Clash of the Titans (1981)

Sent with his mother to their deaths at the wild open sea by King Acrisius of Argos, the newborn Perseus, son of the King of the Gods, Zeus, escapes his cruel fate and grows up into a man with a mission in life. Without delay, Perseus has to return to the affluent city of Joppa, where the daughter of Queen Cassiopeia, the beautiful Princess Andromeda, is to marry the hideously grotesque monster, Calibos, the mortal son of Thetis, the sea goddess. However, in his quest to rescue the cursed Andromeda, Perseus will soon find himself up against formidable adversaries, only the gifts from the Gods themselves could give him a fighting chance. Will heroic Perseus fulfil his destiny? For lovers of Greek Mythology movies, this is certainly one for you. I love this film for plenty of reasons but to narrow it down to one, it would have to be the incredible stop-motion effects. They are very impressive and another testament to the creative work of the legendary Ray Harryhausen. His work is so inspirational and has been featured in countless movies following a similar style and mostly fitting that fantasy genre. To name a few he lent his creative touch to are: The 7th Voyage of Sinbad (1958) Jason and the Argonauts (1963) and One Million Years B.C. (1966). Harryhausen pioneered the use of stop-motion animation effects and made it into a form of art. All of these films, including this, were influenced by the work of King Kong (1933), which inspired Harryhausen in stop-motion. This film uses this form on multiple creatures both good and bad. It is used to bring to life that of Pegasus, Bubo the owl, the Kraken, Giant Scorpions, Calibos, the Two-Headed Dog, the Giant Vulture and the coolest/most terrifying, Medusa. That whole sequence where Perseus and two other soldiers enter Medusa's lair is easily my favourite part of this film. It is so tense and seeing the rattling of her snake-like tail as they move closer in among the crowd of past victim statues is brilliant and still effectively scary. Armed with a bow and arrow too makes her a deadly foe when matched with her power to turn living creatures to stone upon looking at her eyes. When she uses her powers, I love the bright green glow they give off. The stop-motion effects used on her alone are unbelievable. Medusa's snake hair each moves individually alongside the rest of her movements, which could only have taken so much time and process to get it to look as good as it does. After all these years to still look that superb is a grand feat for this film. Joined with the phenomenal effects and visuals are the characters who bring a great level of enjoyment to this epic story. One of the highlights of this film for me is Perseus' friends and gifts from the Gods. On his quest, he is joined by Ammon, who is a great asset to the adventure, giving tips and knowledge that can save Andromeda's life. I like it when he sees the items Perseus has been given by the Gods and his remarks to them with that astonished look, full of wonder. These gifts are awesom!. He is given a helmet, which renders the wearer invisible, a sword that can cut through marble leaving no mark and a shield that will come in handy in the fight against Medusa. Later on, a fourth gift is sent in the form of Bubo the mechanical owl who only Perseus can understand. He is one of my favourite characters and acts as a kind of comedic aspect to the film with his clumsy movements and actions. I think he is the most recognisable part of the film and was a fabulous inclusion to the story. I have fond memories of seeing these sorts of fantasy/Greek Mythology movies on television growing up, mainly being shown on repeats around Christmas and how I would watch them with the rest of my family. I miss when films had this sense of adventure and wonderment that seems overlooked in today's cinema with the overuse of CGI. Overall, this is a fantastic fantasy movie that is overflowing with grand stop-motion, and entertaining characters with a thrilling story to match. Clash of the Titans is a certified pop culture classic sure to spark your imagination.

