Mercury Rising (1998)

Bruce Willis shows off another of his multi-faceted acting sk... oh wait. No. FBI agent confronted with failute... gets demoted... finds a way of redemption... succeeds. Bruce Willis' roles generally follow that pattern. This is no exception. The role that Brucey plays isn't badly acted - it's just not a great role.

Alec Baldwin plays the evil Government agent who wants autistic boy Simon killed because he cracked an uncrackable code. Various goons get their chance to off Simon through the film including the great Peter Stormare (John Abruzzi in Prison Break/Lev Andropov in other Willis film Armageddon) although his role should be lots bigger.

The film is touching in parts with a slight love sub plot, the film however doesn't get the heart pumping enough - it's not a love film, it's not an action film and it's not a thriller... it doesn't know what it is.

Star of the film: Miko Hughes for his portrayal of Simon, the autistic child
Best bit: The city scene where Willis meets the NSA missive and Stacey

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120749/

Episode 3: Demon Fire and other stuff

More arrogant than a sack of smug spanners, here is the Review to a Kill, episode 3! This contains some, none or fewer of the following:

The latest in the lads' Pound Shop Picks, Demon Fire (Witch House 3)
A discussion of future shows including the Pound Shop Picks trailer special
A chance to win a holiday to the Caribbean
Other film talk

Direct Download the show here or make some guys very happy by subscribing to that there feed

Enjoy!

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0289626/

Blind Fury (1989)

Fun and frolics with Lord Rutger Hauer, star of many average films. Hauer plays a man, blinded after Vietnam. He also carries a walking cane... with a knife in. Taught to use it by locals, Rutger is a force to be reckoned with. A blind man with a smug ability to use a weapon - what could be a better combo?

Well, actually... throw in Lost's John Locke, or actor Terry O'Quinn. TV's best bald man? Yes. But not in this film (the baldness).

It's an okay film which lets you enjoy the action without having to think.

Star of the film: Rutger Hauer - it's a blind man, with swords innit?
Best bit: The scene in the cornfields.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0096945/

The Mummy (1999)

Harmless guff starring the docile Brendan Fraser, the quintessentially British Rachel Weisz and evil 24 villain in the making Arnold Vosloo. Someone has been bad with a book found in the ancient Egypt are of Hamanaptra, and awoken an evil spirit. Bad things happen, loads of greed hungry Americans die in horrific ways (generally by having their body sucked out and turned into shrivelled up prunes) before Brendan casually dismisses the Mummy using another evil book.

It's not the most challenging of films, but it's harmless enough.

Star of the film: Oded Fehr as the lord almighty of the Majai
Best bit: The Colonel's plane sucking into the quicksand giving him a heroes send-off.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120616/

Episode 2: A Godfather Trilogy Special

Episode 2 of the Review to a Kill podcast is here already (I hear you jump for joy), and this one is a Godfather Trilogy special...

Baz and myself watched all three Godfather films back to back (ish - a short break for air), and recorded what we thought and stuff.

Take a listen... if you dare.

The feed is here or you can download it and stuff from here.

IMDB Pages:
Godfather 1: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0068646/
Godfather 2: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0071562/
Godfather 3: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0099674/

Peace and love, peace and love.

Creep (2004)

Only one decent bit of acting (Franke Potente), no discernable plot aside from the obvious running around in the dark and only one truly creepy scene in the whole film (blackened filing place). Complete Dogshit.

Star Of The Film: Franke Potente (like she had any competition)
Best Bit: The end credits

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0381966/

Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story (2004)

This chucklesome flick starring Vince Vaughn, Ben Stiller and Christine Taylor is a good way to kill an evening. The owner of a local gym is bought out by a gym magnate in White Goodman. The only way to stop this from happening, is for the rag tag bunch from Average Joe's to win a Dodgeball tournament, which the Globogym guys also take part in. With cameos from Chuck Norris, William Shatner and Lance Armstrong in, this is just a fun film.

It's pretty much laugh every few minutes, with Stiller's egotistical Goodman doing such things as shoving pizza down his shorts and pumping up his crotch cup with a pump. Of course, good wins out over evil in the end (would you expect anything else?) and the gym is saved... there's a couple of cheesy love story(ish) plots along the way but they're done in a good comedy style.

I'd watch it again, just for the chuckles.

