Infinity Pool (4 Stars)

People like to go on holiday to exotic foreign locations. It's a thrill to see things that are totally different to what they have around them at home. But is it a good idea to go to a country where you don't understand the language? The novelist James Foster goes on holiday to the country Li Tolqa to find inspiration for his next book. He accidentally kills a man on the road when he's driving at night. That can happen anywhere. But James is dragged into a prison and forced to sign a statement in a language he doesn't understand. From that point on his life spirals downwards.

James makes friends, but are they friends he can trust? They've all been on the wrong side of the law in Li Tolqa, and they revel in it. They encourage James to commit crimes with them. He's caught up in drug excesses and orgies. The whole vacation turns into an erotic nightmare.

The film is directed by Brandon Cronenberg, the son of the legendary David Cronenberg. I haven't seen his other films, but based on "Infinity Pool" he seems to be following in his father's footsteps. It's the sort of twisted film his father could have made. I hope to see his other films soon.

	Order from Amazon.com
	Order from Amazon.de

TV Series: The Sopranos Season 3 (Part 2)

Is this what enlightenment looks like? After an argument with her mother's former maid, Svetlana, Janice steals her artificial leg. Svetlana sends two Russian thugs to beat her up and get the leg back. Tony visits Janice in hospital and offers to get revenge on her behalf. But Janice doesn't want revenge. She forgives Svetlana and says that it's God's way of talking to her. Normally I'd shout Hallelujah and wish Janice all the best, but she's someone who has a habit of jumping from one fad to another. Let's wait and see how long she lasts.

Forgiveness is a recurring theme in the fourth episode of season three. Jennifer Melfi is raped as she leaves work. The man is arrested, but a few days later she's told that he's been released. The police have mishandled the chain of custody, whatever that means. Jennifer's son and her ex-husband yell for revenge. She knows who the man is and where he works, and she knows that she can ask Tony to take revenge on him. She has an appointment with him, and she intends to tell him what happened, but she breaks down and cries. When Tony asks if he can do anything for her she answers No. I wouldn't have made that decision. I believe in law and order, so I would have asked the police to act, but if the police fail I would turn to Tony Soprano and ask him to serve justice. Now the rapist is allowed to walk the streets and look for his next victim. Jennifer acted wrongly.

When Tony is stopped for speeding we get a close-up of his drivers license. These are good questions for a pub quiz, so remember them well.

Address: 633 Stag Trail Road, North Caldwell, NJ 07006

Date of birth: August 22, 1959

And in case you're interested, Tony doesn't forgive the policeman who stopped him. Tony rings a New Jersey assemblyman who gets the policeman fired.

Johnny Sacrimoni, usually called Johnny Sack, is a friend of Tony Soprano and one of the New York crime bosses. He moves to New Jersey, which causes unease. Tony and his crew are afraid that he'll interfere with their business. Johnny insists that this isn't the case, but it's noticeable that he frequently visits the Bada Bing and other Sopranos dens on social calls.

This is the lamp that the FBI bugged in the first episode. Meadow comes home from university and says she needs a lamp for her room, so she takes it. So all of the FBI's efforts were in vain. At least they had the chance to ogle Adriana at the tennis court.

Meadow goes to bed with her college boyfriend Noah and loses her virginity. A few days later he dumps her because he says she's distracting him from his studies. Poor Meadow, but that's what men are like. They get what they want, then move on.

The problems with Ralphie Cifaretto escalate. He imitates a scene from "Gladiator", swinging a chain at Georgie in the Bada Bing VIP room. The chain hits Georgie in the eye and blinds him, which Ralphie finds funny. Paulie says that one day soon someone will find Ralphie in a car trunk.

Ralphie is sharing a house with his goomah Tracee, a stripper at the Bada Bing. Strange. Ralphie is dating Rosalie Aprile. I thought they only have goomahs after they're married. The day after blinding Georgie, Ralphie has an argument with Tracee outside the Bada Bing, and he beats her to death. How long will Tony put up with him?

Junior Soprano, Tony's uncle and the official head of the family, finds out that he has cancer.

And as if that's enough drama in these three episodes, Artie Bucco's marriage is over. Tony offers to go into partnership with him, preparing food that they can sell wholesale. Artie's wife Charmaine tells him not to do it, because she doesn't want him to be drawn into illegal business. She tells Artie she has to choose between Tony and her. And he chooses Tony.

