olson182

A great and fun film podcast for fans of all kinds of films. Covering a huge range of topics and filmmakers, it's the perfect entertainment for movie fans.

What is the scariest element of modern living? Did I hear you scream "getting a virus on your computer"? Correct. And it is in that terror that I lead you into this Science Fiction-Horror about a derelict space freighter that is riddled with a cantankerous AI. A team of ne'er-do-wells are sent in to Debug the place, but find themselves victims of this Trojan Horse-power.

You might be thinking, what the Hal is he talking about? If so, this probably isn't a film for you. Tech speak and sterile spaceship sets are the code for this movie, instantly limiting its target audience. However, those who do plug in will find Debug to be a rather effective and violently pleasing yarn that sees these cannon-fodder digital soldiers get erased with sharp efficiency.

Game of Thrones star Jason Momoa faces David Hewlitt and an otherwise unknown cast, as they do battle against this cyber psycho, using language only decipherable by a PC World specialist, but seem to be up against a mightier opponent. The team fall victim to an array of manipulation and scare tactics by the ship's Artificial Intelligence, known as I Am (Momoa).

Completely set on the ship, with little exposition about the characters or the backgrounds, a little depth is missing from the story. Meaning we care little if the X in the corner of their screen gets clicked…if you know what I mean.

There is a sense of bowing to former greats though, films like Moon and 2001: A Space Odyssey are an obvious go-to. As well as slashed films and horror classics.

Isolating and atmospheric, this film works to pounce on our innate fear that technology will one day own us…or maybe it already does…gonna walk slowly away from my keyboard now.

Based on Alan Snow's children novel "Here Be Monsters", The Boxtrolls follows in the eerie and murky footsteps of Coraline and Paranorman for an animated caper with more quirkiness than a Come Dine With Me at Tim Burton's house.

Isaac Hempstead Wight voices "Eggs", a boy who grew up under the streets by a group of box-wearing trolls, who roam the streets at night finding anything they can to make into useful devices. Deemed a menace and a scourge, the city employs The Red Hats, a team of brutal Boxtroll-catching goons led by Snatcher (Ben Kingsley) - a ruthless and ambitious tyrant, who hopes to climb the social hierarchy in order to swap his red hat for a white one.

White Hats are the political strata of society, the decision-makers, who spend more time scoffing cheese in the Tasting Room than providing any worthwhile contribution to the town of Cheesebridge. When a White Hat's daughter, Winnie (Elle Fanning), falls in with The Boxtrolls and Eggs, the town becomes the setting for a rough-and-tumble adventure as the gang attempt to find and free the Boxtrolls who have been taken by the Red Hats.

Fun, funky, and full of creative freedom, The Boxtrolls delivers a meatier and more enjoyable family film than its predecessors, with a spectacular cast of voices, and some of the best animation in years. It is lively, perfectly-timed, and some of the weightier themes will keep even the snobbiest of film-watchers interested. The film delivers commentary on very relevant class issues and green themes, whilst keeping them tucked under a bombastic and explosive film for families.

The Boxtrolls themselves are like ugly Minions, speaking an incomprehensible dialect of baffling gibberish, whilst looking petrified by the harsh realities of human interaction. They are, in fact, more appealing than Minions as they each have subtle differences (like the one with false teeth, or the one with anger issues), and varying boxes - such as Fish or Eggs.

Just as The Boxtrolls roam the streets recycling garbage into new and useful things, the film itself has recycled some of its makers' past imagery (wouldn't quite call it garbage, although Paranorman tested this particular reviewer) and created a late summer film that thinks outside the box.

Mid-life crises can always be the source of much hilarity (see American Beauty), and this Mock-umentary set in the glorious British countryside puts the fun in fundamental breakdown.

Four friends decide to embark on a coast-to-coast walk across Britain, hiking for hundreds of miles and stopping at some historic sites (mostly pubs where they get wankered most nights!). As the foursome get into mischief, squabbles, and some deep emotional revelations, the trip becomes far less about proving a point about middle-age, and more about discovering where they got lost and which path to take - metaphorically speaking.

Director James Rouse blends a quirky British comedy story with modern documentary style, and some classic sitcom-style lines to make a painfully funny and charming movie. Scenes of intimate, philosophical debate are juxtaposed with lads banter and childish pranks. The group themselves make for some varied viewing.

Gordon (Richard Lumsden), is the leader - a sanctimonious time-keeper, endeavouring to tackle this challenge with integrity, only to be brought down by his clownish pals.

Keith (Karl Theobald), a quieter type with a huge revelation in store which alters the mood of the journey dramatically.

