Taken 3

Cast: Liam Neeson, Maggie Grace, Forest Whitaker, Famke Janssen, Dougray Scott and Sam Spurell.

Director: Olivier Megaton

Release Date: 2014

Running Time: 1hr 44 minutes

Genre: Action/Thriller

Rating: PG-13

Format: Blu-Ray

Synopsis:

Ex CIA Bryan Mills (Neeson), is accused of a ruthless murder he never committed or witnessed. As he is tracked down and pursued, Mills brings out a particular set of skills to find the true killer and clear his name.

Olivier Megaton seems to have an ongoing trend with his movies, where there must be a birthday taking place at the beginning of each film. Maggie is once again a year older and this time she's greeted by a giant panda teddy bear from her dad. A couple of years have passed since the last film, Kim is now living with her boyfriend Jamie, who we were introduced to in the last film. It becomes apparent that Lenore has been seeing someone else since the last film took place, who coincidentally she also doesn't seem to be getting along with very well either so ends up consulting in ex husband Bryan for advice. This film gets going so much faster then the last film and it'll certainly take you by surprise when you find who's murder he's been accused of. I really appreciate the emotional factor that comes with this film compared to the others.

Neeson's performance in this film takes a very interesting turn, Megaton has definitely chosen to focus on his character primarily more then the others. Forest Whitaker is not an actor I am that familiar with however his performance in this film was surprisingly pleasant as Detective Frank Dotlzer. It looks like Megaton might have learnt from his previous mistakes, because this film is shot far much better then "Taken 2" the cinematography looks nicer and the editing is much sharper and cleaner. The action sequences have been shot far better then the last time, the storyline has been beautifully written, there's plenty of thrills and suspense, the audience is enticed right from the beginning, so as a member of the audience you have a much more enjoyable experience. You certainly aren't left sat there feeling bored.

The movie flows very nicely from scene to scene it make perfect sense. Cinematographer Eric Kress has produced a very nice looking movie, most of the movie is shot in Los Angeles which makes a pleasant surprise considered the last two films weren't. The lighting adds to the tone of the film very nicely, as a whole it really does look very good. If you love explosions, you'll really enjoy this film, there's plenty of them. Megaton has chosen a range of different camera angles, including medium shots, aerial shots, low angle shots and close ups of the actors particularly that of Kim and Bryan. In "Taken 2" Megaton had chosen to speed a lot of his action sequences up which caused a feeling of motion sickness for the audience, I really appreciate that the action sequences in this film have been slowed down, not only are they more enjoyable but they actually look better on screen.

Again it's disappointing to be introduced to a bad guy and hardly see them on screen. Don't get me wrong the movie flows perfectly well without him, however it would have been nice to see him on screen a little bit more. This movie is full of surprises, I really like the fact that it isn't that predictable, I definitely didn't see the murder coming, or who it was should I say. There is a pleasant surprise with Kim too, let's just say that Panda might come in handy? All in all this is a very enjoyable movie, the action sequences are fantastic, it's thrilling from beginning to end, it's been beautifully shot, the storyline is brilliant, easily the best in the franchise. I would definitely recommend this over "Taken 2" , you don't necessarily have to watch them in order either, as this one doesn't lead on from the last. Liam Neeson's performance in this film is absolutely brilliant, I cannot highly recommend this movie enough. Thrilling and full of suspense.

5/5 stars

Taken 2

Cast: Liam Neeson, Maggie Grace, Famke Janssen, Leland Orser, Jon Gries, D.B Sweeney and Luke Grimes.

Director: Olivier Megaton

Release Date: 2012

Running Time: 1hr 32 minutes

Genre: Action/Thriller

Rating: PG-13

Format: Blu-Ray

Synopsis:

Bryan Mills finds himself in Istanbul when him and his wife are taken hostage by the father of a kidnapper Mills killed while trying to rescue his daughter.

So here we are again, this time Bryan Mills and his wife have been kidnapped by the father of the man who kidnapped Kim. Murad Krasniqi seeks justice after Mills killed his son, speaking at his funeral, demanding that Mills be hunted down and killed immediately. It becomes apparent that Lenore and Sam have now separated and Bryan finds himself having to deal with the fact that his little girl now has a boyfriend to which she also kept a secret. There seems to be a growing pattern with secrets in these films don't you think? In the first film, Kim kept it a secret from her dad that she wasn't just travelling to Paris, she was going to follow U2 on their European tour. There's clearly still  a lot of tension between Bryan and Kim. Although we have a new director I like that he's been able to take off from where the last film ended.

The storyline has been very well written, it makes sense and follows on nicely from the first film, the audience is introduced to new characters immediately as to not cause confusion later on in the film, although the storyline is good it does take a little bit longer to get going. It's interesting to see a spark between Bryan and Lenore in this film, considering in the first film they had been separated for a long time and Bryan was barely allowed near Kim. Liam Neesons performance is equally as good this time as it was the first, the relationship that he now shares with his ex wife Lenore (Janssen) is just right, the chemistry between the two of them is perfect, there's a bit of a spark but there's also plenty of tension too, making for a very convincing relationship. This film is purely about the two of them, not Kim.

Cinematographer Romain Lacourbus has done well considering the material he was given, however it's nowhere near as good as the first film. There are so many choppy scenes, where the film has clearly been poorly edited. The camera moves so fast during some scenes, particularly fight scenes that you can't always make out what's supposed to happening, stealing away the fantastic storyline and the suspense. In the first film, there was a real feeling of suspense, that chilled you to you very bones, there is plenty of suspense in this film, however you don't get that wonderful thrilling feeling a action thriller like this should give. Visually it honestly doesn't look too bad, director Olivier Megaton and cinematographer Romain Lacourbus have managed to capture Istanbul beautifully, it's just a shame it's been poorly filmed, the cameraman does so much running the audience are basically given motion sickness. There's plenty of action, plenty of car chases, fight sequences are well choreographed but sadly due to fast camera work, it somewhat ruins it.

The most disappointing thing about this movie has got to be the fact that you don't see much of bad guy Murad, who is desperate to hunt Bryan Mills down, if your gonna have a storyline at least have the bad guy make a big appearance? Unfortunately the majority of the film, is Lenore and Bryan running away from Murad's team of bad guys, overall it's not a bad movie, but I do think it could have been filmed far much better and more thought gone into the storyline, especially making the bad guy a much bigger character then he actually is. The acting is good and at times is very convincing, but sadly Liam Neeson steals the show in this film. Great acting, really good action sequences, but a poorly filmed movie.

