Mac's Movies

UK Release Date:  27 December 1971 Certification:  18 Director:  William Friedkin Cast:  Tony Lo Bianco, Marcel Bozzuffi, Gene Hackman, Bill Hickman, Frédéric de Pasquale, Fernando Rey, Roy Scheider Rating:   68 % Review: Two years prior to the release of esteemed horror The Exorcis t, director, William Friedkin took to the streets of New York crafting a gritty crime thriller very much of its time. The French Connection picked up five Oscars at the 44th Academy Awards as well as introducing the world to Roy Scheider.  The French Connection is complete with sequences of great quality action, a predecessor of the thrill of Michael Mann's Heat . Numerous devilishly designed and thought-out set-pieces unprecedented for 1971 that surprisingly still hold up. The intricate, prolonged car chase stands out. No dialogue plays as the film lets the sheer power of the engine and the overhead train tracks put the audience on edge.  The film often relies on its stu...

UK Release Date:  04 January 2002 Certification:  15 Director:  Rod Lurie Cast:  Steve Burton, Clifton Collins Jr., James Gandolfini, Delroy Lindo, Robert Redford, Mark Ruffalo, Robin Wright Rating:   50% Review:   Arguably the most distinctly average film of all time. Receiving mixed reviews initially and bombing worldwide at the box office, grossing $27 million with a budget of $72 million, The Last Castle has largely been forgotten.  Everything in this film lacks originality. It has all been seen, in some shape or form, before. A fairly formulaic prison break reminiscent of Escape from Alcatraz or The Shawshank Redemption . Events on screen are filmed to a fairly decent standard and for the most part entertaining but it is completely lacking in both inventiveness and imagination. Thoroughly devoid of any new ideas and largely predictable from start to finish. Alongside dated CGI that ruins the third act.  Released during a...

UK Release Date:  10 July 2023 Certification:  12A Director:  Christopher McQuarrie Cast:  Hayley Atwell,  Tom Cruise, Henry Czerny, Cary Elwes, Rebecca Ferguson, Vanessa Kirby, Pom Klementieff, Esai Morales, Simon Pegg, Ving Rhames Rating:   66% Review: Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One released last week to nothing but positive reviews and opened to $310 million worldwide. The troubled production was well documented with filming halting several times as a result of COVID-19. An infamous rant from Tom Cruise leaked online due to the frustration. Criticised for his aggressive approach but praised for his attitude towards following the strict guidelines.  However, despite the controversy that surrounds him, it can't be denied that Tom Cruise is the last of a dying age of cinema, the last true movie star. He's a great actor - demonstrating that early on in his career as he worked with the likes of Martin Scorsese, Stanley Kubrick and Paul Th...

UK Release Date:  25 July 2018 Certification:  12A Director:  Christopher McQuarrie Cast:  Alec Baldwin, Angela Bassett, Henry Cavill,  Tom Cruise, Rebecca Ferguson, Sean Harris, Vanessa Kirby, Michelle Monaghan, Simon Pegg, Ving Rhames Rating:   86% Review: This is how you do an action film. Not many are able to hold up against the fierce entertainment of Mission: Impossible - Fallout . A well executed plot, paced with expert precision leads to easily the best entry into the franchise.  Stunt work is absolutely mystifying. Each sequence appears to be more death-defying than the last as Cruise and co attempt to up the ante. Tom Cruise became the first actor to ever perform a military HALO jump (High Altitude, Low Open) after arduous training spanning the course of a year. The way in which it is shot is spectacular - a cameraman skydiving alongside Cruise with a Red Weapon 6K camera strapped to his head. It's followed up by an impressive bathroom brawl ...

UK Release Date:  31 July 2015 Certification:  12A Director:  Christopher McQuarrie Cast: Alec Baldwin,  Tom Cruise, Rebecca Ferguson, Sean Harris, Tom Hollander, Simon Pegg, Jeremy Renner, Ving Rhames Rating:   76% Review: For the majority of the Mission: Impossible franchise the films continue to improve in quality, a testament to the  enthusiasm and passion from everyone involved in each entry. Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation is no different. It's bolder, it's increasingly demanding but yet the film somehow retains a strong sense of originality.  Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation  unexpectedly ups the ante from Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol . Tom Cruise may have dangled off the Burj Khalifa in the previous addition, a commendable feat unlike anything seen before, but that's next to nothing compared to what Cruise puts himself through in this film. He hung onto the outside of a plane during takeoff, learnt to hold his...

