Downsizing (4 Stars)

"Downsizing" has one of the most brilliant science fiction concepts in recent years, then spends the next two hours trying to avoid it.

The opening act is wonderfully inventive. Scientists discover how to shrink human beings to five inches tall, promising a future where overpopulation, climate change and financial inequality might finally be solved. Matt Damon's everyman sees downsizing as a chance to escape his ordinary life, and the film initially feels like a sharp satire of consumerism and modern economics.

Then it changes its mind.

What begins as a social comedy becomes a marital drama. That soon gives way to a fish-out-of-water story, before turning into a romance, then a critique of wealth inequality, then a meditation on global poverty, followed by an environmental apocalypse and finally a philosophical search for the meaning of life. Each new theme pushes aside the previous one, leaving the fascinating central premise increasingly forgotten.

The result is a film that feels less like a carefully constructed narrative and more like several unfinished screenplays stitched together. Every time "Downsizing" finds an interesting idea, it abandons it in favour of another. The miniature world itself, arguably the film's greatest attraction, becomes little more than a backdrop for subjects that could have been explored without shrinking anyone at all.

The real disappointment isn't that "Downsizing" has too many ideas. It's that it refuses to develop any of them fully. Rather than exploring the social, political and ethical consequences of its extraordinary premise, it keeps jumping to the next big theme before the previous one has had time to breathe.

"Downsizing" is an ambitious film that deserves credit for thinking big, but its constant thematic detours prevent it from becoming the great science fiction satire it could have been. It shrinks its characters, but never quite decides what it really wants to say.

Success Rate:  - 1.2

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Barb Wire (5 Stars)

Barb Wire is often dismissed as a relic of 90's comic-book excess, yet it works surprisingly well as a pulpy celebration of girl power. Pamela Anderson's Barb stands at the centre of the chaos with a kind of swagger that leaves every man in the film looking slow, confused or hopelessly outmatched. The plot may swim in dystopian tropes, yet the film's energy comes from watching Barb outthink and outfight a line of men who underestimate her every step of the way.

Barb runs her nightclub, negotiates with corrupt officials and takes on mercenaries without waiting for help from anyone. The men around her posture and threaten, yet Barb treats them like minor obstacles. The film sets up a world in which men try to impose rules while Barb survives by ignoring those rules and doing things her own way. Every time a man tries to dominate the scene she shuts him down with either a sharp remark or a well-aimed shot. She never loses control.

The romance subplot exists only to underline her independence. Her former lover Axel believes he understands her, yet she consistently proves she does not need rescue or guidance. Their shared history matters only because it gives her another chance to demonstrate that she sees through the emotional games that slow everyone else down. Instead of melting into nostalgia she keeps her priorities clear and shows that strength can be both emotional and physical.

The action sequences reinforce this theme. Barb moves with confidence while her opponents stumble. The film delights in showing her as the most competent person in any room. Whether she is trading blows with hired muscle or navigating back-alley deals, she always comes out ahead. The men react to events while she shapes them.

As a film Barb Wire is messy at times, yet its core is a straightforward celebration of a woman who refuses limitations. It offers a heroine who is tougher, smarter and more decisive than every male character around her. For viewers who want stylised grit with a loud shot of girl power it still delivers.

Success Rate:  - 2.4

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Barb Wire (5 Stars)

Barb Wire arrived in 1996 as a glossy, chaotic mix of cyber-noir, comic book grit and B-movie bravado; over time it has settled into the kind of film that finds its audience late at night, often with a grin. Its reputation as a cult film rests on two pillars: its shamelessly pulpy style and the strange balance between sincerity and camp that runs through every scene. The tone wavers between self-aware parody and straight-faced action. That unevenness has helped the film survive long after the initial critical backlash. People return to it because it is bold, messy and entirely itself.