Runtime: 1h 58m

Director: Desmond Davis

Genre: Action / Adventure / Family / Fantasy

Related Sites and Media:

Movie Trailer:

My DVD Copy:

Trading Places (1983)

Louis Winthorpe III is a successful Philadelphia commodity broker with a mansion, manservant and fiancee. Billy Ray Valentine is a hustling beggar con man. Winthorpe's employers, the elderly Duke brothers, make a bet that by switching the lifestyle of the two, Billy Ray will make good becoming a respectable businessman and their man, Winthorpe, will take to a life of crime. Suddenly Louis finds himself uncomprehendingly with no job after being accused of theft, no home and only a new acquaintance, glamorous hooker Ophelia, prepared to help him. Valentine now has a lovely establishment, a servant and limo, a grand paycheck and a respectable job. However, the two catch wind of the Duke's bet and set out to get their own back. This is an amazing original comedy featuring two of my favourite comedic actors who definitely made it the joyful viewing it is: Dan Aykroyd as Louis Winthorpe III and Eddie Murphy as Billy Ray Valentine. The two are incredibly funny and share their comedic moments equally throughout, having some great ones together too. Not only do these two bring the film to life but also Denholm Elliott, as Coleman the butler and Jamie Lee Curtis, as Ophelia the hooker who helps out Louis. The two have some amazing scenes too and help out in the revenge on the Dukes. This is also another underrated Christmas movie, from the 80s. This is certainly one of my favourites that I watch each festive season. The film takes place during Christmas which can be seen throughout from trees to decorations and snow. One day Winthorpe bumps into Valentine who is apologetic, trying to hand him back his dropped briefcase when Louis accuses him of robbing him, shouting for the police. He is chased through the building where the Dukes see the ordeal and decide to make a bet to switch their places and see if they would adjust to the opposite lifestyles. Here we see Louis accused of theft, humiliated, kicked out of his house, rejected by his fiancee and losing his money and cards. Valentine meanwhile, is given Louis' house, butler, job and is brought into the higher end of society and wealth. At first, he uses his wealth to give out money and have parties before changing into a real businessman, as the Dukes intended. This opening part of the film is a clever comedy showing the greed and misuse of power and wealth. We see Winthorpe resort to a life of crime of stealing and threatening Ray with a gun. Concluding the bet we find out that the Dukes betted a messed up amount to ruin a man's life and now plan to swap them back but, little did they know, they were overheard by Valentine. After telling Winthorpe, the two make their move to ruin them in a typical revenge plot fashion. It is however shown confusingly during the trading floor scene that I had a hard time following since I don't know a great deal about the trade market, but I'm not the only one. As before stated, the actors drive this film but I think my favourite has to be Eddie Murphy as Billy Ray Valentine. Despite being his second film, following 48 Hrs. (1982), this was a huge boost to his fame and career. He is hilarious from the get-go and as he acquires his power, his original ways and humour never leave. The best scene in the film has to be the train sequence, where they try to stop Beeks, who is delivering the Dukes a secret report illegally on the state of the market. The scene where they go in disguised is so funny because of how confused and unamused Beeks is. When he catches onto them swapping his briefcase he tries to stop them which then leads to that infamous Gorilla scene. If you know, then enough said. Overall, this is a fantastically brilliant comedy that is still relevant and stands the test of time. It has a well-rounded cast, crazy antics, a bit of dark humour, some nudity and some festive cheer. Also, who doesn't want some dreadful old millionaires get their just reward in a splendid revenge plot? It is certainly one of a kind and very classic 80s that is great viewing.

Runtime: 1h 56m

Director: John Landis

Genre: Comedy

Related Sites and Media:

Movie Trailer:

My DVD Copy:

Lethal Weapon (1987)

