Requested Review: My Top 10 War Films

War films have been with us for what seems like forever. They were obviously a big genre after WWII. Since then there has not as many, but every year there is always a solid amount of war action to get your teeth into. It's not always guns on the battle field, there are some very special war films that show a different aspect and send a very different message to expand their audience from many different backgrounds.

One film that I would like to give an honorable mention to is All Quiet On The Western Front. This 1930's ground-breaker really showed what film can do for this genre. With its epic battle sequences and first class acting, this was way ahead of its time. This brilliant story has had many valiant versions, but none have ever eclipsed this one. It is as terrific now as it was in 1930, and you will be amazed at how good it is, despite it being released 85 years ago.

As for my top 10, I feel it has a nice variety, and yet still shows the brutality of the war genre:

10) The Thin Red Line - I have only recently seen this and was completely blown away by Terrence Malick's 1998 Oscar nominated epic.
With Malick being known for his picturesque features, war has never looked so well shot.

With a who's who of acting talent that could rival the 60's epic The Longest Day, this story based on true events from a soldiers diary is one not to be missed.

9) The Bridge On The River Kwai - Prisoner of war movies are always anti-war movies and usually send a great message.

This iconic 50's film really shows the resilience of the human spirit. It also has Sir Alec Guinness, it is that good.

8) Stalag 17 - The original 'Great Escape' movie. Was really surprised how good this was. A lot of heart went into this.

There is a lot of laughs, but every so often there is a dramatic sense of betrayal within this particular P.O.W camp and it creates a thrilling conclusion.

7) Saving Private Ryan - Another Steven Spielberg classic featuring a never-ending list of top actors showing how important friends were during the war.

Set during and after the Normandy Landings. It is a big favourite with people within the army due to the impressive detail.

6) Gallipoli - Remember first seeing this in high school, and the emotions involved was just over-flowing.

Portraying one of the saddest incidents to occur in WWI and it centralises between a friendship that was only just beginning.

5) Joyeux Noel - One of my favourite Christmas films. This moving experience had me giving out so many emotions. It portrays the Christmas Day ceasefires during several war zones in WWI. It truly shows why War is such a hard thing for us humans to combat.

There is so much heart and warmth within this movie, despite the blood and violence others expect their soldiers to give.

4) Inglourious Basterds - Probably Quentin Tarantino's most perfect work. His terrific cast work manages to strike again in the form of Christoph Waltz who creates one of the scariest characters in modern cinema.

With the constant use of vintage soundtracks, this amazing piece of work also has what I think the best opening scene of all-time.

3) The Great Escape - Possible the ultimate British classic that is always shown during Christmas. It is a terrific family film that has everything you want. Importantly, it has enough violence for the kids to understand this horrible time, but the comedy element involved will definitely keep them hooked.

It also contains so much top acting talent that you will lose count of how many famous actors there are in this.

2) The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas - One of the very few films I cry every time I see this.
I was not expecting this one to hit me with such an impact.

It may be a war film, but not presented in the more traditional way. It is s terrific message that shows War through the eyes of a child. This also begins the already amazing acting career of Asa Butterfield.

1) Schindler's List - The true story of Oskar Schindler and how he saved the lives of many Jewish residents within Germany. A terrific story and perfectly presentation by the genius that is Steven Spielberg.

His nice use of the black and white really adds to the atmosphere well amongst all the high drama.

Review: The Amazing Spider-Man

I was not expecting much from The Amazing Spiderman as it is a reboot of a franchise that began in 2002. It is not enough time to reboot a film unless it was a big failure, which it wasn't. 

With it being Spiderman, the visual effects would be the biggest positive from the film. It was as good as the first trilogy and showed a different angle to how Spidey gets around New York.

One of the big questions coming from this was, would Andrew Garfield be better than Tobey Maguire's portrayal of Spiderman/Peter Parker? For me, it was a no. His Parker was no longer the nerd with all know and love. Instead we have a good looking kid, still intelligent but no glasses and not even having a clumsy feel about him.

