REVIEW: Murder Mystery 2 - Starring Jennifer Aniston and Adam Sandler

Review by Jon Donnis

A 79-minute action comedy! Are you kidding me? This is film heaven for me! Throw in Jennifer Aniston and Adam Sandler, and surely you can't go wrong.

I have to be honest; I can't remember the first film much, but I am sure I must have seen it. But the fact that I can't remember it makes no difference to enjoying this film as the previous film is explained pretty well at the start.

After starting their own detective agency, Nick (Adam Sandler) and Audrey Spitz (Jennifer Aniston) find themselves invited to a private island by their friend, the Maharajah (Adeel Akhtar). He is marrying a French woman called Claudette (Mélanie Laurent) whom he met in Paris, France.

Everything is going well until the wedding day when the Maharajah enters the area on the back of an elephant. He has been stabbed in the back, but after he falls, we discover that it isn't the Maharajah but instead Mr. Lou (Myo Leong). The stabbing was a distraction, and the Maharajah has been kidnapped. Nick and Audrey realize that there must have been an accomplice, and that someone present must have been in on it.

The next day, the kidnapper asks for a $70m ransom.

As with any Adam Sandler film, you can expect a lot of absurd set pieces and ridiculous moments. If you are a fan of Sandler, then this film ticks all the boxes for his kind of humor. Throw in Jennifer Aniston, who is excellent in her own right and, to keep the male viewers happy, gets to show off those still amazing legs, and this is a really good little action comedy.

The film has a very strong cast, including names like Mark Strong and Adeel Akhtar.

The Good

Great action scenes, plenty of ridiculous moments that you would expect from Adam Sandler, some laugh out loud comedy moments and one liners.

The Bad

I feel like this is basically the same plot as Glass Onion from last year?

Overall

At 79 minutes this has a perfect run time, it is super easy to watch, has a great cast, great action scenes, and some good comedy.

You really cant go wrong here, if you are a fan of Sandler or Aniston then this film is must watch.

I score Murder Mystery 2 a solid 8/10

Out Now on Netflix.

https://www.netflix.com/title/81212842

REVIEW: IP Man The Awakening (2022)

Review by Jon Donnis

In what seems like an endless series of TV shows and Films to feature IP Man, we are once again back with Ip Man, most famously portrayed by legendary actor Donnie Yen in the first 4 films, and then Dennis To in Ip Man: Kung Fu Master, we have a new actor taking on the role, this time it is Tse Miu, or is that Miu Tse, Mo Tse, Tze Miu, Xia Miao, Xie Miao. Look, his name in Chinese is 謝苗, and he seems to have multiple names when translated into English. Anyway, despite being only a few years younger than Dennis To, Tse Miu is seemingly playing a much younger version of Ip Man. 

Set in the 1930s, Ip Man finds himself visiting Hong Kong for the first time, and this is a British run Hong Kong, so the Brits are firmly portrayed as the bad guys here. Brits are rounding up young Chinese women as part of a giant human trafficking ring. They have paid off the Hong Kong police and the locals don't seem to care too much as they are getting in on the action too.

One day Ip Man intervenes when he sees a kidnapping attempt, and by doing so inserts himself right in the middle of trouble and a head on collision with those evil Brits. The bad guys kidnap a friend of his, and now he has to challenge the top guy in a brutal fight, and see whose Kung Fu is best!

One interesting aspect of the film, is the use of an old British martial arts technique called Bartitsu, which outside of The Kingsman and Sherlock Holmes, I have not seen it mentioned or used in any other film, and especially not to this level.

Where as the other Ip Man films are much more serious affairs, I found that The Awakening, especially in the early parts of the film, is a much more light-hearted affair, closer in style to some Jackie Chan films, which was a nice change.

Seeing Tse Miu take on the role is a tricky one for me, he looks much younger than he is in real life, but he also looks very different to both Donnie Yen and Dennis To, who did kind of look similar. So, fans of the other films will instantly find a totally different looking actor playing the part a bit strange. But once you get passed that, I think Tse Miu does a good job playing Ip Man at a much younger age.

The fight scenes are all of the highest quality, and like I mentioned, some of those early scenes are very Jackie Chan like in the use of objects and surroundings, which I did enjoy.

