The Sitter (2011)

Jonah Hill plays the worst babysitter ever in this comedy that's a lot lower on laughs than it should be, and certainly pales in comparison to the '80s greatness of Adventures In Babysitting. The script, by Alessandro Tanaka and Brian Gatewood, sets things up well enough, but then derails within the first 15-20 minutes, leaving director David Gordon Green hoping that the cast can salvage something from the situation. They can't.

As a favour for his mother, Noah Griffith (Hill) agrees to babysit three youngsters for an evening. There's young Blithe (Landry Bender), a girl who keeps trying to make herself appear much older than she is. There's Rodrigo (Kevin Hernandez), an angry young man who lies to let out that anger by blowing things up with cherry bombs. Last, but not least, there's Slater (Max Records), who has anxiety and identity issues. As if looking after the three kids wouldn't be enough of a problem on its own, Noah is called by his selfish girlfriend, Marisa (Ari Graynor), and asked if he could kindly pick up some drugs for her and meet her at a cool party. Being the irresponsible sort that he is, Noah takes the kids along while he meets drug dealer Karl (Sam Rockwell) and his right hand man, Julio (J. B. Smoove). And things start to go wrong.

If The Sitter was a completely laugh-free zone, with no potential to be entertaining, then it would be an easier film to dislike and completely dismiss (which is, I'm sure, how some people feel about it anyway), but the irritating thing about it is the uneven tone. Things start off amusingly enough, and it all looks promising as Hill meets the kids and tries to establish his take-no-shit stance from the outset, but then it all just becomes too dark once the kids are dragged along to a "simple" drug deal. From then on, the movie moves from one confrontation to the next, with things getting progressively darker and more violent. This may have been the intention of the writers, and director, but it's not the best outcome for a film marketed as a comedy.

Hill ticks the boxes here, in terms of his comedy style, while the kids are just a bit too angst-ridden and rebellious to be likable, although Bender just about manages to stay sweet while also being a smartass. Graynor is okay, but stuck playing a loathesome character, Rockwell is wonderful as Karl, Smoove is stuck with some of the most unpleasant lines from the script, and Kylie Bunbury brightens up the screen, thanks to the fact that she's allowed to play one of the nicest characters in the movie.

Ultimately, this is a film that's too flippant to be enjoyed as a comedy thriller and too dark to be . . . . . . . . . . . . . . enjoyed as a comedy thriller. There are some moments to enjoy, but they're few and far between.

5/10

http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Sitter-Blu-ray-Jonah-Hill/dp/B004U5BH80/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1389127157&sr=8-2&keywords=the+sitter

Paranoiac (1963)

Many of the psychological thrillers released by Hammer in the '60s and '70s very much riffed on the same, or VERY similiar, material, and Paranoiac is no exception. However, most of these movies were also pretty damn good, and Paranoiac is also no exception in this regard.

The plot revolves around a family unit that has experienced great tragedy. Oliver Reed plays Simon Ashby, a young man happy to spend his days getting far too drunk and frittering away the family wealth, Janette Scott is Eleanor, his sensitive, and perhaps mentally unstable, sister, and there's an elderly aunt (played by Sheila Burrell) trying to provide what little guidance she can. You see, Simon and Eleanor both lost their parents some years ago. Even worse, they then lost their brother, Tony (Alexander Davion), when he committed suicide, unable to deal with his grief. Well, that's what they thought. The rug is pulled from under their feet when Tony reappears one day, leading to suspicion, tension and the potential to murder.

Director Freddie Francis and screenwriter Jimmy Sangster, who would work together on a few other Hammer movies after this one, do a fine job of setting up the characters as people already struggling to deal with some frayed nerves before then adding more and more reasons for everyone to get more agitated. The plot is, apparently, loosely based on the novel "Brat Farrar" by Josephine Tey, but the basic elements have all been done numerous times before, and the main difference comes from the presentation.

The proceedings are livened up by a decent cast, with Oliver Reed being the shining star. Oh, he may not always provide subtlety and nuance, but Reed has charm and charisma in abundance. He dominates any scene that he's in, and the film is all the better for it (as it's in line with his character anyway). Scott is just fine in a more restrained role, and Burrell is quite good at trying to care for the main characters while also being exasperated by them. Davion is charming, and does a convincing job as his character develops from the second to the third act.

With some nice design work, and some lovely cinematography by Arthur Grant, this is a solid little thriller that I recommend to any cinephiles who have somehow missed seeing it so far.

7/10

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The Darkest Hour (2011)

There's a decent idea or two in The Darkest Hour. Indeed, there's a decent set-piece or two, and I enjoyed a fair bit of the movie. It kept me nicely entertained for about an hour or so. Unfortunately, that's only two thirds of the movie. The other half hour just doesn't do much at all, leading up to a grand finale that it's difficult to find exciting and enjoyable.

Emile Hirsch and Max Minghella play two young men who are in Moscow to try and get backing for their super duper app that they think will take the world by storm when a bunch of aliens land to . . . . . . . . . . . . . . take the world by storm. The lads end up accompanied by Olivia Thirlby, Rachael Taylor and Joel Kinnaman as they try to stay alive and figure out how to fight back against an unseen enemy. Oh, that's right, these aliens are invisible, although their presence can be detected by electrical components (usually light bulbs, but sometimes phones and radios) that experience a power surge when they are nearby.

The screenplay by Jon Spaihts may be weak, laughably so at times, but it does what's needed to quickly sketch out the characters, sketch out the situation, and get everyone up to speed with the science being used throughout the movie (which I am assuming is movie science, as opposed to real science). In other words, it's capable enough, but lacking any decent dialogue that isn't exposition.

