Renfield

Walking the tightrope between garbage a genius, Nicolas Cage camps it up to the max as Dracula in this gorefest comedy which brings the legend to modern day USA through the eyes of Dracula´s long suffering man servant Renfield.

Crazy fight sequences, including one hundred bizarre ways to die, are the main tenet of this shortish seemingly low budget encounter but what I liked most were the knowing nods to the long established lore of Dracula, most made in a terrific comedic manner.

It is absolutely kitsch, from the opening sequence to the final showdown, but I enjoyed the ride and great performances from the main actors; Nicholas Hoult, Nicolas Cage, Awkwafina and Ben Schwartz.

It´s never going to get a mention at the Oscars, but it´s a good wheeze.

7/10

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11358390/? ... m_5_q_renf

Renfield

Walking the tightrope between garbage a genius, Nicolas Cage camps it up to the max as Dracula in this gorefest comedy which brings the legend to modern day USA through the eyes of Dracula´s long suffering man servant Renfield.

Crazy fight sequences, including one hundred bizarre ways to die, are the main tenet of this shortish seemingly low budget encounter but what I liked most were the knowing nods to the long established lore of Dracula, most made in a terrific comedic manner.

It is absolutely kitsch, from the opening sequence to the final showdown, but I enjoyed the ride and great performances from the main actors; Nicholas Hoult, Nicolas Cage, Awkwafina and Ben Schwartz.

It´s never going to get a mention at the Oscars, but it´s a good wheeze.

7/10

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11358390/? ... m_5_q_renf

Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Amongst Thieves

A slightly overlong fantasy epic starring Chris Pine and Michelle Rodriguez which gives nothing new in terms of the genre but does deliver some nice moments and has a decent amount of comedy to show that it is played for laughs and not taking itself too seriously.

It´s about a petty thief's attempt to get back his daughter after getting caught and imprisoned in a medieval heist. The cinematography and CGI are great and there is a brilliant scene in a graveyard which while predictable, still raised an audible laugh.

Hugh Grant camps it up, in the way that only Hugh Grant can. It was nice enough but just felt a bit superficial. Run of the mill.

7/10

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2906216/?r ... _q_dungeon

Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Amongst Thieves

A slightly overlong fantasy epic starring Chris Pine and Michelle Rodriguez which gives nothing new in terms of the genre but does deliver some nice moments and has a decent amount of comedy to show that it is played for laughs and not taking itself too seriously.

It´s about a petty thief's attempt to get back his daughter after getting caught and imprisoned in a medieval heist. The cinematography and CGI are great and there is a brilliant scene in a graveyard which while predictable, still raised an audible laugh.

Hugh Grant camps it up, in the way that only Hugh Grant can. It was nice enough but just felt a bit superficial. Run of the mill.

7/10

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2906216/?r ... _q_dungeon

Guy Richie´s The Covenant

Another shoot-em-up in the best Hollywood style with plenty of gore and a massive body count as you would probably expect from Guy Richie as he takes on an Afghanistan war and aftermath story.

A tale of an American sergeant (Jake Gyllenhaal) and his interpreter (Dar Salim) and their relationship both during operations and after. Follows a similar format to the fantastic ´The Killing Fields´ with a long set-up and a well delivered, pulling at the heartstrings, second act.

Gyllenhaal is rapidly becoming one of the best film actors and he is fantastic in this role, as is his co-actor and it would be difficult to decide who should have headline billing.

If you can see past the blood and gore then you will enjoy this, never a dull moment, full of twists and turns. Definitely worth watching.

8/10

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4873118/?r ... es%2520the

Guy Richie´s The Covenant

Another shoot-em-up in the best Hollywood style with plenty of gore and a massive body count as you would probably expect from Guy Richie as he takes on an Afghanistan war and aftermath story.

A tale of an American sergeant (Jake Gyllenhaal) and his interpreter (Dar Salim) and their relationship both during operations and after. Follows a similar format to the fantastic ´The Killing Fields´ with a long set-up and a well delivered, pulling at the heartstrings, second act.

Gyllenhaal is rapidly becoming one of the best film actors and he is fantastic in this role, as is his co-actor and it would be difficult to decide who should have headline billing.

