The Grudge 2

Cast: Sarah Michelle Geller, Amber Tamblyn, Arielle Kebbel, Takako Fuji, Edison Chen, Sarah Roemer and Matthew Knight.

Director: Takashi Shimizu

Release Date: 2006

Running Time: 1hr 42 minutes

Genre: Horror

Rating: PG-13

Synopsis:

In the second instalment to "The Grudge", we see three interwove stories about a terrible curse, a young woman arriving in Japan encounters a supernatural being whilst searching for her missing sister. 

Takashi Shimizu dared to make a sequel! So here we are with the second installment to "The Grudge" series. Three teenage girls from an International school in Tokyo find their way into the same house that caused Karen Davis (Geller) so much grief. After a prank that goes horribly wrong the girls soon learn that it is a bit more then a haunted house. Karen Davis finds herself in hospital after reportedly trying to set fire to the house. I really like the atmosphere that surrounds this film compared to the first one. There is a lot more suspense. The storyline is far better too and explains elements from the first movie. However there were moments in this movie that didn't make sense, I believe they were essentially flash backs? As a member of the audience it would have been nice to have had that explained as to not cause any confusion later on in the movie.

Teresa Palmer has her ups and downs when it comes to acting, she was absolutely incredible in "Hacksaw Ridge" but her performance in this was just mediocre. Did she take her character from "I am Number Four" and dump it into a Japanese horror movie? It's always the same character. Perhaps that's why I didn't enjoy "Lights Out" because it felt like it was just the same character she was bringing to the screen each and everytime. Sarah Michelle Geller should be down as only really having a cameo seeing as she makes an appearance for an amazing five minutes on screen. I think the problem here, is that there is more the one story going on. Of course they are all linked to Kayako, but I do think it would have been easier to focus on one story as apposed to three.

Yes they all went inside the house, so they all have the curse right? But why feel the need to have so many people involved? It would have made more sense really to have all the characters linked to one another in some way, but they wern't. The teenage girls didn't know Karen or Aubrey, nor did they know Eason and visa versa. I love the fact that Takashi Shimizu provided information about what previously happened to Kayako and Toshio. I do think maybe it would have made more sense to explain that in the first film, but it works well with the storyline this time round none the less.

Although most of the scenes look really very good, there were a few moments of flash backs at the end of the movie that were obviously made to look fuzzy, however I found myself unable to actually see what was going on, I'd imagine that Takashi Shimizu was trying to tell his audience about past elements of characters, I just think he completely chose the wrong shot to use. It looks really bad. You know that awful grain you get when your TV isn't working properly, the picture is completely out of focus and just looks downright awful? That is what those scenes looked like, apart from the fact they had been deliberately  made to look like that.

I was expecting to see a little bit more of Sarah Michelle Geller's character Karen Davis, I found that to be a bit disappointing and rather unexpected judging by the synopsis that I had personally read. Editor Jeff Betancourt chose to use rather long gaps between scenes which is rather irritating, it doesn't allow for the next scene to flow nicely and build up some suspense. I am extremely hit and miss when it comes to horror movies.  Although I enjoyed it a bit more then the first one, it was still rather disappointing.

2/5 stars

The Grudge

Cast: Sarah Michelle Geller, Jason Behr, William Mapother, Bill Pullman and Ted Raimi

Director: Takashi Shimizu

Release Date: 2004

Running Time: 1hr 31 minutes

Genre: Horror

Rating: PG-13

Synopsis:

Karen is an American nurse, working and living in Japan when she is suddenly exposed to a supernatural curse, a curse that locks the person in a powerful rage before moving onto their next victim! 

Based on the original Japanese movie "Ju-on: The Grudge", also directed by Takashi Shimizu. I'm not entirely sure why he felt the need to remake one of his own movies, because the original is most likely fantastic! It's possible the original movie made much more sense too? Matthew (Mapother) his wife Emma (Grace Zebriskie) and their mother move to Tokyo for a new life. However their new home is haunted by a supernatural entity that takes the live of others. It doesn't make a lot of sense, having a movie set in Tokyo and choosing to use American actors for the main cast. It's almost as bad as casting Scarlett Johanson as Major in Rupert Sanders "Ghost in the Shell", it's not exactly original is it? I feel like it takes away the premise of the original story.

