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Captain Phillips (2013)
Tom Hank's Best Movie of the decade
I'm a huge Tom Hanks fan. I've watched his best movies like Forrest Gump, Philadelphia, Saving Private Ryan, The Green Mile etc. but this is the best movie he has done so far in the last 12 years.
Based on the true experiences of Captain Richard Phillips, this is a story set in 2009 when Somali pirates were a threat to the Indian Ocean and anyone in these waters. Captain Richard Phillips is transporting cargo of supplies to needy people in Kenya when his ship is hijacked by Somali Pirates who demand millions of Dollars. This is the story of survival for the ship's crew and it's captain.
Brilliant acting from a brilliant actor as Tom Hanks gives one of the performances of his career in this incredible story. The acting was tremendous from the rest of the cast especially the Somalian Pirates who have never acted before in their lives and yet gave the performances of professional actors as these four actors Barkhad Abdi, Barkhad Abdirahman, Faysal Ahmed and Mahat M. Ali who apparently were just locals who had never acted before.
I have only given a 10/10 to four other movies; The Shawshank Redemption, Forrest Gump, Fight Club and The Silence of the Lambs and this is my fifth, it's that good.
With brilliant visual effects and a budget of $55 million this is one of the best movies I've seen in years that even had some people in tears in the cinema. I think that this will be up for a couple of Academy Awards at the ceremony next March because Tom Hanks was simply brilliant and this film has a lot about it that is worth admiring.
This is a true story. After the whole ordeal Captain Richard Phillips was back at sea doing his duties a year after and the leader of the Somali Pirates group leader was trialed in America and sentenced to 33 years in a Correctional Facility in Virginia.
Overall this is definitely the best film I've seen this year and possibly in the last few years with brilliant acting from experience and non- experienced with an ending that is worth waiting for as you pray Captain Phillips' survival. Trust me, anyone watching this movie will be praying for Captain Phillips safety as he is one of those characters you get attached to from the start of the movie.
A must watch for EVERYONE!
Zombi 2 (1979)
Lucio Fulci's Ultimate Zombie Masterpiece
I'll tell you what, I love a good zombie movie. And even better if the special effects made me look away in Horror. When I saw the 1979 classic zombie movie Dawn of the Dead by George A. Romero I thought that it was the ultimate zombie movie, but after watching Zombi 2 I have changed my mind.
In the last couple of weeks of I have been watching classic zombie movies including Dawn of the Dead, The Plaque of the Zombies and Night of the Living Dead and now Zombi 2. I rated the other three 8/10 and I rated this 9/10.
The plot is a women goes to a native island with a journalist and two tourists to find her father who's boat floated to New York with a zombie on board which causes a zombie epidemic. When the group arrives they discover that there is a zombie epidemic on the native island because of ancient voodoo magic.
This is my first video nasty and I really enjoyed it. I plan to watch others in the future. I can see why this is a video nasty because the gore and horror was just insane. The carnage was gut wrenching and would make any hardcore horror fan walk out the room.
To be honest the only thing that bothered me about Zombi 2 was the acting. With unrecognisable actors it was ruined just a little bit by the acting. The script wasn't as bad as I expected from an Italian movie.
The defining moment in the movie that let everyone know that the movie was going to be utter carnage is when (warning: spoiler coming up) Dr. David Menard's wife is killed and eaten alive by a group of blood thirsty zombies. The detail of her eaten corpse was just grim and grisly with her leg been completely gone and her stomach was completely hollowed out. And also when she was being dragged out a room by her hair she get's her eye ripped out on a bit of wood sticking out and I've never watched a scene with such detail as you see her eye completely ripped out.
Overall defiantly one of the goriest, most gruesome zombie movie's of all time and deserves it's place as a real video nasty. The acting could have been better but that wasn't really the best part of the movie with awesome zombie carnage and violence which every hardcore horror movie fan should watch. But a warning this movie is not for anyone with a weak stomach or can't handle watching people be hollowed out by the undead.
The Human Centipede (First Sequence) (2009)
Vile, Disturbing and Crap
(Warning: Some moderate Spoilers)
I am a huge Horror film fan who loves a dark, disturbing movie. But unfortunately I thought this was not what it could have been.
