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Django Unchained 2012
Some moments are among the best of Tarantino's career, but once again a potential 5 star classic is undone by his own indulgances.
The first two thirds are near perfect with Waltz effectively playing the lead; we start in typical Tarantino black comedy territory giving his twist on the spaghetti western. The second third takes us into much darker territory, perhaps the darkest of his career, and is refreshing, terrifying and awe-inspiring all at once.
Sadly, the final act is… -
I Give It A Year 2013
Such an infuriating film. There are some brilliant, laugh out loud moments on offer here. Sadly most of them were in the trailer, and what remains is a succession of sketches of hateful people doing vile things and being horrible to each other.
None of them ever says "hey, do you need to be so horrible?". Well, actually one does ask why a certain couple are still together when all they do is argue. "That's what marriage is all about"… -
ParaNorman 2012
Best purely kids film I've seen for years.
Maybe not as polished (animation or script-wise) as a Pixar movie, it has a lovely style and some wonderful horror-movie riffing moments, as well as some truly scary stuff for the kids.Best zombie film since Shaun of the Dead. Possibly the best horror movie for kids since The Monster Squad. I can't praise it higher than that
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Men in Black 3 2012
Genuinely surprised how much I enjoyed this, considering how non-plussed I was by the endevour when it was released last year.
A huge improvement over MIB2, presumable because Tommy lee Jones realised he couldn't compete with Smith anymore and was glad to step aside, unlike on 2 when constant demands over pay, screentime and billing continually caused problems.
Smith is on auto pilot (and has a tendency to gurn for cheap laughs) but Brolin is fantastic as the younger K… -
Slice and Dice: The Slasher Film Forever 2012
Watchable but slightly disappointing documentary on the history of the slasher film. Yes, another one.
Given its obviously miniscule budget, it's quite an achievement featuring interviews with some of the lesser lights from the era (no Carpenter or Craven on show here). The decision to use clips from trailers rather than the films themselves is obviously a budgetary concern, but actually works really well as it creates quite visceral editing style which is fast paced and exciting, and offers up…
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Everything or Nothing: The Untold Story of 007 2012
Not the "Untold Story" at all, at least not for Bond nerds like me, but a perfectly watchable, and excellently produced documentary.
Nagging problems with the length (too short) mean some areas are glossed over, and with a few exceptions, this is very much the EON-endorsed story.
Highlights are provided by Lazenby and Dalton, who is in a particularly grumpy mood, and why not given that Craig is getting all the priase for what he tried to do 25 years ago.
Casual fans with an interest in the series will love this, Bond geeks will enjoy it but feel this is just glossing over the surface.
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Confessions from a Holiday Camp 1977
It's just Holiday on the Buses with full frontal nudity. I'm all for 70s Brit smut, but this is low humour of the lowest kind, including endless racial gags and homosexual stereotypes to go with the usual single entendres and T&A.
Depressing stuff only worth watching for the brief appearances of Bill Maynard and Doris Hare as Robin "The Arse" Askwith's parents... -
Olympus Has Fallen 2013
Funniest film I've seen this year even if it's not supposed to be. At least it's a full-blooded, hard-R action movie, and for that it should be praised.
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Halloween: Resurrection 2002
Don't know why it's taken me so long to see this, but finally did thinking "it can't be as bad as everyone said it was".
It was.Pointless, senseless and witless.
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Sightseers 2013
If I'd been lucky enough to see this on its cinema release, this would have been my film of 2012. By a mile.
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The Sentinel 1977
I must have watched the wrong film, because I'd been led to believe this was another slice of Michael Winner trash, this time making a play for the Exorcist/Omen market.
Well, it is, but it's also suprisingly watchable and an effective chiller, of the old school variety.
Winner's excesses sometimes get the better of him, but for the first hour this is a genuinely creepy tale before it almost all goes to hell, literally, in the final act. -
The Prowler 1981
Without Tom Savini's excellent effects work, this would have been long forgotten. A fairly good budget for this kind of nonsense means the film at least looks good, and Joseph Zito is a much better director than his filmography gives him credit for, but this is pretty dull stuff for he most part, with too much time given over to the Deputy walking round a house with a torch. Then a graveyard. Then the house again.
The killer is wonderfully…
