Reviews by Gator MacReady

Order by: Date, A–Z

• 
  The Business (2005)

  Review preview for The Business

  The actual "business" part of the film only lasts 10 minutes and there's no huge insight into what they're doing.

  In the mid-80s a young man falls foul of a gangster and is sent to take money to an ex-con in Spain, who invites him to join his team.
• 
  Radiant (2005)

  Review preview for Radiant

  The film is so preposterously overwrought and mundane that it's hard to imagine that writer/director Steve Mahone could overlook such obvious dullness.

  A new vaccine creates a deadly virus.
• 
  Tsotsi (2005)

  Review preview for Tsotsi

  The acting by a cast of mostly unknowns is perfect.

  An outstanding, highly moral tale of a young South African thug's redemption.
• 
  Tartan Shorts (2005)

  Review preview for Tartan Shorts

  Overall, I am not highly impressed.

  Selection of shorts from the Ediburgh Film Festival.
• 
  George A Romero's Land Of The Dead (2005)

  Review preview for George A Romero's Land Of The Dead

  There's nothing remotely scary about it. No constant sense of dread, or the threat of losing one's humanity.

  The creator of the zombie genre returns with an allegory of Bush's abuses in Iraq.
• 
  Stoned (2005)

  Review preview for Stoned

  Despite good performances all round (Gregory is very sympathetic), it does get boring.

  The last days of the fifth Rolling Stone, Brian Jones.
• 
  Ferpect Crime (2004)

  An accidental killing leads to funny consequences of a psychotic nature.
• 
  The Devil's Rejects (2005)

  Review preview for The Devil's Rejects

  The Devil's Rejects is not primarily a horror flick. It's a gritty, grotty, rustic, action/revenge thriller.

  Gritty, grotty, rustic sequel to House Of 1000 Corpses.
• 
  War Of The Worlds (2005)

  Review preview for War Of The Worlds

  The film lacks a defining moment, or set piece, and is void of a climax. You could say that CGI is all it's about and you'd pretty much be right.

  Earth is under attack and survival at a premium as giant alien robots gather for Armageddon.
• 
  Aloha, Scooby-Doo (2005)

  The animated Mystery Inc gang go to Hawaii and become mixed up in a volcanic kidnapping.
• 
  Predator 2 (1990)

  Review preview for Predator 2

  Brash, unsubtle, in-your-face, wall-to-wall action.

  The 7ft tall, otherworldy hunter comes to LA to slice and dice bad guys for fun.
• Seed Of Chucky (2004)

  Review preview for Seed Of Chucky

  You have to be pretty open-minded to endure the morbid humour, but it's the guiltiest pleasure you're likely to have for a long time.

  Fifth slice of horror with the demonic doll.
• 
  Cursed (2005)

  A werewolf on Muholland Drive has a feast on human road kill.
• 
  Daredevil - Director's Cut (2003)

  Review preview for Daredevil - Director's Cut

  Anonymously directed, mechanical and unsurprising and is aimed at the indiscriminate lowest common denominator.

  A longer version, with additional sub plots, to the blind superhero movie.
• 
  The Amityville Horror (2005)

  Review preview for The Amityville Horror

  Too bad nothing really happens in this film.

  Remake of axe-wielding angry dad in true-life adaptation of horror in haunted house.
• 
  Be Cool (2005)

  Sequel to Get Shorty moves into the music business.
• 
  Hostage (2005)

  Review preview for Hostage

  Hostage is a brainless movie, masquerading as an intelligent thriller.

  Convoluted double hostage thriller with a skinny ex-action hero losing the plot.
• 
  Hitch (2005)

  Review preview for Hitch

  Man alive! You have seen this film a hundred times before.

  Date doctor struggles to win the heart of a good lady.
• 
  Criminal (2004)

  A couple of professional scam merchants come up with the ultimate con trick.
• 
  Son Of The Mask (2005)

  Review preview for Son Of The Mask

  You have never seen a film nosedive as badly.

  The genes of The Mask are inherited by a baby.
• 
  Racing Stripes (2004)

  Review preview for Racing Stripes

  Just so you know, if you've seen Babe, or Animal Farm, there isn't any reason to see this. I'm surprised there haven't been infringement lawsuits threatened.

  A zebra from the circus grows up on a farm, believing he's a racehorse.
• 
  Ladder 49 (2004)

  Review preview for Ladder 49

  There's no real involvement, or epic feel, though there is enough emotion to make it worthwhile.

  In praise of the firefighter, post 9/11.
• 
  Without A Paddle (2004)

  Review preview for Without A Paddle

  Funny and exciting, with non-stop action and set pieces.

  Three school friends meet up as respectable, bored adults and decide to go on a treasure hunt.
• 
  National Treasure (2004)

  Review preview for National Treasure

  National Treasure is just plain boring. There is no mystery, or sense of discovery.

  Treaure hunt for kids and soft-centred adults who like watching Nicolas Cage sleep walking.
• 
  The Manchurian Candidate (2004)

  Review preview for The Manchurian Candidate

  Jonathan Demme directs with utter simplicity.

  Gulf War soldiers are brainwashed.
• 
  Anacondas: The Hunt For The Blood Orchid (2004)

  Review preview for Anacondas: The Hunt For The Blood Orchid

  Incredibly dumb and unnecessary it may be, but Anacondas is easy, inoffensive entertainment.