Choosing Tony Soprano over a beautiful woman like Charmaine? There has to be more to it. When Artie is drunk he confesses to Tony that he's in love with Adriana. Silly man. He has no chance with her. Is it really love, or is it lust? Has he been spying on her at the tennis court as well? He should keep his hormones under control. Charmaine is a good woman. He should be happy with her.

	Order from Amazon.com
	Order from Amazon.co.uk
	Order from Amazon.de

Back To The Beginning - Brief Thoughts

Yesterday I watched the live stream of Black Sabbath's final concert at Aston Villa's stadium in Birmingham. I'm no expert in writing music reviews, so I'll just write a few thoughts.

There were 12 support groups and various supergroups made up of famous musicians. Each group played a cover song of Black Sabbath or Ozzy Osbourne. The show was hosted by Jason Momoa.

1. Mastodon

I knew their name, but I don't think I've ever listened to them. The music was fantastic. I'll definitely check them out in the next few days.

2. Rival Sons

This is another group I didn't know. I was less impressed. Their music isn't bad, but I have no interest in listening to them again.

3. Anthrax

Anthrax is one of my favourite groups, but I've always found their studio albums better than their live performances.

4. Halestorm

I used to listen to Halestorm a lot ten years ago. Their performance was great. I need to follow them again.

5. Lamb of God

Lamb of God is a group I've always liked, but their performance yesterday blew me away. Incredible.

6. Supergroup A

Five songs were played with rotating members, all songs by Black Sabbath and Ozzy. A surprise appearance for the fifth song was made by Yungblud, who hadn't been announced in the program. I didn't know him, but evidently he was well known to the crowd, because he was booed when he came on stage. Then he sang "Changes" so convincingly that he won the crowd over. He has a terrific voice, but let's be honest: "Changes" is a ballad, not a rock song. I checked out his songs on YouTube this morning, and he's not a rock musician. Not even close. His participation was probably kept secret because they knew he'd be unpopular.

7. Jack Black

This wasn't a live performance. It was a video shown in the arena. Jack Black did an incredible performance of "Mr. Crowley".

8. Alice in Chains

I like some of their songs more than others, but their on-stage performance today was great.

9. Gojira

I've been listening to Gojira a lot lately. They were terrific on stage.

10. Supergroup B

Eight songs were played with rotating members. I'm surprised that Ronnie Wood was invited. He's never been a good guitarist. I was amazed by Travis Barker. I've never been overly keen on Blink-182, but he's an incredible drummer.

11. Pantera

Pantera is a group I've never liked much, but they were excellent today. Jason Momoa went into the mosh pit and did crowd-surfing.

12. Tool

At the risk of offending their fans: Tool isn't a live group. Tool is a group to listen to at home with headphones. They did a terrific version of "Hand of Doom", but that isn't a Tool song.

13. Slayer

This was the best band so far. The crowd went wild, and I loved them too.

14. Guns'n'Roses

Disappointing. Axl Rose isn't what he used to be. He should quit and let the group find a better singer. Maybe they can hire Yungblud?

15. Metallica

I loved Metallica's first two albums, maybe the third, but they've been downsliding ever since. They're not what they used to be. Their set started out sounding dull, and only their last song, "Master of Puppets", really excelled.

16. Ozzy

Ozzy can't stand, but his voice is better than ever. It was an emotional show. Many of the fans were crying in the audience, especially during "Mama I'm coming home". But his backing band was incredible. Who are those musicians? If Ozzy has retired, they should form a band without him.

17. Black Sabbath

This was the main act and the highlight of the evening. A first class performance. I'm sad that they only played four songs, but Ozzy's health obviously didn't allow him to stay on stage any longer.

I can watch the concert again as video on demand for the next 48 hours. After that I'll wait for it to be released on Blu-ray. I hope it will be remixed and/or remastered. In the middle of the concert there were problems with the vocals not being loud enough, especially Alice in Chains and Gojira.

Reservoir Dogs (5 Stars)

Michael Madsen is dead.

