SUNDOWN 2021 Drama Film

Neil (Tim Roth),and Alice Bennett are the core of a wealthy family on vacation in Mexico until a distant emergency cuts their trip short. When one relative disrupts the family's tight-knit order, simmering tensions rise to the fore. Tim Roth gives a magnificent understated performance of a man whose behaviour breaks with expected norms, asking us to imagine his motives. The subtlety of the director gradually and naturally reveals circumstances that may overturn our assumptions. The film has humour, violence, drama, and asks us to imagine what we would do ourselves given the same circumstances.

This was a weird film for me to watch in the context that I had no idea what the plot was about. I saw it advertised and thought I'll give it a watch. Truthfully it was so slow to start I was almost regretting it. As you can see I stuck with it and it turned completely on its head, this film will take you through a wide range of emotions.

THE MAN IN THE IRON MASK 1977 Historical Adventure Television Film

The Man in the Iron Mask is loosely adapted from the 1847–1850 novel The Vicomte de Bragelonne by Alexandre Dumas and presenting several plot similarities with the 1939 film version. It starred Richard Chamberlain as King Louis XIV and his twin Philippe, Ralph Richardson as Jean-Baptiste Colbert, and Jenny Agutter plays Louis XIV's mistress, Louise de la Vallière. In this version, the twins' ages are swapped. Philippe is the firstborn and rightful king, who had been spirited away at birth and raised with no knowledge of his true identity in a plot by Cardinal Mazarin to manipulate Louis before his own death. Colbert and D'Artagnan plot to replace Louis (who is an ineffective king more interested in dancing and pleasure than the welfare of France) with Philippe, and in the process bring down the corrupt finance minister Fouquet, who has embezzled from the national treasury. Louis is repulsed by his own wife and makes repeated advances on Louise, who is in turn repulsed by him yet falls in love with Philippe.

Better than the average television film and with the added bonus of the gorgeous Jenny Agutter. In history this is what is known about The Man in the Iron Mask. Died 19 November 1703, he was an unidentified prisoner of state, arrested in July 1669 under the pseudonym of "Eustache Dauger" and incarcerated for a period of 34 years during the reign of King Louis XIV of France (1643–1715). Known for remaining unidentified throughout his time in prison, he was held in the custody of the same jailer, Bénigne Dauvergne de Saint-Mars, in four successive French prisons, including the Bastille. When he died there on 19 November 1703, his inhumation certificate bore the pseudonym of "Marchialy". The true identity of this prisoner remains a mystery, even though it has been extensively debated by historians, and various theories have been expounded in numerous books, articles, plays, and films.

CRYPT OF THE VAMPIRE/TERROR IN THE CRYPT 1964 B/W Italian-Spanish horror film. The film is based on the 1872 novel Carmilla by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu. It is the third adaptation of the novel, following Carl Theodor Dreyer's Vampyr and Roger Vadim's Blood and Roses.

Count Karnstein (Christopher Lee), sends for a doctor to help his sick daughter Laura. Her nurse believes she is possessed by the spirit of a dead ancestor, Carmilla. A young woman becomes intrigued by the mysterious deaths surrounding Laura after a carriage accident outside the castle forces her to stay. They become close friends until Laura becomes convinced the spirit of Carmilla is forcing her to kill.

This was a nice little gothic horror it had a lot going for it. Was a bit of an abrupt ending though in my opinion.

BOYS FROM THE BLACKSTUFF 1982 British Drama Mini Television Series Part 1 - Jobs For The Boys

The television play The Black Stuff was written by Alan Bleasdale for BBC1's Play for Today anthology series in 1978. It concerned a group of Liverpudlian tarmac layers (hence the slang for tarmac: 'the black stuff') on a job near Middlesbrough. The acclaim that The Black Stuff received on its eventual transmission led to the commissioning of the sequel serial, of which Bleasdale had already written a considerable amount. The series Boys from the Blackstuff follows the stories of the five now-unemployed men who lost their jobs following the events of the original play The Black Stuff. Set in Bleasdale's home city of Liverpool, and reflecting many of his own experiences of life in the city, each episode focuses on a different member of the group. The series was highly acclaimed for its powerful and emotional depiction of the desperation wrought by high unemployment and a subsequent lack of social support.