Tom Six directed and wrote this movie, and I'm thinking what is going on in his head to create such a disturbing movie, and weirdly enough he came up for the idea of The Human Centipede when he was drunk.
The plot is two young, attractive, vulnerable female tourists in Germany brake down in the middle of the woods. And unfortunately for them they knock on the door of a psychopathic man who is a retired surgeon who's expertise was separating conjoined twins. He also kidnaps a Japanese tourist and creates something that is a disgrace to human nature. The Insane veteran doctor plans to attach his three victims via their gastric systems and finally create his sick fantasy.
With grisly special effects and details about how they centipede was made, this movie has made it's self to be one of the most disturbing and visually disgusting movies of it's time.
It was a bad and messed up idea, because there are hardcore horror fans out there (like me) who like a real grisly horror, but it just wasn't good at all. There are aspects of this movie I thought was good like the build up to the creation and the character Dr. Heiter was a very chilling man who's obsession with conjoined twins led him to something in-human.
For me the script wasn't that good with a lot of bad language and some strong sexual references, which is okay but taken over the limit a bit.
The most chilling moment in the movie is when Dr. Heiter says in a very dark and chilling way "I dislike humans" and that for me is when the girls fate was sealed and gave out a very chilling atmosphere and made anyone watching have there hairs go up on the backs of their necks.
I have watched lots of disturbing, gruesome Horror movies but this is one of the most dark, disturbing and awful movies I've ever seen and the most grisly and disturbing part of the movie is watching the surgery. Watch in horror has the doctor makes gut wrenching incisions in grisly detail and create something that is against nature in all it's right.
Overall it was a bad idea but should have been made better, but if you have a weak stomach, probably best you steer clear because I almost threw up. Should have been made better as the script wasn't brilliant and some of the build up was some what ridiculous, but when It comes to the horror and gore, it's very detailed. Decent acting from unrecognisable actors and actresses but The Human Centipede (First Sequence) has made it's self one of the most graphic and disturbing movies of our time and I highly recommend it to hardcore Horror movie fans who have a strong stomach, but don't recommend it to people looking for a good thriller that will win Academy Awards (this will probably win a few Razzies). And if you're looking for a happy ending, this movie isn't for you.
Insidious: Chapter 2 (2013)
A Ghost House Masterpiece
Walking into the cinema late at night on Friday the 13th to watch the sequel to James Wan's terrifying haunted house movie Insidious, I was wondering if this movie will live up to the expectation of the first and It certainly did in crap your pants fashion.
The first insidious is one of my favourite haunted house movies about a family who are haunted by unexplained spirits after their eldest son Dalton (Ty Simpkins) went into some kind of coma which doctors cannot explain. But the parents Renai (Rose Bryne) and Josh (Patrick Wilson) are told by a median who has connections to a spiritual world that it's not the house that's haunted, it's their son and his spirit is lost in a spiritual world and they have to find a way to get him back.
Insidious: Chapter 2 was made in a different style with twists and turns that the audience will not be expecting.
The story of the sequel is the haunted Lambert family move in with Josh's mother at her house where 30 years ago a young Josh was experiencing the same kind of disturbances and hauntings. With new characters and twists in the story, Insidious: Chapter 2 introduces new evil spirits, old ones and a disturbing twist which left me and most of the audience shaking after the movie finished.
Directed by James Wan, who has already made himself an iconic horror movie director with recent success' including the Saw series, Dead Silence and his newest and probably best horror movie The Conjuring, has done it again in this brilliant ghost house masterpiece after the success of the first instalment.
On the opening weekend Insidious: Chapter 2 smashed the box office with $20 million, and after the weekend finished, it saw a budget of $41 million record at the box office. Which just proves that it is the ultimate ghost house movie.
With passionate acting, plenty of jump scares, plenty of lasting scares and a new twist in the story which makes this the ultimate ghost house masterpiece.
The Conjuring (2013)
The most Terrifying Cinema experience ever!
I've been waiting to watch this film for months. And last night I went to the cinema and did exactly that. I think I crapped my pants. The most terrifying part about the movie is that it's based on true events, and what makes it even worse is that in the credits there are pictures of the people the movie is based on and it says which actor played who.
