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Yes Man (2008) Review

Ben

I was worried about Yes Man being a decent adaptation of the book from the trailer alone. I love the Danny Wallace autobiographical book about his experiences when he said yes to every opportunity that arose for one year. It was funny, sad, unbelievable but at the same time rooted in realism and tragedy that it worked. Even if Wallace had embellished aspects of the story, it all stayed very believable and wasn’t so silly and so extreme that you ever thought he may actually be making it up. I then saw the trailer with Jim Carrey. The fact that … Continue reading Yes Man (2008) Review

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Bridesmaids (2011) Review

Ben

Any film should be very careful about associating itself with a successful film from the past. You always see on posters things like “from the makers of” or “from the producers of” or in the case of Bridesmaids “Better than…” The last one is usually from a critic, a small soundbite from someone who liked the film. That isn’t something the filmmakers can control but then again, they don’t have to put it on the cover of the DVD box. It’s the biggest part of the Bridesmaids DVD box. Right at the top, “Better than the Hangover.” This was actually from Cosmopolitan magazine … Continue reading Bridesmaids (2011) Review

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Lord of the Flies (1963) Review

Ben

The problem some films are going to have is that they are a victim of the time they were made. Some films are classed as timeless because they tell a story that means you can overlook a film’s shortcomings or the film is made in such a way that it still holds up as watchable today. Most films will be a victim of the limitations of the time. The production will be full of dodgy cuts, shocking effects or terrible acting but will be let through because at the time, it was seen as a suitable or acceptable way to … Continue reading Lord of the Flies (1963) Review

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Prometheus (2012) Review

Ben

Prometheus should never have been the prequel to Alien. In fact, Alien didn’t actually need a prequel. Ridley Scott has said in numerous interviews in preparation for this film that he always thought there was a story to tell behind the original spaceship where the crew in the original Alien found the eggs and what has now been called the “Space Jockey.” He was probably the only one… I never really remember watching the original and ever really caring what the story behind the “Space Jockey” was and why the spaceship had crashed. I was more intrigued by the eggs and what … Continue reading Prometheus (2012) Review

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Alien (1979) Re-View

Ben

Where do you start reviewing a film as iconic and perfect as Ridley Scott’s Alien? The film is a lesson in how to do both Science-Fiction and Horror. Scott doesn’t rely on gore, screams, multiple shocks and surprises or any throw-away easy killed characters. What he does instead is build a suspenseful, clever, tense and thrilling film which is engrossing from the very beginning and left the film with some of the most memorable moments ever, if not one of the best science-fiction creatures too. It’s a testament to how Scott directs the film that it still (and in my opinion always … Continue reading Alien (1979) Re-View

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Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans (2009) Review

Ben

  Nicholas Cage should be more highly regarded than he is. His reputation should be much better and he should be considered one of the best actors Hollywood and the movie business in general has. There is a lot to be said for his choices of films, mixing the fun, action and more “popcorn” films with those that are a lot more heavyweight and really show off how good an actor he can be. Unfortunately, he seems to make more of the former type of films than the latter. I do love the “popcorn” movies. Con-Air and The Rock are … Continue reading Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans (2009) Review

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3.10 to Yuma (2007) Review

Ben

Westerns and War Films: There are so many that it is difficult for either genre to impress me. I’ve sat through examples of both that people regard as the pinnacle of the genre, like The Longest Day and Platoon for War films or The Good, The Bad and The Ugly for Westerns but other than a few exceptions, they aren’t the sort of films I’d ever get excited about. I’ve had the Magnificent Seven saved on my DVR for a while now and just can’t bring myself to watch it, there is always something I’d rather watch. Recently though, two … Continue reading 3.10 to Yuma (2007) Review

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Mean Streets (1973) Review

Ben

I think I am just going to have to admit I don’t get the appeal of some films. Not just the appeal but why films are lauded as “masterpieces” or “classics.” It’s not even like I have a “type” of film that I like watching and can put it down to that. I will watch anything and have favourites in almost every genre of film. It’s just that films where I am preparing myself for a classic or a new favourite, almost always leave me disappointed. Mean Streets is now added to the other disappointments this year, alongside Raging Bull and The Big … Continue reading Mean Streets (1973) Review

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Why film fans should pay attention to what Mark Millar is doing

Ben

Film fans don’t pay enough attention to who devised the initial story or wrote the screenplay. When it comes to films we care more about the director and actors but never really pay attention to who wrote the words and story they are using. Some writers have managed to buck this trend, Aaron Sorkin, Joss Whedon and Kevin Smith being some exceptions but we never really pay as much attention to the screenwriter in the way we do for television or comics. I’m as guilty of this as anyone else. I can tell you who wrote specific episodes of Doctor … Continue reading Why film fans should pay attention to what Mark Millar is doing

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Batman Returns (1992) Re-View

Ben

Whatever your opinion of Tim Burton, his style fits Batman perfectly. The dark, gothic, whites and blacks that made up Batman Returns gives Gotham, Batman and his villains, Catwoman and Penguin, the perfect look that was much more in line with the comics than anything Joel Schumacher ever did. In fact Tim Burton pretty much got everything spot on with his interpretations of Batman, both the original, with Joker played iconically by Jack Nicholson, and this sequel, where again he cast the two villains perfectly. Ever since Spiderman 3, it has always worried me when a film decides the way to up the … Continue reading Batman Returns (1992) Re-View