Change Your Image
inthebuff
Reviews
Aerosmith: Live Texxas Jam '78 (1989)
Catches the era brilliantly
When this was filmed I doubt they realised just how well it captured that era in time, not only because of the band looking so young (obviously) but with the shots of the audience and the crew setting up and people just hanging around prior to the show, it really does catch the moment in time well. It was reportedly one of the hottest summers at that time and it shows that with shots out into the audience with the sun blazing down and the fried egg clip! Aside from all that the band were at the top of their game and put out an excellent performance which in my opinion is filmed well for the time, also during the show Ted Nugent makes an appearance during the song Milk Cow Blues as an added bonus. All in all this is a great film of a band in their prime and gives a great impression of that summers day in Texas in 1978.
Hong Kong Phooey (1974)
Great innocent FUN
As a child growing up watching the likes of HKP and other Hanna Barbera classics (yes they were) I cannot remember ever getting bored of them. They were simply animated perhaps but as a kid did I ever stop and think, "hhhmm I think the animation is a bit cheap looking" - NO I DIDN'T and the reason - because I was a child and it was good fun, with funny scripts and characters. OK so they're not as funny perhaps when you watch them again as a 30 something year old (or whatever) but don't forget they were made for kids after all. I look forward to showing the likes of Hong Kong Phooey to my son when he grows up a bit along with a few other classics thrown in for good measure.
Transporter 2 (2005)
Action for action sake - No storyline to mention let alone follow.
No, no, no, no, no! The Transporter was far fetched but it had just enough intrigue, fun and action to make it enjoyable. This time around with Transporter 2 we have all of those elements again but exaggerated way too much! I've just seen this and I'm finding it hard to remember the plot. The storyline takes a BIG backseat this time around, I know it's supposed to be a fun action packed film but PLEASE! The french detective who's name escapes me now had a good part in the first film, with the "I know you're up to something but one day I may catch you out" feel to him. This time around, well he may as have been a different character all together. Sleeping on a bench in the Miami Police Station after showing them all how to cook and then sloping off to somebody's desk to use their PC? The Jamaican Taxi driver, where did he come from? A chance meeting in an alley and then he's helping the hero out - for what reason? The fight sequences are good but too many, I could go on but, I was just SO disappointed with this film. I'm amazed that this get's so many good reviews and at the time of writing this it has a higher score than The Transporter (first one). If you want to see Martial Arts films without a storyline (there's plenty of them) watch some outtakes from a Jackie Chan film or something. If you want to see a film with an albeit far fetched in a James Bond sort of way storyline don't watch this.
Open Water (2003)
Intense.
As intense as it gets. Real sharks, bad luck and the slow realisation that things aren't going to get any better. Open Water offers this in a very realistic way, based on a true story of two divers lost at sea. The posters for this film in the cinema hype it as Blair Witch meets Jaws. The sharks and the style in which it was made I assume is where the comparison comes from but it stops there, as this film is much more emotional and realistic than either Blair Witch or Jaws. The home video look, I think added to the film, at times I was beginning to feel sea-sick myself watching the divers bobbing up and down. This did not spoil the film though and I'm sure that the intention was to make you feel like you are almost there yourself. I think this worked well. Being a qualified diver myself maybe added some extra recognition and having had a shark encounter of my own this summer, this film has certainly put the icing on the "I'm never going to dive in the sea again" cake! Fresh water dives for me only from now on! Overall a good gripping film without the need for over the top special effects.