Munich and The Original Spaghetti Western

It's been a while since my last post as I have been busy and just hadn't really seen anything that I thought was good enough to review until 2 days ago when I watched Munich and then yesterday I watched A Fistful of Dollars so i felt compelled to prove to myself that I will be able to keep up this blog while starting school again. So here we go...

Munich
An excellent film staring Eric Bana and directed by Steven Spielberg about the 1972 Munich Massacre of 11 Israeli athletes and what the Israeli government did in secret as a response to this. A group of Jews lead by Avner (Eric Bana) a former Mossad agent, are sent to Europe to kill the 11 people responsible. The first part of the film depicts the massacre of the athletes by the Palestinian terrorist group Black September and the Israeli reaction to this. The rest of the film is Avner's search for the targets. As more of their targets are taken care of the group begin to feel the heat of the CIA, PLO and KGB on their backs and ask themselves What does it mean to be a Jew? When will the killing stop? & What about these peoples replacements?
One of the best films of 2005 and nominated for 5 Oscars this is defiantly a film to see weather you are Jewish, Arab or neither. As this film does not primarily takes sides against either faith and shows the lower points of both. Although this is a lengthly 163 minutes, the time goes by easily as this film gets deeper and deeper.
My Rating: ****

A Fistful of Dollars
The introduction to the world of the "Man with no name" (Clint Eastwood) as he rides through the Mexican border town of and the San Miguel. When he arrives he hears about the two gangs that fight across this land, the Rojo's and theBaxters, so decides to play them against each other and collect a fistful of dollars in the process. The original Spaghetti Western and one of the most famous roles Clint Eastwood has every played. The start of the Dollars trilogy although it may not be the most famous it is defiantly worth some recognition as it is a great film on it own, and is only made better by being part of such an amazing trilogy. Although all the credit can't go to Sergio Leone and Clint Eastwood as the film is a westernised version of Yjimbo, a Japanese film about a Ronin instead of a wondering rider. But this does nothing to the films quality as this is a similar case to the Magnificent Seven.
My Rating: ****

Knocked Up

From the parents of the 40 Year Old Virgin (and I know that phrase is used a lot but fuck it, i like it) comes the story of Ben and Alison in Knocked Up. Alison has just received a promotion and to celebrate goes out with her sister to a club where she meets Ben, jump to 8 weeks later and Alison realises she is pregnant and it's Ben's baby. Although the pair have very little in common they decide to go though the pregnancy together. With the help of Ben's friends, Alison's sister and her Husband. And as the baby matures so do Ben and Alison.


Another hilarious film from Judd Apatow and Seth Rogan, with so many laugh out loud moments it's hard to tell what comedy of 2007 can rival it, as this is the best one I've seen all year. Rogan and the rest of the cast take their improvising flares and uses them from start to finish, which makes the film nothing but better and more realistic. This is one of the films of the year that has diefinatly lived up to the hype and I'm hoping that Superbad will be as good. Filled with classic "Apatow" jokes and "Rogan" moments this is one to see this year. From the Munich talk to the no shaving bet this film is funny inside and out.
My Rating: **** & 1/2

Matt Damon is Jason Bourne

And what a good job he has done being Bourne. It all started with The Bourne Identity where Jason Bourne was introduced and now, 5 years later it has all come to an end. Picking up from the last film (The Bourne Supremacy) The Bourne Ultimatum starts as Jason is escaping from the Russian police after a car crash involving a Russian agent. Jump to six weeks later and in London there is a reporter doing a set of stories on Bourne and his source tells him about an project code-named Blackbriar and that this project began with Jason Bourne. As the CIA and Bourne find out about this it is a race to see who will get their hands on the reporter first. Bourne learns more about Balckbriar and is reunited with an old friend as he continues his journey to find out who he really is.

