euronick61 Reviews

Hostel (2005)

I Should Have Known Better

[2/10 · 15 March 2024]

When I started this film I had no idea Quentin Tarantino was involved .. as soon as I saw it I should have switched off as i have never enjoyed one of his films. ....... it was another dreadful 90 minutes of gratuitous violence and female nudity.

I really don't see how films like this can enhance anyone's life except people who thrive and glory in violence and torture........ and people wonder why the youth of today are growing up with a total disregard and are unshocked by real violent incidents ........ the sooner film and TV producers take more responsibility for the graphic content they churn out the better.

The Order (2003)

Mmmm .. a bit of a wasted opportunity

[4/10 · 21 February 2024]

Heath Ledger is a bit like Keanu Reeves ..a lovely lad but he can't act in serious roles ...... Heath wanders through this film with a sense of bewilderment as if he doesn't know quite what he is meant to be doing. Mark Addy's Irish accent comes and goes at varying intervals.

The story is OK and the rest of the actors are fine .. but one or two questions come to mind ...... when Alex was stabbing Eden in the Vatican where were the Swiss Guards? And after he stabbed him why was there no trial and why was he wandering free?.

All very arty and nicely shot but lacking depth and quality of storyline.

The Conspiracy of Dark Falls (2022)

O.M.G.

[1/10 · 1 January 2024]

O. M. G. ....... the acting in this film is some of the worst acting I have ever seen ... how do they get away with it? ....... Did the makers of this film not realize how bad it was .. they obviously need some friends who will tell them the truth.

The female agent was the most unconvincing secret agent I have ever seen ..... why did she climb on the table to look in the loft, where she had to stretch up to look in, when Nick was at least a foot taller than her and could have looked in the loft with ease !!!!!! And how did she know that Sarah had died of natural causes? .. she isn't a pathologist or a Coroner and she didn't even examine her !!!!

I think out of all the atrocious acting the worst two for me were the ones who played Alan and the one who played the Park Ranger.

To save your sanity avoid this at all costs.

Judy (II) (2019)

Low Rating For A Reason

[5/10 · 31 October 2023]

I gave this film 5 out of 10 .. it would have rated higher if the makers had actually stuck to the truth. Judy fulfilled her contract at the Talk Of The Town and was not going to be sued by Bernard Delfont .... I hate it when they change facts, they did the same in Stan And Ollie making out that, when they got to Ireland, they were washed up and hardly anyone met them at the dock when in reality there was a huge crowd to greet and cheer them.

Producers .. if you are going to make a biopic for goodness sake stick to the truth .. after all it isn't difficult in theis technological age for Joe Public to find the truth.

Narrow Margin (1990)

Starts Off Well But As Usual ......

[6/10 · 5 July 2023]

Well it started well but as with a lot of films it went downhill about two thirds of the way through .... I couldn't really believe that fifty something Gene Hackman had the strength, stamina & agility to do all that fighting on the train roof. And when he went towards the man with the gun who had his back to him why did he jump on him and start fighting with him? .. he could have just push him off !!!!!! .. i just felt it would have been more realistic a younger and fitter actor from that period .. maybe Richard Gere or Mel Gibson.

I don't know how it compares to the original as I haven't seen that .. but I have a sneaking suspicion it would have had a smaller budget but be a better film.

Crossroads (1964–1988)

A Much Missed And Maligned Show That Didn't Deserve Such Harsh Criticism

[10/10 · 29 June 2023]

Crossroads started on the 2nd of November 1964 ...... it came to it's first end on Easter Monday 1988 . It was revived briefly from 2001 till 2003.

I have bought the box set of all the remaining episodes from 1964 to 1981.

It was always the butt of jokes about it's poor acting and poor production values and if you believed the critics you would think the scenery was virtually collapsing on air. But the truth is it was no better and no worse than TV series of the day ... if you watch early episodes of Coronation Street, which was always heralded as Crossroads rival, the scenery wobbled when doors were slammed shut, actors fluffed their lines and you often heard off loud screen noises.

When it started they were making five 20 minute episodes per week that is the equivalent of a full length feature film and up till the early 1980's was recorded as live so if any mistakes were made near the end of the show they were left in rather than go back to the beginning and record it all over again. Yes actors made mistakes but what do you expect learning a feature films worth of script every week.

And unlike Coronation Street and later Emmerdale and Eastenders where all the characters seemed to live in one street/village/square and all worked within that area with everyone meeting on the pub Crossroads didn't have that it had characters who lived in various villages and towns in the local area such as Kings Oak, Heathbury, Merryfields.

It had good long scenes where the characters actually had meaningful and interesting well written conversations.