Roger Murtaugh is an ageing family man and a sensible veteran police officer just trying to make it through the day unscathed. Martin Riggs is a suicidal loose cannon cop who doesn't care if he even lives to see the end of the day. Reluctantly thrown together to solve the mysterious murder of a banker's daughter, the unlikely duo uncovers a dangerous ring of drug smugglers employing ex-military mercenaries. After a tragic turn of events, the mission becomes personal and the mismatched investigators must learn to trust one another as they wage a two-man war against a deadly criminal organization. I loved this buddy cop film and this is certainly one that shaped the subgenre going forward. The 80s really seemed to like their non-traditional Christmas films and, it seems, for festive action movies too. If you enjoyed this film then you will also love Die Hard (1988) which is another action-oriented unconventional Christmas flick. We follow two different cops who have very different ways of thinking and lifestyles but are going to need to put them aside to solve this crime. Our heroic duo is Roger Murtaugh (played by Danny Glover) and Martin Riggs (Mel Gibson). Every moment these two are on screen together I know I am in for a treat. Their contrasting ways of working and living lead to so many hilarious, as well as heartfelt, moments that make them such an enjoyable team. Murtaugh is constantly reminded of his age and the danger he's constantly in, which becomes quite frequent with his new suicidal loose cannon maverick cop partner, Riggs. I so enjoy when Riggs would do something so reckless that it sends Murtaugh into a frenzy, causing him to shout a lot and panic. This was certainly the case during the scene where Riggs helps a man about to jump off a building by handcuffing himself to the guy and jumping for him to safety, where he is left laughing and the guy screaming to be cut loose from him. From there Murtaugh goes ballistic shouting at him which always cracks me up. Especially when he brings out his iconic line said in all 4 films, "I'm too old for this shit!" Both actors do a fantastic job and show off their skills throughout. I love how Mel Gibson can switch from a helpful officer to a crazy wide-eyed madman in the next. Danny Glover's frequent breakdowns and worried expressions are so good never failing to make me laugh. This can be said for all their interactions as the comedy element of this film is just as great as the action. My other favourite part has to be the shooting range scene. This displays both of the duo's shooting skills but most especially that of Riggs' who manages to shoot out a smiley face on Murtaugh's headshot target, from the furthest distance. Each shares a huge deal of character development throughout their time together and helps one another out as their mission goes on, even when Murtaugh's family gets involved in the mess. The action sequences in this film are amazing and very extreme. I mean they take matters into their own hands and the way things get done is definitely not how the police do things. Seeing a 1v1 between Riggs and villain Joshua in a full-on fist fight, after throwing down their guns, was very thrilling. Many brutal shootouts also take place, alongside some torture. This film warrants its 18 rating for sure. Overall, this is a superb movie that balances action, comedy, thriller and crime perfectly, creating the ideal buddy cop flick. The characters are entertaining and engaging with plenty of enjoyable banter. Even better this counts as some non-traditional Christmas viewing being set during the season and there being many Christmas lights, trees, songs and decorations scattered everywhere. It makes for some extra viewing, but can be watched all year round. Finally, this film deserves a watch simply for Riggs' marvellous mullet. I mean look at it, such a sight! Also, check out the sequel for more action in Lethal Weapon 2 (1989).

Runtime: 1h 49m

Director: Richard Donner

Genre: Action / Crime / Thriller

Related Sites and Media:

Movie Trailer:

My DVD Boxset:

