Suspect's Reviews

Thanks Delilah

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"A laugh can be a very powerful thing. Why, sometimes in life, it's the only weapon we have."

Suspect's Reviews

Gangster No.1 (Paul McGuigan)




"Paul Bettany shows his acting chops"

Gangster No.1 shows the rise and fall of a prominent English gangster. Malcolm McDowell is Gangster 55, telling the story in voice overs, and Paul Bettany shines as the Young Gangster giving a great performance, which carries the film from cookie cutter gangster film, to one of the best.

This film is filled with inspirations from many others, such as Goodfellas, Reservoir Dogs, Get Shorty, etc. While some do work, such as "Look into my eyes", others don't, McGuigan, near the end of the film, fast forwards through decades in just a couple of minutes, we don't feel like we are with these people throughout their reign of terror in England. The film does have bits of originality, such as the "torture" while we see the FPV of the victim, fades in and out in his dying minutes, as the killer stands over his body, continuing the slaughter.

Paul Bettany shows how good he is in this film as he carries it to another level. His eyes in his "Look into my eyes" scenes are so hollow and terrifying that you know if he was interrogating you, that he could and probably would kill you at anytime. He has the look in his sharp suits and the style. It's a shame no awards went his way. McDowell, to me in this film is a little bit of, I don't know how to say it, but he didn't do all that much for me. The rest of the cast holds up well, blending well with the story line and environments they are put in.

The script is sharp and has a Goodfellas/Reservoir Dogs feel to it, the Goodfellas aspect shows the rise and fall, where as Reservoir Dogs, comes from it's dialouge. I've never heard the word c*nt used so many times. The film took it's time to showcase the rise of this young gangster from a common thug, to a crime lord. The one thing that did out me off though was the fact the he was just picked up out of a bar and given a spot. When Freddie goes to prison, that's when the young gangster takes his spot in being no. 1. Years go by and Freddie finally is released, while McDowell eagerly awaits his return, he expect some conflict, but what he get is a let down, I won't ruin what happens, but you'd expect something explosive.

So Gangster No. 1 showcases great performances from the actors involved and shows a great story that takes it time, instead of bang bang, you're dead. The film just lacks that one special thing to take it to greatness, above and beyond those other movies, but for now, it can just be the one to stand out.


7.5/10

Gangster No. 1 is OK, not bad, but there are a pile of truly great Brit gangster pics that should be seen before you bother with it, especially The Long Good Friday, Sexy Beast, Layer Cake and the original Get Carter.

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"Film is a disease. When it infects your bloodstream it takes over as the number one hormone. It bosses the enzymes, directs the pineal gland, plays Iago to your psyche. As with heroin, the antidote to Film is more Film." - Frank Capra

I've been meaning to get Layer Cake, looks interesting. Sexy Beast is alright, and have yet to see the others one's you've mentioned.

I love Paul Bettany.
Love him.
I'd really like to see him in a great movie. He's usually the bright spot in a fairly dim picture.

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Review: Cabin in the Woods 8/10

I would strongly recommend you purchase Layer Cake is a great film

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Battle Royale (Kinji Fukasaku)




"It's kill or be killed in this extreme shocker"

"At the dawn of the Millenium, the nation collapsed. At 15% unemployment, 10 million were out of work, 800,000 students boycotted school. The adults lost confidence, and fearing the youth, eventually passed the 'Millenium Educational Reform Act'...AKA: The BR Act."

42 ninth grade students are taken to a small isolated island with a map, food and various arms. They have to fight each other until only one is left, and they only have 3 days to do this. Each student is locked with an explosive collar that will go off if messed with, when the three days are up, or if they are in a danger zone.

Where do I begin, this is one of very few movies that makes you feel like you are actually there. I've never had so much fun watching a movie like this. It grabs you by the throat in it's first ten minutes and doesn't let go till the very end.

Early on in the movie, you get the jist of things and pick your favourites to win, regardless of the main characters. This movie is so extreme that it makes you think from the very beginning that even the two main characters, Boy #15 and Girl #15, may die at any point in this film. This film instantly caught my attention.

Each character in this movie is given a bag, that contains food, water, a map, some female supplies (for the ladies of course) and a random weapon, and when I say random, I mean RANDOM. The weapons range from an uzi, to a pot lid, and everything in between (paper fan, tracking device, coat hanger, these are their weapons). One poor kid was stuck with boxing gloves. The tagline for this film is "Can you kill your best friend?" Honestly, I don't know if I could. But here teams are formed early, your computer hackers, you're female cooks and your "gang" and you can bet your ass that they are all friends.

After each death, there is a countdown on the screen. "Boys # 7 #8 are dead, 35 to go". Even the teacher, who is mostly the comic relief in this intense film, reads off the death list and the order they died in, just before telling each student what part of the island is a danger zone. The danger zones in the film, add to the suspense, the thrills, the excitment and overall carnage that takes place on screen. Because of these danger zones, you know that the students must always be moving somewhere, or else the collar will explode, ripping their throat open and gushing blood. Which happens early on in the film, just to show you what you're in for. There are so many over-the-top scenes, that fit perfectly in this movie, even when kids are shot dozens of times and yet the just keep on tickin. It does have corney dialouge, but you get passed that and actually may find it enjoyable.

The music is beautiful, the opera sound and opening are perfect for this film, it blends so well with it's tone and the atmosphere surrounding the students.

It's always great to be sitting there cheering for characters, wanting others to die and crying for ones who do. Having this kind of fun in a mvie is once in a lifetime. One part I do not get, but had me laughing saying WTF



It's easy to see where Kill Bill got lots of it's scenes from. This movie will stay in the history of film as one that will shock viewers upon first viewings. If you go into this movie to have fun, you will not be disappointed, if you look deep enough, you will see the politics within it, but for now I will leave that chapter closed, and just leave you with the fact that this film is a must see for any violence craving maniac.

9.5/10

I enjoyed the manic quality to the film, and Takeshi Mike( the teacher ) is always watchable.I suppose anyone watching this movie for the first time without a general knowledge of Asian cinema might get a little lost or caught up in it, but it's dumb fun if you can handle the violence.
Haven't seen Battle Royale 2 yet, I'm waiting for it to come down in price at my local DVD shop.

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Toga, toga, toga......


Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbour?

skip it, it is trash.

*cough* Kitano *cough*

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"Critics are like eunuchs in a harem; they know how the Tatty 100 is done, they've seen it done every day, but they're unable to do it themselves." - Brendan Behan

Thanks for the reviews you suspect you

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Ok I'm confused. He has various names he goes by, Beat Kitano was his comedy name to start with when he did stand-up, but I thought when he directed or was acting he preffered to be called Takeshi Mike.
Put me out of my misery Tacitus, talk about clolur me confused!


Just been on imdb, realise I'm confusing him with someone else, he is also known as Beat Takeshi, not Takeshi Mike the director! D'OH!
I'm away to lie down in a dark room, my brain hurts!

Ok - potted history lesson.

Takeshi Kitano is the name he goes by as a director, writer, editor etc. 'Beat' Takeshi is a nickname which goes back to his days on the stand-up comedy circuit as part of The Two Beats (himself and his partner were Jazz fans). He uses 'Beat' Takeshi when he acts.

Takashi Miike is this man:



Director of Audition, Ichi The Killer etc...

Takeshi 'Beat' Kitano

Takashi Miike


Quite seperate ends of Japanese cinema, both worth looking into, Darth. From what i've seen Kitano makes great thought provoking films and Miike makes mad and messy films.

Btw, don't wait for Battle Royale 2, it's one of the few films i got really angry about the fact i wasted 2 hours watching it.

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Transporter 2 (Louis Leterrier)




"Turn off your brain...all the way off"

Frank is a transporter, he transports goods, but on this outting, he's a driver for a child to and from school. When the child is kidnapped, it's up to Frank to get him back.

The original movie was an above average action flick, it made a star out of Statham, who I seem to enjoy in all his movies. He breaks one of his rules and open the package, which sends him on an action adventure behind the wheel, here he has moved to the States and is a hired driver to take a kid to and from school. He's only been the driver for about a month, when a plan to kidnap the kid is underway.

This is a film for people who enjoy car chases, martial arts and the "it would never happen in real life". Right from the beginning we get a fight scene where our hero takes on 5 carjackers. He kicks ass then drives off. The first attempted kidnapping of the takes place at a doctor's office, where the bad guys kill the people in the office and take their uniforms. Frank sees something is wrong and kicks more ass. Kid gets kidnapped, frank has to get him back, and then more ass kicking and car driving, that is basically your movie here.

