Reviews

Tropic Thunder is still an excellent satirical action comedy over 15 years later. Ben Stiller who also directed the movie, Jack Black and Robert Downey Jr. Headline an all star cast including Steven Coogan, Jay Baruchel, Brandon T Jackson, Nick Nolte, Danny McBride, Matthew McConaughey, Bill Hader and Tom Cruise.

Washed up action star Tugg Speedman (Ben Stiller), drug addicted comedian Jeff Portnoy, and controversial Australian method actor Kirk Lazarus (Robert Downey Jr. Who was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor) headline the Vietnam War movie Tropic Thunder which is plagued by an inexperienced director Damien Cockburn (Steven Coogan) who is unable to control the prima donna attitudes of the actors as well as going overbudget and behind schedule. The foul mouthed and bad tempered studio head Les Grossman (Tom Cruise) gives Damien Cockburn an ultimatum, get the actors and movie under control and back on schedule or face having his movie cancelled. Former Vietnam Veteran Four Leaf Tayback (Nick Nolte) whom is the original author of which the movie is based on his memoirs, suggests dropping the actors in the middle of the jungle in Thailand and shooting the movie guerrilla style with weapons loaded with blanks and hidden explosives as well as a map to help find their way around. Alongside newcomer Kevin Sandusky (Jay Baruchel) and closeted homosexual rapper Alpa Chino (Brandon T Jackson), it forms as another way of the actors putting their inflated egos aside to find a way to work together. Unbeknownst to the actors, they are actually dropped into the middle of a drug war led by the Flaming Dragons. Tugg Speedman is kidnapped and held prisoner, having to re-enact his role as Simple Jack where he played a mentally handicapped character in a movie which was a box office flops and he received a lot of negative criticism. The actors try to figure out how to rescue Tugg and to make it out alive.

Ben Stiller was great as Tugg Speedman and the director of the movie. He based his experiences from the various actors he worked with who were involved in various 80's movies about the Vietnam War including Platoon, Full Metal Jacket and Hamburger Hill who had returned from a mock boot camp to get a feeling of being in war. Jack Black had a memorable role as the comedic actor who often appeared in movies that relied on toilet humour and wanted to depart from those roles. Robert Downey Jr attracted a lot of controversy for his role as Australian method actor Kirk Lazarus who underwent pigmentation alteration surgery to temporarily darken his skin for his portrayal of his African American character. Kirk Lazarus in true method acting style refuses to break character until he records the DVD commentary. To be honest I wasn't expecting Robert Downey Jr to be nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, although the late Heath Ledger posthumously won for his role as The Joker in The Dark Knight (2008). Aside from the rest of the all star cast, Tom Cruise was memorable in a complete departure from his usual charismatic roles as the profanity laced, bad tempered, balding and overweight studio head Les Grossman. Tom Cruise didn't receive top billing and kept out of the publicity, but his name appeared at the end of the name credits.

Tropic Thunder is still a memorable comedy however has been hampered by protests and controversy due to its depiction of handicapped characters and the depiction of blackface. Actor/Director Ben Stiller has stood by his defence saying that as a satirical comedy he has nothing to apologise for.

I first watched Tropic Thunder in the cinema during my travels across the USA in 2008 and I had the pleasure of watching the movie in New York. The audience applauded at the end of Tropic Thunder and as an Australian, it was a new experience for me and it was great to be a part of that. Tropic Thunder is still a popular, witty and funny movie years later.

8/10.

When Justified ended in 2015, I thought it was a fitting end to a fantastic series. It was like saying goodbye to a friend you had known for years. Fast forward to 2023 and Timothy Olyphant retrieves his iconic stetson to make a comeback as Raylan Givens in a new miniseries.

Based on Elmore Leonard's novel "City Primeval: High Noon in Detroit", Raylan Givens is back. Though he's older and more grey, his laconic and dry humour hasn't changed as well as his tendency to think outside the box and ready to brandish his Glock 17. He still wears his well worn stetson. Raylan's grown daughter Willa (Vivian Olyphant, Timothy Olyphant's real life daughter) has seemingly picked up some of rebellious streak. Raylan has left Harlan County, Kentucky behind and has returned to Miami, Florida.

Raylan and Willa find themselves stuck in Detroit following a series of events which sees him being asked by the Detroit Police Department to assist them with a taskforce including Detectives Wendell Robinson (Victor Williams), Maureen Downey (Marin Ireland) and Norbert Bryl (Norbert Leo Butz). Raylan and the detectives are heading on a collision course with sociopathic criminal Clement Mansell (Boyd Holbrook) who has slipped through law enforcement in the past. Clement is continuing his warpath and has returned to his former lover Sandy Stanton (Adelaide Clemens) who is helping him.

The rest of the cast includes lawyer Carolyn Wilder (Aunjaune Ellis) and Marcus "Sweety" Sweeton (Vondie Curtis Hall).

I've just finished the first episode of Justified: City Primeval on Disney Plus and it blew me away that the show is just as good as the original series. It's more darker and gritty, and we're bound to see a climax which sees Raylan Givens and Clement Mansell face off against each other. I'm sure it'll be exciting to see.

Justified fans should be excited to see the return of Raylan Givens in Justified: City Primeval. He's back and it's so good to see him again. It's going to be a terrific series. Looking forward to the next episodes.

9/10.

Violent Night was never going to be a movie that you could take seriously. Santa Claus turns into an action hero with where Die Hard 2 meets Home Alone, and throw in a dysfunctional, self centred, wealthy family in peril. I admit that it was a movie that I was convinced I would just fill in the time. I'm glad I saw it on Netflix and didn't spend money on a ticket to watch it at the cinema. I'd be rueing the cost of a ticket. Yes it filled the time, but I was fairly indifferent for most of the time until the last 20 minutes where I thought that this movie was a bit overlong with a fairly corny ending which left me saying, "Righto, it's a Christmas movie. Let it go."

I like David Harbour and I liked his portrayal of an alcoholic, cynical Santa Claus. He does his thing every Christmas Eve delivering his presents, eating the cookies, drinking the milk, and occasionally raiding the cabinets for alcohol. Sometimes he'll make himself at home for a quick rest break. His routine hits a hurdle when he finds himself stuck in the middle of a home invasion where a group of heavily armed mercenaries led by Mr Scrooge (John Leguizamo who is always enjoyable to watch on screen) take a wealthy family hostage led by the matriarch Gertrude Lightstone (Beverly D'Angelo) with the aim of robbing them of millions of dollars securely locked away in a high tech safe. The rest of the family members are either self centred, selfish, indifferent, weak willed or just want to be away from the family drama. The only likeable family member is the precocious and innocent Trudy (Leah Brady) who manages to escape and believes that Santa Claus can rescue her family. Santa holds his own as a brawler going up against a group of lethal mercenaries. The rest of the family try to stay alive in their dysfunctional way. And you can guess what happens for the rest of the movie. Fairly predictable, right? No need to answer, it was a rhetorical question.

One thing I liked is the references to Die Hard 2 and Home Alone, both movies which take place during Christmas time, the battling of bad guys through violent and occasionally slapstick methods, and occasionally moments of dark humour. The violence is gory and bloody. I won't spoil the movie and list the references, but I'm sure many movie aficionados and fans of either movie will pick the references.

If you enjoy "leave your brain at the door" movies, this fits into that category. Don't expect a masterpiece or a memorable movie. Violent Night was an average movie which satisfied my curiosity enough to the point that I felt indifferent and was one that filled in the time. As I stated at the start of the review, I'm glad I waited until the movie arrived on Netflix and didn't watch it on the cinema.

