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:  23 February 1996 Certification:  18 Director:  Martin Scorsese Cast:   Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, Kevin Pollak, Don Rickles, Sharon Stone, Frank Vincent, James Woods Rating:   75 % Review: Heralding the end of Martin Scorsese's obsession with deteriorating gangsters in a crime filled filmography spanning as far back as Mean Streets in 1973 before delving into a mix of religious epics and traditionalist biopics, Casino feels like a mesh of Scorsese's previous work. There's nothing truly original about the story, certain scenes reminiscent of Goodfellas , but Scorsese ensures that the film remains entertaining.  There is no doubt that the second and third act of Casino are a riveting watch but in fairness this film takes a while to become truly invested in. A slow introduction beckons the audience to eventually behold the downfall of these characters - making for a tremendous end with a sluggish start.  Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci c...

UK Release Date:  05 December 1997 Certification:  15 Director:  James Mangold Cast:  Peter Berg, Noah Emmerich, Harvey Keitel, Ray Liotta, Robert De Niro, Robert Patrick, Michael Rapaport, Sylvester Stallone, Frank Vincent Rating:   66% Review: 1997's Cop L and is a film of its time. Back when investigations into the police force were seen on screen every few months - Internal Affairs , L.A. Confidential and Training Day . Cop Land may lack originality, but for the most part it's a solid crime film.  The cast is stacked. Full of big name, A-list actors akin to that of one of Scorsese's works. Yet, it's Sylvester Stallone that steals the show with a terrific performance. Sheriff, Freddy Heflin, hindered by being partially deaf is portrayed superbly by Stallone. Emotionless, unwavering and torn by inner turmoil. The audience is continuously  rooting for Heflin despite his unadventurous persona. Harvey Keitel and Robert Patrick are both decent enough v...

UK Release Date:  02 May 1997 Certification:  18 Director:  Wes Kraven Cast:  David Arquette, Drew Barrymore, Neve Campbell, Courtney Cox, Jamie Kennedy, Matthew Lillard, Rose McGowan, Liev Schreiber, Skeet Ulrich Rating:   72% Review: Scream is a staple of the slasher sub-genre. It was unlike any horror film of its time and the film's originality remains its main appeal to this day. Unspeakably meta, to the point where Scream could be viewed as a parody. With knowing nods to tropes of the genre. Characters mock and acknowledge the setting and circumstances of the film. There are some not so subtle references to other classics - particularly Halloween (1978), my favourite horror film - which leave the environment lived in and relatable to the audience.  Ghostface became synonymous with the franchise and is one of the most notable horror villains.  Everybody recalls both his costume and his voice.  The way he moves is supernatural-like. Floating...

UK Release Date:  24 October 2008 Certification:  18 Director:  David Hackl Cast:  Tobin Bell, Julie Benz, Greg Bryk, Costas Mandylor, Scott Patterson, Mark Rolston, Betsy Russell Rating:   28 % Review:   Really disappointed with Saw V because I genuinely enjoyed Saw IV despite it's flaws but this is a huge step down.  Saw V doesn't spend nearly enough time on the traps - the traps almost play like something out of Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory  in this entry - the most interesting aspect of the film. Each level ups the stakes and has new, 'fun' deaths that keep the on-screen horror captivating. But this is a detective melodrama rather than a horror film. The back and forth discussion of corruption within the police force can't be done well without good dialogue, it's not engaging whatsoever. Although, saying that, I respect the characterisation of Agent Strahm because somehow he knows what's going on at all times.  From a techni...

UK Release Date:  26 October 2007 Certification:  18 Director:  Darren Lynn Bousman Cast:  Tobin Bell, Lyriq Bent, Louis Ferreira, Athena Karkanis, Costas Mandylor, Scott Patterson, Betsy Russell, Donnie Wahlberg  Rating:   50 % Review:   Favourite sequel of the franchise so far. Saw IV isn't a good film by any means but I enjoyed what I was watching during the vast majority of the runtime. Saw IV takes the series in a whole new direction whilst still delivering the infamous traps.  The best aspect of the film is that it is bold enough to completely change the tone from prior entries. This is a detective story. Saw IV plays like a dramatic serial killer documentary rather than a parody of one. Following Detective Hoffman, Detective Rigg and Agent Strahm all try to achieve the same goal with differing adversities to face building until it reaches the climax - all the clichés of a solid thriller.  Saw IV had to follow up a dire entry in the...

UK Release Date:  27 October 2006 Certification:  18 Director:  Darren Lynn Bousman Cast:  Tobin Bell, Angus Macfadyen, Dina Meyer,  Shawnee Smith, Bahar Soomekh, Donnie Wahlberg Rating:   22 % Review: What a mess of a film. Several abandoned subplots, an incoherent story and a band of incredibly unlikeable characters. This is where I think the franchise will lose my interest.  Other than a few scenes towards the beginning of the film that were slightly unsettling, Saw III isn't scary and a huge departure in quality from the first two. Saw III relies solely on gore in an attempt to scare/shock the audience. But when the traps appear unwinnable and so much blood is shown it becomes desensitised.  Horror films often get a bad rep for having their characters making the worst possible decisions in important situations. I think that's unwarranted but it is certainly the case in Saw III . Jeff (Angus Macfadyen) is the most frustrating character in horr...

