Film Reviews by TB

For the first time in his career, Tom Cruise plays a villain. But this is much more than a simple story of good and bad. As this is a Michael Mann film, there are multiple layers of intrigue, motive and character. About how literally a simple decision (calling out to a passenger who had tried to hail his cab and nearly walked away,) can change your life forever.

Cruise plays Vincent, a contract killer who is in LA to carry out a series of hits in one night and who’s MO is to use a taxi cab to get around, thus avoiding detection. Vincent is also one of the most unshowy characters Cruise has ever played. Gone is the normal mega wattage Cruise charm, the sparkling teeth, perfect hair and stand-out wardrobe. Instead we have smart but standard suits, grey hair/beard and blending-in subtlety. This movie absolutely would fail if this was anything other than a low-profile main character. Amusingly enough, in one section of the special features, there is a montage where Cruise goes undercover in the real world as a courier, delivering packages whilst trying not to be noticed, which shows him building up the character through not only looks but actions as well.

The meeting of Vincent with Max and the subsequent story of how the night unfolds once Vincent's cover is blown is brilliantly scripted, but this is where for me the film becomes a 4 and not 5 star one: Jamie Foxx is totally unsuitable for the role. As much as there is a lot of time and effort spent introducing him & building character, the simple truth is that for me overall he was very annoying. And then when he is forced to take Vincent's place in one scene, it is just laughable, no matter how hard he tries.

Welcomingly, the supporting characters are great. My own favourite was Mark Ruffalo as Fanning, the dogged cop who never buys into the narrative that the other law enforcement do. Jada Pinkett-Smith is also very good as well.

The action scenes, especially the nightclub, are brilliantly shot, with Cruise totally commanding the screen.

The film looks stunning and this has only been improved with the 4K remaster, although back in 2003 the film was shot originally in 4K. The depth of the blacks, as well as the shadows in particular are also excellent.

A really good film, which I massively enjoyed.

Luc Besson ventured out of his native France to New York City for this amazing tour de force film (although amusingly the vast majority of the interior scenes were shit in France.)

Jean Reno plays Leon, a hitman who despite his incredible lethality, is also in many ways a childlike character. Natalie Portman, in he debut here, plays Mathildè, a girl who watches her parents be brutally slain and then take solace with Leon. From there, she asks him to train her as a killer to avenge her brother's murder.

But this film belongs to Gary Oldman. He is quite literally... something else. He is a total, complete and utter psychopath, his skin crawling with violence and electricity. And I loved every second watching him on the screen. As much as he is used absolutely perfectly, as in not too much, I just wanted to spend the whole film watching him. One fun fact, regarding his infamous "EVERYONE!" scream is that this was totally improvised. Oldman randomly just decided to shout it at his henchmen, hence the shock. In that moment, a cinematic legend was cemented.

A brilliant film and perfectly realised.

This is such a great film. Brendan Fraser is never better as Rick O'Connell and Rachel Weisz his guide and later love interest. The action is brilliantly staged and there is never a dull moment.

For me though, the best thing by far is how light the film is in tone. Unlike the terrible Tom Cruise reboot, which decided that throwing lots of story with terribly shot action was the way to go, this Mummy film certainly delivers the scares and action, but with a lightness of touch which is so welcome. Stephen Sommers deserves so much praise for not only writing but also directing this, never losing the wide-eyed excitement we as the audience get.

And welcomingly, this film has been remastered on 4K Blu-ray with brilliant results. The CGI has held up so well and the colour palette looks stunning. I have The Mummy Returns to watch next and I hope this remastering is as good with that as this.

Finally, the 15 rating still baffles me. Whilst there are absolutely some unpleasant moments and shocks, these are never more than a strong 12 rating.

This is a relatively good film, especially with Naomi Harris's performance. Having first seen her in 28 Days Later, her ability to be able to hold the screen and act her heart out are incredible.

This film takes us on many twists and turns, from the initial witnessing of drug dealers being executed by cops, then a frantic chase to try and stop Harris from reporting what she has seen.

Tyrese Gibson is also very good, bringing gravitas to what could in many ways have been a thankless role. There is also a lot of focus on the complete mistrust of the police in the US, which Harris's character is trying to change.

As much as the film had some good points, to me it was never anything higher than "average." I wanted it to be more, especially with Harris in the cast, but unfortunately the limitations with the script start to become really noticeable as the film goes on.

But still a solid Friday night rental with a few curveballs.

The film that made Dennis Hopper, which I have seen repeatedly on various greatest films ever lists.

But it doesn't really do very much for me. The opening, showing Hopper and Fonda conducting a drug deal which then allows them to bike across America whilst taking lots of narcotics & mixing with random people, just didn't click. I do absolutely acknowledge that in 1969, this film will have had a very different and profound impact, judged not only by how it was received but it's box office haul.