  A group of scientists encounter a hostile batch of serpents as they plunge into the jungles of Borneo on a research expedition.
• 
  Ronin (1998)

  Review preview for Ronin

  Frankenheimer's direction is so flawless and masterful that every frame of every scene flows effortlessly.

  Heist caper starring Robert de Niro.
• 
  House Of The Dead (2003)

  Twentysomething ravers find the party gets nasty on a zombie island.
• 
  Alien Vs Predator (2004)

  Review preview for Alien Vs Predator

  The AVP movie plays like a live action version of an AVP Saturday morning animated show from the Eighties.

  Alien vs Predator, with man in the middle.
• 
  White Chicks (2004)

  Review preview for White Chicks

  One of the crudest, most low-brow films you'll ever see.

  Two black FBI agents dress up as white girls to track down kidnappers.
• 
  Cellular (2004)

  Review preview for Cellular

  Director David Ellis races through the far-fetched plot without looking back and keeps everything fast-paced and exciting

  Abducted teacher makes contact with outside world through radio waves.
• 
  Sky Captain And The World Of Tomorrow (2004)

  Review preview for Sky Captain And The World Of Tomorrow

  Super-overindulgence in bluescreen effects and bizarrely out-of-place swashbuckling.

  Giant robots on the wing in fantastic story of mad scientist, intrepid reporter and fighter pilot.
• 
  The Punisher (2004)

  Review preview for The Punisher

  Peter Parker thinks he has problems if he can't pay rent, get a girlfriend, or if no one likes him. Boo hoo! Frank Castle has REAL problems, none of this wimpy crap.

  Comicbook revenge action picture that takes no prisoners.
• 
  The Ramones: End Of The Century (2003)

  Review preview for The Ramones: End Of The Century

  The editing is sloppy, the message blurred, or non-existent.

  Documentary on the legendary rockers who never had a Top 40 hit.
• 
  Primo Amore (2004)

  Review preview for Primo Amore

  You know you're watching a dull movie when you begin to undress the female cast in your imagination, even if they're not that hot.

  A blind date between bald bully and wholesome girl reconstituted as an Italian art movie.
• 
  Spy Bound (2004)

  Review preview for Spy Bound

  What action exists is exciting.

  Inside the lives of France's best secret agents.
• 
  Arahan (2004)

  Review preview for Arahan

  Very funny and very exciting.

  Comedy chop-socky with serious martial arts moves from South Korea.
• 
  War (2004)

  Review preview for War

  The gritty, flickering, b&w picture looks really cool, but it doesn't capture anything of interest.

  Mysterious end-of-the-world black-and-white study of life after nothing.
• Overnight (2003)

  Review preview for Overnight

  A bit biased.

  How to be the next big thing in Hollwood and screw up.
• 
  My Summer Of Love (2004)

  Review preview for My Summer Of Love

  Overall, the ride is fun.

  Sad, lonely girl finds happy, lovely girl and has a cuddly, kissy time.
• 
  Dear Pillow (2004)

  Review preview for Dear Pillow

  Darkly, grimly funny in places.

  The adventures of a sex starved 17-year-old porn mag abuser.
• 
  Riding Giants (2004)

  Review preview for Riding Giants

  Peralta has a real talent for making historic and contemporary documentaries.

  Everything you will ever want to know about surfing.
• 
  Demi-Tarif (2003)

  Review preview for Demi-Tarif

  Isild Le Besco lets this film meander in repetitive and unrealistic ways.

  Abandoned kids scam a life of shoplifting, scamming restaurants and eating junk.
• 
  Style Wars/Style Wars: Revisited (1983)

  Review preview for Style Wars/Style Wars: Revisited

  It's hard to watch the dated hairdos and ugly early Eighties fashion and side with these kids.

  Remastered 21-year-old documentary about graffiti artists in New York.
• 
  Man Of The Year (2002)

  Review preview for Man Of The Year

  The killings are too abundant, with no emotion or drama attached.

  mass murderer runs amok in the dusty streets of Brazil
• 
  A Thousand Months (2003)

  Review preview for A Thousand Months

  Just another poncy art movie with a zillion pointless scenes and an editor who doesn't understand that his job is to cut out the empty bits.

  Life in a poor Moroccan village, where a school chair is the most valued object.
• 
  The Federation Of Black Cowboys (2003)

  Review preview for The Federation Of Black Cowboys

  Sadly, there are no barfights, bank robberies or jailbreaks in this 'un.

  Documentary about black cowboys in Brooklyn.
• 
  Freddy vs Jason (2003)

  Review preview for Freddy vs Jason

  Freddy vs Jason is the battle you've been waiting to see and, boy, does it raise the bar on excitement!

  Freddy Krueger from Elm Street fights Jason Voorhees from Friday The 13th in hell.
• 
  The Lease (2002)

  Review preview for The Lease

  Not one second of this film has any point to it.

  A divorced Lithuanian woman leases an apartment and is miserable.
• 
  Infernal Affairs (2002)

  Two men, working undercover for the police and Triads respectively, have to eliminate each other to save their jobs, and their lives.