UK Release Date:  01 October 2004 Certification:  18 Director:  James Wan Cast:  Tobin Bell, Cary Elwes, Michael Emerson, Danny Glover, Ken Leung, Dina Meyer, Monica Potter, Shawnee Smith, Leigh Wannell Rating:   60 % Review: Following an impressive short film of the same name debuted in 2003, Lions Gate Entertainment decided to produce the feature length film Saw . With a budget of $1 million, the film went on to gross $103 million world-wide spawning a two decade long franchise spanning nine films (with a tenth set to release this year). Often cited as the father of horror sub-genre, torture porn, the inventiveness of Saw is yet to be recaptured.  Lead performances from Cary Elwes (Dr. Gordon) and Leigh Wannell (Adam) were genuinely quite captivating. Both over-acted at times affecting the narrative being told but the juxtaposition of personalities forced to work together meant for an intriguing concept. This stark contrast between th...

UK Release Date:  12 April 2013 Certification:  15 Director:  Derek Cianfrance Cast:  Mahershala Ali, Rose Byrne, Emory Cohen, Bradley Cooper, Dane DeHaan, Ryan Gosling, Ray Liotta, Eva Mendes, Ben Mendelsohn Rating:   49 % Review:   The Place Beyond the Pines is a mess. The film attempts to tell three interconnecting stories during its 140 minute runtime - a crime thriller, an unravelling of police corruption and a political campaign. This could've worked if each section of the film was compelling but that isn't the case. The first hour of this film is superb in my opinion. The themes bleed through, the action is well choreographed and scenes feel impactful. Afterwards, the rest of the film is just dull, boring and a major disappointment. The characters aren't particularly interesting and I struggled to remain engaged with the plot.  Ryan Gosling is great in the supposed lead role of Luke Glanton. The struggles of his personal lif...

UK Release Date:  30 April 1997 Certification:  18 Director:  Mike Newell Cast:  Johnny Depp, Anne Heche, Bruno Kirby, Michae l Madsen, Al Pacino, James Russo Rating:   66 % Review: With Johnny Depp and Al Pacino in leading roles it's no real surprise that the  performances  standout in Donnie  Brasco . I believe this is the best acted role from Depp, bar Edward Scissorhands . Don't get me wrong he was made to play Jack Sparrow and I love how vibrantly he plays that character but he gets to show that he can act in this film. He portrays conflicting characteristics at a similar ability in the space of a few scenes. His arc is engaging, a realistic progression of his headspace at the time. The mob film is what made Al Pacino one of the greats. So whilst it's not anything revolutionary compared to the rest of his filmography, Pacino still delivers a worthy supporting performance. There's depth, displaying a slight comedic side as well as sk...

UK Release Date: 24 August 1972 Certification: 15 Director: Francis Ford Coppola Cast: Marlon Brando, James Caan, Richard S. Castellona, Robert Duvall, Sterling Hayden, Diane Keaton, Al Lettieri, Al Pacino Rating: 100% "I'm gonna make him an offer he can't refuse." Review: I was afraid that I'd come out of The Godfather  on it's 50th anniversary in the UK disappointed as it's often considered one of, if not, the greatest films ever made but gladly, that is for good reason. This is not only the best film I've ever seen but it's also one of the finest accomplishments in modern history. This is perfection, it would be a genuine challenge to discover a list that doesn't have this in their top five films of all time. I was just in awe of this masterpiece for three hours.  You can't take your eyes off the late Marlon Brando during The Godfather . He chews up scene after scene, it's the performance of a lifetime. One of the most dazzling, ...

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...

UK Release Date: 24 February 1989 Certification: 18 Director: Michael Mann Cast: Joan Allen, Brian Cox, Dennis Farina, Kim Greist, Stephen Lang, Tom Noonan, William Petersen Rating:   81 % "It's just you and me now, sport." Review: I came into Manhunter as a fan of Michael Mann rather than a fan of the series of novels by Thomas Harris that centred around serial killer, Hannibal Lector. One of which later became one of the greatest and most influential films of all time - that I am still yet to see - The Silence of the Lambs . Albeit, Michael Mann is what drew me to the film, a man who is quickly becoming one of my favourite directors around. What often strikes me about Heat (a film in my personal top ten) is the colour palette on display and that was perhaps developed in one of his earlier features such as Manhunter . Each frame is visually striking - placing the Graham family scenes in a dreamlike blue, shots with 'The Tooth Fairy' in a sickly green and FB...