5/10.

The Flash finally hits cinemas with Ezra Miller returning in the titular role after numerous delays with covid, change of directors, and post production problems. Despite being plagued with controversy after a number of run ins with the law, Ezra Miller makes a welcome return although I'm more used to Grant Gustin as The Flash on TV. Still Ezra Miller was good. If anything, I was more excited to see Michael Keaton return as an older Bruce Wayne/Batman having last appeared in Batman Returns (1992) before Val Kilmer took over the role for Batman Forever (1995).

Barry Allen/The Flash (Ezra Miller) takes off where he left after Justice League (2017) working with Batman/Bruce Wayne (Ben Affleck) and Alfred (Jeremy Irons) to save the day by rescuing people and stopping the bad guys. Barry Allen is haunted by the murder of his mother (Maribel Verdu) and the false imprisonment of his father (Ron Livingston) from many years ago. Wanting to correct the past, Barry Allen as The Flash wants to reverse the timeline to save his mother from being killed. Though successful, events are altered with devastating consequences. Barry Allen somehow finds himself thrust into an alternate 2013 in which his parents are alive and through fate Barry runs into his younger self. Both Barry's end up having to team up after General Zod (Michael Shannon) declares war on earth. Trying to recreate the Justice League to stop the invasion, Barry seeks the help of a now reclusive Bruce Wayne (Michael Keaton) who has retired as Batman. Though in his 70's, Bruce Wayne returns to don the Batsuit to help Barry Allen/The Flash prevent General Zod's invasion. Along the way, they enlist the help of Supergirl (Sasha Calle).

I never expected Ezra Miller to make a successful return as Barry Allen/The Flash. I do think this may be has last outing though, given that Warner Bros will be taking DC in another direction.

I was very excited to see Michael Keaton return as Batman/Bruce Wayne and he certainly lived up to the hype. I grew up watching Michael Keaton as Batman in Batman (1989) and Batman Returns (1992). It was a shame Michael Keaton couldn't make another appearance given that he was meant to appear in the now cancelled Batgirl movie.

Sasha Calle did well as Supergirl. I'm unsure that she was going to have her own standalone movie or make any other appearances but it doesn't appear likely.

It was fantastic to see Michael Shannon reprise his role as General Zod from Man of Steel (2013). He just picked up where he left off and didn't miss a beat.

Director Andy Muschetti did a fine job with The Flash and having the multiverse being brought to the big screen.

I thought The Flash was a bit slow to start off but once it got going I enjoyed it. Though it doesn't rank as one of my favourites, The Flash was well worth watching and worth the wait.

7/10.

Cliffhanger was an entertaining and spectacular action adventure movie full of incredible stunts. Directed by Renny Harlin (Die Hard 2) and starring Sylvester Stallone in one of his best movies of his career, Cliffhanger was one of the biggest box hits of 1993.

Haunted by a tragic accident during a rescue gone wrong, ranger Gabe Walker (Sylvester Stallone) leaves town until he returns 8 months later to collect his things and continue to move on. His girlfriend Jessie (Janine Turner) wants to stay and doesn't want to leave town with Gabe. Gabe's former friend Hal Tucker (Michael Rooker) holds Gabe responsible for the death of his girlfriend Sarah (Michelle Joyner) after she fell to her death at the start of the movie. Meanwhile, a mid air heist goes awry involving an air to air transfer of three cases with a total of $100 million. The heist was masterminded by former Intelligence Officer Eric Qualan (John Lithgow) along with the assistance of turncoat US Treasury Agent Richard Travers (Rex Linn). The suitcases containing the money fall into separate locations in the mountains and their plane crashes after a federal agent opens fire on the plane despite being mortally wounded. Faking a distress call by pretending to be lost hikers, Gabe and Hal head to the site and are taken hostage by Eric Qualan and his group of thieves (Caroline Goodall, Leon, Craig Fairbrass, Gregory Scott Cummins, and Denis Forrest). Gabe and Hal are ordered to help the thieves find the suitcases full of the stolen money. Gabe manages to escape after Eric tries to kill him, but Hal is left to guide them to the remaining suitcases. Gabe starts to outsmart the thieves picking them off one by one as he battles to stop Eric Qualan and to rescue Hal.

After a string of box office flops including Rocky V (1990), Oscar (1991) and Stop! Or My Mum Will Shoot (1992), Cliffhanger would be a big comeback vehicle for Sylvester Stallone, which would also turn out to be one of the biggest hits of his career. John Lithgow was delightfully evil as the mercenary Eric Qualan.

The rest of the cast includes Ralph Waite, Paul Winfield, Bruce McGill and Zach Grenier.

Director Renny Harlin created a spectacular action adventure on screen. The mid air heist would be one of the most expensive stunts in history with a stuntman ziplining between two aeroplanes at an Altitude of 15,000 feet. The stunt itself cost $1 million. The stunt even earned a spot in the Guinness World Records as the "most expensive stunt performed in the air".

Cliffhanger would have been a good movie to watch at the cinema however I was only 9 and my parents were wary about the movie. We did later watch it on VHS and we enjoyed the movie. 30 years on, Cliffhanger is a fun movie from start to finish which has aged very well. Suspend any disbelief and have a great time.

7/10.

Superman 64 got plastered with many bad reviews right from the very start. There was not one single positive comment about this game. Superman 64 lives up to its reputation as one of the worst games of all time.

The controls are frustrating, the game has a lot of bugs, and race mode completely sucks. It's also pointless having a side mission flying through the golden rings to beat the time. That was totally unnecessary.

The polygon graphics aren't that great either. It tried to stay true to the 90's animated series, but it just didn't work.

Despite the fact Superman 64 had a bad reputation, I decided to give it a chance. After 20 minutes I agreed that this was a terrible game. Good thing I hired it from the local video store instead of buying it.

Unless there is a Superman game that is released in future that has the same success as the Batman: Arkham series, I vmcan safely say that I can't see another Superman series taking off any time soon. It has enjoyed much better success in the various movies and TV series and spin-offs.

1/10.

Groundhog Day is a fantastic and clever comedy that you can watch over and over again and is always enjoyable no matter how many times you watch it. Starring Bill Murray in one of his most memorable roles and directed by the late Harold Ramis (who previously co starred with Bill Murray in Ghostbusters and Stripes), Groundhog Day is still highly regarded as a classic. To be honest, I still remember the movie being released in cinemas in 1993 but our family didn't watch Groundhog Day until it first premiered on TV as the "Movie of the Week" on a Sunday night back in June 1996.

Bill Murray plays the cynical and self centered weatherman Phil Connors who is sent down to Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania who cover the annual Groundhog Day festivities which is held on 2 February each year. Accompanying Phil is producer Rita (Andie MacDowell) and cameraman Larry (Chris Elliott). Phil Connors finds himself stuck in the town after a blizzard cuts off all the roads so him, Rita and Larry return to Punxsutawney to stay overnight. The following morning he later finds himself having a sensation of deja vu after waking up to Sonny and Cher's "I Got You Babe" on the alarm clock at 6:00am and others talking about going to the Groundhog Day festivities where it is held that day. Not long after, he discovers that he is stuck in a time loop having to revisit the same day over and over again, hence Groundhog Day. At the start he engages in many reckless and dangerous acts before realising that he can actually become a better person and to be kinder towards others. Aside from learning new skills such as ice sculpting, playing the piano and speaking French, he also finds himself falling in love with Rita.

