plutus1947 Reviews

Cinderella (I) (2021)

Not as bad as some reviewers are saying

[5/10 · 16 September 2022]

I was quite saddened to see so many reviewers who only gave a 1 or a 2 rating.

True this version of Cinderella is nowhere near the best version ever made but did win one award and was nominated for more.

I doubt there is any need to explain the plot as I am sure Cinderella is known by virtually everyone knows it as it was written by Charles Perrault and first published 1697.

I have a feeling that this musical will improve the more times it is watched.

Most of the actors are relative newcomers except of course Idina Menzel, Piers Brosnan and Minnie Driver and I am sure newcomers will all improve with experience. Having said that I consider each actor played their part extremely well.

Most of the newly written songs were very well written and performed and most were quite 'catchy'.

The biggest 'down' point was when Brosnan sung.

There were also some extremely comedic moments too.

West Side Story (2021)

Not quite as good as 1961 original

[8/10 · 4 March 2022]

I have to say that I was surprised that this new version of West Side Story was surprisingly good although it could never be better than the 1961 original.

The storyline kept reasonably to the same as the original but I must say that some choreographed scenes, although excellent were filmed in other locations.

For example the classic rooftop scene where the song 'America' was performed was performed on the street and was not as enthralling although the crowd actually encircling the dancers was very worthwhile.

I have to say in my view the original choreography for 'America' was one of the best choreographed dances I have ever seen.

Another good thing about this version is that both Maria (Rachel Zegler) and Tony (Ansel Elgort) sang the songs whereas Natalie Wood and Richard Beymer in 1961 did not.

I cannot say I have seen Rachel Zegler before but her acting and singing voice certainly convinced me that she is destined for greatness, in fact Walt Disney has already cast her in their 2023 live Acton version of Snow White.

I was very surprised to see the saver of the world Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot) has been cast as the Evil Queen. When you see Rachel as Maria in West Side Story she looks the epitome of what Snow White would look like.

I have only seen Ansel Elgort play Caleb in the Divergent, Insurgent and Allegiant trilogy but he played a totally different kind of part in this trilogy. He too has an excellent voice and his acting is extremely good.

All in all the whole cast played their parts excellently and although the choreography was not quite as good as the original it was certainly enjoyable to watch.

This version was nominated for 7 Oscars it did not win one but the original 1961 movie won 10.

I would recommend 2021 movie without hesitation.

Mary Poppins Returns (2018)

For a remake - Very good

[8/10 · 29 April 2019]

It is extremely rare for a remake to be as good as the original and unfortunately this movie falls into this category.

Having said this it was reasonably near as good and was far better than other remakes I have seen.

I can certainly recommend Mary Poppins Returns for anyone from 3 to 103.

Although the music was not as good as the original soundtrack it was never the less quite good. Some of the songs in the original have rightfully been placed into the 'classics' archive and this is possibly why I was not over enthused with this new soundtrack.

The storyline of this movie was very close to the original with several subtle changes.

Overall I watched and enjoyed this movie and I am hoping it will come out in 3D and if so this will enhance my enjoyment.

Beaches (2017 TV Movie)

SORRY, BEACHES 1988 IT WASN'T

[5/10 · 20 April 2019]

While I love Idina Menzel and Nia Long I am extremely sorry to say this TV Movie was not a patch on the 1988 cinema version.

Most of the songs were mediocre, although performed wonderfully, except of course the last two numbers which WERE from the original 1988 version which were sung with in an exemplary fashion.

In virtually every case a remake is never better or as good as the original and sadly this is the case in this remake.

It was an impossible task really to emulate Bette Midler (CC Bloom) and Barbara Hershey (Hilary Whitney Essex) no matter who reprised the role.

I was however disappointed to see that some reviewers could only find it in their hearts to score this movie a one because it was worth more than that. I have seen much worse movies, including remakes.

Murder She Said (1961)

The one and only Miss Marple

[10/10 · 25 April 2018]

Margaret Rutherford was the ultimate Miss Marple.

Although the part has been played by several leading actresses Margaret has always been the very best although I must say Joan Hickson ran her pretty close.

SPOILER BEGINS

The story starts when Miss Marple was on a train and another train travelling slightly faster was passing the train Jane Marple was on but in the same direction.

She was looking at the passing train when a window blind shot up revealing a woman being strangled by a man.

Jane obviously reported what she saw to the train conductor and also to the police, none of whom believed her.

So she decides to investigate for herself and she gets a job at the hall where the body was probably hidden after being thrown from the train.

