My Top 10: Will Smith Films

Will Smith is loved by virtually the whole of the world. From already becoming a 90's icon in Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air, this spring-boarded him into the film world. Since that time, he usually produces a lot of solid fun films that appeals to the masses. Not many of his films I would consider were award winning, but you can be sure they will collect big box-office numbers. I hope he keeps acting for a long time and without his annoying son this time, as he seems to be giving him a helping hand at the moment into acting.

A couple of honorable mentions has to go to the 2019 re-make of Aladdin and Independence Day. For the former, it was a tough task to not only re-create the magic of the animated original, but for Will Smith to follow on from the efforts of the late great Robin Williamsas the genie.
Despite a sub-par opening, it's the introduction of Smith that gets this film going and ends up being a good solid fun Disney film.

As for the latter, it is one of the most enjoyable films from the 90's and my childhood. It sees an alien invasion, and mankind's will to survive makes them believe they can defeat them. It might be a big silly action flick, but it never fails to satisfy the viewer.

Out of his 36 films, I have seen 22 of them. Below is my ranking of all of those films, with a short review of each of my top 10. It really shows how talented this guy is, and that we have not seen the last of him just yet:

22) After Earth
21) Shark Tale
20) Wild Wild West
19) Men In Black II
18) Bad Boys II
17) Suicide Squad
16) Hancock
15) Hitch
14) Bad Boys
13) Men In Black 3

12) Aladdin (2019)
11) Independence Day

10) I, Robot - A pretty good film, where Smith creates another fascinating character.

It may be very predictable, but it has great action and nice flow to it that makes terrific multi-viewing.

9) Concussion - A really good performance by Smith in this one.

He plays the Nigerian Dr. Bennet Omalu, who discovers the truth on brain damage for football players in the NFL.

It is a pretty good film with a great by Smith and solid supportive roles.

8) Spies In Disguise - Smith's latest release, and this really surprised me.

A story when an ace spy turns into pigeon sounds totally ridiculous.
But through a solid structure with effective and consistent gags gives, we have a really fun spy adventure.

The voicework by Smith certainly reminds us as to why we initially loved him as an actor.

7) King Richard - Smith's latest project and it sees him play Richard Williams, father of Venus and Serena.

As a big Tennis fan, I was surprised how engaged I was on a story I know inside out. That was mainly thanks to the direction the filmmakers went with, and the strong leading performance of Will Smith. It is really is Richard Williams. The complexity of his character is there for all to see.

6) Enemy Of The State - One of the most relentless action thrillers I've seen.

It puts the phrase 'non-stop' onto a whole new level, and with Gene Hackmen involved, what's not to like?

5) Seven Pounds - Probably the saddest film ever in my opinion, and yet it is still captivating viewing. Smith wanted to come out of the zone that people associate him with, and he pulled it off beautifully.

I remember seeing initial reports of many people crying on the way out of the cinema, and I agree that if you have not seen it, have tissues at the ready.

4) The Legend Of Bagger Vance - By far, his most underrated performance as the mysterious Golf caddy Bagger Vance.

His aid of Matt Damon's character in trying to beat the best Golfers in the world is a joy to watch.

It is a bit of a joy that got away, and I hope it gets a lot of love over time.

3) Men In Black - The beginning of a cult classic. Smith, partnering Tommy Lee Jones began a terrific sci-fi film that became a very popular franchise.

Great blend of high-quality action and comedy, whenever this re-appears on your TV guides, everyone begins to chat about how much of a success it was back in the day.

2) I Am Legend - It is always quite a talent to act by yourself for a very long time.

Will Smith adds to that list of great solo performances as he plays "the last man alive". His performance aids the chilling scenes within this gripping movie.

It's a very well told story that makes you come out with various emotions.

1) The Pursuit Of Happyness - A brilliant story that will make even the most hard-nosed person shed a tear.

Smith playing a father who just wants the best life possible for his family. It's a terrific film for everyone and we can all relate to.

Review: The Great Gatsby

Despite the world famous book and many previous adaptions of this famous tale, this is my first viewing of The Great Gatsby, so I was going into this with an open mind.

When looking at the trailer, I was intrigued by the story, characters involved being played by some of my favorite actors/actresses especially Leonardo DiCaprio. Also with Baz Luhrmann directing it, I was expecting a great soundtrack, top visuals and first class costumes and set designs.

