Review The Surfer (2024): Anxiety inducing!

genre: thriller, drama

We didn't go into the acting and visuals, but those are fine. Actually, the film is visually very pleasing. But it won't enhance the viewing experience because of the story and how that plays out. Also, when we mention, things aren't clear, it's not like we need things to be spelled out. But you do need to give us something to chew on. Only in very little bits are you given info on that things don't seem to be going well for Cage's character. He clearly is not OK. Yet, we never really get to know why or how. I wished films like these would at least give us an idea how some character was before so that we can do a comparison. Films that can't be bothered to even do that are lazy. 

Please watch / listen to our thoughts on The Surfer.

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Review Superman III (1983): The first film featuring Evil Superman!

genre: superhero, comic book adaptation, science fiction, action, adventure

For a long time, this part was one of my favourites. As a young kid, I was fine with the overall comedic tone. Now as an adult, I have mixed feelings about it.

The opening sequence for example sets the tone, and it's quite awful. It's too artificial and dated. Sure, the running joke of hot Lorelei indirectly causing disaster is funny, but why is it a joke? Why is she even there? The film even states that not even Superman is beyond her reach. And if that isn't enough, Superman reconnects with Lana Lang while Lois Lane is on Bermuda somewhere. So is Clark / Superman over his love for her? He gave up his powers for her, and now he is just moving on? Not to mention the fact that Lorelei was fine after she had sex with the evil version of him, so it completely takes away from the events in Superman II. Then there is Richard Pryor. I like him, but not in this film. I understand that most of that is due to the way he is written, but also of how he plays it. He simply doesn't know what to do with his role. He is like a smarter but goofier version of Otis, henchman of Lex Luthor. In this film, the big baddie is played by Robert Vaughn who kind of is similar to Lex Luthor, only it's very clear, that Gene Hackman took his role far more seriously than Vaughn did, who treats this like a comedy. And who can blame him, director Richard Lester treats it as such, so no wonder.

Another flaw is the coherency, or rather, the lack of. There are so many ideas thrown into the mix and while these do lead up to some epic moments, it's not consistent tonally. So what are these epic moments? Well, Superman saving the day never gets old and in what other film have you seen someone freeze a lake and then carrying it so that it can be used to put out a gigantic fire. But the biggest moment (at least for me), is the fight where Superman fights himself. After Superman gets affected by a synthetic version of Kryptonite his whole demeanour is changed. It's the closed thing of what it would be like if Superman were evil. Still, relatively tame, but enough to make people scared. At one point he does realize something is off and decides to deal with it. Clark is the representation of Good, and the greyer version of Superman is Evil. Definitely, the biggest highlight for me. The fight with the super computer is just silly, even if the transformation of Vera into a robot is excellent.

What I never had noticed before, and what does hurt the viewing experience, is the pacing. I didn't experience this with the first two. But that immediately points out the difference between Richard Lester and Richard Donner. Donner is the superior directors who understood what Superman was about. Lester, like many adults thinking that comic books are only intended for children. No, they aren't. But even if they were, the comic books often had a nice balance between camp and seriousness. Lester went full camp.

Overall, it's a film with significant highs but gets hurt by the many lows. 

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Review Predators (2010): Decent enough but at the cost of the predators!

genre: action, adventure, science fiction

It took them twenty years to make this part, and after such a long time, I do have to admit that this wasn't bad. It does expand on the lore and the universe although for the most part it is still the same story, back in the jungle, although with a twist. Or should I say multiple twists.

Before you get all exciting, there isn't anything here that is going to blow your mind. But they are effective within the story. So a bunch of random people find themselves parachuted in a place that doesn't look familiar with them. While suspicious of the others, they quickly realize they have to work together to get ahead. I liked this. One could argue, whether people would be so trusting this fast. I sure wouldn't. I guess, when it comes to survival, you will have to pick your battles. It would have been so annoying to see these people fight amongst themselves while the real threats still had to be revealed. Caution is key and I am glad they all thought this.