SPOILER ENDS

I'm not giving anything else away.

The TV movie which starred Joan Hickson was called The 4.40 from Paddinton.

Margaret Rutherford was her normal perfect and indomitable self in Murder She Said and I thoroughly recommend you watch this movie if only to discover why Margaret Rutherford was the true Jane Marple.

The Farthest (2017)

Voyager has left the Solar System

[10/10 · 17 August 2017]

I have no compunction whatsoever in giving this amazing documentary a 10 star rating and anyone interested in space and space travel is urged to watch this heart stopping and magical movie.

SPOILER BEGINS

This is the story of the Voyager 1 & 2 missions from their inception to the present day.

In the 1970s it was suggested that we build a spacecraft capable of traversing our Solar System to discover more information about our neighbours Jupiter and Saturn because in the 70s very little was known about these two distant planets.

When the idea was put before the President, Jimmy Carter, he was informed that the cost would be about one billion dollars so he said "Build two".

The scientists and engineers set to work and on 21 August 1977 Voyager 2 was launched followed by Voyager 1 on September 5th 1977.

This documentary follows the many successes and pitfalls of the hazardous missions of these two craft and it is riveting viewing.

Not only did these two craft visit Jupiter and Saturn but went on to provide incredible information on their moons and not being satisfied with that Voyager 1 went on to both Uranus and Neptune supplying phenomenal and highly surprising data on these two planets and their moons.

Their missions a total success Voyager 1 set its path for the end of the Solar System, reached and passed through 'The Bubble' on or about 25 August 2012. The human race can now proudly say that they are Interstellar Travellers.

Voyager 1 has the ability to continue on its mission of sending back data for about another decade but when its plutonium is at last depleted it will traverse the Universe into infinity and will still be travelling when our Sun has given up the ghost and become a Red Dwarf swallowing up most of its planets in the process.

It has already travelled billions of miles at a speed of approximately 44.000 miles per hour.

The only true thing of interest when it has run out of the ability to send back information is the Gold Disc which carries many snippets of information pertaining to human life and its various cultures, music and photos of ourselves and other animals and man made creations.

There is no reason to suppose that this disc will degrade and become unplayable for possibly billions of years so if/when an alien civilisation discovers Voyager 1 we very possibly will no longer be in existence.

SPOILER ENDS

I must say that this is one of the best and most insightful documentaries I have ever seen.

Kong: Skull Island (2017)

Mainly Terrible

[3/10 · 28 June 2017]

It appears that the majority of those who reviewed this movie have the same opinion as I do.

This is the worse King Kong remake I have ever seen.

Not because of the acting but because of the pretty dismal direction, script and special effects. My criticism of the special effects is that with the SFX technology available today they could have been much, much better.

Also the stupid things that did, or didn't occur were laughable.

For example: When the ship carrying everyone to Skull Island was seen on an overhead shot there were 3 helicopters on the deck but when the flight launched to penetrate the weather front surrounding the island there were about 2 dozen choppers.

The ship could never have carried that many helicopters because it was simply too small to carry that many and even if there was room how could they have gotten the others on deck in order to launch them because there was no lift to bring the aircraft onto the deck? Another gaff was when a number of 'toxic' gas canisters exploded and the gas was spread over a wide area and enveloped those still alive. Only one put his gas mask on but all the others just carried on without the slightest problem, not even a small cough.

It is such a pity that this movie was let down by such poor direction and continuity because it had the makings of a great remake.

After.Life (2009)

Strange but extremely watchable

[8/10 · 24 May 2017]

This is a very strange movie but nevertheless extremely watchable.

SPOILER BEGINS

This is the tale of a beautiful woman, Anna Taylor (Christina Ricci) who walked out on her boyfriend, Paul Coleman (Justin Long) at a restaurant just before he was going to propose to her.

She drives off crying and eventually is involved in a car accident and finds herself on an undertakers slab ready to be prepared for burial by Eliot Deacon (Liam Neeson), the Funeral Director.

Anna can move and speak and Eliot can see and hear her and of course Anna wants to know why she is where she is and Eliot tells her that the accident left her dead and he was going to prepare her for her funeral and burial. He even shows her a copy of her Death Certificate.

He tells her that he has a gift of being able to see and speak to the dead.

From then on it was a cat and mouse game between Anna and Eliot, she trying to convince him that she is still alive and Eliot trying to get Anna to accept she was dead.

