100 Words… – Page 6

100 Word Review – Toy Story (1995)

November 13, 2015March 6, 2016Posted in 100 Words..., ComedyTagged adventure, animation, Comedy, family, John Lassater, Joss Whedon, Pete Docter, pixar, Tim Allen, Tom HanksLeave a comment

I love this film and honestly don’t quite understand anyone who doesn’t.

Woody (Tom Hanks) is a much-loved cowboy toy, whose world is shifted by the arrival of a Buzz (Tim Allen), the latest cool space ranger toy.

Directed by John Lassater (A Bugs Life, Cars) and with the likes of Pete Docter (Up, Inside Out) and Joss Whedon (Avengers: Age of Ultron, In Your Eyes) writing the script, there is no doubt that Pixar was always on to a winner. Funny, sweet and exciting, it was nominated for three Oscars, and currently sits at #96 on IMDb’s top 250 films list.

100 Word Review – Red Army (2014)

November 11, 2015November 10, 2015Posted in 100 Words...Tagged 1970s, 1980s, BFF2015, documentary, Gabe Polsky, hockey, politics, Russian, sports, USSRLeave a comment

The power of sports in politics.

This brilliantly constructed documentary tells the story of the Red Army hockey team which was the pride of the Soviet Union. Told through the eyes of the players it offers unparalleled insight into the role the team played in the Russian propaganda machine.

Directed by Gabe Polsky, it has already picked up awards at AFI Fest, Chicago and Zurich. It is full of archive footage as well as interviews with the people involved. It’s a truly compelling piece of history, complete with spies and scandals, that will keep even the least sports-orientated viewer captivated.

100 Word Review – Kingsman: The Secret Service (2014)

November 9, 2015March 6, 2016Posted in 100 Words..., ComedyTagged Action, adaptation, Colin Firth, Comedy, comic book, Dave Gibbons, James Bond, Jane Goldman, Mark Miller, Mark Strong, Matthew Vaughn, Michael Caine, Samuel L Jackson, spy, Taron Egerton1 Comment

Initially sold to me as “Bond with jokes”, it’s so much more than that.

When his dad dies, Eggsy (Taron Egerton) is visited by Harry (Colin Firth). Harry’s a Kingsman, part of a secret service and Eggsy might be just the recruit he’s looking for.

From dream-team Matthew Vaughn and Jane Goldman (Kick-Ass, Stardust), it’s much better than your average spy movie. The plot may be a tad predictable, but it’s full of genuine belly laughs and superb characters. Co-starring Samuel L Jackson, Mark Strong and Michael Caine, it’s a brilliant adaptation of Mark Miller and Dave Gibbons’ comic book.

100 Word Review – Manborg (2011)

November 5, 2015March 6, 2016Posted in 100 Words..., Action, Comedy, Fantasy, Sci FiTagged 1980s, Action, adventure, animation, Astron-6, blood, Canadian, Comedy, Fantasy, robots, Sci Fi, Vampires1 Comment

Possibly the greatest and most ridiculous film ever made, Manborg is a must-see for any fans of 1980s action Sci Fi.

Set in the future, Nazi vampires rise from Hell and take over the earth. One man is bought back from the dead by a mad scientist, who gives him some robotic modifications. He is no longer a man. He is Manborg.

Created by Canadian cult movie masters Astron-6 (Father’s Day, The Editor) and in the same vein as Kung Fury. Made on $1000 budget, it seeps with the passion of it’s creators. This film is barmy from beginning to end.

100 Word Review – Kung Fury (2015)

November 3, 2015March 6, 2016Posted in 100 Words..., Action, Comedy, Sci FiTagged 1980s, Action, adventure, Comedy, David Sandberg, dinosaurs, Sci Fi, spoof, vikings1 Comment

In 1985, a cop (David Sandberg) masters the most difficult kung fu ever and becomes Kung Fury.

I don’t even know where to begin. This film is 30minutes of glorious insanity. Prepare yourselves for appearances from Adolf Hitler, Thor, Barbarianna (she’s a Viking who rides a dinosaur and carries a machine gun, obviously) and the magnificent Tricerecop, to name but a few.

Definitely on a par with the work of Astron-6 (Manborg, Father’s Day), it is a homage to those straight-to-VHS gems of 1980s action.

