studleymoore2027 Reviews

Raging Fire (2021)

Is this Donnie Yens Seagal moment?

[6/10 · 13 May 2022]

I will start with RIP Benny Chan, you will be missed.

This was OK..too many gaps between action though unfortunately. Still a thoroughly enjoyable film. The reason for the Seagal comparison is the incredibly obvious use of stuntmen in place of Yen, even in some of the fights!! For me this should be Yens last film. He cannot wow any more, kung-fu killer, flashpoint, spl etc are way out of his reach now. That said if this is your first taste of Donnie then great, but make sure you check his earlier stuff out as its way better.

Senzo: Murder of a Soccer Star (2022)

Far too long winded

[5/10 · 8 April 2022]

Not a terrible documentary but had no need to be so long and infact would have been a better documentary if it was shortened to 2 hour long episodes.

I love documentaries that finish episodes on such a cliffhanger that you can't wait to see the next episode. This documentary unfortunately doesn't do that. It's filled with way too much conjecture and hearsay that all sense of drama is lost very early on. I do feel for the family as you are left feeling that some sort of cover up is present but ultimately that is the whole agenda of the series so it does make you want to read up on the case a bit more for a balanced view.

Jungleland (2019)

Simple story told fantastically well.

[8/10 · 26 December 2021]

This film is fantastic. Its low score is only based on the fact that it's no frills, low key story telling isn't for everyone. However, this film is well acted, well made and just well good. Hunnam and O'Connell ate both equally fantastic in their portrayal of out of luck brothers trying to get their heads above the water. It's 1.5 hours of my life I am glad I spent in their company. Watch it!!

Pacific Rim: Uprising (2018)

What's the issue??

[8/10 · 2 March 2020]

Ok it wasn't what people expected following the first one, but let's be honest the 1st one wasnt what people expected of it!! I watched this one after the hype, on netflix, so maybe my opinion is diluted but nether the less I shall offer it. This reminded me (as a 38 year old man having seen starship troopers when it first came out) of starship troopers minus the political overtones. Its visually great, story ok, acting up and down, but so connectible that you can't help but enjoy. Anyone who takes this that seriously to tear it apart needs to get a grip. It's not citezen Kane for Pete's sake!! I enjoyed it for what it was, which sounds like a slight put down but when you accept this sort of film for what it is you can stop over analysing something that was only meant to please and not be critically torn apart. It wasn't made for the supposed clever people to watch but for the clever "me & you" to go see. Be sensible and watch it, honestly you will have a good time if you do and suddenly be dissapointed to learn there won't be a sequel.

Wild Card (2015)

Possibly best Statham film

[8/10 · 7 February 2020]

Sometimes you get your favourite actor in a film that was cheaply made and was barely noticed on release. Mostly that's because that film was terrible as were they in it. This is the complete opposite. Hummingbird was supposed to be Statham on full acting mode, but that film was awful, this is him at his best acting. The set up is long don't get me wrong but stick with it because you are rewarded with some Corey Yuen choreographed greatness for the last hour. It's a B movie with an A Lister eventually followed by some A+ action choreography!!! Check it out, stay with it, you will not be dissapointed!!

The Departed (2006)

Hello, any reference to the original???

[7/10 · 12 August 2008]

I will start by saying that this is by no means a bad film but having watched the 2-disc DVD it left me a touch sour. The only reference to the original was the fact that media Asia films was mentioned and Scorsese said something bout the original Chinese films in the whitey Bulger documentary. The mere fact that they have tried to liken this film to the Whitey Bulger case is a joke!! This isn't a film based on another film it is a remake! All the key scenes in this are lifted from the original, the rooftop scenes, the hidden mole, the dying criminal that wont give up Tony Leung / Leo DI Caprio's character ( although better explained in the original). The joint relationship with the psychiatrist, given an absurd Hollywoodness to it compared to the more realistic Hong Kong version. That said the inclusion of Jack Nicholson's part being made significantly more important in this version was a bonus and the likes of Martin Sheen and Alec Baldwin given characters only increase the films impact. The Original though did not need to rely on peripheral characters or an ensemble cast as its two main protagonists were worthy enough. This REMAKE is enjoyable and i am glad Scorcese has finally his Oscar although he was far more deserving for his original work.

Welcome to Dongmakgol (2005)

A spellbinding gem.