The character of Yosser Hughes was widely discussed. He was a man driven to the edge of his sanity by the loss of his job, his wife, the authorities' continued attempts to take his children away from him and his constant attempts at salvaging his male pride (often being the main give-away of his insecurity). His catchphrases, "Gizza' job!" ("give us a job") and "I can do that!" became part of the popular consciousness of the 1980s, summing up the mood of many who sought desperately for work during the era. Hughes was played by Bernard Hill. The serial also helped to establish the career of Julie Walters, who played the most prominent female role as Angie, the wife of Chrissie, played by Michael Angelis. Jobs for the Boys - featuring most of the characters from the initial drama. They take a cash-in-hand job on a building site whilst still claiming unemployment benefit. Typical of the show's humour, it is later revealed that the building being renovated is going to be used by the Department of Employment. They are followed by the authorities and Snowy Malone (Chris Darwin)a plasterer, falls to his death trying to flee during a subsequent raid by the "sniffers" (social security officers working undercover). One of the dole men was played by David Neilson, who played Roy Cropper in Coronation Street for years. A brilliant, gritty, funny, realistic piece of tv history a worthy addition to anybody's viewing list.

SOUTHERN GOTHIC 2020 TV Series Season 1 - Episode 1 - They Call Me Animal

The South can be as shadowy as the muddy waters that run through it, especially when it comes to crime. Southern Gothic explores the duplicitous characters, unique settings, and boundless mystery of murder in the American South. After three teens vanish, a Texas town's worst fears are realized when they're found dead. Details of a related robbery identify a suspect, but after a rattling jailbreak, the city must mobilize the largest manhunt in state history to nab the culprit.

Interesting series the story was very well presented.

KING RICHARD 2021 American Biographical Sports Drama Film. The film stars Will Smith as Richard Williams, the father and coach of famed tennis players Venus and Serena Williams (both of whom served as executive producers on the film).

Richard Williams lives in Compton, California, with his wife Brandy, his three step-daughters, and his two daughters, Venus and Serena. Richard aspires to turn Venus and Serena into professional tennis players; he has prepared a plan for success since before they were born. Richard and Brandy coach Venus and Serena on a daily basis, while also working as a security guard and a nurse, respectively. Richard works tirelessly to find a professional coach for the girls, creating brochures and videotapes to advertise their skills, but has not had success. One day, Richard takes the girls to see coach Paul Cohen, who is in the middle of practicing with John McEnroe and Pete Sampras. Despite his initial reservations, he agrees to watch the girls practice, and is impressed. However, the Williamses cannot afford professional coaching, and Paul refuses to coach both girls for free; he selects Venus to receive his coaching, while Serena continues to practice with Brandy. Paul encourages Venus to participate in juniors tournaments. She quickly finds success, but Richard stresses to Venus and her sisters that they should remain humble despite their success. At the age of 15 Venus would sign a contract with Reebok for $12 million (equivalent to $22,000,000 in 2021). She would go on to win Wimbledon five times and become the first African American woman to be ranked number one in the world during the Open Era. Serena, who joined Venus as a professional two years later, would become a 23-time Grand Slam champion and considered by many to be the greatest female player in tennis history.

Great movie first thing that came into my head was I have a dream. That man had his daughters lives mapped out and nothing was going to stop them. But if they the girls had changed and said no I don't want tennis anymore, what side would we have seen then. Am not a tennis fan but I know who the girls are and I am glad I took a chance and watched this film.