Pamela Anderson carries the film with a combination of deadpan toughness and deliberate glamour. Yet the real anchor of the story is Udo Kier as Curly. His performance is a master class in the art of supporting presence; he never tries to overshadow Anderson, but he shapes the emotional rhythm of every scene he enters. Kier has a gift for playing characters who seem to know more than they reveal. As Curly, he offers quiet loyalty mixed with wry resignation. He treats the absurdity around him with total seriousness. This gives the film a strange kind of credibility; when Kier looks worried, the stakes feel higher, even when the plot borders on cartoon logic.

Kier also provides the film with its most grounded emotional thread. Curly cares for Barb in a way that never slips into cliché. Instead, his loyalty feels like something built on years of shared struggle. The scenes between them play smoother and more natural than the larger political storyline; they give the film its heart. Kier communicates entire histories with small gestures and micro-expressions. In a film driven by spectacle, this subtlety stands out.

As a cult film, Barb Wire thrives on its contradictions. It is a loose reworking of Casablanca, yet it hides that influence behind neon lights, leather and explosions. It aims for sleek futurism, yet it feels like a time capsule of nineties aesthetics. It wants to be serious, yet it is most memorable when it leans into excess. These tensions create a viewing experience that rewards audiences who enjoy cinema that refuses to behave.

Over the years, midnight screenings and fan discussions have reframed the film as an example of accidental brilliance; its mixture of sincerity and camp makes it endlessly rewatchable. The costumes, the overheated dialogue, the pulpy action and the bold production design all contribute to the sense of a film that invites both laughter and admiration. At the centre of this strange world stands Udo Kier, giving a performance that elevates the entire project.

Originally labelled as a flawed blockbuster, Barb Wire's standing as a cult film has grown over the years. It showcases the power of character actors who treat even the wildest material with full commitment; it proves that audacity and personality can keep a film alive long after its initial release.

Success Rate:  - 2.4

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Iron Sky: The Coming Race (2½ Stars)

When I saw this film in the cinema five years ago I said that a lot was happening, and I needed to watch it again to figure it all out. Finally, after five years, I've watched it again. Too much is happening in the film, way too much. The first film was a fairly simple story: at the end of World War Two the Nazi elite fled to the Moon to create a new kingdom, waiting for the right moment to return to Earth and conquer the world. The second film adds a fanatical cult, aliens who guided mankind for thousands of years, and dinosaurs who live at the centre of the world. Any one of those ideas would have made a fascinating film, but adding them all at once just clogs it down.

Udo Kier is dead. He passed away on Sunday, but it was only reported today. He was a magnificent actor, excelling in every role he played. He was also modest. A few years ago he said, "I've made 200 films. 100 of them are bad. 50 can only be enjoyed with a glass of wine. The other 50 are great". I wonder how he would rate "The Coming Race". I expect he would call it a bad film. All I can say is that no film was ever bad because of Udo. He was good in every role he played. The problem is the overall quality of the film, from the screenwriting to the directing. Udo Kier is an actor whose work I have always enjoyed, and he'll be sadly missed.

Success Rate:  - 49.2

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Swan Song (2 Stars)

This is a film based on true events, or at least based on a real life character. Udo Kier plays Pat Pitsenbarger, a retired hairdresser in Sandusky, Ohio. In his younger years he was also a performer in a gay bar. He's hired to do the hair of a former customer who recently passed away. She has to look beautiful in her coffin, and Pat's the best. The film follows the mishaps as Pat attempts to gather the materials for his job. Some are no longer on sale, and others are too expensive for his meagre budget.

It's a pleasant little story, and I've always been a fan of Udo Kier, but I couldn't relate to the character. Did the events really happen the way they're portrayed? It's hard to believe that a weak old man would be entrusted with such a ridiculous job.

