ZACK AND MIRI MAKE A PORNO - COMEDY/ROMANCE (2008) ***REVIEW***

Two childhood friends who are stuck for ideas concerning their dwindling cash supply resort to making a porno film, but soon realise their true feelings for each other.

This film is probably one of the very few exceptions in the genre of rom-coms, for the reason that it is actually watchable by guys and indeed that it is a pretty hilarious movie! It had me in stitches for a good one hour, the story is unique and the acting is great especially from Rogen and Justin Long who plays a hilarious if short role. The laughs fell off towards the end and the romance took over slightly too much which felt rather unbalanced which in turn let it turn into more of a romance than a comedy. This was this films worst point for me and I felt disappointed when the credits rolled that it wasn't finished up in a better way, perhaps with a tad more comedy and perhaps with some of the loose ends tied up. Apart from this aspect everything else about this movie rocked! It was extremely laugh out loud the first hour, a few bits and pieces of full-frontal nudity and sex scenes were also a welcome addition but didn't play too big a role to make it feel seedy. A great watch for a few laughs albeit a fairly disappointing ending.

Pros - Heaps and heaps of laughs for the first hour, sex and nudity a plenty! Awesome acting throughout both from a porno perspective and that of film :P some of the best parts are when the classic porno stereotype is ripped off! A great comedy with just enough romance to make it not too soppy.

Cons - The ending! I don't know what happened, they maybe ran out of funding so could finish it up as they wanted, got lazy or didn't know how to finish it, i don't know, it just didn't seem right. Hardly any comedy present and bucket loads of puppy romance was a disappointment, and then the abrupt ending which leaves you with questions and no answers. Luckily enough this movie is still worth the watch for some of the classic laughs during the first hour which is the only thing that keeps this one afloat for me. Give it a watch, guys will love the first half, chicks will love the second...win win i guess!

3.5/5 Jandals = A porno with plot!





Watch the trailer for 'Zack And Miri Make A Porno' Here

'ROM-CONS' COULD RUIN YOUR LOVE LIFE!

I just happened to stumble upon this article and found it so interesting and indeed true! I had often noticed this with my girlfriend after watching 'rom-coms' with her, both from movies and the awful drama series she watches (im so dead now!) and found that she would note how wonderful their clothes were or how romantic and elegant their weddings were (all highly unrealistic of course). This of course worried me as to how i could afford let alone organise all these wonderful things seen in the realm of movie land. I was also concerned at whether or not women actually realise events like these that happen in movies don't actually happen in real life! (Even more dead now! lol).

"Films do capture the excitement of new relationships but they also wrongly suggest that trust and committed love exist from the moment people meet, whereas these are qualities that normally take years to develop." (BBC News, 2008).

So basically this is just one more reason why people shouldn't go and see rom-coms, not only are they usually always complete crap they could also ruin your love life, currently or in the future. Stick to horror or zombie movies which will in turn make you appreciate what you have in your relationships, while at the same time letting you realise how fortunate enough you are to not be living amongst the walking dead.

Read the rest of the article Here

SAW V - Crime/Horror/Thriller (2008) ***REVIEW***

Two detectives become entangled during investigations into ongoing occurrences of what seem to be the Jigsaw murders.

Before i saw this i had heard a heap of negative commentary and while watching through Saw V it became apparent that it was pretty much all true! I realised after watching this movie that it had none of the intelligent plot and script of the first couple and had none of the amazing gore and ingenious murdering contraptions of the latter Saw films. What was left over was a dabble of predictable crime drama that would look right at home in any CSI type crime/drama series. It was peppered throughout with a few bits and pieces of gore which just, and only JUST kept you watching enough to not get completely bored out of your mind. Although unlike previous Saw films the imagination and down right evilness of the contraptions was severely lacking and came across as if they are fast running out of ideas which doesn't bode well for 'Saw VI' if it does get released at all. For me anyway i think the Saw series has gone way past its used by date and in my mind has consistently gotten worse since the amazing Saw I. Give this is a watch if your bored on a rainy day and you feel like wasting some time and perhaps some money on a rental.

Pros - As usual a tad of blood and gore and slightly interesting death contraptions, but don't expect it to be a better film than any previous ones. The acting was fairly good and seemed better coming from some of the lesser known amongst the cast but then again this isn't sufficient to make this movie even remotely good.

Cons - A complete lack of imagination in terms of death contraptions etc makes Saw V out to be an elaborate and expensive version of a CSI episode. Take away the 'thrill' and the 'horror' and you are left with Saw V sprinkled with a dash of crime and a hint of mystery... hardly the Saw that we have come to expect.

1/5 Jandals = The 6th better be good. Can't get much worse





Watch the trailer for 'Saw V' Here

THE X-FILES - I WANT TO BELIEVE - Mystery/Sci-Fi (2008) ***REVIEW***

Mulder and Skully are back! This time following the psychic visions of a priest which may lead to the finding of a missing FBI agent.

Well this movie will certainly bore the socks off anyone who never really got into the whole 'X-Files' series, although if you are a fan of X-Files you will most likely enjoy this film. The thing is although i never really got obsessed over the original X-Files series i did enjoy watching them back when i was about 10 ish or so and with this in mind i was absolutely bored throughout the whole of this movie. I can presume that big fans of X-Files will enjoy this but not being one of them it will just be a presumption and may miss the fact that this movie is terrible from both the perspective of big fans and from casual movie goers. The acting is fairly good though and at times feels wasted on such a boring, non-supernatural and indeed non-X-Files script. I would really give this one a miss, unless of course your a big fan then go right ahead! If you must see this film please wait for the DVD release as to avoid wasting your hard earned money.