The film is only 1h20m, so a great length to keep the action moving along at a fast pace. A satisfying if predictable ending, as well a decent story helps the film tick every box you would want it to.

The Good

Fun Chinese martial arts film, with some excellent choreography, and strong performances.

The Bad

Some of the early fight scenes in the film are a bit choppy camera wise but do improve towards the end.

Overall

A good film for people new to the franchise as well as fans of the other 5 films.

I score IP Man The Awakening a solid 8/10

In UK Cinemas 5 May 2023

and

Out on DVD June 5th
https://amzn.to/3lZVLbG

COMPETITION: Win The French Dispatch on Blu-ray™

Wes Anderson’s THE FRENCH DISPATCH Arrives on Blu-ray™ exclusively at HMV on 3rd April

And to celebrate we have a great competition for you and 2 copies to give away.

From the visionary mind of Academy Award® nominee Wes Anderson, this, his tenth feature, brings to life a collection of stories from the final issue of an American magazine published in a fictional 20th-century French city.

Also available now on digital and Disney+.

Synopsis:

On the death of its beloved Kansas-born editor Arthur Howitzer, Jr., (Bill Murray) the staff of The French Dispatch, a widely circulated American magazine based in the French city of Ennui-sur-Blasé, convenes to write his obituary. Memories of Howitzer flow into the creation of four stories: a travelogue of the seediest sections of the city itself from The Cycling Reporter; “The Concrete Masterpiece,” about a criminally insane painter, his guard and muse, and his ravenous dealers; “Revisions to a Manifesto,” a chronicle of love and death on the barricades at the height of student revolt; and “The Private Dining Room of the Police Commissioner,” a suspenseful tale of drugs, kidnapping and fine dining.

Pre-order from HMV at https://hmv.com/store/film-tv/blu-ray/the-french-dispatch-(hmv-exclusive)

COMPETITION CLOSED

Quick Terms and conditions - For full T&C click here
1. Closing date 17-04-23
2. No alternative prize is available
3. When the competition ends as indicated on this page, any and all entries received after this point will not count and emails blacklisted due to not checking this page first.
4. Winners will be chosen randomly and will be informed via email.
5. Entries that come directly from other websites will not be accepted.

Why I Think Jackie Chan Is The Greatest Action Hero Of All Time

Jackie Chan, the Chinese martial artist and actor, is often referred to as the greatest action hero of all time. He has won the hearts of millions of fans across the world with his breathtaking stunts, incredible athleticism, and unique style of humor. There are several reasons why Jackie Chan has earned this title, which I will explore in detail in this essay.

Firstly, Jackie Chan's dedication to his craft and his commitment to improving himself as a performer is unmatched. He has spent years honing his skills in martial arts, gymnastics, and other physical disciplines to become the unparalleled action star he is today. He has also worked tirelessly to perfect his comedic timing and acting abilities, creating a unique blend of comedy and martial arts that is uniquely his own.

Secondly, Jackie Chan's stunts are legendary. He often performs his own stunts, which is a rarity in the film industry, and he has been injured several times while filming. However, he has never let that stop him from pushing the limits of what is possible in action movies. His stunts are not only awe-inspiring, but they also serve to convey a sense of danger and excitement that is often missing from other action films.

Thirdly, Jackie Chan's personality and charisma are also major factors in his appeal. He is known for his warmth, humor, and humility, and he has always been appreciative of his fans. He has also been an ambassador for Chinese culture, introducing millions of people around the world to the beauty and richness of Chinese art and history.

Finally, Jackie Chan's impact on the film industry cannot be overstated. He has starred in over 150 movies, and his influence can be seen in countless action films that followed in his wake. He has also been recognized with countless awards and accolades, including an Honorary Academy Award in 2016, which recognized his lifetime of achievement in the film industry.

In conclusion, Jackie Chan is the greatest action hero of all time for a number of reasons. His dedication to his craft, his incredible stunts, his charming personality, and his impact on the film industry all contribute to this title. He has inspired millions of fans around the world, and his legacy will continue to be felt for generations to come.

