God Bless America

  God Bless America is a great concoction of truth and exaggeration. Frank (Joel Murray) is divorced, terminally ill and loses his job. After seeing endless rubbish on TV he finally has enough and goes on a killing spree with the unlikely accomplice of 16 year old Roxy (Tara Lynne Barr).
   Frank is finally pushed over the edge by all the reality shows and adverts on TV. Sadly many of these reality shows do exist in real life, such as 'My Super Sweet Sixteen' where you see horrid rich and spoilt teenagers plan a ridiculously huge party. Then there is the barrage of X Factor type shows, The Kardashians, Cribs...the list is endless. A spoilt teenager is Frank's first victim and it is Roxy who makes him realise that he should keep on killing people who "deserve to die" rather than killing himself.
   This is predominantly a comedy, but it also shows one of the issues in western society as a whole. Talentless people are worshipped and the wrong ideals are being set for the next generation. Why go to university to get a well paid job when you can just leak a sex tape and become rich overnight?
   Obviously I am not saying that I agree with murdering these people just because they're annoying and have no talent or self respect...maybe just a punch to the face would suffice. God Bless America is a well made humorous look at the ever growing problem of reality TV and fame.

For fans of annoying people getting killed, films that make a good point and comical killings.

Stars ****

Photo from www.guardian.co.uk

The Cove

   A group of activists and the well known Ric O' Barry attempt to infiltrate a cove in the town of Taiji, Japan to try and expose shocking acts of abuse on dolphins.
   I have been meaning to see this film ever since I saw a trailer for it back in 2009. However, somehow I've only just got round to seeing it! The Cove is one of the best documentaries that I have seen in a very long time.
   At the beginning I thought that the people slaughtering these dolphins in their thousands each year had a reason for it, even if it was wrong, but it turns out that they didn't. The fact that the chosen few that are taken away to be kept in captivity and perform as show dolphins are actually the lucky ones is heart wrenching. The rest are cornered into a secret, highly guarded cove and butchered. They are either falsely sold as 'whale meat' (as dolphin meat is high in mercury and is therefore poisonous), or just killed as they are 'pests'. Some of these fishermen actually believe that dolphins and whales are the cause of fisheries being in decline, which is ridiculous to say the least. The high profile activist Ric O' Berry believes that many of the problems of Taiji are made worse by the lack of effort from the government and possibly even a government cover up.
    I was thoroughly entrenched in this film. I felt the pain of the dolphins, and for the activists that tried so hard to uncover the full truth. I wouldn't say this is a film to be enjoyed, but it is a documentary that must be seen. Three years on and the killings continue, though they have marginally decreased since this film was released. The more people who know about this, the more chance there is for it to be stopped for good.

For fans of dolphins, hard hitting documentaries and a moral conscience.

Stars *****

These are just a few sites to visit if you want more information about supporting the activists:

www.savejapandolphins.org

www.taijiactiongroup.blogspot.com

www.thepetitionsite.com/3/stop-the-dolphin-slaughter/

www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/724/210/624

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

  After revisiting the Lord of the Rings trilogy to prepare myself for The Hobbit, I was worried that this new Tolkien trilogy could be as painfully corny as I found the great Lord of the Rings trilogy after re-watching it. Thankfully Peter Jackson manages to subdue the corniness and create a fascinating and exciting story. I don't feel that The Hobbit should be made into three films though, as the book is relatively short. However, if the next two are as good as the first then I'll have no complaints.
   Bilbo Baggins has a comfortable life in the Shire until Gandalf convinces him to join the dwarfs in a quest to regain their homeland. Martin Freeman does an excellent job as Bilbo Baggins and as a younger Ian Holm. It is also fun to see some of the old characters again, even Elijah Wood as Frodo returns! Somehow no one appears to have aged even though it's been a decade since Lord of the Rings.
   I was also concerned with the length of the film, but once again it manages to impress by keeping the storyline interesting and diverse, breaking up the dwarf quest with story developing scenes and flashbacks of what had happened to the dwarfs. There is an enjoyable mix of characters from Lord of the Rings, such as Gollum and new ones like goblins, stone giants and the Pale Orc.
   I'm very much looking forward to the next two installments to see if they live up to the first. It's a pity that they're being spread out over three years though, maybe every six months would have been better.