Director Chris Gorak has some fun, especially in one or two set-pieces that will remind viewers of how much better the movie could have been, and he certainly tries to keep everyone entertained with a mix of tension and spectacle. He may not succeed with the former aspect, but the spectacle works, whether it's on a large scale or just showing the aliens killing individual victims by making them dematerialise in a swirling cloud of pain and puzzlement.

Hirsch, Minghella, Thirlby and Taylor make for an okay band of survivors, with Kinnaman adding to the fun as someone who proves early on just how selfish he is. Veronika Vernadskaya joins them in the second half of the film, and there's a couple of good attempts to convince viewers that nobody is guaranteed to make it to the end credits, nobody is safe from the invisible invaders.

Dumb fun, that's all this is. I enjoyed it while it was on and I'd watch it again. But, then again, I'm easily pleased, so do bear that in mind.

6/10

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Darkest-Hour-Blu-ray-Digital-Copy/dp/B005ZCBT4E/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1389612777&sr=8-6&keywords=the+darkest+hour

Sherlock Jr. (1924)

Buster Keaton was a great film-maker, as pretty much everyone acknowledges, and Sherlock Jr. is another one of his great films. According to everyone who had seen it before I did. Yet, ten minutes into Sherlock Jr. I started to wonder why I wasn't loving it. It was good, but not great. Thankfully, within moments I was changing my mind. Those initial ten minutes were required to establish the characters and plot. After that, it was nothing but inventive brilliance for the remaining half hour.

The plot involves Keaton as a projectionist who is also studying how to be a detective. He's in love with a girl (Kathryn McGuire), but the girl has also caught the attention of a slick, villainous sort (Ward Crane). When a watch is stolen from the girl's father (Joe Keaton) and the ticket for its sale found on our hero, who has popped round to deliver chocolates and a proposal, he is told to leave and never return. He heads back to his job, and once the film begins he quickly dozes off. Which is when he becomes Sherlock Jr. and begins an adventure that starts with him entering the cinema screen and ends with a fantastic chase sequence.

Simple, yet brilliant. That's what Sherlock Jr. is. The story, created by Jean Havez, Joe Mitchell and Clyde Bruckman, is an excuse for numerous flights of fancy, but they're so perfectly executed that everything happening onscreen remains almost as fresh and impressive as it did almost 90 years ago.

Mixing the stunts and pratfalls that Keaton is so famous for with the technical expertise and bag of cinematic tricks . . . . . . . . . . that Keaton is so famous for, this is a delight for fans of comedy and also a delight for fans of film itself. So fans of comedy films will be in their element.

Highlights include that perfectly edited sequence in which Keaton is first getting used to life in the projected movie, and an absolutely wonderful game of pool that features one rigged ball ready to explode, but it's all a sheer delight once that first section sets everything up and segues into the fantasy that makes up most of the movie.

9/10

http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Buster-Keaton-Chronicles-Repackaged/dp/B001IRFWFW/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1373053180&sr=8-5&keywords=buster+keaton

Deceptive Practice: The Mysteries And Mentors Of Ricky Jay (2012)

You may not think that you know Ricky Jay, but if you're a movie fan then there's a good chance that you know Ricky Jay. What you might not know, and what I certainly didn't know, is that Ricky Jay is a skilled magician, with his main area of expertise being cards. This documentary looks at Ricky Jay as a magician, and allows him to wax lyrical about the people who influenced him during his upbringing, and about the general joy of magic.

Suitably enough, considering the central subject, this documentary seems deceptively simple. While Ricky Jay is relating moments from his life he is often playing with a deck of cards in his hands, riffling through them, cutting to an Ace, and just nonchalantly displaying a complete mastery of prestidigitation. And as he speaks of his influences it's hard not to warm to the man and his obvious passion for magic, despite his cool, slightly gruff, persona.

There are also comments from writer-director David Mamet, who has helped stage a number of  the magician's live shows, and some other people who have either worked with, or just befriended, him over the years. And there's plenty of archival material to enjoy, with some clips from live shows being a particular treat.

As skilled as he has become at it over the years, Ricky Jay often manages to move the focus away from himself, assuring that the documentary never feels all about him. In fact, he's a supporting player in the grand show that is being presented here as documentary. The people who get to be front and centre include his grandfather, Max Katz, the legendary Dai Vernon, equally legendary Charlie Miller, ALSO legendary Max Malini and many other skilled magicians who don't always get the credit they deserve for being such skilled professionals in their chosen fields and paving the way for many who would come along afterward.

If you like Ricky Jay then this is definitely worth your time, but if you like magic and skilled magicians then this is DEFINITELY worth your time.

8/10

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Deceptive-Practice-Mysteries-Mentors-Ricky/dp/B00GTKC6MA/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1389645685&sr=8-2&keywords=deceptive+practice+the+mysteries+and+mentors+of+ricky+jay

Piranha 3DD (2012)

How do you follow up something as ridiculously over the top and entertaining as Piranha 3D, the loose remake of the cracking Joe Dante movie? Well, if you're director John Gulager then you try to take the basic idea and use it for something even MORE ridiculously over the top and entertaining. Sadly, he only manages to achieve the first part of his aim.

Danielle Panabaker is Maddy, a young woman disgusted by the plans of her stepfather (David Koechner) to make his new waterpark a resounding success by populating it with lots of large-breasted women who aren't averse to showing off their assets. Unfortunately, in an effort to cut costs, the waterpark is also draining water from somewhere it really shouldn't. Somewhere that might contain some large, deadly piranha. While a number of horrible things happen to individuals who go playing around in nearby water, viewers are one step ahead of the characters onscreen as things build up to a piranha-filled, bloody finale.

