The Ten Best Christmas Movies – Relay Race.

Posted in Uncategorized on December 6, 2017 by Mark Walker

Just recently an old blogger friend and I got to chatting. We spoke of how the blogosphere has changed dramatically since we entered into it. Which, as a result, led to him coming up with the idea that it would be nice to do an old school blogothon again.

The blogger in question is Nostra who runs the site My Filmviews and you can find the original post here. So, to introduce the relay race, I’ll leave it on the simplistic terms that he has laid out…
The goal of this new relay race is to find an answer to that question. The rules are, just like the past relay races (which Nostra did ages ago), very simple: The list has 10 Christmas movies (in random order) and when the baton is handed over to a new blogger, he or she has to remove one title of the list (with an explanation why) and add one new title. Once that is done a new blogger is contacted who will take the baton and run with it, doing the same (you can reinstate a title which has been previously removed). Now on to the initial 10 movies!… Continue reading →

23 Comments »

The Brand New Testament

Posted in Comedy, Fantasy, Foreign Language with tags on December 1, 2017 by Mark Walker


Director: Jaco Van Dormael.
Screenplay: Jaco Van Dormael, Thomas Gunzig.
Starring: Benoît Poelvorde, Pili Groyne, Catherine Denueve, Yolande Moreau, François Damiens, Serge Larivière, Laura Verlinden, Didier De Neck, Marco Lorenzini, Romain Gelin, Anna Tenta, Johan Heldenbergh, David Murgia.

“Law 1522: If one day you fall in love with a woman there’s a great chance you will not spend your life with her”

Although not exactly a household name, I’ve been a huge fan of Belgian director Jaco Van Dormael for some time. Unfortunately, he has only made a handful of films, though, and there is often long periods inbetween. That said, when one arrives it’s always worth the wait and you are guaranteed something a little a different and often very imaginative and inventive. His latest in The Brand New Testament, once again, delivers on that expectation.  Continue reading →

21 Comments »

Marshland

Posted in Crime, Drama, Foreign Language, Mystery, thriller with tags on November 19, 2017 by Mark Walker


Director: Alberto Rodriguez.
Screenplay: Rafael Cobos, Alberto Rodriguez.
Starring: Javier Gutiérrez, Raúl Alévaro, Antonio de la Torre, Nerea Barros, Salva Reina, Jesús Castro, Manolo Solo.

“This place swallows you up”

In 2014, just before he won a leading Actor Oscar, Matthew McConnaughey was at the height of one of the biggest career turnarounds. It was a time that became gleefully known as the “McConnaisance” and one of the major projects that he was involved in was HBO’s television series, True Detective. It’s a surprise then that more people didn’t pay attention to Alberto Rodriguez’s Spanish thriller, Marshland. That said, it was a huge hit in its native Spain and while it made a brief arrival on the film circuit with many critics lavishing praise on it, it still seemed to disappear fairly quickly. It’s a shame as this is a dark, murder mystery that’s thoroughly deserving of a wider audience and shares many similarities with the aforementioned TV show.  Continue reading →

25 Comments »

Trivia Tidbits

Posted in Uncategorized on November 13, 2017 by Mark Walker

Welcome back to Trivia Tidbits. For those of you out of the loop, this is a little compilation of 10 movie related facts that I always find interesting. So without further ado, this weeks are…


1: Spike Lee, Martin Scorsese, and Steven Spielberg were offered the chance to direct “Collateral” but they all turned it down. It wasn’t until Russell Crowe became interested in playing Vincent, the hitman, that the project started generating any interest. Crowe brought Michael Mann on-board, but the constant delays, meant that Crowe left the project. Mann immediately went to Tom Cruise, with the idea of him playing the hitman, and Adam Sandler as the cabbie (eventually played by Jamie Foxx).  Continue reading →

34 Comments »

Eyes Wide Shut

Posted in Drama, Fantasy, Mystery with tags on November 3, 2017 by Mark Walker


Director: Stanley Kubrick.
Screenplay: Stanley Kubrick, Frederic Raphael.
Starring: Tom Cruise, Nicole Kidman, Sydney Pollack, Todd Field, Alan Cumming, Marie Richardson, Thomas Gibson, Vinessa Shaw, Rade Serbedzija, Leelee Sobieski, Fay Masterson, Sky Dumont, Madison Eginton

“Millions of years of evolution, right? Right? Men have to stick it in every place they can, but for women… women it is just about security and commitment and whatever the fuck else.”