Sadly when Noele Gordon, the lead actress and lynchpin, was sacked in 1981 that was the beginning of the end. Yes production values and the budget went up but a quick succession of producers axed too many favourite characters and introduced uninteresting and to be honest bland characters .. when Philip Bowman took over in 1985 he was planning to bring Noele Gordon back but sadly she was too ill and died shortly after with stomach cancer.

Former producer of The Archers William Smethurst took over in 1987 and despite axing long running and favourite characters Diane Hunter and Benny Hawkins he did introduce some good characters. Unfortunately they had the bright idea of changing the theme tune from the well known dramatic theme written by Tony Hatch to a wishy washy theme ........ sadly die hard fans fell away and it was sadly axed at the end of 1987. The last episode in Spring 1988 was seen by 11 million viewers, viewing figures soaps would sell their souls for now.

I, for one, am really enjoyed it and am enjoying the DVD's ..... I'll tell you despite the critics if you see it you'll be hooked.

13 Steps Down (2012)

Surprisingly Good

[9/10 · 5 June 2023]

I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed this after not expecting to. The story was told at a steady pace, the acting was very good.. Luke Treadaway was excellent.

Thankfully it didn't fall into the trap of going along at a good pace then two thirds of the way through leaving all reality and turning ridiculous as a lot of films tend to do nowadays.

Yes there were a few examples of box ticking .. mixed race family etc .... but that is quite realistic as the film is set in London .. if it had been a middle class village somewhere in Hertfordshire then it would have felt more like tokenism.

And it was good see see Gemma Jones who played the Duchess Of Duke Street in the 1970's series of the same name.

Well worth watching if you prefer a more steady paced thriller and not endless fights and car chases etc....

Amulet (2020)

Good Grief

[1/10 · 11 March 2023]

What on Earth was that all about? .. long dull shots .. scenes with virtually no dialogue .. boring arty shots.

I am assuming he raped the woman in the woods and this was some sort of payback for his sin .... who was Imelda Staunton meant to be? .. the Devil? .. I have no idea.

And it turned out to be a man giving birth to bats .... why?

There seems to be a fashion to turn horror films into dull, arty films with virtually no dialogue and no explanation as the what it was all about and why what happened happened ... and why was magda inside that TARDIS like shell at the end??

Answers on a postcard please.

Radio Parade of 1935 (1934)

Very enjoyable

[10/10 · 24 February 2023]

I have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed this film .... it was very happy and funny with some great comedic scenes (I loved the character who was trying to tell a funny story and the chap who was trying to understand a card trick) and it featured some fabulous music hall acts from back in the day.

Also an early appearance from Ted Ray and two segments in glorious colour .. a major achievement in a British film in 1935 with a very good song about a singer being considered a sin for being black .. rather thought provoking for today never mind back then.

There were a few digs at the BBC and a quick dig at Adolf Hitler.

All in all a very enjoyable experience.

The Guest (I) (2014)

Dreadful

[1/10 · 11 December 2022]

As usual the first two thirds of the film are fine ... then suddenly all elements of reality are left behind .. a whole team of military police and swat men couldn't kill him but two youngsters from the backwaters of America manage to... and then of course the obligatory nonsense that he survived a stab in the neck a stab through the heart to dress up as a fire fighter and walk free .. utter tosh.

Another excuse to show the work another slice of gratuitous violence .. no wonder there are mass killings in schools and random acts of none sensical violence when people watch this everyday .........

El Amarre (2021)

It wasn't too bad

[8/10 · 27 August 2022]

We watched this here in the UK with subtitles ... and to be honest I didn't think it was at all bad .. interesting story .. desires and wishes, witches, ghosts .. and Juliet had a lovely apartment .. obviously with the dialogue being in Spanish we couldn't tell if the lines were delivered well but overall we quite enjoyed it. I haven't seen many Mexican films but going by this I would view others. I'm surprised at such negativity and I certainly wouldn't describe it as unwatchable so give it a go you may just enjoy it

And no this isn't one of these fake reviews where people are paid to give good reviews lol.

What Keeps You Alive (2018)

OK ... But ....

[6/10 · 16 August 2022]

It was OK ... Jules being pushed off the cliff was a surprise (and the fact that she would have survived that was an even bigger surprise) ... but the point when all relaity felw out of the window was when Jules went back ... why?????? .. just keep driving and find a police station.

