174 - Jawbreaker

Connection To OFFICE KILLER - Carol Kane.

Maybe I wanted another Heathers, that's probably where my disappointment comes from when I originally saw this back when - I know one positive though for me it introduced me to Judy Greer (this wasn't her first role just the first thing I saw her in).

The film is sort of Heathers meets Mean Girls (though it predates it by some 5 years) it's just not as good as either and watching it now after so long it's a bit better then I remembered, and yes having being released in the late 90's, it feels all... well late 90's to me.

The plot is kicked into gear in a stupid way (thought that then, still think it now), 3 friends accidentally killed their other friend on her birthday when they "kidnap" her but a jawbreaker in their mouth then tape over it before putting her in a boot and she dies in the meantime.

I imagine they did have Heathers on the mind in some ways when they writing and making this creating the 90's version, while both are black teen comedies the former just manages the tone much better.

Character wise Rose McGowan is pretty good as the alpha bitch as is Julie Benz as the basically a lackey to her, the third girl and the one who feels guilt at the incident Rebecca Gayheart is not particularly good though to be honest. To me the film belongs to Judy Greer who manages to play shy and nerdy and bitchy and confident both equally convincing (usually a film fails at transformations this is a rare get it right).

There is some appearences from a number of other familiar faces with Carol Kane, Pam Grier, and very, very small roles for Carrie's P.J. Soles and William Katt (seriously they get in the opening credits and are both on screen for about 5-10 seconds), and it feels like one of the few films I've seen Tatyana Ali in.

There is another Carrie connection, that got established last year, Greer actually makes a pigs blood reference related to the book and film and then went onto play the gym teacher.

Overall, 90's dated and tonally imperfect but there is shining moments in this movie, none more so then Ms. Greer. I'd say watch it if it's on but there's no need to hunt it down.

151 - Titanic (1943)

Connection To TRIUMPH OF THE WILL - Nazi propaganda.

I don't feel like I have to put a Nazi disclaimer here like I did with Triumph Of The Will - for the simple reason it's a movie I feel like you judge on it's own merits, this could have been shown to somebody - tell them it was made in German in 1950 or whatever and in my opinion they would never know that it was commissioned by Goebbels - though it never actually got shown in Germany itself (out of fear of weakening morale rather then boosting it)

On paper, how it was initially described to me I thought it was going to be full of pig-headed Brits or Americans ignoring the dangers or faults on the Titanic while the German's stand by being in the "right" - and to be fair there is a little bit of that, but it's probably related to the reason it never got the German showing (occupied countries got to see it) is maybe the story is a bit too human.

Obviously it sounds silly saying that after all - the story of the sinking of the Titanic is a human story told countless times on the big and small screen, I just don't think when it was commissioned this would put a human face on the Nazi's enemies.

So on it's own merits, it's up there with A Night To Remember as the best film about the sinking of the Titanic (I don't have the bile for the 1997 movie like some do, it's just not my favourite telling), it's notable I mention A Night To Remember, because that film actually takes footage from this movie and re-uses it - which sort of fits in with what I said earlier, take the Nazi element out of it's background and you have no idea.

This was the first Titanic movie that seemed to set the structure of what was to come - concentrating on the passengers before the disaster strikes, it's sort of like the proto-disaster movie in a lot of ways, who would have thought I'd be saying that from a film from the Nazi's hey!

Overall taken on it's own merits, this version of Titanic stands alongside other versions, this would be talked about more I know for sure if it wasn't for those pesky Nazi's (how many times have I used that word in this write up?) because it's really a film that should be remembered.

146 - A Time To Kill

Connection To S*P*Y*S - Donald Sutherland.

In my opinion the most engrossing John Grisham adaptation, that's not to say it's without faults - it's just the one I'd pick off a shelf to watch - A Time To Kill takes the story of a father gunning down the two men who raped his young daughter - and adding race into the mix.

And that's really it's selling point - because it's set in the Deep South, so yeah race is really an issue - which is where one of the films tensions comes from even bringing in the KKK - while the scenes are well done you can't help but think it overflows the film a bit including threats and attacks to the characters linked to Matthew McConaughey's young lawyer who takes the case.

Of course the other tension is related to the trial of Samuel L. Jackson which does end up including the films most famous line ("YES THEY DESERVE TO DIE AND I HOPE THEY BURN IN HELL!") which I think with the subject matter would have made an interesting film on it's own (as in only seeing the trial). 

There's quite a cast of familiar faces including Sandra Bullock, who is not bad in the movie but in a lot of ways is a character not needed for the film at all - but I guess she's there to add star-wattage.

One thing I noticed about the film is how sweaty it is - most noticeable with Ashley Judd (who plays McConaughey's wife). This is not a complaint just a statement.

The thing I had most trouble with is the ending and the final argument by McConaughey - it's a great heartbreaking speech but I failed to make the leap of why it would get Jackson off with the murders.

Overall overlong and too many plot strands but very watchable with a good cast and a main story you are interested in, so I would air on the side of recommended.

143 - The Road To Wellville

Connection To WAYNE'S WORLD - Dana Carvey and Lara Flynn Boyle.

I was looking online after watching this film and noticed the Rotten Tomatoes aggregate is 41%, and a user rating of 5.7 (out of 10) over on IMDB, this surprises me because that's means most peoples opinion of this are average or below average at best - it surprises me because this will be my - I think - third time watching it and have enjoyed it every time.

To be fair, it's hard to tell who the movie was originally aimed at on release - there's sex, naked skin, but none of it is particularly sexual (I did enjoy however as a teenager - Bridget Fonda's nipple in the milk bath scene) and though it's based on a true story (though heavily fictionalized), the subject matter just might not be of interest to true story movie fans.

I could actually see Anthony Hopkins as Dr. Kellogg being distracting to people with his accent and buck teeth but me, personally liked that Hopkins was willing to do something a bit different. Matthew Broderick and John Cusack are enjoyable support but I do wish Bridget Fonda's character was a bit more clearly defined but that was in the writing, nothing to do with her performance. Dana Carvey as Kellogg's adopted son I thought was among the film's more enjoyable performances.

Overall, a film that I think dares to be different - which probably why opinion is so underwhelming as was the box-office, but for me it was a nice (breakfast) treat.

137 - Nightmare In Badham County

Connection To CARAVAN OF COURAGE - Fionnula Flanagan.

Last year, I watched the 70's movie The Great Texas Dynamite Chase - which I found great, why I mentioned this, is it is related to how I discovered this movie and that was typing in the Great Texas Dynamite Chase in YouTube on the PS3 and it clicks through various uploads - often full films - that have a similar vibe, whatever going for them and this was one that just stuck out to me.

So yeah I totally went Harry Knowles there telling you about something so not relevant to my opinion of the film - but I guess I just wanted you the fictional reader to know how I came across this movie and sometimes it's worth leaving it up to chance where you get took.

Women-in-prison (or in this case women-in-prison-farm) movies are popular for obvious reasons - potential nudity, potential lesbianism, both jump to mind - even the Netflix show Orange Is The New Black (which has both) shows there is still life in this sub-genre, you can be shocked by the way the women get treated but you can also revel in it's T&A.

Nightmare In Badham County started life as an ABC TV movie but did get released in foreign markets (it was a huge hit in China) with added nudity and the like - this is the version I assumed I watched since there was full frontal, which I can't see being on ABC.

Two girls - one white, one black (which is relevant in the film, because they get segregated once in the prison farm) are pulled over by dodgy sheriff (an enjoyably slimely turn from Chuck Conners) who ends up after they verbally get the better of him a cafe comes up with trumped up charges, that with the help of judge (Ralph Bellamy - also enjoyable) who ending putting the girls in the prison for a minimum of 30 days.

