The Fifth Voyage of Sinbad - Trailer

Looks potentially interesting and potentially awful... the trailer doesn't really give you much to go on either way though.

---

CaptainD - Movie Reviews Blog

Top Ten Australian Films (Guest Post)

Top 10 Australian Films

When it comes to down under flicks, there's plenty more to Australia than knife-wielding Crocodile Dundee or croc-hunter-in-training Bindi Irwin. Australia has a thriving film culture with some truly unique classics that celebrate the land and people Down Under. When it comes to great Australian films, here's what we "Okkas" might put in our Top 10.

Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, 1994 - this blockbuster sensation follows the wacky adventures of two drag queens and a transsexual travelling on a pink bus named "Priscilla" as they make their way through the outback to an Alice Springs resort to give the performance of a lifetime. This comedy of errors brings true Australian culture and contemporary issues to the forefront in a humorous and delightful way. Love The Matrix or Lord of the Rings? All we can say is watch this film and you'll never look at Hugo Weaving in the same light again!

The Dish, 2000 - starring Sam Neill and Billy Mitchell and directed by Rob Sitch, this inspired film is based on true events that took place during the broadcasting of Neil Armstrong's groundbreaking first steps on the moon. Set at Parkes Observatory in NSW, The Dish tells the story of how three Australian scientists gallantly contribute to one of the greatest moments in history - with a few gaffs and laughs to boot. If you've ever introduced your wife as "the lemon" or wondered why the biggest radio telescope in the Southern hemisphere was built in the middle of a sheep paddock, this is the film for you.

Strictly Ballroom, 1992 - breaking away from tradition is no easy feat - or should we say feet. Scott Hastings sets out to revolutionise the world of strictly ballroom dancing. Co-written by Baz Luhrmann, this fun musical romp is a celebration of dance, passion and love. 

Muriel's Wedding, 1994 - is life the pits and your family a complete waste of space? Do you spend your days locked in your room dreaming of better things to come? Then you could be Muriel, the tragically hilarious heroine of this hilarious hit. If you've then followed up your dreams by moving to a big city, trying on wedding gowns and lying about getting married and then actually falling into a loveless marriage with a Russian Olympian so he can stay in the country (all of this set to the tunes of ABBA) - well then you're likely to be the spitting image of Muriel herself!

Picnic at Hanging Rock, 1975 - a true blue Aussie classic, this 1975 film was one of the first Australian films to hit international screens. Mysterious events transpire in the bush to a group of unsuspecting English school children and their teachers. Adapted from the novel of the same name, Picnic at Hanging Rock was the first of many Australian movies to explore man's teetering relationship to the harsh outback landscape.

Rabbit Proof Fence, 2002 - capturing the plight of a people, Rabbit Proof Fence tells the tremendous story of three young children determined to find their way home. Reflecting on some of the common experiences of the Stolen Generation of young Aboriginal children that were forcefully removed from their homes by the State, the film has inspired dialogue around this historical issue. Former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd issued an official State apology to the Stolen Generation for their suffering.

Babe, 1995 - this children's classic is an Australian original based on the UK book, The Sheep-Pig. Lovable Babe shows us that even the most outrageous dreams can come true if we believe in ourselves - and that courtesy is always better than bullying.

The Castle, 1997 - starring Michael Caton and directed by Rob Sitch - this film celebrates what it means to be an Australian. This comedic cult film was reportedly filmed in 11 days on a budget of just $19,000. While it didn’t reach international acclaim, it became an instant classic and must-add to any Australian film collection.

Bran Nue Dae, 2009 - Australian Idol sensation Jessica Mauboy hits the silver screen. This film was released locally in January and will be reaching American cinemas in mid-September. This is your classic road trip/teenage love story chockfull of colourful characters and a great sense of fun. While it can come off clunky at times in its arrangement and storyline, this is feel-good celebration of cultural identity set to song is sure to have you up and dancing on your feet. 

Two Hands, 1999 - wrapping up our top 10 list is a tribute to the exceptionally talented, Heath Ledger. Before Brokeback Mountain and his chilling performance as the Joker in The Dark Knight, Ledger starred as the 19-year-old larrikin, Jimmy, in Two Hands. This classic in-over-your-head action flick sees young Jimmy getting a taste of the darker side of Sydney's iconic Kings Cross. Viewers will instantly recognise some of the most popular city backdrops, including Bondi Beach while appreciating the incredible talent of young Ledger.

If you've got a multi-region DVD player, you can collect add all of these great Australian classics to your movie collection. Buy Bran Nue Dae, Two Hands and other dvds online and have them delivered straight to your door direct from Australia's leading entertainment retailer, Sanity Entertainment. 

