Duel

Cast: Dennis Weaver, Jacqueline Scott and Eddie Firestone

Director: Steven Spielberg

Release Date: 1971

Running Time: 1hr 30 minutes

Genre: Thriller

Rating: 12

Format: Blu-Ray

Synopsis:

A business commuter is pursued and terrorized by the malevolent driver of a massive oil tanker. 

Directorial debut of oscar winning director Steven Spielberg. Business commuter David Mann (Weaver) finds himself on a psychological and thrilling journey, when the driver of an oil tanker tries to kill him, forcing him off the road at every chance he gets. Despite the film being cast as a TV movie, Duel really delivers a unique cinematic experience to audiences, it's exceptionally rare that you will experience anything quite like it today. Spielberg's short but clever masterpiece really is a piece of cinematic history. Spielberg proved very early on in his career that he had a very bright future ahead of him!

Dennis Weaver stars as business commuter David Mann, who finds himself  tormented by a psychopathic oil tanker driver. One of whom you never get to see. Part of the psychological terror is that you only ever get to see the drivers arms and feet. Clever and thought-provoking, you find yourself constantly asking questions. Why is this man so passionate about killing David? Who is he? Is he just paranoid? Is this man a serial killer? Has he killed others before David? The excitement really comes from Dennis's spectacular performance to reason with himself, why this is all happening? David just wants to get home, however he finds himself being hunted down by an unknown stranger.

The beauty of this psychological thriller is that it really proves  you don't need fancy special effects to thrill audiences. The thrill doesn't come from what you do see, but more from what you don't see. The ultimate car chase, between cat and mouse. Who will win? Who will die? Spielberg terrifically teases audiences throughout the film to hint as to what is really happening and what may have happened in the past with the oil tanker. Magnificently shot from beginning to end. Unfortunately one that seems to go amiss among film collectors, but most certainly one that shouldn't be missed by die hard psychological thriller collectors. Terrifying.

5/5 stars

A.I.Artificial Intelligence

Cast: Haley Joel Osment, Jude Law, Frances O'Connor, Sam Robards, William Hurt and Jack Angel.

Director: Steven Spielberg

Release Date: 2001

Running Time: 2hrs 26 minutes

Genre: Science Fiction

Rating: 12

Format: Sky Cinema

Synopsis:

A highly advanced robotic boy longs to become real, so that he can regain the love of his human mother. 

Haley Joel Osment delivers one of the most outstanding child performances of the early naughties in Steven Spielberg's deep and diverse science fiction story, A.I. Artificial Intelligence. Based on the short story "Supertoys last all summer long" by Brian Aldiss. In the near and distant future the polar ice caps have melted, the oceans have drowned out all the coastal cities of the world. The human race keeps evolving, to the point of creating realistic robots known as Mechas to serve them. One the mecha building companies designs David, an artificial child who has the ability to have real feelings for his human mother Monica. However when Monica's real son comes home from hospital, David's life begins to change rapidly.

The storyline has certainly been inspired by the popular fairytale "Pinocchio", although it sounds complex, the storyline is actually very easy to follow. Director Steven Spielberg and writer Ian Watson haven't missed a second of creating a futuristic version of the beloved fairytale. Haley Joel Osment delivers a sensational performance as David. The first of its kind, an artificial child who has the ability to love like humans do. On his adventures David meets many other Mecha's, one of whom is Gigolo Joe played tremendously by Jude Law. Both Osment and Law are fantastically robotic like in their characteristics and their physical movements. The idea to have them not blink only added more terrific characterisation to their roles.

The storyline works tremendously well because it doesn't go into great detail about Mecha, too many science fiction films make the mistake of adding too much of a backstory in the making of their machines that ends up boring audiences early on in the film. Spielberg really made sure to focus on the characters themselves, not the fact that they are robots living in a human world. Magnificently shot, the world that David and Joe live in is a almost a combination of the post apocalyptic world in "Waterworld" and "Blade Runner", if you want to dive into the storyline really deep, they could all hypothetically be linked, with the story being set in 2142 and 4142, it really doesn't sound all that impossible.