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Shadow of the Vampire (5 Stars)

After watching "Nosferatu" on Saturday I felt inclined to rewatch the 1922 version of the film for comparison. I changed my mind and picked up "Shadow of the Vampire" instead. When's the last time I watched it? It was before I started writing my blog, so I have no exact date. I remember seeing it in the cinema in 2001, at a time when I rarely visited the cinema. It was one of the first films I bought on DVD, probably in 2003. I know I watched it a few times, but it was long, long ago. For this reason it was a good idea to choose it today.

The film follows F. W. Murnau and his filming of "Nosferatu" in 1922. Rather than tell the true story as a biopic, it tells a fantasy version of the story. Max Schreck, the man who was to play Count Orlok, wasn't an actor; he was a real vampire. After discovering him, Murnau asked him to appear in his film in exchange for being given the German actress Greta Schröder as his bride.

All went well on the film set, until Schreck got hungry and started to eat other members of the cast and crew. Murnau fights to keep Schreck's true identity a secret.

From my description the film might sound like a comedy, but it's played seriously. Willem Dafoe is genuinely scary as Max Schreck the vampire. It's tragic that this magnificent film has been forgotten with the passing of time. Despite its critical success, it's no longer available for purchase except for a Spanish Blu-ray. It has the original English version.

Success Rate:  - 0.6

Blade (3 Stars)

"There's only one Blade. There's only ever going to be one Blade".

After seeing Blade's re-appearance in "Deadpool & Wolverine", I thought it would be good to return to the original Blade films. I admit that I could hardly remember them, which is always a bad sign. I checked my old posts and saw that I'd given the first film a low rating and the two sequels a high rating. So I watched "Blade" today, hoping I'd change my mind about it.

I didn't. The film has a cheap B-Movie feeling to it. There's a lot of action, but the characters aren't particularly interesting. Even Blade himself is someone I can't relate to. He's cold and heartless. To be fair, that's how he's portrayed in the comics, but it doesn't make him interesting as a character.

There's a certain poignancy to the mother-son relationship. Blade has spent all his life searching for the vampire who killed his mother. Now he finds out that she's still alive, and she's a servant of the vampire who turned her. Blade has to fight his mother to the death. This is something that could have been handled better by a more talented director.

The film's special effects are embarrassingly bad. Was it deliberate?

"Blade" was made in 1998. It can be considered a link between the poor quality direct-to-video Marvel films of the 1980's and the well produced films that began with "X-Men" in 2000. Next I'll have to watch the other two films and see if they really are better.

Success Rate:  + 0.9

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Iron Sky (4 Stars)

Where would we be without bargain bins? At the weekend I found a double Blu-ray with both "Iron Sky" films for 1.50 Euros. That's only 75 cents per film. Who can resist an offer like that?

"Iron Sky" is a Finnish film made in German and English. It's about a German Nazi colony on the Moon. They fled to the Moon in 1945 when they realised that the war was lost. Now they want to return to Earth to bring peace under the Swastika.

The new Führer is Udo Kier as Wolfgang Kortzfleisch. There was a general called Joachim von Kortzfleisch in the Second World War. I don't know if there's any significance in using his name. All I can say is that Udo Kier is perfect for the role. He looks like a Führer. He's a powerful actor who steals the scene in every role he plays, even if it's only a small part.

The film might be about Nazis, but more than anything else it's a satire of American politics. It takes place in the near future, 2018, when Sarah Palin has become president. At least, it was the near future when the film was made in 2012. Maybe that's why it's ended up in the bargain bin in 2023. It's always a problem naming the exact year when you're making a film about the future. Sometimes it fits, mostly it doesn't.

The Blu-ray contains the director's cut, not the theatrical version that I've watched twice in the past. No, I can't remember the differences. All I know is that the director's cut is 20 minutes longer.

Success Rate:  - 1.2

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Barb Wire (5 Stars)

When I wrote about "Barb Wire" last Saturday I promised I would watch it again soon. It's unusual for me to keep the promises that I make in my blog. Or at least, I do keep my promises eventually. When I say I'll do something soon it can be any time between two years and five years.