I heard the news late last night. It saddens me, because he was an outstanding actor. I have about a dozen films in which he appears, most of them directed by Quentin Tarantino. I wasn't sure what film of his to watch today, and then I read that he's best known for his role as the psychopathic Vic Vega in "Reservoir Dogs". After a few minutes thought I agreed with this statement, but actually he's hardly known at all. He's an actor that only dedicated film fans know. When I mention him to my friends the reaction is "Michael who?" It's only when I mention a few films that they say, "Ah, so that was him".

In case you're one of the people who doesn't know him – which I doubt if you're reading my blog – he's the man who dances to "Stuck in the middle with you" by Stealers Wheel while torturing a policeman. I'm not a fan of the song, fortunately, because the scene has ruined it for me. Every time I hear the song I can't help thinking of Michael Madsen dancing with a knife.

"Reservoir Dogs" is a milestone in the history of cinema. It was an independent film that proved that independent films could have great artistic value. It took a few years to be recognised, but now it's a cult film which has a lasting legacy. There were many famous actors in the film, but Michael Madsen, relatively unknown at the time, contributed to its success.

The film opens with a scene in a restaurant in which eight men are sitting at a table discussing popular music and tips. Mr. Pink refuses to tip and complains that waitresses have to pay taxes on their tips. That was 1992. Now Donald Trump has passed a law that tips are no longer taxed. Good for him. His opponents claim that he's only done this to gain favour with lower paid voters, but I think it's something he always had on his mind. I too have always considered it somehow immoral to tax tips. Tips are a gift that I give a waitress out of the goodness of my heart, so the IRS shouldn't take part of it. Mr. Pink thinks it's wrong, so do I, and so does Donald Trump. That's one of the few good laws that he's passed since becoming president.

Farewell, Michael Madsen. You'll be missed by your friends and fans.

Success Rate:  + 0.3

	Order from Amazon.com
	Order from Amazon.co.uk
	Order from Amazon.de

Sister Street Fighter: Hanging by a Thread (4 Stars)

This is a direct sequel to "Sister Street Fighter". Koryu Lee, a Japanese woman who lives in Hong Kong, receives news that her sister Birei is being forced to work for a diamond smuggling gang in Tokyo. She heads to Tokyo to rescue her single-handedly, although to be fair, she does have occasional help.

I enjoyed this film, but it isn't up to the quality of the original. The plot is strung thinly. The film seems to be an excuse to show as many fight scenes as possible. But wow! The fight scenes are amazing. The actress Etsuko Shihomi, who holds black belts in Karate, Kenjitsu and Shorinji Kempo, has formidable skills.

The film has the annoying habit of pausing whenever a new fighter is introduced to tell us the name of his fighting skill. I don't need it. I'm watching the film to be entertained, not to be educated about martial arts. Descriptions like that belong in the commentary track, not as on-screen text.

X (5 Stars)

Now I've watched all three films in the X Trilogy in three days. In the wrong order, but they're still enjoyable films in their own right, The correct order is "Pearl" (1918), "X" (1979), "Maxxxine" (1985). Next time I watch them I'll make sure it's in the right order. The British actress Mia Goth excels in the three films. In the first film she plays Pearl Douglas, in the third film she plays Maxine Minx, and in the second film that links them she plays both women. Did you notice in the photo at the top that she's playing both women? It might not be obvious.

After the box office success of "Maxxxine" the director Ti West said he would make a fourth film with Mia Goth as Maxine. He's since changed his mind. It would have been good to see Maxine's further development after becoming a star, something that was denied to Pearl. Never mind. I understand that he wants to move on. Let's just hope that he makes another film soon, whatever it's about. He's a brilliant director.

Success Rate:  + 13.1

	Order from Amazon.com
	Order from Amazon.co.uk
	Order from Amazon.de

Pearl (5 Stars)

After watching "Maxxxine" yesterday I couldn't resist the temptation to watch "Pearl" today. It's the first time I've watched the two films back to back. "Pearl" is the better film of the two. I even voted it the best film of 2023. Strangely, in my top 100 films list I've placed two other films from 2023 higher. That's a mistake I'll have to put right. I regularly update my list, maybe twice a year.

"Pearl" is a film that's best watched without any preconceptions. When you sit down to watch it for the first time it's slow and dreamy, so you have no idea what's awaiting you. It could be a rural America family drama. Well, maybe it is a rural America family drama, but there's a lot more to it.

I'm not going to tell you any more today. Watch it and make up your own mind.