Sarah Michelle Geller plays Karen Davis a exchange student working and living in Tokyo, this is where it starts to get a little bit confusing. Karen Davis is sent to the house to look after a woman, however when she gets there, something isn't quite right. Karen finds a young boy locked in a cupboard with a cat, yes a cat! Is the cat the supernatural entity? I don't think so. Is it the young boy? I seriously don't know. It's never clearly explained. The storyline is very messy and for the majority of the film doesn't make a great deal of sense. Takashi Shimizu may as well had his actors dress in white sheets and jump out on another, it probably would have been more entertaining!

Sarah Michelle Geller is the only good actress and even then she fails to bring any characterisation to her role. She's a nurse? You could have fooled me. One minute she's an exchange student, then next she's a working nurse? Bill Pullman has absolutely no screen time and when he does make an appearance it's short but sweet and essentially doesn't make any sense at all. The movie desperatly tries to show flashbacks in order to explain what's happened and even that is enough to confuse it's audience. The storyline is really messy and the acting is very poor. It's not laughable, but it's certainly not scary either.

Unfortunately I wasn't overly impressed with the cinematography or the lighting used in the film. I don't really feel like the set design worked well with the storyline. There isn't anything remotely creepy or scary about the house used in the film even though its one of the most important things in the film. The lighting is a little bit too dark at times, it doesn't add to the tone of the film at all. There's no atmosphere surrounding the film. No suspense. If Shimizu had chosen to use a lot more suspense the lighting would have worked perfectly. As I've mentioned previously I do tend to find most horror movies an embarrassing mess. I'm more baffled that probably a very talented Japanese Director felt the need to remake one of his own films.

I'm generally very dissapointed, I never expect two films to be the same, however I thought if I enjoyed Gore Virbinski's "The Ring" then chances are I would enjoy this. I found the storyline very boring, there wern't any surprises and there wasn't that wonderful sensation of fear and suspense that you're supposed to get from a horror movie. It wasn't rubbish, it just didn't appeal to me personally.

2/5 stars

Beetlejuice

Cast: Michael Keaton, Geena Davis, Catherine O Hara, Winona Ryder and Alec Baldwin.

Director: Tim Burton

Release Date: 1988

Running Time: 1hr 32 minutes

Genre: Fantasy

Rating: PG

Format: Amazon Prime UK

Synopsis:

Adam and Barbara, a recently deceased couple, contact the services of a bio exorcist Beetlejuice, to remove the arrogant new owners of their house. 

Michael Keaton quite possibly delivers one of his best performances to date as the extremely flamboyant Beetlejuice a bio exorcist. Adam (Baldwin) and Barbara (Davis) are a happily married couple who are making plans for two weeks vacation when they suffer a car accident. Your probably thinking what's so funny about that right? Their accident is only the beginning. The Maitlands love their home and don't like the idea of anyone else living it when the Deetz move in and change everything. So what do they do? They higher the help of Beetlejuice in the hope he will scare the newcomers away. Tim Burton is always full of surprises. Although it wasn't his directorial debut, it was one of his first movies to make some serious money! Safe to say he has a remarkable imagination and a very unique approach to directing.

Although it probably looks a little bit dated now, it still looks very good for the time in which it was filmed. I tend to find most people are a bit hit and miss when it comes to Tim Burton movies, you either love them or you hate them. Or perhaps you're like myself? I love some of his films, others I'm not such a fan of. Beetlejuice however is a firm favourite of mine. Michael Keaton is absolutely brilliant as the flamboyant Beetlejuice. The characterization that he brought to this role is quite astonishing, I'd only ever really seen Michael Keaton in "Batman" and even then I wasn't sure if I liked him as Bruce Wayne. This however was something else! I was thoroughly impressed. He's very entertaining. Catherine O Hara was also an actress I wasn't too familiar with having only seen her in "Home Alone" as Kate McCallister. O Hara plays an artist/sculpture who doesn't have the best relationship with her daughter Lydia Deetz played by Winona Ryder.

There are certainly elements from this movie seen in other Tim Burton movies, "Corpse Bride" being one. The animation has come somewhat of a trademark for him. Although it's unique, I love the fact that it's different, his movies stand out massively in comparison to other movies set within the same genre. The storyline is a little bit ridiculous, but let's face it, that's what makes it so brilliant! The dialogue is just as ridiculous but hilariously funny. Burton has relied massively on set design as apposed to mounds of special effects. There are scenes that look incredibly cheesy, but trust me when I tell you it adds to the tone of the film perfectly. If you love Tim Burton it's exactly the sort of thing you'd expect in one of his movies.