The film was made in 1996 and predicted that within 20 years a second American Civil War would break out. This would lead to a Fascist organisation called the Congressional Directorate taking over most of the USA. I've always said that when a film is set in the future the year should be left vague. The director of this film didn't listen to me. It takes place in 2017, which is supposed to be in the future.

In this future world there's only one independent city left in America: Steel Harbour. The rest of the country is divided between the Congressional Directorate and the United Front. Both factions are present in Steel Harbour, but that doesn't mean there's peace. It means there is chaos. Crime and lawlessness are abundant, with everyone grabbing as much for himself as he can get. This is where Barbara Kopetski aka Barb Wire lives. She's a mercenary, selling her services to the highest bidder. She used to be a soldier for the United Front, but that was a long time ago. Now she just looks after herself.

Her loyalties to her old friends are put to the test when Steel Harbour becomes a front line in the war. Topeka, Kansas was wiped out in a test for a new biological weapon called Red Ribbon, a plague that kills its victims within 12 hours. The scientist responsible for the plague, Dr. Corrina Devonshire, has defected to the Resistance against the Congressional Directorate. She's injected herself with the antidote to the plague, so she's carrying the only known cure in her body. She wants to travel to Canada to present herself to the United Nations, but now she's in Steel Harbour and can only get out of the city with Barb Wire's help. Barb Wire would be reluctant to help a penniless idealist at the best of times, but Corrina is also married to her ex-lover.

The resulting film is a fast moving action adventure that lives up to the Dark Horse comics on which it's based. The main characters are all credible, nobody truly black or white, all of them varying shades of grey. We can feel sorry for those who fall by the wayside because they would rather save their own lives than do good. I can't guarantee that I'd be any different in circumstances like those.

I don't know how often this film is shown on television, if at all. All I can say is that it's a film worth seeing. When it was first released the critics and the viewing public were united in saying how bad it was. I don't care what the critics say, they rarely understand what the public likes. I'm disappointed with the public for not giving the film a chance. Many assumed it was bad because others told them it was bad, and they didn't check it out for themselves. It's time to reevaluate the film.

This was one of the first films about a female super-hero. It paved the way for future films like "Wonder Woman" and "Captain Marvel", but DC and Marvel needed 20 years to catch up.

Success Rate:  - 2.4

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Barb Wire (5 Stars)

It's difficult for me to understand why this film has never received the praise it deserves. It's one of the most faithful comic book adaptations ever. Pamela Anderson plays the part of the heartless mercenary Barb Wire as if she were born to play the role. Her excellent acting makes up for all the criticism she received for her years in "Baywatch". She has everything that it takes to be an action hero. It's possible that a stunt woman stood in for her in some scenes, but in most scenes the camera is close enough to make it clear that she's doing everything herself. The supporting characters are also so strong that the viewer can immerse himself in the chaos of a future American fascist state.

My first thought after watching "Barb Wire" today was "Wow! I've got to watch it again soon". Maybe next week, maybe the week after, but it has to be soon. However many films I may currently have on my list, it deserves repeated viewing. I'll try to write more about it next time.

Success Rate:  - 2.4

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End of Days (5 Stars)

It's Easter. What better way to celebrate than Arnold Schwarzenegger being crucified in New York?

What do my readers think about this film? I'd really like to discuss it. I'm not blind to its faults. The film's premise is ridiculous, but everything else about it is amazing. If you can turn your brain off and accept the idea behind the film, everything else is wonderful: the acting, the pacing, the thrills, the action sequences. That's what I think, anyway. I'd like to hear from my readers. Would anyone like to write a full review of the film?

Success Rate:  + 0.1

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Dragged Across Concrete (2 Stars)

This is the ninth film in the Stuttgart Nights Festival.

This is a film that I was looking for after seeing "Brawl in Cell Block 99" by the same director, S. Craig Zahler, last year. When the festival hosts introduced the film they said it's not a film for everyone because it's very long (almost three hours) and very slow moving. I was disappointed with the film, but for me the problems lay neither in the film's length nor its pacing.