There's certainly some fun to be had with Piranha 3DD. As well as Panabaker and Koechner in their roles, the cast contains the lovely Katrina Bowden, Matt Bush being sweet, David Hasselhoff portraying himself as an egotistical asshole, and Ving Rhames returning after his encounter with the deadly fish in the first movie. It's good to see Christopher Lloyd back, too. There are also, of course, a number of beautiful women in almost every scene, all fed up of being constrained by those old-fashioned bra things.

The special effects are wildly varied, with some shockingly bad CGI appearing, but they're more than a match for the many outrageous gore gags scattered throughout the movie, the script by Marcus Dunstan and Patrick Melton is pretty weak, and the direction from Gulager fails to balance things well enough for anyone wanting anything coming close to tension or thrills. The mix of gore and off-the-wall humour worked when the same team of writers and director gave audiences Feast, but it's mishandled here.

Don't get me wrong. This is an easy film to have some fun with, if you can watch it without rolling your eyes every few seconds. But it's not an easy film to like.

4/10

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Foolproof (2003)

While it's not as cool or clever as it likes to think it is, Foolproof is a surprisingly enjoyable comedy thriller that provides a nice twist on the usual heist movie in the first third of the film before then turning into the usual type of heist movie for the rest of the runtime.

Ryan Reynolds, Kristin Booth and Joris Jarsky play three people who have a strange hobby. They case locations and then plan a perfect robbery. A good robbery isn't good enough. It HAS to be perfect. It is, however, all fake. They set up ways in which to measure distance and time, have locks available to pick, and alarms ready to disarm, but this is all done in a makeshift space that they turn into any virtual environment that they're planning to break into. Unfortunately, someone gets hold of one of their perfect plans and commits a robbery, making them look extremely guilty in the process. The dastardly criminal (played by David Suchet) agrees to get rid of any damning evidence on one condition - the trio do one job for him. And so begins a series of tests, twists and dangerous escapades, with the young "robbers" desperately trying to find a way out of their situation, even as they are pushed over into the realm of actual illegality.

Written and directed by William Phillips, this is slick and enjoyable stuff that just never quite reaches the heights that it could. The premise is a good one, it's loaded up with a mixture of tension and humour, but it also sets everything up to be so safe, and cute, that viewers will be able to stay a few steps ahead of the twists and turns that populate the second half of the movie.

Some people don't like Ryan Reynolds, but I've been a fan of his work for a number of years now. Foolproof allows him to do his usual stuff, mixing humorous insults with a dollop of charm/smarm, so those who like him will enjoy his performance while those who don't will not be converted. Booth brings a good energy to the proceedings, and Jarsky is easy to view with suspicion, playing the potential weak link in the crew. Suchet plays the baddie with relish, and David Hewlett is a suitably menacing henchman. The only other main character who I think needs mentioned is the detective played by James Allodi, providing extra tension as he looks to be getting closer and closer to the truth about the robbery that could incriminate the three leads.

A financial failure upon its release, Foolproof certainly doesn't feel like a movie that you would rush to see at the cinema. It is, however, a very enjoyable piece of entertainment to enjoy in the comfort of your own home. I like it, I'd rewatch it, and I hope others at least give it a chance.

7/10

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Foolproof-DVD-Ryan-Reynolds/dp/B0002W13UM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1389630394&sr=8-1&keywords=foolproof

The Anniversary (1968)

The wonderful thing about exploring as many of the movies released by Hammer studios as possible is realising that just when you think you've seen every type of movie they tried their hand at, something else comes along that confounds expectations.

The Anniversary is based on a stage play by Bill MacIlwraith, and there's hardly a moment that goes by that doesn't remind you of that fact. The characters, the dialogue and the plot developments all feel rooted in stage work, despite the fact that it's been adapted into movie form.

Bette Davis is the spider at the centre of the web, a cold and manipulative mother who has spent many years ruining the lives of her three sons. The sons are all in attendance for her annual party. There's Henry (James Cossins), a sensitive man who has some compulsive behaviour that he worries will get him into serious trouble one day. Then there's Terry (Jack Hedley), who is being pushed by his wife, Karen (Sheila Hancock), into emigrating. And finally, young Tom (Christian Taggart), who takes the opportunity to introduce everyone to his latest girlfriend, Shirley (Elaine Taylor).

Director Roy Ward Baker, and screenwriter Jimmy Sangster (who adapted the play), presents audiences with something very disappointing this time. It's not really their fault, as the source material seems to be far from the best that they could have worked from, but it's a shame that they couldn't figure out a way to let the cast have fun without the overwhelming feeling that they're actually having more fun than any member of the audience. It all feels so smug, as lines are delivered with relish that aren't really deserving of any added condiments whatsoever.

Bette Davis makes up for her superb, subtle turn in The Nanny by going in completely the opposite direction with her comical performance here. I know that this IS a comedy, but with everyone trying to top each other, and Miss Davis then topping the lot, it ends up unbalanced and, therefore, unfunny. Of course, comedy is as subjective as any other genre. Sheila Hancock comes closest to challenging her for the crown, but falls just short. This leaves her giving one of the best performances in the film, alongside Cossins, who plays the only son not out to overtly spite his mother. Taylor is very sweet in her role, and has one or two good moments in which she stands up to the maniacal matriarch controlling everyone, while Hedley and Taggart both do just okay, highlighting clumsy material with slightly clumsy performances.

This kind of material has been done before - family politics, scathing insults delivered with a smile, psychological issues simmering beneath every exchange - and it has been done much better. Do check this one out if you're a fan of anyone involved, but don't be surprised if you then try to erase the memory of it by watching something similarly twisted, but much better, such as The House Of Yes.

