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Bad Times at the El Royale (2018)

Jeff Bridges, Cynthia Erivo, Dakota Johnson, Jon Hamm, Cailee Spaeny, Lewis Pullman & Chris Hemsworth

Written & Directed By: Drew Goddard (The Cabin in the Woods)

Platform: NowTV

IMDB: 7.1/10, RT: 75% Fresh

Runtime: 140 Minutes (Watched All)

Synopsis: Early 1970s. Four strangers check in at the El Royale Hotel. The hotel is deserted, staffed by a single desk clerk. Some of the new guests' reasons for being there are less than innocent and some are not who they appear to be.

Verdict: Stylish mystery drama with a great cast and very well acted but for me it was a little long and felt there could have been some cuts for a tighter story. Worth a watch.

Backtrace (2018)

Sylvester Stallone, Matthew Modine, Christopher McDonald, Ryan Guzman, Meadow Williams

Directed by: Brian A.Miller

Platform: NowTV

IMDB: 3.7/10, RT: 11% Rotten 

Runtime: 87 Minutes (Watched 15mins)

Synopsis: The lone surviving thief of a violent armored car robbery is sprung from a high security facility and administered an experimental drug.

Verdict: Does Stallone really need the money to make these DTV movies? At least Arnie has the decency to just retread past glories. Another paint by numbers crime drama. Yawn.

At First Light (2018)

Stephanie Scott, Theodore Pellerin, Said Taghmaoui, Percy Hynes White

Written & Directed by: Jason Stone

Platform: NowTV

IMDB: 5.5/10, RT: 54% Rotten 

Runtime: 89 Minutes (Watched 20)

Synopsis: The film follows a high school senior, Alex Lainey, who has an encounter with mysterious lights that appear over her small town. She soon develops dangerous, supernatural abilities and turns to her childhood friend Sean Terrel. The authorities target them and a chase ensues as officials try to discover the truth behind Alex's transformation.

Verdict: Utterly boring screenplay that doesn't engage whatsoever.

Assassination Nation (2018)

Odessa Young, Abra, Suki Waterhouse, Hari Nef

Written & Directed By: Sam Levinson 

Platform: NowTV

IMDB: 5.9/10, RT: 73% Fresh

Runtime: 95 Minutes (Watched 20)

Synopsis: After a malicious data hack exposes the secrets of the perpetually American town of Salem, chaos descents and four girls must fight to survive, while coping with the hack themselves.

Verdict: The first 20 minutes of this movie annoyed the ever loving Eff out me, did not want to see the rest of it regardless of where it may have gone.

Argo (2012)

Based upon the memoirs "The Master of Disguise" (1999) by Tony Mendez and the 2007 Wired article by Joshuah Bearman, covering the real events in Iran in 1977 when 6 U.S. diplomats were hiding from Iranian revolutionists and the C.I.A. efforts to get them out of the country.

Ben Affleck, Bryan Cranston, John Goodman, Alan Arkin, Victor Garber, Tate Donovan, Clea Duvall, Scoot McNairy

Directed by: Ben Affleck

Platform: NowTV

IMDB: 7.7/10, RT: 96% Fresh

The movie won 3 Oscars

Runtime: 120 Minutes (Watched All)

During the end credits real photos of those involved and comparisons of the movie can be seen overlaid with a short audio clip of President Jimmy Carter talking about the crisis.

Synopsis: Acting under the cover of a Hollywood producer scouting a location for a science fiction film, a CIA agent launches a dangerous operation to rescue six Americans in Tehran during the U.S. hostage crisis in Iran in 1979.

Verdict: I thought this movie was excellent, it does have some historical inaccuracies such as the British and NZ didn't turn the U.S. diplomats away and the Brits did help them to move around, it also downplays the important role the Canadians played but there is always going to be artistic license in movies like this, it doesn't detract from the film however. Afflecks direction really is good in the way he cuts a fine line between the farcical situation of the hollywood studio side and the real life threatening angle in Iran. I felt real tension in parts of the movie and all the actors played well. Highly recommended!