One of the only Tim Burton movies to not have Danny Elfman as the composer for it's soundtrack. He too has become a trademark when it comes to Burton movies. The soundtrack is just as wacky and ridiculous as the storyline. It too works brilliantly. The costumes are great and match the characters excellently. Overall this is a highly entertaining movie, it's wacky, strange and absolutely ludicrous, Michael Keaton delivers one of his most obscure characters to date, it's certainly not one to be missed!

5/5 stars

Hacksaw Ridge

Cast: Andrew Garfield, Richard Pyros, Jacob Warner, Milo Gibson and Vince Vaughn.

Director: Mel Gibson

Release Date: 2016

Running Time: 2hrs 19 minutes

Genre: War/Drama/True Story

Rating: R

Format: Blu-Ray

Synopsis:

The remarkable true story of Army medic Desmond T Doss who served during the battle of Okinawa, Doss refused to use a rifle or kill anyone and remarkably saved a hundred people, Doss became the first person in history to receive the Medal of Honor. 

Desmond T. Doss refused to kill an enemy soldier or carry a weapon into combat due to his personal beliefs as a seventh day Adventist. What a truly remarkable man. Mel Gibson captures the remarkable true story in this incredible drama. Andrew Garfield (The Amazing Spider Man), really captures audiences with his amazing portrayal as Desmond T Doss. It's impossible to believe that anyone could ever have that amount of bravery, this gentlemen did! Mel Gibson is certainly someone we are much more used to seeing on the big screen, rather then behind the camera, however I think it's safe to say he's definitely onto a one way road back to fame with this beauty!

War films are powerful, sensitive and emotional to watch, it's crucial they are made well, Mel Gibson has truly allowed his audience to immerse themselves into the storyline, You'll find yourself, laughing, crying and quite literally on the edge of your seat at times! Scenes so powerful they will have you gasping for air in anticipation. Andrew Garfield delivers quite possibly one of his most best performances as Desmond T Doss, absolutely astonishing, Garfield's performance is remarkably real and convincing. He's gone to great effort to really dive into the character of Doss. It takes serious skills to physically look petrified, you'll understand what I mean upon viewing!

Vince Vaughn is an actor who in all honesty normally irritates the hell out of me, he's amazing at playing the goof, he was also surprisingly amazing in this film as Sgt Howell, a fantastic portrayal of a another brave man! The acting really is incredible! The relationships between Doss and the other soldiers is realistic, Doss is extremely misunderstood at first as being a coward, it's not until he starts showing true heroic characteristics that they start to really have respect for him!

Cinematographer Simon Duggan has really captured the beauty of the film! Each and every scene looks incredibly stunning! Gorgeous close ups of bombs going off, grenades being thrown, the realism caught on camera is insane! Absolutely terrifying! Mel Gibson allows you to feel inspired and frightened all at the same time! You have a man risking his life for others, he has no form of defense apart from his bible that gives him courage, bravery and inspiration to help others! I think we could all do with taking a leaf out of his book. Desmond T Doss, rescued 75 men on the ridge, unfortunately they didn't all survive but the fact that he risked his life for others is something all on its own!

Mind-blowing! Absolutely amazing! Real on the edge of your seat stuff! Move aside Steven Spielberg you've got some serious competition! The best war movie since Spielberg's "Saving Private Ryan", this really is one not to be missed! The storyline is absolutely top notch! Petrifying on all levels!

5/5 stars

The Village

Cast: Joaquin Phoenix, Bryce Dallas Howard, Adrien Brody, William Hurt, Sigourney Weaver and Brendon Gleeson.

Director: M. Night Shyamalen

Release Date: 2004

Running Time: 1hr 48 minutes

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Rating: PG-13

Format: DVD

Synopsis:

A small village, believe they are cursed by a strange creature that lurks in their forest, warning them not to go outside the village! 

M. Night Shymalen delivers quite possibly one of the best thrillers of the early naughties! Shyamalen is full of surprises, "Signs" wasn't necessarily full of surprises, however you wern't always sure what you were going to see and that is exactly what happens with this movie. He allows his actors to inform his audience about a monster, a creature that is lurking in the woods next to their village however Shyamalen didn't intend for you to see lots of this creature. He wants your imagination to go wild, what could possibly be lurking in those woods? A creature from another world? Reportedly the trailer for this film confused audiences who mistook it to be a horror movie. It's not a horror movie but it will have you on the edge of your seat!

