Since the charming original 1984 movie first gave us young Daniel LaRusso’s (Ralph Macchio) crane kicking exploits, The Karate Kid franchise has become a pop cultural phenomenon. Mixing Rocky-style underdog triumph, a relatable battle against bullying, teen romance and the unforgettable character of Pat Morita’s wise, venerable, testicle kicking Mr Miyagi, it has become one of Hollywood’s most beloved Gen
Read moreFrom its pompous title to its global obliteration scenario to the contrived sweaty earnestness that permeates most scenes, Mission Impossible: Final Reckoning has the undeniable aroma of a film desperately trying to convince us that it is bigger and more important than any other action or spy movie in Hollywood history. There’s full throttle action, sci fi tech paranoia, espionage
Read moreThe success of 2023’s The Super Mario Bros Movie and the dollar signs it registered in the gleaming eyes of studio execs guaranteed we would be subjected to many more years of video game movie adaptations. The latest is A Minecraft Movie which is based on the hugely successful game Minecraft that has obsessed tweens the world over. For those
Read moreWith their mix of sci fi and espionage film inventiveness, loveable quirky characters and violent slapstick humour, the Despicable Me/ Minions films have been some of the most fun and beloved animated movies of recent years. The last film in this franchise, Minions: The Rise of Gru, was particularly appealing to the all-important Gen-Xers with its groovy 1970’s vibe and
Read moreAny long-time ‘Built For Speed’ listeners will know I’m not a big fan of director George Miller’s Mad Max films. Of the entire franchise, I prefer Mad Max 2 as it had genuine otherworldliness and atmosphere. Many raved about 2015’s Fury Road but I was only mildly impressed by that return to Max’s post-apocalyptic world. The cinematography was undeniably terrific
Read moreThe dystopian sci-fi film series, The Hunger Games was hugely successful and a cultural touchstone for many young cinema goers (but not so much this reviewer). Through those films, Jennifer Lawrence established herself as a major star playing heroine, Katniss Everdeen who, in a post-apocalyptic future, competed in the eponymous televised teen gladiator death matches and battled the fictional nation
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