Blu-ray thumbs

[Johann]

HERCULES (2014)



This was a nice surprise. I didn't have much faith in this when I saw the dvd cover, but it was surprisingly good, starring The Rock, Dwayne Johnson.
It turned out to be a decent epic.
Directed by Brett Ratner (Rush Hour), this was the exploits of half man/half god Son of Zeus.
Good battle scenes and CGI coupled with great supporting acting from the great John Hurt, Ian McShane and Joseph Fiennes make this very entertaining.
The Rock is a tad wooden, but he looks the part and he's believable as Hercules.

[Johann]

WINDTALKERS (2002)



Excellent war film from John Woo.
In WW2 the Americans secured victory on Saipan with help from Navajo radio code breakers.
Their code was never broken, and they called themselves "windtalkers".
Nicolas Cage is Sgt. Joe Enders, in charge of two such Najavo radio men.
We see them in action in very realistic and intense battle scenes- I was impressed.
A young Mark Ruffalo is also part of Enders' Marine squad.
Highly recommended movie based on true events.

[Johann]

LORD OF WAR (2005)



Andrew Nicchol directs Nicolas Cage and Jared Leto in this wild movie about the arms trade.
I can't say I endorse anything onscreen, but it highlights the truth.
Weapons deals happen every day, and the five countries that are tops in weapons dealing are the top five permanent members of the security council! Fact.
AK-47's, rocket launchers, grenade launchers, Uzi's, M16's, bombs and rockets and bullets are all for sale here, coupled with copious amounts of cocaine.
Crazy movie. Well made, well performed.

[Johann]

DELIVERANCE (1972)



This was an outstanding classic film that everybody should see at least once.
4 friends (Burt Reynolds, Ronny Cox, Jon Voight and Ned Beatty) go on a camping/canoe adventure in the South. Everything is kosher until they run into a couple gay hillbillies who threaten to rape and kill them. Getting out/back to safety then becomes their priority.
Beautiful direction from John Boorman, with nice cinematograhy/shots of the great outdoors.
Highly recommended.

[Johann]

SHOOT EM UP (2007)


A wild and wooly actioner that lives up to it's title.
Directed by Michael Davis, this is a lighthearted guns a-blazing extravaganza.
Clive Owen and the gorgeous Monica Belluci battle Paul Giamatti and an army of baddies, all in the name of protecting a newborn baby from a slain mother.
The gunplay is insane, and there's plenty of blood and gore.
It's thrilling to see crazy action scenes with Motorhead's Ace of Spades, the White Stripes and Nirvana.
Motley Crue play over the excellent end credits.
Shot in L.A. and Toronto- I recognized shots in downtown T.O.
Recommended for a good time- very satisfying movie. Clive is as ingenious as Rambo.

[Johann]

THE BAD LIEUTENANT: Port of Call New Orleans (2009)



Werner Herzog once again proves he can make a seriously compelling dramatic film just as easily as a documentary. Here he directs Nicolas Cage as Terence McDonagh, a police sgt. in the aftermath of hurricane Katrina-ravaged New Orleans.
McDonagh is corrupt as fuck, and it all flies above the radar of his superiors.
In fact he's promoted twice in the film!
Eva Mendes plays his drug-addled girlfriend and Val Kilmer provides solid support as a fellow cop. Outstanding cinematography is used to tell this story, which covers a lot of landscapes in New Orleans- including gators and iguanas. Michael Shannon also has a small role.
Cage's character steals drugs, does cocaine, crack, weed and anything else he can get his hands on, especially heroin. He's high-functioning alright, and you can hardly believe what he gets away with.
Top-notch film.

[Johann]

MISS PEREGRINE'S HOME FOR PECULIAR CHILDREN (2016)



After Batman, this may be my favorite Tim Burton film.
This is the weird time loop story of gifted children in 1943, under the care of Miss Peregrine (Eva Green).
Asa Butterfield plays Jake, grandson of Terence Stamp, who he finds in a field outside his house with no eyes (?) and dying. Before expiring, he tells Jake what to do, leading him to Wales with his father. There he finds the old bombed-out home that once belonged to Peregrine. He goes inside, and finds apparitions- or are they?
From then on this movie becomes a kaleidoscope of macabre set pieces, all revolving around the 24-hour time loop the children and Peregrine are in. Visually spectacular, I really enjoyed this movie, even tho the ending is a bit rushed. Also starring Judi Dench & Samuel L. Jackson.