UK Release Date: 6 October 2006 Certification: 18 Director: Martin Scorsese Cast: Alec Baldwin, Matt Damon, Leonardo DiCaprio, Vera Farmiga, Jack Nicholson, Martin Sheen, Mark Wahlberg, Ray Winstone Rating: 86% No better thing to say in a Boston accent than The Departed .  Review: The Departed   won four academy awards including best picture, best film editing and best director and it's Martin Scorsese's direction in  The Departed  that makes it unique compared to his other filmography. From the symbolism of certain shots to the near perfect storytelling and world building everything Scorsese does in   The Departed   has a purpose and a meaning.   The Departed continues Leonardo DiCaprio's run of films with Martin Scorsese following on from Gangs of New York and The Aviator . It's difficult to say who's performance is the greatest in The Departed with such a stellar cast but DiCaprio still shines through to display why he's one of the best a...

UK Release Date: 31 May 1996 Certification: 18 Director:   Joel Coen Cast: Steve Buscemi, William H. Macy, Frances McDormand, Harve Presnell, Kristin Rudrüd, Peter Stormare Rating: 78% "Ya, ya betcha." Review:  1996's Fargo is perhaps one of the best of the Coen Brother's career. Their quirky filmmaking and strange characters are present as always but there's a certain subtlety about the film that sets it apart from anything else like it.  The characters brought to life in Fargo are all worth studying. You can tell almost every aspect of each of their personalities from one action. Frances McDormand obviously deserved all the plaudits for her performance as simpleton Marge Gunderson, winning an Oscar. Her character is so straightforward and yet she is one of the most relatable characters ever brought to the big screen. William H. Macy stars as Jerry Lundegaard who can't be described as a 'bad guy' as his intentions are understandable, if stupid. ...

UK Release Date: 26 October 1990 Certification: 18 Director: Martin Scorsese Cast: Lorraine Bracco, Tony Darrow, Ray Liotta, Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, Frank Sivero, Paul Sorvino, Mike Starr, Frank Vincent  Rating:   92 % "As far back as I can remember I always wanted to be a gangster." Review: Goodfellas is the ultimate crime flick. Despite the rushed conclusion (my opinion) Martin Scorsese's film, based on a true story, is often considered as one of the best of all time.  Criminally, this is my first viewing of a Scorsese feature. With instant classics like  Taxi Driver  and  Raging Bull  as well as modern classics like  The Departed  and  The Wolf of Wall Street , he's viewed as one of the greatest directors of all time. I think what makes him stand out is his reliance on returning actors (Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci back then and Leonardo DiCaprio since the 2000's).  What makes Goodfellas not only an iconic movie but an a...

UK Release Date: 15 January 1993 Certification: 18 Director: Quentin Tarantino Cast: Kirk Baltz, Randy Brooks, Steve Buscemi, Harvey Keitel, Michael Madsen, Chris Penn, Tim Roth, Quentin Tarantino, Lawrence Tierney Rating: 86% Mr Ginger. Review: With iconic shots and witty dialogue, crime thriller,  Reservoir Dogs  is Quentin Tarantino's directorial debut and my first exposure to one of his movies.    Every member of the cast is terrific but the three leads, without question, standout. Tarantino originally penned in to play Mr Pink himself but Steve Buscemi's audition was so good that Tarantino changed his mind and decided Buscemi would be the perfect fit. Mr Pink is the 'professional robber' of the group who cares only about the job - nothing or no one else - and Buscemi sells that exceptionally well right from the very first scene. Harvey Keitel (who plays Mr White) makes it easy to empathise/sympathise with him as we understand his thought proce...

UK Release Date: 17 October 2003 Certification: 15 Director: Clint Eastwood Cast: Kevin Bacon, Spencer Treat Clark, Laurence Fishburne, Tom Guiry, Marcia Gay Harden, Laura Linney, Sean Penn, Tim Robbins Rating: 84% We bury our sins, we wash them clean.  Review: Mystic River is an excellent crime thriller directed by filmmaking legend, Clint Eastwood. With three outstanding central performances and a gripping story, the film thoroughly deserves all the praise it received.  Sean Penn delivers such a morally convoluted performance as Jimmy Markum. The former Boston mob boss is put through a family tragedy and Mystic River displays his reaction throughout the movie's run time. His emotions often get the better of him but that's what makes him a relatable character. We, as an audience, understand that he isn't a particularly good man but he is simply trying to do the best for his family. Sean Penn thoroughly deserved the  Oscar for   his  poignant and moving pe...

UK Release Date: 04 March 2022 Certification: 15 Director: Matt Reeves Cast: Paul Dano, Colin Farrell, Zoë Kravitz, Robert Pattinson, Andy Serkis, John Turturro, Jeffrey Wright Rating: 97% "If you are justice please do not lie. What is the price for your blind eye?" Review: Batman is my favourite comic book hero of all time so it's safe to say I was absolutely buzzing to be watching Matt Reeves' The Batman on opening weekend. It's hard not to compare The Batman to The Dark Knight - the best comic book movie of all time -    but the film creates its own unique, bleak story that is more like a Seven rather than a superhero movie.  Matt Reeves does an excellent job taking the character back to his roots whilst crafting an artistic film. Batman's original comic book run describes him as 'the world's greatest detective' and we've yet to see that on the big screen but The Batman delivers on that promise. It's nice to see Batman be the sm...