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CollectionsEven if the non-action parts are a tad slow in comparison, that is more than compensated by so many things that makes Die Hard so brilliant.
For one thing the action is explosive and consistently exciting, and the cinematography is astounding being very inventive and colourful. John McTiernon(The Hunt for Red October, Last Action Hero) directs briskly and efficiently, and the pacing a vast majority of the time is exhilarating.
Then there is a terrific score by Michael Kamen, some intelligent and witty scripting and a plot that doesn't feel forced or convoluted. Not to mention some excellent acting. As good as Bruce Willis is, yes his character is somewhat two-dimensional, but he is also resourceful and world-weary and Willis handles this really well, it is Alan Rickman who steals the acting honours as Hans Gruber. Gruber is cold, calculating, suave and menacing, in my opinion only Rickman could do justice to such a character. Overall, a superb movie, not only the best of the Die Hard franchise but one of the best of the action genre. 10/10 Bethany Cox
Die Hard (1988) review
Posted : 2 years, 10 months ago on 2 March 2022 11:53
(A review of Die Hard (1988))
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Every bit as good as Alien
Posted : 2 years, 10 months ago on 2 March 2022 11:52
(A review of Aliens)Alien is a sci-fi classic, so when I saw Aliens I was expecting great things. Which is exactly what I got. Aliens I have often seen and heard being described as one of the best sequels ever made, and I have to heartily concur. Aliens is every bit as good as Alien, and just a brilliant film. The production design once again is immaculate with the spectacle surpassing Alien(to me), while the script is credible, the story interesting and well-constructed and James Cameron's direction brilliant. As with Alien, there are also some very genuine shocks and scares, and if there was something I marginally preferred here it was the suspense which was particularly nail-biting. The acting once again is top notch, all the supporting cast do great work but Sigourney Weaver is simply terrific and it helps that Ellen Ripley is expanded upon here. Overall, just like Alien, a sci-fi classic. 10/10 Bethany Cox
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Pretty much outstanding
Posted : 2 years, 10 months ago on 2 March 2022 11:38
(A review of The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King)I admit it, I love all three Lord of the Rings films. People may say Return of the King is the best of the trilogy, some may say it is the worst. I personally think Two Towers is the best for its scope and better exploration of some of the characters, but while it is still great Return of the King is better than Fellowship of the Ring.
My only slight disappointment is the ending, it does feel overlong and bloated for me, almost as if there was more than one ending filmed. That said, what does make the ending at least watchable for me is the way it is shot, the marvellous score and the performance of Gollum.
Despite this minor discrepancy, Return of the King is extremely good and in my view one of the better Best Picture winners last decade. Peter Jackson's direction is very impressive here, and the scope is massive and just dazzling to watch. All three films of the trilogy are very well made, but Return of the King defines the term epic. The cinematography is mind-blowing, the scenery is superb, the costumes and make-up are well tailored, the effects are superb and don't distract too much and the lighting is authentic.
The score is phenomenal. Fellowship of the Ring had some ethereal, rousing, haunting and charming themes, whereas Two Towers was somewhat darker and more complex. Return of the King merges these together and the result is a perfect mixture of charm, darkness, etherality and complexity. The story is compelling with themes of friendship, strength and loyalty, the screenplay is well-written and literate and while the film is very long the three hours or so fly by seamlessly. The characters are engaging, Aragorn is even more interesting here than he is in the previous films while Gollum continues to steal every scene he appears in.
The acting is very good. Orlando Bloom(who I can find dashing yet uncharismatic and bland) and John Rhys-Davies are given less to do but do carry their parts very well, and Elijah Wood is likable enough. Sean Astin captures Sam perfectly and provides the heart of the picture, and Viggo Mortenssen is at his charismatic best here. Ian McKellen is perfectly cast, while the design of Gollum is still superb and Andy Serkis is equally phenomenal. I was slightly disappointed by the lack of any Sarauman, but I was more than I was satisfied with the final result.