While the film does feature the usual standards of women-in-prison films including the not mentioned yet sadistic prison guards, I found it very enjoyable from start to finish - I was rooting for the girls to get out of there and the bad people to get their comeuppance SPOILER which the first part of the sentence only half happens and the bad guys - no comeuppance END OF SPOILER.

One moment of lesbian/nudity I wanted to point just for the reason of who's in the scene and it was one of the sadistic prison guards being played by Fionnula Flanagan, I bring this up because she has a full frontal scene, and is weird the number of films I've seen with her as an older woman, just not somebody I expected to add to celebrities who I have seen nude.

Overall, well worth a watch particularly if you are fan of this sub genre, it didn't feel like a TV movie at all so don't let that put you off, I'm easily on the side of recommended here.

135 - Under The Rainbow

Connection To JAY AND SILENT BOB STRIKE BACK - Carrie Fisher.

The legend of the debauchery that the actors who played the Munchkins in The Wizard Of Oz still exists today, even the star Judy Garland helped add to the legend talking about it on the talk short circuit in her later years, however most signs probably point to not really being true - that didn't stop a film being made about it 1981 - with an added Nazi/Japanese subplot.

Though the film flopped hard on release I couldn't help but like it - I think I am forgiving of films from the 1980's then any other decade (Soul Man being a prime example) - there's plenty of groan-worthy jokes in here (including one that actually sets a plot into motion, which I'll get too later).

Maybe the film would have been better recieved at the time if they forgone the plots that didn't involve the Munchkin performers being all chaotic in the hotel, the film spends it's time mostly concentrating on Chevy Chase's bodyguard for a foreign ambassador and Carrie Fisher whose been employed by the studio to wrangle the actors, which at least both where in their prime - Princess Leia spends a portion of the movie in her bra - and this flop was a blip on the career of Chase rather then the later par of the course for him.

There's enough going on the movie though to stop it from being anything but boring - you'll recognize an all bunch of the little people actors just from other stuff you've seen with the focus on the little people, and only a couple of jokes really hit the spot.

Overall, I enjoyed it on the whole, I could nitpick the criticisms many people give this but I think it's worth giving it a try.

122 - The Fearless Hyena

Connection To THE INVINCIBLE EIGHT - James Tien.

Before watching the remastered widescreen version of this in it's original language recently, I had only ever seen the full screen dubbed version on VHS, this mean't my opinion had been that to say it most diplomatic - this was one of Jackie Chan's lesser efforts - but seeing it how it was mean't to be seen - I have to say this film is a lost classic - in my humble opinion it deserves to be mentioned in the same breath as Drunken Master and Snake In The Eagle Shadow (seriously).

Going back to the VHS days - I hope I can explain this well, we are talking this is 1990 - 93ish my brother was starting his lifelong love for Hong Kong cinema and particularly Jackie Chan and with him buying the VHS means I got to see (albeit dubbed) classics such as Police Story, Project A and Wheels On Meals - and there was sort of 2 Chan camps, the early Chan and the more recent Chan, the early Chan where worse prints and worse boxes, everything means I saw them as the lesser films, that's what Spiritual Kung Fu was (called Karate Ghostbusters) or something like Half A Loaf Of Kung Fu, and of course (to remain relevant) The Fearless Hyena, and like I say these titles where lumped together as before Chan's prime - even though some films like this where made after Drunken Master - and was no way going to get as much play as Police Story.

The Fearless Hyena which was also Chan's directorial debut (from 1979, the year after Drunken Master) was I think him trying to prove a point - there's loads of fighting, comedy but also drama (just to prove he could do it), some of this was probably aimed at the director Lo Wei who he had up until then recently being under contract to just to say if you let me be - look what you could have had.

While it's not entirely original (even in the Chan oeuvre) hitting the marks as you would expect, there is both vintage Chan fighting and Chan comedy (and Chan in drag as the picture suggests), and while some scenes might echo say Drunken Master, Chan adds enough to them to make them seem fresh.

Overall, avoid the dubbed full screen and if you get a chance to see a decent print in the original language to me you'll be beyond pleasantly surprised. Recommended.

121 - The Invincible Eight

Connection To THE VICTIM - Sammo Hung who worked on the film and can be seen briefly.

Strictly (UK) speaking from my point of view here - The amount of Hong Kong cinema on DVD compared to what's potentially released is quite low, true a lot of the work from the HK superstars is available - but alas sadly it seems, a lot of the company that release these titles, end up going bust sooner or later including the awesome Hong Kong Legends, and even though it would be nice to have DVDs of many of the films, places online like YouTube have end up being awesome featuring stuff that is not necessarily the easiest to come by and best of all they can often come in the original language.

Which brings me to The Invincible Eight, an early film from Golden Harvest, at one point the homes for Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan among others, which I got the chance to watch online - this did get a release on the Legendary Collection in Hong Kong itself which all of sudden out of nowhere all went out of print - which is directed by Lo Wei who did go onto direct the first two Bruce Lee Hong Kong films and Jackie Chan (which wasn't a creative partnership), actually this was made the same year as The Big Boss with all signs pointing that it was made before.

I really did end up enjoying this - I was expecting something Magnificent Seven like, based on the title alone, and to be fair I think there is shades of a western movie influence in here, you tell me the last shot of the movie wouldn't be out of place in a western? The plot is basically 8 people who end up with revenge on their mind, and involves them eventually teaming together to take down the big boss.

To me this was Angela Mao's movie, it had the most energy whenever she was on screen, and are character was among the most enjoyable but it was pretty good the eight had distinct enough personalities to stand out from each other.

Overall, there is probably better kung fu movies with better fighting etc. but I was left satisfied and was rooting for the eight to get their revenge, if you like the old kung fu movies there is no reason why you won't like this. 

120 - The Victim

Connection To ENTER THE FAT DRAGON - Sammo Hung.

Sammo Hung like a lot the actors working in this time period in Hong Kong (let's say early 70s to early 90s) where often prolific, multiple films released in the same year where there American counterparts might have not have done half their amount. What is great though say - about Sammo Hung films is that you are discovering new films all the time, which never ever end up being quickies made around some of their most famous work, they stand up on their own as pretty cool flicks.

While it's fair in my mind to say 70's period kung fu can sometimes blur together because I think of similar locations/clothing and the inevitable of the same actors popping up - six degrees of HK cinema is probably the easiest game in the world - they are films that I want to see - there's usually a cool villain, cool fights, revenge (often the master or relative like the father) which make them reliable and fun.

And whilst The Victim doesn't stand out too much it's still a film I enjoyed thoroughly, maybe because it had a bunch of the hallmarks of these period kung fu movies plus the whole Sammo Hung-ness (yeah that's a thing... apparently) of the movie make the film a good watch.

I must say the villain with his eye-patch I kept thinking Bond villain, but I think it was subconscious in many way because it hit me that he looked like (a Chinese) Javier Bardem, who yeah was the most recent Bond Villain.

Overall, not a game-changer in it's genre but a solid movie with decent fight scenes and the occasional good laugh, recommended.

119 - Enter The Fat Dragon

Connection To SOUL OF BRUCE LEE - Both of these films fall into the Bruceploitation category, though this is a satire of the phenomenon.

As a long-time fan of Sammo Hung and a fan of the Bruceploitation genre this film was an absolute treat - so much it was like it was made to please me (though it came out 4 years before I was born).