For the first 90 minutes the film tells two unrelated stories in parallel. It's only in the second half of the film that the two stories merge.

The first story is about two policemen in the American city of Bulwark. I assume the city is fictional. They're tough cops who believe in getting their job done. This might involve being excessively rough with suspects. After Brett Ridgeman (Mel Gibson) is filmed standing on the head of a drug dealer he and his partner Tony Lurasetti (Vince Vaughn) are suspended without pay. This causes problems for both of them. Brett's wife is suffering from multiple sclerosis, and he can hardly afford the medical bills. Tony is planning to propose to his girlfriend. They decide to do a job on the side. Brett is given the name of a drug dealer in another town, and he plans to rob him. This will support the two of them while they have no income.

The second story is about Henry, a criminal who's just been released from jail. He's not really a bad man, but for him crime is the only way he can support his mother and his physically handicapped brother. He gets a job as the driver for a very violent criminal gang.

Then the two stories converge. The person that Brett and Tony intend to rob is more than just a drug dealer, he's the mastermind behind a big robbery in which Henry is involved.

Now here are my problems. The two stories in the first half are uneven. We get to know the two policemen and sympathise with their plight. They're both good cops, they've never taken a bribe, but they're forced into a criminal act by doing their job. The story about the criminal isn't told in as much detail. We hardly get to know Henry because we're introduced to his associates too soon.

Then there are ridiculous things. 90 minutes into the story a new character is introduced. We're given details of her private life, and I felt emotionally drawn to her. I thought it was too late to introduce an important character, but I liked her so much that I accepted it. Then bang! Five minutes later she was dead. What was the point? This is poor screenwriting. The film would have been improved by removing her scenes altogether. She was totally unnecessary.

Other things in the second half of the film are illogical. I shan't give away spoilers. All I'll say is that the film's resolution in itself is good, but what leads up to it isn't satisfying. My overall impression is that the film is a mess.

Iron Sky (4 Stars)

I should have watched this film before I went to see "The Coming Race" yesterday, but as they say, "It's better late than never". It's a true statement, but I would have enjoyed "The Coming Race" more after refreshing my memory. I'd forgotten who Renate Richter is.

"Iron Sky" was made in 2012 and takes place in the near future, the year 2018. It's interesting to see how the screenwriter and director envisioned the future. They expected Sarah Palin to be the American president. Was that ever a real possibility? I can't remember now. I know that she was mocked for her right wing views and embarrassing forgetfulness, but I'd rather have her as president than the one America has now. I'm sure a lot of Americans would agree with me.

President Palin's ratings are dropping, so she's worried she won't be elected for a second term. The best way to become popular would be for her to start a war, because wartime presidents always get a second term. She considers bombing Australia, but that would only be a last resort. First she tries a softer approach: she encourages NASA to make America's first manned moon landing in 45 years, and one of the astronauts is black. She has campaign posters of herself with the astronaut, James Washington, and the slogan is "Black to the Moon". Even his name sounds patriotic. This misfires when the space shuttle explodes and both astronauts die. So she needs a war after all?

Unknown to anyone on Earth, James Washington has survived. The space shuttle landed near a moonbase that's shaped like a swastika. At the end of World War Two Nazis fled to the Moon and formed a colony, preparing for the day when they could return and conquer the Earth. Their giant warship, the Götterdämmerung, is ready, but one thing is missing: they don't have enough computing power. The mobile phone that they steal from James is the missing link, and the attack can begin.

This is Sarah's War. She's happy when the Nazis attack, because "they're the only ones we've ever defeated in a fair fight".

So who's Renate Richter? She's the daughter of the Moon's greatest scientist. She's engaged to marry Klaus Adler, the second in command of the Moon Nazis and the designated successor of the ageing Führer, Wolfgang Kortzfleisch. He's impatient to take over, so he follows in the footsteps of Claus von Stauffenberg and stages a putsch, killing the Führer. Seemingly. We don't find out until the sequel that he survived.

