Film Reviews by RL

Tom Selleck's attempt at Indiana Jones is a pleasantly rough adventure ride. Normally cast as a logical, sarcastic, no-nonsense action man; it's unusual to see him here as a quarrelsome alcoholic, troubled by his WWI trauma. This trait I found irritating, wishing he'd just get on with it, but Eastenders fans may like the negative chemistry he has with the glamorous young heroin. Travel fans are in for a treat in Afghanistan & Tibet, with plenty of low-flying scenery.

What does a girl do when the guy she's planned to marry lets her down for no real reason ? Well many would get depressed, but not Rani: she makes it an opportunity the time of her life, discovering her new self under the traditional upbringing. A fairly amusing adventure set mostly in Amsterdam.

This is one of Bollywood's best adventure films. The underwater filming is amazing, plus plenty happening on land. Akshay lends his usual jovial charisma to an otherwise serious romp. The plot is thick enough to keep you guessing here & there. Lara Dutta makes male hearts flutter. Stunning scenery, very catchy songs & well rendered dvd.

It's cheesy Laurel & Hardy style slapstick that was funny half a century ago. If that's your genre, then give it a whirl. It's debatable whether Sunjay Dutt is talented anyway.

A 1-dimensional brawny hero who cannot smile or act; this 80's genre has re-infected Hollywood in recent years & unfortunately Bollywood too. It means well with the brave, noble police against corruption ethos. Lots of exaggerated action shot on quite a big budget. Watch it if you're a teenage boy who wants to learn how to suppress his emotions & become a man.

It's Bollywood's self mockery of India, basically saying that Western romance is simple boy-meets-girl & Indian romance is a complex romance, or usually not, between 2 families. I admire the Indian straightforwardness of declaring the nonsense in their society. In contrast, Western romance is equally fueled by acceptance of family & friends, plus a huge chunk of the guy's salary, but it's all glossed over & swept under the carpet here. That message is drawn out through 2 1/2 hours until the predictable end, but it's nicely stylish & visually stunning. They carefully show only the most pristine scenes in India, which gives a nice escape from reality.

The dvd quality upscales absolutely 1st class, so I can't imagine the blu-ray doing much better.

With the cinematic style of a family holiday video shot on a smartphone, it's guaranteed not to please. Neither interesting nor funny, it's just a poor drama showing a few guys driving round causing a little mayhem here & there. Go watch some paint dry instead.

It's mostly talking, which is surprising considering the amount of video footage captured on phones nowadays of UFO's etc.

Worth a watch for fans of the unexplained.

Larger than life hero tail, with the beefy Sikh vigilante punching his way through gangsters & politicians, while saving the odd child from an accident. Unashamedly cheesy vengeance that's watchable but not epic.

The disclaimer says this is not a true historical depiction, but it could have happened something like that in any of the hill stations. First half is the usual drawn out song, dance & romance, but then it gets interesting with a fairly thick plot & good pre-CGI action. The emotional play between characters is well done. Scenery is perfectly authentic because the old colonial buildings are still a legacy, with stunning mountain views. The sense of justice resounds to the chant of 'Jai Hind!' (Hail India!).

This film may benefit non-Indians as a historical insight.

This really does give good guidance to understand the logic behind the flurry of fists & feet you see in the ring. It's just basic, showing a single block, plus a few counter strikes to each blow thrown at you, but it really can put your training on the right tracks. Kaman has a translator convey his English (Dutch accent) words into German, which is.a little tedious if you don't speak German.

It shows students of a mix of ages, genders & abilities & just looks like a normal session in your local club. After he shows a few sample counters, they get to improvise their own. Hes huge friendly polar bear character, who puts everyone at ease & guides their sparring speed to be just right for learning without ego, plus a sense of humour. . The pace is very easy to follow.

Fair game continuation, if you liked part 2. Not to be confused with part 1, starring Van Damme. This time Berhardt plays the paternal mentor role of the son who didn't appear in part 2.

The dvd has been rendered in perfect quality from celluloid. This came out when I was a teenager, but I only just got round to seeing it. Now I know what all the fuss was about: it's absolutely brilliant. Daryl Hannah is so amusing as a mermaid totally innocent to life on land in a big city. She reacts with profound innocence to the things we use instinctively, like a revolving door. She even acts well under water. This movie will charm all ages.

The 1st was the best with Van Damme. 2 & 3 continued the Asian kumite theme with Daniel Bernhardt performing well.

This 4th & final chapter takes an unexpected turn for the worse. Set in a snowy castle turned nightclub somewhere in Eastern Europe, the kumite is now entertainment for the trendy elite. It's a cross between 'Blade' & 'Best of the best 2'. The charming acting has been replaced by the cold Terminator style attitude prevalent in Hollywood today. Sad they finished on such a gloomy note. You might enjoy it if you're a traffic warden.

Not the usual romance & song affair, this cuts a hard edge in a different style. Very spooky & so real & gritty, you'd almost mistake it for a documentary. Villainous Madhuri Dixit's trademark smile is as beautiful as it was in the 80s. This could go down as a Bollywood classic in years to come.