Pros - Good acting from most the main cast, Billy Connolly did a great performance with what he had to work with and added a bit of spice to the otherwise plain and dull script. All other aspects concerned, this wasn't the best film i had seen and am struggling to think of some more positives to note here, alas none are forthcoming.

Cons - Just plain boring, even the shocking events that unfold towards the end don't suffice enough and seem to be planted there merely for their shock value. Simply put poor script and plot and is just a painfully boring movie to watch. If your a big fan though i am presuming you will like this flick, but even i find hard to imagine anyone could sit through this and not find it a tad dull. I wanted to believe that i didnt waste my time watching this, lol.

1.5/5 Jandals = Excellent aid for those who have trouble sleeping

Watch the trailer for 'The X-Files - I Want To Believe' Here

IM BACK!

Hi peeps *sighs* its been a while, sorry to all my loyal followers (all 5 or so of you :)). I have been mega preoccupied the last month or so, was sick as a dog a while back for nearly 2 weeks and then got a new job so got a tad lazy with updating my blog, lol. Am back now though, and will have to catch up on all the latest movies so i can write some new reviews!!

And no, i haven't abandoned my blog just a temporary absence. Now I'm back so will update my blog regularly with new reviews, news and random bits n pieces concerning films etc. Hope everyone is having an awesome December/pre Christmas time and a big hi to my friends who have gone back to Malaysia/Brunei/Qatar hope your doing ok...will go and stalk all your blogs now *evil laughs*! Peace :)

DEATH RACE - Action/Sci-Fi (2008) ***REVIEW***

An inmate is forced into entering a race in which contestants much kill and beat each other in a violent car race.

This movie delivered on all expectations for me and I'm sure if you have no expectations of grandeur about this film having good plot, drama or romance you too will be happily satisfied with this films performance. It is extremely violent, there is no room for love or friendship and it is dog eat dog in this violent prison sport. I do however think Jason Statham was wasted somewhat as i prefer to see him in films where he has slightly more dialogue and background story, ('The Bank Job', Crank etc) but i do think he held this film together somewhat as he is a superb action actor but is just missing in some character development and you really don't feel much for his character throughout. This was a awesome action movie, just don't expect anything else with your main meal. The racing is pretty cool too, think mad max crossed with crash team racing and this is what you get! Definitely recommended, and you will enjoy if your expectations are in the right place.

Pros - Awesome race scenes in which people are decapitated, killed and maimed in various ways which makes for some gruesome, albeit, entertaining watching. The CGI was superb and along with a futuristic prison setting this movie delivers as much action as anyone would want and then some!

Cons - Lack of an interesting plot, plot twists and a deep story make this film rather 2-D, and tailored only for those who enjoy action flicks. Lacking in anything remotely emotional, romantic or comedic this film offers only violent killing, car crashes and gun fights and has enough of these to make this film something worth watching. As long as you don't expect anything more you will enjoy this film!

3.5/5 = Think 'CTR' but with violence!





Watch the trailer for 'Death Race' Here

BANGKOK DANGEROUS - Action/Drama (2008) ***REVIEW***

An assassin (Nic Cage) travels to Bangkok, Thailand to take care of a few jobs but while he is there bonds with a student he trains and falls for a local woman.

'Bangkok Dangerous' tries to be a lot of things and fails miserably at most of them, apart from the action. Nicholas Cage just cant do soppy drama, romance, comedy or indeed any other form of acting that requires emotion and for this reason this movie doesn't pull off the drama or romance. He does however do some good action flicks and this unfortunately isn't one. Don't get me wrong the action is fairly exciting, good chases and some gun fights etc but it tries to do too much other stuff besides this and in my opinion it ruins and takes away from the action. Give this a miss unless your just in the mood to see someone kick some ass.

Pros - Pretty sweet action scenes, and not bad from Danny Pang from the Pang brothers who traditionally focuses on horror flicks. This is the only redeeming feature of this film, and it only just pulls it off.

Cons - Tries to be what it cant be and indeed cant do, an action/drama/romance directed by a horror movie specialist and acted by a great action star who cant smile or do soppy drama. Unfortunately it gets dull and boring watching this movie try to do these things and takes time away from what could have been more action and gun fights etc. Poor film and if it weren't for the action scenes i would have felt completely ripped off, i now only feel moderately ripped off which isn't too bad.

2/5 Jandals = Its actually funny watching Cage trying to be romantic

Watch the trailer for 'Bangkok Dangerous' Here

TRANSSIBERIAN - Thriller/Drama (2008) ***REVIEW***

A church-going couple embark on a train journey through Russia starting from China. Along the way they meet a pair of mysterious fellow travellers and then the movie starts to get even better!

Wow what a suspenseful thriller this movie was, started of fairly slow, building character and developing the plot but this movie got awesome after the first half an hour. Possibly one of the most suspenseful movies I've seen it really had me guessing as to what was going to happen, plenty of twists and plenty of eery characters. The best part of this movie was the setting, not much to look at but beautiful scenery, not clogged up with big cities, lots of people etc just a nice basic setting which adds to the suspense in this film as you can share the feeling of being isolated that the main characters feel throughout the film. Woody Harrelson plays a train nerd and pulls of this as well as the nerd 'look' excellently, Ben Kingsley was purely genius in this movie! Just go and see this if you get the chance, will have your heart racing throughout the entire movie and the suspense will have you falling of your chair! An excellent film!

