Review: Man of a Thousand Faces
Blu-ray: Man of a Thousand Faces (1957) The problem with a lot of ‘true life’ stories in film is that they are invariably NOT true. My very cursory knowledge of Lon Chaney is that only the main points of this biopic are ‘real’. But it really doesn’t matter, mainly because the star of this film […]
Review: Worzel Gummidge Christmas Special
DVD: Worzel Gummidge Christmas Special (1980)For those of you who may be unfamiliar with our titular hero, let me explain who Worzel Gummidge is.He is a walking, talking scarecrow who has a variety of interchangeable turnip, manglewurzel (YES, Manglewurzle) and swede heads, each of which suited a particular occasion, like tea with the Queen or […]
Review: Oil in the Blood
Blu-ray & DVD: Oil in the Blood (2019) Let’s get one thing clear from the beginning: I’ve never been a huge fan of motorcycles. I went to the TT races (twice) in the Isle of Man in the early 1980’s, I used to watch the Anglo-American Transatlantic Match Races at Oulton Park (also in the […]
Review: Skinner
Blu-ray & DVD: Skinner (1993) Released for the 1st time in the UK on any format, and at one time thought to be a lost film, Skinner has been restored and presented in this release with a 4k scan and additional extras. Dennis Skinner (Ted Raimi) rents an apartment in a house owned by Kerry […]
Review: Black Gunn
Blu-ray: Black Gunn (1972) A group of black revolutionaries (BAG…Black Action Group) rob a Mafia run gambling operation of not only their cash, but also their highly confidential ledger books. Scott (Herbert Jefferson Jr.) is a part of BAG and is also the younger brother of Gunn (Jim Brown) who is a successful nightclub owner. […]
Review: A Score To Settle
DVD: A Score To Settle (2019) Released from prison after serving 20 years for a crime he didn’t commit, Frank (Nic Cage) tries to rebuild a relationship with his son, while also seeking revenge on those who betrayed him. What could be a fairly basic plot, unravels with enough twists and turns to keep you […]
Live Event: Grimmfest, Odeon Great Northern, October 3rd – 6th, 2019
It has become tradition that I begin my annual review of Grimmfest by imploring you to read my reviews of the previous times I have attended this fantastic event: Grimmfest 2018, Grimmfest 2017, Grimmfest 2016. Having read those 3 reviews (you have, haven’t you?), I’m sure you’ve already made a note of all the great […]
Review: Never Grow Old
DVD: Never Grow Old (2019) Patrick Tate (Emile Hirsch) is an Irish immigrant who has inadvertently settled in Oregon on his way to California with his French wife, Audrey (Deborah Francois), and their two young children. Patrick is the towns undertaker, and what was once a lucrative business in the ‘wild west’ has become few […]
Review: The Major and the Minor
Blu-ray: The Major and the Minor (1942) The Major and the Minor starring wonderful post-Astaire Ginger Rogers and extremely handsome Ray Milland, was Billy Wilder’s debut as a Hollywood director. It’s your run of the mill, girl meets man, man is engaged to another woman, the woman is a self-centred, self-serving harpy, man realises he […]
Review: The Hills Have Eyes Part 2
Blu-ray: The Hills Have Eyes Part 2 (1984)Bobby and Ruby (2 survivors of the original 1977 movie) are preparing for a big motorcycle race in the desert, but when Ruby leaves with some of the racers in tow, things begin to spiral out of control when they get lost and stray too close to where […]