For many, Stanley Kubrick is one of the greatest directors America has ever produced and has offered up some of the most thought provoking films throughout his career. Unfortunately, his last film didn’t receive the credit that it deserved. Literally days after delivering the final film, Kubrick died. However, in some senses, I’m actually glad Kubrick didn’t have to witness his swansong’s much maligned backlash. A big factor in this was the poor marketing campaign. For the first time, Kubrick released a film in the internet-age where information was readily accessible on the secrecy of its production. Rumours abound, it was flaunted as a sexually explicit bonkfest with Cruise and Kidman and the trailers teasing the audience with the real-life, married couple’s nudity certainly didn’t help matters. In truth, what (little) you see in the trailer is essentially all there is in the entire film between the couple. Added to which, there were rumours that Cruise would be shooting heroine for the film and wearing a dress. Needless to say, those who flocked in their droves to see such controversy where left sorely disappointed. What they really missed, though, was a rich and provocative meditation on sexual desires and the human psyche.  Continue reading →

58 Comments »

Bram Stoker’s Dracula

Posted in Drama, Fantasy, Horror, Romance with tags on October 30, 2017 by Mark Walker


Director: Francis Ford Coppola.
Screenplay: James V. Hart.
Starring: Gary Oldman, Keanu Reeves, Winona Ryder, Anthony Hopkins, Tom Waits, Richard E. Grant, Cary Elwes, Bill Campbell, Sadie Frost, Jay Robinson, Monica Bellucci, Michaela Bercu, Florina Kendrick, I.M. Hobson, Laurie Franks, Octavian Cadia.

“They say you are a man of good… taste”

During the early 90’s there was a reinvigoration for classic horror characters that were tackled by some of the most reputable names in the movie business. Under the watchful eye of director Mike Nichols, Jack Nicholson put his spin on the werewolf in 1994’s Wolf while Kenneth Branagh managed to convince Robert DeNiro to take on the lead in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein (also in 1994). Two years previously, however, it was Francis Ford Coppola who reimagined Bram Stoker’s lengendary tale of Dracula and he done so with some of the most visually impressive work he’s ever produced.  Continue reading →

19 Comments »

Baby Driver

Posted in Action, Crime with tags on October 23, 2017 by Mark Walker


Director: Edgar Wright.
Screenplay: Edgar Wright.
Starring: Ansel Elgort, Kevin Spacey, Jon Hamm, Jamie Foxx, Lily James, Jon Bernthal, Eiza González, Flea, Lanny Joon, CJ Jones, Sky Ferreira, Lance Palmer, Hudson Meek, Paul Williams, Hal Whiteside.

“The moment you catch feelings is the moment you catch a bullet”

With his “Cornetto trilogy” and Scott Pilgrim vs The World, Edgar Wright has amassed a fervent following. He’s a director that can seemingly do no wrong in many people’s eyes but this enthusiasm is one that I’ve often questioned. I don’t think that Wright has produced enough overall quality to be considered so highly in people’s estimations. Stylistically, he’s fantastic and there’s always an energy and a plethora of good ideas on display but I’ve always struggled with how much mileage he tries to squeeze out of his material and how he brings his stories to a close. Baby Driver, as enjoyable as it is, suffers a similar fate.  Continue reading →

36 Comments »

Polished Performances

Posted in Uncategorized with tags on October 16, 2017 by Mark Walker


• Actor: Michael Fassbender
• Character: Brandon
• Film: Shame
Continue reading →

26 Comments »

Carol

Posted in Drama, Romance with tags on October 12, 2017 by Mark Walker


Director: Todd Haynes.
Screenplay: Phyllis Nagy.
Starring: Cate Blanchett, Rooney Mara, Kyle Chandler, Sarah Paulson, Jake Lacy, John Magaro, Cory Michael Smith, Kevin Crowley, Carrie Brownstein, Trent Rowland, Sadie Heim, Kk Heim, Amy Warner, Michael Haney, Pamela Haynes.

“Just when you think it can’t get any worse, you run out of cigarettes”

As a talented writer, Patricia Highsmith has been responsible for the source material of some great film adaptations; Alfred Hitchcock’s Strangers on a Train, Anthony Minghella’s The Talented Mr. Ripley and Hossein Amini’s The Two Faces of January are a notable few. However, Todd Haynes’ Carol is an adaptation of the 1952 novel The Price of Salt which Highsmith wrote under the pseudonym of Claire Morgan to avoid harming her reputation and ruining her career. This was a novel that would’ve caused widespread controversy for such a high-profile author at this time and it wasn’t until 1990 that Highsmith was credited. Now, over 60 years later, Todd Haynes brings it to the screen for a contemporary audience and affords it the respect that it’s been deserving of for too long. Continue reading →

23 Comments »

Blue Valentine

Posted in Drama, Romance with tags on October 10, 2017 by Mark Walker


Director: Derek Cianfrance.
Screenplay: Derek Cianfrance, Joey Curtis, Cami Delavigne.
Starring: Ryan Gosling, Michelle Williams, John Doman, Faith Wladyka, Mike Vogel, Marshall Johnson, Jen Jones, Maryann Plunkett, James Benatti, Barbara Troy, Carey Westbrook, Ben Shenkman, Eileen Rosen, Enid Graham.