They live by extremely strict rules, they are not to leave the village otherwise the monsters beyond their boundaries will surely attack them! Bryce Dallas Howard's performance is absolutely mesmerizing. Howard is remarkably convincing! Her character Ivy is mysterious and quiet, as strange as it sounds, due to her blindness she is very much a free spirit, she does not feel fear like the rest of the people in her village. Joaquin Phoenix who also starred in M Night. Shyamalen's "Signs" delivers one of his best performances as Lucius Hunt, he cares deeply for the people in the village, especially Ivy, they both share a very interesting relationship. Joaquin Phoenix and Bryce Dallas Howard work beautifully on screen together!

Adrian Brody's acting is absolutely incredible, Brody plays Noah Percy, a young that is believed to have a form of autism. It is however not determined, none the less Brody's performance is remarkable. Convincing and realistic. Each character really will take you by surprise, you're never quite sure what's going to happen. M Night Shyamalen has done a fine job in directing his actors. The suspense and tension that is created just by his actors alone is absolutely brilliant!

I love the colour tone that is used beautifully alongside the cinematography, it really works with the storyline and the environment in which it's set. Dark, mysterious and completely secluded. Please be patient with this film, you won't see anything major straight away, that however is part of the beauty of the film. It's unexpected, the ending will take you completely by surprise. It's not what you expect. I love the creativity that has gone into the look of the creature and the concept behind it. This isn't something made by the special effects department, it is real. It's very clever. The mystery behind the story is what makes it so captivating.

The only disappointing factor of this movie and it was the same with "Passengers" is that once you know what's going to happen you are never surprised in quite the same way ever again. Don't get me wrong that doesn't mean to say that this is one of those movies you will only want to watch once as everytime you will notice something new. I suppose any movie with a major twist is a bit like that, there are however movies that will surprise you everytime upon viewing. Those are the most impressive. I was blown away, you will fool your mind into believing all sorts until you are told. The relationships are tense between each character, they are desperately trying to protect their people.

A thriller not to be missed! Remarkably real and mesmerizing!

DVD Special Features:

Deconstructing the Village: 

A featurette on how M Night Shyamalen came up with the story, how he designed the village. The casting of the actors, an insight into the actors going through boot camp to understand their environment and their characters more, composing the soundtrack and coming up with the amazing creatures that you see on film.

Deleted Scenes:

Five very interesting deleted scenes introduced by M Night Shyamlaen, he explains each one individually telling you why he chose to keep them out of the film.

Bryce's Diary:

Bryce Dallas Howard reads segments from her diary during the filming of the movie.

5/5 stars

Alien: Resurrection

Cast: Sigourney Weaver, Winona Ryder, Dominique Pinon, Ron Pearlman, Kim Flowers and David S.James

Director: Jean-Pierre Jeaunet

Release Date: 1997

Running Time: 1hr 44 minutes

Genre: Sci Fi

Rating: 18

Format: DVD

Synopsis:

Two hundred years after her death, Ripley is now a powerful human/hybrid who must continue to help fight the war with the aliens! 

So here with are with the fourth installment to the "Alien" Franchise. Why they thought they had to make another movie is beyond me. Set in 2386, Ellen Ripley has now been cloned as a powerful human/alien hybrid. When Ripley originally arrived at the maximum security prison they took blood, allowing them to get hold of her DNA. Initially it reminds me of Alice's character in "Resident Evil" as she is not only cloned once but several times. Ripley has an eight tattooed on her arm meaning she is the eighth clone. In all honesty I feel like there should be a movie between "Alien 3" and this one, why? Simply the fact that two centuries have passed since the events that took place at the maximum security prison. What the heck happened in between? How was it that they came to clone Ripley? How did they get hold of her sample of blood?

Unfortunately I get the impression that they chose to make this movie just for the sake of having another"Alien" film. Dan Hedaya is a great character actor he was fantastic in "The Addams Family" however he just irritates me as General Perez. The storyline has gotten to the point where it's ridiculous. Gediman is studying Ellen Ripley and the alien. They're aware she is a queen. If you ask me that's all the suspense and fear gone out the window that was in the original first two movies. They're actually studying the alien lifeform? Elle Ripley now has super powers for example having amazing basketball skills because she is a clone? What's the point in Winona Ryder's character Call? Is there a reason she's the only woman there apart from Ellen Ripley? What happened in those 200 years? The storyline is very poor and doesn't make an ounce of sense.

