David M. Brown's Blog, page 26
April 2, 2014
Masterpieces #12: Das Boot
About Das Boot (1981)
It is 1942 and the German submarine fleet is heavily engaged in the so called “Battle of the Atlantic” to harass and destroy English shipping. With better escorts of the Destroyer Class, however, German U-Boats have begun to take heavy losses. “Das Boot” is the story of one such U-Boat crew, with the film examining how these submariners maintained their professionalism as soldiers, attempted to accomplish impossible missions, while all the time attempting to understand and obey the ideology of the government under which they served.
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Das Boot (1981)
I have yet to see a better war film than Wolfgang Petersen’s World War II epic which is told from the perspective of a German U-Boat crew. Based on the novel by Lothar-Gunther Buchheim, this was the first war film I saw where the focus wasn’t on the Americans or the British. Interpretations of the Second World War tend to be of the Germans being evil while the Allies are the crusaders fighting for the common good. While German actions in beginning the war and the atrocities they committed, particularly to the Jews, are undoubtedly a dark chapter in history, it is important to look at the common German soldier and remember many were following orders and just because Hitler and the Nazis were evil, that didn’t necessarily filter down to all of the German army. Das Boot is an eye-opening depiction of a German U-Boat crew whose initial enthusiasm for their latest venture in the Atlantic Ocean is soon changed irrevocably by the many ordeals they have to face and their difficult struggle for survival.
Das Boot focuses on the crew of U-96, one of the few remaining German U-Boats left to patrol the Atlantic Ocean and sink convoy vessels while evading Destroyers, battleships equipped with ASDIC that can detect the presence of U-Boats beneath the ocean and drop depth charges onto them! Das Boot is particularly tense when U-96 plays psychological games with Destroyers trying to steer silently out of detection and trouble. The idea that a Destroyer’s depth charges can cripple the U-96, meaning certain death for the crew, is a terrifying prospect throughout and the film’s tagline rings true of the precarious duty of these crews: “Hitler sent out 40,000 men aboard German U-Boats during World War 2. Less than 10,000 returned.”
Das Boot isn’t just about fighting though. The film’s primary focus is on the crew and how they have to combat everything from claustrophobia to monotony while they await action in the Atlantic Ocean. Lt Werner (Herbert Gronemeyer) joins the U-96 crew as a war correspondent, another of the crew has a pregnant girlfriend waiting for him in France, while Chief Engineer (Klaus Wennemann) longs to be with his family, particularly his ill wife. The U-96 crew also face the dark side of war and take no pleasure in killing their enemies but are determined to fulfil their duties.
Das Boot is a long film regardless of which version you watch and requires a lot of commitment for the intense journey of the U-96 crew. Though set at the end of 1941 Das Boot reflects a time when the tide of the Second World War is already turning against Germany and you will have to watch many struggles for this U-boat crew. Petersen’s war masterpiece depicts the brutal reality of war. It has no heroes or winners here, but a group of men fighting for survival amidst increasingly impossible odds.
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March 31, 2014
This Week’s Films (31/03/14)
This Girl’s Life (2003)
Controversial drama from writer/director Ash. Juliette Marquis stars as Moon, an internet porn star who has complete control over her output and considers herself a liberated and empowered feminist. Despite the demands of her career, she cares for her terminally ill father (James Woods) and shares her philpsophy on life with her best friend Martine (Rosario Dawson), as well as her potential boyfriend Kip (Kip Pardue). But as she goes further in testing the boundaries of her social and moral codes, Moon’s world begins to unravel, and she is forced to confront the consequences of her actions.
Verdict: 4/10
Dream with the Fishes (1997)
Terry is a suicidal voyeur who doesn’t seem to be able to kill himself. While preparing to jump off a bridge, he meets Nick who ends up saving his life and a special bond develops between the two. Stars David Arquette (Scream).
Verdict: 5/10
Redwoods (2009)
Both original and incredibly romantic, Redwoods tells the story of an already-partnered man whose love is tested when a mysterious drifter passes through his small Northern California town. Everett (Brendan Bradley) and Miles (Tad Coughenour) are in a comfortably platonic relationship, which is held together by raising their son. While his family travels out of town, introverted Everett finally has time to himself that is until Chase (Matthew Montgomery), a striking writer, pulls up in front of his house. Shot amidst ancient Redwoods, David Lewis (Rock Haven) film is a stunning ode to the power of love.
Verdict: 4/10
Jason Becker: Not Dead Yet (2012)
The year is 1989, and 19-year old Jason Becker from Richmond, California has just been offered the biggest rock guitar job on the planet. He’s on the cover of every guitar magazine and is being hailed by critics as a genius and the next greatest rock guitarist in the world. Jason’s childhood dream of making and performing music has come true. One week from now, during an examination of his leg, Jason’s dream will turn into a nightmare when he is diagnosed with Lou Gehrig’s Disease and given just 3-5 years to live. 23 years later, without the ability to move or to speak, Jason is alive and making music with his eyes.
Verdict: 9/10
Bringing Down the House (2003)
The hilarious Steve Martin (Father of the Bride) and Academy Award nominated Queen Latifah (Chicago) star in the blockbuster, laugh-out-loud comedy Bringing Down The House. Peter Sanderson (Martin), a divorced, straightlaced, uptight workaholic lawyer, meets a brainy. bombshell barrister in an online chatroom and they make a date. Expecting his soul mate, he opens the door and finds himself face to face with Charlene (Latifah) – a wild and crazy soul sister who’s just escaped from prison and wants Peter to clear her name. But Peter wants absolutely nothing to do with her, and that prompts Charlene to turn Peter’s perfectly ordered life totally upside down. Hysterical complications abound and Peter soon finds out he may need Charlene just as much as she needs him.
Verdict: 5/10
Still Breathing (1997)
This romantic fantasy from writer, director, and producer James F. Robinson, stars Brendan Fraser as Fletcher McBracken, a starry-eyed San Antonio puppeteer who, like his father and grandfather before him, has a mystical vision of the woman he’s fated to marry. Believing that she’ll be found in ‘Formosa’ (the one-time name of Taiwan), Fletcher books a flight. During a stopover in L.A., however, he learns of a trendy bar called Formosa and decides to check it out. Sure enough, Fletcher sees his dream girl, Rosalyn Willoughby (Joanna Going), a con artist on the lookout for a new mark, a millionaire from Texas. Assuming that Fletcher is the man she’s supposed to bilk, Rosalyn accompanies him to San Antonio, where she meets his tuba-playing grandmother (Celeste Holm) and his eccentric friends, including the Tree Man (Lou Rawls). Charmed against her will by Fletcher, Rosalyn considers a real romance with the daffy artist, but each of them has some revelations to make before a real relationship can begin.
