Monday 24 February 2014

Monday 17 February 2014

New to Netflix UK - 16/02/14

A much more bountiful selection this week...


House of Cards (TV) - A congressman continues long and arduous scheme to bring his party down from the inside after being refused a position in the White House. The critically acclaimed political thriller continues down many dark and dangerous roads as Frank's mission to become president finds new grounds.

Arn: The Knight Templar - A Swedish knight finds himself caught up in the Holy War where he is tasked with protecting Jerusalem from Saladin's advancing army. A decent action/drama that, despite it's lower production values, manages to put a lot of the Hollywood interpretations to shame thanks to the focus on the characters.
NOTE: This is the edited version that combines the two original movies into one. It's still decent but a lot of the back-story and character development is lost.

Dark Skies - A couple find that their idyllic life is under threat after a mysterious presence begins to haunt their child. It's goofy and doesn't bring anything special to the horror genre but it still has a creepy atmosphere that manages to let of a few good jump scares.

Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back - The foul-mouthed/silent slacker duo trek to Hollywood to put an end to a movie based around their superhero alter-ego's. If you like Kevin Smith then this film has everything you could ever want from a movie; for everyone else, you probably might wonder why the film even exists.

Serenity - A ragtag crew of outlaws find themselves the target of a dangerous government agent out to capture the mysterious girl they are harbouring. The film is highly regarded as one of the finest sci-fi films of recent years, mainly because it revived on of the most beloved TV shows of all time (Firefly is also available to watch), but also because it manages to deliver an action-packed experience without compromising the characters or story.

You Don't Mess With the Zohan - A Mossad agent flees to America to live out his dream of being a hairdresser. It's Adam Sandler at his most Adam-Sandlerest; expect nothing else.

Cars - A young-hotshot racer on track to win the pretentious Piston Cup finds a new meaning to life after he forced to rebuild the town he accidentally wrecks. It feels different from what is normally expected from Pixar, which might account to the moderate response the film received, but it still excels in its visual prowess and, even if the characters aren't as relatable, it still carries the Pixar standards for storytelling.

The Black Cauldron - A boy and his friends embark on a quest to find the mythical Black Cauldron before an evil tyrant can get his hands on it. The film is famous for scaring a lot of children when it first came out, opting over traditional fantasy elements rather than the normal whimsical utopia Disney normally promotes, and though it may not do justice to the original source material it still holds up as one of the better movies that Disney took a risk in making.

Monty Python's Meaning of Life - A compilation of sketches contemplating life's most difficult question. It lacks the bizarre goofery of Holy Grail or the classic humour of Brian but the Python's final big-screen outing doesn't fail in delivering laughs and shocks.

Angela's Ashes - A young boy and his family try to endure the hardship of poverty in pre-war Ireland. Strong and compelling, the film does its best in capturing the prose from the original novel, but it's greatest strength is also it's biggest downside in that the gloominess haunts you for a long time afterwards.

Fletch - A investigative journalist, with a penchant for disguises, finds himself caught up in an elaborate criminal scheme involving a prominent businessman. One of Chase's greatest accomplishments, Fletch remains one of the most loved comedies from the 80's thanks to a healthy dose of humour and mystery.

The Jerk - A man with limited mental abilities goes off in search of his own life after he finds out he was adopted. How much you enjoy the movie depends on how much you can stand Steve Martin however he manages to successfully pull off the one-man-show with enough heart to ensure the film remains one of his better efforts.

Arthur and the Invisibles - In an attempt to save his grandfathers house from being demolished, a young boy turns to a race of small fairy-like creatures who live at the bottom of the garden for help. Besson's foray into animated movies is a decent attempt but it lacks any real depth and does little to appeal to anyone over the age of 10.

American Graffiti - The day before they all leave for college, a group of friends spend their final night on the town together as they contemplate the decisions they are making in life. Considered by many to be among the greatest depictions of youth in the 60's, Lucas manages to weave a tale that is both bitter-sweet and fun and serves as an ode to a bygone era who's themes of growing up are still applicable even today.

Black Christmas (1974) - A group of sorority girls are plagued by mysterious phone calls during the Christmas holiday that soon escalates into murder. Cult horror classic from Canada and widely believed to be the first slasher movie.

