BrickNash Reviews

And Just Like That... (2021– )

Takes a while to get going, but it gets there

[7/10 · 10 March 2023]

I was a fan of the original series, although the movies were of lower quality, so I was surprised when this sequel show came around.

The first couple of episodes are a bit of a slog. The absence of Kim Catrall is noticeable and tangible, and lots of scenes feel dragged out in a dull way.

The OG show was always very gay-friendly, but much winder LGBTQ+ issues are dealt with in this new series (which is very welcome) but the show can perhaps be a bit too heavy-handed with it at times.

Regardless, using terms like "too woke" echos the "too gay" critics of the original show, so be sure to check which side of history you are on.

There's a surprising amount of new characters, and they all get a good chunk of their own screen time. This feels a bit like padding when all you want is the original cast on screen, but to be fair they are not unlikable.

If you can get past the first few dud episodes, it turns into something really quite special, so I hope they do a Season 2, and I hope that Kim comes back. Even for just a cameo or two.

Bad Girls (1994)

Solid western fare with likeable leads and good pacing

[8/10 · 9 November 2022]

I wasn't expecting much after the rather negative reviews, but I found myself thoroughly enjoying Bad Girls.

It seems to be taking cues from both Unforgiven and Young Guns with it's general story, and it's a well paced and entertaining movie with 4 very distinctive and very engaging characters.

The leads are all great! Madeleine Stowe's "leader" type Cody is played with both gusto and vulnerability which adds depth to the character, Draw Barrymore's cigarette smokin' tomboy Lilly has a boyish temper and attitude which is fun, and a little sexy, Andie MacDowell's suth'un Belle Eileen is entertaining and mischievous, and Mary Stuart Masterson's meek and shy Anita adds up to a collective of unlikely anti-heroes in a time where women really didn't get treated well..

The film also has some gorgeous cinematography. That dusty golden look so befitting of westerns is here, and it looks sumptuous. Much of westerns' appeal is vibe, and this kind of photography really gives it an authentic feel.

It's not a perfect film though. Troubled production and a change of directors/constant script rewrites apparently sucked all the motivation from the cast and crew.

The action scenes are clunky in terms of editing and choreography, and they lack scale/tension. It's serviceable enough, but uninspired and sometimes a little TV like in terms of framing.

Many of the other threads, such as the revenge plot and the romance seem surface level at best, and while it's all there, it could maybe have used some more depth.

I think Bad Girls biggest problem was that it came at the tail end of a stunning run of other westerns in the 1990s. While it's a good film, by comparison it appears weaker than what it actually is. Following on from the likes of Young Guns II, Dances with Wolves, Unforgiven, Tombstone et al was always going to be a hard task.

Regardless of any flaws, Bad Girls is a really solid and entertaining western with great photography, energetic pacing, and likeable leads.

A shame that a more rounded sequel never happened, but this is a fine addition to anyone's collection.

She-Hulk: Attorney at Law (2022)

A refreshingly breezy comedy, but episodes need to be longer

[9/10 · 7 September 2022]

Marvel goes full on comedy with She-Hulk, and takes cues from the likes of celebrated David E. Kelley legal dramas like Ally McBeal and Boston Legal.

The show is snappily written with some great performances, especially by lead Tatiana Maslany who appears to be having a blast with the material. The fourth wall breaks are hilarious, and it's just a hugely enjoyable show to watch.

If I had a criticism it's that the episodes have been far too short and every scene has felt a bit rushed in terms of editing. 7 minutes of end credits out of a 30 minute show is nonsense, and that leaves seldom little time for content which has a natural flow.

A 50 minute-1 hour format where scenes can breathe and play out is sorely needed, but as criticisms go, wanting more isn't a bad one.

Just as an addendum - don't listen to the crying incel man-children who are review bombing this show It's wonderful, and.well worth checking out.

The Orville (2017–2022)

The best Sc-Fi since TNG

[10/10 · 1 October 2021]

I avoided The Orville for a good while as I wasn't keen on seeing a spoof. However, The Orville is not a spoof - it is possibly the best sci-fi TV show since Star Trek: The Next Generation or DS9.

It took the first episode to acclimatise to the mix of comedy and drama, but make no mistake - this is a science fiction show with science fiction ideas and story lines, and they are all done brilliantly!

The writing is tremendous, and there's some genuinely fascinating concepts on display here. I became attached to and invested in the characters very quickly, and the arcs were all addictive and immersive.

The comedy element softens as the series progresses, and in season 2 it's much subtler and gels better with the drama, but the show wouldn't be the same without it. There are some genuine belly laughs to be had, and it all adds to the charm.

Compared to the stodgy and po-faced Star Trek: Discovery (which takes itself far too seriously) The Orville is a welcome return to fresh, breezy and interesting science fiction, which focuses on characters and high concepts rather than gritty action. The best part is that the characters are flawed, and the situations are interesting due to that.

