Howard the Duck (1986), probabily one of the oddest films ever made, and produced by George Lucas as well!! :shock: Based on an adult comic book, yet toned down to be a family film. This has Howard T. Duck, from the distant planet of Duckworld, like Earth, but with Ducks. Howard is catapulted through space to Earth by a laser beam developed by Dr Jennings (Jeffery Jones). Upon his arrival on earth, Howard befriends rock-singer Beverly (Lea Thompson), who takes him in until he finds a way to get home. This a film you'll either hate, (which a lot of people do), or like, (and there's a strong fanbase for this film.) Put me in the latter, oh, and Tim Robbins is in this too!! :P 3/5
First Blood (1982), the start of the other great franchise Sylvester Stallone did. He plays Vietnam veteran John Rambo, who drifts from town to town looking for his old platoon, in the town of Hope, Washington, he finds himself being picked upon by local sheriff Will Teasle (Brian Dennehy), and Rambo is beaten up by the police. Rambo escapes and survives in the wilderness, just as he used to in Vietnam, but with the police and army on to him, Rambo's old commanding officer and mentor Colonel Samuel Trautman (Richard Crenna), who intends to talk Rambo out of this one-man army battle. A very suspensful film indeed, with some good moments of action to be found within, it's a pity the sequels didn't follow the structure of the first one... :P 4/5
Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985), the second Rambo film, this time, John Rambo (Sly Stallone), is released from jail, and sent to Thailand to help find POW's still captured in Vietnam. But, Rambo soon finds himself being double-crossed and left for dead by operation leader Marshall Murdock (Charles Napier), and left to the mercy of Soviet leader Lt. Col. Podovsky (rent-a-baddie Steven Berkoff), but Rambo won't give in without a fight. Some good moments of action are to be found within this film, but it's a let-down from First Blood (1982), and all the sequels seemed to be the same after this one... 3/5
Rambo III (1988), the third in the trilogy, (until the recent 4th one), where Stallone returns as Rambo, now living a life of peace with monks in Thailand. He is asked by his old commanding office and mentor Colonel Trautman (Richard Crenna) to join him on one last mission to help supply Afghan freedom fighters with supplies and weapons to help drive the Soviets out of Afghanistan. Rambo refuses, Trautman goes alone, and is captured behind enemy lines, only one man can save him, guess who?? ;) More violence and more action again, when it comes it's very good, but even violence can't make a good film. And that was it, for about 20 years... :P 2/5
Flags of Our Fathers (2006), directed by Clint Eastwood, produced by Steven Spielberg. This was one of two films Eastwood did about the Battle of Iwo Jima, and the six men who raised the flag on top of Mount Suribachi. The three surviving men, John "Doc" Bradley (Ryan Phillippe), Rene Gagnon (Jesse Bradford) and Private First Class Ira Hayes (Adam Beach) are sent back to America, to go on a promotional drive to convince America to buy war bonds. A very powerful and emotional war film, and if you think it's themes of war propaganda and selling an unpopular war upon the people sounds familiar to what's happening today, you're right. 4/5
Letters from Iwo Jima (2006), the other Iwo Jima film, this time, director Clint Eastwood shows the battle from the Japanese perspective. It shows the Japanese troops preparing the island for the oncoming American invasion, the troops, led by Lieutenant General Tadamichi Kuribayashi (Ken Watanabe) soon succumb to the power of the Americans. The Japanese didn't stand a chance, they were ill-equiped by their army, almost forgotten about, and many dying to dysentery, they do their best to survive under difficult circumstances. A better film than Flags, as this has a tighter narrative, as opposed to Flags' juxtaposed storytelling. There's some good performances to be found here, and Eastwood is a brave man to be taking on a Japanese-speaking film too. 4/5
Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song (1971), one of the first blaxploitation films, and it was made outside the studio system when no-one would fund it, but writer/director/producer/actor Melvin Van Peebles was determined to get it made. He plays Sweetback, a man who grew up in a brothel to become a womaniser, and he soon finds himself on the run when he witnesses two cops beating up a black man. This is a film which helped influenced a lot more blaxplotation films, it's got a raw, bleak power which hangs over the film, but it looks good, it's jump cuts are inventive, and it's score is composed by Earth, Wind & Fire. ;) 3/5
Super Fly (1972), another influential blaxploitation film, this one is famous for it's soundtrack by Curtis Mayfield. The film has drug dealer Priest (Ron O'Neal), who is planning to get out of drug-dealing once and for all, but he soon realises that he is in a no-win, no-win situation. That it will either end in prison or his death. The film captures the era of 1970's Harlem perfectly, and it does have some good moments in it, (despite dodgy acting). But, it's a pity you don't get blaxploitations films like this anymore... 3/5
Underdog - Fucking awful film. The only thing stopping it being one is Patrick Warburton as the villain's sidekick. He basically plays the charzcter he played in Seinfeld called David Puddy. I loved that character so this raises it to a 2/10
Jumper - twas ok. Not great, not rubbish. Just, ok.
Letters From Iwo Jima - I thought it was as good as Flags. This film focussed more on what it is like to be on the side you know is losing and all hope is gone. A brilliant film, fairly told by Clint. The message of the two films for me is war is hell and nobody gets out clean. 8/10
Jubilee (1977), Derek Jarman takes an alternative look at 1970's Britain, seen by Elizabeth I (Jenny Runacre) through occultist John Dee (Richard O'Brien). In this vision of the UK, anarchy is certainly in the air, Buckingham Palace has become a recording studio and it follows a group of punk nihilists, which include Bod (also Runacre), Crabs (Nell Campbell), and Mad (Toyah Willcox). A real time-piece of the 1970's, it's an indictment of what could happen to the UK, but it's a bit dated now, oh, and Adam Ant and Siouxsie and the Banshees... ;) 4/5
Quite possibly the single most disturbing film I have ever, ever seen. I can't make out whether I thought it was abhorrent or brilliant. I've certainly never felt physically ill while watching any other film.
Rambo (2008), Sylvester Stallone revives his other great franchaise, 20 years later. Sly is John Rambo, ex-Vietnam soldier, now living a peaceful life as a fisherman in Thailand. He helps Christian aid workers get into war-stricken Burma, but when they are captured, Rambo is thrown back into action, leading a group of mercanaries to save them, and there is violence, alot... :P It's good to have Rambo back, he's still a down-to-earth human being, using his wits and physical prowess to save him and others, he's no superman, but Sly is still looking good for a man of nearly 62, it's a good throwback to 80's action films when they WERE VIOLENT!! :D The only thing missing is the late Richard Crenna as Rambo's mentor Trautman, that would have made it feel complete. Oh, and Matthew Marsden from Coronation Street is in it... :P 3/5