4/10

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Trainspotting (1996)

I don't think it's overstating the fact to say that Trainspotting was one of the defining films of the 1990s. Slowly but surely, almost everyone involved with the film developed a pretty successful film career (with Ewan McGregor, arguably, going on to be the most successful). Danny Boyle confidently delivered on that film-savvy potential that he'd shown with Shallow Grave. The soundtrack was one of the best of the decade, and the marketing and poster design is still being utilised to this day (even if it is usually used to push lesser Irvine Welsh adaptations, see Irvine Welsh's Ecstasy - or don't, actually).

Trainspotting is a landmark film, and it holds up, easily, as one of the best British movies in modern cinema. I'd happily put it on a list of the best British movies ever. It wouldn't take the number one spot, but it would easily crack the top ten.

The central storyline, although the film is more a series of interweaving strands moving back and forth between the main characters, follows Renton (Ewan McGregor), a heroin addict who starts the movie by vowing to clean up his act. This isn't the first time that he's tried to go clean, and it may not be successful, but he's going to try really hard this time. Unfortunately, normal life is just boring. Especially when his friends include Spud (Ewen Bremner), who's sweet but a bit useless, Sick Boy (Jonny Lee Miller), who comes off heroin at the same time just to show him how easy he can manage it, and the slightly psychotic Begbie (Robert Carlyle), who happily looks down his nose at the addicts while downing copious amounts of alcohol and smoking like a chimney. There's also Tommy (Kevin McKidd), but Tommy doesn't really have many vices or problems, which sometimes makes him the most annoying of them all. Of course, everyone may be a bit different by the end of the movie, affected in various ways by Renton and the decisions that he makes to get his life back on track. Or, at least, back on a track deemed suitable by society.

Having STILL not read the source material, which is a situation I really must rectify (as I am a big fan of almost everything I've read by Welsh), I can't really comment on what was kept and what was lost on the way to the big screen. What I can say is that the screenplay by John Hodge is just top notch. The characters are all fully fleshed out, the humour running throughout often helps to sugar-coat a bitter pill, and the fact that viewers stay on Renton's side, despite what a selfish asshole he is, shows just what a fantastic piece of work it is.

Of course, a lot of Renton's likeability comes from the winning performance from McGregor, who puts in a performance that remains one of his very best. Boyle is a director who often seems to get the best out of his cast, and this has rarely been more obvious than it is here, with everyone else onscreen stepping up to easily hold their own alongside McGregor. Miller, McKidd, Bremner and, especially, Carlyle all create characters that you won't quickly forget. Then there's Peter Mullan as Mother Superior (because of the length of his habit) and Kelly Macdonald, who enjoys such a fantastic cinematic debut that the rest of her career seems disappointing in comparison, despite the fact that she's been working solidly for the past 15+ years.

But let me save the last bit of praise for Boyle, once more. A man who impressed me with his debut feature, blew me away with this film, and has continued to delight and entertain me ever since. He brings everything together so perfectly, and with such apparent ease, that it's often easy to forget how dark a lot of the movie is. It's about a heroin addict, it features horrific violence, a number of moments focusing on fecal matter, there are at least two disturbing death scenes, and one sublimely-filmed OD sequence.

And then Born Slippy starts to play, the end credits roll, and you want to watch it all over again.

10/10

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Trainspotting-Ultimate-Collectors-Edition-Blu-ray/dp/B0014MY1GM/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1390495368&sr=8-3&keywords=trainspotting

+1 AKA Plus One (2013)

During the opening scenes of Plus One we see David (Rhys Wakefield) royally screwing things up with his girlfriend, Jill (Ashley Hinshaw). The rest of the movie sees him trying to win her back while attending a party, accompanied by Teddy (Logan Miller) and Allison (Suzanne Dengel, or maybe Alison, played by Colleen Dengel . . . . . . . . apologies for my confusion, I'll explain shortly). The party is a typical American teen party with one or two major differences. First of all, Teddy miraculously manages to charm the gorgeous Melanie (Natalie Hall). Second, it turns out that doppelgangers, slightly delayed in time, are appearing at the party. The doubles suddenly appear, and then continue to carry on in the way that the original people were doing about fifteen minutes previously. But there are times when they disappear, only to reappear again with less time having elapsed between whatever they are up to and whatever their "originals" were just doing.

Did you follow that? If not, don't worry about it. The frustrating thing about Plus One is that it takes an interesting idea and then almost completely wastes it. David takes this strange turn of events as an opportunity to get things right with his apology to Jill, a lot of other people at the party are oblivious to what's going on, and it seems clear that the doppelgangers don't really have any sinister agenda. They just appear, and end up as bemused as the people who discover them.

Director Dennis Iliadis, who also wrote the story that was adapted into movie form by Bill Gullo, has to shoulder most of the blame here. The central idea is such a good one, something that could be developed in any number of ways, but it's completely squandered. Even during the first half hour of the movie, before things become completely clear, there are too many moments that stand out as cues to be used later in the movie. You know when things aren't just signposted, but planted right in the middle of everything else and allowed to flash in the brightest neon colours?

And that wasted opportunity is felt all the more because, well, the rest of the movie looks good and most of the cast do a good job, even while they're being ill-served by the script. Wakefield and Hinshaw may be the nominal leads, and they do well, but their characters are hard to care about. Miller and Hall, on the other hand, are much more fun to spend time with, thanks to their warm humour and the sheer gorgeousness of Hall. Left on her own during much of the movie, Miss Dengel (be it Suzanne or Colleen) does a great job as the calm centre, the one individual who feels comfortable enough to just see how everything plays out.