The film most closely follows the plot of Way Of The Dragon rather then Enter The Dragon (though there is a great sight gag early on spoofing the movie - also should point out Hung actually was in that movie) and we get Sammo Hung, who's character is obsessed with Bruce Lee acting like he is Bruce, even at one point in the movie getting a job as an action guy on the set of a Bruceploitation movie - in which he ends up in the fight with "Bruce" which becomes a pretty cool message - if you are going to pretend to be Bruce, show you are as good as Bruce.

Like the best kung-fu comedies - the kung fu is awesome of course but the comedy is actually funny - comedy moments that are universally funny and not just to the HK audience - it's odd that this film seems a little unseen in the Western world compared to some of his other classics, but there is plenty of Hong Kong films I've seen on import or whatever and thought the same about.

The opening is cool featuring Hung fighting a number of people including Mars, briefly Meng Hoi (who as a kid is in Enter The Dragon) and finally the awesome Yuen Biao, and there's plenty of cool fights in between and the final fight where he takes on three fighters one by one is cool, however how I do say this - there is a black man, a white man and a Chinese man (this isn't the start of a joke), the black man looks a bit like it could be a white guy in black face, times where different then or just could be the guys original pigment.

Overall, utterly enjoyable from start to finish, well worth it for fans of Bruce Lee and/or Sammo Hung, with the running time just flying by I don't hesitate to recommend this. 

118 - Soul Of Bruce Lee (Soul Of Sonny Chiba)

Connection To SAMURAI REINCARNATION - Sonny Chiba (again).

A little bit about Bruceploitation before I start this -

When Bruce Lee died in 1973 leaving only a small filmography and a huge fanbase, opportunist Asian filmmakers started making films trading on the Bruce Lee name - the mean't we got an whole host of imitators including but not limited to Bruce Li, Bruce Le and Dragon Lee (notice the pattern when it comes to name), we also got a number of films that where mean't to be biographies (though in fairness Dragon - The Bruce Lee Story would be as about as accurate) , we also got a couple of films attempting to do Game Of Death (this is before Game Of Death) and the story Bruce Lee might have intended, there was "sequels" - so we got Big Boss 2, Fist Of Fury 2 etc. and there's also films that put "Bruce Lee" in sometimes odd adventures (but I won't spoil any of them in case I want to cover them)...

So to be honest why am I mentioning Bruceploitation in a film starring Sonny Chiba - because he was awesome in his own right and nothing to do with these cash-ins (that I love) it's because of the marketing of the film - it's often called Soul Of Bruce Lee but as nothing to do with him, so yeah I take the marketing of the Bruce Lee name to sell the film as Bruceploitation - this is Bruceploitation at it's loosest term - but it still counts.

This was an enjoyable entry into the Bruceploitation genre or Sonny Chiba oeuvre - whichever way you want to look at it - the dubbed version I watched was suited to the film at hand and even had a bit of an Abbott and Costello routine in it - not sure intentionally - the guy he is searching for to avenge is master's death sounds similar to Someone - so you'd get him asking "I'm looking for someone" - which to me just added to the charm of the film.

Overall, if you love old kung fu movies of the 70's you'll find enjoyment in this. For me the Bruceploitation element maybe to a minimum but the Sonny Chiba awesome-ness is here and in tact.

117 - Samurai Reincarnation

Connection To SUSHI GIRL - Sonny Chiba.

I own over 20 Sonny Chiba movies - to some people this might not sound impressive, but bearing in mind here, over the last year I've down-scaled my collection (turning it into an online business), so the part that makes it impressive is that Chiba was one of the few actors who got out unscathed (Bruce Lee also did but obviously he didn't do as much stuff - so it's not as impressive).

I think my love with Chiba started when I got a cheap transfer of the first Street Fighter movie - dubbed but a good quality print - I saw the potential, one birthday my brother get me the British box-office of the three films - all great prints in original language, while at the same time he got me another Chiba set (from the same company all in original language. I think after that I was a bonafide fan - I even now own 2 original posters - one French (for Street Fighter's Last Revenge) and one Yugoslavian (The Killing Machine - probably my favourite movie of his), and though most of my collection is subtitled, I still own some dubbed - mostly because it's the only way I can see them - Samurai Reincarnation is one of those dubbed ones.

The dubbing is bad... I mean you expect the dubbing to be bad on Asian films but this one stands out even among them - they couldn't have got the tone wrong for most voices even if they tried and that kind of takes away from what is a pretty awesome film - seriously I would love to own this in original language, maybe it's out there and somebody could guide me towards it.

I could just see what I would have liked or loved about it if I got to see a decent version of the film - the fight scenes, the set design - this for me showed all the potential in the world, this is the first time in a long time a dubbed version of the movie as honestly took something from the movie.

Overall, I'd say recommend for the movie itself but not recommended for this version if that makes sense, the film deserves a decent treatment that wasn't the version I saw, so yeah that's my word on it.

116 - Sushi Girl

Connection To KABOOM - James Duval.

It's fair to see this film features some of the cream of the crop of the b-movie genre - this is not mean't as a slight at them, but just it's a collection of cool actors - many often will appearing in awesome stuff but you could accuse them of signing on for any old shit (bills got to be paid!)

And I don't actually think most of the actors where here to get the bills paid I think at some point there was a modicum of potential to be pretty good at one point that is just lacking from the finished project. The film is a crime-movie come torture porn...

Which brings me to torture porn - and maybe reason why other people could like this more then I did - it's a sub-genre (whatever you want to call it) that just had zero appeal to me, me I'm not squirmish to gore, it's just your Hostels and Saws where not the sort of horror I was after - so take this into consideration from now on on here (and the blog).

It's not a film I particularly cared for, it wasn't really dragging me into the torture porn element started to come into the mix, Mark Hamill was fairly entertaining in his role, and you can't fault some of the other guys - awesome performers like Sonny Chiba and Danny Trejo are basically cameos honestly - one scene of torture involving teeth got me just because of my fear of dentists, which will get a lot of people though we do get the benefit of the camera not showing it.

Overall I could see some people like this film honestly because it will give them exactly what they want - it's 2 movie genre for the price of 1 and it might be two genres somebody loves, but for me it was not a film I liked very much.

114 - Mysterious Skin

Connection To 50/50 - Joseph Gordon Levitt.

I'm really putting myself through the ringer today it seems - a film about cancer followed by a film about child abuse... Now, Gregg Araki is the sort of director, who to be fair can alienate people, something like Nowhere is a film I actually like in it's oddness but I remember watching it with somebody and the best way to describe it - is they didn't like it at all - which to me is what you can say about a lot of Araki's work.

This to me with every Araki film taken on their own merits is the best film he has ever made - a film that at times can be a tough watch particularly the early scenes of abuse and later SPOILER rape and attack in New York City END OF SPOILER but is a film worthy of your time and attention.

The in your face homosexuality of the movie might not be to everybody's taste (I'm talking to you in particular homophobes), there is a number of gay sex scenes while don't show any of the act, linger on them, so for me no problem, and same for a lot people I know but hey some people will be put off by it.

You would think a movie where one of the main characters believes he was abducted by aliens would be a turn off but it's played off really well in the film - as is, how do I word this - the opening scene showing the start of the abuse, his baseball coach molesting him - the way it's filmed is shown really well how a pedophile would befriend a youngster to let lower their guard, like it's shown from the kids point of view how they would see the guy.

Overall, often tough going but a really rewarding experience in the long run. The film is pretty dark for the most part but it will stick in your memory for a long time to come.

113 - 50/50

Connection To THE 40 YEAR OLD VIRGIN - Seth Rogen.