Success Rate:  + 8.1

	Order from Amazon.com
	Order from Amazon.co.uk
	Order from Amazon.de

Maxxxine (5 Stars)

This film is often referred to as the third film in the X trilogy. I don't like to call it that, but I can't think of a better alternative. The three films star the actress Mia Goth in two different roles, as Pearl and Maxine. The correct order in which to watch them is "Pearl" (2022), "X" (2022) and "Maxxxine" (2024). That isn't the order in which they were released, but it makes sense. Take my word for it.

Pearl and Maxine are two women who share the same dreams of becoming big stars. The difference is that Maxine succeeds while Pearl fails.

The film can be compared with Quentin Tarantino's "One Upon a Time in Hollywood". Both films present the golden age of Hollywood, in 1985 and 1969 respectively. The difference is that Tarantino presents Hollywood as a glamorous city of dreams, whereas "Maxxxine" shows Hollywood as a sleazy place. Which is more accurate? I'll let people who've been in Hollywood decide.

I've rated "Maxxxine" higher than in my last review, but I still don't think it's up to the quality of "Pearl"

Success Rate:  + 0.2

	Order from Amazon.com
	Order from Amazon.co.uk
	Order from Amazon.de

Megan 2.0 (4 Stars)

I was so anxious to see this film that I rushed to the cinema on its release date. That's something I don't often do. One of the disadvantages is that the Aftercredits web site can't be used until one or two days after a film's release. For this reason I sat through the long credits sequence, only to find that there isn't an after-credits scene.

The plot is more complex than the first film, which is a disadvantage in my opinion. "Megan" was predictable, "Megan 2.0" has plot twists. I've never been a fan of plot twists for their own sake. A predictable film can be just as good, maybe better.

At the end of the first film Megan was destroyed, and the data describing her was deleted from the hard drives. So they thought. A new robot called Amelia has been built for military use. Unfortunately, Amelia goes rogue, killing a scientist she's meant to rescue and stealing his research. Megan's creator Gemma – I can't remember if we're told her last name – is asked to rebuild the original Megan to find and destroy Amelia.

This is a film I need to watch again. When I have it on Blu-ray I'll watch it back to back with the original film.

TV Series: The Sopranos Season 3

Adriana is being watched with binoculars. Is it a peeping Tom?

It's two peeping Toms. They're taking turns watching Adriana, passing the binoculars between their sweaty hands. But the twist is that they're being paid to observe her. They're FBI agents. So what are they doing?

While you're trying to guess, here's another picture of Adriana on the tennis court. She's certainly enjoying her game. I wonder... if she knew that she's being observed by horny men in dark suits, would she smile more or less? I've never figured out whether she's an exhibitionist.

Salvatore "Pussy" Bompensiero was the FBI's main informant in Tony Soprano's crew, but at the end of last season he was uncovered and executed. Now the FBI needs another method of getting close information. They get a warrant to bug Tony's house. They know from Pussy's information that Tony takes his associates into his cellar to discuss business away from his family. It's a two-day job. On the first day they break into his house and examine the cellar for possibilities. They find an old lamp on a table that would be suitable. A week later they replace the lamp with a duplicate that has a concealed listening device.

They can only do this when the whole family is away from the house, so they have to assign agents to watch each of the family members. Tuesday morning is the most suitable day, because Tony's wife Carmela takes tennis lessons with Adriana. 

So two lucky FBI agents are assigned to watch Carmela on Tuesday morning and make sure she doesn't unexpectedly return home. Except they keep their binoculars trained on Adriana instead. I can think of two reasons why.

So now the cellar is bugged, and the agents can sit waiting for a discussion to take place.

A new arrival in the series is Ralphie Cifaretto, played by Joe Pantoliano. Evidently he was working for Richie Aprile, but now that Richie is dead he works closer with Tony. Another reason that we see him is that he's now dating Rosalie Aprile, the widow of the previous boss. Since Rosalie is a close friend of Carmela, he often visits Tony's house with her for dinner. The trouble is that Ralphie has a ridiculous sense of humour, constantly cracking jokes that annoy those around him.

Another problem is that Ralphie takes Rosalie's son Jackie Jr under his wing, taking him on jobs. This annoys Tony, because he'd promised his father, Jackie Sr, that he wouldn't allow him to enter the business. He should become a doctor or a lawyer or any other high-paying legal job.

