Watership Down than they are faced with the problem of finding does to ensure the future of their warren. Their wanderings lead them to Efrafa, the rabbit equivalent of a fascist state, ruled by the fearsome General Woundwort.
Those who have seen the film will find many elements of Watership Down are just the same, though there are some additional characters. While Martin Rosen’s film depicted the stunning English countryside, Richard Adams’ description of the surroundings is detailed but never enough to make the story monotonous. What particularly stands out for me is that the opening line to the novel speaks of the primroses being over while the last line talks of them just coming into bloom, almost as if we’ve been through a seasonal circle though many years have passed by the time we reach the poignant ending. Adams’ detailed research of rabbits is beautifully conveyed in the novel but he has added many fascinating elements, not least the mythology of the world’s creation involving Frith, the creator, and the greatest of all rabbits, El-ahrairah who is known as “the prince with a thousand enemies” following his defiance of Frith which led to rabbits having many threats to their lives.
The characters in Watership Down are a fantastic group to join on their epic journey. Hazel is a born leader though he was of no significance in his previous warren and is more intelligent and quick-witted than strong. Bigwig is a former member of Owsla, the equivalent of the rabbit police force, whose superior strength would normally see him an ideal candidate for Chief Rabbit, but Hazel’s group does not abide by the same rules as typical warrens. Though Hazel does lead the group through their many struggles I often feel the hierarchy is more akin to a junta or council of rulers rather than a Chief. This does change, of course, by the end but when the rabbits are most in danger they always band together and get through some truly testing encounters. The other notable characters are Hazel’s delicate brother, Fiver, the seagull, Kehaar, that helps the rabbits in their search for does, and General Woundwort, a born survivor who was shaped by his difficult early life into the dictatorial ruler of Efrafa.
Watership Down is more than just a tale of rabbits, it is a harsh reminder of the stranglehold mankind has on the environment. The rabbits are forced to leave their warren due to men encroaching on the land, they have to negotiate roads, face farmers’ guns and even a particularly difficult moment with a snare! The many stories told of El-ahrairah throughout the book convey the dangerous life that rabbits must lead. El-ahrairah is the epitome of cunning that each of the rabbits strives to be but even he learns many difficult lessons.
Watership Down is a must read, a powerful tale of the struggle for survival in nature made all the more challenging by the interloping of mankind and technological advancements. The rabbits Hazel leads to Watership Down have very few demands – they desire only to live in a safe environment and to have stability for future generations. Amazingly, Richard Adams’ novel was rejected many times before finally being published in 1972. Though his later novel Plague Dogs (1977) was another gripping read, this debut will always be Adams’ undoubted masterpiece.
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April 7, 2014
This Week’s Films (07/04/14)
Funny About Love (1990)
From director Leonard Nimoy (“Three Men and a Baby”) comes a riotous farce detailing what happens when the biological clock of famed cartoonist Gene Wilder goes off. After his attempts to have a child with wife Christine Lahti produce nothing but hilarious results, Wilder considers a wide array of offbeat alternatives on his quest to become a father.
Verdict: 3/10
Ruthless People (1986)
In this fiendishly funny comedy from the creators of AIRPLANE!, loathesome millionaire Sam Stone (Danny DeVito) is ruthless. How ruthless? When his shrill wife Barbara (Bette Midler) is nabbed by inept kidnappers (Judge Reinhold, Helen Slater), Sam cries tears of joy … and refuses to pay the ransom. And when the abductors threaten to kill the abrasive heiress, Sam takes immediate action — he celebrates! RUTHLESS PEOPLE. Raucous … outlandish … one of the top box office hits of the year!
Verdict: 7/10
Movie 43 (2013)
You’ve never seen anything quite like Movie 43…The year’s most outrageous and daringly original comedy, featuring the ultimate star-studded cast. No inappropriate storyline is off limits – including a ‘ballsy’ blind date, a middle school ‘period’ piece and more. Please don’t sue us if you die laughing.
Verdict: 1/10
The Conspiracy (2012)
When two young filmmakers select a crazed conspiracy theorist as the subject of their new movie, they have no idea the terrifying peril they will put themselves in. When the man disappears without a trace, the filmmakers begin an obsessive quest to uncover the truth that will lead them to an ancient and dangerous secret society. A meticulously researched thriller based on real conspiracy theories, THE CONSPIRACY blurs the line between fact and fiction, news and propaganda.
