British character actor and one of the lead stars of Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels Dexter Fletcher turns his hand to directing in his debut feature Wild Bill. Uniting together a who's who of British acting royalty it is the story of Wild Bill (Charlie Creed-Miles), a father who returns home from prison to find his sons Dean (Will Poulter) and Jimmy (Sammy Williams) left … [Read more...]
Tower Block (2012) review by That Film Doctor
With the release of The Raid and Dredd in recent weeks, it seems that there is something about the high rise skyscraper as a setting for tense action films. Ever since The Towering Inferno and then Die Hard, the claustrophobia of a high-rise building as fascinated film makers. … [Read more...]
You Only Live Twice (1967) review by That Film Guy
Originally slated to be the final appearance of Sean Connery in the lead role, You Only Live Twice was the fifth James Bond film in the franchise. Featuring one of the largest sets ever created for film, it was a commercial and critical success during its original release taking $111m at the box office from a budget of $10m. You Only Live Twice would be the first film in the … [Read more...]
Thunderball (1965) review That Film Guy
The production of Thunderball, the fourth film in the James Bond canon is one riddled with conflict, disagreement and indirectly led to the creation of Never Say Never Again, the Bond film that wasn't quite Bond. Author Ian Fleming and co-writer Kevin McClory fell into dispute in 1961 over whom owned the rights to the Thunderball script. McClory insisted that he had co-written … [Read more...]
Goldfinger (1964) review by That Film Guy
No James Bond film better epitomises the mass appeal of Britain's coolest spy than the third instalment in the franchise, Goldfinger. A huge critical and commercial juggernaut, Goldfinger would create the template from which most future films would draw their inspiration and it marked the characters transition from simple thriller to iconic blockbuster draw. Based on a novel by … [Read more...]
From Russia with Love (1963) review by That Film Guy
Following on from the success of Dr. No, director Terence Young returned to Ian Fleming's legendary British secret agent James Bond in an adaptation of From Russia with Love. Sticking with Sean Connery as 007 and maintaining the same supporting cast of Bernard Lee as M and Lois Maxwell as Miss Moneypenny, From Russia with Love is the first Bond film to include most of the … [Read more...]
Now is Good (2012) review by That Film Brat
A film sometimes comes along that you are biased against when going in. You are expecting rubbish. You roll up your sleeves, take a deep breath, and walk in the cinema prepared for the mess you are convinced you're about to witness. A lot of the time, these fears turn out to be true, due to the fact that your brain is actively looking for things to dislike about the film. You … [Read more...]
When the Lights Went Out (2012) review by That Film Punk
Loosely based on a (supposedly) true story, When The Lights Went Out is a British horror written and directed by Pat Holden. It tells the story of the Maynards, a young family who move into their dream house in West Yorkshire, only to find themselves terrorised by a poltergeist. With the ghost taking particular interest in 14-year-old Sally, parents Len and Jenny soon find … [Read more...]
Dr. No (1962) review by That Film Guy
The James Bond films are the longest running franchise in film history. The first ever Bond film, Dr. No was released in 1962 to mixed reviews, but despite its low budget of $1m it recouped a massive $56m at the box office, launched the 1960s spy thriller sub-genre and made lead star Sean Connery a household name. Since then there have been over 20 sequels which have dominated … [Read more...]
The Sweeney (2012) review by That Film Dude
If you like Ray Winstone and the kind of films he tends to make, you'll probably like The Sweeney, as it's pretty much exactly what you'd expect. Based on the '70s TV series of the same name, it's a refreshingly uncomplicated and enjoyably violent police drama. It's nothing special and not terribly memorable, but it's fun while it lasts. … [Read more...]