Plus One is worth a watch, mainly because of one or two ideas almost buried by their mishandling, but it's not one to prioritise above many other, far more interesting, sci-fi movies from the past few years.


6/10

http://www.amazon.com/Plus-One-1-Rhys-Wakefield/dp/B00FUABIQK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1390493846&sr=8-1&keywords=plus+one

Vamp U (2013)

Written and directed by Matt Jespersen and Maclain Nelson (who also stars in the movie), Vamp U is an enjoyable comedy that highlights the perils of love and potential immortality in the long lifespan of a vampire.

Adam Johnson plays a vampire named Wayne Gretzky. He hasn't been able to bare his fangs since he accidentally killed his loved one (Julie Gonzalo) many years ago. Thankfully, he's been able to lead a relatively normal life, teaching history at university. But everything starts to get complicated when he spots a young woman (Julie Gonzalo) who looks just like his deceased love. It's not long until one or two people are bitten and the students look in danger of suffering some major blood loss.

There have been a number of vampire comedies over the years, some of them pretty good and some of them called Vampires Suck. Thankfully, Vamp U is a good one.

The central performances all help a lot, with Johnson and Gonzalo both having a lot of fun in their roles. Nelson also does just fine onscreen, never seeming to fall into that trap that some writer-directors fall into - creating a movie to give themselves all of the best moments. And there are fun supporting turns from Matt Mattson, Bart Johnson, Alexis Knapp and, in particular, the great Gary Cole, who has a lot of fun as a man who knows the truth about his vampiric friend.

The direction is fine, with everything nicely polished and professional despite not having a huge budget to work with (I assume). The script isn't full of one-liners to make you double over while laughing, but it creates a fun story for the central characters, develops everything well, and includes some nice running gags. This is about the characters more than the dialogue, but the balance works out nicely in terms of entertainment value.

Vamp U may not be the most enticing movie title you'll have seen recently, and it doesn't have a cast full of A-listers, but give it an hour and a half of your time and you might just end up as amused and entertained as I was. 

7/10

http://www.amazon.com/Vamp-U-Gary-Cole/dp/B00BQ1936Y/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1389639307&sr=8-2&keywords=vamp+u

Dumbstruck (2010)

Ventriloquists are a funny lot, aren't they. People who, basically, try to make other people laugh by talking to themselves. I like ventriloquism, and I like it for pretty much the same reason that I like magic. Despite all of the talent and skill required, and despite all of the extra props and dressing that can be added, both of these things can be practiced alone and with very little resources. I used to practice magic tricks when I was younger, with playing cards or coins or just a piece of string. And when I went through a phase of wanting to practice ventriloquism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . well, I just grabbed a sock and drew some eyes on it.

Dumbstruck looks, mainly, at five different ventriloquists making their way in the world. Kim Yeager is a woman who has been gigging as a ventriloquist for years (often in schools), but she doesn't seem to be able to catch a break. Young Dylan Burdette has some raw talent, but desperately needs to work on his confidence and delivery. Dan Horn is doing well for himself, working on cruise ships, but that affects his marriage. Wilma Swartz has a desire to make others happy. And then there's Terry Fator, a man who won America's Got Talent and landed a HUGE payday with a residency in Las Vegas.

There are no big surprises in this documentary, directed by Mark Goffman. It's just a chance to look at a community that many people are unaware of, a large family of ventriloquists who come together once a year to offer each other support and advice.

Everyone onscreen seems to take great delight in entertaining people, as you would expect, and it's not long until you're willing some of them on to greater success. Watching Dylan try to progress his career is a frustrating experience, but the boy has many years ahead of him to get it right, while seeing Fator deal with his huge success in a very humble and gracious way is enough to give you a case of the warm fuzzies.

A scene in which Wilma Swartz talks about entertaining a crowd and bringing up their levels of happiness then cuts to her audience - a number of ill, elderly people who don't always seem to realise what they're watching - and it's a sad moment. In fact, it almost goes beyond sad and turns into something truly pathetic and laughable. Yet, a mere minute or two later, you DO see some eyes light up, and you realise that Wilma, as eccentric and misguided as she is, is right to want to just brighten up the day for these people, and she's a sweet person for soldiering on and seeing the good in every situation (even as she faces losing her own home due to financial problems).

Strangely enough, Kim Yeager is the person who seems less interested in entertaining others to see them happy and more interested in entertaining others to become well-known and well-paid, and her narrative is the one that, perhaps, underlines everything shown in the other parts of the documentary. Or maybe I'm being too harsh.

Ventriloquism is a wonderful, though quite peculiar, thing. And this is a rare chance to hear the ventriloquists speak for themselves. Worth a watch.

6/10

http://www.amazon.com/Dumbstruck-Bob-Ashman/dp/B004XQO8OG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1389724854&sr=8-1&keywords=dumbstruck

Mausoleum (1983)

Mausoleum is completely bonkers, but in that brilliant way that so many horror movies from the '70s and '80s were. It doesn't worry about everything making sense, it makes little attempt to keep things grounded in reality, and it throws around some decent gore moments and gratuitous nudity (provided by the lovely lead actress, Bobbie Bresee).

The story begins with young Susan (Julie Christy Murray) upset by the death of her mother. She heads off into a mausoleum, where she encounters a demonic presence that will alter her for the rest of her life. Fast forward to many years later, and we meet up with the adult Susan (Bresee), a woman who doesn't realise how much darkness she has inside, waiting to take over when the time is right. Susan's aunt (Laura Hippe) is concerned for her, her husband (Marjoe Gortner) also starts to worry, and a doctor (Norman Burton) eventually decides that he needs to start doing more to look after his patient. But it might just be too late.