[9/10 · 3 June 2008]

I am a lover of all foreign cinema especially the Asian side of things but for me this came under the radar. I had not heard of this until i rented it in my local video shop 2 years ago. World cinema is far popular now than when i first got into it and i'm not to sure thats such a good thing because there was a time where only the best titles made there way to this country, a time where renting a foreign film guaranteed quality but that changed with the sudden American studio interest. This film was apart of that era for me, a film that i picked up many times but couldn't bring myself to rent. Wow was i wrong

This film is politically based but mythically set, get past the war and into the ethos of dongmakgol and you have a far more enjoyable film. I am not writing off the atrocities of war by no means but the way the spirit of this village has in bringing these enemies together is what the film is all about.

From the performances to the music score and even the quality SFX this film amazed me, how this isn't more widely appreciated is a sin. I urge all the people who read this that haven't seen it to watch it, and if you don't enjoy it then i can at least say i tried.

Munich (2005)

Fact or Fiction? Who Cares!!!

[9/10 · 3 February 2006]

There is a lot of controversy surrounding the credibility of the book which this is based on, is it true or just a load of lies? Well i say who cares cos it makes for an outstanding film! The story is a simple story of retribution, Eleven Israeli athletes get killed by A Palestinian terrorist organisation called Black September, to avenge there countryman the Israeli government puts together a rag tag bunch of assassins to kill off the hierarchy of black September, questions are raised about the morality of the mission and in the long run is it going to make any difference? Where this film succeeds is in it ability to shred your nerves and make your belly do backflips! It is almost definitely an emotional roller-coaster with the ability to make you laugh, cry, jump out of your seat, bite your nails and with some extremely bloody violence make even the strongest feel squeamish. Acting wise, Bana's performance for me should have got him a nod from Mr Oscar, it is a performance that shows us just how versatile he is, from maniac man (Chopper),big green bloke (hulk), sandal wearing sword swinger (Troy) to this career best performance as an under experienced assassin. Spielberg is on fine form also, making sure that we get the full effect of every emotion and every death, and although political makes it easy enough for everyone to understand. To summarise this is a barnstorming movie that never feels as long as the running time and sucks you in and wont let you go till the credits roll. Watch it i urge you!

The Promise (2005)

Over ambitious, but still a solid piece of film making.

[7/10 · 22 January 2006]

I watched this film after reading countless bad reviews and seeing the low mark on this site (5.0 out of 10 at the time of writing) so my expectations were low, however the film was surprisingly good.

To start with it had two actors who i like a lot Dong-Kun Jang (tae Guk Ki) and Hiroyuki Sanada (Twighlight Samurai) and it was billed as an epic and i love those! An epic it certainly was, vast in scale at times maybe too vast overusing the computer effects.

The acting was adequate with neither of the two aforementioned actors reaching the same limits as previous films, however this is a fantasy film and they do make you believe in the characters they portray.

One thing that strikes me,now having seen the film, is all the people who didn't understand what was going on? I can assure you that this is easy to follow, although some parts of the story could do with some background to them. Be warned no matter how this is advertised, his is neither a Crouching Tiger or a House of Flying Daggers this is pure fantasy, what it is though is an enlightening Asian fantasy film that will enlighten us westerners on a genre we are none too familiar with. 7/10

The Protector (2005)

Well planned fight scenes poorly planned film!!

[5/10 · 5 December 2005]

I am a huge fan of Ong-bak so was eagerly awaiting this, how unfortunate then that i was let down in such a huge way! The fact that it took nearly 20 mins to get to the first fight scene was bad enough but then when Ja ends up in Australia we are greeted by some of the worst dialogue and poorest actors money can buy! Why did they feel the need to take the tried and tested formula of Ong Bak and add English dialogue in a foreign country i don't know, i mean the story is crud and i'm sure they could have written one based in Thailand!

Poor acting/dialogue aside there are some good moments 12 foot high kicks, joint breaking and a Muay Thai vs Capoeira scene that is awesome, then there is the scene with the skaters and the bikers that just reeks so bad that u find yourself laughing at it, WOOO Gen X man, lol.

All in all a thorough disappointment lets hope Ja gets to work with different people so we can see a better end product.

Training Day (2001)

A thriller that actually thrills!!

[8/10 · 5 December 2005]

I have seen this film on countless occasions and every time i enjoy it. The two main leads (Washington and Hawke) are excellent in there portrayal of there characters, Hawke a fresh faced rookie trying to work his way to detective and Washington as the narcissistic experienced narc.

The film unfolds over the space of one day and although questionable that so much could happen in a day you have only to watch th t.v series 24 to see what Hollywood considers plausible. The acting aside the story is well presented and lets us know a little bit at a time, in between showing us the discussions between Washington and Hawke as they drive around L.A, these vignettes are extremely involving as Washingtons character changes from Mr nice guy to bad guy so quickly that u never no how he is going to act.