There are a few gruesome scenes which essentially do add to the tone of the film very well considering what the movie is supposed to be about, it's just a shame it's rather laughable. The performances from Sigourney Weaver, Dan Hadaya, Brad Dourif and Winona Ryder just aren't convincing, very disappointing. Ron Pearlman is a great actor however his performance in this is just annoying, it's not realistic and comes across as very poor. Let's see how many characters we can kill off in the first 40 minutes of the movie! I'm sorry it's far too predictable. The alien lifeform is the only thing in the movie that actually looks blooming awesome! Suspense is created by only showing the audience so much, allowing them to use their imagination, is something going to jump out? Is there something lurking around the corner? When you just present it to your audience on a plate, there's no emotion, there's no fear.

The best movies are where you are on the edge of your seat in anticipation, because you don't know what's going to happen. I do honestly think there is a missing link between this film and the last. It just doesn't add up. It's not all bad there are some really good looking scenes involving some pretty weird looking creatures. I'm still however not entirely sure what the writers were thinking when they wrote the storyline or what Jean-Pierre Jeanuton was thinking when it came to direction? The characters in this movie can certainly hold their breath a long time underwater, didn't realize they were such professionals? The alien lifeform can swim now too? That's a new one.

In my humble opinion this movie is just a mess, if you can ask me I'd stick to the first four movies, they're highly entertaining and will have you on the edge of your seat. I don't really understand the reason behind the making of this film, apart from the fact that they thought they could and make profit from it. The storyline is all over the place the acting is appalling and the cinematography is pretty bad looking. It's a no from me.

2/5 stars

Alien 3

Cast: Sigourney Weaver, Charles S Dutton, Charles Dance, Brian Glover, Paul McGann, Ralph Brown and Danny Webb.

Director: David Fincher

Release Date: 1992

Running Time: 1hr 50 minutes

Genre: Sci Fi

Rating: 18

Format: DVD

Synopsis:

In the third installment to the "Alien" franchise, Ripley finds herself on Fiorina Fury 161, a maximum security prison. However, upon returning Ripley finds she is not alone, she's brought along an unwelcome visitor too.

As far as I'm concerned the "Alien" movies should of ended with James Cameron's "Aliens", why do filmmakers always go too far with sequels? Ripley finds herself at a maximum security prison, Ripley was found to be the only one alive, Ripley finds herself haunted by paranoia that those found dead on board the ship may have the alien inside of them. You see a sudden change of attitude in her in this movie compared to the other two, she comes across very much like a soldier, in her appearance and in personality. It's rather daunting seeing her surrounded by men. Charles Dance plays Clemens a very interesting character, is he the leader of the pact? Or simply just a prisoner like everyone else? Ripley certainly has an interesting relationship with him.

I'm not a big fan of the storyline, personally it drifts away from the original story, why has Ripley come across a maximum security prison? David Fincher is an extremely good director but in all honesty? He's directed better movies. I don't like that he's emphasized on potential rape upon Ripley being the only woman. As a woman its not something we like hearing or seeing regardless of if it's made up or not. Don't worry folks you don't see anything and nothing happens, but the theory is there. Not for the faint hearted there are certainly a few gory scenes, there's a pretty interesting scene involving Bishop too that is very clever.

Although there is some action in the film, there are one too many scenes that drag the film down. Drifting further and further away from the plot. Sadly Sigourney Weaver and Charles Dance are the only two actors to actually deliver a very good performance in the movie. It's disappointing in comparison to the other two movies. Despite what is going on, as a member of the audience your not convinced that these characters are actually frightened by what they see. The acting is rather amateurish. The characters just come across as annoying.

The first two movies or three if you include "Alien: Covenant" have an tremendous amount of suspense that truly keeps you on the edge of your seat, sadly this movie fails at providing that for it's audience. It's somewhat predictable. Sadly the soundtrack does absolutely nothing for the film either, it doesn't work well the story, it doesn't create suspense or tension. Don't get me wrong it's not all bad, there are some twists and turns that may take you by surprise particularly the ending, I do however think more excitement could have been added to the storyline. Nothing really stands out, the film is quite dark, there isn't a great dealing of lighting, the lighting that has been used doesn't really work well with the film either.

