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I'm Alan Partridge (1997)
"...the name's Tex"..."text??"
...there were so many great quotes/bits of dialogue I could have chosen for my summary but in the end I plumped for one of my favourites where Michael's america-loving friend Tex is introducing himself - Alan is less than amused.
Anyway, I was really looking forward to this new series, and yes, I have to say, I was a bit dissapointed after the first episode - though it did have some good moments. The 2nd episode was alot better and by the time Alan had met Dan and been offered "a cup of beans..." by Michael in Eps 3(probably the best one) the series was in full-swing. Episode 4 was great too with the build up to and climax of Alan's Jamesbondathon wonderfully played out, after the last two episodes I was dissapointed with #5 - I was expecting much more from his run-in with the tax inspectors, but the final one was great again - all flashbacks, inappropriate speeches and guest berating at Lynne's baptism followed by the suitably downbeat ending.
Being Welsh I have to mention Alan's jesting in the Welsh accent "he didn't say the name's Bond, Jones the Bond..." when Lynne questions the Timothy Dalton films, another favourite of mine is when Alan, with a spike freshly impaled through his foot insisting he's still going to go on and do the fire-place presentation, tells Lynne "you couldn't present a... cat" and, for me, there were loads more.
I do think that five years was probably just a bit too long to wait for a new series and I do agree with the user who commended the imdb for listing both series apart. One thing I wish we could have seen was Skirmish - Alan's "military based quiz show on..." but alas we never got to.
Overall, I think not quite as brilliant as the first series, but a damn fine entry! nonetheless.
Originally transmitted 11 November - 16 December 2002 (on BBC2 UK anyway - I just thought I'd throw that in because it's what they put on the back of "Doctor Who" dvd's & videos)
Picnic at Hanging Rock (1975)
"it's nasty here..." - you're not wrong there love
(spoilers herein)
I was recently dismayed to discover that the events in this movie aren't real, they never happened, it's a completely made up story. Whilst I'm sure there are many different myth's and legends surrounding the rock, the film is based on a 60's novel, but I'd always believed and had read to believe that the disappearance really happened.
I was expecting a more sparse film concentrating solely on the rock and the disappearance, but the way it goes on to show how various people are effected by it and how the school goes to pot is great - a rich atmosphere is created through the music and fine acting.
A stand-out piece for me would be poor Sara, her brother (as I understood it) was actually Alfred - the rich family's horseman/helper - whatever-you-call-it- and it would have been wonderful if they'd found each other, so-close... and all that.
Many people comment on the "mystic symbolism" of the film but I find it more scary than anything else, and it always gives me the chills any time I watch it.
I have recently seen the full original version and the current "director's cut" release, and the latter definately loses something in feeling and style - stick with or find the original if you can, it's a great film! 9/10
Scarface (1983)
review #9 a.k.a. My thoughts on Scarface
...or "You think you can take me!, Your gonna need a f**king army!, if your..."
First off I want to say that I Love this film! and I don't know how anyone could give it a bad review. I think it's the best of all the gangster/crime movies...Ever!.
Al Pacino's performance as Tony Montana is amazing! intense!, just watch the way he grows and changes as the film goes on, only Pacino could have done this (as has been said many times before), He is Tony Montana!. I think the rest of the cast all give good support.
The music is great to -Not terrible, as I read somewhere - even if it is that 80's power-pop stuff, it goes with the time and style of the film perfectly.... brilliant!. someone I once knew said this film was "very shakesperian", or something like that and I suppose they were right in-a-way with the whole rise-and-fall thing.
anyway... I think this film is criminally overlooked! and should be given much more credit, endlessly quotable, This is also, in My opinion- the best movie of the 80's by far!...
The Only possible rating I can give this (with the imdb ratings system) is 10 out of 10!!
"...Antonio Montana, and what about you, a?, what do you call yourself?"
Pánico en el Transiberiano (1972)
A Cavalcade of joy!
(maybe mild spoilers...) I originally saw this a couple of times, years ago and all I could remember was the very end and it being very dark/scary. I've just seen it again recently and I enjoyed it immensely!...and found it great fun and highly entertaining.
It has a very strong setting- the train, the snow and the time all go together to create an eerie, un-placeable feeling, the music adds to this too. I thought the alien/sci-fi thing was a bit out-of-place, but on second thoughts I've decided it just adds to the whole mystique/atmospheric greatness of the piece.
Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee spar brilliantly and are given solid support from the rest of the main cast (the monk, the inspector, the countess etc), plus there are some great one-liners thrown in there as-well. ...And just when you think things can't get any better!... Telly Savalas (& his gang of cossacks) jumps on-board and starts ruffing-everyone-up!- brilliant!, films don't get much better than this for me!...
