Resident Evil: Extinction

More vampires and more killing. We're halfway there in this series but I have not, as of yet, acquired the other half of the series to watch so they will have to patiently wait their turn on the blog list but I am sure that they will feature sporadically over the next few months.

Resident Evil have managed to make five films out of the same story but I have to accept that it was first a game and that it probably had more plot than has been shown in the films. If we think back to the second film, she makes it to the center of the base after the population of the city have been exposed to the virus which turns them in to Zombies and then she destroys that base but is permitted to escape by the Doctor who is responsible for making her the way that she is. In this film she is going after the doctor (Ian Glenn) who himself becomes infected with the virus and turns in to a horrible monster so as to create the epic confrontation at the end of the film between the heroine and the villain.

Extinction leaves it open for the fourth film and from what I remember of the fourth film that is just a lot of her killing a lot of people/ zombies. Extinction focuses on her enemy and her sole purpose of getting to him and destroying him but at the end she awakes all the other attempted clones of her and decides to team up with them to take down the organisation responsible for making her the way that she is.

What can I say about this film? Milla Jovovich is sexy and fantastic with a gun. Everything that I said about her in the previous film review is true for this film. She can kill someone using only one foot and that is terrifying but what is even more terrifying is that she is the female equivalent of Christian Bale in 'Equilibrium', less emotional, more controlled and generally better than everyone else. Her team are losing battles and members until she decides to team up with them again and take on everyone single handedly. The film is exactly what I was expecting and longing for after watching the first two films.

A Few Good Men

Another Tom Cruise film and I apologise for there being so many on the blog this year but he has made a lot of films and I haven't seen that many of them so over the next few years they are going to feature a lot. The same thing goes with Tom Hanks and Matt Damon.

A few good men stars Tom Cruise, Jack Nicholson and Demi Moore. For me this is only the second film with Demi Moore in that I have seen, with the other film being 'Ghost'. This film is still when Tom Cruise was young and cementing his name in the film industry and this time he plays a Navy JAG lawyer. He is known for never having been in a courtroom because he is assigned to people who are innocent and cuts deals so that he doesn't have to go to court but this time, after a large bulk of the film he decides that his clients are innocent and he gets to see the inside of a courtroom. Demi Moore is a commanding officer responsible for the two officers in custody and she is also assigned by the family of one of the accused as his attorney. The two of them argue a lot but she drives him on in all the right ways and gets the best out of him.

On the other side there is Jack Nicholson who somehow always manages to look a little psychotic and is a commander in Cuba. He is rigorous and believes very much in the code that they have in which the unit comes first. One member of that unit attempts to get NIS involved and in doing so is accidentally murdered after a 'code red' was authorised by the commander. This case and this film is always intriguing to watch because you often think that a man like Jack Nicholson can't be broken in a court room by someone like Tom Cruise but the passion, the risks taken and the determination brings out the character of Nicholson and he plays it so well that you actually fear for the life of Dan Cathy, who is standing in front of him. Watching Kevin Bacon attempt to do all that he can do to win a case which he doesn't want to win and go punch for punch with Tom Cruise is also worth the watch and the wait.

A few good men is actually a good insight in to what the code and honour mean to the people who protect our country and it is also a good insight in to how graduating from law school doesn't necessarily mean that you are a good lawyer. Dan Cathy was convinced that his clients were guilty before he met the commander and that is when it all changed. He had resigned himself to losing and was at the point of giving up when everything changed.
Watch the film because this is another good film and I was impressed with all of them.

Ong-Bak

Thai martial arts film and once again the first to feature on the blog. Experiencing the different type of martial arts is brilliant. Once you watch them you start to realise the different training and techniques that are used, which is why no type of martial arts is the same as any other.

This film made Tony Jaa's career but even so I still can't think of another film that he has been in. Martial arts are selective to a culture and unfortunately it isn't a culture that has truly taken off in this country yet. There are some absolutely genius martial arts films that are well known such as Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon but there really aren't that many unless you are a fan of them and by a fan I mean that you actually regularly watch them.

