jonny_keogh Reviews

The Haunting of Hill House: Two Storms (2018) Season 1, Episode 6

Best single episode of TV I think I've ever seen

[10/10 · 5 December 2018]

This was just stunning. Bent Neck Lady has a higher rating, but this beats it hands down. Acting, cinematography and storytelling was just perfect.

I believe this is the filler of the series, but how Mr Flanagan chose to shoot what is usually considered the low budget and least exciting episode of a series, was genius. Do it all in minimal shots and see who notices. Some decent scares too, mostly subtle but effective. The movement of the camera makes you fear whats round the corner. No jump scares, just eerie. Expertly choreographed from start to finish and an episode I will watch again and again, even if I don't watch the whole series - which was amazing obviously.

This isn't just the best episode of a horror TV series, I think this is the best episode of a TV series in general.

It (I) (2017)

Pennywise is the money maker

[9/10 · 26 September 2017]

So for a person who isn't really a big horror movie fan, for some reason this movie was something I HAD to see. The marketing for this film was extraordinary, and I was well and truly sucked into the hype. I'm a guy who tends to watch a horror film with the lights on, pillow in hand just in case i need to shield my eyes, and the volume down in case anything makes me jump ..... OK I exaggerate with the pillow and lights on, but I do turn the volume down when I think something bad is going to happen.

But horror stories often bring out the most imagination. Horror has the most amount of versatility in the world of storytelling. Superhero movies are all very similar nowadays. Action films are too samey as well. Comedies are running out of jokes. But Horror movies have always got a new way of scaring you. Yes obviously there's the awful horrors out there, but so many recently have been exceptional. It's such a shame I don't like it when something makes me jump! As I love the story of a good horror movie/book, but usually too wimpy to watch it.

'It' was different though. I know it's a re-boot, but I was excited for this, and I was surprised at how little I jumped and got scared. I didn't find it scary. I just found it to be one of the most fun movies I have seen at the cinema in a very long time. Last time I enjoyed a movie this much at a cinema I believe, was for Dark Knight in 2008. Funnily enough that had a clown character as a main protagonist too.

The characters were well cast and the kids more than held their own when Pennywise wasn't in shot. There was great chemistry between the kids, and the majority of them had great acting talent. Maybe the odd dodgy acting here and there, but overall the kids made this movie better than certain people expected.

Pennywise was the main draw though. He still steals the scenes which isn't too surprising. The first meeting with him and Georgie is chilling. His shapeshifting, strange ways and often comedic mannerisms actually make for creepy viewing, but he never becomes unbearable. He is always fun to watch. It's a horror/comedy, but knows its purpose. The comedy isn't forced or overbearing, and when it tries to scare you, it doesn't dull it down for comedy sakes. It just becomes funny when it needs to. And it scares when it needs to. The balance of this was spot on, and this was the biggest success of the movie. At just over 2 hours too, it never ever feels drawn out. The time between meetings of Pennywise never seems too long or too short.

If I had a criticism (which there isn't many), it would be that Pennywise was not in it enough. Just as in the first scene with him and Georgie, he got a lot of screen time. But afterwards, we saw him in patchy stages, which never lasts long enough (maybe apart from the end). But that's just me being selfish. Also the CGI spoilt a couple scenes, but again that is being picky. The movie was lots of genres in one. Horror, Comedy, Drama, Action. And it does all of that very well. I haven't given this a 10, as I can't say I believe in the perfect movie, and will only give a 10 to my all time favourite film, but 9 is perfectly good.

Pennywise will go down as one of my fave movie characters. Along with Heath Ledgers 'Joker' and Johnny Depps 'Jack Sparrow'. Bill Skarsgard definitely does 'Pennywise' justice.

Loved it. So looking forward to Chapter Two!!

Kong: Skull Island (2017)

Basically a better Jurassic Park 3

[7/10 · 29 May 2017]

I'm not going to go into why this movie is not as good as it should be. Apart from the fact they have totally miscast some characters (Hiddleston especially) and the movies saving grace was John C Reilly, Kong: Skull Island was actually pretty entertaining.