The production values are also off the scale and beautiful throughout.

This is the best Star Trek that isn't Star Trek, and it's better than most other actual Star Trek. If this doesn't go on for at least 10 seasons It'll be one of the biggest wastes in TV history.

Masters of the Universe: Revelation (2021)

A brave and thoroughly enjoyable interpretation

[9/10 · 24 July 2021]

I've been a fan of MOTU since pretty much the start. I still have Betamax tapes with the old 80s series on them, and I still have all the toys, so I don't really know how much more "qualified" I need to be.

Long story short - I loved this new interpretation!

It does some really ballsy stuff by (temporarily) killing He-Man and Skeletor at the start, but the ripple effect from it which affects the secondary characters is absolutely fascinating!

The fact that the moral lines are now blurred for BOTH sets of characters without their figureheads opens up some genuine character depth which just wasn't there before, and there are some genuinely amazing moments which hit right in the feels.

Evil-Lyn and Orko's scenes steal the show, but there's loads more which are worthy of note too. The animation is fantastic, and there and many nods to the classic cartoon and the 2002 series as well.

If I had any negatives to say it's that, I think one more episode at the start would have given some more breathing space, because it does feel rushed into the main plate of beef almost instantly, and we hardly get time to catch up with our old friends before everything changes. There's a lot of exposition to compensate for this, which wouldn't be as noticeable if it were spread out a bit more.

There's a lot of hate for this show at the moment, but it seems to mainly be coming from the fragile "anti-woke" crew - none of whom I want near anything I like anyway, so they can cry elsewhere, and leave this fantastic show to people who genuinely enjoy good exploitative storytelling.

Mortal Kombat (2021)

One or two good action scenes, but ultimately amateurish and boring

[3/10 · 26 April 2021]

You can tell that this is a first time gig from the writer and director, as the film is horribly unbalanced. All the good ideas are poured into just one or two characters leaving the rest of the movie feeling pale and neglected.

The addition of Cole was a huge mistake as he is just a boring character, and the part would have been better suited to Liu Kang or a young Johnny Cage. The dialogue is awful and unnatural, and nothing really feels together in the movie, which is basically a series of uninteresting events which don't grab the attention. The addition of magic tattoos and "arcana" was phenomenally silly and felt like it was an idea by a 12 year old.

The film does do a few things very well though - namely Scorpion, Sub-Zero, and Kano. All three of them get the best action scenes and the best lines, but unfortunately when they aren't on screen it's just a dull slog which feels like a fan film or webisode. Sonya and Jax are fine, but they are kind of surpluses to the events.

The really crux comes when we meet Raiden, Kung-Lao, and Liu Kang. The film makers manged to make all of them - particularly Raiden - completely unlikable, and the actors portraying them are terrible and really hammy.

The fights look well choreographed, but the editing is so annoying with the quick cuts that it robs the combat of any momentum, and for a film about martial arts, there's really not that much fighting in it. Even the gore is limited to just a few bits, so the action is by and large very PG-13 for the majority.

To summarise - a strong opening and a few cool action & comedy bits isn't enough to save what is really a very amateurish and boring film.

Justice League (2017)

Unspectacular, but competently made and entertaining

[8/10 · 27 March 2021]

I liked this film when I first saw it in 2017. It was nothing mind blowing, but it was solid entertainment.

After watching the rather good 4 hours Snyder cut, I decided to revisit the 2017 version for a comparison. I was fully expecting to not like it anymore, but strangely enough, I did. It's still a by the numbers comic book movie, but it's still competently put together, and it's still entertaining.

In fact, there's a few scenes and music cues in this version which I prefer to the Zack Snyder cut, and I'll take this version of Superman any day.

The last 20 minutes is just CGI muck though, and there's nothing here which is particularly deep, meaningful, or even has much purpose.

Regardless, it's a solid piece of fluff which I still thoroughly enjoyed.

Zack Snyder's Justice League (2021)

An overly long, but otherwise massively enjoyable epic

[8/10 · 19 March 2021]

I've not been a fan of the Zack Snyder's DCEU. I despised Man of Steel, and I only enjoyed maybe 2/3 of Batman V Superman.

How pleasantly surprised I was to find that Justice League is a truly good film. I really enjoyed it, and I think it and its director deserves all the praise it's getting right now.

Zack Snyder seems to be at his best with extended run times at his disposal., Watchmen Director's cut was amazing, and BvS Ultimate Edition was infinitely superior to the theatrical release. The same is true of Justice League, and here he crafts a well fleshed out story with some genuine character development and back stories.

Of course, it's not a perfect film. It is HEAVILY indulgent, and if I had a main beef, it's that it really did not have to be four hours long. It could easily have been 3-3.5 hours if some of the masses of slo-mo shots had just been trimmed down a little. There's some really long exposition sections where we get a history lesson too, and while it's nice, I'm not sure it's entirely necessary as everything just grinds to a halt for 5-10 minute to accommodate them.

