My Favorite Movies

The sequel that was daring: Aliens built slowly to develop the masculine and feminine qualities of its characters prior to meeting the legions of aliens that scared the bejesus out of us all.

Full Review:

http://www.andycarrington.co.uk/aliens

The pacing and the mood of the film is brilliantly done by Ridley Scott, and the environment and alien designs deserve all compliments to HR Giger. This is where it all started.

Few films have had as much troubled production as Alien 3. Director David Fincher was brought into the project late into its development; there were numerous creative differences in scriptwriting; not to mention all the pressure of living up to the successes of the two near-perfect blockbusters that preceeded it. Fincher reportably disowned the film before editting even began.

Full Review:

http://www.andycarrington.co.uk/alien3

I hate the term "Sports Movie"; Rocky, to me, was always a classic love story, where fortune and triumph were measured by the character's desire to go the distance and earn some self-respect.

Full Review:

http://www.andycarrington.co.uk/rocky

Rocky IIis probably the most under-appreciated of the six Rockyfilms. Whereas Rocky Vreceived the most negative amount of criticism, this second instalment I wouldn't say went un-noticed at the time, but was never met with as much attention as the originalor any of the sequels that followed were.

Full Review:

http://www.andycarrington.co.uk/rockyii

Sylvester Stallone just doesn't know when to quit -- and why should he? Since the unknown, down-on-his-luck character was first portrayed back in 1976, he has not only been an inspiration to underdogs across the globe, but has been the driving force of Stallone himself in defying the odds and making a comeback on our movie screens. It ain't over 'til it's over, as the great man he says.

Full Review:

http://www.andycarrington.co.uk/rockybalboa

Everything I know about the Cold War began with watching Rocky single handily taking justice into his own hands and avenging the death of Apollo Creed, in this insanely over the top fourth instalment.

Full Review:

http://www.andycarrington.co.uk/rockyiv

Go to http://andycarrington.moonfruit.com/film for full article.

Sylvester Stallone was at the pinnacle of his invincible action hero persona by the time the mid-1980s came around, and Rocky III offered a natural continuation of not only the actor's new found success, but Rocky's too.

Full Review:

http://www.andycarrington.co.uk/rockyiii

The Godfather is just as difficult for me to review as a writer as it was for me to watch as a movie lover. I have wrestled with my thoughts on numerous occasions, trying to decide the best way of beginning this review, in an attempt to do any possible justice to a true masterpiece of cinema, which has stood the test of time, nearly forty years later.

Full Review:

http://www.andycarrington.co.uk/thegodfather

Pacino's character is terrifying! this is absolute genius, if alittle too long.

The thing I've always liked about Die Hardis John McClain: an everyday, common-man hero- not invincible, or overly buff- but self-conflicting in his thoughts, and cool enough to pull off wearing a grey vest in full view of the audience.

Full Review:

http://www.andycarrington.co.uk/diehard

This second sequel to Die Hardreunites original director John McTiernan with Bruce Willis, delivering pure action in the form of explosions, shootouts, and car chases; overall, this is a lot more thrilling than the first sequel in the series was.

Full Review:

http://www.andycarrington.co.uk/diehardwithavengeance

He's back, he's bald, but can he still kick it? If you're as much a a fan of the original Die Hardas I am then you would have waited to get your hands on the "Ultimate Action Edition" DVD of Die Hard 4.0(or"Live Free and Die Hard" if you're a yank) and then judged whether it was actually any good.

Full Review:
http://www.andycarrington.co.uk/diehard4

Once again it's Christmas, and John McClain is about to have a very bad day. This time, he's at Dulles International Airport in Washington D.C., awaiting the arrival of his wife's plane; unfortunately though, before his wife makes it safely to the ground, a group of terrorists have seized control of the airport and are threatening to crash the planes unless their demands are met.

Full Review:

http://www.andycarrington.co.uk/diehard2dieharder

In a recent interview on British television, Sylvester Stallone said John Rambo was more of a universally identifiable character than Rocky, after experiencing life in Thailand on the set of his newest movie, simply titled "Rambo". Whether you believe this or not there's no denying the influence the character had on audiences since first debuting on our screens in 1982's First Blood.

Full Review:

http://www.andycarrington.co.uk/firstblood

Jason Bourne? Give me a break. This is Rambo: a repugnant romp with Burmese politics, fuelled by weary cynicism and an ex-Green Beret killing machine with a machete, that is, admittedly, enough to make even the 80’s action junkie vomit from sheer nostalgic excitement.

Full Review:

http://www.andycarrington.co.uk/ramboiv

While still a million miles behind First Blood, Rambo III is at least a lot more entertaining in its "over-the-topness" than its predecessor Rambo: First Blood Part II, and doesn't take itself quite so seriously.

