Category Reviews

June 24, 2018, Posted in  Reviews Comments: No comments

Director: Abel Ferrara

Writer: Nicholas St. John

Cast: Lili Taylor, Christopher Walken, Annabella Sciorra, Edie Falco, Paul Calderon, Michael Imperioli

Cert: 18

Running time: 82mins

Year: 1995

Film:
Extras:

What’s the story: New York philosophy student Kathleen (Taylor) is turned into a vampire after a nocturnal attack. Struggling with a new craving for human blood, she also comes to learn more about the nature of evil.

What’s the verdict: While Abel Ferrara’s cinematic cred may have expired some twenty years ago, during the ’80s and ‘90s there were few directors as raw, fearless and exciting as the Bronx-born madman.

The Addiction, his take on vampirism, is steeped in ‘90s touchpoints: AIDS, drug dependency, underclass anxiety, and comfortable middle-class ennui.

A canny m...

June 17, 2018, Posted in  Reviews Comments: No comments

Episode 45 of The Electric Shadows Podcast sees Robs Daniel & Wallis with meat between their teeth as they get stuck into Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom. The intrepid explorers discuss the original Jurassic Park, and the issues facing all the sequels.

Where does this latest Jurassic outing lie amidst the sequels in their view? You’ll have to listen to find out.

And, along the way you can hear them take chunks out of each other as they debate whether genetic engineering is wise. Rob Wallis errs on the side of caution; Rob Daniel is a bold visionary excited by the places scientific endeavours could take us. Rob D did also pen this blurb.

Plus, as Die Hard is nearing celebrating its 30 year anniversary, they kick off the podcast discussing why it remains one of the best action films ever mad...

May 17, 2018, Posted in  Reviews Comments: No comments

Director: David Leitch

Writers: Rhett Reese, Paul Wernick, Ryan Reynolds

Cast: Ryan Reynolds, Josh Brolin, Morena Baccarin, Zazie Beetz, Julian Dennison, Brianna Hildebrand, T.J. Miller, Terry Crews, Rob Delaney, Eddie Marsan

Cert: 15

Running time: 119mins

Year: 2018

What’s the story: Unhinged, fourth wall smashing superhero Deadpool aka Wade Wilson aka Ryan Reynolds is contentedly separating regular criminals from their limbs. But, he must form a band of super crimefighters, including X-Men old and new, to protect young mutant Russell (Dennison) from the murderous grasp of time-traveling warrior Cable (Brolin).

What’s the verdict: Deadpool 2 opens with the indestructible motormouth informing the audience the first movie’s $363m domestic gross was almost the highest ever for an R...

May 10, 2018, Posted in  Reviews Comments: No comments

Director: José Padilha

Writer: Gregory Burke

Cast: Rosamund Pike, Daniel Brühl, Eddie Marsan, Lior Ashkenazi, Denis Ménochet, Nonso Anozie

Cert: 15

Running time: 107mins

Year: 2018

 What’s the story: In 1976 four anti-Israel terrorists hijack an Air France plane. Over seven days they hold the hostages at Uganda’s Entebbe airport, under the eye of tyrant Idi Amin. The Israeli government debates whether to take offensive action.

What’s the verdict: Director José Padilha helmed the Brazilian drug cartel movie Elite Squad and its impressive sequel. He oversees the similarly hard-hitting series Narcos (for sake of argument we’ll ignore that ill-advised 2014 RoboCop remake).

Padilha directs with the immediacy he brought to the documentary Bus 174, his searing debut and a true Fi...

May 6, 2018, Posted in  Reviews Comments: No comments

Director: Ron Shelton

Writer: David Ayer (screenplay), James Ellroy (story)

Cast: Kurt Russell, Scott Speedman, Michael Michele, Brendan Gleeson, Ving Rhames, Jonathan Banks, Dash Mihok, Kurupt, Lolita Davidovich

Cert: 15

Running time: 118mins

Year: 2002

FILM:
EXTRAS:

What’s the story: On the eve of the 1992 LA riots, corrupted police officer Eldon Perry (Russell) watches his world of power and control begin to collapse.

What’s the verdict: Ask most people to name Kurt Russell’s best performance and you’re likely to hear The Thing’s MacCready, Escape From New York’s Snake Plissken, Tombstone’s Wyatt Earp, The Hateful Eight’s John Ruth, or Elvis’, er, Elvis.