For fans of Lord of the Rings, Tolkien and an adventure.

Stars ****

Picture from www.telegraph.co.uk

Seven Psychopaths

   Seven Psychopaths looked awesome from the trailer and the film was even better! The first five minutes are excellent with Michael Pitt and Michael Stuhlbarg (both from Boardwalk Empire) in a hilarious and well acted scene as two mobsters waiting to do a hit.
   Sometimes too many well known actors in one film can overwhelm the story, however, this isn't the case here. Christopher Walken is at his comical best, along with Colin Farrell, Sam Rockwell and the excellent Woody Harrelson. There are also some great cameos and smaller roles from Tom Waits, Gabourey Sidibe (Precious) and Olga Kurylenko (Quantum of Solace).
   Marty (Colin Farrell) a struggling screenwriter inadvertently becomes involved in the criminal underworld after his best friend and professional dog snatcher Billy (Sam Rockwell)  kidnaps a mob boss' much loved dog.   
   The story has a feeling of originality to it and follows an interesting concept, that being a psycho doesn't necessarily mean you have to be some sort of murdering maniac, though it does help.
   There's plenty of drama and emotion that mixes in perfectly with the laugh out loud humour. The psychopath stories told throughout by different characters add an extra layer to the story that puts Seven Psychopaths up there as one of the best films of the year.

For fans of huge laughs, great storytelling and psychopaths.

Stars *****

Catch .44

   I spotted Bruce Willis and Forest Whitaker on the front cover of this DVD and thought it might be worth a ganders. I wasn't disappointed either, well, apart from the end, but I'll come to that soon...Tes (Malin Akerman) and her two friends have a job to do for their crime boss Mel (Bruce Willis) and it sounded straight forward. All they had to do was intercept a drug deal that was going down on Mel's patch at a small and innocent diner. As the story unfolds it becomes more than just a simple drug interception.
   The flashback scenes being interspersed throughout the film help build up a picture of how all of the characters are in the situation they are in, adding edgy suspense which helps the plot build up to the final act. Whitaker is brilliant throughout, his almost schizophrenic personality as Ronny gives him the opportunity to show off his acting skills, with varying accents and an erratic personality.
   I think I could write a page or two on the ending, but to avoid making this a spoiler I'll try to explain my annoyance with as little detail as possible...Willis is only a supporting character, his scene with Whitaker was top notch, as the two great actors put on top performances. I foolishly let myself believe that I was going to get the ending I wanted, a different ending that would have made this film a 4 star in my eyes, but a star gets knocked off for what they decide to do.

For fans of great acting performances, gritty thrillers and annoying endings.

Stars ***

End of Watch

   Jake Gyllenhaal and Michael Pena put on great performances as two young officers of the LA beat. At the beginning I didn't know if I liked their characters or not. They came across as immature, foolish cops with massive egos, however, they grew on me as the film progressed.
   A routine traffic stop leads to an address, which stirs Brian's (Gyllenhaal) curiosity, but ends up marking them both for death as they get on the wrong side of the Mexican cartel. The way the Cartel members come across makes it very easy to dislike them. Or maybe I just couldn't stand the way they talked...
   Brian records his shifts on camera even though his superiors and many other officers are not happy about it. This creates a great sense of gritty realism as many of the shots come from Brian's cameras. The film takes place in the darker side of LA, there's no Hollywood, big mansions or fancy living. This is the real world and a harsh one at that.
   End of Watch is a gripping crime thriller that also doesn't lay low on the humour. Jake Gyllenhaal is picking his films wisely and this is one definitely not to miss.


For fans of cops, realism and Jake Gyllenhaal.