There are numerous other subplots that turn this film into a biting satire. Despite its sometimes shaky special effects it's a highly enjoyable film.

Success Rate:  - 1.2

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Iron Sky: The Coming Race (3½ Stars)

This is a sequel to "Iron Sky", made in 2012. It's a step up from the first film. The special effects look more professional and the sets are bigger. The plot is also more complex, which isn't necessarily a good thing. I was having to pay close attention to figure out what was happening. A disadvantage is that I haven't watched the first film for six years. I really should have re-watched it to prepare myself. The film takes place 25 years after the first film, but some of the characters return.

At the end of the first film the Earth was ravaged by a nuclear war. The remnants of the human race took refuge on the moon in the Nazi moonbase used by the Fourth Reich. The former Nazis are no longer in power, but the new rulers have created a government which started well but has drifted into totalitarianism. There are too many people in the moonbase, and almost everyone lives in poverty without enough food. The ruling elite, who secretly worship Steven Jobs, live in comfort. It won't last much longer. A series of moonquakes threaten to destroy the moonbase.

Obi, the daughter of the moonbase's leader, finds the former Nazi leader Wolfgang Kortzfleisch hiding. He was seemingly killed in the first film, but he reveals that he isn't human and can live forever. Millions of years ago an alien race called the Vrils visited the Earth. They used their advanced technology to make monkeys become intelligent, which led to the creation of the human race. After this they built themselves a civilisation at the centre of the Earth, leaving humanity to develop by themselves. They just influenced history a few times by sending Vrils to the surface to become human leaders. For instance, Jesus Christ, Adolf Hitler and Margaret Thatcher were Vrils. It's more accurate to say that they are Vrils, because they didn't die. After completing their tasks they pretended to die and returned to the Vril kingdom beneath the Earth.

A scout party is sent back to Earth to see if the underground kingdom still exists. They find that it's a paradise, in contrast to the barren surface. The only problem is that the Vrils are now being led by Adolf Hitler, who refuses to accept human settlers in his pure-blooded Vril kingdom.

Confusing? Yes, and that's only the start. This is definitely a film I need to watch again.

End of Days (5 Stars)

This is a film that's been slammed by the critics, despite being a moderate box office success. I know what's wrong with the film. The plot doesn't always make sense. Or rather, the film's premise doesn't make sense, but if you close your eyes to these faults it's an excellent supernatural action film. It stands out as a film in which Arnold Schwarzenegger proves he can act well when he wants to. That doesn't happen often.

Gabriel Byrne's performance as the Devil is stunning. He's exactly as I imagine the Devil to be. He's not openly evil, but he has a seductive way of talking. He has a way of making his point of view seem positive. He sounds very persuasive when he tells people he's the good guy and God's the bad guy.

Nevertheless, this is Arnold Schwarzenegger's film. He's moving as an ex-policeman who's lost his faith. How can a man without faith stand up against the Devil? Only by finding his faith once more.

Success Rate:  + 0.1

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I'm thinking about doing something different next month. I'll be on holiday for two weeks, and I doubt I'll have time to write reviews, at least not detailed reviews, so I'll post at least one holiday photo each day.

I also intend to listen to all of Klaus Schulze's albums in order. At the moment I don't think I know how to review music. All I can say about a piece of music is whether I like it or not. If I don't know what to write I'll just post a picture of the CD cover and a list of the tracks. I might start early next month, or I might wait until after I return from holiday. Probably the latter.

My Ai Shinozaki month will end tomorrow, and it wasn't as popular as I expected. I doubt I'll do anything like that in future. Or maybe I will. Don't expect me to be predictable.