Star Of The Film: Steve the Pirate
Best Bit: Rip Torn teaching the guys to dodge, duck, dip, dive and ... dodge

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0364725/

Ghostbusters 2 (1989)

The sequel to Ghostbusters is pretty harmless fare, with Bill Murray and Dan Ackroyd starring with future star of Bean and 24, Peter McNicol putting on a terrible accent.

It's been a few years since I've seen this film, and to be honest, it doesn't get any better. If you like the Statue of Liberty coming to life and dancing, and seeing goo flying everywhere, it's not ridiculous. If you fancy a quiet afternoon where you don't have to engage your brain too much, it's good.

Just don't be afraid of no ghosts, you hear?

Star Of The Film: Bill Murray
Best Bit: Probably the Statue of Liberty dancing

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0097428/

The Longest Yard (2005)

The Longest Yard, for a sports film, is actually suprisingly good. It's predictable as you would expect from a sports film, as there's pretty much two possible endings: 1) they win, 2) they lose. They win in this one but the journey is much more enjoyable than many similar films which helps you forget about the stock ending.
Adam Sandler puts in an unusually straight performance, leaving the slapstick antics to the other players, which actually works surprisingly well with a host of unknowns fulfilling the comedy slots greatly. Chris Rock is pretty superfluous, providing very few laughs on his own. Rapper Nelly also appears as a player but, frankly, he's there for the gangsta vote, which is a shame because he acts quite well within the role. Overall it's better than a lot of sports films I've seen but is certainly no masterpiece. Not great but Not bad.
Star Of The Film: None. Noone particularly shines.
Best Bit: Generic Sports-based Slapstick.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0398165/

Episode 1: A Back to the Future Special!

The first episode of the Review to a Kill podcast is up now, and includes some or more of the following:

Back to the Future 1, 2 and 3 reviews as watched by Baz and Gaz... discussion of how Gaz's car would not stand up to a hover conversion... advertising within the films... the Pound Shop pick: the Zombie Chronicles...

Comments here, there and everywhere please!

Download the show here or sign up to the feed to have it download direct to your computer or iTunes

IMDB Pages:
BTTF 1: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0088763/
BTTF 2: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0096874/
BTTF 3: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0099088/
Zombie Chronicles: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0272950/

Southland Tales (2006)

I also watched Southland Tales recently. I was hoping for so much from this film but unfortunately I was left quite disappointed at the end. I hold the firm belief that a film should make sense at the end. Otherwise what's the point in trying to tell the story?! And it's not like I can't follow an unusual or complicated storyline. Films like Donnie Darko or Mission Impossible present no problems. But where is the entertainment when the end of the story leaves you thinking 'is that it?'
Southland Tales borders on comical in places (Sarah Michelle Gellar's porn star chat show) but never really commits to being a comedy, content, instead, to straddle some imaginary line that also borders on what might have been an excellent oddity film. The problem is that the only time during the film that there is any real plot development is the ending, by which point you've already sat through two hours of irritating characters (over aggresive female 'resistance' style freedom fighters??), superfluous scenes (most of the whole drive-along sequence) and an evil corporation that seems to be in there just to prop up a small aspect of the ending. It's a real shame that a potentially great idea has been over indulged in the wrong way and left the film as a whole a fairly dull experience.
Star of the film: Seann William Scott puts in a surprise turn as a decent serious character, around whom the fascinating climax of the film centres.
Best Bit: the last 15 minutes.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0405336/

Crash (2004)

I just watched Crash last night. I was not expecting a huge amount from the film. I tend to find that I don't much enjoy the films that critics rave on about. I don't watch any awards shows either. But I have to say that Crash was surprisingly good. Very well acted, if a little jaggedly directed. It gave an inspiring and yet devastating insight into the (in?)humanity of living in a large, ethnically diverse city. Hailing from London myself, I could really identify with the themes of the film: racism, family, friendship, right and wrong, common courtesy. Despite the inclusion of some fairly superfluous acting 'talent' (Brendan Fraser??) in relatively insignificant roles, an overall highly enjoyable film.
Star of the film: Matt Dillon (Officer Ryan) for his disturbingly convincing portrayal of a cop who's racist attitudes are overshadowed by his compunction to save a life.
Best Bit: Racist Officer Ryan saves a black lady's life.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0375679/