Tony's mother Livia passes away, dying peacefully in her sleep. Nobody misses her, especially not Tony. The funeral wake ends in arguments. The biggest result of her death is that Janice returns to New Jersey to live in her mother's house.

Christopher Moltisante becomes a made man. This marks his official entry into the Mafia. He has to swear to a code of silence, but it's also guaranteed that if he's unable to work for any reason the Mafia will take care of him. Wow! I've used the M word twice, even though Tony insists that there is no Mafia.

During the initiation ceremony Christopher sees a raven at the window. He interprets this as a sign of bad luck.

Christopher is assigned to work for Paulie. He has to give him 10% of his income each week, a minimum of $6000. He soon finds out that it isn't easy to earn this much money every week. The raven.

	Order from Amazon.com
	Order from Amazon.co.uk
	Order from Amazon.de

The Little Witch (5 Stars)

Film Review: Die Kleine Hexe (2018) starring Karoline Herfurth

"Die Kleine Hexe" (The Little Witch), directed by Michael Schaerer and based on the children's book by Otfried Preußler, brings to life the enchanting tale of a young witch determined to prove herself as a "good" witch. With Karoline Herfurth in the title role, the film combines whimsy, warmth, and moral clarity in a way that both honours the original story and adapts it gracefully for a new generation.

Story & Themes

The plot follows the Little Witch, only 127 years old – too young by the standards of the elder witches – who dares to attend the Walpurgis Night celebration without an invitation. As punishment, she is told she must learn every spell in the big spell book within a year and prove herself to be a "good" witch. But as she studies magic and encounters injustice, especially among the other witches, she starts to understand what it means to be good. A good witch is a witch who does bad deeds, so the Little Witch becomes a bad witch by doing good deeds.

This is a story not just about magic, but about integrity, courage, and questioning authority. The film does a commendable job of weaving in moral lessons without being heavy-handed.

Karoline Herfurth’s Performance

Karoline Herfurth brings immense charm and nuance to the Little Witch. Her portrayal is energetic and endearing, capturing the character’s youthful defiance and innate kindness. Herfurth walks the fine line between innocence and rebelliousness with a grace that makes the character both accessible to children and engaging for adults.

Her chemistry with her loyal talking raven Abraxas (voiced by Axel Prahl) is another highlight, offering comic relief and emotional warmth.

Visuals & Production

The film boasts impressive production values. The forest settings and magical environments are richly detailed, creating an immersive fairy-tale atmosphere. The practical effects and restrained CGI maintain a storybook quality that aligns well with the original tone. Costume design, especially among the eccentric witches, adds flair and distinction.

Pacing & Tone

While generally well-paced for a family audience, the film does slow at times during the "study" segments. However, it quickly picks up with engaging scenes of magic and moral confrontation. The tone strikes a balance between light-hearted fantasy and the seriousness of standing up for what’s right, making it appropriate for children without talking down to them.

Conclusion

"Die Kleine Hexe" is a charming and thoughtful adaptation of a German classic, elevated by Karoline Herfurth’s delightful performance. It celebrates kindness, critical thinking, and bravery in a whimsical setting, making it a wonderful family film with substance.

Rating: a clear 5 stars

A magical tale with heart and conscience – ideal for children and nostalgic adults alike.

The Art Of Self-Defense (5 Stars)

It's often said that martial arts isn't just about learning how to fight. It's also about improving the mind. The students are encouraged to elevate their thoughts to reach a higher level of spirituality.

That's not the case with the Karate dojo that Casey Davies visits. The students use their fighting skills to become bullies. They're also misogynistic, even looking down on female students in their own dojo. Women are considered second class beings, physically and emotionally.

Those are the views of their teacher. They idolise him, so they also accept his negative traits.

Casey has to choose. Does he want to accept the negative character traits while becoming a better fighter, able to defend himself?

Success Rate:  - 0.7

Vivarium (5 Stars)

It's all about the Martins.

One Martin dies, and the next steps up to take his place.

Where do the Martins come from? We don't know. We first see Martin as a young baby. Maybe he had a mother, but we don't see her. We can't even assume that the previous Martin was his father. Maybe, maybe not.

I had a rough idea what a vivarium is, but today is the first time I've looked up its definition.

"A vivarium is an area, usually enclosed, for keeping and raising animals or plants for observation or research".

