Showing posts with label list. Show all posts
Showing posts with label list. Show all posts

Saturday, 29 December 2012

Top Films of 2012


Over the past year I haven’t caught as many movies as I would have liked but there were still some gems amongst the ones I did get round to.

Instead of a traditional top ten list I’ll use this end of year post to point out some of the highlights of the past 12 months.

These are in no particular order and weren’t necessarily released in 2012.


Avengers Assemble – The first film to feature Marvel heroes Captain America, The Hulk, Iron Man and Thor turned out even better than anyone dared to hope. Bring on the sequel!

The Grey – Liam Neeson leads a group of plane crash survivors through the wilderness but they encounter a pack of hungry wolves. Manages to be exciting and thought-provoking with great turns from Neeson and Frank Grillo.

The Angels Share – A Scottish comedy drama about a group of offenders attempting to steal a very rare and valuable whisky. After a bleak start this becomes a hilarious tale of misadventure.

Stay Cool – A successful author returns to his own high school to give a speech to students. Marketed as a romantic comedy this funny and often poignant film is much more than it appears to be as the thirtysomething finds himself back in situations he first experienced as a teenager.

Dredd – Karl Urban delivers a true representation of the comic book judge / jury / executioner as Dredd must take on a feared drug dealer while training a rookie Judge. Mega-violent and fast paced this will please fans of hardcore action films.

End Of Watch – Two cops find themselves with a price on their heads in this top notch action thriller.

American Pie: Reunion – Jim, Stifler and the gang are as funny as ever in this cast get-together that must spawn further films. Far better than expected.

Rise Of The Guardians – A brilliantly animated film that breathes life into the legends of Santa, The Easter Bunny, The Tooth Fairy, The Sandman and the unlikely hero Jack Frost as they take on the evil Pitch Black.


You can use the search facility to find my full reviews of all of the above.


Tuesday, 3 January 2012

Top Books Read in 2011



2011 will go down as the year I embraced reading e-books. The format has helped open my eyes to new authors, short stories and has made me willing to take risks with my reading, some of which paid off big time.


Traditional printed books did not go away, on the contrary I actually welcomed the feel of them after reading e-books so overall I had a brilliant reading experience in 2011.


Here are some of the highlights in no particular order. Each book is reviewed in full elsewhere here and I've included a quote from it to give you a brief taster.


Murder In Silence by Gary Kassay
“stunning debut thriller........harrowing.....the best self-published book I’ve read”

Sinema by Rod Glenn
“This is a hardcore serial killer thriller that won’t appeal to those used to cosy whodunits”

Jimmy by William Malmborg
“ captivating journey through the mind of a young man who crosses the line and brings his darkest fantasies to life”

Black Flowers by Steve Mosby
“Neil Dawson investigates the apparent suicide of his Father in the latest disturbing tale from Steve Mosby”

Creep by Jennifer Hillier
“Fatal Attraction meets Misery.......in a sexually charged story”

11.59 by David Williams
“Full of seedy goings-on and laced with dark humour it had me looking forward to resuming the story every time”

Ask The Dice by Ed Lynskey
“very engaging and the explosive finale provides a final round knockout”

Winds Of Change by Jason Brannon
“simultaneously terrifying and intriguing”

The Sacrificial Man by Ruth Dugdall
“Dugdall proves to be a smart new voice in the crime fiction genre”

The Infection by Craig Dilouie
“everything The Walking Dead aspires to be....all the best elements of a zombie story in one place”

Blitz by Ken Bruen
“Highly recommended for fans of violent, fast paced crime stories”

Memory Leak by Trevor Schmidt
“an action thriller told at a blistering pace that reminded me of one of my favourite films, Total Recall”

Monday, 14 November 2011

Blogfest: I Love The Noughties



Almost forgot about this blogfest. Visit www.davewrotethis.blogspot.com for full details.


Here are some recommendations of films throughout the noughties.


2000 - O'Brother Where Art Thou. It's the hilarious jailbreak comedy that proves George Clooney can act.

2001 - Brotherhood Of The Wolf. My all time favourite, you can find the trailer elsewhere here.

2002 - The Count Of Monte Cristo. The classic gets a cool update.

2003 - Bad Santa - Billy Bob Thornton playing the type of Santa you wouldn't take your kid to see.

2004 - Hidalgo - Great underdog tale of a Mustang competing in a long distance race. Trailer is elsewhere here.

2005 - Ong Bak. Brilliant martial arts film.

2006 - Running Scared - Paul Walker tries to track down a missing gun in this cool thriller.

2007 - Mr Brooks. Kevin Costner in the unlikely role of serial killer. Brilliant.

2008 - Rambo - Sly Stallone proves he's still got it.