Currently on Netflix and YouTube, it’s a funny, action-packed ridiculous rollercoaster of nonsense you must watch!

100 Word Review – The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)

November 1, 2015March 6, 2016Posted in 100 Words..., ComedyTagged animation, Christmas, Comedy, family, Halloween, Horror, MusicalLeave a comment

Best watched between Halloween and Christmas.

Jack Skellington (Danny Elfman), the king of Halloween Town, growing tired of the same old schtick every year, decides to branch out in to other holidays. With the help of Sally (Catherine O’Hara) and a host of other creepy characters he wants to capture Santy Claws and take over Christmas.

Directed by Henry Selick (Coraline, James and the Giant Peach) and from the twisted mind of Tim Burton (Edward Scissorhands, Corpse Bride), this is a warped but family friendly feature full of strange twists and turns and songs you’ll be singing until New Year.

100 Word Review – Hocus Pocus (1993)

October 30, 2015March 6, 2016Posted in 100 Words..., Comedy, FantasyTagged Bette Midler, Comedy, family, Fantasy, featured, Halloween, Horror, Kenny Ortega, Omri Katz, Sarah Jessica Parker, Thora Birch, Vinessa Shaw, witchesLeave a comment

If you’re only going to watch one film this Halloween, make it this one.

Max (Omri Katz), with his little sister (Thora Birch) and a local girl (Vinessa Shaw), lights a candle and sets in motion an age old curse, resurrecting the Sanderson sisters (Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, Kathy Najimy), witches who have been dead for 300 years.

Corny maybe, but it is also hilarious. Full of enough jokes to keep adults thoroughly entertained and jumps to keep kids on the edge of their seats. Directed by Kenny Ortega (High School Musical, This Is It), it could be nothing less.

100 Word Review – Theatre Of Blood (1973)

October 29, 2015October 25, 2015Posted in 100 Words...Tagged 1970s, British, gore, Horror, Shakespeare, Vincent PriceLeave a comment

Vincent Price at his most dastardly and most dramatic.

A Shakespearean actor (Price) plagued by negative reviews fakes his own death and takes revenge on those who refused him critical acclaim, choosing methods written by the bard himself.

As the name suggests, be prepared for a gore fest that only the 1970s could produce. It brings together melodrama and absurdity that is absolutely thrilling to witness. The question moves from being is what is he doing, to exactly how graphically are they going to show it extremely quickly.

In this film, there is no such thing as a pleasant death.

100 Word Review – The Adjustment Bureau (2011)

October 28, 2015March 6, 2016Posted in 100 Words..., Action, Romance, Sci FiTagged Action, adaptation, Emily Blunt, George Nolfi, John Slattery, Matt Damon, Philip K Dick, Romance, Sci FiLeave a comment

This is Sci Fi on a personal scale with potentially international consequences.

A politician (Matt Damon) meets a ballerina (Emily Blunt) he should never have met. Can their love survive or will the Adjustment Bureau restore order as fate intends it?

Based on the short story by Philip K Dick (Total Recall, A Scanner Darkly, Blade Runner), adapted by director George Nolfi (The Bourne Ultimatum, Ocean’s Twelve), this film falls somewhere between Sci Fi paranoia and all out action.

Co-starring John Slattery (Mad Men) as Richardson, this is a film about destiny, choice and fighting for what you believe in.

100 Word Review – Coraline (2009)

October 27, 2015March 6, 2016Posted in 100 Words..., FantasyTagged adaptation, adventure, animation, Dakota Fanning, dark, Dawn French, family, Fantasy, Henry Selick, Horror, Jennifer Saunders, Neil Gaiman, Oscars1 Comment

Disappointed and frustrated by her life, Coraline (voiced by Dakota Fanning) discovers an alternate reality in which everything is the same but better. What dark secrets could such a place be hiding?

Based on a novel by the always remarkable Neil Gaiman (Stardust, Mirrormask) and adapted and directed by Henry Selick (The Nightmare Before Christmas, James and the Giant Peach), this is a beautiful family animation with a dark and twisted underbelly only found in the best children’s stories.

Nominated for an Oscar and with some recognisable voices (listen out for French and Saunders) this film is quite simply brilliant.