This is the best film in the trilogy with the second following close behind. With wall to wall action and classic Bourne "I'm watching you" scenes and Matt Damon proves that the lines Paul Rudd spoke in The 40 Year Old Virgin are so true, "Y'know, I always thought that Matt Damon was like a Streisand, but he's rocking the shit in this one!". If you haven't seen any of the trilogy well then go out and get the first two watch them and then go the cinema and watch the final film and you'll understand my ranting.
My rating: ****

Killer Movies

Dog Soldiers
Set in the Scottish highlands following a group of British soldiers on a routine military exercise. But when they find a special ops commander dying and only a few "internal" remains of his unit, things start to go wrong and they are chased out of the treeline and onto the road. Here they run into zoologist Megan and she drives them to the local house. With no phone or town for miles around all they can do is sit and wait for their attackers to return and try to survive. Personally I love this film and think it is one of the best werewolf/horror film to date. From writer/director Neil Marshal (The Descent), Dog Soldiers is filled with action, suspense and black comedy. With lines like, "Little pigs, little pigs, we've come to nick ya video" and
Joe: This is bone. This is so fucking bone.
Cooper: Anything else?
Megan: Yeah. What does 'bone' mean?
Spoon: Bone; Bollocks, naff.
Joe: Not. Very. Good.
My rating: ****

Mr. Brooks
Earl Brooks (Kevin Costner) is a successful business man with a loving wife and daughter but on the inside he has a murderous alter ego, Marshall (William Hurt). Brooks is determined to give up killing but his alter ego has other plans. When Brooks is on his final kill, after a 2 year gap, he makes a mistake and is seen by a neighbour (Mr. Smith), but when this neighbour comes to his office and asks Brooks to teach him how to kill, Brooks can not refuse and takes him under his wing. Tracy Atwood (Demi Moore) is the Detective on the case of the thumbprint killer (Mr. Brooks) and is also going through a difficult divorce and a criminal know as "The Hangman" escapes as things just seem to get worse for her.
This is a great film with numerous twists and a great script. The humane serial killer is here and his name is Mr. Brooks.
My rating: *** & 1/2

Evil Dead II
Although I had heard great things about this film I had not actually seen it but yesterday that all changed as I was introduced to the Book of the Dead and Ash (Bruce Campbell), the hero of the films. Ash takes his girlfriend to a cabin in the forest and when he finds a tape player with a professor reading from the Book of the Dead on it, an evil force is called up and attacks the couple. After Ash and his girlfriend are attacked he is the only one left alive. When the professor's daughter turns up with an associate, mechanic and his girlfriend at the cabin the evil strikes again. And it is left up to Ash, (with a chainsaw arm and shotgun) and the professor's daughter to destroy the it.
A great classic horror film with action, comedy and frights, left right and center. Although this film hasn't got the best special effects it know that and Sam Rami use it to a somewhat advantage, like a classic B-movie.
My rating: ****

T.V. Movies

Recently there has been quite a few movies on TV some have been good and others not so much. From the stalkings of The Hitcher to the thrill of From Dusk Till Dawn.

The Good
Last week channel 5 had a Stephan King night showing Secret Window and Misery. Both are good films but Misery is superior and a must see for horror & thriller fans.
Secret Window is about a writer who is confronted by a strange man and accused of plagiarism. As the writer, Mort Rainey (Johnny Depp), starts to learn more about this stranger he realises that he is not going to be able to just ride it out. His wife begins to get involved and the stranger tell Mort that he has ruined his story. A gripping thriller that keeps you wondering until the end.
My rating: ***
Misery, the film that won Kathy Bates a best actress Oscar and showed me that I never want to have a "number one fan". Writer Paul Sheldon (James Caan) has been in a car accident and Annie Wilkes (Kathy Bates) has taken him under her care, but as she read his new unpublished book and is unhappy with it we begin to see how much of a fan she really is.
My rating: ****
The Mask of Zorro, although a bit too long this is a pretty good film, with a great soundtrack to boot. Staring Antonio Banderas as the young pupil learning how to be the new and improved Zorro to avenge his brother and Anthony Hopkins teaching him as the experienced, older Zorro, who is set on getting his daughter back from Stuart Wilson. A good film and easy to watch.
My rating: ***
From Dusk Till Dawn, is the first collaboration between future directing pals (Grindhouse) Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino and it is amazing. As the Gecko brothers are on the run from the cops and they need a way to cross the border into Mexico. They then meet the Fuller family and their motor home. Using it as a way to sneak across they get to their meeting place, a bar called the Titty Twister. They are going to be met at dawn outside the bar so they decide to have a drink while they wait. But little do they know, as it gets later the bar gets more and more dangerous.
My rating: ****