Steve (Jeremy Swift), a teacher whose propensity for mood swings when he is hungry makes for some of the funniest moments. He is reminiscent of a Nick Frost character.

And Julian (Ned Dennehy), a well-spoken trickster and devourer of the finer things (in particular the works of Shakespeare), whose laid-back disregard for rules, political correctness, and life make him the most volatile British rambler since Sightseers.

Downhill is let down slightly by the documentary style, filmed by Gordon's son Luke (Ruper Simonian) who is barely allowed to talk in case he ruins the atmosphere of the documentary. The camera work starts off haphazard but does improve during the movie.

That being said, Rouse utilises a wonderful acoustic soundtrack, with music from Ben and Brodie Park, that compliments the breathtaking scenery, and adds pathos to the bittersweet story. Furthermore, his use of flashback imagery in the footage is a lovely touch, and even the charming little animations by Jake Lunt that separate the chapters are delightful.

Beautifully shot and wonderfully scripted, Downhill is one of the funniest films released this year.

Ever wondered who would win in a fight between Zombies and Killer Robots? Of course you have, it is the fundamental question we as a society have been pondering for decades, and now (finally), the two are pitted against each other in this action/sci-fi caper.

Battle of the Damned takes place inside a contaminated city, where a deadly virus outbreak has turned most of the civilians into flesh-eating freaks. Max Gatling (Dolph Lundgren) is sent into the zone to rescue a particular female survivor (Melanie Zanetti), who has managed to stay alive with a small bunch of misfits.

When Max attempts to complete his mission, though, he is hindered not only by the army of walking dead that seek to devour him, but also Duke (David Field) the leader of the group of survivors - who doesn't take kindly to this muscle-headed usurper. When all the odds seem against him, Max receives support from an unlikely gaggle of homicidal robots! Nerdgasms will flow through the viral world at the plot of this movie, and rightly so. An action film starring Dolph Lundgren that pits Zombies against Killer Robots, surely if ever there was a recipe for success? However, the lukewarm result will see many viewers damning this particular battle.

The action is intense and the special effects are decent, but there is no depth to the story. Attempts at making emotional connections to the characters are tenuous, whilst the main arc of the movie seems unfulfilling. Also, the film opts for a short running time, leaving barely any prologue to what caused the viral outbreak, and no sense of intimation about the future.

Fans of action sci-fi, like I Robot or The Terminator films, should approach this film with caution. It will not deliver on an emotional or intellectual level, and should be seen more as a Battle L.A or Skyline attempt - films that fell way below their potential.

Battle of the Damned, whilst providing some adrenaline fuelled chase scenes and gun fights, fails to elevate itself above being mere cannon fodder in the genre. By giving itself an outlandish plot, this battle for audience approval was always damned…zing.

"Alcohol - the cause of, and solution to, all of life's problems" - Homer J. Simpson Too often when films tackle substance abuse they fall into preacher territory - that is, they stand on their soap-box (or an empty case of wine) and reveal the not-so-hidden dangers of becoming addicted to drugs/alcohol/sex, whilst depicting the issues in such crisp black and white, that very little room is left for exploration or discussion.

This film from director James Ponsoldt follows in the lasciviously-brilliant footsteps of Steve MqQueen's film, released last year, Shame (which explored the issues around sex addiction with a grim tenacity), in being an addiction-film which penetrates the human cost, rather than the social implications.

The synopsis is simple - a married couple, who spend the majority of their free time under the influence of alcohol, find their relationship put under enormous pressure when the wife, Kate (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) decides to go sober. Her reasons for doing so follow a few nasty experiences caused by alcohol - one being having to pretend to be pregnant in order to keep her job as a school teacher (after throwing up due to a hangover), and another being after a particularly chaotic night in which she ended up smoking crack, and sleeping on the streets.

Aside from these frenzied drunken moments near the beginning of the movie, Ponsoldt dedicates the rest of the film portraying the immense struggle of giving up the suds, and how it affects so many aspects of Kate's life. Furthermore, the story does not become a proponent of sobriety, instead revealing that life will throw you curve balls regardless of your state of inebriation - which we see as Kate tackles her problems head on whilst staying off the booze.

As Kate becomes steadier in her new lifestyle, her vision becomes more focused (much like the process of sobering up), and the relationship she once fully enjoyed, becomes perilously unsteady.

This may all sound extremely heavy, and depressing, but the truth is that Smashed maintains a chirpy black comedy with plenty of emotional development, without falling into the aforementioned preacher category. Kate, and her husband Charlie (Aaron Paul), enjoy some excellent moments of tenderness and humour which makes the story very fulfilling and enjoyable.

Not quite as sharp as Shame, but far more universally appealing, Smashed deserves recognition for its fresh take on an old vice.