Stars ****

Gambit

   After a few hard hitting films, Colin Firth has taken a turn towards the comedic side. Gambit is about Harry Deane (Colin Firth) an art curator who tries to pull a fast one on his much hated boss Lionel Shahbandar (Alan Rickman) by trying to sell him a fake Monet. However, Deane's clumsiness and the unpredictability of a Texan rodeo clown called PJ Puznowski (Cameron Diaz), means it is far from plain sailing.
   There's plenty of comedy, coming from all corners of the cast, the majority centreing around the slapstick variety. The hotel scene in which trouser-less Harry Deane gets in a muddle as he stumbles from one room to the next, is a great sequence of hilarity. It is also the first time I have laughed at a fart joke in quite some time.
   This is written by the very talented Coen brothers and though it is a film with a lot of laughs, Colin Firth and Alan Rickman are stereotypically English. Rickman is the rich cynical upper class bastard and Firth is the doddery, foolish yet charming Englishman. It feels very much like an American view on us Brits.
   Nevertheless, Gambit is an enjoyable film that has the laughs, twists and characters to connect with and I recommend it as a film with which you can sit back, relax and enjoy.

For fans of twists, humour and Britishness.

Stars ***

The Five Year Engagement

   I'm not one for the romantic comedy, but the Five Year Engagement is a decent film, even though it's from the producers of Bridesmaids and the director of Forgetting Sarah Marshall! The idea is fun and the film is enjoyable, for the most part. Though maybe a two hour rom com is a bit too much to handle.
   Violet (Emily Blunt) and Tom (Jason Segel) get engaged and everything is on schedule until Violet's career sparks into life with an opportunity she can't miss, but which means moving from sunny San Francisco to cold and dreary Michigan. Though the film is riddled with fictional hilarity that reminds you that you are actually watching a film, the actual storyline has a good feeling of realism to it. Violet gets closer to her boss Winton (Rhys Ifans) while Tom finds it difficult to fit in to Michigan life and come to terms with giving up a promising career as a chef back in San Francisco.
   Emily Blunt is funny, but doesn't sprout her acting wings too much, like she does in Looper. Jason Segel plays his usual part of the nice comical tall man. It may be predominantly a chick flick, but there are laughs in there for the guys too.

For fans of rom coms, weddings and films for couples to watch together

Stars ***

Here Comes The Boom

   Scott Voss (Kevin James) is a school teacher who has let go of his principles, due to his loss of faith in the school system. That is until the music teacher Marty (Henry Winkler) is on the verge of losing his job because of school cuts. Voss accidentally talks himself into being the guy who'll raise the funds to keep the music programme going. When he watches a UFC bout and finds out that there's money to be made from losing as well as winning, Voss sees an opportunity.
   James specialises in the slapstick and self deprecating humour. The inevitable happens and he improves, with the help of a Dutch ex fighter Niko (Bas Rutten) who is trying to get his American citizenship, which Voss helps him to achieve.
   *Spoiler Alert!* Voss makes it into the UFC and fights the tough and scary Ken Dietrich, played by the MMA fighter Krzysztof Soszynski. There would be no way in hell that Voss would win and in the first two rounds Voss gets a thrashing of the highest level. Marty makes a good speech to Voss making him realise that he doesn't have to win the match. However, his speech was unnecessary as Voss pulls off an impossible victory.
   The last scene of the film was embarrassingly funny, as Niko and many others receive their American citizenship. Everyone floods out into the land of the US of A, there's cheering and happiness, an American flag stands proudly aloft and a Latino voice shouts 'Viva America!'. The unnecessary patriotism made me want to discreetly vomit behind my seat.
   Kevin James hasn't done anything Oscar worthy, or even that funny, except for Hitch. This is no exception. It's a half decent comedy until the ridiculous ending.

For fans of slapstick, simple comedy and the US of A.

