Mac's Movies

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:  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...