The film however does go very very slowly. There is a welcome appearance from Jack Nicholson, who it has to be said seemed to be indulging in almost as many drugs in real life as the fictional characters. In some scenes, he is certainly flying high...

The other equally strange thing is the ending. It doesn't make sense and also is so random that after it happened, I remember thinking "Errr OK is that it?" and then seeing the titles come up.

As much as it will be a landmark for many film buffs, it was lost on me. Maybe will rewatch it again sometime, but not in any rush to

I was addicted to this series when I was younger. As someone who had certain teachers I detested, I was very easily able to identify with the group of kids battling against their evil headmaster.

Great acting from everyone, but especially Hardiman. Also, when looking back at it now, the level of production values for a children's TV series was amazing, hence why it is so good.

A brilliant and scary watch, with many memorable moments. Definitely rewatch if you remember this as a kid.

I was addicted to this series when I was younger. As someone who had certain teachers I detested, I was very easily able to identify with the group of kids battling against their evil headmaster.

Great acting from everyone, but especially Hardiman. Also, when looking back at it now, the level of production values for a children's TV series was amazing, hence why it is so good.

A brilliant and scary watch, with many memorable moments. Definitely rewatch if you remember this as a kid.

I was addicted to this series when I was younger. As someone who had certain teachers I detested, I was very easily able to identify with the group of kids battling against their evil headmaster.

Great acting from everyone, but especially Hardiman. Also, when looking back at it now, the level of production values for a children's TV series was amazing, hence why it is so good.

A brilliant and scary watch, with many memorable moments. Definitely rewatch if you remember this as a kid.

Following Ryan Dunn's tragic death, for many years Jackass vanished, despite huge fan clamouring for it to come back. Now, after a significant hiatus, the gang are back with some new blood as well, as well as one notable absence.

Sadly, following the death of his best friend, Bam Margera has had many significant addiction issues, which ultimately resulted in his firing from the film. Allegedly he does make an appearance in one of the stunts in the background, but this is blink-and-you'll-miss-it, so much so that I did. I didn't remember seeing him anywhere. I do genuinely hope that he can recover and sort out his personal problems, as he was always one of the funny guys in the group.

Knoxville is always great company and it is a pleasure to be with him as he sets up all manner of horrors for both himself and his fellow friends to endure. It's a bit samey, but still enjoyable.

We all remember our first loves and the pain that we felt when our hearts were broken. Everything happens in a dream: you think your life is set and then it fails and, in many ways, you never truly get over it. Then, if you are also experimenting with your sexuality, this adds another layer of hurt and upset. This is what Blue Is The Warmest Colour (BITWC) captures nearly flawlessly, with two stunning performances from Léa Seydoux & Adèle Exarchopoulos.

The film begins with Adéle in college, trying to fit in, fall in love whilst also wrestling with her burgeoning sexuality. After making a pass with a friend which then is used against her and becoming a victim of homophobic bullying, she one night walks into a lesbian bar and meets Emma, who she had briefly seen when walking in the street. The chemistry is immediate, and they fall passionately in love.

One of the best things about BITWC is how it shows this young love: we spend wonderful moments seeing them hang out, discuss their love of art, first kisses and then the passionate intimacy they have with each other. As is a running theme with my reviews, I refuse to buy into/join the hysteria about the level of sexuality shown in this film, which is done absolutely and completely unapologetically. The three beautifully filmed sex scenes are there to show the passion they have for each other and also add to the emotional sledgehammer of not only how their love progresses but also when the relationship breaks down.

And it gives me no real pleasure to criticise what for me is the worst part of this film: it is far, far too long. I mentioned above that it was wonderful to spend time getting to know Adéle and Emma, and this pays dividends. But then the film does something unforgivable, considering how wonderful it has been up to that point: there is one scene, set at a dinner party which takes up nearly half an hour of the narrative, where various characters just sit and talk to each other. It doesn’t advance the story, nothing major happens and it feels like the film literally slams on the brakes.

Then by the time the film moves on, so much momentum has been lost it can never truly be regained. But that isn’t to say there aren’t some staggeringly moving and upsetting moments, especially the meet-up in the coffee shop, which hit me like a sledgehammer.

Léa Seydoux & Adèle Exarchopoulos, as the two leads, are wonderful. Although Seydoux is exceptional, to me this film belongs to Exarchopoulos. From the opening moments, you cannot take your eyes off her. In the course of 3 hours, she shows us Adéle going from anxious and naïve, to open and free, then finally broken and bereft. To see those big brown eyes with tears pouring from them breaks your heart.

Credit must also be given to Abdellatif Kechiche. He masterfully directs this film and it would not be what it is without him. I will not shy away from also saying that the reports of unacceptable behaviour regarding working conditions should absolutely not have happened, but that I do not want this to detract from the finished product. For the interests of balance, Kechiche has felt the full force of this and extremely large amounts of negative press have been directed at him.