Full Review:

http://www.andycarrington.co.uk/ramboiii

Being the avid Stallone fan that I am I guess I should really like his second outing as Rambo, but the truth is I don't, and never have done. This is trash cinema, but hardly in a "so bad it's good" sense. Rambo First Blood Part II, in all honesty, is a huge disappointment, especially when you watch it right after the impressive first film in the franchise.

Full Review:

http://www.andycarrington.co.uk/rambofirstbloodpartii

Hugely entertaining, and (thankfully) a huge contrast to the comic book style of Batman and Robin.

With critics and fans raving about Heath Ledger's portrayal of The Joker in 2008's The Dark KnightI thought it was a good idea to go back to the original Batman so I could make a comparison in the near future. Regrettably, I haven't seen the new Batman as yet- instead of forking out for a trip to the cinema (am I getting old or does it cost a fortune these days?) I decided to get hold of a dodgy copy of the original and relive Nicholson's epic performance. How nostalgic.

Full Review:

http://www.andycarrington.co.uk/batman

It's Christmas time in Gotham City- the perfect setting for Tim Burton's dark and violent direction of one of the most popular comic book heroes. Much like the first film, however, the script focuses primarily around Batman's enemies: both Catwoman and The Penguin receive a respectable base for their evolution into character, which make this a fascinating and somewhat disturbing experience overall.

Full Review:

http://www.andycarrington.co.uk/batmanreturns

How can you deny Jim Carrey as the Riddle? Tommy-Lee Jones ain't half bad either, but Kilmer as Batman and O'Donnell as Robin are just takes the piss.

This lengthy cops n' robbers thriller could not fail, one would think, considering it pairs off two of the biggest legends in cinema.

Full Review:

http://www.andycarrington.co.uk/heat

Being a "Skinhead Movie" it is inevitable that This is England gets compared to American History X. Whereas Shane Meadows' epic portrayal of 1980s Britain isn't as much a social commentary about racism and how to overcome it as American History X is, it does, however, provide the perfect mix of nostalgia, individual insecurity, and violent biogtry that makes This is England a personal and powerful experience best approached with your grandmother's old English hanky.

Full Review:

http://www.andycarrington.co.uk/thisisengland

Predator is one of those movies that I will never get tired of watching; fuelled with testosterone, this is a monstrous piece of sci-fi action, brilliantly cast, set in the depths of the beautiful Puerto Vallortan jungle, which has enough excitement, suspense, and special effects to keep the average viewer entertained from beginning to end.

Full Review:

http://www.andycarrington.co.uk/predator

Some say that the best things in life are the simple things. That is true in the case of Man On Fire (a remake of the 1987 flick of the same name), which is a straight-forward revenge flick built upon a very impressive emotional base between the characters.

Full Review:

http://www.andycarrington.co.uk/manonfire2004

Edward Norton is one of those rare contemporary actors that you know whatever movie he's going to be in it's going to be good. American History X is by no means an exception with Norton phenomenal in his performance as an ex-neo-Nazi attempting to prevent his brother from pursuing the path he did.

Full Review:

http://www.andycarrington.co.uk/americanhistoryx

Training Day is easily the most entertaining and fascinating movie regarding police corruption that I've seen. Rappers have been screaming about dodgy law enforcement dealings for years, but none will tarnish the reputation of the LAPD as much as this mainstream entry (if that is at all possible, of course).

Full Review:

http://www.andycarrington.co.uk/trainingday

In 1993 Joel Schumacher directed the paranoid urban tale of ‘D-FENS’, a character whose primary concern is to make it back in time for his daughter’s birthday. However, along the way this white, middle-class, shirt and tie wearing everyman discovers that his journey is rapidly developing into a nightmare.

Full Review:

http://www.andycarrington.co.uk/fallingdown

This is how remakes should be done.

Aside from Rocky, Raging Bull is my favourite boxing movie. Although the latter surpasses Stallone's 1976 underdog tale for all its technical virtuosity, it is mainly due to the emotionally-driven individual scenes that Scorsese's cinematic masterpiece is just as much a constant feature of my DVD player.

Full Review:

http://www.andycarrington.co.uk/ragingbull

Despite the vastly inferior special effects by today's standard, Ghostbusters really hasn't aged at all. No matter how many times you've seen it, you'll still want to watch it over and over again and laugh in admiration at the leading characters; this was a milestone in the genre of Sci-Fi Comedy, and one of the most definitive movies of the 1980s.

Full Review:

http://www.andycarrington.co.uk/ghostbusters

I'll never understand what people's problems were with Ghostbusters 2. I love it just as much now as I did when I watched it as a kid in the 80s; considering it has all the original cast, improved special effects, memorable humour, and an even more ridiculous story line, this sequel has all the elements that made the original such a success, and is just as enjoyable.

Full Review:

http://www.andycarrington.co.uk/ghostbusters2

Al Pacino stars as Frank Serpico, a NYPD officer who is most famous for stepping forward to report and testify against police corruption in the 1970s. A true story, based on Peter Maas' autobiography of the character, Serpico portrays the honest cop who is harassed and distrusted by his fellow officers, simply for doing the right thing.