In September and October last year I did a "Video of the Day" feature. I never intended to stop posting video reviews, I just haven't had time. I'll start again soon. I still watch YouTube videos almost every day, mostly children's videos, and I ought to write about the better videos. So far I've only reviewed children's videos, but I might write about other videos.

I'll continue with my Marvel Years posts. I'm going to make an effort to increase the frequency to twice a week, if possible. They take a lot of time to write. So far I'm up to April 1967. I want to continue to 1972 at least, maybe as far as 1984. I still don't know for certain. At the moment I'm writing about 10 comics each month. This will increase in mid 1968, which is the year when Marvel drastically increased its output. By the late 1970's I'll be reviewing less comics, because there will be more titles that I don't consider to be canon.

Is there anything else that you, my readers, want me to do? Films will always be my main focus, but I'm willing to add other things as I go along. Leave me a comment below.

Downsizing (4½ Stars)

If you've ever been to a Chinese restaurant in America you know about those funny little things they give you after the meal called fortune cookies. They're horrible tasting sweet biscuits which contain a strip of paper with a message. This message might be a prediction of what will happen to you, or it might be a wise statement. When I visited a Chinese restaurant with work colleagues in Poughkeepsie, New York, I found a message that I'll never forget:

"The man is richest whose pleasures are cheapest".

It didn't mean much to me at the time, but I'm glad I didn't forget it, because a few years later it become my life motto. After having a large income for more than 20 years my career collapsed and I earned less than 20% of what I'd had before. But it was enough. I realised that I could make do with my smaller income by being happy with less. I didn't have a car. I never went on holidays. I rarely ate out. My only luxuries were a good computer and a good stereo system, and even they were bought carefully after tight budgeting. Now, after spending 15 years getting by with limited resources I don't want to return to the days of having too much money.

Many people don't understand me because this way of thinking is so alien to them. Many don't believe me when I say I'm not interested in acquiring money. My brother-in-law, a very greedy man by nature, has repeatedly accused me of wanting to get my hands on the family inheritance. He's projecting his own faults onto me, but even people with greater moral integrity think in similar ways. The opposite is the truth. If I somehow won a million dollars today my first thought would be to divide it among my children, keeping only enough for my basic needs for the rest of my life.

That's what "Downsizing" is about. Paul Safranek is a man who learns to live a life of virtual luxury by reducing his size and reducing his needs. Then he loses the little he has left when his greedy wife divorces him, but he still manages to survive. He finds pleasure in things that don't cost money.

I'm pleased that this film is already included in Amazon Prime, less than a year after it appeared in the cinema. Maybe that's because it was a box office failure. That's a shame. It's a film that deserves to be watched, and it's a film that should make you reassess your life and your goals.

Success Rate:  - 1.2

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Brawl in Cell Block 99 (4½ Stars)

I don't know why Vince Vaughn wastes his time with comedy roles. This is the sort of film that he was born to make. He's quiet, aloof and brooding, and yet his warm heart shows through the cracks in his armour when we least expect it.

The title is misleading. The brawl itself doesn't take place until 90 minutes into the film, and it only lasts ten minutes. That's not a problem. The film is breath-takingly intense from the first minutes.

I don't want to say much about the film's plot. To find out more click here to read my first review. All I'll add today is that I really despised the staff at Redleaf Prison, which contains Cell Block 99. The warden himself is the worst, but they're all despicable characters. It's as if the daily work with hardened criminals has made the evil rub off on them.

"Brawl in Cell Block 99" is harsh and brutal, but Vince Vaughn is so convincing that we can't help taking his side and hoping for him to win against the overwhelming odds.

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American Animals (4½ Stars)

This is the 15th film in the Stuttgart Fantasy Film Festival.

This film has already been shown in cinemas in most other countries, but since no official German release is planned it was shown at German film festivals instead. The film is a box office flop, which I consider surprising. It's very well made, highly entertaining, and even the critics like it.