Verdict: 5/10
Amazing Grace (2006)
Period biopic based on the real life of British slavery abolitionist William Wilberforce. Director Michael Apted pays tribute, on the advent of the bicentennial of the abolition of slavery, with a loving biography of the man who, almost single-handedly, made it happen. Wilberforce’s is a story of Herculean courage and absolute dedication to compassion – the noblest cause. The film follows Wilberforce (Ioan Gruffudd) as a young parliamentarian in the late 1700′s with socialist ideals that sit poorly with the generally older crowd in government. He does, however, make one very important and lifelong friend in parliament – future Prime Minister William Pitt (Benedict Cumberbatch). Disgusted by what he sees around him in the homes of the privileged – African slaves treated as less than human – Wilbeforce grows to be a strong proponent of ending the trade entirely. He also takes counsel in an elderly clergyman, John Newton (Albert Finney) – writer of the eponymous hymn – who advises him to stick to his guns and abolish this vile business once and for all.
Verdict: 8/10
Virtuality (2009)
Nothing is what it seems in this daring, futuristic movie event from legendary Director Peter Berg (Hancock) and Executive Producers Michael Taylor and Ronald D. Moore (Battlestar Galactica). Twelve extremely talented men and women have been chosen to be part of the Phaeton mission, a 10-year trek to explore a distant planetary system. In order to endure the stress of being confined to their high-tech vessel, the crew passes the time using advanced virtual reality modules that allow them to take on various identities. But as the ship approaches a critical phase of their journey, a deadly flaw is discovered in the virtual system, forcing them to question if someone onboard might be a killer. Starring Clea DuVall (Carnivále), Joy Bryant (Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins), Sienna Guillory (Eragon), Ritchie Coster (The Dark Knight) and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (Firewall), it’s a dazzling trip to unexplored reaches of outer space and the inner imagination that Maureen Ryan of the Chicago Tribune calls a “complex and intriguing film.”
Verdict: 6/10
Absolute Zero (2006)
Climate change thriller starring Jeff Fahey as scientist David Koch, who has discovered evidence that it was a shift in the Earth’s polarity that triggered the last Ice Age – within just 24 hours. In 21st-century Miami, it’s about to happen again. The only chance David and his wife Bryn (Erika Eleniak) have is to hole themselves up in a special government ‘Absolute Zero’ chamber. But they have to reach it first…
Verdict: 3/10
Year of the Dog (2007)
Molly Shannon plays Peggy, a happy-go-lucky secretary who is a great friend, employee, and sister living alone with her beloved dog Pencil. But when Pencil unexpectedly dies, Peggy must find meaning in her life. John C. Reilly, Peter Sarsgaard, Regina King and Laura Dern turn in great comic performances as the significant people in Peggy’s life who give her ill-fitting advice.
Verdict: 7/10
The Color of Money (1986)
Legendary actor Paul Newman (MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE) and Academy Award(R)-nominee Tom Cruise (Best Actor, 1996, JERRY MAGUIRE) ignite the screen in this powerful drama. Brilliantly directed by Martin Scorsese (GANGS OF NEW YORK), Newman re-creates one of his most memorable roles from THE HUSTLER. As Fast Eddie Felson, he still believes that “money won is twice as sweet as money earned.” To prove his point, he forms a profitable yet volatile partnership with Vince (Cruise), a young pool hustler with a sexy, tough-talking girlfriend (Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, THE PERFECT STORM). But when Vince’s flashy arrogance leads to more than a few lost matches, all bets are off between Eddie and him. THE COLOR OF MONEY will electrify you with its suspenseful story, dazzling cinematography, and dynamic performances.
Verdict: 8/10
Hellraiser: Deader (2005)
A journalist faces a battle against the forces of evil in this, the seventh outing in the ‘Hellraiser’ franchise. After uncovering a shadowy group that can bring the dead back to life, investigative reporter Amy Klein (Kari Wuhrer) soon finds herself enmeshed in the group’s demonic activities whilst battling to keep control of her sanity.
Verdict: 2/10
The Notebook (2004)
Behind every great love is a great story. Two teenagers from opposite sides of the tracks fall in love during one summer together, but are tragically forced apart. When they reunite 7 years later, their passionate romance is rekindled, forcing one of them to choose between true love and class order.
Verdict: 4/10
Grown Ups (2010)
Just because you grow older doesn’t mean you have to grow up! Comedy superstars Adam Sandler, Kevin James, Chris Rock, David Spade and Rob Schneider are at their hilarious and outrageous best playing childhood friends who reunite one holiday weekend to relive the good old days. It doesn’t matter that these five guys are now respectable businessmen, husbands and fathers. Once they get back together, nothing is going to stop these kids-at-heart from having the time of their adult lives. From the people who brought you Click, comes this hilarious and heartwarming film that proves men will be boys.
Verdict: 3/10
Species II (1998)
Having just returned from a mission to Mars, Commander Ross (Justin Lazard) isn’t exactly himself. He’s slowly becoming a terrifying alien entity with a one track mindto procreate with human women! When countless women suffer gruesome deaths after bearing half-alien offspring, scientist Laura Baker (Marg Helgenberger) and hired assassin Press Lennox (Michael Madsen) use Eve (Henstridge), a more tempered alien clone, to find Ross and his virulent brood. But they underestimate Eve’s maternal drive, and before long she escapes to mate with Ross in order to create a purer and unstoppable race that could spell doom for mankind. As time is running out, the ultimate battle of human brain over alien brawn takes place in a chilling climax that puts Darwin’s theory to the ultimate test and only the strongest species will survive.
Verdict: 2/10
Black Snake Moan (2006)
A blues guitarist abandoned by his wife tries to redeem the soul of a girl addicted to sex in a rural town.
Verdict: 8/10
Equilibrium (2002)
Cleric John Preston (Christian Bale) is a top government agent responsible for enforcing the law that bans emotion in the futuristic state of Libria. This is a world at peace, where war is a distant memory, and so is music, art and poetry. Here, emotion is illegal and is punishable by death. But when Preston is forced to kill one of his fellow agents he begins, however, to question the system and decides to fight against these cruel new laws.
Verdict: 6/10
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The Hunter (2011)
Martin David, a skilled and focused mercenary, is sent into the Tasmanian wilderness on a hunt for a tiger believed to be extinct. Hired by an anonymous company that wants the tiger’s genetic material, Martin arrives in Tasmania posing as a scientist. He proceeds to set up base camp at a broken-down farmhouse, where he stays with a family whose father has gone missing. Usually a loner, Martin becomes increasingly close to the family. However, as his attachment to the family grows, he is led down a path of unforeseen dangers, complicating his deadly mission.
Verdict: 8/10
Goemon (2009)
Crafted with over 2500 visual effects, the director of Casshern weaves action with Japanese history and folklore into a moving masterpiece evocative of the classic Robin Hood tale.