Composer John Williams delivers a beautiful score that sparks emotion and thrills audiences as they watch the story of a young robot called David search for the blue fairy in the hope that she can turn him into a human boy. Heartwarming and sweet, the story will reach out to many on an emotional level as much as it will thrill you. Although not deemed a success at the box office, it is by far one of Spielberg's most impressive and most in depth films, that will leave you walking away asking plenty of questions. Science fiction fans won't be dissapointed.

5/5 stars

50 movie tag questions (2018)

So I thought I'd do a more up to date version of this, as my choice in films is always changing and naturally of course I am seeing lots of new films all the time too (I will get around to reviewing them at some point), thank you so much for continuing to read my blog, I am growing and learning as a film critic everyday and really understanding the importance of reading just as much as a I watch to help improve my writing skills. 

1. How often do you watch a movie? 

It honestly depends on how busy I am with work and my family. Lately it's been one a day, sometimes every other day. If I am watching a very complex film that I wish to review, I might watch it more then once to make sure I full understand the plot and the purpose of the film.

2. What movie genre are you particularly fond of? 

Recently I've really been going back to my childhood and watching simple family films (as you may have noticed by my two most recent reviews), I've always loved family films, films that were just meant for entertainment, nothing else.

3. What was the last film you watched and liked? 

My fiance and myself very recently went to see "The Greatest Showman" starring Hugh Jackman and Zac Efron. It's honestly one of the best musicals I've seen in a very long time. It was everything a musical should be and so much more. I cannot recommend it enough, especially if you enjoy musicals.

4. What was the last movie you watched and hated? 

Nikolaj Arcel's "The Dark Tower", I didn't find it particularly entertaining, it really lacked depth and storyline. I'm yet to see a Stephen King adaptation that is really fantastic.

5. What is your favourite movie of all time? 

I really love "Space Jam" it just brings back fantastic memories of my childhood. I've seen it hundreds upon hundreds of times.

6. Your most favourite guilty pleasure movie? 

To be honest if I really like something, I'm not ashamed of admitting it. I really love "George of the Jungle" starring Brendan Fraser. It was a film I always watched with my little sister when we were tiny. It's so tongue in cheek, but it's excellent.

7. What movie/movies have you seen millions of times? 

The Addams Family, Space Jam, Indiana Jones: Raiders of the Lost Ark, A Bug's Life and The Parent Trap, to name a few.

8. Are you the type of person to go and see a movie on it's first day of showing? 

Unfortunately where I live, we're actually the last to get a film on its initial release as it attends other cinema's first. I actually prefer a quieter cinema so I can concentrate on the film, there's nothing worse than going to a really busy showing and not being able to here the film because people are talking and being rude.

9. Do you use fandango or do you book your movie tickets? 

Depending on what we're seeing, my fiance and myself will normally book tickets in advance.

10. Cinema, Blu-Ray or download? 

I try and see what I can at the cinema, my fiance and myself are currently putting money towards a mortgage so naturally that must come first. I have NowTV, for those that don't live in the UK, Sky basically allow customers to view movies online, for a tiny price. Sky Cinema allows me to watch thousands of films, so lots to choose from.

11. How often do you go to the cinema to see a movie? 

Approximately twice a month, depending on if we can afford it and what's showing.

12. What are some movies that made you cry? 

We bought a Zoo, Goodbye Mr Tom and Titanic.

13. Do you watch foreign movies? 

I do indeed.

14. What is one of your favourite foreign films?

Downfall. A German movie with subtitles about Hitler's last few days, I'd highly recommend, it's deeply fascinating.

15. Who are some of your favourite directors? 

Gene Kelly, Steven Spielberg and James Cameron.

16. Are you particular with movie scores/soundtracks?

I really love movie scores they can tell so much about a story. Depending on the film it can really make or break a movie.

17. What movie score can be found on your Spotify playlist? 

The Greatest Showman score. I can't get it out of my head. It's excellent.

18. Have you ever watched a movie alone at a cinema? 

I haven't no.

19. What is the best chick flick film for you? 

One of my favourites is "The Princess Diaries" starring Anne Hathaway.