Coronation Street (1960– )

8 Stars for it's past glories

[8/10 · 25 July 2022]

I used to be a huge fan of Coronation Street and would defend it to the hilt .. it was based around ordinary people doing ordinary things .. shopping, gossiping in the pub or on the street with lots of laughs and witty dialogue and some occasional high drama .. I sadly gave up on Corrie in 2011 when yet another serial killer to live in the street, John Stape, fell off a hospital roof, which was at least 5 floors or so, onto concrete and got up and walked away. That was the last straw for me and I haven't watched it since. The producers now seem to think they are making a Hollywood film al la Die Hard ... whenever I read about current storylines in the TV magazines it seems to be full of serial killers, psychopaths, revenge and general nastiness. Ena, Minnie, Annie, Albert, Elsie, Len, Stan and Betty etc ... must be spinning in their graves. Too many episodes with too many characters all needing something to do .. usually killing !!! The golden goose has sadly died.

Strange Invaders (1983)

Dreadful

[3/10 · 24 June 2022]

Dreadful acting, dreadful effects, dreadful directing ... the actors sounded really stilted as if they were making it up as they went along .... and I can't really believe that the main character hadn't met his ex wife's parents or didn't know anything about where she came from !!

R.I.P.D. (2013)

Enjoyable

[9/10 · 27 May 2022]

I must say this isn't normally the kind of film I would choose to watch .. but I have to say I really enjoyed it It seemed to be a mash up of Men In Black, Ghostbusters and Ghost !!

The Ashcroft Entity (II) (2015)

Awful

[1/10 · 24 May 2022]

What a dreadful film .. where do they get these actors????? ... and the old woman who said she lived here years ago .. the film was set in 1975 and the house would have been pretty new then !!!

D-Railed (2018)

I quite enjoyed this film

[8/10 · 3 May 2022]

All in all I quiet enjoyed this .. without giving anything away it starts off as one thing, turns into another, then veers off into another story and ends up with a twist .. yes not too bad.

Rare Blood (2020)

Good Grief

[2/10 · 16 April 2022]

What a strange film !!!!!!! .. the acting from the two male leads (were they brothers, I'm not sure .. he said he had known him half his life !?!?) was dreadful .. hammy, camp and way over the top ... Olga the sister was like a panto villain

Dreadful.

Cop Car (2015)

The last ten minutes let it down

[7/10 · 2 April 2022]

A good story well told which for me came to a natural end after the shoot out, everyone seemed to be dead and the boys got out of the car ... but no .. the powers that be must have said 'We need to finish on a drama' thus we had an 80 mile an hour car chase with two 10 year olds who, cool as cucumbers, despite being frightened managed to drive and keep the police car on the road despite the panic they must have felt

The end really let it down for me by leaving reality behind !!

F.E.A.R. (2021)

Continuity Error?

[4/10 · 30 March 2022]

So when they flash back to 7 years previously Ethan & Jo are just meeting for the first time in a bar. Then it goes back the present day then it flashes back to 2 years previously, which you have to assume is five years after the last flashback, but they have a daughter who is a teenager and a son who is probably about 8 or 9 . Even if they had their first child 9 months after they met then that child would only be just over 4 during the 2 year flash back !!!

Or have I missed something?

Redcon-1 (2018)

Oh Dear

[1/10 · 26 March 2022]

It all started bad for me right at the beginning when the UK Union flag was flying upside down !!!! ..... This is one of the most dreadful films I have ever tried to watch .. I lasted about 15 minutes or so ... how do these cheap films get made .. don't the actors and directors etc see how crap it is going to be?

Lord spare us.

The Surface (I) (2014)

Mmmm

[8/10 · 25 March 2022]

I have to say, I quite enjoyed this film ..... through a chance encounter the lives of two men are changed .. a simple nicely acted and paced film.

I hadn't realised how large Lake Michigan is .. I thought at first he was out at sea !!!!

Monster Island (2019 TV Movie)

Dear Oh Dear

[2/10 · 20 March 2022]

I sometimes wonder who comes up with the ideas for these cheap budget, poorly acted films and also in these types of films it is always down to three or four characters to save the Earth .. what is the rest of the world doing?

Await Further Instructions (2018)

As usual .. it starts off well then ......

[4/10 · 19 March 2022]

Another example of a movie with a good and interesting start ... was it terrorism? Was it an anarchistic group cynically getting people to do what they want .. was it just them, the street or the country?? .. then suddenly it get's to the point where the film makers can't think of how to end it so silliness takes over leaving a very unsatisfactory ending.

Another wasted opportunity.

Bio Slime (2010 Video)

Ye Gods

[1/10 · 3 March 2022]

That's another 90 minutes I won't get back ... terrible script, terrible acting, terrible effects ...... avoid at all costs.

Lot's of gratuitous female nudity .. utter rubbish.