Start your journey into Jackie Chan by watching his films! The really good ones start in the early 1980s - https://amzn.to/3TUMfmY

REVIEW: Kill Her Goats (2023) - Starring Kane Hodder, Arielle Raycene and Ellie Gonsalves

Review by Jon Donnis

I grew up in the days of the 1980s slasher film, most of these types of films were pretty straightforward, scantily clad, ridiculously attractive women, getting picked off by a murderous killer one by one in inventive manners. That's it. And it was fun because these types of film never took themselves too seriously. Unfortunately, such films are rare in the 2020s, but out of nowhere comes Kill Her Goats, a strangely titled slasher that could have been made in the 1980s. Even better the murderous killer is played by Kane Hodder, yes THAT Kane Hodder, one of the biggest stars of the 80s, better known as portraying Jason Vorhees. Well now he has a big goat head instead of a hockey mask.

The film starts off with the murder of a couple of campers by "Goatface", he kills them using huge hedge trimmers, so plenty of blood and lots of bare skin.

We then get a reversal of time effect and an "earlier that day" note on screen. We get to meet Reese (Monica Sims) and Missy (Ellie Gonsalvever) who are gossiping about their friend Audra (Arielle Raycene) who has just come to town. Queue another "earlier that day".....

For the next 40 minutes, the film is basically attractive women on the beach and then in the Tupp House that the bloke killed in the opening scene had bought his daughter Audra. The house is cursed, and at the start of the film there is some storytelling about the history of the house going all the way back to the 17^th century and the Tupp family.

Once we get towards the one-hour mark, things start to pick up again, as Goatface finally starts appearing again, and seemingly he also has the ability to invade people's nightmares?

Once Goatface is in the house, with his hedge trimmers which now have lit sparklers on for some reason, things start to get good again. Lots of near naked women running about and getting killed on proper 80s slasher style.

The Good

A slasher film truly in the style of the classics of the 1980s. Also worth mentioning is that there is no CGI in this film, all the effects are "Practical FX", so clever makeup basically. The women in the film are all stunning, and Kane Hodder truly is the king of the slasher film.

There are REAL goats in the film, that are super cute.

The bloopers at the end are hilarious!

The Bad

At about 90 minutes the film feels a little long. It could easily have a run time of 80 minutes, cut some of the bland stuff in the middle featuring the girls in the house and it would make no difference to the film.

Overall

I am a fan of the 80s style slasher. I am a fan of attractive blonde Playboy pin ups. I am a fan of jump scares. And this film has it all.

Ok the film is too long and there is little plot and a bit too much filler, but this is not a film to be taken seriously, it has plenty of light-hearted moments, as well as inventive kills.

For an independent film with 100% practical FX, I was impressed.

I score Kill Her Goats a slasherific 8/10

Out on Blu-ray now at https://killhergoats.com/products/kill-her-goats-blu-ray-dvd-2-disc-set

Full Release coming at the end of April.

REVIEW: The Siege (2023) - Starring Daniel Stisen, Yennis Cheung and Lauren Okadigbo

Review by Jon Donnis

Walker (Daniel Stisen), an international assassin, gets exposed during a mission and is sent to "Reassignment Center 42" to assume a new identity, something he has seemingly done many times before. I am guessing that his identity gets blown quiet often. While staying at the facility, a vicious assault team led by Keates (Samantha Schnitzler), raids the compound in search of a missing person, Juliet (Yennis Cheung) as well as her bodyguard/protector Elda (Lauren Okadigbo), as ordered by their boss. In order to make it through the night, after initially deciding he didn't want to get involved Walker reluctantly teams up with Elda, also a skilled hitwoman, and Juliet.

At about 85 minutes, this is the perfect run time for an action film. Despite this being a relatively low budget film, it is chock full of action scenes and stunts, I was pleasantly surprised, as all the scenes were well shot, and came across believable, even if everyone seemed to have an endless amount of bullets at times.

The film moves along at a decent pace, and although it is far from original, considering the budget, I thought they did a good job. There were no recognisable faces in the cast, which is a shame as it might make it harder to sell the film. Why do you think Bruce Willis gets shoe horned into small parts in so many films!

If this film does well, I could imagine they will knock out some sequels. The Walker character looks great, and is easy to get behind.