As for the minor characters. Mary Jane is not there, and neither is his appearances at the Daily Bungle which means no J Jonah Jameson who was a terrific character in the previous three films. This version of Spiderman decides to concentrate more on Peter's parents and what happened to them and why it has made Peter Parker the man he is today.
Replacing Parker's love interest, Gwen Stacey who made an appearance in Spiderman 3. Played by the very beautiful Emma Stone, the chemistry between her and Garfield was pretty good and a decent attempt of Maguire's and Dunst's.

Thankfully the villain was something new. It had been rumored for ages and we will finally see The Lizard/Dr Curt Connors played by Rhys Ifans who is a terrific performer in anything that he does. The tension between Ifans and Garfield is engaging as they try to find if they are who they say they are etc.

The battle scenes between Spiderman and the Lizard are solid and nothing we have not seen before. I saw it in 3D, and apart from a few swinging scenes, it's nothing to shout about.

Director Marc Webb has done a solid job, but I still do not get why they had to reboot it in the first place. I know that it was supposed to be a Spiderman 4, but it got binned. So why not choose a different Marvel character, or reboot one of the poor attempts such as Daredevil or Elektra.

All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed The Amazing Spiderman, and I always look forward to another sequel as I'm a sucker for superhero movies. As always, there will be a bonus scene during the credits which will show us who the villain might be for the sequel. I have already heard the rumors and if they are true, I will definitely see the next installment.

Rating: 7/10

Review: Men In Black 3

It has been a decade since the last of the Men In Black series. So it was a chance to make a fresh and new look to the once terrific 90's sci-fi classic rather than the disappointing sequel.
The plot of time travel may have been used already, but not in MIB world. The result is a film that returns to its roots and gives audiences the chance to relive much of what they first enjoyed. Which is a smart sci-fi comedy that embraces everything that is weird and wonderful about our relatively unknown universe.

Will Smith is back as the smart-ass yet weirdly charming Agent J and partnering with the very wrinkly Tommy Lee Jones as the boss that is Agent K. With Jones looking to be on the brink of death, he was probably one of the reasons why they did a time travel plot. With the short air-time of Jones, comes in Agent K's young self played by the talented Josh Brolin. 
With it being MIB, this means bringing in a new villain, Boris the animal (it's just Boris!) who is set out to destroy K's existence by going back to his past.

In terms of Director Barry Sonnenfeld, he seems to have found his groove once again with the zany and icky shenanigans that put him on the map with the original. The general style of it reminded me of everything that made fall in love with this secret organisation. 
The visual effects was impressive especially when making the most of the time-travel plot. Definitely the best performance was Brolin, whose impersonation of Agent K made you thought it was a younger version of Tommy Lee himself. Not far off Brolin's performance was Michael Stuhlbarg as the strange impromptu companion Griffin. This new characters becomes a big help in the past for J & K and I really warmed to this new character and should be involved in any possible future sequels.

The ending was particularly charming as it seemed to have closed the chapter on the relationship between both Agent's J and K. There did not seem to be any hint of a sequel, which is probably for the best. But I am sure everyone would be fine with another installment of this franchise that has now become cool again.

Rating: 7/10

Review: Oblivion

Known by many as the last Hollywood actor that can sell a film by his alone, Tom Cruise is back. The star of many classics such as Top Gun, Jerry Maguire and Mission Impossible has returned to a genre he is very familiar with.

With successes in fellow sci-fi films such as Minority Report and War Of The Worlds, his latest venture might not match the success of those two but it will certainly be an established member of the Cruise collection.

Oblivion is quite simply a solid sci-fi thriller. Directed by Joseph Kosinski, whose only previous film was 'Tron: Legacy' seems to have upped his game and is beginning to learn how to win the critics over. The plot was predictable and has been done before. I could easily compare it to one film, and it would totally ruin the experience. But I won't, as I feel it deserves to be viewed on the big screen. The first half wasn't bad, but it was hard to get sucked in as you have seen everything in previous films. But I was getting involved in the second half. The pace had jumped a level, and despite their big twist being done before, I still enjoyed it and the film was much better and made me smile at the end.

