Footloose

IMDB
First time viewed: Yes
Current Release: Yes
Watched With: Myself

This is actually a really decent remake of the Kevin Bacon film. And it's not the musical version thank god. Craig Brewer sticks very close to the original, all the same moments are in this film, even entire chunks of dialogue is exactly the same, just delivered with a slightly different attitude and with modern sensibilities. I really don't know what more you could ask for in a remake except maybe to ask why it needed to be remade at all. That's still something I'm not so sure about, but if it's going to be redone it may as well be done as good as this.

The opening credits scene instantly sets the tone, there's an energy and joy to the dancing and a huge nostalgic rush with the choice of music. I was instantly excited to see what they were going to do with the material after that.

One thing this film does which I believe is absent from the original is you actually get to see the accident that caused the ridiculous law to be passed. The reasoning behind it is far more relatable and makes that tough conceit easier to swallow than in the original.

Kenny Wormald does a fine job jumping into those shoes. The angry dance that's so iconic in the original is really sold well here too. And his subtle line delivery of the immortal lines "Jump back" made me laugh out loud. There's a couple of those moments and they are a lot of fun. Brewer is obviously a massive fan of the original.

Dennis Quaid is also a little less cartoonish than John Lithgow, everything seems a little more grounded. Or maybe just not setting it in the 80's makes it seem that way.

The important thing is that the few dance numbers they have are a joy to watch and really make you want to get up and start boogying around the isles. Like the original the music soundtrack is pretty eclectic.

Any fan of the original is sure to love this, as long as they have even the slightest open mind. It's sure to draw in new fans too. Very enjoyable!

Real Steel

IMDB
First time viewed: Yes
Current Release: Yes
Watched With: Alex

Shawn Levy has made a lot of films that, while successful financially, make me cringe just to think about. While he's still operating firmly in the family friendly territory he has the timeless sporting underdog story structure to support him, a decent enough script and some good actors to hold it together. Still there's a lot here that feels like a missed opportunity to me.

The robots are extremely well done. I love that they had so much practical robotics in the film and the effects work is great, some of the designs I loved but most just looked like oversized Happy Meal toys just waiting to happen. And never before have I seen such blatant product placement throughout a film. Astounding.

The film would have you believe that at the heart of all the robot on robot carnage is a touching father son relationship drama. And it's certainly there, it's defiantly the best viable emotion I've witness Levy wrangle from his films. Perhaps I was overly cynical tonight but if I'm being honest, it didn't do much for me.

The film is certainly steps above the Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robot film the trailer makes it out to be. Technically it's all great although Danny Elfman provides a nothing kind of score, it does its job and nothing more. The story, although formulaic, works very well. I just feel there was more to mine from this premise that wasn't there. It's too much to ask the film to go any deeper into character or story than it does, that's not what this film is. It's robots fighting. That's cool, I can live with that. It's still very enjoyable and it will still make a load of money, I guess that's all that matters to most people.

Cactus Jack aka The Villain

IMDB
First time viewed: Yes
Current Release: No
Watched With: Myself

Arnold Schwarzenegger did a Western? With Kirk Douglas? Curious.

This film trying to be a live action loony tunes cartoon but it's pretty dreadful. Cactus Jack is basically Wild E. Coyote, complete with large amounts of physical punishment gags. Arnold Schwarzenegger is a squeaky clean cowboy and Ann-Margret is the girl he is escorting.

Throughout the film is musical narration. It's a hilariously outdated convention I wish someone would try again today. Very funny. But really this film didn't offer much else. Still, Schwarzenegger in that blue cowboy getup is probably enough to justify peak for the morbidly curious, It's pretty funny.

The Extraordinary Adventures of Adèle Blanc-Sec

IMDB
First time viewed: Yes
Current Release: Yes
Watched With: Myself

Luc Besson has been producing some great action films over the last few years but his own directorial efforts have of late been more children oriented. His latest is this rather lavishly produced production based on some comic book series I've never heard of before and know nothing about.