Before she ended up in the Funeral Parlour Anna was a schoolteacher and one of her students Jack (Chandler Canterbury) insisted that he saw her peering out of the window in the Funeral Home.

SPOILER ENDS

The wonderful thing about this movie is that you simply did not know whether Anna was still alive or indeed dead until the very last minute of the movie and the ending was for most people totally unexpected although I thought I had figured it out about a minute before all was revealed and I am glad to say I was right.

However I am not going to reveal the outcome I thoroughly recommend that you watch this movie. The acting was superb but that is what you would expect from three such talented actors and the Direction was superb.

The writers, Agnieszka Wojtowicz-Vosloo and Paul Vosloo must be congratulated on such a great script.

A special mention should be given to Chandler Canterbury who played Jack the student at Anna's school. He is a very talented child actor, played his part wonderfully and given the chance I am sure he will become a well established adult actor.

I feel you should be warned that Christina Ricci spent about 25% of the movie naked but in my case that was an enormous plus.

I have no hesitation in recommending this movie and have given it an 8 star rating. 6 for the movie and 2 for Christina Ricci allowing us red blooded males the pleasure of seeing her superlative body.

Grease Live! (2016 TV Movie)

Not Like The Movie But Brilliantly Performed

[9/10 · 5 February 2017]

The reviews here appear to be from those who either loved or hated the movie. In my case, although it was not performed in the same way as the original movie and we should never have expected it would be, I loved it although it was obviously much different.

My favourite song in the original Grease movie was Rizzo's 'There Are Worse Things I Could Do' and I never thought anyone could perform this song better than Stockard Channing. However Vanessa Hudgens ran Stockard very, very close, especially when she was nursing the grief of her father dying only the day before she performed. Obviously being the trooper she is she insisted on appearing out of respect and in honour of her father. What a cracking job she did.

My deepest commiserations Vanessa.

There should be no need to go into the plot of this musical as I am sure virtually everyone knows this from the original 1978 movie and indeed the stage musical.

It goes to show how gigantic movie studios are as the whole musical was filmed 'Live' on the Warner Bros sets.

To film something like Grease Live, live was a tremendous feat and there is no way anyone could see the 'joins'.

Everything was done flawlessly and some of the quick changes the performers had to make was like 'Greased Lightening'.

There are a couple of new songs in the show but they fitted in perfectly.

I must admit that I only recognised the name of one performer, Keke Palmer. I first saw her as Akeelah in the movie 'Akeelah and the Bee'. I thought after seeing her in that movie she was a wonderful actor and her performance in Grease Live gave me no reason to change my opinion.

The remaining actors performed their parts wonderfully and as far as I could see flawlessly.

Special mention must be made of both Thomas Kail, Alex Rudzinski, the Directors. It must have been a nightmare skitting from set to set to ensure the sets were correct, the costume changes went without problems and the actors were on screen for their cues.

All in all I would recommend this movie to everyone and suggest they get the DVD, turn the lights down low, cuddle up with a loved one and enjoy.

Goddess (2013)

Wonderful and thoroughly entertaining

[10/10 · 29 January 2017]

This movie is tremendous, then its a cheap movie from Australia and I have yet to see a bad Aussie movie no matter how inexpensive it was to make.

SPOILER BEGINS

The movie is about frustrated housewife Elspeth Dickens trying to run her household and bring up two exasperating twin boys while her husband James is away in the Antarctic trying to save the whales.

Elspeth harbours a not so secret wish to be a singer.

When hubby goes back to his whales she gets herself connected to the Internet and sings 'Kitchen Sink' songs to her webcam which uploads to YouTube. Her singing is performed in her kitchen, hence 'Kitchen Sink' songs.

Needless to say her performances goes viral.

Very quickly a big corporation realises Elspeth is a goldmine and wants her in their employ.

SPOILER ENDS

For what happens from then on you will have to watch the movie to find out.

Although made in Australia the two main stars were English and Southern Irish.

Elspeth was portrayed by the wonderful actress Laura Michelle Kelly and her husband James by Ronan Keating of the musical group Boyzone fame, who showed us that he is not only a great singer but a more than passable actor too.

Two others that definitely deserve a mention are Magda Szubanski, an Australian girl who may be better known for her portrayal as Esme Hoggett in Babe and Babe in Pig City.

Also another Australian actor who rightly deserves credit is Hugo Johnstone-Burt who plays Ralph. He also may be better known as Constable Hugh Collins in the wonderful Aussie crime series Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries.

All played their parts admirably

A special mention must be made about Bryony Marks for the fantastic music and lyrics.