This part does a good job of keeping things tense, but does commit a fatal sin. For a film with the title Predators, there simply aren't enough predators. Or at least not the kind the audience wants to see. In the first two films, there was just one predator making lives difficult. And they were a pain to deal with. Here in this film they are less impressive. This film offers many moments where the predators could have done something, but didn't. One of them has a drone. It could have been used without the group of killers finding out. Then why not use it? It could and should have forced the group to change strategy.  Many times, these killers can escape from every situation they are put in and while they are aware they are being hunted, they don't actually act like they are constantly being pushed to madness. I think, this really was a missed opportunity.

I myself wasn't particularly bothered by Adrian Brody. But I can understand that some people might have some issues accepting him as a badass soldier who has seen a lot of combat. He is trying too hard to come off as though, and sometimes could be perceived as comical. I had this moment, where he is fighting a predator and the predator is just standing there to receive punches, since Brody's character is superfast. It's utterly ridiculous. Who does he think he is, The Flash?

Overall, I think it's a decent enough film, if you keep your expectations low. It does deliver on some thrills, especially action wise. But yes, this comes at a cost of the cool predators. They have been diminished to big dumb Hulks who aren't that hard to kill. 

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Review Predator 2 (1990): What a sequel needs to be!

genre: action, adventure, science fiction

Apparently, Arnold Schwarzenegger declined to reprise the role due to a combination of factors. While I think it would have been interesting for him to be in this sequel, I think for the franchise it worked better with a different lead. And Danny Glover certainly made it work.

I liked how the film starts by deceiving the viewer. You get to see trees, making you believe it's the jungle of the original film then shows it's set in Los Angeles, somewhere in the near future of the nineties, where things are very different from our world. The city is in chaos, and it seems like the police barely are able to handle crime and all that. Enter the predator who like his predecessor is out to hunt. He is just as deadly. Of course, he is. And that never gets old. While the film does expand the universe and the lore. It doesn't explain (at least not in detail) why these predators live to hunt. I would really to have this answered one day. I liked it that the government agency represented by Gary Busy who have the most knowledge were the most naive. All they thought of was what the alien can deliver to them technology wise. It's if you think about an even more predatory approach. The predators are clearly intelligent. Why not at least try to communicate with them properly? Then again, these aliens approach humans as if they are livestock. So I get that humans aren't really prepared to be diplomatic with them.

So how does this compare to the original? The original, next to having Arnie, also had the element of surprise. It was more a horror film than an action flick. Now, with that surprise gone, you kind of know what to expect and that does take away the tension. Although, you are still going to wonder what the monster is going to do next. I personally loved this film back when I watched it on video. I even bought the soundtrack on CD since that score is brilliant. I still like it very much, since it is a very entertaining film. It's a little different tonally, but it does rock. I would say, it's on par with the original quality wise, since it does build on what is set and comes up with new things. And these things are still being featured in later films. 

Overall, Predator 2 is what a sequel needs to be. It kind of gives you the same, but at the same time expands the lore. How can anybody not like that?

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Review Predator: Killer of Killers (2025): Freaking loved it!

genre: animation, science fiction, action, adventure

Some people might have some trouble getting into this animated film because it is animated. Just because it is, doesn't automatically make it a cartoon for children. I wished people would get over this notion. This animated film is for adults. There is a lot of blood and gore in this film. Perhaps even more than in the live action films in the franchise.