The first thing I noticed that's so good about this movie is it's cinematography. It was brilliant and the cameras movement makes the atmosphere more scary and improves the scares as it's angles I noticed were a bit more different than most ghost stories. It's got an actor who I recognised straight away, Patrick Wilson, who was in Insidious. Very talented actor who has a knack for ghost stories and this being probably the best movie i've seen him in.
In my view there are two kind of scares and those are jump scares which is when something makes you jump usually based on the noise and this scare usually doesn't stay with you for the rest of your life and carry on scaring you. The other kind of scare is one I like to call a lasting scare. This is the kind of scare that is something that will stay with you for the rest of your life for example in the movie Insidious that ghost of an old woman was the most frightening look i've ever seen and it still continues to haunt my mind three years after watching it and I probably won't forget it so it is something that haunts your mind (not literally of course) for a long time and maybe forever. This movie had a lot of both. Scary faces, jump scares, loud jump scares that just turns out to have a rational explanation and most of all a character who which is so frightening that I couldn't look at her(and that character is the main one who you probably won't forget)
It wasn't only a movie about a haunted house but it had a religious meaning storyline as well. Envolving Exorcisms and plenty of religious content based on the Christian faith. There is insults to the Christian faith and their believers.
Overall this is the scariest movie i've watched since the 1973 movie The Exorcist. Brilliant Cinematography based on new angles and new ways of filming, good acting and generally just a new take on the haunted house genre. A must watch for horror fans and it's not even that violent or gory so a lot of non-horror fans can watch but i will say it's very intense and plenty of frightening scenes but other than that still a brilliant movie.
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012)
Peter Jackson does it again...
I have to be honest, I probably never would have watched The Lord of the Rings trilogy if it wasn't for the Top 250. With all three in the top 20 and then I saw the boxset and bought it and now I love it.
Same situation with The Hobbit. It first came out and I thought it's not my thing, and then I noticed that it was in the Top 250 and I thought that if it's that highly rated then I should probably watch it. Now I've watched it and I am now a huge LOTR and Hobbit fan.
It's got one of my favourite English actors starring in it, Martin Freeman, and obviously a lot of the main cast from LOTR. It's brilliant and very well written and also great acting. I haven't red any of J.R.R Tolkein's tales about elfs, dwarfs, Orcs etc. but I love this film and it will always be with me as will the LOTR trilogy.
It is a must watch for people who love and loath The Lord of the Rings trilogy. Peter Jackson done well for LOTR (And won an Academy Award for directing) and he has done it again with The Hobbit.
The visual effects are absolutely stunning. The locations in the movie just make the world more realistic and stunning than ever before. There are so many different creatures and monsters which just makes it a fun and amazing ride for all ages who watch the movie.
I can't wait for the next two Hobbit sequels coming in December 2013 and 2014. It should have been nominated for more Academy Awards and should have won the awards it was nominated for. A must watch!
Jarhead (2005)
One of the Best War movies of the Decade
Every war has it's films and one always stands out. Saving Private Ryan was the best WWII movie, Dr. Strangelove or: How I learned to stop worrying and love the bomb was the best Cold War movie, Apocalypse Now was the best Vietnam War movie and I think Jarhead may be the best Gulf War movie.
A good list of actors who I don't know but am aware of stared in this movie , but Jamie Foxx was the only actor who I've watched another film starring him. And I saw Evan Jones in 8 Mile. very passionate acting made the experience more realistic and made it a better film.
The cinematography was absolutely brilliant. The filming of the scorching dessert was amazing although it wasn't even filmed in the middle east. The way it's filmed makes me feel uncomfortable watching the soldiers in that flaming dessert, but that is just good production values.
It was based on the 2003 book by former marine Anthony Swafford, and what an experience that poor guy had but he was still cool enough with his book being made into a motion picture.
I like this film, although it's about a terrible war happening in the 80s, there was a nice vibe. You know all the comedy and comical moments which happened. This is one of my favourites and always will be and to be honest It deserves a better rating than 7.0/10.
Overall great movie based on the experiences of a ex-marine, good screenplay and great acting. I must say that this film is not for people who are weak hearted because there is a lot of strong war imagery which I know a lot of people are quite sensitive about. But still funny, sexy and spreads a message about not only the gulf war, but all war. And that message is: Every man fights his own war and he can make that war out to be what ever he wants it to be.