Anna and the Apocalypse (2017)

Ella Hunt, Malcolm Cumming, Sarah Swire, Christopher Leveaux, Marli Siu, Ben Wiggins, Mark Benton & Paul Kaye

Directed by: John McPhail

Platform: NowTV

IMDB: 6/10, RT: 78% Fresh

Runtime: 92 Minutes (Watched All)

Synopsis: A zombie apocalypse threatens the sleepy town of Little Haven - at Christmas - forcing Anna and her friends to fight, slash and sing their way to survival, facing the undead in a desperate race to reach their loved ones. But they soon discover that no one is safe in this new world, and with civilization falling apart around them, the only people they can truly rely on are each other.

Verdict: Imagine if you made Shaun of the Dead for teenagers and turned it into a musical. I thought this was really fun and quirky although I hate musicals and some of these songs were just awful cheese, it just fit with the films tone. Ella Hunt really carries the movie and it was just a refreshing take on the tired Zombie genre much like Shaun of the Dead was when that was released.

Alpha (2018)

Language invented for the movie, the whole movie has English subtitles 

Kodi Smit-McPhee, Johannes Haukur Johannesson, Marcin Kowalczyk, Jens Hulten, Natassia Malthe

Directed by: Albert Hughes (Menace 2 Society, Dead Presidents, From Hell, Book of Eli)

Platform: NowTV

IMDB: 6.7/10, RT: 80% Fresh

Runtime: 97 Minutes (Watched All)

Synopsis: In the prehistoric past, a young man struggles to return home after being separated from his tribe during a buffalo hunt. He finds a similarly lost wolf companion and starts a friendship that would change humanity.

Verdict: The cinematography is fantastic and the interaction with the Wolf is well done, the switch between real and CGI Wolf is seamless. However the film doesn't capture the attention all the time and it does drag in places, I enjoyed it overall.

All is True (2019)

Kenneth Branagh, Judi Dench, Ian McKellan

Directed by: Kenneth Branagh

Platform: NowTV

IMDB: 6.2/10, RT: 72% Fresh

Runtime: 101 Minutes (Watched 25)

Synopsis: A look at the final days in the life of renowned playwright William Shakespeare.

Verdict: Its well acted and very well shot, just not my kind of drama.

Alien Code (2017)

Also Known as "The Men"

Kyle Gallner, Azura Skye, Mary McCormack, Richard Schiff

Written & Directed by: Michael G.Cooney

Platform: NowTV

IMDB: 5.5/10

Runtime: 102 Minutes (Watched: 25mins)

Synopsis: After deciphering a message found in a satellite, brilliant cryptographer Alex Jacobs finds himself being stalked by government agents and otherworldly beings.

Verdict: It didn't interest me enough to continue, not because it was low budget but I wasn't a fan of the lead actor. Feels like an extended Outer Limits episode.

Aladdin (2019)

Live action remake of the animated movie "Aladdin" (1992)

Will Smith, Mena Massoud, Naomi Scott, Marwan Kenzari, David Negahban, Nasim Pedrad

Directed by: Guy Ritchie

Platform: NowTV

IMDB: 7/10, RT: 57% Rotten

Runtime: 128 Minutes (Watched All)

Synopsis: A kind-hearted street urchin Aladdin vies for the love of the beautiful princess Jasmine, the princess of Agrabah. When he finds a magic lamp, he uses a genie's magic power to make himself a prince in order to marry her. He is also on a mission to stop the powerful Jafar who plots to steal the magic lamp that could make his deepest wishes come true.

Verdict: I've never been a fan of Disney or musicals for that matter but when I was 12 Aladdin was released, there was something about this movie that absolutely enthralled me. I absolutely loved Robin Williams and he was fantastic in this but also the setting, the animation style and even the songs, there was something magical about the whole thing from start to finish. It remains as my favourite animated movie of all time. 

