cameron-burn Reviews

The Wire: Boys of Summer (2006) Season 4, Episode 1

Brilliant start to the season

[6 August 2011]

It's a testimony to the seemingly innate skill of the writers of HBO's acclaimed series "the wire" that, after only one hour of television, they have created four new characters with more heart and character than any other children on TV, and that these characters were probably only in about 1/4 of the episode.

Season 4 of the wire opens up brilliantly, to put it short. Not only are we introduced to a new set-up of characters, (based around the interesting idea of how teenagers on the street struggle between the choice of what is right (to try and live an honest life) and what is easy (crime)), but most of the major characters from seasons past are reintroduced seamlessly, as if they'd never been gone.

I've tried so far not to fulfil the stereotype of the "preaching Wire fan" who tries to convert everyone to the show, but the fact that for 3 seasons and 1 episode I have been so engrossed within the city and the characters that I'm afraid that's about to change.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009)

The best Potter film spoilt by a confused ending

[7/10 · 19 July 2009]

Harry Potter and the half-blood prince is the sixth film in the HP series and is directed by Order of the phoenix director David Yates. After six films based on the same storyline I would expect to have been bored by now. However, Director David Yates has tried his hardest to make each of his films different and it is definitely clear here.

Unlike the first two potter films in which Hogwarts is a light and happy place in HBP it seems to be gripped in an eternal winter which really seems to set the mood for the film and works really well. The script is as usual what you would expect from a potter film with comedy sprawled over it and it conveys teenage relationships quite well. There are a lot of bits from the book taken out of the film which die-hard potter fans won't like. And this is where HBP falls apart. I'd enjoyed it thoroughly until the last half-an hour. Dumbledores death is bound to be confusing to people who have not read the books and since there was no battle at the end like in the book there was virtually no point in the vanishing cabinet or the death-eaters coming to hogwarts.

So, overall an enjoyable film except for a confused ending. The acting is solid, (especially from Alan Rickman as Snape and Jim Broadbent as Sliughorn, these two steal every scene they're in) the script is funny if at points confused and the effects, music and location are superb as usual in a Harry potter film. You can't miss it if you liked the books and even if you didn't like the books you should find it enjoyable if confusing.

The Adventures of Tintin (1991–1992)

Faithful but toned down adaptation of Herges masterpiece

[7/10 · 7 August 2008]

First things first, I am an avid fan of the Adventures of Tintin by Herge. What makes them so great is the intriguing world that resolves around Tintin the intrepid reporter and the Brilliant characters that portray different types of people, the hero, the drunkard, the mad scientist, opera singers, detectives and even insurers! The stories appeal to everyone as they can include humour, excitement, detective, sci-fi and just downright fun. The books are exhilarating stuff to say the least, but this is a review about the show, not the books.

The adventures of Tintin could never disappoint as long as it kept to the original stories, which thankfully it did. However, there are still some unnecessary changes to characters and plots including the complete eradication of the international settlement in "the blue lotus". But what stops what is an exciting and interesting show from being a cult phenomenon is the child-friendliness of it all. I could go on for ages about all the changes they make to tone down the darkness of some of the books, but I'll narrow it down to the necessaries.

Firstly, the fact that They've toned down Captain Haddocks drinking obsession is intolerable. And they've also taken out anything which might for a moment seem the slightest bit prejudiced. Another major disappointment is the toning down of using guns and fistfights. But now on to the portrayal of the characters themselves. Tintin being Canadian is rather annoying and Haddock sounds peculiar as well. Calculus is probably the only amusing portrayal out there but does sound too squeaky at points. The Thomson twins are fine but not perfect and Bianca Castafiore sounds more like a Scottish man than an Milanese nightingale. Because the animation was timed to the English soundtrack if you watch it in French the voices are way to rushed.

Overall a great few seasons none the less with no bad episodes due mainly to Herge's craft but could have been perfect had they not intended it to be watched just by kids.

Doctor Who: Planet of the Ood (2008) Season 4, Episode 3

The Ood are back, and they're not happy

[8/10 · 23 May 2008]

This episode is both horrifying and beautiful. And in the same way that last year's Gridlock was about faith and believing in something, this story is about choices. And what's right and what's wrong.

The two keywords I'd give to this episode are "chilling" and "entertaining". It's certainly filled with creepy moments. But mainly because of the ood you get the freaky atmosphere you did in "the impossible planet" and "satans pit". It is the most chilling so far this series. And again, the special effects are some of the best I've seen so far.

The criticism i'd give to this episode is the big action sequence with the doctor inside a big warehouse which looks really bad. The real action in the story is all emotional, as we see how the Doctor and Donna react to the events around them.