Pros - The suspense did it for me, particularly the setting in which the suspense happened as it added to the feeling of isolation that you cant escape etc. The acting was superb from most of the cast, I don't know Russian but Ben Kingsley's Russian sounded awesome! I cant explain the suspense you will feel in words, but it felt like my heart was being squeezed tighter and tighter as the movie progressed while at the same time my butt got closer to falling of my chair! Definitely a movie to watch!

Cons - The starting is slow. That's about it, although it is needed somewhat to develop the key characters in the movie it does tend to drag. Fortunately it doesn't last that long until you get to the good stuff! This movie is great, i cant make you go and see it but if i could i would! Just watch it, its extremely enjoyable.

4.5/5 Jandals = As sleek and shiny as Kingsley's head



Watch the trailer for 'Transsiberian' Here

THE PROMOTION - Comedy (2008) ***REVIEW***

Two assistant managers of a grocery store compete against each other to see who will be the next big manager of a new opening store.

What a flop this film was! After all isn't a comedy supposed to be funny? I could count the number of laughs on one hand and that is being generous. The story could have been so much more and although i did try fishing for laughs, even then they didn't come about. Besides these facts the movie also seems to rip-off 'Employee Of The Month' quite a tad so fails in terms of coming up with something new or unique. It was fairly average at the start and seemed to get worse as the film progressed. It was one of those films where you just want to fast forward bit by bit to speed it up. A fairly boring movie probably not even worth the DVD rental unless you are a fan of Seann William Scott or John Reilly.

Pros - Not much that come to mind, a few laughs at best. The acting is fairly good and although not too funny they do provide the audience with some interesting characters. My mind is fairly blank about what else was good, this movie was just plain boring, grey is the colour i associate with this movie.

Cons - Just a boring movie, acting fairly mediocre, plot and story dragged a lot and seemed to be extremely hollow, a cheap knock-off of 'Employee Of The Month' which in itself wasn't even that great. I don't know how anyone could find this entertaining or even funny and unless your a major fan of some of the cast give this movie a wide berth.

1.5/5 Jandals = Would rather eat a whole onion than sit through this again

Watch the trailer for 'The Promotion' Here

WANTED - Action/Drama (2008) ***REVIEW***

The story of a lowly, depressed office worker who suddenly finds out he has super-human killing abilities that he gained from his long lost father.

A lot of reviews rubbish this film, bad acting, poor plot, predictable etc but i found it quite entertaining. It has some awesome and unique action scenes, not quite as revolutionary as 'The Matrix' but does deliver some fresh surprises. The cast is fairly high-class although Angelina Jolie does deliver a rather stunted performance and it would have been nice to see her with a tad more character development and dialogue. The only reason i liked this film though was because of the entertainment, actions scenes, kick ass gun fights and some fresh new moves is what kept me watching. The story and character history seemed rather dwarfed by the slightly over the top action sequences which is one reason why this movie just didn't fully deliver. That is all this film was really, a good movie to watch if your just interested in eye-candy, gun fights, car chases, blood, violence and a sprinkle of sex and unfortunately people usually want a bit more than just these. But for an action flick it delivered well on these aspects, unfortunately completely lacking in good plot, quality acting and character development. A perfectly good movie to watch if your bored, get it on DVD for a rainy day.

Pros - Jaw-dropping if not slightly over the top action scenes, car chases, gun fights, explosions, bullets through heads etc. An extreme amount of kick ass scenes enough for any action junkie! This is what makes this film watchable, and is probably the only thing that does. There is a slight twist which does add to the movie somewhat, although i wont go into details. A good eye-candy flick to watch when your bored for a bit of entertainment.

Cons - Lack of a good plot, acting is rather stale from what i expected to be good performances from Jolie and Morgan Freeman and the movie just seems to be made up of scene after scene of gun fights and blood. Although these scenes do rock you are left wanting a little more in terms of character development and focus and indeed better plot-development. A good movie, only for entertainment purposes though.

3/5 Jandals = Good mindless entertainment is all it offers

Watch the trailer for 'Wanted' Here

SAW - Horror/Thriller/Mystery (2004) ***REVIEW***

2 men are trapped in the well hidden lair of a psychotic criminal known only as "Jigsaw" and in the meantime must find a way to escape, play the game? Or die?

As it is Halloween night, and considering 'Saw V' has just been released in cinemas i thought it was apt to do a refresher course and go through the first 4 'Saw' movies to bring back some good old memories and prepare myself for 'Saw V' which i am highly anticipating. Therefore this will be the first of 4 reviews until the newly released Saw V! The first installment in the Saw series, this film is genre changing, i have not seen anything even close to matching Saw in terms of twists, grittiness, realism and superb story since 'Se7en'! This movie lives up to all expectations, it is excellently balanced between thrill, suspense, gore, mystery and of course the famous twist which most know is what the first Saw movie is most famous for apart from other things. This is just an awesome movie, most girls i know don't like it which is a fairly good indicator of whether or not a horror movie is good or bad, this movie is therefore excellent and the proof is in the pudding. A masterful film which was the initiator to all following Saw films. A must see, and if you haven't, head down to your local video shop and grab one before you see Saw V!

Pros - A perfect horror/thriller film which changed the face of the usual horror movie in which people just died horrible, gruesome deaths. One of the biggest twists in recent cinema which in its self is a valid enough reason just to see this flick! Mega awesome in every way!