I think I've been holding off watching this honestly because of the cancer subject - It not exactly an easy subject to be in the mood for, even a film like this that allows moments of comedy - the truth is a lot of us will have known somebody who has fought cancer (or worse - lost someone), so yeah it was about the right time for me at least - well come to think of it to be fair, the first time I had a chance to watch this is when I first got Netflix, and I like most people where indulging on Breaking Bad - so yeah I think it really was a case of too much cancer.

I'm glad I've finally watched it since it was a film I really liked - it wasn't too side-splittingly funny that it distracted from the serious of the movie and yes it wasn't too downbeat that you are absolutely depressed watching it.

For me the characters felt real - from the pair of older cancer patients, to Levitt's girlfriend at the beginning of the movie (played by Bryce Dallas Howard) to Seth Rogen's best friend to Anna Kendrick's inexperienced counselor - they all felt like real people having to deal with this situation, but it's Joseph Gordon-Levitt's make make no mistake about it.

This might sound a weird comment to make but I wish more "disease" movies where like this - able to show all sides of the emotion, whilst most prefer to concentrate on the sad side.

Overall, not a film I'm going to watch much in my life because I don't want to put on a "cancer" film, but if I see it again I can see myself being just as affected by it.

112 - The 40 Year Old Virgin

Connection To THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER - Paul Rudd.

Before seeing The 40 Year Old Virgin, I already brought, watched and loved the DVDs for Freaks and Geeks and Undeclared. So I actually think my mind going into this would be different to somebody who hadn't seen either of these shows would know despite the title that the film as the potential to have heart.

I think the title does make it sound like it will be American Pie but with an older character, a desperate odyssey for a virgin to finally get laid - but it's not really like that, it's his new friends that are pushing him to get laid, but the only way the truly know how to make him appeal to women is to give him Lothario traits that never suit him, but I think the message is actually the exact opposite to American Pie which message seem to be lose your cherry as soon as possible so there's no more pressure to this films hey just wait until you yourself are ready, which is ultimately the better message of the two for me.

While it does have something in common with American Pie and that is comedy set-pieces - the infamous chest waxing scene which Steve Carell did for real is probably the films most famous moment, though there is other funny scenes including Carell talking to Elizabeth Banks' book shop worker in only questions ("do you like to do it yourself?") and Apatow's wife Leslie Mann drunk driving are among the stand out scenes.

Overall Apatow's directorial debut is probably still his best film - the others haven't proven they have had the same re-watch-ability like this movie has. The cast are on super-form and has time to be a bit disgusting whilst still having a heart. Recommended.

111 - The Perks Of Being A Wallflower

Connection To THE BLING RING - Emma Watson.

I was invested in this film from start to finish - pretty noticeable for me since it came right after watching The Bling Ring... This film had characters you could get behind and even a neat twist towards the end of the film.

For me this is the first bonafide proof that Emma Watson can make it away from Harry (her fun turn in This Is The End came after and is basically an extended cameo despite her name making it onto the poster) who too me carried off the American accent - generic as it may be - pretty well, but that's just the opinion of a Brit and I do think she is the best thing about this film. You could say why our main guy would hold her up as the ideal woman.

The film is set in the early 90's but it's really not that clear in a lot of ways to be fair - it's following the book but they could have moved the time period backwards or forwards and I don't think it would have had an effect either way - maybe it would have been easier for the youngsters to know that this super hard song that they don't realize what it is Heroes by David Bowie, if it was set any later or sooner because for it seemed like a song they should have known.

I thought the mental health aspect of the film was covered well in a non judgmental way - I think a lot of because could identify with wanting to fit in with more "normal" people as they see them but know their past experiences could hold them back.

Overall, a really well done film, so many aspects of it I liked - I would recommend it especially if you've felt like a bit of a social outcast or something like that.

110 - The Bling Ring

Connection To GET OVER IT - Kirsten Dunst who has a small role here.

Good on Sofia Coppola - she's managed to put the backlash of her perform in The Godfather Part III behind her and as managed to have a successful career as director, but me the truth is her films have ultimately left me cold, her most acclaimed film so far Lost In Translation just left me bored to tears if I'm honest and I'm a big Bill Murray fan and like Scarlett Johansson too.

I think the story intrigued me of The Bling Ring though, based on a true story in the Hollywood Hills, of a bunch of teenage criminals (mostly girls) who rob from celebrities such as Paris Hilton and Orlando Bloom.

The sad truth is, yeah this left me cold like the majority of her work (Virgin Suicides in fairness I remember liking but it's been so long since I've seen it), like Lost In Translation or Marie Antoinette I felt nothing while watching it. It feels easier to write something when you loved it, or had so much fun watching it or the opposite end where the film was just so bad you can just have a go at what you didn't like about it.

The film brought to mind - Spring Breakers - though both are different films other then pretty girls commit crimes - in the fact that is really what is most memorable about them, we had some ex-Disney princesses in Spring Breakers going against type and here we have Emma Watson and others, I mean there is a lot of prettiness going on here but the entire thing was just nothingness.

The film feels like bored teenagers talking, do robbery, the aftermath, doing it again and repeating until they get caught, are we supposed to feel anything for these bored kids? Because I sure as hell don't, I don't necessarily ask to be able to identify with characters in films but I at least want to feel their motivations perhaps.

The person to me who came out of looking this film the best for me is actually Paris Hilton - who had a small non speaking role - she was one of the real celebrities robbed (multiple times) and actually lets her real house be used in the film, I thought that was actually pretty cool of her and she didn't mind letting herself look stupid.

Overall, the scores on the net suggest the score is a little bit of a notch above average, so there must be people out there who liked it but for me it was such a cold experience that I didn't end up really enjoying. 

108 - Lucky

Connection To INTERSTATE 60 - Ann-Margret.

On paper it was intruging premise, a black comedy about a serial killer winning a huge amount on the lottery and getting the girl of his dreams (who all the victims look like) but seriously a black comedy needs to be funny - which this is only in spades (unintentional pun related to the chosen picture).

To be fair the lead pair - Colin Hanks and Ari Graynor - really do try to work with what they've got, the performances show there is potentially a better film in there (and the pair would be up to it to star) but it's really hard to know who we are supposed to root for - the serial killer or the money grabber - and the movie never really decides. I know you could say that you don't after always root for the character but in the case of the movie I believe it's down to the film's writing.

I thought the ending was quite predictable, I'd predicted it pretty accurately including a character's death, though Graynor's performance in the later scenes do deserve mention - she is genuinely a talented actress who has not found her true role yet in my eyes.

Overall, count yourself lucky if you haven't seen this (thanks I'll be here all week), a sad example of talented actors stuck in a film that simply doesn't work, a film that lives up to none of it's potential and there is so many better black comedies out there. 

107 - Interstate 60

Connection To SMALL APARTMENTS - James Marsden.

Sneaking onto DVD - bypassing the cinema completely - with very little fanfare despite a decent cast - and never growing any sort of following, Interstate 60 is an hidden gem of a movie.

Written and directed by Back To The Future co-writer Bob Gale, the movies problem could be that it was hard to explain without it sounding a little bit odd or even pretentious, the film is basically a metaphysical road movie.

James Marsden meets Gary Oldman who grants exactly one wish to each person, and he ends up wishing for answers, which sees him travel to the non existing Danver alongside the also non existing Interstate 60, which includes hoping to meet the girl of his dreams he finds himself on many little adventures.

A lot of these little adventures are very enjoyable from the museum of fake art, to a town obsessed with suing because everyone is just about a lawyer to a town that every inhabiting as on a particular drug to Chris Cooper who is a hitchhiker but would rather employ somebody per mile as in enter a boss/worker relationship.

