walkerus Reviews

Downsizing (2017)

As Matt Damon says in the movie " I always screw things up"

[4/10 · 6 September 2020]

As many reviewers have noted this is a movie in two parts. The first 40 minutes is a great concept, amusing and original with very good special effects ......... THEN the movie starts to digress, it starts to go downhill at his neighbours party and from then on downsizing is just about forgotten. All the possibilities that the concept holds are out the window and a weird sort of slow 'born again' and save the planet theme takes over. Such a waste of a multifaceted concept and such a waste of time after the initial promise. I'm not surprised that his wife did what she did, If I'd had known beforehand I would have done the same thing.

Arthur Newman (2012)

Good idea then slowly drifts away.

[5/10 · 23 July 2018]

This could have been a good movie, instead it slowly faded away into a hotch-potch of pointless scenarios. Firstly, if you are seriously going to change your identity, to the extent where you buy new passports and papers of a dead person you don't leave your old identity papers in your golf-bag. You also don't carry thousands of dollars around in an old sports bag, maybe you could do if you lived in the Vatican, but in the USA you wouldn't. Then you would not pick up a young girl who is obviously mentally unstable for some unknown reasons and even if you did you would be an absolute fool to let her sleep in your motel room so that she has access to your private papers, money, id's etc. while you sleep like a baby. Thirdly, if you were a golf pro. and had been on TV playing golf with the greats, you would not be looking for a golf job under a different identity while being exactly the same physically . Can you imagine Greg Norman turning up at a Golf Club under the name of Bruce Smith, weeks after the real Greg Norman was pronounced 'missing presumed dead', Don't you think one or two golfers would mention that the new golf pro looks just like Greg Norman and is playing like Greg Norman? ......... so far not so good, then we enter the sex scene sagas, pointless escapades of sex in other peoples houses, I don't know if many watching this movie thought that was worth watching...... I certainly did not..... Sorry, but this movie misses the mark when unfortunately with a good script it could have been half way decent.

Pulp Fiction (1994)

Pure and Simple....... 'Entertainment'

[10/10 · 20 January 2018]

Movies don't have to have a 'Breathless Message' for the ages. Movies don't have to follow any pattern or pre-determined plan. Movies are not a mirror of real life or subliminal religious afterthought. Movies. like Fiction found in Books. are just for ENTERTAINMENT!...... Most people live a fairly orderly life, working, bringing up a family, putting up with illnesses, normal family problems, financial constraints etc. the Movies are the ordinary persons chance to float off into a make-believe world for a little while and be a part of something magical called pictured-imagination. Pulp Fiction is a movie that entertains, it throws in the mix ideas and situations that are far away from the normal life of the population, then it stirs them all together and into this maelstrom of situations we leave the present behind and for a little while we are 'Entertained'........ in that, this movie succeeds!

Sand Trap (1997)

Good entertainment

[9/10 · 1 November 2017]

This movie is great entertainment, unlike some of the other reviewers we did not find it a comedy, but a well paced thriller. The actors although not well known did a very good job and the location was terrific. The story plot of course is as old as Shakespeare, but like Shakespeare it is the love triangle that surmounts the nature of man and in this case woman. It is not the first time that a woman has used a man to help kill a husband, but what makes this film unique is the slow break-up of the plan as things go wrong. Reviewers call the husband a 'nerd', well believe me there are plenty of so called 'nerds' running countries and industries and being involved in most of the major dealings of man. Some people think that they would be really terrific if put in the same circumstances as the husband, injured, alone, hunted in a cruel environment such as this roasting/freezing desert. do not be too cocky people because if you were hunted in the desert just what would you do?

The Railway Man (2013)

We may forgive, we cannot forget.

[9/10 · 2 June 2017]

I was just a young boy in England during WW2 and when you are young perils and worries don't affect you the same as an adult with family. One memory for me of those days happened to be after the war, when a couple moved into the house next to ours. The husband had been a prisoner on the Burma Railroad and he would sit at his window looking down the street for most of the day. Rarely would he venture out in his garden, and as a young fellow, playing outside and climbing walls etc. I can still see him sat at the window. My father an ex-army man made an acquaintance with the couple and one day asked the husband why he was at the window so much. "I'm just waiting" was all he would say. Now I'm getting on in years I think I understand more what he meant. I think he was waiting for closure, something that the 'Railway man' achieved in this movie. I wonder if my neighbour ever found it?.