On the technical side, I was not disappointed. Some of the sweeping angles that were used showing New York in the roaring 20's were definitely its highest points of the film. It was thrilling seeing Baz Luhrman's directing style using all of the technology available. As expected, the set designs and costumes were top-notch and we should be expecting some Oscar nominations, if not then some BAFTA or Golden Globe nominations. Another mention has to be the gorgeous soundtrack. A great blend of 20's tunes and modern pop/rap records that should be the big attraction for the mainstream audience.

For the performances, DiCaprio's portrayal of Jay Gatsby was fascinating. He seems to like taking the challenge of complex characters and he is becoming more of a masterful actor. He showed great depth to his character which never made you sure on who he actually was. I enjoyed Toby Maguire as Nick Carraway. His narrative skills were a nice addition and his character was a nice opposition for Gatsby's. The sweet and gorgeous Carey Mulligan showed a great complexity within her character as well, to even challenge DiCaprio. I really hope Mulligan gets more roles in big films like this one. Joel Edgerton's role was a bit underused in my opinion. I really wanted to know about his character which again fascinated me.

As I've never read the book, I was interested to find out what makes this story so successful. I thought it was a lot sadder than expected, but it also showed a certain part of life around America in the 1920's.

Overall, the film sucked me in and I was introduced to a period and set of characters that intrigued to the very end. It's a very sad tale that will keep you thinking after your viewing. The technical side of the film was just brilliant and alone is worth watching on the big screen. I know I will be listening to its soundtrack for weeks to come, and this will attract me to its previous adaptations to see where it ranks with the others.

Rating: 8/10

My Top 10: Leonardo DiCaprio Films

Leonardo DiCaprio is becoming this generations favorite actor to never win an Oscar. DiCaprio came into most people's spotlight with his appearance in the very successful Titanic. Since then, he has become a well established actor that has deserved more then he already has received. A lot of his films are high up in my list of best films of all-time, and this top 10 shows what a talent this man is

Out of his 32 films, I have seen 26 of them. I will rank all of them, and then give a short review of each of my top 10:

26) Don't Look Up
25) The Quick And The Dead
24) J. Edgar
23) The Man In The Iron Mask

22) The Beach
21) This Boy's Life
20) Body Of Lies
19) Romeo + Juliet
18) The Great Gatsby
17) Before The Flood

16) Once Upon A Time ... In Hollywood
15) Killers Of The Flower Moon

14) Revolutionary Road
13) The Aviator
12) Gangs Of New York
11) Blood Diamond

10) The Wolf Of Wall Street - Leo's third film with director Martin Scorsese, and he definitely brings out his 'A' game for his features.

Portraying stockbroker Jordan Belfort, every time he is on screen you just love him more and more.

Even though he is playing one of the most famous fraudsters, you just love him because it is played by DiCaprio.

9) Marvin's Room - Not very well known, but a well received 90's comedy drama.

With a stellar cast including Meryl Streep, Diane Keaton and Robert DeNiro that is a very heart-warming drama with a nice mix of added comedy.

Also, DiCaprio's character gives us some coming-of-age elements.

8) The Revenant - When you read about what Leo has done in this film, you will be shocked.

The true and horrific events about frontiersman Hugh Glass is a spectacle worth seeing on the big screen and the leading performance of DiCaprio really gives it that magic.

7) What's Eating Gilbert Grape - One of Leo's much earlier roles. Alongside Johnny Depp and Juliette Lewis this 90's tear-jerker is lead by DiCaprio's terrific performance that some say is his best work.

Playing a mentally handicapped teenager, DiCaprio really creates an amazing character that everyone just falls in love with.

6) Django Unchained - A sadly underwritten character in a more minor role for Leo. Yet, he manages to strike a presence that was frightening for a lot of the audience. His vision of the evil plantation owner Calvin Candie is delightfully unhinged and vicious at times.

A bit out of DiCaprio's comfort zone and yet acts as if he's done this plenty of times in the past.



5) Shutter Island - Another partnership with Scorsese, and once again Leo creates such a memorable character and reaches new levels in his repertoire.

Giving a portrayal of a vulnerable and terribly haunted character that never showed his true self, not even in the final scene that had everybody talking for months after its release

4) Titanic - Obviously could not discard this one. This is many people's iconic DiCaprio performance.

His relationship with Kate Winslet on screen is definitely one that will never be forgotten and it almost eclipses the main plot.