Written, in various degrees, by Robert Barich, Robert Madero and Katherine Rosenwink, there's nothing in the script that's going to hold up as a prime example of great dialogue. It's pretty crude and clumsy, but that's easy to forgive when the whole thing is so well paced. Viewers are never too far away from some gore, nudity or even genuine creepiness (and it IS creepy at times). Director Michael Dugan may not be a master of his craft, but he knows what will keep the more easily pleased horror fan . . . . . .  easily pleased. Yes, I count myself among that lot.

Bresee is charming in the main role, and she's not that bad in the acting department, despite the fact that she was probably chosen more for her physical appeal (she certainly does better than the hilarious LaWanda Page, who plays the maid, and has one scene that stands out as a piece of comedy gold). Gortner is very bland as the husband lucky enough to be married to such a gorgeous woman, Hippe doesn't get much time onscreen, but overacts as much as possible when she DOES appear, and Burton manages to keep an admirable straight face throughout, even as everything gets more and more far-fetched.

I really liked Mausoleum, and not in a cool and self-aware way. It has a lot of flaws, but it also delivers the goods for horror fans and comes up with at least a few moments that are effectively disconcerting. If you can get your hands on it, I recommend giving it some of your time.

7/10

Keep your eye out for a better transfer/release, but here is what we have available in the meantime - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Mausoleum-Beyond-Terror-Bobbie-Bresee/dp/B0031A1ZWI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1389884311&sr=8-1&keywords=mausoleum

Drinking Buddies (2013)

There's something about Drinking Buddies that I liked, despite the fact that the film just seems to be an aimless, inebriated, waste of time while it's on. Writer-director Joe Swanberg is happy, as ever, to let things play out in a way that demands patience and no small amount of empathy from viewers. He's helped by a great cast, all working well together, and one or two scenes that sneak up on you with their warmth and, yes, romance. In between the many beers being drunk.

Olivia Wilde plays Kate, a young woman who works in a brewery with Luke (Jake Johnson). She also has a decent boyfriend, Chris (Ron Livingston), while Luke has a girlfriend named Jill (Anna Kendrick), but that doesn't stop both of them enjoying a friendship that keeps them closer than most couples. They work together, they joke around, and they often go out for a few beers. And then a few more beers.

People familiar with Swanberg's work will know what to expect here, some slightly rambling tale that focuses on character interaction above anything cinematic. That can be frustrating at times, but it has to be said that his attempts to capture something that feels more naturalistic on camera results in some moments of great success.

This movie has some very sweet scenes, and numerous moments that ring true. The chemistry between Wilde and Johnson is great, with the pair really feeling like two close friends comfortable enough to joke around with one another, comfort one another, and even chastise one another when one thinks that the other is out of line. Livingston and Kendrick may be slightly sidelined, but they're allowed to affect main events without being reduced to a simple plot device. And there's a fun supporting role for Ti West, who walks a thin line between cocky and just comfortable in the company of workmates.

Drinking Buddies is worth a watch, but it's nowhere near as good as it could have been. Neither the dramatic nor comedic elements work as well as they should, and it's enough to make you want to grab Swanberg by the collar and give him a shake, forcing him to just focus on one way of telling the tale.

6/10

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Drinking-Buddies-DVD-Olivia-Wilde/dp/B00G7M18S8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1390170402&sr=8-1&keywords=drinking+buddies

Blast Vegas AKA Destruction: Las Vegas (2013)

Or, the alternative title that I gave it, Malcolm In The Maelstrom.

Sometimes I already know, just from the title and the stars, that I'm going to love a film. It usually happens with films that turn out to be genuinely great movies, but it also happens with films that make me laugh from start to finish because of how inept they are.

Blast Vegas falls into the latter category. It's horrible. It's full of characters that you will struggle to care about. The special effects are pretty dire. Yet I loved it (never fear, my rating reflects the reality, as opposed to the fun I had, pointing and laughing at everything).

Frankie Muniz (oh dear, oh dear, how did he slide so far so quickly?) stars as Nelson, a young man on holiday in Las Vegas with a bunch of guys who will put up with him just because he can be their designated driver. Those same guys take some Egyptian relic and fool around with it for a while, bringing about some REALLY bad weather and the beginning of the end of Las Vegas. Nelson, amidst the chaos and carnage, wants to find a girl that he's taken a shine to (Olive, played by Maggie Castle) and is helped along the way by a club singer named Sal (Barry Bostwick).

I had fun with Blast Vegas, I can't deny it, but I'd only ever recommend it to someone who could approach the film in the same way that I did, ready to point and laugh at the thing and then never want to watch it ever again. The screenplay, by Joe D'Ambrosia and Tom Teves, is suitably silly. Nobody is going to watch this and expect to hear any memorable dialogue, but it's good to watch the events unfold, with the script embracing the ludicrous premise as an excuse to get some easy laughs (yes, there's an Elvis or two in the mix).

Director Jack Perez is, of course, also responsible for promoting the fun factor of the movie, helped no end by Barry Bostwick, who seems to enjoy himself immensely in his cliched, comedic role. Muniz and Castle are appealing leads, while Michael Steger, Andrew Lawrence, Summer Bishil, Jillian Nelson and some other people should all be remembered for . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ummmm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . also taking part in the proceedings. Okay, none of the supporting cast members really stand out, but they do what's asked of them. I think.

If it sounds like I had LOTS of fun with this movie, people may be wondering why I still rate it so low. Well, none of the fun really makes up for the ridiculousness that fills almost every scene, whether it's an opening sequence that features a cameo by John Landis for no apparent reason, some typically dubious special effects, or even the same stretch of road being used - albeit shot from different angles - when people need to try driving through the extreme weather. And, for anyone else who manages to watch the entire movie, if you can explain to me why people keep running in front of the ONE VEHICLE on an otherwise empty street, while a deadly storm keeps raging on, then please send answers on a postcard. Or, y'know, just post a reply below.