20. Is there a movie that changed your perspective on life? 

It depends to be honest, some are more thought-provoking them others. I found "Interstellar" very insightful.

21. Your favourite comic book movie? 

Spider-Man: Homecoming, it's one of my favourite Marvel films.

22. DC or Marvel Films? 

Marvel, although I've really enjoyed a couple of DC Films, I much prefer binging on Marvel films.

23. What are the movies in top 10 IMDB list that you have watched? 

The Dark Knight, Schindler's List, Pulp Fiction and Lord of the Rings: Return of the King.

24. Do you ever watch movie critic reviews online before watching or purchasing a film? 

If I know it isn't going to contain spoilers, absolutely. I'm curious to know what other people think, just like myself my reviews aren't there to tell you what to do, but they might help you decide.

25. What is the best movie adaptation of a book? 

All of the "Harry Potter" films.

26. What a movie before reading the book or visa versa? 

It depends to be honest. I've done both in the past. I'm currently reading the first Harry Potter book, I watched the movie first.

27. What is your most favourite comedy movie? 

The Nutty Professor starring Jerry Lewis.

28. Drama movie? 

Goodbye Christopher Robin, I learnt a lot about both of their lives from watching it.

29. Western movie? 

I need to actually see one first.

30. Romantic comedy? 

Breakfast at Tiffany's. I love Audrey Hepburn.

31. Horror film? 

Insidious. It's honestly one of the most well made horrors that I've seen in a very long time.

32. Sports movie? 

Rookie of the Year. I seem to have an obsession with family films at the moment.

33. Sci Fi film? 

Blade Runner. I'm still trying to make my mind up about Blade Runner 2049.

34. Action movies? 

James Cameron's "The Terminator" its one of my favourites and haunts me everytime I view it.

35. Who is your favourite movie couple? 

Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke (Not quite, but they're awesome)

36. Any movie character you can relate to? 

Pocahontas.

37. If you were only to watch five movies for the rest of your life what would they be? 

The Addams Family, A Bug's Life, Terminator, Spider-Man: Homecoming and Mary Poppins.

38. Favourite war movie? 

Dunkirk. It's outstanding.

39. Your least favourite movie of all time? 

Paranormal Activity. I'm sorry to say they really don't entertain me.

40. Have you ever watched a movie based on the lead actress or actor? 

No.

41. What movie did you expect to be good, but found it was awful?

Paranormal Activity. At the time of it's release people were telling me it was the scariest film they'd ever seen, they were having nightmares. I Was really disappointed.

42. Favourite movie character of all time? 

Mulan. She's just incredible. The story is incredibly inspiring and emotional too.

43. Favourite movie villain? 

Darth Vader.

44. Any movie sequel you are still waiting for? 

I'm very excited to see what James Cameron has in store for us with Avatar 2.

45. Ever made a movie review? 

Hmmm.......

46. Star Wars or Star Trek? 

Star Trek.

47. Right, think of any movie, what comes first? 

The Matrix. I am going to be reviewing it shortly.

48. Favourite movie lines? 

"Your gonna need a bigger boat" - Jaws

"Iceberg right ahead" -Titanic

"I am Groot..I am Groot" - Guardians of the Galaxy 2

49. TV series, Books, Movies, Computer games in order of interest? 

Movies, Books, TV Series and Computer Games.

50. Lastly if your life story was to be made into a movie, who would you like to portray you, who would be directing and what would be the title? 

Director James Cameron, hypothetically, Audrey Hepburn and the title would be The Secret life of me :)

Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed

Cast: Sarah Michelle Gellar, Freddie Prinze Jr, Matthew Lillard, Linda Cardellini, Seth Green and Peter Boyle.

Director: Raja Gosnell

Release Date 2004

Running Time: 1hr 29 minutes

Genre: Family/Comedy

Rating: PG

Format: Sky Cinema

Synopsis:

The Mystery Inc gang must save Coolsville from an attack of past unmasked monsters brought to life by an evil masked figure trying to "unmask" the gang. 