The classic suspense horror film The Hitcher, about well a hitchhiker who is crazy and kills people. As Jim Halsey, the young boy (C. Thomas Howell) trying to stay up while late night driving picks up a hitcher (Rutger Hauer). But things take a drastic turn as the Hitcher begins to tell Jim how he's going to cut up his face and kill him. Jim manages to kick him out of the car and drive on. Little does he know that the hitcher was just staring out, as he begins to follow Jim and frame his for murder. With great scenes like the "stretching of Nash" and the introduction of the Hitcher this is classic film and full of suspense, one that everyone should see.
My rating: ****

The Bad
Biker boys is just a really bad version of the Fast and the Furious which isn't that great to start with. The slight difference between them begin that the latter has car and well you can figure it out. A terrible film that should never be watched or shown ever again. That's all I can say.
My rating: *
Lara Croft: Tomb Raider and the Cradle of Life, is the second in the Tomb Raider series and just like Biker Boys is terrible. The first was ok, nothing special but this one just makes me wonder. I was a fan of the games so looked forward to these films but was highly disappointed, I really should have know better there are hardly ever any films that come from games that are any good. With the exceptions of Resident Evil and Street Fighter, although I think I only like that because I know it's oh so bad, he he.
My rating: *

Friday Night Frights at the Somerset House...

Starting last Thursday, with the UK premier of Knocked Up, Somerset House and Film4 have been showing films on a massive screen to hundreds of people.
Last night was the double bill of The Descent and John Carpenters' The Thing and I was lucky enough to be there. As a fan of horror films this was a great night for me.
Rating for night out: *****

The Descent
A British horror about a group of climbers, Holly, Sam, Rebecca, Juno, Sarah & Beth, who go to America to do some exploring in a cave near by. Although when they find out that they, all apart from Juno who arranged the trip, are not in the cave they expected to be in, things start to go horribly wrong. Part of the cave collapses, Sarah believes she see something else in the cave and Holly breaks her leg. As the girls try to survive things just seem to get worse as the Creatures being to appear.
From the writer and director of Dog Soldiers come this great British horror, about survival, friendship and freaky monsters living in caves.One of the best British horrors in a long time.
My rating: ****

John Carpenter's The Thing
A classic horror movie and classic John Carpenter film. In the Antarctic an American research station is infiltrated by and alien that can imitate any living organism. As the crew begins to lose trust in one and other the Thing begins to take over some of the crew and it is up to R. J. MacReady (Kurt Russel) to take control. As the crew come to realise that if it reaches the outside world, the whole world will be infected within years they can no longer wait for spring but they must destroy it and keep it away from the outside world. Another great film from both John Carpenter and Kurt Russell. Whatever your favourite horror or John Carpenter film is everyone knows that this film rocks.
My rating: ****

More Than Meets the Eye...

That's the Transformers themselves and the film itself. Although not a massive fan of the toys or the cartoon, not to say I didn't watch it from time to time it's just I don't think I was still watching it after about the age of 6 or 7. Never the less I was still excited about see the new film, that came out last Friday.
The film is set in the present day as the Decepticons ( Megatron, Starscream, Brawl, Bonecrusher, Barricade, Scorponok, Frenzy and Blackout "the bad guys") and the Autobots (Optimus Prime, Bumble Bee, Jazz, Ratchet, Ironhide "the good robots") are about to go to war, on our planet no less. Both are looking for the Allspark, a creation that could say the fate of the human race. Sam Witwicky (Shia LaBeouf) is a teenager about to get his first car but what he doesn't realise but the later perfectly phrases is that "I got a car, turned out to be an alien robot. Who knew?". With the help of Mikaela Banes (Megan Fox) "The Girl" he gets to know more about the arrival of the Autobots, that are aided by Bumblebee (the Autobot that is Sam's car). Both armies know how to get the Allspark but it is a race against time for both. And with the help of Sam and Mikaela the Autobots have the upper hand. As well as this in the Middle East the Decepticons attack a U.S. base and the survivors of this attack have to get as much info about the new attackers to protect the rest of the world.