I also feel that once again Superman is by and large ignored, and I think that's been the way from the start with this franchise. He feels like a background character in this world, reduced to montages and fleeting moments where we see Henry Cavil's ruffled brow, and it's hard to buy that he's seen as this important by the team of the public.

It feels like there should have been a second Superman film prior to BvS to let us really get to know him, but they rushed in and killed him in order to get to the good stuff.

There are also one or two scenes and music cues which I still prefer in the 2017 cut, but regardless, Justice League 2021 is a truly great watch which is massively enjoyable. It sucks that we still have to see Amber Heard, and even worse with a terribly butchered English accent, but she's not in it for long.

Bar a largely unnecessary epilogue and too much slow motion, this is well worth checking out.

Junior (1994)

Watchable, but flat, Emma Thompson steals the show

[6/10 · 1 February 2021]

After the success of Twins in 1988, it was maybe inevitable they'd try to re-create that formula again.

Here, Ivan Reitman again teams up with Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny Devito for another lite light comedy, and it's a fairly enjoyably little film. The problem is that, it's not really that funny. Sure there are comedic moments, and stuff that raises a smile, but compared to Twins (and it's impossible not to compare them) it just feels a little flat.

For me, the star of the show was the wonderful Emma Thompson, who plays a sweet and bumbling doctor. Thomson's character is endearing and really watchable, plus her comedy timing is impeccable - which is no surprise considering that she was part of the University acting team which housed Steven Fry and Hugh Laurie back in the day.

The only downside is that she's not in the film as much as one might like.

Junior isn't a bad film by any means, but it's maybe just a little dull, and is FAR outshone by Twins and other comedies of this ilk.

Ironheart (1992)

A dull trudgefest with awful fight scenes

[2/10 · 29 January 2021]

This film is notable as being the final movie of Director Robert Clouse. Clouse had previously directed Enter the Dragon with Bruce Lee, and a slew of other low budget martial arts films in the 70s, 80s, and 90s. Only a few of these, such as China O' Brien, and The Big Brawl were really that good, so I was keen to see if this would be hos swansong.

Unfortunately, it isn't. It's a poorly cobbled together junkfest with little redeeming features.

The main problem is that this film was supposedly a kickstart vehicle for lead star Britton K. Lee, but the issue is that Lee was also the producer, so he basically made the film for himself.

Now there's nothing wrong with that in itself, but the problem is that Lee is neither a good actor, nor is he charismatic in any way. In previous films, Robert Clouse had Bruce Lee and Cynthia Rothrock in front of the camera - two very strong personalises who came across well on screen. Britton K. Lee has none of thee qualities, and come across as an out of place protagonist, and more like a sidekick who got his own film.

All of this could be forgiven if the martial arts action was good, but it's not. In fact - it's dire. Loads of tight shots with too much slow motion, and some clumsy choreography make this look like a TV episode.

With films like China O' Brien, fight choreographer Nijel Binns created some really cool action scenes with wide angle shots so that you could see the full glory of the fights and the actors skills, but here it just feels awkward and messy.

The film's one saving grace is that it features the legendary talents of Bolo Yeung and Richard Norton (both veterans of Hong Kong cinema,) and it's great to see them again.

They unfortunately can't save what is a dull and meandering movie with bad fight scenes and a boring plot.

Bob Clouse will always have Enter The Dragon, and no one can take that away from him, but his final word in film is not worth bothering with unless you are a super fan of Bolo Yeung.

Dark Shadows (2012)

Massively entertaining. Depp is on form!

[8/10 · 20 January 2021]

Tim Burton was a powerhouse in the 80s and 90s, but he is widely regarded as a director who lost his way. An over reliance on video game-tier CGI along with a lack of focus has marred his work in the post-2000 world.

Dark Shadows is what I consider to be a return to form for him. The film is a hugely entertaining and very funny Gothic comedy, and it really delivers on those fronts. The highlight is of course Johnny Depp as the Vampire with the floral speech patterns, and when contrasted with the 1970s setting it makes for some genuinely hilarious moments.

The rest of the cast is not to be overlooked either as we have some big players here. I love the fact that Burton has reused all of his key Batman actors over the years, and It's SO good to see Michelle Pfeiffer back working with him for the first time since she was Catwoman. Helena Bonam Carter is always a joy, and although her part is a bit smaller, she plays the old drunk beautifully.

It's certainly Burton's best live action work of this century, although it's not perfect. The film meanders a little during the middle, and the focus abruptly switches from one character to another leaving you wondering just who is the actual protagonist. There is also a little bit of that console game CGI in there a few times, but it's nowhere near as bad or as overused as some of his other films.