Stephen Tobolowsky is also memorable as the annoying insurance salesman Ned Ryerson who was a former acquaintance of Phil's years ago who happen to see each other in town. Director Harold Ramis pops up in a brief role as a neurologist. The movie also co stars Brian Doyle-Murray, Marita Geraghty, Angela Paton, Rick Ducommun, Rick Overton, and Robin Duke. Keep an eye out for Michael Shannon (Man of Steel, Boardwalk Empire) in an early role.

The film would be one of the most popular comedies of 1993 and is still regarded as a classic to this day. The phrase Groundhog Day would be a part of popular culture where it would be quoted to describe a monotonous and repetitive situation. Groundhog Day used to be a movie which our family used to watch over and over again and we still enjoyed the movie many years later. I could start to watch Groundhog Day again and I would still enjoy the movie as if no time was lost.

9/10.

Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre was an entertaining spy action comedy that was well worth the time. I wasn't sure whether it was going to be good or not but I enjoyed it. It was also good to see Guy Ritchie collaborate with Jason Statham again after their first collaboration with Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998). The supporting cast including Aubrey Plaza, Cary Elwes, Bugzy Malone, Josh Hartnett, Peter Ferdinando, and Hugh Grant also did well too.

Super spy Orson Fortune (Jason Statham) is recruited by Nathan Jasmine (Cary Elwes) under official orders by a British Government official (Eddie Marsden) to retrieve an stolen asset known as "The Handle" before it's sold to the highest bidder. Orson's team also includes computer whiz Sarah Fidel (Aubrey Plaza) and operator JJ Davies (Bugzy Malone). The team believes billionaire arms dealer Greg Simmonds (Hugh Grant) will be the first person to get his hands on the asset. In order to gain access to Greg Simmonds, the team cleverly blackmails Simmonds' favorite movie star, Danny Francesco (Josh Hartnett) to come with them as a means to use Francesco as a way to infiltrate Simmonds' inner circle by meeting at a charity event in Cannes. The team is successfully integrate themselves into Greg Simmonds' life as he invites Danny Francesco and Sarah Fidel at his Turkish villa in Antalya where the exchange will take place. Meanwhile Orson Fortune and JJ Davies race against the clock to intercept "the handle" however the efforts are also hampered by rival spy Mike (Peter Ferdinando) who has gone rogue to also get his hands on the asset as well.

Guy Ritchie who is well known for British crime comedies such as Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998) and Snatch (2000), the Sherlock Holmes series (2009 and 2011 respectively) and the live movie version on Aladdin (2019) takes on the spy genre and he did really well. Jason Statham does what he does best kicking butt and taking names and is still showing no signs of slowing down in action movies past his 50's. Aubrey Plaza is good comic relief. Singer Bugzy Malone can add another string to his bow as an actor who was a great offsider to Jason Statham. It was good to see former heartthrob Josh Hartnett again who was earmarked as the next big thing after hits such as Halloween H20 and The Faculty (both 1998), Pearl Harbor (2001) and Black Hawk Down (2001) and 40 Days and 40 Nights (2002). Having stepped away from the limelight before slowing returning to Hollywood, Josh Hartnett showed his talent has never gone away though he is older and wiser. It's hard to believe he was actually a candidate to play Superman in the early 2000's during the early stages of a Batman v Superman movie. Hugh Grant was a far cry from his days as the go to British actor for romantic comedies such as Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994), Notting Hill (1999), and Bridget Jones' Diary (2001) stole every scene he was in as the billionaire arms dealer Greg Simmonds. I enjoyed seeing him on screen and I hope he can continue his appearances in different roles though his days as the romantic lead is in the past.

It's a shame Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre won't be released in US cinemas but will instead be making its debut on streaming services. The movie could have been a hit in US cinemas as it has certainly done well internationally and has received many mixed to positive reviews.

I was pleasantly surprised at how enjoyable Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre was. It is certainly an entertaining spy action comedy certainly well worth spending over 1 hour and 54 minutes in the cinema today. Guy Ritchie still has his midas touch and Jason Statham does what he does best. I do hope they can collaborate again.

7/10.

Based on the novel "The Short Timers" by Gustav Hasford, Full Metal Jacket is one of the best war movies about the Vietnam War along with memorable performances from Matthew Modine, Vincent D'Onofrio, R. Lee Ermey, Adam Baldwin, Arliss Howard, and Dorian Harewood. Having returned after being away since The Shining (1980), Director Stanley Kubrick showcases his brilliance once again bringing Full Metal Jacket to life on the big screen which was met with critical acclaim and also a hit at the box office. It was also nominated for an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay.

Full Metal Jacket is divided into two parts. The first half of the movie takes place on Parris Island where recruit training takes place. Gunnery Sergeant Hartmann (the late R. Lee Ermey) is the senior drill instructor who ruthlessly puts the new recruits through a brutal boot camp transforming them into Marines with the intention of producing Marines ready to go into battle. Private Joker (Matthew Modine) is the main character in the movie and we meet him alongside other new recruits such as Gomer Pyle (Vincent D'Onofrio) and Cowboy (Arliss Howard). Gunnery Sergeant Hartmann is verbally and physically abusive to the recruits though he sees himself as hard but fair. The second half of the movie takes place in the city of Hue in Vietnam. Joker has since been promoted to Sergeant and is now a war correspondent unlike other recruits who have gone on to join the infantry. While in Vietnam, Joker befriends fellow war correspondent Raftermann (Kevyn Major Howard) who are both assigned to cover the war. Joker also meets fellow marines including Animal Mother (Adam Baldwin), Eightball (Dorian Harewood), Lieutenant Touchdown (Ed O'Ross), and the sadistic doorgunner (Tim Colceri). Joker also witnesses the horrors of the war first hand but his sarcastic and dry humour have never gone away. As well as meeting many marines with colourful personalities, he finds himself caught up in the middle of combat as well as the Tet Offensive and the climax where a sniper targets the Platoon.

Matthew Modine shines alongside Vincent D'Onofrio, Adam Baldwin, Arliss Howard, Dorian Harewood and Kevyn Major Howard. The standout in the movie is the late R. Lee Ermey as Gunnery Sergeant Hartmann. He is foul mouthed and full of colourful and derogatory insults and is seen striking the recruits. Though he sees himself as hard but fair, he is seen as a vicious bully who he has the single minded task of moulding the recruits into US Marines ready to kill the enemy.

The late Stanley Kubrick did a brilliant job as writer and director. Though the movie was meant to take place in Parris Island, South Carolina and Vietnam, the entire movie was filmed in England.

Full Metal Jacket was one of many movies released in the 1980's depicting the Vietnam War. It's captivating, disturbing, dark, and brilliant. Full Metal Jacket is still regarded as one of the best war movies of all time.

A well deserved 10/10.

Buying Beverly Hills has only one good thing about it and that is that the houses look amazing. That's it.

All of the cast are just pretentious and shallow. Good for them for working so hard to get where they are but aside from that, nobody cares.

It makes you wonder if they are really like that or whether the whole thing is just for attention and show. Reality TV isn't exactly trustworthy at the best of times.

If you like reality shows and that's your thing, go for it. I wouldn't hold it against you at all.

This show is another reason why I'm not a fan of reality shows. It's just unnatural.

So this show gets another low rating from me.

1/10.

My Dad was a fan of The Doors growing up in the 1960's and I had not heard of them previously.

I was more into 80's and 90's music growing up.

Dad came across this in the local video store and rented it for 1 week.

I liked The Doors and I liked all their music videos on this tape including classics such as Break on Through, Light My Fire, Roadhouse Blues, L. A. Woman, People are Strange, Wild Child, The Unknown Soldier, The Crystal Ship, Love Me Two Times, and many more.