28 Days Later (2002)

I know this story and it was better then.

[6/10 · 18 December 2015]

Back in England many years ago, when Radio was still vibrant and important, there was a serial program that was very like this movie.

I can't remember the reason why most people had been killed off, but there were a few who for one reason or another had survived and they set off out of London when they heard of a safe zone in the English Lake District (ring any bells yet) On the way they encountered all sorts of problems and losses, till eventually they arrived at the stronghold in the Lake District. But there were other strongholds in the area who had ideas of taking over the resources and women of our groups stronghold.

That is all I can remember of the program except that as a young boy about 10 year old it fired my imagination and later when I used to go rambling and camping around the Lake District I would look for good valleys to defend and springs for water etc.

This movie reminded me very much of that series. I found the infected people a little over the top for my taste. I also could not understand why Jim did not get guns etc. from gun-shops in London to defend himself. A baseball bat may be OK for a deli owner but not to keep alive against hoards of biting maniacs.

All in all a slightly disappointing movie that could have been better with more realistic events during their travels north and cleverer use of infected peoples. After all to be safe all you had to do was take off most of your clothes and run around screaming like an idiot and you would fit in nicely.

Quelques jours en septembre (2006)

It just does not entertain.

[4/10 · 17 October 2015]

A very disappointing film. Turturro is one of my favourite actors and he tries very hard to do something with his character, unfortunately he fails. Binoche as a spy for me did not work, looking good is not enough. The two 'Children' for sure acted like children but more like 8 or 9 year old then mid twenties, that is until they had to bring in the expected sex scene. But the real downer of this film is the story and the lack of credibility. Of course the biggest boob of many was Binoche secretly in Venice, knowing that Elliot's life and maybe all their lives are in the balance if the hit-man finds out where they are, rings up someone and asks them to feed her tortoise and then tells them that they are in Venice. The two girls playing with their guns all the time was just ludicrous and why a girl looking after a gaggle of geese in an obscure little town in France walks around with a revolver hidden in her belt, beggars belief. Forget the ten minute brushing teeth conversation, forget the threesome pillow fight, forget poor old Elliot getting shot through the window and everyone else still walking around past the window (as though knowing only Elliot is going to get shot) forget all these silly moments and what we have left is a pretty boring film. The cameraman tried to enjoy himself by blurring the screen to show that Binoche had to wear spectacles to see beyond a few inches, once or even twice would have been allowable, but it was so often that it became obnoxious. A couple of views of Venice were nice, I was wishing I was there and not wasting my time watching this movie......... and if anyone can believe that the CIA knew 9/11 was going to happen..... well it figures!

The American (2010)

Why did he, why did she, heaven only knows!

[7/10 · 1 March 2015]

This film had all the makings of a good film. Top actor, good acting, great location, beautiful bodies,.........but what for. Clooney spends most of the movie making or should I say adapting a rifle, ammunition and silencer for somebody to do something with. It turns out that he himself is the target...... but the hit lady could have killed him anytime, especially out in the hills when she has a practice with the rifle. And why of all places on earth would you (as an American) attempt to hide out (low profile) in a little village in Italy. You might as well run up a great big Stars & Stripes flag over your rooms and have a '"I'm an American hiding out in the village" party'. A bed-sit in London and no-one would ever know where you were or what you were doing (and wouldn't care anyway). Also I can't imagine such good looking prostitutes living in a little village like that, they would be in Rome, Milan or Turin for sure, if not abroad.

State of Play (2009)

Murder, attempted murder, who cares?

[8/10 · 18 January 2015]

This movie, although good watching, has more holes than a box of cheese graters. 1) My biggest grouch is why the murderer (Bingham) is allowed to walk around the place in perfect freedom when everybody knows he killed Sonia Baker and tried to assassinate Cal and shot up a car full of people causing a major collision with another car etc. etc. ..... and yet the newspaper, who have his photo, don't put his photo on the front page of their newspaper and the police are not searching for him.

2) Why would a bag-snatcher (Deshaun) keep a meeting with a guy who's obviously into blackmail or stalking and has a gun and special killing bullets in his briefcase, surely he would have had enough street-smarts to know when not to follow through with his MO. Even his girlfriend had enough reasoning to work out the case owner was a nutter. And how was he going to sell back the briefcase without the contents anyway, surely Deshaun's method calls for the case and contents to be returned for cash?.