It is questionable whether Washington deserved an Oscar for this as it is not his best film, but i say it is about time he got one for he has had to wait so long, and if it means that this film has been bought to more peoples attention because of it then i salute the panel for giving it to him, man on fire should have swept the whole lot, lol!!

Revolver (2005)

A movie that deserves multiple viewings

[8/10 · 4 November 2005]

I will start by saying that this has undeservedly be panned by just about everyone! The fact is it wasn't what anyone was expecting, especially from Guy Ritchie. What everyone was expecting was cockney geezers and good one liners "do ya like dags?" etc, but this is far more mature than his previous works. I would agree that it is confusing but all the facts are there for us we just have to see them and listen harder, this film demands all your attention! Look past the cool and dazzling look of the film, try to listen to the dialogue rather than admire the performances and i think we will all get a more thorough understanding of the whole film.

Yes this has its influences from modern classics( fight club, pulp fiction etc ) but it is in the whole original in both direction and pacing with a music score second to none. I feel that if everyone watched this film over and over they would understand it a lot more and maybe appreciate it for the fine piece of modern cinema that it is and i hope also that Ritchie continues in this vain as i far prefer this to his mockney "masterpieces".

Higher Learning (1995)

A flawed but worthy effort

[7/10 · 1 October 2005]

While this film is flawed, which it is, i clearly believe the problem is that when someone makes a seminal film like Boyz in the Hood, that from then on he has a lot to live up to. Obviously Higher Learning doesn't stand up against Boyz in the Hood but as a standalone film it is worthy enough. I personally enjoyed it, although it had too many characters in it who weren't developed enough, it certainly had its poignant moments and Omar Epps and Cole Hauser did extremely well in there roles.

The film did seem one sided in the racial issues it raised, although having seen all of Singletons films it's not surprising. This is again a reason that this film is under appreciated as if it were widely acknowledged as a good film then it may be concluded that the critics/publications agree with these views, which might upset certain people.

Overall though i believe it is under-rated and should not be 6.3/10. Epps, Hauser and Rappaport deserve better roles than they have been given since this, and i hope that with Four Brothers Singleton will finally deliver better films than he has made since this also. Overall then i give this 7/10.

Crash (I) (2004)

Rather too blatant

[7/10 · 5 August 2005]

Yes this is a good film but at the same time paints a rather basic picture, it contains just about every race that would live in Los Angeles, black, white, Chinese, Hispanic and Arabic(portrayed as Persian in this film) and states basically that they all hate each other. The redemption of the film is that it is saved by a few great scenes involving Matt Dillon an Thandie Newton and the Persian guy and the Hispanic Guy(if you've seen the film you'll know who i mean), these scenes alone drag this film up above ordinary and make it worth seeing.

The one thing that does slightly annoy me with this is that it so obviously owes a lot to magnolia whi9ch is a much better ensemble piece than this is and yet receives a lot less recognition, if you enjoy this then you'll be blown away by the sheer power of magnolia, which by the way Tom Cruise deserved some kind of award for!

To summarise, while this is undoubtedly a good film, it is inferior

to other ensemble pieces (Magnolia,Boogie Nights and Pulp Fiction to name a few) this is still a worthy watch, but having seen Magnolia can only leave a sour taste in your mouth for the under appreciation that film received compared to this.7/10

Alexander (2004)

I Really wanted to like it!

[5/10 · 1 August 2005]

Let me start by saying i have only seen the directors cut and no the original theatrical release. By the time i got to see the film the dust had settled from all the critics ripping the film to pieces, there attention was turned to the disappointing War of the Worlds, which is another story!

I so badly wanted to like this film as i am a fan of Stone and felt that an epic on the scale of the Alexander story could only be a good thing, unfortunately no matter how hard i tried i could not find the film at all interesting as it was extremely muddled, cutting from the present to the past and skipping bits of the story only to be filled in later! Along with this flaw is the fact that all the internal scenes look so staged that it takes all plausibility that these men were in ancient times away.

The acting in this film was dreadful (Farrell was not as bad as Clive Owen in King Arthur though) Jolie was well over the top and her accent was so out of place, where is she supposed to be from? All the characters were supposed to be Greek or Macedonian yet they were Irish! It had some great acting talent like Anthony Hopkins, Val Kilmer and Jared Leto in it but not even they could do anything to save this utter disappointment. The battle scenes did nothing for me as i felt no real involvement in any of the characters as they were so underdeveloped. The film as a whole feels like it had too much to say and not enough time to say it, i think 6 hours of film would not be able to fit it all in. Overall then i was extremely disappointed with a film, that i thought, could not fail. 5/10

Fantastic Four (I) (2005)

Its a popcorn flick!