Cons - There was only one thing i noticed that was a bit 'iffy' about this film and that was the acting from Cary Elwes who played Dr. Lawrence Gordon and while it was a fairly good performance, there were a few parts where the acting felt dampened and somewhat out of sync with the film. Of course this might just be me and again its the only thing worth noting and only noted because i couldn't think of anything else! Nothing else wrong with this amazing horror flick, if you haven't seen it yet you are missing out on a LOT!

5/5 Jandals = Break a leg!



Watch the trailer for 'Saw' Here

JOURNEY TO THE CENTRE OF THE EARTH - Adventure/Action (2008) ***REVIEW***

A scientist teams up with his nephew and a mountain guide in Iceland to search for his long lost brother in a fabled land said to be at the centre of the earth, which incidently is based on the famous Jules Verne novel of the same name.

'Journey To The Centre Of The Earth' was an awesome adventure film and had everything you could dream of or want in a movie of this genre. The scenery was heart-stopping as was the portrayal of the mythical land known as the centre of the earth. Brendan Fraser delivers another great performance and seems to do extremely well featuring in Adventure/Action films, this one is no exception and even though i don't particularly like him as an actor he does do an extremely good job in this movie. The story and plot are great even though at times rather predictable and the whole movie delivers an action packed adventure in which viewers can marvel at vast detailed and mythical landscapes and be part of some sweet actions scenes. The CGI was fairly good, although i suspect it would have been better in 3-D as that is what it was initially designed for. A great family movie that anyone can enjoy in my book.

Pros - Awesome scenery, which at times will distract you from the story, cast, plot lines etc which is not entirely bad, it is amazing and the detail to the landscape and indeed the small world they are in is immense. Good acting all-round with another great adventure performance from Brendan Fraser. I actually enjoyed this a lot more than some of his previous movies, 'The Mummy' series for example perhaps because the action was slightly more subdued and the adventure took over which left room for a lot more character development and story. A pretty great movie in which most people will enjoy.

Cons - If you are watching this in 3-D then it will be a great experience and journey, if however you are not some of the CGI and action scenes will seem rather dated in terms of the quality of CGI and might feel as if you are watching a game and not a movie. However apart from this everything seems to go just dandy, no problems at all for me watching this and thoroughly enjoyed it throughout. A definite watch!

4.5/5 Jandals = Awesome entertainment!





Watch the trailer for 'Journey To The Centre Of The Earth' Here

THE ROCKER - Comedy/Music (2008) ***REVIEW***

A drummer who is initially kicked out of his band gets a second chance at fame by joining his nephews band.

Wow, this movie was so 'lol' and i mean literally laughing out loud! From the first scene to the last Rainn Wilson who played 'Fish' keeps on delivering the laughs and he delivers them extremely well. In fact he delivers a great well-rounded comedic performance with some really funny and also gross moments. The movie also progresses throughout really well with a great plot that doesn't get boring and just keeps chugging along. The music for me was the worst part, it was very high-school musical, cheesy teen emo-pop music style and the lead singer sounded too pitch perfect which in turn failed to give it a slightly gritty, real feeling. It was also cool to see a drummer take the limelight for a change, lead guitarists and singers have had too much of the pie lately in music films, so was refreshing to see a drummer show off and someone who wasn't Jack Black was also slightly refreshing. This movie is definetly a watcher, kept me laughing throughout, never got boring and was a refreshing take on the usual music themed movies. Give it a go and I'm sure you'll love it!

Pros - Awesome comedic acting from Rainn Wilson some of the funniest and refreshing I've seen in a while. The rest of the cast also puts on a good show and Josh Gad turns out a surprisingly funny performance. The plot was great and seemed to flow extremely well throughout the movie perhaps not the depth in well known actors but this didn't make one bit of difference, in fact this may have even made it better. A great and funny flick, go see!

Cons - The music was a bit over the top cheesy for me, the lead singer got irritating after a while with his boy band perfect voice but apart from this everything else seemed great and refreshing. This movie gets a big thumbs up for me, i enjoyed the entirety of this film and highly recommend it for a good laugh!

4/5 Jandals = A great movie that even rivals 'School Of Rock'!



Watch the trailer for 'The Rocker' Here

TROPIC THUNDER - Comedy/Action/War (2008) ***REVIEW***

A group of unsuspecting actors are forced into a real life war in which they must act out the soldiers they are pretending to be, although not all of them think it is just an act.

I really wanted to like this movie, before i saw it i read through articles and most if not all were rather positive, calling it the funniest movie of 2008, intelligent, comedic genius and so on and so forth but it just didn't do it for me. Ok so it was rather funny, has some pretty cool action scenes that would rival any hardcore action flick and a star-studded cast with some awesome surprises! But that was it, it was just ok. Perhaps i was expecting too much based on reviews and other peoples opinions about how good it was. The concept of the movie is rather funny in itself, Ben Stiller is still churning out his usual mix of comedy and acted ignorance and Jack Black could have played a bigger role in the film in my opinion. It was entertaining, plenty of satire, irony and slap stick comedy and was not a waste of time at all, in fact i would recommend this film as it will entertain you and make you laugh, the satire and piss-takes of Hollywood are ok but tend to get old really fast after the first half hour. The film is very ok, don't see how it won so much acclaim, but for me this movie didn't do anything. It starts of good, and doesn't seem to get much better or worse for that matter, a rather mediocre film for whats its worth, especially considering all the hype it has received.

Pros - Some good satire, irony and parodies intertwined with a star-studded cast, explosive action scenes and some pretty good comedy. A surprise appearance from a famous actor, i wont tell but see if you can spot him, took me right until the end until i realised it was actually him! A fairly average movie based on the hype it has, but non the less a fair and safe flick that you will no doubt enjoy either at the cinema or home.