3/5 stars

Taken

Cast: Liam Neeson, Maggie Grace, Leland Orser, Jon Gries and Katie Cassidy.

Director: Pierre Morel

Release Date: 2008

Running Time: 1hr 33 minutes

Genre: Action/Thriller

Rating: PG-13

Synopsis:

Retired CIA agent Bryan Mills travels across Europe and relies on his old skills to save his daughter Kim who has been kidnapped whilst on a trip to Paris.

Bryan Mills (Neeson) doesn't have the best relationship with his daughter Kim (Grace), he surprises her on her 17th birthday, where it becomes obvious that he is no longer welcome visiting her anymore either, when he's asked to leave her party. Kim desperatly wants to travel to Paris with her friend Amanda, they both have dreams of following U2 on their European tour when they are both suddenly kidnapped. The relationship between Kim and Bryan is very convincing, although they love one another there is some serious tension between them, being ex CIA Bryan is a lot more familiar with the world and how dangerous it can be, he really isn't too happy about her travelling around Europe. The reality of this film is quite scary. Maggie Grace's performance is extremely good, she's absolutely terrified and it's extremely convincing. The suspense that the acting provides in this film is absolutely fantastic. Liam Neeson is a little bit type cat, however he delivers like always a wonderful performance, you only have to listen to his character to know shit is gonna go down and trust me it really does!

The storyline is very good, it gets straight to the point very fast, all of the important characters are explained within the first couple of minutes to allow the audience to understand what is happening. The dialogue is very very good, the conversations between characters are believable, the dialogue also matches the personality of the characters particularly that of Bryan's. The pace of the film does move pretty fast, but not so much that you miss the important details, just enough to not allow the audience to get bored. The suspense in this film is absolutely brilliant. Taken is thrilling from beginning to end.

Visually it's a nice looking film, the lighting really adds to the tone of the film, it's dark and sinister and speaks volumes about the storyline. Although advertised as a thriller, this is very much an action film too, believe me there is plenty of it. There's nothing too spectacular about the cinematography, other then it looks very nice on screen, the actors are framed very well as are the settings. There isn't necessarily anything spectacular about production design other then it looks very realistic and the setting adds to the tone of the film brilliantly. Taken is like a puzzle, Bryan must work with every little bit of information that he was able to get out of Kim before she was kidnapped, with the help of a few people he slowly manages to track her down. The shots that the director has chosen work beautifully alongside this with the use of flash backs, close up shots of characters and the fantastic use of props, Kim was wearing a denim jacket, it appears in a scene half way through the film, but Kim is nowhere to be found, it's all a puzzle, the director leaves little hints through out the film to emphasize what is to come.

The Blu-Ray is pretty standard, the film itself looks very nice, the sound quality is absolutely brilliant. The movie itself is taken from the Taken trilogy Blu-Ray, so it also contains the other two films, which is brilliant when you want to know what happens in the next two films. There are however sadly no special features which is a little bit disappointing considering how fantastic the films are. I also don't think there is much of an excuse when you pack three films together and don't add any special features to go with them? Overall though this really is a very good film, it's full to the brim with action and is fantastically thrilling! Definitely worth a watch!

5/5 stars

Speed 2: Cruise Control

Cast: Sandra Bullock, Jason Patric and William Dafoe

Director: Jon De Bont

Release Date: 1997

Running Time: 2hrs 1 minute

Genre: Action

Rating: PG-13

Format: Blu-Ray

Synopsis:

Computer hacker John Geiger hacks into the system of the Seabourn Legend cruse liner and sets it speeding on a collision course towards a gigantic oil tanker.

A couple of years have passed since the first film took place, Annie is in a new relationship now with SWAT team member Alex. In order to spend a bit more time together, Alex books them both tickets to go on a cruise around the Caribbean on board the Seabourn Legend, however not everyone on board is in it for the adventure. Computer hacker John Geiger is also on board and wants to take his revenge by hacking into the ship's computer system. Speed 2 really isn't as bad as people make out, famous film critic Roger Ebert even admitted to really enjoying this film. Rumour has it, it was going to be the sequel to "Die Hard" if the movie flopped, of course we all know how well that movie did at the box office, so it became a sequel to "Speed" instead.

Starring Jason Patric and Sandra Bullock. Patric's performance isn't anywhere near as good as that of Reeve's in the first film however he still manages to come across as pretty convincing. He is however lacking in character and emotion somewhat. Either someone really pissed him off during filming or he has a serious case of resting bitch face. The relationship between Annie and himself isn't too bad, although Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock clearly had more chemistry on screen together. William Dafoe probably delivers the best performance in this film, although even then he could have put way more effort into his character. The movie is lacking in backstory and Dafoe is also lacking in characterization. In fact everyone is lacking in characterization a little bit.

Jon De Bont also directed the first film, however this film is seriously lacking in something, we've got the same writer as before Graham Yost, however De Bont also had a say in the storyline and in all honestly it could be where this film has gone wrong. Sometimes it's best to keep the writing to a professional or someone with a lot more experience. The conversations between actors aren't too bad, but the majority of them aren't very believable, most of the lines come across as cheesy and ridiculous.Sadly the storyline doesn't add up to the expectations of the first movie.

Visually it's not a bad looking film, however there are moments that look very false, you can practically see it's been filmed in a studio, it doesn't look very professional, this is supposed to be a movie, the idea is to make it look convincing right? When I say it looks false, believe it or not, it's not the interior set design, that looks bad, more the exterior shots of the ship, were they lacking on budget with this movie too? Now the interior set design does look very convincing, visually it does look very convincing, it sets the tone for the film very well, the actors use the environment to it's fullest. Its just a shame that in some scenes you can see the film has been poorly edited, perhaps the Blu-Ray emphasizes this fault, but you can near enough see the CGI. I've seen worse movies but it's a shame, especially considering how amazing the first filmed looked. Sadly the soundtrack does absolutely nothing for this film, it doesn't have depth or emotion, and definitely doesn't set any suspense. There are some seriously thrilling scenes in this film which are completely let down by a poor score. Such a shame.