Ong-Bak is a Buddha statue that gets deformed and decapitated when thieves cut off the head of the statue. A villager called Ting (Tony Jaa) attempts to relocate the statue and bring it back to his village by travelling to Bangkok, beating the underground fighting king and working for a crime lord. Don't question the methods, only question the martial arts, choreography and relentlessness of Ting to get back the Buddha statue. Muay Tai is a specific type of martial arts that is subjective to Thailand, you wont find it anywhere else in the world and you are unlikely to see a lot of films with this type of martial arts in it.

I would assume that those who have kept reading to this point are serious fans of martial arts and actually know a lot about this film. This is another film that you have to watch subbed and please don't watch it dubbed because dubbed is painful for everyone. So if you are a fan of martial arts films then watching this is essential to help you distinguish between martial arts from different cultures and countries. It's not just the name but actually knowing what they look like and how to recognise them. There is always a twist in the plot and nothing can go smoothly because there are always more enemies to fight and more people who are convinced that one style of fighting is better than the other, however, if you are looking for a reason to watch this film then watch it for the perseverance of Ting and just witnessing how important that statue of the Buddha is to him and his village.

Spider-Man: Homecoming

The much anticipated and long time coming new Spider-Man film. Andrew Garfield was okay as Spider-Man but the second film was so rubbish and they turned his character in to one that felt like 'Sam' from 'Transformers' i.e a sweaty teenage boy who was a little egotistical. Glad to say that because of the way that the marvel universe is going, this film was never intended to be part of a stand alone series like the other Spider-Man films and therefore there is less focus on Peter Parker and his ego and more focus on Spider-Man and his development with the assistance of Tony Stark.

Tom Holland looks like he could be the face of Spider-Man for a while. His body is one of someone who is not 14 (obviously) but his face looks  young enough for them to get by and to suggest that he has a few films ahead of him if they so wish to include his character in more films. Everything in this film is a slight twist on any other Spider-Man film and I did leave the room grinning at the end of the film because of the twist. M.J is probably the best character in the entire film and it is so nice to see that films are actually trying to be ethnically diverse.

I have to get this rant out there now. I do object a little to the suit that he has. At the end of the film we do see signs that he has natural powers and he does talk about being bitten by a spider in the film but most of the emphasis was on this suit that Stark gave him which enabled him to do so much more with his webs but again, the webs were something that we see him making in school lessons and so I wonder if they are implying that the only power he was given from the spider was strength and weird grip. In a world full of powers we really don't need another terrible Batman film by emphasising the technology too much and ignoring the powers. Iron Man doesn't have any powers and he is almost the marvel equivalent of Batman but every team has one and no one needs another on their team.

Apart from all that it was a very good film. I liked it a lot more than I was expecting to but I was told that it was the bets film that had been released this year and in my opinion it is not better than Wonder Woman. I look forward to seeing Spider-Man feature a lot more in the marvel universe as there could be a bright future for this character. Probably the best marvel film released this year but I didn't see 'Logan' so I cannot compare it to anything.

Gentlemen Prefer Bondes

Marilyn Monroe stars as though of us who are familiar with the film 'Moulin Rouge' start to understand the basis of Nicole Kidman's character and the importance of the song 'Diamonds Are A Girls Best Friend'.

My issue with this film is that is that Monroe is playing a very stupid character- probably bringing up the stereotype of 'Dumb Blonde'. This character plays so much on her looks that it irritates me a little, well, more than a little, enough to settle on a lot. Monroe is attractive, she always was. She can sing, she can dance and she can act so why she has starred in a film in which she plays a stupid and somewhat naive women is beyond my ability to comprehend. Monroe is an icon and the music, dancing, fashion, looks etc are there for a reason. She is the hype of this film and way the hype of the time but next to her stands a brunette who is intelligent, attractive, can sing and can also dance so who is this film about men- men at the time or a woman's idea of men at the time?

