Mac's Movies

UK Release Date:  23 September 2022 Certification:  15 Director:  Olivia Wilde Cast:  Kate Berlant, Gemma Chan, Nick Kroll, Kiki Layne, Chris Pine,  Florence Pugh, Timothy Simons, Harry Styles, Olivia Wilde Rating:   56%                                                                                                                                                                                          Review: Cl...

UK Release Date:  22 October 1999 Certification:  15 Director:  Daniel Myrick, Eduardo Sánchez Cast:  Rei Hance, Joshua Leonard, Michael C. Williams Rating:   30 % Review: A horror phenomenon released in 1999 and changed the genre forever. With a measly budget of $60,000, found footage horror, The Blair Witch Project took the world by storm grossing $248 million. The film is highly influential with one of the most viral marketing campaigns for a film. Marketed as a real documentary - the actors were said to be missing and presumed dead - The Blair Witch Project is often touted as the scariest film of all time.  Most of the film is shot on a Hi8 camcorder on 16mm film giving it a grainy essence. Found footage became the most popular horror sub-genre for the next ten years spawning the Paranormal Activity franchise. For the first half hour of the film it works but by the end of the runtime it's simply a gimmick used to cut down costs and separate The Blair ...

UK Release Date:  02 November 2001 Certification:  12 Director:  Alejandro Amenábar Cast:  James Bentley, Elaine Cassidy, Christopher Eccleston, Fionnula Flanagan, Nicole Kidman, Alakina Mann, Eric Sykes Rating:   79 % Review: What a pleasant surprise. Supernatural-horror, The Others , is certainly deserving of a higher appreciation when it comes to discussing modern horror.  Nicole Kidman is tremendous in the lead role. Playing, Grace, mother to Anne (Alakina Mann) and Nicholas (James Bentley), just weeks after her public divorce with Tom Cruise. That doesn't detract from her performance whatsoever as she shines in The Others . Frightened but at the same time completely unhinged. Understandably so, doing everything she can in the film's runtime to protect her children. Amazingly, first-time child actress Alakina Mann is just as good. Perfectly capable of acting alongside Nicole Kidman, looking comfortable in each interaction. Such a fear-ind...

UK Release Date:  08 May 1992 Certification:  18 Director:  Paul Verhoeven Cast:  Daniel von Bargen, Michael Douglas, George Dzundza, Wayne Knight, Sharon Stone, Jeanne Tripplehorn, Bruce A. Young Rating:   61 % Review:   Basic Instinct consists of an awful, awful script. There are several laughable moments as a result of cringe writing, uninventive and insufferable dialogue. It results in quite a few cast members simply phoning it in or over acting in an attempt to get something out of the wooden material that they have to work with.  The late Jerry Goldsmith composes the film's score. With an illustrious filmography consisting of Alien , Chinatown and Planet of the Apes - receiving a total of 18 Oscar nominations including one for Basic Instinct . Personally, the score feels overused and overwhelming even if it is complete with decent pieces of music.  Michael Douglas is solid enough in the lead role - he garnered fame for simi...

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:  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:  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:  12 August 2022 Certification:  15 Director:  Jordan Peele Cast:  Daniel Kaluuya, Keke Palmer, Brandon Perea, Wrenn Schmidt, Michael Wincott, Steven Yeun Rating:   85% Review: One of my favourites from last year. The film subverts all expectations in the best possible way. Nope solidifies Jordan Peele as one of the industries most sought-after filmmakers.  Taking inspiration from Steven Spielberg's filmography -  Close Encounters of the Third Kind ,  Jaws and Jurassic Park -   Jordan Peele creates an awe-inspiring experience. Peele's most ambitious film to date takes full advantage of the larger budget. The film is a spectacle to behold. A mix of horror, science-fiction and western combine to create a visually striking masterpiece that reaffirms the beauty of cinema.  Cinematographer, Hoyte van Hoytema, makes the night look so gorgeous but yet so unexplored. In order to attain such clarity with no natural light he had ...

UK Release Date:  28 October 2005 Certification:  18 Director:  Darren Lynn Bousman Cast:  Tobin Bell, Franky G, Erik Knudsen, Dina Meyer, Glenn Plummer, Shawnee Smith, Donnie Wahlberg Rating:   45 % Review: The second instalment in the Saw franchise promises to be more gruesome and a lot bloodier than the first. With a larger budget, Saw II ups the stakes, the scale and improves upon the traps but forgets about the terror that made Saw great in the first place. It's by no means as good as the first but the film is still surprisingly entertaining.  Detective Matthews (Donnie Wahlberg) and his arc spanning the film's runtime are both interesting to watch on screen. As the film's main protagonist, the audience is meant to root Matthews but by the end of Saw II it's not as clear-cut. His moral ambiguity reveals conflicting emotions. Donnie Wahlberg pulls off the grizzled cop looking to save his son superbly. Tobin Bell expands upon the villai...

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:  03 July 2019 Certification:  18 Director:  Ari Aster  Cast: Vilhelm Blomgren,  William Jackson Harper, Archie Madekwe, Will Poulter, Florence Pugh, Jack Reynor, Ellora Torchia Rating:   80%                                                                                                                                                                                         Review: Ari Aster'...

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: 20 October 2000 Certification: 15 Director: Christopher Nolan Cast: Mark Boone Junior, Carrie-Anne Moss, Joe Pantoliano, Guy Pearce, Stephen Tobolowsky Rating: 91% When the world met Christopher Nolan. Review: Christopher Nolan is the greatest filmmaker of all time. I don't think it's debatable. I don't think it's even close. He's so much more than a filmmaker. He's a writer, an artist, a mathematician, a scientist. For a director to be able to create something so inventive and totally original in only your second directorial outing, his first with a Hollywood budget, is utterly perplexing.  Memento is also such a pivotal film because it's the first time Christopher Nolan decided to work with his brother Jonathon Nolan. Working together with Christopher writing the screenplay and Jonathon writing a short story 'Memento Mori'. It's a well-polished script with each piece of dialogue being slick and precise. Memento is so well...