Even though Director Micheal Bay has received some uncomplimentary comments about this film as he has changed a few elements, I really enjoyed this film. Maybe because I didn't have the childhood connection to the Transformers but some of the complaints were ridiculous, like "oh my god he added flames to the side of Optimus Prime!!! He ruined my childhood!!!". It's not that much of a change that the character is going to be completely different. I mean it's even the same voice as the original movie in 1986.

This film is action packed and you don't have to be a Transformers fan to understand and really love it. It's the best film of the summer and it could even be the best film of the year.
My rating: ****

Photos, from top to bottom: The cast and their director (Shia LeBeouf, Michael Bay, Megan Fox, Tyrese Gibson, Josh Duhamel) at the London Premier, Mikaela (Fox) working under Bumblebee's hood and one of the many promo posters.

Order of the Phoenix

Recently two new parts of the Harry Potter series have been released the final book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, and the fifth film, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.
The fifth film took a darker turn as it starts with Harry still grieving over the death of, fellow Tri-Wizard competitor, Cedric at the end of the last film. As the longest book in the series I wondered how they would be able to fit it into a decent length that did not bore the audience. And, well, they managed to do it.
Although I did get bored reading the book 100 pages from the end and left it a year before I finished reading it, I did enjoy the film. Although it was darker it still had it's comic moments. As the cast got bigger, due to Dumbledore's Army, I felt that each of the cast members got the right amount of screen time. And with Harry, Ron and Hermione leading the film from it's dark opening to it's relieving yet still dark ending. As fans of the book and films have grown up with these characters it is good that they grown and become more evolved characters. This is a great film for all even if you don't read the books.
My rating: ***

Heroes, Hyde and the Sunset Strip...

Heroes
The critically acclaimed show started on Wednesday on BBC2 although this is not the UK premier it is the terrestrial premier, as it was shown on the Sci-fi channel earlier in the year. Heroes is about "ordinary people who have extraordinary abilities", for lack of a more explanatory phrase. The first two episodes introduce us to all the characters and leaves us with an explosion 5 weeks in the future. This is a great series and should be watched by all. It's influences are obvious (X-men, etc) but the characters live normal lives and are not (yet) Superheroes. I have seen the whole season and it is definitely worth watching, I know I'm going to be watching it again. And everyone who has seen it will already know the phrase "save the cheerleader save the world" and those who haven't will soon.
Heroes continues on Wednesday at 9 on BBC2.

Jekyll/Hyde
This Saturday saw the end of, what has been a pretty good and intriguing series, Jekyll. Last week we were left with Dr. Jackman and Hyde choosing to work together to find their family. This week we found out so much more about the tale of Jekyll and Hyde. Jackman's wife, as we learnt before was the cause of the reawakening of Hyde, turns out to be a clone made to find Hyde, as well as this Jackman learns that he is a descendant of Hyde and not Jekyll and that he received his "gift" from his mother who is also Mrs. Utterson. Oh yes, Hyde learnt how to shield Jackman from the pain he receives so that when Hyde is killed only Jackman survives. But the end of the show also left us with questions. Is Hyde really dead? Do Jackman's children have his "gift" also? Will there be a second season? We will just have to wait and see.

Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip
The already cancelled show (in America) premiered in the UK on Thursday on More4, and well wow. What can I say. From the writer of the West Wing this new series is set behind the scenes of a comedy sketch show. In the first episode we are introduced to the main characters. Jordan, the President of the television company, Matt & Danny, two writers who were fired from Studio 60 4 years ago and "the Big Three" who are the three people on the Studio 60 set with the most influence. The show starts with an argument about a sketch and if it can be put on or not. The sketch is denied by the network and the Executive Producer has an on-air meltdown. So Jordan hires Matt and Danny to save the show. Despite their history the boys accept. This is a must see and should not be missed by anyone.
Studio 60 continues at on Thursday at 10 on More4.