This film has humour and some ridiculous moments when I spent time staring at what i was seeing on the screen and actually asking myself if what she was doing was ever possible. The answer is that I don't know if you can fit through a window on a cruise ship but I get the feeling that the answer is probably no and that those windows are probably half the size of a size 2 women and really weren't designed for Marilyn Monroe to attempt to squeeze through. Monroe is a Grace Kelly, or rather- Grace Kelly was probably a Monroe. I see so much talent in them, so much passion and skill and I wonder where it all went wrong for them and the answer is in marriage choice (probably).

I loved the dancing and the outfits in this film but my favourite part of this film was when she told her future father in-law that she wasn't marrying his son because of his money, she was marrying her son because she wanted her future father in-law's money. It's nice to be truthful but there is a time and place for it and maybe admitting that you are a gold digger and only after the money before you have got your hands on it possibly isn't the best way to go but it did seem to work for her as she ended the film in a wedding dress and a diamond ring about to walk down the aisle.

Monroe films and a bottle of wine are the best combination for a Sunday evening and luckily for me I have at least another four Monroe films currently sitting on my desk which should see me comfortably through the summer.

The Jazz Singer

As always, I have to start by promoting http://www.ninjabookbox.com and provide the discount code CLARE15.

Now that the business is done I can get down to doing my voluntary job of reviewing an old almost silent classic called 'The Jazz Singer'. This is a film about a man who is the son of a cantor, who in turn is the son of a cantor etc. The family is Jewish and this boy was destined to be a cantor in the eyes of his father. The son decides that he doesn't want to be a cantor and instead wants to be a jazz singer his father beats him and the boy runs away. Many years later the boy has become a famous jazz singer and is performing across the world with his act but he goes back to see his parents. His relationship with his mother has always been good and he plays the piano and sings to his mother before his father comes in and tells him that if he is not going to be a cantor then there is no place for him. Months later some members of the synagogue come to see the jazz singer and ask him to sing for his father because his father is sick. Initially he says no but at the end of the film he goes back to the synagogue and performs as a cantor before going back to his show and keeping up the life that he had and enjoyed.

There is a random part in this film where there is suddenly sound for no reason and then after a few minutes it goes back to being a silent movie. The rest of the film is decent. The plot is very simple and it is all about a man who pursues his dreams, places his happiness before acceptance from his father and makes a life for himself that he enjoys. Al Johnson is no Charlie Chaplin but this is a 1927 film that made history for being the first film with a synchronised score and lip synchronisation when singing. In 1927 this film made history. In Singing In The Rain we learn this myth that silent actors make up whatever they want to say because the subtitles show what should be said and they don't think that anyone will be watching but what makes this film a little bit more special is that in this film you have to be able to remember your lines and act them out. It isn't a case of being told to look angry and then having that shot filmed before changing to a different look, it is a case of actually having to act as if you would in a colour and sound film which makes Al Johnson and the cast so much more impressive.

There is a remake of this film with Neil Diamond in and I do fully intend to watch it. Being able to hear the sound that should accompany this film will help me to draw comparison and better appreciate this film. If you consider yourself a film buff but haven't seen this film then you know what you need to do- watch it and further your screen education. Appreciate what it did, what it meant and the triumph it made in 1927 by giving up 90 mins to watch this film.

Despicable Me 3

People of all ages love these films. They are silly without being too silly. The plot flows naturally without anything being ridiculous and the ideas are, at times, ingenious.

Gru gets married and this film is him understanding that his family is the most important thing to him. After loosing his job he discovers that he has a rich twin brother and that his dad was a super villain. Gru goes back to being a villain but only so that he can return to being a good guy again. That sounds weird but the enemy in this film is called Balthazar Brat, a child actor who got upset when he hit puberty and his tv series was cut by Hollywood. He is exactly the type of villain that you would expect to find in one of these films- ridiculous shoulder pads and hair, dancing to Michael Jackson and blowing gum.

A blonde, slightly more camp Gru is called Dru (Drew) and definitely not as good a villain as Gru- so if you thought that Gru was a terrible villain in the first film then you are mistaken. The minions rebel and take control of the prison after wining a singing competition. Of course, in the end they break out of prison to help Gru and Dru save Hollywood from giant Balthazar Brat and of course, save the girls who were once again kidnapped by the villain of the film.