Stars *

Argo

   Argo is based on the true story of the 1980 CIA-Canadian secret operation to remove six fugitive American diplomats from Iran. It is directed by Ben Affleck, who once again shows his directing prowess with a brilliant film. I am a fan of his other films The Town and Gone Baby Gone.
   There are countless recognisable faces, such as the well known John Goodman, Alan Arkin and Affleck himself. There are also the actors that you recognise straight away but take a few minutes for you to remember where you have seen them before, such as Tate Donovan, who plays Joshua, a love interest of Rachel in Friends and Clea Duvall from The Faculty. I found myself constantly saying to myself 'bloody hell! Look who that is!'
   The film was tense, moving and full of suspense. I felt entrenched in the six fugitives dilemma all the way through, as the worry, fear and anxieties of the trapped Americans were transferred through the screen with the great script, directing and acting.
   The film was certainly not devoid of humour. Arkin and Goodman's scenes had a lot of comedic value, but there was humour dotted all around, which helped break up the suspense and give you a few moments to laugh and take a breath before returning to the edge of your seat.
   I have seen too many average films at the cinema of late, interspersed with the odd great one. Maybe that can be blamed on half term which brings out the kids films, and Halloween which sees its yearly dose of painfully average horror films. However, now that storm has blown over, the cinema is seemingly back on track with the awesome Skyfall and now the dramatically brilliant Argo.

For fans of suspense, true stories and more suspense.

Stars ****

Photo from www.guardian.co.uk 

Cockneys vs Zombies

  There has been many a zombie film over the past decade and there appears to be no end to the spin off ideas spawning from the generic zombie apocalypse movie. As the title states, the film is literally cockneys in the east end of London dealing with a virus outbreak, which of course turns people into flesh eating corpses.
  Ray Macguire, played by Alan Ford is in an old people's home which has been put up for sale and he ponders heading up north, even though he has never left London. His grandsons Terry and Andy don't want him to leave, so they come up with a plan to save the care home by robbing a bank, with the help of a few others. Unfortunately for them, a zombie outbreak makes an easy escape impossible.
   Alan Ford is the classic cockney, gangster, geezer and all round hard man, which is always enjoyable to watch. Richard Briers was also very good, his very funny first scene sees him trying to out hobble the slow moving zombies on his zimmer frame. There's a lot of comedy throughout, especially with the seemingly quite harmless slow moving zombies, which give the characters enough time to crack a joke before shooting them.
   Cockney vs Zombies is an enjoyable zombie flick, with enough humour, gore and zombie action to keep you entertained throughout. I wouldn't say it was the best zombie film there's been, but it's an enjoyable addition to the ever growing zombie franchise.

For fans of zombies, gore and cockney rhyming slang.

Stars ***

The Hunter

   Ex-mercenary Martin (Willem Dafoe) is sent on a mission to search for the supposed last Tasmanian Tiger, which were officially classed as extinct, by a biotech company who believe it carries a unique and valuable chemical. Obviously it ends up being more than he bargains for as he tries to deal with the racist locals and find this elusive last tiger before his bosses grow impatient and send a replacement.
   Dafoe is very good through out, his hardened character weakening to his soft side as the film ticks on. This was helped very much by the family he stays with, especially a non speaking little boy who brings out the sensitive side of Dafoe's character. Sam Neill's supporting role adds a nice touch to the story and I had to wonder which side Neill was on as from the off he seemed suspicious of Dafoe.
   There is no doubt that at some point Dafoe was going to come across the apparently extinct Tasmanian tiger, but it wasn't clear whether his ethics would get in the way of the job he was hired for.
   This is a gripping hard edged thriller, with Dafoe excelling in his role. Dafoe has the screen presence to keep you intrigued from start to finish and you share in the dilemma with him, wondering yourself what the best course of action to take would be.

For fans of well performed hard edged thrillers and Aussie accents.

