The week ahead

Well greetings one and all. Film reviews shortly but what do we have to look forward to this week. Firstly I am about to finish Nation by Terry Pratchett. It isn't one of his best books but is still easily readable and accessible for all readers. Tomorrow I return to my weekly routine of standed beside a frozen sports pitch watching other people run around - yes Tom starts back at rugby. On Monday the students start back at uni so stress levels will rise as parking spaces will disappear.

On to the films now. Sunday has the film of the week and two notable mentions. Blazing Saddles is one of the funniest films ever made. In my opinion it is not the best Mel Brooks film ever, that honour goes to Young Frankenstein. It is filled with lots of visual gags as well as some outrageously funny moments. Whilst Cleavon Little is excellent in the lead role it is Harvey Korman who is in my opinion the outstanding performer as Hedley Lamarr the scheming force behind Governor LePetomane. Those who make bad taste comedy films today would do well to watch this and see how it should be done. The cast is excellent but I feel the Busby Berkeley ending does let the film down somewhat but that may well be just me. Earlier on in the day we have Krull. This is swords and sorcery stuff done with a British cast except for one American, Ken Marshall. Like most offerings of this type it is unlikely to provide you with any great insight into the world but it is good entertainment. Look out for appearances from Liam Neeson, Todd Carty, Bernard Bresslaw. Now for the low brow end of Sunday. On Deadly Ground is one of Steven Seagal's last bearable offerings. Seagal is to acting what Ronseal is to advertising campaigns. This is the first Seagal film where he starts to get a bit preachy. Now I may happen to agree with what he is preaching about but he is just irritating beyond belief when he does it. Michael Caine looks totally out of place here and this is probably one of those films that he did for the money. John McGinley is solid in support as is R Lee Ermey (the drill sergeant from Full Metal Jacket). Also we have Joan Chen in yet another film where she is just a bit part player. If you heed my advice avoid Once Upon A Time in the West which made watching paint dry seem like speed dating when I watched it.

On Monday night we have Unbreakable. This is M Night Shymalan's second significant film following The Sixth Sense. Again he teams up with Bruce Willis. It is worth a look if there is nothing better on. It is not as good as its predecessor but it does keep you guessing for a while. Another film to look at is Patriot Games. This marks Harrison Ford's debut in the role of Jack Ryan. The plot is largely preposterous much like Sean Bean's Irish accent. Even Richard Harris' accent is dodgy and he WAS Irish. There is some debate as to who plays Ryan best but everybody now associates Ford with the role.

Tuesday has probably the most films of the week worthy of note. On BBC 1 we have Dead Poets Society. This film is a marked contrast to another Robin Williams film of the period, Good Morning Vietnam. This is a quiet, slow paced film with Williams delivering an excellent performance. Many other people hate this film but I do like it. The supporting cast is excellent and it is certainly worth a look if you like your films with less bang for your buck. Also on Tuesday is A Few Good Men. This is rated by some legal types that I know as one of the best courtroom dramas ever. Jack Nicholson steals the show but he has a job on. Tom Cruise, Demi Moore, Kevin Pollak, Kevin Bacon and Kiefer Sutherland are all on top form. On the same night we have Jaws. This is one of Spielberg's best films and it is now almost mythological in its status. However, I doubt many sharks will be watching as it does give them something of a bad press. Some Kind of Monster is a documentary charting the creation of the Metallica album St Anger. The album marks a lowpoint in the band's output, in many fans opinions. Watching this compelling documentary you can see why it was as bad as it was. Possibly the most interestin bit in it is when the band meet up with Dave Mustaine who was thron out of the band just before they became huge. The film is one of the best music documentaries I have ever seen. Lastly on Tuesday there is another film which I personally have trouble with but which is hailed as an excellent film. Memento is by Christopher Nolan who has since gone on to revive the Batman franchise. It is a tale told in reverse chronology and I just found it a bit difficult to cope with.

Thursday has two offerings. First is Black Rain which stars Michael Douglas and Andy Garcia. It is very much of its time but is certainly worth a look. Another film which is of its time is Enter the Ninja ( late night on Dave). The plot and the acting are daft as I recall but they are positively Shakespearean when compared to that of Seagal.

Photos are coming soon of family events - really they are!!!

Enjoy