Once a lethal ninja, Goemon put down his sword to master the art of robbing the nobility to share the stash with the less fortunate. On one such escapade, he swipes an artifact that, if opened, will unleash misfortune of a massive scale. Hunted by an infamous henchman and former ally, Goemon tears a torrential path to assassinate the king. With a conscience clouded by conspiracy, Goemon struggles to save his friends—and an entire nation—from the grips of poverty and corruption.
Verdict: 8/10
Reservation Road (2007)
Academy Award nominee Joaquin Phoenix, Mark Ruffalo and Academy Award winners Jennifer Connelly and Mira Sorvino deliver riveting performances in the gripping thriller Reservation Road. A powerful human story of anger, revenge and great courage, this film takes you on an intense journey that follows two fathers as their families and lives converge after the events of one fateful night. “Suspenseful, emotional and completely engrossing” (Pete Hammond, Maxim), Reservation Road is “a deft, satisfying thriller” (Lisa Schwarzbaum, Entertainment Weekly).
Verdict: 6/10
The post This Week’s Films (31/03/14) appeared first on News of the Worlds.
March 30, 2014
This Week’s Books (30/03/14)
John Lloyd – 1,227 QI Facts to Blow Your Socks Off (2012)
“QI” is the smartest comedy show on British television, but few people know that we’re also a major legal hit in Australia, New Zealand, Israel and Africa and an illegal one on BitTorrent. We also write books and newspaper columns; run a thriving website, a Facebook page, a Twitter feed; and produce an iPhone App and a sister Radio 4 programme. At the core of what we do is the astonishing fact – painstakingly researched and distilled to a brilliant and shocking clarity. In Einstein’s words: ‘Everything should be as simple as possible, but not simpler.’ Did you know that: cows moo in regional accents; the entire internet weighs less than a grain of sand; the dialling code from Britain to Russia is 007; potatoes have more chromosomes than human beings; the London Underground has made more money from its famous map than it has from running trains; Tintin is called Tantan in Japanese because TinTin is pronounced ‘Chin chin’ and means penis; the water in the mouth of a blue whale weighs more than its body; Scotland has twice as many pandas as Conservative MPs; Saddam’s bunker was designed by the grandson of the woman who built Hitler’s bunker; Under the Wildlife and Countryside Act of 1981, it is explicitly illegal in Britain to use a machinegun to kill a hedgehog. “1,227 QI Facts To Blow Your Socks Off” will make you look at the universe (and your socks) in an alarming new way.
Verdict: 4/5
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A Son of the Circus (1994)
A Hindi film star . . . an American missionary . . . twins separated at birth . . . a dwarf chauffeur . . . a serial killer . . . all are on a collision course. In the tradition of A Prayer for Owen Meany, Irving’s characters transcend nationality. They are misfits–coming from everywhere, belonging nowhere. Set almost entirely in India, this is John Irving’s most ambitious novel and a major publishing event.
Verdict: 2/5
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March 28, 2014
Dave’s Odyssey #16
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 16 – Auckland – Melbourne
I set my alarm for 7.30 a.m. but could have been much later really. I packed my things then waited for the clock to hit 11.00. The majority of the group was already in the lobby so we looked like passing the next hour in idle conversation. As luck would have it, Alison asked me if I’d like to go to the top of the Sky Tower. It usually cost $25 per person but they were doing a special 2 for 1 deal. It seemed foolish not to cash in and I was able to get rid of the last of my change in the process.
The Sky Tower proved quite daunting
We didn’t go to the very top of the tower – that was an extra $3 – but we were still pretty high up. The view of Auckland was amazing from that height. The architects of the Sky Tower had a sense of humour when designing this observatory point. Along the walkway were glass panels – makeshift windows if you like – offering a very good view of the streets below. A notice assured one that they were safe to walk on. I did so but my legs still turned to jelly. It’s not natural seeing the city beneath your feet like that!
After killing time in the Sky Tower it was back down to the lobby. A group of us got chatting with a doorman named Larry. He was interested in my career dilemma and suggested emigrating to Australia or New Zealand to work in a hotel. He also offered some insight into the large Chinese population in New Zealand. They emigrated to the islands to learn English and once mastered they find work, usually in hotels, or in catering and build better lives for themselves.
After gaining more encouraging advice on my career dilemma from others in my tour group we headed for the airport and said farewell to Cameron. Once again the airport wasn’t as daunting as I’d feared. We had to fill out a departure card and pay $25 tax just for leaving the country but that aside it was okay.
The flight to Melbourne lasted just over three hours. I was lumbered with a right set of passengers. To my right I had two Japanese businessmen who were asleep most of the time though when first seated one got up seconds later to use the toilet. I had to shift three times in as many minutes but that’s what you get with an aisle seat. In front of me I had the usual inconsiderate passenger who moved their seat right back so my legs gave up the fight and capitulated into aches and numbness.
Behind me was – I’ll be polite and say – a large lady who only just slotted into her seat. Whenever she stood she’d grab the back of my seat which jolted me back each time. Not much fun when you’re trying to have a quiet read, I can tell you.
Quantas once again kept us well stocked with food though our arrival in Melbourne maintained the usual drama when it came to the landing. I recalled the arrival in Singapore was smooth but every flight since had been far from comfortable, so much so that if I was a religious man I’d be saying a few ‘hail Marys’ until the plane stopped.
Australian airport security was the very definition of efficient
As with New Zealand we had the joy of strict security getting into Australia. There were no sniffer dogs this time but we still had to collect our luggage first then have it scanned. No problems for me but one woman in our tour group told me that she’d seen a woman stopped for trying to get yoghurts and honey into the country. Security tossed the honey and asked her to either eat the yoghurts then and there or throw them as well. They were efficient, that’s for sure.
Our new guide was a young chap named Alex. He’s wasn’t quite a full-blooded Aussie as he had a German surname but I wasn’t about to start judging. He’s would be us for the next 12 days and seemed a likeable guy just as the other guides have been.
Our hotel for the next three nights would be a Travelodge. It wasn’t the best hotel in the world but, compared to some of the others I’ve been in, it was fine. This one had a television, tea/coffee and, unlike the others, there was a microwave and kitchen sink. Budget travellers would do just fine here, I thought. I wouldn’t need a restaurant or takeaway while in Melbourne.
Tomorrow we would have a morning tour then the rest of the day would be free. This would be the only chance I really had to explore Melbourne. The day after there may be a couple of hours in the morning but the rest of the day it was a long outing to see the Penguin Parade tour. Still, it felt great to be in Australia even though the reality I was actually there was only slowly sinking in.