The whole film is worth-it's-weight-in-gold just to see an exasperated Peter Cushing saying "Monster, we're British..."- as Alan Partridge might say "lovely stuff" and Telly Savalas shouting "We got lots of innocent monks"- love it! ...and even then you've still got the double-whammy of an ending to come!!... Great Film 8.9 out of 10.
The Last Broadcast (1998)
a Fine, fine film
Having only-recently seen "the blair witch project" and being, shall we say, less than impressed, it was refreshing and a pleasant surprise to see this neat little film being shown again on our (well mine anyway...) screens.
I think the reason why most "bWp" fans don't mention this film when talking about 'their film' is because -& I don't mean any offense here!- the majority of "bwP" fans are your average bubblegum/popcorn headed everyday-hollywood blockbuster-hype falling-for type who doesn't really bother to delve a little deeper beneath the surface to find the wealth of top-quality films (low & higher budget) which were never big at the cinema... their loss.
Anyway... about half way through I thought the film was beginning to drag on a little- but then... before you know it the film is moving into it's last quarter and things really start gettin' tense! -don't get me wrong everything that's come before Is necessary and worthwhile!.
The ending, Yes the ending does throw the film off into a completely different direction and is fairly disturbing, it is also I think a very good ending. In fact-if you watch the last stages closely or a few times you can quite clearly work-out what's happened & what's going to - which makes it all the more disturbing+horrific in my book.
A Good film 7.5/8 out of 10 - much better than another one I can think of right now... though you really shouldn't compare the 2 (I know it's hard not too) as their are few actual similarities - This one deserves to be much bigger than it is... (but then it would lose it's air of mystery wouldn't it?... and that just wouldn't do...)
Phoenix Nights (2001)
In the words of Ray Von ..."Shabba!!"
(maybe mild spoilers...) I Loved the first series of this great comedy and have just finished watching the second series which, I can proudly say, was equally as fantastic!.
Peter Kay's (with help from Dave Spikey & Neil Fitzmaurice) comic creation is the freshest, funniest and best British comedy to be made today - following on from the likes of "The league of gentleman" and "The Office" (2 of my other favourites)
It's so well-written the story and the wonderfully unique characters Shine. It's real-life - down-to-earth setting (You all know it!) and use of the english language are just perfect...
each installment is full of references to Modern life/culture - Film's, music, sport, News, history etc etc, but all with the characters very own "Phoenix" slant on things. It is also so packed full with jokes that- as others have pointed out- you do have to watch closely & possibly a few times just because there are so many in there that are so well & subtlety told, - the pay off really Is worth it though, I promise! ;-
one of my favourite examples of this is when Max & Paddy are going to France in series 2 - the "you only get a bucket and a half" conversation- I got this the 2nd time I watched it and laughed till I almost cried! - if you've seen it you'll know what I mean!...
But for me the Best! part is the use of Popular Music -contemporary and classic (it is a club afterall), whether it be their own 'phoenix style' take on songs or purely backing on the soundtrack, every time the choice is Subliminal!! - surely everyone needs to see! "Don't let the sun go down on me" being done by Brian & Jerry - it really is T.V. to treasure!...
Other Sublime parts (for me) that HAVE to be seen! include in series 1 - Brian, his new-found love, the classic "Let's get it on" by Marvin Gaye and the un-expected interruption of some 'risque' viewing material, shall we say?, & the whole Family Fun-day/trip to france episode in series 2.
"Get back yer b*s**rd!! I'll break yer legs!!" - Max's own personal car alarm & ignition greeting to his 'luxury mobile home'
Overall this is Hilarious, clever, subliminal comedy that should be viewed and loved by everyone!! - It definitely is by me!! - My hope now is that if a 3rd & 4th series are made that the high standards set by the first 2 don't begin to slip - but I'm sure with Peter Kay at the helm they won't.
1000000000/10!!!
NEXT!!!!
Assault on Precinct 13 (1976)
support your local police?
I originally saw this movie almost two years ago, when I was going through my "Worship everything 70's!" phase (everything in film anyway) and I immediately loved it and was hailing it as one of the all time classics. Now I've just watched it again a few times and Yes I enjoyed it alot and still consider it a damn good film!, but yes, there are holes, and I can see them now...
(possible spoilers ahead...) I won't dwell on the holes in this film for to long because Overall I think it's good and most of you will already know what they are anyway, but these are the one's that stood out most for me - firstly, the lights, after being cut they promptly come back on, in time for a quick bout of shooting and then during the fight by the cells there off again, and then! straight afterwards there on again?!?. And secondly a word about Leigh, Laurie Zimmer's, "acting" I've gotta say it's one of the most lifeless and wooden performances I've ever seen, does she actually get Shot?... (I know she does but it's hard to tell from her "reaction") according to the Imdb this is Zimmer's one-and-only on-screen appearance in anything - and, from this performance, it's not hard to see why.
On to the good stuff, John Carpenter's self-penned & performed musical score, whilst being outrageously minimalistic, does a great job in creating the perfect, tense, atmosphere. It's so simple- Yet, so fantastic!, and I believe he recycled this in every one of his following movies.