Verdict: 6/10
The Expendables (2010)
Sylvester Stallone stars as Barney Ross, leader of The Expendables, a tight-knit team of skilled combat vets turned mercenaries. Hired by a powerful covert operator, the team jets off to a small South American country to overthrow a ruthless dictator. Once there, they find themselves caught in a deadly web of deceit and betrayal. Using every weapon at their disposal, they set out to save the innocent and punish the guilty in this blistering action-packed thriller.
Verdict: 5/10
House at the End of the Street (2012)
Jennifer Lawrence and Elisabeth Shue star in this psychological horror. When divorced mother Sarah (Shue) and her teenage daughter Elissa (Lawrence) move to a new town, they soon learn that their new home is located next door to a house in which a crazed girl bludgeoned her parents to death a few years previously. When Elissa befriends the surviving son of the family, Ryan (Max Thieriot), she discovers that there is more to the story than first meets the eye…
Verdict: 4/10
Up (2009)
Walt Disney Pictures and Pixar Animation Studios take moviegoers up, up and away on one of the funniest adventures of all time with their latest comedy-fantasy. Up follows the uplifting tale of 78-year-old balloon salesman Carl Fredricksen, who finally fulfills his lifelong dream of a great adventure when he ties thousands of balloons to his house and flies away to the wilds of South America. But he discovers all too late that his biggest nightmare has stowed away on the trip an overly optimistic 8-year-old Wilderness Explorer named Russell. Their journey to a lost world, where they encounter some strange, exotic and surprising characters, is filled with hilarity, emotion and wildly imaginative adventure.
Verdict: 9/10
Old Dogs (2009)
John Travolta and Robin Williams star in Old Dogs, the hilarious family comedy that will have you howling. Two best friends have their lives turned upside down when they’re unexpectedly charged with the care of seven-year-old twins while on the verge of the biggest business deal of their lives. The clueless bachelors stumble in their efforts to take care of the children, leading to one debacle after another, with a gorilla and some pecking penguins — and perhaps to a newfound understanding of what’s really important in life. Featuring a riotously funny supporting cast including Seth Green, Kelly Preston, Matt Dillon and Lori Laughlin, Old Dogs is a laugh-a-minute comedy filled with heart.
Verdict: 3/10
Mission: Impossible: Ghost Protocol (2011)
No plan. No backup. No choice. Agent Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) and his elite team (Jeremy Renner, The Avengers and Simon Pegg, Star Trek) go underground after a bombing of the Kremlin implicates the IMF as international terrorists. While trying to clear the agency’s name, the team uncovers a plot to start a nuclear war. Now, to save the world, they must use every high-tech trick in the book. The mission has never been more real, more dangerous, or more impossible.
Verdict: 7/10
Citadel (2012)
Tommy Cowley (Aneurin Barnard) lives a quiet life in a decaying apartment complex with his very pregnant wife. The couple is attacked one day by a group of hooded young thugs, and after a shocking act of violence, Tommy is left to raise his newborn daughter alone.
So shaken by the events that he s developed extreme agoraphobia, Tommy alternates his days hiding out from imagined threats in his new flat and intense therapy sessions aimed at bringing him back to normalcy. When the same hooded gang seemingly intent on kidnapping his daughter begins terrorizing his life again, he s torn between his paralyzing fear and protective parental instinct. With the help of a vigilante priest who has uncovered the genesis of this ruthless, potentially supernatural gang, Tommy must overcome his fears and venture into the heart of the abandoned tower block known as the Citadel to save his family.
Verdict: 5/10
Larger Than Life (1996)
Bill Murray, Janeane Garofalo, Matthew McConaughey and Linda Fiorentino star in a family film thatwill amuse adults as much as it entertains children (Gannett News), while offering a trunkful of love, laughter and excitement they’ll want to experience again and again! Jack Corcoran (Murray) is thrilled when he learns that his father, a former circus clown, has left him a very big inheritance. But when Jack learns that the large legacy is Vera, an 8,000-pound elephant, he immediately makes plans to sell her’to a buyer 3,000 miles away! Thus begins the most outrageous cross-country journey ever, complete with crazed truck drivers, hilarious run-ins with the law and one lovelorn elephant who stretches the limits of travel size but is really big on charm!