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March 26, 2014
Masterpieces #11: The Lord of the Rings
About The Lord of the Rings (1954-5)
J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings trilogy is a genuine masterpiece. The most widely read and influential fantasy epic of all time, it is also quite simply one of the most memorable and beloved tales ever told. Originally published in 1954, The Lord of the Rings set the framework upon which all epic/quest fantasy since has been built. Through the urgings of the enigmatic wizard Gandalf, young hobbit Frodo Baggins embarks on an urgent, incredibly treacherous journey to destroy the One Ring. This ring — created and then lost by the Dark Lord, Sauron, centuries earlier — is a weapon of evil, one that Sauron desperately wants returned to him. With the power of the ring once again his own, the Dark Lord will unleash his wrath upon all of Middle-earth. The only way to prevent this horrible fate from becoming reality is to return the Ring to Mordor, the only place it can be destroyed. Unfortunately for our heroes, Mordor is also Sauron’s lair. The Lord of the Rings trilogy is essential reading not only for fans of fantasy but for lovers of classic literature as well… Amazon US Amazon UK Goodreads
J.R.R. Tolkien – The Lord of the Rings (1954-5)
How do you introduce a masterpiece like The Lord of the Rings? For a long time this was my favourite novel and, along with the Final Fantasy games on Playstation, became a major inspiration for me to start writing fantasy novels of my own. I consider Tolkien’s work to be fantasy at its very best. There have been many imitations but none have come quite as close as this epic story. The likes of Terry Pratchett have taken fantasy in a new direction rather than try and recreate Tolkien, something I am also trying to do with my own novels.
If you’ve never read The Lord of the Rings or seen Peter Jackson’s excellent trilogy of film adaptations (2001-3) then allow me to offer some enlightenment. The story begins with Bilbo Baggins, protagonist of Tolkien’s The Hobbit (1937), celebrating his 111th birthday. He leaves his home in the Shire mysteriously entrusting all his belongings, including a ring, to his nephew and heir, Frodo. Years later Frodo is visited by the wizard Gandalf who informs him the ring he possesses is in fact the One Ring, forged centuries ago by Sauron, the Dark Lord and ruler of the land of Mordor. Having been previously defeated and seemingly killed, Sauron has since re-emerged in spirit, manifest as a lidless eye, surrounded by flames and perched atop his fortress, Baradur. When Sauron’s frightening Black Riders come to the Shire searching for the ring, Frodo must set out on a journey that leads him to the elven kingdom of Rivendell. In a long council conducted by the elven leader Elrond, Frodo is given the task of travelling into the heart of Sauron’s realm to the volcano, Mount Doom, where he must throw the ring into the lava where it was first forged, the only means that it can be destroyed. A Fellowship of nine – four hobbits, a wizard, an elf, a dwarf and two men – begins the journey but their encounters with Sauron’s forces see them quickly divide and numerous stories play out as war is fought throughout Middle Earth, while Frodo and his loyal friend, Sam, journey to Mordor to destroy the ring.
Tolkien’s work has often been praised more for the world of Middle Earth rather than the characters. His detail is striking with the likes of the calm and rural setting of the Shire, the terrifying path through the mines of Moria, the sumptuous elven kingdom of Lothlorien and finally Mordor where an exhausted Frodo and Sam must risk everything to enter all remaining vivid in your memory long after you’ve turned the page. An intricate map accompanies the novels and even traces the journey of the respective members of the Fellowship of the Ring. Middle Earth becomes imprinted in your mind and after multiple readings I can still picture many of the landmarks clearly.
A novel that beat Pride and Prejudice to no.1 in Britain’s Big Read a few years ago, The Lord of the Rings almost didn’t happen. After the success of The Hobbit Tolkien was asked for a sequel but couldn’t comprehend what else he could write about hobbits. When he did come up with something, he was more focussed on another work The Silmarillion (1977) which he originally intended to publish alongside The Lord of the Rings as one epic covering the War of the Jewels and the War of the Ring in the First and Third Ages of Middle Earth respectively. The first book in Tolkien’s novel clearly shows signs of his struggle with the story with some chapters devoted to four hobbits singing in the woods before they encounter Tom Bombadill. Tolkien was plodding along trying to find a direction for the story. I’ve known people who abandoned the novel at this stage. Part One – The Fellowship of the Ring – is the most challenging of the trilogy but once you begin The Towers the pace becomes frenetic and exciting.
The One Ring that forms the focal point of the novel is a fascinating trinket of evil that Frodo must bear. Its hold over the many races is so great that friends and family would gladly kill one another to possess it. The longer Frodo bears Sauron’s ring the heavier it becomes on a chain around his neck and the more his desire for it increases, leaving a dilemma at the end – can Frodo destroy something he has grown to love? Returning from The Hobbit is Gollum or Smeagol, a former bearer of the ring for centuries, who pursues Frodo and Sam desperate to be reunited with the object of his obsession. Gollum is a terrific character, unpredictable and pitiful in equal measure. Though the adventures of the Fellowship makes for enthralling reading the best parts of the novel are when we follow the progress of Frodo and Sam and you can really feel their fatigue and despair as they come to the end of their journey.
I could write a hundred blogs about The Lord of the Rings and still not do justice to the novel. Set in an unforgettable world in Middle Earth, throwing a quartet of peaceful hobbits into an epic battle between good and evil, and having some great set pieces – Gandalf’s fight with the Balrog or Sam’s battle against Shelob – the novel simply gets better on repeat reading. I would never strive to write a fantasy novel like The Lord of the Rings but if a novel of mine could have half of the success of Tolkien then I’ll die a very happy man.
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March 24, 2014
This Week’s Films (24/03/14)
Holes (2003)
Prepare to be dazzled by the spectacular adaptation of Louis Sachar’s acclaimed teen adventure Holes, featuring an all star cast including Sigourney Weaver, Jon Voight and Patricia Arquette. Wrongfully convicted of a petty crime, cursed youngster Stanley Yelnuts (played by acclaimed newcomer Shia LaBeouf) is banished to Camp Green Lake – a detention centre for boys. Mysteriously assigned to digging holes in the desert Stanley begins to unravel the sinister reasons behind the Warden’s (Oscar nominated Sigourney Weaver) actions. When he finally escapes he and friend Zero (Khleo Thomas) determine to expose the evil goings-on at the camp and crack Stanley’s family curse forever. A uniquely acclaimed family film, Holes is a smart and hilarious story bought to life by a pedigree cast and skilled direction by Andrew Davis (The Fugitive).
Verdict: 8/10
Puppet Master vs Demonic Toys (2004)
Horror franchise crossover, this time with the sinister toymaker Andre Toulon’s formula in the hands of his great-nephew Robert (Corey Feldman). Leading a group of evil toymakers, Robert plans on unleashing the murderous toys on Christmas Eve, while trying to defend himself from Sharpe Industries and their demon-inspired attempts to get the Secret of Life from him.