It is entertaining because of the way we see the ood,which gradually changes throughout the episode. By the end they seem a million miles from the creatures first met two years ago in The Impossible Planet/The Satan Pit.

The very best episodes of Doctor Who are the ones which not only entertain you, but which also leave you thinking about them after they've finished. And this is one of them.

My Grade: B+

Doctor Who: The Fires of Pompeii (2008) Season 4, Episode 2

This is an episode that's everything an episode of Doctor who should be

[8/10 · 22 May 2008]

A great one-off. This episode is great fun to watch. Not only is there a "baffling" mystery to be solved, but there's amazing tension because a huge argument is brewing between the doctor and Donna about whether they should leave Pompeii or not. Each of them is convinced they're doing the right thing.

That alone would make this a stand-out episode, but there are also some of the best special effects yet seen on the show.

Aswella as a few more tantalising hints about what might be coming later in the series.....

overall Grade A for this episode.

Doctor Who: Partners in Crime (2008) Season 4, Episode 1

Best series opener yet!

[7/10 · 8 April 2008]

Doctor who has always been a part of my life. And after a long wait which seems like an eternity Doctor who is back on the BBC. At the start of a new doctor who season you always worry that it might be a disappointment but as usual the Doctir who crew managed to start on a bang and as "that" theme tune comes on the excitement gets bigger.

The openers of the series are usually poor in Doctor who because they tend to focus more on the character development than the storyline of the monsters. But enough said, this was the best opener since Rose and I am pleased the 4th series has gotten off to a good start.

There were many goods in Partners in crime. For me the the best of those goods was Catherine Tate and David Tennant. I found Donna a total pain in the runaway bride but she was absolutely fine in this opener. Her interaction with Tennant was good to watch and her comic timing definitely boosted some of the duller scenes in the episode.

The comedy can sometimes be to childish on Doctor who, but there were some great moments of comedy in this episode, my favourite when Gramps misses the spaceship behind him and the doctor and Donnas near-misses.

The submission of Rose in the series was known long ago since the crew find it hard keeping secrets but no one knew she would be in the first episode!

Now for the bad. As usual the doctor overuses his sonic screwdriver any plot dead-ends and tight spots. The story worked well, but I heyt the sillier plots in Doctor who, I know it needs to appeal to 7 year olds as well as 70 year olds, but I think plots about fat based aliens growing out of peoples bodies would be best suited on one of the more childish Doctor who spin-offs. And whenever Russel T Davies writes a story himself there is always a basic template that he refuses to budge from, which makes the scene with the adipose and miss foster feel too much like the evil company.

Overall this was an episode which has created a great lot of story lines for more episodes and I give it a 7/10.

Highlander (1986)

Undeniably fun

[7 April 2008]

Russell Mulcahy's sword-and-immortals 'epic' has spawned numerous sequels and a TV show, but it's aged poorly, unlike its hero, wasting a fine premise with a muddled narrative and sub-MTV visuals.

Sean Connery slums it but still shines as an Argentinian with a Scots accent, Clancy Brown's villain is enjoyable, and the fight scenes are well-choreographed, despite clumsy direction. Christopher Lambert looks, but doesn't sound, the part, the effects are OTT in a harmless way, but the Queen soundtrack is dodgy.

Despite its many failings though, somewhere in here there's an idea that's undeniably fun. Of all the 'not quite on the mark' projects out there, this is possibly the premise most deserving of a remake.

Verdict

It's clumsily put together and it makes bugger all sense, but dammit, there's something alluring about this story. Don't expect too much and you should be OK. And for God's sake - stay away from the sequels.

Holes (2003)

Kids' fare with a brain - a haunting detective story with a warm heart.

[10/10 · 7 March 2008]

Louis Sachar's compelling children's classic is about as Disney as Freddy Krueger. It's got murder, racism, facial disfigurement and killer lizards.

Tightly plotted, it's a multi-layered, interlinking story that spans history to reveal Stanley's own heritage and the secret behind the holes. It races from Latvia's lush greenness to the pock-marked Camp Green Lake (hint: there's no lake and no green).

Disney's first success is re-creating the novel's environments so convincingly - the set design is superb and without gloss. The other plus is in the casting. Rising star Shia LaBeouf (Charlie's Angels 2, Project Greenlight) might not be the fat boy of the book, but his attitude is right and he's far from the usual clean-cut hero. The rest of the cast is filled out equally well, from Patricia Arquette as the Frontier school marm-turned-bank robber to Henry Winkler as Stanley's dad. The downside is the pop soundtrack - pure marketing department - and having the sentiment turned up to full volume at the end.

Bionicle: Mask of Light (2003 Video)

Annoying but fun

[6/10 · 4 January 2008]

As a true Bionicle fan who prefers the newer style of writing in the bionicle saga, it was great to watch my younger brothers Bionicles:Mask of light film again as it brought back sweet memories. But as sweet as those memories maybe, now I am older I can truly understand the complexity of the amazing storyline that Greg Farshtey,( author of the bionicle books and comics) managed to craft together here. It is ashame that the complexity of the storyline is halted by some rather poorly directed scenes which involve Takua and Jaller(yet to be Toa Inika/Mahri)just aimlessly searching for the7th toa when Takua is thee 7th toa! Yes, I agree, this is the most kiddiest and most "fun" of the bionicle movies because at that time the directors didn't expect adults to enjoy bionicles just as much as children do.

This film is great in terms of a nice style of animation which improves throughout the films and lots of great locations to ponder on in the great island of Mata Nui as well as the brilliant storyline and imaginative characters. What also stuns me about this film is the vibrant colours and sounds which make it so fun and wonderful too watch.

However, every good has its bad, and there are just as much bads in this film as goods. For instance, the rahkshi are horribly wrong and look completely different from the toys and the voice acting is so annoying! Plus the ending goes on too long and the director just hasn't made it interesting enough with not enough action and too much just standing there doing nothing pointless scenes. The Toa Nuva aren't in it enough and Takua is too annoying for a 7th toa so I was glad when he didn't appear in future bionicle storeys.

Now as I finish these comments I am left to ponder on the annoying drone of "Takua! Takua!"

Bionicle 3: Web of Shadows (2005 Video)

Completely Underrated

[7/10 · 19 December 2007]

As a completely nutty Bionicle fan who has managed to collect all the comics and most of the products as well as being a true member of the Kanoka club, I was looking forward to seeing the only Bionicle film I had not yet viewed. Of course, I already knew the plot line through reading the comics and the story's but nevertheless thanks to Greg Farshteys imaginative brain this still managed to dazzle me. When you've got a theme like Bionicle, and they make a straighttovideo film , the chances are your parents are not going to rate this film highly. But I think that these 3 films are completely underrated in that the animation is sweetly edited and the story lines are superb. Bionicle 3:web of shadows is the most popular of the Bionicle films in that it uses the greatest bionicle adventures theme as a storyline and that it's animation manages to capture an atmosphere so eerie it could even surpass the PG ratings. Bionicle 2 is still the best crafted film in terms of editing and the mask of lights is the most "fun" but this one contains the best storyline in my opinion.

As for me, I can't wait for Bionicle 4 to come out as it should involve the immense Piraka and the beautiful Voya Nui and the Bionicle Legends in my opinion is the best. Can't wait for that and overall good film. The Visorak rock! The Toa Hordika Rock! Roodaka does not rock!

Halo 2 (2004 Video Game)

In one word, Brilliant

[10/10 · 20 November 2007]

Every new console launches with at least one killer title, but in Halo Microsoft had found one that would not only ensure the future of its fledgling machine, but raise the bar for games on every platform. This now-legendary first-person shooter even converted people who wouldn't normally look at a gamepad, winning them over with accessible gameplay, an involving story and the xenocidal charms of its protagonist, the enigmatic Master Chief.

Halo 2, then, is a sequel with no small amount of hype to live up to. Picking up very soon after the events in its predecessor, the game begins with humanity's worst case scenario: religious fanatic alien alliance The Covenant invades Earth. Reprising your role as the bio-engineered supersoldier, you begin by repelling boarders on a planetary defence frigate but soon find yourself on terra firma, skirmishing with invaders amid the ruined cities then pursuing a key Covenant figure back to their neck of the galaxy. Far more polished than the original story, Halo 2's plot line drives the action well and, thanks to the judicious use of cut-scenes, gives a deeper insight into the Covenant, evolving them beyond faceless cannon fodder and probing the reasons for their galactic jingoistic instincts.

Which brings us to the most significant change in Halo 2. After wading through the first few levels as the Master Chief, the viewpoint switches to that of The Arbiter, a disgraced Covenant Elite. Apart from coming as something of a surprise, playing as The Arbiter is a subtly different experience. Equipping you with the Elite's deadly force blade and Predator-like cloaking field, the Covenant perspective provides an interesting counterpoint to the human levels — though remembering that the aliens are now your friends and shouldn't be gutted on sight takes some getting used to. The continuing narrative doesn't abandon the Master Chief, though, and you'll alternate from one side to the other as the story progresses, until the two come together in a final, satisfying synthesis.

The graphics, while not leagues ahead, have certainly been given a boost this time around, and the fiendishly addictive multiplayer mode now comes with added bells and whistles in addition to being Xbox Live enabled. Gameplay changes include the ability to wield two weapons simultaneously — a welcome addition that rules out the need to retreat and reload, markedly changing the strategies you'll employ in the many ranging firefights. New foes, vehicles and weapons have likewise been added to the roster. Halo 2 isn't revolutionary by any means, but as the follow-up to such a sublime experience as Halo, it really didn't need to be. The sequel's achievement is to give a second helping of the most accomplished title on the Xbox, with just enough tweaks and polishes to make this experience as fresh and enjoyable as the original.

Ultimate Spider-Man (2005 Video Game)

Strangest game of the year

[8/10 · 29 October 2007]

Last year's Spider-Man 2 was a knockout in terms of what the series had done. It had so much going for it: a wide-open environment, amazing web-swinging mechanics, a solid fight system, and impressive visuals. Though the story itself wasn't too impressive, the gameplay more than made up for it. This year, the good folks at Treyarch have given us another impressive entry with Ultimate Spider-Man, but it isn't exactly what you would call "ultimate." First things first, this is the closest a video game has gotten to a comic thus far. Treyarch enlisted the talents of USM scribe, Brian Michael Bendis, whose monthly work on the Spidey comic title rarely (if ever) disappoints; and USM artist Mark Bagley, whose visual style is captured to near-perfection. The story is great -- revolving around Peter and his superhero duties mixed with his teenage woes. Never does it delve into the likes of the soap-opera nonsense found in The O.C., but rather, it focuses on a kid trying to do the right thing with the gifts he was given. Characters from the series pop up -- Nick Fury, Johnny Storm, Silver Sable -- and are an added bonus (if you're a comic nerd like me).

The visuals are so amazing, they astound me every time I play. This is probably the best-looking comic game out there. It's not that it's super-detailed, capturing every last hair on the character as you'd expect from an Ps2 game. Instead, it keeps things simple and maintains the look from the comic. If you took the comic and matched it up against the game, it's surprising how little variation there is. Buildings are simple and blocky, but they fit. The distant New York skyline is the slew of skyscrapers and towers one would expect. Even the characters themselves have the same Mark Bagley detail.

Spidey himself looks spot-on and he moves just like you'd expect him to. When swinging, his legs dangle appropriately; when he's in mid-air between web swings, he performs flips and flourishes that the wall-crawler is known for. His movements and exaggerations on his punches and kicks are taken straight out of his books. It's so much fun just to watch our hero in action.

The voice-acting is also impressive, especially since this is a video game. It's the same quality you'd expect from a movie or TV show. Despite it being a game, there's no bad or over acting going on here. Spidey is a squeaky-voiced teenager in the midst of puberty -- but that doesn't mean his trademark smart-ass quips and banter aren't accounted for. In fact, these are some of the best treats in the game. It's fantastic to hear Spidey say "sweet sassy molasses!" when he's shocked. The banter like "my point being: you truly do very much suck," is great. My personal fluorite is when he first meets the behemoth Rhino "…I'm so scared, I can even finish my lame joke." Good times, that's what that is. Besides, what is Spider-Man without his classic banter?

One of the issues that presented itself is that the combat system isn't as deep as in Spider-Man 2. Gone are the crazy combos that clear out any enemy standing next to you, as well as any purchased upgrade. Now, it's just a very basic button-mashing system. Kicks and punches are accounted for, but they're so basic that they're not as lively as they used to be. Though that change does make sense. This is a kid just starting out in the superhero racket, so he still has a way to go to becoming the icon we all know and love. The fighting system does rely on changing targets and bouncing off walls, which does add to the enjoyment of it. While the more intricate combos have been escorted out of the game, there is still some technique required. After all, Spidey always relied a bit more on his speed and reflexes before his strength.

Another point to touch upon is the web-swinging. In last year's title, collision detection on the web strands themselves were existent. Say you were rounding a corner, the web would catch the building it was attached to and whip Spidey around appropriately. Not so much in USM. If you want an extra boost when coming around a corner, you'll have to jump and shoot another web in the desired direction.

Also done away with is a sprint button. It's not a big deal, especially if you haven't played Spider-Man 2, but it is missed. Spider-Man can't sprint up the side of a building when crawling to make things a bit less tedious. While you can add an extra boost to your swing, that same boost is unavailable while moving along a surface. Charged jumps are also done away with. When climbing up a building, if you try to charge a jump to ascend a bit more quickly, Spidey will actually jump away from the surface he's scaling. Again, it's something that does indeed make sense, but it will be missed.

The biggest drawback of this game is the inclusion of Venom as a playable character. He draaaags. He can't web swing (but he can cover vast distances with his leaps), he relies on brute strength rather than finesse, and you must also devour people in order to keep the suit from killing the man inside. That's right, you are forced to eat people to keep your health up. Um, maybe it's me, but isn't that a bit off course from what's expected from a Spider-Man game? When compared to the swift, agile Spider-man, Venom is a slow, dull galoot. His missions usually consist of chasing a target around the city, which can get to be a real pain. Some chases require you to recharge your health during the pursuit, and in most cases, you simply don't have the time which results in a big ol' "Game Over" screen.

Halo 3 (2007 Video Game)

Game of the year

[10/10 · 29 October 2007]

When a sequel offers little in the way of innovation or stops short of a major revamp, I'd normally deduct a couple of stars in the name of tardiness. But this is a Halo game, and what makes it console dynamite isn't so much what's new, what's different, or even what happens as you play - instead, it's all about how it makes you feel.

Within an hour of starting the game you'll be leaping onto futuristic motorbikes and ripping the alien driver from his seat, then flipping the bike around and mowing the monster down with his own ride. In tight spots you'll be snapping stationary gun turrets from their mountings, then wading into the chaos of battle as your chunky cannon shreds legions of shrieking invaders. As you go ever-deeper behind enemy lines your allies will dive for cover when firefights turn to stalemate, compelling you to steam into impossible situations and sort them out with not much more than a pea-shooter. And when it finally comes to switching off your console and going to bed at night, finding the will to sleep will be impossible as you'll still feel ten-feet tall and able to punch holes in solid concrete.

Thrilling action aside, Halo 3 is also one of the best-looking games on the shelves and surpasses all expectations; from the slick, Hollywood-quality movies that flesh out the story and introduce cannon-fodder characters you can't help growing attached to, to dense forests where you can spot enemies fleeing through the undergrowth as trails of saplings get pushed aside, Halo 3 boasts an epic sense of scale and keen eye for detail, its stunning art direction helping to create breathtaking worlds that are a joy to explore and the perfect stage for tense and imaginative shootouts. The new battle gadgets and retooled Covenant enemies - each of which look more terrifying than before, especially when you're standing toe-to-toe with a Brute Chieftain intent on caving your skull in - also make this instalment absurdly exciting, and the fact you can stick with Master Chief throughout rather than being forced to control a crappy alien like in Halo 2 will be enough to tempt back players who were disillusioned by the last game.

But while the single-player adventure doesn't disappoint, Halo 3's biggest draw is its multiplayer carnage. As well as the traditional deathmatch clashes where players can tear their buddies limb from limb, Halo 3 boasts a selection of Xbox Live cooperative challenges, allowing players to hook-up, choose from a quartet of unique characters, then work through the entire single-player quest as a team. The sprawling online mode also features clever 'matchmaking' options where you're paired with other players of similar skill across the world, avoiding the frustration of becoming the whipping boy for a gang of experienced nutjobs.

While a tangible sense of déjà vu pervades the whole adventure, Halo 3 does what it does extremely well, and what it loses in originality it more than makes up for in stellar production values and delirious, balls-out blasting. And while players looking for a solo shooter may find BioShock's bleak atmosphere more intriguing, Halo 3's blistering blend of anarchic battles and team-based challenges make it worthy of the 'game of the year' tag so often thrust upon it.

Batman Begins (2005 Video Game)

Best Batman game yet

[8/10 · 29 October 2007]

While the Kilmer and Clooney movies left Batfans moping, the recent video games have been even worse. But, much like the film version, Batman Begins is a glorious rebirth for the tragic crimebuster.

Playing like a pacier version of Splinter Cell — with dramatic, movie-style presentation that puts Metal Gear Solid to shame — it's a stealthy action-adventure where players creep around the shadowy streets of Gotham City, solving crimes and ambushing mobsters.

Uniquely, Batman Begins allows players to scare their rivals witless; when you spot a crook a special meter indicates their heartbeat, and you can then hide in the shadows and kick over objects to make your opponent jittery and nervous, only making your grand entrance when they're quivering like a jellyfish.

The game also allows players to jump behind the wheel of the new tank-like Batmobile for hair-raising dashes across Gotham, sequences that are as shallow as Adam West's Batman TV series but just as much fun

When the Wind Blows (1986)

Powerful stuff and in Brit-toon terms, a total one-off.

[8/10 · 19 October 2007]

Subjects don't come much bigger than total species extinction and in the mid-80s, the imposing shadows thrown by the superpowers' volatile arsenal of nuclear warheads pretty much blackened the entire planet. With last-grip, nerve-stretched lunacies like Mutually Assured Destruction dominating US and Soviet policies, the standoff also had the vinegary whiff of desperate farce about it. War is hell but at least there are winners. In a nuclear conflict, everybody - and everything - loses. One big bang and we all fall down. Or, in the case of When The Wind Blows, fall-out.

While Mick Jackson's telemovie Threads remains the screen's most potent account of mass panic on apocalypse day, this British to-the-frame adaptation of Raymond Briggs' graphic novella is unquestionably the most humane. Say hello and wave goodbye then, to Jim and Hilda, our naive retired home counties couple who, on hearing of an imminent World War III, set about merrily obeying the ridiculous instructions from government protect and survive pamphlets. They whitewash the windows (to shield the radiation), stock up on supplies (a tin of Christmas pudding) and cheerfully anticipate a Blitz-style cosy-up sipping Olvaltine under Anderson shelters.

At first, it plays out like a black comedy - just as the bomb hits, dim Hilda goes to get the washing in - but as the insidious crackle of fall-out settles and the sickness sets in, the movie reveals its true nature: an unbearably intimate, gently accentuated tragedy with a tenacious pacifist streak. Blending 2D cells with 3D modelling, director Jimmy Murakami is technically adventurous but crucially, his connection to Briggs' material is total. In fact, with its working class nuances, droll dialogue and mundane aura , you sense that if Mike Leigh made cartoons, the results wouldn't be too far from this.

Bugsy Malone (1976)

I defy anyone not to be caught up in the charm and nostalgia.

[8/10 · 16 October 2007]

It is always funny to note that Alan Parker, who would go on to be best known as a director of full-blooded, archly styled dramas, began his career with this sprightly gangster-themed musical cast entirely with kids albeit representing adult counterparts. That it works so well is down to the high quality, low-mawkishness of his chosen youngsters, the elaborate production design built across Pinewood stages, and an excellent set of songs by Paul Williams. Easy as that, except when most others try such a hazardous concept they come skidding off the road.

Good thinking goes on from the top down — replacing lethal Tommy guns with the splurge equivalent (firing globules of what looks like gloppy wallpaper paste), having pedal powered sedans, and keeping the script thrumming with cod-period dialogue all work a treat. The film is wryly mocking its sources, but with a sense of easy love. The host of whippersnappers draped in adult cloth, in Jodie Foster's case brazenly sexualising her, live up to the test of carrying this hybrid off. Foster is the stand out, saucily experimenting with the role of Fat Sam's moll, but Scott Baio, Florrie Dugger and John Cassisi's plaintive Fat Sam are all decent. Parker had a knack splicing youth and music he would utilise with Fame and The Commitments.

Clearly as well as his good eye, he has a very good ear. The songs slip easily into the gangster drama in miniature: My Name Is Tallulah, So You Wanna Be A Boxer and Down And Out all served up with drama school gusto. The big finale, when all splurge has been spent, is close to magnificent — a thumping piano chord silencing the battleground and the gentle strains of I Could Have Been Anything That I Wanted I Be begins, segueing into the entire cast joining together for a rendition of You Give A Little Love. Of course, its cheesy as hell, but the film has earned its send off. You can't help but smile along.

The Dark Crystal (1982)

Well placed and stunningly shot

[8/10 · 11 October 2007]

This is one of those films that you can never forget. When The Muppet's creative duo of Jim Henson and Frank Oz decided to stretch their puppetry into the reaches of feature films, they proved more than merely zany puppet masters. Here was a pair of hugely imaginative purveyors of quirky fantasy mythos. The Dark Crystal has an ethereal alien quality to its startling visions, far removed from the Earth-bound contours of traditional fairy tales. It is a hippyish dreamlike movie that entirely succeeds as a children's adventure. A feat they would continue, with marginally less wonder, in Labyrinth.

The choice of removing all humans from the structure of the film — a first for Henson and Oz — was inspired. It liberated the film from attesting to its structural limitations (i.e. revealing the strings), in this quaint realm of innocent Gelflings, gentle, sorrow-burdened Mystics and the squawking, detestably brilliant birdlike Skekses. Of course, the imprimatur of Professor Tolkien is fully evident: diminutive saviours facing impossible odds, with the Gelfling Jen, a simpering do-gooder, out to trace the origins of the missing shard of the fabled all-powerful crystal, and so save his world in process, but it is less the straightforward plot than the extraordinary execution which dazzles. The design concepts are a marvel, utilising the talents of celebrated fantasy illustrator Brian Froud, the film has a life and feel all its own, the puppets given vital energy by Henson's brilliant workshop, their movements while not exactly human are free of the jerky obvious motions of a puppet. This is most delightful and energetic with the Skekses, this world's ripe villains, who come loosely based on the seven deadly sins. These memorably vile entities, creating a cacophony of rueful bleats like rabid dinner ladies, prevent the film from ever drifting into sappy moralism by inviting an enquiry on the avaricious nature of evil. Top notch stuff.

8/10

Mission: Impossible (1996)

It begins as it means to go on: with a bang!

[8/10 · 3 September 2007]

It begins as it means to go on:with a bang. A fuse is lit and the credits literally explode in a rapid-fire barrage of images and music.

A re-visitation of the famous 60's TV series with that impossibly cool theme tune and a cachet of catchy catchphrases("This tape will self destruct..."etc), this treats it's inspiration with just the right amount of respect, while at the same time managing to reinvent the premise of a group of undercover agents, working in what is now the cold war-less 90's. The plot is a contortionist's delight:a spider's web of stolen computer discs, moles, mayhem, double-crosses and murder that begins in Prague with Cruise's Ethan Hunt and his impossible missions force(including Beart, Emilio Estevez and Kristin Scott-Thomas), under the direction of Jim Phelps,(Voight in the Peter Graves role), called in to intercept a traitor and a disk containing the identities of every Western spy in Europe. When the mission goes awry and his team is annihilated, Cruise suspects he's been set up, only to find himself accused of being the mole. As Washington, London and finally the channel tunnel all go by in a blur, the rest of the film is taken up with Cruise, aided with Beart, all lips and tits, out to prove his innocence.

There are, of course, gadgets galore, Cruise peeling off various cool disguises, and that piece of music at regular intervals. De Palma, undisputed master of the set-piece, pulls out all the f-stops this time around, with edgy camera angles and a series of extended tension-building nerve-jangling sequences- including one in a white-walled vault resembling something out of 2001, a space odyssey, where Cruise is suspended on wires above a touch-sensitive floor.

At a little under two hours this fairly zips by, but when the script, by David Koeppe and Robert Towne, moves from action to plotting and concerns itself with upping the levels of paranoia, you'll be left scratching your head trying to decipher the twists within twists within twists. ****/*****

The Godfather Part II (1974)

The Godfather is more important. But the Godfather part 2 is better

[10/10 · 9 August 2007]

The Godfather is a more important film, of course it is. But the Godfather part 2 is a better film. It's more ambitious, it's more elegiac, it delves deeper into the soil of Italian-American myth, plus... what were they thinking of, trying to match the critical and commercial dynamite of the first film? The Godfather Part 2 was, from conception upwards, an insane project. But it worked.

When The Godfather premiered in New York on 14 March 1972, co-screenwriter and novelist Mario Puzo had already started work on the sequel. That's how sure Paramount were that they had a monster hit on their hands, despite some exhibitors turning up their noses at a preview screening: too little action, too much talking, and too long - proof that in no way are exhibitors a bunch of popcorn-selling philistines. After two days of release, cinema managers were being offered bribes by punters desperate to get to the front of the queues which busted the proverbial block. There was something of the Mafia about the way in which Paramount doubled ticket prices for weekend shows to squeeze extra revenue from their new cash cow. The sequel, announced on 16 April and working titled Don-Michael, was a commercial inevitability ("When you've got a licence to make Coca-Cola, make Coca-Cola! Said Charlie Bluhdorn, head of Gulf and Western, who owned Paramount). The Godfather grossed $101 million in its first 18 weeks, and nobody was going to stop the studio having another cake and eating it. But Francis Ford Coppola, the young director whom the studio had almost fired from the Godfather but who was now feted by Hollywood and the world, wasn't that interested. So they offered him a million dollars plus a huge 13% of the profits and total artistic control. Altogether now: it was an offer he couldn't refuse.

Thus, out of this sticky climate of money-grabbing corporate opportunism did cinemas greatest part2 emerge. Pub debates about the diminishing returns of the sequel usually collapse at the mention of it's name. So why does it work? Why isn't it Police Academy2:their first assignment? Much of it has to do with the unique power of it's own part one, which established it's family of characters so vividly. Audiences were gagging for more of Michael, Tom, Kay, Fredo and Connie. Bit the Coppola-Puzo masterstroke was to develop the saga in two directions, forwards through the faustian ascendance of Don Michael, and backwards into the early 1900s, tracing Vito Andolini's first steps into mafia hood (he earns the surname Corleone-the name of his home village-through a mix-up at Ellis Island's immigration control).

As with all of Coppola's best work, the casting was inspired.(And as with The Godfather, fans can while away hours mulling over who might have been cast. Try this one: dying Miami mobster Hyman Roth, played with precision by acting coach Lee Strasberg in the film-could have been Laurence Olivier, Ella Kazan, or blacklisted screenwriter Dalton Trumbo!) Robert De Niro, plucked from the rising star racks after Mean Streets, seems born to play the young Marlon Brando, Pacino, Coppolas wildcard in casting the Godfather, grows into the central role of Michael in perfect parallel with his character, and Diane Keaton proves the quiet lynchpin( which is no mean feat in this male-dominated film).

Everything that was majestic and mythic about the First film is more so in Part2,its scenes deliberately matching the original. Author of the essential Godfather book, Peter Cowie, describes the two-part saga in musical terms, as "Coppolas suite", with bass lines , motifs and rhyming patterns. ("As a whole, Coppola said, the first film ought to haunt the second like a spectre.") So instead of constantly reminding us that the first film is better, part 2 builds on it's operatic sweep and cranks up the drama, both narratively and visually. Cinematographer Gordon Willis goes into sublime sepia overdrive for the flashbacks. Production designer Dean Tavoularis tops his own evocative 1940s New York streets with a living, breathing Italian immigrant community circa 1912(actually the Ukranian quarter). The epic 26 minute wedding scene that opened part one is echoed in part2 by the altogether tackier confirmation party at the new Corleone compound in Lake Tahoe(the lake itself claiming the life of one of the family in part2s chilling climax.) Actually, claiming that the second is better than the first is like saying Lennon's better than Mcartney. One cannot exist in isolation from the other ; they must be watched by anyone who loves American Film consecutively.

Apparently, they made a part3 too. 10/10

The Simpsons: Homer at the Bat (1992) Season 3, Episode 17

best of series three?

[9/10 · 4 August 2007]

I just watched Homer at the bat again and I was thinking if this the best episode of series three. IT's great. It mixes parody's of all sorts of films which is just like the Simpson's and every line either makes you laugh or cry. The best thing about this episode though would probably have to be Mr Burn's since every line he says makes you burst out with laughter. His sarcastic tone and evil ways really plots this episode into one of the greats of season3 and also keeps you watching it.

Best episode of season three?

No. I think Flaming Moe's and Bart the murderer were still better but in a series with such high standards it's done brilliantly to get into my top 3 best of season3.

Citizen Kane (1941)

Greatest film of all time

[10/10 · 15 July 2007]

Even people who have never seen Citizen Kane know its the greatest film of all time. Orson Welle's debut has become an undisputed cultural benchmark - the celluloid equivalent of War and Peace, the Mona Lisa, Hamlet, Moonlight sonata, or seargent pepper's lonely hearts club band(the Beatles album, not the beegees movie). But how did it achieve and maintain this exalted position as a cinematic sacred cow? From the start, the critics were on Orsons side. The Hearst press refused to carry ads or reviews for the film, thus fatally damaging it's box office potential(Kane losing $150 000), but elsewhere the notices seemed to recognise an instant classic. 2the most surprising and cinematically exciting motion picture seen in many a month... it comes close to being the most sensational film ever made in Hollywood," gushed the New York times. Other journalists placed Welles in the revered company of legendary figures Charlie Chaplin and D W Griffith, saying,"this one film establishes him as the most exciting director now working."

However, such hoopla, coupled with a relative lack of Oscars, made little difference to Welles in the years immediately following Citizen Kane. Attendant ticket sales and industry cachet would have justified the free hand Welles was given to make his debut, and placed him in a far stronger bargaining position in subsequent battles with the studios. But, with neither box office dollars nor gold plated statuettes for protection, Welles was vulnerable:follow up picture The magnificent Ambersons was taken away from the director and given an upbeat ending , and his bold ideas for future projects were treated with a mixture of suspicion and contempt. A critical canon was established with Kane firmly placed in top spot of best ever films in sigth and sounds 1962 poll and has remained at the top of greatest films ever since.

Perhaps this is because although it was made in 1941, it still feels remarkably modern. Indeed, that it centres on the power of the media moguldom generations before Murdoch;takes on numerous genre meldings(detective story, biopic, backstage musical, film noir and a stunning newsreel parody) and rejects linear storytelling (yet still remains both clear and gripping make it more 90s than 40s. Yet, what separates it from modern multiplex fodder is its old school magic showmanship, intelligence and risk taking crafted into perfectly realised, stunning cinema.

Devoid of the pretencion that usually permeates critic's choices, Kane unravels with intelligence, biting wit and a real sense of playful ambiguity. The big themes-the perversion of idealism, the corrupting nature of success, the impenetrability of human beings- are carried off with the lightest touch as Kane descends from vibrant newspaper man to manipulative Svengali to bloated, distant husband. While all the cast turn in great work- Cotten i breathtaking as Kanes cohort Leland-it is Welles' own performance(often overlooked in lieu of his other talents) that really grounds the directorial razzle-dazzle with substance. To revisit Citizen Kane is to experience the infinite possibilities of movies being realised right before your own eyes. The sheer audacity and delight Welles takes in flouting conventions and inventing new ones is what keeps it fresh. Itt is that unique movie, chocker with great bits-the breakfast table marriage montage. Lelands "girl on a Ferry" reminiscence, that camera ascent to the theatre rafters that solidifies into a totally satisfying whole.

Considering all it appended academic apparatus(be sure to work "deep focus cinematography" revolutionary use of ceilings and he was only 25!" into the pub conversation), it remains a gloriously entertaining classic.