Now for this live action remake? For starters I cannot believe that Guy Ritchie directed it, where did that decision come from? The opening songs did nothing for me and the actors that they cast.. well I liked Jasmine but wasn't feeling Aladdin and Jafar was completely miscast, no intimidation whatsoever and with a high pitched voice! I felt none of the magic but held on to see how Smith did as the genie.

I like Will Smith but he's no Robin, he lacks the loud, high energy bravura of Williams but saying that I think he brought enough to the role that made it entertaining and made it his own and he made me laugh a few times, with him around I warmed to the actor playing Aladdin as I thought they had good chemistry. 

Overall while it had a shaky start and I think Jafar was badly cast, I actually liked it which I didn't expect. Its not a patch on the original and lacks some of the magic but its no where near as bad as I had anticipated.

Accident Man (2018)

Based upon the British comic strips "Accident Man" by Pat Mills & Tony Skinner printed in Toxic! (1991)

Scott Adkins, Ray Stevenson, Ashley Greene, David Paymer, Michael Jai White, Ray Park, Amy Johnston

Directed by: Jesse V. Johnson

Platform: NowTV

IMDB: 6.2/10, RT: 83% Fresh

Runtime: 105 Minutes (Watched All)

Synopsis: Mike Fallon, the Accident Man, is a stone cold killer whose methodical hits baffle the police and delight his clients. He is the best at what he does. But when a loved one is dragged into the London underworld and murdered by his own crew, Fallon is forced to rip apart the life he knew in order to hold those accountable and avenge the one person who actually meant something to him.

Verdict: If John Wick didn't take itself seriously and played it tongue in cheek, this is what this fun action comedy does. Scott Adkins has found himself a niche with these martial arts action comedies (see The Debt Collector), hammy and over the top it never out stays its welcome, great fight scenes and Ray Stevenson chewing up the scenery.

Accident (2017)

Stephanie Schildknecht, Roxane Hayward, Tyrone Keogh, Keenan Arrison

Written & Directed by: Dan Tondowski

IMDB: 3.3/10

Platform: NowTV

Runtime: 91 Minutes (watched 20)

Synopsis: A group of teenagers suffer a terrible accident during a joy ride and get trapped at the bottom of a ravine.

Verdict: The old "group of people stuck in one place film", billed as a thriller... the director blew his budget on a slow mo traffic accident sequence and then had no money left to hire any decent actors, once I knew what this film was there was no way I was going to stick around for 90 minutes of this dross.

Above The Shadows (2019)

Olivia Thirlby, Alan Ritchson, Jim Gaffigan, Maria Dizia, Megan Fox, Tito Ortiz

Written & Directed by: Claudia Myers

Platform: NowTV

IMDB: 5.8/10, RT: 57% Rotten

Runtime: 105 Minutes (watched 50)

Synopsis: A young woman who has faded to the point of becoming invisible must find her way back with the help of the one man who can see her.

Verdict: Starts off quirky and quite intriguing but then seems to get stuck in a gear it never gets out of and I just lost interest. Also the whole invisibility thing just brings up a lot of questions that make the whole thing fall apart but the films character never brings them up.

A Very Bad Day (2017)

In the U.S. called "A Happening of Monumental Proportions"

Keanu Reeves, Lola Glaudini, Jennifer Garner, Katie Holmes, Bradley Whitford, Kumail Nanjiani, John Cho, Storm Reid, Common

Directed by: Judy Greer (directorial debut)

Platform: NowTV

IMDB: 4.6/10

Runtime: 81 Minutes (Watched 20)

Synopsis: During the course of one day, a group of students at a school in Los Angeles find themselves caught up in a plot of sex, lies and dead bodies.

Verdict: It kind of feels like a failed comedy pilot that then got made into a movie, it had "some" moments but really not enough for me to continue watching.

A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas (2011)

Kal Penn, John Cho, Neil Patrick Harris, Patton Oswalt, Paula Garces, Danny Trejo

Directed by: Todd Strauss-Schulson

Platform: NowTV

IMDB: 6.3/10, RT: 68% Fresh

Runtime: 91 Minutes (Watched 15)

Synopsis: Six years have elapsed since Guantanemo Bay, leaving Harold and Kumar estranged from one another with very different families, friends and lives. But when Kumar arrives on Harold's doorstep during the holiday season with a mysterious package in hand, he inadvertently burns down Harold's father-in-law's beloved Christmas tree. To fix the problem, Harold and Kumar embark on a mission through New York City to find the perfect Christmas tree, once again stumbling into trouble at every single turn.

Verdict: Meh, not my cup of tea.

Elizabeth Harvest (2018)

Abby Lee, Ciaran Hinds, Carla Gugino, Matthew Beard & Dylan Baker

Written & Directed by: Sebastian Gutierrez

Platform: Netflix 

IMDB: 5.7/10, RT: 47% Rotten

Runtime: 105 Minutes (Watched: all of it)

Synopsis: Newlywed Elizabeth (Lee) arrives with her brilliant scientist husband Henry (Hinds) to his magnificent estate, where he wows her with lavish dinners and a dazzling tour of the property. The house staff Claire (Gugino) and Oliver (Beard) treat her differently but she can't shake the feeling something is off. Henry explains that everything in his world now belongs to her, all is for her to play in - all except for a locked-off room he forbids her from entering. When he goes away for business, Elizabeth decides to investigate.

Verdict: A modern telling of Frankenstein, that is if Dr Frankenstein was the monster that was created. I enjoyed the first hour but after that it didn't really know where to go.

Eli (2019) - A Netflix original movie, only released 2 days ago, can't get fresher than that!

Kelly Reilly, Charlie Shotwell, Max Martini, Lili Taylor, Sadie Sink

Directed by: Ciaran Foy (Sinister 2)

Platform: Netflix 

IMDB: 5.9/10, RT: 40% Rotten

Runtime: 97 Minutes (Watched: all of it)

Synopsis: A boy receiving treatment for his auto-immune disorder discovers that the house he's living in isn't as safe as he thought.

Verdict: Better then your average supernatural haunted house movie with a few twists in the tale I thought was quite cool. Less about the scares and more about the story, I enjoyed it.

Eight Men Out (1988)

Based upon the non-fiction book "Eight Men Out: The Black Sox and the 1919 World Series" (1963) by Eliot Asinof

John Cusack, Clifton James, Jace Alexander, Gordon Clapp, Don Harvey, Bill Irwin, John Mahoney, Charlie Sheen, Michael Rooker, David Strathairn

Directed by: John Sayles (Lone Star)

Platform: Netflix 

IMDB: 7.2/10, RT: 86% Fresh

Runtime: 121 Minutes (Watched: all of it)

Synopsis: A dramatization of the Black Sox scandal when the underpaid Chicago White Sox accepted bribes to deliberately lose the 1919 World Series.

Verdict: Good sports drama, well acted and yet another reminder that John Cusack was once a good actor!

Eddie The Eagle (2015)

Inspired by the life of Eddie Edwards and his entry into the 1988 Winter Olympics

Taron Egerton, Hugh Jackman, Jo Hartley, Keith Edwards, Mark Benton, Jim Broadbent & Christopher Walken

Directed by: Dexter Fletcher (Rocketman)

Platform: Netflix 

IMDB: 7.4/10, RT: 82% Fresh

Runtime: 105 Minutes (Watched: all of it)

Synopsis: The story of Eddie Edwards, the notoriously tenacious British underdog ski jumper who charmed the world at the 1988 Winter Olympics.

Verdict: Very enjoyable feel good drama, Edwards himself said the film is 90% made up so take it as an inspiration rather than being based upon.

Easy Money (1983)

Rodney Dangerfield, Joe Pesci, Geraldine Fitzgerald, Candice Azzara, Tom Noonan & Jennifer Jason Leigh

Directed by: James Signorelli (Police Academy 2, Elvira)

Platform: Netflix 

IMDB: 6.3/10, RT: 60% Fresh

Runtime: 95 Minutes (Watched: 40 Minutes)

Synopsis: To inherit his mother-in-law's colossal fortune, a hard-living gambling addict must change his unhealthy ways before they get the best of him.

