I enjoyed it when I saw it around the time it come out, it was better than you'd expected, also forgot sea of love which is similar lines, think I'll have a rewatch sometime soon now since it's Been mentioned.

Puss in Boots (2011) ★★★★

A highly enjoyable and energetic comedy-adventure with the feline star of the Shrek films and an assortment of fairytale friends, all superbly voiced by the all-star cast.

Godzilla (2014) ★★★★

I know the film's detractors don't like it because the titular creature has relatively little screen time when compared to other Godzilla films, but I like the way Gareth Edwards holds back on revealing the 'monster', establishing the characters, the MUTO, the Monarch organisation and, through the various readouts, Gojira.

Once he makes his appearance, the fight between Godzilla and the MUTO is visually and audibly impressive, and you have enough emotional investment in the characters to make it engaging.

With this unit direction, excellent performances from the cast led by Ken Watanabe, Sally Hawkins, and Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and superb CGI, this is a very good movie.

Saving Mr. Banks (2013) ★★★★

I'm a huge admirer and lover of Mary Poppins (the film, that is – I haven't read any of the books) so approached this with some trepidation. I needn't have worried because it has pitch perfect performances from Emma Thompson, Tom Hanks and Colin Farrell, leading an excellent ensemble with such accomplished character actors as Paul Giamatti and Ruth Wilson.

In terms of story, telling how the film adaptation of Mary Poppins was made, I can't think of anyone better to play Walt Disney than Tom Hanks and Emma Thompson is to humanise the headstrong and 'quirky' PL Travers. Using a non-linear narrative which shows Travers' upbringing allows the film to focus on the author and her beloved creation at the same time so you understand why she's so protective of the books and the characters within them.

I was really impressed with this at the cinema and this was the first time I'd seen it since. It's definitely a film which stands up to repeated; it's just as enjoyable and moving the second time around.

The BFG (2016) ★★★★

A superbly realised adaptation of Roald Dahl's beloved novel, Spielberg uses motion capture animation to outstanding effect in order to bring the BFG and the other giants to life, and the casting is flawless, with Ruby Barnhill and Mark Rylance perfect as Sophie and the BFG, respectively.

The film is faithful to the source material, told in this visual form by a master storyteller who has made some great family films: E.T.the Extra-Terrestrial, Jurassic Park, Raiders of the Lost Ark, and this is nearly up there with them.

It is a lovely piece of escapist cinema which I thoroughly enjoyed at the cinema and, while watching it at home wasn't quite the same, I again found to be emotionally engaging, exciting, and funny. It's a film I hope to watch and enjoy for many years.

@Nosferatu

I too thought Deepwater Horizon was excellent. It's barely a film in the conventional sense in that you aren't party to the narrative, the viewer feels like an outsider peering over the shoulders of the guys on the rig. You aren't coaxed into the events, what the men are doing isn't explained with bland exposition you either get on board or else. It makes the events of the second half seem all too realistic which when portraying a real life event is a huge compliment.

Extremely well put. It's a film which reminded me of others which have used a quasi documentary aesthetic, so it's a little like Captain Phillips, '71 or United 93 where you are completely immersed the action.

Attack of the killer Tomatoes. 1978.

A group of scientist band together to save the world from mutated killer Tomatoes.

Defiantly a salute to the B-movie science-fiction/ horror genre that really should not be taking seriously but it has a cult following, heck it even had a cartoon made out of it which was good. The acting isn't really all that great but comical, even the Chinese doctor gets badly dubbed over (intentionally). There is a black guy who is master of disguise who dresses up as Hitler which nowadays you cant't get away with. Good for the laughs.

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Return of the killer Tomatoes. 1988.

In the aftermath of the first film, Tomatoes are now banned or even saying the word people panic, Professor Gangreen has developed the Tomatoes to look human for a second invasion.

B-Movie spoof sequel sees the Tomatoes return for a second attack and a whacky professor played by John Astin (yes Gomez himself) trying to perfect the best camouflage for the Tomatoes. Anthony Starke plays the hero with a young George Clooney to save Earth along with his crush Karen Mistal, one who can change into a Tomato when music is played. Cheesy, fun, stupid as heck and has plenty of laughs included.