The gadgets are cool, the car is cool and the soundtrack is brilliant. Gru being a villain is fantastic and having the golden car and other things at his disposal means that he gets to show what he could have been like had he not have been raised by his mother and left to work with someone who managed to freeze themselves in carbonite. Everything that you enjoyed about each of the films before this one is shown in this film. I wouldn't say that it is the best film because I still feel like the first one was the best but they have all been good and enjoyable. Gru is the best thing that Steve Carrel has ever done with his career.

Now You See Me 2

The first film was incredible. The second film should be just as good because it still has most of the previous cast but adds in a small part for Daniel Radcliffe which is always nice.

The first film was about magicians but this film seems to be more about the group and their leader trying to make a living for themselves and sorting out how to stop Morgan Freeman from getting his own back on them. I have to say this up front- some of the stunts, especially with the card, is just ridiculous and not physically possible and yes I mean the laws of physics.

I am just loving watching Mark Ruffalo's career unfold. In the last 5+ years he has done a phenomenal amount of good films and I often wonder how he manages to pull it off each year. He's been around for a while and been in known films such as 'Eternal sunshine of the spotless mind' made in 2004 but his career really took off after taking on 'Bruce Banner', 'Begin again' and 'Now You See Me'. He is still, probably the standout performer in this film. Watching Daniel Radcliffe attempt to beat up Mark Ruffalo was never going to work because Daniel Radcliffe isn't threatening but full credit for trying.

Michael Caine in a little cameo towards the end was another fantastic twist in this film. I actually love these films. Like Ocean's Eleven, this film has the sort of magical feel and will have a special place in my heart for when I needed an excuse to watch films and eat cake. You think that you know this film, that you have it worked out but you don't. If you take that attitude and stop paying attention you will have no idea when it ends or why it ends. Now You See Me 2 is so well written. It's not as spectacular on the eyes as the first film was but that was what attracted you to the film in the first place. Now you have watched the first film you need a clever plot and some more development in these films to make it all better and help you to really get in to the feel of these films. If you are going to make a sequel then this is how it should be!

Going Postal

A few of us with different blogs are joining together for a Terry Pratchett year. Bex with her Armchair by the sea blog has organised a discworld readathon throughout the entire year. Tame the boardgame are supposed to have been posting about the games such as Ankh Morporkh, Witches and Thud.

Going Postal is one of the better Discworld films and the first one to be reviewed on this blog. I have already seen this film many times but have never sat down to review a discworld film. Charles Dance is a much better Lord Vetinari than Jeremy Irons was in 'the colour of magic/ the light fantastic'. David Suchet is fantastically short and a wonderful villain. Watching him try and square up to Charles Dance is always humorous.

I've never read this book but watching this film is as enjoyable as watching 'Hogfather', which will be reviewed at Christmas. Sometimes, with discworld films they get the casting all wrong but not with this film. Everyone I know who has watched this film has enjoyed it and said that it was much better than the two films combined (which were not good). Going Postal introduces the game 'Thud' and also introduces the Golems and some key characters of the watch.

If you are new to Pratchett's Discworld then you have to try and understand that of the 30-40 + novels in this series they are split into sections. Some are about the Wizards (most of them) and that is why they made the colour of magic and light fantastic, then you have some about the witches and the tv series witches to go with that, then there are those about the watch- soul music and most of the novels that go with Lord Vetinari and the running of Ankh Morporkh and then those that are about death which would be Hogfather. Some of the TV series are good and hopefully they will be reviewed later on in this blog.

For all the women out there wondering why they should watch this film I will now tell them the answer to their question. The answer is that you get to watch a woman with a four inch stiletto heel push it in to the foot of a man who deserved it and watch her get the better of him many times over!

If you are a Poirot fan then watch this film. Being able to watch David Suchet as someone other than Poirot in film is always a joy and a rare thing to behold. If you are a black books fan then there is a reason to watch this film.

Just watch it. Don't argue- watch it and then get back to me and tell me what you thought of it.