Cons - The bad part about this movie was how mediocre it was, it didn't wow me like i thought it would even though i really tried to like it. The acting from most of the lead cast was just ok also, Ben Stiller is doing the same routine, nothing new here, its getting a bit old for me but fans of Stiller will enjoy his performance. The blend of satire, parody and slap stick just doesn't glue, it tries to be smart and intelligent by mocking the very people that financed and made it but somehow doesn't pull it off. A fairly unbalanced film, but will non the less provide some good laughs and some 'ewww' moments and indeed some 'did he just say retard' moments. A fairly average flick, still entertaining though, just don't expect a piece of brilliance.

3/5 Jandals = Nothing particularly special but still rather entertaining

Watch the trailer for 'Tropic Thunder' Here

NEW ZEALANDS FINEST 5!

New Zealand (Aotearoa) does fairly well for a country of around 4 million in terms of movies. Making them, shooting them here and producing top rate actors, actresses and directors, we have a fairly good piece of the Hollywood pie. It was therefore extremely difficult to compile a list of 5 top films that were made or produced here in New Zealand without cutting out a lot of awesome films that often fly under the radar of the mainstream. Although this was the case, i have managed to whittle the films i have seen down to 5 of my favourite movies made right here in little old Aotearoa. Enjoy!

#5 - The Last Samurai (2003)

Much of 'The Last Samurai' was shot right here in New Zealand with a few other scenes shot back in California. And although not based on anything Kiwi, directed by a Kiwi or included any notable performances by a Kiwi it still showcased to the world how beautiful a country New Zealand is and how untouched and raw much of the land is here in Aotearoa. The film was fairly decent too, although it did have Mr. Scientology Cruise as its lead actor.

Watch the trailer for 'The Last Samurai' Here

#4 - Whale Rider (2002)

An awesome film made and produced in New Zealand that has received world-wide acclaim for its moving and amazing story, not to mention the awesome acting produced by (the then young) Keisha Castle-Hughes. The story revolves around Paikea and her struggle to fulfil her mythical destiny while at the same time her Grandfather refuses to accept that this challenge and destiny should not befall upon his Granddaughter. Its a great movie if you get the chance to see it, and again shows off the beautiful East Coast of New Zealand and the amazing untouched beaches and coastlines that surround Aotearoa.

Watch the trailer for 'Whale Rider' Here

#3 - Bad Taste (1987)

I first watched this film in High School during science class when i was about 14, awesome movie and the first film that Peter Jackson directed. Its a Comedy/Sci-Fi/Action Splatter film so is bound to get plenty of strange reactions from people, its just so over the top that it becomes hilarious! Everything is overdone including the cheesy acting and special effects but it all combines to make something, in my opinion, magical. Its basically based around aliens invading a small made up New Zealand town to harvest humans to turn them into fast-food for their home planet! Go hire this if you get the chance, and although it may be hard to track down if you do manage to find it you wont be disappointed! Oh and the entire film was improvised!

Watch the trailer for 'Bad Taste' Here

#2 - Once Were Warriors (1994)

This is a truly moving story, extremely disturbing in parts and unfortunately (or not?) shows the dark and real side of many New Zealand families and indeed communities. It is definitely not a film for the faint hearted, much of this movie make you feel as if you have been hit yourself in many parts and often leaves you feeling slightly sick in the stomach for the characters involved. It centres around a New Zealand Maori family struggling to make ends meet who are constantly beaten by their violent father and husband and are then made to feel like outcasts in the society and community in which they live. An amazing and touching film, reveals the secrets of what life is like for many in Aotearoa and indeed in many other places. Definitely see this, a local and international winner.

Watch the trailer for 'Once Were Warriors' Here

#1 - The Lord Of The Rings Trilogy (2001, 2002, 2003)

One film to rule them all? Finally the finest New Zealand film (films) i have seen, the entire Lord Of The Rings trilogy comprised of 'The Fellowship Of The Ring', 'The Two Towers' and 'The Return Of The King'. All epic movies directed by the amazing Peter Jackson. The LOTR trilogy are not only at the top of my favorite New Zealand films but are some of my favorite films of all time! Adventure, drama, action awesome CGI and battles any King would be proud of, these films really have it all, and for a fantasy nerd like myself it really cant get any better. If you are one of the few who are yet to see these amazing films, go and see them! Its awesome stuff!

Watch the trailer for 'The Lord Of The Rings' trilogy Here

Well there you have it, my opinion of what the best New Zealand films are! Be sure to comment if you have any additions, there are many fine films made here in New Zealand and for a tiny country with a small population New Zealand continues to lead the film industry in many areas of production and special effects. Way to go Aotearoa, Kia Kaha!

STEP BROTHERS - Comedy/Drama (2008) ***REVIEW***

2 middle aged guys who are over reliant on their parents are made to get along when their single parents get married and are forced to move in with each other.

Before i start, i must just say that i am quite a fan of Will Ferrell, every comedy actor has their own style, and for me he is a master of awkwardness and makes me laugh just with his body language. I am therefore slightly biased before even seeing this film, i was expecting something extremely funny as many of his earlier films have been (Anchorman, Stranger Than Fiction etc) and was highly pleased and had a great laugh with this film. Will and John make a great and unique team and pull of loads of funny gags. 'Step Brothers' also has a rather good story line and plot which only adds to the awesome comedy served up by the step brothers and really glues everything together into a highly polished film which will keep you in stitches from start to finish. Had a great laugh watching this, if your not a fan of Will then its probably one to avoid, i know plenty who despise him and find him annoying, if you are one of these then you wont find this funny one bit. If however you are a fan or have never even heard of him watch this flick, you wont be disappointed and for me is one of the greatest comedies of 2008!