The Good

Perfect run time, non stop action, and some light hearted moments spread throughout the film which raised a smile out of this old cynic.

The Bad

The plot is lacking and there are no real back stories to some of the characters which made them hard to care about at times.

Overall

An 85-minute action film, that ticks most of the boxes for me. Is it a classic? No. Could it spawn some more low budget action films? Yes.

I score The Siege a very respectable 7.5/10

At Cinemas now and on digital at https://apple.co/40fAD0c and https://amzn.to/3K6dCqQ

TRAILER: Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves - Starring Chris Pine, Michelle Rodriguez, Regé-Jean Page, Justice Smith, Sophia Lillis, Chloe Coleman, Daisy Head and Hugh Grant

This is a film I have been looking forward to for a while, an awesome cast, including the excellent Chris Pine, this is definitely one I will be checking out.

Ahead of the London premiere this evening at Cineworld, Leicester Square, watch the final trailer for DUNGEONS AND DRAGONS: HONOUR AMONG THIEVES!

IN UK & IRISH CINEMAS ON 31 MARCH, 2023

SYNOPSIS:

A charming thief and a band of unlikely adventurers undertake an epic heist to retrieve a lost relic, but things go dangerously awry when they run afoul of the wrong people.  Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves brings the rich world and playful spirit of the legendary roleplaying game to the big screen in a hilarious and action-packed adventure.

Paramount Pictures Presents In Association with eOne, A Jonathan Goldstein & John Francis Daley Film

Cast:
Chris Pine, Michelle Rodriguez, Regé-Jean Page, Justice Smith, Sophia Lillis, Chloe Coleman, Daisy Head and Hugh Grant

Directed by:
Jonathan Goldstein & John Francis Daley

COMPETITION: Enter for a chance to win BABYLON on 4K Ultra HD™

Available to Download & Keep now and on DVD, Blu-ray™ & 4K Ultra HD™ from 3rd April. - https://amzn.to/3ZavPYk

Writer/director Damien Chazelle’s glittering tale of Hollywood glamour and excess BABYLON is available to Download & Keep now and on 4K Ultra HD™ + Blu-ray™ SteelBook®, 4K Ultra HD™, Blu-ray™, DVD, from the 3rd April from Paramount Home Entertainment. To celebrate, we’re giving you a chance to win a copy on 4K Ultra HD™!

Fans who buy the film on Digital*, 4K Ultra HD™ + Blu-ray™ SteelBook®, 4K Ultra HD™ or Blu-ray™, will have access to over 40 minutes of behind-the-scenes interviews and deleted scenes to further illuminate how the cinematic tour-de-force was brought to life.

Bonus content is detailed below:
• A Panoramic Canvas Called Babylon — The cast and crew discuss the inspiration and motivation behind the original story and development of this epic, 15 years in the making.
• The Costumes of Babylon — Discover how costume design was fundamental to character development and the challenges that went into creating over 7,000 costumes for the film.
• Scoring Babylon — Take a peek into Justin Hurwitz's musical process to understand the artistry behind composing an iconic score that further elevates the film.
• Deleted & Extended Scenes

Also available, BABYLON the original motion picture soundtrack is released by Mercury Classics Soundtrack & Score. Available digitally now and on CD & Vinyl on April 14th. https://amzn.to/42zIrLF

BABYLON follows an ambitious cast of characters -- The Silent Film Superstar (Brad Pitt), the Young Starlet (Margot Robbie), the Production Executive (Diego Calva), the Musical Sensation (Jovan Adepo) and the Alluring Powerhouse Performer (Li Jun Li) -- who are striving to stay on top of the raucous, 1920s Hollywood scene and maintain their relevance at a time when the industry is moving on to the next best thing.

Babylon is available to Download & Keep now and on DVD, Blu-ray™ & 4K Ultra HD™ from 3rd April.

Order from Amazon at https://amzn.to/3ZavPYk

COMPETITION CLOSED

Quick Terms and conditions - For full T&C click here
1. Closing date 10-04-23
2. No alternative prize is available
3. When the competition ends as indicated on this page, any and all entries received after this point will not count and emails blacklisted due to not checking this page first.
4. Winners will be chosen randomly and will be informed via email.
5. Entries that come directly from other websites will not be accepted.