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Regarding Godzilla, I found the trailer for it rather deceptive. It made it look like it was Godzilla that was doing all the wrecking. Half way through the film I was wondering, where was Godzilla?

Critters 3 & Speed
 

Critters 3

Another fun installment of this franchise. The Critters this time attack the residents of a run down apartment building. Even though it's set in a different location, there is still continuity from the previous 2 films, there is a recurring character that appears also. A during the credits sequence certainly suggests that Critters 4 will follow on from this film (I like that rather than random stories and have them as sequels) A young Leonardo DiCaprio is in this also. I have not seen Critters 4 yet but I'm looking forward to it. These films are short and are very entertaining so I do recommend them if these are your type of thing.

Speed

Keanu Reeves, Dennis Hopper, Sandra Bullock, bomb on bus, can't go below 50 MPH. That is all I need to say. One of my favorite Action films, just put your feet up, switch your brain off and just enjoy. With this in 94 along with Demolition Man in 93, Sandra Bullock was carving a name for herself in Action films. The only criticism I have is was the whole Train sequence at the end really necessary. But that is a small very very inconsequential issue I had with this film

Willard (1971)

An enjoyable 'of it's time' horror / creature feature with a good central performance by Bruce Davison as the put upon title character, getting a hard time at home and in work from scuzzy boss Ernest Borgnine, who befriends a pack of rats and manages to train them to do his dirty work for him, ie - dispose of his enemies.

There are many good scenes but when the rats aren't up to their tricks it does drag a bit, however, who can't love a film where Borgnine is swarmed over by attacking rats.


Ben (1972)

A decent enough sequel to Willard in which Ben and his fellow rat buddies move in with a sickly (and occasionally annoying) kid (Lee Montgomery).

Although more of the same, the final twenty minutes up the ante with some terrific sewer scenes as the authorities use flame throwers on the now thousands of rats.

For all the schlocky parts of the film it's nearly ruined by that f^cking horrendously maudlin title song.


Neither film is recommended if you have a 'thing' about rats.

A Force of One. 1979.

When a team of police narcotic drug squad become a target of a karate hitman, they recruit karate champion Matt Logan to train and assist them.

This was a decent old-school Chuck Norris film, he plays ex-Vietnam vet turned karate trainer and champion asked to help train a task force led by Clu Gulager in a field of battle with martial arts after some of his team turn up dead. Jennifer O'Neil plays part of the task force and somewhat of a love interest and knows how to take a guy down. Fans of Norris will enjoy this gritty action thriller flick.

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Class of 1999. 1990.

When education is on a low and crime is on the rise, a new school principle agrees to a government project, three former military cyborgs have been programmed to be teachers and dish out punishment when necessary. Ex-con and gang leader Cody returns to the school he senses something is wrong with the new teachers.

We have grown up with the term "Don't judge a book by it's cover", I have always put this one aside as it seemed daft and pointles...i was wrong, this seems like a mix of Robocop meets The Terminator but this was one good science-fiction film with a decent star cast. Malcolm McDowell plays the new principle who has small delinquent problem in his school. Stacey Keach plays the "mad Professor" with creepy pale eyes who has the answer, John P Ryan, Pam Grier and Patrick Kilpatrick are the cyborgs of Education. The film delivers action, gun fire, the teachers have different personnel arsenal to use and decent funny one-liners.

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Was this actually a sequel to class of 1984 or did i dream it?
Or was it just a cash in?

No you didn't , it was a kinda sequel but not a official one.

Class of 84 is a cool film, one of those films that disappeared off the shelves on VHS and i always wanted to see and it lived up to expectations.
:axekiller:
I remember class of 1999 coming out years later, before the first emerged from VHS hell, i guessed they were related but never so sure.

Yes it is a fantastic film and a forgotten gem, people say it's Micheal j Fox debut, it kinda he did one film before it.


There also a sequel to class of 99, called the substitute.