3 Godfathers (1948)

Fugitive bank robbers Robert Hightower, William Kearney and Pedro Roca Fuerte stand at a desert grave. Caring for the newborn infant of the woman they just buried will ruin any chance of escape. But they won't go back on their promise to her. They won't abandon little Robert William Pedro but can they deliver him to safety? Director John Ford's Western retelling of the Biblical Three Wise Men tale remains a scenic and thematic masterpiece. This is certainly one of the more unusual western movies made that tells a story quite different to anything done before in the genre. Little would you know but this is technically a Christmas movie. Set during the festive season, there are plenty of references to Christmas, from the mentions of a Christmas tree to people talking of Feliz Navidad. Also as previously mentioned, the movie takes a Biblical approach in its story and imagery with our trio mirroring the Three Wise Men. There are plenty of moments where our characters refer to the Bible and read from it frequently, as they take the infant child to New Jerusalem. When our story begins, we follow our trio on a bank heist in a town, which had greeted them so kindly. Having made their escape, with the youngest, William, being shot in the arm and injured, they are quickly pursued by the marshal. He makes it his personal vendetta to hunt them down, making it impossible for them to escape. As the blockades around water sources grow, the three move onto one last location where they come across a dying woman and her infant. They promise to take care of the child as their Godfathers and so begins their quest. Ford asserts to us through the story that even men of dissolute character can follow that inner star of Bethlehem to their own redemption. It is here we are shown the hard natures of the wild west. From the harsh, dusty winds to the scorching sun, the cinematography is used superbly in making us feel like we, the audience, are on that journey too in those conditions. Despite their past actions, we now see this group in a new light as they do everything in their being to protect this infant. But with the marshal hot on their trails we start to see him, a man completely in his right to take vengeance on these men, as a villain in some sense. If you haven't seen the film skip past the red to avoid me ruining the end. *Spoilers* As they keep travelling, they are overcome by the treacherous conditions of the desert and become weaker, unlikely to make it. It is here that William, whose gunshot wound had not been treated, sadly dies of exhaustion, doing everything in his might to carry the child as far as possible. The two remaining read him the Bible as he dies then move on, so as not to be caught by the marshal. Later Pedro breaks his leg after falling and can't go on. He asks for Robert's pistol to warn off any coyotes but as Robert moves on we hear a single gunshot. After climbing the last mountain, Robert feels he can't go any further. He starts to hallucinate, imagining his two friends walking alongside him, encouraging him not to give up, which was a very emotional moment. Finally making it to the town, he is confronted by the marshal who then realises what has transpired. In the end, the baby is delivered safely and Robert is only sent to 1 year and 1 day of prison time instead of the 20 years, remaining as the child's Godfather. Overall, this is an emotional drama set in the western genre that features some amazing acting and cinematography as well as an interesting story. I love that it holds many similarities to Biblical stories and makes for some unique Christmas viewing. This is definitely worthy viewing and should be experienced at least once by everyone, especially western and John Wayne fans.

Runtime: 1h 46m

Director: John Ford

Genre: Drama / Western

Related Sites and Media:

Movie Trailer:

My DVD Copy:

The Box of Delights (TV Series 1984)

A young boy, Kay Harker, is returning home from school to Seekings for the holidays. Little did he know he would find himself drawn into a world of magic and danger when he encounters an old Punch and Judy man, Cole Hawlings. With his shabby little box of powers, Kay is pulled into many fantastic worlds where he will encounter ancient heroes, Romans, wolves, rats, flashing rings, villainous characters and flying ponies. The Box of Delights is a BBC children's classic set during the festive season of Christmas in the 1930s, which takes us on a wild and mystical journey full of wonders. I have watched this show for many years now and I always put it on each December. It wouldn't feel like Christmas without watching this amazing serial, which makes me quite disheartened that it is never repeated on TV at all. The story is most certainly a trippy one. There are quite a lot of crazy, out-of-nowhere moments and sequences that are so random leaving you bewildered, however, they can be in its favour for what makes this so enjoyable. The show in its entirety has a dream-like feel to it with bizarre characters and details that you just have to try not to question. If you accept all of the strange occurrences, you will have a blast. The highlights of this series are undoubtedly the cast. Each one manages to deliver a magnificent performance respectively and makes the whole experience that much better. Devin Stanfield plays our protagonist Kay brilliantly, he is constantly engaging and has a sense of awe at every magical occurrence, which makes the world and story feel so believable. Patrick Troughton plays the kind Mr Cole Hawlings and delivers a great deal of mystery around his character who frequently talks of times long passed and knows things before they happen. You may recognise him from his role in another BBC show: Doctor Who (TV Series 1963-1989) as the Second Doctor. He carries with him his box of such delights, which is one of my favourite aspects of the show with how it looks and operates. It grants its user the ability to go small and it can also make you go swift and fly, alongside that it is full of wonders and powers. The rest of the characters offer so much too like the hilarious henchmen duo: Foxy Faced Charles and Chubby Joe and the police inspector who are so funny and entertaining. Then there are Kay's friends, the Jones family, Peter, Jemima, Maria and Susan who end up helping out on Kay's adventure. The icing on the cake however has to be Robert Stephens's portrayal of Abner Brown. Despite being a children's show, he plays the character like something out of Shakespeare. His acting is phenomenal and gives the character such a presence in every single scene. He can be so calm and collective then in the next scene, he could be screaming and demanding in rage. His facial expressions go hand in hand with his lines and makes him into what I could honestly say is one of the best villains in film history. Joining the fabulous cast and story that makes this series the marvel that it is, are the special effects. They clearly used the entirety of the budget they had to create this and it only shows with the amount of detail and creativity put into every scene they are featured in. My favourites have to be the hand-drawn creatures and landscapes which merge with the live-action aspects. Seeing characters walk into paintings that come to life, or travelling through history displayed by flying through artwork and tapestries of the period. Even seeing Abner's devilish creatures is a chilling experience that will forever stay with me, blending the two media perfectly. Overall, even though it can be extremely trippy and has an unusual story that makes little sense at times, this is a delightful series. Another testament to the 1980s in British television and an extremely entertaining one at that. A great piece of viewing for the seasonal period that can be enjoyed with the whole family.