REVIEW: Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey (2023) - Starring Craig David Dowsett, Chris Cordell and Nikolai Leon

Review by Jon Donnis

I heard about this film a while back and was intrigued. With the first Winnie the Pooh book having gone into public domain in the US on 1 January 2022, it means that the characters are no longer under strict ownership, so anyone can use them. So what better way to use such beloved children's characters than to have them as evil murderous monsters!

Years ago, a young Christopher Robin made friends with a group of anthropomorphic creatures in the Hundred Acre Wood, including Winnie-the-Pooh (Craig David Dowsett), Piglet (Chris Cordell), Eeyore, Rabbit, and Owl. When Christopher went to college, he stopped visiting, leaving his animal friends to fend for themselves. With winter approaching, and without Christopher's guidance, the animals were unable to find food and resorted to extreme measures, killing and eating Eeyore. This traumatic event caused the group to develop a deep hatred for humanity and Christopher for abandoning them. They made a pact to abandon their humanity and return to their feral instincts, vowing never to speak again.

Years later, Christopher (Nikolai Leon) and his girlfriend/wife (not sure which), Mary (Paula Coiz), return to the Hundred Acre Wood to reunite with his old friends, Christopher has told Mary about his childhood friends, but she just believes them to be imagined. However, they find the place in a desolate state. Despite Mary's warnings to leave, Christopher continues to investigate and is attacked by an adult sized Piglet, who strangles Mary to death with a chain. Pooh and Piglet then drag Christopher back into the woods.

Later, a group of university students, Maria (Maria Taylor), Jess (Natasha Rose Mills), Alice (Amber Doig-Thorne), Zoe (Danielle Ronald), and Lara (Natasha Tosini), rent a cabin in the Hundred Acre Wood at the suggestion of Maria's therapist. Tina, one of Maria's friends, gets lost on the way to the cabin and is chased by Pooh into an abandoned factory, where he kills her with a woodchipper. Meanwhile, Christopher is being held prisoner by Pooh in his treehouse, where he s brutally whipped with Eeyore's tail. Christopher sees Mary's corpse in the corner of the room, and Pooh showers him with her blood.

As you can tell this is not your classic Christopher Robin and Pooh tale. Made on a budget of just £100,000 and shot in just 10 days, this is an interesting little horror film.

This is a straight forward horror film, not a comedy. It reminded me in parts of the Friday the 13th films, in the way that you have young people being picked off by a seemingly unstoppable killer.

There is also some nice animation to tell some parts of the story, this is a nice touch that not only saves them a lot of money, but gives the film an extra creepy feel.

The Good

Pooh is the main killer in this film, and he gets to perform some imaginative kills, which is what you want. Despite the low budget, the filmmakers have done a good job with the set pieces, the visual effects and the general atmosphere of the film, it can be a bit dark at times, but that is understandable, as is an easy way to cover up some of the budgetary restraints.

Nikolai Leon is convincing as the adult Christopher Robin, and they left enough open at the end for a sequel.

I also think it is worth mentioning how refreshing it is to hear some regional accents in a film, I am not sure how ad libbed the film is, but some of the dialog came across as very real.

With a run time of about 82 minutes, it is the perfect length.

The Bad

As mentioned, the film is a little dark at times, and it is hard to see what is going on. It is pretty obvious that Piglet and Pooh are just men in suits with masks on, but there is an effort to make them look somewhat realistic, but with the budget being what it is, it is obviously hard to pull that off.

Overall

I thought this was a decent little horror film, and when you consider the subject matter, and the budget, I thought they did an excellent job, pulling off a good little horror film. I am actually quite interested in if they do a sequel and if so I hope they have a larger budget.

I enjoyed this film. I like a good horror, this is British with a British cast, and should be applauded for doing a good job.

I score Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey a solid 7.5/10

Out now in Cinemas.