I do wish Dad bought this on VHS but unfortunately he could no longer find it. It certainly would have been played countless times in our house.

To this day now, he had me hooked on The Doors and I still enjoy listening to their music.

8/10.

Police Academy 2: Their First Assignment was a fun sequel. It was enjoyable to see the new recruits having graduated from the Police Academy from the original movie and now assigned to their first station where they hit the streets.

Officers Carey Mahoney (Steve Guttenberg), Larvell Jones (Michael Winslow), Moses Hightower (the late Bubba Smith), Eugene Tackleberry (the late David Graf), Larvene Hooks (the late Marion Ramsay) and Douglas Fackler (Bruce Mahler) have the misfortune to be transferred to the 16th precinct. Hightower is assigned to foot patrol, Hooks is assigned to desk duty in the communications room, Fackler is assigned to the affable Dooley (Ed Herlihy), Jones to the cantankerous Sistrunk (Sandy Ward), Mahoney to the slovenly but well meaning Vinnie Schtulman (Peter Van Norden), and Tackleberry to motorcycle patrol alongside Kathleen Kirkland (Colleen Camp). Initially reluctant partners at first, they later form a friendship as they share common ground with their shared knowledge and experience with firearms which later blossoms into a romantic relationship.

The 16th precinct is located in a high crime area and the officers are having trouble getting the crime under control. Captain Pete Lassard (the late Howard Hesseman) is given an ultimatum of 30 days to turn things around or he is out. Pete Lassard asks his brother Commandant Eric Lassard (the late George Gaynes) for help and recommends his six new graduates to be assigned to the area to help with the crime wave. Though the new rookies have the misfortune of being transferred to the high crime area, all six officers are undettered about their situation as both of the Lassard brothers have faith in them that they will carry out their duties with pride which they do.

While Captain Pete Lassard is facing the axe, Lieutenant Eddie Mauser (the late Art Metrano) is grooming himself to become the captain of the precinct alongside the dimwitted Sergeant Carl Proctor (Lance Kinsey). Lieutenant Mauser is determined to see Captain Lassard fail and also undermines the officers by setting them up to fail. In revenge, Mahoney pulls pranks on Mauser in an effort to humiliate him. The crime wave has gotten worse especially with the gang The Scullions led by Zed (Bobcat Goldthwaite) running riot in the area, and the new police officers set out to curtail the crime wave in their own unique way.

It was great to see the main cast return. Though some cast members from the original movie didn't return for any of the sequels, it was great to see Steve Guttenberg, Michael Winslow, Bubba Smith, David Graf, Marion Ramsay, Bruce Mahler and George Gaynes return. Art Metrano was the vindictive Lieutenant Mauser was great to see. Lance Kinsey stole every scene as the dimwitted and clumsy Sergeant Proctor who became a mainstay for the rest of the series and was later promoted to Lieutenant.

Police Academy 2 is a delight to watch. After the success of the first movie released in 1984, it was great to see the new rookies hit the street. Though it was a hit at the box office, critics and audiences didn't exactly agree with some stating that it wasn't as funny as the first movie and some stating that it was too goofy with a lot of the sexual references toned down compared to the first movie. Regardless of some of the negative reviews, I enjoyed it. The series continued on with 4 more sequels yearly from 1986 to 1989, followed by a hiatus with the unnecessary Police Academy: Mission to Moscow (1994) which was the worst movie of the series. There was an animated series which was popular for a few years, and a short lived live TV series that was met with indifference. There were talks for a reboot or a remake of Police Academy with a whole new cast but I don't see that happening. That idea has seemed to have been scrapped. It's unfortunate, but maybe it's for the best.

On a personal note, Police Academy 2 was an inspiration for my first choice of cosplay back in 2017. That's why I still think well of the movie and years later it's still a delight to watch.

7/10.

Blade Runner is a visually spectacular science fiction movie which has aged very well 40 years on. Released in 1982, Blade Runner was originally a box office flop despite receiving excellent reviews, however the movie has since become regarded as a masterpiece. Harrison Ford was fantastic in a darker role following his heroic roles in Star Wars (1977), The Empire Strikes Back (1980) and Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981). The late Rutger Hauer was a delight to watch on screen. Director Ridley Scott can also add this to one of his most memorable movies.

Based on Philip K. Dick's story "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" Blade Runner takes place in 2019 in a futuristic Los Angeles. Synthetic humans known as replicants are being developed by Dr. Eldon Tyrell (Joe Erkel) of the Tyrell Corporation to work on space colonies as they have been declared illegal on Earth as they are considered to be dangerous. Former LAPD Detective and Blade Runner Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford) is coaxed out of retirement by his boss Captain Bryant (M. Emmett Walsh) to track down four dangerous replicants who have escaped following a spaceship crash. A Blade Runner is responsible for tracking down replicants and to terminate them which is called "retirement". The escapees include Roy Batty (the late Rutger Hauer), Leon (the late Brion James), Pris (Daryl Hannah) and Zhora (Joanna Cassidy). As Deckard hunts down the replicants, he finds himself torn between his duty to retire the replicants as he finds himself falling for Tyrell's assistant Rachel (Sean Young) who may or may not be a replicant.

The rest of the cast includes Edward James Olmos as Gaff who is a fellow Blade Runner, William Sanderson as J. F. Sebastian who is a genetic creator, and James Hong as Hannibal Chew who is a genetic engineer that produces eyes for the replicants.

There are several versions of Blade Runner that exist including the 1982 theatrical version, the 1992 Director's Cut which removed Harrison Ford's narration, added a unicorn dream sequence, and a darker ambiguous ending. The 2007 Final Cut adds a few smaller scenes and adds the full sequence of the unicorn dream.

Blade Runner is still a visually dazzling classic 40 years on and I must say the visual effects and art design has aged very well. Ridley Scott did a superb job and Harrison Ford and Rutger Hauer were fantastic. Blade Runner can also be credited with more of Phillip K. Dick's works being adapted for the screen with movies such as Total Recall (1990), Minority Report (2002), and A Scanner Darkly (2006). It's a shame Blade Runner flopped at the box office in 1982, but thankfully has grown to become more appreciated as time has passed and later became more successful on VHS and with the subsequent releases of the director's cut in 1992 and the final cut in 2007. I still regard Blade Runner as an excellent movie.

8/10.

Copycat holds its own as a very underrated and entertaining mystery thriller. Sigourney Weaver, Holly Hunter, and Dermot Mulroney lead a great cast and Harry Connick Jr. Is surprisingly very good being cast against type.

Criminal psychologist Helen Hudson (Sigourney Weaver) suffers from agoraphobia after being attacked by serial killer Darryl Lee Callum (Harry Connick Jr.) following a lecture where she is almost killed and she witnesses a police officer being brutally murdered. Though Darryl Lee Callum is arrested, Helen Hudson is confined to her high tech apartment and her only link to the outside world is her computer. Her friend Andy (John Rothman) is her carer helping her with buying groceries and also assisting her when she has reoccurring panic attacks. Meanwhile, the San Francisco Police Department is investigating a number of homicides that are occurring and Inspectors MJ Monahan (Holly Hunter) and Reuben Goltz (Dermot Mulroney) are the lead investigators. Helen Hudson tries to tell the police they are the work of a copycat serial killer, but is initially dismissed until Inspector Monahan and Goltz visit her to listen what she says. They eventually agree to let Helen assist them with the investigation. Helen explains that the current serial killer is a copycat, having copied famous serial killers from the past (Son of Sam, Hillside Strangler, Ted Bundy and Jeffrey Dahmer among others). Helen Hudson and Inspectors Monahan and Goltz must work together to find the serial killer and put a stop to the copycat murders, before he strikes again and quite possibly close to home.