All in all, an outstanding entry to a great trilogy. 10/10 Bethany Cox
My only slight disappointment is the ending, it does feel overlong and bloated for me, almost as if there was more than one ending filmed. That said, what does make the ending at least watchable for me is the way it is shot, the marvellous score and the performance of Gollum.
Despite this minor discrepancy, Return of the King is extremely good and in my view one of the better Best Picture winners last decade. Peter Jackson's direction is very impressive here, and the scope is massive and just dazzling to watch. All three films of the trilogy are very well made, but Return of the King defines the term epic. The cinematography is mind-blowing, the scenery is superb, the costumes and make-up are well tailored, the effects are superb and don't distract too much and the lighting is authentic.
The score is phenomenal. Fellowship of the Ring had some ethereal, rousing, haunting and charming themes, whereas Two Towers was somewhat darker and more complex. Return of the King merges these together and the result is a perfect mixture of charm, darkness, etherality and complexity. The story is compelling with themes of friendship, strength and loyalty, the screenplay is well-written and literate and while the film is very long the three hours or so fly by seamlessly. The characters are engaging, Aragorn is even more interesting here than he is in the previous films while Gollum continues to steal every scene he appears in.
The acting is very good. Orlando Bloom(who I can find dashing yet uncharismatic and bland) and John Rhys-Davies are given less to do but do carry their parts very well, and Elijah Wood is likable enough. Sean Astin captures Sam perfectly and provides the heart of the picture, and Viggo Mortenssen is at his charismatic best here. Ian McKellen is perfectly cast, while the design of Gollum is still superb and Andy Serkis is equally phenomenal. I was slightly disappointed by the lack of any Sarauman, but I was more than I was satisfied with the final result.
All in all, an outstanding entry to a great trilogy. 10/10 Bethany Cox
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My personal favourite of the trilogy
Posted : 2 years, 10 months ago on 2 March 2022 11:36
(A review of The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers)I do love all three films of The Lord of the Rings trilogy, all are visually stunning with wonderful music and strong narratives. The Two Towers is my personal favourite of the three for several reasons. For one thing it is less talky than Fellowship of the Ring, and the pace is a little more secure here. Also the final battle is just breathtaking in the action, direction and in its scope, and very compelling and epic. And some of the characters are developed more here than they were in Fellowship of the Ring primarily Frodo and Aragorn, who were played very well there but a little bland in comparison to here.
When it comes to the scope The Two Towers is possibly the biggest in the trilogy. The cinematography is one of the strongest assets, while the scenery, costumes, lighting and make up(the orcs look amazing) are all gorgeous. You can tell a lot of effort went into this and it showed. The music is also darker and perhaps more complex, the story is richer and compelling and the dialogue is thought provoking. People may disagree, but I think The Two Towers is the best directed of the trilogy too.
The acting is very good. Elijah Wood is likable enough with a stronger-written character, while Sean Astin's bumbling persona suits Sam really well. Viggo Mortensson is as strong and charismatic as ever. Ian McKellen, Christopher Lee and Bernard Hill are also perfectly cast, but the real revelation in my view with this movie is Gollum. Here Gollum is designed superbly, and Andy Serkis's performance is absolutely phenomenal and Oscar-nod worthy.
In conclusion, a fine film and for me my personal favourite of the trilogy. 10/10 Bethany Cox
When it comes to the scope The Two Towers is possibly the biggest in the trilogy. The cinematography is one of the strongest assets, while the scenery, costumes, lighting and make up(the orcs look amazing) are all gorgeous. You can tell a lot of effort went into this and it showed. The music is also darker and perhaps more complex, the story is richer and compelling and the dialogue is thought provoking. People may disagree, but I think The Two Towers is the best directed of the trilogy too.
The acting is very good. Elijah Wood is likable enough with a stronger-written character, while Sean Astin's bumbling persona suits Sam really well. Viggo Mortensson is as strong and charismatic as ever. Ian McKellen, Christopher Lee and Bernard Hill are also perfectly cast, but the real revelation in my view with this movie is Gollum. Here Gollum is designed superbly, and Andy Serkis's performance is absolutely phenomenal and Oscar-nod worthy.