After the success of the first film it was only natural that director Raja Gosnell would attempt a sequel. Is it as entertaining as the first? Unfortunately not. Although the storyline excellently stresses on the terrific imagination of the original cartoon, the idea to modernise it through the use of contemporary music has somewhat ruined it's authenticity. The characters have grown and developed since the first story. We can understand from the length of Fred's hair and their newly equipped lab that perhaps a few months have passed since the events that took place in the first film? The idea to use key references from the cartoon have worked excellently. It's unfortunate that the storyline is rather messy.

When Coolsville is attacked by past unmasked monsters, the Mystery Inc team must work together to find the culprit. Is their evil nemesis behind it, or is it the museum owner? It's unfortunate that Freddie Prinze Jr is the only actor to deliver a strong performance. Sarah Michelle Gellar, Matthew Lillard and Linda Cardellini all appeared to be rushing their lines. Matthew Lillard in particular really looked like he was forcing his character, instead of giving a very natural and genuine performance as Shaggy. Considering how excellent his performance was in the first film this was very disappointing. Seth Green delivers a somewhat interesting performance as museum owner Patrick Wisely.

Although the special effects in hindsight are very clever, they still don't look excellent. Scenes involving CGI unfortunatly look rushed and messy, giving the impression that a lot of effort didn't go into making it look good. The first film really took audiences back to the cartoon's original roots in terms of special effects and characterisation. More often than not, sequels work exceptionally well, however sometimes they are best left alone. The storyline really didn't need modernising. Really quite disappointing, it's no surprise really that another film wasn't made shortly after.

2.5 stars

Scooby-Doo: The Movie

Cast: Freddie Prinze Jr, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Rowan Atkinson, Matthew Lillard, Linda Cardellini and Isla Fisher.

Director: Raja Gosnell

Release Date: 2002

Running Time: 1hr 23 minutes

Genre: Family

Rating: PG

Format: Sky Cinema

Synopsis:

After an spontaneous break up, the Mystery Inc gang are individually brought to an island resort to investigate strange goings on.

Joe Ruby and Ken Spears hit animated cartoon series "Scooby-Doo" has been loved by fans across the globe for the past forty-nine years. In the early naughties it was announced that a live action version would be hitting our cinema screens. Director Brian Levant delivered a terrific live action adaptation of "The Flintstones" in 1994, proving that a great director really can bring a cartoon to life. The beauty of live action adaptations is that it allows younger viewers to see their favourite characters on the big screens. When the Mystery Inc spontaneously split, they find themselves reunited after two years boarding a plane to Spooky Island to investigate strange goings on! Daphne, Fred, Velma, Shaggy and Scooby must work together as a team to find out who the colporate is.

The entertaining storyline really brings back the imagination of the original cartoon series. Quick and fun it's everything you'd expect from a live adaptation. Freddie Prinze Jr, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Matthew Lillard and Linda Cardellini all deliver fantastic performances, with an uncanny likeness to their characters. Rowan Atkinson is excellent as Spooky Island owner Mondavarious. Wonderfully exaggerated, he adds a tremendous amount of humour to the storyline, with terrific witty one liners. Real life couple, Freddie Prinze Jr and Sarah Michelle Gellar work beautifully together as Fred and Daphne, making their characters all the more authentic.

Scooby-Doo looks wonderfully authentic, the CGI to create his character is really magnificent. Hardcore fans of the original show will not find themselves dissapointed. Although there are a couple of editing mishaps and continuity errors, the film itself looks terrific, with a real homage to the original cartoon series. Silly and fun, packed full of intricate details that reference the original characters, the story is perfectly suited for family's and children of all ages. Wonderfully funny and entertaining.

4/5 stars

Get Out

Cast: Daniel Kaluuya, Allison Williams, Catherine Keener, Bradley Whitford, Marcus Henderson and Caleb Landry Jones.

Director: Jordan Peele

Release Date: 2017

Running Time: 1hr 40 minutes

Genre: Indie/Horror

Rating: 15

Format: Sky Cinema

Synopsis:

It's time for a young African-American to meet his white girlfriend's parents for a weekend in their secluded estate in the woods, but before long, the friendly and polite ambience will give way to a nightmare.