3) Who actually called for the killing of Sonia Baker, was it Stephen who found out she was working for PointCorp (but he was supposedly in love with her). Was it PointCorp because she had stopped supplying information (surely killing her was going over the top, just stop paying her $26,000 a month would have sufficed). Was it Bingham who took her assassination into his own hands.

4) Why was Bingham allowed to sit in the hospital corridor (without an identification label) outside the comatose Pizza Guy's room (which is guarded by a policeman who is also sat in the corridor alongside the murderer) when we see Della have to go through ID check to be allowed in to the hospital and has to wear an ID badge....... by the way, it was good of the policeman to walk up to the murderer and then speak on the cell phone that "He's coming round", which signed the death warrant for the Pizza Guy.

I could mention several more silly loopholes that make 'State of Play' what could have been a first class movie into a muddle of a thriller.

Con Air (1997)

What a croc .............!

[5/10 · 16 November 2014]

I can't believe how poor this movie is considering the good actors. John Malkovich,Buscemi,Cusack to name just 3. The weak link was Cage, he just does not have a strong enough personality to match it with the other actors mentioned. The plot ran out of ideas and into Disneyland........ Poe spends all his time looking for insulin for a convict with diabetes while scores of soldiers are being machine gunned all around him. The aircraft crashes along the strip in Las Vegas, killing untold numbers of men, women and children and wrecking several casinos to save a couple of convicts and ex convicts and of course the "damsel in distress" the female police woman. I watched this movie to the end because I just didn't believe how bad it could be, not even amusing I'm afraid. Action movies should try to be slightly logical to the patrons, otherwise a movie like this could only find fans in the kill'em, blow'em up, smash'em up, I'm a hero sort of viewers. Wasted talent.

Rules of Engagement (2000)

Worst soldiers I ever saw!

[4/10 · 12 August 2014]

This movie had a great cast, could have been a good story, as Judge Judy says ..... Coulda - Woulda - Shouda! The marines arriving at the embassy had no idea how to deploy when under fire, they continued to run hither and thither across the parapet reminding me of the sideshow shooting gallery, not one of the marines actually tried to engage the shooters on the rooftops opposite, even though they were in plain sight and causing casualties. But the big problem with the movie in my opinion was the double filming of the crowd in the square fronting the embassy. FIRST) All the crowd shown were throwing rocks, an occasional Molotov cocktail, waving flags etc. not a gun in sight......... THEN) All of a sudden we are shown all of the crowd (even children & women) shooting with an assortment of arms up at the marines on the roof. Why did the director show us two different scenarios, either they had guns or they didn't, why show two completely different situations? If they had been shooting up from the square there would have been many bullet holes in the ceilings of the ambassadors rooms instead of bullet holes in the walls opposite the snipers positions (even though these gun men were the worst positioned snipers ever seen). Then when the orders are given to open fire the marines all of a sudden mow down the people in the square, not the gun men on the rooftops opposite. I can't imagine a real USA Marine watching this movie and believing the ridiculous actions of the soldiers at the embassy, at least I hope not.

Sling Blade (1996)

One Great Movie

[10/10 · 29 July 2010]

Having just watched 'Sling Blade' years after it was produced, I can honestly state it is one of the best films I have seen. The story, acting, lighting etc. were all great and made a deep impression on me.

I must admit that when I watched this movie I did not know that 'Karl' was being played by BBThornton and when the cast was shown I was amazed. BBThornton must be one of the most talented people in movies and to find that he also wrote and produced this film was a revelation.

It was underplayed beautifully and the scene where Karl put his arm about the boy Frank I found very moving.

Granted you can't please all the people all the time, but I feel sorry for those negative people that find pleasure in criticizing something that they could not replicate in a fit.

A wonderful film.

Celeb (2002– )

Awfully funny ....... and I enjoyed it!

[10/10 · 3 June 2006]

I enjoyed the weird tales of the ageing rock-star, his beautiful third wife, 'gormless' son and sophisticated yet mercenary butler. Played with tongue in cheek ribaldry. (some people who commented on this series do seem to take life very seriously) Purely for fun this series gives us a run of situations that occur to the millionaire and his household. The household is a palace or 'Great House' somewhere in the English countryside, and seems to have been purchased fully furnished completely at odds to the personalities now residing therein. 'Bloke's' main interests seem to be alcohol and his past fame, pretty much the usual for this ever-growing society of geriatric rock-stars (those that actually lived through the years of debauchery that is).