Sigourney Weaver has always been a great actress, especially in movies such as Ghostbusters (1984) and its sequel, the Alien series in particular Alien (1979) and Aliens (1986), and Gorillas in the Mist (1988). Here in Copycat she does a great job portraying a character with agoraphobia.

Helen Hudson was great to watch as the SFPD Homicide Inspector MJ Monahan as is Dermot Mulroney as Inspector Reuben Goltz.

Singer Harry Connick Jr. Was a surprise casting choice as serial killer Darryl Lee Callum. We all know Harry Connick Jr. As a charismatic musician and nobody expected him to portray a very unlikeable and repugnant character which he does a great job.

The rest of the cast includes Will Patton, J. E. Freeman, and William McNamara.

Director Jon Amiel has done well with a movie that could have been a routine thriller but instead is one that keeps audiences intrigued and in suspense.

Underrated on release, Copycat was a modest hit at the box office in 1995 and also received many positive reviews. Though it's not as talked up as much as other movies such as Se7en which was also released in the same year, Copycat still holds its own as a very entertaining serial killer thriller and with a quality cast. I was afraid that this would be a movie that just got lost after a few decades having been popular on VHS, DVD and when screened on TV (although the TV version is edited). I'm glad this has popped up on Disney Plus and I hope this movie will be recognised by newer audiences and still appreciated by those that saw the movie years ago. Copycat is still a worthy thriller.

7/10.

Air Force One was an entertaining action thriller. It might be another Die Hard blueprint but that didn't matter. The late Wolfgang Petersen did a great job bringing to life a US President who is not only willing to stand by his policies, but to fight back against hijackers with his quick wit, fists and a MP5 submachine gun.

US President James Marshall (Harrison Ford) is in Moscow, Russia giving a speech on his policies on his strong stance against terrorism. Marshall departs Moscow alongside his wife Grace (Wendy Crewson), his daughter Alice (Liesel Matthews), and his staff including Chief of Staff Lloyd Shepard (Paul Guilfoyle), Major Caldwell (William H. Macy), Secret Service Agent Gibbs (Xander Berkley) and Press Secretary Melanie Mitchell (Donna Bullock). It was going to be a routine flight home until a small group of Russian hijackers led by Ivan Korshunov (Gary Oldman) take over Air Force One with the intent of holding everyone onboard hostage with the demand of the release of Kazakhstan General Alexander Radek (Jurgen Prochnow) who was captured by US Special Forces and imprisoned. Though the hijack is successful, President Marshall manages to hide away and refuses to leave Air Force One. Marshall, also a former Medal of Honour winner, must thwart the terrorists plans and save all the hostages on board including his wife and child. Meanwhile in Washington D. C., Vice President Kathryn Bennett (Glenn Close) must negotiate with Korshunov's demands and deal with the crisis as best she can in the absence of President Marshall.

Harrison Ford is a man of action. When you have Harrison Ford cast as the US President caught up in the middle of a hijacking, you can depend on Harrison Ford's President James Marshall to fight back. That's why audiences love to see Harrison Ford take on the bad guys.

Gary Oldman was great as the lead hijacker Ivan Korshunov. Gary Oldman is a versatile actor, and he effectively steps into the role of the ruthless villain. I enjoyed him facing off against Harrison Ford.

The late director Wolfgang Petersen who sadly passed away on 12 August 2022 brought to life an action blockbuster with a US President caught up in a Die Hard scenario on board the titular Air Force One. Writer Andrew W. Marlowe keeps the movie entertaining. The late Jerry Goldsmith was great as the composer who keeps the suspense up throughout the whole movie.

Air Force One is excellent popcorn entertainment. Harrison Ford's President James Marshall can be added to another memorable character in his career and Gary Oldman's Ivan Korshunov is another memorable role that can be added as a highlight to a versatile career. It's also a memorable movie for the late director Wolfgang Petersen.

Sit back, strap in and have a great time.

8/10.

With a cast featuring Denzel Washington, Rami Malek and Jared Leto, I was expecting The Little Things to be an intriguing, nail biting crime thriller similar to Se7en (1995) or Gone Baby Gone (2007). It turned out to be a dull and dreary movie. Though it kept me in my seat expecting more, I felt like the whole thing turned out to be anticlimactic.

Set in 1990, Kern County deputy sheriff Joe "Deke" Deacon (Denzel Washington) is sent to Los Angeles County to collect evidence pertaining to a recent murder which is linked to an unsolved case from years ago that Deke was involved in when he was a homicide detective with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. Though advised to stay away from the investigation, Deke later gets involved when another murder occurs with the same M. O. when a body is found under a bridge. LASD Detective Jimmy Baxter (Rami Malek) is the lead detective investigating the murder and liases with Deke on the past history and any further clues that may lead to a successful apprehension of the serial killer. The investigation leads to Albert Sparma (Jared Leto), an eccentric repairman who was working near the murder sites. Though Sparma taunts Deke and Baxter, there is no evidence linking Sparma to the murders so the investigation must continue.

Denzel Washington, Rami Malek and Jared Leto (who should not have been nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor) are three quality actors who I cannot fault. John Lee Hancock who directed The Founder (2016) and The Highwaymen (2019) did his best with a story was just dull and anticlimactic. I just felt quite disappointed. Good thing I didn't pay for a ticket to watch this at the cinema and I ended up watching this on Netflix.

Though it passed the time, The Little Things was a disappointment. It was such a shame and I was expecting something much better.

5/10.

Based on the hit television series, Brian DePalma (Scarface, The Untouchables) brings Mission: Impossible to life on the big screen with a spectacular and thrilling movie modernised for the 90's. Tom Cruise introduces us to super spy Ethan Hunt who would be the main character throughout the entire series. It also be the start of a blockbusting series of films spanning from 1996 to 2018.

Secret Agent Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) is part of the Impossible Mission Force (IMF) spy agency alongside his boss Jim Phelps (Jon Voight) and fellow team members Claire Phelps (Emmanuelle Beart), Sarah Davies (Kristin Scott Thomas), Jack Harmon (an uncredited Emilio Estevez), and Hannah Williams (Ingeborga Dapkunaite). When a mission goes wrong in Prague which sees Ethan Hunt as the sole survivor and the CIA non official list stolen, Ethan discovers that he has been framed as the traitor following a debrief at a restaurant by IMF director Eugene Kittridge (Henry Czerny). Ethan manages to escape spectacularly with a hidden explosive device he sticks onto the indoor aquarium. Alongside Claire who later turns up having escaped the onslaught, Ethan also recruits two other disavowed agents: computer hacker Luther Stickell (Ving Rhames, another mainstay throughout the entire series) and helicopter pilot Franz Krieger (Jean Reno). Ethan goes rogue to prove his innocence and alongside his new team set out to find the real traitor.

Tom Cruise is a delight as Ethan Hunt in one of his best roles. The rest of the cast including Jon Voight, Emmanuel Beart, Ving Rhames, Jean Reno, Henry Czerny and Emilio Estevez were fantastic. Director Brian DePalma keeps the suspense tight and keeps the audiences on the edge of their seats with a clever plot and a lot of plot twists by writers David Koepp and Robert Towne.

The scene where Ethan Hunt drops into the highly secure CIA vault supported by cables would become one of the most iconic sequences of the movie. Other honourable mentions include the restaurant scene as referenced before and also the climatic high speed train and helicopter chase scene.