Simpsonize Me

A bit off topic but I suppose it is to do with an upcoming movie, so what the hell. Simpsonize Me is a new creation brought together by Fox and Burger King, where you upload your photo to the Simpsonize Me website and it takes that photo and makes you into a Springfield resident. Although this is a long and agonising process, as you have to find the perfect photo and upload it at the right time because the server gets very busy at peek times, the finished piece is pretty good. Above is me as a Simpson.
If this does get on your nerves then you can make your own character with the Simpson's avatar on the official site.

End of an Era

A era in television as well as Roman history. The BBC and HBO collaboration, Rome has done very well for it's self, with an Emmy, a Golden Globe nomination and many other awards under it's toga it has been a success although earlier tonight this ended for good as after season 2 there will be no more.
The final episode showed the deaths of Mark Antony and Cleopatora as well as a jubilant coronation for Octavian Caesar. Rome has kept very close to actual Roman history with the lives of it's characters. Although there have been a few changes, one is that the child of Cleopatora and Caesar, Caesarion is actually that of Cleopatora and Titus Pullo, a solider and main character in the series. Lucius Vorenus is the other solider that the series follows and is the man who saves Caesarion from Octavian.
This series has been great quality television and will surely be missed. Lets just hope that the BBC and HBO decided to do another series like this, maybe with Greece. Figures crossed. Oh and if you haven't seen any of this program then, well I don't know what to say. Just try and find a way to watch it and you will understand what you have missed.

My rating: ***** & 1/2

Big Trouble All Over The Place...

Over the weekend I watched three films, not anything new just a couple of DVDs and a film on TV. I watched King Kong, Big Trouble In Little China and Heartbreakers.

King Kong
The all out blockbuster movie from Lord of the Rings Director Peter Jackson. Although I have not see the original and have no basis for comparison, I can still say that this is a really good film. It does have some down points, as it could have been shorter as they spend so much time on the boat and it takes about an hour before Kong is even thought about. Apart from that, like I said a really good film. And Andy Serkis gets to reprise his role as the computer animated guys, but this time is not a crazy ring obsessed freak but a gentle loving oversized Gorilla.
My Rating: *** & 1/2

Big Trouble in Little China
Another John Carpenter and Kurt Russel combination. This time Kurt Russel is Jack Burton, a truck driver who runs into dark Chinese magic (literally). With the help of an old friend and a tour bus driver he goes on a rescue mission to save his old friend's fiancee and Gracie Law (Kim Cattrall). And in the words of Jack Burton "It's all in the reflexes."
This is a great movie as Carpenter and Russel come together again, action packed and funny, this is perfect for anyone who can't decide to watch on a Saturday night.
My rating: ****


Heartbreakers
The film about a pair of con artists who are mother (Sigourney Weaver) and daughter (Jennifer Love Hewitt). As the daughter wants to go off on her own, the mother gets ready to give her her cut but not without the IRA having something to say about it. Now with no money the pair decide to pull off one last con and then split. This is not a great film but can be easily watched with a few really funny bits and some ok acting it is an easy film if not a bit predictable.
My Rating: **

Yippee kay-yay!

Die Hard 4.0 is the newest film in the Die Hard saga, it's been 19 years since the original film hit was released and with two other sequels this one just seemed like a way to continue the franchise and give Bruce Willis something to do. But these suspicions were quickly forgotten as I sat down to watch it today.
Die Hard 4.0 has keep the elements that made the original great, although there have been a few replacements as there always are in sequels. His new sidekick and personal hacker is Matt Farrell (Justin Long), the terrorist is now a computer hacker attacking America through the computer systems and his wife is replaced with his daughter, Lucy McClane (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), and as the movie goes on you begin to see the tone and attitude of her father.
The terrorist (Timothy Olyphant) is now using the advanced technology of the USA against itself and creates panic amounts the country. And it is John Mclanes job to protect hacker Matt Farrell who aids McClane throughout the film. Die Hard 4.0 had a lot to live up to as it had come from a classic action trilogy and with this year begining the year of not so good sequels Die Hard 4.0 was looking like just another crappy action flick.
Bruce Willis does what he does best and becomes John McClane one more time and he does it so well. As well as Willis, Long and Winstead provide the right amount of normality to create a great action film. Olyphant as a web based terrorist is a perfect idea for Die hard as it enters the 21st Century. With these great actors comes a great director but on a different side of the camera as a super hacker by the name of Warlock is played by Kevin Smith (Clerks, Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back). Although Smith is better behind the camera his appearance does not ruin the film.