Verdict: 3/10
Manny & Lo (1996)
A pregnant teen and her younger sister run away from foster homes and kidnap a woman whom they believe can help with the pregnancy. Mary Kay Place, Scarlett Johansson and Aleksa Palladino star in this breakthrough drama that received four Independent Spirit Award nominations.
Verdict: 7/10
2012 (2009)
From Roland Emmerich, director of THE DAY AFTER TOMORROW and INDEPENDENCE DAY, comes the ultimate action-adventure film, exploding with groundbreaking special effects. As the world faces a catastrophe of apocalyptic proportions, cities collapse and continents crumble. 2012 brings an end to the world and tells of the heroic struggle of the survivors. Starring John Cusack, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Amanda Peet, Woody Harrelson and Danny Glover.
Verdict: 5/10
Female Perversions (1996)
Female Perversions is the provocative and stimulating story of Eve Stephens (Tilda Swinton), a successful attorney struggling under the tremendous pressures of power, promiscuity and a destructive sister. Consumed by wild sexual fantasies, she is unable to feel satisfied by either her male or female lovers. She uses them to fuel her all-consuming desire for sexual fulfilment regardless of the damage she is doing to those around her. In a truly shocking exploration of female perversion, Swinton delivers a riveting performance that ranks alongside her stunning portrayal of ‘Orlando’. Dare to let yourself go .. where you’ve never been before.
Verdict: 6/10
Tuff Turf (1985)
For Morgan Hiller (James Spader), it s tough enough being the new kid in school. But when he tangles with a local gang, he becomes the lone target of some rough revenge. And when he falls for the gang leader s girlfriend (Kim Richards), the situation turns from dangerous to deadly. Welcome to TUFF TURF — where enemies are made, reputations are earned and love is the most risky affair of all. Robert Downey Jr. co-stars in this powerful 80s high school drama that features live performances by The Jim Carroll Band and Jack Mack & The Heart Attack, plus songs by Marianne Faithfull, Southside Johnny, Lene Lovich and more.
Verdict: 5/10
The Backwoods (2006)
Summer 1978: an English couple are going through a difficult patch in their relationship, and so decide to spend the summer in the house that their friends have bought in the north of Spain.
Very much off the beaten track, the house seems ideal for some peaceful holidays. But their tranquillity is abruptly shattered when they discover a girl with horribly deformed hands locked away in a cabin in the woods. Filthy and unable to talk, the girl is obviously terrified and so the couple decide to take her to the police. But their attempts to help the girl are hampered by the denseness of the forest, as well as by a group of local villagers who seem determined to keep the girl in these conditions….
Verdict: 5/10
The Rainmaker (1997)
Francis Ford Coppola directs and scripts an exciting, star-packed adaptation of John Grisham’s novel about an idealistic young attorney who takes on the case of a lifetime. Matt Damon (Good Will Hunting) plays Rudy Baylor, a rookie lawyer in over his head on a high-profile case. Opposing him: an army of seasoned legal sharks (led by Jon Voight). On Rudy’s side: Deck Shifflet (Danny DeVito), a feisty “paralawyer” who specializes in flunking the bar exam. Rudy’s chances are slim to none- until he uncovers a trail of corruption that might lead to the one thing that could win his case: the truth.
Verdict: 9/10
Four Minutes (2005)
Starring legendary actor Christopher Plummer (THE INSIDER, A BEAUTIFUL MIND) and Jamie Maclachlan as Sir Roger Bannister — you and your family will cheer on this amazing account of a gifted runner’s triumph! After Mount Everest was conquered in 1953, the last great individual challenge remained the four-minute mile. While many sought to break through the most famous barrier in sporting history, it was medical student and driven amateur Roger Bannister who did it — astounding the world. Written by renowned sportswriter Frank Deford — don’t miss one second of this remarkable achievement, both on and off the track.
Verdict: 6/10
The Firm (1993)
Young, ambitious law student accepts a handsome bid from a seemingly prestigious Memphis law firm. But when he discovers that the mob runs both the organization and the lives of its employees, he must devise a plan to save his wife, his career and himself from elimination.
Verdict: 8/10
Asylum (2005)
David MacKenzie directs Natasha Richardson in this dark drama based on the novel by Patrick McGrath. In the 1950s, Stella (Richardson) follows her husband Max (Hugh Bonneville) when he takes up a post at a psychiatric hospital. Stella is soon drawn to charismatic inmate Edgar (Marton Csokas), and finds herself becoming increasingly obsessed with him. Despite the warnings from her husband and his superior, Dr Cleave (Ian McKellan), Stella risks everything, including her sanity, to be with him.
Verdict: 5/10
Dangerous Minds (1995)
Top Hollywood star Michelle Pfeiffer (I AM SAM, WHAT LIES BENEATH) is the driving force behind this gripping and uplifting smash hit! Based on an incredible true-life story — Pfeiffer is former U.S. Marine LouAnne Johnson, a first-time high school teacher assigned to a class of tough but smart inner city students. When conventional methods fail to reach them, the feisty Ms. Johnson tries the unconventional — defying the rules and creating her own curriculum! In the process, she instills a new self-confidence in her students — motivating them toward their greatest potential. Critically acclaimed and powered by a riveting star performance, DANGEROUS MINDS is hard-hitting, crowd-pleasing entertainment you won’t soon forget!
Verdict: 5/10
Hellraiser: Hellseeker (2002)
Pinhead (Doug Bradley) makes another unwelcome return in this, the sixth film in the ‘Hellraiser’ franchise. After the puzzle box is once again solved and the forces of Hell are set to be unleashed on Earth, Kirsty Cotton (Ashley Laurence), the only one to ever defeat Pinhead, returns to do battle with her former nemesis.
Verdict: 5/10
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March 23, 2014
This Week’s Books (23/03/14)
Haruki Murakami – 1Q84 (2009)
The long-awaited magnum opus from Haruki Murakami, in which this revered and bestselling author gives us his hypnotically addictive, mind-bending ode to George Orwell’s 1984.
The year is 1984. Aomame is riding in a taxi on the expressway, in a hurry to carry out an assignment. Her work is not the kind that can be discussed in public. When they get tied up in traffic, the taxi driver suggests a bizarre ‘proposal’ to her. Having no other choice she agrees, but as a result of her actions she starts to feel as though she is gradually becoming detached from the real world. She has been on a top secret mission, and her next job leads her to encounter the superhuman founder of a religious cult. Meanwhile, Tengo is leading a nondescript life but wishes to become a writer. He inadvertently becomes involved in a strange disturbance that develops over a literary prize. While Aomame and Tengo impact on each other in various ways, at times by accident and at times intentionally, they come closer and closer to meeting. Eventually the two of them notice that they are indispensable to each other. Is it possible for them to ever meet in the real world?