Overall a very disappointing movie that really didn't need to be produced. I'm surprised Sigourney Weaver came back for a third installment after the amazing success of the first two films. Perhaps if James Cameron had directed the movie it would have been very different, it might have actually been really good! Directors get so wrapped up in the success of films that they think they can continue the story and make it even better, nine times out of ten it fails. On this occasion for me personally it has failed. There's the odd scene that is generally really good, otherwise it's a disappointing mess.

2/5 stars

Aliens

Cast: Sigourney Weaver, Carrie Henn, Bill Paxton, Michael Beihn, William Hope and Lance Herikson.

Director: James Cameron

Release Date: 1986

Running Time: 2hrs 17 minutes

Genre: Sci Fi

Rating: 18

Format: Blu-Ray

Synopsis:

A team of soldiers find themselves on a moon from "Alien" that has been colonized, there's a catch, all contact is lost.

Aliens follows on very nicely from Ridley Scott's hit movie "Alien", however this time James Cameron is in the directors chair! Ripley's escape shuttle was found drifting through space by a salvage team, when she is taken to hospital she's informed that she was in hypersleep for 57 years, haunted by her past she tries to put the pieces together for Company Representative Carter Burke. Ripley finds herself desperately trying to convince the team what she actually saw. If you loved the first film, believe me your going to absolutely love this! Award winning director James Cameron delivers quite possibly one of the best sequels of all time! The thought of hypersleep sounds rather claustrophobic and risky. What if something goes wrong? Oh wait....that's Passengers.

Was James Cameron already thinking about "Avatar" when he directed this? Watch carefully there are a few elements in this movie that are also in his hit movie "Avatar", Sigourney Weaver makes a triumphant return as Ripley, however you may recognize a few familiar faces too "Terminator" star Michael Beihn, Bill Paxton and Lance Henrikson. Cameron clearly thought they worked well together. The late Bill Paxton delivers a very interesting performance as Private Hudson, although his character is funny, he also drives me absolutely nuts, his character just irritates me. It's almost as if he's trying to overplay his character, none the less it works really well with the story and he works really well with the others characters, particularly Bishop.

Sigourney Weaver delivers a very convincing and realistic performance, it's very nice to see a different side to her character, only she knows what to expect once they are back on the planet. This makes it even more exciting knowing that other characters have no idea what to expect or what is coming after them creating the perfect amount of tension and suspense. Its one of those moments where you can feel your heart beating out of your chest in anticipation. Cameron definitely has a spark for creating some serious tension! Did James Cameron write a better screenplay then Dan O'Bannon? Personally? Yes. Both movies are incredible, but I do think Cameron was able to produce a more impressive looking movie and storyline.

Cameron has been very clever not to rely on jump scares, instead you are shown elements from the original movie, the lighting department have been very clever when it comes to setting a scene, allowing the audience to only see so much before the scene is lit up and it jumps right out at you! The score really works well with the lighting and the performances of the actors in creating frightening sequences. James Cameron made sure that his audience saw more action on screen then the previous film. The special effects are fantastic and don't look over done. In all honesty I think James Cameron took inspiration from "Terminator", if you compare the two movies there are rather a few similarities. It is however an extremely impressive looking film for 1986!

You will find yourself asking questions, however those will be answered in "Alien Covenant", more so in "Alien vs Predator", if your claustrophobic, one scene in particular may make your skin crawl, none the less the scene was impressively filmed with a close up shot. The cinematography is gorgeous, the set design looks very realistic and adds to the tone of the film very well. Personally the film is a little bit too long for me at 2hrs 17 however that doesn't mean to say that the movie drags because it doesn't. Each and every scene works well and explains a bit more of the story without dragging the film down.

Amazing storyline, twice as exciting as the first film, incredible performances from Sigourney Weaver, Michael Beihn, Bill Paxton and Lance Henrikson, plenty of twists and turns, beautifully shot and highly entertaining! Cameron definitely knows how to put on a show! Highly recommend!

5/5 stars

Alien

Cast: Sigourney Weaver, Tom Skeritt, Veronica Cartwright, Harry Dean Stanton, John Hurt and Ian Holm

Director: Ridley Scott

Release Date: 1979

Running Time: 1hr 57 minutes

Genre: Sci Fi

Rating: 18

Format: Blu-Ray

Synopsis:

When a space merchant vessel receives an unknown distress call, they land on the moon to find one of the crew members is attacked by a very mysterious life form, they learn very quickly, that it's life has only just began! 