[7/10 · 25 July 2005]

I wanna start by saying how it annoys me how people think they can be hyper critical of what is and always was gonna be a popcorn flick! Why do you feel that you have to complain about the directing, cinematography, lighting, hairdresser etc etc...A popcorn film is supposed to be fun not serious so take it more lightly.

Anyway on to the film, i remember the cartoon series of this which, while extremely dated, was a good giggle and extremely tongue in cheek, i feel the film portrays this very well. My one complaint was Dr Doom and how the character was poorly developed, unlike the Fantastic Four, we barely seen the powers of Doom. The FX were really good and the scene on the bridge was awesome, even compared to the superior Spiderman and Batman, in which this amount of effects would not have been out of place. The critics panned the effects used for the thing but personally i am happy that it is a man in a suit as apposed to a CGI created blob.

The film does take on the usual "first in a franchise" feel of character development over plot but i for one would happily watch a sequel if it plays out with as much fun as this. i wanted o give this film 7.5/10 but could only officially rate it 7/10 as opposed to round up to 8/10 as this is a popcorn flick not a ageless classic!

War of the Worlds (2005)

A film of two halves!

[6/10 · 25 July 2005]

I will star by saying that i have not seen the original, heard the CD or read the book so i may be out of my depth commenting on this, on the other hand i can take an unbiased view. The previous Spielberg/Cruise picture Minority Report, while unsuccessful in the box office was a solid film with a good story and great effects. This one however was aimed at a much bigger audience, being based on such a famous novel. Basing films on famous books is a brave move and often it backfires as u have to pay more attention to detail to keep the fan boys happy, however i didn't know the story so went into this with an open mind trying not to be influenced by the critics.

The first hour of this film went really well, it sucked you in to the plight of Cruise and his Kids on there mission to get away from the awe inspiring Tripods, the effects were brilliant the acting solid and the pace of the film relentless, although there were a few mistakes involving EMP(you'll know what i mean if you watch it), i found myself getting involved with the film, Spielberg is a master at this. However the second half is not so good, packed with schmaltz galore and the pointlessness of Tim Robbins character, combined with a completely flat ending made the first half a waste of time building up to a massive disappointment.

Maybe instead of a remake, a film based around aliens invading the earth, with which war of the worlds was an obvious template and paying respects to the original would have sufficed.

The Nest (2002)

Wake up Hollywood!!!

[8/10 · 22 July 2005]

This is the way they should be made, a top notch action thriller that looks as good as it is acted, Siri (the director) is destined for big things mark my words!

The story is about a Albanian mafia boss who is being tried in Strasbourg and a joint police operation between Germany, Italy and France are trying his crimes, but unfortunately some things go wrong and they end up in a warehouse in the middle of nowhere where they find a group of thieves who were after a consignment of laptops. The unfortunate thing for all parties is the Albanian mafioso that want there boss back! The chaos that ensues is superbly directed and wonderfully shot utilising some great set pieces and some wonderful cinematography.

This film should be watched by every Hollywood director so as they can get a proper idea on how to make an entertaining film, the one thing i will say is this is not original as it is very much similar to assault on precinct 13, but nether the less deserves your attention and is very much one to watch.8/10

Tae Guk Gi: The Brotherhood of War (2004)

Woo Wishes

[9/10 · 19 July 2005]

I wanna just state a fact this is the best war film ever made, thats it no arguments! Yaes saving private Ryan is good and apocalypse now is even better but this really does kick butt. The story is well told about the war between North and South Korea and how two brothers get caught up in it. The battle scenes are nothing short of breathtaking with the cinematography making you feel that you are actually there.

The problem with this film is that not enough people will see it and there for it will never be fully appreciated for the outstanding achievement that it is, as with so many other Asian and foreign films in general it is such a shame that they are not bought to a wider audience.

This film would have been ideal for John Woo to have made instead of Windtalkers, it has all the ingredients of the Woo of old, a magnificent example of Heroic Bloodshed in a different perspective, you could almost imagine Chow Yun Fat playing Jin Tae and Tony Leung playing Jin Seok, and yes before anyone says anything i know they're not Korean !! Suffice to say this is a remarkable film which everyone should see but unfortunately most wont. 9/10

Ray (I) (2004)

Ordinary film saved by the acting

[7/10 · 12 June 2005]

This film was released to such acclaim that it was hard to ignore the pull to watch it, even though i knew nothing of Ray Charles. Everyone was going on about Jaimie Foxx and how good he was and after seeing the film i have to agree. The man was on top form that year with Collateral and this it was hard not to applaud him for his efforts, but i take the back a few years to Boogey Nights, the film that everyone thought would propel Mark Whalberg to stardom many bad choices later and we have all but forgotten his magnificent performance, so lets hope that Jaimie Foxx chooses more wisely than Mark!!!