Marsden carried the film really well I thought, you feel like he is a guy who deserves good things to come his way, at the time it was also unusual to see Oldman in a American film and not be the film's villains, BTTF alumni Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd are in this too, but Fox is more of a fun cameo - other people who pop up include the Pink Power Ranger, Kurt Russell, Ann Margret and Amy Smart as the girl of his dreams.

Overall, such a cool little movie, this is about my third time seeing it and still enjoy it as much, I recommend it because I do think you would be in for a treat if you watch it.

106 - Small Apartments

Connection To MONSTERS UNIVERSITY - Billy Crystal.

You know I ended up liking this movie more then I thought I would I think I might have entered it with a little bit of prejudice, maybe because I'd heard the word quirky being mentioned (see Ghost World for me talking about quirky) and the film gradually got more enjoyable as the film went on.

While the beginning - the aftermath of what looks like a murder - is not really as intriguing, I wasn't wondering what had happened - Matt Lucas with the dead body of his landlord and Lucas is clearly not running on all cylinders, and over this we meet a series of characters, which is where the more time we spend with them the better it gets.

We have residents of the apartment block played by James Caan, Johnny Knoxville and Juno Temple among others and I chose them three particularly because they stood out the most for me - there is also none resident roles for Dolph Lundgren and James Marsden who I won't spoil their roles too much but are enjoyable. The film however belongs to none-resident Billy Crystal and a fire chief detective investigating the murder (makes sense in the context of the film), which to me proves Crystal is still capable of great work if the material is right.

Overall it's probably a film I may never watch again but it did creep up on me, by the end I had forgot about not been interested in the beginning but I would say watch it, like me you might end up liking it.

105 - Monsters University

Connection To GHOST WORLD - Steve Buscemi

Behind Toy Story, Monster's Inc. was probably the Pixar film that I would most welcome a sequel too, more so then A Bug's Life, more so then Finding Nemo (which is getting one), more so then The Incredibles... wait scratch that Incredibles and Monster's Inc. where probably neck and neck when it came to which one I wanted a sequel and certainly more so then Cars - which made a load of money and it did get a sequel, Cars remains among my least favourite of the Pixar output.

But it turns out we wasn't going to get a Monster's Inc. sequel but rather a prequel... which mean't no Boo, her and Sully's relationship in the first movie was a great element of it, but I guess we miss out on having potentially a 13 year old Boo which probably would have been a bad thing.

Monsters University does a credit to Monster's Inc. - even adding another dimension to that great film - a nice opening quelled the fears I had that this had the potential to be a film that I would enjoy. Though the film as the college movie cliches it works because - obviously - they are monsters the ones doing this.

I expected that Sully and Mike would not be instant friends - I knew we was going to see the birth of their friendship which again it was enjoyable seeing them on opposite ends before learning to accept each other then the friendship. I had no idea Randall (Steve Buscemi) was in this movie, so was great to see him not be the villain, I kind of wish - to use a wrestling term - showed his heel turn (he starts good, joins a frat but there is no evil turn for him).

I would say the new side characters are not quite as memorable here on the role, the rest of their frat are great but many of them don't stay in the memory quite the same way the predecessor did but it's not a complaint - they've had years to imprint themselves maybe a second viewing of this could change that.

Overall, a film I enjoyed watching from start to finish - Pixar on their game, such as here means adults and kids can watch it together and both love it, this comes recommended for me (like it means something).

103 - The Avengers (Avengers Assemble)

Connection To VIEW FROM THE TOP - Mark Ruffalo and Gwyneth Paltrow.

You got to hand it to Marvel Studios - planning ahead - 5 movies it took to get to this point - Iron Man, Iron Man 2, Thor, Captain America and The Incredible Hulk (which sees a recast here) and giant failure in there and it could have put a damper on getting this far.

Avengers Assemble (as it's called here in the UK likely because of the Steed/Peel Avengers) brings together all those heroes plus Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) and Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) who haven't had their own solo movies in 2012's best comic book movie (I would have said Dark Knight Rises but that movies plot holes seem bigger every time I think about it).

Joss Whedon, is both a great and odd choice for a director depending which way you look it - great because he's done plenty of quality work - Buffy, Angel, Firefly - but odd when you consider Firefly didn't make a season, and Buffy and Angel where never rating juggernauts (He did write stuff like Toy Story that was hits though so he's proved he can be involved with a bonafide hit) but to me it's like Sam Raimi when he was given Spider-Man or Peter Jackson Lord Of The Rings - these guys proved they could do awesome on limited budgets so why not give them the keys to the candy shop...

The film's ace in the hole - which is probably true in the film Marvel Universe as an all - is Robert Downey Jr., you feel he really IS Tony Stark and is engaging every time he's on screen, Mark Ruffalo the replacement Bruce Banner is great - I'd go as far to say he's better then Eric Bana or Edward Norton in the role and would welcome seeing him in a solo movie, I think Chris Hemsworth's Thor is one of the least interesting Avengers characters (the first film was good though, haven't seen the second) and Chris Evans is an enjoyable Captain America. I liked Tom Hiddleston as - Thor's brother and film's villain - Loki, but... I suppose he's not really a big enough villain in someways for the movie.

That is a minor niggle, and another minor niggle is they spend time with some of the S.H.I.E.L.D characters etc. but they have nothing to do once the Avengers show up, obviously we want more Avengers but it seemed a set up that say Agent Hill (Cobie Smulders) might get more to do as the film goes on.

Overall, this is what comic book superhero movies should be like - exciting all the way through, and you want to stand up and cheer when the Avengers unite.

102 - View From The Top

Connection To JUST LIKE HEAVEN - Mark Ruffalo 

For me this movie failed to take off...

Ha ha ha... you see what I did there, because it's about flight attendants. Sadly this lame joke of mine that I couldn't resist is really about the quality of the movie.

I struggled through this because as a comedy it's never funny, you can blame 9/11 all you want (the film was made in 2001 but limped out in 2003 because of those attacks) but it would have just flopped in 2001 in my opinion if the release that year went to plan.

Where do I start, because there really isn't much to talk about - it was not a film I really cared for, Gwyneth Paltrow is an actress I've never really loved (she's done decent work in fairness) and Mike Myers smaller supporting role is hilarious - no wait it's not funny in the slightest.

I really wasn't a fan of the colour scheme of this movie, it felt ugly to look at especially in the costume design - I guess they was trying to go for retro looks (a lot of it's look's 70's - bad 70's) but it just didn't go for me. The last half hour I just wanted to end because the film was really dragging towards it's finish line.

Overall, there is nothing that stands out - well in a good way - there is much better films to spend your time watching, if you own it on DVD and haven't watched it yet, just leave it on the shelf or give it away there is nothing here to see. (so yeah a short write up for the film, doesn't deserve more words).

100 - Little Nicky

Connection To A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET 3 - Patricia Arquette

Adam Sandler, more then anybody working in the comedy genre gets accused of peddling the same shtick in movie after movie - and there is no denying that it's a fact... but, and here's to me the thing people seem to ignore - Sandler as ventured out of that shtick plenty of times - and they whether it's a drama or comedy/drama that tend to have one key thing in common they don't really make money...

So for better or worse Sandler as tried to do stuff a but the audiences have mostly stayed away where they have shown up in droves to see Chuck and Larry marry, 2 films that are basically vacations for him and his mates and have him play brother and sister... Sandler is stuck, but he and they are making the money.

Which brings me to Little Nicky, which as the distinction of being in the vein of his usual shtick but also a film that didn't set the box office on fire (like in Hell, ha ha ha ha) - I have just spent two paragraphs basically defending Sandler, because to be fair I do actually enjoy his films - not all, I purposely alluded to four in the above paragraph that I didn't like and are probably the four people would hold as the nadir of Sandler's filmography. And so Little Nicky, and despite it's tone sometimes not feeling too right is a film I enjoy.

