Made in Britain (1982)

A portrait of a violent, racist and unremorseful sixteen-year-old skinhead named Trevor who lacks any redeeming qualities, although he's more intelligent than the swastika tattoo on his head might make people think. His social worker and the staff at the assessment centre offer their services, but all the youth sees is yet more authority figures to be hated.
It's a slice of life drama presented in Alan Clarke's no-frills realism style, with no moralising or reassuring messages to help viewers sleep soundly in their beds when all is said and done. But Tim Roth's amazing performance in the lead role will surely stick in the memory long after the rest has faded.

3½ chalk options out of 5

THE HATEFUL EIGHT [2015]

Writer/director Quentin Tarantino packs in some good ol' fashioned snowy film-making with his off-beat Western/thriller The Hateful Eight.
A pack of thugs, all strangers to each other, are trapped in a isolated cabin during a snowy blizzard, which inevitably leads to...well...some serious cabin fever aka obligatory Tarantino bloodshed and vulgar but engrossing monologues.
With this film, it's become clear the smug director has the rights to be smug, as he's got a confident and well-developed grasp on the art of cinematic storytelling.  It's beautifully shot, well-paced, jammed to the brim with wonderful performances from it's genre cast and never ceases to keep you guessing who's who and what's what.
It's essentially Rawhide meets Reservoir Dogs but, hot damn, if it's not a fully captivating mash-up of the two films.

4 Silent Nights out of 5

Pulp Fiction (1994)

QT’s second film is a nonlinear collection of about half a dozen stories that overlap in interesting ways, even though none of them really go anywhere meaningful. On one hand it’s deserving of being pulped, but the performances, dialogue and love shown to established filmic techniques (rear projection car rides, long tracking shots, split-focus lens and even a McGuffin) are indulgently entertaining. It’s not unlike the tasty burger that Sam Jackson makes a big deal over in one of the stories: it’s constructed from chopped up pieces and satisfies for a brief time. However, at 154 minutes I do feel that it pushes against the limits of acceptability for that kind of thing.

4 moral tests of oneself out of 5

Reservoir Dogs (1992)

Revisiting RD was as entertaining as I'd hoped. It’s still an excellent film, proving that it wasn't just riding on a timed wave of counter-culture hype.
If you didn't already know, it’s a heist movie but whereas most films focus on the planning and preparation, only getting to the actual theft in the last half hour, Dogs focuses on what happens afterwards, when it all goes sour.
Outfitting bad guys in matching suits was a striking image before QT’s time and it still is today. And having the action take place primarily in locations that rarely change means the remainder of it hasn't visibly dated.
The importance of music is felt even though there’s no actual score; any music in the film is heard by one or more of the characters.

4½ Super Sounds of the Seventies out of 5

SELMA [2014]

Director Ava DuVernay's historical drama Selma depicts the 1965 march in Alabama led by Martin Luther King, Jr. to secure voting rights for the African-American community.
David Oyelowo does an excellent job as Dr. King with a strong and demanding presence but also channels a fragile side when needed.  Juggling the ugliness of the times and the stirring speeches without ever losing it's impact makes for some gripping cinema.  While it educates the viewer of time we shouldn't forget it never feels too dry or like we're being force-fed.  There's many films like this but it never hurts to be reminded, especially in this day and age, where many of the topics covered are sadly still quite relevant.

4 Nobel Peace Prizes out of 5

The Incredible Hulk (2008)

Ed Norton channels his inner Bill Bixby. He gives a solid and understated performance as the troubled scientist with the anger issues. It really does feel like the spiritual successor to the 1970's TV series of the same name, even teasing us with a short musical cue. Sadly, the story gives him very little to work with after the first half. It changes direction but offers nothing and no one worth caring about. I stuck it out to the end, but the urge to hit stop was a compelling one.

2½ pairs of purple pants out of 5

Planet of the Apes (2001)

I've read Pierre Boulle's original novel, watched all of the original films multiple times, and even the short-lived television series, so it's fair to say that I'm an Apes fan. I'm also a fan of some of Tim Burton's work prior to this, which makes reviewing his unnecessary remake all the more troublesome.
Pros: a great ensemble cast, Mr Elfman on score duties, Rick Baker's flawless make-up and the amazing costumes.
Cons: Everything else.
To date, it's Burton's worst film by far and a well-deserved winner of a Golden Razzie for worst remake. It's a travesty.

1½ spring-powered ape legs out of 5