Verdict: 5/5
Kazuo Ishiguro – The Remains of the Day (1989)
In 1956, Stevens, a long-serving butler at Darlington Hall, decides to take a motoring trip through the West Country. The six-day excursion becomes a journey into the past of Stevens and England, a past that takes in fascism, two world wars and an unrealised love between the butler and his housekeeper. Ishiguro’s dazzling novel is a sad and humorous love story, a meditation on the condition of modern man, and an elegy for England at a time of acute change.
Verdict: 5/5
Bart D. Ehrman – God’s Problem (2008)
In times of questioning and despair, people often quote the Bible to provide answers. Surprisingly, though, the Bible does not have one answer but many “answers” that often contradict one another. Consider these competing explanations for suffering put forth by various biblical writers:
The prophets: suffering is a punishment for sin
The book of Job, which offers two different answers: suffering is a test, and you will be rewarded later for passing it; and suffering is beyond comprehension, since we are just human beings and God, after all, is God
Ecclesiastes: suffering is the nature of things, so just accept it
All apocalyptic texts in both the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament: God will eventually make right all that is wrong with the world
For renowned Bible scholar Bart Ehrman, the question of why there is so much suffering in the world is more than a haunting thought. Ehrman’s inability to reconcile the claims of faith with the facts of real life led the former pastor of the Princeton Baptist Church to reject Christianity.
In God’s Problem, Ehrman discusses his personal anguish upon discovering the Bible’s contradictory explanations for suffering and invites all people of faith—or no faith—to confront their deepest questions about how God engages the world and each of us.
Verdict: 4/5
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March 21, 2014
Dave’s Odyssey #15
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 15 – Auckland
View from Viaduct Harbour
My leisurely day in Auckland involved very little. The morning began with trying to find where the group would be having breakfast. Sky City has six restaurants but lucky for me I was correct first time.
After breakfast I headed on the long path to Kelly Tarlton’s Underwater World, at least that was the idea. I’d heard a couple in our group were going there by bus but I opted for a walk. I must have been walking along the seafront for nearly two hours and still no sign of Kelly or her Underwater World. In the end I gave up and turned back!
The morning wasn’t wasted at least. The seafront offered some terrific views and I even got chance to wander the beach at one point. I chose not to remove my shoes and am grateful I stuck to that. Thousands of shells with a myriad of colours and designs formed a rich carpet on the sand and could have cut one’s feet up pretty good given the chance.
View from Viaduct Harbour
I had planned to go to the Auckland Museum after the Underwater World and I did find my way there at least. I think you were supposed to get a ticket and make a donation before seeing the displays but I did neither. In my defence the ticket staff didn’t stop me when I walked right past them. It’s not as if they were looking the other way either, I spoke to them before I went in!
The Auckland Museum wasn’t as good as Te Papa in Wellington but the displays were still impressive. There were sections on volcanoes, inhabitants on land and sea, the Maori and a whole floor devoted to the conflicts New Zealand has been a part of. Floral tributes decorated the rooms and the seemingly endless names of the fallen soldiers covered the walls. You forget just how many countries were involved in the World Wars.
My day off comprised a lot of walking and proved infinitely more tiring than heavy tourism
After the museum I found some forest walks right on the doorstep of the museum so tackled a couple of these. Unfortunately, one of them led me right back to the museum and I found myself covering old ground again.
I chose to head back to the city because my feet were now beginning to ache. I’d left the hotel before 10.00 and it was now mid-afternoon. I must have walked at least four hours and covered a fair few miles in the process. As I closed on the city centre the skies darkened and rain began to fall. I won’t complain because we’d been blessed in New Zealand when it came to the weather. Okay, it wasn’t exactly warm but both our drivers – Dave and Cameron – had insisted a lot of the sights we had seen over the last two weeks were often hidden by clouds for other touring groups.
Taking shelter from the rain I felt my hours of walking justified a takeaway. It hadn’t been an overly eventful day but others in my group were just going to hit the shops all day so I felt I’d branched out a little more than some. A relaxing day I didn’t mind because it was all change next day. The time had come to say goodbye to New Zealand and hello to Australia. We had to be out of our rooms by 11.00 yet Cameron didn’t show till 12.00! We were faced with hanging around the lobby for an hour. I couldn’t see anyone venturing too far with their suitcases in tow!
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March 19, 2014
Masterpieces #10: Pan’s Labyrinth
About Pan’s Labyrinth (2006)
Spanish fantasy story directed by Guillermo del Torro (‘Cronos’) with stunning sets, shocking scenes and effects – set in the mind’s eye of a lonely young girl. Ofelia (Ivana Baquero) is a young girl in a remote mountain village in Spain in 1944 after Franco’s ascension to power. To escape the upheaval and hardship her family faces (her father died in the war and her mother (Ariadna Gil) has been forced to re-marry to a despotic Captain in Franco’s fascist army), Ofelia creates a world in her mind. It’s a beautiful place though not without its dark side but she’s guided by a ghastly yet kindly fawn creature. The Captain, it soon transpires, is more interested in the son Ofelia’s mother is carrying, than he is in either Ofelia or her mother. Mercedes (Maribel Verdú), the Captain’s considerate servant, and Dr. Ferreiro the Captain’s physician, are, it transpires, in league with the revolutionaries in the woods surrounding the army encampment. These resistance fighters are intent on liberating the rationed food and medicines they need. As the increasingly manic and paranoid captain assassinates anyone who looks at him the wrong way with alarming regularity, Ofelia’s secret quests set by the fawn creature to unlock the portal to another world become more and more urgent. With its deft mixing of CGI and actual character scenes, political and social statement, Pan’s Labyrinth has been referred to already as ‘The Citizen Kane of fantasy films’. Amazon US Amazon UK IMDB
Pan’s Labyrinth (2006)
Guillermo Del Toro’s dark fantasy lost out to The Lives of Others at the Academy Awards but such a setback does not diminish what is a stunning piece of world cinema, combining fantasy elements around the aftermath of the Spanish Civil War (1936-9) to great effect. The film conveys one girl’s need to escape into her imagination from the horrors surrounding her, only to find their influence follows her into her own fantasies. The girl in question, Ofelia (Ivana Baquero), joins her heavily pregnant mother, Carmen (Ariadna Gil), on a journey into the mountains where her stepfather, the evil Captain Vidal (Sergi Lopez), is scouring the surrounding forest for insurgents still fighting in opposition to Franco and his fascist regime that won the Civil War five years previously.
While Vidal and his soldiers mop up resistance in the forest, Ofelia’s mum is largely confined to bed where her pregnancy becomes ever more difficult. Ofelia wanders the surrounding grounds and finds a stairway leading into a labyrinth where she meets a faun (Doug Jones) who informs Ofelia she is the princess of a fantasy realm who ran away and has been sought ever since by her concerned parents, the king and queen. The faun wishes for Ofelia to return to her kingdom but in order to do she must complete three tasks to prove her worth. Ofelia is presented with a book which, when opened, has blank pages that soon fill with images and instructions for her to follow.