Sandler though does make a weird choice for his face and voice for the entire film - as in why didn't somebody say to him before production - are you seriously going with that? Maybe somebody did and they was fired or maybe people just had faith in Sandler but his role is quite likable as the idiot-good soon of the Devil (Harvey Keitel) who's 2 other sons (Rhys Ifans and Tommy 'Tiny' Lister) angry that their dad is staying on as ruler of Hell end up going to Earth, which causes his dad to detorate which leaves it only to Nicky to go back and get them.

He meets a love interest along the way played by Patricia Arquette - is her character supposed to be ugly? Because Patricia Arquette is far from ugly, but she fits in with the comedy thing of making you believe she could fall for the schmuck, he also gets help from a dog Mr. Beefy (voiced by Robert Smigel) 2 devil worshipers and his actor roommate (obviously gay) who are played by Sandler's real life friends.

Since this is a comedy I'll ask myself the question - who delivers the funniest performance? Well in my opinion and it's only a small role is Lewis Arquette (the father of Patricia) as the Cardinal that's been taken over by Ifans. I laughed more at his screen time then anybody else... especially when you compare it to the unfunny cameo by Quentin Tarantino.

Other people who appear are Rodney Dangerfield as Lucifer, the Devil's Dad whose entertaining being Dangerfield, Kevin Nealon who gets forced to have tits on his head, I don't think Jon Lovitz or Dana Carvey's cameos are funny as they could have been considering who there are. We also get Carl Weathers reprising his Happy Gilmore role, Reese Witherspoon as (DELETED FOR SPOILERS), Henry Winkler as himself and Ozzy Osbourne also as himself - which when watching it again recently just made think this was just before The Osbournes TV show so this was the last time he really had the true mystic as The Prince Of Darkness.

Overall, there is enough funny moments to make it worth a watch, but there are scenes and characters that are simply not funny, worth a watch I think.

99 - A Nightmare On Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors

Connection To A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET 2 - Sequel and Robert Englund of course returns from the previous installment.

Of all the Freddy sequels (including New Nightmare) this is my favourite - this was true when I was a youngling and true now. Maybe I liked it most as a youngling because of it's connection the first one - two characters return and the "kids" are probably the most memorable here.

I should point out though that I am aware this was the first film that really set the formula for the three films after it - Freddy tailoring the nightmares to the kids and Freddy quipping one-liners - it's just like and I think I mentioned this in talking about Batman Forever, where I said the elements that people disliked about Batman & Robin where already there in Forever they just wasn't as bad.

This was the only one of the Elm Street sequels besides the meta-New Nightmare which had any input from Wes Craven (he co-wrote the script) and perhaps that be a reason why this is the best sequel... because it's closest to the classic original.

Heather Langenkamp returns as Nancy and yeah... she's not exactly an amazing actor this time around either but it's really good having her back in the fold - here the action is set in an hospital ward where all the youngsters are scared of sleeping, obviously most people just think there are being crazy except trainee Nancy.

Speaking of the young cast - Patricia Arquette making her debut is Christine, a girl who ends up on the ward when Freddy makes it look like she slit her own wrists, already here she shows talent, Jennifer Rubin, was somebody you would have thought had a much better career but that's the way it goes sometimes.

The tailored nightmares best two are among 2 of the early ones - the puppet master and death by TV - I think because it's fun seeing the denial of the hospital staff after these ones before Craig Wasson's doctor starts getting on board.

SPOILER - My one complaint is the film the IDIOT BALL moment of the end - The Dream Warriors have beaten Freddy, and Nancy's dad (John Saxon) who was just killed trying to bury Freddy's bones shows up as a spirit to say goodbye, everyone stands by looking on happy that Nancy gets to say goodbye and see hugs him, guess what it's really Freddy and this results in her death. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid - END OF SPOILER.

Overall a great horror film in it's own right, a few adjustments and it could have stood on it's own and still be remembered, the stuff that would come most associated with Freddy are only just starting here so they are at a minimum. Recommended.

98 - A Nightmare On Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge

Connection To A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET - Robert Englund and oh, yeah it's the first sequel.

The gay Elm Street film...

I'm not saying that out of any sudden case of homophobia (in previous write-ups, I've attacked films for using homophobic dialogue etc.) but rather stating a fact, an obvious move on the part of the director in my opinion.

This was probably my least favourite of the Freddy films growing up because it wasn't like the others, there's no kills in the same way quite like others, as a kid even see Freddy kill somebody via video game (the nadir kill of the series for me) was more exciting to me then anything the film had to offer.

So, yeah I enjoyed it more watching it as an adult, the homoerotic subtext adds an all another level to the film that I obviously didn't pick up on as a kid (the S&M bar was just a regular bar for dudes in my eyes) and the shower scene straight after was just one of the films more memorable kills.

Watching it now, looking back I kind of wish the Freddy films took more chances like it did here to divert from the formula, I don't mean quite like this but there was more ways the character could have gone rather then Freddy just killing everyone in their nightmares in new and exciting ways.

Negatives for the movie is - and this is a double edged sword - there is nothing quite as memorable as any of the other Freddy films, which is a shame, as if there was was I imagine I would be pushing the virtues or it much harder.

Overall, the subtext (or sometimes just text with the more blatant moments) make me appreciate this film and they got away with it for so long, it should be commended for being different it just doesn't stay in the memory for too long after.

97 - A Nightmare On Elm Street

Connection To WHAT'S EATING GILBERT GRAPE? - Johnny Depp.

Some horror villains seem to become instantly iconic - Michael Myers, Pinhead, Jason, even Chucky among others and of course probably my favourite of the bunch - Freddy Krueger.

The A Nightmare On Elm Street films where regularly viewing for me as a kid - I'm not sure why I was allowed to watch them, I was allowed to watch most horror I don't remember getting told I couldn't watch a particular one, I did have a self imposed rule though - I would put a video on before bed, the rule was never a horror just in case it give me nightmares.

When I started writing that sentence I actually didn't plan on ending it with the word nightmares but it's more then suitable, and I think that is the magic of the Elm Street films (even the lesser ones and there is plenty of them), most of these other horror villains as scary as they are can only get you in real life, Freddy though can get you in the thing we've all got to do our sleep and he's the one in control.

Objectively A Nightmare On Elm Street is a film of some genuine scares but also I have to admit of bits that look dated, but for a film that holds up this well it's not worth holding them against it (the phone bit - just how it looks was one of the scenes I was talking about and the very last shot is worth mentioning).

This film belongs entirely to Robert Englund, whose performance helps make Freddy an instant iconic character, which makes up for the let's be honest mostly not so great teen performances (Johnny Depp included) - which I'm not saying they are bad just not stellar. This first film doesn't forget that Freddy is mean't to be an hideous child-killer while the later sequels seem to think he was a badly burnt stand-up comedian (he would do well on America's Got Talent).

I think this film had more atmosphere then any of the sequels (including the good ones), Nancy seeing Tina in the clear body bag is still a haunting image (sorry there was plot spoilers for a near 30 year old film there) and Freddy's appearances are kept to a minimum so the mystique is still there.

Overall, still holds up remarkably well - the more recent remake didn't capture what was so special about this... they didn't realize - a film this good makes you overlook anything that is dated about it.

96 - What's Eating Gilbert Grape?

Connection To STEP BROTHERS - John C. Reilly and Mary Steenburgen.

So what is eating Gilbert Grape? A lot really... a dangerously obese mother who hasn't left the house in years, a brother with severe learning difficulties (who is about to turn 18 and wasn't expected to live past 10) and stuck as the "responsible" one in his family in a dead end town.

I should flashback a bit to when I first saw this, in my teen years while I was still at school, before seeing this I used to make jokes about a friends overweight mother - while his mother wasn't as heavy was the mother here - I guess the film told me not just people on their size, so there you go ladies and gentlemen films can make a difference.

How would I rate Gilbert Grape though? Well to me it's a well made films with some great characters but perhaps tries a little bit hard at times to pour it on and can be a bit obvious when trying to get you to feel the emotion it wants.

I'll talk about the two performances first that most people will take from this movie, firstly Leonardo DiCaprio as Gilbert's young brother Arnie - the aforementioned brother steals focus anytime he is on screen and proving you can go full retard (Tropic Thunder reference if you didn't know) if the performance is this good, he captures what Gilbert does say early in the film in his narration in "that some days you want to kill him" - giving you a really good overall feeling about what it would be like if you was caring for Arnie.

The other performance is Darlene Cates as the mother, who really was housebound for years and I think it was a talk show appearence that caught the eye of director Lasse Hallstrom in casting her, as a non-actor she does really well, to be a couple of her lines reading her awkward - but Hallstrom, whoever should have been the ones ironing them out - the films best emotional moment for me was when Arnie gets arrested for climbing the water tower one to many times and she lives the house for the first time.

The rest of the cast are pretty cool, Juliette Lewis perhaps gets the most underwritten character but works great with what she's got, John C. Reilly whose obsessed with a burger franchise coming to town and Crispin Glover as a mortuary assistant (perfect casting) are good as Gilbert's friends. Johnny Depp does carry the movie though, he is our avatar and don't think the movie would work quite as well.

Overall a very good film, that's it's main weaknesses might only bother me but this is little with a great cast who are all endlessly watchable.

95 - Step Brothers

Connection To ANCHORMAN 2 - Will Ferrell and Adam McKay (ending the three film adventure for now).

By now (films like Stranger Than Fiction aside among others) Will Ferrell (like Adam Sandler) as settled into what works for him as far as audiences go, he's usually either man-child or buffoon (or both), Step Brothers is arguably him at his most man-childeness (yeah I inverted a word to suit my needs), I mean he acts like a child (as does John C. Reilly) and it's not the fact that they still live at home is that even in their 40s they want and have zero of the responsibility  Ferrell and Reilly co-starring together had already proved an enjoyable thing (Talladega Nights) and the pair as rivals then friends are enjoyable to watch however which way play off of each other.

Like all the Will Ferrell-Adam McKay films (the third in a row covered here) the plot is slight and is an excuse to do gags, which depending on your tolerance of Ferrell is going to factor in how much you will enjoy this movie. Ferrell and Reilly starting off as antagonists before coming friends (or allies or lovers depending on film) is actually quite common in his work when you think about it - Blades Of Glory (two rivals end up teaming up), Anchorman (Veronica and Ron start at each others throats), The Other Guys (cops who don't like each other end up with respect and friendship) are a few that come to mind.

The funniest bits for me juvenile as they are including a ballsack on a drum kit and an attempt by the brothers to turn their beds into bunk heads that doesn't go too well.

Overall, it's important to say this if you love or like Will Ferrell then you are going to like this, hate him: don't waste your time and tut through it.

94 - Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues

Connection To THE OTHER GUYS - Will Ferrell and Adam McKay.

Sequels that come out along time after the original, there's always a fear isn't there - if you are a fan of the original, the positives of that film have spent years building up in your mind. I think comedy in-particular might just have the hardest time, the upcoming sequel to Dumb & Dumber as been long-waited and the original is much loved and it's been 20 years (which feels unbelievable I remember going to the cinema twice to see it). Anchorman 2 didn't take quite as long though with 9 years, but it's fair to say it's popularity built up over the next few years after it, so yeah it's got a lot to live up to.

To be honest, the best way to perhaps describe it is as a slightly inferior copy of the original, though the story is different, the elements of the original are certainly there - a rival newscaster, even Veronica and Ron's relationship is somewhat reset to the antagonist elements of the first, there's also the newscaster fight (which is bigger with so many surprise cameos, none of them I will list to not give away the surprises) and thankfully Brick is still... well as Brick as you want him to be.

So I did enjoy it... an important element for me at least of a comedy film is that it needs to be funny and it's funny, and it's probably the callbacks to the first movie that perhaps yield the funniest moments - James Marsden echoing Vince Vaughn from the first movie - funny. Brick being Brick - funny... this time he has a love interest in Kristen Wiig... the newscaster war - funny, among other things, but it feels there is slightly less plot going on here then the first time around and it's a film that doesn't have the same quotability factor (I Love Lamp, whales vagina etc.) but maybe time will tell on that front.

I think the returning characters valubility stayed the same for me - Brick is still the MVP, while others just get to be in his shadow but still have their moments. Of new characters not mentioned Meagan Good is a decent new foil/love interest for Burgundy while Harrison Ford honestly doesn't make that much impact.

Overall, yeah a sequel of diminishing returns but there is still enough funny in here to make it worth a watch, if you didn't like the first one don't bother with this but if you did you'll be suitably entertained.

93 - The Other Guys

Connection To LOVELACE - Bobby Cannavale.

By now (fictional readers of this blog) you can see I'm back on a role, I wasn't lying when I said outside forces took me away from a blog that I enjoy doing, and I'm not quite back onto doing obscure titles like I did before, but they'll be starting back with time, I hope to include some more world cinema which I've touched on briefly so far, but bear with me when I do the backlog and starting getting into a different variety of films.

While film haves mocked the buddy cop genre better in the past (and since actually) this is still an enjoyable romp, the lead pair "the other guys" - Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg have decent chemistry I mean it's not Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum in 21 Jump Street but it is pretty darn good, there's a fun smaller roles for Samuel L. Jackson and Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson convincing as the superstar cops. I think I did feel like I got more value out of the smaller roles thinking about it Rob Riggle and Damon Wayans Jr. are entertaining as rival cops as is Michael Keaton as the police chief.

While the story line is not entirely uninteresting, in all honesty it's not that exciting, it's likely just an excuse to get the guys from scene to scene - which there is really no iconic scenes of to mention, there's funny scenes yeah but they'll be nothing that stays in my mind in the years to come.

Overall enjoyable, just don't expect a film that will revolutionize how you see the comedy genre but to repeat myself it's a film of good chemistry all around.

91 - Mean Girls

Connection To HOT TUB TIME MACHINE - Lizzy Caplan.

MEAN GIRLS IS A MODERN CLASSIC - Yes capitalized for emphasis - I bloody love this movie. It's also a movie I can feel sort of proud that I discovered the goodness of it first - I was loving it before other people had ever heard of it - at least in the circles I've traveled with.

And Lindsay Lohan... Lindsay, Lindsay Lohan I wish you could have stayed like this - so cute, not stick thing - and not become the tabloid car-wreck you have become, you might pull yourself out of it, I hope so - films like this proved you had IT, seems like a lot of the female cast have got healthier careers then you though at the moment.

Mean Girls was perhaps the best teen comedy to come along in a while when it was released in 2004, the best since 1995's Clueless certainly, I preferred it to American Pie and it's sequels or an whole rash of teen comedies or varying quality but Mean Girls, was well just SO FETCH (had too).

I remember Mean Girls being love at first sight for me - the film was clever, funny and I could just tell it was going to be instantly quotable - to the point I could annoy friends (you go Glen Coco...) and though my school was never like this (with queen bees and the like) but the characters where easy to get behind.