I highly recommend Dark Shadows. It's a funny and entertaining movie with some great performances, and one where the good far outweighs the bad.

The Best of the Martial Arts Films (1990)

Definitive and essential viewing for the martial arts genre

[10/10 · 14 January 2021]

This is the definitive documentary about classic pre-1990 martial arts films.

It's a beautifully paced look at some of the best fight scenes of the 70s and 80s, and it's a great starting point for anyone looking to get into the genre. It's elegantly presented and narrated by John Saxon, whose voice adds some real gravitas and glue to the flow of the clips.

It's a very Golden Harvest heavy selection, but there are also scenes from other Hong Kong movie companies such as Seasonal Films which add to the variety. A few Shaw brothers clips wouldn't have gone amiss, but I think that would have been too complicated due to rivalries and licencing.

A martial arts classic in its own right, and a tremendous source for the very best in which films to seek out.

The Karate Kid Part III (1989)

Doesn't deserve any hate. Great villain and an interesting story.

[10/10 · 10 January 2021]

Karate Kid III is the final film in the Karate Kid series starring Ralph Macchio.

The movie has a reputation for being a re-tread of the first film, but honestly - nothing could be farther from the truth.

Bar the final ten minutes which does feel like the first film, the rest of the movie is a hugely entertaining chapter in the story. Here we see a devious plan to mentally break Daniel and drive a wedge between him and his beloved teacher Miyagi by new villain Terry Silver played by Thomas Ian Griffith.

Make no mistake - Griffith absolutely steals the show with his manic and devilish performance. He is a proper snake in the grass, and it's great to watch just how subtlety he manipulates Daniel and slowly changes him into something bad. This corruption culminates in a heart-wrenching scene where Daniel loses his temper and makes Miyagi cry.

Robyn Lively is very good as the supporting female character. It's astounding that she was just 16 years old while making this movie and Macchio was 27, yet they both look about 22. This age difference in the actors prompted the director to make the relationship of the characters purely platonic since Lively was a minor, but this actually helps to craft something new. Instead of just being a Bond girl type deal where yet another love interest in thrown into the pool, the fact that Jessica is simply a friend adds a refreshing feel to the dynamic. Plus, she's not just an ear for his emotions - she has real world skills which help out on more than one occasion.

Special mention must go to Bill Conti's score, which think is the best of all the Karate Kid films. The piece where Miyagi and Daniel are on the cliff doing the kata is astoundingly beautiful, and Terry Silver's music is a wonderful pastiche of Vivaldi and mischievous baroque.

For me, Karate Kid III is on par with the second movie. It's hugely watchable, had a great villain, and it does something a little new in a few areas.

If the final showdown had been anywhere else but the tournament then I think it would have done better, and it's definitely the film's weak point. However, the movie adds so much to the Karate Kid lore, and watching Terry Silver work is just an absolute joy!

Thoroughly recommended!

Wonder Woman 1984 (2020)

Potential if they had just stuck with Diana and Barbara, but as is, it's bloated

[6/10 · 27 December 2020]

I enjoyed this film on first viewing, but on reflection and a second viewing it;s really not that great.

The film starts off really well with a small and exciting flashback, and then we get Wonder Women doing her thing in a mall which is great. The film starts to become really interesting when Barbara (played by Kristen Wiig) shows up, then she and Diana start to develop what seems like a very sweet friendship which I was getting very invested in.

It's at this point where Pedro Pascal shows up and steals what seems to be the lion's share of the runtine, and the interesting story between Diana and Barbara gets by and large shoved aside. We do see Barbara's transformation into Cheetah, and it's pretty well handled, but it keeps cutting back to Max Lord and his rather silly adventures at being an evil version of the Genie from Aladdin.

Had the film stuck with just Cheetah as the villain and focused some of the VERY long runtime on building a truly genuine friendship between Diana and Barbara, then the sense of pain would have been felt much more in the end battle as she would have been fighting someone genuinely close to her and not just some work colleague who she went to a boozy lunch with one time.

Gal Gadot's beautifully wholesome portrayal of Diana almost single handedly carries what is a very bloated and so-so movie. Her warmth and goodness is everything I wanted but didn't get from DCEU's Superman, and credit where credit is due - it's almost enough. But not quite.

The Wizard (1989)

Bravely deals with a lot of child issues as well as being fun and touching. Hugely underrated!

[10/10 · 3 December 2020]

This is a wonderful little film which has been severely ill-treated over the years due to its use of product placement, but it in no way diminishes what is really a very brave and touching movie.

What sets it apart is that it highlights a lot of things which it really didn't have to. It was a bold move to make a kids film and have it heavily deal with many unspoken problems faced by a lot of children. Problems such as dealing with divorce, re-marriage, autism, child PTSD, half-siblings, and estranged parents. It throws in a little innocent teen romance too, and there are plenty of genuinely touching moments from everybody.