3) The Departed - Battling with the likes of Jack Nicholson, Matt Damon and Mark Wahlberg to take center stage, DiCaprio's performance as Billy Costigan was definitely a hard one to beat in this Oscar winning gangster epic.

You become engulfed in his performance and heavily concerned about Billy's dilemmas. Under the wing of director, Martin Scorsese, his game definitely steps up a few notches.

He really grabbed onto a troubled character and created someone that could and possibly should have won best leading actor the Oscars that year.

2) Catch Me If You Can - A very believable performance as the most famous of all con-men, Frank Abagnale Jnr.

His performance as a charmer and smooth talker, but behind the mask is a misunderstood young man thinking this is just a bit of fun. His screen relationship with Tom Hanks as the man pursuing him, just adds that extra sparkle to his portrayal.

1) Inception - His character (Dom Cobb) may not carry this film, like in some. But his role contributes so much to this masterpiece.

Showing glimpses of a flawed and fragile man who knows more about others than himself, this performance was as vital as the terrifically complex plot.

Review: Star Trek Into Darkness

After the huge success of 2009's Star Trek, it was always going to take director J.J Abrams a lot to match his first instalment. It brought a whole new audience to this once nerd-only world. He made Trek more accessible, and with a young cast that was definitely the big attraction.

The plot carries on the adventures of the crew of U.S.S. Enterprise and Kirk and Spock's relationship continues to grow strong. But this time, they have a new enemy played by the incredible Benedict Cumberbatch, who is definitely becoming a world-wide known actor in quick fashion. There is also a new arrival aboard the Enterprise which will please all hardcore Trekkies. Dr. Carol Marcus, played by Alice Eve brings in more eye-candy for the audience, and also plays a vital part in this new adventure. All the rest of the crew you know and love are back.
We also get to see an old enemy that even general Trek fans will be glad to see return, but sadly, it is only for a bit. But as the film went on, I can tell they will feature in the future.

Like the previous one, all of the main characters have their time in the spotlight and Abrams once again makes sure he is true to the original series, to keep the hardcore faithful happy that this huge franchise is still going strong. It would be easy for someone to just throw away all that Star Trek has lived by and bring in an all flashy no substance flick. But Abrams knows how important it is to keep the faith. But he also manages to entertain the mainstream audience in the process, which is a tough task to achieve.

There is hardly a minute to catch your breathe. The flow of the film is relentless, and there is still that magic that was produced four years ago. The visual effects are obviously the biggest plus and there is no shortage of terrific action in this one, including some fancy new effects for when the Enterprise goes into warp speed. There is a big scene full of visual effects that will especially wow the fans, in terms of the science involved. There is the usual amount of witty banter from everyone involved, and the odd near-miss gasp moments.

As for the performances, Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto are back on form as Kirk and Spcok, and have definitely turned their respective characters up a notch, especially in the final climatic scenes. Pine's vision of Kirk is still top notch. With his brash look and womanising skills still on full display, his passion manages to be the biggest contribution to this film.
My favourite performance from the first one was Karl Urban's epic vision of Bones. This time, it's still great as ever but not much of a show stealer as last time. John Cho as Sulu manages to pull off a few scene stealing moments, including a moment in Trek history that the geeks will be in amazement of.
The big star was by far Cumberbatch. His presence on the screen was a joy to watch and his roles in big Hollywood films are becoming a common occurrence now which I am happy to see.

Overall, it was such a thrill and it will be very enjoyable for everyone to witness. I don't think it was as good as the first one, but it is much better then a lot of the films out at the moment. Abrams knows how to entertain and seeing his latest instalment makes me more confident about his adventures into the Star Wars franchise in the next few years. It is the best film of 2013 so far in my opinion, it will take a huge amount of box-office takings and I can see it remaining on the big screen well into the summer months.

Rating: 8/10

My Top 10: Sci-Fi Films

Ever since the first man went into space, people have always wanted to be among the stars. For most people, it is Sci-Fi films where we show our best imagination of what space is.

For the last 50 years or so, the science-fiction genre has expanded on a dramatic scale in the filming world and many of their best have become some of the greatest films of all-time.

Some films that I absolutely love sadly did not make my top 10, but I'm sure you will see that this selection is pretty impressive nonetheless:

10) Star Trek - After a lot of hype, director J.J Abrams managed to make the Trek franchise cool again.

This film surprised me so much, and the whole plot was the perfect way of re-booting this already worldwide cult.

9) Planet Of The Apes - One of the better early sci-fi's that features the late great Charlton Heston in what some people think was his best known role.