Full Review:

http://www.andycarrington.co.uk/serpico

For a guy that refused to be taken in by any of that â??mushy love crapâ??, Lost in Translation, I must admit, captivated me like no other film concerned with the subject had done before.

Thatâ??s probably because itâ??s not really what many would define as a â??conventional love storyâ??. Two of the filmâ??s themes are alienation and existential ennui, and itâ??s actually debatable whether or not the connection that develops between the two main characters is that of love at all. They are both married to other people, and never involve in anything physical, apart from a peck on the lips to say goodbye. However, this is more about love on a broader scale, how it can develop within our own lives, when the characters do eventually part ways. Thereâ??s none of that â??mushyâ?? stuff in-between (Thank God).

Read on:

http://www.andycarrington.co.uk/lostintranslation

8mm exhibits bad taste and may be shocking to most people, but to me it felt like a movie with serious intent, especially seen as though it tracks the descent of Tom Welles (Nicolas Cage), as the ordinary guy, into the nasty, immoral world of underground pornography. The character, understandably, is tormented, mentally, as he simply cannot accept why all the evil surrounding him exists.

Full Review:

http://www.andycarrington.co.uk/8mm

How much can a man take? How far can he be pushed before he fights back? This is the premise of Lock Up: A jailhouse battle of wills movie that attempts to portray the harsh realities of the justice system, with enough blood and machoism to feed your blood thirst.

Full Review:

http://www.andycarrington.co.uk/lockup

a realistic portrayal of the typical modern-day family in society, wonderfully acted, with a captivating story. One of my favourite films.

If you thought Ray Liotta was good in Goodfellas, then you're in for an even better treat in Joe Carnahan's Narc. He plays the self-righteous and impetuous Lieutenant Oak, who we first see wrapping a pool ball in a sock and whacking a criminal's face in the middle of the police station. Oak's ex partner Calvess was murdered sometime ago, with no conviction, and he is understandably obsessed with finding the people responsible.

Full Review:

http://www.andycarrington.co.uk/narc

It's ironic that a film concerned with short-term memory loss can make you think so much. British Writer-Director Christopher Nolan has created an incredibly engaging tale of one man's amnesia; how he struggles to remember anything other than the night his wife was murdered. Plotting revenge, he takes photographs and makes notes along the way, in an attempt to determine who his friends are and who's really against him uncovering the truth. The plot is simple, but Nolan depicts the human mind as fragmented and tells the story in such a way that we always anticipate what is going to happen next -- even if he does give us the ending first. It's a brilliantly crafted film.

Full Review:

http://www.andycarrington.co.uk/memento

Most depressing movie ever.

The thing I love about (good) action movies is their sheer intensity in carrying viewers past plot absurdities, giving them little time to think "could that really happen?" This, however, doesn't necessarily mean we're not supposed to take them seriously, as most critics like to point out; I'm very serious about the levels of insanity, which attempt to captivate my attention from the very beginning of a movie.

Full Review:

http://www.andycarrington.co.uk/faceoff

Some movies just don't seem to age at all, and despite Gibson's trademark 80's mullet Lethal Weapon is one of them. This is not your typical Schwarzenegger-esque blow-shit-up just for the sake of it action movie followed by a host of witty one liners (which I still love by the way,) this is actually a respectably paced movie about two mismatched cops, whose irreconcilable personalities are interestingly developed throughout. The stunts aren't half bad either (definitely no cgi here.)

Full Review:

http://www.andycarrington.co.uk/lethalweapon

There's a reason why Scarfacehas become so popular within today's society, since appearing in cinemas way back in 1983. What, with the countless images of "pop art" on sale in stores, the consistently bad imitations within Hip-Hop music skits, and the foul mouthed action figures as "a want" on a majority of young children's Christmas lists, one must surely give the credit to Al Pacino's tearing performance as probably the most notorious cinema gangster of all time.

Full Review:

http://www.andycarrington.co.uk/scarface

"You know the difference between you and me? I make this look good," says the rookie Agent Jay to his veteran partner Kay.

Full Review:

http://www.andycarrington.co.uk/meninblack

The most frightening thing about The Running Man in this age of 'reality TV' obsession is that it might actually come true. Set in the year 2017, and loosely based on Stephen King's novel of the same name, capitalism has gone completely blood thirsty; the department of justice now believes the best course of action for criminals is to forward them to a popular game show where gladiators hunt them down for kills in front of a live (cheering) audience.

Full Review:

http://www.andycarrington.co.uk/therunningman

It's the year 2032. Los Angeles, now called San Angeles, is free from violent crimes and sexual contact between human beings. In fact, anything that you would deem a risk to human health at this point in time -- alcohol, caffeine, tobacco, spicy foods -- has been eliminated from society. It's a characterless, law-abiding world.