This post is brought to you by Sanity Entertainment.

---

CaptainD - Movie Reviews Blog

The End of Eras

Not one but two long-running British TV series came to an end this week - both police drama The Bill, and the much-loved Last of the Summer Wine.

Personally I haven't watched the former for many years, and from what I'd seen it had completely left its root, while the latter has been past its best for quite a while. Still, both have been around for a long time and deserve at least a quick mention for enduring through the years, much longer than many shows.

---

CaptainD - Movie Reviews Blog

Sky High (2005)

Sky High is a movie I'd always intended to see but had forgotten about, until a rare piece of genius programming by the BBC1 put it on terrestrial screens for only the second time ever this Bank Holiday Monday.

The plot follows Will Stronghold (Michael Angarano), son of the world's leading superheroes, Commander (Kurt Russel) and Jetstream (Kelly Preston). Of course it's tough to live up to expectations when your parents are living legends, even more so when it becomes apparent that actually, Will doesn't actually have any superpowers (not yet, at any rate).

Though this movie suffers from being much too predictable, it makes up for lack of plot sophistication with unbridled enthusiasm, characters we can relate to despite the extraordinary environment they operate in, and a lot of wry humour. Very enjoyable overall, the Radio Times described it as "a John Hughes drama crossed with The Invincibles", which is a fair assessment. I'd be more inclined to call it Harry Potter with super powers rather than magic.

Obviously it's mainly aimed at young one for whom perhaps the plot "twists" will actually cause some element of surprise, but they won't appreciate Linda Carter saying at the end "I can't do anything more for you. I'm not Wonder Woman, you know!".

---

CaptainD - Movie Reviews Blog

Emmy Award Winners 2010

Outstanding Comedy Series

 

WINNER

"Modern Family" (2009)

Other Nominees:

"Curb Your Enthusiasm" (2000)

"Glee" (2009)

"Nurse Jackie" (2009)

"The Office" (2005)

"30 Rock" (2006)

Outstanding Drama Series

 

WINNER

"Mad Men" (2007)

Other Nominees:

"Breaking Bad" (2008)

"Dexter" (2006)

"The Good Wife" (2009)

"Lost" (2004)

"True Blood" (2008)

Outstanding Made for Television Movie

WINNER

 

Temple Grandin (2010) (TV)

 

Other Nominees:

Endgame (2009/I)

Georgia O'Keeffe (2009) (TV)

Moonshot (2009) (TV)

The Special Relationship (2010) (TV)

You Don't Know Jack (2010) (TV)

Outstanding Miniseries

 

WINNER

"The Pacific" (2010)

Other Nominees:

 "Cranford" (2007)

 

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series

 

WINNER

Jim Parsons for "The Big Bang Theory" (2007)

 

Other Nominees:

Alec Baldwin for "30 Rock" (2006)

Steve Carell for "The Office" (2005)

Larry David for "Curb Your Enthusiasm" (2000)

Matthew Morrison for "Glee" (2009)

Tony Shalhoub for "Monk" (2002)

 

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series

 

WINNER

Bryan Cranston for "Breaking Bad" (2008)

 

Other Nominees:

Kyle Chandler for "Friday Night Lights" (2006)

Matthew Fox for "Lost" (2004)

Michael C. Hall for "Dexter" (2006)

Jon Hamm for "Mad Men" (2007)

Hugh Laurie for "House M.D." (2004)

 

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or Movie

 

WINNER

Al Pacino for You Don't Know Jack (2010) (TV)

Other Nominees:

Jeff Bridges for A Dog Year (2009)

Ian McKellen for "The Prisoner" (2009)

Dennis Quaid for The Special Relationship (2010) (TV)

Michael Sheen for The Special Relationship (2010) (TV)

 

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series

 

WINNER

Edie Falco for "Nurse Jackie" (2009)

 

Other Nominees:

Toni Collette for "United States of Tara" (2009)

Tina Fey for "30 Rock" (2006)

Julia Louis-Dreyfus for "The New Adventures of Old Christine" (2006)

Lea Michele for "Glee" (2009)

Amy Poehler for "Parks and Recreation" (2009)

 

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series

 

WINNER

Kyra Sedgwick for "The Closer" (2005)

 

Other Nominees:

Connie Britton for "Friday Night Lights" (2006)

Glenn Close for "Damages" (2007)

Mariska Hargitay for "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (1999)

January Jones for "Mad Men" (2007)

Julianna Margulies for "The Good Wife" (2009)

 

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or Movie

 

WINNER

Claire Danes for Temple Grandin (2010) (TV)

 

Other Nominees:

Joan Allen for Georgia O'Keeffe (2009) (TV)

Hope Davis for The Special Relationship (2010) (TV)

Judi Dench for "Cranford" (2007)

Maggie Smith for Capturing Mary (2007) (TV)

 

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series

 

WINNER

Eric Stonestreet for "Modern Family" (2009)

 

Other Nominees:

Ty Burrell for "Modern Family" (2009)

Chris Colfer for "Glee" (2009)

Jon Cryer for "Two and a Half Men" (2003)

Jesse Tyler Ferguson for "Modern Family" (2009)

Neil Patrick Harris for "How I Met Your Mother" (2005)

 

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series

 

WINNER

Aaron Paul for "Breaking Bad" (2008)

 

Other Nominees:

Andre Braugher for "Men of a Certain Age" (2009)

Michael Emerson for "Lost" (2004)

Terry O'Quinn for "Lost" (2004)

Martin Short for "Damages" (2007)

John Slattery for "Mad Men" (2007)

 

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or Movie

 

WINNER

David Strathairn for Temple Grandin (2010) (TV)

 

Other Nominees:

Michael Gambon for "Emma" (2009)

John Goodman for You Don't Know Jack (2010) (TV)

Jonathan Pryce for "Cranford" (2007)

Patrick Stewart for Hamlet (2009) (TV)

 

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series

 

WINNER

Jane Lynch for "Glee" (2009)

 

Other Nominees:

Julie Bowen for "Modern Family" (2009)

Jane Krakowski for "30 Rock" (2006)

Holland Taylor for "Two and a Half Men" (2003)

Sofía Vergara for "Modern Family" (2009)

Kristen Wiig for "Saturday Night Live" (1975)

 

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series

 

WINNER

Archie Panjabi for "The Good Wife" (2009)

 

Other Nominees:

Christine Baranski for "The Good Wife" (2009)

Rose Byrne for "Damages" (2007)

Sharon Gless for "Burn Notice" (2007)

Christina Hendricks for "Mad Men" (2007)

Elisabeth Moss for "Mad Men" (2007)

 

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or Movie

 

WINNER

Julia Ormond for Temple Grandin (2010) (TV)

 

Other Nominees:

Kathy Bates for "Alice" (2009)

Catherine O'Hara for Temple Grandin (2010) (TV)

Susan Sarandon for You Don't Know Jack (2010) (TV)

Brenda Vaccaro for You Don't Know Jack (2010) (TV)

 

Outstanding Variety, Music Or Comedy Series

 

WINNER

 "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart" (1996)

 

Other Nominees:

"The Colbert Report" (2005)

"Real Time with Bill Maher" (2003)

"Saturday Night Live" (1975)

"The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien" (2009)

 

Outstanding Reality Competition Program

 

WINNER

"Top Chef" (2006)

 

Other Nominees:

"The Amazing Race" (2001)

"American Idol" (2002)

"Dancing with the Stars" (2005/I)

"Project Runway" (2005)

 

Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series

 

WINNER

"Glee" (2009): Ryan Murphy("Pilot - Director's Cut")

 

Other Nominees:

"Glee" (2009): Paris Barclay("Wheels")

"Modern Family" (2009): Jason Winer("Pilot")

"Nurse Jackie" (2009): Allen Coulter("Pilot")

"30 Rock" (2006): Don Scardino("I Do I Do")

 

Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series

 

WINNER

"Dexter" (2006): Steve Shill("The Getaway")

 

Other Nominees:

"Breaking Bad" (2008): Michelle Maxwell MacLaren("One Minute")

"Lost" (2004): Jack Bender("The End")

"Mad Men" (2007): Lesli Linka Glatter("Guy Walks Into An Advertising Agency")

"Treme" (2010): Agnieszka Holland("Do You Know What It Means (Pilot)")

 

Outstanding Directing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Dramatic Special

 

WINNER

Temple Grandin (2010) (TV): Mick Jackson

 

Other Nominees:

Georgia O'Keeffe (2009) (TV): Bob Balaban

"The Pacific" (2010): David Nutter, Jeremy Podeswa("Part Eight")

"The Pacific" (2010): Tim Van Patten("Part Nine")

You Don't Know Jack (2010) (TV): Barry Levinson

 

Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series

 

WINNER

"Modern Family" (2009): Steven Levitan, Christopher Lloyd("Pilot")

 

Other Nominees:

"Glee" (2009): Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk, Ian Brennan("Pilot - Director's Cut")

"The Office" (2005): Greg Daniels, Mindy Kaling("Niagara")

"30 Rock" (2006): Tina Fey, Kay Cannon("Lee Marvin Vs. Derek Jeter")

"30 Rock" (2006): Matt Hubbard("Anna Howard Shaw Day")

 

Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series

 

WINNER

"Mad Men" (2007): Matthew Weiner, Erin Levy("Shut The Door. Have A Seat.")

 

Other Nominees:

"Friday Night Lights" (2006): Rolin Jones("The Son")

"The Good Wife" (2009): Michelle King, Robert King("Pilot")

"Lost" (2004): Damon Lindelof, Carlton Cuse("The End")

"Mad Men" (2007): Robin Veith, Matthew Weiner("Guy Walks Into An Advertising Agency")

 

Outstanding Writing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Dramatic Special

 

WINNER

You Don't Know Jack (2010) (TV): Adam Mazer

 

Other Nominees:

"The Pacific" (2010): Bruce C. McKenna, Robert Schenkkan("Part Ten")

"The Pacific" (2010): Robert Schenkkan, Michelle Ashford("Part Eight")

The Special Relationship (2010) (TV): Peter Morgan

Temple Grandin (2010) (TV): Christopher Monger, Merritt Johnson

 

Outstanding Host For A Reality Or Reality - Competition Program (Previously Announced)

 

WINNER

Jeff Probst for "Survivor" (2000)

 

Other Nominees:

Tom Bergeron for "Dancing with the Stars" (2005/I)

Phil Keoghan for "The Amazing Race" (2001)

Heidi Klum for "Project Runway" (2005)

Ryan Seacrest for "American Idol" (2002)

 

Outstanding Reality Program (Previously Announced)

 

WINNER

"Food Revolution" (2010)

 

Other Nominees:

"Antiques Roadshow" (1997)

"Dirty Jobs" (2005)

"Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List" (2005)

"MythBusters" (2003)

"Undercover Boss" (2010)

---

CaptainD - Movie Reviews Blog

Is Your Honeymoon Really Necessary? (1953)

Starring Bonar Colleano as womanising Commander Laurie Vining, Diana Decker as his new wife Gillian and Diana Dors as former (legally still - possibly) wife Candy, this is essentially a one-room, one-joke movie that does pretty well with the idea. It does drag a bit in places, but the last twenty minutes or so are very funny. We got this as a joke present for my mate who recently got married (with the title Is Your Honeymoon Really Necessary, we just couldn't resist) - no idea what they made of it but we only just got round to seeing it ourselves.

David Tomlinson, an actor I've always enjoyed watching, appears as Solicitor Frank Betterton and Sid James is a rather unconvincing American buddy of the Commander. Audrey Freeman plays a maid in this movie, and after meeting on the set, she and David Tomlinson married and stayed together for 47 years until his death in 2000.

Is Your Honeymoon Really Necessary? is available as a Blu-Ray + DVD package along with My Wife's Lodger (also featuring Diana Dors) from the previous year.

---

CaptainD - Movie Reviews Blog

Jason and the Argonauts (1963)

Another movie that's worth watching primarily for its creatures provided by the legendary Ray Harryhausen, Jason and the Argonauts is still a lot of fun. As with many of these films it plays fast and loose with Greek mythology (I was particularly upset that it featured "Hercules" not "Herecles" - but that's probably just me), it had some weaknesses in the storyline (particularly the terrible ending), but overall was still enjoyable to watch.

The screenshot below if from the battle with skeletons, a scene which has passed into film legend.  There's something really menacing about those critters.

Related Links:

Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger (1977)

Review - Ray Harryhausen Exhibition at the London Film Museum

More Ray Harryhausen Creature Images

 

---

CaptainD - Movie Reviews Blog

Toy Story Poll Results

Toy Story
1 vote (8%)

Toy Story 2

7 votes (58%)

Toy Story 3

4 votes (33%)

So the winner is my personal favourite, Toy Story 2 - though I love all three movies.

---

CaptainD - Movie Reviews Blog

Cats and Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore

Watched this earlier today - not earth-shatteringly funny, but entertaining enough and the main enjoyment definitely comes from the fine detail - things that you might easily miss, little asides in the dialogue, jokes in the background of scenes that you have to search out.  James Bond, Mission Impossible, Batman,  Superman and Silence of the Lambs were referenced - and I probably missed a couple of movie send-ups somewhere.

It's not really laugh-out-loud funny, but it'll have you smiling quite a lot.

---

CaptainD - Movie Reviews Blog

Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger (1977)

Like Star Wars, Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger was released in the year I was born. Apart from some great effects from maestro Ray Harryhausen, this is a pretty average film - entertaining yes, but containing some truly awful dialogue and acting ( Margaret Whiting as the witch Zenobia wins the bad acting contest, but it's marginal...)