Mission: Impossible continues to go strong with the 7th and 8th movies due in 2023 and 2024 respectively.

Though there's plenty of action, Mission: Impossible would be the only movie in the series not to feature any shootouts, instead relying on spy gadgetry. Also, this would be the only movie in the series that Tom Cruise's Ethan Hunt doesn't fire a gun throughout the whole movie.

Mission: Impossible would become of the biggest box office hits of the year and is still one of Tom Cruise's most memorable movies. I still remember my brother and I watching Mission: Impossible at the cinema during the school holidays back in 1996 and we both had a great time. Having celebrated it's 25th anniversary last year, it's still an excellent movie and easily one of the best in the franchise.

8/10.

Directed by Brian De Palma, written by David Mamet, impeccable work from composer Ennio Morricone, and starring a powerful cast with Kevin Costner, Sean Connery, Robert De Niro and Andy Garcia, The Untouchables is still a fantastic movie 35 years on. Based on the TV series, it brings back the crusading lawman v ruthless gangster storyline set in the 30's. It's brilliantly made.

During the prohibition era in the USA, gangland kingpin Al Capone (Robert De Niro) supplies Chigago with illegal liquor which has built up his empire. He is considered to be the undisputed leader of Chicago and rules the city with an iron fist. He also has all of the politicians and police in his pocket, and nobody dares to cross him. That includes his own men and other rival gangsters. Federal Agent Elliot Ness (Kevin Costner) is tasked to stop Capone and his supplies of alcohol. Due to the widespread corruption in the city, his efforts are hindered following a failed raid and he is left on his own. Ness decides to put together a small group of lawmen that are not influenced by Capone's corruption. The include the veteran patrol officer Jimmy Malone (Sean Connery who won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor), police recruit George Stone (Andy Garcia), and accountant Oscar Wallace (Charles Martin Smith). Not only do they start to succeed in raiding Capone's warehouses full of bootleg alcohol and thwarting his incoming supplies, they also discover that they can also take down Capone on tax evasion. Ness and his men will not back down as Capone declares war.

Brian De Palma did a fantastic job as director. David Mamet who wrote the screenplay was brilliant. Ennio Morricone is well known for his work in movies such as The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly (1966), Once Upon a Time in the West (1968) and The Mission (1986). Morricone's soundtrack for this movie is impeccable. The cast is first rate. Kevin Costner's role as Elliot Ness is one of his best roles. Sean Connery deserved to win the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role as the aging beat cop Jimmy Malone. Robert De Niro was always brilliant and his role as Al Capone is one of his most memorable roles. Andy Garcia as the sharpshooting police recruit was excellent.

The stairway shootout scene at the Chicago Union Station was and still is a memorable scene. The same goes for Al Capone's speech about baseball and wields a baseball bat during a meeting with his fellow gangsters. If you've seen the movie, I don't have to say any more. If you haven't seen it, you'll soon understand both scenes.

The Untouchables is still a timeless classic. It was excellent viewing when I first hired it out on VHS back in 1997 and I've seen it a few times when it has appeared on TV. I bought it on Blu-ray several years ago and I still pop it on if I'm in the mood for an uplifting and powerful crime classic.

9/10.

Firestorm could have had the potential to be an action blockbuster but it turned out to be a critical and commercial flop. Former NFL player Howie Long was earmarked to be the next action hero however his acting career turned out to be very shortlived as his new career move was not a success. Firestorm certainly did no favours for Howie Long.

Jesse Graves (Howie Long) is a smokejumper based in rural Wyoming who is one of several firefighters in a team that parachutes in the middle of forest fires to assist in containing the fire as well as search and rescue. His boss and mentor Wynt Perkins (Scott Glenn) has been sidelined and is no longer active in the field after he was seriously injured in the line of duty and is looking to Jesse to take over as boss.

Meanwhile, Wyoming federal prisoner Randall Shaye (William Forsythe) is planning a prison break during a forest fire where a number of convicts assist in firefighting relief. Shaye has $37 million stashed away in the Wyoming forest and wants to get his hands on it. Along with a number of convicts, the prison break is successful and the escapees manage to disguise themselves as Canadian firefighters who are assisting in containing the forest fire but are making their way to the stolen loot. Unfortunately birdwatcher Jennifer (Suzy Amis) crosses paths with the convicts and is taken hostage. Jesse discovers the convicts are disguised firefighters and sets out to stop them after they attempt to kill him and to save Jennifer. Shaye turns out to be dangerous and unpredictable as he turns on the convicts.

Howie Long was a champion defensive end in the NFL with a fantastic career playing for the Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders over 13 seasons, winning the Super Bowl in 1984 and with 8 pro bowl selections. Unfortunately his acting career wasn't the most memorable. He was good as a henchman in Broken Arrow (1996) but his attempt to headline an action movie fizzled with Firestorm. Though his movie career ended with the mega flop 3000 Miles to Graceland (2001), he has done many commercials in the USA which are more entertaining. He has since become a well respected NFL commentator and a sports analyst.

Scott Glenn (can never do wrong), William Forsythe (always a great choice as a villain) and Suzy Amis (who retired from acting in 1999) did their best. Barry Pepper in an early role was fairly forgettable but has since gone on to bigger and better roles in Saving Private Ryan and Enemy of the State (both 1998) and The Green Mile (1999).

Academy Award winning Australian cinematographer Dean Semler who is well known for his work in many classics such as Mad Max 2 (1981), Dances With Wolves (1990) and Apocalypto (2006) tried his hand at directing but this would turn out to be very shortlived. Firestorm would be one of two movies that would wind up as flops. His second and last movie as a director would be the forgettable Steven Seagal action drama The Patriot (1998). Semler has returned to cinematography and still continues his career doing what he does best behind the camera.

Firestorm was forgettable nonsense. The stunts and special effects were worth checking out, but the rest of the movie and acting was below average. Firestorm extinguished Howie Long's acting career and this certainly didn't set the box office on fire as this turned out to be one of the biggest flops of 1998.

4/10.

Raiders of the Lost Ark (also known as Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark) which was released in 1981 is still highly regarded as one of the finest action adventure movies that is still exciting over 40 years later. Directed by Steven Spielberg, this movie would be the first time audiences would be introduced to the iconic action hero Indiana Jones played by Harrison Ford which would also kickstart an amazing franchise. It would also introduce audiences to the iconic theme song known as the "Raiders March" by John Williams. I still regard Raiders of the Lost Ark as one of the most exciting and fun filled action adventure movies.

Dr. Henry "Indiana" Jones (Harrison Ford) is a globe-trotting archaeology professor who teaches at Marshall College but also searches for treasure and artifacts. Indiana Jones is hired by US Intelligence officers to recover the long-lost Ark of the Covenant, a biblical relic said to make an army invincible. His loyal friend and museum curator Marcus Brody (Denholm Elliott) makes a deal to have the Ark displayed in a museum after it has been captured. Indiana Jones joins forces with his tough and spirited former lover Marion Ravenwood (Karen Allen), and his fellow ally and friend Sallah (John Rhys-Davies) to race against time to prevent rival archaeologist Dr. René Belloq (Paul Freeman) and Gestapo Major Arnold Ernst Toht (Ronald Lacey) from obtaining the Ark to give to Adolf Hitler's Nazis to make them more powerful.

Harrison Ford is a perfect fit as Indiana Jones with his trademark fedora and whip. Harrison Ford would show us that Indiana Jones is tough, intelligent, vulnerable and a hero the audiences can and always will cheer for. Indiana Jones would make the list as one of the most memorable action heroes of all time.