UK Release Date:  26 December 2011 Certification:  12A Director:  Brad Bird Cast:  Tom Cruise, Samuli Edelmann, Vladimir Mashkov, Michael Nyqvist, Paula Patton, Simon Pegg, Jeremy Renner, Léa Seydoux Rating:   70% Review: 2011's Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol is when the franchise truly became the action behemoth that it is renowned for being today.  After a five year hiatus from Mission: Impossible III , many were quick to assume that Tom Cruise was too old to continue in the role.  However, this is Tom Cruise hitting his peak. The  stunt work he throws himself into is absolutely absurd. Why on earth would anyone sit down one day and think let's scale the Burj Khalifa? Filmed predominantly with the use of an overhead helicopter depicting Tom Cruise strapped to a safety harness as he ascends the tallest building in the world. It's a phenomenal showcase of Cruise's dedication to his craft. An exhilarating spectacle built to en...

UK Release Date:  04 May 2006 Certification:  12A Director:  J.J. Abrams Cast: Billy Crudup,  Tom Cruise, Laurence Fishburne, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Michelle Monaghan, Simon Pegg, Maggie Q, Ving Rhames  Rating:   62% Review: Mission: Impossible III saw a return to form for the action franchise after the mishap of Mission: Impossible II . With a whole host of fresh faces both in front of and behind the camera,  a new breath of life helped Ethan Hunt's story stand out from his previous outings. Firstly, rest in peace Phillip Seymour Hoffman. That man could act. It is by far the best performance within the series. Convincingly menacing with every action, Owen Davian poses a realistic threat to Ethan's morals and ideals. His relentless nature for suffering is frightening. He is never challenged, more feeling bothered and inconvenienced by it all. The new additions to Ethan's crew are entertaining. Really enjoy both Jonathan Rhys Mey...

UK Release Date:  07 July 2000 Certification:  15 Director:  John Woo Cast:  Tom Cruise, Brendan Gleeson, Anthony Hopkins, Thandie Newton, John Polson, Ving Rhames, Richard Roxburgh, Dougray Scott Rating:   29% Review: Mission: Impossible II is the only mis fire of the whole franchise. Brian De Palma choose not to return to direct the sequel - quoting, "One of these is enough." In the case of this film that statement would be correct, a massive step down in quality from its predecessor.  With a whole new team of writers behind the development of Mission: Impossible II (bar one)  the film   completely mischaracterises Ethan Hunt. In the first, Hunt is a little cocky but he has an undeniable charm surrounding his persona. Whereas, with this outing he's unbearable. Jealous throughout, rude to his crew and making frequent bad decisions that result in life-threatening consequences.  Thandie Newton and Dougray Scott give two of the worst act...

UK Release Date:  05 July 1996 Certification:  PG Director:  Brian De Palma Cast:  Emmanuelle Béart, Tom Cruise, Henry Czerny, Vanessa Redgrave, Jean Reno, Ving Rhames, Kristen Scott Thomas, Jon Voight Rating:   68% Review: Quintessential 90s cinema. A film that kickstarted a continuous action franchise that has since grown in ambition, stature and quality. Based on a TV series of the same name that first aired in 1966, Mission: Impossible released 30 years later to, at the time, record breaking commercial success.  Tom Cruise is Ethan Hunt. There is near to no separation from actor and character. Although the stunts get more extravagant and death-defying as the franchise progresses, his dedication at this early stage is unreal during his first real delve into the action genre. Deciding to hang on top of a moving train for the benefit of the film.  Even from the first entry, Cruise was involved in the making of Mission: Impossible as a...

UK Release Date:  04 November 2022 Certification:  15 Director:  Lee Jung-jae Cast:  Jeon Hye-jin, Kim Jong-soo, Lee Jung-jae, Jeong Man-sik, Heo Sung-tae, Jung Woo-sung, Go Youn-jung Rating:   69 % Review:   Hunt is Lee Jung-jae's directorial debut, within the runtime he shows a lot of promise behind the camera. Widely to mainstream audiences for his portrayal of Squid Game contestant 456, Seong Gi-hun. Lee Jung-jae decided to take full control of the film directing, producing, writing and acting. He handles most of the technical aspects superbly, executing each to a fairly high standard. The locations are vibrant, unique and the way its shot heightens the feel of the film.  Frequent collaborator with Korean director, Park Chan-wook ( Decision to Leave , The Handmaiden and Oldboy ), Cho Young-wuk provides the film's score. An enthralling main theme that only gets better as it progresses. A buoyant piece of music that pulls out all the sto...

