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The Sweeney (2012) Talk about mixed feelings whilst watching a film. I didn't know whether to laugh, cry or just plain old enjoy this recent reworking of a classic seventies tv series. Despite the best efforts of director Nick Love and stars Ray Winstone, Ben Drew and Damien Lewis i just never felt this worked as The Sweeney. Sure it's violent, gritty and very sweary but it's also plain daft, with Winstone's now cartoon like Cockney charisma an embarrassment. Every time the words Regan, Carter, and Flying Squad came out of Winstone's mouth i cringed, when he snarled "We're the Sweeney...you're nicked" i almost spat out my drink. However if you scratch away all The Sweeney elements you are left with a decent old school cop film about an overweight, old style copper struggling to adjust to modern day policing and coming into conflict about the handling of a bank robbery with Internal Affairs. Despite my criticism of Winstone as Regan he plays this rather well, as does his younger partner Carter as played by Ben Drew, a youthful officer who will surely end up on the other side of prison bars sooner or later. Director Nick Love (The Firm, Outlaw, The Football Factory) has made a career out of this type of film and it shows well here with some intense gun fights in the London streets especially one in Trafalgar Square and a crazy car chase through a caravan park. Interestingly the car chase was actually done by the Top Gear team with Clarkson, Hammond and May credited as stunt drivers. This sequence was integrated into that show during episode 3 of series 18 and has a decent making of on the dvd as well. All in all there's no way i can recommend The Sweeney as it's dreadful in it's execution of what it's supposed to be - a seventies cop show redux. |
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__________________ Alea iacta est." |
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The devil rides out. For me my favourite hammer film and one if not my favourite horrors. One of the best films to deal with the devil and the occult helped by a great cast and script. A true classic 10/10 Blood glaicer Have to agree with everything keirarts said in his review. Story was lacking but the special effects are top notch and is nice to see someone using traditional effects instead of CGI. Can see that it was influenced a lot by the thing. Also hope there is a sequel with how it was left open it gives a lot of potential for any sequel. 7.5/10 Continuing my October horror marathon with another favourite and classic the exorcist. Last edited by trebor8273; 12th October 2014 at 08:56 AM. |
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TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES (1990) Thought I would check out the original live action film again. Fun entertainment with good animatronic turtle suits and Splinter puppet by Jim Henson's workshop guys. A couple of cringe worthy moments such as April's screaming when she see's the turtles for the first time and the baby turtles seen in flashback but overall still enjoyable and a reminder once more of a time before CGI. |
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Watched a fascinating doc last night on the BBC called The Gatekeepers (2012), about Isreal's secret security services and their role in the context of the Isreali-Palestinian conflict since 1967 and featuring candid interview about their time and actions as heads of the security service. 10/10. |
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Kick the Cock (2008) - A Tinto Brass short that goes a little further than usual for a Brass picture, (at least the ones I've seen anyway), Starring Brass himself it once again is a case of a bare arse every other shot.......and Brass' prosthetic knob getting some self service! From 1960 - part 2 The Magnificent Seven - Hmm! A classic no doubt but it really didn't do anything for me, mine you I was fighting sleep at the time so that didn't help. La Dolce Vita - I've seen a few Fellini movies in my wander down cinematic history and as yet to find one that I actually like. This sad to say joins the other that I've seen. Classic though it may be it failed to hold my attention and I ended up splitting the picture into two sittings. The Appartment - Winner of the Best picture Oscar for 1960 and also the BAFTA Best film from any source. It was also the final picture made in B&W to win the Academy Best Picture award until Schindler's List in 1993. Flaming Star - The first Presley film of the year is a western with only one song in it, actually a pretty good movie. It also stars Barbara Eden in a role that was originally supposed to star Barbara Steele but because of the latters accent studio execs decided against her. G.I. Blues - The second Presley movie is a full on musical with Juliet Prowse who has one of the greatest pair of legs in cinema! I found myself tapping my foot to the music. Carry on Constable - Another early entry, (ooher missus), in the Carry On franchise. This one introducing Sid James to the series. Breathless - Jean-Luc Goddards first feature length picture and the birth of the French New wave genre. Elmer Gantry - Based on the controversial novel by Sinclair Lewis, this stars Burt Lancaster as a conman/preacher who takes up with Jean Simmon's evangelist. Lancaster gives a great performance. Psycho - Haven't seen this in years and TBH wasn't that impressed when I did originally see it, but this time around I gained a new appreciation for this classic, and on blu it really does stand out. Spartacus - Kubrick and Douglas' epic tale of the slave rebellion led by the Thracian Spartacus that occurred during Romes Republic. Starring four of cinemas greatest actors, Kirk Douglas, Laurence Olivier, Charles Laughton and Peter Ustinov. Controversial in that it was Dalton Trumbo who wrote the screenplay based on Howard Fast's novel. Both had been dragged before the HUAC and both ended up having been jailed and then blacklisted in Hollywood. This movie went some way to counteract that, although Hedda Hopper urged everyone not to see the movie. Tarzan the Magnificent - Gordon Scott's final film as Tarzan, its a bit of a drag really. Tarzan escorts a prisoner through the jungle and swamps chased by the prisoners family led by John Carradine. Ironically the prisoner is played by Jock Mahoney who would be cast as Tarzan in the next two movies. The Pure Hell Of St Trinians - The third in the series shifts the 'action' away from the school to Arabia! where the sixth formers are kidnapped by Sid James to be part of a sheik's harem. Again starring George Cole and a fare few British stars from other popular franchises/studios at the time.
__________________ Alea iacta est." |
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The Apartment is a wonderful film: funny, touching and with great performances across the board.
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__________________ Alea iacta est." |
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