Steven Spielberg has done an amazing job recreating the excitement and thrills of the classic adventure serials of yesteryear.

Raiders of the Lost Ark would become the number 1 box office hit of 1981 and leave a lasting impact on popular culture. It also won 5 Academy Awards for Best Art Direction, Best Sound, Best Visual Effects, Best Editing and a Special Achievement Award for Sound Effects Editing. It was also nominated for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Cinematography and Best Score.

Not content with a quadrilogy, Harrison Ford has decided to don the fedora again for an untitled fifth movie is set for release in 2023.

Raiders of the Lost Ark and the Indiana Jones franchise is still popular amongst many fans and audiences. 40 years on, Raiders of the Lost Ark is still a classic action adventure.

9/10.

Based on Mario Puzo's novel, Francis Ford Coppola's epic crime classic The Godfather still stands as one of the finest and influential films of the 20th century. The Godfather features an all star cast with Marlon Brando headlining the movie and also starring Al Pacino, James Caan, Robert Duvall, Talia Shire, John Cazale and Diane Keaton.

Aging mafia boss Don Vito Corleone (the late Marlon Brando) known as The Godfather is the head of the Corleone mafia family in New York. Vito is a powerful man and shows kindness to those who give him respect but is ruthless against his enemies. Vito has three sons, Michael (Al Pacino), Sonny (James Caan), Fredo (the late John Cazale) and a daughter Connie (Talia Shire). Michael is Vito's youngest son and a decorated US Marine who served in World War II. Michael remains adamant that he does not want to be a part of the family business. Sonny is hot headed who sees violence as a solution to all problems and impulsively makes rash decisions. Fredo is the weakest of the family and knows that no matter what he does, he can never live up to the families reputation. Connie is Vito's daughter who gets married as the beginning of the movie Carlo Rizzi (Giani Russo) who would later become abusive towards Connie. Other members of the Corleone family include the consigliere and head lawyer Tom Hagen (Robert Duvall) and street bosses Pete Clemenza (Richard S Castellano) and Tessio (Abe Vigoda). Following a number of fateful events, Michael eventually becomes drawn into the Mafia and eventually takes full control of the Corleone family amidst an outbreak of a mob war which could tear the family apart.

The Godfather would be the highest grossing film of 1972 and also received overwhelming critical acclaim. The Godfather would win 3 Academy Awards including Best Picture, Best Actor for Marlon Brando (who declined to accept the award), and Best Adapted Screenplay for Francis Ford Coppola and Mario Puzo. To be honest, it deserved more Academy Awards and Francis Ford Coppola was robbed of the Best Director Academy Award, losing out to Bob Fosse for Cabaret (1972).

The Godfather would be followed by The Godfather Part II (1974) and The Godfather Part III (1990).

50 years on, The Godfather is still a brilliant masterpiece. Everything about the movie including the story, the cast and score is still amazing. What more is there to say? It's certainly a movie that will age gracefully over time and will still be as enjoyable as the first time that I watched it.

A true classic that earns a well deserved 10/10.

There's been plenty of sequels that have been released many years later that have been very hit and miss. Some have tarnished the memories of the original movie, and some have been satisfying. Right from the opening credits, Top Gun: Maverick was going to be a great thrill ride. The story felt refreshing as it took a trip down nostalgic lane as well as bringing in new ideas as well as moving on to the present era. It was definitely great to see Tom Cruise return as Pete "Maverick" Mitchell. In fact, I thought this was better than the first movie.

US Naval Aviator Captain Pete "Maverick" Mitchell (Tom Cruise) still feels the need for speed and has turned down opportunities for promotion for fears of being grounded. Maverick is still passionate about flying and he still continues in the role as a test pilot. Maverick still continues to push the envelope and this time he defies orders not to fly a hypersonic prototype resulting in a crash after he successfully reaches Mach 10. Rear Admiral Chester "Hammer" Cain (Ed Harris) manages to have Maverick reassigned to NAS North Island in San Diego to train a new group of Top Gun graduates. Vice Admiral Beau "Cyclone" Simpson (Jon Hamm) and Rear Admiral Solomon "Warlock" Bates (Charles Parnell) feel that the presence of the aging aviator is unwanted, despite the fact Maverick was only brought in at the request of former adversary turned friend Admiral Tom "Iceman" Kazansky (Val Kilmer who makes a welcome return to his iconic role despite his health issues) who is now the commander of the US Fleet.

Maverick is tasked with training the new group of top pilots for a secret mission to destroy a nuclear facility in an enemy compound. One of the pilots is Bradley "Rooster" Bradshaw (Miles Teller) who is the son of Maverick's friend Nick "Goose" Bradshaw (Anthony Edwards who appears in archive footage) who was killed in an accident in the original movie which still haunts Maverick many years later. Other pilots brought in for the mission include Jake "Hangman" Seresin (Glen Powell), Robert "Bob" Floyd (Lewis Pullman), Natasha "Phoenix" Trace (Monica Barbaro), Reuben "Payback" Fitch (Jay Ellis), Mickey "Fanboy" Garcia (Danny Ramirez), Javy "Coyote" Machado (Greg Tarzan Davis), Brigham "Harvard" Lennox (Jake Picking) and Logan "Yale" Lee (Raymond Lee).

Maverick also rekindles his romantic interest with Penny Benjamin (Jennifer Connelly) who now owns a bar and is a single mother to daughter Amelia Benjamin (Lyliana Wray).

The fun and excitement continues just like the first movie and things get more intense and thrilling in the second half.

Tom Cruise shows that age will never slow him down as he returns as Pete "Maverick" Mitchell. He's still cocky, charming, and still the same hotshot just like he was back in 1986. As said before, Maverick is still haunted by the death of Goose but still cherishes the friendship that he since developed with Iceman.

The rest of the main cast include Jon Hamm, Miles Teller, Ed Harris, Glen Powell, Jennifer Connelly, and Val Kilmer who are fantastic. Miles Teller's Bradley Bradshaw brings back memories of his late father with the same swagger.

Director Joseph Kisinski admirably pays homage to the first movie and doesn't he do a fantastic job. The sequel was going to make a return originally however everything was put on hold when director Tony Scott took his own life in 2012. Producer Jerry Bruckheimer turns everything up to 11 as he does what he does best.

It's been 2 long years since Top Gun: Maverick was due in cinemas however the release was delayed following the COVID outbreak. The wait was worth it and the movie was excellent. I watched the original 1986 classic just as a refresher before the movie was released in cinemas today and I'm glad I did.

I had an excellent time with Top Gun: Maverick and it was great to see Tom Cruise return to one of his iconic roles and shows that he still has the starpower. I left the cinema super hyped and buzzing. I'm so happy that the sequel did the original justice. It's definitely better than the first movie. Top Gun: Maverick still fulfils the need for speed and thrills and excitement. Welcome back Tom Cruise and welcome back to Top Gun.

9/10.

Based on the nonfiction novel by Baltimore Sun reporter Justin Fenton, We Own This City centers on the infamous Gun Trace Task Force from the Baltimore Police Department and the illegal and corrupt behaviour of the officers involved, most of whom are now in prison. The Baltimore Police Department Gun Trace Task Force was created to combat Baltimore's high crime rate involving drugs and firearms however the officers involved exploited it instead by robbing criminals they stopped on the streets and during raids, planting evidence such as drugs and guns on innocent people, brutalising and assaulting suspects, and fraudulently claiming overtime. Though it was a small group of officers, their corrupt actions was a black eye for the Baltimore Police Department and the city.