Two more who helped to make this movie so wonderful are twins Levi and Phoenix Morrison who play Elspeth's twin sons. They were wonderful but incorrigible. Please don't bring them to my home (Lol).

This movie has been likened to Mama Mia. Mama Mia was an absolutely wonderful movie and stage show but in some respects I believe Goddess was better because the songs and music were new.

Goddess also started life as a musical.

Go on spoil yourselves and get the DVD, cuddle up, turn the lights down low and enjoy this great, great movie.

Hindenburg: The Last Flight (2011)

Total Fabrication

[1/10 · 11 November 2016]

This must be the worst Hindenburg disaster movie ever made, with regard to factual information.

SPOILER BEGINS

We are led to believe that there is a bomb aboard, someone is smuggling secret documents, the person who was responsible for the bomb was killed.

These are just three of the fallacies put forward in the movie.

Although the Captain of the Hindenburg, Max Pruss, who survived the disaster, always maintained that the reason for the disaster was due to a bomb planted on the airship there is not a shred of evidence to support this, in fact in 2012 it was proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that the Hindenburg perished because of an explosion caused by hydrogen gas used to inflate the ship.

There was never any suggestion that a crew member was smuggling secret documents on board and no one was killed on board prior to the terrible disaster.

SPOILER ENDS

It truly annoys me that movies makers make the plot up as they go along about true disasters.

If a movie is going to be made about disasters they should be factual, although we must accept a little poetic licence.

In the case of this movie though about the only factual thing about it is the Hindenburg took off, arrived in the US, caught fire and crashed.

All the rest was complete fiction.

At least I did not see the words "Based on a true story" appear on the screen.

The Last Lions (2011)

Oh so sad

[10/10 · 6 November 2016]

This Natural History documentary is in my opinion one of the best ever produced. This is in part due to the tremendous narration by British actor Jeremy Irons together with the incredible photography.

It has been given a UK PG Certificate and I agree with this because it is not recommended for young viewers.

The documentary films the life of a solitary lioness and her three cubs.

SPOILER BEGINS This story begins with the lioness (given the name Ma di Tau), her lion partner and their three cubs living on their own without a pride of lions.

Another pride invades their home and kills the male leaving Ma di Tau and her three cubs to fend for themselves.

SPOILER ENDS I am not giving any more information about the film because it should be watched and the viewer must form their own opinion about it.

I will say that for all those who have an interest in Natural History, either great or small they should watch this extremely sad and enlightening documentary and for those who do not have an interest they should watch it and perhaps they will develop an interest and a great concern for the future of this beautiful Earth's wildlife.

20 years ago 450.000 lions roamed the wild but now only 20.000 remain due to being hunted and having their natural habitat stolen from them by greedy humans.

MasterChef Junior: Top 24 Compete (2013) Season 1, Episode 1

Phenomenal

[10/10 · 23 July 2016]

It appears that I am the only person to review this tremendous series.

SPOILER BEGINS

The series is about children who aspire to be top cooks and chefs and their ages range from 8 to 13.

SPOILER ENDS

This series contained everything, laughs, comedy, jokes, tears, sadness and heartbreak, but most of all it contained phenomenal talent.

The three judges are led by Gordon Ramsey a world renowned chef and ably assisted by Joe Bastianich and Graham Elliot.

These junior contestants used their imaginations and sheer talent to create some truly heavenly dishes using many ingredients that I for one had never heard of.

After each sets of challenges as in all competitions some have to be eliminated and when the three judges have to decide who will leave and who will stay you can see by their expressions that they hate having to make those decisions and even worse having to tell those who have to leave.

You can't help loving all the competitors but inevitably you pick one or two who are your favourites and want them to go all the way to being crowned Masterchef Junior.

All in all a series I can see running forever and I have no hesitation in giving it 10 out of 10.

The Wonderful World of Disney: Home Alone 4: Taking Back the House (2002) Season Unknown, Episode Unknown

Why did they bother?

[1/10 · 17 July 2016]

Why they continued making the Home Alone movies after 1 & 2 I will never know.

Home Alone 1 & 2, although pretty predictable were quite hilarious in their way but 3 had me reaching for my whisky bottle and 4 reaching for the whisky bottle and my bottle of 100 sleeping pills because it was that bad.

Malcolm Mcdowell is a very accomplished actor but why on earth he signed up to make this pathetic excuse for a movie completely befuddles me.