Full Review:

http://www.andycarrington.co.uk/demolitionman

Ronin possesses four things that I truly love in life: Robert De Niro's acting ability, beautiful French scenery, spectacular action, and my Yorkshire heritage (represented by the consistently-good Sean Bean). So, naturally I'm going to love it, right?

Full Review:

http://www.andycarrington.co.uk/ronin

Most of the people Iâ??ve spoken to that donâ??t like Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind seem to criticize it primarily for the following reasons: 1) The film doesnâ??t feature the usual arse-talking, trademark comedy style of Jim Carrey that everyone is used to watching for a quick fix of laughter; and 2) It seems to be just another pretentious punch-drunk love story, so far from the confines of reality, that itâ??s not possible to ever take it seriously.

Full Review:

http://www.andycarrington.co.uk/esotsm

Not to be confused with that God awful Van Damme live-action movie, Street Fighter II: Animated is as close to the original material of the Capcom video games as you're probably ever going to get. Not only that, but it's a damn good action movie in general.

Full Review:

http://www.andycarrington.co.uk/streetfighteriianimated

I may have been born in 1983, but the year 1976 had a pivotal effect upon my life. First came Rocky, a classic rags-to-riches tale of the underdog that captivated me ever since I remember first watching the original in my parents' living room, in my pre-adolescent years. Taxi Driver, born within the same year as Rocky, came later: like the main character Travis Bickle (De Niro) I was at a point in my life where I was struggling to find any form of purity; sat at opposite ends of the sofa, my girlfriend and I were on non-speaking terms, and I was becoming pretty clueless in regards how to treat women in general.

Full Review:

http://www.andycarrington.co.uk/taxidriver

Let's start by saying this: Ghost Dog isn't for everyone. Most will consider it a weird film, in the sense that it tracks a solitary Hip-Hop listening, African-American assassin, who follows the ancient code of the Samurai; he lives on the rooftops and has a fascination for pigeons, and his best friend is a Haitian ice-cream salesman named Raymond, who doesn't even speak a word of English.

Full Review:

http://www.andycarrington.co.uk/ghostdogwayofthesamurai

Directed by late British television director Alan Clarke (Scum, The Firm), Made In Britain is a tough and uncompromising character study of an oppressed, glue-sniffing skinhead, named Trevor (played by Tim Roth).

Full Review:

http://www.andycarrington.co.uk/madeinbritain

It's hard to imagine Nicolas Cage as an action hero these days, but back in 1997 he was achieving his highest box office successes, with hits like this, The Rock, and Face/Off.

Full Review:

http://www.andycarrington.co.uk/conair

Whether you chose to agree with me or not, I'll always think of Carlito's Wayas a lot more entertaining, and technically superior to the first Brian De Palma/Al Pacino collaboration of ten years earlier- Scarface. Whereas I did enjoy the latter, the film has been hyped up so much that it seems more prominent in rap songs during the past twenty-something years than the word "Motherfucker", and, quite frankly, I'm sick of hearing about it.

Full Review:

http://www.andycarrington.co.uk/carlitosway

Bad Boys IIis an action junkie's wet dream. It has everything: explosions, shoot outs, car chases; all littered with violence, sexism, racism, homophobism, and the usual buddy jokes courtesy of Smith and Lawrence, that made the first Bad Boysso popular. With the budget gone far beyond insanity this time here was the perfect opportunity for Michael Bay to throw everything he possibly could on screen. Call it egotism, and hate it purely for that reason, but one cannot deny at least some slight orgasmic twitch at the amount of "oomph" injected into this huge slice of action pornography.

Full Review:

http://www.andycarrington.co.uk/badboysii

These days, producers Jerry Bruckheimer and Don Simspon and director Michael Bay are well known to viewers for their catalogue of hits, particularly in the action genre. Back in 1995 though they had barely gotten off the mark; Bad Boys, however, united Will Smith (in his breakout performance) and Martin Lawrence as the two mismatched cops in amidst of the team's soon-to-be-trademark explosions, and the film became an instant hit.

Full Review:

http://www.andycarrington.co.uk/badboys

In Too Deep uses the familiar premise of a cop going undercover in the gang world, who then begins to question his own morals. The obvious comparisons with Donnie Brasco didn't really do it any favours at the time of its release, but that really doesn't mean that it's a bad film; a combination of intense atmosphere and sharp performances make this an intriguing slice of urban cinema.

Full Review:

http://www.andycarrington.co.uk/intoodeep

People tend to say that I'm paranoid. With films like Enemy Of The State I guess I have a reason to be. The conspiracy theories about NSA violations were by no means a new topic when this film was released back in 1998, but they were certainly portrayed in a very gripping and entertaining manner, which is why they've been on my mind ever since.

Full Review:

http://www.andycarrington.co.uk/enemyofthestate

Ah, Steven Seagal: The now fat, past his prime Aikido expert/invincible movie star, who critics loved to endlessly pick gripe with and fans at the very most could just about tolerate.