The cast is of interest for having both John Wayne's son Patrick and Tyrone Power's daughter Taryn in it, along with a fun Patrick Troughton and scantily clad Jane Seymour. Not a great movie by any means, but quite a lot of fun.

---

CaptainD - Movie Reviews Blog

Vexed with Vexed?

I watched the first episode of the Beeb's new comedy detective drama "Vexed" last night... not sure if I'll bother with the second episode or not, it seems to have potential but tries too hard to weird and funny, not achieving either to the degree it wants to.

Starring Toby Stephens and Lucy Punch as mismatched detectives Jack and Kate, episode one does have some funny moments but relies far too much on mindless cruelty or sheer stupidity. Could get better... not a patch on the prematurely discontinued Life or sadly short-lived Sherlock though.

---

CaptainD - Movie Reviews Blog

Must stop going to bed so late...

... but Galaxy Quest was on again and I just love that movie!

Ah well... early night tomorrow?!?!


Related links:

DVD Review - Galaxy Quest
Trailer for Galaxy Quest 

---

CaptainD - Movie Reviews Blog

Police Academy - a terrible confession

Following on from my post Disorganised Crime Season: Enjoy All 7 Police Academy Movies Back To Back In HD For First Time On Sky Movies, I have a truly terrible confession to make - many years ago, I actually owned the first six Police Academy movies on video.  I can only claim that it was the foolishness of my youth!  Oh the shame... :-D

---

CaptainD - Movie Reviews Blog

Disorganised Crime Season: Enjoy All 7 Police Academy Movies Back To Back In HD For First Time On Sky Movies

“Disorganised Crime” is coming to Sky Movies Showcase/HD on Bank Holiday Monday with the channel dedicated to screening all seven of Police Academy movies, back-to-back in HD for the first time.


Want to avoid the chaos and crowds as the nation gears up for the last weekend of summer and the mad dash to do something in the sunshine?


Well, look no further than Sky Movies this Bank Holiday for some laugh-out-loud comedy in the comfort of your own home.


With rumours of a Police Academy 8 on its way, take this Bank Holiday to…


- Marvel again at the man of a thousand voices, Larvel Jones (Michael Winslow)
- Be drawn-in by the charm of Office Carey Mahoney (Steve Guttenberg)
- Remind yourself that the Forces’ most famous cadet was Kim Cattrall who played flirty Karen Thompson in the first movie of 1984
- Ponder the poise of the 6’7” frame of Moses Hightower (Bubba Smith)
- Laugh again at the loveable Cadet Hooks, (Marion Ramsey)

This Police Academy marathon kick starts the Disorganised Crime season on Sky Movies Showcase/HD: A season of crazy cops, ridiculous robbers, bungled heists and stupid spies. There are 40 titles in total and highlights include:

• The complete Police Academy series (1-7)
• The complete Naked Gun series (1-3)
• The complete Beverly Hills Cop series (1-3)
• Starsky & Hutch
• Get Smart
• Observe & Report
• Pineapple Express
• Burn After Reading
• Paul Blart: Mall Cop
• Shanghai Noon
• 48 Hrs
• Pink Panther 2

(Just posting a press release sent to me - I'm not suggesting that any of the Police Academy movies are classics, though I do have a certain fondness for Police Academy 3 despite my better judgement... :-D)

---

CaptainD - Movie Reviews Blog

Knight and day Trailer

---

CaptainD - Movie Reviews Blog

The Next Three Days Trailer

---

CaptainD - Movie Reviews Blog

The Switch Trailer

---

CaptainD - Movie Reviews Blog

Step Up 3D Trailer

---

CaptainD - Movie Reviews Blog

Expendables Trailer

---

CaptainD - Movie Reviews Blog

Toy Story Poll - So Far...

Sadly only 6 votes to date, with 6 more days to go...


It's a tie between Toy Story 2 and 3. I have to admit, I'm a little surprised that no-one's voted for the first movie (so far!).

---

CaptainD - Movie Reviews Blog

My Wife's Lodger (1952)

A slightly odd movie and suffering from severe budget constraints (most noticeable in some decidedly over-long sequences and an ending that, to put it kindly, feels extremely rushed), My Wife's Lodger is nevertheless a rather entertaining film. When Willie Higginbotham (Dominic Roche) comes home from the war he finds himself a stranger and virtual outcast from his family, playing second fiddle to Roger the lodger (Leslie Dwyer), a dodgy dealer who has everyone convinced that he's a big man in business. Diana Dors also features as Willie's daughter Eunice, while Olive Sloane plays Maggie, his wife.

Somewhat strange, but definitely watchable.

---

CaptainD - Movie Reviews Blog

Secret Mission (1942)

Featuring James Mason and, like The Day Will Dawn, starring Hugh Williams (this time as a very earnest British Major), this movie does at least have the benefit of some good dialogue. Very unusually for a wartime movie, it shows the Germans as pretty normal people, providing an interesting counterpoint to the stereotyping of The Day Will Dawn and others like it.

---

CaptainD - Movie Reviews Blog

The Day Will Dawn (1942)

Starring Hugh Williams as reporter Colin Metcalfe, who tries to warn the British public about the German invasion of Norway, and ending up helping to destroy a hidden submarine base there, this is a typical wartime propaganda movie. It also features Deborah Kerr who sports a slightly suspect Scandinavian accent. Not bad if you like British wartime films I guess... not really my cup of tea at all.

---

CaptainD - Movie Reviews Blog

Yes, Minister!

This is a real blast from the past, but I don't remember ever seeing it at the time - at least if I did, I was much too young to appreciate political satire.

Watched the first two episodes of Yes Minister last night - I have to say that it's aged amazingly well. Paul Eddington's earnest Minister, Nigel Hawthorne's slimy Chief Civil Servant and the rest are as funny as ever - perhaps even funnier.  I shall enjoy watching the remaining episodes and then Yes Prime Minister - much funnier than most modern shows I've seen lately!

---

CaptainD - Movie Reviews Blog

Titanic 2!

100 years after the initial Titanic is launched, you name another ship after it, send it on exactly the same course on the same day of the year... what could possibly go wrong?!?

---

CaptainD - Movie Reviews Blog

The Top Ten Sleeper Hits – Ten Unexpected Movie Successes (Guest Post)

A sleeper hit is the movie that was not expected to be a success but still blew you away.  The motion picture that had hardly any promotion; the one that you did not realise had been released.  The movie that as time went on anyone who was anyone had been to see, or at the very least had rented it.  It is the movie that relied on word of mouth praise and will at some point be referred to as a classic.

There are many sleeper hits out there.  Some are big budget sleepers such as Titanic and Shark Tale, while some are cult films that were massive box office flops such as The Shawshank Redemption.  In fact in monetary terms the box office revenue is often much larger than the initial budget and in many ways sleeper hits are often deemed the biggest successes in the industry.

The following movies are often featured as the top ten sleeper hits of all time.  These movies are all very different and yet they have all managed to smash box office expectations and become categorised as sleepers.

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000).

The success of this movie was based on the fact that it was completely different from any other movies around at the time.  The actors were virtually unknown in the Hollywood circuit and the movie was subtitled.  Ultimately it was not a typical Kung-Fu movie as it was the captivating story that held it together and not simply an overload of fight scenes.

Diary of a Mad Black Woman (2005)

This story was one that many would be able to relate to in some part, and the director, Tyler Perry, although an unknown in the movie world at the time of release was a successful playwright and actor with an already solid fan base.

Slumdog Millionaire (2008)

This is essentially another foreign movie starring virtually unknown actors with a captivating plotline.  It is a love story, a tragedy, and with the feel good factor thrown in for good measure. It also highlighted issues that had not really been tackled before.  This movie was nearly rejected – thank goodness it wasn’t.

March of the Penguins (2005)

This movie is technically a documentary and was in some part the inspiration and precursor to the children’s movie Happy Feet.  There was just something magical and captivating about how brave the penguins were on their annual march.  Very slowly its popularity grew and it later won an Oscar.

Reservoir Dogs (1992)

This movie is so successful due to the story unfolding in a series of flashbacks, which leaves the audience captivated from the very beginning.  It feels like you are inside Quentin Tarantino’s very vivid imagination throughout the entire picture.

Juno (2007)

This movie’s success is based on its honesty.  It does not glamorise, nor does it condemn.  The movie adopts a fresh approach to such issues and Juno’s deeper message is that while mistakes can happen they do not have to ruin your life forever. 

Saw (2004)

It was this move’s attention to detail, clever twists and unashamed gore that enabled it to become a success.  Not for a long time had a psychological thriller entwined itself in vulgarity to this extent and the shock factor was what made it a success.

My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002)

Produced by Tom Hanks and his wife, this film was originally a stage show.  Hence the story line already had a solid fan base and the ethnic twist gave this rom-com a likeable flavour.

• Review of My Big Fat Greek Wedding
• Trailer for My Big Fat Greek Wedding

Napoleon Dynamite (2004)

This ‘Geek Comedy’ had a very simple storyline and Napoleon’s life was easy to relate to.  This cult picture was picked up by certain audiences and the movie was loved to the extent that t-shirts were made up by them and used to aid the promotion of the film.