Bigger stars Christian Slater and Beau Bridges lend their hand to the movie, and they play well off each other as the father and son searching for their two younger family members. The writer even throws in some genuine layers for the family in the form of a well delivered story by Slater's character.

Of course there are the games, and there is a fair bit of product placement, but surprisingly it's actually quite a small part of the story - at least until the end.

The Wizard is really a road movie about kids trying to reach a goal simply to get there - and that's not a bad message. It's a sweet, funny, and emotional little film with a great soundtrack, and while it could have been an easy and cheesy paycheque job for everyone, the writer and director make a solid and genuine effort to bring us something with some real depth and texture to the characters. There's a reason that this is affectionately known as "Rain Man for kids", and it lives up to the comparison in a smaller, but no less meaningful way.

Replace the games with anything and you'd still have a great film, which just goes to show that they set out to make a good film first and foremost.

King Solomon's Mines (1985)

Hugely enjoyable and pulpy fun!

[9/10 · 22 November 2020]

This film is so much fun!

It's an obvious take on Indiana Jones, but it actually does its own thing fairly well, and there are loads of great action set pieces, like fights under trains and aeroplane dogfight battles. The score by Jerry Goldsmith is tremendous and adds so much to the film. The musical cues sound similar to those in Supergirl and Innerspace - both scored by Goldsmith around that time, and there's something very magical about it which really gives the film an epic feel.

The humour is much cheesier in KSM than it is in Raiders of the lost Ark, but for me this only adds to the charm.

It's hard to believe that Richard Chamberlain was 51 when he made this movie as he doesn't look a day over 30, and the addition of Herbert Lom and John Rhys Davis (playing what seems like Sallah's evil twin) adds some tremendous gravitas to the movie, and their timing is spot on.

Sharon Stone is unfortunately really bad. She's undoubtedly a very pretty lady, but apparently she was a compote diva on the set and was hated by the cast adn crew alike for being egotistical. She wasn't even a famous name back then, so it's unclear why she was so mean, but regardless, her acting in the film is soap opera-tier garbage.

King Solomon's Mines is a Cannon classic, and that's all you really need to know. It's cheesy, action packed, has a good sense of humour, and is a surprisingly well structured adventure ride that is lifted by a great score and some high quality supporting actors.

A great movie to just sit back and enjoy on a Sunday afternoon.

Ninja Academy (1989)

Thoroughly enjoyable, and more than a mere copy

[8/10 · 22 November 2020]

I watched this film a lot when I was a boy, so coming back to it I was wary that it wouldn't hold up. I knew even back then that it was a Police Academy rip off, and not as good as that film, but regardless I remember enjoying it.

I was pleasantly surprised at just how much I still enjoyed Ninja Academy. It's honestly no worse than any other silly 80s comedy, and it mixes in some cool ninja action to the laughs.

The film also has quite a surprising range of good characters. The mime in particular was very memorable, and the usual roster of pretty girls, tough guys, the accent prone geek, the handsome lead, and love interest are all present and correct, but do their job well.

The action scenes are all surprisingly well staged, and there's a good pace to the film which means it never gets boring.

I think if the film didn't have "Academy" in the title then it might have avoided some of the very unfair hate that it gets, becasue apart form that it's a different film to Police Academy.

If you like goofy cheeseball 80s comedy films then this is well worth a watch, and the added bonus of some cool ninja stuff just makes it more appealing.

Kickboxer (1989)

A VHS video rental classic. Soaked in atmosphere and perfectly balanced!

[10/10 · 20 November 2020]

I wouldn't quite call this a martial arts movie, even though it does have martial arts in it. It has a genuine story, and while it's not very original, it does a few things that not a lot of films do.

The main feature of Kickboxer is that it is absolutely dripping with atmosphere! The locations are beautiful, and the motivation is genuinely emotional, so we are with Kurt all the way on his journey as he seeks revenge for his brother.

This is all glued together by an absolutely phenomenal score by Paul Hertzog, which fully encapsulates the location, the art, and the mysticism all in one. It's a crime that Hertzog has only essentially done two movies (this and Bloodsport) because his music is genuinely stirring and emotional. It's one of my favourite scores ever, and a highlight of the film itself.

The action scenes are uniquely choreographed and directed by Jean Claude Van Damme himself, and quite honestly, I've never seen fights like this in any other film. It's not trying to copy Hong Kong, but instead it does its own very original thing at a slower pace, but it's made up for by sheer power. It's a shame that Van Damme never quite hit this level of quality with the fights in his later films, even the one he had full control over (you know which one).

One thing the film gets right it's balance. There's a good mix of action, emotion, and even comedy in there - none of which outstays their welcome, and they all appear in turn just at the right time for breathers. The pacing is also pristine, and there is zero meandering or pointless scenes.