It's just fun and not for the serious minded or pedantic pseudo-critics.

The Godfather Part III (1990)

The Poor Relation

[3/10 · 22 November 2004]

Years ago I saw The Godfather and it made a lasting impression on me, the atmosphere of the movie was first class, the acting memorable and the storyline a classic. Recently I bought the Trilogy and after watching Part 1 again I looked eagerly to viewing Part 2...... I was so pleased to realize early on into Part 2 that here was a fitting follow on to the great Godfather movie, again everything was just about perfect and I could not wait to see Godfather III ........ WRONG!, I wish I'd stopped at II. The storyline was not good, it seemed to me like a story made up just to have a story, the characters were weak especially the daughter. Pacino's protege was a weak character that would have been eaten alive in Godfather 1 or 2. Then scenes such as, Corleone being invested with all the trappings of the Catholic Church with full choir, the assassin on horseback riding away into the sunset, the unseen helicopter machine gunning of the meeting (where the 'goodies' get away and everyone else is shot),daughter and 1st cousin rolling bits of pasta across a board, the pathetic shooting on the steps ..... Corleone stuffing sweets down him with orange juice for diabetes (a man of his intelligence and guile isn't ready for an emergency?)... NO it was not good and with the best will in the world I wont be able to watch it again. But I'll watch 1 & 2 many times down the years.

Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World (2003)

Tremendous Film, Tremendous Film Making!

[10/10 · 28 October 2004]

"Master and Commander" is the way films should be made. Everything about this film is first class..... acting, storyline, music, sound, special effects, visual beauty, etc. etc. but what really makes this film by far and away the best seafaring film (maybe the best film) ever is 'AUTHENTICITY'. Brian Lavery, Curator of Naval History at the National Maritime Museum at Greenwich was the Naval Adviser for this work of art, and it shows. You only have to read Lavery's "Nelson's Fleet at Trafalgar" published by the National Maritime Museum, to see how realistic this movie is, and how well a film can be made. I cannot think of one fault, neither can I think of any way it could have been improved. This is Film making at it's best!

Don't Look Now (1973)

Don't bother to look

[19 September 2004]

I was very disappointed with this movie. Usually I enjoy the work of both Julie Christie and Donald Sutherland, but this movie was just not up to scratch. Venice was made to look even worse than it is in real life and the lonely locations had more of a feel of 'Omega Man' in a New York slum then the bustling Venice I know. Sutherland managed to partake in another high profile love-making scene similar to his effort in "The Eye of the Needle" where he was lucky enough to be involved with Kate Nelligan, but at least the sex scene made more sense in "The Eye..." than it did in this movie, obviously the movie was so dull and lacked any relief from its grim Gothic like atmosphere that a 'romp in the hay' might lighten it ..... it didn't, except for Donald Sutherland.

Parkinson (1971–2007)

Thanks Parky

[13 August 2004]

I have just seen a 'Parky' show with the delightful Lesley Garrett. Apart from her marvelous voice, I was amazed at her vivacity and sense of humour. It was entertainment at it's best. Lesley was introduced as styling herself more like Gracie Fields than Maria Callas ... I'm sure she is truly loved for being herself.

If it wasn't for this type of show (and Parkinson show is the best of this genre) One would never see the other side of some of these celebrities, and we would be poorer for it.

It seems some people don't like the Parkinson show, these few people shouldn't watch it, especially when their jealousy for Parkinson's popularity shows so much.

A Majority of One (1961)

Gentle and enjoyable

[8/10 · 4 April 2004]

This is a gentle little film that may have it's faults with the hindsight of 40 years, but is enjoyable, especially I feel to those that remember the post WW11 days.

Alec Guinness plays the part beautifully, with his usual master of the character, Rosalind Russel plays a good stereotyped Jewish Mother .... the other characters just fill in between the lines. The only character that I find fault with is 'Eddy' the No. 1 boy of the family in Tokyo. He is obnoxious and completely out of character with a real 'House Boy' of the times that was lucky enough to get a 'cushy number' working for an American Diplomat.

In these days of virtual reality with sex, blood and car chases being the three main criteria of movie making, this movie is like going to a stage production from the 50's...... gentle and enjoyable.

The Sopranos (1999–2007)

The Best Series EVER!