Pan’s Labyrinth depicts post-war Spain as particularly brutal, especially with Captain Vidal leading the attack against the rebels. Such violence filters through into Ofelia’s fantasy world where each of her tasks involves something dark. The faun itself appears quite fearsome and imposing, especially when angered but in completing the tasks he has given to Ofelia, the promise is of a world better than the one she currently lives in. This escapism from the real world is reminiscent of Spirit of the Beehive but Pan’s Labyrinth is far darker and the fantasy world here retains the realism of our world in being uncompromising and often cruel.
Pan’s Labyrinth covers some intriguing storylines with the heavy emphasis on fantasy in trailers of the film being far from the reality. Fantasy does play a big part but it is Vidal’s battle against the insurgents as well the conclusion to his wife’s pregnancy that take centre stage. There is the added complication of informants among Vidal’s staff who have close ties to the nearby rebels and whose lives are at risk if Vidal discovers their loyalties. As Ofelia comes to the last of her three tasks, the fight between Vidal and the rebels also reaches its conclusion. The film offers a somewhat shocking ending but, unusually, this ending is open to debate dependent on the viewpoint of the audience. It is possible for two people to watch Pan’s Labyrinth and one concludes that the ending is happy and the other conclude it is extremely sad. I won’t say which ending I think it is, you’ll have to make your own choice, but this unique film deserves many plaudits for leaving such a burning question as the final credits roll. Del Toro’s masterpiece? Without question.
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March 17, 2014
This Week’s Films (17/03/14)
The Killing Room (2009)
Jonathan Liebesman directs this taut psychological thriller. When four people sign up for a seemingly innocuous psychological study in return for a cash payment, they find themselves embroiled in a top-secret government research programme with highly sinister overtones, run by a team of psychologists led by Dr Phillips (Peter Stormare). When talented military psychologist Ms Reilly (Chloe Sevigny) joins the team of researchers, she begins to question the brutal methods and dubious motives of her employers.
Verdict: 6/10
The Jeffrey Dahmer Files (2012)
What drives a seemingly mundane man to commit a series of acts so heinous that it captured the attention of a horrified nation? In the summer of 1991, Jeffrey Dahmer was arrested in Milwaukee and sentenced to 957 years in prison for killing 17 people and dismembering their bodies. THE JEFFREY DAHMER FILES explores this Midwestern city by meeting those who knew Dahmer during and after his hidden killing spree. Recollections from Milwaukee Medical Examiner Jeffrey Jentzen, Police Detective Patrick Kennedy, and neighbor Pamela Bass are interwoven with archival footage and everyday scenes from Dahmer’s life, working collectively to disassemble the facade of an ordinary man leading an ordinary existence.
Verdict: 7/10
The Funhouse (1981)
Something is alive in The Funhouse!
The carnival is a place for fun and laughter, but not for Amy and her friends. When their childish dare to stay all night in the spooky funhouse backfires, it leaves a trail of dismembered teenagers a mile long in Tobe Hooper s classic video nasty era slasher.
Will anyone escape the clutches of the stumbling madman that stalks to sideshow? Is there no end to the carnival barkers chilling sadism? The only way to find out is ascend into the funhouse, where the games have no rules and the only prize on offer is a grisly demise.
Join us in The Funhouse. So much fun that you ll never leave…Alive!
Verdict: 4/10
What Richard Did (2012)
WHAT RICHARD DID follows Richard Karlsen, golden-boy athlete and undisputed alpha-male of his privileged set of South Dublin teenagers, through the summer between the end of school and the beginning of university. Richard’s world is bright and everything seems possible, until one summer night when love, pride and jealousy cause Richard to commit an act that will destroy it all and shatter the lives of those closest to him.
Featuring extraordinary performances from its mainly young cast, WHAT RICHARD DID is a quietly devastating study of a boy confronting the gap between who he thought he was and who he proves to be.
Verdict: 8/10
The Unborn (2009)
Enter a world of unrelenting evil as terror finds a new form in The Unborn. From the producers of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and the co-writer of The Dark Knight comes this shocking supernatural thriller about a young woman (Odette Yustman) plagued by chilling dreams and tortured by a demonic ghost that haunts her waking hours. Her only hope to break the debilitating paranormal curse is in an exorcism with spiritual advisor Sendak (Gary Oldman). See what lies beyond the doorway of our world in this non-stop nightmare of the undead…
Verdict: 3/10
Double Jeopardy (1999)
A woman framed for her husband’s murder suspects he is still alive; as she has already been tried for the crime, she can’t be re-prosecuted if she finds and kills him.
Verdict: 7/10
Excision (2012)
A truly unique horror ride into the scariest of all places –the mind of a teenage misfit!
EXCISION is the story of Pauline (AnnaLynne McCord), a delusional teenage outcast. Pauline picks scabs. Pauline dissects road kill. Pauline fantasizes about performing surgery on strangers. Her fascinations disturb her schoolmates and her parents, Phyllis (Traci Lords) and Bob (Roger Bart). No one understands Pauline except for Grace (Ariel Winter), her younger sister who suffers from cystic fibrosis. An outcast at school and at home, Pauline is convinced that the best way to repair her estranged relationship with her family is to perform a risky operation to save her sister s life…
Verdict: 6/10
War of the Worlds (2005)
As Earth is invaded by alien tripod fighting machines, one family fights for survival.
Verdict: 6/10
The Shipping News (2001)
After tragedy strikes, Quoyle (Spacey) moves with his daughter from upstate New York to his ancestral home in a small Newfoundland fishing village. With a job at the local newspaper and a developing romance with a woman (Moore) who lives with her own demons, Quoyle is transformed by this place of magic, beauty and hardship. In a compelling story based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, Quoyle’s past melds with his present in an inspirational journey of self-discovery and second chances.
Verdict: 7/10
Black Cadillac (2003)
What starts as a night of celebration for three friends, quickly becomes the ultimate test of survival when their car breaks down on a frozen and deserted mountain road. The mystery grows further when they are joined by a local deputy sheriff and are stalked down the mountain by the ominous, probing headlights of a black Cadillac. It’s a terrifying race against man, machine and Mother Nature’s most feared elements. Based on a true story, when writer/director John Murlowski and two friends were on a late night road trip from Wisconsin to Minneapolis in a January of 1983.
Verdict: 5/10
The Accidental Husband (2008)
Firefighter Patrick Sullivan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) finds his life turned upside-down when his fiancée suddenly calls off their pending nuptials per the recommendation of radio love guru Dr. Emma Lloyd (Uma Thurman). Determined to get back at this “love doctor,” Sullivan forges a fake marriage license, “accidentally” marrying him to Emma,who’s already engaged to Richard (Colin Firth). But as Patrick’s charms begin to wear Emma down, she must decide which of these bachelors is her “Mr. Right.” Also starring Sam Shepard, Justina Machado and Isabella Rossellini in this romantic comedy that proves even the experts need to learn a few love lessons now and then.
