Monthly Archives: May 2017

Review: Whiplash (USA 2014)

Posted on May 30, 2017 by David

Whiplash is a perfect example of a mediocre narrative redeemed by an outstanding finale. J.K. Simmons is great – he has always been great since making his first splash on Oz – but this film doesn’t ask him to stretch beyond his … Continue reading →

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Review: The Mermaid (China 2016)

Posted on May 25, 2017 by David

It may have been a colossal moneymaker, but The Mermaid is pretty far from Stephen Chow’s finest. Still, this bizarre take on The Little Mermaid is damn funny, with all the slapdash CGI and manic hijinks that have come to … Continue reading →

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Sir Roger Moore, RIP at 89

Posted on May 23, 2017 by David

I don’t think anyone can argue that Roger Moore was the best Bond – Sean Connery was too indelible in the role and Daniel Craig has been giving him a run for his money (though he is too frequently let … Continue reading →

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Review: Crocodile Fury (Hong Kong/Indonesia 1988)

Posted on May 16, 2017 by David

Easily the most entertaining Godfrey Ho movie I’ve ever seen, Crocodile Fury is an almost non-stop parade of ludicrous reptilian carnage, interrupted only for nonsensical interludes with hopping vampires. The crocodile special effects in particular are mind-blowing. The crocs on display … Continue reading →

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Review: The Treasure Hunters (Hong Kong 1981)

Posted on May 11, 2017 by David

Certainly not one of Shaw Brothers’ best, this wacky kung fu comedy stars Alexander Fu Sheng and his brother Chang Chen Peng as petty crooks out to steal a big treasure. Everybody does their usual schtick – Fu Sheng is … Continue reading →

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Review: Gamer (USA 2009)

Posted on May 9, 2017 by David

I was hoping for the insane highs of Crank 2, but this Neveldine/Taylor joint was a little too bland. The central metaphor – with Gerard Butler as a convict put under the control of rich gamer geeks and forced to … Continue reading →

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Review: Train to Busan (South Korea 2016)

Posted on May 7, 2017 by David

Holy shit, THAT is how you do a zombie movie! I’m not usually a fan of fast zombies, but this mash-up of 28 Days Later’s panicky plague and Snowpiercer’s “class war on a train” is great fun, wasting little time … Continue reading →

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Review:  Hercules, Samson and Ulysses (Italy 1964)

Posted on May 2, 2017 by David

This middling peplum is an adequate representative of the genre, mostly of interest due to the biblical connection.  Kirk Morris (aka Adriano Bellini) plays Hercules this time around, right in the middle of his lengthy series as the character, following … Continue reading →

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