In conclusion, a fine film and for me my personal favourite of the trilogy. 10/10 Bethany Cox
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A very solid start to a great trilogy
Posted : 2 years, 10 months ago on 2 March 2022 11:34
(A review of The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring)J.R.R Tolkein's books are wonderful, with memorable characters, an enchanting atmosphere, strong narrative and dialogue and an epic story. Peter Jackson's trilogy mayn't be necessarily true to them, but it does have the memorable characters, the epic story and enchanting atmosphere that the books do. The Fellowship of the Ring is probably the weakest of the three, but it is a very solid start. It is I agree slower in pace to the other two, and there are some talky scenes that drag it down a tad.
However, I cannot deny that this is a great film. One of the many strong assets of this picture are the visuals. The cinematography is marvellous, the costumes are splendid, the effects are great, the makeup is immaculate and the scenery is fantastic especially with Rivendell which was like a Utopia. There is also the score, what an amazing score. As much as I do like Howard Shore, his scoring for the Lord of The Rings trilogy is his most memorable for me and probably his most complex as well. There are so many beautiful and haunting parts here, sometimes even at the same time, as well as the charming Hobbits theme, the ethereal theme played while at Rivendell and the sinister bombastic sounds while at Mordor.
Now I am not going to say that Peter Jackson is a bad director or an outstanding director, but he has directed some wonderful films especially Heavenly Creatures, and this is no exception, where he does a very capable job directing. The story still has its epic scope, with standouts being the confrontation between Gandalf and Sarouman, the scene in the mines with Balrok and Boromir's death scene. I also liked the pursuit of Frodo and Arwyn and Frodo with the Black Riders which was beautifully shot. Then there is the dialogue, which on the whole is excellent, Gandalf in my personal opinion gets the best of it.
And the acting is very good. I do think Frodo is developed more in the sequels than here, but Elijah Wood does do a likable enough job here, while Sean Astin's bumbling yet well meaning persona suits Sam well. Cate Blanchett is a lovely Galadriel, and Liv Tyler is stunning as Arwyn. And then there is Christopher Lee, whose presence always ensures that the performance is going to be good, and indeed it was, and Ian Holm is very good as Bilbo. Sean Bean also does well with Boromir, and John Rhys Davies is a welcome presence. Aragorn like Frodo is developed more in the sequels than here, here he is more brooding and charismatic above all else. Not a bad thing really, as Viggo Mortenssen does do that very well. The standout though is Ian McKellen, who is an absolute revelation as Gandalf, the delivery to the camera, the delivery of the lines, perfectly judged. In fact the only real weak link in the cast is Orlando Bloom, yes he is dashing and handsome, but in the process he does come across as a little uncharismatic and bland.
In conclusion, a great start. 9/10 Bethany Cox
However, I cannot deny that this is a great film. One of the many strong assets of this picture are the visuals. The cinematography is marvellous, the costumes are splendid, the effects are great, the makeup is immaculate and the scenery is fantastic especially with Rivendell which was like a Utopia. There is also the score, what an amazing score. As much as I do like Howard Shore, his scoring for the Lord of The Rings trilogy is his most memorable for me and probably his most complex as well. There are so many beautiful and haunting parts here, sometimes even at the same time, as well as the charming Hobbits theme, the ethereal theme played while at Rivendell and the sinister bombastic sounds while at Mordor.
Now I am not going to say that Peter Jackson is a bad director or an outstanding director, but he has directed some wonderful films especially Heavenly Creatures, and this is no exception, where he does a very capable job directing. The story still has its epic scope, with standouts being the confrontation between Gandalf and Sarouman, the scene in the mines with Balrok and Boromir's death scene. I also liked the pursuit of Frodo and Arwyn and Frodo with the Black Riders which was beautifully shot. Then there is the dialogue, which on the whole is excellent, Gandalf in my personal opinion gets the best of it.