The Blair Witch Project (1999)

The success of this movie comes purely from the mystery and uncertainty around it.  Is it true, is it an elaborate hoax – even now no one can honestly say they know for sure.  The cinema companies got involved with channelling the uncertainty and the buzz surrounding the film was like something that had never been seen before.

There are of course many other sleeper hits.  If you are interested in seeing what all the fuss was about then get online and check out online DVD shops such as www.play.com or Zavvi. Discount codes can often be found by typing ‘Zavvi Discount Vouchers’ into your search engine. 

---

CaptainD - Movie Reviews Blog

The Razor's Edge (1946)

Packed with stars, nominated for 4 Oscars (winning one) and winner of two Golden Globes, I guess I was expecting more from this movie. Based on the novel by Somerset Maugham (and even featuring him in the film, played by Herbert Marshall), the plot follows the life of a young man, Larry (Tyrone Power) in search of... well, something. Always more questions than answers, never wanting to be tied down to a job or his fiance, Isabel (Gene Tierney). His search leads him across the world, away from those he loves and then back again, to holy men and into the dens of sinners.

For the first hour or so I found it interesting, but after Larry's meeting with probably the world's least convincing Indian (Cecil Humphries - by comparison Michael Bates in It Ain't Half Hot Mum was completely authentic!), the storyline got too convoluted, downright weird in places and frankly lost plausibility. At 2 hours 25 minutes it seemed a little longer than the plot could maintain and despite the best efforts of Oscar and Golden Globe winner Anne Baxter and other co-stars John Payne and Clifton Webb, it was rather dull throughout.

There are those who claim this is an absolute classic and maybe they're just seeing something in it that I've failed to appreciate, but to me this was a good idea that just got too bogged down in its own rhetoric to be enjoyable.

---

CaptainD - Movie Reviews Blog

SALT Trailer

---

CaptainD - Movie Reviews Blog

Sherlock

Just watching the new BBC drama Sherlock - based on Sherlock Holkmes of course, but modernised. It features Martin Freeman as John Watson and the excellent Benedict Cumberbatch as Sherlock Holmes - half an hour into it so far and I love it, smart, atmospheric and somewhat strange. Brilliant!

Update - finished watching it, now looking forward to episode two. Really great stuff, highly enjoyable from start to finish, intresting protagonist and integration of characters, some killer dialogue (my favourite was "Don't speak aloud, you're lowering the IQ of the whole street").

Even the title is a nice parody of the original "A Study in Pink" instead of "A Study in Scarlet".


Catch Sherlock Episode One on BBC iPlayer

---

CaptainD - Movie Reviews Blog

Toy Story Poll

Why is it that I only notice typos on my movie polls after they've started and Blogger won't let me correct it?!?!

---

CaptainD - Movie Reviews Blog

Movie Trailer - Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore

Despite myself, I have to admit that this actually looks quite funny... (will end up seeing it whatever I think though as the wife wants to watch it!!)

---

CaptainD - Movie Reviews Blog

The Sorcerer's Apprentice Trailer

Nick Cage has appeared in some pretty ropey films in his time (some great ones too though!); this looks like it will hopefully fall more in the latter camp. We shall see...

---

CaptainD - Movie Reviews Blog

Toy Story Poll

I've started a new poll to see which of the three Toy Story polls people like best - see the top of the blog to vote.

---

CaptainD - Movie Reviews Blog

More Ray Harryhausen Creature Images

These are to supplement the images I already have in my Review of the Ray Harryhausen Exhibition at the London Film Museum - unlike those images, these ones are isolated models not in situ in the exhibition, and are copyright of The Ray and Diana Harryhausen Foundation.

---

CaptainD - Movie Reviews Blog

Top 5 Movie Apps (Guest Post)

Top 5 Movie Apps

There are loads of ‘best app’ lists out there, especially for movies, but some of them seem to be filled up with apps for the latest iPhone 4 that just don’t quite cut it. Most lists are pretty good, but in general they’re missing a few essentials for actual movie lovers. Here are my top 5 movie apps:

Movie Genie

This Dialaphone list rates the iMDB app for iPhone and Android, and rightly so, but until it is fully integrated with the site, Movie Genie is the next best option. You can use Movie Genie to search for any movie person and access their full biography, photos, filmography and plots. You can mark movies with particular people in them as your favourites and store your browsing history.

Movies by Flixster

This is an app that was built for film lovers. To help you decide what films to watch you can watch trailers, read extensive reviews, get showing times in your area and even book tickets! As well as this you can also monitor box office results and search for information on actors or directors and search their back catalogue.

