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.