This film wins the award for most time spent in Mars Dune Buggies

This was an interesting little Sci-Fi piece if not borrowing very heavily from Apollo 18 and the whole notion that there are all sorts of microbiological nasties lurking out there in space for unsuspecting astronauts.

As the film opens manned (and womaned) missions to Mars appear to be well underway with a survey team digging up bits of rock and sand. Then one of them finds something resembling life and…well I think you can guess the rest.

Whilst I enjoyed the film my only complaint would probably be that a lot of the scenes were too drawn out, especially hours of travelling in Mars dune buggies. Whilst I appreciate this would probably be close to reality and all, something else could perhaps have happened as well. No “Ash is a goddam Robot” moments here (yes it borrowed from Alien also) just here is mars, here is monster, run, run away.

I’m an American teenager. I have seen decades of Summer Camp Slasher flicks yet I still go camping alone on an island believing everything will be “OK”

Have you ever seen Friday the 13th? Well just imagine one of those horrible American summer camps with one lowly camper and mix in Friday and you pretty much have Solo!

It was an interesting premise I suppose: In order to prove they have the right stuff to help campers, new counsellors have to spend two days alone on an island just off the camp.

Of course very quickly we realise that the young damsel is not actually alone and the slashing and screams really get started.

Nothing much here, frankly fairly boring but if you like slasher flicks and don’t mind knowing pretty much whodunit in the first half hour of the film (pretty easy to guess this one), give it a go.

An interesting little film from the days when Charlie Sheen was not being rushed into Rehab.  Sheen plays an advisor to the president (Sam Waterson) who wants to take on that mighty nasty military machine that rules America with Corporate money.

Naturally Corporate money has something to say about the kindly Waterson’s plans for scaling down Military spending and a fairly interesting conspiracy flick ensues.

Whilst not nearly as good a film their are strong elements of The Three Days of the Condor in here which makes it quite an enjoyable couple of hours.

Its interesting to see Linda Hamilton of Terminator fame playing a less than burly print journalist, complete with really silly, girly hats.

Oh and Paula Patton was in it too..

A fairly funny if not at times confusing offering from Mark Wahlberg, Denzel Washington, Bill Paxton and Edward James Olmos. At first we are presented with two bank robbers and it all looks fairly straightforward – then things start to get complicated!

Outstanding performances from all as you might expect, although I tend to think Edward James is starting to look just that bit too “cuddly” to play Columbian Drug tsars (So say we all),.

I’m not sure if anyone told Bill Paxton that it was sort of a comedy film, as he played it pretty much dead pan start to finish. If anyone gets points for being the best nasty character he wins hands down.