The premise behind a horror story is primarily to frighten or thrill an individual. Very few are as thought-provoking as this one. Jordan Peele's directorial debut not only scares you in all the right places it also allows you to think outside the box. The story doesn't frighten you through violence or gore, it hits you on a psychological level. Hopefully if your like myself, you won't be surprised until the end of the film when you understand what is actually going on. Daniel Kaluuya gives such a outstanding performance that he really allows you to come on this journey with him as Chris. This is so much more than a story about a cabin in the woods.

For a first time director, Jordan Peele has delivered a horror film, that experienced directors have always longed for. Allison Williams, Catherine Keener, Bradley Whitford and Caleb Landry Jones all give such fantastic performances you really find yourself hypnotised by their characters, their intentions, their purpose, only to find yourself proved wrong right at the very end. What has just happened? How did I not figure this out to be begin with? Figuring out what is happening is part of the fun. There is nothing predictable about the storyline. The idea to shoot the film all in one area is what makes the film all the more thought-provoking. Is Chris dreaming? Does his girlfriend and her family really exist? Who are these other people that we see?

As the story continues, you find yourself putting together pieces of the puzzle. As a film critic this is most definitely a film that you do not want to give the storyline away too anyone. It will undoubtedly ruin it for any individual who has no idea what to expect when they watch it for the first time. Beautifully shot and full of emotion, drama, humour and suspense. Director Jordan Peele has without a doubt delivered one of the most thought-provoking horror films to date. Full of surprises, absolutely outstanding!

5/5 stars

IT: Chapter One

Cast: Bill Skarsgard, Jaeden Lieberher, Jeremy Ray Taylor, Sophia Lillis, Finn Wolfhard, Jack Dylan Grazer and Chosen Jacobs.

Director: Andy Muschietti

Release Date: 2017

Running Time: 2hrs 9 minutes

Genre: Horror/Thriller

Rating: 15

Synopsis:

A group of bullied kids come together when a shape-shifting creature, taking the appearance of a clown, begins hunting children.

Thirty-two years ago, author Stephen King released one of the most terrifying novels to ever enter bookstores! Unexpectedly making it a worldwide phenomenon success. The story begins in 1988, on a cold and stormy afternoon, little George Denbrough is killed by an insidious creature lurking in the sewers of Derry, Maine. Haunted by the death of his brother Bill is determined to find out who or what killed him. The creature presents itself differently to each individual. The first chapter is primarily about six friends Bill, Mike, Richie, Eddie, Stanley and Ben, who are determined once and for all to kill the malevolent creature.

The novel is incredibly hard to follow mainly due to the fantastic intricate details that Stephen King put into place to describe each character. It's unfortunate that many of these details were left out of the film. Understandably a film is never going to live up to the standards of a novel, as a filmmaker you are stuck with the challenge of interpreting someone's imagination on screen. What can be described in written work, cannot always be interpreted the same on screen. Director Andy Muschietti chose to modernise the story, choosing to set the story in 1988-1989 instead of 1957-1958 that was originally described in the book.

Terrifying in appearance and in character, Bill Skarsgard delivers a terrific performance as IT. It's unfortunate however that his character in the film is not quite as described in the book. His appearance has been slightly altered. The six main leads deliver very good performances, particularly "Stranger Things" star Finn Wolfhard. The characters are very accurately portrayed as they are described in the novel. It was however, a disappointment to see that certain characters have been removed from the story. This is was most likely put into place due to the length of the film. Although the film works well without these characters, it also meant a lot of suspense was removed from the storyline.

Hair-raising and electrifying, the setting and the special effects really meet the expectations of a successful horror film. The stunning landscape of Canada works excellently for the description of the town in which the story is set. Entertaining and thrilling, director Andy Muschietti has created a fantastic first chapter to this terrifying film. One of the best adaptations of Stephen King's frightening novel "IT", a story about fear, discovery and friendship. Audiences are anticipated in seeing what Muschietti has next in store for us in the second chapter later next year! Excellent.

4/5 stars