Star Wars: the Force Awakens

And this week's Friday Night movie has been... Star Wars: the Force Awakens!

Original image located here. Accessed 18th December 2015

I admit it: I have no attachment to Star Wars. It seems that the people, who make up the Star Wars fanbase are those who saw it as kids - whereas i saw the original trilogy when I was in my teens. Besides, if we go by the logic of 'fandom based around the movie you saw the most times as a kid' then we'll have to start talking about Spaceballs. XD

As for Force Awakens itself, Well it is an improvement over the prequel trilogy and I enjoy the use of the formula of: 'interesting characters and witty dialogue'. Needless to say, if Force awakens was an attempt win back interest then i'm interested to see what happens next....

......oh wait, Mel Brooks wants to make a new Spaceballs movie?! Hell yes!!!

Star Wars: the Empire Begins

And this week's Friday night movie has been: Star Wars The Empire Begins!

For the uninitiated, this one is the fan edit where someone edited all three of the prequel movies into the one feature.

So what i can I say? I really enjoyed it. Its quite impressive that someone took three movies and reworked it completely. It's even more impressive that the three movies in question are reviled and refashioned into something that's actually quite a good movie.

However this edit is just one of many of the Star Wars prequel trilogy - and somehow I can't get the feeling that in the attempt to salvage a good film from the lousy source, what's resulting is a copy of a copy.

Over the Hedge

And this weeks Friday night movie has been....Over the Hedge!

Original image located here. Accessed 20th March 2015

Not a bad movie. There are some decent jokes and some good ideas but one gets the feeling they aren't taken to their full potential. And it does seem something of a waste that we have this really great voice cast that come across as being restricted. Could have, and should have, been better....

Blade 2

And this weeks Friday night movie has been....Blade 2!

Original image located here. Accessed 13th March 2015

Well if you're going to see the first one then you may as well watch the second. 

I'm not going to say something like 'not as good as the first' so what I will say is that this was pretty damn good on it's own merits. And hey, you can't go wrong with Guillermo del Toro. And Ron Perlman. And The Cat from Red Dwarf

Blade

And this weeks Friday night movie has been....Blade!

Original image located here. Accessed 30th June 2015

I admit it: I've never seen this movie before. I knew it originally came out when I was in college but I don't recall it being that big a hit. Sure people who saw it talked it up and the movie has gained something of a cult following in the years since but I never have gotten around to seeing it.

So what do i think of it? Well as an action movie it's great. And I certainly came away entertained 🙂 Furthermore one can't deny the influence Blade has in resurrecting comic book movies. Mind you, I could be cynical and say it may have cashing in on the success of Buffy but then again Buffy doesn't have a big-arse shotgun XD

Xmen First Class

And this weeks Friday night movie has been....Xmen First Class!

 Original image located here. Accessed 20th February 2015

Well seeing I've watched the Animated series all the way through it was somewhat natural to go to this. So my thoughts? This is difficult to assess because it's a prequel and like any prequel we all know what's going to happen but the real strength in the movie is daring us, the audience, that it won't. And to that end the movie is a success. The action is exciting, the James Bond-inspirations are great and there's some solid moments of character development.  Plus we have Charles Xavier as a womanizer and I find that utterly hilarious XD

Oh we also have President Michael Dugan in it too (a cookie if you get that reference)

Tropic Thunder

And this weeks Friday night movie has been....Tropic Thunder!

Original image located here. Accessed 13th February 2015

In a way this movie surprised me: I thought it was going to be completely stupid but as it turned out, it was a riot. Okay so it may have been stupid in places but there's some moments of pure gold in here - chief among them being the acting turns done by Robert Downey Jr (!) and Tom Cruise (!!!!).

Assault on Precinct 13

And this weeks Friday night movie has been....Assault on Precinct 13!

Original image located here. Accessed 23rd January 2015

What can I say? For a film nearly forty years old it holds up pretty well. The action is intense, the atmosphere is claustrophobic and there is a sense that there is a lot being done with a limited budget. In addition, the directing is top notch, the acting is great and there's a lot of grit that puts a lot of modern films to shame.

I could say 'they don't make them like they used to' but you know what? They don't. 

So! Anybody got a smoke? XD

12 Angry Men

 And this weeks Friday night movie has been....12 Angry Men!

Original image located here. Accessed 9th January 2015

Boy is this a product of a bygone era: It's based on a stage play, features a single setting, and relies solely on the actor's ability to make the dialogue work. One can imagine someone to make something similar today will be laughed out of the room.

But there is no need: This movie still works some 58 years later and is still, compelling as ever - truly deserving of the title 'timeless'.

Moon

 And this weeks Friday night movie has been....Moon!

Original image located here. Accessed 2nd January 2015

Let it be known that my preferred kind of science fiction is of the hard variety. Having said that, this movie does indeed come across as a breath of fresh air. Thoughtful, poignant, taking science fiction seriously and a superb performance from Sam Rockwell - Well, what more could you ask for?