The film looks far grander than it's reported budget would suggest. The action sequences are not overly complicated but with someone like Besson at the helm you can rest assured they are handled competently. The period design, the costumes and locations and all the FX work look great.

The story is alright, like the title suggests there's some pretty extraordinary stuff going on that they only vaguely explain away. A Pterodactyl in turn of the century Paris is pretty cool. As are all those mummies at the end, they are the best thing in the film. My biggest problem was just not being interested with Adèle Blanc-Sec. I don't have any knowledge of the character and this film doesn't spend any time introducing her, which is fine, but I just wasn't engaged by the performance.

Still, the whole film is a few steps above any recent family adventure movies I've seen of late. Presumably they will make more, because this film has no real ending, an exceedingly annoying habit that is becoming more commonplace with fantasy adventure series adaptations. In fact this one finishes with a cliffhanger involving the Titanic so I am somewhat intrigued as to what a sequel will offer. As such there's nothing in the works that I know of so this could well be another in a long line of failed movie franchises. We'll see.

Blood Diner

IMDB
First time viewed: Yes
Current Release: No
Watched With: Ichina

Wow this film is absolutely nuts and hilarious. Hard to tell how intentional the humour is but its just so over the top I am going to presume it's all on purpose, even the so bad it's good lines and acting.

I don't know where to begin describing the plot but it feels like a 14 year old boy wrote the script about every taboo thing he wanted to see in a film and then some guys made it. There's an undercurrent of glee to all the gore, gross out horror and exploitative nudity that is hard not to be endeared to. Especially when it's all so cartoonishly larger than life.

This is just one of those little gems that I can't believe I've never seen before and will always treasure. So much fun. Seek it out and be amazed.

The Whistleblower

IMDB
First time viewed: Yes
Current Release: Yes
Watched With: Myself

A pretty grim true story about the U.N's involvement and conspiracy with sex trafficking in Bosnia. The film manages to slowly build the frustration and tension in the audience throughout the running time, which is probably a given considering the subject matter.

The actors all do a great job, as soon as I saw David Hewlett I knew he must be up to something evil because he just always plays a smarmy asshole.

I think the film is pretty good overall, it's very straight forward. They don't bother to develop the characters much beyond the bare basics, it's just all about the events. That's probably enough for anyone just wanting to find out what was happening but it does feel a little lacking as a film.

Vanishing on 7th Street

IMDB
First time viewed: Yes
Current Release: Yes
Watched With: Myself

This film has no pay off for it's admittedly very well done and surprisingly scary premise. That and the kid behaves completely irrationally at the end of the film in order for some scares and cheap audience manipulation with regards to the fate of other characters. It was exceedingly annoying.

No explanation is given as to why these events are occurring, which I can deal with, but then not to have enough character or other plot lines for some kind of emotional or thematic pay off at the end makes this film feel unfinished.

The threat of darkness and shadows is remarkably scary and will probably make you a little unnerved by the dark again for a short while. I really did like the way the FX worked and technically the films is great. But the way the film just dies at the end makes it hard to recommend, which is a shame.

Crazy Stupid Love

IMDB
First time viewed: Yes
Current Release: Yes
Watched With: Myself

Wasn't that bad actually. I like all the actors in it and they kept things from getting too stupid or cutesy. Well maybe a little stupid at the end there, with how all the characters connect, but I actually enjoyed that, ridiculous as it was.

Now it's not just me, that was totally Josh Groban as a lawyer. Ok. And another Scarlett Letter reference in an Emma Stone film. I did really like them using the Karate Kid character Miyagi as a verb. I hope that catches on.

What I did have a hard time with was commandeering a public event for your own needs at the climax. This happens too much in films, no-one in real life would let anyone get away with that, especially at a middle school graduation.

Anyone with a foot fetish will appreciate the opening of this film. For everyone else, it's not that bad.