[10/10 · 4 February 2004]

I've been watching TV since 1948, and in that time have watched a lot of series........ Sopranos is the best. The acting is first class, storyline interesting and is continually surprising, there is no deviation into the heroic unreality of so many series and the music is marvellous, from Frank Sinatra to Heavy Rock. Some narrow minded people or people with hidden agendas may not like this series but thank goodness we are not all alike and......... Nobody has to watch it if they don't like it!!!!!!!

A Simple Plan (1998)

Great movie but will not leave you happy!

[9/10 · 20 June 2003]

This movie has a great story, is beautifully filmed and full of atmosphere, but it is about a sad group of people in a nightmare situation. Some critics have picked on the films lack of humour, but in some situations there is not a lot of humour to be had, this is one of those situations. Everything in this movie is well done, the casting is terrific and the pervading feeling of helplessness as fate deals it's dreadful course is numbing. The music is ideal as are the episodes of silence in a snow blown wilderness. I watched this movie sat cosily in front of an open fire and it gave me goosepimples. Billy Bob Thornton plays a wonderful part as a simple man on the edge of suicide, Bill Paxton's role gives him a great chance to play the part of a man pushed into crime and then murder while attempting to stay good and thoughtful.... he does it well. Not a happy film but a damn good one.

The Winter Guest (1997)

A little film that draws great comment

[4 November 2002]

This 'Day in the life of' film seems to have drawn more pretentious gobbledegook comments since 'Citizen Kane'. 'The Winter Guest' is a quiet little film that weaves a group of ordinary people's lives through a cold wintry atmosphere. The acting is as to be expected from this type of British Film, in other words, good. It is to be enjoyed as a diversion from reality, not as some hidden, cryptic wonderland as some would put forward. Films are for entertainment, let us stop trying to make some sort of scientific religion out of every film that is not purely a vehicle for sex or violence.

We the Jury (1996 TV Movie)

Entertaining if you are not too picky.

[23 October 2002]

Quite an entertaining little film as long as you don't look too closely at the facts. The cast all did their best to keep the story flowing. Several interesting characters involved, though, in my opinion, most bigoted people are not prepared to change their minds as easily as these seem to do. DOWNSIDE: If this is typical of the American Jury system the only comment I can make is "Good Luck". The trial seemed a farce, no-one even asked who the gun actually belonged to, the jury had to guess whether it was his or hers. The post-trial jurists publicity with interviews etc. I found abhorrent and open to misuse and retaliation.

Deadfall (1993)

So bad that I watched for half an hour in disbelief

[1/10 · 10 September 2002]

I can't believe that such a talented crew and cast could finish up with a movie so poor. Usually with a poor film my wife and I end the suffering after a quarter hour or so, long enough to make some sort of judgement, with this film I went on watching for another quarter of an hour because I thought it must be a parody on gangster - dropout movies, but alas, it just went from bad to worse. The acting was childlike, even Nicholas Cage, who prior to this movie I had thought to be a reasonable actor, overplayed his part to the point where he would have been better playing a circus clown. As I watched this film I thought of all the money spent telling this story that could have been used for more entertaining pursuits, such as filming a wet house-brick drying in the sunshine.

The Accidental Tourist (1988)

A moving and entertaining film.

[9/10 · 7 October 2001]

An enjoyable and entertaining film. Too often film viewers try to analyse films as though they were produced to portray exact clinical situations, or as training films for amateur psychologists, forget all that baggage, a good film is judged primarily as entertainment. This film shows how lives can interact and act upon others, grief like romance is not the same for everyone and does not follow strict guidelines (whatever the pseudo-psycho-analysts would like us to believe) A heartbroken man has lost his young son. He is slowly distancing himself from real life till he finds someone to love who needs someone to love. His wife played very well by Kathleen Turner is also heartbroken but like so often happens in these circumstances their loss comes between them and although together, they are drifting apart. Divorce is best and kindest for both of them before they spend their life ripping each other apart. In a way it is a re-awakening for both of them from the dark shadows of grief.

Secrets & Lies (1996)

'One of the families favourite films'

[10/10 · 14 June 2001]

'Secrets and lies' is one of the families favourite films. A real-life drama full of interest, lightened with splashes of comedy, and has an almost 'documentary' feel thanks to a great cast.

I can feel for every character in the movie, even the boozy previous owner of the photography studio.

If I had made a movie, I would like it to have been 'Secrets and Lies'.