Pros - Achieved what it set out to do, make people laugh! Plenty of moments where you will find it hard to control your laughter and may even shed a tear or two, i did in one part anyway because i laughed so hard. This movie also has a good sub-plot playing out with the rest of the family members which adds to this already great movie. Just see it, its a great laugh and well-worth the ticket price!

Cons - If your not a fan of Will or John then you will find this movie painful, it is mostly them throughout so the film does rely heavily on these two main actors to provide most of the laughs. Apart from this everything else was sweet, laughs galore with plenty of bonuses provided from other members of the cast and an interesting storyline. Go and see, but be prepared to laugh and possibly not be able to stop!

4/5 Jandals = Painfully funny! You will either love it or hate it

Watch the trailer for 'Step Brothers' Here

COLLEGE - Comedy (2008) ***REVIEW***

The story surrounds 3 High School seniors who visit a prospective college and venture to experience the wild and rough ways of college students.

Well i had no expectations before watching this and i am so glad i didn't. The same old story, kids go hang with college guys and girls, party, get drunk and try and get laid. American Pie started this whole genre of teen movies and 1 American Pie was just about enough for me. Nothing surprising in 'College', usual teen movie, involves girls, beer, guys, nudity and sex and that's about it little or no real story and utterly boring to watch. Give this a definite miss, unless of course you are a strange person who actually likes watching these 'movies' if they could even be classed as such.

Pros - Nudity and sex is about the only thing that would keep anyone watching this which is probably why these movies are often so popular amongst pubescent teenage boys. That's about it, and that is being generous, nothing here apart from empty space and a good waste of 1 and a half hours.

Cons - Lots of stuff, but because its expected it doesn't come as such a surprise. The story is predictable and dull, acting was bad at best and it really does feel as if you are killing brain-cells by enduring the length of the film. Its a teen movie, don't expect anything and hopefully you wont hate the movie, just feel like you wasted your time. Of course though if your a 15 year old boy, you will probably find this film slightly entertaining. Also seems to rip-off Superbad quite abit, appart from the being good part.

1/5 Jandals = If you listen closely, you will hear your brain-cells dying





Watch the trailer for 'College' Here

GRAVE OF THE FIREFLIES (HOTARU NO HAKA) - Anime/Drama/War (1988) ***REVIEW***

A tear-jerking tale of a brother and sister who struggle to stay happy and alive in Japan during WWII.

I have seen this anime several times, each time different somehow but every time just as sad to watch. Just came back from my friends place where we watched this on DVD it is still such a sad and moving film that its hard to believe you are watching animation. The amount of emotion and drama this anime produces rivals that of any live action film and will leave most people with tears in their eyes throughout. It is simply a masterpiece! The animation is breath taking for something produced in 1988, the plot, score, atmosphere and character performances are all excellent. This movie is truly touching, watch this if you want to know how lucky many of us are to live in such times and to see the purity of love portrayed through the two main characters Seita and Setsuko. A highly recommended film to watch, guaranteed to make any grown man shed a tear or two.

Pros - Awesome emotional drama that will keep you watching, fully engaged and concerned about the main characters. This simply left me speechless as to how to describe how it made me feel, it is so sad yet at the same time it is an amazing story of love between a brother and sister during such a hard and testing time. Just go and see it, even if your not a fan of anime it wont matter, this is a must see movie for anyone.

Cons - I honestly couldn't think of any, and for me this film didn't have any, nothing bored me, everything moved me and there is absolutely nothing i can think of that is in anyway negative about this film. It is just an amazing film, pure and simple. Go and see this, it may even change a part of your life it is that great! I loved it and I'm sure if you see it you will find it hard not to. This film is extremely sad though so perhaps if you don't like really sad movies don't see this. This is a shattering film, absolutely amazing in every way.

5/5 Jandals = One thing you should do before you die, see this film!

Watch the trailer for 'Grave Of The Fireflies' Here

BATMAN: THE DARK KNIGHT - Action/Crime (2008) ***REVIEW***

Batman and members of the local law enforcement are heckled and harassed by the elusive Joker who proves to be more troublesome than first expected. It soon leads to chaos in Gotham and pushes everyone to the end of their tether.

Ok, so i am quite late in reviewing this flick, its not saying i don't like Batman comics or the films I've just never been a huge fan of them. I wont go and see a film just because it gets a lot of hype from Hollywood or because everyone thinks its popular, in fact most treasures i have found have been straight to DVD productions and leave no trace of advertising or hype. In saying this though i rather enjoyed the 2.5 hour film 'The Dark Knight', it was surely entertaining, in some parts dark and unlike any other comic to movie adaption i have ever seen before. For me this is what made this movie, it wad dark, gritty and in some parts really creepy thanks to an awesome performance from the late Heath Ledger as the Joker. Apart from the obvious kick ass scenes, chases, explosions and an in depth and fully-rounded plot the best thing i like about this movie was that it seemed so different and more real somehow than any other comic to film adaption (Spiderman, X-Men, Iron Man etc) i had seen. Which in a way made this movie more suitable for late teens and 20's rather than younger people. A really good film that you probably wont regret, not a must see at the movies but go if you get the chance!