I went into this knowing it'd be very Hollywood, so I expected nothing less. Why people were expecting more is beyond me. We knew the characters would be clichéd. We knew that Kong would reign supreme. We knew we'd see a load of weird creatures (one thing I hate about the Kong story is the creatures, but I know it has to be there). The story is what it is, it was never going to be some superb script up for Oscars and stuff. Yes, Hiddleston and Larson are beautiful people so we knew they would just be there for eye candy. All I wanted to see was a good Monster Movie, and luckily for me I got it.

The story reminded me of Jurassic Park 3. Lots of things were similar, with the Kong spin. Someone lures them all to the Island for one reason, then knowingly tells them it was all for a different reason. They go on the hunt for someone on the Island. There was even a boat they used to try to escape and a few other nods too. It was all very similar to me, but obviously a lot better.

Reilly stole the show when he eventually showed up. Hiddleston was a horrendous choice, but I usually like him. Jackson just turns up anywhere nowadays, so his presence in films now really doesn't excite me.

Overall, this movie does what it sets out to do. No it isn't perfect but if you go into it expecting a classic, you will be disappointed. One thing I will say is I much preferred this to the 2005 Kong. Apart from the small snippet where Kong came to NYC in the 2005 version, the rest of that movie for me was terrible.

The Wedding Ringer (2015)

Solid Comedy with heart

[7/10 · 3 December 2015]

I'm not a massive fan of modern comedies. I'm a traditional comedy guy, and my favourite comedies are things such as Planes, Trains & Automobiles and Dumb & Dumber. Comedies with a bit of heart and not just cracking gags for the sake of it, meaning it comes off desperate or just over the top.

Luckily, this movie was really surprising, as it made me laugh on several occasions. Kevin Hart is a funny guy, and Josh Gad does a decent job too. Think it made me laugh more to hear Olaf swearing.

I watched this on the off chance, as I had nothing else to watch so I put it on, and it did grab my attention. Most comedies are just background movies when I'm doing something, but I focused on this as I enjoyed it. There seemed to be a heart to this film, and the comedic bits were choreographed a lot better than many other movies boast. Yes it was clichéd, yes it was typical Hollywood, but to be honest, as long as it makes you laugh, that's all that matters. None of the laughs seemed forced, and don't get me wrong it wasn't perfect, but it did give me enjoyment for an hour and a half.

Kevin Harts best movie without doubt, much better than Get Hard.

Cold in July (2014)

Left too many questions unanswered

[4/10 · 5 July 2015]

Am I missing something here? Why has this been given the title of a twisty thriller?

It started well, with the main character killing an intruder and then being lauded for his actions in his hometown. Clearly he isn't proud of what he's done but his neighbours believe he was a hero of some sort.

He then attends the funeral of the victim and meets the victims father who immediately threatens him and his family. Still all pretty good for a suspenseful twisty thriller. The police then try to capture the man who threatened him, failed and then you see that the victim was not actually the guys son, as they are still labelling the guy who apparently 'died' as a wanted man. So the victim was in fact a random guy but the 'father' was still also a wanted man. The police then try to kill the 'father' but the main guy saves him and tells him it wasn't his son that he killed. It then becomes a mission for the two of them to find his actual son who was still wanted by the police. They then hire the help of an ex cop to find him and get to the bottom of it all.

Still with me?

It then turns out the fathers son is a part of a gang of snuff movie makers and the father makes it his mission to kill his son. None of this part of the movie was interesting. It then ends very predictably with the son being killed along with his gang, by his father, the ex cop and the main guy. It then ends when the main guy goes back home and gets into bed with his wife and young son. I then thought ... Wow, that was an anti-climax.

Who in fact was the intruder in the first sequence? Why didn't they try to find that out too? Why was the police trying to kill the father when technically he'd done nothing wrong? Why were the police telling the main guy that it was the fathers son that he killed, which prompted the father to threaten the main guy? Were the police corrupt? What was the point of the ex cop turning up? Why did the main guy feel the need to find the fathers son when it wasn't anything to do with him anymore?

So many questions, and not many answers. It wasn't a twisty film at all. It was basically a cop movie about catching some criminals, then they kill them. Boom, so suspenseful!