Verdict: 4/10
Trees Lounge (1996)
Steve Buscemi’s directorial debut is an acclaimed, often-comic examination of an unemployed barfly auto mechanic (Buscemi) and his pathetic non-existence. After being fired from his job, this Long Island loser spends his days and nights in the titular watering hole (when he’s not out driving an ice-cream truck), not realizing that talking about life isn’t the same as living it. Buscemi’s film features an all-star supporting cast that includes Seymour Cassel, Anthony LaPaglia, Debi Mazar, Daniel Baldwin and Samuel L. Jackson…
Verdict: 8/10
Clear and Present Danger (1994)
In CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER, Harrison Ford returns as intrepid CIA agent Jack Ryan. When his mentor, Admiral Greer (Jones), becomes gravely ill, Ryan is appointed acting CIA Deputy Director of Intelligence. His first assignment: investigate the murder of one of the President’s friends, a prominent U.S. businessman with secret ties to Colombian drug cartels. Unbeknownst to Ryan, the CIA has already dispatched a deadly field operative (Dafoe) to lead a paramilitary force against the Colombian drug lords. Caught in the crossfire, Ryan takes matters into his own hands, risking his career and life for the only cause he still believes in — the truth.
Verdict: 6/10
Frankie & Johnny (1991)
Two down-on-their-luck New Yorkers meet over the short-order counter at a Greek diner in Manhattan. She’s a waitress with a painful past, too hurt to fall in love again; he’s a divorced ex-con with a talent for cooking and a big heart, looking for a second chance.
Verdict: 7/10
Dreams of a Life (2011)
DREAMS OF A LIFE is an imaginative and multilayered quest to go beyond the newspaper reports and solve the mystery of who thirty-eight year old Joyce Vincent was and why she lay undiscovered for three years after her death in one of the busiest parts of London. Joyce Vincent died in her bedsit above Shopping City in Wood Green. Nobody noticed. Nearly three years later, her flat was forced into by authorities due to lack of rent payment. Her skeleton was found surrounded by Christmas presents that she was in the process of wrapping. Her television was still on.
Verdict: 7/10
Gone Baby Gone (2007)
Gone Baby Gone is Ben Affleck s directorial debut, adapted by Affleck from the novel by Dennis Lehane “Mystic River.” It is an intense look inside an ongoing investigation about the mysterious disappearance of a little girl. As two young private dete ctives (Casey Affleck and Michelle Monaghan) hired to take the case get closer to finding her, they discover that nothing is as it seems and more dangerous than they ever thought possible. Also starring Academy Award® winners Morgan Freeman (Million Dollar Baby) and Ed Harris (Pollack).
Verdict: 8/10
House of 1,000 Corpses (2003)
Two young couples take a misguided tour onto the back roads of America in search of a local legend known as Dr. Satan. Lost and stranded, they are set upon by a bizarre family of psychotics. Murder, cannibalism and satanic rituals are just a few of the 1000+ horrors that await.
Verdict: 3/10
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April 6, 2014
This Week’s Books (06/04/14)
Andrey Kurkov – The Penguin Novels (2006)
The publication of Death and the Penguin, Andrey Kurkov’s debut novel, heralds a unique new voice in post-soviet satire. Set in the Ukraine in the years immediately after the collapse of the Soviet Union, this dark, deadpan tale chronicles the journalistic career of Victor, who shares a flat with Misha, his depressed Penguin, rescued from the under-funded zoo in Kiev. Victor is asked to write obelisks, obituaries, for a prominent city paper about notable figures in the community, and quickly transforms himself from struggling writer to wealthy journalist. It soon becomes apparent that there is a more sinister motive at play, and Victor finds himself descending in a Kafkaesque realm of suspicion and unease.
Verdict: 4/5
Suzanne Collins – Mockingjay (2010)
My name is Katniss Everdeen.
Why am I not dead?
I should be dead.
Katniss Everdeen, girl on fire, has survived, even though her home has been destroyed. Gale has escaped. Katniss’s family is safe. Peeta has been captured by the Capitol. District 13 really does exist. There are rebels. There are new leaders. A revolution is unfolding.
It is by design that Katniss was rescued from the arena in the cruel and haunting Quarter Quell, and it is by design that she has long been part of the revolution without knowing it. District 13 has come out of the shadows and is plotting to overthrow the Capitol. Everyone, it seems, has had a hand in the carefully laid plans–except Katniss.
The success of the rebellion hinges on Katniss’s willingness to be a pawn, to accept responsibility for countless lives, and to change the course of the future of Panem. To do this, she must put aside her feelings of anger and distrust. She must become the rebels’ Mockingjay–no matter what the personal cost.
Verdict: 2/5
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April 4, 2014
Dave’s Odyssey #17
In May 2008, I went travelling on my own for the first time and was out of England for a month. Along the way I took in Singapore, New Zealand, Australia and Thailand before coming home. I kept a journal of my time on the road, so here’s a day by day account of my trials and tribulations that has the undeserved title of Dave’s Odyssey.