Stars ****

Skyfall

   I was very much looking forward to the new Bond film, Skyfall and it did not disappoint! Though Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace were both very good films, they weren't like proper Bonds. I grew up with Pierce Brosnan and he has always been my favourite. However, with Skyfall there is a definite shift back towards the classic Bond style.
   The film is long, but it didn't feel too long, nor slow. The opening sequence was exciting, well shot and edge of the seat action. I was so involved in the action that I totally forgot about the classic Bond credits and although it's not Adele best song, I still think its a well made Bond song and Adele was a good choice.
   Daniel Craig played his best role so far and Judi Dench excelled as usual in her seventh film as M. It was good to see Q return, this time as the much younger Ben Whishaw, while Javier Bardem was an awesome villain bringing a lot of humour, tension and great acting to his scenes. The acting overall is top notch, the action scenes are exciting and varied and the main actors were supported immensely well by Ralph Fiennes, Naomie Harris and Albert Finney.
   Skyfall is a great Bond story and there's enough twists, turns and excitement to keep you entertained for the whole 2 and a half hours. Though I do love the exotic Bond locations, it was a nice change that much of the action took place in London and Scotland. Skyfall is a big step up from the last two Bond films and a great way to celebrate the 50th anniversary of James Bond. I was also very pleased with the film being released in Britain before the US, which is how it should be with James Bond . I am now very much looking forward to the future installments.

For fans of James Bond and bloody good films.

Stars ****

Casa de mi Padre

  Casa de mi Padre was a weird one for many reasons. First of all, there were the unusual circumstances leading up to its release, in that, it wasn't...in the spring of this year there were trailers at the cinema, TV spots and posters. However, for some unknown reason it disappeared, meaning that I had to wait until its DVD release to see it.
  I was hesitant about the film, as there had been a couple of films in recent years that could be classed as the same type of genre to Casa de mi Padre, such as Machete and Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter. The genre being spoofs, I guess. However, Machete and Vampire Hunter failed drastically, as they took themselves far too seriously. How can a film that combined Abraham Lincoln and vampires not be a comical piss take? But there were barely any laughs in it. Machete struggled in the exact same manner.
  Casa de mi Padre managed to avoid this easily. It combined what Tarantino did in Death Proof, with its poorly shot scenes and erratic editing with the humour of the spoof trailer of Machete, which was shown at the beginning of Planet Terror. The badly made sets and obviously fake animals are a constant reminder that this is a film not to be taken seriously.
  Will Ferrell can add this one to the list of his better films, as the silly humour was kept at the correct level, unlike The Campaign which seemingly struggled to decide how crude they could push each joke. Ferrell is supported by a host of talented Mexican actors such as Gael Garcia Bernal and Diego Luna.
  The film being subtitled gave it a nice touch. The script was funny, the music was surprisingly catchy and it did what it was supposed to do and not take itself seriously!

For fans of Will Ferrell, spoofs and a good Mexican stand off.

Stars ***

The Cold Light of Day

I knew that it was Henry Cavill who was the main character, but I always look forward to a film starring Bruce Willis. However, his part was much smaller than I thought it was, which was quite a surprise.
Released earlier this year, it was a film I missed at the cinema. The plot is basic, Cavill's character has his family taken hostage and he has to try and save them in time...I was going to write more about the plot, but I realised I wrapped it up in one sentence!
The scenery is good, being set in Spain, so a lot of great European architecture. I have to give credit to an american film that isn't set in New York, actually I don't even think it was even mentioned! A rare occurrence for Hollywood.
Though the story is a basic one and I had no worries that the main character's were going to die, I did actually enjoy it to some extent. Cavill's acting was nothing to write home about, but he was solid. Sigourney Weaver was enjoyable throughout. She's a highly trained and experienced government agent, so quite rightly she would get rather pissed at a civilian like Cavill who she couldn't dispose of. But The Cold Light of Day does what so many action films do, which is making a normal untrained person with no fighting skills take down highly trained bad guys.
The Cold Light of Day is a decent action film. It has all the basic viewer needs to enjoy a generic action flick and there's even a random cameo from Colm Meaney. But this is not necessarily one to go rushing out to watch.

For fans of action films, Bruce Willis and sticking up for the little guy.

