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Repo Men (out 23 August 10, Cert. 18)
Jude Law, Forest Whitaker, Alice Braga, Liev Schreiber, dir. Miguel Sapochnik, 2010, cert. 18
MonkeyScore: 72%
Sometime in the future a company called The Union has perfected expensive mechanical organs to replace virtually any part of the body. Sold heavy-handedly by Frank (Liev Schreiber) and his team, these medical breakthroughs have a dark side: if you can't keep up with your payment plan, The Union sends its highly skilled repo men to recover its property, with no concern for your comfort or survival. Remy (Jude Law) and Jake (Academy Award® winner Forest Whitaker) are the best repo men in the business, and lifelong friends. When Remy suffers a cardiac failure on the job, he awakens to find himself fitted with the company’s top-of-the-line heart-replacement, and a hefty debt. When he can’t make the payments, his former partner Jake ( Forest Whitaker), to track him down. Based on the novel Repossession Mambo, REPO MEN is piece of futuristic sci-fi fluff that while undeserving of Oscars is bound to attract a cult following. The premise - corporate greed reaches such heights that a company thinks nothing of killing its customers to repossess its property - is ludicrous if taken too seriously, but really quite a lot of fun if you're willing to go along with the spirit of the film. While Jude Law as the all-out action hero and Forest Whitaker as the unbalanced by-the-book rules follower put on a decent performance, Liev Schreiber steals the show as the corporate scumbag. The story demands many leaps of faith, yet the futuristic world seems to somehow make sense. REPO MEN comes complete with enough twists to keep you on the edge of your seat, and enough gore to give the likes of Neil Marshall and Quentin Tarentino a run for their money. The humour is definitely on the sick side, but providing you're in the right frame of mind there are quite a few chuckles to be had along this deranged ride.
The Scouting Book For Boys (out 23 August 10, Cert. 15) Holliday Grainger, ThomasTurgoose, Susan Lynch, Rafe Spall, Steven Mackintosh, directed by Tom Harper, 2009, cert. 15
MonkeyScore: 75% Best friends David and Emily love their carefree life on a coastal trailer park. When David learns that Emily is being forced to move away, he helps her hide out in a remote cave on the beach. But their innocent secret soon becomes complicated, as David watches the police close in on his missing friend. When the real reason Emily wants to escape comes to light, David's world is shattered. Swept up in a situation out of his control, and with his feelings for his best friend growing stranger by the day, David is forced to take action. Set in a depressed area of Norfolk The Scouting Book For Boys looks at local kids with little to do for fun. Young leads Thomas Durgoose (This Is England) and Holly Grainger (Demons) put on a haunting performance as the nearest thing the UK has to trailer park trash. Emily and David have grown up with each other, but may not have grown up at the same speed, and in the same direction. This comes as a dreadful shock to David, who has not learnt how to process his feelings. The result is an ending that feels a rather brutal yet natural conclusion to this beautifully shot British film. The Baden-Powell book of the title may be a good source to learn how to survive in the wilderness but the tips have little use for youngsters who haven't learnt about emotions and how to deal with them. It's no surprise that the film was extremely well received at the London Film Festival where it premiered and earned writer Jack Thorne the Best Bristish Newcomer Award. The only downside is that somehow the second half could have been expanded slightly, with more in the way of explaining David and Emily's motivations. A sensitive, intelligent film. |
Monk - Season 7 (out 23 August 10, Cert. 15) Tony Shalhoub, Traylor Howard, Ted Levine, Jason Gray-Stanford, Hector Elizondo, originally broadcast in the U.S. between July 2008 and February 2009, cert. 15 Episodes List: Mr Monk Buys A House, Mr Monk And The Genius, Mr Monk Gets Lotto Fever, Mr Monk Takes A Punch, Mr Monk Is Underwater, Mr Monk Falls In Love, Mr Monk's 100th Case, Mr Monk Gets Hypnotized, Mr Monk And The Miracle, Mr Monk's Other Brother, Mr Monk On Wheels, Mr Monk And The Lady Next Door, Mr Monk Makes The Playoffs,Mr Monk And The Bully, Mr Monk And The Magician, Mr Monk Fights City Hall.
Former SFPD Detective Adrian Monk consults for his former colleagues Captain Stottlemeyer and Lt. Fisher.
Lebanon - The Soldier's Journey (out 23 August 10, Cert. 12) Reymond Amsalem, Oshri Cohen, Yoav Donat, Michael Moshonov, Zohar Shtrauss, Itay Tiran, Ashraf Barhom, Dudu Tassa, directed by Samuel Maoz, 2009, cert. 12 Monkey Score: TBC%
During the First Lebanon War, in 1982, a lone Israeli tank and a paratroopers platoon are dispatched to search a hostile town. The mission, on paper quite simple, turns into a nightmare. As the four members of the tank crew find themselves in a violent situation that they cannot contain, they try not to lose themselves in the chaos of war, while functioning on fear and survival instinct.
REVIEW COMING SOON |
Going Postal (out 23 August 10, Cert. PG) David Suchet, Richard Coyle, Charles Dance, Tamsin Greig, Claire Foy, John Henshaw, Steve Pemberton, Andrew Sachs, directed by Jon Jones, 2010, cert. PG
When con-artist Moist von Lipwig (Richard Coyle) is sent to the hangman’s noose, he doesn’t expect to get beaten at his own game and fall through the trapdoor into a Government job. Given the position of Postmaster, a role that hasn’t been occupied in years, by ruler of Ankh-Morpork Lord Vetinari (Charles Dance), it’s his daunting task to get the dilapidated Postal Service up and running again. Standing in his way is the Grand Trunk Clacks communication cartel and its leader, Reacher Gilt (David Suchet). Taking on the evil monopoly, Moist must rise to challenge, ensure the delivery of the mail, restore hope to the people of Ankh-Morpok and even get the girl!
REVIEW COMING SOON
The Mission - The Final Chapter (out 23 August 10)
Disc 1: Amelia, Hands Across The Ocean, Into The Blue, Paradise (Will Shine Like The Moon Tonight), Butterfly On A Wheel, Sea Of Love, Grapes Of Wrath/Lovely, Bird Of Passage, Belief, Hungry As the Hunter, Deliverance, Like A Child Again, Mr Pleasant Disc 2: Like A Hurricane, Over The Hills And Far Away, Bridges Burning, Dance On Glass, Stay With Me, Island In A Stream, Love Me To Death, Dream On, Afterglow, Fabienne, Severina, Wake (rsv), Forevermore, 1969, Shelter From The Storm, Tower Of Strength
REVIEW COMING SOON |
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