The storyline was the same as all the other Home Alone movies but the script was totally non-existent. The same can be said about the direction and the acting.

I must say I have seen worse movies than this but they are extremely few and far between.

The movie is centred around Christmas but is certainly did not get me into the Christmas spirit (except the whisky of course) (Lol).

Never Let Me Go (2010)

Very unnerving

[8/10 · 23 June 2016]

I entitled this review as 'Very unnerving' because I am wondering how long it might be before what this movie is portraying will become fact.

SPOILER BEGINS

This movie is about children being bred and brought up as 'Spare Parts'. Spare parts presumably for the richest who can afford to buy a few extra years life at the expense of children bred specifically to donate vital organs to those who can afford them once the children have reached the age when their organs can be 'harvested' It centres around three young people who were taught and lived in a school called Hailsham.

The story follows these three from childhood to young adulthood and to the time they begin to have their organs taken. This was called 'Donations'

SPOILER ENDS

Kathy, played by Carey Mulligan, Tommy portrayed by Andrew Garfield and Keira Knightley, Ruth.

The parts portrayed whilst they were children were played by Izzy Meikle-Small (Young Kathy), Charlie Rowe (Young Tommy) and Ella Purnell (Young Ruth).

The writing and direction was sensitively done by Alex Garland and Mark Romanek. The movie was from the novel by Kazuo Ishiguro.

All the parts were acted superbly and with great professionalism, particularly Carey Mulligan (Kathy as an adult), who also narrated the movie as it progressed. Those who played the parts as children were also very professional.

I have no hesitation in recommending this movie but be prepared because it is extremely unnerving.

Modern medicine and science have already discovered how to clone animals and I would not be surprised if this has not already been done with humans in secret.

I am concerned that within a few short years this may actually start happening because human life no longer appears very important.

This movie is along the same lines of 'My Sister's Keeper' which was based on a novel by Jodi PIcoult. Although the novel is supposed to be fiction an actual case of Anissa Ayala who at 16 was diagnosed with leukaemia and because there was no suitable donor her parents decided to have another child whom they named Marissa-Eve. Marissa-Eve became the donor of vital bone marrow to her sister Anissa.

So breeding children for spare parts may not be that far away.

The Rosa Parks Story (2002 TV Movie)

Angela Bassett WAS Rosa Parks

[10/10 · 23 May 2016]

It is sometimes amazing how the tiniest act of defiance can literally move mountains.

SPOILER BEGINS

This is the true story of Rosa Parks a young black woman who refused to move from a seat designated 'whites' only on a public transport bus in Montgomery, Alabama.

The bus service in Alabama had made a rule that black people who rode on their transport were only allowed to sit in seats designated 'black' only, normally at the rear of the bus.

Rosa Parks got on one of these buses and found there was nowhere to sit in the black area so she decided to sit in a seat which were for use of whites only.

When the driver ordered her to get up she refused and was subsequently arrested, charged and fined $14.00.

She immediately became a heroine to the black people in Alabama, and eventually the world.

This was the catalyst which spurred Martin Luther King to start The Civil Rights Movement, which was ultimately to cost him his life.

SPOILER ENDS

The wonderful Angela Bassett played the role of Rosa Parks. This was an act of pure genius on the part of the casting agents because I cannot believe that any other actress could have played the part of Rosa Parks better.

Angela was also one of the Executive Producers.

The indomitable Cicely Tyson played Leona Edwards McCauley, Rosa's mother and as expected played her part to perfection.

The remaining cast were flawless in their acting and the direction was perfect.

I have no hesitation in giving this movie 10 stars and even though this movie was made 14 years ago I believe it is as relevant now as it was then.

SOME FACTS ABOUT ROSA PARKS

Her act of defiance resulted in the black community in Montgomery boycotting the buses for a year and none used them. They preferred to walk, no matter how far they had to go or what the weather was. This resulted in the owners of the buses rescinding their segregation due to the amount of revenue they were losing.

Her defiant act also spurred Martin Luther King into forming the Civil Rights Movement.

In 1999 Rosa was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal, the USA's highest honour.

She was Inducted into the International Civil Rights Walk of Fame in Atlanta, Georgia in 2004.

Had two schools named after her.

Rosa died at age 92 of natural causes although she did suffer from dementia in later life and was interred at Woodlawn Cemetery, Detroit, Michigan.

In February 2013 a no denominated (forever) stamp was issued valued on issue at 46c, This was issued to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Rosa's birth.

