Hacksaw Ridge: Review

To be honest, with the words “True Story” and “about a Conscientious Objector”, I didn’t hold much hope of me watching it all the way through. The story starts a little slow as we get to understand the circumstances of why Desmond Doss (Andrew Garfield) decides not to pick up a gun when he enlists in the army. He has a rough ride through his basic training with hopes of becoming a medic. Then the action really starts with dramatic scenes of warfare in a bloody battle where our hero comes into his own. Trust me, you will stick it through to the end.

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The Nice Guys: Review

Set in the 70’s, Jackson Healy (Russell Crowe) and Holland March (Ryan Gosling) are forced together to investigate a missing girl. They stumble about gaining leads on a conspiracy connected to the death of a porn star. I almost pasted by this film, but I’m glad I gave it a view. Both Gosling and Crowe work together well giving the film, although dark in subject matter, a light humours feel. Add to this the retro music backdrop and bad hairdos and it was very enjoyable to watch.

Suicide Squad: Review

The US government assemble a task force from a selection of expendable super villains.

Their first mission is to “save the world”. Once they realize that they are on a suicide mission, they decide to take things into their own hands as they face the oncoming apocalypse.

There’s the plot and it doesn’t take too many brain cells to work out the ending, and an ending which didn’t come soon enough for me.

A patchy, disorganized, poorly acted 123 minutes. I felt sorry for Will Smith, who played Floyd“Deadshot”Lawton, the inadequate dialogue failed to add any enrichment to his character. There was a few fleeting moments from Margot Robbie who played Dr. Harleen F. Quinzel / “Harley Quinn” but I’m struggling to give any examples that don’t have any reference to her clothing or the lack of it. Then we have Jared Leto, well how cheap and tacky can you go? Why on earth he was trying to do a very inadequate impression of Jim Carrey as he thought he might act as “The Joker” rather that “The Riddler”, I do not know. I hated every scene with this tacky impostor. Once again the Warner Bros./DC combo have failed. This is NOT on my Christmas list of Blu-rays.

Legend: Review

Another look at the Kray Twins and how they became a legend. It depicts the rise of the notorious gangsters who during the 1950’s and 60’s gained control over crime in London. Through his writing and direction Brian Helgeland shows the torment between the brothers as Ronnie became more and more mentally unstable, while Reggie attempts to control him and their growing business. The twins are pursued by Detective Superintendent Leonard ‘Nipper’ Read, determined to bring their downfall.
The brothers are played by Tom Hardy, who does an outstanding job in making both brothers different and believable. Supporting roles are from Christopher Eccleston as DS Read and Emily Browing as Frances Shea (Reggies love interest). After watching this adaptation of the well documented of the crime duo, I couldn’t help feel that there was something missing. Not one that I’d sit through again and not I fear worth buying the DVD.

RS Traditional Shave Cream: Review

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Having used the RS (The Real Shaving Co.) Traditional Shave Cream (Step 2) for a couple of weeks, I thought it time to give it’s review.
As you can see from the picture it comes in a plastic tube, handy for a travel bag as this makes less mess and is a simple squeeze to produce the small amount needed for each shave. On opening there isn’t much scent but this becomes slightly stronger when in use. It has a fairly faint, slightly sweet aroma but I’m not too sure that I like it. You do need to use with a brush and bowl as I found that it didn’t lather very well applied directly to the face or in the hands, ending up with more of a light cream texture not a lather, not good enough for a comfortable shave. I then tried it with a badger hair brush which did produce a full lather after a good mixing in a shave bowl. I had better results using a boar hair brush, but the balance of water had to be right to maintain a full usable lather. The RS range is readily available from most supermarkets and is very reasonable price, but for me there was just something lacking.

Southpaw: Review

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Firstly, I’m not the greatest fan of boxing, however numerous people told me that Southpaw was good to watch, even my daughter, so watch it I did. The story line isn’t exceptional, it simply follows the rise and fall of a light-heavyweight boxer Billy Hope played by Jake Gyllenhaal. But you get a good sense of feeling as the tragedy unfolds, watching how it affects him and his family as he tries to piece his life back together after he is found unfit to box. After hitting rock bottom he turns for help from an old boxing trainer Titus Wills played by Forest Whitaker. There is a small part played by 50 Cent (Go back to the music day job) and some very emotional scenes by Oona Laurence who plays Billy’s daughter. The film is 123 minutes long but with the aid of some good acting and well shot fight scenes you are kept entertained until the end. As I said at the start, I’m no boxing fan but this is well worth the watch and could be one for the DVD collection.

Grimsby: Review

Okay, lets start with the story-line, Nobby, played by Sacha Baron Cohen, is a football hooligan from Grimsby. Nobby has spent years looking for his brother Sebastain, played by Mark Strong (totally wasted in this film) who is a MI6 assassin.  Finally finding him whilst he is in the middle of terrorist attack. Right, that’s the plot now the critique. There is some attempt at humor as they try to build on some of  the cliché stereotypical northern gags. Then it slides into depravity with smut, base vile shock tactics in an effort to be comical, some of which border on pornographic. This bad taste then continues throughout the film, it’s not clever, funny, nor entertaining. I am sooooooo glad that I borrowed this DVD and didn’t waste my hard earned cash  on this utter rubbish.  I’m no snob, but have we lost the ability to write humor?  Not one for anyone’s DVD collection. (They brought this garbage out on Blu-ray – WHY!!)

Deadpool: Review

Superhero or Villain that’s the question. The film takes us through creation of Deadpool, from his life as a mercenary, to the frenzy of revenge after he is turned into self-healing anti-hero. Wade Wilson, played by Ryan Reynolds, is wise cracking, smutty, and downright funny. The film is violent, has gratuitous sex scenes, plenty of swearing, a refreshing change to the deluge of the serious superhero films hitting us at the moment. Not to be missed by us more indulgent adults. Oh yes, my original question, superhero or villain, well I’ll let you make your own mind up on that one. 

Memento: Review

 

Here’s one you might have missed back in 2000, Memento a psychological thriller staring Guy Pearce. Guy plays the lead role, Leonard Shelby, who sets out to find the man who raped and murdered his wife. Nothing out of the ordinary here I hear you say, until you learn that the event caused him to lose his short term memory completely.  Shelby has to piece together any clues he finds with the aid of notes, self-inflicted tattoos and Polaroids. Add to this the film itself has been put together in chunks forcing you, the viewer, also to piece together the clues, so my advice is to pay attention. There is a few surprises and twists along the way, all of which helps the film maintain a good pace keeping you watching till the end. Well worth a viewing and one for the collection. The DVD also allows you to watch the film in it’s correct order – but where’s the fun in that?