Day Night Day Night

IMDB
First time viewed: No
Current Release: No
Watched With: Tyler, Jordan

This film is almost excruciatingly slow paced but the distancing editing and shooting style becomes almost hypnotic after a while. And when the audience slowly starts to cotton on to what's happening the pace creates a tense atmosphere.

Thank god Luisa Williams is interesting to watch when she starts to crack in those final moments, otherwise we are just watching a girl wash her hands and eat a pretzel for an hour and a half.

There's not really any discernible plot and only really one character, who due to the nature of the way the film is constructed is very closed off and indecipherable until the final moments. But I won't give away even the basic premise. Don't watch the trailer if you can, the film is best discovered.

And there are moments of genuine suspense towards the end. Guerrilla filmmaking in Time Square, it's a bold feat and contains the films best sequences.

It's a bit of a mixed bag and will no doubt just piss some people off but I think there's enough here to think about and despite what little happens it always kept me engaged.

Inside

IMDB
First time viewed: No
Current Release: No
Watched With: Tyler, Jordan

Another great brutal French horror from a few years back. This one is a very straight forward home invasion film with the added bonus of the protagonist being pregnant and by herself. It's basically one giant set piece and pretty void of any character development or plot but it does have a lot of violence. Great make up and fx gags.

There is always something unhinged about Béatrice Dalle but in this one she's something else. Creepy as hell and makes for an iconic silhouette too.

This film has fetus p.o.v. action cam. 'nuff said.

My Bloody Valentine

IMDB
First time viewed: No
Current Release: No
Watched With: Tyler, Jordan

A horror remake that I feel was quite successful. There's a lot of fun moments in this one and there's plenty of gore to keep you satisfied and some wonderfully frank nudity too. And for fans of the original, there's a few nods and twists.

The bluray I have has an anaglyph 3D version as well as the 2D. It's pretty much unwatchable though. It's a pity, I saw this twice at the cinema and it's obviously constructed from the ground up with 3D in mind. So entertaining in the cinema, true it's very gimmicky, but a film about people in mines being stabbed with a pick axe really lends it self well to the use of 3D.

There's just enough cool kills throughout to keep this interesting. The story is pretty straight forward and even if you pick the killer before the end it's serviceable enough to never get boring.

The Bone Collector

IMDB
First time viewed: Yes
Current Release: No
Watched With: Myself

I somehow missed this one. I caught the first 20 minutes on TV once but never finished it.

This is a case where my perception of an actor greatly affected the film. The revelation of the killer had me overjoyed because I absolutely adore the actor that plays him and that just made me root for the guy. It kind of killed what little suspense the film may have built up till that point too.

Still it's a well put together film and one I enjoyed.

The China Syndrome

IMDB
First time viewed: No
Current Release: No
Watched With: Tyler

Oh man this film is tense. I only saw it for the first time last year and I was fascinated by it. Given the recent events in Japan it's even more unnerving now.

I love my 70's paranoid thrillers and this is definitely one of the best. Even The initial set up is filled with suspense. The actors are all amazing and the direction, the pacing is perfectly mannered so that you almost don't even notice the foundations it's laying but the stakes are steadily raised as the film progresses. The use of silence at many key points and the lack of any discernible soundtrack gives the film reality that makes the situations seem very realistic.

A textbook example of how to keep the audience on the edge. Brilliant.

Watchmen

IMDB
First time viewed: No
Current Release: No
Watched With: Tyler

Oh man, where do you begin with this film? As a huge fan of the graphic novel for a very long time and knowing of the dozens of attempts for film it, the release of this film was greatly anticipated and dreaded. This really is THE modern masterwork of the comic world and the scope of it is massive. I'm not gonna be writing a full essay on it anytime soon although I would gladly discuss it for weeks.