That being said, the visuals are stunning. A lot of love and care went into this production. Animation wise but also the story. At first, I felt like this film was rethreading earlier stories. And to an extent it does. But it also gave us something I don't think I have seen before. At least not on this level. There is not that much dialogue. But the little there is, matters. At specific moments, I felt more than the original conveyed, which I consider the best in the franchise. Because here we get introduced to characters who are not that long on the screen but still accomplish to make an impact. If that isn't top-notch storytelling, I don't know what is. This film might give an impression of being an anthology film, but this is not entirely true. The three little stories serve as introduction to the main characters. In the final story, these characters are put together where they have to face some hard truths. And they have to deal with it in their own way. I liked how at one point they were able to communicate with each other even if they don't speak each other languages. I would like to think that if you are in survival mode, you don't need words to understand each other.

I don't know how much of what is set up here will have impact in future films. It certainly has ties to the current franchise, and while I still am a little on the fence on the motivation of these predators to hunt and kill. I would like the ideas of this film to built upon.

Overall, a must-watch for the fan of the franchise!

Please watch/listen to brief thoughts of Predator: Killer of Killers in the short underneath.

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Predator franchise

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Listed here are all the titles in the Predator franchise.

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- Predator (1987)

- Predator 2 (1990)

- Predators (2010)

- The Predator (2018)

- Prey (2022)

- Predator: Killer of Killers (2025)

- Predator: Badlands

Alien / Predator crossover titles:

- Alien vs. Predator

- Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem

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Review Mobland (Season 1-): Tom Hardy on a roll but everyone else bring the show down!

genre: crime, drama, action

Originally, this show was intended as a prequel to Ray Donovan. If you are familiar with the show, you will catch the similarities. Next to that, the show is cliché after cliché.

Mind you, for the most part that is made tolerable by Tom Hardy. I wished I could say the same about Helen Mirren and Pierce Brosnan. Not sure what he was going for, but at least he is not as bad as Helen Mirren. For whatever reason, they opted for her to be this badass gangster lady who in real life would have been shot after the first stupid thing she did. But no, this lady, does one stupid thing after another for some false sense of pride and power. And yes, cuckoo people exist. But how forgiving are people? It's too much. I usually like née even love Helen Mirren, but in this, I had noting but hatred for her. The funny thing is, she is not even hiding it well. So why do people allow her to roam free? Apparently, Conrad (Pierce Brosnan) loves her so much, he will forgive her for everything. 

Then there is Harry's wife. Supposedly clever and smart yet completely unaware of the company she keeps even after being warned by Conrad (Pierce Brosnan). Harry, played by Tom Hardy, tries real hard to let her be out of guilt. Still, if this woman is truly unhappy, she should just leave. It reminds me of Camilla in The Sopranos. Always moaning and bitching where the husbands are then when they are honest with them, they don't want to know. I don't condone it, but I understand why Tony slapped his wife several times. Harry is too busy to get worked up about her, and in a way that is hilarious.

I liked some of the characters, but their development get undermined by Mirren and Brosnan. Usually, I can't get enough of them. Only in this show they are so unhinged it's real hard to look at them differently. 

I must admit that the show improved somewhat after 7 episodes or so. But in large part is still an explosive soap opera. That, mind you, can be immensely entertaining. Still, if you take the conclusion for example. I do have to conclude that Mobland is a joke. A very entertaining joke. Nonetheless, a joke! It's very possible, this is going to be renewed for a second season. And very likely I will watch it as one of my many guilty pleasures. Then again, if Brosnan and Mirren remain on the show and keep on being annoying as they were then I will opt out. It's too much!

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Review Superman II (1980 / 4K UHD Blu-ray Theatrical Cut): For me a better film than the original!

genre: superhero, comic book adaptation, science fiction, action, adventure

It was my intention to watch the Donner cut first, since that is being hailed as the best version of Superman II. Then I went deeper into the reviews and people seemed to say the original is the better and fuller version. Then I thought about it, and for the sake of fairness, I do think it is prudent for me to review this first. So here goes.