End of Days (1999)

An entertaining if generally unremarkable action horror film. Whilst Gabriel Byrne as the devil returning to earth to claim a bride stands out, Arnie doesn't really convince in the quieter introspective troubled cop moments, coming across far better in the numerous action set pieces. Delivering lines like "You're a f^cking choirboy compared to me, a choirboy!" like only Arnie can.

If you like Schwarzenegger and you like horror this is well worth a watch.

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A meteor crashes to earth carrying a slimy pink passenger that feeds on human flesh and the dam thing just wont stop growing. Soon after the killing starts and government agents show up fuelling suspicion that something even more sinister is going on.

This is such a fun remake the gore and kills are fantastic. For the most part the special effects are great there are a couple of ropey moments but nothing can kill the fun of this film. Any film with a leather jacket a mullet and a motorbike is alright with me :lol::lol:

Fun factor 8/10

Critters 4 & The Jackal
 

Critters 4

This very disappointing part of the franchise starts with a repeat of Critters 3 end credit sequence where 2 remaining eggs are sent into space along with Charlie. The pod containing them is found by a group of Space Scavengers who take it to an abandoned Space Station where they wait for The Space Council to collect them. During this The Critters hatch and start killing. This was disappointing because it takes ages for The Critters to basically appear and there is a character turn which annoyed me and it appears other people as well. I'll probably go after Critters Attack when able to though.

The Jackal

Bruce Willis is the Chameleon like master assassin who is hired by an Russian Mobster to assassinate a key American figure after his brother is murdered. Sidney Pottier is the Agent in charge who releases Richard Gere to help find The Jackal. I haven't seen this in a while and I was just as entertained as I was when I 1st saw it. It was just under 2 hours but it just flew by. There were roles for J.K. Simmons and Jack Black.

I watched this recently and I agree it was fun. I thought that it would be outdated F/X wise but boy was I wrong thankfully.

I think i'm one of the few that prefers this to the original. :nod:

Very fun movie, even though it is a under the radar B-Movie, I'd say it's better than some of the bigger blockbusters that were populating the video shops back in the day.

The Smiling Ghost. 1941.

A heiress thinks she is cursed as three of her intended grooms have meet with a horrible end. Her aunt hires a man Lucky Downing to be engaged to her niece for a month and break the curse.

This was a old fashioned crime thriller flick with some comedy added into it, Wayne Morris plays the chemical engineer who is jobless and willing to take on any job, and Willie Best as his partner Clearance who becomes his valet and provides most of the comedy and laughs. Alexis Smith plays the young Elinor who believes she is cursed and doomed to die old and alone. It does have it's big house, secret passages, gloomy looking cellars and a weird smiling faced ghost. Worth a watch.

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Yeah i hadn't seen it in years and it looks great some stop motion too which i found funny.

The Italian Job (2003)

According to last years Hobbs and Shaw this re-imagining of the British crime caper classic might well be the third film in the Fast and Furious franchise as Jason Statham's Shaw had the Mini Cooper's from this film garaged up in that film.

If that's the case then Hobbs and Shaw is now the tenth worst film in the franchise rather than merely the ninth.

Anyway that's digressing.

This remake of the Michael Caine cult film is pretty poor in comparison to the original. In my opinion The Italian Job is one of those sacred films that should have been left well alone. Although to be fair it would seem that the writers of this film thought the same as aside from using the three Mini Cooper's and some character names as well as one or two set pieces slightly reminiscent of the earlier film the story is nothing like the original.

What we actually have is a decent if overlong modern heist film with a very good cast (Mark Wahlberg, Jason Statham, Charlize Theron, Ed Norton, Mos Def, Seth Green and Donald Sutherland) that for the most part entertains but does sag somewhat around the hour mark for a good fifteen minutes or so. Thankfully things pick up again for the Hollywood sightseeing tour that is the fairly thrilling finale.

I've seen this several times over the years and enjoyed it each viewing.