The cinematography is beautiful, especially the end fight, with lots of fire reds and oranges intensifying the action, and there's a good use of slow motion that's used very well with Van Damme's choreography.

Kickboxer is a bone fide video rental days classic of the late 80s and early 90s. It's up there with the likes of Sakura Killers, Eliminators, No Retreat No Surrender, Robocop, King of the Kickboxers, and many more.

It's far and above the usually cheddar of that ilk, becasue it's just a better film than most. The feel, the music, the atmosphere - it's all here, and it's a classic that should be an any action film fan's collection.

It's just a crying shame that the DVD version has scenes missing, and Denis Alexio's voice has been dubbed. It's not the version I grew up with, and I had to hunt for a VHS copy of the film for a long time. Thankfully, I got a UK ex-rental big box copy which was in decent condition, and even though the sound is slightly muffled, it's a far superior version to the DVD print.

Ninja III: The Domination (1984)

Could have been iconic, but gets bogged down in unbelievable mysticism

[6/10 · 19 November 2020]

I had never seen this film before until now. I was a ninja nut as a boy in the late 80s, but this film passed me by for some reason.

Straight up, I love the 80s cheese vibe of this film! Leg warmers, synth rock tunes, arcade machines - it's so up my street! It's very well shot, the lead is charismatic and engaging, and the opening assassination scene really got me excited as its is just utter chaos, and this made me invested in what was to follow.

Unfortunately It's the rest of the story where it maybe starts to fall apart. Now look, I can stretch my suspension of disbelief quite far, but even this film pushed it a bit.

I don't understand why they went with this mystical "spirit transference" thing, because it was jumping the shark to the extreme, and I'd have much preferred it if Christie had been trained in the regular way. Also, Lucinda Dickey looks fantastic, but it's obvious she has no martial arts training, and the action scenes suffer a bit due to it (although it's passable).

My biggest gripe is that the "romance" between Christie and rapey cop Billy could have easily been left out. This guy basically harasses her at the start of the film like a sex pest, and 2 scenes later they are an item? It kind of ruined the vibe a bit as it doesn't seem like something she'd do. In fact, the film didn't need any romance whatsoever in order to work with the plot it had, and the entire character of Billy was unnecessary and could have just as easily been a detective (another female perhaps) instead of a useless love interest. Sho Kosugi lends his name to the film, but is hardly in, although his presence is welcome as he's always good.

The film does take some unexpected twists and turns though. One minute it's an 80s cheese fest, the next a martial arts film, and then it turns into The Exorcist and Poltergeist at one point. The possession plot is actually more reminiscent of a horror film, and while it's unfocused it's definitely interesting and unique. The synthesizer score is also really good, even if a lot of the cues are directly lifted from Revenge of the Ninja.

To be honest it's a wonder this film got made at all. I mean, a female lead in a Ninja film from 1984? I love it! It's just a shame that the film is bogged down in this bloated mysticism, and it feels like a lot of it is there because the film is saying "There's no way a women could be a real ninja, so we'll just make it because of magic".

Ninja III could have been the Flashdance of the martial arts world. It could have shown a genuine character arc with Christie if the Ninja at the start had trained her instead of just psychically emailing his skills to her brain. However, she looked like she had no issues or challenges with her life in the first place, so there was nothing to overcome.

All the gratuitous shots of Christie in scantily clad clothes could have been forgiven if she was portrayed as a genuine badass, but her character never earned any of these ninja skills and so there was no real journey for her.

What we end up with is essentially just a very scared but very pretty girl being used as an avatar for a malicious ghost instead of kicking ass on her own merit.

As a film, it's hugely flawed - but it's also massively entertaining simply for the sheer amount of crazy ideas is cobbles together.

I'm not saying you'll enjoy it, but you definitely have to see it.

Spacehunter: Adventures in the Forbidden Zone (1983)

A slightly flawed but fascinating gem

[9/10 · 16 November 2020]

This movie is a real gem and a hugely enjoyable adventure. I discovered it whilst flicking through late night TV in the 90s, and since then it's become a real favourite.

It's pretty obvious that the film is basically a mashup of a few things, and it could easily be described as Han Solo in Mad Max land. However, don't let that dissuade you - this is a top notch little sci-fi adventure film which is far more than the sum of its parts.

Peter Strauss plays the grumpy Space Captain called Wolf, and he does an excellent job of the typical hardened loner but with a soft centre. Molly Ringwald is terrifically bratty as the orphan Niki, and the chemistry between the two really shines. Ernie Hudson and a heavily made up Michael Ironside provide solid support.

My only real complaint is that I really felt they should have kept the Chalmers character throughout the whole film. I found the interplay between Andrea Marcovicci and Peter Strauss to be really interesting, and I was sad that it came to an end so soon. I think a triangle with Wolf, Chalmers, and Niki could have been really fascinating as a pseudo family unit, and offered much more texture than just Wolf and the kid, with Chalmer's "secret" plus her as a mother figure being a real talking point in a Terminator 2 type way.