THE SHE BEAST 1966 Horror Film the film stars Barbara Steele, John Karlsen and Ian Ogilvy. Ogilvy is best known as the star of the television series Return of the Saint (1978–79), in which he assumed the role of Simon Templar from Roger Moore (1962–69).

The film starts in Transylvania with an alcoholic, Count Von Helsing (Karlsen), reading from a text, which begins a historical narrative of the witch, Bardella. The film flashes back roughly 200 years to a religious service during the reading, where a child shows up and reports Bardella's location. Hysteria breaks out because of the pastor's leadership, and the congregation sets out to find and kill the witch. However, one of the villagers warns the others against killing her, as he explains the Count must exorcise the witch first, lest she will not die and will linger on as a curse for generations to come. Nevertheless, the congregation sets out and finds the witch. Upon finding her, the pastor directs the crowd to take her to the lake, where she will be impaled and dunked. As Bardella is tied into the chair, she curses the people and their descendants for what they are doing and threatens she will return. The Count and his attendant secretly watch the execution from a distance upon a hilltop and seemingly purposely do not intervene. Then the story returns to the reflective Von Helsing.

I found this to be an average film with an average storyline. A witch is put to death and curses the townsfolk, years later she is brought back and possesses a tourists body Veronica (Barbara Steele), to do her bidding. The film has comic, horror, gothic overtones but ends up a bit of a mish-mash.

SHE 1965 Adventure Film

Made by Hammer Film Productions in CinemaScope, based on the 1887 novel by H. Rider Haggard. It stars Ursula Andress, Peter Cushing, Bernard Cribbins, and Christopher Lee among others. The film was an international success and led to a 1968 sequel, The Vengeance of She. After receiving honorable discharges from the British Army in Palestine in 1918, Professor Holly (Peter Cushing), young Leo Vincey (John Richardson) and their orderly Job (Bernard Cribbins) embark on an expedition into a previously unexplored region of central-east Africa. They discover the lost city of Kuma after Leo receives a mysterious map revealing the city's whereabouts. This lost realm is ruled by Ayesha (Ursula Andress), who is also known as "She-Who-Waits" and "She-Who-Must-Be-Obeyed." Ayesha is a beautiful, immortal queen, who believes Leo is the reincarnation of her former lover, the priest Kallikrates, whom she had killed two thousand years before when she found him in the intimate embrace of another woman. It was she, who met with Leo in Palestine, giving him the map to Kuma, and urging him to travel there. Leo is filled with a dogged determination to do so as he sees visions of Ayesha beckoning to him with outstretched arms.

Having watched this film a few times now (5), the storyline itself is interesting enough but I fear the magic has sadly worn off for me. I now find Bernard Cribbins annoying, the acting pretty static, and as good looking as Ursula Andress was then beauty is only skin deep. If you have never seen it then do it deserves a viewing but don't be like me and out stay your welcome.

SAHARA 2005 Action-Adventure Film

Based on the best-selling 1992 novel of the same name by Clive Cussler. It stars Matthew McConaughey, Steve Zahn and Penélope Cruz, and follows a treasure hunter who partners with a WHO doctor to find a lost American Civil War Ironclad warship in the Sahara Desert. The film was shot in 2003 on-location in Morocco as well as in the United Kingdom. It became notable for its many production issues, including doubling its production budget from $80 million to $160 million, lawsuits among the crew, and being accused of several violations of international law. Sahara grossed $119 million worldwide at the box-office, ultimately failing to recoup all of its costs and is often listed among the biggest box-office failures of all-time.