Set in 2122, a crew on a space merchant vessel awake from hyper sleep to an unknown transmission that is believed to be a distress call, when they arrive, they find something pretty interesting! A mysterious life form that attacks a member of their crew, that however is only the start of it! Ridley Scott was really onto a winner when he made this beauty! I'd highly recommend watching "Alien: Covenant" because "Alien" would certainly make much more sense to you. What a spectacular looking film. Easily one of the most impressive Sci Fi movies I've ever seen.

Ripley (Sigourney Weaver), was employed as Warrent Officer for the Weyland- Yutani corporation, working on the USCSS Nostromo, which was towing massive quantities of raw ore to Earth from Thedus. Ripley and the rest of the crew are woken up 10 months early due to the mysterious distress call. Sigourney Weaver is absolutely excellent as Ripley, her character has a lot of depth and characterisation, she portrays her character very convincingly stealing the show! It's no surprise she found fame in "Ghostbusters" a couple of years later.

Ian Holm's performance Ash also stands out, Ash is the Nostromo's Science Officer. He is quite a mystery to Captain Dallas you'll soon find out later in the movie, not all is as it seems. Ian Holm's delivers a deeply intelligent and fantastic performance. His characterisation is fantastic. The actors work very well on screen together and share convincing relationships, they get on each other's nerves, they don't necessarily like one another but they'll work together to get the job done!

Dan O'Bannon and Ronald Shusett have written a fantastic storyline, this movie really will have you on the edge of your seat. It is however one of those stories where you do have to concentrate, otherwise you are likely to get a bit confused. It is however quite self explanatory once the alien comes into play. I love the theory and I love the concept, it makes a nice change from little green men.

Cinematographer Derek Vanlint has managed to create stunning visuals, in general it's an incredibly impressive looking movie. The cinematography is gorgeous. The production design is amazing it looks very, very convincing. It's dark and eery and creates brilliant suspense and tension. You know there's something lurking but it's a case of when and where are you going to see it. Not for the faint hearted, Scott has relied a tiny bit on jump scares with this film as well as a few predictable scenes. Certain scenes aren't lit at all and it creates incredible suspense, you really emphasize with the characters, as if you were really in their shoes. Any movie that can make you that engrossed in it, has done a very good job! Beautifully shot. Don't be fooled it's not too predictable, there's plenty of surprises too!

The Blu-Ray itself looks absolutely gorgeous, you'd never believe it had been filmed in 1979! Unfortunately there aren't any special features, there is however a 2003: Directors cut, depending on your preference it might be quite interesting!

One of the best films of the late 1970's, highly entertaining!

5/5 stars

Prometheus

Cast: Charlize Theron, Noomi Rapace, Michael Fassbender, Idris Elba, Guy Pearce and Logan Marshall-Green.

Director: Ridley Scott

Release Date: 2012

Running Time: 2hrs 3 minutes

Genre: Sci Fi

Rating: 15

Format: DVD

Synopsis:

Set in 2093 and in the same universe as "Alien", Ridley Scott brings us the prequel to the up and coming movie "Alien: Covenant", a group of explorers are on an undisclosed mission when they find themselves on a moon trillions of miles away from Earth. The explorers soon spot what they believe is the signs of civilizations when they spot something out of the ordinary! It's never clear why filmmakers choose to release sequels before prequels. Just when you think you've sussed out the story, it all changes when the audience are introduced to the backstory. In this case it's the backstory to Ridley Scott's famous Sci Fi movie "Alien", starring Sigourney Weaver.

Personally, this isn't quite up to the same standards as "Alien", it's still incredibly entertaining, but there isn't quite as much suspense. There are some pretty scary moments though, more so in the second chapter of the film. Prequels can come as quite a blessing, of all the years I've seen "Alien" and asked so many questions as to how the creature got there in the first place, it's nice to finally have some answers when it comes to this movie. Personally for me Michael Fassbender is the actor that stands out the most, an incredible character actor, he makes a very convincing android. If your familiar with the "Alien" movies you'll know that the androids don't always function properly.