Seasons & Episodes: 1 Season - 6 Episodes

Creators: John Mansfield, Paul Stone

Genre: Family / Fantasy

Related Sites and Media:

Series Intro:

Series Trailer:

My DVD Copy:

Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992)

Once again, it is Christmas time, and the McCallister family is planning another vacation, only this time they are bound to go to Miami, Florida. Unfortunately, at the airport, Kevin separates from the rest of his family and goes to New York City. Kevin will soon realize that he will not only be alone in a big city with a luxury suite at the Plaza. He will also reunite with his rivals Harry and Marv, who are planning to rob a toy store. Kevin plans to defeat the bandits once and for all by using traps to defeat them and save Duncan's Toy Chest. Following the events of the phenomenal classic: Home Alone (1990), we are reunited with the whole cast who return with a brilliant sequel. Writer John Hughes and Director Chris Columbus also return alongside the magnificent composer John Williams who all worked on the first film. Just like the last movie this one manages to delight and entertain audiences once again, me especially. I loved this film just as much as the first as it delivered some amazing comedic scenes, heartfelt moments and an overall exciting Christmas adventure. Although this film gets some bad reviews, I tend to pay no mind since despite its few faults, this movie is just so good and doesn't deserve all the flack it gets. Kevin's family must have the worst parents in cinema history ever because why would you go on another family vacation at Christmas again after the traumatic repercussion of the first film? To do it again a year later just seems so bizarre as if they hadn't learned their lesson, especially when they sleep in once again. However, things do go okay, to a point. Kevin makes it much further but accidentally boards the wrong plane at the airport. With his father's card, he checks in at the Plaza hotel where we are introduced to a set of great characters and moments. The Hotel Staff add a whole extra level of humour to the film, especially since Tim Curry plays the Plaza Hotel concierge and every scene he is in just stupendous. He has some of the best facial expressions and deliveries ever and this film was no exception. I particularly love the sequence where Kevin uses a gangster spoof movie (similar to the way he used it in the last one) to trick the Hotel Staff. The whole ordeal is just incredible and everyone's reactions to the situation are priceless. Alongside making some enemies Kevin does make some friends in the form of toy shop owner Duncan and the Pigeon Lady. Kevin helps them out and comforts them as they help him with his issues. However, once again the highlights of this film are the return of Harry and Marv and the onslaught of traps used against them. There are some unbelievable traps used in this film, which are deadlier than the last and I would go as far as to say even funnier. Even though there are some repeated traps, there are a few twists to them and changes. For example, in the previous one, Kevin throws two paint cans attached to a rope at the two intruders down the stairs, which is repeated however with an added third part catching the bandits off guard. I will never get over one of the traps that has never ceased to leave me in side-splitting agony from laughter being the moment when Marv tries to use a tap at a sink which Kevin has electrically charged. The moment he touches it he starts his marvellous scream we all know from the first film and as he does his hair stands on end. Kevin turns it up to the point where Marv's skeleton is shown and still screaming before being released and returning to normal. Comedy at its finest. Overall, this film is a decent sequel that adds more whilst referencing the previous instalment. It has a combination of a heartwarming story and rich amounts of comedy laced throughout making it ideal viewing for the entire family during the festive season. There is also a none connected 3rd follow-up with a new family in Home Alone 3 (1997).

