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SgtSteenbeck
Reviews
RoboCop (2014)
Arresting!
Anyone uncertain about a remake of such an iconic film will quickly discover this latest outing packs a mighty punch right from the start!
Based on the original story, Robocop 2014 has had a critical upgrade. As well as fast moving action aplenty which Robofans old and new will expect and enjoy, the storyline also touches on contemporary issues of the day, not least the use of drones and machines in conflict zones and the fight against crime. With a meld of man and machine, it also raises questions of how free-will and computer programming will interact.
Joel Kinnaman gives a steely performance as Alex Murphy who confronts all-comers in his stride. (In this case, his 'stride' is quite noisy and rather intimidating). Gary Oldman is excellent as the somewhat conflicted Doctor Norton who is behind the creation. (Could there be any significance in that choice of name?) Michael Keaton gives a totally convincing portrayal of the Head of OmniCorp, a man who would have us believe that his only motivation is to make the world a safer place. Yeah, right! Meanwhile, Samuel L. Jackson's Pat Novak has his finger on the pulse throughout with timely news updates, giving the feeling of a fast moving story unfolding in real time.
Older viewers may hark back to the more gentle times of the Six Million Dollar Man. Needless to say, this particular rebuild cost a lot more!
Recommended!
Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011)
Buckle-swashed!
As this film had received some poor reviews in the press, I wasn't expecting too much. However, I was very pleasantly surprised! The story got off to a romping good start, was well paced, lots of Pirate Action, good sword fights, swinging on chandeliers etc , just what you want from a Pirate movie! The mermaids were also excellent. I saw it in 3D - and my only gripe is some of the action sequences were cut too fast. Fast-edits can work well in 2D, but in 3D can be disorientating.
Johnny Depp, Geoffrey Rush and Kevin McNally were all on excellent form, as were new shipmates Penélope Cruz and Ian McShane. McShane's Blackbeard was a worthy foil for Jack Sparrow and Barbossa. Worth mentioning, this Edward Teach bore no similarity to the friendly cap'n in Disney's 1968 movie Blackbeard's Ghost. Good to see Keith Richards - and also Richard Griffiths as King George. Don't believe any poor reviews. Hoist the Jolly Roger!
Go Into Your Dance (1935)
You ain't heard nothing yet!
If you're a fan of Jolson's music, then you ain't heard nothing yet! Songs by Jolson include 'Cielito Lindo', 'Mammy, I'll Sing About You', 'About A Quarter To Nine', 'Casino de Paris', 'She's A Latin From Manhattan' and 'Go Into Your Dance'. 'About A Quarter To Nine' is particularly memorable as it slips seamlessly from a bar to a big stage number, with some complicated (for its time) 'optical' effects. Not only do the stars "twinkle and shine", there is definitely a glint in Al's eyes as he contemplates his date later in the evening.
Other songs include the catchy number 'A Good Old Fashioned Cocktail' performed by Ruby Keeler and 'The Little Things You Used To Do', sung by Helen Morgan. Unfortunately, 'A Good Old Fashioned Cocktail' is slightly interrupted as Al Howard chats up a tall good-looking showgirl during the performance.
The film is of particular interest as Jolson shares the screen with his real-life wife Ruby Keeler. For those who have watched The Jolson Story starring Larry Parks, it might come as a surprise to realise that Ruby Keeler was nothing like 'Julie Benson' who Jolson marries in the 'bio-pic'. Of course, the Jolson Story was a great musical in its own right, but should not be viewed as historically accurate.
Despite the good music, the 'blackface' sequences are not comfortable and now belong to a bygone age. It's interesting to consider that in the history of blackface performance, in the UK the BBC continued to run 'The Black and White Minstrel Show' until 1978. Also distinctly uncomfortable is the sequence with Fred 'Snowflake' Toones (as he was known) playing the ever cheerful but obsequious valet. If you look him up on the IMDb website, you'll be amazed at how many films he was in - almost all uncredited.
In the end, this is a fascinating piece of cinema history with some excellent songs and performances. However, I suspect that it's for the reasons given that this film is not often seen these days.
I Bought a Vampire Motorcycle (1990)
Great British Comedy Horror
Watching this movie is like going back in time; lots of blood 'n' guts, and all done in worst possible taste! However, unlike some of the earlier video-nasty 'slasher' films which often just tried to shock, this story unfolds with a sense humour, albeit not very subtle. Without giving too much of the story away, the title sums up the plot. Neil Morrissey is great as Noddy the dispatch rider, who buys a second hand Norton at a 'knock down' price, not realising it's possessed by a vampire demon. Other great performances from Amanda Noar as Kim, Michael Elphick (sadly missed) as garlic-breathed Inspector Cleaver and Anthony Daniels as the Priest ("Let's go and kick some bottom!"). This is surely Danny Peacock's finest hour when he appears as a talking turd! Also good to see Burt Kwouk as the owner of an unfortunately named Chinese Takeaway and Graham Padden as PC Ben E. Dorm. Great music score by Dean Friedman, who coincidentally also wrote the music for Boon (starring Michael Elphick and Neil Morrissey). It's a pity they don't make films like this any more!