And the acting is very good. I do think Frodo is developed more in the sequels than here, but Elijah Wood does do a likable enough job here, while Sean Astin's bumbling yet well meaning persona suits Sam well. Cate Blanchett is a lovely Galadriel, and Liv Tyler is stunning as Arwyn. And then there is Christopher Lee, whose presence always ensures that the performance is going to be good, and indeed it was, and Ian Holm is very good as Bilbo. Sean Bean also does well with Boromir, and John Rhys Davies is a welcome presence. Aragorn like Frodo is developed more in the sequels than here, here he is more brooding and charismatic above all else. Not a bad thing really, as Viggo Mortenssen does do that very well. The standout though is Ian McKellen, who is an absolute revelation as Gandalf, the delivery to the camera, the delivery of the lines, perfectly judged. In fact the only real weak link in the cast is Orlando Bloom, yes he is dashing and handsome, but in the process he does come across as a little uncharismatic and bland.
In conclusion, a great start. 9/10 Bethany Cox
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One of the best sequels ever made
Posted : 2 years, 10 months ago on 2 March 2022 11:32
(A review of The Godfather: Part II)I do have to agree that calling Godfather Part II a sequel is rather insulting. It is one of those rare sequels that almost outdoes the first, and considering how amazing the first Godfather was that says a lot. The Godfather Part II is longer, but in some ways it is also richer. People may say like with the first it is slow and takes a while to unfold. Of course, but I think that was deliberate. Both this and the first Godfather have an elegiac quality to them that makes them even more compelling.
For one thing, the film is very well made. The cinematography is simply gorgeous, whether it is dark or autumnal or picturesque, and the settings are wondrous. The music once again is outstanding, it is haunting and sticks in your head for a very long time. Then there is a brilliantly written screenplay that is intelligent and thoughtful, masterly direction from Francis Ford Coppola and a fabulously constructed story. The film does have some wonderful scenes-: the scenes where Vito flees Sicily has the grandeur of a silent movie, while the scenes in Cuba actually avoid being clumsy and confusing and the climax is extremely chilling. Not to mention the Pop Goes the Weasel scene, which was very funny.
The acting is superb once again. Vito is brilliantly portrayed by Robert DeNiro in one of his better performances. I was also taken with Robert Duvall as loyal Tom, John Cazale and Diane Keaton. But the picture belongs to Al Pacino. He was great carrying the first Godfather movie, but he is even better here. He is simply phenomenal, and to be honest I think he should have won that Oscar. Overall, an amazing film and one of the best sequels ever to be conceived. 10/10 Bethany Cox
For one thing, the film is very well made. The cinematography is simply gorgeous, whether it is dark or autumnal or picturesque, and the settings are wondrous. The music once again is outstanding, it is haunting and sticks in your head for a very long time. Then there is a brilliantly written screenplay that is intelligent and thoughtful, masterly direction from Francis Ford Coppola and a fabulously constructed story. The film does have some wonderful scenes-: the scenes where Vito flees Sicily has the grandeur of a silent movie, while the scenes in Cuba actually avoid being clumsy and confusing and the climax is extremely chilling. Not to mention the Pop Goes the Weasel scene, which was very funny.
The acting is superb once again. Vito is brilliantly portrayed by Robert DeNiro in one of his better performances. I was also taken with Robert Duvall as loyal Tom, John Cazale and Diane Keaton. But the picture belongs to Al Pacino. He was great carrying the first Godfather movie, but he is even better here. He is simply phenomenal, and to be honest I think he should have won that Oscar. Overall, an amazing film and one of the best sequels ever to be conceived. 10/10 Bethany Cox
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Almost Famous review
Posted : 3 years, 1 month ago on 15 November 2021 05:21
(A review of Almost Famous)"Almost Famous" was almost a really good movie, but the whole thing was a little too fluffy to be fully believable. It seems that the band members - and the tag-alongs - would have been strung out on drugs. But other than that, it was a pretty good flick. It's fairly well known that director Cameron Crowe loosely based the story on his experiences covering a band's tour for Rolling Stone magazine. One thing that I couldn't quite understand is why, when the movie came out, a lot of people told me that the boy reminded them of me. Okay, so he had a different take on everything; that seems like a bit of a stretch. But either way, "Almost Famous" is worth seeing, with fine performances from Kate Hudson, Frances McDormand, Billy Crudup, Jason Lee, and newcomer Patrick Fugit.