Nowhere near as good as the first one, it doesn't look too bad on Blu-Ray, but there's nothing spectacular. This is the type of movie that most will put on their guilty pleasure lists. Poor acting and lacking in storyline.

3/5 stars

Speed

Cast: Keanu Reeves, Sandra Bullock, Dennis Hopper, Jeff Daniels and Joe Morton.

Director: Jan De Bont

Release Date: 1994

Running Time: 1hr 56 minutes

Genre: Action

Rating: 15

Format: Blu-Ray

Synopsis:

A young police officer must prevent a bomb from exploding aboard a city bus by keeping it's speed above 50mph.

Bomber Howard Payne (Hopper) has hijacked a lift in an office building set to detonate at any minute. Jack Traven (Reeves) an employee of the LAPD bomb squad, must find a way to save the hostages trapped before the lift plummets to the ground. writer Graham Yost was very clever when he wrote the screenplay for this film, because it begins with one story and ends with another, although both are linked. Reeves performance is very convincing, his acting is brilliant and he really looks the part, the friendship between Harry and Jack is fantastic, although it soon sets out be an emotional ride for the both of them. Daniels is probably an actor you'll recognize most from "Dumb and Dumber" where he stars alongside Jim Carrey, coincidentally playing the role of Harry. Jeff's performance in this film is equally as good as Reeve's, although he is seen more behind the desk in the film due to a broken leg. We're introduced to Sandra Bullock when Howard Payne plants a bomb on a bus heading for Los Angeles. The chemistry on screen between Bullock and Reeves is fantastic, although you can clearly see the sparks flying right from the start. Screenwriter Graham Yost has done a very nice job with the script, the dialogue is brilliant, it's easy to understand and gets straight to the point very quick. Director Jon De Bont, grips his audiences right from the start and from that moment continues to keep them thrilled. If you want a movie packed full of action, this movie is definitely gonna do it for you! The pace and speed of the film is excellent, there isn't a dull moment.

Jon De Bont has chosen to use plenty of unique shots for this film with low angles zooming up to show Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock behind the wheel of the bus, aerial shots to show the bus from above, plenty of shots zooming in on the wheels, medium shots, close up shots of the actors, particularly Reeves and Hopper. There is a very cool shot of Keanu Reeves being lowered beneath the bus to try and disarm the bomb. Speed is a beautifully shot film, with gorgeous cinematography. The special effects are brilliant, there's plenty of awesome looking explosions, definitely look out for the plane in the second chapter of the film, some serious work went into making that go up. The production department have done a nice job, the sets feel very lived in and believable, I love that Howard Payne is shown living the back of a warehouse, with lots of TV screens, he has no home, no life, no care for anyone or anything in the world, which is obviously portrayed beautifully through Dennis Hoppers performance. His character is sinister and psychopathic. There are plenty of beautiful shots of Los Angeles too.

Speed has a fantastic soundtrack that works wonderfully alongside the film, really emphasizing the suspense and thrills! It works brilliantly alongside the action, and brings plenty of emotion with it too. The Blu-Ray is pretty standard, but it looks really good none the less, the special features are pretty cool including mini documentary's, Inside Speed looks at the the various aspects of the production, from set locations to stunts, there are also individual interviews with the director and the principal stars. Definitely one of the better blu-rays to look out for if you love learning about how a movie is made, and watching the special features. This really is a fantastic film, if you love action and explosions this is definitely one you need to add to your list!

5/5 stars

Logan

Cast: Hugh Jackman, Stephen Merchant, Patrick Wilson and Dafne Keen.

Director: James Mangold

Release Date: 2017

Running Time: 2hrs 11 minutes

Genre: Action

Rating: 15

Format: Theatrical Cinema Release

Synopsis:

*May contain spoilers*

In the near and weary future Logan cares for an ailing Professor X, somewhere on the Mexican border. However Logan's attempt to hide from the world, and his legacy, are upended when a young mutant arrives, persuaded by dark forces.

Six years have passed since the events that first took place in the future of "X-Men: Days of Future Past", the year is now 2029, the population of mutants has shrunk significantly, Logan (Jackman) now finds himself caring for Professor Charles Xavier who is suffering from Alzheimer's disease and seizures. An alcoholic limo driver, Wolverine is not the superhero that everyone used to know. When a female stranger catches up with him, she explains that Logan must be the one to look after her daughter Laura, who possess extraordinary powers just like himself. Persuaded by sinister forces, Laura is carrying the same DNA that secretly connects herself to Logan.

The next series of "X-Men" films will introduce a new generation of mutants. This story really marks the end of an era for the character of James Logan. Impressive in appearance and in characterisation Hugh Jackman delivers one of his strongest performances as the fearsome Wolverine. Logan understands that keeping Charles Xavier inside a tank is no longer an option with him suffering from such severe seizures. The story also marks the end of an era for Professor X, now an old man who can barely remember who Logan is, as days go by, the more he struggles to control his telepathic abilities. Patrick Wilson delivers a tremendous performance, elegantly funny and beautifully soft spoken, fans will certainly find themselves shedding the odd tear or two.

Newcomer Dafne Keen stars as new mutant Laura, a young girl who was born with Logan's DNA, allowing her to have his gifted abilities. Although Keen doesn't have much of a speaking role she is able to communicate beautifully through emotion her characters feelings. Jackman and Keen work fantastically alongside each other, as the story progresses you really see the changes in Logan as he begins to care for Laura. We're introduced to new characters including Logan's albino sidekick, Caliban performed terrifically by British comedian Stephen Merchant. Merchant delivers a delightful amount of humour to the story.

The real story however begins when bad guy Peirce hunts down Laura, with full understanding of her abilities, he wants to produce a new breed of mutants. Although Boyd Holbrook delivers a good performance as Peirce, we don't actually see a great deal of his character, the story primarily focuses on Logan and Laura and their escape to the mountains as they flee the border of Mexico. The decision to have an R rating was spot on. There is a fair amount of violence in the story that some audiences may not be used to if they are familiar with the original "X-Men" films. Logan really shows his powers in full glory, we really learn just how dangerous Logan be.

