Film Review: Righteous Kill.

A film with both Robert De Niro and Al Pacino, two of my favourite actors, in the old-school style of cop movies....what's not to like?!!

I found this film to be a classic blend of not too complex plot, atmospheric direction and grittiness which, along with obviously fine performances from the lead actors, which satisfied me. There's a clever twist at the end which I was leaning towards but is still enough of a shock to please.

It's nice to see a script which doesn't rely overly on shoot outs and car chases but rest assured there are enough scenes of firefights to keep lovers of the style grinning. The atmosphere of paranoia is well built and keeps the suspense high.

To summarise without giving too much away De Niro and Pacino are two long serving members of the New York Police Department who have 30 years service each under their belts. Fed up with watching the guilty walk from courtrooms on technicalities and finding the injustices too much to bear finally they decide to embark on a vigilante plan of their own to bring their own flavour of justice to the streets. All is not plain sailing however as suspicion descends and defensive shields go up. Fiery personalities and tension give rise to flare ups which are constantly on the verge of blowing the whole show wide open.

You'll have to watch the thing for the ending. I won't spoil it here...Recommended viewing. 7/10

Memorable stakeout quote of the day; "Is it killing time or is he just killing time?".

Reviewed by: Mark Woods, 2008, LordBeanpod@GMail.com

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Film Review: Quatermass and the Pit.

This film was made in 1967...it's now 2008 and so I thought it about time I watched the darned thing!

To be honest I wasn't expecting much. I have read and heard much praise but being a lover of all things horror and science fiction I tend to be a little disappointed when lead by other people's opinions. However in this case I was pleasantly surprised.

The story revolves around the discovery of a mysterious object during renovations of the London Underground at the fictional station "Hobb's End". Without spoiling the plot this necessitates the arrival of the Army Bomb Disposal Squad along with a pacifist professor, his assistants and an army of press reporters.

This area of London has a reputation for strange events dating back hundreds of years in the film. What impressed me most about this seeming deviation for Hammer Horror Films into science-fiction was their ability to use their horror expertise to achieve a truly unsettling mood with a very limited budget. This movie really does begin to get under your skin as the atmosphere builds and the identity of the discovered object is discovered.

Performances are above par for Hammer Horror. Professor Quatermass himself (Andrew Keir) and the very easy-on-the-eye Barbara Judd (Barbara Shelley) stand out and provide very believable performances. This is impressive in a plot which requires a very healthy dose of "suspension of disbelief".

Even with special effects limited by the age of the filming and an obviously tiny budget this manages to be worth a watch at least once by lovers of the two genres. Give it a go. It really is a classic.

Review: Mark Woods, 2008 (LordBeanpod@GMail.com)

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Film Review - The Bucket List.

This film left me laughing and my missus crying!

A long-time fan of both Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman I went into this film expecting to entertained somehow at least. I also expected it to be bittersweet.

I didn't expect a film about two men with cancer to somehow leave me feeling I'd just watched a "feelgood" film. But that's exactly what this is..

The two lead characters are polarised in their attitudes to life, their success in life thus far and their outlook on their shared news that they have been diagnosed with terminal cancer.

What follows is their decision to enjoy their last few months on the Earth attaining as many of their ambitions on their newly devised "Bucket List" before they pop off to join the Choir Invisible.

It's as simple as that but with two fine actors, a great script and an excellent director (Rob Reiner) we are treated to what is simply a magical cinema experience.

Highly recommended. 8/10

Reviewed by Mark Woods, 2008. LordBeanpod@GMail.com

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Jumper - Film Review.

***WARNING - MAY CONTAIN INFORMATION WHICH COULD SPOIL SURPRISES IN THE FILM***

Hmmm...nice idea but sadly let down by a very linear story line. Set in America, a breed of people called "Jumpers" are relentlessly pursued by a breed of humans called "Paladins". I say humans but it's never really explained where any of these figures are from.

Jumpers have the ability to teleport at will around the globe and create a crewneck from whatever is lying about. I made that last bit up but they DO have the ability to leap around the world by the power of thought alone.

This makes them the perfect bank-vault thief and our main character, David Rice, a cocky teenager who clearly loves his newly discovered skill, takes advantage of this and amasses a huge store of wealth.

He's also in possession of a skill which may enable him to ensnare his childhood sweetheart. Millie longs to see Rome...Dave can now wisk her off without even having to cash any of his ill-gotten gains!

Needless to say he is pursued by government forces lead by Samuel L Jackson who sports a head of snow white hair here! We are led through fight scene after fight scene until the director gets bored and the film ends at 1 hour and 20 minutes.

I was left feeling that I had simply watched a short, but admittedly mildly amusing, pilot for an imminent TV series. We will see.

6/10.

Review by Mark Woods, LordBeanpod@GMail.com

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Film Review - Mongol.

What a brilliant film! If you like stunning locations, great photography and awesome fight sequences then this is a film for you! From the get-go you know you're in for a treat. The opening shot pans through a spectacular set to the lead character who you instantly know is going to be a tough nut to crack...well, the guy IS Ghengis Khan!

No previous knowledge of the life of Ghengis is required...you will be harshly educated. You'll learn about yurts! You'll see offal enjoyed as a breakfast! See Mongolian forms of punishment!

The film moves at great pace through his eventful and grim life and, frankly, I'd watch this sort of film just for the photography. It really is a stunning piece of cinema to look at. You may have to do this if you mistakenly buy the DVD in the original Mongolian dialogue! Make sure it has English subtitles!

If you like action and drama I recommend this film. 8/10.

Review by Mark Woods, 2008. LordBeanpod@GMail.com

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Philips DVP-5160 DVD DivX player review.

Firstly, to give you some idea of how impressed I am with this product, if you exclude my SLR camera, I would say this is my most prized possession! Not bad for something which cost £40 including delivery!


I was after a DVD player which could handle DivX format files (widely used on the internet) which was my only real criteria. I've had a couple of Philips' products before and they've been well-built, functional and attractive so I shelled out £ 40 including delivery from Amazon.co.uk. What I received is a player which has both DVD tray and USB input. This means you can write to a temporary medium such a re-writable DVD or memory stick and not have to permanently use a DVD up. This saves on cost if you're only going to watch, say, a program once. It's also convenient meaning you only have to write what you wish to watch which saves on time too.


This player has a very easy to use interface operated through a small remote control which is comfortable to use with one hand.
It has played all the formats I can throw at it so far. DivX, AVI,WMA,MP3,Audio CD,DVD, you name it, this plays it! I would say the playback from DVD seems more reliable than from a USB device...a couple of "choppy" viewings have occurred from the USB input. This has never happened from DVD so I just use that now. Pictures have never been a problem with USB, just video.


Fast forward is up to 32X and playback can be resumed from where you turned off. Zoom is up to 200% (handy for reading text if you have a 14 inch telly like myself!)


The Audio Menu is terrific. 3D simulation is possible with options ranging from living room to arena! Tone can be adjusted with Sci-fi/Drama/Action settings etc.

For the price I would have no hesitation whatsoever in recommending this DVD player.

Reviewed by Mark Woods, 2008. LordBeanpod@GMail.com

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