"Mad Max: Fury Road"

I have to this review by saying that I am not in any way a fan of the original movies. So I suppose it begs the question, why on earth am I watch this new film?

The future, a post apocalyptic desolate wasteland. Pretty much nothing but sand, where very litttle grows. Roaming the sand dunes are gangs of psychotic tribes, driving around in the most bizarre vehicles.
Immortan Joe rules, he controls the people, the supply of water, and rages a constant battle for fuel. Battling all this is Max, a former Police Officer, who has lost his wife and daughter, and now battles his own demons as well.

To answer my original question, when I saw the trailer, I was stunned by the visuals, which looked quite amazing. Also I felt that enough time had passed since having seen the original movies, that it was time to reacquaint myself with Mad Max and the world he is from. It must be 20 years since I last saw a Mad Max film, and I would be quite happy for the same amount of time to pass by before I see, if I see another one.

As a piece of entertainment, I cannot see what there is to be entertained by. The visuals are at times quite remarkable but it is so not enough to warrant 120 minutes of viewing. I just see what the point of the film is, just like the originals. Tom Hardy is a great actor, and is woefully underused. I would say that Charlize Theron has the better role.

The film is as barron as the wasteland that it is set in.............4 out of 10

"A Million Ways To Die In The West"

What can one say about Seth MacFarlane? Well despite what a disaster he made of hosting the Oscars, he would appear to have a love of the western. And that is the genre that is the setting for his latest comedy.
Albert is a sheep farmer, and he has never really amounted to much. Still living with his folks, but he does have the love of a good woman, Louise, well that is until she dumps him, feeling she can do better elsewhere. So he is feeling understandably low, that is until he meets Anna, who has just moved into town with her 'brother'. She brings him alive, but there is a inevitable downside. She is married, and not to just any old cowboy, but the most terrifying sadistic gunslinger this side of Dodge City, wonderfully played by Liam Neeson.

Will Albert prove his worth when challenged by Clinch in a duel?
How far can an unsheared sheep see?
And just how many cameos can you have in a movie?

All these questions and many more are answered with the comedic style that made "Ted" such the hit that it was. I have to be slightly critical of the fact that a lot of the laughs are seen in the trailer, but fret not as there is still plenty to laugh at. There is some toilet humour which is not for the faint hearted.
But as mentioned MacFarlane does seem to love the westen, as the opening features some stunning cinematography, huge credits done in the style of a 60's western, and a great score. During the scene you would almost be forgiven for thinking you were watching the wrong film.

If you have not seen the trailer, loved "Ted" and like a western, then there is no reason why you will not thoroughly enjoy this latest film, which MacFarlane, starred in, wrote, produced and Directed.
As mentioned there are some cameos to watch out for, and a nice little surprise.

A comedy with some good laughs and a nice western homage......7 out of 10

"Prometheus"

Every so often, along comes a special film, what I like to call an 'event' film. Being such a fan of the "Alien" franchise that I am, it was only natural that I would be majorly looking forward to this film, especially with having 'Alien' Director Sir Ridley Scott back at the helm.

So what do we have to expect from "Prometheus"?
We see life on Earth, or rather its very creation. Then we jump to the future, not too far, and a team of Scientists happen upon a cave, and within is a drawing, having been there some considerable time. It turns out that the same pattern is turning up in cave systems all over the planet. They eventually work out that it relates to a star system. Could this be the key to the very foundation of life on Earth? Is there where our humble beginnings started?

The crew set off on a journey, on board the Prometheus. Once settled on the Planet, they start a survey of the area. They come across a cave system, and it looks remarkably like something we may have seen before. They find some cannisters, almost egg shaped. What could be inside? The team get seperated, and two members are left in the cave system. Unfortunately things do not pan out too well for these crew members. And things in general do seem to take a turn for the worse.
One of the Crew members is David, and he is an android, and seems to have a hidden agenda. Have we been here before I ask myself?

Whether you class this as a prequel to the Alien franchise is one for each individual viewer to decide. Personally I think it is, but it is hardly in the same league as the 1979 masterpiece.
The plot is very sloppy, at times very predictable. Although Ridley Scott has assembled some great names to appear in the film, very few come away with any high marks.  Worst of all has to be Oscar winner Charlize Theron, if the Acadamy asked for their Oscar back, I would not blame them.
Noomi Rapace  and Michael Fassbender do fair better in their respective roles.
One cannot argue that the film is visually stunning, but this does not compensate for where else the film is lacking.

For such a huge build up, this film majorly failed to deliver, there were a lot of unanswered questions, presumably to lead to a sequel, but ultimately what was it all for? A real shame......5 out of 10