A word about Napolean Wilson, I know he's supposed to be this enigmatic, wise-cracking, dangerous sort-of-a character, but the majority of the time this doesn't rub off on me and he seems merely average, only a few of his one-liners work/do anything for me.
BUT, for me, the whole film's worth seeing! because of one line near the beginning of the film, where Leigh is pouring Lt. Bishop a cup of coffee, "black?..." she inquires,... "for over thirty years..." comes his snappy reply, fantastic!, I love it!... it really is worth watching for that line alone, it really, really is!!
A fellow Imdb user stated that this movie was "nothing more than 1 hour and 30 minutes Mechanical existance" and to a certain degree I agree, as I can imagine Mr. Carpenter, with a very small budget, going through and following the "How to make a gripping thriller on a low-budget" handbook word for word.
Another Imdb user stated that "they don't make them like this anymore" -he was right and it's a crying shame...
The Doberman Gang (1972)
the dog'gonest gang you ever did see...
I really liked this film, I thought it was a good, fun romp and I liked the mix of light-hearted moments and the slightly grittier more exciting parts.
I will admit that I also loved the two main songs in the film aswell -the theme tune and the romantic one, really enjoyed them, 70's or not!
And of course there were lots of beautiful, precious doggies - who are (as others so rightly pointed out) the real stars of the film!, the main human leads were all solid but forgettable.
Overall pretty good, and the ending is just perfect, see this fun film if you can.
Stepmom (1998)
...there for each other
I saw this movie for the first time a few weeks ago and I Totally Loved it!, so much so, that I went out and purchased it soon afterwards...
Susan Sarandon (as the mother) and Julia Roberts (as the soon-to-be stepmother) are both fantastic in their respective roles, and Ed Harris (as the father) is good too.
It is beautifully shot- the city (of New York) and the surrounding- more country-fied area's of New York look great, the contrasts as the seasons change are, quite simply, Stunning. (this is something I took note of, anyway)
(the only slight gripe I have with this film is that I find the children a little bit annoying, but this is only a very minor thing)
Overall, Excellent, It never fails to move me to tears, Everytime I watch it!, Glorious is the word! Glorious!
Master of the World (1961)
Citizens of the World!, this is Robur!...
This film is a mish-mash of two Jules Verne novels (none of which, I have read), and I think it is a fairly good adventure.
It's interesting to see Charles Bronson in an early role (before he hooked up with Mr. Winner and went-all bitter vigilante'), he turns in a good performance. And the late-great Vincent Price is just right as Robur, Captain of the flying ship "The Albatross", in one of his trademark not-strictly evil genius roles - more like, men who usually have good or honourable intentions, but are driven to madness and the use of terrible means to acheive them. The rest of the cast are all of a fairly good standard, except the character of Mr. Prudent, I find him extremely annoying and the acting is also quite poor.
The effects are alright (you have to take into account it's the early 60's) and the set of the ship itself looks good and is well crafted. But the parts where the ship is supposed to be over land (some country- or-other), are almost funny because you can clearly see that the ship is super-imposed on to a completely different piece of film.
Overall Good, with an important message (discussed and challenged in the movie), that is more relevant, today, than ever.
The Crazies (1973)
...No!, Not the Zeebra club!...
(possible minor spoilers ahead) ...is this like the WORST club in Pennsylvania or something?, I mean even in this time of supposed great danger, it still, in David, manages to bring up these strong feelings of like "don't go there!!" - Is going there like death itself (reminds me of some of the clubs round my way!) or even worse do they just play Dido all night - similar to death but worse in many ways.
anyway... was looking forward to seeing this movie very much and afterwards, I have to say I was a bit disappointed. I think this could have been made better. I have seen it a few more times since, though, and it is growing on me.
It's typical 70's Romero - low-budget, helicopters, widespread panic/hysteria etc, etc.
Obviously an anti Military movie, but I don't think Romero shows/develops this well enough, as it appears to me that the townspeople just start shooting/killing the soldiers for no reason -I know that there's supposed to be this disease spreading through the area but Romero, fails to show the symptoms developing, well enough, in the townsfolk- and I end up feeling more sorry for the poor soldiers who have, suddenly, been ordered into the middle of this madness. I actually find myself wanting the soldiers to blow the s*** out of, the majority, of the inbred redknecks that inhabit the town.
The main characters are all of a reasonable-to-good standard, with Clank's gradual disintegration and the final scenes between Judy and David, which I found really touching, being high points. ... and all this, with the threat of a Nuclear bomb being dropped on the place, hanging over the whole film - maybe that's what should have happened- It would be interesting to see the film with that ending.
I think this film would probably be better if Romero had, had a bigger budget to work with, Overall fair 6.5/10... ...meanwhile... back at the Zeebra club...