Runtime: 2h

Director: Chris Columbus

Genre: Adventure / Comedy / Crime / Family

Related Sites and Media:

Movie Trailer:

My DVD Copy:

Home Alone (1990)

It's Christmas time and the McCallisters are preparing for a vacation to Paris. Eight-year-old Kevin is frequently mistreated in the house. He is picked on by his siblings and cousins, and his parents are annoyed by his antics. Kevin finds himself forced to sleep on the third floor of the house after causing an issue at dinner. The next day, the McCallisters accidentally sleep in and barely make it to their flight, but when airborne they realize they forgot Kevin. As his family desperately tries to get back to Chicago, Kevin is thrilled to have the house to himself. However, a pair of burglars, Harry and Marv, have robbed several houses in the neighbourhood, now with their sights on the McCallister house. It's up to Kevin to thwart them. Home Alone is quite possibly the definition of a Christmas Classic. This movie was written by the legendary John Hughes, who I adore for the countless incredible films he has produced and written. This one was just another delight from his huge roster of classics. During this festive season, who doesn't want a bit of family fun and laughter? What better way to supply it than by having a child use booby traps in his house to fend off two burglars. With most films, child actors can sometimes be quite annoying however this was not the case with Macaulay Culkin who played Kevin. I thought he was great in this as well as in his others films. He was funny, had some witty quick deliveries and frequently got some chuckles out of me. We the audience also feel a great deal of sympathy for Kevin since he is constantly picked on by his family and treated unfairly. His parents then go on to forget him when they leave for Paris. We don't blame Kevin for being so happy at his family's disappearance and partaking in crazy fun activities since he did want them gone after the way he had been treated. From jumping on the bed eating popcorn, eating lots of unhealthy food, watching older rated movies and sledging down the stairs, he gets up to all sorts of mischief he couldn't do before. Little did he expect he would then have to battle against two crooks attempting to rob his house, thinking that the whole family has left. It is from here that this film excels. The amount of unbelievable traps Kevin sets in place will more than likely kill you in real life, however in this film Harry and Marv just keep getting back up. Although, not entirely unscathed, of course. The film takes a slapstick approach to the action, which was an amazing choice. Seeing people take an iron to the face, having their hair set on fire or slipping on the ice, falling down some stone steps and continuing to keep going is just ridiculous entertainment. Knowing full well these traps are incredibly lethal, I found myself wincing or nearly looking away just at the thought of how they would feel. One of the funniest parts and my favourite is the screams and agonised muttering from our thieves Harry and Marv. Harry is more the brains of the two and frequently argues with the dumber Marv. Marv has some of the best screams in the movie that are instant laughs they are so good. Throughout, Kevin is taught a lesson about family. Despite enjoying their being gone, he eventually wants them back. No matter how much you have differences or fight, you always make things right with your loved ones because deep down we always care for one another. Not only does he learn this, but he even helps others to learn this too. Overall, Home Alone is just pure enjoyment for the whole family with a lovely message to tie it all together. It will never get old seeing a young boy battle crooked adults and triumph in saving Christmas. Give this phenomenal classic the check over this December for sure. If you liked this film, also check out Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992).

Runtime: 1h 43m

Director: Chris Columbus

Genre: Comedy / Family

Related Sites and Media:

Movie Trailer:

My DVD Copy: