mauriceyoung-49925 Reviews

Scott of the Antarctic (1948)

I thought it would be better!

[5/10 · 25 March 2024]

Why was I disappointed? It's probably because I knew the outcome when they all set off in their ship from the quayside And then again when they dropped the men off at the point to begin their long slog in the ice, snow, and freezing conditions. I knew then that I really couldn't hack it and switched off and turned my attention to the actors. John Mills; who is pretty much the same in almost every movie he makes; but good. Kenneth More looks like he's waiting to get into 'Genevieve' and trundle off into the distance. James Robertson Justice, who was almost unrecognisable without his beard looked itching to get his teeth into that 'shower' at St Swithins hospital in the 'Carry on' films.

London Has Fallen (2016)

A TRULY SAD DISGRACEFUL REMINDER OF HISTORICAL UPCAST

[1/10 · 12 October 2023]

If this 'movie' had a minus score I would not have hesitated to use it! I'm obviously far from being an only one still alive who remembers the horrific days of the the blitz of London during WW11 and the many thousands of men, women and children who died because of the insane leader of Nazi Germany. This Film brings all the horror of those days back to life and it saddens and disgusts me. 'It's only a movie" I hear you say, but it goes much, much deeper than that watching the historic buildings of London crumble and fall; Buckingham Palace, Houses of Parliament, St Paul's Cathedral, Westminster Abbey etc. Is this what movie making has come too?

I Am Wrath (2016)

BAD GUYS GET BLASTED

[10/10 · 1 September 2023]

If you like your bad and nasty guys get shot to pieces, stabbed unmercifully, beaten to death and, I almost forgot, burned to a crisp, then this film is for you. It's purely a revenge film with John Travolta being the man on a mission when his wife is murdered and once he gets going he does his revenging extremely well with no looking back. The acting is good but it's the violence that takes the Oscar.

And so he ploughs on with the death rate mounting up by the minute but don't worry there's plenty more where they come from; bad cops, good cops, bad men and not so bad men are felled. I liked it all.....but I have to add a slight piece of sarcasm; I was waiting for him to sing "Your the one that I want" but he didn't. I suppose you can't have it always.

The Eagle Has Landed (1976)

KEEP ON TRYING.......

[5/10 · 5 April 2023]

I saw this film. It's a WW11 story about a group of Germans soldiers and amongst them Michael Caine trying to be a German soldier, Donald Sutherland trying to be an Irishman, who incidentally tries to woo a girl, Jenny Agutter, who looks young enough to be his grandaughter. Larry Hagman tries to be an American Colonel and Donald Pleasance tries to be Heinrich Himmler. The stand out actor is Robert Duvall who plays the German Colonel Max Radl. They were all trying their best to kidnap Winston Churchill having monitored his movements for some time but were ignorant of the fact that the British government were monitoring them all the time.

Alien (1979)

I WAS IN UNBELIEVABLE AWFULNESS LAND

[10/10 · 30 January 2023]

This film held me in awe from start to finish. Although thirty five years of age when I first saw it I was almost hiding behind my seat from the beginning.... I knew something was going to happen, something awful, but was nowhere near just how awful the awfulness was going to be. And then it happened....the awfulness began...and it didn't let up until all the awfulness was put back into its place and love and tenderness returned. But it was a close thing. And I was left wondering how certain people have the vivid imagination to bring about such an incredible environment for the cinematic public to ponder.

Sapphire (1959)

It started good then just petered out into a typical TV cop thing

[5/10 · 24 January 2023]

Nigel Patrick is always very good, if somewhat predictable in his performances and makes an excellent policeman. Michael Craig, smoking a pipe, which does him no favours, looks less a policeman but even more the doctor we know him so well in the 'Doctor' films. Then of course Yvonne Mitchell, one of our most underrated actresses the UK has ever produced, eats up her role with absolute ease. The rest of the film is about a black girl, who is always referred too as 'coloured' in those days, who has been murdered. The police go chasing around clubland London accompanied by blaring music until they catch their killer. Pretty good.

Titanic (1997)

The sad story of a couple in which the man drowns...and oh yes, it was onboard the Titanic.

[2/10 · 4 October 2022]

There is obviously a huge amount of work gone into the making of this film. However it comes across to me as a fictional episode of melodrama of the usual love and tears that you see on everyday afternoon television with the sinking of a ship thrown in to give it a dynamic twist. The Titanic was the 'star' of this disaster not a love stricken couple wandering around on board trying to sort out there pathetic problems. I've watched this film 'Titanic' twice but also an earlier film of the Titanic disaster 'A Night to Remember' made in black and white in 1958 and by far a superior version of the tragedy.

The Usual Suspects (1995)

I'm not a clever man but......

[3/10 · 3 April 2022]

I'm not a clever man but would someone tell me what this film is about please?.....but I'm assuming they have made it complicated so as to say how fantastic this film is....you know what I mean.... nobody wants to own up and say "what the hell was that all about" and look like the only one who didn't get it when we all didn't get it...if you see what I mean?

A Night to Remember (1958)

A wonderful film of tragedy.

[10/10 · 28 March 2022]

It hits my heart strongly to try and put myself into the positions of the people on board the Titanic in their final moments. Yet this film helps in many ways. There was panic but lots of love and understanding. A wonderful emotional film that I regard as a true classic of its era and well beyond.

Dial M for Murder (1954)

THE KEY TO THIS FILM IS THE DARLING OF IT ALL.

[4/10 · 10 March 2022]

From the beginning I began to count how many times the word 'darling' between the actors was said. After approx 15 minutes I gave up and assumed everyone was a darling. As I've seen this film several times I thought, hopefully, this time I would solve how the guilty person was apprehended with the riddle of the door keys. But no such luck and once again I was left frustrated. As far as the actors were concerned Ray Milland played Ray Milland as he's done in all his other films - he never varies. Grace Kelly wimped around. Robert Cummings was in there somewhere. But best of all was John Williams who played the police inspector.

Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998)

BLOODY GREAT FILM.....!!

[10/10 · 15 January 2022]

The film moves into overdrive from the beginning....wham bamb and we're off....the characters are sorted within ten minutes and we know where we stand...... humour, bad language and violence is going to be throughout....and throughout it continues....but you know what they say 'it ain't what you do but the way that you do it'....and it's done gloriously and fantastically.....you have been warned!!

Telstar: The Joe Meek Story (2008)

A FANTASTIC DEDICATION TO A TRUE BELIEVER

[10/10 · 28 December 2021]

Music is historically cluttered with the untimely death of many of its originators. Mozart to Presley to Lennon and all in between. Joe Meek was certainly in between them. As a teenager in his time I wasn't really a fan of his. Rock'n Roll was my lifeblood. However this film of Joe Meek turned me around being wonderfully passionate and I enjoyed it immensely. Superb acting from all involved with Con O'Neill, as Joe Meek, giving an incredible performance.

Four Guns to the Border (1954)

Hotter than a Texas desert!!

[10/10 · 26 January 2021]

This film is not only western.....its a sexual encounter of a young woman who meets a man and all inhibitions from them both desert them entirely. Yet without a naked encounter of either and the physical bond between them only rain water the steam hits a shrieking high point of excessive desire.....after that it is western. But a very good one.

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011)

I really tried

[2/10 · 22 January 2021]

I really tried to understand this film as I've never read a 'le carre' book yet seen many trailers. But it was just as I expected. Lots of pregnant pauses. Glances of guilt followed by silences of possible innocence then more glances of guilt with glances of glances to glances...and so it went on....and on....and on. I can just imagine the hue and cry of the reader of the novel who "understands" it all and putting all those glances and silences together in the film will say "it didn't do the book justice." Or was it not the other way round? Basically the film seems so full of its self importance it would seem its forgot to entertain.

The Hatton Garden Job (2017)

Could do Better!

[5/10 · 7 January 2021]

I'm only into the film for 5 minutes and I'm thinking "is this directed by Guy Ritchie?" The format is an almost copy of "Lock, stock and two Smoking Barrels" directed by him. Surely not! But it continues in the same vein. Unbelievable! I wondered that surely someone, as by now it's halfway through, should have plucked up the courage whilst making the film to inform the production departments attention. It is good, but because of the obvious copy you feel cheated because it is not original.

Carry on Jack (1964)

SO SORRY

[1/10 · 16 October 2020]

I'm so sorry to say that compared to the original and early 'Carry On' films, which I love, this one is an absolute parcel.

The Driver (1978)

This is a talkie movie! Really??

[6/10 · 9 August 2020]

Overall I liked this film. However, as the story began and moved on I began to wonder if the writer(s) had lost their pen or pencil sharpeners. For to say the dialogue was frugal was like saying a Charlie Chaplin silent movie was written by Shakespeare.

The Slasher (1953)

Cheap and nasty and GREAT!!

[10/10 · 24 March 2020]

Because of the title I expected to see a silly embarrassing film costing about £50 to make. However I should have known better as it was directed by one of the most professional men in the business, Lewis Gilbert, who amongst other wonderful films directed two James Bond movies starring Sean Connery. I enjoyed it as it portrayed the black & white times of the early 1950's excellently. The only embarrassment was the miscasting of Joan Collins. For Joan Collins is a woman and has always been a woman probably since she was about twelve and cannot disguise it. So why would a woman of her obvious mature endowment have a relationship with a spoilt little juvenile brat? The outside scenes were enjoyable and the acting was very good. The end was very disappointing. You can't beat love and understanding into someone. You only make them more resentful and hateful.