I've seen much worse than Blast Vegas, but that's mainly because I watch a lot of terrible, terrible movies.

3/10

http://www.amazon.com/Blast-Vegas-Frankie-Muniz/dp/B00HRD0FHQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1389654599&sr=8-1&keywords=blast+vegas

Sightseers (2012)

If there's one thing you can say about Ben Wheatley it's that he's an interesting, and pretty fearless, director. Moving between genres with ease, although most of his movies certainly have elements that comfortably sit within the realm of horror, he has established himself over the past few years as someone always worth keeping an eye on. Strangely enough, I've always seemed to slightly disagree with people over his movies, tending to enjoy them without loving them, but I would always recommend him to people seeking out something a bit different from the norm.

Sightseers is, as you might suspect, a bit different from the norm. It's a very British version of Badlands, with any ruminations on the thin line between notoriety and fame replaced by items of knitwear and . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . caravans. Alice Lowe and Steve Oram are Tina and Chris, a couple who are very much in love. It's been a bit of a whirlwind romance, but Tina and Chris start off the movie secure in the knowledge that their love is strong. And Tina is very keen to get away from her manipulative mother (Eileen Davies). Once they're on the road and enjoying their holiday, it's not long until the fun is overshadowed by some unexpected death. Yes, a tragic accident looks as if it might spoil things for the holiday, but it turns out to be just the beginning. Chris has a bit of a habit of leaving corpses in his wake, and Tina isn't as shocked by it as she should be.

The best thing about Sightseers is the script, from the two main stars (with additional material by Amy Jump). It's not a consistently great piece of work, but almost every scene has at least one great one-liner, even amongst the darkest moments. The other big plus for the movie is the acting, with Oram and Lowe just delightful from start to finish. Eileen Davies also does some great work in her supporting role, and there are solid performances from Jonathan Aris, Monica Dolan, Richard Glover and Richard Lumsden AKA potential victims, one and all.

Unfortunately, and I seem to be in a minority as few others have been bothered by this, the movie is undermined by one big oversight. The fact is that Chris and Tina are rarely ever justified in their actions. Okay, okay, I get that murder is never justified, but when a movie asks you to accompany people who may end up acting a little bit psycho - understatement - then that journey is always easier when there's a teeny tiny bit of wish-fulfilment added to the mix.

The fact that there is no such moral muddying of the waters here is, most likely, a very deliberate thing, and Lowe and Oram deserve even more praise, in some ways, for still making the characters two people that viewers try to keep liking, but it's an ultimately unsatisfying journey, especially during the middle of the movie.

Sightseers is very funny, it's thought-provoking, and it's never boring, but it's also not as good as it could have been. Although there are many people who will be quick to disagree with me.

7/10

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sightseers-Blu-ray-Alice-Lowe/dp/B00A37SHPU/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1389612206&sr=8-2&keywords=sightseers

Stay Tuned (1992)

John Ritter and Pam Dawber play Roy and Helen Knable, a married couple who end up sucked into a world of TV programmes all designed to kill them off, allowing their souls to be added to a valuable total. If they can somehow survive for 24 hours then they can return to their normal lives. But that doesn't usually happen. Running through a variety of twisted shows (with pun-tastic names such as I Love Lucifer, Golden Ghouls, Northern Overexposure and Fresh Prince Of Darkness), Roy and Helen are sometimes helped and sometimes hindered by Crowley (Eugene Levy) while the evil Spike (Jeffrey Jones) keeps an eye on the proceedings.

Directed by Peter Hyams, there are a lot of pop culture references packed into Stay Tuned that made it feel dated not too long after it was first released, in the early '90s. But for people who watched most of their TV in the late '80s and early '90s there's plenty of fun to be had. The script by Tom S. Parker and Jim Jennewein doesn't try to be too clever, concentrating instead on keeping the gags and the references flying thick and fast (and who can fail to love an advert for a movie entitled Three Men And Rosemary's Baby?) and developing the main characters into people who might just survive their experience and learn to be better people, don'tchaknow.

Ritter and Dawber are both good enough in the lead roles. The former tends to be good in almost everything that he does, while Dawber is interesting to watch in movies, purely because she's done relatively few throughout her career. Jones is enjoyably evil as Spike, and Levy puts in another enjoyable comedy turn. David Tom and Heather McComb are perfectly fine as the teenage kids, and Don Calfa gets to join in with the fun for a little while, as do . . . . . . . . . . . Salt 'n' Pepa.

There's not a lot else that needs to be said about Stay Tuned. It's fun, it tries to use the budget effectively at all times (especially considering how many gags and references are packed into the runtime), and it holds up as an enjoyably anarchic comedy. There's even a sequence that has Ritter and Dawber turned into animated characters, and that's far from the most far-fetched moment.

Many people won't recognise all of the comedic targets, but this is a blast for anyone born in the late '70s or early '80s. Give it a try if you haven't seen it already.

7/10

http://www.amazon.com/Stay-Tuned-John-Ritter/dp/B00004RF88/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1380228961&sr=8-1&keywords=stay+tuned

The Vampire Lovers (1970)

Another Hammer horror movie that takes its cue from "Carmilla" by Sheridan Le Fanu, this contains plenty to keep fans happy, and stands up as one of the better films to be spun off from the source material.