Pros - Action, explosions, grittiness and creepiness from the Joker. Great acting all-round with a well known cast which probably cost a lot and it shows :P. The best part as said earlier was the ways in which this movie came across as dark and real, unlike any other comic movies i have seen. This in my mind was the redeeming factor in making this film a stand-out and completely unique, thus a must see for anyone fan or not! Plus Heath Ledgers acting was amazing! A must see even if only for this reason.

Cons - One thing i noticed was the length of the film, 2 and a half hours is quite a lot for some and in parts i admit i felt a tad bored where i felt i was watching a re-run of CSI rather than a super-hero movie. Luckily the movie timed the action sequences and explosive scenes just right so that you didn't completely fall asleep throughout the movie. That is probably all i disliked about 'The Dark Knight'. It was a tad long in my book, and towards the end just wanted it to hurry up and finish! Apart from this, 'The Dark Knight' is top class film definitely worth seeing either at the cinema or at home!

4/5 Jandals = Thankfully lived up to the hype!





Watch the trailer for 'The Dark Knight' Here

BABYLON A.D. - Sci-Fi/Action/Adventure (2008) ***REVIEW***

Babylon A.D. is the tale of of hired mercenary who takes the dangerous job of transporting and protecting a woman from Russia to America. Although a simple task on the surface, he does not know the importance of the mission and indeed the importance of the woman to all of man-kind, until its too late.

This movie was great at the start, went ok through the middle then completely flipped and took a nose dive. There were some great action scenes, fans of Vin Diesel will be absolutely satisfied with some 'OMG did that just happen' moments from him and some fairly good character development for him and the other main cast members. The annoying thing is this movie could have been so much better, i just wanted it to end differently when the movie finished. Plenty of loose ends left untied as the end credits role which is the main reason why i didn't particularly like this movie. Don't get me wrong, it was enjoyable throughout the majority of the film, but the ending leaves you feeling robbed of 90 minutes and robbed of what could have been a much better film.

Pros - Much of the film was completely fine, good acting, good cast and some kick ass action scenes and bad guy beatings. The CGI was also awesome for a film with a budget of $60 M. Awesome film for about an hour, then be prepared to be disappointed. Michelle Yeoh and Melanie Thierry provide the audience with something else if you get sick of Vin Diesel and pull of a great performance, particularaly from Melanie who plays the other lead role of Aurora.

Cons - The ending, i wont tell you what happens but it seems to finish extremely fast, somewhat like they were trying to just get it finished for the sake of it. Unfortunately the ending does let the rest of the movie down and will leave you slightly annoyed that they didn't clear things up a bit better towards the end. Good movie for some actions scenes and a bit of a unique story but the ending leaves it, for me, a movie not worth the cinema ticket or indeed the price of a rental.

2/5 Jandals = Good if you like films with little or no plot

Watch the trailer for 'Babylon A.D. Here

DRAGON WARS - Action/Fantasy (2007) ***REVIEW***

Mythical creatures are foretold to return and destroy the planet based on Korean myths.

I really felt like i wasted my time watching this movie, i even feel I'm wasting my time writing a review for a film like this. In fact now that i think about it, this would be closer to a warning than a review, a warning to not see this film, ever, ever, even if its free!

Where do i start! The acting was atrocious, the plot was as thin as a McDonald's serviette, the storyline throughout was boring and seemed to go nowhere at all. Worst of all the 'action' scenes and CGI were horrible, the CGI was ok if it was in a game perhaps but not what i would expect from a film with a $75 million USD budget! This film was an all-round waste of time, i wouldn't be writing this if it were not for the reason, to warn anybody thinking of watching this to not!

Pros - Nothing, this film was absolute rubbish! Ive seen better acting and plot in porn movies.

Cons - Just about everything that could go wrong with a film went wrong in this one, perhaps one, and the only redeeming feature of this film was that i actually had a laugh, not because it was funny, but because it was funny realising how absolutely rubbish it was (perhaps i was just trying to make myself feel better for wasting time but i did have a laugh AT this movie). Rubbish all-round. This film will take some beating to claim the #1 worst movie i have ever seen! Never see this, unless of course you enjoy wasting your time and hard-earned money.

0.5/5 Jandals = I'd give it 0 but i felt sorry for it

Watch the trailer for 'Dragon Wars' Here

TOP 10 MOVIE VILLAINS!

A fellow reviewer recently did a top 10 list of movie villains, pretty darn good too! Check it out if you have a spare few mins, well worth it!

Check out the Top 10 Movie Villains on The Stormtrooper Effect Here

THE STRANGERS - Thriller/Horror (2008) ***REVIEW***

The true story of a couple who are terrorized by three unknowns in a country holiday home on their weekend away, but it gets much... much worse.

The fact that this story is based on true events is sufficient enough to provide enough creepiness and make you feel just that little more on edge and because it is based on true events it differs in many aspects from a lot of other Hollywood thriller/horror flicks. I was expecting a lot before seeing this, Liv Tyler was the stand-out amongst the cast and did a decent job in my opinion. There were a few jumps and plenty of tense moments where you don't know what to expect next. The starting was rather stunted though, but it did provide good character development to make you feel enough for the characters involved. I liked it in some aspects, it provided enough creepiness and jumps to keep me watching but that's all it did, the acting and dialogue was rather plain and the plot rather predictable (it was based on a true story so this cant really be helped), an alright movie but for me it only scrapes through and just gets away with making you feel like you got your moneys worth.