The special effects are what really hold this film together. We're able to really see into the eyes of Professor X through fantastic effects and cinematography. Professor X's psionic blast was created with shaky footage and then restabilizing the frame in post production. A very unique effect, this is what allowed certain scenes to have a motion blur effect to them. Not only does this effect look terrific on screen it also sparks a lot of emotion through characters too. Proving that mutants are the only ones to withstand the blast. This film really is the beginning to a new chapter of "X-Men" movies, Laura is a very exciting character, as eager fans we're intrigued to see what "The New Mutants" has in store for us this coming year. A very well put together film. Terrific.

5/5 stars

A Walk in the Woods

Cast: Robert Redford, Nick Nolte, Emma Thompson, Mary Streenburgen and Nick Offerman.

Director: Ken Kwapis

Release Date: 2015

Running Time: 1hr 44 minutes

Genre: Comedy

Rating: 15

Format: Amazon Prime UK

Synopsis:

After spending two decades in England, Bill (Redford) returns to the United States where he decides the best way to connect to his homeland is to hike the Appalachian Trail with one of his oldest friends.

Based on the best selling novel of the same name, Bill Bryson (Redford) is inspired to hike the Appalachian trial after attending a funeral, he's recently done a press release for one of his books, that doesn't quite go to plan, after being questioned why nothing has inspired him to write about what he's been upto since his return to the United States. His wife Catherine (Emma Thompson) isn't too keen on the idea at first and his son Sam tries to talk him out of it. He soon starts to do some research like buying a book called "How to stay alive in the woods" , it's not long before one of his oldest friends, Stephen (Nick Nolte) decides he wants to join him on the trek.

Robert Redford delivers a wonderful performance as Bill, the friendship between Bill and Stephen is absolutely fantastic, it's not too long before they soon start to get on one another's nerves, Stephen wanting to stop at every opportunity they get, climbing into his tent with his trousers half way round his backside. Before long they are introduced to Mary Ellen (Schaal) a very honest hiker. Soon she starts driving the two of them nuts, waking them up in the night singing, schooling them on their tents and telling them what to eat. The dialogue is really fantastic, this is a really funny film, Nolte and Redford work beautifully on screen, delivering two very funny performances. The best thing about this film is you wouldn't expect it to be a comedy, the humour really adds to the friendship between Stephen and Bill and really adds to the tone of the film, I love how it goes through the months to show how far they have come on their journey, experiencing, sun, snow and rain, the whole way.

A walk in the woods is a stunning looking film, director of photography John Bailey has managed to capture the gorgeous scenery of North Carolina and Georgia. Even the scenes shot at night are beautifully captured. Most of the film is shot outside obviously, although the production department have done a nice job in creating wooden cabins along the trail where Bill and Stephen frequently stay, this is where we are nicely introduced to Jeannie (Streenburgen), who works at one of the cabins. Redford also finds himself up to his waste in mud. although Bryson is married it's quite clear that he's got feelings for Jeannie. It's not so much a hike but a journey.  The story takes a pretty interesting turn. What would you do if you saw a grizzly bear?

This movie isn't just about a walk in the woods with two friends, it's about friendship, courage and that your never too old to do anything, age is just a number, it's never too late to catch up with friends, if this movie doesn't inspire you to do one of those things, that I'm not entirely sure what will. This film really will fill your heart with so much love, joy and inspiration. One can only imagine how inspiring the novel must be. If you've read the novel, don't let this movie put you off, beautiful and inspiring!

5/5 stars

Armageddon

Cast: Ben Affleck, Bruce Willis, Billy Bob Thornton, Liv Tyler, Will Patton, Steve Buschemi, Owen Wilson and Michael Clark Duncan.

Director: Michael Bay

Release Date: 1998

Running Time: 2hrs 30 minutes

Genre: Action

Rating: PG-13

Format: Blu-Ray

Synopsis:

NASA find there is an asteroid the size of Texas heading for Earth, it's gonna hit impact in less then a month so NASA  recruit a  pretty interesting bunch of deep core drillers to save the planet.

It's hard to say what we'd do if we knew an asteroid the size of Texas was about to impact Earth, It's unlikely that we'd know who the perfect people are to destroy it too, if in fact it could be destroyed in time. Armageddon isn't just an action movie, It's about love, courage and friendship. Michael Bay has probably brought us one of the best action flicks of the late 90's. It's interesting that NASA would assume it's a terrorist attack before anything else, I suppose instinctively one may put that first before assuming it could be from outterspace. It becomes apparent pretty early on that what they are experiencing is not a missile attack but a meteor shower.

We're very nicely introduced to our main characters on board an oil rig, Harry Stamper played by Bruce Willis. One would definitely assume that he owns the oil rig company, judging by the name Stamper Oil written all over the rig. Of course like most oil rigs he certainly isn't alone on board, we're also introduced to a very young Ben Affleck, the relationship between these two characters is extremely rocky, Harry isn't in the best of moods when he finds that AJ (Affleck) is in a relationship with his daughter Grace (Tyler) and that both have chosen to keep it a secret from him. It becomes apparent that Grace and Harry do not have the best father daughter relationship themselves. Affleck portrays AJ brilliantly, he's young and a little bit naive about life, but tries to do the right thing, until of course he's caught sleeping with his boss's daughter and all hell brakes loose.

 After an explosion on the oil rig we are soon introduced to the rest of the team including, Chick, Rockhound and Bear. Played brilliantly by Will Patton, Steve Buschemi, and the late Michael Clark Duncan. Each one of them delivers excellent performances in this film, each one has something very different about them. They all work brilliantly together. Their performances really support their characters.

This is a very long movie at 2hrs and 30 minutes, however it's worth it, Michael Bay has made sure not to bore his audience with thrilling scenes right from the start. This is a very nice looking film, the production department have done an incredible job, so much so that Disneyland even decided to remodel a special effects ride after it. The set design looks very authentic and real. Michael Bay has chosen to use really stunning aerial shots in space and around the space shuttle. The only thing that is a little bit irritating is like most action movies set in space we always see and hear a big explosion. In reality there would be no sound in space. One too many filmmakers forget to do their research before making a film. The special effects are absolutely fantastic, if your really into explosions you certainly aren't going to be dissapointed. The use of clever lighting and special effects together look amazing, it really adds to the tone of the film, adding in creating it to look as authentic as possible. The film has a very nice score, of course who can forget Aerosmith's "I don't want to miss a thing" it adds beautifully to the tone of the film, as much as this is a action movie it's very emotional too, it's really emphasized through the soundtrack.