Django Unchained (2012)
Tarantino's Best Movie
As I mentioned in my review of Inglorious Basterds, I am a big fan of Tarantino and he has done it again in this shoot em' up, glorious blood fest with great actors blooding each other up in this new look on the western genre.
I haven't seen the classic movie Django and I don't know if Django Unchained is a remake or sequel. But if it's a sequel or remake I know that If Django Unchained was that good, then Django must be pretty damn good and hopefully as violent.
A lot of Tarantino's films are very bloody and violent, and so was this one. Some much bloodshed and violence which basically makes this movie what it is. Tarantino's films like Kill Bill and Inglourious Basterds were very violent and gory at times but this one is just tops them all with new ways of killing and brilliant western style shoot em' up scenes.
Tarantino won his second Academy Award for this movie and well deserved, very well written. Great acting which earned Waltz an Academy Award for best actor in a supporting role and it was also a star cast with Dicaprio and Samuel L. Jackson.
Overall a good blood fest, with brilliant special effects, well written and was nominated for five Oscars. This will always be one of my favourite movies and deserves it spot in the top 250. A must watch for everyone.
Inglourious Basterds (2009)
One of the Best Movies of the 21st Century
A short review of Inglorious Basterds (2009)
Could a movie about a dreadful war be more brilliantly and comically as this one was. They obviously done their research about WWII because the information given in this movie about it was spot on.
I've been a big fan of Quentin Tarantino since I saw Pulp Fiction and he has done it again in this brilliant, but at times tragic, accurately made movie about WWII. Most of Tarantino's movies are in the IMDb's Top 250 and this one currently stands at number 108 with an Academy Award under it's belt.
The story is about a group of Jews who form a group called The Basterds run by Lt. Aldo Raine (Brad Pitt) who have a great interest and talent for killing Nazis. But at the same time a young woman called Shosanna (Mélanie Laurent) who owns a cinema ,and who's family were slaughtered several years earlier by Col. Hans Landa (Christoph Waltz Academy Award Winner Best Actor in a Supporting Role)and his men, is asked if her cinema can be used to premier a movie about a German War hero, in which most Nazi parties including Adolf Hitler will attend. So Shosanna and The Basterds plan a way to destroy the Nazis for good.
This movie also contains in my opinion one of the best scenes in world Cinema history.
I like a lot of blood and this movie had plenty of shooting and new ways of executing Nazis. With a big build up the the finale of this movie, Inglorious Basterds is a brilliant movie staring Brad Pitt, Christoph waltz, Mélanie Laurent and Eli Roth with a lot of shoot em' up violence and a tragedy in which revenge is fulfilled with sacrifice.
Trolljegeren (2010)
Norwegian Gold
A short review of Troll Hunter (2010)
A lot of people might find this a little weird at first, Troll Hunter is my 3rd all time favorite movie because simply it is brilliantly made with great special effects and actually descent acting from unknown foreign actors and actresses.
I like watching foreign movies to see what other countries film making has to offer. But I hate that fact that I gotta read subtitles throughout the movie so I can't really take the movie in and enjoy it as much, but with Troll Hunter I don't have to read, I can just listen because the makers of this awesome movie must have thought that people in England are gonna wanna watch this without having to read for 99 minutes and they made English voice-overs so the characters speaking Norwegian look like they're speaking English.
The special effects are just spectacular and the way it's filmed is the style of many movies these days that are inspired by the classic horror movie The Blair Witch project. The storyline is a bit basic, but good and the acting is fine.
The scenery in this movie is just awesome. It makes me want to visit Norway because it looks beautiful.
Overall a great foreign movie that helps lazy people like me not having to read subtitles for 90 minutes, good acting, good storyline and just proves that Hollywood don't just run the world in film making (I mentioned something like this in my review of the English movie The World's End) and that any country can provide a good movie.
The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
One of the Greatest Movies ever Made
I used to think that this film was just sick. But now I've watched it, I can appreciate how thrilling and brilliant this movie is.
If it wasn't for Anthony Hopkins performance as Dr. Hannibal Lector I would have rated this movie 7/10. What a stunning performance, I was amazed by how the role of the psychopathic Hannibal Lector was filled perfectly by Anthony and it couldn't have been done ant better.
It is a great storyline based on the novel by Thomas Harris, and I haven't mentioned Jodie Foster's Oscar winning performance as rookie FBI agent Clarice Starling, but let's face it, Jodie Foster's performance is good but it was overwhelmed by Anthony's performance. But still two good Oscar winning performances and good acting from the rest of the cast especially Ted Levine's role as Jame Gump (Buffalo Bill).
This legendary movie swept the main five Oscar's which were: Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Director and Best Screenplay.
The soundtrack of this movie also made the movie what it is. The soundtrack made it more dramatic and dark. As in many scenes the music increased the darkness and pure horror of this legendary thriller.
Overall the Silence is one of my all time favorite's, deserved it's five Oscars, amazing acting and of course the best performance I've ever seen by Anthony Hopkins and deserves to be #23 in the top 250. A must watch but I must warn you that it is one of the most thrilling movies ever made.
The World's End (2013)
A fitting (World's) End to the Cornetto trilogy.
A short review of The World's End (2013)
Firstly, i'm a big fan of Pegg-Frost-Wright and this was a perfect conclusion to the cornetto eating, jumping over fences, beer drinking trilogy. shaun of the Dead and Hot fuzz were brilliant and as I walked into the cinema I was wondering if The World's End could live up to it's expectations and be as good as shaun of the Dead and hot Fuzz.
Go out on a bang is what they say and what a bang. Simon Pegg's characters in Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz were kinda mellow, cool guys who were reasonably calm, but in this movie he is the funniest in his role because he is so impulsive and rude. And it's the other way round with Frost's character as he is usually the rude or immature one, but in this movie he is the mature, responsible one who knows right from wrong unlike Pegg's character.
The special effects were brilliant, a lot more fighting in this one than the other two in the cornetto trilogy but as i said; go out on a bang. The ending was unexpected and was so much more different the endings of Shaun and Fuzz. I think the funniest thing about this movie is that the five main characters had to go threw all the crap and intensity of the movie which in most situations you would deal with easier if you were sober ,while they were drunk off their ass.
Good acting with a hlarious and at the same time serious situation and just a hilarious English comedy which proves that England can provide as good movies as Hollywood.
Platoon (1986)
One of the Greatest war Movies of all Time
I am a big war movie fan and It think that this is one of the best war movies I've ever seen. It may not be as good as Apocalypse Now, but I think that this is defiantly one of the greatest war movies of all time.
I first saw this and didn't notice that the main character was 21 year old Charlie Sheen, star of the TV show Two and a half Men, but I did recognize William Defoe from the movie Spiderman and I didn't recognize Tom berenger. But I think that the acting in this movie is so passionate and the reflection of their performances which is what makes this movie so realistic and tells the story of a awful war which should have never happened.
The story is based on the actual experiences of Academy Award winning director Oliver Stone. What an experience that man had. Like I can't believe that the war was that bad and that in the jungle could make the soldiers lose their mind.
It won four Academy Awards and well deserved for Best Sound, Best Editing, best director and coveted Best Picture of 1986. The soundtrack was defiantly what made this movie so dramatic and emotional for some. every time I hear that soundtrack, my heart just sinks. The soundtrack just hits me so fast and gets me caught up in the movie the moment the music starts.
In the Top 250 with a rating of 8.2/10 and is in my top 20 favorite movies of all time. I just love this film whether it's been caught up in the dramatizations of how emotional this movie is or the fact that I love watching a movie with a lot of gun fighting.
Great movie with passionate acting which expresses the very real dramatizations of a very emotional war and deserved the four Academy Awards it won.
Back to the Future (1985)
One of the Best Movies of the 1980s
A short review of Back to the Future (1985)
With one Academy Award and a place in IMDb's Top 250 greatest movies of all time, Back to the Future has one on the best movies of the 1980s. Popular with the younger generation because of how it's about the younger generation and also popular with older people because of many reasons.
Michael J. Fox and Christopher Llyod are the stars of this movie about an 18 year old boy who has mostly everything going for him. a hot girlfriend, talented musician but not brilliant in his school life with a certain teacher who has a dislike for him because of his family who went to that school before. Until his friend the brilliant, but a bit mental scientist Dr. Emmett Brown tells Marty to meet him at 1am to show him his latest invention, A time-machine, but something goes wrong and it results in Marty ending up 30 years earlier in 1955. His only hope of getting back to the future is to get help from a younger Dr.Emmett Brown. While in 1955 he runs into the younger version of his parents and makes a mistake which could erase his own existence.