[Johann]

DARK CITY (1998)


One of the best sci-fi films ever made.
This was dark indeed- no sun shines on this city.
Rufus Sewell plays John Murdoch, an amnesiac who's suspected of murder.
Kiefer Sutherland plays his bizarre psychiatrist, who's chased and tormented by the "Strangers", pale-skinned baddies who wear fedoras. The strangers can alter memories and landscapes, claiming their methods take several lifetimes to master.
This was a mind-bending trip, no different from an LSD trip.
It's a cult classic, and Roger Ebert championed it early on, even doing audio commentary for the blu-ray.
Jennifer Connelly is luminous, and William Hurt provides stellar support.
A must-see from director Alex Proyas.

[Johann]

STOKER (2013)


From the director of OLDBOY comes this chilling thriller.
Nicole Kidman stars as Evelyn Stoker, indifferent mother of India (Mia Wachowski).
India is young and sullen, and when her uncle Charles arrives on the scene after her father's death, things get creepy, eerie, horrifying and bone chilling.
I won't spoil anything- see for yourself how one man destroys lives in a soulless way, building up to an ending you won't see coming. Disturbing yet great movie. Exquisite cinematography and editing.

[Johann]

LUCY (2014)



Written and directed by Luc Besson, this sci-fi actioner may be his best work.
Scarlett Johansson stars as Lucy, a young woman inadvertantly caught up in a synthetic drug scam.
The film opens with her boyfriend making her a drug mule, witnessing his death.
He handcuffs her to a briefcase filled with a weird blue synthetic drug. From then on she's at war with Mr. Jang and his small army of baddies. Jang sews a pouch of the drug into her stomach, and it eventually enters her bloodstream, giving her enhanced physical and mental abilities.
This movie makes you wonder about the myth of brain capacity, how we only use a fraction of our mind. There are some brilliant/spectacular special effects shots here, especially at the end.
Lucy is able to time travel at will, and even goes back in time to witness the big bang!
Thoroughly entertaining flick, with lots of gunplay, blood and incredible sfx. Also starring Morgan Freeman.

[Johann]

SLOW WEST (2015)



Great neo-western by John Maclean.
Michael Fassbender stars as a bounty hunter named Silas Selleck. He encounters a young Scottish man named Jay Cavendish who is roaming the prairies alone, looking for his lost love Rose.
Jay pays Silas to escort him west, unaware that there's a bounty out there for Rose and her father, which Silas plans to claim, using Jay.
Excellent evocative cinematography- this was compared to Roger Deakins work with the Coen bros.
Low budget, shot in New Zealand, this one's a winner. It won a prize at Sundance.

[Johann]

MEN IN BLACK: INTERNATIONAL |(2019)



Was this movie needed? I don't think so.
F. Gary Gray directs Chris Hemsworth and newcomer Tessa Thompson as MIB Agents H and M, working out of the UK branch.
A totally convoluted plot revolving around rooting out a mole in the organization was mighty tiresome. The sfx were serviceable, but it just rang so hollow. No Tommy Lee Jones or Will Smith here. This movie had zero laughs, while trying to be hilarious.
Which reminds me of another sci-fi movie that isn't even worth reviewing: THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL with Keaunu Reeves. Boring as hell.

[Chris Knipp]

Men in Black are past their expiry date then.
Keanu has loyal fans. We may not be among them.

[Johann]

The first Men in Black was a nice novelty film. Sequels weren't needed.
Keanu is a decent actor, but I'm not his biggest fan. John Wick is the only blu-ray of his I own. John lent me 47 Ronin, and I'll thumbnail that one soon.
THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL might be Keanu's worst film. The best thing about it was Jennifer Connelly. She did the best she could with what she was given...The blu-ray came with the 1951 film with Michael Rennie as a bonus. It was cheesy, but better than the modern remake!

[Chris Knipp]

Agreed. Keanu has loyal fans for John Wick and seems to do a good job. I watched one but it was not for me.
By the way, I just tried to send you an email via your Yahoo.ca address, has it changed? It seems to have bounced back.