2009 - Avatar - It's Dances With Wolves all over again but an amazing spectacle.


A decade of cool films, try to check them out if you haven't already seen them.

Friday, 31 December 2010

Top Films Of 2010


1. Mine – Captivating from the very first minute, this heart wrenching documentary follows Hurricane Katrina survivors in their harrowing attempts to be re-united with their beloved dogs which they were forced to leave behind.

2. The Town – Ben Affleck’s tale of Charleston bank robbers would have been no.1 in any other year. It’s even better than Gone Baby Gone, cementing Affleck’s status as a top quality director.

3. Tony – Peter Ferdinando deserves nothing short of an Oscar nod for his amazing portrayal of a socially challenged loner who resorts to murder as a way of making friends. Outstanding.

4. The Expendables – Sylvester Stallone delivers the kind of film that action fans have been longing for as his crack team of mercenaries attempt to take down an oppressive regime.

5. Rare Exports – A movie from Finland about Santa? This dark take on the Santa legend is a welcome change to the usual Christmas movie drivel.

6. It’s Complicated – Meryl Streep and Alec Baldwin excel in this excellent American Pie for the over 40’s brand of comedy.

7. Spiral – A geek with mental issues finds purpose when he begins a relationship with a work colleague. How long will the tranquillity last?

8. Hot Tub Time Machine – Four friends find themselves back in the 80’s after taking a dip in a magical hot tub. Far better than expected.

9. Rampage – Tense journey into the mind of a disillusioned young man with horrific results. Controversial director Uwe Boll is at the helm of this surprisingly well-acted and tense drama with an inspired ending.

10. The Fourth Kind – “Real” footage is mixed with the fictional account of this creepy story of alien abduction.


Notable mentions also go to The Losers, Machete and The Crazies.

All of the above (except Mine and The Fourth Kind) are reviewed elsewhere here.

Films included were not all necessarily released in 2010.

Monday, 21 June 2010

The Movie Dirty Dozen Blogfest: 12 All Time Greats


At the behest of Alex J Cavanaugh (check out his excellent blog) I somewhat reluctantly decided to take part in this Blogfest. This list is by no means definitive as I'm bound to have forgotten a few and there were so many more I'd like to mention that I'll talk about them later. So, here goes, in alphabetical order these are 12 movies that have entertained and moved me in such a way that they live long in the memory and improve with every viewing.
Be sure to check out Alex's own choices as well as Dezmond's at Hollywood Spy and Nebular's at Cinemarvellous.




Amores Perros - Mexican film which follows three separate lives as they become connected following a devastating car crash.
Violent and unpredictable this stunning tale of love, betrayal and cruelty reveals further complexity with repeated viewing. Brought Gael Garcia Bernal and Director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu to the attention of Hollywood.




Apocalypto - Mel Gibson's Mayan chase movie grabs you by the throat and doesn't let go. Amazing settings and authentic language add to the experience.








Big Trouble In Little China - Scratch the surface of John Carpenter's wild 80's kung-fu movie and you'll see why it has become a cult hit. Join Jack Burton (Kurt Russell) as he tries to regain his stolen truck and rescue a friend's girl from the Evil Lo-Pan. Brimming with energy and fun it makes you laugh, dazzles with effects and provides top notch action scenes. Fantastic one line wisecracks from hapless hero Burton including the catchphrase "It's all in the reflexes" help make this a fantastic feel good romp.



Brotherhood Of The Wolf - If cinema is art then this is a masterpiece. In the year 1764 a Beast has slain 123 women and children in the French town of Gevaudan. To prevent a Peasant revolt The King sends two men to investigate. Enter Fronsac and Mani (Samuel Le Bihan and Mark Dacascos) who set out to reveal the truth no matter what the cost. This has it all, fantastic story, excellent acting, wonderful action and great characters. Visually and emotionally stunning. I urge you to see it.





Made - Vince Vaughn and Jon Favreau before they (sort of) sold out to Hollywood. Following the cult success of Swingers the guys re-unite in this crime comedy caper about two wannabee gangsters sent on a mission to New York. It's the quick fire humour that makes this one stand out. Vaughn's portrayal of the constantly talking Ricky has to be seen to be believed and alongside Favreau's straight laced Bobby it works like a dream. Watch it and be amazed at the rapid fire comedy in the office scene with Peter Falk and the scene on board the plane. I catch more gags with every viewing and each time is funnier than the last.



Mine - Heart wrenching documentary following Hurricaine Katrina survivors as they struggle to be re-united with their beloved Dogs. Full of joy and despair, this is achingly moving stuff and deserves to be seen. It even helped change American Law regarding evacuation of animals.