Stars **

Splice

Released in 2009 Splice is a sci-fi/horror film, starring Adrian Brody. This wasn't one of Brody's best. The idea was interesting, Brody's character Clive and his partner Elsa are genetic engineers and want to achieve fame in creating new life. They attempt this by splicing together DNA of different animals to create some sort of hybrid that can be used for medical use. What they do achieve is a human hybrid that's life span is compressed into a matter of weeks or months...I failed to pay enough attention to hear how long...

Elsa treats their creation like a child whilst in the lab, unlike Clive who realises their creation, Dren, is becoming a worrying issue. This leads to Clive and Elsa taking precautions by taking Dren to their home and letting her live in the barn. I failed to take Dren seriously, as I felt Delphine Chaneac played the role too much like a curious chimp, with almost cartoon like expressions. Though the spike on the end of her tail created some cool, if not gruesome moments.

I felt that Brody was half hearted throughout. Almost like he was running his acting skills at only 50%, so his abilities weren't wasted on a mediocre film. I don't mind that I missed this at the cinema and can see why it only lasted about a week before disappearing from the big screen.

For fans of something a little bit sci-fi and a little bit weird.

Stars **

Ruby Sparks

Original stories are becoming a rarity these days. When something different does come along it's usually a spin on an existing idea rather than something original. I think that Ruby Sparks does it's best at finding that story that Hollywood has yet to think up.
Paul Deno appears in his second film of the month, also starring in Looper. He doesn't suffer such a horrid fate in Ruby as he did in Looper though, where he was gruesomely butchered, but that's not surprising as Ruby Sparks is a very different film. It is basically a love story, a 'Rom Com' though I hasten to use that term as I see it as insulting, or something involving Jennifer Aniston.
Paul Deno fits into his role as quirky and lonely Calvin with ease. As a young genius, publishing a bestselling novel at only the age of 19 he retreats into the shadows for the next decade, struggling to socialise or write that difficult second novel, until he dreams of Ruby and that's all he can think and write about. He begins to write a new novel about Ruby and she becomes real, in that whatever he writes about Ruby becomes true, much to the joy of him and his brother Harry. Chris Messina, as Harry adds a nice touch to Calvin's character, helping with the humour and reality of the situation. However, Deno and Messina look so different I'd have to question their mother to see if they both actually shared the same dad...
It is a good mix of humour and emotion, as although Ruby may have been created by Calvin, she is very much a real person with her own feelings, even if Calvin can make her do or be anything he wants just by typing it on his typewriter.
Inevitably their relationship begins to fall apart once the aches and pains of life wear them down. Calvin's attempts to salvage their relationship leads to comical scenes in which Ruby's personality goes through a variety of changes from painfully clingy to ridiculously joyful.
Ruby Sparks is a film of solid acting, good humour and the realities of love and relationships. There are also some enjoyable appearances from Antonio Banderas, Steve Coogan and Elliot Gould.

For fans of love stories and films with a different spin on things.

Stars ***

Diary of a Football Nobody

Diary of a Football Nobody is actually a play rather than a film, however, as a Notts County fan through and through I felt that I had to review it. Every time I go to the theatre I enjoy it and always say to myself that I should go to the theatre more often, several years later I'll go to see my next play and say the exact same thing.

This play, based on the book by David McVay that was first released in 2003, is a collection of exerts from McVay's diary during 1974/75. I did wonder how this was going to be transferred to the stage, but I had no reason to worry as it was achieved with great imagination and good use of the actor's abilities.

Perry Fitzpatrick as McVay was outstanding. It still amazes me every time I go to the theatre how actors manage to remember all their lines. I struggle to remember short jokes, never mind an entire character's lines in a play, or as was the case for the other actors, multiple lines for multiple characters! 

The play, as well as the book, has a great opening to it, they both have a dig at Nottingham Forest, 'the evil slime from across the River Trent' the best way into a Notts' fans heart. 