The blu-ray looks really nice, there is a little bit of grain, but nothing too noticable, the majority of the film looks really really good. Sadly the special features aren't too amazing with just a couple of trailers and the music video for Aerosmith's "I don't wanna miss a thing" however don't let that put you off, Armageddon is a very entertaining and thrilling film, full to the brim with action and emotion. This is definitely one you are gonna want to add to your collection, especially on blu-ray.

5/5 stars

Top Gun

Cast: Tom Cruise, Kelly McGillis, Meg Ryan, Val Kilmer, Anthony Edwards, Michael Ironside and Barry Tubb.

Director: Tony Scott

Release Date: 1986

Running Time: 1hr 50 minutes

Genre: Action

Rating: PG

Format: Blu-Ray 

Synopsis:

As the students at the elite fighter pilot school Top Gun, they all compete to be the best, however one daring young pilot learns a few things from a civilian instructor that are not taught in the classroom.

Pilot Peter "Maverick" Mitchell is a good pilot, but unlike most of them, he chooses to not go with the flow which one too many times has put himself and others in serious danger. Maverick is played brilliantly by a very young Tom Cruise, this was well before his "Mission Impossible" days and quite possibly one of the best action movies of the 1980's. Cruise steals the hearts of woman everywhere including Charlie played by Kelly McGillis, the chemistry on screen between the two of them is fantastic, although it's not all about Charlie and Maverick, Maverick also has a very fun loving sidekick Goose played fantastically by Anthony Edwards. Both are brilliant on screen together, their friendship really shines through brilliantly in the film, especially when they decide to give the bird!  Of course no good action movie, would be good without a little bit of tension. Maverick is determined to be the best pilot at Top Gun, however so is someone else "Ice" played by Batman's Val Kilmer, an actor we don't tend to see that often these days, he's probably most famous for his role in this film, Maverick and Ice certainly don't see eye to eye on everything, causing a lot of on screen tension between the two of them. This film is all about friendship and competition.

The screenplay is brilliant, beautifully written by Jim Cash and Jack Epps Jr, the dialogue through out this film is really great, as a member of the audience you are introduced to each of the characters individually, Maverick and Goose are introduced in the first couple of minutes of the movie, we're also introduced to Goose's wife played by Meg Ryan later on through out the film. Cruise's performance really supports his acting through out this film, he's cocky and a little bit in love with himself and it really shows on screen. He has Charlie right under his spell. There is clearly a lot of depth to Maverick though, to him it's not just a competition. It's a way of life. Top Gun has been very well directed and is beautifully shot, believe me when I tell you it looks even better on Blu-Ray. Scott has chosen to use a lot of unique shots, especially when using aerial shots inside the fighter planes, he's managed to capture beautiful close ups of the actors, it looks very authentic and real, really setting the tone for the movie. The colours really shine through brilliantly in this film, it could be due to fantastic touching up of the blu-ray, or because it's been beautifully shot, I'd say it's a nice combination of the two. Either way they've made the film look absolutely fantastic. The costumes naturally are very suitable for the story, visually you'd believe all of them were real fighter pilots, the production design inside the ship looks very authentic and as I mentioned before the shots inside the fighter planes are absolutely brilliant.

Scott has chosen to use a contemporary score for the film with classic names like Kenny Loggins who also brought us the popular song "Footloose" from the movie of the same name. Believe me when I tell you it works beautifully alongside the film, it really adds to the tension and the emotion in the film, one scene in particular will really pull on your heartstrings, the music that coincides with it is beautiful, a very nice score indeed. Top Gun is a truly fantastic movie from the 1980's, that shouldn't be missed by anyone, what better way to watch it too other then on a gorgeous looking Blu-Ray. Entertaining and Thrilling.

5/5 stars

Father of the Bride 2

Cast: Steve Martin, Diane Keaton, Martin Short, Kieran Culkin, George Newborn and Kimberly Williams-Paisley

Director: Charles Shyer

Release Date: 1995

Running Time: 1hr 41 minutes

Genre: Romantic Comedy

Rating: PG

Synopsis:

George Banks is back again, this time Annie is expecting her first child, his wife is also unexpectedly pregnant.

George and Nina Banks are very happy and enjoying life, Annie and Brian are settled in their jobs and their new home when they announce they are gonna be parents. What parents wouldn't be happy? Here's the thing, Nina Banks is also expecting her third child at the same time. George must now cope with two pregnancies in the family. This movie is equally as heartwarming as the first, we've got the same wonderful characters back including little Matty (Culkin) and Frank (Martin Short) this time, employed to prepare the perfect nursery for Annie and Nina's baby's. Charles Shyer has chosen Steve Martin to narrate this film too. I think it adds a really nice touch to the movie.

George's reaction to Annie announcing she is pregnant is pretty much the same as to how he reacted to the news of the wedding in the first film. He certainly isn't too sure on being referred to as Grandpa. Matt also isn't too sure if he likes the idea of being an Uncle. George goes to the extreme to prove he's still young and wants to be a cool grandpa by going to the gym and dying his hair. Have grandparents really gone to these extremes in real life? The chemistry between George and Nina is just as good as it was the first time, Eugene Levy makes a pleasant return in this movie, however not as a wedding singer but as a pushy businessman who wants to buy their house. Does it get sold? Your gonna have to watch and find out. There are some truly heartwarming moments through out this film that make it equally as good as the first one.

Martin Short is just as good in this film as he was in the first one, his executive manager is just as funny too played wonderfully by BD Wong, who you might recognize from "Jurassic Park" it's safe to say he's come quite far in his career. The movie is beautifully shot and flows very nicely, although the first one is probably a little bit better looking then this one, the lighting adds to the tone of the film nicely, again choosing neutral colours and pastel colours for costume design and production design. The camera moves very nicely between shots and is very well edited.  A very funny scene to look out for involving Martin Short is watching him give Nina and Annie an aerobics class. Definitely something to look out for. Alan Silvestri is back once again with a beautiful score, not quite as good as the first one, but still very good, it still works beautifully alongside the film, once again there is a nice contemporary score too with names like Etta James and Steve  Tyrell.