Jon Bernthal was fantastic as Sergeant Wayne Jenkins who was entrusted to take charge of the Baltimore Police Department's Gun Trace Task Force. Joining the Baltimore Police Department in 2003, Wayne Jenkins had a reputation as a hard charger and a good officer who was well respected by fellow officers and upper rank and file. After he was arrested, he turned out to be the one of the worst officers after his illegal actions were exposed.

Sergeant Wayne Jenkins felt he could act with impunity and took advantage of the task force for his personal gain while arresting criminals and taking them off the street, though innocent people were caught up in the middle by being framed or harmed or killed. Following an investigation by the FBI, Wayne Jenkins along with other corrupt police officers who were involved were convicted and are now serving prison sentences.

Jon Bernthal is always enjoyable to watch on screen especially for his roles in the TV series The Walking Dead and The Punisher as well as other movies such as The Wolf of Wall Street (2013), Fury (2014), The Accountant (2016), and Ford v Ferrari (2019). Though he often plays volatile anti heroes, Jon Bernthal's portrayal of Sergeant Wayne Jenkins shows that he is a very unlikeable brute who thought he was untouchable and thought he could act with impunity.

The mini series also stars Josh Charles, Jamie Hector, Don Harvey, Wunmi Mosaku, Gabrielle Carteris, Domenick Lombardozzi, Dagmara Dominicczyk, Delaney Williams, Treat Williams, McKinley Belcher III, Darrell Britt-Gibson, Rob Brown, Bobby J. Brown, Jermaine Crawford, Larry Mitchell, Lucas Van Engen, and David Corenswet.

David Simon and George Pelecanos who both were producers for another HBO TV series The Wire, also set in Baltimore, did a great job bringing the mini series to life on the big screen.

One criticism I have however is that the show should have kept it straightforward instead of jumping around all over the place, which can make it tricky to keep following who's who and what's occurring.

If you are a fan of crime shows, nonfiction shows, or even The Wire, you will enjoy We Own This City.

8/10.

Conan The Barbarian is an epic fantasy adventure which would also be a breakthrough role for Arnold Schwarzenegger as the titular character.

Schwarzenegger was well known as a Mr Olympia 7 title winner who won 7 times. He later retired from bodybuilding to commence a career as an actor which would turn out to be a larger than life masterstroke.

In a coincidence while I complete my review, Conan The Barbarian was released on this day in 1982.

Conan (Arnold Schwarzenegger) is a former child slave who is later trained to be a gladiator after growing up to be a powerful and muscular man, winning many fights against other opponents. As a child, Conan witnessed the brutal slaying of his parents at the hands of Thulsa Doom (James Earl Jones) during the ruthless massacre of his village Conan and his parents lived in. Conan and the other children were captured and later put to work as child slaves. After Conan receives an education and further training to act civilized amongst other villagers, he is later freed and sent out by himself into the world. Conan is determined seek out Thulsa Doom to avenge his parents deaths. Along the way, he befriends a thief and skilled archer Subotai (Gerry Lopez), Valeria (Sandahl Bergman) a female swordsman and romantic interest of Conan's, and the Wizard of the Mounds (Mako). Conan and his newfound friends are also offered a large reward by King Osric (Max Von Sydow) to save his daughter from Thulsa Doom who is now a part of his cult.

The cast is great. Arnold Schwarzenegger was made to be Conan. I can't picture anyone else back in the day that would be cast in the role in the titular role. It's also an added bonus that Schwarzenegger is in peak physical condition. James Earl Jones who is always well suited to roles where he has a commanding presence was intense and powerful as the ruthless Thulsa Doom.

Directed by John Milus and written by Oliver Stone and and John Milus based on Robert E. Howard's Conan series, Conan was an enjoyable sword and sandals fantasy adventure movie. 40 years on, Conan The Barbarian still stands victorious as one of Arnold Schwarzenegger's classic movies.

Unfortunately, later movies in the Conan series have not enjoyed the same success as the original movie. Schwarzenegger returned for the sequel Conan The Destroyer (1984) however was a disappointment due to making the movie more family friendly and less violent. I haven't seen Conan The Destroyer since 1993 and I barely have any memories of the movie. I will have to watch it the next time I get the chance. A reboot of Conan The Barbarian (2011) by Jason Momoa was a box office bomb, and I certainly have no desire to watch the reboot.

If you're an Arnold Schwarzenegger fan like myself, Conan The Barbarian will always be an enjoyable experience.

8/10.

Basic Instinct was a very controversial movie when released back in 1992 for its explicit sex scenes and graphic violence. Named as one of the finest erotic thrillers, Basic Instinct was a movie that kept you going from start to finish. While you might be trying to guess who the real killer is (everyone knows who the real killer by now), it's hard charging sexuality and great performances keeps audiences addicted. Michael Douglas and Sharon Stone were excellent and Paul Verhoeven had another winner on his hands before his career was derailed by Showgirls (1995).

San Francisco Police Homicide Detectives Nick Curran (Michael Douglas) and Gus Moran (George Dzundza) are assigned to investigate the murder of former rock star Johnny Boz who is brutally stabbed to death with an ice pick while having sex with a mysterious blonde woman. The only suspect in the murder is crime novelist Catherine Tramell (Sharon Stone in her best role) who is initially uncooperative at the start but later willingly agrees to accompany Nick and Gus to the police station for questioning. During the interrogation, Catherine seductively toys with the police detectives and blatantly starts smoking even when told not to. While she crosses her legs, she purposefully exposes her vulva showing she wasn't wearing any underwear underneath her dress. Though Catherine is cleared following a lie detector test, she left all the police detectives very embarrassed that she had strung them all along. Catherine later reveals that for her next novel one of her main characters is based on Nick, a troubled cop who falls for the wrong woman and is later killed by her in the end. Nick also has a reckless reputation within the department having recently been investigated for an accidental shooting during an undercover operation while high on cocaine. He is also having an affair with police psychologist Dr Beth Garner (Jeanne Tripplehorn) who is also his counsellor following the shooting. Internal Affairs Lieutenant Marty Nielsen (Daniel von Bargen) who investigated Nick continues to bait him and Nick accuses of Lieutenant Nielsen of giving Catherine information about him following a bribe. Nick and Catherine start to have a torrid affair as Nick plays a dangerous cat and mouse game with Catherine to nail her as does Catherine who plays her own games with Nick. As their relationship progresses, there are more murders that are occurring and contradicting evidence force Nick to start questioning his own suspicions about Catherine's guilt and that Nick could potentially be the killer's next target as well as those close to him.

Basic Instinct also stars Dennis Arndt, Wayne Knight, Leilani Sarelle, Chelsie Ross, Jack McGee, James Rebhorn, Stephen Tobolowsky, Mitch Pileggi, Bruce A. Young, Dorothy Malone and Bill Cable.

Directed by Paul Verhoeven (Robocop, Total Recall) and written by Joe Eszterhas (Flashdance, Jagged Edge), Basic Instinct also faced a number of protests and accusations. There were protests from gay rights activists complaining about the negative portrayal of lesbianism and bisexuality in the film. Some even decided to picket outside cinemas revealing the ending. Other critics viewed the film as mysogynistic. Paul Verhoeven pushed the envelope when it came to sex and violence and Basic Instinct was no exception.

Basic Instinct was a box office hit in 1992 and would be one of the top ten highest grossing movies of the year despite its controversy. Basic Instinct is still an interesting and intriguing movie, and is one that you just can't look away from and you can't avoid it.

Don't even bother with the sequel Basic Instinct 2: Risk Addiction (2006) in which Sharon Stone reprised her role as Catherine Tramell. It was a mega flop that was set up to fail.

7/10.