So Die Hard 4.0 is one to watch and all fans of Die Hard or action films will not want to miss this.
My Rating: ****
Above photo is of the cast of Die Hard 4.0. (from left to right, Timothy Olyphant, Bruce Willis, Mary Elizabeth Winstead and Justin Long.)

Irrelevant But Necessary

Although this post has got nothing to do with movie reviews I just felt I had to share it with the world. I have found the best Jessica Alba pics know to man and so now I stop talking nd let you enjoy.
Here's the link: Jessica Alba Super Sexy In GQ UK.
Well she is an actress I suspose that could count.
My rating - *****

Classics I've Never Seen

Well in the past week I have been catching up on films I had been told were good but had never seen, films I like to call classics I've never seen.

Manhunter
This is the original Hannibal Lecktor films staring William Petersen as a cop who must catch a serial killer before the next full moon, he's not a werewolf the killer just has a weird pattern that follows the lunar cycle. Manhunter is based on the book Red Dragon and is now out of the category "classic films I've never seen" and into "classic films everyone should see". The serial killer becomes known as the "tooth fairy" and as the film progresses you can see that he wants more than just a tooth. This is a film that should not be missed.
Manhunter is on tonight at 10 on ITV2.
My rating - *** & 3/4


Escape From New York
Well not exactly a "classic I've never seen" more like a "classic I saw ages ago and can't really remember what happens or it is about which is kinda like seeing it for the first time again", but a great film none the less. Manhattan Island has been converted into a prison island and as the President flies across the plane crashes and he is captured now only one man can save him, and that man is Snake Plissken (Kurt Russel). This is another team-up between Actor Kurt Russel and Director John Carpenter (one of my favourite directors), and once again it works. Russel and Carpenter seem to work perfectly together and this just makes the film that bit better.
Other films they have teamed up on are; The Thing, Escape From L.A. and Big Trouble in Little China
Escape From New York is on Monday night at 11 on ITV1.
My rating - ****

Clerks
Although this is not a "classic film I've never seen" I thought I would still include it as it is a great film from start to finish. The original Kevin Smith film and the birth of the View Askew universe as well as many unforgettable characters, Jay & Silent Bob, Dante and Randall. Just because this is in black & white do not hold that against it. Clerks is the story of 2 store clerks Dante and Randall and what they get up to during their day.
This is a great film but not for the easily disgusted. With it's perfect dialog and number of Star Wars references this started a hilarious set of films, that are still going today.
Clerks II was released last year and both are on DVD now.
My rating - ****

Saturday Night Shocks

Korean horror film The Host has been somewhat unheard of. Having passed me by in the cinemas I decided to pick it up on DVD and was so disappointed to see that I did miss it at the cinema as it was a marvelous film and the big screen would have done it much more justice than a small T.V.

After over 100 bottles of Formaldehyde are poured down the drain and into the Han River a large creature is formed and begins terrorising the area around the river. The films focus is on a small family and their battle to find the youngest member who had supposedly died but after receiving a phone call from her the family start the hunt. As there has been a quarantine of all who have come in contact with the creature the family must first get out of the quarantine before they can even begin the search.
Before you dismiss this film i must tell you it is not like other Asian horror you may have seen, it does not have any pale faced children in it and hopefully there will not be an American remake of it. With great performances from all the family, you start to care for this family and begin to hope they can bring their little girl home. As well as the CGI the political hints of the film make this a must see for all horror fans as well as anyone who likes a good film to watch on a Saturday night.

