Escape From New York

I should have prefaced the title with John Carpenter's name as that is how it is shown in the film and it really is a John Carpenter film.  And like Tim Burton has Johnny Depp, John Carpenter's muse is Kurt Russell.
Kurt stars as the character with probably the best name ever created, Snake Plissken.  In 1997 (in the future at the time), a disillusioned ex-war hero, Snake Plissken is captured for robbing a Federal Bank and sent to Manhattan island Prison.  That is, because crime apparently increases 400% in 1988 (once again in the future), they wall off the entire island of Manhattan and make it a prison with no guards.  Coincidentally, as Snake is being processed, Air Force, on it's way to a war summit to stop the war with USSR and China, has been hijacked and is being forced to crash on Manhattan (it was a bit spooky thinking they might pick the WTC to crash into), but the President escapes in a lifepod.  Attached to his wrist is a briefcase with a cassette (yep, no CDs or hard drives in 1981 when this was made!) and what is on the cassette will stop the war.  So the police go in to rescue the President but the residents have him and threaten to kill him if the police come back.  There is a time limit, that if the cassette is not played before the end of the summit in less than 24hrs, then the war will not be able to be stopped.  Their only hope is to send Snake in, promising him a full pardon if he get the President and the tape out in 22hrs.  To give him some incentive, they double-cross him and place two small explosive devices in his arteries that will explode and kill him unless they neutralise the explosives on his return.
Considering this was made in 1981 on a budget of only $6m (half of what Star Wars was made with four years before), John Carpenter has achieved the look of a much bigger budget. Along with Kurt Russell, the movie boasts other stars, such as Lee Van Cleef, Ernest Borgnine, Donald Pleasance, Isaac Hayes, Harry Dean Stanton and John Carpenter's ex-wife Adrienne Barbeau.
Unfortunately, this movie is a product of it's time and looks and sounds incredibly dated, especially being that it is now 2011 and Manhattan Island is not a prison!  the soundtrack is pretty horrible too, another soundtrack by Mr Carpenter himself.  However, the computer graphics of the flyover of the city are pretty good for their time.
This movie isn't bad, if a little slow in places.  It was obviously more meaningful at the time it was made.  The anti-hero's motivations for his actions at the end of the film are a little unusual.  ##SPOILER ALERT##  Considering he was willing to save individual people along the way, it is hard to consider that now that he has his freedom, he is willing to commit the world and it's population of innocents to the ravages of another world war by destroying the tape.  I find this difficult to comprehend.  Perhaps I need to see the sequel that I have heard so many bad things about?
Also, why do the posters show the head of the Statue of Liberty on the ground, when the statue is shown in the movie undamaged?
If there is ever a movie that requires a remake, this is it.  I think a remake with a much bigger budget could make this story even better.  However, perhaps they need to consider having Kurt Russell return as Snake.  I give this film 6/10.

American Psycho

I am probably going to raise the ire of many a fan of this film, but I have just finished sitting through American Psycho and I have to say, I hated it.  It was simply crap and I would not recommend this film to anyone.
Now why would I go and say this about a film that so many people revere?  Perhaps it was a movie of it's time?  Well it was made in 2000 but is set in the eighties (my favourite decade) and yes, I get that it is supposed to be an incredibly 'black' comedy.  It is so 'black' if it was night time, you wouldn't be able to see your own hand in front of your face!
Let me say though, Christian Bale is an incredible actor.  He took over the persona of Patrick Bateman, getting his body tuned to a perfect machine, then being able to switch between cool, calm and collected professional in 'Murders and Exterminations', I mean, 'Mergers and Acquisitions' to being a stark raving lunatic with a chainsaw.
The story, based on a novel, is an attack against everything in the eighties, the hedonistic, shallow lifestyle of the rich and not so famous, where the different shades of white can make the difference in who has the better business card and if you don't have a reservation, you are nobody.  It is really about the facade that people project, especially the people who so desperately want to be seen as successful, even though they sit in their little office all day doing nothing and then eating out every night, then shagging their friend's girlfriend.  But of course there is Patrick's double facade.  Professional, 'sweet' guy one moment, homicidal maniac the next.  But there is the second level and if you haven't seen this (and really don't bother but this is a little spoiler), there is the facade of the world where he has killed all these people and the possible real world.  Did he really kill Paul?  If so, how can his lawyer have lunch with him twice in London just 10 days prior?  What was with the painted apartment?  Was it ever Paul's?  Did those girls really die?  Also people kept confusing him for someone else.  He really did have facades on facades.  But the ending just sucked.  I really hate movies that leave it up to the audience to interpret in their own way.
However, I did find the way Patrick loved his music to be quite humorous.  I love all that eighties music and scarily agreed with him about the interpretation of most of the music, yes, even Whitney Houston.  Does that make me a little mad?  It's not quite worth a Fore! so I am going to give this film a 3/10. 