I really hate films that label themselves to be something they're not. The only twist really is that we find out it wasn't the fathers son that the main guy murders. But this was kind of explained in the synopsis anyway.

Sorry for using the terms main guy, father, fathers son and ex cop. I really didn't care much for this film to pay attention to the character names.

Jurassic World (2015)

Great fun but not without its flaws

[8/10 · 5 July 2015]

Not really any major spoilers, but really depends on the overviews you have read about the film.

Jurassic World is a movie I have been looking forward to since I found out last year it was being made. For me, I don't remember being this excited about a movie since War of the Worlds back in 2005.

I knew it wouldn't be as good, or as original as the first Jurassic Park, but I did expect it to be better than the sequels. They did have 14 years between the 3rd and 4th installment so they had plenty of time to do it right.

I won't go into the synopsis, as you can figure out the gist of the story from many reviews and summaries, but the story for me wasn't a great start. I thought the idea of a hybrid dinosaur was a little far-fetched (clearly a dinosaur movie isn't far-fetched enough) and it needed to show a bit more originality. But I went in to it with an open mind, and hoped the actors could deliver the same amount of charm as the originals did and I am glad to say that at least Chris Pratt did that.

The rest of the movie was just a typical popcorn fun film. But it was simply a monster movie. It didn't really feel as though it was a Jurassic Park entry. Jurassic Park had the excitement but it made it suspenseful with scenes like the first meeting of the T-Rex, the electric fence, and the Raptors in the kitchen. Those three scenes for me epitomizes Jurassic Parks classic tag. This one doesn't really have anything suspenseful, apart from maybe the very first 'action'sequence with the Raptors. After this, the introduction of the new dino is a little tame, and the rest of the film is just typical dino carnage and you know when the attacks are going to come. Some of the aspects of the film were a little ridiculous too, like being able to teach the Raptors.

That's the fairly negative part out of the way. The positives are that this movie is a major improvement on both sequels. I have rated it an 8 because it was just a fun movie to watch, and the effects were great. I liked that the park was fully functioning, and being a big theme park fan, I enjoyed watching all the attractions come to life like a proper theme park. The classic JP soundtrack was in there too which was great and they threw back to the original movie very nicely, and gave the original a glowing reference. Chris Pratt was a highlight of the film, as he carries the other actors through, but the biggest compliment I can give Jurassic World is that it made me feel like the Jurassic Park series was back to stay. The original is in my top 10 movies of all time, and this installment will not disappoint many fans of the series. Some will be cynical, some will just plain dismiss it because it isn't original. But it never was going to be, it was just a brilliant way to spend 2 hours, and kept me entertained right until the end credits. I would recommend to anyone who liked the previous 3 movies, or monster movies in general.

Broadchurch (2013–2017)

Whodunnit?

[9/10 · 23 November 2013]

I didn't see this when it was originally aired, so I was aware of the plot, but wasn't told who did it luckily, otherwise I wouldn't have bothered watching it.

But as I didn't know who did it, I rented the whole series, and after the first episode, I literally watched it straight though. I was hooked! It sets up the next few episodes perfectly and the character development was fantastic, possibly the best I have ever seen. You really care for that family, and care for some of those in the area. Olivia Coleman is just a joy to watch, and Tennant is as good as ever! But the supporting cast are also perfect. No one falls short, not even the kids. Everyone is given the right amount of screen time and all of them shine! In the show, everyone is suspected. I changed my mind who it was for the first 4 episodes! But something clicked for me in episode 4, that made me think who it was. From then, I continued to look for clues on who it was, and after a couple of minor changes in thought, I still believed I knew who it was. And I was right!! Usually I'm not so good with guessing twists, but I was fairly certain with this. But this is by no means an easy one to figure out. There is enough twists and turns to make you change your mind every 10-15 minutes! Overall, a brilliant thriller, and a real thinking mans show. Won't be worth watching twice as you know the killer (its the way it is with all these types of shows) but as far as whodunnits go, this is up there with the best!

