adamtheactor-97677 Reviews

Paintball Massacre (2020)

Blood soaked paintballs fly in this excellent Horror

[9/10 · 6 January 2022]

When I was younger I used to stumble across these kind of low budget film's in my local video shop, no-one had ever heard of them, but you were drawn in by the promise of gore and liked the VHS artwork.

You knew the premise was ridiculous, but you knew the blood would be by the bucket load.

I wish there were more like this these days, call me old fashioned, but I like the charm and feel of these films.

The entire cast are warm and engaging, and one character in particular is so twisted and cold, you are hoping her death is going to be the most disgusting and painful. She's also very funny and likeable, so you hope her death is not coming too soon.

This film stands out for good reasons, the plot is fresh and fast paced and the blood bath doesn't start in the opening frame, we get to know the characters, we get to build up to the paintballing and then we laugh and are horrified as a normal school reunion becomes Carrie on acid.

This film is well worth a watch and it's one you will want to watch with your mates and a few beers on the weekend.

Terminator: Dark Fate (2019)

Excellent sequel to Judgement Day

[8/10 · 25 October 2019]

What were you all expecting? This is about as good as we can get now. I went in expecting a low key affair, however, I will be honest, Dark Fate is an enjoyable follow up to Terminator 2 Judgement Day (Stay with me folks); Unfortunately it lacked something, something that I just can't put my finger on. I think possibly the fact it's been 28 years since 1991, and that 90s feel is well and truly over, robots of the future are less exciting because we have seen them in so many movies since Judgement Day. I need to say, stop with the expectation that this should or could be as good as the original two movies, it's clearly never going to be, that bar is way too high. What it does do is deliver on the action, and the story is also well thought out. It's great to see Linda Hamilton as an aged and still tough as nails Sarah Connor, and yes the interaction between herself and Arnold's T800 is always worth waiting for. Like I mentioned earlier in my review, this does lack something, Dark Fate ticks a lot of Terminator boxes, but doesn't quite reach a peak. A lot of people have been very negative about this film, I don't agree with them. It's a positive direction for the film franchise, and I am hoping we get more.

Fight Club (1999)

Watched once, never again.

[4/10 · 18 October 2019]

I remember back in the days of VHS, a friend excitedly pushing this film into the VCR recorder and telling us how brilliant it was. "There is a fantastic twist at the end" Boy was he right, the twist being that I found the film as dull as watching paint dry. It was gloomy, and depressing, and nothing really happened. All I remember was Edward Norton throwing himself around an office and Soap being melted? Fight Club makes many top 10 film lists all over the World. I guess if it's your thing then that would explain it. For me, Fight Club was pointless.

Cold Pursuit (2019)

Dark Comedy? Not Funny in the slightest.

[4/10 · 18 October 2019]

I really don't understand where this film is supposed to be funny? It's a dark, gritty and well acted film, but funny? Liam Neeson is his usual powerful self, and I really enjoyed his performance. What I really struggled with was the "dark comedy" element that was so forced it made me cringe. I can see the scenes that are supposed to be funny being played out, but each time those moments missed their mark with me. Cold Pursuit worked for me during the action scenes, they are well staged and dramatic, but the film greatly lets itself down when it tries to go for decent storytelling. There is a lot of scenes of the various Gangs playing off against each other, but because all of the characters are scripted to be annoying and unlikable, I really felt nothing for them as they were killed. In most Liam Neeson films I can't wait for him to take down the bad guys, with Cold Pursuit I lost interest in who was who pretty early on. Would I recommend this film? No, I really wouldn't, It's unfunny, and it is a very poorly written film.

The Shootist (1976)

NO, John Wayne was not dying of cancer

[9/10 · 10 October 2019]

A lot of reviews incorrectly quote that John Wayne was dying of cancer whilst making the film The Shootist. This is incorrect. John Wayne had cancer years before filming, and had many ribs and a lung removed, and was then declared cancer free. Yes the cancer would return and take his life a couple of years after making this 1976 picture, but during the making of The Shootist he was in fact cancer free.

The Shootist is a fabulous movie, the western world is changing around old Brooks (Wayne) and his life is coming to an end, due to cancer. Doc Hosteler is played wonderfully by James Stewart, and his limited screen time is scene stealing moments. I always felt that John Wayne could only play erm "John Wayne" but in this film we see a venerable performance that he was building up to his whole career. The final confrontation is a nicely staged scene, and we the audience actually feel emotionally involved, knowing we are saying goodbye to one of Hollywood's greats.