That definition doesn't exactly describe what we see in the film. Tom and Gemma are being kept in an artificial environment, but it's not with the intention of studying them. They've been put in this artificial nest to raise the cuckoo, Martin, to adulthood. The timeframe isn't exactly specified, but we can assume, based on the markings on the door, that it's about a year. In this time the first Martin dies while the new Martin grows up to take his place. Without Tom and Gemma, Martin would have died. A cuckoo mother places her egg in another bird's nest because she's unwilling to bring it up herself. So maybe there is a mother behind the scenes in "Vivarium" after all?

This is a very good film. Creepy. Unnerving. But brilliant.

Success Rate:  - 9.2

	Order from Amazon.com
	Order from Amazon.co.uk
	Order from Amazon.de

Hitman (3½ Stars)

"Hitman" is a multilingual film, with dialogue in Japanese, Mandarin and Cantonese. The action is spread across Japan, Hong Kong and the Chinese mainland.

Tsukamoto, a Japanese Yakuza boss, is assassinated by a mysterious assassin known only as the King of Killers. He expected to be assassinated one day, so he's set aside a revenge fund: whoever kills the assassin and the man who hired him will receive $100 million. Tsukamoto's grandson Eiji is determined to get the money himself, but the lawyer insists that it's an open contract.

Fu (played by Jet Li) is an ex-soldier who hears about the contract. He's an outstanding fighter, but his conscience gets in the way. He can't kill anyone unless he's certain that he deserves to die. The other hitmen look down on him, thinking he's weak. In the course of the film the hitmen turn on one another. Everyone wants the money.

Is it supposed to be a comedy or a serious action film? I don't know, and I don't think the director knew. There are long comedic episodes alternating with long serious episodes. This jarred with me. The overall impression is disappointing.

The Scripture with No Words (4 Stars)

Chow Si-Kit is an author of pulp fiction in Hong Kong. He's writing serialised adventures about a hero called Dr. Wai, the Adventure King. He works under constant pressure. The booklets are published twice a month, and the deadlines wait for no man.

Chow has a problem. His wife wants to divorce him. As a result he's suffering from writer's block. His colleagues want to help him, so they write the next instalments on his behalf. What they write is also a not so subtle attempt to help him win his wife's love back. In each instalment Dr. Wai is wooing Yvonne, a fellow adventurer. However, they can't agree on Yvonne's personality, so in each instalment (which is presented cinematically) Yvonne is acting like a different person.

According to what I've read, the original version, which I watched today, was completely re-edited for the international version. Chow Si-Kit is completely removed from the international version, and all we see is Dr. Wai in his adventures. That sounds weird. I need to watch the international version at least once.

My Father is a Hero (5 Stars)

This film was originally released in England with the nonsensical name "The Enforcer". Did they watch the film before renaming it? Nobody enforces anything.

Ku Kung is only eight years old, but he's an outstanding martial arts student. He wins awards, and he wants his father to be proud of him, but his father Wei Kung rarely attends the competitions. He's busy making dubious deals with shady characters on street corners. Ku Kung's mother is sick with chronic asthma, but she still attends the competitions.

What Ku Kung doesn't know is that his father is an undercover policeman. He isn't even allowed to tell his wife about his work, so she suspects him of being a criminal. Wei Kung has to do a big job, so he begs his son to trust him. Ku Kung loves his father, so he doesn't complain.

Wei Kung is put in prison, so that he can help a gangster to escape. Together they go on the run and flee to Hong Kong. Wei rapidly advances in the gang hierarchy.

This is an excellent film that I need to watch again soon. Jet Li is always an outstanding fighter, but what makes the film interesting is that in the later scenes he's aided by his son. Other reviewers have called this unrealistic, but I think it works well.

The Fall Guy (5 Stars)

Despite my best intentions, I don't have time to write a lengthy review of this film. A film like this deserves more. It's an incredible action film about a stunt man, on and off his film sets. There are hints of humour, but not enough to make it a comedy.

Ryan Gosling is one of the last people I would have cast as an action hero, even though he started his career in the title role of "Young Hercules". And yet he steps into the role as if he's been doing it all his life. There are three layers, as we can see in the behind-the-scenes feature on the Blu-ray. Colt Seavers (Ryan Gosling) is the stunt double for Tom Ryder (Aaron Taylor-Johnson). They dress up to look similar. But Ryan Gosling himself has a stunt double, Troy Lindsay Brown. It's amusing to see the three men dressed up to look as identical as possible.