Earthfall (2015 TV Movie)

Where's the sick bag

[1/10 · 16 March 2016]

I only have four things to say about this movie Terrible acting, terrible script, terrible direction.

Finally number four if this movie cost more than $5.00 (£3.50) to make the audience who went to see it wuz robbed.

I lied. I do have something else to say.

SPOILDR BEGINS

The movie is about a comet the size of a pea pulling the Earth out of its orbit and dragging the Earth into who knows where and of course it is up to an ensemble of no hopers to save the world and the human race.

SPOILER ENDS

Heard this plot before? I know you have and I bet the other movies with this type of plot were ten time better.

My only advice to your all is to forget it.

One final thing, dear IMDb please allows us to rate a movie zero because lets face it some movies are not worth even a one.

The Book Thief (2013)

More than excellent

[28 February 2016]

This movie has to be one of the best I have seen in a long, long time.

SPOILER BEGINS

This movies is not about the hardships of WW2 experienced by the British, French, Polish or other occupied country by the tyrannical Hitler, it is about the hardships encountered by ordinary German families, one family in particular.

The story centres around a young girl, Liesel played admirably by a young Canadian actress Sophie Nélisse. She is sent, along with her brother to live with another family in another part of Germany but her brother dies on the way.

When she arrived she formed an instant attachment with her new father Hans Hubermann, played by the wonderful Australian actor Geoffrey Rush.

Her feelings for her new mother Rosa Hubermann played by Emily Watson were at best muted to begin with.

The story starts in Germany in 1938 when Hitler is in power and progresses through the beginning of WW2 and the final defeat of Hitler in 1945.

Liesel becomes friends with a boy a little older than her, Rudy Steiner played by Nico Liersch.

When she arrived with her new family she could not read or write but Hans began the task of teaching her.

She became enthralled in books and began 'borrowing' books from the Burgermeisters home. These books appeared to be borrowed on a non return basis.

Shortly after the war began a knock came to the door and a young Jew Max Vandenburg played by Ben Schnetzer was outside asking to be hidden. Hans was under an obligation to hide him because Max's father had saved Hans's life during WW1.

This is basically the story in a nutshell but it is an absolutely wonderful movie which should not be missed, especially the ending.

SPOILER ENDS

This is an extremely sad and heart rending movie which requires a good supply of tissues.

Sophie Nélisse, although a young actress played her part extremely maturely and lit up the screen with her impeccable performance. She was nominated for several awards and duly won quite a few.

Geoffrey Rush was his normal highly professional self and played his part to perfection in the same way as Emily Watson played hers.

I will always contend that Rush should have won an Oscar for his portrayal as Lionel Logue in The King's Speech.

Brian Percival directed The Book Thief superbly.

The Cobbler (2014)

If The Shoe Fits Wear It (or maybe not)

[8/10 · 10 January 2016]

This is a strange little movie but despite the slowish start warmed up very well.

SPOILER BEGINS

Max Simkin played by Adam Sandler is a Jewish cobbler, as was his father, and grandfather before him.

While repairing a pair of shoes his machine gives up the ghost and he is forced to use an old hand operated tool which came out of the ark and was used by his family before him.

Once he had repaired the shoes for some reason he decided to try the pair on. As soon as he had placed the second shoe on his foot his appearance immediately changed to that of the shoes owner.

This happened with any shoes which fitted his feet and the storyline is about what happens whenever he wears a pair of shoes repaired by the old tool.

I won't spoil the movie by telling you how it turns out and what Sandler (Simkin) gets up to but the ending is interesting, even though I had figured out most of it early on in the movie.

SPOILER ENDS

The acting from all concerned is extremely professional and Adam Sandler is his normal flawless self. The direction was also of a very high standard. Steve Buscemi, who also appears in the movie, has acted with Sandler before and they pair up wonderfully.

There was a guest appearance by Dustin Hoffman.

This movie does not appear to have been nominated for any awards and neither is it likely to, however it does not mean that it was not worth making and watching.

It was extremely watchable and enjoyable and I would recommend it as light-hearted bit of escapism.

Jurassic World (2015)

Jurassic Park 1 &2 Meets Jurassic Park 3

[4/10 · 28 September 2015]

Jurassic world in my opinion was a Jurassic Park (World) too far and there is another planned for release in 2018.

I can't say it is the worst dinosaur movie I have ever seen, Age of Dinosaurs has that dishonour but I do feel that this series has now run its course and it will take something extra special in the next sequel due for release in 2018 to make me change my mind.