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THE SECRET OF THE BLUE ROOM (1933)

Very good Universal dark house mystery.
A birthday celebration is taking place in and old castle for Robert Van Helldof's daughter Irene's 21st birthday.
After the telling of a story involving three deaths that occurred at 1am at separate times in the castles Blue room many years ago, three men decide to prove their bravery by sleeping in the room on separate nights..

I've only seen this once and thought it was unnecessary and a bit dull. Maybe it's time for a second watch, though I can't see it changing my mind on the unnecessary point. The Italian Job is a great film – fun, energetic, charming, exciting – and one of which came very close to making my top 10 'self-isolation films'.

I gave a rewatch to 2016's Blair Witch last night.

Now that was unnecessary and a bit, or should i say a lot, dull, not to mention annoying as hell.

I haven't seen it and am in no rush to.

You should. (If you want to torture yourself :lol:)

It's probably a good example of how they'd have made the original Blair Witch Project nowadays. Unsubtle and not a patch on the atmospheric film from 1999.

I think I lasted less than half an hour watching Blair Witch, if it’s free to watch somewhere I might give it another try :nod:

I’m one of the few people that actually liked Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2 when I saw it at the cinema and bought the DVD on release, I’ve watched it a few times now

Me too. Like the soundtrack as well. Did your dvd have the soundtrack cd with it?

No, the second disc just has a pair of documentaries and cast & crew interviews. I’ve got the soundtrack playlist saved in my Spotify though, some great tracks on there :nod:

I'd forgotten. I bought the US disc.

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CIRCUS OF FEAR (1966)

After a car is robbed on Tower Bridge, one of the gang is killed by a throwing knife in a building surrounded by circus items.
Later, circus performer Drago (Christopher Lee) is hiding a trunk of money under the lion cages..

The posters give the impression that this is a horror film but really it is just a crime drama with some throwing knife deaths.
Plenty of red herrings in the mix in the rather convoluted plot.
Good to see the exterior of Bray Studios in a brief scene.

King of the zombies. 1941.

Three travelers become stranded on a island find a doctor who is doing voodoo rituals and able control zombies.

Something of a old spooky comedy horror that has it's thrills and chills centered on a Caribbean for covered island. The plot might be a bit daft but who cares, films like this from the 40s era seemed to be like this and always be entertaining. Dick Purcell, and John Archer play the travelers along side Mantan Moreland who plays the valet and provides most of the comedy and Henry Victor as the sinister doctor on the island. Entertaining and worth a watch.

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Terror (aka Delirium House). 1978.

A woman named Mad Dolly is condemned to burn at the stake for being a witch. 300 years later, a film crew make a movie of the witch and are slowly being stalked and killed by a unseen entity.

British horror by Norman J Warren who introduces a spooky house where a witch was burned and adding in a supernatural element with decent killings, the acting may not be great but it's not terrible and the killings to come in spaces and bloody. The effects created and used in this are a bit out dated, not sure if Warren was trying to re-create what other directors have done in the ways of the killings but only on a lower budget that didn't pan out well. Best going into this one with a open mind.

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Ghoulies 2, Spotlight & Red Corner
 

Ghoulies 2

The Ghoulies hide in a Haunted House which suddenly becomes popular however some of the customers and staff become victims. Not a bad way to spend 90 minutes. Better F/X than CGI.

Spotlight

Oscar Winning true story of a newspaper's mission to expose child abuse and cover up from The Church. Powerful stuff with great performances from the all star cast.

Red Corner

Richard Gere is an American Businessman in China framed for Murder of a woman. He is put on trial with only a Public Defender helping him. Another film which I liked when I 1st saw it and even though I had forgotten what happened mostly, it is still riveting.

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SPASMO (1974)

After finding a woman lying on a beach he believes is dead, Christian's life is turned upside down when he is attacked in a motel room while with the woman (Suzy Kendall). Who is the man who attacked him and how has the attackers dead body now disappeared? And what are the mannequins hanging in the trees with knives stuck in them?

Questions, questions in this movie where nothing seems to make sense until the end. Rather slow moving but you have to keep watching to figure it all out. Still, enjoyable and anything with Susy Kendall is worth a look. :happy: