Holy moly, talk about action! It's a good film with cheesy bits. It's like Die Hard but except Bruce Willis, they sent in a Sparan to save The President. God Bless you, God bless the United States of America 4/5
The Amazing Spider-Man (2012)
It's very difficult for me to like this film as I'm a huge fan of the original Toby Maguire films, but what can I say, the film is 'Amazing'. I love it and it just gets better every time I watch it 5/5
Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted (2012)
Wow, love this film, it's the perfect ending to the Madagascar trilogy. Brill 5/5
Man of Steel (2013)
# Man of Steel (2013)
Wow.
I wasn't quite sure what to expect from Zack Snyder's take on Superman, but I certainly wasn't expecting this.
Put simply, it's superb.
From the opening minutes, Man of Steel barely stops to catch its breath. The action comes thick and fast, but unlike some superhero films, there's enough story behind it to make you care about what's happening.
What I liked most was how different it felt from the Christopher Reeve films. Rather than focusing heavily on the people around Superman, this version puts Kal-El and General Zod front and centre. It's very much Superman's story, and for me, that's what makes it work.
The opening sequence on Krypton was spectacular.
Instead of the sterile, crystal-covered Krypton we've seen before, this felt like something straight out of The Matrix and Avatar. Strange creatures, futuristic technology and a world that actually felt alive. I could happily have watched another hour set on Krypton alone.
Then there's the action.
And lots of it.
Smallville gets trashed.
Metropolis gets trashed.
Pretty much anything standing within a five-mile radius gets trashed.
The fight scenes are incredible and genuinely feel like what would happen if beings with god-like powers decided to settle an argument. Every punch lands with the force of a freight train.
I especially enjoyed the fights between Kal-El and Faora. The speed and style of the combat reminded me of Equilibrium and its Gun Kata sequences. Blink and you'll miss half of it.
The biggest compliment I can give the film is that its two-and-a-half-hour runtime absolutely flew by.
No pun intended.
So much happens that I already know I'll need another viewing to appreciate all the little details I've missed.
For me, this isn't just a great Superman film.
It's a great science-fiction film.
And a great action film.
And, most importantly, a great excuse to watch buildings get spectacularly demolished.
5/5
Spider-Man (2002)
Superb, Spider-Man has this unique way to emotionally connect with you. I love this film and have decided to add it to my All Time Favourite films list.
For a more details review, check out my previous post Here
Stargate (1994)
Omg it's been 19 years since Stargate was released and with the tech being quite obviously dated the film is still holding its own. I love this film, it's got it all, Action, Adventure Sci-fi with a little bit of romance thrown in for the ladies. I'll get round to watching SG-1 at some point, until then... This will have to do! 5/5
The Hangover 3 (2013)
For me, this was the perfect way to end The Hangover trilogy.
I've never been the biggest fan of the series. Don't get me wrong, I've enjoyed all three films, but I've never quite understood the people who can quote every line and watch them on repeat.
That said, I do appreciate a good cheap laugh, and The Hangover Part III delivers plenty of them.
What surprised me most was how different it felt from the previous films. Rather than simply repeating the same formula again, it tries something a little different. The result feels less like a comedy and more like a comedy that accidentally wandered into an action film.
Not that I'm complaining.
The film is packed with ridiculous moments that leave you staring at the screen wondering:
"Did that really just happen?"
The answer is usually yes.
And somehow it gets even more ridiculous from there.
The real star of the show, though, is Mr Chow.
He's completely bonkers.
Every time he appears on screen, the film gets instantly better. Logic leaves the room, common sense takes a holiday and chaos takes over. I genuinely can't imagine this series without him.
By the time the credits rolled, it felt like a fitting send-off for The Wolfpack. The story wraps up nicely, but there's just enough left open that you could imagine another film happening someday.
Whether that ever happens probably depends on how many suitcases of cash arrive at the studio.
For now, though, I'm happy to leave The Wolfpack exactly where they are.
Preferably a safe distance away from tigers, weddings and Mike Tyson.
3/5
A Good Day To Die Hard (2013)
Yeah... It was alright. I nether like or dislike it. Great for guns, car chases and explosions but that's about it. 2/5
Fast & Furious 6 (2013)
Fun, silly, over the top, cheesy and I wouldn't expect anything else from the Fast franchise. I did prefer Fast 5 to this but It's still an entertaining film. I look forward to Fast 7, probably next year no doubt. 4/5
Star Trek: Into Darkness (2013)
IMAX 3D is amazing.
Seriously, words can't really describe just how good Star Trek Into Darkness looked on an IMAX screen. I'd seen films in 3D before, but this felt like a completely different experience. The screen is enormous, the sound rattles your internal organs and there were moments when I genuinely forgot I was sitting in a cinema.
The film itself is essentially a modern take on Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, which is no bad thing considering Khan is one of the greatest villains in Star Trek history.
And what a casting choice.
Benedict Cumberbatch was superb as Khan. At the time, most people knew him as Sherlock, so seeing him swap detective work for intergalactic revenge was great fun. The man has one of those voices that sounds threatening even when he's ordering a cup of tea.
The film also gets bonus points for featuring Mickey from Doctor Who at the beginning. It took me a few minutes to work out where I recognised him from, which meant I spent the first scene quietly playing a game of "What have I seen him in before?"
The answer, of course, was being eaten by wheelie bins and fighting Cybermen.
What I loved most was the scale of everything.
The action is huge.
The visual effects are spectacular.
The Enterprise has never looked better.
Every set piece feels bigger than the last, and director J.J. Abrams somehow manages to keep things exciting even when half of Starfleet appears to be exploding.
It's the perfect follow-up to Star Trek (2009) and continues everything that made that film work. The cast have settled into their roles beautifully, the chemistry between them is fantastic and the whole thing feels like classic Star Trek given a modern blockbuster budget.
I loved every minute of it.
In fact, it was probably my favourite film of the year.
Resistance was futile.
5/5