“I like how you can compliment and insult somebody at the same time, in equal measure”

Back in 2004 when Ryan Gosling was still a relative unknown, he caught a break by starring in a little love story called The Notebook. It was a huge hit among the ladies and he charmed the knickers off many a bored housewife. Needless to say, Gosling became a star overnight and he developed a very enthusiastic female fanbase. Try asking a lot of women, or even some men for that matter, what they think is a good romantic movie and The Notebook will generally get a shout-out. As a little social experiment, I’d like to offer up an alternative to those who love Gosling, The Notebook and those who love to see romance triumph over adversity by suggesting they watch Blue Valentine. It’s the polar opposite of that sentimental and clichéd pap and could induce nightmares to those of a more sensitive nature when it comes to how relationships are depicted on screen.  Continue reading →

21 Comments »

A Ghost Story

Posted in Drama, Fantasy, Romance with tags on October 5, 2017 by Mark Walker


Director: David Lowery
Screenplay: David Lowery
Starring: Casey Affleck, Rooney Mara, Will Oldham.

“We build our legacy piece by piece and maybe the whole world will remember you or maybe just a couple of people, but you do what you can to make sure you’re still around after you’re gone”

David Lowery is fast becoming a director to keep a close eye on. His Malick-esque Ain’t Them Bodies Saints struck a strong indie and meditative vibe before he, somewhat bizarrely, took on Disney’s remake of Pete’s Dragon and made a huge success out of it. Now, though, Lowery returns to the same tone of Saints by delivering a very unusual and unique take on a ghost story. With a brief synopsis of the plot or by even judging the films poster you’d be forgiven for thinking that this film is possibly a joke or at least one that relies heavily on humour. But it’s not and it doesn’t. This is a very poker-faced meditation on memories, attachments and loneliness and, for those with an open mind, it works an absolute treat.  Continue reading →

31 Comments »

Trivia Tidbits

Posted in Uncategorized on October 1, 2017 by Mark Walker

Welcome back to Trivia Tidbits. I know it’s been a while since I’ve posted this feature but even I hadn’t realised that it’s been nearly 3 Years since I paid any attention to it. For all those fans out there (who have probably long since forgotten about me now) I wholeheartedly apologise for my tardiness. Anyway, for those of you out of the loop, this is a little compilation of 10 movie related facts that I always find interesting. So without further ado, this weeks are…


1: In the film “Hollywoodland” in 2006,  Ben Affleck stars as George Reeves – the actor who played Superman/Clark Kent in the 1950’s TV show “Adventures of Superman“. This makes Ben Affleck the only actor to portray, in one form or another, both Batman and Superman as part of a major motion picture.  Continue reading →

14 Comments »

Polished Performances

Posted in Uncategorized with tags on September 7, 2017 by Mark Walker

• Actor: Philip Seymour Hoffman
• Character: Scotty J.
• Film: Boogie Nights

Continue reading →

27 Comments »

Chinatown

Posted in Film-Noir, Mystery with tags on August 30, 2017 by Mark Walker


Director: Roman Polanski.
Screenplay: Robert Towne.
Starring: Jack Nicholson, Faye Dunaway, John Huston, Perry Lopez, John Hillerman, Diane Ladd, Burt Young, Darrell Zwerling, Roy Jenson, Joe Mantell, Richard Bakalyan, Bruce Glover, James Hong, Noble Willingham, Rance Howard, Roman Polanski.

“Forget it Jake. It’s Chinatown”

In the 1970’s a bunch of American filmmakers and actors were given a bunch of money and told to just go away and make movies. And that they did. The consistent results led to the 70’s arguably being the best decade in cinema that America has ever produced. We were gifted such classics as Taxi Driver, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Mean Streets, The Godfathers and Dog Day Afternoon. Chinatown is another of those films that can be considered a classic among this elite list and one of a few from this era of filmmaking that time has been most kind to.  Continue reading →

3 Comments »

Alien: Covenant

Posted in Action, Science Fiction with tags on August 21, 2017 by Mark Walker


Director: Ridley Scott.
Screenplay: John Logan, Dante Harper.
Starring: Michael Fassbender, Katherine Waterston, Billy Crudup, Danny McBride, Guy Pearce, Demián Bechir, Carmen Ejogo, Jussie Smollett, Callie Hernandez, Amy Seimetz, Nathaniel Dean, Alexander England, Benjamin Rigby, Uli Latukefu, Tess Haubrich, James Franco.