Shadow Chasers (I) (2017– )

Honest Investigations into the Paranormal

[10/10 · 10 October 2019]

No Fakers and No exaggeration. This is an honest look into the haunted history of some of the UKs most active locations. The Ancient Ram Inn was by far the most interesting location, with the Psychic Medium uncomfortable in every room. Watch this series on Amazon Prime if you are a lover of anything Paranormal.

Jack the Ripper (1988)

The best TV film of Jack The Ripper

[10/10 · 10 October 2019]

Atmosphere. I need to start my review with that one word! Jack the Ripper was a made for TV mini series that aired 100 years after the original killing spree in Victorian London in 1888. What made this stand out when I first watched it back in the late 90s on a car-boot sale acquired VHS tape, was the atmosphere of old London portrayed in this film. The script writing was fabulous, and gave the talented actors a chance to shine, and for the drama to play out over the full 3 hours run time. We really get a sense of the era by watching this, and we feel for Caine as Detective Aberline in pursuit of the murderous ripper. The film very cleverly makes Caine's character flawed and deeply troubled by making him an alcoholic, and making us wonder at first if he is up to the job of tracking down this maniac. I adore how there are so many suspects thrown at us, and some of these are written in a way that we think that they are red herrings, or perhaps not? If you haven't already read the countless theories on who Jack the Ripper might be, then the suspect named in this film's conclusion may well surprise you. However, if you do by now know who is who in the ever growing suspect list it won't add anything new or clever to it's conclusions. I might add that the only downside to this film is London's Whitechaple looks way too clean and smog free. Having said that, the sets and locations are all well done.

Land of the Giants: Brainwash (1969) Season 1, Episode 14

Best Episode of Season One

[9/10 · 10 October 2019]

As an adult watching this episode on DVD, I realise very little happens in it (No pun intended). The little people find a communication station in a storm drain in the city, and manage to power it up. Whilst Mark Wilson begins repairing it and adapting it to communicate with Earth, using his ever increasing tool box that must have come from somewhere? At the same time, unknown to the little people, Two giants are aware the station has been re-booted and are looking to trace the signal. One of them, a scientist (Who is wearing a lab-coat to show us he is a scientist) convinces the other giant, a police commissioner; to try out this new foam he has developed, and I don't mean to shave. The foam has the ability to make whoever is covered in it to confess all, and tell nothing but the truth. The downside to the foam is that it causes the subject to die after a few minutes. The plot seems rather far fetched, but then so is the concept of the show. What I love about this episode is the final scenes, a fight to turn on the destruct lever and blow up the communicator (Steve does not want it to fall into the giants hands). And then the storm drain being filled with the deadly foam, and the little people trying to run for their lives.

Land of the Giants (1968–1970)

Brilliant 60s TV Show

[9/10 · 10 October 2019]

Land of the Giants will always hold great memories of the 1980s re-runs which I saw as a child. I remember asking my Dad to record the first episode "The Crash" onto VHS for me. It was being broadcast on a Sunday morning on Channel 4 in the UK. I was hooked, and loved the concept of the Giant world, it utterly fascinated me, and made my imagination soar. So, for the next year or more I had my Dad record every last episode (51 in total) of Land of the giants, every Sunday as it was broadcast. In fact I did miss one episode (Shell Game) as we went on holiday to Devon, and my Dad messed up the timer on the video recorder. Heartbroken. What caught my attention, was the wonderful acting from all the cast, and their plight of living on this strange world, and having to hunt and fight for survival. I always enjoyed watching the group at camp, cooking up some stew on the fire, or having a discussion under the tree that they had turned into an outside den of sorts. Most episodes would involve them being caught by a giant and put into a cage, and the others mounting a rescue, which would always end up being successful, but this didn't matter. The enjoyment of Land of the Giants is of course the peril the group find themselves in each time, giant cats, crossing the road, or getting caught up in a terrorist plot (Doomsday). As most will remember, the group are desperately trying to fix their damaged ship and fly back home to earth. The show never really came to a conclusion as it was cancelled after two seasons due to the huge budget. This of course does not matter, as it still holds up surprisingly well as a great bit of escapism. My only criticism, would be that not enough about the character's backgrounds was explored. In the 51 episodes we never find out if any of the 7 crew is married, or has children, or if any of them has plans if they ever make it out of this dreadful planet. We do know that young Barry is an orphan and was supposed to meet cousins in London who would have taken him under their wing, had the Spindrift spaceship not crashed on the Giant land. Perhaps had a 3rd season been commissioned this would have been developed somewhat, but I doubt it.