Full Review:

http://www.andycarrington.co.uk/outforjustice

A lot of people see Commando as one of those guilty pleasures in life, but really what is there to feel guilty about? Arnold Schwarzenegger stars as John Matrix and demonstrates how to kill bad guys in every possible way imaginable, and for sheer entertainment value it definitely ranks up there as one of the best. I loved it, so sue me.

Full Review:

http://www.andycarrington.co.uk/commando

Ice Cube is not a good actor -- in fact, he's a pretty bad actor -- and Friday doesn't contain much of a storyline, either. But it's a testament to the charisma of Chris Tucker as 'Smokey', the loud-mouth marijuana junkie, and John Witherspoon as the over-the-top father that Friday still manages to succeed with its audience. In most places, it's quite a funny Hip-Hop ghetto comedy.

Full Review:

http://www.andycarrington.co.uk/friday

Next Friday, the sequel to 1995's weed-smoking buddy-comedy Friday, may not have Chris Tucker as part of the cast, but it still manages to be just as idiotic and un-PC.

Full Review:

http://www.andycarrington.co.uk/nextfriday

The Score is one of those movies that I recommend to everyone to go see, though most of the people I've spoken to have never even heard of it. It's a shame because it boasts three of the greatest actors from three separate generations- De Niro, Norton, and Brando- and is one of the most intriguing heist dramas that I've seen in years.

Full Review:

http://www.andycarrington.co.uk/thescore

Aside from being a film second in the history book for the most occurrences of the word "fuck", Nil By Mouth is an incredibly powerful portrayal of director and writer Gary Oldman's experiences growing up on a London council estate.

Full Review:

http://www.andycarrington.co.uk/nilbymouth

Before Keanu Reeves set the trend for dodging bullets in slow motion, Sly Stallone was chiselling his iron jaw rather than putting his mind to a script in 1986's Cobra. Crime was a disease; he was the cure. It was that simple.

Full Review:

http://www.andycarrington.co.uk/cobra

"Nothing is what it seems" is the subtext to The Recruit, a psychological spy thriller showcasing the talents of two actors from different generations. Al Pacino, as usual, is brilliant: this time as the aging, manipulative mentor of the CIA, and Colin Farrell would easily be one of my new favourite actors if he just chose to stop cashing in on crap movies between his good ones.

Full Review:

http://www.andycarrington.co.uk/therecruit

Brutal.

Considered by many to be the greatest portrait of organised crime, GoodFellas is intelligent and brutal; generally compelling. Though, it is not perfect.

Full Review:

http://www.andycarrington.co.uk/goodfellas

Malcolm X is considered to be one of history's most influential and controversial public speakers concerned with the dangers of racism in our society.

Director Spike Lee's primary task in the film based on Alex Haley's The Autobiography Of Malcolm X is to educate the generations so that they can make up their own mind about the man, beyond the common assumptions. Viewers are encouraged to read the book as well, but covered here is the extremity of some of Malcolm's older ideas, his advocation of pride and self-determination within the African-American community, and the vicious lies spread about him by the media during his powerful reign.

Full Review:

http://www.andycarrington.co.uk/malcolmx

love him or hate him, meadows has a way of portraying some of the most sickening aspects of society as a piece of wonderful artwork. here, considine puts on one of the most convincing performances ive seen in recent years. this is not just your typical revenge flick. this is a must see; a cross between fight club and first blood.

I've really taken to british film recently, particularly seen as though the brits are capable of producing some of the best gangster portrayals with convincing character traits. This is not your typical american cheese. Superb ending.

In Chow You-Fat's American debut The Replacement Killers, he plays the Chinese assassin John Lee, who is assigned to kill the son of police detective Stan Zedkov (Michael Rooker) by his Triad boss Terence Wei (Kenneth Tsang). If Lee completes the mission then he is guaranteed that is debt will have been paid, and his family will remain safe. However, Lee suddenly develops a conscience when looking down the sight of his gun upon the victim, and cannot complete his assignment.

Full Review:

http://www.andycarrington.co.uk/thereplacementkillers

Scowering the Internet to read up on what critics have already said about Nick Love's The Football Factoryproved more difficult than I first thought. It seems a lot of the "Big Dawg" film sites were reluctant to review this portrayal of British thug culture, and dismissed it as a simple glorification of the common British football lout.

Full Review:

http://www.andycarrington.co.uk/thefootballfactory

The funniest thing i've seen in years; portraying just how stupid and sometimes pathetic americans are. Good on you Borat. It's absolutely hysterical to see Sasha Cohen ridicule the american culture, with dis-regard for his own safety. Brilliant.

inspirational the first couple of times you watch it, but after that all the feel-good quotes just seem cheesy to me. when i heard robin williams was in this, i was pleasantly surprised though.