At the beginning the film makes the statement, "This film is not based on a true story; this film is a true story". I assume that the director means that he has made an effort to tell the story as accurately as possible. The action in the film is frequently interrupted by the real life characters talking about the film. Sometimes they contradict one another, for instance, "That's Warren's memory of the event. I remember it differently".

In 2003 two students decided to steal several books from the Transylvania University's library, including a first edition of John James Audubon's "The Birds of America", allegedly the world's most valuable book with a value of $12 million. Realising the job was too big for them they added a third, then a fourth student to their number.

The film shows the mishaps that are inevitable when inexperienced criminals try to act as a team.

Overall this is an excellent film which I look forward to seeing again.

Barb Wire (5 Stars)

When Pamela Anderson applied for the lead role in "Barb Wire" her agents tried to talk her out of it. They said that the film didn't fit her image. She replied by saying that "Baywatch" didn't fit her image. She saw herself as an action hero.

"Barb Wire" was a comic published by Dark Horse that initially ran for nine issues in 1994-1995. I read it at the time, but I can only vaguely remember the story. 20 years is a long time. It was one of the better comics published by an independent comic company. I was excited when I heard that there would be a Barb Wire film, but I was apprehensive when I heard it would star Pamela Anderson. She wasn't someone I would have associated with a super-hero film. I shouldn't have worried. She fitted the film perfectly. I don't know her well enough to say whether she's a good actress or not. I hardly ever watched "Baywatch", because it was insipid to me. All I can say about her is that she plays the role of Barbara Kopetski aka Barb Wire perfectly, possibly because she's playing herself. She's a mean bitch throughout the film. Anyone who pays attention to my blog knows that that's a compliment.

Shortly after the film's release there was a four-part mini-series about Barb Wire. It's obvious that the character was now visually based on Pamela Anderson.

Now to the story itself. In the distant future there's been a Second Civil War in America that has put a fascist dictatorship called the Congressional Directorate in power. The "far distant future" is the year 2017. I suppose that 2017 seemed far distant when the film was made in 1996. I keep telling people that films set in the future shouldn't specify a year, but nobody ever listens to me. Anyway, there's only one independent city left in America, Steel City, which seems to represent Detroit. Barb Wire used to be a soldier fighting against the Congressional Directorate, but now she's retired and has become a mercenary, working for whichever side pays the most. She owns a nightclub called the Hammerhead, but at night she rides the streets on her motorcycle, guns blazing. All men desire her, which makes it easy for her to kill them.

A resistance fighter called Cora Devonshire has entered Steel City and is trying to escape to Canada. She's carrying an antidote for a biological weapon that the Congressional Directorate has been using to wipe out millions of people. She appeals to Barb Wire for help, but she doesn't have enough money to hire her services. Cora is now married to Alex Hood, Barb Wire's ex lover, which makes the situation even more difficult to solve.

Would you mess with a woman with a face like that? I wouldn't be looking at her face.

The film is campy with over-the-top action, but it's a perfect super-hero film with excellent performances by the main actors. It seems to me that the biggest critics of the film are people who've never seen it. They don't want to watch it because they're put off by Pamela Anderson's image, the very image that she says isn't her. Watch the film with an open mind, forgetting for a moment who Pamela Anderson is. You'll be dazed by the action. You'll be shocked by Barb Wire's icy personality. You'll love the film and you'll be begging for a sequel.

There really should have been a sequel 20 years ago, but the film did badly financially. Too few people gave it a chance. If a sequel is made today they'll have to find a new actress for the lead role, and it's difficult to think of anyone who can step into Pamela Anderson's shoes.

Roger Ebert made the interesting comment, "The filmmakers must have known they were not making a good movie, but they didn't use that as an excuse to be boring and lazy. 'Barb Wire' has a high energy level and a sense of deranged fun". That's a statement I had to read a few times to properly understand what he meant, but I agree with it. "Barb Wire" has high energy and deranged fun. That's all a film needs to make me like it.

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