Cruise was great as usual and never shy's away from getting physical. I have never seen Andrea Riseborough enough to appreciate her talent. But her performance was very impressive and she is bound to get more roles in the future. Former Bond girl, Olga Kurylenko was as solid as she was in Quantum Of Solace. As for Morgan Freeman, his role wasn't much, but it was good for what it was.

The big positives are obviously the visual effects, and the music composed by M83. Their song in the credits was just a perfect way to sign the film off, and the song will stay in my head for a good long while.

Overall, it was good enough to watch on the big screen rather then waiting for it to be shown on TV in a few years time. Everything was solid, and there was a lot of things to get your teeth into, especially in the second half.

Rating: 7/10

Review: Hitchcock

For the past year or two I have managed to watched a lot of Alfred Hitchcock's material. He has now become one of my favorite directors of all-time. With classics like Psycho, Vertigo, Rear Window and The Birds, I was expecting a nice homage to master of the suspense.

Overall, it was pretty solid. I like the bits honoring his TV show, which I was not expecting. Showing us how he made Psycho did not seem as graphic and intense as 'The Girl' which showed us how he directed 'The Birds'. Anthony Hopkins did a good Hitchcock, but again 'The Girl' wins another round as I thought Toby Jones' performance was better. The star of the show was definitely Helen Mirren as Hitch's wife. I always enjoy watching her presence on the screen in anything.

Scarlett Johansson was very charming as the actress Janet Leigh, and James D'Arcy did a terrific portrayal of Anthony Perkins. He showed how creepy Perkins really is off screen as well as on screen.

Overall, it was a fun movie showing the public how great one of our most famous Brits filmed possibly the greatest horror of all-time. But sadly, I didn't feel it to be spectacular. It was solid enough to be liked and nothing more. A great film for Hitchcock fans. But if you haven't seen any of his films, then don't watch this first. You need to watch his back catalog first.

Rating: 7/10

My Top 100: Animated Films

Animated Films are usually an over-looked genre when it comes to winning major awards. Over-time, some have been given nominations for some serious awards. I hope that animated films gets the success it deserves, but for now, we are waiting.
This genre does not always have to appeal for kids only. There are many more adult themed animated films out there, including plenty in my top 100:

100) The Great Mouse Detective

99) The Incredibles 2

98) Toy Story 2

97) Soul

96) Nimona

95) Belle: The Dragon And The Freckled Princess

94) Demon Slayer - The Movie: Mugen Train

93) Watership Down

92) The Land Before Time

91) An American Tail

90) Wolfwalkers

89) Loving Vincent

88) Moana

87) Fantasia 2000

86) Atlantis: The Lost Empire

85) Tarzan

84) Sword Art Online: Progressive - Aria Of A Starless Night

83) Sing A Bit Of Harmony

82) Ron's Gone Wrong

81) Suzume

80) Josee, The Tiger And The Fish

79) Apollo 10 1/2: A Space Age Adventure

78) The Bears' Famous Invasion Of Sicily

77) Ride Your Wave

76) Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie

75) The Fox And The Hound

74) Fantasia

73) Ponyo

72) Chicken Run

71) Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse

70) Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse

69) Ralph Breaks The Internet

68) Big Hero 6

67) Sleeping Beauty

66) Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs

65) Summer Wars

64) Shrek

63) The Hunchback Of Notre Dame

62) Porco Rosso

61) Dumbo

60) The Mitchells vs The Machines

59) Sword Art Online The Movie: Ordinal Scale

58) Coco

57) Ratatouille

56) Up

55) Kiki's Delivery Service

54) Laputa: Castle In The Sky

53) Song Of The Sea

52) The Girl Who Leapt Through Time

51) South Park: Bigger, Longer And Uncut

50) Ghost In The Shell (1995)

49) The Wild Robot

48) Wolf Children

47) The Lego Batman Movie

46) Shrek 2

45) Liz And The Blue Bird

44) Mirai

43) How To Train Your Dragon 2

42) A Silent Voice

41) Promare

40) Klaus

39) The Disappearance Of Haruhi Suzumiya

38) The Lego Movie

37) Zootropolis

36) How To Train Your Dragon

35) Alice In Wonderland (1951)

34) Wreck-It Ralph

33) Inside Out

32) Whisper Of The Heart

31) Tangled

30) The Boy And The Beast

29) Grave Of The Fireflies

28) The Red Turtle

27) The Tale Of The PrincesskAguya

26) Frozen

25) Perfect Blue

24) Your Name.