Considering football is supposed to be the most popular sport in the UK, and probably the world over, there are very few films about the beautiful game. In fact, there seems to be a higher number regarding its hooliganism- Football Factory, The Firm, I.D. -rather than the sport itself.

Full Review:

http://www.andycarrington.co.uk/whensaturdaycomes

Bruce Willis is such a badass in this movie! Killing a guy with one punch! Fuck yeah! Some of the best one liners ever!

Classic gritty northern tale that portrays the realities of a working class environment. I found the football scene absolutly hilarious.

not much of a bond fan to be honest, but this film is solid in its plot and the character of a government agent is actually portrayed as believable. sean bean is perfect as the good guy turned bad guy, Famke Janssen and Izabella Scorupco are steaming hot as the women surrounding, and there's even the adding bonus of the james bond theme not being the repetitive annoyance throughout. my favourite bond film, that doesn't actually feel like a bond film.

predictable plot yes, but sinise and gibson are given the entire picture to shine, and each are individually brilliant. gibson is powerful and believable as the dad fighting and doing what he can to get his son back, while sinise is creepy, and commanding in his performance.

definately on a par with the first one.

this was more of a love story than the notebook will ever be. Jeremy Irons is a beast.

True Lies was another classic action film that was butchered by the BBFC upon its first release on video in the UK. Director James Cameron was reportably so unhappy with the editing that he took it upon himself to implement the cuts personally. Still though, to this day, British audiences are yet to see the full, uncut version of the film released on DVD, which is hugely disappointing considering it is another breathtaking piece of action cinema from the director of Aliens and The Terminator films.

Full Review:

http://www.andycarrington.co.uk/truelies

Blade could've easily been just another "Vampire Movie" with its recycled vampire myths, and equally disposable update of CGI. Fortunately, it oozes coolness, blending action and horror together in a frantic, yet sensual, manner, which clearly puts it in a league of its own, and establishes itself as a cult classic.

Full Review:

http://www.andycarrington.co.uk/blade

White Men Can't Jump was written and directed by Ron Shelton. It's an enjoyable Comedy about two basketball hustlers (Snipes and Harrelson) who firstly compete with one another and then join forces to con money from opponents on the courts of Venice Beach, California.

Full Review:

http://www.andycarrington.co.uk/whitemencantjump

To be honest, i wouldnt have even bothered to watch this had it not been for will smith, as i thought the theory was too closely related to that of The Terminator and other existing theories of the future. Smith's charm makes the film, and it is quite enjoyable to watch for him alone, though the CGI makes my stomach gurgle alittle.

Whereas I did enjoy watching Seven, I don't feel the need to brag about it like most people do. You can appreciate the amount of effort that has gone into making the film (particularly with Andrew Kevin Walker's writing), but then you analyse other things -- such things as Pitt's performance -- and wonder why people tend to rate it so highly.

Full Review:

http://www.andycarrington.co.uk/seven

Great performance from Will Smith. Probably his best.

"Who the Hell do you think you are?" screams an LA County Deputy at Sylvester Stallone in the opening scene of Andrei Konchalovsky's buddy-cop action-comedy. "He thinks he's Rambo!" another Deputy intervenes. "Rambo," however, "is a pussy," and Sly doesn't want to be a pussy.

Full Review:

http://www.andycarrington.co.uk/tangocash

Prior to Executive Decision's release, Aikido superstar Steven Seagal had churned out a fair few unorthodox action movies -- fair enough, most of them were bad, but everyone kind of knew who he was. So, in 1996, a time when Seagal's chubby face was used heavily for advertising his latest movie with Kurt Russell, we began thinking that this was just another opportunity for him to kick some serious arse, right?

Full Review:

http://www.andycarrington.co.uk/executivedecision

"bust off some knuckle children" to this shit.

The Brits don't have the money like the Americans do when it comes to making gangster flicks -but this isn't necessarily a bad thing.

Full Review:

http://www.andycarrington.co.uk/thekrays

Fun.

'Donnie Brasco' was the name given to undercover FBI agent Joe Pistone, who spent six years infiltrating the New York City mob in the 1970s. His work led to over two-hundred indictments and over one-hundred convictions of Mafia members.

Full Review:

http://www.andycarrington.co.uk/donniebrasco

There are three things worth seeing The Specialistfor: the sex scene between Stallone and Stone, the bus scene, and James Woods.

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http://www.andycarrington.co.uk/thespecialist

I remember Stallone saying to the press prior to the release of Assassins in cinemas that this was the best film he had made since Rocky. Been the avid Stallone fan that I was (and still am), hearing such news excited me, but considering I was only twelve at the time I had to wait impatiently for the VHS release instead of seeing it on the big screen. Using the last of my pocket money I purchased a copy from my local Woolworths store (I'm sounding old now, I know), rushed home, popped in the video, locked my bedroom door, and began watching, all in anticipation of some kick-arse action.