Sling Blade - A powerhouse performance from Billy Bob Thornton as he portrays a mentally challenged man trying to adjust to life outside an institution after being incarcerated for 20 years for murder.
This is the best acting performance I have ever seen, I was amazed at the showing here from Thornton as his character faces new troubles that challenge his ability to cope.




The Bear - Jean-Jacques Annaud's mesmerising story of an oprhan bear cub's struggle for survival.
Fantastic footage here and the tale is told from the perspective of The Bear.
Unique and touching, it's a film that provides plenty of food for thought.



The Crow - The ultimate story of love and revenge as Brandon Lee's Eric Draven returns from the dead to seek out the killers of himself and his Bride - to - be.
Visually arresting and mega violent even the unfortunate accidental death of it's star couldn't stop this one being a box office hit. The film is in fact all the more poignant because of it.



The Jacket - Adrien Brody excells and Keira Knightley proves she can act in this mind bending thriller.
Elements of time travel and mental illness combine to provide a tense claustrophobic film in which Brody investigates his own death.

The Karate Kid - Everyone's favourite karate movie has stood the test of time and remains just as uplifting as it ever was.
Who wouldn't want Mr Miyagi to teach them how to best the bullies?


The Shawshank Redemption - Emotionally charged prison movie that finds us rooting for Tim Robbins even if he might be guilty.
Terrific performances all round and a captivating story with wonderful characters make this a must - see.
There you have it, 12 all time greats. I couldn't include so many films that it has made me consider doing a regular Ric Recommends post featuring some of the near misses. All movies listed are highly recommended and would score Ric's Ratings of above 90 %

Saturday, 16 January 2010

Top Books read in 2009



1. THE LOCH BY STEVE ALTEN

Murder mystery set against the legend and magnificent backdrop of Loch Ness.

2. STILL BLEEDING BY STEVE MOSBY

Disturbing tale takes you on a journey to the dark side of the internet and into the world of murder and suicide memorabilia. Mosby is one of the most original authors on the scene today and I highly recommend his books, but be warned, they are not for the faint of heart.

3. WICKED PREY BY JOHN SANDFORD

The long running Lucas Davenport series still delivers the goods but you'd need to start way back at the beginning with Rules Of Prey to get the best from this one.

4. BLOOD BROTHER BY JACK KERLEY

Carson Ryder tracking his serial killer brother in this top notch thriller.

5. INFECTED BY SCOTT SIGLER

Join "Scary" Perry Dawsey as he tries to stop "The Triangles" taking over his body. This book is far more than you'd expect. Highly recommended.

Friday, 15 January 2010

Top Films Of 2009



1. AVATAR

Ignore the predictability of the story and just enjoy the sheer spectacle. You too will want to be a Na'vi.

2. STAR TREK

Everything a re-make should be.

3. SEVEN POUNDS

Will Smith gives an excellent portrayal of a man looking to make amends.

4. INGLORIOUS BASTERDS

Tarantino is back on form with this WWII drama. Top notch script and great performances all round.

5. THE HANGOVER

Most unusual these days, a comedy that's actually funny and literally about a hangover. Brilliant.

6. WATCHMEN

Dark comic book adaptation.

7. SURVEILLANCE

Violent unpredictable drama.

8. DISTRICT 13: ULTIMATUM

Not as good as the original but Cyril Raffaelli and David Belle should be given a break in Hollywood after another amazing set of action scenes.

9. X MEN ORIGINS: WOLVERINE

Appearances by Marvel characters Gambit and Deadpool along with another good turn by Jackman and great action earn this one a place on the list.

10. DEFIANCE

Daniel Craig is much better than any of his Bond performances in this WWII tale of survival.

Friday, 2 October 2009

Films: Top Films of 2005

As this is a new blog I'll include some retrospective lists so here is the first.
2005 was a pretty good year for films and here are my top picks.
They are in order of merit and should all be available cheap on DVD.
Each one is a worthy addition to any collection.

THE JACKET
Adrian Brody in this highly original psychological thriller.

KUNG FU HUSTLE
Stephen Chow’s excellent martial arts mayhem movie.

THE EXORCISM OF EMILY ROSE
A rare thing nowadays. A horror film that’s actually scary.

CRASH
Ensemble piece dealing with racial tension.

CINDERELLA MAN
Russell Crowe gives another powerhouse performance as boxer Jim Braddock.

STANDER
Thomas Jane plays the real life cop turned criminal.

ONG – BAK
Excellent showcase for the amazing skills of Tony Jaa as he sets out to retrieve a stolen ancient statue.

5 X 2
French film about the breakdown of a marriage. Told in reverse.

SIN CITY
Dark comic adaptation starring Bruce Willis, Mickey Rourke and Clive Owen.

THE 40 YEAR OLD VIRGIN
Very funny comedy about a late developer.