In 1865, at the conclusion of the American Civil War, Richmond, Virginia is in ruins. The CSS Texas, captained by Mason Tombs, is loaded with the last of the Confederacy's gold to keep it from Union forces. It then disappears into the Atlantic. In present day Mali, there is a civil war between dictator General Kazim and the Tuareg people. In Nigeria, WHO doctors Eva Rojas and Frank Hopper investigate a disease affecting people who have been in Mali. Zakara, a corrupt Tuareg, tries to murder Eva, but she is rescued by Dirk Pitt, from the National Underwater and Marine Agency, who was diving nearby. Dirk gets a gold Confederate coin found in the Niger. A clue to the long-lost Texas, Dirk borrows his boss Sandecker's yacht to search for it. His partner Al Giordino and Rudi Gunn from NUMA accompany him. They first transport Eva and Hopper to Mali so they can continue investigating the disease, then continue up the Niger. Then the action really starts. Great little film this with an original storyline which makes a difference. Worth a couple of hours of anybody's time.

THE MIDWICH CUCKOOS 2022 Sci-Fi Drama Season 1 - Episode 1 Bad Things

Based on the 1957 book of the same name by John Wyndham.

May 6th begins like any other day in Midwich. But as dusk falls, the lives of its residents are profoundly altered forever. As family members fight to save their loved ones from an unknown fate, a community is forged in a way nobody thought possible.

It's not easy to explain this one without giving the game away and I don't want to spoil it for you so give it a watch and see what you think. As the sign says Welcome to Midwich.

WESTWORLD 2016 American Dystopian Science Fiction, Neo-Western Television Series Season 4 - Episode 1 The Auguries

Based on the 1973 film of the same name by Michael Crichton. The story begins in Westworld, a fictional, technologically advanced Wild-West-themed amusement park populated by android "hosts". The park caters to high-paying guests who may indulge their wildest fantasies within the park without fear of retaliation from the hosts, who are prevented by their programming from harming humans. Later on, in the third season, the series' setting expands to the real world, in the mid-21st century, where people's lives are driven and controlled by a powerful artificial intelligence named Rehoboam.

Seven years after the events of the third season, a host copy of William, acting as CEO of Delos, approaches the owner of the Hoover Dam, which now houses a large server farm that contains data he wants from eight years ago, with an offer to purchase the property. The owner refuses, to which William replies that since he doesn't want his money, he'll just have to give it to him for free. This episode concentrates on where four of the main characters have ended up and what they are doing now, William, Dolores, Maeve and Caleb. This is still a very good show which can be pretty violent in certain scenes, definitely worth a watch.

THE MUMMY 1999 American Fantasy Action-Adventure Film

It is a remake of the 1932 film of the same name, starring Brendan Fraser, Rachel Weisz, John Hannah, Kevin J. O'Connor, and Arnold Vosloo in the title role as the reanimated mummy. In Thebes, Egypt, 1290 BC, high priest Imhotep has an affair with Anck-su-namun, the mistress of Pharaoh Seti I. Imhotep and Anck-su-namun kill the Pharaoh after he discovers their relationship. Imhotep flees, while Anck-su-namun kills herself, believing that Imhotep can resurrect her. Imhotep and his priests steal her corpse and travel to Hamunaptra, the city of the dead. The resurrection ritual is stopped by Pharaoh's bodyguards, the Medjai. Imhotep is buried alive with flesh-eating scarab beetles and locked in a sarcophagus at the feet of a statue of the Egyptian god Anubis. The Medjai are sworn to prevent Imhotep's return.

Above Patricia Velásquez as Anck-su-namun that's one hot mummy. In 1926, Jonathan Carnahan presents his sister Evelyn—a librarian and aspiring Egyptologist—with an intricate box and map that lead to Hamunaptra. Jonathan reveals he stole the box from an American adventurer, Rick O'Connell, who discovered the city while in the French Foreign Legion. Evelyn and Jonathan find Rick and make a deal with him to lead them to the city. The film's success spawned two direct sequels, The Mummy Returns (2001) and The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor (2008). It also led to spinoffs including an animated series and the prequel The Scorpion King (2002), which generated its own sequels. Attempts to reboot the property and kickstart a new media franchise led to a 2017 film.

Absolutely nothing negative to say about this movie one of the best. All the actors on top form even in the minor roles. Should be on everybody's watch list.