Full Review:

http://www.andycarrington.co.uk/assassins

Modern day cheese for the 80's action junky.

Unrealistic and stupid. So what. Reality sucks.

scorsese and de niro again brilliant in everything they touch. the dialogue is hilairious throughout. "a bing bing bing"

More Seagal cheese.

classic british gangster film, oozing with character.

slightly more enjoyable than lock-stock in my opinion, mainly due to brad pitt's comedy character; which is hilarious.

Nick Bloomfield is cringe worthy sometimes when he ventures in an "urban" setting, when he clearly knows very little about the culture and/or biggie and tupac's lives outside the mainstream media. that aside, the film is quite an interesting investigation into the murders of hip hop's 2 great icons, and the documentary suceeds in the amount of material it uncovers. particularly interesting are the interviews with the ex-lapd officer and suge knight in jail. definately worth a watch, at least.

interesting to those who are just beginning to study the life of tupac; and to those who have followed his legacy up until the time filming had finished. rather than focusing primarily upon the stories of tupac in the media, this documentary prefers to indulge into the variety of his poetry, his political speeches, his family life and behind-the-scenes music making. essential.

We've all seen at least one parody of the baby being saved from the burning building by the heroic fireman in our time. Most will blame Backdraft, an action-drama directed by Ron Howard and written by Gregory Widen, for inspiring many satirical responses to the firefighting subject, seen as though it is one of the most popular films to emerge from its genre since its creation in 1991.

Full Review:

http://www.andycarrington.co.uk/backdraft

Fucking hell, I laughed, I actually laughed! Anything that rips the fuck out of terrorism for entertainment is a winner with me.

Surely with all this "Save the Planet" fixation in the media these days it wouldn't be so criminal, as it seemed it once was, to watch Steven Seagal's 1997 "Eco-Thriller". Despite its reputation, Fire Down Belowreally isn't that bad a film.

Full Review:

http://www.andycarrington.co.uk/firedownbelow

Ed Norton is brilliant, and Brad Pitt needs to make more movies like this. I just don't like the ending :/

hmm. i wasn't particularly keen on this. too much michael keaton and not enough de niro. i wanted more insight into the character of al capone. the music was alittle cheesy too. worth watching for connery though. the guy oozes with class.

not that special at all. it receives all the hype mainly because johnny depp is in the star hot seat, but really this is just a low-key scarface affair.

"The Rock", of course, refers to Alcatraz, the prison-turned-tourist site, which is later seized by the determined General Harris (Ed Harris) and his elite mercenaries, in Michael Bay's 1996 Action Thriller.

Full Review:

http://www.andycarrington.co.uk/therock

horrifying, i found myself physically holding my nuts all the way through this. that aside, i think this is a realistic and shocking portrayal of the modern era, and the dangers of paedophillia branching throughout the internet. be warned.

"Just alittle anxious to get up there and whup ET's butt sir".

Cheesy as fuck, but you gotta love the way the shark keeps coming back to the sound of the music, and the all important killer line at the end: "SMILE YOU SON OF A BITCH!"

Light-hearted fun. John Voight impressed me, as always.

this gets alot of jip coz it's cgi animated. although i'm a huge fan of the original, if they tried to replicate men in huge turtle suits nowadays it would get ridiculed. this was a strong installment, i felt, in the turtles series. as wise cracking as it's ever been!

incredibly overrated, but the dialogue is cool as fuck.

Perhaps the main reason The Deer Hunter connects with me so much, emotionally, each time I watch it is because it's not really what I would call a "War Film".

Full Review:

http://www.andycarrington.co.uk/thedeerhunter

This was when CGI was cool, before they started churning out countless films with characters no-one really gives a damn about. This is not just about CGI though: the story is what makes this an absolute classic. No-one will ever match up to Woody and Buzz.

Melodramatic tale of the american football world. if i could actually feel an ounce of admiration for such a bad sport maybe i'd like this more. it's worth watching for pacino alone.

In Kickboxer, Jean Claude Van Damme plays Kurt Sloane, who begins as a corner man for his brother Eric, an American kickboxing champion. When Eric becomes paralysed via a vicious beating in the ring by the Thailand champion Tong Po, Kurt vows to avenge his brother and master the art of Muay-Thai for himself.

Full Review:

http://www.andycarrington.co.uk/kickboxer

a modern (at the time) portrayal of the world of young teenagers and what they really get upto. an adult movie for kids, and a horror movie for adults.

Slow, but people need to see this- exposes public health issues. Russell Crowe impressed me here, moreso than Gladiator.

The "Arnie Movie" has no doubt become a sub-genre of the action film, with the walking tree trunk inevitably surviving every possible enemy attempt to take his life; this always keeps my entertainment buds well and truly drooling. Eraseris routine Arnie, equipped with big guns, huge explosions, and the usual logic defying idiocies, which further undermine his status as probably the most over-the-top action star to ever exist in film.