23) Aladdin (1992)

22) Cinderella (1950)

21) My Neighbour Totoro

20) Pinocchio (1940)

19) Lady And The Tramp (1955)

18) The Nightmare Before Christmas

17) Coraline

16) The Littler Mermaid (1989)

15) The Iron Giant

14) Finding Nemo

13) Toy Story 4

12) Howl's Moving Castle

11) Nausicaa Of The Valley Of The Wind

10) Monsters Inc. - One of Pixar's early features and now recently released a prequel.

Like a lot of Pixar's greats, it is a very emotional one, and yet still manages to create a lot of laughter.

Pixar are well known for their original ideas. The amount in this one is off the scale.

9) The Incredibles - Like, Wall.E, this gem from Pixar exceeded my expectations.

A very impressive story that easily appeals to adults as well as kids. Lots of great family films, involves, families. This one is no exception.

8) The Lion King - Another Disney classic from the 90's and an absolute favourite for many kids around the world.

Everything cries out Disney. Such amazing characters, memorable songs and wonderful story-telling.
The past had Bambi for the tears, this generation were blubbering at The Lion King.

7) Beauty And The Beast - Became the first animated film to get nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars and rightly so. A traditional fairy tale brought to a 90's audience that welcomed it with open arms.

Released during the Disney renascence period. It had everything a Disney film should have.

Enjoyable characters, laughs, drama and of course the odd sing song.

6) Princess Mononoke - Only saw this recently but was expecting big things, and once again Studio Ghibli delivered.

Lots of mythology involved, some terrific hand-drawn animation and another gem from Miyazaki. Had a mix of Avatar and what the Narnia films should have been.



5) Toy Story 3 - Was a bit nervous that it might not match the success of the previous two, but this just blew my mind.

The creators of Pixar became eternal geniuses in my books after seeing this. They kept the Toy Story franchise going and expanded it even more. It introduced a new batch characters and created a wonderful story that had me smiling from start to finish.

4) Bambi - One of Disney's very early creations and still a favourite of mine and many others. A dramatic story of life in the wild and how important friends are.

It is also involves one of the most famous tear-jerking scenes in film history. I won't spoil it, in case you have not seen it.

3) Wall.E - A huge surprise for me. Was expecting another well established part of the Pixar collection. But Wall.E is so much more then that.

There is a heart within this that will never stop beating. It brings a whole new meaning to the phrase 'heart-warming'. It is a terrific story and was so close to being the perfect Pixar film in my opinion. This deserved so many Oscars.

2) Spirited Away - The most successful Studio Ghibli film, and probably the best one to get started on when trying out Japanese animation. Director Hayao Miyazaki has become one of my new favorite directors. His imagination is unrivaled, and making great stories within them is just a bonus.

His vision on a girl being trapped in a world of demons and spirits will open your eyes to a whole new world of new movies to your list.

1) Toy Story - Already talked about it in an earlier post. A groundbreaking film and the birth of the world's most recognisable animated film studio, Pixar.

Such great characters, superb flow of the story, lots of laughs and probably the perfect seller for kids as it involves, toys.

Review: Lincoln

I remember this being the big favorite to win Best Picture at the Oscars earlier in the year. But now, it is just part of the chasing pack.

First, the positives. It was a very well told story of his time trying to abolish the slave trade. The sets were top notch and the costumes couldn't have been better. You were definitely taken back to that era and didn't feel you were watching a film. The performances were amazing, especially by Daniel Day-Lewis and Tommy Lee Jones. You definitely were guaranteed great acting whenever they appeared on screen.

Now for the negatives. The flow of the story did not suck me in me enough to fall in love with it. It was very well detailed, but with the plot was hard to make it entertaining.
You have to give it credit though, as they told the story very well and in great detail. But it is just not entertaining enough to watch it again and again.

Definitely not one for younger viewers, unless you like politics or love American history. I would still recommend it, but only for the one viewing.

Rating: 8/10