UK Release Date:  28 April 2017 Certification:  12A Director:  James Gunn Cast:  Dave Bautista, Bradley Cooper, Elizabeth Debicki, Vin Diesel, Karen Gillan, Pom Klementieff,  Chris Pratt, Michael Rooker, Kurt Russell, Zoe Saldaña, Sylvester Stallone Rating:   67 % Review: Following on from 2014's smash hit Guardians of the Galaxy , Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 replicated the majority of the film's success whilst failing to capture the magic of the first.  Similarly, to its predecessor Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 immediately involves you in the world with an energetic opening. Another dancing scene - this time to 'Mr Blue Sky' - focusing solely on Baby Groot rather than the action surrounding him. Instantly, making the audience aware that the Guardians haven't changed from their first outing. The rest of the soundtrack is magnificent with 'Come a Little Bit Closer', 'Father and Son' and an immaculate scene set to Fleetwood Mac's 'The Cha...

UK Release Date:  31 July 2014 Certification:  12A Director:  James Gunn Cast:  Dave Bautista, Bradley Cooper, Vin Diesel, Karen Gillan, Djimon Hounsou, Lee Pace,  Chris Pratt, Michael Rooker, Zoe Saldaña Rating:   88% Review: Back in 2014 no one could have anticipated the fame that James Gunn's Guardians trilogy would garnish. A breath of fresh air in a world saturated by unoriginal comic book movies made entirely for a cash-grab and riddled with Easter eggs. Guardians of the Galaxy is riveting. There's a magic quality surrounding the film that can't be escaped, full of heart and joy.  The soundtrack isn't the reason for the film's success but it sure helped contribute towards it. James Gunn created a delightful mix of music from the 60's and 70's, encapsulating the feel of the film during every scene. With every needle drop started through a speaker or walkman the characters are experiencing every sound along with the audience, immersing the viewer ...

UK Release Date:  24 April 1987 Certification:  15 Director:  Oliver Stone Cast:  Tom Berenger, Willem Dafoe, Keith David, Johnny Depp, Kevin Dillon, John C. McGinley, Francesco Quinn, Charlie Sheen, Forest Whitaker Rating:   91 % Review: A true war epic.  Powerful and profound. Visceral and grainy. Platoon is an incredibly immersive and sincere experience. The audience can't hear certain lines of dialogue, can't distinguish characters from one another and it's extremely difficult to know what is going on 100% of the time. The film feels real. You feel involved with the story, consumed by the horrors of war.  Charlie Sheen is convincing as the film's main protagonist. Arriving both into the film and the war as a young recruit, the audience grows and learns alongside Chris - naive to begin with but destroyed by the anguish the Vietnam War caused. In many ways, Chris is the audience. A bystander simply watching the events pass him by.  Despite...

UK Release Date:  16 June 2023 Certification:  15 Director:  Sam Hargrave Cast:  Adam Bessa, Tornike Bziava, Idris Elba, Golshifteh Farahani, Tornike Gogrichiani,  Chris Hemsworth, Olga Kurylenko Rating:   70 % Review: Expanding upon the success of 2020 Netflix original, Extraction , that saw stuntman turned director, Sam Hargrave turn out one of the best pure action films of the 21st century - Extraction 2 replicates the majority of achievements of the first whilst not doing much else to elevate the material.  The first word that comes to mind when describing Extraction 2 is ambitious. The first set the bar with a 'one-take' action scene lasting a total of twelve minutes. There are a few hidden cuts during the scene but it is often seamless. In an attempt to outdo its predecessor, Extraction 2 involves a twenty-one minute action scene filmed as if there are no cuts. The audience can't take their eyes off the screen during the never-ending sequen...

