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Reviews
The Veteran (2011)
Way, way better than it is currently rated.
Okay, so the story is a bit "standard" and the editing is a bit choppy but the acting from all the heads is spot on and the technical aspects of the film are excellent and the action sences are a thing of real beauty (really, very very good), we rarely get treated to such excellent gun battles and never like this in a British film.
Shades of: Harry Brown, Heat and Taxi Driver (though not as good as the last two on that list, obviously, still this one is good). Kebbell is a very, very good actor and I can't believe he's not in every second British film that needs a "everyman" hero/anti-hero, he's superb here. Great ending as well.
I gave it an 8 because it entertained and impressed me in equal measure. A good show.
Prey (2022)
The laws of physics have been suspended...
The laws of physics have been suspend, so you better suspend your belief in them if you wish to enjoy what could have been a great installment but ultimately what turned out to be just a good.
The acting from the main characters was good, the predator was spot-on in design and technology and the atomsphere surrounding the monster and it's reveal were excellent. It did look great and that brawl with the bear was awesome:-)
All in all, by far not the best of the Predator franchise but also not the worst...somewhere in there with Predators or Predator 2 for those that can suspend all belief in the laws of physics.
*It would still seem that no female can lose a fight of anykinf in modern Hollywood and were as 100 kilo Arnie and 90 kilo Danny got rag-dolled, 55 kilo Amber rag-dolls:-D.
A good idea done pretty okay. An extra point cause I love a predator.
Eat to Save Your Life (2008)
Absolutely not sugar-coated
I have always ate fairly well, as in healthly and I have had a good education in food quality/quantity, as I grew up an athlete but this show was still nothing short of revolutionary to me. I wish it became mandatory viewing for the masses...instead of being exculded from YT, Wiki and any others lists of Jamie Oliver's programs (except here on IMDB, respect to IMDB). This is of course because Jamie Oliver helps butcher a dead human being (yeah, it happens) and this has since become unnacceptable on tv regardless of the educational value of the display (forbidden knowledge, if you will). All in all a small life changer for me in regards to food, how I view it and what I will not eat.
Copshop (2021)
I don't get it...what were you expecting?
This is a fun action movie not a serious crime-drama or thriller...it doesn't take itself too seriously and the cast has fun with the material. Speaking of cast, it has a great one, the writing is good, the actors have fun with it and direction is very solid and ,dare I say it, "cool". It's got that stylized look in the mould of John Wick and is just as enjoyable flick if the watcher will stop being so critical for 2 hours. Not everything has to be high-brow artistic perfection. Like Wick, this is far-fetched, its low-brow and I loved it.
Mindhunter (2017)
What tv shows should be....
Quality, quality and quality, acting, writing and direction in that order. Man a shame they didn't continue this and a shame more don't know of it. As tv should be. Fantastic.
Beckett (2021)
Is this the state of movies today?
Hammy acting, a weak script (complete with evil-right versus good-left politics) and some none-to-fantastic direction, I truly don't wish to complain but...this wasn't great. If you have nothing else to do and wish to goof in front of the tv then do it by all means.
Child of God (2013)
Not for the faint of heart but good.
I think that 5.5 is a harsh score for such a good (maybe not a word that applies to this story, as it is sheer "horror" but...) adaption of the book (it should be noted that it is not an exact replication of the story in the book). 7 out of 10, not for the story but for the job done in making it.
A lot of people love to hate on Mr. Franco it would seem, personally I don't get it but that's their business I reckon. What I can talk about is his direction of this movie and, in my opinion, he did a great job with the material. Like I said the story is sheer horror and selected (selected audience that is) viewing is HIGHLY recommended. Perhaps only people familiar with the book should watch this film, seriously it's not for the faint of heart.
The acting is excellent all round, especially Mr. Haze's performance as Lester Ballard, scary stuff indeed. Locations are beautiful and the scene (props etc.) is set very well.
All in all, a "good" film for people that like disturbing movies.
All the Pretty Horses (2000)
An excellent screen adaption of a McCarthy classic
Crazy that this movie only got a 5.8...I ask you: what gives folks?
I've read the book and like many just loved it and, I feel it must be said, that this is an excellent screen adaption of the book, let no one tell ye any different. If you don't like the story and it's not for everyone, and it would seem to me that some didn't, fair enough but it would also seem that some folk got an axe-to-grind with this movie for some reason, the production gets flack, the story or director some as well, also I figure some were never going to give this one a fair shake, I don't know why though. Personally I couldn't fault the directing one bit, Mr. Thornton did a great job with the story, the acting was spot on as was the cast (a young Mr. Black steals the show for me) and the editing was near perfect as far as I was concerned. Now having read the book I knew the story so maybe I find it hard to see what a person that didn't read the book might see in regards to understanding the plot and all, I can't say...as I seen it though the story's all there, the sparse dialogue is all there, thankfully nothing added, and the feeling of the adventure/brotherhood/growth/injustice/justice is all there, just the way Mr McCarthy intended them to be.
Note: It gets an extra point from me for still being "good" even though it was made on the cusp of the '90's (for me, a notoriously bad decade for movies aging well). That's just personal, call it a 7 out of 10 if you don't agree.
Anyway, folks, check it out, it's worth the time and I reckon you'll be well surprised.