The Last Days of Billy the Kid (2017)

I love all films, until I saw this production.

[1/10 · 10 October 2019]

As a writer and filmmaker myself, I have always appreciated low budget films, and will give most films a chance, regardless of budget or star quality. Set in 1881, New Mexico, The Last Days of Billy the Kid should have been 70 minutes of enjoyable action, or at least dramatic storytelling. What it ended up being was the worst film I have ever watched. As soon as the film opens I could tell something wasn't right. The camera was hand held, not to be artistic, but as if the DOP was in too much of a hurry to set up a rig, or locking off the camera on a tripod. Handheld camera work can work well in film, but not as a time-saver. The acting from the start of the film made me feel uneasy, as if you felt anxious for the cast as they struggled to remember their lines. The delivery of each cast members lines were so wooden that it felt like they were students at a film school helping the director to block a scene before the real cast show up. Each performance was emotionless and not one actor even used a hand gesture or pauses before expressing themselves, the lines flowed as if reading off a script that was being held by a member of the production crew behind the camera. The sound was a huge distraction too. Sound is so important in film, and this was by far the worst I have heard. Consider this, a low hissing can be heard in a wide shot, but not the close up. Now a dog is heard in the close up, but cut to the wide it's gone, back to the close up and it's heard again. Then in most scenes the hiss is back, the hiss is the poor quality microphone that is being used, and therefore the sound recordist must have realized in post production how bad it sounded and asked the entire cast to come into a recording studio to re-record their dialog. This now spoils the entire sound of the film, because as a viewer we can tell the voices don't sound right in the environment they are in, it makes it sound like a Cowboy is delivering his lines whilst stood in a shower cubical, when in fact he is stood in the saloon. The music for the film also does not sound right for the film, it is very keyboard like, and sounds more low budget sci-fi than a western. The sets look like, well they look like old run down buildings that the Director has sourced and used for the film, but even then, there are no wide shots to orientate the viewer, it's all handheld framing that shows them all stood in a corner of a room or such like. A huge gunfight takes place midway through the film, and the guns being fired sound wrong and look like a cap gun fight between 12 year old boys and girls. I can't review any more of the film because I switched off at this point and threw the DVD in the bin where it belongs. What makes me so angry about this film is the fact it was allowed to be distributed. I am so passionate about movies, I have a real admiration of those who give their absolute best, and don't expect all films to blow me away, but this film was an insult to not only the viewer, but to those involved. The actors wouldn't even be able to use the footage for a show-reel to get more work in future productions, and for that they must be deeply disappointed. Whoever wrote the script must have been bored by their own voice, because the words spoken in the film don't help the actors performance at all, the sentences are jarring, and are so bland that I can't even remember a single line uttered. A script as you all know, is what sets the tone, what makes us feel emotionally attached to the characters and their story, this script does not do that. Whilst watching this film I was adamant that I would give it a chance and that i would make it to the end, I failed. Is this film worth watching? Yes for sure. It's worth watching as a filmmaker, to learn of all the things not to do on your own production.

Golden Years (I) (2016)

Beautiful and funny crime caper

[9/10 · 4 May 2016]

Golden Years is a well crafted treat that will more than likely strike a chord with the older generation. It's certainly not a laugh a minute film ,but has a careful mix of drama and old fashioned fun. A film that has a great cast from the past and present. It's one of those little gems that comes along in British film once in a while. Credit to the writing team for producing something fresh that is built on great story telling, rather than non-stop special effects and action. Brad Moore is an absolute joy to watch. His character (DC Stringer) thinks of himself as a media sensation, determined to upstage the older detective investigating the bank robberies at every given chance. Bernard Hill is fantastic as always and plays his character for real. John Miller who has very little to show in regards to previous film credits, directs with a natural tone and energy. He certainly knows how to stage the tender moments, and the outright slapstick in a near perfect fashion.

The result is a very enjoyable film indeed.