Zack Snyder's film version is very faithful, some would say to a fault. Then there are those don't like the change to the ending. I actually like the way they kept it more internal to the characters that are already established, I think it was a very intelligent compromise and works great for the film.

As for the rest of the film, well I really do like it. I appreciate the incredible attention to detail throughout and the amount of information and pieces they kept from the graphic novel. I also wonder if they had deviated slightly to make the story more filmic if I would feel the same. This is a very dialogue and character heavy film which I think threw a lot of audience members who were expecting something closer to the recent Marvel and CD Comics movie output.

Still, the moments of action, the effects, the photography are all fantastic. And filled with the Snyder-isms we've all come to love or loath. I probably belong more to the former group.

I can't imagine what it would be like watching this without knowledge of the story. I own all 3 edits on bluray but I always choose to show the Director's Cut to first time viewers, time permitting. The Ultimate Cut is grand and the inclusion of the Black Freighter comic within the comic is nice, kudos to WB and Snyder to going all out and making them available, but the film is probably overwhelming enough for a first timer without all the added sub plots.

The film is a commitment, and one that many people won't find rewarding. As a fan of the material I think it's a miracle the film exists at all, let alone one that is as successful as this. There are a few issues I have here and there but in the grand scheme of things they are minor. It's an incredible achievement.

Pitch Black

IMDB
First time viewed: No
Current Release: No
Watched With: Tyler

I've loved this film since I first saw it at the cinema. It appeals to my sensibilities. It came at a time where doing CG effects was starting to become more commonplace and therefore, affordable for smaller more independent productions. A Scifi Action Horror film with art house sensibilities was practically unheard of before then but that's exactly what this feels like to me. And the blend is pretty seamless.

It also put Radha Mitchell and Vin Diesel on the road to where they are today and spawned animated and live action spin-offs for his character of Riddick. That Riddick movie is a different beast altogether, I have to say I think I prefer the modest intentions and the tone of this film.

The story is pretty straight forward but there's just enough good character beats and acting to create the drama, suspense and emotional payoffs that is often lacking in other films cut from the Alien mould.

Speaking of aliens, the creatures in this film are pretty awesome. And keeping them in the dark works great for a number of reasons too. Add to that some beautiful cinematography (of the boring old South Australian desert) effected with some bold digital and chemical colouring, a really great score from Graeme Revell and some awesome sound design, especially for those creatures and you have a film that I believe is just a few steps up from most films of the genre.

The Adventures of Baron Munchausen

IMDB
First time viewed: No
Current Release: No
Watched With: Tyler

Probably the first Terry Gilliam film I saw as a kid and was always on in our household. I loved this film, the adventure, the imagery but for a good 10 years or so I forgot about it then rediscovered it when I was older and found a whole new layer of meaning in the film I could never have comprehended as a kid.

Watching it now, it's hard for me to believe it was such a troubled production, the whole film holds up very well today. As I said before it is visually opulent, the production design astounding, the amount they must have built practically makes the reliance on effect less and even the effects are so well done in that old school fashion that they feel timeless. Like most Gilliam films, each frame is filled with detail. And The score is unlike any I've heard, a baroque adventure score. Beautiful.

I also find the film very funny. Again there is humour I loved as a child and a whole slew of jokes I couldn't understand until now. The great cast all do fine work, even very young Sarah Polley. This film was my introduction to many a fine actor.

This is a very nostalgic film for me. It's remained with me all these years and i'm sure has a huge part in shaping my love of fantasy, filmmaking and the art and importance of storytelling, which is everything to me. The ending of this film may feel like a cheat at first but I find myself appreciating it more with every viewing. One of my all time favourites.

Monster House

IMDB
First time viewed: No
Current Release: No
Watched With: Tyler

Wow seen this one 3 times this year now. Yep, it's good fun.

Old write ups here and here.

The Secret of Kells

IMDB
First time viewed: No
Current Release: No
Watched With: Tyler, Jordan, Amberly

Here's my original write up. Such a charming little film.