As long as I can remember, Superman II has always been a favourite of mine. I distinctly remember the iconic and pivotal scenes, more than I did with the original. The biggest stand out moment is the fight between Superman and General Zod and the two other Kryptonians. It still is an incredibly entertaining sequence where a lot is happening. But to be fair, it does take the film a long time to get there. For whatever reason, they decided to out Superman and have him and Lois be the loving couple as they have been portrayed in several media. While I understand this on a dramatic level, in this case it felt a little forced. Lois Lane admits she is in love with Superman. But why? Sure, he has rescued a couple of times, and he talked to her a couple of times. Still, enough for anyone to fall in love? And it seems the love is mutual, seeing how Superman even has gone back into time to save her in the original. I am aware they are supposed to be a couple, but if you think about it, it simply doesn't make sense. Especially, in this sequel, where he is willing to part with his powers even after he is asked whether he is sure. Is comic book Superman also that impulsive? I highly doubt it. And why did he have to give up his powers? No explanation is given. Although there are theories where it is explained that having sex with Superman could be a dangerous affair.

While admirable, his sacrifice doesn't last long when he finally realizes what he has given up. I am glad that he came to his senses. Although, I would like to argue that the whole love story is immensely weak. Then again, the same can be said of General Zod and his quest for revenge. Lex Luthor points this out several times and god, bless him for that since that is exactly what I was thinking. These people discover they have immense powers, and what do they focus on? To hunt for the son of Jor-El who had jailed them. Surely, they could have done better things? Speaking of Lex Luthor. It's one of the early examples where both Superman and Lex kind of work together to defeat the bigger evil. Pretty stellar acting on the part of Gene Hackman.

Overall, Superman II is a very pleasurable viewing experience with some pacing issues, but for me is a better film than the original. Especially, the 4K version. The image looks real crisp and while the colours don't pop that much, they do look real good, like for example in the finale, where some neon signs are featured. The sound is solid. 

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Review The Big Boss a.k.a. Tang shan da xiong (1971 / 4K UHD Arrow): Bruce Lee with ice picks is death!

genre: martial arts, drama, crime

Arrow video had a special deal on their website and I went for it. But for some unknown reason, my order got screwed up. It could be because I had two pages open of the same website where I changed my order. Long story short, I made a mistake where I accidentally, ordered The Way of the Dragon two times instead of one copy of The Way of the Dragon and one copy of The Big Boss. When I realized my mistake, I contacted them, and they told me it was already moved on the delivery process and there was nothing they could do about it. I had to wait for the discs to arrive and then start up the return order process. That cost me quite some energy and effort on my part, plus it cost me around 13 euros delivery costs. After a week or so, I received a notice they had received my order, and they had refunded me the amount that the purchase had cost me. Before this, I had asked them to send the copy of The Big Boss. They blatantly ignored my request and just refunded me without any communication about it. What about the costs I made concerning the delivery? It's not like that special sale covers those, you still have to pay that on top of the costs of the discs. I am sure this is part of their policy. But it sucks big time. I already had ordered from them before, and I was quite content. So I am not stating this out of spite or hate. I just want to point out that in my opinion, they could have helped me out a bit with my request. I had communicated my mistake and intention. But basically, they didn't care. This had opted me to buy the title from my most trusted online shop, which was more expensive but reliable. In future, I will gladly pay more from an external seller that saves me a headache instead of having to deal with a label directly. Mistakes can be made. But to not reimburse my delivery costs really angered me. A company like Cex does it, why not Arrow video? Not to mention, they way a customer support specialist was talking to me. I had to provide my personal data over 7 times, and she kept saying that this data was invalid, never once explaining why this was. The data was literally ripped from my account on their site, and yet she couldn't help me. I contacted them again and got to speak to another specialist, and he understood immediately but sadly had to report to me that they couldn't intervene.

So why am I telling this long story? Well, I learned a good lesson and that despite the hassle (described above), the disc itself is top-notch. If you are a fan, and you want to own The Big Boss, very likely, this is the best version you are going to get. The image is clean and crisp 98 percent of the time. There were some vertical lines at the finale, but that probably is due to the source material. It's not bothersome. The audio was good and there are some special features to be enjoyed, I have yet to check out. One plus is that it did come with an extra disc called the mandarin cut. A longer version of The Big Boss with more footage. I certainly will check that one out in future.

