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Storm War (2011)
Interesting ??????
I would start by quoting from the DVD release here in the UK "A Young Scientist revels in his creation of a supercomputer that can stop the effects of climate change and catastrophic weather. When the computers artificial intelligence advances, it creates deadly storms to stop the military from controlling it or shutting it down. It's up to the scientist to outsmart his own creation, survive the disasters unleashed upon him and save the planet from devastation".
With that in mind I paid a fiver for this film, knowing not to expect miracles, but obviously I was hoping to watch a different film to the one described and reviewed here on IMDb.
So to the person who wrote the review on the DVD case may I suggest that you actually WATCH a movie before writing a summary, it would help us to decide what we want to watch.
As for the film, I would mostly agree with the other people who have commented on it, the special effects were not that bad for what I presume was a TV movie, Stacey Keach, a little over the top with his acting at times,but I have seen him in a number of movies and I believe he deserves better movies from time to time (Unless I have missed his best works).
The ending was,lets say, predictable but I won't say anything other than that.
It seemed at times to borrow from the big screen version of the British TV series the Avengers when Sean Connery was controlling the weather and Big Ben got hit by lightning.
I am going to give it a five rating as I think it deserves more than it has been credited for, I have seen a lot worse in disaster films (I have seen a lot better also) and I am sure SyFy and others will continue to make these type of films and they are getting better in the effects department, just need to put better scripts together to make the movies work better with audiences.
Meanwhile I will be looking through the Internet to see if there is a DVD cover that actually describes the movie on the disc and not one that someone has dreamt up whilst reading a sci fi book.
The Usual Children (1997)
Oh Dear The worst possible Christmas Movie......Ever
I wish I could give this a minus rating but I am not allowed to. Thats probably why no one has ever reviewed this film. I have to say as an Englishman that this piece of rubbish is actually English, I can see why movies are now made in Canada or New Zealand,if this is the sort of Festive movie we can put out. Two horrible extremely rude children arguing well I just had to switch it off after 20 minutes and dispose of it in the bin.
My wife and I love Christmas movies but this one really sucks, I mean I know kids can be pretty horrid at times but this film just shows them in a completely different world to the real one.
Please avoid this film at all costs, do not let children watch it, stick to classics like A Christmas Carol if you want to show kids that it is much nicer to be kind than to be a nasty person, at least it is a timeless classic.
Sorry to the English producers, casting assistants and all involved in this film, but do not try and make Christmas films if you want to appeal to family audiences.
Disaster (2003)
Shame on Amazon
I bought this on DVD as Amazon put it into my "recommendations list". Shame on you, this movie should never be recommended to anyone (except perhaps serial killers who want to reform). As someone who after watching just about every disaster movie there is (and now I know how to pilot a 747 in a lightning storm,what to do if ever a volcano springs up in Doncaster in England, or tornado landslide or earthquake)thought, oh I saw Jim Davidson (not our English comedian) in a movie called Crowfoot and thought it was watchable (perhaps Erin Gray was the real reason for watching it, but thats besides the point) I wondered if he could repeat the role of an American Cop who plays by the book. NO. Here we have the usual cop who wants to be Mr bigshot and knows it all, fine if you are Bruce Willis or Mel Gibson, their acting skills can add a hint of irony and comedy to this sort of thing, sorry Jim, you are not in the same league.
I think that there was a storyline but in got lost in the timeless world of constant explosions, how the casino remained standing after the amount of explosions beats me, Gerry Anderson did a much better job in the puppet series Thunderbirds back in the 1960's.
The ending, well it was incredible in that it was so lame. There they were baddie and ex girlfriend stood on top of the Hoover Dam, by this point I was guessing what effects could be used, I thought we would end up with the rerun of the dam that cracks open in the first Superman Film, which I believe was partly edited into an episode of the A-Team or something in the eighties, but no we had a picture postcard of the dam been blown up several times and in between shots it magically part repaired itself.
I'm glad it only cost me £1.96 from Amazon otherwise I would be returning it to the seller wanting my money back, whether the charity shop that is going to get lumbered with it sell it remains to be seen, at least if they get it donated back several times, they would make more of a profit for a good cause.
As for Amazon, sorry I will not be taking you up on any more recommendations from now on.
G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra (2009)
What A let Down.
I have just sat and watched this film on DVD having bought it at Christmas and boy I wish I had waited until the price had dropped it into the budget range.
I saw a trailer on another film and thought that this might be good, I like believable special effects and even give actors that I have never heard of before, a look at, the number of good actors/actresses that I have seen in "Made for TV Mini Series" is surprising.
Being a fan of the late great Derek Meddings who was in charge of Special effects for Gerry Andersons, Stingray, Thunderbirds and Captain Scarlet plus no end of Bond Films and so on, I thought that this film just became a summary of all his work. Underground and Underwater hideouts and bases, hidden guns in vehicles, all had his trade mark, but they were all hashed into one movie, plus throw in a bit of Dr. Who surrealism (hang on Christopher Eccleston is in it!) how will they follow that up as they have left us wondering at the end of the movie.
Yes plenty of action, but over the top and nothing really new and original.
If you have not already seen this movie and want to see it yourself, borrow it or wait until it gets to the budget price range.
Great Performances: Chess in Concert (2009)
Great Performances All Round
I've always been a fan of this musical and seen two travelling reps versions of it, both different and often wondered why the various producers had to "Update it" politically at various times. (references to what they built the Berlin Wall for by the British Embassy Staff" were altered and so on.
This was a refreshing change, following more or less the writings of Tim Rice Bjorn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson concept album. The extra songs and bits of dialogues filled in the missing pieces and made it a wonderful performance, my only regret was that most of the main cast in this version are Americans, not that I have anything against the people, but as it was co written by an Englishman, and recorded at The Royal Albert Hall, it would have been nice to have a fellow countryman playing and singing a major part possibly one of the Russians.(I know Svetlana (Kerry Ellis) comes from Suffolk in England and has a magnificent voice, but it is not as major a part as the rest.
In years before the Iron Curtain came down, whenever a film called for a Russiain, quite often it was a British actor that got the part.
I would highly recommend this DVD to anyone who has ever heard of Chess to see it as Tim Rice puts it as the definitive version of how it should be.
Just a shame the Film Studios rushed out to make Mamma Mia into a movie and not Chess as I can imagine it with its great settings and scenery. Perhaps after seeing this someone may just do that, I hope.
Dear Santa (1998)
Now I've seen them all
As a lover of Christmas my wife and I enjoy good Christmas Movies and I am sorry to say that this was far from that description. Like other reviewers I thought it had bad acting, bad script and wonder how films like these ever get passed those who have to Rate them, why this was rated PG for the United Kingdom beats me, surely its time for a Z classification to warn people away from movies like this. Lillith was the only character worth watching and I see that she has never made any other films since, which is a shame as she seemed to be very promising.
Do yourself a favour watch Tim Allens Trilogy of Santa Claus Films or Miracle on 34th Street but not this.
Jeff Wayne's Musical Version of 'The War of the Worlds' (2006)
Outstanding
Steven Spielberg missed his golden opportunity with Jeff Waynes superb soundtrack when he cast Tom Cruise in his version of War of the Worlds and many people were disappointed when none was incorporated.
So Jeff Waynes comes along to put together a stage version, I was unlucky not to get to see this earlier in 2006, but getting the DVD for Christmas made up for it.
If you liked the original album, well this is for you, near perfect stage reproduction with excellent graphics, outstrips Mr Cruise's film by actually basing the story in London as per the original book and not a made-for-the-states version,yet Mr Wayne is from America.
Top marks for a brilliant performance
She Spies (2002)
Much Better Than Charlies Angels
Came across this on the IMDb and was able to get hold of the first series on DVD.
Finally a crime set that does not take itself seriously all the time. Beautiful Women fighting baddies with laughs abound, what more can you ask. As opposed to Charlie, Jack the one in charge, is not the Know all been there done that agent, but is on the same learning experience and is often the subject of light hearted banter, which he just takes in his stride. Without spoiling it for anyone who has not seen She Spies, all I can say is bully your TV companies into screening this or get the DVD's
I cant wait to see series 2 on DVD (Thank goodness for multi-region players).
It Takes a Worried Man (1981)
Classic British Comedy
In reply to another posting, no you are not on your own remembering this series, As well as starring Peter Tilbury, it was written by him as was the dead pan humour of "Shelley" with Hywel Benett.
The last series saw him find a soul mate in Sue Holderness who also fitted just perfectly with the idea that everyday, everything was going to go wrong
Brilliant Sitcom with good old British sense of humour and I wish that someone would release this and the early Shelly on DVD or Video as I would love to see them again, comedies like these were always shown at varying times as sport etc would always take precedence over a good laugh, so much for English producers sense of entertainment.
Unlikely Angel (1996)
An Enjoyable Film
Although this film is unfortunatley not available in England for some reason, I did see it a couple of years back when it was shown on TV. Whilst focusing on certain happenings around Christmas, the message that Dolly Parton gets of that she should not be selfish and always think of ourselves should extend to anyday. My wife and myself found this to be a charming film with a sincere message. Being given the chance to bring a family back together at Christmas is what Dolly Parton gets and with help from Roddy MacDowell, who plays an unusual portrail of St Peter,and giving enough humour not to make the film to serious is one I would like to add to my collection of films to watch over again.