UK Release Date:  24 April 2020 Certification:  18 Director:  Sam Hargrave Cast:  Golshifteh Farahani, David Harbour,  Chris Hemsworth, Randeep Hooda, Rudhraksh Jaiswal Rating:   77 % Review: Extraction is one of Netflix's most ambitious productions - a budget of $70 million - and it pulls no punches. Clearly influenced by the success and acclaim of the John Wick universe, the film is a marvellous modern action feature.  The action choreography is truly phenomenal. Director, Sam Hargrave spent time previously working as a stunt coordinator on The Avengers , The Accountant and The Hunger Games: Catching Fire  and that bleeds through onto the screen. Every set-piece executed impeccably, it's as close to perfect as humanly possible. Non-stop, brutal and stylistically eye-catching.  Antagonists take multiple shots before dying.  The camera movement adds to the experience, almost swaying from side to side to try and keep up with what's happ...

UK Release Date:  25 January 1991 Certification:  15 Director:  Katsuhiro Otomo Cast:  Yuriko Fuchizaki, Tessyo Genda, Mitsuo Iwata, Mami Koyama, Takeshi Kusao, Masaaki Okura, Nozomu Sasaki Rating:   85 % Review: Akira is one of Japan's most discussed films. The film put anime on the map amongst the western world. Graphic, violent animation that had yet to be experienced. The neo-noir, sci-fi thriller was a ground-breaking achievement in modern animation. Everything that came after is because of Akira - the rise of Studio Ghibli, Cyberpunk, Ghost in the Shell and many more.  Studio Ghibli's Princess Mononoke set the precedent for animation for me but Akira goes above and beyond - I have since found out the lead animator for the film also worked on Princess Mononoke .  The hand-drawn animation is indescribable. An exquisite amount of attention to detail from everyone involved. With up to twenty-four drawings on the screen per minute. Staggering wor...

UK Release Date:  13 September 2013 Certification:  12A Director:  Roland Emmerich Cast:  Jason Clarke, Jamie Foxx, Richard Jenkins, Joey King, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Lance Reddick, Channing Tatum, James Woods Rating:   39 % Review: Channing Tatum became signified attached to the role of Mike Lane in the eyes of the public following the release of Magic Mike in 2012. A role that could have ruined an actor's career - ridiculed for the sheer absurdity of it. However, Channing Tatum is the best aspect of White House Down as John Cale. He displays all the characteristics of a leading action man in Hollywood. The looks, the charisma, the charm, it's all there. The reluctant but skilled hero 'gimmick' is convincing here with Tatum going as far as to do most of his own stunts for the film. Channing Tatum's chemistry with Jamie Foxx is infectious throughout.  On the complete opposite end of the spectrum, Joey King is frighteningly bad. One of the worst child acting pe...

UK Release Date:  03 May 2023 Certification:  12A Director:  James Gunn Cast:  Dave Bautista, Bradley Cooper, Karen Gillan, Chukwudi Iwuji, Pom Klementieff,  Will Poulter, Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldaña Rating:   87% Review: Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3  is a breath of fresh air within the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). So much so that it has already found its way to third place in my ranking of the franchise. James Gunn delivers the perfect ending to the Guardians with his swan song.  James Gunn never fails to deliver when it comes to the soundtrack of his films - it's became somewhat of a guarantee throughout his career. He often states that he writes in music before any dialogue, giving scenes added essence.  Each needle drop is executed both realistically and wonderfully.  The film began with one of my favourite openings of all time.  The way it built into the title crawl was epic.  I think the opening is perfect and is enhan...

UK Release Date: 22 April 2022 Certification: 15 Director: Tom Gormican Cast: Nicolas Cage, Tiffany Haddish, Neil Patrick Harris, Sharon Horgan, Paco León, Pedro Pascal Rating: 50% Nicolas Cage is Nick Cage. Review: I'm not a hundred percent sure where I land surrounding Nicolas Cage's acting capabilities. At times he can come across as amateurish, almost as if he isn't putting in any effort. But simultaneously, as with The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent , his unique style is energetic and often quite contagious. It's the perfect casting in the most meta of roles with Nic Cage playing a glorified version of Nic Cage to the full Nic Cage in a movie about Nic Cage. His chemistry with superfan, Javi, played by Pedro Pascal makes the film. It's electric, the two actors bounce off of each other with every single line somehow creating a strong, emotional bromance-like relationship in the middle of an action-adventure comedy. Their constant back and forth had me gri...