I think many will know that there is a well known plot twist in this, and one of the best films from the 1960's.

8) Blade Runner - If there was one film you would associate as a 'late bloomer', this would be it.

It did not get good the box-office numbers when initially released. But over the years, it has created a cult following and has joined the list with many of the greats.

7) Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back - Featuring one of the most memorable plot twists in film history, this epic sequel to the first Star Wars expanded this already worldwide phenomenon.

People thought this would be hard to top the first one, but it exceeded in so many ways.

6) E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial - When you think of family films, this one is usually mentioned. A Steven Spielberg classic, that has everyone crying and punching the air for joy at the same time.

This also features a John Williams score that deserves every major award going.

5) 2001: A Space Odyssey - Stanley Kubrick's vision of space had everyone talking and trying to work out the messages being told within.

This is another film that on it first release had mixed reviews. Since then, it has been heavily analysed and praised all over the world.

It is definitely the most talked about film ever, not just in the 1960's.

4) A.I. Artificial Intelligence - One of the most under-rated films ever I think, and definitely Spielberg's least talked about classic.

A modern Pinocchio tale, told in such a beautiful way that had me getting very emotional, especially at the end.

3) The Matrix - In my opinion, the best film of the 1990's, and is another ground-breaking film.

The Wachowski's showed film presentation in a whole new way, created a huge cult following and influenced so many of today's sci-fi blockbusters.

2) Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope - My favorite movie when I was a kid, and it still delivers to the high standards of today. It is everything you could ever want.

It's groundbreaking, has a bit of everything for the family and still appeals to audiences today. George Lucas has created a whole new world, and presents it in the best way possible.

1) Close Encounters Of The Third Kind - A 70's epic and what I think is the best work from director Steven Spielberg.

The presentation just oozes Spielberg and with the music of John Williams involved, that alone just sucks you in. It's not your usual sci-fi and is just gorgeous to watch every time.

Review: Iron Man 3

Robert Downey Jnr. is back as the iconic Tony Stark and with more gadgets for you to enjoy. 

Firstly, this is definitely one of the better '3' films in any modern franchise. It picks up straight from the Avengers and goes up another gear from Iron Man 2. The intro to the film made me smile a lot as it brought back a hit song from the 90's, and I reckon it will be back in the charts in the next few weeks. 

The opening few scenes gave you a great reminder of how great the first Iron Man was and showed a lot more on Stark's recent past before Iron Man. It gives us a good enough intro to the villains involved and sets you up nicely for the events that are yet to come.

The flow of the movie is solid and the build up slowly cranks up. There is an odd twist that does end up with amusing results about two-thirds of the way through, but it was not what I was expecting. In the end it did make sense, but that part felt a bit silly in my opinion. But that's you would expect from a superhero movie.
A lot of the best scenes are packed with CGI as usual, but they are impressive to say the least. The climatic scene was a typical over-the-top finish that will please many audiences and it pleased me in a lot of the scenes. The setting of the climax confused me as I felt it had nothing much to do about the intentions of the villain. But like most 'in your face' action movies, you just have to go with it.  One bit that I thought was completely pointless, was setting it during Christmas. Thankfully, I found out afterwards that director Shane Black usually sets his films during that particular holiday.

The performances were as you would expect from the previous two. Downey Jnr. shows us the great mix of Stark's funny side and his passionate side. Paltrow is back as Pepper Potts and definitely more bad-ass than ever in this one. It was nice to see Favereu back and of course Don Cheadle as War Machine or 'Iron Patriot' as he is known in this one. Guy Pearce pulls off a solid villain as does Ben Kingsley who continues to never ever top his epic performance as Gandhi. 

Overall, I did enjoy a lot of it and thought it was better then I was expecting in many parts. There is a top amount of action, a lot of funny moments that will get big laughs. There were just some silly bits that I reckon could have been improved, but it did not dampen my spirits when it came to the credits. This will get a lot of box-office numbers and could be the first 2013 film to surpass the one billion dollars mark. It is better than 2, and almost as good as 1. It is worth watching, especially on the big screen. I did not see it in 3D, but a lot of scenes I could tell would use 3D to its best effect.

As usual, with it being a Marvel film, there was the post-credits scene. It was not an important one to do with a Avengers, but it was an enjoyable few seconds that does actually feature a fellow Avenger.

