Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind - Everybodys's gotta learn sometime

The word 'Genius' is bandied around too often and too easily, usually by me. But Michel Gondry you are a genius. This film is so beautiful. I'm sure that my infatuation with Kate Winslet has a little to do with this. I particularly like her look here, very individual, I like to call it 'studenty' and the blue hair....oops, tangent. Do I see a bit of Joel in myself, maybe. Do we all seem a bit like Clementine, I suppose. That is why this film works. Nothing much more to say, look around it will astound you.

The Mutant Chronicles - Feeling Holy?

This could be a tough sell to some as it has it's faults. Another of the Green screen affairs that tend to divide the audience. But fans of Sky Captain and the Almighty Casshern (I Worship You) should love it for that reason alone. The story is OK, the style is very WWI&II retroness and it looks pretty sweet. Thomas Janes shiny coat has a story all of its own. TJ, Ron Pearlman and Sean Pertwee were always going to raise this one up for me, even if they once again forgot the rule of Sean. The first rule of Sean is you do not under use Sean, The second rule of Sean is YOU DO NOT UNDER USE SEAN!!!!!!!! Ass kicking Girls as well, so a recipe for success.

WALL-E - Johnny 5 is still alive

They finally made a movie from the Alien 8 and Alien Highway speccy games. If you ignore the ironic message coming from Disney and Pixar just before they unleash their merchandising supertanker on the world, then this is pretty funny. It's a simple story of a trash droid who works all day and just wants to spend his free time with a like minded individual. I can relate to that. Pixars animation looks stunning as always. How do they make his eyes look so sad???? they're friggin' binoculars for crying out loud. Superb!!

National Lampoons Christmas Vacation - Mele Kalikimaka is the thing to say on a bright Hawaiian Christmas day.

Yay! Chevy Chase is funny again. Fair enough it is almost 20 years old, but I still, laugh my ass off at it every year. I grew up with the Griswold family and wont have a bad word said against them. The shopping scene, the bobsled scene, the Christmas meal, the house lights, the neighbours and every scene with cousin Eddie. Merry Christmas...Shitter was full. Hell Yeah.

Scrooged - I'm sure Charles Dickens would have wanted to see her nipples

Love this. Gets funnier each year. The ghost of Christmas past is manic. The ghost of Christmas present is extreme violence (a bit of S&M maybe:) and the ghost of Christmas yet to come gets a bum deal once again. The comedy works not only because of the genius of Bill Murray but also because they never let it get too smalchy...bleugh. Even at the end he's playing to the camera. Karen Allen is so mmmmmm in this. If only I had succeeded at being a hard ass TV exec, what a wonderful world this would be...

A Christmas Carol - Pips other versions and exceeds expectations

Patrick Stewart is one of our finest actors. He is the reason this umpteenth retelling of Dickens' finest tale (work with me) gets an annual outing from me, you know, every year at Christmas. We all know the story and there are no surprises to be had, but every actor in this version plays it for keeps. Brilliant. Bring back Jean Luc Picard.

The Matrix HD Revolution - Why did they go Blu?

You take the blu pill and the story ends. You wake in your bed and you believe whatever you want to believe. You take the red pill and you stay in Wonderland, and I show you how deep the rabbit-hole goes.

I'm trying to free your mind, but I can only show you the door. Why do your eyes hurt?, You've never used them before. Let me tell you why you're here. You're here because you know something. What you know you can't explain, but you feel it. You've felt it your entire life, that there's something wrong with the world. You don't know what it is, but it's there, like a splinter in your mind, driving you mad. It is this feeling that has brought you to me. Do you know what I'm talking about? The HD format war?

.. That is the sound of inevitability... It is the sound of your death..

I know you're out there. I can feel you now. I know that you're afraid... you're afraid of us. You're afraid of change. I don't know the future. I didn't come here to tell you how this is going to end. I came here to tell you how it's going to begin. I'm going to hang up this phone, and then I'm going to show these people what you don't want them to see. I'm going to show them a world without you. A world without rules and controls, without borders or boundaries. A world where anything is possible. Where we go from there is a choice I leave to you.

You have to let it all go. Fear, doubt, and disbelief. Free your mind.

I know what you're thinking, 'cause right now I'm thinking the same thing. Actually, I've been thinking it ever since I got here: Why oh why didn't I take the Red pill?

I have both but I'm far more in love with the clarity of my Toshiba HD than I am with Sonys Blu Ray. If you'd told us the truth, we would've told you to shove that Blu pill right up your ass.