Full Review:

http://www.andycarrington.co.uk/eraser

Tupac Shakur's life supposedly ended in September of 1996 and fans have been investigating the evidence ever since. The people are divided in debating whether or not the rapper/actor is still alive: some are willing to accept the current facts that the star is no longer with us, while others are so intrigued by the references to today's culture in his music that they have no definite answer as to where he is. The one thing that I'm sure they will all agree on, however, is that he was never really given the chance to develop his promising talents as an actor.

Full Review:

http://www.andycarrington.co.uk/gangrelated

yes it's completly stupid, but it knows it is; the whole concept of re-surrecting the over-the-top cheesiness of the 80's/90's action films that we all loved. the scene where he fucks his bird in the street just to stay alive is priceless.

Ernest R. Dickerson makes his directorial debut with Juice, a story of four black youths living in a world of Hip-Hop and violence. For them, music and the dangers of gunplay are coincided.

Full Review:

http://www.andycarrington.co.uk/juice

great music driven movie focusing on alienation, discovery, and violence. phil daniels is great.

The first time that I [apparently] watched Romper Stomper was in my nineteenth year, after consuming a fair amount of alcohol. The only thing I really concluded from that sitting was that the film relied heavily on shock factor, with very little else.

Full Review:

http://www.andycarrington.co.uk/romperstomper

Not to be confused with Nick Love's 2009 remake or the 1993 legal thriller starring pretty-boy Tom Cruise, The Firm is a made-for-TV movie depicting the rise of football violence in the 1980s from well-respected British film director Alan Clarke.

Full Review:

http://www.andycarrington.co.uk/thefirm

I've always wondered if the directors actually see the cheese in their movies at the time they are making them. Such a thought could be applied to Raw Deal, which is perhaps a bad remake of the similarly-insane B-movie actioner Commando, which showcases more cheese than on school photography day. So if you hated the latter Schwarzenegger action-fest, you're bound to find this a very painful experience indeed.

Full Review:

http://www.andycarrington.co.uk/rawdeal

If you're thinking the opening scene in Walter Hill's Red Heatis actually that of a soft-core porn movie, you wouldn't be far wrong. If the title doesn't relate enough to the sweaty flesh-on-flesh liaisons between men, then just watch as Arnold Schwarzenegger's utterly-ripped body gives punishment to opposing heavyset Russians in a bathhouse, while camera treats us to overlong shot of his bare anus.

Full Review:

http://www.andycarrington.co.uk/redheat

It took me the best part of fifteen years to understand what the hell was happening in Paul Verhoeven's futuristic, mind-tampering action flick Total Recall. Based on a short story by Philip K. Dick, the film presents the concept of artificial memory implants that [apparently] will wipe out any previous identity. A person then has the option of living his/her life with a chosen fantasy, as if it were a reality.

Full Review:

http://www.andycarrington.co.uk/totalrecall

One of the definitive films of the Cyber-Punk genre. Brutal.

An action masterpiece from Woo, that is again nearly ruined by the comical dubbing and inaccurate subtitles. The action sequences really should be considered as an art; Chow Yun Fat too is equally defining in his role as the smooth, no nonsense killer.
Watching this after 'The Replacement Killers' and 'Face/Off' you will definately notice similar elements, and where Woo drew his inspiration from.

Ridley Scott's American Gangster is a good film -- and I mean "good" in the sense that it has similar elements to the classic gangster hits that many of us grew to love.

Full Review:

http://www.andycarrington.co.uk/americangangster

You'll be hard pressed to find an action movie as cheesy, ridiculously stupid, and clinically insane as John Woo's Hard Boiled. A cult classic, this flick showcases some of the most violently intense action scenes ever created for film, to even rival Arnold Schwarzenegger's Commando(and I never thought I'd be saying that).

Full Review:

http://www.andycarrington.co.uk/hardboiled

Ridley Scott's "International Crime Thriller" looks beautiful, though is not considered to be one of his better films by the majority of his fanbase. In fact, I'll have to admit that I even overlooked it at the time of its release.

Full Review:

http://www.andycarrington.co.uk/blackrain

Robocop 2 is bursting with ideas, and fails at many levels in following them through; however, fans of the original cannot help but be intrigued with all that this sequel has to offer. Whereas there's failure, there are also many great action moments, that burst the seams of the movie and provide unstoppable entertainment.
So what if it's a mess in places, I'd sooner watch this than the endless massacre of franchise remakes that are churned out these days. Aliens vs Predator anyone?

Arnold Schwarzenegger was born to play a cyborg. In this iconic role, the tight-lipped, square-headed Austrian warped into the minds of many 80s' youths, such as myself, and made us truly believe there are killer robots aiming to wipe out our existence in the near future. Even today, the haunting science behind the fictitious tale of The Terminator contributes to my cynical outlook of men at war with machines.

Full Review:

http://www.andycarrington.co.uk/theterminator