Showtimes

This popular app is great for last minute decisions to go to the cinema. You can check local times at nearby cinemas and not only that, but it will direct you with GPS to the nearest cinema that is showing your film of choice!

MovieLingo

For movie lovers who love movie quotes, this is the perfect app to have in your pocket. Select a genre, decade or just freestyle and shake the iPhone to be given a random quote. Play the audio file to guess which film it is and what character – a great movie trivia app to play with your friends.

Run Pee

Now most movie lovers that I know will pee before a movie, but if you’re running late or realise you shouldn’t have had the extra large coke then Run Pee is an ingenious little app. It will tell you when a boring moment is coming up, giving you the opportunity to run to the bathroom without missing a huge plot point or action scene.

---

CaptainD - Movie Reviews Blog

Clash of the Titans (1981)

Just watched this again and sure, there are some things about it that don't work too well - but overall I still enjoyed it a lot more than the remake. I'll try to find time to review it soon, and I'm trying to ascertain how much nostalgia is involved in how much I like the 1981 version.

---

CaptainD - Movie Reviews Blog

Yogi Bear... the Movie?!?

Er... something about my childhood memories is telling me that this is very wrong, but they're making a movie of Yellowstone Park's most famous talking bear...

---

CaptainD - Movie Reviews Blog

Review - Ray Harryhausen Exhibition at the London Film Museum

I've now had a chance to check out the Ray Harryhausen Exhibition at the London Film Museum, and I have to say that although it wasn't very big, it was very nicely put together and well worth a visit.

For those who don't know (how could you not?!), Ray Harryhausen is a true legend in the world of movie special effects and stop-motion animation, with iconic creatures from games such as Clash of the Titans, Jason and the Argonauts, The Valley of Gwangi and The Seventh Voyage of Sinbad among his credits.  The exhibition starts off with some introductory information about the early pioneers of stop-motion animation including French magician / director George Melies  and Willis H. O'Brien (whose work on King Kong did much to inspire a young Ray Harryhausen).  The first room has a display with models from King Kong along with information on how the models were constructed, along with a brief intro video by Ray Harryhausen and his teaming up with Willis H. O'Brien Mighty Joe Young, with Harryhausen ending up doing 90% of the modelling.

The next room features the Medusa model from Clash of the Titans, and a large screen video of the clip from the movies which shows Medusa in her full glory.  It doesn't matter how many times you've seen this, it's well worth watching again!

The third and final room is much larger, and features a life-size Medusa as you go in - definitely an intimidating sight!  There are several models on display with explanatory text, and each one has a video interview to go along with it, also featuring the models shown as they looked in the films they starred in.  Some of the videos have audio, some are just subtitled - a clever move as having them all playing aloud would have resulted in not being able to hear any of them properly!

There are many interesting snippets of information and insight on film-making / model-making in these interviews, and it will take you quite a while to go round all of them (which is definitely worth doing).  For instance, in the famous skeleton battle scene in Jason and the Argonauts, animating all of them was such an involved process that working flat out, Harryhausen could shoot 13 frames per day - about half a second of filming!  The whole scene took four and a half months to shoot.  The actors practiced their swordplay against people until they had memorised the moves, then they fought the air in the real shoot.  They were only able to see their opponents months later when the film was actually released.

The seven-headed hydra from the same film also caused problems - if the phone rang while Harryhausen was working on it, when he came back he sometimes forgot which head was meant to be moving which way.  I'm sure he was happy with the eventual result, but apparently there were several points when he regretted including the hydra in the film!

Another little factoid is that some of the creatures Harryhausen created were actually the real thing, with a mechanical skeleton to control movement and stuffing to pad it out - he couldn't improve on the real thing, so that's what he used - through sources such as taxidermists.

Although I knew that Ray Harryhausen made his creatures alone, as well as creating scenes and contributing to the storyline, one thing I hadn't realised was that he did all his own storyboarding as well - hundreds, sometimes thousands of sketches of what happened when, partly to minimise the possibility of something going wrong with the animation and also to help the actors visual their enemies who, as mentioned before, they would not actually see until months after they'd acted out their scenes.  In an age where special effects are created by large teams of experts, what just one man was able to do is quite remarkable.

The most amazing thing though?  Despite all the advances of CGI and other SFX, Ray Harryhausen's creatures still look amazing.  If you're interested in his work, in film-making or special effects, then you'll definitely enjoy the opportunity of looking at his work in more detail.

For more information on the Ray Harryhausen Exhibition at the London Film Museum, click here.

Related Links:

Press Conference with Ray Harryhausen and Tony Dalton at FanFest 2010

(All images copyright The London Film Museum)

---

CaptainD - Movie Reviews Blog