Pros - Good thrills, jumps, blood and creepy stalker people make this movie a good one to watch if you don't expect anything else. The fact that its based on a true story make it just that little bit more realistic and adds an essence of scariness not easily achieved from any other made up story.

Cons - Rather boring at times, plenty of silent times when the suspense builds up and seems to just disappear. Somehow i just didn't feel satisfied when the movie finished, not much plot twists and much of the film was extremely predictable but i guess that's good in a way when you just want to watch a movie and get some jumps and thrills without thinking. Average flick, just don't bother seeing it at the cinema, it is though worth renting on DVD when it comes out.

3/5 Jandals = Some good thrills, just wait for the DVD though

Watch the trailer for 'The Strangers' Here

TAKEN - Action/Crime/Drama (2008) ***REVIEW***

Well, where to start! 'Taken' is about a retired government spy who uses his extensive experience and skills gained whilst working for the government to track down the people responsible for the kidnapping of his daughter... in a nutshell.

This movie was simply awesome for an action flick, my heart raced throughout the entirety of this movie, stopping briefly to go to the toilet. Plenty of cliche bits and pieces to keep any action fan boy amused and entertained, the story was awesome, the acting, particularly from Liam Neeson was brilliant and portrayed his character with surgical precision (if that makes sense), i just loved this film. The movie is engrossing and you really feel what the main characters are going through and towards the end are genuinely concerned by what happens (well I was). I don't know why it gets rubbish reviews, sure there are certain parts where its terribly cheesy and cliche, other parts the action scenes seem slightly non-human, but that's what a good action flick is all about. Definitely go see this, it wont change your life but it will keep you blardy entertained!

Pros - Absolutely awesome action scenes! Engrossing story and characters with excellent character building from the start. It really will keep you on the edge of your seat, with your heart pounding and leaving you scared to blink in case you miss something! Pretty much everything else you would expect from an action movie but more, it actually has a good story, good acting and plenty of drama, thrill and crime chucked in for good measure.

Cons - Umm, nothing. This movie for me did all it set out to do and more! and because of this i cant really find anything wrong with it worth mentioning, if you don't like action films don't watch this, if you don't like cliche action stuff don't watch this, that's about it really. You have to see this film, worth double what you will pay to see it!

5/5 Jandals = Think the Bourne trilogy... without Damon and with class!

Watch the trailer for 'Taken' Here

HOLIDAY? YES!

Hi folks, been ages since i last blogged, my Mum visited me for the weekend so didn't really have time, but have now found time to update my blog as its looking fairly crusty and cob webby.

Haven't really watched much movies lately too, will be sure to catch up on that though :P Hope everyone is having a good week and has a great day tomorrow! Ciao

ANNOUNCEMENT! VIDEOS NOW ADDED

Hi everyone again, no i don't have withdrawal symptoms lol, just a quick announcement to say that I have now added video trailers to ALL film reviews and will be doing so for all future film reviews. Thanks to Emma and Jazz for helping me with the link things :P


Everyone have a great day! :D

MOVIE REVIEW REQUEST!

Hey everyone, hope you're all having a great week, weather has been good here so everything is sweet, although its planned to rain on Friday/Saturday which sucks. Anyway Just dropping by to say i had a friend from high school ask me to write a review for the upcoming horror movie 'Quarantine' which is due for release on the 20th November at Hoyts NZ.

I thought this was great, not getting paid or anything but its coolness someone asked me to write a review, hehe :P so thanks Jimmy from high school, will be sure to see the movie as soon as its released, it looks awesome as anyway!

Watch the trailer for 'Quarantine' Here

DECEPTION - Thriller/Drama/Romance (2008) ***REVIEW***

Deception is the story of an accountant who is introduced into a high class, secret sex club by his new 'cool' friend. However, with his new 'hobby' of going around and meeting up with women for 'services' he becomes a suspect in a murder case and gets involved in a multi-million dollar raid.

Before writing this i went and searched for reviews relating to Deception and to my surprise most of them turned out to be bad, most said the acting was bad, it was full of plot holes, slow and predictable and not nearly enough thrilling for a thriller. I however found this to be a great movie, sure it had small parts where it went a bit slow, most movies have this and is used to build character and develop relationships with the characters in the story which i thought it did excellently. It was thrilling enough for me, but not too much so that it couldn't involve other aspects of romance and drama and dare say it, comedy, like a fine meal it had balance in the key elements of the dish, much the same as this film had balance in its key aspects.

This movie did go from great to awesomeness! I never got bored throughout, and some parts were darn creepy thanks to fine acting from Hugh Jackman (X-Men etc) and Ewen McGregor (Star Wars etc), there was plenty of mystery and thrill with a sweet twist at the end (don't worry i wont ruin it :P), overall it was an awesome film, definitely go see it! Sorry for the long description, but this movie deserves it! :P

Pros - Awesome acting from Hugh Jackman and although hes not in for allot of the middle the parts where he is he excels perfectly. Thrilling, intense, romantic, oh and plenty of fan-service for those interested in the nudity and sex parts of this film (which were pretty cool) :P Great from start to finish, good character development and some sweet twists throughout!

Cons - Not much i could think of, fans of Hugh might be slightly disappointed as he leaves the film for most of the middle part, but this is crucial for the story, the other parts however he rocks! A few predictable moments, but not so much that it doesn't make you think, a nice easy movie to watch with plenty of thrills and intense story that will get you immersed into the film! Go and see this the first chance you get, you wont be disappointed!

4/5 Jandals = 99% guaranteed viewing pleasure!

Watch the trailer for 'Deception' Here