Die Hard With a Vengeance (1995) Film Review

John McClane (Bruce Willis) is on suspension, separated from his wife and hungover when he gets dragged back into a work. A bomber has attacked and is threatening further attacks unless McClane is about. On the first of a series of tasks that he is sent on, McClane meets Zues Carver (Samuel L. Jackson) and they are linked for the rest of the film. But are the tasks of Simon Gruber (Jeremy Irons) all they appear to be, or is there more going on?

To begin with, it is an ace film. Willis and Jackson have a great bro-chemistry going on. And I love Jeremy Irons. But guys, come on. A couple of women would be nice? Now you’ve gotten rid of McClane’s wife, who had personality and a bit of drive. The only chick pretty much in the whole film is Katya (Sam Phillips), a side-kick to Gruber. She is violent and handy with a knife, so some may think she is a strong woman. Don’t be fooled! She does not utter a word throughout the entire film, and is there just to be a tool for the bad guy. She is a pet. A bit more imagination and she could have been the bad guy. Or what about a woman as one of the main police folks? I love Graham Greene, but his role could easily have been a woman. Even Zeus’s nephews could have been nieces? Something tells me moving in to the more recent Die Hard films may get me even grumpier.

 

The Lion King (1994) Film Review

 

Often touted as an animated retelling of Hamlet, The Lion King sees King Mufasa (James Earl Jones) killed by his brother Scar (Jeremy Irons), and the son Simba (Jonathan Taylor Thomas and then Matthew Broderick) exiled, believing himself to be responsible. He is kept company by Timon (Nathan Lane) and Pumbaa (Ernie Sabella), but eventually is forced to face his own fears and return to take his rightful place as king.

Yawn. I did not grow up with Disney animations, and perhaps that is why I find them cheesy and schmaltzy and I really don’t like them very much at all. I understand that this film will be a favourite of many, something they grew up with and will always love. You guys have it. I’m not into it at all.

The Lion King won Oscars for Best Music, Original Song (Can You Feel The Love Tonight) and Best Music, Original Score and was nominated for Best Music, Original Song (Circle of Life) and Best Music, Original Song (Hakuna Matata)

Beautiful Creatures (2013) Film Review

Based on a novel by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl, Beautiful Creatures is a tale of mystery and magic set in the deep south. Lena Duchannes  (Alice Englert) arrives at school in a small town only to tormented by the popular girls of the school for the rumours of her family’s devil-worshipping past.  The bullying is extreme, but Ethan (Aiden Ehrenreich), a young intellectual who wants to escape the small town life, he is intrigued by her. Despite the warnings of her uncle Marcon (Jeremy Irons), he pursues a relationship with her and strange things happen. One of the problems that is coming up is that it is almost Lena’s 16^th birthday, and this is when witches (oh, did I mention that? Sorry, they are all magical witched types) find out if they are good or bad. Plus there is a curse. It’s really all too exciting.

I really did not expect to enjoy this film much. I thought there may have been some fun stuff, but I kind of expected the brooding teenage type thing, like all the Twilight things. Delightfully, there is not too much brooding and in fact, there is quite a bit of humour. Some totally unexpected. And then Emma Thompson appears and I am totally won over. It’s still very much a teenage supernatural film, but a good one.