Although the storyline is good and explains a very good backstory, sadly it's nowhere near as exciting as the other films. There isn't a vast amount of stuff going on, there are plenty of scenes where you'll see scientists examining things they have found, but not much of anything else. It's hard to say whether this was intentional or whether it's the case of a poorly written screenplay. There are rather a lot of boring scenes. Understandably this movie is hit and miss with hardcore "Alien" fans. Charlize Theron's performance is good, but nothing spectacular, some of the characters aren't explained very well, some moments are just ridiculous and didn't need to be added to the movie. It just drags the film down. In all honesty the acting isn't that great.

Ridley Scott has certainly made better movies. There isn't that wonderful feeling of being on the edge of your seat that you get with "Alien" and "Aliens", it's a shame because it has the potential, Ridley Scott chose to focus on too many things that essentially has nothing to do with the original storyline. Don't get me wrong sometimes not seeing a lot can create some serious suspense, however at the same time, seeing practically nothing can create a pretty boring movie. I can't quite place my finger on it, but I don't really like how Ridley Scott chose to film the movie, the cinematography is okay, but it could have been better. The production design however is quite impressive. Michael Fassbender really is the best thing about this movie.

Personally you could go without watching this movie and still understand "Alien", however if you want a bit more of a backstory it's a good route to go down. Just don't go in expecting to see a lot. There are some pretty awesome scenes, just not a great deal of them and sadly not until near the end of the movie. In my humble opinion I didn't find this anywhere near as exciting as the original movies, the acting could have been better and the storyline could have been more interesting. There's a nice soundtrack that works well with the storyline and the production team have done a fantastic job in recreating an authentic looking ship and moon. Not for the faint hearted if you find gory scenes a bit difficult.

3/5 stars

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2

Cast: Chris Pratt, Bradley Cooper, Zoe Saldana, Vin Diesel, Dave Bautisa, Michael Rooker, Karen Gillan, Slyvestor Stallone and Kurt Russell.

Director: James Gunn

Release Date: 2017

Running Time: 2hrs 16 minutes

Genre: Action/Fantasy

Rating: PG-13

Format: Theatrical Cinema Release

Synopsis:

Volume Two continues the team's adventures as they unravel the mystery of Peter Quill's true parentage.

I am Groot. I am Groot. I am Groot. Volume two takes off beautifully from the first movie. Peter, Rocket, Groot, Drax and Gamora are back once again on an action packed adventure. Peter must find who his true father is and where his roots truly lie. I can be extremely hit and miss when it comes to Marvel movies, I was however extremely impressed with this one. Chris Pratt is absolutely fantastic as Peter Quill, his witty one liners are excellent there are some truly hilarious scenes with himself and the other characters that will sure to have you laughing! I really like that we were shown a bit more of an in-depth look in to his character too and explained what really happened the day he was taken from Earth.

Bradley Cooper is fantastic as Rocket, he really steals the show in this film, his characterization and his humour is absolutely spot on and works beautifully with the other actors, there's a great scene with himself, Groot and Yondu. Vin Diesel doesn't have to speak much but that doesn't meant to say he did a poor job, baby Groot is easily one of the most lovable characters in this movie, if not Marvel history. Trust me when I tell you, you will find yourself having a soft spot for him. Although volume one is very funny, volume two is far more funny, there are some truly great scenes, the balance of action and humour was perfect! There were a few moments where in all honesty I wasn't too sure what to make of Kurt Russell's character, he's a fantastic actor, however there were moments that I think he could have performed better.

The storyline is excellent and easy to understand there are however a few twists and turns in this one, certainly some characters you might not expect to see. We were very nicely introduced to a few new ones too, however I'm not sure James Gunn explained them thoroughly in this movie, perhaps they will be explained a bit more in volume three?  Visually the film looks absolutely incredible, director of photography Henry Braham has truly created a masterpiece, the cinematography is stunning! There isn't a single scene that looks out of place, the CGI is incredible, definitely one of the best looking Marvel films out there. I'm convinced everytime a new one is released they look better and better! Sequels don't always work, this one did!!!

If you love action movies, you're not going to be dissapointed by this, action packed from start to finish, you certainly aren't going to be left bored, it is however in my humble opinion a little bit too long at 2hrs and 16 minutes, it works well, volume two doesn't drag, but I do think the storyline was spread out much further then needed. Don't get me wrong though, it's incredibly entertaining, they made up for it with action packed scenes. I'm not entirely sure how I feel about the soundtrack, it does however work really well with the storyline. It's nice to hear some new songs that weren't used in volume one.

Incredibly entertaining an absolute must for any Marvel fan! I am Groot. I am Groot. I am Groot.

5/5 stars