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E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982) review
Posted : 3 years, 2 months ago on 8 November 2021 08:36
(A review of E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982))Warning: Spoilers
Okay, everyone knows what happens in "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial", so I'll look at some certain things in it. There's Steven Spielberg's common theme of the father abandoning the family (although I have to admit, I didn't realize that until I read an interview with Spielberg). When I was young, my favorite scene was always the bicycle chase, especially the scene where they knock the siren off of the police car (or even when the truck is dragging the plastic tube with the scientists). I guess that overall, this movie is also a look at the suburban shift that was sweeping the country at the time. All in all, Henry Thomas, Dee Wallace-Stone, Robert MacNaughton, Drew Barrymore and Peter Coyote all phoned home some good performances.
Okay, everyone knows what happens in "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial", so I'll look at some certain things in it. There's Steven Spielberg's common theme of the father abandoning the family (although I have to admit, I didn't realize that until I read an interview with Spielberg). When I was young, my favorite scene was always the bicycle chase, especially the scene where they knock the siren off of the police car (or even when the truck is dragging the plastic tube with the scientists). I guess that overall, this movie is also a look at the suburban shift that was sweeping the country at the time. All in all, Henry Thomas, Dee Wallace-Stone, Robert MacNaughton, Drew Barrymore and Peter Coyote all phoned home some good performances.
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The Little Mermaid (1989) review
Posted : 3 years, 2 months ago on 8 November 2021 07:02
(A review of The Little Mermaid (1989))This time, Hans Christian Anderson rescues the Disney animation factory from the fire - this is a wonderfully colourful and fun adaptation of his almost Faustian story of being very careful what you wish for. "Ariel" is a beautiful mermaid who is fascinated by what goes on ashore - and that only gets more obsessive when she espies, and ultimately rescues from a violent storm, the equally gorgeous "Prince Eric" and falls hook, line and sinker. Her sagacious father "King Triton" forbids her from seeing him again and so, like any resourceful teenager, she enters a pact with evil sea witch "Ursula" that allows her to become human for three days and go ashore to seek out her new love - but at what cost... The support characters are so good in this - especially Samuel Wright as the long-suffering chancellor/lobster "Sebastian" and Pat Carroll as the evil "Ursula" aided and abetted by her slippery eel sidekicks "Flotsam" & "Jetsam" and Alan Menken's songs, including, "Under the Sea" & "Kiss the Girl" jauntily carry it all along apace. 20-odd years later, it's still well worth a watch.
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Titanic review
Posted : 3 years, 2 months ago on 6 November 2021 12:16
(A review of Titanic)A seventeen-year-old aristocrat (Kate Winslet), expecting to be married to a rich claimant (Billy Zane) by her mother, falls in love with a kind but poor artist (Leonardo DiCaprio) aboard the luxurious, ill-fated R.M.S. Titanic.
The first thing that is really striking about this film is that it came from James Cameron, who is much better known for science fiction films like "Terminator", "Avatar" and "Aliens". He is not the first person that comes to mind when you think of historical fiction romances. And yet, he nailed it. "Titanic", despite its length of three hours, was a huge success and may have sold more VHS copies than any other movie.
But beyond the romance, this is actually a rather decent movie. I cannot say why, it is something hard to put one's finger on. Most likely, it has something to do with Billy Zane, who is more or less the greatest thing about the film.
The first thing that is really striking about this film is that it came from James Cameron, who is much better known for science fiction films like "Terminator", "Avatar" and "Aliens". He is not the first person that comes to mind when you think of historical fiction romances. And yet, he nailed it. "Titanic", despite its length of three hours, was a huge success and may have sold more VHS copies than any other movie.
But beyond the romance, this is actually a rather decent movie. I cannot say why, it is something hard to put one's finger on. Most likely, it has something to do with Billy Zane, who is more or less the greatest thing about the film.
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