If you can see past the blood and gore then you will enjoy this, never a dull moment, full of twists and turns. Definitely worth watching.

8/10

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4873118/?r ... es%2520the

Old Henry

I love a good western, and this is a good western. It had slipped under my radar and I was only alerted to it by a Facebook post which suggested that it was an undiscovered and unrecognised potential classic. That might push it a bit far but it kept me interested, was tense, brilliantly acted and a nice twist which I´d not seen coming (but then why should I have).

It had a lockdown feel, small cast, limited locations but wasn´t any the worse for it.

A farmsteader stumbles across an injured man and a satchel of cash and agrees to help him but there is a posse hot on his trail. A little formulaic but uncomfortable in it´s delivery.

8/10
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt12731980/? ... %2520henry

Old Henry

I love a good western, and this is a good western. It had slipped under my radar and I was only alerted to it by a Facebook post which suggested that it was an undiscovered and unrecognised potential classic. That might push it a bit far but it kept me interested, was tense, brilliantly acted and a nice twist which I´d not seen coming (but then why should I have).

It had a lockdown feel, small cast, limited locations but wasn´t any the worse for it.

A farmsteader stumbles across an injured man and a satchel of cash and agrees to help him but there is a posse hot on his trail. A little formulaic but uncomfortable in it´s delivery.

8/10
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt12731980/? ... %2520henry

Reality

I´ve started three films over recent days and not made it more than half an hour into them, so it was a refreshing change to give Reality a spin after a recommendation from another film watching friend. It is based on the true story of Reality Winner who was investigated for breaching her security clearance by supplying information about Russian interference in the 2016 Presidential elections to the media.

It is brilliantly filmed and portrays a very claustrophobic atmosphere which keeps you on the edge of your seat through its short eighty minutes duration. Mostly unknown actors are convincing in their roles, particularly Sydney Sweeney as the lead and the ´fly on the wall´style of presentation adds to the drama.

Well worth seeking out.

7/10
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt24068064/? ... nm_3_q_rea

Reality

I´ve started three films over recent days and not made it more than half an hour into them, so it was a refreshing change to give Reality a spin after a recommendation from another film watching friend. It is based on the true story of Reality Winner who was investigated for breaching her security clearance by supplying information about Russian interference in the 2016 Presidential elections to the media.

It is brilliantly filmed and portrays a very claustrophobic atmosphere which keeps you on the edge of your seat through its short eighty minutes duration. Mostly unknown actors are convincing in their roles, particularly Sydney Sweeney as the lead and the ´fly on the wall´style of presentation adds to the drama.

Well worth seeking out.

7/10
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt24068064/? ... nm_3_q_rea

Extraction II

The follow up to 2020 'Blockbuster´ Extraction for Netflix which takes up where the previous movie left off, including the miraculous recovery of the star Chris Hemsworth.

It's crash, bang, wallop and then a bit more crash, bang and indeed wallop. The assembled cast fire more bullets than the entire US Army managed in the Vietnam war while writing off more high end 4x4s and luxury limousines than you'd find in a Romanian people traffickers compound.

It is an entertaining way to pass the time, full of great set pieces, CGI eye candy, and a limited dialogue and storyline, the latter summed up easily by the movies one word title. Nothing great, Saturday night fodder after a takeaway without too much need to think about it. Probably best avoided until you've finished eating though.

6/10

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt12263384/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1

Extraction II

The follow up to 2020 'Blockbuster´ Extraction for Netflix which takes up where the previous movie left off, including the miraculous recovery of the star Chris Hemsworth.

It's crash, bang, wallop and then a bit more crash, bang and indeed wallop. The assembled cast fire more bullets than the entire US Army managed in the Vietnam war while writing off more high end 4x4s and luxury limousines than you'd find in a Romanian people traffickers compound.

It is an entertaining way to pass the time, full of great set pieces, CGI eye candy, and a limited dialogue and storyline, the latter summed up easily by the movies one word title. Nothing great, Saturday night fodder after a takeaway without too much need to think about it. Probably best avoided until you've finished eating though.

6/10

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt12263384/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1