It's a bit of a confusing storyline which still confuses people to this day. But that is just good writing. Written and Directed by Robert Zemecks and produced by the legendary Steven Spielberg.
It won an Academy Award for Sound Effects Editing and was nominated for three others, with a rating of 8.5/10 puts itself at number 45 in the Top 250 and is critically acclaimed as one of the best movies of the 80s this movie is my 2nd of all time favorite and without a doubt one of the best movies ever made.
Forrest Gump (1994)
Simply Beautiful
Critically acclaimed as one of the greatest movies ever made with some of the best acting of all time. winner of 6 Academy Awards and loved all round the world by all audiences. Forrest Gump has made itself an award winning reputation and being admired by all.
The role as Forrest Gump is played by the legendary Tom Hanks the story is about a simple man. He's not bright but he has a soul of gold. Forrest has managed to accidentally put himself at many legendary moments in American history. From fighting in the Vietnam war to meeting John lennon, Forrest's life story is extraordinarily told and based on the novel Winston Groom.
This remarkably told tale of love is a film that will keep you crying for the whole 142 minutes. And at times will keep you laughing. But most of the time will keep you with misty eyes.
The Soundtrack is another thing is main part of the emotional drama of this movie. With this simple but beautiful theme played on the piano in the background makes you fully understand the emotional drama of the scene and that is one of the reflections of the movie.
Defiantly is one of the greatest movies ever made with an astonishing performance by the legendary Tom Hanks and a fine collection of Oscars including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Actor this film deserves a higher rating. But still a remarkable movie which deserves no less than what it got.
The Exorcist (1973)
The Greatest Horror Movie of all Time
The first time I watched this movie a couple of years ago I had to turn it off because I crapped my pants, but now i've watched it I can now admire it but at the same time fear it. Winner of 2 Oscars and has been called the Godfather of all Horror movies this is truly one of the scariest and greatest movies of all time.
The acting is fantastic and the storyline of the movie is just pitch perfect. I couldn't believe my eyes watching some of the brilliant special effects, even though it was made 40 years ago. Let's face it a lot of great movies came out in the 70s and the effects weren't as good as they are today, but they some how amazingly the effects were fantastic and one of the highlights of the movie.
It has been called the scariest movie of all time and to be honest I can see why because I don't scare easily. A lot of jump scares and lasting scares (which I explained about in my review of The Conjuring 2013)and the scares are well timed and made out brilliantly.
Now hear me out DON'T WATCH THIS MOVIE ALONE or you will be sleeping with the lights on your the rest of your life.'scream out loud' scares and shocks at times when you expect and least-expect it.
The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
The Greatest Movie of all Time
Could a movie be any more perfect? This movie is just absolutely stunning in so many ways. Acting perfect, storyline perfect, soundtrack perfect, emotional drama perfect, everything about this movie is perfect.
When this movie first came out it did not reach the expectations that many people expected it to. But as the years went one it was nominated for seven Academy Awards and as it was available for rent everywhere more people started appreciating it and it's popularity grew. Eventually after many years in the top 5 of IMDb's top 250 movies of all time list, it hit number 1 with over one million votes.
The story is about a well educated vice president of a large bank being wrongly accused of murdering his wife and her lover and is sentenced to spend life at a large prison in new England called Shawshank prison. As the years go on in his new home he makes friends, enemys and a dramatic twist at the end which became one of the most legendary scenes in movie history.
I love this movie. The acting is just so passionate and their performances increases the drama and horror of life in prison. The soundtrack is one of the main reason behind the emotional drama this movie. Many scenes in this movie almost left me in tears mainly because of the soundtrack in the background which increases the emotion.
The cast of this movie include Academy Awards winners Morgan Freeman and Tim Robbins. And also William Sadler, Bob Gunton and many other who made this movie what it is.
Overall it is defiantly the Greatest movie ever made with passionate acting, great storyline and plenty of emotional drama about how hope overcomes fear in a beautifully crafted film about the strength of the human spirit.