“No one understands the lonely perfection of my dreams”

When it was announced that Prometheus would would have Ridley Scott revisit the Alien world of his 1979 classic, there was much anticipation. However, the end result caused huge disappointment for fans and many were left wondering why Scott even bothered in the first place. Alien: Covenant was a chance for Scott to right some wrongs and have another go but, unfortunately, he doesn’t achieve that. If anything, Covenant is an even bigger misstep. Continue reading →

31 Comments »

CLASSIC SCENE: “Sicilian’s have black blood pumpin’ through their hearts”

Posted in Uncategorized with tags on August 14, 2017 by Mark Walker

Film: TRUE ROMANCE
Director: Tony Scott.
Screenplay: Quentin Tarantino.

Setting the scene:
CLIFFORD WORLEY (Dennis Hopper) returns home from work to his lower-middle-class trailer park. He opens the door to his trailer, steps inside the doorway and then, before he knows it, a gun is pressed to his temple. He’s then punched in the face and knocked to the ground. Cliff awakens in a chair in his living room. There are several mobsters standing around him that include FRANKIE (Frank Adonis), LUCA (Paul Ben-Victor), LENNY (Victor Argo) and VIRGIL (James Gandolfini). Across from Cliff sits VINCENZO COCCOTTI (Christopher Walken), the Frank Nitti to Detroid mob leader BLUE LOU BOYLE. They have tracked down Cliff to find out the whereabouts of his son CLARENCE (Christian Slater) who has stolen their narcotics and disappeared.  Continue reading →

4 Comments »

Polished Performances

Posted in Uncategorized with tags on July 26, 2017 by Mark Walker

• Actor: Gary Oldman
• Character: Drexl Spivey
• Film: True Romance

Continue reading →

20 Comments »

Get Out

Posted in Horror, thriller with tags on July 21, 2017 by Mark Walker


Director: Jordan Peele.
Screenplay: Jordan Peele.
Starring: Daniel Kaluuya, Alison Williams, Catherine Keener, Bradley Whitford, Caleb Landry Jones, LilRel Howery, Marcus Henderson, Betty Gabriel, Lakeith Stanfield, Stephen Root, Richard Herd, Erika Alexander, Ashley LeConte Campbell.

“A Mind Is A Terrible Thing To Waste”

Better known for his TV comedy sketches with Keegan-Michael Key or most recently the action-comedy, Keanu, Jordan Peele makes his directorial debut with a genre you wouldn’t ordinarily expect from him. It isn’t exactly the horror that it’s been marketed or advertised as – instead leaning more to psychological thriller – but there’s no mistaking Peele’s dramatic flair or natural ability to work outside his comfort zone.  Continue reading →

19 Comments »

Silence

Posted in Drama with tags on July 13, 2017 by Mark Walker

Director: Martin Scorsese.
Screenplay: Martin Scorsese, Jay Cocks.
Starring: Andrew Garfield, Adam Driver, Liam Neeson, Ciarán Hinds, Tadanobu Asano, Issei Ogata, Yoshi Oida, Yôsuke Kubozuka, Shin’ya Tsukamoto.

“The blood of martyrs is the seed of the church”

Martin Scorsese is, undoubtedly, one of the great American filmmakers. For over 40 years he has been the guy that has wanted to wash the scum off the streets; claimed it’s better to be King for a night than schmuck for a lifetime; advised us to never to rat on our friends and to go home and get our fuckin’ shine boxes. These classic cinematic moments aside, he’s also known for the occasional deviation from the norm of his criminal outings and delivered films with deep religious themes; The Last Temptation of Christ, Kundun and now Silence completes his unofficial religious trilogy.  Continue reading →

41 Comments »

Mulholland Falls

Posted in Crime, Film-Noir, Mystery with tags on July 7, 2017 by Mark Walker

Director: Lee Tamahori.
Screenplay: Pete Dexter.
Starring: Nick Nolte, Chazz Palminteri, Michael Madsen, Chris Penn, Jennifer Connelly, Melanie Griffith, John Malkovich, Treat Williams, Kyle Chandler, Andrew McCarthy, Bruce Dern, Louise Fletcher, Daniel Baldwin, Ed Lauter, Titus Welliver, Richard Sylbert, Virginia Madsen, William Petersen, Rob Lowe.

“This is L.A. This is my town. Out here you’re a trespasser. Out here I can pick you up, burn your house, fuck your wife, and kill your dog. And the only thing that’ll protect you is if I can’t find you. And I already found you”.

Released in 1996, Lee Tamahori’s Mulholland Falls has largely been overshadowed by the Oscar winning L.A. Confidential – which followed a year later. Although I often find fault with the Academy, on this occasion, I’m not going to split hairs with them and argue that Tamahori’s film is as good, because it’s not. But that’s no shame in Tamahori’s efforts as, for me, L.A. Confidential is one of the best films over the last 20 years. Mulholland Falls is a very admirable attempt that doesn’t deserve to have become a forgotten addition to L.A. themed noir.  Continue reading →

28 Comments »

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