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The Bank Job [2008]

starring: Jason Statham, David Suchet, Stephen Campbell Moore, Keeley Hawes, Saffron Burrows
directed by: Roger Donaldson

June 30, 2008
Loved this movie - reminiscent of the old British bank robbery films - Jason was great not overacting and trying to be the movie equivalent of Phil Mitchell. Great cast, and as a Brit living abroad the location scenes were great, good story that wasn't just about robbing a bank.

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The World's Fastest Indian [2005]

starring: Anthony Hopkins, Todd Emerson, Phoebe Falconer, Tim Farmer, Diane Ladd
directed by: Roger Donaldson

July 03, 2006
Whatever your taste in films, you'll love this one. I was so disinclined to watch this when our local video shop owner (and rarely off the mark guru who recommends new titles to us) suggested we'd like it, but my husband convined me to give it a go - you know the old bikes and boys thing. I objected on "green" ethics, as well as not being even slightly interested in land speed records. But even I didn't just keep thinking "what a waste of fossil fuels", which I was convinced I would, and didn't experience a second of boredom! This is a story of determination, unquenchable drive and indomitable spirit. Teaches us all that if we really want something, and it's not hurting anybody else, we just have to keep at it and never take no for an answer. ... Read More:

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Cocktail [1989]

starring: Tom Cruise, Bryan Brown, Elisabeth Shue, Lisa Banes, Laurence Luckinbill
directed by: Roger Donaldson

March 11, 2002
Movies have a way of glamourising even the most mundane of jobs. I have a friend who's been a bartender most of his working life and I know for sure he would write this film off as total fantasy. Tom Cruise delivers a typical trademark Cruise performance that is in my humble opinion vastly overshadowed by Bryan Brown who seems more of a natural on screen to me. I've always got the feeling from Cruise that he is acting whereas Brown you can almost believe is like that in real life. I'll admit I'm not a Cruise fan and this film makes him just about bearable for me. There are some classic lines here eg Cruise: "They all Hate me", Brown: "Wait till you've given them crabs, then you'll know real hate". At some point in the Jamaica scenes there is a ... Read More:

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Thirteen Days [2001]

starring: Shawn Driscoll, Kevin Costner, Drake Cook, Lucinda Jenney, Caitlin Wachs
directed by: Roger Donaldson

August 01, 2005
Thirteen Days tells the story of the two weeks when the world came closest to Mutually Assured Destruction in the autumn of 1962 when the Soviet Union established missiles in Cuba. As historical films go this is one of the more thoughtful. Kennedy is presented in a sympathetic light placating the 'hawks' in the military who were determined to bomb the Russian missile sites and invade Cuba, as well as rising to Khruschev's test of will. In essence this was the purpose of Khruschev's strategy to test the young American President who had undermined his authority with the Bay of Pigs fiasco. Like most historical films accuracy is an issue and once you get past the dodgy Boston Irish-American accents, then it is possible to enjoy this political, military and diplomatic ... Read More:

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The Bank Job [Blu-ray] [2008]

starring: Georgia Taylor, Keeley Hawes, Jason Statham, Saffron Burrows, Stephen Campbell Moore
directed by: Roger Donaldson

June 30, 2008
Version: U.K / Region B
Version: U.S.A / Region A

MPEG-4 AVC
Running time: 1:52:01
Movie size: 19,677,437,952 bytes
Disc size: 23,620,157,820 bytes
Average video bit rate: 18.32 Mbps
DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 2714Kbps (48kHz/16-bit)

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No Way Out [1987]

starring: Kevin Costner, Gene Hackman, Sean Young, Will Patton, Howard Duff
directed by: Roger Donaldson

January 08, 2001
This film is a good mystery of an accidental death involving the Secretary of Defense that is swept under the rug and has a fine pairing of Kevin Costner and Gene Hackman. Sean Young, whose Susan Atwell is the mistress of jealous and controlling David Brice, finds herself falling for Costner's Lt. Commander Farrell and hopes for a way out of her affair with Brice but doesn't quite summon the resolve to break it off with him until he violently confronts her about spending a weekend with another man and demands to know that man's identity. Brice's Doberman-on-a-leash, Scott Pritchard, takes over at this point by orchestrating the cover-up, contaminating the crime scene, tampering with evidence to absolve Brice of any blame, and to implicate a phantom Russian mole in the young woman's ... Read More:

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Dante's Peak [1997]

starring: Pierce Brosnan, Linda Hamilton, Charles Hallahan, Jamie Renée Smith, Jeremy Foley
directed by: Roger Donaldson

October 03, 2005
I've never been huge fan of disaster films, as I've always found them to be over the top, or just an excuse for some special effects. Nevertheless I decided to give the pre-millennium Dante's Peak a chance and all things considered I'm pretty glad I did as I really enjoyed the film.

Set in Dante's Peak (hence the title I guess) the film tells of a major volcano located in the heart of the town, that's about to blow it top. Despite the increasingly alarming warning signs, the idea of evacuation is considered premature and brushed aside, despite the best efforts of Pierce Brosnan (who plays the volcano expert) to convince them otherwise. There are some really spectacular special effects, but all have been done in such a way that really enhances the film itself. I couldn't help be astonished ... Read More:

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Dante's Peak [HD DVD] [1997]

starring: Pierce Brosnan, Linda Hamilton, Elizabeth Hoffman, Grant Heslov, Jamie Renee Smith
directed by: Roger Donaldson

August 20, 2007
This movie is a good disaster movie with all the elements of a disaster movie. There are all the stereotype disaster characters form the "I'll ride it out" to the "You are scaring my customers".

Naturedly the person that knows what will happen (Pierce Brosnan) has no credibility with the authorities. Then the disaster happens and he must save the beautiful (Linda Hamilton) and family. At first indifferent soon to become enamored.

I do not want to go too much into detail as you will lose the shock value. I can tell you it involves a volcano and a budding love story.

HD was finally pushed out by Blu-ray but any way you watch a big screen adds to the viewing pleasure without adding or subtracting from the story.

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The Recruit [2003]

starring: Al Pacino, Colin Farrell, Bridget Moynahan, Gabriel Macht, Kenneth Mitchell
directed by: Roger Donaldson

November 03, 2003
It would appear that this film has attracted a lot more controversy than it is worth. Spy movies are a favorite of mine and I found this one typical of the genre. The spy game is based on trust, deception and ultimately betrayal and this offering certainly didn`t disappoint in that respect. It was, perhaps for some, a touch slow in parts but that only gave the viewer time to catch up. Definitely a film to watch more than once so you can unravel the plot with hindsight.

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Species/Species 2/Species 3/Species 4 - The Awakening [1995]

starring: Natasha Henstridge, Sunny Mabrey, Robin Dunne, Robert Knepper, Michael Warren
directed by: Roger Donaldson, Peter Medak, Brad Turner, Nick Lyon

June 02, 2008
il give this box set five stars purely for the first two installments of the species quadrilogy but the third and fourth despite carrying on from where the first two left off seem to be mediocre in comparison to those that made natasha henstridge a star in the making.