Verdict: I enjoyed the first part of the film, some slapstick and one liners and anytime Pesci was on screen but I was bored around the 40 minute mark.

Eagles of Death Metal: Nos Amis (Our Friends) (2017)

Documentary 

Jesse Hughes, Josh Homme

Directed by: Colin Hanks

Platform: Netflix 

A very emotional documentary covering the terrorist attack at the Bataclan venue in Paris in which 89 people were killed. The documentary covers the band returning to Paris for a gig at the Olympia, the effect it has had on the band and the other survivors.

The Duel (2016)

Woody Harrelson, Liam Hemsworth, Alice Braga, Emory Cohen, Felicity Price, William Sadler

Directed by: Kieran Darcy-Smith 

Platform: Netflix 

IMDB: 5.8/10, RT: 26% Rotten

Runtime: 110 Minutes (Watched: 30 minutes)

Synopsis: A Texas Ranger investigates a series of unexplained deaths in a town called Helena.

Verdict: A slow plodding Western which didn't do enough to hold my attention, judging from the reviews I didn't miss much.

Captain Marvel (2019)

Brie Larson, Samuel L. Jackson, Ben Mendelsohn, Jude Law, Annette Bening, Djimon Hounsou, Lashana Lynch

Directed by: Anna Boden & Ryan Fleck

IMDB: 6.9/10, RT: 78% Fresh

Platform: NowTV

Synopsis: After crashing an experimental aircraft, Air Force pilot Carol Danvers is discovered by the Kree and trained as a member of the elite Starforce Military under the command of her mentor Yon-Rogg. Six years later, after escaping to Earth while under attack by the Skrulls, Danvers begins to discover there's more to her past. With help from S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Nick Fury, they set out to unravel the truth.

Verdict: I enjoyed it for what it was, I thought Larson was fine but felt like she was holding back in her acting in a lot of scenes, either told to by the directors or because she was picking up a pay cheque, not sure. In other scenes she tries out the smug humour which only works if your RDJ really. The movie was visually stunning with some great fight and action scenes but felt it dragged in the middle. The de-aging of Jackson is amazing but didn't distract from the scenes he's in which is a good indicator that visual effects are doing their job. The "Marvel" humour again feels forced and unfunny, I don't know why there is a mandate to shoe horn humour into these movies, there are genuine funny moments but the "banter" just falls flat for me.

I wouldn't watch it again and I put it into the same category as Ant-Man, Doctor Strange, Thor 2, Iron Man 2&3, Age of Ultron etc.

Byzantium (2013)

Gemma Arterton, Saoirse Ronan, Sam Riley, Caleb Landry Jones

Directed by: Neil Jordan (The Crying Game, Interview With The Vampire, Michael Collins)

IMDB: 6.5/10, RT: 66% Fresh

Runtime: 118 Minutes (watched all of it)

Synopsis: Two mysterious women seek refuge in a run-down coastal resort. Clara meets lonely Noel, who provides shelter in his deserted guesthouse, Byzantium. Schoolgirl Eleanor befriends Frank and tells him their lethal secret. They were born 200 years ago and survive on human blood. As knowledge of their secret spreads, their past catches up on them with deathly consequence.

Verdict: The acting is very good, especially Arterton and the movie is very atmospheric but the story is not always compelling and does drag in places.

Analyze This (1999)

Robert DeNiro, Billy Crystal, Lisa Kudrow, Chaz Palminteri, Joe Viterelli, Tony Darrow

Directed by: Harold Ramis (Caddyshack, National Lampoons Vacation, Groundhog Day, Multiplicity)

Platform: From TV

IMDB: 6.7/10, RT: 70% Fresh

Runtime: 105 Minutes (Watched: all of it)

Synopsis: A comedy about a psychiatrist whose number one patient is an insecure mob boss.

Verdict: Very entertaining comedy going through all the mob stereotypes with both leads on top form.