The zombie apocalypse has been the one of the most popular forms of world-ending cataclysm for some time. In fact it's now so embedded in the public consciousness that if it turns out to be a rogue asteroid or the arrival of aliens that ends our rule on the planet, a lot of people are going to be very disappointed. It is surprising then that Hollywood has taken so long to catch … [Read more...]
Review: Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009)
In 2007 director Michael Bay took the formerly popular children's toy franchise Transformers and turned it into a multi-million dollar film franchise. With the success of the first, a sequel was immediately green-lit and Bay given the reigns once again. Having introduced the main characters in the first film, he took the opportunity to expand the Universe considerably in … [Read more...]
Star Trek Into Darkness (2013) review by That Film Guy
When JJ Abrams announced that he was going to reboot the Star Trek franchise, few could have imagined just how spectacularly he would have succeeded. Taking the term 'reboot' seriously, he created an alternative timeline in which the established narrative could be bent, modified and in some cases obliterated. Star Trek Into Darkness builds upon this idea and presents a … [Read more...]
Braveheart (1995) review by That Film Guy
Following on from The Man Without a Face, director and 80s megastar Mel Gibson turned his eye toward a historical epic about a Scottish legend; William Wallace in Braveheart. The film was a huge commercial and critical success earning $210m from a budget of $53m as well as winning the Best Director and Best Film Oscar at the 68th Academy Awards. … [Read more...]
Skyfall (2012) review by That Film Guy
With the legal wranglings finished and the shonky Quantum of Solace left firmly in the past, the film-makers at EON made their intent clear during pre-production. On the 50th anniversary of the franchise, they wanted a James Bond film of such quality that it would do what no predecessor has managed and bag nominations in the big categories at the Oscars. So the stakes are high … [Read more...]
Review: The Dark Knight Rises (2012)
[pullquote cite="" type="left, right"][amazon text=Amazon&template=carousel&chan=that film guy&asin=B008JARIIA][/pullquote] Hype for new films is a wonderful thing, it allows us to look forward to certain releases and allows us to create marquee events around the release of big-name films. Too much hype can be damaging however. 2012 saw the release of each of these … [Read more...]
Spider-Man 3 (2007) review by That Film Guy
Completing Sam Raimi's Spider-Man trilogy of films is Spider-Man 3. Production of Spider-Man 3 began almost immediately after the release of Spider-Man 2, which itself was a massive box office success. Raimi wanted to concentrate on the theme of 'forgiveness' and had plans to conclude the Green Goblin story and introduce Sandman as the major villain. After much protracted … [Read more...]
Batman and Robin (1997) review by That Film Guy
The second Batman outing for director Joel Schumacher after Batman Forever was Batman and Robin. It is now famous for having effectively damaged the careers of everyone involved and often found itself at the bottom of critics ˜Worst Films of 1997' lists. Commercially Batman and Robin was a disappointment only taking $238m from a budget of $125m and signalled the end of the … [Read more...]
Batman Forever (1995) review by That Film Guy
For Batman Forever, the third instalment of the Batman franchise, studio executives felt that a more mainstream approach could garner a much bigger box office. As a result they moved Tim Burton from director to producer and hired Joel Schumacher to take his place. After seeing the new direction the series was taking, Michael Keaton refused to take the role of Batman again and … [Read more...]
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End (2007) review by That Film Guy
Bringing the original Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy to a close is Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End. Once again directed by Gore Verbinski and starring the original, returning cast At World's Endties up the stories from the previous films. Upon release, it took a staggering $963m from a budget of $300m, making it one of the highest-grossing films of all times. … [Read more...]