I enjoyed the use of audio and visual aspects, such as Colin Slater's commentary and the views of Nottingham in the seventies. The play was not only hilarious, but also it hit the right spots emotionally and gave a very real feel to how football used to be. It was a much more honest game where tackles were harder, yet players wouldn't roll around for half an hour trying to get the other player sent off, footballers were paid a reasonable wage and not the ridiculous amounts they are now and they were people who fans could relate to better. 

They weren't mega rich, or super fit, they were people who earned a living doing what they loved and had a lot more respect than present day footballers.

If you haven't seen this already, get down to the Nottingham Playhouse in the next week.

For fans of Notts County, football and good theatre.

The Campaign

I feel that I am faced with the same dilemma every time I watch a film with Will Ferrell in- is what I'm watching really funny or just plain stupid? Blades of Glory and Anchorman - funny. Elf and Old School - stupid. Yet Ferrell has done some different films from his usual genre in Stranger Than Fiction and Melinda and Melinda, that have probably been his best work. Zach Galifianakis is another actor that is hit and miss in his choice of films. So, this film was going to go one way or the other.
The Campaign stumbles along the line of good comedy and ridiculous humour. Though this is a film of constant laughs and failed attempts at humour, the storyline is an exaggerated version of modern day politics in the United States. It's not who is the best candidate, or who has the best policies, but the candidate with the most money pumped into their campaign who will come out the winner, despite their failings as a politician.
I did enjoy the film at a basic level of comedy and to get me in the mood for the up and coming US elections less than a month away, but I wouldn't say this is one to remember.


For fans of the classic Will Ferrell comedy and ridiculous humour.

Stars **

Taken 2

As I only mildly enjoyed the first outing I wasn't expecting to be blown away by the sequel...and I wasn't...Liam Neeson's latest action films from the Taken's to Unknown have been so similar I can't actually remember which is which.
The storyline created for this sequel is a realistic notion that there are actually consequences to killing a lot of bad guys! They all have family and friends who won't be best pleased about their loved ones being killed, even if they did kidnap someones daughter. The premise of the story means there could be another half a dozen in this series, as brothers, cousins- 2nd, 3rd and 4th removed seek revenge.
Neeson plays his usual hard and calculated role as hero, which I found difficult not to enjoy and join in with his cool fighting moves. However, Maggie Grace, who takes up the role of his daughter, Kim, is annoying from the off. Her irritating characteristics which I despised from the first film were back with a vengeance  while her weak acting only aggravated me more.
The film was mildly enjoyable, very much like the first. But the plot was all too obvious, there was nothing original to the script and the only reason the film stayed afloat was because Neeson carried it.


For fans of Liam Neeson and mindless action films this is only worthwhile if you have nothing better to see.

Stars **

Dredd 3D

Dredd had been released for nearly a month before I eventually managed to get round to see it. I hadn't seen the original outing starring Stallone back in the 90's, but I'm sure this remake was a much better installment.
Judge Dredd is a hardened futuristic cop that dispenses judgement by brutally shooting all bad guys that cross his path.

It deserves the 18 certificate, which is a hard prize to claim in the present day film industry, with audiences being harder to shock. However, Dredd 3D manages this with the ultimate slow motion action scenes, as we get to see bad guys gruesomely taking bullets to all parts of the anatomy.
The story is basic, but effective; bad guy (or in this case, bad girl Ma-Ma) does one bad deed too many, which brings Judge Dredd and new recruit Anderson into the vicinity.  A lot of bad guys get killed and Ma-Ma looks to have the upper hand, until Dredd starts to kick ass!

Usually I'm not a fan of 3D, as it's never really improved my viewing experience, but rather hindered it. I found films such as Alice in Wonderland were blurry with the 3D glasses on as well as off. However, after the initial failure with the first action scene where the 3D failed to work at all, which was clearly the fault with the cinema rather than the film's 3D capability, I almost enjoyed the 3D aspects, the ultimate slow motion mimicking Ma-Ma's new altering reality slo-mo drug.

For Fans of action, violence and a bad ass hero, this is a must see.

Stars  ***