The film isn't too heavy on backstory which is a shame as we're kind of just thrown into things, but the character setups, although thin, do the job.

Just as a side note, the film has an odd connection to Ghostbusters. It's produced by Ivan Reitman who is the director of Ghostbusters, and it stars Ernie Hudson who played Winston Zeddemore, it's scored by Elmer Bernstien who also scored Ghostbusters, and Harold Ramis (Egon) even has an uncredited voice cameo. Spacehunter of course being released a year before Ghostbusters, so it's interesting to think that this may have been some testing of the waters for certain aspects.

Like The Last Starfighter, this film feels like it is part of a bigger story, and it seems like it was perhaps meant to kickstart a series of Spacehunter movies. I'd have loved to have seen a continuation with Wolf and Niki with maybe a new Chalmers model, but I guess the film didn't quite do well enough.

Nevertheless, it's standalone value makes it well worth a watch.

Eliminators (1986)

Surprisingly good cast, and a hugely enjoyable 80s gem!

[8/10 · 15 November 2020]

This was a film that I watched a LOT when I was about 11 or 12 (on Betamax no less). Coming back to it after some years, I was afraid that It wouldn't hold up, and I don't like it when that happens as the comfort of nostalgia is something I enjoy.

I was pleasantly surprised to find that it's still a hugely entertaining and very watchable ride! The premise is B-Movie schlock at its finest, but it's elevated by some solid performances and a bit of heart.

Andrew Prine is fantastically charming as the roguish boatman Harry Fontana, and his performance is probably far too good for this type of movie. It's also cool seeing a pre-Star Trek Denise Crosby, and like Prine, she gives a solid performance as the tough "no shit" robotics wiz. Patrick Reynolds is suitably morose as the amnesia stricken Mandroid, and he does a decent job of making us feel for him.

Veteran actor Roy Dotrice (Mozart's father in Amadeus) makes a surprise appearance here at the main villain. He's not given much screen time, but his delivery adds a lot of gravitas to the dialogue, and he seems to be having fun in the final battle. It's obviously a paycheque job for him, but he doesn't phone anything in which is really good.

Watching this film again, I noticed that it is strikingly similar to Robocop in some of the more humanity-searching scenes. Only this film came out a year before Robocop! Even the music is eerily similar when John the Mandroid encounters emotional circumstances, so one has to wonder if there was some thievery happening?

The potential plagiarism doesn't stop there though, as it's painfully obvious that the Borg design from Star Trek was based on the Mandroid from this film, with Eliminators being released a full FOUR years before the Borg showed up in TNG.

As a film though, it's well acted and well directed, but there's not much depth here. There's no real resolution for the main character, and we don't find much out about each person's life. Also, some of the "features" feel like they're straight of a producer's wish list. I mean, a scientist, a scallywag, and a cyborg suddenly come across a Ninja in the middle of the Mexican woods?

It's ludicrous!

However, that ludicrousness for once actually elevates the film becasue it has such as strong foundation with its cast and solid action scenes. Everyone knows a bit of cheese makes any meal taste better, so s sprinkling of shark jumping nonsense is something that brings out all the smiles!

This is 80s sci-fi nonsense at its finest! Some hugely enjoyable and silly fun, great action, good performances, and a really good synth score.

A perfect movie to watch with a few beers!

Only Fools and Horses: Sleepless in Peckham...! (2003) Season 9, Episode 3

An interesting second half which is clumsily tacked on to a sub-par episode

[6/10 · 3 November 2020]

The final ever episode of Only Fools and Horses fails to live up to the perfect ending we got in 1996. It's a perfectly serviceable watch, but it lacks any of the fireworks and sense of finality that we had seen before, and it only serves to strengthen the fact that the show should not have been brought back.

In saying that, the second half of this episode is genuinely interesting, and we pick up on a story arc from years ago regarding Rodney and Freddy the Frog. If this section had been its own 20-30 minute standalone episode then it would have actually served as a really magnificent setup for the rather Good "Rock and Chips" prequel series that we got in 2010. However, it's clumsily tacked on to the end of some silly unconnected murder story which happens in the first half, and ultimately it feels smothered by being part of these bigger episodes.

I also felt that the Trotters ending up with just a few hundred grand each was a bit mean considering that they had millions before, and it would have been better to put them back in the millionaires' world which was referenced so much during the shows run.

Still, the end scene is genuinely emotional, and while it's not quite as good as the Trotters walking into the sunset, it did bring a tear to my eye.

However, i still believe that these three post-2000 specials were unnecessary.

Rock & Chips (2010–2011)

A bold move with some great performances.

[7/10 · 2 November 2020]

John Sullivan took a lot of risks here. The biggest two being 1) Making a prequel to Only Fools and Horses at all, and 2) making it an out and out drama instead of a sitcom.