My rating - ****

Saturday Night Recorded...

The weeks Television highlights have been few but the ones that have been there have been great. Saturday brought two of those highlights Doctor Who and Jekyll.

Here Come the Drums
Last week we were left with The Master (John Simm) taking the Tardis and leaving The Doctor, Captain Jack and Martha at the end of the Universe. This week we join them in the present time as The Master has just been elected Prime Minister and is ready to introduce a new race to the world, the Toclafane.
Using the Toclafane The Master intends to create his dominion over the humans. The episode leaves us with The Doctor as an old man and Captain Jack in The Masters possession as the Toclafane are destroying 10% of the worlds population and Martha escaping the Masters hold.

Acting against David Tennant, John Simm is the right combination of humor and enthusiasm to take over the world. The supporting acting from John Barrowman and Freema Agyeman does not go a miss either. John Simm brings a new element to Doctor Who as The Master, all the Masters before him have been the text book evil wizard looking villains, but Simm brings the comedic and almost human element into the equation and this is a role that the fans will remember forever.
Doctor Who continues next Saturday at the usual time.

Time for a Change
Jekyll is the new BBC series that depicts the tale of Dr.Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is a modern setting with a twist. James Nesbitt is Dr. Jackman and has a very similar condition that is portrayed on the Novel The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Although Jackman does not need an elixar to change, it just happens, some changes are scheduled but others are not. Jackman hires Katherine Reimer (Michelle Ryan) to work for both him and Mr. Hyde, as a psychiatric nurse he believes she can help. As the changes get more frequent, Jackman begins to be followed a black van.
This weeks episode saw Benjamin (Paterson Joseph) put Jackmans son in danger to lure out Hyde. With a memorable scene as Hyde sings "The Lion Sleeps Tonight". This new series is well worth a watch and Nesbitt has a challenging job playing both Jackman and Hyde but seems to pull it off with ease. With a great supporting cast (Paterson Joseph, Michelle Ryan, and Gina Bellman) this is a great BBC drama and should not be missed.
Jekyll is continues on Saturday at 9.

The Rise of the Silver Surfer

As I am a fan of many comics including the Fantastic Four, in 2005 I went to see Jessica Alba, Ioan Gruffudd, Chris Evans and Michael Chiklis become the original dysfunctional family of the comic word, the Fantastic Four, despite what the reviews said. Although I wasn't best pleased as when I got out of the cinema I realised that the reviews were right.
This year however I went into the cinema to see Fantastic Four 2 without reading any reviews and not having too high hopes. Well what can I say this film exceeded its predecessor by far. Introducing the intergalactic herald, the Silver Surfer, letting the characters grow up and using amazing special effects next to worldwide landmarks really increased the calibre of this sequel.
At only 94 minutes this is one of the shorter films released this summer but also one of the better films. It's length is perfect as by the end you are left wanting more and not disappointed by too much story-telling or evolution of multiple plots unlike, Pirates 3 and Spider-Man 3.
As a fan of the comics the ending is a little disappointing as it is not played out how it should be and the mighty Galactus is no where to be seen. But there is a slight inkling to a Fantastic Four 3 or a Silver Surfer movie.
Although this is not one of the greatest films I have seen it is defiantly one of the good ones and stands superior to the first. This is a great film for everyone, children, fans and parents alike.
So don't base your decision to watch this film on the quality of the first, just go and see it and then be the judge.
With a superhero wedding, an intergalactic surfer and the return of an old enemy the first 30 minutes will be sure to keep you in your seats and the next hour will do just the same. So whether you know the original story or not this is a film to see for the summer.

Fantastic Four: The Rise of the Silver Surfer was released on June 15 and is in cinemas now.
For more info on the film go to Wikipedia or IMDB.

My rating - ***

Welcome

Well first of all I would like to welcome you to my film file and tell you what my film file is about and what I will be doin on this blog.
I will be reviewing films I have seen recently as well as a few music T.V and DVD reviews. All I can hope it that you will read and enjoy my points of view. Thanx.