Ingrid Pitt plays Mircalla Karnstein, a young woman who ends up staying in the house of General von Spielsdorf (Peter Cushing) and repaying his kindness by feeding off his daughter. Then, when she's had her way with the available blood, Mircalla manages to get herself placed in a household that also contains the lovely Emma (Madeline Smith) and her governess (Kate O'Mara). Twice the food supply. If she's not found out for what she really is.

Directed by Roy Ward Baker, this is a beautiful, seductive chiller that makes the most of its lead cast members to create something that consistently alternates between the erotic and repulsive. The script, ultimately credited to Tudor Gates, helped by Harry Fine and Michael Style in adapting material into movie form, isn't that good, but it doesn't have to be. This is about a beautiful woman casting a spell on those around her, and seducing other beautiful women until she can sink her teeth into them.

Pitt is just wonderful as Mircalla, beautiful and sexy and dangerous and pretending to be laughably innocent at times. She is, however, just one of many beautiful women onscreen, and Hammer really filled out this movie with gorgeousness. Smith is another beautiful actress, O'Mara has a softness to her features here that I've never seen before, and Pippa Steel, as the daughter of Cushing's character, is yet another image of loveliness in a film that is, in some ways, an embarrassment of riches. Okay, so the menfolk may not have the same allure, but Cushing is welcome in any movie, no matter how small the role (and he's only in this for about a quarter of the runtime), George Cole is decent enough as Roger, the father of Emma, and Douglas Wilmer is good fun in his role, the one man who knows the full horror of the situation, and also what is needed to resolve it.

Some may roll their eyes at the fact that this movie is aimed, first and foremost, at anyone who will be won over by the physical charms of Ingrid Pitt, but as I am one of those viewers I can only rate the film as a wonderful success.

8/10

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Vampire-Lovers-Lust-For-DVD/dp/B001AOHQ0M/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1389884125&sr=8-1&keywords=the+vampire+lovers

The Colony (2013)

Standard survival horror set on an Earth that has suffered through a second ice age, The Colony is an enjoyable, if unspectacular, experience that's lifted above the level of average by some decent production values and some decent actors in the lead roles.

Laurence Fishburne plays Briggs, the leader of the titular colony. He's a fair man, and young Sam (Kevin Zegers) looks up to him. Unfortunately, the colony also has Mason (Bill Paxton), a man tasked with taking those who become ill out into the cold and offering them the chance to walk away or be shot. Well, he SHOULD be offering them a choice, but he's started skipping that part and shooting anyone succumbing to illness. Briggs and Sam decide that they must travel to a neighbouring colony when a distress signal is picked up, despite the protests from Mason, and they head out, with a young man named Graydon (Atticus Dean MItchell) accompanying them. What they end up finding in the other colony is something unexpected, something dangerous, and something that could ultimately end up making it difficult for the main characters to return to their own home.

Four people wrote this screenplay. Four! It was based on a story, or story idea, by Pascal Trottier and Patrick Tarr, who then wrote the movie with input from Svet Rouskov and director Jeff Renfroe.And none of those four people could come up with one original idea to mix into the script, sadly.

Luckily, Renfroe is competent enough in the director's chair, and the main cast members all do a good job. Zegers is just fine, Charlotte Sullivan is okay as the girl he likes, and Fishburne and Paxton both easily dominate any scene that they're in, in a good way.

The effects are good, but they don't make up for the lack of any effective chills and thrills. In fact, as things develop in the second half of the movie it all becomes a bit tiresome when it should be ratcheting up the tension.

Not a terrible film to waste some time on, but you'd do much better to just rewatch Pandorum instead (which is all I kept thinking about while this was on).

6/10

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Colony-DVD-Laurence-Fishburne/dp/B00EE6C4H8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1389621380&sr=8-1&keywords=the+colony

Blackfish (2013)

A documentary about Tilikum, a killer whale known for a history of aggressive behaviour, Blackfish isn't an attempt to demonise the creature at the centre of events. It is, rather, a harsh look at Seaworld, the way they treat the animals in their care, and the way that they treat their employees. The film also, due to the subject matter, reminds viewers of how little distinction there is between those who do wrong and those who stand idly by and allow such wrongdoing to occur. If people, or perhaps even just one person, had been determined enough to speak up and highlight the problems at Seaworld then there's a slim chance that tragedies may have been avoided. But a slim chance is better than no chance.

The whole thing starts with a major incident, something which isn't fully revealed to viewers immediately, but it's easy to figure out that something bad happened. Then we're taken back in time, given an ever-so-brief history of Seaworld and some other water parks in America. It quickly becomes apparent that the stars of the show - the killer whales - are also the very animals that should be left to enjoy their lives in the wild.

Using the traditional approach of many other documentaries, this mixes talking head footage (people talking to the camera, NOT footage of the band Talking Heads, just to be clear) with archival footage to create a full picture, and the end result is not a pleasant one. This isn't just a documentary that will have animal rights activists up in arms, it's something that will/should upset everyone.

Director Gabriela Cowperthwaite (who is also credited as a writer with Eli B. Despres and Tim Zimmerman, I'm assuming they pieced together the information and made the decisions on how the narrative would unfold) does a great job of piling detail upon detail until viewers, and even many of those in front of the camera, realise just HOW awful the whole situation is, leaving everyone to wonder how things were ever allowed to get so bad.

People are placed in jeopardy, lives are lost, beautiful creatures are scarred (both mentally and physically), and the waters of Seaworld will never look the same again. Blackfish is well worth your time, and I hope that the impact it made in 2013 is not forgotten a year or two along the line.

8/10

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Blackfish-Blu-ray-Kim-Ashdown/dp/B00EVS7UFA/ref=sr_1_2?s=dvd&ie=UTF8&qid=1389569641&sr=1-2&keywords=BLACKFISH