What about the film itself? Well, The Big Boss, was one of the first titles my father had rented for me on my behalf. Back in the day, I would wake up very early in the morning, while my parents were still asleep, and I would watch everything available on the TV. Soon, watching videos took precedence. It was the only time I could watch things on my own without interference from anyone. To then get introduced to Bruce Lee and the violence displayed was almost a heavenly experience. The Big Boss certainly is pretty brutal and bloody, but in combination with Bruce Lee's charisma and skills, the viewing experience was mesmerizing. 

Mind you, I never liked the narrative that much. Mostly because it took a long time for Bruce Lee to actually get into action. This whole promise of non-violence to his mother thing never gets explored. It's implied that his mother wanted to keep him out of trouble. Thing is that he confronted with trouble all the time. What was his mother thinking? Should he just stand there and let people get beaten up or worse, get raped and slaughtered? Such a stupid promise. Then, when Bruce does get into action, the villains of the story try to manipulate him a little. His cousins aren't really happy with this, and they berate him for it. And yes, it is a bit weird that his character had forgotten all about the missing cousins. This just doesn't make any sense. At one point, he does wake up and fights whoever he has to fight. Although a bit late since all of his cousins excluding Chow Mei have been murdered.

I wished this would have lead to lots of fighting. But I guess they thought telling the story was more important. One could argue about that. But the fighting that is present is decent. And masterful when Bruce Lee is fighting. Here I noticed how realistic the fighting was. In one scene, Bruce Lee picks up sand and throws it in the faces of the enemies, and then picks up whatever tools he can find to use as weapons. Like ice picks. Bruce Lee was pretty deadly without them. With them, he is downright lethal, as if he were death himself.

Such a sight to behold.

Overall, The Big Boss is a must-watch and own if you are a fan, but it is slower and lower on action than one would expect. First and foremost, it's an absolute blast to see Bruce Lee fight. 6-year-old me thought so, and 50-year-old me still thinks so. Yes, I am that old.

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Review Superman (1978 / 4K Blu-ray): The template for modern superhero films!

genre: superhero, comic book adaptation, science fiction, action, adventure

Of course, if you are going to watch an older film today, it will look dated. Superman was made in a time that a lot of special effects weren't possible. And yet, they pushed the envelope by making you believe, that Superman was real.

For me, Superman was as real as he could get. He was the man who would save the day when hope was lost. And he would do it with so much grace and humanity. In large part due to Christopher Reeve and how he portrayed him. Later in real life, after his horrible accident, Christopher Reeve showed he truly was a superman. One can't ignore his influence to the character. He understood how to play Superman and Clark Kent. And I swear, I never get tired of him emphasizing the difference between Kent and him. Sure, the whole gimmick of people not recognizing Clark as Superman is a little far-fetched. We, the audience, know very well that Clark Kent is Superman. But Reeve certainly did his best to make him look different. And he does. Superman is a more confident man who oozes masculinity. Clark Kent is the opposite. It's so effective. Not many have been able to mimic this.

Back in the day, Superman was impressive. I loved it since I laid my eyes on it. How do I feel about it now? Well, Superman as THE representative of hope will never get boring. It is the one element that always makes me feel good when watching this film. That doesn't mean I think everything is perfect. Far from it. The spectacle will certainly feel dated. Although, Superman does rescue people. There is a reason why people love him.

As for the 4k Blu-ray. It's not a demo worthy version. Actually, I think, it will be quite hard to make out the differences between the Blu-ray version and this 4K one. But there are some scenes where the image seems to be clearer and more colourful. 

Overall, I do believe that Superman (1978) was the template for modern superhero films. In that regard, we should respect this title!

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