The magnificent performance of Foxx aside this was an average film witch felt like one big cliché! The flashbacks in this film are so poorly acted and staged that it was difficult to understand the hardship that Ray went through, these flashbacks also looked too fresh there was no sense of time in the way that they were filmed everything was so bright it should have done with a more grainy edge to it. The film does get better the longer you watch it but you are left feeling let down by the almost T.V sitcom direction that the film takes in its first half that the only thing that keeps you watching the second half is Foxx. I would recommend this film as a rental only just to appreciate Foxx's performance and would only recommend buying this if you were a real fan of Ray Charles 7/10.

House of Flying Daggers (2004)

A really worthy stab at the tigers crown!!

[9/10 · 18 April 2005]

I knew this movie was gonna be good as i had seen Hero, which was a wonderfully made and beautifully shot film. The one downfall of Hero was the story which, while full of twists, was underdeveloped it felt as though the film was supposed to be longer and in more depth, this i felt was tackled in House Of Flying Daggers, everything was right with this one the story was more involving and told us what we needed to know, the action scenes turned it up another notch and the acting was top class! Andy Lau is a real talent but i hope he doesn't do a Chow Yun Fat and crossover to America, i mean look what it done to him! Zhang Zhiyi while as watchable as ever is in danger of being typecast and needs to do something else, while Takeshi Kaneshiro is the real standout in this film playing his character with such range of emotion was astounding, words don't do it enough justice. The one difference between this and Crouching Tiger is that for me Tiger was slightly more involving and almost poetic, but make no mistake this is a really worthy stab at the tigers crown!

Sin City (2005)

Move over Tarantino!!!

[9/10 · 11 April 2005]

WOW WOW WOW!!! This is by far and away the greatest comic adaptation ever made. if anything this year matches this then it would have to be some film, i mean even Josh Hartnett came across as being cool!! The way Rodriguez has filmed this and added his own flavour to film noir is breathtaking in its originality, to take the age old black and white film put it on green screen and add spats of colour made this a visual feast. The story's were all awesome in there portrayal but the standout was Mickey Rourkes Marv, a likable hard man who is framed for the murder of a girl he has only known for a few hours but feels such a strong connection to her that he swears vengeance, and sets out on a mission to kill who ever is behind her murder. the cast in this film is perfect, Clive Owens Dwight, Bruce Willis' Hartigan, Jessica Alba's Nancy and Rosario Dawsons Gail are all brilliant but the magnificent Marv is still the standout character that everyone will remember, a spin off would be much appreciated Mr Rodriguez.

To the people who slate this film i say this, don't come to see films with 18 certificates and then complain about sex and violence, i mean there not called GRAPHIC novels for nothing!!!

Brotherhood of the Wolf (2001)

A cracking fantasy action flick!!

[9/10 · 10 February 2005]

Don't let the fact that this is a french film put you off for this is a cracking fantasy action flick! The director is tried and tested in the action genre having done Crying Freeman(the first live action manga film). It is with this assured hand that he makes the action scenes in this film, although there is no wire-work, look as cool as anything before them! The acting is adequate for this type of film with the stand out being Mark Dacascos as the Indian warrior Mani, in fact many people thought this would be a breakout role for him but it hasn't really happened unfortunately.

This is based on a true story about a beast who is killing off women and children in a small town, the king of France sends Gregoire Le fronsac an explorer of types who fought in the seven years war where he met Mani an Indian who also joins him on his mission. What ensues is a gripping story with elements of religion,love,werewolves,fantasy and action all wrapped up in some jaw dropping cinematography! Even my girlfriend enjoyed this, i can't compare it to anything i have ever seen before i can only recommend to give it a go and see what you think.9/10

Rounders (1998)

Top banana, norton is fantatsic and damon aint bad either.

[9/10 · 4 October 2003]

This film proves that hollywood does still have half a brain left, a great script, good characters and steady direction make this fill vastly enjoyable. Norton's character will have you engrossed from the moment we first meet him, malkovic's accent is slightly bizzare but it only serves us with more enjoyment. A feel good movie which really makes you feel good and doesn't patronize you. A basic guide to the plot is damon is a card player who loses a big game to russian mafia man malkovic, damon then decides never to play cards again, until norton's character enters the scene and turns him back on to playing, queue the final showdown damon against malkovic. A definate must for all real movie fans, FANTASTIC,FANTASTIC 9/10