There may even be some who cite The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes’ Dexter...

April 30, 2018, Posted in  Reviews Comments: No comments

Director: Anthony Russo, Joe Russo

Writers: Christopher Markus, Stephen McFeely

Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Josh Brolin, Zoe Saldana, Tom Holland, Scarlett Johansson, Benedict Cumberbatch, Chris Pratt, Don Cheadle, Karen Gillan, Chadwick Boseman, Tom Hiddleston, Paul Bettany, Elizabeth Olsen, Anthony Mackie, Sebastian Stan, Peter Dinklage, Benedict Wong, Dave Bautista, Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper, Danai Gurira

Cert: 12

Running time: 150mins

Year: 2018

What’s the story: Galactic warlord Thanos seeks the remaining infinity stones that will make him ruler of the universe. The Avengers, led by Tony Stark and Steve Rogers, must battle him on Earth and beyond the stars to stop this.

What’s the verdict: 10 years since Iron Man hit box office pay d...

April 25, 2018, Posted in  Reviews Comments: No comments

Director: Michael Pearce

Writer: Michael Pearce

Cast: Jessie Buckley, Johnny Flynn, Geraldine James, Trystan Gravelle, Shannon Tarbet

Cert: 15

Running Time: 107 minutes

Year 2018

What’s the story: On a remote island, twenty-something Moll Huntford (Buckley) is haunted by a past random act of violence that puts her at odds with her family. The answer to Moll’s woes may be sun-bleached handyman and part-time poacher Pascal (Flynn). The only snag is, he may be responsible for a spate of sex murders in their isolated community.

What’s the verdict: It’s D.H Lawrence with serial killers as Moll, the ingénue with more than a touch of the vapours, is seduced by bohemian bit-of-rough Pascal...

March 19, 2018, Posted in  Reviews Comments: One comment

Director: Steven Spielberg

Writers: Zak Penn, Ernest Cline (screenplay), Ernest Cline (novel)

Cast: Tye Sheridan, Olivia Cooke, Ben Mendelsohn, Mark Rylance, Lena Waithe, T.J. Miller, Simon Pegg

Cert: 12

Running time: 140mins

Year: 2018

What’s the story: 2045, Colombus, Ohio. In an over-populated world where trailer parks have become cities, the masses seek enjoyment in the virtual reality world of the OASIS (Ontologically Anthropocentric Sensory Immersive Simulation). Expert gamer Wade Watts (Sheridan) and others attempt to win a competition that awards them vast wealth and control of the OASIS. Evil corporate CEO Sorrento (Mendelsohn) unleashes an army to ensure no mere gamer wins the ultimate prize.

What’s the verdict: Tron. The Matrix. Ready Player One...

March 11, 2018, Posted in  Reviews Comments: No comments

Director: Yûji Shimomura

Writer: Benio Saeki

Cast: Tak ∴, Akio Ôtsuka, Yura Kondo

Cert: 15

Running time: 100mins

Year: 2016

What’s the story: Former special forces soldier Toshiro (Tak ∴) works in a small convenience store in rural Japan, caring for the orphaned Sachi (Kondo). But, dangerous enemies from his past, led by the mysterious Phantom (Ôtsuka), force him to settle old scores.

What’s the verdict: With action films arriving faster and thicker than kicks from The Raid’s Iko Uwais in a particularly foul mood, they had better come strapped with a good USP.

Re:Born’s is the close-quarter knife-fighting style practiced by both hero Toshiro and his most lethal opponents...

February 13, 2018, Posted in  Reviews Comments: No comments

Director: Brian Taylor

Writer: Brian Taylor

Cast: Nicolas Cage, Selma Blair, Anne Winters, Zachary Arthur, Robert Cunningham, Samantha Lemole, Lance Henriksen

Cert: 15

Running time: 83mins

Year: 2017

What’s the story: Brent (Cage) and Kendall (Blair), both in the grip of mid-life crises, live in a state of increasing resentment with their kids Carly (Winters) and Josh (Arthur). Then, without warning, parents all over the country begin violently turning on their children.

What’s the verdict: Reportedly, Nicolas Cage declared this the most enjoyment he has had making a film in ten years. We’re right there with you Nic. What seemed like another direct-to-rental dud, Mom and Dad is a short, sharp, sensational satirical shock.

American Beauty meets 28 Weeks Later, this is a film for...