I have not bothered to write a 'spoiler' because if you have seen all the other Jurassic Park movies you will know the plot because it will be imprinted in your memory.

The redeeming factor for Jurassic World is it SFX, particularly when viewed in 3D.

All in all no more than a run of the mill dinosaur movie, better than some but nowhere near as good as some others.

The Shadows: The Final Tour (2004)

They Don't make Music Like This Anymore

[10/10 · 2 September 2015]

It looks like I am the only one who has decided to review this concert and DVD.

I have to say that it was everything I expected. Great music perfectly executed.

Hank Marvin, lead guitar has lost none of his talent or charisma and neither has Brian Bennett or Bruce Welch. These were the original members of The Shadows.

I have nicknamed Hank as the 'Man who has plucked a billion strings' because he must have plucked at least that many over the last 46 years (as at 2004).

Hank was 62 when he appeared in Cardiff on The Shadows Final Tour and so too was Bruce. Both are 73 now but I believe they are still going strong, mainly in USA. Brian Bennett was, and is, the old man of the group who was 63 in 2004 but is now the grand young age of 75.

Neither of them looked their age.

As for the concert itself, it was nothing more than I would expect from such a talented group who had their own unique sound. They obviously played their old hits such as Apache, Guitar Tango and Kon-Tiki. They also played some of the music from the films they had appeared in with Cliff Richard.

The group can also carry a tune very well with more than passable voices. My personal favourites of The Shadows are Atlantis and the lesser known Rise and Fall of Flingle Bunt.

Although the music was tremendous and took me back to when I had only just entered puberty, the highlight of the show was a 10 minute drum solo from drummer Bruce Bennett. It was phenomenal and the perspiration was dripping from him. His solo was all the more amazing when we consider he was 63 at the time.

All in all I have no hesitation in giving this concert a 10 rating because it takes me back to a time when the youngsters lived and breathed music.

If you get the chance get this DVD and see what the music scene was like in the 50s and 60s.

Airspeed (1999)

A disaster movie which was a disaster in itself

[2/10 · 4 August 2015]

Out of all the disaster movies I have watched this must be in my top five as the worst disaster movie I have ever seen, although it did have the potential to be so much more.

I will say the cast acted their parts quite passably but despite their efforts the movies was completely spoilt by the terrible script and direction.

If the makers of the movie actually asked for technical help from an airline pilot it must have been Dick Dastardly. Equally I would suggest no help was requested from an Aircraft Engineer or Air Traffic Controller (ATC).

SPOILER BEGINS

Basically this movies is about a private jet carrying a pilot, co-pilot and three passengers, one of which is a 13 year old brat of a girl.

The aircraft is struck by lightening which ends up with the pilots and the two adult passengers becoming unconscious and a large hole blown in the fuselage.

The rest of the movie is taken up with an attempt to transfer the pilots and passengers onto another plane, which obviously comes unstuck after three of the five passengers are transferred, and the landing of the plane.

Before this occurred the girl Nicole, managed to contact Jeff at ATC via the planes radio but virtually straight away contact was lost.

Of course Nicole has a cell phone and somehow knows the land line number of the Control Tower and gets back into contact with Jeff.

Jeff seems to be an expert pilot who knows exactly how to fly a plane but even he and the rest of the tower are doing virtually nothing. They did not even bother to get a qualified pilot in to help Nicole.

Of course Nicole is left with the task of landing the plane and of course does so flawlessly despite the fact that the flaps were not used neither was the speed brakes and it took so long to apply them on landing that the plane would have ended up in a different state.

SPOILER ENDS

If you are an out and out masochist then I am sure you will think this is the best movie since the invention of the Internet, but myself I would pay someone NOT to give this DVD as a gift.

I Am Sam (2001)

why No Oscar?

[10/10 · 24 January 2015]

I am sorry to say that as a man I do not like Sean Penn after all the terrible things he has done in his private life.

However as an actor I cannot fault his tremendous acting ability and the movie 'I am Sam' in my opinion is his best.

SPOILER BEGINS

I am Sam is about an Autistic man who makes love to a woman who ends up pregnant and having a baby girl. The woman disappears and it is for Sam to try to raise the child on his own. Thankfully he gets a wealth of help from one of his neighbours and without that I don't think he would have succeeded.

On his daughter Lucy's seventh birthday the social services take her away from Sam with a view to putting her into care and eventually adoption.

Sam eventually enlists the help of Rita on a Pro Bono basis. Rita is coerced into taking the case free of charge by her colleagues.