Verdict: 4/10
Def-Con 4 (1985)
Two men and a woman circle the globe in a satellite armed with a nuclear device. The third world war breaks out, and a few months later the satellite crashes. They survive the crash but one man gets killed by survivors and the other man gets caught. The woman stays by the remains of the the satellite but is soon caught by evil punks who have taken power.
Verdict: 6/10
Crowsnest (2012)
Five young friends hit the road towards a vacation cottage for a weekend of partying, documenting their trip with a video camera. What starts off as a good time quickly turns frightening with the discovery of an eerie, isolated small town and a menacing RV. Following a hit and run, the group pursues the RV only to uncover the true horror that awaits them: a community of sadistic cannibals, completely removed from civilization and not pleased at having visitors. The recovered video of their terrifying ordeal with the crazed locals comprises CROWSNEST, a horrifying chronicle of an encounter with pure evil.
Verdict: 2/10
Extraordinary Measures (2010)
Fate and determination push idealistic father, John Crowley (Brendan Fraser, The Mummy) into joining forces with reclusive medical researcher, Dr. Robert Stonehill (Academy Awardr nominee Harrison Ford, Best Actor in a leading role, Witness, 1985). Together, this unlikely pair face impossible odds as they battle the entire medical establishment and time itself to find a cure before it’s too late. Also starring Golden Glober winner Kerri Russell, Extraordinary Measures is a true story of the power of love and faith against impossible odds. Inspired by the book “The Cure” by Pulitzer Prize Winning Writer Greeta Anand.
Verdict: 6/10
Death Proof (2007)
A deranged stuntman stalks his victims from the safety of his killer car, but when he picks on the wrong group of badass babes, all bets are off in an adrenaline-pumping, high speed, white-knuckle automotive duel of epic proportions, where anything can happen.
Verdict: 6/10
Winter’s Bone (2010)
17-year-old Ree Dolly (Jennifer Lawrence) sets out to track down her father, who put their house up for his bail bond and then disappeared. If she fails, Ree and her family will be turned out into the Ozark woods. Challenging her outlaw kin’s code of silence and risking her life, Ree hacks through the lies, evasions and threats offered up by her relatives and begins to piece together the truth. Based on the novel by Daniel Woodrell, Winter’s Bone is the winner of the 2010 Sundance Film Festival’s Grand Jury Prize.
Verdict: 9/10
The Hunt (2012)
THE HUNT is a disturbing depiction of how a lie is taken as truth when gossip, doubt and malice are allowed to flourish and ignite a witch-hunt that soon threatens to destroy an innocent man’s life. Lucas is just starting to get his life back together after losing his job and facing a difficult divorce, when his life is shattered by an untruthful remark throwing his small community into a collective state of hysteria. As the lie spreads, Lucas is forced to fight a lonely battle for his life and dignity.
Verdict: 10/10
Web of Deception (1994)
A forensic psychiatrist of the Police Department falls for a fatal attraction that threatens to terminate his marriage, his career and his life.
Verdict: 4/10
The Killing Time (1987)
Kiefer Sutherland of 24 stars as a disturbed young killer who steals the identity of his latest victim to become deputy of a sleepy coastal town. But when the soon-tobe- promoted sheriff (Beau Bridges of HEART LIKE A WHEEL) and his mistress (Camelia Kath) plot to kill her wealthy husband (Wayne Rogers of M*A*S*H) and frame the new deputy, their perfect crime takes some very unexpected turns. In a place where everybody has something to hide, are two lovers with a taste for homicide any match for a lone psychopath with a passion for vengeance? Joe Don Baker (WALKING TALL) and Michael Madsen (RESERVOIR DOGS, KILL BILL) co-star in this gripping noir thriller that pulses with sex,suspense and a murderous new twist.
Verdict: 5/10
Patriot Games (1992)
Harrison Ford stars as Jack Ryan in PATRIOT GAMES, an explosive thriller based on Tom Clancy’s international best-seller. His days as an intelligence agent behind him, former CIA analyst Jack Ryan has traveled to London to vacation with his wife (Archer) and child (Birch). Meeting his family outside of Buckingham Palace, Ryan is caught in the middle of a terrorist attack on Lord Holmes (Fox), a member of the Royal Family. Ryan helps to thwart Holmes’ assailants and becomes a local hero. But Ryan’s courageous act marks him as a target in the sights of the terrorist (Bean) whose brother he killed. Now Ryan must return to action for the most vital assignment of his life — to save his family.
Verdict: 7/10
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Wanted: Dead or Alive (1986)
Los Angeles is being ripped to shreds by terrorist bombs, so the CIA turn to former agent turned bounty hunter Josh Randall (Rutger Hauer). When the terrorist Malak (Gene Simmons) kills two of Randall’s close friends he forgoes thoughts of the bounty and the quest becomes driven by revenge.
Verdict: 5/10
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Munich (2005)
Inspired by real events, Munich reveals the intense story of the secret Israeli squad assigned to track down and assassinate the 11 Palestinians believed to have planned the 1972 Munich massacre of 11 Israeli athletes – and the personal toll this mission of revenge takes on the team and the man who led it. Hailed as “tremendously exciting” (Peter Travers, Rolling Stone), Steven Spielberg’s explosive suspense thriller garnered five Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture and Best Director.
Verdict: 9/10
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Soul Survivors (2001)
Driving home after a night out at a gothic rave, Cassie (Melissa Sagemiller) and boyfriend Sean (Casey Affleck) are involved in a terrible road accident, which leaves Sean dead and Melissa traumatised. Upon returning to college, Melissa’s relationship with her friends Matt (Wes Bentley) and Annabel (Eliza Dushku) becomes more difficult, and she begins to notice strange changes in the world around her. When she eventually goes to speak to campus priest Father Jude (Luke Wilson) about her problems, it puts her on the path to a series of terrifying discoveries – the first of which is that Father Jude died twenty years ago in 1981.
Verdict: 2/10
Sabrina (1995)
Remake of the 1950s Billy Wilder classic. This time round Julia Ormond stars as Sabrina, a chauffeur’s daughter who falls for David Larrabee (Greg Kinnear), the playboy son of her father’s employer. But David is already betrothed to heiress Elizabeth Tyson, a relationship encouraged by David’s business-minded brother Linus (Harrison Ford), who is keen to create a merger between the Larrabee family business and the Tyson electronics empire. In order to keep Sabrina out of the picture, Linus starts dating her himself, intending to drop her as soon as the merger is secure. However, after spending time in Sabrina’s company, the hard-hearted Linus begins to reassess his feelings.
Verdict: 8/10
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