The one thing that in my opinion that totally took me out of this movie is the unbelievable things that happen. First of all, apparently bullets cannot go through a wooden door, but are able to blow up helicopters and go through everything else, but of course our hero is behind that wooden door, so no bullets. Second of all is the car driving from the top of one parking lot, and landing into another one, unharmed, boy he has great aim. BUT, just when you think he's aim couldn't get any better, he drives his car off a ramp and flips his car in the air doing barrel rolls, hitting a crane to knock off the bomb on the bottom of his car, just as it explodes. This guy is really good. Of course he also takes on 20 guys who all have swords and axes...and he has his fists and feet. Am I done, of course not, he saves the "cure" serum from a truck tire, literally before it get's crushed. He jumps in mid air as two cars crash right underneath him. Remembers that oil scene in the first one, well he uses it for his arm in here.

If you enjoy that, or can get passes those things, then this movie is a great action film. There were some gripes with the direction and editting, but in this type of film, you can forgive some of that, but it could be a distraction in the fights scenes. Is this going to win an oscar for the screenplay, well, when stuff like this happens.

Hero gets on plane.

Hero: You're flight has been cancelled.

Bad guy pulls out gun

Bad guy: No, you have been cancelled

shoots and misses.

With all these negatives in the movie, you may be wondering if anyone could enjoy it, well you can, and I did. It's not as smart as the first one, or as fresh, but it does keep your attention to the action on the screen. Among other things....like a women who only wears lingerie, even out in public.

The music was your typical modern rock, with a surprising "Cells" The Servant (Sin City Theme Music) which comes out of no where. There were a scene or two that made me laugh, the French detective plays as the comic relief, who has a crappy vacation. The ending, well depending on Box Office, could mean a possible third installment.

Can I recommend the film? Well, I've told you what happens in it, and if you are okay with all that "YEAH-RIGHT" scenes, then of course, it's a good movie to end the summer blockbusters with.

6.5/10

Thanks for the review Sus, I think I will give this a miss, I wasn't that keen on the first one

OLDBOY (Chan-wook Park)

"Brilliant Performance and Direction"

Old Boy Dae-Su Oh gets imprisoned for 15 years not knowing why, every so often music will play and gas will enter the room, knocking him out. Everytime he awakens hair cut, shaved and the room have been cleaned. Upon his release he has 5 days to find out why in the first place and by whom his captors were.

This is the second film by Park in series of revenge films. After seeing this film, I am very eager to view Sympathy for Mr. Vengence and the upcoming third installment. Park shows his talent in this film as he shows us a beautifully choreographed corridor fight scene, with no cuts. The camera simply pans back and forth through the action and the fights scenes aren't those one guy takes on ten with high flying action, it's real, it's grounded and he still takes on ten guys.

Min-sik Choi gives one of the best performances I've seen in awhile and the bad guy, although not as dynamic as Choi, holds up well as well. The other supporting cast are able to portray real emotions and make the whole movie work and come all together in the performances. Ijn the climax of the film, Choi gives not only a brilliant performance, but a weird one, that will have you either in tears of sorrow, or laughter. It's great seeing him try to adapt to the world, after being imprisoned for 15 years, like what he would do if he were to see a woman.

The film is violent, not in a killing way, because most of the deaths are taken place off-screen. The violence comes from torture scenes, you know, where a guy takes a hammer and takes out the guys teeth...ouch. There is a plot twist, and it is a big one. I was shocked and it stuck with me for ten or so minutes, the twist is controversial, which may put off a lot of American audiences, but I believe it makes the film what it is.

You feel sorrow for the main character, and even the bad guy, but can't really grasp this emotion until the climax of the film, a little late if you ask me, but the emotion that that scene brings out is in top form. It's a scene that goes down in history as disturbing, heart-wrenching, violent, suspenseful, funny, shocking...all in one.

So what can I say about this film, well, it's one to watch, maybe more then once, because it could be difficult for some to grasp at first, or even if you do, may be hard to actually "believe". Aside from that, this film is a treat for the eyes as one of the best revenge films to grace the screen.

9/10

Thanks for the great review, I really liked this movie

Oldboy 'effin epic, Sympathy for Mr Vengeance is good, though a very different film, need to watch it again really. I too am looking forward to Sympathy for Lady Vengeance, now if only i could find a UK release date

Expected release date for the Sympathy for Lady Vengeance dvd is 30th November