Rating: 7/10

My Top 10: Musical Films

When done right, a Musical Film can be your biggest guilty pleasure that you could easily watch every day. The best Musical Films usually contain memorable song and dance numbers that will stick in your head for a long time and occasionally actors and actresses surprising the world that they can sing.

I do love a good Musical, like I said when it is done right, it is just pure brilliance right in front of your very eyes. Musical Films these days are more appealing to teens and usually feature kids their age, and in my opinion they are not great. The classics in the 50's and 60's is where the Musical genre was at its best, when actors were also well known dancers and singers.

A couple of films that I sadly had to not put in my top 10 is the brilliant West Side Story and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.
I've only recently seen West Side Story and I can see why this won Best Picture in 1962 at the Oscars. It is an American icon and has been watched my billions. Once you've watched this, you'll see how post-modernism changed the world. It may be a musical, but there are some dark and serious messages being told in this epic. The score is obviously jaw-droppingly good, the set designs are spot on and it could well have the best end credits effects of all-time. I tired so hard to convince myself that as good as this is, there are sadly 10 other musical films I felt were better.

As for Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, it sees Dick Van Dyke stars as hapless inventor Caractacus Potts who manages to find success in a flying car. Watch out for leading actress Sally Ann Howes performance. Such a brilliant voice and I'm amazed that I have not seen her in anything else.

Thankfully, there are a few terrific films with a musical theme that were made in the last few years that do feature in my top 10. Here it is:

10) White Christmas - Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye star in this wonderful musical romance about two successful singers and dancers that team-up to organise the must-see event in order to a failing company.

It has everything you want in a Christmas film, great fun, amazing songs and dances, lots of comedy and embeds the true Christmas spirit.

9) Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street - Tim Burton's amazing vision of Benjamin Barker a.k.a Sweeney Todd.

As usual, a Burton film featuring Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter, but they still manage to put on a show that wows audiences.

Even with the terrible singing of Alan Rickman, it does not give enough of a dent to stop the success of this modern Musical.

8) On The Town - Another one of Gene Kelly's classics, this time with Frank Sinatra at his side.

A classic tale of a few sailors on shore leave just finding a few ladies to have a good time in New York City.

It is everything you expect from Gene Kelly, top songs, perfect choreography and such a happy tone.

7) My Fair Lady - Been wanting to watch this for years and finally got round to it.

An absolute epic from the same year as Mary Poppins, where a common Londoner becomes a Lady under the tutorial of a professor of language played by Rex Harrison who steals the show, while Audrey Hepburn is the face of this tremendous Oscar winning picture.

6) Funny Girl - Only recently seen this Oscar winner from 1968. This was the famous breakthrough performance by Barbra Streisand who plays singer-comedienne Fanny Brice. Along with Omar Sharif, this is a terrific story that is well told, has a lot of charm and has unforgettable songs.

5) Les Miserables - The latest film to rock the Musical genre. Been on the stage for years and several versions have been released on the big screen, but none have quite made the same impact as this beauty.

Directed by Tom Hooper, he has definitely touched a new audience including myself. Even with the songs, there is a terrific story within. Prepare yourself for the biggest revolution you will ever see.

4) The Sound Of Music - Another Julie Andrews blockbuster, this time set in the mountains of Austria.

This cult classic is a big favorite, especially with the ladies became so huge, I remember them re-releasing a sing-a-long version of it, and seeing hundreds of people in nun's outfits just brought it all back.

Memorable songs as always and Andrews is a joy to watch. Not even the Nazi's could stop her in this one.

3) Mary Poppins - Disney's challenge to rock the Musical world that is not animated, and they succeeded. This iconic film saw the birth of the glorious Julie Andrews and her performance managed to land her with an Oscar for best Actress. Accompanied by Dick Van Dyke, such songs as "Step In Time", "A Spoonful Of Sugar" and the memorable "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" will have you dancing around your house for weeks.

2) Singin' In The Rain - Gene Kelly's masterpiece that features one of the most memorable scenes in film history.

All the big names at the time are involved and the scale of this picture was just unreal, especially in one of their songs "Broadway Melody". Kelly may be the master, but the real star for me was his side-kick Donald O'Connor with this song "Make Em' Laugh". Also watch out for "Moses Supposes".

1) The Wizard Of Oz - Not just a great Musical, but one of the best films ever made. Way ahead of its time, and just oozing with quality.

Lots of memorable songs and everything you could ever want from a family film.

It still amazes me that this was released in 1939 and it is still great over 70 years later.