Gambit (1966) - A thief and a dancer team up to pull off an elaborate heist but things don't go exactly to plan. Sharp, funny and well acted, the movie is a prime example of a movie you can just sit down and watch and be entertained for your troubles.

Friday 14 February 2014

Dungeon Keeper Gold - Get it for Free (Because the Mobile Game Sucks)

GOG are celebrating Valantine's Day the only way a gamer can by offering one of the most critically acclaimed management/simulation games of all time for absolutely nothing.

That's right. You can now own Dungeon Keeper Gold (assuming you're one of the few who doesn't already have it) and realise that the games you have been playing these last few years have all been lies.

Never played it before? Here's you chance.
Hate the mobile version? Purge its memory from your brain with the classic.
Fed up of your friends saying you should get it? Just download it and never play it.


Plus, as an added bonus, Dungeon Keeper 2 is also for sale for less than £1.

Act fast, the offer lasts until Sunday!

House of Cards: Season 2 Now Available on Netflix

All 13 Episodes of the much anticipated Second Season are now up, so what are you waiting for?

It's not like you had anything better to do today...

Monday 10 February 2014

New to Netflix UK - 10/02/14

Not much new this week


The Seven Year Itch - When his wife and son go on holiday, a man begins to reindulge in the pleasures of being single but soon finds himself fantasising about the girl who lives next door. Classic Billy Wilder comedy with the iconic performance from Monroe that reminds why a whole country fell in love with her.

We're No Angels - Two fugitives on the run to Canada find themselves unable to escape the clutches of the Church after impersonating a couple of priests. Not the finest Mamet script to be produced but there's enough jovial fun to be had from De Niro and Penn to warrant a watch if there's nothing else on.

Monday 3 February 2014

New to Netflix UK - 03/02/14




In the House - A literature teacher becomes drawn in by one of his student's work, describing his relationship with the neighbouring family, but their intrusiveness eventually causes events to spiral out of control. One of the finer French comedies of the last few years, and even if the ending is a bit of a let down, it's still an amicable tale of storytelling and family antics.

Welcome to the Punch - A detective is given a second chance in catching a master thief when he returns home on a personal matter but an external foe threatens to bring harm to them both, forcing them to pair together. It's not the most unique idea but there's enough twists to keep the story going and that action is decent enough to warrant a "style over substance" label that doesn't neccessarily affect the viewing experience.

Ruthless People - A couple looking for payback kidnapp the wife of a rich business man in the hopes for a ransom, not knowing that the businessman was planning to rid himself from her to begin with. One of the more forgotten gems of the 80's, particularly for a ZAZ movie, this movie is a riot from start to finish thanks to some incredibly snappy dialogue and some wonderful performances from the main cast.

The Adventures of Baron Munchausen - A senile old man claiming to be the Baron Munchausen embarks on a journey to regroup his lost allies and save a city under siege from the Turkish army. Classic Gilliam fantasy in that the madder it is the more sense it make, and while the plot may get a little too obtuse at times, it's still a hell of a lot of fun and few fantasy films can keep up with this amount of creative imagery.

Tears of the Sun - A Navy SEAL team sent to a Nigeria following a coup are forced to choose between their mission and humanitarian ethics after the doctor they are tasked to rescue refuses to leave unless they bring the villagers under her care. It starts of as being a highly promising political movie however the film soon descends into a generic action movie with America being our sole saviours, losing much of it's serious politcal message in the process.

The Missing - A father's hope to reconcile with his estranged daughter takes a turn for the worst after her daughter is kidnapped, forcing the two to work together to get her back. It's a decent attempt to combine the western and thriller tropes, and while that cast do a decent job of keeping you engaged, the story ultimately feels a little flat particularly towards the end.

Pusher - A drug dealer navigates the Danish underground in an attempt to raise cash for a drug lord after he is forced to dump his stash. A solid thriller from Denmark (would you expect anything less?) that delves beyond the cliche drug movie and into the realms of nightmarish despairation to deliver a brutal tale of crime.

John Carter - A Civil War soldier finds himself transported to Mars where he must fight to protect the natives from their opressive rulers. It got a lot of flack from the critics on its release but there's a sense of real fantasy about the movie, even if the actors don't quite deliver the performances you'd expect.