Pre-order on Home Entertainment or watch on Prime at https://amzn.to/3mZbckz

COMPETITION: WIN BATMAN: THE DOOM THAT CAME TO GOTHAM ON BLU-RAY™

BATMAN: THE DOOM THAT CAME TO GOTHAM IS AVAILABLE ON BLU-RAY™ AND DVD 

FROM 27th MARCH, AND ON DIGITAL DOWNLOAD FROM 28th MARCH

To celebrate its release, we're giving three lucky winners a copy of the latest DC Animated Movie, Batman: The Doom That Came to Gotham on Blu-Ray™!

Synopsis

Batman’s rational mind and unparalleled fighting skills are put to the ultimate test when an ancient force threatens his world and everyone he holds dear. Batman finds himself up against Lovecraftian supernatural forces threatening the sheer existence of Gotham as he’s aided and confronted along the way by reimagined versions of his well-known allies and enemies, including Green Arrow, Ra’s al Ghul, Mr. Freeze, Killer Croc, Two-Face, James Gordon and more… 

David Giuntoli (Grimm, A Million Little Things) reprises his Batman: Soul of the Dragon role as the voice of the Dark Knight in this all-new 1920s-based DC Elseworlds tale. Tati Gabrielle (Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, Uncharted) makes her DC animated debut as Kai Li Cain. Elevating the action and drama are DC animation veterans Christopher Gorham (The Lincoln Lawyer, Insatiable) as Oliver Queen, Patrick Fabian (Better Call Saul) as Harvey Dent, John DiMaggio (Futurama, Anne Rice’s Interview with the Vampire) as James Gordon, and David Dastmalchian (Dune, The Suicide Squad, Ant-Man) as Grendon. Sam Liu (The Death and Return of Superman) fills the dual role of producer and co-director of Batman: The Doom That Came To Gotham, working closely with co-director Christopher Berkeley (Young Justice) and screenwriter Jase Ricci (Teen Titans Go! and DC Super Hero Girls: Mayhem in the Multiverse). Producers are Jim Krieg (Batman: Gotham by Gaslight) and Kimberly S. Moreau (Legion of Super-Heroes). Executive Producer is Michael Uslan. Sam Register is Executive Producer.

Batman: The Doom That Came to Gotham is set for release on Blu-ray™ and DVD on 27th March 2023 and on Digital Download on 28th March 2023.

Order from Amazon at https://amzn.to/3yR3r31

COMPETITION CLOSED

Quick Terms and conditions - For full T&C click here
1. Closing date 03-04-23
2. No alternative prize is available
3. When the competition ends as indicated on this page, any and all entries received after this point will not count and emails blacklisted due to not checking this page first.
4. Winners will be chosen randomly and will be informed via email.
5. Entries that come directly from other websites will not be accepted.

REVIEW: Dead Bride (2023) - Starring Jennifer Mischiati and Christoph Hülsen

Review by Jon Donnis

Dead Bride is a new "spine-tingling supernatural horror" from Italian writer-director Francesco Picone.

Alyson (Jennifer Mischiati) inherits her childhood home after the suicide death of her estranged father, who had given her up for adoption at the age of 9. Alyson and her husband, Richard (Christoph Hülsen), along with their infant child, want a fresh start, so they decide to move into the inherited house where she grew up. Now, why you would want a fresh start in your childhood home is a question for another day, but as soon as they move in, things start to go wrong. Alyson is haunted by memories of an unhappy childhood; she was abused by her mother, who had mental health issues and ended up in an asylum, which was the main cause of her being given up for adoption. So when Richard goes away on a work trip, strange things start to happen. Alyson decides to explore the old house and starts to see ghosts not long after she stops taking her medicine.

Eventually, a priest (Sean James Sutton) is called to the house to exorcise the demons. Despite Alyson being an atheist, she goes along with it. Before you know it, the child has been taken, and a psychic medium (Michael Segal) is called who reveals that the house is haunted by a pregnant bride who was murdered. This spirit has called upon a demon called Asmodeus (a prince of demons and hell) who has granted the wish of the murdered bride to return from the dead, and that is when all hell breaks loose.

This is a pretty straightforward supernatural horror film that ticks all the boxes: creepy music, jump scares, possessions, and so on. At bang on 80 minutes, it hits the magical runtime for a horror film.

Jennifer Mischiati puts in a strong performance as Alyson and is convincing in her role as a haunted woman with mommy issues.