Blade

Well, I finally sat down to Blade for the first time and I can see why I have taken so long to watch this.  It's not terrible but it's not great either.  Wesley Snipes plays the DayWalker, Blade, who was born part vampire when his mother was attacked when she was pregnant with him.  He spends his life hunting and killing vampires.  His 'Obi-Wan' mentor, Whistler, is played by Kris Kristofferson.  The bad guy is a half-breed vampire, Frost, played by Stephen Dorff.
The story is that he wants to resurrect a Blood God and he needs to use Blade's blood.
For a movie made in the late nineties, the effects have dated terribly.  The acting is not brilliant, especially Snipes who spends most of the movie in shades.  I am glad I haven't bought this on DVD.  6/10

NCIS - Defiance

This episodes starts with a car crashed into a fire hydrant, DiNozzo with a head injury and Vance ordering Gibbs to fix the problem in 48 hours or he will have DiNozzo's and McGee's badges.  Unfortunately, the story isn't really that exciting.
Three days prior, The Secretary of Defence (a Hillary Clinton look-alike - very clever) is meeting with the Defence Minister of Belgravia for a treaty signing when an assassination attempt goes wrong and a US Marine is killed by a suicide bomber.  The signing is moved to US soil so NCIS is asked to protect the Defence Minister's daughter, who is studying in the US.  There are some politics being played with different departments getting some choice roles but NCIS left to do the babysitting.
It is revealed (and just to make sure everyone was keeping up, they even do a quick flashback) that the daughter's Professor is responsible for the bombing in Belgravia.  Then the daughter is kidnapped and it is very obvious that she is in on it.  But then they throw us a curve ball (as only NCIS can) when the Professor shows up dead.
Not a bad episode but not the best.  Please don't pander to your audience.  Give us some credit for sticking with the show for the past seven plus years.

Glee - Sexy

An appropriately named episode of Glee, because guest star Gwyneth Paltrow is back at McKinley High as Holly Holiday!
When Brittany thinks she is pregnant because a Stork has built a nest outside her window, it becomes obvious that the Glee club requires some Sex Education.  Of course they try to do it through song.  There are some great songs in this episode: 'Do You Wanna Touch Me (Oh Yeah)', 'Animal', "Kiss', 'Landslide', & 'Afternoon Delight'. Gwyneth sings in three of these songs.
One of the major storylines is between Brittany and Santana.  Brittany is confused with their relationship and wants to talk about feelings but Santana doesn't.  So after talking with Holly Holiday, all three sing Fleetwood Mac's 'Landslide', which gets Santana thinking and she tells Brittany she loves her.  However, while Brittany also loves Santana, she loves Arty and doesn't want to leave him.
Kurt is also struggling to deal with his feelings about Gay sex, so Blaine speaks with Kurt's Dad to get him to have the sex talk with him to raise Kurt's knowledge.  This was handled very tastefully.
There were some good messages in this episode, like if you are under 18 and make a sex tape, you can be charged with child pornography.  But the celibacy club failed at getting their message across when Emma chooses to sing 'Afternoon Delight' thinking it is about dessert!
Her husband of four months, Dr Carl (played by John Stamos) reveals that he and Emma have yet to consummate their marriage and Holly asks Emma if she still has feelings for Will, and she reveals she is confused about her feelings.  Dr Carl leaves to stay in a hotel.
After Will sang Prince's 'Kiss' with Holly, he wants to take it further but she says no.  However she feels jealous about how Emma feels about Will and tells him that she is moving to another school but might want to start something with him, lucky dog!
A great episode of Glee, but not for the little kids.

Hellboy 2 - The Golden Army

I really enjoyed the original 'Hellboy' so when the sequel came out, I rushed to the cinema to see it.  While I enjoyed it, it didn't seem as good as the first movie.  After watching the DVD, I think I have worked out what the problem is.  The story is about the Elf Prince wanting to reanimate The legendary Golden Army and defeat man but Hellboy (Ron Pearlman) and the rest of the BPRD gang (Liz [Selma Blair] and Abe [Doug Jones - who plays multiple characters in this film]) get involved.  The effects are amazing and the sets are incredible, especially the wonderful Troll Market.  The problem is that this is a story that Hellboy is in, not a story about Hellboy.  In fact, the only time this was really interesting was when The Angel of Death is asked by Liz to spare Hellboy's life and there is a hint of the difficult future for Red and Liz and their soon to be born child.  So, I am excited for a third outing, but I can't see it happening any time soon.  The director, Guillermo Del Toro is incredibly busy and is having difficulty trying to fit everything in that he wants to do now.  At the end of the second disc, there is an animated epilogue that hints at returning to the story from the first movie.  Let's hope a third movie gets made.
The 2-disc set, came in a gift box that also came with a very small book of a few pages reproduced from Guillermo's notepad.  While this is interesting, it is all in Spanish, so in essence, useless.  There is also a plastic model of one of The Golden Army which is very detailed.  Quite a nice set.
Don't get me wrong, this was a good movie.  I was just hoping for more. 8/10.

Blue Bloods - Little Fish

An excellent episode of Blue Bloods.  Two stories, the best of which involves Frank (Tom Selleck) getting back into a case after a little boy's remains are discovered in a false brick wall 25 years after he disappeared.  He is determined to find the killer and the episode showcases his abilities that obviously got him to the Commissioner's desk.
The second story has Danny (Donnie Wahlberg), tracking down the killer of an escort.  When he captures the murderer, there are complications as he is assisting the FBI to help bring down a major crime family.  However, Danny finds a way to bring him down and expose a corrupt official in the process.
This really is one of the finest shows on television right now.  Exceptional viewing.