A favourite of Syfy channel original films (see Mega Phyton vs. Gatoriod for an example), the giant crocodile monster sub-genre has two well-known and well-regarded standouts, 1980's Alligator (directed by Lewis Teague and written by John Sayles, who's satirical scripting was put to was equally good use a year later in The Howling) and 1999's Lake Placid (Directed by Steve … [Read more...]
Sukiyaki Western Django (2007, Japanese) review by That Film Dude
It's tough to know how to summarise Sukiyaki Western Django. It is, without question, one of the most singularly insane films going; it makes basically no sense and is wildly incoherent at the best of times, but it's so stylish and so entertaining in such a weird way that you can't help but really like it. … [Read more...]
Rocky (1976) review by That Film Guy
Rocky is one of the most iconic sports films of all time. A sleeper hit, it became the highest grossing film of 1976 and won the Oscar for Best film, as well as a writing Oscar for star Sylvester Stallone at the 49th Annual Academy Awards. It has spawned numerous sequels, all starring Stallone and is arguably the most recognisable sports film franchise of all time. Loosely … [Read more...]
Lincoln (2012) review by That Art House Guy
Steven Spielberg is one of the most admired and best loved directors in Hollywood, and undoubtedly one of the most influential people in the movie business. However, there is a suspicion that his powers could be on the wane, after a number of slightly underwhelming films in recent years such as War Horse and the best forgotten Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. … [Read more...]
Review: Zero Dark Thirty (2012)
Zero Dark Thirty is "the story of history's greatest manhunt for the world's most dangerous man," chronicling as it does the search by the United States of America for their 'Most Wanted' Osama Bin Laden. Following on from director Kathryn Bigelow's 2009 Oscar-winning film The Hurt Locker, about bomb disposal experts in Iraq, Zero Dark Thirty shows a growing interest in US … [Read more...]
Broken City (2013) review by That Film Doctor
New York is the quintessential film city. It's iconic skyline, famous architecture and yellow taxicabs make for sometimes stunning, but always-functional backdrops for film narratives. Also, its film-friendly economic policies make it relatively easy (and cheap) for filmmakers to close streets, hire vehicles, to commandeer subway stations. As such, many films have used the city … [Read more...]
The Howling: Reborn (2011) review by That Film Geek
As a long-time fan of The Howling series... wait, that came out wrong... As a long-time fan of 1981's original and a lover of werewolf films in general (bah, who am I kidding, I really like Howling V as well), I was pretty interested when they announced a new Howling sequel, over 15 years after the previous disaster, and 30 years after the original. … [Read more...]
The Impossible (2012) review by That Film Fatale
True stories are a difficult genre of film to portray in an accurate light. They should be respected and tell the story of that persons journey in a dignified manner. When it was announced that a film, The Impossible, was being made based on the tsunami that hit Thailand and surrounding countries on Boxing Day, 2004, it appeared a dubious prospect. There's always a fear that if … [Read more...]
The Sessions (2012) review by That Art House Guy
A festival hit, winning the Audience award at the 2012 Sundance Festival, and tipped for Oscar nominations, The Sessions is the latest film from director Ben Lewin. The opening scenes suggest that this is typically award-friendly material. Based on a true story, The Sessions' main character is Mark O'Brien (John Hawkes), a poet and journalist, who is paralysed from the neck … [Read more...]
V/H/S (2012) review by That Film Gal
You have to respect the vision of V/H/S. Five stories, five directors, five found footage tapes. It's a neat idea. Each director gets their plot of land to plough and till, and they plant some pretty ghoulish seeds. The shorts are, of course, framed by a central story arc which puts the found footage into context. This arc follows a bunch of petty criminals as they are given a … [Read more...]