Carnage (2011)

Hit and Miss

[7/10 · 25 October 2013]

I hate reviews that include a huge synopsis at the start so I'll keep this brief. Carnage starts with a kid getting whacked with a stick by another kid, and what follows is the two sets of parents trying to have a civilized conversation to get it resolved, but sadly they have differences and things get heated quickly, and starts to get out of control.

The movie starts slow, but you could tell it was building up pace pretty much from the start, and as a viewer, you were always intrigued with what would come next and when the first fight would break out. The script was razor sharp. Excellently put together with some fine actors and actresses to play the parts. The problem lies with the second half of the film and the ending.

Waltz steals the film as usual. Reilly holds his own and shows his credentials. Winslet plays the caring but slightly snooty upper class lady well and Foster starts out brilliantly as the woman on a mission to make the other parents feel as guilty as possible. Waltz is brilliant for the whole film. Reilly is also solid for the entire movie. Winslet gets away with some fairly outlandish acting as she controls it, but for me Foster spoils the talents of the others with her robotic, unconvincing and fairly embarrassing overacting in the second half of the film. Which is a shame because she was excellent at the start. She was probably asked to act this way, but when you get angry, every part of your body moves, and your hands start to do some of the talking for you. For most parts when Foster had to scream or shout out, she would often be standing still, or seemingly waiting for her line to come up. With Foster, I could tell her lines were scripted, and not roll off tongue. With the rest, I was convinced they were real people. Glad she didn't get an Oscar nomination as I feel this would have been undeserved.

Overall though, the film made me laugh a few times, but I was impressed with how it played out. No music, just people, and a script that had some good and bad deliveries. It's a shame it ended so suddenly, without a clever climax where there was so much potential.

Recommend the film though!

Django Unchained (2012)

Enjoyable, but just don't seem very Tarantinoish

[7/10 · 17 October 2013]

This starts out like a typical gritty, unconventional Quentin Tarantino movie. No rules, no clichés and fully reliant on mood, script and superb acting. It sets the stage for the rest of the film. But then it kind of goes off track after the Saloon scene, but this doesn't deter from the quality of the film, it just feels a little less like a Tarantino movie.

Waltz and Di Caprio are just superb in their roles. Foxx holds his own, but you can tell his role was meant to be for someone else.

The final 3/4 of this film really is quite clichéd and muddled. A little predictable, and slightly lazy. Yes the script is razor sharp, acted superbly, and I haven't heard a better script all year, but it still felt a little laboured and that a few scenes were picked out of a hat and just thrown in. The bag head scene is hilarious, but it looked like they plucked it from Blazing Saddles and threw it in. I can't fault it because it made me laugh, but in all honesty it didn't need to be in the movie.

There are moments where QT shows his magic, like the dinner scene with Candie, Schultz and Django ... That is classic Tarantino, and I loved that scene. The saloon scene in the beginning is also brilliantly put together and Waltz outdoes himself and deserves his Oscar for that alone. But the rest of the film just plods along with no real direction.

Sam Jackson's character is also quite a laughable one, virtually mocking himself. He knows the character is a joke, so he does his best to play it out that way.

But overall, the film is just popcorn fun. Top quality script, acting, sets and the final shootout is QT at his glorious and hilariously over the top best. It's not his best (still think Reservoir Dogs needs topping) but certainly not his worst

The Purge (I) (2013)

Waste of a great plot

[5/10 · 16 October 2013]

The premise and idea of this story is excellent if not flawed, but a very interesting idea none the less. It starts with a family who seemingly support the idea of an annual 'purge' where people can cleanse their inner demons and take part in any act of violence, including murder, and not get punished. The idea is terrifying, because it does raise the question 'would this work in our society?'. The answer of course is no, because of the financial implications and morality, but still raises that question.

The family in question are wealthy, and not particularly likable so the audience don't really have a chance to sympathise with them when things go wrong. Once the barriers are up, that's where the tension is supposed to start. It doesn't really get off the ground. The kid lets a stranger in to try saving him, and suddenly the family are under attack from some bloke who wouldn't look out of place in a boyband. Yes the masks are a bit freaky, and the actions of those around the villain are a bit creepy, but in all honesty, this is not a scary or tense film. It ends up being a home invasion film, and completely forgets its own plot, (a fairly original and interesting plot) and then wastes its potential.

There are twists, about 20 minutes in, then again at the end of the film, and both of which are easy to figure out.

The villain is cheesy, clichéd and in no way menacing. The end of the film is rushed, and so much more could have been made of this.

Glad i didn't go to the cinema to watch this, because I would have been disappointed, but it gets a 5 for the idea, the masks and the fact that it does beg the question 'would an annual purge, reduce the crime rate for the rest of the year?'. My opinion is no, but I'm sure some may disagree.

Johnny English Reborn (2011)

Surprisingly average

[6/10 · 29 February 2012]

Reason I say surprisingly, is because I expected this movie to be terrible. I was expecting another awful sequel to a, by no means brilliant comedy. I was also a little skeptical about the fact there has been such a long time between both movies. But I have to say this wasn't that bad.

I enjoyed the original. Light hearted, slapstick humour, and it was very enjoyable. This sequel is much of the same, maybe not quite as good, but still solid enough. There were 2 moments that really made me laugh out loud, therefore thats 2 more times I laughed than when I have ever watched an episode of 2 and a half men which for some reason people absolutely worship.

Bad points - Some of the jokes in this one were a little overplayed and drawn out as well as predictable. The supporting cast were nowhere near as good as the original so most of the movie is carried by Atkinson. At least with the last one they had John Malkovich who shared the spoils but in this one West, Pike and Anderson don't really deliver the goods. The whole agent feel has also disappeared. Even though he's supposed to be stupid, some of the things he does are just so idiotic, it just isn't funny. Good points - The 2 bits that made me laugh, made me laugh for a while. They weren't just sniggers or a chuckle. Atkinson still has the ability to make me smile with his facial expressions and carries the film himself so that it doesn't completely fall flat. Story is as expected but at least they took the time to think one up rather than just relying on slapstick.

Overall the movie was quite fun. No more than a 6/10. Not quite as good as the original, but I wasn't expecting it to be. Worth renting to see once if you enjoyed the first one.

The Woman in Black (2012)

Woman in Black is gold

[8/10 · 23 February 2012]

For someone who has read the book, watched the stage play and briefly seen the TV adaptation, I had high hopes for this movie as soon as I knew it was being released. Wasn't sure about Radcliffe but I was willing to give it a chance, and I am now prepared to say I was wrong to doubt him. He carries this film extremely well and I totally forgot he was Harry Potter in former life. Fair enough there were a few 'wooden' moments but in all, his expressions and acting was faultless. The movie itself was at just the right pace. An eerie slow burner, making the audience tense and always looking for when the next scare will be. There were a fair few jump moments that many people criticised but for me, they were needed in a film like this. There were plenty of eerie spine chilling moments too that didn't need the use of a jump scare, so they evened each other out.

It was pretty loyal to the book, apart from a few minor details, and of course the ending is totally different. But the premise of the movie stayed the same. The ending for me was a good idea, but it lacked the shock factor that I believe it needed for my 8/10 to rise to 9/10. It left me feeling a little disappointed.

The sets, scenery, acting and the house especially were fantastic. The woman also doesn't disappoint. When seen, she got the whole Cinema screaming, something I have never seen in a Cinema ... Even Paranormal Activity 1 & 2.

Overall, the movie was very good. Didn't scare me, but it certainly made me jump and gave me the creeps. Disappointed with the ending, but there were plenty of well done scenes (Rocking Chair moment especially) to make up for it.

Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011)

Total Shambles

[4 August 2011]

Unfortunately this movie is not the final movie of the trilogy we had been waiting for. Its too long, over the top, pointless and takes a good hour for people to actually understand what the plot is.

It starts off with a neat and clever little homage to American history that promises so much more than it delivers. Then it gets messy! We see our hero for the first time with his new girlfriend. And this is where the special effects is most impressive because those lips are surely not real? But she is easily the most beautiful thing about this film. It is RHW that stopped me from leaving prematurely. Not for her acting ability of course. But cue a bunch of random explosions and slow motion action sequences that seemingly have nothing to do with the story. No character development, the script is terrible and some of the one liners are cringe worthy. Throw in a couple of big name actors and actresses that have no reason to be there, but maybe good actors can salvage the mess? No they can't. Alan Tudyk is probably worth one star in this movie. But not enough to make a bad script work.

Shia disappointed me in this too. I always thought he had brilliant presence and charisma as an actor, but maybe because of a lack of story, direction and script it ruined his last outing as Sam Witwicky.

Yes the cars are gorgeous, RHW is too, the special effects are impressive, but only in the chase scene on the highway which was, might I add, a carbon copy of the first Transformers movie. All other effects lacked something I can't quite put my finger on. The ending is a joke too. It is no more than anyone expected but although the film was about an hour too long, the ending seemed horribly rushed.

But thank god this is the last one at least for Michael Bay. Just because your making a movie with fast cars, beautiful women, explosions and spectacular SFX, doesn't mean it'll be any good!

3 out of 10 for Alan Tudyk, SFX and RHW's lips!

Date Movie (2006)

Confused

[1/10 · 28 February 2006]

I walked out of my cinema very confused after seeing this movie. when i say that i mean i was confused in how the writers thought this movie would be rated highly. i am also confused on the unusually high rating it had on the front page. yes i do mean the 2.8 rating. to me that is too high. this is the worst comedy ever made. most probably the worst film ever made. that isn't overacting. i warn people paying to see this movie, guys this movie is more painful than a football going 100mph straight at your b****cks. and girls this is more painful than bikini waxing. i was more entertained by the scary movie trailer beforehand. hell i was more entertained by the fat bloke eating his popcorn in front of me. i had four words after this movie to say to my GF. 'thank god thats over'. please don't put yourself through it. it is that awful. i wanted to leave halfway through but i didn't want to leave my GF, she liked it slightly. believe me, this is the worst movie ever made. trust me

Walk the Line (2005)

Great movie

[7/10 · 15 February 2006]

This wasn't top of my movie list on what to see at the cinema but i went last night and it was actually one of my favourite movies i have seen at the cinema in a long time. i had no knowledge of johnny cash, and i had never heard any of his music, but i had heard of him. my girlfriend wanted to see it so i went with her. and i really enjoyed the story. the acting was absolutely superb. as i had no knowledge of johnny cash, i couldn't tell you whether joaquin phoenix was doing a good job, but his acting was spot on for me. and it was very touching. i thoroughly enjoyed myself and would recommend it to anyone even if you are my age. I'm 18, and johnny cash was way before my time, but it was a fantastic movie

Derailed (I) (2005)

Nothing Special

[6/10 · 7 February 2006]

I will not say that this movie was bad because it was far from it. I have seen worse in this genre. but what i will say is that it was very predictable. it wasn't hard to figure out. i figured it out pretty much two minutes after seeing jennifer anistons character. the story was perfectly easy to follow which can be either a good or bad thing. in this case it was good, because the story wasn't complex. i did enjoy it to a certain extent but clive owens acting was so wooden. he was extremely boring to watch, and is no way worthy of his top list actor title. the movie was good in parts, but lacked that one thing. a good actor. but it wasn't bad, definitely worth a look when it comes out on DVD. don't go and see it in a bad mood though it wont cheer you up much

King Kong (2005)

Very disappointing

[6/10 · 4 January 2006]

I probably went into the cinema thinking this would be a great movie and one that i would have to add to my DVD collection. how wrong i was. i wasn't a fan of peter Jackson before this movie because i hated LOTR. i haven't changed my opinion of him. King Kong has way too many problems with it. too many scenes were unnecessary. including the strange creepy crawly scene. it was a 20 minute long scene of stupidity. the effects were, if i am honest, awful in that scene. they looked like they were pulled out of the movie eight legged freaks which was also a poor movie. the love story was over run. the original never showed a love between the two in question (Kong and Darrow). it showed a connection, a bondage. this new one showed a romance between the two which wasn't the best way to approach the movie. the acting was good, the effects of Kong and the dinosaurs were good. but unfortunately, the negatives outweigh the positives. too long, long winded, repetitive, boring in most bits including the hour long opening, you wait too long for Kong to show up and the creatures scene was probably one of the worst scenes i have ever seen. so overall i give it a 6/10. purely because Kong effects are great and Naomi watts is gorgeous. otherwise it would have been a 4/10 and i think the only bit i enjoyed fully was when Kong went to new york.

Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005)

Possibly in my top ten favourite ever movies

[10/10 · 17 November 2005]

I saw this movie yesterday and i must say i was impressed. I went with my friend who wasn't very keen on seeing it, but he ended up loving it. i was looking forward to seeing it, but i was not to fussed if i didn't. but I'm glad i did. Not only did it have some good action scenes, it had excellent quick witted humour which made me almost cry with laughter. This is definitely my favourite movie of the year. I recommend it to anyone who is a fan of Robert Downey Jr, because he is unbelievable in this movie. he was perfectly cast. the script was brilliantly clever. the acting was impressive and even the plot was good. even though i lost the plot halfway in, i didn't care because i was enjoying it that much. i officially call myself a Shane Black and Robert Downey Jr fan. A definite DVD buy.

Sin City (2005)

Nothing else like this

[9/10 · 27 September 2005]

When i started watching this movie, i didn't know what to expect from it because some of my friends love it, some hate it. some say its overrated, some say its this years best film. so i really had no clue on what to expect. but when i saw it for the first time. i was amazed. the special effects in this movie were brilliant. the film actually makes you appreciate colour television. it blends in the little arrays of colour into the black and white majority excellently and the brutality comes by the masses. this truly is the greatest comic book adaptation ever made and it is a comic book put on screen. the car chases and violent scenes are unbelievable. most of the actors put in great performances. Mickey Rourke is perfectly cast as Marv. Bruce Willis puts in an effortless performance as hartigan, but doesn't look like he's pushing 60 like it says. Elijah wood is brilliant as Kevin and is a truly chilling character without uttering a word throughout the film. and watch out for a little cameo role from the man frank miller himself. overall this movie is a modern classic as there is nothing else like it and it is only a 9 because i believe Benicio del Toro and Clive Owens performances were pretty bad.

Se7en (1995)

Wow. What a brilliantly crafted movie

[10/10 · 27 July 2005]

i haven't a bad word to say on this movie except the fact that it may have been a wee bit slow for my liking but that doesn't falter the acting skills, the horror and the sheer genius script in this movie. kevin spacey was totally terrifying and brad pitt was in his best role and i don't rate him very highly as an actor. watch troy, you'll know what I'm talking about. morgan freeman delivers yet another masterpiece and seven is simply the greatest serial killer movie of all time. forget scream and the shining. seven is simply a one and only movie. as a matter of fact i think I'm gonna watch it now. i rated it nine purely because i believe that every movie has faults even if they are hard to see and there is no such thing as a perfect movie. but this is easily my 3rd favourite movie of all time after Back to the Future and Jurassic Park.

Only Fools and Horses (1981–2003)

The Top Sitcom in the whole world

[10/10 · 27 July 2005]

There can only be one winner in my opinion and that is simply Only Fools and Horses. Purely for the talent, comedy genius and script. the script is delivered perfectly throughout the series. the talent of D. Jason and N. Lyndhurst are never to be forgotten. forget about the rubbish hitting our screens from the US like Two and a Half Men and Joey. this is pure entertainment which is totally believable. Friends and other American Sitcoms show us the characters in their outer shell. American Sitcoms forget Irony. they don't know the meaning of the word. no disrespect to America cos i love the place. but when it comes down to pure believable comedy drama. Britain doesn't disappoint. OFAH follows two brothers living in a low budget flat and struggling to make their lives better. Friends shows six roommates sharing a luxury apartment all with fantastic jobs. Joey is an Actor for god sake. Del is a fly pitcher. Britains sitcom is a real life basis and we can relate to it more because it is reality. the comedy is unbelievably funny. how many sitcoms do you know can make this much classic comedy in the space of 30 mins. the ideas for characters are legendary. Del - thinks he can talk french and is a devoted family man trying to make a difference. Rodney - a sarcastic brother who is blown out by girls more times than a windsock Albert - Trademark During the War. War time hero in the Navy and wont shut up about it. Grandad - Lazy old codger who moans about the telly and watches 2 of them Trigger - Dumbest bloke you could ever see or talk to. calls Rodney Dave every time. Boycie - Stuck up 2nd hand car trader with more front than Brighton

these characters need not to be compared to American sitcoms as they don't have the spark of the British humour. only fools and horses in short is the dogs b***ocks.

Back to the Future (1985)

My all time favourite movie

[10/10 · 21 July 2005]

wow. how do i put my opinions of this film into words. it is my favourite movie purely cos its fun, entertaining, understandable but with a bit of a mind tester the first time u see the trilogy but it has the certain spark many other movies don't. michael j fox became my fav actor after this movie. even tho i was only 8 when i first saw it. its the only movie that i can watch over and over again without getting bored. this is a timeless classic with comedy, science fiction, action, special effects and adventure all packed into one. this is an almost perfect movie even tho i cant see what could be improved. but nothing is perfect is it. this is very close. I'm pretty sure everyone has seen it but if not. get out there and watch this. it will blow u away. it is absolutely outstanding cinema

Constantine (2005)

Bitterly disappointed

[6/10 · 21 July 2005]

it was an OK film i suppose but after reading a lot of good reviews i was looking forward to an early blockbuster hit. i was wrong. OK admittedly the special effects were quite impressive for a february release and the acting from rachel weisz was very good. keanu reeves on the other hand was awful. does he just act off of a teleprompter? it may as well be like he's reading a book or off a piece of paper. he is a diabolical actor and doesn't deserve the high standard of actor. he is worse than his sidekick chas in the film. chas (real name Shila laBoef) was quite good as a sidekick. he was a good entertaining character. but john constantine was dull and dreary. very borin. I've seen laBoef in a few other films such as I, Robot (bit part) and Holes. (i think that was him). and he really showed potential in I, Robot to be the next smooth talking actor on the big screen. like Colin Farell cos he sounds like he is confident and he is realistic with the way he acts. this boy has a great deal of potential and talent. he shud go far. but the film is entertaining in parts like the computer effects and the bath scene but everything else went out the window. literally. there was many plot holes. very much disappointing but it is worth the watch if ur into the Gothic tales of hell and the devil. 6 out of ten for the graphics

War of the Worlds (2005)

thought it was an enjoyable movie

[8/10 · 14 July 2005]

this starts off as a normal Hollywood block buster. tom cruise working and going to pick his kids up. then disaster strikes. the first computer effects scene in this is possibly the best i have ever seen. fast furious, brutal, scary, impressive, violent. everything i could hope for. then it slows down a tad when they flee the tripods but it then builds up momentum again. i built this movie up so much, i was scared i would be disappointed because i was thinking it would be a great movie. speilbergs best. unfortunately it wasn't but it was still very good. excellent acting, very believable story and very impressive cgi. it was scary in parts. the first scenes of violence had me on the edge of my seat. although there is not much blood or guts pouring out over the place, it is still a very violent movie. I'm thankful they kept to the story originally told in the book. because even though the ending was a bit rushed, it was what was in the book. overall an 8 out of ten because the scenes of violence and action were out of this world but the oglivy scene spoilt it a bit. but still the greatest sci fi I've ever seen

The Amityville Horror (2005)

amityville shocker

[7/10 · 14 July 2005]

this was a very good movie. well worth the money i spent.i haven't seen the original but i will soon to compare. ten times better than what i was expecting. the film starts furiously. wont spoil it but its an excellently grisly start. very much 18 material for me though. thought it was a bit gory and violent for a 15. also the sex, drugs and language. but i was very impressed with the movie. it contains one of the most scary scenes I've seen for a long time. the boy in the bathroom. was expecting a scare but not how it was done. it startled me. it wasn't rushed either. the ending came at the right time. the only thing to let this movie down was the fact it was a bit far-fetched and unrealistic. it should have been because it was based on a true story. but overall a very scary and thrilling ride!!!!!!