UK Release Date: 10 November 2006 Certification: 12A Director: Christopher Nolan Cast: Christian Bale, David Bowie, Michael Caine, Rebecca Hall, Hugh Jackman, Scarlett Johansson, Piper Perabo, Andy Serkis Rating: 83% "Are you watching closely?" Review: On paper  The Prestige  is the perfect film. It has a terrific twist that comes out from absolutely no where, Nolan produces technical brilliance and there's an immense cast. However, the fact that no character comes across as likeable during the runtime makes it difficult for me to latch on to anyone and prevents me from loving  The Prestige .  Christian Bale and Hugh Jackman play competing magicians (Alfred Bordon and Robert Angier respectively). Alongside, Leonardo DiCaprio these are two of the greatest actors of this generation. They both play the role exactly as described - they're both unlikeable and selfish men that destroy each other and the people around them in an insane obsession to suceed. And that's...

UK Release Date: 3 November 2017 Certification: 15 Director: Yorgos Lanthimos Cast: Raffey Cassidy, Colin Farrell, Barry Keoghan, Nicole Kidman, Sunny Suljic Rating: 67% A24's most disturbing and bizarre film.  Review: After having some time to reflect and digest A24 film,  The Killing of a Sacred Deer I still don't truly know what to think but I'll try to translate my thoughts across here in this review. One thing I do know is that this is a thoroughly metaphorically complex film that will need to be viewed multiple times to be fully appreciated.  Colin Farrell plays Steven, a surgeon with a wife and two kids - a normal life. The Irish actor teams up with Greek filmmaker, Yorgos Lanthimos, once again after The Lobster . It's a frustrating performance for me because he does what he's asked too but his character ended up making a few idiotic choices. Thats more on the writing than Farrell's acting. Nicole Kidman, on the other hand, is brilliant. She's a ...

UK Release Date: 17 March 2017 Certification: 15 Director: Jordan Peele Cast: Betty Gabriel, Lil Rel Howery, Caleb Landry Jones, Daniel Kaluuya, Catherine Keener, LaKeith Stanfield, Bradley Whitford, Allison Williams Rating: 92% The greatest directorial debut of all time? Review: Get Out is Jordan Peele's directorial debut and he's able to craft an intelligent horror movie. With some terrific performances, an unsettling score and some brilliant racial commentary no wonder Get Out received four Oscar nominations.  Key and Peele is a superb comedy sketch show so I'm not exactly sure how Jordan Peele was able to effortlessly transition to an alarming horror film for his directorial debut. Peele also wrote the script for  Get Out  and the amount of care taken in the production of the movie is clear for all to see. Since  Get Out , Peele has become one of my favourite directors and I absolutely can't wait for his new feature -  Nope .  Daniel Kaluuya is ex...

UK Release Date: 30 August 2002 Certification: 15 Director: Christopher Nolan Cast: Martin Donovan, Paul Dooley, Larry Holden, Nicky Katt, Al Pacino, Hilary Swank, Maura Tierney, Robin Williams Rating: 71% Nolan's weakest film is still thoroughly enjoyable.  Review:  Christopher Nolan is my favourite director of all time - whether it's an ambitious comic book movie or a mind bending sci-fi, he always delivers - but I haven't seen some of his films before ( Following , Memento and of course Insomnia ). I can feel the features that made Nolan great but I feel the best way to sum up Insomnia is that it's a good movie that doesn't hold up to the rest of Nolan's filmography. Al Pacino plays sleep deprived detective, Will Dormer. He's of course a legendary actor and he delivers a brilliant portrayal. Once you notice that insomnia is really affecting his character, his performance really amps up.  However, I wish that Nolan would've explored in depth how i...

UK Release Date: 25 August 1995 Certification: 18 Director: Bryan Singer Cast: Suzy Amis, Stephen Baldwin, Gabriel Byrne, Chaz Palminteri, Kevin Pollack, Pete Postlethwaite, Kevin Spacey, Benicio Del Toro Rating: 83% "The greatest trick the devil ever pulled Wass convincing the world he didn't exist" Review: Bryan Singer's The Usual Suspects is a brilliant but unexpected 90's crime classic. From it's terrific cast to the intelligent ending I was always entertained.  Despite Kevin Spacey's controversial allegations he's a talented actor. And as always he's amazing in The Usual Suspects as Verbal Kint. He can pull off vulnerable cripple and he can pull off evil mastermind. He deservedly won an Oscar for best supporting actor due to the emotive range from facial expressions alone, It's an incredible performance. Gabriel Byrne perfectly suggests the conflict between a straight life and returning to a life of crime. Benicio Del Toro chews the s...

UK Release Date: 13 January 2021 Certification: 15 Director: Monika Mitchell Cast: Alison Araya, Matthew Finlan, David Lewis, Alyssa Milano, Sam Page, Emilie Ullerup, Malachi Weir Rating: 10% Don't waist your time watching this movie. Review: Brazen is best described as an hour and a half of my life I will never get back.  The acting is honestly dreadful. It feels like something people in drama school would produce, and that's being kind. Alyssa Milano may play the most bland character ever put to screen, she has absolutely nothing interesting about her and doesn't have a personality. Like she's been in movies before but you genuinely wouldn't be able to tell. Sam Page is dull and no more than a stereotypical detective. Malachi Weir's performance was similar but he had cool hair (either an afro or a man bun) so there's that. Every performance is monotone and nobody seems like they're even trying to have fun on set.  To help the movie's case they de...