The film is very atmospheric, the music is just about right, and it helps bring up the tension. The jump scares are well-timed and not overused, and the ending is decent if a bit predictable.

The Good

Very well filmed, everything looks great. A simple and straightforward plot that is easy to follow. Strong performance by Jennifer Mischiati. And some decent jump scares which seem rare in horror films these days.

The Bad

Dodgy dubbing of some of the characters does stick out a bit, but doesn't spoil the film.

Overall

Sometimes you just want a simple horror film, with ghosts, possessions and jump scares, and Dead Bride delivers on all three.

I enjoyed the film, a perfect run time, easy to watch.

I score Dead Bride a solid 8.5/10

On UK digital on 20 March 2023, courtesy of Trinity Creative.

Out Now - https://amzn.to/40hM3k9

COMPETITION: Win Women Of Twilight (Vintage Classics) Blu-ray

Women Of Twilight (Vintage Classics) on Blu-ray out on 27th March 2023

And to celebrate we have a great competition for you and 3 copies on Blu-ray to give away.

Synopsis
A stunning new 4K restoration of the 1952 film directed by Gordon Parry. Vivianne is a young woman ostracised when her boyfriend is arrested for murder, and is forced to rent a room in a decrepit boarding house for unmarried mothers ran by "Nellie" Alistair, a ruthless woman with sinister motives, who takes pleasure exploiting her vulnerable tenants. 

Extras: 

Melanie Williams on Women of Twilight, From Stage to Screen: 

Interview with Marc David Jacobs, Stills gallery

Order from Amazon at https://amzn.to/3JPoOIe

COMPETITION CLOSED

Quick Terms and conditions - For full T&C click here
1. Closing date 03-04-23
2. No alternative prize is available
3. When the competition ends as indicated on this page, any and all entries received after this point will not count and emails blacklisted due to not checking this page first.
4. Winners will be chosen randomly and will be informed via email.
5. Entries that come directly from other websites will not be accepted.

COMPETITION: Win Left Behind: Rise of the Antichrist on Blu-ray

Left Behind: Rise of the Antichrist on Blu-ray out on 27th March 2023

And to celebrate we have a great competition for you and 2 copies on Blu-ray to give away.

Synopsis
Six months after millions of people disappeared in the Rapture, the world is just beginning to recover. So when a so-called expert claims that a second wave of vanishings is imminent, news anchor Cameron Buck sets out to disprove her theory.

On a parallel journey, Ray tries to convince his daughter that his wife's disappearance was, in fact, the rapture. In a world where Biblical truth is censored and vilified, he's desperate for answers. As their paths begin to converge. Buck soon realizes that the story is much bigger than he could have imagined. They are indeed living in the end times prophesied in the Bible and facing the rise to power of the evilest and most dangerous human being in history…The Antichrist.

Order from Amazon at https://amzn.to/3JUzoOk

COMPETITION CLOSED

Quick Terms and conditions - For full T&C click here
1. Closing date 03-04-23
2. No alternative prize is available
3. When the competition ends as indicated on this page, any and all entries received after this point will not count and emails blacklisted due to not checking this page first.
4. Winners will be chosen randomly and will be informed via email.
5. Entries that come directly from other websites will not be accepted.

COMPETITION: Win Martin Limited Edition 4K UHD & Blu-ray

Martin Limited Edition 4K UHD & Blu-ray out on 27th March 2023

And to celebrate we have a great competition for you and 2 copies on 4K UHD to give away.

Synopsis

From the horror maestro himself, George A. Romero comes the highly anticipated, long-awaited release of Martin Limited Edition Box Set. Second Sight present the film in a brand-new 4K scan, painstakingly restored from a 35mm dupe negative, supervised and approved by legendary director of photography Michael Gornick.

Unavailable for many years, this rarely seen, wickedly original vampire thriller with bite gets the release it deserves with an all-singing, all-dancing release from experts in the field, in three versions: Limited Edition UHD 4K/Blu-ray Box set and Standard Edition 4K UHD and Standard Edition Blu-ray –  all of which come packed full of fantastic special features.