It's a tough tightrope to walk, but I'd say that it manages to work for the most part.

The positives pretty much come from the fantastic performances, with the standout being Nicolas Lyndhurst himself, who is quite frankly, phenomenal here! Lyndhurst shows some astounding range in the role as Freddy Robdal, and not once did I see Rodney Trotter on the screen. He was totally convincing as this completely other character, and it really shows what a fine actor he is. James Buckley is really likeable as the Young Del Boy, although I think they could have cast someone who resembles David Jason a bit more, and Kellie Bright gets the lions share of screentime as Joan Trotter which is no bad thing as she uses it well.

There are negatives to be sure and they mostly come from expectations., We've heard so much about these unseen characters over the years that you start to form ideas in your head about what they are like, and here some of them just seemed a bit off. Joan Trotter is a much more tragic character that the "good time tart" we were led to believe, and while this adds interesting dramatic layers, it's a little out of continuity. Similarly, Freddy Robdal was spoken of as a highly likable and charming man, yet here he seems cold, standoffish, and more manipulative than charming. It was a great performance, but again, one which didn't quite fit the continuity.

Other flaws are more subjective, but still exist. The problem with having different actors in established roles is that they tend to do their own interpretation of that character, but after 30 odd years of being used to certain mannerisms, to change it makes the characters almost unrecognisable. The cast here all throw in some decent little nods to their respective characters' known traits, and the highlights were when you spotted something familiar, so one maybe wishes that they had done more of a flat out impersonation instead of keeping the audience waiting for small moments.

The series is very watchable and it's a fascinating look into this world which we have only heard about in passing, although it seems a little unfocused and doesn't know whether to concentrate on the Freddy Robdal/Joan Trotter side of things or the Young Del Boy and his gang. It jumps between them evenly, but this breaks momentum for both and sometimes can make it feels like you are waiting for one side to pick up again.

I feel like this series perhaps wasn't given the attention it deserves. Apparently the BBC did not allocate a decent budget for the production, and with a period piece you need money to make it convincing. However, the show does look exceptionally good for what little cash it had, but it maybe feels like it could have had a bigger scale. It reminds me somewhat of Dennis Potter's "Lipstick on your Collier" series from 1993 and that's a vibe which works well with Rock and Chips, but maybe wasn't quite as well realised here.

It's a shame that only three installments were made. I think if it had been given a proper budget and time to develop it would have become a classic. I'd loved to have seen other characters such as a young Uncle Albert or young Marline make an appearance, and there's so much more lore that could have been explored in the world of the Trotters.

Still, this is a well made trilogy that has a lot of heart, and while it can sometimes lose focus, it's worth it for the splendid performances alone.

Only Fools and Horses: If They Could See Us Now.....! (2001) Season 9, Episode 1

Ok, but the show should have ended in 1996

[6/10 · 1 November 2020]

I don't know what John Sullivan was thinking.

Series 8's "Time on our hands" wrapped up the Trotter story beautifully, and the show went out on such a high note.

This series, while not awful, just misses many of the features which made the show a classic. Buster Merryfield had passed away a few years earlier so Uncle Albert does not appear, and the same goes for the late Kenneth MacDonald who played series regular and favourite Mike the barman. Furthermore, the idea that the Trotters are now skint again is so depressing, because you really felt that they deserved their luck in the previous series. Damien has been (noticeably) recast, and is now an annoying little hip-hop brat rather than the sweet little boy he was before - a joke with Rodney that worked due to the juxtaposition of how he viewed his nephew rather than how he actually was.

There are some good moments though. The "Gary" gag was very funny, and there are nuggets of gold throughout, but all in all it feels forced, desperate, and It really marred the wonderful ending we got in Series 8.

Only Fools and Horses: Miami Twice (1991) Season 7, Episode 8

Not awful, but lacks the magic of other specials.

[6/10 · 31 October 2020]

On paper this sounds like a brilliant idea and a very funny one at that. However, there's just something missing from this particular installment.

It's fine for the first half of the part one as it's still set in Peckham and has all the familiar characters and settings, but things take a bit of a nosedive when they get to Miami. It's not that there's much wrong with the production, but it just doesn't feel like an Only Fools and Horses episode. It borrows gags from previous episodes such Del on the Jet ski, which is very similar to Del on the hang-glider, and the American cast seem uncomfortable with the blatantly British writing.

As an actor, this must have been a Golden opportunity for David Jason to play Duel roles, and as stated, on paper it's a great idea. However, in execution it's hokey, and Jason's accent slips more than a few times when portraying the Don which kid of breaks the suspension of disbelief.

I mean, it's certainly not a "bad" installment, but it's one which I find myself skipping when on a binge, and I much prefer the infinitely Better "Mother Nature's Son" episode which came after this one.

By all means watch it, but there's better episodes out there.