It's a sin that the film wasn't a box office success. That means there's no hope of a sequel.

Success Rate:  - 0.6

	Order from Amazon.com
	Order from Amazon.co.uk
	Order from Amazon.de

The Bodyguard from Beijing (4½ Stars)

Several films starring Jet Li have recently been released on Blu-Ray for the first time, so I'll be watching them over the next few days. After that I'll return to "The Sopranos".

The film takes place in 1994, when Hong Kong was still separated from Mainland China. Allan Ching-Yeung is a renowned bodyguard in Beijing. At the beginning there's a statement in voiceover: "A policeman can make many mistakes and be forgiven, but a bodyguard can't make a single mistake". That's extreme, but I can understand what the director is trying to say through Allan.

In Hong Kong there's a gangland murder. The witnesses are all killed, except a woman called Michelle. Her boyfriend, a wealthy businessman, hires Allan to protect her. Allan is cool and collected, acting efficiently to do his job. Not one mistake. Michelle begins to have feelings for him, but he turns her down. Nothing must distract him from his job.

The main story is excellent. It could have been better if not for humorous subplots involving children. They're totally unnecessary.

Ballerina (5 Stars)

As far as I can recall, this is the first film I've watched twice in the cinema this year. It's worth it. Unfortunately, it looks as if it won't make a profit. The critics agree that it's a good film, and those who've watched it praise it, but somehow it can't tempt people into the cinema. Isn't the poster appealing? Isn't the trailer exciting? Or are people just sick of John Wick after four films and a mini-series? They don't know what they're missing. Or maybe they just want to wait till it arrives on streaming.

John Wick himself has a short appearance in the film. Two appearances, actually. The first is a brief cameo. The second is about ten minutes towards the end of the film. It's not necessary. I think these scenes were only added to tempt John Wick fans into the cinema, which obviously hasn't worked. With a small amount of rewriting he could have been removed without harming the film in any way.

Super Mario Bros (4½ Stars)

What a beautiful princess! I wonder if she can fight like a girl.

But let's get to the film's main character, Mario himself. Mario and his brother Luigi are plumbers in Brooklyn, struggling to find work until there's a huge water main burst. They go to repair it and fall into pipes that lead to other worlds. Mario and Luigi are separated. Mario lands in the Mushroom Kingdom and meets the beautiful Princess Peach. Luigi lands in the Dark Lands and is imprisoned by the evil King Bowsa. Mario makes his way to the Dark Lands to rescue Luigi, but Bowsa is also travelling to the Mushroom Kingdom to meet Princess Peach. He wants to take her as his wife, with the emphasis on "take".

The action is chaotic, but it's a good film for what it is. It's a video game adaptation that manages to retain the look and feel of a video game. It was the second highest earning film in 2023, after "Barbie". Deservedly. It's a film that adults can enjoy as much as their children. My grandson Oliver's tastes are changing. He no longer likes children's films, but he still likes "Super Mario Bros".

Success Rate:  + 11.6

	Order from Amazon.com
	Order from Amazon.co.uk
	Order from Amazon.de

Independence Day: Resurgence (3 Stars)

Disney Wednesday #26

This is a delayed sequel to "Independence Day", made 20 years after the original. I always have an aversion to delayed sequels. Sometimes they're good, mostly they aren't.

Actually, I'm no big fan of the original. I remember seeing it on television shortly after its release, but I had no inclination to buy it on DVD. I still remember the spectacular special effects created by Stuttgart's own Roland Emmerich, but I was annoyed by the concept of America saving the world and July 4th becoming the Independence Day for the whole world. For me as an Englishman that's an insult. I still think that American independence was a mistake. But it's all in the past. The Americans wanted independence, and now they have Donald Trump.

"Resurgence" is a far inferior film. The battle scenes are confused and difficult to follow. The first film was acceptable, but the sequel is unnecessary. At least it was a box office success.

I only watched it today because my grandson Oliver requested it. He watched it on television with his parents a few weeks ago, and he wanted to watch it again. I hope he'll have better taste as he gets older.

Success Rate:  + 0.4

	Order from Amazon.com
	Order from Amazon.co.uk
	Order from Amazon.de