Alongside side the newly restored film, the bonus features include audio commentaries galore from George A Romero, John Amplas, Tom Savini, Richard P Rubinstein, Michael Gornick and Donald Rubinstein, plus new commentaries by Travis Crawford and Kat Ellinger. There’s a new feature-length documentary Taste the Blood of Martin and a new interview with composer Donald Rubinstein plus a short film by Tony Buba and much, much more.

Martin Limited Edition 4KUHD/Blu-ray Box set is presented in a rigid slipcase with original classic artwork, complete with a 108-page book with new essays and the original soundtrack CD by Donald Rubinstein.

Martin – brilliantly played by John Amplas (Dawn of the Dead) in his feature film debut – is a troubled young man who believes he’s a vampire. When he moves away to a small Pennsylvania town to live with his elderly, religious cousin, Cuda (Lincoln Maazel – The Amusement Park), he falls for lonely housewife Abbie Santini (Elyane Nadeau). Desperate to curb his overwhelming craving for human blood and the brutal lengths he goes to sate his thirst… Martin endeavours to live a normal life. But the hostile Cuda becomes convinced that the young man is actually Nosferatu...

The film also stars Romero’s wife Christine Forrest (Dawn of the Dead, Creepshow) alongside Tom Savini (Dawn of the Dead, From Dusk Till Dawn) the special effects master, who worked alongside the director in the first of their many collaborations.

Sink your teeth into Martin, the wickedly gruesome, cleverly wry masterwork from the legendary filmmaker whose work never fails to astound in this highly anticipated, must-have collector’s edition.

Order from Amazon at https://amzn.to/42o4DZa

COMPETITION CLOSED

Quick Terms and conditions - For full T&C click here
1. Closing date 03-04-23
2. No alternative prize is available
3. When the competition ends as indicated on this page, any and all entries received after this point will not count and emails blacklisted due to not checking this page first.
4. Winners will be chosen randomly and will be informed via email.
5. Entries that come directly from other websites will not be accepted.

REVIEW: Righteous Thieves (2023) - Starring Cam Gigandet, Jaina Lee Ortiz and Lisa Vidal

Review by Jon Donnis

I love me a good heist film, but recently ones that have been released have been rather lacking, so upon notice of a new heist film being released, I found myself being cautiously optimistic.

Annabel (played by Lisa Vidal) leads a covert group dedicated to retrieving priceless artworks, she gathers a team of unconventional art thieves to recover stolen Monet, Picasso, Degas, and Van Gogh pieces that were taken by Nazis during World War II and are now owned by neo-Nazi billionaire oligarch Otto Huizen (played by Brian Cousins). As the heist draws near, the team's loyalties are put to the test when they discover the true motivation behind Annabel's quest to find these lost treasures.

Now usually I would go into more detail about the story, but really folks the above is all you need to know. 

I am a big fan of Jaina Lee Ortiz who plays one of crew of thieves in this called Lucille, she is the hacker of the story. And sadly, she is probably the only interesting character in the whole film. You see, you need two main elements for a good heist film, the first one being "smarts", in other words the heist needs to be clever, there needs to be twists and turns, back up plans to the back-up plans, things that happen off camera which you only find out about later, sadly this film has none of that. There is simply no clever element to the "Righteous Thieves". The second thing a good heist film needs is interesting and likeable characters. And with the exception of the Lucille character, everyone else is just really generic. It is a tick box cast. And without these two elements the film ends up being rather un-engaging. Don't get me wrong, I like the set up, I like the story as a whole, it is just so poorly executed, with such a dull cast and dull writing, that you will end up either turning the film off, or getting distracted on your phone.

The Good

It is always great to see Jaina Lee Ortiz on your screens, she is an excellent actress, currently most well-known for appearing in Station 19. She deserves better than this.

The general set up to the heist is decent, I like the plot, there is a good film to be made from that.

The Bad

Dull, uninspiring and unlikeable characters. No twists and turns, nothing clever about the thieves. Just an average film.

Overall

I found myself really disappointed with this film, at 88 minutes it is almost got the perfect run time, yet it felt so much longer.

A good plot idea, spoiled by a low budget and terrible writing.

I sadly score Righteous Thieves a 3/10. 

Out on Apple TV - https://apple.co/40kwzLK