Be kind, dont rewind - The original and still the best

It has been said that I watch a lot of movies, I watch a lot of TV and I listen to a lot of music. It is true and I cannot deny it. But so what, I love it. Of course this does mean that there are a lot of things running about in my head that are not my own. Words mainly, speeches especially.

Be they the mumblings of George Lucas, the creator of the most amazing cinematic event ever. Be it the social commentary of Jim Bob, my generations Bob Dylan. Or simply every bit of crap that I have heard in my life. I will probably consume it evolve it and pass it off as my own. But isn't this what we all do anyway. We listen, we learn and we do, because history my friends, is written by the winners.

Of course I was reminded of this foible of mine by a girl last week and this is both good and bad. Because it means she listens to me and remembers things I say, but likewise, it means she listens to me and remembers things I say.

Land of the Dead - George the one trick pony???

Of course he isn't. He does what he does best. Make genuinely scary zombie horror. It probably helps that the idea of zombies scares the bejebus out of me. Yeah, they don't move that fast, but they keep on moving. I have read the Zombie survival guide, it will help, but not protect you. Mr Romero also likes to make a social commentary in his films, I missed it in this along with any interest in who lived or died. But as a zombie flick this is nasty, frightening, moody and down right grim in places. I loved it! More please Mr G, although I fear you may be running out of titles and tag lines.

Ocean's Eleven - The Beautiful people, the Beautiful people

Had to give myself the pleasure of watching this great movie once again.....in HD. It really is a beautiful piece. Plays well, sounds great and looks fabulous. George Clooney is an actor I like to watch, he oozes charisma and is a marker for all men trying to impress the ladies. That is ladies, not skanks. But the boy George aside, all of the cast are having a whale of a time in this and they are fantastic. Even the horrible Julia Roberts doesn't do too bad and I despise her normally. It all being set against the back drop of Las Vegas helps as well. Aaah The Bellagio, Ceasars Palace, The MGM Grand, such amazing places. I will go back and take some great photos next time. I digress, the story is great as well, with a few little twists and turns. Very much like 'Sneakers' which was another great little ensemble cast affair. Don Cheadles accent was a bit Dot Cotton though.

The Heartbreak Kid - Bitches be crazy, you know that!

I liked this film. Another tasteless comedy from the Farrelly Brothers helped along nicely by an A-Typical performance from Ben Stiller. A slice of modern day life and relationships and the expectancy for us to conform to the social plan. Must meet girl, must get married, must have children. I've heard words such as cruel, vulgar, twisted, outrageous and bittersweet used to slag off this comedy. Errrr??? Wake up people, as the Brothers' Farrelly go, those are their best qualities.

Nacho Libre - That difficult second movie??

The backlash started pretty quickly for Jared Hess. I don't know why though because this is hilarious. You can already see his style, a little Wes Anderson influence in there (and why not seeing as he's a genius) but clearly his own. Maybe Jack Black is starting to annoy people and he is getting the flack for that. I loved this as much as Napolean Dynamite. Plenty of rewatchability and lets hope for more from this man. Of course I might just have loved the fact that I have a new hot actress to look at, check out the nun. Pheeewwww!

Planes, Trains and Automobiles - Those aren't pillows!

Comedy Gold from John Hughes. Seasonal as well. I want some American friends to celebrate Thanksgiving with. This is Steve Martin in good film mode and John Candy proving why he is sorely missed. You kind of laugh your ass off from the Taxi race with Kevin Bacon, through the bathroom scene to one of the great F*ck speeches in movie history. It's comes as kind a of a surprise that you're not still laughing at the end, but that is intentional. Still, I sat next to a guy on the bus that looked just like the late great JC does in the above picture. Well weird I can tell ya!

The Expendables - Yu not expendable Wambo!

Is this the best action movie cast....EVER?? Is the best action movie ....Ever?? I don't know, but I can't wait to find out. UFC Champ Randy Couture, Robert (T-Bag) Knepper and 'Oscar Winner' Forest Whitaker? are also in the cast.



I'm not sure if it's just a big wind up or if Stallone is continuing his 80's action revival. But it is the talk of the titnterweb and there are plenty not got a lot to say but I'm gonna record myself saying it and post it on Youtube fanboy videos out there.



Until 2o1o let us remind ourselves why we love the one liner action hero.

Banlieue 13 Ultimatum - B13/B14/District 14????

I only found out about this today and I am genuinely excited. I loved the first and it reminded me how French cinema is about more than the Tits and Cigarettes that enticed me as an adolescent. Must dig it out to watch again. Until February then Mr Besson.