She initially considers that Sam has no chance of winning his case but as she gets to know him and Lucy she realises that they are perfect together and the love each has for the other has no bounds.

Rita has been having problems with her own son but with the help of Sam she learns to appreciate her son and learns how to be a good mother.

SPOILER ENDS

Sean Penn played Sam Dawson the Autistic father of Lucy Diamond. A young Dakota Fanning acted this role.

Michelle Pfeiffer played Rita Harrison Williams, Sam and Lucy's lawyer.

Penn was nominated for an Oscar for his acting in 'I am Sam' but it was won by Russel Crowe for Gladiaor.

As good as Crowe's acting was in Gladiator I feel that Sean Penn was robbed of the Oscar as I feel he was much more deserving. If he had won he would have had a hat trick of Best Actor Oscars.

Dakota Fanning was her usual immaculate self as a child star and played her part to perfection.

So to did Michelle Pfeiffer who showed how great an actor she is.

All in all this movie is well deserving of a 10 rating and in my opinion deserved the Oscar for Best Movie also.

Roald Dahl's Esio Trot (2015 TV Movie)

Delightful

[10/10 · 6 January 2015]

The thing about reviews are that they are merely one persons opinion, the opinion of the person giving the review. This is why so many 'professional' reviewers find that once they give their opinion and if it is a bad review suddenly the movie reviewer finds it is braking box office records, like Frozen, I wonder what they feel.

In the case of esio trot I have noted that it appears to be either loved or hated reviewers which reminds me of the old adage.'Beauty is in the eye of the beholder' and in my case esio trot was beautiful.

Now on to my review.

What an absolutely delightful little tale, even more greatly enhanced by the superb actors, Judi Dench and Dustin Hoffman.

Roald Dahl truly surpassed himself with his story Esio trot.

SPOILER BEGINS

This is a love story about two ageing people Mrs Silver (Judi Dench) and Mr Hoppy (Dustin Hoffman) Mr Hoppy fell in love with Mrs Silver from the first moment he set eyes on her but he was so shy and did not know how he could win her heart.

They live in an apartment building where Mr Hoppy can see and speak to Mrs Silver from the balcony above hers.

Mrs Silver buys a tortoise (esiotrot) for company who she called Alfie but becomes depressed because Alfie is not growing.

Mr Hoppy comes up with a cunning plan which he hopes will win the heart of Mrs Silver. He buys 100 tortoises of varying sizes which he manages to swap over periodically over time with the original Alfie. Each time he swaps one he swaps it with one slightly bigger.

Mrs Silver is delighted with the speedy growth of 'her' Alfie and of course does not realise that the tortoises are being changed by Mr Hoppy.

Eventually Mr Hoppy asks Mrs Silver to Marry him which does not go as he hoped.

I will leave it there and urge you to watch this superb and gentle story to discover how it ends.

SPOILER ENDS

Judi and Dustin were absolutely superb, as were the supporting actors. The script was also second to none as was the direction.

I have no hesitation in giving Esio Trot a 10 rating.

Airplane vs. Volcano (2014 Video)

Yuk!!

[1/10 · 19 June 2014]

Even though Robin Givens and Dean Cain made valiant efforts to save this movie with their acting abilities they were doomed from the start.

The script was pathetic and my five year old Great Niece would have made a better Director.

This was an attempt to make a disaster movie but the only disaster was the movie itself.

SPOILER BEGINS

The movie is about a commercial plane ending up in the centre of not one but at least six erupting volcanoes which have been extinct for over a million years.

Inevitably the two pilots end up dead or disabled and it is left to Dean Cain (Rick Pierce), a pilot who only flies small planes, to save the day. (Echoes of Kurt Russell in Executive Decision).

Lisa Whitmore (Robin Givens) is a specialist in volcanoes and ends up trying to assist the military in saving not only the passengers on the plane but those on the ground affected by the eruptions.

Needless to say she encounters Colonel Ryker (Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs) who is not intelligent enough even to command even a platoon of empty milk bottles.

It remains to be seen whether he actually becomes a good guy or not.

Of course there was also the inevitable loony toon on the plane too, but how he manages to escape the plane beggars belief.

I won't spoil your misery while watching the move by telling you about the climax of the movie but I will say I was moved to tears (in disbelief of how stupid it was)

SPOILER ENDS

This movie did have the potential to be slightly more than average, and therefore watchable but because of the miserable script and direction in my opinion this is the worst movie so far this year.

The special effects were no more than just passable.

I did enjoy the song at the credits stage though.