It's hard to know who shines brightest in this film - Amanda Seyfried's airhead Karen? Daniel Franzese too gay to function Damien? Lizzy Caplan as Janis? Amy Poehler as Regina's Mom (who is not that far off in age from Rachel McAdams in real ife)? Are just among those who shine, I would argue Jonathan Bennett as Aaron as the de-facto love interest make very little dent compared to many of the other characters.

Special props should go to Tina Fey who co-stars and who wrote, I didn't really know too much about before seeing this as I had not seen SNL for a few years at this point but she instantly made an impact on me and enjoyed seeing her work since.

Overall, a film that gets even more beloved with time, and a film I saw highly recommend, if you haven't watched it out of prejudice against teen movies give it a chance you won't be disappointed.

90 - Hot Tub Time Machine

Connection To ZACK AND MIRI MAKE A PORNO - Craig Robinson

I'm a sucker for time travels movies - whether there going backwards or forwards - I like The Butterfly Effect, despite some wonky acting from Ashton Kutcher - but for some reason the first time I watched Hot Tub Time Machine it did nothing for me.

Which is weird because another thing I'm a sucker for his the 80's - which is the exact time period they go back to. So I ended up watching this again, just out of everything's packed away and there is nothing else on the television, and I wouldn't go as far to say my opinion changed to love, but I ended up liking it.

The film literally sees our main characters go through time via a hot tub to the 80's which is when the ski-resort there are at now was booming - John Cusack, Craig Robinson and Rob Corddry even look like there 80's self to other people, the fourth member of the group played by Clark Duke who's Cusack's nephew in this gets to look like himself having not been born then.

To be honest it does shock me even after upgrading to like that this film is getting a sequel, it feels like the films story was told and there is no need for a further adventure in my opinion.

The main 4 do make a good team and there's some faces familiar to 80's movies fans (William Zabka, Crispin Glover, Chevy Chase - yeah I'm aware these had careers before and after that decade). Lizzy Caplan as the love interest for Cusack doesn't particularly have that much to do.

Overall, not my favourite time travel movie at all, there's bits that are at least funny and more stuff clicked for me the second time I saw. Watch like I did if there is nothing else on.

89 - Zack and Miri Make A Porno

Connection To SUPERBAD - Seth Rogen

Do I think it was intentional that Kevin Smith or Miramax wouldn't think it would be the worst thing in the world if people confused it for having some sort of involvement from Judd Apatow?

I think so in my humble opinion, though we have some of Smith's regulars such as Jason Mewes, Jeff Anderson and his wife Jennifer Schwalbach, we have slightly more with connections to Apatow - Seth Rogen, Elizabeth Banks, Craig Robinson and Gerry Bednob (who plays the same character he normally does for Apatow). So yeah that's why I think so.

And to be fair the stuff Apatow as normally done and the stuff Smith as normally do, they've never been a million miles away from each other, both can go gross but show heart at the same time, I just think Apatow (including his producing credits) as got a better oeuvre - I did used to hold Smith in higher esteem but I've think with time I've moved on from him slightly.

Rogen and Banks play platonic best friends since high school, who share an apartment and struggling to pay bills whilst working at coffee shop, some younglings take video of Banks in the back changing and reveals she's wearing granny panties this makes her a minor internet celeb, the pair attend their high school reunion where they get talking to Bobby Long (Brandon Routh) who Banks had a massive crush on, but it's revealed he is gay and they get talking with his boyfriend - played by Justin Long, who talks to them about the gay porn he stars in, the pair decide to cast and star in their own porn movie including friends and people they audition.

If you buy into the premise I think you'll enjoy the film more - predictably Zack and Miri are paired up in their sex scene which ends up being more tender then what porn scenes are usually like which predictably stirs the feelings that ends up causing the rift in their relationship.

I did groan (giggity) that they initially chose Star Wars as the film to do a porn parody of, mostly because that is the most predictable way they could have gone, but they end up having to rewrite it and doing it (giggity again) in the coffee shop after hours... shades of Smith's debut Clerks there.

The supporting cast is cool and as the film goes on you do get a sense of a family unit (giggity) building around them, the cast includes some porno stars past and present alongside the Smith and Apatow clan.

Overall, it's far from limp but it's honestly nothing that Apatow is doing (usually better), there's funny stuff and it's engaging so to me it is worth your time.

88 - Superbad

Connection To NICK AND NORAH'S INFINITE PLAYLIST - Michael Cera.

So yeah... I spent much longer away from this blog then I planned too... the truth is I got into rhythms with some TV shows thanks to streaming sites - Orange Is The New Black Season 2 and the first 4 (of 5) of Community - which is a show I'd know I'd love if I got a chance to see it, and yeah I did...

I can't see myself keeping the same speed I did back in April, dips could... probably will happen again, I'm a bit up and down when it comes to writing, I lose faith very quickly - which is often why you see bits of self deprecation all over the place.

I have decided to implement a new rule - well not really implement but rather make an amendment... well to my only rule and that is about the same connection being allowed to be used more then once... I have decided to change that - though I will endeavour to mix it up when it comes to connections, if I get into a role based around a franchise or even a director or actor, I don't want to force myself playing around trying to find a tenuous connection.

This beginning was a bit long-winded without even talking about the film I'm going to cover here, I decided to ease myself back in with a film that I've seen more - and I know that I enjoy - one of the first films that it was clear the Apatow Crew (is that what you call them) are going to be around (I know The 40 Year Old Virgin beat is by 2 years) but I think this and Knocked Up where clear that these guys - often  unconventional leading men - where capable of opening movies.

Superbad on paper seems like a teen plot that's been done a million times - teenagers in quest of something and getting themselves in one situation - sometimes dangerous - after another and the lads in the quest of buying alcohol is their MacGuffin,

What works is we split the time between Evan (Michael Cera) and Seth (Jonah Hill), named after the two wrote it when there was actual teenagers (which is impressive) - Evan Goldberg and Seth Rogen - and the misadventures of Christopher Mintz-Plasse who decided the best name for his fake I.D. was McLovin and he ends up on an adventure with 2 cops (Rogen and Bill Hader).

I think this film help made me a fan of Bill Hader, who now as a proud position on the list of my favourite all time SNL cast members (which includes Phil Hartman and Amy Poehler on that list), and also interested me (and the world) to the goddess that is Emma Stone (making her movie debut) making you believe that yeah a kid like Jonah Hill could stand a chance with her.

So yeah films don't always have to be the most original premise wise it's what you do with it that counts, Superbad works cause the premise is so thin that you can just spend the film enjoying the characters and the scenes.

Overall, endlessly watchable, I've seen it at least 4 or 5 times at a guess and I still laugh at much of it, so yeah I'm going with highly recommended.

87 - Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist

Connection To THE HOUSE BUNNY - Kat Dennings

Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist is the sort of film where there is a clear divide in what I liked about it and what I didn't.

My main criticism of the movie is it feels like it's trying just to hard to be cool and hip, the bands that get named even Nick's band are supposed to show you how cool these people are, and I think it's certainly a negative of the movie that brings it down a notch or two.

To be fair, though there is enough positives in this - Nick (Michael Cera) and Norah (Kat Dennings) at least have a relationship in which you can sort of care if they get together, there's also decent support from Ari Graynor who finds herself in misadventure after misadventure mostly in thanks to her constant intoxicated state.

I don't think it's the most memorable movie, I can say liked it but only remember certain bits of it - Graynor retrieving gum from a toilet is one stand out scene - so I would probably file it under not the worst way to kill a couple of hours but I'm going to struggle in conversation later besides a few words.

Overall, a short write up befitting of a film that's quick to put out of the memory so quickly, enough to recommend about it that you should sit and watch but I'll be very surprised if you'd be calling this your favourite film after watching it.