Day 17 – Melbourne
Melbourne
The 7.15 a.m. wake-up call made me chuckle. Previous ones were just a phone call but there was no voice on the other end. As this was the Travelodge some poor sod was ringing the individual rooms saying, “Good morning this is your wake-up call.” I was already up when the phone rang but it was still amusing.
Our tour of Melbourne began with a stop to take some snaps of the Royal Exhibition Building. I also managed a snap of the city skyline though it took patience and several attempts waiting for people to get out of the way. I try to be considerate where photo opportunities are concerned but when it’s something really scenic it’s every man/woman for themselves.
St Patrick’s Cathedral
We next headed for the impressive St. Patrick’s Cathedral. There was a sign warning about no cameras inside but no one took any notice. I felt sorry for the odd person sat peacefully in the cathedral in prayer only to be interrupted by flashing cameras and rolling camcorders. The interior was up to the standard of your typical cathedral. I’m always drawn to the stain-glass windows, which were fabulous.
Next up we made for the Fitzroy Gardens. The coach stops were brief so we were unable to explore in full but there were some worthwhile treasures dotted about the place. Everyone was drawn to Captain Cook’s Cottage and although I got a photo of it I failed to find a moment when no tourists were about. While everyone swarmed to the cottage I wandered further afield and found a model of a Tudor village, which was worth a couple of snaps. Captain Cook’s Cottage was supposed to have a fee to go in but due to renovation it was free on this particular day. I didn’t take advantage because I knew nothing about it till we were on the coach!
Tudor Village, Fitzroy Gardens
From there we stopped at the Royal Botanical Gardens. On the other side of the road was the Shrine of Remembrance. In terms of memorials this was incredible. The Aussies really went to town when erecting it. Like New Zealand, you forget just how involved in the twentieth century conflicts both nations have been.
I managed a brief stroll through the Royal Botanical Gardens but due to the place being overrun by school children and the need to get back to the coach within the allotted time I wasn’t there long. We just don’t seem to have enough time. Some members of the group used their time to have a much-needed coffee rather than look around.
Old Melbourne Gaol
The final leg of our tour was a very brief stop at the Old Melbourne Gaol. This is most famous at the spot where Aussie outlaw, Ned Kelly, was hanged. He’s the equivalent of Robin Hood and wore a breastplate, an early form of the bulletproof vest. It’s amazing how much we love the criminals of old.
The rest of the day was free. Some of the group spent the afternoon on optional tours, others did their laundry, while I headed for the city. Melbourne is a beautiful city though with a population of around 4 million the streets were simply heaving. I’m not fond of shopping, particularly in busy places, so I found it difficult to stick to the city for long. I persevered because I wanted to change my traveller’s cheques to cash. It took a good hour to stumble onto a street with lots of banks. I was going to risk paying a fee at HSBC when I happened upon American Express.
Queen Victoria Monument
After exchanging my cheques I headed for the outskirts of the city. I stopped off at Alexandra Gardens and Queen Victoria Gardens with an assortment of statues and monuments that kept me busy for a time. I wasn’t the only one making the most of my time there. I saw one guy sat with his back to a tree, he stood suddenly, stepped out of my sight, then moments later a line of urine appeared from behind the tree trunk. There were a couple of flaws in his way of thinking. The first was that toilets were all over the parks. The second was that although I couldn’t see his makeshift toilet everyone else in the park clearly could. The nerve of some people!
Captain Cook’s Cottage, Fitzroy Gardens
I figured it couldn’t get much more exciting than that great advertisement for Melbourne. I headed back to the hotel and while crossing a bridge was stopped by a girl whose first words I couldn’t quite hear. I suspect she said, “Did you know that one in ten people are gay.” I could be wrong but that’s how it sounded. She then proceeded to ask me my name and how long I was in Australia. I told her where I was heading and she thanked me for stopping and I was on my way. It could have been a survey or something but I suspect it was some kind of prank for gullible people like myself and that she’s still chuckling about it now. Who knows? I didn’t see the funny side.
Tomorrow would be the penguin parade and we were warned to wear three layers because it’s a cold one! The day after would be a 5.30 a.m. start. An early flight to Alice Springs beckoned. I’d already opted to do an additional tour in the Outback because Alex informed us Alice Springs is just shops and we had two days there in total. 17 days had already gone by. This tour was going far too quick.
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