Despite the problems with length, this is still wonderful, passionate filmmaking. It is a wonderful and human story of love and heartbreak, so absolutely put this on your rental list.

The first series of Killing Eve was great, especially that we were introduced to Jodie Comer. This new series clearly has a lot more budget to spend, but is not as quick, nimble or enjoyable. By losing Phoebe Waller-Bridge, it also seems to have lost a bit of it's mojo.

But there is still much fun to be had with the various set-ups. Comer shows she can master even more accents and is again the stand-out star of the show. Sandra Oh is also good as well.

I haven't as yet seen series 3, but definitely will. Hopefully it will be back to the high bar set by series 1.

Back when there was a sudden resurgence of interest in the Western genre, multiple films were made, some great, some not so great. This firmly falls into the latter. Despite having an amazing cast, with Russell Crowe on anti-hero duties and Christian Bale as the disabled, impoverished ranch hand who is offered a massive payday to transport Crowe’s character to the 3:10 prison train, it never truly catches fire and takes flight.

The film itself tries to deal with many heavy subjects, some of which it does quite well. It is especially well-shown how painful it is for Bale’s character to not be the father he feels they deserve. But there are also many slow moments and as much as there is the big action scene at the end, it is in many ways too little too late. Crowe also gives in many ways an autopilot performance, which is a shame considering how good he can be.

But the film itself is very well-shot and the rollcall of actors means that it is never boring to be around. I just wished it had been more than this. However, it is absolutely a 3-star film and worth a watch.

After their deeply unsettling & disturbing first collaboration Tony, Peter Ferdinando & Gerard Johnson turn their eye to the well-worn police detective genre. But they have more than a few tricks up their sleeves to make this a memorable and at times extremely difficult watch, but never anything less than compelling.

The tone is set from the outset: we witness a drugs bust, but the level of violence & brutality used makes it hard for a while to discern who the actual policeman are. This is where we first meet Michael Logan: a cynical, burned-out but extremely clever narc, who is not only the law but taking a significant slice of the business as well. Then new Turkish & Albanian gangs move into town and they have a VERY different way of doing business, which doesn't include cutting deals with policeman. From there, the stakes rise, along with the bodies.

Ferdinando is electric. The intensity of his performance keeps you glued in your seat, genuinely feeling every twist and turn Logan has to deal with. Stephen Graham, welcomingly showing with this and other performances that despite Hollywood having come calling, he hasn't forgotten his roots in the UK, is the revolting and smarmy police chief who becomes a thorn in Logan's side. MyAnna Buring also wonders with what is often the thankless role of the partner/girlfriend.

This film also pulls absolutely no punches and really earns it's 18 rating. One deeply unsettling and horrific scene involving sexual assault is seared onto your memory.

A thoroughly incredible film and I cannot wait for the next collaboration between Ferdinando & Johnson.

This is an interesting film, made in 1985, way before Hopkins became famous for Hannibal Lector.

Bill is a father who has gone through a horrific divorce and is now allowed only short visits with his son. As someone who used to be an outspoken advocate for women's rights and empowerment, he has now been burned by the system he supported so virulently, turning in completely the opposite direction. But he is also a man who has significant wealth and when he meets a man going through a messy divorce due to his wife coming out as a lesbian, Bill sees a chance to "get even" using another man's pain which his wealth can potentially heal.

The biggest issue with this film, which obviously when looking back close to 40 years later shows how much times have changed, is how unbelievably homophobic it is. Roger's wife, who reveals she wants a divorce and is gay, is never treated as anything less than an absolute pariah and demonic figure. The scenes where her suitability for raising her child due to her sexual orientation is held up for ridicule are particularly revolting. There is however one ace the film has up it's sleeve which I hope was done deliberately and as a way to satirise this narrative: there are an enormous number of LGBTQI actors cast in the roles; Stephen Fry, Miriam Margolyes, Frances Viner and most memorable of all, Simon Callow.

As much as it does pose some interesting questions however, it never really transcends it's television film status. There is quite a soapy feel to a lot of it, although it is a solid piece of drama.

For me, the most powerful thing of all is quite simply that it shows how far we have come as a society from then to now. It should be a matter of huge pride that in a UK courtroom today, no-one would even think of referring to or treating someone of a different sexuality the way that some of the characters are treated. Thank God we have moved on from that way of thinking.

A beautifully shot and incredibly moving film.

The true story of James Braddock, coming up through horrific poverty and destitution to claim the world title is so much more than the standard boxing biopic. This is mainly due to the incredible performances from Russell Crowe and Rene Zellweger.

The whole look of the film, as well as the choreography of the fights is exceptional. I loved it and was on the edge of my seat towards the end.

Masterful, moving and flawless.