Father of the Bride 2 is a beautiful and heartwarming film, I'm sure any woman who has ever had a baby can relate to this film on numerous amount of levels. Looking at the nursery in this film alone will fill your heart with love and joy. This is the perfect film to watch if your expecting, the ultimate chick flick. They really don't make movies like this anymore, this is definitely one to look out for, especially if you loved the first film. It's probably a good idea Charles Shyer chose to only make two films, because two are just enough.

5/5 stars

Father of the Bride

Cast: Steve Martin, Diana Keaton, Kimberly Williams-Paisley, George Newborn and Martin Short

Director: Charles Shyer

Release Date: 1991

Genre: Romantic Comedy

Running Time: 1hr 45 minutes

Rating: PG

Format: DVD

Synopsis:

George Banks finds it difficult to let go when his daughter Annie announces she's getting married. 

Shoe designer George Banks (Martin) is very content with life, a terrific job, a fantastic family and his daughter Annie (Williams-Paisley) is back from Rome. On her arrival however he wasn't expecting the announcement that she is engaged to Independent communication consultant Brian McKenzie. Father of the Bride is a film that every parent should watch when their children announce their engagement. The storyline is full of happiness, fun and laughter. George Banks is a typical protective father, disliking the idea that his little girl is getting married. Brian too, finds himself getting nervous meeting the in-laws.

George Banks is excellently played by Steve Martin, Martin is brilliantly over the top and hilariously funny. How many of you can relate to an overprotective father? Diane Keaton stars as George's wife Nina Banks, unlike her husband she's terribly excited about the idea of her daughter getting married, helping Annie plan everything from the reception to the design of the wedding cake. Speaking of wedding cakes, Martin short is absolutely fabulous as wedding planner Franck Eggelhoffer (Isn't that a terrific name?) Short is magnificently enthusiastic and works tremendously alongside Howard Weinstein played brilliantly by BD Wong.

George and Annie Banks share a beautiful bond with one another, George spends most of her wedding reminiscing about her childhood. His little girl is all grown up. Their father-daughter relationship is very convincing and heartwarming. A superb storyline written beautifully by director Nancy Meyers. Heartwarming, hilariously funny and wonderfully charming. Sensationally shot, director of photography John Lindley has worked brilliantly alongside director Charles Shyer in creating a romantic atmosphere on screen. Gorgeous lighting that really adds to the mood, the stunning use of pastel colours for Annie and Brian's wedding reception. Composer Alan Silvestri delivers a romantic score that adds to the theme of the film perfectly. Terrifically emotional, one that is certain to touch your heart and bring a tear to your eye.

An absolute must have for anyone planning on getting married.

5/5 stars

The Man from U.N.C.L.E

Cast: Henry Cavill, Alicia Vikander, Elizabeth Debicki, Slyvestor Groth and Hugh Grant

Director: Guy Richie

Release Date: 2015

Running Time: 1hr 56 minutes

Genre: Action/Comedy

Rating: PG-13

Synopsis:

In the 1960's,  CIA agent Napoleon Solo and KGB operative Illya Kuryakin help out in a joint mission against a mysterious criminal organisation which is working to produce nuclear weapons.

Based on the popular TV series of the same name, Guy Richie brings us a fantastic comedy full of action, starring "Man of Steel's" Henry Cavill as Solo. James Bond meets Mission Impossible. It's quite nice to see Henry Cavill in something other a Superman Costume. Coming from a woman's perspective, he looks pretty good in a suit, I'm sure there are plenty of gentlemen that would agree too. Richie hasn't directed a great deal of movies, mainly known for "Sherlock Holmes", this movie looks pretty promising. The movie has plenty of comedy, with some really great moments of dialogue, particularly that coming from Solo. Alicia Vikander plays Gaby, Cavill and Vikander hit it off right from the start, there's great chemistry on screen between the two of them. Cavill shows great characterization, he's charming, funny and smart. Although Tom Cruise was set to originally play the role of Solo, it's safe to say that Cavill probably carries the role far more better. Vikander has a very funny dance sequence, definitely one to look out for.

"What's that? It smells like feet" "Expensive feet"

It's beautifully shot with some gorgeous moments of scenery particularly in Rome. The sets feel very lived in and authentic, with the use of gorgeous 60's fashion, it looks fantastic. The only thing that is slightly off putting is, despite it being an action/comedy there isn't a great deal of action, don't get me wrong though it's still very entertaining, I also don't like how the camera pans between scenes, it's awfully fast making some scenes very disorientating for audiences. It is however very well edited. There's a fantastic boat chase scene that is very well shot and very entertaining. I really like that Richie has chosen to use subtitles for when those are speaking in a German accent, as daft as it sounds, a lot of movies forget to do so and leave the audience lost in understanding what is being said. At the same time though you need to concentrate on what is being said in order to understand the plot.

This is very tongue in cheek, there are moments through out the film that are very funny, however they are very simple gags, they might come across as very cheesy, don't get me wrong though, it works beautifully alongside the dialogue and the characters. Personally, I'm a bigger fan of the James Bond series, as I haven't seen the original TV series, I can't vouch for how similar they are. Henry Cavill could certainly have a chance as the next Bond though. There are sadly some scenes that really drag the movie down, not quite as as action packed as James Bond but not as cheesy Austin Powers. This is a classy and entertaining film, but it is a little bit disappointing. The trailer led audiences to believe this was more action packed then it actually is, very offputting.

3/5 stars

Doctor Strange

Cast: Benedict Cumberbatch, Rachel McAdams, Tilda Swinton and Benedict Wong

Director: Scott Derrickson

Release Date: 2016

Running Time: 1hr 55 minutes

Genre: Action/Fantasy

Rating: PG-13

Format: Blu-Ray

Synopsis:

Doctor Stephen Strange is a very talented neurosurgeon who after a tragic car accident must put his ego aside and learn the secrets of a hidden world and alternate dimensions.

Benedict Cumberbatch is probably someone you are more used to seeing in the role of "Sherlock Holmes" however he was surprisingly fantastic in this film. Steven Strange is pretty content with life, he's extremely good at being a neurosurgeon, on route to a very important party, all dressed up, driving in his swanky car he has a serious car accident and has permanent nerve damage in his hands, even after recovery. Marvel Comics seem to be producing better and better films, the more they go on with the recent success of "Captain America: Civil War" and "Deadpool" it's no surprise that this film also became a box office success. Dr Strange is a wonderful film about determination, courage and wisdom. It's an eye opener to something some believe to be real, astral projection.

Scott Derrickson has made a very interesting move as a director after directing two popular horror movies, the very creepy "Sinister" and "The Exorcism of Emily Rose" , it's a very brave move, and one he should be proud of, because this is a very entertaining film. Dr Strange has just the right amount of backstory on Steven without allowing the audience to get bored, it's clear very early on that Steven is not only very good at his job but obsessed with it too, a perfectionist at his craft. Benedict Cumberbatch and Rachel McAdams have a very interesting relationship through out this film, their chemistry is screen is very good and believable. Speaking of believable Cumberbatch delivers a very convincing American accent through out the film. This could be the film that really shows what Cumberbatch is capable of. Tilda Switon never fails to impress, she's an extremely good character actor, she brings fantastic characterization to every character that she plays, her character in this movie is no different. Tilda plays the Ancient one, someone who can allow themselves to go into the astral dimension, her character reminds of that of Aang in "The Last Air Bender" in terms of looks and in personality. She delivers a really fantastic performance in this film.

This film reminds me of the hit movie "Inception" the buildings that tumble over one another in another dimension over the city of China. Director of photography Ben Davis, clearly wanted this film to be all about the special effects and the stunning photography, because there is no end of it, don't get me wrong it looks brilliant, however it is all about the special effects, it takes you away from the storyline every so slightly. The production department haven't done a bad job however there are moments where I think they could have done better, unfortunately there are so many special effects, that you can't always tell what is a real set and what has been computer generated in. Probably the first Marvel film, I've seen in a while where the majority of the film is near enough just special effects and nothing else, none the less it does look good and works brilliantly with the storyline. Chances are if you really enjoyed "The Last Air Bender" you'll really enjoy this. They are very similar.

Michael Giacchino has also very recently composed fantastic films like "Rogue one: A Star Wars Story" and "Star Trek Beyond", the score to this film isn't too bad, it works well, although the movie doesn't call for much of a score, unlike "Deadpool" where the story and the dialogue worked beautifully alongside the music, Dr Strange doesn't need that, however that said, Giaccchino could easily have composed a much more exciting score to go along with the film. The majority of the score however really does support the mood of the film, Although it's exciting there is a serious mystery to the film too. This is a really entertaining and fun film, it's safe to say that Cumberbatch and director Scott Derrickson have very bright future's ahead of them, I'm looking forward to seeing Dr Strange in more upcoming Marvel films. Any fan of Benedict Cumberbatch is going to love this.

Blu-Ray Bonus Features:

A Strange Transformation:

A nine minute featurette on the making of the movie. Very short and basic. A little insight into the production and costume design with Director Scott Derickson.

Strange Company:

15 minute featurette on the fantastic actors starring in Doctor Strange, particularly Benedict Cumberbatch.

The Fabric of Reality:

A fifteen minute featurette on the costume and production design. Bringing them to life.

Across Time and Space:

Thirteen minute featurette on the stunt/fight work on the movie. Very interesting to see how fight sequences were shot, watching the actors train martial arts.

Deleted and Extended Scenes:

Pretty interesting deleted scenes, that personally were chosen rightly so as deleted scenes. Rather long and boring.

Gag Reel: 

Four minutes of the cast and crew having fun on the set of Doctor Strange!

Audio Commentary:

Commentary by Director Scott Dickinson.

5/5 stars

Deadpool

Cast: Ryan Reynolds, Karan Soni, Ed Skrien, Taylor Hickson and Kyle Cassie.

Director: Tim Miller

Release Date: 2016

Running Time: 1hr 47 minutes

Genre: Action

Rating: R

Format: Blu-Ray

Synopsis:

A very witty mercenary with a bizarre sense of humor is subjected to a rogue experiment that leaves him with fast healing powers and a quest for revenge.

This is the story of Wade Wilson and how he became Deadpool. Quite possibly one of the best characters in the Marvel Universe, who better to play the role, other then the talented Ryan Reynolds. Never have I ever before seen an actor so perfectly suited for a role. Reynolds is absolutely brilliant through out the whole film, with his witty sense of humor and fantastic facial expressions, he truly brings the character of Deadpool to life. You know when your sat in a theatre and everyone around you is laughing at all the right places in a film, that you've done something right. Tim Miller has a very bright future as a director. The dialogue in this film is absolutely brilliant, Deadpool comes out with so many witty lines, even if you didn't understand the storyline, you'd still find it hilarious. Deadpool makes a very nice inside joke at Wolverine, whether or not we'll see the two together in a film is another matter. I could sit here forever and tell you how awesome the dialogue is. Deadpool was made purely for entertainment and trust me you get plenty of it.

This is by far the most stunning out of all the Marvel Films, it puts "Avengers" and "Thor" to shame. Beautifully shot with some of the best uses of photography in a very long time. Director of photography Ken Seng really went all out. It's no surprise that it went straight to number one at the box office. I love the fact that Miller chose to give a backstory to Wade Wilson, instead of just thrusting the audience into a typical superhero world, where we're just introduced to Deadpool. Instead we're shown a man who is diagnosed with cancer and is basically given a chance to not only live but become a superhero in the process. Just like it's character, the movie flows at a very fast pass. The best thing is the audience doesn't get left behind in the process.

The use of special effects are fantastic, on first glance, we are a shown a car crash in slow motion, and what appears to be a fight between Deadpool and mutants, with the use of Juice Newton's "Angel of the morning" immediately the audience is not only shown what is to come but the wonderful humor that will come with it. The effects in this film really do put every other Marvel film to shame, for a character that is so fast passed and full of energy, when the special effects are used they are slowed down. Oddly it adds to the tone of the movie perfectly. The color red is used frequently through out the film, at the beginning Wade is seen in a red Christmas jumper, he gives his girlfriend an engagement ring with a red stone and of course Deadpool's signature costume is RED. Were the filmmakers throwing subtle hints to the audience what was to come, including Wade's red boiling skin that he ends up living with?

Miller chose to use a contemporary soundtrack for Deadpool, it works perfectly in conjunction with the character of Wade and the tone of the film, the soundtrack itself is full of humor with the likes of Salt-N-Pepa, Juice Newton, Junkie XL, Bing Crosby and DMX.  The soundtrack is entertaining and funny and works beautifully alongside the film, This whole film is oozing with humour and Miller has taken every moment he can to express it, through the use of fantastic photography, dialogue, acting and soundtrack. If you a prefer a more upbeat comic book story, then this is probably right up your street. Highly entertaining and perfect for anyone with a very witty sense of humour.

5/5 stars

X-Men: Apocalypse

Cast: James McAvoy, Jennifer Laurence, Nicolas Hoult, Oscar Issac, Evan Peters, Sophie Turner, Ben Hardy, and Rose Byrne.

Director: Bryan Signer

Release Date: 2016

Running Time: 2hrs 23 minutes

Genre: Action

Rating: PG-13

Synopsis:

Apocalypse is the first and most powerful mutant in the X-Men series, immortal and invincible. After waking up after thousands of years, he is shocked with the world that he finds, recruits a team of powerful mutants, including Magneto to help cleanse a new world order to which he will reign. Professor X and the team, must get together a team of young X-men and save mankind from complete destruction.

X-Men: Apocalypse is the eighth film in the series. It's a wonder Bryan Signer chooses to keep going after the lack of success from Days of Future Past. A film that is supposedly made by Marvel, but never runs freely with the label, no where near up to the standards of "The Avengers" or "Deadpool" however still very entertaining in it's own right. Signer could not of made a more different film from the previous, are we still stuck in the same time zone? No, ten years have passed since Days of Future Past first happened. The new characters that we are introduced too, aren't fully aware of what happened in the past and are still developing their gifts, Scott has a power very similar to Superman allowing him to laser through anything with his eyes, Jean Grey can't quite come to terms with her telepathy and Nightcrawler, is he supposed to be a lizard? A Dragon?

Are the characters lacking in characterization? No, quite the opposite, James McAvoy delivers a far better performance then he did in the previous X-men film, he brings his character to life, it's the Professor X we know from the previous X-Men films, Jennifer Laurence appears to be much more comfortable in her role as Mystique, she too has gained control of her powers and no longer appears blue. Peters again delivers a fantastic performance as Quicksilver, however again seems to steal the show with his performance. Something doesn't fit well with Rose Byrne, apart from the fact that she has a bit of past history with Charles Xavier, her character is pretty pointless.

Although beautifully shot unfortunately the only scene that stands out, is a sequence involving Quicksilver where he rescues everyone from the school from an explosion, what causes that explosion is another story all together. Singer has chosen to use beautiful close ups of the mutants through out the film, there are also some great aerial shots over the school and over the sequence in which Quicksilver rescues everyone was very well thought out and brilliantly shot in slow motion, really bringing the scene and the character of Quicksilver to life. The storyline doesn't drag quite as much as Days of future past however there are a few moments that really drag down the film that are quite unnecessary, particularly those shot in Egypt. A very familiar face does make a very nice comeback, it's not certain that the new mutants are aware of who he is. Apocalypse is full of fast moving action sequences, fantastic choreographed fight sequences, and plenty of explosions that put all of the other X-Men films to shame.

Sadly, no where near as good as other Marvel Films, none the less, still very entertaining and definitely the best in the franchise so far.

4/5 stars

X-Men: Days of Future Past

Cast: Hugh Jackman, James McAvoy, Jennifer Laurence, Halle Berry, Nicolas Hoult, Ellen Page and Even Peters.

Director: Brian Singer

Release Date: 2014

Genre: Action

Running Time: 2hrs 28 minutes

Rating: PG-13

Format: Blu-Ray


Synopsis:

Charles Xavier sends Wolverine into the past in a desperate effort to change history and prevent and event that puts the end to all humans and mutants.

Days of future past is the seventh film in the X-Men franchise. The movie begins in the future, a murder of mutants is led by Charles Xavier and Eric, they conspire to save both humans and mutants from robot Sentinels. In order to prevent the robots from becoming government weapons, Xavier and Eric must send Wolverine back to 1973, to stop Mystique, from murdering their creator Dr Trask, in the midst of all things, he must also find a much younger Xavier, Eric and Beast, to help track her down. Although X-Men falls into the Marvel Comic category it sadly doesn't live up to the same standards of "Deadpool" or "The Avengers" the storyline is awfully confusing and it takes several characters to explain what is going on, sadly by this point as a member of the audience, we're already bored. It takes a mere forty-five minutes, before we are shown any action and even then the character only makes a brief appearance on screen.

We're very nicely introduced to Quicksilver (Evan Peters), who is tracked down at his home by Wolverine, Charles and Beast. Peters delivers a fantastic performance, he's charming and quirky and oozes with characterization unlike the other actors. Unfortunately it isn't until we're introduced to Quicksilver that the movie really gets going and we start to see some action, shockingly forty-five minutes in to be exact. We're shown a wonderful sequence in which Quicksilver must brake into the Pentagon to release Eric, with the use of some pretty snazzy effects the audience are shown a very fun and clever scene, involving Quicksilver running around a kitchen at high speed, dodging bullets, and guards in the process. The tone and use of dialogue from Quicksilver matches his personality beautifully along with his silver hair, goggles and leather jacket.

Sadly Simon Kindberg hasn't delivered the best screenplay, some of the dialogue is awfully boring and really drags the movie down. The friendship between Xavier and Eric isn't particularly convincing, although it is stated by Wolverine "So you've always been an asshole" sends signals that perhaps they haven't been that close all along, however the film is still lacking in something, although Jackman delivers a good performance and steals most of the show, even his character is lacking in something, personality maybe? The personality's of young Xavier and Eric, just do not match the standards of their characters in the present day. There are a few funny moments, but sadly the film is lacking in a lot of humor. Nicolas Hoult practically delivers next to no characterization as Beast, apart from the fact that he turns blue and runs around on all fours.

The movie is well organised, however it jumps from scene to scene awfully quick, perhaps it's simply because they are going back in time? The scenes between Charles and Logan are actually very good, the two work wonderfully together on screen and have really good dialogue however scenes between Mistique and Dr Trask, just don't bide well together, in the way in which it's shot, you'd have every right to believe they were potentially two different movies. Several characters aren't even on screen long enough to explain their characters to the audience. The movie is sadly lacking in action. when we finally do see some action, it's in the last forty five minutes of the movie. Up until this point the movie is very boring, which for an X-Men movie is very disappointing. Wolverine and Quicksilver are the only good characters in the film. Very dissapointed.

2/5 stars